Vegas!

 I had the time of my life in Vegas in October! Yes, I went to Las Vegas, NV to celebrate my best friend's birthday!Arnikko turned 30, well me too...but a week after her so that makes her older! This trip had been in the works for months! It ended up being 8 girls, our priority was to have fun and we definitely had a blast!


Now, about this trip... The trip was amazing! This was my first Vegas trip and I knew all of the ladies except for 1. First of all, I know that it is challenging to plan a trip for a group of adults AND have it go smoothly. There are so many personalities, likes and dislikes, preferences, etc. This trip was not like that. We didn't have drama and everybody had 1 goal... HAVE FUN! We were in Vegas, so I knew I was going to party but I did not think that these ladies would inspire me and teach me things like they did! For this blog entry, I would like to introduce you to the fabulous ladies from the trip!

 

Arnikko

Where do I begin? Arnikko has been my friend as long as I can remember. We have went through every important phase in our lives together. Arnikko is a giver, she would give her last if she could. She's loyal to her family and friends. The best example that I can give to illustrate how loyal she is from a time when we were in college. We were sophomores in college at Louisiana Tech, she said that she would not be in her room because she had some business to handle that day. That was odd because we spent mostly everyday, all day together. That particular day, she made the decision to go test to get into the Army Reserves. I asked her why did she do it. "She told me that there were things that she needed and she had to make a personal decision to prepare for her future. She wanted to travel, she wanted to be financially stable, she wanted her college paid for, and she wanted retirement." What 20 year old do you know is already thinking about retirement? Since that day, she made the sacrifice of being a normal 20 year old to being wise beyond her years. She is fulfilling her dreams of seeing the world and this is just the beginning. She inspires me constantly and she is so much fun to hang out with. I'm so happy I got to celebrate her 30th birthday with her!

 

April

I also met April at Louisiana Tech. We took some Speech Communication classes together, but I only knew her in passing. I remember one of my professors saying, "April is one of the best speakers in our class". What an honor! I am a word/speech/communication nerd so that complement set a mark of what I wanted to aspire to become. She was very intelligent and it was highly noticeable. April is one of those people that you just want to be your friend. She goes against the grain, not because it is popular but because it is what she truly believes. She has a heart for education and is currently pursuing a higher degree. Expect great things from her!

 

Kim

Kim is also a Louisiana Tech Alumnus! Geaux Dawgs! I met Kim through Arnikko, we have hung out several times and I really enjoy when we all get together. Kim is currently pursuing her Master's degree while working a full time job. I admire her will and tenacity. She has goals of possibly doing consulting work after she finishes her degree. She has a plan and I know that she will execute it without any problems. Kim is a great friend to Arnikko. She is a constant in her life and I get the impression that she is a great friend to all of her friends in her circle. Geaux Kimmie!

 

TaKeisha

I did not meet TaKeisha until the trip but I instantly liked her. She has such a peaceful spirit about her. Over brunch, she shared that she has dreams of starting her own non profit agency. I am rooting for her because not only does she have a passion for what she wants to do but she is interested in learning the business side to her passion. From first impressions, TaKeisha balances her life very well. She is a mother, has a full time career and has higher aspirations for her life as well. She also recently appeared in a stage play in Monroe. I did not get to attend but it looked amazing through Facebook photos! TaKeisha is multi-talented and definitely an innovator. Remember her name, she is going to do amazing works!

 

Danielle T.

Danielle! I have known Danielle forever! We grew up together in DeRidder! Danielle is married and a mother of 3. However, being a wife and mother is not the only thing that she does. She is also a property manager for an apartment complex. She shared that she took a property that no one wanted to manage and turned it around. She also shared a story about having faith with the group of ladies. I really have tucked that story in my heart because she was honest with how faith has manifested in her life. Danielle makes being a wife and mother easy and she always seems to look fabulous while doing it!

 

Danielle S.

Danielle S.! I met Danielle once before in Houston. She has been friends with Arnikko since she moved to Houston about 7 years ago. Danielle is multi-talented. First of all she taught me how to pin curl my hair, and I have been pin curling ever since Vegas! She knows how to style hair, do make up, etc but those skills are not her career. She has a full time position with a dental office and at the time she was transitioning to a new position. She also bakes cakes! Cakes by DaniDidIt! She is a cake stylist and her cakes are fabulous! I can tell the she puts her heart into everything that she makes! Check her out on Instagram!

