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Operation Graduation Parade
Nineteen years have passed since I walked across the stage at high school graduation. It was a big deal to me. My family came from all around to celebrate the day with me. My church family arrived in the stands with a big sign. They cheered me on and made the day even more special. At the end of the ceremony, we all gathered in a big circle and tossed our caps. Let me be honest. I threw mine just a little and then caught it. The night marked the ending of my public school education and the beginning of instruction taught by the school of life. The class of…
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Be Careful How You Cope
The Holy Bible is a living Word. You can read the same scripture and get a new revelation each time you read it. The words don’t change, but you do. As you grow and learn more as a Christian, your understanding enhances. Our sermon recap comes from a sermon that Pastor preached at a different church. He has preached from Ruth 1 before, but this message left me with an enhanced understanding. Let’s get into it. He began the sermon by saying that the book of Ruth is a book of redemption. And not so much about Ruth’s redemption. More so about Naomi’s redemption. In chapter 1, Naomi’s husband, Elimelech,…
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Happy Mother’s Day!!
Mother’s Day has arrived! I’ve shared before that a village raised me. I didn’t just magically become the person that I am today. This is the perfect opportunity to salute the women that have molded and guided me. It should come as no surprise that Bible Study Mama is first on my list. She carried me for nine long months. She nurtured me and guided me through my teen years. God bless her! Recently, I’ve discovered that she gives a great massage. I couldn’t let her go if I wanted to. Especially now that I know she was holding back her special gifts. You might know this already, but my…
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Becoming
On Wednesday, Netflix dropped the documentary “Becoming” which follows Michelle Obama as she travels on her book tour for her personal memoir. I own the book. I bought it as soon as it was released. I started reading it and then got busy with life. I never finished it. The documentary was beautiful. Watching her story unfold was really fascinating. She was honest and relatable. She didn’t hold back. She spoke her truth and encouraged others to do the same. In many of her encounters with others, she emphasized that their personal stories had value. We are all continually in the process of becoming. I’m soft these days. I cried.…
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Right Reactions
And the servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient II Timothy 2:24 NKJV Mild mannered. Gentle. Calm. Do these words describe the way that you act when provoked? When someone uses the right combination to get under your skin, are those words characteristic of your typical response? Wednesday night REfresh Bible study challenged me to be more conscious of my reaction in contentious situations. Over the years, I have crafted the ability to hold my tongue….usually. I can listen to someone that is out of line and just stare. All kinds of crazy thoughts will run through my mind, but I’ll…
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Off the Trail
Quarantine Day (?) began like many others. (I can’t tell you what day it was because they all blend together at this point.) I got up. Showered. Brushed my teeth. And commenced my daily TV binge. As the day wore on, I decided that I needed to get outside for fresh air. Bible Study Mama and I hit one of our favorite trails that is nestled in the woods. We were discussing the latest episode of “Before the 90 Days” (a TV show on TLC). In the distance, I saw a family of three approaching. I moved off the trail to walk in the leaves. The trail is small, and…
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A Few of My Favorite Things
Since life has been a little hectic/scary/frustrating, I have been very intentional about finding the small, sweet things in life that put a smile on my face. Today, I’m sharing some of my favorite things. The idea popped in my head while I was walking today. The weather has been pleasant for the most part throughout this quarantine. My walks usually happen earlier in the day, but today the walk happened closer to four in the afternoon. I was sweating and exhausted and ready to quit. Flopping on the couch gave me the opportunity to appreciate one of my MOST favorite things. Air conditioning! God bless the person who followed…
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Grace for the Grey Area
Sunday’s sermon had me all in my feelings. Y’all I went on an emotional rollercoaster. My pastor said that these were scattered thoughts. Well, I don’t want to know how I would have made it if the thoughts were together! I just made myself laugh out loud, but I’m so serious. The sermon came from II Kings 4:38-41. The text picks up from the previous Sunday’s sermon. In that sermon, we learn of the Shunammite woman’s response to tragedy. You can search the website for “It Will Be Alright” if you want to know more about her story. In yesterday’s sermon, the prophet Elisha returned to Gilgal and encountered another…
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Grace
The days are blending together for me. Since I’m inside and/or at home for 98% of my life now, keeping track of the days has not been as important. I woke up from a sound sleep on Friday morning in a bit of a panic. I just knew that it was Sunday, and I was unprepared AND late for Sunday School. A whole hot mess. Then I decided to extend myself a little grace. The thought of grace didn’t randomly pop into my head. Last week, Jonathan McReynolds dropped an amazing album, People. The last song on the album is entitled “Grace,” and I’ve been playing it on a loop…
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Chicken Nuggets
Many times, you don’t miss something until it’s gone. I cannot tell you the number of things that grated on my nerves pre-COVID-19. My life was full of activity. The time that I did have at home during the week was not really time to relax from my day. Most often, I would be preparing for the next day or finishing any of the number of tasks that adulthood requires. And I was so tired. COVID-19 given me the opportunity to spend more time in the home that I work hard to maintain. And I’m grateful for that. Listen, I have had to find joy in anything that I can…
