Sunday Schooled - White Folks

White Folks

(Photo Dr. Sam Varner (left) and Baseball Legend Jackie Robinson (right)

Drew Morris, a (White, and I say that to provide a visual) minister who is around 65 (Pops is 70) shared with me in a meeting information about my Dad that I didn't know. He stated "Your Dad is a phenomenal man, he has done things that others are still scared to do. He deserves a lot of recognition. He then says "We were in a meeting and he shared with us that Dr. King (The Honorable Dr. Martin Luther King) told my father in a meeting "You'll have to get rid of your hate for White people to do your job." Dad then reportedly shared in this meeting with Drew other things he did during the Civil Rights era involving racial reconciliation. Drew shared how he admired how my Dad, and other Blacks, rose above the problems of that time to act in a manner exemplified by Yeshua (Jesus). As a child I used to wonder how my parent's and ancestors lived under the suffocating veil of evil White supremacy without wanting to kill every White person in sight. As mad as I would become after hearing their stories I still couldn't hate Whites because my parents wouldn't allow that. They taught me to love Black and love White and everything in between. A lady once set Pops' hair on fire when he rooted for the other team at a football game. The Blancos around him wouldn't let him put out the fire nor retaliate against the witch. How could he be so loving after facing so much hate... He attributed it to "a relationship with Christ"... I thought that he and Christ were both crazy.

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Sunday Schooled is a collection of former blog post by Seko Varner. This post was originally

posted on Janruary 24, 2008 while Dr. Varner was still alive .

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Dad is pictured above with his friend..........Baseball legend Jackie Robinson (the second photo displays Dad with my brother and I). I remember coming home from school after learning about Jackie Robinson in school and telling Dad and Mom I want to play Baseball like Jackie Robinson. Dad said something to the effect of "Jackie used to throw balls at you when you were a baby." Dad then pulled Jackie Robinson's book off of his bookshelf and showed me a signature from Jackie with comments that could only be made from people who are close. Dad used to minister to Jackie Robinson's family and was even referenced in the book's "Thank You's". This picture still makes me shiver. Two men who both shaped and changed the world I live in. Two men who faced the cruelty of Amerika squarely in the face and 'showed love' in response to hate.

Dad raised us in a rather Afro-Centric environment, yet never showed a disdain for anyone. We were taught to love Africa and America. I still get looks of surprise when I often end prayers with my kids by saying "GOD bless Africa, GOD bless America, GOD bless everybody." GOD bless everybody.... Even those I want to hate. When Dad spoke of people he hated he spoke of Blacks who were racial betrayers. Dad is chock full of stories where White-folks did incredibly devilish acts of hatred to him, yet he only hated when 'we' didn't achieve, when 'we' hurt each-other, when 'we' failed to improve our station in life, when 'we' didn't appreciate ourselves...........Achieve, heal us, improve yourself, appreciate us.

02/03/2013 Addendum. Yesterday I sat on the edge of my seat enjoying a learning from Rich Thawley, a giant in my business of World Financial Group. In the midst of his session where he taught us about doing business in the realm of the Lower Law and moving towards doing business in the Higher Law, he shared a quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln that I had recently heard from my mentor John Epting. "Pray like it's up to God, work like it's up to you." Rich talked about working in Love for our clients noting that we have products and services that can change lives forever. Rich shared how we should talk the three languages of Higher Law to help our clients, and to help ourselves, combat the natural tendency to avoid actions that seem hard while obviously leading to improvement. Rich shared how many in America have been DCP'd (Discouraged, Criticizied, and Put-Down) and it may up to us to guide them towards the Promised Land. Rich began his talk by sharing that too many in our country have accepted eight personally destructive values. Rich taught that too many (1) Want winning to be easy, (2) Want life to be fair and fairly distributed, (3) Get their feelings hurt and stop their progress, (4) Worry too much or too little about the opinions of others, (5) Are afraid to compete, (6) Want someone else to do things for them, (7) Are easily distracted, and (8) Think like employees rather than the masters of their fate. As Rich ended his talk I was standing on my feet waiting on his next word. He ended with "Life will only give you what you will fight for...."
Ashee.
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Seko Varner is from Positive Vibes Financial, a World Financial Group team of financial services agents. They specialize in debt reduction, investments, and insurances. Seko is also in high demand as a special events DJ and owns an event marketing service. Seko has diverse background in business, real estate, counseling and education. Seko is active with numerous Youth Mentorship programs and has a background in radio and television. Visit www.HappilyEverAfter.Be or call 757-248-3820 for more details.

Purpose, Creativity, and Faith in the New Year

The purpose: To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community.
The use of creativity: To leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
The faith in: Parents, teachers, leaders, and the righteousness and victory of struggle.
The New Year: A chance, symbolically, to create anew.

As a child I learned to embrace the above principles as a child would. As a teenager the stuff started to make sense, and made me more attractive to the ladies I was attracted to "I think it's cute that you do so much community stuff." (I later learned that I needed a few more things to finally get the girls who ended up hugging me and then falling all over my Thuggy', Pretty Boy, and Sport-Jock friends. I found that the power of music and performance, as a DJ and and musician, gave me just as many groupie-girls as my Thuggy', Pretty Boy, and Sport-Jock friends. Life was good................ As a college student I truly became conscious of the impact that a purpose driven life produced.

It was then that I learned the importance of motivation. I currently tell my children that the word Motivation has basically two portions. The Motive, and the "Ation" (Action minus what you 'see'.) I further detail that once one loses their motive, normally the action will fall off as well. I was taught by some of the best elders that I needed to constant focus on my motive, as the motives may change over time. As a parent, I know truly feel "the blessing in their suggestions." I fully believe in the principles of Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith) as they are transliterated in the seven candle observance. Ashee.

On Nia 2012, I received an email from the Dave Ramsey Team. The email simply stated "Are Your Goals Realistic? Take the Test. Ask any successful person, and they'll agree. In order to succeed, you must have goals." (Here is the link to his message to his subscribers. The test of the goals was deceptively simple: (1) Are your goals in writing? (2) Are your goals specific and measurable? (3) Are your goals shared? (4) Are your goals your own? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

As an agent with World Financial Group we frequently focus on goals. I'll need to openly share some goals for 2013 in an upcoming self-n-business development training. While the process we use is a great and involved process, I loved the deceptive simplicity of Dave's message. So tonight I leave you in the Roman Calendar year of 2012 and will greet you in the Roman Calendar year of 2013 with my goals. I'd love for you to share your goals with me as well. Let's grow together. Have a blessed year.......Here's a hint .... It's up to you to make it blessed...... I know, some of you still think that it's solely up to the Almighty. (Read whatever Holy book you wish....... All who were blessed, worked for their blessing. Thanks to my mentor John Epting for fully making that point to me in his actions, words, and prayers.) Alafiah ! Ashee ! Amen !

Are Your Goals Realistic?

Seko~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seko Varner is from Positive Vibes Financial, a World Financial Group team of financial services agents. They specialize in debt reduction, investments, and insurances. Seko is in high demand as a special events DJ and owns an event marketing service. Seko has diverse background in business, counseling and education. Seko is active with numerous Youth Mentorship programs and has a background in radio and television. Visit www.HappilyEverAfter.Be or call 757-248-3820 for more details.