Seeds in Bloom

This is the day that the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it! This is the day that God saw fit to remove the color barrier on the highest office attainable in America. This event confirms that all people of all nationalities can attain anything with Christ on your side! No matter what your party is or which candidate you support you cannot miss the glorious manifestation of equality that our country displayed yesterday at the election polls. With an overwhelming response from the American people each person that casted their vote knows that their vote counted, that their voice was heard and that their candidate emerged victorious. A nation with a jaded past of suppression, inequality, and brutality can now stand tall because the majority has spoken! The majority has transcended! The majority no longer judges one another based on their skin color but by character, ability, strength, knowledge and most of all by a vision that ALL Americans can be equal with a prosperous and abundant future. My mother always tells me that it may be my job to plant the seed but it might not my job to water it and see it grow. I am ecstatic that I am able to see this seed grow. The word says faith without works is void but we can say today the work has been done and the faith has manifested itself. I am filled today people…overwhelmed with joy and vindication. I can tell my 3 year old without a shadow of doubt that she can be ANYTHING she wants to be! There is no feat to tall…no desire unattainable no dream unreachable! The seeds have blossomed y’all! The seeds of slavery blossomed in to freedom, the seeds of inequality blossomed into equality and now the seeds of change can blossom in to One Nation under God indivisible with liberties and justice for ALL!

Faith in God and not the Candidate!

I promise that after the election I will go back to writing about my 1st love: Relationships and get out of this circus called politics. I swear I have never been as engaged in an election as I have been with this current election. I am not sure if I have aged enough to really be concerned or if I can now understand the direct impacts of the legislature on my life now that I am employed with a family and plenty of expenses or is it that the economy's death grip has choked so much out of me (and my pocket) that I am screaming for relief?

I’ve seen friends lose jobs. I've seen stores and restaurants close as well as watched the ability to stretch the dollar steadily decrease over the past 8 years! I remember growing up as a kid and Mom going grocery shopping for the month on a set budget. Now, the budget is out the window and most people buy on an “as needed basis” or should I say “do we really need this” basis.

Politics to me are people giving great “lip service” with Americans casting their votes with hopes that the lip service turns into “real service”. In the 2000 and 2004 elections, evangelicals and Christians alike turned out in droves to support a candidate that was against abortion and gay marriages. Now that he has been in office eight years, have the rulings on either one of those issues changed? In many states gay marriages are taking place and abortions are still legal. I am a Christian, I love the Lord God with all of my heart but when it comes to politics we have to put our faith in God and not in the lip service of these candidates. Candidates are privy to have their personal beliefs but that personal beliefs system may not always be reflected in the laws they implement while in office. Why you may ask? Because it takes more than them to make up what we know as the government. There are also lobbyists with lots of money fueling the decisions of the governmental legislature as well as two houses that have to support the bills being considered. So what do we do? This country was built on the bible but the interest of the founding fathers aren’t the interest being pursued today.

Lately the term Socialism has been thrown around and many have stated that they don’t want to choose the Democratic candidate because they don’t want to have a socialist government. My question is when the government votes and passes a bailout bill that will result in paying higher taxes to fund it are we not already being put in a socialistic situation (and that’s with a Republican candidate in office)? Is it okay to give to the rich but not to the poor who need health care and lower taxes?

As Christians it is not only our duty to uphold the Father’s beliefs regarding abortion and same sex relationships but also to care for the poor. So, how do you choose which issue is more important? Does one issue take precedence over another? What criteria do you use to make your decision on a candidate? People have with the development of laws placed criteria on sin. But the bible clearly states all sin is the same. For these reasons (and many others being explored in the political debates) it’s hard to vote for a candidate based on his religious or spiritual beliefs.

God doesn't always eliminate the trial but he will always carry the burden!

