NO MORE TIME OUTS. TIME TO SAY, "GAME OVER!"

Cue Your Way Is Better by Shawn Bigby…woo woo woo you know it!

Time outs. A time out in sports stops play on the field or court for a limited of time and then you go back and play the same game. So it’s literally taking a breather to strategize on how you’re going to play the game better.

Game over. Game over is a phrase to signal that the end. End meaning that you cannot go back to change what you did in that game.

Some of us have been taking a bunch of time outs on our habitual sins. Taking this time out and that time out. Taking breaks thinking we are delivered, than when the whistle blows, we’re right back in the game. We’re like fish swimming in water. When the bait is thrown out, we bite and then get hooked. For some of us it’s the same bait every time. Falling in the same trap. As I was in prayer I heard it said that, no more time outs. No more breaks. It’s time to say to your habits, game over. Time to say to your habits, I’m not playing this game anymore.

Stop hitting reset. Stop hitting the reset button on the game after the game is over. Once the game is over, stop playing. It’s ok not to take the bait thrown your way. Believe me, the bait is enticing, but is it worth it? Fish bite the bait because it looks good but then end up getting hooked and cooked. I’ve fallen for the same bait for years. Game over. I’m not playing that game anymore. Don’t get me wrong, the bait will look good. So good that you want to take a nibble. Don’t take the nibble. You keep nibbling; you’ll going to want the buffet. Game over.

Proverbs 26:11 says, “As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.” Folly is a foolish act, idea, or practice. We’ve been letting the devil make us look like fools for too long. Game over. I said let because the devil only has the power that you give him. Game over.

I got my wakeup call at work when my boss asked me to say a prayer for her when I go to church on Sunday because she can’t go because she’s working. Then my co-worker asked for prayer. That’s when it hit me, I got to say game over to some of the stuff I play with. I can’t play games with the devil then try to pray for folk. Game over.

I got dreams that I’ve been sitting on for too long. Expecting them to come to me instead of going to them. Game over. I got my wakeup call through a comment on youtube. I got to chase the dream. I got to chase for what I want. I can pray and pray to God that God I want this and I want that, as we should. We should pray for the specifics we want, but when God opens the door for you to get it, we don’t get it. It’s time to get it. Get your dreams. Get your career. Get your relationship. Get it! Game over for sitting.

Philippians 3:14 says, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” You can’t press while doing nothing. If you’re going to press, you got to move. The Contemporary English Version of that same verse says, “I run toward the goal, so I can win the prize of being called to heaven. This is the prize God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done.” Running requires moving. Pressing requires movement. In order to get it, you got to move.

Game over.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson aka Big Dusty
@Big_Dusty on Twitter
Facebook.com/bigdusty

WHY YOU POINTING ALL THEM FINGERS?

Aaaaaaaaaand cue He Keeps Blessing by Vincent Tharpe and Kenosis! Aaaaaaaaaaaaand on to the blog!

Dusty is taking over. It started in the 7th grade. Now it's even gone to my job. I'm not kidding. My manager is calling me Dusty because there's another Daniel on the team. How awesome is that? What's next? Coffee cups? T-Shirts? Milk Cartons? That's right!! Y'all better get on the bandwagon now. It's going to be good.

Don't let a title put you on a pedestal. We got people using they're titles to point fingers. Ever heard that phrase when  you're pointing at somebody you got three fingers pointing back at you? Pointing fingers does nothing but make you look more guilty. Some of us get up on our own personal pulpit and point and point when...what are we doing? What are we doing to set the example of what not to do? How are we reacting to situations while at the same time we'll telling other people how to react? How are we handling this recession while at the same time we'll telling other people how to react? How are we living when we're telling others how to live? What's done in the dark...

Actions speak louder than words. So if I'm going to tell y'all to keep the faith and don't give up, I can't be putting statuses up on Facebook like, "I don't know how much longer..." Or tweeting something like, "This is getting too much to handle..." If I'm going to tell you to let go and let God, I can't put a facebook statuses, "If God don't do something quick..." Or tweet something like, "There's no way that..." How you react to things on Facebook and Twitter is how people look at you in real life. Mixing trust in God statuses with nobody knows the trouble I see tweets...what are we as your followers and friends supposed to think about you?

Not everybody got to know how you feel. We all going to feel down and out. Feeling that way, doesn't give you the right to spread negativity. You'll be amazed what one little speck of light can do in the midst of darkness. Some of us are so in the dark that any light would probably blind us. I hear the old song that says, "Look where He's brought me from. He's brought me out of darkness into the marvelous light." So how you going to facebook and tweet about God then go right around and tweet in the dark? Kurt Carr said, "Whatever you do, don't let your light go out!" Don't worry about the light bill, Jesus got that under control.

