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  • 28: A Year of Faith And Thanksgiving

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Me!!  Year twenty-eight has definitely been one of learning to keep the faith and giving thanks.  I feel beyond blessed to be marking my 28th year on this earth.  Truly in today’s society making it 25 is a milestone once you think about all the violence and foolishness that goes on.  So, to be able to sit here at 3:30 in the morning of my 28th birthday surrounded  by the kiddies and the Mr makes me feel even more humbled, grateful, special and slightly speechless.
    I’ve had my share of ups and downs this year, but I count it all as joy.  This past year has taught me so much about strength, strengthening my faith, surrounding myself with people who love me  and pushing forward.  There were numerous times that I wanted to give up.  Things got hard or situations didn’t turn out as I had planned them and it seemed like throwing in the towel was the best answer.
    However, I am not a quitter folks!  My battles and struggles from this year have prepared me for year 29.  I’m looking forward taking bigger leaps, reaching higher heights and just growing period.  I’m looking forward to enjoying more time being in the moment with my family and truly experiencing life instead of just sailing through it.  I’m going to stop and observe the scenery more.  I’m going to try my hardest to live each day as if were my last and trust the path that God and I have worked together to create.
    I’m beyond thankful for everyone who has been hanging in here with me from day 1 and even for those who just started hanging with me a few seconds ago.  Your support, words of encouragement and prayers mean a lot.   I appreciate your interest in reading about my journey and listening to what I have to say.  Can’t wait to share what unfolds in this new chapter!

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  • And The Winner Is….

    Well, the Rejuvenator giveaway has finally come to an end.  I just want to say thank you ago  to the folks over at Rejuvenator for sponsoring this giveaway! So, without further ado, the winner is…..
    Congratulations Kim!  And a huge thank you to everyone entered and helped to promote this giveaway.  If you didn’t win, no worries.  There will be more awesome giveaways coming soon.
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  • Bible 365: Week 50

    Happy Monday!!  Y’all, I am back in business.  I have one laptop back up and running.  No more blogging and trying to answer emails from the Kindle and phone apps.  That was really challenging.  Plus, I have like a ton of stuff to type up and submit to my writing group for my novel.
    Anyways, two weeks left until I’m done with my Bible 365 Challenge! Woot, woot!  This mama is so very proud of herself.  After a trying and emotionally draining last few weeks, it seems like God had a special message for me in almost every passage I read from Week 50.  It’s amazing how He works and sends us signs.  Here are a few of the verses I jotted down to reflect back on when I feel like I’m back at my breaking point.
    ~”Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1):  Lord knows this whole situation with JJ is requiring me to have faith and stay hopefully like I’ve never had to do before.  His last two therapy sessions have not gone very well and it’s tempting to let my faith waver, but I will not give confidence that God is sending us a breakthrough.  I can’t see it now, but I know it’s coming.
    ~”No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.  Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11):  Going through trials and tribulations are never fun, but the end result in terms of how much stronger our faith will be and how much more righteous will be able to live our lives is worth the suffering.  Joy comes back at some point.  So, you just have to hang in there and trust the process until then.  Also, read James 1:2-3.
    ~”Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters.  Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” (Hebrews 13:1-2):  This is why it pays to be kind to everyone you meet.  We don’t come equipped with special glasses that allow us to distinguish from angels from regular human beings.  And if you just think about the fact that God allows His angels to live among us in our form, it’s kind of mind blowing.  Can you imagine that having gave a homeless man a few extra bucks and then finding out he was really angel sent here on a mission?

    I thought about not doing the yarn/blanket drive because I’m not sure what the response will be aside from the two volunteer donors I got last week.  However, I prayed on it, I truly feel like God is telling me to move forward with it.  Those blankets are going to touch the lives of young moms and their children who are homeless but working hard to get back up on their feet.  I want to be a blessing a them even though I don’t know them mainly because so many strangers have been a blessing to me!

    ~”Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said ‘Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you‘.” (Hebrews 13:5):  We serve a God of yes!  And when you remember this, you don’t have to focus on what you don’t have because He knows our needs before we do and will provide them if we just show patience and thankfulness for what we already have!

