What A Year!

Hi my loves,  

I am not much of a Happy Holidays type of person, meaning I would much rather say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year because I feel Happy Holidays is so generic but I saw the above picture and thought it was very cute. It inspired me to write this post.

 

2013 will be over very soon and this has been simultaneously the greatest and worst year of my life. How is that possible you may ask? Well some of the best and most memorable events in my life happened this year --- I got married, I bought a house, I graduated with my MBA. Some of the worst things, which I don’t care to revisit, also happened this year. I will never forget this year, EVER! I grew more as a person this year than I have all of my 30 previous years. God revealed a lot of things to me about myself and what better way to learn than through a unforgettable experience.  He shook my world, I fell and he gently helped me back up. I leaned on HIM.  Oh my goodness, what a year! 

Well, I just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas. PLEASE REMEMBER CHRIST. I feel like more and more people are making this life is about everything but Christ. And when this life is over, then what? Nothing will matter but your relationship with Jesus. I love you all, genuinely and truly.  Even if I don’t know you personally, I feel love in my heart for you. I know the love I feel everyday comes from the love Jesus shows me, it pours from Him to my heart to others.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

New "Let's Talk About It" Series

Hello! I hope you are having an awesome Labor Day weekend.

I wanted to inform my blog readers of my new "Let's Talk About It" series on my YouTube channel. Basically if you are going through any life situation that you would like me and my subscribers to weigh in on the situation with advice and opinions, please send an email to everythingebonee@yahoo.com and write in the subject line Let's Talk About It.

Your identity will remain anonymous and will never be mentioned in the YouTube video. I think this will be a fun way for us to have like a girl talk series and share, uplift, encourage others.

Talk to you again real soon :)

Living for the Weekend - TGIF

 

Living for the weekend. Most people do it and I must admit I am one of those people. I try to get through Monday-Friday as quickly as possible. The faster the week goes by the better because I can enjoy some much needed time off work. I do wonder though, if I did not have a job to go to Monday-Friday, would I really anticipate the weekend as much? Basically, I just got to thinking, every day is a blessing. Every day that we wake up and are given another opportunity to live our lives, enjoy our family, do what we are put here on earth to do is a blessing but why is it so hard to see that? Why is facebook always filled up with “Thank God it’s Friday” posts? Why do we not thank God for Monday, Tuesday and all the rest of the days?

 

We have been so programmed to go, go, go that we don’t stop to enjoy the moment, whether it is the weekend or not. There is beauty in everyday, every hour, every minute. There are things happening all the time that are really something special to praise God for, but we easily forget. These are my thoughts right now as I began to think how excited I am to be entering the weekend. There is more to life than the weekend.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, help us to realize that every day is a gift from you. Each and every day you grant us mercy and grace but we seem to overlook our blessings. Help us to have an appreciative and thankful heart for each day we are alive, regardless of the day of the week. Let us not look forward to Friday, but to each new day that you allow us to wake and live our purpose. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I'll Be Back!

It has been quite a long time since I have really blogged. Life has been so crazy, literally. I’m not kidding. Sometimes I even wonder how I made it through the day. My poor YouTube channel has been neglected also but I have great plans for upcoming videos very soon. I am in the process of moving into a new home right now it is not really easy to record videos during this transition.

 

I will be dedicating more time and energy into my blog and YouTube channel and thank you to those of you who continue to visit me here (blog) and there (YouTube). I appreciate your time and support. Believe it or not, I truly enjoy blogging and vlogging, just don’t have the time to do it as much as I would like. I am thinking about doing a vlog every day in August (VEGA). So everyday sharing just a short simple video about something in my life. It will help you all to get to know me better, too. (If you even care J)

 

Oh, I have recently been enlightened about the power of prayer. I have always believed in prayer but I have recently been shown that it is more powerful that we sometimes think it is! If you have a situation that you would like me to lift in prayer with you, please send me a message either here or YouTube and I will be happy to do so. You can go to the contact me section at the top of this blog, or if you want to contact me privately, please send it through a private message on YouTube.

