Preachers Of L.A: Loretta Is Fed Up

On last night's Preachers Of L.A., Bishop Noel Jones threw his friend Loretta a birthday party. During the party, Noel shared his feelings with a poem he wrote. It was pretty smooth, but she was disappointed because she was expecting a proposal from him. Bishop Noel Jones and Loretta have been friends for 17 years, and anyone can clearly see they have feelings for each other. They've had intimate conversations about the direction of their relationship, they greet each other with kisses, etc. I could be wrong, but friends don't greet each other with kisses, at least not same sex friends. If it's a man and woman and they're just that friendly, then maybe they'll greet each other with a peck on the cheek. Last night, Loretta decided to confront Noel about her disappointment, and she told him he needs to grow up, and give her the love she deserves. Bishop Jones told Loretta earlier that he's content with their friendship, but Loretta wants more. The other preachers are enjoying married life, and Loretta feels left out because she's the only one who's unmarried. Lavette (Bishop Ron Gibson's wife) told Loretta that her merchandise is good, meaning she has a pure heart and is worthy of a good man. I respect Loretta because she finally got some gumption and told Bishop Jones to give her the love she deserves, or there's a possibility she may not be around. I've long said that Loretta comes off desperate. She keeps asking for more than what Bishop Jones is willing to give. Hopefully, Bishop Jones will make Loretta his leading lady, or Loretta needs to exit and don't look back. There's no sense in holding onto something that's not possible.

Dating On A Budget

 

The title of today's blog message is Dating On A Budget. The scenario is self-explanatory: Guy takes a woman to a nice restaurant on a date and agrees to pay for dinner, but he tells her she can only order up to $25. Should she feel slighted? Ok, what nice restaurant do you know that you'll only spend $25? Very few, if any. At most high-end restaurants, the appetizer will cost you $25, so there goes the date right there. The only restaurants you can get by with spending $25 are Applebee's, Chili's, Red Lobster and Pizza Hut. For $25, you can get 2 Large 2-topping pizzas for $7.99, and still have money left over. Not even Red Lobster has entrees that cost $25 unless you order something really expensive. My first thought is he took her to this nice restaurant with the intention of paying for her meal. Putting her on a budget screams he can't afford to pay for her meal, so he could've taken her to Applebee's for a 2 for $20 special, and still had money for the tip. That's what you call being smart.

 

It's established if the man asks a woman out, he pays for meal, as he should. Before confirming the date, he should check his money, and if he can afford to wine & dine her, take her someplace nice. If not, Applebee's and/or Chili's has a 2 for $20 special. If she's grounded with good values, being in your presence is enough to satisfy her. This discussion was posted in a Facebook group, and some women actually got upset. I'll present both sides, the man and woman's side. From a man's standpoint: A man who has himself together is looking for a likeminded woman. No man wants to feel used by any woman he's seeing. A man sees potential in a woman he agrees to take out on a date. He's wining & dining her and he's not getting anything in return except her time, which works for some men. This could be a test to examine her motives. If she orders within the $25 budget, she gets points in his eyes, and proceeds further. If she orders the most expensive thing on the menu, that tells him she's after his wallet, not him as a person.

 

From a woman's point of view, he doesn't trust her. I don't know of one woman who doesn't want to be treated special on a date, NOT ONE. To put her on a $25 budget tells me he doesn't trust her character, which I can see why because there are some women who take advantage of men with money. They see a man with $$$ as a meal ticket. I can see this from both sides, so I really can't take sides on this topic, but I will say this: Date within your means. The greatest dates cost little to no money. What about meeting at a coffee shop for conversation, going to free events in your city, things like that? Doing fun outings that don't break your wallet; daters have to learn how to get creative in dating. For me, dinner & a movie is played out. The first few dates are introductory in nature; I'm getting to know her. If she makes the cut, then maybe I'll treat her to dinner & a movie.

 

It's hard for me to take sides because I see this from both the man's and woman's point of view. As stated in the previous paragraph, people should date someone of similar background. If you're financially independent, seek someone of that same background. So many issues in relationships can be resolved if people sought a mate of similar background. For example, a saver and spender have two different mindsets about money, so one cannot expect them to have a successful relationship.



