God may want us all to be in his flock but He isn’t a puppeteer and He doesn’t want us to be puppets. This is the gift of freewill, the freedom to make choices, the freedom that we always abuse.

I once talked to an old guy on the street. He was an acquaintance. With my incapacity to sugarcoat his situation, making it sound a little less brutal, I could say his life is broke. “I am very unfortunate! God, made fun of my life,” he said. If I were too harsh to be too frank with him at the moment, I would have told him “you are so wrong, sir!” I could do that. I just chose not to. It would be unhealthy for both of us. And I simply couldn’t bear the guilt of making him feel worse.

His wife and children left him. The temptation, according to him, is so strong that he couldn’t be faithful to his wife. He had my sympathy but inside my mind, I was rationalizing things over the principles that I believe in. Temptation, no matter how strong has no power over us. It is us, who decided to give in to it. The reason temptation appears very strong, is its ecstatic effect on us. And it is simply hard to say no on things that we fancy or things that make us feel immensely pleased even just for a moment. Ice cream for me is very irresistible. It is so strong that once I start eating a scoop of ice cream from the fridge, I sometimes end up eating almost half a gallon. It happens not because the ice cream possesses some kind of power to control over me, but because I chose to give in to the pleasure of eating ice cream. Even the biggest form of temptation, like sex and infidelity, come in somewhat similar packaging.

Life as a whole is governed by the different choices we make. Everything we do, even the moment we wake up, we are faced with decision-making situations. Some things may appear like routine works that don’t need much thinking, but whether we are aware of it or not, everything is subjected to making a particular choice. Should I pray or not? Should I fix my bed or postpone it or let someone do it? Should I brush my teeth first before peeing or the other way around? Should I take a bath or not? Should I wear this or that? Should I eat this or that? Whatever we do, it is part of the decision we make. No one can stop anyone from doing anything because that is everyone’s freewill. Knowing that everything is a choice, why can’t we simply choose the right ones?

I love that movie. 

It’s not only because Mr. Gerard Butler is an amazing specimen of God’s wonderful creation, including Lena Headey and so many of the abs, I mean actors, who play a part in that movie… 

whew, very nice. 

…but I can’t help but lose my breath when I watch it and see all of the instances that it points to history books, scripture, and is a perfect analogy of how both Christ and the evil one sees us!  300 is a controversial & inappropriate movie for anyone who’s, y’know pretty much not married, but I tell you, I LOVE that movie!!

First off, it floors me every time that this stand Leonidas and the 300 Spartans took against the mighty Persian army is true.  You can read all about the Battle of Thermopylae in history books and archives.  Unbelieveable!

Secondly, I stare in awe at the (probably not terribly accurate, but still artistically interesting) portrayal of King Xerxes.  The very king that the stories talk about from the Bible; the son of King Darius who takes over the Persian Empire after Darius’ death and the very king Esther marries… 

“In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius…”   Zechariah 1:1a

“Now in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces,”   Esther 1:1

“And when Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, …the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she won grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen …”   Esther 2:16-17

Granted, Xerxes is the Greek name for Ahasuerus, and he does not marry Esther until approximately the year following the battle, but still I find it fascinating and it puts the movie in a whole new light.

Third, there is a moment in the movie when the Spartans arrive at the “Hot Gates,” the exact location they plan to overthrow the Persian army.  As they arrive and stand on a high cliff overlooking a sea filled with Persian ships, a mighty storm ensues and the raging sea tramples upon and swallows those mighty ships.  The Spartans celebrate the “glorious rain” and rejoice in the power they are witnessing.

I can only reflect on that exact power our Creator holds and yields at His whim.  How He can and does use the weather to do His bidding and to show His power…

“There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences…   Luke 21:11a

“the LORD Almighty will come with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with windstorm and tempest and flames of a devouring fire.”   Isaiah 29:6

 “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves,”   Luke 21:25

Fourth, the way the movie portrays fleshly desires is impeccable.  There’s a scene where King Xerxes lures the derelict Ephialtes to follow him by offering him every kind of fleshly desire imaginable.  He seduces Ephialtes not only with his words by promising him the wealth, pleasure, and honor he craves, but also immerses Ephialtes within the temptation itself; Xerxes allows Ephialtes to be seduced by his own eyes…   

“Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are the eyes of man.”   Proverbs 27:20

“But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”   James 1:14-15

Xerxes promises that if Ephialtes abandons his country and shows the Persians how to defeat the Spartans, his “joys will be endless.  Everything you could possibly desire… every happiness you can imagine… every pleasure your fellow Greeks and false gods have denied you… I will grant you, for I am kind.”

