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Please stop wearing your oldest, ugliest, faded scarves out in public. It's a bad look, and I'm embarassed for you. That scarf right there to the left is supposed to be in the house.

I get it. Sometimes you have to go out of the house, and you don't have time to put a whole bunch of effort in your hair. That's cool....but that ugly scarf that you wear to bed every night...keep that one in the house..along with your funky house slippers.

Now I'm not going to front, I go out with a scarf on my head every now and then especially when I have just taken braids down. There are things called fashionable scarves. Match your outfit. Make it look like it's something that you meant to do. That whole "rolled out of the bed and I dare you to say" something look is just a bad idea --always. I don't care if you have sweats on and you only meant to go to 7-11 and back...that nasty, flowery, faded scarf is a bad idea. That is all.

School is out!!

I'm still riding off my high of finishing my degree...but at the same time I almost feel like "what now?" I'm just so used to having something that I should be rusing to finish. I can tell you what I have been doing...I've been trying to limit my laptop time for sure! I feel like my husband has had to share a lot of time with me having my laptop in front of my face while we watch a movie or whatever, so he deserves my full attention now. I  can honestly say it feels good to fix dinner without stressing about how I need to hurry up and clean up before my eyes get too heavy to do school work. It feels good to be in the middle of a sentence and be like "whatever...."and then just close my laptop. I have nothing to prove or turn in. I'm no longer ruled by my screen. So for now...I can kick my feet up....and I love it. Since school is out, I'm finding that I no longer find TV as entertaining. There are a few shows that I really love to watch, but for the most part...I'd rather read.

Prayer for who really??

So I get emails daily from Christian websites. I was reading one in particular today about praying for strangers. I thought to myself, "well, I do that. I pray if I drive by an accident. I pray if I see an ambulance or fire truck with its lights on..." I'm naming the few instances in my head, but then I read further into the email. By the end of the reading, I realized that what the author was really saying is a form of love that can be shown is through prayer and praying selflessly.

When I began to really think about the words in the email, I started  taking an honest look at myself. How selfish are my prayers really? I do prayer for others, but it's usually my family. By praying for my family, I'm still praying for people that I am invested in. The well-being of my family affects my happiness, so in a sense I'm still praying for someone that has everything to do with me. How often do I pray for others that have absolutely nothing to do with me?

I am quite sure that someone is praying for me at some point of the day, but am I praying for anyone else? I feel like I don't spend ENOUGH time praying. That needs to change. When I do pray, I'm praying for the same things.

I feel like a form of ministry is prayer. As saints we do have the responsibility for helping others realize the salvation they can have through Christ. Prayer is one of the steps, and I am realizing that I am truly not doing my part. I am around people everyday that I am sure do not know Christ, so there is plenty of praying that I can be doing.

My sole purpose in life isn't about just doing things that benefit me. There is plenty need in the world. I want to start getting busy and praying for others. I think it will be challenging to step outside myself, but I think it's worth the challenge.

Are you brave enough to try it as well?

The Funny Thing About a Lost iPod...

is you lose all your music. Of course it's still on itunes, but you still have to essentially spend time to start all over again. About a month back, I lost my iPod. I don't know how I did it because like my phone, my iPod usually never gets left behind. In fact, during the week days, my iPod is carried in the same pocket as my phone. It's used just about every day. I was soooooo confused when I came home after a run one Saturday and realized I had no idea where my iPod went. I had my armband and my headphones...no iPod, though. I was frustrated, and so was my husband. lol...he had already bought two for me. I guess I would buy this next one myself.

...a little under $300 later, I realized that losing my iPod might not have been a bad thing. I have been half trying to get rid of some of the music that my ears really don't need from my little music machine, but I've been doing more hanging on than letting go. I just realized that this is probably the only way that I would really consciously think about what is being put on my iPod. As I have been putting songs onto my newest iPod, I have been telling myself that if it's on random mode I want more inspirational music than "I said look ma, no hands" music. I won't sit here and claim that I have given up secular music altogether. I am more conscious of the music that I'm listening to. I do have control over my own iPod, and I'm taking ownership. I love to listen to T.I., Wayne, Ricky Ross, etc...but I'm starting to find that I'm cringing more and more here lately when some things are said. I'm also guilty of a sinister chuckle when I hear lyrics like "Can I hit it in the mornin'....," so I figure if I feel guilty and naughty all at the same time....I'm not going to be able to put it on my iPod. When I wake up in the morning singing "You think you're using me...like this game's new to me...but you ain't confusing me...you just want jewelery, another --- shopping spree"....*side eye at myself* First thing in the morning, my mind is NOT supposed to be on worldly mess. It's all about listening to that voice and no longer ignoring it. Guess I'll leave some of that music right on XM.

