Just Saying

Why should you celebrate?  Well, why not?  You’ve done something well – Celebrate it!  You’ve survived and lived to see another birthday – Celebrate it!  You cleaned out your extremely messy closet – Celebrate it!  Sometimes, you’ve woken up and managed to get out of bed and get dressed – heck Celebrate it!

Celebration doesn’t have to look any particular way.  Sometimes it can be a big fancy part, and other times it’s a smaller gathering of friends and/or family.  Celebration can be unique as you having a cup of your favorite tea in a fancy cup, wearing your comfy pajamas and watching a classic movie on TV.

My point is that there are always going to be things that are unpleasant in our lives that we focus on.  Why not flip the script and focus on some good things?  Life gets hard and busy and it seems to go by so fast.  We should take the time to celebrate the big and little wins in our life where and when we find them.  It seems like such a simple concept, but we often don’t manage to do it all the same.  Start taking a minute or two everyday and think of something that you want to celebrate, and celebrate it however you choose.  I guarantee you’ll start to see a shift in your life!

Community means “a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals”.    Having community has always been important but it seems so crucial right now!  We were not created to be alone.  Genesis 2:18 says “It is not good for man to be alone.”

I know a lot of people struggled with loneliness during the pandemic.  I, on the other hand, thrived in 2020.  I loved being at home and not having to leave the house.  FINALLY, I was able to work from home and not sit in Atlanta traffic.   I caught up with tv shows and reading and enjoyed zoom calls with family and friends.  It was all great…… until it wasn’t.

2021 came and the effects of Covid hit my life.  I found myself spiraling between anxiety and depression.  I couldn’t visit my family for fear of getting and/or spreading Covid during air travel.  Losses came at a rapid pace.  The news reports were continuously grim.  I started feeling alone and suffering from insomnia.

Enter my yoga community.  This group of 15 women, ages 32-72, kept me going.    The connections I had with these women blossomed and they became my support.  We’re all so diverse in backgrounds, upbringings, and experiences, yet we all come together and back each other up.  It’s a small and beautiful glimmer of how Heaven will be.  It’s true that when you help someone else, you don’t focus on your own issues.  I got my hope back!!!

Find your community and keep them close.

I had several names for you including “The Bank”, but I usually called you Superman.  You didn’t like it, but we would go back and forth and eventually always laugh about it.  You were just that to me!

I’m thankful for the pandemic because it gave me daily chats with you.  Although you always wanted me to figure things out for myself, you gave advice because you could hear the desperation in my voice when I called you.  You prayed for us and over us all every morning without fail. I still called for special prayer requests throughout the day.  It was always comforting to me just to hear your voice when I was stressed out or worried about something.  You consistently listened and occasionally chastised me when necessary.

Family vacations were our jam.  You were especially my partner in crime on cruises and we had a ball!!!!

You always sat quietly at busy social functions, taking everything in – observing.  Even though you preferred to be alone, you were always there when we needed you.  Everyone knew they could come to you because you listened without judgement, heard what was said and would respond directly and to the point. 

I mentioned to you how much I take after you, and I’ve seen so many more ways since.  I’ve missed you so much these past seven months!    I feel like I’ve lost my biggest supporter.   

Happy Heavenly birthday daddy!   You’ll always be my superman!!!

This is the first one without my dad.  I’ve been dreading this day for weeks now.  I’ve made no plans other than to go to church.  Want the day to be pretty low key.

I dreamed about him last night.  Well, actually I dreamed that the four of us were together as a family again.  Laughing, talking and doing our norm.  I postponed getting up because I didn’t want to let him go.

I reached out to several friends that are going through the same thing I am this year.  It’s a club that none of us ever wanted to be a part of but over this past year 7 of us find ourselves as members.  Some answer, and we are all praying for each other to get through the day as unscathed as possible.

After a truly motivating church service, I find myself talking to several friends that want to make sure I’m okay.  The afternoon passes quickly and then I complete my normal Sunday “get ready for work Monday” chores.  I check in on my sister and my mom and we have all made it!!! 

Happy Father’s Day in heaven daddy!!!

For four years, I’ve been in a place of trying to move forward but somehow going nowhere.  I’d take two steps forward and end up moving (it seemed) five steps back!  Then I was left wondering how I ended up there.  The struggle has been real!!!  Crying, begging, and praying for a breakthrough!

February-March 2023, I felt like a switch had been turned on.  The brain fog lifted.  Clarity and hope returned.  I am able to dream again.  I am, dare I say it, joyful!

I’ve procrastinated.  I’ve found excuses.  I’ve done all my Type A craziness, but here I am.  I’m finally being obedient to what I’ve felt called to do.  I’m being vulnerable and honest in a public space.  It’s exciting and scary.  It’s exhilarating and terrifying.  Ultimately, it’s so freeing!!!

I’m just saying…..