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    
TODAY'S WORDS - LAUGHTER IS MEDICINE

     I'm just an old hippie. You know, peace and love. Don't let your age define your possibilities. I always told my mother I wanted a job where I could have a lot of fun and have a lot of time off. She asked me where I was going to find that, and I said, 'I don't know, but it's out there. Making people laugh was automatic.
     I was in a play in elementary school and had to jump up and run away. I was nervous and tripped and fell down and everyone laughed. Their laughter made me relax, so I pretended it was part of the show. I loved it, but had to forget about acting after elementary school because it was the sort of thing you just didn't do in my rough neighborhood. I'm proud to be from Philadelphia. 
     Laughter is the medicine that heals the soul. Don't let anyone dull your sparkle. Take risks, live boldly, and follow your heart. Do what you love, and success will follow. Leave a positive impact wherever you go. Life is too short to waste time on negativity. Life is too short to waste it on being miserable. If you're not having fun, you're doing something wrong. Success is not measured by fame or money, but by the happiness you bring to others. Surround yourself with positive people who lift you up. Be kind to yourself and others. Kindness always wins.
     Don't take life too seriously. You'll never get out alive. The world has enough serious people. I think we need more goofy people. Believe in yourself, even when nobody else does. Embrace your flaws, they make you unique. No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. Life is a beautiful journey, enjoy every step of it.

~Sherman Hemsley~

Kenneth Davis

IT'S TIME FOR 
JUST JOKING MONDAYS

Joke Book - Our Latest Jokes
The best jokes we have chosen for you!!!

Surgeons on Coffee Break

     Five surgeons were taking a coffee break and discussing their work. “I think accountants are the easiest to operate on,” said the first surgeon. “You open them up and everything inside is numbered.” “I think librarians are the easiest to operate on,” said the second. “You open them up and everything inside is in alphabetical order.”
     “I like to operate on electricians,” said the third. “You open them up and everything inside is color-coded.” “I like to operate on lawyers,” said the fourth. “They’re heartless, spineless, gutless, and their heads and their asses are interchangeable.” “I like engineers,” said the fifth. “They always understand when you have a few parts left over at the end…”

Curtis by Ray Billingsley

Joycelyn Lacy (Sommerville)

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

I want to honor this amazing woman as we celebrate women this month.

Kenneth Davis

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns

     MARCH 2025 March 11, 2025: You are beginning to move into a season of greater clarity where your mind is clearer and your mission more distinct. The clouds of confusion will lift to let in more light and understanding. You will have a better grasp of who you are and where you are going, says the Lord. Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

   T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N 
TODAY'S WORDS - YOUR MISSION

     If you have a purpose in which you can believe, there's no end to the amount of things you can accomplish. Everyone has a gift for something, even if it is the gift of being a good friend. A singer starts by having his instrument as a gift from God... When you have been given something in a moment of grace, it is sacrilegious to be greedy. Prejudice is like a hair across your cheek. You can't see it, you can't find it with your fingers, but you keep brushing at it because the feel of it is irritating.
     When I sing, I don't want them to see that my face is black. I don't want them to see that my face is white. I want them to see my soul. And that is colorless. None of us is responsible for the complexion of his skin. This fact of nature offers no clue to the character or quality of the person underneath. You lose a lot of time, hating people. As long as you keep a person down, some part of you has to be down there to hold him down, so it means you cannot soar as you otherwise might. Fear is a disease that eats away at logic and makes man inhuman.
     There are many persons ready to do what is right because in their hearts they know it is right. But they hesitate, waiting for the other fellow to make the first move--and he, in turn, waits for you. The minute a person whose word means a great deal dares to take the open - hearted and courageous way, many others follow. Not everyone can be turned aside from meanness and hatred, but the great majority of Americans is heading in that direction. I have a great belief in the future of my people and my country. When you stop having dreams and ideals - well, you might as well stop altogether. I suppose I might insist on making issues of things. But that is not my nature, and I always bear in mind that my mission is to leave behind me the kind of impression that will make it easier for those who follow. Prayer begins where human capacity ends.

