Book Review

I love to read. I'm usually reading 3-4 books at a time, plus my bible. This is how I like to spend my quiet time. Reading takes me to another place. I also love to imagine and when I read it's almost as if I can visualize myself in the circumstances discussed by the author in the book. Of course I don't usually want to be in the bad circumstances but I can still imagine myself in that time and place. It's almost like I'm dreaming when I'm reading. The characters in the books become a part of my world. I can't stop thinking about them until I at least finish the book, sometimes even long after I finish. It's really strange and hard to explain. I just love reading!

One book that I recently read is The Prodigal Husband by Jacquelin Thomas. Here is the summary:

Once, Tori and Jake Madison had a loving, satisfying marriage. But Jake's long hours spent on his growing business, and Tori's insecurities and self-doubts, have taken a toll on their relationship. When a tragedy threatens the bonds of their marriage, Jake seeks comfort in the arms of another woman. But his powerful feelings for Tori remain, and he knows that the only way to reclaim what they have lost is to come home.

In spite of Jake's betrayal, Tori cares deeply for her husband. If they are to reconcile, though, changes must be made. Complicating things is Sheila Moore, Jake's sexy, conniving business partner, who lured him into her bed once, and is now determined to hook him for good.

But she underestimates the power of a wife in love--one who has no intention of giving up without a fight...

Here are my thoughts on the book:

At first I did not find the book very thrilling. There wasn't much suspense because the author just quickly give an idea of something and then almost immediately it was answered. It was almost as if someone was telling the story verbatim. However, there were many good points of the story. A couple goes through a hard time because the husband cheats on the wife. However, it only gets more difficult because through all of this they lose their only child. The husband, being a coward, decides to run away. Although this couple has a strong faith, the husband blames God for all of his problems and cannot see that he was the one that turned his back on God and not the other way around. He also does not realize that the woman he cheated with wants him for herself and will do anything to tear him and his wife apart.

As I've said before, when I read I like to put myself in the situation and ask myself what I would do? This one was hard for me because I found myself saying that I could not be this woman because I would not stay with an unfaithful man. Yet the more I thought about it the more I felt like God was saying to me that He has forgiven me of all my sins and I need to forgive others. I thank God that I am not in the situation where I have an unfaithful husband. Believe me, I understand that you can never say never but I TRUST my husband. I feel blessed to have a husband like the one I have. However, I do and have struggled with forgiveness. My husband is usually my biggest encourager and supporter when I have difficulties forgiving someone. One of my biggest pet peeve is when I feel like someone is making a "fool" of me. I hate this. This is one of the reasons why I don't like phony people. How can you say that you are my friend but you lie to me. You don't have to pretend to be my friend. Trust me, I have enough friends already. But if you need me to be your friend, then you need to be honest with me. I always say: Keep it real;you owe yourself the satisfaction!

With that said, that is why I struggle with forgiveness. It's because when I love someone I put all that I have in me into that relationship- whether it's husband/wife, mother/daughter, father/daughter, sister/brother, sister/sister, or friend. If you want me to be your friend I can be your friend for life. But just as easily I can cut you off if you try to make a "fool" of me. This just really drives me crazy. However, it's something I'm working on and I have come a very long way. I've learned that you cannot put all your trust in people because they will disappoint you. No man is perfect. Only God is perfect. But I've also learned that if God could forgive men for their sins then I can also forgive people who have hurt me. And just because I've forgiven them doesn't mean that they won't hurt me again. And that's the reason why God wants us to forgive so many times in a day. Matthew 18:21-22 Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven."

I know I've totally gone off on a rant but I really believe that personally this was what I was supposed to get out of the book. Even the wife (Tori) in the book struggled with forgiveness. So, I feel that the main point was about forgiveness and keeping your faith. It doesn't mean that if I had a cheating husband it would be so easy to forgive him but I believe that ultimately we NEED to forgive everyone if we want to be a part of God's kingdom.

Fun-Packed Weekend!!

