I'm Bored!

Yesterday, I heard this statement one too many times from my tweens! "I'm bored!"...can we...? "I'm bored!" I told them not to utter this statement any more or I would find plenty of housework to help them occupy their time. In fact, they ended up doing one of those thorough room cleanings. You know the one. The one when you pull out the dressers, and beds so you can see if there are any loose papers or etc hiding behind or beneath them! Yeah...one of those cleanings. LOL

I thought back to Saturday afternoon at age 10-12. We had 3 TV stations, if I remember correctly. I can't recall if Lawrence Welk came on on Saturday Afternoon or Sunday but I do remember watching National Geographic & Hee Haw! I think cable came in the next year or so. That was magic to us. Let's not forget getting HBO and the TV not going off at midnight with a picture of the flag and the American anthem playing.

We had to entertain ourselves. Yes, things were a little bit simpler then. We could go down the street to so and so's house without worrying about someone kidnapping us. We could play outside as long as we came back in before the street lights came on. I still had to ask permission to go inside a friend's house but other than that we could play in each other's yards and go from house to house as long as we were within yelling distance. We played 2 & 4 square, mother may I, 1-2-3-red light and other outside games. Playing with each other was fun. Lasting relationships were built that exist to this day because of the actual time spent together.

(Picture of my brother and me in our driveway)

Today we are caught up in our electronics. We love our i-phones, blackberrys, instincts and other cellular devices. We text each other in the same house to relay messages. We come home and split up to our respective TV's or computers. Electronics are the new pacifiers. They keep us distracted almost to a mindless degree if taken to the extreme. Let's not forget x-box, playstation and Wii.

I told my tweens that they had the following options. They could clean, then read or go to bed. Simple! With all of this done, there would be no time to be bored. By the time they finished cleaning, they were ready to go to bed. In fact, the went with no prompting.

Today is a new day. It was a full day. I heard nothing about being being bored. Not once and they are actually asleep! No prodding or pushing.

Thank the Lord. He heard my cry! One more day of pushing forward. One more day of laughter and love. One more day of beautiful abundant life even if I'm not where I want to be. I'm continuing to strive in God's way..........and most of all, I'm not bored!

Proverbs 14:14 GWD
A heart that turns [from God] becomes bored with its own ways, but a good person is satisfied with God's ways.

Living for the Weekend

The Ojays had a song out years ago called "Living for the Weekend". It starts out by saying,"It's Friday!" (Click link to listen: http://blip.fm/~7cmc5 ) That seems to be the war cry, the closer we get to the weekend.

I went to a funeral today! I have never seen a family more distraught. It was SO very sad. The person passed suddenly. The children were so overwrought with pain that they didn't want to leave the church to go to the cemetery. After the service I was reminded of how precious life is and how life is only 1 breath. This blog is short and sweet. Stop living for the weekend. Live for each moment. As my mom says, the next one is not promised.

Forgive quickly. Smile whether you have teeth or not. Encourage someone. Stop worrying about what can't be fixed or solved. Don't stop living while you're still on earth. Don't give up and die, spiritually or emotionally. Put your trust in God and ......

...LIVE, LIVE, LIVE!! Always Push Forward!


Psalms 118:17
I will not die but live, and proclaim the works of the LORD.

Being a MOM!!! - Happy Mother's Day!!

It’s not easy being a mom. It’s a whole lot of work. Mom’s do a whole lot! We generally wash the clothes, prepare the menu, buy the groceries, put them up, wash the dishes or put them in the dishwasher and put them up. We clean, dust, vacuum, clean up the house. Wake up the kids, make sure they bathe, brush their teeth, comb their hair, pack their book bags, put them by the door, have all homework done, first check the homework, and then make sure it’s packed. Fill out permission slips, review papers in the book bags, send in the field trip money, volunteer for school activities, attend the school functions, extracurricular activities, sign them up for the activities, take them to the activities and make sure they have the proper clothes to wear to the activities. Don’t forget the juice, snacks, water, towels etc if it is a sport. We listen to their stories, watch them perform for us; listen to them read to us and all while our favorite TV show is on. (Better TIVO it). Don’t forget discipline them. Most importantly love them. Take them to church. Worship with them. Look them in the eyes when they talk to us. Hug on them, love on them, kiss their boo- boos and make the scary shadows go away.

