Frontier of My Mind

So much has changed over time, yet so much has stayed the same. There is so much more of an upside in my life, rather than the downside. So much of the scenery has broadened around me, and so much of the landscape of life has bloomed before my eyes. So many inches have turned into feet and so many feet have turned into miles in my walk of life. I have had many hills that I’ve climbed, but yet so many mountains that haven’t been explored in my life.
I have had many moments to smile, as well as many moments of disappointment. The smiles have always come more than the disappointment, yet I have learned that disappointments are beneficial to grow in life. My disappointments make me more driven to not ever be disappointed again. Disappointment hurts but not as much as settling for that disappointment when it happens to you. In growing into a man and growing in life, I have learned to smile in the face of defeat and despair. Nothing is ever as bad as we sometimes make it out to be. When all seems lost, there are always limitless possibilities. When and only when we learn that principle, can we learn to live stress free and peaceful. Good days and bad days come in the same chance to improve on. The only certainty is that we will have to face them. There are no good days or bad days, rather some days are better than others, and some days test you more than others.
There are so many phases in life that I go through. Each phase is like building a house. Each goal and phase that I hit in my life adds another level to the house of life that I am building. As I look into the windows of life, the more focused that I become to accomplish many new things. There are so many questions left to be answered, but yet it is better to have more questions than answers at times. There are many unknown things in my life to explore. The hunt for an answer to the unknowns in life is what fuels the fire in me. Each goal that I hit in life was a barrier that had to be overcome. It is a gift that takes so much work to attain, so much patience, so much determination that it never needs to be unwrapped, nor spoken of. Each phase of my life has a different meaning, but nonetheless is essential to building the house of life.
I have learned that transitioning to each new phase of my life; I have to withdraw from people. Sometimes it is beneficial to take a step back from everyone and clear your head. When you are alone, your thoughts become so much clearer. So many dreams are realized, so many ideas come to mind, and so many actions to the steps that you want to and need to take can be mapped out. Decompression from the world renews motivation, and removes all skeptics from your life, if even for that moment. Many times, I just sit on my patio and look out at the woods behind my house, and think about nothing. Listening to nature’s music is as soothing to my soul as the best massage that life has to offer. Animals are amazing in that they have no worries, but only what to eat next, and where to go in life. That to me is true peace. I love to think about nothing because that is when nothing turns into something, and a new and prolific idea is produced. Nothing good comes from a clouded mind, but great and ingenious ideas come from a clear and concise mind. Sometimes we need to wipe off the windows of our mind to get a greater outlook on the horizon of life. That is the only way that you can realize that the small hills that we have made in our lives are nothing more than distractions that need to be removed from our path. (By hills, I mean people, places, and things that consume your life, and add a negative influence to it.). Then and only then can we climb the mountain of life without the extra added baggage that having the wrong influences and people create for you to carry. Added weight doesn’t make you stronger; in actuality it hinders you from achieving your goal sooner rather than later.
I have so many dreams that have been realized, and so many goals to behold. Though the tasks may seem so far away, they give this astronaut a reason to shoot for the stars. I haven’t topped the hill but yet I have turned the corner. I have many new frontiers to pioneer, and the sky is not my limit, nothing is limited except how far the mind can think, and my mind is filled with infinite possibilities and ideas.

~Marks of Wisdom

Sex

This is a subject that I sort of feel an obligation to speak on. As a young Black male, I want to share my views on sex as a family as a whole, from the children up to the parents. My reason for writing this post is to teach young men the right way to think about sex because to be truthful, some young men are growing up under the wrong direction of older male figures in their lives. So with that, I want to share my views and get the young and old men on the right track, because someone has to be a beacon of light for young men, and show them the correct way to view sex.

To start off this discussion, I want to say that I think that some men have everything twisted. They think that the more women that you have sex with, displays your masculinity. It is glorified in society, as if you are accomplishing a certain feat or obtaining a sort of mythical manhood stature. Taking numbers or stats doesn’t make you more of a man than anything in the world. Men you are teaching your sons, nephews, and friends the wrong way. As men teach these teenagers and young adults the wrong way, they neglect to tell you much about sex. They say that you should have it as much as possible, but neglect to tell you things about the consequences that come with having sex, and do believe me when I say that sex has consequences.

For starters, sex can complicate your life. Sex that is taken lightly can have devastating and catastrophic results. You have to be mature and responsible whenever you engage in a sexual act. There are many diseases out there that you can’t get rid of, such as AIDS, herpes, etc. Even if you don’t get those diseases, there are ones that you can contract and get rid of such as Gonorrhea, Chlamydia. Despite the fact that you can get rid of them, doesn’t negate the temporary effects of them, and the physiological effects of having contracted them. Now all jokes aside, me and my man downstairs are tight and he’s been with me from the start, so I wouldn’t ever want my best friend to suffer, or put him in a position to be set on fire. Thank the lord that I never contracted a disease, even though I had my share of sexual exploits. Also, I would be doing you no justice if I did not talk about getting someone pregnant. That in itself is devastating to a young person. Babies cost money to raise. They take diapers, milk, water, food, clothes, etc., and as a child having a child, you are crippling your child because you don’t truly know yourself yet, nor do you have the money or resources to give a child the life that they deserve to have.