~Marian Anderson~

Kenneth Davis

     GREETINGS WARRIOR FAMILY ! YOUR REUNION COMMITTEE HAS COMPLETED THE PLANNED EVENTS FOR THE FRIDAY NIGHT "MEET AND GREET". BRING YOUR "SPADES AND BID WHIST PARTNER", OR CHOOSE A CLASSMATE,  FOR THE CARD PLAYER "TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS PLAYOFF". THERE WILL ALSO BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY "MUSIC BINGO" WITH FAMILIAR HITS FROM THE 60'S AND 70'S. PRIZES WILL BE AWARDED TO EACH WINNING TOURNAMENT TEAM PLAYERS AND EACH WINNER OF THE MUSIC BINGO SESSIONS.

Kenneth Davis

     LINE DANCE LESSONS WILL BE TAUGHT BY OUR OWN "INSTRUCTOR LINDA BROWN", WITH A POSSIBLE REPEAT PERFORMANCE BY ALL PARTICIPANTS, DURING THE BANQUET SATURDAY NIGHT. TWO FORTUNATE CLASSMATES, WILL BE CROWNED AS THE FIRST EVER "QUEEN & KING" OF OUR 55TH CLASS REUNION. NAMES WILL BE RANDOMLY SELECTED FROM THE POOL OF THOSE IN ATTENDANCE. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR FACE IN THE PLACE, EACH NIGHT. SATURDAY MORNING ACTIVITIES REMAIN IN THE TO BE DETERMINED (TBD)  CONFIRMATION STAGES. WE'RE ACTUALLY PLANNING A MORNING PRAYER BREAKFAST, FOLLOWED BY A TOUR OF OUR BELOVED 715 SOUTH LAUDERDALE. STANDBY FOR FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS.
     FOOD AND BEVERAGES WILL BE PROVIDED FOR ALL, DURING THE "MEET AND GREET". SECURITY WILL ALSO BE PROVIDED FOR BOTH EVENTS.

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 
TODAY'S WORDS - IMPACTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES 

     We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations. I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day-to-day basis is my choice of attitude. It is more important than my past, my education, my bankroll, my successes or failures, fame or pain, what other people think of me or say about me, my circumstances, or my position. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. Do you want to be wise? Choose wise friends
     Refuse to let your situation determine your attitude. Strength comes from choosing to fully trust, pray, and praise. Our circumstances may not change, but in the process we change. The past is over... forget it. The future holds hope... reach for it. Today is unique! It has never occurred, and it will never be repeated. At midnight it will end, quietly, suddenly, totally. Forever. But the hours between now and then are opportunities with eternal possibilities. Don't seek more days in your life but more life in your days.
     Times may be hard, and people may be demanding, but never forget that life is special. Every single day is a special day. Every one of us can blame somebody for something that has happened in our lives. But don't waste your time. What we need most is a steady stream of love flowing among us. Love that quickly forgives, willingly overlooks, and refuses to take offense. Encourage one another. Many times, a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer has kept people on their feet.  Think about it. It has the capacity to lift a man's or a woman's shoulders. To breathe fresh air into the fading embers of a smoldering dream. To actually change the course of another human being's day, week, or life. People who inspire others are those who see invisible bridges at the end of dead-end streets
     The longer I live the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company . . . a church . . . a home. Let`s choose each day and every day to keep an attitude of faith and joy and belief and compassion. The beautiful thing about encouragement is that anybody can do it. Encouragement is awesome. It can actually change the course of another person's day, week, or life.

~Charles R. Swindoll~

Kenneth Davis

WEDNESDAY WELLNESS

This Nightly Habit Could Reduce Your

Risk of Heart Disease, Says New Study

By Dr. Patricia Varacallo, DO Updated on Mar. 01, 2024

https://www.thehealthy.com/

     Doctors from a few of the most prominent hospitals in the country teamed up to identify one bedtime pattern that's showing a surprising association with your heart. It might seem like there are two kinds of people in the world: The ones who fall asleep with zero effort, and the ones who take more time to wind down. There’s more at stake than sweet dreams and daytime grogginess when the process of hitting the hay feels a little unpredictable night-to-night.

