In my young adult years, I had a hard time being seen for who I was.
I was always identified by where I grew up, whose sister I was or who I hung out with. Although I loved those aspects of myself, I was more.
As years went on, I had to make choices for my happiness. Choices often opposite of what I thought was expected of me. That meant becoming vulnerable to change and criticism.
That shift came with a yearning to experience more of what life had to offer. I began to look outside the walls put in place by others and myself to live a life God wanted me to live.
I began to capture these experiences in my writing. This became a way for me to purge, process and heal.
This blog is that journey and it continues. A journey full of love, tears, pride and lots of laughs.
Thanks for joining me.
Monday, Monday
One early Monday morning, I proclaimed to my husband, “Today will be a great day.” He asked, “Why?” and I told him I decided it would be.
Later when I arrived home at the end of the day, I asked my husband,” Was today a good day?” He paused like he was thinking and said, “You know what? Yes, it was.”
The Capacity to Forgive
In the late 1930’s-1940’s, a young boy was raised by his maternal grandparents in a rural town.
When he was born, the boy’s parents split, moved to separate cities, and started new lives without their son for reasons unknown. The boy was left to be raised alongside his uncles like their brother.
Life was tough. His grandfather was strict, and he had to work in the field tending tobacco and possibly other crops. He went to school, may have gotten in a bit of trouble, but nothing too serious.
I Love Fall
If a season could be a gateway drug, fall would be mine. The main event is Christmas. I love the smells, sounds and emotions that come with that holiday. But Christmas time seems so short.
Fall gives me time to savor many things I love.
Doing what we don’t want to do to get what we want
When people tell us what they want to accomplish, we tend to offer advice on what they need to do to get it. We often hear the phrase, “easier said than done.”
Quiet / Noisy
I like quiet spaces. There. I said it. I savor quiet time alone. It is WONDERFUL!
Our Faith While In the Meantime
Author and talk show host, Iyanla Vanzant wrote a book in 1999 entitled, In the Meantime. Readers of this book were likely anxious to get to the next phase of their lives. This book leads the reader through exercises that challenge the reader to reflect and do self-work before hastily moving to their next season. This block of time is referred to as, the meantime
It Started With a Grilled Barbeque Rib
I took a bite of a rib that had been smoked many hours and slathered it with a hickory flavored hot sauce. The rib came from a batch of ribs, chicken, and burgers my brother-in-law was grilling for my husband’s “First Day of Spring” barbeque
Apron Delight
Who among us has had a relationship with their mother that is unique? Good or bad? Strained or easy? Deep or shallow? Many stories and movies seek to explain this relationship that many times is hard to articulate and understand.
Zumba!
Have you ever been in a situation where you didn’t know someone saw something and once you saw what they saw, you were like, “OH MY GOD!”
OR
Was there ever a time there was something you hated about yourself and you always tried to cover it up? Yet the more you tried to cover it, the more eyes were drawn to it?
Moving From Home
Moving away from home has its challenges. Before entering our third year of marriage, my husband was assigned to an appointment in Columbus, Ohio from Cincinnati, Ohio. As an itinerant pastor in the United Methodist Church, he was accustomed to this. I was not. This would be my first move outside of Cincinnati, where I was born and raised.
Hair
Have you ever been in a situation where you didn’t know someone saw something and once you saw what they saw, you were like, “OH MY GOD!”
OR
Was there ever a time there was something you hated about yourself and you always tried to cover it up? Yet the more you tried to cover it, the more eyes were drawn to it?