Silent Killer, Make BelieveThriller

October is official ghost and goblin season. 

 Witch's Brew and all things Boo!

 Haunted houses, Trick or Treat which some think is super neat..

In the midst of all the Octoberfestivities there looms in the air somethings that are far scarier still...

Silent Killers is what they are  

They are far more clever than anything you might encounter on the 31st of October

They seduce you while your young and when your wisdom levels are low 

Whispering sweet nothings in your ear as they prepare you for the show

What fun you'll have, sip me, down this...

If you really dare, smoke this here then drank this Lean

No warnings are shared of how they can make you mean

Count yourself among their friends 

and easily kiss your freedoms Goodbye

They give you liquid courage and imagined super powers

All the while, prepping you for what truly lies in wait

They are named Jack, Hen, Colt, Martel and they crew

Never heard of them? I promise, they are not new

They've been sneaking and deceiving since way back in the day

Amazingly people are still stumbling and becoming their prey

You may start off with weekends only or maybe special occasions

But because they are sly, slick and wicked...you find you easily drift into the dark rooms of much more

Slowly your vocab changes and this lends to not giving a f*@k

The more you entertain them they start to ruin your luck

Just think back for a minute when you had goals, dreams and were hungry to pursue them

What happened, have you achieved them or have they fallen by the wayside?

It's time someone pulled off the mask and sounded the alarm

These clowns need to be exposed for who they truly are

They are family destroyers and life stealers

They may not take your life but trust and believe if allowed to keep sneaking in 

the back door...they will steal everyone of your dreams  

No more Make Believe Thrillers, HEY they are indeed Silent Killers (sound the alarm)!

Nurture the Flowers in Your Garden!

As the sleet was gently transformed into snow on Monday, the eye opening chill turned my cheeks into cold evidence that Fall (at least in my mind) was indeed becoming all but a memory.  I quickly ran errands, striding briskly in and out of stores in order to return home and thoroughly thaw out.  Once the initial shock of the harsh reality that we had officially experienced our first snow of the season wore off, it crossed my mind how similar the changing of nature's seasons and the seasons of our lives can be.  One moment we are swinging on the swings, chasing the icecream truck, getting all dressed up for our 8th grade farewell,

terrified at the mere thought of attending high school on the our first day as a freshman, hanging out with friends at football/basketball games, getting our first job at Forever 21 or maybe Arby's, graduating from college and decorating our very first apartment.  Before we can blink an eye, we are in the full throws of adulthood.  Married, a mortgage, a car or perhaps 2, kids AND a dog.  Our parents, uncles and those who have loved and cared for us, are now in their "Golden Years".  Far too often, these years are riddled with financial and/or health challenges and not the relaxing paradise they should be.  In the last few years, I have witnessed loved ones transitioning from this life into a much more peaceful place.  I've prayed and watched as those I admire and love (once active and some avid athletes) have endured scary heart operations, battles with mind altering illnesses, daily struggles with arthritis, diabetes and Victory over breast cancer!

Just today, I experienced a sweet co-worker's heart breaking as she received news that her daughter's childhood friend was sadly killed in a car accident just the night before at the young age of 18.  As all these thoughts weaved in and out of my mind, I was again reminded of just how fleeting life can be.  All of this is the Universe's, not so subtle, way of whispering and sometimes shouting to us...Live Your Life on and with Purpose!  Pray, eat, laugh, forgive, try again, love, hold hands, kiss passionately, be honest, be real, work, travel, pursue your Divinely Inspired Dreams, 

enjoy music, be present with your children, teach, learn, speak, listen, show up, believe it is possible, Dance and Stop Watering the Weeds in Your Yard..instead Be keenly attentive to and Nurture the Flowers in Your Garden!  

Tune In

There are moments and then there are MOMENTS, yesterday was definately a MOMENT for me.  As I went about my evening, chatting, laughing, shopping (with coupons of course), I was blessed enough to see someone from my past and my mother's past.  I was in a store and this young man very cautiously approached me and inquired if I was indeed my mother.  I turned to really tune in to his voice and look into his eyes and what I saw caused me to reflect on many many things.  I spoke to him, like I have so many times over the years with others who recognized me as "My Mother's Daughter" (yes we look quite a bit alike).  This time however, it was something very different about our verbal exchange.  I looked at him as he spoke and what I saw in his face saddened me deeply.  In his eyes I saw, unchartered adventures, sunken hope, discouraged dreams and a deep love lost.  As he spoke to me about my mother, I could see and feel the love he still felt for her and the deep regret he felt over what could have been as he looked at this grown woman standing before him who was once a little girl he held and played with so gently.  I shared my encounter with my family when I returned home and was surprised at the understanding that came to me as we spoke of him.  Life comes at you fast, tune-in to your moments before you miss it!

