As I walked to the gym yesterday trying to get rid of this Kenya 15, I passed the art instillation I always see.  There are often people playing in these giant, dangling yellow plastic strings. Yesterday was no different as when I passed it there was a group of young adults playing with them – swinging, twisting, climbing.  But I heard one of them say something that caught my attention.  She posed a question of them, asking if it was possible they could collect them all at one time.  I turned and looked at the strings, the number of them and the spread.  I thought, now that will be a challenge and one fun to attempt.

Well, on my return walk from the gym I came upon the young people and the strings.  They did it!  They collected the strings and had them encircled in their arms.  I was extremely proud of them.  

Someone had a vision.  Someone was inspired to join and give it a try.  I was achieved!  

This same day I went to our community’s MLK Keynote event where T.D.Jakes was the featured speaker.  I look forward to the Austin Area Heritage Council’s annual event because the caliber of speakers they bring is dynamic.  The event was superb as they’ve come to consistently deliver.  I will just say that T.D. left us with the following two questions to gnaw on:

1. Can we have a new day with old language?

2. What will we do differently for the different times we are in?

Hummmm…..   It may be that our rhetoric, our tone and our civility needs to be modified……

Good stuff!

Later that evening I went with some friends to see KRS-One. Whew!  I don’t even think I can capture that experience righteously, but wow!  I know Dre and Sydney’s love for good hip-hop in Brown Sugar.  It crawls under your skin and moves the soul.  

He demonstrated his badness when he free flowed to an old negro spiritual and said this is the kinda change Obama nor your mama can touch.  I hadn’t heard it in a long time but reconnected with it immediately…I, know I’ve been changed.  I, know I’ve Changed.  I, know I’ve been changed.  The angels in heaven done signed my name.  The Teacha took the crowd to school with Knowledge Reigning Supreme.

I pose the question to myself and you, as it was spoken of in the bible, can we put new wine in old wineskins?  and Do you know you’ve been changed?