2009 Affirmation by Juan Roberts

Like a lot of people, I had a no fondness for 2008 for many reasons -- finances, all kinds of stress, weight control, family catastrophes, business maturity, etc.

While I struggled through a lot of stuff, I also learned a great deal from my mistakes, impatience, thought life and willingness to say yes more than I should have.

Towards the end of the year I received a ton of those recaps and most were the same thing from different perspectives. After reading all of them and responding to those that sent them, I discovered that everything really boils down to one simple fact ... its over. We must look forward and it is completely our choice how we proceed.

So, rather than recap, I offer this simple refrain ...

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We Came to This Earth - Juan Roberts

After the blue fireplug leaks peanut butter onto the stiletto, we all must partake of the drama between the South and New Delhi. There is no actual reason for the hostility driving the price of oranges, because it messes with the dessert served at the Hotel Atlantis in Hamburg. I love their poached egg breakfast -- luscious. Try it only after an early morning poetry ride around the lake and then a deep tissue sneaker.

When you look out of the basement window of the hotel, the first thing you see is the Hollywood sign just past this 50's styled roof. The road is windy to get there for real, but if you take your time the water will stay cold and flavorful ... just go slow behind the ice cream Jaguar.

If anyone has an idea of how to reflect their breath through a windshield, hit me back at creativelunacy@aol.com. I love to hear the remote crank the book of Matthew, chapter 5 -- it cleanses the toes so well.

So, in closing, don't add bullets to your morning entourage and be sure to speak to the lady sitting on top of the bus stop sign -- she needs someone to be nice to her. Stay strong, live long and make peace ... without hair grease.

Crossroads - Juan Roberts

Allison lives off of LaBrea, just North of the 110 in a 900 square foot kitchenette. A single mother of two, with 3 years of college, she struggles through her last year on $23,000 annually. More times than not lately, she finds herself having to explain to her kids that there is nothing to eat, because the WIC rations are gone. The rent is 2 months past due and the next notice will be to leave (to put it nicely). Her pride will not let her ask for another dime from anyone -- not even momma.

She struggles hard to find a solution, but most times she chooses the wrong thing - drinking, dating the occasional guy, scheming debtors, shoplifting (but she almost got caught once and it scared her into premature graying) and possibly suicide. Serving as a Christian Education Leader in her church allows her to relieve the pressure a couple times a week, but even that is getting reeeeaaal thiiiiiiin. She listens intently to every word coming forth, but her faith is a mist in her life right now. She asks her Pastor about some leads on jobs or even if she could work around the church, but she gets the non-revenue generating response, "I'll pray for you."

Her baby girl, Jovan, was just diagnosed with a disease that is promising to require extensive medical treatments for years. Allison is beyond desperate -- preacher says pray, streets say steal, devil says self-kill. While talking to one of her remaining friends, a brand new suggestion reveals itself. The friend says that the idea could provide her the money she needs to relieve the pressure that is drowning her noble fortitude out. Hmmmmm.

Fast forward 6 months to the Starlight Motel, Las Vegas, NV. Allison is now Copper, a private dancer that visits Vegas two weekends a month and makes enough to support her and her family for 3 months. She is disgusted with the people (both men and women hire her), the work, the opinion she is getting of herself and the lie she is living before God.

Life is better though -- no more late payments on anything, kids fed and clothed decently, new whip, fresh apartment, money saved (even invested) and she is able to pay tithes and give offering weekly.

We see her moments before opening the bathroom door to another night of pleasuring others and degrading herself. She stares in the mirror contemplating if she should rescind her current life for the former image of overwhelming despair. The music is playing, the couple is waiting, Absolut® has her smoothed out, the next few moments of her life could dictate her destiny. She feels at the crossroads of manging it all. She calls her Pastor and he says that he has noticed that the Lord has made a way in her life and that he is pleased that his prayers are working for her ... and that he would see her Wednesday at Bible Class, since she is on the road.

