Lent for Christians Began on Wednesday, February 13, 2013.  It's  a period of Fasting and Repentance between Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday.  We give up things as a sacrifice. 


 This year I have given up:  Television after 8 pm, Candy, Soda and  Cursing.While Christians give up visible items, I have realized that there is more to this Lent thing than I previously thought... 


The timing of Lent this year is so crazy to me. My Son's birthday was Monday. My Son is 13 now and I have to "let go" of the fact that he is still my little boy. He is going to be doing more things without my help than with it. It is difficult trying to get that through my own head. Being "The Boy's Mother" has been my title for so long, I forget how to not be that. We probably held his last party this past Saturday. He didn't need me once. 

And then there's Valentine's Day...

I don't really "do" Valentine's Day. Usually because there generally has never been a valid reason to celebrate it. I don't do relationships well at all and the folks I get to "know" generally don't garner the appreciation I deserve. And I know I deserve it because that's what they tell me (for what that's worth). I am using this time to "let go" of the notions that I can control that. There is nothing I can do or my friends can suggest for me to just "get" a Valentine or Sweetheart.  So that means I am going to "Let Go" of the advice I will ultimately be getting to "Get a Man..." I have to start believing that it can't mathematically be true that I am always the issue and then let the chips fall where they may. The perceptions people have that may involve me have can't be altered by me. It is what it is. 

So I am realizing that Lent is more than giving up things... Even though in my head "The Monikarchy is real,"  I have to understand that I can't fight God's battles. Its not my plan so I can't dictate the ending of the plan. I have to understand that I can't force my will to be the will of others. That's not how it works. I can only play in my lane and hope for the uninterrupted outcome. I'm an oldest child, though, so I need y'all to be patient with me... 

Good luck to you on your journey through this Lenten Season. Hopefully, your Letting Go process will be successful and productive. 

OK... So I've been on this "Do Something" kick. I even wrote about it on the Now In Session Page.  I figure that since the media and "Black Leaders" claim to be writing our agenda (the details I was not informed of), we may as well set up a personal agenda to make our families and communities safer. 

This blogging thing is a great way to keep myself accountable for the things I say I want to do. Maybe it was that dag gone Kid President's call for me to Be Awesome (I love that kid) or the fact that every holiday or occasion turns Twitter into the Barlett's book of quotations, where everyone quotes from this guy or that woman depending on the day. These quote blitzes always leave me wondering what site these Twitter Folks got it from because the tweeets before and after generally are filled with ratchet and Melancholy...

So today, I declared that I would tweet a book recommendation everyday. It kind of got some steam. That's pretty cool, right? It doesn't take much to get people to follow your ideas, it just takes 140 characters: 

And That's all it took... So I am now asking it of you. Go to Twitter and recommend a book a day for February with the hashtag #BHM2013ReadThis.  You can also recommend a movie (#BHM2013WatchThis), A song (#BHM2013HearThis),  A Factoid (#BHM2013KnowThis) or a Website/Blog (#BHM2013SearchThis)

Now why would I do this? Why would I bother? Because gathering information is vital to the growth of all people. Information distribution across the masses is worthwhile and vital to the growth of a people. It's how imagination and ideas are born

So there it is. Part of my 2013 Action Items. What are you going to do to make 2013 better?