You aren’t mature or ready to have sex as a teenager in my opinion. I know a lot of youngsters have tried to debate with me about being mature. Just because you are physically equipped, doesn’t mean that you are mature. Height and age doesn’t constitute maturity. White or grey hair does not engender maturity. Maturity doesn’t come with age, nothing does but wrinkles. There are a lot of 40 to 50 year old men that are more childish than some teenagers, so age doesn’t matter here. That is where the disconnect is at. The same guys that are telling these children that same crap are the ones whose lives are so messed up that they can’t see straight. Why would you teach a child to go down the same path that you had already ruined your life with? Sex should be reserved for when you are ready and mature mentally to handle the consequences associated with having it.

I have a question for you young men. Would you rather have sex with 200 women 1 time, or would you rather have sex with 1 woman 200 times? If you say the first, then you are foolish. A one night stand can leave you with a lifetime of troubles. Not to mention, that not every woman is great in bed. I would rather have one woman that I could get to know, and one that I could mold into what I wanted as far as in the bedroom, as well as me knowing what she likes as well. It makes the experience more pleasurable. That is what mature and wise men know, ya dig. Also, most of the young men think that sex starts in the bed, which is naïve. Sex is between the ears before it is between the legs, but this is what you learn as you mature. So just know young men, that you have a lot to learn and I’m about to teach you.

First lesson. What does the word SEX mean? Sex stands for S-Specially Designed, E-Enjoyed For Life, X-Sex is not X-Rated, It Is God Created. God says do sex his way. That means honestly to be between a husband and wife. That is why in the bible, it says wait until you are married to have sex. Sex is a part of discipleship. It should be seen as an act of worship. It is special. God smiles when a husband and wife make love. Sex is the superglue of marriage. Sex in a marriage is blessed. You are not fornicating, nor do you have the worries that come with having sex with someone that you don’t really know, nor do you ever wanna get to know on a serious basis. There isn’t such a thing as casual sex. Whoever said that was a liar. It might start off as casual, but it manifests into something more always. Feelings get involved by one of the parties, and that is when the strings become attached. So whoever says that sex means nothing wasn’t being truthful because when it comes down to it, sex is a web that gets tangled the more you do it.

Second lesson. How does lust play a part in everything? Lust is the biggest part that gets most men in trouble. Your hormones are racing and you can make irrational decisions while in the heat of the moment. You need to train your eyes to look once, and then see her as a body with parts. It is total fantasy. I see many beautiful women everywhere I go. I have had many beautiful women hit on me, and still do to this day. The thing that maturity tells me is, that woman may provide pleasure for a minute but not for more than that. The devil wants to turn sex into an unholy fantasy. Young people, you need to look past the lure of lust, to the result of lust. The devil wants to twist everything. He won’t tell you outright to go ahead and have sex with a woman. He will bring this woman around you, and tempt you. You know when people say that God won’t put more on me than I can bear, that is a scripture that is about temptation, not pain. For example, you see women out and about, and you think, “Wow, she is beautiful and I’d love to get with her and have sex.” Well people at work, and at the restaurants, etc., are always on top of their game. That is fantasy, not reality. They look different at home, and they have flaws too. So that is why lust is a sin and is costly if you take lusts advances.

As young men and older men, I think that when we see a young teenage boy and have some influence in his life, then we should teach them the right things instead of wrong things about sex and life. It is my responsibility to lead young men down the right path because most of the time, all that some teenagers need is a mentor or father figure to guide them down the right path. I mean think about it, what if someone would take interest in a troubled young man’s life, then maybe that young man won’t go down the wrong path, and just might amount to something. We all should teach our kids, nieces, nephews, friends, and even strangers about the right way to live. Though I have made many past mistakes, I can use those mistakes to teach the next generation about that mistakes that I made, so they won’t repeat the previous mistakes that I made. That means as far as having sex when I should’ve waited for marriage and everything else that I can teach. It is my duty and yours also.

~Marks of Wisdom

In Between The Ears

So many things that are believed now-a-days are based off of perception. That is why I titled this post “In Between The Ears”, because it all starts in the mind. Whether it’s true or not, it all revolves on what you think.

A lot of people think just because someone has a big house, drive a high priced vehicle, or wear the best clothes, that they are successful. That is so far from the truth. Materialism is not success, nor does it correlate into being rich or wealthy. You can have a big house, the best clothes, the highest priced car, and still be the brokest human alive. All that having all of that material stuff means to me is that you have got a lot of payments that consume the money that you do have. Just because a person has all of those items doesn’t mean that they are paid for either. People can sell you a dream, but until I see a paid for deed for that house, or a title for that vehicle, it doesn’t mean a thing to me.

People think also that because I moved to Atlanta and I work as an Engineer that me and my family are rich or wealthy, and have it made. That makes me laugh. I have a question to ask people. What is your definition of rich, wealthy, and having it made? Because I have to get up everyday and go to work like anyone else, and so does my wife. Rich to me means that you have over a million (Liquid) dollars in your bank account. Wealthy is having billion (Liquid) dollars in your bank account in my eyes. It seems to me that I haven’t achieved any of those statuses, so I obviously have some more work to do and I am not either of those. Who has it made, huh? I sure haven’t. I go to work and work probably harder than anyone. The difference in me and other people is that I am motivated to go to the top and not settle for where I am now. If I had it made then I wouldn’t have to work and could just sit on my hump and lay back. So please don’t think that I have anything made. I have worked to get to the point in my life that I am at. There was nothing given to me, nor were there any corners cut. There have never been any silver or gold spoons put in my mouth. The only thing that was given to me was a hunger to succeed in anything that I do, and a dream of Engineering. So don’t be so quick to say that me and my wife have it made because I can show a million eyes hard times when I was growing up that they haven’t ever seen if they step into my shoes.

