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Challenge your senses, Try a Dodge Challenger

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dodge_challenger_srt8_black

Recently, I needed to make a trip so I rented a 2013 Dodge Challenger, this car was not by choice but by availability. Lucky me, no just the blessing.  As I look at this Challenger it is shy and unassuming.   Until I touched her handle and yes I said her. Normally, I drive Dodge Ram trucks and they are manly men but she was different when I  first touched her she smiled at me with her quick lowering window.

As I sat in the seat I was wrapped in leather that assured me that it was going to be smooth ride.  It was evident that I was safe with her and she had all of the safety precautions handled. There was a push button start , I pushed it because I was ready for her to purr… silence no song, no lights just silence. I look up and see my wife and the being the Queen that she is, just smiled and said “safety first, you don’t start any car without stepping on the brakes first.” Thank God for a Proverbs 31 woman. Next sweet purring music to my ears.  Now the Dodge Challenger is winking at me from the electronic instrument panel but her analog speedometer suggests a classy lady with vintage charm.

 

When I step outside to check for damage her black skin covers curves that are more May West than Kim Kardashian.  The only jewelry she is wearing are silver earrings over the gas cap and the big HEMI on her finger. We are ready to dance, she cracks a smile again and I close the door, we are off.

She’s screaming Rock n Roll from the radio so I quickly grab the reigns and change the XM Satellite Radio channel to Hip Hop – there you go, no wait – R&B real mellow. It is little too soon for R&B so I will turn to  Ol Skool Hip Hop. Now we are on the same wave length.

 

She pulls on to the highway and she knows what do to up here.  I press the pedal and she gives me instant response but no more than I can handle. It is time to get up to speed and with out hesitation we are riding with the rest of the party. Safety measures  abound now I see that she has a dual radio display one in the dash. I look right and there is another man grinning at me and giving the thumbs up sign. Then it is apparent that he is looking at the car. I return the gesture and step on it to get her away from the other admirers.

 

We can relax now the initial nervousness is gone. I set the cruise control and I notice the words ECO. Now she is saving me money, oh what a find.  The Dodge Challenger could handle every situation on the road.   She hugs the curves and devours the straight-aways.

When she got into traffic and the other cars pushed up on her she transformed to an intuitive ninja or maybe a geisha ready to serve on any occasion.  I could feel the electronic breaks slow her down when I got out of the throttle.  But as soon as I needed more, a quick burst  from the HEMI was right there waiting for me. This is a road warrior’s fantasy car.

 

I really did not discover her sporty side until late in the return trip when I saw the rally sport button.  A firm pat, then push of the  pedal and this car moved  smother and much faster to passing gear than anything I ever had the pleasure of driving.  I passed six cars in an Alabama Minute.  Oh, but it is too late

I must feed her and take her home.  Ever the Lady she didn’t require much.  The gas was the  considerably  less than I suspected especially considering how I tested the majority of the features.

I finished the short experience with some Latin tunes because this baby was saucy. Oh no what about Jazz – Not enough time. I turned the music off because I want to carry the sound of that HEMI breathing with me until the next time.

What is your best driving experience?

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Don’t get mad at your money

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Money 2

“Don’t get mad at your money”  This is a statement that one of my business associates made when a potential customer was giving me a bit of a hard time. I normally have a lot of patience but sometimes I stumble on the path. I liked the saying so much I thought that this would be a good m plank in the platform of patience.

A few days ago a salesman called me to interest me in a retirement fund. He was pleasant and seemed to offer some good products. I very politely told said, ” I am not interested sir.” He continued with his lines about how terrific his product was for these tough times and I said, “I am not interested sir.” Ten he said,”okay you continue to stay small”. After that he hung up. First of all his negative spirit was immediately clear. I had two thoughts: 1. I was glad I did not entertain this “thimblerigger”  2. He needed the lesson, “Don’t  get mad at your money.”

Hopefully, this plank in the platform patience will help you hold your tongue in a trying situation. Do not demonstrate anger and allow it to affect your bottom line. Keep all of your morels but have patience with the ignorant.

Matthew 7:6-7

6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

Open the door to your prosperity and close the door to anger and ignorance. Anger robs you of a prosperous future.

