God are you there?

Good Afternoon,

Boy I tell ya.....from the people that I spoken to lately HE is not there. At least that's how they feel. Their pain is so severe that that can't see past their noses. I know their pain will not always be this extreme but right now, they may as well be blind. This is the time that your support system (or as Katt Williams would say..."Your Team") should step in.... They need to stay prayed up for you when you can't. They stick with you and are always there....hanging in the background like groupies or awesome backup singers. GOD knows us....he knows everything. We don't have a clue and that's why most times we run around like chickens with our heads cut off in pain. There is a lack of trust and when that happens you have to get that focus back. When you are in so much pain that you don't know what to pray for or are questioning GOD's presence in your life is when you get real simple. Just ask (or beg) for GOD to hold your elbow. Help you to get through the situation. You have been given the gift of choice because HE always wants you to choose HIM. So, HE is waiting on you. Ask him to heal your heart. Beg for strength to get through it. Meditate on HIS love for you. HE knows we are human and there will be times of weakness. Times of pain. Times of depression......BUT since we are created in HIS image we are sooooo much stronger than we think. FIGHT! Have your team stay prayed up! Choose HIM and HE will guide you through this storm. I'm not saying this because it's in the bible, in a song, or some urban legend. I can tell you this because HE is constantly guiding me through every storm. Just when I think I can't take anymore GOD steps in..... AND I KNOW if HE takes the time out to do it for me HE will do it for you. You just have to keep believing and keep fighting. Life will not always be easy but it's always worth living.

AND remember......disappointments happen, unexpected things occur but GOD is never caught off guard. If you’re his child, then relax, HE’s got you.

MAKE IT GREAT!

E

Looking for happy?...................

Good afternoon,

If you want to know what it means to be happy, look at a flower, a bird, a child; they are perfect images of the kingdom. For they live from moment to moment in the eternal now with no past and no future. So they are spared the guilt and anxiety that so torment human beings and they are full of the sheer joy of living, taking delight not so much in persons or things as in life itself. As long as your happiness is caused or sustained by something or someone outside of you, you are still in the land of the dead. The day you are happy for no reason whatsoever, the day you find yourself taking delight in everything and in nothing, you will know that you have found the land of unending joy called the kingdom. – Anthony de Mello – The way to Love

I mean really is there anything else to say? We don't enjoy just being alive, being happy just because nothing is happening, or appreciating the small everyday things. We want life to be a certain way and when it's not that all we are able to think about. Don't let things that don't matter ruin an otherwise great day. Every day is a gift and it's up to you how you will react to it. Think about it like this....If you worked really hard and saved all of your money to buy your loved one a gift. They took one look at it and said, "But this is not the color I wanted" wouldn't you be a little pissed? I mean it's the thought that counts right? Well GOD gives you a new chance at life everyday and we complain all day about how it's not how you want it to be. You ever think that GOD may be like, "Well I'm not giving them anything else until they appreciate what I have already given them". Just a little something to think about. I understand that there are some things in life that will make you unhappy. You just can't tattoo those things to your heart. How can HE bless your heart when you are stressing your heart? Be happy about all and nothing at the same time. Appreciate what you have and know when you extend your hands to GOD to give HIM praise they are closer for HIM to drop blessings into.

AND remember the happiest people do not live with a certain set of circumstances, but rather with a certain set of attitudes.

MAKE IT GREAT!

E

Love don't make no sense....o​r does it?

Good afternoon,

Love is not a black and white thing. Everyone on this earth receives love in a different way. I have previously written about the 5 Love Languages. For those who may not be familiar with the book, the 5 love languages explains how there are five love languages and each of us has one that speaks directly to our hearts. If the primary language is not demonstrated then none of the others will be fulfilling. We have a tendency to speak our own love language towards the people in our life. That would be fine if everyone had the same primary love language. What we have to do is figure out how the other person receives love and attempt to do those things so that they feel loved and cared for.  That seems to be where people fall short. I have heard from many people telling me all of the things that have or had done to attempt to make their significant other happy. It wasn’t that it was bad….actually most of it was awesome but it couldn’t be recognized because the primary love language was not included. It’s like being in a dark room and all of these beautiful portraits are in there but no one can appreciate it because the missing element is the light. Speaking to someone’s love language is turning on that light. Then they will be able to see the other things that are going on around them.  Someone once told me that Love is a choice. I somewhat agree. I believe that you have feelings for someone and you choose to open yourself and allow those feelings to grow. Love is just that….Love. It’s all about how you choose to use it. There are slight differences in the way you love depending on the person but love is love. The point of love is each person making that other person feel loved. The problem comes when one or both people are only concerned about their own love. When it’s all about you how do you expect that other person to feel loved? That makes sense huh? You fell in love or chose love because what that other person brought to the table. Well somewhere along the way things changed. So what do you do? You sit and have a knee to knee. Be open and honest about your needs and wants. Then each person works on those things knowing that with some effort things will eventually get back on track. I have always been of the belief that if I work hard to please you and you do the same for me then we will be fine. People think there is a lot to love but it’s not really. Through communication and effort it can all be figured out…..you just need two willing people.  

