WOW! After having 2 weeks of relative down time from work and any outside distractions, I am refreshed at feeling blessed to have my wife and kids. Again, WOW! What kind of GOD gives such blessings as he's bestowed upon me with Keish, Saniya, and Aaryn! I just say Thank You.

As I look back on 2008, it truly was a year of change. Yes we elected Barack Obama! That was change for the world. But I'm talking about personal change. 2008 brought a refocus on family and those close to me. I have always worked hard and also felt challenged to balance my career with family. Saniya and Aaryn are both growing and are involved in many activities, all of which I want to see. I was also blessed with a career opportunity this year that has afforded me the flexibility to be there as Father and Husband.

Life is full of distractions. Things that will take your focus from where it needs to be...away from where GOD has ordained. Thankfully I believe in a forgiving GOD that allows for mistakes and never stops loving. 2009 will surely be time for me to continue to grow stronger in my faith and in my family. The place for distractions that previously existed, will be filled with things that are sure to make me a better Man, Husband, and Father.

Proverbs 18:22 Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of the LORD. (I'm thinking of making this my next tattoo. This is good stuff!)

Stay tuned, I plan to add to this blog at least 3 times per month. Aaryn is starting soccer, Saniya is continuing Jazzy Jumpers and ruling the soccer field. Keish has earned her Master's and is ready to make a deeper impression on America's education. I'm headed into my 2nd year as Executive Director for a great YMCA branch that will be making huge strides. A lot of milestones for my family this year, so I have a lot of material. Again, stay tuned and please share your thoughts and opinions. Love to you all!

Gabe

Be Happy

I wanted to share the following piece with you:

Charles Dickens began his classic novel, A Tale Two Cities, with the statement, "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times." I think that is also an accurate assessment of American culture today. In many ways, we never have seen better times. But in many ways, we never have seen worse times.

Remember that often-repeated phrase from a couple of elections ago? "It's the economy, stupid." Well, it is not the economy; it is more than that. When our economy was strong, our morals were low. Now when our economy is struggling, our morals are still low.

I think the answer could be found in a statement Abraham Lincoln made:

We have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand, which preserved in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us. We have vainly imagined in the deceitfulness of our heart that all of these blessings that we see in our country were produced by superior wisdom and virtue of our own.

Honest Abe had it right. We have forgotten God. This has been especially evident over the last decade in court battles over the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools and the display of the Ten Commandments in public places.

Yet before us in the Ten Commandments, we find God's blueprint for a society. One of the original reasons for the success of our country is found in its origins and its adherence to these absolutes given to us by God Himself.

These principles are not only good for a nation, but for individuals as well. The Bible says that if we want to live fulfilling, productive, and indeed, happy lives, then we need to know God, walk with Him, and keep His commandments.

Some people think they can break God's commandments with abandon, but without repercussions. Solomon knew a little bit about breaking commandments. He was a man who went on a massive backslide. You can read his story in the Old Testament's Book of Ecclesiastes.

Solomon had unlimited resources. Whatever he wanted was his. But after sampling everything this world had to offer, he said, "Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person" (Ecclesiastes 12:13 NLT).

Solomon was saying, "Listen. I have been through the school of hard knocks. I know what I am talking about. Fear God and keep His commandments. Chasing after all of these other things is empty. It is unfulfilling."

In his own words, he said it was like "grasping for the wind" (see Ecclesiastes 6:9).

God has given us a blueprint for happiness. We think it comes from freedom from all constraints. But this isn't true. Happiness comes from staying within the walls of protection that God has given us in His Word.

We are now seeing the final results of that great social experiment that began in the 1960s. We can clearly conclude that it was a colossal failure as we cast aside absolutes like family and fidelity and honesty and compassion and all the rest, and chased after what we wanted. As the Scripture says in Psalm 1,

Blessed [or happy] is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. (vv. 1–3 NKJV)

Do you want to be a happy person? It is found in doing the right thing. It is also found in not doing the wrong thing.

You are not going to find happiness in materialism. You are not going to find it in a career. You are not going to find it in a relationship. You are not going to find it in sex. You are not going to find it in drugs. You are not going to find it in anything this world has to offer.

Do you want to be a happy person? Live God's way. Do you want to be an unhappy person? Live your own way.

Go to GOD

Kiss your kids...if you have them. Hug your friends....tell 'em you love them. Embrace the people that you hold close to your heart. Love the folk who mean more to you than you will ever imagine....if GOD called them home tomorrow.

