Life

Hello Sunday

Wise words from last year… and I wrote them. Smile

Facebook Memory: April 28, 2022

Set yourself free! Release past hurts, guilt, disappointments and shame. Harboring even the smallest resentment can make it difficult to receive and enjoy blessings. Release opens doors for receiving love, joy, opportunities, and success. Let go and be free!

It’s true, if you want your life to change for the better, you have to let things go. Holding on to past hurts, grudges, disappointments, and even shame, only hurts you. It also stops you from fully growing and receiving all of God’s wonderful blessings. Listen, I don’t know about you, but I don’t only want some of my blessings. No… l want all of my blessings. Every last single one. Smile. Let it go!


On another note— My daughter came home yesterday for her friends’ wedding and is leaving this afternoon. So, I am going to spend as much time as I can loving on her before she leaves. Smiling

Praying you have a wonderful Sunday!♥️

Love you,

Shaun

Life

Year 50: Month 10

Around this time last year, I was trying to spend as much time as I could with my mom. We knew, and she knew, she wasn’t going to be around much longer.

I miss her…

Two more months left in this jubilee year! God is good. Thankful for peace and contentment. Thankful for life. I believe I will celebrate this day by doing something my mom would have liked, or eating one of her favorite dishes. Yeah… that’s what I will do. This one is for you, Dorothy Ree. I love you.♥️

Her firstborn. Almost 50 years together. My momma.💗

Shaun

Life

Year50: Where The Real Second Chances Begin

Beyond blessed!🦋

I have written numerous posts about second chances. How God is so gracious that He gives us multiple opportunities to get things right, or to achieve our goals and dreams. Over the years, I felt like so many opportunities and time had slipped away. Honestly, I had given up on pursuing certain dreams and aspirations because I believed I had missed my chances. I felt like so many doors and windows had closed and would not reopen. But God!

Now, here I am at age fifty embarking on a new decade, and embracing the second half of my life. Had no idea 50 would be so liberating. As I shared in my previous post, my kids are grown! Like, they are adults. The only responsibility I have is me. The only person I actually have to make decisions for is myself. This is my second chance at adulthood. My chance to pursue my dreams. Smiling

Y’all, God is so good! I promise not to waste time on trivial things. It’s funny because earlier in my adulthood I deemed the years leading up to 50 as my trial and error years, and the years after 50 would be when I lived. Whew!! Y’all, I actually manifested how I wanted to live and then became agitated when my life followed what I had spoken. God really does have a sense of humor, but it’s all based on love. He gave me the experience I asked for (be mindful of what you speak). I am so grateful and blessed that He loves me the way He knows I need to be loved. As always, I am truly blessed.♥️ ~Shaun

This is the blog I shared a year ago on this day, April 20, 2023.

Life

Are You Following Your Passion?

Follow your passion and God’s guidance. Be open to where He’s leading you, even if it is unclear. Maybe the check will come or maybe not. But, the joy, experience, and knowledge you will gain will be worth so much more. One day it will all make sense.♥️ ~Shaun

Shared this on April 19, 2022 with the caption, “It’s simple. Follow your passion.🦋” Question: Are you following yours?
Life

What Do I Want?

This was a question actress, Rita Wilson, asked herself years ago. Well, I happened to come across her TEDx Talk on this date last year (will add it at the end) and asked myself the same question. Here is what I wrote in my journal on that day.

Shaun’s Journal Entry: April 17, 2023

“What do you want?” Just watched a TEDTalk by Rita Wilson. She said Oprah asked her this question back in 2005 when she felt she had it all. She said she felt greedy to ask for more. Then, one day while she was running, she figured it out– Music. She said that she always loved music. That music gave her a natural high. So she told her agent that she wanted to do a musical. She said her agent just stared at her like she was naked in front of a group of people and couldn’t move. The next day she got an offer to star in [the musical] Chicago. After talking to a friend, her, her husband (Tom Hanks) and their daughter flew to NY to see the play. She said after it was done, she turned to her husband and daughter and said there was no way she could do it. But they disagreed. They told her that she absolutely could. And she did.

And here is a tad bit (learning not to over share) of how I responded to the question.

I don’t want a 9-5. I want to be free to move about and spread love and hope. I want to inspire people through my work. I want to assist others in achieving their dreams and goals. I want to be their cheerleader. That’s who I want to be. Lately I have been thinking about what I would say and what I would bring to the table. The answer is assistance. Wherever I am my goal is to assist others with improving their programs. Whatever I can do to make things better, I will.

Smiling because I am doing exactly what I said I wanted to do. Y’all, God is good. He is absolutely amazing. The funny thing is I had forgotten I had written this. And honestly, I had no idea I was doing what I said I wanted to do. I just kind of flowed into it. Didn’t even see it happening. Again, God is good. I am truly blessed.

Here is Rita’s video.

Have a blessed day!♥️

Love you,

Shaun

Life

What’s Your View On Life?

What’s your overall take on life?

