I Hate When That Happens

It's that lovely time of the year when the telemarketers are consistently calling, people knocking on your doors to provide un-petitioned service(s), unwanted mail,etc.....   Here's where I'm going with this:

Last night, as I was attempting to do homework, there was a knock at the door.  There were two young men wearing reflector jackets saying they were from the company I subscribe cable to.  They had all my information, asking me if I were the named person they called out, and recited the information to me after I confirmed I was who they were looking for.  Now in my mind, I'm thinking - here we go again.

They proceed by telling me they were going to bump my payment up $20/month.  I ask why.  One of the  representatives said, "To upgrade your channels so you can receive more and also get a land-line phone."

I hate when that happens.  Don't tell me what I'm going to receive with my money, or what you are going to do with it when I did not petition you for your service.  <-----My only rant

Now I don't recall ever asking for anything. So being me, I interrupt the young man telling him, "No thank you.  I didn't ask for that because I never wanted it.  I'm quite satisfied with what I have."
He replied with, "Okay, thank you ma'am", and went to the next door.  As I was closing my door, I heard the other gentleman say, "Man she didn't go for that at all."  I re-opened the door asking what was meant by the comment and he said, "Nothing ma'am."

As I was about to call the company disclosing my experience with them, I thought, how many people said yes without giving much thought to what was being said to them?  Unfortunately,  some of my neighbors did.  I asked them about their experience as they were going off to work this morning.  How many times are we caught off guard by people talking us into something because we really weren't paying any mind to what they were saying at all?  Whether out of being busy; just plain exhausted; or not wanting to deal with anybody at the time, we need to pay close attention to what the other party is saying.  You never know what agreement you have made when you don't.  In some cases, you never know what relationships are being put into jeopardy when you're not paying attention.

Beware and be safe!

Much love,
Granny

BEWARE: It's Be My Boo Season

Growing up in the church, my mind use to wonder a lot while listening to the speaker.  One of his many quotes after reading the scripture was, "First natural, then spiritual".  He would proceed to explain the scripture to us using everyday situations, so we would understand the scripture better on a spiritual level.  During devotions this week, I read Matthew 7.  This post will be mostly from verses 15-21. And it is also mostly talking about false prophets.  I'm going to venture out and use this scripture giving one of Granny's excerpts on false relationships.

Comparing with verses 15-21, it is important for us to be alert of different people we welcome into our lives.  There are those with a "Charming Spirit" that approach you this time of the year more than any other time of the year.  I choose to call it the "Be My Boo Season".  During this time of the year, someone approaches you attempting to get into some form of relationship with you. Be it potential mate; ace; best friend;  etc..... 
You can tell they mean you no good by their fruit.  The relationship is more you give 99%, they receive 99%.  The 1% they choose to "freely give" comes with a price.  It is mainly for the 99% they are seeking to receive from you.  In any relationship, it should not be 99/1.  It shouldn't even be 50/50, but rather 100% both ways.  This particular type of person usually hangs around until the spring of the year when it's "open game season" for them to comfortably discard you, without warning, then off to find a new prey.  Some even have the gall to find someone else and try to hang onto to you in case it doesn't work out with the next victim.
Once this person is in your life for a portion of the season, you become attached to this person and do your best to keep them satisfied.  Before you know it, you're jumping through hoops doing for them and not reaping any of the benefits yourself.  This is harmful to your spirit and relationship with others.  You will tend to either lash out at those trying to help you out of the situation, or you wilt like a dying flower just accepting the relationship like it is causing more damage to your spirit.  You are much too precious to the rest of us to allow this to happen.  Someone on the outside may see what's going on inside but you choose not to listen.  If the person warning you is still continuing to be a friend no matter what the situation is with this other person, listen carefully.  It will save you a lot of heartache.  Better to face the fact that you were fooled into something you didn't intend to be in, than to try and save face trying to cover up and fix things yourself.

Please everyone be safe!!!  It is Granny's will and pleasure that you have a good life and enjoy it to the fullest.

