Practice loving on people now, so that when we’re in Heaven it will feel familiar.
Love
I Had to Cut My Hair/Short Stories
I’m 57 and haven’t had my hair braided since I was a teenager.
My sister came over one day and put some braids in for me. I loved them, but they could have been smaller so they would last longer. I wore them for about a month. It was so different for me because I wasn’t used to getting up in the mornings and not having to do my hair. When I took them down, the waves left in my hair were so pretty. I even took photos. But what happened next SHOCKED ME.
I didn’t comb my hair out; I just went to the sink and started washing it. As I was washing, I noticed that my hair was balling up and feeling thin. It didn’t feel like my normal wash. When I was done and dried it, I ran my fingers through it and saw that it was tangled so badly, I think I went into shock. It was full of clumps that I couldn’t even comb out. I stood there in shock as I tried to detangle it. I tried everything. That’s when I drove to my daughter’s house for her to help me. We did all we could, but I had to cut out the tangled hair. I was devastated. I didn’t know how long it would take to grow back, but I knew what worked for me in the past. Here are some photos from 2022 and now, 2024.
What was the hardest personal goal you’ve set for yourself?
To work on being consistent!!!! What a job!
Making money from WordPress
So, I was wondering how much does people make monthly from YouTube. Then I wondered about WordPress. I watched a few videos and I just can’t see it happening. But when I thought about it, maybe it is profitable.
I know that you have to be consistent, something that I’m working on. Trying to blog at least 3 times a week could be easy because I really have a lot to say. I feel like I need a few days to write them out ahead of time and get a 3 week jump start . Help!
If you’re making money from WordPress tell me how long did it take and what is your schedule like to post often.
One question. What is your highest month payment?
Simone Biles / Short Stories
It’s well-known that Simone Biles was raised away from her mother due to her mother’s struggle with drug addiction. In a recent interview, her mother was questioned about having Simone’s contact number. She confirmed she did but chose not to initiate contact, opting to wait for Simone to reach out when ready. This decision was met with criticism by some, given that her mother’s addiction was the cause of their estrangement. Nonetheless, I Pray, Simone reaches out to her mother. It’s my wish that she finds it in her heart to forgive and inquire about her mother’s life and the battles she faced that led to drug dependency.
I understand that our parents have their own challenges, some of which they never overcome. Perhaps they lack strength or a supportive network. These challenges can drive a wedge between us and our loved ones. By making an effort to comprehend their upbringing, we might start to grasp their choices. While we may not concur, their experiences remain their truth. I hope that in having this dialogue, Simone and her mother can start healing and forge a strong mother-daughter bond.
Reading the Bible at 14/Short Stories
At 14, I started reading the Bible for myself. My mom would take us to church on Sundays, and that’s what made me want to know Jesus personally. I was often punished for bad grades and not doing my chores. That’s how I had the time to read the Bible because reading was something I loved to do anyway. I remember reading and saying to myself that all I had to do was be good, be nice, repent, and I would make it to heaven. I had parents who loved me and told us every day. We weren’t allowed to fight as siblings; anytime we got into an argument, we had to kiss and make up on the spot, which we hated. But now, as adults, we argue but have never had a fight with each other, and we love that. We had the best friends growing up. We never fought them either. It’s amazing that we all are friends to this day.
As the years went on, I read my Bible daily, sometimes all day. The stories interested me. There are scriptures that really stood out to me when I moved out of my parents’ home into my own place. I thought that everyone in their homes respected and loved their parents. I truly got the shock of my life when I found out that not everyone lived like us. We respected our parents, and even though we didn’t always agree with them, we loved them.
- Exodus 20:12: “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.”
- Ephesians 6:2-3: “Honor your father and mother—which is the first commandment with a promise—so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”
- Proverbs 1:8: “Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.”
- Colossians 3:20: “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.”
I once believed that everyone knew and believed in Jesus. I assumed all were practicing kindness to enter Heaven. I thought people always told their friends they loved them and remained loyal. I believed that those who loved each other would preserve their friendship. But no, I’ve learned that everyone has their own motives, and that those who are hurt often hurt others. As for me, I will continue to love people because that’s my calling.
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
Looking At the World Differently
I really hate to see what’s going on in our country. It bothers me. I remember back when Ronald Reagan was running for President and how my mom and dad would discuss their disappointment in his win. In my childish mind, I thought, why do they care? That doesn’t affect us. Well, now that I’m an adult, it does.
Seeing Trump running his mouth the way he does, threatening that if he doesn’t win, it’s going to be a civil war. Who tells people that you want to go to war because you didn’t win an election? You want to win so bad that you want people to die over it. This man is a 78-year-old bully. How is this happening? If Trump wins, he made it clear that we won’t have to vote anymore. That’s because he plans to end 8-year terms for the Presidency so that he can be in office until he dies.
I love it here-home in Detroit.
I am really proud of my city, Detroit. I remember in 1991, I went to Atlanta for my daughter’s family reunion. I was amazed to see so many successful black people that I wanted to be a part of that thriving city with people who looked like me. When I returned home to Detroit, I told my friends about the prosperity of the people in Atlanta and suggested that we take a drive down there to see new things, especially since they hadn’t been there before.
When I got home, I was inspired to make it down there, even if I couldn’t move at that time; I knew I would one day. Then came 2012: I came into some money, and my daughter moved into her first apartment downtown Detroit, where we both wanted to live. That’s when I moved to Atlanta. I was devastated to learn that the apartment I was supposed to move into had been given to someone else. I just couldn’t figure out how that could be, especially since I had already been there twice, checking plans and making sure everything was ready to go.
I found another apartment, this time in Alpharetta. It was beautiful and peaceful. I went on the waiting list, but it took a while. In the meantime, I was looking for a place to stay in Detroit. I couldn’t afford to spend $300 a week for over six weeks, especially not knowing when the apartment manager would call me. God led me to an apartment building downtown. I always wanted to move downtown, so I made an appointment as soon as I got home. I moved in three months later and have been loving it ever since.
I never thought I would live downtown. My city was completely shut down due to no stores being open, crime, abandoned buildings, and having nothing to do. But my city was coming alive. New apartments were being built, parks were cleaned up, and more have opened. Hotels were being constructed, and new activities were emerging. All of our sporting events’ homes were back in Detroit. I was so happy to be home. The reason for me leaving was to be a part of a thriving community, and now, I’ve found that my city embodies that spirit. My personality is vibrant, and I want to get out and do things. I’ve done a lot of traveling, but there’s so much more to explore, and I want to be a part of it. I’m so glad to be HOME. All the things I was looking for in Atlanta, I found right here in Detroit, Michigan. I LOVE IT HERE!”
Raising Neisha
My E-book is out NOW
Be back
It’s that time to start back writing again. I’ll see you all, this weekend.
lIVING lIFE lESSONS 