“It’s MY Day and It’s MY Blog”
Today is my 45th Birthday…God has been SO good to me. There were times where I did not think that I would make it to see 40, let alone 45. But here I am! I have come this far by faith. I figured since this is my day then this blog can be about me.
I was raised in a single parent home with my mother. We grew up in meager conditions, but my mom never made me feel as though we were. Where we were and what we had was normal to me because I didn’t know what the other side looked like. I was raised to be respectful, analytical, obedient and compassionate. I have always cared about others and their feelings even if it meant sacrificing my own happiness. My mom raised me to become somebody and not allow your environment to dictate your future.
After living on 12th street in Waco until the 5th grade we had to move to East Waco in the Trendwood Apartments. I didn’t want to move but that is life. You make the best out of what you have been given. East Waco made me to be tough and to be a man. I had to curb my proper dialect, pick up some ebonics and put some hair on my chest. If I didn’t, I would have been swallowed up by the environment. I made a lot of friends there and I learned so much from that experience. After that we moved to North Waco and I finished my high school years on the North Side.
My grandmother was instrumental in my upbringing and I miss her dearly. She understood me and she gave me the affirmation and affection that I needed. She spoiled me. Rightfully so, because I deserved to be spoiled. I still miss her teacakes and sheath cake to this day.
After college I moved to Austin and I learned so many life lessons. Life was very bullish, and it knocked me down several times during the round. I learned during this time on how to trust in God FULLY! Nothing else! Everything that I depended on other than God was taken away. God was preparing me for my current assignment. I did not want to preach, nor did I think I was good enough to preach. I still laugh at God at where He has me in this assignment. This journey that I am on is one that was not foreseen nor was it planned. I am relying on God’s provision, direction and anointing daily.
If I could sum up my life in these last 45 years I would say that God has brought me, kept me, whooped me, held me, comforted me, scolded me, trained me, used me, moved me, grew me, pushed me, guided me, watched me, protected me, loved me, cleaned me, saved me, trusted me, confused me and most of all provided for me!
I can’t tell you the many times that God has come to my rescue when I have messed things up! I marvel at the number of times He has forgiven my faults. People think I am crazy when I tell them that I don’t have a problem forgiving people because when I try to count the number of times He has forgiven me…I am well past 70 times 7.
I sometimes think back and wonder if I made this decision where would I be? If I didn’t make that decision where would I be. The conclusion I have come up with every time is that God has ME right where I need to be. Thank you, God, for my 45 years. It is hard to conceive that if He allows me another 45 years…how tired I will be!
Michael O. Oyedokun II