tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46866487244109857192024-02-06T22:50:41.011-05:00Cherlisa M. RichardsonLive your life to the fullest. The sky is the limit if you reach for the stars and BELIEVE!Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686648724410985719.post-56636716156528724632014-07-26T22:08:00.001-04:002014-07-27T13:49:40.850-04:00<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Blog in the Round –
Passing the Torch<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The amazingly
talented author, Karla KL Brady, invited me to participate in the Blog in the
Round. She was asked by Trice Hickman. You wonder what it’s all about. Each
author answers four questions about their writing process so you can get to
know new authors and/or refamiliarize yourself with your favorites. It’s now my
turn to pass the torch to the super talented, Christian fiction author, Daphine
Glenn Robinson and new on the scene, Berta Coleman. Please take time to check
out their blogs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">What am I working on/writing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">My mind is
always soaring with new story ideas. At this time I am busy working on my
sophomore novel. Anyone that knows me knows that I love a good love story, so I
am very excited about this piece of work. It’s a romance novel that is
currently untitled. This story takes you into the lives of a couple named
Alexis and Kendall that are madly in love with one another. They are planning
to head down the aisle until Alexis stumbles upon something that she considers
to be an absolute deal breaker. When she
calls things off with Kendall she decides that she will wait for God to send
her the right man and she pours herself into her work and a charity event for
the homeless. While Alexis is content
with moving on with her life in that way, her two best friends, Vanessa and
Jodi, have another idea. They feel that her being a workaholic isn’t good for
her and don’t think she can move on from Kendall until she begins dating again.
They take it upon themselves to set her up on a series of blind dates that
will have you in stitches. On top of her friend’s antics, incidental encounters
with Kendall makes moving on harder than she thought it would be. How will
things turn out? You’ll have to read my upcoming novel due to be released in
2015 to find out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">How does my writing/work differ from
others in this genre?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Like all of
my work, my books deal with real people with real life issues. My writing style
adds an element of suspense and mystery. However, by the time my readers turn
the last page, they also feel inspired, as demonstrated in my debut novel, <i>Summer Rain</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Why do I write what I do?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I write what
I do because I feel like people have busy schedules and stressful lives.
Personally, I love a good book because it can not only entertain me but it can
also take me to different places just by turning the pages. That’s what I like
to offer to my readers. I write what I do because I know that people have real
life issues and many times they have nowhere to turn. I want people to be able
to open any book I write and know that they will not only be entertained but
they’ll also be encouraged and inspired. I hope after reading my books they’ll
realize that trouble won’t last always. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">How does my writing process work?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">My writing
process begins with me getting in a zone. I like to be in a quiet space.
Usually I do most of my writing at home in my office or sitting on my bed. Other
times I like to go to my favorite spot, Starbucks, where I can unwind and drink
my favorite tea. Most importantly, I have to block out everything that’s going
on around me so that I can connect with my characters and their situations. As
a mother, wife, entrepreneur and community leader, that can be challenging
because of a demanding schedule. However, I love writing, so it has forced me
to prioritize the things I have to do and I make the time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686648724410985719.post-89683262331691323142013-12-10T09:34:00.003-05:002013-12-10T10:00:52.077-05:00A Ripple or a Splash?: The Life and Legacy of Nelson Mandela<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
A pebble thrown into a body of water makes a ripple effect. A rock makes
a splash. This too can be said about the way we choose to live our lives. We
can choose to make a ripple or a splash. When I think of Mr. Nelson Mandela and
the sacrifices he made and the stands he took to make a difference, it’s
evident that he made a big splash. His life and legacy will always be
remembered and lives will be forever changed because of his selflessness. He
was willing to be smaller to help a nation rise. Are you making a ripple or a
splash? It’s never too late to make a difference and it doesn’t matter what you have been through.
Mr. Mandela is a testament of that. Most of his impactful work was done when he
was over 70 years old, after he was released from 27 years of imprisonment. A
ripple or a splash? The choice is yours. </div>
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“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have
lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will
determine the significance of the life we lead.” ~ Nelson Mandela </div>
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Until next time, I hope you have been encouraged, empowered,
enriched and enlightened.</div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Kunstler Script"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Cherlisa<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Rest in peace Mr. Mandela</div>
Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686648724410985719.post-60646903798855493762013-09-30T12:53:00.000-04:002013-09-30T23:18:43.869-04:00A Tribute to a Teacher Who Was Much More Than Just a Teacher - Ms. Olivia Gonzales<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> On Saturday, September 28, 2013, I had
the honor to speak on the life of Ms. Olivia Gonzales on behalf of her
students. For me it was a great honor because although she was a teacher, she
was so much more. I wanted to share this with my readers and to those students
who may have not had the opportunity to attend her homegoing service. No matter
what school you attended, this was presented for all of us. These were words I
spoke. I hope it blesses someone.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">****</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> First giving honor to God who’s the head of my
life. To the pastor of Umoja Christian Church, other ministers and to Rick,
Adrienne, Ramon and the entire the family of Olivia Gonzales. my love and
prayers are with you. I feel honored today to speak on the life of Ms. Olivia
Gonzales who not only touched my life in a special way but so many other students
who crossed her path. When I heard of her passing I was absolutely crushed. As
the days that followed went by, I began to reflect on the times we shared and the
impact she had on my life. As an English teacher she was a stickler for
speaking proper grammar. If you spoke incorrectly in her presence, Ms. G. as
she was fondly called would swiftly correct you. Not only was she an English
teacher but she also taught journalism. In that role, she nurtured my love for
writing. As the editor of our yearbook, I remember spending countless days and nights
at her house laying out the yearbooks for Crispus Attucks High School. I recall
being at her house so much that I became part of her family. Yes, she claimed
me as her daughter and I became a sister to her children. I’m so thankful for
those lifelong bonds forged so many years ago. As students of hers, she always
encouraged us. Even as adults, many of us were blessed to still receive her
encouragement. I remember her excitement when I told her I was writing a novel
and that I’d even named a character after her. She told me how proud she was of
me and how much she loved me. I let her know how much I loved her and how she
impacted my life in such a positive way. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> But the
love she shared and the impact she made didn’t stop with me. As the news got
out that she’d passed away I began to follow the many tributes on Facebook from
former students as they poured in. Kimberly Bentley wrote, “I praise God for
her life – the positivity, love, and encouragement she has been in our lives.”
