Lessons

Are we there yet? The weekend? Yesss, finally. This week has been one for the record books...but to God be the glory. I truly believe that I'm in a season of lessons. School is in and I'm definitely being taught. In a few weeks, I will be the age after 39(refuse to say it until it gets here...maybe). You are never too old to learn, though I am being taught lessons that I thought I have already mastered...guess not. In the mist of it all, I'm trying not to turn cynical. Proverbs 23:7, "As a man thinketh, so is he." Lessons: Things and people are not always what they seem, to get a deeper understanding for some things, you have to have folks in your life who are a bit wiser, sharper, and stronger than you, if you want a King, you have to quit messing with the Joker, and above all God has to be your foundation. Dropping the microphone because what can I say after that? Even if you don't agree with me, thank you for taking time to see it Jen's way.

"Rest"

I am a busy body(not in a bad way). My issue is that I'm not used to just "resting". How many of you know that what you won't do, God has a way of doing for you? The lesson is listen to your body, it will always let you know...something is not right. The bigger lesson for me is that I can't do everything...though my mind tells me that I can. I have to admit that I do take on too much, but there is stuff to be done. I'm learning that I'm not always the one to have to do it. Not at the expense of my health anyway. I am trying to sit on my hands, but it is hard for me to do. I have taken too many naps to count, way over daytime tv, have posted things on facebook/twitter that reminded me why I gave it up for 40 days in the first place...This is the blessing, One's destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things. ~ Henry Miller. Just have to recondition my mind in dealing with "resting." Thank you for your continued prayers and concern. I'm going to continue to "rest"...Even if you don't agree with me, thank you for taking time to see it Jen's way.

Resurrect or Leave Dead???

Sunday was the Resurrection Day...Jesus pulled the ultimate, "I'm backkkk". Shhh, that is where the power lies. To Resurrect something means that it was dead and brought back to life. It has been my experience in all of my years, that sometimes it is best to leave some situations dead. You have shed tears and declared closure...let it stay dead. Now if resurrecting that situation will make you 125%, or overall is life chaning for the better, then by all means; start CPR, get out the AED machine and shout clear as you shock life back into that situation. Here is the lesson: Unlike Jesus who focused on the result of the resurrection, rather than the painful process; we focus on the situation that hurt us so badly, that all we can think of is stopping the pain. The blessing is no matter if you decide to resurrect or leave your situation dead, fix your eyes on Jesus. Hebrews 12:2-3, " Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart". Even if you don't agree with me, thank you for seeing it Jen's way.

Week's...End

Le Sigh, the end of another work week...To God be the glory. Tired, but my mind is thinking, so I am up to keep my mind company, lol. Not worried about anything, but just thinking. Good Friday service at church was awesome, this weekend in the Christian faith sums it all up. The blessing is not only in the crucifixtion of Christ, but also his resurrection...Amen. In a few hours I will be participating in my first of seven 5ks for the year. March of Dimes is a great cause, even if you don't support this particular cause...please support one. This weekend is the release of Tyler Perry's new movie, "Madea's Big Happy Family". Please support him because well he is a genius...and he makes entertaining products to bring to the masses. Shhh, you are the masses. This weekend has alot going on, try to get out and do something...Life is too short for anything else. Even if you don't agree with me, thank you for taking the time to see it Jen's way.

Choices...

Choice is very key to our everyday life. We make choices as simple as what to eat for lunch to something as complex as accepting Jesus as our personal savior. God uses people in our lives to comfort, direct, and intercede, but when it comes down to it...we alone must make the critical choices in our lives. Here is the lesson, as adults we must be willing to deal with the consequences of those choices. Not only that, LEARN the lesson that comes with every choice that we make. The blessing is when we have the Lord in our life he gives us the necessary ways of looking at things, pulls back just enough to show us his will, and then waits for our response. Psalm 37:4, "Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Who wouldn't choose that? Even if you don't agree with me, thank you for taking the time to see it Jen's way.

 

5 Essentials in the Heart of a Man

I was cleaning house in my Facebook Inbox(some of you I inboxed toooo much), and I ran across the 5 Essentials in the Heart of a Man by Michelle Mckinney Hammond and I just wanted to share. Learn the lesson and get the blessing... 

1. He should be moved to provide for you.

2. He should be moved to protect you.

3. He should see himself as the solution to your needs or problems.

4. He should guard your reputation.

5. He should have to go through something to get you, not because you are a victim, but because you are a good woman.

 These are 5 qualities that should be present in the heart of a man you are considering for a mate. All of these elements came together in the heart of Boaz in the story of the young widow, Ruth.

Trying too hard...

