Adverse City
Adverse City is a place we pass through
On the highway to Being Great;
Where storm clouds hover as a residue,
Reminding us that fortunes fluctuate.
The Motel Misery on the town square
Near “Woe Is Me” Hotel, is over booked
With occupants chanting life is not fair
To the downtrodden who are overlooked.
Adverse City has a Welcome Center,
And millions visit and wander its streets;
Through equal opportunity enter
The masses who find life is bittersweet.
Children of this town are known to excel
When love through compassion inspires dreams
And possibilities exist to quell
The stereotypes and negative themes.
Some hospitals convey hope with their names
And patients vary in their will to live.
On corners like Finger Pointing and Blame
Are angry victims and those who forgive.
Adverse City extracts enormous tolls
And develops or deteriorates
Based on acceptance that we can’t control
All things, and even strife can educate.
Adverse City should not be faced alone
On the highway to Being Great;
Each crisis, a detour, a chance to atone,
A chance to invite God to navigate.
Copyright © 2003 Orlando Ceaser
Reprinted from Leadership Above the Rim
God’s Plan for Your Life https://youtu.be/at7lNa60tjk
There is a purpose and plan for our lives, but we are often influenced and distracted by people and circumstances that distract us from focusing on our journey. This piece was written to supplement instruction delivered to individuals participating in a career seminar. You may see yourself in these words and hopefully it is a resource that can benefit your spirit and your well being.
God’s Plan for Your Life
Once you desired to be,
Who you were wired to be,
But you satisfied friends instead.
Though blessed with talent and skill,
You lacked the courage and will;
To follow the dreams in your head.
Your parents hinted at times,
Since they were reaching their prime,
You should let them plan your success.
Therefore, achievements were built
On a foundation of guilt,
Which was geared to their happiness.
You were not strong enough then
To use self-discipline when
You heard the voice of the divine.
In whispers to intervene,
He said he placed in your genes
The elements of your design.
Once you conspired to be,
Who you were wired to be,
To match the image of your trade.
You sought the power and fame,
The money, title and name,
In service to the masquerade.
Unplanned events played a role,
You flowed away from your goal,
Imprisoned by the undertow.
You gave into their appeal,
Although the look and the feel,
Was not what you needed to grow.
Through the influence of peers
You alternated careers,
And thus, fulfillment was delayed.
You showed an absence of nerve
And therefore, did not deserve
To prosper from poor choices made.
Now you aspire to be,
Who you were wired to be,
To do all you can with your life.
Committed to seek His will
And use your talents and skill,
To embrace God’s Plan for your life.
Copyright © 2001 Orlando Ceaser
Watchwellinc.com
We Were Created To Evolve
We were created to evolve;
From stardust imbued with life giving breath;
Upright beings with cognitive mystique;
Inspiring the fittest, with natural selection
As a survival technique.
We were created to resolve
Differences and use the distinctions
To steer us from extinction;
To cooperate as more than an initiative;
To be inquisitive;
We are the derivative
Of a life force that has instilled in us
The agility to dance
And the ability to reason and advance
The human species.
We were created to evolve;
To gregariously collaborate
And vicariously liberate
Our consciousness,
To connect with a higher power;
To select, perfect and recognize
That we should live in community
And use our similarities
To strive toward unity;
To preserve life,
To conserve life,
To deserve life,
And reserve the right to bond
To a cause greater than ourselves;
To extract from our differences
A positive impact,
To decipher the patterns,
Frequencies and mysteries
Of the puzzle
For a greater good.
We were created to evolve;
To consciousness on a higher plane;
To mesh with the universe;
To become flesh and maintain
A constant drive to grow and survive;
To know and to thrive;
To rehearse and immerse ourselves
In a cosmic equation of evolution;
To find the answers and seek the solutions;
To connect with our Creator
On Earth, in the ether and atmosphere;
To answer the question
Why are we here?
We were created to evolve;
To ascend beyond the primitive state
Where fear and selfishness
Fuel envy and hate;
To keep alive the rational
And emotional debate
Between good and evil,
Between faith and fate;
To denounce barbaric atrocities
And grow beyond wars to a new reality
Where conflicts and animosities
Are self defeating maladies.
Violence is a flagrant violation;
A suppression of our moral code;
If it persists we will implode.
This primal obsession
Requires repentance and confession.
There is value in moving toward inclusion
And uniting our assets
To eliminate the confusion
That exists when we focus only on self
And ignore the residual benefits
Of working for the entire race.
There is a trajectory to this existence.
An angle of flight instilled in humanity;
To live a life beyond mere subsistence;
To have a purpose beyond vanity
That animates us to get involved
With a myriad of problems
That need to be solved.
We were created to evolve;
To scour the regions of the universe
For information to improve our surroundings;
To develop hypotheses to rehearse;
To mine the treasures stored from
The infinitesimal, to infinity;
To study each side of the decimal,
And ultimately connect us to divinity;
As we grow together we have
So much to discuss.
