Our Recent Travels

Greetings and Peace to All,
Just wanted to let you know that I started a new blog erikabloggin. Please check it out and sign up to get automatic email updates. Most of the post thus far have been about our recent journey in Mexico. I hope you take the time to read it and would appreciate comments.

May God Continue to Bless Us All!

A glimpse

Greetings,
Been doing a lot of reflecting and prepping for the move and upcoming school year. Excited! Thoughts going in every direction. I want to first start the blog with some quotes from one of my favorite books (Closing The Gap) that have been on my mind. Helping to prepare me for what is to come (on so many levels). Then I plan to back track with a few pictures I intended to share but didn't. I may encourage Nadia to do an update on the scrapping chickens.

"So prayer frames the mind. Prayer sets the tone. Prayer shapes the attitude of the student. And as one Civil Rights leader said, 'It is your attitude that will determine your altitude.' So prayer, the constant remembrance of God, keeps you in the right attitude and therefore, there is no limit to your altitude."

"SO what I found as fun is the joy of learning today what I did not know yesterday. . . We don't have time for trifling things. Children should not be engaged in just silly things; playing with toys that do not teach. The joy of living is the joy of learning. Since Almighty God created us as a reflection of Himself, it would seem that from as early as we can think, we should find joy in the discovery of truth. We should find fun in the discovery of things that grow us; that edify us; that evolve us toward God. Mindless games are valueless with God because they misuse youth. Children are mischievous. Then find something that we can learn from mischief--games of learning; games that increase ones dexterity; that teach skills in doing things; games that challenge us mentally."

"Please, let's not say we don't have time to study God's word, yet we breathe His air, and benefit from His mercy and grace, every fraction, of second of every minute we live. That is gross ingratitude! Moreover, we are severely hurt by our stupidity; not HIM."

"No matter what's in a seed, if it does not have the right environment in which to manifest what is within, the seed never comes to fruition. So many of us die as seeds that do not fulfill the aim and purpose for which we are sent into the world because sometimes we are placed in an environment that literally stifles the expression of what God has put within."

"I am for the acquiring of knowledge or the accumulating of knowledge--as we now call it; education. First, my people must be taught the knowledge of self. Then and only the will they be able to understand others and that which surrounds them."

"Are we 'living it up' like the people of Noah and Lot were the moments before the rains and hot stones fell?"

"It would appear that the wicked have triumphed over God and the righteous, in this lull before the storm. So like the five foolish virgins who used up all of their oil, they were unprepared when the bridegroom came. He would come when it was dark, and they had no oil left."

"By immersing myself in his message, then everything that I learned in high school, prep school and college took on greater significance. Biology took on greater meaning. Chemistry, Solid geometry,  Algebra, Calculus, everything that I studied I could now use because Islam, as taught by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad was the key to use knowledge for the advancement of self, your family, your community and your people."

"We live in America. We have no other nation to go to. We live in the world leader. We pull whatever we can and filter it through the placenta, or the blood of the teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, that forms around us as a protection for us. What we draw from this satanic mother is filtered through this screening system called Actual Facts; Student enrollment; Lesson No. 1; Lesson No. 2; The Problem Book and English Lesson#C1. The wisdom in these Lessons is the filter, so that through this filter we can take what we need from the larger system, as we develop our own system, hopefully somewhat free of that which is corrupting and destroying the larger system or body."

"A period of transition is the most difficult period in human development, for during periods of transition the life that is in transition is not where it was, and it is not where it is intended to be. So such periods of time are always very dangerous for the life that is in transition."

May God Continue To Bless Us All

From the garden

 We have thoroughly been enjoying the strawberries from the Farmer's Market. So what do you do with a case of strawberries?

Strawberries for strawberry shortcake

ice cream mixture. always forget to take picture of finished product

pack some for snacks

Daddy's not-so-little girls

Marine World. I mean Discovery Kingdom

Happy Couple

 SOLAR COOKING with Sis. Melva & Sis. Majeedah at 4th of July Celebration. He came so that we may live!

