Thursday, July 29, 2004

U Gotta Feel D!

"Aww sh-t! Y'all done f---d up and let me in this b--h
I'm just yo' average hood nigga with dreams of gettin rich (but you don't hear me)
My crib big like a football field (football field)
You might f--k around and think I signed a football deal (but you don't hear me)
I take 15 minutes to drop a track (yeahhh!!)
I take half a minute to load my gat (but you don't hear me)
I make 'em bounce all across the globe
I'm a pimp, I got your hoe takin off her clothes (but you don't hear me)
A franchise like a Houston Rocket (Houston Rocket)
Every eight months is when I usually drop it (but you don't hear me)
I got the streets on lock, I like my beats with knock
You know my heat stay cocked, niggaaahhh!"

- Lil Flip 'Game Over'


The wild thing about servinemup.com, is that there is a diverse array of folks around the world putting the www.servinemup.com URL on their list of favorites. First and foremost, are my fellow Christians checking in to see what Brother D is up to. Also within this inner circle are all those folks who know D.E. Washington personally, my blood kinfolk as well as my homies from the hood and friends who have Internet access.
In case you’re just joining the party and you’re still trying to figure out, ‘Just what is this n’ga DOING at servinemup??’ What you’re seeing is a slave, getting down for his Master. That’s right..a slave. Because although I claim to be ‘servin’ them up, the real translation of ‘servant’ in the original Greek LXX, is slave. I have a Master that I submit too, and you know what? I’m not tripping about it, I serve eagerly. This may seem like a strange thing for an African-American (black dude) slave descendant to say, but once you realize who your true Master is, there is nothing to trip about, you submit willfully and pray to be a fruitful servant for your Lord.

A lot of folks may feel like some of my ‘jailhouse’ or ‘street’ dialect and slang is too hard-core and out of touch with what’s ‘real’, but the simple fact is that once you go through the fires of life, God uses these trials and tribulations to prove your heart and use your experience for His purpose. Recognize real, cuz that fake go fade away. Once you bow down and submit to the ONE Almighty God, there is some wonderful thangs that will come into your life. Sure, there are a lot of people who SAY they believe, but as we say on the Southside, ‘Listen to what they say, but watch what it DO!’ When you believe, you will submit. A lot of people look at Christians as that ‘new thang’, that renegade Jewish sect that just flipped the game all up from the status quo. What I try to tell all of my Jewish and Muslim friends, is that Christ did not come to abolish the Law, He came to fulfill it. So as much as Christianity may seem like a rogue or renegade religion, as compared to that ‘old school’ teaching of Moses and Abraham, check out what He’s really saying in that New Covenant, it’s some real shit.



Ops! There I go again. See, my problem is that I have a wide array of folks coming to my little hole in the wall on the World Wide Web to get ‘served’. Everybody is trying to get fed and most come here to get some of that ‘real’. Some of those ‘good’ church folks get turned off because I put the word ‘shit’ in the same sentence as something sacred as the New Covenant, but I can’t let that deter me. Because the main reason I opened my mouth, and came off the DL with my faith in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, is because I know God blessed me with a voice and an audience that most hard headed n’gas from the Southside of Houston Texas have never dreamed of. I’ve got a full crew of my blood kinfolk that have had my back from day one. And I’m not talking about day one of writing, I’m talking about day one of breathing. Both of my parents are from bloodlines of African slave descendants from the beautiful rolling woods of Union County Arkansas. Combine that with all of my Southside crew, my church crew, my Booker T. Washington crew, my Stanford University bruhs and bruhettes, and just my whole connection with folks who are really trying to enjoy life and serve the Lord..and you can see where I was born into royalty.



At first I thought I wanted to just write about me, tell folks MY story about how a hard head Southsider born to working class parents can end up with a degree in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University, but right in the midst of me putting out my game, I realized that there was a much realer and more important story for me to focus on distributing.No matter how funny Hittin Licks may be and no matter how informative and entertaining After the Morning After may be received, nothing is more important and imperative than the message of the risen Savior. I could curse, I could have pictures of thong clad women bending over cars, I could have a table of gats, glocks and heaters to show how to bust a cap in a n’ga and everything would be cool, but once you start throwing up THE set of Jesus Christ, people start tripping.



Those who don’t know Him personally, may scratch their head and frown up like,


‘Umm..I dunno about all that Jesus stuff, all I KNOW is God and I only kinda know Him’.


Those people that are wavering on the fence, those folks who are interested, but not convicted in the Christ? I’m trying to GET you mane. I’m trying to open my mouth and testify to the world with every joke and literary device I have at my disposal and show ya’ll how good Jesus really is and what I KNOW He can do for you.


A lot of my friends who know me from my more ‘worldly’ days, those days when I was still trying to do everything for myself and I was too proud to acknowledge Him in all my ways and I was leaning just on my own understanding..some of them are a bit confused. Because I’m sure they can’t quite understand how a ‘let the good times ROLL’ guy like me could ever get to the point where I would publicly announce the reason for my faith.

But as I got older, and became a father and a husband, and I got down on my knees and prayed for my family, for my wife and for my kids, God opened my eyes to some thangs that I had never seen before. I had grown up in the church and I KNEW what the Word said, but I was a ‘social’ user. Whenever people asked I could tell them what church I was a member of and maybe even a few Bible verses, but I wasn’t trying to LIVE the Word. But there were several events like having children, marriage, dealing with death, disappointment, pain, fear, loneliness, that kept bringing that REAL into my face.



As the music artist Kanye West says in his hit single ‘Jesus Walks’...

To the hustlas, killers, murderers, drug dealers even the strippers
To the victims of Welfare for we living in hell here hell yeah
Now hear ye hear ye want to see Thee more clearly
I know he hear me when my feet get weary
Cuz we're the almost nearly extinct
We rappers are role models we rap we don't think
I ain't here to argue about his facial features
Or here to convert atheists into believers
I'm just trying to say the way school need teachers
The way Kathie Lee needed Regis that's the way yall need Jesus
So here go my single dog radio needs this
They say you can rap about anything except for Jesus
That means guns, sex, lies, video tapes
But if I talk about God my record won't get played Huh?
Well let this take away from my spins
Which will probably take away from my ends
Then I hope this take away from my sins
And bring the day that I'm dreaming about
Next time I'm in the club everybody screaming out




Jesus walks ya’ll, so all of the ‘intelligent’ folks out there, who KNOW that God is real, yet you aren’t CONVINCED AND CONVICTED about that #1 STUNNA that got up on that cross at Calvary? Well I’m the n’ga you need to be hollering at if you’re trying to be REAL. Cuz of all the bullsh’t you might come across on the internet, you can’t fade that real. It sticks over and over baby. Isaiah told us that God’s Word shall NEVER return void. That means it’s going to do SUMTHIN’ every time it drops.


This whole website started with an email sent to my family and friends that I just kept feeding every week. 3 or 4 times a week I ‘drop’ something new on Servinemup. Bible School Lessons. Southside Classics. Proverbial Challenge. Recipes..Its on and popping right here dog. So far all ya’ll that’s trying to keep it REAL, all the while having a good time AND learning something while you’re being entertained? Servinemup.com baby...you already know!


