Hello Courage

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. -Joshua 1:9

I admit to you yesterday, I wasn’t very courageous. Doubt and fear had me feeling like I was trapped in quicksand. I couldn’t breathe, I was shaking. I was trying to take a step forward in my life to create a permanent, stable home for my children. I’m buying a house, as a single parent, it scares me to death.

Yesterday, I had to put down the money at the Title Company. Money, I’ve been saving for a moment like this. Money, that at that moment, I really wanted to hold on to.

After praying with a friend at the office, calling friends to get reassurance, I got the gut to walk my shaking self into a title company with a check.

As I sat down in the office, there was this full-of-life woman that was on the other side of the desk. She just started chatting it up me, telling me about her daughter, and how she raised her, by herself.  I told her, “I get it, I’m a single mom too.”

At that moment she turned around looked at me, got the biggest smile on her face and said, “you are my favorite kind of client.” She explained how the office was full of single moms that have bought homes.  She encouraged me that I was doing the right thing, we cried, and hugged… at a Title Company!

She was my angel that God used to remind me that His promises are real.  As I walked out of that office with my sunglasses on to hide the tears in my eyes of joy and accomplishment, I remembered that Courage isn’t just a nice idea, it’s a command.

I can’t find anywhere in the bible where it commands us to be weak and safe. But, over and over again we are reminded to be strong and courageous.

I’ve heard it said that, “Courage isn’t the absence of fear, it’s having fear and moving forward anyway.”

So, just like I can walk in a Title Company scared to death to buy a house on my own, you can face that thing that is gripping you in fear too. Whatever you do, MOVE FORWARD!

 

 

Live the Life You Love

Come with me on a new journey.  Let’s travel together on a journey that focuses on embracing the positive, encouraging, loving, and wonderful things about our lives and throwing anything else that doesn’t fit out with the trash.

Your Champion

I want this new blog to be an encouragement to you.  I want to be Your Champion.  I want to fight for you.  I want to be your cheering section.  I want to be the one that helps you get off the bench, get in the game, and win!  I want to be the one on the sidelines that is shouting “look at her!  She is rockin’ it!  She is letting her light shine!”

Your Light

All of us have a different light, a different motivation for living, a different way of parenting, a different way of loving. This blog is not going to be full of a bunch of “to do lists” and “how-to’s” and impossible organic recipes to make you the perfect woman, spouse, or parent.  What do I know about how to be the best you?  Only you can do that.  This blog will be full of inspiration and encouragement for you to embrace your natural talents what I will refer to as…Your Light…and not just dream about them, but to actively engage in them.

Your Life

I don’t know about you, but I have spent way too much time dwelling in the dark and trying to be someone I’m not.  Allowing fear to limit me.  My mother said recently to me, ‎”if we let fear dictate our lives…we make a mistake every step of the way.” No more.   I understand that there are rules, I just don’t think they apply to me…or to you.  Throw out the rules. Live the Life you want to live.   Live the Life You Love.  On this blog Your Life will stand for your dreams that you will accomplish.  For example, my dream is to be a published author and speaker.  I want to tell my story and encourage you to make a difference with Your Life.

Your Love 

You have so much love to give.  I believe in the unconditional love of God, and showing that love to others.  On this blog Your Love will stand for all the ways that together we are making a difference.  Loving our children by building them up, loving our neighbors by helping, and loving our world by serving.  On this blog, I will spotlight ways you can serve and ways you are serving. I have found that in the darkest times of my life, a chance to love someone in their darker time has given me perspective, inspired me, and changed me.

When we are able to put this all together we will find true meaning.  When you are able to dedicate Your Life (dream) to Your Light (your unique gift/talent) you will find Your Love (meaning).

It’s time to live. It’s time to let Your Light shine.  It’s time to Live the Life You Love.  I will be your Champion.

Tell me by commenting below:  What’s Your Light?  Your Life?  Your Love?  Help me so I can be your Champion.

“For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light.  Live as children of light.”  – Ephesians 5:8

Cue:  “Here Comes the Sun” – The Beatles

Let Your Little Light Shine

Maybe you’ve noticed this too…that the things you get in trouble for as a kid…end up being what you get paid for as an adult.

Maybe you drove your mom crazy by catching bugs…and now your a scientist…or you  drew on your bedroom walls…and now your an artist.

For me  I may not Scrapbook or bake Apple Pie from scratch…but I sure can talk.

I used to get in trouble for talking at school…now my job is to use my words to encourage you…and I love it.

That’s what I call letting your light shine.

