I did NOT want to get out of my comfortable bed. Just did NOT want to get started, for some reason.
So, I did the next best thing: just got started….*shrug*.
Once I got started, I could get started on the rest of my day.
Turns out, by just getting started, I got myself started, which made me start rocking out, to some fab music, which started my dance moves, which started joy up in my spirit, which started my day to rock with me.
Me and my day started handling the business of the day. Which caused God and Life to get started on Their part in my day. So, me, my day, God and Life ALL started to be about life’s business.
Seems like we can come up with a billion reasons to not do what we could do if we knew we could do with what we had to do the thing with!….lol…..
God and Life have equipped us with ALL we need to succeed in this thing called life. And, the extra things, to help us out, They can, have and shall provide for us.
We already have enough obstacles to overcome. No need adding in doubt, fear and their ilk.
Your best will be what is best, for your situations, your circumstances. All you need to do is to give all you have, TRY, and wait.
The outcome is not for you to concern yourself with.
All you have to give is all you have. Don’t give yourself such a hard time. Don’t compare your journey to other folks. Most of them hiding, existing, pretending anywho. You just keep on being you, doing you, TRYing, giving your best, loving best you can.
The rest will come out, in the wash.
Remember, beloveds, there is only one YOU. No one else has what you have to give. No one, but YOU can do what God and Life has called you to do. No one else, can be all YOU can be. There is NOBODY else like you. No one.
All you have to give, beloveds, is all you have. May as well give your all, don’t you think?
Don’t forget to cut yourself some slack today, and moving forward. Cut others slack, as well. We all doing the best we can.
Yea, we all get on each other’s nerves. We all we got, yall. But, we all we need!
ALL times pass. Both good and bad. This time is at it’s end, beloveds.
YYYYAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!
We almost home, yall. We fixin’ to pull up into the driveway of our dreams!
Til then, rock some tunes. Dance a lil bit.
Take time, from the pressin’, to let the situations, circumstances, nay saying jokers know of who they be messin’ with!
We may get down, at times. Yet, we NEVER quit. We NEVER give in. We NEVER give up.
For, we KNOW, we have got this!!!!
YYYYYYYYYYYASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!
Be optimistic!
Tell pessimism, skepticism and all them other isms to go on ahead and kick some rocks!!
In the meantime, beloveds, don’t you EVER forget you are:
Loved.
Seen.
Heard.
Respected.
Represented.
Awesome.
Inspiring.
You changing lives, yall, just by being YOU. Just by using your TRY, EVERY DAY.
Your circumstances WILL bend to your will. They will. Just have to keep on keeping on til ya aint gotsa keep on keeping on, ya feel me?….trying to sound hip and cool. How did I do?…..hahahahahahahahahahaha!!
HA!
Laugh at fatigue. Ask it ‘what you all tired of chasing me for?’. I have a lotta more.
Shrug at hard times. Ask it ‘is THAT all you got for me? Child, please!’
Dismiss ALL things and peeps who tell you that you can’t make it, that you can’t take it.
HA!!
WHAT DO THEY KNOW???!!!!!
Mark this day, on your calendar. One day closer, one step closer….
To what?
Only God and Life knows and They ain’t tellin’. Is for YOU to find out.
As for me and mine, well, I am fixin’ to get ALL God and Life has promised me.
1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
This was a tough weekend. Not going to lie. Whew! I hung in there. Barely. Will take it. 🙂
I kept telling myself to be ‘stedfast’. No matter what. No matter how I was feeling, not feeling, wish I was feeling, wish I was NOT feeling!
That’s the problem with living ‘in the meantime’. Our feelings, our flesh, just don’t want to hear it, at times.
It’s easy, then, to get ALL up in our feelings and want to pack up our toys and go home already!!!
It’s far easier, to live in the sad of the thing, instead of the mad, of the thing.
Much, much easier to allow myself to get annoyed with the wait time, then admit, experience, deal with how damn long Father’s Day weekend was!
Easier to get frustrated, at the length of the journey, then to recognize true and lasting change takes time, effort, TRY, effort, time, effort, TRY, effort, more TRY, more effort, waiting, waiting, waiting, more TRY, more effort. Rinse and Repeat.
Knowing those things, I CHOSE not to give in to the easy. I stayed with the hard. I kept TRYing. I allowed myself the space to sit with the sad of missing my dad.
