2017, THE YEAR OF YOU!

I’m officially declaring 2017 to be “THE YEAR OF YOU!” Replace the “YOU” with your name. For me 2017 is “THE YEAR OF GWEN.” Next year is yours for the taking.

What will you do with it? 

 Do you have a plan?

Have you sat down with yourself or your spouse or a trusted friend and had your Vision 2017 meeting? If not, it’s not to late. 

There’s no reason to enter 2017 with worry, anxiety or fear.  Once you have a plan, you’ll know how to prepare, and the only thing left to will be to EXECUTE! Minimize stress and frustration in 2017 simply by being prepared for it! 

Plan, Prepare, EXECUTE – This is the goal!  

Step into 2017 armed and READY. 

 YOU’VE GOT THIS! 

A Birthday Letter To My Husband, My Superman!

Dear Sunshine,Look around you! What do you see? The family that you’ve built, the many people that you’ve encouraged and inspired, the business that we’ve built together, the business that you began, not for yourself, but based solely on encouraging, inspiring and building others?

YOU seek out the forgotten, and remind them that there is hope and they have purpose.

YOU believe in those that don’t believe in themselves.

YOUR ministry is POWERFUL, UNIQUE and GENUINE.  

Many come, few remain faithful, yet you still smile and show them love like only you can.

You look at obstacles as hills, where others see unmovable mountains.  

You deny darkness, because YOU ARE LIGHT.

YOU are more powerful than you know.

YOU possess gifting and talents that you can’t even see.

YOU are stronger than you think!

So on today, you’re 37th birthday .. AGAIN, LOOK AROUND YOU MR. JONES, and take pride in this empire that you’ve built. What you see is a result of your sacrifice.  

Hold your head up, stick your chest out, because you’ve done good and what you see now, is only the beginning! 

YOU ARE VALUABLE

NOTHING can stop you

NO ONE can control you

WHAT GOD HAS FOR YOU IS YOURS 

Everyday with you is an adventure

DESPITE what it may look like, YOUR GREATER IS COMING, I believe YOUR GREATER IS HERE!

I’m simply honored to have the opportunity to take this journey along with you.  

I also have a birthday challenge for you:

**Appreciate the past, it’s molded you into the man you are today, BUT put the past in it’s place and move forward.

**Become excited about your future.

**Continue to love and support others, BUT remember YOU MATTER TOO!  

**YOU ARE VALUABLE! Celebrate YOU!

**This year, “WORK ON YOU” Mr. Jones, you are closer to your dreams than you think!  

**Everything that’s coming to you, embrace it, you’ve worked hard for it and you deserve it!

Some will try you but KNOW they will have to come through ME to get to you!

ALWAYS be you, walk in YOUR truth, know YOUR worth and YOU KNOW, if/when you ever need back up, I’M right here, watching your back and protecting your future!  

I believe in you and I Love You 

Happy Birthday Mr. Jones!  

I dedicate this blog post to My dearest husband, my best friend, my SUPERMAN, Mr. Jones!  

All I Want For Christmas is TIME!

This year, I’m so grateful for the gift of time. Time with my family, time with my dear friends, time with my God & time with myself!

 Life is busy and Christmas break is one of the few moments in time when our calendars are cleared and we are given the opportunity to rest and enjoy those we love. I’m choosing to give purpose to every second of my break. Whether it’s a movie with my kids, breakfast with my husband, lunch with my bestie, coffee with my family, a devotional at sunset, an extra 2 hours of sleep or a cup of hot tea and a book in my favorite chair, it is my mission to make every second count. 

Often times we are so concerned with our calendar and our deadlines that we forget what matters most!  Put your phone down and use this break to look up and see what you’ve been missing!! The joy of spending time with your family, the luxury of watching T.V. in your pjs, the beauty of nature.  

Have you been so busy trying to keep up with life that you’ve disconnected from the people and things that you love, lost your values and forgotten your roots? This is a great time to re evaluate your life and establish or re establish your standard.  I know I’m looking back at my schedule and deciding what matters and what I can do without! I’m checking myself for balance, I know I need to spend more time with my family, kids and friends. I’m even going to check my marriage.  Ask my husband how we’re doing, how is he feeling, what is he missing.  If I lose my relationship with God, my husband, my kids, and my family, I have nothing!  So if I’m too busy to meet their needs and nourish these relationships, something’s GOT to go!   

What will you do with your break?  How will you use this precious gift of time?

I’m confident that if I use this time wisely, I’ll be unstoppable in 2017! I’m resting now, but look out 2017 .. I’m READY for ya! 

Christmas Break Goals 2016

Choose Happy

So necessary for this cold Monday Morning! The coffee warms me up and the smile on this bright yellow cup reminds me that Mondays are blessings too! God’s allowed me to see this Monday and I’m CHOOSING to embrace this day WITH JOY & make every second of this day count! There is NOTHING that can happen today that My God and I can’t handle! So HELLO MONDAY .. let’s do this!!! #COJ #SmileIt’sMonday #MagnificentMonday #makeitcount #yourchoice #choosehappy 

I meant to post this yesterday!  Still wanted you guys to have it!  Enjoy remember to celebrate your Monday’s. It’s another day that you are alive!  Another day that God has allowed you to see!  Another opportunity to pursue YOU! Another chance to be a blessing!  It’s what you make it, Choose Happy!

A Letter To My Hero

Dear Mommy,

I am the woman I am because of you! 

The wisdom that I use to survive daily, came from you. 

 The example and mother that my children now have is a result of how you trained me!

Your strength is now my strength. Your peace is now my peace.  

You refused to settle for less and neither will I.

You lived life to the fullest and let nothing hold you back, neither will I.

My only hope is to be half the woman that you were.

 Your legacy now lives on through me.  

As long as I live, so do you!  You may be gone, but your love, sacrifice and example WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN! 

I know you are looking down from heaven and smiling! I know in my heart, if you were here with me, you’d be proud of me!  

I love you Mommy Dearest!  

Casey

___________________

Don’t ever take the people you love for granted! Life is fragile.  Make sure you right your wrongs, make your peace and send your flowers while you can! 

____________________

I dedicate this post to My Hero, Mommy Dearest!

Do You Have What It Takes?

Good question! We have our dreams and goals, but is our will strong enough to do what it takes to make them a reality? Wow .. something to think about. This really hit home for me, time for me to reprioritize and get back to “working on me” my worst fear is having to live with regret! I don’t want to look back over my life and regret not fulfilling my purpose or reaching my goals because I didn’t have the strength or endurance to do what it took to make it happen! So WAKE UP, get back on track and MAKE IT HAPPEN!! It’s not to late, don’t give up on your dreams, don’t give up on yourself! Remember, it’s NOT about you! The world needs you! 

This blog post was inspired by Alfonzo D. Jones II, host of “The Acheiver’s Circle.” Check out his facebook page @AlfonzoDJonesII for tips on success and other inspirations.   

Friendly Reminder, It’s not about you!

My daughter is a competitive dancer.  This weekend We traveled to atlanta to attend a  dance convention. It was a huge sacrifice, but she has a gift and as her parents, it’s our responsibility to do what we can to protect and develop it.  So here we are!  

Lyss put in WORK today! She came to this convention on a MISSION in her words, “To learn from famous people.” She’s woke up focused and ready, she’s been dancing non stop (1.5 hr break) since 10am this morning. She danced her little heart out and it paid off.

 After one of the sessions a student from another studio walked up to Lyss, gave her this wristband (pictured below) and said, “Thank you, you inspired me today!” Lyss came and showed it to me and I told her this is what it’s all about! When God gives you a gift, you are responsible for protecting, nurturing and developing it, then using it to inspire and encourage someone else! My Lyss-I-Pot did that today and I am so proud.   I told My husband, I think God smiled at us today! 

 This kind gesture not only gave me the opportunity to make lyss aware of her ability / responsibility to use her gift to make a difference, but it also was a friendly reminder for Mr. Jones and myself that our labors are not in vain! 

Parenting is HARD! It calls for an insane amount of dedication and sacrifice and it comes with NO instruction manual. A lot of the times we parents are figuring it out as we learn and grow with our children. So it’s nice to be reminded every so often that you’re doing good! #SmallBlessings 

Hang in there Momma, I know sometimes as a parent it seems like more sacrifice and little reward.  But keep doing what you are doing.  You are planting a seed that will grow.  You may not be able see the harvest now but it’s coming and when it does you’ll be so glad you made the investment.  I know I am!  

Moments like these make it all worth it!  You’re doing a great job and without you Momma, we wouldn’t have them! I’m a good mom because I had a GREAT mom, I strive to be half the woman that she was!  Her memory lives on now through me.   So keep doing what you are doing family, believe it or not, your influence matters and YOU ARE changing the world, one kid at a time! 

THANK YOU MOMMY DEAREST FOR YOUR EXAMPLE, YOUR ENDURANCE AND YOUR STRENGTH!  I AM WHO I AM BECAUSE OF YOU!  

Where’s Your Faith? Who’s Your Source?

“Beauty begins where self-reliance ends. You don’t realize that God is all you need until God is all you have.” -Beauty Begins Devotional

Dear God,

As we begin this day, thank you for this reminder that our hope, our joy, our peace and our strength comes from you! 

Thank you God for being strong when we are weak and for being peace in the midst of our raging storms.  

Our hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.  We dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name. ON CHRIST THE SOLID ROCK We STAND ALL OTHER GROUND IS SINKING SAND. 

God may our words be laced with love, our actions always portray grace, our hearts remain pure and may our lives be pleasing unto you.  

Continue to cover us God, continue to reveal to us your will for our lives, then give us the courage and the strength to carry out the mission that you have placed before us!  

In your precious name we pray

Amen