    ~”You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.” (James 2:24):  Faith without works is dead.  You can’t just walk around saying you have faith.  You have to actually walk in faith and live as though what you’re requesting of God is already done.
    ~”Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.   Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.” (1 Peter 2:16-17):  Your writes should not infringe on the rights of others.  However, we see this practice being done everyday.  People use their freedom of speech to be just down right rude and that just should not be.
    Week 51 Readings
    12/16: 2 Peter 1
    12/17: 2 Peter 2
    12/18: 2 Peter 3
    12/19: 1 John 1-2
    12/20: 1 John 3-4
    12/21: 1 John 5
    What other freedoms or rights do you think we abuse too much in today’s society?

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  • Thankful Thursday

    Happy Thankful Thursday!  The weekend is almost here.  I don’t have plan  to anything except for work on my book, continue practicing JJ’s speech therapy exercises, see working Moo on her handwriting and spelling and do some networking.  I stayed up until 4 AM this morning thinking and trying to formulate some plans.
    I have to kick this funk that I have been in and get my head back in the game!  A new year coming and I refuse to go into with negative attitude and not being on point.  There are so many changes that need happen and the only they will happen is if I plan and follow true.  I am so thankful for that moment of clarity.
    I am also thankful for all the encouraging and kind comments I have been getting in reference to JJ’s delayed speech and his speech therapy.  Thanks to everyone has helped me to remember that things will get better.  There is hope and I just have to hang in here.  I have to be strong for JJ because at the end of day this affects him a lot more than me since he is the one suffering.
    I am thankful for Moo.  That little girl always knows what to say.  This week she has been very vocal in telling me how much she loves me and appreciates everything I do for her and JJ.  Seriously, I hope she keeps such a sweet and compassionate heart as she gets older.  I pray that the craziness of this world we live in never taints her spirit.  No what she and JJ will always be the best things that ever happened to me.
    A huge thank you to Christina from Being Mrs Jones and Mrs AOK for volunteering without hesitation to donate yarn for my yarn drive to make blankets for charity.  It means so much to your support ladies!  I will be putting an official post next week with more information on what the yarn drive is all about, why I want to do it, etc.
    My creative juices are flowing and I have been making process on my novel.  I am thankful for that because I really want to make this book something that I will proud to have my name on when it’s released.  I have been working hard on trying to connect with other authors, book agents and book bloggers.  I have even gone so far as to setup approved social media accounts because I do want to keep YUMMommy separate.  
    But I am thankful that I have taken these steps forward.  It’s starting to hit me that my dream is on the verge of coming true.  I always had a sweet spot for fiction and creative writing and to be able to share that with others is a blessing.  So, I will keep you guys updated.  

    What are you giving thanks for this week?
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  • My Top 5 Ultimate Blogger Christmas Wish List

    The kids aren’t the only ones with Christmas wish lists this year. I made a little wish list of my own of items that I would love to see under our tree for me.  Of course, I would have to win a small lottery first, but a girl can dream.  Isn’t the point of a wish list to wish and dream?  Anyways, I thought I would share 5 things from my list that would my life as a blogger and writer much easier.

     
    I had the privilege of setting one of these beauties up for my mom’s office.  It does everything I would need for it to do.  It’s fast, sleek and all the trays fold up nicely when not in use to maximize  space on your desk.
    You guys know that I have been laptopless for months now.  The struggle to continue blogging has been real.  And let’s not even talk about my efforts to find a decent video editing mobile app so that I can continue my vlogging.  I’ve always been a fan of Sony products and have had good experiences with them.  Also, this laptop converts to a tablet and is pretty lightweight, thin and very chic looking.

    Speaking of vlogging, the lighting in my current apartment sucks!  There’s no overhead lighting in the living room where my desk is and where I filmed my first vlog.  So, I love to fix that by adding some lights that were designed specifically for videos and photo taking.  After all nobody wants to watch a vlog if you can barely make out the face.of the person vlogging.

