Tuesday, September 30, 2008

13 - Open a bank account for my business

#13 on my "101 in 1001" is open a bank account for my business. Task Complete. What is my business?

In the Seed Event Design is an organization dedicated to transforming your special event into an experience you'll never forget. Birthday parties, fundraisers, music concerts, youth rallies. In the Seed Event Design. Where everything you need is in the seed.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Christians don't HAVE to go to church, right?

WRONG!!!

As my pastor would say, "A Christian without a church is like a fish without water. It's still a fish. It's just a dead fish."

If you still are not convinced, here are some reasons why Christians should go to church:

Going to church builds up our Spiritual Strength. The Bible says, "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Romans 10:17, KJV). But how can we hear without a preacher? We can't! We have to go to church. Receiving the preaching and teaching of the Word of God increases our faith and builds up our spiritual strength. Every true believer knows what it's like to have their faith challenged (if you don't, you might be walking with the Devil), so we must realize the importance of being spiritually fed so we can overcome the challenges. However many of us have become spiritually anorexic, having no desire to be fed. Paul writes that we are at war with the Devil and his evil forces. He encourages us to put on the whole armor of God for spiritual protection (Eph. 6:10-18). So it is important that we take every opportunity available to gain strength from God's Word by going to church.

Going to church is a matter of obedience to God's Word. Paul tells us not to forsake assembling together, implying that continued absence can lead to willful sin (Hebrews 10:24-26).

Going to church provides fellowship with other Christians. "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7).

Going to church allows us to come together to help motivate and encourage one another. "Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin" (James 4:17).

Goin to church is important to the relationship of the Christian brethren. The Bible teaches that a right relationship with God requires a "vertical" and "horizontal" alignment, meaning a vertical fellowship with God and a horizontal fellowship with other believers. It is impossible to love God and refuse to love one another. If you have a problem loving other Christians, you have a problem in your relationship with God. Matthem 6:15 tells us that if we refuse to forgive others, we void God's forgiveness of our own sins. John wrote, "He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him" (1 John 2:9-10).

Going to church is an expression of our Love for God. "And [they] were continually in the temple praising and blessing God" (Luke 24:53). Going to church is a tangible expression of our love and worship toward God. It is where we can gather with other believers to bring God offerings of praise, thanks, and honor.

Going to church brings a special visitation of the Lord's Presence. "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them" (Matt. 18:20). This is a promise of the Lord's presence whenever two or more gather specifically in the name of Jesus. Sure Jesus resides within the hearts of every believer, but He honors a gathering in His name by coming in the "midst," with his power and anointing. In such a gathering, Christ is able to do things in hearts that he may not at other times. The scripture says that God inhabits the praise of His people (Psa. 22:3), and in such an atmosphere the Holy Spirit will often manifest spiritual gifts that minister to the body of Christ.

GO TO CHURCH!!!

True Light Church
7300 S. Maryland Ave
Chicago, IL

Sunday Serices:
7:30am - Early Morning Worship
9:15am - Sunday School
11:00am - Morning Worship

Friday, September 19, 2008

86 - Get an mp3 player

So I lucked up on an iPod Touch 3G and I absolutely love it! (outside of the fact that within a matter of hours my cat chewed up the $30 headphones that came with it). I love the smooth stainless steel shell. Love the ease of use with the flick of a finger. Love the graphics and the sound. Absolutely hate iTunes. The iTunes library can only be synched to ONE iPod. So when I want my lil bro to put music on for me, he can't do so without erasing everything that I already have on there. In addition, iTunes is expensive, thus leading folks to download music illegally from places like Limewire. Zune, on the other hand, has a service where you can download an unlimited amount of songs for one monthly fee (like $15/month). How cool is that?

Anyway. Task Complete.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Sarah Palin is the Lipstick...

..."The failed policies of John McCain would be the pig."





Things I love about this clip:

5. I love the way Senator Obama cleared up this lipstick issue
4. I love how he does it with such ease and charisma
3. I love how he throws in his campaign without slandering the opponent (he only speaks negatively of policies)
2. I love how he follows with "Who ever makes that case to the American people will be the next president"
1. I love even more how he doesn't apologize for something he did not say

What's Good in the Hood - The Soul Train Chronicles (September 11, 2008)

In light of my recent employment status, and in light of the economic struggle this country is facing, I've come to cut back on some costs such as fast food and car washes...all things to which a convenience fee is added, in addition to the one monthly expense that was just ridiculously out of control. GAS! So I decided that outside of driving to church, and to my parents house occasionally, my car will very rarely leave my zip code. It's amazing how much money I save that way. Whereas I use to fill my tank every 3-4 days, I've been driving on the same tank of gas for a week now and I still have half a tank left! SO excited about that.

***Side note: Cars get much better mileage when the tank stays full. Therefore it is my goal to keep my tank above the half way mark***

Anyway, to continue perserving my overpriced fuel, I've been "Red Lining" it to school. For those of you who don't know, the Red Line is the subway/elevated public train line that runs north/south through the heart of Chicago. The train effectionately know as the Soul Train.

I missed the train on my way home, and instead of standing at the platform and waiting for the next one, I decided to take a seat on a beach...the seat on the very farthest end, opposite this homeless man whose stinch was beyond nauseating. After sitting for maybe 30 seconds, he turns to me and says, "You don't smoke do you." Take special note of the period at the end of that sentance, because the statement wasn't phrased in the form of a question, but in the form of a declaration, implying that he already knew I didn't smoke (Maybe I just LOOK like I don't smoke. Maybe he saw my Light shining. IDK). Once I confirmed that I don't smoke, he sat for about 10 seconds, and began to jiggle the loose change in his hand. He then turned back to me and said, "I'm tryna get something to eat, you got some change I could have?"

Hmmm...

I closed my eyes, cocked my neck, turned my head to the side, and gave him a look that spoke louder than the roar of the approaching northbound train to Howard. I couldn't help but believe that he would have only requested loose change for food after a failed attempt to get a loose square or a light. And I certainly wasn't gonna contribute to his nicotine addiction (assumed). The nerve!

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Just Because He's Black

A white man asked his black friend, 'Are you voting for Barack Obama just because he's black'?

The black man responded by saying, why not? Hell, in this country men are pulled over everyday just because they're black, passed over for promotions just because they're black, considered to be criminals just because they're black, and there are going to be thousands of you who wont be voting for him just because he's black! However, you do not seem to have a problem with that!

This country was built with the sweat and whip off the slaves back, and now a descendent of those same slaves has a chance to lead the same country, where we weren't even considered to be people, where we weren't allowed to be educated, drink from the same water fountains, eat in the same restaurants, or even vote. So yes, I'm going to vote for him! But it's not just because he's black, but because he is hope, he is change, and he now allows me to understand when my grandson says he wants to be president when he grows up, it is not a fairy tale but a short term goal, because he sees, understands, and knows, he can achieve, withstand, and do anything just because he's black.