Every single morning I wake up with a song in my head. It’s like the Lord is my personal DJ, and he’s always in the studio –mixing and scratching on the Ones and Twos. For those who are unfamiliar with DJ lingo, Ones and Twos are turntables.
This morning I heard “Wake Up Everybody” by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, and that brought back some powerful images and great memories of waking up every morning as a kid in Louisiana. I don’t know who the DJ was back then on KJCB Radio, but he started his morning show with this song, and he always played the long version. As my mom and aunts got ready for work, I could hear Teddy P. screaming Wake up! in the background as I attempted to get five more minutes of sleep. That dude was relentless! If no one else could get me out of bed, he had the power to do it — just like Barry White had the power to put me to sleep (but I’ll save that story for another post).
The message in “Wake Up Everybody” fell on young, deaf ears back then, but I can hear his message loud and clear now.This song was released in 1975, but the message is still relevant. It’s a call to action.Even then, this songwriter knew that we needed to make some changes in this world, and highlighted the importance of working together.
The world won’t get no better if we just let it be. We gotta change it, y’all –just you and me. ~Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
Teddy called out a lot of people who needed to make some changes: teachers, doctors, builders, dope users, dope pushers, preachers, businessmen, and politicians. Listen to this song, and you’ll realize that many of the people and practices he mentioned are still in need of an overhaul. His message really resonated with me when I taught so-called at-risk students. When they didn’t care about Shakespeare, I showed them how Willie was a lot like Tupac and Redd Foxx or Queen Latifah and Sheila E. or Prince and Madonna.
What’s Good about all this? Today is the day the Lord has made, so we should automatically rejoice and be glad about that(Psalm 118:24). Today is a good day to make some changes in our lives — big changes and little ones too. After all, when we know better, we’ll do better. Today is also Good Friday, and as we reflect on the ultimate sacrifice our Savior made for our sins, shouldn’t we make a conscious effort to do better for his sake? Let’s choose this day to dwell on good things and to share our praise reports rather than our tales of woe and make a habit of doing so. If someone asks How are you? What’s happening? or What’s good? Give them an earful of all the wonderful things that God has done, for he is surely worthy of all the praise. It’s time to wake up!
Nice article and I like the new theme on your blog. Looks more lively 🙂
Thanks, Mesca! I knew I needed a change, and Twenty-sixteen was highlighted on the WordPress site yesterday, so I started customizing. 🙂 How are you?
Good thinking! I am very well thank you, just meditating on your words there. All my best wishes to you and have a lovely Easter! 🙂
Thanks so much. I hope that your Easter is filled with laughter and love. 🙂
Same to you 🙂
Amen!
I love how you made Willie relateable (?) sorry “Teach” 😉 to your students in a way that they would understand…very creative of you!
Reaching them is what’s important and that’s what you did. I love how Teddy calls out people to make a change. Another song that I love is Man in the Mirror…now that is powerful stuff too.
Thank you, I will dwell on good things and share my praise report. I’ll start here, I love this post and I love your uplifting and positive attitude, it just exudes in your posts…wishing you a very Happy Easter!! xo
Deb, you made my day! Thanks for taking the time to read and to comment. I like Man in the Mirror too. Change is good, but often times you have to start with yourself. Good point, my friend.
🙂
Thanks for sharing something good.
You’re welcome! 🙂 I aim to do that regularly.
Awesome, it is wonderful when each perosn does his or her part…
I can become so discouraged when I read and see the media reports of how divided we are. Christ died for us to unite and follow Him. It begins with knowing Christ and then meeting one person at a time to share our walk of faith. Thank you for sharing yours!
Say that! Good news today: He lives! Great post, Michelle. <3 <3 <3 <3
I totally agree with what you stated in your post. I believe that everyday is a day to do something better than yesterday. That, everyday is a day make wrong things right. That, everyday is another day filled with another chance in life.
There’s a song that I always like to listen to. The name of the song is Like I’m Gonna Lose You. It’s be John Legend and Maegan Trainor. I like the line “no where not promised tomorrow.” That line always sticks in my head every time.
The truth is, tomorrow is never promised to us and that we need to strive to do better than yesterday and to do the best today because we never know what tomorrow has in-store for us.
Thanks for stopping by, and thanks for taking the time to share you thoughts. Well, I’m listening to Maegan and John now. Nice & Smooth, my friend. Happy Easter!
Ah I love this! The Lord mixing on the ones & twos! Certainly made me smile! I listened to Kirk Franklin’s I just Want to Be Happy on my way to work today. It was raining, soggy, and blue but that song gave me a perception of fluffy clouds and bright sunshine. This afternoon I received what i perceived!😃
Hey, Chanel! I love that song by Kirk. I hear an HBCU band like Southern or Grambling playing in the background everytime I hear that song. So glad the message made you smile. 🙂