Thinking About Forgiveness in the S.P.U.

It's 6:55 a.m. on a brilliantly bright day and I'm sitting in the reception area of my local hospital's Short Procedure Unit. As I rest my elbows atop the smooth gray formica counter, I gaze at a half dozen pairs of eyes; some worried, a few preoccupied, all riveted on the door through which the nurses emerge, clipboard in hand, a patient's name on their lips.
It's cold in here this morning, and I know the sun will never spread its warm arms back to the area that encloses me. I don't have any chance of being wrapped in that orb's embrace. When I think about it, and I ponder little else these days, my chances of being held in any embrace are presently slim to none right.
This hospital where I've chosen to do volunteer work is a Catholic institution. Among other things, that means while I'm here this morning I'll greet a couple of nuns, look at a small palm cross that's scotch-taped to the wall, and read the messages printed on two mini-placards facing me.
One placard which quotes Scripture (Gal. 22-23,) describes all the positive qualities we humans receive by the grace of God's presence. The second message is short, almost terse. "Mistakes happen. God forgives."
I wonder about that. Does S/He forgive everyone? How about the thief whose crime deprives a child of food? Does God forgive the drunk driver who accidentally kills someone, or the bank loan officer who, eager to make her monthly quota of mortgage approvals, grants a loan to a couple whose shaky financial circumstances guarantee that they will default on their payments and lose their home?
And what about the once honorable, faithful woman who betrayed her partnership vows in order to stoke the sparks of a new romance? Does she receive divine forgiveness? Does she receive a pardon from anyone? Or does she twist in the dark abyss that was once her world of close friendships, a lushly landscaped former home, her comfort zone where love and trust lived for many, many years?
I admit to owning a great deal of skepticism about organized religion. And lately I've been placing a check next to the "spiritual but not religious" space on those Internet profile forms. While I question the existance of a supreme being who doles out discretionary pardons, I know with certainty that there is one person who at this moment, cannot move beyond withholding forgiveness from me. I understand why so well that I "overstand."
To either give or hold on to forgiveness is a powerful act. It is far more powerful than the smiles of empathy I offer to the anxiety wracked patients and their family members and friends who are here in this hospital waiting room. In some measure though, my smile and upbeat greeting filled two hour shifts on Monday and Wednesday mornings are my "pay-it-forward" style attempts at earning forgiveness.
I cannot un-do my mistakes. I regret making them and I rue the days and nights I leapt into the unknown without a safety net. I shall continue seeking forgiveness while I search for a way to forgive the person who betrayed my goodwill and trust.
Someone, perhaps the Chief Building Engineer, must have turned on the air conditioning system, because it's colder now than it was an hour ago. I'll need to grab every opportunity I can to offer a kind word or gesture to someone who's awaiting surgery, so that I can raise the temperature back here in my area of the S.P.U. The cold air is unforgiving. But that doesn't mean that I am also.

SEARCHING FOR IDENTITY

Since my introduction to the Akan word “Sankofa” I have been both intrigued, excited and empowered. Indeed “We must go back and reclaim our past so we can move forward; so we understand why and how we came to be who we are today.”

Over my many years I have discovered one of the reasons for the daily confusion and stress in our lives is our continual search for identity. Going back to reclaim my past I am led to the book of beginnings Genesis 1:27] “So God created people in his own image; God patterned them after himself; male and female he created them.”

In this I discovered that I have been divinely and wonderfully created in the image and likeness of God for his express purpose, and my life, my identity, my worth, my validation, my integrity, all that I am and all that I will ever hope to be is lodged in him.


Blessings,
Pastor Joshua McClure

Author: Almost Persuaded, Now to believe 2008, Can These Bobes Live? 2006,
website: http://www.joshuaamcclure.com/

Thankfulness

I experienced a house fire late last year. Nothing in my life prepared me for standing across the street from my home watching it ablaze. The temperature was chilly outdoors as my husband and I huddled together, as we stood in our bare feet. My first thought could have been, why me? Instead I wiped a tear from my eye and waited for God to provide the help and assistance I would sorely need.

