birthday blessings

Blessings Received

Sincerely AngieLeave a comment

Check out my last post titled “Birthday Blessings.” This year for my b-day, I received blessings on top of blessings. The biggest and best one was completely unexpected but intentional. A gift that only God could see fit for me. Bare with me as I try to put into words the divine timing of everything that lead to the blessings I received.

It started with a short notice business trip that caused me to reschedule my birthday trip, which left my birth week open. Then a group chat formed whose only mission was to go somewhere. The available dates ended up being my birth week. My cousin and travel bestie’s birthday trip was canceled also and she really just wanted to be out of the country. We all selected 3 places we wanted to go to and the one with the most votes won. We all agreed on a destination and all that was left, was to find a place to stay and flights.

One morning at 2a, I woke up because I couldn’t sleep but the plan was to book our flights at 4a. I booked it and everyone else booked theirs at 4a or a little after. Next was the Airbnb. We settled on one we all agreed on and booked the dates. A few weeks later, with no plan, no itinerary, no to-do list, NOTHING, we hopped on a plane just winging it.

The first couple of days were filled with eating, sightseeing, pool lounging, and chilling. Then on the third day, we decided that we needed to figured something out. We settled on a flamingo experience and that fell through. Then Toya saw Clear Boat Kayak pictures! That was right up our alley. We paid for it and it was scheduled for the next day, which was my birthday. We figured we’d make it a beach day also.

We get to the beach and get right to it. Toya went first, then myself and Yannie went last. Everyone had the perfect color bathing suit for the environment. Each color popped off of the water and our skin! Toya in a mustard yellow, me in a neon green and Yannie in royal blue. Perfection! I get in the boat and there’s a man flying the drone and one holding the string to the boat and instructing the poses. I get to the pose where I have to turn over on my stomach. I told myself to take advantage of the moment and look down into the water through the clear boat. The water was beautiful, almost unreal, the sand was bright, I could see seaweed like debris floating by and awareness and gratitude filled my heart. I was out of the country for the first time ever, on my actual birthday. Later that day for dinner, sitting at the table with people I love and who I know love me, tears formed. It’s a moment I’ll never forget and I believe everything happened just for that moment.

The blessing I received was the present. I was in Aruba on my birthday. I was with two of my favorite people. I was in a dress that I’d worn before but one that I felt beautiful in. Beautiful shoes I found at Goodwill for about $7.00 and sunglasses I got on clearance for $1.00. I was in a clear kayak just to take pictures but I zoned out and took advantage of a moment that I’ll live with forever. I don’t even remember if the guy was talking to me telling me to do another pose, I decided that this moment was worth taking in. And it was the biggest blessing I’ve ever received.

Pictures and videos will always be top tier for me but you can always see much better in the moment, with your eyes, heart, ears, hands, nose, etc. Take a moment and take a mental picture. Those core memories will last forever.

Editing Angie: In between the time I wrote this post and the time I’m editing this, I watched a YouTube video that spoke of a video breaking down the takeaways from Pixar’s movie “Soul”. The person broke the movie down to the simplest life lesson. Because I love the movie Soul, I watched the video. It was explained perfectly and the overall takeaway was exactly what I experienced on my birthday. It was also confirmation that I should post this. I’ll link the video below. I pray you’ll watch it and get something from it. I purposely did not say what the life lesson was because I believe it’s just that important for you to check it out for yourself. Come back after the 15 minute video and share your thoughts in the comment section.

YouTube

Sincerely,

Angie

Forty Lessons I’ve Learned in 40 Years

Sincerely Angie2 Comments

With age comes wisdom and no truer words were ever spoken. It’s been said that age is a construct and it’s just a number and I agree that it’s just a number. I don’t feel a day over 25. I feel like I look 25. My mindset is old enough to grant me wisdom and young enough to keep up with the times. I often sing Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s Forever Young when I think of age. You’re only as old as you feel. I know 75+ year olds that move around better than 30 year olds and I know 30 year olds that look and act like 60 year olds. You’re only as old or young as you feel!

Over the last few years, I have been focusing on self love, self awareness, peace, stepping out of my comfort zone, trying new things and letting go. In all of that, I’m learning a lot. A lot about myself, life, people, what’s important and what’s not important. Enough of the small talk, let’s get to the lessons.

Most of the things that I have learned has definitely been cliché but as you get older, you understand and respect the clichés. Mainly, because they’re true.

  1. Seek God. He never leaves us, we stray away from Him. When you seek Him out, He will speak to you.
  2. People are exactly who they say they are. They will also show you who they are. Believe them the first time.
  3. Make the days count, don’t count the days.
  4. If you really want to, you will. If they really want to, they will.
  5. Give freely way more than you receive and you will receive more than you give.
  6. Money isn’t everything but when you don’t have a lot of it, money is everything.
  7. Your reputation does precede you. Someone is always watching, even if you don’t notice them.
  8. When you love yourself, it shows in what you do and what you allow.
  9. Credit score can determine if you get the life that you want or the life that is given to you.
  10. Being tight fisted or close handed doesn’t give you room to receive.
  11. Happiness is truly an inside job.
  12. Peace is attainable. Life is for the living.
  13. The best place to start is small. Small steps lead to bigger ones.
  14. There is beauty in everything and a lesson in everything.
  15. Trusting God is the hardest easiest work you’ll ever do.
  16. Just do it. Whatever you want to do, do it! Anything is possible.
  17. Rest/naps are blessings to your mind, body and spirit.
  18. No matter what you do, it’ll never be good enough for someone. You can’t please everyone.
  19. If you always do what you want to do in/at the moment and what feels right to you, you’ll never have regrets.
  20. Trust your gut, intuition, mind and heart. At least one of them has never led you astray.
  21. Everyone is dealing with something. It’s not always personal.
  22. You have the power to change your life with your thoughts, words and abilities.
  23. How you view you is not how everyone else views you.
  24. Feelings aren’t facts but feelings are valid.
  25. It all works out at some point. Everything is connected. It all lines up in the end.
  26. We never give ourselves enough credit. You’re actually better at something than you think.
  27. Everyone isn’t a hater, jealous or envious. Their admiration is just misplaced.
  28. Let it go. Majority of the time, it’s not worth the time you spent worrying about it or holding on to it.
  29. Some people will hurt you and not think twice about it. Heal and appreciate the lesson learned.
  30. Accept and respect people for who they are and give them grace for who they are not.
  31. Take pictures to remember the moment but don’t forget to live in the moment and take it all in.
  32. Traveling exposes you to a whole new world, literally!
  33. Save your money now so that later, your money can save you.
  34. You are born with relatives, and you can choose your family.
  35. Remain solid even when everyone around you may be fickle.
  36. Think before you speak so that you can say what you mean and mean what you say.
  37. Take care of you, your body and things and they will take care of you.
  38. Perspective is the key to a positive life.
  39. Trusting God, being obedient and tithing are the cheat codes to a beautiful life.
  40. Life is everything that you make it. Make it beautiful. You’re in charge of it.

There are many more lessons but these, I feel, are the best for this time in my life.

Here’s what I got for my birthday! Thank you to everyone who blessed me with something.

Sincerely,

Angie