We all reach a point in life where we realize we have a serious decision to make. Should I be STRICTLY about my paper or should I submit to the Lord?? I started out as a ‘vaguely’ Christian writer, but as I got deeper into the game, I realized that I just could not be silent about my Lord. He has done too much for me, I just couldn’t be quiet, and I HAVE to let them fools know!

So here we are. No, I don’t get paid for this. No, I’m not rich, I’m struggling to make it just like errbody else. No, I don’t have a release date for my first book, but those who signup for the newsletter will be IN the know before anybody else. I’m not a business genius, or a publishing guru. My talent is my personality. My function is my wit, charm, intelligence, hoodness and masculinity. My soul has been anchored in the Lord ya’ll. So I apologize to all ya’ll ‘good church folks’ who come in to get fed the Word, but have to see four letter expletives and the word ‘n’ga’. My target audience is actually those folks who DON’T go to church and who DON’T read the Bible. Cuz the way I figure, if I made this just like church, then the people who need to read it the most would never show up.
So that’s my game, I’m serving the Word to an audience that doesn’t always know what they’re eating until they swallow that first bite. Some folks don’t eat, but rather pick at their food, sniff it..wary that it might be something sprinkled in it that will make them like us ‘Jesus Freaks’ folks. Others check in specifically looking for something to criticize. It doesn’t matter if you’re here because of hate, love, sincere interest or curiosity, I’m just glad you’re here kinfolk…fo-real.

I’m saying all this because I know I have to start getting a lot of folks ready. Everybody isn’t trying to hear that the tomb is empty. I brought up Kanye West because he is a rare breed of mainstream hip hop artist that has put his faith ‘out there’ for people to see. His hit single ‘Jesus Walks’ is one of the biggest pubs ever for the Savior in hip/hop. Of course, when you listen to his whole album, all of the songs aren’t talking about Jesus. That’s kinda like me. I try not to be TOO schizo, you know, like how some artist can have a song out about how “He saved me” and then you turn to another one of their songs and they’re talking about freaking with some boppers in a motel til 6 in the morning. Everybody is dealing with their own issues and wrestling with their own demons. Some of the things I’ve written, people would have NO IDEA where my faith lies. But whenever I drop some of that Christian theology into the mix, like with Neva Scaid, folks get a better understanding of D.E. Washington, the writer.



So for all those who ask questions of ‘What type of writer are you?’, I guess you could say that I’m a humorous Christian-Hip/Hop-Gospel-African-American-slave-descendant from the Southside of Houston Texas engineer-Stanford graduate type writer with a Southern country twist that likes to read the Bible, watch football, play golf, get down for mine with the pen and enjoy life (among other things). Oh yeah..that opening with Lil Flip’s lyrics from ‘Game Over’? I know it’s kinda rough with those f-bombs and talking about making hoes taking off their clothes and all that, but look how many street folks it brought to the party. That’s just part of the game mane. Can you feel me now??

Monday, July 26, 2004

Hard Heads

Hard Heads - Monday, July 26, 2004

The presence of the Y chromosome is what genetically differentiates males from females. The picture to the right shows the size of the Y chromosome karotype in relation to the larger X chromosome. Maybe this explains why so many men seem to be missing a few links (that's a joke). I’ve heard several different theories and old wives tales on what factors influence determining the sex of a child at conception.


“Male sperm are less tolerant to heat than females, throw away those tight fitting briefs, you’ve got to let em hang low if you’re shooting for a boy…You’ve got to do it missionary style to make a boy!..Drink a lot of water!…Drink a lot of beer!”


I don’t know about the validity to any of these ‘theories’, but one thing I DO know, is that raising boys is completely different than raising girls.

Society makes a definite distinction between how women are treated and how men are treated. Our job as parents is to prepare our children for their eventual days of being totally independent and able to fend for themselves in this wild world that we’re living in. A world, which will definitely be even wilder by the time, our children reach adulthood. This training process needs to be geared toward children’s individual needs. Some kids NEED extra love and attention, some kids are naturally well mannered and obedient without any correction and then there’s that group that I fell under…hard headed. I don’t know what it is about this ‘trait’..but it definitely seems to be closely associated with the Y chromosome. From my toddler days..all the way up until I started grade school, it was very common for me to ‘catch’ at least 3 whuppings a day. What started out as swats with the hand, graduated to leather belts or the one I dreaded the most..switches.

A lot of people today don’t ‘believe’ in hitting their children. “That’s teaching them that physical force is the way to solve problems and I just don’t believe in that….I was abused as a child and I made a vow that I would never hit my children when I became a parent….All you have to do is REASON with them and explain what it is that they need to correct.” I guess that all sounds good and ‘civil’. but I thank God my parents didn’t adhere to any of these philosophies. Because of all the ways my hard-head steered me to do wrong..my softened behind was the only thing to bring clarity to my world of delusion.

Didn’t I just TELL you to stop throwing that ball around before you wind up breaking something??

Uhhh.



Don’t ‘uhh’ me!! I’m sick and tired of you doing things that you KNOW you’re not supposed to be doing!! And I’m sick and tired of talking…go get the belt!

This immediate feedback of receiving punishment when I perpetrated a crime was a key element for me in learning how to allow reasoning to control my actions rather than impulse. Hard headed boys have a blockage of reasoning..much akin to tunnel vision. If it looks fun and I have the opportunity? I’m going to DO it!! And not only would I DO it, I’d get so absorbed and ‘caught up’ that danger and respect of property became an indistinguishable orb somewhere in the background.




I think this hard headed trait is directly proportional and linked to the presence of the Y chromosome. Because its something about little boys..just the things that they will do..that will make you cock your head to the side like a confused puppy and try to figure out what’s REALLY going on inside their heads because their actions are making NO sense..

Why are you running around here yelling and screaming like its something wrong with you??

Do NOT drink out of the toilet!! I don’t care if the dog does it..YOU don’t do it!

Didn’t you JUST hear what I said??!!

Put some pants on boy!!! Stop running around here naked!!

Where are your shoes??

What happened to your shirt?

What do you mean ‘you don’t know’ how you got that big knot on your forehead??

Have you been EATING this???


People that have them already know, hard-headed boys are WILD!! They require a special kind of attention to be able to grow into loving and responsible men. Some mothers cuddle them too much and turn them into big sissified mama’s boys that aren’t good for anything. Some fathers don’t spend any quality time with or around these boys, thus causing a male role model deficiency.. And worst of the whole bunch are the ones who get NO love and attention at home. Boys that have hours and hours of unsupervised time. Time where they can do whatever they want while their parents are entrenched on the couch for hours watching TV, not even bothering to get up and check in on them from time to time to make sure they’re not getting into something that they’re not supposed to. Cuz remember, hard headed boys are WILD and one of the worst things that can happen is for the ONLY time they can get attention, is for doing something wrong…

Clean that up!!

What the HELL are you doing messing with that ANYWAY??!!

Git your lil nappy headed butt over here..boy, don’t MAKE me come after you!!


Ironically, a lot of these ‘neglected’ boys end up having the same types of issues as the ‘spoiled’ boys. Spoiled boys that get every video game they could think of..every new pair of Jordan’s that comes out…all the latest CD’s, designer clothes..spoiling can get to the point of being considered abusive. Because as much as people love their kids and want to make their lives easier than how THEY grew up..the ultimate goal of parenting is to TRAIN a child in the way that they should go. Kids have gaggles of friends..but only one mother or father. If we just give our kids everything their hearts desires..at what point do they learn the work-reward reality? All those ‘baby boys’ out there that think the world is going to treat them like their doting, spoiling mother or grandmother are in for a rude awakening. Because unlike the comforting, soothing feeling of a mother’s lap..the world waits and caters to no man.

