Shaundrie Follows God...Not Man

What I want Americans to stop doing is telling adults how to live. I want people to stop influencing their culture, politics, and principles on one another. I have a problem with religious institutions trying to govern what everyday Americans do within the privacy of their own home. Let the Word of God govern their decisions and you mind your business.

Now let me clarify that I am a Christian. I believe that Jesus died for my sins, was resurrected on the third day and is with God as I type! Furthermore, I believe that God gives you free will to make choices in your life. God preordain that man would have free-will, the ability and responsibility to choose to obey Him (cf. Josh. 24:14-19). Leviticus 18:22 clearly states, "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination." Following God means that you WILL follow HIS Word. Its up to you to make the CORRECT CHOICE.

Now, lets discuss "choices". Choices were given at the beginning of time in the Garden of Eden. Eve CHOSE to disobey God and eat of the forbidden fruit (cf. Gen. 3:1-6). Your decisions in life are solely based on YOUR MORAL COMPASS. However, there will always be consequences for your actions. Just as Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden of Eden, you also will reap what you sow (cf. Galatians 6:6-8). Only YOU will be held accountable for those actions. Therefore, I will not judge (see previous post).


Now, God can give you free will....who is man to tell you how to live?

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The statement that disturbed me the most is at the 2:40 mark. Father Johnathan Morris said, "....take the principles to influence politics...to influence culture...to influence work place with the values that you believe in." I do not know if your values are God's values. History has taught us that not every man of the cloth is of God. I will not follow your principles and values.

Pastor John MacArthur, of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, clarified this perfectly with his sermon, "The Foolishness of God, Part 1". He said, "You don't need human wisdom. You don't need human philosophy. You need the word of God. If you know the word of God and you understand the word of God, you know the reason for everything. You understand what you need to know and you have solutions to your problems. You see there are only two views of anything, man's and God's. And this is how man's goes. Indulgent, shallow, short-sided, unrealistic, pandering to the flesh, elevating desires, supporting pride, advocating independence. Makes man the center. And who wants it?"

Furthermore, forcing a man's hand to do anything will make him hate it or flee away from it. So by imposing influencing a religion's values on politics, work places and cultures, you are pushing the very people you are attempting to save away.You do not force a person to believe in your values and laws. God's Word should always be presented to them. Then allow GOD to deal with that individual in the manner that draws him unto Thee. Moreover, we must accept the the "whole counsel of God on this subject instead of the wisdom of men (1 Cor. 1:18-21)."

Shaundrie Cares...Michael Ealy Does Too...

On Saturday afternoon a very interesting tweet scrolled through my timeline." I am hosting the 2nd annual Lustgarten Foudation NYC Pancreatic Cancer Walk at Hudson River Park tmrw May 6th." via @MichaelEaly. Now, most should be familiar with this handsome, but humble, crystal blue eyed actor. He has starred in such films as Barbershop & Barbershop 2, Sleeper Cell, Takers, Miracle at St. Anna and Think Like a Man. He is currently enjoying a successful ride as "Think Like a Man" has been the NUMBER ONE film for two weeks. His performance also caused a barrage of marriage and indecent proposals on twitter! Lol. Promoting his new television series "Common Law" which will premiere on USA this Friday, Mr. Ealy is a busy individual. Most celebrities rarely take time from their busy schedules to promote and host such a beneficial cause. So when I read the tweet, I thought, "How noble of him!" Then instantly, a thousand other questions began to formulate in my thinking space.

As a science teacher, a familiarity with pancreatic cancer is within me. However, I have so many other questions.  What causes the disease? Are there any symptoms? Who gets pancreatic cancer? How is it diagnosed? Is it preventable or treatable? With so many questions, there was only one answer. GOOGLE.

I abhor not having a complete  understanding of any scientific matter. Being the nerd that I am, researching this disease was a MUST!
According to WebMD, "Pancreatic cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancerous) cells form in the tissues of the pancreas. The pancreas is a gland located behind the stomach and in front of the spine. The pancreas produces digestive juices and hormones that regulate blood sugar. Cells called exocrine pancreas cells produce the digestive juices, while cells called endocrine pancreas cells produce the hormones." This organ is also the sight of diabetes, which is known to plague the African American community at an ALARMING RATE! But, health disparities within the African American community is another blog in itself.

Symptoms of pancreatic cancer include jaundice, pain localized to the location of the pancreas, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, loss of appetite and depression. Have you noticed that depression is linked to numerous diseases as a symptom? Hmmm, could that be a dissertation topic?! Anyways, its diagnosed by physical examinations and other special exams like CT scans, MRIs, and biopsy. Some of these tests can be pretty invasive.  There are various  treatments for pancreatic cancer, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. As I continued to read, I stumbled upon heartbreaking news. The American Cancer Society reports that only about 23% of patients with cancer of the exocrine pancreas are still living one year after diagnosis. Only about 4% are still living five years after being diagnosed. Which ensures me that early detection is the key to survival. Being aware of changes within your body, eating healthy, exercising and seeing a physician regularly is ESSENTIAL for good health. For more information on pancreatic cancer please visit www.curepc.org.
 
I am extremely grateful for celebrities that use their voices to make a positive impact on the world.   He inspired me to research the disease; which inspired me to author this blog. By sharing this information, maybe someone will benefit as well. I wish more celebrities would comprehend the profound impact they have on society and make a difference as well!  Michael Ealy, Ms. Jones gives you an "A+" for your work today.

Check out some pictures I saw on twitter today!! Thank you for sharing your pictures on Twitter: @AceLadyMcQueen @kgot_it  @SteffUghhKnee and @MichaelEaly

Shaundrie wants to know.... WHY ARE YOU FIGHTING?!?!?

     So. I can not comprehend it. Why are you fighting? Is it because she harmed your child? Did she get you fired from your job? Did she steal prize possessions from you? Did she get you evicted? Why are you fighting? FURTHERMORE, WHY ARE YOU FIGHTING ON TV!?!?!?! These shows are really foolish. These women sit around drinking at lunch discussing one another; only to have some staged event for the “confrontational fight”. Seriously, if this is your source of entertainment, you need to do some deep soul searching and maturing. This behavior is not normal or even rational. I am having an extremely hard time grasping the interest in America's obsession with this train wreck. Not only is it setting an extremely poor example for the youth, its creating unwanted stereotypes of African American women. So again I ask…why are you fighting?????

     “I’m not here to be a role model. Being a role model is the parent's responsibility”, said by many celebrities. Well, the reality of the situation is that YOU ARE a role model. Children admire and aspire to be JUST LIKE YOU! According to the Annie E.Casey Foundation, forty percent of households in 2010 were single parent homes. Some parents maybe working more than one job per day. That means, at some point that child may be left at home ALONE. Television programming does the job of babysitters and it occupies their minds. However instead of producing beneficial, education or comical program we are subjected to this:

And this:

Which has caused this:

And this:

     This nonsense has spill into our society. These networks are teaching our children that violence is the only way to solve problems. This scripted programming is becoming a detriment to our society, period. At one point fighting was not even allowed on television, unless in movies or fictional programming. It did not truly appear until the Jerry Spinger era. Even then most children were attending school during its time slot.

     So whose to blame for the brainwashing of our society and the embracing of violence? Parents? Television writers and producers? It is the parents responsibility to ensure their kids do not have access to these shows. However, it is also the television networks responsibility to provide quality programming to encourage positive behaviors. If you want to show violence in this nature, it needs to be shown after hours or on premium networks (I.e. HBO, SKINMAX…). I will bet against the house that the producers are not allowing their children to watch those shows and neither should you.


Well, what happens when the parents themselves do not know any better?

     It takes a village to raise a child. Sometimes, we have to love our neighbors as thyself. We have to embrace other children as if they were our own. We have to set positive examples for our peers giving them the desire to do better. A true woman of virtue will work or attend school, take care of her home and family. She has no time for drama and cattiness. She is focused on achieving her goals and inspiring others to be successful. She has no time for jealousy for, SHE IS HER OWN COMPETITION. If she has a problem with you, she will deal with it in a mature fashion and ABSOLVE the problem. We have to ensure that they understand that this is reality television but not REAL LIFE. WOMEN DO NOT behave as these chicks the word “women” gives them too much class on Basketball Wives or Bad Girls Club. Its completely juvenile and they need to GROW UP! I plea to you, please do not pattern yourself after these women.

You are WORTH much more than that!

SUPPORT PRESIDENT OBAMA'S DRILLING BAN

On April 20, 2010, eleven people were killed in the Deepwater Horizon oil rig off the coast of Louisiana. The explosion of this vessel caused it to sink and leak oil. Government estimates indicate this oil well is currently leaking an estimated 2.5 million gallons of oil a day. The vessel was owned by British Petroleum (BP).

This is an environmental disaster. According to the www.dailydeadbird.com 957 birds, 387 sea turtles, and 47 mammals have died. This does not include the 800 others that have been recovered drenched in oil. Furthermore, our food chain is in the process of a slow demise. Plankton is the primary producer that initiates the aquatic food chain. If the phytoplankton and zooplankton are killed, larger organisms will begin to die off as well. These organisms are vital to the ecosystem’s survival!

The gulf region is also suffering a damaging blow to it’s economy. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has closed 86,985 square miles -- about 36 percent of the Gulf's federal waters -- to fishing. Fishermen are out of work; trying to obtain positions with BP. Our local seafood plants are shutting down daily. This is a huge devastating blow to the gulf seafood industry! Patrons have stopped coming to the beach in fear that their trips will be invaded by gooey tar balls or chocolate mousse textured oil washing upon the shore.

With all this occurring President Obama placed a six month ban on all offshore drilling. However, on June 22, 2010, a federal judge blocked the six-month federal moratorium on deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. Several dozen plaintiffs had sued the Obama administration, arguing the ban would create long-term economic harm to their businesses (via cnn.com). This disturbs me very deeply. ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips and the American arms of BP and Royal Dutch Shell — testified before a subpanel of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. They all presented carbon copied oil-spill response plans filled with incorrect information regarding the Gulf of Mexico’s plants and animals. They are not prepared to handle another disaster and are no better prepared to deal with a major oil spill than BP! Offshore drilling does not need to continue until this crisis is solved!

'The president strongly believes, as the Department of Interior and Department of Justice argued yesterday, that continuing to drill at these depths without knowing what happened is - does not make any sense and puts the safety of those involved, potentially puts safety of those on the rigs, and the safety of the environment and the Gulf at a danger that the president does not believe we can afford right now," - Robert Gibbs, White House spokesman.

Please support President Obama’s attempt to protect our environment, families and way of life!

GEAUX SAINTS - SHAUNDRIE SAYS, "WHO DAT!!!!"

K-gates' Official Black & Gold (Who Dat!!!) Superbowl Edition ft. Ying Yang Twins

Shaundrie's Serious...Are YOU!??!

All-American Basketball Alliance

Don “Moose” Lewis has created an All White Basketball league in Atlanta. Lewis is filled with the false reality that basketball is tainted and has drifted away from “fundamental” style preferred and played by white Americans. In its place, “street ball” played by “people of color” have engulfed the game. "There's nothing hatred about what we're doing," Lewis said in a statement. "I don't hate anyone of color." He stated that it is bringing back a certain “nostalgia type” entertainment. Dictionary.com defines nostalgia as, “a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life....” So what he is saying is that he wants the ability to segregate America the way it once was? He wants to start this in the Southeastern portion of the United States where slavery and segregation was most severe. He will not be starting it in Mobile, Alabama…not in 2010 he won’t. Not here…we have come too far to go backwards.

It saddens me, because my mother talks often about having to enter the back door of a restaurant. My grandmother had to sit at the back of the bus and wait for hours at the doctor's office while being sick because the white patients were treated first. My mother remembers the integration of white high schools and hospitals. This is a very sensitive and painful subject for people that have experienced it and are continuing to experience it. It is disturbing that in 2010, people still have the sense that they deserve some type of entitlement and priority over everyone and everything. You can’t always be first.

Shaundrie's Mind - Unlike Many

This generation is LOST. They do not respect anything or anyone. They do not know the value of hard work, sacrifice, or the value of life.  It’s sad.  There are NO fathers in the homes. It’s not enough to pay child support and say I did my part. I DONT CARE WHAT ANYONE SAYS; A CHILD NEEDS A PA!!!!!  Men are out here depositing sperm everywhere they see fit. However, when the responsibility of raising that child comes along; they throw $$$ and that is supposed to be enough. Regardless to what you think, it takes more than money to raise a child.

MOST OF OUR BLACK MEN, LACK MALE LEADERSHIP AT AN EARLY AGE, THEREFORE, THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO BE MEN.  MOST BLACK WOMEN DO NOT KNOW HOW TO BE IN A RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE IT WAS NOT MODELED IN THEIR HOMES. THEIR MOTHER WAS SINGLE.  Daughters did not have fathers; which made some women soooo desperate for the love of a man. Consequently, they are willing to accept any attention that is received and misinterpret it as love.  Ignorantly, they have a child by these men who eventually abandon them; contributing to this detrimental cycle.

Our people are lost, all they are concerned with is flossing the hottest sneakers (which are ridiculously priced) trying to sale their soul to a music label or making money no matter the cost (robbing and selling drugs). There aren’t many people that want to help the community anymore. Teachers, nurses, doctors are needed; however, our kids do not dream anymore. They want to be rappers, singers or video models.  Our kids no longer have goals. They are fascinated with the bright lights from the false reality of television.  Parents are working two and three jobs a day; so the television is left to raise their child.  Our community is really in shambles and we are falling by the wayside.

With all this being said…Its Martin Luther King's Day...a day that should stand for more than another day off.  It is the remembrance of a man that made great strides towards humanity, peace and equality; but was all his hard work in vain?  Would he be proud or disappointed at our contributions to our society?  Did he die only to allow our community to self destruct? We have to take responsibility for what is wrong in our community and fix it. If you start with just one person, you have done something. Join a mentoring program, volunteer at school, church or a community center…JUST DO SOMETHING! Who will be next to be memorialized from our generation?  You?

     














     " A man who won't die for something is not fit to live" - Martin Luther King