Finding That Somebody

Good morning family. Happy Monday to all. May your Monday be filled with laughter and positive thoughts of the weekend. Anytime I'm in the kitchen I'm thinking about my mom. Remembering how she made cooking seem effortless. The funny thing is, when she got married, she couldn't boil water. I think cooking is one of those things that just comes naturally for some because it did for her. As I thought of her yesterday, I remembered her relationships, the men she loved. I wondered why she loved so hard. Then I thought, it's what women do. When we love, we love but when we're done, we're done. I think more times than not, women hold on to relationships because we invest so much of ourselves. We want that relationship that will last forever, but in the process of "making it last forever" some of us find that we are unequally yoked, that we've chosen a mate, but the mate hasn't chosen us. I mean, they're living with us, but they aren't really in it to stay. I'm thankful that I was chosen by someone who loves me. Someone who has shown up and is not just sharing a place of shelter. This is my personal opinion, but I think my mom compromised to often, gave to much of herself and asked for to little in return. I'm not in anyway saying anything negative towards men, but I would love to see more of the women in my life look for "spiritual partners". Not just "that guy" or "that dude" but a man filled with compassion and on fire for the Lord. Someone who loves God more than life and is willing to do any and everything to protect and provide for his family. I could write about this all day but I'll just close out by saying, God has truly blessed me with a husband who has loved me since we were kids. It hasn't always been easy and it's not supposed to be. I ask God to send anyone, male or female, the person who will love them for who they are, for the rest of their lives.

Have a Blessed Day

Good Sunday morning to you family. I hope today brings good things to each of you. I really needed a good nights sleep, almost accomplished it. Guess I'll have to work on it again tonight. Our weekends are supposed to be about rest, relaxation, and family time. We should take full advantage of all three. This morning I want to take time out to pray for you as I pray for me, praying that today is peaceful and productive. Heavenly Father, thank You for waking us this morning, giving us that extra boost we needed to start the day. Thank You for wisdom and the gift of "choice". Lord I/we sometimes stumble, make the wrong choice, but You allow us to come back home, try it again. Father God, thank You for self reflection because You know how we are. We walk through life looking for what we can get out of it but over looking the fact that we first have to serve in order to receive. Lord let us remember to ask how we can help as opposed to extending our hands to receive, Lord let us remember to care for the weak and the poor as opposed to looking down on them. Lord keep on our hearts that we should give without hesitation and forgive with ease. Father God I also ask that You forgive me/us because You know we get full of ourselves at times. Please take away whatever isn't pleasing to You. Lord, I/we thank You for the many blessings You have bestowed upon us, You didn't have to do it but You did. Just thankful. TeamHaveABlessedDay. Bblessedloveyou.

God's Employees

Good morning family. It's raining in Jax, again, but who's complaining. This is the rainy season. We haven't had any major storms so I'm good. I'm loving the cool down. Time to let the windows up, get some Fall cleaning done and enjoy being comfortable. My yesterday was eventful, full of laughs and eye opening realizations. When you work in Corp America, there are always going to be things that are out of your control, there are going to be people who just don't get it and you/I may be one of those people. The one thing I'm sure about is that as an employee I have a responsibility to my employer to deliver on what they pay me to do. I have a responsibility to abide by their guidelines and rules. Periodically I remind my team that it's not the smile or the greeting a leader gives you that makes the difference, it's the conversations they have about you behind closed doors that's most important. This morning I pray for you as I pray for myself, Father God, please touch the hearts of our leaders, keep them open and honest with themselves as well as with those they lead. Lord, Your word reminds us that as employees we have a commitment to do what is required. Father, please keep on our minds that we should always pray about things we're not comfortable with. May we go about our days without complaining, but let us implement and offer suggestions for change. Father, please forgive us if we've fallen short of honoring Your will in our work life. Thank You for the opportunity to earn a living and for every opportunity of growth. As American wage earners, we've come a long ways, but Father, You know we have a long way to go. We ask that You be with us in all situations. In Jesus Name, AMEN.  Deuteronomy 25:1. Romans 13:4, Proverbs 14:28, Titus 3:8, Romans 14:1-23. TeamGod'sEmployees. Bblessedloveyou