I think this problem with boys is showing up like an outbreak, by the vast number of single, intelligent, attractive, hard working women that can’t seem to find a suitable mate. So many guys don’t know or care to learn what it really means to stand up and be a MAN that its ridiculous. From wife beaters, to men afraid of making the commitment of having a family, to those who’s singular drive in life is to play video games and/or memorize every current rap song verbatim..these hard headed boys desperately need positive direction. It’s a lot easier if the discipline process starts early..in the toddler stages. Because parents that take a passive approach to early childhood discipline, wind up having a lot harder job when these hard-headed boys become pre-teens and teenagers.

While being subjected to my parents strict guidelines as a child, I at times felt that they were mean and abusive and for some reason, they just didn’t want me to have ANY fun. But looking back on it now, I thank God for putting two parents (and close relatives) in my life that had no intentions of sparing the rod with me. Without this motivational ‘act right’, I could have easily grown into the type of person that paid no heed to rules or authority. Boys WILL be boys, and do the things that they do. I’m sure both my son and daughter will do things that I don’t approve of as they grow older, but that will be a decision that they make, not because we didn’t teach them what’s right. As parents, proper direction through words, discipline and example is the ultimate love that we can give our kids. And those hard headed boys in particular? They DEFINITELY need all three!! Because it’s a lot easier to discipline them early, than to have to pay for bail money and legal fees later.

Saturday, July 24, 2004

It Takes Two To Make a Thing Go Right


I received a lot of comments after I posted Marital Bliss on March 12, 2004. Most of the responders were other married people who were interested in discussing the topic further. Others were soon to be married people eager to hear more. I didn’t want to mislead people into thinking my wife and I are always in a blissful state of euphoria. I married a Southside Christian woman, one of them cheerleaders from Worthing..mmhmm. She’s a beautiful woman who you will often find smiling or laughing whenever you see her. But don’t let that smile fool ya, she WILL clown a n’ga if he comes home at 430 in the morning from playing dominoes.
She had one of those cold glares of disgust on her face as I walked in the house. Like most husbands coming in at 5 o’clock in the morning, I had a feigned look of confusion on my face, kinda like,


What are you tripping about??



You KNOW what I’m ‘tripping’ about! You see what time it is!!



If you were so worried, why didn’t you just call me on my cell phone??



That’s not the POINT..this is too late an hour for a married man to be keeping.



It’s not like I do it regularly.



How would you feel if I came home at 4:30 am??



(pause and think..that’s an EASY answer!) You don’t play dominoes though..



N'ga!! You know damn well this ain’t got nothing to do with dominoes!!!



Fellas, if you ever happen to find yourself in this situation, a lot of how you handle this will depend on how you handle your business. Does ALL of your paycheck make it to the house every pay period? Are you at home taking care of your family diligently? When your wife is in need for some sexual healing, are you taking care of that thang? Does your wife feel that you love her and only her? These are some important questions to answer, because if anyone of those answers are ‘no’ or ‘kinda’?? You’re subject to be dealing with an emotional woman who feels a bit disrespected and neglected and ya’ll already know that hell hath no fury as a woman scorned. That’s not from the Bible, but rather Shakespeare, but it hits true quite often. It is times like these that you will find yourself searching for the ties that bind you together. Why the hell did we get married?



Because we had a baby together. BONG! That’s still a common one on the Southside and for those who based their vows solely on the fact that they were pregnant or had a child(ren) with the person they were marrying, it’s usually just a matter of time before serious problems start arising. Because instead of pure love and commitment, they based their marriage on dutiful responsibility. A noble gesture, especially when you consider the advantages of raising a child in a 2-parent household, but it’s still not nearly enough to be happily ever after.



He/She was cute and fine! BONG! If you get caught up on that outer shell and don’t get down into that heart and soul, you’re not going to be able to make it for the long haul. Because no matter how fine a person is, once you put years on it, it’s only a matter of time before gravity starts taking over. Some people lose teeth, or gain a lot of weight..are you going to divorce them then? Because no matter what, there will always be superfine 25 year old’s in the world, are you going to trade your 40 year old spouse in for 2- 20’s? Physical attraction is definitely a good thing, but in no way is it the end all to be all, you need more.



We’ve been dating for X years, so we decided we might as well get married, especially since she was going to start dating other n’gas if I didn’t step up. BONG! That full court press move is a hard one for a lot of men to deal with. All the indecision they had about getting married is erased when they’re faced with the possibility of their gal being boned by another dude. Sorry to be so crude, but that’s what it comes down to for guys. If you make a guy put the image of his ex-gal who leaves him because he didn’t want to marry her, having sex with another man..and she’s liking it.. A LOT, it’s too disturbing of an image for most men to handle.



So what is it? What is that magic secret for marital bliss?? And how the hell does a n’ga who has the gall to come home at 5am from a dominoe game know?? My wife and I attended a Christian based marriage seminar as a gift from her sister and her husband a couple of years ago. I was a bit leery at first, because I wasn’t one to let strangers ‘all in my business’ like that. But the large group setting, personal privacy and the blueprint it laid out for God’s plan for marriage has really helped us better communicate with each other to reach our ideal state of ‘oneness’. 99% of all marital problems start with communication breakdowns. Small irritations grows to full dread if unattended and before you know it, you realize that you don’t like the person that you’re married to and guess what? They don’t like you either!



The problems come up because everybody enters marriage with their own picture in their mind of how married life is supposed to be. A lot of this is inherently learned by how they were raised and how they saw their parents interact with each other. But the deal is, no matter what you THINK your marriage is going to be like before you get married, it’s going to be a lot different than anything you imagined once you get IN to it. And no matter the problems you deal with, financial problems, trust problems, respect issues, intimacy problems, the list is long, at some point if you want the marriage to work, both parties are going to have to find a place to meet on mutual ground. Frequent threats to leave or get a divorce don’t help. All they do is reinforce the one-foot in one foot out problem of lack of commitment. Because no matter what anybody tells you, marriage is not a 50-50 venture. If you want a marriage to be strong and prosperous, there must be a 100%-100% commitment on both sides. Working together as one. It is this path of oneness that all happily married couples strive for daily. Because no matter how big your house is or how well stocked your portfolio and assets are, if your home life is unsatisfying, then you will never be completely happy with your life. That’s when a lot of Christians just lean on Jesus and ride it on out, even through the rough times.



Don’t front ya’ll, Jesus has saved many marriages, I’ve SEEN it happen. Because when a person can focus on the sacrifice and love of the Christ, it makes the Christian spouse more eager to forgive their alcoholic wife or their verbally/physically abusive husband. It’s tight ya’ll, it’s some REAL life issues people are dealing with and you’re going to have to lean on SOMEthing to make it through this world. You can’t do it alone mane. I mean, you can DO it, but you ain’t go be DOING it..ya feel me?



