DEEP WATERS

I've stayed away from controversial topics here recently. Sometimes when you're working through your own personal drama, you just don't have the mental and emotional energy to focus on anyone else's drama. So I've kept it pretty light and fun for the most part. But this week, I had to write about one particular news story. It just struck a nerve. Most of you have heard about the teen girl assaulted by a police deputy in her Columbia, South Carolina classroom . Most of you have seen footage of the attack. All of us have come to our respective conclusions. I've heard several over the last week. "The Columbia Sheriff was right to fire Deputy Ben Fields. This was police brutality at its worst." "The girl deserved the treatment she got. With her horrible attitude and defiance, she needed a beat-down." "The teacher is at fault here. Teachers should have better classroom management and control over their students." "T...

I'm not much of a television-viewer -- except evening news and "The Voice". I am front-and-center for Pharrell, Blake, Adam and Gwen, whenever possible. Make no mistake about it. But there are a few shows I like to catch every now and then. ABC's "Blackish" is one of those shows. Now some of you are nodding your heads right now, because you love this crazy, quirky show. Others are shaking your head adamantly and have lost all respect for me for wasting a full half-hour on this crazy, quirky show. Wherever you are on the "Blackish" spectrum of love and hate, hear me out for at least the end of this blog. Because last Wednesday's episode spoke volumes about a weekly phenomenon rarely addressed in today's television world. Last Wednesday "Blackish" went to church. Yes, you heard (or read) that right. CHURCH. I won't rehash the entire episode in a day and age when television can be watched on-demand multiple ways...

I guess you can say I've been in a bit of a funk. It's been a rough couple of years. Marital issues. Major challenges with one of my children. Losing my Dad earlier this year, then losing my Mom exactly three weeks later. And so on and so on. But God's grace is truly sufficient, and I am still here. I'm still standing. And I'm believing that He will make me better on the other side of all this. I'm believing that I'll be testifying like Job one day... " But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold."   * But I ain't quite there y'all. So... while laying here in this spiritual cocoon , I made a decision to keep my mouth shut until I could share something with at least a drop of hope and joy. I've barely visited my social media sites. And I haven't written very much. I'm still doing my freelance writing, but that's relatively easy. When I'm creating an e-newslett...