tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-142160602024-02-03T09:25:23.533-08:00Nobility Brings RewardsIn a world that thrives on scandal, selfishness, and concocted realities, I have found that living a life of nobility is rarer than ever and brings one little appreciation among peers and "in the city gates". This space was designed to document truth and give credit to daily acts of nobility. It's also a place to process experience and encounters with wisdom. Here's to the other rarae aves in this world who share my resolve to make this world a better place to live and love.Reina Proverbialhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15742597296861299085noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14216060.post-1151330515572075842006-06-26T06:59:00.000-07:002007-09-27T15:15:54.630-07:00Hello, family. Instead of writing what I feel today, I decided to let pictures speak for me. Enjoy!<br /><br /><a href="http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=1522978">Born a Queen</a><br><embed src="http://lads.myspace.com/videos/vplayer.swf" flashvars="m=1522978&v=2&type=video" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="430" height="346"></embed><br>Reina Proverbialhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15742597296861299085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14216060.post-1150594355905287072006-06-17T18:30:00.000-07:002006-06-17T18:33:53.036-07:00<center>Hello, family! I'm still here -- just a little preoccupied. Please know you are my first love and I will return soon to share wisdom I have gained since my last posting.</center><center></center><center><a href="http://www.sparkletags.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Hosted by SparkleTags.com" src="http://www.sparkletags.com/Spanish/F/felizsabado2.gif" border="0" /><br />Hosted by Sparkle Tags</a></center><center></center><div align="right">~ Altrivice</div>Reina Proverbialhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15742597296861299085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14216060.post-1147473568551195302006-05-12T15:19:00.000-07:002006-05-12T15:39:28.633-07:00Today, I learned of an angry e-mail circulating about Andy Rooney's comments on CBS's 60 Minutes. After carefully considering the statements presented in the e-mail, actually, I don't have a seething problem with his comments. It appears Mr. Rooney may be a classic victim of ignorance (definition: lack of knowledge, awareness, and/or experience). However, for the sake of discussion and to answer questions posed from the person who originally sent me the e-mail, I've added periodic comments <span style="color:#3366ff;">(my comments in color)</span> after Mr. Rooney's below. Please read on............<br /><br />Rooney--I don't think being a minority makes you a victim of anything except numbers. The only things I can think of that are truly discriminatory are things like the United Negro College Fund, Jet Magazine, Black Entertainment Television, and Miss Black America. Try to have things like the UnitedCaucasianCollege Fund, Cloud Magazine, White Entertainment Television, or Miss White America; and see what happens...Jesse Jackson will be knocking down your door.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff6666;">AR -- He's absolutely right that Jesse would be knocking down the door. Hopefully Mr. Rooney understands that the basis of forming such focused mediums to cultivate growth in the black community was because historically black people have been oppressed and unable to get assistance, acknowledgement and upliftment from mainstream resources like scholarship programs, Miss America pagaents, and new mediums. Therefore, Blacks had to create their own mediums.</span><br /><br />Rooney--Guns do not make you a killer. I think killing makes you a killer. You can kill someone with a baseball bat or a car, but no one is trying to ban you from driving to the ball game.<br /><span style="color:#33cc00;">AR -- agree</span><br /><span style="color:#33cc00;"></span><br />Rooney--I believe they are called the Boy Scouts for a reason, that is why there are no girls allowed. Girls belong in the Girl Scouts! ARE YOU LISTENING MARTHA BURKE?<br />I think that if you feel homosexuality is wrong, it is not a phobia, it is an opinion.<br /><span style="color:#339999;">AR -- agree</span><br /><br />Rooney--I have the right "NOT" to be tolerant of others because they are different, weird, or tick me off.<br /><span style="color:#6666cc;">AR -- agree including not being tolerant of Mr. Rooney</span><br /><span style="color:#6666cc;"><br /></span>Rooney--When 70% of the people who get arrested are black, in cities where 70% of the population is black, that is not racial profiling, it is the Law of Probability.<br /><span style="color:#993300;">AR -- agree except the majority of racial profiling occurrences take place in communities where the percentages are much lower. The reality is the majority of US cities are comprised of much much lower percentages of blacks. This statement also does not account for the underlying pedagogy of white police officers who are often more likely to release a white man on a "warning" with no arrest than to extend the same to a person of color. </span><br /></span><br />Rooney--I believe that if you are selling me a milkshake, a pack of cigarettes, a newspaper or a hotel room, you must do it in English! As a matter of fact, if you want to be an American citizen, you should have to speak English!<br /><span style="color:#993399;">AR -- agree. The dominant language in Brazil is Portuguese, Mexico is Spanish, and Japan is Japanese and you are expected to know their respective languages should you decide to visit or become a citizen of their countries.</span> <br /><br />Rooney--My father and grandfather didn't die in vain so you can leave the countries you were born in to come over and disrespect ours.<br /><span style="color:#000066;">AR -- this statement seems irrelevant to me. Speaking another language other than the native tongue is not interpreted by me as disrespect.</span><br /><br />Rooney--I think the police should have every right to shoot your sorry ass if you threaten them after they tell you to stop. If you can't understand the word "freeze" or "stop" in English, see the <span style="color:#ff0000;"><span style="color:#000000;">above lines.</span> </span><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">AR -- disagree. Police should heed to the rule of meeting force with equal force. Meaning a cop should only be using his firearm if the suspect is using a gun or some other deadly weapon of equal force. No cop should be shooting folks who do not display violent behavior.</span><br /><br />Rooney--I don't think just because you were not born in this country, you are qualified for any special loan programs, government sponsored bank loans or tax breaks, etc., so you can open a hotel, coffee shop, trinket store, or any other business.