Today is Dec 30th, 2015. My Moms Birthday!!! Happy birthday mom you look beautiful as ever. You know Black don't crak and you been looking the same since the day you gave birth to me. For that I thank You. And for a portion of my great looks. I couldn't have done it without you!
My favorite day of the month. I read Proverbs 30, which is my favorite Proverb. But it's also the last post date for "Perspective."
You may or may not have been following the music along with each blog entry post but that is OK. If you went on youtube and searched for "Valet Del Roy", you'll find me. What's even more exciting is all the new content I have coming for you in this coming year. New music, poetry, short stories, blogs and video... Ohhhh I think we're going to have some fun.
Thinking About It is the last and final track piece to "Perspective", a music project I composed over a few years of my young adult life from the years 2007 - 2012. We don't need to go into further detail now because I have so much to share. It's a loaded verse ain't it. Please Enjoy.
I hope you find some time to check out the full project on YouTube or Soundcloud. Look out for a special blog tomorrow before we kick off 2016 in full effect. I love yall. Thanks for reading and letting me get into you life. Peace and blessing.
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
(State of Confusion)... a Look into Perspective
In my teen years, I was absolutely wrapped in my own sight. I'm about 87% sure. Not because I have actual figures of data, just what I've experienced in my life. I wouldn't say that I had tunnel vision, but I would say that my vantage point ruled over others. I had been completely involved in a lot of the mess that comes with adolescence: The attitude, the dating, the looseness, the recklessness, the fights, the drugs, The EVERYthing!
So late in 2007, when I was "pursuing God", or whatever that means to a human, who never really finds God, but rather finds that God reveals Himself at some point in time in some kind of way, which I DO NOT understand...
Yea, some time in 2007, when I began to become involved in various church ministries, the years flew by. In fact, by 2009, I felt that maybe the last five or six years had gone by without me noticing some particular details.
I hadn't watched TV for some time, I hadn't listened to the radio or any mainstream music for the most part, and I had been so involved in what I could see and find in "my view" that as the culture was shifting, I was present, but not conscious.
Needless to say, once I hit the explorer button again I saw something. It was alarming! It was offensive! It was "two-thousand-nine and beyond!" And what had become normal and the new acceptable really confused me. Of course this is nothing new in life, the World, the U.S.A., my city, your city and so on...
So what was I to do. Suddenly I had recognized that there would soon be a battle coming. One between "Christian culture" (whatever that was suppose to be in my view versus anyone else.) "Modern Culture" (the socially normal and acceptable by way of media outlet/focus/drive) and my conviction. Yes, My Conviction. It battles with the faith and those who are part of it as well as those who are not... So I wrote a song.
Because I felt like the world and I were in a similar place... a "State of Confusion."
So late in 2007, when I was "pursuing God", or whatever that means to a human, who never really finds God, but rather finds that God reveals Himself at some point in time in some kind of way, which I DO NOT understand...
Yea, some time in 2007, when I began to become involved in various church ministries, the years flew by. In fact, by 2009, I felt that maybe the last five or six years had gone by without me noticing some particular details.
I hadn't watched TV for some time, I hadn't listened to the radio or any mainstream music for the most part, and I had been so involved in what I could see and find in "my view" that as the culture was shifting, I was present, but not conscious.
Needless to say, once I hit the explorer button again I saw something. It was alarming! It was offensive! It was "two-thousand-nine and beyond!" And what had become normal and the new acceptable really confused me. Of course this is nothing new in life, the World, the U.S.A., my city, your city and so on...
So what was I to do. Suddenly I had recognized that there would soon be a battle coming. One between "Christian culture" (whatever that was suppose to be in my view versus anyone else.) "Modern Culture" (the socially normal and acceptable by way of media outlet/focus/drive) and my conviction. Yes, My Conviction. It battles with the faith and those who are part of it as well as those who are not... So I wrote a song.
Because I felt like the world and I were in a similar place... a "State of Confusion."
Monday, December 28, 2015
(Legacy Tribute)... A Look into Perspective
This is a song about remembrance. Because the things we remember are special to us. The people we remember are dear to us. The moments we remember are eternal to us. That's how I especially feel about my grandparents. Words can't express. If you know then you know, and if you do not know it's ok. I'm sure that you have gained in an area of life that I cannot relate. But I understand, and I can still touch your heart strings.
There are people in life who we encounter that just, "stay". They're the parents of our friends, our family, strangers that we talk to in line at the dollar store and the blatant honesty of children asking us to make sense of our loaded statements.