We lost most of our possessions during the fire. Praise God, neither one of us was injured. I am the type of person who rarely asks another person for help. I would go without rather than be indebted to someone. On that night and subsequent ones, I learned how to be humble. And later patience, as I wait for my house to rebuilt. The greatest lesson of all for me, was realizing how generous people can be to others during trials and tribulations. Our family, Pastor, church members and employers, were most kind during our time of need, and for their bigheartedness, I was and am truly grateful.


Michelle Larks
Keeping Misery Company
www.MichelleLarks.com
michelle.larks@comcast.net

God Has a Plan - He Always Does!

God Has a Plan - He Always Does!

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (New International Version)



Isn’t it refreshing to know that the Lord has plans for our lives? That we don’t have to go through life solely based upon the plans that we’ve created for ourselves? If we can just be honest about it, sometimes we don’t have the best plans in mind. Sometimes our plans don’t go as we hope they will, and sometimes, we just plain and simply don’t have any plans at all!



But! The God of the universe has already mapped our lives out and guess what, His plans are always glorious. And even if it takes us a while, or a lifetime, to reach the destiny that He’s mapped out for us, WE WILL GET THERE!



Let’s look at King David for a minute. While David was a young shepherd boy, Samuel, the man of God, comes to his house to find the next king that God had provided for Himself. 1 Samuel 16:1 says, “Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.””



Although David had been anointed as king as a young boy, he found himself in some troubled situations. He serves then-King Saul faithfully, but King Saul becomes jealous of him and tries to kill him. Imagine running for your life from the king and his men, hiding in caves, afraid to come out and face the world, yet KNOWING that God has anointed you! The Bible tells us that David had to encourage himself in the Lord.



To every plan, there is a process. And although God’s Word came to David at an early age, it wasn’t until he had been tested and pruned that the manifestation showed up. God always gets His way! Rest assured, if He’s promised you something, then it IS coming to pass! His Word says that He has PLANS to prosper you, and not to harm you, PLANS to give you a hope and a future!



He has GREAT PLANS for YOU!



(c) 2008 Aleysha Proctor
http://www.AleyshaProctor.com


Author of With Style & Amazing Grace and (coming soon!) He's the Keeper of My Soul

Guyana: Memories of Paradise by Michelle Monkou

When I reflect on my childhood, I can't complain. My early years were spent in Guyana at a time when the grass was greener and there was so much pride in what the country had accomplished from its independence and where it was headed, as it took its place in the Caribbean.

I loved school. I attended a Catholic school run by Austrian nuns. I enjoyed a rich curriculum that was so darn good that I tested four grades ahead in English when I came to the U.S. I skipped a grade to be at my overall academic level.

Despite the political landscape of rivalry between the two major political parties, at my young age, I remember the animated discussions among the people. Everyone was engaged, regardless of their political leanings. And I can say that I lived to see a black leader, black cabinet, black men and women in leadership roles in government and the private sector. Some of those black role models stood strong, some were corrupt and leeches on society. However, not once, did I grow up thinking of myself as a minority.

The land of Guyana is a place of beauty, then and now. The natural landscape has mountains, savannahs, waterfalls, a rich rainforest, along with a wide variety of unique flora and fauna. The Dutch, Spanish, English conquered, waged wars, dominated, and lived on this piece of land. It's inhabitants have and still include the Amerindians, blacks, whites, Chinese and East Indians with past history as indentured servants. People from Europe, Russia, Africa, and other Caribbean nations were attracted by the easy-going inclusiveness of the people.

Now that I'm older with children in the U.S., I reflect on their lives and childhood with a certain sadness. They may have all the latest computer games, seen epic movies on the screen, visited expensive theme parks, but I have to insist that I had the richer childhood. I had Mashramani - annual Carnival -- to enjoy. I saw the African leaders, the first female prime minister of Sri Lanka, and even Fidel Castro within feet from where I stood that you can't appreciate from a TV screen.

Recently, the Discovery Channel featured a 2-hour program on Guyana's rainforest. The producers and crew wanted to show the large number of species and the unique qualities of this land. They are waging an effort to save and protect the trees. At the end of the show, the narrator stated that the Guyanese leadership had offered the land to the British (so they could protect it) in return for economic aid. The country is now the 2nd poorest in South America.

