Tag: transparency

Life

Trust

Shaun Bradford

For most, trust does not happen over night. It takes time to build. Once in place, handle it with care because once it’s broken it can take a lifetime to repair.♥️ ~ Shaun

Sooo… short story. Right as I was posting this to my Facebook page, I started receiving notifications that someone was sharing my posts. I was like cool! Until I looked at who had shared them. How about someone stole my profile picture and banner and began sharing my posts. Talk about WILD!! Why do people do these things? Why pretend to be someone you’re not. At least they used a different name, but my same picture!! Disgusting and disturbing.

Trust… can’t trust nobody!! Shaking my head, laughing.

Y’all have a great day!

Life

Wednesday Writings

Shaun Bradford

I was just scrolling through my Facebook memories and came across a few pictures I had shared from one of my basketball card collections. Y’all, it’s so ironic that this post popped up today because I have been thinking about parting ways with my cards… with a lot of things.

For a little over two months now, I have been slowly packing up my mom’s house. I never knew how much stuff she had. How many sentimental things she had been holding on to. Listen, it was a lot.

Well, this got me to thinking about some of the things I’ve been holding on to. Things that are very dear to me. Although my sisters and I kept a lot of my moms things– even though we had no real connection with them– will my children do the same? Would I want them to? They already think I hold on to too much, and I think they might be right.

After going through Momma’s things and having to decide what’s worth keeping, selling or trashing, I believe it’s time to let a few things of my own go. My two have told me countless times that they do not want their baby items, preschool drawings or their baby teeth. Laughing. So why am I still holding on to them? Y’all, I have things like their first pair of shoes, the outfits they wore home from the hospital. I also have baby bottles, bows, and stuffed animals. And y’all, don’t get me started on all of the books and VHS tapes I kept. And that’s only their things. Sigh. I have over 30 years of my own things that I have kept. Y’all, I still have my laundry bag from basic training. Why?!! Shaking my head, laughing. It’s definitely too much. So, before this year ends.. which is soon.. I need to decide what’s continuing on with me and what has to go.

Questions: Have you ever had to part ways with sentimental items? If so, how did you do it; and how did you feel afterwards? Do you regret it?

Well, this is all I have for today. Next week we will be in a new year. How exciting!

Enjoy your day!♥️

Shaun

Life

Wednesday Writings

Shaun Bradford

Y’all, I had some kind of day yesterday. I’m not going to go into details, but it ended with me verbally declaring over and over, “I will not be defeated! I AM a child of God.” By the end of the night, the things I was stressing about had disappeared. Well.. they hadn’t actually disappeared, they were definitely still there; however, I no longer felt overwhelmed.

HA! That was yesterday…

Honestly, I have no idea why I check my emails at 3:00 AM, but I do. Ugh. It’s definitely a habit I need to break. Well, this morning I opened my email and the very first one hit me like a ton of bricks. Whew! Unlike yesterday when I allowed things to get me all worked up, I immediately began declaring – again, verbally – that I AM a child of God and I WILL NOT be defeated!

Y’all, I truly believe words have more power when they’re spoken, when they’re released into the universe. Now.. this goes for negative words too. So, be careful of what you release.

Today, at this very moment, I am declaring —

NOOOO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST ME WILL PROSPER! I AM A CHILD OF GOD AND HE’S GOT ME!!

Listen, if you’re also going through some things, please feel free to make the same declaration, verbally. Change it up however you like. Just make sure you get it out into the universe.

Well, there’s nothing I can do right now about that email so I’m going to publish this blog and go back to sleep. God’s got me.

Y’all have a blessed day.♥️

Shaun

Life

Hello Sunday

Shaun Bradford

Sometimes we win. Other times we lose.

Sometimes we seize great opportunities. Other times we don’t.

Question

How do you cope – or attempt to cope – when things don’t go as planned? You know, after you have experienced a loss or have been disappointed?

Here’s what I wrote on this date in 2018. It was in response to the following quote — “Things didn’t work out [loss, disappointment, setback] because better things are in the works.”

Facebook Memory: December 18, 2018

Good Morning! We’re two weeks away from 2019!! Can you believe how fast this year passed? It’s crazy! Here’s today’s social media find. I know you may have set goals for this year that didn’t happen. You had it all played out in your mind how this year was going to be “Your Year!” And you feel like it was everything but your year (believe me, I know the feeling). However, from years of experiencing God’s love, mercy and grace, you KNOW better is coming! Things didn’t work out because they weren’t supposed to. Whatever’s coming is going to blow your mind! Y’all know how God loves to show out!!😉💃🏽💃🏽 Here’s the thing, you cannot settle when you’re feeling down. You cannot stop believing because you don’t see anything happening. You must continue to push forward! Y’all, the best God has is on it’s way! Don’t give up!!

I like how I wrote–

“Things didn’t work out because they weren’t supposed to. Whatever’s coming is going to blow your mind!”

Looking back, I am pretty sure I was trying to encourage myself after what I considered a loss or disappointment. Transparent moment: This is one of my ways of coping. It’s how I remain hopeful.

Did it work?

Does it work?

ABSOLUTELY!

Although we still have two weeks left, I am exiting 2022 knowing that some things did not go as planned because they just were not meant to.

AND…

I’m entering 2023 KNOWING (had to make that BOLD because I’m feeling it) better is coming! Amen

Y’all, I am truly thankful for God’s love, mercy and grace. I thank Him for holding me up when I just knew I would fall. I thank Him for holding my heart together when I thought it was shattering. I thank Him for walking with me while I was afraid. I thank Him for encouraging me and restoring my hope, daily. We all know life is not easy. Y’all, I am beyond grateful God is in this thing with me. I’m Blessed

Only two weeks left in 2022! I pray you had an overall amazing year!♥️

Shaun