A Message to My Nieces

Hello ladies, my girls. I love each of you, from Tracy all the way down to Zanae and I wish the best for each of you. I remember all the fun we had while you were growing up. All the wisdom I tried to share with you, how I tried to keep you from pain and harm. I wish you all hadn't grown up so quickly, but because our relationships have matured as well as our bodies and minds, our relationships have just gotten sweeter.

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Some of you have told me how much I added to your lives w/my constant preaching about education, sexual diseases and following Christ. And just as I taught you then, I wish I could be there for the other battles and hurts you'll endure in this life. I want to share additional information I've picked up over the years. Glean from it what you find valuable, discard the other or pass it on to your daughters.

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Live a Little Dangerously

Don't live life constantly looking over your shoulder, and jumping at shadows. I've done that and I think I could have done so much more if I had just closed my eyes and leapt. I think of all the opportunities I passed up because I was afraid of the newness, afraid to leave Momma, afraid to leave the church, afraid to leave the job. Now I'm facing uncertainty at work, even though I've been the model employee. Maybe I should have left the company and found something I really liked doing but wanting to be safe I stayed there. I'll never get those years back, but I can tell you--don't remain loyal to a company. Go out there and find a job that pays more or gives more personal fulfillment. Love the brother even if the brother is not a black brother. If he loves and cherishes you, is kind and sees you for the valuable human you are, don't wait for that other brother when love's staring you right in the face.

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Share Love With People Who Are Worthy of It

If your're sharing love and time with people who make you feel it's a privilege and don't return it, kick them to the curb! 'Do not pass 'Go', do not collect $200.' Your life's too short and your love's too valuable to throw it away on some jerk who doesn't value it.

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In All Thy Ways Acknowledge Him

For He shall direct thy path. I've tried Him and I know Him. I've found Him to be a friend. I know too much about Him, on Him I can depend. I don't care what comes and goes: heartaches, disappointments, disease and even death. You won't find anybody, nobody like Jesus. I've had to trust God with less than mustard seed faith. I've had to encourage myself when I felt He had forgotten me. When life threw me aside and hated on me. When I saw dreams fade. When I felt unworthy of even Him helping me. There's nobody like Jesus and you won't get anywhere if you don't carry Him with you. Living for Jesus will pay for itself afterwhile. I can promise you this, He won't ever fail. We fail and fall down. Not Him. He's the same when you were growing up at Faith Tabernacle, He's the same today at the Ministries, and He'll be the same when you are Pastors and Bishops (c'mon, y'all know you're annointed and waiting to be appointed).

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Go See the World

YOU go! Don't read about it on the Internet or view it while leafing through a travel mag. Buy the ticket, buy the digital camera, order the passport, pack a medical kit and GO! I know you've been in several States, and I know Bean's been to Japan and Europe but the rest of you go and see the other parts of the world God created. Don't worry about all the hype about terrorism. Think about the neighbourhoods you've grown up in and all the places you had to walk through. If you can survive all that, going around the world is nothing. Oh yeah, don't forget to email those pictures via email or your personal blog.

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Rear Your Children the Right Way

Just like my aunts had hands in rearing me and instilling in me life's morals and lessons, so give I you to give to your nieces and nephews and children. Rear your children knowing who God is and why we believe in Him. Teach them how to act while out shopping. Help them with their homework and praise them when they've done well. Be a disciplinarian when it's time and a friend when it's time to be a friend. Use an iron hand but sometimes cover it with a soft mitten. Teach them how to save money and show them why a higher education is a debt we owe all those Black folks who marched in Selma, hung from trees in Georgia, were spit on while trying to integrate schools in Arkansas, were arrested for not refusing to give up their seats on buses, and those who were refused service at lunch counters. Tell your children this is why we encouraged higher education because we owe so much.

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Finally

To borrow from the Bard: "To thine own self be true!" Don't worry that you don't look like the latest starlet. Don't worry that you didn't get a degree from an Ivy League institution or that you weren't part of an elite sorority. Don't worry that you were reared by a single mother on welfare and food stamps. Let all that stuff go. Look in the mirror and love yourself. You're beautiful in whichever skin shade you're wrapped in. You're unique and should be proud of your uniqueness. Celebrate it and cherish it! Live life as full as you can because you know what? One day it will all be over. And girls, this is not a rehearsal.

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I have my regrets now but if the Lord gives me strength I'm gonna do a bit more living and a bit less being frightened. I've seen too much of what the Lord can do so why should I fear when He is near? God cares for me and He cares for you too. I love you. Here's a bbbbbiiiiiiiggggg kiss!