    Let’s face it laptops are great because they are portable but sometimes you need the functionality of a desktop.  Again I love the Sony brand.  Also, this desktop comes with some sweet photo editing software and has a built-in HD camera so that your videos come out crisp and clear.  If I had to choose one gift off this list, this would be it!

    I recently scored a great deal on point and shoot Canan PowerShot from Target, I would like something a little bit more fancy.  I am seriously looking into my options of turning Moo’s Closet into a real boutique and I want a camera that will take stunning and high quality pictures of my products.  And sometimes that means using a different camera lens.
    What’s on your Christmas wish list this year?

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  • Bible 365: Week 49

    Happy Monday!  I hope everyone had a great weekend.  It was cold and rainy here, but it gave me an excuse to get in the kitchen with the kiddies and do some baking.  Yep, JJ joined us this time around and he had a blast.  His favorite part was stirring the batter for our muffins.  Looking forward to spending more time with him joining Moo and I in the kitchen now.
    Well, just three weeks left and I will have officially completed the Bible in a year!  I am so proud if myself and if you followed along, you should be proud  of yourself too.  This week we learn that Paul has been locked up for preaching the gospel in his letters to his church families.  It’s crazy seeing how religious freedom was such a foreign thing back then.  I couldn’t imagine getting locked up now days for talking about my faith.

    I amazed though at how upbeat Paul was in letters even though he was writing them from a jail cell.  Just goes to show you life is all about keeping a positive attitude, especially during our rainy seasons.  Here are a few of my favorite verses from Week 49 below.

    “Similarly, encourage the young men to be self controlled.  In everything set them an example by doing what is good” (Titus 2:6-7).  I grew up in a family of mostly males cousins.  My mom has the most girls. And one thing that always got me fired up was how there seemed to be a double standard between us girls and the boys.  It was like everyone expected us to prim and proper all the time but the guys could do whatever they wanted and weren’t expected to have self control.

    Well, as a mom of a boy and a girl, I for one will be practicing Titus 2:6-7 in my household.  There will be no double standards here.  Whatever I expect of Moo will be expected of JJ.  I don’t want them growing up feeling how I felt in my childhood.  I have a brother and at times my mom made it very obvious that he got treated differently because he was a boy.  Part of that came from how she was raised and the other half because it was always her desire to have a boy and I guess after having had three girls, she probably thought having a boy wasn’t in the cards for her.

    You the saying “three strikes you’re out?”  Well, Titus 3:10 says, “Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them.”  Fool me once shame on you, try to fool me twice and you won’t get a third time.  Some people know right from wrong but remain determined to live the wrong lifestyle.  Those kind of people you have to leave.to themselves.  So, it’s two strikes and you’re out for me.

    I was asked once by a frustrated friend, how could Jesus possibly know the pains we go through in life?  To that I have to say read Hebrews 2:18: “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”  A lot of times, we assume Jesus didn’t know what it was like to be human like us because he was sinless and the son of God.  That couldn’t be further from the truth.  If anybody knows about suffering and temptation it would be him.  You had the devil and high priests purposefully setting traps to trip him up.  And you don’t think after seeing how appreciative the people where that he wasn’t tempted to tell God to save him from the cross and just let them perish?  Compared to what he went through, a lot of have it easy.

    “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them” (Hebrews 7:25).  Jesus has our backs.  The fact that he is willing to intercede on behalf so that we may have salvation says a lot.   However, “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God” (Hebrews 10:26-27).

    Some of us thing that we have all the time in the world to get our lives together.  We’ve fooled ourselves into thinking that we’ll have time to get right later but if I have learned anything it’s that tomorrow is not promised to us.  Being content to deliberately go against what has been defined as the right way to is a good way to end up on the wrong side of the Pearly Gates!   So always put your best foot forward, be kind to others by loving your neighbor as yourself and stay in prayer.

    Do you believe in double standards?



