Because I Love You

P eace   I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid! I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But be of good cheer; I have overcome this world! -         Who has the audacity to say that? The audacity to believe they can overcome the World and believe they have already done so?  -         Who has the boldness to love others so much, to die for them AND give them peace; their peace?  -         Who says that? Who believes that? Who can do that? – JESUS THE CHRIST! The audacity of LOVE in a hateful World The audacity of PEACE in a troubled World The audacity of HOPE in you,  that you will believe and ask for whatever you want, whatever you need. Jesus said, “Ask in my name, and you will receive it, and your JOY will be complete.” Who wants JOY this holid...

Whatever you want me to be, I’ll be. Wherever you want me to go, I’ll go. Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do. It’s my desire to be……… Just what you want me to be. It’s my desire, my desire.  It’s my desire, to be……. Just what you want me to be.   Those were the words of a song I sang as a kid in Antioch Baptist Church’s youth choir in the 1970’s. Growing up, church songs were the only songs to which I knew all the words. Sometimes I would sing along with the radio to artists like, The Commodores, Teddy Pendergrass, Peabo Bryson, or Earth Wind and Fire, but I mimicked the words I didn’t know. Was it, “Love has found a way in my heart tonight, or “Love has a holiday in my heart tonight,” in Love’s Holiday by Earth Wind? Was Lionel Richie of the Commodores singing, “I’m easy like Sunday morning,” or, “I’m leaving next Sunday morning?” So when I auditioned as a young adult for a community theatre production of Dream Girls, my audition song was a gospel song from church. I don’t r...

“Gone were the weak knees and legs getting ready to crumble, restored were my strong runner legs, dancer body, doing what I do best: rejoice, dance, run, hop, skip and jump. It was hallelujah time! It was praising God time! Between 7-8am EST Tuesday May 19, 2020, I texted Reggie asking how the day had gone, knowing it was about 8-9pm in Japan. His reply, “Mom and baby are stable and doing fine. I’m fine too,” was a normal reply regarding updates on his wife’s condition, our daughter Ana. On Sunday, Reggie told us Ana was in the US Naval Hospital in Okinawa Japan due to early dilation (3cm), our prayers were for her to go full term; she was in her sixth month. When I spoke with Ana Monday night EST/Tuesday morning JPN, she expected to be discharged that day or the next but all was well; but the next information I read in Reggie’s text took my breath away: Hensley Courtland Thomas born Tuesday May 19 Time: 1613 or 4:13PM JPN, 3:13AM EST Length: 13.8 inches Weight: 2lbs 5ozs Gestation: 26...

Submitted to D&C Opinion section as an Essay for online submission 11/18/21. A young woman was jogging early in the morning through a sleepy neighborhood, and a strange man began to chase her. Fearing for her life, she tried to run away but he caught her. She fought him, and she fought gallantly, scratching and punching him. The man underestimated the young woman’s strength, thinking she was an easy target, but he was wrong. The man became afraid and pulled out a gun. Fighting for her life, she tried to take his gun. He shot and killed her.  The man walked away from his planned attack with minor bruises and scratches. He showed his wounds to the authorities and explained how he feared for his life and had to shoot her. When asked, wasn’t that his plan all along, the man replied, “No, I only wanted to scare her.”  Didn't the woman have the right to defend herself, to fight for her life? What if the man wasn’t alone, what if there were three men chasing her? The young woman ...