“For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.”   1 John 2:16

Oh, how we are like Ephialtes!  So often we feel rejected by this world, and when the evil one whispers his tantalizing, empty promises, we are so eager to listen…

Lust of the eyes;

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate…”   Genesis 3:6

“and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.” Genesis 4:4-5

“… the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.  And he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’”   Matthew 4:8-9

Lust of the flesh;

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate…”   Genesis 3:6

“It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her.”   2 Samuel 11:2, 4a

“After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.’”   Matthew 4:2-3

The pride of life;

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate…”   Genesis 3:6

“Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you.”   Ezekiel 28:17

“Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ’If you are the Son of God,’ he said, ‘throw yourself down.’”   Matthew 4:5-6

“Yes!  I want it all!” Ephialtes screams as he falls to his knees in devotion to the God-King Xerxes.  How many times have we said those exact words and knelt to the wrong king?

And finally, there is a moment in the movie where Leonidas meets Xerxes face to face.  Xerxes cautions Leonidas of the power and destruction he can ensue, and advises Leonidas to surrender and bow to him. 

Xerxes warns;  “Imagine what fate awaits my enemy when I would gladly kill any of my men for victory.”

But it’s in Leonidas’ response where I see the clearest picture of my Lord and Savior;

“And I would die for any of mine.”

Advertising…. I am talking about the likes of ‘Local mum reveals her secret’, ‘Dermatologists hate her’ ‘make money from your sofa’ and so forth. These advertisements are everywhere on Triond.

My emotional response to these advertisements is firstly of irritation. Stop pestering me with these too-good-to-be-true methods of saving face! My secondary response is fascination. Although these advertisements are hokum our eye is drawn into them. For me it is not because I am interested in buying the product or trying the technique but because there is something decidedly sinister about the Grandmother peeling off her face mask to reveal the twentysomething underneath. It is the stuff of Grimm Fairy-tale. How a 57 year old can suddenly look 27 is uncanny.

What’s also surprising is that the advertisements are residentially specific. Oxford Mum …blah blah, Telford Mum etc. etc. etc… They know where we live! One half expects to see them climbing up the drainpipe after dark, armed with trial packs of night time remedies for younger looking skin. Tapping on the window panes with salon perfect acrylic nails.

My final response is one of pity (for the uneducated and vulnerable consumers who might be tempted to try anything in the name of reclaiming their youth.

In order for these ads to be in circulation, somebody must be clicking on them. I know that in order for Triond to keep our profile pages free of charge there needs to be some advertising done. Those wise enough to appreciate this may be clicking on the adverts themselves. You may hate her as much as her dermatologist but you need her as well.

Only you can decide whether or not you will open the door and allow yourself to be coaxed into doing or not doing something that is clearly unrighteous. And let’s be real here; this life is an illusion so everything is a test and resisting temptation is a learned behavior so those who fail at first must … try, try, try again. The refreshing news is this – there are methods to resist temptation, here are a few:

(1) Pray – When supplicating to Allah (Most High and Exalted) seek refuge from the The Fallen One and his whispering. Strengthen your relationship with Allah (Most High and Exalted) because being strong in faith equips your soul with the spiritual tools it needs to avoid falling into tempting traps. If one is lacking in their 5 daily prayers – there’s the first problem that needs some fixing.

(2) Fast – Fasting, well, fasting properly provides a type of shield against the desire to sin (fall into temptation). It is prescribed by Allah (Most High and Exalted) and helps to curb negative desires and strengthen the positive ones. It may be more beneficial to fast on Mondays and Thursdays and/or 3 consecutive days out of each month. One who fasts only during Ramadan should not expect sweeping changes. Fasting should be practiced consistently to produce lasting effects and continuously curb the desires of the heart.

(3) Iqra (Read)! – The Qur’an accompanied by the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) provides the foundation of Islam. Therefore, one who labels himself as a Muslim should make it a habit to read the Book that was revealed by Allah (Most High & Exalted) and the Sunnah that was practiced by His (Most High & Exalted) beloved Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). To read is to gain knowledge, to gain knowledge is to implement what you’ve learned, and implementing what you’ve learned In shaa Allah will surely allow you more wisdom and spiritual strength to resist temptation. Read Al Qu’ran, Surah al-Ahzaab (The Clans) 33, Ayat 35 for motivation.

(4) Watch the Company you Keep – Know your friends and know your enemies. Know that the devil has declared that he will lead as many of Allah’s creatures away from the straight path as he possibly can until Judgment Day. The Rejected One is a shape shifter and will lure you in ways you least expect; so though some people may have been your “friends” since childhood or early adulthood if those people  do not have the same agenda as you they may very well be used as tools to hinder you from becoming and/or remaining righteous. Truth be told, sometimes you just have to ‘X’ people out of your life if you know they are spiritually unhealthy for you.