<br /><span style="color:#003300;">AR -- agree. The dominant language in Brazil is Portuguese, Mexico is Spanish, and Japan is Japanese and you are expected to know their respective languages should you decide to visit or become a citizen of their countries.</span> <br /><br />Rooney--We did not go to the aid of certain foreign countries and risk our lives in wars to defend their freedoms, so that decades later they could come over here and tell us our constitution is a living document; and open to their interpretations.<br /><span style="color:#ff6600;">AR -- again irrelevant to me because most often these challenges are coming from Americans, not non-citizens.</span><br /><br />Rooney--I don't hate the rich; I don't pity the poor.<br /><span style="color:#cc66cc;">AR -- agree.</span><br /> <br />Rooney--I know pro wrestling is fake, but so are movies and television. That doesn't stop you from watching them. I think Bill Gates has every right to keep every penny he made and continue to make more. If it ticks you off, go and invent the next operating system that's better, and put your name on the building.<br /><span style="color:#999900;">AR -- agree. Mr. Gates has no legal responsibility to give $ he has earned legally to anyone. However, I suspect he gives because of a moral sense of responsibility to help another that may not be as fortunate. That's called having a heart.</span><br /><br />Rooney--It doesn't take a whole village to raise a child right, but it does take a parent to stand up to the kid; and smack their little behinds when necessary, and say "NO!"<br /><span style="color:#00cccc;">AR -- agree.</span> <br /><br />Rooney--I think tattoos and piercing are fine if you want them, but please don't pretend they are a political statement. And, please, stay home until that new lip ring heals. I don't want to look at your ugly infected mouth as you serve me French fries!<br /><span style="color:#009900;">AR -- agree.</span> <br /><br />Rooney--I am sick of "Political Correctness." I know a lot of black people, and not a single one of them was born in Africa; so how can they be "African-Americans"? Besides, Africa is a continent. I don't go around saying I am a European-American because my great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather was from Europe. I am proud to be from America and nowhere else.<br /><span style="color:#6600cc;">AR -- I personally refer to myself as Black, and although Mr. Rooney does not use the term European-American, I am very aware of others who do. I think there's room at the cross for us all.</span> <br /><div align="center"><br />OK, well those are my comments. Thanks for considering my thoughts.<br /><br /><em><span style="color:#ff9966;">Muchas gracias!</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ff9966;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ff9966;">- Altrivice</span></em></div>Reina Proverbialhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15742597296861299085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14216060.post-1143425576885902782006-03-26T17:59:00.000-08:002006-03-26T18:15:18.760-08:00I decided to take a brief detour from the usual discussion. The below is an editorial I wrote recently for a popular website in Houston's African American community. If you learn new information after reading this piece, be motivated to ask similar questions in your own communities.<br /><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#990000;">Cuando mi amigo necesita ayuda, se llama para cambios rapidos.</span></em> </div><br />Always,<br />Altrivice<br />----------<br /><strong>Nobility In Policy Making: </strong><br /><strong>Why A Strong Smoking Ordinance is Advantageous for Houston</strong><br /><div align="left"><br />“Hello, Ms. Lifeguard. I’d like to swim on the non-peeing side of the pool please.”<br /><br />What an absurd request since there is obviously no effective way to prevent urine from dispersing itself throughout the waters of a swimming pool. The irrational nature of this statement demonstrates the very basis of an important public policy debate currently proceeding in Houston that surrounds the implementation of strong city indoor air quality legislation that will save lives and improve quality of life. The national debate began over 30 years ago and has FINALLY reached our city affectionately known as The Fattest and Most Polluted City in the USA.<br /><br />The Concern<br />Environmental tobacco smoke, also known as secondhand smoke (SHS), is a toxic air pollutant that will claim approximately 38,000 American lives this year. Almost 400 of those deaths will occur in the Houston area. SHS contains 4,000 chemicals, 40 of which cause cancer in humans, including: cyanide, arsenic, carbon monoxide, benzene, ammonia and formaldehyde. Either inhaling the puffs of a smoker or passive smoke from a burning cigarette, pipe or cigar can expose one to SHS. From workplaces to households, anyone who is exposed to SHS is at an increased risk for developing cancer or other severe health problems.<br /><br />There is no safe level of exposure to tobacco smoke, and smoking that is permitted indoors places countless people at risk. Essentially, tobacco smoke is a gas that does exactly what it is designed to do: it moves freely about in space. Although the sight and smell of tobacco smoke may wane within seconds of its release, science tells us it is not gone. The toxic smoke lingers in the air until inhaled into human lungs where it can cause numerous deadly health conditions including lung cancer, heart disease, asthma, bronchitis, and more. So in the same way you cannot block the dispersion of urine in a pool, there is no way to block the dispersion of toxic smoke in the air.<br /><br />That is why advocacy groups like Houston Communities for Safe Indoor Air (HCSIA) are insisting that our city adopt strong safe indoor air policies that will eliminate smoking in all workplaces and public places. Such is required in order to protect the rights of nonsmokers to breathe smoke-free air. Proposed solutions that include provisions for secluded smoking only areas and/or ventilation systems should not be supported since employees who must service those areas are still exposed and ventilation devices do not remove the threat of carcinogens in the air.<br /><br />Healthy People 2010, our nation’s focus statement that identifies the most significant preventable threats to health, recommends action to reduce the proportion of nonsmokers exposed to environmental tobacco smoke. The experts who formulated this document stated that “developing strategies and action plans to address one or more of these indicators can have a profound effect on increasing the quality of life and the years of healthy life and on eliminating health disparities—creating healthy people in healthy communities.” Exposure to secondhand smoke is preventable. The National Cancer Institute issued the following analysis regarding indoor air legislation:<br /><br />Through the continued implementation of clean indoor air policies aimed at eliminating secondhand smoke exposure in workplaces, restaurants and bars, and public spaces such as beaches and parks, there has been a significant reduction in the level of secondhand smoke exposure in shared environments.