Shelley Ball-Pfifer shared, “I remember her fondly, we had fun laying out the
yearbook. She was an inspiration and great teacher.” Damica Wilson-O’Bryant
shared, “She’s the reason I majored in English. So sad.” Ric Holt wrote, “Sad
to hear. I really liked her as a teacher.” He went on to say what we all knew,
“She didn’t play.” Finally, Damont Nickson had this to say about Ms. Gonzales, "I gave many of my teachers..." And I'll Paraphrase this part, "a hard time. But even today I remember the teacher that faught for me. Even when it didn't make since. She just happened to attend my church and she kept me in line. She often reported me to my pastor and had meetings with the principal to figure out ways to help me. I needed that! Teachers don't always get the credit that they are due. This teacher was hard but she had a soft side and she didn't care if she did know my mother she still sent me to the office. I have come a long way and I can say without her in that classroom fighting for me and probably praying for me I would not have made it. Sometimes I sit at board tables reflecting back on how far I have come and I hear her voice in that classroom saying, <i>Damont take life serious, people think you will never amount to anything, don't prove them right."</i> Damont went on to say, "an angel joined heaven's choir and I have to say that she will be missed." Gina Nelson responded to Damont's remarks stating, "Well said!! Just a few typos though and I'm SURE she's trying to reach down from heaven to tell you."</span><span style="color: #4e5665; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 13px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There were many more tributes. Way too
many to mention but I’m sure you can tell that Ms. Gonzales meant the world to
the many students she encountered over her decades as a teacher.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Thinking
of all she meant to her students reminded me of the words spoken by Dr. Maya Angelou
when she visited Indianapolis this week. She said you have no idea how far your
importance will reach in your community, your state and your country. She
encouraged us to be a rainbow in the clouds. Ms. Olivia Gonzales was just that
to her students. Our lives will be forever changed because she was part of it.
I encourage you today and I know that Ms. Gonzales would as well, that whatever
God has given you to do with your life, be a rainbow in someone’s cloud. God
has a purpose for your life. Ms. Gonzales served her purpose. I have no doubt
in my mind that when she met God at the gates of heaven h</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He said, well done,
good and faithful servant well done. Thank you and God bless you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Until next time, I hope you have been encouraged, empowered, enriched and enlightened.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Peace and blessings,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Vladimir Script'; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%;">Cherlisa </span></div>
Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686648724410985719.post-81096961247943962842013-08-31T23:52:00.001-04:002013-08-31T23:52:24.803-04:00August PostComing soon...Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686648724410985719.post-83552780866692815692013-06-30T23:49:00.000-04:002013-07-01T00:03:41.711-04:00Prepare For Your Blessing<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaj_vunfnGuKyN2Y_zmqACe2Yex_xoaF53mGZD4LcYkFlU2srQXHrRvhSkQplIK86xvIs1Qjm2PwLzbqHlZ42xsqsnGklLwNryT_jV7Txlez1t8LiipqwwUCk0VHbdPzvk3QUvYEF2R1ED/s849/Rocky+surface.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaj_vunfnGuKyN2Y_zmqACe2Yex_xoaF53mGZD4LcYkFlU2srQXHrRvhSkQplIK86xvIs1Qjm2PwLzbqHlZ42xsqsnGklLwNryT_jV7Txlez1t8LiipqwwUCk0VHbdPzvk3QUvYEF2R1ED/s200/Rocky+surface.JPG" width="133" /></a> Have you ever wondered why you have
setback after setback in your life? You may have asked, “When will I catch a break?”
If you have not asked this question, you
will. At some point in your life, you will have a setback. If you have asked
this question, I encourage you to hang in there, even if it seems that there’s
no relief in sight. Hang in there anyway and stay prayerful. Keep believing that your prayers will be
answered and never give up. God will answer your prayer but only in His time. He never closes a door without the plan to open
another one. Your breakthrough is coming. Know that your setback is a setup for a blessing. Prepare for it. It is coming!</div>
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Until next time, I hope you have
been encouraged, empowered, enriched and enlightened. </div>
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Peace and blessings, </div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Vladimir Script'; font-size: 20pt;">Cherlisa <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686648724410985719.post-38265328134328987392013-05-02T12:42:00.000-04:002013-05-02T12:42:28.369-04:00Winning Begins With Your Mind<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey
there! Welcome back to my blog. Wow! Things in life seem to be happening at
lightning speed. I can’t believe two months have passed since I last shared thoughts on my page. We all know life happens but please pray for me as I make
every effort to stay on task going forward. :-) I will not be defeated. That
brings me to what I want to talk about today. Today, I'd like to talk about
winning.</div>
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I bet we can all agree that most
people like to win, right? There’s a lot to be said about what it takes to be a
winner. Likewise, there are also many adages about winning. For example, it’s been said that it’s not
whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game. There is definitely some
truth to that. However, it doesn’t matter how you play the game if you don’t
believe you can win. When it comes to winning, the most important thing is the
condition of your mind. You have to believe you can win. Period. If you tell yourself
you can’t, you have already been defeated. You can be bigger and even be more
experienced, but if you are defeated in your mind, size and all the training in
the world doesn’t matter. </div>
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For example, In 1 Samuel 17, the
Bible tells us about a teenage boy named David, who went to battle against a
giant Philistine warrior named Goliath. Without a doubt, anyone looking at the
situation would be convinced that all the cards were stacked against David. Nonetheless,
David’s smaller stature and all the threats and insults hurled by the burly Goliath
were no threat to David. In spite of it all, David went into the battle with
much boldness and confidence and ultimately defeated Goliath. It is this type
of confidence that separates winners from losers. Therefore, with all the adages
about winning, I resolve to this one, ninety percent of winning is believing that
you can. An author by the name of Jamerson Frank once said, “Our greatest
battles are with our own minds.” </div>
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Until next time, I hope you have been encouraged, empowered, enriched and enlightened. </div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Peace and blessings,</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Vladimir Script'; font-size: 20pt;">Cherlisa <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686648724410985719.post-86710833569116383322013-02-28T23:54:00.000-05:002013-03-03T18:59:01.348-05:00Moving Forward or Backwards?<br />
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As Black History Month 2013 comes to an end I reflect on how
far the United States has come in the area of race relations. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the nine African-American
students known as Little Rock Nine and many other pioneers of the Civil rights
movement, risked their lives, spent time in jail and endured brutal beatings in
their fight for equal rights for all mankind.
More than half a century later, our first African-American president, President
Barack Obama, is serving his second term in office. Additionally, we celebrate Rosa Parks, a
seamstress that helped ignite the Civil Rights movement by refusing to give up
her seat to a white man on a segregated bus in Alabama. Her refusal to give up her seat, lead to the
Montgomery bus boycott. This month, Parks
becomes the first black woman to be honored with a life-sized statue on Capitol
Hill.<br />
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There’s no doubt
we have made great strides and that deserves to be celebrated. However, I can’t help but think that we have moved
forward just to move backwards when I hear about rapper, Lil’ Wayne making offensive
lyrics about Emmett Till. You ask who is
Emmett Till? He was a 14 year old
African-American from Chicago, IL. In 1955 while visiting relatives in Money, Mississippi, Till was accused of flirting with a white woman in a grocery store. Days later, Till was kidnapped by two white men, brutally beat and shot in the face which lead to his death. Till’s mother chose to have an open casket so
that mourners could see her son’s disfigured face. Till’s brutal murder and open casket electrified the
emerging civil rights movement. </div>
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Now, I see
several problems with Lil’ Wayne’s actions.
