Ladies it's a new sickness sweeping across America...matter fact this phenomenon is sweeping the world. I know you're wondering what could it be...and am I suffering from it? Well I'm hoping and praying that you're not one of the many women that has succomb to the darkness. After a recent discussion with one of my closest friends I became sicken by the mindset of a large population of women.
Like all of my friends, I find myself to be a successful, beautiful, loving, God fearing woman. I have set goals in my life and what I have not accomplished it's only because I'm currently working on it and have not married. Because of how I have been raised and how I carry myself I find myself only looking for men that meet a certain standard. And yes this standard is pretty high. No it's not a million dollar salary, "banging" body, million dollar home, 5 cars, tall, etc. Instead it's a man that respects first himself, have a reverence for God, respects women, has a career (not a job), educated, handsome (in my eyes), hardworking, goal oriented, loving...and the list goes on. But I find that women are infected with the "SETTLING" syndrome....the "WELL AT LEAST I GOT SOMEBODY" illness....the "HE ALL I CAN FIND" mentality. And it just makes my skin crawl. Why do men have the pick of the bunch....and find the best women in the circle. But women don't uphold the same standards? Why do we settle for the drama and deadbeats. Why do women think that it's ok to date a man with no job, 4 kids by 10 different "baby mommas", no education, 40 years old working on a rap album, and still living with his momma!! Why do women that that it's our job to help them out and support them? I mean I know that everyone could use some help at some time...but your "man" (and i use that word loosely) coming to you for gas money...and your car everyday is just sorry. A man coming to you for lunch money...to take you out for lunch...now that's just sorry. You paying for your own gifts...that's just sorry. Women wake up because there is no excuse for a sorry man.
Next....women why do you think that it's ok to date a man for 5 years with the promise of a ring? What sense does that make. Now I understand if you were highschool sweethearts...or dated in college...I wouldn't expect you to be married. But 3 years after school and he's still working on somethings...and just trying to see if it's the right time or right thing to do? Sweety he DOESN'T want to marry you. And at this point he's just keeping you in the back pocket just in case he HAS to marry you. Yes he loves you...but he doesn't love you enough to marry you. Stop being mad about it. Either accept it or move on. Why do you think that he's the last man on Earth? Why are you settling for him and wasting time. Time is something that you will never get back. And you can't be mad at him when you turn 30 and you're not married and have no kids...dont curse him...don't call your girls crying about how he wasted your time because you wasted your time waiting for a man that you knew deep down didn't want to marry you in the first place. Stop using "love" as an excuse...stop thinking that the butterflys in your stomach is "The sign"...no you're probably hungry, or constipated, or have the stomach flu. Love is an emotion not the reason why you wasted your time in a deadend relationship. Love is intelligent not stupid...so IT'S YOUR FAULT!
I just feel the need to say this because I see it everyday and it just breaks my heart. I believe that women have so much power and we hand it over everyday. Now their is a difference between Biblically submiting yourself to your husband and playing the fool for a "man" that ain't even husband material. Women look yourself in the mirror and see how much you're worth in the eyes of God and then ask yourself do you value yourself the same. Ask yourself do you love yourself enough to wait until that man finds you. I mean it is his job to find you...not for you to find him. And don't think that every man that approaches you is "The One". If he's trying to be your man after the first 5 minutes you might wanna run...because he didn't even take the time to get to know the true you. Spend time with men and work on a friendship before you start looking at rings...and don't buy your own ring! Just take time and reflect on yourself to see who you really are and what you really want in a mate. And don't settle for anything less than that. Watch a man in all situations...anybody can bring their represenative to the table, wait for the real him. You can learn alot about a person if you just sit back and watch...don't talk....just wait and watch. Get rid of the ridiculous list that you made in highschool about your ideal man...you know the one that had the 6'8", pro-ball player, green eyes, black or blond hair, doctor, lawyer,...etc and replace that with things that would truely make you happy. Not to say that those things wouldn't...but you can find those things in an abusive man.
