The unfortunate truth about love is it doesn't make sense. I'm always talking about the dangers in seeking external validation and how horrible it is to base your happiness on something outside yourself, but I find it so difficult to practice what I preach sometimes. Anywho, on with today's post--Top Ten Tips on Love (in no particular order). Over the next few days, I'll explain each of these in detail. Enjoy.
1. Don't Compromise Your Standards or Settle
2. Always Take Steps to Improve Yourself
3. When People Show You Who They Are, Believe Them
4. To Thine Own Self, Be True
5. Sometimes Being Alone is the Best Way to Go
6. Always Cover Your A$$
7. Stick By Your Decisions
8. Don't Be Dependent
9. If You're Not Friends, You're Not a Real Couple
10. Maintain Adequate Spacing
*BONUS*
11. Don't Play With People's Emotions
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Excerpt of a Sermon on Self-Examination-Circa 1858
A Sermon
(No. 218)
Delivered on Sabbath Morning, October 10, 1858, by the REV. C. H. Spurgeon at the Music Hall, Royal Surrey Gardens.
HAD
INTENDED to address you this morning from the third title given to our
blessed Redeemer, in the verse we have considered twice
before—"Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God;" but owing to
excruciating pain and continual sickness, I have been unable to gather
my thoughts together, and therefore I feel constrained to address you on
a subject which has often been upon my heart and not unfrequently upon
my lips, and concerning which, I dare say, I have admonished a very
large proportion of this audience before. You will find the text in the
thirteenth chapter of the second epistle to the Corinthians, at the
fifth verse—"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove
your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is
in you, except ye be reprobates?"—a solemn text, that we cannot preach too impressively, or too frequently meditate.
The
Corinthians were the critics of the apostles' age. They took to
themselves great credit for skill in learning and in language, and as
most men do who are wise in their own esteem, they made a wrong use of
their wisdom and learning—they began to criticise the apostle Paul. They
criticised his style. "His letters," say they, "are weighty and
powerful, but his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible."
Nay, not content with that, they went so far as to deny his apostleship,
and for once in his life, the apostle Paul found himself compelled to
"become a fool in glorying; for," says he, "ye have compelled me: for I
ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very
chiefest apostles, though I be nothing." The apostle wrote two letters
to them; in both he is compelled to upbraid them while he defends
himself, and when he had fully disarmed his opponents, and wrested the
sword of their criticism out of their hands, he pointed it at their own
breasts, saying, "'Examine yourselves.' You have disputed my doctrine;
examine whether ye be in the faith. You have made me prove my
apostleship; 'prove your own selves.' Use the powers which you have been
so wrongfully exercising upon me for a little season upon your own
characters."
And now,
my dear friends, the fault of the Corinthians is the fault of the
present age. Let not any one of you, as he goeth out of the house of
God, say unto his neighbour. "How did you like the preacher? What did
you think of the sermon this morning?" Is that the question you should
ask as you retire from God's house? Do you come here to judge God's
servants? I know it is but a small thing unto us to be judged of man's
judgment; for our judgment is of the Lord our God; to our own Master we
shall stand or fall. But, O men! ye should ask a question more
profitable unto yourselves than this. Ye should say, "Did not
such-and-such a speech strike me? Did not that exactly consort with my
condition? Was that not a rebuke that I deserve, a word of reproof or of
exhortation? Let me take unto myself that which I have heard, and let
me not judge the preacher, for he is God's messenger to my soul: I came
up here to be judged of God's Word, and not to judge God's Word myself."
But since there is in all our hearts a great backwardness to
self-examination, I shall lay out myself for a few minutes this morning,
earnestly to exhort myself, and all of you, to examine ourselves
whether we be in the faith.
Read the Whole Thing Here
http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0218.htm
Delivered on Sabbath Morning, October 10, 1858, by the REV. C. H. Spurgeon at the Music Hall, Royal Surrey Gardens.
"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates."—2 Corinthians 13:5.
HAD
INTENDED to address you this morning from the third title given to our
blessed Redeemer, in the verse we have considered twice
before—"Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God;" but owing to
excruciating pain and continual sickness, I have been unable to gather
my thoughts together, and therefore I feel constrained to address you on
a subject which has often been upon my heart and not unfrequently upon
my lips, and concerning which, I dare say, I have admonished a very
large proportion of this audience before. You will find the text in the
thirteenth chapter of the second epistle to the Corinthians, at the
fifth verse—"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove
your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is
in you, except ye be reprobates?"—a solemn text, that we cannot preach too impressively, or too frequently meditate.The
Corinthians were the critics of the apostles' age. They took to
themselves great credit for skill in learning and in language, and as
most men do who are wise in their own esteem, they made a wrong use of
their wisdom and learning—they began to criticise the apostle Paul. They
criticised his style. "His letters," say they, "are weighty and
powerful, but his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible."
