Month: August 2019
Knowing & Loving Who You Are.
Fun Fact for all my Sesame Street Fans.
Did you know Cookie Monster’s original name was Sid. 😳🤯
Interesting story, enjoy:
https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Cookie_Monster
It would be interesting to know what names our parents marked off of their list before making the final decision on our name.
For me, my Joshua was going to be named Alijah Emmanuel Jones. My Lyss – we had a time finding a name for her. We went through so many names, I can’t remember them 😬🤫😰. I do know the finished product was good, Alyssa Christine Jones.
Thursday take away, know who you are! Often times we can feel like no-one knows our name. That’s a myth. You know your name and God knows your name. Others will come but you have to know, love & embrace who you are first! Take a moment and list 2 things that you love about yourself. It matters! You Matter.
-❤️Gwen
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A Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
On this day in 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I have a dream” speech during the “Freedom March” in Washington.
He was and is a voice for the voiceless and his words, life, and legacy give hope to the hopeless.
A few quotes by Dr. King to inspire you to walk in freedom and dream as he did.
We must never forget, our freedom wasn’t free. It came at a high cost.
We honor your legacy today Dr. King
If you haven’t heard his speech, take a moment to listen.
If you’ve heard it before, take a moment to honor and remember.
Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” Speech. Delivered at the “Freedom March” in Washington, August 28, 1963.
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Conquering Your Back 2 School Blues
Happy first day of school!
It’s going to be a great year.
1) CHECK YOUR MINDSET. Last year was last year. You’ve learned from it and this year is a brand new year. Approach this year as a new year with new opportunities. Don’t live in the past, change your future!
2) CHECK YOUR TOOLBOX. Pull out the tools you need AND USE THEM! Back to school can be overwhelming for both the children and the parents. Plan to succeed and you’ll have peace. Fail to plan and your in for a year of chaos and frustration. This morning I sat down and organized our family calendar, now that I know who needs to be where and when, I can develop a strategy to make it happen. Don’t stress, strategize.
3) CHECK YOUR ATTITUDE. Choose joy, choose positivity, choose to listen and hear the hearts of your children and share your heart with them as well. You all are a team and everyone has a role to play in order for this year to be successful. Speak well of yourself and your children, and their school year, they need your confidence and your support physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Your babies need you more than you know and you are fully equipped to handle anything that may come your way this year. Remember, everything you need for success is already in you and your children. Don’t underestimate the peace, presence, and mind of Christ that covers us either, it makes a difference.
Teachers, you matter and you are powerful! You are influencers, advocates, mom & dad, we honor you.
Students, you’ve totally got this! We’re already proud of you! 💜💛
Parents your babies are covered in prayer and surrounded by giant angels. They are going to be just fine. New adventures await us all this year! You’ve prepared and given them everything that they need to succeed, rest in that.
2019-2020 We’re ready for you, it’s going to be an amazing year.
Our little people aren’t so little anymore, and they’re BUSY! They’ll always be my babies. Pray for us as we pray for you!
We’ve totally got this Mama’s & Daddy’s!!! 2019-2020 is going to be one for the books! Going in expecting good vibes, favor, positivity, and productivity! I encourage you to do the same, you shall have what you expect!
-Gwen💜
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Parent Appreciation Week
I’m calling it! It’s officially Parent Appreciation Week!
Let’s just talk about BACK TO SCHOOL SHOPPING!!!! My kids are out seeing the world while we roam the streets looking for school supplies! These kids are #BLESSED!
SHOUT OUT TO ALL OF THE PARENTS OUT THERE MAKING IT HAPPEN!! You’re doing great and you are appreciated!
If you’re kids don’t tell you thank you, be sure to sit them down and give them an idea of what life would look like without you. Then remind them why they should never take you for granted and that every once in a while, Mommy and Daddy need to feel the love as well. Sometimes they simply need to be reminded!
They will walk in confidence because of you!
#trainthemup #We’reReady #funpic #GotItDone #parents #teamawesome #WeRJones #Back2School2019
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Tips to incorporate rest & relaxation into your daily routine!
In all of your getting .. get REST!
Let’s just face it, life as we know it and live it for the majority of us is unhealthy. The constant hustle, the endless grind, the fast food. Think about it, when our to-do lists seem longer than our day allows, what’s the first thing to go? Rest. We live in an age where we pride ourselves in sleepless nights. I remember years ago, someone asked, “How do you do it all?” and I proudly responded, “I don’t sleep much!”
