Where I stand

I’ve been thinking about this blog post for awhile now. It’s been on my heart and mind but I kept forgetting to put this out here. I know some of what I am going to say may upset, and shock some people. While for some it will be no big secret. But as someone who is called by God to speak the truth, I feel I need to put it out there.

First let me say that when it comes to the issue of homosexuality, I am on no one’s side but the Lord, period. This is something I’ve prayed, fasted, and sought Him concerning countless times. My view is not of my own personal feelings.
So what do I believe? I believe the “act” of homosexuality is a sin. It is a sin like lying, stealing, cheating, and fornicating. Do I believe some folks are born homosexuals? No but I believe we are all born with a sin that we will struggle with and homosexuality is one of those. Do I believe being homosexual means a person is going to hell? Absolutely not. I don’t believe all Christians are going to heaven either. Do I believe someone can be freed from homosexuality? Yes because I believe with God ALL things are possible. What scripture did I use to come to my conclusion? Well I went to Genesis in the beginning. I believe God was clear on the order of things when he gave Eve to Adam. Are you against “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell?” Yes I am. I believe sexual orientation does not affect someone’s military performance. The military has a set of rules and guidelines for everyone to follow while in uniform. Who someone lies down with at night, is not my problem. They let the whoremongers openly serve so why not the gays. How do I as a Christian deal with someone who is homosexual? I love them, encourage them and pray for them like I do everyone else in my life. We go out to eat, watch movies, go to shows, I tweet and facebook them etc. They are human just like me and I love them.

Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, let me rebuke some things I see on both sides of the issue that annoy the spit out of me.
1)Just because I believe homosexuality is a sin, doesn’t make me a homophobe. You know I really hate that word. Because “phobe” implies fear and I don’t fear homosexuals at all. I don’t hate them either. Why is it when it comes to this issue, if you don’t agree, you are an evil, hatemonger? We can disagree without one hating the other. I’m against fornication but I don’t hate fornicators.

2)Christians, please stop acting like we have a monopoly on God. I don’t like signs like, “God hates f#gs” and etc. Really? I mean the last time I read my bible, it said for God so love the world. Not just those who are straight. Stop it!!! We need to focus more on showing God’s love. How can you draw people when you tell them God hates them? Who would want to serve a God like that? I am heartbroken to hear that young people are killing themselves after being bullied by mean and hateful people. That is not of God.

3)To some of my gay brothers and sisters, I get it, you are gay. Do you have to remind me and put it in my face all the time? I mean, I’m straight but you don’t see me rocking shirts, driving with a bumper sticker or uses it as an excuse every time someone hurts my feelings. It has nothing to do with who you choose to sleep with. Most people don’t care. I just want to enjoy your company and not hear about your exploits and this and that. I feel the same with my straight friends. What happens in your bedroom should stay in your bedroom.

4)Why do some Christians act like the only sins God is against are homosexuality and abortion? I mean there are signs, bumper stickers and protests against these two but what about the others? So did we just give a pass to lying and cheating? Now I’m not saying you can’t be against them but if you give a pass to the others, something’s not right. ALL sin is unrighteousness. Yes you who fornicate with your boyfriend or girlfriend of x amount of years. Yeah you who lie to your kids and have them believe in Santa Claus. Yes you who are claiming your sister’s kids on your taxes so you can get more money back. Yup that is all sin.

5)Christians aren’t the only ones against gay marriage etc. I for one have never rallied against it or marched etc. There are atheists, Buddhists, and other religions that are against it as well. Why? I don’t know. Why is the sky blue? That is just the way it is. We may be more vocal but we are not alone.

6)Christians please stop saying gay marriage takes away from your heterosexual marriage. I don’t care if the government starts allowing folks to marry computers; my marriage won’t be any less because of it. Yes I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. But if 2 women decide to get married, so be it. Only God has the final say on what is truly a marriage. We really need to check ourselves and stop giving folks power over the value we place on things in our lives.

7)Gays, please understand everyone won’t like you and guess what, they don’t have to. There is no law that says we have to get along. Folks will be how they want to be no matter what. You just be you, love them and pray for them. Stop trying to force feed things down their throats in order to get them to accept you because they won’t. That is life. There are plenty of people who don’t like me but I choose to focus my energy on those that do.