The one that keeps coming back to me every time I hear of his ridiculous
antics is the fact that if it were not for the life of Emmett Till along with
so many others and their sacrifices, Lil’ Wayne would not be where he is
today. The sad irony is that Lil’Wayne
is one of many people who have no idea about their history and the pain and
sacrifice that affords them the life they live. I could go on about the negative effects of
not knowing our history but that’s a blog post for another day. The fact is, this type of behavior by anyone
is not acceptable and should not be tolerated.</div>
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We must continue
to celebrate our success but in order to move forward we must hold one another
accountable. There are some people that
will buy Lil’ Wayne’s music in spite of his ignorant, inflammatory lyrics. This
is moving backwards. I realize Lil’ Wayne is not the only one that does these
things. The fact is, this type of behavior by anyone is not acceptable and
should not be tolerated. When we support
anyone, regardless of their race, that goes against what is right and what we
believe in, we support them and their stance.
In the words of Mahatma Ghandi, “You must be the change you wish to see
in the world.”</div>
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Until next time, I hope you have been encouraged, empowered, enriched and enlightened.</div>
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Peace and blessings,</div>
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</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Vladimir Script'; font-size: 24pt;">Cherlisa<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686648724410985719.post-71516057486990364582013-01-31T23:55:00.000-05:002013-02-12T17:31:43.830-05:00Change Your Thoughts<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghE53kabxy8x7MbRvW8DLSTZuvb4dl3j-jftN6CbUGyCOJvWgR3ioWsNByqaG3yUrge4O0xSysceqfqWOd87VggSw7ra9KWTjh2vjIa2aTkWQYO6fxrmywDCU5gr0va2_WR1KHbHt2vV0x/s1600/Thinking+pic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghE53kabxy8x7MbRvW8DLSTZuvb4dl3j-jftN6CbUGyCOJvWgR3ioWsNByqaG3yUrge4O0xSysceqfqWOd87VggSw7ra9KWTjh2vjIa2aTkWQYO6fxrmywDCU5gr0va2_WR1KHbHt2vV0x/s200/Thinking+pic.JPG" width="200" /></a> “Change your thoughts and you change your world.” I read these words on a picture posted on Facebook. So true! Far too often I hear people
say they want more out of life but that’s where it stops. They only want it. They don’t believe they’ll
ever have more. They don’t believe they deserve it and in many people’s case,
they are not willing to put in the work that it takes to get more. As long as a person's mindset is negative, their world will never move in a positive direction. <br />
<br />
If you believe you can have something in life
and are willing to go the distance to get, the sky is the limit. To do that you must first change your mind. Really. It works. I challenge you to try it. Anytime you begin to think negative, force yourself to erase those thoughts. If there is something you want, put a plan in place to get it and execute the plan, then watch your world change for the better. Now go get it!</div>
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Until next time, I hope you have been encouraged, empowered,
enriched and enlightened.</div>
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Peace and blessings,</div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Kunstler Script"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Kunstler Script"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Cherlisa<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686648724410985719.post-16651183745977579512013-01-01T19:12:00.000-05:002013-01-01T19:12:37.245-05:00A New Year, a New Chapter<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifOUcArYmhmq1-Xr3kLEMN2jMR1TdNVrXJazOA9CCtnhrzGcsw60TGNbi29C0-tt9hWkVybcWyrsnY0hDonh45_d_A438FA2-ObHevbrcZpMG0-3uxKg1Lq2w-BQkH1pEIHAHzG1IN9n4n/s1600/Happy+New+Year.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifOUcArYmhmq1-Xr3kLEMN2jMR1TdNVrXJazOA9CCtnhrzGcsw60TGNbi29C0-tt9hWkVybcWyrsnY0hDonh45_d_A438FA2-ObHevbrcZpMG0-3uxKg1Lq2w-BQkH1pEIHAHzG1IN9n4n/s200/Happy+New+Year.jpg" width="140" /></a> 2012 is now the past.
Today is the first day of a brand new year. It’s the first page of a new chapter and it’s
full of promise and possibilities. You
write your own story. Whatever you
choose to make it, it will be. Will
there be some curve balls thrown your way?
Absolutely. However, in
reflecting on the past, you've seen that you have made it through tough times. You are resilient. You are a survivor.</div>
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I thank you for visiting my blog and for supporting my
work. As always, my prayer is that something
you read here empowers you, enlightens you, enriches your life and gives you
encouragement. There is so much more to come in 2013. I’m so excited about what’s to come and I’m
excited to share it with you. Stay
tuned. God is not through with me
yet. The thing that’s so awesome is that
His blessings do not stop with me. He has
a plan for a positive future for you too.
Embrace it. I wish you love,
prosperity, spiritual growth and happiness in 2013.</div>
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Until next time, I hope you have been encouraged, empowered,
enriched and enlightened. Happy New Year
to you and yours!</div>
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Peace and blessings,</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Kunstler Script"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Cherlisa<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686648724410985719.post-38650076401872715882012-12-31T20:06:00.003-05:002012-12-31T20:09:18.579-05:00A Time of Reflection<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacZtXO1zmFVQxuQilw8uKXx5Am_DQFZ17yquoN5LCrllc85GyidwZc7qNwwKipPY4-i5LJTeX-eKifAmU3n-WtIWX-aSKfhODV-yaCBi8RymmfQXjvRqzw3ZJByCMRTbJNTjLxN_QwdI8/s1600/Woman+on+Dock+at+Dusk.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacZtXO1zmFVQxuQilw8uKXx5Am_DQFZ17yquoN5LCrllc85GyidwZc7qNwwKipPY4-i5LJTeX-eKifAmU3n-WtIWX-aSKfhODV-yaCBi8RymmfQXjvRqzw3ZJByCMRTbJNTjLxN_QwdI8/s320/Woman+on+Dock+at+Dusk.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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As this year comes to an end, take time to reflect. Were there things that didn’t go the way you
wanted them to go in 2012? Most likely so. Were some of them things that were out of
your control? Did you get through
them? Reflect on how God used those
experiences to make you stronger and thank him.
Were there things that didn’t go so well that were within your
control? Reflect on what you could have
done differently and how you would handle those situations if faced with them
again. Chances are you will. After you’ve done that, move forward. Don’t live your life looking in the rearview
mirror as I once heard Colin Powell say.
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I’ve seen many people say on Facebook that they can’t wait
for the New Year because 2012 was not a good one. It’s easy to think about what didn’t go so
well but take time to reflect on the things that did go well. Thank God for your blessings; family,
friends, health, and so many more. After
doing all that, begin to think on how you plan to move forward in a positive
way in 2013. Many people choose to do
that with a vision board or by writing a list.