Welcome to all the new visitors to servinemup.com. What you see here is another Southside brother working the block and paying his dues. I’m in the process of writing and self-publishing my first book and servinemup.com is my chance to work on my game. I’m so glad you came to support and check out what D.E. Washington is talking about. If you like what you read, pass on the link to someone you know.



When I crawl through the web I can see browsers turning,

I hear voices saying, ‘That’s D. servin’

Jesus died for me, and forgave me for my sins,

You know what? It feels good my friend.




That’s how a Southside Christian writer ‘jacks’ an EPMD lyric "You're a Customer", screws it up and makes it bang off the paper. Don’t trip, it ain’t flossin if ya got it. Ops! Holeup! Here goes the extended 'It Takes Two' re-mix.....


So the question then comes up, when is it time to get OUT of a marriage??



He/She got a baby on the way for/by some other woman/dude!! Uhh..well, yeah, the Bible says you can divorce an adulterous spouse..but you don’t HAVE to. If you believe in true repentance and forgiveness, you can chalk it up to the game and move on. But when you consider the added issue of health and various STD’s circulating around, cheating spouses are a step closer to criminal minded folks. Because those who put their spouses ‘out there’ in 2004? That’s very foul mane, fo-real. It’s crucial now mane, to the order of life or death. Protect your house mane..from criminals and STD's.

He/She hit me!! I have a personal way of looking at domestic violence. I find it rather repulsive, but very real. I guess since I didn’t grow up in a household of domestic violence, but I did catch glimpses of it peripherally, I always knew it was something I never wanted to have in my house. Because when two people who live with each other and have professed to love each other before God and man, get to the point where they are abusive (verbally and physically) towards each other, I think that’s a time for both parties to step back and really assess what you’re trying to accomplish in this relationship. When your life is shrouded by the fear, pain and anger that are born out of domestic violence…that’s not enjoying life.

The best thing I can tell ya, is to follow the hook that Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock sampled from Lyn Collins' song, Think (About it); ”It takes two to make a thing go right.” You can’t make a grown person do shit, so unless you get together and work it out, it’s not gonna happen. Christians have a Savior to lean on and guide them through the valleys of loneliness and despair..what about you?

Friday, July 23, 2004

And the Two Shall Become One


Who's that?

That's me and my wife.

She's very pretty.

Thank you..I think so too.

She doesn't look like she's mad at you..

What is that supposed to mean?

You know..after all that stuff with you coming home late with that dominoe game.

Oh..that...man we moved on past that AWHILE ago.

That's good man, it's always good to see a happy couple. So many folks walking around treating each other bad and doing each other wrong these days, it's good to see a couple getting along. What do you think ya'll key is?

For us it started with finally realizing and understanding God's plan for marriage.

What does that mean?

We went to a very informative Christian marriage seminar and we really learned how the 'two, shall become one'.

That's real.

Yeah..so when you get a spiritual mate like that, you can grow together and it makes you stronger. That way, when stuff like 'the dominoe incident' happens, you're strong enough to deal with it, without it doing any damage to your relationship, because you are one.

Man! That Christian stuff must have SOMETHING to it..all of that sounds good and how it SHOULD be. I mean, a man should be able to do whatever the hell he wants to do. I'm not no Bible scholar or anything, but I KNOW that the Bible says that women are supposed to submit to men.

No..that's not what it says..it says: 12 Wives submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Ephesians 5:22-25 NKJV

See! That's it right there..they supposed to DO what the man say..with EVERYTHING!! The problem with so many of these women today is that they don't want no man telling them sh't. Just cuz they make they own money, they think THEY run thangs!

I wouldn't agree with that. I don't think it's as much about money as it is about self-respect. If a woman isn't used to a man handling his business and loving her as he loves himself? Then more than likely she would be reluctant to submit to that man. But if you get you a Godly woman, who is committed to following the natural order, then the submit thing is no longer an issue, you can move on past that. The key though, cuz we learned this in that Christian marriage seminar we went to, the key is the man. It all starts with the man lining up to God and doing what he's supposed to do:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word. 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife, loves himself. Ephesians 5:25-28 NKJV

Yeah..I hear all that. But them women STILL need to learn how to submit.

Some do..but even more men need to learn how to submit to God's will.

Who side you on??? You sound like one of those 'feminist' type dudes?

Really?? (laughing) that's funny, a lot of my friends think I'm one of those male chauvinst type dudes.

Well..you must be man enough, you ain't had to deal with your wife still bringing up sh't like 'dominoe night'

You're right, I don't have to deal with that..but that probably has to do with the fact that I haven't played dominoes since then.

(laughing) Fo-real??

Naww..I'm just playing..uhh..well, actually, I'm not. Cuz lately all I do is read or write in all my free time.

Read or write?

Yeah..that's pretty much the life of a writer.

Some folks run, lift weights and workout, I read, think and write.

That's real..I enoy reading your website, I can't wait to read your book.

Thanks bruh, I just appreciate all ya'll coming out to watch me work on my game here at www.servinemup.com.

And the Two Shall Become One

Who's that?


That's me and my wife.


She's very pretty.


Thank you..I think so too.


She doesn't look like she's mad at you..


What is that supposed to mean?


You know..after all that stuff with you coming home late with that dominoe game.


Oh..that...man we moved on past that AWHILE ago.


That's good man, it's always good to see a happy couple. So many folks walking around treating each other bad and doing each other wrong these days, it's good to see a couple getting along. What do you think ya'll key is?


For us it started with finally realizing and understanding God's plan for marriage.


What does that mean?


We went to a very informative Christian marriage seminar and we really learned how the 'two, shall become one'.


That's real.


Yeah..so when you get a spiritual mate like that, you can grow together and it makes you stronger. That way, when stuff like 'the dominoe incident' happens, you're strong enough to deal with it, without it doing any damage to your relationship, because you are one.


Man! That Christian stuff must have SOMETHING to it..all of that sounds good and how it SHOULD be. I mean, a man should be able to do whatever the hell he wants to do. I'm not no Bible scholar or anything, but I KNOW that the Bible says that women are supposed to submit to men.


No..that's not what it says..it says:


12 Wives submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Ephesians 5:22-25 NKJV


See! That's it right there..they supposed to DO what the man say..with EVERYTHING!! The problem with so many of these women today is that they don't want no man telling them sh't. Just cuz they make they own money, they think THEY run thangs!


I wouldn't agree with that. I don't think it's as much about money as it is about self-respect. If a woman isn't used to a man handling his business and loving her as he loves himself? Then more than likely she would be reluctant to submit to that man. But if you get you a Godly woman, who is committed to following the natural order, then the submit thing is no longer an issue, you can move on past that. The key though, cuz we learned this in that Christian marriage seminar we went to, the key is the man. It all starts with the man lining up to God and doing what he's supposed to do:


25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word. 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife, loves himself. Ephesians 5:25-28 NKJV


Yeah..I hear all that. But them women STILL need to learn how to submit.


Some do..but even more men need to learn how to submit to God's will.


Who side you on??? You sound like one of those 'feminist' type dudes?


Really?? (laughing) that's funny, a lot of my friends think I'm one of those male chauvinst type dudes.


Well..you must be man enough, you ain't had to deal with your wife still bringing up sh't like 'dominoe night'
You're right, I don't have to deal with that..but that probably has to do with the fact that I haven't played dominoes since then.(laughing)
Fo-real??