As they get older, we teach them how to drive, teach them about the birds and the bees, the flowers and the trees. In my case, teach them about their cycle, and boys and what boys will say and try and do BEFORE they are ready. We teach them how to cook, clean, sort and wash the clothes. We teach them how to drive, check the oil and tires, balance a checkbook, pay the bills, and sew a button. We show them how to be respectful and considerate of others. We teach them how to come home by curfew and call if they are going to be late.

We pray with them. We nurture them. They are so precious. They grow up so fast. It’s all worth it. Every single second of it. I am so blessed to have beautiful healthy intelligent girls. I have a mother that supports me and has taught me everything know. I was blessed with incredible grandmothers, aunts and "other mothers" as well. I am blessed! 

Thank God for my life and all that I have to do. Hallelujah! Always Push Forward!

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden......

As per normal, before I open my eyes, I tell the Lord thank you for another day. Today was slightly different. After making that statement heard a voice saying BUT! But what? Not again. Today was one of those days. I was having a pity party. I didn’t want to get up and face the world. I get these days sometimes. Times when I think about all of the things that I have to do and deal with and a little voice tells me it would be easier just to stay in bed. That’s when I have to tell myself, “I will not be depressed!” You know we have to talk to ourselves sometimes. The power of life and death is in the tongue. That applies when we speak things over the lives of others as well as ourselves. I repeat that statement to myself until I get out of the funk, the fog, the mist and get up. Sometimes it’s a fight; an inner war. Part of me hearing “Stay in bed!!!” while part of me is hearing “Push Forward!!” My pastor always says, “When you woke up this morning you had a choice. God was pulling for you and Satan was pulling against you. It is up to you to make the right choice!” God gives us free will to make the choices in our lives. We have to fight our flesh daily and keep the faith in order to win!

We are discussing faith in our bible study. We learned that God does not tempt us but he will test our faith. I asked the question why? Why is that, since HE already knows the outcome? I was told that God knows how we are going to respond to a test, but HE wants us to learn how we are going to respond. Testing of our faith develops perseverance. We are building endurance for the next trial.

Matthew 11:28 says “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." Not the rest that the enemy wants us to take. The enemy wants us to lie down and wallow. He wants us to stay in that stagnant place and grow no more. Our Savior says, rest. His rest is of peace. Lay your cares on me. When you are at the edge of the cliff, jump and give God your everything, your all. Surrender and feel the joy and ecstasy when he catches you and all is given to him. In Him there is complete rest!

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Take the first step, you don’t have to see the whole staircase, take the first step.”

Come on, let’s take the first step. Turn that morning mantra into I am a conqueror. I can do All things through Christ that strengthens me. I have the faith to leap, jump, and push.
As always… Pushing Forward.

In the Presence....

Church service was incredible as usual. I attend a church that believes in worship and we have a phenomenal music ministry! Our choir began rehearsing twice a week in preparation for the Congressional Black Caucus in 2004 and we haven’t stopped since. We are now a family of brothers and sisters in Christ of at least 30 + members every Sunday. 90% of the choir can lead a song. Most importantly, we are on one accord. We all believe that music is a ministry and not a performance.

For the third year in a row, we have hosted members of the Theater of the American South. People come to our worship service before going to the plays. This is held three Sundays in a row, so we sing more than usual. Doing 3-4 songs in a row at intervals; therefore we usually end up singing 10 songs in addition to the regular hymns, responses and praise and worship. Yesterday was especially moving for me. I was praising in advance for the healing of my daughter that was having flu like symptoms to include a fever of 102. She lives in an area where the Swine Flu has been diagnosed and I was claiming the healing for her! I asked others to pray and we did collectively. One of my favorite leaders, Tennille Mitchell sang “For Every Mountain” which states “For Every Mountain, you’ve brought me over.. For every trial, you’ve seen me through..For Every Blessing, Hallelujah, For this I give you Praise! “ (click link to listen…. ) http://blip.fm/~7166n Now, who hasn’t had a mountain that they had to defeat!! What an awesome time! What a glorious time. To be IN HIS PRESENCE was incredible.

