To God be the glory for all the marvelous and wonderful things He has done! I cannot begin this day, or any other day, without first acknowledging the Creator and giving Him praise & honor for waking me up this morning!!!!
On a beautiful Sunday evening, April 22nd, 32 years ago, A STAR WAS BORN. As my mother recalls, I was almost delivered in my Grandma's car which means I was ready to get up out of there LOL So as you can gather, from day one I was FOCUSED & DETERMINED.
*singing* Its my burfday, its my burfday, its my burfday :)
I know it's a general rule that ladies don't reveal their age. However, I have come to understand & appreciate the fact that there are some folk who don't live to see their 32nd birthday so I don't mind sharing the goodness of God's favor and blessings over my life.
I can't say enough how grateful I am to just BE. I know that God is doing a great work in me. I appreciate all the love, support, prayers, and encouragement that so many of you offer. Some things only get better with age -- surely I am one of them ;). In my 20's I had no idea what I wanted in life (although I thought I did) so I'm especially grateful that God allowed me to make it to my 30's because it wasn't until then that I believe I truly began to LIVE. At this moment, I believe myself to be the healthiest (mentally, emotionally, spiritually) & happiest I've been in my adult life! I'm absolutely loving this skin that I'm in, confident & certain that I am exactly where God wants me to be, and filled with great excitement about what the future holds. My faith grows stronger each day. There is a peace that I can't explain & a joy deep on the inside that I know only comes from my Heavenly Father. I pray that I am always learning, always growing, and most importantly always about my Father's business.
My phone began ringing & beeping with text messages, BBMs, and emails last night at 11:45pm -- Thanks so much to everyone who poured a little sunshine into my special day ;) Tears fill my eyes as I think about the goodness of Jesus and all he's done for me...makes me want to get my shout on this morning, simply realizing that I am absolutely blessed beyond measure. The morning begins now with a 90 minute workout at the gym followed by a few hours of feeding the homeless downtown at Shepherd's Table Soup Kitchen where I love to volunteer :) Already got my hair DID last week, awesome pedicure on yesterday, and scheduled for an hour massage this afternoon. Sushi & cupcakes with some of my girls tonight... it's going to be a WONDERFUL day!!!!!
"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
Friday, April 22, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
STILL Standing
There are some things that I want to get off of my chest and I'm going to try to say it as tactfully as I know how...
Every day we all face some type of opposition. The devil is always busy interrupting our day with unnecessary drama & making intricate, deliberate attempts to disrupt our peace. He is fiercely determined & persistent in trying to manipulate us and/or bring us down. Ordinarily, I wouldn't want to give him my attention or even acknowledge his antics but it seems so necessary to make it clear WHO I belong to & to call a spade a spade!
Just as a boxer studies his opponent, devil, I have studied you. I know how you operate. You invite yourself into my home as if you are a welcome guest. You show up at my job trying to jeopardize my productivity & income. I see you working your way into my relationships with family and friends trying to create mistrust & controversy, destroy bonds, & cause distance and separation. I hear you lurking in my mind trying to plant doubt, fear & confusion; wanting me to second guess God's promises and plans (Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future"). I've even seen you present yourself in the lives of the people around me by splitting marriages, closing businesses, & ruining partnerships. I have peeped your game...I'm on to you. And you might want to know that you are fighting a losing battle because I've got someone in my corner who remains UNDEFEATED ("What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31).
You may have thought that I was down for the count but I was just on my knees in prayer. You may have thought that you had my face buried in the sand but I was just hidden in the Word of God. You may have thought that I was a punk for not fighting back but I already knew that the battle wasn't mine. You may have thought that the tears you saw streaming from my face were a sign of weakness but truth be told, those tears are a sign of my strength. I am a Warrior; a Champion; a Conqueror (Romans 8:37 "In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us").