However you do it, just do it! From your family to mine, best wishes for a
prosperous and blessed year in 2013.</div>
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Until next time, I hope you have been encouraged, empowered, enriched, and enlightened.</div>
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Peace and blessings, </div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Kunstler Script"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Cherlisa<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686648724410985719.post-25853649707269794492012-11-26T14:55:00.002-05:002012-11-26T14:55:21.585-05:00Just Do It<br />
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I read a very profound quote by
Ivan Turgenev that states, “If we wait for the moment when everything,
absolutely everything is ready, we shall never begin.” This statement is absolutely true because, “everything”
will never be ready. </div>
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When I reflect on some of my most
successful moments, they were times when I just did it. On the other hand, when I, like many others, mull
over things, waiting for everything to be just right before I make things
happen, instead of getting it done, I let my dreams pass me by. I don’t know about you, but life is short and
today I choose to live for today and make my dreams come true. </div>
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I challenge you. The next time you start thinking about
something you want to do, as Nike would say, just do it. </div>
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Until next time, I hope you have
been encouraged, empowered, enriched and enlightened.</div>
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Peace and blessings,</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Kunstler Script"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Cherlisa<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Kunstler Script"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686648724410985719.post-28015172880690788262012-10-31T23:57:00.004-04:002012-11-01T12:51:42.665-04:00 Hearing God's Whisper Will Take You from Trial to Triumph <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBJnz3UQJ5CW_Nn8Q_2N4j4eKbnPu7fnHWASRnM4iAuLXU6VqbafQSnwZ3Z_8VDGtP4AiG6S29rtsHNUV0ixu1Xqkze0E4baGAlmlZgQpdmyILGmo97QHkUoaR80AWlp-seaCb428IKWpy/s1600/MH900433163%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBJnz3UQJ5CW_Nn8Q_2N4j4eKbnPu7fnHWASRnM4iAuLXU6VqbafQSnwZ3Z_8VDGtP4AiG6S29rtsHNUV0ixu1Xqkze0E4baGAlmlZgQpdmyILGmo97QHkUoaR80AWlp-seaCb428IKWpy/s200/MH900433163%5B1%5D.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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Have you ever wondered why life comes with so
many challenges? God allows us to go
through things because there are lessons he wants us to learn. Many times we will find ourselves muddling through the same trials until we get the lesson. Once we
get it, we move from trial to triumph and we realize that we have become better by what we have gone through. </div>
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If you are going
through something tough, I challenge you to spend more time talking to God and
listening for his voice. Also, realize you will have distractions. In your toughest times, the devil will send those distractions many times in the
form of people. I challenge you to make
your enemy your footstool. Remember that
no weapon formed against you shall prosper.
When you are a child of the King, He has your back and He will cause
your enemies to stumble and fall. Leave
your enemy in God’s hands and you continue to keep your eye on Him and just listen. Listen for the God’s whisper. The lesson will be revealed and victory will
be yours. </div>
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Until next time, I
hope you have been encouraged, empowered, enriched and enlightened.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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Peace and
blessings,<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Kunstler Script'; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">Cherlisa<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
</div>
Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686648724410985719.post-43743213631206182162012-09-30T23:07:00.001-04:002012-09-30T23:07:29.290-04:00Believe<br />
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Is there anything that
you can’t do? Philippians 4:13 says, I
can do all things through Christ who give me strength. If we know that, then why do some people accomplish their
dreams while others do not? Why do some
people simply not dream at all? The
answer is simple. They do not believe. They do not believe in God's promises. They do not believe in their
dreams. They do not believe that good
things can come to them. They do not believe in themselves. </div>
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Today I challenge you to remove the
word <i>can’t </i>from your vocabulary. I challenge you to dream, and to dream
big. I challenge you to get up and take
action. I challenge you to believe in
you. There is no limit to the things you can do and the places you can go, if you just believe.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Until next time, I hope you have been encouraged,
empowered, enriched, and enlightened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Kunstler Script"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cherlisa<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686648724410985719.post-13732741727757401822012-08-31T20:22:00.001-04:002012-08-31T20:22:57.140-04:00Positive or Negative Self-Image?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja7hubMt6l1OtWQ-ERM6STdNbPbSd-ozfXMO9Kq8VtATcKqAeM1qBvFi1wMR821MsU8BHglXp729nS1tay288qi7CPSmNLzZDvtq67Izm1DIzHpByTeHScV4Qo6l-20qzCW7GSixBSDIhH/s1600/MP900430903%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja7hubMt6l1OtWQ-ERM6STdNbPbSd-ozfXMO9Kq8VtATcKqAeM1qBvFi1wMR821MsU8BHglXp729nS1tay288qi7CPSmNLzZDvtq67Izm1DIzHpByTeHScV4Qo6l-20qzCW7GSixBSDIhH/s320/MP900430903%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Why is self-image important? It’s important because its how one views
oneself. One of my mantra’s in life is,
if you don’t think highly of yourself, no one else will. I believe that to be very important,
especially in a world where everyone is viewed under a microscope and judged
harshly. We see examples of positive and negative self-image
every day.</div>
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You have a girl or woman who always
wears provocative clothing. Does she
think highly of herself? Positive or
negative self-image? On the surface it appears
that she’s confident about her body and doesn’t mind showing it off. However, if you look deeper, you’ll realize
that she believes her self-worth lies solely on her body and the way she looks. Her self-image is actually negative. Contrary to popular belief, you are not your
clothes, your body, your hair, etc. As I
wrote in a previous post last year, self-worth comes from within. A woman who has a positive self-image knows
who she is and doesn’t have to expose her body to the world to feel good about who she is. She doesn’t need people to boast
about how she looks or what she wears and doesn’t need to draw attention to herself. One of my favorite quotes comes from Edith Head,
an award winning, American costume designer.
Edith said, “Your dresses should be
tight enough to show you're a woman and <span style="display: none; mso-hide: all;"><br />
</span>loose enough to show you're a lady.”
I love that quote!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Another example, you have a person who
can find fault in others no matter how positive the situation. For example, when Gabby Douglas, who worked
for years to get to the Olympics as a gymnast, made it and performed nearly
perfect. There were women (yes, grown
women) taking to Facebook and Twitter making negative comments about her
hair. I probably don’t have to ask, but I
will. Positive or negative
self-image? Definitely, negative. These are the same type of women that will
see an average woman with her child and instead of seeing how the mother loves
that child, works hard to nurture and develop the child; they will find
something wrong with what the child is wearing or find something wrong with their
hair. Interestingly, those same people
will boast about their own clothes, hair and material things. Some of these people habitually tries to make others feel or look stupid and small. Why? Because
they are shallow individuals. There is
nothing of any depth inside of them.
They are empty. There’s no
self-love or peace, so they find fault in others. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Finally,
you have people that will find the silver lining in most situations. Even when times are tough, they may get down
but they find a way to get themselves up.
This person also sees the positive in other people. When they see a person that has room for
improvement, they find a way to encourage them, and not tear them down. Positive or negative self-image? Positive, for sure. This person is confident in who they are.
They find no value or joy in hurting or belittling others.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whether
you know it or not, your self-image, good or bad, is a reflection on not only
how you see yourself but also the way others see you. The good news is, if you have a negative self-image,
it can change. It’s a process that one
should intentionally work on daily to improve.