May this blog inspire us all to be better persons.
Sincerely, Erika

New Blog

https://erikabloggin.wordpress.com/
Or

http://erikabloggin.wordpress.com/2012/12/25/interested-in-the-old/
Or
You can just google bloggingwhilegrowing at Wordpress
The above is a link to my new blog. I wanted to try Wordpress and change the name of the blog. I hope you choose to follow it there. Once you get to the site their is a box to type in your email. I do not plan to delete this blog but I will probably not update very often.
Thanks for reading,
Erika
P.S. I hope the link works. I usually do this kind of stuff on a computer but I have not had computer access in sometime so I am learning how to better operate/utilize my smartphone.

Do YOU value...

Do you VALUE the PEOPLE and TIME it takes to grow food?
Probably not.

This is a post I started sometime ago but never finished. So many angles to this topic. So I'm just going to post. Plus I'm testing to see if I can post from this site.

Please do me a favor and tell how you value or don't value the people and time it takes to grow food. I'm interested to see the responses. And it doesn't have to be a dissertation. I'll go first.

I don't truly value the time it takes to grow food because I do it as a side thing, never giving it the time it needs/requires. Always squeezing it in, when I know it really is much more important than other areas of my life.
I know folks don't value the people or time just based on the responses I get when I can't do something because I have to tend to my garden. However, those same individuals think it is cool and want the benefits without labor. Or for paying a reasonable price for it.
I do value the people because I am clear that it takes time, commitment, hardwork to do it...consistently...and to be good at it.

Wrapping Up

Wrapping Up
Winding Down
This Semester
Peace:It was good. Next semester should be better. I tend to slack at the end. I enjoyed reading Malcolm X. It is a good story. It teaches you a lot and is entertaining. I didn't like the questions that went with Stolen Legacy but I enjoyed the book. Math was ok. I am looking forward to next semester. I didn't care for my current math book, glad it is almost over. Thankful for my parents for putting me in Quantum classes. I enjoy going, I learn a lot and it is fun. The homework is hard.
I like my interactive goal chart, it helps; BUT I don't like having to do it every Sunday.
I am looking forward to a new math book and Quantum classes starting back up.

Peace Creating Her Interactive To Do List

Working on Poster

Black Hist Club Poster in collaboration with Yahnijah

Peace and Emiliano Grooving to His Wii

Presenting to grandparents

Faith:
It was good, looking forward to starting pre-algebra.
I enjoyed reading Malcolm X. Math was challenging but I got through it and now it is easier.
Very pleased with my crocheting. My stitches look more even and professional. And I learned to embellish my hats.
I am interested to find out what books you have us reading next semester.

Faith's decorated envelop to one of her pen pals

Faith working it out

working

looking for a button to add flavor to the hat

We play games for math on Thursdays. This is her favorite right now.

One of her hobbies, making doll houses and such from recycled materials.

Exploring at the Oakland Museum

Chilling with her mom

The Boy:
I enjoyed Time4Learning, math (I liked my math a lot), and boat making class. My writing has improved a lot. I like studying the Bible. The part that stood out the most to me is when Abraham was going to sacrifice his son. I think I learned more this semester. And I found some really fun, cool, and educational websites.
I don't really know what we are doing for next semester but I am looking forward to completing my math book and memorizing all my time tables. My mom says it should be like breathing. I can almost do them.

Making a paddle

Learning how to chisel

Friends

 proving my answer

Making Flashcards

About to test out paddle

Boat is almost complete.

The Boy making his own herbal concoction.

This semester went well, God willing, the next will be even better.

Redemption Song

Old pirates, yes, they rob I;
Sold I to the merchant ships,
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit.
But my hand was made strong
By the 'and of the Almighty.
We forward in this generation
Triumphantly.
Won't you help to sing
This songs of freedom
'Cause all I ever have:
Redemption songs;
Redemption songs.

