Exceedingly Abundant Blessings

The bible verse that reads God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above more than we can think or ask is really hitting close to home. Excuse me if I have jumbled up that verse. Let's just say it can be found in the book of St. Sherri until I can get to the accurate wording from the real thing.

It's a funny thing when you think you want something so bad and then that something is seemlingly snatched from you. When I left my mother's house 2 years ago this month, I vowed that would never return. I was going south to follow my dream of starting an eyelash business because there was a huge market for individual eyelash applications down south. In other words, this city girl was going south to get some of that country money.

There was only one problem. I hadn't consulted with God first. Everyone knows the story but this is a part that I find that I leave out more often than not. I didn't ask God whether or not this was His plan for me. I didn't ask God if this is where He could maximize my talents for his glory. I didn't do any of that. I got some business cards made, found an apartment and made sure that I could do eyelashes out of my stylist's salon. Once those three things were affirmed, we were on our way!

God is a funny God in that even when you are so out of His will, He will still keep His mighty hand on you. I got down south and was in paradise. Everybody knew the "Eyelash Girl" had landed from up "nawf". I was doing my own thing, making my own hours, socializing, just living "my" dream. Yep, it was mine alright. God was no where in that thang. Yet and still, He protected me. I didn't make a lot of money to where I had a bustling savings account but I had enough to get my sushi every week. See, I'm the fat kid that's after meals. I leave the shopping to the other girls. No shoe or purse fetishes here. My fetishes are allll edible and a have a nutrition guide on the side of the box.

Well, we all know what happened while I was down south. It has been well documented on this blog, with a youtube vid, a walk and in conversation. It's no secret that I left my southern comfortable surroundings fighting and screaming. That was a sad day....

This month marks a full year that I have been back the city in which I vowed that I would never return. I didn't want to come back to what I deemed to be the Titanic. I had no intentions on driving along roads where the potholes could swallow up a small child. Unwillingly, I came back and before my own eyes became a rose that grew from concrete.

I had to go through a lot to get where I am. It wasn't a picnic but the Lord said that He would be with me where ever I made my bed. Whether it be a hospital bed or a crack house (no I have never done drugs, I'm just sayin), God was with me. That alone got me through the tough times. I had the faith that God was with me through every ache, pain and chemo treatment that I encountered. I refused to have a spirit of FEAR (False Evidence Appearing Real) and besides it's written that we don't have a spirit of fear but a spirit of power, love and a sound mind. See there, told you. God has us covered.

What God has for you, is for you. The devil in hell can't tear from your hands what God has promised you, what He has ordered for you. What He has for you isn't going to come easy, no ma'am, but when you grasp on to what He has for you, you are going to wonder how you lived without it in the first place. I am a witness.

As a witness, I had to retreat for my rebirth. There is nothing wrong with retreating to collect yourself. Most times, it's when God gets you all alone that He is speaking to you. In silence. I couldn't hear God as I doing the Roger Rabbit and doing the robot at the juke joint. I couldn't hear God while I was gluing eyelashes to ladies faces. While I did a marvelous job-clients' words, not mine-God said that is not what I commissioned this hard headed girl to do.

So a year later, I can sit here and tell you that God got his way. I was thrust in a situation not where I was able to Grow, Go and Glow. Since nothing that comes from Him is harmful, I could only stand on his word and believe everything from Genesis to Revelations.

As I lay in bed, body wracking with pain, I was actually GROWing. As my hair fell out, I was growing. With every pound that I lost, I was growing. God was talking to me, closer than a brother, easing my fears and letting me know that everything was going to be alright. Mama Jones brought me books and I would read them, increasing my faith. My Godmother would come sit with me further letting me know that this too shall pass. Phone calls, get well soon cards poured in from every end of the earth. Pastor Lewis once said that when the adversary messes with a child of God, he will have the entire kingdom of heaven on his butt (edited version).

I got stronger, wiser, so much better and felt it was time to GO. I had a good story and I needed to get it out to help somebody, isn't that right Summer? I drove almost a half hour from my home to buy a $5 Lupus Awareness shirt. Before I made the drive that day, I dropped off an application for a job downtown. While I was at the Lupus Allaince's office, not only did I come away with a cute t-shirt but also a rewarding career(read career not a job). A career in which I could use my journalism degree that I earned 8 years prior. A career that affected me directly being that I'm working with the Lupus Alliance. Remember when God said don't touch His children's annointing? He meant that.

Finally, when something is from God, it makes you GLOW. I am just so freaking happy right now, I can cuss but don't worry, I won't. I have a glow not just because my situation has turned out wonderfully and better than I could ever think or imagined, but because I know who has my back. God has you!! No matter what the circumstances are, He has your best interest at heart. You have to get in the spirit and let the Lord minister to you.

