Seven Years Later

My goodness!!! Where has the time gone?

I woke up this morning and realized that I forgot to write a very important post yesterday. Yesterday, January 29, 2016 was my 7 year "Birthdaversary."

Birthdaversary is a mixture of the day my retina specialist told me that losing my eyesight was in my very near future which resulted in me soon thereafter looking at life through GRATEFUL EYES.

Yes, January 29, 2009 very well may have been the worst day of my life, and the news that I was given on that day sent me into a deep downward spiral, and depression.

I mean, how is one supposed to handle the news that their eyes are the worst that the doctor has ever seen in his numerous years of practice, which was quickly followed by him printing out a picture of an eye and then marking the paper with EVERYTHING he saw wrong with mine. Holes and tears all over the place.

I sat frozen after hearing all that he had to say, then finally asked, "What can be done to make things better? How to I fix what's wrong with my eyes?"

His cold, emotionless response was, "Nothing."

He ended the visit and told me to come back in six weeks. Those were the longest six weeks of my life. I didn't know if I was going to lose my vision within those six weeks...I didn't know what to expect. He left me with nothing to help me get through.

So, as I said before...I became severely depressed...to the point of not even being able to get up and go to work. I felt like my life was coming to an end. How would I function without being able to SEE???

Somewhere along the line, maybe week four or five, I began to pray. My prayer in the beginning was, "Lord, please don't let me lose my eyesight." Then it became, "Lord, I know that you are with me in ALL things, and although you know what I want, ultimately, this is about what YOU want. So let YOUR will be done, and help me to accept whatever that is." With that prayer, came a calming peace. I was finally ready to get back to living.

Six weeks were up and it was time for me to see the specialist again. A slew of pictures were taken of my eyes...my retinas actually. The BRIGHT LIGHT of the camera shining RIGHT IN MY EYES was awful. When all the pics were taken, I then proceeded to the examination room and waited for "Mr. No Bedside Manner" to come in and review everything with me.

He came in, looked at the pics, didn't say anything, then called someone else into the room. They talked amongst themselves as though I weren't in the room. I overheard them looking for things that were on the previous pics, that were no longer in the pics that had just been taken. They were baffled.

Finally, the doctor looked at me and asked, "What have you been doing?"

My response, "I've been praying. God made these eyes, and I knew that only He could HEAL them."

They both looked at me like I was speaking a language they didn't understand. I understood completely, and left that office PRAISING God.

That was SEVEN years ago, and these eyes STILL FUNCTION.

Since that day seven years ago, I have developed a deep appreciation for God's beauty around me. Whether it comes in the form of an ocean wave, a sunset, a flower, a bright shiny full moon, a bird, squirrel, snail, people...you name it...when MY eyes see it, I always thank God, and if I am able...I take a picture.

I still have to take precautions with my eyes, like wearing Solar Shield glasses (that senior citizens wear) when I'm out in the sun, even on days when no one around me has their eyes covered, mine MUST be. I'm unable to wear contacts because putting them in and taking them out makes me "see stars", so I've decided that glasses will do just fine. Those are very small prices to pay though toward the preservation of my beloved eyesight.

So...that's my story, and every year I am so happy, and BLESSED to share it. I would say that God is good, but in my life, He is sooo much more than that. I've often told Him that there is no word to adequately describe His goodness. I'm sure He understands exactly what I mean.

Now, Let the DIALOGUE begin: Have you had any medical scares that God brought you through?

Talk to me!

Til next time...

GEAUX!!!

My goodness! I've got some catching up to do. So, let's get started.

How've I been? Where've I been? What've I been up to? Well...I'm glad you asked.

Fasten your seat belts 'cause we're about to go for a lil ride.

For as long as I can remember, I've always felt drawn to the enchanting city of New Orleans. It was one of those things that I couldn't quite put my finger on...I just knew that I had to get there.

Many people have suggested that I go during Mardi Gras because it's "so much fun." From what I know about Mardi Gras, it's also VERY CROWDED. One thing I don't do well in is a CROWD. So I knew that as fun as Mardi Gras may be for most folks, for me...that just wouldn't have been the best time.

Then there's the Essence Festival in July. That too had been suggested as a great time to go because of all the great R&B artists who perform. As usual though, being the oddball that I am...I knew that would also not be a good time, and not just for one reason, but two. (A) That's a very crowded time to go also, and (B) it's HOT in July. I'm not talking "California hot," which I'm used to; but "Southern humid hot" that I absolutely DO NOT do well in.

So...I chose January.

Left for New Orleans early last Thursday morning, and got back home late Sunday night.

All I can say is, "Oh what a time!"

I went by myself (have gotten a few side-eyes about that) and planned my days as I would have them.

As I posted on Facebook, I went to New Orleans with THREE things on my "To Do List":

*EAT
**Listen to LOTS of music
***Get to know the enchanting city up close and personal

I can truly say that I did all three.

Now I'll cover those three one-by-one.

We'll start with EAT, and as I type I will TRY not to drool on the keyboard as I remember all of the tasty meals I enjoyed during my stay.

