From Minnows to Men: Saving Our Children Through: Discipline, Structure, & Guidance

By Luella Thomas and Ricky Hill

From Minnows to Men is about improving our relationships with our children as we prepare them for the future. It can easily be read and clearly understood, as author Luella Thomas and coauthor Ricky Hill intentionally did not use cleaver dialog or mastering wit. They chose to keep the book simple and to the point. While Hill delivers a spiritual concept in many of the chapters, Thomas breaks it down into simple terms. Their voices cry loud with sincere passion and dedication, as their information has proven to be far less than a simple read or an easy fix. The following are just a few topics of discussion:

The Blame Game clearly hones in on blaming others for our inconsistencies and failures, and those of your children as well.

The Name Game may be a bit much to absorb if youre looking for comfort. It addresses how we as parents tend to use unfriendly names and gestures, especially when our irrational thoughts spiral out of control.

Giving Up Moral Conscience for Profit is a read for those who are guilty. However, if the shoe fits, wear it; hell and destruction may be far worse than a funky, old, perfectly fitting shoe.

The African American Woman is a read that may require a glass of red wine. Warning! Please fasten your seat belts and keep an open mind, as it is intended to take you for the ride of your life.

Practicing or Pretending? may very well be a great read for all people, as it addresses the issues of hypocrisy. Need we say more?

What Does the Future Hold? addresses the preparation of our childrens future and the importance of coming together for the greater cause, which is to save our children.


We hope you enjoy this book!

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Aug 15, 2014
• ISBN: 9781496933126

Luella Thomas

Luella Thomas, author of the book Flirting with the Truth, was inspired by the children she currently teaches, mentors, and tutors to write the book From Minnows to Men. The motivation came through a dream. Ms. Thomas states, “One night while sleeping, the phrase ‘from minnows to men’ appeared before me in big bold letters. I awakened the next morning and immediately wrote those words on a sheet of paper, and I laid it aside for quite some time. I had no clue of what it meant, but I knew that it had a purpose. It was approximately six months later when a light bulb popped on inside my head, and it became very clear that it would be the title for my next book. I quickly searched and found the piece of paper that I had scribbled the words on, and when I read the words again, the content of the book slowly unraveled itself inside my mind, and that is when I started to write it. However, after two months into writing, I decided that I wanted to include a qualified male’s perspective, ideas, and opinions. So I approached longtime friend, and now coauthor, Ricky Hill, whom I work with and have known for many years, and asked him if he would join me in writing this book. He humbly accepted my invitation, and not long afterward, though challenging, From Minnows to Men was completed.” As a stepmother of two, a godmother, mentor, and teacher of several teenage children, Ms. Thomas shares her experiences, ideas, and opinions on raising and working with children of all ages and from all walks of life. She believes that in order to save our children and to prepare them for the future, it will take a collective effort on everyone’s part; and by providing discipline, structure, and guidance in the home, along with a whole lot of love and support, we can help today’s children transition from minnows to men. Ricky George Hill, coauthor of the book From Minnows to Men, was born and raised in southwest Michigan, in a small town ninety miles east of Chicago, Illinois. He is a father of six fully grown children and was married for thirty years to first wife, the mother of his children, who passed away in 2006 due to cancer. He has since remarried and has been with his current wife for eight years. He received his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and currently works with children. Hill’s other accomplishments include being city commissioner, a 4-H basketball coach, a photographer, and an active leader in his community. He’s a man of integrity and loyalty, with true care and concern for all children and people. Though well educated, his down-to-earth approach toward people is priceless. “To my mother, whom I love dearly, and my wife (my better half), I thank you both for loving me. I am proud to say that this book, From Minnows to Men, is my first book. I hope and pray that it will help, inspire, and motivate everyone who reads it. I also, with much love, truly thank Ms. Luella Thomas for choosing me to help her write this much-needed and wonderful book. Ms. Thomas, you are the best writer I know, and again, I thank you for allowing me the opportunity to voice my experiences, ideas, and opinions. For your wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and patience, I sincerely appreciate you. Real talk! For more information about Ms. Thomas or Mr. Hill and the books From Minnows to Men and Flirting with the Truth, please visit http://www.t-ellacreations.com. To contact Ms. Thomas and Mr. Hill for a book signing, speaking engagement, fund-raiser, or special event, they can be reached at: T-ELLA Creations 717 St. Joseph Dr., Suite #138 St. Joseph, Michigan 49085-2428 E-mail: [e-mail]

