Tag: Truth

Praise Report & Testimony

On By dancingpalmtreesIn Blessed Be the Rock of My Salvation, Christian, Christianity, Eyesight, Gladys Knight, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Lenox Hill Hospital, Oh Magnify the Lord, Uncategorized, Urgent Care, Vision11 Comments

 

Truth Excellence Not Perfection.  My whole world was challenged last week when I wound up getting hit in my left eye, the same eye I had retina surgery on back in Jan. 2010 while on the job.  It was an accident and I don’t blame my co-workers. Accidents do happen.  I wound up in Lenox Hill Hospital. I briefly tried returning to work on Tuesday but that did not work out well.

The eye throbbed in pain. I had headaches. Thursday in Urgent Care.  Of course during this entire fiasco I was angry. I was upset. Probably alienated people but I had to go through those stages. There had to be a Time of Mourning as it says in the book of Ecclesiastes A time to mourn, a time to cry. A time of grief.  A time of sorrow.  They have to be experienced before any healing can begin.  Good Friday is coming up soon. Even Jesus experienced frustration, sadness, grief and sorrow.  Jesus cried out, “My God! My God! Why have you Forsaken Me?  If Jesus has feelings and emotions so can I.

I kept asking God Why Me?  Cried a lot from both physical and emotional pain.  However since it happened at work I’m eligible for Workman’s comp and FMLA.  It is possible I might have to get more surgery on that eye.  I must admit that I was really depressed. Anxiety. Panic attacks. The whole nine yards. I did wallow in that depression for several days but vision loss is a loss ~~ a type of death ~~ farewell from what was known or expected to the unknown and unexpected.  Currently I can only see colors, shapes, light and dark out of my left eye. Even with the glasses.  I’ve been going through a type of grief.  Yesterday Saturday, I chose to throw myself into my art. Creating my mixed media photo/picture collages.  The human mind can only concentrate on one thing at a time.  It helped.

Last night I got absolutely No Sleep.  I mean None!  I just tossed, turned and wandered the house all night.  However finally God lead me to YouTube videos by young women who had either gone blind in one eye or for reasons of disease had to have one eye removed.  I was moved by their testimonies.  Given my ocular occlusion in Nov. 2008 the vision in my Left eye had been compromised anyway.  Actually even though I received regular Laser Treatments all of 2009 basically all I saw in my Left eye was black. Not even light and dark. Surgery did allow the light and colors in.  There will probably be more eye surgery in my future.  Not something I look forward to but it is what it is.

The blood vessels that attach the retina were damaged however I gained back some sight through surgery and special prescription lenses.  That ended Sunday, March 18th when I got bashed in the left eye.  Now everything is a blur. Muddy. Like looking through gauze.  However better wonky vision than no vision at all!

 

Realizing that it was Palm Sunday I made up my mind to attend Palm Sunday services at a nearby church one I had attended and enjoyed in the past.  The Sisters were so kind and welcoming.  When the Pastor preached on Jesus triumphant entry into Jerusalem riding on a donkey and the choir singing Hosanna Blessed is the Rock of My Salvation.

 

It’s Holy Week or Passion Week.  Most important than my earthly situation is Jesus sacrifice on the Cross. This week is the most important for many Christians. My Choice is to focus on Jesus and the Bible.

 

One lyric is O’ Magnify the Lord. For He is Worthy to be Praised.  Then It dawned on me.  I could either Magnify the Lord or I could magnify the circumstances.  For God is God no matter if I see again out of that Left eye or the Lord chooses to heal me.  As Gladys Knight sang, “You Gotta Make the Best of a Bad Situation.

 

https://youtu.be/tWJVfEU0Mec

I felt uplifted.  I feel I can move forward no matter what lies ahead.

 

I am Not an Object of Pity!

I do apologize for the length of this testimony.