 

God Bless You!
Ebonee

Trials and Tribulations

Wow! I am ever amazed at this life that we live. Although different from person to person, no one is short of their own personal struggles and the circumstances that leave us worn out and weary. Why is life so hard? Why is it so much harder for some than it is for others?

In the midst of the storm, I pray strong prayers and I praise God for it all because I know He is in control and there is nothing that I cannot handle. Although I know this to be true, I have to continue to remind myself as my patience for the craziness wears thin and tears emerge out of no where occasionally.

Dear Lord, keep us and protect us as we live our lives in this crazy world where evil knocks on our door daily.

Tag: 50 Facts About Me

God is Faithful

I am the type of person that goes out of my way to look for ways to make people’s lives a little better. Literally. If I can help you, I will without hesitation. I think that is the secret of life --- go out of your way to genuinely love and care for others. Imagine what kind of world we would live in if everyone did this. 

Unfortunately, recently I have been shown that there is evil in this world and that people don’t care. That people don’t have a conscience and they make decisions based on their own selfish wants. I’ve thought about changing who I am because the more positive energy I put out into the world, the more I get ran over and abused. But I won’t change. I am hurting, deep to my core. I am confused because I am sure this is not how things are supposed to be.
 

I still have faith in good but lately that faith has been tested. I still have faith in God and NOTHING will change that. I rest assured that no evil is greater than my Father. No weapon formed against me shall prosper. No enemy shall win while I am under the protection of the only One who is worthy of praise and worship. I am a little depressed right now but I am leaning on my Lord and he is carrying me through. I choose to praise God through the good and bad. God is faithful. Praise His Name.

They Won Second Place! #TalentShow

I was so proud of my little girl. She came to me a couple of weeks ago and told me about her talent show at school. She said that she and her friends had entered and I was really surprised. She said they were going to do a dance routine to Miley Cyrus’ song Party in the USA. Well, she and her friends practiced with her coach and music teacher after school and when I asked to see the routine at home she was too shy to do it. 

When I went to the talent show, I was surprised at how good the routine was. These are second graders but they performed like professionals and their choreography was quite complex. Needless to say I am a proud mama. They won second place. First place went this cute little boy dancing the “Gagnam Style.” 

My baby is on the far right.
 

Mindlessly Following Trends

I may ruffle a few feathers with this post but please know that anything I write it not meant to make someone feel convicted but rather just to express and different point of view in love and in the hopes that we are viewing the world with "open" eyes. This is not to say that I am right about everything but I know what I feel in my heart and I compelled to express that.

The first time I ever saw stilletto nails was in Rhianna's video Russian Roullette. The first thought that popped into my head was "Wow, she has claws." That thought has never changed. As the pointy tip, animalistic, witchlike nails have become more and more popular, I started to wonder am I just too old-fashioned or possibly not "hip" enough to embrace this new trend. It's not that. It is not that at all.

I noticed that Beyonce and Lady Gaga and lots of other celebrities were really into these stilletto nails. Fans and people who mindlessly follow everything celebrities do, say, wear, or think are quick to mimic the things that see on the internet and television. This is all I want to say with this post, PLEASE be careful with who you look up to, who you decide to mimic, who you decide to copy. If it does not feel good or right in your heart, that is because it is probably not. You know if a person is singing and promoting the things that speak goodness and truth. You also know if they are singing and promoting things that are opposite of Christian beliefs. I know everyone is not Christian, but I am, and I can only speak from that point of view.

When you say I want this celebrity's hairstyle, or my nails the way this celebrity wore it, or I want an outfit similar to what I saw this celebrity wearing, just know that it is not that simple. Do you really want to align yourself with that person and their agenda? It is more than just nails.

 

 

One more trend I must quickly mention is the scull trend. It is popular and trendy to wear scull scarves, jewelry, clothing, etc. But really, what are sculls associated with? I associate them with death. So how has death become a fashion statement?

 



God Bless You All,
Ebonee

Happy Resurrection Day!

Isn't it so good to know that there is salvation in the Kingdom of God? Isn't good to know that there is a way for you and I to have everlasting life?

God's greatest gift to his children....JESUS!


