The following are the top ten blogs from 2012 based on likes, tweets, comments, and views. Enjoy reading or re-reading them and have a blessed, safe, and happy new year!

First, honorable mentions go to Teamwork Makes the Dream Work and Go Get It!, which just missed the cut. Here is the top ten:

10.  Dear God, Just Be You

9.    Jehovah Jireh

8.    If You Really Knew Me

7.    Beggars Can't Be Choosers

6.    Why Not Wait

5.    My Victory Is In My Praise

4.    Single and Not Willing to Settle

3.    I'm Pregnant!!!

2.    Am I Going to be Single Forever, Part I

and the Most Popular Ms. EV's Blog of 2012 is...

1.    What Does Your Heart Say?

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If you didn't see your favorite blog this year on the list, share it below in the comments or on the Elevated Values Facebook Page! Be sure to LIKE and SHARE the page while you are there. In 2013, Ms. EV and Elevated Values wants to reach even more people who could use what this site has to offer! Ms. EV

I woke up very early this morning in somewhat of a panic. I started thinking about what I do not have in my life. I started thinking that I am not achieving enough; that I am a failure. I started wondering how I had taken a step back instead of a step forward. I started praying hard, and I eventually fell back to sleep. When I woke up and started preparing to face the day, the thoughts came right back. I felt myself start to get lost in anxiety, and then, I said, “No. Not today. Not ever!” God has been too good to me for me to let these thoughts break me down.

You see, yesterday, I went back into the studio for the first time in five months and recorded my first gospel song. The song is called, “My Victory Is In My Praise.” It was the first song I have recorded that it took one take for the lead vocal. I wrote the lyrics at the beginning of the year and I had it next on my list to record, so I took a leap of faith and recorded it.

The song is about using praise as a weapon to overcome your inner struggles; you know those late at night, don’t nobody know, but you and God (I know that was bad grammar) struggles that creep into the daytime sometimes. It is about praising your way through ailments, whether they are physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. It is about praising until your deliverance comes from whatever it is that has you bound; be it singleness, alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, illicit relationships, or just not living up to your potential.

So, as I thought about yesterday’s recording session, and how close I felt to God, the words from my uncle Rodney’s sermon on Sunday rang in my ears, “That’s why the devil hates you!” I am not a failure. I have everything I need in my life. In fact, I am an overcomer (the red squiggly line says this is not a word, but we churchy people know that it is). So, I decided to start praising.

I thanked God for helping me make some tough decisions about my life that I knew would change my ability to afford some of the luxuries that I am used to, but would free up my time to use the talents that God has bestowed upon me. I thanked Him for giving me something to write and say for almost every day of the last year. I thanked Him for keeping my head way above water even when, on paper, it looked like I should drown. I thanked God for helping work through loneliness and its associated issues. I thanked God for getting me through mourning, and giving me the opportunity to comfort others. Victory! Healing! Deliverance! It’s all in the praise and my God is able!

Because you are a loyal reader of this blog, I am going to give you a preview of the new song. The preview and all of the lyrics are below. Enjoy! Ms. EV

On Christmas day, my dad asked me if I bought a present for Joy Bella. I did not. At first, I felt a little guilty, but I went on to explain that the first couple of years, I did buy her new toys and my friends would get her little things, and then, I noticed that she did not really play with them. Joy, that’s my cat if you haven’t been reading, has a couple of favorite toys, but her favorite things are string, boxes, and Styrofoam; none of which need to be bought from a store.

So, Christmas afternoon, my niece came to my house and helped me finish making desserts for dinner. We were getting ready to go to my aunt’s house, and my niece took her new boots out of a shoebox, left it in the middle of the floor and got dressed. When we came back in the room, Joy was inside the shoebox. I told my niece that Joy liked her new present and she could not have the shoebox back. She tried to get Joy to get out of the shoebox and I tried to find another box for Joy, but she would not budge. My niece soon realized how much Joy enjoyed playing in and laying in the shoebox, so she left it at my house. When I got home from my aunt’s house, I found Joy in the shoebox. Then, after she came back from getting her shots, she climbed into her shoebox. It is the cutest thing. Something so simple and inexpensive brings my little feline buddy such, well, joy!

As I watched her play with the shoebox and chill in the shoebox, I realized that my cat was teaching me an important lesson. We need to learn to be content with the simple things in life. We need to make the most of what we have. More extravagance and luxury is not going to bring more happiness. True joy comes from within. It comes from knowing who you are in God and that He has a plan for your life. Once you realize that, you can enjoy the places you go, the people around you and the things that you do possess. Ms. EV

Since I talked about my Joy Bella on Christmas Eve, I will use her as a subject again today. Because I got Joy a few days before Christmas, her annual cat exam is always a day or two after Christmas. I do not know if this only applies to my cat or if they are all like this, but Joy hates being in her carrier and riding in the car. The only way I can take her to the vet, though, is to subject her to both of those things. So, the annual trip causes a bit of anxiety for both of us because I can’t stand to hear her cry (in case you are not aware, cat cries are quite pitiful). 

