Sterling’s Fall From Grace

My first reaction when I heard about Donald Sterling’s racist comments was – well this appears to be a private conversation between him and his girlfriend; however when I listened to the recorded conversation in its entirety I understood why everyone was so upset.

As someone who is of African descent myself I found that the manner in which Sterling spoke about black people was both insulting and condescending. Here is a man who is still living in the plantation era; one who still believe that whites are superior to blacks and because of this superiority white and blacks cannot publicly be friends.

It is interesting to note that Sterling does not see himself as being racist. In his mind history has branded blacks as minorities and it will remain that way forever; they are not to be associated with in public. Sterling is an educated man but clearly education is no cure for stupidity.

Skin color does not define a man. It does not make you any better than the other person. We are all made up the same way there is no difference! Sadly there are people like Sterling still around and while we cannot change the way they feel we can stand together and refuse to support racism or anyone who is racist.

Student Suspended for Asking Miss America to Prom

A Pennsylvania teen was given  a three-day  indoor suspension for asking Miss America to Prom at a school assembly. According to reports Patrick Farves carrying a plastic flower approached Nina Davuluri, Miss America 2014 and asked her to his prom. His action brought laughter and cheers from other students.

The Authorities however were not amused. Learning of Farves intention to ask Miss America to Prom, they had instructed him not to do so. Farves did not adhere and went ahead and asked her anyway.

From my standpoint it was a very brave move on his part. He knew there was a chance that he would get turned down and he was also aware of the possibility of him getting punished for actions but he did it anyway. Bravo to him.

Not everyone believe the situation warranted the punishment and that includes Nina Davulari who suggested that the school reconsider the decision to suspend the student.

Good Friday

He came and lived among men and died for our sins.

jesus on the cross
 
On this another Good Friday we commemorate the death of Jesus on the cross. For God so loved the world that He sent us His only son.  Jesus came and lived among men.  He made the deaf to hear and the blind He made to see.  To the crippled man He said “Take up your bed and walk. He healed the sick, He raised the dead and He turned water into wine.  But more than that, much more than that, He died for our sins.
 
In the Garden of Gethsemane Judas betrayed Him.  Just as He prophesied Peter denied Him thrice.   When asked by Pilate whom should he release Jesus or Barabbas, the crowd said ” Release to us Barabbas and when he asked them what he should do with Jesus, they shouted “Crucify Him.”   Let us not forget how much He suffered; let us not forget His pain.
 
We are reminded of his suffering in this song, O Sacred Head Surrounded.   The lyrics were translated from the text of St. Bernard of Clairvaux  by Henry Williams Baker.

O Sacred Head, surrounded
by crown of piercing thorn!
O bleeding Head, so wounded,
reviled and put to scorn!
Our sins have marred the glory
of Thy most Holy Face,
yet angel hosts adore Thee
and tremble as they gaze

I see Thy strength and vigor
all fading in the strife,
and death with cruel rigor,
bereaving Thee of life;
O agony and dying!
O love to sinners free!
Jesus, all grace supplying,
O turn Thy face on me.

In this Thy bitter passion,
Good Shepherd, think of me
with Thy most sweet compassion,
unworthy though I be:
beneath Thy cross abiding
for ever would I rest,
in Thy dear love confiding,
and with Thy presence blest.

But death too is my ending;
In that dread hour of need,
My friendless cause befriending,
Lord, to my rescue speed:
Thyself, O Jesus, trace me,
Right passage to the grave,
And from Thy cross embrace me,
With arms outstretched to save.

Where is the Love and Equality

We see it all around us, everywhere we turn there are signs of violence and abuse. It is in our homes, in the streets, in our schools, it is even in the churches. Often times it is the person who has earned our trust who turns out to be the abuser. Many of these people hide behind their titles and professions to prey on the innocent’

It is ironic, everyone enters this world a baby, seemingly innocent and in need of nurturing. What make some grow up to be such monsters while others are not? Was it something in their genes, lying there dormant waiting for the right moment to burst forth? Or is it something learned from society, from the environment in which these people grew up?

