The Booth Camp Experience

Hey,

I know it has been long and all of y'all have been wondering where The Talkaholic disappeared to. Well, I was at the 2008 YWAP Booth Camp. It was amazing and the theme for this years camp was 'Manifestation Of His Power'.

My Booth Camp experience cannot be explained in the sense that I felt God move in a whole new dimension. At first, it looked like I was not going to have fun but somehow someway, God touched me in an amazing way. Right now, I have no worries because I know that God has taken care of every problem in my life.

Also, I have decided that my blog will be STRICTLY GOSPEL! Due to this, you might not see some post on this site again.

Once again, I am back, recharged and ready to take the world by storm.

Stay Blessed.

Trotcha!

Lyrics: Superchic[k]- We Live (In Memory of Bernie Mac)

In memory of the late comedian, I have decide to post the lyrics of this song

"We Live"

There's a cross on the side of the road
Where a mother lost her son
How could she know that the morning he left
Would be the last time she'd trade with him for a little more time
(so she could say she loved him one last time)
And hold him tight
But with life we never know when we're coming up to the end of the road
So what do we do then
With tragedy around the bend

We live, we love, we forgive and never give up
Cuz the days we are given are gifts from above
And today we remember to live and to love
We live, we love, we forgive and never give up
Cuz the days we are given are gifts from above
And today we remember to live and to love

There's a man who waits for the tests to
See if the cancer had spread yet
And now he asks why did I wait to live 'til it was time to die
If I could have the time back, how I'd live
Life is such a gift
So how does the story end?
Well, this is your story and it all depends
So don't let it become true
Get out and do what we were meant to do

We live, we love, we forgive and never give up
Cuz the days we are given are gifts from above
And today we remember to live and to love
We live, we love, we forgive and never give up
Cuz the days we are given are gifts from above
And today we remember to live and to love

Waking up to another dark morning
People are mourning
The weather in life outside is storming
But what would it take for the clouds to break
For us to realize each day
Is a gift somehow, someway
And get our heads up out of this darkness
And spark this new mindset and start on with life cuz it ain't gone yet
And tragedy's a reminder to take off the blinders and wake up
(to live the life)
We're supposed to take up
(moving forward)
With all our heads up
Cuz life is worth living

We live, we love, we forgive and never give up
Cuz the days we are given are gifts from above
And today we remember to live and to love
We live, we love, we forgive and never give up
Cuz the days we are given are gifts from above
And today we remember to live and to love

Music Video: Barlowgirl- I Need You To Love Me

A King of African-American Comedy Passes On....

I cannot believe one of the Kings of African-American comedy, Bernard Jeffrey McCullough AKA Bernie Mac is dead. How did he die? What exactly happened? Those are the questions that have been going through the mind of many people. One minute someone is bubbling with life, the next minute he is gone. I guess life is really short.

Wonder what would have been going through his mind as he was on that hospital bed, hanging onto his life. Wonder what his wife, Rhonda McCullough or 30 year old daughter, Je'Niece would be thinking as they watched the one they loved, struggling with life. It must have been very painful.

I look at life from a different perspective. Anything can happen at any time. It is best we live our lives, looking at the big picture, taking each day at a time while we strive to be the best we can be in every area of our lives. We should try as much as possible to live the life God has called us to live because anytime, any second, any moment; He can call us back home and we will give account of our lives. He will want to know if we fulfilled our destiny.

I feel so sad that Bernie Mac is dead. I pray that his soul would rest in perfect peace and I ask that God will grant his family grace to endure the loss.

Bernie Mac (October 5, 1957 – August 9, 2008 was an American actor and comedian. He was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago. He was known alongside fellow comedians Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer and D.L. Hughley as The Original Kings of Comedy.

He is popular for his movie role as Frank Catton in the remake of Ocean's Eleven and the sequels. Other movies are Get On The Bus, Bad Santa, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, Guess Who, Mr. 3000 and Transformers. He had a recurring role on UPN’s sitcom Moesha, Starring Brandy and was also the star and executive producer of The Bernie Mac Show, which ran from 2001-2006, and earned two Emmy Award nominations.

He has recently been working on the TV series "Starting Under," as well as several films, including the Samuel L. Jackson flick "Soul Men" (slated for release later this year) and the John Travolta comedy "Old Dogs," which is scheduled for a 2009 release.

Bernie Mac suffered from sarcoidosis, an inflammatory lung disease that produces tiny lumps of cells in the body's organs, but had said the condition went into remission in 2005.

On August 1, 2008, Mac was hospitalized with what his publicist claimed was pneumonia. The next day, responding to rumours that the actor was in "very, very critical condition," his publicist said that he was responding well to treatment, and should be released soon. On August 9, his publicist announced that Mac had died from complications of pneumonia unrelated to his previous diagnosis of sarcoidosis.

He is survived by his wife, Rhonda McCullough, 30 year old daughter, Je'Niece and granddaughter, Jasmine.

