I have had indivduals place fast food employment applications in my tool bag. My union steward was the person responsible for the incident. When I went to the Business Manager of my union about the incident. The foreman called me a coward for going over his head. I went ballistic .

I waited until I was off the jobsite and the foreman was on his way to his vehicle . I walked up to him and dared him to call me a coward again. Needless to say he did'nt have the balls to say it again, because I would have kicked his ass. Instead he started praising my work. I told him that ” This has nothing to do with my work”. ” This is personal Mutha Fucka”!

Two weeks later I was laid-off. Did I feel bad? Not really. That is one racist piece of shit that knows I'll hand him his ass. One month later I was back to work for the same foreman. The point is I stood up for myself and they( my white co-workers, foreman) know not to disrespect my gangtsa.

I dont come to work to make friends, I come for the money and I do my job very well. Stand up for yourself and dont sacrifice your principles.

Peace and Blessings
Courage and Strength

It was you who claimed not to be a Christian. As usual you twist it up.

How you respond to events in your life is directly about you, and no one is accountable for that other than you. You posted your screeds here several times. While I may not be right all the time, when it comes to issues and facts, I make every effort to be seldom wrong. I am not ashamed of accuracy nor striving for it.

You want to listen to the minds that agree with you without acknowledging that is not how to grow. How comforting it is to have your thoughts/emotions reflected back at you. Unfortunately, you do not learn from listening to folks that agree with you, it is only those that disagree that give you new insights and perspectives, otherwise it is like talking to yourself. Self-growth is about developing your mind based on new and different ideas.

I read your long complaining commentary on your job and how you feel you were mistreated but I did not get unjust treatment from what you wrote. Mainly, I did not get that because of how you have gone off about the church on these threads and emphasized how you are DIFFERENT and believe it is OK.

It ain't. You think I am different and you are quick to tell me I have an attitude. Well, guess what…the folks at your job feel the same about you. Being different is alright, but you have to know when that differentness is going to cost you your job. You didn't.

Then today you write the commentary on GROSS incomes as if someone again wronged you personally. NOT! Another long pity party. When it is basic math. It is about folks 'wanting' what they can't afford, so they buy it on credit, withOUT regard for all their other expenses after the man says, here you qualify for this half a million dollar mortgage, this 500 series Beemer, this $10K credit limit.

Well, guess what…the responsiblity is on the individual. If someone tells you, you can have the Cadillac, say NO, I'll take the Buick..if they say you can have a halfmillion mortgage, say NO, I 'll take one for 300K and if they tell you, you can have $10K credit limit..just say NO THANKS.

That way you are assured that not only that you can afford it, but you are not getting into too much debt based on your GROSS Income.

You are the one in control of your debt. Not the lender.

Just like you chose to leave the black church cause you don't like it, you can choose not to incur debt cause you don't like it.

So, you won't burn in hell not listen to the posts, but you will make the same mistakes repeatedly cause you failed to learn the lesson God was trying to teach you.

That is why folks have problems, it is God's way of telling you to STOP, look and reorder your life.

I will post this sermon for you maybe you will listen to the message and not worry about the messenger.

Hopefully you will find it uplifting….Peace.

WHEN PROBLEMS SHOW UP

Folks often ask me why do they have problems when they come to church and they have been saved and have given their life to Christ. Why then they often ask me do they still have problems?. Have you ever noticed how we can’t schedule problems?. There is no routine to problems they are random…they just show it!. As human beings we are subject to a multitude of laws and when we violate them, problems show up. As civilized human beings we are governed by human laws and spiritual laws. For instance, there are two ways to acquire material things, a right way and a wrong way..legal or illegal..we can steal or cheat or work hard and prepare ourselves with the skills and education to acquire wealth, but if you break the law, problems will show up and human laws that govern us will send you to jail. Man is also governed by the laws of physics. The laws of physics dictate that if you jump off a building, you are going to hit the ground with the force of your weight and that ..the force whether you are saved or unsaved will kill you. Then there are spiritual laws and we have to spend time with God to learn spiritual laws. Spiritual laws are precise. Judge not less you be judged, condemn not less you be condemned, give and you shall be given to. The measure which you give will be given to you. If you do not obey spiritual laws, problems will show up. Most problems we bring on ourselves by the decisions we make, we reap as we sow. However, we worship an omniscient, omnipotent..all knowing all powerful GOD. Everything happens by divine permission. Every problem is there by divine plan and if there is a divine plan we know there is a divine purpose and thus there is divine POWER present.