I ran the dishwasher. I collected the trash. I made sure to eat. Made sure to rest, best as I could.
ALL I can do, all we can do, is to continue to stand fast. No matter what. No matter where. No matter how.
Our circumstances have NOTHING to do with standing, with living, with loving, fully. We either stand, live and love, or we don’t. Simple as that.
God and Life are not at all interested in our excuses. Neither should we be.
I did not want to lose my dad. I did not want to lose my dad. I did not want to change jobs. I did not want to lose friends and coworkers from Covid.
I do not enjoy waiting decades for unfulfilled dreams. I do not enjoy watching friends and loved ones going through things I can’t change for them.
Nevertheless, I stand.
However, I fight on.
Our want to will not always want to.
So what?
Folks who we care about will not always care for us.
So what?
Things we strive for may be a long time in coming or may never come.
So what?
The yes we are longing to hear may always be no.
So what?
Stand.
Standfast!
Be stedfast.
Unmovable.
Real talk: It’s not about your want to, beloveds. It’s about your ‘will you?’
Will you, beloved?
Will you, continue to stand, live, love, give, grow, no matter what, no matter where, no matter why, and no matter who?
Tell your want to that you are going to!
Tell your want to to get after it, then get after it.
Today, may be your day.
Tomorrow, may be your day.
Your day, may never come. The way you thought it would, should or could.
Keep going, beloveds! We almost there. We almost home. If we weren’t situations, circumstances, people, the enemy and all manner of things would not be desperately trying to convince us we will never get there. If this were true, those things would leave us to our helpless and hopeless selves.
HA!
The race is near the end. Keep going, in the meantime. Keep living, in the meantime. Keep loving, in the meantime.
Will today be the day where we get to win, finally?
Will today be the day where we lose, yet again?
Will today be the day where we give up on our dreams, on ourselves, on those never coming promises?
We won’t know, though, if we don’t go, if we don’t grow, if we don’t show up.
Showing up, EVERY day, is not easy.
Showing up, not knowing today’s outcome, is not easy.
Showing up, understanding we may lose the whole ball game today, is not easy.
Yet, we win, EVERY TIME, we push through, show up, and TRY.
The more we show up, the more we TRY, the more we come to realize how precious and priceless this ‘in the meantime’ can be if we but ALLOW it to be.
The more silent Life and God is during this ‘in the meantime’, the more I find out about me.
I find out how much I really do care. I find out at times I wish I didn’t care quite so much. I find how strong I am. I find how weak I actually am.
I find myself cheering me on more, doubting myself less. I find me giving myself more of a break. I find myself giving me less of a hard time.
We show up, at the starting line, hoping there will be folk cheering us on. We hope there are folk, hooting and hollering, along the way. We hope there are folk, waiting with a towel, an encouraging word, a hug, at race day’s end.
Often, we find, we have run, alone. Yet, again. We find, we have had to encourage ourselves. We find, we have to care for ourselves, at the end of the day.
The small victory, won, just in showing up, was viewed only by put own eyes.
*sigh*.
Sure would have been nice, we think to ourselves, to have had a cheerleader, a supporter, a caregiver today.
Whats the point, we sometimes ask, to keep showing up when there is no one to support, cheer, lead us on?
Do we, then, show up for them, for us, for God, for Life, to be seen, to win, to gain trophies, to grow, to live?
Who knows. Who cares. You could ask me those questions ten times and I could give you 25 different answers depending on my mood.
The point is to keep showing up. No matter what. No matter why. No matter where. No matter who.
We can not win, the race, if we don’t show up, for the race.
Keep showing up, beloveds.
If no one shows up, but you, so what!
Keep showing up.
If no one believes, but you, so what!
Keep showing up.
If no one tries, but you, so what!
Keep showing up.
If you show up, and lose, today, so what!
Keep showing up.
You can do this, beloveds.
You CAN.
You WILL!
We will make it, together, eh?
God believes in you.
Life believes in you.
Won’t you, beloveds, believe in you? You have doubted you, long enough. How about some extra TRY, on your behalf.
Your efforts, your striving, your TRYing has NOT been in vain.
Yes, it seems as though your efforts have come to naught.
Yea, the struggle still feels like a struggle and humungous waste of time.
Yea, the silence, the world, circumstances, situations all seem to be wondering why on earth you have not given up yet.
