50 things about being 50!

#2 My Family Ties 

I smile when I think about the fond memories of my family. My mom, biological father, five siblings and a host of nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins are all alive today. That brings a smile to my face because so much of who I am stems from those family connections. Ma did all that she could to keep "young-ins' grounded and my stepfather did his best to help along those lines. My eldest brother, Ricky, was the best athlete. He could juke and move with a football like no other. The second eldest brother, Virgil was the comedian. He kept us laughing until it hurt.

I was the one who loved school and extra curricular activities and lived to excel inside the classroom and outside. My brother after me, Prince, was the fastest runner and a great dancer, but he liked to hang in the background and not show off his skills. My sister, Yvette, is the affectionate and sensitive one. She'll tell you many times a day that she loves you. Shariece, the youngest, is a reader and comedian too. She got jokes!

Although things haven't worked out well for some of family members, every day brings new hope that life will get better and lives will change. We're separated by the miles but our love for each other remains constant. I believe that God has used different circumstances and moments in my family to develop my character and teach me how to love like Him. I love my family and thankful that we still get to make memories! 

50 things about being 50! 

#1: 29 Years of walking with God
I started going to church at a young age. Both my pastor and my uncle explained to me what it meant to be a Christian and led me through a prayer to invite Jesus Christ into my heart. I did that twice, but it was all "lip service" and no true commitment. I continued to do my own thing and as I entered college, my only goals in life were to graduate, get a job, get out of the 'hood, and make a lot of money. Summer following my freshman year in 1982, I went to live with my grandparents. It was there, in my grandmother's living room, that I bowed my knees and decided to make a true commitment to follow Jesus Christ. 

But once classes began again, I left my faith at grandma's house and lived life as if God did not exist. Social life seemed to be my major because I spent more time hanging out than studying for classes. That is, until I got to the point two years later where I realized that there had to more to life than parties and sporting events. A good friend invited me a Bible study small group and my faith started to soar. I learned that I had not just invited Jesus Christ into my heart at grandma's house, but I had established a personal relationship with Him. It was such a foreign concept to me that I could get to know God and talk to Him like I would a friend. But that perspective revolutionized my Christian growth.

I made the decision to put Him first in my life and have not turned back from following Him since that moment. That was in 1984 and the journey has been incredible. I have learned so much about God's Word, His will and His ways and have grown in character, compassion, and conduct. He took an angry, bitter, selfish, sharp-tongued, opinionated sista from the 'hood, and transformed her into the image of His beloved Son Jesus Christ. You know you've changed when family members ask how long can you stay rather than when are you leaving! 

The Bible says in the book of Ephesians chapter 2 verse 10 (Eph. 2:10) "For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them". It only gets sweeter in Christ and I wouldn't have it any other way!