Trying to make this transition back to Facebook/twitter work. I have come to the conclusion that I'm trying too hard. It is not suppose to be this hard, they are social media networks...that's it. So if I have something to post, I will do so, if not then I will not. How simple is that? Le Sigh, no Oscar award to be won from this situation. Getting out of my own way and going to enjoy my Tuesday. Lesson: "Man stands in his own shadow, and wonder why it's dark." Shhh, the blessing is getting out of your own way. Even if you don't agree with me, thank you for taking time to see it Jen's way.

Not the same...

First day back to Facebook/twitter...its not the same for me. It has me asking myself, could a person change so much in a 40 day period? Yes, because when I left 40 days ago...I was looking for something different. In the mist of looking I found ME. The "new me" has to find her way unto the old Facebook/twitter. It is like jumping double dutch; the rope is turning, just have to find the right moment to jump in...Hmm, time will tell. In the meantime, preparing for a 5K this weekend. Thanks to Zumba, a sista's cardio is niceee. This 5K is for the March of Dimes, which will always hold a special place in my heart. Le Sigh, to prevent a mother from having to go through half of what I have experienced, I will walk, run, skip, and jump to raise money for the March of Dimes. Job 6:25, " How painful are honest words!"...putting down the mic. "If I never live to see another day, there is nothing I would change or take away. I had so many ups that they far outweigh my downs..." Even if you don't agree with me, shoulder shrug, its my testimony. Thank you for seeing it Jen's way.

Phenomenal Woman

Phenomenal Woman By Maya Angelou 

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.

I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size   

But when I start to tell them,

They think I’m telling lies.

I say,

It’s in the reach of my arms,

The span of my hips,   

The stride of my step,   

The curl of my lips.   

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,   

That’s me.

I walk into a room

Just as cool as you please,   

And to a man,

The fellows stand or

Fall down on their knees.   

Then they swarm around me,

A hive of honey bees.   

I say,

It’s the fire in my eyes,   

And the flash of my teeth,   

The swing in my waist,   

And the joy in my feet.   

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

Men themselves have wondered   

What they see in me.

They try so much

But they can’t touch

My inner mystery.

When I try to show them,   

They say they still can’t see.   

I say,

It’s in the arch of my back,   

The sun of my smile,

The ride of my breasts,

The grace of my style.

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

Now you understand

Just why my head’s not bowed.   

I don’t shout or jump about

Or have to talk real loud.   

When you see me passing,

It ought to make you proud.

I say,

It’s in the click of my heels,   

The bend of my hair,   

the palm of my hand,   

The need for my care.   

’Cause I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

In Conclusion...

Home Again? Well, my 40 days are at an end, and its time to go home...to Facebook/twitter. I posted this video from the super group of my era, New Edition because of Bobby Brown...and one line of the song that goes, "I stand here all alone confused cause I like living with and without you." I have come to the conclusion that I can live with and without Facebook/Twitter...I'm not pressed. This is definitely a change from about 40 days ago, when I inhaled Facebook and exhaled Twitter. When I go back and read my journal entries from 40 days ago, I don't even recognize the person writing them. I was at the fork in the road. My essence of who I truly am is still the same, but I'm different. What started off as a "work thing" to lent something for 40 days to be on one accord with my co-workers, turned into so much more. By the way, out of 25 only 4 made it through to the end. Overall I think lessons were learned by all. By any means, this 40 day "Lent" didn't miraculously make me this super perfect person, but it did open my eyes to some things that needed to be addressed in my life. So in conclusion, thank you for sharing this journey with me. Even if you don't agree with me, than you for taking the time to see it Jen's way.

"Dear God"...

I wanted to share this song with you; "Dear God" by Smokie Norful. It comes highly recommended by Tyler Perry, whose opinion means alot to me. I literally cried the first time I heard it. This song can be all of our testimony. The song says, "And if I never live to see another day, there is nothing I would change or take away. I had so many ups that they far outweigh my downs, Lord I thank you for my life." "Dear God" truly has encouraged me and given hope and I hope it does the same for you. Even if you don't agree with me, thank you for taking time to see it Jen's way.

This Too Shall Pass...

This Too Shall Pass...

If I can endure for this minute
Whatever is happening to me,
No matter how heavy my heart is
Or how dark the moment may be

If I can remain calm and quiet
With all the world crashing about me,
Secure in the knowledge God loves me
When everyone else seems to doubt me

If I can but keep on believing
What I know in my heart to be true,
That darkness will fade with the morning
And that this will pass away, too

Then nothing in life can defeat me
For as long as this knowledge remains
I can suffer whatever is happening
For I know God will break all of the chains

That are binding me tight in the darkness
And trying to fill me with fear
For there is no night without dawning
And I know that my morning is near.

Helen Steiner Rice

My Day...