Love you all,
Ebonee

The Thief of Joy

I read this quote yesterday and it really spoke to me. Have you ever gotten caught up in what someone was doing or what that person has that you overlook all the wonderful things that you have going for yourself? Maybe you are comparing your accomplishments with theirs as far as academics, career, finances, etc. Maybe you are comparing your appearance as far as weight, beauty, shape, size, etc. You may even go so far as to compare your children with someone else’s.

STOP! The quote above is so real. Comparing yourself or your life to someone else’s will steal your joy. It will make you realize all the things you do not have instead of appreciating the many things you do have. It will breed jealously and envy in your heart, both of which are destructive and counterproductive emotions. They are useless emotions. They do nothing to help you to grow into the person you were meant to be.

 

 

We have all been blessed with different gifts. You will never be the smartest, the most beautiful, the best athlete, the best singer, and on and on. There will always be some now or later who comes along that is better. Just because you are not the best, does not mean you are not great in your own right. Just because you may not be the smartest does not mean you are not smart and should not be thankful for your level of intelligence. Do you see my point? Comparison leads one to focus on the negative. In order to live in a state of peace and happiness, you must focus on the positive….even if it’s very small things, they are still blessings. 

Instead of comparing yourself to others, if there is something you do not like, try to change it! If it is something that would be physically impossible to change, for example, if it is something you were born with (the way God created you and there is nothing you can do to change it) pray to God for the ability to accept whatever it may be and the ability to turn what could be a negative into a positive. 

I’ll end it here before this post gets too long. These are my thoughts right now. I remember in my early twenties I always felt the need to be the best. I was always comparing myself to others and the end result was always the same….there would always be a few areas that I did not measure up. I would feel really down thinking about it. Some things were my fault, I could just do better. Other things were just a product of the life I was born into. I stopped that way of thinking because it was mentally toxic. I now focus my attention on being the best Ebonee, and if there is someone out there who is better in certain areas of their life than I am, may God continue to bless them. I won’t let jealousy, envy or comparison keep me from becoming my best self.

Beyonce - Bow Down/I Been On

Beyonce has come out with a new song, or a mesh of two new songs. It seems as if with each new album, Beyonce is pushing the envelope more and more. I think with this song she has gone too far. If you have not heard the song, do a search for it on YouTube and listen to it just once so you will have an understanding of what I am talking about. Not that I want to encourage anyone to support this song, but I think people need to be aware of the reality that we are living in today. That is, music is not music anymore. Music used to make you feel good. I would attach a song to a certain memory so that when I heard the song, all the wonderful feelings associated with  that memory would come flooding back. Music no longer has that feel good vibe. You know that feeling that makes you want to love someone hard, makes you want to help someone, makes you want to appreciate the small things about someone. 

So the song is supposed to be addressing Beyonce’s haters, telling them to “bow down” to the Queen Bey, Mrs. Carter.  Bow Down as in worship? Bow Down as in show respect? I am still  trying to understand why someone would make a song asking a person or people to bow down to them. What happened to humility? What happened to being the best at something but never saying it because your work, your art, your earnings, your fan base, your business ventures, etc., all speak for themselves? If you are one of the greatest, please believe people will know without you broadcasting how great you are in a song and reminding people about how when they were young they wanted the life you live now.

Some people really love the song and that is fine. We are all entitled to our own opinion. I just personally believe there are more creative ways to reinvent yourself besides losing your humility and class and replacing it with pride and arrogance. This is the world we live in and my prayer is that things with take a turn for the better for the sake of our children and their children.

"It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels." -Saint Augustine

"Pride makes us artificial and humility makes us real." -Thomas Merton

It's Done

Last night, I turned in my very last research paper for to complete my master’s degree. My very last assignment. I am so excited. I have never felt less interested in school as I do now. I have been going to school since 2006 so I guess I am kind of burned out. It took everything in me to sit down and write that paper. In between paragraphs, I was on the internet looking at clothes and shoes, on YouTube watching videos, on the phone, lol. I was doing everything but writing that paper, I even feel asleep towards the end. I eventually buckled down and got it done but I am just exhaling right now because I am done! If I could shout, I would. That is how excited I am.

