THE POWER OF BEING UNDERESTIMATED

Quincy Jones on The Oprah Winfrey Show's

The Color Purple Reunion on November 15, 2010

“We would never learn to be brave and

patient if there were only joy in the world,” Helen Keller

As I perused Oprah’s official website in search of The Color Purple’s Reunion , my eyes scanned the web pages and I began to gobble up the words and the links for this phenomenal 25th reunion. Like many of you I too read Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize–winning novel The Color Purple and was excited about the film’s debut and close proximity to the book! The pages came to life through the creativity and genius of both Steven Spielberg and Quincy Jones! The selection of the entire cast of stellar actors was indeed the icing on the cake. It’s been twenty plus years since the movie’s cast has assembled and was it ever a heartwarming and fun filled reunion on Oprah. Each cast member chronicled their experience and poignantly shared memorable moments and movie lines. Many things stood out for me regarding the film. There was no hidding the unspoken issues that were now on the big screen! Discussions erupted everywhere about race, incest, abuse and generational strongholds.

The creation of the project and the likelihood this project being a success or failure was also in the forefront. It's evident that those past discussions are now mute! The successful history of this film has spoken volumes for itself!

Oprah did a great job as always capturing and chronicling for the television audience and internet browser “The Color Purple” experience. I especially appreciated her interview with Quincy Jones, executive producer and composer. Let’s take a look at what he recounts:

"How did you know that this could become a film?" Oprah asks Quincy. "Because,
as Whoopi and I were saying, there was nothing like this ever on the screen."
"Here," he says, as he points to his heart. At first, Quincy says no one
thought he'd convince Steven to direct The Color Purple. "Everybody in town was
saying, 'Quincy Jones is out of his mind,'" he says. "He thinks he's going to
get the greatest director in the world on his first movie, and he's going to do
a black movie before Schindler's List. That's when I found the power of being
underestimated."

Does that conversation make you want to leap for joy? Lord knows is does for me! There it is friends in Quincy’s words : ".... That's when I found the power of being underestimated." What is he referencing? Let me take the liberty to clarify.

What’s pivotal for our emotional health, our thinking and understanding about being underestimated is your locating that source! Where did it come from? Who said so? Who said that we couldn't, wouldn't succeed? Reliance on this source is faulty, but can be truly deadly! Yes, detrimental to our existance! The source can take over our lives if we aren’t careful! It can block our true vision. But we’ve got to readjust our lens of faith-seeing past the overgrowth of doubt! Empowered thinking and a brighter outlook will give us our recognition of the wonderful and infinite possibilities of PROMISE, HOPE. Seeing God past the source of pain! It’s a wonderful seed of determination that germinates and grows and blossoms into results; events and realities that spin into Big, Big, Big occurrences.

I love how God speaks to us through other’s lives and examples. Through their testimony, our remembrances of grace in action, we are empowered with new truths. Like this morning’s visit to Beliefnet’s: Come Back from Let-Downs and Discouragements by Therese Borchard, these are life changing tools! The writer does a great job of assuring us through 21 ways how to overcome disappointments! These techniques take the sting out of setbacks. It’s very good medicine for possibility thinkers! Visit the site and feast.

We must bounce back! It’s imperative in order that we’ll see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Believe, breathe, get back in the race, fight the good fight as you get in stride, trust God, pray for enlightened thinking, block out those that are opposing your destiny and God will restore your weary heart! I declare it so! God will orchestrate blessings for the years you’ve yet to see! Just ask, Quincy and Steven, Zina, Taylor, Michael, ___________,Mary, Oprah, Helen, Ricky, Clarinda, Therese, Linda, Johnny, Drusilla. The list goes on and on! Oh yes, be sure to fill in your name also! Wave and lift those victory banners and pronounce: “I have what it takes! I will stand firm! There is power in being underestimated!” Glory to God!

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17
Stand Firm
13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
14 He called you to this through our gospel that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope,
17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

Overjoyed!

Linda Mose Meadows, Urban Views Weekly Columnist and Inspirational Author of: The Blessedness of Believing A Devotional Journey of Life’s Lessons and God’s Promises and Co-publisher of Eyes of Faith Magazine

http://blessednessofbelieving.blogspot.com/
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