You insist on attacking me on every side especially when I made a conscious decision to be all about my Father's business ("You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" 1 John 4:4). I get that's just what you do. I know that you want my life. For as long as there is breath in my body, I know that you will continue to try to destroy who I am & try to prevent me from becoming who God has destined me to become. You will continue to assassinate my character, work forcefully to kill my spirit and steal my joy.
The funny thing is that everything you mean for my bad, God turns it around for my good. Your attacks only make me WISER, BETTER, & STRONGER! Most importantly, my faith is not wavered. So I'm prompted to bring to your awareness as reflected in the history of our encounters, that at the end of the day...when all is said and done...when the dust settles and the smoke clears... and even when the doo doo (yeah I said it) hits the fan, I'm STILL standing strong!!!
PSA: I ain't the one you wanna mess with!!!!! ;)
Every day we all face some type of opposition. The devil is always busy interrupting our day with unnecessary drama & making intricate, deliberate attempts to disrupt our peace. He is fiercely determined & persistent in trying to manipulate us and/or bring us down. Ordinarily, I wouldn't want to give him my attention or even acknowledge his antics but it seems so necessary to make it clear WHO I belong to & to call a spade a spade!
Just as a boxer studies his opponent, devil, I have studied you. I know how you operate. You invite yourself into my home as if you are a welcome guest. You show up at my job trying to jeopardize my productivity & income. I see you working your way into my relationships with family and friends trying to create mistrust & controversy, destroy bonds, & cause distance and separation. I hear you lurking in my mind trying to plant doubt, fear & confusion; wanting me to second guess God's promises and plans (Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future"). I've even seen you present yourself in the lives of the people around me by splitting marriages, closing businesses, & ruining partnerships. I have peeped your game...I'm on to you. And you might want to know that you are fighting a losing battle because I've got someone in my corner who remains UNDEFEATED ("What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31).
You may have thought that I was down for the count but I was just on my knees in prayer. You may have thought that you had my face buried in the sand but I was just hidden in the Word of God. You may have thought that I was a punk for not fighting back but I already knew that the battle wasn't mine. You may have thought that the tears you saw streaming from my face were a sign of weakness but truth be told, those tears are a sign of my strength. I am a Warrior; a Champion; a Conqueror (Romans 8:37 "In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us").
You insist on attacking me on every side especially when I made a conscious decision to be all about my Father's business ("You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" 1 John 4:4). I get that's just what you do. I know that you want my life. For as long as there is breath in my body, I know that you will continue to try to destroy who I am & try to prevent me from becoming who God has destined me to become. You will continue to assassinate my character, work forcefully to kill my spirit and steal my joy.
The funny thing is that everything you mean for my bad, God turns it around for my good. Your attacks only make me WISER, BETTER, & STRONGER! Most importantly, my faith is not wavered. So I'm prompted to bring to your awareness as reflected in the history of our encounters, that at the end of the day...when all is said and done...when the dust settles and the smoke clears... and even when the doo doo (yeah I said it) hits the fan, I'm STILL standing strong!!!
PSA: I ain't the one you wanna mess with!!!!! ;)
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
I GOT CONNECTIONS
Webster's Dictionary defines connections as the act of connecting; the state of being connected; causal or logical relation or sequence. Contextual relation or association; relationship in fact. A relation of personal intimacy, coherence, continuity; a link...
We all have connections to other people. Some connections are in fact deeper than others. Our connections exist for many reasons whether by blood relation, marriage, mutual friends, employment, church, school, Greek life, etc. We use these connections to advance ourselves whether for the purpose of obtaining employment, having our name added on to the VIP list at the club, or receiving a discount at our favorite store. We always seem to know just who to call for "the hook up" which is what we consider... networking :)
Sometimes, we get the big head about our connections. We think that certain associations guarantee us respect, rewards, and recognition. We believe that our connections entitle us to certain privileges. Some of us become entirely too arrogant & boastful about who we know, how close we are to who we know, and how long we've known them. We become so proud of our connections because it provides us with a status, makes us feel important and dare I say it -- some of us even feel that our connections make us better than others.
