Proverbs 1: 8-10 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.  They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.  My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them.

11 If they say, “Come along with us;
let’s lie in wait for someone’s blood,
let’s waylay some harmless soul;

12 let’s swallow them alive, like the grave,
and whole, like those who go down to the pit;

13 we will get all sorts of valuable things
and fill our houses with plunder;

14 throw in your lot with us,
and we will share a common purse”-

15 my son, do not go along with them,
do not set foot on their paths;

16 for their feet rush into sin,
they are swift to shed blood.

17 How useless to spread a net
in full view of all the birds!

18 These men lie in wait for their own blood;
they waylay only themselves!

19 Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
it takes away the lives of those who get it.

Noun  1.    temptation – something that seduces or has the quality to seduce
enticement
influence – a cognitive factor that tends to have an effect on what you do; “her wishes had a great influence on his thinking”
forbidden fruit – originally an apple from the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden; it is now used to refer to anything that is tempting but dangerous (as sexuality)
bait, come-on, lure, sweetener, hook – anything that serves as an enticement
allurement – attractiveness; “its allurement was its remoteness”
2.    temptation – the desire to have or do something that you know you should avoid; “he felt the temptation and his will power weakened”
desire – the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
3.   temptation – the act of influencing by exciting hope or desire; “his enticements were shameless”
enticement
influence – causing something without any direct or apparent effort
wheedling, blandishment – the act of urging by means of teasing or flattery
leading astray, leading off – the act of enticing others into sinful ways
seduction – enticing someone astray from right behavior
allurement, solicitation – the act of enticing a person to do something wrong (as an offer of sex in return for money)

entice definition
en·tice (en tīs′, in-)
transitive verb enticed -·ticed′, enticing -·tic′·ing
to attract by offering hope of reward or pleasure; tempt; allure

The Bible – Proverbs 1: 8-19 NIV, Image Credit: Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bing Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling by prawnpie, Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic

By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you’ll become happy; if you get a bad one, you’ll become a philosopher. – Socrates quote

Sometimes reality has a way of sneaking up and biting us in the ass. And when the dam bursts, all you can do is swim. The world of pretend is a cage, not a cocoon. We can only lie to ourselves for so long. We are tired, we are scared, denying it doesn’t change the truth. Sooner or later we have to put aside our denial and face the world. Head on, guns blazing. De Nile. It’s not just a river in Egypt, it’s a freakin’ ocean. So how do you keep from drowning in it? – Meredith Baxter quote

If addiction is judged by how long a dumb animal will sit pressing a lever to get a “fix” of something, to its own detriment, then I would conclude that netnews is far more addictive than cocaine. -  Rob Stampfli quote

Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names – John Fitzgerald Kennedy quote

I’ve learned that no matter how good a friend someone is, they’re going to hurt you every once in awhile and you must forgive them for that.

Fast for Fear of Choking (You can’t refuse to do the thing you need to just because there is a slight chance to fail.) – Chinese Proverb quote

I may have my pride, but my pride does not have me.

A stiff apology is a second insult… The injured party does not want to be compensated because he has been wronged; he wants to be healed because he has been hurt. – G. K. Chesterton quote

Never ruin an apology with an excuse. Kimberly Johnson quote

I’ve never known any human being, high or humble, who ever regretted, when nearing life’s end, having done kindly deeds. But I have known more than one millionaire who became haunted by the realization that they had led selfish lives. – Barry C. Forbes quote

You can bend it and twist it… You can misuse and abuse it… But even God cannot change the Truth. – Michale Levy

Judge a person by their questions, rather than their answers. – Voltaire

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. – George Santayana

The coward calls the brave man rash, the rash man calls him a coward.

Try and fail, but don’t fail to try. How long should you try? Until.

One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure its worth watching.

