Star Jones

Star Jones
Have you met Miss Jones?

Tuesday

Tuesday Triumph: God's Grace


Today is the day that the Lord has made, REJOICE and be glad in it!

In a few hours, I will go to a hospital for the LAST time to visit my friend, the "patient;" because the walking, talking, fully functioning woman that I know and love will be discharged today at noon!

8 Weeks ago my sister-friend was clinging to life; barely conscious. Yesterday, this amazingly strong, elegant, gifted and blessed woman stood on her own in a room filled with people and gave the most beautifully touching speech I have ever heard. She wanted to personally thank the rehabilitation team that had given her back her life...so she wrote and delivered a moving tribute to them.

There was not a dry eye in the room as she spoke of her struggle, of her determination, of the family and friends who had prayed and cared for her...and of course the medical team that had saved her life. I can barely type this through the tears of joy because yesterday was a day that dreams were made of. My prayer for the past few weeks was that she come back to those of us who love and adore her...whole. It is nothing less than a miracle that in a matter of hours, she...under her own power...will walk out of the hospital.

If you ever doubt the goodness of God, the power of prayer or the fulfillment of faith...I can't wait for her to tell HER story to the world...it is a testimony to God's Grace.


Thought For The Evening...Joy

He who has not looked on Sorrow will never see Joy.
-Kahlil Gibran

Sunday

Thought For The Evening...Losing Michael

Until this moment, I never understood how hard it was to lose something you never had.

Thought For The Day...

“The real art of language is not only to SAY the right thing at the right place but to leave UNSAID the wrong thing at the tempting moment.”

Friday

Thought For The Day...Genius

Talent is a flame, but genius is a fire.

Friendship Friday: Michael Jackson...My First Love


Yesterday I lost a friend...

At least that's the way I feel. Yes, later in life I had the privilege and honor of meeting Michael Jackson, the Icon and being in his company several times under a lot of different "celebrity" circumstances.

But, that wasn't MY Michael.

I'll admit it. I was one of those girls who went to sleep at night hugging my pillow...pretending that it was Michael. He never knew it (I always thought he'd think I was a nut if I told him)...but Michael Jackson taught me to kiss. I used to practice how I would kiss him when the preacher announced us "husband and wife."

'Cause I was going to marry Michael Jackson!

I know, I know...so were you...but I REALLY was going to marry him.

That was the refrain that every single one of my girlfriends used to say when I was growing up. I'm 47 now...so Michael was 3 years older than me...and for an 8 year old...that beautiful black 11 year old boy simply took my breath away. I just knew he was singing every song FOR me...not just to me. When Michael sang "I'll Be There,"...it was a promise that was for me...and I would fight you if you claimed otherwise.

When I heard the news of Michael's passing...I spoke to my "road dog" Janet Rolle within minutes...we're the same age and although she has gone on to be an Executive at the top of her field and God has blessed me with my own professional success...yesterday we became eight years old again. We had a fight over whose boyfriend Michael was "back in the day"...it was the best delusional moment I've had in a long time...

Dear God, take care of this genius that you let us borrow for a short time. Let his spirit soar among the angels.

...I got a pillow to hug!

Thursday






The "Tonight Show" in heaven
on June 25, 2009

Ed McMahon will bring on Farrah Fawcett & Michael Jackson to sit with Johnny Carson!

Tribute: Michael Jackson



“Death comes to all.
But great achievements build a monument.”

Michael Jackson IS and WAS the greatest entertainer of all times...

Peace to you brother.

Tuesday

Tuesday Triumph: Blessings

“When we lose one blessing, another is often most unexpectedly given in its place.

Thought For The Day...Laws

It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can keep him from lynching me, and I think that's pretty important.
-Martin Luther King, Jr.

Sunday

Thought For The Day...Good Man

Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.

SIMPLY BLESSED...Prayer for Fathers


Father God I come to you on this day we celebrate our relationships with "Fathers" with a glad heart and a grateful spirit. Thank you Lord for my biological father who helped give me life...and for my step-father, who raised me and taught me how to live life to the fullest. Today I offer thanks and praise for all Fathers...

Let us praise those fathers who have striven to balance the demands of work, marriage, and children with an honest awareness of both joy and sacrifice. Let us praise those fathers who, lacking a good model for a father, have worked to become a good father.

Let us praise those fathers who by their own account were not always there for their children, but who continue to offer those children, now grown, their love and support. Let us pray for those fathers who have been wounded by the neglect and hostility of their children.

Let us praise those fathers who, despite divorce, have remained in their children's lives. Let us praise those fathers whose children are adopted, and whose love and support has offered healing.