<br /><br />So why are Houston’s leaders so opposed to taking swift and responsible, resolute action? After all, the facts are astounding.<br /><br />The Facts<br /><br />▪ The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified secondhand<br />smoke (smoke that comes from a lighted cigarette, pipe, or cigar or is exhaled by a smoker) as a Group-A carcinogen, which means that there is sufficient evidence that secondhand smoke causes cancer in humans.<br /><br />▪ This year, 38,000 nonsmokers will die of heart disease and 3,000 will die of lung cancer from breathing secondhand smoke. Approximately, 400 of these deaths will occur in the Houston area this year.<br /><br />▪ Secondhand smoke is a leading cause of crib death in infants.<br /><br />▪ Secondhand smoke increases the number of asthma attacks and the severity of asthma in hundreds of thousands of asthmatic children.<br /><br />▪ Secondhand smoke increases the risk of middle ear infections, pneumonia and bronchitis resulting in over 300,000 infections in children each year.<br /><br />▪ In Texas, 22 percent of adults and 24 percent of high school students currently smoke. Tobacco use in Texas claims 24,100 lives and costs $4.55 billion in health care expenditures each year.<br /><br />▪ In October 2005, Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services released its strategic plan and identified clean air as a priority public health issue over the next five years.<br /><br />▪ People of color are the least likely to be protected under smoke-free workplace policies and more likely to be exposed to secondhand smoke because of occupation in service or hospitality industries.<br /><br />▪ Sitting in a non-smoking section of a restaurant is like smoking 1½ cigarettes for the nonsmoker.<br /><br />▪ Restaurant and bar workers have a 50% higher risk of lung cancer than all other nonsmokers.<br /><br />▪ Studies have shown that smoke-free laws have no negative impact on restaurant and bar sales, employment or tourism.<br /><br />The health of our Houston workforce and citizens has been needlessly assaulted far too long. Studies indisputably indicate that indoor air policies reduce employee leave and the frequency of hospital urgent care visits. Because a large number of employees exposed to SHS are uninsured, state and county health services must absorb skyrocketing medical costs for treatment. Thus, enacting a smoking ordinance is also a fiscally responsible decision for taxpayers who must bear the burden of these expenditures.<br /><br />One may again ask why Houston leaders have not prioritized their constituents’ health by supporting strong policies that would dramatically improve the health of our uninsured workforce and prevent needless loss of life. Two prevailing point of views couch this debate: health impact versus economic impact. The health impact has been addressed; let us now flip the coin.<br /><br />The Opponents<br />It seems the business interests of this city have recklessly reduced a major health and quality of life issue to dollars and cents. Restaurants and bar owners are concerned they will lose business if indoor smoking is restricted. Further, they believe their business is private property, and they are entitled to choose whether they will implement such a policy. Beer companies are worried that bars will not able to sale as much of their product. Tobacco companies are afraid they will lose revenue if smoking is discouraged indoors; people will not smoke as many cigarettes. Private clubs are concerned their clientele will retreat to outlying cities where indoor smoking is still allowed. Convention bureaus are fearful that ordinances will reduce tourism. Smokers feel their right to smoke is being infringed upon.<br /><br />The reality is negative economic ramifications resulting from indoor air policies are unjustifiable. It should be noted that the No. 1 and No. 2 populated states in America, New York and California, have adopted statewide smoking ordinances and have experienced no economic handicap since implementation. Restaurants, bars, private clubs, tourism and beer in these states are still alive and well. Other states including Delaware, Washington, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Jersey as well as Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico have also successfully adopted strong policies.<br /><br />Finally, contrary to most spin arguments and accusations that this topic is fractious, the right to smoke is not at issue here; however, the right for nonsmokers to breathe safe indoor air is at issue. The right of workers to earn a decent living in a safe working environment is also paramount. Opponents to indoor air policies should look beyond unsubstantiated fears and consider the tremendous tax money to be saved from reduced illness among the uninsured, the reduced number of employee sick days, the reduction in needed janitorial services, and the greater potential increase in nonsmoker clientele who are will happily patronize smoke free establishments.<br /><br />The Choice<br />Public health and well-being should carry no price tag. If you care about the health of our workers and families, the choice is clear. The responsibility rests on the citizens to educate our community leaders and demand a remedy that adequately respects and protects citizens who have made a conscious lifestyle decision not to smoke. That remedy is strong clean indoor air policies that safeguard workers and citizens from secondhand smoke in all workplaces and public places. It is the right answer for Houston.