Today is special

because it is my husband's birthday.

There are so many words to describe how I feel about my husband. But, I will simply write it as this: He is my soulmate. Webster's Dictionary offers this description:1 : a person who is perfectly suited to another in temperament2 : a person who strongly resembles another in attitudes or beliefs .

I believe that God designed us for each other. So, today I am reminded of just how wonderful it is to know God and to serve Him. I am thankful that He loves me soo much that He would take the time to create someone so perfect for me.

To Greg: my love, I am honored to be your wife and to share yet another birthday with you. I pray that this will be your best birthday yet but only a fraction of what God has in store for you. And, wherever that journey takes you, I hope that God's love will sustain us so that we will be together to share that journey. My prayer is that you will have many many more birthdays to come and that God will richly bless you in all that you do. Celebrate this day that God has given you!

Give and Take

There are two kinds of people in this world: the givers and the takers.
I've heard this said often enough now that I'm not sure where I first heard it.
What's important about this statement is that it only provides you with two options--either or. The givers of the world could easily identify themselves as such.
They are constantly giving; even when they get tired of it they will continue to give.

The takers have a harder time with this because they can't truly accept that they are really just users.
They take, take and take some more.
They are like the grave-- they are never satisfied.
They are very inconsiderate and selfish because they are only out for numero uno.
They have no problem asking because they like to take.
They readily accept any offer but they always want more.
They are never around when it's time for them to give.
And if they do give, beware: there will be some kind of condition.

To the takers: no-one can stand being around a taker for too long. Eventually you will be found out for what you truly are.
To the givers: Don't let people walk all over you, use you and take advantage of you. Know when to say no. You are precious child of God; He loves you and want you to give to others but trust me, He wouldn't want you to go crazy with giving too much of yourself to people who are just using you. Enough is enough!

Because I Have To...

I cannot tell how many times I feel like I am doing something because I have to. Sometimes that thought alone makes it overwhelming. But, then I think of Jesus and I wonder how He must have felt on that cross. Did He think, "I'm only doing this because I have to?"

As much as I am saddened when I think of Jesus on the cross, it also motivates and encourages me. It motivates me to work harder and never give up because I would never want Jesus dying on the cross for me to be in vain. It encourages me because I know that Jesus has been at the lowest of low and He came through it. It reminds me that "I can do anything through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13.

From time to time, we all struggle with things. That's the way the journey of life is. Nobody ever wants to do things that they have to do. We all want to do things that we want to do. Life is never that easy. And that is why we must always remember to lean on Jesus. I am thankful that I know Him and I trust Him. I am leaning on his everlasting arm. Can you say the same?

I am learning...

to let loose! Sometimes, you get to a point where you say , "I just wanna let down my hair and not care..." (okay whatever the saying is, you know what I mean).

I am one of those Moms who can be very anal about a lot of insignificant things. I strive for perfection and most times I drive myself crazy.

In the past it has been very hard for me to be "spontaneous."

I love to be organized and to have a plan. I keep a calendar and write down what I'm doing each day so that I can stay on top of things.

It would drive me crazy when I didn't get things done on my "list."

Also, I like for everything to be in its place. If it's not then I go crazy too.

Now I've come to realize that sometimes I have to just "let loose." I can't get so worked up about every little thing.

When you have children, you can drive yourself insane worrying about every little thing.

All of my children have different personalities and so they are not the same. We wouldn't want it that way either or life would be boring.

However, this is why we have to deal with things not always going exactly the way we would like.

I am learning that I have to just "let loose" and not be so anal about little things.

Now when I see other moms going insane about every little thing, I think to myself that I used to be that mom. I wish that when I just had one child that I didn't get so easily bothered by certain things, but I did. I'm not 100% there yet but I'm slowly losing my anal quality--at least when it concerns my children.

I'm learning that it's okay to just "let loose" and have fun. It's okay to not even care if the house is not clean. It's okay that the kids don't sit at the table for all their meals and they make a mess with their food. They are kids and they will behave like kids.

