Untainted Living
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I need your help! (It involves ICE CREAM)
April 3, 2013
I just want to start this entry by thanking you all for being such a great supporter of my blog, it means so much to me! It encourages me to be me and to continue to do what I do!
Don’t hate me, but I really (really) do need your help. As you know, I am an AmeriCorps Member placed at The Father’s Heart Ministries. One of my projects this year has to do with our annual mentorship program; it involves ICE CREAM…hear me out!
Alphabet Scoop is a homemade ice cream store in the Lower East Side (NYC) that trains and empowers youth with crucial life and job skills, allowing them to advance in their school and work endeavors. Teenagers receive classroom instruction and then work under a shift supervisor who helps apply and reinforce job skills. Each teen also has a mentor who focuses on strengthening life skills, helps with problem-solving, and supports and encourages the teen for success. (Oh, did I mention there is ICE CREEEEAM involved!!??)
As ice cream season is here, we are eager for the store to open, however we can’t open until the outside steps to the store are fixed. The metal beams undergirding the steps have rusted and are rotting away!!
Anything you can do to help would be awesome! All donations would go toward architects, engineers, permits, and reconstruction. We really need to get this done as soon as possible in order to open the store. Normally, we open the store in April but we are now trying for May and I think we still can, with your help!
Do it for the kids! Do it for the ICE CREAM!! 
Thank God!
March 31, 2013
Look back and thank God.
Look forward and trust God.
He closes doors no man can open and He opens doors no man can close.
don’t hate
March 31, 2013
“Whatever you give to life, it gives you back. Do not hate anybody. The hatred which comes from you will someday comeback to you. Love others and love will comeback to you.”
Don’t be stagnant!
March 26, 2013
Things may be going smoothly now, and you may even wake up with the best high known to man, but don’t stay there too long. We easily get complacent with how our lives are at the moment that we end up pushing our (big) dreams to the corner. We must continue to evolve, everyday.
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” -Anaïs Nin
Today may have been a good day, but tomorrow could (always) be better!
what do you do to make yourself proud?
March 11, 2013
“what do you do to make yourself proud” — those were the exact search terms someone used and Google directed them to my blog. So since that was a direct search term, I felt I needed to address it directly just in-case whoever searched for it didn’t find a direct answer here.
Being proud of yourself is simple; it’s all about perception. It’s all about wanting what you have in pursuit of getting what your heart desires.
What does that MEAN!?
Live YOUR life; not the life your parents think you should have. Not the life your friends say you should have. Live the life you know would make you happy. Did you always want to be a teacher? THEN BE A TEACHER! Do what it takes to get there. Living a life to satisfy others is not living at all. Even if your family and friends don’t understand why you want to be a teacher, do it because you know it is your heart’s desire – it’s what you feel you were born to do. So do it! On this new journey, you’ll discover who you truly are. Things will begin to unravel about your character and strengths – things you didn’t even know about yourself.
You have to want what you have, you can’t compare yourself to anyone. You are you for a reason; God made you for a special purpose. Don’t worry about the next person, the next person have their own struggles – we all do; we’re humans.
If this didn’t convince you to be proud of yourself, or make necessary steps to be, read Kathryn Joosten’s bio; she’s a woman full of persistence and was determined to be fulfilled in her life – you’ll be touched.
Don’t dream your dream away
March 7, 2013
I know the saying goes “don’t dream your life away” – but I’ve always taken that to mean don’t dream your purpose (i.e. your destiny, your dream) away. We were all created for and with a purpose. Some of us know what it is – that “dream” – and endlessly think about what life would be like when we get to that point. Unfortunately, most just end up dreaming their dreams and never living their dreams.
Your dream may seem too big and unattainable, but how would you know unless you attempt it?
Here’s my mindset on my path to pursuing my dream:
(1) Everyday, don’t go to sleep until you feel you’ve accomplished what you set out to do for your dream that day. I’ve narrowed that down to be approximately 4-5 hours maximum of sleep every night for me
- While you’re in deep slumber, someone who wants it more than you is up hustlin’ and planning
- Ever read Outliers by Gladwell? Gladwell believes that there is a direct correlation between hours spent effectively practicing/ planning and (the level of attained) success.
- Spend time sharpening your skills and knowledge: “If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend six hours sharpening my ax”-Abe Lincoln
(2) Read & Study (like your life depends on it – well, it kinda does, doesn’t it?)
- Whatever your dream – from aspiring business owner, lawyer to actor and performer – you have to know how your industry operates: (1) follow the industry’s news (2) identify with atleast one person already in that industry and know their journey (3) speak to your mentors and those you may know in that industry already (5) get insights on what’s working in that industry – know the big players and what sets one person apart from another…etc (6) continue to do your research even when you’re making progress in that industry. You can start by setting up a Google alert: http://bit.ly/3fbcHD
- Read books – lots of books! There are tons of books on practically everything, so no excuse here. A good starting point is looking through current and past NYT Bestsellers: http://nyti.ms/cKveWC
- As you’re doing your research, continue to ask yourself: “what’s going to make my approach unique? how can I make sure I standout?”