My first meal was at DEANIE'S SEAFOOD. I arrived HUNGRY and READY for some "knock-your-socks-off" cuisine. I was NOT disappointed.

Unlike most restaurants that serve bread before the meal, Deanie's serves crab-boiled potatoes, which are pretty much potatoes that are cooked in the same seasoned water that the crabs are boiled in. The result is a nice flavorful, slightly spicy potato. I inhaled that.

Then came my order. Stuffed crab. *Oops, I think I just drooled a little.*

This was crabmeat that had been seasoned, mixed with breadcrumbs, and then place back into the crab shell and baked. The result was DEE-LICIOUS!

After dinner I headed over for some dessert. If you're familiar with New Orleans then you can probably guess where I went. If you're not, I'll gladly tell you.

I walked to Cafe du Monde for some nice, fresh beignets. For those who have never had a beignet, I would describe them as a fritter-like pastry, COVERED...no, SMOTHERED...in powdered sugar. VERY tasty.

I made a mistake though that I don't want anyone else to make. The hour was getting late, I had no idea how to get back to my hotel, and it was dark. So...I sat down, ate TWO bites of my three beignets (you have to order them in threes), and took the rest "to-go." Bad move.

Although the two bites I took at the cafe were great, once I got to my hotel (after walking aimlessly for an hour because I was lost) they just weren't the same. Maybe if I could have heated them up they would have been better, but cold...no bueno. Ya gotta eat them AT the cafe.

After being lost and walking for what seemed like an eternity, I arrived at my hotel and called it a night.

Now I could, and I mean REALLY could just write about ALL of my dining experiences in New Orleans and that would be plenty...but I won't. I will write about ONE more though, and then I'll move on the the rest of what had me enamored with this great city.

On day two I woke up hungry and ready for more deliciousness. I knew exactly what I wanted and had spotted a restaurant menu the night before, so I knew exactly where I was headed as well.

I left my hotel and walked over to Bourbon House where I had the most AMAZING Shrimp and Grits I'd ever tasted. Even better than the ones at The Midnight Diner in Charlotte, NC...and theirs are GOOD!

The service at Bourbon House was EXCELLENT and the Shrimp and Grits were even better than that. Mmm Mmm Good! If you like Shrimp and Grits, then you MUST try theirs, you simply MUST!

Ok...that's enough about food, although I ate plenty more while I was there.

Let's talk about the MUSIC.

Oh Em Gee!!!

Music was EVERYWHERE, and I loved it!

No matter WHAT style of music was being played on the various street corners, it ALL sounded AMAZING! Whether it was Jazz, or Blues, or Folk...none of that mattered. The voices were impeccable, as well the playing of instruments. I wanted to buy EVERYTHING I heard. I didn't though. I limited myself to two CDs.

When I wasn't standing on a sidewalk listening to music, I was in one of the bars on Frenchmen listening. Unlike most folks who bar-hop, I was solely there for music and never ordered anything more than a Sprite. It was awesome! I was in "music-lover's heaven" during my entire trip.

On Friday I went on a "Taste of Nawlins" food tour, which was great; and on Saturday I went on a tour of the city. That was cool!

One of the stops on the trip was the St. Louis Cemetery #3. I would've never guessed that a cemetery would be part of any city's tour, yet I found this stop to be the most fascinating. To see the monumental above ground mausoleums, tombs & gravestones was absolutely FASCINATING.

We rode by Lake Pontchartrain, which was the first lake I'd ever seen. It was HUGE, and I really wished that we could've stopped and gotten out so that I could get a pic, but we had to keep it rollin.' No worries...I'll just take a pic the next time I go (YES, there WILL be a "next time).

Gosh, what else was there?

Well there was the Hurricane that I got from Mango Mango Daquiris. It was sooo good, I really wanted another. But because I was walking, I didn't wanna get disoriented and not be able to find my way back to the hotel. So one was plenty.

Ah yes...the streetcars...which in my neck of the woods, are called trolleys. But oh no...call it a trolley out there and you are sure to get the side-eye. So I was very careful to call them what they were as I rode the St. Charles line and the Canal Street line. Canal street was pretty much "ground zero" for me. No matter where I went, I always started on Canal street. That also served me well during the many times that I'd gotten lost. As long as I could make my way back to Canal street, I knew how to get "home."

The hospitality was refreshing. I was "Ma'am" or "Behbeh" EVERYWHERE I went. And I don't think that's because I was a visitor. I think it's just good ol' "southern hospitality" at work. I wonder why "the west" lost it? I mean, I don't expect to hear "Behbeh" here, but "Ma'am" would be nice coming from the youngsters. My children are all older now -- two are adults and one is almost an adult. Although they've been brought up to say "please" and "thank you", I'm not sure that "Ma'am" and "Sir" were ever part of their etiquette because it was never part of mine. It's not too late though. Not for them, or for me. We can all do better, from this point forward.

I've had mixed reactions from folks who find out that I traveled alone. Some think I'm brave. Other's think I'm a wee bit nuts -- going to a place I've never been, with no friends or family there, ALONE. I dunno. I guess that's just one of the things that I've grown comfortable with since so much of my life has been lived alone, and for all I know, the rest may continue to be lived that way as well. Yes, a companion would be nice to travel with -- especially one in the form of a HUSBAND, but I don't know when or if that day will ever come. What I do know is that I have to live THIS life to the fullest, WHILE I CAN. And if that means traveling alone so that I can explore this great planet that we live on, then off I go...me, myself and I.

I don't wanna to get old and have a life full of "coulda, woulda, shouldas." No. I wanna be able to say that I lived, and enjoyed life...period.

For anyone who's never been to New Orleans, I would encourage you to GEAUX!and Laissez les bon temps roulez!

There's a magic there that can't adequately be described in words. It's truly a place that you have to experience for yourself. Watch the flow of the Mississippi River. Heck, stick your finger in it if you want to. From the place were I stood, that was completely possible. That surprised me greatly. No barrier. No gate. No fence. Just a few steps that lead right into the river. CRAZY, but pretty cool at the same time.

There's a bit more that I wanna write about, but those will make for separate posts all on their own.

For now, Let the DIALOGUE begin: Is there a place on your travel "bucket list?" If so, where?

Talk to me!

Til next time...

An Apple A Day

Many of my fondest childhood memories involve my Grammy. I loved that woman sooo much. I always say that she was my VERY FIRST BEST FRIEND.

I could talk with her for hours. Play in her curly hair for hours. Read to her for hours. And time always managed to simply FLY by.

Although we didn't live very far from my grandparents, spending time in their home was always like a vacation for me.

We lived in Carson. They lived in Inglewood. Yet the two cities seemed worlds away.

Each year, as soon as the last day of school would finish, I would pack my bags and head over to "Grammy and Paw Paws."

My grandparents always had a dog, and although I am allergic, I would spend entire days in the backyard playing and teaching the dog tricks. As a result, my nights were filled with lots of sneezing, along with itchy eyes and throat. In spite of all that, I'd be right back out in that yard the next day.

To this day I am the same way. I absolutely LOVE dogs but if you've got one and I come over to visit, you can be guaranteed that I'm gonna pet it and make a new friend. I just can't resist.

When I wasn't teaching my grandparent's dog tricks, I was in the backyard picking apples for my Grammy to bake a pie. My goodness, her pies were DELICIOUS! Thankfully, I can say that I have the recipe. It was in the recipe book that she received on her wedding day back in 1940-something. Maybe '44 or '46. I'd have to dig it out to be sure.

Anyway...the pie was AMAZING.

I still remember how she and I would sit and enjoy a slice together. I would eat the crust and juice from MY piece; she would eat the baked apples from HER piece. Then we'd SWITCH PLATES. I'd eat HER crust and juice; she'd eat MY apples. We were the PERFECT pie-eating team!

I was reminded of my Grammy today when I tried an Opal Apple for the first time. I know a few folks who rave about them, so I thought I'd give one a try.

Between Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Fuji, Gala and Macintosh apples, Galas are my favorite.

The opal was good too though. Something about it reminded me of a pear. Maybe it was the feel and taste of the skin. Not 100% sure. But I liked the fact that it was crisp, not mushy -- and sweet, not bitter.

Would I try one again? Sure. Not sure that I'd buy anymore but if someone offered one to me, I would accept.

For now though, I think I'll stick with my Galas.

Now Let the DIALOGUE begin: You probably guessed this one -- What's YOUR favorite type of apple? And have you ever tried Opal?

Talk to me!

Til next time...

No More Delays

Looks like I've done it again.

I'm telling you, between work and all that I do after work, I don't know whether I'm coming or going most days. As a result, I keep making mistakes...that cost me.

As I continue to prepare for my upcoming trip, I went to print out a Groupon that I purchased to be used while I'm away. I only went to print the voucher so I'd have it with me (since I don't have the app on my phone). Well...as I printed it I noticed that I had to reserve a spot for the tour that I've purchased. So I go to reserve my spot and the two days that I will be available are already booked. There's a spot for the day I arrive, but the tour begins that day 45 minutes after my plane is scheduled to land -- I wouldn't be able to make it.

Then there's a tour on Sunday, but it begins at 3:00 and wouldn't be over until 5:30, which is an hour and a half before my flight back home takes off -- I wouldn't be able to make that either considering the fact that I should be at the airport at that time.

*sigh*

It's not that I've been waiting as if I have all the time in the world, it's just that -- as I said ealier, my life is moving so quickly that as soon as I do one thing, I've gotta move on to the next. Even as I type these words, I've only been home from work for about an hour and need to leave to head to the next spot. Clearly, I need to slow down.

Anyhoo...I've emailed the company to see if there is any way possible that they can SQUEEZE me in on Friday or Saturday. I am hoping and praying that favor will fall upon me and they say yes.

Once again, as with the airline seats...LESSON LEARNED.

I almost feel like I need to book another vacation (after this one of course) just so that I can "get it right."

Not much I can do at this point but wait.

