Those beatings did not kill us!

I remember when I was small. I lived in a little old tapia house with my family in a community not far from Port of Spain. My great aunt, we called her "Nenny" was the matriarch of the family. She loved children, and many of my cousins and neighbors' children passed through her hands. She had a short, broad brown belt she called "Charlie stuck in her apron waist, and she did not hesitate to use it when needed. She was running behind some of my (then!) youngest cousins on the day she died at the age of 89 years. It is nearly 23 years now since that day, but we still tell stories about "Charlie" and those beatings.

Nenny used to beat really bad. But it was her daughter, whom I called "Auntie" who was really fierce. hen any of the children did anything wrong, Nenny would give us some good licks, and then she would say, "you'd get the rest when your auntie gets home." The anticipation of the good "licking" you would get was even worse than the beating itself. You wanted it to be over so you can get feel better.

Nenny and Auntie didn't subscribe to children asking them questions. Children weren't supposed to mind "big people business."  And back-chatting them? No child in THAT house would even DARE to do that. You risked getting double beatings for that! 

Many people today would label those beatings "abusive." And maybe some of them were a little to severe. There was no thoughts of them "being friends" with us children AT ALL! But looking back now, those of us who got the 'legacy'' that these two wonderful women gave are so grateful to them. All of us are law-abiding persons who are contributing positively to our country. They were human, and some of the ideas and beliefs that they had, I now evaluate and know that they were misguided. But hey! Me and my cousins grew up and we could now thank them with all the love in our hearts. And you know what? Those beatings did not kill us!

"Withhold not correction from the child: for if you beat him with the rod, he will not die. You shall beat him with the rod, and shall deliver his soul from hell." Proverbs 22: 13 - 14 (KJV)

Why I blog? I 'm glad to ask!!

I asked myself that question recently as I sat at my computer. I felt depressed because I had only gotten 75 hits and no comments over the four months. I was so new to this blogging thing. Imagine, I got the hang of putting blogs on my blog list last week! I still don't understand lots about blogging or even how to operate this blog site properly.

All right, folks! Don't laugh at me! I can hear you saying. "so why are you blogging, if you don't know what you're doing? You should learn first HOW to blog, THEN start blogging!"

You're right, I should! But the MAIN reason why I started this blog was to give parents and caregivers biblical solutions to help children deal with stressful and oftentimes dangerous situations.

In my country (Trinidad and Tobago), crime against children is skyrocketing. Children are dying from horrible crimes being done to them. One young mother has been arrested for hitting a death blow to her young daughter's stomach because the little girl drank some of her beer. A student is in hospital right now because he was beaten by two other students for refusing to join a gang. Men and women who abuse children seem to be coming out like cockroaches.  And so many little babies are dying in our hospitals due to.

The Bible says that children are a heritage from the Lord, and a man's reward. Therefore we should treat them as the gifts from God that they are.  So therefore we should take good care of them. And I intend to help in whatever way I can. That's why I write this blog!

The Benefits of True Self-Esteem

I told you yesterday that true self-esteem comes from asking Jesus Christ to save you from your sins and to take over your life. Now, what do you gain when you do this?

• To all who did accept Him and believe in Him He gave the right to become sons of God (John 1:12) Because of His love, God had already decided to make us His own children through Jesus Christ. That was what He wanted and what pleased Him (Ephesians 1:5)
• He has given us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly world. (Ephesians 11:3)
• Jesus has the power of God, by which He has given us everything we need to live and to serve God. (2 Peter 1:#)
• I leave you My peace: My peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world gives. So don't let your heart be troubled or afraid. (John 14:27)
• God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him may not be lost but have eternal life (John 3:16)
• And you are healed because of His (Jesus Christ's) wounds. (1 Peter 2:24)
• These are some of the benefits of accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior. We have the right, and we do become the children of God the Father. He was very happy when this happens. We have the power to live a godly Christian life of service. He gives us peace no matter what, we have eternal ofe and healing. And He promises never to leave us. If that doesn't give you confidence, I really don't know what will!!

The Legitimate Way To Self-Esteem

"A poor but wise boy is better than a foolish but old king.." Ecclesiastes 4: 13.

"So," you may ask, "where does self-esteem comes from?" I'll answer that question today. 

Ecclesiastes  4: 13 - 16 speaks about two kings. One a foolish old king , the other a poor but wise boy.  The old king never used to listen to advice and so lost his kingdom. The boy grew up in the kingdom of the old king, and even went to prison, but in the end he gained wisdom from that experience. Though his hard work and wisdom people followed him and he became king. 

Yesterday I said that society look up to people who have looks, education and achieve great things in their lifetimes. We don't know for sure if he had looks, or money. But in the long run he gained the trust and respect of the people. At first everything went well, and the citizens of that kingdom were happy with their new king. But human nature is fickle. After a while, their 'love' for him changed, and they grew tired of him. This always happens in the end. Each year, another woman is crowned Miss Universe. Every day the news reports another business and scientific achievement, and the last one is soon forgotten . Money is made today and lost tomorrow.

