What is the point of an idea?

The second most important lesson any of us can ever learn is that our minds are the playground where any and everything we want to happen can happen. I know that at one time, the people reading this wanted to be spacemen, princesses, firemen, and probably a few of you who wanted to be president. I'm sure that somewhere along the line, you told your ideas and your dreams to someone else, and they said something to the effect of, "That will never work." So in just four simple words, it's possible to crush an idea even before it's attempted. But this raises the bigger question, what is the point of an idea?

Ideas are a construct of our minds & often, the difference between its success or failure depends on if we use that idea or not. Nothing you use or buy has ever or will ever magically appear. The television you watch...started out as an idea, the computer you use...started out as an idea, and even the websites you visit were just ideas in a person's head until they decided to try them. The next big thing that everyone will want is an idea in someone's head right now.

Ideas need plans, and plans need ideas. It's a basic symbiotic relationship. You may have an idea that you decide to share with your friends and family. They may tell you that it's a great idea and you might even share it with people you meet on twitter or facebook. The setback for you now is that unless you come up with a plan of action, the only thing that you have is an idea. From here, there's one of two conclusions: either your idea is wasted and it profits you nothing, or someone else thinks of your idea or steals your idea and uses it. In the last scenario, you become one of the people who inevitably say, "Aww, I had thought of that. If only I had done something with it."

The last thing to bring up is what is the value of an idea? Every idea is both priceless to the person who thought of it, and worthless to everyone else until that idea has a physical breakthrough. So for those of you with ideas running through your heads now, I hope you start a plan for your idea so that you can make it a reality for the rest of us.

You done messed up

We are all capable of great and wonderful things, and in our lifetimes, many of us are able to achieve those things. Even with our capability for goodness, there's one thing that none of us can escape. We are all human, and therefore, we are all also capable of messing up.

Now when I say that we are capable of messing up, it's not a cop-out or an excuse for anyone to do wrong. What this means is that if we gave in to our body's desires and whims, then we would quickly and easily mess up. I can't count how many times I've personally screwed up, but I can honestly say that every time I did, I was never forced into the wrongdoing. It's always in our control to do the right thing or fall for the wrong...remember that.

The main reason I came up with this blog is because of something I read. There was a rich and powerful man who had the best of everything and beautiful women all over him. One night, he saw this gorgeous woman and he found out who she was and he found out she was married. He didn't let marriage stop him because he sent his hired help to tell her to come to his house, and when she did, he slept with her and got her pregnant. So he came up with a plan of sending her husband to the front line of a war, and her husband was killed. After that, this rich man married the woman. I can't begin to describe how many ways this man messed up.

The story I'm talking about is the story of David, but here's the kicker...David was so wrapped up in how good his wrongdoing felt that he didn't even realize he was doing wrong. God ended up sending someone to him to tell him that he slipped up and messed up. That's just how warped we get when we get caught up in the wrong thing. We lose sight of the fact that we're doing wrong, and I can recall several occasions where someone else had to tell me that I was in the wrong. Of course, the first thing I did was get upset, and I've also said, "Who are you to judge me? You ain't perfect!".

No, there is no one among us that's perfect, but if your first thought when someone tells you that you messed up is to get angry, you need to pause. Think about what they said, and why they said it. Sometimes, people will try to call you out on something just because they don't like you. But there are also times that people will tell you, "You done messed up." because they actually care enough about you to fill you in when you're clueless about how badly you're slipping up.

And when you realize what you've done wrong, "I'm sorry" is the first thing you need to say to the ones you've wronged. Just remember that it's always easier to tell yourself "No!" when it comes to doing something that you know is wrong than having to humble yourself and apologizing for the wrong that you allowed yourself to do. And if you ever need a visual reminder of what happens when you slip up, check out 2 Samuel 12:1-12. It's a lot easier to read someone else's consequences than to have to face your own.

Why I Go to Church

The title of this blog says exactly what I'll be talking about right now. I was moved to write this after I read "The Dilemma of the Unchurched Believer". I feel that this was a good blog because it expresses the writer's true feelings no matter what anyone else thinks.

My first reason for going to church as a kid was because my parents made me. Most Sundays, I didn't want to go and I would try to find any excuse not to go which would include lying about being sick, injured, or even losing clothes(yeah, it was that bad). But as a kid, I could only look forward to the time I was a grown up and I wouldn't have to go to church anymore.

Once I graduated high school and left home for college, my dad died. That event, plus oddly enough, reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X, I began to seriously doubt the presence and existence of God. That doubt grew to denial which led me to living on my own earthly beliefs.

A number of things renewed my belief and my faith in God. For starters, I have lived through a major car accident, I've lived through sickness, and there have been many situations in my life that I had no control over yet I made it through. While some might say doctors healed me, or I had luck on my side, I know enough to be able to say that there is no book or no person that can teach someone else how to perform miracles of healing. I can also say that luck has nothing to do with the trials I've made it through because if luck truly existed, everyone would have a rabbit's foot right now. So my renewed faith in God brought me back to church. It was incredulous to me that I actually wanted to go.

But that's not the end of it because at one time(this is around 2002), I stopped going to church. My church became divided over a preacher and I couldn't stand it. I got fed up with all of these people who claimed they loved God fussing and fighting like they do on VH1 reality shows. So I figured that I could still get my praise on with God at my house by watching the t.v. ministers. This kind of life didn't work for me for 2 reasons. First, I began to see that the less time I spent being around people who were working to be more God-like and the more time I spent being around people who didn't care about religion, the less attention I gave God. Second, I came to accept and understand that going to church was meant for me to get closer to God by learning about Him through His word, and not so I can get closer to another person.

