So Little Time, So Much to Do

Creating my something special - years ago, it was the smallest inclination of life that allowed me to openly put my life in print.  It was a relief to allow others a window to my life and circumstances.  The years that have been between then and now is more than i could explain in such a small space, but if you have the time and can come into my something better, i promise you won’t be disappointed.
My life isn’t without the distractions of every person living in America right now, and also being of African American heritage living in Oklahoma I find that being the liberal that i am isn’t what is the norm in the state of Oklahoma.  It’s secondary to privilege, racial profiling, and spirits that would haunt my family from then to now and forever.  But because of my Faith in the one true God, through Jesus Christ my Lord, the broken heart, and pure spirit of love and forgiveness have found me and given me the strength to continue to walk upright, head held high, and better with each passing minute to see the end of the tunnel to be the light in my eyes each and every day.
I walk.  I love, and I do my best to bring my granddaughters the hope that I learned from living in Europe, California, Philippines, Nevada, and Chicago.  I’ve become a woman of great faith.  Great grace through Christ Jesus my Lord.  And believing everything he said in His word, gives me the upper hand in this life, whether I’m living in Edmond OK, or Athens Greece, I’ve always been in covenant with Father.
My granddaughter that I began this blog about years ago, has grown into the apple of my eyes, beautiful inside as much as on the outside, and my daughter has become a strong, tenacious, powerful woman I always knew that she could be.
So, I will bless my life with events that my life is now on the verge of becoming to make me a wonderful window into the perfect will of God through Christ my Lord.  I will bind any spirits that would come and try to block words from the epistles of Christ my Lord.

Let's bring the blessings in

It's been a long time since I found my something better.  I initiated this blog, #1.  I am a grandmother with concerns about my granddaughters.  I am taking care of them, they are with me, while their mother isn't and I need to express myself before they grow up and begin a life of repeating the mistakes of the history of family members that are having difficulty, and I need the world to know like I know, that without a Spiritual relationship with a God who knows more about life than I do, I need to express that while I am still able to make sense of it all, I am here for them, like my husband, to make them viable members of society.

It's been so unfortunate for my little girls to have to suffer without their parents, and to have to lean on the hand and arms of someone that is literally an antique.

I've pretty much lived two thirds of my life, and now I'm responsible for the lives of more children.  Now if they weren't my granddaughters would I take such a delivering hand with little ones?  Or, would I allow them to enter into a system that is meant to separate them from each other, and not care.  I care, so ... here I am, them in a bedroom down the hall, sleeping soundly, knowing that Grandma will be there when they wake up, and Granddaddy will always take care of them, despite the turmoil that causes them stress.

I am here, and my husband is here to make them into viable persons in our society, no matter the political canvas, no matter the global situation, and certainly no matter the friends that tease them because they live with grandma.  This is not an end, but rather a beginning of what's going to bring them through without many deep scars because no matter what, they are loved.

Steve Jobs - I never meant that Bill Gates was the creator of Apple... I guess I had a brain fart, that happens when you get my age, and in our day and time, I should have googled, but I have to make this correction, because I so respect Steve Jobs... My bad on the previous post.  Since I have purchased an apple I have tried to learn and read as much as I can about Steve Jobs to find out what made him such a genius!  Anyway, my gufaful... RESPECT Steve Jobs.