Let us praise those fathers who, as stepfathers, freely choose the obligation of fatherhood and earned their step children's love and respect. Let us praise those fathers who have lost a child to death, and continue to hold the child in their heart.

Let us praise those men who have no children, but cherish the next generation as if they were their own.

Let us praise those men who have "fathered" us in their role as mentors and guides.

Let us praise those men who are about to become fathers; may they openly delight in their children.

And let us praise those fathers who have died, but live on in our memory and whose love continues to nurture us.

Father God, please bless this Father's Day...and everyday...to your glory. Amen

Thought For The Day...Fathers

The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.

Saturday

SATISFIED SATURDAY: Finding Inspiration

Everyone lacks motivation from time to time. Often this lack of motivation is directly related to the way in which you are looking at a specific task you have to accomplish. If you view a task as an inconvenience or as something that you really don't want to do, you will have a difficult time getting motivated to accomplish that task. The truth of the matter is that all of us must do some things of have some experiences that are either an inconvenience or something that we really don't want to be bothered with. So how do you get motivated to meet those challenges when you feel unmotivated to accomplish them?

First, let us look at what motivation is. The dictionary definition of motivation is "the general desire or willingness of someone to do something." It clearly implies that motivation comes from within. Inspiration is a self-generated force that motivates you to action. Inspiration comes entirely from within you. It is the result of having the desire and the feeling of excitement about any task you might need to face, whether or not that task is something you really want to do.

Moreover, inspiration becomes a genuine choice you make by the way you view a task. If you have the attitude of "I have to do this because I was told to do it" you will be less inspired to accomplish it than if you were to think, "I want to do it because that's what I want to do." The way you think about a task, your attitude toward it, will affect your inspiration, and therefore your motivation.

Inspiration is not just some divine gift bestowed upon certain people from the heavens. Inspiration is a gift we all possess, regardless of our religious beliefs; although it has been found that your beliefs do affect your inspiration. But the secret to inspiration is to be found in switching how you think about the task at hand. Again, if you think about the task along the line of something "I have to do" you will be less inspired to accomplish it and will generally just go through the motions to accomplish it, with very little, if any, internal gratification.

An important note to make here is that gratification feeds inspiration. Gratification and inspiration are related. Gratification takes place when you have accomplished a task and get that feeling of satisfaction within yourself.

Gratification is that sense of wellbeing for a job well done that you experience and it will fuel your inspiration for the next task. In addition, gratification can be internal evidence of your inspiration. Inspiration is also compounded with each success.

Desire is another element of inspiration. Desire stresses strength of feeling and a strong intention toward a goal or aim. Much like gratification, desire is fuel to inspiration. In fact, desire nurtures inspiration. And the more desire you create within yourself toward accomplishing your goals the more inspired you will become, not only toward your goals, but your life in general.

Finding inspiration when you need to get motivated is a matter of knowing the difference between inspiration and motivation, as well as their relationship to each other. As mentioned earlier, motivation can come from both inside and outside of us. External motivation comes in a wide variety of forms, from paying the bills to performing well on the job to get that raise. Inspiration, on the other hand, is strictly internal and comes from conscious decisions and attitudes about a task, the environment, and your life.

Inspiration is not concerned with the external stimulus because inspiration is a higher level of functioning and thought processing that is highly dependent on your attitude and desire to be successful.


Finding inspiration is an important part of getting through each day, regardless of what you hope to get out of it. Here are some tips that can help you find inspiration in your daily life:

  • Friends and family. Your friends and family can be a great source of inspiration to you. Talk to them about your worries, fears, hopes, and dreams and listen to their advice and positive thoughts. Often, people and loved ones can give you a fresh perspective on life that leads to new feelings and thoughts of inspiration.
  • Music. Music has more power over people than they often realize. Music can be calming and soothing when you listen to your favorite songs or artists you enjoy that have a positive effect on you. Take some time in the car or as you get ready for the day to play music and think about the lyrics or the feeling the music gives you. You might be surprised at the inspiration you find in it.
  • Nature. There's a reason people take walks along the beach or drives through the country when they need to think-nature has a great effect on people and is so inspirational it has been the source behind many poems and songs by great artists. As you look for inspiration in the every day, stop to observe the beauty and calm of the world around you.
  • Books. Whether they are inspirational books or religious texts like the Bible, many people turn to books for inspiration. Memorize your favorite passages or phrases from books you come across and turn to them when you need inspiration.
  • Art. Art is also inspirational and can be found all over the place in everyday life, not just in museums. Look for inspiration in your children's pictures, book illustrations, or other forms of artwork.
  • Children. Children are all around, but few people tend to turn to kids for inspiration. Yet you can learn a lot and be inspired in the simple things children do. Try and look at children with a different outlook and see how their childlike love and trust can be inspirational to you.
  • Meditation. You can find inspiration in the every day simply by keeping your mind in tune. This is difficult if you are consistently stressed out or frazzled, so take some time to meditate during the day. This can be getting up a few minutes early to be alone with your thoughts, taking a bubble bath, or going for a walk on your lunch break.
  • Daily activities. You'd be surprised to know the simple, every day places you can find inspiration. This is especially true during times where you are alone with your thoughts; for example, in the shower, driving in your car, or working out.