Yes, all this hollering, into this huge void, called life, seems to be resulting in the same old, same old.
DAMMIT! WE ARE TIRED OF THIS SAME OLD, SAME OLD!!!
We are ready to SEE something.
We are ready to BE something.
We are so ready to HAVE something.
Where are You, God and Life?
You promised to show up, to show out, if we did our part.
We are doing our part. When will You do Yours?
When…*sigh *.
Aha! The in the meantime, of this waiting, of this TRYing, of this striving, of this believing, of this loving, of this living, is getting a bit heavy.
God, Life, we need for You to show Yourselves, on our behalf. Fight for US, as we fight for You, for others.
We are not even sure if we can tell you how hard it is, living in the meantime. It’s not just that it’s hard, God and Life.
We can deal with the hard. It’s the silence, it’s the not knowing how long this time will last, it’s the not knowing of things will ever be as we hope or long for them to be.
We will keep TRYing God and Life. But, we need, rather we ask to see some signs, soon.
We could use some grace, some hope, some peace, and some joy, to help us keep on keeping on.
Help us to know that our efforts, that our TRY is not in vain. Help us. Help me. Help me to remember we got this.
We got this, beloveds. Keep going. No matter what. No matter where. No matter who.
Remember, you are NOT your broken pieces. You are NOT your pain.
You ARE:
Amazing.
A world changer.
A champion.
Believe. In YOU. God and Life believes in you. You got this. As do I.
Your efforts were NOT done in vain. You gave your heart. You gave your all. It is enough. As are you.
Don’t give up. Not quite yet. Stay til the end of the movie. It will be worth the wait.
Your TRY causes Heaven to try harder, on your behalf.
Your TRY is changing lives, is changing your own.
Even, when you can’t see, the outcome. ESPECIALLY, when you can’t see it.
See, God and Life don’t want you bearing a needless burden. They don’t want you thinking you are responsible for making the thing happen, for changing the situation or circumstances. Yes, your TRY helps God, helps Life, moves things along. Yet, it is God, it is Life, who does the thing, changes the situations and circumstances.
God and Life, are The Cooks. We be the servers. Servers don’t plan the menu. Servers don’t cook the meal. Servers don’t worry about the number of patrons. Servers serve. And, collect the tips! 🙂
ALL God and Life requires is your TRY.
Did you know, beloveds, your TRY is soooooo important, folks get jealous, the world doesn’t like it, the enemy detests it, circumstances and situations are terrified of your TRY.
So, they all gang up on you. See, they are desperate to keep you from KNOWING how valuable your TRY is, how CRUCIAL your TRY is. How we ALL need your TRY. Tell them to all go kick some rocks!
Don’t you DARE let others, situations, circumstances or any other thing or person lie to you and convince you that your TRY doesn’t matter, that your works and your words don’t matter.
They do.
YOU do.
Your TRY matters.
A great deal.
Beloveds, you may never see the results of some of your TRY. Is it only the results you seek? Or, do you TRY, do you LOVE, do you CARE, do you SHARE, to be of service?
Now, there is absolutely nothing wrong with trying in order to get an expected outcome. Nothing at all wrong with day dreaming and working towards the dream, goal, relationship, situation.
The trick, the challenge, the heartbreak, is the knowledge that our TRY may not give us the outcome we were looking for. In fact, the exact opposite may happen. Or, something completely unexpected may happen. And, THAT unexpected may not be to our liking.
Our TRY, that we were hoping would benefit us, may well benefit someone else and us not so much.
Can you be okay with the results of your TRY?
Do you TRY only to gain, for yourself?
Do you TRY only to gain, for those you care for?
Do you TRY, in order to gain recognition or accolades?
Do you TRY, so long as the answer is yes?
Do you TRY, so long as the situation, relationship, job is easy/comfortable/rewarding/(insert your own words here).
Will you continue to give your TRY, when the answer is no?
Will you continue to give your TRY, when the going gets rough and stays tough?
Will you continue to give ALL of your TRY, when finding out your TRY will only benefits strangers you will never meet, outcomes you will never receive, recognition you will never ‘earn’?
Will you hold your TRY ranson, until God and Life gives you things the way you think you SHOULD have them?
Will you without your TRY, from loved ones who have disappointed or hurt you?