I have been super excited all week about a possible career move and experienced the highlight of that week yesterday with a series of conversations with the stakeholders of that organization. Conversations that began at 7:30am with the CEO and ended at nearly 4pm with a peer group and the 2nd set of Board Members. None of that is bigger that what GOD has for you. None of it is bigger than family. Our days are predestined and we want to think we are in control...as I often do.

All of that changed this morning. Still riding the high from the possibility of making a career advancement, making the morning trip down 311 to drop my girls off at school, I recieved a call from a life long friend.

My man on the other end of my bluetooth...was in tears and telling me that my God Daughter, HIS DAUGHTER had been called home to be with GOD! She was to be 19 months old on the 9th. How is this fair? My biological daughters in the backseat were quick to ask, "What's wrong Daddy? Why are you crying?" Well, how do you explain to a 4 and 23month old that their sister Ayriel has gone to be with GOD? I wasn't prepared.

After dropping them off at daycare, I had to exit my car and return to their rooms for one more hug and another "I love you." Headed to Charlotte to be with my friends, and say goodbye to my GOD child Ayriel Elaine. How does this make things fair?

To see my friends deal with the loss of a child. The loss of their baby girl. As parents we want (need/expect) our children to bury us, not us to bury our babies. My heart pours out to my friends. I pray that GOD gives them the strength, wisdom, and all the tools to trust in his plan and continue their lives while holding the precious memories of Baby Ayriel with them everyday.

To that, I say GO to GOD. Go to GOD with all that you have. We can't begin to make sense of life. We can't begin to "control" our destiny. We CAN go to the Father and bring him into our hearts and minds. HE is willing and ready to forgive and comfort all of us who trust in HIM. We all need that.

To our Baby Ayriel, I know that she is laughing and smiling that beautiful smile, while experiencing the place that we all wish to go. We will all miss her here on earth in the physical form, but she will never leave our lives. She's forever our Angel, our Ayriel! I Love YOU!

Live and Give

This is the first entry on my blog site. The title, Live and Give is derived directly on how I live my life. My Grandmother, Sarah Margaret Gabriel instilled this way of life in me at an early age. It simply means to enjoy life to its fullest and give to those who need you.

I plan to use this blog spot to share my personal growth, life experiences, instances of "paying it forward" that we may miss everyday. I hope that people will visit here and share their personal insight on life. As we are all on our personal journeys to fulfill our purpose in life, that road is made easier when you have people who genuinely care, share the road with you. So with that it my hope for this blog to touch someone's life in a way that, absent of this space they wouldn't have received that spirit.

I have been on a quest for self-actualization. Last year (2006) I lost 2 very important people in my life. My Grandmother, Sarah passed away in October and my very close friend John Bullard was murdered in November. At 29 years old, this was an experience with death so close to home. At John's funeral the pastor posed the question, "What will people say about you when GOD calls you home?" That has stuck with me since that day. My friend, John Bullard has left an impression/influence on my life that will last until GOD is ready for me to join them. His legacy with all who knew him is one that is very memorable. People have a lot to say about the way John lived his life. He lived life to the fullest, he loved with all of his heart, and he gave more than any of us can ever imagine. My friend, my brother is missed everyday.

My Grandmother lived her life in a way that I strive to and pray that my children will embrace. She was not a "church goer", she had a strong belief in GOD and always carried a blessing aura with her. She liked to laugh and have fun. She enjoyed life! However, she always had time for those that needed her. That included family, friends, neighbors and sometimes total strangers. She was "Live and Give". She taught me that giving is not always monetary. Time, energy, an ear or shoulder are all great ways to give. She showed me that we must give to those that we can, with regard for ourselves and our families. That is not always an easy thing to determine and requires you be be in tune to the needs of your family.

When I say family, I'm personally speaking about my wife Keisha and daughters Saniya(4) and Aaryn (20mos). I have uncles, aunts, cousins that I'm very close with as well. My family also includes my mother, father, sister, brother, neice, Grandparents. I don't have any "in-laws"...when Keish and I were married, they became a part of my family. The name "in-law" never really set will for me.

I find myself "shouldering the load" for a lot of these people in my life. I have fought this notion for a couple of years, but I'm beginning to see that GOD has placed me here to not "shoulder the load" but rather help to steer the ship in our lives. I know many young folk are thrust in this situation without preparation and would love to hear from them.

As a party of this journey, I am learning that giving also includes steering....steering them in the right direction. Providing insight that will point them and not trying to "fix" everything. That is stress...a killer!

I love life! I love living life with my family and people that I keep close. Again, I hope this blog spot can be a place that all who visit can join in discussion of personal growth, insight on life experiences, and receive something as a part of visiting "Live and Give." I plan to post a few times per week but will visit everyday. See you all soon. Peace