My Review of Beyonce’s “4”

Beyonce 4

Let me first start off by saying I was skeptic of purchasing this cd, much because I wasn’t a fan of the anthem of “Run the World (Girls)”. However, I am learning that music sounds much better to me in my car. LOL!!! I guess I have a really good sound system in my car:) But moving on, I actually find this cd very empowering. In my personal opinion, this is Beyonce’s most powerful cd to date.

Now I’m not a famous critic, so I’m not just saying this so that they’ll seek me out, for the future. But this is a very mature sound from Beyonce and the music shows how much she’s had to grow up over the last few years.

My favorite song on 4 is entitled “I Miss You”. It’s a light ballad. But I’d put money on it, that this song was written about her father, who she relinguished from managing her career, last year. This song is a like a talking page from her diary. And the way she sings it, assures me that she’d had some reservations and misses his presence from her business life deeply. But again, I could be wrong. But I’m almost certain I’m not.

My second favorite song is a tie between “Runs the World (Girls)” …I know right, but it sounds so much better to me, since I purchased the cd… and “Countdown”. The Runs the World anthem is so catchy and the beat is ridiculous!!! But the lyrics ring true…women have the ability to persuade people to do anything they want (Genesis is true evidence of that. But that talent may not always be best. Remember Eve? IJS!). We are an influential group of people. And based on the growth of Beyonce, she and Oprah are some of the best representation of how strong and prevailing we can be!!! Countdown has my heart, because it samples one of my favorite songs “Uh Ahh” by Boyz II Men…need I say more!!! Without that sample, the track wouldn’t have been as hot! But it’s still going to be a club banger, I’m sure.

I have to say that I could listen to the majority of this cd without touching the dial. Although, I will say my least favorite is “Rather Die Young”. It was a little too sappy for my taste, so I pressed forward and from there I was deeply satisfied.

The remainder of the cd is awesome in my opinion! And this is the appropriate amount and quality of songs to let everyone know that Beyonce is Here (she even has a song about it, “I Am Here” #11 on the cd). And from the success that I know this album is going to garner, she’s not going anywhere anytime soon. I see Grammys from this album for sure!!!

Take the First Step

Last weekend, I walked to support the American Cancer Society in their Relay for Life benefit. Having lost a grandma this year, and witness a father take treatments because of cancer, it’s a cause that has taken on new meaning to me. As you get older, you start to realize how much impact something has on you, when you’re directly affected by it. In the beginning of April, I had mentioned that I’d like to take part in the Peddlin’ for a Cure benefit next year, where cyclists start from Monroeville, AL and end up in a city in Mobile County to support cancer research. When speaking to a lady about it at the Relay for Life benefit, inquiring about what it would take for me to complete the event, she simply replied…”Getting on a bike, is the first step!”

Wow, simply put. But it meant so much. Are you feeling that you need to build a relationship with God, because you recognize that a change in you needs to happen? Are you afraid that you simply will not be able to live up to all the expectations that the Bible lists as necessary to have a wonderful walk with the Lord. Do you feel defeated, because you’re afraid you won’t be able to keep the course?

Well if you answered yes to any of those questions…let me tell you the truth. You may go off the course sometimes. You may not live up to God’s expectation’s all the time. But you won’t know if you will or won’t if you don’t take that very first step. Have you opened your bible and read a daily scripture? Maybe you don’t understand it right now. But trust me, in time things will eventually start to make sense with more study (2Timothy 2:15). Have you taken the first step and talked to God and ask for him to penetrate your heart with conditioning that will allow you to grow even closer to him? Because he will (Matthew 7:7).

Let me be the first to encourage you to take that first necessary step of many more to follow. But you can’t go anywhere without ever taking that first step. Honestly, I’m a complete work in progress. I have my own shortcomings. But from experience, I can tell you that when I fall short, I never have a problem, acknowledging my mistakes (and there have been many), getting back up and asking God to help me on down the road. And he has done even more than I ask.  And I’m more than willing to support you to do the same.