Testify

Good morning family. More rain. Praying everyone gets to work/school safely. I heard traffic is backed up. One of my favorite young ladies had a birthday yesterday. Happy Birthday Tayla Young. Don't you love seeing our children grow into adults. It's a beautiful thing. It's a blessing. This morning I am praising God for all He's done in our lives, giving Him all the honor and glory. I don't know about you but I've seen some "impossible days". Those days when my spirit felt paralyzed and I didn't think it would move again, but as the song goes "It Ain't Over Until God Says It's Over". Praising Him because He gave me a testimony. There are some who are afraid of their testimony, the guilt and shame keeps them from acknowledging and sharing. For me, I'll gladly share where I've been, who I've been and what I've learned. It frees me, allows me to "exhale". God has shown me that my life may not be perfect but it's worth living. I wouldn't change one single thing. Praying that anyone living "beneath" or "underneath" their old life, let go, open up and move forward. TeamTestify. Bblessedloveyou. Romans 5:5. 2Timothy 3:16, Romans 6:23, 1John 3:2, Proverbs 31:30, Acts 2:38, 2Peter 28:14

Growing Up

Good morning family. Hoping the morning finds everyone refreshed and ready for the day. Thanking God for rest. Feeling like a survivor and a conqueror, riding out on the blessings of the Lord. One of my granddaughters just entered middle school. She told her mom that she's one of the only girls that doesn't have PMS, pimples and "boobies". So Saturday she turns to me pointing at her nose, "grandma does this look like a zit or just a bump?" I responded, "I think it's just a bump". She goes on to say, "I was hoping it was a zit because that's a sign of growing up." I was shocked and immediately responded by advising her that she was going to grow up with or without zits and to be thankful for good skin. It reminded me that we need to constantly talk to our children about life and what to expect. It's not about "zits", it's about having the courage to be an individual, being okay with not being like everyone else. For my little cousins in Texas, the same holds true for you. Don't worry about gossip, be unique and focus on the future. Give all honor and praise to the Lord. It doesn't matter what age we are, His love and His will for us is what will "keep us" focused, in line. I can honestly tell you that if I had worried less about being accepted by the "human race" I would have a life with fewer worries/regrets. So, let go of all your burdens take them to God because His shoulders are so much stronger than ours. Walk in His will, honor His ways. TeamGrowingUp. Bblessedloveyou. Romans 1:1-21, Matthew 10:30, Ephesians 2:10, Psalm 139:1-24, Jeremiah 1:5

About This Life

Good afternoon family. Really feeling good today. Coming off a busy weekend. One filled with laughter, lots of giggling girls and living room conversations. I asked my self a question and I want to ask you "am I/are you really serious about this life walk?" Every moment I remind myself that I've committed to a life of service and life of love. This means I have to talk right, listen, serve without judging and love without limits. Sometimes it's a challenge to face everything and live up to what's required but at the end of the day, it feels good, it feels nice, it feels right. The younger generation uses the term "I'm about that life". I can say, yes, I'm about that life, the Life of Jesus. He makes it all possible. My heart is full of gratitude because He died for everything I've taken for granted especially my salvation, my freedom, my family and my friends. So today I gladly say to each of you, I'm loving this walk, this faith walk. Without it, I am nothing. TeamAboutThisLife. Bblessedloveyou.

Simply Redeemed

Good morning family. Wow, we've come to another Friday. "What a feeling". It may seem small to some or just another day, but any day that we live to see is great. It's so refreshing when we're able to start/begin again. There are so many people who aren't in their right mind this morning, so many who have lost their freedom, who have lost the will to go on but I'm so thankful that I'm not one of those people. So thankful that "He woke me up this morning and started me on my way". Tears of joy this morning as I enjoy "praise and worship". I wonder how many of you woke up frustrated and annoyed over some small detail. I wonder how many are taking their "freedom walk" for granted. I wonder how many have made choices that didn't fit God's will. I wonder how many woke up this morning with feelings of regret/aggression. For anyone who finds themselves struggling this morning or at anytime, remember, our "Redeemer" lives. He will take a "wounded" heart/spirit and make it brand new. My prayer for each of us today is that we realize that we're "Simply Redeemed". Luke 1:68, Romans 5:8, Hebrews 9:22. 1 Timothy 2:5. Luke 15:7

