Just Start

Searching for that reason to care
You know you should; you don't
But today, you are searching for one reason
just one...to re-engage
Must break this dangerous pattern of nothingness
Who can help?
You need help...or do you?
Is this avoidance? laziness? lack of compelling purpose? cause for real concern?
Who can you call?
No, no, no, hmmmm...no, spoke to him last time
Don't want to share this with her
No, no, no, hmmm...they will listen...but...
The irony is, you also want anonymity
So we won't call anyone
But this state blows
And caring is very important, so how do you make it happen?
You feel a bit of a chill because this whole thing
reeks of ingratitude, irresponsibility, ignorance...
and you know that you are possibly insulting Him
But you can't fake it with Him
Oh, yeh! Him!

You open His Word
Isaiah
"For your Maker is your bridegroom"
"For even if the mountains walk away
and the hills fall to pieces
My love won't walk away from you"
"But anyone who runs to Me for help
will inherit the land,
will end up owning My holy mountain!"

And you are thankful that you serve a God who understands you
Who knows your imperfections and loves you so much anyway
A God who wants your vulnerability, wants you to confide in Him
A God who can make you whole
A God for whom you do not have to pretend
And a God who, while loving and compassionate, does require action

You look around at the blessings
the success
the messes
the imperfections
And you decide to start from right where you are
It's OK
Just start

"Your righteousness will pave your way.
The God of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, God will answer.
You'll call out for help and I'll say, 'Here I Am.'"


Keri S. Smith

Show Me The Way

Absolutely love it!



Sample lyrics...

Chorus:
Show me the way
Show me the way
Down here Lord,
need your power
Show me the way

Verse:
I said Lord I'm right here standing by myself
Lord I need, I need, I need, I need, I need, Lord I need, Lord I always need your help
Lord you pick me up and you turn me around
Oh, you place my feet on, on to the ground
Show, show me, show me the way


AMEN

MOVE

I started to cry
The tears wouldn't stop
It was so beautiful to see her
Young and proud, dancing her heart out for someone she loved
Doing whatever she could to support finding a cure for him
If a cure was even possible
As I watched her
I thought about my own hopes, my big dreams...my purpose yet unfulfilled
And I cried
I was so proud of her, so inspired
And honestly, I was cut to the core by her example
She shone a bright light on my inaction
So much talk, and yet no consistent momentum
As she danced, spoke boldly for her cause
I was impressed
I looked at her through my tears, and felt grateful
Thank you so much for your example, for the lesson
You reminded me that there is just no excuse
Get up
Move, act, do something...anything
Praise Him with your talents
MOVE
GET OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE
MOVE, MOVE, MOVE
Dance your heart out, make a difference
The world needs you, me, us
MOVE

Keri S. Smith

That is Why

With time you sometimes forget
The rationale, the sound reasons why
You sugarcoat the past
The good
There is always some good
As reminiscing becomes reality
You get comfortable, and ride the wave
And then something happens
It triggers the pain
the dirt and ugly underbelly
You slap yourself
That is why
You remember the decision had a purpose
That is why
And you pray that you never again forget


Keri S. Smith

Making Peace with Dah Process

OMG, it really can drive you bonkers
Bureaucracy
Slaves to the process
Rigidity that gives you nightmares
Paper, paper, paper and more paper
Goodbye thought
Goodbye spontaneity
Goodbye dynamism
Goodbye productivity
You should appreciate the persistence
That stalker-like follow up
It's really, really good
And because you know it is needed
That there is value in it
You keep biting your swollen tongue
And tell your inner big green guy, that today's not that day
You remind yourself that process is necessary
You have to respect it
And you smile secretly
Cause you know no one is gonna tame the rebel
Ain't no one gonna quench that spirit
Sap your power
You can play the game, play it well
Do the parts you don't like
And still enjoy the fire that is you
You whisper to greenie that it is all good
There's a season for everything


Keri S. Smith

Control the Tentacles

And you're up
The tentacles begin their search for what to latch on to
Are we happy today?
What was it that we had to worry about again?
Are we mad? Upset? Indifferent?
You're in a quandary
The tentacles extend, pushing through to help discern
what kind of mood we will be in today
Is today a power day?
Or an 'I don't feel like it' day?
Can we hide out?
Or must we show up?
What are we really about?
Mental renewal is a heck of a thing
It is mandatory
Critical to function
The tentacles need strict guidance
each moment
We need constant reminders of purpose
Bind them around your neck
Write them on your heart
Danger abounds in foolish thinking
Channel the tentacles, give them only one pathway
Guard the heart with much diligence
It is the wellspring of life


Keri S. Smith

Amen to a God of Specifics

You've been through tough times before
You committed that this time would be different
You would follow what He said from beginning to end
It got really tough
You prayed
You read
He promised that He would deliver
He said be anxious for nothing
You saw how others trusted Him through much worse
and were blessed
Daniel, Job, Jesus
It got tougher, uglier
You prayed in aggregate and in detail
You got really specific
Like Nehemiah, you shared a plan
You asked Him to bless it
You read some more
You got comfort from the Word
You remembered Him asleep on the ship in that horrendous storm
His followers in such a panic
He calmly awakes and says to the worriers "O ye of little faith"
He rebukes the wind and the seas, and all is well
Then the situation got even louder
You thought about tactics of old - the debilitating worry, the panicked planning, fault finding, the insecurity
And with His help, you had no use for such behavior
You stood up and took action
You surprised yourself - you were not worried
You 100% banked on His Word, and showed up each and every day...through it all
And with it came confidence, a new level of leadership
Your Friend had your back
He said you could do all things through Him
He expected much, and provided much
Amen. Amen. Amen. You found peace in the midst of chaos
You held on tight to His Word
He made you stronger, ready for the next battle
How awe-inspiring
You are left so grateful, so inspired, so in love
Muchas gracias for the gift


Keri S. Smith

Habits

Sweeping clean
It's in the past
New resolve
Fresh perspective
You've grown up
and all the time everything you say is in comparison to It
How to avoid It
Get rid of It
Move beyond It
Forget It
And somehow you can't quite run away from It
BECAUSE of the sheer mental energy you spend on
analyzing, dissecting, and solving for...It
Man, oh, man
So now you are trying a novel approach
Don't worry about trying to stop It
Just find a new IT to focus on
A more worthy IT, a healthier IT
Hallelujah for the new and improved...IT


Keri S. Smith

Quote of the Day - Laugh

Laughter is gold

- Keri S. Smith

No speaka Spanish - No wanta speaka to you @ all anyway

Telemarketers, I have a few questions for you

? ? ? ?

