Sharing

I've been teaching my daughter about sharing for as long as she could understand what it meant to not always have her way or what she wants.  She is no different from any other child, sometimes she gets the concept and sometimes not so much, but overall I think she is a well rounded kid. I don't want her to grow up to be selfish and so far she is far from it.

She has always seen mommy donate items to the Goodwill or give things to friends. There is a Goodwill we visit often, but lately I have been wanting to do more. I've wished for a child that I could just give the items to directly. In the summer a friend of mines found a woman at her church whose daughters were in need of shoes, I immediately raided my daughter's closet and found more than shoes and created a care package and sent it on it's way to find a new home. The woman was very grateful. I love doing things like that, it brings me joy to know that someone is getting good use out of things. Well I decided instead of just dropping off the bags at the Goodwill, we'd do something different this time. Since we don't know anyone to directly call up and give the items to, I decided to reach out to all of.

Over the next month or so my daughter and I will be giving toys, clothes, shoes and books to a little girl in need this year ages 4-6. If you or anyone you know that lives in the Chicago-land area that would like these gently used items please leave me an email atbrownmindbeauty@gmail.com and leave me your information. If I have more than one girl in need I will divide the items evenly.  This is NOT a contest, your request and  information will remain confidential.

How Will You Be Remembered?

We all want to leave a mark in this world. Some people are remembered for their courage and ability to stand up for what is right such as the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. Others are talented beyond words and leave the world wanting more long after they are gone as we see with the legendary Michael Jackson.

People tell me that I tend to absorb the problems of others and try to help in situations that are deemed "helpless". For that reason, I use to question my ability to go the extra mile and console a friend or help a loved one regardless of how many times they were in need. Those around me could not understand my compassion and accepting nature to bring in a friend that once turned their back on me, but now required a shoulder. I questioned my own sanity in some cases,but I knew I was right in my willingness to forgive.

There has always been something deep inside that speaks to me. The comforting whispers in my heart, tell me that God has sent that person to me. In the will of doing right in the eyes of God, I help, I comfort, I console. I do what I'm told. I worry no more how others view my nature to nurture, I just do!

So I sit and ponder. How do I want to be remembered?

When someone speaks of my life after I am long gone, I want to be remembered as the woman that smiled for absolutely no reason at all and joked to make an uncomfortable situation easier. But most importantly I want to be remembered as the woman that took away a problem from someone, absorbed the hurt of another, and through her heart loved glowed.

How will you be remembered?

Letting Go!- Repost 10/17/2009

Sometimes we are so hurt and torn down we don't  realize the extra pain that we cause ourselves by allowing old wounds to remain unhealed. I think the first step in completely healing a wound is realizing that it is there! It's easy to cover scars with bandages and never acknowledge that they exist.

Hurting and healing is one of the most difficult task in self-help. The hardest aspect is allowing yourself to hurt. Often times we guard ourselves after heartache so that no one else or nothing else will hurt us again, With this wall, we not only block pain from coming in, we also block its' ability to escape, keeping it trapped in forever.

This year has been all about setting, achieving and exceeding goals I've made for myself. (Believe me the list is intense). I am down to the last few months of the year, and I can say I have successfully achieved most, if not all. Well late on the list I am adding "letting go". I will no longer hold the wall of protection that won't allow past pains to escape, instead I am breaking down each brick of the wall and allowing bad experiences, heartache, disappointment, etc. to find their way out (with some forced guidance of course).

With my new added task, I'll be even more mentally occupied than expected. But I am willing to block off some time in my schedule for some TLC for myself. This year my expectations have grown, my acceptance has become limited and I am anticipating the best that my new life has to offer.

In His Hands

I need the strength of you to survive....

She remembers saying those words so softly as she tried desperately to feel her feet. What was going to happen to her? Who was going to hold, hug and carry her two year old if she couldn't even pick up a pencil. The nurses showed empathy, but no one could make it stop. The creepy evil in her body made its way up the left side and on to the right before the night would end. The doctors poked and tested with no good news. The best they could say was that it may or may not come back.

