So Favor Isn’t Fair?

What is Favor? There are several definitions but I am going to choose this one, “an act of gracious kindness.” You could also say that favor is being blessed (receive an act of gracious kindness) even when we don’t deserve it.

So, you could say that we are all favored (the recipients of gracious kindness) because we have all done things that weren’t the best but [sometimes in the same day] received an act of gracious kindness.

I propose to you that the degree in which we recognize and appreciate the favor that we receive actually entitles you to more favor. If you are a parent, mentor, big brother/sister, or anyone in authority over someone else, when you do an act of gracious kindness to someone and they appreciate, recognize and thank you for it, does it not motivate you to do even more?

So to say that favor isn’t fair, I say is true, because who can actually say on their own merits/efforts/work they deserved to be favored (receive an act of gracious kindness).
So, I charge you, the next time you receive an act of favor (an act of gracious kindness) be thankful and watch more favor enter into your life.

Why I Desire to Win $25,000.00 and Give More Than Half Away

This year I set a big hairy audacious goal for myself. I want to be a blessing to more people. Every new year I focus on myself and things I want to do to make myself better, put myself in a better position. However, this year, I am thankful that I am thinking outside of my own situation.

I see people around me that are in need and their need is motivating me to grow and do things even better. I know a person who donates her time, baby sits for her friends, volunteers in the community, and gets around at 6am any of day of the week. She does all of this without complaining and always in a cheerful spirit. I wondered “how does she get around with no car?”

I know of a single mother who has to make a choice between feeding her children and paying the rent. She earns too much to get assistance from the government but not enough to avoid this predicament. It is a choice, I believe, that no one should ever have to make.

Some may say, Calvin, “who are you to help these people and are you rich to do so?” I would answer them, “what my finances can not do, my faith and favor will.” So, I set 3 public #2010Goals:

1.  Buy this young lady a car
2.  Pay rent one month for an individual in need
3.  Pay mortgage one month for an individual in need.

How am I going to do this? Honestly, I am not sure, I have my bills and obligations that I have to meet, but I am going to sacrifice, save, and pray that opportunities, automobiles and my network can help to achieve this goal. Now, I saw an opportunity to win $25,000 from CarMax so I entered in the drawing.

Now, am I putting all of my hopes on that CarMax awards me the prize, No. I am putting all of my hopes in God and his ability to bring it to pass. But, just in case someone at CarMax reads this, I would want them to know that my desire to enter and win this prize is not so I can pocket all the money for myself; instead, to give away more than half of it by buying someone in need a car, paying one month rent and mortgage for someone in need.

This maybe foolish or silly to some but I think I am just continuing to have faith, that I will achieve the goals that I have set out and be able to bless those who I see are in need.

Why I Gave Away A $400.00 Watch

I always grew up in love with watches. Not the flossy, huge diamonds, very flash kind but the very corporate, very sophisticated, grown watches. My father always had very nice wrist wear so I took that on. After I started my business and began to experience a little bit of success, one of the first things that I did was buy my first “expensive” (to me) watch.

PS. I have no problem with nice watches and nice things because as soon as  deemed appropriate, look at my wrist, my suit, my car, and my house!

Tiger’s Infidelity Connected to My Celibacy

Right now Tiger Woods and his private matters have become quite public. This morning as I was watching ESPN they had more coverage on it and I began to think, what can I learn from this situation. One thing came to mind…

The importance of self control.

Now, I was in no way shape form or fashion on the same level of Tiger Woods but I did have an interesting college experience :joining a fraternity freshman year, going on to be Student Body President, starting a company on campus. Looking back, at the time, I could barely fit my head in the same room as other people. I felt like I could pretty much do what I wanted and how I wanted to do it.

So taking that feeling and multiplying by $1 Billion, I had a glimpse to how Tiger could have felt while sitting on top of the world. Now, during part of that time, I didn’t have a girlfriend and like I said, I felt like I could do anything that I wanted. After college, I went through a period of isolation where I dealt with alot of my weaknesses and areas that I had to improve in. Coming out of that, I had a closer relationship with God and a determination to be celibate until marriage.

Now, celibacy definitely started as a major challenge and I had  some interesting experiences as I became more comfortable with it. But now since starting down that road 3 years ago, I can see some of the most important lessons that I have learned. If I am to be as successful as I desire to be, I must learn how to control myself when no one else is going to hold me accountable. It is the battle within that is rarely fought while we dress up our exterior.

Now, I do not know if Tiger practiced celibacy or abstinence before marriage but I do know that for myself, that since going down this road, I am a stronger man and I no longer fall for the same temptation. If I continue on the path that I have set out to be on, hopefully  I would be protected from any of these types of Tiger Wood’s press releases.

So, I just ask that all of us that have aspirations to be great that we tackle our inner challenges. If not, when put under a international microscope, everything will be revealed. Sex can be a monster… Celibacy can help control it.

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My prayer:

My prayers are with Tiger, his wife,and his children during this very sensitive time and I pray that the strength of God and correction of God will rest in Tiger and he will grow to become the internal man that God created him to be, and not just the professional juggernaut he has become. I pray for his wife that she is comforted with the love of God and that she knows that even in this time of betrayal there is one who never betrays and is always with her, Jesus. For his children, I pray that they are protected from unnecessary conversations and exposure, and that through this experience they gain a closer relationship with Christ, as he is the only perfect man to ever live on the earth, and that they will increase in compassion and love for both of their parents. Amen.

Since I Am Awake

I was afford the opportunity to wake up. in my right mind and full control of my body. I woke up with energy to attack the day. So, since I am awake there must be something that I am supposed to do.

Not just something I had on my todo list like, complete a project, make a sales call or even collect money. But there must be something greater because in the grand scheme of things, all of those items will vanish and truly don’t matter. There must be a greater reason why I was allowed the opportunity to continuing living.

Since I am awake I am going to actively and purpose realize why I was allowed this opportunity to wake up again and see what impact I can make with things that really matter…

Blackberry Vs. God

I have had my blackberry for a little over 3 or 4 months. The way in which I got it was such a blessing. My old HTC Touch Pro 2 was malfunctioning and I went through 6 Touch Pros. I was about to leave Sprint until they said I can have any phone I want. Well my friend just got the BlackBerry Bold and I had fallen in love with it. So, I said, “Give me the Tour” (yes, that is for FREE).

In two days time I received my tour and was a very happy camper. Once I understood how BlackBerries operate, I fell in love. It was all there: my emails (all 8 of them), BBM, Facebook, Twitter, GMail, AiM, Bible App, Games…it was a beautiful thing. I was elated!

Then, I configured all of the notifications to have their own sound so that I could tell what was going on just by the tone. Oh boy!! It was rich! My blackberry would go off starting at 530 and wouldn’t stop… at all! I would have to turn it off. I read a study where they say that a blackberry user must touch their phone every 30 minutes and I even laughed when I shared it with friends.

I was addicted to the “Crackberry”. I saw someone’s Facebook page. It had an image with a blackberry and a Bible side by side and said, ‘Which one do you pick up more?” Well, I laughed and thought, “Gotcha! My bible is on my blackberry! ” But then I thought: How often do I go to the application…

Now for someone who isn’t interested in hearing, listening, and growing in God it would have been no big deal. But for someone who has decided that they want to grow in God and become closer to Him and have a better life: this is a BIG problem. Over the next few days/weeks, I realized that who/what was controlling my life was my blackberry. That may sound drastic but let me tell the story:

My BB tells me to wake up and shower – I wake up and shower.
My BB lets me know someone is calling – I stop what I am doing and pick up the phone
My BB tells me someone sent me a message – I must look at it that moment and respond.

Now, let’s see how God was doing.

I feel a desire to get up and pray – Oh, I can pray later.
I feel a desire to read the bible before I go to sleep or after I wake up – Let me just check my BB first.

Umm… for someone who wants to grow in God, I was not doing well at all. My priorities were all messed up. But thankfully, the blackberry has an amazing feature, one that has become my favorite but it has allowed me to go back to living my life, live with God, and still be in touch via the phone.

“Phone Only”

This feature allows the phone to only ring, but with no email notifications, no text, and no BBMs. This feature has restored my balance and peace, no longer do I feel the need to respond just that moment because most of the time I don’t get business texts or business BBMs. I can now check my email via phone and only check my BB when I choose. When I am thinking about God or studying a bible verse, no longer does my phone pull me away.

My BB was just a symbol. There will always be an opportunity for something to get between you and your relationship with Christ. The question is, ‘Are you going to allow it and once you realize it, will you try to make active changes to silence all distractions?’