Shaq Shoes

"MOM CAN I GET THESE????"

My back was turned to her, but I was already hating this late night Wal-Mart run (I'm a Target shopper). Every time we go in the store for one thing she asks me for 100 things.

"Mom, did you hear me? I want these shoes."

I turn to face her and my 9 year old, Laia, soon to be 4th grader, is smiling from ear to ear. I look down at her feet and see Shaq Shoes.

I frown.Oh no. I thought to myself. Not Shaq shoes. I then began to think back to my school days when the worst thing you could wear to school was some shoes that were not name brand. I remember in third or fourth grade when my friends and I teased Daniel all year because he had some Chevy shoes. I remembered when I stopped wearing my light up shoes to school because a classmate pointed out that they were not LA Gear.

"No you can't get those."

"Please mom!! They are perfect and it looks like I can run fast in them. Boy shoes are better than girl shoes," she pleaded.

I looked at the $15.97 price tag on the shoes. Thought about it and put the shoes on the shelf. We left the store Shaqless.

I decided to go out and find a better shoe. So after three stores I found a pair of $70 Nike's that were similar. After a quick check to my bank account I stood in line to pay for the shoes.

That's when it hit me.

Unfortunately not much has changed since I was in school. The kids with the cool sneakers are cool and other kids are not. Some parents can afford Jordan's and Adidas for their little ones. I've seen other parents scrape up money, borrow or even steal to get their kids the latest name brand shoes. What lessons do we teach our kids? Their worth is not determined by the kind of shoes they have or where they shop. What matters are those grades, What matters is that Laia can make any one laugh. What matters is that she is kind to the kid that doesn't have a real POLO shirt on or that she shares with kid whose mom didn't have extra money for ice cream.

Don't me wrong I have my brands and things that I like, but why should I plant the seed in her that brands are EVERYTHING because that is what society will teach her? I want her to love God, love people, and love herself regardless of what she is wearing. I want her to have the confidence to wear what makes her feel good. I want her to stand up to bullies. I want her to make wise decisions on how to spend her money. Not spending money on thing to impress others. I don't ever want her to feel that she is entitled to something just because she wants it. I want her to know that if she wants nice things in the future she has to work for them, I don't want her spoiled. I put the Nike's back.

"I can really get them!?!"

I looked at her smiling face again, Only this time I was smiling too.

"If those are the ones you want."

She hugged me so tight. "Yes. I am going to look great at school. These are the BEST shoes in the entire WORLD!"

Favorite Songs

I have to narrow down my favorite songs into a list of only five. This is going to be hard because I love so many time of music. Music is so powerful. It can bring us up and pull us down.


#5 Sittin Up in My Room

Don't judge. I love this song!! It takes me back to old school days when I thought I was just so in love. Any time I hear it I start singing loud. Fave line: Wonder if I'm far or if I'm getting close.

#4 I Have Nothing

This is my go to shower song. As you can see I love love songs. Whitney is definitely feeling some type of way in this one. She is vulnerable and is leaving it all on the line. This is one of Whitney's best.  Fave line: You break down my walls with the strength of your love.

#3 Heart of the Matter

This song has pushed me through one of the worst times of my life. Breaking up is hard. Realizing that the relationship is really over is harder. I like Don Henley's version because it's rare that you hear about a guy being so vulnerable. Fave line: I'm thinking about forgiveness, even if you don't love me anymore.

#2 How Great is Our God

I could listen to this song everyday! It just talks about the greatness of God. He created the world and then considered to make little old me. Favorite line: All will see how great, how great is our God!

#1 Shout to the Lord

Another reminder that there is no one like the Lord. I've loved this song since I was a little girl. It always reminds me of being in church and worshiping with my family. Favorite line: All of my days, I want to praise, the wonders of your mighty love.

Honorable Mentions

Garth Brooks- If Tomorrow Never Comes
Rascal Flatts - Bless the Broken Road
CeCe Winans- For Always
N*SYNC- It's Gonna Be Me
Celine Dion- The Power of Love


What's your favorite songs?
 All of these songs and more are available on Itunes.


Yo's Truly


Yolanda

Ministry?

