Gratefulness, Part II

Yesterday was another day of reflection and thanks to God.  Again, I sat in my car on my lunch break, facing the lake and allowing the nice breeze to fill my car.  "God, I am SO grateful for my life!"

This past weekend I had the opportunity to go back home and visit a girlfriend that I hadn't seen in at least 15 years.  However, this visit wasn't like the others.  Her health hasn't been the greatest and what "I" thought should have been a woman in the prime of her life and living it up - I was faced with a friend trying to learn to walk again.  In between the laughs caused by reminiscing on the past, tears were shed.  My heart hurt.....

But God!  In the midst of it all, there is still yet hope as she let us in on her plans for her future and that of her kids and how she didn't plan to allow sickness defeat her.  That day God allowed me to see that He's got it all in control and that I needed to be reminded to be grateful for the things that I take for granted.  Things like waking up in the morning and standing on my own two feet.  Things like being able to make a fist.  Things like being able to sit up unassisted.

God, I'm grateful....

Are You Ready?

Preparation makes opportunity a success!  Have you ever heard this quote?  Well I happen to believe that this is very true. 

How many times has something come up that could have benefited you, but you were not ready for it?  Or how many times did the blessing come, that you weren’t prepared for, and you messed over it?

I’m one of those crazy people who believe that God can and will do anything because nothing is impossible for Him.  I also believe that it’s my responsibility to be ready for the blessings that He has prepared to come my way.  About 2 years ago, I had a “big girl” conversation with myself and I came to the conclusion that I needed to be and possess the things that I expected in a mate.  So if I didn’t want a man with jacked up credit – I needed to get my credit straight.  If I didn’t want a man who was out of shape and overweight – I needed to get healthy and fit (still working on this one).  If I didn’t want a man with a bunch of debt – I needed to pay off some bills.  If I wanted a man with a true relationship with God – I needed to work on mine.  SO… I did and am doing just that!

“Faith without works is dead” (James 2:17). 

Are you ready for a new job?  Well what have you done to prepare for it?

Do you want a new house?  Well what have you done to prepare for it?

Are you ready for growth and promotion?  Well what have you done to prepare for it?

The Energy of Frustration [Me Time]

There are times when we experience frustration and we don't even know why.  I've found personally that it's then that I need to step back and have some "me time" to figure things out.  As a woman, I'm constantly trying to make sure that everyone and everything is okay and most times I'm the one who is lacking the much needed attention.  Yesterday, while having some "me time," I was reading a book by T.D. Jakes called, "The Lady, Her Lover, and Her Lord and here is an excerpt that stuck out to me in just the first chapter, which is called Falling in Love With Yourself:

"We live for others and their causes, making our own needs and presence secondary pursuits.  Sadly, sometimes we place ourselves so far on the back burner that the dreams boil out and leave only a parched pot where once we had personal expectation.  When dreams boil out, a scorching heat of stress and anxiety  causes the kettle to give a shrill sound before the burning begins.  That shrill sound can be heard in our excesses and overindulgences, which camouflage the fact that we are frustrated with dreams that are denied and hopes that seem deferred.  The burning, destructive, compulsive behaviors could all be avoided if we only, with patience and perserverance, took life in small doses and allowed ourselves the privlege of having an appointment with our own attention and scheduled ourselves as clients that we must see before th day is over.  In short, take time for yourself!  Listen to the hissing sound before you catch fire!"

You are just as important as everyone  and everything else!!!

Gratefulness

Yesterday at lunch I decided to sit in my car, facing the lake and just allow my mind to drift away from the cares of work.  The weather was absolutely beautiful!  It wasn't too hot, so I let down all the windows and allowed the nice breeze to enter in.  As I sat there, my mind begin to drift off into a place of serenity. 


"Dear God - thank you that I can sit here in my car, on my lunch break, in peace and quiet and marvel at your creation...WITHOUT BEING IN FEAR!"

Do you ever just stop and think of how blessed we are to live in America?  Everyday we turn on the news, there are reports of civil unrest and wars in foreign countries.  There is famine and distress and death.  While we have some of that here - it is nothing compared to what others are experiencing every minute of every hour of every day.

Flowing from my heart is gratefulness....

I Want More...

The more of me that I see, the more of God I want!

You ever got all deep and asked God to show you you?  But then when you saw YOU - you didn't like what you saw...  Well it's one of those days.  I consider myself to be a morally good person, but there are still those little quirks and hang ups that I know about myself (and only I know) that make me say, "GOD I NEED SO MUCH MORE OF YOU!"

Last night I watched a movie called The Grace Card.  It explored a tragic event in a man's life that caused him to become very bitter and disastrous to those trying to establish bonds with him.  The movie went on to reveal more about the Grace of God that is over our lives.  As I sat watching that movie, it brought on conviction for me taking advantage of God's grace.   Romans 6:1 - 2..."What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? ² Certainly not!"

Thank God for His grace because the more of me that I see, the more of God I want!

Practicing Excellence

The other night I was watching the BET Honors,  which celebrates acheivements by African Americans, and two of the Tuskegee Airmen were being honored. One of the gentlemen in his speech said "we should learn to overcome obstacles with excellence." This thought has stuck with me for a few days. I've been pondering on how to practice excellence on a daily basis.   Excellence can be defined as the quality of being outstanding or extremely good.  It can mean excelling; possessing good qualities in an eminent degree; "superiority in virtue!"

There are always obstacles in life, but if we are in the habit of practicing excellence - think about how far ahead of the game we would be when the problem came instead of being lost in it.  So that when trouble comes and others look at us - all they will see is behavior reflecting high moral standards!

Just think for a moment about the obstacles these men faced in their lives and to be able to walk away with something profound to give others rather than bitterness. Let's take a lesson from them today. Let's practice excellence and then have something profound to pass on to someone else.

Phenomenal Woman

Phenomenal Woman
By: Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.

I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size

But when I start to tell them,

They think I’m telling lies.

I say,

It’s in the reach of my arms,

The span of my hips,

The stride of my step,

The curl of my lips.

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

I walk into a room

Just as cool as you please,

And to a man,

The fellows stand or

Fall down on their knees.

Then they swarm around me,

A hive of honey bees.

I say,

It’s the fire in my eyes,

And the flash of my teeth,

The swing in my waist,

And the joy in my feet.

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

Men themselves have wondered

What they see in me.

They try so much

But they can’t touch

My inner mystery.

When I try to show them,

They say they still can’t see.

I say,

It’s in the arch of my back,

The sun of my smile,

The ride of my breasts,

The grace of my style.

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

Now you understand

Just why my head’s not bowed.

I don’t shout or jump about

Or have to talk real loud.

When you see me passing,

It ought to make you proud.

I say,

It’s in the click of my heels,

The bend of my hair,

the palm of my hand,

The need for my care.

’Cause I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

(Ladies - let us celebrate each other for being phenomenal women of God!)