NOTE:

Sarcoidosis, also called sarcoid (from the Greek sarx, meaning "flesh") or Besnier-Boeck disease, is an immune system disorder characterized by non-caseating granulomas (small inflammatory nodules) that most commonly arises in young adults. The cause of the disease is still unknown. Virtually any organ can be affected; however, granulomas most often appear in the lungs or the lymph nodes. Symptoms can occasionally appear suddenly but usually appear gradually. The clinical course generally varies and ranges from asymptomatic disease to a debilitating chronic condition that may lead to death.

Courtsey: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcoidosis

MY SPACE...PART TWO

OK. I actually got over this feeling, for a while that is but I don’t know why it is back again. I think right now I am at a cross roads in my life that I really don’t know what’s up anymore. Everybody thinks they have all figured out and they make phrases like ‘I know you more than you know yourself’ but I ask myself, how can you know a person more than they know themselves? Left to me, it is a pretty messed up saying that should go into extinction. Only God knows us more than we know ourselves not our friends, parents or even siblings.

Right now, i need to get in sync with God. I just need to be able to breathe again. The things i have been hoping for i don’t have. I need to be able to get myself together, be able to think. I retreated into my space the last time and i got pulled out by different people. Family gave me a reason to come out and be the person I used to be but now it is looking like it is going to take more than family to pull me out. There is this longing in my heart for something more. Something I can hold on to.

I want to really go back into my space. But this time, I dont want to go alone. I want to go with the Holy Spirit. I need him to minister to me. Let him tell me that everything is going to be alright. That is just what I need right now. Life is too short for me to get depressed. There is so much to live for. I know that.

Anyways, This is where i stop.

xoxo

Trotcha!

Music Video: Casting Crowns- Slow Fade

INFERIORITY COMPLEX

It is no longer news that I am plagued with inferiority complex,

Aint it obvious?

From the way I walk to the way I talk to the way I walk,

You will know I am battling with low self-esteem, insecurities and acceptance.

It sucks, aint it?

That someone like me, someone so cool is plagued with this complex, straight from the pit of hell.

Yeah, that is too extreme right?

However, it is just the gospel truth.

Sometimes I walk and fear people hate on me,

Sometimes I talk and feel people are making jest of me,

Sometimes I dance and feel people are not feeling my dance routines,

Sometimes I laugh and I am like “hope I didn’t spit on you?”

Yeah, it is bad, aint it?

I know, I know you think I am a freak,

BUT WAIT!

I am not.

For I am a guy who wants people to laugh when I’m laughing,

I am one, who wants to talk and get a standing ovation,

I am one who wants to have a friend, who will feel me despite my shortcomings,

I am one, who is haunted by my past and cannot walk straight with God,

I am one who wants people to like me for who I am and not for the big front I put up,

Maybe that is the reason I have this complex,

Maybe it is why I feel no one likes me and everyone has something bad to say about me,

However, maybe

If I fix my eyes on Jesus,

If I put my all in Him,

If I make him my center, beginning an end,

Then maybe

He will show me what to do,

He will accept me despite my shortcomings,

He will love me unconditionally,

In addition, He will kill this inferiority complex inside.

BOYS DON’T CRY!

Boys don’t cry, if you do, you are a girl,

That is what I have heard all my life.

Boys don’t cry, u gotta be a man,

You gotta prove to them that you aint gay.

So what should a boy do when is mama dies?

What should a boy do when his dad is diagnosed with cancer?

What should a boy when he is at the point of death and is praying to God?

I know what you are thinking, but still,

What should a boy do when he realizes he made a mistake, his broke and is now a baby daddy?

What should a boy do when he fails and disappoints those who love and trust him?

What should a boy do when he realizes his sins and atrocities and decides to give his life to Jesus Christ, SINCERELY?

If you are, a boy and you just read this,

And something happens to you and you are hurting and you just want to cry,

CRY… CRY… CRY… Let it all out!

You need to read this...

OK... I got this forwarded mail and normally i don't read them but I read this one and I want you to read it. I don't know if it is true...just read it and be inspired

Jesus Is Alive

RECENT MIRACLE IN EGYPT

Hello,

A Muslim man in Egypt killed his wife because she was
reading the Bible and then buried her with their infant baby and an 8-year
old daughter. The girls were buried alive! He then reported to the police
that an uncle killed the kids. 15 days later, another family member died.
When they went to bury him,they found the 2 little girls under the sand - ALIVE! The country is outraged over the incident, and the man will be executed. The older girl was asked how she had survived and she says:- "A man wearing shiny white clothes, with bleeding wounds in his sands, came every day to feed us. He woke up my mom so she could nurse
my sister," she said. She was interviewed on Egyptian national TV, by
availed Muslim woman news anchor. She said on public TV, "This was
none other than Jesus, because nobody else does things like this!"
Muslims believe Isa (Jesus) would do this, but the wounds mean He really was crucified, and it's clear also that He is alive!
But, it's also clear that the child could not make up a story like this, and
there is no way these children could have survived without a true miracle.
Muslim leaders are going to have a hard time to figure out what to do with
this, and the popularity of the Passion movie doesn't help! With Egypt at the center of the media and education in the Middle East , you can be sure this story will spread. Christ is still turning the world upside down! Please let this story be shared. The Lord says, "I will bless the person who puts his trust in me. "Jeremiah 17 Please forward to all on your list and God will reward you abundantly

ZION’S HILL

Obadiah 17

“But upon Mount Zion there shall be deliverance…”

Zion’s Hill,

I love to go to Zion,

I love to be in Zion,

Where holiness prevails,

And deliverance is for all,

Where breakthrough are restored,

And every broken heart is healed.