I later drove on to my hometown to participate in program for my cousin and former chorus teacher’s 40th class reunion. I was blessed to be IN THE PRESENCE of some magnificent women. What was especially glorious was that one was 90 (Momma Rose-Rosa Robinson) and one was 93 (Momma T-Ernestine Smith). Both were of sharp mind and wit. Both were physically strong. Both were glowing!! I was in awe of their fortitude; their desire to push forward no matter what.

Momma Rose reminded me that she graduated from High School 73 years ago and has 13 grandchildren and I believe she said 26 great-grandchildren. After being given a surprise party on her birthday, she told her daughter, Gussie that she shouldn’t be surprising her like that, after all she’s 90. (LOL)

Momma T modeled and pranced around on the dance floor, even after singing in an alumni service earlier in the day. After watching a Motown performance that I did with her daughter Sharon, she said how proud she was to look up there and see her daughter, granddaughter and cousin (that’s me). (HER VIDEO IS BELOW THIS ENTRY.. she has on the orange)
I can’t attest as to why these women are so vibrant and active. I don’t know what they have personally endured. I do know that their faith is strong. They believe with their whole hearts. They are surrounded and loved by many and have touched countless lives. They are adored. They are loved.

The major blessing in all of this is that I felt HIS PRESENCE, while in THE PRESENCE of these women. These matriarchs! Not to mention, that I got to see MY MOMMA too and when I called my daughter, her fever was gone! Hallelujah!

All reasons for me to Push Forward, no matter what the circumstance, not matter what the test. Look at what these women have endured! We too can make it! PUSH FORWARD and always give praise!

Deuteronomy 12:7 NIV
There, IN THE PRESENCE of the LORD your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the LORD your God has blessed you.

Progress Report!! He who has begun a good work....

Progress Report!

My 12 year old brought her progress report home yesterday. I should have known something was wrong because she wasn’t excited about giving it to me. You see, before starting Middle School, she was an A-B student. Peer pressure, changes in class size and class load has taken a toll on her. Never would I have imagined that she would have such a problem making the transition. She is also trying to fit in. She is very petite so she feels like she has to appear to be tough and not AS SMART, so that she can fit in. This has been an issue all year.

I must admit, I didn’t handle the situation very well. I was SO very upset with her. I couldn’t believe that she’d received 95’s and 100’s on her tests and class work but received 2 D’s on her progress report because she hadn’t turned in her homework. It is obvious to me that she more than understands what is going on because of her grades without having to do her homework. She’d been telling me that she was turning it in. Somehow the work was not getting to the classroom from our home. Hmmmmm??

She is a brilliant child. She was always placed in the advanced classes and was 4 points away from a perfect score on her EOG (End of Grade ) test in the 3rd grade. Now she is in the 6th grade and making poor grades!! (I had to vent for a minute). As, I was saying…..I didn’t handle it well. I yelled and fussed and fussed and fussed.

Then it hit me. Calm down and talk to her. I began to calmly explain to her how smart she is. How beautiful she is. How talented and gifted she is. How awesome she is and how very proud of her I am. I reminded her that not only is she my child, she is God’s child. He has a plan for her life. He expects the best from her as do I. I told her that I refuse to give up on her. I am not going to sit back and allow her to give up or fail. I may be hard on her but I love her unconditionally. This is a phase that she will get through.