Much love,
Granny   

For part 2, click the following link
http://www.1elegantgranny.com/2012/11/beware-its-be-my-boo-season-part-2.html

Granny is Back

HELLO EVERYONE!!!!!  Granny here!  Boy have I missed you.  Just got a break from my first term in Grad school.  It was necessary for me to take this time away from you to focus on my studies.  Grad school is no joke!  I count it a privilege and a blessing to be able to accomplish something so great mainly because of how it was afforded me in the first place.  Many of our American ancestors, no matter what race, fought for me to be able to take advantage of this.  I choose to not allow the work they did to be in vain. 
The next term starts just after Labor Day.  I have worked out a schedule that will allow the appropriate time for school, work, family, and Elegant Granny.  It was a trying experience, but I made it.  I felt it was important to put something on the back burner until I worked out a working schedule.  Otherwise, I would have fallen flat on my face. 
Special thanks to my faithful followers, and also to my new ones.  I recently noticed I had some new ones liking my Facebook page.  I will spend the next two weeks writing before starting class again.   Don't worry, my new schedule will allow me to continue writing while in school.  Thanks for your patience.
Have a great week everyone.

Much love,
Granny

My Daily Breath of Life

Growing up, we use to have testimony service during our night services in church.  This was time for people to stand and be a witness of how good God is.  My testimony today, is how I was blessed to encounter a new friend by the name April D. Byrd through the blogosphere.

April D. Byrd, Author of Breath Of Life Daily

April is the creatress and author of Breath Of Life Daily (BOLD) blog.  It is through her posts, people are able to gain strength from the word of God not only from the bible, but through life in general via her life or through the lives of others.  Every Tuesday, April chooses to share testimonies from others to be shared with the world.  At the end of this post, I will leave the address to contact April for you to submit your testimony to her to be shared with the world.

While reading Ezekiel 37, I immediately felt a connection with this scripture and BOLD blog.  In this chapter, God took the Prophet Ezekiel in the Spirit and set him in the middle of a valley full of bones that were very dry.  God told Ezekiel to speak to the bones and command them to hear the word of the Lord. Ezekiel spoke to the bones and said, "Behold I will cause breath (Ruach - breath of God) to enter you that you may come to life."  As he spoke to the bones, the bones began to make a noise and come together.  The sinews (nerves) and flesh began to grow and cover the bones.  But there was no breath in them.  God told Ezekiel to speak again and say to the breath, "Breathe on them."  When he did, life came into them and they stood to their feet as a great army.

Ladies and gentlemen, I submit to you that God is using Breath Of Life Daily blog to speak into our lives to bring back life into us.  Purpose being, you have to live in order to receive what God has with your name on it.  Later in the scripture verses 12-16, Ezekiel was commanded to speak again and declare that God will open their graves and they would come out; and God would bring them into a place that has their name on it.
What has held you down, can hold you down no longer.  What has held the very thing(s) you need God to supply, will no longer be kept from you.  There are things on this earth with your name on it.  God specifically chose April to speak and call the four winds through the blogosphere to speak into our lives to bring forth life, mobility, and the authority to claim what God has for us.  These things are not just so we can go on with our lives for ourselves, but to testify to others how good and great God is.  It is also to bring us together as one, unifying us to speak life into others around us.  Our responsibility in all this, is to hear God.  Only when we hear Him, Ruach - His breath - will come into our lives and cause things that were dead to rise up and live again. His breath will enable us to claim what is ours, becoming one, speaking into the lives of others so they may live according to the plan of God as well.  

Becoming affiliated with Breath Of Life Daily has been an empowering experience.  Since my beginning of reading BOLD, my life has been enriched with every post.  April, thank you so much for allowing God to use you to speak into our lives.  It is an awesome responsibility.  You were chosen because you were ready to serve, willing to listen, and able to do it.  May God continue to bless you and Breath Of Life Daily blog.

You may reach April by Clicking Breath Of Life Daily link here, or under her photograph, and going to the testimonies tab on the blog.  To share a testimony you would like April to share with the world, you may reach her at boldbloginfo@gmail.com

Much love,
Granny

Happy Birthday Sissy

This is my sister.  She is daughter #2, I'm the eldest.

It's my Sissy's birthday.  And all I can think to get her for her birthday is her favorite slushy from 7-eleven.  She could never turn those down.  It's impossible to be on a road trip with her and pass by any 7-eleven without stopping to get her one.
 Winona, Noni,  single mother of three; graduate of National College; vlogger; songtress; comedienne; the list could go on and on. Noni was always the family's clown.  Always keeping laughter in the atmosphere whether by singing and dancing, telling jokes, or just plain being silly.