Don't get me wrong. Life is real. Life is rough. Life is raw. I'm know that from personal experience. And I've been guilty of tweeting light and hours later tweeting darkness. Now is the time to pick the side that you're going to be on. Are you going to live to see or are you going to live blind? Are you going to live in the light or are you going to live in the dark? Are you going to live in positivity or negativity? Are you going to live the example or are you going to live pointing your fingers? The choice is yours.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson aka Big Dusty
Follow me on Twitter @Big_Dusty
Facebook.com/bigdusty

TALK YOURSELF THERE

Cue Will You Be There by Michael Jackson. Free Willy? Yes! If you don’t know, look it up youngins! And now…

I posted a status on the book timeline about any ideas that any of my people, that would be you all, wanted to read from me on these blogs, and I was told by one of the peoples that he likes my random thoughts on things. I admit, my thoughts are on the random side. Yes they are. With that being said…

People work so hard on the physical that they forget that there’s a mental part of life as well. Nothing turns me off more than seeing a physically beautiful woman with a mouth that speaks nothing but filth. Cussing. It’s actually a shame or what I like to call it, buzz kill. Think about it, you see that girl that is so beautiful. Beautiful to the point where you get in your mind that, “Hey, I might try.” Then they talk, and all that buzz that was there is not there anymore. Seriously, some “beautiful” people shouldn’t talk. If they talk less, they might be able to keep a relationship for longer than a month. Boyfriend after boyfriend, and can’t stay steady. Even try to go to the other side, and still not satisfied. Listen to yourself, it could be you that’s the problem. You can be beautiful all you want, but if all you do is talk filth, that’s what you’re going to end up with. Filth.

You can yourself in to good and bad situations in your life. You can look good all you want for a job interview, but if you say the wrong thing, that could ax any chance you thought you had to get that job. Think about the movie Pursuit of Happyness. Remember that scene where the main character, Chris, went to that job interview in his regular pants, wife beater shirt, and a jacket? What got him that spot in the training program? His mouth. His speech. His talk. The reason you’re not getting that job is not about your race. The reason that you’re being “held back” is not because of your status in society. Could it possibly be that you’re talking your way out of where you should be?

The Bible states in Proverbs that life and death are in the power of the tongue. Talk like you got some sense. I know you’re from the hood. I know you were raised in the hip hop generation. Heck I was too. There’s a time and place for everything. You’re trying to better your life, start bettering your talk. Start bettering your speech. That may not be the end all be all, but it may be the start that is need.

Side note. Breath mints works wonders. Wonders. Buy them. Use them. Nothing worse talking somebody with breath that smells like dog crap….

Is it possible you can talk your way out of salvation? Can you talk your way into hell? I do know you can talk your way out of your witness. You’re witnessing to be a Christian, and you let out a four letter word because of “frustration.” Well your frustration just killed your witness, sir. Don’t get me wrong, we all get frustrated. May even get frustrated to the point where you want to cuss, but should you cuss? Granted it can be argued that you shouldn’t get that made in the first place, but what happens when you get that mad? It can and does happen. What do you do? Remember who you are would be a start. Remember what you proclaim to be. The same Bible you quote from has something in it that says basically that you can be angry, but don’t sin. Watch your mouth. That “excuse my French” thing is not working any more as an excuse.

Talk your way into a good relationship. Talk your way in that career you’re praying for. Talk your way into the life you deserve. Talk your way up. Stop talking yourself into filth. Stop talking yourself down. Stop talking yourself into relationship after relationship that never work out. How do you talk yourself positive? Well it is said that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Get your heart right, then you’re mouth will get right.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson
@Big_Dusty on Twitter
Facebook.com/bigdusty

TIME IS NOW

Cue Dancing Machine by the Jackson 5. Real music right there folks. Follow me on Twitter @Big_Dusty and get at me on Facebook.com/bigdusty…STRAIGHT TO IT!

Lately the big talk around the news has been about gay marriage. Now I’ve done my share of blogging around this issue. Even did a controversial blog on the “f-word” that is used for gay people. I think I went a little too far on that blog but I won’t delete it because it’s already been read for one, and for two, I can’t take it back. It was already typed. It kills me when famous people delete tweets like it wasn’t said. You already tweeted it people, even if you deleted it, you can guarantee somebody read it and already took a picture of the tweet. You can’t take it back. All you can do is apologize for it and move on with your life. I’ve said some things and done some things that I wish that I could take back. I missed out on opportunity after opportunity that I can’t get back. One of my trainers at work said this morning, you can possibly get back money, but you can’t get back time. That’s true. No matter what you do, you can’t get the time you wasted or missed back.

 I used to regret the things I did in the past. I mean I used to think of my past and little stop walking and try to shake my head to shake the memories away. I’d regret the opportunities I missed out. Regret is nothing but a setback. Move forward. Sorry for my mistakes. Sorry for my mess ups. Today I will strive to do better than I did yesterday. Yesterday I may have messed up, but today I got another chance. Don’t focus on regrets. Focus on the fact that you’re alive another day and it’s another chance. Think about it like this. The wages of sin is death. The payment for the sins you’ve committed or commit is death. Yet, you’re still alive. Chance. Grasp to this chance that you’re getting and take advantage! Run for your dreams. Run for your new reality. Your current reality doesn’t dictate your future reality.

If you’re tired of doing things the same way, if you’re tired of falling in the same trap, falling for the same sin…here’s a thought. Change. Change the way you do things. Change the way you live. You obviously know what to do to fall into the trap, now use this new day to avoid. Today start a new habit of not doing the current habits that you know is wrong.