Mine…

Overall, I believe life is beautiful. It has its rough moments, but when I think about it, they have never outweighed the good ones. I have had so many more good times than bad.

Facebook Memory: April 4, 2022

How we view life is merely a reflection of what’s in our hearts and souls.♥️

Y’all, yesterday was my first day in years of feeling like I was in my zone. Like I was where I was meant to be, doing what I do best—spreading love and hope. Never knew how much I missed people, especially the students and my colleagues. I also had the opportunity to connect with a few new people. Can’t wait to collaborate with them on upcoming projects. Y’all, I am so excited about where things are headed!

Side Note: Never allow others or bad moments in life to dim your light. Whenever you feel it going out, change your environment with haste. Do not stick around waiting for things or people to change. The longer you wait, the dimmer your light becomes. Keep it glowing!

Well, this is it for now. Praying you have a wonderful day!♥️

Love you,

Shaun

Life

You Will Receive Beauty For Your Ashes

Hang in there! God’s got you.

To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

Isaiah 61:3 NKJV

This scripture reminds me of Commissioned’s song, “Cry On.” The song says—

When your burdens seem to weigh you down. Or the road—it seems too far to carry on. Just look to the hills, you will find your help whence cometh from the Lord, hold on. Even when you feel you can’t go on. (Even if you have to moan.) Let your soul cry out to the Lord.

Cry on. God understands your tears. He knows how much that you can bear. Your faintest cry He’ll hear. Cry on. When there’s nothing else to say. He’ll wipe all your tears away.
Lyrics: Genius.com

I have good news! Your tears won’t last. They’ll eventually dry up and be replaced with joy and laughter. You will receive beauty for all of your ashes.

Wishing you many blessings.♥️

Shaun

Life

What Are You Waiting For?

Let me guess. You are waiting for the perfect moment to get started. Waiting until you have everything you need, or believe you need, before making your big move. I know. I know because I have been there, and in certain circumstances I am still there. Yes… I am still a work in progress.

Well, from what I have learned from past experiences, there will never be the perfect time to get started or make your next move(s). You just have to do it. You have to do it without seeing the entire picture. You have to do it without knowing the outcome. You have to do it because if you don’t, your life will never change.

Just take the first step and allow God to guide you through the rest. I promise you, you will not fail. Now, I am not saying everything will be smooth and easy. However, I do know God won’t let you fail. He won’t. Trust Him and move.♥️ ~Shaun

You are already equipped with everything you need. You don’t need anything else.
Life

Here I Am

Singing Marvin Sapp’s, “Here I Am.”

Here I am
I’m still standing
Here I am
after all I’ve been through 
I’ve survived
every toil and every snare
I’m alive
I’m alive
Here I am

Praising God!

Listen, everything that was meant to break or destroy me was unsuccessful. It did not work! I may have stumbled a few times, but I did not fall. When I tell you God’s got me!

Here I am.

Still standing.

Yes, I am still here!

And, I am truly blessed.♥️

Shaun

“Here I Am” by Marvin Sapp

Life

This Just Made Me Smile!

One of my favorite YouTubers (if that’s even a word), Shameless Maya, is BACK! Okay… She hasn’t been gone for years, but she’s been absent for months. I believe her channel was the first one I subscribed to. I was so drawn to her personality and free spirit. When she talked about feeling awkward and different, I felt it. I felt seen. I admired, and still admire, her love for life and the way she handles experiences.

Listen, y’all just don’t know how happy I was to see her pop up on my screen. I am so glad she’s doing well. Smiling.

Y’all, I truly believe if I had to do my adult years over, my life would have been somewhat similar when it comes to the carefree, adventurous part. I probably would have joined the Peace Corps like I wanted to, or gone backpacking across Europe. Today, I would probably be married to someone from another country or continent and living life abroad. At least that’s what I imagine I would be doing because that was where I was headed. BUT… God had other plans; and I know He still has more in store because this ain’t it. Laughing

Really… I needed to see her video today after the experience I had yesterday. If I told you, you probably wouldn’t understand. But it let me know this is not where I belong or where I am meant to stay.

Side Note: Be mindful of what you speak. In the 90s, when I was stationed in Florida, I would drive through Hattiesburg on my way to see family in Northern Mississippi. Every time I got to a certain area I would say, “One day I am going to retire here.” Didn’t know anything about manifestation back then. Well, even though I was referring to when I was in my late sixties or seventies, I actually retired here. Been retired for years now. Too funny. Yeah… be mindful of what comes out of your mouth because you just might get it. Hmmm… I wonder why that doesn’t happen with money. 😂

Anyhoo… Welcome back, Maya!

This was the breath of fresh air that I did not know I needed.

Shaun

P.S. My next post is scheduled to be shared at 10:30 AM (trying to stay consistent). I wrote and scheduled it last night. However, after watching Maya’s video, I am tempted to pull it, but I won’t. I am going to leave it as scheduled. I am pretty sure a year from now I will look back and say, “They tried! But God had other plans!!” Amen

Have a blessed day!♥️