Thought of the DAY!

Human Beings should not lose their lives because of a “shopping” experience, and any retail organization that creates a “frenzy” for products should be prosecuted.

Memoirs of an Empty Nester pt.11

I’ve had such a glorious day today in the presence of the Lord. I have truly been transforming in my spirit. I have been experiencing life as an empty nester, and it hasn’t been easy. In fact, at times my experience has been scary, just as there is good in the world, so is there evil. Evil has tried to assert itself into the seat of my thinking so that I will remain in bondage to my past through my thoughts. But God is faithful and He has done well to deliver my soul, my thinking, and I am eternally grateful. He has supernaturally given me the opportunity to benefit from this alone time that I have with Him, so I am not totally alone. He and I have been doing some spring cleaning in my mind, my thought life, putting to death old ways of thinking. In actuality, all those things that other people have said and done against me, and the things that I have said against myself, and the things that I have said against others, had to be dealt with. All that stuff equals NEGATIVITY. And my soul had to be made free from all of that negativity and I actually feel glory on the inside of me, there has been a change in my soul and spirit. I need and want to fill my soul and spirit with the fruit of praise and worship, not only because my soul wants to, but also because I need to in order to keep my spirit free from negativity. I have learned that negativity within, attracts negativity from without. (I share that just in case the Blue Bird of happiness is pooping  all over your life excessively, examine your vibe.)

I have been blessed by God to enter into a REST in the Lord. I feel like a novice at this walking by faith, but perhaps I am not because God has been working with me for a while.  The appointed time has come, for me to enjoy the fullness of God’s presence through Christ and His faithfulness to me, His love for me, and all else that is His glory. What an honor, I know that I have asked for it, cried for it, and now I am experiencing it, from faith to faith and glory to glory I am being changed into the image of God’s dear son Jesus Christ. The rest of the Lord that faith ushers a believer into is a wonderful and glorious place to be…and the empty nest isn’t so empty any longer…

Rom 1:17 KJV – For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
2Cr 3:18 KJV – But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord.

A Twist of KATE…

I am not against Kate Gosselin by any means in fact, I believe I understand, and can even identify with some aspects of her life, but I never did like the way she emasculated Jon before millions of people peering into their lifestyle. And even now, I feel that Kate always presents herself as a doting mother, yet I’ve sensed that underneath it all, that is not her true persona. Not to say she is not a loving mother, it’s that “I do everything for my children” mantra, it’s tired, frayed, and seems untrue. I read an article in The National Ledger that exposed what I thought about Kate for some time. According to Kate’s friend, Kate’s life with her children is “boring to Kate.” The friend said that when Kate burst into tears when she was booted from DWTS, she was crying because she had to go back to her “humdrum life.” Certainly, all of us women can identify with  that, and probably some men as well. However, even though Kate is doing what she does “for the children,” I sense that she very much wants to be in the limelight of celebrity, and she wants all the perks. When she leaves her home, she leads a fairytale life, and is anything wrong with that, not at all. Kate’s friend also said that even though Kate complained about it, she loved commuting back and forth to Hollywood. Kate wants to be a SUPERSTAR. We all know she has to earn money to support her and her family, but I’m just saying, be honest, she enjoys the lifestyle. She doesn’t have any talent, but she doesn’t need any, look at Heidi and Spencer. Kate just needs to look good, and keep hanging around those children.

Memoirs of an Empty Nester-9

Usually when people are fortunate enough to reach my age…they would have passed through familiar milestones. They would have acquired some money and toys, perhaps property and warm, fuzzy life memories. Surely, children and grandchildren, daughters-in-laws and son-in-laws. But that has not been my experience. I do have two daughters that I love and am proud of, and thank God for each day. I also have a granddaughter that is absolutely precious. Yet in this moment, I have siblings that I don’t communicate with much. I don’t have people in my life that I can really call friends. I don’t have an accumulation of money or valuables. In fact, I believe my finances are at the same level that they were thirty years ago. My growing up memories are all in my head because I don’t have any mementos. I enjoy the company of people, however in small doses, because the conversation usually drifts into the unimportant or the selfish and self-centered. Interesting to me is this, because of our economic crisis, there are many more people experiencing this kind of existence, due to loss.  There are a lot of alone people in the world. People who have lost loved ones too soon. People who have had to move to new cities because of loss of income or property in a catastrophe. So what do I do with this knowledge and reality. First, I understand that I can’t impose the expectations of the world upon my life’s course. Because if I don’t meet the expectations of society that they will reject me. If I meet the expectations of society and am successful according to the worlds standards, then the world will want to know my name and then siphon my goods.  We see it all around us, the entrapment of success. Instead, I believe that the overall course of my life has been ordered by the Lord, minus the poor decisions of course. Second, I want to express my gratitude to the Lord for governing my life, all of my life. Actually, that is a life lesson, I choose to be  grateful for LIFE, it is precious, and it affords me the opportunity to give and love, learn, grow and create change for the better. True happiness rests in who God says that I am through his word. Real love and total acceptance comes from God, who knows all there is to know about me, and still loves me enough to have given his life as a ransom for mine. Mementos will be forgotten, people will unfortunately pass away, and relationships will end, but when the dust settles what am I left with? In my case, I am left with my relationship with God, which is eternal. And for the first time in my life I am really focusing on HIM and HIS will for me. I am grateful for this time of deep meditation and reflection, and I daily make a conscious decision to live my life according to God’s will, and I am becoming a better person for it. This is an absolute walk of FAITH, and I have been fearful. This is a walk of FAITH, and I have shed many tears. But I am standing on God’s Word and Trusting him, and I see change coming…♥