My Art ~~ I can still be a Visual Artist with only one working eye

https://roamingurbangypsy.com/2018/03/24/artists-labyrinthine-mind-maze/

Sylvester having a great time with my Palm Fronds.  Can’t lose that sense of humor

https://dancingpalmtrees.com/2018/03/25/sylvester-vs-the-palm-fronds/

https://roamingurbangypsy.com/2018/03/25/cees-odd-ball-photo-challenge-march-25-2018-cees-photography/

The Orange one is a work in progress not yet finished.

—

Pinky: “Gee, Brain, what do you want to do tonight?”
The Brain: “The same thing we do every night, Pinky—try to take over the world!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The True Illegals

On By dancingpalmtreesIn Africa, African Goddess, African King, Illegal Aliens, Uncategorized4 Comments

 

 

There has been a lot of talk and controversy in the United States about “Illegal Aliens.”  Let’s look at this issue from a different standpoint.  When you think about this topic the true illegals are those that Colonized Africa, The Americas, India, The West Indies aka The Caribbean and Australia.  At what point in history were Europeans invited to steal other people’s lands, destroy their culture and enslave the people already living there?  Never!  Europeans took all these lands by force, forced their religion onto people, brainwashed and subjugated them.  Then to add insult to injury Europeans claimed they “discovered” these countries and continents.  Europeans claimed to bring civilization to these lands!  Obviously nothing could be further from the truth as all colonized countries had their own civilizations which in some cases were much more developed that any in Europe.

 

Parts of what we now know as the Southwest United States were part of Mexico.  Through Manifest Destiny plus outright greed and violence Europeans annexed these territories in the name of their European God.  When the white man set foot in the Americas they had the Bible and the Indigenous peoples had the land.  Now the white man has the Land the the Indigenous peoples have the Bible along with all the poverty, disease, self-hate and destruction that came with Euro-Centric Christianity.

Entire Native American tribes were given blankets infected with small pox or just plain shot and murdered just so the so-called Settlers could steal their land!  Millions of Africans were stolen from Africa and sold into Slavery to benefit the slave-owners.  Both Native Americans and Africans were stripped of their cultures, religions, way of life because we were deemed to be “savages and heathens.”

Read about the Indian schools established in the 19th & 20th Centuries where Native American children were sent to learn the way of the white man. At least now many Native Americans are returning to their roots including their own religious beliefs. African Americans are looking to Africa and our African belief system as opposed to the white-based Christianity we’ve been spoon fed that said we were the “cursed children of Ham.”

 

Dear Colonizers, European Imperialists, Evangelicals and Fundamentalists while you worship your white god today at your white church please explain to me how you can do so after pillaging and ruining countless lands where you did not belong?  Stealing resources and murdering peoples whose skin color and religion differed from yours.

How do you justify the KKK, the Christian Right or the Christian Identity Movement and the American Nazi Party?  And the idiot racist, sexist, moron who currently illegally occupies the “White House.”  Guess it really is the white now.  Black people being only 12% of the population you know that we did not vote him in there.  The venom that 45 spews from his gutter, these words in not said in a vacuum.  Most people of color know that what he says is really what many white Americans actually think!

Also why are over 90% of serial killers and mass murderers white men?  People of European descent demonized Muslims, Blacks and Hispanics as lesser races or more violent but even a cursory look at history shows the opposite.  Yes white America look in the mirror and see that the true Illegals look just like you!

Europeans and white Americans spent centuries raping, stealing, pillaging, stealing people and natural resources from all the above mentioned continents then complain that those people whose lands were set to ruin are immigrating to America and Europe. That’s a case of the pot calling the kettle Black.

By the way, I’d happily take mine and Stephen’s financial equivalent of the 40 Acres and a Mule that we were promised after slavery plus the accumulated interest to resettle in a land where we would be welcomed and celebrated.  Lord knows America is not that place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Black Panther Movie Review

On By dancingpalmtreesIn Africa, African American Queen, African Goddess, African King, Black Panther, Black Panthers, Stephen, Stephen Vincent Palmer, The Black Panther, Uncategorized7 Comments

The Black Panther Movie was Great, Excellent, Fabulous and Fantastic!! Brilliant! It was wonderful to see Africans as Heroes and Heroines!  Black People in Charge!  We are the Heroic Voice with the story told from a Black viewpoint!

