So what am I thankful for? I am thankful for:
· Good
Health – I am thankful for my health. I have to admit that in my
twenties and thirties I took my health for granted. But after years of
hospitalizations and many surgeries, I am now more than ever grateful for my
health. I may not have the same degree of health as others, but every time I
walk down the halls of hospitals, I am reminded that I am thankful to be a visitor
and not a patient. I am reminded that I am ambulatory, breathing on my own,
totally conscious and as the old folks used to say “clothed in my right mind”.
I now appreciate my health, and I have CREATED love by loving my body enough to
take care of it. I eat better, I rest well, I exercise and I talk about my
troubles. I don’t let negativity, toxicity and anxiety take root in spirit.
What about you? Are you loving your body enough by giving it good food, good
rest and good thoughts so that it can perform at an optimal level? Are you
making wise choices to ensure that your heath decisions today will reap big dividends
in the future? Affirmation: I have
good health and I am grateful.
· Family – I am
thankful for my wonderful son and my family. Most of my people that I consider
my family are not biologically related to me, but yet we are spiritually
connected in a way that is life-giving, life-sustaining and life-affirming.
These are people who chose me and/or people I chose to navigate through this
journey called life. They love me, they support me, they challenge me, they
encourage me, and sometimes, they even confront me. They require that I be/do
my best, they demand that I am authentic, they push me beyond my fears, they
celebrate all of my achievements, they cover my weakness, and they affirm my
strengths. My family and friends have CREATED love by loving me and by allowing
me to love them. They honor me, and they cherish me and it feels so good. How
about you? Do you have great people in your life who are sources of inspiration,
motivation and great discovery? Do you have friends and family who are hopeful,
helpful and healing? I hope you do because you deserve it. Affirmation: I have great friends and family and I am grateful.
· Open
Heart and Open Mind– I am
thankful that I have an open heart and open mind. This is a new development for
me. I had experienced so much trauma and drama in my life that I was bitter,
cynical and guarded. I was afraid to open my heart and my mind to new people
and to new ways of navigating in the world. Pain had left me reclusive,
suspicious, disappointed and lonely. But I am realizing that with an open heart
and open mind, I am attracting new and interesting people in my life. I am
exposing myself to new perspectives, new experiences and diverse ideologies. I
am learning and I am having fun! Most of all, I have learned that an open heart
and an open mind usually results in an open hand. An open hand that is willing
to hold on to yours in times of adversity and hardship. Is your heart and mind
open to others? Is your mind and heart open to new possibilities, new concepts
and new opportunities? You are a person of an unlimited promise and potential!
You have the capacity and ability to be more successful that you can ever
imagine. You have what it takes to CREATE love and I salute you. Affirmation: I have an open heart and open mind, and I am
grateful.
· Tenacity – I am
thankful for tenacity. When I look at my life and when you look at your life, I
am sure you see signs of your persistence and resolve. When you look at your
ability to withstand poverty, racism, sexism, homophobia and marginalization,
you must be reminded of your determination. When you see your certificates and
diplomas adorning the walls, you must be reminded of your strength to excel and
achieve despite the odds and adverse circumstances. When you see pictures of
your family, yourself and your partner, I hope you are reminded of your resilience
to love yourself and to love others even in the face of societal and familial
rejection. You are tenacious! You have CREATED love by loving yourself enough
to not give up and to not give in to other people’s opinions about love and
family. Affirmation: I am tenacious,
and I am grateful.
Forgiveness – I am
thankful that I am able to forgive, and I am most grateful that I can forgive
myself. I have made some wrong turns, dated some incompatible people, made some
wrong investments, made some negative parental decisions, and took some bad
advice. Sometimes I did not prepare well, do my research, honor my commitments
or trust my intuition. Sometimes, I allowed fear to derail me and allowed
procrastination to delay me. At times I simply did not do my best. But I
realized that my ability to forgive myself is directly connected to my ability
to forgive others. So I made a decision to show myself mercy and compassion
when I don’t live up to my own expectations. I have learned to cut myself some
slack. I don’t let myself off the hook for poor performance or for not honoring
my commitments, but I hold myself responsible and accountable with kindness. My ability to
show myself kindness, mercy and compassion helps me extend all three to others.
I have CREATED love by appreciating that I am worthy of forgiveness, and I will
continue to CREATE love by demonstrating that others are worthy of forgiveness
too. Have you forgiven yourself? Have you forgiven others who did not know how to respect you, love
you, honor you or love themselves? Affirmation:
I can forgive myself and others, and I
am grateful.
· Clarity – I am
thankful for clarity. I am happy that I know my God-given purpose. I am excited
that when I review my life, I see how every experience, both bad and good, was
preparing me to do what I am doing now. I see how and why God allowed me to
have certain experiences, successes and failures. I see! And even I don’t full see
or my insecurity obscures my vision, I still see God’s direction and provision
in my life. My clarity is CREATing love because I have less fear, and
consequently, more faith. Do you see you? Do you see your vision, your purpose,
your calling and your passion? Clarity is empowering, illuminating and
liberating so settle your spirit and get clear. Affirmation: I am emotionally, spiritually and mentally clear, and
I am grateful.
· YOU – I am
thankful for you, our readers. I am grateful that despite your busy schedules
and jam-packed lives that you find time to read the CREATE LOVE for Women Blog.
I am grateful that couples so lovingly open their lives so that we all can
learn tips and techniques to become better partners, lovers and friends. I am
thankful that you give Imani Evans and me feedback so that we can improve and
provide the information that you need to support you and your life. I am
grateful to Anita Haugabrook and Wendy Smith for taking a risk and being our
first feature couple. Without you, the readers, and your support, there would
be no blog. We recognize that YOU are the lifeline of CREATE Love For Women,
and we are so grateful and humbled that you allow us to be part of your life.
YOU have blessed us, and I am grateful. Please continue to let us know how we
can bless you. Affirmation: I am a blessing to others and I am grateful.
· GOD – I can
hear God, and I am thankful. Hearing God is not easy to do, and I must admit
that I always don’t do it well. But I have learned to hear God’s voice over my
own. I have finally learned the difference between mindless chatter and God’s
communication. I don’t always hear what I want to hear and I don’t always do what
I am told to do, but I can discern who is speaking. Believe me, that’s half the
battle. I know that when I hear and follow God’s voice that I CREATE love
because God is love. My prayer is that I continue to hear, and more importantly,
that I start being more obedient. Can you hear your Higher Power’s voice? Do
you know when the Spirits, Creator or God is speaking? It is not easy for me
and I guess at times, it is not easy for you. But I know that we can all grow
and I am thankful. Affirmation: I
can hear God’s voice, and I am grateful.
CREATing Love does not only require you to be in a relationship with others, it requires you to be in a loving relationship with yourself. CREATing Love demands that you take stock of your blessings. CREATing Love demands self-refection. CREATing Love insists on forgiveness of yourself and others. CREATing love compels you to take risk. CREATing Love expects change and growth. CREATing Love involves loving yourself and others. CREATING Love requires a Higher Power. CREATing Love requires YOU.
A
“woman counts what she is refused, not what she is given”. Be sure to count
what you have been given because we both have been given much. And my faith
tradition reminds me that “where much is given, much is required”. You may have
a different faith tradition but I pray that the meaning still resonates with
you and your spirit.Imani Evans and I say THANK YOU for being part of CREATE LOVE. We appreciate you so much. Keep reading, keep sharing and keep talking to us. We are listening. We hope to see you at the CREATE LOVE Conference in February too. Early Registration ends in a few weeks so don’t forget to sign up. We hope and affirm that we will see you there!
From CREATE LOVE to YOU - Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday and thank you again for your support.
Blessings,
SharRon Jamison
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