(5) Take Responsibility before You are Taken – Every soul shall taste death. The Qur’an says so. Know that only you will suffer the torment your grave holds for you. This torment is greater or lesser dependent upon your sins; and a great number of sins comes from falling into temptation. You are responsible for you – take heed now because every breath, every day is a day and a breath closer to the grave. If and when one stumbles, he should repent, renew his intentions, and prepare for he will be tempted and tested again. Take responsibility for your actions before you are taken to account.

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Believing is Seeing

Ant man having had the nerve to shout comments at these sexily dressed sirens, in stockings, bras and basques passed, loudly waving banners declaring, among other things, that cleavage is not consent, would have been brave men indeed, the 5,000 strong London march having been organized by 17-year-old sixth former, Anastasia Richardson

There has been a global outpouring of ladies protesting the chauvinist attitudes of that cop, and men in general, maybe heralding a new chapter in feminism that could appeal to younger women, for a change. These marchers, many in their teens, may have had on high heels, but the chants of blame the rapist not the victim, doesn’t matter what I’m dressed in, by ladies with the word Slut borne proudly on their chests, gave a clear message to all who saw them/

Many thousands of women protesters have taken to  US and Canadian streets, marching in response to that Toronto cop’s words, in opposition to the male notion that female victims might themselves have helped provoke attacks because of their attire, calling their protests SlutWalks, as a direct reference to the ignominy attached to the word slut.

Historically, this word has always had negative connotations, even when used flippantly, because the word is meant to wound, and up to now, there have been SlutWalks in Canada, the USA and London, but more are planned in the UK as well as in Australia, part of a growing trend to reclaim negative words, as the gays managed to reclaim queer and take the hurt out of it.

Problem is that the word in question has never escaped original roots, used to describe a woman of dirty, slovenly, or untidy habits or appearance, from Middle ages on, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. The famous Samuel Pepys called his maid- servant girl an admirable slut in in 1664, the meaning of a woman of a low or loose character, or a hussy known since the late 15th Century.

At the end of WWI, many women had become independent, going into places once frequented only by men, and the use of this word, by the affronted males became commonplace, resuming once more in the 1960s, in the days of flower power and free love. There is almost certainly no place, in the emancipated society we now live in, for such prejudicial comment about ant female by a man.

The days of the submissive wife or girlfriend are long gone, and men must learn to accept that the ladies are their equals, or very often their betters in some things, and that no man any longer has the right to treat them as inferior members of the human race.  The ladies taking part in these so-called Slutwalks are raising their voices in rightful protest at attitudes that have no place in modern society. May they ultimately be successful. Women have surely earned that much.

There are moments in your life that define you, and somehow this felt like one of those times, as I settled back into my chair and placed that sweet square gently onto my expectant tongue, taste buds tingling with excitement. The feeling of relief and monumental pleasure that the slowly melting confectionery introduced gradually to my taste-buds was almost beyond description, as though the ultimate sin were being committed, and I was condemning myself to a fat future.

Did I feel guilty about allowing myself to consume this calorific horror story, flouting every rule of my self-imposed dietary regime? Of course, but it was a truly guilty pleasure, and I have not one second of regret. Does it matter that, if truth be told, I did not actually finish that bar of chocolate because the taste, as heavenly as it was, turned out to be too sickly sweet, after so long without it.

That is the beauty of a guilty pleasure, in that the indulgence need not be on a massive scale, but simply a response to an overwhelming urge. Once satisfied, which can happen really easily, you can step back onto the straight and narrow with a relatively clear conscience.  If there were no risk of temptation there could be no challenge, but surely the imposition of a strict regime has to factor in some small allowance for the occasional mis-step.

Can anybody truly claim to never having, even for a second, allowed themselves moments of guilty pleasure? The best of intentions can come under serious assault at times, when the regime under which you put yourself is very demanding, in terms of abstinence and determination, so it can be no surprise that we all lapse, from time to time. I hope now that I will not feel the need to stray again for some time, but if it should happen, then I will not allow that incident to spoil my ultimate aim. The pleasure of the moment is simply too intense to feel too guilty about it, but it should remain the exception, rather than the rule.

We live in the world of temptations … Sure Were you once a step to go wrong or may have already trodden the path of infidelity. All surveys show that men are champions in this area – between 20 and 25% admit to May halt in bed while the other partner had a stable relationship, compared to 8-10% of women.

What risks are sexually involved parallel? How much truth is in words so often used by men “was just sex”? What if you give into temptation traps you fall?

In Western societies, infidelity is not so that once convicted, is not the first among the grounds for divorce. And psychologists say that it also eased the way the gap between male and female infidelity.

Now women who choose to have a sexual affair outside of official relationships are not condemned so like old times, when thinking was strict: she brings forth children, so that the whole community fire risk if it assumes an “accident” and have intercourse with another than her partner. Yet, the appearance means of contraception has led to increasing female infidelity !