The Eternal God communicates
And connects with us,
As we discover the secrets of this universe vast
In size and complexity;
In every manner and dimension
He unfolds the future as the past
And the temporary lasts
Forever and then returns
In a continuous loop for us to learn.
As we branch outwardly to explore
The atmosphere to the ocean floor.
When we demonstrate our readiness
And understand more,
He will increase our ability
To comprehend our cosmic quest;
As the earth derives energy
From its molten core;
As a sunflower stretches
Toward its solar source
We will connect with the universe
And this vital force
Will place us on a course
That will lead us to love.
We have unlimited capacity zones.
We are not to be ruled by pleasure alone.
We should not be driven by senseless
And selfish acts.
We are not to become ancient relics
And artifacts,
But beings that rejuvenate,
Evolving to love,
Receding from hate.
It’s not survival of the one most fit,
But the one who progresses and will not quit;
Incorporating each enhancement,
As we move steadily to advancement
At different altitudes and rates of speed,
We challenge the limits and ascend
To where we need to be.
We are always striving for a winning hand,
Curiosity driven, surviving to understand
The mysteries stored within us;
To unleash those powers that implore us
To seek a higher level.
We were created to evolve,
To journey toward perfection;
Through growth that is incremental,
In the direction of our purpose;
To be used;
To engage in a metamorphosis;
To transform repeatedly
Through purposeful interactions;
To stretch for lofty objectives;
To lunge softly toward love and peace;
To extend and stretch our intelligence
And expand our heart and pursue matters
The Creator feels has relevance,
To love our neighbor;
To participate in thinking,
To serve through targeted labor
To improve man’s existence,
As we grow, our commitment and desire
Are like a homing device compelling us
To travel to meet our Maker.
Copyright © 2015 Orlando Ceaser
Reprinted with permission from Daily Resurrections
by Orlando Ceaser
Available through amazon.com and OrlandoCeaser.com
Morning Meetings with the Master
In morning meetings I seek connection;
In sacred sessions I seek God’s will;
In prayers I request divine direction.
I read quotes and take notes.
I am silent.
I am still.
In meditation with the master,
Recalling his love from prior days;
I listen for the vibrations.
My heart beats faster,
Then slowly,
For he knows me,
As he knew the woman at the well,
The woman with the alabaster jar,
The plans He has for me
And the power of his ways.
I reflect on the force field
I detect around me,
And I fear not,
For he has found me.
His words are my performance review.
His challenges are my mid-term exams.
And when my motives are askew,
He quizzes to remind me who I am.
He blesses with the wisdom of the text.
He takes me on guided adventures;
Each morning I look forward to the next;
For each day his blessings are sure
And His inventions are new.
In morning meetings with the master
There is no formality or protocol.
In communion with my private pastor
I submit and surrender my all,
While he ministers to my brokenness,
Mentors my outspokenness,
And teaches me about openness.
In morning meetings with the master,
I sit at peace in conservation;
No reprimands or consternation;
Only a blissful conversation,
As I return to the fold
God takes hold
And reveals to me,
As He heals through me.
In morning meetings I seek connection;
In sacred sessions I seek God’s will;
In prayers I request divine direction.
I read quotes and take notes.
I am silent.
I am still.
Copyright © 2015 Orlando Ceaser
Reprinted from Daily Resurrections by Orlando Ceaser
© 2016 Watchwell Communications, Inc.
Awaken Your Superpowers – Power Share Your Way to Greatness
Awaken Your Superpowers;
Speak truth to your subconscious mind;
Your determination
Is a confirmation
Of what ancestor’s left behind.
Awaken Your Superpowers;
The shackles from your mind will fall;
Reach and claim your birthright
With wisdom and new sight,
A hero, role model for all.
Awaken Your Superpowers;
The dynasty has been concealed.
Deliver a command,
Be proud and take a stand,
As your heritage is revealed.
Awaken Your Superpowers;
For you are extraordinary.
You’ve been asleep too long,
Arise, stand up and be strong,
By any means necessary.
Awaken Your Superpowers;
Remove the cobwebs from your eyes;
Shed the interference,
Behold the appearance,
Of potential to realize.
Awaken Your Superpowers;
Snap your fingers to break the trance;
Seize your former glory;
Learn the complete story
Without fear, push hard and advance.
Awaken Your Superpowers;
Awoke with the strength to be bold;
Disregard the whispers,
Strong brothers and sisters;
To make sure the story is told.
Awaken Your Superpowers;
Ubuntu gives us energy;
“I am because, we are;”
Each person shines, a star,
Loving self and community.
Awaken Your Superpowers;
Live life as a choice to be free;
The destiny instilled
Within you is fulfilled,
When you’re who God meant you to be.