Answer God’s call, he’s waiting for you. If you’re afraid, I ask you to seek me out. My email address will be listed below and I would be willing to study with you and encourage you confidentially, if you’d like. We all need love and support and it’s necessary to make it through this bumpy road, we call life. God commands us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:39). And I know if I saw myself walking down a road going in the wrong direction, I’d want someone to help and get me back to the right one.

Those who are on the right path, why not help others along the way? May God bless each and everyone of you today and beyond.

Lovingly,

Tanisha Rankins

Email: info@tanisharankins.com

Website: www.TanishaRankins.com

You Got To Love Yourself

I have a confession. But first I’d like for you to look at two photos.

Here’s the first one… 

 Feb. 2011

Look closely at my smile. Remember this smile.

Now take a look at this second photo…

April 2011

 

Can you see the difference? Can you see it?

Ok, I’ll stop quizzing you. The difference is in my lips. In the February picture, my lips are tucked under to appear thinner. In the April picture, they’re in their natural form.

 

This month, although it’s not over yet, has revealed so much to me. I have always been extremely positive for the most part and spiritually dedicated to Christ. And while I dedicate myself to motivate others, this month has opened my eyes to somethings that I myself needed to deal with.

 

And although some of you may think this is very small, for me it’s huge. My lips have always made me insecure. From a high school student, I’ve always hated everything about my full lips. I deemed them unattractive to have and for as long as I can remember, I’ve always altered my smile to decrease the size of my lips on camera. Don’t believe me….check out a few other photos below at the bottom of the post.

 

A very dear friend reminds me constantly to write from an honest vein. He says it’s the key to any writer’s continued success. This doesn’t mean that my past posts weren’t genuine and how I truly felt. But I do think that I need to challenge myself to go much deeper. I entitled today’s post “You Got to Love Yourself”, because I realized that I wasn’t completely loving every aspect of me, as I always harbor to others.  I realize that I had suppressed my lip insecurities so deeply that I was covering them up without thinking anymore.

 

So I’m asking you to truly love yourself. You’re God’s creation, every piece of you is his work (2Corinthians 5:18). Because I’m his child and he is of me, it’s as if I’m unhappy with God and his creation. I don’t want to be ungrateful to God for what he’s given me. 

 

But the kicker for me is that all of these years of keeping what God gave me hidden to the world hasn’t gotten me any farther in my journey. But the moment I expose my true self to the world, more people have started to gravitate to me. As real as I thought I was being…people can still feel your unhappiness. The great thing about revealing all of your true self is that you become surrounded by more true people. In this very short period of discovery, I’ve been able to connect to people that I truly feel will be in my life for a very long period of time.

 

Indeed, it’s made me question why I have had to encounter so many (what I deem) fraudulent people in my life time. Could it have been because we attract what we are? Hmmmm. Yes, that was directed at myself. But if you can take something from it too, be my guest:)

 

Because the moment I accepted my thick full lips, I instantly found my real self. I love it! I feel so free now! I don’t have to hide behind the layers. I don’t have to feel uncertain of my poses in photographs. I don’t have to worry about what the people next to me think about my profile. These were all things that plagued me. But no longer am I enslaved to the thought that there’s something about me that needs to be drastically changed…especially with the exterior.

 

God is more concerned about your soul and the condition of your heart, than he will ever be about your looks. And there’s nothing more beautiful than a true child of God. Put the real you out there and watch what happens. Get your shine on. Have a beautiful weekend!

 

Tanisha

 

PS….Here are the photos of my concealed lips below…LOL! I still can’t believe how extreme I went to cover my full lips. Oh well, you live and you learn…but most importantly you grow. Enjoy your weekend! Have an awesome Good Friday!

 

 

2oo8 still thinning my lips. LOL!!! 

 

  

See how I’m tucking my top lip under! Too funny now!