<br /><br />----------<br /><span style="font-size:78%;">References<br />Houston Communities for Safe Indoor Air (HCSIA) – </span><a href="http://www.hcsia.org/"><span style="font-size:78%;">http://www.hcsia.org</span></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Americans for Nonsmokers Rights Foundation (ANR) – </span><a href="http://www.no-smoke.org/"><span style="font-size:78%;">http://www.no-smoke.org</span></a> <span style="font-size:78%;"><br />Centers for Disease Control (CDC) – </span><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/"><span style="font-size:78%;">http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/</span></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Harris County Health and Environmental Services – </span><a href="http://www.harriscountyhealth.com/"><span style="font-size:78%;">http://www.harriscountyhealth.com</span></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">National Cancer Institute (NCI) – </span><a href="http://www.cancer.gov/"><span style="font-size:78%;">http://www.cancer.gov</span></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Tobacco Scam – </span><a href="http://tobaccoscam.ucsf.edu/"><span style="font-size:78%;">http://tobaccoscam.ucsf.edu/</span></a></div>Reina Proverbialhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15742597296861299085noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14216060.post-1131837737704423832005-11-12T14:08:00.000-08:002005-11-26T21:49:32.426-08:00Today, temptation is great to address the disappointment I feel regarding the Jordan bombings and this country's response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Terrorists continue to prove they are still alive, well, and very powerful. The billions of U.S. dollars devoted to reducing this global threat seem grossly misappropriated at this point. Likewise, drastic cuts in the FEMA budget funding a few years ago partially explain why the entity is understaffed and subsequently slow to provide adequate assistance to the many Texas cities charged with placing its New Orleans guests into housing. And why was their budget cut? Interestingly enough, it was cut to form the Department of Homeland Security which is supposed to provide improved oversight of both the country's homeland and international security! The two issues presented here is conclusive evidence Homeland Security is doing neither.<br /><br />I am also tempted to complain about the recent decision that FEMA will pay for the distribution of absentee voter ballots to New Orleans residents in preparation for the Feb 2006 mayoral election. How absurd! First, they can't seem to find these folks. Second, they don't have enough money now to adequately serve Hurricane Katrina victims in Mississippi much less Hurricane Rita victims in East Texas.<br /><br />Then something occurred to me during my commute from work yesterday. If there is difficulty getting these folks housing in Houston and Dallas areas and if there is also great concern that citizens will not re-populate in the city to reasonably hold an election, how about taking a hard look at ways to get them back home? After all, the majority of these folks had to be bused out of the city to escape the storm because they lacked transportation. What makes the government believe they miraculously have transportation to get home now???? As the saying goes: "Common sense is not so common." Moreover, people might be more interested in rebuilding the city if arrangements for temporary housing were made in N.O. to support families returning home!<br /><br />OK, I won't belabor these troublesome issues any longer. I do have Noble News to report.<br />The State of Michigan has made great strides this month in empowering America's youth.<br /><br />First, Kalamazoo, Michigan is the latest recipient of a lotto-sized donation. Anonymous donors pledged to pay for a 4-year education to every senior who graduates from the town's high school for the next twelve years. Free tuition to every graduate, every year for twelve years! The benefits for such a pledge are astounding:<br /><ol><li>Children will be more excited about education;</li><li>Students will be more motivated to learn so they can attend college;</li><li>Lower and middle-class families now have options for advancing their family's educational capital without the strain of negotiating financing to do so;</li><li>New families interested in taking advantage of the offer will move into town;</li><li>Students will be excited and encouraged to come home and give back even more;</li><li>As these students come home, they will start businesses and spark employment growth;</li></ol><p>...and the list goes on. </p><p>What a creative way to revive a community! I look forward to hearing of more "neighbor-minded donors" who will do this in their respective areas of influence. After all, we ARE our brothers' keeper and in spite of all the naysayers, I do believe that God has given us sufficient resources to make the world a better place for all. There really is no justifiable basis for the haves and the have nots. </p><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1306093">http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1306093</a><br /><br />Second, the small town of Hillsdale, MI (population 8,400) elected a local high school senior as its next city mayor! This young man was 17 at the time of the May filing to have his name printed on the ballot so he ran the election as a write-in candidate. He earned money through a summer job to run his campaign. And this November he was successful in this efforts to win the city's lead administrative post! Who would have thought it could be possible? I've always dreamed of leading my small Texas town to greatness after I got age, education and accomplishment on my side. But this young man didn't hesitate to launch out and make a difference today.<br /><br />What does this say about this young man's mindset? What does this endeavor say about his upbringing and parental support? Can America's new generation of youth really make a difference? I am encouraged to see the faith and will of this student, and I believe God is not finished using our children to direct this country's focus back where is should be....to family and to our neighbors.<br /><br /><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=1296769">http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=1296769</a><br /><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ff6600;">Los ninos traen la luz al mundo.</span></em></div><br />Happy Holidays,<br />Reina ProverbialReina Proverbialhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15742597296861299085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14216060.post-1128663424801142552005-10-06T00:40:00.000-07:002005-10-06T22:37:04.826-07:00My comments are very simple tonight...Donald Trump births "The Apprentice" and BET births "The Ultimate Hustler". <br /><br />When a friend called to inform me of the newest BET reality show, I immediately responded that I would never waste my time watching such trash. I know that statement appears closeminded, but I have a huge problem with BET's shallow programming as of recent. The network is clearly targeting a hip-hop population that I am having trouble identifying with. This culture by my estimation has lofty dreams of building Rome in a day yet lacks interest in learning life principles of decency and respect that historically have been instrumental in sustaining long-term success.<br /><br />As I see it, the problem with this new work is by its very title, the show implies and espouses a business methodology for success that may be attained in some way other than noble means.<br />My friend argued that I am overreacting. After all, the show's objectives are similar to The Apprentice's, where business theory is innovatively applied to solve some organizational dilemma. Maybe so...I'm a little tired to debate tonight. But even if I had more energy, I still believe BET execs could have launched a better program that suggested that Black America, too, can operate with class and responsible leadership to realize great business plans.