- Eat and breathe your dream daily – you’ll feel so much more connected to it.
(3) The impossible will continue to feel impossible until you try
- When you do try, initial failure will hurt but it’s only a stumbling block; don’t let that stunt your passion for what you want and deserve.
- Bottom line, you have to keep going! It doesn’t get easier, you’ll just become wiser and strengthened.
- Sir Winston Churchill said it best: “Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.”
(4) Persistence is an integral part of success
- Lately, I find that I literally have to convince myself to go to sleep. My mind tells me to stay up one more hour to do research and plan – that hour usually ends up being the entire night. Even with my weary eyes, all I can think of is doing more for the life I see in my dreams.
- Perseverance determines how far you’ll go; try to increase your level of focus every step of the way.
- Let the life of your dreams be your motivator.
(5) Just try, what do you have to lose?
- Good or bad, in the end, you’ll have another chapter down in your amazing journey! There’s no bad chapter, just lessons and growth.
(6) Continue to challenge yesterday’s best
- If I’m effectively planning, to me that means I should be growing.
- I shouldn’t be satisfied in what I accomplished yesterday, I should be focused on getting (and being) better.
Finally, I remind myself that the life I dream of when I close my eyes can only be realized when I work hard with my eyes wide open.
Don’t dream your dream away! Anything is possible – seriously.
❤
your words
March 4, 2013
Let your words be bigger than your thoughts
Let your actions speak louder than your words
Let your faith direct your actions
Let your Maker be the center of your faith, actions, and words
Truth!
“In this life only you can represent yourself
Never let your circumstances hold you back
You were born free, never gotta feel trapped
And on the pursuit to happiness you’re gonna feel pain
But the only way to win is to stay in the game
The naysayers they’re gonna try and embarrass ya
But I’ve learned that the struggle builds character”
(Shout out to my girlie Kristian for sharing this with me!)
“Never let your circumstances hold you back” (Eve’s new song)
March 1, 2013
You’re more than enough
February 27, 2013
“I’m not pretty enough”
“I’m not tall enough”
“I’m not skinny enough”
“I’m not smart enough”
“I’m not strong enough”
Enough with self-doubt
Enough with self-deprecation
Enough with comparisons
Enough with denial
Enough with staying down
Enough with all that!
You were made in His image, so GET UP and do you.
You’re more than enough!
40 things to say before you die
February 25, 2013
This article: http://onforb.es/StrOLT is a MUST read. So please take a few minutes to read it; it’s amazing!
My favorites:
#38 – I believe in this
#34 – I can do better
#28 – How can I help
#18 – This is who I am
#15 – I’ll try it
#10 -Your secret is safe with me
#7- I trust you
#6 – I don’t know how to do this
#4 – This is going to work
#3 – I made a decision
#2 – I love you
#1 – I understand
what would I do different?
February 19, 2013
If I could go back in time,
what would I do different?
If I had another life coming,
what would I do different?
If I could relive ‘that’ moment
what would I do different?
If I knew tomorrow was my last day,
what would I do different, today?
Time waits for no one, do it now.
when life gives you lemons…
February 18, 2013
Life is full of many opportunities,
you can choose to have tunnel vision
in light of sour situations
Or choose otherwise
Lemons aren’t only good for lemonade;
what about lemon pie, lemon muffin, candied lemon peels, salad dressing?
Choose to live peripherally
There will always be unfortunate occurrences,
as sour the situation, the obvious resolution is not the only option.
Be curious and make more with your lemons
Don’t wait to be happy
February 14, 2013
Still high on today’s happiness and love? GOOD — keep it going and going and going and going…you get the idea.
be happy!
February 14, 2013
STOP worrying! Be happy and love everyday; we’re here for a limited time.
the corner hustle (education) and the increase in drop-out rates
February 13, 2013
— 2 Comments
I grew up in the South Bronx, and now live in the North Bronx. One thing that has remained constant in both neighborhoods is the corner hustle (now a franchise). I’ve grown to be indifferent about it, but I do understand why many fall victim to it.
I’ve always wondered: who do these boys have to look up to in these ‘hoods? Most of their fathers are either incarcerated or choose not to be in their lives. They don’t know what manhood is supposed to look like. The men they now aspire to be are those they see “running the streets,” making the street life look glamorous to an impressionable young boy.