It’s funny that most people front like they are rich when they really don’t have but a few thousand in their bank accounts. Bragging about having a lot of money never makes me think that someone has any money. Talk is cheap. Let me clue you in on something. I know a lot of people who are rich and have plenty of money. The difference between broke people and rich people is that rich people don’t ever talk about how much money that they have, only broke individuals do. I’ve always heard that empty cans make the most noise, so obviously this statement is true.

A lot of people think that everything in me and my wife’s life is perfect. Nothing is perfect in life. Our life is not a Fairytale. If everything was perfect then there would be no need for God. Me and my wife have gone through so much over the years. People only see the end result sometimes. They only see the best and not the worst that you go through. They only see the success and not the struggle to get to the top. Me and my wife work hard at being the best couple that we can, and we give the same thing to the world that we give in our relationship, hard work. It’s not a coincidence that we do good in our work life, relationship, parenting, spiritual life, and giving back to the community. There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes in our lives that we do. It starts with our motivation. We are so motivated to leave this world with a great legacy. We are both dedicated to God and the principle of faith. Growing up poor, I see the value of faith and giving back. I believe that success unshared is failure. We both feel that you need to show up in life. A lot of people think that you have to get motivated and then you act. It is quite the opposite. You need to act and then get motivated after you act. That is what me and my wife learned quite early and it has paid off triple fold. I feel that in doing things that way then you won’t ever miss an opportunity because if you stay ready then you ain’t gotta get ready when the times comes. That is why me and my wife do good in whatever we take on. So please don’t think that our lives are easy. It takes hard work to do your best.

There is also a misconception about competition. I have had a lot of people that have tried to compete with me over the years, and think that I will compete with them. Let me make this clear to anyone that hates me or tries to compete with me. I will not compete with you. I only compete with myself to make myself better. I don’t respond to anything that anyone says about me because they aren’t worth my time. If you respond to anything that anyone says about you then that means that you have stooped down to their level. I don’t compete because I have the house that I want. I have the vehicles that I want. I have the family that I want. So why is their any need to compete when I am satisfied with my life? Also people have tried to compete with money. I could care less about what anyone makes or what they do because you are just working a job to use your money to show off for now, and I’m working on my career to set up my kids and grandkids. I do this for God, my wife and kids, and because I know that I am blessed to be a blessing to others less fortunate than me. You do this for selfish intent and for competition. So when you try to compete, just know that I am cut from a different cloth. It’s like trying to compare a patchwork quilt to Egyptian cotton sheets. By that I mean that we are of different quality and purpose. So just know that I refuse to ever acknowledge anyone that competes with me because my goals are not the same as yours, so the odds are not in your favor.

I will leave this post by saying this. Don’t ever look at what other people have and want it or covet it. That is why the bible says live by faith and not by sight. Things may look good on the outside, but they are not always as they seem. They may have something one day, and they might not have it the next. That’s why perception is a mirage at times, and made up in between your ears. I say read into something before you go to cast judgment. Don’t judge a book until you’ve read it in-depth.

~Marks of Wisdom

Trials & Their Silver Lining

I think that I can speak on this subject because I can honestly say that I’ve been tested more than most people. Being that I was in the Construction Industry, I endured a lot of trials over the past years. I was laid off 3 times in 3 years at a time in my life. Being that I was laid off that many times in consecutive years made me a stronger man, and more resilient.

Most say that going through a hardship or trial builds your character. I think that going through a hardship shows you whether you had any character at all in the first place. The first time that I was laid off was the hardest because of the fear of the unknown. This was new territory for me. I didn’t know if I would get a new job soon, or what was going to happen. Fortunately, I always have been a person that relies on God to provide and not man. The second time that it happened, I sort of knew what to expect and I had an idea of how to tackle this hardship with God’s help. The third time, I knew what to expect all around, and I wasn’t fearful at all, nor was I angry or sad. Each time God made my spirit stronger, more motivated, and not so gun shy of the pink slip.

Through the time when I was laid off and throughout my life growing up, God showed me things that I started to figure out as I matured in life. He showed me that sometimes you have to lose something to get something better. Each time that I got laid off, I got a better job and a lot better pay. If I had stayed in the same job that I had before, then God couldn’t have blessed me with a better situation. A lot of times we are quick to anger and sadness when every a trial comes our way, but I learned to step back and watch God do his work. I started to realize what was going on, and just let it flow. I see now that I was not on the right mountain. I was just climbing small hills and God was knocking me down those hills to make me stronger, more dependent on him, and to put me on the mountain that he wanted. When the lord has a greater calling for you, he will put you through things many times over, and in the end, you will be better than you would’ve ever thought.

God was building me up for a greater plan “His Plan.” He allowed me to take on those trials so that each time my focus, confidence, resilience, and faith could grow. My patience and faith has been tested, and God gave me the “Rubber Band Factor” for my life. That means that I fell many times, but I always bounce back, through God’s grace. I learned throughout my life that how you view the world all depends on your perspective. Some days you eat the bear, and some days the bear eats you. By that I mean, some days are good and some are bad. I learned to be happy no matter what comes my way. Just because a day isn’t going great doesn’t mean that I can’t find something good to take from that day. Most of the time we view a day that doesn’t go the way that we would like as a bad day, but I see those days as days opportunities to turn a negative into a positive because if the day didn’t go rough then you wouldn’t have learned something new, such as how to deal with a future situation that goes down like that day did. I see that life’s ups and downs provide us with windows of opportunity to determine your values and goals.