We invest so much time, energy and resources into our horizontal connections that we often times neglect our vertical connection. It doesn't matter if Oprah is our neighbor, or if Rachael Ray has personally cooked & served us a meal in our very own kitchen, or if President Obama himself is our homeboy...If we are NOT connected to the most high, all other connections are void/invalid. John 14:6 says, Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Now that's what I call a connection!
I value my connections. I understand why being connected is important. More than anything, I am grateful for my connection to a higher power. I don't need Facebook or email to be connected to God. Sprint nor Verizon are necessary to connect me to Him because even when the power lines are down, our connection is still current. I don't have to be in a certain place at a certain time to meet or mingle with the right people because I'm always connected to the RIGHT ONE! He's my connection to that job I want, He's my connection to that home loan that I need. He's got a VIP list called the book of life & that's where I want my name to be written because the Psalmist says that everyone that shall be found written in this book shall awake to everlasting life.
With all of that being said, it is good to be connected to others & I take nothing from that. I simply hope that we remember that our focus and primary concentration should first be on our connection to Christ. If you really want to brag about who you know, how close you are, how you know who you know, and how long you've known them then it may be wise to get connected to the one who has ALL the connections ;)
I GOT CONNECTIONS! Who's in your network?!
We all have connections to other people. Some connections are in fact deeper than others. Our connections exist for many reasons whether by blood relation, marriage, mutual friends, employment, church, school, Greek life, etc. We use these connections to advance ourselves whether for the purpose of obtaining employment, having our name added on to the VIP list at the club, or receiving a discount at our favorite store. We always seem to know just who to call for "the hook up" which is what we consider... networking :)
Sometimes, we get the big head about our connections. We think that certain associations guarantee us respect, rewards, and recognition. We believe that our connections entitle us to certain privileges. Some of us become entirely too arrogant & boastful about who we know, how close we are to who we know, and how long we've known them. We become so proud of our connections because it provides us with a status, makes us feel important and dare I say it -- some of us even feel that our connections make us better than others.
We invest so much time, energy and resources into our horizontal connections that we often times neglect our vertical connection. It doesn't matter if Oprah is our neighbor, or if Rachael Ray has personally cooked & served us a meal in our very own kitchen, or if President Obama himself is our homeboy...If we are NOT connected to the most high, all other connections are void/invalid. John 14:6 says, Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Now that's what I call a connection!
I value my connections. I understand why being connected is important. More than anything, I am grateful for my connection to a higher power. I don't need Facebook or email to be connected to God. Sprint nor Verizon are necessary to connect me to Him because even when the power lines are down, our connection is still current. I don't have to be in a certain place at a certain time to meet or mingle with the right people because I'm always connected to the RIGHT ONE! He's my connection to that job I want, He's my connection to that home loan that I need. He's got a VIP list called the book of life & that's where I want my name to be written because the Psalmist says that everyone that shall be found written in this book shall awake to everlasting life.
With all of that being said, it is good to be connected to others & I take nothing from that. I simply hope that we remember that our focus and primary concentration should first be on our connection to Christ. If you really want to brag about who you know, how close you are, how you know who you know, and how long you've known them then it may be wise to get connected to the one who has ALL the connections ;)
I GOT CONNECTIONS! Who's in your network?!
