Here are the first two paragraphs of an article talking about President Obama on the cover of a magazine without a shirt.

In the throes of an economic crisis and two wars, does the nation want more headlines about a “Pec-tacular” “Buff Bam”?

President Obama appears shirtless in a bathing suit on the cover of May issue of The Washingtonian magazine. The magazine’s excuse? The pec pic illustrates the #2 reason (out of 26) to love living in the nation’s capital: “Our New Neighbor is Hot.”   (story continued.  scroll down)

Lol.  That’s enough of that story.  There are many snippets and articles out there about this issue. Matter of fact the above article calls it a bathing suit, while another calls it gym shorts, nevertheless they all got the crux of it straight, he didn’t have on a shirt! Initially the first story I saw called the expose of his bare upper body disrespectful. I just wanna know what you think. Is it disrespectful for our president of our United States to pose on the cover of a magazine shirtless?  

Let me say, as much as I love, love, love Obama, I have mixed emotions on this one. I thought about what my mom used to say: with certain positions in life come responsibilities. She would say, once a woman has a baby, she is in a different category in life; she can’t do some of the same things she used to do, she can’t go to some of the same places she used to go, she can’t wear some of the things she used to wear, etc. Do you agree with that? Does being elected the President of the United States dictate staying fully clothed for the cameras at all times?

For the record, as mixed as my emotions are, a big part of me thinks this is ridiculous! It is a nice picture. It is done with taste. He looks good/hot/buff. What’s the problem??? But he is the President!  Should we think of President Barack Obama the same way we think of Tyrese Gibson (cutie patootie!)?  Help me out here. What do you think? Holla back!

With sadness I am writing to inform you all of the passing of the Godfather of gospel music and Maestro, Rev. Timothy Wright. He passed away on Thursday evening from complications due to injries suffered in a car accident last year that killed his wife and young grandson. He was on his way home from a COGIC conference when a car was driving on the wrong side of the highway and hit them head on.

He will be greatly remembered for the songs that he wrote that we still sing despite most of them being written and hits several years ago such as ComeThou Almighty King (my favorite), Trouble Don’t Last Always, Benn There, Done That (I won’t go back no more), and most recently the story and song about Hurrican Katrina, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus……We will remember him for these and so many other great songs. Please enjoy the article below about Rev. Wright.

Gospel great and Godfather of Gospel, Rev. Timothy Wright passed away at the age of 61, on April 23, 2009 at the Bronx Veterans Hospital. . The Grammy- nominated Wright fought a courageous battle back to health from critical injuries he sustained in a car accident in July 2008, that killed his wife, Betty, 58, and grandson, D.J., 14. Wright was the pastor of the Grace Tabernacle Christian Center Church of God in Christ, in Brooklyn, NY and the musical mind behind many, now classic gospel choir tunes like, “I’m So Glad (Trouble Don’t Last Always), “Yes, I’m A Believer”, “Come Though Almighty King”, “For The Rest Of My Life” and most recently “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus”. Wright’s most recent album (Jesus, Jesus, Jesus) earned him two Stellar award nominations in 2009, including Song of the Year for the title track, which he co-wrote with his late wife. Though his musical contributions were many, Rev. Wright will perhaps be more greatly be remembered as one who touched the lives of many, to win souls for Christ.

Please pray for the Wright Family and I hope we will all remember the great songs that the Lord allowed Rev. Wright to bless us with.

So here is today’s question of the day.

In today’s world of blogging, how do you feel about using an alter ego when commenting and writing and sharing your thoughts and opinions online? As many of us are Christians, is creating a character and writing fiction, sprinkled with our real personalities, when blogging, considered wrong/a lie?  Should we always maintain truth in representing ourselves regardless of the platform?

I understand people’s need to rile up a conversation and be the center of attention and think of themselves as the drawing force behind why people come to a site, to see what new, off the wall, crazy thing they have to say today.  Of course that is the owner of a giant ego and someone with a need to run away from who they are and be somebody else, but is it alright?

Is it just a fantasy and game to play or is that an integrity-less blogger? I have recently been talking to a great guy with a profession in human behavior.  His definition of integrity is: doing the right thing when nobody is watching.   I think that is a brilliant defintion!  I myself could go to any site and masquerade as somebody else and say the craziest most bizarre stuff (although I am convinced, your real personality will eventually come out, regardless of how hard you try to portray something or someone else) and nobody would ever know who I am, but I have to ask myself, is that pleasing to God?  He always knows, right? Or do you think that is alright with Him and He looks at it as an outlet for those who need it? What do you all think about this?