Most of the time, we don’t get down until someone else says “Aw man I’m sorry and I feel bad for you.” My take is don’t feel sorry for anyone because you don’t know what God has planned for that person. Here’s an example. When I was laid off the second time I got a great job offer but it was in Baltimore, Maryland. Many people had told me that they wouldn’t take it, and that it was too far away, and that the crime was too high. If I had not moved up there then I wouldn’t have been able to see a new part of the country, pay my bills, feed my family, nor would I have gotten that big paycheck. People will push their fears off on you, and stop you from getting your blessing if you listen to them. Also, you need to realize that everyone isn’t for you. Even though they say that they have your best intentions in mind. Most people don’t want you to go to a certain place, take a certain job, nor do they see the great plan that God has in store for you. The reason being for all of that is because some people don’t want you to succeed in anyway because they don’t want you to get ahead of them in life. We need to see the silver lining in everything, whether it suits us or whether it doesn’t. You have to take a leap of faith when God gives you an opportunity rather than listening to other people’s opinions and emotions. You all know what I mean by emotions. Here’s an example. Someone will always say “I don’t know about you doing that or I don’t feel that you should do that.” That’s why I usually am alone. I have a select few friends, family, and I don’t even have any associates anymore. I have tunnel vision for positivity, and a mental block for foolishness. I don’t play little games or act like I am cool with anyone if they are associates because they just waste your time when you know that you don’t like them. I’m grown now and don’t have time for “Time Robbers” as I call them. I just say keep it moving. I’m not going to miss my blessing pretending to like someone when I know that they are just there to just be nosey and front like they like you. I say be real with yourself and if you don’t really like someone then say it, and not waste your own time by acting like you are their friend, or as I call it “Sleeping With The Enemy.”

I learned a lot through the trials. I learned who was for me and who was not. I learned that “He who trims himself to suit everyone will soon whittle himself away.” So therefore I say don’t listen to people, don’t try to do things to make people happy, and believe in yourself, and God. I learned to distance myself away from negativity as a youngster. The more people that you have in your life; the more chance that you have for trials, drama, and opinions that are not needed. It just comes with the territory. I see trials as segments to transcend you into a new phase of your life. Trials are beneficial. Don’t look at a trial as a negative. Turn them into positives. They are there for your benefit. How can you have a testimony without going through a test first? How could you get to the next level of your life without first having to be disconnected from your prior situation. It’s rather funny that most of us didn’t like that situation in the first place, beit a job, relationship, or a decision that you needed to make but didn’t know how to. So why be angry or sad that it is over now? My advice is to see trials as good instead of bad. Think of it as I do. It takes a lot of pressure, many hours, weeks, maybe even years to make a piece of coal into a diamond, but the end result is shiny, and worth more than it ever would’ve been if only viewed as a lump of coal. I want you all to shine bright and see the silver lining in hardships and trials rather than questioning them and being quick to anger and sadness because God is taking you to another level.