I was reminded that when God begins a work in you, He is going to continue that work until you have become the person that He knows that you are to be. He is going to continue to lead and guide you until your purpose is fulfilled. He is our Father and we are his children. As I reminded her of this, her defenses came down. She knows who her FATHER is. She knows that she has to continue to walk into her blessing. As I always say, distractions are the enemy’s way of trying to steer us off track. He wanted her to follow a path other than what has been predestined for her.

She’s back on track today. I have been in contact with her teachers. Today was a good day. She still didn’t have her glasses on, but that’s a different story for a different day!!
Push forward my friends! ALWAYS in ALL THINGS… Push Forward.

Philippians 1:6 NKJ
being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

Weebles Wobble.... I'm Still Standing!!

There is a Nationwide Insurance commercial that says “Life comes at you fast!” It does. Things hit you when you least expect them. You are going along, some of us at a leisurely pace, some of us racing and some of us unaware of our pace at all. Then it hits you! Life hits you. It tries to knock you down. Things seem to happen all at once. The trickle down affect as some may call it. You lose your job, use your savings, lose your car, then your home. The car breaks down, the pipes burst, and the ceiling starts to leak. You lose a loved one. Your world seems to spin and then come to a sudden stop causing you to wobble. You lose your balance. You seem to lose your way. You may even panic. You ask yourself the same fated question that many of us have asked, “What am I going to do now?”

Yes, I know it’s hard. Difficult to move on. Difficult to pick yourself up. It would be easier to simply climb in bed and pull the covers over your head and sleep. Imagine that nothing is going on. Some may think, if I sleep and pretend like nothing’s happening, it will all go away. Just as some little children think that when they close their eyes, they are invisible, we know this is not the solution.

My brothers and sisters, we all know that, that is a trick of the enemy. That sneaky mindset of depression, luring us into quietness. I am no expert, nor am I qualified to diagnose, but I have been there. Many years ago, I found myself in that state but didn’t know it. Didn’t understand why I wanted to sleep and eat and pretend that nothing else was going on. I figured that it would all just go away soon.

Praise God for God!! He said, “No, my child! You HAVE to get up. You have work to do. I will not allow you to wallow in your own self-pity.” And so he was gentle with me. He coaxed me out of bed. He showed me all of the wonderful things in my life. He also reminded me of the major storms that others in my life had survived. My pregnant friend rolled her car. She was thrown 25 feet through the windshield. She and the baby survived with only minor scratches. Her baby is now a little miracle attending school. Another friend walked down the aisle and married the love of her life, knowing that cancer had taken over her body and she only had a matter of months to live. Although she passed away, she went on to be with the Lord stating that she was happy and indeed ready. She did survive.

So yes people, life comes at you hard sometimes. Today has been one of those days. One of those days that I had to remind myself that although life may cause us to stumble, “Weebles wobble but they don’t fall down. “ (A weeble is a Hasbro Toy)

The next time you get knocked over, know that it’s temporary. You may stumble or falter, but push forward and stand back up; taller and stronger than ever!!
I’m Pushing Forward. I’m STILL STANDING!!

Joshua 1:9 NIV
Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

WHERE OH WHERE!????

Remember that nursery rhyme or song? Where oh where has my little dog gone? Oh where oh where can he be? With his ears cut short and his tail cut long. Oh where oh where can he be? That song has been resonating in my spirit because I CAN NOT FIND MY KEYS!!

I am a creature of habit. I believe most of us are. When I come in the house, I ALWAYS put my keys in the same place so that I won’t have to search for them. My routine was altered on Friday because I had to help my daughter move out of her dorm room. She had a car load of stuff. When I say a car load, I mean the truck was filled to the brim. Most of it was shoes. LOL!! I made the mistake of separating the truck key from my large set of keys so that I could just throw them in my pocket while loading the STUFF. We left the dorm and went to my nephew’s graduation. Rush, Rush, Rush. I didn’t think about my keys because I didn’t park the truck. Then off to dinner, next morning Graduation, next day back home and then to moms in another city etc, etc etc. I didn’t think about my keys until I returned home LATE Sunday night.

UH OH!! Houston … we have a problem.

