Autumn Awaits Us

Isn't it funny how the summer just flew by. I was thinking about last May, when I had just started my new job, and rejuvenating over mid-march. Thinking back to when I had just gotten into PPATL....to the month of June, when I spent so much time apartment hunting in this vast city deemed Atlanta. I've been thinking about the countless times I drove back and for from Carrollton to Atlanta to go to work, and back to Carrollton that evening....spending 100.00's of dollars on gas. Thinking back to being alone.......in solitude......desolate....minut....outside...of...my...self. But I was happy, or at least it seemed so at the time, but I really couldn't tell you though, cause I vaguely remember those times. I say these things only to say this.

A person commented on my page and said this:

"Hey KJD~

Boy, are you sure that you couldn't possibly have another calling? It may not necessarily be preaching, but what if it came in the form of something else? I guess in a way it already has because your blog has become the daily WORD, if you know what I mean. For myself, and maybe even a few others, I like reading yours because I think it's great to see what happens to people when they allow God to just be. I can't wait to see where God's vision leads you."

Now I'm no T.D. Jakes or Creflo Dollar.......not even a Eddie Long, but for what its worth I truly believe that God has a calling on everyones life. I think that it must get to the point within one's own innerself in whichwe accept that calling. Now, in my case.....I've been told that time and time again, since I was young, trying to learn how to play my grandmother's Early 20th Century Piano, and preaching around the house, the same stuff I had heard her and other Evangelists say. I, again, really can't remember too much about those times in my life.......I was only 4 or 5 years old, but I remember that....I remember her Yellow House on the hill, with the Piano in the Living Room, and all the family portraits around the walls. I remember the big ditch along side the road...I remember the garden with the watermelons growing in it behind the house....I even remember the plot of what use to be grass where people in the country burned things, and where across the fence were chickens and geese that use to run around like they had their heads cut off...which eventually did happen. But what I remember most of all was those times when she'd (grandma who was really my great aunt) tell me that when I grew up I'd be a "preachin man" (in grandma's old voice).

Fast Forward to grade school. To be honest, those times were a blur. I remember most things if brought in a conversation, but if you just asked me what happened April 3rd 1987....I couldn't tell you if I wanted to. I could tell you that I was in 1st grade, in Mrs. Sibley's class (whom I deem my inspirational teacher of life)...imagine that....1st grade! I went to visit her a few years ago...she's still kickin it.

But grade school went by kinda fast....from Kindegarten - 5th Grade....I made all A's, (well we called them S's and U's back in those days) never made a B that I can think of. Sixth - Eighth Grade I remember a little more...like getting my First Trombone...and not knowing a thing about it. I wanted to play Alto Sax, but the band director told me that I had too bad of an overbite back then. So Trombone was my thing....I thought I was going to do that for the rest of my life. I made 2nd chair on most pieces & split 1st chair quite a few times. The other guy who always made first chair was the son of the College (FVSU) Band. We use to mimic the high school band with our routines in the Brass Section.....thought we were just "Bad". I remember my first day out for middle school football (you see I never really liked football, but my brother was a high school all american at it, so I had to essentially fall in his footsteps.....but I loved Baseball). Anywho, I got killed my first year (7th Grade). I was dang near the littlest thing on the field, and they had me playing offensive line, but by 8th grade I had put on a little more weight and was moved to the Starting Nose Tackle on Defense. I did good....and we won most of our games that year......

Fast Forward to High School

Who would have thunk that 8 years later I would have gone on to become and All-State Linebacker for PCHS, voted one of the Top 10 Players in Georgia (1999), won MVP & Captains Award, and having gone on to play for one of the best teams in Division II Football at that time. But I didn't give up on Baseball...by no means....cause once Spring Time came....."Ohh I love the small of fresh cut grass on a baseball diamond"...I played all three years of middle school & all four years of High School. I would have played in College, but Coach wasn't going to fulfill my full football scholarship if I had. I remember my first high school homerun....was against Northside HS. We had already lost the game, and I was just joking around. I told the catcher that since everyone on their team had hit a homerun off of our pitchers, that I guess it was my turn......so next pitch...a fastball down the middle....all I remember was swinging....rounding 1st base full steam ahead, and looking into left center field just in time to see the ball clear the fence. That was probably one of the best days of my life. I went on to hit several more that year (senior).

My social life in high school was an entity in itself. Let's see....in 9th Grade there was the RB thing that has lingered on since like 4th Grade (we still talk, but nothing ever really came of it)...10th Grade was the BR thing, and also my first prom....interesting to say the least. 11th Grade was when I think things begin to get hectic....you see that was the year of my big break out in football...so thats when "the cheerleader", not BR, cause she was one too, but in a different year.......came on to the scene. We talked and dated (puppy love), but inside I think I knew that nothing would come of it, which is probably how I came in contact with "Rae". I must say that Rae was my first love. I met Rae when I was a sophomore and she was a freshman. We took a Literature class together, and I just thought she was just the most beautiful thing to grace the earth....but she wouldn't give me the time of day. So after quite a few flowers to class and me finding someone else, only to come back to Rae, she caved in and that was it....I thought I had met a queen. Only thing was.....she was a Jehovah's Witness. Now I didn't have an issue with that 1. Because I didn't really know Christ back then, and didn't really grasp the entirity of it and 2. I've always tried to be open minded to all individuals. But her father just wasn't havin it, lol. So our relationship was pretty much kept on the school grounds. Which was good for me, cause I didn't do too much after school or on weekends, unless it dealt with Football or Baseball. I remember having a great game....I'd have like 15 tackles 2 sacks and a INT... we'd win like 65-7....then I'd go home after the game and watch T.V. ....alone.

She and I lasted till I graduated. I wanted to take her to my Senior Prom (since I didn't go to Junior Prom), but as I stated earlier, her pops wasn't havin that, lol. After graduation, and my move to Carrollton, our love just seemed to dwindle. We tried being friends for a few years afterward, but it just became too stressful. I think about her sometimes, especially when I scroll my phone and see her number. She use to tell me that while I was away at college, every time she drove by the street I use to live on, she'd look down, just to see if I was home, which made me feel kinda good.

Well I've rambled enough for today......more on the Making of the Life & How I came to trully begin to "know" Christ tomorrow.......Lord Willing. Yall be safe and keep me in ya prayers.

Is this the begining of a book??? Hmm....

"Think before you speak....you never know who is trying to listen to your thoughts"