BE IT RESOLVED....

I'm getting ready for the New Year!  It's something many of us do in one way or another as we prepare---physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally---to start anew.  Growing up in the baptist church as one of the recording secretaries, I remember reading resolutions at funerals. They were a way to acknowledge the deceased's accomplishments in a more formal way than a eulogy might.  With that in mind, I  offer a resolution of respect to 2011:

Be it resolved that this day, December 31, is the last one of the year 2011.  It was a year filled with purpose, promise and passion.  My husband and I celebrated our 3rd year of marriage (that's my Big Papa), my baby turned 1 (turns 2 in January) and my oldest daughter started graduate school (CalArts ROCKS). Those three things alone would have made for quite a year....but why stop there!  We found a church home as well as a pediatrician and a family doctor, and we joined the YMCA. I know....YAY for us, right.   The facts and figures aside, I settled into the reality of being a housewife of South Carolina, and that was indeed an accomplishment for me.  The year 2011 allowed me to bury the urgency to work outside the home.  It also  helped me conceive the belief that I could still use my gifts and talents to grow and earn a living while being a full time wife and mother (still working on the earning part:o).  2011 has had its share of laughter and tears....triumphs and disappointments...So much so that I spent a lot of 2011's time thinking, talking and writing about moving forward and fostering positive change. Be it resolved that 2011 has seen its share of travels...especially to the beach:o)....Pensacola Beach, Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head Island, Amelia Island, Playa Del Carmen and Tulum (just to name a few).  Be it resolved that 2011 saw some relationships thrive and others barely survive.  2011, you've seen news stories that won't make headlines again but will be embedded in our minds for years to come...wars have ended, dictators have been killed and politicians have been steeped in scandal.  As is the cycle of life, there were birthdays and deaths (every year has its number... so say the old folk).   Be it resolved 2011...that you were an AWESOME year. Be it resolved that you are greatly appreciated for what you provided.  And, as I prepare for your successor, know that you will be missed but never forgotten.  Be it resolved...and so it is.

7 Foods You Should Never Eat

7 Foods You Should Never Eat

...Watch for the unexpected sparks in your life...they are sure to fly!

EXTRA EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT....Herman Cain and alleged sexual harassment several times over; Herman Cain and an alleged 13 year mistress which he says is just a friend to whom he gave money; FAMU drum major Robert Champion dies after what police are saying was a hazing incident; Band director, Dr. Julian White consequently fired after said incident and death; Unemployment rate up and down and up again; Country singer says she won't return her 5 year old to his grandmother in Florida (who is the legal guardian) ; a 24 year old father in Texas kills his four children and himself and injures his wife; Bishop Eddie Long's wife files for divorce; Bishop Eddie Long's wife withdraws divorce petition.; Kourtney Kardashian proudly says she's not getting married after being pregnant with a second child from her boyfriend of 5 years...I'M ON OVERLOAD!  This is exactly why we're called to guard against the things of this world and to arm ourselves with goodness and righteousness and truth.  The irony is that I, like many of you, stay plugged in.  I'm constantly watching the news on tv and online.  I get alerts and updates to my computer, phone and Ipad, and I'm surfing the blogs and entertainment sights looking for the very news and information that, today, is overwhelming me.  I know I have to take it in stride and in moderation and with a grain of salt.  I tend to compartmentalize very well and not internalize much, if any, of it.  But today, I just got to thinking about the headlines and the implications.  I got to thinking about the way many of us are choosing to live our lives. I finally understood those people who say they don't watch the news because it's always something bad and how that depresses them.  There really is all manner of wickedness in the world, and we really do have to step away or unplug or decompress so as not to get "caught up" in all of it.  I know...this coming from me...a professed news junkie, a career journalist.  I pride myself on knowing what's going on and being able to tell others.  Well, even I need a respite.  Earlier today, I was outside for a short walk and just felt lighter while breathing in the fresh air and not having any wires growing from anywhere on my body.  Granted, I did check "the Facebook", but that was only to entertain myself while waiting for my take out lunch order.  While I know the technology and news and information at our fingertips is a part of who we are in today's society, I would encourage you to take a breather somewhere inside the next 24 hours.  Only you know what real time away looks like for you but consider some of the things we continually put in our minds, hearts and spirits and then consider some of the alternatives.  For me, that looks like spending more time with my husband and daughter, or working on one of my many craft projects or writing a note to a friend to say "I was thinking of you" or "I miss you"; notice I said a note and not an email :o)
Hopefully, you too will get back to the things that add a charge to your life versus just using the things in your life that need to be charged.  Unplug and watch for the unexpected sparks in your life! They are sure to fly.

EXPECT MORE THAN YOU COULD  EVER THINK OR IMAGINE!