1) How on earth did I get on your Spanish speakers' distribution list? Yeh, I did Spanish in High school and 2 semesters in college, but I am not fluent. Why I am now getting automated pitches en espanol from y'all?

2) How many times can you give a "last" or "final" offer on opportunities? In a week, you leave me automated messages saying that this is the last chance I have to opt-in to your offer. Dude, there can only be one last. See Dictionary.com for details

3) Why the cell? Fine, you leave messages on my landline. Annoying, but I can live with it. But, my Blackberry? And once you dared to contact me on my iPhone. That's violation. Stop it.

Gotta pay wifey back!

A few days ago, I was riding in a cab late at night. We are approaching my apt complex and I notice that there is an "OUT OF ORDER" sign on the cabbie's credit card machine - well, it's really a piece of paper with the words written in blue, rubber banded on to the machine.

Keri: "We need to go to an ATM because I have no cash"

Cabbie: "It's OK, we'll figure something out"

Keri: "You don't have to drop me off in front of my building, just circle and go to the ATM so that I can pay you. I have no cash"

Cabbie: *Waves his hands in the air* "Don't worry about it, we'll figure it out"

I give him a confused look as he pulls up in front of my building. Cabbie then turns around and reaches his arm back into my section of the vehicle. Huh?!

He grabs on to the credit card machine and removes the "OUT OF ORDER" sign. I look at him. I start to laugh. He looks at me with a sheepish grin and we both start laughing.

Cabbie: "My wife loaned me the money to buy taxi and EVERY NIGHT I go home, she ask for CASH. Money, money, money. She wants me to pay off the loan. People only want to use card, but I need cash. We have expenses too. I need to buy food, gas. I need cash. And I need to pay wife."

We start laughing again. I swipe my card, and make sure to give him a good tip - wifey needs to be paid!

Necessity is the mother of invention!

A-Rod's Press Conference - Alex Rodriguez on Steroid Abuse

Thank God A-Rod did not get acting tips from Madonna. That would have made yesterday's press conference even more amusing. Alex Rodriguez decided it was time to respond to the Sports Illustrated article which stated that he tested positive for steroids in 2003. This was only after his attempts to discredit SI writer Selena Roberts, by claiming that she was a stalker and a liar, backfired.

I enjoyed watching A-Rod at work. He was coached well by his PR team. If I took a shot for every time he said "young", "stupid", "24 or 25", or "sorry", I'd need to go to that special place where Amy Winehouse desperately needs to be - Rehab not St. Lucia.

A-Rod provided us with some great quotables, and instances where you really had to wonder if he thought you were that gullible. Here are a few examples:

"I knew we weren't taking Tic Tacs"

"I'm here to take my medicine" (Bad time for that analogy!)

"I didn’t think they were steroids. That’s again the part of being young and stupid. It was over the counter, it was pretty basic. And you know, it was really amateur hour." (Over the what? Really Alex?!! LOL. )

"You know, I’m not sure what the benefit was. I will say this: when you take any substance, or anything, especially in baseball, it’s half mental, and half physical. If you take this glass of water and you say I’m gonna be a better baseball if you believe it, you probably will be. So I certainly felt more energy, but it’s hard to say. It’s hard to say." (C'mon Alex. You knew what the benefits were )

"We went outside team doctors, team trainers. It was two guys doing a very amateur and very immature thing. We probably didn’t even take it right; like I said in my statement, we used to do it about two times a month. I don’t even know if that’s proper. (You let your cousin inject you with a foreign substance you knew nothing about? Give us some credit, Alex! You're handsome, but not that handsome! We are actually listening to what you are saying, not just being mesmerized by your looks!)

The best part of the conference for me was that 1 minute pause, where Alex got so choked up thanking his team for their support. We had several seconds of silence as Alex bit his lip, looked away, and tried not to cry. As you admired his tan, you also wanted to comfort him. It was that believable! A-Rod could teach Madonna a thing or two about an Oscar winning performance.

Overall, A-Rod played a good game. Even as he stretched the truth, he did it in such a way that we did not feel like complete morons, although we would have to be to accept some of what he was spinning. His team took a week to rehearse, and A-Rod recited his lines well, and was able to appear credible most of the time. Nice work.

Rihanna and Chris - The Latest

Chris Brown allegedly hit and bit his girlfriend Rihanna. She suffered visible injuries and had to go to the hospital for treatment.

Chris recently released the following statement:

"Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired," the 19-year-old said in a statement released by his spokesman. "I am seeking the counseling of my pastor, my mother and other loved ones and I am committed, with God's help, to emerging a better person. Much of what has been speculated or reported on blogs and/or reported in the media is wrong. While I would like to be able to talk about this more, until the legal issues are resolved, this is all I can say except that I have not written any messages or made any posts to Facebook, on blogs or any place else. Those posts or writings under my name are frauds."

Rihanna has yet to come out with a statement, however, her family and friends have surfaced various comments to the media. Her father has been the most outspoken. He acknowledged that Rihanna had some bruising, but said that she would be all right. He went on to share that he hoped that Rihanna would move on from dating Chris Brown, and that "at some point, she will speak out. I hope she will stand up for women all over the world." Rihanna insiders have said that the singer was appalled by Brown's statement, especially since he did not admit any guilt.

The singer continues to reside in Barbados, recovering from her injuries with those closest to her.

--------------------------------

Additional Highlights:

*History of Violence: Brown grew up in an abusive household, where he witnessed his stepfather beating his mother. "He used to hit my mom ... He made me terrified all the time, terrified like I had to pee on myself," Brown said during a 2007 interview with Giant magazine.