Giving Back An Engagement Ring

In a Facebook group I'm in, this was a topic of discussion: Should A Woman Give Back An Engagement Ring If Things Don't Work Out? The discussion got pretty intense with some people saying she should, and others saying she shouldn't. My view is she should give back the engagement ring. Things obviously didn't work out between them, so her keeping the ring signals that she still has feelings for this man, and that's gonna make it hard for the right man who comes in her life. If a man's honest, he notices things like that. Anytime a man is getting to know a woman, he's going to ask are there any other men in the picture? If a man sees a woman with an engagement ring, he's going to notice that. Going further, he'll end the date because he assumes her current man is in the picture. A man wants to feel like he's the only one for her, and wearing an engagement ring isn't a good look for a woman unless she's intent on marrying him.

It's crazy for a woman to keep an engagement ring even if he broke the engagement, and let me explain why: What in the world is she going to do with the engagement ring, marry herself? That's about the only hope of engagement she has, because any man with sense would be turned off by a woman wearing an engagement ring. If I'm getting to know a woman, one of the first questions I will ask is to look at her ring finger. I want to know if she has a wedding or engagement ring because I don't want to be second place to any woman. Either I'm going to be 1st place in her life, or nothing else. To me, a woman who wears an engagement ring and she's not with her man is playing games. There's no point in keeping an engagement ring if the relationship failed. If I broke the engagement, I'd ask for the ring back. Why let her keep it? As a reminder of what didn't work out? No thanks. By getting the ring back, I'm releasing her to the next man that'll treat her how I didn't.

In conclusion, unless she's going to pawn the ring, it's useless to keep something as a reminder of the person who was once in your life. It's like they still have a hold on you.

#1 Florida State

Anyone who knows me knows I've been an avid FSU football fan for a while. I've been following FSU Football since they've won their first 2 titles in '93 & '99, and their most recent championship in '13. Florida State has had more than it's fair share of ups and downs. They've had a lengthy period of struggle, where they struggled against beatable teams in the 2000's. Fast forward to 2014, and it's safe to say that the Seminoles are back to their winning ways. They've earned their #1 spot. Who cares if they play cupcake teams? Wins are wins, whether they're against tough or easy teams. In case people haven't noticed, FSU plays in the Athletic Coast Conference, which by many accounts is a cupcake conference. Florida State's biggest rivals are Miami, and Florida. Florida State has beaten Miami and Florida many times before, so one can say even the Canes and Gators are no match for Florida State. Florida State defeated Auburn for the national championship last year. Auburn is a tough team that consistently ranks in the top 25 teams.

Do I think Florida State should play tougher teams? Sure, I have no problem with FSU playing harder teams. It would be a great test to see how FSU stacks up with competition from the Big 12, Pac-10 and other tough conferences. Because FSU is an ACC school, they can only play teams from their conference. I do think if FSU played tougher teams and won, college football fans would have no choice but to respect Florida State because they've proven they can beat tough teams from other conferences. Upset Saturday had several losses from Alabama, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma. Prior to that, Oregon fell at home. The aforementioned teams consistently go undefeated for much of the season, so I know Florida State would be given trouble from Oklahoma, Alabama, TX A&M or Oregon.

Even if Florida State's wins come relatively easy, the fact remains is they're the only unbeaten team left in college football, so they deserve to stay at #1 until someone knocks them off.

The Harbinger: What Do I Sense Is Happening To America?

I've been reading The Harbinger: The Ancient Mystery That Holds The Secret Of America's Future by Jonathan Cahn. You have two main characters, the prophet and Nouriel. The prophet gives Nouriel a series of seals and Nouriel's job is to figure out the connection between each seal and the Harbinger. A Harbinger is one that indicates or foreshadows what's to come, a forerunner. A warning or omen; a sign. Let me share 2 thoughts before I get into my message: 1. The Harbinger is the most precise scriptural revelation of God's passion for America. The message is critical: Heed God's urgency, and get back to him. America was once a blessed nation, because we followed God's ways. As time passed, America turned its back on God, and we're dealing with the repercussions of that decision.

2. Every political leader and citizen should not only read the book, but understand the divine implications it contains. The Harbinger is far more than a prophetic warning to the United States; it is an unveiling of God's ways. The book shows how God renders his judgment of a nation in perfect balance with his mercy. Those who read it will be captivated by the narrative, convicted by our blindness to God's ways, and in awe of how thorough God's warnings are.

