2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012!!!

2012 Is upon us and I am grateful and living in gratitude daily! The Lord is my shephard and I shall not want! I am claiming it in HIS name. This year, I resolve to stay resolved to making myself stronger, disclipined, grateful and determined to live at a higher level than I've ever expected. I believe in God and the good that he has promised. I want positivity to overshadow all my doubts and fears. I'm raining good thoughts and showering myself with love. I'm ready to work hard and expect the challenges to be difficult. BACK OFF HATERS!! In the words of the great Mississippean, Fannie Lou Hamer, I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired! LOVE IS MY RELIGION! My future is so bright it's burning my eyes! I'm putting my stock in my stock and giving it MY all. Holler if you hear me!

Gratitude for Jesus living and dying

The flesh is weak. Sometimes I think about how Jesus had to physically endure all the PAIN as a human being.
It was the ultimate sacrifice and I am so grateful this holiday season.
I don't understand much about GOD, but I know what I believe, live and feel on a daily basis...and that is GRATITUDE!
It's a cliche, but it's true...JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!

"Happy to be Nappy!"

Happy Veterans Day!!!

Wow, lots on my mind this morning.
First, eternally grateful to all veterans! We are so blessed in this country. Our beginnings are sincere. We wanted independence, the right to exist for who we are and to be free to express ourselves. My life is full of gratitude for all of my experiences. I continue to grow and become the whole being God created me to become. This freedom I have did not come without the sacrifices of many in my immediate family and human family. I recognize this and give respect. I know many have died so that I could live, including my brother, Jesus. I am grateful Lord!!! and looking forward to showing much more compassion this holiday season.

I'm praying for the victims in the Penn State Sex Scandal. I had to stop reading the indictment. I am so hurt that so many grown men with the power to stop it, did nothing, and actually tried to minimize it. One of my favorite Martin Luther King quotes is about the greatest injustice of oppression is those who do nothing. Satin loves it when we allow bad things to happen to people and justify it with, it's not our fault. No, it's not our fault, but it is our responsibility to stop the victimization of any human being, especially children! I keep praying for myself on this one, because I have a tendancy to get angry. I don't want to hate Penn State, but I'm having a hard time forgiving right now.

Forgiveness has been one of my greatest challenges. I watched the documentary on Joe Frazier and Muhammed Ali. Ali said and did a lot of things that were unjustified and crossed the lines. It made it especially difficult because of the way race plays so much a part of our actions. I can understand how much this pained Joe Frazier. It was untrue and unwarranted. As I look back now, I realize how much of a champion he truly was. He held his ground despite how he appeared in the court of public opinion. I admire that. It's easy to smile when everything is going alright, but when you can still smile in the face of adversity, that's courage! I fear Smoking Joe never truly forgave Ali and carried that pain to his grave. I wonder how God handles that. I know for me, I've released myself from carrying the pain of old wounds caused by people. It's liberated me and made me wiser. I think that's a great lesson for all of us.

2008 -- Reflections on turning 40!

The following are thoughts I got from three of my friends when I asked people on my blog their thoughts as I was turning 40. It was March, 2008. I marked the big 4-0 by having three celebrations: One in January, February and then finally in March for my actual bday, March 4.
I like that my bday is March fourth...I take it as a sign to move forward, forge ahead to new adventures, and not to be afraid! I am not alone!
I'm turning 43 on my next annual. I'm not sure how I'll celebrate, but I realize getting older is fun!


Shaunne Baker:

Well, What do I think? I have come to realize that everything I do, will do, & have done, Has all been a big part of what makes me who I am. All of my steps have been ordered already. I am learning how to Be Sill and know That God is in Control! I am learning to Listen!

LaShonda Marshall:

On my journey to 40 I am becoming more in tuned with my spirit. I have realized that the only things that matter to me are God, Family and Friends, so I put alot of energy into them. For instance, being a mom is the best thing that has happened to me. There is no greater reward.

I also find myself not being afraid. I used to be frightened of not having a mate, not having enough for retirement, if IBM will be having lay offs etc... Now, I take life as it comes. I am not irresponsible, but, I realize the things I cannot change, I don't, and the things I can change I do, like..... staying healthy mentally, physcially and spiritually.

Oh and my friends....... they make me complete. They bring out every emotion in me. And lucky for me I will be able to see them all in the ATL March 6th thru March 9th. Pam, please do the Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson while we are there, one more time please!!!!!

Staci Y. Lightfoot:


I guess the older I get the more I start to see things differently. The things that were important 10, 5 or even 2 years ago are no longer important. I will be 40 in 8 months and I am really looking forward to turning 40. Why? Because God has been so good to me in spite of myself. I had the wonderful opportunity to attend and graduate from the best HBCU In the land. I made great friends and even a few enemies!!! I lived, loved, cried, played, traveled and loved some more. I am still in touch with some of those “special” friends today. I lost one last year to breast cancer so I made a special effort to reconnect with friends that I had not talked to in years. (thanks pmack) It has truly been wonderful reconnecting, catching up and sharing each others blessings. Isn’t that what it is all about? I guess the older I get the more I realize that it is not all about me. What is God’s true purpose for my life? I know that I am a wife and a mother, but what else does he want me to do. My goal is to try to be more like him everyday. I really want to be in his will because at the end of the day that is all that matters.

The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it.

Believe God!

It's taken me a long time to really believe God. To truly let go and let him. It's been a struggle for me to let go of what I thought I was controlling, primarily my life. And in all of my errors and mistakes, my life is still so richly blessed. God IS all the things we've known and I finally believe him!
I feel empowered by letting go. Like i lost a heavy weight.
It's been hard for me to claim I'm a Christian or even close to what God is like. It's almost sacrilegious to me. I can't compare myself to God. And despite all my flaws, he STILL loves me?
That had been hard for me to believe sometimes. But my faith always kept me strong.
Now I have this new gift of belief and I see myself becoming more (dare I say?) God like.
I, after much struggling with anger and forgiveness and holding grudges, am forgiving people...living people and not just those who are dead.
And it feels good!
It's likely a little thing to God, but it's monumental to me!

Dreamers

Some of us are dreamers, we dare to believe.
We know that hope inspires and lifts the clouds.
We take the leap, though we fear the fall, that is where our courage lies.
We see the outcome as what it could become and not what it's been.
We forge ahead despite the darkness overshadowing the light.
We are passionate and powerful, yet fearful and fragile.
We dare to dream because WE exist!
We are alive, a life, a force, a spirit, a being.
We dream in color.
We dream with feeling and on purpose.
We are not afraid to believe in the possibilities.
So we paint the picture, dance the dance, sing the song, fight the battle, live the life, love the lover, feel the joy, welcome the pain, accept the challenge, run the race, walk the walk, talk the talk, and we feel the power!
DREAM ON MY FRIENDS....DREAM ON!!!




I wrote this in Kansas City after I'd gotten back from my 25th year reunion from Washington High School in KCK. I was inspired by seeing people I shared a common bond with. In high school, I was afraid to love people fully for fear of being hurt. I hope I'm never afraid to love again!