Choice Vs. Destiny

Ponder this: Is your destiny preordained or the result of choices? And are these positions mutually exclusive?
From the spiritual perspective, destiny has already been ordained even before we were formed  (Jeremiah 1:5, "I knew you before you were formed").  In contrast, free will is just an elusive perception that human nature conceives when they think that  they are in charge of their own destiny. Therefore, the role of free will really is inessential, because  destiny and our choices are already written by the higher power. However, this thought presents  a new dimension because then this may suggest that the Almighty granted us free will as an  "illusion"... but free will is the very instrument he expected us to use to accept or reject his plan  of Redemption? Hmmm....!!! I’m just thinking though, there are unforeseen events that take course in our lives that I honestly can say are out of our control (i.e. infant that is stricken with fatal disease at birth) that is a matter of destiny ... but that does not negate the role of Free Will? Take the following into consideration: Is there a difference in your destiny if you choose to commit your life to the church [The Lord] versus a life of self-indulgence and debauchery?...Yes! Gathering this all together, our choices are pre-ordained reactions to events that lead to our destiny.  Therefore, yes, my destiny is pre-ordained, and although this is so, the choices I make are simply  indications or reflections of my destiny. My destiny has been en grained before I even knew it to  be so...as life goes on, my choices change through experience and maturity, however it does not  alter my destiny.

A twinkle in the eye, is JUST a twinkle in the eye

"A twinkle in the eye, is JUST a twinkle in the eye" 

Romantic relationships cannot sprout simply because two people "get along well" or " like the same music" LOL! There are a variety of aspects that must be satisfied, like: 

1. compatible spiritual values
2. similar intentions with the relationship, & 
3. physical attraction

Now that's just the beginning it goes deeper than that! Can you motivate me? Can I motivate you? Can you make me laugh? Can I entertain you? When times get hard, do you know how to pray for me? Can I pray for you? When times are good, do you know how to celebrate me and vice versa? Are you socially stable? Financially stable? Are you respected in the streets? Do you have un-dealt issues?


Can't be too quick to run into relationships these days, get set up for the okey doke...not me!

My floral obsession

...I LOVE flowers

Some of my favorite picks:

Top left: 24 Roses...simply beautiful

Top right: Asiatic lilies and exotic greenery

Bottom left: 12 Roses of purity

Bottom right: Bundle of purple mums, daisies, and roses

Top Left: Asiatic lilies as buds

Left middle: Asiatic lilies flourishing

Bottom Left: Single hyacinth and greenery

Right: Sunflower

All of these arrangements were hand-picked and arranged by me from the flower shop of course...I would love to have a garden with these flowers one day

Creative mind...Crafty Hands

I've always had a knack for crafts and decorating. When it came down to family parties or creative assignments in school, my natural inclination for these things was on high alert...I just HAD to dabble my hands in these things and have some kind of part in the decorating.

I LOVE flowers, tissue paper, adhesive letters, balloons, doilies, ribbons, pins... etc!

Here are some of my crafts:

In 2011, I had the honor of decorating my God-Daughters's Princess themed baby shower.

I constructed "diaper cakes" for the centerpieces using princess crowns as the toppers, ribbons, and other cute keepsakes.

The supplies:

The finished products

 The paper onesies were used as "Love Notes" to share words of encouragement to the Parents to be and to the baby.

I also had cd's made with adorable songs to celebrate the "Princess'" arrival. Each song title read into a full poem...it was super cute.

Games

For games, we played the traditional bottle drinking contest and the guess the belly size game.

The picture above was a game that we played called: "Guess who's that baby". I collected baby pictures of family members and the guests had to figure out who was who!

Another game that we played was "The diaper game". In this game, popular chocolate candies were smudged on diapers to emulate a dirty diaper. Participants had to guess the chocolate candy smudge on each diaper. It was nasty looking, but sure was fun seeing the guest dive nose first in the diapers.

Style Cap 09/20

Style Cap from 09/20/'13

-White Trimmed top -Denim skirt-Pink sparkly clutch-Pink sparkly heels

PurpleGlory

Just a pic....

Nice night on the town! #Poetry#Music#Wine#GoodLaughs#PurpleGlory#BangsSoLowYouCantSeeMyEyes

I'll paint all the world for you babe

I fell in love with this song on first listen! 

Big K.R.I.T uses an extended metaphor to "paint" the struggles of his failing relationship with a girl that he loves who seems to no longer understand him.

He paints a picture of the potential of their love "that's clear as day" with hope that she would come back home, but chick seems to be oblivious to his efforts

Awesome imagery and lyrics!

Read the lyrics below:

Oh, the sweet essence of being FREE!

Can you guess this music trivia: 

"Ohhh, I'd like to greet the sun each morning and walk amongst the stars at night, I'd like to know the sweet taste of honey in my life!"

The Commodores (Look at Lionel Richie at the top right corner!)

If you guessed "Zoom" By The Commodores, you guessed right! 

This song is ab-so-lute-ly liberating and soOo very beautiful to me. In addition to the exquisite musical composition and vocals, the lyrics carry me through a celestial space of self freedom and genuine happiness!

 Its an amazing feeling that celebrates liberty, acceptance of the past, self-realization, hope, growth, and the concept that "life goes on!" 
Lyrical reference: ("Well I've shared so many pains, and played so many games, but everyone finds the right way, somehow...someway...someday")

The song embraces liberation and freeing of the mind where "one can find the love that they have longed to see" and "people can be what they want to be!"

REAL and GOOD music "strokes your mental" and after listening to this song, I HAD to share my liking for the message in this song with some friends. Here are some enlightening realizations that they added about "Zooming" far away from mental entrapment to a place of being free:

"Freedom" and "liberation" must first be understood as conditions of mind and spirit not the physical.. so therefore, You could be captive in a physical prison and still be "free"... you could be captive in transient circumstances and yet be "free"...your job may inflict injustice on you and yet, you're "free".. friends and colleagues could denounce you but yet you're "free". I am FREE.

Our mind tends to conform to the norm because of what is commonplace which shackles oneself from possibility.  The realm of possibility is endless as long as you are comfortable with letting your mind and body be open to possibility.  Being free is a concept in which your mind knows no bounds to the extent of life.  I am FREE. 

...What an AMAZING feeling it is to be FREE! 

Press Play Below:

Football Season..."Who you With!?" (A girls point of view)

Growing up in a household full of girls, sports were really not the thing to watch. As children, we gravitated more towards shows on Disney channel and nickelodeon and as we grew older, family sitcoms, music videos, reality shows and movies became our main television interest. 

When big sporting events like the Superbowl or playoffs came around, it was very hard to connect to the camaraderie and celebrations because although I cheered when the ball made it through the hoop or over the goal post, I didn't quite understand the technicalities of the sport and couldn't truly appreciate a triple double, alley oop, or any good plays for that matter. I usually leaned towards the team that had the most appealing uniforms and team color, and admittedly  I fell into the bandwagon category a couple times. 

The other interesting thing that I realized was the unique passion that most males (and some women) have towards sports. Like, the devotion to watch football every Sunday, or how they can spit out team history at the drop of a dime. Its simply amazing to me how the majority of sports fanatics can converse almost instantaneously about anything sports related.

 I work with two male co-workers that have fascinated me the most with this trait of overflowing sports knowledge. Now, considering that there are levels to sports fanaticism, on a scale from 1 to 5, these two are definitely a 10+...they are beyond a measuring scale! Not a day goes by, where they do not exchange some form of sports information. They go on for hours discussing the draft, fantasy football, football rivalries, Lebron vs Jordan, referee calls...you name it! EVERYDAY--its something new!

In lieu of the upcoming football season, I took it upon myself to learn the true essence of sports so that I can enjoy it truthfully. I challenged myself to do personal research on football teams in the NFL so that I can represent  a team this season. I composed a criteria method that measured teams based on aspects that I felt were important like 1. Color 2.Championship History 3. Mascot 4. Division and  5.Star Players                                                                                                                                

Each team was ranked from 1-5 based on the above criteria, with the first 3 aspects being the ultimate determining factors. The team with the most points would be the team that I follow for the season...fair enough? 

The calculations sort of went like this, for example:

San Francisco 49ers

Team Color: Red & Gold- 5pts because that's a nice color combination that I could possibly rock(you know red jersey & some khaki's)

Championship History: 5 time Superbowl5pts

champs, conference champs in 2012-

Mascot: Sourdough Sam-2pts (what in the world is a sourdough sam??? LOL)

TOTAL: 12/15

After much deliberation and applying that system to some of the most notable teams in the NFL, the following ranking order was produced: get ready, get ready...!!!

11. Seattle Sea Hawks- 7pts

10. Dolphins-                10pts

9.   Falcons-                  10pts

8.   Broncos-                 11pts

7.   Colts-                    12pts

6.   Patriots-                  12pts       

5.   49ers-                     12pts

4.   Bears-                     13 pts

3.   Saints-                     13pts                    

2.   Cowboys-               14pts

1. Giants-                   14 pts.

So...Why get married? Contract vs. Covenant

In a society that ornaments glamorous and expensive ceremonies followed by nasty divorces driven by selfish greed, what would motivate one to walk down the isle of "til death do us part"?

The question was posed at a lunch table discussion amongst co-workers in which the counter response would be to co-habitate with a significant other without the "piece of paper". Please note: the following is opinion based and simply my interpretation of the subject and supporting information.

I. What is marriage?

In the secular or worldly perspective, marriage is often viewed as a contract that is usually driven by self fulfillment, self interest, and self realization (the "what can you do for me perspective"). 

In contrast, the biblical perspective instructs that marriage is a holy covenant driven by ultimately fulfilling God's will (the "how can we steer each other to bring God glory perspective"). Both perspectives can share the traditional proposal/engagement stage, followed by the ceremony, financial bonds, and familial bonds.

II. Reasons to get married? (Biblical perspective)

1.      Obedience to God's will.                  

Genesis 2:24 "...Man will leave his father & mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh”                                                                                           

2.      To abstain from sexual Immorality.

I Corinthians 7:8 “Now to the unmarried and the widows, I say it is good for them to stay unmarried, but if they cannot control themselves they should marry for it is better to marry than to burn with passion”

3.      To have a committed help mate.

Genesis 2:18 “…It is not good for man to be alone, I will make a helper suitable for him”

4.      To make us more like Christ

Ephesians 5:1-2 “Therefore, be imitators of Christ and walk in love as Christ loved us.” Family life is the greatest example of God’s unfailing love. Within this realm one learns to love unconditionally as God does and how to forgive and be forgiven.

III. Reasons marriage is frowned upon in society

1.      Lose financial benefits/ ruin spouse’s credit (if bad)

2.   Commitment issues (Can’t be faithful)

3.    Marriage is just a piece of paper anyway

4. No example of a good lasting marriage to follow

IV. Extra thoughts

1.      People should not get married just because they have been together for a while

2.      People should not get married just because of age and status

3.      Two people getting married should share similar spiritual value

4.      Two people entering the marriage should be equally willing to share this bond

5.  People in the marriage should be willing to be exclusive to each other

6. Both parties should end/ release any soul ties or previous relationships