Just Slow Down......

I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I was when I first moved to Atlanta. I was going to take this big City on like nobody's business. I had so much to prove. I had to prove I was good enough, I wasn't going to fail AND that I could make it.

Fast forward to today. As I sat and took time to reflect, I'm so thankful that after I realized I had nothing to prove to anyone, life became simpler and easier. Once I realized the only people I had to prove anything to was God my father ( and all I really have to do is Love & serve him) and my children, everything that was supposed to happen started to happen.

Yes, I took a few " L's" but they were just setting me up for the ultimate Wins.

I will celebrate 8 years in Georgia( Lord's willing) this November. 8 is the number of new beginnings. I've declared this year's mantra " I will not lose & Whatever is meant for me will not pass me by". I believe that with every ounce of life in me. Our lives are not a race. It doesn't matter when you arrive to the finish line, it just matters that you don't give up in the process and that you make it.

I wanted to be the 1st in my family to do a lot of things but as I lived and became a mother, other things became important and I realized that it IS important that I become my children's 1st.

I challenge you to stop and take your time. You want to build an empire? You can, there's no rush. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither was the world. God took his time forming each and every creature. He took his time forming the sun, moon and stars. He even took time to rest. So when your body speaks, take heed and listen.

As quick as I want to be done and live a quiet married life some where with my amazing husband, I have to first build, date and marry. Can't get to the end result without working the middle.

I challenge you to work the middle, work your right now. Don't give up, slow down, make adjustments, make changes, become your best YOU.

Don't rush to just get done, you'll miss the lessons and strength you'll need in between.

Signed,
Simply Living, Simply Learning, Simply Cheneka

The Little Things...

These last few months, I've had to find reasons to smile because I know for sure I wanted to just say forget it! This is to hard.

I found myself talking to God more and I stopped complaining. I mean I literally STOPPED!  How was God ever going to bless me while I was so caught up in what I didn't have? It was in that moment He reminded me, " sometimes I'm all you need"..  when I tell you the moment I stopped complaining,  small blessings startedconing my way. In my alone moments, quiet moments and moments when all I could do was cry, God simply said, " So are you going to trust me"?

We get caught up in watching others get ahead that it discourages us. This morning God simply reminded me, He put something on the inside of me and it's his word. When all else fails his word will lift us up and carry us.

As I read this morning and prepared for my day, a peaceful calm overtook me. I can't explain the calm but I can say, something big is on the horizon. Not just for me but for all of us who believe. Let's take heart in God's words and promises. Let's take heart in knowing he has us.
I promise, theres always a light at the end of the tunnel. He makes provision when we can't do it naturally.

I promise, with all of the curves, God is making a straight path just because. It's not the struggle that's making us, it's our Faith in God that's building us and shaping our character.

My lovies, I challenge you to hold on. Hold on to the little things because they turn to much when we put it in the Master's hands.

I totally had a different twist on The Little Things but my heart felt and my fingers typed something else. To some, you're always arriving to late but to God your arrival is On time! And that matters more than anything else...

Signed,
Simply Thankful

I just Got to be Free....

And today it hit me... I've started the journey of freeing myself from what people think of me, what they've dumped on me, how they've mistreated me and how they didn't value me.. Keyword ME... I'm taking back what belongs to me. I belong to ME.. 

It's such an unexplainable feeling to let go of other people's garbage. As my journey intensifies, I'm finding that it's easy just to let it go.. IF it's not going to help me, why be bothered? If it's not going to enlighten me, why waste time giving it attention? And if it's not paying a bill, then you know the rest... HA!! 

I won't lie and say I've never held a grudge because I have. I will say, as I'm praying more, embracing Patience and truly coming to grips with letting people go: I'm freeing ME!! 

It takes more out of us to be mad. Once that negative energy is in your space it's hard to welcome Peace again.. As I embrace my new space, I urge each of you to truly start the process of letting go.. 

Trust me, once you start you'll ask yourself what took you so long? Today I embrace free.. 

" I just got to be Free, Free, Freeeeeeee"... 

Signed, 

She's free 

To Know Me.... You'd know..

As I'm continuing on my 30day journey, different areas of my life are being healed.. I've always taken pride in who I am but I'm amazed at who I am becoming. I'm appreciating Cheneka. Sunday while in service, my Pastor, Bishop Murphy asked us to hug 3 people and to repeat a mini blessing/ prayer. 

As I hugged the people placed in my area, someone said to me, ( I'm

Somewhat paraphrasing)," Can you ever be serious"? In the moment I laughed it off but it has stuck with me up until this moment. And not because I was offended( by absolutely NO means) but because while I'm on my 30 day cleanse, I'm reminded of all the times I was always super serious. As I live in this moment, day to day one of my self given tasks has been to smile and appreciate life MORE. Yes, moments in our lives require different reactions but some moments are just what they are. Either a teachable moment or a lesson learned. 

Day to day while running my business, I encounter numerous parents( mainly single moms). As I've accepted that I've been placed in most of their lives as an outlet, I've also accepted that a smile and a gentle chuckle is a definite pick me up for some of these parents. 

We never know what a person is experiencing. Just last week I was a walking sac of tears but the gentle words and support from 2 great people, kept me going. They cracked jokes, shed light and ultimately reminded me that I was better than what I was experiencing at the moment. 

My Lovies, for others to know us and appreciate us, we have to remain truthful to ourselves. My challenge is that you'll be surrounded by amazing people who bring out the silly side of you. Life is more than a serious face and going to work everyday. Life is lessons, honesty and growth.  Chose to smile each day and show up as yourself. Not who others perceive you to be.  And in return, the world will have no choice but to accept who you truly are::: YOU!!

Signed, 

I'm her & Shes Me. 