Have you ever been in a situation, a crisis when you've cried out to God “Why Me?” Has anything every happened in your life that made you question God’s purpose? This week in my family something like that happen. I was so hurt and so worried that I cried out to God and asked “Why?” Why do bad things happen to good people? God, in his infinite wisdom softly whispered to my heart “I don’t always remove the burden but I will carry it for you.” This week I truly learned something about God’s love for his people. For the first time in all my 32 years of living I understand more deeply why we experience things as Christians. Just because you are a Christian doesn’t mean that you are shielded from hurt, harm or danger it just means that you can have peace in knowing that your father has promised that ALL things (not some but ALL things ) work together for good for those who love the Lord! We go through trials because it manifests God’s presence in our lives. It makes His power and ability to perform miracles real in our lives. It makes us realize He is all powerful and He is the head of our lives and even when we have no control he does. In this situation I realized there was nothing I could do but release and let God. How many things are you holding onto knowing that you can not fix it? Knowing that the power to have peace lies in God and not in you?

This realization also confirmed that Christians struggle with worldly temptation and sin too. Our desire to live better and make the right choices stems from the love we have for God and our desire to lead a Christ-like life. For months I’ve struggled with writing my second book. I struggled because the storyline introduces external battles that human beings face. I didn’t want my readers to think that my inspirational writing style had changed because I wanted to introduce external trials, temptation, sin and forgiveness. As Christians, we have tests and even make bad decisions and terrible choices, but even then God is there in the midst waiting for us to confess and return to him because he promised never to leave or forsake us. As humans we have free will and freedom of choice and yes sometimes we will make terrible decisions but we can rest in knowing that God is a forgiving God and as the father of the prodigal son he will welcome us home with open arms.

What's up with this election?

The older I get the more attention I pay to the government and politics. This upcoming election seems to be a pivotal breaking point in America's history. Not only because there is a bi-racial man running as the elected candidate on a major party ticket, or that a woman is in line to be the VP if her candidate is elected President, but that for the first time in many years the United States is no longer the richest nor the strongest nation in the world. Republicans and Democrats alike can agree that for the past eight years this country has lost it's worth in the eyes of it's citizens and other on lookers around the world. For the first time, the American dollar has less value than many other countries around the world. For the first time, Americans are factoring in gas as a part of their household budget. I don't know about you but I cringe every time I see that $60.00 price tag when I go to the gas station every Thursday. Electing this leader could be the key to get our country back on track. This race isn't about parties but should be about which candidate has your best interest at heart. It shouldn't be about race or gender but about which candidate has the desire, will and strength to return America to it's high standards and regards. This race should be more important than having several generations of Republicans or Democrats in your family. For some of the smartest people in the world, America seems to be really green when it comes to electing qualified individuals in office to run this country. Even the scarecrow desired a brain to make wise decisions only to find out that he'd already had a brain but just needed the confidence to use it. Come on people take a look at the issues...identify what is important in your life and vote for that candidate. Disregard the party lines and vote for the person that is geared toward restoring this country to its original grandeur. Look beyond the media hype and rhetoric and make a wise decision because the decision you make will either make or break this country.

The Law of Attraction

These last few weeks have been really interesting. Since I have been knee deep in book stuff, my 1st love--“Relationships” has had to take a back seat. Although, I have plans for a 3rd book which will be about the roller coaster ride called “Single Life” which is the reason for this blog today.

I’ve had three close girlfriends meet some really nice guys. All three lovely ladies are what we call “ready for THE relationship" but in the midst of meeting these “nice” guys all ladies were missing the “IT FACTOR”. This got me to thinking about the law of attraction. I wondered how is it that a good guy can meet a good girl but pass up the relationship because the spark is missing, especially when each individual is ready to settle down.

I was flipping through the TV while on commercial break from the Olympics and I ran across the movie “Something New”. The beautiful woman in the movie had a hard time giving in to a good relationship and when she finally let her guard down to let the man in, the first mistake he made she hightailed it for the hills. Shortly thereafter, she met another great guy but the spark was not there so she gave in to her heart and back-tracked to the 1st guy. Thank goodness it was a movie with a happy ending because he was still open to the possibility of a relationship. Both women and men are some complicated creatures. Just when you think you’ve got them figured out, they throw a monkey wrench in the deal and all bets are off!

So is this attraction thing so important that we pass up a good thing? For many it is…but what happens when you meet that person you know you aren’t suppose to be with but the attraction is there? You push so hard to make the relationship work when you know the relationship is wrong. Either he or she isn’t treating you right, giving you the time and attention you deserve, not ready for a commitment when you know that you are or any of those red flags that tell you to move on. Is the law of attraction so important that we compromise our desire to be loved the way we deserve to just to be with someone that makes our boat float?

