Prayer for my Family

Heavenly Father, I thank you and praise you for your bounty to choose me to be your representative to my family. Always keep me in this awareness so that I may be highly responsible before you and my family. I accept my better half Meragil and our little one, Zionah from your hands with gratitude and fear. I thank you so much for these priceless gifts.

Sanctify me so that I can sanctify my family by what I am. Fill my heart with your love so that I may be able to love my family with the supernatural love. Give me the gift of suffering so that I may be willing to take on any suffering to bring up my family. Make me unselfish and deep-rooted in Divine providence, so that I may welcome as many children as God like to entrust me.

Keep us in holiness. Lead us in right ways. Teach us your ways. Help me to train my child in your precepts. Give us wisdom and knowledge. Keep us up in good health. Give us the grace to live in such a way so as to join together one day in Heaven and live there in eternity. In Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.

Parenting

1. We will always love and respect our child for who she is and not who we want her to be.

2. We will give our child space-to grow, to dream, to succeed and even sometimes to fail.

3. We will create a loving home environment and show our child that she is loved, whenever and however I can.

4. We will, when discipline is necessary, let our child know that we disapprove of what she does, not who she is.

5. We will set limits for our child and help her find security in the knowledge of what is expected of her.

6. We will make time for our child and cherish our moments together, realizing how important-and fleeting-they are.

7. We will not burden our child with emotions and problems she is not equipped to deal with, remembering that we are the parents and she's our child.

8. We will encourage our child to experience the world and all it’s possibilities, guiding her in it’s ways and taking pains to leave her careful but not fearful.

9. We will take care of ourself physically and emotionally, so that we can be there for our child when she needs us.

10. We will try to be the kind of person we want our child to grow up to be-loving, fair minded, moral, giving, and hopeful.

MERAGIL

M y mind is set with you

E versince I've known you

R eminds me of the day we've met

A gain and again I'll never forget

G ames that lovers play

I n full attention I will pay

L ove isn't love, 'til I share it with you.

ZIONAH ZOE

Z ionah Zoe means blessed mountain and life,

I t's her that I've got my courage and feel no strife.

O n the very first day that I have her as my child,

N o mountains too tall I wouldn't climb.

A round her every day and every night,

H aving heard of her laughter turns my face so bright.

Z ealous manner of loving is all I have for her,

O ver and over again I will surely remember

E ven my last breath I'm willing to offer.

Dreadlocks

After my graduation, I was a bum for about 5 months. But I got tired of the idle times and wanted to focus and have a career in everywhere possible. I really wanted to enhance and practice what I have been learning from school. It was in the late October of 2005, that I have decided to apply to a conversion process company for the position of Information Analyst or simply known as Indexers/Abstractors . And lucky did I passed the exams and interviews. But somehow, I felt reluctant on some things and some guidelines of the company. One of it is the dress code. Prior to the signing of contract, the Human Resource manager warned me about my dreadlocks.

I reasoned out and ask him as to why the company won't allow me of having my dreadlocks in spite of making it neat as possible but needless to say, I didn't get a good answer. But due to some financial reasons, I have come across the conclusion that I really have to cut it in spite of being downtrodden and having a heavy heart. It was in November 2005, a month after I signed my contract, it’s still fresh in my mind how I shaved off my 3 yrs old dreadies in exchange of my employment. I felt pity for myself and annoyed likewise. I am very much angry how other people classifying and stereotyping people who are having locks. But I am the one who wants the job so I reckoned and let the feeling of bitterness pass by.

Day by day, months after months, years after years, I felt envious to other dreadhead in the place. But I painstakingly said to myself that one day, these dreads on my mind will flow positively and that the people will know the truth behind those false assumptions about the locks.

Lucky did I have the chance to talk to the HR manager again. We do know each other for quite sometime due to company band competitions and stuff because I'm in a band playing ska reggae music so I have gotten the chance to talk to him about the dread thing again and let him know and understand that its not merrily a hairstyle but a lifestyle stolen from my whole being.

Then the right time has come. Its been 4 solid years of wanting and urging of having my dreads, and now I am in so much thankful that they (my company) have let me do and wear my locks. The agony of waiting has paid off. It’s been an awesome 9 months of having my dreads done now.

Time Will Tell.

Now as I am a young man, having a family of my own, living with two lovely human beings with me, my betterhalf Meragil and our precious little one Zionah, I often wonder and ask myself, as to when exactly is the right time to get married and how I can put things in perspective.

As I gazed upon them, one morning, something inside myself, is telling me that the right time has come for the both of us to settle down and embrace the responsibilities of being husband and wife. But as my thoughts of it travels up my head, something caught up my mind boggling, as to what exactly are my reasons of getting married and the purposes of why I'm tying the knot. It could either be because of my religious beliefs or am I just diving into the pool of the conventional way.

Some people wanted a full commitment and be married under the eyes of God. Some just wanted the commitment, while others love the fan-fare of a huge wedding celebration and the reception after. Living in a democratic society, its within our set of limits and our freedom of choice and religion. But as for me, I personally prefer being married because it's more of a commitment, having God as the center of our life, the One who blesses our union infront of our dear family and friends who we trully care, love and treasure.

I'm tying my knot because I believe that I am capable of doing it and that I am that man enough, very much ready to face the risks and consequences that it may serve me, and most importantly, I'm taking my vows to the woman whom I trully love, the mother of my child, the one whom I'll be spending the rest of my life, in richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, 'til death do we part...

Why Reggae?

I have been raised up by a musician father. From the moment on that I had my first grip of a drumstick, I knew in my heart that I belong to a certain group where drumming is an integral part of existence. I've been playing different kinds of music but I have grown up to love reggae music for the profoundness of its lyrics, its rhythm, vocalization and its skanky style.

The lyrics may vary from a never ending love story, blatant socio-politcal issues, marijuana legalization and decriminalization, of course, but what caught my ears most is the spiritual message that lies within that reggae beat. This is where I started to question my faith and as to what lies behind those spiritual realms. I started to dig in deep and overstand how and what reggae music all means, and for that, I am being led to research on its roots. Reggae and Rasta Belief goes well together. With every positive vibrations that I hear through that kind of music, I have come to overstand and accept that Rasta is not about a religion nor it is a religion but it is a Way of Life. A simple kind of life where equality is essential, wombmen's and childrens rights are important and most of all, the love of nature and the love of Jah dwells well together.

I am in so much love and joy to express how I trully feel on the way my life is leading me. Thanks to Jah the most High for enlighten up my mind and my life. Having my dreadlocks is not just about a hairstyle but its about a lifestyle. A lifestyle of positiveness creating a positive outlook on life. Big ups to you bredrens and sistrens of this wonderfull world! Much love and respect. Jah bless InI.