Storm Watch: Safe in His Eyes

 

Ever so often on life's roadways, we will have to ride out a storm. And as a new minister, God graciously plants words of encouragement on our human existence in my spirit. Below is a sermon I preached on this topic, taken from Luke 8:22-25 (NIV)

²² One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. ²³ As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. ²⁴ The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. ²⁵ “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”

Every year the National Weather Service alerts us about upcoming storm seasons; how many hurricanes there might be, projected snowfall amounts, potential rain and flooding, wind speeds, or thunder and lightning intensity. These storms can be very damaging to life, livelihood, and property. Remember Mount Pleasant we recently supported relief efforts to flood victims in Sumter SC during this fall season.  It just seems like these storm seasons all meld together.  Much like life, there’s a saying that at any given time we’re either coming out of , in one or going into a storm…whether it’s a challenging relationship, workplace issue, illness or just feeling like the winds are blowing  a lack of favor on our current situation.

Whether we’re facing weather storms or life storms, we look for some help. Hurricane season in particular can be frightening. They’re the subject of much folk lore.

For example in one of Harlem Renaissance author Zora Neal Hurston’s signature books, two of the main characters find themselves in the midst of a hurricane in Florida. Confined to a tiny shanty located in the Everglades, they are contemplating their survival.  An excerpt from the book reads,
"They huddled closer and stared at the door. The wind came back with triple fury and put out the light for the last time. They sat in company with the others in other shanties, their eyes straining against crude walls and their souls asking if He meant to measure their puny might against His. They seemed to be staring at the dark, but as the title of her book notes, Their eyes were watching God.

So who are you watching in the midst of the storms of your life?

In the scripture, the disciples are in the boat with Jesus, sailing across the Sea of Galilee.  All of a sudden the storm, a squall came down. That’s how they show up in our lives. Unpredictable. Even AL Roker or Tom Kieran’s meteorological models aren’t 100%.  And we can be anywhere when storms come down, a ship, a shack, a mansion, riding in our car, sitting at our desk, or in the sanctity of our own home. Storms can even show up in the sanctuary of the church.

Now the disciples became frightened as rough waves tossed the boat. Much like we do when the storm clouds appear in our lives. Many of you may remember growing up that we used to have to sit down somewhere during scary thunder and lightning storms. My grandmother would say be quiet now and let the Lord do His work.

So that’s what the disciples did in v 24. They were watching Jesus and woke Him up from His rest. Because no other Help did they know. Even King Jehosophat in 2 Chronicles, alarmed when facing a tough battle, prayed to God saying We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you."  Because God is also on watch.. an ever-present help in trouble, remaining vigilant, for our protection and safety, his work and will to be done in our lives. The disciples were privileged to watch Jesus in His human self for a little while. He was trying to teach them they should not fear, because like it says in that old hymn, Blessed Assurance Jesus is ours.

So then Jesus arose from his rest and calmed the storm.  And later on in His earthly journey, He arose after a 3 day power nap in the tomb. And He still calms the storms in our lives. For our ultimate safety and salvation  He arose!  

The disciples then ask What manner of man is this! for he commands the wind and water…Jesus was large and in charge.

The word command reminds me of military parades, which for those of us who served we participated in or others may have viewed them. There’s a formation move called, Pass and review, where the soldiers march past what’s called a reviewing stand, which is elevated above the parade ground. Here the command structure is seated, watching the parade.  When the soldiers reach this spot, the senior soldier yells EYES RIGHT, and the soldiers salute while simultaneously turning their heads to the right and looking at the commanders, and they keep marching forward.  Amen! Because we serve The Commander in Chief, with ALL Power and Authority, who sits high and looks low we know storms will eventually pass and we can review our lives to see how He has brought us through.

So are your eyes right when the storm comes… Or are you watching Dr. Phil, the politicians, CNN, or false prophets?  As I mentioned earlier, during my childhood we had to turn everything off when the thunder storms came. Especially the television, and my grandfather would say cut that idiot box off, fixated on that mess. Today, let’s make sure we aren’t watching or listening to the wrong thing or the wrong people.  There’s a whole bunch of uninformed mess being passed around.  Let’s be focused on what saith the Lord in the circumstances of our storm. Look at Him who sits on the command throne of heaven. Glory Hallelujah, His truth is marching on.

2 Corinthians 4:18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 

Then are your eyes fixed high on Calvary?  Where Jesus sacrificed His safety for us, tossed and battered by an angry sea of citizens.  Scripture says everything went dark there that day at Golgotha.