*Adverse Impact on Career: Wrigley suspended Brown's Doublemint gum ad; the Milk Moustache campaign said they were taking the allegations "very seriously"; and Sesame Street pulled a 2007 episode where Brown guest-starred from all future airings. Meanwhile, Rihanna has postponed her concert schedule

*Damage Control: Brown has hired top crisis management expert, Alan Nierob, to help save his career. Nierob, a veteran Hollywood publicist, is most known for reviving Mel Gibson's career after Mel's infamous anti-semitic tirade

Rihanna and Chris Brown - Assault

Rihanna and Chris Brown were scheduled to perform at the Grammy's tonight. Unconfirmed reports indicate that the couple were involved in a car accident and that Al Green will perform in their place. Rihanna's rep did not provide any details, just saying that "Rihanna is well. Thank you for the care and support. "

Let's hope that there are no major injuries.

Update:

Apparently there was no car accident. Rihanna pulled out of performing at the Grammy's after police reported that they were investigating an assault claim against Chris Brown by an unidentified woman. LA police state that Chris Brown argued with said woman on Saturday night and the fight heated up when both left the car that Chris was driving. The woman had visible injuries and identified Chris Brown as her attacker. Chris left the scene before the police had arrived.

Michael Phelps Bonged it Up

He lost the Kellogg's endorsement deal.

Subway was next, allegedly, but the sandwich giant decided to keep him.

Poor Michael Phelps. The bong is indeed powerful.

Ever since his awe-inspiring Olympic victory in Beijing, all the 23-year old Phelps has done -if you rely on press stories - is party it up and hang out with a series of beautiful, pneumatic women. Who could blame him? After training non-stop for years, having no life but swimming, it was time to relax, grow a beer belly and enjoy the female attention.

But Phelps got careless. He forgot how special he was, how much of a celebrity, and unfortunately how to hide before that incriminating photo gets taken. Phelps probably trusted the people he was with, or more likely they were all too high to care - and now Phelps suffers the consequences.

After pics of Phelps and the bong emerged, I wondered to a friend what the repercussions would be. I suggested that if Phelps worked with his PR team to give a good public apology and if he were then pictured swimming vs.partying, sponsors would stay with him. I felt people would forgive bong-gate, if the offender acted sorry enough.

Then Kellogg's dropped Phelps, and I ate some humble pie. He was suspended from competition and financial support for 3 months by USA Swimming, the sports national governing body. Subway was rumoured to be the next sponsor to leave, and although I was sorry for Phelps, I was pleasantly surprised by a world that still taught that good judgement is best and even a simple lapse can have significant consequences. It can be a scary lesson, but shows us the importance of pondering our pathway and that sometimes "sorry" just isn't enough.

You'll be alright, Phelps. Party is over. Back to swimming and the discipline that provides.

Unleashing the Cat

Let's do it
You and me
A private room
I am ready for you
I have my cat o'nine tails
and my shiny purple boots
with spiked heels


::lash #1::
For all the times you spoke to me in your deep, condescending voice
As if I were a little biddy thing, who had absolutely no clue about life
As if I were just too helpless to manage myself in such a big man's world

::lash #2::
For all the times you didn't allow me to finish a sentence
You not only raised your voice
You interrupted me, feeling that what you had to say was more important
You oozed machismo, and added no value

::lash #3::
For all the times you got away with bloody murder
You stayed protected by working the buddy & drinks network
And someone else had to do what you were supposed to
Or clean up after you

::lash #4::
For all the times you could not admit that you were wrong
You became so creative trying to justify your way
You ignored the looks of pity, disgust and shock
And dug even deeper

::lash #5::
For all the times you were so nice
And made us like you, love you
Then you changed again and embraced the ugly
Trampling our trust

::lash #6::
For all the times you denied the true you
That beauty we know is there
Just to massage your ego
And pander to current philosophies

You discipline those you care about, right?
Well, let me be honest
My primary focus right now is me
I need to maintain peace and love when I interact with you
Forgiveness
Of course I too am flawed
And I do not ever want to get to that place where anger is dominant
Where I feel the need to actually pull out the whip
That good ole cat 'o nine
For a person who can't control their spirit
is the most damned of all


Keri S. Smith

You're What I See

I am not even sure why I kinda like you
When I analyzed the data points
Compared it to past trends
I narrowed it down to a couple of things
You respect and love Him
You make me laugh
You are witty, smart
You are multi-faceted
You are sexy
You're there
So what's the hold up?
I did some more analytics and found that
You remind me sometimes of Hugh Hef and Casanova
You talk but don't always act
You often don't get what a woman wants
I am not comfortable being vulnerable with you
I am not sure if you can handle me
But you are there
You make me smile
You are cute
You entertain me
Fill a gap
I can dig you
We have a connection
There's a lot still to explore
But I know that there is a good reason why I never left the "kinda like" phase, and probably never will
Experience has taught me not to invest much here
I ain't mad - the world's my oyster
Patience pays back in spades
Dinner's almost ready
Yum


Keri S Smith

The Raw & The Beautiful

You see her and are transfixed
She is so happy, loudly confident, and alive
Pulsating beauty
She loves life, and is fiercely protective of her special ones
She flouts convention and is often bawdy
People love being around her
She makes you smile, and sometimes wish to be her

But you know that she often goes too far
She likes to shock, cross the line
She spits on the rules
And while you love her freedom of expression - find her so refreshing
You admit that not all of her movements are wise
She seems to buy into empty philosophies about what it is to be a powerful woman
Much of moral law is antiquated, restrictive, sexist
She is definitely courageous; but sometimes she pushes too much, and debases herself
No one dares to guide her, to correct her - to consider that there could be 'an extreme' that is wrong
She is too darn entertaining, too much of a bright spark in this world
They love her way too much to risk killing such amazing energy
And although you know better
That much of what she does is anti-Him
You can honestly find in her a kindred spirit
That candor, the truthfulness of her being her
You also want to embrace the rawness of your humanity
To live you
The truth, no sugar
To say it, how you really want to say it
Guttural, raw, full of fire
Refusing a lukewarm existence
Living without doubt, with light in your life
And that's what you really see in her
so Raw...so Beautiful


Keri S. Smith

Blogworthy moments missed; but the KSS is back!

Happy New Year, everyone!

*Snicker* Well, it's still technically January, Jan 31 to be exact, so it's not totally laughable to be giving the New Year greeting at this stage! Right? *Snicker*

Man, what a time for me to go off the blogging wagon! I mean...

• Obama won the election. My O! face is permanently in place (?!)

