Life

Grace

Everyone has been through something or is currently going through something. How about we extend grace, kindness, compassion, and love.

Another thought

How about we treat others the way we would want to be treated in our times of despair and need. Love you!♥️~ Shaun

We have been gifted grace from God. Let’s share it with others.
Life

This Just Blessed My Soul

Just watched a beautiful video that blessed my soul! Y’all, I immediately felt a sense of calmness and peace when Theo de Plessis began sharing his story. I have decided to bookmark it and make part of my morning routine.

The world needs more love, kindness, compassion and peace. I believe this can and will happen when we place more value on people and relationships than things and self-serving ambitions.

If you have 10 minutes to spare, and need to a little inspiration, please watch the following video: Being Beautiful.

Be Blessed♥️

Shaun

Life

Integrity

It’s not what you do when people are looking, it’s what you do when they aren’t.

I found several definitions for the word “integrity.” Here are a few from Merriam-Webster–

1. A firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values: incorruptibility

2. An unimpaired condition: soundness

3. The quality or state of being complete or undivided: completeness

I have heard that people begin thinking about their legacy around the age of 50. I did not believe it was true until now. Lately, I have been thinking about my legacy and one of the things that came to mind was integrity. I would like to be remembered for my integrity; also for my kindness, my love for humanity, and my love for God and life.

What would you like to be remembered for?

Y’all…

THREE MORE DAYS!!!!

Year 50 is loading……

Shaun

Life

Choose Kindness

Choose kindness, even when handling yourself. Always, always, always be kind.♥️ ~Shaun

You deserve kindness too.

So let’s talk about yesterday. Yesterday I found myself dealing with an issue I thought I had mastered– loving and accepting ALL of me.

Yesterday, I allow someone’s words, spoken with good intentions, make me feel like the weird little girl who always spoke before she thought. Yes, that was me. Whatever I thought came out, and always at the oddest moments, especially when I was excited.

Well, it still happens today. My siblings and kids are always reminding me that I sometimes say weird or unfiltered things. The crazy thing is I have absolutely no idea when I’ve said something wrong or weird until it’s pointed out. So now, I always try to think before I respond, especially when I am excited.

Let’s just say, yesterday was one of those days. I was happy and excited and I retweeted a tweet without knowing if the information was factual. Then someone saw it and asked me if I was going to delete it. Y’all, they didn’t know about the blog I had written about it or my fangirl behavior. I’m laughing now, but yesterday, I was a mess. I allowed that person’s comment to make me feel like that weird little girl again. So I unpublished the blog; however, I did not delete the tweet. It wasn’t like I was the only one who had tweeted it.

Anyhoo… yesterday I wrote another blog after I unpublished the original one and I ended it with this–

I went from being happy to feeling weird. This is definitely something I need to work through. Living a life where you feel you can’t fully express yourself isn’t really living, is it?

Less than two weeks to 50. Will I live my life out loud or continue to box myself in because the real Shaun is too much for most?

Not even two hours later I republished my original blog with the caption – “DECIDED TO LIVE!!” I realized that that weird little girl feeling I had was something I had placed on myself. I created the “weird girl” box ages ago and was about to retreat back into it. As I say so very often, I am so grateful God loves me and will not allow me to stay down. After thinking about how I allowed one comment to take me back to a place I thought I had passed, I decided I had a choice, I could keep carrying that box around or destroy it. I decided to destroy it!

I told y’all I’m dropping baggage before I head into this next half of my life. Either I’m going to embrace ALL of me or stay bound. Y’all, I am choosing ALL of me!

Ten more days! Only God knows what other baggage is still left to be released or destroyed. One thing I can say for sure is He’s bringing all of it to the forefront saying you either release it or remain where you are. So, yeah, the ball is definitely in my court.

Okay… I did not intend for this blog to be this long.

Message – Remember to be kind to yourself and embrace ALL of you!

Love you!

Shaun

Life

Hello Sunday

Today’s blog is dedicated to James Earl Carter, Jr., also known as our former President, Jimmy Carter.♥️

Yesterday, my heart sank as I read the following statement from The Carter Center –

“After a series of short hospital stays, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter today decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention. He has the full support of his family and his medical team. The Carter family asks for privacy during this time and is grateful for the concern shown by his many admirers.”

Why did I immediately want to ask if I could also be by his side. If I could also care for him until he leaves us. Sounds weird, huh?

Y’all, he was my President. My first political memories were during his run for reelection against Ronald Reagan. I was just a little girl when he lost the race and vividly remember myself sitting in front of the tv crying my eyes out. He was my President.

I guess what I loved about him was everything many hated. He was soft spoken. He actually had compassion for humanity and expressed it, which was viewed by some as a sign of weakness. And lastly, he was from the South. I loved his southern drawl.

For me, President Carter represented kindness, hope and the possibility of a beautiful, peaceful and kind world. He was my hero! If you have not read any of my blogs about my favorite childhood song, well, it was, “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony).” I am pretty sure it was Coca Cola’s adaptation of the song that I fell in love with, but either way, it became my theme song. I was dead set on making this world a better place.

Side note: Had to add this while I’m thinking about it. I also wanted “Chariots of Fire,” to be played at my wedding. Y’all, what was wrong with me?! Laughing. I was so into my own little world. Guess nothing’s really changed, huh? Smiling

Anyhoo… back to President Carter. I have watched him over the years remain humble and give to those less fortunate. I really wish that I could sit with him just to show my appreciation for everything he’s done and given.

What’s so ironic is, Friday I signed up to volunteer for a local hospice care center. I may not be able to be by his side before he leaves us, but I can be by someone else’s. A piece of his legacy will always live on through me through my service to others.

President Carter is a true servant leader and his presence and impact on the world will be greatly missed.

Sending him and his family prayers and love.♥️

Shaun

Life

Happy New Year’s Eve: 2022

Y’all, 2022 was one eventful year! I’m so grateful God was with me every step of the way. So grateful for His guidance, grace and unconditional love.

Each year, instead of a setting a New Year’s resolution, I set a theme for the year. This year’s theme for 2022 was “Unapologetically Me.” I loved and lived up to it. I didn’t set it for others to see, or even notice. It was personal. It was for me to feel and embrace, and I did. Let’s just say it’s how I needed to end this decade of my 40s. Smiling

This coming year I’m entering a new decade of life, my 50s, and want to do things a little differently. Nothing bold. Nothing deep. The energy I’m taking into 2023 is humbleness and gratitude. It’s the energy I would like to have as I usher in the next half of my life. Gotta leave the negative energy on this side of my century. Smiling. Honestly, I’m looking forward to turning 50. God is good.

Okay.. so here is the ultra-condensed, yet very significant version of my accomplishments in 2022:

• I conquered a few fears.
• I found myself again.
• I released control.

I just wanted to add, releasing control was probably the most rewarding. This year, so many things happened that were beyond my control. I had no choice but to give in and go with the flow. Then, there were the things I could control. Well, I found out they weren’t worth the headache or heartache, so I let them go. Y’all, I never knew releasing control could be so freeing. This is a whole-nother level of freedom I never knew existed and I’m loving it!

As I mentioned earlier, I am focusing on humbleness and gratitude in 2023. Not expecting much. Not asking for much. Just grateful for what I already have. If God decides to bless me with more, I will be just as grateful.

Here’s a snippet of how I entered 2022, and how I’m leaving it as I enter 2023.

Wishing all of you much love, peace, happiness and blessings in 2023. May your new year be full of light, laughter and joy. I love y’all!😘

Shaun