Ladies I'm just trying to find the cure to this disease.After a year in medical school I haven't found a book to give the solution but after reading the Bible a light bulb went off. I took the time to look at myself through the eyes of God and I almost shouted. I just sat back and said "Wow...how can God value me the way that he does and I don't take the time to do the same." So ladies I've found the cure....dive into the word of God. I mean just engulf yourself in it. When that loser calls you pick up the Bible and remember your value. And then smile. And then share the cure with a friend. We need to remind each other who we are and what we deserve. It's ok to be without a man...it's much better to be single than to have a loser draining your energy and strength...just wasting your time.
**This public annoucement has been brought to you by the future Dr. **
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
No/Lost Connection
Ok...we all know that I'm addicted to my "Crackberry"...it's like my other half...I can't do anything with out it...no moves or decisions without consulting my blackberry. And heaven forbid that I get to an area with no signal...or bad connections. How many of us are like that? How many of us feel disconnected without our cellphones? Like how many times have you stood in a corner upside down with one leg at a 45 degree angle and your mouth turned a certain way just to get one bar so you can get that one call, text, email or facebook notification on your phone? We all do it...sad but true. A few days ago I was sitting in the cafe eating alone and an older gentleman came and asked if he could sit at my table because the cafe was full. "Of course" I said and we preceeded to eat our lunch. After about 30 minutes of silence the gentleman picked up his coat and said "Do you have a church home? If not I would like you to come and fellowship at my church". Well I never miss the opportunity to praise the Lord so I took down the name and number of the church and told him i would be there. He told me to make sure to make it to the 7:45am service because that's when "Dr. Steele really gives the word"...whateva that means LOL. But I told him that I would def try and make it to the 7:45. Well when I woke up today at 7:30 I know that wasn't going to happen. But I told God that maybe it's something at the 10:45 message that I needed to hear...so I would still get up and go. So I get there and what do I hear...the Senior Choir...I wanted to run LOL. But I made it through and was ready for the Word. It was then that God told me to pay attention because he needed me to hear something. The guest speaker gets up (darn it I came to hear Dr. Steele!) and presents his text St. John 15:1-7. He spoke about us staying connected to the vine (God). So Cell Phone addicts I have a question? How many of us are truely connected and what will we do to get and maintain this connection. Everyday we get the "Lost Connection/No Connection" message on our phones and freak out and twitch until we get in an area to where we are connected again...but do we do the same with God? Do we hunt for better areas to hear His Word, do we change position, do we change our plans the same that we do with our cell phones. Like some of you...I can't answer yes to all these questions. Most cell phones come with 5 bars for full connection to the service. So lets look at our connection to God the same way:1 bar: Being born into this world2 bars: Hearing about Jesus Christ3 bars: Wanting to know who Jesus Christ is4 bars: Accepting Jesus Christ into our lives which then connects us to God5 bars: Maintaining our relationship with God the Father and His Son and the Holy SpiritHow hard do we fight to get the BEST connection to God? Just like with a cellphone, 1 bar is a weak connection. At anytime you can lose your signal and be lost. Two bars you will be able to hear what the other person is saying...but you know after about 5 minutes you start the "Can you hear me? Hold on...let me move by the window". It's not until you get that 4th bar that you're truely secured and connected to the network and this is the same way God works. And that fifth bar is liking paying that bill...you have to spend time with God in order to keep that FULL connection. You have to be connected to Him FULLY before you reap the benefits of his connection. John 15 states "1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.My God...look at the great benefits from Jesus Christ if we stay connected to Him!!! What if we had that same passion to stay connected to Jesus Christ as we did our cellphones? What a fruitful life we would live. If we would go in seek the best area, best position, and stand there firmly in God...just to keep that connection...what a blessing our fruit would be! Everyday we turn on the TV and see how these companies are offering the best plans and the best networks...and how many times have you heard Jesus call out to you. Telling you that he has the best and ONLY connection you need? How many times have we ignored Him...sometimes searching for something better, cheaper, or easier? How many of us are still satisfied with that 1,2, or 3 bars? How many of us thing that we still have time to decide?God wants us to have the best connection possible. He wants us to learn who His son is...and why he died for us. God wants us to be the best that we can be...and he knows that we can't do that without Him. If you THINK that you're reaping the benefits of the WORLD without Him...how much more love, security and protection do you think you will have with Him? And why do often