Many will quickly point out that kids that come from the ghetto are more likely to commit crime. They try to convince you that crime is directly linked to poverty. So the kids from the ghetto are constantly watched, nothing they do go unnoticed and they are always in the news. The man in the jacket and tie who preys on the little girls and the little boys goes unnoticed, no one is watching him. No one expects him to commit such a crime!

Society expect a course of action from one group of people and a different set of actions from another. They refuse to accept the fact that there is good and bad in every single group in society. It is all about people making choices. People have a choice of doing what is right and what is wrong, some choose to do good while others choose to do bad things. The person from the ghetto can choose to be a pedophile, the person from up town in jacket and tie can choose to be a pedophile. Who is likely to be caught first? My guess is that it is going to be the one from the ghetto, after all he is the one who is expected to commit crimes. The point I am trying to make is people will commit crimes no matter from what background they may come from. People need to choose to make the right choices.

A Thought For Today

 

Do not be discouraged if all your
Prayers are not answered. In all things
God knows best. He might not give you
All you ask for but He will give you
All you need.

 

Man Marries Dog

 

We are living in a world of over seven billion people and yet it seems that not everyone is able to or chooses to find a companion among their own kind. This incident happened back in 2010 but I only recently saw it and thought I would share it with you. This Australian man married his dog, a five-year old Labrador retriever. Thirty of his friends  attended the ceremony. He reportedly told them that it was not sexual, just pure love. I can understand a man loving his dog but isn’t marrying the animal taking it a little too far?

Malaysian Flight 370

When the families of the passengers and crews members of flight 370 bid their loved ones goodbye of that fateful day of March eight little did they know they would probably be seeing them for the last time. After three weeks hopes have dwindled into nothingness. There are so many unanswered questions and we are no where closer to the truth as to exactly what happened to the air plane which has seemingly vanished without a trace.

For the families of those on board they might never know exactly what happened but one thing is certain, something happened that will change their lives forever. Knowing what happened would help to bring closure yet at this point perhaps it is time to accept the fact that they may never be coming back and move forward. It is a hard pill to swallow but sometimes live throws you a knock out punch and you have to regroup, pick up the pieces and move on.

We can only try to imagine what the families are going through at this time. For them it is a time of sorrow, pain and loss and not knowing what happened will only make it harder to accept. Yet they will have to find the strength to accept the loss of their loved ones. In life we do not always get the answers we seek and this is one of those moments.

Sand and Stone

A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand: “TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE.”

They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one, who had been slapped, got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him. After the friend recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone: “TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE.”

The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, “After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?”

The other friend replied: “When someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it.”

 

The Thigh Gap Obsession

Society in general and the media in particular have a profound impact on the way people live their lives. Some people depend entirely on others to dictate to them what is wrong and what is right. For example society try to impose on people the idea of what a right body type is. Where it involves people who lack confidence about the way they look or dislike the body they are in this may impact more seriously on them than others.

The thigh gap has gained popularity among young women some of whom perhaps lack confidence in their appearance. Some of these women are practically starving themselves so they get so thin that their thighs do not touch when they stand. This is the coveted thigh gap. Many anorexic looking images are floating around on the internet of those who have achieved the thigh gap. One can only hope that these women do not develop serious health issues.

It is unfortunate and sad that so many young women lack self-confidence and are so ready to conform to the views of others. I say to these women create your own reality and stop looking to others for validation. If someone’s idea of sexy is making herself so thin that she acquires a thigh gap, it does not have to be yours. Do not live your life based on the conviction of another person because what makes that person happy will not necessarily make you happy.

Happiness comes from within and you can embark on the journey for happiness by first loving yourself and the body you are in. Be mindful that no one is perfect; we all have flaws. Be aware also that we all have the ability to form our own judgement and make our own decisions. Stop relying on others to make those choices and decisions. God made us all unique so stop trying to be a duplicate of someone else and embrace your uniqueness.