Switching my affections...

I'm thinking of leaving my girl for good.
I've found something that interests me
a little more.

Ive been looking at this other girl for
some time, but I could never bring myself to
approaching her and cheating on my girl.
But as I began flirting with her, and just
thinking about her more and more, the idea
became more tempting. She came to the house
today and we began playing around and now...
I think I'm in love.

So bye-bye Sony, I'm leaving you for Canon. :O)

Ha!

You thought I was talking about something else.
Sickos!

But no, I got a new camera today and I think I
like it more than my Sony. Not that I had a
problem with the camera itself, but I wasn't pleased
with the resolution and quality of the final print.
I have always been impressed by the clarity of the
canon (especially in low light), so I purchased one!

I think it's their IS lens technology that sets them
apart. I cant wait to really try it out and see whats
what. But thus far, I am quite pleased!

I'm going to keep my Sony, it's always good to have a
backup, I just don't know that I'll be investing too
much into it anymore.

Sorry baby. I still love you. :O)

Random rambling...(revision)

I have NOTHING to disclose with you today!
One thing remains constant: God is good! :O)



Oh! I guess since Kierra Sheard's 3rd album came out yesterday I can briefly comment on that. By no means do I consider myself a "critic" of any sort, I just know what I like and I will say that her album is pretty decent. She's grown greatly since the last album. Her lyrical content has "matured" to an extent.
What I'm particularly impressed - well surprised moreso than impressed- with is that about 70% of her album is praise and worship to the God she serves - Jesus. Not that she hadn't been doing so before, but I'm finding it rather disappointing that not many of today's black Contemporary Christian artists are doing that. Everyone (not necessarily excluding KiKi) is making all these allusions and references to "Him", and "Love", and "You", and whatever else they can think of, as not to offend those that may not be too comfortable with it. It's like they're trying to appeal to everyone's ear that they forget what and WHO really matters. But! that is not the purpose of this blog. Back to KiKi...

She has a couple of tracks that are blah at best (mainly the upbeat songs), but overall, it's a solid album. She kills on the ballads! I love em all!

So there's gotta be a favorite right? Welp, yeh. I have a few. My favorites thus far are Jesus (the reason I bought the cd), Invisible, Love Like Crazy, and One. On the contrary, songs such as Boyfriend, Wave Your Banner, Like David, and If It Had Not Been definitely go on my slum charts. Notice I said "MY" slum charts...that doesn't make it a rule; it makes it an opinion. :O) Anywho...if you're on the fence about getting it you can check out a few of the good ones HERE and decide for yourself! As for the rest of you folks...be blessed and keep it easy.

Sharing means caring...

Once again, I thought Id share a bit of myself with "you all"...

I recently went to Myrtle Beach, S.C. for like the second time in I dont know how many years - maybe 20 (literally) - and I was in awe! Ive always been a fan of the wonderful works of God, but this was just too beautiful! I didn't say too much at all...just taking it all in. With that said, enjoy! :O)

Current Listenings...

Just thought Id share a bit of my musical likes with you all (whoever "you all" are) :O)





1. Lecrae (Christian Rap)- Rebel
MPO: Best Christian Rap album of the year! And it's not even about the beats. It has all to do with the message. It's conviction for the sinner, and challenging for the saint. If you're a fan of rap -even if it's not Christian rap - you won't be disappointed.
2. Phil Wickham (Alternative Christian) - Cannons
MPO: He is one of the top lyricists of our time. Im new to this artist, so I don't know if he writes his own material, but this album is awesome! True praise and worship sang over nice production.
3. Tenth Avenue North (Alternative Christian) - Over and Underneath
MPO: I came across this album in Walmart while in SC, I picked it up after having read the song titles - By Your Side, Break Me Down, You Are, Hallelujah - need I say more? Needless to say, I was satisfied with my purchase.
4. Addison Road (Alternative Christian/Pop Christian) - Addison Road
MPO: Hot album! They're not as lyrically "heavy" as the previous three, but that may be due to the target audience. The overall message of the album - or so it seems - encourages hope, love, and individuality. "Be who God made you to be" not who society wants you to be. Spread love and be yourself! :O)
_{You can check out the song "It just takes one" at the end of the blog I have learned...}

5. Leeland (Alternative Christian/Pop Christian) - Opposite Way
MPO: This album, much like the last, promotes individuality. Similarly, like Lecrae's Rebel, this album promotes nonconformity - doing the complete opposite of what the world is doing. On Let It Out Now Lee proclaims "God says who you are, not the world or movie stars...everyone has their own sound, let it out now!" - a completely opposite view of the societal "normalcy" of thinking.
6. Wilmington Chester Mass Choir (Gospel/Christian) - Stand Still...
MPO: Classic! For all the right reasons. This album just brings back memories. Not only that, but this album is a great example of what "Gospel" music is about, the message of Christ - not "getting up" and dancing and feeling good. Granted, you're supposed to feel good about the Gospel, but not with the absence of Jesus. Rev. Ernest, Wilmington Chester, great job! :O)


Most slept on Album of the Year!

JR - Life By Stereo

On my heart...

I can't even begin to understand the kind of pain she must be in. I truly pray that God grants her His incomprehensible peace in this time of mourning. Only He can get her out of this one. Grace and wrath are both in His hand. Healing and vengance He will bestow.
_{I usually wouldn't post something like this because I don't follow pop culture, but it would be insensitive and cruel of me not to offer my public condolence and prayer. Jennifer, my heart and prayers are with you and your family. - Jaymeslane}

I have learned...

I often reflect on a statement that I made in a conversation some time ago: ...my life is not my own! I don't live just for me.
It was intentionally stated, but I don't know that I really gave consideration to the power behind it. The statement was made in response to a compliment paid of my being a "good example" for some younger kids at my church. "They really look up to you" she says, and I humbly smiled.


I hear it often, and though the compliment is still greatly appreciated, I don't always feel that its deserved. It's not that I haven't made my best effort to live a morally decent and Spiritually driven life (capital 'S' intented), I just know my shortcomings.

Now if I may be completely honest, the example that I aim to set is modeled after the example that I rarely saw as a child. I merely used what I observed of my male figure-head "examples" and have done the opposite. I never forgot that conversation I sat in on as my cousins discussed their displeasure with the "fathers" in our family. That's not to suggest that it was all bad, but displeasure remains displeasue none the less. So with that, I ran.

By no means do I propose that we live for the approval of men, but it does bring us back to the topic of discussion: our lives are not our own! All that we do, whether in word or in deed, must be done in the name of Christ and to the glory of God. We then must realize that we are here for one another. I came to realize early - must have been a revelation of God - that we all are connected to the people we are for a very specific reason. You may not always understand the role you play in someone else's life, but even the sheer affinity that one shares for you is indicative of the fact that YOU MEAN SOMETHING TO THEM! Even if that person's intentions are to use you for their benefit, they're using you because you're valuable to their attaining their selfish desires (but that's for another note). With that, one must give consideration to their connection and attachment to those persons in their lives.

Questions such as why did we meet? Am I supposed to learn something from this individual or situation? Am I supposed to teach them something? and numerous others may be asked. In the event that you do play the role of influence, you must then question whether your influence is helpful or harmful - positive or negative.

If a group of children were to have a conversation about you, will they express displeasure or sing your praise? Think about it. You're not here for just you.

Honesty!!!written 12.07

This too was written last year (Dec.), but I told someone Id repost it for them.

James 5:16 - Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Genesis Chapter 3

9 - And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, where art thou?
10 - And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself (I heard Your voice calling me, I heard You speaking to me, but because I did not want to be exposed I hid myself, I was ashamed)
11 - And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? (Who told you that you did wrong? I didn't say anything. How else would you have known that you were wrong unless you did that which I asked you not to do?)
12 - And the man said, the woman whom though gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
13 - And the Lord God said unto the woman, what is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.


One of the key elements to seeing change and salvation - be it someone that's trying to be saved or someone that’s already saved and has fallen, or someone that's just trying to stay saved - is that God wants honesty!!! from all of us.


The Lord searches for truth in the INWARD parts of man. You can't just tell Him what you THINK He wants to hear or give Him what little you want to expose of yourself. Give Him your ALL! Humble yourself and acknowledge your faults and shortcomings before the Lord and He will respond. He says in 2 Chronicles 7:14 "if My people which are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."