Yes storms can bring darkness to the skies and our lives. In the excerpt of the hurricane story I read earlier, it says the storm knocked the light out in their shanty for the last time. But we don’t have to worry about that. Thank God for Jesus, who ascended to heaven and became the eternal light of the world. A constant beacon taking us from shore to shore, even in the storms. And if we keep our eyes on the Him, He will keep us in perfect peace, strengthening our hope for making it through. Our faith can look up to Him, Savior Divine.

 

Reverend Deborah L. Parker

Associate Minister

Mount Pleasant Baptist Church

Herndon, VA

Charting Your Life Journey: An Odyssey of Lessons

 Even his griefs are a joy long after to one that remembers all that he wrought and endured.
Homer, The Odyssey

 

When I was in undergraduate school I took a course in Greek Literature. It was not my favorite subject, but I did find myself fascinated with some of the writings—in particular The Odyssey by Homer. The term “odyssey” continued to show up in my life through other readings or programs. And as I’ve gotten older, I found that this word appropriately describes acts of my life’s journey.

            The Random House Dictionary defines an odyssey as "any long series of wanderings, especially when filled with notable experiences, hardships, etc."  For those who may not be familiar with Homer’s piece, it chronicles the journey, setbacks and protection of its warrior main character, Odysseus.

 As in the expression ‘art imitates life,’ many others may be able to identify with the lessons of this epic tale. If not The Odyssey, there’s Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, The Lion King or many other foundational life stories on traveling roads, falling down, facing who we are and getting back home, while reflecting on the interactions with the people we’ve met along the way. Writings on faith, spirituality and religion enlighten us to some of the same messages.

In thinking about our own encounters or events, we realize that in sometimes mysterious yet circuitous ways, these messages serve to shape and mold us much like the characters of these works. Understanding the past is most times a key element in making sense of the present. As we celebrate and prosper, suffer and learn or rise and fall through these ordeals, we come into what is the beauty along with the complexity of our earthly existence. Usually that takes time. 

 

 

This world we travel presents paths with faults, barrenness and cracks while also offering its bounty of growing seasons, plants and flowers. The seasons will change and so will the conditions. We trek across this land encountering people and places, sometimes stopping and restarting. Moving through phases of our odyssey at given points we may ask: Where am I?  We look at where we’ve traveled and ask: What’s behind me?  Is this the best way ahead? What’s before me?  Side trips will take us into new territory, providing new ground and spaces to explore. We’ll cross and burn bridges. Our thoughts may also focus on places to avoid. We may even ask which stops are necessary.

I encourage each of us to explore our own odyssey and the lessons that lie within, even from our various forms of grief. The yield for our future can be tremendous!

 

 

 

 

Career Strategy: Building a Personal Resolve and Reputation

 

            As we move forward in reaching our goals, there are other stakes to put in place with the fast pace of life. Stocking these attributes listed below will keep us built to last, whether we’re operating in a paid or volunteer situation or managing our lives.

·         A Little But Good Attitude

      The rules and conditions will keep changing. There will be failures and setbacks. It’s easy to become bitter. Staying focused and positive is essential to present ourselves well and concentrate for the best decision-making. There may be times to push through obstacles in our way. Gratitude, for whatever the situation, is necessary as well.

·         Get It Together—Organizational Skills

Rounding up all needed documentation, such as résumés (old and new), transcripts, evaluations, job descriptions, and letters of recommendation may be time consuming, but it has a huge return on investment (ROI). You don’t want to go on a fishing expedition when something is needed right away. Next, put them in some type of logical order. A tracking process to catalog research data, log phone calls, résumés sent, and networking cards will also be needed. Use supporting technology in this effort, and don’t forget to record those passwords for company websites when applying online! The same tactics work for tracking any financial expenditures, especially for tax purposes.

·         Who Knows You? References

Have you ‘done good’? Can anyone attest to that? Compile a list of people  who’ve known you in a professional setting, such as supervisors or co- workers. Also include those who can speak to your character. Include personal friends with a solid background; teachers, professors, or family friends. Make sure position titles, addresses (e-mail and postal mail), and phone numbers are current. Contact your references to let them know of your career plans, especially if you haven’t communicated with them in a while. The last thing you want is for a potential employer to call a reference who doesn’t remember you or thinks you’re no longer among the living.

