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OMGosh! – OMGosh! – OMGosh!

Can you believe it’s December already?, can you believe next Wednesday is CHRISTMAS??!!! Okay, so I really don’t like how 2019 came in here as quick as the wind and about to leave us like THE FLASH!!

Like THIS. YEAR. DIDN’T. COME. TO. PLAY!!! (yes, that’s me doing a clap back) and even in these last few days/week, we have left it’s apparently not showing any signs of taking a pause. (Sigh, I digress) I will say however, I need it to SLOWWWW all the way down, the faster the years come the OLDER I’m getting…….sigh again…..Can someone please give 2020 a call and ask that it slow its roll? I feel like I can’t really ENJOY an age because before I know it, I’m about to turn another one! In the words of my favorite cartoon character…

So, do you have any plans for the “rushed” holiday season? I’m sorry, I know I seem a little salty about this whole year rush thing, but it is what it is and we might as well enjoy it, right? It could be so much worse, gotta be grateful no matter what (that’s me talking positively to rinse the salt out my mouth =)

While my emotions take a chill on ice, I have to say, I LOVE CHRISTMAS! now if the year wants to give us a blessing? It can make it be Christmas all year round, with good weather that is. It’s just something about this time of year that makes me feel giddy. Everyone’s so nice and caring, it brings me to a song by one of my favorite gospel artists. Grammy, Stellar and Dove award winner, Fred Hammond. He’s one of my favorite gospel artists, however, he has a Christmas CD entitled “Christmas, Just Remember” it was released in 2001 so it’s a little old but it’s definitely a goodie. My favorite song on the album is ‘Christmas Everyday’ – here’s a snippet of some of the lyrics…

‘I wish that Christmas would be every day
Let it go on and on, and on, and on, and on
Why does this feeling have to go away?
If it were up to me, the season would never change
It would always stay the same, the same, the same

Why can’t we show each other the same love?
The same, the same good love, real love
To me, once a year is really not enough’

The lyrics are so powerful and so very me of how I feel about the holiday season, it’s one of my all-time favorite songs (outside of Nat King Cole‘s “The Christmas Song“) however, I’m sure after you listen to Fred’s mellow, laid-back tune of Christmas gracing us every day, it’ll become one of your Christmas playlist songs as well. So while you’re cooking, reminiscing and spending time with family during the holidays, let this song draw you all closer together in love, unity, and peace.

🎵🎶🎵🎶 Christmas Everyday by Fred Hammond 🎵🎶🎵🎶

Fred Hammond – Christmas Everyday

Well, while Christmas can bring on the “good feels” – it can also bring on “fear” for some reason people choose this time of year to bring the negativity to an all-time high! It’s already bad that this time of year seems to bring on more death-related incidents than any other month in the year and if that’s not scary enough, there are countless videos of people getting scammed and kidnapped. I think I’ve received more DM’s from friends as well as family members passing on information about sex and human trafficking schemes. They detail things to watch out for and unfortunately people (women and children mainly) who’ve found themselves in the snares of such chaos.

Sometimes I feel like going home, locking all my doors and staying there until I turn 100! However, the bible tells us “God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind.” (2 Tim 1:7) While going into hibernation for the rest of my life sounds pretty tempting, I have to understand that I serve a God who’s in control and while I may not understand a lot of things, my faith’s in God and I know he didn’t call any of us to go into hiding but live the lives he created us to live. This includes praying and asking for guidance as well as discernment. The key to asking for this is that we actually have to listen when he tugs at us to not go a certain place or do a certain thing, which takes a lot of practice.

There are so many things going on and I couldn’t put up “every” video I received but I saw this one by Karolyne Roberts a couple of weeks ago, in which I thought hit the hammer on the nail in regards to all the scams out there. When I saw the video, I knew I’d be a great vid to share in my end of the year post (which is this one! 😁)

Karoline Roberts – YouTube

Karolyne shares pretty much all the stories I’ve heard and gives a warning as well as a word of encouragement to everyone who plans to go out shopping and etc this holiday season. I mean we need to be watchful no matter what, that’s a guarantee! The latest one I just heard last week was about a man at a gas station who asked a woman pumping gas if she was in need of painting services, she said no so he offered her supposedly his business card.

When the woman got into her car and drove off, she noticed that this man had gotten into a car with another man and followed her, by this time she became alarmed. She noticed she began to feel woozy and delirious, she had enough strength to roll down the window, in the meantime, these men were on her trail. Come to find out, the card she took had some type of gas on it. She quickly pulled into the nearest house’s driveway and began honking her horn and screaming. The men that were following seen this and drove off…

So please, please, please be careful – watch yourself as well as your kids, mom, close girlfriends and etc because it’s the women that are being targeted in these attacks!

Let’s Look our for each other and the very special GIRLS/GALS in our lives!

Well, that’s it, Everybody! That’s all I have for now. Until next year, Lord willing. I pray your 2020 is FULL of great vision. May 2020 bring extremely sweet things to you and yours!

Oh Wow! October is officially here ya’ll (in my very southern Arkansas roots voice), I cannot believe it as it seems like it was just last month when the year started and only yesterday when the summer kicked off. Where has the time gone?

With the way these months are flying by, Christmas will be at our front steps on tomorrow, Yikes!! But, let’s slow it down a bit – because it’s October right now, so let’s get our pumpkins, spiced tea, coffee, rakes and cookbooks, Hold Up…

Just in case you’re giving me a serious side-eye right now

Yes, your cookbooks! – now that October is here, this is the special time of year to whip up some yummy recipes. In which is what this months posts will be all centered around.

As if you didn’t get the feeling of the changing of the season already, everywhere you go; whether to the grocery store or Starbucks, everything is about the great pumpkin. The stores are definitely making sure everyone gets their dose of “Pumpkin Fever” and to add some extra spice to the rolling pumpkin phenomenon…I decided to welcome in October with a celebration of Pumpkin recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. Oh Yes, I cannot leave out dessert!!

Yes, October is going to officially get an extra dose of inspiration spice! The recipes I’ve picked out are very simple and all contain things that you may very well already have in your cabinet or fridge. I will also give my “first take” of all these delicious recipes as I will not only be dishing them and the sites I got them from out to you but I’ll also be trying them out for myself so I can give you my honest opinion of each.

Listed below are the recipes in which you can expect to see this month:

The Great Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

We’re going to give the green smoothie a kick to the sidelines for a moment as we go completely orange.

There’s a Pumpkin in my Oatmeal!!

Okay, so maybe the smoothie (whether green or not) is just not your thing in the mornings and trust me, I totally understand that. So why not a good ole’ bowl of rolled oats with a little surprise. Pumpkin Oatmeal anyone??

It’s Fall, So Why Not Fall for Some PUMPKIN SOUP!

Who doesn’t enjoy a good, warm bowl of delicious soup; after all, that’s what Fall is all about. Hopefully you’ll fall in love with this recipe.

A Twist on a Southern Classic – Pumpkin Mac & Cheese

Since being pre-diabetic, there aren’t a lot of pasta dishes that I can do without it affecting my sugar levels, but I’m hoping this southern classic will finally give me my life back.

You Scream, We Scream – We all want Pumpkin Ice-Cream!!

Ice-cream is my favorite dessert of all time and while I can’t have too much of it, this recipe will not only be a healthy indulge but pleasing to the waist line as well.

And just in case you’re saying – “I hate Pumpkin” or “It looks funny” or “Why would I want to eat that! and give it the BOOT!, Pump your brakes as pumpkin is the best thing you can eat. It’s not only a great facial mask but it also provides the following healthy benefits:

Makes your bones Stronger
Keeps our digestive system in tip top shape
Helps to reduce PMS Symptoms
Maintains Prostate Health
Good for Diabetic Patients
Controls HBP (High Blood Pressure) levels
Provides Sound Sleep

And a host of other benefits in which you can check out at Good Health All – you’ll be amazed at what a little orange can do for your overall health and well-being. So, while I sit in anticipation to try out these different recipes and look out for one of my favorite Charlie Brown classic of “It’s the Great Pumpkin – Charlie Brown” by Charles M. Schulz

So sit back, sip on your favorite “pumpkin” drink and watch the leaves fall. In the meantime, we’re getting geared up and ready to send a bunch of YUM your way.