Life is good. The gift of Life brings us together to experience spectacular chemistry. It can come from anyone and can happen at any time. It will leave its mark. We will remember it, it becomes a legacy. Your Legacy, My Legacy, Our Legacy.
Live that way. That's "Living to be Known"
There are people in life who we encounter that just, "stay". They're the parents of our friends, our family, strangers that we talk to in line at the dollar store and the blatant honesty of children asking us to make sense of our loaded statements.
Life is good. The gift of Life brings us together to experience spectacular chemistry. It can come from anyone and can happen at any time. It will leave its mark. We will remember it, it becomes a legacy. Your Legacy, My Legacy, Our Legacy.
Live that way. That's "Living to be Known"
Sunday, December 27, 2015
(Teach Us How to Love)... A Look Into Perspective
There was a time when the Young Adult ministry was POPPIN! I had prayed that what was taking place would last a few generations. We had a great thing. And we still have a great thing. About eight years since and of course much has changed. Weddings and babies and careers and just about everything that could take place. And that's good. Because our place in the world is changing, as well as all of our positions. But I still remember those days... And I remember you all... I remember where you were then... Because we we're all there TOGETHER!
"Asking God to...teach us how to love..."
We had a stacked venue every week, All day Sundays, Friday evenings, movies, walks, home groups and events. We'll find our way back to it. Don't accept that grow old and grow apart mentality.
"Asking God to...teach us how to love..."
We had a stacked venue every week, All day Sundays, Friday evenings, movies, walks, home groups and events. We'll find our way back to it. Don't accept that grow old and grow apart mentality.
Saturday, December 26, 2015
(Choose To)... A Look into Perspective
Have you had that moment in your young life when you really seem to grab hold of something you felt you could really push for?
I've had a few.
I was between 20-21 years old and I did not care. I was experiencing "the way" of living as a newly rededicated Christian. "Christian", which I felt was a step past, "believer", in the sense that I would now practice "Christian values and principles" in my day to day living. WHAT A TASK, right?
Here I am, walking around, trying to be, "Bold for Christ!"
And,..honestly....
...I was just working too hard at it. I shouldn't have been such work. Always "making sure" I was "fitting God in there" and more importantly, Christ.
What's with this orthodox huh? As far as I've come to see it. Christianity is pretty unorthodox. So I spit this little rhyme.
Now I'm 28. I see that, "way", a little differently now. I love the unorthodox. It's much simpler.
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Sunday, December 20, 2015
Friday, December 18, 2015
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
(Prayer of a Minister)...A Look into Perspective
July 12th, 2009. That was the day of my licensing. Many people don't know that. But quite a few do. Even more than that, most people don't understand what that means. When people find out they immediately fall into assumptions that distort their views of who I am, what I do and what my goals are.
July 12th, 2009. In one moment, I assumed, the title and responsibility as "Minister of the Gospel"... Little did I know that I would also, in that moment, fall under the judgement of so many people based off of judgments that were made by people who have absolutely nothing to do with me or my own judgement's. Go ahead and read that again if you need to. This blog won't go anywhere.
July 12th, 2009. I stood before a community of people and leaders who all affirmed that.
Now, Let get this out. Minister(servant, aid, clergy) of(of) the(as in T-h-e) Gospel(Good News). And that "good news".... well, this blog isn't about the "good news", in particular. It's about the prayer of a servant. A servant of people, justice, forgiveness, redemption, reconciliation, faith, hope and love. And what's wrong with that. You see, I'm convinced that you, do not know me; not very well anyway. Nor do you often understand me. Nor do you know what I've been through. Ha! isn't this the claim of so many people? Wow...we are all so different, evolution must be real :-/ Somehow human beings have grown into singular units of space, time and exclusivity that doesn't allow us to connect at the level of the basic human natural occurrences and, and, and... LOL. Give me a break. Humans have been going through the same things for thousands of years. so please excuse me if I want to stay in that section while I'm here too.
Look at it this way. I work at a hotel and I am the, "Valet." I serve people in many different ways. I care for them, their things, I give directions and information. And I do it whether they are a direct guest of my hotel or not. For many people I am their first encounter with the hotel and sometimes to the City of Chicago. But one thing they recognize is that i am like any one of them, from the poorest to some of the richest, I serve them all.
So much could be said. I
July 12th, 2009. This was the day I became a Minister. It is now, December 15th, 2015. I am no less of a Minister. Maybe you still don't know what that means yet.