As I went to print the Groupon for my trip, I also noticed that one I purchased for Baskin Robbins is only good at a location that's FORTY FIVE MINUTES away from my home. FORTY FIVE MINUTES! Now, I like ice cream as much as the next person, but not enough to drive FORTY FIVE MINUTES for it. Yes...once again, I failed to read the "fine print."

**double sigh**

Now...Let the DIALOGUE begin: Have you purchased deals from Groupon before? If so, how many have your forgotten about or been unable to use?

Talk to me!

Til next time...

Aisle, Middle or Window?

In the very near future I will be going on a much needed and long overdue VACATION. It won't be a long one, but it'll be one that involves air travel and some overnight hotel stays. Lots of other stuff too, but I'll mention that when I arrive at my destination.

Anywhoo...I booked the flight last month and a few days after that booked my hotel. Cool! I was set.

This morning, I woke up and thought, "Hmmm...I wonder when I'll get my seat number for the plane?" Surely I should have had that by now.

So I go online, check my flight info, and guess what...I DIDN'T HAVE A SEAT!

Being the infrequent traveler that I am, I had COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN about choosing seats.

Well, you can probably guess what that meant.

It meant that (A) I needed to choose seats PRONTO -- (B) there were VERY FEW seats left, and (C) for the seats that were left, I actually had to PAY.

Yes...I'd waited so late that all of the "Economy" seats were taken. I am now the proud owner of some "not-so-economy" seats.

Good thing this trip is already budgeted for, so extra "unexpected" expenses like these, won't put much of a wrinkle in my plans, but MAN...I would've LOVED to spend that money on something where I'm vacationing, versus on something that I've overlooked in order to get me there.

As I've always said, "I learn my lessons the hard way" and in this case, the lesson cost me financially.

One thing that I've been practicing lately (perhaps my Gratitude Jar has something to do with this), is to not dwell on the negative. Yeah, it sucked that I had to shell out extra cash just to have a seat on the plane, but the positive side of things is that (A) I remembered NOW, versus arriving at the airport and discovering that I had no seat, and (B) I had the money to pay the extra charge. So all in all, the positive STILL outweighed the negative.

Sooo...I'm in MAJOR countdown mode and these next few days can't go by fast enough.

I'm excited and I am going to make the most out of every single solitary second...from the time the airport shuttle picks me up, til the time those wheels touch down again on LAX ground. Every moment I shall savor. Totally. Utterly. COMPLETELY.

Let the DIALOGUE begin: Do you have a PASSPORT? If not, you may want to check out some of the new travel requirements. Not just international, but DOMESTIC as well.

Talk to me!

Til next time...

Another Day of THANKS

As some of you may recall, this year I decided to create and consistently fill my "Gratitude Jar." I decided to take on this endavor as a way to keep things in perspective when I feel that life around me is crumbling.

2015 dealt me some unexpected blows, and with them came a few bouts of depression. In spite of what I no longer had, I often found myself forgetting all that I still had. Desperately hanging on to things so tightly that my "emotional knuckles" turned white. Letting go is such a difficult thing do to, yet so many times, letting go is what we MUST do in order to free our hands for what God wants to place IN them.

So...I knew I needed a change and decided that the "Gratitude Jar" would send me in the right direction.

We are only ten days into the new year and I must say, placing slips of paper into my jar each day has already made a difference. Throughout the day I find myself saying, "Hmmm...THAT's what I'll add to the jar this evening." Then, as the day progresses, something else will happen or come to my mind and I then find myself with something different to add to the jar.

At this point I have only added one thing per day, but I have a feeling that I may soon take the limits off and add as many as come to mind in any given day.

As large as my current jar is, I'm beginnning to think that maybe I should've gone even BIGGER. Now THAT's a BLESSING!

One suggestion that I loved from the article on how to create a "Gratitude Jar" was the one that said to use colored paper for the different categories of gratitude. By doing this, I can great an amazing VISUAL representation of the good things in my life without even reading any of the little notes.

Here is my color key:

Purple = People
Green = Opportunities
Blue = Experiences
Pink - Things

As you can see, I've had a little bit of everything to be thankful for over these past ten days.

I look forward to filling up my jar with a sea of colorful notes, and reading them all one by one at the end of the year.

It's amazing how something so small can make such a BIG difference.

Now it's YOUR turn. Let the DIALOGUE begin: Have you made a Gratitude Jar for this year? If so, I would LOVE to see it. Please share pics.

Talk to me (and show me those jars)!

Til next time...

Needing New Nerves

Yesterday I did something new (2016 will be FILLED with NEW things).

I met up with some fellow Pittsburgh Steelers fans at a local sports bar and watched the game. Oh what fun!

Normally the game are on Sunday mornings at 10:00 am so I miss them because I am at church. Thankfully, yesterday's game was on a Saturday, and in the evening, sooo...I was able to watch it LIVE.

Now this football thing is completely new to me. As some of you may recall, I only started watching and became a Steelers fan THIS season because I wanted to know more about the game when I attend my friend's FABULOUS Superbowl Party that I attend each year.

