Random Acts of Kindness and Charity

Last night, Boo Thang and I went to Starbucks for a late night frappucino (I'm so spoiled). When we were leaving out of the store, Boo Thang was approached by a young guy. I went and got in the car....as I always do because this could take a while (Boo Thang can chat!). I was noticing that this guy was limping and he had a woman and a little baby with him. After Boo Thang gets in the car, the nosiness takes over and I ask what was up with the guy. Apparently, the guy and his little family just moved here looking for a new opportunity and were living in a hotel. Their money was running out and they were about to get put out of their room that night. He didn't even want cash. He was perfectly content to have someone just go and put money on the room. Now I'm hearing this story as Boo Thang is driving out of the parking lot!!! 

I just wasn't going to feel right in my spirit if that little baby was not going to have a place to sleep and these folks were walking around metro Jackson after dark. I made Boo Thang turn around and go get them!! It was almost $60 for the room, but that is a small price to pay for someone else's safety for the night. I said a little prayer as they piled in the car. We are really softhearted people and this has gotten us into sticky situations before, so I just had to trust that I was doing the right thing. It just felt really good to help them. To feel like I had made a difference even for 24 hours. 

Boo Thang gets to work this morning to tell this story to his co-workers...not in a bragging way, but in a "y'all won't believe what happened last night" way. He just called me and let me know that his office has taken it upon themselves to adopt this family because I made him turn around. They have each given one more night in the hotel. They are getting together clothes and going to buy food and toiletries. According to him, they have forgotten they have have a business to run, lol. He said  "this is the reason why I love you." *blushes* I can't take any credit for this. I just did what I would hope folks would do for me. I'm just proud to know that one random act of kindness turned into so much. I wish them well. 

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30 Day Music Challenge: Day 18 - A Song You Wish You Heard On The Radio

Hear My Call - Jill Scott

This song would have me reflecting every day. This song does something to me every time I hear it. It makes me want to stop, be still and just pray. Crazy enough, it really isn't a gospel song in the traditional sense. The video just embodies everything that the song is. It's just her, asking for a little help. Every now and again we all need that.

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A Letter To My Mother

Dear Mama,

Today marks a whole year since you left here. It's amazing that it's been that long. Actually it's probably been the shortest year of my life. I didn't think that I would ever get used to you not being here. My faith really is getting me through. It gets a little easier everyday. I still miss your presence. The thousand phone calls a day while watching the same TV shows. The laughter and the fun. You taught me so much about life and for that I'm thankful. It's really getting put to use now. I think you would be so proud of me. I'm not exactly where I need to be, but I know you would approve of the work ethic.

I think about the days ahead and I get a little sad. I think about all the things that you are gonna miss, all the things I still need guidance for. Wedding, babies...all those milestones. It's scary to know that I will be doing that without you. But I know you'll be there in spirit. You are loved and truly missed.

Love always,
Kat

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And Mother's Day Starts My Vacation.......

Yesterday was Mother's Day. It was the first Mother's Day that I have spent without my mom. It made me think back to last year. Mother's Day Weekend 2010 was when I realized that my mom was sicker than she was telling me she was. A month later she was gone. I didn't know how yesterday was going to affect me….but I woke up and was fine. I had plans on watching church service (my favorite church UStreams), going to the cemetery to place flowers at my mother's grave and then going to eat dinner with my Granny. This is NOT how the day went.


Missed church altogether because I overslept. That didn't bother me too much because I have been really stressed and tired lately. This was my body's way of telling me to take better care of myself. Got woken out of my sleep by my grandmother telling me that she wasn't feeling well and that she might have a stomach virus. She said that she still wanted me to come and eat because she cooked dinner. Now I love my granny to death, but she out of all people knows that I have a VERY sensitive system and if I breathe the air of a virus, I am likely to get sick. I immediately went to take a cod liver oil pill, a multivitamin and drink a glass of orange juice (like that was going to anything for a stomach virus….but I prayed about it). In the midst of me getting ready for the day, my brother starts blowing up my phone. This immediately starts me off on the wrong foot. Anytime we are set to anything together, he start blowing my phone up. "Where you at?" "You ready?" "How long until you get ready?" "What time you leaving?" Well, if you would get calling and texting me fiddy-leven times, MAYBE I could get some shit done. Whenever I feel rushed, my blood pressure goes up a bit. Then my grandmother calls back (an hour and a half after I spoke with her the first time) mad as hell that I'm not already down there (regardless that it takes almost an hour to get there) and cussed me out saying that she was going to the doctor.……hangs up in my face and everything. Now this was not the way that the day was supposed to happen. In an hour and a half I am exhausted as hell. So I got back in the bed. My mind went, "skip the dinner, skip the cemetery, get back in the PJs and watch a Madea movie." And that's what I TRIED to do. Then my brother calls again (for the fiddy-thirteenth time) saying that my granny was at the ER. 8 hours later, the diagnosis is that she let her blood sugar get too low and got dehydrated. My guess is that Mother's Day really did take it's toll on her because she was missing my mom too. Glad Granny is okay. Though she didn't make it easy on any doctor or nurse. She had one nurse thinking she was feeble!! My granny is the most active old person I've ever met! She stayed a whole lot longer than was necessary because she wouldn't let those people do their jobs. If my expression could talk, everyone got an "Are you f***ing serious?!" look. But a lot of things have to change from today forward.

I don't feel like anyone in my immediate family respects my time, my feelings, my life, or my sanity. I love them and I know that this has been a rough almost year…..but we gotta get back down to some order in some form or fashion. I can't DO everything. I can't BE everywhere. I spent all day, as I have spent the majority of the last year looking out for everyone else's needs. I don't even get a thank you. Just "it's what you were supposed to do" or "what else were you going to be doing." I have prayed about it because I don't want to just leave them high and dry….but I do need a little peace. I need to be free from drama for more than a few hours at a time. I need for everything to calm down. Every issue is NOT a DefCon 5 situation! So my phone has been off and in my underwear drawer all day. In case of a real emergency, they have the boo thing's number and I know they won't call that for any minor stuff. I'm on strike.

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What Can 40 Days Do For You?

Today is Ash Wednesday. For many, today is the beginning of the Lenten season. Most people usually give up certain things for Lent in order to get closer to God. I have noticed, however, that giving up things for Lent seem to be more about letting people know what you are sacrificing rather than gaining a closer relationship with God. I have participated one time. That was back when I was in law school. I gave up drinking. I knew it was something that I needed to do because I was becoming a binge drinker (law school will do that to you). Those 40 days turned into 6 months. The first 10 days were hard, but after a while I felt that I didn't need to drink. It was only after 6 months that my roommate fussed, "Girl, it ain't Lent no more!! Take this shot!!" I had totally forgotten that I could because I didn't need to. Now I partake in a lovely evening glass of wine, but I can't even get drunk anymore.

This year, I am going to take a totally different approach to Lent. This 40 days is going to be about getting closer to God through prayer and study. I have a copy of The Purpose Driven Life and the companion journal. I have started and stopped on this book many times throughout the past 5 years!! I don't know what kept holding me back from it. The farthest I have ever gotten was Day 3. Today I sat and started completely over....determined to see it through. The first lesson of the day was that it all begins with God. The purpose of my life comes from God and not through me. This is the first step....because I am a control freak. Letting go and letting God is hard, but I am learning. God usually prepares people for big things in 40 days....at the end of this book (40 days!) I wonder where my mind will be.

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