     If you’re a self-professed night owl or frequently toss and turn in sporadic sleep, new research might inspire you to make a point of creating a healthier sleep routine. A February 2023 study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association brings to light an unseen threat to our hearts: The risks of inconsistent sleep patterns.

The hidden danger of sleep irregularity

     The snooze button may seem like your worst enemy, especially when you’re yearning for five more minutes in bed. However, it’s the unpredictable sleep patterns that might be the real culprits behind potential health risks. The research, led by Kelsie Full, Ph.D., MPH, of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, analyzed the sleep patterns of 2,032 participants from six diverse U.S. communities. The findings? Those with irregular sleep patterns—defined by sleep duration fluctuations greater than two hours in a week—showed increased signs of subclinical cardiovascular disease. This silent stage of heart disease often goes undetected as symptoms are either absent or unrecognized, while the cardiovascular system gradually suffers damage.

     Full was quoted in a press release from the medical center, stating, “These results suggest that maintaining regular or habitual sleep durations, or sleeping close to the same total amount of time each night, may play an important role in preventing cardiovascular disease.”

Sleep and cardiovascular health

     Our bodies are like well-oiled machines that operate on internal biological clocks known as circadian rhythms. These rhythms regulate countless processes, including sleep. When we disrupt these rhythms by switching sleep schedules or changing between nights of rest and insomnia, the body may struggle to adapt. The study discovered a correlation between these inconsistent sleep patterns and an increased presence of subclinical markers of cardiovascular disease.

     Throughout a week-long observation period, participants who showed a higher degree of inconsistency in their sleep durations presented more alarming results. These individuals were more likely to carry a higher calcium load in their coronary arteries, a known precursor to heart disease. There was also an increased plaque buildup in their carotid arteries, signaling a heightened stroke risk. Additionally, their blood vessels were more rigid, a condition often known as “hardening of the arteries,” typically associated with systemic atherosclerosis.

     In the face of these risks, a consistent sleep schedule and quality rest are more than just comfort—they are vital for your health. (Note: A 2023 sleep and Alzheimer’s study backs this up!) If quality sleep seems elusive to you, here are some strategies to consider from The American Academy of Sleep Medicine:

⦁ Strive for a steady sleep schedule, setting a fixed time for bed and wake-up.

⦁ Target seven to eight hours of sleep each night, the recommended duration for adults.

⦁ Reserve your bed for sleep and intimacy only, reinforcing its role as a place of rest.

⦁ Make your bedroom a sanctuary of calm and relaxation, free from stressors and distractions.

⦁ Dim the lights as evening approaches to signal your body that it’s time to wind down.

⦁ Implement a digital curfew, turning off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime.

These initial steps should set you on the path toward healthier sleep habits. Let’s prioritize rest—it has the power to heal.

     This is for information purposes only and should not be considered as a substitute for medical expertise. These are opinions from an external panel of individual doctors. Please seek professional help regarding any health conditions or concerns.

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     
TODAY'S WORDS - STOP AND EXAMINE

