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Planning & Stressing…

Hello World, 

This week has been an eventful one…in my mind…Between planning my (our) wedding and stressing about it, my emotional world can go from jubilation to desperation in seconds…I’m trying my best to not make this blog about all things wedding and marriage planning, but for the next few months or so, these two areas will be uppermost in my mind as we prepare to join two into one…

A few weeks ago, I was stressing about the high costs of weddings nowadays in “The Wedding Industry Heist aka maybe I should go in the wedding planning business” and now I’m trying to discern what vendors I need to choose outside of the costs…It can be incredibly stressful, and yet it can be so much fun putting together all of the details that comprise the wedding day you’ve always dreamed of…The funny thing about it all is that I’m not of one of those women that has EVER dreamed about a wedding day. I’ve always dreamed of having that perfect relationship/marriage for a lifetime, but the wedding day stuff seemed like it was just fairy tale fluff for annoying women that been have dreaming of being princesses since they read Cinderella.

But now that I have started planning it all, I have become a bridezilla, obsessed with making sure every detail is right and cost effective…LOL…After I finish my work/chores, etc. each night, I find myself spending hours on the Internet, trolling wedding websites like Black Bridal Bliss and The Bride’s Cafe…I’ve even stayed up for almost the whole night on more than one occasion as I have planned certain details…I’m trying to not beat myself up too much about it though because I tend to throw myself in various projects as I work toward a deadline…When I was planning for the release of my book a couple of years ago, I was pretty much the same way…However, this time, it is not a book, it is about a wedding day AND marriage…

Yes, so it’s not all about me anymore…It’s also about my fiance’ too….as we get closer and closer to the BIG DAY, I’m realizing that I really need to work on compromising…when you have been on your own and making decisions by your lonesome for decades, compromise is not something I have had to work on…I have been the head of my household and have proudly made ALL of the decisions. I have decided when I wake up. I have decided when I go to bed. If I don’t feel like cooking for weeks, that is an option. If I want to turn up the music as loud as I can and dance around my home naked, no one has to know…But now, I have another person to consider…I love him, but I imagine my life will look very different a year from now…

So I’m planning and stressing…I’ve even had to repeat scriptures to myself on a daily basis this week when my mind wants to obsess…Below are the ones that have been most helpful to me…

Romans 8:28 (my all-time favorite)

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, whohave been called according to his purpose. “(I hope I’m making the best decisions, but if I’m not, I trust that God is working everything out for my good.)

Proverbs 3:5-6

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (The funny thing about being humans is that we believe we can figure out the best paths for us because we have been blessed with incredible minds. However, as we only have human understanding, we have to ultimately rely on God’s understanding and trust that He is leading us down the right paths.)

Philippians 4:6-7

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (While it is okay to be concerned about an issue, God commands us not to be anxious and worry…I must tell the truth, I have downright worried this week, but I’m working on just being concerned.)

One morning when I woke up, this song was in my spirit, and it has helped me to calm myself down as MY GOD IS AWESOME! If my God is truly awesome, I have to let Him work it all out…Check out Pastor Charles Jenkins and Fellowship Chicago as they sing “Awesome.”

Any thoughts?

P.S. I haven’t posted as much as I like, and I hope to remedy that this month…But you must forgive me if a few of my posts are about wedding and marriage planning…It’s just where I’m at 🙂

 

 

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Gettin’ My Laugh On After the Pain…’How to Testify in a Black Church’ (VIDEO)

Hello World,

After all of the news of the Boston Marathon bombing from the actual bombing on Monday to the capture of the remaining living suspect on Friday, it’s been an emotional week…I don’t know about you but sometimes the best thing to do is to find a reason to smile or laugh even if you aren’t finished crying yet…I’m sure that the city of Boston, those who lost relatives and those who were injured will be affected for a long time to come, but I pray that even while they grieve, they have moments of relief…To that end and because it’s Sunday, I decided to post a video from my favorite Christian comedy group “The Playmakers.” And this group which consists of Kevin and Jason Fredericks and Anthony Davis are on the move! They recently launched a web series with Tracey Edmonds’  Alright TV!

So without further ado, I introduce to some and present to others (LOL) “The Playmakers” in “How to Testify in a Black Church.” Watch and get yo laugh on!