In past years I've pretty much gone for the AMAZING food, their wonderful company, and rooted for whichever team was wearing BLUE.

This year's party will be much different. Now I can enjoy the spread, the company, AND actually know what I'm watching on the screen.

One thing I've learned about myself this season is that my nerves are not cut out for all of the ups and downs that take place during those four quarters. MAN!!!

One minute my team is up, then the next thing I know, the other team has intercepted, made a touchdown AND the field goal. Just like that, the score flips. ARGH!!!

I have also learned that FOUR minutes in a football game is like an eternity. Football time is not like any other time on the planet. Heck...even ONE minute in a football game can be the difference between a winning play.

So I went to the sports bar, highly enjoyed the camaraderie and reveled once again in my team going home with the WIN. It was close -- too close -- but they made it happen.

Next week they'll go up against The Broncos. Yuck! I hope they whoop some major donkey a _ _!

For me, there are three teams that The Steelers HAVE to win against when they play: The Broncos, Raiders and Seahawks. Of course, I love ALL wins, but against those three teams in particular, the wins are just that much sweeter.

Now Let the DIALOGUE begin: Are you a football fan? If so, who's your team?

Talk to me...

Til next time!

Me, Myself and I (again)

So I just got home from a lovely dinner and movie -- the makings of what most folks would call "Date Night." The only difference is that I was my own date.

Yep. Gone are the days of me sitting home alone wishing I were out doing something else. Quite honestly, those days left long ago, like back when my kids were old enough to stay home alone.

So much of life gets wasted by folks who wait for someone to come along before they will do the things they enjoy. As if it's taboo to do things alone in public.

As nice as companionship is, not all of us have it. Heck, even when "Joe" was around, I still didn't have it fully because he wasn't a movie kinda guy, at least not in theaters. So if I wanted to see a movie, I'd either go alone or with my girlfriends.

So this evening I headed to the theater (thanks to discount tickets from my job), and I was HUNGRY.

Instead of buying a "snack pack" that probably would've run me around ten dollars, I decided to stop in one of the eateries near the theatre and was able to enjoy a nice MEAL for a little under eight bucks. Not too shabby.

Yeah, it would be nice having "Date Night" with a love interest, but that may not ever happen for me, so I've gotta live NOW and enjoy life NOW, even if I am enjoying it alone.

As for the movie -- it was okay. I could've waited for it to hit video, but overall, the evening was nice.

One good thing about doing things alone is that I know what I like, and I'm never disappointed. That's a pretty good deal if ya ask me, and I will be perfectly content with life as it is until God so chooses (if He chooses...I sure hope He chooses) to send love my way.

Let the DIALOGUE begin: When was the last time you treated yourself to a date? Have you EVER taken yourself on a date?

Talk to me!

Til next time...

Show Us What'Cha Got!

Yesterday I decided to tune in to the FINAL season of American Idol.

I used to LOVE the show back in the earlier seasons, and I especially loved the auditions because some of the contestants were absolutely HILARIOUS.

Then they stopped being funny, and folks seemed to just be "getting through." Not because they were talented or funny, but "just because." For that reason, I tuned out.

But after last night and this evening I'm hearing a whole lotta folks who are quite talented. I think that's great considering that this show is about TALENT.

What I don't like though are the sad stories that practially EVERY contestant seems to have.

Now, depending on how well you know me, you may say that my next statement is "heartless." I'm gonna say it anyway and just pray that those who really know me, know that heartless is the LAST adjective that anyone can EVER use to describe ME.

So, with that said...when it comes to reality talent shows/challenges, I really wish the contestants would just come out and show us what they got. Period. There's no need for the sad "back story." Yet it seems that they ALL have a sad "back story." Let them share their story AFTER they've "made it, but not BEFORE.

Of course, the sadder the story, the more folks are gonna want that person to get through, whether they are talented or not. I don't think that's right. Just because a person hasn't gone through hard times doesn't mean that their chance for success should be lessened. If the sad stories were omitted then everyone would be auditioning on an even playing field.

That's all I've got for tonight.

Time to Let the DIALOGUE begin: What is your FAVORITE reality show?

Talk to me!

Til next time...

Slip and Fall

Ok. So a couple days ago a good friend clowned me because my feet were raggedy. Yeah, it's been two months since I last had a pedicure, but my days are jam packed and I just haven't had time.

The funny part though is that I couldn't even be mad at him because he was 100% right. My toes were JACKED! Normally, even in the winter months when it's too cold for my standard flip-flops and sandals, I still keep my feet lookin' cute. But like I said, there just hasn't been any time, so...I let the toes go.

That was...until today.

I finally decided to go in and get them done.

So I get all squared away and because I went in with close-toed shoes, I needed to leave with a pair of the temporary flip-flops that the shops provide. Cool.

I drive home, park, get out and head to my front door which is about a 60 second walk on a DRY day, and about a 3 minute walk on a RAINY day like today with those nail shop shoes on.

I get from my car to the gate without any problem. Ohhh, but once I stepped through the gate and onto concrete versus the driveway pavement, things changed. I slowed my gait, and about 5 steps later I could feel the shift.

