Don't be They...

Every year, I found an excuse as to why I did not celebrate my birthday. I used to look to friends to help me celebrate but it just never really happened. Then I started blaming it on, I wanted to make sure my kids had great birthday celebrations.


When I turned 35, that was my last real celebration. Shame on me. I would buy and receive great gifts but to actually set time aside and celebrate, I was failing. Failing myself, failing to thank God for a new year at this thing called life.  I became that friend who celebrated everyone and disregarded myself.

As I worked on my vision board for 2017, I made personal declarations and promised to celebrate myself THIS year. My sister friend then in turn reminded me, " They will only celebrate you as much as YOU celebrate you". That comment opened my eyes and made me think reallllllll HARD. I had become my own they. They didn't acknowledge me because I didn't. They didn't offer to celebrate with me because I didn't celebrate me.

The "theys" in our life play two roles. They will either push you or they will talk about you. Life is teaching me, they only care because they want to see you fail or they are pushing you to be great.

Which they are you? I've learned, the immediate theys won't celebrate because in so many ways, YOU have become the competition. You have become the " they" that's determined to make it.
You have become the " they" that they fear: Sucess.

There's room for everyone to make it. And the ones who really care, will in turn turn around and help pull you up with them.

Today, I challenge you to not become a victim to they. They only care when it benefits them. They only care because of what you can do for them. Let that mentality stop today.
Celebrate you. Celebrate your highs and lows. Celebrate your successes and failures. We celebrate failures because it's teaching us how to make it into a win.

One of the worst places to be is in between. In between a career/ job change, in between seasons, in between finding your place and giving up. But in that place, still celebrate. Find strength and even encourage yourself. They won't, so what! It's your place to do it.
Celebrate when you are right now because tomorrow, you won't be where you are now.

Signed,
They won't kill me, Simply Cheneka

The Promise STILL stands..

Today my Lovies, remember whatever you've   been promised will come to pass.. 

Do you believe that the right music can change your mood and even your outlook on certain situations? This am as I drove my son to school "Better" by Hezekiah Walker played. While I drove my daughter to her doctor's appointment, it played again. After I dropped her to school, ole school Winans brothers and Anita Baker blessed me with, "Ain't no Need to Worry".. 

Just listening to those songs, my entire life was encouraged. 

The funny thing about Promises, they may not happen right when we want them or expect them. They will happen in perfect timing. As I reflected on some of the Promises promised to me, my heart smiled and I was reminded just as Rome wasn't built in a day, neither were promises made to happen in a day. 

Gosh, my soul is encouraged today. My pity has turned into a praise because my promises are enroute! 

I challenge you to reflect on your promises and remember the ground in which it was built on. It may seem a little shaky now but as you( we) become strengthened as will the ground!! I'm excited.. The Promises are on their way. Let's get ready!! 

Signed, 

Simply Cheneka

It's Only a Test....

"We're only as strong the commitments we make and the friendships that are tied to them"

I'm guilty.. Guilty of getting upset with people, not telling them how I truly feel and then writing them off. Yup, I'm admitting it. I know that I'm extra, but my extraness makes me. I'm extra with loving hard and pushing others but I fail with doing the same thing with myself.

Yesterday's message at church was a tough pill to swallow because Pastor Dee was talking to me. I follow thru with my child, I have consistency with her. But when it comes to me, yeah I fail. I instantly thought of a few friendships I've made during my short time in Georgia and it made heart ache. I'm secure and confident in who I am and I sometimes expect each person I meet to posses some of these same qualities. I'm learning that, we're all made different for specific reasons.

I sat and thought of my mission in life. I'm here to be a service to women and children. I'm always reminded of my 1st year here when I didn't have a huge support team. I had a few relatives here but there was distance between us. When I finally landed a job it was then I began to meet people. Thru meeting various people I learned more about me as I encountered people of different backgrounds and lifestyles.

Yesterday, I spent sometime with a sisterfriend. It's funny how we always expect to be the one teaching a lesson when in actuality, the lesson has already been taught we just need to live by the results.
It's funny, I've felt for a while since I've been away from Boston, I've become an out of mind our of sight relationship with quite a few people. How ironic, I felt the same way about the sistergirl I was with. And it hit me like a ton of breaks, God allowed our paths to cross for a specific reason. I'm here to encourage and help and just because a person has been removed it doesn't mean the task has been completed. After our conversation yesterday, God reminded me that the work wasn't done and although I thought it was he reminded me, do unto others as I do unto you. and that means, the same way God blesses me I'm to pass it forward and bless others.

I know personally that sometimes, I give up. I don't give up because I'm lazy, I give up when I feel a person isn't listening or trying. Hmmmmmm, but GOD never gives up on me. Lately, alot of things have been returning to my memory because( like I previously stated) my path has crossed with specific people for specific reasons.