I understand what and why the leadership chose this solution. However, this land that had taken its independence from the British in the 60's now was on the verge of being a colony, once again, in a modern version. Yet I don't believe that the lessons of independence were a total failure. But I do hope that the people will keep the passion and pride that made it a beautiful place that I once called home, my childhood paradise.

Michelle Monkou

Romance Author

http://michellemonkou.com

To My Mother By Gwynne Forster

To My Mother
By Gwynne Forster

I wonder what kind of woman I would be now if I had had a different mother. I thought about that this morning and thanked God for the one I had for most of my life. I say most of my life, because she was an inspiration even in her death.

I was born a middle child and, somehow, I expected less and got more. More, because even in my independent ways, I paid careful attention to what my mother did and said. Early on, I was impressed that what she did and what she said were totally congruous. She lived the life of a Christian and, from her, I received a legacy of faith, integrity and strong moral values. She believed in the work ethic, and taught us that a person who would not work would be capable of theft and dishonesty, that we should do to the best of our abilities whatever we agreed to do and for whatever we were paid. To her, theft meant more that snatching something and getting away with it; you stole if you accepted pay for something that you didn’t do or didn’t do well.

I’ve often said that I wish I was as nice a person as my mother. And that is true. Although a leader in her church and community, a teacher and school principal, this never seemed to impress her. She loved people and met some of her closest long-time friends at the bus stop and at the supermarket. Some of them hadn’t finished high school, but she said they didn’t have her opportunities and had done well with what they had.. In her late seventies, she took “the old folks” as she called them grocery shopping in her car every Wednesday morning. The neighborhood children loved her, and volunteered to run errands for her. Of course, she rewarded them with goodies that she loved to bake.

Her faith in people surpassed any that I’m likely to have. Well into her seventies, one evening in late autumn when darkness had already set in, Muz, as we called her, drove to the supermarket for something, parked in the parking lot and headed toward the entrance. A young man stopped her and said, “Lady give me those car keys.” She looked at the switch blade knife, then at him, threw her arms around him and said, “Son, don’t you have a mother?” The unfortunate young man, wrung himself out of her clutches and said, “Get away from me, Lady.” “But son,” she persisted, “What you’re doing isn’t right.” He ran. My siblings and I begged her never to do such a thing again, but she said. “He has a mother, and he obviously cares about her.”

If I have talent as a writer, I probably inherited it from my mother. She wrote the first fiction that I ever read. At age seven, I found a short story on her desk or some other place that now escapes me. The title, THE DREGS OF THE CUP, intrigued me, and I read it. I wasn’t sure how she’d react to my having done that, but she asked me what I thought of it, and when I said it was too short, she seemed very pleased. One day, I am going to write a novel suitable for that title.

Muz loved to laugh, and my fondest memories of her are of her laughing. I used to come up with all kinds of antics to make her laugh. It was a lovely, musical sound. I remember distinctly times when I told her one joke after another to keep her laughing. Mind you, the jokes were squeaky clean, or I cleaned them up before I told them. One Saturday when I was about seventeen or eighteen, I went with my church club on a picnic, pitched baseball for a few innings and, the following Monday, I was forced to go for therapy to improve my injured shoulder. In all truth, the very next Saturday, Muz went to the same place on a picnic with the choir to which she belonged, pitched nine innings of softball, won the game and never had one pain. Obviously, that made me the butt of family jokes.

I haven’t mentioned my father, because this is about my mother. But given the chance, I could say some wonderful things about him, including his exquisite singing voice, a little bit of which rubbed off on me.


Happy Mothers Day 365 days a year!

Gwynne Forster
Author of:
Getting Some Of Her Own
Drive Me Wild

Visit My Website for more information

The Fading of a Pioneer for Interracial Love

The Fading of a Pioneer for Interracial Love
By Laura Major

Earlier this month, Mildred Loving passed away of pneumonia at the age of 68. Ms. Loving wasn’t an ordinary African American inhabitant of Virginia. She became a pioneer for interracial romance in 1950’s when she and her Caucasian husband, Richard, where arrested for living as husband and wife in Caroline County. Like many states at that time, Virginia’s Racial Integrity Act, also called an anti-miscegenation law, prohibited marriage between the races.

