Prayer of Jabez

In march my grad classes start. I am trying to prepare myself for being back in school. There are so many things that I have added to my schedule this year that I don't want to overdue it. So I only registered for one class. But when summer comes I will have a larger load. So I have added a new song, The Prayer of Jabez by Donald Lawrence. Some think that this prayer is only about financial increase but it is not. Enlarging my territory is everything. So when I ask God to enlarge my territory I say Lord, surround me with the right people, open up doors for me, open my eyes to things that I can not see, let people see you in me, and increase my life financially so I may be able to do the things you want me to do.(etc) Sometimes you just have to keep it simple and say Lord, Bless Me.

More Dancing

So I was as dancer from age 4 to around age 17. It consumed a big part of my life. I even went to performing arts middle school. As a young girl I loved dance movies. So for my three new songs for the week I decided to use songs from my favorite dance movies.
"Love Man" By Otis Redding from Dirty Dancing. Loved That movie and loved the scene when this song is playing. Baby is carrying the watermelons to the " forbidden house" and Patrick Swayze (Hot) grabs her and teaches her the hip roll. She really thought she was doing something. (hahaha)
"Let's Hear It For the Boy" by Denise Williams from Footloose. This song is playing when Kevin Bacon and Sean Penn are dancing by the railroad tracks. Love that part of the movie. Just looked like they were having so much fun.
"What A Feeling" by Irene Cara from Flashdance. Oh now this movie I watched till my mother got tired of me watching it. She probably hid the tape. Of course this song is the finale song. I used to copy her moves. I had leg warmers and everything.

Dirty Dancing

Last Friday a group of friends and I participated in a cardio strip fit class. It was interesting. I learned that it takes a lot of upper body strength. The next day I could barely walk. Sunday I had to wear flats to church. I always wear heals. Well we were given a free class pass for one week to use. I had my class this evening. It was not a strip fit class, it was a dance class. I used to be a dancer so this is more familiar to me. This particular fitness studio offers many types of classes such as pilates, hip hop, cardio, personal training etc. So I signed up for a year. You can take unlimited class for twelve months . I am very excited to get back in the swing of things. Now if I could find a ballet class to join I would be set.

Maybe I'll find a picture and post.

Bubbles

On Sunday my cousin dropped her two kids off for a while so she could have some breathing time. It was a nice day so we took the kids outside. Marlyn is three and Kayla is one. They had a ball. The only thing we had for them to play with were bubbles. Here are a few pics of them enjoying themselves.

Pink Or Blue

My sister and I were talking and she had a concern about the adoption blogs I have introduced her to. She wanted to know why the majority of blogs she has read are about women or couples that are adopting girls. I told her that I really couldn't speak for anyone else, but for me I would be fine with either sex but prefer a girl. She asked why. I let her know that me being a single mother (which she fully understands because she is one) I feel boys need fathers.(Especially Afr Americans, which is how my child will be viewed whether it is from Africa or not) Not to say that girls don't, but I can not teach him how to be a man. I can introduce him to many things, guide him to live right, but I can never take the place of a father.

This got me to thinking, if I really have a call to adopt should it matter what sex the child is? If I was having a child naturally I really wouldn't have a choice. I don't know I really am flip flopping about this subject.

Feeling Behind

I was looking back over my goals and The two that are really hard for me to wrap my head around is the adoption one and the home ownership one. I think about these two everyday. I look on the computer researching all kinds of info that pertain to these particular goals.

I believe that it is hard for me to wrap my head around them because of the financial commitment both require. I believe that I may be trying to do too much too fast. But I sometimes feel that time is passing me by and that I should be at a different point in my life by now. I know that God has a plan for my life, but I am human sometimes I have these feelings.

The Women

Last week I chose three songs by men who I love. Today I have added three new songs by women who I love. So I can't say these are the only female artist who top my list because musically I am all over the place. What I can say is that I have seen these three women multiple times live in concert and they are fantastic.

India Arie's "Strength, Courage, and Wisdom" is a song that I feel represents a lot of women. Ones I know, ones who read my blog and whose blogs I follow, and myself. Whether you are following a dream, completed one, or living one you have to embody these attributes.

Jill Scott's "My Love". I love her voice and love this song. It was hard for me to pick one song by her. When I am playing this song in my car I have to remember to open my eyes because I could cause an accident. I really sing my heart out. (lol)

Erykah Badu's "Didn't Ya Know". So people my not understand Erykah, may think she is a little out there. Sometimes I agree, but the woman has a wonderfully unique voice. This song came out when I first moved back to St. Louis. I played it over and over again. I love singing Badu songs. They have so many harmonies.
You will hear more from these ladies.

Peace, Love, and Music

We are Together

Last year I saw this documentary "We Are Together." I was so moved by it. For those of you have not seen it I highly recommend you watch it. It was aired on HBO, but you can also get the DVD.

It is about children affected by the aids epidemic in South Africa. Either both parents, one parent, or caretakers have passed on from the disease. The kids stay at an orphanage and miraculously they all pretty much can sing. The plan is to make a CD and travel to America so they can raise money to build up the orphanage. I have posted the trailer below. I plan on purchasing the DVD and CD to support the cause.

Just Not That Into You

So I'm single, not doing that much mingling. I went out with this guy a few weeks ago. I am not feeling him. I can go down a list of reasons why but I will spare you my rambling. Let's just say I am older and feel like his big sister when we talk. I thought I had told him this in so many words without being blunt. But he is very persistent and keeps calling Every day. I know men have various good ways of telling us they don't want to be bothered, but as a woman how do you tell a guy you are just not into him?

(If you want to know some of the reasons let me know)

ADOPTION

Some of you may be wondering why I have all these adoption blogs I read. Well I hope to one day adopt. At this time in my life I am not prepared. I hope to be soon. But there are so many things going on in the Ethiopian adoption program for singles it got discouraging for a moment. I am believer that life has it seasons and maybe it is not mine yet.

When I tell people that I am going to adopt these are the questions I get
1. Why?
2. Are you sure?
3. You don't want to have kids of your own?
4. Why not adopt from this country.
or the most popular comment
Wait till you get a husband.
Depending on what kind of mood I am in affects the answer they get.

I have decided on adoption because I feel I have been called to do so. When I was younger I asked my mother to adopt a child. It did not happen but in the back of mind I knew I would adopt when I became an adult. In 2005 I returned to school to complete my degree. I completely switched majors and decided on psychology and sociology. I told myself that I may not adopt right know but I could work in the field. I am very dedicated to getting more Afr Americans interested in domestic and international adoption. I started reading blogs. At this time it was very hard for me to find Afr Americans blogging about this. It kinda made me wonder if there were any out there. To my delight I found some(Praise Jesus). I hope they don't mind me looking at their blogs.

One of my personal dilemmas with adoption is that I would be a single mother right know. I would love to have a husband and have children or adopt children with him, but getting married is not guaranteed neither is having children naturally. I am not giving up but I am realistic. I want my child to have a father, but also think that there are so many orphans that one parent could be better than no parent. I don't know. I go back and forth on this all the time.

So I will stop here. This post could become a whole book. More to come later.

Who's is better?

Who do you think did it best?

It's Church Time

My song for today is "Ordinary Just Won't Do" by Commissioned. Love this song. It got me through my last semester of college. Don't really know why that song did it but it did. Maybe it is because I completed my practicum at a crisis nursery where parents would drop of their children ages newborn to 10 yrs old for a day or a week. I would read those files of the kids and just have that sinking feeling in my stomach. You look at your life and you just thank God for his blessing on your life. Just listen to the words of this song. I don't see how you can't be touched by them.
Peace