This who-knows-you concept isn’t just for job situations. Many community and professional associations may also require references. Due to the worst of human nature (molesters, scammers, and the like) background checks, of the financial and character type, are now the norm.

Ensure that your social media presence reflects an image that’s aligned with who you are professionally, especially on LinkedIn. Recruiters and interviewers do use Google to check out prospective hiring candidates. Censor your tweets and Facebook posts based on the type of opportunities or community positions you seek.

Birth of a Book: Navigating Life's Roadways

My first booksigning of Navigating Life's Roadways in 2011

 

Life is a message – listen to it. Life is a belief – trust it. Life is a gift – accept it.

Life is love – think about it. Life is an adventure – dare it.

                                   Northern Sotho proverb, South Africa

 

 

My first book, Navigating Life's Roadways: Stories of Insight From My Odyssey and Inspiration for Your Journey, was a charge and blessing from above.

Writing it had been on my radar for a while.

I remember first mentioning my authorship intent to family and friends about 16 years ago. Then I started writing—capturing life’s glories and challenges as I saw them.  A few years later as I exclaimed this vision to others, the comments ranged from supportive to discouraging—but I wasn't necessarily deterred. Continuing to write, I cataloged more stories as my life’s map unfolded.

 Just speaking the words of my writing goal gave this project life – sprouting the seeds. God gradually put a series of experiences in my life—some great and some not so great with professional, spiritual and personal accounts—to get me to this point. Responses and residue from the issues of family and friends gave me new insights for addressing the travails of my odyssey. Participants in my workshops—through their comments and questions—validated my thoughts of writing this book and alerted me that so many of us are struggling and looking for answers. The rollercoaster nature of the social, political and economic climate of this country pointed to a need for new maps to circumvent these troubled times. My own life's missteps started to reveal instructive destinations…and this book evolved.

Through the years I stayed on Persistence Parkway—revisiting what I’d written, attending writer’s groups and keeping the goal alive. I also stopped at Waiting Wall to assess where I was on my path and then tweak my manuscript. The original writings focused on everyone else's story. When I showed this manuscript my oldest brother, he asked me why I didn’t share more of my life. He said, "People like to read about other people’s lives…” and I'd done many positive things in spite of our rough beginnings and he was proud of me. My brother reemphasized the fact that we all have a story to tell. Not long after that conversation I attended the funeral of a saved saint—an old friend of my family's. The choir sang her favorite hymn, "Tell it When You Get it Right”.

God was allowing me to tell my story and the time is right.

             Along with the other teachings from my journey’s wanderings.

        

            The starting point of my odyssey is my hometown of Waverly Virginia, where the stories focus on the foundations laid on the roads I first trod with my family, faith and community structure.  Proceeding to other major avenues such as school (because I liked Williamsburg so much I wound up going to college there), relationships and careers — I then periodically circle back to my childhood in later narratives.

I also penned the major parts of this book in the year of some personal and extremely pivotal life events.

My mother passed away on March 10,2010  and the agonies of the grieving process were tremendous; a surreal event that’s been devastating on all fronts for me.

In this process I discovered that we give to fill a void. I am single and don’t have children, so birthing this book is one of the ways I hope to leave a footprint on the world. Since my mother passed, I’ve felt a chasm of many emotional proportions. Yet the process of grieving her transition gave to this book in ways I couldn’t recognize at first. She left a legacy in the circle of life.

             Once I was led to and committed to writing, energies from everywhere cooperated—seems like phrases, memories and lessons abounded at every corner. My mother knew of my writing aspirations and I feel this creative force was her way of working through God to stir up my spirit. While out walking, ideas would flood my head as I looked at the sky or the landscape around me. I’d hurry back to my office and quickly capture the thoughts—adding fresh words to the manuscript on my computer.

 

            This journey to publication continued and I've since written four other books, they too part of a birthing process that started over 20 years ago.  Remember birthing can be painful, but the yield worth it.  Keep pushing on!  Be clear on a destination for the results....

  Excerpted from my motivational autobiography, Navigating Life’s Roadways: Stories of Insight from My Odyssey and Inspiration for Your Journey in print and Kindle eBook http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008FQDPYE

Celebrate Life: Vast and Deep

 

Life is in the clouds: great life, broad life, deep life, elevated life.

Hawaiian Proverb

           

            There’s a song I love by the jazz vocalist Dianne Reeve, entitled, “Better Days”.  The words that resonate with me are, “…you can’t get to no better days until you make it through the night.” Dark and frightening deepness of the dusk have brought forth bright and shining opportunities. Keep looking up even when you’re down!