times "we" think that we have time? Like we know when God is coming back? We don't have time to say "Well let me do me...and then after that I'll get saved". What does that really mean? Does someone have a magic ball telling us when God is coming...and please dont send me a copy of the latest National Equire talking bout God is in Hawaii LOL. The time is now to make that FULL connection with God. What are you waiting for? Whatever problems you're trying to fix without God you'll never be able to do so until you seek and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. It is only then that you get to reap the benefits of being connected to God's vine. I don't know why God told me to write this note...but trust when I say that I pray before doing these things...and only write when God leads me. As I was sitting in church God laid it out so plain and told me to write it...so here it is. I don't know who this is ministering to...but I know the subject touched me because in someways I've dropped down to 4 bars and I feel it in my spirit and my actions. I have not been maintaining the connection that God wants me to have with Him. Such a simple thing to do but I've failed at it. But the one thing I love about my God is the fact that once I get my 4 bars he NEVER drops my call. He's always waiting for me...pulling for me...wanting for me to get that full connection back. So I say to someone who may not know Jesus Christ/God...do you want to become connected to a network bigger and better than the WORLD that you live in now? Do you want to serve a God that will NEVER drop your connection? Right now I invite you into His kingdom...this is not an invitation that you have to take running down the church aisle screaming and crying...it's a connection that's made personally between you and God. And with that I ask that you find yourself a church and get grounded and rooted in His Word and fellowship with others that will help you. If you wanna call me the number is on my page and I will gladly point you to someone in your area...no matter where you are. And for those of US that may have dropped down to that 4th bar I ask that we all pick up the Bible, get back in the church and reconnect with that relationship we once had with God. He's never left us...never dropped the call...he'spolitely waiting on the other line from when THE WORLD called. Go back to Him. Love you guys. And I couldn't tag everyone...but I'm sure this will reach the ones that need to hear/read it. And Matt and Carlson..yes I did tag you...you told me to never forget to tag you to the inspirational notes...even though you are probably listening to God front row and center.
Hunger
I pray that all is well with you. Well once again God has laid something on my heart to type...and being obedient I'll type it. I don't pretend to be perfect for I know that I'm a work in progress striving everyday to be more and more like Christ.
While sitting in church sunday (Trinidad Baptist Church in DC where Dr. John Rhodes presides) the pastor came with a powerful scripture and instantly God just starting pouring into me things He wanted to get out to His people. It was later confirmed when Pastor Rhodes spoke the exact words that were running through my head.
Scripture: Matthew 5:6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied/filled".Whew...that hit me like a ton of bricks.
Let me give some background for God wants me to be complete with His message. Matthew's purpose is to convey authoritative teaching by and about Jesus, whose coming marks the fulfillment of God's promises and the presence of God's kingdom. Matthew makes no division between history and theology. His history is the basis of the theology, and the theology gives its proper meaning to history. Chapters 5-7 is the Sermon on the Mount. This is when Jesus went on the mountain with his disciples and began to teach.
Lets talk about hunger.The definition of hunger is: 1. A strong or compelling desire or craving (n) 2. To have a strong desire (v) There are many times when we walk around depressed, low, feeling incomplete, longing for "something", feeling like there is a void or a hole. And with that feeling we get a hunger to fill it. As humans we naturally think of material things or people to fill this void. Whether it be food, people, children, love, money, clothes, friends, drugs, alcohol, etc. And still after we have found these things and over indulged in them we still feel what? Depressed, empty, low, blah blah blah. It's because these are things that don't hold eternal weight. Most times the friends leave, the food "empties", the children grow up, and we are back to where we started. But what do we do? We continue to chase that high and never really get filled...we just feel better for a little while until the hole becomes empty again. We are seeking things that cannot fill us. But there is one thing that Jesus has told us to hunger and thirst after and we "Will be filled"...righteousness. If we put in the same time and effort as we do with seeking worldly things and instead seek God and His righteousness, we will be filled!! *Can I get a praise God right here* That is a promise that Jesus has laid before us but we still choose to seek worldly things. And dare I say sometimes we seek God for worldly things and when we don't get them we feel empty...low...and that God has left us...or God doesn't hear us, etc. But God didn't say that if hunger and thirst for worldly things we will be filled with worldly things. He said "Blessed are those that hunger and thirst for RIGHTEOUSNESS for they will be filled."
