Monday, October 17, 2011

TAKING A BREAK FROM THE BLOG


Hello everyone. I just wanted to let you all know that I will be taking a break from the blog (Twitter and Chronicles FB page as well). My plates have been extra full these days and I need to pump the breaks. First and foremost, my mom is back home. After being in the hospital for over a year (after a lung transplant), she is finally home. She is doing well and is moving toward walking on her own. Needless to say, I want to soak up this time with her. Plus, I am her primary caregiver so I'm getting acclimated to taking care of her.

On a personal level, I need to steal away for a minute and make some me time. God always taps me on the shoulder to let me know when I need to step back and gather myself, and of course spend some time with Him. I know He has some great things to share with me so I'm being obedient and giving myself a break.

Also, I want to revamp Chronicles and come back with all the great ideas I have planned for the blog. One of the things I want to do is be more consistent with posting, etc... and to share more personal posts about me and what's going on in my everyday life (I've expressed the latter before, but not too much was going on with me). I'm sure I'll have plenty to share (God willing) when I return.

Thanks to everyone who has subscribed, shared Chronicles, commented, or has sent me encouraging words about Chronicles. I really appreciate it, especially knowing that it's helping those who read. One of the things I want to do while I'm away is reflect on the many times that I've heard people say that this blog is a ministry. The more I've thought about it, the more I realize that it's an awesome compliment but it also places things into perspective about what Chronicles is actually doing and I don't take that lightly.

I heard a host say on a (Blog Talk) radio show the other night, for singles to use the gift of singleness to help other singles at this time in their lives. She echoed what I'm doing in my personal life and what I want Chronicles to do. Hence, why I'll be reflecting on Chronicles being more than just a blog but a ministry.

More than likely I will be back by the end of the year (around Decemberish). In the meantime, I would love for you to share your thoughts, comments, etc... on how Chronicles could be better. Also, please send me the names of single people (women and men) who you'd like to recommend for the Featured Future Wives feature (including yourself). Also, send me couples who you'd like to recommend for wedding and engagement features (be sure to read the Chronicles Feature Policy).If you have any ideas for posts that you'd like to see, send those as well. Send all your thoughts, ideas, suggestions, etc... to coafw@yahoo.com.

Finally, I'm not leaving without sharing a few more posts with you. Remember the Whole Woman Blogshop? I said I'd be doing that series as well. So, look out for my take on the blogshop series. Coming soon.

Thank you again everyone. I appreciate your support.

Blessings,

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

WEDDING WEDNESDAY: JIN'S BEAUTIFUL BIG DAY

I love that she called her wedding "My Big Fat Jamaican Wedding". I'm pretty sure that's what made me stop and take a look at Jin's wedding photos. I loved how she detailed her soon-to-be walk down the aisle and shared what really goes on behind the scenes for a bride. And then, there was the overall look of the day. From the beautiful berry colored theme, to the picturesque ceremony location, Jin planned a beautiful big day. Here is her story.

Jin's Beautiful Big Day
Wedding Date: Saturday November 14, 2009
Wedding Location: Plantation Preserve Golf Course & Club

How did your husband propose?
My mom is big on entertaining and throws parties for just about every occassion. In May of 2008, she was hosting a Mothers Day dinner with about 30 of us in attendence. After prayer, we were all still standing and were asked to each say something to our mothers. My husband was last, and after he said his speech to his mom, he said that he had one more thing say. He then proceeded to pull out the ring, drop to his knees and asked me to marry him. I was in such shock that I don't even know the exact words he used. I didn't hear or see anything - I just remember crying. Everyone was else was crying too - happy tears though :)



Did you begin planning right away or did you wait some time after your engagement?
I started brainstorming and collecting ideas right away but it took a few months for me to officially start planning. I'd decided that I wanted to go back to college around that time as well, so I had a lot of other things going on.