I hope I made some sense out of this thing called love…….

AND remember love lasts because two people made a decision….. to keep it, fight for it, and work on it.

MAKE IT GREAT!

E

Performance review time 2..........

Good afternoon,

It’s that time again……

Confession time….. CLAWD……Ok here goes….I have been struggling with my feelings. There I said it! As for those of you that really know me I do not care for my “girl” feelings. I love to feel happy, loved, loving, silly, and things of that nature. When it comes to those feelings of uncertainty, lost, confused I just can’t deal. Lately it just seems like things have not been right. I attempted to just chill out and let things run its course but it only seemed to get worse. My sleep, dreams, and appetite were being attacked by these “feelings”. I know me very well so I had a come to Jesus with myself that everything needed to be addressed. I reviewed how it all happened and then with each item I thought it out and wrote down a plan of action. One thing no one (including myself) will do is keep my happy from me. I took the first step and through several forms of communication, I dealt with each situation. CAN I TELL YOU how free I feel right now…. I actually got some sleep last night. There are still some residual feelings left that need to be confronted but the whole point of this is being true to yourself. We are not perfect and will never be BUT we should always be honest with ourselves. It will save you days, months, and years of anguish. I believe the reason most people are not honest with themselves or with others is that they are afraid of being judged. The thing is that if you feel that someone will judge you for something you have done or who you are you actually judged you first. (I’ll wait while that sinks in *crosses arms*) That’s why you scramble to hide who you really are. You are embarrassed about you. O_O We all do it but I am here to tell you that when you admit who you really are it’s sooooo freeing. After I free myself from my own thoughts, I always give myself the side eye because I should have done it earlier.  Stand up and be honest. “Hello my name is E and I don’t like being vulnerable, I hate my “girl” feelings, and because I am not vulnerable I can come off as the Ice Queen* Now you know me….sorta…lol. I always wonder if people are aware of themselves but then I think if they were not aware then they wouldn’t have to hide who they are…..They are just not being honest. If you review your performance first and are happy with the way you are living your life then really, that’s all that matters. When you are uncomfortable with you so will everyone else. Free yourself!

And remember the strongest people are the ones that can admit their mistakes and take the steps to become better people.

MAKE IT GREAT!

E

Going through it.......

Good morning,

Right now it seems like everyone I know is going through it. I mean it’s to the point that I know my words are falling on deaf ears. Heck one person told me that they didn’t really want to hear any hang in there talk and I hadn’t even said anything. It hurt because I don’t like seeing people I care about feel that way but I totally understand. There will be times where “It will be ok” will make you want to snap on someone. You want a “fix” to the problem and nothing else will do. Well I am here to tell you that a fix will come. I don’t know what it will be, when it will come, or how it will be delivered. What I do know is that everything has a fix. Everything will change. That’s life. What you are feeling right now is a valid feeling but you will not always feel this way. During this waiting period prepare your mind for change. Really dig your heels into the ground and work on it. Do not leave yourself in a dysfunctional state of mind because GOD will not repeatedly sow into dysfunction because you will be blocked to his answer a.k.a “The Fix”. This message may not be well received at this moment but I will continue to plant this in our heads because if we want better we have to get ourselves ready to receive better.  All I ask is that you don’t give up…..Life will never be easy but it’s worth the work, struggle, and tears.

And remember sadness, hurt, and pain are like a head cold…..with patience it too shall pass.

MAKE IT GREAT!

E

Happiness is in the eye of the beholder

Good afternoon,

I know that the title of this post is not how the saying really goes but it still has some truth to it. Happiness is in the eye of the beholder simply means what makes you happy may not necessarily make someone else happy. That's why trying to fit into what society, your friends, and your family thinks should make you happy may not always be correct. It's like saying if 12 people like pig feet then you should as well. Well I don't like pig feet and I don't care how much you try to jazz up the description.... I'll pass thanks. I know who I am, what I like, and what I want. Now there have been times that I have gotten off track but the good thing is that the track is always there for me to get back on. I have to make up my mind to change and BAM there is that track….lol. Discover what makes you smile and feel all warm inside and nurture it. If it no longer makes you happy then DECIDE to do something different. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to abandon the whole thing it may just mean you need to adjust some things. The point is that a decision has to be made to see a change. Don’t be afraid of change. Life is constantly changing so why not seek out things that make you happy?  It's your life and you have to be the main person filling it up with happiness. Sooooooo like I said, "Happiness is in the eye of the beholder".....what makes you happy?

