Televangelist Oral Roberts Passes

God is merciful and good. Televangelist Oral Roberts died on Tuesday, December 15, 2009 from complications related to pneumonia and a fall he sustained in his home last weekend. He was 91 years old. When I first read that he'd passed this morning on Facebook, I started thinking about my personal memories of having met him.

I had the privilege and honor of meeting he and his wife in person in 2005, while on a speaking tour in Southern California along with Princess Zulu. We were introduced by a mutual friend, Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church in Orange County, CA.
Rev. Roberts honored us by saying he'd come to church that day to hear Princess Zulu speak and share her incredible story. He had a marvelous sense of humor and we took a picture with him.

I also recall visiting his namesake university in Tulsa, Okla., the first Pentecostal university in the world, ironically built by a man who never finished college. As I was driving down the road at nightime in Tulsa, I remember how frightened I was when I approached Oral Roberts University campus and the 60 foot bronze statue of praying hands lit up by a series of flood lights. I wasn't sure what they were at first, but I drove back during the daytime and was so awestruck by the structure's grandeur and the peaceful way I felt walking on the campus.

Rest in peace, Oral Roberts. You led a full life and touched many lives in the Name of Jesus.

Comedienne Mo'Nique receives Supporting Actress Honors

Who woulda thunk it?
Comedienne Mo'Nique has garnered several highly prestigious honors associated with her performance in the movie "Precious."

She has been named best supporting actress of 2009 by: The Boston Society of Film Critics; The African-American Film Critics; and the Los Angeles Film Critics which all made their announcements this week.
The late night talk show host has also been nominated for a Golden Globe Award--Best Supporting Actress.

Pundits are predicting that Mo'Nique will be an unstoppable force in the Oscars.

I guess the public really goes for over the top mothers ala "Mommie Dearest."
Congratulations Mo'Nique!

Other Golfers Stand to benefit from Tiger's Saga

Okay. I tried not to say anything, but I just can't help myself from jumping in on the media frenzy of the "Tiger Woods Saga of 2009", my title for this historical trivia on events in his personal life.
His bowing out of professional golf indefinitely to concentrate on family, finally gives a way for other marginally talented professional golfers to shine from under his shadow. Tiger Woods is already the greatest golfer ever to play the sport.
Since Tiger removed himself from the competition, the mediocrity of the other players can look like awesome talents. With Tiger Woods in the game, everyone--no matter what skill level, looked amateurish.
Society would have Tiger believe that he needs public forgiveness--he really doesn't, but it is politically incorrect not to display some sort of remorse for being publicly exposed for marital infidelity. He has asked for privacy--he won't get it because his story is hot right now and sells ads in all media outlets.
There have been many men to be publicly humiliated by the press for bad choices...somehow very few have remained in the news indefinitely. Tiger won't either. Stop hating, you haters!

Don't be a Human Punching Bag for Anyone--Ever!

This morning I was looking back over my life and reflecting on the myriad of events and experiences I have survived in my half century of life. It is hard to believe that I got through some of the things--but I did. After thinking about those things I started thinking about my legacy as a woman, mother and grandmother. If I have one universal caution for women and men (I have both sons & daughters) it would be: Don't be a human punching bag for anyone--ever! I'm just talkn bout what I'm talkn bout.

Oprah Winfrey uninvited a famous Gospel singer because his ex-wife alerted her that he was pending charges of domestic violence. The famous talk show host also recently featured Rhianna talking about the violence in her relationship. The pity is that there are thousands of incidents daily, but it is cloaked in secrecy. Nobody wants to talk about domestic violence.

Domestic violence and emotional abuse are behaviors used by one person in a relationship to control the other. Partners may be married or not married; heterosexual, gay, or lesbian; living together, separated or dating.

Examples of abuse include:

• name-calling or putdowns
• keeping a partner from contacting their family or friends
• withholding money
• stopping a partner from getting or keeping a job
• actual or threatened physical harm
• sexual assault
• stalking
• intimidation

Violence can be criminal and includes physical assault (hitting, pushing, shoving, etc.), sexual abuse (unwanted or forced sexual activity), and stalking. Although emotional, psychological and financial abuse are not criminal behaviors, they are forms of abuse and can lead to criminal violence.

The violence takes many forms and can happen all the time or once in a while. An important step to help yourself or someone you know in preventing or stopping violence is recognizing the warning signs listed on the "Violence Wheel."

ANYONE CAN BE A VICTIM! Victims can be of any age, sex, race, culture, religion, education, employment or marital status. Although both men and women can be abused, most victims are women. Children in homes where there is domestic violence are more likely to be abused and/or neglected. Most children in these homes know about the violence. Even if a child is not physically harmed, they may have emotional and behavior problems.

If you are being abused, REMEMBER

1. You are not alone
2. It is not your fault
3. Help is available

Baby, I'm Back!!!

I can't believe I haven't blogged since July. So much has happened in the world that I definitely had opinion on over the past months, but I just was not motivated to pen my heart. But all that's changed and I'm back. Look out for my observations and rantings!
The Churchlady

Sears Tower by any other Name...

When I first found out I shook all over. I just kept shaking my head from side to side in shock and utter disbelief. Finally, I rubbed my eyes to see if i were hallucinating or simply lacking comprehension of what I was reading. But alas, reliable news sources from the Chi-town, confiormed the devastating news--The Sears Tower is history. Gone. Kaput.L
Last Thursday, the tallest building in the United States, Chicago's Sears Tower disappeared from existance. Well, sorta. Willis Tower was introduced to Chicago by Mayor Richard M. Daley and others during a public renaming ceremony hosted by Willis Group Holdings, a British Company.
"It's always going to be the Sears Tower to me. I watched it being built from the ground up. I remember the feeling I had in the pit of my stomach the very first time I rode the elevator to the observation deck."
The 110-story skyscraper has been known as Sears Tower since it opened in 1973. Sears Roebuck and Co., moved out in 1992 but the name stayed.
The only way I could foresee calling this iconic landmark "Willis Tower" is it were named after my childhood friend, Jocelyn Willis or one of my favorite actors, Bruce Willis. In that case "Willis Tower" would be cool. Named after some anonymous British company makes the name change lame. hey, that rhymes!

Lee's Resolution for King of Pop thumbs down by Pelosi

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi went thumbs down on Thursday to a resolution honoring Michael Jackson because the symbolic measure could raise "contrary views" about the pop star's life. Michael Jackson was acquitted in 2005 of charges that he molested a 13 year old boy. Those allegations along with the admission that children slept in his bed at his home but nothing sexual occurred, have led some members not to support the resolution.

Lawmakers are free to use House speeches "to express their sympathy or their praise any time that they wish," said Pelosi, D-Calif. "I don't think it's necessary for us to have a resolution."

A resolution sponsored by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, cites some of the singer's charitable acts and proclaims him an American legend, musical icon and world humanitarian.

Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., who posted a video on YouTube calling Michael Jackson a "pervert" and a "pedophile," has pledged to do all he could to block the resolution.

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus held a moment of silence in the House after Jackson died June 25, some lawmakers walked out of the chamber.

Jackson Lee has pledged that the resolution, now before the House Foreign Affairs Committee where she is a member, would come to the full House for debate. Jackson Lee's resolution only had one co-sponsor, Rep. Diane Watson, D-Calif., and was not endorsed by other black caucus members.

From the stage at Jackson's memorial Tuesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Jackson Lee hoisted a framed copy of the resolution.