Past vs. Future

My future does not have to be a reflection of my past, unless of course, I want it to!

Dreams

Today I will follow my dreams!!!
Sometimes following your dreams is so hard to do. In the past I've talked myself out of following my dreams with excuses ranging from A to Z. But I asked God for direction on this one and today he answered. So when God speaks, I'm going to listen. It's by faith, I go. 

On top of your "A" game

Do you remember what you did or what you looked like when you attracted your husband?
I am sure most of us took a little extra time getting dressed and paid close attention to the details when we were in the dating and/or beginning phases of our relationships. You did things like, wore designer clothing and up to date fashions. Made sure your shoes and bag were coordinated to complete the outfit. Bought Victoria’s Secrets, “just in case”. Went to the nail and hair salon to put the final touches on the package. Walked with confidence, kept a smile on your face. You knew you were on top of your “A” game. I am sure we all agree that men are visual so once you get them looking, that is half the battle.

As I was thinking about this I instantly thought about one of my favorite tunes. “Cater to You” by Destiny Child. The lyrics go into detail about what they are willing to do for their man. I am sure most have heard this song. The verse that particularly stands out to me is:

“I promise ya I’ll keep myself up
Remain the same chick you fell in love with
I’ll keep it tight ,I’ll keep my figure right
I’ll keep my hair fixed, and keep rockin the hottest outfits”

Most relationships evolve over the years and we mature and grow within the relationship. However, I am sure we all can agree that the one thing that does not change is the fact that men are visual beings. I would agree that with changing priorities most may not be able to buy the latest trendy outfit or spend discretionary funds at hair and nail salons. But there are inexpensive, cute, eye catching alternatives sold at discount stores and your local beauty supply store has bargain deals on items for home care. I know that it is hard to duplicate Vicky Secrets but Target has some sexy items that are a close 2nd.

We have to stay on top of our “A” game. Remember what you looked like to get your man? There is someone out there that looks just like that.

Happy Mother's Day

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine, desert us when troubles thicken around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavour by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.        - Washington Irving

It'll be All Over In the Morning

Ain't No Need to Worry by BeBe and CeCe Winans is a song that plays through my head many of nights when I've had a challenging day. Some of the lyrics are...

Ain't no need in worrying what the night is gonna bring, it'll be all over in the morning. There's a fear of night fall, when darkness comes and covers all the day. Sometimes we feel pain, but there are things that we can change,  just pray.

I guess it's my mind's way of trying to soothe my soul. Well, it is morning and things don't seem as bad as they did yesterday. Even though my toddler refused to eat his breakfast, he's still just as cute as a button. It's a gorgeous sunny morning. The temps are supposed to reach the low 70s and I have a lot of work to keep me busy, and in business. So from my calculation, the outlook on today is not to shabby.

In Doubt....In Faith

Doubt - to be uncertain about something; be undecided in opinion or belief. To be apprehensive about. Fear; dread... 

When a little bit of doubt seeps in, a little bit of hope seeps out.~ Moni

Faith - Belief that is not based on proof. Confidence in a person or thing. Belief in anything, as a code of ethics, standards of merit, etc. A system of religious belief.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)

"In faith" is defined as, in truth; indeed. 

In faith, In Truth, Indeed

Moments of Clarity

My most important moments of clarity occur in the wee hours of the morning, before the sun comes up and the hustle and bustle of the day begins. My former Bishop advised the congregation to use the time you can not sleep to talk to God. I think this is great advice because you never know, this might be the time God wants to talk to you too. In fact I thought it was such a great idea, I implemented this into my life and it has become a time of peace and clarity for me. Sometimes solutions to things I've been pondering are placed in my mind with such ease I can't believe I didn't think of it the week before. It's just amazing to see the paths cleared.

When I imagine this process, I visualize a traffic jam. During the course of a week, we are exposed to so much information from home, work, friends, the media, our minds shut down preventing anything helpful from flowing in and blocking anything that is useful from flowing out. We are at a mental standstill, yet our lives are still moving forward. In essence, we are in a mental traffic jam.

Have you really thought about when your moments of clarity occur? Maybe they come late at night, or while you are on a nature walk, or maybe walking beside the ocean as the rhythmic sound of the waves allow you to soak in the tranquillity. Whenever or where ever your moments occur, I pray that you really embrace them and listen to that inner voice. You might have been dismissing it as a fleeting thought but I say following it through. Have that conversation and take the time to live in that moment. It might be worth more than you know.