Naww..I'm just playing..uhh..well, actually, I'm not. Cuz lately all I do is read or write in all my free time.


Read or write?


Yeah..that's pretty much the life of a writer. Some folks run, lift weights and workout, I read, think and write.


That's real..I enoy reading your website, I can't wait to read your book.


Thanks bruh, I just appreciate all ya'll coming out to watch me work on my game here at Servinemup.com.

Friday, July 16, 2004

Understanding the Game

All-stars huh D?

You already know.


You kinda lost me there on that baseball part.


What do you mean?


What the hell does all that 4-3-6 triple play stuff mean?


(laughing) No..it was 4-6-3 DOUBLE play!!


Yeah..what’s that??

Baseball has a scoring system that assigns numbers to every player on the field. The Pitcher is 1, the catcher 2, first baseman is 3 and so forth, like on this diagram.
It seems like the shortstop should be 5 and the third baseman 6 if you ask me.


Yeah well, it's not, so get used to it. The shortstop is 6, so when keeping a score sheet, instead of saying 2nd Baseman fields the ball, tosses to the shortstop who touches the 2nd base bag and throws the batter out at 1st base, you just say, 4-6-3..double play.

Oh..okay..I see what you’re talking about now.That was a nice little breakdown of that E.K.Bailey conference too..you’re really getting deep into that religion these days huh?



I consider it getting deep into that Bible..but I can see why you would say that.



What’s the difference?



Religion is man’s construct and application for God’s will, the Bible is the Word of God.



I still don’t get it.



If you focus too much on man and man made things, such as church structures, denominations, ministers and such, you can get lost or turned off by the fallacies of mortals. There are a lot of God fearing folks who get so caught up in the politics of religion, that they are easily led astray from the ultimate commandment because they don’t study and apply God’s Word for themselves.



What’s the ‘ultimate commandment’??



The first one…’Thou shalt have no other God before me.’



Aww, that’s easy! I ain’t about to be bowing down to no statues or snakes and junk like that!



Yeah..but do you bow down to God?



Uhh..



Exactly. ‘uhh’, if you can’t even remember the last time you got down on your knees and prayed to God then chances are you have another god before Him.



Well..you know..it’s not like I’m a bad person or anything.



I didn’t say you were..I’m just saying that no matter what it is you do, or what denomination or church you belong to, the litmus test to determine where your faith lies is in one question.



What question is that?



After all is said and done, and you get through doing whatever it is you do..who gets the glory? It shouldn’t be your minister, or your priest, or your Sunday School teacher, or your kids, your parents..all of that is temporal.



I don’t bow down to NO man!!



Sometimes it might even be you. That’s what Satan’s main problem is, he didn’t want to bow down to God, he wanted all the glory for himself. Just like it’s easy for us to go into ‘selfish’ mode and just live for ourselves, without any true reverence to the Almighty.



C’mon now! This is the age of the ‘scrilla fer rilla!’ Most folks (church’s too) got their mind on their money and their money on their mind.



I know..that’s why I’m reminding YOU not to fall into that trap. Wealth can give you more earthly freedom, but you gotta look past your time here.



All that talking about death and the afterlife is something for old folks like my grandma them to do. Young folks are just trying to LIVE and enjoy life mane! You can’t enjoy life that GOD gave us if you’re broke.



Like I said, everybody should be diligent workers and strive for success, but what does it profit a man to gain the whole wide world, yet lose his soul? You’re going to be ‘dead’ a LOT longer than you’re going to be alive mane. Thank about it.



So now you’re saying that people trying to get money are evil??



No, I’m saying the LOVE of money is the root of all evil. If you’re putting money before God..then you already know who’s NOT getting the glory. God doesn’t want any ‘leftovers’ He wants our best. Once I really meditated on what that meant, it made me readjust my outlook on life.



What? Are you supposed to be some kinda prophet of God or something now?



No..I’m just another soul trying to make it to heaven just like the next person. I just know that God blessed me with some skills, and it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t do all I could to uplift His name.



(smiling) That Jesus is so good to ya that you can’t keep it to yo’self huh?



You already know! I spent a lot of my life in the stands as a spectator, but once I really meditated on God, and got into His Word, I couldn’t just stand on the sidelines and just watch any more. I had to jump into the game..that’s what real players do.

Wednesday, July 14, 2004

EK Bailey

Houston’s sports fans have been afforded a rare treat this year. Not only did our city host one of the livest Super Bowl’s in recent memory, we also have the privilege of being the host city for this year’s Major League Baseball All-Star game. A lot of young folks don’t get into the boys of summer, but I do. Baseball is a sport that I have always loved. A lot of ‘jocks’ decry baseball as the ‘softest’ of the big 3 (football and basketball) because it’s what they consider a non-contact sport. For those folks out there who continue to question the ‘manliness’ of baseball, I’d love to see you turn a 4-6-3 double play with a 200 lb right fielder barreling at you full throttle, cleats up..or better yet, grab a bat and step up to the plate and take a few swings at a 90 mph fastball coming down the pipe from a 6-4 lanky dude who’s damn near halfway to the plate when he releases the ball. Ya feel me?

So here we are enjoying the baseball all-star game, and we get to see all the STARS in the league do what they do. It’s considered an honor to be voted in by the fans, it’s considered the utmost respect to be voted in by fellow players. I haven’t been watching much baseball this year, but I still have a deep love for the game. It’s a game that my grandfather played, a game that my father played, a game that I played and a game that I teach my son and daughter whenever they show the slightest interest.



I’m a fundamentalist, I think every player should bat AND field a position. Of course, they don’t do that in the All-star game (and the wuss American League), the pitcher doesn’t have to bat like they do in the National League. Instead the All-Star game is meant to be a display of superior talent by the best of the best, with the added intent of avoiding any injury or strain at all cost. I guess I’m a bit more locked in to the dynamics of All-Star games, since I recently attended a conference, which can only be considered as an All-Star gathering of ministers in Dallas at the E.K. Bailey Expository Preaching Conference.

Just like baseball purist to the All-Star game, the E.K. Bailey Conference attracts the best of the best evangelical talent in the country. It is a conference that church pastors attend to sharpen their pastoral skills with the elders of the craft. It is a conference that preachers attend to strengthen their sermon toolkit. It is a conference where Believers who enjoy being fed the Word by master theologians gather to eat. And this is where, we will weigh anchor from our safe harbor of secular issues such as baseball, and head off into great waters.

That’s not my phrase, I got that from Dr. Gardner C. Taylor. He is commonly referred to as not only the dean of Black American preachers, but rather the dean of American preachers. Dr. Taylor is a world known evangelist and speaker, and has served as the pastor of Concorde Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York for many years. Dr. Taylor is an Oberlin man, who studied with and help train Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. Taylor preached the invocation for both of Bill Clinton’s presidential inaugurations and in 2000, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The highest honor a civilian can earn. I had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Taylor preach for the first time at this conference on a Thursday night..and let me tell ya’ll, he’s a bad man. He got up to the podium and began his sermon and after he gave all the initial welcomes and acknowledgements, he gave us this joke (please excuse the fact that my written words can in no way compare to the pace, delivery and enunciation of his classical Southern Louisiana drawl combined with his astute literary presence):



An ol farmer was in his wagon going to town, and being a part of the litigious society that we live, happened to be involved in an accident with an automobile. The dispute of which ended up in a courtroom before a judge. And the judge queried the farmer,



“How can you claim to sue for personal injury, when I have the sheriff testifying that immediately after the accident, you were proclaiming that you had never felt better in your life?”