Where are many dangers grow …

Why do men go with greater ease than other beds at home? First, psychologists say, because they can more easily make the difference between sexuality and feelings. In his book “Do not just think about it?” Said Maurice Maschino “men are able to do anything for love, even to love, women are capable of anything for love, even to make love.”

Let’s look a little to prostitution - you would not only economic logic, and there should be a male prostitute for women, on equal footing with the existing. But very little has developed because demand is almost zero. While the majority of men are capable of sexual intercourse without a feeling things are not women.

To explain the imbalance between male and female infidelity, many experts call the theory of genes: the man has an inner need and to “spread” gene pool . Surveys show that most women who said “yes” to sex, allegedly, no obligation, came to want more.

A poll in France showed that only 1.8% – from approximately 5,000 women who responded experiment infidel – said they were only involved sexually and emotionally in all extramarital relationship. If, therefore! Great is the number of people who have kept as souvenirs after such an escapade (or escapes) erotica a sexually transmitted disease (in this chapter are The leading women in the United Kingdom).

Find interesting articles like this one and other cool things for all the category’s written with a lot of professionalism by clicking here.

Don’t confine nooking to only the bedroom. Get it on anywhere

you can! In your car, in your office or on the staircase. If you’re

feeling adventurous, go to the park for a quickie!

The trick is to constantly change your love-making environment.

The thrill and excitement will heighten your senses and you’ll experience sex like you had never before in your whole entire life!

• BE SPONTANTEOUS

Grab her by the waist while she’s cooking and give her a passionate kiss. Go down on her while she’s watching her favorite soapie. Grope her ass in the supermarket check-out queue!

Change up your usual sex routine. Instead of starting with the missionary position and ending with doggy style, switch them up, rather starting with doggy style and finishing off in the missionary position!

Make love at the spur of the moment!

• TOUCH HER SKIN THROUGH FABRIC

Caress and stroke your fingers against her silk or cotton clothed skin. Slowly glide your hands across her cotton panties for a couple of minutes. A firm warm touch will drive her crazy with desire.

Have sex with her fully dressed and you butt naked!

• DELAY INITIAL PENETRATIVE SEX

Turn her on by kissing on her neck, licking her nipples, by firmly rubbing her between her thighs. When she’s at her peak of arousal, stop touching her immediately, repeat this for two more days, delaying sex till the fourth day. It will create a carry-over horniness to the next day and intensify her horniness to painfully sweet levels!

She’ll be so horny by the third day that she’ll want to rip all your clothes off! 

Check out “How to naturally increase the length and width of your penis” -

(http://socyberty.com/sexuality/how-to-naturally-increase-the-length-and-width-of-your-manhood/)

Check out ” How To Have Sex In A Swimming Pool Or Lagoon” -

(http://socyberty.com/sexuality/how-to-have-sex-in-a-swimming-pool-or-lagoon/)

Check out ” 6 Steps To Introduce Your Partner To Porn” -

(http://purpleslinky.com/humor/six-steps-to-introduce-your-partner-to-porn/)

Check out ” How To Increase Blood Flow To The Penis” -

(http://socyberty.com/sexuality/six-techniques-for-satisfying-your-woman/)

Check out ” 6 Secrets To Turn A Woman On” -

(http://beyondjane.com/women/six-secrets-to-turn-a-woman-on/)

Thanksgiving is also a means of acting out our feelings, reflecting our vulnerabilities, as well as reminding us that we have  the ability to counteract the temptation of resorting to abuses, not only against others,  but also against ourselves, not forgetting that we, as human beings,  can stumble and fall, but rise again under our own power and volition.

Thanksgiving reminds us of our frailty that we can overcome by means of the available built-in resources within us, such as willpower, resolution, determination and self-realization.  It behooves us to be conscious of our weaknesses so that we can utilize the tools of survival and strengthen our spiritual fibers with supplements of love, charity and goodwill, ingredients that help uplift our spirits and keep us from treading on the paths of selfishness, greed and acts of inhumanity.  

 Meditation is relaxing and you can plan your day with just positive things. Try it, you’ll be able to accomplish something you may have thought about earlier in the week, but put off because you didn’t take out the time to think it over. It’s possible that we think some 60,000 thoughts daily and most of the time we don’t realize that most of the thoughts may be beneficial to us.

When we meditate and pray we are becoming one with ourselves and most of all we are having a relationship with God. You can begin your day with a calm approach and be able to resist temptation of evil that may come your way. Do you know that even when we are faced with a decision to buy a house, a new car, invest in a business or something that takes a lot of money-we have to think about our expenses, credit, etc. Whatever we decide about it; we are more satisfied that we gave it some thought.

From this day on take out the time to be thankful for all your blessings, pray and meditate more. You’ll be just fine!