     One thing that has helped me personally in the past was to stop interfering with the people around me and getting frustrated when I couldn’t change them. Instead of intrusion and passivity, may I suggest submission? Some people make the mistake of confusing “submission” with “weakness”, whereas it is anything but. Submission is a form of peaceful acceptance of the terms of the universe, including the things we are currently unable to change or comprehend. The universe is one being. Everything and everyone is interconnected through an invisible web of stories. Whether we are aware of it or not, we are all in a silent conversation. Do no harm. Practice compassion. And do not gossip behind anyone's back - not even seemingly innocent remark! The words that come out of our mouth do not vanish but are perpetually stored in infinite space, and they will come back to us in due time. One man's pain will hurt us all. One man's joy will make everyone smile.
     One night, a group of moths gathered on a shelf watching a burning candle. Puzzled by the nature of the light, they sent one of their members to go and check on it. The scouting moth circled the candle several times and came back with a description: The light was bright. Then a second moth went to examine it. He, too, came back with an observation: The light was hot. Finally, a third moth volunteered to go. When he approached the candle, he didn't stop like his friends had done but flew straight into the flame. He was consumed there and then, and only he understood the nature of the light. If you want to experience eternal illumination, put the past and the future out of your mind and remain within the present moment. What I’m saying is, my friends, one ought to be able to let go. If a path does not, please us, instead of insisting on going that specific way, of making our selfishness the guide, we ought to forsake. 
     Bountiful is your life, full and complete. Or so you think, until someone comes along and makes you realize what you have been missing all this time. Like a mirror that reflects what is absent rather than present, he shows you the void in your soul—the void you have resisted seeing. That person can be a lover, a friend, or a spiritual master. Sometimes it can be a child to look after. What matters is to find the soul that will complete yours. Every true love and friendship is a story of unexpected transformation. If we are the same person before and after we loved, that means we haven't loved enough. Stop running after the waves. Let the sea come to you. Do not go with the flow. Be the flow. Once you take that step let everything do what it naturally does, and the rest will follow. Because time is a drop in the ocean, and you cannot measure off one drop against another to see which one is bigger, which one is smaller.

~Elif Safak~

Kenneth Davis

 TIME FOR ANOTHER 

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

Who remembers the Teen Town Singers?

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   
TODAY'S WORDS - A PRODUCTION COMPANY

     Soul has no musical geographical or racial boundaries. I think music all the time. What we call soul has been around a long time. It comes out of a particular culture that is African in origin, but influenced by 250 years of slavery, as well as other forms of racial oppression. I don't think I'm really so unique. If every black person looked at their life, they would quickly discover that they have been influenced by every type of music prevalent in America. Back in the day, I used to be in the studio recording 20 hours a day. And that was all of the time. I still record a lot of hours, but I don't go as long as I used to. It's a wonderful feeling just being in this creative motif.
     The true beauty of music is that it connects people. It carries a message, and we, the musicians, are the messengers. I couldn't get my album played over the so-called smooth jazz stations. Jazz stations would not play it. You don't always know who you're making that soul connection with. People are always defining and re-defining music. My style of playing has been characterized as smooth jazz and acid jazz. I listen as I play; I'm not caught up in defining the type of music I play. Most artists have contracts directly with the record company, and when they do music, all of their music is owned by the record company. But I did mine through a production company. The majors, they have to control the distribution, the record outlets, the radio and, in some cases, even the venues. And downloading and pirating have also put pressure on the majors. Only a certain number of people go to a store over the period of a year. When a person sees my record on the shelf, it eliminates someone else's record from being sold. It's about continuing to try to find new ways to sell records.
     Now I get exposure first with people directly in the clubs. This is a unique situation for me. I generally sell my records online or at the show. You can undersell the distributor and the stores, and people know what they're getting cause they've just seen you live. All the music I did, I gave to the production company. Then the production company would give the record company the album. I used to do all my albums like that. It was fantastic. But now, understand, I have never planned to do anything with these other tapes. The one that are released, like the Virgin Ubiquity you have there, I wasn't going to do anything with that music. One day, I was talking to this guy that owns BBE over in England, and I said I've got some tapes and stuff that you might be interested in, and he went berserk.
     A lot of the hip hop artists don't write music. They write words. I've been sampled so much and I'm glad it's happened; it's a great compliment. I don't trip on that much. I just like to enjoy life and be happy. DJs and people in the street know what they like. Having good health, being able to breathe and be happy, that's one of the most beautiful gifts. On top of that, I have the gift to play music and make people happy through that. I'm just telling you from my heart, I'm so in love with life.