“Your honor, I can explain that” said the farmer, “When I was struck by the automobile my wagon was overturned. When the sheriff drove up, he saw my pig shaking and he pulled out his gun and shot and killed it. After he shot my pig, my mule stumbled and the sheriff shot him too. Then the sheriff turned to me and said, ‘How do YOU feel?’, so of course I replied, ‘I’ve never felt better in my life’.”




At this point of course, the whole congregation cracked up laughing, and as Dr. Taylor paused for a moment and enjoyed the laughter, his smile slowly faded and he turned his tone to a more ominous note of determination laced with purpose and declared to the still chuckling crowd, ‘For we have been in this snug harbor long enough, we must now weigh anchor and set sail to do business in great waters.’ So now you can see how I ‘jacked’ Dr. Taylor’s elegant sendoff and used it as my own. You gotta watch me with that one, I’ve got that Southside ‘jacker’ in me.


The whole conference was like a treasure trove of spiritual wisdom and resolute faith. Before Dr. Taylor spoke, was Dr. James Earl Massey another one of those famed 'Oberlin men'.
Dr. Massey broke down how every believer is a temple that is indwelt by the Spirit of God. Those of us who feel that Spirit, get REAL hyped on stuff like that. Dr. Massey broke down the original Greek and Hebrew words for temple and explaining particulars of the original Jewish temple and customs of the High Priests. For those that are into the historical and societal intricacies involved during Biblical times, Dr. Massey is like a bubbling fountain of Biblical knowledge and perspective and I so greatly enjoyed his spirit.



That same night we also heard from Dr. Robert Smith Jr. from Birmingham, Alabama. His sermon was entitled, ‘Living Beyond the Minor Cord’. His premise took root in the musical realm, more specifically the contrast between major cords, which typically illuminate hope, harmony and happiness vs. minor cords, who’s somber tone normally forebears, dread, doom and dreariness. Chopin’s funeral dirge played in the low minor cord in the background of Dr. Smith’s oration, which changes to the ‘Saints go Marching in’ major cord like most New Orleans funeral processions. Dr. Smith then proceeded to recite a long list of Bible verses, which typified this minor cord, major cord progression, such as Psalms 23:4



Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death– minor cord (low and gloomy);



I will fear no evil; For thou art with me; they rod and thy staff, they comfort me. – major cord (bright and hopeful)



There was a non-stop barrage of talented men of God, stepping to the podium and delivering sermon after sermon, reinforcing each attendee in spirit and in truth. From the likes of Dick Sheppard and Dr. Stephen Ofor, to the likes of Bishop Kenneth Ulmer. Those of you who don’t know Bishop Ulmer, he’s the pastor of Faithful Central Bible Church at the Forum in Inglewood, CA. When Bishop Ulmer turn came to speak, he started with this humble statement.

“I pray that God will release me from my ego, so that I will not strive to impress you.”



He then proceeded to illuminate Exodus 28:1-3, with his title being, ‘The Danger of a Naked Preacher’. Bishop Ulmer used vivid real life metaphors to drive home his point of naked flesh vs. holy garments and by the time he was finished, everybody in the ballroom was on their feet applauding and making joyful noises unto the Lord.

The last speaker to address the convention was Dr. Joel C. Gregory pastor of Gregory Ministries in Fort Worth, Texas. A man, who Dr. Gardner Taylor declared as ‘a man who’s preaching gift has called into question his ethnic origin.’ Dr. Gregory’s sermon was entitled, ‘God’s Hacker- Overcoming a Ministerial Inferiority Complex’. He took us on a wonderful journey through Judges 6:11-21 with the inspiring story of Gideon. Even though Gideon was from the smallest clan, of the smallest and weakest tribe, God still called him to service, declaring him as a ‘mighty man of valor.’ Dr. Gregory then weaved through the real life story of General William Booth, the minister who eventually founded the Salvation Army and used his life as an example of the fruits of holding steadfast in our faith in Jesus. He ended the sermon with a simple statement for all who were in attendance, the instruction was to go out and preach the gospel of the Holy Spirit, oh ye mighty men of valor.



My intent is not to tell all of the sermons plots and scriptural illustrations, but rather to give highlights of an evangelical congregation that has few rivals throughout the world. Whenever we can put aside race issues, denomination differences, financial issues, gender issues and just focus on the Word of God, beautiful things can happen. And this E.K. Bailey conference in Dallas every year is a prime example of this fruit of love.

For this experience, I owe a deep gratitude to my wonderful ( and very crazy!)uncle, Pastor Lloyd W. Scott, Sr. (pictured in the middle), of Eastern Star Baptist Church in Port Arthur, Texas. He was me and my wife’s chaperone, mentor and ‘hook-up’ for the conference and for that we are very grateful. I would encourage all who are looking to be amongst Jesus’ ‘All-Stars’ of preaching to seriously consider attending this E.K. Bailey Conference, which takes place every July in Dallas. Unfortunately Dr. Bailey has passed away from our world, but his spirit and vision still lives on in the work and spiritual scholarship that abounds in this conference. Don’t be fooled though, this type of event isn’t for everyone, it’s only for those souls who are ready to venture out from their safe and snug harbor and set sail for great waters. Don’t be afraid to get in the game and play ball..oh ye mighty men of valor.




Shout out to Rev. Delwin Benton and the entire congregation of Lyons Unity Baptist Church in Houston, TX. Ya'll keep moving from glory to glory.

Thursday, July 01, 2004

2004 BET Awards Show Recap

Male R&B: Usher

Female R&B: Beyonce

Best Collaboration: Beyonce and Jay Z - "Crazy In Love"

Best New Artist: Kanye West

Best Group: Outkast

Best Gospel Artist: Yolanda Adams

Best Male Hip Hop Artist: Jay Z

Best Female Hip Hop Artist: Missy Elliot

Best Actor: Denzel Washington

Best Actress: Halle Berry

Best Male Athlete: LeBron James

Best Female Athlete: Serena Williams

Video Of The Year: Outkast -"The Way You Move"
Viewer's Choice: Usher - "Yeah"


Lifetime Achievement: The Isley Brothers


Humanitarian Award: Danny Glover
Personally, I was happy with every winner. I wish Anthony Hamilton could have won one, but all those who have heard his album know that his time to bring home trophies is inevitable. If you want an 'official' breakdown of the awards, check out http://www.bet.com/articles/0,,c3gb9985-11010,00.html. Of course, since you're at servinemup, the breakdown here is going to be a bit...different.


First of all, I didn't see all of the show when it first aired Tuesday night. As a matter of fact, I didn't even know it was on until my wife called me...


Baby..your girlfriend is on BET.



My girlfriend?? Beyonce??




No..your FIRST girlfriend…



Oh…uhhh..(all kinda wild sh’t started running through my mind)..uhhh..



Janet Jackson!!?!! Remember?? YOUR ‘gal’?



Oh! Her. Yeah..Janet is cool.



