CONT'D The Wonderfully Made Foundation Inc.
Grand Opening Festivities
The Wonderfully Made Home
provides case management for social services, exclusive employment training programs, counseling, bus passes,educational opportunities,housing assistance, life-enrichment classes, And MORE!!
website:www.wonderfullymadefoundation.com
office: (405)778-6870
501 (c) 3 non-profit organization
DONATIONS ACCEPTED!!!
Alma Folklorica of Oklahoma
written by Event Director Melyn Johnson
Twelve years ago Melyn Johnson and Teri Mora had an idea to take an Oklahoma cultural heritage festival to an area with a very different culture back to Guymon. “I met and visited with a lady from the Gulf Coast of Alabama, Kathy Danielson, who envisioned what I wanted. We proceeded to work towards the goal. In 2001 we held Heritage Harbor Days, first in Foley, Alabama, and then in Guymon, Oklahoma. While getting the Oklahoma festival together to travel, I wanted to take 4 cultures,” said Johnson. The Native American, the cowboy, the African-American, and the Mexican. It irritated me that the Mexican dance groups were in OKC when it was our Panhandle history that was tied to Mexico and our population is about half Mexican. “So, I went to a teacher in the High School (I didn't know her well but I knew she got things done, a bit of an advocate sort of personality). She was the Spanish teacher at that time. Her name is Teri Mora, an exceptional teacher and even more of an exceptional person.”
So, she did get it together with the help of a wonderful senior in high school that year, Jessica Galindo. The mamas sold tamales to buy the costumes and they traveled to Las Cruces to learn their dances. It was pretty hodge-podge the first year, but they were polite and beautiful kids that the crowd fell in love with. In Alabama the dancers gained national media attention. It was the first time for any of these kids to have such attention! The local newspaper had been carrying their overwhelming popularity in Alabama and when the kids got home, they had 22 requests to dance in the next 25 days.
The people of the Panhandle were so proud that it just continued. By the next year the dance class was part of the high school curriculum as an arts class. Now they have their own dance studio room and over $30,000 in costumes. They can dance 22 regions, meaning several dances from each. It's phenomenal!!! They travel all over and have received recognition and funding through the NEA and have always received support and excellent guidance from the Oklahoma Arts Council since inception. Johnson says, “Teri Mora is the heart and soul of the program. She is very passionate about the kids and their opportunities through the program.”
So, she did get it together with the help of a wonderful senior in high school that year, Jessica Galindo. The mamas sold tamales to buy the costumes and they traveled to Las Cruces to learn their dances. It was pretty hodge-podge the first year, but they were polite and beautiful kids that the crowd fell in love with. In Alabama the dancers gained national media attention. It was the first time for any of these kids to have such attention! The local newspaper had been carrying their overwhelming popularity in Alabama and when the kids got home, they had 22 requests to dance in the next 25 days.
The people of the Panhandle were so proud that it just continued. By the next year the dance class was part of the high school curriculum as an arts class. Now they have their own dance studio room and over $30,000 in costumes. They can dance 22 regions, meaning several dances from each. It's phenomenal!!! They travel all over and have received recognition and funding through the NEA and have always received support and excellent guidance from the Oklahoma Arts Council since inception. Johnson says, “Teri Mora is the heart and soul of the program. She is very passionate about the kids and their opportunities through the program.”
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Pitiful or Powerful
So my question for you is, have you chosen to be pitiful or powerful?
Everyone has those days when we just make up in our minds that it’s going to be “one of those days” and that’s ok (sometimes) but too many of those days can turn into a lifestyle of pity. We all have heard sayings such as “when life throws you lemons, make lemonade!” The two key words in this statement to me are "when" and "make" which says, “not IF but WHEN life throws unexpected curves my way I will….....” Make is the action, "make says", “Although this hurts and I even have the scars to prove it. I will not allow this to defeat me!!!
You can research the life story behind some of our world’s most successful people and you will find that they too started out by making a decision. Tyler Perry has been homeless and had many "no’s" before he finally got one "yes". He took his plays and movies to the big screen and everyone said NO! Today he is sole-owner of his self-entitled studio where he produces his own movies (Tyler Perry Studios) and consistently maintains record high movie sales. Michael Jordan started out playing JV basketball and became the greatest player in NBA history. Oprah Winfrey and Tyra Banks have amazing childhood stories as well. One thing they all have in common is they did not let life’s closed doors stop them from pursuing their dreams. They chose to make lemonade. I don’t know what the lemons in your life are, but I dare you to make lemonade. I challenge you today to dig deep down inside and grab that God given authority that is already in you and walk it out. Choose to be POWERFUL!!!