This morning, as I prepared to take her to the vet’s office, which is literally across the street from my house, so if we catch the light it takes about three minutes to get there, I tried to calm myself down, so she didn’t feel my anxiety. After the first two years that I had Joy, she has been pretty healthy, but, unlike a child who can communicate when something is wrong, there is no way for me to know if there is something going on with her health until I take her to the vet. In my head, I was thinking of all the possible things that could go wrong, not to mention the wailing on the way to the vet and I started to get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Then, I remembered that God said to cast ALL my cares on Him. And, when He said ALL, He meant ALL. So, I picked up my cat and I said, “We’re going to pray about this before we go.” Of course, she looked at me like I was being ridiculous because I swear she understands everything I say. Nonetheless, I prayed that God would calm her down in the car and in the vet’s office. I prayed that she would be healthy ad receive a clean bill of health. I prayed that the bill would be something that I could handle. Different people have different stances on how God feels about animals, but it does not even matter because I know how God feels about me and I love and care for that little animal and He loves and cares for me and that for which I love and care. So, I trusted that He would answer my prayer. And He did.

In five trips to the vet’s office, my cat has never been calmer. It only took me one try to get her in her carrier. She did not cry in the car. She was a little talkative in the waiting area, but quickly calmed down. She was sweet with the vet. As I waited for all her test results, I started to feel some nerves, but I prayed again. I asked God to let everything come back normal, and, if it was not normal, to be the Provider that I know He is so that I could take care of my cat. Everything was normal; Joy is completely healthy. I even found a way to save some money in taking good care of her health. All of my prayers were answered and I just kept thanking Jesus!

Sometimes, we don’t ask God for things because we are afraid that they seem ridiculous. But, even when it seems ridiculous, whether to you or someone else, if it is a concern of yours and you are a child of God, He wants you to bring it to Him. Just as there is nothing too big or too small for God to handle, there is nothing too mundane or too ridiculous for God to handle. Trust God to be who He promised He would be. He does not lie; He listens and He is faithful. Ms. EV

Merry Christmas from Ms. EV and Elevated Values! Enjoy your family and friends and don't forget to Celebrate Christ! I'll be back tomorrow with a blog post, but now, it's family, food and karaoke time! :)

Four years ago, I decided that I would adopt a pet. I have been living in my own home for a year and a half and I was just six months into getting over a breakup. I needed someone to love. When I was little, I had a puppy, Blackie. He was a runt and we promised our dad that we would take care of him, but, of course, my dad ended up taking care of Blackie. Blackie got sick and had to be put down and I always wanted another puppy, but as I analyzed my lifestyle, I realized that I really needed a more independent pet. So, I talked with a friend who loved all animals and we agreed that a kitten was the best option for me.

I looked at the local humane society website for kittens that were up for adoption. I saw a beautiful little black kitten named Nathan and I was determined to have that little guy, so two days before Christmas, I went to the shelter to find him. When I got there I filled out the paperwork and waited for my turn in the cat room. I told them I was there for Nathan, so a volunteer took Nathan from his cage and gave him to me. I fell for the little guy, but he did not like me. I tried to pet him, but he wanted nothing to do with me. So, the volunteer put him back in his cage.

I was bummed because I had my mind all made up that Nathan was the one. Then, the volunteer said, “There are three cats here that are a little older than Nathan; two girls and a boy. They are siblings and they are really sweet.” I wanted a male, black cat, but only one of the females was black. Her name was Joy. I agreed to hold her while I figured out what I wanted to do. See, it takes me a long time to make a decision. Once I do, if anything interferes with my plan, it throws me completely off, so I needed to time to decide if I should scrap the whole idea of getting a cat. The volunteer handed me the little kitten, Joy. Joy snuggled up next to me and laid on my chest and I knew she was the one for me.

We cuddled and played until all of the paperwork was done and I took Joy home. It was Christmas time so I gave her the middle name Bella as in joy bells. I had no idea how to care for a cat, but I figured it out. I wasn’t great with discipline, so she was and still is completely spoiled. She also had some health issues in the beginning, but we got through that rough time. Now, she is my little princess, and true to her name, she brings me joy.

