Author Archives: yeagerturner

Facebook Prayer

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MYTNatural

 Facebook Prayer

Many of us have this addiction to Facebook and we use it for various things.  If we’re are curious about someone, need a good laugh or are trying to catch someone in a lie – it can all be found on Facebook.

Recently, though, I was part of Facebook being used for something else.  A man.  His name is Anthony Payton.  He played football the years I cheered for the Louisville Fire.  He had an amazing voice and I remember singing to his CD whenever I needed entertainment in my car.  Awesome talent.  Great guy.  Funny personality.

Then there was a post on his Facebook page on August 22: “Anthony was in a serious motorcycle accident this afternoon. He broke both femurs so he has to have surgery tomorrow. They just put pins in to start traction. His arms are REALLY cut up! He’s in bad shape, but stable. He went through the windshield. We need many prayers!!! He’s a trooper! Thank you!!”

And the prayers started.  The next day we heard: “Anthony just got out of surgery and is in recovery. They said the surgery went well! PTL!! If all goes well, he may get one of the rods put in around Thursday. Thanks so much for all of your thoughts and prayers! We greatly appreciate them all!! Please keep ’em coming;-) ♥”

And the prayers kept coming, because the following day we read: “PLEASE pray for Anthony! After surgery last night, he had trouble coming out of the anesthesia. He hasn’t really been responsive. They moved him 2 ICU & put him on a vent 2 help him breathe easier. He is in CT right now 2 find out why he’s having trouble breathing & why he’s not really waking up. I am so scared & need prayers pouring in! I need my husband to be ok. Please pray for him 2 be strong!! I know that he still has such a huge purpose & need him here! Thank you so much!! Love you all!”

It just breaks your heart.  Person after person after person sent out their prayers asking AP to wake up.  Biblical versus were typed.  People posted their favorite songs he performed.  And then this Tuesday there was hope:

“I am cautiously excited about Anthony’s progress today!! He waved, gave thumbs up, and shook his head several times!! He has seemed much more alert! Praying he can continue to move in this wonderful direction!! We have cried with joy today and it’s a wonderful feeling! I’m SO ready to have my husband back!! Please keep the prayers coming!!! We are so thankful to have so many people keeping Anthony and our family in their thoughts and prayers!! It’s means the world to me! Love you all!”

And last night this: “Praise Jesus in the heavens above!!! Anthony Eugene Payton just came off the ventilator!!! Hallelujah!! Miracles are happenin’ ’round here!!! Please continue to send up prayers for his continued recovery! Thank you! Love you all!!”

I learned that Facebook is not the root of all evil and can sometimes be the presence of genuine prayer.  Anthony still has a long battle ahead but it’s great to see that improvements are being made.  Motorcycles – I don’t like them.  Motorcyles – we don’t need them.  Motorcycles – quit taking all of our Black men away.

Military Wife

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BluesRecept

Military Wife

Over the weekend I went to visit Milton for Spouses Weekend.  I assumed it would be the weekend we would learn to be a “good little military wife”.  I was excited to meet the other JAG wives and Milton’s classmates.

Usually when I tell people Milton is gone for several months, they feel sorry for him.  Sorry my behind, this brother man has it made.  I walk into his hotel room where he is staying (yes I said hotel room) and see the full size refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher and stove top. There’s a separate bedroom from the living room.  Milton lets me know that the housekeepers wash the dishes each day and make the bed.  He’s equally proud that there is a free hot breakfast downstairs each morning.

As exciting as this sounds, this is NOT good for a newlywed.  See, the House of Turner that will be waiting in Louisville upon his return will NOT have any of those luxuries.  So don’t get used to it buddy!  Maid Michelle is a thing of the past.  Split Up The Chores Wife is here to stay.  Luckily, he is going to Fort Benning, GA for six weeks right before he comes home and the living situation will be anything buy ideal.  I joke with Milton and call it his “deprogramming”.

Back to the weekend.  There was a Blues Reception where we met the new General.  They were given strict rules, women stand on a particular side, you say this but not that, when in the hall no talking/not even a cough, no gum, shake everyone’s hand but the first person and don’t leave the reception until the General leaves.