Monday, February 14, 2011
I'm in Love... Under New Management
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
I am so in love ya'll... I can hardly contain myself!!! What better time to share the details & joy of this great union than on Valentine's Day. I've known him for a long time but in the last few years, our relationship has grown deeper & much more intimate. He's so loving, compassionate, and giving. Its hard to even comprehend the sacrifice that he has made for me. He knows everything about me yet accepts me just as I am... flaws, imperfections & all. Even at my worst, he sees the very best in me. I thought I knew love before but I was just kidding myself. This love is on a higher level... its the greatest love of all. I never knew that love could truly be unconditional until him. He's my first thought in the morning & my last thought at night... I can't help but to think about him even throughout my day. When I need him, he's there without fail or hesitation. Talk about "ride or die" -- come hell or high water, he has my back! I trust in him completely. If I'm feeling down, he wraps me in his loving arms and comforts me like nobody else can, like nobody else ever has. When I do wrong, he forgives me without throwing it back in my face but instead helps me to become a better me. Even those times when I didn't/don't love myself, he loves me. He's better to me than I ever am or have been to myself. He treats me like I am the apple of his eye. Ya'll, he truly makes me feel special... I told him that he makes me feel like a million bucks but he told me that I am PRICELESS! Every day he blows my mind!!!! He is the one... I know because he makes me whole. The mere thought of him & his greatness brings an overflow of tears to my eyes. I want to shout it out at the top of my lungs for the world to know! I just can't keep it to myself... Lord, I love you!!!! (Who did you think I was talking about? LOL) God, I thank you!!!! You are Alpha and Omega... the beginning and the end. You are Jehovah Jireh, my provider... Jehovah Shalom, my peace. With you, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26) & nothing is impossible with you (Luke 1:37). Can't nobody hold me like you can, can't nobody love me like you can. Falling in love with you is the best thing that I've ever done. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for keeping me. Thank you for protecting me Lord. If it had not been for the Lord on my side, where would I be? You are my everything. Without you, I am nothing.
With my whole heart Lord, I love you.
Happy Valentine's Day!
I am so in love ya'll... I can hardly contain myself!!! What better time to share the details & joy of this great union than on Valentine's Day. I've known him for a long time but in the last few years, our relationship has grown deeper & much more intimate. He's so loving, compassionate, and giving. Its hard to even comprehend the sacrifice that he has made for me. He knows everything about me yet accepts me just as I am... flaws, imperfections & all. Even at my worst, he sees the very best in me. I thought I knew love before but I was just kidding myself. This love is on a higher level... its the greatest love of all. I never knew that love could truly be unconditional until him. He's my first thought in the morning & my last thought at night... I can't help but to think about him even throughout my day. When I need him, he's there without fail or hesitation. Talk about "ride or die" -- come hell or high water, he has my back! I trust in him completely. If I'm feeling down, he wraps me in his loving arms and comforts me like nobody else can, like nobody else ever has. When I do wrong, he forgives me without throwing it back in my face but instead helps me to become a better me. Even those times when I didn't/don't love myself, he loves me. He's better to me than I ever am or have been to myself. He treats me like I am the apple of his eye. Ya'll, he truly makes me feel special... I told him that he makes me feel like a million bucks but he told me that I am PRICELESS! Every day he blows my mind!!!! He is the one... I know because he makes me whole. The mere thought of him & his greatness brings an overflow of tears to my eyes. I want to shout it out at the top of my lungs for the world to know! I just can't keep it to myself... Lord, I love you!!!! (Who did you think I was talking about? LOL) God, I thank you!!!! You are Alpha and Omega... the beginning and the end. You are Jehovah Jireh, my provider... Jehovah Shalom, my peace. With you, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26) & nothing is impossible with you (Luke 1:37). Can't nobody hold me like you can, can't nobody love me like you can. Falling in love with you is the best thing that I've ever done. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for keeping me. Thank you for protecting me Lord. If it had not been for the Lord on my side, where would I be? You are my everything. Without you, I am nothing.
With my whole heart Lord, I love you.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Friday, February 11, 2011
WHY I WRITE...
It has been a month since my last blog, certainly not for lack of thoughts that I haven't written. I'd actually prepared a blog to send out on last week but wasn't led to press the SEND button... The more I edited the entry & considered its content, the more I realized that the message presented simply served no purpose at this time (but someday). Instead, I believe that it is more necessary to take a moment to fully explain why I write. Ever since I was a little girl, I've loved writing. My Grandma worked at Wake Medical Center and often times brought home green & white lab paper and boy did I enjoy writing stories or scribbling all over that. Twenty years ago (at the age of 11) I began to write poetry which has grown into a fairly large collection. Before blogging per se was even invented, I'd often times write "random thoughts" that I would share with family & close friends. Out of pure boredom last year around this time while being snowed in, www.theinfamousbackseatdriver.blogspot.com was born.