Let me put it simply, is it alright to create an alias in order to fabricate stories, get the audience riled up, say things we don’t mean …or should we be representing our Christian persona in everything we do, at all times??? Holla back!

So I was doing some paper work this weekend with the TV on and was just kind of listening to Nancy Grace and her guests. They were talking about the Sunday School teacher that has been accused of killing her daughter’s eight year old friend. (If you don’t know what I am talking about, here is one of many links that will take you to a story describing the tragedy: http://www.abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=7313938&page=1)

While watching Nancy, controversy arose when one of the ladies speaking said it was documented that she had mental issues and her society of friends, neighbors, church family and acquaintances should be made aware of this, in the same way society is made aware of sex offenders living within our communities. I believe Nancy was the one vehemently opposing the thought. One of the things she pointed out was, if you get a group of people in a room, a large percentage – 85% is what I believe she quoted – would all have some level of mental illness/challenges. I agree! But what does any of this have to do with her being a Sunday School teacher?

Literally, ever article begins by calling her “The Sunday School teacher”. Lol. Why? From a journalistic standpoint, I imagine using something as sacred as a role affiliated with church is the hook and apparently what they think will make readers/listeners shake their heads in disbelief.  I say so what if she was a Sunday School teacher at her grandfather’s church. I don’t get the point. I grew up in church all my life and to be honest, I myself have witnessed Sunday School teachers with mental challenges, but what do you do? Where else do we not discriminate, and let whosoever will be a part of the work to be done, but the Kingdom of God aka church? I don’t necessarily fault the grandfather for letting her work in the church, unless he knew deep in his heart she shouldn’t be around children.  Whether she is a Sunday School Teacher, elementary school teacher or Mother Theresa’s sister, the real issue is, she is a kidnapper, murderer and very troubled individual.  Leave the titles off and call it what it is!

The charges against her are monumental! 28 years old and life as she knows it is over! She is facing either a life sentence without the possibility of parole or the death penalty…. How could she do this and should society have been notified that she is mentally ill? Would us knowing her affliction rendered different results?

Let me say, my heart goes out to the family of this young girl, the small close knit community, the church family and the daughter who lost a friend at the hand of her mother. (heavy sigh…) Share your thoughts. Holla back!

Let’s sail!

I have been on two cruises and loved them! Both times were to the Caribbean. The first southern and the second western (or vice versa). I could go again and again! I won’t tire of the climate, food, sites, elegance of the luxury hotel on water or the exciting joy of it all! I gotta do it again but this time I want you to go with me! I am planning a 2010 couple’s cruise! Doesn’t that sound like fun? You and your sweetie and all of us on a tropical island vacation together!

Here we go!  I am planning the cruise so far in advance that nobody will have an excuse to not be part of something off the Richter scale of fun! September or October are the months I have chosen. That is 17 or 18 months away. Surely we can all do it! Everyone/couple is invited. There is no age limit. It is all about the fellowship of us coming together from all parts of the US and taking a week to enjoy each other’s company. I am so excited! I have already pitched the idea to many of you and I know many of you have already committed to going and many of you are still contemplating being a part of this special event.

Because the plan is months ahead, so we all have time to financially prepare, the schedules/itineraries aren’t published yet. Since I have high expectations of many of you being a part of this, I can’t open the floor for everyone to vote for the destination of choice because it will be too overwhelming and I get overwhelmed too easily. What I will do is good research and as soon as I find premium schedules/itineraries, I will offer you a choice of three. We will go with the most voted upon of the three. But listen, as I have already told someone, you can go on a cruise anytime, anywhere, this is about fellowship! The bonus is the adventure of traveling to beautiful places and the experience of being pampered for a week. Please think of it in that order. Being with you all and sharing that special time together is my biggest excitement.

Again, we don’t have an actually schedule/itinerary, but we can start making installments now! I have a travel agency I will be working with. I will pass along info to you weekly/bi-weekly. The first thing I need is a commitment from you ASAP so I can let the travel agent know how many plan to go, to see what kind of discount we can get for the large group we will be taking.

Please stay tuned and look for all the “Let’s Sail” updates. If you have any comments and/or questions, please don’t hesitate to share them. If you have a question for me specifically, please email me at: kathy@kleverkathy.com.

OMIGOODNESS! Can you imagine the fun?! Don’t miss out on the first kleverkathy cruise! If you do, you’ll be sorry!