Children are impressionable and they look to adults for how they should
view themselves. Do you want the
reflection young people see when they look at you to be a positive or a
negative one? It’s your choice.</div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
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Until next time, I hope you have
been encouraged, empowered, enriched, and enlightened.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Kunstler Script"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cherlisa<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686648724410985719.post-68235920836981043042012-07-31T23:29:00.001-04:002012-08-06T13:07:39.337-04:00Live Life Like an Olympian<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdhH9B56xO1En00J8T4Tz52OaJ39X0Fki-lPLSQQPsAyWAYRbDnVpf7pxPG_nLgq4xzUCwJ85GgAsm5ZCoc02mrSXlwcTu_wu2lgFtjDUutRpknLjMXsA4b-tbHpOldvBZ7AlJBykjpjph/s1600/Olympic+gold+medal.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdhH9B56xO1En00J8T4Tz52OaJ39X0Fki-lPLSQQPsAyWAYRbDnVpf7pxPG_nLgq4xzUCwJ85GgAsm5ZCoc02mrSXlwcTu_wu2lgFtjDUutRpknLjMXsA4b-tbHpOldvBZ7AlJBykjpjph/s200/Olympic+gold+medal.JPG" width="132" /></a> In the past week, people around the world have enjoyed watching the Olympics in London. The perfection in which
the athletes perform has wowed fans everywhere.
Some have asked, how exactly does a person become so amazing at their sport?
Whether you’re Michael Phelps, Cullen
Jones or Ryan Lachte of men’s Olympic swimming, or Gabby Douglas or Jordan
Weaver of Women’s Olympic gymnastics, or Missy Franklin, women’s Olympic
swimmer, they all have some things in common.
They had a dream. They set a
goal. They made a plan. They followed the plan. They are living their dreams. </div>
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</div>
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If you were given
the opportunity to talk to any one of them they’d tell you it wasn’t an easy
road. They would tell you they wake up early, they eat healthy, they exercise at an intense level for hours on end and they make lots of sacrifices
that many of their friends don’t have to make.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Life is no
different for any of us. Their goal was
to make it to the Olympics. Your goal
may be something completely different but in order to obtain it, you have to be
willing to work for it. Your level of commitment
and perseverance to meet your goals should be no different than that of an Olympian. Whatever your desire in life is, go for it
with the same intensity and determination they have. Choose to live your life like an Olympian and
go for the gold.<br />
<br />
Until next time, I hope you have been encouraged, empowered, enriched, and enlightened.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Kunstler Script'; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Cherlisa<o:p></o:p></span></div>Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686648724410985719.post-22583537894775142672012-06-26T02:24:00.001-04:002012-06-26T12:39:29.397-04:00Relationships are fragile; handle with care<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGIZ6T8DKmnLeTpHeMifKHrfTW5vNcVo2gxmAQV8NicYLO2l6HjxSfQy5FYCDtHY3xsXRbZ7vlJ0k7t-wtD0cUSQ9nZFIV40BiQzZyn-ZP5SkOQKTnYXG-lwOEyfJ0Qcwb7QTYW01ckkka/s1600/say+I+love+you+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGIZ6T8DKmnLeTpHeMifKHrfTW5vNcVo2gxmAQV8NicYLO2l6HjxSfQy5FYCDtHY3xsXRbZ7vlJ0k7t-wtD0cUSQ9nZFIV40BiQzZyn-ZP5SkOQKTnYXG-lwOEyfJ0Qcwb7QTYW01ckkka/s200/say+I+love+you+pic.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by idlehearts.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">One of the most valuable things we
are fortunate to have in this life is relationships.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Relationships come in many forms; Parent/child,
siblings, significant others, aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, friends,
co-workers, and the list goes on. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some
of these relationships may be closer than others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know how much we love these people and for
some of them, we’ll go to the end of the earth for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then why is it that we don’t protect these relationships
like the fragile gems they are?</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We don’t protect them because we
take for granted that the person will always be around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We feel that it’s more important to say what’s
on our mind or do what we want to do because “that’s how I am and I’ve always
been this way.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s called
self-centered, selfish and lacking empathy for others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I once heard someone say, we treat people we
don’t know or care about better than we do the one’s we love most.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadly, when I thought about it, it was
true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only was the statement an eye opener
for me but more importantly, it was life changing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">One of the greatest realizations we
can ever have is that life is short and tomorrow isn’t promised.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trust me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That is more than a cliché.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
you really love someone, then that relationship should be worth fighting for
and putting petty things behind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Care
enough to watch what you say and do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unfortunately, sometimes it’s hard to mend situations once they’ve been
broken. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like I often tell my daughter,
sometimes, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’m sorry</i> isn’t enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Proverbs 18:21 says, <span class="text">the
tongue has the power of life and death, </span>and those who love it will eat
its fruit.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Am I saying that relationships won’t
struggles, disappointments or disagreements?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Absolutely not!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, one thing I’ve found that works when
nothing else does is the Golden Rule; do unto others as you would have them do
unto you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So many people claim to be a
good person some and others claim to be a Christian (meaning like Christ) but
don’t know how or care to give another person the same respect they would want
to be given.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Key elements needed to maintain a healthy relationship<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Honesty </b>– There’s no better way than
honesty to keep a relationship strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When there is conflict, nothing can truly be
resolved without the truth.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Open communication</b>
– If you have a problem with someone, be big enough to talk it out with that
person <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NOT</b> others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they can’t give you unbiased (Godly
instruction for Christians) advice, then they can cause no good to your
relationship and you shouldn’t be talking to them.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Don’t let
unresolved issues linger. </b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You be the
bigger person even when the other person may be at fault.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Willingness
to talk to your loved ones in “love”.</b> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>– Don’t approach a situation in a combative or
accusatory manner. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the other person
is not accepting to you trying to make peace, then leave it in God’s
hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ve done your part.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s now their burden to bear.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Be willing to listen and accept where you
may be at fault.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">6.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Don’t let
new relationships put a wedge in old ones</b>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like I tell my daughter and her middle school
friends, it’s okay to have more than one friend at a time. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also remember, when someone has proven to be
there for you through thick and thin, you know where you stand with that
person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be as good of a friend to them as
they have been to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You never know
how long the new friend might stick around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Also, you know a tree by fruit it bears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If a person is always causing havoc and they have no friends or close
relationships, ask yourself, why would you let this person come in between a
relationship you’ve already built?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">7. <strong>Don't be too proud to say I'm sorry. </strong>- There may come a time you want to and it'll be too late.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.25in; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Remember, we don’t
always get a second chance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Relationships are fragile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Handle
them with care.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Until
next time, I hope you have been encouraged, empowered, enriched and
enlightened.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Palace Script MT"; font-size: 36pt; line-height: 115%;">Cherlisa<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686648724410985719.post-2471539808631040852012-05-30T20:34:00.000-04:002012-05-30T22:51:34.293-04:00Dare to Dream<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlPJfVdnGfsgu2yqbB9nI4UJCazRCBCETLioXBdB4SK3nl6plMLsbVaQQxhhw_cy3wEqdyASTMJ_NX7JELw8WCAmWkDkpMToqTylWgo1odqZn2BWdAl47BB8Izcym77MN817Z9Hc7tmig/s1600/butterflies.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlPJfVdnGfsgu2yqbB9nI4UJCazRCBCETLioXBdB4SK3nl6plMLsbVaQQxhhw_cy3wEqdyASTMJ_NX7JELw8WCAmWkDkpMToqTylWgo1odqZn2BWdAl47BB8Izcym77MN817Z9Hc7tmig/s200/butterflies.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
I think it’s fair to say that most
people have had a dream they were extremely passionate about at least one time
in their life. Many people jump right in
and get it done, then move on to the next dream. What a great feeling it is to accomplish a
goal. Unfortunately, there are a larger
number of people who have a dream but never see it come to pass. Why? The
reasons are endless.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Whatever your reason might be for
not accomplishing your goal, forget about it.