 

Markeisha

Last, but not least is Markeisha! Markeisha is a nurse in the Army. I met Markeisha through Arnikko only once. Arnikko and Markeisha met during Basic training. Markeisha is so much fun to hang around and she is a person that you want to hang around. She was so easy going and she was an early riser like me! I did not have a chance to interact with her until the Vegas trip and I really enjoyed being around her. She was such a genuine person!

 

 

 

What an amazing group of ladies! We had an amazing time celebrating Arnikko's birthday.  I never imagined that 30 would feel this good and look this good! There is so much wisdom, intelligence, beauty and aspiration in all of these ladies. The impact that they had on my life in one weekend is only a fragment of the impact they are going to make on this world!

 

 

 

JOY

Wow! This year has flown by! We are now in the month of December and a new year is upon us. 2014 has been amazing. I have grown so much in this past year and I look forward to celebrating the rest of the year.

Today, I just want to share how thankful and grateful I am for EVERYTHING! My heart is so full of joy! I have always heard people say that there is a different between being happy and having joy. I thought they were synonymous but having joy just bursts from the inside. Why do I have so much joy? I thought you would never ask!

I have a wonderful support system. My parents are my foundation, they are everything and more than I could ever ask for. I have siblings that I love dearly. I have an extended family of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. I have not had to bury any of my family this year, they are still here. That's a blessing!

I have love in my life. I have a boyfriend that I feel is my partner in this life together. It feels wonderful to have someone that loves me just as much as I love him.

I have a career. I have found my niche and I am growing everyday. Not only that, I am surrounded with coworkers who are genuine.

I have goals. I have things that I want to accomplish. I want to use my life for what God wants me to do.

I have LIFE. It feels wonderful to say that. I am alive. I have all of my limbs, I'm not sick. I am living.

I have HOPE. I know that no matter what may be going on in the world, I know that there is joy in the morning.

My life is good. No, I may not have everything that I WANT but I have more than what I NEED. My joy comes from within me and I am so full. So are you happy or do you have JOY?

When It Rains... It Pours

How many times have you heard the phrase, "When it rains, it pours"? I hear it all the time when things are not going very well. It means that one problem leads to another. I hate to hear this phrase.

Last week, for the first time since I purchased my car, I had car trouble! First of all, I think it is a blessing that I have gone this long without a trip to the mechanic or auto shop. But on the other hand, who enjoys car trouble? Nobody. The problem was handled swiftly thanks to my boyfriend stepping in to save the day. He kept me calm, scheduled a tow truck, and communicated with the repairman about the repairs. I had my car back within 36 hours! At one point, I began to get extremely nervous and frustrated. But then I reminded myself, "Why worry, when you can pray?" I was also extremely thankful that my supervisor from work brought me home on Friday and my boyfriend's sister was willing to help me get around Baton Rouge. Everyone was so supportive and for that I am extremely grateful.

So, my life was back on track after my car was back on the road! Then on Monday, my phone slipped out of my hands and crashed to the ground! Great! Not only did I just pay for my car to be repaired, but now I have to repair the screen on my phone. In that moment, I caught the negativity that was getting ready to spill out of my mouth and shoved it to the back of my mind. The bright side of my phone slipping to the ground is that it still works and it actually is not going to be as costly as I first assumed.

The lesson that I have learned in this past week, is that life is not always perfect. Yes, these were minor event or hiccups in my life. It could have been worse, however even if it was I have to trust and believe that it would have all worked out for my good. Every time someone comments, "When it rains, it pours", it makes me feel like we don't have any faith in what is to come. As humans, we automatically fear for the worst but as believers we should expect the best. Exercise your faith when a trial comes into your life.

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

 

Hello October!

Hello! Hello! I have missed posting! I had a little bit of writer's block in September and just couldn't get a topic together but I am back! It's been a while; the season has changed from Summer to Fall, a new month has begun and most of all there are so many exciting things happening!