Rest is not optional and here are 12 reasons why:
https://deltadiscoverycenter.com/benefits-importance-rest-sleep-relationship-between-sleep-stress/
Lack of sleep is associated with numerous mental, physical, and emotional consequences. Today, if that same woman were to come to me and ask, “how do you do it all?” (because I still do “it all”, I just do all of it wisely.) I’d respond differently.
Prayerfully this response will help and encourage you:
- I PRIORITIZE. Each morning I decide on my top 3. The keyword here is 3 Not 20. Don’t set yourself up for failure. Choose realistic, obtainable goals, this alone will boost your confidence and self-esteem.
- I STRATEGIZE. I’ve made a decision, now I develop a plan to enforce it. I usually write-out my day on my calendar, now I can see what I’m doing when I’m doing it. Once I know what I’m doing, I feel empowered and fully equipped to say NO!!! I know if and/or where last-minute requests can be placed. I can now use phrases like, “Sure, I’m available during this time” and “I’m sorry, I can’t meet today, can we chat tomorrow morning?” Oftentimes, failure to complete our top 3 is the result of failure to plan.
- I DEPRESSURIZE. Whelp, this may seem like I’m undoing all of my above efforts, but it’s my truth and I hope it will set you free. After I complete step one and two, I encourage myself via scripture, positive affirmations, prayer, and meditation. Then I give it all over to God. I inevitably won’t be able to control every moment of my day. My type A / DISC – S personality can cause me to hold tight to my plan, but I had to learn to remain flexible. So I relieve myself of the pressure to perform, meet every expectation, and accomplish every goal IN THIS ONE DAY! I can rest in knowing that I’ll give it my best shot, but at the end of each day, before I allow myself to feel like a failure, I remind myself that, “I gave today my best shot and God willing, there is another opportunity to complete what was left incomplete tomorrow.
Life has taught me that completion of my daily list and my desire to please others, can not come at the cost of my health, my peace (powerfully defined as freedom from disturbance; tranquility. A state or period in which there is no war or a war has ended), my rest!
Oh and lastly, don’t forget to incorporate a “precious moment” into to your top 3. You should encounter/prioritize/plan for a “precious moment” (dinner with your family, self-care, disconnect from work and social media) daily.
Remember, YOU MATTER. Feeling tired is a warning sign, not a weakness. The ability to choose rest, shows self-discipline, great restraint, and supports self-love. Loss of rest is not an option. You can’t love anyone else until you first love and care for yourself.
Remember I love you, but YOU should love YOU More!
❤️🤟🏾🥰
-Gwen
❤️ YOU
I’m so honored and privileged to serve my community!
This made my 💜 smile!
I’ll always be proud of you.
My mission is to gently & lovingly move you to a place where YOU are proud of YOURSELF!
#COMPLETE #❤️you
http://www.gwendolynjjones.com
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Cherish The Moment
⚠️ Honest moment (and the PERFECT example of conflicting feelings, I couldn’t resist).
I REALLY miss my babies, but I’m also REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY enjoying the peace, QUIET and freedom that comes along with this extended mommy break.
Moments like these MUST be the reason God gifted people to take precious photos like this one. I’m totally good with the photo 😝!
P.S. Since I’m getting free, let me leave you with this, it’s ok to be selfish every once in a while. You deserve it! Tell everyone it’s an effort to improve your emotional health and let’s just agree to limit the selfishness to 1-2 hrs. Deal 👇🏾👇🏾?
😘❤️✊🏽
🤟🏾✌🏽
#MommyBreak2019 #Unashamed #LivingFree #BlessedQuietness #IGetALLHubby’sAttention #SometimesIJustDon’tWanttoShare😇
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Perfection is not Required
Perfection is not required
per·fec·tion
/pərˈfekSH(ə)n/
the condition, state, or quality of being free or as free as possible from all flaws or defects.
Perfection is an unobtainable illusion. A bottomless pit that we constantly pour our time, talent, and treasure into to perpetuate.
Here’s an idea, what if your flaws make you beautifully authentic?
Here’s a question: Has maintaining the illusion of perfection become your prison? If so, it’s ok because guess what, although the prison doors seem like they are locked and bolted, you hold the key to your freedom. It’s always been in you, perhaps you simply need someone to pull it out of you!
Meditate on this: when I begin to love and embrace my truest me, will I finally be free!
Free to dance. Free to love. Free to try. Free to fail. Free to live!
_____________
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Visionversary – celebrating the day our vision became reality!
Gwendolyn J. Jones 