Winona's children l to r: Jaizon, Natailsha, and Asia

I'm especially proud of the relationship she has with her three children.  The joy of the Lord has truly been her strength.  Her joy has gotten her through everything in her life.  There is so much more I could write, but while writing this post, I decided to introduce everyone to all of us in the next post.
For post I did on her earlier this year click here.


Happy Birthday Sissy!  Let's go get those slushy's!!!

Much love,
Granny

These Mothers of Mine - Part 2

This post will honor my step-mother, a powerful woman of God.  We choose to call her our "Other Mama".  We don't like to use the term step.

Pastor Patricia J. Braxton of Change Me Ministries and Fellowship

Patricia J. Braxton, Ma, has been one of the greatest blessings for my sisters and I.  She married our father when we were still in grade school.  This moved her status of being the mother of one, to the mother of five children.  She has impacted our lives greatly.  Teaching us money skills, how to sell products you make, teaching us the word of God, how to forgive and change your life for the better are some of the things we learned form her.  There has never been a time when we called upon her for assistance to understand things happening in our lives that she didn't assist us. My Mother's Day would not be complete without honoring her as well.

Ma, is Pastor of Change Me Ministries and Fellowship in Lynchburg, VA, and is also Director of Bright Hope Educational Center.  She has an Associates and Bachelors Degree in Business Administration (it appears I have followed her footsteps), and is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Religion.  There is so much more I could tell you about this powerful woman.  You can see more about Pastor Braxton and/or the ministry of Change Me by clicking here or the link under the photo.  Support the ministry and stop by for a visit if you're ever in the area.

Thank you Ma for being a part of our family and assisting in our rearing.  It definitely took another great woman of God to help raise three girls.  You have been more of a blessing to us than you know.

Love you much,
Granny  aka  Danielle

Click link for part 1 to meet my other Mother -  http://www.1elegantgranny.com/2012/05/these-mothers-of-mine.html

These Mothers of Mine - Part 1

Since I'm back to writing now, I suppose I could honor these mothers of mine in this fashion. Wasn't sure what else to do or say for Mother's Day this year. In the next two post, I will honor my mother in part 1, and step-mother in part 2.
 

Nah Nah in her Sunday's best celebrating Women's Day at her local church

Phyllis Elliott-Braxton, "Nah Nah", born and raised in Virginia started in Rustburg, Va where most of her relatives lived until the family's house caught fire when she was around 4yrs old.  Her father, Phillip Elliott, built another house in Lynchburg, Va with the help of his best friend.  Mama graduated from the historic Dunbar High School in 1965 (now Dunbar Middle School), attended the historic Phillips Business School (now Miller-Motte College) and attended Central Va Community College. She didn't finish college due to tending to her family.  Raising three girls as a single parent:  keeping up with our school lessons, helping us practice our singing lessons (she played for us while we sang in various churches), helped us with reading and understanding the bible, teaching us how to cook her way (just go in there until it's right), selling dinner plates - chitterlings, chicken, and ham -  during the summer so she could get our school supplies, teach us the proper way of sitting as a lady, the correct way of setting a formal dining area (we always had guest), the correct way of walking in high heel shoes (I still haven't conquered that one yet), all while taking in private sitting jobs to provide for her girls. 
My mother always emphasized to us, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."  She instilled the value of not hurting people on purpose.  There are times when it may happen but to always remember how you would feel if you were that person.
On her job, she was known as the "Hat Lady", always wearing a variety of hats to put smiles on faces of her patients, friends, and others she came in contact with.  Now, Nah Nah is retired from Centra Health as a Certified Nursing Assistant in Hospice, helping attend to her grand-children and teaching the youth at her local church how to be a lady.

Love you Mama.  Lord knows it took another great woman of God to help with three girls from the hills of Virginia.  Happy Mother's Day.

Love you much,
Granny aka Danielle (Danny-Tee)

Click link for part 2 to meet my other Mother -  http://www.1elegantgranny.com/2012/05/these-mothers-of-mine-part-2.html