Riveroflifelisajoy’s Weblog
Just another WordPress.com weblogArchive for November 11, 2007
—UPDATE—-MARCH 28 DAY OF CHAMPIONS AT ROY WILKINS PARK! TENNIS BEGINS AGAIN IN THE OUTDOORS!*****TENNIS AT THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF JR. TENNIS AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT– SAVED MY SON’S LIFE AND MINE TOO!
About nine years ago we lost my husband to a catastrophic disease. I had to start all over again from scratch. I lost my house, and credit rating, my furniture, and my pets too. I also lost my best friend–my husband.
Many people in the church told me to start new memories and new dreams because my son depended on me for support. My child was only 5 when his father was snatched from our lives.
I found the National Academy of Jr. Tennis and Youth Development—Youth and Tennis, INC. with the CEO Bill Briggs in charge, at the SouthEast Queens Roy Wilkins Park. I saw my son blossom into Tennis. I took him when was about 8 or nine years old.
He was a bit shy at first but he soon got the hang of it. The Tennis coaches were the best. The program runs year round. In the summer they play in Roy Wilkins and Liberty Park. In the Winter they go indoors to the “bubbles.”
My son loves it! He has alot of great kids to play and be associated with. Every year they have a dinner dance called the Golden Tennis Ball and Award Ceremony that I try to participate in. It is a fabulous activity!
I volunteer whenever possible. It is a great program for all children. Many of the community politicans have assisted have become friends of the program. They have activities like T-shirt day, Kids day, picnics and barbeques! What a great way to socialize in a controled setting!!!
My personal involvement has been singing two times for Christmas Party events held for the children. I have also helped one time to conduct a Christmas carol part for the children. It was great fun.
Loss of a loved one does not have to end your own life. Get out and do something! Even if that means you volunteer at the local Library. Try the hospitals too. They love volunteers. Volunteering does your heart good and takes you mind off the issues that haunt you. Sometimes those issues can disappear.
I know that my husband would have wanted me to go on and continue to do good and positive things in life. I know because he told me. He said, “No matter what happens to me take good care of my son–I know that you are a good mother.”
He also told me not to stop singing either! I have continued singing. I have found so many positive ways to remember someone who had always been an inspiration to me—by continuing to do the things that he loved most about me!!!
My thoughts on the CEO Bill Briggs of the Youth and Tennis Inc. is that he is a great, great mentor of youth in the entire five boroughs….not just Queens. I have seen young people that have completed the program stop by to visit and pay their respects to this great man. He is a mover and a shaker in the community!!!!
We need to let people know when they do a great job—We need to show our black youth and children of all races, incons that support positive attitudes and character building mentalities.
When my son took sick over the past few years Mr. Briggs took an active role and he asked my son how he was feeling! I sent my son to summer camp and he felt the bonding with the other tennis players and the coaches. My son was able to move on from a negative circumstance of his illness and stay focused on the game of tennis.
My son’s health is still being monitored, but he has been feeling a bit better. Mr. Briggs has several programs that I think are also great.
My son had gotten attacked by a gang just before graduation from junior highschool this year- and he was really out of it for nearly a month. He did not want to play tennis or even go outside. I took him to the hospital because he was sleeping entirely too much. The doctors could not find anything.
I called Mr. Briggs and told him why he had not seen my son for tennis every Saturday since the summer had begun. Mr. Briggs told me to have my son come out the next Saturday and contribute to “PROJECT GIVE BACK” in which he would have to donate a few hours of his time to the younger players as a mentor coach. All he had to do was serve the ball and give pointers on how to improve the younger players game.
My son was a bit hesitant to go. But me, I proded and pushed and he got back out there on the court. Mr. Briggs was even kind enough to take my son to the teen court after he was finished helping the younger players in the morning. Soon after a couple of weekends of “PROJECT GIVE BACK” my son got back on the courts and was excited to get back and play competitive tennis with his friends!!!
It is difficult to explain how hard it is to tell your son that Daddy is not coming home again. It is difficult to explain how cold and cruel life can be sometimes. It is difficult to know how to hug away the pain of loss and feelings of abandonment. But I will tell you this—-I thank God for Bill Briggs and what the Youth and Tennis, INC—The National Academy of Jr. Tennis and Youth Development has done for my son, and me.
Thank you Bill Briggs for saving my son’s life and saving my life too.
Website: www.youthandtennis.org
I will blog more topics on sports and tennis as the spirit leads.
The VERY SAD Conditon of Minister Juanita Bynum and Domestic Violence in the Christian Church Today
1 Corinthians6 1-5
When one of you has a complaint against another, do you take your complaint to a court of sinners? Or do you take it to God’s people. Don’t you know that God’s people will judge the world? And if you are going to judge the world you can’t settle small problems? Don’t you know that we will judge angels? And if that is so, we can surely judge everyday matters. Why do you take every day complaints to judges who are not respected by the church? I say this to your shame. Aren’t any of you wise enough to act as a judge between one follower and another? Why should you take one another to be tried by unbelievers?”