As many of you know I have just returned from South Korea. My sister and her husband have lived over there for four years. I was so happy to see how they have built a life over there. They have some wonderful friends and have built some amazing relationships. They are different then when they left. I mean this in a good way. Before they went overseas they were both really "involved" with a local church. They were in church most of the days of the week "serving" on different "ministries". 

Me and my sister, Sheretta

Seeing them in Korea reminded how those "ministries" are not really "ministries". Now before you get your spiritual feelings hurt let me explain. Our ministry is outside of the church. Now I do understand that not everyone can travel outside of the country, but what about working in our communities? We get so caught up in the dance ministry, parking lot ministry and the music ministry, but we never volunteer at a soup kitchen or give to missionaries. 

They both have a heart for serving. My brother in law has a heart for encouraging and helping kids. His work as a counselor has helped so many kids. He even left Korea to serve in Indonesia on a mission trip. 

Ron in Indonesia

I definitely have a renewed feeling toward missions and doing ministry different. I want to get outside my American and Christian bubbles and do more. I don't want to stand before God one day and all I have to show for in life is that I sang in the choir and was an usher at church. I want him to be able to see how I lived my life to help and serve others. 

My sister and brother in law probably don't grasp the impact of the lives they have touched, but I can. I am excited to see what the future holds for them in their next endeavor. 

 Mark 16:15

What are you afraid of?

I didn't think that my fear of roaches, moldy bread or the dark would make for a very good post. Neither would the fact that I usually get afraid if I watch too many episodes of Criminal Minds or America's Most Wanted.

My biggest fear hands down is heights. I am terrified of heights. Like terrified. It can be paralyzing. There is even something about standing on the second floor of the mall and looking over the banister that scares me. I had a dream the other night that I was standing on the edge of a building and I fell. This morning I had an epiphany. I am really not scared of heights per say. I am scared of falling.

Falling is painful. I think babies crawl longer than they should after they realize how painful it is to fall on your behind. I think I'm like that too. I don't like to fall. It hurts. It can be shameful and even embarrassing. Like walking, we often set goals for ourselves. We make our minds up that we are not going to curse, lose our tempers, fornicate, or eat better. But sometimes along the way we fall down. I don't like that feeling. 

It's so much easier to just crawl so that I never have to experience the pain of falling. It's so much easier to crawl into bed or crawl into a good book than to let go and fall in love. Because if I fall in love I might get hurt. It's much easier to crawl and stay in my same job position because if I walk into this promotion I might fall. People will laugh if I fall. 

That sinking feeling I get in my stomach when I'm driving across a bridge is the same feeling I get before I try something new. I am making plans to conquer this fear. I know I am not ready to jump out of an airplane yet, but I am willing to take an elevator to the top floor and look down (holding on the the railing of course). Everybody falls. I can't let my fear of falling cripple me from enjoying life and taking risks. Fall into greatness. What is your fear and how will you overcome it?

Baby steps. 

Yo's Truly,

Yolanda

Proudest Moment

It's ironic that this post came up because this week my parents cleaned out their storage unit. The mantel over the fireplace is now covered with  trophies, medals and awards from my childhood. My dad proudly displayed the dust covered articles and I have caught him staring at them a couple times. He even asked me "What do you think of my display?"

It makes me happy to know that he thinks of me and my siblings accomplishments as significant and great.

My daughter told me my proudest moment is when I had her or when I graduated. My mom would say it would be the day I found Christ. And while these moments are wonderful my proudest moment is one that I have yet to be recognized publicly. 

MVP trophy from high school 

 I remember the first time I saw her. She was holding her head down and would barely look in my direction. Her clothes said, "tease me". She was skinny and a little awkward. I loved her instantly. I see this girl all the time. Sometimes she's black, Sometimes she's white. Sometimes she comes from a two parent home, foster care, and sometimes a single parent home. Sometimes she older or younger. I've gone to see her in the hospital when she tried to kill herself, I was there when she had a child. I was there when she got out of jail. I wiped her tears after she gave her child up for adoption. I threw away her cigarettes. I took her on job interviews. I was there when her baby turned one. I was there when she got her GED. I bought her prom shoes. 