God can use whatever problem you have for your good. He can work out the best IN you from that problem and thus what is best FOR you. God will use your problem to bring the best out of you and thus bless your life. Only God can turn a cross into a crown. Problems then are a spiritual refining process. God puts the power to grow in problems. The purpose of problems is spiritual growth. God uses problems to direct and guide us, to set us on a new path. Problems are a time to hold onto your values and beliefs. Pain causes you to question your life and priorities to ask if there is more to life than this.. God will place a road block in your path to force you to go another way. Ever notice how that road block takes you in a whole new direction? God gives us free will, and so we can chose our own journey but God will direct our steps. We can set our goals, objectives, priorities and dreams, we can set it up and scheme it. But God will direct it! How does God direct…problems show up!

Problems have a proclivity to change our plans. One of the ways God directs us is by problems. When problems show up you can still rejoice because God has something better in mind than what YOU planned. Pain creates change. Pain is a powerful motivator, it gets your attention. There are benefits in problems. They never leave you where they find you. Have you ever noticed how when problems show up, you end up in a different place? You will never be the same when you get through. You will not be the same person. Your spirit will grow and be refined as God has ordered your steps with his divine purpose and power to redirect you in the right way, his way. Problems can swallow you up and spit you out in an entirely different spot in your life. It will move you to new relationships, to find a new job, to seek out what we need not want, so when problems come ask where does God want you to be?

God uses problems to inspect us, to check our character, integrity to find what is really in your heart. God is more interested in our hearts than our circumstances. God does not care about new clothes, your wealth or the car you drive. He uses problems to inspect and probe for what is good IN you. Not what looks good. You can’t do the same things over and over and expect different results. Problems reveal the real you. If the real you is not centered in God’s will, problems show up. So when problems show up you need to ask God to order your steps to be all that he wants you to be. You will handle the same mess, and same trials over and over because God is trying to direct your life to the next level. Our reaction to difficulties reveals the maturity of our faith. Because God is not through with you yet. God inspects us in the midst of our problems. So persistent and perplexing problems demand you to ask what does this require and what is God trying to tell me, what in my heart needs to change or shine. What is God looking for in my character…Is it honesty, faith, integrity, judgment, discernment, discipline, responsibility? Problems are not there by accident. They have a divine purpose it is his divine plan and that means his divine POWER is PRESENT to provide the blessing the problem has to offer. And he will direct you to the next level. He will bless you, if you listen with your heart, if you faith, if you rely on HIS judgement.

So, I do not want anyone to leave this church today and wonder, why do I have problems, why is the world picking on me. Ask instead what does God intend for you to learn and have joy in knowing that there is a blessing waiting for you in that problem if you take the time to inspect your heart and refine your spirit as God is directing you.

You're entirely welcome.

Choose to deny and I will go into the archives and dig up your response.

Anything you had to say had less credibility because you said at least three times, you weren't a Christian. Just like Peter denying he knew Jesus three times.

You sure paint a lot of things on me for someone who has never met me in person. I don't know where you get off doing that – nor do I care.

I won't ask you to stop either, because there is some mental defect or compulsion that demands YOU ALWAYS BE RIGHT, NO MATTER WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES OR WHO IS GOING THROUGH A ROUGH TIME. From your POV, it is always THAT PERSON's fault.

And stop threatening me that if I don't pay attention to YOUR SCREEDS I'll come to regret it. Listen, I've done as best I could without your screeds and I highly doubt that I will burn in hell if I don't care to pay attention at this moment.