Don't Wheel Me Around

Good morning family. I figured out why I dream so much, using the TV as a night light. Have to break that habit. Work is busy as usual, so much to do, so little time. Lord I am thankful for the business and even more thankful for employment. Lately I've been reading about the "state" of our great nation. There are still so many people without jobs, some by choice and some are just not able to find "good" paying jobs. I avoid complaining about my daily grind because I could be one of those people standing in the unemployment line. So, I had a dream a couple of weeks ago. It shook me up a little because I didn't like what I saw, didn't know how to process it. Fortunately, I didn't let it go, it's stayed on my mind, stayed with me until I understood what it meant. In my dream a person comes to the door partially exposed, with their pants undone. Later in the dream I see this same person in a wheel chair. Yesterday it hit me, when you're not transparent you cripple your chances of succeeding or meeting your goals. So many times we cover up who we really are because we're ashamed. We feel we should be farther along in life than we are, so we pretend to be something we're not. We need to show others who we are, let the world know that we need help, we need God. Some of us have this imaginary "wheel chair" that carries us everywhere because we're afraid to walk in faith. We want to be wheeled around, pretending we're happy when nothing we touch is growing. 

Use Words Wisely

Good morning family. Praising God for getting us through yesterday's monsoon. I don't think anyone was expecting rain like that, but in all things give God praise because we could be living through a drought. I thought a lot about conversation yesterday. I make my living by speaking to and with customers, internal and external. Over the years I've learned to choose my "words" wisely and to understand that every conversation isn't for everybody. This morning I'm praying for you as I pray for me because every now and then we all need a reminder that "words" can make or break a person, words can inspire or destroy dreams, words can start or end wars, words can begin or end relationships. Father God, thank You for waking us to a day that wasn't promised. Thank You so much for wisdom and courage. Father thank You for reminding me that my words shouldn't be used to hurt others. Lord my words should be a tool used for encouraging and praising. We sometimes feel that saying what we want to say when we want to say it is a sign of courage. Lord I know this isn't true because sometimes our words are used to cover years of pain, years of heartache and disappointment. Father God, let use be reminded that we have to choose the right words based on our audience. Some words are to strong and some are to weak for those we speak to/with. Lastly Father, we should always pray about "intended" conversations before they start, understanding that we won't always get the response/results we want. Lord we live in a time where social media affords us the opportunity to send messages/words electronically, while I love this technology, it sometimes gives us to much freedom to say what we want to say when we should really "hold" our peace. Feeling thankful for what You're doing in my life and for my family. Living an awesome life. AMEN. TeamUSEWordsWisely. Bblessedloveyou. Proverbs 12:18, 15:1, 18:21, 21:23, Matthew 15 vs 10-11, James 1 vs 26, 1 Peter 3 vs 7-12. Glory to His Name.

Loss But Not Lost

Good morning family. It's "hump day". Every since the commercial with the camel aired, people have been waiting for Wednesdays just to ask "what day is it?". To funny, love those commercials. It's wonderful when you're able to laugh while you're working. Not everyone is blessed to have that experience on a daily basis. Thanking God this morning for my family, friends and my peers. A dream I had this morning reminded me that sometimes we loose people/things/jobs in order to move forward, get better. I was also reminded that as we grow/move forward that we have to be mindful of how we leave things/people behind us. There are some who blow through life, stepping on people, destroying things and not looking back until they find themselves alone, devastated mentally. Experiencing loss has a way of reconnecting us with the One who made us and with those we thought we'd never need again. As I think about my dream I thank God for everyone who stood by me during my time of loss, when I didn't have much and when I didn't think much of myself. Father God, thank You for all You've ever given, for the people You've placed in my life and for always providing for me. Lord, without Your grace and mercy, life is not worth the living. Thank You for peace and healing, thank You for the strength to move on when we find ourselves on the "outside" looking in. Thank You for all the opportunities that come our way. We are blessed to receive and even more blessed when we understand that what we receive can be taken away in the blink of an eye. Lord, I am in awe of Your word, Your direction. Simply Perfect. AMEN. TeamLossButNotLost. Bblessedloveyou.

