Makes Me Happy Monday (number 4)

It's Monday. Rise and shine!

A few links to share that Made Me Smile

Knowing When It's Time To Surrender the Vision: Sometimes God delivers an on-time word. This article was mine this week "But I’m here to tell you that the answer is not to quit and give up. The answer is to surrender."

How To Talk to Little Girls: As a new mom to a daughter, I found this read very insightful.  And it's actually great advice for anyone dealing with little girls: "engage them about something other than their physical appearance."

Stumbled upon this site called Advanced Style where the blogger takes pics of stylish older people he crosses paths with in the streets. So fun to view. 

Instagram and Self-esteem: interesting read over at Slate. 

Lessons Learned from an 80 Year Old

This weekend I joined the boys for a trip to Sky Zone. It's one of their favorite places. The biggest boy had the most fun. Brought such a smile to my face. Click this link to see the video if it doesn't appear below.

Loose Ends....

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10 Things I Want My Black Boys To Know

As a mom to two little black boys, I face a dilemma moms raising other races will not likely deal with: the realization that no matter how bright and educated my sons grow up to be, some members of society will always see them as a threat. Scary and sad, especially in light of the Trayvon Martin incident.

I'm always aware that I can't help them learn how to walk through this world as a black man...that's something their father and other black men will have to school them on. I hear black women say they can raise black boys into men better than a man. I dare to disagree, but that's a whole 'nother talk show. Lately, I've been finding myself trying to make my boys conscious of the fact that they always need to be aware of their surroundings. As black boys, they will have to develop a sixth sense that many other races don't have to.

While I can't entirely help them navigate the ins and outs of being a man, I can teach them how to be gentlemen. As a mother I do have influence and there are other ways I can shape them.

Here are 10 things I want my boys to learn as they walk through life:

1. Get wisdom! And use it. "Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment."  Proverbs 4:7 (NLT)

2. Avoid adulteress women who flatter and lead to destruction. I want them to learn the difference between an upright woman and loose women who as the Bible says: "have been the ruin of many; Her house is the road to the grave. Her bedroom is the den of death." Sex without strings always has strings attached.

3. Be a gentleman...always. Open doors, offer your seat, pull out chairs, walk curbside. And for the women who adamantly shun such offers, be a gentleman and respect that as well. But at least offer. 

4. Learn to drive a stick shift. You never know when the moment will arise when you will need to. 

5. Watch what you watch. What you entertain with your eyes will continue to play in your head and your heart will follow. 

6. Keep your word. Be honest. No one likes a liar. 

7. Women will judge you by your confidence, shoes and cleanliness. That's just the way the world works. So make sure they are all on point. 

8. Swag is nice, but success is better. My husband always says he doesn't care if the boys are nerds because it's usually the nerdy ones who make it to the top. 

9. You will have to learn to navigate two worlds: a black world and the mainstream world. The earlier you learn this the better.

10. Finding a good wife leads to a double bonus for you (treasure AND favor from God)--so choose wisely. And once you get her, don't you let her go. "The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord." Proverbs 18:22 (NLT) 

If you're mother to a black boy, what would you add to the list? 

The Simple Secret To Changing Your Perspective

“I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God.”  ~ Abraham Lincoln

Lately I've developed an ugly habit: looking down all the time. I mean literally looking down when I walk. Half the battle is having noticed it, now I"m working on stopping it. 

It didn't used to always be this way. 

My childhood including lots of time gazing upward. Summers as a child equalled lots of outside time. Riding bikes. Exploring the city. Getting wet in the sprinklers and lying on the grass looking up at the sky. Watching birds take flight. Planes in the distance and pointing out shapes in formless clouds. The sky used to be my friend. The place where dreams where born and where daydreams lived.

The other day I got stuck in LA traffic. An accident slowed down my normally free-flowing commute. While trying to remain patient I just happened to catch a glimpse up at the blue Southern California sky. Oh what a sight to behold. Immediately something happened. My heart got a little light. The tension eased up. My perspective change by simply looking up. Then I realized I haven't done that in ages: look up. It was refreshing.