We had a fun-packed weekend celebrating Greg's 30th birthday. First, Greg was treated to his favorite breakfast (ham, turkey & cheese omelette and pancakes). He had to go to work right after but he was definitely filled. Then my friend watched the kids for us and we went to Ruth Chris's steakhouse on Thursday night. It was our first time there and we enjoyed ourselves tremendously. The ambiance of the place was magnificent. Our waiter was very pleasant and treated us very respectable and personable (he called us by our names). They had also noted that we were celebrating a birthday so Greg received a complementary dessert with a lit candle.
It was really wonderful! Most restaurants don't even recognize your birthday in any special way anymore. This was definitely a nice touch. Most importantly we enjoyed our food. Greg ordered the New York strip steak and he was very impressed with it. I admit I tasted a piece of his and I enjoyed it as well. Always one for seafood, I ordered their New Orleans style shrimp and loved it! It was nice celebrating Greg's birthday at Ruth Chris's steakhouse and we would definitely recommend it. We ended our night with watching a movie at Citrus Park. It was funny because we were the only ones in the theatre at 7:30 pm on a Thursday night, apparently. We watched the entire movie without any other customers and we totally loved it. It's almost as if they rolled out the red carpet treatment for Greg's birthday (hey I'm a dreamer...). However, we had never had this experience before and it was awesome. We could laugh and comment as loud as we wanted and WE DID. Greg's birthday night was a very memorable one for us. It was definitely nice getting out and going on a date too.

The birthday celebration continued into the weekend. Greg's parents came up for a visit. They got here on Saturday night. So on Sunday night they decided to take us out to celebrate Greg's birthday. We went to the Cheesecake Factory (one of our favorite). We both ordered our favorites and it was another night of great food, good conversation and great laughs. Even the kids were well-behaved and seemed to enjoy the food and being at the restaurant. We always love going to the Cheesecake Factory and their cheesecakes are to die for. I also like the fact that I can also bring home a doggie bag when I go there since they serve very big portions of food. It was definitely another memorable night of celebration for Greg's 30th birthday. In addition, it was an awesome weekend for our family. That's all any of us can really ask for, to spend some memorable times with our loved ones. Thank you Jesus!

Milestone Moments

In our household we have been celebrating many milestone moments. Our four-year-old daughter, Adryana, has started writing and spelling. She has been able to write her name for a while now. However now she can write most words if you spell it for her. She can write her name, her brother's name, my name, her dad's name, mom, dad and also dog and cat, which she can spell from memory too. We are really very proud of her. In addition, for the last few weeks she has been able to dress herself completely. Yea! We are ecstatic.

Our son Arjay, who is almost 2 is talking a lot more. But we've been so happy watching him "help" himself a lot more too. He is able to put his cups and plates in the sink. It's nice to watch your children move towards independence but it's also a little sad because you start realizing that their baby days will be gone soon. This is especially hard for moms because we start feeling like our children will no longer need us. However, they will need us, just in new ways.

The biggest "milestone" in our family is my husband's birthday. He is now 30. Yep, today my husband is no longer in his twenties. This is definitely a "milestone" birthday. We are celebrating him today. I want him to know just how much I love him and how proud I am to be his wife. He is an awesome husband. And my daughter still thinks he's cool, even if he's thirty!

In honor of my husband's birthday, I've written 30 reasons why I love him:

1. He is my best friend





2. He is an awesome husband





3. He is a great dad





4. He loves Jesus





5. He adores his wife





6. He makes time for his children





7. He listens to me





8. He loves making me feel "special"





9. He makes me laugh





10. He's loyal





11. He's trustworthy





12. He's thoughtful





13. He's loving & caring





14. He cares about my overall well-being





15. He takes care of me when I'm sick





16. He still takes me on "dates"





17. He puts me before "football"





18. He's a hard worker





19. He provides for his family





20. He's outgoing & friendly





21. I love hearing his voice





22. He stills call just to say, "I love you"





23. He sends me "love" e-mails





24. He still gives me "butterflies" in my stomach when he looks at me





25. He still brings me flowers





26. He can watch "girl flicks" with me





27. I love his kisses





28. He has great hands





29. He's an inspiration- he ran a half-marathon the day after getting food poisoning





30. There are so many many more reasons why I love him, but for this final one I'll simply say, he rocks my world!
    
    

Happy Birthday My Darling...You are simply the best husband! Lots of Love... From Your Wife!

BFF-Best Friend Forever

I received an e-mail about what a real friend is supposed to be like. I saved it because it reminded me about my best friend Keveta. She and I have been friends for about 14 years now. We became friends immediately after meeting at the high school we were both attending. We've been friends ever since. She's the kind of friend though that is more than a friend, that is more like family. She's really been like a sister to me. My kids call her auntie. I wanted to give her a tribute with this because today is her birthday.Happy Birthday Keveta and thanks for being my sister-friend. Lots of Love!

A simple friend, when visiting acts like a guest

A real friend opens your refrigerator and helps herself and doesn't feel even the least bit weird shutting your Pepsi drawer with her foot!