Writing has always been an outlet for me. It's therapeutic. There may be things that I am unable to speak aloud or share verbally but if given a piece of paper & pen, I am capable of expressing every thought & emotion beautifully and clearly. My PRIVATE notebook is a safe haven. It keeps my secrets. It allows me to truly be myself. While I am also allowed to express myself honestly on this blog, I am careful about what I release publicly which is why last week's entry was not distributed.
Many times I may write not about myself & my own experiences but about the experiences others have shared with me. While writing is indeed therapeutic, I realize that my poetry & writing is able to bless others. I cannot count how many times I've written on this blog or shared a poem through email to have someone reply about how much they love it, how it fits into their current situation, how it's a perspective that they hadn't considered, how it brought a smile to their face or tears to their eyes, and/or brightened their otherwise gloomy day. It does my heart well to know that I made a positive contribution to someone's day... a meaningful deposit into someone's life.
Understand that it is always with much thoughtfulness & care that any of my thoughts/writings are shared. We sometimes underestimate the power of our words. It is said that words don't hurt but the truth is that words do many things... words hate, words love, words do in fact hurt -- whether we admit it or not. It is never my intention to be hurtful to anyone in my writings but it is always my intention to be truthful. I appreciate those of you who actually take the time to read my writings. Know that I am not at all offended if the time is not taken to do so.
I write because as crazy as it sounds, I love how words look on paper. I love how words are clustered together to form something clever or different. I write because its an easier way to come face to face with pain but there's also something beautiful about how the story is written. Writing makes me happy! I write because it is so liberating, honest, & raw. It helps bring me back to the very essence of who I am. I write to inspire. To encourage. To expose. To uplift. To give God glory and praise. It is a gift... a gift that I am blessed to share with others & I appreciate your allowing me to share this gift with you.
Writing has always been an outlet for me. It's therapeutic. There may be things that I am unable to speak aloud or share verbally but if given a piece of paper & pen, I am capable of expressing every thought & emotion beautifully and clearly. My PRIVATE notebook is a safe haven. It keeps my secrets. It allows me to truly be myself. While I am also allowed to express myself honestly on this blog, I am careful about what I release publicly which is why last week's entry was not distributed.
Many times I may write not about myself & my own experiences but about the experiences others have shared with me. While writing is indeed therapeutic, I realize that my poetry & writing is able to bless others. I cannot count how many times I've written on this blog or shared a poem through email to have someone reply about how much they love it, how it fits into their current situation, how it's a perspective that they hadn't considered, how it brought a smile to their face or tears to their eyes, and/or brightened their otherwise gloomy day. It does my heart well to know that I made a positive contribution to someone's day... a meaningful deposit into someone's life.
Understand that it is always with much thoughtfulness & care that any of my thoughts/writings are shared. We sometimes underestimate the power of our words. It is said that words don't hurt but the truth is that words do many things... words hate, words love, words do in fact hurt -- whether we admit it or not. It is never my intention to be hurtful to anyone in my writings but it is always my intention to be truthful. I appreciate those of you who actually take the time to read my writings. Know that I am not at all offended if the time is not taken to do so.
I write because as crazy as it sounds, I love how words look on paper. I love how words are clustered together to form something clever or different. I write because its an easier way to come face to face with pain but there's also something beautiful about how the story is written. Writing makes me happy! I write because it is so liberating, honest, & raw. It helps bring me back to the very essence of who I am. I write to inspire. To encourage. To expose. To uplift. To give God glory and praise. It is a gift... a gift that I am blessed to share with others & I appreciate your allowing me to share this gift with you.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
What About Your Friends?!
It's natural that when experiencing difficulty in our lives, we turn to the people we may consider friends for a shoulder to lean on and/or a set of listening ears. It is the expectation that friends are honest (if seeking advice) but many times, its not advice that is being saught but more so a sounding board.