Couple of days ago, the trainer was asking us if any of us have ever had a significant other or ever had a date. I don’t know for sure, but I must have been the only one in class shaking my head no to the questions. Now the old me would’ve started crying from depression. Crying from being hurt from all the eyes looking at me. But…I know there’s a reason that I’ve been single. There’s a reason I haven’t been on a date. There’s a reason that I’ve never been invited to parties. There’s a reason people never came to the parties I planned. There’s no reason to cry about it. There’s no reason to dwell on it. Today is a new day. New day, new chances. New day, new opportunities. In less than 2 weeks, I’ll be turning 25. What am I doing for my birthday? Maybe something. Maybe nothing. But rather I have a party or not, it’s not going to change the fact that God would have blessed  me to see another year. I know what God has done for me over this past year alone. 24 has been a year of experience. 25 I’m looking for better. New. I’m looking for new. If you want to ride with me, there’s plenty of room. If you don’t want to ride, I’m going to keep moving, don’t hurt yourself jumping out. I love me. If none of y’all love me, I love me. That was the problem. I didn’t love myself. I didn’t find myself worth anything. I thought throwing a party for my birthday would have people like me. I thought inviting people to a barbecue would have people like me. When nobody showed up, when my sister had to invite her friends so people would be there, and all I had planned was to watch movies….I didn’t love me. Look at me now.

I got readers out there that feel the same way. I got some readers out there that have been through. This blog is not so I can preach to myself. This is for all of you that have regret. This is for all of you that have been a screw up. This is for all of you that have been a loner. This is for all of you that felt that nobody cared about you. Learn to love yourself. Learn to like yourself. Find worth in yourself. Don’t look for worth from other people. Don’t get me wrong, when people say they’re proud of me, I smile. It makes me feel good. When I hear people say that God is proud of me. I smile. It makes me feel good. Now I can say, I’m proud of me. I love me. My heart now smiles. I feel good.

Stay Saved,

LOVE YOURSELF...VALUE YOURSELF...

Cue Higher Ground by Stevie Wonder! We going old school with this one baby!!! Follow me on Twitter @Big_Dusty and friend me on Facebook.com/bigdusty (btw, let me know if I should make a fan page…) To the blog!!

You got to love yourself. You got to speak well of yourself. Stop waiting on other people to validate you. Value yourself. You talk bad about yourself on all these social networks. Stop! You are valuable. You are somebody. You degrade yourself, then you expect others to degrade you, and there goes your self esteem. Upgrade yourself. So somebody calls you ugly. People call me ugly all the time. It used to mess me up. Now, not so much. I am who I am. I’m not Michael Ealy. I’m not Will Smith. No. I’m Daniel Richerson. There it is.

If you don’t love yourself, how do you expect someone else to? If you don’t value you, how to you expect to be valued? Be happy with yourself. God made you who you are. I’m fat. I’m not necessarily proud of that, but I don’t beat myself up about it either. Why? For one I can still wear a shirt without the bottom of my gut showing itself to the world, and I can still wear pants over my belly. And two, compared to other folks I see on a daily, I’m not that big. Don’t get me wrong. Valuing yourself, doesn’t mean showing off your goodies to the world. Common sense has to play a factor here. Like if you’re fat, and you know you’re fat, wear clothes that fit. Stop wearing clothes that look like it’s struggling to breath. That’s sad when your clothes look like it’s struggling to stay together. Anyway, basically what I’m saying folks, valuing yourself is not degrading yourself.

Stop calling yourself out of who you are. Stop calling yourself out what God had called you to be. Stop speaking negative over yourself waiting for that one girl or guy to see value in you. If I waited for a girl to validate me that was not family, I wouldn’t have made it this far in life. Speak over yourself what you want others to say about you. I know it doesn’t matter what people say, but when people do say, what would you want them to say? Stop saying you’re alright, when you want somebody to say, you’re fine. Stop saying you’re decent, when you want somebody to say, that’s what I’m talking bout. Stop calling yourself a failure, when you want to be called a winner. Stop calling yourself a nothing, when you want people to call you a child of God.

I heard a pastor say one time, “You got to see it, before you see it if you’re ever going to see it.” I see that I’m successful. I see that I’m healed. I see that I’m handsome. I see that I’m not a generational curse. I see that my dreams coming true. I see that I am loved. Now, that’s I’ve spoken it. What’s next? Live it. Live what you speak. I can speak it all I want, but if I don’t live it, then what am I doing?

Hey, mistakes will be made. Trust me, I still make them. Speed bumps slow you down, but they don’t stop you from making it to your goal. Don’t beat yourself up. See yourself doing better. See yourself moving forward. See yourself going over your speed bumps and getting to your goal. Always remember that God loves you. God loved you when nobody cared at all. If you’re like me, you don’t know why He loves you so much. I’m just keeping it real. When you know you’ve messed up and yet still God makes ways out of no way? That’s heavy stuff. God sees you better. If God sees me better, then I can see myself better.

Stay Saved,

Big Dusty aka Daniel Richerson