Resolution - Results - Resolve

I love this time of year! People gearing up for another year to do things "better", "right", "stronger", and "more lasting"! Man, it is a beautiful thing to observe. What would be equally or even more exceedingly beautiful is them acknowledging their need for help so they can really get to those new ways of life they have every intention to adopt.  However, sadly, those messages don't come nearly as often or forthright as the first.  I encourage you today to set goals, dream dreams, establish a set plan of action...and should you begin to fall off the wagon or feel yourself letting go of the once well - thought and felt enthusiam INBOX ME OR SOMEBODY WHO WILL REMIND you of your "why" in the first place or your once felt enthusiasm or just love you enough to speak truth to you, then I believe true resolve shall come forth. You are never alone and most of the time we can't do it alone. Peace, love & laughter!

God's Protection is Real!

Two days ago while coming home at a prominent traffic stop, I received the green light. Though other cars went through, it felt like my mind & body was out of sync because my foot hit the gas pedal very slowly even though I had the right of way. In the same instance, this big pickup truck dashed through the light stopping more than 3/4 through the intersection!  The elder man stopped and looked over at me as though I made the light be in my favor and not his.  After that heart jerker, realizing what had taken place and the profound calm...it felt that if I could really see in the spirit (I.e., the invisible) it would have exposed a sight that would have left me awestruck...Angels keeping harm from both of us. That intersection is right here by my home so, every time I pass through that area I am moved to thank God for protecting me. His word so reminds me that He fashioned my days (Ps. 139:16).  I am so thankful for God's protection.

12 Years A Slave...My Takeaway

I just finished seeing the movie, "12 Years A Slave". I am not interested in seeing anymore slave movies.  The injustice done to Solomon Northrup was an atrocity. Then to think no one reaped via the legal system for it though they were wrong. 

As I continue to reflect, I think of other things, such as...

1. How do we teach our children to know  who they are to the point it cannot be beaten out of them?

2. Teach my children how to be angry but not use it to justify wrong actions.

3.  Am I using my freedom to be all that I feel I am called to be?

4.  When is "I'm tired" truly a justification for not doing anything towards my goals and rest?

I am fueled to make the suffering of my ancestors and those that went before me COUNT by LIVING...not just surviving. That looks like something, such as pushing pass the injustices that still occur today because my conditions are nothing compared to what they endured. It looks like, not letting fear or my insecurities cause me to be silenced or incapacitated from taking the next step for permitting a natural/supernatural progression.  It's also evaluating some of my disciplines and responses and changing those things that no longer serve me or the work that I am to do.

Seeing a movie like this has the power to anger me to change what I hate about the things that I have accepted as true and acceptable, or simply be mad about what occurred in the movie and at times still do.  I choose the first.  I am angered to love even when loving seems like the weakest thing to do though it is the strongest of all. Then, act I  a manner that is honorable and honoring for both myself and the "great cloud of witnesses".

Self-Acceptance

Today, I completed a 10-day exercise on "Self-Acceptance"! What a difference a day makes, let alone 10 days! When I began, I wasn't expecting to get much out of it though I was determined to be committed to the process. Now, on the other side of 10 days, I love myself so much more. I know who I am and I realize I am evolving into who God has created me to be. My natural strengths and talents have been underutilized.   The things I had been putting off are part of me living utilizing my natural strengths, talents and abilities to the fullest. There is more than what I can post here on trusting myself and making decisions and the experience of writing yourself a love letter that would turn this day's blog into a book so I refrain for today.  Nonetheless, I encourage you as a cheerleader for your team of 1...get on your way to SELF ACCEPTANCE,  if you haven't already and watch the difference it will make in your life and those around you.  Be the change you want to see! In the end, as closing remarks here's what my take was:

"Thank you for this lesson on self acceptance! It seems that God has prescribed these various tools to bring me to a level of wholeness I have not experienced before now. Thank you for your contribution to my journey. The take aways are far greater than the time spent and I am so much further along than I ever imagined a little 10-day exercise could have ever yielded. I am here! I do matter; my presence matters. My voice matters. My vote matters. Somebody wants to hear what I have to say! No one is more important than me." Namaste

I Shall Have What I Decree!