8)Please stop with the foolish arguments. I heard someone say, “well if you do x, y, z then you shouldn’t be against homosexuality because you are a sinner as well.” Really? I mean that’s like saying I shouldn’t speak out against rape and murder either. That’s foolish. If someone believes something is a sin, they have every right to do so whether they have sinned or not. You can choose to ignore them. We throw around the word hypocrite way too quickly.

So there you have it. With all that said and done, I choose to focus on loving people and telling them of the goodness of Christ. Gay, straight, sideways, whatever, that is what I do. I don't have all of the answers and I don't pretend to be right. I have struggles, I sin and I repent constantly. But no matter what you choose to believe, I trust God. I reserve the final say and judgement to Him. He is the only one that has a heaven or hell to put anyone in. And I believe that even in all of our mess, He loves us and He will continue to show His love by giving us chance after chance after chance up until the very end to accept Him as our Savior so we may live with Him for eternity in Heaven. We need to show more of His love to everyone, not just those we deem worthy because truth of the matter is, none of us are.

We need a show!!

Thomas: Look at your mom and look at me. Who do you think would win in a fight?
The Supremes: *in unison* Mom
Thomas: What? Why would you say that?
D: Because she's from New York

...POW!!!! Q

Quotes

I love quotes. I mean I really really love them. I search the web for quotes I feel speak to me and will also be a blessing to others. Here are a few I've shared on twitter and Facebook recently:

Always tell the truth. That way you don't have to remember what you said. Mark Twain

"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." Mahatma Gandhi

"Lord, let me live until I die." Will Rogers

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me." ~Erma Bombeck

‎"The individual who is mistake-free is also probably sitting around doing nothing. And that is a very big mistake." John Wooden

"A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones that need the advice." Bill Cosby

"The final measure of one's life won't be how well you live, but how well others live because of you." Anon

"Don't let anyone tell you what you can and can't do because after you succeed the only things you'll probably remember are the praise of your friends and the silence of your enemies." Anon

If there are "friends" who only come around when they need something or are going through a tough time, it may be time to demote them to "associate". People only do what you allow - don't give silent permission to poor habits! Lisa Nicole Bell

"Be happy that you even have a life." Princess D

"Don't devalue what God is able to do through you. Little becomes much in God's hands." My Pastor

Misery loves company

I don't get people who have nothing better to do than be messy, childish, and silly. I don't and I won't. I believe those people are very unhappy inside and their coping mechanism is to drag others down with them. Miserable people are always looking for company. Decline the invitation to join them. I am a very open and honest person. I admit I am very flawed and I've made some mistakes. But I don't let my past dictate my future or keep me from being who God called me to be. I understand we all make mistakes, but I can't accept not owning them and moving on from them.

I usually don't give folks the time of day but I am addressing this because someone dear to me was upset so I figured I'll clear the air. I tweeted last night about Fantasia messing with a married man. It was retweeted by several people. Apparently someone took issue with it and got all in a tizzy trying to call me a liar and urging folks to call me on it. *BLINK* No seriously they did. Like a little high school child looking for friends to back them up. LOL You see I was very active on a message board. I've told a lot about the good and bad in my life. There was a time when I hated men and didn't love myself and so I used them. No I wasn't sleeping with a bunch of dudes in order to get stuff but I was using them. I had my standards. I had one main boyfriend who I was with in every way if you know what I mean and he was the only one in that aspect. I was very clear about boundaries and never crossed them. (This is why I tell girls they don't have to give "it" away in order to get what they want.) I learned then that men loved the chase. It was the hope of one day bedding me that kept them coming around.

I started dating another guy who was in a relationship as well. I thought it was perfect. My boyfriend was long distance and now I had someone near by. I didn't have to worry about him bothering me as much or so I thought. Long story short he ended up getting engaged and yes I was the other woman. They never married, I broke it off with him soon after he got engaged although he had a hard time letting me go. I was the one who didn't give up the goodies and I think it bothered him. So much so that he started stalking me. Long story short, I learned some hard lessons about playing with folks feelings and using them.