~Roy Ayers~

Kenneth Davis

WELCOME TO 
SMOOTH
 CONTEMPORARY JAZZ 
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY
 OF
 ROY AYERS

Kenneth Davis

FINAL ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED FOR 
MRS. GLADYS MAE JOHNSON
MOTHER OF OUR BELOVED EDWARD JOHNSON

     HARRISON MEMORIAL CHAPEL HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH HER REMAINS. FLOWERS SHOULD BE SENT TO THE MILLBRANCH LOCATION ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILY.

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   
TODAY'S WORDS - STRIKE A BALANCE

     All of us have moments in our lives when we have to choose between what we know is right and what we feel obligated to do. I think you grow through your experiences; you get better as you grow and I'm not nearly where I think I'm going to be eventually, where I inspire to be and hopefully the opportunities will continue to come. I feel it's that I don't ever give up on myself, and I'd rather run a marathon than a sprint. Personally, I think I'm a slow learner who's getting better every year, every moment, every project. I've met so many amazing people along the way. And there's no gimmick with me. What you see is what you get. I attribute my talent and my success to God, but I believe that the only way you can manifest what He has ordained for you is by being close to Him and by making it happen. But we have to stay close to Him in order to be an image of Him.
     I know for me, like I have a reputation of being kind of tough, I have a reputation of also being the girl next door, kind of sweet but I have standards and my thing is, it's me on that screen and I don't have control over everything in this and I'm grateful and thankful. I have been in situations where actors are treated like robots: say the lines, say it like this, we don't have time for conversations. That is a terrible position to be in as an artist. You feel used. We're all in the service business. If you hire me to do a job, I expect everybody else to be where I am. A little bit of crazy is good. It keeps things - balanced. I can look at myself in the mirror every night knowing I've never ever pretended to be someone I know I'm not, for the sake of showbiz industry. I believe that it's important to live by your truth in order to be able to sleep peacefully when you rest your head at night. There are black men who are madly in love with white women. God bless them, if that's what works for them. I just hope that we can strike a balance that portrays black folks and the black family in a light that's not extreme. Those are the types of characters that I find myself attracted to.
     I don’t feel less loved or less loving because I’m not married.  I don't really like to compare my life as an actress and being my son's mother. My personal life and my professional life are very different, and I try to keep them separate, just because my personal life is so precious to me. Try to find fellowship... And try to find sisterhood... And try to find that village that can help you support your journey and your kids and your experiences. Never lose a sense of yourself throughout the process, and still pursue your dreams as a mom. Every woman deserves diamonds, and even if you can't afford to go out and buy diamonds for yourself or you don't have actual stone diamonds, I think when we look at ourselves we should refer to ourselves as a precious stone. I think Nina Simone had an amazing journey. She was spicy and she had attitude and she didn't care, she wanted her money in a paper bag and don't mess with me and I've been doing some research on that.
     My priorities are really about creating balance in my home, making sure that I have enough time with my kids, making sure that I have the time to do the things that I want to do with my career, and to continue to make movies. You need the words, you need the script, you need the material, you need the commitment, you need the passion, it's like we depend on writers, we depend on producers, directors depend on us and once things are in the divine order as they happen. The minute your child is born, your life is changed forever. I think I've become so aware of how important balance is in life.

~Nia Long~

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

Kenneth Davis

    SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns

     March 16, 2025: Quiet your soul and let go of all stress. Access the substance of peace to overcome the pressure of the spiritual weapon formed against you of fear and trepidation. Remember that no weapon formed against you will prosper and access the peace of God. Philippians 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

   T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   
TODAYS WORDS - SUBSTANCE OF PEACE