The nail shop shoes have NO tread on the bottom and are NOT meant to be worn on WET concrete. I learned this VERY quickly.

Out went the left leg.

Then went the right.

I was going down Down DOWN.

Now, because I have fallen sooo many times before, I've become a bit of an expert.

Do you know that even though I fell all the way down, into the wet grass, with hands full of stuff...I didn't drop a THING. And I was only down in the grass for about 5 seconds before I scooped myself up and walked the additional 2 minutes to my front door. Oh...and I walked without ANY shoes on! I'll tell you this...THAT GROUND WAS COLD!!!

As I walked, I was thanking God for shoes. Even though I didn't have any on at that moment, I thanked Him because I knew that MY situation was only TEMPORARY. Many folks on this rainy night have NO shoes AT ALL and their feet will be cold ALL NIGHT. God bless 'em!

Now the first thing I should have done when I got inside was soak in the tub and take some ibuprofen. I haven't done either...yet. But I will. The soreness has already set in and I know...I'm gonna feel this in the morning.

Now...Let the DIALOGUE begin: When was the last time YOU got a pedicure?

Talk to me!

Til next time...

Got Glue?

Yesterday I heard from a very good friend whom I hadn't heard from in a while.

I've been very upset with this person for reasons that I can't get into. But I felt that my feelings of anger, disappointment and sadness were warranted.

For those who've ever been on the other side of my anger, you know what I do when I am upset...I WRITE...LETTERS.

I think I've said before (even quite recently) that writing is my VOICE because it's the ONLY way I can ever get people to REALLY listen.

So I wrote a letter to this person expressing my feelings. I honestly didn't expect a reply. I simply needed to get my feelings "out there."

Well...to my surprise, I got a reply. It wasn't a nice one, but you know what...it was much better than being IGNORED. I absolutely HATE being ignored!!!

So the person told me how upset they were when they received my letter, and at one point even called me "evil." That's how upset they were. It's ok. I got it. And if I expected MY feelings to be heard AND ACKNOWLEDGED, then I owed this person the very same respect. So I listened. Name calling and all. Didn't interject. Didn't rebut. I simply listened.

When the person was done I said, "I wrote that letter because you hurt me."

To which they replied, "You hurt me."

Ok.

Then I asked, "Why did you hurt me?"

To which they asked, "Why did you hurt me?"

We could have gone on like this for HOURS, and I realized that we simply weren't going to get any further. At that moment, we were two broken people who each wanted the other to hurt more than the other had hurt them. *That sentence probably wasn't grammatically correct, but it flowed well in my mind, so I went with it.*

Oh, and what a fine job we did at hurting one another. Quite shameful really. As I reflect now on how poorly we treated one another, I can't help but hear the phrase, "Hurt people hurt people."

That's who we were and that's what we were doing. Now that we've acknowledged it, we can move forward in LOVE (as it should be) and not HURT (as it never should have been).

I don't really know where we go from here. There are a lot of pieces to pick up and piece back together. All we can really do is pick them up one at a time and glue them back together as best we can. The unfortunate part about that though is that no matter how well something once broken is glued back together, the cracks will always be there. Even if the item is glued back so well that the cracks are not visible to the naked eye...they're still there if you examine the item closely...microscopically.

Nevertheless, I'd rather have a cracked friendship pieced together by love than NO friendship at all. I pray that my friend and I can get past the hurt. I know I can, but this is a two-way street, so...

Now...Let the DIALOGUE begin: Have you ever broken an item and had to glue it back together? If so, was it as strong as it was before the break? Was it still functional, or were there leaks that made it no longer able to use?

Talk to me!

Til next time...

Ah-CHOO!!!

Today's post will be short and sweet 'cause I don't feel so hot and I can hear my bed calling.

I rarely get sick, but when I do, it's no bueno.

Didn't feel too well yesterday and when I woke up this morning it felt like cats had been scratching at my throat. Called the doctor and he can't see me until NEXT Tuesday. NEXT Tuesday! That's crazy!

I'm feeling a bit better now so hopefully whatever this is has run its course. I've been exceptionally sneezy this evening, but aside from that I think I'll be alright. Nothin' that some good ol' Vitamin C and Echinacea can't handle.

Let the DIALOGUE begin: What do YOU do to stay "germ-free?"

Talk to me!

Til next time...

Perspective

About a week ago I read an article on www.blackdoctor.org titled "Make Your 2016 Gratitude Jar: New Year, New Blessings!" As soon as I read the article I realized that it was just what I needed for 2016.

My niece gave me one last year for Christmas yet I failed miserably at adding to it. I may have added 10 notes and then petered off. No bueno.

So when I saw this particular article, I thought I'd give it another go. One thing that really stood out to me was that the author suggested getting a "Big A _ _ Jar." I loved that! The bigger the jar, the more I will be inspired to fill it up.

So yesterday I headed off to Michael's with a mason jar in mind. When I arrived, I was challenged by a variety of jars to choose from when it came to shape and size. Who knew there'd be so many?

