Whitnee's journey with Christ

We were about 1.5 hours away from our destination and no matter how my brain told me to keep on moving, my body said “you better go use the restroom and then get back on the road.” What’s a girl to do when you want to make good on your time but your “water pill is kicking in?!!” You guessed it right, I listened to my body and stopped at the nearest gas station.

William had to use the restroom as well, so into the Shell gas station we went. When I came out of the restroom I looked around for William. He hadn’t gone far but I couldn’t help but notice a few eyes glaring in my direction. I felt kind of weird so I told William to hurry up so we could leave. William being William asked if he could get something to drink. I reminded him of the drinks we had in the trunk. And then out the door we went.

I hadn’t noticed the man who walked out behind us, but by what happened next, I could tell he heard me tell my son no to the drink out of the gas station. The gentleman with pearly white teeth, a mustache that reminded me of my father, and a low fro like James Evans from Good Times approached me from behind. He asked me if I would mind if he brought William a drink. I thanked him but declined the offer, telling the man that we had something to drink in the car.

The man insisted on buying William a drink. He smiled and said, “please let me buy little man a drink.” “Come on it’s the Holidays.” So I wouldn’t seem like a Scrooge or possibly blocking their blessing, I agreed. I turned to walk back into the store so William could pick out his drink but the man pulled out his wallet. He reached for a 5 dollar bill but looked up at William, smiled, and handed me a 20 dollar bill. Obviously I had a puzzled look on my face, and said “no sir, I can’t take this.” He replied, “It’s the holidays, Merry Christmas.” As he but his billfold back in his back pocket he said “tell your son it’s from the mailman!”

Before I had a chance to give him a hand shake, hug, or anything he was gone. No signs or trace of him. I didn’t see which way he went and the cars that were at the gas pumps nearby were all still there.

Now there was a FedEx truck parked at the farthest pump but a different guy got out. Nevertheless, I wanted this mysterious man to know that he made my day.

To honor his good deed we went back inside to let William pick out his drink. The cashiers (two young men) and three customers looked at William and I and after William picked out a sprite we went to the counter. One of the cashiers said, “that was a nice man, wasn’t it?!”

He went on to say that the man who gave William the 20 dollars saw William in the aisle looking around. He inquired with the other customers if the little boy was okay. They told him his mother (me) was in the restroom. Now I understand why all eyes were on me when I got out of the restroom.

I’ve spoken before about angels on earth, being kind, loving, and caring people. But for todays message I want to focus on when God places something or someone on your heart.

I don’t know what that man was thinking when he looked at William. All I know is he had a bright smile as he asked to buy him something to drink. Have you ever felt a nudge to do something for someone else who wasn’t asking or expecting anything? Have you ever thought about someone but hesitated to call, visit, or text them and kept putting it off. And by the time you got around to it, you saw them in their caskets?!

My brothers and sisters with a heavy heart I write todays message reflecting and reminiscing on the life of the late Robert Moore aka Joker who tragically lost his life on last night. Although I had known of Joker since middle school, his brother was good friends with my brother, and he was one of Rico’s best friends; I had known him to be outgoing, caring, kind, funny, hard working, and the “wild one” of the bunch. He was so full of energy and life.

As we all grew up, we chose different paths and some paths led ultimately to their demise, just being transparent, their death.

Scripture reminds us in the book of Mark, chapter 13, verses 32 & 33, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in Heaven, nor the Don, but only the Father! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.”

Like Ecclesiastes 3:1: There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die…..

And then you can read what the Bible says about our appointed time.

No one wants to have these conversations but we have to accept it’s apart of life. And as we live our lives, we have to make sure we are not wasting it. We have to make sure to check in with our family, friends, and even those persons we may not care for.

It’s too many of our friends and family dying due to drugs, guns, hate, even death by Suicide. We have to stop going on social media posting “RIP, SIP, get your rest bruh, or you will missed but never forgotten”, yet we don’t check the time to check people or even say hello.

I’ll admit sometimes I’m the last person to pick up a phone and call but that won’t stop me from texting (some folks daily) to see how you doing or even stop by. Sure we all have busy lives but somebody didn’t wake up this morning and could have used our words of encouragement on yesterday.

We have to let go of grudges, stop worrying about unpaid debts from ten years ago that cause bitterness and resentment, we’ve got to stop worrying about who slept with who back in high school because we too grown for that, we’ve got to stop being retroactive and shedding tears for the lost WHEN EACH DAY GIVES US THE CHANCE TO BE PROACTIVE AND SHOW PEOPLE WE CARE AND LOVE THEM!

I don’t want to bury another family member or friend wondering why I didn’t take the time to check on them so I’m sending todays message to check on EVERYONE.

• How’s your mom, dad, sister, cousin, brother, auntie, and uncle?
• How’s life treating you?
• How’s your family?
• How’s your children?
• How’s work?
• How’s school?
• How’s church?
• What you been eating or not eating?
• How’s the neighborhood?

I’m tired of wiping tears wishing I would have checked in, stopped by, called or texted before it’s too late.

The mailman didn’t hesitate to buy my son a drink, he said it blessed him. Writing this message is blessing me because I intentionally care about YOU, your MENTAL HEALTH, and your heart. I LOVE YALL and I want us to be more intentional TODAY, tomorrow, and next week (don’t wait until 2023) to see how your people are doing.

I’m giving you your 🌸 🌺 🌹 💐 ❤️ while I can.

In honor of those we will miss whom we can’t write their name on a Christmas card and they won’t get any gifts this year on this side, let’s show love and support for those who are still here.

Ephesians 5:15 says, “Making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”

Our days are numbered!

It’s time for us to wake up from our slumber and ACT NOW. It’s time to be present and be active in thought, word, and deed. It’s time for to plant, heal, build, laugh, respect those who cry or mourn, embrace, search, keep, mend, speak, love, and be at peace.

Sending peace, love, and prayers to all reading and/or receiving todays message.