He Picked ME~

Sidenote: This piece is just me getting in touch with the writer in me.. Not necessarily how I'm feeling today BUT it is bits and pieces of my life over the years... I hope that you can relate to it in some way and understand that no matter the circumstance(even for my male readers) He picked you 2~

I once read that, when you let out the fear, upsets, highlights and lows of the day, it helps you to sleep better. I don't know accurate that statement is but here goes...

Today wasn't a good day. I felt like crying more than I smiled and sometimes just to hold it all together I had to take moments just to let it all out.

They say LOVE is blind but how do you overlook the LOVE you see daily that treats you as if you don't exist?

Water is free they say, Whelp if you have to charge me 25cent  to pour it into a cup, I'll let that cup pass from me...

You want to get ahead, but the cards seem to keep dealing you "Uno" draw 4's and Skips....

My turn has been skipped again, the call went unanswered and here I am left like a drying leaf waiting too to be blown in the wind AGAIN...

Please pick me, pick me... No!

The grass looks greener on the other side but once I jumped the fence to get a glimpse and maybe take a roll in it, there were patches of brown where it hasn't  been watered.... Gone untended...

My soul, my soul is weary...
I just want to feel like Jesus is listening but my mind keeps saying,
"Girl, he Ain't thinking about you"..
So, i keep searching in hopes that Jesus will see me
But YET I keep hearing my own voice saying
Please pick me~

But what I've failed to realize is that I was picked way before my parents thought of me.
I was picked way before the hurts, misunderstandings, lies and pains..
He picked me~
Little ole me,
The girl that was so misunderstood that even I was afraid to spread my OWN wings and HE gave them to me.
The little girl, who wanted a nose job so bad I fantasized about being called cute.

Pick Me, Pick me..
Love me like there's no tomorrow,
Hold me close to your heart to keep me from falling.
Respect me as I respect you,
Understand me when I'm not even making any sense.
Listen to my dreams,
Understand my journey.
Don't try to change me
BUT
Enhance what I've already been called to do.
Understand there can be no REAL us, until You become true to YOU...

He chose Me for this journey..
I opened my wings, that HE gave me and I began to fly.

So on today,
Although I cried just a little,
my frown was replaced with a smile.
although, I'm questioning where I am in life today,
I know new horizons and opportunities will await me upon opening my eyes 2morrow..
Tomorrow is so close, so near, I smell it
Nobody is holding me back but me and these fears...

I'm going to close my eyes and look for me..
Look for that Woman
 HE has created me to be..
She's there,
Waiting to be embraced,
and you know, the most FASCINATING part about being Me is....
HE picked ME~

A Time to reflect.....

I've been in Georgia going on three years.. Wow, I made it. I know that many people thought I wouldn't make it and that I'd go back home BUT the night we packed up the car and the last of my shoe boxes were packed onto the moving truck, I bid a goodbye to the East Coast and I'll see you when I see you...

Up until the week I transitioned from Boston to my Mother's house, I was still working as a Youth Worker for the City of Boston. Not only was I doing my Youth Work but duty called for me to wear my Post Traumatic Grief hat as well. We were called into Dorchester to help the family and the community deal with the senseless slaying of a young mom to three small children. She was shot in the head upon returning from choir rehearsal( her home church was literally around the corner). She was killed in front of her 3 young children, steps away from her grandmother's porch. I had dealt with a number of murders, some being close( children right from my program) however, this one hit me quite differently. I too am a mother. for about a week or 2, leading up to the funeral and burial we provided services and support to the family. Helping others in their time of need has always been my call in life. We helped with the basic PTS needs of the family( helping them grieve, setting them up with counseling, connecting them with the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute and the final step, contacting a funeral home and receiving money from the Victims of Relief Fund( if needed).

This young mother had alot going for. You see, what the media feed the community is not always the truth. We sat with her family hours on end just talking about Yanna. Not only that, but she was friends with my cousins and her children's father was a friend from high school. Up until the day of the service, we were readily available for the family with any thoughts, questions or needs they had.

Upon my relocation, I vowed to keep in contact with the family and I have kept my word.

As reflect on my journey and the twists and turns it has taken, its becoming full circle and I'm appreciating the woman I always was just didn't know how to fully embrace.

I'm sure you've heard the phrase, " To whom much is given much is required", that has rang in my ears for a number of years now and yesterday as I sat and listened to my Pastor teach/empower/preach I had an "Ahhh Haaaa" moment. Like I previously stated, I'm embarking upon my 3rd year in the good ole state of Ga and I can count on one hand how many people have been to visit or check up on my family and I. I must admit, it hurt because you know how people say, "Oh I'll keep in touch" and they never do?? It kinda put me in a position where I said, " the hell with me running to Boston". But, as God's words thru Pastor Murph were spoken, He said( and I quote) " The Lord is with YOU and he did not bring YOU this far to leave you".. He also said, sometimes its not that people don't care but they know deep down that you're okay and that you'll be ok. When the favor of the LORD is upon you, you're already protected. So, don't become upset when people are not checking on you, it's okay because God's favor is already upon you... WHEW, that spoke volumes to me and my life.

So, as I've taken moments every now and again to reflect on MY life, I can honestly say, It's been all good!! May not have everything I want right now BUT I have everything I NEED. As I keep growing, living, serving and selflessly giving of what I have, my time and talents my blessings are closer than I could EVER imagine.. It's funny, I always knew what I was meant to do in life was bigger than me being in Massachusetts and I'm thankful that I stepped out of my comfort zone into the unknown. It's been a tough ride some days but all in all the ride has been smoother than I could imagine~

Take sometime to reflect, you never know how RICH you truly are until you stop and just say Thank you....

Signed,
I'm Rich....