God knows the secrets of your thoughts, He knows the desires of your heart, all He wants us to do is to be honest with Him.

The EYES of the Lord are in EVERY PLACE therefore He already knows what you've done, He in fact knew what you were going to do before you yourself made the decision to do it. And even in that, He extends His grace toward us.

We see that God's grace still covered Adam and Eve's sin. It is shown to us in v 21. that God clothed their nakedness...which tells us that He covered their shame, it is no longer seen, it is forgiven. And when He could've cut them off right at the point of sin, He instead granted them grace and privilege, allowing them to be used for a purpose. No, they did not get away with what was done, but God's grace was extended to them after they confessed. God says in Leviticus 26:40-42 (paraphrasing) if you would confess your iniquities and those of your fathers, acknowledge that you have strayed from me, and I from you, humble yourself and accept your punishment, then will I remember your land.

I looked up the word "land" in the dictionary, and attached to it is the word "estate". Attached to this word is the word "state" meaning your condition or circumstances. Therefore, God is telling us to humble ourselves and repent; no we're not going to get away with our past sins, but His grace will be extended to us even in His wrath.


God is calling you. He is giving you a chance to get it right. Expose yourself! Stop hiding. Admit your faults and stop looking for a scape goat. Stop looking for someone else to take the blame for your mistake. Confess your sins: the word of the Lord says (in the book of Proverbs 28:13) that He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. If you take care of His business, He'll take care of yours.

Desperate!..one year later

This was written a year ago. It's a letter that I wrote to God expressing my deepest sympathy and regret for dishonoring Him (to say the least). I pray that it will be helpful to someone.


~ My Heart Upon A Letter ~

All I wanted was to walk upright before God. To live a life that's pleasing to God. I seemed to be doing so well in the beginning but somehow it all got turned around. I am not who I thought I was. Nor am I as strong as I thought I was and presently, neither am I as strong as I seem to be. I am not doing what God wants me to do, but rather doing the works of the flesh, which as Romans tells us is only bearing fruit of death. I don't feel good at all. Through it all I am trying to keep the faith...believing that God will somehow pull me out of all of this. I am still holding to that faith, yet I cant deny the sorrow that I feel and the shame that I have for myself and letting God down greatly. I feel like a failure.

Is it all a part of God’s plan for me to be tried like this? Has he allowed the devil to consider me for trial? If so, I am failing significantly. Throughout it all Job held is ground, yet I am quickly falling apart.

[BREAK]

I don't know what to do! I'm lost! Evn my funds seem to be cursed as a result of all of this, Ive never been so out of touch with God. This just cant be right. GOD HELP ME! PLEASE!

Lord Jesus, I just want to live a life that's pleasing to You. I know I don't control my own life and that You above all people know the plan for my life. It would be foolish of me to say that I didn't ask for any of this hardship to come upon me, when I know for a fact that I have done nothing deserving of your blessings either. Lord you know what's best for me. I leave it in Your hands. I am asking for forgiveness Lord. For restoration. I want to get back to that place that I was in You and go even higher from there. Lord I ask that You hide me from the world, as well as from myself that I may not become my own enemy.

Lord cleanse my heart. Chasten me Lord. Revive me. Renew me. Restore me Lord. Cleanse my heart, and wash me thoroughly from the inside out. Remove every trace of sin oh God and make me into what and who You would have me to be. Give me boldness Lord to declare your word and your return. Jesus I pray that Your glory be revealed in my life and that You would receive the glory out of my life.

I leave it in Your hands Jesus. I can't do anything else. I have failed.

Today, I am not who I was a year ago. So many things have changed in my life (for the better) and to God be all the glory.

My intentions for sharing this is for someone else to overcome through my testimony. I wrote a note earlier this year called "Just Be Real" which encourages us to just be honest with the Lord. You may not know how to get to God, or may even feel that you can go to Him, but you can! Just be honest with yourself, and be honest with HIM. Broken spirit, contrite heart... that's all he asks. Your dependency on Him. Relinquish your control and give it to Him.

So who goes to Heaven?written 11.07

It's kind of ironic (not that God is an ironic kind of God),

I posed the question the other day "if everyone is going to Heaven, then who goes to Hell?".