The problem is that Ms. Bynum has dragged the Christian Church into this vortex of chaos that is sweeping over her life and her husband’s life! It is understood that Domestic Violence has been epidemic in our society for some years now. But when a Minister of the Gospel has to throw a dirty towel of finger pointing at her husband she now has tossed that dirty rag and painted the entire Christian Body of believers with that issue as well.
Now, every man that is a Christian is a possible wife beater until he proves himself. Young couples may now double check on one another and secretly wonder “What will my husband or wife do if we have an arguement?–Will he or she hit me?” What is the possible future implications for such a public display of “My husband who is a minster tried to Kill me!”
How do you take a marital issue–between two Christians to the MASS MEDIA? Doesn’t the scripture state that we are to go to the ministers of the church for issues between believers?—Oh that is right—both Ms. Bynum and her husband Bishop Thomas are the Leaders and Ministers of their respective congregations….So where are they supposed to go? I guess they are supposed to take their problems directly to the television programs that Ms. Bynum appeared on like: Star Jones Court Television, Good Morning America, and the Tom Joyner Morning Show. I do not believe that the Media serves the greater good when it comes to marital disputes between Christians! However, Ms. Bynum obviously believes that this is helping her case.
It is time for people who call themselves “Christian to take a stand and step forward and show the LOVE that is supposed to set us apart from the “World”—We are supposed to be the “SALT” of the earth.
Our personal lives are not meant to show continuous wealth and prosperity like some of the recent EXTREMELY WEALTHY minsters like Joel Osteen, Creflo Doller, Eddie Long, T.D. Jakes, and Joyce Meyers. (highlighted in a new book called www.snakesinthepulput.com, Reuben Armstrong and by being investigated by the government seem to think.
The true Christian walk and life experience is one of being a Servant to the down trodden; Foot washers; Healers; Bringing Peace to those cast down! Jesus stated that,
Luke 6: 43-45
A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. You can tell what a tree is like by the fruit it produces. You cannot pick figs or grapes from thornbushes. Good people do good things because of the good in their hearts. Bad people do bad things because of the evil in their hearts. Your words show what is in your heart.”
In an effort to be fair to Ms. Bynum and her husband Bishop Thomas can I implicate an issue that is rarely discussed in such problems?
If Bishop Thomas is a domestic violence repeat offender there may be issues that we are unaware of that are plagueing him. What were his circumstances as a child? Was he a victim of child abuse, sexual abuse? What are the conditions he was raised in?
In this current society we tend to forget that some of our leaders were victims of abuse before they became LEADERS themselves. There are some Leaders who still need to sit with a counselor and minister themselves before they embark into a marriage or even leading a congreation.
S0me people really “love” their pastor. Some people forget that the pastor is only human. But the pastor must remember that he is human and attempt to maintain the integrity of the position that he has a Leader.
Look at Brother Moses when he lead the children of Israel out of Eygpt. He made many mistakes as a Leader. He really did not seek Leadership it was thrust upon him by God himself. Remember Moses even “hit” the rock to get water and was reprimanded by God for his actions.
No one is perfect—but we must be aware of our personal needs, and weaknesses. Therefore it would be best if Ms. Bynum would stop the MEDIA assualt on her husband.
Bishop Thomas needs to stop talking about his private life with his wife, Ms. Bynum and just stop for atleast six weeks and go on several types of “fasts”. A fast of talking to family and friends about their personal lives together. A fast from food, and a fast from even seeing, emailing, writing etc. to one another.
But an all out assualt should be done in prayer, quiet time with the Lord, and possible talking to a Christian Counselor dealing with the issues that lead up to this problem in the first place. Most domestic problems do not erupt over night.
The most and final important point is for Ms. Bynum and her husband to forgive each other!!! Forgiveness will be difficult due to the physical and emotional deep pain that both are definitely feeling at this time.
Luke 6: 37-38
Jesus said:
Don’t judge others, and God won’t judge you. Don’t be hard on others and God won’t be hard on you . Forgive others, and God will forgive you. If you give to others, you will be given a full amount in return. It will be shaken together, and spilling over into your lap. The way you treat others is the way you will be treated.
It is important that as a people Christians are held accountable for their actions. We are not on the” prayer a day keeps the devil away.” We must consider our conduct twentyfour hours, sevendays aweek. Three hundred sixty five days per year —every second and every minute. When we decide to confess Jesus as our Lord and Savior we become ambassadors to the World—spiritualy, and naturaly.
People look to see if we really hold God as the Author and Finisher of our faith. How we respond to the circumstances in our life will indicate how we have received love in our hearts from the the Savior.
Of course not one person is perfect in this world—but a show of humble quiet love that spreads to those most people might call unloveable will show a cold dark world the light and the reason why Christ came here—Why Christ came to mankind—to set the captive Free!
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