I was born and raised near the water; sweet home Alabama. Over the years, I have been blessed to live in different states across this country. I have experienced different cultures and seen breathtaking outdoor sceneries.
But deep down inside of me, there is always a yearning to be close to the ocean. Whenever I venture close to the water, my mind, body, and soul seems to lighten, and I have an indescribable peace.
As I think about my next adventure, I pray that God will give me a new home not too far from a beautiful and peaceful body of water.
After my initial BrCa diagnosis, I decided to change my diet. It was a tough transition, because I loved desserts and bread. Over the years, I managed to improve by cutting back on the bad carbohydrates. But last year, I was stressed from work and calmed myself with ice cream and candy. Bad decision.
This year, I decided it was time to get serious about maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I read articles and watched several videos to figure out the perfect plan for me.
I learned that trying to comment to one type of diet doesn’t work for me. So, I started with a two week fast, because I needed to submit my will to God. Then, I stopped eating candy. I eliminated the candy first, thinking it would be my toughest battle. But after the fast, I no longer had the cravings for candy. Next, I tackled the bread issue. If I eat bread, it has to be whole grain once a week.
I eat more organic fruit, vegetables, and beans. I am not a huge meat eater. So, I take in organic meats or wild-caught seafood maybe three times a week.
I cannot lie. The sweet cravings occasionally sneak in, but I found something for them. I eat a baked sweet potato with only olive oil and cinnamon or drink a healthy beverage.
Finding a healthy beverage that curved my sweet cravings was tough. If I am out and about, I buy a fruit and vegetable smoothie. When I am at home and the beast hits, I do not want to pull out the blender. Lazy. So, I did more research and decided on coconut water and beet juice.
Coconut water is an easy swallow, but the beet juice, not so. With the beet juice, I had a piece of fruit on standby after drinking it. After a couple of weeks, I am now able to take in my four ounces with ease. WARNING: don’t smell the beet juice prior to drinking it. LOL. Just think of the benefits (immune support, liver support, may increase heart muscle power, anti-cancer properties, and much more).
*Remember to talk with your doctor or healthcare team prior to adding a new food/beverage to your diet.
If you have ever been employed by a company, in the midst of completing all the required forms, you have to give the name and number of your emergency contact.
My emergency contacts have been my mother and sister. Once my son became an adult, I added him to the list. Never did I imagine that either of them would be called.
During my crisis, my son arrived to the hospital first and called others. Shortly after, my mother, sister, cousin, aunt, and several friends showed up.
Having a name and number to record is a blessing, but when you have a tribe to show up, it leaves you speechless.
I have learned over the years that love is an action word. It involves pausing your life to care for another.
Just a little something to think about the next time you are completing your emergency contact list.
When God told me it was time to go home, while I was on assignment in Phoenix, I was not quite sure where to go. I had lived in a number of states. So, I assumed He meant Alabama. It was where I was born and raised. I soon found out that Alabama would not be my permanent resident.
After praying and not much listening, I figured I would look for a job where I could work from home and live anywhere. Thank God for grace and mercy, because I know sometimes, He wants to scream at me in a loud, booming voice, “my child listen!”
After so many closed doors, I surrendered. I prayed again and listened. And the following day, a job offer came to me.
Initially, I laughed, because I knew God had to be joking. When He told me it was time to go home, I did not think about the home I left before heading to Phoenix. Not only was He telling me to go back to Tennessee, He sent me back to the same hospital that I resigned from.
Tennessee was not even on my list of places that I considered home. I had only lived there for a few months. Deep down, I felt there had to be a purpose for this, so I accepted the offer.
Now, I wait to see how He uses me. The journey continues.
It has been a while since my last post. I could give you a million excuses to explain why I have not published in the past six months. Instead, I’ll give you all an update.
Back in January, I was living in Nashville and loving the city. The problem was with my job. I understand that we have to take the bitter with the sweet, but there are times when we must utilize the 80/20 rule. Nothing is perfect. So, be willing to accept the crazy twenty percent, as long as the eighty percent brings you joy. Since my joy percentage was significantly less than eighty, I decided to pick up another travel assignment.
Arizona was my home for the past six months. After the first month, I was considering making Phoenix my permanent residence. Arizona is a beautiful state. The scenery is mind-blowing. And I had developed a great relationship with my coworkers. For the first time in my traveling career, I extended my contract in April. But then, summer appeared.
I am a southern girl. I am used to heat and humidity. I worked in Tucson for three months back in 2019, but I was not ready for one hundred and fifteen degrees. It was extremely hot everyday. So, I am sure you know by now what happened. I did not extend my contract in July. The 80/20 rule was null and void due to the extreme heat.
Currently, I am in Alabama spending some time with my mother and family. I am going to use this time to pray for guidance in regards to my next step. My family laughs when I tell them that I am ready to settle down. “You do not allow grass to grow under your feet.” I will prove them wrong. I pray.
Time is precious, and it does not sit back and wait on anyone. My mind is always thinking about places to explore on this planet. But I have learned over the past ten years that I can continue to explore to see new places and meet new people while residing permanently in one city.
My steps are divinely ordered, so I wait to see where my permanent residence will be and the work He has for me.
After you say goodbye to 2021, leave it all in the past; the good, bad, and ugly. Do not bring along a single thing. You have learned the lessons, now, continue to grow.
We all need something to look forward to; something that will motivate us. So, make some time in your busy schedules to sit in a quiet spot and write down your goals for 2022. If nothing comes to mind, create a vision board. I have a vision book. Smile.
This year, I have decided to allow the Spirit within me to guide my steps. This will be a great challenge for me because I think I know what is best for me. I pray and ask God for guidance, but before receiving all the details, I take off running. With total surrender, I have to take me out of the equation until I am fully informed. Sounds simple.
The Spirit wants nothing more than to give me the desires of my heart while fulfilling my purpose. So, this year, my plan is to take the passenger seat.
I am excited about my journey through this new year. My year of total surrender.
Her Timeout 