ODE TO SHARECROPPER’S-TOILING IN THE COTTON FIELDS

As we begin the cotton seeds are planted in the fertile soil of the fields

When seeds are rooted the cotton plants sprouts up like a blade of grass

Then unwanted weeds and crap grass sprouts up to be removed and yield

This sort of undesirable type of grass stifles the growth of the cotton stalk

Such wanton and stray weeds must be cleared away fast and quick

For the cotton stalk to grow to be fully mature and later ready to be pick

To clear away the stray weeds from around the cotton plant door

The sharecropper utilized a farming tool commonly known as a Hoe

The cotton plant are now fully developed with buds blossoming

Big fluff of cotton are protruding ready to be picked with a bang

The siblings who are the off-springs of Thomas and Mary gang

Ready prepared, and empowered for the how, when and where

Deployed to begin and begat the ordeal the siblings ten are there

Stridently aware of the things that we need not to falter or to plead

The Focus the cognitive we must possess a very strong back

To pick cotton strapped on the shoulder in a 60 pound 20 foot sack

In a slightly bent over posture to pluck the cotton blossomed out

To pick two to three rows, as each hands could carry toss about

Thus constantly struggling and toiling in a sought after arduous task

With focused expectancy to achieve results and celebrate the blast

Most times we needed the tenacity of mustered strength to sustain

Constantly toiling and picking the cotton in ways just to maintain

Cotton was king, as the order of the day-we did so to be in-tune

The dire straights of ten siblings had to ramp up a ton by mid noon

Seemly a familiar sound like an echo from the ‘Grapes of Wrath’

Nevertheless, we lamented and endured to complete the task

Note: Winner of National Poetic Writing Contest 2023

Steve Braxton

Chicago, IL  

 THE GENUINE  VIRTUES OF DAD AND FATHER’S 

-DAD SHOULD PORTRAY THE ULTIMATE FATHER FIGURE

HE POSSESSES THE  IDEAL TRAITS AND ATTRIBUTES 

AS SUCH, IN MY HUMBLE OPINION HE SHOULD BE HIS SON’S FIRST HERO AND HIS DAUGHTER’S FIRST LOVE

AS A FATHER OF 4 CHILDREN AND A GRANDDAD OF 4 GRANDKIDS I TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO GIVE SPECIAL NURTURE AND  CARE WITH A GREAT DEAL  OF PRIDE TO EMULATE LOVE AND ALSO EXHIBIT SOME  RESPONSIBILITY TO RAISE, PROTECT, IMPART PORTRAY, AND EXHIBIT GENUINE WAYS & PROPER ATTITUDINAL BEHAVIORS TO THEM

STATISTICAL STUDIES REVEAL THAT FATHER’S APPROACH AND ATTITUDE SERVE TO IMPROVE A CHILD’S PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL HEALTH, AND MENTAL WELL-BEING, AS WELL AS, BOOST SELF CONFIDENCE

HERE ARE A FEW DISTINCT WAYS TO EXHIBIT AND PORTRAY AND IMPART TO MAKE AN IMPACT AS FATHERS:

• Strive to teach responsibility & Accountability

• Model Emotional Intelligence in the Self-Control Genre

• Strive to provide Physical and Emotional Stability

• Teach & Impart work ethic and disciple

• Encourage things  that can bring to bare a Healthy Lifestyle 

• At All times-Exhibit, Demonstrate, Love and Respect, especially as a model for the young boys to understand how to treat women

Steve Braxton, Bishopric Clergy & Pastoral Ministry, Life Coach, Certified Behavioral Modification Practitioner, w/concentration on psychological first-aide, prevention & intervention of crises, tragedies, stress, anxiety, and depression 

 Throws, Buds, and Roses on the Journey of Life

 

Thorns bring forth causes, challenges, conflicts, struggles, and stumbling blocks along the road. They appear against all odds working in conjunction with the enemy at all levels. The conscious thought of mindfulness focuses on whether to cope and fix the unending circumstances and/or whether it might be the chicken-the-egg or the conundrum of supply and demand. Thus increasing the supply within the core of the niche market. Decision, decision, decision…What might it be?

 

Buds in, and of life: is one’s fundamental concern for being keenly focused and fastened toward supporters, and investors to keep them abreast, provide the usual common perks, and even ‘digital perks’ soon to be on the horizon and available.

