Checking In w/ Your Thanksgiving Menu

From my end, There's been a lot going on, heartbreaking things that I believe we are all seen on the news, probably heartbreaking things that you're seeing in your just your local news, your regional news, the news of the state you live in. We're seeing news about things that are happening just in the country we live in, and also things about the entire world that we live in, so things that are maybe not happening in America, but things that are happening outside the United States as well. And

I know what my specific job is to do. In moments like this when you don't know what to do, I sit in stillness. I sit in a lot of prayer meditation just to get clarity on what I'm to do. And sometimes people think that stillness is not enough, or that even prayer is not a enough But there's been so much going on that I'm aware of, and then maybe things that you're not aware of, you know that are taking place with so many people, some of you

know and some of you don't. And so I am always I just feel a task to just to pray. And I love to pray. I loved, I loved, and so me saying that you are welcome to reach out to me if you feel that you want me to pray for a specific matter for you, or pray for a person, a situation, a relationship, a job, opportunity, or

whatever it is. Yeah, I'd love to offer that to you. Okay, no pressure, I'm not pushing anything on you, but just know that your girl here loves you and don't want you to feel that you are alone on your journey. All right, I'm here. You know. It took people being here for me. It also took me being able to take a step back in the stillness and look at my own situation. It took me time to kind of sit in the stillness and say, Okay, well, what do

I have the power to change? So I just want to encourage you to definitely reach out to me or your support system for however they can best support you. But then don't get too overwhelmed when you have to sit back and say, Okay, what can I do. I was speaking with someone a few days ago who has been battling depression really really, really really bad. And the thing about depression is sometimes when you're in that state, it will have you just looking at all the negative.

You will sit in that bad on your sofa, in a state of depression, even listening to the lies that you tell yourself, listening to the lies that no one has even said to you. And I was asking this person what they needed for what was going on, and they really couldn't tell me other than they felt that people do not invest in them. And so of course I just sat and listened to everything that they had to say with an ear of compassionate, ear of empathy, and I had to tell them, I said, well, look

at the ways people do invest in you. People only invest in you to their capacity or ability. An investment is someone picking up the phone to check on you and see how you're doing. And investment is a tech next to check on you, you know, and just be careful if you have a specific need that you want people to do, it's okay to tell them versus letting that state of depression make you feel like no one is investing in you. Because people can only invest in

you how they know to invest. And what I mean by how they know to invest is based on what you share with them. Now, sometimes people have a spirit of discernment where God, where God can share something with them and speak something to them that can show them you're not telling me the whole story and you're going through something because I do know when you're in a state of depression or just any state, it's hard for

humans to ask people for help period. It's hard for people to be vulnerable and say I'm having a rough time, so let me get back to the investment portion. So I was telling this person, if you want people to invest you the way you want them to, then you have to say that versus not letting yourself sit in a moment of darkness because of what you haven't shared or because of what people don't know. Also, I had to share with this person. Is it investment that you

want people to make in you? Is it attention or entitlement? Again, people can only do what they know or what they have the capacity to do unless you share. Hey, this is what I need from you. Okay, does that make sense? I've been there. I've been there, honey. When I tell you, I know, I know. But I also know that the world did not stop for me while I was in

that state. So I had to give myself grace, and I had to give others around me grace who might have been ignorant to what I was going through or who knew what I was going through, but they could only help me to the ability and capacity that they have. Does that make sense? All right? I just wanted to share that I and I know the holidays can bring

on a lot of sadness and grief. This person like it's the first year without somebody that passed away that was really close to them, and so you know they're dealing with that, you know, the birthday of that person's it's a lot. I know it can be a lot. So I'm just giving you a big old hug. Can you hear me hugging you? Can you hear me? I wish my boobs were just a little bigger, so you can you know, you get a hug from somebody that's got a real full volume chest and the hug just

be tight and just cushion me and pleasant. And you know they mean that thing when they hug you real tight. So I'm giving you one of those hugs because I want to let you know. I promise you, baby, it gets so much better. And I urge you to when you can, to a teach to a small investment in yourself today and tomorrow. All right, to a small investment. I told this person, I said, I said, what's your

bedroom looking like? They said a mess? And so I just said, why don't you try, you know, organizing or straightening up the top of your dresser because I know mail is everywhere, I know pill bottles from your alment, I know that's everything. Just kind of organize your dresser and just stop there. I told them, you don't have to try to clean up your entire master bedroom in one day, but just start with organizing your dresser and your nightstand. That's it, all right, I understand. I promise you.

You guys know that I've shared a couple times. You know what my uncle had shared with me. Just taking baby steps and doing what you can, and before you know what, you're making a lot of progress. All right. I did a trip to the Dominican Republic, to the capitol in Santo Domingo with an organization called Compassion, and it was a missions trip. And Compassion is an organization

that invests into children. And I know you've seen a lot of organizations on television that help feed children, on mothers, veterans, you know, organizations that even service to supply safety and refuge for animals as well. So this particular organization is called Compassion, and it was a time for people to even go to get a chance to even visit the

children that they sponsor. And it was it was fulfilling but heartbreaking at the same time, lovely but heartbreaking at the same time because a lot of the children had so much joy, their parents still having smiles on their faces. And it was a joy to just be able to put everything into perspective, the things that we complain about.

It's not to dismiss things that are going on in your life, but I was like, yeah, there are certain things that I might personally complain about that I might need to put on the you know, just not even complain about. So, yes, Compassion. We visited a lot of homes, We visited a lot of the Compassion centers where the children go for their snacks, some go for their schooling. It was pretty pretty awesome. I am going to post my pictures very soon. It's about twenty of us that

went and relationships were made. We all met up in Palm Springs in May of this year and everyone agreed to go to the Dominican Republic for this missions trip. And I just I have two little girls. One was just so spunky and was just running and just had so much joy. And one young girl. We were outside playing and she just literally came and sat next to me on the swings and we started swinging back and

forth and we began talking. Of course, I had to use my translator on my phone to say certain words or to even understand what she was saying. But she was telling me that she wants to be a doctor, and both young girls want to be a doctor. And the fact that an adult who used to be sponsored by Compassion, so Compassion is the vessel, and then we are the people that actually pay money per month to

sponsor a child's food, schooling and their medical needs. And one lady who used to be a Compassion child, she is like one of the top neurosurgeons in the Dominican Republic, and it was awesome to see her stand before us to tell us how she lived. It was three people we got to meet who are adults now, who said

it was the importance of their sponsors writing them. So your child writes you, and then you're to write the child back, because they said, we don't know how much it means to them for them to get a letter that says you can do anything you want to be. Just know I love you, Just know I'm praying God's favor, grace and protection over you. At means a lot to that child, especially if they're growing up in a home

where heck it means it. That means a lot to a child you know, anywhere, but specifically to these children to hear out of their moms that it's a possibility I would not be who I am if it wasn't for my sponsor writing me back. Because there are some children whose sponsors don't write them at all. And so sometimes there are probably some of you that are listening

to me. You've sponsored children, you know, through these various organizations, and you probably don't write them back when they write you. But I'm here to let you know, like we got to write our kids back when they send us a letter to update us and let us know how they're doing.

So Compassion dot com. If you're able to do what you can, and if you can't do anything with the organization called Compassion, do something your local community center, mentoring mentor someone you know you want to talk about investing in someone, investing in someone who who you know for a fact doesn't have anybody investing in them. So it was just it was amazing and Compassion. They they're they're worldwide, you know, Nigeria, Gana, Sri Lanka, they are everywhere, and

my heart just just smiled at those babies. Some are teenagers, they're in high school and you can sponsor a child that's a few months old. They have a survivor program where the mother gets all the care that she needs and you can sponsor that child all the way up until high school they graduate. You can make sure that they get what they need for college and beyond. And it's so cool that these folks that are adults, like the woman who's the neurosurgeon, she still keeps in touch

with her sponsors that live in Texas. She's a grown woman, so sometimes they become family. If you have any questions about it, please don't hesitate to ask me. It was awesome. We didn't get to do a lot of like it wasn't a trip for rest and relaxation, but we did get to go into old town Santa Domingo. We went to some restaurants that were really really yummy. But the majority of the trip, ninety percent of the trip, you know, was to visit those children, their schools, and they were

gracious enough to let us into their homes. Some of the homes, I know, I didn't feel comfortable filming or taking pictures of people to me in this some of their most vulnerable places. Some definitely had concrete floors, but maybe just a a tin roof, tin roof, some hat bed. Some didn't. But the children that are sponsored through Compassion, if you see a need, you are able to make sure that your child they get a bed, they get shoes. One of the two young girls that I sponsor, her

birthday is in February. And when I tell you, she has already told me that she wants a dress. When I met her, when I saw her running through the center, she had on she was so swaggy. She had on this T shirt and this long, sweepy ivory colored dress. I was like, I like that idea. And so she told me that she wants a dress. She told me her favorite colors were purple, green, and white. I'm gonna make sure that she gets three dresses. She's probably just

expecting one, but I'm gonna make sure she gets three dresses. Yeah, And so again I'll go back to we got to visit their home. And one young girl is a teen mom. And in certain cultures, once you begin to start your own family, you no longer can live in the house that you grew up in your parents or grandparents. They say, okay, you got to be on your own, you gotta go.

And so this young lady, her house was actually kind of like next door to her grandmother's actual house, but this young lady, it was just literally a makeshift type shack. And I want us to hear that a teen mom. The father is not in the picture because he did not want her to have her child, and she had the baby anyway. And so one of my colleagues that were on the trip, she is helping to sponsor her baby, and the mother she wants to work in accounting or finance.

And I believe one day that young teen mom she's going to be working in a finance department somewhere. It literally is about exposure, resources or someone saying, hey, I see what you want to do. Let me help you with those steps. And so it just reminded me. It just invigorated me to come back home and make sure that when I see a need to make sure that I can invest to my ability and my capacity. And if I can't, and I know somebody that can, I'm not going to hesitate to pick up the phone and

call Okay. So that was the trip to the Dominican Republic. It had the type of humidity that I loved. It was hot, the sun was shining. I have been to the Dominican Republic in years past, you know, just on a trip to you know, relax, you know, but this has a different meaning for me. And I can't wait to go back to Santo Domingo. I can't wait to go back. Also, this week is what we call Thanksgiving.

What are you doing for Thanksgiving? Some people call it Friendsgiving, whatever you call it, what are you doing this week? I'm looking at all the ingredients on my counter for the turkey. Y'all, I'm gonna attempt to do a corn bread dressing for the first time. I pray I know what I'm doing. Lord Lord help me. And of course banana putting my mac and cheese, my collar greens, they're off the chain. Yeah, and some other things. Now, I made a post on my thread's account and it happened

to make the shave. I hate when that happens because I feel like when I make a post on my pages that it's a safe space for me, because people know I rarely have to black people anymore, because I think people know the culture of my page. Don't come to her page with mess So I'm thinking I'm in a safe space. And of course, you know, the Shade Room posted it, which is fine. The post said, I say this with love. Pecans don't go on real velvet cake. I get it. I know it's to make it look cute.

I just want to just give me white spoof cream cheese frosted. Don't put no pecans. Pecans, however you pronounce it, don't put it on there. Then I said, marshmallows don't go on the candy gams slash sweet potatoes, then some people are like, oh my god, with potatoes, sweet potato casse role. I want the sliced potatoes. Don't do no

whipped the sweet potato casserolle. I don't want it. I don't want it, but I guess if it's like a casserole or the whipped sweet potatoes, marshmallows is acceptable, but don't put them on the sliced or dice candy. Don't do that. I then said, chopped eggs don't go into corn bread dressing. For what, I have an aunt who does amazing corn bread dressing. I ain't never seen an egg white or an egg but I M M. I guess it ain't bad, but I'm not putting it in there.

Then I said, don't put a lot of bananas in the banana pudding. I won't pudding in soft wafers. More than anything, I don't want a lot of bananas in the banana pudding. Don't come for me. I didn't send for you. Well maybe I did when I made that post. Then I said, eggs don't need to be in the

macaroni and cheese. Years years and years years ago, probably thirty plus years ago, I was at a relative's home for Thanksgiving, and somebody bought some mac and cheese and it was a kind of mac and cheese where you didn't use a spoon, you like you sliced it. Like, why am I slicing in the macaroni and cheese? Why am I taking a spatela? It was too thick and too bound together. I wanted a little bit of a cream.

