Finding Faith

Today I'm veering off track a bit to speak about finding my own faith. So please bear with me on this flow of words. Love today: Understanding a path is set....God has the wheel and I am the passenger.

In the past year (2010), I made it my personal goal to be"saved" and/or become a better Christian. However, on my journey to becoming closer with God I realized that the idea of being saved has nothing to do with going to church every Sunday or tithing or not partying or not cursing. The idea of being saved in my definition is to become one with God and identifying Him as the Father! [Stepping down off soap box now]
So in 2011, now that I have identified where I am spiritually, I have come to realize that worship of the Lord can happen anywhere and being open minded and on a never ending path to learn is the quintessential part of being a disciple of God. So today I present a picture I love......

Picture: Black Boys Ga lour

Taken: August 2009

When I took this picture I was attending the BAM street fair and came across my nephew and his friends. Now this in no way was any type of religious experience BUT it did manifest today that a stress free life comes to those who TRUST in something or someone larger than them. In this case, my nephew and his friends sit with not a care in the world because they trusted in their parents to keep them safe and fed and happy. And when I think about this it comes full circle that in order for me to have a stress free life I have to let go and TRUST that God will take the wheel! For anyone that has come to that realization it is a truly POWERFUL moment.

Although this post went in another direction, I am proud to say that I am a bit more contented that I was a year ago. I now feel my own personal connection to the Lord in that I have a personal relationship could not achieve a year ago. The overall is to love and continue to believe the path has been set! There will always be bumps and hiccups and moments of failure BUT God will always throw in a cup of mercy, a dash of faith and three pounds of love to back you up always!

So I hope on this Sunday or any day this week, you all have had a moment to yourself to connect with God or whatever deity you pray to.

Love and Blessings,

The Faithful Annie P

Challenge?....I THINK NOT!

Because of my lineage, there was never such a thing as "failing" or "not doing well" or even "not knowing." My parents raised my siblings and I to never back down. If you don't know..go look it up! If you think you can't do it...tough try anyway! And there was never NEVER NEVER any way that you were NOT going to work hard at it either.

So today I present not a love but a mantra: IMPOSSIBLE NEVER....TRYING ALWAYS!

The picture below is not of something I have taken but something that has become forever ingrained in my mind....

I'm sure you must be thinking "Annie P has truly gone off the grid;" however, I have not! In a West Indian household, one of the first tenants you learn as a girl child is CLEANING! There is never an excuse for any holiday, birthday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday to meet your home unkempt! So as a ritual from the time you can hold a dish rag or piece of paper towel you BETTER learn and learn it quick how to make something shine before your mother reaches home.

Now there are two lessons I took from this:

1) No matter how sick/tired/poor/unhappy you are....you must always put your best foot forward in life.

2) People respect you more when you are able to show that you are not only on top of your game BUT YOUR RUN THAT SHIT AS WELL!

As a young girl, I always thought to myself I want to be wealthy (which wouldn't be terrible) and famous etc. But now that I'm getting older and understanding more about my capabilities my number one goal before leaving this earth is to leave a lasting impression and ideals with someone. Who knows who it will be, God willing my own child or maybe just someone whose life I have touched for a second.

In all, I hope that today's post has left you with some sort of fulfillment. Not because of the words I put down BUT also because you know there is one person who has taken you to higher heights!

Until the next time,

Annie P the Worker Bee

PS. a link to one of my fave cleaning songs: Big Truck - Machel Montano & Xtatik

       * nothing like a good chip while you wiping down your washroom :)

OWNING IT!

There are certain points in my life that I can identify where I know I slacked and didn't appreciate what was going on. However, for those who do not know me....Ms. Annie P. is synonymous with OWNING IT! So on to love number five: BEING MY OWN CELEBRITY!

So I present the following picture of myself....

Taken: September 2010

Location: Labor Day NYC (Eastern Parkway)

BEST SECTION: GAIA

Now in all honesty, I am a woman who believes in operating within the system to change the system. HOWEVER, when its time to coast and take the reigns on my life I march to the beat of my OWN drum. What most people do not realize is that I am full of tom foolery and fun but really I really love the fact that I am always, always, ALWAYS the one person who will always be my #1 fan.

The reason for this is that, as a child I was always chubby...hell I'm still chubby...but finding my own beauty image took time. And I realized that hoping and wishing that other people saw me beautiful was INSANE AND DOWN RIGHT CRAZY. So as I came into adulthood, I shed the real unhealthy pounds but also found that confidence is the "sexiest" thing that I can present to the world. As a woman, I needed to showcase that I know my worth and that I AM BEAUTIFUL.

Takeaway: I want all women around me to feel empowered and feel confident and OWN IT WHEREVER YOU GO!

Until next time (which will be sooner than that last time),
This Girl & Her Paparazzi :)