Doing Something, Anything Better

More than a year.  I haven't made even a peep about blogging in over a year.  I could say that the past year has been very busy, and making the type of improvements aren't exactly the kind you talk about.
I have spent the past year making "home improvements", improvements to my ever lovin body, and our home.  We had a fire, which had us relocated for a period of time while the home was being rebuilt, and because of my age I am guessing, my body needed a little work done.  So I took the time out of my 'Something Better', and allowed doctors to improve me.
Now I couldn't be happier, most of the time.
My granddaughters are beginning pre-K today.  Yes, Pre-K!  My daughter had an awakening, and is so spiritually on fire, the Glory that God is raining on her, nothing short of a miracle.  Even my husband is impressed!  My son has begun his own awakening... he's quit smoking.
The world seems to have turned upside down though.  The heat that we experienced for the summer season has been HOT... The prices at the gas pump have risen off the charts, and the presidential election between Obama and Romney seems a political game so corrupt that the nonsense caused me to stop watching the news.
The one thing that always remains the constant in my life, my husband of 35 years, and walking.  After getting out the hospital, my only exercise is walking and stretching.  Putting one foot in front of the other.  Raising my knees to allow the quadriceps muscle feel the heat, circulate the blood, get pumped, because this is the rest of my life.
I received my second iPod, an Apple iPad Touch, and the technology blew me off the page.  The clarity with which I see on my screen, whether it's shoes, handbags, fashion, or a YouTube video is nothing short of miraculous.  I was so captivated by the iPod Touch, my husband then purchased an iPad for me!  Really.  I can now say that Bill Gates vision is renaissance!  I love everything about the apple products, from packaging, plugging it in, to turning it off and on again; and one day hope to replace my personal computer with a Mac.
My favorite hobby is still going out and taking photos, spending time outdoors whether walking or working in the yard, and knitting.  And I am good; but writing remains my love.
If I could sit here and write words to lift your spirits, I would, because not giving up is just that.  Lifting your countenance; Our Father, does that for me everyday.  And when I thought there was nothing left in me to give, my spirit was quickened with the words, 'Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee' Psalms 119:11.

Keep your head up and TRUST.

Hey,
It's been so long since I typed my post in blogger, I forgot how.  A little apprehensive even.  I so wanted to have a place to put my "something betters".  I even think it kept me inspired...but letting it go wasn't that hard really, when I had Facebook.  the dreaded Facebook, it's like a punch in the gut with all the blank you know what spewing forth from it's clutches.
Initially, i ended up having two accounts, the stupid program couldn't put the two of us together, so whenever i update one, it doesn't update in the other, and all my friends and family have to friend me twice, fun.  i never had the time to work that out... i just go there and post pictures from time to time. 
Just a few minutes ago, i was responding to a YouTube video, it wasn't even a video, someone posted pictures of the Magic Mesh... you know that commercial, where you see the people walk out the door, or in the door and each time, there's that sweet sound of the door closing behind you.  Come on, you know!  Anyway, I couldn't figure the directions out so, voila, I'll just look it up in YouTube, everything you could think of is over there.  And there it was, easy to understand pictures.  To my delight quite self explanatory.  Sweet!  I want to leave a comment and tell the author about the beauty of his post and eeeehhh... you must go through Facebook!  I must go through Facebook? or twitter, and I am not as familiar with these programs. i found a way to leave a comment though, through another dummy button for Facebook.  Back door way, i am sure.  I liked it, and it went to Facebook without a password!  Yeah, now that I have been completely honest, and I feel good about that. Which brings me to another collective idea i have, but another time.
But my bitch, gripe, discomfort is with Facebook.  Isn't anyone doing anything to shut this down.  I currently use Google+ but it's another one of those programs where you befriend your family and friends, or go to MSN, there's another, or even better still, get your own little space, where you send people your information or get theirs through some subscription.  Which now brings me to another sore point that i have with Facebook...
The dreaded friend chatter.  When your friend or loved one spends their time on Facebook, you get an email as follow up, because we are friends right?  do i really need a blow by blow of chatter entering my mailbox?  I thought that was what Twitter was for.  I don't tweet.  As a matter of fact, i am going to get a twitter account right now.  Let's see how that works out?
Sound out if you like what i said or not.  I am sure we all have our stories, however, the Something Better today, has to be the fact that I have both identified my oppinion on the matter and that makes me better, because i have integrity.  Thank God through Christ that I have had the strength and courage to come back to Blogger, and say something, which makes my day better!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to You All
the number one resolution - "quitting smoking"
http://www.kpcnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23665:Quitting-smoking-is-top-New-Year%E2%80%99s-resolution&catid=51:latest&Itemid=79
Can you believe that less than 1000 posts for quitting smoking exist online through google, and yet if I look up handbags in the search engine, i get more than 2000 results.   (What does that tell you?)