I'll do my own inventory if you care to STOP TAKING IT AND TAKE YOUR OWN.

God Bless you. I am always happy to pass on a good report. After posting this, one of our posters called me with an offer to help me find a job; another sent me email links to job fair events, and mostly, ALL OF YOU HAVE SENT ENCOURAGING posts, which I treasure most of all.

Which is why they evaluate with debt/income ration..that levels the financial leverage somewhat but again..it is only as good as full disclosure by the individual of their personal debts.

While children count as dependents for taxes, they would count as personal expenses when figuring debt/income ration.

When they use those ratios, even if you have the same GROSS as another person with no kids, no car payment and no boat, the latter would qualify for a more credit and/or a bigger mortgage than the former, based on their debt/income ratio.

I believe you know this better than me.

I'm a recent college grad in one of the WORST job markets in history. I started looking months before I graduated. Thank God I had my mom and people who gave me straight cash ( I netted about $700) for graduation.

I was fortunate enough to land a decent paying job, though it's not in my field of study. I still have my mother helping me financially and may be gaining a roommate soon. But I'm scared that one day it's gonna fall apart and I'm struggling to make rent or put food in my fridge.

Sometimes it's nice to know your not alone.

BMWA

Too many hard working people have found themselves in this situation due to a layoff or an illness or some other financial misstep. You and I are living at an income level with no 'assistance safety net' in a metro area where prices for everything are astronomically high.

And that's why God is so awesome!

Please, please be encouraged. You know that without faith, it's impossible to please the Lord. I can't tell you all the times in my life that I've been in what looks like a no win situation and God worked it out. God loves you. You are His beloved child. He sees you in all your need. He is bigger than your situation.

Psalm 27 says “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?…For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock…Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”

There is a lesson in your situation (shh!- no one is talking to you wrb!) that will bless you beyond what you can imagine if you approach this situation with prayer, fasting and abundant praise! Get your shout on, get your song on, babygirl go get your cry on, whatever you need to do to keep yourself in a posture of peace and openness to his will.

Like the choir sings:
Celebrate a new beginning
leave the past behind
Don't worry cause it's over
God's preparing better things
For what's to come
is better than what's been
oh yeah
What's to come
is better than what's been

& please be sure to give us the praise report when your change comes.

You did not write a post about playing the rules. You wrote a screed about how finance companies and banks are taking advantage of consumers cause they use GROSS income. You wanted to act likethat was some injustice when the fact is that if you know what you OWE and DISCLOSE it, no one is taken advantage of. You wanted to gloss over presonal accountability.

You are not being oppressed. You were fired and demoted before being fired. A demotion which should have served as a warning HAD you chose to heed the reasons for it. Instead, you kept up the same behaviors and challenges that led to the demotion so then you were fired. You need to review all that in your head.

Losing a job happens to lots of folks. You right about lots of folks suffering but the folks who do everything right…they are not on this board writing screeds. YOU ARE. See, those folks go about purposefully looking for employement, knowing that their record and references will vouch for them. They feel optimistic about future employment, cause it was not their fault.

YOU? HA. You know you contributed mightily to your being unemployed. So you rant and whine, looking for people to commiserate with you..but I HEAR through all that. I know you are not justified by the facts you have disclosed. And I push back on and call BULL!

Perhaps you have me confused with another poster, cause I have not rallied ever for Smiley.

CPL, you don't know what compassion is. You are a warrior. Life is a battle to you. You fight and struggle and do not understand when you lose that it was your overall strategy, not just tactics, that are the basis of your loss.

I get you better than you get yourself. You rail against the norms of society and believe you have the rights and where withall to do so…and you don't. NOT when it comes to a job.

It may work outside the workplace but it will not work for you in the workplace.

Stay strong..but know this.

It is the tree that bends with the haleforce winds that survives, not the might oak firm and stalwart…it breaks.