<br /><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#cc66cc;">Espero a ver como mi cultura responde. Americanos negros tienen mucho a dar este pais.</span></em></div><br />Always,<br />AltriviceReina Proverbialhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15742597296861299085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14216060.post-1127152830252951582005-09-19T12:56:00.000-07:002005-11-26T11:58:53.823-08:00As you may know, I have spent numerous hours over the past few weeks working with Hurricane Katrina victims from New Orleans. I am grateful for the opportunity God has given me to contribute in this effort, and I look forward to seeing the fruits of God's grace in each family's life that I have worked with. As one often anxious to view desperate and destitute situations from a spiritual viewpoint, I found the following Max Lucado's message both interesting and worthy of post on this page. Let me know your thoughts.<br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="color:#333399;">Somos una familia en los ojos del Senor Alto.</span></div>Always,<br />Altrivice<br /><br /><div align="center"><strong>What Katrina Can Teach Us<br />September 10-11, 2005<br />(Special message preached at Oak Hills Church by Max Lucado)</strong></div><br />Who would have thought we would ever hear this phrase spoken on a radio news<br />report in America: "Today, about 25,000 refugees were moved from the Superdome in<br />New Orleans to the Astrodome in Houston." For days, we’ve watched the tragedy continue to unfold in Mississippi and Louisiana and, if you are like me, you’ve wrestled with feelings of shock and disbelief…feelings that, over the last five years, have become all too familiar.<br /><br />We were barely into the new millennium when we saw towers falling in New York<br />City and planes crashing into the Pentagon and the Pennsylvania farmland.<br />We saw bombs over Baghdad and witnessed the ancient land of Abraham become a<br />war zone for his descendants. You’d think we had seen enough, but then came the<br />tsunami--a roaring wave that sucked life and innocence out to sea.<br />And now the fruits of Katrina. A city sitting in twenty feet of water. Citizens hacking<br />their way onto roofs and helicopters hovering over neighborhoods. Optimistic rescuers,<br />opportunistic looters, grateful people, resentful people—we have seen it all.<br />And many have seen it up close. Katrina came to San Antonio in the form of 12,500<br />evacuees. Many of you are meeting them, feeding them, writing checks, and manning<br />shifts. And you, as much as any, have reason to wonder…What is going on here? 9/11,<br />Iraq, tsunami, Katrina. And I didn’t mention nor intend to minimize Hurricanes Dennis and<br />Ivan and Emily.<br /><br />Jesus criticized the leaders of his day for focusing on the weather and ignoring the<br />signals: "You find it easy enough to forecast the weather—why can't you read the signs of<br />the times?" Matthew 16:2-3 (MSG). What are we to learn from all of this? Is God sending us a message? I think so. And, I think we’d be wise to pay attention. There are some spiritual lessons that I think God would want us to learn through this tragedy. The first lesson we see is…<br /><br /><strong>I. The Nature of Possessions: Temporary<br /></strong>As you’ve listened to evacuees and survivors, have you noticed their words? No one<br />laments a lost plasma television or submerged SUV. No one runs through the streets<br />yelling, "My cordless drill is missing" or "My golf clubs have washed away." If they mourn, it<br />is for people lost. If they rejoice, it is for people found.<br /><br />Could Jesus be reminding us that people matter more than possessions? In a land<br />where we have more malls than high schools, more debt than credit, more clothes to wear<br />than we can wear, could Christ be saying: "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" (Luke 12:15)?<br /><br />We see an entire riverboat casino washed up three blocks and placed on top of a<br />house in a neighborhood. You see demolished $40,000 cars that will never be driven<br />again, hidden in debris. And in the background of our minds we hear the quiet echoes of<br />Jesus saying, "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his<br />soul?" (Matthew 16:26). Raging hurricanes and broken levees have a way of prying our fingers off the stuff we love. What was once most precious now means little; what we once ignored is now of eternal significance. A friend and I attended a worship service at Antioch Baptist Church last Sunday night. Several African American Church leaders had organized an assembly to pray for the evacuees that have ended up in San Antonio. Many of them sat on the front rows….<br />dressed in all the clothing they owned: t-shirts, jeans. Their faces were weary from the<br />week. But when the music started and the worship began, they came to their feet and sang<br />with tears in their eyes. They were rich.<br /><br />Are you that rich? Were all your possession washed away, could you still worship? Would you still worship? If not, you are holding things too tightly:<br />"Tell those rich in this world's wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so<br />obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God,<br />who piles on all the riches we could ever manage—to do good, to be rich in helping<br />others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they'll build a treasury that will last,<br />gaining life that is truly life" (1 Timothy 6:17-19 MSG). Through Katrina, Christ tells us: stuff doesn’t matter; people do. Understand the nature of possessions. Be equally clear on:<br /><br /><strong>II. The Nature of People: Sinners and Saints</strong><br />We see the most incredible servants and stories of selflessness and sacrifice. We<br />see people of the projects rescuing their neighbors, we see civil servants risking their lives<br />for people they’ve never seen. My wife Denalyn and I toured a shelter supervised by one of<br />our neighbors here in San Antonio. We met a family of some twenty cousins and siblings.<br />One six-year-old girl told Denalyn about the helicopter man who plucked her off a third<br />story porch and lifted her to safety. That child will never know who that man is. He’ll never seek any applause. He saved her life… all in a day’s work. We saw humanity at its best. And we saw humanity at its worst.<br /><br />Looting. Fighting. We heard stories of rapes and robberies. Someone said, "The<br />heavens declare the glory of God but the streets declare the sinfulness of man." The video<br />footage in New Orleans has confirmed the truthfulness of that quote. Can you imagine not<br />being able to sleep in the Superdome for fear that someone might try to rape your<br />daughter if she went to the restroom in the middle of the night?