Friday Night Dinner

My Hair cut and doo!

I got my hair blown out and braided this week and here are the pictures!

Photography Session #2

I was walking in my lawn, in the midst of over grown grass was this random flower. I thought iw as worthy of capturing and then my dad came to cut my grass and I asked him to spare it, there is remains.

Genius Award

I was reminded by my mom a couple of weeks ago how I had set goals for myself in my career and the steps to take to get there and what things had to be set aside to achieve them. I still have the goals the top ones being a USAID Country Chief or a U.S. Ambassador and the teach at Oakwood College however I no longer have the steps outlined of how to reach there. I was further reminded of this lack when I listened to NPR this morning and heard that the 2007 MacArthur Foundation Genius Award winners have been announced and furthur stunned I was not among the list. But seriously that is one of my goals. I want to be a Macarthur Genius Award Winner or at the least do something worthy of the award. and that I shall do. I said this for years however from this day forward I want it and plan to outline ways to achieve it. In addition I want to speak at the National Press Club Luncheon in Washington, DC on some profound topic of interest!

From the Reading Room of O'Magazine - September 07

Page 242.

In reviewing the book Like You'd Understand Anyway by Jim Shepard, Vince Passaro makes the following comparison.

'to be able to see people in pain, lost, ruinously mistaken, and to be able even then to love them and find them funny,marks the moment when the artist most closely resembles God - which is always, secretly the great artist's ultimate aim.

I thought this statement was poetic on levels I cannot express in words. I hope you see the same.

Relationships 101

I heard a thing on NPR about the stages of grief and I thought about how it is related to a relationship that ends. I have pasted it here for your viewing pleasure.

The stages Kubler-Ross identified are:

Denial (this isn't happening to me!)
Anger (why is this happening to me?)
Bargaining (I promise I'll be a better person if...)
Depression (I don't care anymore)
Acceptance (I'm ready for whatever comes)

God's Ideal

“Higher than the highest human thought can reach is God’s ideal for His children” (Education, by Ellen White page 18). ...

The cost of my Praise

There is song that CeCe Winans sing called Alabaster Box. The Alabaster Box speaks to a story in the Bible when Mary (not the mother of Jesus) poured out a expensive box of insense onto Jesus feet. In the midst of that song it makes the statement that you do not know the cost of my praise. We do not know most times the cost of someone's praise. We do not know what they have gone thru to get to the point where they are now. One only knows the cost of your own praise. Father I know the cost of my praise ( a little at least I know there is a veil that I cannot see behind of the many times you have sent angels to protect me from the devil's attack) and my continual pray is whatever it takes to save me.

Sabbath Lesson for Me #10

Today I went to Berean after receiving a message from Tara that she was driving up and would be attending and being there was trully a refresher for me. Pastor Mendinghall preached and in the midst of his sermon he said something that I used to always say to myself about school, jobs and just life in general. He spoke of a time in his life when he was struggling to follow God's leading and how he finally got to the place where he told God whatever doors he open I will go thru. I used to really take that to heart. I have been able to travel to Ghana, Ethiopia and Tanzania because I had that attitude. However recently I realized I have not been doing that. My job had a opening that normally would not have interest me but something got my attention about it and I thought about applying but then decided not to. I am thankful for the reminder. Father encourage me to knock on doors and whatever door you open I will go thru and you will keep me on the other side of it in Christ name Amen!!!!

My 31st Birthday Picture

my new addition

Definition

Someone asked me today what is love and remembered a phrase that I learned in school.

True love is a high and holy principle, altogether different in character from that love which is awakened by impulse and which suddenly dies when severely tested.

found in Patriarchs and Prophets chapter 15, page 176

S.M.A.R.T Goals

This week I attended a two day workshop with my job titled Situational Leadership. It addressed making SMART goals and I thought about my life and one of the goals I would like to accomplish by the time I am 33 years old, and that is to be married. I have highlighted the SMART concept along with the steps I plant to take to achieve my goal.