So you see, I've NEVER been with a married man. In all of my trifling, pre-Jesus ways, the devil in me had a limit. Was what I did wrong, yes. Would I do it again, NEVER. Is it different from Fantasia, yes and no. Yes because he was taken too. No because being married with kids is totally different than being engaged. Does this make me a hypocrite, no. I KNOW what I did was wrong and who best to speak on a situation like this than me? But I never slept with the guy and why would I when he was getting it from someone else at home. I told yall I had standards. LOL

I am sure someone is out there now trying to find proof to discredit me but they won't. It speaks volumes about them than it does about me. This was over 12 years ago and I freely admitted to this several times. Not to brag but to offer another side to the topic and to show how far I've come in my life. Reading is fundamental and tricks are for kids. Never worry about folks who try to bring you down. You pray for them and let God deal with it. I know it's hard at times but I have peace knowing God is fighting my battles.

Leave miserable people to their own devices. If you ignore them, you win. Don't stoop down to their level, make them come up to yours. So when you encounter those miserable people who are so quick to try to call you out, discredit you, or speak ill of you, tell them "it's called a life. Get you one. Stop worrying about mine." Now RUN TELL DAT!!! Q

Professional

Potty trained

Oh Em Gee

So here I was on twitter minding my business tweeting as usual. I tweeted about how I had a dream last night about Vince Carter. No it wasn't a naughty dream. LOL Anyone who knows me, knows I am a HUGE fan. I've been one for over 12 years. So in my dream, I met him and presented him with a platter of cupcakes. His favorite was the key lime one. I tweeted about all of this and just kind of kept on going. In the meantime, I decided to check my yahoo email. All of a sudden I got an email from twitter. It said, "Vince Carter is now following you on twitter." My heart skipped a beat for a minute. I look at the name and it looked like the one I was already following. But I clicked back over to twitter just to make sure and it was true.

I screamed out loud scaring the dog and the Supremes. I ran in the room and tackled Thomas telling him. Tears welled up in my as I tweeted and posted the good news on FB. I am just shocked and amazed. I am not moved by a lot of celebrities but he is one that I just have sooo much respect for. As you guys know, I finally saw him play awhile back in a game. I plan on seeing him 3 more times this season in AZ again, CO, and TN. I want to get closer so he can hear me yell, lol. My next and final goal is to meet him. Even though I know I would darn near pass out!!!! I will keep you posted. For right now, I am just super happy. This is a great belated b-day gift!!! Q

Happy Sweet 16 to me!!!!

Yes I am celebrating my sweet 16, again. I know a lot of people have said they don't want to be 16 again but neither do I. LOL But I celebrate it because 16 was a major turning point in my life. It was a little over 16 years ago today when I made the decision to skip the 11th grade and graduate a year early. I believe that decision completely changed my life and brought me to where I am now. If I would have waited, would I have gone to the college I went to? That experience was horrible and made me decide to get away and join the military. It was in the military that I met my wonderful husband. Here we are, happily married with 3 beautiful kids. Who knows who or what I would have become. Either way, I am thankful for the path I eventually took. It wasn't always easy but nothing worth having is. So I say thank you to that 16 year old who made that decision all those years ago. Happy Birthday to me!!!! Q

Surprise Puppy

We decided to get the Supremes a puppy. It's something we've thought about for awhile and a friend of mine had one for sale. He is a Cockapoo named Romeo. Of course we had to surprise them with him. Check out the video.

Love all around me

I know it's been a minute but I've been super busy, in a good way. Tomorrow is my birthday. I turn 16.... again. I am so excited. I have a party planned next Saturday at the bowling alley with me and a bunch of my girls. We are going to have some good clean fun. I've already received a bunch of cards, gifts and well wishes. I can truly say, I am very blessed. I have an amazing husband, 3 wonderful little girls, a great dog, and loving friends and family. I pray everyone has the love that I have in my life. Everywhere I look, I see not only the love of man, but the love of God. I thank Him for His many, many blessings. My name is Queneesha and I am loved!!!! Q

12 years and counting...