When friends come to me with their issues & concerns, heavily burdened with life's troubles, I do my best to make sure that I listen first & talk last, express concern and care with the words & tone that I use while being honest & showing compassion for their situation, always demonstrating love & support regardless of my personal opinions/thoughts. But most importantly, I remind them of the power of prayer & redirect them to consult with a Higher Power. I am ever mindful of the fact that sharing such an intimate part of their lives is not a requirement of our friendship yet I respect & honor that they trusted me enough to do so and wouldn't want to lose that trust.
With that being said, it's so important that we are careful in whom we seek counsel. Everyone is not a friend. Everyone does not have our best interests at heart. People will tell you to leave your marriage, end a relationship, quit a job or give directives that they themselves would not follow if given the same situation. People want to know all of your "stuff" while remaining secretive about their own. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that people can't be trusted. Nor am I saying don't have friends. What I am saying is that it's important to be careful about what details of your lives are shared with others.
A friend does not poke & pry or is overly concerned about the details of what is wrong in your life but is satisfied with just knowing that whatever the situation is, you are okay. A true friend is someone who allows you to be your most real self. Friends are non-judgmental. They are the people who come in when the rest of the world has gone out. As my niece says, "it's not about who's real in your face, it's about who's real behind your back". The word friend is not a common word that I use to describe people that I associate with but a word I use to describe a deep connection with people that I love & respect & who I believe in my heart have a mutual, genuine concern for me. Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron,
So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend."
At the end of the day, God is the source of our strength. He needs to be the one that we turn to because He already knows every intricate part of us, loving us unconditionally; as no one on this Earth can.
17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise,
And apply your heart to my knowledge;
18 For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you;
Let them all be fixed upon your lips,
19 So that your trust may be in the LORD;
Proverbs 22:17-19
It is good to have friends... But is there a greater friend than He?
When friends come to me with their issues & concerns, heavily burdened with life's troubles, I do my best to make sure that I listen first & talk last, express concern and care with the words & tone that I use while being honest & showing compassion for their situation, always demonstrating love & support regardless of my personal opinions/thoughts. But most importantly, I remind them of the power of prayer & redirect them to consult with a Higher Power. I am ever mindful of the fact that sharing such an intimate part of their lives is not a requirement of our friendship yet I respect & honor that they trusted me enough to do so and wouldn't want to lose that trust.
With that being said, it's so important that we are careful in whom we seek counsel. Everyone is not a friend. Everyone does not have our best interests at heart. People will tell you to leave your marriage, end a relationship, quit a job or give directives that they themselves would not follow if given the same situation. People want to know all of your "stuff" while remaining secretive about their own. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that people can't be trusted. Nor am I saying don't have friends. What I am saying is that it's important to be careful about what details of your lives are shared with others.
A friend does not poke & pry or is overly concerned about the details of what is wrong in your life but is satisfied with just knowing that whatever the situation is, you are okay. A true friend is someone who allows you to be your most real self. Friends are non-judgmental. They are the people who come in when the rest of the world has gone out. As my niece says, "it's not about who's real in your face, it's about who's real behind your back". The word friend is not a common word that I use to describe people that I associate with but a word I use to describe a deep connection with people that I love & respect & who I believe in my heart have a mutual, genuine concern for me. Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron,
So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend."
At the end of the day, God is the source of our strength. He needs to be the one that we turn to because He already knows every intricate part of us, loving us unconditionally; as no one on this Earth can.
17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise,
And apply your heart to my knowledge;
18 For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you;
Let them all be fixed upon your lips,
19 So that your trust may be in the LORD;
Proverbs 22:17-19
It is good to have friends... But is there a greater friend than He?
