Too Blessed to be Stressed!

Today started out nice like any other, thanking God for another glorious day, and seeing my wonderful family awake and getting along with the activities of their limbs.  Somewhere after breakfast and before lunch it all went wrong.  There were a few grocery items we were in need of and I wanted to browse two little boutiques for small gifts for friends.  The hubby had training so it was going to be me and the little lady out and about.  We parked and commenced our shopping with smiles and songs.  That is where the happy story ends...  Inside the 1st store with no shopping carts available to strap her down, she wanted to run through the aisles grabbing things.   This type of behavior is frowned upon in majority of the German stores I have been in so I grabbed her and tried to shop a little faster.  She kicked and screamed because she wanted her freedom to roam.  I tried to buy her silence by showing her some stickers of one of her favorite characters.  That bought me two minutes of quietness but when the whaling started back we made a dash to the check out.  I didn't get the items we went in for I didn't see them or perhaps I did but my mind was thinking lets get out of here before the clerk says something to me.

Isaiah 58:9 

Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

The second store wasn't much of a difference except there was a cart.  She just leaned over to the side of that trying to grab items to throw in the cart.  When they were replaced on the rack the screams started.  I had a little more luck in here with finding items, I think the fact that I wasn't chasing her or trying to hold her while being kicked helped :)  SO the final two stores were grocery stores.  The first store wasn't bad I can't recall a major incident.  Then second grocery store was a different story.  In there we only had to get a special flavored yogurt her daddy loves so I planned on dashing in and out.  All was good and we were on the home stretch in the checkout line.  Can you guess what she spotted as we waited our turn to check out? Yep candy!  I said ok the chocolate eggs she loves with a toy surprise inside were on sale.  So I said we will get two.  She of course wanted them right then and there and we were 3rd to check out.  So she cried and screamed like I had pinched her.  Her nose started to run and she fell out all over the cart.  Finally she stopped because the nice lady behind us played as though she was going to tickle her.  After paying and thanking the stranger we went home.  

You would think the wild day would end because we came home to lunch already prepared.  Daddy met us down at the curb to carry our groceries up four flights of stairs but you thought wrong.  She barely ate lunch and wanted to play with our electronics and when she was denied she screamed and cried.  It was definitely nap time and mommy time!  Daddy was leaving for night practice and we would be alone again.  We had a battle to lay down but I thought I won so I came out to sit and check emails.  Ok it was a little too quiet so, I decided to go take a peek.  Sure enough she was into something!!  She was sitting in the middle of our bed covered from head to toe in my lotion.  Lotion I had brought back to Germany from the States.  In other words cannot replace it at this time.   So after cleaning her and the sheets, I told her I didn't want to see her face for a while!  She cried and screamed so I closed her door.  I needed "me time".  

After a while of her crying and I was able to talk to a dear friend (thanks Mrs. Truscott) who chuckled at the situation because it is what a typical sleepy child would do in that situation.  My daughter was no different than other children nearing her nap time, although at times I wonder am I the only mother going through this?!  After stepping back and looking at the situation and hearing my baby call out Mommy! Mommy! from the other room I did the only think I could do at that moment.  Asked for help.  No my husband still wasn't here but I called my Father (not my dad back in the USA), my comforter, my teacher, and just called out Shalom - Lord of Peace!  I prayed for help, so that I can help her in this time of need.  I asked Him to show me how to be a good mom to her when she is in distress and I am stressed.  He is always an on time God!  The tension left my body, and I felt I could walk in there and deal with anything.  Well not only did He give me peace He gave her peace as well.  We ate dinner, and played a little then at 8pm (her official bedtime) on the dot she was in her pjs and on her way to a deep sleep in bed.  I have to remember to thank God for the good and the bad.  The situation with my daughter drew me closer to my Father.   We have to believe that with Christ we can handle anything!  We have to ask the Holy Spirit to help us love in those tough situations and to give thanks.  For this realization I am truly blessed.  

Until Next time...