Nay, not content with that, they went so far as to deny his apostleship,
and for once in his life, the apostle Paul found himself compelled to
"become a fool in glorying; for," says he, "ye have compelled me: for I
ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very
chiefest apostles, though I be nothing." The apostle wrote two letters
to them; in both he is compelled to upbraid them while he defends
himself, and when he had fully disarmed his opponents, and wrested the
sword of their criticism out of their hands, he pointed it at their own
breasts, saying, "'Examine yourselves.' You have disputed my doctrine;
examine whether ye be in the faith. You have made me prove my
apostleship; 'prove your own selves.' Use the powers which you have been
so wrongfully exercising upon me for a little season upon your own
characters."And now,
my dear friends, the fault of the Corinthians is the fault of the
present age. Let not any one of you, as he goeth out of the house of
God, say unto his neighbour. "How did you like the preacher? What did
you think of the sermon this morning?" Is that the question you should
ask as you retire from God's house? Do you come here to judge God's
servants? I know it is but a small thing unto us to be judged of man's
judgment; for our judgment is of the Lord our God; to our own Master we
shall stand or fall. But, O men! ye should ask a question more
profitable unto yourselves than this. Ye should say, "Did not
such-and-such a speech strike me? Did not that exactly consort with my
condition? Was that not a rebuke that I deserve, a word of reproof or of
exhortation? Let me take unto myself that which I have heard, and let
me not judge the preacher, for he is God's messenger to my soul: I came
up here to be judged of God's Word, and not to judge God's Word myself."
But since there is in all our hearts a great backwardness to
self-examination, I shall lay out myself for a few minutes this morning,
earnestly to exhort myself, and all of you, to examine ourselves
whether we be in the faith.Read the Whole Thing Here
http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0218.htm
Start Your Day How You Want to Finish It--Good!
How many times have you heard "Today is the first day of the rest of your life?" Too many to count right? As cliche as the phrase may be, it holds some truth. Each day is the opportunity to make change. Change begins with the little steps you take day by day. Rather than being overwhelmed at the prospect of getting things done, focus on the present moment and embrace it fully. When you first wake up, decide what it is you want to do at that exact moment. Choose a task that's different, but don't spend too much time thinking about it. The first thing you do shouldn't be something you feel like you have to do--it should be something you want to do. That means not checking emails or your phone, switching on the television, or thinking about the laundry list of things you have to do for the day. Pick something simple, yet productive. You have a whole 24 hours to do the rest of that stuff so no need to rush into it.
Once you pick a task, do it and invest your mind completely into it. Afterwards, you can focus on doing something else. As the day goes by, you'll begin to notice how much you've achieved in the short span of a day. Just be sure the actions you engage in throughout the day are positive and productive.
Top Ten Things You Can Do to Start a Productive Day
Shower and Get Dressed
This one may seem obvious, but it's all in how you look at things. A hot shower can be very refreshing. While the water hits your skin, enjoy the feeling it creates. Think about good things as you clean. Take your time and admire every part of yourself.
Clean Up
Cleanliness is next to godliness. Cleaning up, while it may seem like a chore, is a great way to start a productive day. Clutter and disorganization are bothersome. Before you dive into the day, make your bed, clean your tables, sweep and create order in your space.
Pray/Meditate
This is your opportunity to clear your mind of negative thoughts. You're probably saying "I just woke up. I don't have any negative thoughts." Believe it or not, you probably do. Consciously acknowledge any pressure you're feeling because of worry or anxiety and replace those thoughts with positive affirmations about the upcoming day. Take deep breaths and become one with the current moment. When you're finished, you'll feel more at peace.
Read Something Inspirational
You can never go wrong starting your day with inspiration. Morning newscasts can be depressing because of all the drama going on in the world at any given point. Also, you don't want to start your day with media conditioning. Feed your mind with positive information when you wake up.
Write
Like praying and meditating, writing is an opportunity for a mental dump. In the morning, the goal is to provide yourself with a clean slate and aim for productive tasks. Writing and being creative is a wonderful way to release. It doesn't matter what or how much you write, just do it.
Tell someone good morning
So many people wake up angry. A simple good morning may be enough to put them back in a good mood. It's also a selfless, generous thing to do.
Look in the Mirror and Smile
Be happy for the opportunity to be you yet another day. Look in the mirror and smile. Take note of the image and allow it to permeate your brain. Remind yourself you're unique and beautiful.
Stretch
In the morning, your body isn't loose. You're typically feeling tight and crumpled. Stretching can be a great means of stress reduction. Feeling limber and light will help get you off to an active start for the day.
