Saturday, June 15, 2013

father's day


My Biological Father, Steve

so i was born on december 3, 1982 in homestead, florida to malia and steve morgan.  most of my close friends and of course my family know that my biological father was quite large (i believe around 6 foot 5 inches and rarely wore a shirt, but this was my biological father and who God chose to bring me into this world, and for that i will always be thankful.  without him, let's face it, there would be no kelsey rae in this world.  i am pretty inquisitive, and honestly always want to know more about my childhood, so i always ask my mother things, and she has always been very honest with me, and for that i am very grateful.  i am not going to share her story, that is hers to tell, but i am a huge part of her story, so what i will say is that at 27 years old, my mother did not plan on having children, but God had other plans.  she was living a life for her and doing things that she needed to stop.  she found out she was pregnant with ME and it completely changed her life!  i don't say this in a bragging manner, but i know that God had a plan for me, and that is why Psalm 139:13-14 means so much to me.  to someone who has a mother who never wanted to have children, but whose mom's life was changed for the better once she found out she was pregnant with her... i know that was all because God had a plan.  okay, back to the point of this post... (clearly, i get side tracked easily).  i do need to say one thing, even though this post is about to fathers, i have the most incredible mother, and i should have done a post about her on mother's day, next year or another day, mom!!!

when i was seven years old, my biological father passed away.  i do not have a lot of memories of him.  i have some, but not a lot.  i think at seven one is still innocent enough to not know all that goes on.  i've struggled with not knowing a lot about him.  the point of this post is not to speak negatively about him, as i have no idea how differently things would have turned out if he had lived.  one thing i always struggled with is that people would say my sister looks just like my mom and i looked like my biological father, but no one ever met him or saw him.  also, i didn't know what characteristics i got from him, and i always wanted to know... so recently i asked my mother.  she told me so many things and that was so helpful...she said he was great in math (hello, it was always my best subject), she said that he never met a stranger and could talk someone's ear off (haha, i know all of my friends are like, that is where it comes from).  you see, while i love my mother dearly, she does not talk like i do - many times when i call her on the phone at night, i often wonder if she puts the phone down and wishes i would stop telling her a story, so she can get back to her soaps or shows, that DVR box blows smoke.  this is a part of my story, luckily it hasn't affected me to much, because God provided, continue reading...


also when i was seven, my mother got re-married (she divorced my biological father when i was six) to my "step-dad," but in my eyes, he is my dad in every sense of the word.  this is what the post is all about.  i wanted to write a post about how thankful i am for my dad who has raised me since i was seven.  when they got married, i was a brat and i know it.  i would pitch an all out fit, kicking and screaming in the floor (like a toddler) - i was completely spoiled (first child and grandchild, here) if i didn't get my way, and he quickly put me in my place (THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT).    he taught me how to clean and pick up after myself, hello, my place is obessesively clean now, i may be more clean than they are now, oh yeah!  he taught me how to be appreciative for what you have and to work hard.  my dad has a story that one could never imagine, but he doesn't let it define him, he focuses on all the blessings in his life everyday and what a great example to all of his children.  more than anything though, he has been there for me, he has loved me, and been my biggest cheerleader.  i am a pretty determined person, i dream big, and HE never discouraged me, always encouraged me to keep going.  in recent years, i have had to call on them more for help with things that this single girl cannot do by herself, while i know he is getting older, he never complains! (he may just pray for that husband of mine a little more that day, ha!)  so, this weekend, on my dad's 60th birthday and on father's day, i just wanted to let him know how much i love him and how much i appreciate him:)

cannot wait to celebrate YOU!!!

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

thankful

so today's post is really quite simple, i have found myself being quite negative or ungrateful lately, so i am simply going to post about things i am so very thankful for.  the truth is, God has blessed me in so many ways and i need to focus on those, not on things that people may say that hurt my feelings, things i don't have, or what he hasn't blessed me with... what kind of life is that.  so, onto the point of this post.  i am so THANKFUL, GRATEFUL, and BLESSED for...

* prayerful friends
* a walk with a friend last night
* quick fit at the gym last night
* country concerts this summer
* good night's sleep on sunday (9 hours)
* five hours at the pool on saturday and catching up with friends (em, jess, and jillian)
* my haiti trip is in two weeks, woohoo
* my church
* my small group girls
* exercise in general, such a stress reliever
* my refrigerator is working after 32 days, woohoo
* my family
* grace

it really helps change your focus and perspective if you just start the day reminding yourself of all the things that you are thankful for.