 

Roses enter life and are Looked upon, valued, viewed, and appreciated, as The Wins, and ThingsThatCome back for recognition of achievements. Such accolades find new footing on a one-on-one basis to laud and applaud others. This serves to render much more effort for the indomitable future levels of achievement and success. Such noted recognition sparks an attitude of not being subdued but being more tenacious and relentless in pursuing high levels of performance to achieve more…Thus these ushers in a formidable TEAM. { T,together, E,each, A,achieve, M,more}

 

Steve Braxton, Contributing Blogger, Critical Writer, Author of Non-Fiction Books, National Award Winning Poetic Verse writer, published, in a compilation Book Titled: “Turning The Corner-Looking Forward, Library of Congress Cataloging #ISBN 978-1-60880-726-0, Copyright@2022 by Eber & Wein Publ

 The  Mindfulness Thought of Consciousness to Grasp and Embrace ‘Resiliency’

• The insights and the intel for the appreciation and realization of the attributes and traits brought forth through growth, development, and maturity while enduring difficulties and challenges 

• Upon finding myself being a dissident voice in the desert of the wilderness, where I managed to muster enough strength to reach up and out of the widow of despair to connect to ‘Traits and attributes of Resiliency’ and rise up to overcome, survive and thrive...

I digress and reflect, I am the oldest of ten siblings born and raised by  African American parents who were sharecroppers, as we carried out and performed the farming chores to Chop, Hoe and Pick Cotton. While living on Antebellum Plantations in the Cane River area of Southern Louisiana. This was during the time of the late 1940s up to the mid-1960. Where cotton was king. The focus was on the cotton farming activities and chores of working in the alfalfa, hay, and soybean fields, tending to livestock and other animals, especially for people of color

Since this was the era of Jim Crow not much attention was given to pursuing studying to get an education. Young able-bodied black male teens were denied, restricted, and not allowed to start attending public school until they were 9 to ten years old. The young females were exempt, as they were given the chance to attend at age six, sometimes sooner

 

 While living and working on those Antebellum Plantations we experienced an enormity of difficult and arduous times. Where we grappled with the manacle chain of prejudices and the feat of discriminatory practices. Therefore, because of the monstrosities of racially discriminatory practices, the late start to public school, and the numerous challenges of ill treatment. This pushed me toward being propelled to be on a quest and mission to pursue and obtain the highest level of achievements

 There were certainty doubt and despair. However, due to my faith, passion to achieve, and the fire in my belly I persevered, and I diligently studied my subject matter both in elementary and high school and graduated second in my class from High school and with honors from college. 

After graduating from college, I enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where I served in the Vietnam War and was exposed to the Deadly Mustard Gas, ‘agent orange’. I and my shipmates encountered debilitating unhealthy bodily damage, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, peripheral neuropathy, nerve damage, hearing loss, and eyesight conditions. I served eight years in the US Navy and rose through the ranks to become A Naval Intelligence Officer, with Top Secret clearance for covert/covert military operational activities.

The aftermath and reflections-delving into the advent to grasp and embrace resilience traits and attributes

Uppermost in my conscious thought of mindfulness is the recollection for:‘The travails of the exodus’ from the perils of the travesty from the dusk of the Antebellum Plantations' existence. Such that allowed me to achieve the quest for the epic manifestation to grasp survival modes to overcome disrespectful and inhumane treatment, and to connect to the traits of Resiliency To Survive and Thrive ... 

In Addition, the Antebellum Plantation experience provided the hard-learned wisdom as follows:

• Seeds when planted in the darkness of the soil of the earth shall sprout up and grow as a productive plant or as a blade of grass

• On the path of the journey during difficult times with a focus on how to overcome there is a tendency to be relentless, and determined to grasp the necessary strength to reach out of the window of despair to connect with ‘Resiliency’, such efforts allows you to get up, bounce back, get up, bounce back, again, again and again...

Know that during the journey of life, whenever you feel crushed, under pressure, or in the midst of darkness. Be not dismayed, why? because you’re in a powerful place for the revelation  and the vicissitudes of transformation and transmutation {Transmutation- an act that tends to change the form of character or substance of something} source, Book, “Vibrate Higher”-by Lalah Delia

Steve Braxton, Member of the Bishopric, Non-fiction Author, Critical writer, and contributing Blogger sbrax57@gmail.com/ http://twitter.com/brasr6/

 PRAYER OF FORGIVENESS FOR SPIRITUAL CLEANSING

“Have mercy upon me O God, according to your loving-kindness; your unfailing love; the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me. Against you only have I sinned of this evil in your sight; that you might be justified when you speak, and be clear of your sentence against me {Psalms 51:1-4}

