My life. My world. Love, hope, peace, joy & happiness.
I finally looked at my Facebook memories from past birthdays. Here are a few that made my heart smile.
Facebook Memories:
Now, I’m getting ready to go make more memories with my son. Today is his day with me.☺️
I am so blessed.
Thank You, God, for loving me.
This is Year52!🎉♥️
Shaun
Good Morning!☀️
I pray that you’re doing well.🌸
I woke up singing Maurette Brown Clark’s song, “Just Want To Praise You.” The song says—
“I just want to praise you forever and ever and ever. For all you’ve done, done for me. Blessings and glory and honor they all belong to you. Thank you Jesus for blessing me!”
That’s exactly what I feel—blessed. My theme for Year51 was “Beyond Blessed,” and this year has lived up to that theme. This is why I need to be mindful of the theme I set for Year52. Smile
Blessings and glory and honor all belong to God. I truly cannot express it enough, I am absolutely blessed—Beyond blessed!
I’m enjoying my time with my baby girl. She always makes me feel so special. I just love being in her presence. You dote on your babies when they’re little ones, but I never imagined feeling the same about an adult child. Of course, it’s not exactly the same. I doubt if she even knows how I feel. She’s worried about making sure I enjoy my birthday weekend when all I want to do is spend time with her. I just love her.🥰
Anyhoo…
I pray that you have a fabulous day and beautiful weekend! May it be filled with lots of love, joy, peace, and laughter. You deserve it!♥️
I love you,
Shaun
Hello Sunday, and Happy Father’s Day to all the wonderful fathers out there. Know that you are loved and very much appreciated, not only for your financial support (because fathers are more than financial resources) but also for your love, wisdom, guidance, and for simply being YOU.
You are loved!♥️
Shaun
Good Morning☀️
How are you?
I hope you’re well.🌸
As I stated two years ago, your purpose is unique and connected to something you do effortlessly. Pursuing your purpose will lead to a more fulfilling life.
I pray you have a fabulous self-love Saturday. May it be filled with love, joy, and blessings.♥️
I love you much,
Shaun
Since I began the day with a memory from June 2nd, I thought I’d end with one.
Here is what I shared on June 2, 2019.
You will probably see the second picture every year because meeting Marcus Samuelsson and Leah Chase was like God’s hand touching my heart and soul. I had never experienced anything like it before. I simply said I wanted to meet them, and maybe a month or less later, I was with them. After thinking about what I shared in my first post of the day, “June 2, 2014,” I believe that trip set everything into motion. (See my previous post, “June 2, 2014.”)
Anyhoo…
I wish I could have sat down with Chef Leah Chase just one more time, but it never happened. Today, I spent the day with my 83-year-old retired Air Force friend (she’ll be 84 in September). I just love being in her presence. Listening to her reminisce about her earlier years and recent adventures (she loves to travel) makes me smile.
My heart is full.🥰
I hope you had a lovely day, and pray you have a restful night.♥️
Love you always,
Shaun
Good Morning☀️
How are you?
I hope you’re doing fabulous!🌸
This Facebook memory from three years ago has me smiling.
“YOU are worthy of God’s absolute best. You don’t have to settle for less.”
When I look back over my adulthood, I can list times when I settled for “good enough.” That job was “good enough” because it paid the bills. That relationship was “good enough” because I didn’t have to be alone—but I felt lonely (Whew!). My life was “good enough” because wanting more meant stretching myself and becoming uncomfortable.
I’m smiling because I can see how my life has changed over the past few years, especially since turning 50. That’s when I stopped settling for “good enough” and began striving for THE BEST—the best for ME. Now, my “best” may not be your idea of the best, and that’s okay. For a long time, I made decisions based on what others thought was best for me, leaving me feeling miserable. Y’all, trying to live up to other people’s expectations will drain you mentally as well as physically. Believe me, you breathe a lot easier when you dance to the beat of your own drums. PLUS, I don’t know about you, but God won’t let me settle for less than His best. He just won’t.
Today is the last day of May, which is significant in so many ways. For me, it’s the day that one cycle ends and another begins. Tomorrow, I enter my 52nd birthday month. Praying that God graces me with immeasurable favor and that He blocks every weapon meant to hinder or destroy me or my progression. May He cover me with His love and surround me with His peace and joy. Amen
Repeating my affirmation from three years ago (please feel free to do the same):
“I am worthy. Yes, ME. I am worthy of God’s best.”
I pray you have a wonderfully blessed day. May God’s love and peace surround you and your family.♥️
I love you,
Shaun
Good Morning☀️
How are you?
I pray you’re doing well.🌸
“The Encourager”
That was the name of my mom’s monthly newsletter. She used to send them to friends and family in the early 2000s. After she died, that was one of the things her friends remembered about her. Here’s a copy. She would’ve been a great blogger.💗
The Encourager (April 2003) written by Dorothy Bradford
“No matter what we suffer or have lack of, when we learn to put God first, to love Him, and to recognize His voice and obey, we have assurance that all things are working to our good.”
What a word! A word that she lived by.
This is a short week! I pray you have a beautiful day. May God make you feel extra special today. You deserve it!♥️
I love you,
Shaun
Good Morning☀️
How are you?
I hope you’re well.🌸
“Be still and have faith” is how I ended last year’s journal entry (May 26, 2024). I was becoming antsy and impatient because life wasn’t moving at the pace I wanted. I felt like I needed to do something. I needed to make things happen on my own because God wasn’t moving fast enough for me. I had thought of so many things I could’ve been doing, yet I heard to “be still and have faith.” Looking back over the past year, I am so grateful I was obedient. Had I not been, I would have missed out on so many opportunities as well as the connections and relationships I’ve built. What God has done in one year was taking me years to build.
Here’s my takeaway, or what I’ve learned—
Whenever you want to take control because God doesn’t seem to be moving, or He’s moving much too slowly—BE STILL! I even wrote in that entry, “Shaun, sit on your hands if you must.” And I almost needed to. BUT GOD!
Be still and have faith that God is going to do what He said He would do PLUS more! No lie, He will blow your mind!
I pray you have a wonderfully blessed day. Today is Memorial Day here in the United States. Please remember those who sacrificed their lives for us to have the freedoms we still have today.♥️
I love you,
Shaun
This is how God works in my life! When I tell you He loves me!🥰
Short story…
Last night, in my post, “Service Before Self,” I wrote—
“I miss that life [Air Force life]. I miss the camaraderie. We were more than coworkers and colleagues. We were family.”
I ended it with—
“I believe I need to visit an Air Force base soon. I need to see my people.”
Fast forward to God hearing and delivering!
Below is a reply from my friend, who happens to be a retired Air Force Lt. Colonel. Notice the time stamp: Friday, 8:55 PM. That was the time she replied to one of my Facebook stories. Well, I didn’t see it until after 8:00 AM this morning.
After seeing her message, I called her several times, but the calls kept failing. Then, I texted and messaged her, but she never responded. By 8:30, I was heading to her house. When I tell you all kinds of thoughts were going on in my head. “What if she was on the road and her car broke down?” “What if she was hurt or needed me to drive her somewhere?” “What if she had fallen and couldn’t get up?!” She is 84, so it’s possible (plus she’s always joking about it😅). So, what was I supposed to think?
By the time I got to her house, I was in tears and preparing myself for the worst. Her car was in her driveway, so she wasn’t stranded somewhere. I rang the doorbell, and guess who came to the door smiling? It was her, all happy to see me. All I could do was hug her. Y’all, she had forgotten that she had replied to my story. And her message was supposed to say, “Call me” instead of “Car.” Ugh… That crazy autocorrect! And when she said she needed “some help,” she meant she needed help finding something.
Anyhoo… I ended up spending the day with her and having a lovely time. It wasn’t until this afternoon that I realized God had given me what I wanted and needed—time with my Air Force family, and I didn’t have to wait.🥰
I am forever in awe of my God! I cannot express enough how truly grateful and blessed I am.♥️
Shaun
** By the way… THE COUNTDOWN IS ON!!! In exactly ONE MONTH, I will be 52!!!🎉🎉🎉
Never patch what you can repair. Instead, take your time and fix it. Fix it or it will continue to fall apart.♥️
Love you,
Shaun
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