• The entire planet descended on Washington, D.C. for O's inauguration; rumor has it that one person actually saw O up close and personal, the rest viewed via Jumbo Trons
  
  


• Aretha's hat makes history



• Hillary Clinton was named Secretary of State



• Dick Cheney claims he did not overstep the boundaries of the Vice Presidency. Not even he can keep a straight face when he reads those words from the cue cards
  
  
  
• Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, in a bid to make money off of the Obama phenomenon -tries to sell O's senate seat. This act allows the beleaguered Eliot Spitzer to seem almost saint like by comparison
  
  
• Bernie Madoff stole billions, prompted suicides, bankrupted charities, and yet still had the gall to whine about being held under house arrest in his Manhattan penthouse
  
  
  
  
• Heather Mills boasts about being more of a guy-magnet than her gorgeous model friends, conveniently forgetting that the guys started chasing only after her networth skyrocketed thanks to Paul McCartney's refusal to sign a prenup



• Brad and Angie continue to replenish planet earth; gorgeous twins added to the human race
  



• Geese force a plane to land in the NY Hudson River
  
• Layoffs, layoffs and more layoffs
  
• John Travolta's son dies at 16
• Paris Hilton tries to remain relevant - launches British version of her BFF show, and bores the heck out of anyone who still cares to watch her
  
• The Hills multiplies, and brings forth The City. Success for Whitney! She's not as stilted as she appears, and her show is renewed for a second season
  
• Britney is back! Daddy Spears finally embraces fatherhood and turns around his daughter's life


• Heath Ledger wows in The Dark Knight
  
• Hugh's bunny loft undergoes repairs. Girls leave, trash Sugargrandaddy, apologize, and continue to show off their younger stud loves. Hef consoles himself with more of the same - young, busty, blonde, and trampy (too harsh?)
  
• Mariah Carey and Nick are still together (yes!)
  
• Wall Street begs taxpayers for handout, while awarding themselves $20Billion in bonuses - executives get blistering tongue lashing from President O

• People watch in awe, get goosebumps, as they see a relevant U.S. president - laughter is heard whenever anyone ponders "what would Bushie do?" if he were still in office
  
  
• Republicans amuse all with their antics. Hillary lost, they pick Palin. Obama wins, they pick Michael Steele



• The blackberry now comes in a flip phone!
  

And so, so many more blogworthy moments.

Well the K.S.S. is back! Happy 2009 y'all. Keep reading!

XOXOX

Quote of the Day: Replacement

You never STOP doing something. You START doing something else

Congrats Tessa Smith - Recent Graduate, with Distinction, from the Executive MBA Program @ the University of the West Indies Mona School of Business

We are so proud of Tessa! She graduated with Distinction from her Exec MBA program at the UWI Mona School of Business (Jamaica).

Tessa received the highest honors for her program, and was one of the few (only) people to graduate with Distinction.

Well done, Tessa. We are happy, impressed and proud.

Greatest Time Waster Known to Man

Darn pretty colors!
Alluring, entertaining
Hotter than reality
Feel...brain...turning...to...mush
Don't care, must keep soaking it up
Yeah, sometimes you hear the conscience
And to assuage the guilt, you make it all legit
For heaven's sake - I am watching educational programs
So what if it was four hours? This is CNN, man
When that argument falls flat, you try the 'pity me' route
It was a long day! I worked hard! Don't you dare blame me for wanting to relax with shows where you don't have to think
Now, you're secretly getting sick of the routine
You see yourself mirrored in some of the losers in the glass
T.V. is the love of your life
You worship this piece of junk
And while that should sadden you...terrify you
You look up and it's still on
You're transfixed
The stupid monster, your best friend, just won't go away
And the hours pass and days go by
Dreams turn to dust
You consider killing the beast
Cancel cable? Sell the contraption?
But what about your buddies - Larry King? David Letterman? Lauren Conrad (*gag*)
Do we really need such extremes?
Couldn't we just be disciplined and turn the stupid thing off
Ha-ha-ha
Addiction doesn't go away that quickly
I need rehab
Rehab
Rehab
Less I am convicted of murdering my best friend in the world
Doesn't sound so bad really
Once past withdrawal, productivity will rule the day
And I will finally be free

Keri S. Smith

Everyone on Planet Earth - except for Sapulpa, Oklahoma - realizes Obama is President of the U.S.A.

Such a historic moment. Barack Obama is President-elect of the U.S.A. The Global media pounces on this newsworthy moment. People scramble to buy newspapers. Collectors editions are rushed to the newsstands. Such excitement. Such activity. None of which is reflected in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, where a local newspaper completely ignored Obama's win.



And now I agree - the world has gone mad.

Sarah Palin - Get a New PR Team - ASAP

Sarah Palin's run for Vice President of the United States was one of her greatest career moves to date. She energized the Republican base. She made it to Saturday Night Live. She drew more crowds than John McCain. She's now officially on the political map and has better name recognition than many other leaders in her party.



There is no doubt that Sarah has made some awful blunders in the past few months. Katie Couric interview, anyone? She also started to very publicly push her own career agenda and dump poor McCain to the curb. Good or bad, my beef is this: her PR team goofed - horribly.

There are so many idiots running around out there that we are blisfully unaware of - all thanks to sharp PR teams. It is only when scandal strikes that we appreciate the value of a strong team. Now, I am not saying that Tom Cruise is an idiot, but we saw how badly his career tanked when he fired his highly experienced PR rep. The public soon began to see the true Cruise - a Couch Jumping-Stepford Wife Loving-Smile Reminds You of The Joker-Crazy Person. What a feat it must have been to hide such madness! Kudos to his former team for their many layers of brilliant PR spin that allowed us to crush on Cruise for so long.


I posit that if Governor Palin had a more experienced and savvy PR team, we would not think that she was a buffoon. This woman had the highest popularity ranking of any politician in the U.S. She was elected Governor of Alaska. She can speak credibily about energy. These are not accomplishments to be taken lightly. Point is, her PR team could have saved her. She cannot be as stupid as she comes across.

As a newbie to this whole process, Sarah Palin was bound to make mistakes. She made too many...and in such a public fashion. The latest example is Sarah's recent CNN interview. Who in their right mind would allow Palin to respond to rumors about her ignorance? Even if it were true that you didn't know that Canada was a part of NAFTA or that Africa was a continent - would you publicly defend yourself in such a manner? What a PR fiasco.




