1 Picture {Day 1 of 10}

I love to take pictures and I love to {take} pictures; so when it comes to photographs... I have no shortage!  LOL!  When I initially thought about finding one picture of  myself...I was overwhemed for a milli-second... And then I thought about the photograph from the climax of my life... My 30th birthday!

This photograph encompasses everything that I am at this point in my life:

• A Devoted Woman of God
• Happy
• Free
• Loving
• Open
• Outgoing
• Fearless
• Living the Blessed Life
• Comfortable in my own skin
• And most of all ME!

It took ME 30 years just to be me!  30 years is a long time to live with a person that you know and it is even worse when that person is YOU!  When I turned 28; I decided that it was time for a change and the change that I was seeking all started with me!  Little did I know that 2 year process would end in a 30th Birthday Celebration!  But it was a very special celebration to me because for the first time I celebrated a life that I never had... A life where I could be "Free to Be Me."

........................... One decision
........................... One change
........................... One life
........................... One me
........................... One picture

Until next time,

M'Shonta

Ten Day You Challenge... {Something I Really Need These Days}

A challenge... This is something that I really need these days... I saw that over at Adrienne's blog on and I am going to give it a try... Starting today!!!

Wedding Wednesday 001

I have been caught in a whirlwind of weddings and I am sooooo loving it!  After assisting my best friend with planning her wedding.... I thought to myself... I can do this and so I did!  Now, I offer day of wedding of coordinating services as part of my event planning company- Visuality Planning and Events.  You can read more about it here!

Planning and coordinating these beautiful weddings have been blissful for me.  Words can not express the emotions that I feel as witness two lovely individuals joined together in mutual love and respect for God and for one another.

At the culmination of each wedding I am filled with mixed emotions... I am happy for the new couple... I am delighted in the way that day unfolded....  I am thankful for the gifts that God had given to create and coordinate... I am exhausted from all of the energy and effort put into making their day extra special... and I am sad that it has all come to an end... No more countless phone calls, no more locking-in vendors, no more looking for the perfect jewelry and flower girls dresses... Just like {that} it is over... And I am on to the next bride!

I wish I could plan a wedding every weekend, but since that is next to impossible right now... I will settle with my new blog series Wedding Wednesday!  As time alots, I am going to post my wedding inspirables on Wednesday.  I will try and focus on the small details that will make a world of difference on your wedding day. 

Life is Great!

Life has been great.... This year my life has proven to be very positive, progressive and on a perpetual increase!  Yes,  I have had some moments that I felt as though I could have done better, done more, done less or not done at all!  I have had some situations that could have been viewed as a failure, I have made some decisions that could have been viewed as unwise and I have invested time into somethings that may have been viewed as a waste.  Yet, I still say that life has been great! 

Why? Because my view of it has changed!  I am a winner; so regardless of how any given situation in my life unfolds... In the end I will always win!  Why? Because all things work together for the good of those who love God and who are called according to His purpose... So the good things and the not so good things are working together for my good and in the end... I will win!

It feels so good to be on the winning team... It feels so good to know what you were called to do and in what capacity... Life is great!

Nothing replaces the joy that you have in knowing that your life has meaning... that God has given you a promise; He is given you a destiny to fulfill... Life is great!

How wonderful is it to have a God that turns your mourning to dancing and your sorrow to joy?  How blessed it is to serve a God who turns your whole life around in an instant! Life is great!

To be able to see things in the seed and bring them into fruition is a gift from God.  Every time we create something; we open a gift that God has given us... How blessed are we to serve a God who gives us gifts daily?  Not because it's a special holiday, nor your birthday or your anniversary!  Sometimes we don't even deserve them... but He gives them to us anyway!  Life is great!

Life is great isn't it?  When I sit down and I reflect on the goodness of God... I think about the depths from which I have come... I think about all the self-destruction from which I have been delivered.... I think about a {me} that I have grown to know and to love... I think about a love that no man can give.... I think about a giver that saved my life.... and think about a life that I now live that I never imagined possible... and I think about all the possibilities that it now holds....

I smile and I say to myself... Life is great!

Greatness is achieved when realize that good isn't your final destination...good is your assurance that you are on the right path!

How grateful I am to serve the Great I Am!  Life is Great!

Easter Bells and Easter Pails...

As I write this post; I am reminded of my first Easter speech... Easter Bells by Lizzie Akers... As i searched for the words... I quickly discovered that either I recited the wrong speech or I don't have the mind of perfect recall as it pertains to memorizing my first Easter Sunday Speech...
Presenting the first-ever Easter Speech delivered by M'Shonta:


O the Easter bells are gladly ringing,
Let the whole world join the happy lay,
Let the hills and vales break forth in singing,
Christ, the Lord of Life, is ris'n today.


Okay, so I remember something like:


Easter bells are gently ringing,
Little children are gently singing,
Christ was born on Easter day!
Little mothers tell the story of how Jesus, Suffered from death and shame...
And with the power and the glory may He ever more reign!!!


Now that I look at it... I believe that I combined my Christmas and Easter speech... I am going to leave that alone! LOL!


Moving along... to the Easter Pail... Each season Custom Creations by M'Shonta introduces something different to the product line... This season we have created Easter Pails that can be used in any season! They can be used after Easter to organize around the house ~ store small things, bathroom supplies, art supplies, socks, you name it! The customer will also get to personalize their pail however they choose with a name, monogram, or custom phrase.

We have been doing really well with selling these Easter Pails... However, it has always been my belief that there is always room for improvement and innovation... So with that being said; which pail do you like best? What other designs would you like to see? Please feel free to comment; all will be appreciated!

A Time for Change...

I had to change my blog background again... Loved, loved, loved the other one but font color did not show up well.... So... I had to change... Again! LOL!

It's all good though... spring is officially here and it's time to change some things in my life.... When I start spring cleaning I don't leave one stone unturned.... I clean from the inside out... I clean naturally and spiritually.... Hey, it has to be done...so why not do it all at once... I don't promote pain...So I always opt for the quick shot and get it over with...

So what's on the agenda to be changed:

• My personal time of devotion {This is the #uno priority; lots of things coming up in my life and lots of things
• My blog {Check}
• My clothing {gotta let some go; I really need to simplify my wardrobe}
• My eating habits {new job=lots of travel=lots of eating out=lots of pound= I have to get it before it gets me}
• My self care {I often find myself taking care of others...now its time to take care of me... mind, body, soul and spirit}
• My house {I have to create a home office}

As you can see everything on my list is about {me} and that is the way that I intended to be. In order for me to be effective in anyone's else life I must first make my life both efficient and effective.

God has truly blessed me and for that I am extremely grateful... I am at a great place in my life right now, but I realize that this is only Elam {a good place but not the place that God has ordained for me}..... I want the Promised Land.... I want place that God has promised to me... I want to the place flowing with milk and honey!

So with that being said... God is changing some things in my life... God is moving and shaking some things.... God is eliminating and elevating somethings.... This is the season for elimination to take place and it starts right here with you and me.... It start right now...

Last week I posted this quote on facebook:

"Sometimes God eliminate things in our lives because He knows that we don't have the strength to do it our ourselves... So if you are going through a process of elimination.... Praise God because His hands are on your life.... After you eliminate... you must ELEVATE... The weights have been lifted and its much easier for you to rise!" #Quote Me by M'Shonta

It's time for change... It's time for God to make some changes in our lives... My Life... My Life... The time is here... It's time for change!

Bad, Bad Blogger: Bringing You Up to Speed in One Post

Yes.... I must confess that I have been a bad, bad blogger.... If I am going to ever to fulfill my dream of becoming a Weddingbee Blogger someday; I will have to kick this habit really, really soon... :)

So here's how we are going to do it... I am going to bring you up to speed in one post! Yes, one post...this is not for the faint-hearted or the fast surfer... This will probably be one of my longest post ever!

What's new with me?

On the Professional Front...

Hmmm...well I started a new job! I actually started it on the 18th of January... I am working as a product manager with a huge, huge Fortune 500 company! I absolutely love it and it is truly a blessing! Here are a few shots from my first day of work! You gotta love a company that treats you like this!

On the Business Front....

Custom creations by M'Shonta has proven to be a very successful endeavor! Valentine's Day was awesome! Below are a few shots of the items that we created for Valetine's Day... We will be promoting Easter items really, really soon! I can't wait to share!

{Lover's Day Mugs}

{Mini-mailboxes containing Love Letters from God}

Baby Door Couture

Custom Creations by M'Shonta has added another element! Baby Door Couture! We will do customized framed layouts like the one seen below and they can be hung on the hospital doors shortly after the birth of beautiful little baby boys and girls! All the customer will have to do is snap and picture and print it and place it on the layout! There is also room for them to fill out the baby stats such as weight, height, birthdate and time...

Since we are on the subject of babies... I would like to share a few highlights from a Dr. Seuss themed baby shower that I planned back in January! It was a blast!

And keeping in the character theme... I would like to share with you a couple of snapshots from MaKenzie's Hello Kitty 3rd Birthday Bash!

On the Exciting News Front....

My logo for my Event Planning Company is finally complete... Visuality Planning and Events is premier event planning solution for any of your event needs. Our creative minds create events that meet your individual needs and execute your vision. We look forward to creating a first class event with you because you deserve nothing less! Be sure to leave a comment and tell me what you think! Mr. Falsetto is full of suprises...

I saw this in a mall when I was traveling home from a long week of work and when I got home he had it for me!

And so is my little sister... Tears still well up in my eyes as I think of this moment! OMG! Words can not explain how much I love her... She is super sweet and the best sister in the world!

{The flowers were beautiful, but the card was even sweeter}

While on a business trip in San Antonio... I had the opportunity to visit the Alamo and River Walk... Here are my thoughts about my visit to this historical site. "It's impossible to know where you are going...if you don't know where you have been." I have always had a passion for history. I was blessed to be able to visit The Alamo during their 175th anniversary. There was so much rich history! I even discovered that a freed slave was also recognized as a hero of the Alamo... I am so thankful that I get to travel and see different parts of the world.. But I am even more thankful that the more I see...the more I see the hands of God at work in the universe.

I am Fulfilling God-Given Purposes through Pageantry. This year I am coordinating the 2011 Rhinestones and Rabbits Easter Pageant! Only $65 to enter and that includes beauty, casual, photogenic, best smile, best dressed and best personality!!!!! We will crown 20 Queens 2 Kings , 2 Grand Supreme’s and 1 Ultimate Grand Supreme! $10 from every entry received will benefit the American Cancer Society!

And finally, I have allowed my DESTINY TO BE AWAKENED!

This blog has a played a major role in my quest for destiny... Don't get me wrong... Only the Creator can reveal to you what He created you to do... But my bible and this blog served as a compass...

Because of DESTINY AWAKES...I can now confidently write my mission... my purpose in life...

Melanie S. Smith is a Christian motivational speaker, business owner and a product manager for a Fortune 500 organization; whose purpose in life is to turn the hearts of girls toward God. Drawing from her experience in pageantry and coupling it with her desire to train young women to live life from the inside out; she is able to creatively inspire and motivate young girls to find their true in identities in Christ.

My destiny has been awakened...what about yours? Please share! I'd love to hear your comments!

Until next time,

M'Shonta