Here are the four steps in case you did not know…And if you have ever been to a black church, sometimes the testimonies are even better and longer than the sermons…Can’t I get an “Amen” and a praise clap?

    1. Give honors.
    2. Repeat a popular phrase or scripture.
    3. Blame the devil for everything.
    4. Over exaggerate a story.

So what has been the funniest testimony you have ever heard in church?

Any thoughts?

 

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An Ode to Running (my tribute to the people affected by the Boston Marathon bombing…)

A Georgia Peach (by way of Jamaica) eating a Georgia Peach!

Me at the end of last year’s Peachtree Road Race…

Since the Boston Marathon bombing occurred on Monday, I’ve been trying to describe just what I feel…Obviously, the person or people who created these deadly bombs are more sinister than ordinary murderers. Not only did the perpetrators of this heinous crime want to kill people, these perpetrators wanted to instill lifelong fear which can be just as grievous as an instant murder…Even for those runners who did not lose their lives or family and friends or limbs in the bombing, they may be forced to grapple with fear for the rest of their lives…I hope that is not the case…

I came to love running as an adult which is absolutely hilarious considering my childhood. If there would have been middle school superlatives like there are in high school, I would have probably been voted “Most Likely to Be Watching ‘The Brady Bunch’ With a Bag of Chips Instead of Running.” I came in just about last in all of my physical fitness tests as a child. (Do they still have these tests?) And at Sandy Springs Middle School, not only did you have to participate in physical fitness tests, you had to run laps every spring as a part of the school’s running program. I.HATED.IT. Not only was I a little chubby, I was just about the slowest person in my P.E. class. It was so demoralizing to huff and puff as I made my way around that dusty field behind the school as I watched my friends nearly glide by.

In college, I was told that I would have to take one P.E. class in order to graduate. I was elated that I could enroll in the walking class. I was mortified when I discovered all of the walking classes were full, and I had to enroll in a running class. But looking back, it was one of the best things that ever happened to me. The class was entitled “Fitness For Life,” and it was taught by this older white gentleman who was in great shape. I was so intimidated and for good reason. I was the slowest person in the class and since we had to run around the University of Georgia’s colossal campus, I sometimes got lost…In fact, sometimes my teacher had to run with me so I wouldn’t be completely alone so far in the back of the class. But by the end of the class, I could run at least four miles without stopping, and I lost 20 pounds! The teacher told us he wanted to inspire us to be fit for life. I don’t remember his name, and I’m not sure that I would recognize him if I saw him, but I if did see him, I would tell him I that I’m STILL running, I never regained those 20 pounds, and I’m committed to being fit for life.

Since I took that class, running has become one of the loves of my life. When I run, I feel free yet connected to all that God made around me. It’s like a miracle happens every time my legs carry me mile after mile. To celebrate 10 years of running, in 2004, I began training for a marathon. When I started training with a group, my longest distance was 6.2 miles as I started running the Peachtree Road Race in my ’20s. I wasn’t sure if I could do it…after all, I am still that chubby girl who prefers chips and television over physical exercise in my mind. But Saturday after Saturday, I met my training group, and we ran all over Atlanta through upscale neighborhoods in Dunwoody, around Stone Mountain to the hood in downtown. We started off running short distances and added mileage as we could. After a while, running 10 miles was a short distance! I’m still impressed! And as we added mileage, we would start earlier and earlier in the morning, sometimes running at 5 a.m. It was amazing to be running while it was still dark and to still be running by noon! I couldn’t believe that God allowed me to achieve this…What a gift!

In November 2004, I ran the Atlanta Marathon on Thanksgiving Day. It was the hardest physical thing I’ve ever done…And to be completely honest, I was one of the slowest marathoners out there. In fact, by the time I finished, the finish line was packed up…But I don’t care. I DID IT! Even the homeless men on the street cheered me on as I made my way from Turner Stadium, past Piedmont Park, up to Lenox Mall, past Brookhaven and back….I have no desire to complete a marathon again. All of the training outside of the actual marathon takes more time than I have right now, but I still train with a running group every spring to prepare for the Peachtree Road Race…

As I reflect on the runners that were affected by the Boston Marathon, I just hope that they will continue to run in spite of whatever fear they may feel…I pray for the families who lost a loved one on Monday and for those who lost limbs…

Any thoughts?