    Week 50 Readings
    12/10: James 1
    12/11: James 2-3
    12/12: James 4-5
    12/15: 1 Peter 5

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  • 5 On Friday

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    Yesterday, my heart was broken when I heard the news that former South Africa president Nelson Mandela had passed away at the age of 95.  Mr. Mandela has often been described as a South African equalivant of Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X rolled into one being.  As a person of African decent, I can’t tell you how grateful I am for everything he did so that my fellow Africans back in the Motherland could have the same equality we were fighting for here in the US.
    His fight to end apartheid extended far beyond just the borders of South Africa.  He was and will forever remain a symbol of hope, equality and freedom!
    I’ve been using the signs that JJ’s speech therapist taught me on Wednesday and I think he’s already getting the gist of it.  I did get him to try to mimic the sign for potty.  Like this entire process, it will take him time to get used to it and learn it.  I am also making it a goal to get through week without crying about this or blaming myself.  At the end of the day, I need to maintain a positive upbeat attitude and prayer when I feel a moment of weakness coming on.  He picks up on my moods and I don’t want him feeling down or discouraged as we battle his delayed speech.
    While  a new laptop is at the top of my list so that I want have struggle with blogging from my Kindle and phone, my number Christmas gift would be for JJ to be able to say ‘I love you’ll back to us when we he tell him that we love him.  I’m telling you if I ever took hearing those three words for granted in the past, I don’t now.  I think it’s every mother’s dream to hear her child verbalize their love and I can’t but feel like I have been robbed of that enjoyment.

    I am steadily making progress on my novel.  I’m writing it out the old fashion way using pen & paper and trying to type a little bit everyday in Google Drive that way when I finally get a laptop, I can just download it to MS Word.  Santa going to have to push back getting the laptop I wanted for Christmas because obviously getting a car trumps a computer right now.  I’m hoping for a blessing the disguise of a nice sum of coins coming my way.
    I’m thinking about putting together a virtual yarn drive to crochet granny square & rectangle baby blankets to donate to two local charities here in the Queen City who provide supplies as well as free housing to pregnant women and new moms.  Baby blankets don’t take that long to make and each one would be a one-of-a-kind labor of love.  I think with enough promotion from me and the charities, this could be successful.  And crocheting relaxes me. So, this won’t feel like work and I won’t have to worry about getting overwhelmed.

    What do you guys think? Is this something you guys would support or donate to? Any of you readers/bloggers who crochet or knit interested in donating a baby blanket or two?  I’ll see what the response is and go from there.

    I stumbled across this great list of 25 Christmas Traditions to start with our with families.  I saw a couple that I want to start doing with Moo and JJ.  Having our traditions for them to look back on and share with their children is important to me.  Be sure to check out the list and cute graphics on The 36th Avenue.

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  • Thankful Thursday

    Can y’all believe it’s almost the weekend again?  I’m not complaining because we’re getting closer to my birthday!  Yep, Sagittarius season is in full affect.  Also, Christmas and New Year’s are just around the corner.  2014 will hold a lot of changes for me and my family.
    Speaking of change, JJ met his new speech therapist today!  She is very nice and was very patient with him.  We both agreed that it will take a few visits before he warms up to her.  But while he played shy, she taught me some sign language that we can do with him.  I’m so thankful for that because anyway for him to communicate better than what he’s doing now is a step up.
    Moo has already caught on to the sign for potty and play.  I’m thankful that she is still her brother’s biggest fan and a huge supporter of helping him overcome his delayed speech.  She is ever so patient with him when he speaks in his gibberish and grunts.  I love her so much for this because seeing her upbeat and optimistic keeps me from breaking down into a crying mess most days.
    There are still days that I don’t make it without crying.  Monday night as they watched a Christmas movie, I escaped to the kitchen and had a good cry while washing the dishes.  Having a child with a speech/learning disability is emotional draining because you have to constantly remind the voice in your head that says their disability is all your to shut up.  It’s not like I don’t already carry around enough guilt because of all the allergies they were born with.
    Regardless, I know these tough days are making me into a stronger person overall.  I will emerge from this experience victorious.  We will emerge from this experience victorious, stronger, more appreciative and closer.  So, I am thankful for that.  At the end of the day, God has the final say and I know a breakthrough is on the horizon!
    I’m also thankful that Moo had a great birthday. She decided at the last minute that she would much rather go to Chuck E Cheese than see Frozen.  And that’s what we did.  JJ had a blast too.  Moo was even nice enough to share some of her prize candy with him.  
    All in all, I am just thankful to be thankful.  Despite everything that seems to be falling down and going wrong around me, I still have joy.
    What are you giving thanks for?
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  • My Kokoa Magazine Debut