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
None but ourselves can free our minds.
Have no fear for atomic energy,
'Cause none of them can stop the time.
How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand aside and look? Ooh!
Some say it's just a part of it:
We've got to fullfil the book.

Won't you help to sing
This songs of freedom-
'Cause all I ever have:
Redemption songs;
Redemption songs;
Redemption songs.
---
/Guitar break/
---
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
None but ourselves can free our mind.
Wo! Have no fear for atomic energy,
'Cause none of them-a can-a stop-a the time.
How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand aside and look?
Yes, some say it's just a part of it:
We've got to fullfil the book.
Won't you have to sing
This songs of freedom? -
'Cause all I ever had:
Redemption songs -
All I ever had:
Redemption songs:
These songs of freedom,
Songs of freedom.

COMMUNITY

We want to give a BIG thanks to our loving and supportive community for helping us achieve our goal of raising money to get passports so we can finally take a trip abroad.

We normally have an Awesome chart hanging in our house. The awesome chart is where we post personal goals that we have accomplished that are awesome to the individual posting. For instance, it is NOT a place for me to post how awesome it is that Faith finished her current math book with an A- and will start pre-algebra next semester. It is a space where she can post that she is awesome because she learned how to crochet a star to add flair to the hats she makes. This month's chart is a little different.

We worked together to create a poster to tell all the communities we belong to thank you for supporting us. Whether it was by purchasing one of our products, giving a donation, helping us to advertise, or wishing us well in our endeavor. We are grateful. In addition to the trip we hope to take we have this to remind us of all the wonderful people we are surrounded by.

SOMETIMES it is better

Sometimes it is better to change your mind, way of thinking, about a thing. Emphasis on the sometimes.
This is nothing new but has been on my mind recently. The other day while I was washing dishing, I know... another blog stemming from me washing dishes. Anyway, the other day while I was washing dishes I had to check myself and my thought process. I mentally complained about one thing, then another and had to tell myself to hold up. This is not how I roll and not how I am going to start. So I changed my mind about the few things I was complaining about and in less than 5 minutes I was back to smiling and laughing.

Don't act like you all don't have those moments, too. Let me give you a few examples:

"Dang! I gotta comb ya'll hair again."
change of mind response: God, thank you for blessing me and trusting me to guide two girls for your service.

(Huge Sigh) More dishes to wash. Seems like I am always washing dishes.
change of mind response: God, thank you for blessing us with food to eat and dishes to eat it on.

You get the picture?

Fast Forward while rewinding. I think mind changes was subconsciously on my mind from a passage I had read a few days ago. It is not as light weight as the stuff I was experiencing but still speaks to the power of changing the mind. I also emphasize sometimes, because it depends on how you change your mind. Can you imagine if Harriet Tubman would have oriented her mind to be "ok" with slavery? Nat Turner? David Walker? The Maroons? Etc, Etc I didn't want to get into this. Let me post the passage:

When Columbus was selling Queen Isabella on the wonders of the America's, the Indians were "well built" and "of quick intelligence." "They have very good customs," he wrote, "and the king maintains a very marvelous state, of a style so orderly that it is a pleasure to see it, and they have good memories and they wish to see everything and ask what it is and or what it is used." Later, when Columbus was justifying his wars and his enslavement of the Natives, they became "cruel" and "stupid," "a people warlike and numerous, whose customs and religion are very different from ours."
It is always useful to think badly about people one has exploited or plans to exploit. Modifying one's opinions to bring them into line with one's actions or planned actions is the most common outcome of the process know as "cognitive dissonance," according to social psychologist Leon Festinger. No one likes to think of himself or herself as a bad person. To treat badly another person whom we consider a reasonable human being creates a tension between act and attitude that demands a resolution. We cannot erase what we have done, and to alter our future behavior may not be in our interest. To change our attitude is easier.

 Just food for thought.