This biblical passage is proclaimed as one of the greatest in the entire Bible concerning ‘confession and forgiveness’ Why? because it was written by David after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba and subsequently ordered her husband Uriah to be sent to the front line and killed in battle. However, David’s repentance of the godly sorrow for his sin, and God receiving a verbal confession of his turning away from sin and the denouncement of it, and to further ask for God’s restoration and forgiveness and David’s willingness to testify to others about the Grace of God-he was exonerated and forgiven by God. Also, this situation of his confession weighed on the Honor God's proclamation bestowal upon David-“A man after my own heart"

Know that as believers who focus on doing the right thing toward others, it shall be good and mindful to Walk in Love, Agree in Heart, Meditate, and Fast in Faith. As we call on the Lord to unite us in Fervent, Affective, and Persistent Prayer

The practice of the art and process of ‘Forgiveness’ should be a constant thought of mindful consciousness on the daily path of the journey. It is a must to be both resolved and fastened on being resolute in the indomitable pursuit to seek to get forgiveness and then to be complicit in the totality of the act of forgiveness for self and others. For example such utterance proclamation as the following:

“Search me, Oh Lord; cleanse me of anything that displeases you. Forgive me as I forgive others. I thank you for your constant provision, protection, and faithfulness in my life”

Believers can go direct and can boldly approach God’s throne and receive forgiveness for sin, which is revealed in Heb. 4:16, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence. So that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need”

Confession and forgiveness is the ultimate way to search for Hope, Find ways to Cope, and also seeking and acknowledging sin and receiving forgiveness is tantamount to the Connection For The Joy of Healing..and Restoration to Full Healthiness

Steve Braxton, Bishop Marketplace Ministries, and National Clergy Fellowship outreach initiative, Former Assistant Bishop, Light of Illinois Diocese, Former Pastor and Lead Minister, The United Church of Hyde Park, Consisting of a compilation of United Methodist, United Church of Christ {UCC} and Presbyterian Churches sbrax57@gmail.com

 WORDS: THE UTTERANCES AND IMPACTFULNESS THEREOF;

The utterances of words from the mouth should be about the meditations of the heart and shall be intended as a blessing from Almighty God.

The creative utterance and proclamation of words lend themselves to the manifestation of dreams becoming a reality

Words spoke from one’s mouth thus the meditation of the heart

Carries the supplication and the intercession of the provisions and protection of God’s faithfulness in the life of another

This shall serve and becomes the divine testimony, that God is our Rock, our Strength, and our Redeemer-professed by those standing in the gap interceding in prayer to God for others

Therefore, being such an utterance proclamation of the ‘word’ it shall exude and manifest the power to Lift, Affirm, and be acceptable in the sight of Almighty God.

There is indeed power in the utterance of the spoken ‘word’ coming from the meditation of the heart as it serves to Magnify and Glorifies God

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to Almighty God” Amen...

Steve Braxton, Presiding Bishop, Marketplace Outreach Ministries, & National Clergy Fellowship initiatives, MBR Board of Director, National Association of Non-Profit & Executives {NANOE}, Former President, The Board of Directors Ecumenical Childcare Network, an affiliate of the National Council of Churches, USA, Former Assistant Bishop, Light Of Illinois Diocese, COGIC, International sbrax57@gmail.com http://sbrax-on-point.blogspot.com

 The Mindfulness Consciousness of “SOMETIMES”

In particular, the times that are now upon us are happening all around us. As such happening unfolds in the Here and Now in the midst of the “Sometimes” Genre. It makes you wonder in your mindful thoughts the sighs and the expression of uuummm.....

During the wherewithal of the throes and moments of “Sometimes” it shall be both wise and prudent to grasp and embrace the Holy Spirit as your teacher. In addition, know that other elements are available, namely:

• Reach out and touch the angels so they can become spiritual mates

• Grab select and read passages of the Bible, as your consummate Study Book {Ps 23, Gal 5:22-23

• The trials, tribulations, challenges, and roadblocks are your exams

• Prayer Becomes your utterance  proclamations and Attendance

• Praise and Worship are the essences of your Motto, Mission, Purpose, and assignment

• You must enroll now in the Church University to keep it real. BTW Tuition is free

• The Bonus Achievement Degree: Masters Crown of Life {MCL}

Bishop Steve Braxton, Marketplace Ministries, and National Clergy Fellowship initiatives, Lifestyle Change Practitioner-The Daniel Fast annual 40 days of Prayer, Meditation and reading of Biblical Scriptures beginning with {Daniel 1:1-23, also Critical writer, Blogger, and Author of non-fiction books memoirs and poetic verse stanza