Baby Boy Prayer

Dear Lord,

Please forgive us for all our sins we have brought upon us. And look down upon us with forgiveness for all our sins we will have in the future. I know you understand that brothers ain’t perfect, but we try Lord. We try to keep our heads up in bad times. This is a bad time. Show us the way. And if you can’t show us the way, then forgive us for being lost.

This prayer was from the movie Baby Boy starring Tyrese Gibson and Omar Gooding. I think it's a great prayer because it's asking for forgiveness before you sin. When you look deeper, this prayer can also mean you want forgiveness for deliberate sin (the kind you have no remorse for and commit just because). If you sin with no remorse, then I don't know if you should pray this kind of prayer. God knows our intentions long before we act on them so in a sense, asking him to look down on us for forgiveness for the sins we will have in the future is kind of a protective covering because God won't be surprised when you foul up; after all, he made us. It's almost like the Fall Of Man, God knew Adam & Eve would eat the forbidden fruit and already had a backup plan just in case: Sending Jesus to die on the cross for us. That's what I got from the Baby Boy prayer, a prayer of advance forgiveness.

Lame Is...

-Lame Is When a woman expects a man to do this, that and the third for her but she's not bringing anything to the table.
-Lame is when a man feels that just because he's bringing the money home, he can do what he wants with no accountability.
-Lame is when women get passes for living with their parents until 25 or 30 but it's frowned upon for a man to do the same (even if he's saving up for his own place)
-Lame is when you ask someone about their finances on the first date. Red flags all across the board. Asking about finances so soon signals you're checking for someone's pockets, NOT THEM.
-Lame is when a woman expects a man to deal with her attitude/baggage when she won't tolerate one iota of his nonsense.
-Lame is when you require someone to give you the world when you don't even have a passport.
-Lame is when a mother puts her man over her children. WTH? Your kids were there before him.
-Lame is when you're in a relationship and want to live like your single. Newsflash: You lose all freedom when you get into a relationship.
-Lame is wearing stripper shoes and expecting not to be judged.
-Lame is buying a new car every year when your car runs good AND IS PAID OFF.
-Lame is booty dancing in the club on Saturday night and in church the next morning praising God like the mess ain't wrong. Really? 
-Lame is when you ridicule someone for a disability. I don't play that AT ALL and will check it on the spot.
-Lame is ignoring someone back in school but when you see them successful, you're checking for them. Exit stage left (or right, but either way EXIT)
-Lame is a woman who can't, doesn't, won't or has no desire to learn how to cook. The old adage is true ladies, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.
-Lame is when people expect Obama to fix in 4 years what Bush screwed up in 8. NOT GONNA HAPPEN. Obama inherited a weak economy when he stepped in office. People think Romney/Ryan gonna go hard for the middle class and poor? Chile Please.
-Lame is thinking arguments are healthy in a relationship. They ARE NOT. Most people don't know how to argue without cussing & hollering, cheap shots, etc.
-Lame is women saying men are women haters, he's gay, hates his mother because a man has the courage to put a woman in her place, therefore he tells her in so many words she's full of crap.
-Lame is using deflective maneuvers to shift the focus off the intended target. 
-Lame is men who don't take care of their responsibilities.
-Lame is women who enable sorry men. I can understand helping a man get back on his feet but he should also be making moves on his own.
-Lame is when men and women complain about their no-good spouse but they knew or should have known they weren't compatible from the start.
-Lame is when you lay down with someone and have their child(ren), then say they're no good. WHAT DOES THAT MAKE YOU?
-Lame is when blacks ridicule black people who want to make something of themselves. The critical blacks take pride in being a goon.
-Lame is when women are attracted to thugs instead of stand-up brothers but get mad when a stand-up guy rejects her after leaving the thug who gone upside her head.
-Lame is men who all they look for in a woman is her big booty and cute face.
-Lame is rejecting the wisdom of your elders especially since they have been down the same road you're traveling. They can tell you what does & doesn't work.