I wish I could tell you that I've already "learned" this and everything is all peachy now but the truth is I am still learning this. There are days when I still drive myself crazy with my "perfectionist" syndrome. Then I'll stop and say, "what am I doing? Is this really worth the extra stress?" And 9 times out of 10 the answer is no.

I have learned...

that you cannot plan for everything. My mom shared this sentiment with me this morning. It's funny because it's something that my husband and I talk about constantly. The minute we start planning our lives and what we want to do even as early as tomorrow something happens to show us just how unrealistic it is to plan everything.

So why is this an important lesson for mothers? Ask any new mother and she will tell you that having a baby changes everything. Not only are you now responsible for another person every second of the day but you will easily realize just how much your day-to-day changes. Now try to plan every minute of each day and see how much having a baby makes that challenging. Don't look at it in a negative aspect, I am not saying all this to make you think having a baby is bad.

IMO, babies/children are truly blessings from God and we should all treat them as such. They are precious gifts. With that said all I'm trying to tell you is that when you have a baby, you will quickly find out how hard it is to stick to a plan. Babies have a way of throwing everything off schedule, especially when they are newborns. Like I said earlier this is not necessarily bad.

When things don't happen the way we planned them it allows for a learning experience. No matter how much you think you know about any subject, you will find that learning doesn't stop happening; especially when you think you are too old to learn something. Remember that old adage, "you are never too old to learn something new."



I guess what it really comes down to is this: stop trying to plan your life and just live your life. Things will happen that are out of your control and in the end it will shape your character. You will be better for it. Always remember that ultimately God is in control. Embrace each new day. Set smart daily goals but never ever expect everything to go the way you planned it.

Here's a picture of our family of 5:

I'm Back!

Yes I did have Alayna and dropped off the face of blogosphere. I think it's time I get back to blogging. Alayna is now very close to 4 months old and I've spent the last 3 weeks "loving" on her. My other 2 children are away spending some time with their grandparents in Ft. Lauderdale. I miss them terribly now and cannot wait until we are reunited this weekend.
While they are away, my husband and I took on some home improvement projects. We also had several "date" nights. Most of the "dates" Alayna accompanied us but we still enjoyed ourselves. It's amazing how much more we go out with one child now that we have 3 children than when we only had our first child. I guess you could say that we are older and wiser--yes definitely wiser.

As a parent, you realize that everyday is a learning experience. You can learn so much from your children. You learn so much from your day-to-day activities. One thing you must always allow is room for error. As humans we all make mistakes and it is important that your children are aware of this. It's hard to teach children this if you are constantly hard on yourself for making a mistake. Children will notice this. My oldest daughter is so self-motivated that she tends to beat herself up when she makes a mistake. I hate knowing that she puts so much pressure on herself. I try to talk to her about this but I know within myself that it's because I am also a perfectionist and she sees this. So, I constantly have to show her by my actions that I make mistakes as well. It's a hard lesson for children but maybe even harder for parents like myself.
My upcoming posts will be about some of the lessons I've learned as a mother. Yeah, yeah, i know...I have 3 children now so I think I'm a pro. You don't have to take my advices. I'm just going to share my honest opinion about some of what I've learned over these years since I've become a Mom.

Lately...

Yes it has been awhile.
The thing about life is it makes no apologies for taking over. When it takes a hold of you, it usually has a firm grip. So, that's my excuse. It's simple: life took over...
Lately, I have been so consumed with all that's been happening in our lives that sitting down to post on my blog was just not a priority. I really do enjoy writing and writing on my blog has been very helpful to me. However, reading has always been my first love and so I've been spending all my free time reading. It helps alleviate the stress that comes with the challenges of life. When I read I can get lost into a whole other world. That helps to distract me from my own anxieties.

I must thank my Heavenly Father for all His blessings. We are alive and doing well in the Todd household. My daughter is currently sick but she will be okay; just a virus that will pass soon. In other news, we are now 39weeks pregnant and anxiously waiting to welcome our precious bundle of joy. We know that it will be any day now and there's a buzz of excitement in our house. The entire Todd Squad cannot wait to meet the new member of our family. We've prepared everything and now it seems like time is slowly rolling by. I am tired and not to mention feeling uncomfortable, especially at nights. I keep hoping that the hour is here with every contraction I feel. I know it will happen in God's time so I am trying to be patient. Of course it is easier said than done. One way I am hoping to accomplish that goal is by staying as busy as I can. Therefore, allowing life to take over and take a hold of me. However, I will try to post again really soon.

Do you have financial freedom?

Yesterday our Pastor delivered a message that ministered to Greg and I. Funny enough we were discussing finances the day prior to the message and just couldn't believe that that was the topic of our church's message yesterday. To say that people are concern about their finances in this time of recession, would be an understatement. We are faced with many challenges and many people feel that if they had more money they would have less problems. Yesterday our Pastor reminded us that, "God can meet all of my needs, not all of my greed!" That statement should resonate in all our hearts and be a guide for us to live by.

Our Pastor addressed five keys to financial freedom:
1) My Attitude: Who owns it? Basically, who has ownership of your money. See Deuteronomy 8:18 NIV and you will realize that God is the one who gives us the ability to produce wealth. If this is not your attitude with money; if you don't believe that your money belong to God then you probably feel that it is your money which is the wrong attitude. Also read 1 Chronicles 29:11NIV
2) My fear: will there be enough? You can do alot more with 90% of your money when you are giving 10% to God and trusting Him to meet all your needs. Read 2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV
3) My stuff: is it my master? Those who love money will never have enough! Read Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 NLT and also see Matthew 6:24
4) My priority: Who's first? It should be God. Therefore you should tithe your 10% first before you do anything else with your money. Read Exodus 23:19 NIV; Corinthians 16:1-2 NLT; Proverbs 3:9 LB
5) My promise: can we trust God? Read 2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV; Proverbs 3:10 NIV; Malachi 3:10-12 LB. Only when you totally trust in God with your money can you have financial peace.

I hope this minister to your hearts as it did to mine. Trust in all with all things. Remember that He will always make a way.

Keeping the Dream Alive!

Every year at this time many Americans remember Dr. martin Luther King. We honor MLK for his contributions to the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. King is a historical icon and a pilar in the African-American community. We appreciate him and will forever cherish his journey and the difference it made for us. However, as we celebrate his life's accomplishments we are also faced with remembering his death.
As a black person, I can admit that it's always an emotional moment for me when I remember Dr. King. While I am touched by all he achieved before his death, I cannot forget the injustice that has been done to my race. This injustice continues today and it is wrong. When will it end? I don't have the answers.
I will not sit here and tell you that everything is peachy. I will also not tell you that it doesn't make me angry. I will not tell you that I didn't cry so many times, even recently because of something racially offensive that a white person said or did to me personally. While I sit here, I also remember the despair that I feel every time I hear of some injustice done to someone just because of the color of that person's skin.
Dr. King had a dream. He wanted us all to get along and to be treated equally. As a black person, I have yet to see this equality. I know that America has come a long way but there is still a distance to go. Many African-Americans have felt hopeless living in a country where they feel unwelcome. When will it end? I don't have the answers.
I do know that today, I sit at home remembering Dr. King and it's the first time that I don't feel a total sense of despair and a lack of hope. Instead I feel a sense of pride to know that in less than 24 hours America will have her first black president. I am in such awe. Never in a million years did I believe that I would be alive on this day.
MLK had a dream and for far too long African Americans could only dream along with him that we would see this day. However, while we were wishing and dreaming, many of us lost our hope along the way. Then Barack Obama came along and gave us the audacity of hope. Now it is no longer a dream for us. We can hope again because change is coming to America.
Today and always, I beg of you to keep MLK's dream alive until we are all EQUAL!!!! May God bless you, The Obamas--Our First Family of America and our country.