Reigning and ruling in a Civilization more technological advanced than any European one! Africans! Black People! With power and authority! Rulers! Kings and Queens!

Unlike the lies that Europeans and white Americans have fed Blacks across the Diaspora for years that we were heathens, savages, and in need of their Euro-Centric Christianity. Africans had their own advanced systems, cities, kingdoms and faith based systems that suited us. Praise to the Ancestors!

Not to say that the story is one sided because there are enemies from within as well as from outside.

Yes there were white people in the audience but certain dialogues and situations resonated more with Black people. Without giving any too much one scene where a white American asks a stupid question and the Sister responds Yes Colonizer. 

(Yes Europeans invaded Africa stole our resources, land and people in the name of Christianity) with a knowing smile on her face. Or when the white guy touches the King and the Black Female Warrior says that if he touches you one more time that she will Spear him to the table. That resonates with me because some white people have a bad habit or unauthorized touching. Slavery is gone and no we are not your pets! So keep your hands to yourself. Personally I hate being touched and have had to stop myself from punching touchy feeling white folks in the face.

TRUTH!!

Plus the movie has Dark Skinned Black Women as Warriors and Kingdom Guardians! Those Dark Skin SiStars Kick Ass!!

At the end of the film every Black Person in the audience Stood up and Cheered! Now that’s a Powerful movie! Outstanding! I highly recommend that every Black Person see this movie!

 

UNASHAMEDLY AND UNAPOLOGETICALLY BLACK & PROUD!

BLACK POWER!

 

 

 

 

 

Railroad Tracks

On By dancingpalmtreesIn Abandoned Subway Stations, Bergen Street Subway Station, Chambers Street Subway Station, Charlie Parker, J Subway Train, L Subway Train, L Subway Train 14th Street, L Train, Subway, Subway Icarus, Subway Station, Subway Suicide, Subway Train, Subway train cars, Uncategorized1 Comment

 

Railroad Tracks

 

Railroad Tracks going up and down her arms. A magnificent bloody detailed needlepoint. Crack pipe blues.  Give me an avalanche of poison for my rebirth.

You don’t understand my journey.  It is one of withdrawal.

I.V.   Drip, Drip, Drip, Drip

Glazed look in his eyes transfers to me giving me Restless Womb Syndrome. He kissed me with such fervor and hunger that I thought he’d eat me alive.  He did.

Another baby born for sacrifice.  Screaming. Shaking. Yelling. Crying. Wailing.  Babies future fodder for grottoes and guttersnipes. Prison Pipelines like those white lines going up her nose.

Running a Train.  Subway Icarus suicide. Fried Flesh scent lives in my nostrils brain memory.  A Train to nowhere and oblivion.

 

Broadway Junction
Arriving L Train
L Train Views & Vistas from Broadway Junction

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Decorated or Defiled

On By dancingpalmtreesIn Decorated or Defiled, Fusion Poetry, Hodgepodge Poetry, Poems, Poetry, Prose and Poetry, Uncategorized, Writing

 

Decorated or Defiled

An Old Year Happily Discarded

Slate fresh clean Brand New

 

Last year’s implosion old news

Broken, Battered and Beat Up 2017 has left the building

 

And We Danced. And We Danced. And We Danced. Until the Dream was over.

What we run away from is what may save us

 

That being Moxie and Mystery

 

Tapestry pulled into the murky underbelly of a concussion

Pain, sorrow and death are are bosom buddies  Boon companions following your every step.  I kissed a rose and bled deeply and profusely through the thorns.

Muddy Murdered Mannequins being dragged though slimy red clay

Bashed in heads semi-attached to conflicted torsos. Splattered blood pointillism across the magic carpets

There is a bird inside me pecking out my innards screeching release.

 

 

 

2018 is filled with Amplified Astronomical Moxie

 

Religion

“Absorb what is useful and discard what is useless.” ~ Bruce Lee