~Marks of Wisdom

Religion vs. Relationship

Throughout my life I have encountered many misunderstood notions as to what it means to be a Christian. I think that many people mistake having a religion for having a relationship with God. Throughout my thoughts today I want to shed more light into this subject.
I see that Christianity has become more tradition rather than relationship. There is a big problem in this. I will explain. As a kid, many people are told that they have to go to church on Sunday, but the parents don’t really explain why. That is tradition. When the kid asks the parent “Why do I have to go to church”, then parents say “Because I said so” instead of explaining the bible thoroughly. The child doesn’t understand anything unless you teach them. That is why you see so many people in church on Easter, Christmas, and Mothers Day instead of the rest of the year. Here’s a story for you to contemplate about tradition. A woman cooked a ham in the oven but always cut the butt off of it. So one day her husband asked her “Why do you cut the butt off of it every time you cook it.” She said well my mother always cooked it that way. Still wondering, he said yeah but why? She said I don’t know I’ll ask my mother. So she called her mother and her mother said “Well that’s how my mother always cooked it.” So the mother said I’ll call my mother and ask her since she is still alive. So they called the grandmother and asked her why she cooked it like that, and she said “Well I used to cut the butt off of the ham because the pan was too small”, lol. So that is just a demonstration of why tradition isn’t always the answer.
Some of the breakdown of the relationship starts by the church that you go to. Churches are supposed to be used to grow your relationship with God. You should seek churches wherein you can learn the principles of God, and that live by example. For example, I don’t personally think that a pastor has to hoop and holler to preach. Some people like that, but me personally I don’t. I don’t knock preachers that do that. That’s just my personal preference. My reason being that it’s more of a distraction for me. I zone out and daydream when they do it. I feel that there is a difference in preaching with passion and hollering just to make the congregation say “Preach on Pastor”. To me there is a difference between talking and teaching. The difference between just talking and teaching is that when someone just talks to you, you forget about that in a couple of hours, but when someone teaches you something, it stays with you for a lifetime. That is why I like pastor’s that teach in their sermons.
The bad thing about not having a good relationship with God is that you don’t really know him. A lot of people act like praying to God is magic. They think that all you have to do is pray and BAM, all of your prayers are answered. God requires obedience and discipline, and not just words. For example, A lot of people will do something wrong and know all the while that it is sin and wrong, and then have the audacity to say “Oh Well God Will Forgive Me.” Don’t you know that is pre-meditated sin. God doesn’t reward you for just saying “forgive me” when you know that you are doing wrong. Everything is all in the intent. If you do something without knowing that it is wrong, then it is different than doing something and knowing that it is wrong. That’s why I say it’s all in the intent. Yes, God will forgive you, but that does not negate the consequences of that sin, just know that.
Christianity has become watered down because people have religion rather than a relationship. This is due to one major factor. Hollywood has watered down the Angel and real Christianity for the matter of it. Throughout history an angel is perceived to be a baby with wings and a harp, singing music and going about on clouds. Throughout the bible, Angels never came in the form of a baby. They came in the form of a grown man. The baby is portrayed in art and movies as a baby rather than having any truth to it. The crazy part of it is that in this new age Adultery is not shunned as much as it used to be. Now a woman can mess with a famous man, and get rich and famous off of it. The problem with this newfound disrespect for God’s commandments is that the generation after that thinks that that is the standard. This generation is bold and permits all kinds of disregard for God’s word. Just know that today’s permission becomes tomorrow’s standard. Every time you lower the standard, your kids are going to come along and set it lower. Now that’s scary huh?
Many people think that Christians are wimps, pushovers, or lames. They think that we don’t have fun. That is so far from the truth. In the bible there were many God warriors. For instance, Peter cut off the guard’s ear when they tried to take Jesus away at the garden of Gethsemane, and David beat Goliath with a sling and a rock. There were also many people in the bible like David that danced in praise of the lord, and had fun. I have more fun as a mature Christian now than I used to as a young person because I know how to have fun the right way. I used to have stupid fun instead of logical fun. Also, being a Christian doesn’t mean that I am a pushover or that I won’t speak my mind. It just means that when I do speak to you, that I take more time out to think before I say something bad to you and I won’t put my hands on you if you get out of line with me.
There is a mythical place called Purgatory that needs to be talked about. They say that is a place that you go to while waiting on Jesus to come back. So they are calling it a Waiting Room. That is funny. Why would there be any reason for God to write the 10 commandments, and give us the manual on Earthly life (The Bible), if we were just going to a waiting place? When we die, we are either going to Heaven or Hell. After you die, you get no 2nd chances. There is no in between place. That would defeat the whole purpose of Jesus coming to Earth and dieing on the cross, am I correct?
A lot of people say that they believe in God and are Christian but don’t know anything that is in the bible, nor do you live your life by example. To be a Christian means to be Christ-like, and model yourself in his image. Ask yourself are you living as Christ would, or are you living your life as you would? That is why other religions don’t respect Christians, just to be truthful. A lot of us are living as hypocrites. We can all put Christian quotes and sayings on Facebook and say things to someone’s face that sound good. It is the life that you live in private and everyday that shows your true character. A lot of us think that all we have to do is just believe in Jesus to get to heaven. God calls all Christians to be disciples for him. The word disciple means “Disciplined One.” How can you be disciplined when you don’t even heed to what he has commanded you to do? God dislikes lukewarm Christians. He says be either or, and don’t straddle the fence. A lot of people don’t even know the truth about heaven except what their parents have taught them. My question is if you don’t know any of God’s commands by not reading the bible and heeding to God’s commands then aren’t you going to be a stranger to him? The bible is your manual for living your life the way that God wants it to be lived, don’t you see that? A lot of us constantly ask God to speak to us, but the same ones don’t see that he speaks to us through scripture. When you read the bible and meditate on it, then God shows you all that you need to know. The bible is your guide book to navigate throughout life, and it is your way to communicate with God. Ask yourself do you have religion or do you have a relationship?

~Marks of Wisdom

Wanna Bet

People have a lot of misconceptions about their 401k. They think of it as being their way to get rich and make your money move for you while you are going about your everyday life. With this post I plan to make you think more into the subject.

Most people think of their 401k as another savings account rather than it being a stock. Isn’t it intangible money rather than tangible money? You can’t just go and pull it out without paying a penalty of 15% on it unless you are at the retirement age.

In actuality you are gambling with your money rather than saving it. You are giving your money to someone who you think is going to make you money. Isn’t that the same thing as gambling? Sure sounds like Russian Roulette to me. Stocks are subject to rise and fall depending on how a product sells. For instance, Lets just say that you have stock in Target and it does well for the month. Then your money in that stock goes up for that month. Also vice versa if it tanks for the next month then all of your money is gone. Well let’s just say that each month your stock goes down and that happens until you get 65, then at the ripe old age of 65 you will have nothing to show for your effort. Who says that you will only live to be 80? Some people live to be 100, and I would think that it would be rather hard to live another 20 to 40 years without any money saved up.

I am not telling anyone to not put any money into their 401k. What I am saying is don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. You should only put about 5 to 10 percent of your money into your 401k. You should do what I call “Spreading The Wealth.” By that I mean that you should have your money spread across the table. That encompasses land acquisition, stocks, bonds, real estate, bank cd’s that gain interest the over the years that you have them, business ventures, etc. That is why all of those people lost their life savings with the Enron debacle. They were wishing on a dream. They had their entire livelihood tied into one thing. You should put the majority of your money into savings because that is something that you can feel and see. It is a tangible asset. It is the only for sure money that you can bank on. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

Why do people continue to tell me that by the time I get to be 65 then I will be a millionaire? They are only banking on their 401k, as if it is the way to become a millionaire, so naïve. Why can’t you become a millionaire before then? What is holding you back from that achievement? I plan on being a millionaire way before my retirement age. I think of banking on your 401k money instead of saving as dumb and inconceivable. You are going to mess up your for sure money, trying to get more money, and end up with no money. To tell you the truth, not many of you even know much about stocks and where your money is going anyway. They can show you charts and say a money mutual fund , Roth IRA, and all of that, but in essence it is like they are talking in Hebrew to someone that only knows English. You don’t know all about the true meaning of high risk, and low risk stocks. So therefore, you are paying someone to play with your money, and trusting them to do what’s right with your money. I’m not a trusting person when it comes to my money. I don’t play with my money because it’s too hard to make it. My dad always told me when I was young that the only friends that you’ve got have green backs, white faces, and they don’t fold. He also used to tell me not to trust anyone except your mom and know when to cut the cards with her too. I thought it was funny as a 5 year old, but as I got older, I started to see what he was saying. What he was saying is that when it comes to money, don’t trust anyone, not even your friends. So why would you trust a total stranger to take care of your money?