Thought For The Day...Satisfaction

"There is no satisfaction in merely going through the motions, even if those motions make us successful."

Friday

Friendship Friday: Friends Don't Bring Drama



I've had the privilege and honor of having really good friends throughout the years...yet it has taken me a long time to realize one serious truth...FRIENDS DON'T BRING DRAMA TO EACH OTHERS LIVES.

If you find yourself doubting your friendships...I always think self-analysis is the first place you should look for the source of the problem. There are five rules of friendship that I use and have found help ME to be a better friend.


1. Don't backstab other people. You might be saying, I don't do that, but yes you do if you speak ill of someone behind their back. Most of us do it at some time in our life but it is a toxic habit that should be avoided like the plague. You know the old saying: "What goes around comes around." If you gossip about others with someone...you can best believe that same someone will be gossiping about you before the day is done.

2. Don't allow others to talk to you despairingly about other people behind their backs. If someone is trying to perk up your "gossip ears", turn them off. Let them know that you aren't into talking about other people because you have enough in your own life to deal with. Usually, this will stop them from going any further...and it will embarrass them into hushing up and checking themselves!

3. When choosing your friends, choose wisely. Go back to my "dartboard" analogy and see where people actually fit in your life. You don't want to confide in someone that is known to go tell the whole world about everyone else's business. If you do, you will soon be hearing from everyone else about what they heard about you. That's the way it works.

4. If you hear that someone whose friendship you value has been disloyal to you, go to your friend and ask them. First of all, don't assume that something you heard is a fact. Mean-spirited people lie; and Good-meaning people often distort the facts. If this is a valued friend of yours, you will want to get it straightened out as soon as possible so you don't bring what might be unnecessary drama to your own life. Remember that before you confront the person, cool down. You want to convey your dismay over what you heard...but you don't want to damage the friendship if what you heard turns out to be wrong.

5. Sometimes no matter what you do to avoid it, drama will come into your life. But before you make it a part of your life; make sure it is important enough to be upset over. Remember, you only need to be emotionally invested in a situation that you want a continuing emotional investment in.

In order to have a good friend, you must be a good friend. Once you know how to do that, you will go a long way in removing all drama from your life. Remember, “the drama of life begins with a wail and ends with a sigh.

Thought For The Day...Friends

Friends aren't jumper cables.

Monday

Thought For The Day...Goals

 “You can't change the direction of the wind, but you can adjust your sails to always reach your destination.”

MENTOR MONDAY...CONGRATS TO THE LAKERS


I so love watching a team work hard...as a team...and succeed at it.  
Kobe did his thing and deserves all the accolades he's receiving.

“Most look up and admire the stars. 
A champion climbs a mountain and grabs one.” 

Wednesday

Why We Hate...


"If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself. What isn't part of ourselves doesn't disturb us.”
-Hermann Hesse

Thoughts and prayers with the families of those affected by the shooting at the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC.

Wonderful Wednesday: Friendship and Miracles

For those who have asked, prayed and sent good wishes...my girlfriend is healing by leaps and bounds.  I can't wait until she tells her story to the world.  It is a story of Miracles and Blessings!

Thought For The Day...Best Friends

"When it hurts to look back, and you're scared to look ahead, you can look BESIDE you and your best friend will be there."

Thought For The Day...

Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.

Tuesday

Tuesday Triumph: Let's Improve our Lives!

I read this great US News and World Report article about 50 ways to improve your life and although interesting and right on point...it was overwhelming.  I can't do 50 things...but I can certainly do 5...one in each area of my life.  

Just click on the individual links for the actual articles and let's improve our lives:

YOUR MONEY

Take stock of your life and improve your financial future by Recycling Your Old Gadgets for Cash.


YOUR BODY

Take a healthy approach to life by Changing Your Toothbrush More Often.


YOUR MIND

Challenge yourself to think in new ways by Going Back to School for New Skills.