If you have ever had a dream and deep in your heart you want to see it come
to pass, revive your hope in it today. It’s never too late. Don’t let past mistakes or failures become a
crutch. Don’t listen to people who say, you
can’t or it’s too hard. Silence that
inner voice that’s placing doubt in your mind.
Find the resources and educate yourself on what it takes to make your
dream come true. Know you deserve it. Believe you can do it. YOU CAN DO IT! Spread your wings and dare to dream!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Until next time, I hope you have
been encouraged, empowered, enriched, and enlightened.</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Kunstler Script'; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Cherlisa<o:p></o:p></span></div>Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686648724410985719.post-32994598803265928592012-04-27T20:48:00.001-04:002012-04-27T21:19:42.232-04:00Books, Writing & Life features Cherlisa Richardson<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkA-V_aLy6_conjcaW4FOHzgApyy-_H8NkPxg59vqbDRafb4ENkjxQ7K4W1WK0KiZcH53ztL8R_hyphenhyphenDeeFlhEtcoNLKA6SunvwLq1bgGyiYiz5zJ_-vESXpal0Mm4mIrPZpJ09fFERw2slx/s1600/Daphine+author+pic.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkA-V_aLy6_conjcaW4FOHzgApyy-_H8NkPxg59vqbDRafb4ENkjxQ7K4W1WK0KiZcH53ztL8R_hyphenhyphenDeeFlhEtcoNLKA6SunvwLq1bgGyiYiz5zJ_-vESXpal0Mm4mIrPZpJ09fFERw2slx/s200/Daphine+author+pic.bmp" width="142" /></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Daphine Glenn Robinson is the
proud author of the newly released book, <i>Too
Many Lies. </i>I am honored that Daphine
has featured me on her blog, <i>Books, Writing & Life.</i> please stop by and show some love! <a href="http://wp.me/p1vchc-gd"><span class="Style12">http://wp.me/p1vchc-gd</span></a> . <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Daphine is also the author of three
additional books, <i>Brotherly Love &
Betrayal, Caring What People Think and Mommy Moments. </i>If you’re interested in reading a page turner that is inspirational and full of drama at the same time, read <i>Too Many Lies</i>. You won’t be disappointed. As a matter of fact, after reading it, you will want to read all
of her other books. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Happy reading,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Kunstler Script'; font-size: 24pt;">Cherlisa<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686648724410985719.post-67095972103677821352012-04-17T16:40:00.003-04:002012-04-17T16:40:58.295-04:00Communications 101 According to Cherlisa: Back to the Basics<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXObYVaJfbWMCW6kfkdmOA6WSxgrRkWTQjCho2XxqQ8-W3aKVyqCky7BAVh0r_qAqdmZSgm4UwEPvCMgE45VRpbQQYvR3Y9TflOeyrbWxNpy7x993Z6pjtzOoBAnIBmTM-QiBbh8A1WAaX/s1600/Bee+on+flower" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXObYVaJfbWMCW6kfkdmOA6WSxgrRkWTQjCho2XxqQ8-W3aKVyqCky7BAVh0r_qAqdmZSgm4UwEPvCMgE45VRpbQQYvR3Y9TflOeyrbWxNpy7x993Z6pjtzOoBAnIBmTM-QiBbh8A1WAaX/s200/Bee+on+flower" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">I’m always amazed when I see people use the ‘strong arm
tactic’ when they want to get someone to do something. It shocks me because in twenty years of doing
business, one of the things I’ve always been successful in doing is getting
people to do what I want them to do, WITHOUT strong arming them. Now am I telling you that you will never have
to be tough or make tough decisions?
Absolutely not! However, what I do
know for sure is this; you get more bees with honey. If you treat people kindly, chances are you
will gain an ally and be able to get them to do most anything for you. That’s Communications 101 according to
Cherlisa. It makes sense. Aren’t we taught growing up that you do unto
others as you would have them do unto you?
Well, coming from someone that was taught that way, I’ll tell you, it
works in business as well as the real world.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span> </span>When you look at organizations
that are successful with outstanding attendance and have the most loyal and
healthy employees, you’ll find that the way they treat their employees have everything
to do with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s an example of that; you get more bees
with honey concept.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On another note, people
thought that Tony Dungy, former coach of The Indianapolis Colts, was too soft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They believed that his failure to scream,
holler and use profanity hindered his success as a coach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To his critic’s surprise, his meek yet powerful
demeanor proved to work when he led the Colts to winning a Super Bowl
Championship On February 4, 2007.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now
you might be saying, “Some of those coaches that scream, holler and curse have
won Super Bowl Championships.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To that I
say, true, but there isn’t a coach past or present in the NFL that gets more
respect and praise from players, co-workers and people all over the United States
than Tony Dungy does.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He gets respect for
the man he was on and off the field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
a matter of fact, he still manages to make an impact on the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has proven that you really do get more
bees with honey.</div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<br /></div>
Until next time, I hope you have been encouraged, empowered, enriched and enlightened.<br />
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Kunstler Script"; font-size: 26.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cherlisa</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686648724410985719.post-83273827348670350152012-03-31T20:36:00.001-04:002012-03-31T22:29:23.373-04:00Who’s Your Child’s Role Model?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi73tka3es7_3Z0capOTDly0IVhyphenhyphenI74qlgO4xECRlEgy0EdzRvc7F9ThFHINwX42nFfPG9aPKqqQubpLewy0XXZlVhBz5YgNi0kkMdzQA5yAlSTL1owNEA6lwolIB0o2uMN6A082zOS5Erv/s1600/Family+biking.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi73tka3es7_3Z0capOTDly0IVhyphenhyphenI74qlgO4xECRlEgy0EdzRvc7F9ThFHINwX42nFfPG9aPKqqQubpLewy0XXZlVhBz5YgNi0kkMdzQA5yAlSTL1owNEA6lwolIB0o2uMN6A082zOS5Erv/s200/Family+biking.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The dictionary defines a role model as</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <i>a person whose behavior, example,
or success is or can be emulated by others, especially by younger people.</i>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">When you ask most people what they believe a role model to be, they would probably come up
with a similar version of that definition.
However, they would most likely insert the word ‘positive’. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I think we can all agree that<span style="color: #333333;"> </span>the average person has crossed paths with a positive role model at some
time in their life. Interestingly, there has been an ongoing debate about who should
be considered role models, particularly whether or not celebrities should be or
not. Their personal lives have always
been under close scrutiny where this topic is concerned because children look
up to them. The general public has an expectation
that celebrities uphold a positive image because there are children that want
to emulate them.<br /> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> This whole debate about celebrities was
refueled in 1993 when Charles Barkley, former NBA basketball player, so boldly
stated that he was not your child’s role model.
His comments opened a fire storm in the media, around the water coolers
and at dinner tables across the country.
