God

Some Days It Cracks Me Up

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I like the internet, but can’t keep up with everything that happens.  I am usually behind when I finally catch on to something that has been trending a while.

Mostly because whatever is trending is blowing my mind. By that I mean it is really stupid, or it’s pretty wow or it just can’t be figured out.

But sometimes it is just stinking fun.

So with that. I am on team Laurel. I know right. Blew my mind. I went to several sights to listen to it. All the time, Laurel.  It was weird. Then I went through the house and made others listen. Yanny. Can you believe I live with a bunch of Yannys? But doesn’t it speak to how unique we all are?

Then I kept seeing this woman on the phone on some of the craziest memes. And I asked myself, what is that all about? This woman called the police because some people were grilling in a park.  That was stupid and so the internet went to town on her. And you know it is funny when you have friends and family from all over the place sharing the different memes.

This one here made me stop and take notice.

20180517_142623.jpgWhenever there is a shifting in the atmosphere there is one I call, but you can’t get Him by phone! This meme cracked me up.

It is also something that should make you stop and think before you do something someone else can make look stupid.

Yet in addition to that I read Black Guns Matter, a dehumanizing president is the most openly bigoted one ever and American Christians love it, our freedom is slipping away as we focus on the wrong things, when we put ourselves before the ones we love we end up missing the greatest day of their life and how to define my own success.

Instead of a small world that consist of my four walls, my work friends and a few people I have stayed in touched with over the years, I am drowning in a world of photos, quotes, prom and graduation photos of people I will never meet, vacation spots I never knew existed, clothing that will train my waist (lol),  exercisers, travelers, dance recitals, remarkable looking food, a valiant history that reminds me how long and hard we have fought for freedom, and I love every minute of it.

Thanks for sharing your life.

 

They Inspire Me

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I have spent the last couple of weeks drawing. I have done over 30 images of women who inspire me by the way they live their lives. They have supported me in all sorts of ways. Drawing all of them has been hard. I have literally worked until I couldn’t look at a computer screen. My eyes grew cloudy and burned continuously late into the night.  I have learned how to handle new details of how to make each drawing better. As I learned new things, I had to resist the urge to go back and do it to the drawings I had already completed.

I have written stories about how these women’s lives have pushed me on. It is such a blessing to live in a community where there is good life. You are surrounded by good life, just step outside yourself and see.

This woman here is good at everything she does. She dances. She draws. She helps others. She loves her family. I love watching her life because when it is all said and done, life will be broke and she will be rich. She is using it all.

Keisha

 

My Praise

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For Lent this year I wanted to praise God through my art.  It was hard to be creative and get my message across. I used some familiar verses that spoke to me, and some that fell fresh on my ears.  Here are some of my favorite pieces.

Knowing What You Are Called To Do

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Have you ever had someone say something you know, but once they say it it actually becomes clear? What I love about my relationship with God is that  He doesn’t just say something to me, He gives me a full 3D experience to make sure I get it.

The speaker said “We are not called to be successful. We are called to be obedient.”

This word encouraged me to the point I almost shouted right there! God used my whole weekend to make this point.

Sometimes when we are doing things we were called to do we have a goal in mind, but it is not the same goal as God’s.  There is a feeling that if He calls me to it, He is going to make me successful in it. Sometimes all He wants from us is to show up. We assume that He calls us to places to win the big prize or make the big deal.

Saturday started with me finishing last in a 5K.  I mean the very last person to walk across the finish line. When I finally caught up with the police officer  who managed the traffic for the race, I asked if he was afraid I was going to jump on his bike and ask for a ride because he pulled off everytime I got close. He laughed and went on home.  I kept walking. I finished the race. (Now I wasn’t trying to win, but I later learned that I was not called to be successful, just to be obedient.) Somedays it is about us showing up.

2018 5K

No matter how many things are on my agenda for the day I still have to manage my business. Later that evening I sat down with my marketing plan and saw there were some holes in it.  Usually, I would get frustrated and chuck it. I would look for something else or contact a consultant.  But I came to a better understanding that I was not called to be successful, just obedient.  Somedays it is about showing up.

This statement reminds me that God’s plan doesn’t look like man’s plans.  As long as I am obedient, I am moving in the right direction. My obedience is success in God’s plan. You have to learn to listen to God and not all the people around you sending you in the wrong direction.

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Finally, this evening as I was standing in a hallway, I watched a little boy have a melt down while the adults around him didn’t know what to do. The adult in me said leave those people alone, I don’t have a dog in this hunt. But the Holy Spirit who is quite familiar with me, said you know what needs to happen.

So his father put the little boy down after I asked if we could pray.  After seven years as a children’s leader, you know how to listen for the Spirit speaking to you.  You see this morning the pastor taught us that we are all in a struggle and God is waiting to rescue us.  We just have to give Him our struggles.

I don’t know if the little one will understand what we prayed for, but I know that success was not my goal. It was being obedient to the Holy Spirit. The God I love gave me all of these expereinces that mean one thing on earth, but something different in heaven. This will be a year of letting the outcomes go.  You see He didn’t call me to be successful. He called me to be obedient.

1 Samuel 15:22

 

 

 

 

 

15, 16 and 17

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Let me warn you now, any good you see in me is really Christ because there is no good in me except for Him.

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15. I did not set out to do this, but as I looked back on it, I have to say I am impressed with God.  I did stuff for others and required nothing in return.  Atleast once a quarter I donated blood or platelets. It may have been more because sometimes  went when they called. But atleast once a quarter I gave so someone else could benefit.  This year I also reached out to my friends and we raised money for a family that adopted 4 children into their family of five.