A summery Southern California sky.

Most of my time is spent looking around me at my circumstances, at what is in front of me, at what is troubliing me.  Evangelist Billy Graham once said:  “Believers, look up -- take courage. The angels are nearer than you think.” I'm sure the angels circle me and wonder why in the world I waste my time looking down when my perspective could so easily change just by looking up.

Jesus healed a blind man in Mark 8:  "Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly." (Mark 8:25) The man had been touched once but his vision was blurry. After being urged to look up, not only did his vision come back but "he was restored" and saw clearly.

Praise break right there! 

Looking up clears up our vision and restores our whole being.

Let that sink in. It's so easy to get bogged down by looking at what's going on around us, but even easier to simply look up. 

So I'm dedicating myself to looking up. Hard work for a neck that's has a natural bent toward the ground. And I'm encouraging my soul, my prayers..my whole being to look up as well.

"My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look  up." Psalm 5:3

Makes Me Happy Monday (number 3)

"The way I see it, you should live everyday like its your birthday." ~Paris Hilton

It's my birthday week! WooHoo. Thursday is my big day! My gift to myself might just be a long, uninterrupted nap.

A few links to share that Made Me Smile

This Teacher Wore The Same Exact Outfit In His Yearbook Photo Every Year For 40 Years

Remember someone is always watching and listening by Sally Clarkson: such a great reminder that we can talk all we want but it's really what our lives are saying that matter the most. Children most certainly learn what they live and see.

Even the smallest detail by Genna Heikka: "But God cares about the little things too. He cares about the details, and he doesn’t want us to hold back from talking to Him just because we think our requests aren’t important enough, or because we might feel selfish for asking."

So You Want A "Boaz", But You Act Like Jezebel by Nehemiah Robinson...ummm yeah...

This is why it's always handy to have chalk with you. Going to buy some chalk immediately. 

I don't get a chance to see many commericals since we have Roku, but this one sent to me by a cousin made me chuckle. Such a genius idea by Evian Water. 

Loose Ends....

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I Have A Confession...

...I'm a serious book piler. I have every intention of reading all the books I have before stacking another book on top. But then I see another book I must have and it gets added to the pile.

Right now life is hectic and hurried....and leaves no time for my greatest pastime: having my nose stuck in a book. I'm hoping that will change soon before the pile is stacked too high.

Here's what's currently on my nightstand. I'd love to hear what's on your reading list.

Buckling Up For A Fantastic 3rd Ride

It's been an amazing and exhausting first year with baby number 3. I blinked and she's a year old today. I clearly remember labor with her. Very hard. But very much worth it. So looking forward to what the rest of our lives is like with her. 

Below is a video of her fabulous first year. 

(For those of you reading in a feed reader, here's a link if the video doesn't show.) 

What To Do When You Don't Know What To Do

Ever been between a rock and a hard place?  Not an easy place to be.

You need the money and you need it now. 

You need answers on what to do about a decision and the deadline is looming.

The disease has spread and the medicine is not working. 

Bottom line: your back is against a wall. 

We live in a world that is in constant motion. Just slowing down on a busy street in your car to find an address will make you upset commuters (at least that's the way it is here in California). Today's society is all about make a decision and make a move.

Sometimes life isn't that clear cut and there is no place to move. Sometimes the only route out is looking up.

This is the place where the children of Israel found themselves at they sat trapped on the beaches of the Red Sea with an army of 600 of Pharaoh's chariots chasing them. They were hemmed in by mountainous terrain with no route of escape. In front of them was a sea that (at its widest point) was 220 miles across to dry land. Talk about being between a rock and a hard place.

But Exodus 14:13 lets up know this: "And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today."

A while back I got stuck in this verse; specifically on the words: Stand Still.