Until next week, Bon Voyage! We’ll talk soon. Holla back!

They used to say it takes a village to raise a child. As with so many things that have disintegrated, so has the village. The villagers moved to the “burbs” and they want to be the only ones with the daunting task of raising Johnny! I personally think it is a team effort! Yes, the parents have the final say. but it’s very refreshing to have help in so many aspects of raising that little one. When we grew up anybody in the church could get on you. I remember my friend and I were cutting up while the preacher was delivering the sermon and he called us out!!! Uh… needless to say, I got in trouble when I got home too! And don’t let a teacher get on you at school and then let the parents know. Ooooo wee! It was on! There was no hot headed mamas and daddies rolling up in school going postal on the administration. No sir! (there was always an exception, even way back then) If those kids had to be at school six hours a day, under the tutoring of that person, and in essence being raised about ½ of the day, five days a week by that person, wouldn’t it make sense for that person to have some leeway with the care and discipline of the child? Use to be. Not today!

It is hard raising a child. Other than marriage ) I think it is the hardest job in the world!!! To me, today’s parents (generalization) are the laziest, most lackadaisical, lenient, wanting to get rid of their kids, parents I have ever seen! Children are so misbehaved these days. They will cuss at you, disregard you when you tell them something, threaten you with their mama or daddy, some may even pull a weapon on you! I’m just saying!

There are a lot of new age methods for raising children that tout a new and better way to make Johnny come out better than the last batch! Statistically, children are worse today than ever! And it all starts young. This is family week, but check out the two scenarios below and tell me what would you do.

Scenario #1: You just bought new furniture and it is but a few weeks old. You still enjoy the fresh leather smell every time you walk in your house. You have gotten compliment after compliment on your exquisite taste in picking this combination. You are pleased with your decision and plan to enjoy your furniture for years to come. One day your friend comes over and their child is, instead of sitting down in your new leather chair, jumping to sit in your chair! Repeatedly! You and the mother are standing right there! Your adrenaline is forcing your heart to double the beats per minute as you watch your expensive furniture disrespected. But not only are you watching, the mother is watching too! And the child; the child keeps eyeing you and essentially saying, nah nah nah nah nah. You can’t say anything to me or my mother will go off on you! Help somebody!!!

Scenario #2: You’re at the grocery store standing in line. A mom and little one are standing behind you. The little tyke keeps running their kiddy cart into the heel of your foot…and it hurts! The mother is on the cell phone paying absolutely no attention to this state of affairs. The first time you kind of turn around and look at the child and then up at the mother, smile and step up a little, hopefully out of the range of the tykester. You do this two more times but it is apparent, little Johnny/Johnita is making a sport of running into your foot! The mother is oblivious to this baby crime spree. Should you interrupt the mother’s call and ask her for a band-aid!!!

In each scenario the parent is not doing their job! If you know me, you know I have said so many times, the two easiest things to train are pets and children. That is why God gives them to us at birth! But society today is made up of parents, especially the parents of the “I hate to see that kid coming” little kids, that don’t want to train their child yet don’t want you to say anything to their little china doll!

So in each of these situations, what do you do? Would you say something to the parent? Would you say something to the child? Would you just say nothing and take action and lift the child out of your chair and make them stand the rest of the visit? Would you take your items and get in another check out line? Would you beat the snot out of the child or better yet, the parent? Just kidding!!! (although I am convinced, there are not really bad kids, but bad parents) Seriously, what would you do? Let us know and share your experiences with the village and without the village. Holla back!

My cousin sent out an email last week while her boys were away on spring break. She was sharing the empty nest anxieties she was feeling.  I thought it was cute. One week and she was feeling it. I will be commenting and sharing the other end of it where you take your child to the first day of college and you walk away and leave your baby alone, in their own place, whether it be dorm or apartment, and tears are streaming down your face and your body is shaking and your head is hurting and your breath becomes short and you don’t know if they will make it without you.  But any of us who have been through it realize, the real question is, you don’t know if you will make it without them! Whew!  Anyway, Monique’s story is precious. Here it is.

Have you ever had your own story about empty nest syndrome? My kids are at my mother’s for spring break this week. We left them Saturday and we’re already feeling the pangs of separation anxiety. We try to only call and talk with them once a day to avoid the “When are you coming to get us” questions and feelings of guilt. We usually start out thinking it’s going to be so nice to have a week to ourselves, but we always get the blues after a couple of days. As much as we talk about wanting a break to be by ourselves, once we get it, we realize that life just isn’t the same without them.