I certainly understand not wanting to wake up next to someone that I am not attracted to but I wonder if we cut the ties too soon because attraction can come in many different facets. There are many traits such as a beautiful personality, sense of humor, adventurous, interesting, cultured, confidence, style, and many other traits that don’t have anything to do with physical attributes. So, before you throw in the towel on that person that you don’t feel the immediate draw too take a look deeper into who the person is, you never know they could blossom like a swan and very well be the person for you.

Seize the Opportunity

I am a big believer that God gives us opportunities but it is up to us to take advantage of the door or window that God so graciously opened. This past weekend I went to the 49th Delta Convention in Orlando. I brought several books with me with hopes of selling a few. I honestly was a little disappointed because books sales weren’t going as I thought. It was really busy and the venue was very crowded, but beyond the clouds there was sunshine. While sitting next to a fellow sorority sister during the step show, she encouraged me to take a book to the host who is also a comedian on BET. Well I got my courage up and took a book to her and she in turn gave me a shout out in front of at least 5000 women!!! The very next day I was able to shimmy myself up to Sheryl Lee Ralph, Suzzanne Douglass and Michael Eric Dyson to give them books as well. I had to step out of my comfort zone and take advantage of the opportunity that God created for me. Now, I have no idea if anything will come of these efforts (I pray it will) but this experience taught me to believe in myself, my gifts and my God! And sometimes he gives us confirmation of us walking in the path that he has set for us…Suzzanne Douglas actually told me that she could see the book as a movie! Guess what? I originally wrote the story as a play!!! God has big things in store for me…I know he does! So keep believing in your dreams because what he has for you is for you!

The Drop Zone

Often I wonder about God’s will and how His will lines up with our lives. He gave us the ability to make choices but if we choose incorrectly then our wills are not lined up with His. I had to grow to understand that God knows what our choices will be even before we make them but just because he knows them doesn’t mean he made us make that decision. He gave us a little thing called “Free Will”. He didn’t create us to be robots but individuals who freely praise and seek Him.

When our choices are line up with His will then we are where my pastor calls “The Drop Zone”. In the bible God used the ravens to feed his servant (1Kings17; 4). Do you know what kind of bird the raven is? He is not one known to share his food but when God uses someone (and we are obedient to his will…thus inline with His will) it doesn’t matter what their tendencies are He can take the lowliness creature (the most unlikely person) and use them to achieve the goal of blessing you! Now isn’t that amazing…even our enemies become our foot stools! The “Drop Zone” is that special place where God drop our blessings on us. The place were He can open up the windows of heaven and the blessing can flow freely down on us. Take a look at your life and determine if you are indeed in the “drop zone”. Are you in a relationship that is not flourishing? If so you aren’t in the drop zone. Your mate could be around the corner but because you continue to force something that obviously is not fitting you miss your blessing…or delay them. Are you at a job were you don’t feel fulfilled? If so you may not be in the drop zone. That promotion or peace of mind could be right around the corner but because you are afraid to step out on faith you are missing your blessing. If you aren’t in that divine place were the blessings He has stored for can fall on you freely then as the old people say you could be “blocking your blessings”. You move into your drop zone! Don’t let the ravens pass you by!

A Relationship Tune Up

When men use analogies many times they relate everything to cars. As women we may not understand that all the time but in some cases the car analogy works! Every few months you take your care in for a regular tune up, whether it is an oil change, rotating tires, changing break pads or air filters. If you don't do these simple maintenance tasks the cars longevity is compromised. If not regular maintenance you at least put gas in your car once or twice a week (even if it does cost you $4.00 a galloon). If you don't get gas then guess what? Your car won’t run.

I recently learned relationships need tune ups and or full ups just as often as a car does. Many times we get bogged down with our daily lives and the one person we are supposed to love unconditionally is put on the back burner. I never really understood what it meant for married couples to break up after many years of marriage because they “just grew apart”. I always wondered what it means to “grow apart”. After being married several years I now understand how easy it can be to "grow apart". But you don't have to let this happen...that's were "Tune Ups" come in place. Relationships need daily and monthly servicing just as your cars do. It’s very easy to let your lives grow in different directions. It’s very easy for you to take the one that is suppose to mean the most to you for granted. If you don’t handle this delicate relationship with care then as a car does without gas your relationship will stop running.