As a result, the doting couple went to Washington D.C. where interracial marriage was legalized. Shortly after their return, the newlyweds were arrested and jailed for being in love and having the courage to marry. The couple pleaded guilty and was sentenced to one year in jail. Imprisonment could be avoided if the couple agreed to leave the state of Virginia for a minimum of 25 years. If they wish to return, they could not do so together. The basis of this judgment rested in the judge’s belief that if God had intended for the races to mix, they would not have originated on different continents.

The couple accepted the suspended sentence and moved to Washing D.C. In 1963, the Lovings began their court battle to have their sentence declared unconstitutional based on the Fourteen Amendment which prohibits the states to limit liberties without due process. The Lovings were being deprived of the right to marry, since the anti-miscegenation law only applied to other races intermarrying with Whites. The Loving case traveled all the way to the U.S Supreme Court. In 1967, the Supreme Court ruled that marriage is a civil liberty of every free citizen and the states cannot interfere in a free man’s choice of mate. Marrying outside of his/her race is a decision that must be made from within.

I first came across the Loving case, when I was researching the history of interracial and multicultural romance. It was in salute to the 40th anniversary of the landmark case, that brought this couple’s courage to my attention. It was so ironic to see the headline, “No Loving in Virginia” and “Loving v. Virginia”, because the unexplainable act of loving was on trial. Like most who make history, Mildred and Richard Loving only wanted the freedom to love each other and build a life together. For them, it was a desire worth fighting for.

Much like everything that was once opposed, multiculturalism and inter racialism have a long history. The Loving case, while not the first was the most progressive. Court cases involving interracial marriage date back to 1883, where the state of Alabama ruled in Pace v. Alabama ruled that interracial sex was a felony and was not unconstitutional since both participants were punished equally, while extramarital sex without the interracial component was only considered a misdemeanor at the time.

The debate for mixed marriages came up again in Arizona with the court case Kirby v. Kirby. In the case, Mr. Kirby was seeking an annulment because he deemed the marriage as invalid based on his wife being of Negro descent. The court judged based on Mrs. Kirby’s physical appearance and reached the conclusion that she was of mixed race thereby granting Mr. Kirby his request. In support of the “one drop” law, the state of California in 1939 invalidated Mr. and Mrs. Monk’s marriage because Marie Antoinette Monk was one-eighth Negro in a disputed probate case over Allen Monk’s estate. Despite taking the case to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1942, the marriage remained invalid.

It was in 1948 with the California case, Perez v. Sharp, that the ban on interracial marriage was finally viewed as being in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Shortly thereafter, various religious groups including the Presbyterian and Roman Catholic faiths announced no condemnation for interracial marriage.

Having won their battle, the Lovings went on to live the life they had planned together which included a family of three children. In 1975 Richard Loving died in a car crash. Mildred went on to witness the growth of the family her and Richard started together.

On the fortieth anniversary of the landmark case, Mildred Loving, who rarely gave interviews, had this to say:

"Surrounded as I am now by wonderful children and grandchildren, not a day goes by that I don’t think of Richard and our love, our right to marry, and how much it meant to me to have that freedom to marry the person precious to me, even if others thought he was the “wrong kind of person” for me to marry. I believe all Americans, no matter their race, no matter their sex, no matter their sexual orientation, should have that same freedom to marry. Government has no business imposing some people’s religious beliefs over others. Especially if it denies people’s civil rights. I am still not a political person, but I am proud that Richard’s and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness, and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That’s what Loving, and loving, are all about."

(http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2007/06/mildred_loving_.html).

References:
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=388&invol=1
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10889047
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080505/ap_on_re_us/obit_loving

All rights reserved. This article may not be reproduced without permission from the author.

Laura Major

LauraMajor.com

The Education of the Negro

The Education of the Negro
By Laura Major

This year marks the 41th anniversary of the assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. The recognition of this dark event in history is remembered amidst a series of potential political firsts. Both sides speak to the transformation King's fight has created which brings us to this juncture. Only Rev. King had the foresight to believe that Blacks, Whites, men, women, young and old would be working toward a common good. In today's political climate each category previously mentioned is represented in three candidates: Barrack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John McCain.