     My mother was the source from which I derived the guiding principles of my life. Let me do all the good I can, to all the people I can, as often as I can, for I shall not pass this way again. If doing a good act in public will excite others to do more good, then 'Let your light shine to all.' Miss no opportunity to do good. Let your words be the genuine picture of your heart. We should be rigorous in judging ourselves and gracious in judging others. People who wish to be offended will always find some occasion for taking offense. Humility and patience are the surest proofs of the increase of love. Whosoever will reign with Christ in heaven, must have Christ reigning in him on earth.
     Condemn no man for not thinking as you think. Let everyone enjoy the full and free liberty of thinking for himself. Let every man use his own judgment, since every man must give an account of himself to God. Abhor every approach, in any kind or degree, to the spirit of persecution, if you cannot reason nor persuade a man into the truth, never attempt to force a man into it. If love will not compel him to come, leave him to God, the judge of all. As long as you feel your own weakness and helplessness, you will find help from above. Prayer is where the action is. Proceed with much prayer, and your way will be made plain. Do you know why that cow looks over that wall? She looks over the wall because she cannot see through it, and that is what you must do with your troubles... Look over and above them. Oh Lord, let me not live to be useless.
     Oh, that God would give me the thing which I long for! That before I go hence and am no more seen, I may see a people wholly devoted to God, crucified to the world, and the world crucified to them. A people truly given up to God in body, soul and substance! How cheerfully would I then say, 'Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace.' It is good to renew ourselves, from time to time, by closely examining the state of our souls, as if we had never done it before; for nothing tends more to the full assurance of faith, than to keep ourselves by this means in humility, and the exercise of all good works. Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.

~John Wesley~

Kenneth Davis

BIRTH ANNIVERSARY GREETINGS
 TO 
ROBERT GHOLSON

     Do not wait for life. Do not long for it. Be aware, always and at every moment, that the miracle is in the here and now. We do not receive wisdom, we must discover it for ourselves, after a journey through the wilderness which no one else can make for us, which no one can spare us, for our wisdom is the point of view from which we come at last to regard the world. 

~Marcel Proust~

Joycelyn Lacy (Sommerville)

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   
TODAY'S WORDS - MY TRUTH 

     I was always funny, but I didn't know being funny was a gift. People who can make you laugh can make you cry. I don't have a desire to do reality. Because my truth is not what people are responding to. My truth is funny. I say God is kind. So many people want to do what I do [comedy] for a living, and so he didn't have to choose me. So, I don't take all the credit, but I do know that I love what I do, and I see it as a gift. The soul of a woman is so important to maintain given all that is on our plates. Figuring out how to do it can be a little tricky. My prayer was, 'Lord, please help me. How can I do it all and not be overwhelmed? How can I do it all and still be happy?' His answer: Find the stolen moments of joy in all you do.
     I decided to become an actor at five. I saw the most gorgeous woman that I had ever seen in my five years of living on television. She had on a long, red dress and her eyelashes looked like butterflies and I said, "Grandmamma, who is that?" She said, "Baby, that's Lola Falana." I said, "That's it right there. I want to be black, fabulous, and on TV." In one day, I got mistaken for three different actresses: Wendy Williams, Sherri Shepherd, and Star Jones. When I was growing up, Brandy was TV star, reality star, a pop star, a Cover girl, Grammy winner, had her own Brandy doll, and was the first African American to play Disney princess Cinderella. Most importantly, she is a survivor. Many only judge and remember a person's most recent failure.
      I used to be married to a pastor, and I had a church for two years. Pastors are just men, too, with a different job description than others. We're all called to bear one another's burdens. We're all called to pray for the sick. They do it on a larger scale, but they're just a man. A lot of women don't think that. Trust me. I know. I joined church by myself in a borrowed suit at 13. I had my neighbor's bible. So my walk and my faith have always been very real. I don't wear my faith on my sleeve, but I definitely do walk with it every day in my heart. The old adage is true, people will only be as good to you as you are to yourself. They will follow your example, and those who don't will be left by the wayside. I feel like it's better to see a sermon lived than it is to hear one preached.
     If you make your best friend and your significant other the same person, you don't have to disconnect to go tell your girlfriend everything. I'm genuine and I'm available. I want people to be at their best. I want them to love and be loved to their fullest ability. My friends call me their relationship nanny, so we have a good time working through problems. Now, I don't claim to be an expert, but I am a woman who has been through everything. I don't claim to be an expert on love. You may not be able to help whom you are attracted to, but you can choose to whom you love and how. That is to say that love is a commitment that your heart and your mind make. It is an active and ever-evolving process, a conscious choice that takes effort and maintenance. I'm just a woman who has experienced a lot of things, and I want to share and hopefully my sharing will help make your situation better, because that's the goal.
     If there is someone in your life who is not serving you or making you better, give yourself permission to move on. I've been married, divorced; I've been the baby momma, the side piece and the secret... all of these things. I share it in an effort to make people better. I feel like love is the thing we were created for, yet it's the place we struggle the most. Don't go telling yourself you're in love with the man he could be you gotta love the man standing in front of you right now. Simply put, love the person not the potential! Otherwise, he will always be disappointing to you. And whose fault is that? People who can make you laugh can make you cry. I don't have a desire to do reality. Because my truth is not what people are responding to. My truth is funny; I laugh with my husband every day.