Unfortunately sometimes I wasn't there. Sometimes I got to busy with my own life. I got distracted.  I ignored her. I avoided her. I pretended like she couldn't be helped. I pretended like she was burden. She wasn't my problem. She wasn't my concern. 

I try to run from her, but she always finds me. My proudest moments come when I am there for her. When I listen to her. When I give her my time. My proudest moments are when I pray for her. Encourage her. Give to her. Empower her. "She" is my proudest moment. Sometimes "she" makes mistakes or disappoints me, but she is my mission. Maybe because I see some of myself in her. A girl that struggled with feeling beautiful and smart. A girl that struggled with self worth until I became someone's "She". 

I will do all I can for every "she" I meet. She is my mission. She is my proudest moment. 

Yo's Truly,

Yolanda

My Dream Job

This one is hard because I have a couple.



One of my dream jobs would definitely be an actress. I love acting. I acted all through my teenage years at both school and church. I did my first play when I was about 7 or 8 and I was a theater minor when I initially went to college. I am an official member of the International Thespian Society too. Something about being on stage and portraying another person is so invigorating. I guess I chickened out of making acting a major career choice. Perhaps because of fear of failure or fear of being poor I choose a different path. But I will always love the stage and often think of going back to this former love.

Plays from high school

Another dream job of mine fits closely with the first. An attorney. A lawyer in many regards is nothing more than a glorified actor. I've always felt I did myself a disservice by not pursuing a career in law because I think I would have made a very good attorney. Just ask my family.

Now that this post has made me thoroughly depressed (just kidding), I guess what it boils down to is why not do your dream job? Pursue your dreams even if the thought of being an actress or a lawyer scares the crap out of you. Major in art or dance even though your parents want you to be a teacher. Skip college and go cosmetology school if doing hair and weave is your passion. Or create your dream by being an entrepreneur.

As some of you know I'm a State of Georgia Optician Apprentice. I have one more year until I can sit for my state boards exam and become a licensed optician (fancy word for eye pharmacist. Opticians legally fill glasses and contact lens prescriptions) and honestly I love my job. I kinda wish I had discovered my passion for optics awhile ago because by now I could have been an optometrist (fancy word for eye doctor). I love what I do, and while I'm not an actress, a doctor or attorney I find my path in life fulfilling.

Hindsight is 20/20

So go. Go find your passion and pursue it with all of your being. That way your dream job is also your reality job.


Yo's Truly

Yolanda

Day 3: Favorite Quote

This one was hard, which will explain why I'm a couple days late. Not really. But there are so many good quotes to choose from. Bible quotes, famous authors, Presidents, and philosophers almost made the list. But here it is:

"Show me your friends, and I will show you your future"

My best friend in ninth grade  (who I'm friends to this day) told me that her mother would say this to her all the time (hi Jodi).

Jodi and I

I'm finding that the people I hang around even in my adulthood still shape and mold the person that I am. Old people say that "Birds of a feather flock together" and this is so true. Even though I feel that I am too old to be penetrated by the peer pressure that plagued me in my high school days, I have learned that failure, like success, is contagious. The people we choose to associate ourselves with is so important to our futures.

I was talking to a friend the other day and she was telling me about a mutual friend of ours that had been arrested. Apparently the young man was sitting in a car while his "friends" decided to rob a convenience store and now his future is in jeopardy. This type of story is all but uncommon.

But on the contrary, in college I had the opportunity and privilege to meet 5 other young ladies along with my sister that were going hard after God and pursuing their degrees at the same time. This had an amazing effect on me. I too began to pursue spiritual and collegiate success. I'm proud to say that these and many of my other friends have gone on to live abroad, graduate, pursue higher education, get married, travel, become ministers, start businesses, get married, start families, and be great!

Virtuous 7

My besties!

I did it too!

I don't believe that my friends are perfect and I'm not saying that you can't hang around people that are on a different path that you. I'm simply saying that your closest friends should be the people that bring you up and push you to the next level. You should also be that friend to someone else.  Take some time today and look at your friends. Sometimes part of growing includes ending some friendships that are not beneficial.

Show me your friends and I'll show you your future. From this seat, my future looks pretty bright!


Yo's Truly

Yolanda