I like creamy macaroni and cheese. Now I don't want macaroni and cheese soup, but I don't want macaroni and cheese. That it was like, y'all, and what I think the I think the eggs kind of scrambled itself a little bit. So I was reading in the comments today and somebody said, oh, because they didn't let the noodles, I guess cool down, because y'all, the macaroni and cheese started to look like a macaroni and cheese scramble, like a macaroni and cheese

breakfast casse role. I don't want it. And then I said, did I miss anything else besides minding my business? So everybody's got something to say? Of course, because I did too. And then I read one comment. Then I stopped reading the comments because somebody made the lamest Destiny's Child reference. Y'all. I need. I need folks to come up with newer jokes on me besides the Destiny's Child jokes, because they're just as whack as their fight Coast score. Like I like,

or argue with your fire cost score, not me. I don't, don't, don't do that. Don't do that. So it was starting to get It was fun at first, and then people just started going below the belt and getting personal and I was like, bro, why are you trinkered? Hmmm mm oh well, so I said what I said. Right, I'm gonna explain to you this turkey type of technique. It's called spatch cocking the turkey. So it's where you cut the spine and crack the breast and make it look

like a oversized frog. It's pretty cool, and they say it cuts down on the cooking time of a turkey, so that's what I'm going to do. It says it makes the skin crispy, the juicy meat, and the turkey can be done in about an hour and a half two hours. Max always says, I gotta dry Brian the turkey. Ooh, let me how I dry Brian? The turkey. Y'all, we gotta figure out how to dry brian this turkey. It said, it's crucial in this recipe. Dry brian the turkey woo

and compound butter. It imparts flavor under the skin, but perhaps more importantly, leaves us with the buttery herb drippings that can be used to moisten up the turkey prior to serving. Ooh, I'm real excited. Okay, so google spatch Cock. Okay, spatch cocking turkey. Okay, it's SPA t H coci n G. All right, get your adds out the gutter, thank you. So yeah, I'm excited about about this year. And even if you just want to chill this year and you

don't want to do nothing, that's your business. You don't have to. Okay, I'm gonna try to chill. I've got some a couple more engagements this year. I'm excited about December twenty third and twenty fourth. I'll be at Gateway Church in Dallas on the twenty third and twenty fourth, three services on the twenty third, three services on the twenty fourth. You know, lots of churches do their cool Christmas programs, their candlelight programs and so I'm excited. I'm excited.

I'm excited, and then I'm gonna go somewhere and sit down. But yeah, what else is going on? Oh, Beyonce's movie premiere in LA this weekend. That's gonna be amazing. I go to Dublin, Ireland, and I'm thankful. I'm thankful for my schedule, but I'm already anticipating the bed in each place that I gotta go to. So AnyWho, I just want to say that I love you. This year. I'm thankful for you. I'm thankful for your love to me. I'm thankful for your support of me and all that

I do. I'm thankful for your encouragement. And I pray that this Thanksgiving is a blessed one for you and your loved ones. I pray that ain't surely don't say nothing at the table this year that's disrespectful. I hope Uncle June Bug ain't drunk this year. I pray that your mother in law or your father in law, your sister in law, brother in law. I pray that they don't sigh eye you and make you want to fight. I pray that it's pleasant this year. And if you

are in therapy. Make sure this Thanksgiving you apply everything that you've learned in therapy. Restraint, boundaries. Oh last thing, If you don't want to go to a family member's house because it's always toxic and always drama, you don't have to go. You don't. Or if the minute it gets uncomfortable, you can excuse yourself. Yeah, you do not have to sit there and take no foolishness. All right. Your peace is so important. Protect your peace at all costs.

All right. I love y'all so much, y'all, I gotta go because I got to figure out how to do this dry brine for this turkey. All right, Okay, I'll see y'all soon. Love you so much. Nothing you can do about it. Checking In with Michelle Williams is a production of iHeartRadio and The Black Effect. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows,