Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Eyes On Series...


If you follow me on Twitter or have me on Facebook, you know I write "Eyes on the 2 Train" where I write about something I literally see on the subway. It’s also a shout-out to my “2 Train” people…you know who you are! I don't write daily because I don't see something interesting every day. I also sometimes change it to "Eyes on the MTA" if I'm taking a bus. Well today it's...

Eyes on Our Children. But first, let me just explain why I write about this stuff.

I adore our city. Yes I complain about certain things. Yes some things frustrate me to no end. Yes every time I travel to another city I think, "Oooh I should move here!" LOL. But I really do love NYC and I know God's called me to NYC, the BX in particular.

Well, one person asked me, “Why do you write about these difficult things or annoying things?” The reason is that I want to draw attention to some things. Some absurd things that us New Yorkers do or put up with…things I literally find funny. But I also want to draw attention to issues I know we should be praying about. So, as you read anything in the “Eyes on…” series, please read, enjoy it if it’s funny, roll your eyes if you must, but always consider if God is allowing you to read this particular post with the hope that you’d be moved to pray for what it’s about. The Bible says that the prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

With that in mind, let me make this one easy for you and BEG YOU to pray for our children and their parents. Erika and I had a much-needed evening off, courtesy of our solid rock and gift from above, my mother-in-law, Elba. Elba spent the night with Isabel and gave us a little time to go out to eat (Frank Pepe’s on Central Ave is no joke!! Ask for Jason Alicea and let him know you know me…he’s my son!). Then we headed to the movies to see Robin Hood. No I won’t tell you anything about the movie but Erika and I enjoyed it. We love time pieces.

However, we started our movie experience, as we all do, on line. And as we’re on line we spot…well Erika spotted them…these two very tightly clad and voluptuous short women. We were behind them somewhat and couldn’t see their faces, but their outfits left nothing to the imagination, while their accessories, their hair, and their ever-present cell phones told us a few things too. With every flip of the hair I wondered what their lives were like…and then they turned around and I was mortified.

Folks, these weren’t women at all. They were little girls. Think the urban equivalent to Jon Benet Ramsey. If they hadn’t turned around and shown us their cute, pre-teen faces, we would have never known. Seriously, we were at a loss for words. I couldn’t stop looking at these two little girls who looked like grown women and behaved like they were showing off their goods. (I hope no one thought I was ogling them, I was just in shock!) Now really, can you imagine their every day lives…like that???? The men around them that don’t know Christ? The other kids and how they might treat them? What are their lives really like? And I couldn’t help but think of my daughter, Isabel.

Another shocking thing and another thing to pray about was that these two little girls weren’t alone. They were with an adult, a parent I guess, who was dressed exactly the same way. Let’s pray for our children and the parents who influence them.

We’ve been talking about women in Scripture at Elements the last few weeks and the legacy the women of influence in our lives, and those in Scripture, have had on us and I was wondering what that woman was passing down. What was she pouring into these two little girls?

So with all that in mind and the “eyes” of God’s people set on these two children, I implore you to pray for our kids and their parents. I beg of you to take a moment today, tomorrow and always, to remember children who are being influenced in a bad way. Children who are hurting and lost. And let’s pray for the adults who are so influential in the lives of our kids. My heart was broken for these two young girls. During the movie, whenever the children of the forest would appear, I’d think of these two little girls and shudder. Let’s pray yall…let’s not get tired of doing good…especially on behalf of our children, because we are an example. 2 Thessalonians 13.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Mother's Day, 2010 - Pass It On



Beautiful service, great friends and family and God showed up.   The last time we had 4 mothers.  This year, 14.  And the testimony of what it means to be a mother, along with the videos and thought...legacy, pass it on.  What a beautiful time!