Cousin sister's Wedding

Last Sunday while watching a NFL football game, I received a text that asked me to be my cousin's guest speaker. I gasped! Me? I'm not even married yet.

Up to the wedding, I was tossing ideas of what to say and some thoughts came and went. Some of which, I finally said I must say. A strong relationship with the Creator makes for a strong relationship with your spouse. This truth came through many people who have shared with me.

I have not said yes to the men who have asked me to marry him yet. Marriage is a strong covenant between two people. I want to make sure the one whom I say yes is the one who understands what covenant means.

Before I was to speak, my family says, tell us a joke. I am not much of jokester. So they were telling me jokes in hopes that I would share it. I don't think so! I thought of sharing jokes, but marriage is not a joke. It is a strong commitment that must not be taking lightly.

Later, I asked the bride who wanted me to speak. She said, me! Why me, I asked? She said you are a natural speaker and knew that you would share from your heart.

When all was said and done, the groom came up to me and said, I want a hug. He said, thank you for the speech and prayer. I was honored to have been given the opportunity to share. I love them so much!

Until the next wedding, hehe!!

Serene

This international conference led to a memorable encounter. While in graduate school at Harvard University, I was invited to attend Physiology Association conference in San Diego, California. My academic professor and friend, C. R. Taylor, invited me to attend with him. He also wanted to introduce me to all his international colleagues.

At the time, I was a teaching fellow (TF) in an undergraduate anatomy-physiology course. The week that I was to scheduled to go; I had to work with Richard, research assistant, who taught the same course to make up for my absence. His lab was arranged differentially then Seth and I's.

Richard’s lab was at the end of the week while Seth and I ‘s were at the beginning of the week. This meant Seth and I solved some of technical aspects of the lab assignments and we found for this particular assignment that it was much easier to assign tasks. Rich agreed and assigned tasks for the lab.

Rich had a predetermined way by which students will be assigned to work with him or I. Students had to pick a popsicle stick and these popsicle sticks had either Rich and I’s name at the bottom. Each student picked a Popsicle stick. I was assigned to work with Serene to do the hematocrit of the African goat.

Of all the odds, Serene pulled out my name. The Creator created the moment so Serene and I would become sisters in Christ. In those few hours, we connected as friends. I even believe after that we made arrangements to have a Tex-Mex dinner together afterwards. As I have reflected, it was no coincidence.

The Holy Spirit inspired me to write this poem about friendship learned through my relationship as friends with Serene. This poem was meant to uplift Our Creator and for His glory. True friendship comes when two or more share the love for Christ.

FRIENDSHIP

God is the center of all relationships that are pure,

Pureness comes from one’s joy and honesty,

Prayers of love, encouragement, and vitality in all things,

Encouragement that only friends can give to one another’s mind and soul,

Giving is the main objective and receiving is one’s gift,

Gifts of God’s divine intervention of hope and peace,

Intervention bringeth forth growth and trust,

Themes of ever-lasting trust that cometh from the womb,

Trust obtainth when one gives and one draws close,

Closeness cometh from a person’s clear conscious of spirituality

Dedicated to those who dared to share that is within,

All colors shall be manifested to share ones’ uniqueness under God

Colors of yellow, black, brown, and shades in between

Shades of oneness,

Shades of personality and shades of individuality,

Personality found in all kinship throughout life,

Themes of prosperity and Themes of life,

Life knows that you found that friend through God.