Don’t get me wrong, Janet is still fine, but I thought she was the finest back in those black jeans and Pleasure Principle days..she’s more slimmed down now (But we’ll talk more on ‘thick’ girls later, i.e. Monique). When I finally made it to a TV and turned it to the BET Awards show, Janet was already gone, but I was delighted to see the Sugar Hill Gang rocking the house. I was in Calion, Arkansas for the summer when Rappers Delight hit the streets in 1979. Even the country folks were jamming that..



‘I said a hip hop, hibby to the hibby de hip hip hop you don’t stop rocking to the bang bang boogie say up jump the boogie to the rhythm of the boogie-de-bee’



Ya feel me? So even though hip hop music got it’s origin on the streets of THE City, New York, it’s echoes reverberated all the way to the small country towns across rural America, Latin America, Africa, Europe, Asia. Danny Glover spoke on this power that today’s hip hop artist and generation have on the global scheme of society. Glover was the recipient of this year’s BET Humanitarian Award, which I think is the coldest honor to have on the public stage. When a person is able to make moves and mix it up with the heavy hitters of the world and then ‘flip’ that power toward a higher purpose such as humanitarian aid, that’s what I call winning.3Glover took a lot of flak earlier in his career for the controversial role he played in The Color Purple. He received a lot of hate mail and derogatory remarks based off his character Albert..the infamous rapist and wife beater in Alice Walker’s classic. If you’ve followed the career and social changes that Glover has championed throughout his career, especially his activism toward 3rd World Aid, then you’d realize that the hater he played as Mister is no way indicative of his huge and charitable heart. From sub-Saharan Africa to the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, Glover has been on his hustle raising money and awareness to the plight of the world’s poor and oppressed. When giving his acceptance speech, Glover implored all of today’s young hip hop artist, actors and comedians to use their power of influence in a positive manner:


‘From New Guinea to South Africa, to Asia, France, Cuba, Haiti, Brazil all over the world people are closely observing and mimicking the culture which you expound’.



Of course, right after Glover gave his inspiring words of encouragement and socially conscious prodding to the crowd G-Unit came out on stage and performed Stunt 101 with a bevy off hoochie short clad female dancers shaking that az in the background. For those who don’t understand the words to that song, read ‘Hittin Licks’, you’ll learn a bit more about stunts.
As I was watching 50 Cent flow, I could only think about the young kids across the globe who were going to mimick his moves and words and aspire to be like him. Glover commended Haiti for celebrating it’s 200th Anniversary this year. That puts it right behind the United States as the 2nd officially recognized country in the Western hemisphere. The history of Haiti is very rich and real, and it’s a marvelous discussion model for the plight of the African slave descendents.

Introducing the award for Glover was Mel Gibson (via sattellite) and everyone already knows what Mel’s passion is. Watching all the award recipients accept their award is always an interesting topic of Christian discussion. Some Christians are Christians ‘On the DL’ and they don’t disclose their faith for public view. This is fine of course, because in the most political arenas of the media and big business, there is a pressure to not exclude any potential customers. Stay general as possible, so as not to offend or alienate. On the other hand, those who believe, know that if we’re going to be ashamed of believing in Jesus amongst others, then He’s going to be ashamed of us before God. So it’s always nice for me (as an out of the closet Christian), to see those artist who open their mouths and give all their praise and honor to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Of course, it’s quite often that the most vocal Christians, are the ones who have been through the most trying and troubling times and they know that Jesus saved them. That Isley brother who hadn’t been on stage performing in over 20 years, made sure he let everybody know. You can tell that he’s been through some thangs, and he willfully acknowledged his Savior. When you sit back and start adding up all the ways God has been good to you, it’s kinda hard to remain silent and not acknowledge Him.

Aiight…that’s Glover, 200 year anniversary of Haiti..G-Unit..social responsibility in our work, out of the closet Christians...let’s see, there was one other point I wanted to make sure to make..oh yeah. Monique.
I'm a Monique fan ya'll. Even more so after I saw her do Beyonce's 'Uh-ohhh!' dance while doing the 'thick girls' rendition of Crazy in Love. But Monique made me mad, because she gave away Denzel's part of the movie Man on Fire that I wasn't ready to hear. Of course, she's probably thinking that everybody that's going to PAY to see Man on Fire have seen it by now, but I haven't, and I didn't like her divulging that part of the movie. But she's still my girl though. I think Bob Johnson made her mad with that 'her dresses take up most of the budget' remark, but that's just how it goes with artists and the people who pay the bills. The most 'player' moment of the evening was when Bob Johnson issued a challenge of a wager to Jay-Z for their respective basketball teams this upcoming NBA season. Of course, Bob was on the microphone and Jay-Z was in the audience, but when the prospect of the amount to bet came up, Bob Johnson just looked at Jay-Z and smiled softly as he remarked.
Make it light on your self.


Mmmhmm...Jay Z has big pockets, but they're still not as deep as big daddy Bob's. So that's what you get when you watch the BLACK Entertainment Award show..black folks being entertaining. Usher's dance performance was awesome, the old school hip-hop medley had the whole house standing up and rapping along, Southside of Houston's own Yolanda Adams arrived onstage during Kanye West's Jesus Walks and brought the crowd to its feet, but the most entertaining performance (to me) was the Fire and Desire duo performance. Both singers looked like they've been through the fire and back, but no matter where they've been Tina Marie can still blow (no pun intended) and for those of you who didn't quite recognize the guy singing along with her? That's Rick James B&%$@!!!

Proverbial Challenge


I was talking to one of my cousins that I grew up with the other day. He's a few years older than I am, and he has always been a big brother influence in my life. He currently lives in Dallas, TX and he serves as a youth minister for his church. I asked him at what point did he hear the call of God to become a minister.



"Man..it first started with a thirst. I picked up my Bible and I immersed myself in the Word. I studied and I prayed..and the Lord kept working with me. I taught my youth class at church and I studied under my pastor. Then one day I took a Bible challenge that was in the Daily Word. The challenge was to read one chapter from Proverbs everyday for a month (31 chapters in Proverbs). Proverbs is often referred to as the Proverbial Mirror. It will make a man examine himself and the life that he's living. After that 31st chapter, my eyes were opened to a reality of things that I had done wrong..as a father, as a husband and I just had to open my mouth, just because God has been so good to me."

Being the competitive person that I am, and armed with the faith that I can approach the throne BOLDLY (see the Sunday School Lessons!), this sounded like something that I needed to do. God has a calling for ALL of us. Some preach, some write, some teach, some sing, some usher..all who truly believe serve. It's the call to the cross ya'll. So for all who can feel this bidding, this call, this desire for more, this thirst for better understanding, wisdom and knowledge of God, then I hope you join along with me in July and take the Proverbial Challenge yourself.

Each day, read one chapter of Proverbs. Each day, I will keep note of the key verses that strengthen ME and my understanding.

Day 1:

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

1:20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttererth her voice in the streets: 21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words saying, 22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning and fools hate knowledge?

27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. 28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me; 29 For that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord; 30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. 31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. 32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. 33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

Day 2:

2:10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; 11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee. 12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh perverse things; 13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness.

16 To deliver thee from the immoral woman, even from the seductress which flattereth with her words. 17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth and forgetteth the convenant of her God. 18 For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead. 19 None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.

21 For the upright shall dwell in the land, and hte perfect shall remain in it. 22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgessors shall be rooted out of it.