Go Outside
Nature is the most beautiful alarm you can hope for. Stepping outside in the morning can be an inspiring, peaceful experience. Experience nature. Hear the birds singing, feel the calm of a morning breeze, admire the trees swaying to and fro while the squirrels hop along the branches. Nature has a tendency of putting everything in perspective.
Exercise
What's better than getting the blood rushing a bit? A short walk or run will prepare your body for the day's activity and you burn calories while you're at it. Exercising releases serotonin which elevates dopamine, a pleasure chemical into your brain.
Top Ten Things You Can Do to Start a Productive Day
Shower and Get Dressed
This one may seem obvious, but it's all in how you look at things. A hot shower can be very refreshing. While the water hits your skin, enjoy the feeling it creates. Think about good things as you clean. Take your time and admire every part of yourself.
Clean Up
Cleanliness is next to godliness. Cleaning up, while it may seem like a chore, is a great way to start a productive day. Clutter and disorganization are bothersome. Before you dive into the day, make your bed, clean your tables, sweep and create order in your space.
Pray/Meditate
This is your opportunity to clear your mind of negative thoughts. You're probably saying "I just woke up. I don't have any negative thoughts." Believe it or not, you probably do. Consciously acknowledge any pressure you're feeling because of worry or anxiety and replace those thoughts with positive affirmations about the upcoming day. Take deep breaths and become one with the current moment. When you're finished, you'll feel more at peace.
Read Something Inspirational
You can never go wrong starting your day with inspiration. Morning newscasts can be depressing because of all the drama going on in the world at any given point. Also, you don't want to start your day with media conditioning. Feed your mind with positive information when you wake up.
Write
Like praying and meditating, writing is an opportunity for a mental dump. In the morning, the goal is to provide yourself with a clean slate and aim for productive tasks. Writing and being creative is a wonderful way to release. It doesn't matter what or how much you write, just do it.
Tell someone good morning
So many people wake up angry. A simple good morning may be enough to put them back in a good mood. It's also a selfless, generous thing to do.
Look in the Mirror and Smile
Be happy for the opportunity to be you yet another day. Look in the mirror and smile. Take note of the image and allow it to permeate your brain. Remind yourself you're unique and beautiful.
Stretch
In the morning, your body isn't loose. You're typically feeling tight and crumpled. Stretching can be a great means of stress reduction. Feeling limber and light will help get you off to an active start for the day.
Go Outside
Nature is the most beautiful alarm you can hope for. Stepping outside in the morning can be an inspiring, peaceful experience. Experience nature. Hear the birds singing, feel the calm of a morning breeze, admire the trees swaying to and fro while the squirrels hop along the branches. Nature has a tendency of putting everything in perspective.
Exercise
What's better than getting the blood rushing a bit? A short walk or run will prepare your body for the day's activity and you burn calories while you're at it. Exercising releases serotonin which elevates dopamine, a pleasure chemical into your brain.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
The Black Man's Plight
For the most part, Black men exist within the confines of their environments and are shaped by the ideas and perceptions of those around them and the
media. Their ideas of their own education and mental ability are informed by bias accounts of the media, music and entertainment. Much like Carter G. Woodson suggested in The Miseducation of the Negro, when it
comes to erasing the plight of the Black male the focus should not be
on changing external factors. Rather, we must reshape the way Black
males think. Of all the above factors, the one most effective in dealing
with the issues of Black male underachievement is education and mental
awareness. If a man thinks he can beat his situation, then everything
else will follow. It's the motivation of our men that is essential to
defeating the negative influences prevalent in our society.
What is it that keeps Black males from making the right decisions? What forces Black men to choose the path that reinforces negative stereotypes about them? I could say it's due to the lack of positive things going on around them, provide a sociological explanation: the lack of encouragement, resources, etc. But is that really the issue? I'm more inclined inclined to believe it's the fact that Black men don't take the time to evaluate who they are and what they want and they rather live re-actively. Instead of seeing, perceiving and making an informed decision to do something, they simply let their surroundings determine what they are going to do next. They essentially conform to the incorrect definitions of their person.
Although circumstances have a profound effect on the number of options one has, no situation can strip one of their free will, their ability to decide to overcome. How do we get Black males to think for themselves?
What is it that keeps Black males from making the right decisions? What forces Black men to choose the path that reinforces negative stereotypes about them? I could say it's due to the lack of positive things going on around them, provide a sociological explanation: the lack of encouragement, resources, etc. But is that really the issue? I'm more inclined inclined to believe it's the fact that Black men don't take the time to evaluate who they are and what they want and they rather live re-actively. Instead of seeing, perceiving and making an informed decision to do something, they simply let their surroundings determine what they are going to do next. They essentially conform to the incorrect definitions of their person.
Although circumstances have a profound effect on the number of options one has, no situation can strip one of their free will, their ability to decide to overcome. How do we get Black males to think for themselves?
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