Double Portion Inspiration

It's Fun Friday and I'm sharing some great workout tips.  Fortunately I've never struggled with working out (it's the good eating that always throws me for a loop).  I've always enjoyed going to the gym. So you can imagine when I moved to my rural community I was stressed with the fact that there wasn't a gym nearby.  Needless to say, I had to get creative on staying fit.  My business travel schedule, community and church obligations didn't make finding time to work out any easier.  I realized that my creative juices would have to flow on a alternative way to stay fit.  Here are some of my fun, no gym needed workouts: Walk/run intervals through the neighborhood Cardiovascular exercise is the foundation of most of my work- outs.  The light posts in my neighborhood provide a great way to walk & run in equal distance from the back to the front of the subdivision.  I will normally walk, jog, or sprint in intervals between each light post...

I matter for my BOYS! Have you ever thought about how much you matter?   Do you really believe that you are important?   Do you truly know that you were created for purpose?  Do you just think that purpose is for other people? I have wrestled with all of the above questions.  I made the mistake of trying to please others and find my worth in them.  We all see people on the main stage of life who've made great impact.  I often think about the wonderful contributions of people like Martin Luther King, Jr. or Rosa Parks.  I also think about Steve Jobs that changed the entire face of technology.  But what about you and me? Leadership and influence seems to come so easy for some.  They have eloquent speech, can build a school for impoverished youth or go on a missions trip without any hesitation.  But what about the young girl or boy just trying to be accepted in middle school.  The mom who wants desperately to fit int...

Have you ever had a silly day?   A day when you are giddy and carefree.  You don't have a care in the world.  You skip through rain puddles or jump over high bushes.  Maybe you succeed in playing a game of hopscotch with your kids.  I am inspired by my two boys (ages 7 and 12) who will spend all day giggling, playing and rough housing each other.  They always ask me, "Mom, why are you so serious?" Roslyn on her silly day! A recent trip to the beach with my boys turned into one of those days.  Carefree hair, wet shoes and most of all tons of laughter with those most precious to me.  As we head into the weekend try it.   Maybe you can't sacrifice an entire day to be silly like me.  Even if it is just one hour, live life as if no one is looking.  Stop being so serious! Leave us a comment and let us know what you did on your silly day. (Posted by Roslyn)

Wildflowers in Clingman's Dome We are continuing our series entitled, Mountain Post .  This inspiring series are life lessons learned while visiting the Smoky Mountains.  If you missed the first part of this series  here it is : Observation Tower-Clingman's Dome Today's hike took us to Clingman's Dome . It is the highest point in Tennessee and a favorite tourist destination spot in the Smoky Mountains. We drove up to a 6,500 feet elevation. Your ears pop as you drive along the winding road. The weather changes drastically. We left our cabin and the temperature was a sunny 86 degrees. By the time we made it to Clingman's Dome it was 61 degrees.  The outside conditions  were raining, foggy, windy and cold. A bad storm was blowing through but we still climbed by foot to the observation tower to see the state line between North Carolina and Tennessee.  The greatest feeling from our hike was the realization that everything in the Sm...

 Natural Beauty When you find yourself on vacation in the mountains, the majority of your time can be spent outdoors enjoying nature.  Whether it's hiking, swimming, or sight seeing, there's really not a need to get "dolled" up to greet the day.  With some days reaching over 90 degrees, sweat can wash away the best of hairstyles and make up.  So why even brush it on or style your hair? This aspect of vacation was completely out of my comfort zone because I am that woman who loves her MAC makeup and most times when I'm in a pool, try desperately not to get my hair wet because that would automatically mean a visit to my stylist (I try to never wash my own hair). Well, I let it all go for the sake of enjoying my vacation to a degree I had not in the past.  You would probably think I was lying when I honestly tell you that I haven't washed my own hair since 2007. That is when my husband and I decided to get baptized together as part of our 10th annivers...

Laurel Falls in Tennessee For nearly a week we both went without make-up, heels, and flat irons.  We had the time of our lives and we can't wait to share it with you over the next few weeks.  Sometimes we laughed so hard we cried.  In the midst of our fun, we learned some great life lessons. Bumper car fun! You can't afford to miss Monday's post from our series called, Mountain Posts .  Have a great weekend! Don't forget to "like" us on Facebook  or join the conversation on Twitter   @doubleportionin