Thursday, December 30, 2010
2010 in Review
I know it has been a month since I last blogged but as many of you have been especially busy at this time of year, I indeed have been busy as well. In addition, my lap top was held hostage at Geek Squad for about 3 weeks for repairs :( Thankfully, it has been returned to its rightful owner and is working like new although I'm saddened that my entire hard drive had to be replaced. On a brighter note, I pray that you all had a very Merry CHRISTmas and of course remember and honor the true reason for the season. For those of you who also had snow, I hope that you were safe, warm, and somewhere snuggled up with a great cup of hot chocolate (with marshmallows LOL). This will be my final blog for 2010 but no worries, there will definitely be much more writing in 2011 :)
2010 has been a great year! I finally put my fears aside, registered for Graduate school & passed my first class with a 98.57 A. Class resumes in January and I'm eager to continue on this educational path. Also in the Spring of 2010, I became a very proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. A lifelong dream has finally come to fruition. #31 of 77 remarkable, anointed, outstanding, dedicated, dynamic women... I can't say enough about my sisters, "77 Wonders of the WWW."... I'm grateful to have them as well as so many additional wonderful sisters in Delta. I continue to maintain my women's group, J.E.W.E.L.S (Joining & Empowering Women of Excellence in Love & Sisterhood) as well as my parent group called P.O.W (Parents of Winners). Admittedly it has been difficult to manage it all & as a result, J.E.W.E.L.S has suffered the most but I'm hopeful that some of my J.E.W.E.L.S women will step up and assist with programming. J.E.W.E.L.S maintains its Facebook page although the meetup group was discontinued. I am hoping that P.O.W will become active on meetup in 2011.
I continue to learn, re-learn, and/or be reminded of valuable lessons about myself, others, and life in general. If you've been reading my blogs, you are familiar with some of these lessons.
One situation I will address in particular is that at the beginning of the summer, there was something that I was lead to do/say to someone with whom I hadn't had contact with in many years. Without question I know in my heart that I was simply following God's instructions. I mention it in my year's review only because it was completely out of character for me so it was a big deal. I realize that while my intentions were genuine and good, it may not have been received well or interpreted correctly. However, it made me realize that even though I have forgiven a person, there's nothing I can do if that person hasn't forgiven me. There was so much divine confirmation about this situation in so many different ways, I can't even begin to explain it all. But I'm mostly grateful for the peace that I received from the encounter. I may not have gotten what I wanted (friendship) but I definitely got what I needed (closure). God is truly amazing! My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner :)
At the end of the day, as I have written before... I am who I am and praying to become MORE of who God would have me to be. I am complicated simplicity, perfectly imperfect and beautifully optimistic. I am so thankful that God is not finished with me and has allowed me to see yet another unpromised day. I'm honest with myself about who I am because I don't want to wake up one morning & not recognize the person in the mirror.
And the truth about me is... I am easy to like but sometimes difficult to get along with. I make mistakes, I'm stubborn but can admit when I'm wrong. Sometimes I may say too much and sometimes I may not say enough. I love with my whole heart because I don't know any better and even when I get upset, I have a hard time expressing anger because I'd rather hurt than hurt someone else. I remember DIFFERENT being one of the first words I knew how to spell. My Grandma always said that I was DIFFERENT but nothing less than amazing. I'm not "tooting my own horn" but I recognize things about myself, positive & negative and I'm not afraid or ashamed of who I am, the experiences I've had or the things I've done because it's all a part of me & my own personal growth. God knew prior to my Earthly existence, just what type of human being I would be & while I could be subconsciously confusing my truths, I somehow doubt that He's completely disappointed ;).
In case some folk didn't get the memo in 2010, here are some things that I want to make clear about myself (with scripture references included)...
1. NOTHING can dim this bright, shining star (Psalm 18:28, Job 33:28, Matthew 5:16)
2. I ain't NEVER scared (Timothy 1:7, Psalm 27:1, Deuteronomy 31:6, Psalm 23:4)
3. Don't waste your time trying to battle me (Exodus 14:14)
4. All I do is WIN, WIN, WIN (1 Corinthians 15:57)
I do not set New Year's Resolutions because it is my belief that an individual should be in a continual state of growth. Why wait until a particular day to set a goal when there's no time like the present? I am excited & with great expectations for many wonderful things to come. I embrace and welcome all that God has to offer recognizing that He is a God of infinite and unlimited blessings. I pray that you all enjoy a happy, prosperous and peaceful 2011.
