This Time Might Be Your Last

I have had a really rough day today so I am re-posting my FaceBook status from this morning. I'm emotionally drained but I know joy comes in the morning.

    I just found out that a dear friend of mine passed away yesterday. It's strange to think I won't be able to joke with her anymore or listen to her laugh or see her smile. When I met her she had already been attacked by cancer once but was true survivor. I saw her in Feb. and she told me her body was under attack again. she was in Chemo but she was at work laughing and smiling. Unfortunately this time she wasn't able to beat it. I miss her already. — feeling sad.

 

I am so glad I had the chance to know her and experience her sense of humor. She was a wonderful person to work with and a joy to be around. I feel much better than this morning because when I thought back to our last conversation, I hugged her, I told her to let me know if she needed my family to do anything for her while she was out of work, and finally that night I prayed for her healing. God knew she was tired and her body had been through so much.

 

The moral to this story is when you see someone you really care about, you need to treat them like it will be the last time you will see them, because it might really be the last time.

Be Blessed!

God Used Me Today

Have you ever heard God speak to your spirit?

Today, while shoe shopping with my daughter, I heard Him speak to me. For some reason this lady was drawn to us, she always seemed to be on my aisle or in the same general area we were in. Now I'm not typically prone to talking to strangers while I'm on a shoe mission, but this time was different. We ended up talking a little bit about her twins and how beautiful I thought their names (Messiah and Brooklyn) were. She talked to my daughter and we even shared opinions on the shoes we were thinking of buying. Near the end, we just gradually drifted to other areas of the store but of course she ended up in line behind me. The line wasn't long but I had enough time to get out my $5 off coupon. For some reason I turn to her and ask if she has a coupon, she smiled and nodded "No". So I said, "let me get you one, because they just sent me another one today and I'm almost sure it will expire before I need to come in here to buy shoes again". She stood smiling while I made sure the extra coupon was valid and then I handed it to her. She smiled again, said thank you to me and then said "Thank you God!" She thanked me again before I left the store and even one more time in the parking lot when she realized she had parked next to me.

 I really didn't think much of it then but that coupon was good for another 45 days.  Normally, I'm really stingy with my coupons, but for some reason I came off this one with no concerns. The point to this story is, God uses us in so many ways. That $5 off coupon might not mean a lot to some but maybe for her it made the difference in whether or not she could  buy that second pair or shoes. I am so glad I listened when God spoke to me. The lady was clearly grateful to me but I should be grateful that He chose me to be a blessing to someone else.

I Remember Way Back When....

This past May, I went home to assist my mom after she had surgery. While there, I decided to clean, stop laughing, I really did. Anyway, she had a LOT of outdated frames so I decided to remove the 900 pictures she had in each frame, lol.( I have never understood why she chose to stack pictures versus removing them, but I digress.) My mom keeps EVERYTHING; from the very first ornament I made ( you know, the old cookie dough with your kindergarten picture in the middle) to my High School Diploma (yes, she had an official copy made). Moving on. As I was removing, or trying to remove, some of the photos, I came across some class pictures taken when I was in the 1st and 2nd grade. It was terrific to see the young faces so full of promise AND hope.

Tonight I decided to post the photos on Facebook and they were a big hit. Once the comments started coming in, I was amazed at how many people I couldn't remember, but there was always one person who could come up with a name for the not so clear face. We talked about how truly young we were and it started me to thinking about how times have changed. I know people say that all the time, but honestly it's true. See at the time those photos were taken, there was no cell phone for me to use, no Wii or Xbox to run home and play. There was no Facebook or Twitter to connect with friends, old and new. There was no worrying about if someone took an unflattering picture of me that it would end up online for the entire world to see (back in my youth, there wasn't even an internet, WOW, that's right I said it.) I can even remember when my grade school received their first Apple 2C computer (each school in the county had one and it was placed in the library for everyone to gawk at.) I could go on  but I think you get the picture.

People always say how easy kids today have it, but is it really that easy? As I was typing this, I realized we may have actually had it better than kids today. I REMEMBER WAY BACK WHEN we didn't have to worry about cyber-bullying or not being able to afford the latest SmartPhone or even being accepted on Facebook by people we barely like. I REMEMBER WAY BACK WHEN we didn't care about playing outside in the heat and getting dirty and sweaty in the process. I REMEMBER WAY BACK WHEN we weren't too cute too eat mud-pies and play 1-2-3-redlight and hide-n-seek in the broad daylight for everyone to see. I REMEMBER WAY BACK WHEN we weren't counting calories at 12 years old because we didn't want to gain weight. I REMEMBER WAY BACK WHEN knew how to act our age because everyone on the block reminded us when we got sassy. Most importantly, I REMEMBER WAY BACK WHEN we didn't have to worry about looking "suspicious" because we wore hooded sweatshirts or being gunned down because our music was too loud for the person in the next car .

Yep, we had it much easier than kids today. So the next time I feel the need to ridicule a young girl or boy for having it too "easy", I will try to REMEMBER WAY BACK WHEN and be more understanding because times really have changed.

Like Tamera, I'm Free to Be Me

I watched Tia &Tamera's reality show tonight for the first time this season. On this particular episode, Tia confronts Tamera about losing herself in her role as wife and mother since she's had her son. Tia remembers when Tamera was loose, free, dressing her age and having fun, but Tamera has a totally different recollection of that time in her life. See what Tia  didn't know is Tamera was depressed, struggling to find happiness, and not herself at all. That realization stunned Tia but more importantly I think it set Tamera free. Tamera was free to tell her sister how just how different they were even though their roles were technically the same.