So here are a few tips to keep your relationship oiled up and running smooth:

Daily care:
Gas up your relationship: Say I love you daily. Stop for a kiss on the cheek, a wink of the eye, a simple compliment, take on your partners tasks for the day, go on a date, and stay up late talking, laugh with and at each other and most of all pray together…simple things to “SHOW” you care.

Long term care (some of these things require planning):

Tune up your relationship: Read a relationship book together (ex: The 5 Love Languages, Power of a Praying wife/Husband, Men are from Mars Women are from Venus)… attend a relationship conference, or plan a get away…with just the two of you. Remember a relationship is an active viable engine that needs a tune up every once in a while…pay attention to yours and don’t let it die!

Friends

Today I am hosting my version of Oprah's "Legends Ball". Unfortunately I won’t be giving away diamonds and John Legend won’t be serenading us but it will be special nonetheless. The legends in my life aren't ones you will see on television or on a magazine cover but the individuals I call "friends". About 8 months ago I had knee surgery. This was no walk-in-the-park knee surgery. For 5-months after the surgery I was unable to walk or drive. It was debilitating because I am known as a "busy bee". This was the hardest thing that I have had to experience in my life and trust me I have experience some things. God used this time to teach me to lean and depend on others...this is were my true friends came in. They were there cooking dinner, bringing food for me and my family, calling to check on me, coming by just to visit and most of all having unconditional love. The surprising thing is people I thought were close to me weren't there for me...people that I had just met within months came to my aide with no questions...it was amazing! Today looking back I feel so blessed and today I want to honor these individuals. Recently I saw the highly acclaimed movie “Sex and the City” this movie reminded me of what friends are and how they stand by your side thick or thin, good or bad…happy or sad! So if you have individuals in your life that meet the definition of “true friends” honor them in a special way…let them know how they have impacted your life. True friends are rare so if you have them in your life you are blessed!

New Paper Article

I am excited to write that the1st news paper article about me and the book was published today in the DFW Quick! It is an amazing feeling and I hope many books sells result from the article. The article took a spin on the book...it addressed the impact on weight on the single life. It was very interesting to talk about weight issues and insecurities from the single life prespective. I think if you aren't confident in who you are as a person whether a size zero or sixteen your dating life can be impacted negatively. The first step in being successful in anything you do is feeling confident in who you are as a person...on the inside and the outside. The persona you give off is like honey you can either attract bee's that will cutivate you and help you to grow or flies that will eat away everything until there is nothing left. So love yourself first and all that is good and intended for you will come your way!

Creating Publicity for your book?

Being a new self published author is not a cake walk. After you've written the book, edited it time and time again and finally released it to the world for everyone to critique and review there is a little thing called sales and publicity. I was not at all prepared for this part of the deal. My first stab at this field that I am clueless about was to send emails to everyone I know and have them send emails to everyone they know. I've learned this either doesn't work, people don't read emails, I have some cheap friends and they do too, or the only way to sale a book is if I have the physical copy right there in my head ready to hand it to my potential buyer. I have only sold 13 books on amazon and maybe that many on my website. It is very discouraging when you don’t see immediate sales. At this point I am not sure if I should send another email (which will make 3) or should I start using pat-and-turner and go door-to-door. I really want this to be a success but never did I imagine that I would be the person at the club with flyers…who knew? Well if any of you reading this know what direction is up when it comes to a successful launch of your 1st book please help!

A Big Girl's Blues

Okay this is my 2nd time trying this. I hope it works this time. I am the new self published author of "A Big Girl's Blues". I am very excited to release this fictional story from my heart to yours. Here is a little about the book: This books deals with the struggle of image and self-worth. The story line takes you on a journey through the life of Jasmine Tucker a successful advertising executive who is unhappy with her exterior self due to her weight. Her insecurities hinder her from living her life’s potential and purpose. After several eye-opening events Jasmine realizes that the journey of being thin is actually a journey of living your dreams and being healthy and happy on the inside and out!

I am sure you will find this short story to be inspiring and motivating. It's also a great gift idea!
Book can be purchased on amazon.com or at my website heart4writing.com
This journey has been long, trying and a labor of love. I will keep you posted on the journey and my up's and downs as I reach for my dreams!