Gone Too Long

I can't believe I have not posted since July. I have to do better. I guess I don't think I have this long profound thing to say. Or that if I posted, it will be really short. I guess I need to change it. So much have gone on.

What happen to the writing challenge?

Well.............. I the 10 day challenge have turned into an all summer long challenge. I have been posting their question of the day faithfully every day. However, I have not posted here as I stated. Y'all know I have ADD. I don't stick to stuff long. I will do better.

The ladies in the group have been sharing some great stuff. We have a secret group, so what we post is safe among us. I have purged some people out of the group, because they were just lurking. I have to purge again later this month.

Well, I have to go. If I write too much on this post, then I will not get around to the other post.

See ya!

Day 2 - Things I Would Tell My 16 Year Old Self

Sixteen year olds know everything! They also think their parents and most other adults know absolutely nothing! Then they grow up and realize they nothing about nothing LOL! 

Today's prompt was to give 5 pieces of advice to your 16 year old self. The people in the group shared some great advice. There were several people giving the same advice. As I was reading each person's advice, I was just looking at the computer screen nodding in agreement. 

Here is my advice to my 16 year old self: 1. You are on the right track. All of your hard work will payoff. You are an example for so many and you don't even know it. 2. Don't let others talk you out of your dream since you were 6. 20 years later you still came back to it! 3. Your momma was not playing about not paying for school. Start looking for programs and scholarships now.4. Learn to take risks. Playing it safe and conservative makes you miss out on so much. 5. Keep doing what you are doing. You are going to turn into a wonderful woman with so much to offer your family, friends, and community.

Here's the advice of the other participants. I made sure not to include any incriminating names to protect their privacy. 

1. The world does not revolve around ... ... ...! LOL (yes they (meaning several) wrote the full government name!)2. You do not know everything!3. Everyone is not your friend! Keep your group of 3 tight knit friends and label every one else as an associate. Keep it moving!4. Wait to get a job until you have to! You'll work every day for the rest of your life. Don't be so quick to start early!5. You are beautiful!

1. You really think you are special don't you, well you are! 2. Follow your intuition, it will save your life. 3. Your connection to spirit is real. 4. Control your thoughts and your words, they dictate your life. Remember you are the first voice you hear.5. Everything you need to be happy and successful you already have it inside, get in tune with your spirit and listen.

1. Be confident in who you are no matter what2. People will always have something to say, but, follow the path just for you3.Pray...Pray....Pray...Pray.....Pray4. Don't just sign up for the talent show but ummm complete the performance5. Take Risk because you only live once.

1.You're still a child you can't be strong for everyone, it's ok to cry.2.Whatever it is you want to do, do it. Can't live other peoples dreams they have for you but was really meant for them.3. Realize that everyone is not your friend4. Keep writing.5. Your mom was right! (well..mostly…)6. You’re worth it!

1. Never give up on your dreams! 2.Love your body because God made you! 3. Don't worry if boys will like you or not....they will! 4. It's ok to be different! 5. Understand that your parents do want the best for you!

1) DO NOT QUIT THE BASKETBALL TEAM... YOU CAN GET A FULL SCHOLARSHIP TO SOMEBODY'S COLLEGE!2) HE WILL NOT END UP AS YOUR HUSBAND!3) TAKE ALLLLLL THE AP CLASSES!4) YOU ARE THE PERFECT HEIGHT AND SIZE! 5) YOU WANT TO BE A PSYCHOLOGIST WHEN YOU GROW UP!

1. To Thine Ownself Be TRUE! 2. Chose wisely. 3. Take Calculated Risks 4. Pursue your dreams relentlessly 5. HAVE FUN!

1. Hold your head up & smile. The things boys tease you about today are the things men will love about you when you become a woman.2. Live your life for you. You're going to make mistakes, but it's ok. You've got to find out what makes you YOU!!! 3. You're going to kiss A LOT of frogs. But just because your Prince doesn't come tomorrow, it doesn't mean something's wrong with you.4. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES sign up for a credit card when you get to college, just to get a free shirt & cup holder 
5. I'm proud of you!!!!

1. Don't believe the lies the boys are tellling you (they have a different motive than yourself) 
2. Listen to your parents (yes they want whats best for you) 
3. Learn how to drive (I know you don't see a need since your parents take you everywhere) 
4. It's ok to be a virgin (you have many many years to have sex) 
5. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE start preparing now to pay the tuition at an HBCU school (maybe you would not be in debt with student loans now).

1. Never give up on your dreams, you can be everything you want to 
2. Use your gifts every chance you get 
3. You're beautiful. The way God made you 
4. It's ok to not be in the in crowd 
5. Love yourself first.