Sarah needs to check in with some of the A-list Hollywood stars. Borrow their PR teams for her run in 2012 - if she still has any credibility left - and allow the spinmeisters to do what they do best: make anyone look good.

Madelyn Dunham - Obama's Grandmother - has died

My heartfelt condolences to Barack Obama and his family on the death of Madelyn Dunham (86), Obama's grandmother. Madelyn died after a battle with cancer. Recently, Obama took some time off of the campaign trail to visit Madelyn in Hawaii. This trip followed another visit he and his family paid to Dunham in August. Obama has now lost both mother and grandmother to cancer. Obama's mother died of cancer at age 53, and he has always regretted thinking that he had more time with her. Thankfully, Obama was able to spend some precious moments with his grandmother before she passed away.

The family released the following statement today about Madelyn:

"She was the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility. She was the person who encouraged and allowed us to take chances. She was proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and left this world with the knowledge that her impact on all of us was meaningful and enduring. Our debt to her is beyond measure."

How sad that Madelyn passed away on the eve of a historic election.

May God bless the family during this time.

Quote of the Day x 2: Rashid Khalidi and Obama

The McCain campaign seems desperate. Another day, another attack on the alleged terrorist tendencies of Obama. Now, apparently Obama has ties to a 'radical' professor who according to Palin, was a "former spokesperson for the Palestinian Liberation Organization." The McCain campaign forgot to mention that McCain gave $500k to Khalidi in the '90s.

First Quote of the day goes to Khalidi in his response to the media on the latest controversy: " I am not speaking to the media at this time, and certainly not until this idiot wind passes."

Second Quote of the day goes to Obama, who when speaking at an event in North Carolina referred to McCain's latest tactic: "I don't know what's next. By the end of the week, he'll be accusing me of being a secret communist because I shared my toys in kindergarten. I shared my peanut butter and jelly sandwich."

Different World

I am ready
Engines are revved
Experience has bred wisdom
Got a new attitude
Mold me, make me
We got our conquer on
Courage, Discipline, Anticipation, and Faith are all in the mix

There is much to do
And blessings galore
No more waiting
Trash the excuses
Here I am
Leverage me

Answer The Call

He said you were special
You were His
He told you how to succeed
How to stay blessed
He blessed you
He loved you
You listened
You didn't fully understand
You rebelled
He warned you what would happen if you did
You were glib, immature, blind
A reckless fool
You rebelled some more

And He loved you
He reached out
He encouraged
Shared role models
You ignored Him
He disciplined
You were stubborn
He disciplined some more - made sure you heard this time
You were humbled
You listened
His Word helped you understand
In tears, you finally saw the mess you had made
How did this happen? This was not you
Even as you regretted it, the pull was still there

Just stop please
Aren't you tired of being here?
This is not you

Believe Him
What would happen if you truly believed what He said?
He wants to give you more than you could ever imagine
Do you get that?!
Allow Him to bless you
He's been reaching out
Aching for you
Allow Him to love you
You don't need to settle for the short-term rush
Don't insult Him
Don't insult yourself
He is always right
Don't pretend otherwise
You'll get hurt

Just Be patient
You know hard-work is required
But you've worked hard before
Remember Him, you and where you want to go
Resist the folly
You can do this
He will always help you
Such strength and power are yours for the taking
If you follow the plan

The stakes are high
Stay strong, beautiful
He's rooting for you


Keri S. Smith

NightmAIRs - Another Airline Fiasco

How much frustration can you bear before you totally lose it? Thankfully, I am yet to find out.

After an exhausting few days, I was looking forward to getting back home. I arrive at the airport and am told that I have been re-booked on a later flight, with a connection on a different airline. I think "no problem", I have a lot of things I can do as I wait for the plane. I check my bags, go through security and use my laptop until it is time to board. When I land I walk over to the service agent and ask where I need to go for the connecting flight. It wasn't within walking distance. I have to take a bus. Fine. I still had 1 hr and 20 mins. before my flight was scheduled to depart. To be on the safe side, I ask the agent to re-confirm my reservation, especially since it was on a different airline. After I get the OK, I head for the shuttle.

Twenty minutes later, I find the stop and board the shuttle. At the connecting airline location, I walk to the kiosk and swipe my credit card. The only reservation that shows up is for "Ken Smith". Didn't I ask the agent to ensure I was on the flight?

Sigh. I join the line to speak to the counter clerk. An airline rep approaches me and asks me why I am in the line. I tell her I can't find my reservation. She smiles at me and tells me that sometimes the machines don't work so I should try again. I leave the line and she accompanies me back to the kiosk. I swipe the card. No reservation. Duh. She smiles and laughs sheepishly. I try to smile, but can't. I walk back and re-join the line.

At the counter I explain my story to the clerk. She checks the system. She sees my name. Eureka! Wait, I hear her telling me that she sees a reservation but no ticket. She can't let me board the plane without a ticket. Fair enough. However, since I paid, I would like to board the plane. Pretty please. She tells me that the other airline made an error in the ticketing process and I don't have a ticket. She calls the other airline. No answer. She calls again. No answer. After the third try she gives up. She tells me she can't help me. "Go to the ticketing line please."

Sigh. I walk to the ticketing line. There is no one at the counter. I turn around. Yes, the sign says "Ticketing." I ask a nearby rep if I am in the right place, she says yes. She tells me to wait for the appropriate rep who is now on break and will be back in 10 mins. OMG.

I wait. After 8 mins., Mr. Break returns and keeps his head down as he focuses on his computer screen. Hello?! I am the only person in his line, and did I mention that I have less than half-an-hour to catch a flight that I-don't-have-a-ticket-for? He still doesn't look up. I decide to make him. I walk closer to the counter and say hello. He tells me to wait because he needs to first log in to his computer.

I wait. He asks how he can help me. I tell him the story. I am becoming sick of this story. He tells me the same thing as the counter clerk, ticketing mistake, no ticket, blah, blah, blah. He calls the other airline. They put him on hold. They return and acknowledge the mistake. He tells me I need to go back to their counter for them to resolve it. Yes - the counter in that distant land - a bus ride way. I ask about my bags, he doesn't know where they are, but the other airline should be able to help. He says sorry. At this point I wonder if it is the right time to dissolve into a noisy, messy, completely gratifying and totally useless hissy fit. I consider trying out for the first time my Incredible Hulk routine. I am ultra frustrated. Then, I remember that God said that He doesn't give me more than I can bear. I hold on to to that passage...squeeze tight...pulverize it...and then embrace it. I tell the agent thanks and leave.