<br /><br />We are people of both dignity and depravity. The hurricane blew back more than<br />roofs; it blew the mask off the nature of mankind. The main problem in the world is not<br />Mother Nature, but human nature. Strip away the police barricades, blow down the fences,<br />and the real self is revealed. We are barbaric to the core. We were born with a me-first mentality. You don’t have to teach your kids to argue. They don’t have to be trained to demand their way. You don’t have to show them how to stomp their feet and pout, it is their nature… indeed it is all of our nature to do so. "All of us have strayed like sheep. We have left God’s paths to follow our own" (Isaiah 53:6).<br /><br />God’s chosen word for our fallen condition has three letters- s-I-n. Sin celebrates<br />the letter in the middle. "I". Left to our own devices, we lead a godless, out of control life<br />of "…doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it" (Ephesians 2:3 MSG).<br />You don’t have to go to New Orleans to see the chaos. Because of sin, the husband<br />ignores his wife, grown men seduce the young. The young proposition the old. When you<br />do what you want and I do what I want, humanity and civility implodes.<br /><br />And when the Katrinas of life blown in, our true nature is revealed and our deepest<br />need is unveiled: a need deeper than food, more permanent than firm levees. We need,<br />not a new system, but a new nature. We need to be changed from the inside out. Which<br />takes us to the third message of Katrina:<br /><br /><strong>III. The Nature of God’s Grace: Inside Out</strong><br />Much discussion revolves around the future of New Orleans. Will the city be restored?<br />Repaired? How long will it take? Who will pay for it? One thing is for certain: someone has<br />to clean her up.<br /><br />No one is suggesting otherwise. Everyone knows, someone has to go in a clean up the<br />mess. That is what God offers to do with us. He comes into sin-flooded lives and washes<br />away the old. Paul reflected on his conversion and he wrote: "He gave us a good bath, and<br />we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5). Our<br />sins stand no chance against the fire hoses of God’s grace.<br /><br />But he does more than cleanse us; he rebuilds us. In the form of his Holy Spirit, God<br />moves in and starts a complete renovation project. "God can do anything, you know—far<br />more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it<br />not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within<br />us." (Ephesians 3:20 MSG). And what we can only dream of doing with New Orleans, God has done with soul after soul, and he will do so with you, if you let him.<br /><br />The most disturbing stories from the last week are of those who refused to be rescued.<br />Those who spent their final hours trapped in attics and rooms regretting the choice they’d<br />made. They could have been saved. They could have gotten out… but they chose to stay.<br />Many paid a permanent price.<br /><br />You don’t have to pay that price. What rescuers did for people on the Gulf Coast, God<br />will do for you. He has entered your world. He has dropped a rope into your sin-swamped<br />life. He will rescue, you simply need to do what that little girl did, let him lift you out.<br />I mentioned my visit to Antioch Baptist Church last Sunday night. A local minister,<br />Pastor L. A. Williams gave a message on this one verse: "But Noah found grace in the eyes<br />of the Lord…" (Gen. 6:8).<br /><br />The minister helped us see all the things Noah could not find because of the flood. He<br />could not find his neighborhood. He could not find his house. He could not find the<br />comforts of home or the people down the street--there was much he could not find. But<br />what he could find made all the difference. Noah found grace in the eyes of God. If you have everything and no grace, you have nothing. If you have nothing but grace, you have everything.<br /><br />Have you found grace? If not, I urge you to do what that little girl told us she did.<br />When the rescuer appeared on her porch, she grabbed him, closed her eyes, and held on.<br />That’s all you need to do. And if you never have, and would like to, I urge you to reach for<br />the hand of your rescuer, Jesus Christ. Your Redeemer lives, too. This hurricane was his tool to get your attention. Trust in Him while you still can.<br /><br />The Will of God will never take you to where the Grace of God will not PROTECT you.<br />Be Blessed in the Lord!Reina Proverbialhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15742597296861299085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14216060.post-1123392751043083392005-08-07T00:34:00.000-07:002005-08-06T22:45:38.313-07:00A warm welcome back to my blog friends! Time and responsibility have kept me away for....wow, I can't believe....almost thirty days! However, I'm elated to update you on my latest find in the pursuit of nobility. I heard about this one on CNN....<br /><br />The cloud:<br />There really isn't one. This is all good.<br /><br />The silver lining:<br /><a href="http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/mcherald/sports/12041537.htm">http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/mcherald/sports/12041537.htm</a><br /><br />NY Jets head coach Herman Edwards hosted his 10th annual youth football camp this summer in the military ghost town of Monterey Bay, California. <strong>More than 800 children</strong> from all walks of life attended the <strong>free</strong> week-long camp to have fun and better their skills in the great sport of football. College and Pro athletes volunteered their time with the children instilling best practices of football and exhibiting leadership by exposing these youth to new ideas and experiences. Even Coach Edwards' pregnant wife came to California to assist with camp's administrative responsibilities. Edwards, also known as Camp Commissioner, planned a camp Super Bowl of sorts where youth engage in friendly competition while learning drills, all-star plays and chants, and getting pep talks from their trainers.<br /><br />This story, while seemingly quite simplistic when written, brought me to tears emotionally. The commitment of Herman Edwards is much needed yet very rare in this overly materialistic and self-indulgent society we call America. As you can see from previous entries, I am utterly repulsed by selfishness. Why? Because no matter how independent you think your decisions are from the world, each one of them has consequences within the broader scheme of life and communities indirectly reap the consequences of those choices.