I am thankful to God, too, because I remember back when my now seven year old daughter was around one year old. Back in 2006, four years after I graduated from high school. I was 22 years old. I remember all my peers graduating from college with their bachelor’s degree. During that same time, I was only a few classes into my bachelor’s. I felt so behind. I remember confiding in someone telling them that I felt almost as if I was a failure because I should have my degree by now, too. I have always been a high performer academically with my usual report card being straight A’s from first grade through high school. Out of high school I went into the Army, so I had a year worth of training to attend, including basic training and my job training (AIT). Then since I was in the Army Reserves and not a full-time soldier, I went back home to Alabama after that year of training to start college only to get deployed (stateside) a couple of months later. Another year was spent doing Army stuff. Then pregnancy came. Then I had to find a real job to help support my new family because the one weekend a month with the Army was not paying the bills. Finally, once my daughter was a few months old I felt like I was in a good place to start back taking classes and working towards my degree. I looked up and four years had passed me by. I thought I would never complete my bachelor’s, let alone my master’s.

Obviously, over the years more children came. I now have three children and a wonderful step-daughter. I kept getting promoted into new positions at work with increasing responsibility. Even with more responsibility at home and at work, I still continued to pursue my education. It was not always easy. But as I am finding out with most things that are worthwhile --- parenting, relationships, educations, weight loss; none of those things are easy and I am better person because I’ve had to learn how to push through uncomfortable situations, push through uncertainty and doubt. All the while, God is granting his mercy upon me. God is keeping me and providing and making a way when there was no way. I don’t take the credit for any accomplishments in my life. I just know I am blessed to now be able to say that I have finished an MBA. Praise God!

Pushing Through Fear

Fear can be a crippling emotion, keeping you from doing the things that you are perfectly capable of doing. Fear whispers negative thoughts into your head, feeding your insecurities and affirming your doubts. It makes you second guess yourself. It encourages mediocrity for the sake of being comfortable. Honestly speaking, what kind of personal growth will you have if you do not challenge yourself? If you do not push through your fears and silence the voice of fear.

Any situation that I can think of where fear was present, I can truly say I survived. I made it through. Most oftentimes, I had to push myself beyond what I felt was possible and I felt sooo good afterwards at what I accomplished. There have been situations where I’ve felt really afraid to a point where my stomach is feeling uneasy, my hands are shaking, and if I were to open my mouth and speak, the sound that would come out would be an unstable nervous mess. In situations like that I silently repeat to myself over and over again, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I just repeat it again and again until I feel myself become less afraid. It works, but it only works if you truly believe you can do all things through Christ.

So what have you been feeling fear or anxiety about lately?

Taking It For Granted?

I’ve noticed lately how easily it can be to take things for granted. Things that you prayed for and so desperately wanted, once given, you forget how valuable these things once were to you. For instance, the job I currently have, when I was in the interview stage I prayed fervently for God to give me this job. I was blessed and have been working for this company since 2006. Yet it is so easy for me to complain how I don’t feel like going to work, or how I need a day off, or when given extra assignments at work I complain under my breath how this is just too much. All the while, I am forgetting that this is a job I PRAYED for. This is a job I wanted so badly and now that I have it, I take it for granted.

The same thing can apply in relationships and marriages. You were so excited when you met the person and you saw nothing but the great qualities about this person. Then as time passes, you begin to notice the little things that bother you. Things so insignificant in the grand scheme of things. You start taking this person for granted --- someone who has loved you, supported you, encouraged you and respected you. And why? Because that person leaves crumbs on the countertop or doesn’t put away the laundry or any of the million other little things that people complain about. Because you’ve taken that person for granted, you don’t express your love anymore. You don’t do the thoughtful things you used to do. You don’t take an interest in the things going on in that person’s life. Yet you prayed for this husband/wife and God answered your prayer and you don’t appreciate them anymore?

Makes you think right? I could go on and on. But those are my thoughts right now. I am guilty of taking things for granted and having a heart that is less than appreciative of the immense blessings I have been given. The first step to changing it is recognizing it, right?

