That was me apologizing to my husband today. It was a song playing on the radio as I drove to work that was my reality check:

“Grateful I had all the patience
I know you going through some changes…
Ooh, no, we ain’t perfect, but we damn close” – Dangerous by Meek Mill

I’m back to being Nikki So Patient! I told hubs that whatever we go through, we’re going to go through it together, by the grace of God. And let me tell ya, this patience thing is working for me! My daughter, Julie got her admissions letter to the same top university in New York as her sister, Ember, with a scholarship of $116,000, baby! That’s how we do, boo!!! God asks us sometimes to carry some difficult crosses for Him, but anything done for God is abundantly rewarded. He doesn’t disappoint when we stick with Him!

God teaches me these values in my appointments with Him: faithfulness, endurance, loyalty, going the extra mile in love, mercy, forgiveness, goodness, self-control, discipline, patience, peace, joy, and gentleness. This is how He guides us on the path to the best life with Him. Not that we get it right all the time, but we keep at it, practicing to always stay on the high road with God. Super hard at times, but also super worth it.

“Go easy on me,” Julie asked me one day. I could be a bit too rough sometimes, and God has been nudging me to be a little gentler in my interactions with others. Super tough when the crazy lady wants to make an appearance, but listening and being obedient to God is where I want us all in the 1,000 decisions we make every day. God’s guidance is the best! This means slowing down and listening to Him before doing anything. That’s called being wise. Wink! Wink!

And speaking of being wise, I have to thank my sister-in-law, Aima, for all the thoughtful advice she has given me lately about being a more intelligent woman. She has encouraged me to up my game with our businesses and work on staying focused on critical areas of my life, like being the best mom to my kids, who are counting on me to be my best self for them and forget about all the silly stuff. My eyes are back on the prize! God help us all to be the FOCUSED people He would have us to be! Amen!