I know a lot of you are skeptics about what I’m saying. I know a lot of people will try and debate me on it. All I have to say is women lie, men lie, but numbers don’t. Just ask the Enron employees. A lot of people might not see it as gambling, but I have one question to ask, “Wanna Bet?”

~Marks of Wisdom

The Real America

I have done a lot of thinking about a few topics that have been thrown out vividly. A lot of people on here keep talking about Socialism and that we are living in a Socialistic society. To be quite frank, I have a question, Do you know what that statement actually means? Well I will tell you. Socialism is when the government takes over production, labor, food, and all aspects of your life. That means you have no say so in anything. Last time I checked, America doesn't own Nissan, GMC, Ford, or any other factory for that matter. America doesn't tell you what food to eat, where to stand, what religion to partake, who to vote for, or what time to be a certain place. So before you keep saying America is a Socialistic society, know your terms and what they mean people.
I also wanna address the people that keep saying "We need to take our country back." I have a question for you, From Whom? I didn't know that it had went anywhere. Maybe that statement isn't mean't in relation to the Healthcare Bill as ya'll claim it to be. I know what ya'll mean. So let me say this. Don't sugarcoat anything. I mean there is an amendement that says something about freedom of speech, not partial freedom of speech. At least have the balls to say what you mean candidly, and not just what is socially convenient, because you don't wanna sound racist. Just know that I can read between the lines and the brows of your eyes.
On to the healthcare bill next. A lot of people have been downing it and saying that it is wrong, and people need to get out and work. Do you honestly think that the millions of people are just being lazy and don't wanna work? What about the people that were laid off, and it wasn't because they did anything wrong? I mean there is a recession going on isn't there? I know a lot of people that are putting in resumes and applying for jobs but since there are so many people applying to the same jobs, then they aren't getting those jobs. Is it their fault they can't get a job, no. Another point to ponder. The dumb thing about America is that healthcare is tied to your job. If you lose your job then your healthcare goes with it, now that's stupid and backwards. What about the people that quit a job for another one? Let me explain. They have to wait 90 days to get onto the new employer's insurance. Another question, what about the sick people that can't work, like cancer patients, disabled people, and babies with AIDS that had no choice of getting it. What about people with pre-existing conditions such as myself. I tore my ACL playing basketball and Blue Cross Blue Shield raised my premium to $830 a month when I worked at a small business, which didn't affect me because I made a large sum of money. Is that fair of them to do that to me or anyone else. Let's elaborate on small businesses. Since they don't have many people on the premiums, the healthcare companies hike the cost of the premium up to compensate for the small number of people in the company. Also I am not a backer of the abortion thing that was in the bill, which the Democrats took out and the Republican's still didn't vote for the bill. I have a great question. Isn't killing babies the same as denying sick and terminally ill people healthcare, and leaving them to die?
Next, People try to put religion into politics, and say that if you are a Christian then you won't vote for the Healthcare bill. Isn't being a Christian all about helping people. I am not a Republican or Democrat. I am an Independent, but Republican's or should I say Southern Republican's always talk about being Christian and try to use that to scare people away from anything that will help them. I read into something before I make a decision on anything that affects my life, and you so called Southern Republican's should too instead of believing everything that your parents told you, and that Sarah Palin tells you. The reason that her and McCain lost is because the public felt that they weren't QUALIFIED, which she wasn't. I watched the Debates and every show that she was on and she didn't know anything about what she was talking about, and always tried to divert the subject to something else that she knew about. I don't believe she even knew where she was. Also, since we are on the subject of being a Christian. Isn't a Christian suppose to love another person as you love yourself? Doesn't being a Christian mean for you not to look at color, nor think that you are Superior over another race? Well why is it that some white churches in the South (Mississippi) don't let black people go to their church or attend a service? I thought being a Christian mean't that we are supposed to draw people near to God whether they are sinners, thieves, any race, etc? I guess some people didn't get the memo.
One thing that I hate is that there are so many racist people in Eupora. Not all of the white people are racist, but some are, and by some, I mean a lot of you people on here. Let me explain. I experienced it firsthand in High School. I have been called a Nigger, and had white friends that were with me and called a Nigger Lover. A lot of it is passed down through generations. I call it Generational Ignorance. Some of you say it is heritage. Let me give you a distinction. Southern Hospitality is different from Southern Heritage. Southern Hospitality is making someone feel at ease, and all about comfort. Southern Heritage is passed down through generation. It entails racism, thoughts, words, and actions. That's why Politics fascinates me. It is the only thing that makes people show their true colors. Politics exposes a society's truths about what they truly feel. A wolf can only act in sheep's clothing until it shows it's teeth. Political views are passed down through your parents, grandparents, etc, and not based off of facts. I wonder if some of you even read things before you open your mouths and slander something? Facts are different from opinion. If you cannot support your opinion with facts then it is an uneducated and ill-informed statement. Think of it as writing an essay in school. You cannot just put an opinion down without having the facts. You can't have a claim in that essay without supporting material. So why would you just listen to what other people say, and believe them wholeheartedly?
As a Christian, it is my duty to help other people, no matter what color, disability, religious belief, and even if they hate me. A lot of you all complain about the money part of things. I don't care about the cost when I make a lot of money, and you shouldn't either because not everyone that is unemployed, or on assistance, or needing healthcare is lazy or a deadbeat. People have conditions on who to help and don't peel back the layers of the onion. What if you get hurt or have something happen to you that requires a lot of money to support you, wouldn't you expect to be helped out, or have someone say that we can't do anything for you. Think before you speak. Just remember, "It's better to be quiet and thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."