Everyday there are little miracles all around us.
Sadly hurt, fear, disappointments and unforgiveness can cause us to close doors by our words or actions that years from now we may realize were doorways to growth, joy or even to our Divinely Inspired Dreams coming to pass. Tune-in to your life, this is not a dress rehearsal it is the Actual Performance and you are the lead actor, director, choreographer and editor.  Be active and involved in your life, prayerful about your decisions, open to change and a few challenges.  Don't be shy about editing your life or the people in it (we do it to our friends list on Facebook...I mean really).  Be gentle with yourself and forgiving of your past choices.  Allow yourself to surrender to the healing, life transforming, vision revealing love of God and remember you were never given a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.

Get off the sidelines of YOUR life, take time to smell the flowers, play with your kids, hug/kiss/laugh with your spouse, drink coffee/tea, color, paint, plant a garden, help someone, see a play, go somewhere you've always wanted to go, listen to India.Arie (lol..just a suggestion) and get involved in your LIFE! 

Movin' On

Movin’ on at times is not my desire but a necessity

My mind wants to cling to the memories, not realizing they are hindering me

As I experience joy it is surely sprinkled with a little pain

But how much is clearly up to me

As sand rushes gently thru my hands

I experience it in the here and now

Why wonder why it tickles my senses or try to hold what has no desire to be held?

Open your hand allowing freedom..ahhh this is true love

Clutching is possessiveness and no good comes from it

Movin’ on as I love myself and the life I’m choosing

I’m letting go of the if’s and why’s and holding to the right here and now of what is

Remembering the soul has no rainbows if the eyes shed no tears

 

Evolve (It'sTime 2 Go 2 the Next Level)

It's been a bit since I put fingers to keys, so I thought with this topic bouncing around in my head why not share.  This past weekend I enjoyed a Sunday out with some great young people and during our Sunday adventure a message was shared which deposited this in my spirit: When it is Your Time 2 go to the Next Level, you should be different than you were before.  Zipping in and out of daily life, setting goals, dreaming new dreams, and striving forever striving to go to greater heights we can easily get off track of where in the world we truly need to be heading in order to feel the most joy and peace.  We may begin to believe that our joy and peace will be found once we get this or achieve that and in deed this and/or that may contribute to them but they more often than not will not be the epitome of walking in our Divine Purpose (which it isn't normally where we will experience the most joy and peace).  We tend to have many obligations, people who depend on us, things we feel we MUST DO or the world will absolutely cease to go round (LOL..I am not the only one who has felt this way..be honest).  We somehow function this way for years, not realizing that the solution is many times challenging yet simple; Evolve, evolve, evolve!!! Give yourself not only permission but a charge to Evolve to the Next Level of your journey.  Stop holding yourself back by playing the same old film about your life up to this point in your head, over and over again.  You can either be your BIGGEST FAN or your most intense foe, it is up to you.  You can be your own cheering section, by being teachable and being willing to learn things that up to now you may have been hesitant or downright scared to learn.  As for me, I am learning my way around the kitchen (for those who know me..no smart comments or loud laughter and thanks in advance) and learning to ask for help when I need it which has been hard for me.  In this part of my journey it is amazing how God brings help from some of the most unexpected places and how the blessings flow abundantly on us when we step outside of our comfort zone and trust evolving will most DEFINATELY take us outside of our comfort zone so get ready.  That being said, we are not really living an abundant life if we are always comfy (sorry but it's true).  As we move out of our zones and start to blaze new paths, we will find we are evolving and becoming what we were destined to be.  The Awesomeness of this is that since no man is an island and in reality we really do all impact one another in some small way.  We all need each other to be fully who we are supposed to be, full of love, full of forgiveness, walking in our Divine Purpose, being teachable and being cheerful givers.  When we begin to truly live this way, we will look different, talk different, many times dress different, worship and praise different!!!

 So again let us rise up and  Evolve (It is indeed Time 2 Go 2 the Next Level)!!                      

Love is....

LOVE is an amazing force!  It heals, restores, gives hope, gives life, does not judge, forgives and comforts....but yet is simple and pure! Love wants the absolute best for each of us and is willing to Bomb our mental house if it is dysfunctional, dormant or unproductive. 

