Don't Mess with TEXAS!!!

Hello Beautiful Ladies,

I know, I know, I know it's been forever since you all have heard from me but honestly I haven't had much inspiration or anything to write about.  But now I'm back with a few stories to share with you all.  You may want to grab you a cold drink and some popcorn for this one.  Lol

On July 3rd a whole year ago I moved to Dallas, TX in the pursuit of finishing something I started back in 2004 which was going back to Mortuary School.  Now quite a few of you all know I have no problem with uprooting my life and moving so before I left Arkansas to come here I had done all my research on an apartment, a funeral home job, amongst other things.  First things first, when I touched down here in Dallas I went to check out the apartment I found online that I had paid money for and signed my lease on.  Upon my arrival there I noticed this place looked nothing like what it did from the pictures and the advertisement said newly renovated but the only thing renovated was the office.  My mom and I went to see the apartment and were highly, highly disappointed in everything about it.  It was so run down, tired and old looking.  We had to wait until the next business day for the apartment manager to come in so we could get out of the lease.  They opened at 10am but no one was there yet.  I was like OMG, REALLY so it was well after 10 before anyone showed up.  When they finally did my mom and I spoke with the manager who basically told me that I was responsible for paying $1500 to get out of it.  I hadn't put a piece of furniture or anything at all in that place.  I was so distraught about that because I deemed it very unfair. My first 2 days were spent in complete disappointment and almost made me head back home but I knew I was on a mission so giving up was not an option.  Long story short on that my Dad ended up paying the money due to him being the  cosigner to get me out of it so it was back to square one for me.  School was starting on Monday the 6th and I was hotel living.  The 1st few days my mom stayed here with me and really didn't want to go home until I found somewhere to live or she was going to worry herself about me.  School had started and I was riding around with my car packed tight with my belongings.  I was kind of embarrassed because it looked as if I was living in my car.  Before my mom left we found another apartment but I wasn't completely sold on it.  I basically had to tell my mom she had to go home because I needed my alone time to pray and ask God what my next move would be.  My dad and brother came down that weekend to put all my furniture in storage and then my mom went back with them.  And I went and lived at another hotel for a week that wasn't nearly as nice as the one my mom and I stayed in.  It was kind of scary and a lot of truckers were in and out of there.  Being a woman and by myself I was always fearful coming and going.  It was during that week that I was able to communicate with God and listen for the instructions I needed to make my next move.   I remembered before leaving home my prophetic friend told me to get ready because I would be living in a big house that would have 2 big trees in the front yard.  When he spoke these words I thought quite surely this was the wrong prophecy cause I could barely afford an apartment let alone a house so in the midst of this unbelief God revealed to me who I needed to call and where I needed to go.  I made a call to a friend of mine and asked her if she would ask her relative if she had a space in her home for me.  She called me back and said yes she does and that her relative didn't know why I hadn't asked her previously when we were in contact about her helping me find an apartment prior to my move.  I spoke with the young lady and she informed me that she had a spare bedroom that I could use as long as I needed.  I was so grateful and at ease then.  She gave me her address and low and behold when I pulled up her home was everything my prophetic friend had described.  All I could do was cry because it was exactly how he said it would be.  I had moved into her home on July 9th and it seemed to be a great fit until after a few months or so things began to change.  You know whenever God wants to do a new thing in your life he never makes it comfortable or easy for you.  By this time I  had started work at the funeral home which starting there was very trying and a bit intimidating as I had people that had already talked about me before I got there.  I was like how is this even possible when no one knows me.  I felt disliked before I got in the door good.  Now don't get me wrong there were many that embraced me but some of the men were like vultures seeing me as new prey.  School was in session and it was so challenging for me being there.  For some reason I couldn't keep focused and I just wasn't doing good at all.  Maybe it was from all the pressure I felt starting back.  How I learned that my financial aid wasn't covering all my studies and that I was to pay at least $500 a quarter.  Now even though I was at the funeral home I was told that my work there was on an as needed basis.  I had to tell the manager that that wasn't going to work as I had bills to pay and when I interviewed I was told it would be full-time.  Life at that point was becoming more and more overwhelming that my anxiety was high and the migraines were present.  So on August 17th I had to make the decision to quit school because the quarter was about to end and I had no money to pay for it.  I ended up calling Kelly Services about a full time job and they informed me that they had one I could start on the next day.  Unfortunately I was on the schedule at the funeral home to work from 2-10 but I then had to go in and explain to my boss what was going on in my life at that point and that I would need to adjust my schedule to come in after I got off from the new day job.  Keep in mind the work schedule was always changing from day to day so I didn't think it would be much of a problem to work out.  You could tell she was upset and pretty much had enough of me and honestly really didn't care for me from the get go so from that day forward I was no longer placed on the schedule.  So not only was I no longer in school but I was no longer employed at the funeral home which was somewhere I wanted to be so that I could continue to learn and eventually go back to school.  I guess that was God's way then of telling me that wasn't exactly what was in store for me in that season so I had to learn that whatever state I was in to always be content. 

