Courage...

Today was my first day of working out. I am a bit sore but it felt so good to complete a 30 minute walk (with one rest break) and break a sweat.

Before my workout, I went to 8:00am service and it was communion Sunday. As I took the break and drank the "wine" I had an epiphany...that I need to have the courage to pray and take control of the things in my life. Courage to stand up. Courage to say no and mean it. Courage to not let my relationships bring me down, but build me up. Courage to not let my desire for someone be greater than my desire for God. I know that it is a long road for me and it's going to take me to get on my knees and pray that God will embody all of that in me and so much more.

So as I begin my workout/exercise routine, I have to remember to have courage to break out of my mold and to rise above it all!

Have courage and love yourself, but most importantly, LOVE GOD!

ARGH!!!!!

I just have to share my disgust today for the little virus that has invaded my body and made me sick. My throat is scratchy and my tonsils feel ashy. I sound like a dude, or as my co-worker put it, "you sound like Tone Loc!" So far I have a mixture of things in my immediate view. Cheratussin for cough, Amoxicillian for any infections, cough drops and a shot of tequila every once and a while :)!

Oh I forgot

So what I failed to mention is that I've sort of started talking to a guy I met about 2 months ago. It's "sort of" because we have started on the wrong foot when we began talking. He's a great person but I know that there are some things that he's not telling me or cares to share. Maybe it's too early but then again, it's never too early to say the important things that are in your life. Anyways, we will see how this goes and I already see we might just be enjoying each other's company and that's it.

Ok, now I'm going to bed for real.

Hey ya'll (in my southern Paula Deen drawl),

I missed writing on my blog and hopefully I will devote some more time to it. Here's what has been going on with me since the last time I was here.

1. I went on vacation with my family to Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. It was so nice to get away from DC for a week and relax. I will say that I wasn't too impressed with Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Not to say that it's not a great place but touring the island, you see all of the poverty and people working hard to care for their family. It made it to the point where there are serious hustlers just trying to make a living. Maybe I will visit another area of Jamaica.

2. I was in New Orleans with my job for 11 days. ELEVEN DAYS!!!! And I didn't even enjoy it. It's hard working and being a tourist when you don't have the time to even get to see the sights. The trip really worked me to the bone and has me doing a lot of thinking. I can't say what the future has for me but I know that I can't become complacent. Eventually it will be time to move on to something different.

3. As soon as I got back from NOLA, I went to "home" for my family reunion. It was great to see so many family members and meet new ones. But I will tell you, who ever planned it sure has a small town mind. I am not saying it has to be an extravagant affair but so much more could have been done. That is why I asked to be on the committee for the next reunion. We can do so much, not just for the family reunion but those of us who live in various areas around the country.

4. And lastly I'm sick!! :( I was out of work today with a sore throat, swollen tonsils (they felt like they were going to jump out), a terrible cough and congestion. I've been taking nasty cheritussin and amoxicillin (just in case it might be strep). And I snuck in a little tequila and some of the swelling went down. I might go back tomorrow but I am going to make a sick call to the doctor.

Anyways that's enough of my boring life so far. Going forward, I am going to try to think of positive topics for my blog cause it doesn't have to be negative. I am a positive person so we should keep it like that.

Until next time....

VACATION in 5...4...3...2....

I can't WAIT!!!!!!!! Friday night, I will be in Miami, a day ahead of my cruise on Saturday. I am so excited because I need a break from the rat race of Washington, DC.

The only downfall of it all, I dislike packing for anything. I don't want to over pack but I feel like if I don't pack it, I might need it. Such a dilemma. Hopefully there is a Wal-Mart or CVS near the hotel.

Okay Bye!

Appreciation

I strongly believe that people are placed in your life by God to 1) realize love 2) realize true friendship 3) realize growth within yourself and 4) realize the negativity that you don't need in your life. All in all, whatever category that person falls under, we gain a teachable moment to apply in our daily walk. That all came to fruition when I received a card from a dear Soror who took me under her wing when I came back home and when I moved away, all I can do is return the favor.

Every time that I have a life change or I just answer a question for her, she sends me, through the mail, the nicest card with the sweetest words. It makes me happy and cry because someone thinks enough of me to send me something truly from her heart. And I try to figure out what to get her, but for her, the only thing she will accept is a thank you.

I appreciate her and love her like she was an older cousin that always looked out for us.

Appreciating the Little Things

In this life, we all want some piece of the American Dream. What wasn't told to us was that you have to work extremely hard and take small steps to even achieve a slice of that goal. And boy this has been a climb that has tuckered me out.

The one thing that I can say in achieving all of this is that thank God for my parents teaching me to appreciate the little things so that I won't go so gung ho on the big stuff. Okay if I get a new car or a new TV, I will be overjoyed, no doubt about that. But it doesn't have to be the top of the line or the priciest of them all. As long as it does the function that it's suppose to do, I am happy.

That even includes my paycheck. I know that with the money I earn on the 15th and the end of the month, I can take care of my household, my food, my transportation and whatever is left over, a little fun.

Okay so enough with my rambling, but let me say this, in times where money is funny, change is strange and jobs are hard, just remember that the littlest things should be appreciated because without it, you wouldn't know what you really have.