Expired Labels

If you judge people, you have no time to love them. ~Mother Teresa

Stroll down any aisle in your local supermarket, and you’ll find them there. Intense faces and crinkled eyebrows as people read the nutritional labels on food packaging. Often motionless, they stand scrutinizing calorie counts and grams of fat, the percentage of daily recommended allowances, and the elusive serving size per container. Whether we fully understand the data or not, we live in a convenient, label-centric society where the information we need appears on a nice, rectangular panel.

Even more important than counting carbs and grams of sodium, how do we know how long good nutrition will last? Well, there’s a label or stamp for that too. With “Use by”, “Best Before”, and “Sell by” dates, we can easily keep an eye on the calendar and judge if a perishable item is good for us or not.

How would a system of labels work for people? What if, before our birth, God stamped us with a label that disclosed everything He put in us. Others could plainly read what we are made of and who we are created to be. Easy right? For most of us, no matter how well-intended the Creator is, this labeling process would not work. Why? One reason — we all learn to make our own labels.

Ever see that car or truck where the owner has gone bumper sticker happy? This is a mirror image of how we travel through life, covered with layer upon layer of negative labels affixed by ourselves and others. Labels suffocating our self-image (“loser”, “dummy”, “pig”, “ugly”, “failure”, “nobody”) now smudge and cover the fingerprints of Divinity that are upon us. Our worth, our beauty, our purpose as foreseen by our Creator — concealed by the glue of misguided perceptions.

Other negative labels may seem honest and fair, but do not account for the fact that we are works in progress, maturing at our God-ordained pace. Have you ever seen an unfinished house with a sign in front that reads, “No toilets installed”? Or, how about a realtor’s sign for a home for sale that says, “Buyer not approved for loan yet”. Would we not “label” these signs as ridiculous alternatives to “Under Construction” and “Under Contract”?

Yet, with permanent adhesive, we painstakingly wear the labels of our process (“mischievous”, “hypocrite”, “liar”, “proud”, “troublemaker”) without the knowledge that these labels are expiring, and we are already forgiven. Who you are now, or even then, is/was not the real you. Just scrape off a few layers of labels and the glorious identity of God and how He sees you will begin to shine through.

So, how do we begin the daunting task of removing labels, without scuffing our surface or leaving ourselves covered with half-peeled strips? First, we must understand the rules of the game. Just as Sara Lee cannot label Betty Crocker products, any label that does not originate from our Creator is ILLEGAL. Our truth is never characterized by labels conceived of others. Second, we must practice being gentle with ourselves, rejecting self-criticism, and know our worth. Spritzing our hearts and minds often with droplets of Love will loosen the grip of our faulty labels. Finally, for those persistent labels that refuse to be removed (or we refuse to let them go), no worries. In this scenario, God stamps us with a Divine expiration date called, “Best AFTER…” There’s a time and season beyond our understanding when every illegal label, no matter how accurate or befitting — It will expire!…On its own, no scraping or picking needed on our part. We will learn from our life lessons and grow through our process — if we remain willing to do so.

Starting now, let’s release the need to label ourselves and others. For we are all best sellers, with a non-perishable purpose, defined by the recipe and ingredients hand picked for our lives by God.

Would You Like an Abortion with that Degree?

It’s the most effective and aggressive form of customer relationship building for any revenue-generating organization — anticipate the needs of the customer, and proactively satisfy them. More often than not, the monetary returns from this approach positively affect the company’s bottom line. However, is there any customer need that warrants the question, “is our organization really the one to fill it?”

Even Goliath’s like Wal-Mart reject (and/or have tried to reject) the notion of being all things to all people. Just try buying a hand gun, or the latest edition of Maxim magazine at Wal-Mart. It’s a short road leading to a dead end.

Speaking of dead ends, this question of customer need “fillability” escapes many colleges and universities across the country. Now, as you walk across the stage with degree in hand, women can also carry the physical and emotional scars of abortion — amicably provided on the school’s dime. Sure, part of a student’s tuition may include a health fee, but the bulk of abortion costs (usually 80%-90% expenses covered or allowable charges up to $250 maximum per occurrence) are covered by the school’s student health insurance.