We always end up getting them something nice like a new DVD they’ve wanted or a game for their gaming system as a welcome home present. They’ve gotten to the place where they start looking for it when they get home. I think this time I’ll forgo the gift and say the reward is being back home with your mother and father.

My parents are wonderful grandparents and I’m extremely grateful that they’re both still around to have such an active part and influence in their lives. I know my parents enjoy having them when they can. I also know that they, like countless other grandparents, enjoy the fact that they can send them back when it’s time.

My husband and I never talk openly about it to each other, possibly so we can avoid the inevitable breakdown to tears that would come. Or is it to avoid dealing with the fact that we’ve lost so much of ourselves as a couple due to how much of our lives revolves around our kids? We love them and spoil them too, to an extent. But is this the way it’s really supposed to be?

Holla back!

This is our first “series” week. Let’s start out with something close to home, Family. This is Family week. Let’s talk.

The first thing that comes to my mind when I say family is my mother. As many of you know, she is gone. 10 years, 7 months and 22 days. (sigh) It still hurts and I can still give you detail by detail and blow by blow of the events surrounding her passing and how everything unfolded. Well… as I sit here and think, I guess some of it has faded away but it is still pretty fresh in my mind. Just the other day I told my girlfriend, if my mother was here, blah blah blah. I can concretely say, you never stop wanting or needing your mom!

Are you like me, when you think of family is your mother usually the first thing that comes to your mind? Don’t get me wrong, I take nothing away from fathers, or brother, or sisters, or kids or Aunts and Uncles. We all have our place within the structure, but for some reason (actually I know it is God’s plan) the mother/matriarch is the one who, at least emotionally, bring the family together and hold them together.

As we start this week long discussion about family, let me say how sorry I am that the original “family unit” that God intended has taken on a whole new look! I am not saying that completely negatively, because good can still triumph in the abnormal or diverse family makeup. I just say it because in some cases, it is sad to see the consequences and repercussions that arise from veering from God’s plan within the family unit. To clarify, when I say the family unit that God intended, I am speaking about: a man and woman meeting, getting married, having children together, just the two of them (and not with anybody other than that one spouse) and staying married until one of them dies. Rarely, is life that simple anymore. We deal with baby mamma drama, combined families, stepmothers, stepfathers and step brothers and sisters. But at the end of the day, it is all still family!

But it all starts with mom. As mother’s day swiftly approaches, it is a time when I am always reflective on my mother and myself as a mother. I strive to do my best but don’t we all question if our best is good enough? You never know if what you are doing is: helping or hurting, teaching or creating resentments, overprotecting or underprotecting, being too hard or being too lenient, displaying a good role model or being an embarrassment, giving too much or giving too little. You just never know. All any of us can ever do is our best!

I don’t know about other mothers but I absolutely love/d being a mom; the good, bad and ugly! I remember sitting and picking at Kourtney for hours; just holding her when she was sleep or awake, staring at her, combing her hair relentlessly and matching rubber band and hair bows to her clothes. If she got dirty I changed her clothes. If the rubber bands and hair bows didn’t match the new outfit, I redid her hair! Wow. (Kourtney if you read this, I’m sorry about that!) And poor Kendall. I was so happy to have a little boy! He got treated like a girl although I prayed for an all masculine little fella. One thing I look back on and say, oh that was no big deal was my determination to have him represent when he went to church and not wear tennis shoes! He always had on dress shoes and only twice in those pre adult years did he wear tennis shoes to church. One time was when his dress shoes were too little and I hadn’t made it to Neff and Nusbaum/Esmonds by Sunday. The other time was when we went to visit my aunt in Columbus and forgot them. Yikes! But he didn’t die and he was no worse for the wear. If I had it to do over, I still prefer the dress shoes but guess what? I have taken my grandson to church in tennis shoes! He gets the break Kendall didn’t! lol.

Now about my mother, let me just say, she was all that! Martha Ann Sawyer had the “it factor” and made an impact wherever she went. Still today people that knew her tear up when they talk to me about her. That’s saying a lot 10 years, 7 months and 22 days later. Really and truly, I can’t find another woman in the world like her! Her style and class are undeniable by anyone that knew her. She was the epitome of a classic and classy “First Lady”. I’ve seen many try to emulate her graceful style, but no one comes close! Her First Lady status remains intact! She didn’t overdo it (as so many do) yet she wasn’t understated either. She donned the perfect church hat and the perfect church suit/dress. I’ve tried and I can’t even match her timeless elegance. She owned it and she was my mom. Hmmmm….let me move on.