Psalm 62:1-2

My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

Is That All You?

Is that all of your hair?  I have heard that a few times since getting my hair flat ironed this last time.  I don't mind the question because I use to be the weave/wig queen!  I knew all about different yaki, remi, indian wet and wavy hair that would make your head spin.  I love change and not sure the real reason I wore the extra hair but I enjoyed the quick change it allowed me to achieve in an afternoon instead of trying to grow my hair unsuccessfully for years.

I have the honor of receiving the gray hair genes in the family and have had strands since middle school at age 13.  With trying to dye my hair (I don't mind gray but the amount I have is comparison to a senior citizen) and get relaxers my hair was not healthy at all and stuck at shoulder length or above for many years.  I had to make a decision between dying my hair often to keep up with the gray or getting relaxers since doing both was thinning my hair out.  I decided that cutting it all off and starting over with no relaxers was going to be my best bet.  I did the "big chop" for New Years 2008.  I was so self conscious of my short hair.  I mean it was so short I could barely get comb twists (pictures to come when I get home to my desk top).  SO I was hiding my hair for about 2 years and in the process not letting it get the moisture and care it needed.  Finally listening to a friend (thanks Anneka) I went to a really good stylist who would teach me to care for my natural tresses.  I also was a googling fool looking up everything on how to make your own moisturizers, conditioners, etc.  This was really helpful this year in Germany.  Although there are a lot of people of color here, there aren't any products in stores for their hair textures.  I made my own moisture hair dress and was protecting my hair from the cold winter here in Germany by wearing two strand twists and braid outs.  So I want to show you my hair growth from my arrival in Germany until now.

July 2011

February 2012

So that's about 7months of growth.  Let me know if you are interested in my routine.  I will post my homemade hair dress on here soon!  

Take care!

Grace and Blessings!

I Define Me...

"For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)


Today once again one of my daily devotionals came right on time.  My quest to get closer to the Lord and to be more like Him has my mind in a very good place.  I look at the world and situations with a totally different attitude.  It is great!  I feel like a new person in the sense that I don't let anything get to me.  It feels wonderful to hand over all my troubles to the One who can truly handle them!  Today for some reason I was a little down.  I think it is a mix of jet lag and fatigue and the fact that I NEED to get back in my routine with the Lord.  I let some things slip and as a result some not so good thoughts have crept in my head.  


I let the opinions of others get into my head and it got to the point of bringing me down.  I looked in the mirror and saw exactly what they were talking about instead of what God sees in me.  It seems the devil knows who to get to be the bearer of adversity because then will it really get to us.  He will use the people you love, your parents, your friends, or even your spouse or signifcant other to really hurt you.  When you let your guard down the enemy is waiting and ready to pounce.  You have to stay covered in the blood (or the Word of God).  This is our only defense against the enemy. 2 Corinthians 10: 3-5 ...we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.


I had to pray and ask for forgiveness for letting my spiritual life become lax in the past few days.  I had to ask for acceptance of all of me, flaws and all, and for my self love to be increased.  I was reminded that God wouldn't create anything that He wasn't proud of.  He made women beautiful, strong, in all shapes and sizes each with unique plans and purposes on this earth.  These are the scriptures my devotional provided about women and how we should view ourselves:


    • Created in the image of God. (Genesis 1:27)
     • Fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14)

• Precious and honored in His sight. (Isaiah 43:4)

• Redeemed and forgiven. (Ephesians 1:7)

• A new creature in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

• Holy and blameless before God. (Ephesians 1:4, 1 Corinthians 1:30)

• Chosen by God. (1 Peter 2:9)

• God's masterpiece. (Ephesians 2:10)

• Created with purpose to do great works for God's Kingdom. (Ephesians 2:10)

So ladies please don't get to that point like me!  Write these scriptures down and read them anytime you feel less than what God made you to be!  You define who you are!  No one else can tell you who you are, all you have to do is ask yourself who are you in your Father's eyes!  

Love You!
Grace and Blessings,