Thoughts on this Pentecost Sunday evening. Two members of our church family spoke up in our morning Zoom meeting to honestly share their struggles and concerns as black men in our current society. I'm so glad they did and trusted us to listen. 

Mourn with those who mourn. After going back and watching the full video that shows the horrific treatment and homicide of George Floyd, I am further grieved and appalled by the cruel injustice. To my friends in the black community who are reeling with pain from this reopening of deep wounds, I am so, so very sorry. You should not have to live with this kind of fear in the back of your mind for you, your children and grandchildren. You should never feel that your beautiful lives don’t matter – EVER. And if (probably not if) anyone with white skin ever made you feel that way, whether intentional or not, I want to humbly apologize and ask your forgiveness. You are made in the image of the most high God and are to be treated with honor, respect and equality. Your perseverance and that of your ancestors is an encouragement to people worldwide, and as you press on to fight injustice, may you gain more support this time from those around you - especially from your brothers and sisters in Christ.

And to those that went into law enforcement to serve and protect the community, only to have those who wear the uniform bring distrust, I am sorry for how this has impacted you. And to all the men and women of color who wear the badge, I cannot imagine what walking that line of duty to your community and profession is like during times like these. The cold and callous manner of the disgraced officer, while Mr. Floyd begged for breath, and how the vocal concerns of bystanders were ignored is repulsive to watch, and so is the destruction that has followed. 

In our fallen state, we struggle and are overwhelmed with what seems like a daily barrage of bad news. Many are weary from worry, whether it be from the coronavirus to desperate financial concerns, and are tempted to focus on their own issues and survival. But please realize there are opportunities for humbling and healing all around us, and instead of escape or hiding from the uncomfortable issues, we need to love God and one another with a passion and ask the Holy Spirit, The Mighty Wind, to fill this place and heal our land. 

​​​​​With love,

Christina

Stay humble & BOLD!

​"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."  Psalm 119:105

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Official Pub date will be July 2nd in honor of my grandfather, M.G. Walker, Jr., who fought during World War II, the era in which the story takes place. The ebook will be available Monday, June 15th, and if you enjoy reviewing children's books, leave me a comment below or send me an email. 

Also, feel free to vote on Cinderella's hair color. 

Looking for a creative way to present a long stem rose? Here's one way to showcase an already brilliant work of art.  Great gift idea for Mother's Day, Teacher Appreciation Week, National Nurses Day or any special occasion to honor and say, "Thank you!"

​I designed these last year to give out to parents who were walking their senior players under an arch of lacrosse sticks. Sadly, for my son's class of 2020, we missed out on that special day but can still share the love with others.
​
Wanted to display our school colors, so used purple tissue paper and coaster sized white dollies. However, you can get an endless amount of looks by changing up the colors and using various patterns and combinations of papers.

In addition to the tissue paper and dollies, I found double sided wrapping paper, and cut into squares (looks like rectangles in the picture below because it was curved). I decided on gold for the inside and silver for the back. 

Since it was for a lacrosse event, I wanted the rose's wrapping to slightly resemble a lacrosse stick. I used craft paper for the largest, outside cover and cut the length to be about two inches longer than the rose, say 23 to 25 inches. I knew the neck would need to cut in a little for the ribbon to hold in place. Used clear tape to wrap dolly around the neck of the rose and then had strip of tissue paper folded in half to wrap around from behind. Used glue stick to secure gold square to the top of back cover. Doesn't take much glue at all.

When cutting the parchment/craft paper, think of a shove type top with a wide handle. Fold handle in half but not the top, then fold the sides, almost like making a paper airplane. Use a hole puncher to make your holes for your choice of ribbon to run through, and practice getting one just right for your template to cut all the rest.

Slide your wrapped rose just inside the ribbon, secure tissue and have overlap at the base, and gently tie. 

​​​​With love,

Christina

Stay humble & BOLD!

​"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."  Psalm 119:105

Thanks for stopping by! Please share, subscribe and comment below.

To check out my testimony click here
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Twitter Christina @humble_bold
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