So, about this "Lemonade" situation...

Not knowing what this whole "Lemonade" deal was all about, I started watching the video tonight that one of my FB friends posted. It's quite interesting, and rather strange and haunting, to say the least. There's the one song near the beginning where she jumped face-first off the building and ended up in the water...

Well, that freaked me out.

In the scene when she was in the water, she said "I tried to change/closed my mouth more/tried to be softer, prettier, less awake/fasted for 60 days/wore white...plugged my menses with pages from the holy book/but still inside me, coiled deep, was the need to know/are you cheating on me?" She's done everything she knows to do, hoping all this is just a nightmare. This is tough for her, unimaginable...just like it is for the non-famous, everyday people who experience cheating. Yall...Beyonce is NOT above being cheated on. No one is. It's not right, but it is what it is.

Listen: There is no amount of "being sweet and submissive," no amount of human effort that will make a person love you more. If you have to "do things" for this person to love you, their love is conditional, and your relationship won't last. Only that person's unwavering commitment to God first, then you, will cause them to love you fully. We cannot truly love another until we first know the source of true love, which is God. Check out what Jesus said: "Greater love has no man that this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13) No, don't go kill yourself for your husband/wife/child. DON'T. But...be willing to sacrifice in other ways. You can't stay out til 3 am every morning with your homeboys/homegirls and expect to have a thriving relationship.

I will give it to Bey...she is extremely talented. Nobody else can just drop an album from out of nowhere and have people eat it up like candy. But I am not a member of the Bey Hive. As a believer in Jesus, I disagree with a lot of what she sings about, one minute she's singing about girls running the world, and the next minute she's talking about b*tches bowing down??? But I do know this: Jay better look to the left, because everything he owns...I'ma leave that one alone. :-)

He just might be getting upgraded.

But forreal...Beyonce needs Jesus like we all do. She needs to know that God loves her more than anything in this world...God, please remind me to pray for her (and others that don't know You).

"Lemonade" lyrics used in this blog post from:
http://www.eonline.com/news/759398/10-juicy-lyrics-from-beyonce-s-new-lemonade-album-that-have-everyone-talking

Why are all the cute shoes NOT in my size??? (Pt. 2)

In my last post, I talked about our (young women's) struggle of finding cute shoes in larger sizes. Thanks to Payless, Shoe Show/Dept, and others (ESP. Nordstrom Rack), the day is saved! I embrace my large feet now.

Back in middle and high school, not so much.

I caught all kinds of flack back in the day for having larger feet. I wore men's 10 shoes (mostly Saucony's) in middle and high school, and I didn't dress as cute as the other girls, AND I was tall, so yeah...I caught it. Especially from the guys. Ugh. Remember those clear shoes (not jelly sandals, ugh)? The ones that laced up? I remember my female classmates wearing those in high school, and I wanted a pair soooooooo badly! That won't happening, not with mom and dad having six other kids to feed and clothe. Now looking back, I'm glad I didn't get those shoes, because they would've had my women's size 12 feet looking like Booboo the fool's feet. In college, a few people used to call me Lacienega (from "Proud Family.") (If you're reading this post, and you were one of the folks who called me that, yall are soooooooo wrong for that! :-)

Oh, let me just throw this out there as well. Don't feel (or let anyone make you feel) self-conscious about wearing colored/colorful shoes! A couple months ago, I was at Rack Room Shoes and found a pair of turquoise Pro Keds that have yellow pineapples all over them. Yep, pineapples. They're a size 11 (I wear 11s now pretty much in every shoe). I also have a pair of brown knee-high winter boots (Payless) AND a pair of combat boots (Shoe Show Encore). So, we can still wear the latest fashions in shoes, we just gotta rock them right. Or...if you don't care how you look, you can just wear any ol' shoe you want, however you want (but I wouldn't advise that).

I forgot to ask this question in my previous post: Do you shoe-shop online for your shoes? I've never bought shoes online, I'm thinking that they'll take forever to get here, only to be the wrong size, and I have to send them back. No time for it. Not a bit.

What's your story about getting picked on for having large feet?

Thanks for reading! <3

Why are all the cute shoes NOT in my size??? (Pt. 1)

It kinda sucks being a young woman with large feet sometimes, doesn't it? It's not fair. Other females can get away with wearing certain skinny-jeans-and-shoe combos that WE dare not attempt. Or, we see a shoe that is CA-YUTE in smaller sizes, but seeing it in our size just makes us gag. OR...a shoe store has plenty of bigger sizes, but they're all "grandma" shoes." It's like, don't yall (shoe companies) know that younger women have big feet too?!?!? Stop just making ol' grandma shoes in 11s and 12s, blastit!