T and I are celebrating 12 years today. I can't believe it. In those 12 years, we have had some ups and downs. But I can honestly say I am still very much in love with him. He has never cursed me out, cheated on me, hit me, or verbally abused me. And although I am not the size I was when we met, he has never made me feel bad. He still finds me sexy and he tells me and shows it. And he always treats me like the Queen I am. He is a great father and provider. But most importantly, he is a man after God's own heart. He is the kind of man I pray the Supremes find. Happy Anniversary my love. Let's make it 12 more years!!!! Q

Yes my ish does stink, but not all the time

I just started a new job a few weeks ago and I love it. One of the things I love most is the bathroom. It is super clean, has a several stalls, and it's super clean. My previous place of employment had a decent ladies bathroom. It was clean but was just a room with one stall so yes we had to wait for someone to finish in order to go in.

After working there for 3 years, I forgot all about the female bathroom dance. You know what that is right? That's what women do when they want to poop but instead they hold it in and try to wait until the bathroom is clear. Yeah that one. Working at a place with only one bathroom stall made that dance non existent. I mean heck if someone is going in while you are coming out, they will know you did it. Unless of course someone was there before you. Either way, I really didn't care then and I don't now.

Honestly, I don't bother with the dance. Yes I take precautions to make sure I don't leave a super unpleasant scent but other than that, I do what I need to do and leave. Why should I be ashamed of doing something pretty much everyone has done including Jesus? Why should I be ashamed of a bodily function that lets me know I am regular and allows me to drop a pound or two at the same time? So I'm not. I don't have time for the dance. I won't wait until the room is clear to drop some kids off at the pool.

My name is Queeny and yes my ish does stink. Not all the time because I eat healthy and it's reflected by my output but if I had some curry chicken the night before.... If someone looks at me funny, then oh well as if they don't do it. What folks need to worry about is the ones who don't wash their hands or only sprinkle some water quickly on it. Now that is nasty!!!! As for me, I'm good. Good and regular too. LOL Q

Girl's night out

I took my girl Candice out to dinner because she will be moving soon. I am soo going to miss her. So I decided to take a couple of flicks while getting ready. Here you go. Q

Some hair pics

It's been a minute since I've done anything interesting with my hair so I figured now would be a good time. I decided to wear it out for my graduation. I washed it with some Herbal Essence Hello Hydration, used Jasmine's Reconstructor and then my Pantene Relaxed and natural hair mask (RIP). I used Hask's Straight solution and Seyani Hair Butter in Coconut Mango and blowdried. Next, I braided my hair in sections.


This is how it looked after taking the braids out. See the look of shock on my face, lol?


I decided to pin some of it back so I could wear my cap.

My graduation was Friday and today I decided to go ahead and get my 6 month press and trim. This may be the last one for awhile because I'm thinking about seeing if I can go a year next time.


I didn't get curls or anything. I lost about a 1/2 inch.


I will be rocking a ponytail this week.


I am still MBL so I'm happy. I'm considering trying to see if I can make it to full waist length. Q

I graduated

After 15 years. I finally received my B.S. Degree. It was a long road but I am blessed and so very proud of myself. Q

Uh oh there goes that word again..

"I can't believe my very eyes, right to my face you lied. I thought you were a friend."

Some of what I am about to say has probably been said before but oh well. One of the things I am most proud of, is how good of a friend I am. No, seriously. I'm not perfect but I pride myself in being the type of friend God can be proud of and one I would want for myself. One of my greatest quality as a friend is the way I support those I call friends. I mean when something good happens to them, I celebrate like it happened to me. I pray for my friends. I love my friends. I want the best for my friends. I want them to find love and be loved. I want them to get married and have beautiful children. I want them to prosper and live out their dreams. That's the kind of friend I am.

So you can only imagine how I felt watching Oprah today. There were two ladies on there who were not only friends but cousins. Over the years they have been off and on as friends because of their weight. When one is skinny, the other is mad. If the other gained weight again, they are happy. I scratched my head because I just didn't get it. Now don't get me wrong, I am human. There has been a time or two where the green eyed monster hit me. But I never let it consume me, and it was never to the point where I still couldn't celebrate my friend or loved one. If I was like these women, my two best friends Mel and Tee wouldn't have seen or heard from me in a long time. It is no secret that I've gained weight. It is something I struggle with and I work on. But I never let my dissatisfaction with my size affect the love I have for others who are smaller than me.

