A Lesson in entitlement

There is a quote that says, "When God Wants you to Grow, He Makes You Uncomfortable." Sometimes we get so comfortable with being in the uncomfortable place we don't realize that we start to believe; this awkward place is where we belong, so we fight to stay there, not realizing that God God is Pushing us forward with his blessing. I have experienced this type of behavior many times. Still, it wasn't until recently that God put it on my heart to stay in tune with my actions, he made it clear that he wanted me to pay attention to how I react to my surroundings. When I feel uneasy, I am to stop and ask myself why do I think this way; the task was to keep asking why until I could give an honest answer. When the truth revealed itself, it was like a light bulb came on, and though it took a minute for me to get comfortable with the place he has placed me in, I understood his why.

I know you're saying what is this girl talking about? For those who have been following my blog, you know from my blog titled Graduation, I explain I am a true believer that God puts us threw classes on a daily bases. If we do not pay close attention to the lessons, he is teaching. We will continue to repeat the course until we apply the experience to pass on to the next level. Anyway, many know I am a hairstylist and Master makeup artist, on April 15th I was blessed to attend the MDS (Million Dollar Stylist ) training course by my Mentor and friend Marquetta Breslin in Las Vegas Nevada for the 2nd time around in 2 years. This time around, I was in a better place to receive the information. For those who have followed me on YouTube, you know that when I attend the first time back in August of 2017, I was 1. Going through the grieving process of losing my Best Friend, my ride or die the love of my life Donald who had passed away three months before, and 2. My flight got delayed because of weather causing me to get to the event late, so I missed the first day of training. None the less I made it this go around a day before the event started, got checked in, and even got to eat at my favorite spot The Oyster Bar before the classes got started. On August 15th, I awoke at 7 am did my regular morning routine. I got dressed and headed down to the event room for the class; now, the plan was to show up at least twenty minutes before because I knew this event sold out; however, God is still working on me with early morning time frames. Still, I did show up five minutes before she got started, so I would say that it was a start. 

    I was seated in the 2nd to the last row 6 seats in. I felt good with this seat because I looked up and said I could see the stage from every angle as we waited for the event to started to look around. If you are in the world for fashion, hair, Makeup, you begin to scan the room and take notice for all the different hairstyles, fashion, and Makeup looks you look for what trends are coming out in those areas. As I looked over the room, I noticed a Lady with a gorgeous Fro Hawk, and I loved the color. It looked black, but when the light hit her hair, it changed burgundy pretty then the event got started. Marquetta gave her introduction and went right into teaching be on the lookout for that blog within the next day or two. I explain why this event by far is one of the best I have ever attended. As Marquetta is speaking, she starts to move around the room, and it is at that. It that I noticed it, my first calculation of the view of the place from where I was sitting was wrong, and the presenter was not on the stage; she was utilizing the space on the floor so she could walk around the room, and I was not a. I see because the lady with the beautiful fro hawk was sitting in front of me now because no one was in the seat to my right I adjusted a little so I could get a clear view, and it worked b. It's almost as if the lady in the front was tied to me cause not even two seconds after I moved she shifted her self to the right and my view was blocked again after five minutes of shifting, I began to become a little upset my Ego was pushing for something to be said. Then I felt spirit say to stay in tune with your actions and reactions ask questions with why. I thought I don't need to know why I'm upset, its because I can't see the presenter, however, I felt spirit responded that is the wrong question why do you need to see the presenter? How come you can't learn the same information just by listening and taking notes? Now, of course, I knew what God had revealed was right, but that pride and Ego were saying yea, but I would like to see the presenter also. In the end, I became good with just listening and taking notes there was still a part of me,(Ego), that would get upset that I could not see, but I was proud that I was able to get good notes. I became comfortable with being in that uncomfortable place, and for the next four or five hours, I was okay with my position because I was still able to get the information. Then she called for a one and a half lunch omg this is where it gets Good. 