Each of these candidates speaks to the influences of MLK and Ronald Reagan. Although political and social activism was marked by the assassinations of JFK, Malcolm X, and Medgar Evans, not until MLK was gunned down and much later when The Gipper lost his senses, have we looked to resurrect a leader to carry on those values. Undeniably, every legacy is sustained in how it is remembered.

Reagan is remembered for his tough stance on drugs and his conservative political theory. While MLK is remembered for his utopian view of society's future where we as a people would be respected for our differences and united by our longer list of similarities.

Getting there requires the honest education of society and all of its members, not a candy-coated education that makes history easier to swallow, but an unbiased history reflecting every participant's strengths and weaknesses.

I can recall the uneasiness in the eyes of my Caucasian high school social studies teacher when he spotted the Autobiography of Malcolm X on my desk. Or later, the curiosity of my Caucasian coworkers during a lunch break when I pulled out a book entitled Martin, Malcolm & America: A Dream or a Nightmare which compared and contrasted the doctrines of Dr. King and Malcolm X. Education is so powerful, that a search to educate oneself about his or her own culture and the contributions from members of that culture raises the eyebrow of the collective majority. Shouldn't the minority just accept what is said about them and their culture by the white majority?

If so, what this amounts to is a lot of rosy colored reflections about history and about some of our most respected leaders. It is easier to remember MLK for his eloquent speeches and his nonviolent protests. It's interesting how the most referenced words of Dr. King come from his "I Have Dream" and his "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speeches. Little reference is made about the disappointment MLK felt toward America for its involvement in the Vietnam War as expressed in his "Beyond Vietnam" speech. King's nonviolent stance was not restricted to the black community's response to racial oppression. King recognized the hypocrisy of fighting oppression and violence with more oppression and violence. No disappointment could exist where there was not once pride.

King's legacy, much like history, should not be picked apart and misquoted to suit the purpose for the moment. To carry on the vision is to understand the whole man behind that vision. Not doing so is to leave very little hope in sustaining a successor for the cause. Who would dare take the charge of the demigod we have created. One that is selfless and without flaws. No one could succeed by that standard. The history of one and his contributions must be remembered in its entirety in order to do the most good.


Laura Major
www.LauraMajor.com

All rights reserved. This article may not be reproduced without the permission of the author.

Two Kisses in a Box

Two Kisses in a Box
by Shamontiel L. Vaughn

The little boy climbed in the box
And the girl followed too
They smiled and sat down
What were they gonna do?

He told her to come near
She leaned towards his mouth
When he finished talking
She blushed and looked south

And then she looked up
Kissed him on the cheek
He turned his head grinning
And then he took a peek
He kissed her on her lips
And then their eyes locked

Two curious little kids
Kissed twice in a box.

Check out Shamontiel L. Vaughn books, articles, events, and more on http://www.shamontiel.com today!

A RAPIST IS THE DEVIL’S OWN

A RAPIST IS THE DEVIL’S OWN
by GLORIA MALLETTE


It seems like every day now, I hear on the news or read in a newspaper, the tale of the rape of a young girl, be she 3 years old or 16 years old, or as old as eighty decades or more. And at times, the rapist, in his vile, demonic quest for sexual gratification, goes as far as to rape and destroy the tender body of a baby girl, as young as nine months old, who has not yet learned to crawl.

Each time I hear these tales, I am appalled, I am disgusted, I am angered that such an horrific deed continues to infest and infect our society. I must admit, I am terrified that one day it might be my child, my neighbor, or even my own body that is so viciously violated. I am told that rape is not about love, not about sex, not about enjoyment. I am told that rape is about power, about control, about dominance. Is this so, is this true, is that what rape is about?

Then tell me, please, why must a rapist humiliate, desecrate, even terminate the life of a woman in order to feel all powerful? Why is a female, no matter her age, no matter her position, no matter her ethnicity, viewed as a threat to a being who calls himself a man? Surely, a nine-month old baby girl is not a threat to anyone. Surely, a nine-month old baby girl has said nothing to denigrate any man. And most definitely, surely, a nine-month old baby girl has deceived no one.