1. Enjoy the little things; enjoy the walks on the beach, dancing and singing to music in your room, going to 50 grocery stores with your family, everyday dinners with your family, and enjoy having fun with your friends. It won't always be this way! 
2. Take the dance class at school! Don't worry about how you look in spandex or what other people think of you. 
3. The boy that you "think you're in love with", you're NOT! He isn't the one...plenty of time for boys later. Once you get to college, plenty of those boys aren't the ones either. Don't waste your time and keep it moving! 
4. Ask for HELP! If you don't understand something (ex. Math), it's okay. It's better to ask for help, than to not do well in school! 5. Enjoy driving now because once you're older, it's not as much fun! Oh, don't let other people drive your vehicle! Not a good idea! 

1. Pay more attention in Math class! 
2. Enjoy being skinny, dark skinned, having big teeth(wish I had learned confidence earlier) 
3. All the church services, bible study, and praying will keep you level headed in abt 3 years! 
4. You CAN be a writer 
5. Family is all you have (no matter how aggravating they may seem) 
6. There's always another guy who's better

1.You are beautiful just the way you are! 
2. Your tenacity will make you stronger than you will ever realize. 
3. Boys can wait, they ain't talking about NUTHING!!!
4. It's okay to cry if you want, ask for help if you needed, dance and sing a song if you feel good, join a club, tryout for cheerleading, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO....because YOLO!!!! I love you

1. Now that you are in America, the classes are much easier....take all AP classes, stop being a punk, you like a challenge, and you will be able to skip freshman year of college...which you end up hating anyway. 
2. *** is dead serious when he asks you to prom...don't laugh in his face, you actually like him. 
3. Your boyfriend is 20 and lives with his mother and even though he looks D-Nice...there is something wrong with that arrangement even though he proposes. 
4. Go to UGA and STAY there as a Pre-Pharmacy major, take Spanish during the summer. Pharmacists make bank and you have a scientific mind. 
5. You are gorgeous. Just because you are thicker than the toothpicks around you, you are destined to be a coke bottle...start working out though on a regular basis.

1. Your life does not end with your parents divorce; 
2. You can do anything you want; 
3. Do NOT take Ms. Scarborough's preCal class; 
4. Yes you can dance to Mya's "it's all about ME" if you want; 
5. Trust in God regardless of who calls Him what

1. Stay in school, don't disrespect your parents. 
2. Don't have sex until marriage. 
3. Get a job learn to be responsible. 
4. Don't rush growing up. 
5. Get good grades and start preparing for college,

1. You are hella cute 
2. Sex before marriage is overrated 
3. You'll make a good mommie 
4. Thin works for you well much later! ..so quit trying to plump up!

1. Don't be in a rush to grow up 
2. Finish college 
3. Spend as much time with family as possible because u never know how log anyone has on earth 4. Don't get any credit cards 
5. Keep your car until the wheels fall off! 
6. Everyone who says they are your friend is not your friend some people take joy in seeing you fail!

1. Looking back over these 30 years. Enjoy and stay 16 as long as you can. Living and be on this journey is no joke!
2. Daddy was right you cannot buck the system. Someone has to be in charge and until it is your calling, sit and learn. Thank Dad and Mom for making Jesus a priority in your life.
3. You will get over that one and the other one and another one, that had you so heartbroken you could not leave your room for days. Lawd Ham Mercy.Singing those sad love songs, listening to your cassettes (yes I said it) over and over, that was just the heart of the matter!
4. On a musical note, Ralph, Bobby, Ronnie, Ricky,and Mike (add Johnny) are still a New Edition. 
5. All those shoe boxes full of white lined pages with your writings have come to birth. "Never give up on a dream, wake up and make it your reality." Little girl you will grow up and become an amazing Woman!

Day 1 - 20 Random Facts about Me

I did a 20 Facts about Me in 2011. I did this one without looking at the it. I wanted to see if I selected different facts. Most of them are different. So you have almost 40 facts about me!

1. I am the oldest of 5 (4 girls and 1 boy)

2. I hold 3 licenses that can earn me an income (insurance, real estate, and teacher)3. I played basketball as a teenager4. I took dance classes for 10 years and taught for 7 years but can't dance regularly to save my life.
5. I am a procrastinator
6. I started a blog a few years ago but I do not write with any consistency.
7. I have 6 vision boards. One for teaching, becoming organized, becoming debt free, relationships, spirituality, physical (weight/hair/attire)
8. I many extra children. They are children from a blended family but from the extras children I have gained from teaching
9. I want to lose weight but I don't want to do the work. (I know I know)
10. I am a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. 
11. I have never been married
12. I know my trips for the next 3 summers. 
13. I love reading especially self-help books. 
14. I am a proud member of Triple F Posse. It is my finance group. We meet monthly to discuss our finances and encourage each other.
15. I am a mother of a new college student. Can you say I need to figure out how to get a life?
16. I am in love with my Tivo. It is the best invention ever.
17. I am allergic to strawberries but I eat them anyway.
18. I am figuring out what I want to be when I grow up!
19. I am the oldest granddaughter on my maternal side. 
20. I am more committed to anything if others are depending on me.

