The Lenten Saga: Day 11

Caterpillar was on POINT today!

We had a very insightful series of conversations based off the chapters in the challenge, as well as the chapters in Job. So we had to make sure that the first 3 chapters (along with the first 3 chapters in Job) were read, or known, to make this a worthy conversation. And we all did. It was interesting in how the devil could not do anything without God's permission, and that God was willing to let the devil do everything short of killing Job. There was a lot of spirit in that room at church today. And I felt it. As my Lenten journey continues, I am really learning more about myself. What I can tolerate, and what I can not. Well, stuff that I need to work on. So far I have not broken my Lenten vows, and I feel really good that I have made it this far. I honestly thought I would have croaked by now.

This is no ordinary Lenten challenge year for me. This was the year that I said to myself that I was going to take it to the extreme! And see what happens. I have been tempted so much since Ash Wednesday, yet somehow, I keep winning. I guess it is because I keep praying whenever I feel tempted to give in. I just close my eyes, pray, silently, and sometimes out loud. I seriously ask myself, if it is worth breaking Lent just to satisfy a selfish indulgence, and everytime I try to find an excuse, I find another reason to to contrary, and I end up not giving in.

But it is hard sometimes... It is hard, because temptation is everywhere... It is out in full force, working in the shadows, in the still of the nights, in the quiet tremors of my sleep. Even in the calmness of the daytime, looking through the glass at work towards the West and towards the North, where a part of me still lies. The urge to break, surge, but it goes away. As long as I resist, it goes away.

I knew it was not going to be easy, but neither is being a Christian. So much challenge. Jesus never said it was going to be a cakewalk! You will be hated on, by the devil, by the world, and you will be tested and tempted to give into your desires. But Jesus also said that if the world hates me, know that the world has hated Jesus first. Just as Jesus carried the cross to take upon him the sins of mankind, so must I challenge myself to resist the temptations that are all around me. It is up to me to take up my cross... and follow Jesus.

On the flipside of things, it looks like I have zoned in on my future home! It is a nice 3 bed 3.5 bath townhome, still in the Containment Area and closer to work!!! Which is the key for me! The subdivision is still developing which means it will be complete and great by the time I finish my mission in this area. I am still bent on my seven year battle plan, and if things happen (marriage), so be it. But if I am still single, the possibilites of my career will be endless, especially for all I want to accomplish!

Time to start making moving plans! Good thing I do not have a lot to move! But it does not hurt being ready for whats to come! These are exciting, alluring, and extremely tempting times for me! Only with patience, time, prayer, the advice of good people, can I ever stand a chance at sorting this all out correctly.

Time for me to sleep now. I have to pick up my niece tomorrow! She will be joining me at church.

The Lenten Saga: Day 10

So much going on...

So much at work...

So much outside of work...

Work, Workout, Tutor, Golf, Choir, dealing with @$$holes on the road to and from work... Just a real dose of life. Clothes no longer fit because they are too big for me, yet I refuse to get a new wardrobe because I am cheap... I guess I will have to change that tune.... Maybe after I get the home and furnish it! Priorities are becoming more and more clearer, in which (sorry to say), being social and dating members (and only members) of the opposite sex is moving lower and lower down the list. Hell, it is not like I was not trying. Women here are on some other stuff. Either they are not on my level, or vice-versa, or they are at different stages in their life, whatever. We are just not clicking! It is also possible, well, definitely possible I am meeting the wrong ones at the wrong places. Well, I will not have to worry much about that in the future. When my one year anniversary hits (the day I moved to the Containment Area), I will implement a new strategy in my development. Something I have been planning since coming to this area. No real makeovers, just a new focus... More like a theme for the year to come. Something to keep me motivated, and striving, a missing desire that I can strive towards.

One thing I learned that I am good at is implementing things that I say I am going to do. I have made a lot of promises and commitments for Lent (as well as giving up quite a bit), and I have not broken my Lenten commitment. Basically, it is only because I have one of those drives to do things "just to do them" and I love challenging myself. I try to make things a competition, even if I am the only competitor, in my mind. It drives me to push on, and implement new and different things to see if it brings me closer to whatever goals I have set. And I do feel like I accomplished something when I meet the goals.

Tomorrow, I am going to the driving range with a fellow friend who just thinks my views on dating are extreme! This is going to be one hell of a conversation! Count on that!

The Lenten Saga: Day 9

Well, I guess something always has to happen to balance the power of the forces that be. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, for every up, a down, an in, an out, and a success, a failure...

Enter Barack Obama...

The nation's first Black President! To me, he is doing his thing, and I applaud him for all his efforts. At least he is trying and basically asking the American people to help him. When he won the presidency, not only was it historic (esp. after what America put people like my father and his side of the family through), but he did the one thing that I never thought anyone in recent times can do... Restore credibility.... to...... LIGHT SKINNED BROTHAS EVERYWHERE!!!

From Sea to Shining Sea, and all the amber waves of grain.... The "Light-Skinnededed" Brothas have returned, with Obama showing everyone what we are truly about: integrity, class, dignity, and respect. And he shows it! In his thoughts and in his words, and especially his actions, for this nation when he is at work, and at all times, towards his beautiful (Midwest representin!!!') wife Michelle, and their two daughters. Nothing rattles him. He is cool, calm, and collected, even in times of mounting pressure. He has not flown off the handle, nor did he do anything unbecoming of a gentleman! A role model for all men.... especially us light skinned brothas!!! HEHEHEHHEHEHEHEHHE!!!!!!!