What Do I Sense Is Happening To America? Looking at what's going on, it's not hard to tell. America is racing towards judgment, and it's just a matter of time before God rains judgment on America. Just recently, elementary school children are being taught about masturbation as part of sex education. You don't teach children that type of filth! Children don't need to be taught that masturbation is ok. That's the mess I'm talking about: These perverted agendas are being pushed on the masses, and no one has the guts to speak out against it. Another thing: Corporate Greed. Employers have no hesitation about laying off employees, because it's all about the almighty dollar. Gain big profits by any means necessary, even if you have to lay off workers to do so. It's the EMPLOYEES who are on the front lines daily, they're the ones who understand their jobs. How many CEO's actually know what's going on in their companies? Not many. When something's not right, executives are quick to figure out how to fix a problem, as they should. Maybe executives should look to their employees for answers, because after all, the employees do have a better understanding of their department. A Facebook friend told it like it was, and I agree with him: Employers don't care about their employees. Just like they were quick to hire, they will get rid of you, even if you're a top performer. That's so they don't have to pay a valuable employee what they're worth.

From 9/11 to ISIS, it's safe to say that America is going down the drain. My concern is that America will sink so low morally, that this nation will reach the point of no return. It's at that point where God has no choice but to judge. Children rising against parents, parents warring with children, sexual abuse, drug use & abuse, greed, unemployment, divorce, selfishness, etc. All these things are a sign that America is looking real funky. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for sexual immorality and perversion, mainly homosexuality. If that's not a sign of how God feels about this gay agenda, then I don't know what is. All I know is I cannot, and will not support anything that's contrary to God's word. I want to be judged righteously, not for any wrong I've done. One thing I do know is that I will not bring up children in a depraved world. I'm not having my children succumb to this moral sewage that's being pushed in society. When America was following God, there were things that were NOT tolerated. Since America turned away from Christ, what was frowned upon is now acceptable.

It's funny that an atheist can feel slighted about Christianity, and get all forms of it stamped out, but if a Christian speaks the name of Jesus, it's a problem. People wonder why America is in the shape it's in? When you remove God out of schools and society, this mess is what you get.



Public Service Announcement: Money Equals Power

Finances are one of the top reasons for divorce. Ask any married couple who's been married for over 40 years and they'll tell you. When the money pours like the Mississippi, life is good. When the money dries up like the Sahara, that's when trouble creeps in. Couples have to make every dollar last until they get paid (which could be monthly, bi-weekly, twice a month or weekly). They can't live like they used to before their finances took a hit. Every argument seems to be about money, or the lack thereof. Anytime you have one spouse making more than their counterpart, (s)he will bring up "I make the most, so I call the shots" every time. People can deny this ugly truth all they want, but it doesn't change the validity. Whoever makes the most, makes the rules. If the man makes the most, he calls the shots. If the wife is the major breadwinner, she has more of a say over purchases because she's gonna be contributing the most. It behooves people to marry a levelheaded person, someone of similar financial status so you two can build together. A couple that builds together, stays together because they have nothing to lord over each other's head. 

In politics, money definitely equals power because billionaires can buy elections. They pay politicians to advocate on their behalf, and it shows in many of the laws passed. You don't believe me, research the two most recent elections, and I bet you that billionaires were influential in swinging the election in their favor. Politicians vote according to campaign contributions. Whoever contributed heavily to a candidate's election, the elected must vote in favor of their contributors. In conclusion, money equals power, whether people like it or not.

Public Service Announcement

I'm sick of people bragging about what they have. I have this, I have that, I'm a boss, etc. If you say something long enough, you'll believe it. That's called bragging, and that's not a good look. Who are you trying to impress? Really though, every other person probably has what you have, and more, so you're bragging for nothing. People who brag are overcompensating for the lack they've suffered at one point, so I guess they're not trying to go back to being broke. Nobody cares about how many cars you have; no one cares if you can buy something with no worries, nobody cares if you can buy $500 plates at a ritzy restaurant. If you can do those things, I'm glad for you. Understand that the majority isn't as blessed as you are. Boasting about what you have is a slap in the face to those who are struggling, and as jealous as people are, you're asking for haters. You know most people can't stand others doing better than them, so why invite those issues if you don't have to? People who are really blessed, don't have to brag. Their demeanor tells all. They use their fortune to help others better themselves. That's the definition of a boss, someone who uses their authority to help others better themselves. You may be legit in your boss claims, but if you're not using your blessings to bless others, then you're not as much of a boss as you think. If you're such a boss, give an unemployed person a job. If you're such a boss, pay off a struggling family's mortgage. I rest my case.