 How did you choose your wedding location? Was it your first choice or did you look at other places?
If I remember correctly, I found my venue in my local Perfect Wedding Guide. I visited quite a few places, but when I went to Plantation Preserve I just knew that I had to have my wedding there. It was one of the first places that I visited but I didn't think that I was going to be able to make it happen so I continued looking around but I compared everywhere else to there. By the grace of God, I was able to have my wedding there and I couldn't have been happier - I loved it! I got my first choice!


Did you always have an outdoor wedding in mind?
I didn't always dream of an outdoor wedding, but once I started visiting venues I knew I was going to go that route. A lot of places had decor that wasn't my style. Most of them were too over the top or simply outdated - an outdoor ceremony just seemed so more serene and simple. Besides we were married inSouth Florida, so we had lush lawns and palm trees as backdrops - nature was the best decor.

What was your Plan B in the event that there was inclement weather?
Our venue didn't have an alternate indoor area for a ceremony, so we did reserve a ballroom at a nearby hotel. Although it was beautiful, I really didn't want to use it. However, it would be foolish for us not to secure an alternate space. Lucky for us, the weather on our big day was gorgeous!

I see that your bridesmaids were dressed in different styles. Did you have specific styles in mind for them or did you let them choose?
My bridesmaids ranged all the way from size 4 to around size 20, so I didn't think it would be fair to have them all in the same dress. I wanted each girl to be in a gown that complimented her body and personal style. At the time of the wedding, I'd had a few years of experience working in a bridal shop, so I had a good idea of who I wanted in each dress based on their body type. Fortunately, everyone agreed on the styles that they were given and were happy with the dress they wore.

 You had a "dilemma" about whether or not you would wear your glasses down the aisle. What did you decide?
Looking back, I don't know why I made a big deal about my glasses because I don't think anyone cared besides me. Ultimately I chose to not wear them down the aisle or during my professional portraits, but I wore them throughout the duration of the reception.

 Overall, how would you describe your wedding day and what advice would you give to someone who's making preparations for her Big Day?
Overall my wedding day was fun and a big party - just like I wanted. It was the best day of my life. I wish I could do it over and over again (with the same person of course, lol).

Advice I would give to a future bride is to not sweat the little stuff. A lot of the minor details that we stress over as brides no one else notices anyway. To be honest, the bride herself won't notice those small details on the big day because she's going to be pre-occupied with more important things. Also, make sure you have help during the wedding planning process, be it your bridesmaids or a family member. Although I planned the wedding with my mom, we did decide to get a Day of Coordinator to help us out with rehearsal and the day of - she was a tremendous help and allowed us to relax.

Most importantly, don't forget what The Big Day is really about - making a lifetime commitment in front of your friends, family and God to the one that you love. The wedding is only one day, but your ultimate goal should be to make your marriage last forever. What the decor looks like, whether you caterer is on time or not is not going to matter the next day - as a matter of fact, it won't have an effect on your marriage at all.

See more of Jin's beautiful big day here

Photo Credit: All professional photos by Captured Moments Photography; 
non-professional pics provided by the bride

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

{COUPLES FEATURE} A NEW CHAPTER: LORENZO & AARIUS JONES

When Lorenzo shared the news of his nuptials on Facebook, I was happy in general because I'm a sucker for love and I was happy for him personally as I've known Lorenzo for a long time (we went to the same high school) and it's always good to see people doing well. I met Aarius via Facebook after congratulating Lorenzo, when he first shared the news about his relationship, then his nuptials. Just meeting her via comments, I could tell that Aarius had a sweet spirit about her. There was something about the new Mr. and Mrs. Jones that I thought was worthy of sharing: they are a sweet, genuine, loving couple, starting a new chapter in their lives after years of knowing one another. Here is their story.

Meet Lorenzo and Aarius Jones.
(Married: August 17, 2011)




How did you meet?
[Aarius] Lorenzo and I met 12 years ago through mutual friends. Then we reconnected 4 years ago and the magic started from there!