I think I read this on or around Thanksgiving, which brings me to more food for thought. Many people say they do not celebrate Thanksgiving. Ok sure. Instead the reasoning (change of mind) is that we are celebrating family. I am not saying that you are not, however I am skeptical. Have we wrapped our mind around a more palitable way to swallow the pill? Can family not choose a different day/way to celebrate each other? Or can family go and participate, or dialog at dinner even, in an activity that helps to educate self and others of the atrocities associated with this "holiday". Or do we as a community continue to leave that up to the schools to do? Or do we subconsciously believe and support the genocide that occurred. Or are we just that happy to have a day off that we don't care what the reasoning? I will stop because I am getting all preachy.

"Truth should be held sacred, at whatever cost."

Prayer For Guidance

In The Name of Allah, The Beneficient, The Merciful

Praise Be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds

The Beneficient, The Merciful

Master of the Day of Requittal

Thee Do We Serve 

and Thee Do We Beseech For Help

Guide Us on the Right Path

the Path Upon Whom Thou Hast Bestowed Favors

Not the Path of Those Upon Whom Thy Wrath is Brought Down

Nor of Those Who Go Astray

                                         Amen

Talking with my children on this rainy Friday night after a good day and decided to put this song on and dance with my son.

I count my blessings ya'll.

The More I Strive To Live

     About 2 weeks ago the thought came to my mind that the more I strive to live my dreams the more I inspire others to do the same. I felt a little guilty by the thought because it seemed a little ... I can't think of a word to describe precisely what I am thinking. So I brushed the thought aside, especially since it was more of a feeling I was getting. I don't believe that I was told. I think I was gathering it by the energy I was getting from folks. Then a friend called less than 24 hours later and said that I was inspiring her to do something she had been wanting to do. I responded PRAISE BE TO ALLAH. Then a few days later another friend sent me a text that read, " I'm convinced that you're an angel sending me these messages because it's what my family needs too." Once again, PRAISE BE TO ALLAH! Then yesterday, I was speaking with another friend and she said, "That is so inspiring!" At that point I once again said, PRAISE BE TO ALLAH and I submitted. God, at this particular juncture in my life, is blessing me to be an inspiration to others.  Hence I decided to write about it. But not really focusing on me per se, but on all of us.

Can you envision a world where everyone was actively pursuing their dreams? Ok, 75%? 50%? Let's even take it down to 25%? The world would be a different place. Image the energy level of folks. The love that would be more freely circulating. The respect. Namaste comes to mind. (The god in me bows to the god in you).
     Today we participated in the black history club. This month's theme was mathematicians and engineers. It is inspiring to see someone making their dreams a reality. That is one of the reasons we learn about people that are successful, to inspire us. One of the presentations was on Sylvestor Gates, Jr Theoretical Physicist. The interview was brief and I have included the link if you are interested. He was asked, "What advice do you have for students looking to go into science as a career?" I love his response and it fed into a brief but meaningful dialog as well. 

     Anyway, the point I am making is that we all can and do inspire each other so PLEASE do what you can to make your dreams a reality. I am not speaking of just the BIG dreams, but rather all of them. 

Sit Down, Shut Up, & Get It Done

Sit Down, Shut Up and Get It Done
As many of you know I believe that is a skill. And it is literally what I am telling myself right now as I can and have several other ways to spend my time, but there is one project that I would like to make significant progress on that I need to focus on. With that, I'm off to sit down, shut up, and get it done.

Oh and I have written several blog post in my head this past week. Maybe after I get a good amount of this task done I can actually share them with you all.

Good Times

I was asked to find a few photos and was blessed to get sidetracked by looking at a bunch of photos of when the children were younger. Those years were beyond special. I was trying to pick a few favorites but that proved to be impossible. I wouldn't want to bore you with fifty or so pictures so I am going to randomly pick 7. This is going to be difficult.

Act like I can't count and I hope I didn't bore you. I am not sure how I selected but this is what made the cut.