Stand still. Seems like a crazy command when you have an angry army on your heels. Standing sounds passive. Yet it's anything but! The Hebrew definition of the word stand means to station something, to continue, remaining. RemainING. 

Adding the suffix "ing" to any word means there is a continuing action. 

We think of standing as waiting. Standing in line..waiting to be next. Standing around wasting time. Standing doing nothing.

Add to that the Hebrew meaning for still : to pull up tent pins, to start on a journey, to blow, make to go forward, march. Here standing still means to get to moving. How is that? 

Then I had a personal light bulb moment. We stand still in trying to figure out our "rock and hard place" moments but we continue moving forward in faith that God will bring relief for us.  Stand still in our own efforts but move forward in faith.

There are times when we have to stop spinning our wheels and do like The Message version of the Bible says:

"Don’t be afraid.

Stand firm

and watch God do his work of salvation for you today.

Take a good look at the Egyptians today for you’re never going to see them again."

That's a lot of action going on for the children of Israel who were commanded to stand still. As they stood still (remember one of the definitions for still is blow). Verse 21 says "Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea and God, with a terrific east wind all night long, made the sea go back. He made the sea dry ground. The seawaters split." God blew those waters back as they were STANDING STILL.

You may be standing at the edge of your own Red Sea today. I know I am. Hemmed in by mountains on one side. A sea before you and enemies hot on your heels. Might God be telling you to stand still as well? 

Stand still and take your hands off of whatever you are trying to fix and build up.  Stand still from plotting and planning. Stand still and stop trying to figure it all out on your own. Then take a good look whatever is acting as an enemy in your life today for you’re never going to see them again. Surrender and stand still but keep moving forward in your faith!

A Favorite Taste of Summer: Kool Aid Pie

Summer is by far my favorite season. First, because it's my birthday season. And secondly because the tastes of the season are the best: watermelon, peaches and plums. And I'm reminded of summers as a child.

As a kid, my grandmother (New Orleans born & bred and a superb cook and baker) had dishes and desserts she'd only pull out in summer. Her lemon meringue pie was like heaven. She'd make popsicles in dixie cups that we'd pop out and turn upside down to get the sweetest part first.

Then there was her Kool Aid pie. A simple, delicious, light pie that was chilled before being served. I've shared the recipe before but I think it deserves another share. My grandmother always made lemonade (and her pie crust was always made from scratch,) so that's my preference but it will work with whatever flavor you please.

Kool -Aid Pie 

Ingredients: 
1 - 8 ounce tub of Cool Whip Whipped Topping
1 - 14 ounce can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 - packet of unsweetened lemonade Kool -Aid (or flavor of your choice)
1 - 9 inch Graham Cracker Pie Crust

Directions: 
Add all the ingredients together and pour into a prepared graham cracker crust. 

Chill about 2 hours then serve. 

Makes Me Happy Monday (number 2)

Fall seven times, stand up eight.  ~Japanese Proverb. 

Hello Monday!  Been feeling run over lately but gonna keep standing up. every. single. time!

A few links to share that Made Me Smile

Talk about happiness: a photo of the original cast of Sesame Street.  

As a boy mom, this post "on dating" struck a chord with me. Lots of men don't know to treat women simply because they were not taught. The author says she takes her boys on dates starting at the age of five so they'll know how to behave on a date and how to treat women. Lots of men could have used a mom like this!

Write the Back Cover of Your Life by Jon Acuff. Makes me wonder if how I want to live and be remembered is lining up with how I'm actually living. What would the back cover of your life say?

7 Things You Need When You're Overwhelmed and Can't Keep Up by Ann Voskamp. Her words gave me life this past week:  "Your whole life can feel like you are running for your very life, like you are trying to out run a tsunami of stress. ...the goodness and mercy of God isn’t just following after me placidly. The goodness and mercy of God pursues after me passionately." I'll be feasting on this one for a good little while.

 If you aren't following Lalah Hathaway on Vine you are missing some serious laughs.

Loose ends...

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