"Scheduled Impact"

You ever do something so well in one area that others imply that you must have "missed your calling?"  Well, that has been directed to me on many occasions, so much so that I once started to believe it.  I started to ponder where I went wrong.  Perhaps I should have "stayed the course," but look where that got him.  In a nutshell, we do not "miss our callings" because HE does not make mistakes.  Our "Scheduled Impact" is not on OUR calendar nor OUR time, but HIS.  When and where I make my impact is all within HIS plan, HIS schedule.
 
The calling for your "Scheduled Impact" is before you.  You might not know where or how you will make the difference in someone else's life, but rest assured that your proactive measures will possibly change the course of someone's life; the same someone that could be moments away from changing the course of their own existence.  Hence the reason it is imperative to ALWAYS make a positive impact on those around you.  Whatever it is that they could be going through could possibly use your comforting words, strength and love, thus allowing you to make your "Scheduled Impact."
 
Perhaps making "Scheduled Impacts" WAS your calling?  Until we "Learn to Embrace" what we do and what we do not do well, we will not be able to fully appreciate our "Scheduled Impacts."
 
I never missed my calling.  I am doing exactly what I'm supposed to be doing, when I'm supposed to be doing it and how I'm supposed to be doing it.  And during the process, I pray that my "Scheduled Impact" has positively influenced your very own existence.
 
My Mother is the Inspiration!
My Mother is the Motivation!
My Mother is the Celebration!
 
All the Best, All the Time!
Corey

"More of a Man"

"Sometimes it takes more of a man to walk away than it does to stand up and fight."

Back in the 8th grade is when my Mother schooled me on that quote. Little did I know that she was teaching me one of the lessons on manhood, not just on how to be one, but on how to be the best one. "Being a man encompasses so much, but so few encompass the necessary attributes of being one."

Life Lessons are not just taught during one's life, but also in their death. Since my capacity for learning is infinite, I continue to be "Engaged with Knowledge." Our nuptials are not pending and no annulment, separation or divorce will be on the horizon any time soon.

Yes, we have to pick and choose our battles. We have to be conscience on whom we declare war on or against. We need to readily understand that it is IN the understanding and not how we selfishly interpret it.

Until the last rose adorned my Mother's coffin, I was leaning on her very words that filled my ears back in the 8th grade: "Sometimes it takes more of a man to walk away than it does to stand up and fight."

My Mother is the Inspiration!
My Mother is the Motivation!
My Mother is the Celebration!

All the Best, All the Time!
Corey

"The Company You Keep"

Momma used to tell me that "You're judged by the company you keep." If that group is doing the wrong thing, even though you're NOT one of the wrongdoers, the external perception of you will lead people to judge a book by its cover and assume that since you're AMONGST the wrongdoers, you MUST be one OF them! Afterall, if you're NOT one of them, then why on earth would you allow yourself to fall into that visual trap?

So, if you're NOT hitting the nail right on the head, then what's the point? My momma never missed the nail. In an effort to hammer my own point home, I would often miss the point AND the nail, thus hitting my thumb. That's what I got for THINKING I knew better than Mom.

If you can't find good, inspiring company, then keep YOURSELF company! If your company is looking down on you and not extending an UPLIFTING hand, then keep YOURSELF company! If your company misrepresents who and what you're about then YOU represent WHO and WHAT you're all about. As a matter of fact, no one should represent you BUT you!

Yes indeed, we ARE judged by the company we keep. And when my Mother transitioned on to Glory, HE kept me company. When the clouds were hovering, HE kept me company. When the winds were waiting for me to turn the corner, HE kept me company. And when the tears are falling, HE STILL keeps me company. I'm proud to say that YES, I'm indeed in GOOD company.

Always make sure that you too are in good company. The kind of company that will never set and leave you adrift for no apparent reason. The type of company that will truly have ALL of your best interests at heart.

Since you're judged by the company you keep, always make sure that you're in good company.

All the Best, All the Time!
Corey

"The Road To Happiness"

Even though "The Road to Happiness" might be littered with cigarette butts, broken bottles, empty cans, broken down vehicles, people hitchhiking, inclement weather, lost souls, drug infested communities, fatherless homes, low Church attendance and shattered dreams, "The Road to Happiness" is STILL real!!!

I HAVE to be EVERYTHING I ever wanted to be in order to satisfy the insatiable appetite of my innermost soul. "How could I possibly be or do otherwise?" I LOUDLY proclaim to myself and ANYONE in earshot of my voice. It's a Blessing to know that the "The Road to Happiness" is STILL real and very obtainable.

That happiness "ain't" defined by what OTHERS think or what their conjured up thoughts might be. And as sure as the use of "ain't" in a grammatically incorrect fashion stands out, so does the need to map quest or TomTom your way to that oft times elusive, off the main road, potentially backroad, could be gravel/dirt road; "The Road to Happiness."

Unless I'm picking up an extra passenger, I won't be stopping! My tank is FULL, no gas needed! No left turns, no right turns and DEFINITELY no u-turns! Only forward progression is permitted and I won't be checking my rearview.

Ride with me or meet me there!

I look forward to the day when I can witness bumper to bumper, stop and go traffic on the "The Road to Happiness."

Ride with me or meet me there!

My Mother is the Inspiration!
My Mother is the Motivation!
My Mother is the Celebration!