A simple friend doesn't know your parents first names

A real friend has their phone numbers in their address book.

A simple friend has never seen you cry

A real friend shoulder is soggy from your tears.

A simple friend brings a bottle of soda to your party

A real friend comes early to help you cook and stays late to help you clean.

A simple friend hates it when you call after they've gone to bed

A real friend asks you why you took so long to call.

A simple friend seeks to talk with you about your problems

A real friend seeks to help you with your problems.

A simple friend wonders about your romantic history

A real friend could blackmail you with it!

A simple friend thinks the friendship is over when you have an argument

A real friend calls you after you have had an argument.

A simple friend expects you to always be there for them

A real friend expects to always be there for you!

"In A World"

I would like to share a poem I wrote years ago when I was in college. At the time I was interning for my undergraduate degree in Therapeutic Recreation. I was at a center for children & adults with disabilities. I was so touched and humbled by these individuals various abilities. Although many of them were faced with very serious disabilities it never kept them defeated. Some of them were able to play instruments and talk through electronic devices. They were very sweet and I will never forget my experience at that center.

9/11 is also a day that is etched in many Americans minds. Most of us still remember where we were and what we were doing when our nation faced this crisis. Although I cannot completely understand what any of those families who lost loved ones are going through even today, my heart grieves for them. They are in my prayers today.

We don't live in a perfect world or we would still be living in the garden of Eden before Adam & Eve sinned. Because of that, the Bible warns us that trouble will come. It is inevitable. However, there is hope in Jesus Christ who died for us so that we can have salvation through him.

Here is the poem I wrote:

" In A World" by Kaywana Simpson

In a world where everything is less than perfect

it's a wonder why some things are still a surprise

and why everything becomes an aspect

of a life so challenging and without much compromise.

In a world where we have eyes but are yet sometimes blind

it doesn't seem strange how much we don't realize.

In fact, some things are beyond a comprehension that we'll never find

especially when it's never even been visualize.

In a world where we are all unique in some kind of way

it's not strange how no two fingerprints are quite the same

but a touch to the heart will always stay

just as a fingerprint is personal and that way it will always remain.

Children are a blessing!

I had the opportunity today to visit someone who recently had a baby. I love meeting newborn babies. They are so cute and adorable! Unfortunately I didn't get to see the baby because he was sleeping. I chat with his mom for awhile and got to see some baby pictures. He's a cutie! Seeing his pictures got me thinking about my own children when they were at that stage. They are not that far from that stage (especially my youngest who's almost 2) but it still seems like a long time ago. Yet it also feels like just yesterday. Like just yesterday I was holding my precious baby and looking into his/her eyes for the first time. Like just yesterday I gave him/her sweet kisses and whispered "I love you's" all day. It's truly amazing how time flies by. I've heard it said before that "the days are long but the years are short" (in reference to how quickly kids grow). It's funny how when we are children we cannot wait to grow up so that we can be adults. However, when we are older (and wiser) we wish we had a few more of those "younger years." Just ask an elderly person about the passing of time.

This really is not about the passing of time; it's more about parenting our children that God has so richly blessed us with. A friend of mine, who's baby just turned 2 months old, was asking me recently how I did "it." The "it" in this case is referring to managing my time with having 2 children. She wanted to know if I had a schedule and how I handled my day. She's trying to figure out how to manage her day when it seems like every waking minute is spent with doing something for the baby. I told her about some things that I've learned.

1. I've learned that the house really will not crumble if it hasn't been clean for a few days.
   
   
2. I've learned that it's more important to spend time with the baby than it is to dust furniture.
   
   
3. I've learned that if I only get one load of laundry done today then it's a good day.


4. I've learned that someone else can make dinner (like picking it up from a restaurant) if the baby needs me a little more today and I can't make dinner. I've also learn that there are lots of meals that freeze well and can come in handy on a day like this.


5. I've learned that unfolded laundry can be locked away in a closet or the guest room so that I don't have to SEE it.
   
6. I've learned that husbands will help when you tell them exactly what you want them to do. They do not know how to read our minds ladies!
   
7. I've learned that this stage does not last FOREVER. It's just like the Bible says, "this too shall pass!"

There's so many more that can be added from many experience mothers. However, even if it's your first child and you don't have the experience, do not worry! Your baby is not asking for experience, your baby just needs YOU! That's the main point I was trying to make to my friend. Don't get overwhelm about all the details. Do what you can but the most important thing to do is to spend time with your baby/child. Pace yourself! Things can wait to get done but moments missed between you and your children can never be replaced.