But don’t run out and boycott these schools just yet. You may find the alternatives (schools who don’t cover abortions) are slim to none, as this “benefit” is rampant. Since when did “normal pregnancy” become a “sickness”?

The rationale employed by these colleges and universities is clear. Just as a gunshot wound or appendicitis could preclude one from finishing a semester, likewise an unwanted pregnancy could hurt school revenue with an increase in withdrawal applications. The notion of insuring people to protect one’s bottom line is not a new concept, though. Different, yet similar to the relationship between universities and students is the purchase of insurance policies by slave owners. Notwithstanding the overarching intent in both cases is to protect one’s investment, it’s very interesting how slave owners used insurance to protect life, while colleges and universities are using insurance to destroy life. And with white women accounting for over half of the abortions in this country, never have I seen a scenario where the perceived value of a slave outweighs the value of an unborn white child.

As an African-American woman, the same outrage applies doubly to our historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) who provide elective abortion coverage for students. With staggering numbers of African-American males in prison alone, how insane is it for our institutions of higher learning to promote such a “benefit”? What is tuition revenue, compared to giving life a chance to change the world? It is embarrassing how we are financing the destruction of our future Kings.

How much anticipation of customer need is enough? How much is too much? Do colleges and universities have the right to choose which needs they fill, which benefits they offer? Yes they do. Should they offer abortions with their degrees? If a student suffers permanent damage (e.g. cannot have children) due to multiple school-financed abortions, could she sue the school or the underwriters? If schools cover the costs of abortions, should a limit be imposed on how many times a student can use the benefit? Should parents who dish out big bucks for tuition have a say? Two words…caveat emptor.

These are my 2¢ plus a penny…what are your thoughts?

Fill in the Blanks

What if the Divine mind of Creator God was like an attic. An infinite attic of all that has been and all that forever will be. We’d find it there. Right there. Tucked behind the blueprints of the Universe. To the right of the secret chest housing tomorrow’s hail. Or perhaps on the shelf, twenty-third from the bottom, next to the schedule of the Earth’s tides. Our very own View-Master viewer inscribed with our name. And though it’s been up here since before the foundation of the world, it still has that fresh, out-of-the-box radiance that would exhilarate any child on Christmas morning.

The slides on the reel, created in the most vibrant array of colors, reveal our life, His purpose for us, just as clear as the day He foreknew us. Let’s take it for a spin; peruse the still frames one by one. Remember the challenges you faced as a child? The quest to find your voice and do the right thing as a teenager. The misunderstandings, broken hearts and promises from loved ones. The triumph of achieving your goals and dreams. The hurt that wouldn’t quit, producing nights of silent screams. Yes, God has foreseen it all.

Yet, for many of the slides, we see nothing but the darkest midnight. No light, no vivid colors. Shaking and tapping the View-Master we wonder, “Why are these slides still blank?”

Surely our life is not an unfinished novel by an Author stuck on page 122 of 550. Our Heavenly Father, the One not subject to surprises, incapable of being punk’d, He always finishes what He starts…and it’s good! We acknowledged His goodness on every past slide.

At what point did our Godly hindsight dim (retrospect), making it harder to find the path to Godly foresight (faith)? It’s easy for us to identify God’s hand at work in past chapters of our life. Our faces beamed with confidence with every click of the View-Master, that is, until we viewed the slides of today’s challenges, unable to see the triumph already prepared for us. He is not only our Author, but a Finisher whose pen never runs out of ink.

As I continue to matriculate through the University of Life, I admit, I’ve switched majors a couple of times. Rode the seesaw between faith and doubt.  But now I’m ready to see every slide He foresaw, ready for God to fill in the blanks. I desire to LIVE the life of abundance, which He predestined as my birthright, and trust Him beyond what I can physically see.

“Master, what have You viewed for me? Please teach me to see that, too.”

As soon as we begin to see ourselves, our lives, as He foresaw us, the journey through destiny will be one of Godly foresight and gratitude – supported by countless, precious memories from His attic.

Now…next slide, please. Ahh, simply beautiful!

Ashe.Selah

Sorry, You’re Too Late!