Everyone has those days when we just make up in our minds that it’s going to be “one of those days” and that’s ok (sometimes) but too many of those days can turn into a lifestyle of pity. We all have heard sayings such as “when life throws you lemons, make lemonade!” The two key words in this statement to me are "when" and "make" which says, “not IF but WHEN life throws unexpected curves my way I will….....” Make is the action, "make says", “Although this hurts and I even have the scars to prove it. I will not allow this to defeat me!!!
You can research the life story behind some of our world’s most successful people and you will find that they too started out by making a decision. Tyler Perry has been homeless and had many "no’s" before he finally got one "yes". He took his plays and movies to the big screen and everyone said NO! Today he is sole-owner of his self-entitled studio where he produces his own movies (Tyler Perry Studios) and consistently maintains record high movie sales. Michael Jordan started out playing JV basketball and became the greatest player in NBA history. Oprah Winfrey and Tyra Banks have amazing childhood stories as well. One thing they all have in common is they did not let life’s closed doors stop them from pursuing their dreams. They chose to make lemonade. I don’t know what the lemons in your life are, but I dare you to make lemonade. I challenge you today to dig deep down inside and grab that God given authority that is already in you and walk it out. Choose to be POWERFUL!!!
Mirror Mirror on the Wall
Growing up in foster homes, losing my father to Aids at age 7, running away from home at fifteen, meeting my mom for the first time at fifteen, and being molested by two different men has allowed me to experience God as a healer, comforter and restorer. It has been said that your past doesn’t have to define you. I would have to be the one that says my past does define who I am today. I am stronger, wiser, grateful and very optimistic about life! My favorite quote is: “Stones: You can choose to stumble over them, throw them, or build with them.” I have chosen to build with them!
-My personal proclamation
Mirror Mirror on the Wall
Mirrors! Sometimes we love them and sometimes we hate them, depending on how we feel that day right? One thing I’ve come to realize about mirrors is that they do not change. The only thing that changes is the person looking into it. A self evaluation is a routine that we all need to get in the habit of doing on a regular basis. This not only helps our personal growth, but helps us know where we are in our lives. We have to know where we are in order to know what we need to do to get to where we want to be. Have you ever been lost and had to use a GPS or call a friend for directions? The first question they both ask is for your current location or “Where are you coming from?” Do you know where you are in your life right now? When was the last time you held the mirror up on your life? Today I challenge you to focus on three areas of your life, evaluate them, and write them down. Writing them down is very important because having a visual often gives a different perspective. The first area I want you to examine is your relationship with God. Does he know you by name? How often do you communicate with Him? Second, the relationships with people in your life right now. Are they productive? Are any of them distractions that need to be let go? Who can and cannot go with you to your next level? Lastly, evaluate your peace and happiness. Happiness and peace are both a choice. If one person can say or do one thing and ruin your whole day, they have too much power over you. Are you in control of your feelings or is someone else? Once we have made our list, it is time to set goals on how we can improve and take each area to the next level. One of my favorite things about God is when you seek him for one thing he goes to work on everything else in your life as well. Mathew 6:33 “Seek ye first the kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.” Therefore, when you start evaluating your relationship with God, by the time you get to relationships and peace, he will already be there waiting to work all the kinks out for you! I pray that God reveals himself in a new way in your life in this season. God bless!
-My personal proclamation
Mirror Mirror on the Wall
Mirrors! Sometimes we love them and sometimes we hate them, depending on how we feel that day right? One thing I’ve come to realize about mirrors is that they do not change. The only thing that changes is the person looking into it. A self evaluation is a routine that we all need to get in the habit of doing on a regular basis. This not only helps our personal growth, but helps us know where we are in our lives. We have to know where we are in order to know what we need to do to get to where we want to be. Have you ever been lost and had to use a GPS or call a friend for directions? The first question they both ask is for your current location or “Where are you coming from?” Do you know where you are in your life right now? When was the last time you held the mirror up on your life? Today I challenge you to focus on three areas of your life, evaluate them, and write them down. Writing them down is very important because having a visual often gives a different perspective. The first area I want you to examine is your relationship with God. Does he know you by name? How often do you communicate with Him? Second, the relationships with people in your life right now. Are they productive? Are any of them distractions that need to be let go? Who can and cannot go with you to your next level? Lastly, evaluate your peace and happiness. Happiness and peace are both a choice. If one person can say or do one thing and ruin your whole day, they have too much power over you. Are you in control of your feelings or is someone else? Once we have made our list, it is time to set goals on how we can improve and take each area to the next level. One of my favorite things about God is when you seek him for one thing he goes to work on everything else in your life as well. Mathew 6:33 “Seek ye first the kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.” Therefore, when you start evaluating your relationship with God, by the time you get to relationships and peace, he will already be there waiting to work all the kinks out for you! I pray that God reveals himself in a new way in your life in this season. God bless!
INFORM/ENLIGHTEN/INSPIRE