Now the home front became trying after a while too.  I had spoke with my roommate and informed her that unfortunately the $600 she was wanting a month was not something I could do as I was not working as much and was in school at that time.  And even though my Dad initially offered to put $200 in my account every month so that I could pay her something he then decided that he no longer wanted to uphold what he said he was going to do.  I thought at least if he would give me that that I could come up with the $400 so this put me in a complete bind.  When I told her about all that had taken place and unfolded her words to me were "don't worry about it, I just want you to get on your feet".  But I told her that since I couldn't  pay the initial amount that I could pay the utilities and give her any extra that I had to help with whatever else.  She was cool with that so at first it seemed like a great plan going forward.  Now this is where things started to change.  I paid my first water bill which was 100 something and I was like ok that's cool seeing that this is a big house and its not just her and I because she also has kids.  That was an understandable amount to pay.  But the next month came and she informed me that the water bill was now $390.  I was totally baffled and thrown completely off by that number cause all I could think was how was it 100 something last month and now 300 something this month.  I went into a panic because I knew I didn't have that much to pay for a water bill.  But the Lord provided and I ended up coming up with the money.  She started to completely change on me to the point that I would receive text about the living arrangement not working anymore and that I needed to come up with another plan on paying or doing more to help out.  I was giving her money every time I got paid or had extra even if it wasn't nothing but $100.  By this time I dreaded coming home and most nights I would pull up to the house and sit out in my car for hours on end until I knew they were all asleep before I went in.  I would leave at 630am and not return until after midnight just so I didn't have to feel the constant pressure of no longer being wanted.  During these times I was out looking for an apartment of my own but it was so hard trying to get anything because my credit was jacked due to my old apartment I had in California being on my credit.  By this time I had started another job and one day while I was at work I was online searching apartments and I ran up on one that I had to call about.  I spoke with the young lady in the office and I informed her of everything on my credit to make her aware but also made it known that I had lived in my previous apartment back home for nearly 2 1/2 years with no problems.  She told me once I got off work to swing by so I can view the apartment they had.  So of course I did just that and when I got there she and the manager were very warm and nice to me and I just felt like it was home already.  I viewed the apartment and completely fell in love with it and had to have it.  I told the young lady how I felt and if she had a chance to tell her boss my situation per our phone conversation and she hadn't but was like lets go tell her now.  I was a little apprehensive then because I didn't want to hear the usual no that I had been getting from everywhere I had gone.  We made it back to the office and I stood there with her and her boss as she told her everything that could possibly come up on my credit and my history at my last residence.  Her boss then looked at me and said "do you like the apartment Honey?"  I said "yes mam, I really do."  She then said "well let her have it, she can have it!!!"  I rejoiced and almost cried right there because of Gods favor and them having no idea what I was dealing with in my current living arrangement.  I hugged them and told them thank you and left there knowing that I was about to be moving out very very soon.  Within that time something else had transpired on the home front and I was to pay something else and was planning to give my roommate extra that I had.  But I remember it like it was yesterday it was a Sunday morning and I had gone in her room to take this money to her and she gave me this look and replied "you was mad yesterday weren't you" and laughed at me. I replied "yeah I was but its ok.  Here's your money and I want to let you know that I will be moving out at the beginning of November."  Her smile quickly changed and I left out feeling much relief because I knew it was about to be over.  I went on through my week and on October 29th I came into the house late as usual and noticed there was a lease agreement typed up for me placed in the spot where I usually left my purse.  I read that paper and was soooooo hurt.  This young lady told me that before I left her home I owed her $1515 for my time there in her home.  She went back from when I moved there up to that current time.  Usually I would go into a panic but it was like the Lord was keeping me calm.  I knew I didn't have that money at all but there was a peace that just came over me.  The next day I called my mom and told her about what she did and of course my mom was beyond livid about this but one thing about my mom she always comes up with a plan and makes things happen for me.  I went through my day and later she called and said "I have that money for you and it will be deposited in your account tomorrow the only stipulation is you must pay it back when you do your taxes."  I was like "ok."  So long story short on that what the devil truly meant for bad God had already worked it out for my good.  I went and got my cashier's check and bought a card for her and put a nice little message in it and thanked her none the less for letting me stay at her home.  I will not go into details to much but the next day after that incident happened something happened with the lights and they were turned off for at least 3 days and I was inconvenienced with no call, text nothing to let me know what was going on.  I ended up meeting her at the house and handed her the card and then proceeded to find somewhere to go stay until the lights came back on.  She saw me the next day and said after reading the card that "I didn't expect you to give me the whole thing but are you ok, though?" In all honestly I wanted to say "why" "you haven't been caring so GIRL BYE" but I politely said "yes I'm good."  So there ended up being a bit of a delay with my apartment so instead of moving on the 1st I had to wait until the 3rd to actually move.  On that night I packed everything up called on a few homeboys to help me and I got on down all while her and her family were away from the house. Once I left her home I called her on my way to my new home and told her I was gone and I was so thankful that that chapter was finally closed.  Thank you Jesus!!!

All though the first few months of my transition here to Texas was crucial God always showed himself mightily in my life.  I realized that if I stayed in faith and trusted in him he would always provide and give me the desires of my heart.  With anything you face in life its all about a testing of your faith and trust in God.  Do you trust God enough to uproot yourself from what's comfortable to embark into new territory of the unknown all in the sake of believing he will carry you through for your purpose and his purpose for your life.  All I can say now that with all of that and where I am now in my life those trials and test were completely worth it and as I have said before I take nothing for my journey!!!  Until next time say it with me Worth It, I Am!!!