Copyright © 2018 Orlando Ceaser
Structure
The beauty and simplicity of the right structure can add balance and effectiveness to our lives. A system of routines, people and resources can inspire us and hold us accountable to complete important tasks and enable us to maximize our potential and provide greater value to others.
In Nature, all of life is organized;
The body systems’ elegant design
Rivals a universe categorized
As millions of stars in the night sky shine,
As planets in order orbit in space,
As structure keeps each object in its place.
We need structure and a firm foundation;
To set boundaries in our routines,
So we concentrate in conversations
On short term and long term and in between;
To keep us on schedule and on track,
To manage a structured plan of attack.
We have a purpose, as we run this race,
Programmed with a sequence for us to win;
There is a pattern that we must embrace;
A series of actions we must begin.
We set goals and methods to reinforce
Each goal with a checklist to stay on course.
There’s structure with diet and exercise;
Willpower and demonstrating constraint;
The flexibility to improvise;
To be creative and resolve complaints;
We need discipline, so we can abstain;
From actions that will later cause us pain.
Structure is a gift that we should enjoy.
When structure appears confining,
A well tuned strategy we should employ;
When our performance is declining.
It has a formula like a lecture,
With strength in content and architecture.
We need structure that is clearly defined;
That includes respect for authority;
To help develop our heart and mind
With excellence as the priority;
The structure will hold us accountable,
So obstacles aren’t insurmountable.
Structure will lead us to the right decisions;
Those consistent with what we want to be,
To excel and thrive with supervision,
To channel our time and energy;
Its skeletal framework will ease the threat
Of reckless actions that place us in debt.
To live comfortably within our means,
We have standards and a choice to say no;
We are not just for self, but for the team,
Interdependence is the status quo.
We use ambition as a strategy;
For the good of group and community.
We need structure in order to advance;
To study harder and perform the tasks;
Learn fundamentals before we freelance,
And give the assignment all that it asks
And know structure’s role in all we do,
As it gives us guidance to follow through.
Structure trains us to allocate the time,
So life is far less complicated,
And puts us on a path away from crime,
That’s choreographed and orchestrated;
To be on the field not on the sidelines
And functioning according to guidelines.
Structure can be seen as stimulation;
Keeping the mind engaged and occupied
Through a number of planned simulations
To grant experiences that provide
The guard rails to sustain us in our lanes;
And to fully utilize our brains.
When we master how structure should be used;
We will not easily be distracted;
Temptations will be ignored or refused
And we will no longer be attracted
To positions of mediocrity,
When it is excellence that makes us free.
Copyright © 2016 Orlando Ceaser
In Our Lifetime
Consider the things we would like to see during our time on Earth. Our contributions are welcomed, as leaders to help it happen. The In our lifetime (Remix) https://youtu.be/DiMCh_R8c2U is available for review and preview on Youtube and for purchase on streaming and digital services.
In our lifetime
In our lifetime,
Let us pledge
To stem the flow of violence;
To have courage to stand on the edge
Of fear and shout through the silence
Of apathy and turn the tide
On racism, poverty and genocide.
In our lifetime,
Let us commit to heal
The division among the races
And issue a universal appeal
To love as a spirit that replaces
Selfishness, to release
Old information as new interactions
Help form a foundation for peace,
And heighten our sense of obligation
To change the world,
Through an imperfect nation.
In our lifetime,
We should be known
As contributors, as well as consumers;
And millennials should bond with baby boomers
On major issues whatever they may be,
Freedom, justice and equality;
And serve as activist and catalyst,
Advocate and protagonist,
To diminish, devices of division;
To challenge consensus for the best decision.
In our lifetime,
May we provide healthcare
To the uninsured masses
And make progress to share
The world’s wealth;
As compassion surpasses
The generosity of generations
Present and the past,
As biases, stereotypes
And prejudices are cast
Into oblivion, we will be content
If our life time was life
And time well spent.
In our lifetime,
May we walk across a room
And shake the hands of neighbors;
May we ask questions and not assume
That we’re entitled without labor;
And hold people accountable for their deeds,
Develop citizens who meet the needs
Of others and honor and will not shame
One’s heritage and family name.
In our lifetime,
Communities on committed patrol,
Reclaim their neighborhoods,
Their values,
Their souls.
In our lifetime,
We can approach a mountain
With the faith to move
Impediments and cope
With adversity.
We can improve the planet for posterity,
Redistributing prosperity,
And the capacity to hope.
In our lifetime,
An enormous task lies before us;
To consciously congeal
Around a greater purpose;
To be strategic as we invest
And endure the chorus
Of special interests;
To build coalitions in our zeal;
To stoke the fires of innovation
For the evolution of new ideas,
To suspend competition,
And collaborate on solutions,
To make our world a better place
For the environment and the human race.
Copyright © 2008 Orlando Ceaser