Nobody can hurt me without my permission. Mahatma Gandhi

My wisdom comes from my own personal experiences, my knowledge from the experiences of others; if it were the other way around I couldn’t trust myself. – Antoinette Forsythe

When thought becomes excessively painful, action is the finest remedy. – Salman Rushdie

We think too small. Like the frog at the bottom of the well. He thinks the sky is only as big as the top of the well. If he surfaced, he would have an entirely different view. — Mao Tse-Tung

For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief. -Ecclesiastes

Once social change begins, it cannot be reversed. You cannot uneducate the person who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore. We have seen the future, and the future is ours. Cesar Chavez

Love is a decision – not an emotion.

Before enlightenment – chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment – chop wood, carry water. Zen Buddhist Proverb

Arguing with a fool proves there are two. Doris M. Smith

Men soon the faults of others learn. A few their virtues, too, find out. But is there one I have a doubt; Who can his own defects discern? Sanskrit Proverb

Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the LORD gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged. 1 Chronicles 22:13

No one ever choked to death swallowing his pride

Are you not ashamed of caring so much for the making of money and for fame and prestige, when you neither think nor care about wisdom and truth and the improvement of your soul? Socrates

Image Credit: Philosophers Club by Thomas Hawk,  Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic

Why are so many strong black women single and unmarried? My response is from a completely different angle…

I don’t believe this is a black issue this is an issue that is now being faced by many women around the world; strong women of all races.

In earlier years the role of man was clearly defined in the Bible and he followed it; it was accepted as law and never questioned. As time passed some strayed away from those traditions and laws, man began to create his own set of rules as to how things should be. Over time he slowly reversed the roles of man and woman thus creating confusion; the ‘natural’ order of things no longer existed.

Today’s woman is physically spiritually and emotionally stronger and is far more educated, as a result more self-reliant; less dependent on men. The men however have been taking on many roles previously only performed by women. They have become more of a nurturer than the men of old. In terms of their educational progress there hasn’t been any; they were never denied such opportunities.

In a relationship a man NEEDS to feel like a man and when he is partnered with a woman that equates or surpasses him in strength, this can very be difficult; it goes against his nature; against the natural order of things. I think that strong women need to know when to wear that ‘hat’ and when to take it off; we need to relearn how to let a man be a man; there is nothing wrong with being assertive and strong however, when a woman displays these characteristics 24/7 it can and will take a toll on any relationship.

From a man’s perspective this woman has to win every argument, she constantly speaks down to him, she doesn’t allow him to help her with anything and every moment is literally a battle. He walks around on eggshells because he has no clue what or how to please her and when he tries, she is quick to remind him that she is quite capable of doing it herself, “Anything you can do I can do it better and I can do it all by myself.” Now if the tables were turned would you date someone like you; someone that by their actions and words made it clear that they don’t NEED you; a man needs to feel needed.

Unfortunately the modern woman is in search of the man of old (strong) and the modern man is looking for a woman from the past (submissive), neither of which is in high supply; both a dying breed. The only solution is to be willing to modify our search criteria to what is available and not what was. We must also be willing to make changes within ourselves; let a man BE a man, let a woman FEEL equal.

My thoughts on this video: These women are looking for the wrong qualities in a man; things that are not going to matter in the long haul; physical appearance, race, age, status and yes a bank account filled with money. They need to stop making ‘a list’ and learn to be open to a little more open; focus more on the character of a man…

Written by Antoinette Forsythe Copyright © All rights Reserved, Image Credit:  VISIT OF PRESIDENT OF INDIA SMT PRATIBHA PATIL TO ARUNACHAL PRADESH. PHOTO SOURCE PRESS INFOMATION BUREAU by rajkumar1220 Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License, _MG_0727 by dbking Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License,  Força! by Roberto Berlim Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic License, Sissy and Bubba by Patrick Q Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 2.0 Generic License.

Via the media we have all witnessed the horrendous and tragic earthquake that has recently trampled over Haiti. The damage is so extensive that it is only a matter of time before a ‘state of emergency is declared’. Countries from all over the world have pledged millions towards the relief effort and on a local level, people throughout the world are organizing funding drives and the wealthy are pledging thousands to millions of dollars. Red Cross FEMA the military and other rescue organizations are already on the scene and more are expected to arrive. Haiti has received assistance that could total billions (between the years 2007-2010);  Prime Minister Obama has now pledged 100 million dollars to help them.

If I were in Haiti and/or had family and friends therein, I would pray that the world would hear our cries and come to our rescue by any means necessary. I would be thankful to all those who came to help without even knowing us. I would be thrilled to know that enough money has been received to assist us in rebuilding our land; put our lives back in order.

This has not been the case for the Haitian people and I cannot understand why.  So I have to ask: What did Haiti do with all the money? Should the governments of the receiving countries be trusted with such large sums of money? Is there any accountability process in place for all funds given and received?

I believe we are all responsible for each other; we are all one body of people scattered across the globe; I believe that there is no such thing as “there is nothing that I can do for you.” If I have half a loaf of bread, it is my responsibility to feed everyone in my family first. If my neighbour then knocks on my door and tells me he’s hungry, it is my responsibility to share my slice with him. If as he leaves he passes a homeless man it is his responsibility to share his slice with him and so on.

With that being said, why are so many governments sending millions of dollars that should be used to take care of their own people FIRST? America has yet to complete the rebuilding required from Hurricane Katrina and other disasters. It has yet to clean up low-income neighbourhoods and make homelessness and poverty a thing of the past. It has yet to rescue all families that have recently lost their homes to foreclosures or that are facing foreclosures; look at what 100 million dollars could have done for Americans!

When you donate, please, use an organization that is known to be financially responsible; ensure that your money is being used for what you intended; all donors and intended recipients have a right to said process.

I will continue to pray for the people of Haiti.

Written by Antoinette Forsythe Copyright © All Rights Reserved, Image Credit: Wow – thank you! by Salvation Army USA West Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License, Hurricane Katrina by au_tiger01, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.

Years ago my mother told me, “Nuh mek nuh baddy tell yuh seh yuh is African. Me was bawn inna Jamaica, an mi maddah and faddah was bawn inna Jamaica. Is ownly di slave dem come from Africa an we nuh ave no slave innna wi family; nuh badda mek dem pieson yuh mine. Read yuh Bible, it nuh seh nuttin bout nuh Africa! We black!” She, was born in 1928.

Of late, a friend said, “I’m no African Canadian so don’t call me that, I’m Jamaican or black. I didn’t come from Africa.” He was born and raised in Kingston Jamaica in the 70’s and arrived in Canada as a teen. Another friend stated, “I’m not black, I’m brown. Africans are black.” Another, “I’m no Negro, that and nigger are derogatory terms used by the white man. I’m an African-Canadian.”

Well, I decided to read my Bible and in order to find my origin, I began at the beginning; Genesis. I read about my eldest ancestor Adam (first man) and Eve (first woman) and their appearance. I read about their first home; Eden. It told in great detail exactly where it was and so using an ancient map, I looked it up. Then it spoke of a new beginning by way of a great flood and how later God scattered man “abroad upon the face of all the earth.”

I have thus concluded that my ancestry is African and I am Jamaican by birth. I am colored, brown or black if one is to describe the pigment of my skin. Now that I’ve become a Canadian citizen, I would be described as a Canadian of African decent; African Canadian. If you were to determine my race I would be a Negro. If one were to describe my skin pigment and heritage then I would be an African Black. If I were to trace back to my first ancestor I would be a descendant of Noah via Adam and Eve, who lived in Eden; Africa.

Who am I? A Negro, Person of Color, Colored, Black, African-Canadian, Afro-Caribbean, Caribbean Woman; derogatory, offensive, outdated, inaccurate or politically incorrect, I am not defined by words whether positive or negative; I know who I am and from whence I came. In the end, God defined me; “In the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Written by Antoinette Forsythe Copyright © All Rights Reserved, Image Credit: world mosaic: a tribute to flickr portraits by pardeshi, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.