My original inclination was to get a standard mason jar that had a slit in the lid so that I could easily slip in my pieces of paper each day. Didn't find one though. Then I saw some larger ROUND jars and thought maybe I'd go with that. Still didn't seem big enough. I kept looking and found this tall RECTANGULAR shaped jar. For a moment I thought, "That's way too big." Then I remembered the jar's purpose, got it and proceeded to head over to the sticker aisle.

At first I was just going to slap a bunch of "thank you" stickers on the jar. But as I walked the sticker aisle I began to envision just how I wanted my jar to look. I wanted to "make it my own" and something that I would look forward to filling each day.

I found a pack of letters in a pretty shade of aqua and knew right away that I had to have those. As much as I love words, I wanted something pretty to add as well. I looked through the beach stickers (y'all know how much I LOVE the beach) but none of them were what I think of when I think of the beach. They were all of beach chairs, and beach balls, etc. I don't equate any of those things to the beach so I kept looking.

Then I spotted it! A lovely pack of BUTTERFLY stickers. PERFECT!

Lately I have developed a fascination with butterflies. The way that they start as lowly little caterpillars and then morph into something stunningly beautiful. That's where I am right now. In the caterpillar phase of my life, waiting for God to metamorphose me into the butterfly that I am to ultimately become.

So while my youngest daughter came over to visit me yesterday, I decorated my jar as she blasted Erykah Badu's "Mixed Tape." She said I just had to hear it.

"Mother...you're not listening."

"I am listening. I'm just working on this while I listen."

"But you're missing the lyrics."

"I'm catching the lyrics."

Then I tell her, "You do know that none of these songs are 'new', right?" Seemed like every song was sampled.

"Well, the beat might not be new, but these lyrics though..."

So, we continued listening as I continued peeling and sticking. I love hanging out with my kiddos any chance I get.

Ok...I know...I digressed.

Anyhoo...as I was labeling my jar it became clear to me why I chose the one that I did. I needed one with four sides so that I could add three very important words...

*FAITH
**HOPE
***LOVE

And one side for "My Gratitude Jar."

Funny how we don't always understand the WHY of something at beginning of a process, yet somewhere within the process the WHY then becomes clear.

All in all I am very pleased with the way it came out. And as I was adding yesterday's "note of gratitude" I realized something else. My jar won't just be filled with things that are directly related to me. For example -- I had a friend who posted yesterday about a bad accident that could have happened to him if just one small part of his circumstance that day had been different. A part of his car's wheel fell off while he was driving about 30 mph. Had he been on the freeway driving at least twice as fast when the part fell off, his situation would have been terribly worse.

As soon as I read what happened, I thanked God and realized that my friend's safety was what I was thankful for that day.

I am also realizing that some days will have more than one note of gratitude. That's pretty FANTASTIC.

So yeah. Even with the losses that have taken place in my life lately, I am well aware that I have much much more to fill the void of what (and who) I no longer have. My gratitude jar will keep me mindful of that as the year progresses, and in the words of William DeVaughn, I will just be thankful for what I've got.

Ok...enough about me. How 'bout you?

Let the DIALOGUE begin: Do you have any visual reminders to help you focus on the positive during times of adversity?

Talk to me!

Til next time...

Please Be Patient, God Isn't Finished With Me Yet.

My plan today was to write about Southern New Year's Day culinary traditions in honor of something I made yesterday that I'd never made before, and probably won't ever make again. I pretty much made it just to see if I could. I did, and it turned out well. Now I know.

Instead though, I find myself at these keys with a heavy heart.

Living life misunderstood is difficult, and quite tiring. Yet once again, I (or at the very least, my words) have been misunderstood.

I really don't get it. I try to be kind to all I come in contact with, however...I AM NOT PERFECT. I am HUMAN and have human FEELINGS. My life is not all "flowers and butterflies." Yes, I have hurt people (and probably will again at some point in my life), and I have BEEN hurt considerably MORE. I know I will sound like a broken record here, but -- when it has been brought to my attention that I have hurt someone, I have made every effort to right the wrong. In return however, that correction is not typically made toward me. Maybe it's my soft-spoken demeanor, but folks think they can commit any offense against me, and we are simply to go on in the mode of "business as usual."

Perhaps I allowed that to go on for too long when I should have stopped it -- as far back as my childhood. Instead, I have only recently begun standing up for myself and speaking my mind. As a result friendships have ended. Pretty sad when you think about it. Because I have finally begun to command respect, I am no longer deemed worthy of having as a friend. My circle is growing smaller and I will simply have to be ok with that. I won't be anyone's "doormat", nor should I have to be.

So anyway...I'm not really sure what I am supposed to do at this point. My writing is my voice. No one hears me otherwise. If I stop writing (or only write what I think folks want to hear), then I stifle my voice, and that's simply not an option.

I try to mix things up here. Sometimes the posts are light and funny. Other times, they are my feelings being poured put here in words. I don't have a therapist (perhaps I need one), so this is it for me. Keeping my feelings in has no benefit (at least not for me), yet I understand that my "realness" may come off as harsh or depressing at times. Again I say, my life is not all "flowers and butterflies." Although there are far MORE flowers and butterflies in my life than there are "weeds and roaches",every now and then a weed sprouts and a roach crawls through. I am dealing with those the best way that I know how -- through my writing.