Take care and God bless!

Pursuing a Path with a Dead End

Life is crazy. I am sure you will agree. It is good and fulfilling and sometimes it can make you want to jump off a bridge. I am not ready to jump just yet. I still have some fight left within me, lol.

Anyway, I have been struggling with a decision lately.  This situation I am not at liberty to discuss right now, but when I can, I will.  This situation has been ongoing for the past two years and I have put a lot of effort into making this thing happen. Every opportunity that presented itself, I’ve jumped on it. Each time I have been told no. Even in times where I was so confident and so sure that it would be a yes, it has been a no. I am not a quitter and I do not take no for answer if it is something I really want and something I feel does not go against the will of God. I know if I keep trying to pursue something that God does not want for me, I will fail. Or I may even succeed but with terrible consequences. I don’t want that.

But let me ask you, and I know a lot of people who read my blog never comment, but I am asking for a comment on this post if you are reading this. You can leave it as anonymous if you would like. How can I be certain that all these “NOs” that I am getting in regard to this thing I am pursuing is not God trying to show me this is not the path for me. I have not heard Him speak to my heart about not pursuing this thing but am I too caught it in what I want that I have missed what He is telling me? I would love to hear your thoughts…

My Lasik Experience | One Year Post Surgery

One of my Favorite Quotes Ever!

“Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they may lead.” ~Louisa May Alcott

2013 -- Being Exceptional at the Ordinary Things

My vacation the week of New Year’s ended with a long drive back to Texas from Michigan starting Saturday and ending Sunday morning. While on vacation, I was not really interested in sorting through all my New Year’s goals. I just wanted to relax and enjoy being away from home and off of work. So Sunday, I decided it was a good time to write down my goals for 2013.  I know some will not agree with me but I think this is extremely important. Not just at the start of a new year, but at the start of a new job, or new year in school, or anything you may be starting.

I think in order to be accountable for what you want in life for yourself (actions, behaviors, accomplishments), you have to have a plan. And what is a plan if it is not written down. Can you really follow a plan in your head? Can you look back to see which goals were met and which ones were not if the plan is in your head? I personally do not think so. Write it down! Review it regularly! Pray over it! Revisit it! At the end of the year, mark off the things you've accomplished and feel good about your progress.

So Sunday, I bought a little small journal from the grocery store to use as my book of goals. As I mentioned before, my motto for 2013 is to be exceptional at the ordinary things. So I wrote down all my goals, big and small ones…anything that I wanted to start doing or start doing better, or even stop doing. My plan is to read over my goals at least once a week so that I stay on track.

One of my friends mentioned that New Year’s resolutions can seem trivial and the only thing that is important is doing what GOD wants every single day. I have to agree and disagree. I agree because it is absolutely true that our main concern should be pleasing God, doing his will in our lives everyday. But I also disagree because the goals you set for yourself should be in line with pleasing God. For example, one of my goals was to read with my children every night before bed. I think my children will be blessed by this. I think this is something that will make me a better mother, and thus something that will be pleasing to God. So what do you all think about that? Is it okay to have a goal of finishing your degree or learning to play guitar or something like that, or are those things trivial compared to what is really important?

I just wanted to throw that out as something to think about. For me personally, I am all about setting goals for myself at the beginning of the year. Some may call them New Year's resolutions, it is all the same. I have prayed over them. I have asked God to show me if there is anything that I am currently doing or anything I would like to do that is not what He would have me to do. 2013 is all about becoming a better Ebonee. It’s that simple. Take care and talk to you all again soon.

Happy New Year!

I want to wish you all a very Happy New Year! I wish nothing but the best for you in 2013. Let us have the right attitude going into the new year and face adversity with prayer and a positive mind. Anything you want for yourself is possible. Don't let fear cripple you. Have a blessed year!

I am vacationing right now. I'm about to hit up this hotel gym because whether I am on vacation or not, I am trying to keep my workouts a priority. This will be the year for me to get to my ideal weight and STAY there, lol. That is one of my goals for this year.

Talk to you all again very soon.

LOVE,
Ebonee