Writing Challenge

One of my beloved line sisters loves loves loves to come up with new ideas or activities for others as well as herself. So I received the following message, "Hey Tiffany Dillard! I just had this WONDERFUL idea!!! How bout you create a Writing Challenge for US???!!! 30 Days, 25 Days, 10 Days... whateva! Just establish the # of days, start/stop deadlines, topics, and how we'll share/ discuss/ comment. Sounds good, huh? Ready when you are!"

Now you have to know Darcova. She can motivate you to do ANYTHING! So instead of continuing to prepare for bed, I spent the next hour finding the right writing challenge/blog. So for the next 10 days, I will post in the group we are working with but I will also blog that particular entry. 

See you tomorrow!

Purpose Driven Life Day 12 - Developing Your Friendship with God

When I first started reading this chapter, I was struck with the thought that this is not only the way to develop a friendship with God, but with people as well. It was easy for me to compare how to build a relationship with God with how I have built great relationships with others.

Warren first sentence in the chapter is "You are as close to God as you choose to be." Whoa! What'cha talking about Willis? If you really think about it, I am the reason I am not close to God. I decided not to make time in my schedule to pray, meditate, and focus on Him. The more I spend time with Him, I have no choice but to form a closer, tighter relationship.

Warren gives us four more ways to develop a relationship with God:
1. Choose to be honest with God
2. Choose to obey God in faith
3. Choose to value what God values
4. Desire His friendship over everything else

I love how Warren shows examples in the Bible with Job and Moses were candid with God and themselves about their feelings. God does not want us to give Him rehearsed or fake prayers and conversations. He wants us to be honest on how we truly feel. He wants us to express our anger, hurt, bewilderment just like we express our gratitude, happiness, and joy. Think about your best relationships. Don't you express all of your feelings and emotions to that person? Then why not God?

Key notes from Warren on honesty:

• Genuine friendship is built on disclosure
• It is likely that you need to confess some hidden anger and resentment at God for certain areas of your life where you have felt cheated or disappointed. 
• Expressing doubt is sometimes the next step to intimacy with God

Choosing to obey God is not something you would think about doing with your friends, but if you dig deeper, you can find examples of it. When we choose to obey God, we are choosing to trust He has our best interest at heart. Isn't that what we do with our friends. We obey (or follow) what they say because we think they know what is best for us? Then we can definitely do it for/to God. God is not expecting us to go out and do great things all the time. What he expects us to do is great in the little things that is around us everyday! Hearing and obeying what He is requesting from us. That little small voice whispering in your ear. That is God giving you instructions. 

Choosing to value what God values reminds me of the saying, "a man (woman) after God's own heart." Isn't that the goal?  Now how do one do that? It's simple, we must genuinely care about God's people. We must be a witness for God and share His goodness with others. 

Desiring God's friendship over everything else is a eternity friendship. It is a choice all of us are able to make. God does not want a passive lukewarm relationship with us. He does not want us to just go through the motions. He wants us to be passionate about Him. God will find a way to get our attention. Many people think God is punishing them BUT he is not. He is trying to get your attention. He wants/desires to have a relationship with you.....a deep friendship. 

Purpose Driven Life Day 8 - Planned for God's Pleasure

I highlighted so much in this chapter. I was planned for his pleasure! That is the greatest purpose ever. Now what do I do with that? The best answer I have right now is to live for Him and not for man(family, friends, husband/man, coworkers, bosses, etc). 

Pleasing God is worshiping Him in all that we do. Many people (I am guilty of it too) reserve worship to Sunday morning service and Bible study. Worship is more than just singing and/or moving to our favorite worship music. If we are truly living our purpose, we are acknowledging Him in everything we do. I love the analogy Warren gave about falling in love with his wife. That is how we are suppose to fall in love with Jesus...thinking about him constantly. 

Keys from Planned for God's Pleasure:

-Bringing pleasure to God is called "worship". Worship is far more than ceremonies, candles, healings, miracles, prayer, music. It is a lifestyle.

- Worship is far more than music. Every part of the service is worship. Anything that is offeredd to God in spirit and truth is an act of worship.

- Worship is not for your benefit but for God's. Our motive is to bring glory and pleasure to Him. God is not pleased or glorified when we do it out of tradition instead of passion and commitment.

-Worship is not PART of your life; it IS your life. Praise should be the 1st and last thing we do EVERY DAY. Every activity we perform should be an act of worship.*****This is where I was really convicted*****

Question to Consider: What common task could I start doing as if I were doing it directly to Jesus?

The first thing that came to my mind (and it was immediate) is my job. If I can change my focus to teaching for Jesus, I can be a more effective teacher. Now I know this change is easier said than done, but I am going to sincerely apply this mindset change.