Listen, love is everything. It has always been the center of my world, even as a little girl. My first introduction to love wasn’t through Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty, but through the soulful voices of male RnB singers. When I was a little girl, my mom would leave the radio playing all night long. We fell asleep and woke up to music (maybe that’s why I always have a song playing in my head). Music and love were my life.
When I shared the image I shared in my previous post on Instagram and Facebook, I added one of my favorite love songs from the 70s, Teddy Pendergrass’ “When Somebody Loves You Back.” Enjoy!♥️ ~Shaun
Soooo….. if you didn’t know, Usher’s concert is tonight!!! Yessss!!! It’s tonight! Of course, I have to watch the first half of Super Bowl LVIII first, but I’ll be okay. Smiling
To pay tribute to U-S-H-E-R… here is the song that made me a fan. And no, it’s not “You Make Me Wanna.” Laughing. I just love the part of the song when he spells out his name. Listen, his first album, “My Way,” was it! Anyhoo…my first and all time favorite song is “Slow Jam,” a duet with Monica, another favorite R&B artist.
Yesterday, I could not decide which Facebook memory to share so I didn’t share one. Well, instead of sharing my “Hello Sunday” on my social media accounts, I decided to share this memory. It’s a day later, but worth sharing.
Facebook Memory: January 21, 2023
Much too often we remember hurts and disappointments before we remember the good. Today, I encourage you to focus on the good times. The moments that made you smile and feel loved. Have a wonderful day.♥️
Always hold your good memories close and dear.
Praying you have a blessed day and joyful week. May God shower you with unexpected blessings.♥️
This morning I’m just writing and rambling. Let’s see what I end up sharing.
Happy Sunday!
Honestly, I really do not know what to share today. I have a few Facebook memories that are worth sharing but I am not sure which I should share, and if I shared them all the post would be much too long. Guess I will start with this:
Yesterday, I hit 980 consecutive days of posting! Woohoo!! So, the countdown to 1000 has begun. Still unsure of how I am going to celebrate, or if I will do anything differently after 1000. Hmm…
Three years ago today, I became a published author. Another… Woohoo!! Smile. It seems like it was so long ago. Sadly, I can no longer feel the excitement of that moment. Last year I somewhat felt it, but not this year. I wonder if it’s because my mom helped me promote book sales on Facebook. So as soon as I saw the memories from that day, her name was everywhere. She had tagged me in so many posts. Now, this makes me smile. A year later, she became a first time published author fulfilling one of her dreams. Y’all, I had no desire to become an author, but she did.
Now that I am reflecting on this, perhaps my opportunity to become an author opened the door to her fulfilling her dreams. If I would have turned down the opportunity, she may have never connected with the person who initiated the anthology. The person was from somewhere in Florida and we live in Mississippi. BUT… if it was meant to be it would have been, even without me. Listen, that’s how God works, for real! Y’all, life is truly interesting. And GOD!! Whew!! Listen, the way He works is mind blowing!
Now, here I am looking at my life and doors that were opened for me due to someone saying “yes” to something they probably never thought of doing. Also thinking about how me joining the Air Force inspired two of my siblings to join the Navy. Also, how I have been told more than once how my career as a research dietitian inspired other dietitians to work in communities. Y’all, this career found me. I had no desire to become a dietitian. I wanted to be a personal chef. Then, one meeting with a dietitian during my culinary internship at a hospital changed everything. And me volunteering as a student to assist with a research project lead me to becoming a research dietitian. Isn’t God awesome?!
My experience from my research days as a student led me to hire students for my projects. During the summers, I would hire them to assist me with data collections in rural Mississippi. Y’all, we had so much fun! Most of our trips required overnight stays. So, I would rent a 15 passenger van, reserve hotel rooms and take them to local restaurants to eat. Since most of them had never seen rural areas, or interacted with people from underserved communities, I wanted them to get the full experience. Plus, I love adventures and boy did we have some! Sometimes the GPS led us to some sketchy spots. So grateful for good phone service and a full tank of gas (always kept it above 1/2 full), we always made it to our destinations and had stories to tell afterwards.
Yeah…that’s what I miss! I miss the students. I miss the trips. I miss the conferences. I miss my colleagues. I miss meeting new people. I miss the communities. I miss the adventures and stories. Now, how can I make it happen again without going back to work for a university or with people who don’t share my same values?
I guess that’s something to tackle this week. Very few people know I have a nonprofit. Been tweaking things over the years. Maybe this year is the year I finally launch a project. Gotta start somewhere and with what I have.
I needed this! Started off not knowing what to write and in the midst of writing, discovered a plan. God is absolutely amazing!! I just love how He works. I am truly, truly blessed and loved.
Thanks for reading my first official rambling of the year. Again, God is so wonderful! So grateful to know Him.
Life is forever evolving and changing.Instead of crying over what was, smile because it was. Smile because you had the opportunity to experience it. Then, smile even bigger because you now have the opportunity to experience something even greater.