Psalm 34:17-20,Isaiah 40 vs 1-31, Philipians 4 vs 19, 2 Corinthinas 12 vs 9 

Wisdom

Good morning family. We had a nice weekend in Atlanta. It was good watching Daryl play. Back to the reality of another mass shooting. There are so many damaged/hurt people in the world. I have to say again, you don't know who you're sitting next to at work so stay prayed up. Praying for the families who are living with/through yet another tragedy. Praying for our country/leaders as well. Thinking about how blessed we all are. Sometimes it gets to be to much but as long as we have breath, we have to keep praying and moving. Heavenly Father, thank You so much for Your grace and mercy. You've kept us safe from harm, allowed us to see another day. Lord I am so humbled by the love You continue to show us. We can be so arrogant, running off at the mouth, looking down on others and taking what doesn't belong to us. Father God fill our hearts with praise when we want to complain. Let us first look at what we have before we go down the road of frustration. Lord, give us the will to overcome those desires that will never satisfy. Lord, You know what's best for us. We are blessed beyond measure, yet we seek out those things that keep us in bondage. Father, we continually lust after things/people that cloud our vision and get in the way of Your will. Father, I ask that You fill our minds/heart with more of You, we need You. I am forever grateful for the growth my family is experiencing. Wisdom Lord, wisdom, trust Father, trust, one day at a time, one prayer at a time, You are awesome. Amen. TeamThankfulForWisdom. Bblessedloveyou Proverbs 2:1-22Ecclesiastes 7:12Proverbs 4:1-27Matthew 7:7-8Proverbs 20:15

I Won't Complain

Good morning family. Up, feeling refreshed. Thanking God for allowing us to enjoy time with family and friends. Don't miss the opportunity to visit one another. It is through fellowship that we learn how to manage relationships. Reminding myself as I remind you, what you refuse to appreciate, someone else will. Whether it be a spouse, a child, a friend, a church, a home or a job, there is always someone waiting in the "wings" to pick up what you throw away. The "clean up women" is waiting on you to give up on your marriage so he/she can step in and pick up the pieces. That couple who can't conceive is waiting to adopt a child that has been "thrown away" by someone who was blessed with conception. For that job you don't appreciate, there's a person sharpening their skills, getting the needed education so they can be ready to replace you. I could go on and on. The bottom line is, learn to appreciate what you have as opposed to always complaining. God has provided so much and as long as we're faithful, thankful and putting in the work, blessings will continue to flow. TeamIWon'tComplain. Bblessedloveyou

Imperfection

Good morning family. It's a beautiful day in my "hood". I'm feeling extremely blessed and filled with so much gratitude. My family and friends are well, living life. There's a song I love that says "perfection is not my friend". It reminds me that the word "perfect" is thrown around a little to much. For me, perfection, is temporary. The perfect moment doesn't last forever and I'm okay with that. Trying to apply "perfection" to everything would drive me crazy. I feel blessed to achieve/reach those temporary moments of perfection. Those moments give me something to hold on to, to remember when things aren't going well or when my imperfections get in the way of progress. This morning I pray for you as I pray for me, Father God, I'm thankful for who I am. I love that You love me no matter what I look like and no matter what mood I'm in. Lord I thank You for the ability to smile even in those imperfect/uncomfortable moments. Lord, You alone are the "Perfect One". I'm so grateful for Your words for without them I would not understand or accept why things couldn't always be perfect. Lord, I pray that anyone seeking approval from this world, stop. Understanding that we need only look to You for approval and guidance. When this is done, life falls into place, we find peace/acceptance and we become more like You. Last but certainly not least, thank You for our wonderful children, Lord, watching them grow has taught me so much about who I am, reminded me that youth shouldn't be something you leave behind, it should be embraced and carried forth as we mature. Lord thank You for the opportunity to laugh, play and enjoy our days. In Jesus' Name, AMEN. TeamImperfection. Bblessedloveyou. Ephesians 2:10, Proverbs 28:26 ,Proverbs 16:4