~Marks of Wisdom

My Testimony of My Journey With God

This is the reallest and most truthful thing that I've ever written and will ever tell anyone. A lot of people that I grew up with and others that I have known for a while constantly tell me that I have changed. Well I will tell you why I have changed. About 3 and a half years ago I had a dream(vision) from God. He took me to Hell. I went through the gates and entered into the fiery pit. I will never forget this because the smell of brimstone, sulfur, burned and rotting bodies was enough to make you vomit. I heard gnashing of teeth and saw people without hope. I saw many people that I knew that had died and they were in turmoil and damned for eternity. When I entered into the gates everyone turned around and looked at me with their black and evil eyes. I will not give any names at all. I remembered feeling powerless and very tired as if I had no energy, and it was a struggle to move around. I felt hate, pain, and evil all around me. I saw many demons walking around on their hands and feet as beasts and four legged animals with disfigured limbs, and gaudy bodies. Then I went up to another level trying to get away from this desolate and barren wasteland only to open a door and see the devil, whom unlike many portrayals was a beautiful person. He had no horns, nor a tail as often seen. He asked me "is this the place that you want to spend your eternity." Then after he said that I awoke in my own bed. As with anyone I was shaken and very uneasy. I told my wife Natasha, whom at the time was my girlfriend, as well as my immediate family and some friends. My wife and mother told me that there was a book that a lady wrote and one that another guy wrote talking about the lord taking them down to hell and talking about the same things that I told them and that I saw. I never had read the books , nor seen them, nor knew about them. Also there was another person who was in the dream with me whom I told about the dream but he brushed it off and he didn't quite so much believe me. Ever since then I have lived right and truly lived as a Christian should. Ever since then I have dreams sporadically and attacks by demons in those dreams. They don't harm me but rather want me to know that they are there. This never happened when I was living the world's way. The reason being is that Satan doesn't mess with you when you are doing his will because he doesn't need to. You are only as important as your faith. He wants your faith and hope. That is what Satan lost when God kicked him out of heaven. He felt hopeless and distant from God's grace. After having that vision, I have put everything into real perspective. I live my life right and with God doing the leading and guiding of my every turn. None of the minor things matter to me anymore, and have no influence on my life. By that I mean what people think of me, and all of the high school trivialities and immature things. People constantly criticize people trying to live right and not cheat, do dirt, and do God's will. They say you are getting too deep if you talk about God and Christ. Well I'm not getting too deep, maybe your just too shallow to understand the truth. I love being different and knowing the truth and care less what anyone thinks of me. I would rather be different in heaven than the same as everyone in hell. Young people act like it is uncool to show your love for God. I know a lot of people that have told me that they were afraid of how people would treat them, and call them lame. I walk and stand alone. I don't mind sticking out in the crowd if it is for God. People always say at funerals that so and so went to heaven and is in a better place, trying to comfort the family, but the reality of the matter is that everyone doesn't go to heaven. A lot of people go to hell. That's reality!! I see so many people that act like they have 300 years to live, and say they will get right with Jesus later on in life. Why not get right now? What's holding you back? I'd rather go to bed at night knowing that I can sleep in peace, and if I die tonight that I can face God as his child and enter into heaven with open arms, than have God say I never knew you. People constantly say that they are living in hell on Earth right now, well I'm here to tell you that you have no clue. Earth is a medium between Hell and Heaven. It is your choice to decend into hell or ascend into heaven. This is my testimony and my gift from God to share with you. Which side will you choose?

~Marks of Wisdom

Wisdom and Understanding

This day in age, the only thing that people want and talk about is money. They pray for better jobs and money. What is money if you don’t have the wisdom and understanding of what to do with it?

The only reason people want money is to show it off and for status. It is wanted for the wrong reasons. That is why people lose it so fast when they get it. You can have all of the money in the world, but if you don’t have wisdom and understanding of how to save it and use it then you will blow it all. Wisdom and understanding helps you to make the right choices on the difference between a want and a need.

Many times, a lot of people say “I wish I could see into the future”, and “I wish I knew it all.” God made it this way for a reason. If you knew it all then you would go crazy. If you knew it all, you couldn’t comprehend it all. There is a spiritual world as well as the physical world that we live in. I got a glimpse of it in the vision that God gave me, as I stated in my post about “My Testimony of My Journey With God.” There are many things going on around us such as battles between good and evil. Whenever you send prayers up to God, the angels are fighting for you to get your blessing. Demons and evil is trying to stop you from getting your blessing. Angels are encamped around you and so are demons. When people get just a sample of that spiritual world, they usually are changed for life. They either go crazy or turn to God, and no other religion or in-between. Think about it. If you saw angels and demons walking around, then it would make you go crazy. People need to live right and trust Jesus and that is the only way of knowing what you need to know, and that is that you are going to heaven.