S- Specific---------------I want to be married by 33 years old
M-Measureable---------The number of dates I have that lead to subsequent dates
A-Attainable-----------Men exist so YES
R-Realistic------------- yes 2 years ( 1 year dating, 6months planning
T-Timely--------------- read below

April 2007 - May 2008 3 or more social enagements a month
June 2008 - Dating prospect
June 2009 - Engaged
December 31, 2009 - Wedding date

Types of social events include

dinner parties ( get invited all the time but opt not to go)
Activities
visit new church once a month
referrals from friends and family

My Valentines Day 2006

This Valetines I did not expect anything however my mom and Luther came over and surprized me brought me red tulips. It was the best!!! Take a look at them

Movie Quote: The Last King of Scotland

I have the privilege to go to the movies this past week with one of my Hunger Fellows and we saw the Last King of Scotland. I did not know anything about it until Forrest Whitaker won the Golden Globe for his role as Ida Amin. It was a powerful story of friendship, the conflicts that can result and coming to terms with the decision we all make.

In the movie the following is stated to Ida Amin when he thinks he is about to die:

If you are afraid of dieing that means you have something worth living for....

Life Quote

It’s never too late to be what you might have been.”

Mary Anne Evans

A Day of Loss

Today I did not go to church instead I got a phone call from my mom telling me that a close friend of mines' son died early this morning. It came as a great shock especially in the way in which he died. I just pray for my friend endurance he has gone thru so much in the past few years. The Lord knows what we can handle.

A Tribute to my Future Husband

This week the Lord allowed every man that I was uncertain of if I was over to come into my life for which I consider a test to see if was ready to meet the man that shall be my husband. It was so amazing to me that the Lord knows it is time and just wanted me to be sure because He already knew. This was amazing to me because of the way the Lord did it. He had been preping me for it for weeks by allowing my first love who anybody that knows me well knows who it is contact me a few weeks ago. I had not heard from him in this way in YEARSSSSSSSSSSs. I just had to smile and say devil get thee behind me.

This week it happened again times four!!! It started with Monday with the most recent person in my life (DO)well actually let me go back actually it was Saturday night I got a phone call from someone and I was not phased by him calling and actually was busy at the time and did not even talk to him which is amazing I know to him and I kind of shocked myself because when he has called in the past I would drop whatever I was doing and whomever I was with. Sunday no one but then Monday and the person that showed up at my door step uninvited but definitely welcome because I needed closure and wanted to know for myself that he was more of man than his actions stated. He told me how he had stopped by on Sunday and I did not answer actually I just did not hear him I was home all that day. Tuesdays person (RB) actually passed by me and I thought nothing of his pursuit and actually laughed at it. Wednesday was my first love again (SJ) by this time I knew who Thursdays person (KD) was going to be and sure enough he called that morning before I even had time to remember that I was expecting him. God is just so awesome. I thought I might get a person on Friday but then I again I knew I was so over him that nothing but Christ coming off the thrown would allow me to look at him twice really even once.

I was thankful that I had the opportunity to encounter all these men. It allowed me to see how God has called me and is preparing me for somebody much better than all these guys. I know my first love and the most recent man in my life each exemplified true character traits that will be evident and dominant in my future husband however he will be better and trully God's gift to me. Ellen White has a quote that states: Higher than the highest human thought is God's ideal for His children. The Lord has someone amazing that he is preparing for me and I wait in expection for him to show up because I know he is coming really soon. And as I wait for the Lord to bring us together I refuse to allow men of my past whom I know the Lord has not called to distract me in my preparation. I know he is going to be better than anything I can think. I am so thankful that God thinks of ME. of me of me. WOWOWOWOWOWOWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

January 1, 2007

It is January 1, 2007. I can only say I look forward to seeing where I am a year from today. I pray I am at a new job with a great organization/company doing great work with wonderful people. I also hope that I am more involved with my church.