Tell me about you mother and your own experiences as a mother. Fathers please jump in too! Your day comes very shortly after ours and we want to honor you and your contribution to the family as well. We couldn’t do it without you!

As we begin Family Week, holla back!

…continued

I am still not sure on this one. Ronnie Deane is what sparked me to ask this question one more time when he said love is dishonest and then explained why love is dishonest and, from his explanation, told us why it is alright to be dishonest. Although I know what the word says and what I have been taught, many of the comments I have heard on kleverkathy.com have me confused. So I must ask again in a very point blank manner. Is lying among Christians alright?

Before you emphatically say “No” (the correct moral and spiritual answer) go back to my article You Can’t Handle The Truth, (it is no longer on the front page, scroll down and then go to page two) and then read What’s Love Got To Do With It, and then read Ronald Deane’s comment, and then leave your comment, even if you commented before.

Here’s the thing, I have been lied to SOOOOOO much lately. I don’t know if I would know the truth if it bit me on the nose ) And listen, I am not perfect. I too have done my share of lying. But I try not to and pride myself in not lying. I don’t pride in it in the aspect of thinking I am better than you or the next guy.  I pride myself in the fact that I am trying to adjust my Christian walk to be pleasing to God and whenever a situation comes and I could lie and don’t, I am proud! That is really what not lying for me is about. I won’t sit here and  say I haven’t or still don’t abuse the truth at times. I can’t say the devil hasn’t caught me off guard and a lie/untruth/deceit comes out of me. But I can say, I don’t ever intend on flat out lying, just to lie. And hear this, IF I DO IT, IT IS WRONG!!!

I know blogging is all about one conversation leading to another and so on, but I hope we can stay somewhat focused and not get into: what is the greater sin or all sins are the same or you’re so arrogant talking about others lying. I’m saying upfront, I am not judging you or anyone, I’m trying to find out the viewpoints of Christians I identify with and, I think, believe the same way I believe. So my question of the day comes from the feeling I get that many Christians don’t believe lying is wrong, if you have a good reason. Is lying wrong? Is lying a sin? Are there situations and circumstances that make lying ok?  Do you lie?  lol.  (you know mother Allen said, if you’ll lie, you’ll steal and if you’ll steal, you’ll lie)

Bear with me. Again I say, I have been lied to so much lately and have the feeling, those who lie to me still plan on making heaven their home! Really??? Ok, I’m a prude! But I’d rather be safe than sorry on judgment day!

Please holla back!

Life and recent events have forced me to take a few days off, but I am back!

I remember years ago when it was being said, by the year blah blah blah, you would need a degree to work at Target! Although we have surpassed whatever year they were speaking about, I’m sure we are not actually there yet. Many, including myself, believe some form of higher education should be something we all aspire to. Whether technical school, specific training for a particular job, college, etc., I think education, past the point of the 12 years required of us, gives us a special edge and makes us more marketable. Or does it? Can simple hard work with no form of higher education get you to the top? That is always the question isn’t it! No matter how far you go up the ladder and succeed without the higher education, could you have gone higher with it?

Statistics say having a master’s degree will earn you $25,000 more a year than having a bachelor’s degree. Wow. Although I have some higher education, there are instances and individuals that make me question whether any form of higher education is really necessary! My daughter is one of them!

Today my daughter shared with me that she did so well at her job in 2008 that she entered into what is called the winner’s circle. Only 20 people in the entire region of Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky made it! She was one! This achievement won her an all expense paid trip for two and special recognition at a honorary ceremony. And she doesn’t have a degree!

She started in September of 2006 as a part time customer service representative as an hourly employee. In June of 2007 she was promoted to full time customer service representative. Then in March of 2008 she was promoted to full time sales representative with commission. That is where the break came! She focused, worked hard and accomplished something great! Now maybe her line of work came easy to her and maybe she walked into her destiny. As her mother, I would still love to see her go back and finish the degree she started. In my opinion, at that point, the sky is the limit!

I know what you are going to say, college and a college degree isn’t for everyone. I have heard it soooo many times, especially from those who don’t want to buckle down and discipline themselves enough to get it. And for some, I know that is true and I agree. I didn’t say college only; I said some form of higher education. I am interested to see what you have to say on this subject but first, help in saying congratulations to Kourtney! As she herself said, to God be the Glory!

Holla back!