 

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You can reach your goals

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielchodusov/

Say this out loud.  “I can get there from here!”  wherever you are you can reach your goals from here. You are not far from receiving the prize. Do not quit.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielchodusov/

When I began this website/blog I wrote a post called “Personal Steps to Escape Momentum” Here is an overview of the steps to achieve “Escape Momentum

  1. Lighten your Load
  2. Have an achievable plan
  3. Live your plan
  4. Have relentless faith

This post “I can get there from here” is not a rehash of the earlier post than addendum. Because on the path to Patience to Dominate we all need some encouragement.  I will sign up for your cheering section, now find others that encourage you.

You can light the world from where you are. You are not that far off from your goals.  If you believe it, who can deny you? Quitting is an option you will not choose.  Work like there is no tomorrow until it is tomorrow arrives then do it all over again. I am up at 5:00am chasing my dream of being a writer.

You made your plans now watch for the naysayers. You will find them in the most peculiar places.  There is probably a naysayer sitting there beside you.  The biggest naysayer is between your ears.   You definitely have to confront this one. To combat the one in your head you should make confessions your profession.  Talk about your goals, dreams and plan obsessively.

1 Tim 6:11-13

11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.  12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses

If some one comments that you are talking to your self , then ask them if they want to help. Muhammad Ali had people around him for the express purpose of calling him the “Greatest”.  If they want to help, have them walk behind you for a few minutes chanting. ” You are the greatest”. It will help your confidence and their humility.  Also there is a post that I wrote about Olympic Medalist Daniel Leyva called “Trust Your Training“, that is what his Dad would say just before he entered a competition.  You have enough in you to get out from here. Trust that your talents and your training will propel you into your desired goals.

What goal are you going to reach?

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Part 2: Clean Plate Club

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Clean Plate Club

Here are some ways to remain in the Clean Plate Club.

  1. Do not put more on your plate than you can handle

In elementary school everyone received the same amount of food. In life every person has the same amount of time. How you use time determines the benefit you receive. As a business person you instinctively know your limits.  Do not take on the project you do not have time to finish.  You may have the aptitude to handle the project but if you drop the ball you lose face and you have added no value.

  1. Give it back so that you do not have to deal with it

When children are the lunch line there is an option to say, “No thank you, I do not want any of that.” Sometimes in business and in life we do not have the option before it is given to us, but we can look at the project and give it to the proper channels for a more expedient solution.  This is more than delegation this is distribution. There are others who can do more with what is on your plate than you can.

  1. If it is not yours than do not eat it

Sometimes in school we would have some undesirable food item and to get the reward we would have to finish everything all week. People would play the “hey look over there game” As soon as you would look away they would put some Brussel sprouts on your plate.  With projects and ideas you have to mindful of Brussel sprouts on your plate.  If it is not your problem, do not accept it.  People call me for advice from time to time, some good friends and some are business associates.   In these conversations I have to decide if I am helping or if they dumping a problem on me.  Mentally figuring solutions for business is an enterprise worthy of compensation. If you decide to eat the undesirable thing or handle a problem in business be sure to negotiate compensation. In elementary school, eating undesirable foods meant exchanging places in line for ice cream or maybe the whole cup of ice cream.

Joining the clean plate club is easy if you monitor your plate every day. Remember the rules and you will receive the reward…   Peace at the end of the week.

What example of the clean plate club have you demonstrated lately?

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Clean Plate Club: Part 1

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/panasonic-kei/

Our lunchroom in elementary school had a plan called the Clean Plate Club. We would try to eat all of the food on our plates. We would eat down to the last bean and then take our fingers and run them around the edge of the tray to get every ounce of dessert. I especially liked the gravy when we had those homemade yeast rolls… Okay, I am getting really hungry, the true reason behind this was so that we as kids received healthy full meals to be able to discern what was being taught.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/panasonic-kei/

Kitchen dinner

 

There is a Clean Plate Club for business also. It is the club where you leave no work on your plate that can be directed to others and moved forward. If it just sitting with you than no progress is being made. Progress happens when you excert force on an idea.   Ideas move when we share them with others that move them and add to the momentum.  Some ideas are not yours to do anything move.  This is where you have to use discernment.  discernment is a gift and a skill. Some of us have a strong sense of what we can put on our plate and the rest of us have to be really focused so we will not get trapped.

 

Part 2 of this post gives more ideas how develop the skill of business discernment as it relates to The Clean Plate Club.

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Please Be Patient with Me

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I included all the words to Dr. James Cleveland’s song, that is best sang by Albetina Walker because they have been in my heart since my mother played the record over and over and over on Sunday afternoons. Read the words and use them as your own.