Stop searching for that man/woman to fill you, they don't have the capability to do so...it's not for them to do. Stop turning to that drug or that drink to soothe you, it doesn't have the capability to do so. Why do you think people continueously go from person to person, job to job, dealer to dealer, resturant to resturant? They are looking to fill a void with something that doesn't have the capabilitity to do so. Then we have the nerve to be mad at these things and persons when "they aren't really there for us". We as Christians need to know where to turn to be filled. We have to know what to hunger and thirst after. There have been many times when I've moped and had pity parties...called friend after friend to feel better, went out to eat and still felt the same exact way...no change in my mood just a change in my clothes size and sometimes friends (You know people can only take so much of your whining and complaining before they put you on the prayer list and just stop taking your calls *Can I get an Amen here!!*)
Filled with what? Well God instructed me to research that to. In my study Bible it said "Those who seek God's righteousness receive what they desire, not those who are confident of their own righteousness." So I know people are like *woot woot desires of my heart!* We already know that God does grant the desires of our hearts.....but keep reading....according to HIS WILL. So yes God will fill you but it will be according to His will. Not just our wants and desires...but with what he has according to His will. And what about being filled with the Holy Spirit (Not running around and cutting a 2 step at the alter), but filled with the comforter and our daily reminded to do what's right and to live by God's commandments. What about eternal life with our Father? I would love to be filled with the knowledge of knowing that on resurrection day I'll be called up to live an eternal life with my Father. That alone is enough to make me hunger and thirst for righteousness.
It wasn't until I started having a hunger and a thirst to know more about God that I can truely say I'm started to get filled. I can carry God's righteousness, grace, and mercy with me all the days of my life. It never runs out. Never leaves me alone. Never grows up and leaves the house. Never gives me a negative balance at my bank. Never ignores my phone calls. Never dies. Never causes me to join expensive Jenny Craig to lose 40 pounds. *Grrr* Never moves away. Never marries someone else *Can I get a hey what what hey what right here!* Never requires me to sow a "sacraficial seed". It's a full feeling that I have with me all the time. Sometimes I get so full off of God and His goodness that I have to cry out and say THANK YOU LORD for your grace and your mercy!!!Being filled by God is not an overnight thing. As you read in the scripture it says that you "Will be filled". So it's a huger and a thirst that we must contineously have. And that satisfaction WILL be given. Not "might be", "not for a little while", but "WILL be given". So with this I end it with "Are you seeking the right thing?", "Do you have a hunger and thirst for God's righteousness?", "Have you tried everything else but the one person that has promised you that you will be filled?", and "Are you tired of chasing after a feeling of fullness from something/one that has never promised it to you anyway?".
I invite you to try God. If you don't know Jesus Christ for yourself I'll help direct you to you someone that can help you start your journey. In DC I attend the wonderful Trinidad Baptist Church and you're more than welcome to come and fellowship with us.
May God continue to work in your life as He has mine.
While sitting in church sunday (Trinidad Baptist Church in DC where Dr. John Rhodes presides) the pastor came with a powerful scripture and instantly God just starting pouring into me things He wanted to get out to His people. It was later confirmed when Pastor Rhodes spoke the exact words that were running through my head.
Scripture: Matthew 5:6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied/filled".Whew...that hit me like a ton of bricks.
Let me give some background for God wants me to be complete with His message. Matthew's purpose is to convey authoritative teaching by and about Jesus, whose coming marks the fulfillment of God's promises and the presence of God's kingdom. Matthew makes no division between history and theology. His history is the basis of the theology, and the theology gives its proper meaning to history. Chapters 5-7 is the Sermon on the Mount. This is when Jesus went on the mountain with his disciples and began to teach.