YOUR WORLD

Better the world around you by Volunteering to Help Those Hit By The Recession.


YOUR PLAY

Travel, read, cook...and don't forget to have fun by Teaching Your Kids To Cook.

Thought For The Day...Growing

Monday

Thought For The Day...Action

Action is the antidote to despair.

Get involved for Laura Ling and Euna Lee


On behalf of the brave journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee, I sent a letter to President Barack Obama, Vice-President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Senators Charles Schumer (NY) and Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (14th Dist. NY). I have conformed it into a template so that you can do the same.

Dear (Individual Public Servant),

I am writing in support of all efforts in achieving amnesty for journalists, Laura Ling and Euna Lee. As you are aware, North Korea has ended its legal proceedings in North Korea and have convicted and sentenced these young journalists to 12 years in a labor camp.

I believe that now is the time for diplomacy and compassion to step in. I know that the United States has no formal diplomatic relationship with North Korea...so the utilization of private and respectful diplomacy may be the only way to make headway in bringing these journalists home to their families.

I'm sure you agree that this is a humanitarian issue and amnesty is called for. They are women, wives, mothers, sisters and children who clearly had no intent to commit a crime in North Korea and any inadvertent breach of North Korean sovereign territory was without malice, has been admitted and apologized for. There are many issues that surround the relationship of the United States with North Korea...but none of them have anything to do with these young journalists.

They did their jobs honorably and "selflessly" for us in order to bring us information about our world...so now it is our turn to show our gratitude for their bravery and compassion for their situation.

I implore you to use all diplomatic avenues to do what we have to do to bring these women home. And I beseech all of us who love information, enjoy freedom and have benefitted from the sacrifices of the brave men and women who report the news across the globe...to send a message of support on their behalf.

Thank you for your dedication to public service and your attention to this grave matter.
Star Jones
New York

Please feel free to copy, cut and paste any or all of my letter...or simply use it as a guide for your own thoughts about this issue...but WRITE TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVES so that our collective voices are being heard. Here is all the info you need:

To write President Barack Obama, click HERE for the link.
To write Vice-President Joe Biden, click HERE for the link.
To write Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, click HERE for the link
To identify and write your own U.S. Representative in Congress, click HERE for the link.
To identify and write your own U.S. Senator, click HERE for the link.


Thought For The Day...Bravery

MENTOR MONDAY...Putting yourself Out for others.


I think those who design bridges must be among the smartest people on earth.

I think that nurses are some of the most compassionate people on the earth.

And I've always said that Firefighters are the bravest people on earth.  The men and women who, every single day put themselves in harms way for strangers.  They run into burning buildings, climb big and dangerous structures and often end up saving someone who really caused the incident themselves because of their own negligence (leaving the stove on) or ignorance (smoking in bed).  I remember during the 911 crisis how much I admired their selflessness.  We all owe them a debt of gratitude for what they do for us. Today however, I have a new addition to my "brave" category.

Journalists who travel to hostile foreign lands to bring information back to us...so we can act.

These men and women go to places that are usually in the middle of frightening, oppressive, damaging, dangerous and serious crisis type situations.  Violent Wars, Devastating Poverty, Oppressive Regimes, Desperate Revolt, Intensive Weather...journalists have always gone in for us.  And I'm grateful to them.  I'm especially grateful to two young women who are now caught in a legal nightmare because they were simply doing their jobs.  

The legal proceedings have ended with a conviction and a sentence of 12 years in a labor camp for Laura Ling and Euna Lee.  Gratitude for the "selflessness" of these two brave American Journalists...is what's on my mind today.
  
I want to thank them for caring so much about our world...especially the dangerous and scary places...that you and I wouldn't know about...but for them.

I'm cautious about what I say now, because rhetoric is what they don't need right now.  The North Korean judicial system, such that it is, has ended.  Now diplomacy can step in.  Because of the oppressive regime, The United States has no diplomatic relationship with North Korea...so diplomatic "back channels" is the only way to make headway in bringing these journalists home to their families.  

This is a humanitarian issue.  These women are not bargaining chips.  They should not be used as pawns in some international game of chess.  They clearly had no intent to commit a crime in North Korea or to cross into the hostile territory of North Korea.  The irony is that apparently, they were researching and reporting on North Korea refugees...those fleeing the North for their own safety in search of freedom.  The world has a lot of issues with North Korea...but none of them have anything to do with these young journalists.  

They did their jobs honorably and "selflessly" for us...so now it is our turn to show our gratitude for their bravery.  

I encourage our country to use those back channels to do what you have to do to bring these women home. And I beseech all of us who love information, enjoy freedom and have benefitted from the sacrifices of the brave men and women who report the news across the globe...to send a message of support.  And pray...


