Living Life Abundantly

Discussing sex and breaking down the birds and the bees is an uncomfortable matter for most parents. Its a tough conversation that must be had. If you haven’t had the talk yet, now is the time to get your spill together.

Kids are bombarded with sex and sexual imagery every day!

If your kid goes to school, listens to music, watches television, music videos, movies, reads magazines, and/or goes online (has a myspace profile), chances are… your kid is regularly exposed to sexually charged material.

We all know how impressionable kids are and how naive they can be, parents have a duty to teach and instruct their children in all matters of life, including sex. I’m not saying provide kids with detailed how to instructions!

The basic Who, What, When, Where, Why; conversation must be had. That same conversation should also touch on both the pleasure and dangers, as well as possible consequences and repercussions.

Because sex is so prominent in American culture, some kids seem to have a cavalier and reckless attitude about sex.

According to the CDC, “435,427 infants were born to mothers aged 15–19 years in 2006. More than 80% of these births were unintended.” This doesn’t even touch on sexually transmitted diseases.

When I was in high school the only pact girls were making… was NOT to get pregnant, now teenagers are supposedly making pacts to get pregnant!

I wonder how many teens are aware of the CDC’s findings that “teen mothers are less likely to complete high school and more likely to live in poverty than other teens.”

Its up to parents to make sure that their children are educated about sex, safe sex, abstinence, intimacy, relationships, and responsibilities.

Parents must get over the discomforts of discussing sex with their kids. Todays kids need accurate information to make responsible and well informed decisions. When parents establish open honest communication with their kids, it creates opportunities for:

• Building trust.
• Teaching moral values
• Setting moral boundaries.
• Dispelling myths.
• Discussing expectations.
• Outlining responsibilities.

Talk to your kids! Ask questions. Answer questions. Establish open communication before its too late! Having the dreaded sex talk empowers your child and can even protect them from not just unintended pregnancies or STD’s but also against sexual predators.

Popularity: 5% [?]

According to one cop, lying and stealing is the norm. I know this may come as a shocker to some, but many of us already knew the truth.  Yes, some police officers lie, steal, cheat, and beat!

Police Officer Keith Herrera speaks for the first time publicly about his former unit, the Special Operations Section. Its members are involved in one of the largest police scandals in Chicago history.

Popularity: 1% [?]

On a British Airways flight from Johannesburg, a middle-aged, well-off white South African lady had found herself sitting next to a black man. She called the cabin crew attendant over to complain about her seating.

What seems to be the problem Madam?” asked the attendant. “Can’t you see?” she said “You’ve sat me next to a kaffir. I can’t possibly sit next to this disgusting human. Find me another seat!”

“Please calm down Madam” the flight attendant replied. “The flight is very full today, but I’ll tell you what I’ll do, I’ll go and check to see if we have any seats available in club or first class.” The woman cocks a snooty look at the outraged black man beside her (not to mention many of the surrounding passengers).

A few minutes later the flight attendant returns with the good news, which she delivers to the lady, who cannot help but look at the people around her with a smug and self satisfied grin: “Madam, unfortunately, as I suspected, economy is full. I’ve spoken to the cabin services director, and club is also full. However, we do have one seat in first class.”

Before the lady has a chance to answer, the flight attendant continues… “It is most extraordinary to make this kind of upgrade, however, and I have had to get special permission from the captain. But, given the circumstances, the captain felt that it was outrageous that someone be forced to sit next to such an obnoxious person.”

With which, she turned to the black man sitting next to her, and said: “So if you’d like to get your things, sir, I have your seat ready for you… ”

At which point, apparently the surrounding passengers stood and gave a standing ovation while the black man walked up to the front of the plane.

People will forget what you said…

People will forget what you did…

But people will never forget how you made them feel…

~Author Unknown~

Popularity: 3% [?]

A bar owner in Georgia is accused of selling racist Obama t-shirts. He sees nothing wrong the shirts do you?