Children truly are a blessing from God and in everything we do we have to remember that. I've heard it said before that you cannot let children consume your life, you have to fit them into your life. While I agree that it's true that you should not let your children consume every waking minute, you need to find some time for yourself, I also think that you need to spend as much time with your children as you can. You cannot be selfish and only think of getting "time away" from your children. This really will affect your children in the long run. You need to find balance. I admit that it's easier said that done but imagine how happy and healthy our children would be if every parent strived to make this their goal. Then imagine how awesome our future would be; because ultimately children are our future.

YouTube - Hip Hop Dancing Baby

YouTube - Hip Hop Dancing Baby

Sore Loser!!

My husband and I enjoy watching tennis. If you love tennis then you have been getting a treat these last few days watching US Open, just as we are. There's been some great matches and excellent tennis playing. I have to admit that it has been an emotional roller coaster for me. I'm usually calm and patient but when my emotions get involve in anything there's no telling what will happen. I'm not really a competitive person either but I am a "sore loser." Let's just say that I am a very passionate person. Whenever I'm involve with anything, I give it my all so when I "lose" or it doesn't work out the way I would like, it is very difficult for me to handle. This is just how it's been this week for me and tennis.

I happen to like certain tennis players and I want to see them do well. However, things haven't gone my way much the last few days as far as that is concerned. So, emotionally I have been warped trying to handle all the losses. I know they say, "don't take it personally!" But I do. Somehow, I just do. I'm always telling my husband that somebody has to lose (this is usually when he's watching football/basketball and his team is losing). I DON'T WATCH FOOTBALL!! He used to get so worked up about it and it would annoy me. Now, look at me!

It's extremely difficult to watch one of my favorites lose but that's the way the game is, isn't it? Everyone can't win every game. Although Roger Federer has come pretty close to it. It was so "sad" watching Andy Roddick working so hard to win even just a set last night. You almost feel sorry for him as he attempted on many occasions to "put one over" on Federer. Although Roddick is not really one of my favorites, it was quite hard to watch him "suffer" like that. However, it was awesome watching Venus Williams win her match. I was so ecstatic for her. It was a very electrifying moment and I was pleased to be her fan. I felt the complete opposite when James Blake lost his match recently. It was quite devastating. I enjoy watching James play and I'm always rooting for him. So when he lost his match, it was "difficult" emotionally for me. I got so frustrated. Like I said, a complete "emotional roller coaster."

My husband keeps saying that he doesn't know how I'll handle it when our son is playing Little League. He says that I'll be like one of those "crazed parent." While I highly doubt that, I will definitely have to keep my emotions in check.

An Awesome Sunday!

Today was a really great day in church. We had a visiting pastor in the house and he delivered a powerful message. He spoke about soaring like an eagle. His message concentrated on how not to be a turkey but to learn how to be an eagle. He said that turkeys always see the bad in every situation. They focus on only the negative and cannot see the positive. If you hang around them long enough they'll bring you down. His message was really fun and interesting but it also had many important facts.

Being an eagle really require you rising above every situation. He gave us what he called the "ABC'S" of becoming an eagle. "A" stands for attitude--specifically having a good attitude not a negative one. "B" stands for believe-- believe in God to do great things. He said that if you attempt to do great things for God then you can expect great things from God. How awesome is that. But, God is really awesome!! Finally, "C" stands for courage. It really will take courage to soar like an eagle because it will not be easy. Just remember that God is with us always. Be encouraged, you can do anything through Jesus Christ who gives us strength.

After such a powerful day in church, I came home and had a nice and much needed nap. I'm not one to take naps in the daytime so whenever I have these rare moments my body really appreciates it. Could my day get any better? In a word, yes. On our way home we noticed that the new Chili's appeared to be opened so we stopped by to see if it was. We were thinking we could go there for dinner. The greeter informed us that they would be opened next Thursday but that today was a day of training for the employees. We thanked her and was about to leave but she had more to say. She said that if we were willing to come back around 4:30pm that they would love to "practice" on us. She said that that time was slow and they didn't have many customers coming. They were having "mock meals" all day. Since it's right by our house (walking distance), we obliged. The meal was also free. The only thing they expected from us was gratuity and a donation to St. Jude's (which is a great place to donate to in my opinion). The kids could have anything they wanted on the kids menu and we had to order from a selective menu. We even got dessert, cheesecake, my favorite. Everything was freshly made and very delicious. we love love Chili's so we were happy to help the employees "practice" on us. So, that definitely helped contribute to a very awesome Sunday.