Since I was about 5, I always had a thirst for knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. I feel that education is not preparation for life: education is life itself. I always had a love for nature and learning, so my mother always bought me books to read about nature and science. I feel that parents should nurture their children’s strengths and interests because reading books about science, nature, and designing things led me to follow the path of Engineering. My mother was actually lighting a fire in me back then that burns in me still to this day. Instead of using my vacations for just going to amusement parks, I use them to travel to see new states, countries, museums, and to see natural wonders. This is my gift to my children, so that this principle of wisdom and a broad understanding keeps going on through the next generation. Most of the time, it is not that kids don’t have any aspirations or goals, it is that their parents haven taken them out of their comfort zone. How can they learn about any other cultures other than reading about it in books? As parents, let’s broaden their horizons. Let’s not let the radio or television teach them. Let’s maximize their downtime by imparting knowledge in them by taking them to see new places because your downtime and how you spend it tells you a lot about how you are going to maximize your lifetime

~Marks of Wisdom

Poor Mentality

Many people think that being poor is a state of living, but I think that it is more a state of mind. Think about it. Most poor people settle in life and are just content with living that way of life. They only care about the pay check at the end of the week, and what they can buy with it when they get it.

Though I am not a fan or supporter of George W. Bush, we cannot blame all of our problems on him alone (Even though he made a LOT of the wrong decisions in office). The reason for a lot of the problems in our lives is that we have Bentley tastes with Hyundai money. Just because someone tells you that you are qualified for a $300,000 house doesn’t mean that you have to get one does it? Just because Macy’s offers you a credit card doesn’t mean that you have to sign for it or accept it, does it? Is it Macy’s fault if you sign for that card and max it out? It is a choice to get yourself into debt. It takes you a second to get yourself into a lifetime of debt.

Why is it that people can complain about the pay of a job and the supervisor, but they are unwilling to try and apply for the same supervisor jobs? If I work at a company then I want to be at the top because that is where the money is made and the decisions come from. I mean there are many examples such as: Instead of being a teacher, why not go for being a college Professor or The Superintendent of Education, Instead of being a LPN, why not go for being a Nurse Practitioner, Instead of being a factory worker, why not go for the Supervisor position? At least if you are going to work hard then you can make money at it and decisions, if you get what I’m saying. The problem lies in that people don’t want to be accountable and don’t want RESPONSIBILITY. Let me clue you in on something, money usually comes with some level of responsibility, so if you are not willing to accept it then don’t complain about anything.

People are so preoccupied with certain clothes labels, rims, cars, and big houses, rather than accumulation of wealth. Instead of buying all of that, why not invest in land, real estate, bank CD’s, and make your money move for you while you are working your main job? I don’t know of anyone that will turn down an extra dollar in your pocket while you are sitting in your recliner. The land is so cheap in Mississippi that it boggles my mind when I see people that don’t have any nor have any aspirations to buy any. What you don’t see is that land can be passed down through generations, and you are giving your children a leg up on life. Land is something that is you can never have too much of, and is of more value than money.

Some people in Mississippi buy a trailer to live in, which is fine, but you need to know that they do not appreciate in value. They actually depreciate in value. Why not invest in a house in Mississippi when it is only a few thousand more? Is it too much of a price to pay if you are going to get a return on your investment? The poor mentality tells you to go for the fast place to live, rather than logic kicking in and telling you to save up a few more thousand and get the house.

Some of us think that we have to finance things to get them. That is the problem that gets most people in debt. Is it a coincidence that you see more Rent-A-Center’s, Aaron’s, etc in poor neighborhoods? You pay 22 to 30 percent more than what the item is worth on top of the contract being about 1 or 2 years. So in actuality, you are paying 3 times what that item is worth. Why not save up the money and buy the item outright in a furniture store or at Wal-Mart? Ahh therein lies the root of the problem. Some people are not disciplined enough to save for that item. You have a right now mentality, and have to have it right now, rather than logic setting in and get further in debt. America is the land of the lender and home of the loans. I don’t finance anything. If you must finance anything, it should only be your house. Cars should be bought with cash. Why pay 3 or more years on a car when you could save up and have no payment or stress of paying it? You never know what could happen within those years, such as job loss, illness, or any other unforeseen expense could occur.

The bible tells us to be the lender rather than the borrower. The reason for this is because you already have enough stress with the day to day rigors of living life, so why put added fuel to the fire. People you need to learn the difference between a need and a want. A need means that something is necessary for you to live everyday. A want is something that you don’t need to live, or be happy. It is sort of like lust. You may get satisfaction out of that thing for a moment, but soon as you get it and the feeling is over, it leaves you mad that you made that decision to get it.

Most people are a product of their environment. If we don’t show our children a multi-cultural life, then how will they ever get to see it? By your being in debt, you are cheating yourself out of the life that you could be living stress free. Also, children learn by example, so if they see you making those bad choices then they are sure to follow. In turn this keeps the cycle of debt going.

Who is the White Man that is holding Black people down? Does anyone know him? I want to meet him because people always blame him for their situation. That is a cop out. That is just an excuse honestly. So the next time I hear it, I’m going to ask that person to take me to this “White Man.” No one can walk over you unless your back is bent, just remember that.

The last problem is that as parents, we need to educate our children in everything that we do. Instead of just taking them on vacations to amusement parks, why not take them to see the world, national parks, museums, zoos, and city parks. Instead of sitting them in front of the television, why not teach that kid their ABC’s, numbers, flash cards, phonics and how to read? The kid knows more rap songs than their ABC’s. You are putting your child behind years on the learning curve, and in essence handicapping your child.

People, I wrote this to make you think, rather than watching the cycle go on to the next generation. I believe that the minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less than you settled for. The greatest danger for most of us is not that we aim too high and miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it. Stop settling for less than what you are capable of. Remember your world is an expression of how you have used your mind. The choices you make today can and will affect you and your children’s lives in the future.

~Marks of Wisdom