<br /><br />Allow me to digress momentarily to address this line of thought that decisions indirectly impact communities. Take 3rd Ward in Houston for example. This area has been commonly inhabited by lower income citizens existing within moderate to sub-moderate means. Recently, some hot shot investors bought up a bunch of land and began building $300K-500K properties in the heart of the district, leading to a sharp increase in its overall property value. Now some would celebrate the business decision. The most common praise is that property value will increase dramatically, leading to revitalization and other new expansion projects in the inner city. But within this macroeconomic review of the new developments, many have failed to remember the countless families who have recently lost their homes in this very area due to sharp increases in property taxes. Little thought was given to sustaining these long-time residents other than possibly how to drive them out so further land acquistion can take place.<br /><br />So I'm extremely enthusiastic when I hear of the Herman Edwards' of our communities who, rather than gloat in excess and showboat their wealth, use it instead to showcase the talent and potential in others. Herman Edwards, in effect, proclaimed during a banquet speech that life is not about what jobs and accomplishments you had but about relationships and how those were managed. In my opinion, Herman Edwards is a prime example of nobility and thus, he and his wife receive my Medal of Nobility & Honor today.<br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="color:#993399;"><em>Herman Edwards, un ejemplo para el mundo.</em></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#993399;"></span></em></div><div align="left">Always,<br />Altrivice</div>Reina Proverbialhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15742597296861299085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14216060.post-1121474713327495702005-07-15T19:48:00.000-07:002005-07-15T17:45:13.333-07:00The cloud:<br />My friend and her husband had an argument. In my observation, this is a very rare occurrence because they are both understanding by nature and very much in love with each other. They participate in many activities together and typically agree when it comes to childrearing, financial, employment, and spiritual decisions. Without belaboring the minutiae of what initiated the fight, suffice it to say the two had very different agendas for a weekend, and when they didn't come to an immediate understanding about each other's expectations, the "cold shoulder syndrome" ensued and raged on for an entire weekend.<br /><br />The silver lining:<br />They've made up and they're back on track. In my friend's own words -- The moral of the story is "lack of communication and selfishness led to the disagreement. Instead of us talking about it first, he decided to make the decision on his own, and instead of giving him the freedom to [handle the matter in his own way], I was being selfish. He pretty much knows 'if it's not all about me' then I will have a problem with it, but I am also an understanding person and I do have a heart. He just didn't give me the opportunity to demonstrate that. Just sharing the fact that nothing's perfect."<br /><br />Now I am not going to front and say that I'm always the most understanding person because I'm not. Sometimes I, too, am selfish and uninterested in anyone's agenda other than my own. And to makes matters worse, it's usually during those selfish moments that I am least motivated to verbally communicate my needs. But this instance reminds me yet again that a happy and successful marriage is a work in progress. Two people don't just meet and become cosmically likeminded once the wedding vows are exchanged. Marriage requires, among other things, love, patience and a committment to one another to survive stormy moments in the relationship. I believe couples usually enter a covenant with plenty of love and a necessary amount of patience to start a new life together. However, in my observation, committment is the most difficult to define and use within the context of marriage. Perhaps this is because in the world's eye, most committments come with contingencies where there is always an option to walk away when we do not get our way. <br /><br />But are we [we being the Generation X'ers] fully equipped and prepared to face marriage with an unwavering resolve to work toward solutions even when we can't get our way? This is the basis of mediation, a skill I thankfully learned in high school. In my training, I learned that mediation means parties agree to find mutual satisfaction and compromise in the event of a disagreement. <br /><br />I applaud my friend for displaying nobility to forgive her husband when he faltered. What's more, she went beyond finding fault in him. She determined that she, too, played a part in the dissolution of the marital communication lines and ultimately their special weekend. As a woman very interested in discovering these subtle acts of nobility, I'm encouraged to see women born in my era walking in the way of the Proverbs 31 woman, where her husband and children will rise and call her blessed. This gives me hope that the moral fabric of American women has not completely unraveled. <br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="color:#000099;"><em>Amor verdadero se vive despues del tempesto mas violento.</em></span></div><br />Always,<br />AltriviceReina Proverbialhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15742597296861299085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14216060.post-1120780735741620362005-07-07T19:02:00.000-07:002005-07-16T13:52:33.400-07:00The Cloud:<br />Today brought tragedy for the citizens of London, England. During the early morning hours, the city was rocked by at least 6 bombings within their mass transit system. Officials have confirmed at least 37 dead and over 700 wounded. It seems obvious this was a terroristic plot to cultivate fear and desolation in Europe. Although not yet corroborated, the Group of al Qaeda of Jihad Organization in Europe claimed responsibility for the bombings in a Web site posting.<br /><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/07/07/london.tube/index.html">http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/07/07/london.tube/index.html</a><br /><br />The Silver Lining:<br />I'm sure you are wondering how anyone can find a silver lining in this tragedy so early on. After all, a mass murder has been committed, and police have not yet identified any individual(s) to hold accountable for this heinous crime. However, let me challenge your mind to recognize noble acts that are already occurring in response to this tragedy. First, police and emergency response teams in London rushed to render security and medical assistance to the injured. These brave men and women performed their jobs while perhaps unconsciously risking their own lives since no one knew when and where the bombings would end. Moreover, during British Prime Minister Tony Blair's speech, we witnessed solidarity among world leaders attending the G8 convention as each of them stood in support and shared Minister Blair's resolve to protect values of world peace and democracy. And most beautiful of all, the world has responded to this tragedy with sincere sympathy and concern. News teams are quickly capturing the prayers and encouragement of people across the globe who offer their thoughts, prayers, and condolences to the victims.