There has been this song in my heart that I only knew 2 words...."I declare".  When was the last time you tried to find a song on YouTube or anywhere else with just 2 words?  Well, let me tell you, "It is not easy!"  My goodness, but TONIGHT I decided to take my time and look for it!  When I tell you I am overjoyed!!!!! That is putting it MILDLY!  I feel like yelling it from the ROOFTOPS, "I HAVE FOUND THE SONG I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR!!!" In response, I can see people looking at me like I am crazy and I have the audacity to say within myself, "SO WHAT!!"  I have played it I don't know how many times!  Its like finding a valuable piece of jewelry that you thought was lost and then it is found!  So, today's blog is simply to share the song that I am so glad to have the words to and now even a dance to also! ENJOY! The song is by Myron Butler.  The name of the song is, "Speak".

Go Be Who You Are...You Cannot Fly Until You Break the Shell

India Arie is one of my favorite artist, so seeing her on Super Soul Sunday made me smile!  So refreshing!

Enjoy her new song... "Break the Shell"!  The lyrics are beautiful!  Below are just some of them...

You cannot fly until you break the shell....

Courage is not being hard...its time to peel back all of the layers you put between who you were meant to be and who you are....and go be who you are....

So much disappointment to finally understand...there is no such thing as perfect...we are simply doing the best that we can...and we have the choice to truly be alive!

(Chorus) Child its time to break the shell
life is going to hurt but its meant to be felt
you cannot touch the sky from inside yourself
you cannot fly until you break the shell

You'll be stuck on the ground until...you finally break the shell!

You know before an EAGLE is full grown and gets to soar, it too was a baby eagle that had to break out of the shell...see yourself as the EAGLE who has broken out of the shell and on your way to learning how to fly...then soar!

The 2-Letter Word

Ahhhhhhh!  These days I am more in tune with my spirit.  I recognize when I am getting off of my "center" and it is displayed first as an uneasiness from within that at a glimpse is just a feeling of being "off".  With closer introspection, I recognized that I was going against a core belief or even just an action that I know was not in alignment with my true essence.  At first I didn't have words for this "feeling" or "experience" as much as I do today.  As a result of a breaking point I reached almost 3 weeks ago now, I am attuned to this part of me.  It literally seems before I make one step that I think I am sure about, I have to stop and make sure that I am sure.  God has a way of letting me know that "I know" and even when I "don't know" and He is teaching me in the process.  I realize that I am always going to be presented opportunities that are "good", "better" and "best".  While on some days, "good" is what I should do, "best" would be better.  Nonetheless, determining which one to say, "Yes" to requires making a decision from stillness because it's not like all of them ("good" , "better" and "best) are presented to me at one time.  

Today, I wanted to say, "Yes" to my new assistant to come in to get as much of the scanning done as possible.  However, with closer introspection, I recognized an uneasiness, a hurrying within and had to put the brakes on.  Of course getting the scanning done means us being closer to being a completely paperless office.  "Best", won out and I had to say, "No."  It is better that she completes her training.

In another instance, a hair client requested that I do her hair tomorrow.  I love connecting with this young lady.  Again, "best" won out...I had to tell her no in the nicest way I could because stopping to connect (though "good") was not "best" as that would mean some more meaningful things would get dropped.

In essence it seems like new boundaries are being hedged and preparation for the opportunities that I have been praying for is vastly at hand.  This must be what Nehemiah felt as he rebuilt the wall in the book of Nehemiah (in the Bible).  Sanballat and the others were constantly trying to get him off what he knew he was supposed to be doing, however Nehemiah stayed the course and finished the wall of Jerusalem. (I had to stop and read this scripture!)  When you get a chance read Neh 6: 12-7:3!  I encourage you today, to stay the course your Heavenly Father has marked out for you...Seek Him first and all the other things will be added! The 2-letter word is not a bad word, its just one that I had to get re-acquainted with and that is "No."  It can be said in number of ways and with sweetness yet it still means the same thing it did when I was 2..."No."