Toni V. Lee

Discernment penetrates the fronts, words, glitter, and grins to the truth.  The old me tried to hold on to relationships (all types) in spite of KNOWING.  The current me does a self-evaluation to determine if the problem lies with me. If it does, I correct it. If it doesn't, it's just not my problem.  I continue to manifest what's in me: love, but I no longer chase folk down to try to hold onto them so they can receive that love. It is, what it is... See, I had to learn not to fight what I KNOW, but to accept and rest in it. It was not an easy lesson. There was a lot of heartache and disappointment along the way. I'm free now in my "knowing", and they're free in their belief that I believe what they say or "act". 🙂 Baggage should not be carried from year to year because each year has a fresh batch of hardships, heartache, aggravation, and disappointment to pile on.  When I walked into the place I'm in now, unnecessary baggage fell away.  Thi...

 Here's a truth I learned the hard way.   "People don't change, they reveal who they really are."                                                - Not sure... They will wrap up their hurtful behavior in all kinds of beautiful bows--including religious ones.   For the religious ones, I shake my head and think, "Sweetie, God ain't nowhere in that. That's all YOU." Pay attention, clue in on what's really happening, and save yourself some heartache. Don't try to hold onto something that was never there in the first place.

We are about to launch into a New Year. 2020 has been a year of change, tumult, tragedy, division, uncertainty and a lot of other words that describe a dark period.  On the flip side, for me, it's also been a year of clarity.  In the remaining hours of 2020, please take time to review the year and find the lessons learned. You will need those nuggets as you continue into the future.  In 2020, folk reached out to others and embraced empty air during their time of need. Need is not always dollars. Sometimes, all they needed was a kind word, an "I love you", a feeling of acceptance, etc. We get so busy doing "us" that we are blind to the hurt we're leaving in our wake.   Here's something to ponder. Our stuff matters, but people also matter.

And What Did You Do?   I've seen a lot of memorials posted on Facebook. This is my memorial to my mother, Honey, who would have celebrated her 88th birthday today. I'll preface this by stating my mom was never one to act like she had a halo floating over her head, and I’m not going to try to give her one now that she’s gone.   Honey was just Honey.   If she thought it would help someone, she was quick to share where she came from and what she came out of. From my perspective, my life with my mom went through 3 major phases: Phase I:      Family togetherness and Christ-centeredness.   My father was an anointed preacher, Pastor and church Elder.   My family ate together, prayed together and traveled together.   Prayer meetings and bible studies were held frequently in our home.   I experienced an instant healing miracle when my parents prayed over me.   Phase II.      Alcoholism, domestic...