Memoirs of An Empty Nestor pt. 8

HOME ALONE YIPPEEEEEE!

I have been mothering since the age of TWENTY-FOUR. And I am still mothering just from a distance, but as any mother will know that once a mother always a mother. I want the best for my daughters, and I want them to make the right choices, right? But today, DECEMBER 17, 2009, I don’t have to mother ANYBODY. BECAUSE ALL OF MY CHILDREN WENT OUT OF TOWN. For the first time in my life, for real, I can just about do what I want to do. It is just me. This is so weird and exhilarating. My little munchkin isnt calling mom mom every 5 seconds, I’m not cooking breakfast for anyone. I don’t have to duck hormone imbalances. I don’t have to be a rutter for anyone’s ship. I don’t have to be a sounding board. I want to see how long I last before I miss all of this and begin to drop tears. Never!!!! I refuse to miss them and cry…stay tuned!!!!!!

 I have decided to return to school and get a masters in education. I’m nervous about that but, I figure, this is a dream and you only live once. I’ve got to face the fear and go forward. If I keep going forward, the UNIVERSE will rise to fulfill my destiny. I love it…life is great, AMEN.

Memoirs of An Empty Nester pt.7

I am getting to a place in my life where I am happy I’m alive, not just oblivious to death, but aware of the shadow of death, and yet determined to live and be happy, grateful in fact, to do so. Self-love and self-acceptance has such a warm and welcoming feeling, even cozy is descriptive of what I feel. Why couldn’t these feelings have filled my soul in my youth, during the times when my self-worth and self-esteem was too tied up in what other people thought of me. When the opinions of others determined what I thought of myself. What my family and friends think of me is important. I want to be perceived as a compassionate human being. But the opinions of others don’t dictate what I feel about myself, and I like the person that I am becoming. I look forward to the next step in my growth. I love this feeling, because I am in a wonderful place, wow, it is hard to explain. But I am in a place of peace, a place wherein I don’t have to struggle, if I don’t want to really. I am in the place where I will see the goodness of God, if I stay focused on The Lord Jesus Christ, and stay focused on faith in His Cross and what He won for me thereby. I am in my promised land, my wealthy place, I simply must overtake the giants, just like the children of Israel. What an awesome, faithful God I serve. To be continued…

This Will Keep Us Thinking!!!

UConn Football Player Jasper Howard Stabbing – ABC News

I’ve posted this story because it just breaks my HEART.  Here is a young man living his life, getting an education, being a team player, not a “thug,” as some would suspect, but doing the right thing. And once again, a black man is cut down, stabbed at a social gathering. I think of his parents, siblings, and I think of the success that he won’t make of his life. I think of the wife and children he won’t have. This is a terrible tragedy for his family, his friends, school community, and the black community as a whole.

UConn Football Player Jasper Howard Stabbing – ABC News

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Jon and Kate Plus One Misspelled Cake

Jon and Kate Plus One Misspelled Cake

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I am beginning to believe that the media and all those who jump on board this Jon and Kate money train are equally responsible for this family debacle. Publicity + high ratings= money. Jon and Kate want to maintain their level of living, they want to be home with their children. They need the interest of the media and you can tell by this silly article about the misspelling of Mady’s name that they have the misquided interest of the media.

The Righteous Choice to LIFE pt2

The little girl in the photo to the right is the sister of Derrion Albert.  Derrion was a 16-year-old Fenger High School, honor roll student formerly of the Roseland neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Derrion was killed in a gang related beating on September 24, 2009. The reason that this incident became national news, is because the beating was televised. Derrion was “a good boy.” So I look at these pictures and wonder, how much pain can a people stand. And what do you say to the kids who are left, and are also “good kids?” How do you maintain hope in the face of such despair?