Once we got through the receiving line, it was much more laid back and everyone was pretty cool.  Military wives were pretty much told that we don’t belong to the Army so we can do whatever the heck we want.  Milton is doing his dream job and is loving every minute of it.  The 4:30am alarm for early morning PT, the legal training and cases they study, the free health care – he loves it all.  It’s great to hear him call me and excitedly say, “I can’t believe they pay me to do this!”  That’s when you know you’re in the right place.

As you re-evaluate your life, think about what type of job would make you say the same.  “I can’t believe they pay me to do this!” There’s no time like today to follow your passion and seek out a career that makes you excited to go to work.  Even if you can’t do it as a career, why not add whatever it is to a part of your life.  Happiness doesn’t always find you, sometimes you have to make it happen. As much as you like to live life for others, sometimes you have to live a little for yourself.  Sometimes the smallest joys are the best joys – now it’s time to create them!

A New School Year

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YeagerTcut
A New School Year

After no school on Monday or Tuesday due the the weekend’s thunderstorm, JCPS schools have finally started the school year.  It wasn’t until Monday night that I realized something very important.  This is the first year since 1998 that I have not been associated with JCPS.

From 1998-2003 I taught first grade at Hawthorne Elementary School.  It was such an amazing feeling to see the ‘light’ come on when kids realized they could read.  We created our own classroom community and I loved helping them reach their fullest potential.

From there I was at Cochran Elementary School as their Math Coach.  I tried to make learning math both fun and memorable for both the teachers and students.  We would do whole school aerobics in the gym every Friday and it was a blessing to be able to work with each classroom in the school.

 In 2005, I left teaching to be a UniServ Director at JCTA.  In that role, I served as the union rep for teachers as was often the person they called when times got tough.  In a nutshell, if there was a problem or something bad happened, I was called.  Although I enjoyed the flexibility of the job and the teachers and my colleagues, I hated what I did and really hated all of the politics and backstabbing associated with it.

Although I miss working with kids and making that direct influence in their lives, I’ve found my passion with helping people in fitness and meeting their weight loss goals.  Over the summer I did fitness with some youth groups and that was just the perfect combination! I’m hoping to do some fitness activities in some elementary schools this year.

As we enter a new school year, I want to once again share my favorite teaching memory.  The student’s name is Cortney and we were at our 1st grade awards ceremony.  Her mother passed away from cancer earlier that month and she was sad that she wasn’t at the ceremony.  The irony of the video is that it was taken the day before I found out that my own mother had ovarian cancer.  This video reminds me how fragile all of us are and the importance of being there for one another.

August 2011

Teacher Making A Difference
Teacher Making A Difference

Chop Then Chop

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TransitionHair

Chop Then Chop 

The best thing about going to visit my husband recently was that I didn’t teach Zumba.  Don’t get me wrong, I love teaching Zumba, but I was able to keep my hair in an actual hairstyle for more than 24 hours.  That’s right – the curls stayed curls and the roots stayed straight.  For five whole days I rocked my hair down.  Yeah baby!  And then Monday came as I returned home with 9:30am Zumba.  That night was Total Body Blast 5:30 + Zumba 6:10 + Zumba 7:10 = hair fail.  Back to Ponytail Nation I went.

Last week I recorded a video about transitioning from relaxed to natural hair.  One of the reasons I did this was to show my non-black friends/clients what was actually happening.  I showed the difference in texture and kept it nice and simple.  Click here or below to watch the video.

Natural vs Relaxed Hair (the difference in my hair)
Natural vs Relaxed Hair (the difference in my hair)

A couple of weeks ago I had twists and while they looked cute done, when I had to comb them out 1) it wasn’t fun and 2) my hair was everywhere.

HairOut

It’s time to let the natural hair do its thing.  So, next week I am doing my cut before the cut.  No, not the big chop, but more of a short bob cut.  The big chop will soon follow.

It’s time to let my natural hair have a chance at life and freedom.  My roots will soon be able to run free and I’ll be a part of Natural Nation.  I’ve heard your hair grows pretty fast once you make the transition so I hope my hair will be in the mood for the advance rapid hair growth speed. I may hate it, I hope I love it.  Time will tell soon.  Wish me luck!