If these things don't give lasting self-esteem, what does? In the long run, there is only one thing...or person  who can give us lasting self-esteem. His name is our Lord Jesus Christ. He came to earth born of a woman, lived on the earth as a man for 33 and 1/2 years, and died on the cross at Calvary to take away our sins.  Tomorrow, I will let you know how our Savior's death on the cross gives us self esteem.

"So fame and power are useless, like chasing the wind." Ecclesiastes 4:16 (New Century Version)

Where do you get your self-esteem from?

Where do you get your self-esteem from? Is it from having a nice face and body? Society past and present have set great store in beauty. I read in one of my psychology books that people even perceive good looking people as good people. When we hear about  such a person doing something wrong, we usually say, "and they so good-looking too!' as if their outward good looks could make them good inside.
What do you get your self-esteem from? Educational or vocational achievements? Again, society tends to reward people who accomplish great things. Great acclaim and prestige and financial rewards follow such talented ones.
Where do you get your self-esteem? From making a lot of money. It is said that money can buy anything. Money can get you instant friends. Money makes some people feel that they're better than those poorer than themselves.
Can these things really give you self esteem? I beg you, look at the lives of so-called "rich and famous" and  the "pretty people." Divorce, drug overdoses, suicides abound. Their lives show clearly that self-esteem does not come from these things. "So," you may ask, "where does self-esteem comes from?"
I'll answer that question tomorrow.


"Love not the world, nor the things that are in the world." 1John 2:15 (KJV)

What is God telling you?

Hi! Sorry that I haven't written for a while  I was not too well. But here I am again. I praise God for His healing.

For the past few days, I have been hearing the same message from God. "If you want to serve Me, you have to get the things that hinder My anointing from flowing in and through you." One of the associate pastors in church preached yesterday about some of the things that keep the anointing (the power needed to do what God tells us to do) from working in a Christian's life. What I liked about this message is that usually the focus is usually on the sexual sins like fornication, adultery, homosexuality and lesbianism. Of course, these are things that are obstructions to serving God. 

But Pastor was very practical, and spoke about issues like lying, cheating, unforgiveness, smoking, drinking, horoscopes, strife, malice and gossip. These are the some of the 'sins' that seem so acceptable in churches today that they are almost respectable. But God doesn't think so! He want us to get rid of them and be clean and pure. 

"This I say then, "walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." Galatians 5:16 (KJV)

People Think They Know What Being Blind Is

I was sitting by my computer a few minutes ago when my neighbors who lives directly opposite came home . The curtains at the window are a little sheer and the dining room was on, so they probably saw me sitting at the computer. I heard a very generous remark from my neighbor whom I'll call Brick (who are of a different faith from me but who I feel sure that I see in my church many times). He said," and she pretends she's blind and everybody have to help her."

Most people think that a person could either see, or they are totally blind. I thought so too, before I descended into the (to me) hellish world of visual impairment. But I have found that there are degrees of blindness. You don't have to lose all your sight to be called 'visually impaired."

There is a chart was upon the wall of the vision field testing room of the eye clinic at our country's main hospital. This chart gives the different visual representation of what a person see in different kinds of glaucoma (which my all my aunts, uncles and one cousin and I have inherited). My particular trouble is tunnel vision, where I can only see right in front of me. But I also have to be careful about steps and sudden drops. I have gotten some pretty nasty falls in the past because of this particular aspect of this disease. 

Many believe that visually impaired people cannot use the computer, read, walk straight ,and so on. It depends on the degree of blindness they are at. Plus, there are different tools and helps built into today's computer especially for the "differently abled." There are even computers built for totally paralyzed people who seem as if they are in a vegetable state. It is operated using the brain waves of the person.

Thank God,  I still have enough sight read (with glasses, which need changing right now, and I can't read small print). My cousin Frank, a IT person, enlarged the scene writing somewhat so that I can read the writing on the screen; I feel he may have to do this again soon. And I tend to list to the left when I walk, and I have to keep looking down to see where I'm walking, OR ELSE, HUH!!!

So, my reply to my dear neighbors are the words that Jesus spoke in the Sermon on the Mount, and which I will use as the verse for today.

 (
"Judge not, lest ye be judged." Matthew 7:1 (KJV)

What is the neighborhood bully IS the neighborhood?

Imagine being bullied by the people in your neighborhood! Walking the streets every day with ugly words and mocking laughter ringing in your ears! Fearing that the gunshots that you hear almost every night in the distant part of where you are may one day come in your direction?

You try to tell your family, but they think you're imaging things because the neighbors smile and are friendly to them. Everything is done in such a way that only you know what is happening. They're even using their children to play to intimidate you. It seems that you have no one to appeal for help, for what proof can you give that this is happening?

This is a situation that is happening to a woman right now. She has decided that she is staying right where she is, and that no one can make her run from where she lives. She is a Christian, so she cannot take matters into her own hands, even though she has admitted to thinking about doing this many times. She prays, but everything seems to get worse and worse. Many times she gets discouraged, and wants to give up. But somehow she finds the strength she needs to go on.

I find this scenario very interesting. I would like you to let me know what you would do if you were in this situation.

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1