Lorenzo: How did you know Aarius was the one for you?
How did I know Aarius was the one.....Well it wasn't her cooking lol. I knew from the first moment she was the one for me when I saw those cute dimples. We had dated a couple years back. I wasn't worthy of her love at that time. I was still a boy. I needed time to grow and be the man I'm suppose to be.So I dated but always finding myself reverting right back to Aarius.She was like no other woman I've dated.She paid attention to the small things.Wherever she could help she would and push me to the limit and held me accountable.She's a woman who doesn't settle for less.She's my favorite person to hang out with.We have so much fun together. Aarius is truly my sole mate.I could write a book and be here for hours telling you how I knew she was the one but to sum it up I couldn't have chosen a better person to share the benefits of life with.Being that she is beautiful is a bonus!!.My kids love her and I love her kids and vice versa.You rarely see that in most familys.So now this time around we put GOD first in everything we do.GOD is love and we love each other unconditionally.

Aarius: How did you know Lorenzo was the one for you?
For me to realize that Lorenzo was the one for me it took several years, a few tears, break-ups and trials before he showed me that there was no other man that I wanted to spend the rest or my life with. Lorenzo is one of the most positive, humble, loving and the list goes on..men that I have ever met. My husband has always been there for me and loved me for ME nothing else in between. When I would feel like I was ready to give up he would always be the strength for both of us to keep going. I could not have asked God for a better husband, father to our children or friend and for that I gave him my heart for eternity.

Lorenzo: You make a great point about needing time to grow and be the man you were supposed to be. How important is it for a man to understand when he's not ready to begin a relationship?
It's very very important for a man to understand when he's not ready to begin a relationship. Men hide their feelings very well. So we find it very easy to be with another woman right after we've broken up with another woman. Trying to fill that void(feelings). But for me it was hard because I'm the type of guy who has to have a woman. I don't like being alone. But I took time to myself and got closer to GOD which made me stronger as a man and showed me the things I was doing wrong. And how to treat a woman and not do or bring the bad habits into my new relationship. And most importantly you have to have a relationship with GOD and LOVE him to truly understand how to treat and love a woman.



Aarius: Did you have to change anything about yourself before making a commitment? If so, what are some of those things?
The one thing that I had to change about myself was my self proclaimed "independence" since I have been a single parent for quite some time I have always been used to doing things on my own without any help. While it's always great to be independent I had to learn to be humbly independent and face humility when necessary as well. At the end of the day a woman should always let her man be just that "the man" I had to learn when to stand up when he needs strength and also humbly take the passenger seat and let him drive too.

Both: You have both described this as a new chapter in your lives. What are some of the "old" things you will leave behind? What new things will you bring?
[Aarius] This is definitely a new chapter in our lives because we have the history and we have been through the good and the bad. I left behind my single, independent life and traded that for a family with a strong husband as our lead. I plan to always be my husbands best friend, lover, and backbone. I truly believe in the saying "you have to go through something to get to something" and I believe we have did that so from here on out the sky is the limit and we now let God guide our path solely!
[Lorenzo] Some of the old things I leave behind is some of my friends (men and women) Sometimes they can be a distraction from you seeing the bigger picture. My family is my top priority. No more stuntin (for now) lol...For the most part everybody knows I was a very flashy guy (on all the scenes) but now i'm a normal guy fitting in. The new things I will bring will be compromise and understanding(communication) without it it's a disaster waiting to happen ,fun..... you have to have it in a healthy relationship and my LOVE it will be shown daily through my daily activities of life.