    This month yours truly is featured in the holiday issues of Kokoa (Ko Ko Ah) Magazine!  If you don’t know about Kokoa Magazine, you’ve been missing it.  Started by Kita Bryant, Kokoa is magazine dedicated to keeping it real.  No celebrities, no $20,000 purses or any of that other craziness that the average person can’t relate to.  You hear from everyday women and men sharing advice, real life experiences, recipes and more.
    Honestly, a magazine like this has been long overdue.  We live in a society that is overly materialistic and feeds off of envy and making others feel like they need to keep up with the Joneses.  And there is nothing wrong with keeping up if you can truly afford it.  However, I like picking reading Kokoa Magazine because I know the content is specifically tailored to my demographics and status.  It feels warm and inviting.
    It’s for these very reasons that I was excited to be apart of holiday when I asked if I’d like to write a piece for this month’s issue.  
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    Please check out my articles on where to shop for Christmas without breaking the bank and how to create your own DIY mug.  You can view the holiday issue of Kokoa here: http://issuu.com/mykokoa/docs/kokoa_celebrates_holiday_issue?e=5022581/5822699.  

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  • Bible 365: Week 48

    Happy Monday and welcome to December!  This without a doubt my favorite month.  Moo and I celebrate our birthdays during this month.  And of course there’s Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

    Getting closer and closer to the end of my Bible 365 Challenge.  I already feel a rush of self accomplishment for having made it this far.  I truly feel stronger and more secure in my faith and my walk with Christ.  I am definitely proud of myself for attempting this task and committing to follow it through.  Week 48 had some great food for thought and I’m sharing the ones that stuck out to me the most.

    Love is so complicated (well, only because we make it so).  Ask 5 people to define love and I bet you will get 5 different definitions.  However, if you want to know where love comes from look no further than 1 Timothy 1:5 which says, “The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”  If we work hard to maintain these three things then we will always be capable of showing love to ourselves as well as others.

    Being a woman in the church back in the day was almost like being a child or an outcast.  Check out Paul’s view of how women should conduct themselves in the House of God here in 1Timothy 2:9-12: “I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.  A woman should learn in quietness and full submission.  I do not permit a woman to teach or assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.”

    I don’t know about y’all but I think Paul would flip his wig if he was alive in today’s society because there are definitely a lift of women teaching in the church.  Besides the fact that Paul doesn’t seem to approve of women being superior to men, I haven’t a clue why he would feel this way.  I mean other disciplines have felt some type of way about women being bold around Jesus as we read in the earlier books of the New Testament.  However, Jesus was quick to correct their harsh words and point out that we are all children of God.  Furthermore, there were female prophets who were called by God mentioned in the Old Testament.  So, reading this just threw me for a loop.

    This scripture I definitely can relate to.  “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12).  I can’t tell you how many times people have my knowledge on certain things because they felt I wasn’t old enough to speak on it.  At the end of the day, I have gone through a lot and experienced a lot in my life.  I believe that alone qualifies me to be able to speak on those topics. I understand that somethings come with age but other things come with having experienced them and I won’t let anyone look their nose at me because of it.  My voice and feelings matter just as much as the next person!

    “But mark this: There will be terrible Times in the last days.  People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, with self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-” (2 Timothy 3:1-4).  Just another reminder to watch for signs of coming.  There are times when I look around or hear the news and I see we are already witnessing a lot of these on a daily basis.


    Week 49 Readings
    12/2: Titus 2
    12/3:  Titus 3
    12/6:  Hebrews 3-4
    12/7:  Hebrews 5-7
    12/8:  Hebrews 8-10




    Have you ever felt like you weren’t getting the respect you deserved because of your age?

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