When I get back to the original airline I am greeted by a line. I wait. Is there any other option? Out of the corner of my eye, I spot a woman trying to cut the line. I give her a hard stare. She misses it as she never looks in my direction. Doesn't matter - I know that there is no way Ms. Line Cutter is getting ahead of me. And she doesn't.

Finally I get to speak to the agent. I repeat the story. I might gag on this story. She starts to tell me that it was because I was late that I missed the flight. I think about what it would be like to leap over the counter. I calmly tell Ms. Jump to the Wrong Conclusions that it was her airline error that caused the issue. She gets it and tries to help. Somehow during the process I get passed over to a young and personable guy. I tell him the story. Sigh. It's OK though because he seems more on top of things. Mr. Young and Personable tells me there are no more flights for the day. I had already assumed that, and knew that later I would have to manage the impact on scheduled activities, but for now I just wanted a new flight booking and a place to stay for the night.

Mr. Young and Personable re-books me and gives me a hotel voucher. I ask for a meal voucher. No, they don't have those anymore. I look at him incredulously and say nothing. He prints out the relevant documentation for the flight. I ask him to guarantee that there will be no more errors. He walks me through the documentation. I ask him again to ensure I won't have any problems tomorrow. I think he feels my pain as he goes to the back room and returns with his supervisor. She tells him to give me a 2-night stay at the hotel vs. 1 so that I would not be homeless during the day while I waited for the next flight. True customer service rears its head and I was surprised and touched. I thank them. They apologize for the mess - it took them 1 hour to say sorry - but it is exactly what I need to hear. After the supervisor leaves, I look at Mr. Young and Personable and decide to tell him something. Although I didn't go all Big Green Hulk on him, I know and have seen other customers do that. I tell him that he has the right attitude and calm personality that will work very well with frustrated customers. He beams, smiles and then laughs with me.

I leave in search of the hotel shuttle. I wait. I hear screaming. I look down - it's my feet. Trudging to and fro in high heels is brutal. I wait. A driver pulls up and asks me what I am waiting for. This is his third time around the circle and has seen me standing there for a while. I tell him what hotel shuttle I want. He proceeds to describe how the shuttle would look- the color and exactly where on the shuttle the sign with the name of the hotel would be located. How nice of him. Wait. Do I seem mentally challenged? After giving his description, he smiles and leaves. As soon as he drives off, the hotel shuttle I need arrives. How ironic or funny. Maybe later I will figure out which one and give the appropriate response.

The shuttle doors open, and I limp inside. I collapse on the seat and lean my head on the railing. I can't wait to get to the hotel room and finally eat dinner. Oops - no meal voucher. I guess I will snack on my crushed banana.

I am tired, hungry and feeling beige, but I know I am blessed. I have a place to stay, a flight confirmation, my Bible, my laptop, one outfit (I am wearing it), and a dented banana. There are others worse off. I think.

I pray that I never repeat this day.

Is Anderson Cooper's laugh that bad?!

Open It Up

Self-sufficient
Independent
Reticent about asking for help
Not wanting to bother people
Preferring to give than to receive
Sometimes in the extreme
Priding yourself on that
Relishing the joy associated with helping others
But stubborn about reaching out and asking for help
Denying them that same pleasure
Until you are forced to
You become so weak, you can hardly speak or move
You are in so much pain
When there is no possible way that you can do it alone
Where without them, without them...you are not sure what would have become of you
And the kindness
The loving caress, word, gesture
Brings tears to your eyes
And you are overwhelmed by the generosity
It feels awkward, but you embrace the rawness of the emotions
You marvel at how easily strangers have become your best friends
How much friends really love you
And how your acceptance of their kindness blesses them as much as you are blessed by them


Keri S. Smith

I am Not a Guinea Pig

I think I am pretty patient
I try to show mercy, so that the same can be shown to me
But every now and then
Every now and then
Someone or Something just makes me want to lose it
Fine, everyone needs to learn
How can we get better if we don't practice?
I get it, and am OK with it
But, when it is late at night, and I am quite unwell
Please, I beg you, please
Do not wake me up to practice
I empathize that you didn't get what the more experienced people saw
I get that you want to see it
To improve, to be the best you can be
But right now, right now
I don't have the patience to be your guinea pig
And after you tried for a long time and weren't successful
I wasn't mad, I was just tired
My head was killing me, I just wanted a break
But did you have to ask the one who was successful for pointers while you were still in hearing distance?
Yes, you want to learn, you want to improve
But it's not just about you
And while I work to be patient, and kind
Can you please at least pretend that I am more than a test case for you to learn?
That you are not just using me to fine-tune your skills?
That you care about my well-being
And I in turn will be more than happy for you to leverage me to enhance your knowledge


Keri S. Smith

I Am Nothing, He is Everything

You really don't know anything
You speak as if tomorrow is a given
As if you have any clue about what the future days will hold
As if you are in control of life, health, strength
And then you are humbled
You recognize the arrogance
And you still think you know something
That you can predict some of the basics about tomorrow
And again you are humbled
And you realize that you know nothing
That everything is a gift
That you have been richly blessed
That you have taken much for granted
That the only thing that is sure is Him and following His Word
That when all is stripped away, it's only His love that sustains you
And you cry as you learn the lesson...as you try to get all that He is teaching you
As you recognize how gracious He has been
And experience that all other foundation is sinking sand
You begin to see that you really can do nothing without Him
And through the tears, you understand that bread alone will not sustain you
But every word that proceeds out of His mouth provides life
And you embrace peace, because worrying will do nothing, planning can be futile and prayers work wonders
He's in control of all
And all things work together for good to those who love Him


Keri S. Smith

Hats Off to Senator Hillary Clinton - Great Speech at the Democratic National Convention (DNC)

Hillary aced it.

Excellent speech. Classy. Poignant.

Senator Clinton had the right words for her die-hard supporters via a loving, heartfelt thank you, while expertly directing them to move beyond personalities to the real issues. "Were you in this only for me?", she asked the crowd. She also complimented her husband and herself by highlighting the fact that Obama can do this - why? - well, because it has already been done before, during the Bill and Hill years. Clinton was very bullish about Michelle Obama - and Michelle's great opening night speech - and about Senator Biden and his wife Jill.

Clinton also incorporated the right amount of content on key issues - she had good messages on universal health care, the war in Iraq and women's rights.

The Senator was chockful of wonderful quotables: "No way, No how, No McCain." "Keep going, if you want a taste of freedom, keep going. I have seen it. Keep going." "We don't have a moment to lose or a vote to spare. Think about your children and grandchildren on election day."

My LOL moment of the speech was when Hillary defined herself as a proud mother, proud American, proud NY Senator, proud supporter of Barack Obama....a proud everything except for a proud wife!

Much respect to Senator Hillary Clinton. Great unifying message. Well done. Well done.

Obama Picks Harshest Critic as Running Mate - Welcome Sen. Joe Biden!

And he has chosen...

It's not Hillary. Not Evan. Not Tim. Joe got the #2 spot.



The Obama campaign announced that Senator Joe Biden from Delaware has been selected as his running mate. Joe beat the other contenders, NY Sen. Hillary Clinton, Indiana Sen. Evan Byah and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine.

Joe brings major credentials to Obama's run for Presidency. The Senator - 65 - was elected to the senate in 1972, is currently serving his sixth term and wears the proud title of Delaware's longest-serving senator. Not only that, but he has a reputation as one of the best on foreign policy and currently heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Biden recently returned from a two-day trip to the Republic of Georgia after the invasion by Russian troops.

Not a bad resume, Biden. Actually pretty good...and definitely throws a punch at the McCain campaign's argument that Obama is weak on foreign policy. It also helps that Biden has strongly criticized Obama in the past. I think it adds credibility to the Obama ticket, because if a critic as strong as Biden has now deemed it worthy to join Obama and - in himself - addresses Obama's perceived gaps, that certainly erases some of the concerns persons have voiced about Obama's inexperience.

Here's what Joe has said about Obama:

In a debate during the democratic primary contest:

*Who among us is going to be able on day one to step in an end the war? Who among us understands what to do about Pakistan? Who among us is going to pick up the phone and immediately interface with Putin and tell him to lay off Georgia because Saakashvili is in real trouble. Who among us knows what they're doing? I have 35 years of experience"

During another debate, when moderator George Stephanopoulos referred to some of Biden's comments on Obama, Biden reconfirmed them:

* "You were asked, 'Is he ready?' You said, 'I think he can be ready, but right now, I don't believe he is. The presidency is not something that lends itself to on-the-job training,'" Stephanopoulos said. "I think I stand by that statement," Biden replied.

However, Senator Biden was quick to note in July that Obama's wisdom was better than McCain's war record. Biden said, "But 20 years of experience that has not been very solid in terms of projecting what was going to happen just doesn't make you a better commander-in-chief. We don't need as a commander-in-chief a war hero. John's a war hero. We need someone with some wisdom."

Of course the GOP will be digging up the dirt on Biden (as Obama's camp will do when McCain announces his running mate). But for now this is what Ben Porritt, McCain's campaign spokesman, had to say: "There has been no harsher critic of Barack Obama's lack of experience than Joe Biden. Biden has denounced Barack Obama's poor foreign policy judgment and has strongly argued in his own words what Americans are quickly realizing -- that Barack Obama is not ready to be president."

Again, I think it strengthens Obama's campaign that a former critic, and a very experienced and respected foreign policy veteran, has accepted Obama's offer to join as running mate.

What do you think about the Obama-Biden ticket?

*********

Quick Stats on Biden (courtesy of CNN)

*Candidate status: Dropped out January 3, 2008

*Filed a statement of candidacy with the FEC on January 31, 2007

*States won: None

*Current job: U.S. senator from Delaware

*Birth date: November 20, 1942; Scranton, Pennsylvania

*Family: Married Jill Tracy Jacobs (1977-present); Neila Hunter (1966-1972, died). Children: Joseph "Beau"; Robert; Amy (1971-1972); Ashley (1981). Five grandchildren

*Religion: Roman Catholic

*Education: University of Delaware, B.A., 1965; Syracuse University, J.D., 1968

*Campaign Web site: http://www.joebiden.com/

Jamaica's Men Relay Team Wins Gold in 4x100m Final

Another day, and there are some more medals for Jamaica in the Olympics!

Congratulations to our 4x100m men's relay team: Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell. The men won gold and broke the world record with a time of 37.10 seconds. Bolt ran the third leg of the relay and passed the baton to Asafa who took it home for the team gold. I am so happy Asafa got his first gold!

Apparently Bolt kept running after he passed the baton to Asafa and ended up beating one of the team's competing in the race. LOL!

Congrats also to Trinidad and Tobago who won the silver in 38.06 seconds and Japan who took the bronze in 38.15 seconds.

LOL Read of the Day: Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps

I really enjoyed reading the following article by Tim Dahlberg for the Associated Press entitled "First Phelps, then Bolt in Olympic greatness". Please see below:

----------------------------

BEIJING -- First the fastest man in the water. Now the fastest man on Earth.

The Chinese are having themselves quite the Olympics.

Michael Phelps gave us something we'll probably never see again. Usain Bolt followed with something we had to see to believe.

He ran like Secretariat on two legs, blew away the field like Tiger Woods playing in a club championship.

It looked easy because it was. His fellow sprinters looked befuddled because they were.

No one was ever supposed to be this fast. No one was ever supposed to be this good. A few days earlier Bolt clowned around on his way to a world record in the 100, toying with the other runners as if asking them why they had even bothered.

For his encore, he kept running all the way to the finish line to smash a world record in the 200 that had stood the test of time.

He did it while Phelps was jetting off to London, his eight gold medals safely stored and his place in this Olympics assured. These were always Phelps' games, at least as far as NBC and its American audience were concerned, but Bolt reminded us that television doesn't always dictate who is the star of the games.

The numbers can be debated, and they certainly will in the rural Jamaican parish that grows yams and sprinters. Two gold medals (with a possible third still to come in the 400 relay) against eight hardly seems a fair fight, but this was dominance as utter on land as it was in the pool.