This morning, I was thinking of how she’s changed my life over the last four years since I adopted her and I thought of how the Bible says God adopts us into His family as joint heirs with Christ. I thought about how God wanted us to be His, but we sometimes reject him, little Nathan did to me. I thought about when we come to Him, we can find comfort in His arms like Joy did with me. I thought about how hard it is to get us disciplined sometimes, but God knows best. And, I thought about how we come to God with all kinds of ailments and vices from our former life, but He just keeps loving us until we are healed and delivered. As much joy as my sweet baby cat brings me, there is no adoptive relationship like the one between God and His children. His love brings us joy, peace, and wholeness, not just one season a year, but every single day of our lives. Ms. EV

Well, we’re still here. I guess the Mayan calendar wasn’t right. In any case, I wanted to get back to my Lonely Christmas CD. There is a song that I had to have on the CD that I first heard in the movie, Home Alone, but I am sure that it is older than that. The song is “Nobody Ought to Be Alone on Christmas.”

I have spent every Christmas, except one, with my family. I do not necessarily spend the entire day with them, but at some point, we are all in one location. I didn’t realize how necessary this was until the one Christmas that I was not with them. It was my ex-husband’s and my first Christmas together. Now, you’re probably thinking, “I thought you said you were alone.” There was someone physically present with me that day, but understand that within four months after that Christmas, our minor problems became major. Six months after that Christmas, we separated. Eight months after that Christmas, our divorce was final. So, you aren’t not alone just because you’re with someone (Oh man, that’s some wisdom right there).

Anyway, I was so miserable that Christmas that I visited my family a few days later for my dad’s birthday and New Years. I have to say that is the most alone I have ever felt on a Christmas day, including at this point in my life, when I literally spend a part of the day alone. I know how sad it can be, so I want to encourage everyone that if you know someone who is going to be alone next Tuesday that believes in Christmas, give them a call and invite them over.

My parents are really good at this. They were in the Navy and different families took care of them when they couldn’t be with their families, so they always adopt some single people or people who don’t have family in town on holidays. I must admit that I did not always understand it. And, of course, I am always hoping they will invite someone over who might be a match for their very single daughter (LOL), but that hasn’t happened yet. Now, as I am truly single again, I understand why they do it because nobody ought to be all alone on Christmas. So, make an effort to help out your single or family-less friends this holiday season, so everyone can focus on the joy of the Savior’s birth and not how lonely they are here on earth. Ms. EV

Usually when I hear something more than once in a day, there is a lesson in it. I read a devotion yesterday about how animals are yoked together, a weaker one with a stronger one, so the stronger one can pull the weaker one along. Then, as my sister and I were reflecting on watching my oldest nephews’ teammates play basketball, we talked about how some of the guys just do not seem to understand teamwork. And last night, when I was on a radio show for NFLFemale, the burning question of the night was about whether individual players should pursue personal records or try to stay healthy for the team’s playoff run. So, all of that led me to really think about working as a team.

I, though not always of my own choice, am somewhat of a loner. I despise group work or group projects because many times I feel like other people get in the way. I like to be in charge, okay let’s just call it what it is, I am bossy. So, in order to not subject too many people to my bossy nature, I prefer to do things on my own. At my job, I am the only person who teaches my subjects, so while everyone else has to work with a team, I am a “unicorn;” the other unicorns and I get together, but work on our own planning and projects. Sometimes I think I have gotten way too comfortable with being by myself because I have to force myself not to opt for solitude and interact with other people. But, there was a time when I needed to be surrounded by people to feel whole, so I am grateful that I have moved away from that.

As much as I sometimes think the world would be a better place if there were a bunch of me running around, that is clearly not how God intended for His children to be. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul says, “A body isn’t just a single part blown up into something huge. It’s all the different-but-similar parts arranged and functioning together” (The Message translation). No matter how awesome we believe we are at certain tasks, we were all meant to work together. We are blessed with strengths in some areas, not to brag or boast to others or to show off, but to help those who not as gifted in those areas. Likewise, there are areas in our lives in which we are weak and we need someone else to help us along. 

Going back to the basketball game, not everyone is talented at ball handling, so usually you have two  guards who can handle the ball, one to orchestrate the offense and one to shoot from the outside areas of the court. You have forwards and a center who might not be able to dribble as well as others, but can defend the hoop, rebound or set picks to give the other players more room to operate. But, if one player decides that he is never giving up the ball, it makes the defense’s job really easy. They know they can just pressure that one player and create a turnover. Now, you might get a few plays where it works to have one player take the ball all the way up the court, drive to the hoop and score, but more often than not, players need their teammates to be successful in an entire game.

I have to check myself because it is very hard for me to ask for or receive help. I do not like to delegate, and when I do, it is only to those I am pretty confident will do things just like I would. That can cause me to be a lot more stressed out than I have to be in high pressure situations. It might not affect us as much on a few projects, but over a lifetime, it can make this life a lot harder than it has to be. God is so merciful and He did not place us in the world to do life alone. First of all, He gave us Him, in the manner of the Holy Spirit, to lead and to guide us into all truth. We often try to figure things out on our own, but God did not take Jesus and leave us with no answers. If you belong to Him, He is there to answer every question, every moment of every day if you listen.

