AND THE WINNER IS...............

We all know award shows are to showcase and acknowledge people and their accomplishments in the various fields, categories, etc.  All year round, every year for years,  people are honored in some form or another for various reasons.  Well what happens when you are not a celebrity?  Who acknowledges the great things we all do every day.  From the mundane to the most elaborate,  women all over the world are making strives, and great accomplishments. With our awesome ability to be flexible and creative,  many of us deserve awards for simply surviving.  Some of you beautiful women have survived situations that a weaker person would not have been able to withstand.  So I'd like to take the time to HONOR You beautiful Divas for all of your accomplishments; for raising your children to be productive citizens despite their attitudes as children and teenagers without choking them; For making a healthy meal from scraps when the pantry was just about bare;  For keeping your head up when you rather stay in bed with the covers over your head; For being Mom and Dad when Dad was not in the picture; for having the courage to start that business, or go back to school;  It may have taken more than (4) years to finish college but YOU DID IT! and for that you are a Winner.  For making the sacrifice of not continuing college, so that your children could, YOU WIN;  For teaching your daughters how to be secure, beautiful strong women, YOU WIN; For showing your son how a woman is to be treated, YOU WIN.   For taking care of an elderly parent when your siblings would not, YOU WIN;  For walking away from a toxic relationship, knowing you deserved better, YOU WIN; For deciding you are worth a day at the spa. YOU WIN; for finally treating yourself to a much needed vacation, YOU WIN;  For recognizing that your mind, body and soul needs renewing and taking the steps to see that you do so, YOU WIN.  So as you read this blog today, take a second or two to give yourself a round of applause.  Go ahead and give your acceptance speech.  If no one ever tells you, let me be the one to say YOU ARE FABULOUS for all that you do, great or small.

AND THE WINNER IS........................ You Beautiful Diva.

hugs and smooches, Val

DRIVE OUT OF THE RAIN.

Well Ladies I'm back with a vengeance!  Having recently ended a relationship, a good friend of mine called to check on me to see how I was doing.  I shared with her how I was feeling not just about the relationship, but the disappointment in myself for allowing something I knew was not working for me to go on as long as it had.  She shared with me this scenario she said her Pastor's wife told them "if it is raining and you are driving, eventually you drive out of the rain storm".  I said to my friend, WOW that's a great subject/title to my next blog. My friend, I'll call her Ms. J said "If you are driving in a rain storm or even under a rain cloud you don't stop your car.  Neither will you turn around to go back into the rain.  If you continue to drive on and forward, eventually you drive out of the rain. When Ms. J asked me what am I going to do when the rain comes?  I cheerfully replied, I'm going to drive out of the rain and when I come out, I'm gonna open the sun roof and let the windows down and bask in the sun light.  So ladies, yes you've been hurt and or you've experience a loss. Don't stay in the rain, keep moving, keep driving, keep walking eventually you come out of the rain into the sunshine.  You've survived loss of love ones, loss of a job, loss of a career, loss of relationships, loss of finances etc, and guess what? you survived;  You kept moving and you made it out from the rain.  Hold on! there will be other storms, but just as you have survived other storms you'll survive the ones yet to come.

Hugs and Kisses, Val

I'm Back

It's been awhile, it's sooooooooooooo good to be back.  I had to take a short break but I'm back and ready to move on.  I am so excited to be able to once again share some words of encouragement.  I pray that with each posting, I can bring, life, laughter, encouragement, widsom and strength to all who dare to read this blog. So much has taken place in a short period of time, but for the better.  I'll try not to stay away so long.

Hugs and Kisses.

Diva, Val

A TRUE LOVE STORY NEVER TOLD!!!!!

It's been awhile since my last posting.  I'm sure you are all aware of the little thing that intrudes from time to time called life.  I have made it my personal goal to use this blog to encourage people to rekindle their dreams and goals and set out to accomplish them no matter what age, time or station in life you currently hold.  Well this my friends is a Special Posting.  Today while riding home with my Mom from the hospital.  I heard one of the most beautiful love stories never told.  She recanted how she and my dad first met some 50 years ago on a cold February day thanks to a cousin of my dad's.  Now I was well aware of their anniversary, but the story she told was of the very first time they met.  She told that story with some much love and pride as if it had taken place just yesterday.  We were returning from the hospital where once again Dad needed to be admitted.  Once again we quitely, secretly prayed that he would get through this as he has previously.  I have read story upon story about the plight of black marriages and relationships. Or the beauty of Black love as if only desplayed by our illustrious President and First Lady.  Don't get me wrong I love the President and First Lady and I adore seeing the love and strength they display.  But I have had the previledge of seeing, knowing and experiencing the true beauty of unconditional love EACH and EVERY time I see my Mom and Dad sharing breakfast together, or enjoying a sitcom together sitting on the sofa watching the Big screen TV.  Growing up we knew with a certainty if Mama knows then Daddy knows and vice versa because that's the kind of connection they had and there were no secrets between them.  I remember many days of waking up, walking in the kitchen to see them quitely talking, sharing cups of coffee together.  As a child Mom worked during the day, and Dad worked during the night, if we needed to be picked up from school or taking to the doctor my dad was there.  If dad was home on a day off or on vacation when my arrived home dinner was done.  