You see I know what those women were doing was projecting. They envied each other but instead of doing something about it, it was easier to avoid that person or try to make them feel bad for accomplishing something. But see if they would simply flip it and draw closer to that person, they will have someone to support them and help them too get to where they want to be. Too many people have been led to believe that lightening only strikes once. But the bible says in Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: You see God doesn't just bless someone and not others. We need to understand we all have different paths and journeys to our destination. A lot of people who see folks being blessed don't see the work that person does. They are not there when they have sacrificed, prayed, and fasted. They only see the results.

Many people want results without work but understand the only place success comes before work is in the dictionary. Ecl 9:11 "I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all." You see even the word says your time will come. There is no need to be jealous of someone else. Put God first, work hard, stay focused and your time will come.

The bottom line is, a good friend is a gift. If you have one, treasure them, love them, encourage them. Life is full of ups and downs. There will be times when you are down and they will lift you up. There will be times when they are down and you will help them. They may be stronger in one thing, and you may be stronger in another. Embrace your strength, respect theirs and help each other. Why would you want someone to be down like you? Luke 6:39 And he spake a parable unto them," Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?" If you are both down, you can't go anywhere. Appreciate them when they are strong. Allow them to impart in you and you in them. Together you can be even better, wiser, and stronger. Love them through it all, the good and the bad. If you have someone in your life that will only be your friend when you are down, they are not your friend!!! Q

RIP Lena Horne

We lost another great one. The world is a better place because you were in it Ms. Horne. Q

20 minute meal week Recipe 2

Chicken and Mushrooms in Garlic Broth (was white wine) Sauce I got this recipe from Cooking Light's website and can be found here.

I made some changes but here is the original recipe:

Ingredients

* 4 ounces uncooked medium egg noodles
* 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
* 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
* 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
* 1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
* 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
* 1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
* 1/2 cup dry white wine (I toke out the wine and used more broth)
* 1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and keep warm.

Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces. Place chicken breast halves in a shallow dish. Combine 1 tablespoon flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, stirring well with a whisk. Sprinkle flour mixture over chicken; toss to coat.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until browned. Remove chicken from pan. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Add garlic, tarragon, and mushrooms to pan; sauté for 3 minutes or until liquid evaporates and mushrooms darken. Add white wine (broth) to pan; cook 1 minute. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in remaining broth, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper; cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring frequently.

Return chicken to the pan. Cover and simmer 2 minutes. Uncover; cook 1 minute or until chicken is done. Stir in noodles; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Place about 1 1/2 cups chicken mixture on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1 tablespoon cheese.

I doubled this recipe. I used about 12 oz of a whole grain noodle, 3 pounds of chicken, all chicken broth instead of which wine, I sliced my own mushrooms, and used a reduced fat Parmesan cheese. This was a hit!!! Q

Only at our house

Shortly after arriving home, B asked if she could get on the computer in the family room. As we were walking into the room, we heard a thud. B asked what was it and I said I don't know. Then she said she thought maybe it was a bird that flew into the window. We have a bay window in the room that looks out into the backyard. Low and behold, there was a bird lying on the ground barely moving. I thought maybe it was just stunned but after about an hour or so, we realized it was dead. The things that take place at this house from the mice invasion, to the killer cat, the roaming cat, and now this. We really need a reality tv show. Q

20 minute meal week Recipe 1

My goal is to do at least 3 20 minute meals every week this month. Most of them will prep and cook during that time and a few will require some advanced planning.

Today's recipe is Honey Ginger Soy Glazed Salmon. I found this is a magazine I was reading so I don't remember the exact name.

2.5 pounds of salmon
6 T of low sodium soy sauce
4 T of honey
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all ingredients except salmon in a bowl. Arrange salmon in pan and pour sauce over it. Let it sit in fridge for a few minutes and turn to coat. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes.

Side items- I'm serving this with brown rice and steamed broccoli. Q