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

20 Facts About Me

Day Two of my blog Challenge:
 Let's go!

1. I have over 100 pairs of shoes

Old picture but you get the point

2. I HATE flip flops!! Every time I try to wear them I feel ratchet

3. I've never had a car note.
4. I love my boyfriend : )

5. Red wine helps me sleep (Don't judge me)
6. I'm scared of heights
7. My mom is one of best friends which is funny because we used to fight ALL the time

My mommy

8. I think I was supposed to be a lawyer or a politician
9. Condoleezza Rice is one of my role models
10. I'm not a member of a church
11. I've gained about 14 lbs in nine months

12. I miss my granny so much

My heart

13. I love to hold hands
14. I was natural in high school before it was cool. Now I'm not. #creamycrack
15. I love being a mom

16. I have had my guitar for over two years and still can't play it
17. I'm good at keeping secrets

18. I've always been sexy

I was born 9lbs 10oz

19. I miss Valdosta and I didn't think I would

20. I believe coffee is a reminder from God that heaven is real. 

Heaven in a cup

Those are just a few facts. Looking forward to you learning more about me in the next few blogs. Subscribe and comment.

Yo's Truly,

Yolanda

30 day blog challenge

So after being on a blog hiatus for quite sometime I thought I'd get started again. (I've been saying that for years) 

This morning I came across this picture and instantly got excited. (Hopefully I can complete this challenge for all 30 days!)

Day 1: Your blogs name

I didn't think this name picking thing was going to be as hard as it was. I've always had a slight obsession with my name. Yolanda,  I guess because it's kinda unique. I have a million nicknames Yo-Yo, Yolly, Yoeshe (like Yoshi the dinosaur from Mario) so I tried my best to incorporate one of those. Here are some of the blog names I came up with:

1. YOLO (thank God I changed my mind)

2. Yo Mama (Laia, my daughter, will thank me later that I didn't roll with that one)

3. Yo MTV raps????

4. FindingYoYo (my Twitter name)

Finally I came up with Yo's Truly. The phrase Yours Truly is a common sign off of a letter. It simply means "What I just wrote. I mean it" or "I'm being sincere". Some people use it when talking about themselves: "This blog was created by yours truly". I guess mine is combination of those definitions.

I hope you're just as excited about me writing again as I am. I challenge my fellow blogging buds to do the challenge for fun! Let me know below how it goes!


Yo's Truly,

Yolanda