So, is rape about power? Is rape about dominance? Is rape about control? I think not. I think rape is about self-gratification, about self-indulgence, about selfishness. Rape is about lack of control, about lack of morals, about lack of respect, about lack of discipline, and about lack of godliness. When a man can rape an innocent baby, when a man can rape his own mother, when a man can rape anyone; he is evil in his soul, he is evil in his mind, he is evil in his spirit, he is the Devil’s own, and he should go back to hell from whence his ungodly spirit came.

We, as women, must protect ourselves and we must protect our daughters. It doesn’t matter whose daughter a girl is, all girls are ours to protect. This is not to say that men as fathers, as brothers, as sons, as human beings, are exempt. They, too, must protect the mothers, the daughters, the sisters, the friends of man from the rapists of the world.

In 2004, I wrote a book called The Honey Well. The Honey Well was about a woman, a mother, who prostituted her own daughter in order to keep a roof over their heads. The Honey Well was based loosely on the true story of a woman who, indeed, prostituted all six of her own daughters in order to survive during the Great Depression in America.

After writing The Honey Well, I was lead to write a poem, Baby Girl, which speaks to my message of protecting our daughters.


BABY GIRL

Baby girl, baby girl, you’re born into a world in which you are
a pearl. You’re precious, you’re pure, you’re lovely to behold,
yet you’re ignorant to the world of troubles that shadow you.

If you are not protected, you will be used, abused, stolen
and misused, maybe your life taken to render you voiceless.
For you, baby girl, are born with something more precious
than the golden sweet honey made by the honey bees.

Kings have abdicated, battles have been fought once eyes
have set upon your beauty and man has tasted of your honey.
Some men will not wait to be worthy, some men will
seize what is yours by right of birth.

You can choose, baby girl, you can decide.
You have a will, you have a voice, let no one take it from you.

Baby girl, baby girl, grow in mind, grow in body,
grow in spirit, and nurture your soul.
Protect yourself, respect yourself, and know that only you
can lose yourself


I am not naive. I know that since the dawn of time, women and men both have put price tags on a woman’s body, and that is unfortunate, but we as human beings have done many things in order to survive. And even then, most women who would prostitute their bodies in order to feed their children are oftentimes filled with shame.

Rape is not about survival. Rape is not about choice. Rape is about evilness.

All Rights Reserved. Do not reproduce without permission from the author.


GLORIA MALLETTE
MosaicBooks.com 2007 Bestseller -- Living, Breathing Lies
USA Book News Best Book 2007
Awards Winner AA Fiction -- Living, Breathing Lies

http://www.gloriamallette.com/

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This Hurts: A Novel By: Shaun Mathis

This Hurts: A Novel By: Shaun Mathis



This Hurts: A Novel is loosely based on Shaun’s love experiences with two women . Shaun’s writing is edgy, original, and full of raw emotions. Taking his readers deep into the heart and mind of a man, flaws and all. It isn’t often we read of such vulnerability. http://www.aapribooks.com/

The Big Payback by Cederick W. Tardy, II

The Big Payback by Cederick W. Tardy, II

Rating: 10 (EchelonBooks); 5 (Amazon)

Review by Tavares S. Carney – “the Christian Page Turner”

In The Big Payback, author, Cederick Tardy draws upon his personal life experiences and advises from his own perspective, and probably many more young males, single mothers on what it is he thinks are the methods and strategies to raise a successful young man. Having had to deal with childhood emotions he so candidly shares in this work, he gives mothers who may not have an open line of communication with their son insight into what may be going through the minds of their young man. He turns the looking glass to all mothers, making us painfully examine what it is we could actually be doing better to rear our sons and areas whereby we can use a little or a lot of improvement. He gives pointers regarding the signs and symbols mothers should look for in order that they are conscious of other forms of communication from their son’s besides verbal communication.

The difference in what some are calling this “parenting manual” and a typical parenting manual from a seasoned psychologist, social worker or family counselor, is that it is advised from a youth perspective. While Cederick is quite appreciative of everything his mother thought she was doing right in providing for him, this work affords readers the true essence of what a son longs for from his mother, her time and attention, her ears and her heart.

He teaches us all that material things come and go, but love and understanding surpasses all. A nurturing mother, with God’s assistance, is the best cultivator of a successful, well-rooted young man. Cederick is proof positive that any situation can be made positive when a firm foundation is laid and communication is honest and open. Those of us that are mothers, single or not, will close the final page of this book having gained at least one thing we can take with us and apply it to our daily lives. Plain and simple, he discusses real topics and suggests real solutions.