There is no man alive that determines my success or my failure, and there is no man alive that determines my salvation or my damnation. I've learned that that is why I go to church to, "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling." (Psalms 2:11) The journey I made to give my life to God is far from done, but it is my journey. I can't tell you who to serve, and neither can anyone else. But I will gladly tell you what He's done for me.

It's highly acceptable to brag on others

I like talking about myself. That may sound like an amazing revelation, but even I have to admit that sometimes, I enjoy spending time in self-amazement at all my "glory". In spite of this, I am constantly made aware of something even more powerful and something more worthwhile... flaunting the gifts, abilities, and successes of others.

Am I crazy for this...not in the least bit. Because not only have I found that my friends have told more people about what I've done than I could ever do alone, but I also find it more fun to talk about someone other than myself. How else do we find out about the singer with the amazing voice that no one else has heard of? Do you personally always have the best relationship advice or do you get words of wisdom from someone who's been in a happy relationship for years on end?

We are a world that thrives on information and the only way that information is learned is when you pass it on. I've made amazing friends, acquaintances, contacts, and whatever else you want to call them, but the greatest thrill in knowing them is making sure others know about them too.

My 2010 NFL predictions

Disclaimer: I am as shocked as you are about some of my predictions, but I stand behind them...unless players start getting hurt(I'm looking at you Mr. Schaub & Mr. Sanders).

AFC North

Baltimore - 14-2(div. winners)
Cincinnati - 11-5(wild card winner)
Pittsburgh - 9-7
Cleveland - 0-16(a little of a shocker)

AFC South

Indianapolis - 12-4(div. winners)
Tennessee - 10-6(wild card winner)
Houston - 9-7
Jacksonville - 2-14

AFC East

New England - 12-4(div. winners)
New York - 7-9(so much for buying a SB)
Miami - 7-9
Buffalo - 3-13

AFC West

San Diego - 13-3(div. winners)
Denver - 8-8
Oakland - 8-8
Kansas City - 4-12

NFC North

Green Bay - 12-4(div. winners)
Minnesota - 8-8(don't shoot the messenger)
Chicago - 8-8
Detroit - 7-9(BIG time improvement)

NFC South

New Orleans - 12-4(div. winners)
Atlanta - 12-4(wild card winner)
Carolina - 6-10
Tampa Bay - 3-13

NFC East

Dallas - 13-3(div. winners)
New York - 10-6(wild card winner)
Philadelphia - 8-8
Washington - 6-10

NFC West

San Francisco - 9-7(div. winners)
Arizona Cardinals - 5-11
Seattle Seahawks - 4-12
St. Louis - 3-13

AFC championship game

Baltimore vs. San Diego - Baltimore wins

NFC championship game

Dallas vs. Green Bay - Dallas wins

Super Bowl 45

Dallas vs. Baltimore(YEAH!)

A Jazmine Cashmere is tempting, but a Lena Horne is timeless

A Jazmine Cashmere is tempting, but a Lena Horne is timeless
Being a man, I admit I am addicted to the visual
But there's something about style and grace that's more sensual
A woman's beauty may fade, but her soul is everlasting

Being a man, I admit I am addicted to the visual
But no matter how good she looks, at some point, she has to talk
A woman's beauty may fade, but her soul is everlasting
Some women have sexy parts, but a chosen few exude sexiness

No matter how good she looks, at some point, she has to talk
And the phenomenal women have brains behind that sexy walk
Some women have sexy parts, but a chosen few exude sexiness
The iceberg of your body is stunning, but show me what's underneath

The phenomenal women have brains behind that sexy walk
But there's something about style and grace that's more sensual
The iceberg of your body is stunning, but show me what's underneath
A Jazmine Cashmere is tempting, but a Lena Horne is timeless

Writer's note - If you haven't heard of Jazmine Cashmere or Lena Horne, google them! No, I'm not picking on Jazmine or anyone else because she is sexy. This poem is about going past the outer beauty and finding out what's underneath...the real sexiness is there.

Talented Ink Vs. The Iced Out Kid

YOU ROCKED OUT, YOU ICED OUT

BUT I'M ABOUT TO CUT THE LIGHTS OUT

GAME'S OVER, SCHOOL'S IN SESSION

THIS TEACHER'S BRINGING THE FIRST LESSON

YOU ROLLING ON DUBS WITH A MIND FULL OF NOTHING

BUT IT'S HIGH TIME SOMEBODY SAY SOMETHING

YOU LISTEN TO KANYE AND RICK ROSS RHYME

BUT FOR KNOWLEDGE WON'T SPARE A DIME

I SPIT FIRE ON YOU FOR WEARING ICE

LISTEN TO MY WORDS BECAUSE I WON'T SAY THEM TWICE

I USE NOUNS, ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS

FOR SORRY SUCKERS GETTING ON MY NERVES

STEADILY SCREAMING OUT "HATERATION"

WHILE YOU'RE DUMBING DOWN AN ENTIRE NATION

I CAN'T TAKE ANYMORE, MY MIND'S OFF VACATION

SO SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP

AS THESE LYRICS I CUT UP

THOSE GUYS HAVE MILLION DOLLAR DEALS

FOR MAKING YOUR DUMBASS BUY GRILLS

OPEN A BOOK, READ, AND THEN LEARN

INSTEAD OF ACTING LIKE YOU HAVE MONEY TO BURN

IGNORANCE ISN'T BLISS

IF MY WORDS YOU MISS

ON THE WRONG THINGS YOU GIVE RELIANCE

SO IT'S ONLY RIGHT I DROP SWEET SCIENCE

I ONLY SAY THESE WORDS BECAUSE I GIVE A DAMN

"AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER..."

"YES I AM!"