Not Your Average BEE

  As 2020 is at its' hump month; I have set goals to lose weight and to continue in an educational journey and save more financially and travel more. While all those ideas are great; we must remember to seek God in what lies ahead and follow through on the things He wants to come into fruition for us. No PROCRASTINATION!! On my 49th birthday in December, I decided to make some realistic goals. On my birthday every year I will have a complete physical with labs,pap and mammogram to address my overall health. I will schedule an appointment to address my oral hygiene with the dentist and schedule with behavioral health to also address my spiritual and emotional needs. It is so crucial to address your total well being first before you can give to others. Set realistic deadlines and hold yourself accountable!! And don't torture yourself if you fall short once or twice. We all make mistakes and we must remember to get back up and continue on our journey. Never give up! A...

      As the new year begins I am convicted in my spirit that it is time for a change. I have lived in Memphis since 2006 and I feel like God is telling me a new journey awaits me somewhere else. I am praying for guidance and wisdom and clarity. I feel drawn to where I'm from mainly due to my elderly Grandmother's need for care and to help my Mother as she has been the caregiver for many family members (my father, my aunt and most recently, my grandmother) and is burned out.     The positives would include being closer to family,my daughter, my best friend and a host of friends who are like family. My spiritual needs would be fed and I would be close to a multitude of cultural opportunities(food and the arts). The negative is the cost of living, taxes and winter weather. I have lived in the south for years. And while I love snow @ Christmas (my most favorite time of the year); I love the warmth of the weather here.      ...

The decision to just be yourself and walk in your purpose is challenging to say the least. Life throws you so many curves that foraging your way through your path can be extremely difficult. At 46, my path has been winding, up and down, sometimes repetitive, sometimes dead-ends. I used to think I was being punished, or that I didn't deserve to be happy. I used to think God was punishing me for my sins past and present. I also felt it was not only my pain; but I shared it with those I love the most-my family. Well flash forward through years of love and loss, fear and overcoming fear, failures and accomplishments and I've learned to stand still and TRUST GOD.  It's so cliche- but I used to sing Dr. Watts in church: "I love the Lord HE heard my cry I-I -IIII loooove the uh uh Lorrrrd HEEEE hear rrrrd myyyy MY YY Cry" and I recognized that HE is with me no matter what. And it may be tough more times than not; but HE always has me.  I learned to walk in my ...

                                                                                                                                 Prodigal Children      During a prodigal season, otherwise lovable kids are often at their worst. They may become rude, demanding, manipulative and abusive. All of my children at some point experienced growing pains..... Since my ex and I were never on the same page in regards to parenting; there was not only a discord in their behavior but also in how we as parents responded to them. That in addition to the effects of  divorce and legal issues regarding custody and foundation as in home and change in living circumstan...

                                                                                         It is soo sooo disappointing to discover that people are not who they say they are................... The facade of people is  an outward appearance that is maintained to conceal a less pleasant or creditable reality. How can you really know who is REAL and who is FAKE? This society is more and more concentrated on social media (FACEBOOK which can be FAKEBOOK @ times); and not reflecting on the true and authentic image of an individual. Both my sons are trying to chase success based on someone else's opinion of what that is............my daughter too, and it causes me to look within to see who I really am and the toxic ideas and images they have adopte...

                                      Unconditional loves' definition is: To love somebody with no conditions or circumstances: to love completely. So many times in life we find that as human beings we don't truly practice this.  My fault (YES I have them) is that I am the  someone who only loves others HARD, giving of myself freely without any boundaries  sometimes portraying myself as extremely passive.    That is me being a “people pleaser” which means I'm not being unconditional or loving to myself first. Let me tell you, playing the martyr is not always rewarding or validating and only leaves you and the other person resentful. I am learning to work to recognize when doing what is best for me first might sometimes have me prioritizing my needs and desires above someone else's. This is a healthy part of defining who I am as an individual and crucial to me in...