God also surrounds us with people who can do what we cannot do and people who need the skills we possess. Sometimes, we are so focused on being independent (so that we don’t have to share credit) that we forget teamwork makes the dream work. Be a team player. Allow others to share their strengths with you. Share your strengths with others. That is they way that God meant for us to work together and build His Kingdom. Ms. EV

Just the other day, I was remarking about how if adults want children to act a certain way, they should model that behavior. The comment came from watching a specific adult. This particular person has made it clear that whining will not be tolerated. This adult has made it clear that if the child or the parent or guardian of the child whines about any policies, that child will not get the same opportunities as others. Now, I am a whiner at times, you know, squeaky wheel gets the oil, and I believe that when you feel that something is not right, you should point it out. Is there a better way than whining about it? Absolutely, but sometimes one gets so frustrated that the legitimate observations he or she is making come off as whining. I truly understand both sides of the issue.

Nevertheless, as I watch this adult in high intensity situations in which this adult is the focus of many, including those who are, at times, admonished for their behavior, I noticed that the behavior exhibited by this adult is the very thing that this individual tells the children not to do. There is yelling, screaming, and whining when this person does not get what this person wants and it is constant. The children see this and I see them acting and reacting in the same way. Why? Because, even though they have been warned and/or punished by this adult, they still like, respect, and look up to this adult. So, whatever behaviors are exhibited, and this adult does have great qualities, like being fun-loving and friendly, but the children emulate all of the behaviors; the good and the bad.

There is a great lesson to be learned from this. I do not know about anyone else, but me, so I will speak to my experience. Sometimes, I am so focused on my best qualities that I fail to notice when I exhibit my worst qualities. I expect that those around me will pick up on the best insights that I have to offer, but they will ignore the insults that so easily slide off of my tongue. I expect that the people over whom I have some influence will see me setting, seeking and reaching goals and will be inspired to do the same. I forget that they might also see me seeking validation from all of the wrong places and they may think that nothing they do is fruitful unless someone else cosigns. I want them to see me when I am being generous, but to turn a blind eye when I hold grudges.

Everyone has their sphere of influence. We must be careful that we are examples, especially, if we are Christians. I said something last night in front of my niece that should have never entered my mind let alone come out of my mouth. Sure, I laughed because it was funny at the time, but then, this morning, I thought twice about it and realized that I need to be an example of how to be hilarious without being inappropriate or insulting. I am not suggesting that people be fake; be who you are just be mindful of who is watching you and how you may shape that person’s idea of Christ-likeness. If we want the people around us to behave a certain way, we need to give them a proper example. We all have the greatest example of how to act and react in any situation in Christ Jesus.

Sometimes we wonder where the children (or even adults) around us get their worst behavioral habit. Well, I am reminded of an old ‘Say No to Drugs’ commercial where a father grills his son about why he is doing drugs. The son responds, “I learned it by watching you!” You might not be lighting up a joint in front of impressionable young people, but your bad habits can be just as contagious. So, be an example; it matters not whether you are dealing with your own relatives or someone else’s, just set a good example. Then, not only will you be cleaning up the junk in your life, but you might just help someone else live a better life as well. Ms. EV

I want to take the time to thank all of my real, true, genuine friends. God has blessed me with some amazing people. Each one serves a different function. I have a friend who listens to everything I say, rarely interrupts, doesn’t try to solve the problem, but doesn’t let me get away with being evil either. I have another friend who never fails to help me love me for me, who will wallow with me and lift me right back up all at the same time. I have a couple of friends who always seems to know when I need support and when I need to be left alone, who are generous and selfless, and who I think believe in me more than I do. I friends that I know pray for me even if we don’t talk for a while, who hold me accountable to God’s standards without being preachy. I have some friends who seems to smile no matter what is going on, who can just brighten the day by being around; we don’t have to do a whole lot of talking, but we just get along.

This is a just a sampling of some of my closest friends. I have many others, who, though we always think of each other, our schedules never seem to jive; yet, I know they have my back and we love each other with a love that no one else could understand. Some of my friends are related to me, some of my friends are just as close as family. Regardless of the bloodline, one thing is true of me and all of my friends, we are better together. My friends are pretty awesome people on their own, but when we combine, we are unstoppable!

Not to slight any of those friends, but there is one Friend, who has and will always be there for me. He is the only friend of mine that I can say for certain would lay down His life for me because He already did. I can’t even imagine why He would want to be my friend. I am so unworthy of the kind of love, grace and mercy that He shows; nonetheless, He still calls me friend. With Him, I am at my best. Apart from Him, I exist, but my existence has very little meaning. I am so very grateful to God for my very best friend, Jesus Christ, and for all of my other friends. We are just better together! Ms. EV