Lets talk about hunger.The definition of hunger is: 1. A strong or compelling desire or craving (n) 2. To have a strong desire (v) There are many times when we walk around depressed, low, feeling incomplete, longing for "something", feeling like there is a void or a hole. And with that feeling we get a hunger to fill it. As humans we naturally think of material things or people to fill this void. Whether it be food, people, children, love, money, clothes, friends, drugs, alcohol, etc. And still after we have found these things and over indulged in them we still feel what? Depressed, empty, low, blah blah blah. It's because these are things that don't hold eternal weight. Most times the friends leave, the food "empties", the children grow up, and we are back to where we started. But what do we do? We continue to chase that high and never really get filled...we just feel better for a little while until the hole becomes empty again. We are seeking things that cannot fill us. But there is one thing that Jesus has told us to hunger and thirst after and we "Will be filled"...righteousness. If we put in the same time and effort as we do with seeking worldly things and instead seek God and His righteousness, we will be filled!! *Can I get a praise God right here* That is a promise that Jesus has laid before us but we still choose to seek worldly things. And dare I say sometimes we seek God for worldly things and when we don't get them we feel empty...low...and that God has left us...or God doesn't hear us, etc. But God didn't say that if hunger and thirst for worldly things we will be filled with worldly things. He said "Blessed are those that hunger and thirst for RIGHTEOUSNESS for they will be filled."
Stop searching for that man/woman to fill you, they don't have the capability to do so...it's not for them to do. Stop turning to that drug or that drink to soothe you, it doesn't have the capability to do so. Why do you think people continueously go from person to person, job to job, dealer to dealer, resturant to resturant? They are looking to fill a void with something that doesn't have the capabilitity to do so. Then we have the nerve to be mad at these things and persons when "they aren't really there for us". We as Christians need to know where to turn to be filled. We have to know what to hunger and thirst after. There have been many times when I've moped and had pity parties...called friend after friend to feel better, went out to eat and still felt the same exact way...no change in my mood just a change in my clothes size and sometimes friends (You know people can only take so much of your whining and complaining before they put you on the prayer list and just stop taking your calls *Can I get an Amen here!!*)
Filled with what? Well God instructed me to research that to. In my study Bible it said "Those who seek God's righteousness receive what they desire, not those who are confident of their own righteousness." So I know people are like *woot woot desires of my heart!* We already know that God does grant the desires of our hearts.....but keep reading....according to HIS WILL. So yes God will fill you but it will be according to His will. Not just our wants and desires...but with what he has according to His will. And what about being filled with the Holy Spirit (Not running around and cutting a 2 step at the alter), but filled with the comforter and our daily reminded to do what's right and to live by God's commandments. What about eternal life with our Father? I would love to be filled with the knowledge of knowing that on resurrection day I'll be called up to live an eternal life with my Father. That alone is enough to make me hunger and thirst for righteousness.
It wasn't until I started having a hunger and a thirst to know more about God that I can truely say I'm started to get filled. I can carry God's righteousness, grace, and mercy with me all the days of my life. It never runs out. Never leaves me alone. Never grows up and leaves the house. Never gives me a negative balance at my bank. Never ignores my phone calls. Never dies. Never causes me to join expensive Jenny Craig to lose 40 pounds. *Grrr* Never moves away. Never marries someone else *Can I get a hey what what hey what right here!* Never requires me to sow a "sacraficial seed". It's a full feeling that I have with me all the time. Sometimes I get so full off of God and His goodness that I have to cry out and say THANK YOU LORD for your grace and your mercy!!!Being filled by God is not an overnight thing. As you read in the scripture it says that you "Will be filled". So it's a huger and a thirst that we must contineously have. And that satisfaction WILL be given. Not "might be", "not for a little while", but "WILL be given". So with this I end it with "Are you seeking the right thing?", "Do you have a hunger and thirst for God's righteousness?", "Have you tried everything else but the one person that has promised you that you will be filled?", and "Are you tired of chasing after a feeling of fullness from something/one that has never promised it to you anyway?".
I invite you to try God. If you don't know Jesus Christ for yourself I'll help direct you to you someone that can help you start your journey. In DC I attend the wonderful Trinidad Baptist Church and you're more than welcome to come and fellowship with us.