Maybe your parents sang “This Little Light of Mine” to you when you were a child.  I remember vividly singing this song in Sunday School and loving all the motions.

Don’t Hide it under a bushel NO!  I’m going to let it SHINE!

Don’t let Satan blow it out NO!  I’m going to let it SHINE!

So many of us let circumstances stop us from shining…money, family responsibilities, debt.  I want to encourage you not to let those things stop you, and to Let Your Light Shine anyway!

I believe that every life has a gift and a purpose.  A special skill that God gives us so we can give it to others.  And as a parent I feel strongly that part of my job is to help my children find that “light” their “special skill given by God” and help them SHINE brightly.

I also want to encourage you to do the same.  Shine My Love!  Share your stories here on how you let your light shine…or how you want to.

xoxo

My Mother the Radio Host

Thanks to the folks at Viva Tyson’s Magazine for the Profile in their April/May 2011 edition!  So cool!  Scroll to page 94 to read the article.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010 “Fresh New Start”

Time for a fresh new start. The beginning of a year. The beginning of a decade. Time to put last year’s problems behind us and do like my Grandma always said…FIDO…”Forget it and Drive On”.

It’s no secret that 2009 was a year that many wish they could forget. So many families hurt by loosing homes and loosing jobs.But today is a new day. A new chance to start over. Leave behind the problems of last year, and change your attitude about them. Maybe spend a little more time getting closer to God this year.

My goal is to write more and blog more.  That’s my way of spending more time with God getting spiritual encouragement.

The Message paraphrase is one of my favorite reads: This really helped me today.”So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.” Corinthians 4:16-18

Friday, November 20th, 2009 “Movie Mom on New Moon”

Movie Mom

I can hear the discussions going on now…”Mom, can I please go see New Moon?”  A blockbuster for teens is out today from the Twilight Series, “New Moon”.  Yes, it’s a movie about Vampires, it’s based on a book series written by a mom who wanted a romance novel for teens that did not include pre-marital sex.   Movie Mom recommends it for teens 14 and up.  For more details to help you decide if it’s appropriate for your kids check out Movie Mom’s Blog.

Another big film that’s getting lots of buzz this weekend is “The Blind Side”.  A true story starring Sandra Bullock about how one mom puts her faith in action and “adopts” an at-risk teen who ends up becoming an NFL player. Movie Mom loves this film for it’s practical depiction of a family living out their faith.

Click here to listen to Movie Mom’s review.

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Geek Dad Gift Guide

My Geeky and frugal husband, Greg, always says that my gift to him is “not spending any money”.  But that’s not fun!  A friend of mine sent me this fun list of geek dad gift ideas from www.wired.com. So fun!  I have to admit even I’m a little excited about the vintage Laser Tag set!

Positive Thoughts

If you want to be happy focus on your blessings not your burdens.

The world doesn’t care what you know until they know that you care.

As far as the east is from the west, so far has God removed our sins from us

Set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there.

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom

Fear is faith that it won’t work out.

Friday, October 16, 2009 "Movie Mom"

Where the Wild Things Are

“The night max wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind,  his mother called him wild thing…”  It’s only 10 sentences long, and today it’s released in theaters as a full length film, “Where the Wild Things Are” is out today.  Known as one of the most loved children books of all time by Maurice Sendak.

Movie Mom says the film, “is a beautiful poetic meditation on childhood and growing up.”   She recommends it for ages 8 and up and says younger children might get fidgety because there’s not alot of bright colors and jokes like in “Cloudy with a Chance for Meatballs”.

Movie Mom says the film has a good lesson.  Each “Wild Thing” represents an emotion or feeling that Max has.  At the end he realizes what it is to have to take care of people and what it is that his mother does for him.

For more movie reviews from a parent’s perspective check out her blog here:

www.MovieMom.com

Thursday, October 15, 2009 "H1N1 shorts in PG County"

H1N1 in PG County

The Prince George’s County Health Department will offer the H1N1 vaccine to adults during today’s Health and Wellness Fair.  Those eligible to receive the vaccine include pregnant women, folks between the ages of 18 and 24, people who live with or care for infants younger than six months, and people between the ages of 25 and 64 with certain underlying medical conditions.

The fair will be held from noon to 4 p.m. at Springhill Lake Elementary School on Springhill Drive in Greenbelt.  Elementary school children will receive the intranasal vaccine at their school beginning next week.  And starting a week from today, and every Thursday thereafter, the vaccine will be made available to the general public at the Prince George’s County Health Department Immunization Clinic at the Cheverly Health Center.

Positive Thoughts

To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.

