What Makes You Stronger: Real Talk About Breast Cancer

http://whatmakesyoustronger.atwc1.com/calls-for-submissions

We want your true stories about your journey, the journey of a loved one or your secondhand experience as caregiver or medical professional. We want the anger, the despair, the “why me, God?” and the moment you realized, that despite the ravages to your body, the body of the loved one or the person in your professional care… you gained strength from the experience.  Tell us about it, keep it real, nothing is taboo.  The aim is to strengthen those who’ve just begun the journey, form a support community by mentorship, for those desiring it, prayer and daily inspirational thoughts, coping strategies for the pain, recipes that tempt the appetite and anything else that you wish to share.

Guidelines:

All essays/stories should be nonfiction narratives, written in the first-person. Focus on one or a few selected moments; do not send rants or political speeches. Essays/Stories should be titled. Essays/Stories should be between 100 – 650 words and poems restricted to 40 lines. No funky fonts, please. Please include a brief bio (1-3 sentences) at the end of your submission and forward a headshot (neck and shoulders) to dee@deeswhite.com  or tramsey43@gmail.com. 

Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis, but work must be submitted by October 31, 2009 to be considered for the November issue. Submissions received after October 31, 2009 will be considered for the January 2010 issue.  Writers chosen for the newsletter will be contacted by November 10, 2009 and notified via email when the newsletter is available.

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Travel with us as we find out something new about Allison at each stop:

Stop 1 - Monday, June 9, 2008 - Book Zone 

Stop 2 - Tuesday, June 10, 2008 - Shoutlife & Read Zone Book Reviews & Announcements

Stop 3 - Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - Dee411: Cast Down, But Not Destroyed!

Stop 4 - Thursday, June 12, 2008 - Gather

Stop 5 - Friday, June 13, 2008 - Myspace & More Myspace

Stop 6 - Saturday, June 14, 2008 - Divine Perspective

SANITY MAKES A COMEBACK!
"Setting Boundaries With Your Adult Children: Six Steps to Hope and Healing for Struggling Parents"  and the SANITY Support Group Network are powerful resources to help parents and grandparents who have challenging adult children gain SANITY in a world spinning out of control. Tell a friend in need…help change a life. Visit www.SanitySupport.com

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When I say, "I love you"

to my family it means that crazy and dysfunctional as we sometimes are, I've learned to deal and love inspite of all we've been through and that even though I don't necessarily relish the journey it took to arrive at the word "family" I wouldn't change it or them for anything.

When I say, "I love you"

to a friend, (male or female), it means that I'm in your corner... no matter what... and your life choices are important to me. So at some point in time... I will introduce you to this Jesus friend of mine.

when I say, "I love you"

to my teens at church, it means that I love you enough to lead by example and tell you when your doo doo stinks; even then, you can still call or text me whenever, and what we discuss will remain between us.

When I say, "I love you"

to my pastor and/or his wife, it means that I've seen your job, don't want it and give you big props for having the guts to accept it.

when I say, "I love you"

to the man in my life, it means that I love, desire, respect, and trust you above all others. I am open to you in a way that I am not open to others (except God) and I will protect that space, your space, from being infiltrated by any outside "noise"

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Total Recall

1990 - The movie - They stole his mind, now he wants it back.

What is reality when you can't trust your memory? An Earthbound construction worker keeps having dreams about Mars. A trip to a false memory transplant service for an imaginary trip to Mars goes terribly wrong and another personality surfaces. When his old self returns, he finds groups of his friends and several strangers seem to have orders to kill him. He finds records his other self left him that tell him to get to Mars to join up with the underground. The reality of the situation is constantly in question. Who is he? Which personality is correct? Which version of reality is true?

Total Recall

2008 - The rally - They stole our voice, now we're takin' it back!