Book Description

Cederick Tardy shows you how to build trust, develop courage to overcome, interpret actions and body language, improve communication skills, understand your son’s thought processes, plan your son’s future, understand his father’s significance, win arguments without ruing relationships and much more. The Big Payback will open your eyes as a single mother and give you greater insight into what you should or shouldn’t be doing as a parent to garner your son’s success.

Product Details

Paperback: 163 pages
Publisher: Cederick Tardy Enterprises (May 13, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0979230101
ISBN-13: 978-0979230103
Network with Author, Cederick W. Tardy, II:

Cederick Tardy Enterprises operates as a public speaking sole proprietorship. Additionally the company operates as a publishing company with a consulting division for aspiring authors. Cederick Tardy, the head of CTE, is 22 years old. As young African-American man, Cederick serves as a needed role model, mentor, and speaker to young men and women. The Big Payback and A Head Start are the first two books published by CTE. The Big Payback is a book written for single mothers on how to better raise a young man in this time. A Head Start is a book written to the sons of single mothers on how to be a successful young man.

Cederick Tardy Enterprises


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THE DEFINITION OF A REAL WOMAN

THE DEFINITION OF A REAL WOMAN

A real woman is true to herself. She holds her head up high.S he doesn't waddle in pity;or sit back and cry.

A real woman is a survivor. She can stand on her own feet.With God by her side, she can't be beat.

A real woman has courage;she has spunk and grace. Even when she is down, she has a smile upon her face.

A real woman will make it. A real woman will excel. She will keep on striving, whether she wins or fails.

Copyright © 2006 Gwynita Leggington

A REAL WOMAN

A REAL WOMAN

I am a woman of substance. I walk with pride.
I have a style of my own. My elegance comes from inside.


I hold my head high; not ashamed of my past.
I am a real woman; a real woman at last.


No one knows the pain I've been through.
No one knows how I've suffered too.


I am a real woman. I can survive this race.
I can keep it together, and keep a smile on my face.


A real woman; strong and wise.
I ignore the jealousy; I ignore the lies.


I'm real and very true from the heart.
I'll let you know this from the start.


Surviving the worst, and taking care of my needs.
I am a real woman; a real woman indeed.

A Walk In My Shoes" is available
Copyright © 2006 Gwynita Leggington

SLS Audio Bookclub: Author Promotion

SLS Audio Bookclub

Do you have a new book release?Do you have a sassy short story to share?Have you written one of the hottest poems on the scene?

Well, tell the world at the Black Authors Network!
Create a podcast of you reading directly from your work, for our book lovers and fans. For a limited time, we are showcasing books and poems in the SLS Audio Bookclub. The SLS Audio Bookclub is in 100+ feeders, creates 2 newsletters, and we distribute the recordings on 2 radio shows!

Our goal is to showcase 1000 stars in 2008!

Record your 3-10 minute podcast, so that we can share it with our 15,000+ SLS newsletter members, from around the world. Tell all your friends--repost--share!


Listen to a sample here>


Record your podcasts now:
Call (214) 615-6505 ext. 9530No charge to call (long distance may apply)


Please follow these instructions closely:
1. Only record 3-10 minute of audio; do not try to add music
2. Do not just hang up when finished; hit the 3-key to SAVE
3. Leave your book or poem title at the start and end, also your name and website address
4. Email Ella all your information at: ellacurry@edc-creations.com
5. Put this in the subject line: SLS Audio Bookclub

Telephone Prompts:
Hit to STOP the recording
If you mess up--immediately hit the sign and start again
Press the 1-key to listen to your recording
Press the 2-key to re-record your recording
Press the 3-key to SAVE the recording

Your podcasts will be emailed to you, after you notify Ella of your information.


Warmest regards,
Ella Curry, President/CEO EDC Creations
Black Author Network Radio-Founder
Sankofa Literary Society-Founder
A Good Book-Marketing Director
Xpress Yourself Publishing-Publicist
WoMEN-NPower (DC Chapter) Member
BAN coming soon to The Black Men in America blog!