Mercy Me

Good morning!

I really hope that you are enjoying these posts as much as I am! 

I had plans of putting out a different post this month, but this one ATE and left no crumbs (as the young people say) when I went back and read it!

So, here we are... "Mercy me." 

I've been in and apart of my church my entire life, but I remember as a little girl, one of the most common phrases you'd hear shouted out is, "Lawd, have mercy!" now, lil' Bryge thought that the lady was saying, "HAM Mercy," or one of the Ministers shouting, "PIZZA!" when he was actually saying, "Peace, suh!" 

I was either hungry or delusional, but that's neither here nor there. 

It's just something that has always been apart of who I am, begging God for His mercy and not really knowing what it actually meant.

Mercy by definition is: "compassion or forgiveness toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm" and it is often used as a expression showing fear or surprise.

As I look back over my life, especially recently, whew! MERCY ME!

God could have... should have... and probably would have, but whew His mercy!

I'm thankful for God's mercy because it endureth forever!

That's a testimony for another day, another post!

Someone asked me recently, "What comes first, the post or the title?" And it reminded me of the question about chickens; what came first, the chicken or the egg? 

We need to find out soon because I hear eggs are $87 a dozen! Have mercy, Lord!

For me, the title always comes first. 

I can write about anything that I'm passionate about, but I get the most satisfaction from the title because that's where my non-existent creativity skills really have to work. 

The blogs flow naturally as soon as their titled. 

I say a prayer of gratitude and direction and then I get busy with these keys!

And recently, but on very rare occasions, I can write AND publish a blog post in the same day. I did that with, "Spilled Milk" and I would have done that with "Like a Bridge Over Troubled Waters," as well, but I got scared and ended up publishing later than I anticipated. 

It's all about taking my time and letting things breathe and take shape because I feel that what I write is good majority of the time, I am just taking the time I need for ME and my health!

I am smelling my roses and I am giving God thanks for not just THIS day, but every one of them that has preceded and the ones to follow. 

I am accepting the things that I cannot change and I am finding the strength and courage to change the things that I can. 

Look at me! 

This is my second post of the year and I am actually writing it the day after I wrote, "Bridge Over Troubled Water," but I do not know when I'll publish this one just yet.

I have so many thoughts and emotions swelling and floating inside of me that I want to get as much written down as I can and then I'll let it marinate for a while.

Mercy me!

I wrote in my last post about my lack of expression when it comes to my true feelings and emotions and last night when I was writing in my self-care journal one thing that stuck out to me was that some of us do not express our feelings and emotions because we may feel shame, guilt, or embarrassment.

Listen, I am as strong and as happy as you may think, but I am also a complexity of emotions that could change in a moment's notice.

But I also recognize that I do not have to express any emotion that I do not want to. In fact, I don't have to do anything that I don't want to do- that's probably why I don't cook, now. I don't wanna cook! 

If I'm being honest in this moment, then I have to admit that I almost had a breakdown one day thinking that one day I'd HAVE to cook, but do I really? NOPE! But I had to breathe through that because society will have you thinking that you do have to do certain things and be a certain way to obtain a particular life even though we may not want to. 

That sounds exhausting!

It's time to be gentle with yourself. And I know that may be difficult for most because we can be our own worst enemies or our toughest critics, BUT if the world is beating you up, your family is abusing to you, and your friends are lying on you, then why not take it easy on yourself?

Have mercy! 

Self-care is whatever you need it to be for you! 

Sometimes it's simply just sitting in silence for a moment and just breathing.

Self-care is removing yourself from situations that no longer serve you or walking away from someone who is hurting you no matter how much time and energy you've invested.

I made one significant change at the end of 2024 that I carried into the new year; a sustainment if you will, NO CHORES ON THE WEEKENDS!!!

Mercy, mercy me!

My last year in grad school, I had a Professor who assigned work for Monday through Friday ONLY and that was the best thing for me and my mental health! 

A weekend to myself in GRAD school?? Yes, please!!

You won't catch me waking up at 7am or 8am on a Saturday morning playing oldies or Gospel music while I clean up and do laundry! 

Even if I do wake up that early, I'm still going to go lie on my couch for a while.

Maybe build a LEGO set.

Catch up on some shows.

Play Sims.

Hang out.

Go to church.

I don't have time to be doing chores, so I make darn sure that I get everything done throughout the week. I'd rather take my time Monday through Thursday, but that's just me! (Big Glo OWNS Friday nights, so NO chores are done that day, either!) 

Hashtag, "GIRLMATH"

Why?

Because I want to and my house should already be cleaned... laundry washed, folded, and put away.

I wish I would scrub a toilet on a Saturday! No, thank you!

And I don't typically wear pants on Sundays!

That, to me, is self-care!

Self-care is me running a bubble bath once a week because it makes me feel like I'm living a luxurious life. 

Self-care is also me doing absolutely nothing, but lying on my couch watching the back of my eyelids or my comfort shows for the 100th time.

Self-care is inviting my girls over for facials and reality TV shows!

In other words, self-care is how I show up for me so that I can show up for those who need me; we cannot pour from an empty cup!

Putting your needs above others does not make you selfish, it makes your indestructible! 

Isolating yourself and choosing peace or pain and calm over chaos doesn't make you selfish, it makes your self-aware. 

Show up for yourself this year like you've never done before!

I pray that the scales fall from your eyes so that you may see what has been there all along because life isn't happening TO you; it's happening FOR you! 

Self-sabotage is a real thing! I do believe I wrote a bit about that in a previous post. We are so quick to think and believe that we do not deserve good things that when a good thing comes along we think we're playing checkers when life is really just a game of chess. 

We question their motives.

We overthink their words and actions without asking for clarity.

We point fingers and make excuses instead of being honest and vulnerable. 

I'm challenging you to stop that! 

Learn to be gracious; with yourself and others. 

Ask for help when you need it.

Above all, to thine own self be true. 

The time started yesterday to make today the best day ever; not today and certainly not tomorrow.

I have always been the type to get my work done ahead of time, so I can do what I wanted to do sooner! Hence why I use my weekdays after work to clean and do household things, so that I can chill on the weekends. 

I found that when I wait until the last minute to do something, it's rushed and I miss something. 

I went to Ohio and Missouri with my sister recently and both times I forgot something important! We have to understand that procrastination is the arrogant assumption that God owes you another opportunity to do what you had time to do.

Do it, now!

Don't wait another Monday to get your health and fitness in check.

Don't wait until the time is "right" to start something that you've been wanting to do for a while, now.

Just... DO IT!

What would you begin doing right now if money wasn't the issue? (Money is always the issue!)

What would you begin doing right now if time wasn't an issue? (Time is always an issue!)

What is something that you wish that you were better at doing? Are you making the changes to get there?

Listen, life isn't waiting for anybody!

There's someone upset at your life right now because you aren't suffering the way they expected you to! Isn't that wild?

It's God's grace and His mercy that has brought me a mighty long way! I don't deserve it, but He grants me new grace and mercies every single day.

When you look back on your life in this moment, I'm sure you're thankful for more than one situation that did NOT turn out the way you probably deserved and that's your business! 

May God continue to have mercy on us all!

As always,

The pleasure is mine!