Love is an action word that INSPIRES us to Dream and to reconstruct our way of thinking, so that how we have been conditioned to believe and think (which unfortunately many times is not conducive to the ability to transform our dreams into reality) can evolve.  Love is that force that encourages and supports us to do the necessary mental work when we finally realize it is indeed time to regenerate our minds (the damaging and hindering way of thinking can be wiped out and rebuilt to be a LIMITLESS way of thinking).  Only then can we embark on and fully welcome the LIFE we were actually Born to Live, which is an EXCEPTIONAL and ABUNDANTLY ADVENTUROUS life!!! 

"Free 2 Be"

Winds of Change Blowing

Mental Chains Being Broken!

We are Free 2 Be!

"Heirs of the King"

There is nothin' quite like a Brotha'.

His walk, his talk, his resilience and go get it attitude!  His determination to rise and fly above the dust of hopelessness.  His smile, his disappointments to his Victories.  His phenomenal and unmistakeable power to create and sustain amazing families.  Oh but if WE could only take the time to heal enough, in order to love them enough, to raise them enough, so they (from birth) could believe just enough that they are indeed "Sons of the King" who reigns on high, lives and destinies would forever be changed.  To deposit this truth, that they are soooo much more than the world and sometimes we make them out to be with our piercing, hurtful words and actions. 

We should take a stand and shout, not just with our words but with our daily actions: My Brother, you are Vitally Important to the well being of our communities, churches, schools, children and families!!!  Then they could with confidence take their rightful place as "Heirs of the King", fully embracing and embodying their royal legacy and rich heritage.  They would be in a far better position to prosper and not fade away one by one.  The world as we are now experiencing it, would be mo' betta' for it! 

The Power of Encouragement!

Sometimes, every now and again, we all will come to a place where we will either be in need of an encouraging word, hug, smile or will be a deliverer of one or more of the above.  Life is said to be an adventure and we are pushed to Ride the Wave!!!  In all well written adventure tales, there should be excitement, anticipation, disappointments, moments of waiting, captivity, escape and VICTORIOUS Endings!!! What makes the adventure worth while is a person's attitude, determination, love, faith, hope and joy for the journey.  I look around and see all kinds of things occurring in my life and the lives of friends and loved ones.  Births, graduations, illness, bankruptcy, divorce, marriage, love found, love lost, self discovery, losing homes, buying new homes and even death.  It is said, in this life we are sure to have trials and tribulations and it is important to learn to be grateful for it all, remembering that all things work together to create a Divine Design that could not be birthed if everything at all times was all good.  There is a timing that may not seem like perfect timing to you, but is indeed the Divine Right time for the precious and challenging moments that make up the tapestry of our lives.  As we experience this life, overcoming the seemingly dream threatening ups and downs, remember to take some time to engage in the Power of Encouragement!!  It will revive you, renew you and center you.  It truly will inspire you to continue to Ride the Waves of life, to keep on keeping on.  Encourage somebody today and start with lovingly encouraging yourself...Muah!

You Can Do It!!

Goal setting is something that has always and I do mean ALWAYS, intimidated me.  The fear of failure is a wild beast that will keep you where you are and far far away from where you really in your heart of hearts desire to be.  The interesting, funny thing is that all it really takes is one tiny step forward to make your dreams become a reality (okay well maybe not every single dream).  That first step maybe looking up a class schedule online to check tuition pricing, drinking more water (so you eat less), purchasing pencils (or pens which I prefer to journal with) and a GORGEOUS journal (from the few actual book stores that still exist, they are disappearing fast thanks to E-Readers), updating your resume, or even just making a phone call no excuses.  Many of us use excuses as reasons why we can't, while others CHOOSE to use their life's experiences as motivation to better themselves so they will be in the right position when greater opportunities come along.  Setting a goal gives you power believe it or not.  As you inch toward your goal, whatever it maybe, you will learn lots and lots of stuff about yourself and the world around you.  You should learn (had to say should because you know everyone is a wee bit different) what is working and what is not working in your life that is either propelling you at hyper speed toward your goal, slowing you down or downright blocking your path.  You may even learn that some relationships, no matter how bad you want them, may not  be able to travel with you where your dreams are taking you (often a  very hard truth).  You may also discover that the very thing that you thought IMPOSSIBLE, is soooooo doable and that doggone it, You Really Can Do It!!!!  How is that for amazing?  So shake a tail feather, get laser focused, get determined and go get it, go get the LIFE YOU WERE CREATED TO LIVE!