Based on the dictionary’s definition, Barkley can be seen as a role
model because his success as a basketball player can be emulated by
others. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I have no doubt the debate will continue. My perspective is that I choose for God to be
my child’s first role model. He is the
only perfect one. He makes no mistakes. I believe as our child’s parents that we
should be the second role model. We are not
perfect. However, I am the only person
whose behavior I can control. My husband’s
is the only one that can control his behavior.
We teach that we are human and we will make mistakes but we try to be the
best example we can be.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Parents, whether you believe celebrities
should be a role model or not. I encourage
you to be the person your children can count on. I don’t care how many
celebrities children may like, your influence is the one that means the most to
your children. Step up to the plate
because whether you like it or not, you are their REAL role model. Good or bad.
Like it or not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Until next time, I hope you have been
encouraged, empowered, enriched and enlightened.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Kunstler Script'; font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;">Cherlisa<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686648724410985719.post-51359988380610141012012-02-29T17:48:00.003-05:002012-02-29T17:48:51.851-05:00Celebration of African-American Heroes<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Our
country has a rich history of people from all races that have done great things
to change the way we live today. As
Black History Month 2012 comes to an end, I wanted to dedicate this blog post
to a few of the African-Americans I admire and have paved the way for others. They all share one thing in common. Although they are all from poor to middle
class families, they dared to dream. As
a result of them having a dream and following it through, they are all successful. Today I salute the following;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Oprah
Winfrey was born in the poor rural town of Kosciusko, Mississippi on January
29, 1954. As an adolescent she was
sexually abused several times. As a teen
Oprah became very promiscuous as a result of her abuse. In 1971, she won the Miss Black Tennessee
Pageant. After this event her life took an upward turn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Oprah Winfrey is a media giant. She was the first African-American to host a
talk show. She used her platform to
inspire millions to be their very best. She
has many accolades including actress. Her
most popular film was The Color Purple where she rose to popularity playing
Sophia. She also has her own magazine
titled, O. Additionally, she opened The
Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa in January 2007. After retiring from her self-titled talk
show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, she began her own television network, OWN. Oprah is a billionaire and has used her riches
to become one of the world’s greatest philanthropists. Oprah is no doubt, a
great American hero.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Next, Tyler Perry, was born Emmitt Perry,
Jr. on September 13, 1969, in New Orleans, Louisiana. He too had a tough childhood that was plagued
with sexual abuse. He also experienced
physical abuse at the hands of his father.
At age sixteen or seventeen he changed his name to Tyler in order to
distance himself from his father. Soon
after he left New Orleans and moved to Atlanta in search of his dream of seeing
his first play, <i>I Know I’ve Been Changed,
</i>acted out onstage.<i> </i> Success
didn’t come easy but he never gave up. Perry
leaned on his faith. Eventually he ventured
out and decided to take his stories to the big screen. His career took off after his first movie, <i>Diary of a Mad Black Woman, </i>topped the box
office chart at #1 its first weekend. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Perry
holds many titles including Film Actor, Director, Producer, Playwright, Screenwriter
and Philanthropists. Most recently he
was named the richest man in Hollywood.
That’s not so bad for a man from such humble beginnings. Hats off to Tyler Perry!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Other
heroes include, Tony Dungy, Maya Angelou, President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama,
just to name a few. For the sake of not
having an extra long blog post, I won’t detail their life stories and accolades
at this time. However, since I believe
African-Americans should be celebrated more than the 28 days of February (29
this year, Leap Year!) during Black History Month, I may feature them along
with other heroes in a future post. Before I conclude, I’d be remised if I didn’t
add my #1 hero to this list. She is a
caregiver, a counselor, a prayer-warrior, an advocate for people in need and a philanthropist,
to name a few. You probably won’t know
her because she’s an unsung hero. She’s
my mother, Elizabeth Douglas-Small. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Heroes
are not just those that are rich and famous.
Many are hard working, ordinary people that are amongst us every
day. They make a difference in the lives
of others. Who are your heroes? Celebrate them today. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Until
next time, I hope you have been encouraged, empowered, enriched, and
enlightened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Kunstler Script"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cherlisa<o:p></o:p></span></div>Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686648724410985719.post-48424285882477312322011-12-31T15:58:00.001-05:002011-12-31T16:12:45.894-05:00Dream BIG in 2012 and Accomplish Your Goals<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNB0D6fi5F4P7Z6LG2qEDS1qJDW62b4LV0ZOxajjvwNE0mnJy8wEYADJyv99Xg_AAlrgvLVdCb_OsmOgWqqrKcZj-JhiifcS3u4odaT305CkQkW2YubwRNUujXkao-LLfNwetKWCCiI6ka/s1600/Fireworks" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNB0D6fi5F4P7Z6LG2qEDS1qJDW62b4LV0ZOxajjvwNE0mnJy8wEYADJyv99Xg_AAlrgvLVdCb_OsmOgWqqrKcZj-JhiifcS3u4odaT305CkQkW2YubwRNUujXkao-LLfNwetKWCCiI6ka/s320/Fireworks" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I can’t believe how fast another year has
come and gone. What can I say? Praise God for allowing me to live through
another year. Praise him for my family,
friends and for giving me good health and strength. Praise him for allowing me to see another
year. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> What will the New Year bring? I’m not big on making New Year’s
resolutions. However, I am big on having
dreams and setting goals in order to fulfill those dreams. Many times people give up on their dreams
because they feel they have gotten too old or they may believe because of past
disappointments their dreams aren’t possible.
Don’t let past disappointments
cause your dreams to fade. No dream is
unattainable if you believe you can do it.
God tells us in Psalm 92:12, “The righteous shall flourish like a palm
tree because when the storms of life blow, you are going to come right back up
stronger than before.” He also tells us
in his word that he will give us the desires of our heart and that if we ask, we
shall receive. However, that doesn’t
mean it will come without work on our part.
Here are a few tips to reach your goals in the New Year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">1. </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Look to God for wisdom and strength to fulfill
your dreams</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> 2. </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Write
your goals down</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> 3.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Create
a step by step action plan</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> 4. <span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">BELIEVE
and put your plan into action</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> 5.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Decide
how you will reward yourself as you meet each goal</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> 6.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Check
off each step as you begin to accomplish your goals</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> 7. <span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Reward
yourself along the way as you meet each goal </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> 8.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Celebrate
your successes with family and friends. </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">However, I caution you to be selective with whom you share them
with. Not everyone will share your same
excitement and vision. Negative people
can crush your spirit and cause you to give up on your dreams. Share with those who have a history of
encouraging you and lifting you up.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> 9. </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Thank
God when you have met your goal</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> 10.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Stay humble and enjoy the
blessings of your success</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Wishing
you and yours a happy and prosperous New Year.
