Tag: memories

hope

April Is Here

Shaun Bradford

This morning, I thought I’d share a few of my Facebook memories with you. I’ll start with the oldest and work my way up.

April 1, 2011

I miss being in the Air Force and the Air National Guard. I did half of my time in one and the rest in the other. Enjoyed them both. I still don’t like wearing stud earrings. That’s why you’ll always see me in hoops. I also don’t miss the steel-toed boots. However, I do miss my Air Force family. I mistakenly tried to treat my civilian job and colleagues like family and quickly realized they were not the same. I miss watching and hearing the planes take off. I worked in Airfield Management, which meant we managed everything on the airfield. I loved watching the fighter jets take off at the break of dawn. Talk about beautiful! And I loved hearing the big-body aircraft take off. Soooo powerful! It’s fascinating how something so big can stay in the air. And the aircrews! I had to brief them before their flights. Y’all, I got to meet pilots from all over the world and astronauts! I still can’t believe that I walked into the recruiter’s office on an April afternoon and committed to serve. Wasn’t afraid at all. Never had second thoughts. I just did it, and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. Seems like a lifetime ago!☺️

April 1, 2021

This is a message from my momma. When I first read it, I read it from the point of four years ago. Then, I read it as if she tagged me in the post today. Today, I’m saying, “Father, thank You that You’re taking me where I couldn’t go on my own.” Amen. I have absolutely no idea where God is taking me, but I trust Him. I know He’s got me.🙏🏽

April 1, 2023

I must keep shining! God has blessed me with an AMAZING life. There’s absolutely no reason for me not to. I am truly, truly blessed! I can hear Janet Jackson singing, “I’ve seen the world, been to many places…” And I have. I am beyond blessed.

I pray you have a blessed, peaceful, and prosperous month. May your April be filled with lots of love and joy. You deserve it!♥️

Love you much,

Shaun

hope

Things That Make You Go Hmmm…

Shaun Bradford

As Arsenio Hall used to say, “Things that make you go ‘Hmmm’.”

Notice the time?

Found this amongst my handy-dandy saved photos. It seems like my photos are creating their own stories nowadays.🙃 As you can see, love was on my mind at 1:48 AM. Really?! Y’all, I’m cracking up. Seriously… at one o’clock in the morning, I was writing the word “Love.” The sun is cute, though. Why am I hearing, “Sunny days, everybody loves them? Tell me, baby, can you stand the rain?” I guess that’s the adult version of “Sunny Days.” See previous post.

On a serious note, though. I truly love life, even the craziness of it all—which wasn’t always the case. I believe me having a near death experience changed everything. You see, several years ago, I had a car accident not even 30 minutes after thinking I no longer wanted to be here. Yeah… I was so done with life that I wanted to be gone. It was only a thought. Then, the accident happened. Since then, I cherish life and everything that comes with it. Bad times happen. The hurts and disappointments haven’t stopped, but I’m still here! I’m still here! I would have missed out on soooo much had I not lived. Y’all, I’m still here!

Think I’ll end now. I’m not sure if I’ll share a mid-morning post or if this will be it. If I don’t, I’ll talk to you this afternoon.

Love you!♥️

Shaun

Since I mentioned sunny days, here’s “Can You Stand The Rain” by my all time favorite male RnB group, New Edition (#NE4Life!!).

“Can You Stand The Rain?” by New Edition

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Love, AGAIN?!

Shaun Bradford

HAAAA!!

NOPE.

I believe I have written enough about love. I’m just going to let it flow freely from me to you. May you feel it through every post I make. Feel it. Receive it. Then, pass it along. Just know that I really do love you, though.🥰

Here’s a find from my saved photos. As always, I’m not sure why I take pictures of random things, but they always make me smile whenever I come across them. This one definitely made me smile. The 80’s. MTV. Cyndi Lauper. Love (yeah… there’s no way around it🤷🏽‍♀️😌).

March 24, 2020

“Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper

Welcome to my world!

Gotta love life.♥️

Love you,

Shaun

hope

The PASSION

Shaun Bradford

I can’t believe it’s been nine years since I went to see The PASSION Live!

Seems like it was only a few years ago, not almost ten. Wow!

Y’all, how it happened was how so many things have happened in my life. I have a random wish—“I wish I could…”—and it happens. A few days before I went to the event, I saw something on Twitter about it happening in New Orleans—which is basically down the highway from me. At that moment, I thought, “I wish I could go see it.” Not lying… not even a day later, I saw that free tickets were available, and I got one! The rest is history! It was an awesome experience, but it was SO COLD that day.🥶

Wonderful memory!♥️

Shaun

hope

Cherish Your Time With Loved Ones

Shaun Bradford

This memory is so fitting for how I have been feeling the last few days—from what would’ve been my mom’s 67th birthday this past Friday to my daughter leaving today—I must be intentional about cherishing the time I spend with those I love.

Be sure to do the same.

Love you!♥️

Shaun

♥️
hope

Happy Heavenly Birthday, Momma!

Shaun Bradford

Today would’ve been my mom’s 67th birthday.🎉

For her 60th, we took her to see The Black Panther, and she loved it! Gave it two thumbs up. Fun times.🥰

So very thankful for the 49 years we had together. I miss you, Momma.♥️🥰♥️

Shaun

hope

Two More Memories

Shaun Bradford

I began the day with two Facebook memories and thought I’d end it with two more.

This memory is from three years ago. I don’t have much to add to what I wrote then.

Have you?🤔

This next memory is a song from my teenage years, “Hold On” by Wilson Phillips. The song says—

“Don’t you know, things could change. Things could go your way. If you hold on for one more day. Can you hold on?”

“Hold On” by Wilson Phillips

I pray you had a lovely day. Wishing you a peaceful night.♥️

Love you always,

Shaun

hope

My Journey With God, No. 56

Shaun Bradford

You know how one thing leads to or is connected with another? Well, I was looking at photos from January 29, 2023—pictures of my mom—and saw the screenshot below. This led me to check and see what I had posted on that date. Honestly, I wasn’t ready for what I had written.

Probably took the screenshot because 6-24 is my birthday. Seeing that number always makes me smile.

“Hello Sunday”– January 29, 2023

I keep asking myself why I have to be so strong. Why me? I’m tired of being strong alone. JOURNAL ENTRY, JANUARY 29, 2015

In the same entry, I added a quote from Joel Osteen –

“Negative, defeated thoughts will drain your energy. You wouldn’t be facing it if you couldn’t handle it. You’re anointed for this — God would not have allowed it if you weren’t ready for it and equal to it.”

That “I’m tired of being strong alone,” seems to be the story of my life. However, just like Joel said, I wouldn’t be facing it if I couldn’t handle it. Honestly, I’m beginning to believe that being strong alone is my super power. Hmmm…

Anyhoo… I’m going to visit my mom today! This time I’m taking her dog, Nala. I know they will be happy to see each other. 

Well, that’s all I have to share today. Y’all, life is one big adventure, let’s make sure we make the best of it.♥️

“Honestly, I’m beginning to believe that being strong alone is my super power.”

I don’t like that statement. I’m not meant to be strong alone. No one is.

One thing is true, though, life is one big adventure. And I do plan to make the best of it.♥️ ~Shaun

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TikTok and My Self-Love Saturday Videos

Shaun Bradford

I have been going through my videos on TikTok and saving what I can. I had no idea I made so many videos. In my mind, I had only made about 10 over the past few years (I hate being on camera) when in reality, I’ve actually made close to 50. Who knew?!😁 I am glad I had TikTok to document things I didn’t feel comfortable with sharing on Instagram or Facebook—too many familiar and judgmental faces on those platforms.

I documented my time with my mom at the hospital. I also documented moments before she had the seizure that sent her to the ICU for the final time. In the video, I was all chipper talking about my upcoming 50th birthday. I had no idea that an hour or so later, I would never speak to her again. Another was a video I had decided not to share because I hated how I looked. I had left it in Drafts and ended up sharing it a few days after my mom passed. I was so worried about the way I looked, not knowing my momma would die so soon. I knew she was dying, but I just knew she had at least a couple of more weeks to live. The video I made was about God instructing me to stop focusing on everything I needed to do at home and to focus on being there with her. Well, I never shared that video until after she was gone. The way I looked no longer mattered at that moment. My momma was gone. Life…

Well, I said all of that to say, I made a lot of meaningful videos. So many documented memories I can’t afford to lose. I’m so grateful I am able to save what I can.

Since it’s Self-Love Saturday, I have decided to share two videos I made. The first one aligns with today’s theme of dreaming big (March 2023), and the other is one I made after the election (November 2024).

Think BIGGER. Dream BIGGER. And yes, I was still in bed. That’s what I loved about TikTok. I could be my authentic self and no one cared.

Message: We are going to be alright. As I have been saying lately, we were chosen for this moment. God’s got us!

I have more Self-Love Saturday videos I might share over time. I still can’t believe I had so many. They were rarely planned. Anyhoo… Be sure to love on yourself and do something extra special today. You deserve the extra attention.♥️

Love you,

Shaun

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Joyfully Following God

Shaun Bradford

Every year, I share this memory of where Shaun’s Daily Inspiration began. In 2018, I didn’t know it would evolve into what it has become. I didn’t even have a name for it then. Today, I use my drawings as backgrounds for about 95% of my quotes, and most of my quotes are original. I don’t know where God is taking me with this or It’s Shaun’s World, but I am joyfully following along. This is what I love doing.♥️🌺