Today has been one Le Sigh after the other, but to God be the glory. It started by being awaken by the brief but effective thunder storm, that made an appearance late in the post midnight hour. God does his best work, when we are suppose to be sleep so that we don't get in the way. Our problems always look more manageable in the morning...if we trust God to see us through. Psalm 143:8, "Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust: cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You". By my day's end, I lost something, gained something, taught something and learned something. In the mist of it all, God has been so good to me and I just had to tell you so...Even if you don't agree with me, thank you for seeing it Jen's way.

Hater...

                                                             Hater by Maya Angleou

A hater is someone who is jealous and envious and spends all their time trying to make you look small so they can look tall. They are very negative people to say the least. Nothing is ever good enough!

When you make your mark, you will always attract some haters...

That's why you have to be careful with whom you share your blessings and your dreams, because some folk can't handle seeing you blessed...

It's dangerous to be like somebody else... If God wanted you to be like somebody else, He would have given you what He gave them! Right?

You never know what people have gone through to get what they have...

The problem I have with haters is that they see my glory, but they don't know my story...

If the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, you can rest assured that the water bill is higher there too!

We've all got some haters among us!

Some people envy you because you can:
a) Have a relationship with God
b) Light up a room when you walk in
c) Start your own business
d) Tell a man / woman to hit the curb (if he / she isn't about the right thing)
e) Raise your children without both parents being in the home

Haters can't stand to see you happy.
Haters will never want to see you succeed.
Most of our haters are people who are supposed to be on our side.

How do you handle your undercover haters?
You can handle these haters by:

1. Knowing who you are & who your true friends are *(VERY IMPORTANT!!)

2. Having a purpose to your life: Purpose does not mean having a job. You can have a job and still be unfulfilled.

A purpose is having a clear sense of what God has called you to be. Your purpose is not defined by what others think about you.

3. By remembering what you have is by divine prerogative and not human manipulation.

Fulfill your dreams! You only have one life to live...when its your time to leave this earth, you 'want' to be able to say, 'I've lived my life and fulfilled 'my' dreams,... Now I'm ready to go HOME!

When God gives you favor, you can tell your haters, 'Don't look at me...Look at Who is in charge of me...'

Watch out for Haters... BUT most of all don't become a HATER!

Almost...To The Finish Line...

Today is day 33 with 7 more to go. I can truly see the finish line and and I'm almost there. My assignment was to give up Facebook/twitter for 40 days, but I also got schooled in lessons of life that I will carry with me forever. In 7 days, I will have an Independence Day so to speak. How many of you all know that Freedom is not free? I paid a heavy price for some of the lessons that I learned, but it had to be this way. James 3:2, "We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check." No one is perfect and usually when we slip up it has to do with what comes out of our mouths. Keeping our mouths closed more often means we are listening more. Listening is one of the hardest things to do. We always want to give our 2 cents worth, shhh here's the lesson; sometimes our advice is not even worth the 2 cents. Here is the blessing, Proverbs 10:19, "When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise." Even if you don't agree with me, thank you for taking the time to see it Jen's way.

LET IT GO!!!

LET IT GO!!!

By T. D. Jakes

There are people who can walk away from you.
And hear me when I tell you this! When people can walk
Away from you: let them walk.
I don't want you to try to talk another person into staying with you,
Loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you,
Staying attached to you.
I mean hang up the phone.
When people can walk away from you let them walk.
Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left.
The Bible said that, they came out from us that it might
Be made manifest that they were not for us.
For had they been of us, no doubt they
Would have continued with us. [1 John 2:19]
People leave you because they are not joined to you.
And if they are not joined to you, you can't make them stay.
Let them go.
And it doesn't mean that they are a bad person it just means
That their part in the story is over. And you've got
To know when people's part in your story is over so that you
Don't keep trying to raise the dead.
You've got to know when it's dead.
You've got to know when it's over. Let me tell you something.
I've got the gift of good-bye. It's the tenth spiritual gift,
I believe in good-bye. It's not that I'm hateful,
it's that I'm faithful, and I know whatever God
Means for me to have He'll give it to me.
And if it takes too much sweat I don't need it.
Stop begging people to stay.
Let them go!!
If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you
And was never intended for your life, then you need to......
LET IT GO!!!
If you are holding on to past hurts and pains ......
LET IT GO!!!
If someone can't treat you right, love you back,
And see your worth.....
LET IT GO!!!
If someone has angered you,
LET IT GO!!!
If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge......
LET IT GO!!!
If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction......
LET IT GO!!!
If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets
Your needs or talents
LET IT GO!!!
If you have a bad attitude.......
LET IT GO!!!
If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better......
LET IT GO!!!
If you're stuck in the past and God is trying to take
You to a new level in Him........
LET IT GO!!!
If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship.......
LET IT GO!!!
If you keep trying to help someone who won't even
Try to help themselves......
LET IT GO!!!
If you're feeling depressed and stressed .........
LET IT GO!!!
If there is a particular situation that you are so used to
Handling yourself and God is saying
"take your hands off of it," then you need to......
LET IT GO!!!
Let the past be the past. Forget the former things.
GOD is doing a new thing for this New Year!
LET IT GO!!!
Get Right or Get Left .. Think about it, and then,
LET IT GO!!!
"The Battle is the Lord's!"