~Niecy Nash~

Kenneth Davis

IT'S TIME FOR 
JUST JOKING MONDAYS

Curtis by Ray Billingsley

Joycelyn Lacy (Sommerville)

Kenneth Davis

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns

     March 18, 2025: Begin your day with the wonder of the presence of God--another day in which to carry out His wishes with everything that is within you. What a mighty God we serve! What opportunities before you to exhibit His love and mercy and to share His unfathomable bounty of love! John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

   T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   
TODAY'S WORDS - HIS UNFATHOMABLE BOUNTY OF LOVE
 

      Our high and privileged calling is to do the will of God in the power of God for the glory of God. The fruit of wisdom is Christlikeness, peace, humility and love. And the root of it is faith in Christ as the manifested wisdom of God. To know God's love is indeed heaven on earth. There's a difference between knowing God and knowing about God. When you truly know God, you have energy to serve Him, boldness to share Him, and contentment in Him. To know that nothing happens in God's world apart from God's will, may frighten the godless, but it stabilizes the saints. God made life, and God alone can tell us its meaning. Once you become aware that the main business that you are here for is to know God, most of life's problems fall into place of their own accord.
     What were we made for? To know God. What aim should we have in life? To know God. What is the eternal life that Jesus gives? To know God. What is the best thing in life? To know God. What in humans gives God most pleasure? Knowledge of himself. The Holy Spirit's main ministry is not to give thrills but to create in us Christlike character. Slipping's and straying's, there will be, no doubt, but the everlasting arms are beneath us; we shall be caught, rescued, restored. This is God's promise; this is how good he is. There is tremendous relief in knowing that His love to me is based at every point on prior knowledge of the worst about me. God answers the prayer we ought to have made rather than the prayer we did make.
     Even when we cannot see the why and wherefore of God's dealings, we know that there is love in and behind them, and so we can rejoice always. Living becomes an awesome business when you realize that you spend every moment of your life in the sight and company of an omniscient, omnipresent Creator. God has not abandoned us any more than he abandoned Job. He never abandons anyone on whom he has set his love; nor does Christ, the good shepherd, ever lose track of his sheep.
     Think against your feelings; argue yourself out of the gloom they have spread; look up from your problems to the God of the gospel. The unceasing activity of the Creator whereby, in overflowing bounty and goodwill. He upholds His creatures in ordered existence, guides and governs all events, circumstances, and free acts of angels and men, and directs everything to its appointed goal, for His own glory. God uses chronic pain and weakness, along with other afflictions, as his chisel for sculpting our lives. Felt weakness deepens dependence on Christ for strength each day. The weaker we feel, the harder we lean. And the harder we lean, the stronger we grow spiritually, even while our bodies waste away. To live with your ‘thorn’ uncomplainingly — that is, sweet, patient, and free in heart to love and help others, even though every day you feel weak — is true sanctification. It is true healing for the spirit. It is a supreme victory of grace. There is unspeakable comfort in knowing that God is constantly taking knowledge of me in love and watching over me for my good.

~J. I. Packer~

Kenneth Davis