Living For God vs. Satan

I don't care what kind of Christian you are, EVERY Christian has wondered if living for God is worth it. Those who say they haven't are lying. Everywhere you turn it seems like the wicked are doing better than God's people. Where they do that at? Christians are held to a higher standard but you would think that by living right, blessings would come down like rain (which they do) but some people have walked with God for years on end and have nothing to show for it. I read a tract that puts this into perspective: Working For God: The benefits & pay are low, but the retirement is out of this world. When I read that, I immediately confirmed my decision to stay close to God because although it seems like the wicked are prospering, they're not. The wicked are storing up their wealth for the righteous without realization, and they don't know it. Yes, life sucks but we live in a fallen world so that's to be expected. When you're living for Satan, he's already got you. When you're living for God, that's when you have a bull's-eye on you because the enemy will pull out all stops to get you to come over to his side. When you reject wisdom & correction constantly, you reach a point of no return which means you're on dangerous ground. I never want to reach the point of no return so that's why I have to stay soaked in the word. God's been too good to me for me to turn my back on him. Proverbs 2:22 says: Let the wicked be rooted out of the land. When you constantly reject correction & wisdom, you're considered wicked in God's eyes and will eventually be done away with.

All For One, One For All

I'm a firm believer that one person can mess it up for everyone. Read Genesis 3:1-24 for a good example. Adam and Eve were given dominion over the Garden Of Eden. They could eat of any tree except the forbidden fruit. God gave them STRICT instructions on what they could/could not enjoy and like many of us (myself included), they did the opposite. Adam & Eve's disobedience cost us a peaceful life. If Adam & Eve obeyed God, we would be living good right now. There wouldn't be disabilities, poverty, sickness & disease, unemployment, crime, etc. The Fall Of Man is a perfect example that one's decision affects everyone. Everyone likes to say "It's none of your business what I do" and that maybe true to a degree, but like it or not, everyone's decision(s) affects someone else, whether they like it or not. My mom used to tell me when I was younger when I would get upset because I couldn't get what I wanted. She said "It's not all about you". I can remember being in school and every time one kid messed up, the whole class suffered. At the time I didn't understand why but as I got older, I learned early on that when one kid does wrong, everyone gets punished based on that kid's transgression. I still think this way for the most part except for minor exceptions. It's not fair, but it's life. Maybe some people will think twice before they do crazy things. The business world works the same way: If an employee repeatedly violates HR, either HR will bring the hammer down or the supervisor makes a policy holding ALL his/her staff responsible for the action(s) of one or a few. This is to deter future offenses. Everything you say & do, affects someone else whether you like it or not.

Do For Self

Some men kill me when they say "I want a woman that'll take care of me" That woman existed in the 40's & 50's but today's modern woman isn't having it. A man should be able to take care himself and not be dependent on a woman to cook & clean for him. The older I get, the more I realize that a woman can't do anything for me I can't already do for myself. If I have laundry that needs to be done, I do it myself. If I'm hungry, I throw something together and keep it moving. Why depend on someone to do what you should be able to do for yourself? No one should be dependent on anyone for basic self-sufficiency. It never fails. What happened to men taking pride in being able to do for self? Now you have men that actually brag about how their woman takes care of them like his mother. As a man, yes I want a woman with some characteristics of my mother BUT she has to be her own person. I have one mother, I don't need another one. Honestly, I would be embarrassed to know that I was living with my wife and wasn't pulling my weight. Even if she says she doesn't mind, deep down she really does and it's just a matter of time before it comes out in a verbal boxing session. There's no honor in someone doing for you what you can do for yourself. Each person should bring their own unique personalities into a relationship so both parties can learn from each other. Equally ridiculous is women who say they want a man just like their father. WTW (What The What)? That sounds like incest to me for anyone who says they want their mate to be like their parents. True, their parents may show them what to look for in a mate (which I can understand) but to have a cookie-cutter version of your parents through your spouse is not the move, AT ALL. When two people are together, they should HELP each other, not TAKE care of each other. A better term would be to care for one another. One person isn't doing all the work but both parties are caring for one another. Being taken care of sounds like what our parents did when we were children/teens, but when you become an adult, you should know how to take care of yourself. I'm all for pampering my special lady (whoever she may be should I confirm I want a relationship) but I couldn't expect her to take care of me, nor should she expect me to do so & vice versa.

