One Night Out

The Grand Rapids Times

First off, I want to make it clear that this article isn’t directed towards anyone that this subject doesn’t concern.

It’s time to address an issue that’s been problematic for some time now.

Many of us are complaining about the lack of social venues that young people have to go to on the weekend.

We are frustrated with the fact that there are only a few night clubs, bowling alleys, and movie theaters that are available for our entertainment.

However, we are failing to look at the reasoning to why this is.

There aren’t many venues for us to socialize at because of the ruthless actions of other’s.

When a person works all week long and decide that they just want to spend one night with their friends to go dance, and etc this individual wants to have fun.

This person doesn’t want their one night of fun to be life threatening to their self or their friends.

A person doesn’t want to see a man get hit in the head with a beer bottle.

A person doesn’t want to see a man get kicked in the head repeatedly.

I know that I, for one, am exhausted with seeing my fellow peers acting foolish.

I’m not speaking about something that I know nothing about; I have been on both sides of the fence.

I have been the person who constantly fought, and I have been the person that was on the ground helpless.

However, I am also the individual that has come to the realization that all of this ruthlessness is worthless.

We all need to get our acts together.

Venues are being closed simply because we don’t know how to act.

We should all be able to come together and socialize without drama.

I shouldn’t have to fear for my girlfriends’ life at the end of the night when we leave the dance floor.

I shouldn’t have to be concerned about another man’s life at a place where people are having a good time.

We need to get it together.

I say we because we all have a friend that is one of these people that just don’t know how to act.

I’m not saying concern yourself in your friend’s drama, I’m saying school them on how to act when out at a public location.

We need to quit talking about this issue and be proactive about it.

Everyone needs to leave the drama at home and stop bringing it to public places amongst people it shouldn’t involve.

One for the week: “A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.” Proverbs 19:11

Sneakers On Me

The Grand Rapids Times
7-23-2010

If everyone has an obsession, mine would be shoes.

People constantly ask me, “Why do you have so many shoes when you only have two feet?”

My answer is always, “A person can never have too many shoes.”

Usually, when I shop for sneakers, I look for the ones that stand out – the ones that no one else has, or the ones that will label me as being different from everyone else.

When I go places, I want people to see my many sneakers out of my large collection because the sneakers on me make me proud.

However, currently I have traded my sneakers in for a pair of steel toe boots.

I like walking in my shoes, but I decided to adventure out to walk in my father’s boots for a while.

I walk in these boots, and I see now.

I see exactly how hard my father had worked for years to provide for his family.

I see how in these boots my father goes to a factory everyday of the week to take care of children that are and aren’t biologically his.

I wonder, even with these boots on, would I be able to stand up and do the same.

These boots have me working 60 hours a week and still trying to make quality time for my family.

Some days I dread the time that I have to put on these boots because where I work, millions of other people are wearing boots just like mine.

These boots aren’t my sneakers, but when I take them off they will be going in the sneaker collection.

They don’t make me stand out, and they don’t make me look different from other people that may have them; but they do make me feel like a man.

Why would I place a pair of steel toe boots in with the sneaker collection?

Like many of my rare sneakers, my boots are irreplaceable.

This article is dedicated to my father Bill Hendler for wearing his boots for years.

I also want to dedicate this to any other parent who thinks your children don’t appreciate what you do for a living.

Read them this article for them to understand what it means to walk in your shoes.

One for the week: “Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ “ Deuteronomy 4:6

Don't Let the Ice Cream Melt

The Grand Rapids Times
Adult's Walk
By Marcel Gamble

We all go grocery shopping.

When we return home from doing so, usually the first thing we put away is the ice cream.

Why? We have fear of the ice cream melting.

Many of us do the same with our lives; we fear that the talents God gives us are going to fade away.

Because of this fear, we take the first opportunities we get to showcase our talents.

For instance, picture someone who is a mathematician instead of tutoring or teaching others to spread his or her skill he or she hoards it and begins a drug trade business.

Picture someone who is a great dancer. Instead of teaching inner city youth that have dreams to one day become a dancer, this person decides to showcase his or her talent at the strip club.

I can be realistic and say that sometimes the easy way out seems to be the only way out.

It was great for a short period of time but unfortunately my ice cream ended up melting any way.

Yes, the easy way out in any situation has the potential of seeming great, however the easy way out never is the only way out.

Many people think that as long as they display their talents in any way their ice cream won’t melt.

I believe that if individuals were concerned with putting their ice cream away first after grocery shopping then they would have time to think about how they want to use their talents.

This means if ice cream stays frozen, people don’t have to rush to clean up melting messes.

If you’re a person that is intrigued with cameras, don’t waste your time filming all of the neighborhood fights, start shooting short films.

If you are someone who is fascinated with the operation of cars, don’t hotwire them for theft get a job at a garage somewhere.

If you have an interest for guns, don’t display your interest in the streets to showcase your talent get a job at a sporting goods store where you can tell costumers all about guns.

We can no longer afford to let the ice cream melt.

God gave us talents not to let the ice cream melt and cause destruction to his creation.

He gave us talents to spread his word and set examples for others.

One for the week: Exodus 25:39 - A talent of pure gold is to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories.