THIS Black Friday Freestyles

Happy Black Friday to you!

Did you get out there and fight fight fight over those electronics?

Not me. I don't fool around, babes...

Plus it's 29 degrees right now in my beloved ATL.

I am in my warm house, on the sofa, under this crocheted blanket watching television.

The high will be in the high 40s today. I may venture outside then.

The biggest goal today is to get out in the backyard and sack up some leaves. I bought 20 lawn bags on Wednesday. Hopefully that's enough. I think I will sack up 5 bags.... then bring my tail back into the house.

Speaking of lawn bags... I bought those at my local Home De.pot. And the guy showing me where they were gave me some huge lecture on why I shouldn't shop on Black Friday, and how all black folk need to boycott Black Friday as a protest of all the police injustice.

Okay. I understand that. But black folks aren't a cohesive group. Especially when Wal-mart has 50 inch TVs on sale for less than $200. Or Staples has laptops for $100. Damn protesting... gotta get the cheap electronics.

I told him I am not concerned with that, as I don't shop on Black Friday. The last time I did was some 15 years ago. My sister got hold of some Macy's coupons in the newspaper, and we were standing in line at the store at 5 in the morning. I bought something for 40% off in the housewares department. I haven't been out since then.

And I don't hate on people for doing so. For some people it is tradition shared between family and friends. There is nothing more exciting than getting up and getting out there for the sheer joy and experience of it, than finding the #1 bargain... That's what I think.

And fighting over the bargains reminds me that we are a nation that has high class problems. We are standing in lines for hours at a time waiting for the store to open so we can get that cheap iphone or tv. We are NOT standing hours in line waiting for the workers to give out our food rations for the day. We are NOT standing in line for hours at a time, after walking for two days, to get desperately needed medical treatment.

High class problems. That's a good thing when you come to think about it.

But I have a deeper issue: I really can't stand the commercialism of this season. I just don't like it. And that is just my own personal thing. You know me: I love homemade items. My budget for Christmas gifts is $100. That's it.

This season falls pretty much during the last month of the year, and for me, it's a time of reflection. I think about what's gone well, and what's gone wrong. I think about what has changed and what I need to change. And I think about the areas of decrease and increase in my life.

Things have changed. Not as much as I like. And that's okay. A new year is coming.

And that's what I'm thinking about on THIS Black Friday.

Quote of the Week. I am sitting here watching Joyce Meyer. She and another minister are having a chat about relationships.  And they said something that caught my attention.

"Make sure you have the right 'they' in your life."

This means make sure you surround yourselves with the right people.... The right "THEY".

People who are

Tough
Honest
Encouraging
Yielded to God.

Pray about your relationships. Surround yourselves with people who replenish instead of diminish you.

"Have the right "they" in your life... so you won't become prey."

That is awesome.

Like I stated in a recent post, when I thumb through the pages of my gratitude journal, I am amazed by all the conversations I have. God sends so many folks around at just the right time to replenish me when I need to be filled. He allows me to replenish. And this is on an ongoing basis.

No I am not popular. I'm not a member of the cliques. I tend to keep to myself. And I have my ways. Lord knows I have my ways.

But the whole cycle of replenishment.

That makes me VERY rich. Very rich indeed.

And somehow I feel that I am developing in something...

Something more than that which is common and base.

Today I am thankful for all the "Theys" in my life. And I hope that am functioning as someone's "they"

And that's what I am thinking about on THIS Black Friday.

Song of the Week. William Murphy "It's Working"



My coworker Commader By plays that in the lab these days. And he and I were walking down the hall singing it hard. And we are not real singers, you see.

Another coworker was walking down the hall and she simply said "Stop it."

No. We didn't stop. Because it's a good song. And even though we can't sing, we sang anyway.

It made our hearts glad. And the whole song is a GREAT confession in itself.

So I sing it on THIS black Friday!

You have a good holiday weekend. On purpose!