Music Mondays: The Foreign Exchange - So What If It Is

"Don't you worry bout the pain of yesterday, just remember to live. Don't be afraid it's not the end of your world but so, so what if it is" ~Phonte

Riding the train on a long commute home from my former job in DC I checked my twitter timeline. Phonte Coleman posted that there would be a new song by Foreign Exchange coming out that day. Being a long time fan I went directly to his twitter page to get the link. As I heard the song first of all, the music during the intro gives me the most amazing feeling. I could stay in that space forever, listening to the intro over and over. Once getting to the lyrics I was blessed by the simple words “It’s not the end of your world…so what if it is”. Going home emotionally drained and wondering if I should quit my job, I felt like it was the end of the world. And it was the end of my world, at least that part of it. What I learned in that moment was so what if everything comes crashing down; your life gets turned upside down. It is heartbreaking, but if you’re blessed to see another day it will get better so remember to live! It’s not the setbacks that define us, but how we recover is what does. I have below the lyrics that helped free me from the prison of my plan and releasing my life to God allowing a new journey to take place. What must come to an end in your life? What is God asking you to free yourself of? While you reflect on that, enjoy the music below. With pleasure here is the new single on the upcoming Foreign Exchange remix album titled “The Reworks “, “So What If It Is”.

Lyrics by Phonte Coleman
Everybody's got their song and dance about
What it means to struggle and to go without
No one thinks that they're part of the problem yes it's true
It's true

People running scared amidst these changing times
Recession, depression, unemployment lines
Everybody needs a little healing yes they do
They do

Now's the time to raise your voice and lift your hands
Show your love to every woman every man
Nobody believes things will get better but I do
I do

Don't you worry bout the pain of yesterday
Just remember to live
Don't be afraid it's not the end of your world but so
So what if it is

Everybody's searching trying to find a way
Reaching through the darkness for a brighter day
Looking for the sunshine in a sky that smiles so blue
So blue

Now's the time to raise your voice and lift your hands
Show your love to every woman every man
Nobody believes things will get better but I do
I do

Winter

According to reports the groundhog “Punxsutawney Phil” has seen his shadow and there will be an early spring. I admit I was excited to hear the news. Usually I am all for experiencing the fullness of each season. Over time I learned that each season teaches an important lesson in our lives. Summer brings fun in the sun, trips to the beach with your girls, family vacations, trip to Vegas with the boys, and opportunity to fly out the country and see the world. Fall brings reflection, the perfect 70 degree weather with the right touch of cool breeze. Fall is also a time to plant seeds and to be grateful for all that has come into your life. Spring is the season to reap the harvest of what has been sown. The hard work, sacrifice, and discipline you sown in your life will begin to bloom as blessings and opportunities. Yes, the spring season is a blessed time indeed. So what do we gain from the winter season? This is what spirit leads me to believe.

What winter calls for you to do is take a break from it all. The cold night air is telling us to go inside, relax for a while. Snuggle up on the couch alone and watch T.V. or read a good book. When was the last time you logged off your favorite social website and picked up a phone to call your cousin that lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan? What winter comes to teach us is to be still. Being busy does not equal being productive! Spend time in solitude and do the things that bring you joy such as listening to music, working on a scrap book, sewing, repairing something in your home, taking the time to meditate for at least five minutes. This world will throw you off your center! Waking up at 5am and getting home at 7pm, making sure your child gets to soccer practice, attending every party invite, being involved in 12 activities in church, I can go on and on! The Bible says there is nothing more precious than time. What you do with your time says what you value most. This is why winter is so special!

Since I resigned from my job last week I now look at how I spend each moment of my life. I value my time and what I do with it. My new job took so much of my time and energy I had nothing left for myself. I would take home lesson plans to work on, and enter observation notes into the computer every week. From the time I walked in the school building at 8 am I would run around making sure the class was set up and materials were in place. Then when the children went home I would start preparing for the next day, running around again. My goal was to have my weekend free of work and that lasted for about one week. I sat down to make a plan where I worked smarter not harder and I was criticized by management for not taking work home. The thing I reflect on is I asked God for that job! See, I thought being constantly challenged, being pushed to your limits, and making a high salary meant I was successful. I reasoned with myself saying much is given, much is required. When I would wake up to go to work I felt like throwing up, having anxiety attacks. This happened off and on for weeks. Then it started happening at work and I knew it was time to go! What the winter has taught me is I need peace and comfort. Stop pushing myself and be still. And from this moment forward that is what I will do!

We are all different. Being pushed to your limits may empower you, while for me, I shut down. Being still and listening to spirit is how we learn who we are. This is tough because some folks don’t want to hear the truth. Some folks have a difficult time dealing with self. Don’t be hard on yourself. Discovering our personal truth is where our healing lies. The truth, as painful as it can be is a loving reminder that we must have the courage to work on parts of ourselves that no longer serve us. Do not let these last few weeks of winter to be in vain. As parts of the U.S are hit with snow and others deal with frigid cold, take refuge inside. Take minutes or up to an hour out of the day just for you. Have a day you read with your child or let them pick an activity for you to do together. What you start now will be a lifelong habit of love, commitment to self and creating space for a loving partner! So before that early spring day, take the time to show gratitude for self and reflect on what winter has come to teach us all.

Music Mondays: Smokie Norful - I understand

We all have dark days, sometimes more dark days then light. Trying to make since out of the confusion in my life currently, I woke up Friday morning and "I Understand" by Smokie Norful came to me in my spirit. I instantly started singing the lyrics and began to feel healing in my soul. I have the lyrics and the song below. Please brothers and sisters know that you do not suffer alone. God sees all and HE does understand. Yes, it’s tough and I have gone from angry, to sad, to being at peace, to angry again. You do not suffer alone; I am going through it too. How do I seek comfort? Praise God through my confusion, hurt and pain. Be still and listen. And when I don't hear God's voice, I trust HIS plan. What an awesome testimony you will share when it is all over. Be blessed you all and I Love you!

Sometimes I feel like giving up
It seems like my best, just ain't good enough
Lord if you hear me, I am calling you
Do you see, do you care
All about what I'm goin' through

And then HE said, one more day
One more step, See I'm preparing you, for myself
And when you can't hear my voice, please trust my plan
I am the Lord, I see, and yes, I understand

But sometimes I feel like I'm all alone
I'm just like a stranger so far from home
I feel like I've done all that I can do
Please Lord, give me strength, I'm just tryin' to make it through
That's when HE told me

One more step, yeah
Oh my child, I'm preparing you, for myself
And when you can't hear my voice
Please just trust my plan
I am the Lord, I see you, and yes, I understand

HE knows just how much we can bare
And in the time of trouble HE promised
HE would always be there
Oh, I understand
The Lord is telling you, yes I understand
I am the Lord, I see you, and yes, I understand

This is what HE says
I am the Lord I changeth not
I won't forget nor have I forgot
You see everything works according to my plan
I am God, trust me, I got the whole world in my hands

Oh, one more day, yea (One more step)
I'm preparing you, all for myself
I'm getting you ready
(And if you can't hear my voice)
If you can't hear me speaking
Oh, just trust my plan

Yea, I am the Lord, I love you, I see you
And I understand, oh
I am the Lord, I see what you going through
Every problem, every trial, every burden, and every situation
I understand, I won't leave you
Yea Yea Yea, I understand, understand, understand
Thank you Jesus