Day 3:

3:5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Day 4:

4:1 Hear, my children, the instruction of a father. and give attention to know understanding;

14 Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil. 15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from it and pass on. For they do not sleep unless they have done evil.

18 But the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day 19 The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know what makes them stumble.

26 Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. 27 Do not turn to the right or to the left, remove your feet from evil.

Day 5:

3 For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil; 4 But in the end, she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. 5 Her feet go down to death, her steps lay hold of hell. 6 Lest you ponder her path of life, her ways are unstable, you don not know them.

8 Remove your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house. 9 Lest you give your honor to others and your years to the cruel one.

21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, And he ponders all his paths. 22 His own iniquities entrap the wicked man. And he is caught in the cords of his sin. 23 He shall die for lack of instruction, and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

Day 6:

6:6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways and be wise; 7 Which having no guide, overseer or ruler, 8 Provideth her meat in the summer and gathereth her food in the harvest. 9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? 10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep. 11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

Day 7:

7:4 Say to wisdom, "You are my sister." and call understanding your nearest kin, 5 That they may keep you from the immoral woman, from the seductress who flatters with her words.

24 Now therefore listen to me my children, pay attention to the words of my mouth; 25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, don not stray uinto her paths; 26 For she has cast down many wounded, and all who were slain by her were strong men. 27 Her house is the way to hell, descending to the chambers of death.

Day 8:

8:5 Oh ye simple, understand prudence: and ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. 6 Hear, for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things. 7 For my mouth shall speak truth and wickedeness is an abomination to my lips.

13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the perverse mouth, do I hate. 14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength.

34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. 35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the Lord. 36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul; all they that hate me love death.

Day 9:

6 Forsake foolishness and live, and go in the way of understanding. 7 He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, and he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself. 8 Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you, Rebuke a wise man and he will love you. 9 Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man and he will increase in learning.

13 A foolish woman is clamorous; she is simple and knows nothing.

16 "Whoever is simple, let him turn in here"; and as for him who lacks understanding, she says to him, 17 "Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant" 18 But he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of hell.

Day 10:

10:4 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand, but the hand of the diligent maketh rich. 5 he that gathereth in the summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.

12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins. 13 In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.

27 The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

Day 11:

11:1 A deceptive balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is His delight. 2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the humble is wisdom.

29 He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be a servant to the wise of heart. 30 The fruit of righteous is a tree of life; and he that takes souls is wise. 31 Behold, the righteous shall be rewarded in the eart; much more the wicked and the sinner.

Day 12:

12:1 Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish. 2 A good man obtaineth favour of the Lord, but a man of wicked devices will he condemn.

8 A man shall be commended according to his wisdom: but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.

14 A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompence of a mans' hands shall be rendered unto him. 15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.

28 In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.

Day 13:

13:1 A wise son heareth his father's instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.

4 The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

11 Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.

18 Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honored.

22 A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children; and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.

24 He that spareth the rod hateth his son; but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

Day 14:

14:1 Every wise woman buildeth her house, but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.

6 A scorner seeketh wisdom and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth. 7 Go from the presence of a foolsih man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.

17 He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.

26 In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge. 27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.

Day 15:

15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

5 A fool despiseth his father's instruction; but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.

14 The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge; but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.

32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul; but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding. 33 The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor is humility.

Day 16:

16:3 Committ thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.

16 How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!

32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

Day 17:

17:3 The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts.

6 Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.

25 A foolish son is grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.

27 He that hath knowledge spareth his words; and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirt. 28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace is counted wise; and he that shutteth his lips is estemed a man of understanding.

Day 18:

18:1 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; he rages against all wise judgement. 2 A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may express itself.

6 A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for blows. 7 A fool's mouth is his destruction and his lips are the snare of his soul.

16 A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.

19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.

22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.

24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly, and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Day 19:

4 Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbor.

15 Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.

18 Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.

23 The fear of the Lord tendeth to life; and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.

Day 20:

20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging; and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest and have nothing.

7 The just man walketh in his integrity, his children are blessed after him.

11 Even a child is known by his doings; wheter his work be pure and whether it be right.

13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord and he shall save thee.

27 The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

Day 21

21:2 Every way of man is right in his own eyes; but the Lord weighs the hearts.

6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.

9 It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a contentious woman in a wide house.

21 He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteiousness and honour.

23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

30 There is not wisdom or understanding nor counsel against the Lord.

Day 22:

22:1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold. 2 The rich and poor meet together; the Lord is the maker of them all.

6 Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

Day 23:

9 Speak not in the ears of a fool; for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

12 Apply thine heart unto instruction and thine ears to the words of knowledge.

13 Withhold not coreection from the child; for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. 14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

17 Let not thine heart envy sinners; but be thou in fear of the Lord all day long.

24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice; and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.

30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. 31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goest smoothly. 32 At the last it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder. 33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women and thine heart shall utter perverse things.

Chapter 24

1 Be not thou envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them. 2 For their heart devises violence adn their lips talk of trouble.

12 If thou sayest Beold, we knew it not; doth not he that weighs the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?

17 Rejoice not when thine enemy faileth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth;

27 Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.

30 I went by the field of the slothful and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; 31 And lo it was all grown over with thorns and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. 32 Then I saw and considered it well: I looked upon it and receieved instruction. 33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest. 34 So shall thy poverty come as a prowler, and thy want as a man with a shield.

Chapter 25

5 Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.

12 As an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a foot out of joint.

21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thristy, give him water to drink.

25 As cold waters to a thristy soul, so is good news from a far country.

28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is borken down and without walls.

Chapter 26:

1 As snow in the summer and rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.

12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes>? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

17 He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own Is like one who takes a dog by the ears.

28 A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, And a flattering mouth works ruin.

Chapter 27:

1 Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

5 Open rebuke is better than concealed love

10 Thine own friend and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity; for better is a neighbor that is near than a brother far off.

24 For riches are not forever; and doth the crown endure to every generation?

Chapter 28:

1 The wicked flee when no man pursueth; but the righteous are bold as a lion.

5 Evil men understand not judgement; but they that seek the Lord understand all things.

9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

25 He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife; but he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall be made fat.

Chapter 29:

2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

11 A fool uttereth his mind, but a wise man keepeth it in til afterwards.

15 The rod and reproof give wisdom; but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

23 A man's pride shall bring him low; but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit.

26 Many seek the ruler's favor but every man's judgement cometh from the Lord.

Chapter 30:

2 Surely I am more stupid than any man and have not the understanding fo a man. 3 I have neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the Holy One. 4 Who hath ascended up into heaven or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell? 5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

8 Remove far from me falsehood and lies; give me neither poverty or riches; feed me with food you prescribe for me. 9 Lest I be full and deny thee and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal and take the name of God in vain.

11 There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. 12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes and yet is not washed from their filthiness.

14 There is a generation whose teeth are as swords and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth and the needy from among men.

Chapter 31

3 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings. 4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes having strong drink; 5 Lest they drink and forget the law, and pervert the judgement of any of the afflicted.

10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

15 She riseth also while it is yet night and giveth meat to her household and a portion to her maidens.

20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. 26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom and in her tongue is the law of kindness. 27 She looked well to the ways of her household and eateth not the bread of idleness.

30 Favour is deceitful and beauty is vain; but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.