Seasons

Good morning family. Getting closer to our weekend in Atlanta. Going to support The Rams. Ya'll watch out for #26, Daryl Richardson. Praying for safe travels and a good time. Feeling blessed and motivated this morning. Ready for my day to begin. As I prepare for the day I'm asking God to watch over all of us. We are so busy filling our days with activities that we sometimes forget to acknowledge the One who makes it all possible. Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us life, thank You for waking us and allowing us to move around. We plan our days based on our needs, sometimes looking past You and not asking for guidance. Father, I pray that we all take a step back, think before we speak. Let negative words and thoughts be dissolved by thoughts of Your Holiness. There is nothing to hard for You. As we speak with our family members, peers and strangers help us remember that we are "that light" shining brightly. Let us approach situations with good intentions, Godly intentions. Remind us that we are in and out of seasons, some harder than others, but "we've come this far by faith" and that same faith will carry us through whatever struggle we're in right now. Lord, I pray for my co-workers who are having a hard time understanding the "why's" of business decisions. Give them the strength and courage to hold on. Father God, I am so thankful for rest, work, provisions and people, You keep providing for us. I don't no about anyone else, but I am far from being what You want me to be, but thank You for helping me/waiting for me as I come up "the learning curve". Proverbs 10 vs 17, Deuteronomy 28:1-68 TeamIn&OutOfSeasons. Bblessedloveyou

Something Good

Good morning family. Feeling blessed and excited about life. At New Hope Baptist Church we sang a song at the end of the service that reminded us that "something good is going to happen to you, happen to you this very day, something good is going to happen to you, Jesus of Nazareth is passing your way". That song has been playing in my head for the past few days and I love it. It reminds me that no matter what kind of drama we encounter Jesus is still the good news. I'm encouraged to get up every day because I know our Lord and Savior makes all things possible. Our jobs may get a little stressful sometimes but thank God for my co-workers who help me keep it light. My house may not be as clean as I'd like for it to be but praise the Lord we have a roof over our heads. The truck I drive has almost 350,000 miles on it but guess what, I made it to work in the mornings and back home in the evenings. Sometimes we just need to kick back and say "thank You" for what we have. I am grateful for a full life, for all my God-given abilities, for my past, my present and my future. Thankful that God saw fit to let me see another day, gave me another chance to "shine", to smile and to enjoy life to the fullest. Simply wonderful. Because of Him "I can face my tomorrows" and look back at my past with a smile. TeamSomethingGood, Bblessedloveyou. Romans 1 vs 2-3, Luke 4 vs 43

Alva and Cory

Yesterday was a good day that came to a not so happy ending. I'm proud of the parents you've both become. It's time to realize that parenting is not a competition, it's an honor and a blessing. Don't forget that only through God's grace and mercy Amia is here. If it had not been for the love you guys had for each other and your unborn child, she wouldn't have been born. Praise God that you both accepted responsibility for your child not knowing what was in front of you. You became patents the day you said no to abortion. You both win favor in God's eyes. Let that same love from then be strong enough to help you get over hard feelings and harsh words. I love you both, Cory you are of my flesh and Alva you are my spiritual daughter. Let's celebrate Mia today, she won't be a child much longer. Give her good/strong memories so she will know what it feels like to have support and love. 

Family Support

Good morning family. What a busy weekend we had. Football crazy, party fun. God is good. I'm very thankful this morning as always for all that we're able to accomplish. My family/friends are totally amazing. My husband, who sometimes has to figure out what's going on because I'm not always clear (imagine that), does a great job of making sure things are right. He wears a lot of hats, the cook, Mr fix it, daddy, granddaddy, uncle, brother, friend, husband but the best one of all is "A Child of God". I have to admit, I take him for granted sometimes. Looking past his feelings and focusing more on what I think should be done. God is doing a work in me with regard to the changes I need to make. Confession/acknowledging is the first step. I pray for you as I pray for myself, Heavenly Father, continue changing my heart with Your wisdom/word. You have given us so much and You've given us the right people who support and encourage us. Father I thank You for total grace and forgiveness when I've been so ungrateful for everything You've provided. Father, thank You for my family, these wonderful people you've placed in my life. God, You've allowed us to build a family unit that bounds and continues to grow. The support I/we have is so strong. You continue showing me that if I/we stay faithful, things work out (getting past me). I'm especially grateful/honored to be a grandparent. I pray that the mothers/fathers of our grandchildren continue supporting our children, lifting them up, celebrating them and nurturing the talent You gave them. Wow, just so in awe of where You brought us from. An Amazing God. AMEN. TeamFamilySupport. Bblessedloveyou.