Not a perfect iPod, but I'm striving to make it better. I'm trying to take my time as I'm putting music on it. We  have sooooo much Christian Hip Hop (thank God for it) in our itunes. I figure I need to condition my ears to crave more of message-based music. There are some artist that are really worth listening to. Keep praying for me. I'm trying to do better.

http://youtu.be/Q2RK7hzkaus?hd=1

And the gifts begin...

It's been a minute, right??? I know! I've missed writing, but I just haven't had the time. Responsibilites at home and school work come first. Now that school work is gone...hopefully...I'm good to write and read as much as a dare please!

So I'm doing my usual FB browsing yesterday. In my News Feed I notice that my good friend, Kesha, has been back on her blogging game. This particular blog really interested me. She's talking about reading a book called One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Life Fully Where You Are by Ann Voskamp. It is an Inspirational Christian novel that challenges us to embrace our everyday blessings. So, my friend has taken on the challenge of the author by beginning a list of the things she is grateful for that she already has in her life. I thought this was a beauuuuutiful idea from the author. It is so easy for me to vent and list the things that bother me about work, people, and whatever else. Why don't I focus some time on celebrating the MANY blessings I have. I truly feel blessed! I am following my friend's lead and accepting the challenge to list the everyday things that I am grateful for. 1000 things?? I don't know if I'll get to that number, but I will periodically remind myself and display for others the gifts that I feel grateful for. I have so much to be thankful for!

Today, during the last 10-15 minutes of work I had time to start the list. I pulled a sheet of paper out of the printer and pretty much refused to let my pencil seperate from the paper. I stopped myself at 37. These are ordinary things, but I am sooooo thankful.

Here goes my gifts:

1) My little Hyundai. :-) Say what you will about Hyundai, but you can't beat the warranty. KG (the name I given my car) is super CLEAN, black-on-black & beautiful, and it gets 32 miles to the gallon. Halleluah!

2) Peace in my house

3) I am so grateful to have a job!

4) My parents. They're the best!

5) My Auntie Hattie

6) My bestie. 20+ years. Not everybody has the opportunity to have a true friend.

6) Friends in the body of Christ. You all have been there in way you don't even know.

7) My acquired fam (Moses Fam)~ No blood relation, but still fam all the same. They are always there when Lou and I call.

8) Good movies in the collection that keep a smile on my face.

9) All those Sundays I spent sitting at the kitchen table while my Mom was cooking. I was learning how to cook without lifting a finger (except to make cornbread), and I didn't even know it.

10) My friend, Myranda, who has stayed true to our friendship every since we met over a decade a go. She never went a day without talking to me while I was in the desert, and God knew I would appreciate that!

11) My father's (Earthly dad) timeless wisdom.

12) The books of Romans and Ephesians.

13) Tuition Assistance. Thank you, Jesus!

14) Facebook. Makes staying in touch so much easier.

15) Gmail chat/text...can talk to my good friends whenever I like. I wouldn't be able to survive with that message in a bottle nonsense.

16) Blog sites. I love being able to express myself and read others' thoughts. I'm glad it's EASY to do these things.

17) The friendship I have with my husband.

18) Water....I freakin' love it!

19) Hot showers....a deployment or 3 will make you appreciate them.

20) IPOD. It's the best thing since sliced bread.

21) Forgiveness. I am glad the Father has shown me how to be humble enough to ask for it and compassionate enough to give it.

22) Spiritual growth and maturity!

23) The D-V-to the R.

24) Fun co-workers. We spend enough time together. Might as well occasionally enjoy each other's presence and have some great laughs.

25) The Holy Spirit

26) Honest people in my life

27) Good nail ladies. Don't judge me.

28) A husband who likes things clean and orderly.

29) Real toilets that flush and an individual CLEAN bathroom (no stalls) ~ It took a deployment for me to appreciate this.

30) My first supervisor who invested a lot in me

31) Discernment

32) My Smart Phone. I'm attached, and don't judge me.To be able to bank from your phone is a gift in itself to me.

33) Romans 10:8-13 and Romans 6

34) Revelation in situations

35) Skype ~ When I'm halfway around the world, seeing the smiling face of the man I love lifted my spirits on days when all I wanted to do sleep to pass 7 months away.

36) Air conditioning

37) My home

I know my list may be silly to you, but these things mean a lot to me. It's the little things that I do not always acknowledge, but I would truly miss if they were absent from my life. So many times I think that we're so spoiled that we don't realize that many days we have absolutely nothing to complain about. We're blessed. I am blessed everyday. I NEED nothing. I'm going to continue with this challenge. Thanks, Kesha, for sharing this challenge with your friends.