Paying Off All This Debt. . .

So, I guess we’ve got a theme for a day each week. We get churchy up in this joint. Let me define churchy so you know just what I mean.

churchy adj [church – y; chur-chee]

…of or pertaining to something I overheard in Church; a thought inspired by something I read in my beat-up Bible; idea that magically popped into my head about Jesus and I just started writing about it; a prayer that I should have prayed when I thought about it but #pride prayed it too late, etc, etc, etc…

On today, we’ll be talking about LOVE for a few reasons:

ü I write about it often. It’s simplicity perplexes me;

ü God is Love (that shoulda been #1, but I gotta be honest about when I thought about it, so);

ü CJC gave me a great idea to write about the Bible verses that have infected my heart; and

ü …that wretched day for singles (and some couples) is drawing nigh.

Before we begin, I have to admit a few things because I tend to tell on myself:

ü The words you are about to read, were only intended for this one person. They were his, and meant to be his alone. Because I said yes, to a question he asked January 31, 2013.

ü I cried #realtears re-writing these words. Just a few.

ü Last time I wrote about them, it was February.

ü Though we don’t mean the same thing, their meaning has not changed. They are the same, they remain the same and they will always be the same.

ü You’re probably tired of these lists and wanna hear it, so…

Here It Go…

There are two statements that I CANNOT stand to hear. First being, I ain’t gotta do nothin’ but stay Black and Die. I mean really Joe Clark? That’s ALL you HAVE to do? C’mon son! Believing in God or not, something tells me your life “to-do” list is a little longer than that. Whether you want to admit it or not, you’ve got a few other things that you HAVE to do. Get over it, and get’r’done.

Then there’s the other, Nothing in life is certain but death and taxes. Tis true, those things have complete certainty. You will die, and before you die, you will pay taxes. Either you’ll front the cash, or you will get your Lauryn Hill on. #trust IRS be on that Boondocks… They both coming, so get ready, Get Ready, GET READY! And seeing that people fronted those shillings in the Bible, and hello, Crucifixion? These are indeed true. But can they be the only certainties?

No.

And you have to do more than stay black or alien (or whatever you are) and die.

Sallie gets too much of my $$ already... #debt

So I was reading my tattered Bible one day and I came across this passage in Romans… Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. #Romans13:8 Paul wasn’t just writing to the Romans. He was tryna’ta tell us something too.

I had two thoughts immediately after reading that. First, this applies to “she” as well. See, they didn’t have an EEO compliance office when they wrote the Bible, so you have to fill it in sometimes. And number two, I can really go to jail for not loving other people too? Dang Jesus.

Then the real #important thought. We indeed owe the world our life and as Daddie says we will press a dying pillow one day. While I’m here, I’ll have to remain Black, though Michael Jackson almost proved otherwise. I’ll even pay taxes each year #H&RBlock #ItsTaxSeason. Because all of those things are certain. Necessary. Absolute. Required. They are on my life “to-do” list. But I never thought that love was part of my “things to do before you die” whether you like it or not.

                     

Those aforementioned statements about staying black, dying, taxes and ish have always unsettled my spirit. Always. I never knew why. I learned that fateful day as I came across that passage the reasons #EWF why. I am God’s child. I am my father’s baby girl (still, some 30 years later) and because I am them, I am love. I don’t have a choice in the matter just like I didn’t choose my DNA. Because I am love, I have to love. I owe it.

So, my “to-do” list is longer. And so is yours.

Don’t love something because it loves you. Or someone because they love you. Or shoes because you got them on sale and they make you look good. Or it, because you birthed it. Or even because it’s Valentine’s Day and Hallmark (another one of satan’s spawn) guilt’s you into it.

Love because that’s what you are. And you have to be what you are. And do what you are. And yes, everything about that will be hard. Love anyway.

…and you don’t want to go to jail. Orange is not the new black. And some of yall don’t look good in stripes.

Trust me.