AND remember happiness is the person who knows what to remember of the past, what to enjoy in the present, and what to plan for in the future.

MAKE IT GREAT!

E

Submerge..........

Good afternoon,

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

This is so true about Love.  It’s past experiences that influence people to build walls to protect their hearts from pain and in the process, it also shields the heart from feeling the happiness of love. Love is like a tool. Sitting on a shelf it looks great. All definitions, commercials, songs, and other expressions of love give the appearance of pure JOY. What needs to be realized is that once you have it, it's how you use it that determines if it will be great or not. Do you know why children are so happy? They allow love to happen to them. They don't run from it, plot on it, question it, or reject it. It's all because they don't have any experience with it. When you reject love, you're basically saying that you don't trust that you learned and are better from the last time. You also stating that you don't trust that the new person is any better than the last person that hurt you. Wow.... Not everyone knows how to love, how to show love in a way that the other person can receive it, or how not be scared of love. This is where communication becomes important. Listen to what they other person is saying. Ask questions. Be open and honest. Like I said earlier….love is s tool. It’s up to you and your partner on how love will look in your life. Give love a try. Now I'm not saying to go and jump off every cliff hoping that love will be there to save you. What I am saying is be open to the possibility of love and the happiness it can bring. If you are so lucky to come across someone that is open to love and willing to communicate about it then by all means don't deprive yourself from experiencing something great. Love, like anything else, is something that will need to be worked on....so don't trick yourself into thinking that it's supposed to be easy. Nothing in life is easy other than waking up and at times even that's a little rough as well. Oh and another thing....Love is not like a firecracker. You don't light it and POP! Love is more like your electricity. If you keep working and paying the bill then lights will always be on. If you have ever loved or been loved you know that it’s worth the work. Love….little word….powerful feeling.

AND remember a person is already halfway in love with any person who listens to them……

MAKE IT GREAT!

E

Bucklin'..​....

Good morning,

Every now and then, you will fall out of line with your relationship with GOD, your happiness, and your peace of mind. That doesn't mean that your life is falling apart or that you're being punished. You've just stumbled a bit. The other day I was walking into a building downtown to meet a friend for lunch. As I was walking in, I was attempting to hold the door for the person behind me. Well as I stepped through the door my high heel slipped on the metal strip and "Down goes Frazier".... I fell. I let go of everything and my belongings were scattered everywhere. Oh, did I mention this happened during prime lunchtime? Thank goodness I don't embarrass easily so I got up (with some help) gathered my things (with some more help) and continued on my path to get some lunch. What I didn't do is not get up. I fell. I'm not perfect. I'm not always going to do the right thing. What I always want to do is acknowledge the mistake, figure out what I did wrong, get up, get moving, and try not to do it again. Never give up trying to be great! Like when GOD came into the garden looking for Adam and Eve. GOD already knew they ate the fruit from the tree but he came seeking them anyway. They knew they had made a mistake and instead of saying, “Hey GOD…I know you said don’t eat the fruit from that tree but we did and we are sorry” they hid. What were they hoping? That GOD wouldn’t see them? Maybe they could live in that tree forever? Acknowledge your mistakes and work on fixing them. No is perfect but your life can be sooooo much better if you just put in the work. Life is the gift….How awesome it will be will be determined by amount of work you do. Don’t let the storms overshadow the gift of life. Every day that you wake up is another opportunity to be better than you were yesterday. Take advantage of it! If you don’t know what to do then ask someone. Allow people to help you. Don’t be embarrassed. Everyone will need help at one point or another in his or her lives. TEAM WORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK. Focus on happy thoughts.  Give your goals the attention they deserve. Once you do that you will begin to see the pieces fall into place. Just keep working on it.

AND remember don’t be upset by the results you didn’t get from the work you didn’t do…….

MAKE IT GREAT

E

Can you feel it?