October is my favorite month of  the year! Not only is it my birthday but so many of my closest friends and relatives also celebrate their birthdays this month. The weather is awesome and I just feel a sense of renewal. I know that we are 8 days into the month so let me give you a recap on what has happened so far!

On this past Saturday we held a cookout to celebrate my Papa's 87th Birthday! That's right, he is 87 years old! What a tremendous blessing... not only to be that age, but to be that age and still be able to be self-sufficient! We had a great turnout to celebrate his birthday and it actually looked like a mini-reunion rather than a birthday party! There was plenty of food and lots of laughs. I felt blessed that not only was my Papa there but my Gran was right by his side. I also got to see lots of my cousins! Most of them I communicate with regularly and others we just don't get the chance to stay in touch. Check out some of the pictures below!



Gran, Papa, Delishea (my sister) and me!

My cousin (Dee Dee), me, and Cherrelle.

Me and my sister! We look alike on this picture!

My Aunt Mae Helen and me!

Aunt Mae Helen and my sister!

Me and Gran!

Cherrelle, me and my sister!

As you can see, the first week/weekend in October brought on lots of fun! This weekend coming up is my boyfriend's birthday and I am super excited about it! I will keep you all updated each week of this month! I promise not to be a stranger. As always, I appreciate your support!

The Ultimate Challenge

What a week! So much is going on in our world. There is social injustice, unrest in the Middle East, sickness, disease, depression, and the list goes on and on. It is heart wrenching to see so many people hurting. For the past year at every church conference I have attended, the theme has been "“We Are Called to Minister and Witness to A Deeply Distressed and Troubled World” Let that soak in for a minute...

Our world is distressed, not just distressed but DEEPLY distressed and TROUBLED. Think about the past week and the events that have occurred. It is troubling and it almost leaves me feeling helpless. However, the first part of that theme says, "We are called to minister and witness"... That part means that WE, meaning you, me, they, us, he, she or whoever you are have been challenged to do a job. Honestly, it doesn't mean that you take a bucket of ice and pour it on yourself then donate to a charity but it means that you actually get out and HELP with our world. It is easier said than done.

 How do you help people that are going through so much? How do you know that you are equipped to minister and witness? Those are all questions that I asked myself. Where do you begin? I came up with these 5 things:

1. Prayer

2. A willing and earnest heart.

3. Trying your hardest to live your life the best way you can.

4. Love and Compassion for everyone.

5. If you fail at any of the first 4 things, ask for forgiveness and start over again.

I am beginning to understand that the problems in our world are not anything new. These problems are just history repeating itself. The problem is that we take a backseat to the problems and just let it happen. We have power in each of us but the power has to be used.

My heart is heavy daily. Not only for what is happening in the rest of the world, but what is happening to people that I know. Over the past few months, there have been at least 5 people that have gone through major illnesses. From needing organ transplants to life altering accidents to sudden illness to losing their homes to fires. It's overwhelming because I want to help EVERYONE but how can I help everyone else that is hurting  when I have my own financial responsibilities?

 This is life, we all struggle at some point but the thing that I have learned is that sometimes it isn't about reaching out with a financial donation but it may be reaching out with encouraging words, small tokens of love or just being there. I feel like I have failed the challenge because many opportunities have presented themselves for me to be there for others who are fighting obstacles in life. I have always been taught that Charity Begins At Home. Meaning, you take care of those closest to you then branch out to others in need. Today I declare that I will do my best to not only talk about making a difference but BE about making a difference. It is one thing to not accept an ice bucket challenge on Facebook but it is another thing not to accept what WE have been called to do. I take this challenge to heart.“We Are Called to Minister and Witness to A Deeply Distressed and Troubled World” ...

MY Daddy

As I get older, I realize that I am abundantly blessed. I have the most amazing family and support system and I am truly thankful for everyone that is in my life. I am so grateful for my parents. Yes, my mom and dad. I realize that in a world where a lot of daughters grow up without their fathers, I have mine. That fact alone is something to be happy about, but what is even better is that my father is a great Daddy!

 

Yesterday was my Daddy's birthday and he celebrated 50+ years on this earth. Our relationship has grown as I have gotten older and I value it more than anything. If you know my Daddy, you know that he does not say much. He is very quiet and he thinks about what he is going to say before he says it. He has a really deep voice that commands that you listen when he does decide to speak. Even though I'm soon to be 30 years old, I still stop what I'm doing if he raises his voice a little bit. He is very simple, it does not take a lot to please him. He works hard. He has worked shift work for as long as I can remember and I don't hear him complain often. He provides for our family and we have always had what we need and most of what we want. 

 

He has taught me so many things. When I was in Junior High, he tried to teach me to play basketball. I was not very good but he supported me and kept trying to teach me. When I was in High School, he taught me to play tennis. I could be a whole lot better if I would've listened when he tried to teach me sooner. When I graduated high school, he taught me how to handle my finances. "Don't get credit cards, live within your means and work for what you want." I listened, but not completely. There is a pattern that was developed. He shared his knowledge and I listened but most of the time, it went in one ear and out the other.

Sometimes I would get so frustrated with him because I thought he did not understand me. He could be so strict on me: No school dances, no sleepovers, no skating rinks, and the list goes on and on. Everything I asked to do, it seemed like he said "NO". When I was about 13, he told me that when I got older I would understand his reasoning for the things that he did. In my teenage mind, I never thought I would see that day. In the last few years, I have seen that day. I can reflect and fully understand every "NO" that he gave me when I wanted to go to that dance or to that skating rink. I understood why he took the time to tell me how to handle my finances and many other lessons. Everything has become clear.

In our society, fathers are seen as a paycheck. As if their only means of existence are to provide for their families monetarily. But, fathers are meant to provide in so many other ways. We need them emotionally, spiritually and whole-heartedly. My Daddy is not perfect but he has always been there for me. He cares so much for my brother, sister and I. He would bend over backwards just to make sure that we have what we need. As old as I am, he still makes sure that he gets me a birthday card every year and it means so much to me. Maybe that is why I value our relationship so much. It is simple. Whether it is a text asking me how my day is or buying him a milkshake when I go home (he loves ice cream), it is truly the little things.


 I remember when I was little he used to work 12 hour shifts, it seemed in my little child's mind that he was gone forever. I remember he would ask me, "How much do you love me?" I would stretch my arms as wide as I could and say "Thiiiiiiisssssss  much!!!". As the years went on, he didn't ask how much I love him and as a teenager I probably would not have told him. But now, I understand that sometimes the words don't have to be spoken to know that someone loves you. Actions truly speak louder than words. My Daddy has shown that he loves me even if he does not always tell me. Today, I simply want to tell him THANK YOU, I understand what he tried to teach and instill in me. I hope to continue to make him proud through my actions AND words. I Love You Daddy and Happy Birthday!

Happy Monday

Good Morning! It is Monday morning and I am refreshed from an awesome weekend and ready to start the new week! Wait...you all don't get excited about Mondays?!? Most people don't and I don't understand why Mondays get such a bad image.

Let me tell you why I look forward to Mondays. Monday signals the beginning of the week. It's a new day to start fresh! I try to set goals each week and Monday is my starting line. I look forward to doing better. Whether it is making the decision to read my bible everyday that week, eat healthier, or exercise 5 out of 7 days... Monday is my starting point.

Monday also is the day after Sunday! I attend church on Sunday and most of the time after I hear the message I am challenged to do better. Yesterday I attended our jurisdictional church convention and the Bishop's message was entitled "Start Something". It connected with me instantly because I constantly try to make sure I am making a positive impact not only on my life but others around me. I can definitely improve and now I have been challenged.

I hear so much gloom and doom about Mondays via social media and everyday conversation. If  someone's day is not going according to plan, they blame it on Monday. If their car won't start or their alarm didn't go off, they blame it on Monday. Today, I am coming to the defense of Monday. I appreciate the newness that it brings. I appreciate the hopefulness. I appreciate the start of a day that was not promised to us. I appreciate Monday for letting me have the opportunity to make this week the best that it can be.

I challenge you all not to be apart of the crowd that has a negative case of "The Mondays". Use Monday as your ally and make this day the best that it can be! Happy Monday!!!!