I’m trying to NOT throw my laptop out the nearest window.
I have spent a frustrating evening trying to teach myself CapCut and Canva. All I have managed to do was make myself want to cut up on some Canva!!!
Alas, I had to tell my feels to quit acting a fool long enough for me to tell you to be encouraged.
We got this. In the meantime, beloveds, click on the link above and be encouraged. Let me know what you think in the comments. Please/thanks. How else will I learn unless I can use yall as my helpless victims, er, helpers as I do my best to BE a light?
asking for A Friend, Cassandra
#YourLifeMattersToMe
Note: In case no one has told you today: I love you. So does He.
I have been getting up every morning and preparing like I am about to start my new job.
I am anticipating.
I am rejoicing.
I am preparing for new challenges.
While you wait, beloveds, be sure to do so with anticipation. Leave dread in the past.
The unknown does NOT have to be a frightful thing. Let’s make it a delight, eh?
This day was made for us. Let’s choose to rejoice and be glad in it. Things may happen. Things WILL happen. So be it. We shall also be happening to our day!
It feels wonderful to look at the day with joy, not dread, I’m grateful for my life. I’m thankful for what I have. I’m using all that I have to make 2025 an amazing one.
Life is going to happen, whether you wanted to or not. Enjoy your life. Look up on your moments with anticipation. Every day is a gift. Unwrap it with glee.
Someone is forever trying to write my story. They are forever trying to choose the hero and the villain.
They tell me where I can not go. They let me know what things I will never accomplish.
I’m changing the narrative. I’m choosing to be the one to tell my own story. that no longer allow fear or anger or doubt to tell my story for me. I no longer allow my finances or my age or my race or my gender to tell my story. These things are but characters for me to use at my discretion.
I decide who gets on stage. I decide who gets to speak and when. I get to determine the path of my story. I can change the story anytime I choose to. I can begin a new tale. Or I can revamp the one I am currently telling. It’s up to me.
I have been enjoying the NFL playoffs. It has been really sad how some players are being talked about. Some are being called heroes. Others are being called goats and not in a good way. The word failure has been tossed about liberally.
It makes me sad the way the world now views people’s efforts. Folk are viewed as failures or successes. The try is of no consequence. The effort appears to be of no consequence.
I’m praying that we can all get back to caring about one another and embracing each other’s try. I’m tired of this cancer culture which wants to throw out someone because of mistakes. What happened to empathy, compassion and understanding? None of us are perfect. We all are doing the best we know how.
You can change your narrative. You don’t have to accept the narrative that is being placed upon your life. Speak life over your circumstances. Speak joy over your situations. Tell the naysayers to shut up.
Be sure to encourage one another. and to encourage them to change their narrative if they need to. We got this. I really do believe that people are good at heart. They’re just too many people who are giving into false narratives, into divisive rhetorics, and to chasing clicks and being part of clickbait. I choose not to be one of those.
I’m not trying to be an influencer. I’m just choosing to use my influence for good. However, much influence I have, I choose to use that to love the world as best as I can. Speaking of which, I love you.
Have an amazing day. Make 2025 amazing.
asking for A Friend, Cassandra
#YourLifeMattersToMe
Note: What are you telling yourself about your dreams? Make sure you are watering your dreams with positivity. Leave the hate to the haters. You have much too much to do. Be encouraged. You should have the things you’re striving for. You may also receive much more than you had initially hoped for. You’ll never know unless you try. Get going. The day grows short.
I’m ready to move forward. I just don’t know which direction to face.
Do I go left? Do I turn right? Do I yield? Do I stop and wait?
Ack.
EVERYTHING in me wants to MOVE. My heart wants to go somewhere. She always has. I have been afraid of her. She is afraid of nothing. She is ready to do whatever it takes.
I don’t want to disappoint her. I want to make her proud.
I’m ready to move…FORWARD. I have no idea what’s up ahead. I’m ready to find out.
Are you? It’s time for us to move in 2025. Let’s go, beloveds. We got thangs to do.
How can you rest when working, working and working some more is all you have ever known?
Being one of 13, us older kids had to babysit and half raise those under us. There wasn’t much room for rest.
Then, having to work to help out the family left precious little time for resting or foolishness like daydreaming or fulfilling ridiculous flights of fancy.
My heart longs to give in to those flights of fancy. The adult in me admonishes me to get back to work. God is silent. Purposely so. Ack!!
What do I DO, beloveds, when everything in me needs the rest but I don’t know how to put the rest down?
My mind goes to shoulds and needtos. My heart says rest. My spirit says work it out as it is tired of being in the middle.
The silence holds wonders if I am courageous enough to be still. If I can be silent. If I can rest.
I find myself restless. What do I DO? The answer appears to be do nothing. Geeeez.
Learning how to do nothing when you’re used to doing so much something is really something!
I must say I really will be glad when this period ends. I’m doing my best to hang on as best as I can. I don’t feel like hanging on today. Yet I will. I have to. So do you.
I have been doing a bit of organizing. I think I will give myself permission to watch some old movies and munch on popcorn. Who wants to join me?
In the mean time, while waiting for a life to change, get some rest.
asking for A Friend,
Cassandra
#YourLifeMattersToMe
Note: What have you been longing to do? Start doing some of those things.
Folk have been on Tik Tok and other mediums crying since the president of the United States rescinded the 1965 Civil Rights Act, along with gutting other programs and freezing federal jobs.
As a woman, a black woman, these measures are devastating, in reality, and not just in the abstract.
That being said, beloveds, I absolutely REFUSE to take up a mantle of fear, anger and hopelessness.
I CHOOSE to continue to shine my light.
I CHOOSE to continue to encourage ALL of my brothers and sisters to keep looking UP, to keep moving FORWARD, to keep loving one another. Even folk who don’t look like you or me. Especially love them.
Ah, beloveds, these times are up to US. We are NOT helpless. We are NOT hopeless.
If you are a TRUE Christian, you know that God is STILL on the throne. HE will be about being about business.
If you are not, your life STILL has an impact. If you live in America, WE make up the USA. WE, each of us, are more than a vote. We have a voice. We can act. We can choose. We can live. We can love. We can fight for one another.
To that end I say “be encouraged”. This life is short. Focus on those things that matter. Do what you can. Love as many folk as you can.
One thing we are NOT going to do, beloveds, is to give up hope. Faith WILL see us through these times.
Things are happening. All over the world. We all must make the choice of how WE are going to conduct ourselves and our business.
As for me and mine, I choose YOU. I choose to pray for you. I choose to rejoice with you. I choose to love you. I choose to root for you. I choose…
We SHALL overcome. Until then, we fight on.
Be encouraged. Get rid of the social media that is doing NOTHING but pumping poison in your spirit. Stick to that which uplifts your soul. Like me, eh?
I had to fight with discouragement again today. I told it to shut up and go back to the hell from whence it came.
Then, I rose. Then, I made coffee. Then, I hopped on here to send some love to someone in need.
What are YOU going to do?
asking for A Friend, Cassandra
#YourLifeMattersToMe
Note: We got this. Everything will be alright. It will….
NOTHING, electronically, wants to work today. I have wanted to scream, in 😤 frustration. I have made the choice not to.
I made myself:
Make a cup of ☕ coffee.
Turn on some uplifting music.
Encourage someone.
After a tune, a sip, a tap of the foot to the tunes, I found my humor again.
Life is much too short to be wasted pouting over temporary delays.
Do NOT allow temporary 😤 frustrations to keep you from having a fantastic day. I shall be saying extra prayers for us all. Make 2025 spectacular. Starting with today.