    As stated before God is working with me on time, I took my lunch I was back before the event started up again , but I return to only find that a lady that was not in the morning class had taken my spot now any other time I would of Made it clear that she was sitting in my seat but something said let her have the seat move three places to the left because some of the people that where there in the morning did not return for the evening event I took the third seat and you can only imagine the conversation ,(Ego having it say on the matter), that was happening in my head: it went something like how are you gonna come to the event and take someone's seat?, and why didn't the people sitting here tell her that seat was taken, I had a whole conversation going, pride was kicking in and Then the event started again, I looked up and seen that I had a clear view of the presenter there were no distractions at all, but it did not matter my mind is still going im thinking it took me forever to get comfortable with sitting in that spot and I started taking my notes and now she is going to come and interrupt the flow as I kind of glanced over quickly at the lady who had taken my seat, and then I stopped and asked myself why am I upset? And Prides and Egos sister Entitlement stepped in. I began to think to myself because that's my seat. Again it took me all morning to get comfortable with sitting there. Then it crossed my mind, which was you are becoming Mrs. P in church. I don't know if everyone outside the African American culture has a Mrs. P, but Mrs. P was a lady at our church who became known as the Pughe holder she sat in the same spot every Sunday and if you made a mistake to sit there she was not afraid to tell you to move because you were in her seat, the funny thing is because she made it known that, that spot was her spot, no one would dare sit there even on the Sundays when she was missing from church. As I began to think of how I was taking on the personality of Mrs. P, That is that the last person is trying to be, but I still had that thought in my head, but I got comfortable there. As I looked up, I started writing the lesson Ms. Enlightenment said, why are you mad? You have a clear view of the presenter there are no distractions I have moved you into a better spot than where you were. I tuned into this feeling, and I took in the lesson at that moment now like before it took a minute for me to adjust, but when I did, the experience from the event came pouring in. 

    Lessons will come at the oddest times; we have to continually be ready to receive the instruction and even more important be able to apply what we have learned on the spot. This was my case at first glance where I was sitting was perfect, but within seconds of the event starting, it was clear that my first thought was the wrong one. It took me some time, but once i tuned in, I was able to adapt and realize although I was not able to see, It did not mean that I could not hear and take notes on what she had come to teach. After all, the lesson was not in the face of the speaker. It was in her words that could be heard threw out the room. I almost stopped my progress because of petty nonsense, a battle that I was holding with myself in my mind. When I was able to master the lesson I was transitioned to the next level which gave me what I wanted from the beginning a clear view of the presenter however because I had become comfortable with being in the uncomfortable spot my mind/ego was going to battle with staying in a place that no longer had space for me. I had to become very clear as to why I was upset, and then I had to have a come to Jesus meeting and tell myself self "where I ended up was better than where I was."

I have told my 12-year old that his generation is a generation of entitlement because they expect everything to should be given to them, but as soon as you say no, they look at you like there is a language barrier. They look at you like what? I don't understand, and I have even seen some kids tell their parents what? What do you mean No? It's like their whole brain process is interrupted, and their mind starts total shut down. There will be situations that we are placed in, and we expect that situation to fit us, yes I said WE expect. I believe that we, like our kids, have a sense of entitlement. We continuously expect to have the best of everything, cars, houses, clothes, etc. In my case, I expected to get a seat with the best view and at first glance. I assumed the chair I was sitting in was going to have the perfect view from every angle of the room. But what happens when you realize that your expectation was wrong? What do you do when God says um No, that may have been what you thought you were entitled to, but that was not my plan. Can you fix your mind to come out of self and still continue to pick up the blessings he has for you?

      It all comes down to Ego and Mindset. I had to fix my mind to understand that even though I'm not able to see, I can still hear and receive the message, I had been moved to a new seat that gave me all that I expected. I began to fight in my mind over a chair I was not happy with sitting in, in the first place. My reasoning was I adapted and became comfortable. However, that was not God's plan. Sometimes we turn a temporary substitution into a permanent resolution letting our Ego get in the way. Spirit spoke to me many times, telling me to ask my self why, and because of my Pride and Ego were so intense, I began an inward battle within my mind. I prayed and meditated the answer i got was I'm telling you what to do but you keep pushing me out, so I'll wait until your done fighting with your self and ready to listen. The lesson would be that we have to check not just our pride but our Ego on a daily bases. He wanted me to temporarily be comfortable. It was already in his plan to move me to a seat with a clear view. Before I could move, I had to temporarily adjust to the uncomfortable place, which lead to My blessing a chair with a perfect view. However because my mindset started to become rooted in that first seat, I was missing the bigger picture which was the new seat placement allowed for me to see Mrs, Breslin with no interruptions and I was able to take notes in better lighting. We can not become comfortable with temporary situations. It's a matter of fixing our mindset to know that even though where we sit/stand/walk/lye what have you, it's just temporary. You have to know that there is a bigger blessing waiting for you. When God says move you have to move.

God Bless 

Sharmine, aka Brokin Beauty.