WHAT? How is that possible?

A deep prayer was sent above because if life had taught her anything, it was that only God could determine her destination. Life has the tendency to kick us in the ass when we least expect it and this was far from her to-do list, but she knew that God had a plan. A plan much greater than her.

She never dreamed in her young adult life that such devastation would haunt her seemingly sweet life.

Now it's time to fight and pray. Never give up, keep your head held high, and believe the lord will never leave you alone.

Music is such a deep part of my soul. I listened to Fly Like a Bird by Mariah Carey over and over. Sometimes I was speechless when His messages spoke to me. I just never give up. I can't explain the type of fighter that is within all of us. Put your trust in the lord and believe in yourself and all things are possible including, healing, success, happiness, and more.

God has blessed me and each day I try not to forget it. Blessed are those that believe their purpose and will is in His plan. Without much being said, I hope this blog entry encourages someone.

Have you survived? Are you surviving? Is your spirit healing others?
Please share.

to be continued...

What's In For 2010?

What are you doing this New Year's Eve?

This New Year's Eve I will be quietly celebrating and thanking God for helping me through a tough year. But looking back on things I accomplished more than a little this year and anxiously await whats to come with wide eyes. (Those that know me, know I always have a story to tell, LOL). Let's see what chapter I will write next year.

My wish for the New Year is simple. I want to embrace my future full force. The start of a New Year brings about a breath of fresh air, a chance to revive the aspects of your life you once thought passed on.

I wish you all a safe and happy 2010. May the new year bring answers to questions, light where there was hope, love where there was hate, and joy where there was pain.

See you next year.

Love Janelle

Making it Through This Holiday Season

The Holidays can be a difficult time for many people. Those that have lost loved ones, the homeless, the poor, the sick, and the lonely. Sometimes we forget that people around us are silently suffering through what should be the happiest time of the year.

Holidays are filled with joy and cheer, parties and gifts, and most importantly friends and family. So how do you cope through this blissful season when something in your life is surely missing?

I can say that I have managed through all of the situations above, with difficulty of course, but more importantly with strength and the grace of God. I remember not having a dime to my name and no real place to call home one Christmas. It was a very sad time for me. The thought of Christmas gave me a sense of isolation and a queasy feeling to my stomach. Instead of allowing the feeling to overcome me, I made some adjustments. I remember buying a plant and making decorations from notebook paper to attach to it to call “my Christmas tree”. It wasn’t much but it brightened the table of the dingy hotel room that was called home. I can’t say what I ate that year, but I do know it was a humbling experience. I never looked at the Holidays the same again.

You see the season isn’t about what you have or what you can give monetarily; it is about how you allow God into your heart. Without prayer and hope I don’t know where I’d be. Hope is a powerful trait to possess. Having hope, and the belief that situations will get better are the ends to all mean when you are down on life. The constant belief that God will help you through, leads for a brighter day and a new beginning. I know it may sound cliché and sometimes hard to understand, but it is true that if God bought you to it, he will lead you through it, you simply have to listen

The lonely are often overlooked because the shear emotion of being lonely is something that doesn’t have to physically display itself to the world. Rather it is something a person could be holding inside. An invite to a Christmas dinner or holiday party could be all that someone needs to help make that day easier. While some people that are dealing with depression choose to be alone, others yearn for a sense of acceptance. When you are healing through a rough time, it is natural to cry and feel alone. One way to take your mind off the pain is to surround yourself with people that love you as much you love them. If you don’t have anyone like this in your life, it is a great idea to volunteer to help others (if you have the capability). Volunteer at a homeless shelter, send a child a gift, or help an elderly neighbor wrap Christmas gifts. Initially it may be difficult to go and you may want to stay at home and feel your pain, but once you are out and about your mind won’t feel as cluttered.

Life difficulties can be overwhelming, but remember the Holidays are just another week and this too shall pass.

Happy Holidays and a Bright New Year
With Love, Janelle