Cleaning House

I love this picture. It's funny. But I never want to get too comfortable with this state of mind. I consistently want to clean house. Clean up what doesn't agree with where I am going and all of the filth in my life in order to make room for more of God. How am I doing this? Well, let me tell you.

First, this is not an unction of my own. I'm being called to clean house. To rid of things in my life that do not have purpose or anything to do with my specific purpose. Rid of things that are just gathering dust or take my mind out of focus. I haven't started that LOL- but it's coming.

What I have started in cleaning is Television. I'm always re-evaluating the programs I watch. It's a constant struggle for me, because I LOVE television. I do find myself day-dreaming more when watching t.v.- yet I can't give it up. I'm trying though. I have given up watching MTV! Hallelujah. And I'm only speaking for myself. I just find myself too old for that. I don't need to know what girl wants to be MADE into a beauty queen. I don't need to see 7 (or 8 now) young strangers live the "REAL" life together in a house to hook up and fight. I don't even need to watch America's Best Dance Crew. So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With The Stars do it for me. I also, gave up MTV because my kids won't be watching it. So I don't want to know what's up with it. I know I don't have any kids now, and you can't see them coming any time soon. But we do have to prepare for the little ones. And I already have it on my mind. I also go back and forth with Nip Tuck. Great cast, crazy story lines...but it's way to overly sexual for me. I can't believe it's on FX. It should really be on HBO or Showtime. I give it up, then I try it again. It's like a drug hahaha. What else? The reality shows that have a million girls going after 1 man. What are they teaching our society? There are rarely shows that are the opposite, men going after 1 girl. But either way it is ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous. And people just accept it. Well, TV reeled me back in with Momma's Boys. Can you believe it? I was so against that show, until I was left at my homeboy's house to wait for my other friend to pick me up. The show happened to be on. And I was just shocked and entertained by the racism that all of these mom's have. They only cast Black females, so that they can get dissed. I mean one mom said, she did not want her son dating (exact words), "a black!" Another mother wants to save her Jewish heritage, since her son is the product of 2 sides of Holocaust survivors. But after that tragedy, shouldn't that teach you to be open minded. You were singled out, out casted and put to death because of you ethnicity. They forget that they just recreate the hate in a different way. Because get this. The mother was upset the son chose the Black girl, over the non-Jewish White girl. Because she would accept the non-Jewish White girl. But this Black girl. Nope! What is wrong with this world? And the other mother, wants a white-wholesome-brunette girl, that reminds her of herself for her son. She went off on this blonde girl because she was in playboy. But little does she know that the girl that she loves was in Hustler or some other Nude magazine. People are just dumb. I'm so happy that whatever prejudice I have. It has nothing to do with nationality. I'm so blessed to have grown up in places where everyone was pretty much the minority, so we all just hung together. I look through my pictures and love that everyone is not the same. And when we all come together it is good times. I go through other people's pictures and I see narcissism. They all look a like. I don't get that at all. I guess some people feel safer with those who look like them. Anyone can earn my trust. Now lose it... that's a different blog LOL. I don't think there's anything else about television. I find myself reverting to good old reruns of I Love Lucy, The Cosby Show and Frasier. Such good times. I actually laugh out loud on those shows. I love LOST because it tries to challenge our minds. Just like the first season of Dexter. They seem to believe the audience is smarter than most producers.

But this blog is about cleaning, not television. So next, I'm cleaning out the people in my life. Starting with these social sites. I don't like Facebook. I believe it is invasive. A place where everyone is trying to prove that their life is great. No one puts up bad pics, just the pics where they look great- so they can get that good old comment "You look great! I haven't seen you in a while let's get together." Oh how I loathe it all. I like MySpace better because I feel a tinge of privacy. It's like when people really want to know about me, they have to seek it out. There are updates, but they aren't all in your face like Facebook. But MySpace might lose me if they don't just be who they are, instead of trying to compete with Facebook by becoming Facebook. It's so irritating. I like the sites, because they allow me to get back in touch and keep in touch with so many people I grew up with. And my real friends. So I've been going through each site and just deleting people. And boy, does it feel good. I don't need to know everyone. When you let everyone in, how do you keep yourself guarded. I think we do need to be cordial to one another. But I don't think all first, second and third meets need to go to straight bffs. So I really think about it. Do I want to know this person, or at least keep up with them in the future. If the answer is no-DELETE-they go. I'll be honest there are a lot of maybes. But all I need is a little time and they too will be deleted. I don't need 1,000 friends. I only need a good handful that truly care about me. Who ask what's up with me before they get a status update. Who reach out when they're in town, or inquire about when I will be there to honestly-just catch up. These are the people I want to be linked to. Not for networking purposes. People have over used that word. Networking to me, is faking the funk to look out for yourself. Well, ladies and gents. I don't discount people. But I don't give them any power either. My source is God. And He has gotten me here and He's taking me "there." So I have no plans to use anyone to get where I'm going. Which is many people's intent when connecting. Like one day, I MIGHT need you for something. Not me. If I have no intentions in kicking it with you, why are we in touch? It might makes sense to others. But I was called to let many people go. Not because I hate or dislike them. But our time is over. I've learned to let go and not be bitter; knowing it's best for all parties. Thank God for that lesson.

Another cleaning mission is my attitude and reactions. To not react to things and situations, that are so small when I look at the BIG picture. But what I can't stand is that people don't get when I'm not smiling, I may look mad-BUT-I'm not. So STOP assuming! Don't tell me to smile. You have no idea. People are so focused on making themselves comfortable that they forget the other people in the room. That's what I'm working on being the opposite side of that. I'm already overly observant (which I hate sometimes) and I've been told I care too much. I do! I wouldn't treat half of the people in my life the way they have treated me. But instead of becoming a "bitter Betty" and "isolated Irene". I will be loving LT. And keep it moving.

Another cleaning activity is my time. I use to have dinners and activities scheduled every night of the week. Giving me no rest, no time for God and no money. Not in 09 baby! Everything is limited and God is first. Meaning I started Bible Study and made it a priority. I will not schedule anything on Wednesdays. Even if it's just me. That time will be had. Going to hear the Word is important, so my activities on Saturdays are nearly never scheduled. I try to make that my rest day. I make some exceptions, but rarely. We have to give priority to what is important to us. And it will take sacrifice of fun, sin, social gatherations. Sometimes it's the other way around and we sacrifice God. That's something I'm not doing anymore.

It's just time to focus really. This year of transition is not going to slow down for anyone. So if I can offer any words of wisdom, is to get serious about what your goals are. And start making decisions that keep you on the road to purpose. Trust God and give Him more of you. Your time, your thinking, your activities. God honors your efforts, knows your heart and loves you unconditionally. May look like a bunch of words in a blog, but it's the Truth. Learn it and believe it.