Leaders aren’t born they are made

Hard work is the price we must pay for success.

Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live.

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.

Humor is a universal language.

Wednesday, October 14th, 2009 "Where to Get H1N1 Vaccinations"

Where to get an H1N1 Vaccine

ROCKVILLE, Md. – Montgomery County is turning Wednesdays into H1N1 vaccine days.

“If it’s a Wednesday, you’re going to be able to find a clinic somewhere in Montgomery County,” says Mary Anderson, spokeswoman for Montgomery County Health Department.

The clinics Wednesday, Oct. 14 will be held from at the following locations:

Dennis Avenue Health Center

2000 Dennis Ave., Silver Spring, Md.

Piccard Drive Health Center

1335 Piccard Dr., Rockville, Md.

The clinics are for priority groups, including pregnant women, caretakers and health care workers.

Anderson says for the first time the health department has swine flu shots to give, as well as the swine flu nasal spray.

Starting Oct. 28, the county will hold four clinics after school at three high schools — Northwood High, Northwest High and Rockville High — to vaccinate as many kids from 6 months to 24 years old.

Clinics will be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 28, Nov. 4, Nov. 11 and Nov. 18.

Starting today the Montgomery County Health Department is starting H1N1 vaccine clinics on Wednesdays.  Right now it’s for priority groups, including pregnant women, caretakers and health care workers.

In Virginia, the vaccinations are not yet available to the public.  Check this website for updates and schedules:  Virginia Department of Health

Maryland Locations:

Dennis Avenue Health Center
2000 Dennis Ave., Silver Spring, Md.

Piccard Drive Health Center
1335 Piccard Dr., Rockville, Md.

Starting Oct. 28, the county will hold four clinics after school at three high schools — Northwood High, Northwest High and Rockville High for kids from 6 months to 24 years old.

Clinics will be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 28, Nov. 4, Nov. 11 and Nov. 18.

Friday, October 9th, 2009 "Katinas on a Mission"

The Wedding

The WeddingWe loved this line from The Office Wedding last night…”A lot of people told me I was crazy to wait this long for a date with a girl I worked with, but I think even then I knew, I was waiting for my wife.” — Jim. When did you know you had met “the one”?

Katina Missions

John Katina, from the Christian group, “The Katinas” spoke with us this morning about the bands efforts in rebuilding American Samoa and Samoa after the Tsunami that hit last week.

You can make a donation from their website and help to purchase a “Tool Kit” for affected families.  They cost $90 each and include the tools and supplies a family needs to start rebuilding their homes.

The Katinas are also planning a Mission Trip to the islands to help. “If you want to come, the more the merrier.  We know the beauty of the body of Christ.  Some of us are hands.  Some of us are feet.”  Let them know what you can do and how you want to help here on their website and they will try their best to match you up with someone that has that need.

Craz-E-burger

A cheeseburger served on Krispy Kreme doughnuts has gone on sale in America, packing a massive 1,500-calories.

The glazed Krispy Kreme beef, bacon and cheese burger has already proved a huge hit at the Big E fair in Massachusetts where 17,000 of them were eaten.

The ‘recipe’ for the burger is said to have come from a bar owner in Decatur, Georgia who ran out of burger buns and started using doughnuts instead.

A spokesperson for the event said: “No single ingredient dominates the burger, they all complement each other. “The glaze smoothes over the burger and oozes into a foreign but delicious combination with the crisp of the bacon.  “The donut is butter grilled and quite a change from the burger roll you are accustomed to. It transforms the ordinary into the delicious.”

The Wedding

We loved this line from The Office Wedding last night…”A lot of people told me I was crazy to wait this long for a date with a girl I worked with, but I think even then I knew, I was waiting for my wife.” — Jim. When did you know you had met “the one”?

Movie Mom

Movie Reviewer and Blogger, Nell Minow, checks in on Friday’s to help us make the right picks for our families at the movie theater.  She loved “Good Hair” by Chris Rock and says stay far far away from “Couples Retreat”.

Out on video this weekend, “Snow White” 70th Anniversary Special Edition!  Also “Imagine That” a sweet film with Eddie Murphy about a little girl who has an imaginary friend that can predict the future.

Coming next week “Where the Wild Things Are!”  based on the popular children’s book.

Movie Mom Blog

Positive Thoughts

What you see depends on what you’re looking for.

Without hard work, nothing grows but weeds.

You may only be someone in the world, but to someone else, you may be the world

The steeper the mountain the harder the climb the better the view from the finishing line

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.

Be a good listener. Your ears will never get you in trouble