This morning, I was reading a lesson from 'Our Daily Bread' and in the opening sentence reads
"everybody talkin' bout heaven ain't goin' there'. Wow! In deed.
I'm reminded of the story of Nicodemus when he speaks with Jesus concerning His teachings. Christ tells Nicodemus that "except [a man] be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter
into the kingdom of God".

To be born of the water simply refers to baptism in Jesus' name. This act, burial in water [IN JESUS' NAME] signifies our death to our old man/our old ways of doing things. Once we rise from the water, we rise in the "newness of life" wherein we must now walk. How do we walk in the "newness of life"? We put off sin, we put off the works of the flesh. Those old things that once controlled us and had us bound. Through burial in Jesus, we die to sin as He was dead to sin, therefore are no longer slaves thereof. WE MUST NOW WALK IN HOLINESS, the ways of Jesus.

And to be born again (from above), of the Spirit of Jesus means that we are filled with His Spirit. His Spirit -which we know as the HOLYGHOST- now leads us and guides us in all truth and righteousness. No longer are we bound to sin, but freed from the law of sin. But know! that the word of God says that we shall not continue in sin just because we are freed from it. Romans 6:16 tells us that "we are servants to whom [we] obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness". Therefore, as verse one of the same chapter tells us, WE SHALL NOT CONTINUE IN SIN THAT GRACE MAY ABOUND. We do not tempt God to wrath, but we do in fact, walk in the newness of life. The word of God says they that walk after the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit. So it must be known that the things of the Spirit (of CHRIST JESUS) are HOLY. He said "be ye holy, for I am holy".
Nuff said. In doing so, believing in Him and keeping His commandments, we shall inherit the promise which was given to us. And that is who shall enter into Heaven. :o)

Justifying sin...

Do we justify sin or do we speak out and stand against it?

I was conversing with an associate on my job and he disclosed some information with me about his past and how even in what seemed to be a good situation he found himself trying to find a way to justify a wrong that was occuring. He said that while in college he was involved with a lady -both of them of the same faith in Jesus Christ- and together they were a spiritual "powerhouse" on campus. He believed that they were desitined to be and that she was who he would spend the rest of his life with. In so believing, and having developed "feelings" for this young lady, he found reason (or conjured up reason) as to why it was permissible to have premarital sex; the basic idea being "we're getting married anyway...might as well". In retrospect, as he relayed the story to me, he said he didn't know what he was thinking to try to justify his actions at that time.

I thought to myself (and said to him) it's a dangerous thing to try to justify sin. It's an even more dangerous state to be in. I believe that at the point where we begin to turn a blind eye to sin, then we need to do an internal inspection. Basically, we need to "examine ourselves as to whether we be in the faith". I think once we start trying to justify sin, then we are IN SIN and therefore in enmity with God. I told him I wouldn't even try to begin to explain it or understand it because I didn't want to sound like it was condoning it. But what I do understand is that this is nothing new. The apostle Paul write in romans chapter 7 particularly about this Christian struggle. He says, in verses 19 -21 that (19) "the good that I would [do] I do not: but the evil which I would not [do], that I do. (20) Now if I, do that [which I know] I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me."(21) I find then a law that, when I would do good, evil is present with me." In verses 22-23, Paul goes on further to explain that there is a war going on in his (our) members. He speaks for himself (as it relates to ALL of us Christians) that although he delights himself in doing the will of God -that is, being in Christ, his mindset is to do the will of Christ- that there is on the other hand that sinful nature in him (because we are all born IN SIN and shaped in iniquity) that fights him to do to do wrong. In verse 24 Paul poses the question "who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" He then answers the question in the beginning of verse 25 and says "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord".
Now, by no means am I perfect. The bible clearly states in Romans chapter 3 that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" but it also states that those who were bought with a price ( through the blood (death) of Jesus) are freed from the law of sin, therefore not slaves thereto. By accepting Christ into our lives, we died when He died on the cross FOR OUR SINS, therefore are DEAD TO SIN living no longer therein. Know that Jesus is the way! In following Him and being lead by His spirit, we do mind the things of the Spirit (read the note "Who Shall Enter?") and put off the works of the flesh (sin). Let Jesus be your savior.