"Sipping on Gin & Juice"

My name is Keisha and I was a teenage alcoholic. As a teenager my friends and I would walk the streets sipping on some of the same stuff the local “wino” had hidden inside his brown paper bag. Some of my high school classmates would nod their heads in agreement if I told you that I used to drink with my peers in the back of the class during 1st or 2nd period. There were plenty of days that I stumbled into my daddy’s house and quickly went to the bathroom to brush away the aroma of liquor. Of course, when I went off to college, I packed that habit up with me.

When I was in college there was this popular saying that many of my friends and I would exclaim after purchasing a gallon of Gin. In our foolishness, we would lift that gallon up in the air or take a shot of that Gin and say “Gin makes you sin!” I call us foolish because we actually had hopes of getting drunk and then getting into some sinful acts later that evening. I have literally had my share of shots, sinful acts, and hangovers. In fact, I’ve had enough to last a lifetime. I thank God that I don’t carry that habit with me in a brown paper bag like I used to back in the day.

Well this weekend, I decided to play the grown folk game and have me some wine and Margaritas with a few ladies as we celebrated my friend’s birthday. Since it’s easy to fall back into your old ways if you slip, I had one too many drinks. While the glass was in my hand, I quickly forgot that my body cannot hold as much liquor as it did years ago. Let me just pause and say, “I praise God that I can’t hold liquor like I used to.” The next morning I woke up feeling like I had jumped into a time machine and was that young lady laying in my dorm room crying out “I ain’t never drinking again!” The only difference is I am not that same fool I used to be, so what was I thinking while I was drinking? More importantly, why go back to an old habit that’s been broken?

I enjoyed being in the company of those wonderful ladies, but sipping with them was not worth the compromise or the consequence. I was sick for over 24 hours after that. However, while I was on my back in bed aching from head to toe, I had plenty of time to remember how far the Lord has brought me. Furthermore, I was able to recognize that I don’t want to go back down that memory lane again! Family, I have experienced being “drunk in the spirit” and no alcoholic beverage compares to that feeling. Therefore, I’m drinking the living waters at the next party and if you see me with anything other than that, please tell me “do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).

Slippery Slope-2009 Adventure #9

A few weeks ago I went skiing for the first time and though I can’t say that I’m headed to the Winter Olympics, I can say I received a mighty revelation that day. I was a bit disappointed because I was the first one out of the group of seven to turn in my ski shoes due to unbearable pain in my right knee. I decided to throw back on my boots and go watch my friends and; cousin have fun in the snow. I must admit, my disappointment faded a bit when I saw one of my friends on the ground at the bottom of a small slope. Shortly after my friend fell, she joined me on the sidelines.

When the one hour lesson ended we had lunch, and four of the remaining five must have drank a cup of “courage juice” because they decided to take the ski lift to the top of a huge hill. One of my other friends joined the cheerleading group as she refused to take that journey with them. Patiently the three of us waited at the bottom of the hill with cameras in hand. We waited and waited, but they didn’t come down. That’s when the revelation started to form. We were at the bottom of the hill laughing because we realized that they had got all the way up to the top and looked down with fear. We joked about them being up there trying to figure out who would be the first one to come tumbling down. All of a sudden, we see our girl skiing just like the instructor had taught her, but she must have missed the lesson on avoiding a fall. She fell, got back up, fell again, and then stayed down. Next thing we know, one of the males came down like a knight in shining armor on a white ski to rescue the damsel in distress. A few minutes later I saw my cousin on her way down then I literally saw her down! She too had taken the one way ticket to the top of the hill without thinking about the slippery slope she would have to come down. Watching this at the bottom was hilarious and scary at the same time. I wanted to go run up the hill and help them, but that would have caused a comedy show in itself.

My first ski trip was a memorable one, as it was fun and spiritually enlightening. The lesson learned was sometimes we have family and friends that we see walking into a situation that is more than they can handle or leading them into a series of sins. Are we to just stand by the sidelines and cheer them on as they head for danger? Sistah, it is our duty to rebuke a slippery slope type situation before they tumble down! Jesus told the disciples, “if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.” (Luke 17:3) Let us be bold and talk to them about the situation in love rebuking the devil and his attempts. In addition, let us get on our knees and pray for them no matter how unbearable the pain.

SAY IT AGAIN SISTAH KITTEN (textscriptz instant replay)

Hey Family,

Have you ever had a craving for something and it just wouldn’t go away? This weekend I was craving some fried catfish. I was unable to get the fish on Friday night because I didn’t get home from work until close to midnight and of course that was too late to eat. The next day my craving was even more intense, so I decided to get some fish when I left the Saturday night church service. I hate to admit this, and I know it’s going to sound greedy, but I thought about that catfish a few times while I was at church. Well, I guess that’s not so bad since Jesus did feed thousands of people with two fish and five loaves of bread! After service I called in my order and was told that the credit card machine was broken. This is where the dilemma began. I did not have cash, the credit card machine was down, my stomach was growling, my craving was more intense, the restaurant was a few miles up on the same street as my church, my bank was no where near me, and I felt it would be way too greedy to pay a $2 fee just to get cash from any cash machine so I could feed my face!

As I drove I was trying to figure out who I could call to borrow $10 from until the next day. I couldn’t think of anyone in the area that I would or could call. All of a sudden my daddy popped into my head, and it just so happens that he lives a few blocks away from the restaurant. I immediately started calling him, because as you know fulfilling a strong craving warrants a 911 call. I called his house phone and I didn’t get an answer, so I called the cell phone. I was getting more desperate the closer I got to my fish, so I called the cell phone again. Praise the Lord, because my daddy answered the second time around. I said “Daddy, I need a favor. I ordered some fish but I don’t have cash and their credit card machine is down. Do you have $10 I can come get.” Notice I didn’t say borrow, because my daddy would never let me borrow money. He said, “Come get it.” I knocked on the door and he opened his door and gave me a 20 dollar bill and then went back into his house. I got back in my car smiling because not only would I be able to get my fish, but I had an extra $10 in my pocket!

Family, we all have cravings in our lifetime, things in our hearts that we want and need. If my earthly daddy could bless me abundantly in the situation above, imagine what our Heavenly Father can do. I’m here to say “ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7) God is our daddy and we’re his children; He wants to bless us, so ask and receive! You never know, you might even get a double blessing!!!!

Keisha “Kitten” Isaacs

P.S.
GOT GOD? If you do not know God on a personal level this prayer can start your walk with him today…….
God, I am a sinner and I know I do not deserve your grace or mercy. Still, I trust you and I believe that you sent your son to earth and that he died and rose again for my sins. I thank you Lord for the personal gift of salvation. Amen.