August 2011

Fit Life

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M.Y. Words of the Week
YTurnerShake

   

Fit Life

Do I love fitness?  Yes.  Do I love to see people accomplish their health goals?  Yep.  Do I love helping get them there?  Of course!  As a fitness professional I love being able to offer Zumba and fitness services.  It’s a thrill to see people young, old and older keeping themselves fit.  With each person that brags about losing weight or inches, there are also people that aren’t or that are at a plateau.  That can get frustrating for both the individual and myself.

So what did I do?  I went out and looked for a product that might help people reach their weight loss and transformation goals.  The company is called ViSalus and they run a Body by Vi 90 Day Challenge based off of a meal replacement shake.  The shake mix tastes like cake mix and only has 90 calories, 1 gram fat, 1 gram sugar and 12 grams of protein.  One person here in Louisville has already lost 5 pounds and inches and is only halfway through her first month’s kit.

Another person wrote the following: “I just made a Vi shake with almond milk, 1/4 pkg sugar free instant butterscotch pudding powder, 6-8 ice cubes in my Bullet! It was over the top delish!!!!!!!!! Just sayin’ and sharing;-) perfect for dinner! I could have eaten it with a spoon or used a straw.”  There are over 100 simple recipes to meet your taste buds.

It’s been a great month to hear people talk about being able to lose weight with a product that tastes great.  Others have taken the Vi-Trim, a product that makes you feel full so that you don’t binge with your late night cravings.  Aside from losing weight, people are earning FREE products just for getting three other people to lose weight with them and annually ViSalus gives away $10,000,000 in cash/prizes for transformation stories through their Body by Vi 90 Day Challenge.

From a business standpoint, it’s been a great opportunity to offer my clients the other half of a complete healthy lifestyle.  Nutrition and fitness must go hand in hand for the best results.  Now I can do just that.  Nutrition is a struggle for many of us, and when you find something that works you stick to it and tell the world about it.

In 30 days, I earned the title Regional Director for ViSalus which means I get to promote the Body By Vi Challenge throughout the region in a black BMW.  I love people emailing and calling about reaching their transformation goals, finding wonderful people to help me promote the challenge and creating a healthier Louisville.

So, here’s my challenge to you – if you’re interested in joining our Louisville Body by Vi 90 Day Challenge, we are going to give away $500 to one person.  You must select a kit by Sunday, August 7 to be eligible.  It’s not the ‘Biggest Loser’ it’s about meeting your transformation goal – whatever it is.  Someone reaching their 15 pounds goals should be rewarded just as much as someone meeting their 50 pound goal.  If you strive to make it happen, it will.  CLICK HERE to join our Challenge or contact me if you’re interested in being a promoter.

August 2011

Good Men in the Making

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YTurnerSommore

   

Good Men in the Making

 

It started out as just a friendly conversation based off a simple question asked often in Louisville “Where’d you go to high school?”  My response was Waggener.  The other people around then stated their answer, but one person started with, “Well, um, well first I went to Valley and then was at Doss…”  You could tell that the story had more behind it.  The guy then went on to say that he stopped going to high school his sophomore year and never finished.

 

However, 17 years later he is now back trying to complete his GED.  He wants to better not only his life, but his kids’ lives too.  This entire conversation happened in the St. Stephen Family Life Center right by the cable cross over machine.  The three men in the conversation all had tattoos, some had gold teeth.  They talked about their stints in jail and how they now have a better perspective on life.

 

They went on to discuss how they used to be a “n!gg@” but now are men and the difference.  They used to run around and do things thinking only about themselves but now they put their family first.  But the conversation continued to improve.  They started quoting Bible verses that kept them motivated.  One mentioned be able to freely now show his sensitive side.

 

And I just sat there in awe.  Here were three men that on the outside could be intimidating to some people.  Three men that have done others wrong.  Three men that have served their time.  But, also three men trying to make it RIGHT!  I felt so blessed and fortunate to be able to stand and listen while they continued their conversation.  They are trying to make a difference in others lives, but they already made a difference in mine.  Remember, your story still has more chapters in it and you don’t have to be defined by your current character.  If you want a better life, do something to guide you in that direction!

July 2011