So Yes on that night when the west coast polls closed and CNN made the announcement (Because it AINT final until you SEE IT ON CNN), I rejoiced.... I rejoiced because not only did America's better angels showed up, but also at the fact that LIGHT SKINNED IS BACK IN BAYBEE!!!! WoooHOOOOO!

WOOOHOOOOO
WOOOHOOOOO
WOOOHOOOOO!!!!

Enter Chris Brown...

Yea, I think you know where I am going with this...

Just when it was cool to be a light-skinned brotha again, the Rihanna assault happens. Now I read the affidavit, and if that is the actual account, the law of the land in this case, then it goes without saying that this is a blow to my kind everywhere! To what degree have my peoples been set back, I do not know, and by 'my peoples,' I am referring to Light Skinned Brothas, as you are well aware! But this can not be good. I have so many thoughts on the affidavit, enough to fill in several days worth of blog entries, and rantings, but I will save myself, and you that torture, because there are too many things going on in my life, that I wish to share with you through my writings... I am not going to write more entries about the horrible turn of events on a celebrity.

Besides, I have been getting notes from women (surprisingly) on my Social Dating Okie-Dok notes (designed to help brothas out)... How I-R-O-N-I-C!! Literally asking me when am I going to write my next one. Why are yall so interested in them? It was designed to help some of MY male friends see the warning signs when they go and try to be that Barack for you, but then you do things to mess with his mind and heart, and make him do things he might not normally do (pull a Chris, to a degree).

Anyways, Okie-Dok note coming soon, maybe next week-ish. There is a lot going on right now in my Lenten Journey that I wish I could share, but I can not. Not now at least. I am going to bed now.

Will light skin be in tomorrow? After this series of events, nothing is certain!

The Lenten Saga: Day 8

You know what I have not written in awhile? A Social Dating Okie-Dok note! I guess that is because a lot of stuff is going on in my world, both inside and outside of work. Did not read Job 3 yet for the Caterpillar challenge. And since we did not meet last Saturday, the Engineer in me is saying "Hmm... If we were to discuss chapters 1 and 2 last saturday, and we need to do 1 chapter a week, what should the yankee be prepared to share with the group this week (to stay up to speed with the Caterpillar Challenge)?" My logic is flawless (damn I am good)!!! So Why am I slacking!?! I have no clue. Oh yea, I need to tell the choir peoples that I will be taking their pictures Sunday... I suppose I can do that at practice tomorrow, and I need to see if the nieces want to join me at church.

I wanted my next social dating okie-dok note to be about something that I addressed in an earlier entry (see Happy St. Valentines Day), but I think I am going to digress and talk about something else... Something a little bit more subtle that women do (which to me, is disrepectful) that I have encountered during the times I was single during undergrad, grad school, and even today. So to the ladies, I am just going to give you a heads up that you might not like my opinion or my position on this particular topic but at the end of MY day, when it comes to social dating, it solves more problems (for me) than it creates.

The Lenten Saga: Day 7

I am so tired. Why am I even up this late? I need to get up around 5 or something tomorrow. This is gonna suck. Oh you know what? I did my next reading for Caterpillar. This next chapter was very intriguing, interesting, and sad. Now all I gotta do is read to corresponding chapter in Job... But not tonight! Tomorrow is going to be as exhausting as today. Inside and outside of work. Exercise is getting more intensive, along with maintaining Lenten promises. Heres to day 8!

The Lenten Saga: Day 6

SNOW EVERYWHERE!

It was soooo beautiful! It reminded me of Ohio all over again. Hmmm... I might like this place after all... I am experiencing somewhat all four seasons... Now if only it was like this for a few days before spring... No tutoring today! I am not complaining! Just home, warm, and cozy listening to my prayer group meeting via phone. Gotta love technology. All right, gotta go!

The Lenten Saga: Day 5

Sunday Thoughts...

So today, I had to play substitute teacher for a 2nd/3rd grade class after church. It was interesting... Before church I was told that the two regulars (these two beautiful young Christ-centered women) could not make it, and since I have already had limited exposure to this class, I was somehow the perfect candidate for the job. Now how could I say no to the lady in charge?

So the message from the church today was that as we are going through our lenten journey, we need to reaffirm our faith in the Lord, hear him, and let him enter our hearts. When we do this, we, well, grow. So that was one of the things I wanted to teach this class for the day. So instead of using the orange books, I challenged them to a word puzzle based off four words: God, Repent, Lord, and Word. I aligned it in such a way that when placed in a certain order, you see the word "GROW." The kids really had fun solving this puzzle. The activity for the day was the one where we were going to plant our seeds. So they had cups, dirt, seed, popsicle sticks, and instructions. 

The class for the most part was cooperative, except for 2 students, who were dismissed after repeated offenses; not showing courtesy or respect to the instructor or to fellow students. One of the two students that were dismissed, after repeated requests to stop playing around, spilled dirt on their clothes, chair, and floor. After they were excused, class resumed, and students were very courteous, and respectful. We learned about how to sow seeds and how to take care of our plants, and how to GROW in Christ.

Unfortunately, we did not get to the book lesson, but I hope that does not dampen the regular teacher's instruction plans. Overall, it was a fun experience. You learn patience, quickly. I found that being polite but firm was very effective for all but 2 of the students. And they like engaging in interactive activities. I would instruct again if given the opportunity. 

The lenten journey continues! I have not faltered... Lets see what Day 6 brings!