She is weak in the knees as she stands, facing her own private reality, pleading with God to save her.

What does she do?

Rescue - Juan Roberts

It's 11:30 am, Cassandra arrived to the island on a cruise ship. She was lured onto a tour with the promise of receiving $250 just for looking at a condo for 30 minutes. Cool. She had run out of money anyway, but didn't want to ask any of her friends for money -- too embarrassing -- especially her cabin mate, miss diva.

She was driven to a beach location over on hour from the port she docked at. She is the only person there from her ship. She finds out that the people showing the condo are really trying to pressure her into buying something ... for $350,000 ... for a 99 year lease ... huh? Plus they had her waiting until all of their tours for the day were completed before she could be taken back to civilization. Because she was not buying, they put her on a patio to wait -- no food -- not even agua. That was projected to be at 5:00 pm -- the ship leaves at 7 pm.

A livid Cassie pouted and shut-down on the people. They told her she was welcomed to go back earlier ... at her own expense ... which is a $45 taxi ride ... needless to say that was not going to happen. Thankfully, many of their scheduled tours were no-shows, so Cassie was able to get her $250 voucher at around 4 pm. The voucher must be cashed-in at a location in the city -- no name, an address only.

So, Cassie gets back into a raggedy school bus, not the air conditioned coach she came out on, but a smelly junker that smoked of oil. She prayed hard for safety. The money was the least of her concerns right now. Slowly, the bus creeks, pops, bounces and sheepishly approaches the city and drops her of at the faaaaaar end of the shopping strip. She gladly gets off and begins to walk to locate the address on the voucher to get her $250. It turns out, the address is a special place ... the cash comes from the local casino -- that's right, a casino!

As she peeks around each corner in the casino, there are greasy looking men peering all over her body, but she pushes on. The woman behind the cashier bars glares at her without a word, she just throws $250 at Cassie in $5 bills. As she exits the dungeon of gambling, Cassie realizes that she has exactly 5 minutes to make the ship. No way. Her cell phone does not work on the island. She hears the ship horn in the distance -- oh no! OH NO!

As Cassie hits the dock, she see the ship heading to the horizon. Cassie's heart absorbs her air, brain cells and all of the feeling in her legs. Cassie drops to the curb screaming that she has to get on that ship or she will kill herself. She clutches the cross she has pressed into her skin all day. The day flashes in her mind and the money seemed so insignificant now.

Darkness compresses reality around her on the curb, the dock is empty, except for a few locals and some of the same casino men. Fear turns to terror and hysterical thoughts. As she screams, Cassie notices a strong light in the sky. The dock area begins to spin. All of a sudden a huge hand presses on her shoulder and she jumps and releases one massive shreeeeek!

The hand belonged to a police officer. His voice and touched calms her down and tells her that he saw what happened from his office. He summoned a helicopter to rescue her and deliver her to the ship. Cassie cannot speak. She shakes uncontrollably. Her mind is misfiring. She is sure her brain is seeping out of her ears.

The officer escorts her to the beach to board the helicopter. She silently hugs him with gratitude and turns to get in. A hand reaches for her, a woman's hand, a strong woman's hand lifts Cassie in one pull. As Cassie looks into the face of the woman, she sees one of the men's faces from the casino and the pilot is the female cashier. She quickly spins to look at the officer and it is the bus driver!

Her soul screeches Oh my God! All of a sudden a bright light appears all around her, consuming her. Just then Cassandra hears and feels her cabin mate. A gentle hand is shaking her shoulder. As her mind and vision clears, Cassie realizes that she is back in her cabin.

Her cabin mate tells her, "that's what you get for trying to sneak and drink at a club until daylight." Cassie realizes that she never left the ship. She had slept the entire day away. Her ordeal was a nightmare. She is safe, broke, but safe. She grabs her friends neck and won't let go.

All she can repeat is, "thank you Jesus."