All the Best, All the Time!
Corey

"Trying Times Highway"

When we remove our personal shudders, more often than not we will come to realize that many people around us are going through (something). Quite frankly, we would be hard pressed to say that we do NOT know someone, anyone that is in the midst of "Trying Times." Personally, I know quite a few, including MYSELF.

I've come to the realization that the most challenging aspect of "Trying Times" is not what we're in the midst OF, but our perseverance which directs us down the "path of least resistance" and the closest exit off of "Trying Times Highway."

Sometimes in our attempt to exit "Trying Times Highway" we attempt to make illegal u-turns, knowing good and well that we're NOT authorized vehicles and that action is prohibited. Even though the next exit might be quite a ways down the road, the important thing we must keep in mind is not where the exit is but how diligent we are in making it to that exit and rejoicing upon our arrival.

Failure to follow instructions or directions will always lead us straight to "Trying Times Highway." But "Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining." When my Mother used to recite that quote to me I could not fathom how she could derive the positive lessons from the most negative of situations. But that in and of itself is exactly where the silver lining was discovered.

The next time you find yourself in between exits on "Trying Times Highway" know that the silver lining within the cloud will expose itself soon enough and most importantly, when the time is right.

My Mother is the Inspiration!
My Mother is the Motivation!
My Mother is the Celebration!

All the Best, All the Time!
Corey

"I Represent My Momma"

Growing up with impeccable mannerisms and good habits were NOT optional. They were kind of like that "mandatory-voluntary" meeting that your boss invited you to. "Nah, you do not HAVE to come, but you’d BETTER go!" Nah, we did not HAVE to exhibit impeccable mannerisms and good habits, but if we knew what was good for us, we’d BETTER! Well, the level of participation for attending that meeting, having good habits and manners never really had optional as an option. It was all a figment of your imagination! You KNEW what you needed to do because you KNOW what is always expected of you!

High level expectations do not ever really change. It’s the devil in the detail that tends to be the moving target. From the detail to the high level, your actions and/or inaction's will forever represent what was instilled in you from the beginning.

Whenever I stepped outside of my Mothers home, I represented her. I represented her with my walk, with my talk, with my behavior, with my respect, with my conduct, with my SMILE, with my tenacity, with my fervor, with my heart, with my spirit, with my generosity, with my love. And with ALL OF MY MIGHT, "I Represented My Momma." She would have it no other way. I can hear her now: "Don’t burn your bridges Corey. You know you get more flies with honey than you do vinegar." My momma ALWAYS had something to tell me. A piece of advice after I thought the advice assembly line was all out of product. She ALWAYS had a piece of SOMETHING stashed away. I think she got a kick out of my facial expressions or my sudden silence on the phone before I asked her to repeat what I thought I just heard. To have a Mother like I did proved to be a Heaven sent Blessing that could have ONLY been bestowed upon me, by HIM.

Know that when you witness my walk, witness my talk, witness my behavior, witness my respect, witness my conduct, witness my SMILE, witness my tenacity, witness my fervor, witness my heart, witness my spirit, witness my generosity and witness my love. You need to know ONE thing. "I Represent My Momma."

My Mother is the Inspiration!
My Mother is the Motivation!
My Mother is the Celebration!

All the Best, All the Time!
Corey

"Cheat Sheet"

Back in Grade School, High School, Vocational School and even College, it always behooved me to create a "Cheat Sheet." The purpose of this "Cheat Sheet" was NOT to cheat, but served as a checkpoint for all of the important things that I needed to study for and remember in order to prepare for and successfully pass my test or exam.

Throughout my life my Mother has served as my "Cheat Sheet." Whenever I needed an "Ear to Hear," "Someone to Brainstorm With" or "Toss My Ideas Off Of," my Mother was my go to person. My Mother always told me that "Man Plans, But GOD Decides." As usual, she was right again, because I wasn't planning on the events that culminated into what became the "Celebration of Her Life."

My "Cheat Sheet" always provided me with the answers that I needed, the advice that I sought and the confidence that was required to navigate through the rough terrain that we commonly refer to as life. My "Cheat Sheet" had all of what I needed in the earthly realm to effectively make it happen. My "Cheat Sheet" was always one phone call away. My "Cheat Sheet" provided me with a lifetime of information, advice, love and memories. Yes, I have truly been Blessed to have had my "Cheat Sheet" in the wonderfully beautiful form of "My Mother."

For all that know me, have listened to my music and read my blogs, know that beyond a shadow of doubt, void of ANY ambiguity and with every ounce of my being, I LOVE My Mother. I CHERISH My Mother. I ADORE My Mother. My Mother has been my "Rock of Gibraltar," my spiritual guidance and the reason I refuse to let the grass grow under my feet.

The rest of my life will serve as a platform for everything that my Mother stood for, believed in, achieved and accomplished. Oft times we try to live vicariously because we desire what we THINK others have. I choose to breathe life in the form of my Mother's Legacy through me and everything I do from this day forth. I had the distinct pleasure of sharing my blogs with my mother and witnessing her joy in knowing that I have always carried her words near and dear to my heart. You see, when my Mother was talking, I was always listening. And for her to know that I was indeed paying attention validated everything that she taught me along her journey's path.

I can no longer call UP my "Cheat Sheet" when I need that comforting voice, but rest assured that I can always call ON my "Cheat Sheet" for the rest of my life.

Whatever test or exam that life throws my way, I am confident that my "Cheat Sheet" already contains the answers and will safely navigate me through.

My Mother is the Inspiration!
My Mother is the Motivation!
My Mother is the Celebration!

All the Best, All the Time!
Corey