Sigh.

Let me clarify what I mean when I say "large" feet. I don't think size 10s are THAT big, because they're more plentiful than 11s, and especially 12s. At least Charlotte Russe and Rue 21 sell some shoes in 10s. Sizes 11 and 12???? Tuh! Yeah right. That's why I LOVE Payless, Shoe Show/Dept., Shoe Carnival (sometimes), Rack Room Shoes, aaaaaannnnddd (drum roll)...Nordstrom Rack!!!

Bruh.

If you've not been to Nordstrom Rack (NR), do yaself a favor, jump in your car NOW, and GO! When I tell you, it's a big-foot girl's dream???? OMG. A whole wall of nothing but 11s and 12s (and all the other sizes of course). NR is a lil bit more pricey than Payless and Shoe Show, but they have lots of name brand shoes, and they're of a good quality.

The Rack will change your life, I promise you that!

What are some other places you shop for "big feet" shoes????

Ahhhh crud...

Can't upload my vids to this blog. Is it time for a new blog home already???

Me thuggin'

Are you hanging on to a man/woman that God has said to let go of?

Let's  be real for a moment:

Ouch. Whew. Yeah, this one kinda hits you in the gut. I'm sooooo very guilty of this, of running behind a man who shows interest in me, only to hear God say "No, Janelle. Not him." "But God!" I say. "What do you mean? I mean, he likes me. he's nice..." 

"But is he saved though? Even if he's saved, are you in a position to have a man in your life, Janelle? No, you're not."

Le sigh. You're right again, God. Ugh.

How many times have I met a guy, gave him my number, maybe even went out with him, only to have the Holy Spirit tug on my heart and tell me not to go out with him again, AND not to have him call me or text me again??? And I have to end up deleting his number cuz I might remember it??? Too many times. So I literally have to send him a text or call him and tell him we need to cut it off right then and there.

Ugh.

It hurts so bad, y'all. I know yall feel me, too. But I know in my heart I want to please my Lord more than I want the admiration of a man that God has not ordained to be in my life. Listen y'all: Just because an attractive person of the opposite sex comes into your life, is fine, saved, and doing well for him/herself, doesn't mean he or she is SUPPOSED to be in your life at that time. Maybe that person is a distraction. He "urshers" every 2nd and 4th Sunday, he dresses nice and smells good...AND (here's the kicker): He prays over his food! We ladies love a man that prays over his food! My Lord! But. He's STILL a distraction. When you get a chance, go to Youtube and type in "Redefined TV," and watch the video "Who sent you?" Maaannnnnn, listen. The husband/wife couple who created this video have several other videos that I haven't watched, but "Who sent you?" has an excellent, off-the-chain message that reminds us to be careful of who we allow into our lives.

Sometimes that man/woman who sashays into our lives isn't saved at all. Le sigh. Again. But he/she finds YOU attractive, they like your style, your vibe. You both can talk for hours upon hours. You're grinning, they're grinning...geesh. It's like y'all were meant to be together. You can already see that you both will make some pretty children, Men, you see how awesome of a supporter, wife and mother she'll be, and women, his last name fits perfectly with your first name. It has such a nice ring to it. 

But you KNOW he's not saved, that it'll never work. He doesn't go to church, doesn't care to start going. Ladies, y'all know how we do: But God, if You will let THIS one stick around, so I can minister to him, lead him to YOU, and then maybe...

God be like: Uh-uh. Nope. Not happening. God is so frustrating sometimes, ain't He? He just comes in and jacks up all our lil plans. Cue in good ol' Prov. 3:5-6: 

(5) Trust in the Lord with AAAAALLLLL your heart, and lean not to you OWN understanding. (6) In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. (emphasis mine).

When you have to make that decision to cut ol' boy or ol' girl off, know that it's for your good. And if you don't, God does know how to send a lil fire behind you to help you get right. Prov. 3:11-12 says: My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, (12) because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. (See Revelation 3:19 and Hebrews 12:6-11 also). That rebuke from God isn't a mean, harsh thing that God gets pleasure out of doing. Sometimes we have to visit the School of Hard Knocks again and again (and again), til we get the thing right. Our Father loves us so! Mario sang: You should let me love you/let me be the one to/give you everything you want and need/Baby good love and protection/make me your selection/Show you the way that love's supposed to be. Well, replace Mario with God. Let God love you, give you everything you need (what you want isn't what's best for you.) That man/woman ain't what's best right now. Trust in His plan. Let Him love you.

This has been a real moment with Janelle.