Well, the time has come and gone. Came and went. The window of opportunity closed…

In retrospect, we were presented with the perfect occasion, but we didn’t seize the moment. Conditions were ripe that day, that night. Every element needed to substantiate the choice was delivered. Right there in our hands. Even our enemies would have co-signed the check. Signed their name right there on the bottom line. They would have driven us to the bank personally. For even they couldn’t deny, that it was our time to….

QUIT! Give in. Give Up. Throw in every towel. Concede defeat. Hang our head in shame. Yield to the worse. Lose hope. Lose our grip. Grow weary of trying. Stop pushing. See no use. Stay down. Stay in bed. Close the blinds. Bury our head in the sand. Love Death. Hate life. Run away. Throw the fight. Take a sip. Take a hit. Hit it back. Lose our mind. Let go…………

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh But God! (did you feel that with me? =])

Instead of waving the white flag, we waived our right to fly it high, and replaced it with high hopes in God. Could we really make it through the next minute, and that minute becomes an hour, and that hour becomes a new day? Maybe our thoughts would not deceive us. It just might be worth giving God another moment to change the course of the storm, or to change us in the process…Just maybe.

For all opportunities, good or bad, the following holds true: There’s a time to open the window, after which, it’s time to walk away from the brick wall!

So, if you’ve made it this far into 2006, the month of December, this season called winter, made it this far in LIFE….I’ve got both good news and bad news for ya…

Give up now?!…Sorry, you’re too late!

But!..see that flicker of light up ahead…closer…closer…squint the right eye…maybe the left one…riiiiiiiiiiiight there….That’s your true window of opportunity…of freedom…of renewal. And whenever you arrive in front of it, whenever you acquire the strength to open it…You won’t be a nanosecond too early, or too late…God has timed it to divine perfection.

Now start and keep walking away from that brick wall, and never look back, unless it’s to celebrate how far you’ve come…

Ashe.Selah

Was it the Song…or My Breath?

The next book I’m slated to consume is The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. I’m really excited about reading this book, and thought I’d do some on-line research about the author, the agreements, and so forth. Upon reading Vivian’s blog, I was directed to an “Oprah’s Favorite Books” link, where The Four Agreements is showcased.

As I finished reading the reviews, my cat, Sophie, jumps on my desk, and positions herself for direct absorption of my lamp light. She’s a beautiful tabby cat, almost human, with the spirit of an old wise woman. Lying there in all her splendor, I couldn’t help but begin to caress her fur, scratch behind her ears as she lifts her head, directing me towards her neck.

At this point, in my best Julie Andrews voice (lol), I begin to sing to her. Not a familiar tune. Oh no! I’m writing this ballad from scratch. “(Ahem) I love you Sophie….you are wonderful and beautiful….hmm hmm hmmm…la la la…” Just as I get caught up in the moment, what does Sophie do? She looks into my eyes, raises her body, turns her head, and quietly jumps off the desk and walks away – but not without looking back for one more glance.

Laughter begins to erupt from my mouth. “Oh no she didn’t just walk away in the middle of this beautiful Ode to Sophie”, I joked to myself. The more I thought about this scene, the harder I laughed – at myself. You see, having just reviewed The Four Agreements, agreement #2 is “Don’t take anything personal.” I began to remember how old me would have felt like, “OMG, was it the song, wrong key, my breath…” I had the awful tendency of taking everything to the left, everything was my fault, I was terribly flawed to the point of being poisonous. Not only did I have a certificate in taking things too personal, I had a 3rd degree black belt in wearing myself out.

Believe me when I say this, we can never realize our Divine self, if we take everything others project to us to heart. This also includes the thoughts we need to dismiss. Certain types of energy have no business entering our sacred place. Though out-of-the-box new, I’m learning with ease to use my heart shield to block these harmful thoughts and emotions, which themselves block the knowledge of my incredibly beautiful self. Ashe.Selah

So, the next time we give or do from our heart, put a period there, without expectation of how it SHOULD be received (this is actually agreement # 3 — “Don’t assume anything”). Let the recipient be free. Don’t take it personal, k? Gotta go now…Sophie’s tapping my leg for her next back rub.