Today is Tuesday! I haven’t seen them since Friday. It’s time people. Time for me to let it go. Time for me to stop dwelling on it and Push Forward. (I smiled when I typed that) Why?? Because, we get so caught up on little things that we miss the big picture.

I am truly blessed. I can make more keys. I can start over. I lost or misplaced (because they are going to turn up) my keys, but I didn’t lose a loved one. My family circle is intact. I am loved. I am surrounded by a husband that loves me and kids that adore me. I have food, a vehicle to drive (spare key and all) and a beautiful home to live in. I am employed. I have awesome friends who love and support me. I have found long lost friends and new found friends thanks to FB and Twitter. I have my Lord and Savior. For I once was lost and now I’m found! If He can save me from being lost, then what are keys!! Right!? Can I get an amen??

I’m going to keep pushing forward. Keeping my mind focused on what’s significant or key so that I may help others that they not be lost. Always Push Forward!

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)That sav'd a wretch like me!I once was lost, but now am found,Was blind, but now I see. (Hymn , Amazing Grace by John Newton)

Luke 19:10 NIV
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

Confessions of a 19 year old

My daughter wrote this.. it is insight into the mind of a 19 year old... mine at least.


Wanted to share..



THOSE WERE THE DAYS. Am I the only one who misses the good ole days?

***I remember being younger and hearing older people talk about how much I should enjoy being a child...I remember thinking that I was so grown at 11.*I wish that I'd listened a little more instead of letting it go through one ear and out of the other...



***I wish I'd kept my heart to myself for just a little while longer instead of giving it away to some boy who had no idea what to do with it.


***I've ALWAYS been independent, always wanted to do things for myself. After my little sisters were born, I felt that my life changed.I knew that I'd ALWAYS be an example to them, someone they'd look up to.


***I am a WOMAN, looking deep into my past...looking BACK at what I've come from...and trying REALLY hard to keep focused on where I'm going.ONE DAY, EVERYONE will look back onto what they're doing RIGHT NOW, and say....******"hmm, I wonder if I'd done this, how much better this would have been..." OR"I remember that party.....I remember when I used to date HIM what was I thinking??"((LOL))...***hey some may be blessed enough to say..."MY HUSBAND SURE WAS A TRIP BACK THEN."


***I want to be the best that I can be....to want to do everything that I possibly can to succeed and MAKE MONEY...and ENJOY it all at the same time.



***I also remember that the PAST is something that I will NEVER be able to change, the FUTURE is STILL up to me!!!!!!CHOICES,CHOICES,CHOICES.


***everyone is free to make their own decisions, and EVERY SINGLE ONE that you make has an effect. GOOD, BAD, WORSE.lol.....GREAT effects.


***As I grow and mature, I have realized that HARDER WORK brings along GREATER THINGS..."Jack and Jill planted two different trees. Jack tends to his plant, studies it, records its growth, loves it, cherishes it, needs for it to grow because he cares for it and has plans for it. Jill waters hers occasionally, takes a look at its growth through the window from time to time....cares for it because she planted it, but after a while gets bored and by the time she thinks of it again, it's DEAD."Jacks tree grew TALL to stand above all...while Jills tree never grew at all.



***It's kind of how life is and the choices that you make....no need to explain the analogy, its pretty self-explanatory. It's something that I remember with EVERYTHING...school work, staying in shape, relationships, my career...etc.If you don't give something time, set goals....and make positive decisions...eventually things will go DOWNHILL and remain there until there's CHANGE...is something that is constant in LIFE no matter what



***WITH GOD all things are possible.....before I go away from here, I want to have had an impact on those around me...with my positive spirit...with my voice...with my wisdom...



Amen... daughter.. Amen Always Push Forward



Proverbs 22: 6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Rituals, Traditions, Customs... The Greatest of these is LOVE

A regular, repeated action is considered a ritual. A tradition is an inherited pattern or thought out action. A custom is a specific practice of long standing. The common thread in these actions is that they are repeated. Albeit they are different forms of recurrences, there is still repetition. Sometimes these actions are so common those that witness it become oblivious. Sometimes, we that are participating don’t think about them as we do them.