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© 2014 Luella Thomas & Ricky Hill. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 08/14/2014

ISBN: 978-1-4969-3313-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4969-3314-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4969-3312-6 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (authorized version), first published in 1611. They are quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, © 1983 by the Zondervan Corporation

CONTENTS

Chapter 1      Limited Communications

Chapter 2      The Blame Game

Chapter 3      The Mind-Set

Chapter 4      The Name Game

Chapter 5      How Are You Raising Your Sons and Daughters?

Chapter 6      Giving Birth

Chapter 7      The African American Woman

Chapter 8      Role Models: Heroes and Sheroes

Chapter 9      Understanding Religion

Chapter 10   What Does Your Religion Do For You?

Chapter 11   Do You Know Your History?

Chapter 12   What Did Slavery Do For You?

Chapter 13   Enslaving Yourself and Others

Chapter 14   Living Smart or Living Hard

Chapter 15   Physical and Mental Health

Chapter 16   Welcome To the Dark Side

Chapter 17   The Affects and Effects of Social Media

Chapter 18   Giving Up Moral Conscience for Profit

Chapter 19   Practicing or Pretending?

Chapter 20   Who’s Teaching Who in the Age of Technology?

Chapter 21   Discipline, Structure, and Guidance

Chapter 22   What Does The Future Hold?

About The Authors

About The Book

Notes

Chapter 1

LIMITED COMMUNICATIONS

(Thomas and Hill) Have you ever wondered what triggers your sons and daughters to use explicit curse words to express their feelings, especially when they experience emotions of anger? For instance, the phrases Suck my d—k and Kiss my a—s seem to flow fluently off the tongues of many young teenage boys and girls when they feel threatened or angered. In our opinion, this is an indication that they’ve been involved in, or exposed to, some type of negative behavior at some point or another that denoted disrespect and/or a demeaning act be it direct or indirect. In any event, many teenagers choose to personally attack people with this type of language while having very little or no knowledge of the actions that they are suggesting. This, in itself, solidifies our belief that these are learned behaviors.

(Thomas) To trot out an overdone cliché, The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree appears to be a universal truth, especially after meeting with the parents of misbehaved children. The lack of self-respect and good parenting and communication skills are exemplified. This certainly explains the actions and behaviors of their children. Let’s talk about the word communication, which means the imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs.

(Thomas and Hill) It is our opinion that words can make or break people, and the tongue, a fleshy muscular organ located in the mouth of humans used for articulating speech, can be the most rational or irrational piece of flesh on the human body, depending on how it is used. Accepting and respecting other people’s thoughts and beliefs, regardless of their color or culture, will often allow for personal growth within. Therefore, we must not limit ourselves to our own thoughts and beliefs; instead, we must seek to empower ourselves by learning, accepting, and respecting those thoughts and beliefs practiced by others, including those that are interculturally practiced. This approach will allow for more positive interactions amongst us and others. And it will certainly make way for better communication, which will inevitably help to bridge the gap that sets all races and our children apart.

(Thomas) Learning to communicate effectively with your children is a skill that all parents should practice daily. It will not only allow for a better understanding between your child and you, but it will also help to maximize his/her potential to have a more productive future. Keep in mind that limited communications distorts wisdom and knowledge, and it makes way for confusion. Speaking of wisdom and knowledge—during the 1960s and in earlier decades, people understood the power of the tongue. They knew that a man’s word was his bond, and coupled with good communication skills, it would most likely render a productive outcome, regardless of the situation. Imagine for a moment having the entire neighborhood come together to help educate and teach a child about the many different challenges that they may encounter in life; this was a brilliant approach—unlike today, where very few parents will allow chastisement of their child from anyone other than themselves.

(Hill) I believe that limited communications happen when people/parents don’t understand what empowers human development and human excellence. I also believe that parents must decipher the information that children bring back into the homes from social media and outside influences, as this too will help to shape the village, thus allowing for a more creative and productive mind. Deciphering information may very well minimize the infiltration of demonic and rebellious spirits that seem to penetrate the hearts and minds