Superhero Men

Monday Gospel: From Norm J Blunt (Facebook friend): "Men who say we need to heal our women are the ones who hurt them in the first place."

These superhero brothers are something else; always seeing a need to swoop down with their cape to save the day. No man should have to heal ANY woman because 9 times out of 10, she brought the hurt on herself. The Captain Save 'Em Phenomenon needs to cease and desist. Women are not damsels in distress (although they may play that role at times) so they can hold their own. This is a good example of how men try to gain women's favor by coming to her rescue. Women don't play the superhero role for men because men can hold their own. I'm all for stepping in on a woman's behalf if she's being harassed but if she can hold her own most of the time, there's no need for a man to swoop down and save the day. This happens too much in relationships where a man takes on the responsibility of healing a broken woman. I will say that there are instances where a man would be needed but it shouldn't be all the time. If a woman was being harassed, she would look for a guy to help her out, which would be understandable. There is a balance between being needy and independent .And what does it say about you when you have to be saved all the time? Either you are putting yourself in some bad situations or making bad decisions. Yes, we all have issues and can use healing but if you can fix your own problems, what you need help for? Most of the time, you have the solution in your face but are too lazy to do the work. I call it like I see it. Men who play superhero to women ARE trying to gain their favor, period. Otherwise, some of these men wouldn't go to the lengths they do to "fix a woman". It's only ridiculous to some women who expect a man to play this role. Flipping the script, men wouldn't expect, nor would they want a woman to help ease his burden(s) because most men have too much pride to admit they need help. I'm all for adding value to a woman's life but at the same time, she should already know her worth. In a relationship, you should be adding value to your mate's life and if not, why are you with them? Perhaps the person wants to help ease their mate's burden, but that's a very thin line between helping them through their rough time(s) and playing superhero, which would be enabling because you aren't giving them the tools to help themselves while being right at their side.

What Does That Make You?

I don't understand people sometimes. They complain about their mate being no good but they're still with them. If that man/woman is no good, yet you lay down with them and have their children, what does that make YOU? Shakes Head. Going a little further, if a man is no good but the woman lays down with him and bears his children, WHAT DOES THAT MAKE HER? She loved him when they were getting busy and now they can't stand each other? That's craziness. If someone is no good and you stay with them, you're no better than they are because you knew/should have known how they were before the relationship. People will always show you their true colors. Some may show you off top, others will show you their true selves in the relationship's advanced stages. When red flags about a person's character come up, pay close attention because they're trying to tell you something about themselves. Nobody wants to think the worst of their partner but you have to do your due diligence because if not, you could be setting yourself up for heartbreak. The issue is most people's discernment is poor so they overlook the major while focusing on the minor. When someone shows/tells you who they are, believe them. 9 times out of 10, they aren't lying. If the small stuff isn't a detriment to your relationship, then let it go. If you (man or woman) have your stuff together and are looking for a likeminded person to spend your life with, it behooves you to pay close attention to the clues they give as to what they're really like; this way you won't be surprised when you find out he/she wasn't what you thought they were. So many people end up looking crazy when they find out that man/woman wasn't what they expected. Had they done their due diligence, this wouldn't be an issue. Some people find out their mate's true colors and still stay with them, hence what does that make you? You can't lay down in mud and expect not to get dirty. If someone's married and you cheat with them, that makes you a cheater as well because you have partaken in destroying a happy home. Therefore, that makes you foul just like him/her who's cheating on their spouse. People have no right to complain about their spouse being no good when the offended chooses to stay with them.