I was blessed to live next door to my paternal grandparents and around the corner from my maternal grandmother. My family’s rituals, traditions, actions and customs had a profound effect on my life. As we celebrated my mother’s 75th birthday this weekend and it really made me think about how important family is. It invoked feelings and thoughts in me that I had not really thought about until now.

In retrospect, I remember the following:
· My grandparents always rose early, had juice, milk , wheat toast, and some form of bran cereal for breakfast, ate their heavy meal in the middle of the day and fruit and a light snack for supper. They lived well into their 90’s.
· My mother has and always has had a nightly routine for her face. She always cleanses it and puts cream on it every night. Usually with Oil of Olay. Her mother did the same thing. When my grandmother passed away she did not look her age. My mother’s skin is still smooth and taut and she looks YEARS younger than she really is. victoriousg: http://twitpic.com/4mu30 My 75 year old mom!
· My girlfriend’s mother always had a list of chores that had to be completed before we could go out. As a result, my girlfriend is VERY organized and uses “to do” list to this day.
· We opened Christmas presents on Christmas Eve as a family. We would wait for my grandmother to get home from Mass. Christmas is a very important holiday in my life. It represents the birth of my Savior and family.
· My grandmother always cooked a big meal on Saturday. She expected us all to come by her house and eat of it. My grandparents cooked on Sunday and expected the same thing. As a result, we all generally saw each other weekly. Again… family.
· We went to church on Sunday and were taught the importance of prayer. It was not taught verbally, but I learned it through action. Prayer is my direct communication with Him.
· My grandfather cooked the meats and cakes and my grandmother cooked the veggies. They worked crossword puzzles together and silence in the room meant contentment. I learned the meaning of true everlasting love. They were married 70 + years.
· My sister always sang in the car and in the house. She taught me how to harmonize. I learned the importance of singing from your heart when I heard her sing at a graduation function at Chatham Hall.

· My dad took excellent car of his 8 tracks, albums, cds. He taught me how to hold them correctly and take care of them. He always had the latest music. Music was ALWAYS playing. In the house, in the car, everywhere. He LOVED his music. This is deeply rooted in me to this day.

· We always had a pet. We had choo choo, Shaft, Sir Andrews, Westie, fish and cats. My sister was allergic to cats. We as young kids didn’t understand the concept of allergies. (Sorry Mimi). We learned how to love our furry family members. We learned the importance of caring and being kind.

All in all…. My family’s rituals, traditions, actions and customs taught me love. Love is the greatest gift that we can give to each other. All of us expect it in different ways, depending on our love language. (That’s a blog for another time). Love each other with your WHOLE heart and remember the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:8-11 & 13 NIV
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me…...

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love

Taking It Back

I woke up this morning with a song on my heart. It was a song that my choir used to sing. The chorus says, “I went to the enemy’s camp and I took back what he stole from me. Ain’t no devil in Hell gonna walk all over me.” The song resonated with me because I have been thinking about my weight. I heard a celebrity mention on an interview, that she before she took control of her weight, she was killing herself. We have to take control of our lives. Part of being in control is being healthy.

Then I was reminded that we wouldn’t allow someone to come into our homes and steal from us. Right? So why would we allow the enemy to come into our lives and steal what is not his. He can’t take our joy or anything else unless we allow him to. Yes, we will have sorrow and suffering but how we handle those situations is up to us and what is instilled in us. We have to remind ourselves to push forward, to get up when we don’t want to and to praise HIM regardless of the circumstance.

Food is my addiction. It is my comfort when I’m down, or when I’m bored or just because. I’m taking my life back. Holding on to my joy! Ain’t no devil in hell gonna steal my joy or my life. I am claiming it now and pushing forward. Anybody else coming with me??

ALWAYS PUSH FORWARD!

Isaiah 51:3 NIV
….Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing.