Another Year Another Journey

I love that New Year's Comes right after the weekend.  I woke up to a few moments of prayer and meditation.  Either late at night or early in the AM before anyone calls on me, reaches out to me or jumps in next to me.  It's a perfect time to reflect on the day that's past and the day ahead. I thought about what I wanted to do today...Then I asked for guidance with what I NEEDED to do and the strength to see it through because what I wanted was different from what I needed. I believe my day went well, because I did things right. Tomorrow I'll think about WHAT I want to do BETTER for the New Year & HOW I plan to be BETTER. I'll Be Specific making a list so I have some accountability, and I loathe making lists! Much too often I'll say "I'll do better", but I'm not specific about HOW. When we're not honest about who we are and our challenges, they stick around to defeat us.  No one is perfect.  But only by being honest about our faults is the only way to conquer them and truly be our best selves! Although I dislike them, every time I make a list, my day runs so much more smoothly!  That's my challenge and what I'll have to correct.  It's uncomfortable, but I'm up for it.  What are your challenges and how will you meet them head on?

The Day You Begin

Thinking back to this past Wednesday when I had the honor of meeting award-winning author & illustrator, Rafael Lopez. He illustrated Jacqueline Woodson's, "The Day You Begin". Where was this when I was an adolescent! What an amazing book, and a must-read about inclusion. Check it out at #Barnes&Noble for that child you believe will change the world. Magnificently humble & kind, Rafael gave his time to the children of New Brunswick, NJ. More than 85% of New Brunswick is Mexican. He shared the story of how he came to the US at 18 years old from Mexico City not speaking a word of English. Rafael has gone on to illustrate ten children's books, including his own, "We've Got the Whole World in our Hands"; he's won more than five awards for illustrating, including the Society of illustrators Original Art Silver medal; as well as created seven US postage stamps. "At a young age, I connected to stories and drawing. Books became my ticket to distant and diverse places and I was fascinated by imagery from different cultures." What an inspiration for those 1st graders! "If I inspired one child, it was worth it." Mr. Lopez, I'm positive, you've done much more than that! #RepresentationMatters #CelebrateDiversity #writing4mylife #kinyashakur #Allin4NB

The Sons of Men

I walked in on my son and husband watching a football game and I was touched. Many might wonder "why? Isn't that normal for a father and son?" Perhaps...but for a man who never knew his father and thought himself an outcast growing up as a result; this moment was priceless for the woman who gave him a son.  My son is a bit of an intellectual. His main interests lie in Math & Science, and finding common ground for him and his father takes some work. However, as I explained to my son, "it's important to show the ones in your life, whom you love, that their interests, interest you". When you love you give your time and essentially yourself. SO as I encourage him to watch football, his father is also encouraged to listen to his son's science ventures and experiments. It's a work in progress and a journey I am blessed to be on with them.
#millenniumbeing
#kinyashakur #writing4mylife

To Be or Not To Be

What do you choose to reveal about yourself and to whom? My daughter wrote an essay for class and as I read it over, I saw that she only revealed a shell of her true self. Purposely leaving out her choice to be a vegetarian at the age of 4, along with her 1st degree black belt and how she worked for it. She said that kids ask intrusive questions, or poke fun of her values, so she'd rather avoid it, by keeping some things to herself. I've never heard her mention this before, and you should know Mama Bear was in full effect after hearing my daughter voice her concerns. She's come too far to allow another's ignorance to keep her from being authentic. I let her know that she is perfect under our Creator. She should never fear being and becoming what life has in store for her.  May these words keep her grounded, yet allow her to celebrate everything it means to be who she is out LOUD and unapologetic.
#blackgirlmagic
#writing4mylife
#millenniumbeing
#kinyashakur
#Lovethyself #Knowthyself
#diversitymatters

#GoldSeries

GO #Pantene !
With their haircare line, The Gold Series. Just saw the commercial again. My daughter, now at 13 is seeing her textured hair on a high-profile commercial brand & status in the media. It's a great, great start, and we can do more. The flaw here is that the commercial plays on Black Entertainment Television, with the emphasis on BLACK. Mainstream media and the people watching it still see our America as a white western world. It's important for all cultures to see their concerns addressed not only in front of one another; we already know who we are (for the most part). This is an opportunity for ads to play on mainstream television. America's educators, administrators,  politicians, businesses, and ALL of America's children need to see who we are and not continue to marginalize us in our Black corners in the country. The need to understand "where we're coming from. This is how we make #America great - period because we've yet to achieve it. A great start though, so thank you Pantene! #weneedmorediverselooks #millenniummommy
#writing4mylife #notyourmamasjournal

School of Positivity

I saw a post today & I thought, "now why don't I hear MORE of these stories?" I think about what we see for the most part in the news & on social media. I think about that awful person in office (I refuse to say his name out loud), and when I watch the news or scroll through my thread something inside me breaks a little. I am filled with anxiety & my spirit struggles to lift itself back up.  On the contrary, when I read stories of invention, genius, magic, love & rich cultural history; I am  #transcended into that place of #POWERandHOPE
I feel stronger 💪🏽Like I just had a refreshing glass of water - "Ahhhh this is what the mind and body needs",
and I want more! I cannot get enough of those #positivemessages. Do I believe we need to know about our struggles & shed a light on our fight?
Of course! I subscribe to specific feeds & follow a limited number of social media sites & activists - smart people that focus only on those things. I try to stay informed without feeling overwhelmed. We must pay attention to what we repost. The enemy loves it when we become so overwhelmed that we are now FEARFUL because of all the "dangers" that lurk in our world. The enemy wants you to keep reading & reposting hurtful & depressing stories...
DO NOT BE USED.
Peace & blessings from @milleniummommy
#freedomthinkers #soulfulsunday
#mindandbody
#writing4mylife #kinyashakur

I Am

I am who God says I am.
I can do what God says I can do.
I can reach what God says I can reach.
Everyday, Practice what the Spirit tells you to practice...My mother says "make sure you get your education so no man can take anything from you." At the same time she'll  say, "Work so you can have something at the end" meaning that social security check...
I am here to say that I am not here to work for man. To be Purposeful is to be dutiful only to THE Spirit. It may or may not take me through an MBA program or a high-end corporate position. I believe however, it will take me to a far better place. As long as I walk with my Spirit, nothing and no one can take anything from me.
These are the words of a #millenniummother & this is not your mother's journal...

The Battle is Not Yours

I listen to Pandora & my tastes in music vary greatly.  JUST today I think I've gone from listening to Lady Gaga to Jagged Edge to Fred Hammond. If you know any one of these artists and looked up the other you would be thoroughly confused, and you would have to admit that there was no such thing as labels...
The final artist of the evening is Yolanda Adams. The gospel song was " the Battle is Not Yours", & I believe I caught what black folks know of as the "holy ghost".  Perhaps I was going through something, but my hands were in the air, fists balled tight, eyes closed shut & then the water works began. My husband was in the bedroom so I had to curb myself less he ask what was wrong. Bless his heart. He tries to fix things he simply cannot. I am blessed to have him...
Back to the moment at hand. I guess thus entry is really about lyrics and what they can do. Lyrics combined with the emotion of the artist at that very moment can transport an individual. I was