Most times, this young boy is in a single parent home. The mom works enough jobs to take care of the basics. In return, the young boy is left to be responsible for himself at a very young age. Now this can go in two ways. One, the boy can decide to do the right (harder) thing: go to school and eventually escape the hood. This scenario does happen, but not as often as it needs to. Two, the boy realizes it’s easier for him to learn the hustle as a means to an end for not only him but for his mom/family. With so much pressure this young man faces, he finds he’s in the hustle and breaking from it wouldn’t be easy. Falling into the entrapment of established stereotypes, this young boy ends up incarcerated – like his father.
Why is this happening?
It’s caused by the instituted cycle in broken neighborhoods due to lack of a strong public educational system. The corner hustle becomes the classroom because most know the system has given up on them. They eventually become the unknowns – another statistic – in society (well, until a crime occurs and stereotypes arise).
When a system is set up were a certain class of people are destined for a gleaming trajectory and another set for a gloom course, soon enough everyone begins to see the apparent and predefined disparities. When a certain area is preconceived to failure, it’ll continue to fail. There is no faith in the people who represent these ‘hoods, which is affirmed by the nonexistent educational and advancement programs found.
Most embrace injustices found in the ‘hood as the norm, that questioning the disparities present seem a waste of time.
**Statistics (boostup.org) show that students who dropout don’t feel challenged in school. They don’t feel high educational expectations from either their family or school and have trouble with schoolwork or feel like they are not as smart as other students. They also see their peers or siblings drop out of school, so they are more inclined to. They may also have poor learning conditions at school—such as overcrowding, high levels of violence and excessive absenteeism.**
when I say…”I am a Christian”
February 12, 2013
“When I say… “I am a Christian”
I’m not shouting “I’m clean livin’.”
I’m whispering “I was lost,
Now I’m found and forgiven.“
I’m not shouting “I’m clean livin’.”
I’m whispering “I was lost,
Now I’m found and forgiven.“
When I say… “I am a Christian”
I don’t speak of this with pride.
I’m confessing that I stumble
and need Christ to be my guide.
I don’t speak of this with pride.
I’m confessing that I stumble
and need Christ to be my guide.
When I say… “I am a Christian”
I’m not trying to be strong.
I’m professing that I’m weak
And need His strength to carry on.
I’m not trying to be strong.
I’m professing that I’m weak
And need His strength to carry on.
When I say… “I am a Christian”
I’m not bragging of success.
I’m admitting I have failed
And need God to clean my mess.
I’m not bragging of success.
I’m admitting I have failed
And need God to clean my mess.
When I say… “I am a Christian”
I’m not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
But, God believes I am worth it.
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.
I’m not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
But, God believes I am worth it.
When I say… “I am a Christian”
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.
When I say… “I am a Christian”
I’m not holier than thou,
I’m just a simple sinner
Who received God’s good grace, somehow.”
-Maya Angelou
Wow! Wow! This young boy sang into my heart and filled it with so much LOVE! He’s so blessed…pure talent. I’m so inspired! (goosebumps galore)
young boy sings “halleujah” (agnus dei) – mind blowing
February 10, 2013
Love Ken Robinson! So full of wit…great piece.
we are educating people out of their creative capacities
February 9, 2013
This song KEPT me together through my college years (saying that makes me feel so OLD). In all seriousness, this song is so powerful.
“Keep the dream alive, don’t let it die. If something deep inside keeps inspiring you to TRY, don’t stop. Never give up on you…Sometimes life can place a stumbling block in your way, but you gotta keep the faith.”
never give up – Yolanda Adams
February 8, 2013
if you don’t ask, you don’t receive
February 7, 2013
As biblically and spiritually relevant as that statement is (“ask and you shall receive” Matt 7:7), it should also be relevant in our everyday lives; from relationships to the work place, we have to speak up for the outcome we want.
In relationships, if we feel our friends or significant other should be doing more, contributing more, or stop doing something that you feel isn’t right/healthy for the relationship – what’s wrong with asking? Now, asking shouldn’t translate to a combative exchange, a simple (calm) conversation will suffice. Having a discussion about how to better yourself or the both of you shouldn’t become a battle of the egos, it should be about the betterment of the relationship.
The same principle should apply to our careers. If you believe you can do more or at the level you’re in now and given your workload you feel you should earn more– why not bring this up to your manager? Again, it’s all about delivery; how you discuss this will impact the outcome. As much as the company is benefiting from you, you need to benefit fully from the company. You’re worth it. It’s a mutual beneficial situation. Happy employee = higher retention rate for the employer.
I’ve learnt to be vocal about what I want out of life, and this involves all aspects. From the work environment, to your friends and significant other. If something feels like it can be better…it probably could. Just ask (properly of course); discuss it…it won’t hurt. You’ll feel better for airing your thoughts.
Don’t be afraid of speaking your mind. If people start acting funny after that, it’s on them and their ego. If your delivery was professional/proper and with the right intent, you’ll feel great even if things remain the same for awhile. It’ll sink in for them and they’ll respect you for knowing what you want even if nothing changes. Most importantly, you spoke up!