Now many anniversaries, valentines day, christmases other holiday or celebration  have come and gone.  We the children are now all grown.  Their bodies have changed as well as their appearance.  What has remained is the unwaving love for each other.  I see the love and concern in Mom's eyes as she  holds dad's hands over the railing of the hospital bed.  I see and hear the love in his voice as he says thank you honey for being here.  I can spend hours upon hours encouraging people to live their best lives. Or following their most outlandish dreams and goals.  There is NOTHING that can compare to such sweet, long lasting, unconditional love.  The kind of love that makes a Man stand tall and do ANYTHING and  EVERYTHING to provide for his family. The kind of love that makes a woman to lay awake at night praying for her family.

Today while riding in the car I heard the GREASTEST Love story NEVER TOLD.  It is a story I'll always remember.

be blessed, Diva Val.

THE TIES THAT BIND US

I'm sure most of us have heard this expression before, The ties that bind us, what is it that binds us to our friends,co-workers, family etc.  I recently received word of the passing of a family memeber.  He was not a blood relative but he was family.  I started thinking about my extended family of friends.  Some I've knows for decades some in the past few years.  The word quickly spread of this dear friend and well respected Man's passing.  From reports I've received and snippits of his homegoing service I felt a sense of pride and sadness.  Sad that such a young man whom I liked and respected was gone to soon.  Sad that his family is now hurting over this loss and feeling a void in their lives. Proud however, that the extended family was out in numbers showing support.  The reason for this post is to remind us how important ties can be.  How crucial it is to have a great support system in your life.  Now a support system does not have to be limited to family, it could very well be friends, co-workers, teachers, church memebers etc. Oprah once shared how much a teacher touched her life and encouraged her.  She is convinced her support and encouragement played a huge role in shaping her into the woman she has become.  Reconnecting with my extended church family has been a blessing and a joy to me.  Thanks to FB we can reconnect from wherever we reside.  Who could not love the wonder and beauty of the internet?  The internet allows us to keep in contact with family near and far.  Those ties can be repaired, strenghten and reconnected.  When I was growing up in brooklyn, back in the day we still believed it took a village to raise a child, and a neighbor was definitely an extended family member.  If  Ms. Jackson told you to behave you dare not listen or the consequences would be equivalent to disrepsecting your very own parent.  How I long for those days.  In the meantime, I am blessed to have the ties that I have.  So during the course of the day, take a minute and think about the ties you have with your family and friends.    To all of my extended family new and old, I love you with all of my heart. I may not get the opportunity to tell you this in person or often please know that I truly do. 

Don't forget the ties that bind. 

Be Blessed, Diva Val

PICTURE THIS!

Picture yourself doing things that truly make you happy, traveling, business, education etc.  Picture your children being successful, productive adults instead of the sometimes moody adolescent draining you with request of what they need, want or don't want to do. Picture yourself in a loving, committed relationship.  Picture yourself being that person you know and believe God has purposed you to be.  Take a couple of minutes, hours or just a day to reflect on some of your dreams and goals,  If there was nothing standing in your way and you could be doing something different from what you are currently doing in a career or in a job what would you be doing.  If money was no object what would you be doing.  Just Picture It.  Picture yourself being financially secured.  Would it be from your current job or career, or will you be relying on social security.  Picture your life as a retiree.  Picture your second half.  Picture that book you've been dreaming about writing.  Picture that dream wedding or trip abroad that dream vacation.  Picture that dream honeymoon.  Picture that dream party celebrating with family and friends the purchase of your new home.  Go on picture it! down to the last detail.  Are you bold enough to start a book or vision board on those things you've dreamed about?  There is an expression that says a picture is worth a thousand words.  Well what's your picture saying?   Are you letting your current picture of life determine your future picture.  An Artist starts with a blank canvas.  With imagination, vision, and the necessary tools, what starts off as a blank canvas becomes a beautiful vision.  So PICTURE THIS! It doesn't cost you a dime to dream.  It is totally free for you to set goals.  With vision, imagination and perserverance you can turn your canvas (your life) into a beautiful picture. 

Be blessed, Diva Val

I DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU!

Remeber when you were a kid and someone dared you, for a split second you would think should I do it? But then they would issue the ultimate in dares. I Double Dog Dare ya! lol something about that double or triple dare made it all the more serious, why who knows lolol.  All you know is that you didn't want to be known as a scary cat.  Well we are no longer kids, I don't know about you but I still love a good challenge.  In fact for me, I hate backing down from a challenge.  Now that may be a good thing or a not so good thing.  Well this year I've decided I am going to challenge myself in every way possible.  That's right boys and girls, Mentally, Spriritually, Finacially, Physically.  Why moan and groan about wanting change in our lives if we don't challenge oursevles.  If this year does not turn out to be a huge successful year for me I've decided it will not be for lack of trying.  I'm tired of talking about things I'd like to do and not taking any steps to accomplish those things no matter how big or small.  So as I challenge myself I challenge you. What are some of the things you've been talking about doing for years?  Trying yoga, martial arts?  Becoming a runner? How about trying a 5k this year?  So you're an adult and you don't know how to swim, Do you have a YMCA near by?  Look into taking swimming classes at the Y.   Why are you still sleeping in that twin bed you had in middle school.  Go ahead and buy that new bedroom suite you've been wanting for years.  You deserve it.  Now that may not seem like something major but it's a start.  Get that passport.  I DARE YOU. That trip may not happen this year but getting that passport will push you even more to take steps to take that trip abroad you've been dreaming about.  We've started a save a dollar a day challenge and the response was GREAT!  I was so happy and surprised by all of the responses. I was glad so many people wanted to challenge themselves.  So why stop there, We have 11 months to go.  Let's challenge ourselves this year like never before.  I DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU!