Kenneth Davis

Grief is like the ocean; it comes on waves ebbing and flowing.

Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming.

All we can do is learn to swim.
~Vicki Harrison~

Bonnie Pippin (Mills)

Classmates,  I would like to take this moment to thank all of you for your acts of kindness during our time of bereavement with the passing of momma, Mrs. Harriet Louise Johnson Pippin.  Your thoughfulness will always be remembered/   We lead and others follow. 

Always, 

Bonnie Lyttonia Pippin Young Mills

Kenneth Davis

Matthew 7:7
Ask, and it shall be given you;

seek, and ye shall find;

knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

     Let me first confess and emphasize that I've had no prior conversations with Helen or Margie, but grateful to them for stepping forward with feedback, to a reputable question. Ask any ordained minister or members of any faith-based organization in the community about Matthew 7:7, they will confirm the knowledge, there's power in the words of scripture. By breaking the startling silence, perhaps the questions asked by Marsha and Larry,  have been partially answered, with a temporary solution from Margie and Helen. While we're awaiting further details from both, the suggestions offered are absolutely worthy of continued dialogue. I'll happily post essential information received, to the website upon receipt. Any member of the class has the responsibility to post meaningful dialogue to assist  with the formulation of an "Official Alumni Committee".
     During the interim of selecting an "Official Alumni Committee", with officers for each position, maybe Margie can establish, coordinate and direct a monthly Zoom meeting for us to build upon the comradery re-developed after the extravaganza, Helen and others are planning. Official committee officers shouldn't necessarily be located in Memphis. I suspect there are other classmates outside the city and state limits, who would love to participate in both activities. The correct forum may come from a brainstorming session via Zoom allowing us to re-engage with each other.
     Until other classmates respond to the question and/or provide suggestions, let the words of Albert Schweitzer provoke us each day..."Example is leadership. Do something wonderful, people may imitate it. Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate". Thank you Helen, Margie, Marsha and Larry, for initiating a much required demonstration of comradery.....

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     There are issues in your life that need attention. You have ignored them long enough. In order to continue into the next phase of existence in clarity and strength you must take care of these issues. It will take some doing, but I will give you the strength and gumption to accomplish all that you need to do. Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him. 

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND  by Marsha Burns

Kenneth Davis

 T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N 

     Exclusiveness in a garden is a mistake as great as it is in society. Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are. There is no gardening without humility. Nature is constantly sending even its oldest scholars to the bottom of the class for some egregious blunder. The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just on the body, but the soul.

~Alfred Austin~

Kenneth Davis

Galatians 2:6  Easy-to-Read Version

Those men who were considered to be important did not change the Good News message I tell people.

(It doesn’t matter to me if they were “important” or not.

To God everyone is the same.)

 T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N 

     This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being. 'God' is a relative word and has a respect to servants, and 'Deity' is the dominion of God, not over his own body, as those imagine who fancy God to be the soul of the world, but over servants. God made and governs the world invisibly, and has commanded us to love and worship him and no other God; to honor our parents and masters, and love our neighbours as ourselves; and to be temperate, just, and peaceable, and to be merciful even to brute beasts. God is the same God, always and everywhere. He is omnipresent not virtually only, but also substantially, for virtue cannot subsist without substance.

~Isaac Newton~

Kenneth Davis

     Age does not protect you from love. But love, to some extent, protects you from age. Each contact with a human being is so rare, so precious, one should preserve it. Each friend represents a world in us, a world not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.

~Anais Nin~

     Happy Birth Anniversary greetings to Wanda Williams Thompson. May you be blessed bountifully on this day and those to come. For those who have a connection to Wanda, call her up and extend the gift of Love and continued friendship. Lord knows we need  each other these days...Here's wishing you a Ben Tankard type of day. When you "Rise" today, just know that "It's Working", that being, the blessings of grace and favor....enjoy your day and stay safe my friend....

Kenneth Davis

Going off the grid for a few. Will be assisting my son, with his relocation to Texas...looking forward to reading your posts upon my return....be blessed and stay safe my friends....

(I didn't forget this time Margie)

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

Joycelyn,

Thank you for filling in during Kenneth's absence. I am lmbo at the jokes.

Margie McRae (Reed)

Great Job Joycelyn! You have some serious skills!

Have a blessed and wonderful day, Classmates!

Margie

Margie McRae (Reed)

Just came across this and had to share... Affirmation for the student's response to the teacher: (see Monday's joke).

Sorry, I don't have Joycelyn's skills to make it pretty.

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Margie McRae (Reed)

Throwback Thursday

Which one did your Mama use on Saturday night?

James Stone

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Kenneth Davis

   For those who have taken the time and spent the effort to deal with the issues facing you, the reward of your efforts is now at hand. Breakthrough is imminent. You will experience a sense of relief and freedom that has been out of your reach until now. Well done! Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND  by Marsha Burns

 T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N 

      Writing means sharing. It's part of the human condition to want to share things - thoughts, ideas, opinions. Let us be absolutely clear about one thing: we must not confuse humility with false modesty or servility. We have to stop and be humble enough to understand that there is something called mystery. What interests me in life is curiosity, challenges, the good fight with its victories and defeats. Every day I try to be in communication with the universe in an unconscious way. Everybody has a creative potential and from the moment you can express this creative potential, you can start changing the world. 

~Paulo Coelho~

Kenneth Davis

A new "SHERO" has been added to my quiver of true life heroines.

ex·em·pla·ry  - /iɡˈzemplərē/ - adjective
1. serving as a desirable model; representing the best of its kind.
"an award for exemplary community service"

 WORDS OF COMMENDATION 

     Becoming a leader is synonymous with becoming yourself. It is precisely that simple, and it is also that difficult. Great things are accomplished by talented people who believe they will accomplish them. Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality. Excellence is a better teacher than mediocrity. The lessons of the ordinary are everywhere. Truly profound and original insights are to be found only in studying the exemplary. Leaders keep their eyes on the horizon, not just on the bottom line.

 ~Warren Bennis~

     Without any form of a hoodwinking inducement from me, or anyone else to my knowledge, the quote "Great things are accomplished by talented people who believe they will accomplish them. Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality. Excellence is a better teacher than mediocrity" by Warren Bennis, genuinely reflects your true "Warrior" dedication. During my absence, you faithfully stepped forward with "amusingly entreating incitements"  as sustenance to fulfill the influence of this website on our classmates. Your personification embodies an example of the true spirit within the "Class of 1970". 
      Although your're not an associate administrator, the decision to "Lead" by example represents the state of comradery, referenced by Marsha previously and realized by those who read daily from our website. The written accolades offered by Estella (LMBO), Margie (Throwback Thursday / aka "playing the Dozens") and James (The Eloquent ) signify an amazingly galvanizing way, to influence others to initiate our motto "We're tops! We lead and others follow". I wish to also acknowledge those unwritten but visualized emotions of our silent readers who have also been touched by your example. May this serve as my heartfelt message to say "Thank You" for taking the lead and "Joking Around". Please accept this "Exemplary Service Award", presented on behalf of your classmates. We can only wish that others will emulate your unselfish actions. This website belongs to each of us and everyone is welcomed to communicate openly, in the spirit of love and truth. I'm only the designated administrator, not the owner...enjoy your day...stay safe my friend......

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Kenneth Davis

Replying to the post from Joycelyn!!!!

If you want to build something fantastic,

just do it.

Who is stopping you?

~Varg Vikernes~

Kenneth Davis

Psalm 3  New International Version

1. Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! 2. Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.” 3. But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. 4. I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain. 5. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. 6. I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side. 7. Arise, Lord! Deliver me, my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked. 8. From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.

 T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     Discontent, blaming, complaining, self-pity cannot serve as a foundation for a good future, no matter how much effort you make. Boredom, anger, sadness, or fear are not 'yours,' not personal. They are conditions of the human mind. They come and go. Nothing that comes and goes is you. To realize that you are not your thoughts is when you begin to awaken spiritually. Some people awaken spiritually without ever coming into contact with any meditation technique or any spiritual teaching. They may awaken simply because they can't stand the suffering anymore.

~Eckhart Tolle~

Kenneth Davis

 T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     No question is so difficult to answer

as that to which the answer is obvious.

Independence?

That's middle class blasphemy.

We are all dependent on one another,

every soul of us on earth. 

~George Bernard Shaw~

     Thanks to Joycelyn and the feedback received concerning her jokes, I'd like to initiate "Just Joking" Mondays. July will be the month for an introduction and assessment. Recommendations for, and adjustments to the content of the website, are always welcome. Here's the first installment....

     Mrs. Smythe was making final arrangements for an elaborate reception. “Nora,” she said to her veteran servant, “for the first half-hour I want you to stand at the drawing-room door and call the guests’ names as they arrive.” Nora’s face lit up. “Thank you, ma’am,” she replied. “I’ve been wanting to do that to some of your friends for the last 20 years.”

~Neal O’Hara, New York Post~