In my quiet time, I sit and smile thinking this time last year, my little cousin was carrying me to the toilet. It was always a crap shoot whether or not my legs were working a particular day. Then flash forward a year later-with a lot of prayers of gratitude and introspection- and I am sitting in my Congresswoman's face on Capital Hill in D.C. asking for 35 billion dollars for lupus research. Never tell God how big your mountain is but tell your mountain....

I wish you many days of glowing and mountain moving! You can do it. God is just waiting for you to make yourself available and He will orchestrate the rest.

Now for the accurate wording of that scripture that St. Sherri attempted:

Ephesians 3:20 (New International Version)
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

Ephesians 3:20 (King James Version)
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Ephesians 3:20 (St. Sherri's Ebonics Version)
Bless your heart, you think that you have it all figured out but-in my Fred Sanford voice-'you big dummy'. Consult with your heavenly father and watch Him exceedingly, abundantly blow your mind.

I can't wait to hear the Praise Reports.

I Want to Thank You

My life went from 0 to 60 in what seems like overnight. I feel like I am behind on everything from reading, to cleaning to the 220 emails beckoning for my attention. This whirlwind that has become my life has also left me in limbo from telling my girlfriends that I love me and how important they are to me.

I had been meaning to buy cards and mail them but being that I don't keep with up with addresses, mailing cards would be another chore in itself. It is common knowledge that I am not particularly fond of the telephone and I really didn't want call all of those yahoos anyway. So I figured most of my friends read my blog and they would see their thank you electronically. To all of my friends that I have had since I was knee high to a grass hopper to the ones that have rallied around me within the past year, YOU ARE THE BEST and I mean it from the bottom of my heart.

I know some of you all, ahem April, consider yourself "thugs" and don't do well in the 'expressing your feelings' section but I love you and I refuse to take it back.

In my line of work as well of my everyday life, I come across many folks who have been betrayed by friends or whose friends have flat out deserted them. I can say wholeheartedly that that's not my story. All criticism directed towards me has always been constructive and has always come from a loving place (or I have been bamboozled to believe.)

It has always been said and I have always believed that to have a friend is to be one. Since I don't have any siblings, I've always kept my friends close to me. The ironic thing is that most of my friends are either only children themselves or the oldest child. That dispels the rumor that strong-minded women can't get along. We get along and we get whatever needs to get done, we get her done. We are the A-Team.

My longest friendship, which I think is common knowledge by now, has been with Cherish (last name with held in case she's on the lam). She says that we met when I offered her some of my birthday cake in kindergarten. She must really had the IT factor 'cause I don't share my cake with nobody. No ma'am. For those of you that are counting, that's over 25 years ago and she's been my girl. (Take that Oprah and Gail!) We have never fought about anything, agree to disagree often and our fashion tastes are like night and day. The ties that bind us are our strong wills, humor, desire to succeed and delighting in most things edible. We learned all these traits as Girl Scouts. Her mom was our troop leader. Brownies around the world, stand up![[EMOTICON:SMILEY1]]

So I just want to thank those who have nurtured me. Since my heart is so much larger than my hands, I hate to name names because I am bound to forget someone. However, whenever life seems a little rough, always know that you are the foundation that keeps Sherri Blaise together.

Whether it was a laugh (Sydni and the finger puppets)or a song (April and the Alicia Myers songs gone all wrong) there was always someone to deliver. Rosie (one of the best BFF's in the world. Whatever I needed, you made it happen), Ebony (your silent strength is the business. You have taken care of me forever. I still remember that mac and cheese you cooked for me when we were 12. Your mom is in heaven smiling, girl. You are an amazing woman), Q, (a lil pocket padding goes a long way, thanks), Ber (no one can stay down long with you and those one liners), Jean (thank you for letting me cry and reminding me of my power. You have a supernatural calling on your life, my dear. Me and your mama talked about it. That's right. I called yo mama!), Theda (giving me all those sweets that I didn't need and trying to counteract it with apples. I was constipated for days), Summer (you always say I encourage you but I dig your sunny outlook on the regular. You're a boss), Kelly (I know you can get a prayer through) Mai and Meg (did we exhale ladies or did we exhale? And look at us now...so much better) Corin and Kim (your thoughtful texts don't go unnoticed), Shana, Brynna, Mama Jones (the visits were nothing short of hilarity and encouraging) and I can't forget mt Florida crew, KP, Yetta, Dia, Nicole, Miriam, Nay Nay-I would be literally dead without you gals.

To say that I am blessed is an understatment. To all the women I forgot to mention, remember blame my head not me heart. Be blessed...


A friend knows the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails. ~Donna Roberts

In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit. ~Albert Schweitzer

Soul-mates are people who bring out the best in you. They are not perfect but are always perfect for you. ~Author Unknown

The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart. ~Elisabeth Foley

The most I can do for my friend is simply be his friend. ~Henry David Thoreau