<br /><br />Nobility means possessing a high moral quality to be sympathetic when other experience hurt, regardless of personal involvement or non-involvement. Nobility means being resolute in protecting your country from the extremism that terrorists threaten to impose on the world. Tony Blair, like President Bush in the days of September 11th, must oversee the tremendous task of investigating and locating the perpetrators of the violence we witnessed today while simultaneously rebuilding the city and encouraging citizens not to subscribe to fear and defeat.<br /><br /><div align="left">Today, I pray God grants Minister Blair all the tools necessary to perform his required duties, and I thank God for allowing me to witness that nobility sees no color, nationality, or religion. It can be exhibited in people from all walks of life.<br /><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#3333ff;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#3333ff;"><em>Se llama Al Señor.</em></span></div><span style="color:#000000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;">Always,</span><br /><span style="color:#000000;">Altrivice</span>Reina Proverbialhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15742597296861299085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14216060.post-1120681272333102132005-07-06T15:17:00.000-07:002005-07-06T13:21:12.343-07:00The Cloud:<br />Ethiopia, a country of 70 million, has more than 5 million orphans whose parents are lost to famine, disease, war and AIDS — a catastrophe the government has said is "tearing apart the social fabric" of the east African nation. Caring for these children costs $115 million a month in a country whose annual health budget is reported at only $140 million. <br /><br />The Silver Lining:<br />In 2003, a record 1,400 Ethopian children were adopted from abroad, more than double the number in the previous year. Agencies charge fees of around $20,000 per child, a relatively inexpensive fee compared to many other countries. The number of private adoption agencies in Addis Ababa, the capital, has doubled in the past year to 30. Perhaps this upsurge in Ethiopian adoptions is a sign that the concept of global citizenship prevails. Committing your money to an orphan is one very important step; committing your life and energies to raising an orphan as your own is a more significant and lasting gift. <br /><br />After adopting Cambodian son Maddox roughly three years ago, I read today that American actress Angelina Jolie filed a request last week to adopt an Ethopian girl. Her request was approved and she will take custody of little Zahara Marley Jolie, less than one year old, sometime this week. Why is this touching? I saw an interview with Ms. Jolie recently and as she reminisces about her experiences abroad, she celebrates her heightened awareness of human need across the globe. Having abroad experiences of my own, I understand her new-found sensitivity and desire to respond to those needs. <br /><br />The fact is we all have opportunities to give, but only a person whose heart is tenderized to the broken social frameworks in other countries will feel an intense motivation to do so. Nobility can be exemplified in many ways and certainly being warmhearted and charitable are at the top of my list. Ms. Jolie saw a need and acted to remedy it -- something many unfortunately never do. <br /><div align="center"><span style="color:#6600cc;">Gracias y bravo, Senorita Jolie!</span></div>Always,<br />AltriviceReina Proverbialhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15742597296861299085noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14216060.post-1120589003158849442005-07-05T13:00:00.000-07:002005-07-05T13:27:56.533-07:00<p align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/216/6744/640/Altra_051.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ffffff 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #ffffff 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #ffffff 1px solid; WIDTH: 98px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ffffff 1px solid; HEIGHT: 141px" height="114" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/216/6744/320/Altra_051.jpg" width="118" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; </span></p><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;">but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised (Prov. 31:30). </span><a href="http://picasa.google.com/" target="ext"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" alt="Posted by Picasa" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" align="absMiddle" border="0" /></a></div>Reina Proverbialhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15742597296861299085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14216060.post-1120586304298493012005-07-05T11:49:00.000-07:002005-07-07T17:31:09.520-07:00A friend started blogging recently and invited me to witness his (now public) pursuit of self-discovery and healing. Although his journey seemed challenging, it simultaneously appeared refreshing and uplifting, and I felt compelled to follow suit. So I have started this blog entitled "Nobility Brings Rewards"; its premise is found in the Holy Bible -- Proverbs 31:10-31.<br /><br />In the wake of America's newest fad to celebrate scandals, selfish pursuits, and reality shows, I have found that living a life of nobility is rarer than ever and brings one little appreciation among peers and "in the city gates". Therefore, I desire to use this space to document and give credit to acts of nobility I witness every day. Besides my sincere efforts to be a virtuous woman, there are other rarae aves in this world who share my resolve to make this world a better place to live and love. So as much as I can capture, they will get recognition here.<br /><br />Call it a protest if you must, but I refuse to continue praising selfishness and other ungodly behavior and have chosen instead to honor those things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable. After all, our God promises His peace to those who think on these things (Phillipians 4:8-9), and I want peace now and for the rest of my life. Many ask how do we achieve world peace? The solution begins closer to home than you think - in our minds. [For] as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.<br /><br />Always [because I'd like to think I'll always be me],<br />AltriviceReina Proverbialhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15742597296861299085noreply@blogger.com1