Not Participating

Good morning family. Thanking God for bringing us here even if the journey was long and tired us out. As we mature things become less stressful and we begin to see things for what they really are. One day you wake up and your responses to the world and the people in it are different. For me, my desire to argue/to be right/to control situations/to have the last word is gone. My love for God and doing the right thing is stronger than any situation that presents an opportunity to "cut" someone with my words. I would rather use words that encourage and support. Don't get me wrong, Dee and I argue from time to time. Having disagreements and learning to work through problems/issues is a part of marriage. Not being able to reconcile and come to an agreement is what hurts a marriage. For those of us who are "slick" at the mouth, we need to understand that it's not cute or attractive. When we engage in public arguments, cursing each other and lashing out emotionally, it's draining, it's ineffective and causes feelings of regret. I'm thankful for God's word/ways because through it I've learned to look past what people say to me/about me and understand that it's really not about me. When someone lashes out or talks about someone else, it's usually about their internal struggles, something they haven't reconciled, something they're dragging around with them like an "emotional blanket". I remind myself as I remind you, everything doesn't deserve a comment, every comment doesn't deserve a response and there won't be an argument if you don't participate (walk away). TeamNotParticipating. Bblessedloveyou. 2 Timothy 2 vs 23-24, Proverbs 15 vs 1, Romans 12 vs 19, Titus 3 vs 1-2, Romans 14 vs 19. Have a beautiful Sunday, celebrating Mia's birthdy today...

Focus On Your Habits

Good morning family. Thanking God this morning for waking us and letting us see a new day. Giving Him all the honor and praise for providing for us, allowing us to rest peacefully. It is an awesome feeling when you wake up and your burdens feel lighter and you're on to the "next". Such an empowering feeling. This morning my dream reminded me that sometimes we try to force others into doing things they don't want to do even when it's their responsibility. Our desire/need to see them complete a task becomes so strong that we loose focus of reality and allow frustration to set in. This morning I remind you as I remind myself, I can't will or manipulate anyone into doing anything and I shouldn't. It has to be their choice. What I can do, is offer prayer and support where/when needed. There are a few of us who try to bully others into seeing/doing things our way. Every time this is done, there are going to be hurt feelings, resentment and trust issues. There's not one person on this earth who should force their views/opinions on another.  As I start my day I ask God to give me the right words to say in any given situation, I ask Him to help me keep my thoughts and my deeds holy. As we walk into our places of employment this morning we should ask the Father to walk in with us and to be with us during our work day. Leaving all judgement and finger pointing outside. There's not a day that goes by that I don't hear people complain about the habits of others. Funny thing is, I don't hear a lot of people owning their up to their short comings. We win by renewing/changing/becoming better, not by condemning others. Everyone have a blessed day, a beautiful weekend and "watch your mouth". TeamFocusOnYourHabits. Bblessedloveyou. Matthew 7 vs 1-5, Matthew 23 vs 25-28, John 8 vs 1-11, John 7 vs 24

Adjust Your Speed

Good Morning Family. First of all, Happy Birthday to Sug and Yahzia. I am so thankful for my family. It's such a privilege and blessing to have family. I really think a lot of people take family for granted. One thing that holds true with us is we celebrate each other, we may not always like each other, but the love is strong. This morning I thought about Courtney getting on my treadmill one day. She really wasn't used to it, wasn't really serious about using it. Anyone who's ever been on a treadmill knows that it takes a minute to get adjusted to using it. If you're not careful, you'll fly right off the back of it and that's just what she did. That incident reminds me about our lives. We "jump on life" so quickly, full speed ahead when we should be adjusting the speed as we go. That's the way I used to live. Thinking I should take advantage of every single opportunity that came my way. Opening credit card accounts just because I could, buying new things just because I could, not saving a dime, spending my paycheck down to the last cent and then some. All of that plus clubbing/partying, staying out late, sleeping until lunch time. My life was really out of control. The funny thing was, I didn't even realize it. I thought I was living a normal life. I can't change who I was or the things I did, but I can "adjust the speed", change my pace and direction. A lot of us are looking for quick fixes, easy ways to get out of debt, relationship changes based on nothing but emotion, a support system that caters to "what we want' with no consideration for anyone else. That's all well and fine if you want "short term" results, but if you're like me, you want "lasting results". Change that will take you into the rest of your life. This morning I thank God for "change", I thank Him for understanding and peace. Praying that we sit still and allow God to speak to us, that's the only way things will get better. Bblessedloveyou. TeamAdjustYourSpeed. Psalm 46