The Measures of Success

When asked the question, "Who do you admire most?" often times people respond with Moms, and Dads, and Grandparents. However, when asked to identify a person of success, responses are flooded with the likes of Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, and Tiger Woods. Hmmm...do we not admire those who we consider successful? Are those we admire most not considered successful in our eyes? Or is our definition of success merely misconstrued?

Dictionary.com defines success as:

1. the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors.

2. The attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like.

Let's take a look at a couple successful people.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., an activist and prominent leader in the American civil rights movement. He was also a Baptist preacher who may or may not have made too much money during his years, but is definately an admirable person, and one of much success.

Vincent Van Gogh a Dutch Post-Impressionist artist whose paintings and drawings include some of the world's best known, most popular, and most expensive pieces, was a drunk. He sold his paintings for liquor money. He died a broke drunk, but is admired by artists of all ages, a success in the eyes of many.

How, then, do we determine success? Is it monetary worth? Is it media publicity? Is it the amount a person contributes to society?

Inevitable Change Occurs. Intentional Growth Recurs.

Greetings to you my faithful readers, fans, stalkers, haters and the like :)

It has been almost a year and a half since my last post, but I think I'm ready to get back at it. Why? Because of change.

In my short time here on earth, I've come to learn that the only constant in life is change. Things will always change - from fashion trends to pop culture, from the economy to education, from societal standards to ecumenical expectations. Change will occur. Pac said it best when he said** “That’s just the way it is, things’ll never be the same” (Changes, 1996). And if you’re fool enough to believe things’ll never change, just keep on living, because “a change gone come” (Sam Cook, 1964).

While change is inevitable, it does not guarantee growth. If you plant a seed, a change will occur. If you water the seed and tend to it, growth will recur. But it is important for us to understand that all growth is not good growth. All growth is not healthy growth. Many of us have seen growth in various areas of life. We’ve seen growth in our weight. We’ve seen growth in our blood sugar levels. We’ve seen growth in our blood pressure. Some of us have seen growth in our egos, growth in our troubles, growth in our debt. And sometimes we mistake swelling for growth - an abnormal enlargement of something beyond normal size, usually causing a distortion in the structure of the effected area. Some growth can be cancerous and can grow uncontrollably, spreading and creating change in other parts of an otherwise healthy organism. Yes, change is inevitable, but growth, healthy growth, is intentional.

The only way to have a steadfast assurance of healthy growth is to lean on that which will never change, that which is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). The only way to be certain that your change will lead to a healthy growth is to lean on Jesus Christ.

Inevitable change will occur, but is your intentional growth recurring?

**Music education: Pac’s 1996 hit “Changes” was sampled from the 1986 hit “The Way It Is” by Bruce Hornsby and the Range, and E-40 sampled the song before Pac did.

My Inaugural Ramblings

In his address at Gettysburg, Abraham Lincoln said:

The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth (Lincoln, 1863).

Just shy of the 200th year anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth, "we the people" will experience "A New Birth of Freedom" as President-elect Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th president of the United States of America, and I will be in attendance. No matter how small of a spec I will make in a crowd of millions, there is no place I'd rather be than in the presence of history. In the place that commerorates the life and works of our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, the place where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 100 years after Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, shared his "Dream" with my grandparents and great-grandparents in 1963. Yes, I will be there when Barack Obama looks across the National Mall towards the Lincoln Memorial and addresses the nation for the first time as president, letting freedom ring from the White house to the "snowcapped Rockies of Colorado...the curvaceous slopes of California...the Stone Mountain of Georgia...the Lookout Mountain of Tennessee...every hill and molehill of Mississippi...every mountainside...Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

Also check my post Is Racism Dead from Novemeber 5th.

The selfish giver

One would think that being a giver is quite the opposite of being selfish, but I've come to find that I am both. While I've always been a HUGE giver, I'm equally as selfish. I mean if I have the means to do something nice for some one I care about, I'm gonna do it. No questions asked, and not because I expect something in return, but because I just love the gift of giving. I find pleasure in giving all around the board. But just as much, I'm selfish, not to the point where I have a disregard for the well-being of others, just to the point where I'd rather help you get your own than share mine. For instance. I have a friend who, everytime we order food, he's like, "You get this and I'll get that, then we can share." NO! I don't WANT that. If I wanted THAT, I would have gotten THAT. I want THIS, and if you want it too then THIS is what you should get, not THAT. How about I just buy two and you can have your own?

Allow me to reintroduce myself/wildest lyrics ever

In case you forgot, I go by Que.P, and I've been on a hiatus. Lots of thinking. Lots and lots of it. Some of which I might share publicly. Starting with music lyrics. I'm not the biggest fan of rap music, but within a 24 hr time span, I heard 2 of the wildest lyrics I've ever heard, and it got me to thinking about some other crazy lyrics. Feel free to add your own.

"Let me rub on your back/Paint on your toes/Let me scratch the dandruff out of your scalp/Pick in your nose" (David Banner, "Cool" by Anthony Hamilton).

- Um...Unless I lose the activity of BOTH my arms, we'll never be THAT cool. Sorry.



"Back breaker/Put you over my knees/Put you on punishment women and I'll spank ya/Have you praisin the Lord like thank ya-thank ya-thank ya/Lord I want to thank ya" (Luda, "Chopped and Screwed" by T-Pain).

- Is there no shame in our fornication? Too wild Luda. Too wild. LMBO.



"I'm the opposite of moderate/Immaculately polished with/The spirit of a hustler/and swagger of a college kid" (T.I., "Live Ya Life")

- I did the song but uh...how old is TI? I'll take that college swagger (some one pulease bury that word) and trade it in for some grown man weight any day.



"Lucky that my breasts are small and humble/so you don't confuse them with mountains" (Shakira, "Whenever, Wherever").

- Yeah so is that like suppose to be sudductive?



"I like it when the beat goes da na da na/Baby make your booty go da na da na/Girl I know you wanna show da na da na/That thong th thong thong thong" (Sisquo, "Thong Song").

- I can't front like I wasn't riding the Blue Line to the Red Line to the 87th bus blastin this on my walkman, but come on now, "da na da na"?

Happy (late) Thanksgiving

I haven't been blogging much lately because I was planning the first annual "Save Our Children...Save Our Future" Gospel Showcase (which, by the way, was a huge success). But here's the post that would have come on Thanksgiving.

While I've always been taught that every day is a day of thanksgiving, I've decided this year to be especially thankful for the things I DON'T have :)

9. A job. Not working has allowed the opportunity to take a few steps towards some personal goals. Steps that I would not have otherwise been able to take while working.

8. An eviction notice. I've been off work 3 and a half months and I still have my own.

7. A gas bill. I've seen the gas bill at my parents' house and at the church. I'm soooo glad my cooking gas and heat are included in my rent.

6. Poor health - specifically diabetes. I'm not the HEALTHIEST eater, but I'm not a very UNhealthy eater either. I can't imaging having to limit my sugar intake with so much detail as grapes per day, or having to chose a meal over a glass of wine.

5. A lot of debt. This time last year, I paid off my Victoria's Secret card, New York and Company card, and Capital One card, and I've kept the balance off since. With the acception of student loans and a car note, I have reletively no debt.

4. Loser friends. All of my friends may not have a degree, a nice job, car, or house, but all of them are doing something with their lives. All of them are career oriented and have goals (no matter what level). And none of them am I ashamed to say are my best friends. TTWBU!

3. A disfunctional family. I will admit, my family has it's share of issues, as does any family, but I thank God for some functionability. It's pleasing to know people say I act like my mom sometimes, and other times like my dad.

2. A baby-daddy. Lord KNOWS I'm thankful for that. Even when I marry and have kids, I plan to have a husband who will be a great father. Not a baby-daddy.

1. A White president. Selah.

Jewelry

I love jewelry. I don't have a very extensive collection, but I have a few diamond pieces, gold, white gold, silver, surgical steel for the navel, and I have some costume jewelry for certain outfits. I'm definately a lover of jewelry. What I don't love is when people wear ALL of their jewelry at once. I was at city hall today and the cashier was wearing 4 necklaces, all with charms, 4 bracelets on one wrist, 5 bracelets on the other, 4 rings on one hand, 4 rings on the other. All gold. And I'd like to believe that while I couldn't see, she probably had gold anklets on too. I thought the Mr. T trend was buried decades ago.