Until next time, I hope you have been encouraged, empowered, enlightened
and enriched. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peace
and blessings,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cherlisa</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686648724410985719.post-90855954763716512832011-11-24T08:48:00.001-05:002011-11-24T08:56:46.342-05:00A Time To Give Thanks<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUH2WcE37hzeeYrfQBW5OwYHAcX5NO5ByQWFVn2TcscG-RcnhEolPE8NXB0g8tOA0tqm7TnLIaPjTTt2hhW5Hsg1tSZTlAbc8Q5RuRCa14AiLic39YeSStMSo5krl6gJXv4ZEfyjzuLXo5/s1600/Family+praying+-+Thanksgiving" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUH2WcE37hzeeYrfQBW5OwYHAcX5NO5ByQWFVn2TcscG-RcnhEolPE8NXB0g8tOA0tqm7TnLIaPjTTt2hhW5Hsg1tSZTlAbc8Q5RuRCa14AiLic39YeSStMSo5krl6gJXv4ZEfyjzuLXo5/s320/Family+praying+-+Thanksgiving" width="320" /></a></div>
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Thanksgiving Day is a time where families look forward to the
tradition of coming together. What does
that tradition look like? For most people
they will gather with family, laugh and eat turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce,
sweet potato pie, pumpkin pie and a whole smorgasbord of other delicious
dishes. After round two or three time to
watch football! The next day, after the
turkey has digested hundreds of thousands of people all around the country will
race to the stores to take advantage of all the Black Friday deals. More importantly than all of those things, Thanksgiving
Day is a time to reflect on all of the blessings God has bestowed upon us. It’s a day to give thanks.</div>
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As tough as times are we all have something to be thankful
for. Take time to thank God today for
all he’s done in your life; love of family and friends, food, shelter, good
health and so much more. Those may seem
like basic things in life but there’s someone not so fortunate. Give thanks today and every day. I pray today that God will continue to bless
you and yours.</div>
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From my family to yours, we wish you a Happy
THANKSgiving! </div>
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Until next time, I hope you have
encouraged, empowered, enriched and enlightened. </div>
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Cherlisa</div>Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686648724410985719.post-22878951111397875362011-09-19T12:46:00.003-04:002011-09-19T21:49:06.888-04:00What Determines Your Self-Worth?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB-aBxOHCbBItlB9gxT7U_NO8_-x-AZ1eUJYbG9Pd5LiCXRSjtQOOAW6f_cgS34zysurjab_B4cEKpiJ0W_R98lLE2VFUQe39ULQYsd5VKW6V4lhMH8TwD8O-Yn7HZSWFoTfFSB_U2uL1g/s1600/selfworth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB-aBxOHCbBItlB9gxT7U_NO8_-x-AZ1eUJYbG9Pd5LiCXRSjtQOOAW6f_cgS34zysurjab_B4cEKpiJ0W_R98lLE2VFUQe39ULQYsd5VKW6V4lhMH8TwD8O-Yn7HZSWFoTfFSB_U2uL1g/s320/selfworth.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Self-Worth is defined in the dictionary as respect for or a favorable opinion of oneself. Yet, when you look at society the people that are most highly esteemed are those with the most money, cars, the biggest houses, the most fame, the highest professions, titles and even looks. Unfortunately, because of this societal belief, for many people they grow up believing that their worth is based on material gain. Sadly, this ideology for many becomes a generational curse they in turn instill this belief in their children by putting so much importance on ‘things’. Their children feel they are inferior or important because of what they have. Others may feel they are pretty or handsome because of what they are wearing. In reality what they are teaching them is that they are not enough.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> What happens if they are ever in a position where they are unable to afford those things? They feel inadequate. As they get older, even as adults they will go to any extent to get the things that make them feel important. When some people find they are unable to get ‘it’ they feel as if life isn’t worth living. I’ve seen news reports and have known people personally that have taken their lives when they no longer had ‘it’. Case in point, the suicide rate was off the chart during the 1930’s great depression. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Self-worth comes from within. I believe it begins with your morals, values, ethical and spiritual beliefs. These things lead to self-love. Lack of material things, external beauty and titles can not make you lose it. All of those things are capable of diminishing. However, when you truly love who you are and know the true and living God, you will have belief that you are royalty in all situations. You matter just because. Max Lucado once said, “You are valuable just because you exist. Not because of what you do or what you have done, but simply because you are.” So I ask you to think on this, what determines your self-worth?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Until next time, I hope you have been encouraged, empowered, enlightened and enriched.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Peace and blessings,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cherlisa</span></div>
Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686648724410985719.post-65137963298646956772011-06-19T01:34:00.022-04:002011-09-16T16:31:14.155-04:00Are People’s Ethics Driven by Hollywood & Stardom?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-line-height-alt: 9.75pt; vertical-align: top;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigD-G8_oGeIGAk30BUyQl4odMKItuqM5jRr4ts196dbEacQix1z9A_1SGI9rRWbUucA0slZoA1GD-mqVGFfOxwgJRSU4RxPDamcG5NmQs-2F-lhzJS6CqXMoAKVVDnUYahHO2AMHgnspcR/s1600/hollywood-sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_uid_5w6rdf="97" height="240px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigD-G8_oGeIGAk30BUyQl4odMKItuqM5jRr4ts196dbEacQix1z9A_1SGI9rRWbUucA0slZoA1GD-mqVGFfOxwgJRSU4RxPDamcG5NmQs-2F-lhzJS6CqXMoAKVVDnUYahHO2AMHgnspcR/s320/hollywood-sign.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div>I found myself engaged in a conversation on Facebook that became very controversial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oddly it was an identical conversation I’d had a couple of years ago at the beauty shop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Facebook post stated, “Are women really excited about R. Kelly?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was turned off after all the charges involving 13-14 year old girls.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Granted R. Kelly wasn’t charged with the crime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I recall correctly he settled out of court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, for me it’s still clear that he has an attraction to young girls because it was documented that he did marry Aaliyah when she was only 15 years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her mother later had the marriage annulled. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now 50 years ago, this wasn’t so unusual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t uncommon for parents to give consent for their children to marry at that age but times have changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-line-height-alt: 9.75pt; vertical-align: top;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">After realizing over the years that so many people still enjoy R. Kelly’s music and support him I was pleasantly surprised to see as people commented on the young ladies Facebook post that there were some people, male and female, that still have a conscious and some ethics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like me, they not only do not support R. Kelly and his music but are also disgusted by his desire for young girls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, just like the person I disagreed with in the beauty shop there were some people that STRONGLY pledged their support to R. Kelly, his music and great talent on Facebook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I</span>t was made clear that his talent clearly outweighs his indiscretions in their minds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of his supporters commented that it’s not her place to judge him and that he had to answer to his maker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last time I checked, God expects us to do better when we know better and will hold us accountable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I truly believe that some people will not understand the impact this repulsive behavior have on children’s lives until one of their daughters, granddaughters, sisters, cousins, etc. is taken advantage of by an older man. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ask the same question I asked on Facebook, what message do we send to young girls and boys when we continue to support people that abuse children? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where is the accountability to innocent children that can’t protect themselves?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Would this behavior be acceptable if he wasn't famous? </span>I go back to my original question, “Are people’s ethics driven by Hollywood?”</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Until next time, I hope you have been encouraged, empowered, enriched and enlightened.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cherlisa</span></i></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Cherlisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13528037393003060540noreply@blogger.com2