My life is a lifetime movie

Today was a hot mess! Anytime your day starts with a spider... let me just tell you.
So this morning I headed out early to make a coffee stop. [I'm pretty sure I'm being punished for not using my Keurig. Sorry mom, I needed creamer]. Anyway, I got in my truck, put it in reverse and there it was...... a spider! Yall I freaked out. I got out of the truck and started swatting. After about 10-15 minutes I lost the spider. I was scared to death and even contemplated calling a friend to pick me up,  but I decided to be an adult about the situation  ::insert laugh here:: I headed to work...turning around every 3 seconds to make sure Mr. Spider Man wasn't crawling on me. Fast forward to noon---I went to vacuum my truck out. Did I get the spider?  Probably not...it's probably hiding on the ceiling  waiting to jump out tomorrow morning. Not today, Mr. Spider...not today.

Ok, now let's talk about supper. Yall,  this was a typical Monday! So I've been daydreaming about pork chops all day. I always bake them but decided to [try] to fry them today.  I consulted with mom and sis and felt pretty good about it. Go ahead and fry them, they said. They will be good, they said.  So I get home and the angel on my left shoulder is saying "Just bake them, Toy." On the right,  the devil is saying "Go on and fry them girl, you got this." Without realizing I'm being influenced by an angel and taunted by the devil..... I chose to fry the freaking pork chops. Why?????

Let me speed this up. 1 pork chop magically disappeared...down the garbage disposal...do NOT ask. I began to fry the others and it just didn't seem right... the breading/crust wouldn't stay on. So I decided to take it one at a time. OK Toy,you got this......until I turn one over and grease flops evvvvverywhere...all over the stove, on my ARM [yes hot grease] and all over the kitchen floor. I quit. Yes, I gave up. Forget the stupid zucchini.  Forget the stupid rice. Forget the stupid pork chops. Tonight we will have Harveys. 

Through this entire fiasco, I am thankful.  Thankful that we do not [yet] have children that depend on mama's cooking...and thankful for a husband who laughs at my dinner fails. I'll put my apron on and try again tomorrow.

In all things, give thanks. xo
NaToya Rae

A Beautiful Mess

Ladies! How many of us can admit to being a bit EXTRA at times? ::raises hand:: For some reason, my family likes to refer to me as a DQ---Drama Queen. I have no idea why they would say such a thing ::sheepish grin::

Haha! Who am I kidding? I can be a mess and a half at times. In addition to being clumsy and forgetful, I am sometimes irritable and very easily annoyed. BUT, I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." 
Psalm 139:14

We (women) are so hard on ourselves. We look in the mirror and want to change everything that makes us....us. We want longer hair. We think we are too short...or perhaps, too tall. We find all these slight imperfections that most people never notice. Each time I begin to complain about something insignificant, I stop and thank God for His many blessings. There is someone going through chemotherapy treatments wishing they had hair to comb. There is someone who was just told they will have to have a double amputation, yet we are complaining about being too tall. Father forgive us! We are made perfect in His sight. We are fearfully and wonderfully made...and that is to be praised!

I am thankful that I've learned to truly love and accept me for me...flaws and all. True love and acceptance does not come from altering your physical appearance, but by understanding that God designed you even before you were in your mother's womb. He designed you...perfect...in His image. That alone should be all the assurance you need. So ladies, let's focus on self love and remember, you are enough.

xo,

NaToya Rae 

Thank You, Dr. King

Today I and many Americans celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. When I think of Dr. King's legacy,  one word comes to mind....love. 1 Peter 4:8 states, "Above all love each other deeply because love covers a multitude of sins." I can only imagine how difficult it was for Dr.King to love those who were hateful and blatantly disrespectful...but he loved them anyway. Oh what a wonderful example of God's love for His children. 

As a nation, we have made much progress. However, there is so much work to be done. In order for change to occur, we must first LOVE one another. Each day I am reminded that not all people are good, but most people have [some] good in them. As long as I live, I will strive to love those that seem impossible to love. Oh how sweet it is to serve a God who loves me despite my short comings.
So I challenge you to love. Love when it seems downright impossible. Love...because Christ first loved us.

xo,
NaToya Sanders