May God continue to work in your life as He has mine.
Introduction of ME
My name is Sanlare Cemelle Thomas. As much as we would all like for it to be some exotic name...it's really a name of love. My mommy name is Sandra and my daddy is Larry=Sanlare :-)
I am a perfect mix of the two. You know how they say watch what you name your kids because it determines who they are...well I'm a 50/50 mix of my parents! Most times it's a great thing...sometimes not so much LOL. We clash because we are so much alike...scary. I just celebrated the 3 anniversary of my 25th birthday! So yes I'm STILL 25. I graduate from Claflin University...Forbes 2009 TOP Historically Black College and University! *Woot Woot* From there I travel to Ohio University then to Virginia Tech for medical school (Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine).
I'm a wife of ONE lol. You have to say that these days. I've been blessed with a wonderful man of God that keeps me in line ALOT. I've been told i'm the spice of the relationship...I'll take that. Like I said, I'm a work in progress. But at least I'm working right...? LOL We have NO kiddies. I don't think we are ready for mini Sanlare's and Jason's. Heck I can bearly stand myself sometimes. I'm a "medical student". By that I mean I finished school in July but have to take one more board exam before I'm officially Dr. San :-). That journey was crazy by itself...I should have had a blog then *whew*.I'm the daughter of Sandra and Larry...the oldest and favorite. I'm also the big sister to Carlson (died in a car accident 4/3/2008 @20), Ruben (17), and Courtney (15). I'm so obsessed and protective over my family...especially my siblings. They mean the world to me and I pray nothing but the best for them. Losing Carlson was by far the most difficult day of my LIFE. Still getting over it but I can say that I'm in a better place today. That's a wound that will forever be open and I'll never understand. But I have great comfort in knowing that I have someone looking over me at all times.
Why am I doing a blog? Because I have to write my life down for others to see LOL. It's so crazy until most times I don't believe it. I keep saying that I need a reality show so I'll have proof of what happens. And now that I've moved to Baltimore I'm sure it will be more outrageous. I'm also on this weight lost journey so I'll post that up here too.
So post up! Ask questions! Make comments! Tell me what you want me to write about. I'm an open book...well somethings are private but for the most part I'm open.
I am a perfect mix of the two. You know how they say watch what you name your kids because it determines who they are...well I'm a 50/50 mix of my parents! Most times it's a great thing...sometimes not so much LOL. We clash because we are so much alike...scary. I just celebrated the 3 anniversary of my 25th birthday! So yes I'm STILL 25. I graduate from Claflin University...Forbes 2009 TOP Historically Black College and University! *Woot Woot* From there I travel to Ohio University then to Virginia Tech for medical school (Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine).
I'm a wife of ONE lol. You have to say that these days. I've been blessed with a wonderful man of God that keeps me in line ALOT. I've been told i'm the spice of the relationship...I'll take that. Like I said, I'm a work in progress. But at least I'm working right...? LOL We have NO kiddies. I don't think we are ready for mini Sanlare's and Jason's. Heck I can bearly stand myself sometimes. I'm a "medical student". By that I mean I finished school in July but have to take one more board exam before I'm officially Dr. San :-). That journey was crazy by itself...I should have had a blog then *whew*.I'm the daughter of Sandra and Larry...the oldest and favorite. I'm also the big sister to Carlson (died in a car accident 4/3/2008 @20), Ruben (17), and Courtney (15). I'm so obsessed and protective over my family...especially my siblings. They mean the world to me and I pray nothing but the best for them. Losing Carlson was by far the most difficult day of my LIFE. Still getting over it but I can say that I'm in a better place today. That's a wound that will forever be open and I'll never understand. But I have great comfort in knowing that I have someone looking over me at all times.
Why am I doing a blog? Because I have to write my life down for others to see LOL. It's so crazy until most times I don't believe it. I keep saying that I need a reality show so I'll have proof of what happens. And now that I've moved to Baltimore I'm sure it will be more outrageous. I'm also on this weight lost journey so I'll post that up here too.
So post up! Ask questions! Make comments! Tell me what you want me to write about. I'm an open book...well somethings are private but for the most part I'm open.
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