Both: What advice would you give to a couple who may be going through what you went through, before you officially became a couple? It may be obvious to them that they should be together, but it just may not be the time. What would you say to them as they wait, until God says it's time?
[Lorenzo]What I would tell them is to let go even when its the hardest thing to do.If you truly love each other you'll wait on the each other so you can fully get what you deserve out of a relationship.Once you get a certain age it's all about putting GOD first and letting him lead you in the right direction.You have to have a high level of maturity and and your heart pure and open.For me dating until you find the one is like school prepping you for the real world.You learn the do's and the don'ts.With that being said my wife will always be the happiest woman alive !!! [Aarius] The best advice that I would give to a couple that may be in the same situation that Lo and I were in is to have faith and wait. Don't push it into happening if it is meant to be it will be everything takes time to grow. It is best to truly get to know your partner to be sure they are who you want. Marriage is a vow for a lifetime and they have to be willing to spend it with that individual. It's not always going to be easy but with patience and Gods help they will make it through. Don't rush it let it flow!

Monday, October 10, 2011

CHRONICLES GUEST BLOGGER: SARAH D. HENSON {GOD'S FORGIVENESS}

The subject of forgiveness has been on my heart for a while now. Sometimes I feel as if the hardest things for us to do is to show forgiveness, forgive ourselves, and to fully accept God's forgiveness. Oftentimes we feel as if forgiving someone means that we are allowing them to get away with what they've done. In some cases, when we are the ones who needs forgiving, we feel unworthy or think that we are beyond being able to be forgiven. Today's guest blogger is here today to help shed some light on this subject. I knew that she would do it great justice, which is why I asked her to share, in her words, God's forgiveness. Today's guest blogger: Sarah D. Henson.


Sometimes the only way we are willing to give forgiveness is if someone has a consequence. I will forgive you but you have to . We have been taught since childhood that you cannot have one without the other. Our justice system, for example, you do the crime, you pay your “debt” to society but we all know your slate isn’t clean. Your future will permanently reflect the person you once were. Anyone who runs a background check on you will see, within minutes, exactly what you did that landed you in jail...and this is how we teach forgiveness... You can never outrun your past...you can try to move on but there will always be a stain on your character.

The truth is we can’t really comprehend forgiveness that doesn’t have any strings attached. In fact, it’s the dominant reason people fear moving on in a relationship after mistakes have been made....”I can forgive you but, I can’t forget.” Weigh that against a preacher telling us every Sunday that God can take our stained past and wipe it clean as snow and, you can see why one could find it hard to believe that God doesn’t just offer forgiveness but amnesia, as well.

I’m guilty of it myself, telling someone I forgive them but the moment I see a sign.... even a glimpse.... of something that reminds me of their betrayal I pull back... too afraid to move forward. As humans our first inclination is to protect ourselves from hurt. We look back over everything that led to the moment we experienced pain; we document it each warning that came before destruction so that we never have to experience it again. It’s impossible to understand God’s forgiveness when we apply our intellect. We trick ourselves into thinking that we somehow managed the impossible and hid our true identity from God. There’s no way God could see the mistakes I have made, the thoughts I harbored on the inside and still think that I am worthy of His forgiveness. Can my past be erased and I start fresh in Him? We’ve done things we never thought we would do ourselves...If I disappointed myself, I know I disappointed my God. Just because you can’t forgive yourself doesn’t mean God can’t forgive you.

Jesus told Peter, before the Rooster crows twice you’ll deny me three times. Peter never thought it was possible that he would betray God... That he would mess up so badly that it hurt someone he loved deeply. Sometimes we can mess up and surprise ourselves but it doesn’t surprise God. He knew Peter. If Jesus told Peter that he was going to deny Him, don’t you think He knows we’d fall too? God knew when and how your were going to mess up long before you did.

In 2 Timothy 2:13 “If we give up on Him, He does not give up for there’s no way he can be false to himself. “ God isn’t faithful to us because we are without sin, He’s faithful because of who He is... You can’t compare God’s grace to man’s... We as humans cannot separate our mind from our heart. Our hearts forgive but our mind doesn’t forget. In order to fully receive God’s forgiveness we have to quiet our mind and believe with our heart.

The same God who forgave Peter and received a knowing kiss from Judas... knows all your failures, all your struggles and disappointments... and yet His forgiveness is still available to you. He shed His blood on Calvary so forgiveness could always be available to you. You can’t use your mind to comprehend God, that’s what makes him God, use your heart instead.