Good afternoon,

Do you know what happiness is? I believe it’s a warm feeling that starts in your chest and moves to your face. It curves the ends of your mouth in an upward motion. Your cheeks plump up and there is a twinkle in your eye. Now this can come from a memory, a person, place, or thing. The point is I don’t think we appreciate these moments. We give too much attention to negativity, doubt, and fear so we do not fully submerge ourselves in the happiness that we experience. The happy moments in life are there to help fill your happy tank. How can you ever say that you want happiness when you can’t recognize that you have it right now? Well it may be because you are not happy with yourself. When someone doesn’t like himself or herself, they are not able to see the blessings in their lives. They make decisions rooted in negativity and this manifests more situations that are negative. The change has to be made internally. We have to decide that we want to be happy. We are given the gift of choice so when you live in perpetual darkness most times it’s because you are not fighting to change anything. It’s like having a gas card with no car. Make the decision to get the car so that you can appreciate the gas card. You have been giving life…again this morning. *Happy* You are born again each day. *Happy* This is the basic happiness. I am not even talking about the small things that happen to you during the day. *Happy, Happy, Happy* Appreciate it all or as my aunt likes to say Count it all JOY! I know some people that experience great things and will acknowledge it but as soon as the positive statement is done, a negative one follows. LIVE IN THE MOMENT of that happiness. Feel good about it. Smile and feel grateful that the blessing has been poured on you. I take time out of everyday to think of all that has been given to me. I think about the things people do for me. I think about the things that I am able to do for others. I reminisce about the jokes and laughter that I share with others. I appreciate it all and I know that I am blessed because it doesn’t have to be as good as it is now. With that being said, as I sit here smiling, Thank you to all that have added JOY into my life. I am happy in the midst of any storm because even though it may look dark I know that it won’t always be that way. I also know that there is always light in every dark place I just have to look for it if I want it and the same goes for you. Make the decision to be happy and keep working towards it.

AND remember there is a rainbow in every storm….do you see it?

MAKE IT GREAT

E

Too hot to handle?

Good morning,

In a conversation the other day someone said, “Lord, why me?”

I was thinking and the truth is there will be times that you have to go through the fire to be a testimony for someone else. You are strong enough to handle it. It just may seem at the time that it's too hard and things look as if it could never change. Well I'm here to tell you that trouble doesn't last always....... If you don't believe me, take a moment to think about the last horrible moment in your life. You got through it and you will get through this as well. Just keep moving forward. Write out your feelings, anger, or frustrations. Get that off your chest and hang on because GOD will never give you more than you can handle. I can say this because he made me a BEAST. If I sit around think about all the things I don't have I could be depressed forever. I don't have a mother, I have a father that selectively speaks to me, an unsuccessful marriage, no kids, no siblings, and I then I have to sit around and watch people complain/enjoy their families. That sounds like it sucks right? Well there are moments were it gets to me. That is when I hunker down in prayer and meditation.  I am not able to snap my fingers and things change. Instead of thinking the negative, I work hard a refocusing to the things I do have. I had a wonderful mother that loved me unconditionally. I miss her all the time but when I think about her, it makes me smile because what we had still lives in me. When I care about people, I will always love hard and go that extra mile. The people in my life appreciate that about me and do the same for me in return. My father and I may not have the best relationship but we are open and when we do speak, we make the best of it. I can’t change the past but I can let go of it and work on today. I am divorced but the experience was not all bad. I married my friend and I loved him with all of my heart. How do you regret that? I learned about relationships and myself making me a better person from the experience. I have no kids but it's not over until GOD says it is so I still have time. I was not blessed with siblings but I have friends that I have built bonds with that come very close to that sibling love. As far as my circle complaining it won't always be roses and they need to vent. I understand this. I focus on their happiness and attempt to sympathize and encourage when they are unhappy. It’s a moment not their life. I know they appreciate what they have so it's all good. We must all work hard and look for that silver lining in order to keep moving forward. GOD knows our hearts and if we are patient HE will make sure that we have everything we need. I want to be here to encourage us all. It's my life's purpose. I do it even when I'm not 100% happy. Most of the time you don't even know it....lol. Apparently, I'm strong enough to do so I do it. When I’m feeling weak, I meditate and scoot even closer to GOD because I know that I’m human and can get off track. People always accuse me of not sharing but why complain when I know that it can change any minute? I just stay prayed up and if it gets too heavy I will even beg GOD to continue to make me strong so that I may get through this storm and back to my rainbow. Like I said GOD will never give you more than you can handle....negative or positive. We actually do not know how strong we are. We have to start preparing ourselves for better! It's like making lunch for work the next day. You know that you will at some point desire food so by preparing your lunch you are making sure that you will be happy and fed the next day. Do this for everything in your life. Get things in order. Get your mind right. Stop thinking negative and give room for the positive to happen. Keep pushing forward and celebrate the blessings we already have until your new blessings arrive.

AND remember don’t pass up the positive in life looking for the negative….

MAKE IT GREAT!

E