            How do we maintain this joy on the journey— regardless of trials and tests?

            Three things come to mind: Find ways to proclaim good news. Do mark the milestones in life. Write them down. 

            So make your list of joys as vast and wide as you choose.  Then shout it out!

 

Here’s my list of Journey’s Joys:

·         My mother and family loved and love me

·         Getting to know and learn from my grandparents          

·         My graduations from high school and college

·         All of my birthdays

·         Getting my commission as an Army officer

·         The births of my nephew and 2 nieces

·         Getting my first paid training/consulting contract

·         Seeing my mother retire from her job at the factory

·         Paying off my first car and getting the title

·         My Mom’s 70^th birthday party we gave her in 2007

·         Paying for my Master’s Degree with my Mastercard – then settling that debt

·         Ten years as a cancer survivor

·         Buying my first home in Phoenix

 

            Remember LG (Life is Good). ISO – in spite of.

Excerpted from my motivational autobiography, Navigating Life’s Roadways: Stories of Insight from My Odyssey and Inspiration for Your Journey in print and Kindle eBook http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008FQDPYE

 

Introducing VA Native-Author and Motivational Speaker Deborah L Parker!!! 05/09 by LXIXF Talk with Cherie | Motivation Podcasts

Introducing VA Native-Author and Motivational Speaker Deborah L Parker!!! 05/09 by LXIXF Talk with Cherie | Motivation Podcasts

Making It With a Vision: Eyes to The Sky

 

 

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”

~ Harriet Tubman, Conductor of the Underground Railroad

 

            Imagine freedom. Done.

            Vision: A plain message to prevent personal perish.

            From Kunta Kinte to Harriet to Martin to you, we harbor plenty of iconic images of what it has taken and takes today to achieve the right to be. Shackles to shacks and now suburbs, this new life shape is unfolding. From you to me, can we model their grit and, yes, sacrifice? Whatever it looks like in time, energy, money, effort, or even loss, make the picture of your envisioned reality as plain as it needs to be. Imagine your career, your family, and your everything else.

            The dream triggers this new thing that you want. Measureable and to the point is how to capture this goal. Ask yourself: How badly do I want this? What am I willing to go through to get it?  Only you have the answer!

            As Earth, Wind, and Fire sing, “Keep your head to the sky.”

            Dream, imagine, and take a risk!

 

 

Excerpted from my book,For People of Strength, Soul, and Spirit:

Seven Guidelines for Life & Career Success  http://www.amazon.com/For-People-Strength-Soul-Spirit/dp/1479237019
 

 

 

 

Spock Factor: Seven Lessons To Live Long, Navigate Strong, and Prosper Well

“The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few” (or “the one”).

Mr. Spock, from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

The passing of Leonard Nimoy last month, known for his TV/movie character Mr. Spock on the Star Trek series, brought special memories of this logical Vulcan and key member of the USS Enterprise star ship from fans everywhere.

And as many celebrities whose on screen performance expertise gives life to unforgettable icons, important lessons also ensue that can be helpful as navigate our own journeys.

Mr. Spock’s actions represented elements of the daily realities of people, how to get along and use your talents for a purpose.  Drilling a bit further down on these lessons, seven of these insights are:

1. Being Different is fine and needed. Recognize the gift of your uniqueness and use it for the good of others.
2. Take risks and adapt to new situations as you ‘boldly go where no man has gone before.’ Claim your enterprise.
3. There are times to sacrifice for the needs of others in the various roles we have in life, from parent, family member, citizen, leader, neighbor or colleague.
4. It’s good to have a BFF who accepts you as Mr. Spock did in the persona of Captain James T. Kirk
5. Explore and engage life. Leonard Nimoy’s intellect and interests beyond his Mr. Spock portrayal were evident in his passions for other art forms.
6. Keep head and heart connected but logic yields the answer at times… And so do feelings.
7. Understand all the different parts and origins of yourself – Mr. Spock was very much aware of his Vulcan and Earth inclinations and managed them as best he could.

 

Make your voyage a strong one, navigate it to the fullest, and prosper in all you do!

 

Finding Your Internal Positioning System (IPS): What’s Ingrained In You? | Great Black Speakers

Finding Your Internal Positioning System (IPS): What’s Ingrained In You? | Great Black Speakers

Your 2015: Purposeful & Resilient