Thanks...

Merci, Gracias, and Grazie...any way you say it, it comes out thank you. I just wanted to thank you for taking the time everyday to read my thoughts. This blog started off being a means to an end for my "Lent" hiatus from facebook/twitter, but it has developed into so much more for me. Thank you because I know you have "stuff", kids, spouses...and just life. Not only do you take the time to read each blog, but you email, text, call, and just come up to me and comment on them. Muah to each and every one of you. "God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say Thank you"? Even if you don't agree with me, thank you for taking the time to see it Jen's way.

Storms...

Storms are powerful. Metro Atlanta had a storm Monday night, that folks have yet to recover from. In our lives we have storms. We have to decide if the storms are from the enemy or God. If it is from the enemy, it has to eventually cease, but if it is from God, we will have to surrender. God will allow a storm sometimes to access the stability of our  friendships, relationships, marriages, jobs, and finances. Storms are designed to rip up what wasn't stable to begin with. After the storm, we get a fresh start. Everything has been destroyed and has to be rebuilt. Start anew and build on a firmer foundation, so that if another storm comes we will be able to withstand it this time. If we can't rebuild, learn the lesson from the storm and move on. Hanging around the debris and residue of the storm will increase our risk of continuing to get hurt. Get the the blessing, Psalm 20:7; "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." He is bigger than any storm we will ever face. Even if you don't agree with me, thank you for seeing it Jen's way.

Be Still...

Watch, wait, and whoa...words that all mean  Be Still. In the days and times that we live in,  Be Still is but a figment of our imaginations. Our days worth is judged by how many items we have checked off our to-do list. Psalm 46:10, "Be Still, and know that I am God". This command is so difficult to obey because it means relax and let go. Let go? It takes all I have to keep everything in my life in order as it is. The command also says, "and know that I am God. Ah Ha...this is where faith comes in. I have to trust that God is big enough to meet all my needs. And that he loves me no matter what. In our microwave, get it from the web, let me email or text you, and dinner is take-out world, as never before we need to be still. God doesn't want us to be still for the sake of resting. He wants us to have deep intimate fellowship with him. He wants to speak deeply into our hearts to renew us, so that we can be able to be what he called us to be. If only we would be still and give him the chance. Even if you don't agree with that I said, thank you for taking time to see it Jen's way.

Priorities...

Priorities... first things first, or as my Pastor says keep the main thing, the main thing. However you define it, it basically means the order of importance of the things you have in your lives. It has been said that if you want to know a person's priorities check their checkbook. Whatever you deem important, you will spent money on it. Do a check up on the things that have priority in your life. You will never conquer what you never confront.  If it's stuff like cars, houses, your job, or even money, you might want to check that. Of course God should be your number one priority. Proverbs 3:6, "In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success". Make your family a priority, spend time with your mate and do things with your kids. It may not seem like a big deal now, but the seeds that you sow now will reap a harvest later on in your life. So while you are checking for the latest jaguar, penthouse, and getting overtime at your job...try checking your priorities. Even if you don't agree with what I said, thank you for taking time to see it Jen's way.

Season of love...

The month of April is upon us and today is the first day that it actually feels like Spring. Sitting here going through my mail and discover 2 invites to weddings. So it is also the season of love. It is refreshing to see folks still willing to give the one thing that makes the world go round another chance...love. I say another chance, cause both of the invites that I received are from folks that have been down that road before. Instead of jumping the broom, they probably should have taken the broom and swept the person out of their life, lol. You live and you learn. Hopefully, lessons have been learned that will take them to "death do us part." Relationships are difficult and require sacrifice. If you desire someone who is sincere and worthy of your love, time, and attention, then you already have to be sincere and worthy of that love, time, and attention. God is not going to give you anything that you are not ready for. Even when God gives it to you, you have to put in work. Nothing is perfect. That is why God has to be that foundation for that relationship, when times get difficult, that is what you stand on. Before all of that, take time to "fix" you. Learn, heal, and forgive. There is a difference between being needy and being needed. Two people who are whole are ready to add or multiply to the other person's life. So bring on the RSVP, gift registries, and wedding cakes...it's the season of love. Even if you don't agree with me, thank you for taking time to see it Jen's way.