Bolt did what no one thought possible, not only winning the races that define human speed but setting world records in both. He was so far ahead in both races that he could have turned around and run backward the last 30 meters and still won.

Then he did something Phelps always looked uncomfortable doing.

He celebrated.

Not just a little wave to the crowd, quick hug to a teammate kind of celebration.

A real celebration.

Bolt kissed the track and draped himself in the Jamaican flag. He danced and preened, showed everyone his golden spikes, and watched himself on the giant video screen at the end of the stadium.

He might still be dancing had they not needed to clear the track for Melaine Walker to add to Jamaica's track treasures with a gold medal of her own in the 400 hurdles.

We watched last week as Phelps gave his mother flowers after all of his wins, a nice touch that NBC wasn't shy about showing. Bolt gave his country -- and a sport that was badly in need of a boost -- an even bigger present with his startling run into history.

"He's a bad mamma-jamma," said silver medalist Shawn Crawford. "The guy came out and made this the best Olympics of my lifetime."

Actually, what Bolt did was wrap a bow around these games as almost certainly the best Olympics of anyone's lifetime. What else could they be when a man in the water did such astonishing things the first week and a man on the track did equally astonishing things the second.

Phelps started it all by thrilling everyone in his relentless -- and ultimately successful -- bid to break a 36-year-old record held by Mark Spitz.

And Bolt? All he did was bring down Superman.

"He's Superman 2," said Michael Johnson, who got his nickname after shocking the world with the 19.32 he ran in the 1996 Olympics.

No he's not. He's so good he deserves a nickname of his own.

"My name is Lightning Bolt, not Flash Gordon," Bolt said.

On this sultry night in the Bird's Nest, the Lightning Bolt struck quickly, with Bolt coming out of the turn with a big lead on his way to a 19.30 that will stand until the next time he wants to beat it. While other runners pump their fists and grind down the track, the 6-foot-5 Bolt seems to glide above it as if he's wearing a cape of his own.

He runs for fun and he runs for glory. Then he runs for a microphone to tell the world all about it.

"I blew my mind," Bolt said. "I blew the world's mind."

Yes he did, because the world didn't see this coming. While Phelps was a known commodity after winning six golds in Athens, Bolt was untested on the biggest stage and had to talk his coach into letting him enter the 100 as well as run his favorite 200.

He ran both so fast that the whispers were beginning before Bolt even draped himself in the flag. That's the way things are in track, where three of the last five Olympic 100 winners eventually tested positive for performance enhancing drugs and where startling times are greeted with suspicion.

But Bolt has been tested four times in the past few weeks, three of them blood tests, and come up clean. His coaches insist it's raw talent and hard work that makes him so fast, and we might just have to accept that he's a freak of nature.

It's not fair to question Bolt, and it wouldn't be fair to question what makes Phelps go so fast.

Just sit back and appreciate the magical moments two great athletes gave us when it mattered the most.

Jamaica Got Gold, Jamaica Tied for Silver...But U(SA) were Technically Fourth. What to do??

P.S. Thanks Chrissy Jackson for the photo shopped version. Black, green and gold all the way!

Jamaica does it again...Gold and Bronze in the Women's 200m Final!! I feel good...nahnahnahnaha...so good...so good (sung like James Brown)

Another day, some more Olympic medals for Jamaica.

Is it possible to burst with pride? I hope I don't find out...but I am getting really close.

Our very own Veronica Campbell-Brown won gold in the women's 200m final in Beijing. Veronica - 26 -ran her personal best at 21.74 seconds. Thank you, Veronica. We are very proud of you.

Veronica was thrilled about her victory. She had this to say: "I am very happy. It's great to come out and defend my gold medal. It's been great to see Jamaica get a clean sweep of the sprints. Now I have to concentrate on the relays." That's right Veronica, stay focused!

Wait! We aren't done yet.

Not to be left out, Kerron Stewart, fresh off of her silver victory in the 100m final, got bronze in the 200m with her time of 22.00 seconds. Congrats, Kerron!

Now many have been wondering, how can such a small island nation dominate the world stage in such a phenomenal manner. Well, our Jamaican Track and Field Authorities have said it is because Jamaica is now "looking after its own" and refusing to let Jamaica's best young athletes be poached by U.S. colleges and naturalised in the U.S. Asafa is a great example of this strategy. He did not accept the many offers to move to the U.S. and instead remained in Jamaica and was coached by Jamaicans. According to the Australian Herald Sun, this has "helped stimulate passion about the sport in Jamaica with young prospective runners seeing their heroes stay at home and then dominate the world - this year like never before." Thank God for wisdom!

OK, back to our latest medal winners - Veronica and Kerron. Ladies, let me know when I can join you in the victory dance! Nuh Linga? Gully Creepa? Or as my friend Donald says, maybe an old school Bogle? I hope to partake in our soon-to-be (please Senor Bruce G!!) National Holiday to honour our team's mind-blowing performance in the 2008 Olympics.

Proud to be....every time.

Happy Birthday, Usain Bolt!

Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday, dear USAIN

Happy Birthday to you!!!!!!!!

Congrats on making Jamaica so proud...and oh, also congrats on your 2 Gold medals.

How does it feel to be the fastest man in the world, Usain??

God is fabulous.

Proud to be a Jamaican...every time

Looks Like Bruce Golding Heard Us - National Holiday for Jamaica May Soon Be A Reality to Celebrate Olympic Victories!

We have all been clamoring for a National Holiday to celebrate our historic Olympic wins...and now it seems that our Prime Minister may heed the call.

According to Reuters, Bruce Golding said he hoped to declare a national holiday after the Olympics to celebrate Jamaica's magnificent wins. Bruce also said that, “Usain Bolt is a super human being. The world has never seen anything like him."

Source: Yahoo! Sports

This is Wonderful Madness...Another Gold for Jamaica....Melaine Walker Breaks Record in 400m Hurdles!!

Wow!!

I don't know what to do with myself. Back-to-back gold medals for Jamaica.

Melaine Walker won the gold in the 400m Hurdles finals. Her time of 52.64 seconds is an Olympic record.

OK - Isn't it time for a National Holiday now???? Come on, Bruce!!!

I AM SO PROUD OF MY COUNTRY!!!! GOD IS GOOD!!!

YAYAYAYA!!!