July 12th, 2009. In one moment, I assumed, the title and responsibility as "Minister of the Gospel"... Little did I know that I would also, in that moment, fall under the judgement of so many people based off of judgments that were made by people who have absolutely nothing to do with me or my own judgement's. Go ahead and read that again if you need to. This blog won't go anywhere.
July 12th, 2009. I stood before a community of people and leaders who all affirmed that.
Now, Let get this out. Minister(servant, aid, clergy) of(of) the(as in T-h-e) Gospel(Good News). And that "good news".... well, this blog isn't about the "good news", in particular. It's about the prayer of a servant. A servant of people, justice, forgiveness, redemption, reconciliation, faith, hope and love. And what's wrong with that. You see, I'm convinced that you, do not know me; not very well anyway. Nor do you often understand me. Nor do you know what I've been through. Ha! isn't this the claim of so many people? Wow...we are all so different, evolution must be real :-/ Somehow human beings have grown into singular units of space, time and exclusivity that doesn't allow us to connect at the level of the basic human natural occurrences and, and, and... LOL. Give me a break. Humans have been going through the same things for thousands of years. so please excuse me if I want to stay in that section while I'm here too.
Look at it this way. I work at a hotel and I am the, "Valet." I serve people in many different ways. I care for them, their things, I give directions and information. And I do it whether they are a direct guest of my hotel or not. For many people I am their first encounter with the hotel and sometimes to the City of Chicago. But one thing they recognize is that i am like any one of them, from the poorest to some of the richest, I serve them all.
So much could be said. I
July 12th, 2009. This was the day I became a Minister. It is now, December 15th, 2015. I am no less of a Minister. Maybe you still don't know what that means yet.
Sunday, December 13, 2015
(Trusted Guide)...A Look Into Perspective
"Life is like a map...Getting lost on this journey, still looking for you..." - Valet
Being a Christian at heart isn't enough, isn't it? That's how I feel anyway. What I'm about to say isn't so much tied to religious practice either, not by any denomination, or in any particular methodology of what some might consider "Christian worthy". No, this ain't that kind of party. And I wrestle with the idea that... Well, let me not get off track.
There is, foundationally, a fundamental flaw in basic and practical life training for young people. I could blame everyone, and I could blame no one. I actually do not want to pass any blame at all. I just want to tell a little bit about what I mean and what that means to me. I thought I would directly talk about the lack of fathers, mentors and people of influence, but that's ok, we'll get to that later yea.
I'll make this quick. Along my wayward path of life, I didn't understand how much I needed to listen to correct guidance. Even more so, I didn't know how to ask. Some people say that it's just part of "becoming a man!", you know, finding your way. Naw, I'm good on that. I knew I needed help and wasn't willing to receive it, at least not from everybody. Funny how that happens. I was at a lonely place in life. And I often think that it is in our loneliest times that we find ourselves having conversations with the universe, ourselves, God and animals. Haha,, you know it's true that every now and again we talk to a bird or a pet or a squirrel.
Sometimes we find answers, sometimes we find silence, sometimes the thoughts are so cloudy that we just play some music and drown it out. Sometimes we need to hear from a friend, a family member and if its right, a stranger. I've personally never heard God's audibly thundering voice. I think I may have heard him whisper though. And when I'm feeling lost on life's journey, I found that it's easier to believe it's gonna be OK. I just want to maintain. Work, eat, drink, have a wife make babies and live...And, everything seems to want to come against that. But you know what, I'm not worried, in my Perspective I found a Trusted Guide, and I think we gone be OK.
Yea,.. it's gone be OK...
Sometimes we find answers, sometimes we find silence, sometimes the thoughts are so cloudy that we just play some music and drown it out. Sometimes we need to hear from a friend, a family member and if its right, a stranger. I've personally never heard God's audibly thundering voice. I think I may have heard him whisper though. And when I'm feeling lost on life's journey, I found that it's easier to believe it's gonna be OK. I just want to maintain. Work, eat, drink, have a wife make babies and live...And, everything seems to want to come against that. But you know what, I'm not worried, in my Perspective I found a Trusted Guide, and I think we gone be OK.
Yea,.. it's gone be OK...
Friday, December 11, 2015
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
(Waiting)...A Look into Perspective
"The spirit is willing but the flesh is WEAK!"...
Oh, some of us know the saying all too well. And some of us, even further know the meaning. I wrote "Waiting" to express the difficult struggle I was going through to try and avoid sex, wait for marriage and the failure of it.
Youthfulness is a beast, ain't it?