Facebook Memory: January 11, 2019
Happy Friday! Here’s today’s social media find. So, I’ve been reading old journal entries from 20+ years ago and reminiscing about the good old days (BTW: Today’s MJB’s birthday🎉). It’s amazing how time flies. If I could go back, I would definitely handle some situations and relationships differently. There were people in my past I wish I would have kept in touch with (grateful for FB reconnections 🤗). There were opportunities that I let slip away because I thought I was “oh so” brilliant 🤷🏽♀️ or because of fear. Either way, I lived and learned. One thing for sure, I can’t continue to look back on what could’ve, should’ve, would’ve, or might’ve happened. I can only look forward and enjoy the present ride.
I’m truly grateful for all of my wonderful experiences, whether they lasted for years or only a few seconds (that smile did something to me 😉).
Make the best of every moment. Don’t spend too much time thinking about how the story could’ve ended or will end. Enjoy the here and now.
Yes, it happened and it is still happening. Stay present and embrace the beauty of what’s happening now.
Just because a particular experience ended doesn’t mean something new is not already happening. God is forever working even when we cannot see it or feel it. Remember that every new day brings new opportunities and experiences. If we continue to dwell on what was, we will miss the beauty of what’s happening now. So, keep smiling. Our story is far from over. The best is yet to come!♥️
There are only two weeks left in 2023! Be sure to spend them doing something fun and meaningful including making beautiful memories with family and friends. Love you!♥️
Here I am, 31 years after making one of the most pivotal decisions in my life, thanking God for so many wonderful experiences. I will forever be an Airman.
Prior to joining the Air Force, I wanted nothing to do with the military. My stepdad was in the Army so I spent most of my childhood surrounded by soldiers and military dependents. I knew what military life entailed and had no desire to be apart of it. Then…I changed my mind.
I had come to a point in my life where I had to decide if I was going to sink or swim. Yeah…I was drowning. I was 18 years old (just a baby), going to college, living at home, still being treated as a child/second mom (I was my siblings second mother), and yearning for freedom. My first boyfriend, who was seven years older, was going through his own issues and cheating left and right. Y’all, I had to get away!
So, one day in April 1992, I turned to the yellow pages of a phone book and found an Air Force recruiter. To this day I still don’t know what made me do it. I found the recruiter, visited his office and signed up for the delayed entry program (I was still in college). I remember him saying that they usually speak with the parents too but since I was 18 and sure of my decision, he would sign me up. A couple of months later, I officially joined.
Now, all of it seems like a lifetime ago. That one decision changed the trajectory of my life. Y’all, that one blind leap made me who I am today.
Again, here I am over 30 years later smiling about that decision. I did it and I retired! Never in my wildest dreams as a kid did I imagine I would be a veteran. Never! Life is truly interesting.
To all of my fellow veterans, Happy Veterans Day! Thank you so much for your service and sacrifices.♥️
Your dreams are important, too important to let die. No matter what comes or goes, or how much time passes, never give up on your dreams. Everything will happen at the appropriate time.♥️
Stay the course.
When I was in high school, my English teacher gave our class personalized, handwritten notes. Mine was written inside of a card that a former student had given her. On the cover was a painting of “The Lady of Shalott.” I was drawn to that painting. It was like I could feel her pain and agony.
I was her…
Here is the inside of the card with an additional note attached. The words from the attached note have keep me inspired, encouraged and hopeful for more than 30 years.
Today’s Hello Sunday is dedicated to my mother. Still can’t believe she’s gone.
After Momma passed, I found a letter she had written to us, her children. That’s what she had written on the envelope, “Children.” It was sealed with an address label from where she lived decades ago. I did not read it then. Decided to wait and open it when all of us were together. When I tell you I felt like I was in a movie! I had been through her things many, many times before and had not seen the letter until I was about to leave town to go help my siblings make her final arrangements. When I tell you the suspense was killing me!
As soon as our last sister arrived–took her hours to get there–we read the letter. It began with, “If you are reading this letter, it means that the inevitable has happened.” Y’all, we laughed. Only she could make something so serious sound like we were on a crime show.
Well, the letter was very direct. She did not sugarcoat anything. She told us about her life as an adult and her desire to be a great mom. Some things she knew she got right while others she really struggled with because she had us at a very young age. (Note– While she was still coherent, we did tell her that she was a great mom and how much we loved and appreciated everything she had done for us.) One of the things that surprised us was the fact that she had been very ill for a long time. None of us knew this. The reason she had written the letter was because she did not believe she had much longer to live. Now, this was written three years post paraplegia. Listen… I’m here to testify and tell you she lived another 21 years! Y’all, the letter was dated September 18, 2001.
When I tell you God is so good and merciful. There’s nothing like His love and grace. It just goes to show you that we cannot put a time limit on life nor can we give up. We may feel down today and believe this just has to be the end of the road; then, end up living decades more.
Today, I am going to let Dorothy have her final say. Below is a copy of one of her newsletters from The Encourager. I tried to find one from May; however, the closest I could find was from April 2003. While reading it, I could see her in her words written about not being able to walk or see well. That was her. She was describing herself.
It’s Shaun’s World 
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