Monday, September 14, 2009

JUST BUILD THE ARK

God has given each of us Dreams. Dreams of being authors, recording artists, marine biologists, parents, rappers, owners of Fortune 500 companies, change agents and so forth. The world or Ego would have us believe and confuse our Dreams with the dreams that happen when we are asleep. You wake up and the dream is over. It was too outlandish to be real anyway. Ego would have us believe that our visions were and are too lofty.

Many times we fall for and accept the lie because we can't see the HOW. "HOW will I get my doctorate now? I dont even have my bachelor's degree and I'm too old." "HOW will I record an album? I don't know the right people." "HOW will I see this project through when I just lost my job?" When God gives us dreams, God reveals the WHAT and not the HOW. Whoo!!!!!! So we get caught up in how WE are supposed to MAKE it happen. God told Noah, "build an Ark." God gave Noah specific measurements for the Ark and told him who and what should be on the Ark. God gave Noah EVERYTHING that Noah needed to get it done. I bet Noah was thinking, "God, you want me to do what!? People will think that I'm crazy. How am I supposed to do this by myself? Yeah, I know WHAT you want me to do but HOW will lil 'ol me make it happen? Maybe a little boat but an Ark?!?!?! It's too big!!!!" I can just imagine God saying, "Noah, don't sweat the small stuff. If I needed you to handle the [HOW's] I would have told you. Just build the Ark."

Genesis 1: 9-22

(Thank you for the inspiration Tommy Brewer & Bishop Dale Bronner)

SHINE!
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Wednesday, September 2, 2009

TAKE THE GOOD WITH THE BAD....

Do you ever wonder why people give their unsolicited negative opinions? I decided to travel home to Chester (suburb of Philly) to spend time with my family. While I am always excited to get home, there is also a sense of anxiety that looms. I just know someone is gonna have something OFF to say. I consider myself to be confident, strong and fairly cool. ;) However, I lose my cool when folk give their negative opinions about my appearance. One aunt said, "Hey baldy!" A family acquaintance said, "Hey fatty!" and yet another person said, "I thought that you were losing weight. You look like you've gotten bigger!"
WHAT IS THAT?!?!?? When I try my best to not reply with expletives, I end up tongue tied. I've got to say something! Not rude... But witty. No expletives. .............Well, maybe a few. ;)


If others opinions don't matter, why am I so irritated by the negative and uplifted by the positive? Why do I replay the comments in my mind? Why am I blogging about it?! Well, as much as I'd like to believe that I don't care what people say, I do. Im practicing ignoring the comments and it's hard! Maybe I should employ a filter that sifts out the unwanted comments and preserves the more desirable ones. Naaaaah. That would be bunk. (tell you about that word in a later blog) Like iced tea with no sugar. I guess I just need to take the good with the bad. Compliments and insults. Hmmmmm. Develop some tough skin and keep it movin'. Right?
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About Me

Who is AVERY*Sunshine? “I am a self-proclaimed therapist! I want to start the conversation that will lead to individual healing and in turn will affect our collective healing. Let’s get people talking about their experiences so that we can learn from them, grow from them and more importantly, move on from them. ”

AVERY*Sunshine is a native of Chester, PA where she nurtured a natural talent by singing in church and leading and directing choirs. A former member of the renowned Wilmington/Chester Mass Choir, she honed her vocal instrument and sharpened her ability to play piano in her hometown, then headed south to Atlanta, GA where she attended Spelman College. Though far from home, she was never far from her one true love – music. She embodies it. She lives to express through it. But AVERY’s talent couldn’t be contained within the walls and stained glass of the church for very long. Making her mark on the Atlanta-soul music scene, she and her Spelman sister, Broadway talent Maia Wilson, teamed up to form the singing duo DaisyRew; and later AVERY lent her voice to the soundtrack for Paramount Pictures’ THE FIGHTING TEMPTATIONS. In 2005, she was hired as lead keyboardist for Tyler Perry’s stage play MEET THE BROWNS, and last year she was sought out by vocal great Jennifer Holiday to be choral director for the theatrical production of DREAMGIRLS during the National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta. AVERY*Sunshine recently made history with daily performances at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, CO and four private events during the 2009 Inauguration of President Barack Obama.

With vocals and lyrics that are thick and strong yet jazzy-smooth, coined ‘jazzgosoul’ by a personal friend, it’s easily recognized that AVERY*Sunshine has been singing all her life. However her sound and her music is perfected in collaboration with her musical partner Dana Johnson, a classically trained guitarist, gifted lyricist, producer and the man behind the tracks. What started in church at a young age has been refined by experience as she stands ready to proclaim her own story with her first CD project. “In the album I sing about my life – being a divorced mother of two, aging, being mean to the person I love. I sing about the possibility of being a single woman – indefinitely; as well as the feeling of being in love with my man before I even meet him. I also sing about the promise of God; the promise that He will never leave me or forsake me. The idea of never being left alone somehow makes things easier to deal with. Burdens seem lighter.”

Intent on shining by sharing her song with the world, AVERY wants you too to give yourself permission to “Get Your Shine On!” Whatever it may be. Are you getting your shine on? Are you using the gifts that God has given you? Are you walking in your calling? Let’s get started.