I want to go to Zion,

And feel the presence of my Lord… my master… my savior.

I long for Zion,

Yeah, I love for Zion,

Cause out of Zion’s hill… salvation comes!

THE EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND OTHER DRUGS ON THE BODY

Alcohol and tobacco have become very popular in the 21^st century. This is the time when people from secondary school students to working class people believe that alcohol and tobacco are one of the few things that will make them fulfilled. But the effect of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs cannot be over emphasised. According to the World Health Organisation, 26% of female deaths were attributed to smoking. In developing countries, tobacco consumption is rising by 3.4% per year.

The commonly used drugs are cannabis which is popularly known as Indian hemp, ecstasy which is commonly used at clubs and parties, cocaine and heroin. What actually leads to problem with alcohol, tobacco and drugs is the fact that it is addictive. It can make an individual feel good for a while and then leave the individual wanting more. People also use it to forget their problems and most youth get hooked because of peer pressure. Most times to feel cool with their friends.

But the effects of alcohol, drugs and tobacco are more disastrous than the actual cause of the addiction. Statistics have shown that regular smokers are estimated to live to 2.5 to 10 years less than non-smokers will die of illness due to smoking. Also the United States Department of Health and Human Services have linked alcohol to two-thirds of all sexual assaults and have said it greatly increases the likelihood of contracting HIV or sexually transmitted diseases. Some effects are:

1. When drugs and alcohol are mixed they each may increase the effect of the other substance. E.g. ecstasy and alcohol may lead to dehydration (overheating) and can cause coma and death.
2. Infection can be spread through the sharing of needles through the use of cocaine and heroin addiction. For example HIV and hepatitis.
3. It leads to mental diseases such as psychosis or mental depression.
4. Tobacco stains and wears down your teeth causing your gum to recede and produce mouth sores.
5. Tobacco raises blood pressure and cholesterol levels and can raise the symptoms of heart attack.
6. Alcohol breaks down brain cells, blurs vision, poisons the liver and reduces your body’s ability t produce blood cells.
7. Cigarette smoking causes many types of cancer; lung, oesophagus, larynx, mouth, throat, kidney, bladder, pancreas, stomach and cervix.
8. Cigarette also causes common cold and bronchitis.

With this it has been shown that one of the ways of reducing the use of psychoactive or addictive substances is to control their availability. Also in developed nations, bupropion and varenichine are prescribed medications that can help smokers quit. Finally, educating the members of the populace is to inform them of how harmful and the dangers of these substances.

Album Review: Simi- Oga Ju

Covenant University is known as a school that raises new generation of leaders but nobody knows that apart from raising new generation of leaders they are also raising new generation of singers. No wonder the amazing talent known as Simi as emerged and is about to take Nigeria by storm.

In early 2008, Simi released her single Oga Ju in her university then. The song instantly became very popular in the school and she received much accolades for the song. After her final year examinations, 20 year old Simisola Ogunleye decided to release the full album. The album is released under Klef Records an emerging record label in Nigeria and Simi is the label's first major act.

The album is a masterpeice and shows its target audience that Simi's music is greatly influenced by popular stars like Asha and TY Bello. The album is mainly hip-hop and r n b with an added African flavor to make it spicy. The album opens with So Fly, an amazing dance track. Other dance tracks on the album are Ara Ile and Girl Like Me. The album also has its share of wonderful ballads like Ile Amo and Oga Ju. All these songs were written single handedly by Simi.

The album is great and is amazing. Although a flaw is that most of the songs sound alike but the amazing voice of Simi and the well written songs makes you forget the monotonous beats. Her voice alone will have you dreaming of heaven and that is no hyperbole. Simi has really done her homework and The Talkaholic is proud to give her a 9 out of 10.

Go Simi

For more info visit

http://www.myspace.com/symplysimi

Into Space...My Own Space

I need my space.

Have you been there before? Have you been at a point in your life where all you need is your privacy and you need no external distractions from anybody. Has there been a time when tongues have wagged and you want everybody and their mama to just shut up! Well if you are going to lie, I am not. I have been though that and I am still going through it.

Right now, I need my space more than anything in the whole wide world. I need to reflect. I need to fly away to a completely different atmosphere. I need to re-organize myself, understand myself and sort out all my issues. It is really difficult, honestly. God seems so abstract right now I really don't know what to do right now.

I guess I want to just retreat to my own space. A place where no one is a boss. A place where I can understand and deal with my issues. A place where all is OK and my life is as beautiful as ever. I just need time to heal.

I need my space...my very own space