Please be patient with me,
God is not through with me yet.

Please be patient with me,
God is not through with me yet.

When God gets through with me,
when God gets through with me,
I shall come forth,
I shall come forth like pure gold.

Verse
If you should see me and I’m not walking right,
and if you should hear me and I’m not talking right;
please remember what God has done for me,
when He gets through with me,
I’ll be what He wants me to be.

Normally I focus the Science of Patience on the Individual right now this is an outward request you should make to your friends and families.

” I’m still alive so the Lord must have me here for a reason”. 

This olde wives tale has some merit. . WE are all put here for the glory of God therefore , He still has a purpose for us living.

 

Luke 20:38  For He is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto Him

This letter is to those friends and family that ask ” when are you going to get it right?, or When are you going to get married or when are you going to write that book?  We all hear it and brush it off. It is easy for the doubt to creep in when you hear it or perceive it.  This is when we should say ‘Please be patient with me God is not through with me yet. If it really annoying you may want to sing it.

Make the most of your life and maximize your days but be satisfied with your current existence.  There is no time like the present.  Remember most of the people who question your progress actually care and are invested in your success.

You are here for a reason, do not be afraid to tell the world . Tell the world what you are going to do and go do it.  You are a  patient leader and nothing will stop you from dominating. The Science of Patience “knows that the Creator is in control ” Stretch yourself but do not get out of your element trying to please people. Please God and you will be fulfilled.

No matter what people think of you remember you are not a finished work.  There is still more to come.  Another chapter is being written as we speak.

Potter’s Clay

Jeremiah 18:6

O house of Israel cannot I do with you as the potter? Saith the Lord Behold as the clay is in the potters hand so you are ye in mine hand o house of Israel

In what area do you need to ask those around you to “Please be patient with me?”

 

 

 

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Indispensable Asset

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Make your business indispensable to the marketplace. There are some products and services that can be considered indispensable due to their unique and proprietary nature. Most others have competition and can be replaced. To put yourself in the category of indispensable you have to create and mold your product or service to fit your customer in ways unique to only them.

Tannehill State park

Tannehill State park

Listen

To know your client is to listen. There are limitations to every business but if you listen to what the customer is asking for then you can mold your business to fit comfortably with your clients desires.

Anticipate

After you listen then you will be able to anticipate the needs of your customers. This is helpful and it gives the client an unconscious rebuttal when the competition presents similar products and services.  The response will be, “my current provider knows our needs and is always ready to meet them.”

Recreate

Always evolve into a higher form of yourself. While staying consistent is beneficial if you recreate areas of your business bigger opportunities will arise.  Now you are not only the steady provider but the fresh idea merchant. Recreate yourself daily and make your business the fresh face of your industry.

 

How have you made yourself indispensable?

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Civil Rights Movement: Stop Violence with the gun and with the tongue

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 the Dream lives

This was my first year going to the Dr. Martin Luther King Unity Breakfast in Birmingham, Alabama to support the Civil Rights Movement.  I have no clue to the reason of why I did not attend this wonderful event.  My son William V wanted to go and was pleased to get up early.  I asked why he wanted to go and he said, “so I can be with you dad.”

 

When we walked in we heard the wonderful voices of the choir that transformed the convention center into a Baptist Church. This 27thh Annual event lived up to the high standards of the SCLC.  The first thing that was evident is that this was a celebration of the past triumphs of Dr. King and the people of the Civil Rights movement and boost towards the future of possibilities.

The Keynote speaker was Dr. Charles Steele, SCLC President and CEO, his presence demanded attention.  His commitment to the organization and people of all creeds showed in the first few sentences of his speech.  He mentioned “Birmingham to Bethlehem” which is a campaign to bring nonviolence to Bethlehem and Jerusalem. He said he was in a meeting where a Palestinian man thanked him for holding the banner of nonviolence because, before their encounter the man did not realize that there was an alternative to violent conflict resolution.

Mr. Steele also mentions a “Poor Peoples Campaign “in Paris, France due to the overwhelming unemployment in that country.   This interests me because I set and marched with the original leader of the Poor Peoples Campaign, Hosea Williams.  Mr. Williams was a pioneer of the Civil Rights Movement and to watch him work was masterful. His network of dignitaries and homeless was immense.  I think the SCLC should involve Jay Z and Kanye West as well as the down trodden.