2010 has been a great year! I finally put my fears aside, registered for Graduate school & passed my first class with a 98.57 A. Class resumes in January and I'm eager to continue on this educational path. Also in the Spring of 2010, I became a very proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. A lifelong dream has finally come to fruition. #31 of 77 remarkable, anointed, outstanding, dedicated, dynamic women... I can't say enough about my sisters, "77 Wonders of the WWW."... I'm grateful to have them as well as so many additional wonderful sisters in Delta. I continue to maintain my women's group, J.E.W.E.L.S (Joining & Empowering Women of Excellence in Love & Sisterhood) as well as my parent group called P.O.W (Parents of Winners). Admittedly it has been difficult to manage it all & as a result, J.E.W.E.L.S has suffered the most but I'm hopeful that some of my J.E.W.E.L.S women will step up and assist with programming. J.E.W.E.L.S maintains its Facebook page although the meetup group was discontinued. I am hoping that P.O.W will become active on meetup in 2011.
I continue to learn, re-learn, and/or be reminded of valuable lessons about myself, others, and life in general. If you've been reading my blogs, you are familiar with some of these lessons.
One situation I will address in particular is that at the beginning of the summer, there was something that I was lead to do/say to someone with whom I hadn't had contact with in many years. Without question I know in my heart that I was simply following God's instructions. I mention it in my year's review only because it was completely out of character for me so it was a big deal. I realize that while my intentions were genuine and good, it may not have been received well or interpreted correctly. However, it made me realize that even though I have forgiven a person, there's nothing I can do if that person hasn't forgiven me. There was so much divine confirmation about this situation in so many different ways, I can't even begin to explain it all. But I'm mostly grateful for the peace that I received from the encounter. I may not have gotten what I wanted (friendship) but I definitely got what I needed (closure). God is truly amazing! My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner :)
At the end of the day, as I have written before... I am who I am and praying to become MORE of who God would have me to be. I am complicated simplicity, perfectly imperfect and beautifully optimistic. I am so thankful that God is not finished with me and has allowed me to see yet another unpromised day. I'm honest with myself about who I am because I don't want to wake up one morning & not recognize the person in the mirror.
And the truth about me is... I am easy to like but sometimes difficult to get along with. I make mistakes, I'm stubborn but can admit when I'm wrong. Sometimes I may say too much and sometimes I may not say enough. I love with my whole heart because I don't know any better and even when I get upset, I have a hard time expressing anger because I'd rather hurt than hurt someone else. I remember DIFFERENT being one of the first words I knew how to spell. My Grandma always said that I was DIFFERENT but nothing less than amazing. I'm not "tooting my own horn" but I recognize things about myself, positive & negative and I'm not afraid or ashamed of who I am, the experiences I've had or the things I've done because it's all a part of me & my own personal growth. God knew prior to my Earthly existence, just what type of human being I would be & while I could be subconsciously confusing my truths, I somehow doubt that He's completely disappointed ;).
In case some folk didn't get the memo in 2010, here are some things that I want to make clear about myself (with scripture references included)...
1. NOTHING can dim this bright, shining star (Psalm 18:28, Job 33:28, Matthew 5:16)
2. I ain't NEVER scared (Timothy 1:7, Psalm 27:1, Deuteronomy 31:6, Psalm 23:4)
3. Don't waste your time trying to battle me (Exodus 14:14)
4. All I do is WIN, WIN, WIN (1 Corinthians 15:57)
I do not set New Year's Resolutions because it is my belief that an individual should be in a continual state of growth. Why wait until a particular day to set a goal when there's no time like the present? I am excited & with great expectations for many wonderful things to come. I embrace and welcome all that God has to offer recognizing that He is a God of infinite and unlimited blessings. I pray that you all enjoy a happy, prosperous and peaceful 2011.
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