It was hard enough coming into the understanding of what sex exactly was, what it meant and how to go about about it; especially, as a kid who spent much more time talking to other kids about it than adults. But, boy oh boy Whoda Knew what was going to happen once IT Happened. And like many others, it happened much too soon.
Years later, about the age of 20, I ended up on a 5yr - hiatus from sex. Along the way I also, was just again, after about 7yrs of rejecting it, trying to find my place in life as a young Christian man, I mean, backslider, no wait I mean, seeker/religious/rededicated... forget it.
My wayward self was looking intently for Jesus. And with all I had known about the Bible in mind, I said, "I'm waiting."...""Ima wait on, The Lord!"... ha, that ain't this, ok. The two don't go together.
Then I wrote the poem, 3yrs later broke, had sex again, then recorded the song.
Here's what came of that. I asked myself, what am I waiting for exactly? A wife? Permission to have sex? Sex free of guilt?.... I kept feeling like something was wrong with the fact that my focus was on "waiting!" Waiting was such a distraction. I'm thinking about avoiding and trying to keep from sexual advances...hmmm...and so how am I suppose to manage that. Every thought a sex block but because it's a sex block it's constantly in my face. And I'm the one putting it there more often than not. Because it was my focus and distraction all at the same time (And I'm not saying to practice chastity or to abstain from extramarital is any problem. I'm a fan of that.) But not if your focus is on "waiting" for sex in marriage rather that living the best life you know to with all that you've got. Because marriage and sex in marriage are amazing things to look forward to. If only someone had communicated it sooner in a way that prepared me to properly manage these things. And I'm sure someone tried to tell me even though I can't remember.
Needless to say, I stopped waiting and I'm done waiting, not because I'm back into the lifestyle of sexing women, but, because my focus isn't on waiting to love, be loved or have a regular. Rather I enjoy the idea of just living. Living my life and not waiting for something I don't know. I like what I do know. I'm Living to be Known, known for taking action to obtain what I want in my relationships. I'm much better off. I'm too busy living to wait for that day.
I prefer waiting for food I order, things I buy being shipped and people who I wish didn't but continue to preserve CPT... LOL... oh, wait, I be on that too sometimes.
Oh, some of us know the saying all too well. And some of us, even further know the meaning. I wrote "Waiting" to express the difficult struggle I was going through to try and avoid sex, wait for marriage and the failure of it.
Youthfulness is a beast, ain't it?
It was hard enough coming into the understanding of what sex exactly was, what it meant and how to go about about it; especially, as a kid who spent much more time talking to other kids about it than adults. But, boy oh boy Whoda Knew what was going to happen once IT Happened. And like many others, it happened much too soon.
Years later, about the age of 20, I ended up on a 5yr - hiatus from sex. Along the way I also, was just again, after about 7yrs of rejecting it, trying to find my place in life as a young Christian man, I mean, backslider, no wait I mean, seeker/religious/rededicated... forget it.
My wayward self was looking intently for Jesus. And with all I had known about the Bible in mind, I said, "I'm waiting."...""Ima wait on, The Lord!"... ha, that ain't this, ok. The two don't go together.
Then I wrote the poem, 3yrs later broke, had sex again, then recorded the song.
Here's what came of that. I asked myself, what am I waiting for exactly? A wife? Permission to have sex? Sex free of guilt?.... I kept feeling like something was wrong with the fact that my focus was on "waiting!" Waiting was such a distraction. I'm thinking about avoiding and trying to keep from sexual advances...hmmm...and so how am I suppose to manage that. Every thought a sex block but because it's a sex block it's constantly in my face. And I'm the one putting it there more often than not. Because it was my focus and distraction all at the same time (And I'm not saying to practice chastity or to abstain from extramarital is any problem. I'm a fan of that.) But not if your focus is on "waiting" for sex in marriage rather that living the best life you know to with all that you've got. Because marriage and sex in marriage are amazing things to look forward to. If only someone had communicated it sooner in a way that prepared me to properly manage these things. And I'm sure someone tried to tell me even though I can't remember.
Needless to say, I stopped waiting and I'm done waiting, not because I'm back into the lifestyle of sexing women, but, because my focus isn't on waiting to love, be loved or have a regular. Rather I enjoy the idea of just living. Living my life and not waiting for something I don't know. I like what I do know. I'm Living to be Known, known for taking action to obtain what I want in my relationships. I'm much better off. I'm too busy living to wait for that day.
I prefer waiting for food I order, things I buy being shipped and people who I wish didn't but continue to preserve CPT... LOL... oh, wait, I be on that too sometimes.
Monday, December 7, 2015
Saturday, December 5, 2015
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
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