It's no surprise I'm alive
It's not a coincidence air still makes its way into my mouth through my lungs and back out
It is not by chance that the trees supply the oxygen
And gravity brings me to my knees so I am able to praise you
When I was 11 years old I received my first bible
It was Christmas Day in my dads 1 bedroom apartment
I remember it like yesterday
Weekends with my dad
And weekdays with my mom
Since the age of 1 the place that I'm from is still foreign to me
Moved through at least 7 different apartments until the age of 13 when my dad rented a house with two bedrooms just so my sisters and I could have a room for ourselves
My mom worked whataburger and my dad Pizza Hut until they both got better jobs and we began to have to pay for school lunch
No more food stamps we did not need
And the crazy thing is back then I was free
I was free as I am now and as I write all this down my face cannot frown
Because we were so happy
Happy to have each other regardless of our things
Happy to hug one another and all the joy the season brings
My parents weren't together and times I rejected that
Thought they somehow had a chance till keke was born and Jadyne too
So it was just me and kevaughn and Jay and you
Momma I love you so much
You always tried to do what was best for me
But in my mind I wanted to negotiate my destiny
So I harmed you and I'm sorry for all the pain I caused
Please forgive me because I know I have many flaws
Dad you tried your best to work hard so we could have things
But what I remember most is the times we spent together
When you took us outside and played basketball on the goal by the volleyball court at the apartments on mcardle
Or when you coached my basketball team
Or or how you took us out to eat every year on your birthday and each time the place we ate at soon after closed down
I love you so much and I thank you for all you've done
Only now do I know how all these things and more played out to who I would become
Life was hard but we had each other and that's the moral of my message
For what's money without happiness
And things without no blessings
blessed to be alive and breath another day
Blessed to look outside and see the trees sway
Blessed to have eyes that open and work clearly
Blessed to have a mother and father who love me so dearly
Blessed to have a family and a grandma in my life
Many people can't count all those blessings and they turn to a knife
Turn to satan and hear him spit lies into their head
Listen to him say that they'd rather be dead than to live in a 5 story mansion
Rather be dead than to have a million bucks
Be dead and give up all there trucks
For what's money without happiness
And things without no blessings
The sad thing is we only learn the truth when life brings lessons
Life gives you lemons, will you make lemonade?
Or complain you have no sugar then call on the maid
Who comes in sweetly and asks what you need
You spit in her face and disgust with greed
But I grew up in the city and tho sometimes we had less
Compared to some my Niggaz down the block man we were blessed
No such thing as a life that's better than yourz
I'll sit and wait in the hallway until my God opens doors
And I've never been this happy until I counted my blessings
God has been so good to me I wish I could express my gratitude
But that's what he did when he nailed his own son to the cross
Right when the devil said checkmate
He resurrected and told him "no, you lost"