I can no longer fail these simple test. I need to take responsibility for who and what has been placed in my path and do whatever the job is that has been set before me. Task are not complicated, we make them complicated by not following thru and having to revisit them down the line.

I'm never to big to apologize and I found myself in a somewhat of an apologetic state with a few people I've encountered. I'm not sorry because it failed or we fell out. I'm sorry I didn't pass the test. My test are tied up to my blessings, if I pass I'm blessed. If I fail, I have to start from the beginning all over again. Sheesh, that's a lot of work!

So, today my challenge is that we find the strength within ourselves to simply pass the test. I mean seriously, how hard can it be? Just like in school you either know the answer or you don't. PERIOD~

Each day I become stronger when I help someone else. When I help to build character and provide consistency and share how I really feel vs walking away, I'm doing the work God has placed me on Earth to do!

~Make your Day gREat and your life gReater~

" don't look at me to judge me, Look at me to be encouraged and Inspired to find strength to keep doing better"


I glanced at you yesterday
But knew something was up.
Your smile was gone and your face was turnt up.

I know each day doesn't predict a smile
But the facials you where showing just made my heart ache.
Each smile that we think is the prettiest, is filled with hurt.
Behind closed doors, you deal with the hurt.
Feeling neglected, feeling alone, the world doesn't have to know, so I'll fake it til I make it and give them a Pretty Smile.

A hidden Glance

I glanced at you yesterday
But I knew something was up,
Your mascara was running and your eyes did not light up.

I know each day your eyes will not sparkle
But today I felt for you and wondered,
Why does the hurt look so bad. The look you gave was one of pure disdain, no love, just hurt and a cold,cold stare. You're mad at someone or even something and and that distant glare is lifeless, no expression.

A hidden Glance


I glanced at you yesterday
But knew something was up,
Your heart was shattered and you wouldn't look up..

You wore pain filled with silence. I wanted to help but didn't know where to started,
I wanted to speak but the words would not depart,
I wanted to hug you but my arms were to far apart...
I did what I knew best and wrote..

Dear Unknown
Everyday I'm stealing a glance,
I wonder about you and who you are..
you are beautiful,
lovely eyes, pretty smile, beautiful heart.
But you HURT... The words are not always there but I want you to know I care.
Without speaking, you speak to me.
And I just want you to know It'll get better.
Your hardships are becoming your book, your book is becoming your story and your story is your testimony on how you MADE it.

So, I'll keep with my hidden glances
But know, what you're going thru is giving me the strength to keep going.
Because if you haven't given up neither should I...

" The test isn't who's suffered the worst, the test is who went thru it and came out stronger"

Its in the Ground...

Because of my deeply rooted Christian beliefs, I tend to look for the hand of Jesus upon everything. I mean, shouldn't we? He IS the creator of EVERYTHING, right?.. Another blog for another day.

The Sunday before we departed was Super Sunday at my church. It was the Sunday where we bought an offering above and beyond what we normally give. It was our natural way of planting our spiritual seed... A Seed: To furnish with something that causes or stimulates growth or development( Merriam Webster, transitive verb).. My seed is NOW in the ground and I patiently await God's hand to move on my behalf! Oh YES, I believe..

As my mommy/friends and I walked the grounds we noticed "seeds" all over the place. Although water does not fertilize the seed, it surely helps to stimulate and promote GROWTH. I'm sure as people threw their change to make a WISH, they never thought of the spiritual aspect of it but the three of us surely did.

Our conversations soon turned to how it's hard for us to back each other as a people and help each other get to the top. We are so quick to spend vs investing and generating more revenue for a rainy day. As we caught the ferry over, there were "seeds"( change) in the waters, as we got on numerous rides, there were "seeds" planted all around and even if you looked hard enough, pennies were thrown every where...

Hmmmm, I thought.. I need to leave a "Seed" in the grounds of Disney. This is one of the most successful places in the WORLD. I believe if you invest in someone else's dream, you're investing in their success and yours too. I'm a small business owner right now but as I continue to help others, I'm making room for mine too. The family of Mr. Walt, will live off these riches of the LAND for days, months, years, decades and centuries. His kids, kids,kids,kids will live comfortable all because of a small seed that was placed in the ground.

I challenge each person who may read this blog to sow a seed. It doesn't have to always be monetarily but sow of your TIME, your SKILLS, your HANDS. You just never know what the outcome will be.

And once you make that initial investment, don't look for a reward right away, it takes time. But let the ground fertilize it, because in due time you will reap a bountiful harvest IF you faint not..

My Seed is in the ground and it's making room for me and Mine~