 2011 is coming to an end and 2012 is on our heels now.  It should be a time of looking 2011 in the rear view... all the sporting events of 2011, all the news worthy stories, all the discoveries of 2011 coming to an end, and just like every other year, we all have things we want to begin anew in the new year.  I think the biggest ones are, "I want to lose weight", or "I want to quit smoking".  I am sure there are those which are much less glamorous, like, "i'd like to be more agressive", coming from someone who's sort of a wall flower; or for someone who's far too aggressive, "i'd like to control my temper this year", but overall they are the hopes and dreams that will carry you into a new year. 
2011 has been successful for me, it's the 1st year in more than 30 (thirty) that i have gone without smoking cigarettes.  I have actually made it through the entire year, and i am very proud of myself.  But it wasn't easy.  I had days when I just didn't think i could make it through, and then there were days, i made it through with flying colors.  But there were years of practice before making my hope of becoming a non-smoker a reality.  There will probably be news reports on television about the odds of being someone successful in their hopes of quitting something.  And mostly, they have done the leg work, but if you were someone who abuses drugs, and you want to make this year special, by quitting, don't let anyone tell you that you can't.  If you feel you've had it with being heavy and want to lose some weight, don't listen to that voice within your own brain that repeats all your old feelings of insecurity.  If you are going to become successful at what you desire, you have to see, hear, touch, smell, and rise above your old mind set.  If reading is something that will be encouraging for you, read.  If like me, you are a walker, then Walk;  if you like art, use your love for art to encourage yourself. 
I am saying all of this because, having been around the block a couple of times now, I know that there are fears that we all share, the ones that keep us doing the things we probably want to rid ourselves of, but don't because of the fearful voice inside of us, that same voice that took us off our path in the first place, that doesn't want to see us succeed.  In order to become successful at quitting smoking, I had to stop listening to the little voice that always said to me, "who cares?  You are never going to quit anyway".  And the odds of me quitting was really not in that voices' best interest.  So, while being successful at your New Year's resolution would be great 1st time out, don't count on it, but never give up. 
I was so afraid that once I quit smoking i would be less than cool, and boring to be around, when in all actuality, I am more easy to be around because I don't smell like an ashtray anymore, and when I find myself not being the cool person, I just think about how, my grandchildren all think that I am cool as a non-smoker.
Yeah, I finally accomplished my goal of becoming a non-smoker, but without all the previous years of trying, i could not have been this successful.  I know that.  All the little starts and stops actually gave me more confidence each time to continue to try and make this the final accomplishment of my life.  I did it.  I know that you too can quit smoking if you give yourself permission.
So, ring in 2012 with a shout, and do what it's in your heart to do, and i want to wish you great success today and next year.
See you on the other side!
Writing to live, living to write.

Journaling

"The man who does not read good
books has no advantage over the
man who cannot read them."
- Mark Twain

I am in the throes of a book entitled Creative Journal Writing by Stephanie Dowrick.  A very good read so far, easy to comprehend and follow, and everything seems to be like an echo in my spirit, as I read the pages that describe my journaling life. Since I have been journaling on and off for more than 20 years I feel equally accomplished at the task of putting what is in my heart right down on the page.  Sometimes it's just a few words, and sometimes it's many, but however many words, it's a release from my spirit to the world around me.  I feel very accomplished, very happy, and totally satisfied with myself, despite my circumstances. 
The other day I had to run out to the store and pick up some vegetables and fruit; and on my way out, as I was pulling away from the store, I saw a Sister and her sister or friend walking to their vehicle, and as I watched them as they crossed in front of my vehicle, just for a moment, I felt a sadness come over me.  Of course, the moment that happens, I begin praying, but I found myself feeling sad for me.  Maybe because I don't have any money to dress that nicely, maybe because I never had a sister, or even a good friend that I could go to the store with.  I have been living away from my family for more than 12 years, and have yet to find that kind of friend.  So, as I watched them pass,  I began to pray, and feel the circumstances of being unemployed.  Not that being unemployed is bad, but let's face it, working for money is where I have come up short for more years than I care to remember.  Being unemployed means watching the means you have very closely, and getting away from the creditors that try to suck and drain your hard earned money for their benefit.  
But I digress, as I was grateful for them, sister to sister, having someone to share a trip to the store with is truly a gift.  And by the time I pulled up to the curb side with no oncoming traffic, pulling into the turning lane, I looked at the car in front of me, with only 1 (one) passenger, the car on the side of me, (1) one person, and the car across the street waiting for the traffic light, another single person in the car, I didn't feel so alone, and I felt grateful to have seen the sisters together.  And by that time, was able to pray to God through Christ for the privilege of having seen them, sharing.
Good thing for journaling, because now that I have written that moment down, it makes it even more edifying, and I know that I am OK. 

Writing to Live, Living to Write