 

In his meeting with President Gorbachev, Mr. Steele said the President asked him, “If the Dream was realized,” I just want you to pause there and ask that question that yourself.  If Yes, then celebrate and get back to work. And if No, just get back to work.

 

He told of his fundraising prowess and how he steered the organization to receive 20 million dollars in a 3 year period which led to the erection of a new office building.  It also set a secure foundation for the SCLC’s future in the Civil Rights Movement. This is a long way from the days of Dr. Fred Shuttlesworth. I wrote a post “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants.” When Dr. Steele met Roland Martin, CNN analyst, Mr. Martin congratulated him and said “the building is good, but what are you doing for the people?” This question adds to the question from President Gorbachev and should make all of us who live the Dream focus on actions.

 

I have a more definitive answer to why I have not attended the Unity Breakfast.  The answer is that I was enjoying the Dream and now I need to help others fight for their Dream.

 

How will you help the Civil Rights Movement? How are you helping others achieve the dream?

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Don’t give up on your New Year’s resolution

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I am excited to introduce the first guest blogger for www.patiencetodominate.com . LaTasha Diana is originally from Birmingham, Alabama and currently works in the social service field. She has a wonderful heart for people and God. Her walk is inspiring and uplifting. You can find her work at www.hisprincessdiana.blogspot.com She enjoys helping others, playing word games, reading and cooking in her spare time.

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/josefeliciano/

I was motivated by a post on the blog, The Writeous Babe Project called “Motivation Monday: Three Words for 2013.” Her challenge was to identify three words that would set the tone of the coming year. I interpreted this blog as identifying values/attitudes that I would like to exercise to set the tone for the New Year. The three values/attitudes that I thought of were as follows.

1. Contentment

The dictionary defines “contentment” as “mentally or emotionally satisfied with things as they are” or “assenting to or willing to accept circumstances, a proposed course of action, etc”.

The Apostle Paul went through some trying situations in his life. But in the midst of him circumstances, he learned the importance of being content.

A popular verse that comes to mind is Philippians 4 – “I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (verses 10-13 – New International Version)

Paul knew that the people were concerned about him and he was able to find joy even though, the people were not able to physically express their concern for him. And that is what contentment means to me, being able to find joy regardless of how the circumstances play out.

2. Commitment

The dictionary defines commitment as “to give in trust or charge; consign.”

So often, I’ve signed up for things and did not follow through. And as a result of doing so, I felt really bad and had nothing but regret. I do not want that to continue to be the story of my life. I’ve grown this year in this area, but I’ve learned it is better to say “no” than to commit to something and not follow through.
A verse that comes to mind for this is Proverbs 3:3-4 “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.” (New International Version)

Commitment to me is more than just following through with what I say I will do but, also being a woman of my word, having integrity. Latasha Diana

3. Courage

The dictionary defines courage as “the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.”

I think this goes along with the first two. In order to be committed to something, I have to know in my heart that I am able to carry it out. Again, I’ve done things and not followed through and when I look back, it was because I did not think that I could do. But God never places a desire in our heart or gives us talents that he thinks we will not be able to fulfill. It might be difficult at first, but I’ve learned that as I continue to trust God and walk in obedience to HIM not man, He will make my path clear.

This reminds me of one of my favorite scriptures, Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. (New International Version)

Being a Christian requires courage! Faith is not knowing how situations will turn out but believing that the situation will work out for the best. God has promised to encourage my heart in every situation.

 

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Make God Mighty

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God is Beautiful

Make God Mighty sounds weird just saying it. God is mighty all by Himself, why would He need you or me to help Him be mighty?

Luke 19:40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.”

 

American Heritage Dictionary

Might:  Having or showing great power, skill strength or force

 

God always possesses the might to make all things possible and He will show this power when we invite Him into our lives.

 

3 ways we can make God mighty

  1. Act like He is watching

If all of your actions are done with the knowledge that the Father is watching then you will be more in line with the Father’s will.  Others will see your love walk and know that you serve a Mighty God. You make God Mighty when you are in His Will.

2.  Speak His word in every situation

Speaking His word is easy in the morning, at night and when we go to church. But when someone wrongly accuses you and it causes you to defend your honor unnecessarily? We need to speak the word of God more in these situations.

3.  Walk in the Might of God

This differs from acting like he is watching and speaking His word because walking in His word requires faith not obedience. Walk in His might and you will get up early to work on your craft. And when you began to walk out on faith the mighty God will show you another level of His ability.

 

How will you make God Mighty?