What is reality when you can't trust anyone? When you're expected to perform to the standards of parents, teachers, coaches, police officers, and everyone else in the world seems to have a say in your life... but you? Seems as if your life is out of control, operating on automatic pilot, like a robot or a toy. What if that reality is not all that your reality can be? What if the person you are now... is not the person God intended you to be?

Joyless, angry, disconnected, purposeless, bored, depressed, abused, confused, suicidal...

On February 23, 2007 at 7:00 PM at Trexler Middle School in Allentown, PA... with the use of artistic expression Hip Hop, Step, Skits, Rap and more, we're using what the world distorted to show you the possibilities in Christ. Reject your current programming and the programmer. Reclaim your voice! In order to do so you must be there for it: Total Recall... Takin' it back!

http://www.myspace.com/gen_y_totalrecall

Hi Folks,

In about 1 hour and 40 minutes I'll be the big 4 and 2.  Although folks keep on telling me that I only look like early thirties, I've been noticing some things that go way past making me go hmmmm... to egads!

Firstly there's the "I still got it" factor ... which has changed to "ouch... it's got me!"  You know... how we do.  The music plays and we gotta dance the younguns under the table ... then the next day... walking around is a cinch, as long as speed or upright is not required.

Secondly, there's the newly acquired respectful title ma'am ... you can read my angst in great detail here:

Thirdly, two Sundays ago an older Caucasian gentleman tried to pick me up.  The fact that he wanted to do so, is nothing new... what was new however, was the fact that he thought he actually had a chance.

All of the above is shared with genuine tongue-in-cheek humor.  Things have changed.  However, things are as they should be.  Life after all is cyclical, ever evolving, ever changing.  After spending most of my life as a bystander, living from hope to hope.  I finally realized that the way to cash in the hope paycheck is to walk into the hope bank and just cash the durn thing!

So despite what my body says, or what my mind wants to believe. I know that "I've Only Just Begun to Live"  No more waiting for circumstances to be perfect (they seldom are), waiting for Mr. Perfect (he seldom is), trying to be perfect (aside from God).  I am finally living in the present, walking ahead into my purpose under heaven.

Ecclesiastes 3

A Time for Everything

 1 There is a time for everything,
       and a season for every activity under heaven:

 2 a time to be born and a time to die,
       a time to plant and a time to uproot,

 3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
       a time to tear down and a time to build,

 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
       a time to mourn and a time to dance,

 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
       a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

 6 a time to search and a time to give up,
       a time to keep and a time to throw away,

 7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
       a time to be silent and a time to speak,

 8 a time to love and a time to hate,
       a time for war and a time for peace.

Peace and Blessings,
Dee

Hi Folks,

In true do-it-herselfer mode, I stumbled upon ways and means to create my own bookcovers two days ago and have been madly designing ever since. Love Quest is due for release as of June 21st (right in time to get your summer love jones on).

Naturally I think they're all fab! So I could really use your help. Please read the description below and/or excerpt of Love Quest then tell me which cover matches, why, why not and/or if I should go back to the drawing board.

Thanks in advance for your invaluable assistance.

Peace,
Dee

Cover No. 1

Cover No. 2

Cover No. 3

Cover No. 4

Cover No. 5

Description:

Can Love Really Be Found in Cyber Space?

A look at cyber dating from the viewpoint of a Thirty-something,
African American, Christian Female.

D.S. White introduces a world outside the parameters of day-to-day life that exists unbeknownst to most. It has its own language, rules and atmosphere. It offers a freedom that can be addictive, exhilarating or dangerous for the uninitiated. Packed with information in the author's humorous style, it:

• Introduces Internet lingo
• Includes interviews/comments from real cyber daters
• Points out common and not-so-common pitfalls
• Provides a comprehensive list of current dating sites
• Reviews several sites
• Offers bonus introductory chapters of Age is Just a Number: Adventures in Online Dating - Volume I
• Contains a resource section for victims of abuse and rape and sufferers of mental disorders. (They, too, inhabit the cyber world).