Chick Flicks

I love going to the movies, always have, probably always will. But as the mother of a toddler, I don't get to the theatre as much as I used to. As a result, I've embraced the benefits that come with watching a movie at home. No you don't get the energized atmosphere of all the people, the over-priced yet tasty popcorn, the sights, the sounds. But you do get to cuddle up under the covers, press pause to get a snack or restart the dryer, and you can rewind when you didn't understand what someone said.

My husband knows he'll get a reaction of pure delight when he brings home a movie I've been wanting to see or even something he thinks I might like. I get excited by just the anticipation of being thoroughly entertained. There are a couple of movies that just came out that I hope to get to the theatre to see, and they are true chick flicks. Not always at the top of the list for the guys, but every man knows, there are times in life when you have to take one for the team!

For They Know Not What They Do

Today I wonder how life would be, if I could understand you, and you understand me.

Yes we are different but yet we are the same. Both children of God granted grace in Jesus' name.

Yet you look at me and you see less, then I look back at you and know that I’m blessed.

For God knows all his children and he watches from on High. He walks with me when I struggle; he dries my eyes when I cry.

We are all made in his image, black, white, red, and brown. Remember the cross he carried all bloodied through town?

They mocked him, they beat him, they treated HIM as less, those blinded by civil disobedience, self-righteousness and unrest.

Still some hang on to their prejudices, their hatred, and their fear, it is a recipe for disaster from which History makes clear.

So I continue to pray for you, for peace, and God’s love made anew. As the voice of the lamb still echoes,

Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.
~Moni

Close the Door

I've always liked the saying "one thing about your past is that its over". I think this is a very wise and insightful point of view. There are times when we don't have the opportunity for true closure. In a "perfect world" closure would always be an option, but in reality we can't let holding on to our pasts hinder our future. There comes a time when we must make the decision to just close the door on a situation. Release the power this "thing" has over you by closing the door on that troubled space and truly leaving it behind.

What might surprise you is that after leaving that dead weight behind, you have no desire to look back, even when the opportunity to get the closure you once desired arises. You might find that you have allowed yourself to grow so much, it's no longer worth your time.

Checkmate!

The moment we start believing our success is all about us, the moment the devil says "checkmate!" When God rewards your faithfulness, remember the source. ~Moni

My How Time Flies

As my baby turns 3, I'm starting to get a glimpse into what I've been repeatedly told, time flies when you're raising children. When I first came home with my beautiful baby boy, so many people told me to savour every moment because it all goes by so fast. I excitedly filed that information away, unable to appreciate its meaning with a brand new baby in my arms.

But now, as I prepare my 3 year old to spend the night for the first time with the same girlfriend whose son I initially kept at 3 years old 14 years ago, it all becomes clearer. As she mentally prepares for the fast approaching days this same child goes off to college, I must take pleasure in the routine happenings of my life. Things like still having to keep check on when my little one wakes up because he refuses to get out of his toddler bed on his own, no matter how many times I tell him it's okay. I'm just going to embrace the fact that I get to witness that huge grin as he reaches for me proclaiming how hungry and thirsty he is. Yes these are "our" moments. Still, I can't deny the irony in my sentimental moment of clarity. The realization that these are the days I will someday long for and the moments I will forever cherish.

New Ideas

For various reasons, some time last year my husband and I decided to eliminate red meat from our diets. This was surprisingly much easier to do than we anticipated. We had already started to systematically remove it from our diets by just trying to eat healthier, so eliminating it altogether just seemed like a natural progression. As a result we've, we'll, I've had to come up with new ideas for dinner just for variety. I have a Campbell's cook book that has great recipes that are easy and taste really great. Here's the latest quick and easy recipe that gets great reviews I'm planning on trying. It looks and sounds delicious! Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup Pace® Picante Sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
6 flour tortillas (6-inch), warmed
1 small tomato, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 green onion, sliced (about 2 tablespoons)

1.Heat the oven to 350°F. Stir the soup, sour cream, picante sauce and chili powder in a medium bowl.
2.Stir 1 cup soup mixture, chicken and cheese in a large bowl.
3.Divide the chicken mixture among the tortillas. Roll up the tortillas and place seam-side up in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Pour the remaining soup mixture over the filled tortillas. Cover the baking dish.
4.Bake for 40 minutes or until the enchiladas are hot and bubbling. Top with the tomato and onion.