A little of both

Are you a leader or a follower?

Being a leader is great responsibility. There are those who look up to you for guidance and to make decisions.

When there is something that must be done, I don’t shy away from it but jump right in making decisions and giving directions.

I do that often, and for sure, I don’t mind because I see it as a chance to explore my ideas and see how they work.

Yet, there are times when taking the reins could be so trying I would like someone else to step up so I can take a break. At times, I just want to coast by and be a yes, man.

But in all honesty, those are the times I get lazy.

Besides, if someone else takes the lead, I am the first to question every decision they make.

So no, I like being in charge.

Leadership, baby, that’s the way to go.

Sometimes.

I love sweet juicy fruits

List your top 5 favorite fruits.

My top fruit picks are:

  • White peaches
  • Tree ripened Bartlett pears
  • Golden kiwi
  • Mangoes
  • Cherries

I can go on, but they they said list five.

Writing daily

What’s one small improvement you can make in your life?

Writing is a passion of mine. I enjoy the process and try to do it often. They say working on a creative project is a good stimulation for the brain. But they forget to add that life gets in the way.

I try to solve that problem by waking up early and writing something, even a sentence or paragraph or two.

I started this at the beginning of the year, and so far it is working out.

My bestfriend

Share a story about someone who had a positive impact on your life.

She was going through a hard time with regard to her health. I watched and prayed for her and saw her vulnerability in the midst of it all.

Yet, she didn’t wavier in her trust and belief that God would heal her.

There was one time when she called me at work afraid because her body was reacting in a strange and terrible way she thought she was relapsing. My advice was to call the doctor or go to hospital.

I learned later that day she didn’t do as I instructed, but along with her parents they began to praise and thank the Lord for her healing.

She told me as they song hymns and rejoiced her body regulated, and all was well.

Years later, I went with her to the doctor, and they did a scan and wanted to discuss results with her. The doctor told her he had never seen anything like this before. Everything looked normal. He could not understand it.

Her answer was the Lord healed her. He scoffed. Then, one year later, he died of cancer.

She is still rejoicing and our entire family with her. Yes, she is my sister and my best friend. To make things clear, all my sisters are my best friends.  Our parents have now passed on, but in that time, they saw the Lord working in her, and they too rejoiced. She was never a strong believer. Sure, she did all that was right, but she was never someone to turn to as a prayer partner.

Now, my best friend, big sister who loves to look her best and makes no bones about it. The fashionsta of the family is a prayer warrior.

She trusted the Lord when others didn’t believe.

She exercised her faith in the Lord, and he rewarded her.

To be myself

What does freedom mean to you?

Freedom is something that is precious. It seems within the psychological makeup of a human being the desire to strive to be free but also to take away another’s freedom.

We are selfish creatures with that innate longing to be in control, to survive, and to be the best. It is a drive deep within the heart. That instinct to survive and to thrive. Frankly, there is nothing wrong with that but not at the expense of others.

This is where slavery becomes a thing of reality. It is the oppression of others both psycholocally as well as physically. It does not always mean  people are hoarded into camps or pressed to do labor, then brutalized physically. There is another form of slavery that is so  subtle, and it too is abusive.

It is the manipulation of another person. It is the stealing of their time, energy, the changing of their desires, squelching of ideas, and creativity into nothingness.

These are all examples of grabbing someone’s freedom and shaping it  into a different entity and therefore locking away someone’s true self.

To think on my own. To express my desires. To take my time in doing what I love to do and not worry about failure or wasting opportunities. To smile when I want to smile. To laugh out loud at my own jokes. To breathe life into my ideas.

And to love my Lord with all my heart is all my freedom.

I am myself when I get to be myself.

I am then very free.

Politicians?

What public figure do you disagree with the most?

I have no idea who I disagree with most, but politicians come to mind.

These people make promises that suck a person into a web of lies because they say the right thing at the right time. For the most part, they work hard for votes.

I just don’t trust them.

A wish and a prayer

What is your career plan?

I don’t take a backseat to my career, which is my life. With regards to my career, I am already where I want to be. And I am grateful.

There was a time when I wanted something else or something more, but that is in the past. One day, I looked around me and saw my world through different eyes. I liked what I saw. With my present career, there are challenges, but I thank God it is because of the same challenges that give variety.

It is never boring.

With all this said, I do have a side hustle that is slowly progressing.

I want more.

I work at it as much as my schedule will allow and then some. It is hard squeezing time into this baby and energy.

My hope is for this to do well enough to become a sustainable source of income. It will be something I made from scratch.

Now, that will be an accomplishment.

I give back

What do you do to be involved in the community?

I am not a person who likes to get involved in a great many things, but looking around at the situations in this city makes me want to do something.

My sisters and I formed a social group of friends and co-workers to stay in touch. For ten years, it was a great success. In the latter part of those years at the annual Christmas event, we called on them to donate food items for the local food bank.

The response was overwhelming. We were able to give and bless local families with provisions.

Covid hit, and the social hasn’t come back together. We are working on it, and we are hopeful. But we still give as a family to the local food bank.

The need in the city is great, and we pray that our denotions would continue to be a blessing.

Mayor of the city

What’s a job you would like to do for just one day?

Just for one day I would like to be mayor of my city. I would really like to know the truth. What is really happening? Where is the money really going?

We pay taxes, yet we  are always told there is nothing left for roads, school repairs, housing, and community services for the elderly, hospitals, and hospital’s staff, to name a few things.

What is really happening behind the doors of  city hall?

Natural Stuff

What are your favorite brands and why?

I am not leaning towards anyone in particular. I like products that are pure and natural for my body. I enjoying wearing clothes from designers that have simple clean lines but not too expensive.

I am not vegan or vegetarian, but I do read ingredients and stay with less GMO or chemicals. What I ingest is important. I try to eat local and more certified organic.

I take local transit not because I am cheap but because the traffic is real bad. Driving into the city is a headache.

I am not loyal to any certain brand. I also look at what is on sale. Prices are way too high.

I love luxury but on sale.