Will you take back your TRY, from God and Life, when you think They have disappointed or hurt you?
Does your TRY comes with strings and conditions?
For God?
For Life?
For others?
For YOU?
Does your TRY have a shelf life? Is there a limit on how much of your TRY you will give/live?
Will you TRY, still, when God and Life asks you for the extra effort you don’t feel or think you have?
Will you give your TRY, to others, knowing some may dismiss, disregard, deny your TRY?
It’s important to be honest. With yourself. With God. With Life. It’s not easy. TRYing, trying, trying, trying, trying while hearing nothing, receiving nothing, having nothing….*sigh*.
Our TRY is needed, beloveds.
There are lives God and Life can only reach with YOUR hands, with YOUR heart, with YOUR love, and with YOUR TRY. This is why you are where you are at. Not to punish you. Not to make you wait, needlessly, endlessly. But, because others are in need of you, in need of your TRY.
Keep going, beloveds.
Keep TRYing.
No matter what.
No matter where.
No matter who.
Your TRY will be honored. Your TRY is being honored, now, even as you see no fruits of your labor.
Aha!
Your fruits, your rewards, your crowns, your jewels, ARE being stored up for you, EVERY TIME YOU TRY.
Rewards gained, forever earned, forever changing your life and the lives of others. Just your TRY is changing you, changing your circumstances, changing your situation, changing your perspective.
“I have NO idea how I am going to make it to Friday!”
That’s what I told my wombie, last night. ALL I saw was THREE MORE DAYS of existing, when I had barely scraped through Tuesday. Friday seemed so faaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr awwwwaaaayyyy!!!
Just thinking about it had me despairing….hmm……
AHA!!!!
Instead of staying, PRESENT, I was tornmenting myself imaging how hard the next day, then the next day, then the next day would probably be.
Fretted and prayed. Prayed and fretted. Realized, dummy, since you prayin’ what the world you frettin for???
Got some act right, right quick.
Prayed and asked God and Life for grace for tomorrow. Fought the night, to win the dawn. Lost, yet again…..*sigh*.
Yet, woke, still tired, but grateful/hopeful/joyful. God and Life had filled my morning with peace, THEIR Peace. No, I did not yet have peace of mind with missing mom and dad so. Yet, I had PEACE, in my heart, deep within my soul.
Peace my parents rested, in PEACE. Knowing this, well, it gave me peace. On top of this, God gave me His Love, His Peace, His Care. I felt LOVED, jamming to CeCe Winans, drinking coffee, thinking on good times I had with my parents, having a FANTASTIC cinnamon roll, getting geared up to attack and win my day.
I had completely forgotten about how I was supposed to be all tore up and despairing all day and the next day and the next day.
NOT!
God and Life makes EVERY day, FOR us. To ENJOY. To LIVE. To LOVE. To GIVE. To RECEIVE.
Yes, the day may also contain some tough moments, some rough moments and on and on. Yet, those are just moments, beloveds. We do NOT have to ruin an entire day because some moments were rough. We have the rest of the day to make the best of the day!
YYYAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!
Grief did NOT have the last word.
Loss did NOT have the last say.
God and Life did!
YAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!
I am so very thankful I made the CHOICE to stay PRESENT. I did not waste the day reminding myself how tough yesterday was. Yesterday is gone. Today, is what I have. It’s ALL I have. I am doing my utmost to use it wisely.
I’m glad I did not hide, under the covers, away from my wombie, away from myself, away from God, away from Life. Have done that way too many times, in the past.
Life is short, beloveds. Stay PRESENT.
Worry not, about what tomorrow may bring.
WHATEVER tomorrow brings, it brings God and Life with it! How awesome is that???! How bad a day could it EVER be KNOWING you are not alone in it, with it?
Life is Good. Even when it is hard. ESPECIALLY when it is hard. The hard gives us new opportunities to stand, live fully, love relentlessly, give endlessly, rejoice constantly, work consistently.
HOW GREAT IS THAT!!!!!!???
Don’t fear tomorrow, beloved. Look forward to it. Keep moving forward. It WILL be worth it, in the end.
Keep on stretching, beloveds. Keep on enlarging your tent, keep on opening your heart, keep on making your circle larger and larger and larger to contain all the love, dreams, hopes that God and Life have prepared for you.
Why Can't I Be Loud?! 