16.  I learned to do new things on social media.  I started sharing my art on Instagram. It challenges me to see the world differently and use the things I learn. It makes me tell a story in a few shots.

I.love.twitter. There are some of the most wittiest and clever people I have never met. But there are also some of the most stupidiest. I have found hope and joy in the words of others. I have found laughter that almost stops my breathing. And I relish the moments I can join the fight.  There is absolutely nothing like when twitter goes in on a person. ( If they ever go in on you, shut up. Do not respond you will only feed the fire.) i.love.twitter.

 

17. I took some great photos this year and surpassed my goal. There was a good combination of families, individuals and events.  They all made me look good. Thank you.

Doing 17 things that I had not done before was not easy. Sometimes it was really hard to do things differently or step out of my comfort zone. I had to think about what I was doing because it is easy to do the same things you are comfortable with, but what does that really get you.  What new thing are you learning? How are you stretching your current skill set? Since next year ends in 18, there will be 18 different things on my list. I look forward to what the year brings.

I challenge you to look for 18 new things to do next year. As you accomplish these things, take a photo and share it with us.

Peace and Hairgrease.

Sometimes the thing you fear the most

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is the thing that blesses you the most. I learned many years ago that when that thing you fear the most comes upon you, let it. It is in those moments you meet God in a whole new way.

Let me explain. I had been praying over some things waiting on God’s answer. Writing in my journal and waiting. Some of the strangest struggles I have ever experienced came upon me. Imagine all of the things you feared happening all together at one time. Ladies and Gentlemen, this is where your bible memory verses come in.

When your situation starts to deteriorated, you have to remind yourself of who God is.  You won’t always have access to your bible or the app when Satan starts reminding you how dire your situation is.  You got to know God’s word. Remind yourself of God’s character. He said he would never leave you or forsake you. (Heb 13:5)  He said He knows how to give good gifts (Matt 7:9-11) You must trust what He is giving you is good even though the world and people around you will tell you it is bad.

Because of my struggles this week, I got to spend time meditating on Lecrae’s new album, All Things Work Together. Wow. What an incredible young man and powerful prophet! I love how God speaks to us through vernaculars we understand. I could relate to his need to be “Black Black” and a “prophet who visits the chicken shack.”

God knows me well. He knows what gets my juices pumping and what inspires me. He knows my heart and how to reach it.  As I listen to the words of this album and hear this young man’s story I can’t help but say “God, you are so awesome!”  I can’t do nothing but praise Him.

More than anything, I found this young man’s journey compelling.  He shared his pain and his triumph. His rhymes draw a picture of a real life poured out to Christ.  He is not a fake smile who only wants to talk about Jesus, but a real person who dealt with depression, anger and doubt. And he took it all and ministered to us.  But God told us our sons and daughters would prophesy (Joel 2:28)

What I prayed over for months, He answered in a moment. He taught me through the words of a rap album.  A song said “Crooked sticks draw straight lines.” Sit on that, cause we the stick. We ain’t doing the drawing.

Sit down and let the Lord of the Universe draw. He gives us the grace to take it.

Once You Get You Some Learning

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They can’t take it away from you. I learned about art and spent time with aspiring artists.  I learned to draw and process black and white film and create digital art.  It gave me different eyes to look at the world with.

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I don’t know what your 2018 will hold, but I hope you choose to do something that will change your point of view about the world around you. I hope it will help you look at the world though another lense.  I hope you will try to do something you never thought you could do.

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These are some of the 17 things I did this year that are different from what I have done in the past.  Each year of your life, that you are able, you should explore this amazing world that God has placed you in.

MY P 1

My faith has been stretched in 2017 like it has never been before. I have had some of the best laughs of my life on Twitter. And I learned how to make an incredibly good grilled cheese sandwich.

It doesn’t cost anything to live life. Go

Peace and Hairgrease.

A Different Type of Christmas

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I love Christmas and it is my most favorite time of year. Ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you this girl loves Christmas.  By this time I have usually finished Christmas cards and got them in the mail with my Christmas Letter and Christmas Photo. I would be half way through Christmas shopping and planning who I will be celebrating with.

This year there are no christmas cards, no christmas photo, no letter,  no presents, no parties and no shopping.

There are two finals, 1 photo project, 1 drawing project, a couple of photo packages, an unkept home and a cold that will not die.

BUT I still love Christmas. I mean think about this. The Creator of the Universe loved us so much that He came down from heaven to see about us.  He didn’t try to keep His apartment in heaven. He didn’t go home to heaven every weekend to kind of help Him get used to our ungratefulness.  When the choice came for Him to lose communication with heaven, He gave it all up for us.  We were important to Him.  (How can you not fall for a man who will do that for you?)

I love Christmas because He didn’t come on His terms, He came on ours.  He came as a human baby raised by human parents. He dealt with poverty, rejection and death. When He says He understands what we are going through, we believe Him. We got a wonderful counselor, a mighty God, everlasting Father and a prince of peace!

I don’t have to shop for this. I don’t have to send cards.  All I have to do is accept the free gift He offers and spend eternity with Him.

I do have a Christmas tree which reminds me that even though it is strong and sturdy, it is the lights that give it the beauty.  The same is true of us. We may be strong and sturdy, but it is Christ’s light in us that give us our realy beauty.

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I love this season and how it changes people’s hearts. I hope it changes your heart.

Merry Christmas

Black Friday Sale

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For Black Friday, these books are on sale for $.99 or $1.99.  Read fun books about African American women living life to the fullest. There are novels and devotionals. Something for everyone. Check it out, you won’t be disappointed.