To sign a petition in support of the release of Laura and Euna, click here.

Sunday

Thought For The Day...Faith

SIMPLY BLESSED...Walking by Faith


This is my Prayer of Praise and Thanksgiving for Faith Filled Blessings...

Lord God, I praise Your name and I shout out with joy for Your presence in my life, and for the anointing power of Your Holy Spirit which is helping me to go deeper in Your truths and soar higher in Your power. I turn my eyes to the heavens anticipating new wisdom and deeper insights into Your sacred truths. 

I praise You that more and more each day, I am becoming more confident about who I am in You -- and I praise You that the kingdom You are establishing right now on this earth cannot be shaken. My heart is flooded with joy knowing that Your surrendered ones are being used in mighty ways right now, and that Your strength and power is being made available to each and every one of them. 


I ask that you bless us with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that YOU will live deep within our hearts.

I ask that you bless us with anger at injustice, oppression and exploitation of people so that we will work for justice, equality and peace.

I ask that you bless us with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that we will reach out our hand to comfort them and change their pain into joy.

And I ask that you bless us with the foolishness to think that we can make a difference in the world, so that we will do the things which others tell us cannot be done.


These are the blessings I ask for me...and for others who walk by FAITH and not by sight.

Friday

Thought For The Day

Be courteous to all, but intimate with few and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence.

 - George Washington

Friendship Friday: The Dartboard Theory


Years ago when i was having difficulty evaluating true relationships, my friend and pastor Dr. A.R Bernard (Christian Cultural Center) and I had a conversation and he shared a concept that I found to be both brilliant and illuminating.


Over the years, I've refined it just a bit...and given it the "star treatment" and I now call it "The Dartboard Theory."


Try to think of yourself as a dart board.  You're the center of that board---and thus, the tiniest circle. It's the center that everyone tries to reach when you are playing darts. When you hit it…you get the greatest number of points. 


Notice that the center circle doesn't hold much space. If too many people converge on that tiny circle, it becomes obliterated...in other words, you lose yourself.  Notice, that the concentric circles all get larger as they get away from the center. The farther away from the center, the more room in the circle. 


Ask yourself...how are the "circles" of my life arranged...and is everyone in the correct circle?


Here are my thoughts.


The circle closest to you is for the people I call your "INTIMATES"...the people you love and who love you... Unconditionally.  The people who if you lost everything you had in a hurricane, would drive to the border of your state, wait sixteen hours until you got there and then take you to their home for a long as you needed to stay.  These are the people who you would trust to raise your children if something happened to you.  Ask those questions and I'll bet the circle is smaller than you thought.

 

The next circle is a little bigger, that's for your "CONFIDANTS"...the people you trust with your secrets and you can turn to in the time of trouble. If your guy is "acting up," these are the people you call to vent to about how you are "done with his butt"...and when you forgive him 2 days later...these are the people who pretend you never told them anything and go bowling with ya'll on Friday like nothing every happened...because they have your back.


The next circle is for your "FRIENDS AND FAMILY." They belong to you and you belong to them...for better or for worse.  You actually adore them, you never forget their birthday and for the ones who aren't your actual family; you refer to them as your "sister,", "cousin", or "auntie"...when they really aren't...but they really are. But sometimes...arms length is called for; if you know what I mean...'cause "Uncle Leroy" is a trip.

 

The next circle is bigger because this one contains all your "ASSOCIATES." You admire these people and feel fondness for them in your business or personal life...they stay late at work to help you with your projects, you both test new ideas on each other, you're glad to see them when you're out at events and you always promise to hang out "socially", but yet...you rarely do.  And neither one of you "trips" because you both know exactly who you are to each other.

 

Finally, the circle that is farthest away from you, but in truth, is the largest group of people in our lives...these are our "ACQUAINTANCES." Some you wish you knew better; some you vaguely distrust but need; some you just think are interesting.  You only have to ask yourself one question to see who belongs in this circle:  whom do you often like, sometimes need, but really wouldn't miss for a minute if you never saw them again as long as you live?

 

Don't get me wrong, all my relationships add to my life. They are at times amusing, interesting, helpful and very much a part of the joy of my life------but I now know, everyone is not FIRST- CIRCLE- IMPORTANT.  In my life, they’re finally in their correct circle. 

When you start making yourself important, you’ve got to be clear about priorities. I think too often we put people in a circle that they don't belong in. 

It is our job to arrange our circles so that the most real relationships remain special.  Because on the real...everyone needs to earn their position on your dart board of your life.