 Motherhood affects people in different ways. Tia worked hard to get her sexy back and why wouldn't she? At the time she was the sexy wife of an NFL player on a TV show that was at the top of it's game (no pun intended) but Tamera's projects didn't necessarily require that persona, so maybe she didn't feel the pressure to get back to pre-baby weight and wear the short skirts or whatever. Neither approach is wrong, it's about what feels comfortable for you. We get so caught up in what other's think, that we forget who we are, what we want, and what we need. To me that's when we really lose ourselves because we are putting up fronts.

 I understand how both women feel, I was never skinny, and due to my excessive "all-day" sickness, I weighed less than normal during my pregnancy, so no pressure for me. I also took the "I'm someone's mama now" approach so I wanted to be careful what I put out there. Again, it's all about comfort and what work's for you. Just because you love me and "think" I need to be a certain way doesn't mean it's what I think. It goes both ways, you are no less of a loving mom because  you like to get dressed up and go out once and a while. It's about knowing what works for you and your family atmosphere.  I love me and I embrace everything about me from the chick that likes designer handbags and funky clothes to the mama that has to put on sneakers to chase her kid around the park for an hour. To me, that's truly being free!

Writer's Block

When I committed to the @31WriteNow challenge, I had no idea how hard it would be to put my thoughts into words for 31 straight days. I mean, I'm the one who always has something to say and I really don't mind giving you my opinion (whether you want it or not isn't the issue, lol). Tonight however I find myself in unfamiliar territory, the land that is writer's block. There is so much going on in the world yet I can't find anything to say, constructive or otherwise. I think at this point, my friends are falling out of their seats in disbelief, LOL but it's true, tonight I have nothing.

 I have nothing to say about the little boy that jumped the line in front of my daughter today at the skate rink, with his rude self.

I have nothing to say about the e-coupon I downloaded today for a FREE box of Ultimate Hamburger Helper I was so excited about, but was nowhere to be found at the grocery store.

 I have nothing to say about the red hair dye I purchased last week that didn't turn my hair red AT ALL.

 I have nothing to say about the loooooong list of school supplies I have to purchase even though my property tax bill has a clear itemization for money deemed as "school tax".

 I have nothing to say about the promotion I know I deserve but have yet to receive.

Most importantly, I have nothing to say about my many sleepless nights trying to clear levels in Candy Crush, it's not like I have a job to go to, or a family to take care of or anything like that.

 So for those of you that took the time to visit my blog and read my posts, I can't thank you enough, but you caught me on a night when I really just have nothing to say. ;-)

Mississippi's New law: Collect Blood of Babies born to teen moms for DNA testing

I read an article on Mississippi's new teen mom law regarding a new law in Mississippi that requires hospitals to collect cord blood of babies born to teenage mothers for the purposes of establishing paternity. When I first read this, I had to stop and clear my eyes a bit, after all I do wear glasses so I have to be seeing things, right? Wrong! It's very true and very disturbing. According to the article, the law was designed to combat teenage pregnancy (they claim to have one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the country) and more importantly statutory rape. The supporters of the law cite teen mom's unwillingness to name the father's in certain cases, especially if they are older, for fear the dad will be prosecuted. Opponents however say it's a violation of privacy and fear that teenage males may be unjustly prosecuted if they are proven to have fathered a child with an underage girl.

I have to admit, on it's face it's dead wrong, but if we look deeper, what's the real issue? Should we applaud the state of Mississippi for trying to get a handle on a teen pregnancy rate that's reportedly out of control, or should we be concerned more about the Civil Rights of the parties involved? I'm all for privacy, but if my daughter was impregnated by someone she refused to name, I might be inclined to question the circumstances myself.

Honestly, I'm straddling the fence on this one. Teen pregnancy is nothing new and young girls have long been victims of dirty old men seeking the virginity of adolescent females to satisfy their needs. While I agree that something has to be done; there are clearly too many gray areas. Safeguards have to be in place so that teenagers having "consensual" sex aren't criminalized in the same manner as a 30 year old man that likes having sex and impregnating young girls.  The law should focus more on stiffening the penalty for statutory rape versus victimizing the teen mom all over again to possibly prosecute a crime that may or may not have even occurred.

20/20 (A Poem)

I often try to do what’s right, no matter what the cost

It may mean losing a friend or two but really it’s not that big of a loss
Many times the road I choose may seem far off to some
But life for me has been a trial with more tests sure to come

I never sit and wait for things to fall in place for me
Perhaps that’s one of my downfalls, for what will be will be
Try not to look at me and sigh, and say “what’s up with her?
I’ve had somewhat of a really tough year, but to discuss, I wouldn’t prefer
Life’s ups and downs and in-betweens have forced my hand a bit
I now take time to think things through instead of having a fit

Moving on and pressing forward are necessary you see,
For no matter what you try to control, only God determines what will be
No time for drama, I’m a brand new me, accepting any challenges that come
Making room for lots of new things and marching to the beat of a new drum
My journey, I can tell, is far from done,  I’m learning more each day
I see things just a bit more clearly, so there’s not much more I can say
I’m living life and loving more, as time waits for no man
Please be patient, I’m still growing, but I’m doing the best that I can
Try not to worry, please don’t fret, I’m still the girl you knew
I am still just a little bit jaded, and to myself I must be true