What is this "shutterbug moment" that I've been speaking lately?
Well Shutterbug is the name of a song on Big Boi's latest album "Sir Luscious Left Foot: The son of Chico Dusty." It's a catchy little song. Take a look/listen. But it wasn't the song that got me talking about "shutterbug moments", it was Big Boi's explanation of the moment while he was in the Steve Harvey Morning Show Studio. As he put it, it was a "shutterbug moment"...one that was memorable and worth taking a picture of. So in short...that's what my shutterbug moments have been...moments that were memorable and worth a mental snapshot to be stored in my mind forever.
Over the past month, God has really been at work in my life. In two major areas, He's shown up and done things things that I never expected. Ever.
Earlier this summer I adopted the mantra shared by my friend Dr. LQIV "Work like everything depends on you. Pray like everything depends on God. You will not fail." I made my vision board which I suggest everyone should do. And I got to work with my hands and on my knees. There were two things that I have been praying about (1) Restoring a specific relationship in my life and (2) to transition out of my job and into more of a career that allowed me to work in my areas of interest.
(since my life is so much of an open book, I'll share this personal story with you in hopes that it helps someone else)
I'd really been praying for God to restore my relationship with my dad. Last summer I made a decision to tell my dad exactly how I felt about everything and I realized that came with the risk that we would not speak for a while or ever again. Though my parents were divorced, my father was always present in my life. So this was hard but necessary for me at that time. And since I was hurt, I felt justified in how I handled the situation but as time went on I realized how much a relationship with my father meant to me. So I prayed and prayed. One night at bible study and in prayer God nudged me a little. I realized that I never asked for God to forgive me for not honoring my earthly father (which is something He commands). I never asked for forgiveness for my part in this. Not. Ever. I'd simply been asking God to "fix it" without acknowledging any wrong on my part. But I checked myself real quick once I realized that. Asked for forgiveness and then forgave my dad in my own heart. I'd plan to write him in the coming weeks to see if we could get started on getting back to being father and daughter again because I was sure that he wouldn't make the first move. For all I knew, he wasn't even thinking about our relationship or reconciling. But MAN O MAN- out of the blue. I got a text from my dad. Before I ever reached out. He wanted to be my dad again. He wanted to move past the past and hurt feelings. He wanted to move on! I got this in the middle of a meeting and I tried my hardest not to start crying. But we talked later on and we are really on the path to having a great relationship. Lesson: when you are obedient to God, He can make things happen in ways that you couldn't ever imagine.
That's the first of the two BIG moments...I'll elaborate on the others in the coming days. I need to get to work.
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dang this is great. I did the same thing about my mother. Prayed "God just fix it" but I realize that i have work to do on my end. This post made me cry! I never EVER cry lol. But I shall put it on my prayer list tonight!
ReplyDeleteWOW! iLove when something that I experience can help someone else. I know that you are a God fearing man and that you believe in prayer. So do just that, but also be willing to forgive your self, ask for forgiveness from God and your mom, and also forgive her. I think so often when people hurt us-they may or may not realize the actual impact of it. Pray that He works on them just as He's worked on you!
ReplyDeleteWell I'm a thug, so i didn't cry at this post, but dangit if my allergies didn't try to get me a lil bit. I think you touched on something that i need to incorporate in my prayers, that God forgive me for what i've done to create some of my relationship rifts. This was a beautiful post twin. talk to you soon and love you to life!
ReplyDeleteOMG!!! You hit home for me on this blog. I literally started crying AT WORK! This is such an inspiration to me as well because of the similar situation Im in (or was in) with my father.
ReplyDeleteMy mom had me and my big brother with my father. He married my stepmom and had 3 boys. He gave those boys everything that I wanted...TIME. Sure you send money every once in a while but that is not the same as spending quality time.
I never said anything to him and that hatred built up. I prayed about our relationship as I got older and realized that Im only hurting myself keeping this hatred in.
Like your father, mine reached out to me without me saying anything. He cried about how sorry he was for not being apart of my life and that he wanted to start now. Now is a better time than never.
Now we talk all the time and do things together when I go to my hometown or when he comes my way. I have a very special bond with him and my younger brothers as well. He also has a great relationship with my children and they love him to death.
Im glad everything is working out for you girl and hope you have many more "Shutterbug Moments"!!!!
@ EJC...your allergies though? Call it what you wish but we both know the truth.
ReplyDelete@ Brandi- welcome to The 25 Project lol. Learning to forgive people is such a big thing. I know you personally and since we grew up together I know how hard your mom worked and her husband too to make sure you felt really loved. But there will always be something about a girl's relationship with her dad. Just like mothers and their spoiled sons.
Guys- I promise that it wasn't my goal to start the waterworks! But I'm happy that so many of you were moved by this.