Popularity: 4% [?]

Race is usually a discussion that people shy away from. Not talking about a problem doesn’t make the problem go away… I’ve been waiting anxiously to see Meeting David Wilson on MSNBC. I saw it tonight! This is a must see for EVERYONE! Meeting David Wilson is a thought provoking tear jerking emotional roller coaster well worth the ride. I was stung by the question What is Wrong With Black People?…actually it still stings. It was interesting and hurtful to hear the answers given. The film makers set out to make a film that would get us to open up, talk, see things from other perspectives, self introspect, and learn. I think they did a good job.

I am left with a question… perhaps its a silly question, I’ll pose it anyway… I hear of Black people researching family history frequently. Do White people do the same thing? If not, why not? What would it be like for a White person tracing their family history that leads them to a connection with slavery? I don’t know what I would say if a White person called my house saying that they were researching their family history and discovered that their family owned my family etc…..

Do WE (all people) not know our families history because its painful and shameful? Are WE (all people) in a state of ignorance is bliss? Are the genealogical records to difficult to come by? Do WE (all people) care? Does it matter? How would knowing OUR history affect us now and in the future? I wonder… Ok, Meeting David Wilson left me with a plethora of questions.

Did you see it?

A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots. —Marcus Garvey

I think its time for me to blow the dust off this “First Steps in Genealogy” book.

Click here to get the DVD, it’s $18.98.

Popularity: 4% [?]

We have all heard the loops of bits and pieces of Reverend Jeremiah’s now infamous sermon… Sadly, many are forming opinions based on these strategic snippets without having heard EVERYTHING he said. The best way to make informed decisions and/or form opinions, is by having all of the facts. It is impossible to come to any conclusions about Reverend Jeremiah’s sermon without hearing it in its entirety and in context. Remember the lesson on propaganda? Listen to ENTIRE  sermon and feel free to share your thoughts.

powered by ODEO

Popularity: 6% [?]

“Lack of health insurance causes roughly 18,000 unnecessary deaths every year in the United States. Although America leads the world in spending on health care, it is the only wealthy, industrialized nation that does not ensure that all citizens have coverage.” —Institute of Medicine

I find it absolutely mind-boggling that America spends the most money on health care yet ranks #37 out of 191 countries. How does a country spend more money than any other country on health care but its citizens have a lower life expectancy than countries that spend less? Where is all the money going?

Instead of Americans being healthier we are seeing increases in:

• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Heart Disease
• Stroke
• Obesity
• Cancer

How is it that citizens in countries with free health care systems (France, Canada, and UK) have longer life expectancy rates than Americans? I told my husband last week we should consider moving to France. He looked at me like I was crazy. But France has the best health care in the world and its free!

I know a middle class family of 5 (husband, wife, & 3 kids) paying $900/month for health insurance! Hello…. $900 for health insurance is alot when you also have to pay mortgage, utilities, car insurance, put gas in the car, food on the table, clothes on backs, plus other living expenses and incidentals! This is why so many Americans do not have health care insurance. Barack Obama is right, “people want health care but can’t afford it.” Hillary Clinton is right, “everybody has got to be covered.” John McCain is right, “we need to reduce health care costs.”

We Americans are often quick to turn our noses up at at other countries. We often think we are better and have all of the answers. Perhaps its part of our conditioning or mis-education. We are spoon fed lies that we actually believe about the evils of free health care for every American. Our American wisdom tells us that free health care for all Americans is too much like socialism and socialized health care is the enemy… If so called socialized programs are destructive then how do we explain our current systems for police, fireman, schools, and libraries?

With our infinite wisdom, wealth, and resources our health care system is ranked #37!

As our people grow sicker and deeper in debt with medical bills or die from inadequate medical care; health insurance and health service providers like Humana are literally raking in Six BILLION Dollars! What is wrong with this picture? (more…)

Popularity: 13% [?]