I realize that there a MILLIONS of blogs, and I'm sure a good number of them are solely POSITIVE. My hat goes off to those folks who can write positively ALL the time. Perhaps my writing still needs to mature in order for me to get to that point, yet if my blog is about my life and experieinces (which are not always POSITIVE), then what do I do with the ones that are not-so-positive? To leave them out would be a not-so-honest view of the life I'm actually living.

I dunno.

As with all things, I shall pray and ask for God's wisdom with how I am to handle those things which I don't understand.

I am human. I am not perfect. I am doing my best.

Let the DIALOGUE begin: Do you have any New Year's Day culinary traditions that you and/or your family honors?

Talk to me!

Til next time...

In the beginning...

With the start of another new year, I have once again commenced on a journey through The Bible as I do every year.

Many folks have NEVER read The Bible from cover to cover. I, have done so MANY times.

Some have wondered, "Why do you need to read it AGAIN if you've already read it ONCE?"

That's often a tricky question for me to answer because, unless one truly knows the power of God, and His word, they won't really understand my answer.

You see, for me, The Bible is always FRESH, and never gets old, stagnant or stale. Even though the words on the page NEVER change (because God's word is CONSTANT), what I get from those words CHANGES.

I can read a passage of Scripture today and come away with one meaning. I can go back to that same passage of Scripture a year from now, and take something completely different away from it. So even though I have read The Bible many times, there is ALWAYS something fresh and new to be gained.

I have also had people say to me, "I just don't understand The Bible", or, "Whenever I read, it just puts me to sleep."

I can understand both of those statements because at one time, those too were my experiences.

For the first, "I just don't understand The Bible," I had to do a few things in order to gain a better understanding myself.

One -- I needed to be in a BIBLE BASED church with a Pastor who preached and taught thoroughly and contextually because CONTEXT RULES. For the past 17 years, my Pastor has done just that.

Two -- I needed to understand that understanding was not simply going to come by attending worship service on a Sunday morning and then not opening my Bible anymore during the week. Nope. Doesn't work that way AT ALL.

Understanding comes by attending Bible Study and/or Church School (also known as Sunday school), and (turn the mic up) by STUDYING God's word on your own.

I always say, "The more of God's word I put in, the more of His word will come out...by my deeds, words, and actions toward others."
Similar to a bank account, if you never put any money in, there will never be anything to withdraw. If I never put God's word IN me, then how can I ever pull from it? Simple answer...I can't.

Three -- I always PRAY before I read. I thank God for His word, and ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate the word so that I can learn whatever it is that He wants me to learn at this particular time. For me, without praying first, the words are just letters on a page and I often miss what God is trying to tell me.

As for the ones who say, "Whenever I read, it just puts me to sleep." Again, I say...PRAY. I would also suggest reading in a place that's not so comfortable. Perhaps at the kitchen table, versus in your bed right before you turn in for the night. Personally, I always read on my knees at the side of my bed, and I have no problem with getting sleepy. Interestingly, that is the only way that I can read. I have tried reading at the table, or sitting in a chair or on the couch. None of those work for me though. Yet when I go in my room, get on my knees and open my Bible, I can stay there for quite a while, often not realizing how much time has passed.

So this year I am trying a new thing and I am reading The Bible in chronological order -- reading the events in the order in which they occurred. The format is quite different from what I am used to, so this will be an adjustment, yet I look forward to what God will reveal to me as I read it this way.

As I opened my One Year Bible this morning, I remembered buying one for a friend a few years ago. She wanted to strengthen her faith and asked me for some suggestions. She wasn't ready to go to church but still wanted to know more about God. I didn't want to just say, "Read your Bible" because (A) I wasn't even sure if she HAD one, and (B) The Bible is a HUGE undertaking for someone who is at the beginning stages of their faith walk. So I suggested the One Year Bible and even bought it for her. To this day, I have no idea if she's ever even read a page. I'd go to her home and see it on the coffee table, looking as new as the day it arrived. In recent visits I don't even think it was on the table anymore. Who knows? Maybe it found its way onto a shelf (where it will do her absolutely NO good), or possibly even in the trash. I highly doubt that she's reading it because "Super Soul Sunday" on TV has pretty much become her "church." She doesn't seem to think she needs anything else. I've never seen "Super Soul Sunday," so I can't accurately describe the teachings that are broadcasted. I would hope that someone on there is a Bible Teaching Pastor who is sharing the TRUTH about Christ. Otherwise, if it's just a bunch of Iyanla, Deepak, Oprah-esque "Motivational Speakers," the folks will be just as LOST when they tune OUT as they are when they tune IN.

So...that's how I'm kicking off my 2016, with God's word to lead me, guide me, and direct me. Lord knows I need some direction.

How 'bout you? Let the DIALOGUE begin: Have you read The Bible from cover to cover?

Talk to me!

Til next time...