We receive things from the world that we can’t explain all the time.... Sometimes we use things because they make our life easier, even if we can’t really explain it. I don’t know how my cellphone in Texas can call someone in Australia. I don’t know how a strip on the back of a card can pull money out of my account immediately... I can’t explain to you how an airplane that weighs more than I can even guess can float on air, but I use it anyway...

I refuse to swipe a card I can’t explain, use a cellphone that I can’t breakdown, fly a plane that defies gravity and not use God’s forgiveness that is more accessible to me than all of those things. I can’t explain why God decided to forgive me. I don’t know why, in spite of all evidence that He shouldn’t, He lends us grace but just because I can’t understand it doesn’t mean I’m not going to use it.



Find more inspiring words on Sarah's blog: Sarah D. Henson


ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST:
Sarah D. Henson
Sarah Henson is a take-charge businesswoman, writer, and media personality who expertly balances career, ministry and family. Sarah is an on-air television personality, periodically serving as a host of “The Potter’s Touch,” a daily inspirational television broadcast on Daystar Television Network, The Word Network, Inspiration Network and Trinity Broadcast Network.
Prior to joining the staff at The Potter’s House, Sarah worked with TDJ Enterprises, where she

A naturally gifted scholar, Sarah graduated high school in the top of her class at the age of sixteen, top ten percent in the nation, and attended Texas Christian University, where she studied journalism. Sarah is currently a professional writer and regularly pens a blog at sarahdhenson.com on love, life, family, and marriage. She aspires to write articles and books that chronicle the lives of young women who have overcome extreme challenges to reach their goals in life.

Family, love and marriage are all subjects that are near and dear to Sarah. Sarah is married to Robert Henson, a professional football player who is a linebacker in the NFL, they have two children. She is also the daughter of mega church pastor, bestselling author and film producer, Bishop T.D. Jakes and Mrs. Serita Jakes, author, media personality, and business executive.
When she is not pursuing her career endeavors, Sarah enjoys cooking, listening to music and spending quality time with her family.





Friday, October 7, 2011

COMING UP ON CHRONICLES: SARAH D. HENSON, THE JONESES, AND JIN

Good Day everyone. Happy Friday and welcome to the end of another week. I hope Monday-Thursday were great days for you (if not, God was still there with you and you still made it through *smile* ) I had a pretty good week. I'm sticking to the much needed schedule I put myself on and am prioritizing things as I should. I'm looking forward to a great weekend.

A few of randoms before I share what's Coming Up on Chronicles...

-I have been sneezing my head off like crazy this week. Why? My dear old allergies and sinuses.
-I've been thinking A LOT about my future husband and where God has me in this season of my life.
-I had a wonderful time tweeting on Wednesday. I hadn't tweeted like that in a while. It was long over due.
-I'm thankful that God has placed some great couples in my life (even if it's via FB, Twitter, a blog) who are not only great people but they are honoring God in their relationships. A definite inspiration for me.

Now: What's Coming Up on Chronicles...

Monday- Chronicles will have a wonderful guest blogger who will share some inspiring words on the powerful gift of forgiveness. Chronicles welcomes Mrs. Sarah D. Henson.

Tuesday- Who doesn't like a good love story? The Couples Feature next week will be just that. Lorenzo and Aarius Jones share how they became one and the great new chapter in their lives.

 Wednesday- Another beautiful wedding that I can't wait to share. 
You will love Jin's Beautiful Big Day.

Have a super weekend everyone,

Monday, October 3, 2011

{GIVEAWAY} WIN A NNEKA SARAN HANDBAG OR GIFT CERTIFICATE

To celebrate her one-year "stepping out in faith" anniversary, Nneka is doing a giveaway for this great occasion. Go to her site NOW to get all of the details: Nneka Saran


And yes, this is the same Nneka who was recently featured on Chronicles :-)