Double Portion Inspiration

 Waldorf Astoria Hotel Naples, FL (one of our favorites)  Roslyn and I love to travel.  We are blessed that our families are able to travel together yearly.  Whether it's a road trip to a family reunion, a beach trip with our girlfriends or a peaceful week in the mountains, our vacations are always an exciting time.  We are busy moms, wives, and career women who work hard so naturally we should play hard!  Even God rested during the time He spoke creation into existence. Genesis 2:1-2 (NIV) Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.  By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.   A "time-out" is necessary for reflection, restoration, and relaxation.  We thought we would list our top 3 (ok, we gave you 4) travel spots to help inspire you to take a well deserved break.  North Carolina/Te...

Renee's 2011 Family photo shoot Photo credits: Delana Brooks Roslyn and I are both mothers.  Between the two of us we have four beautiful children.  One thing we know for sure, parenting is the most rewarding privilege but it doesn't come without challenges.  Holding your baby in your arms while they are infants and toddlers provides security not only for the baby, but also for us as parents.  While they are young we have complete control over their little lives.  We select their foods, plan their play dates and choose their friends.  We have a big part in determining who they will be in relationship with.  Once they start to mature into their tween and teen years, they begin to establish their own bonds with youngsters their age.  We only have a short window of time to be influential regarding their relationships .  As parents, we are the greatest influence in our children's lives .  Good or bad. It is importa...

Look close.  Spring is in the air! It's been a month since my surgery and I'm finally released to take slow and easy walks outside.  My daughter walked with me the other day and she gently asked me to stop and enjoy the views along the way.  We saw a charming red robin fluently flying from tree to tree.  Some of the trees were still stripped of their leaves because of winter, but there were a few with flowering buds (pictured above) that signaled, spring is near!  These were the first signs that a new season was on the horizon and I was encouraged. New growth.  New possibilities.   Trees, flowers, even animals that hibernate or lay dormant during winter will come alive in springtime.  In our own personal lives, the same holds true.  Everything has a season .  A right time for everything.  Suffering won't last forever.  We have the hope of a new day in our lives and...

3 weeks since surgery Thanks to each of you for your prayers! There are times in my life when the peace of God overtakes me and I feel like I can conquer the world.   I stand confident in the fact that nothing will hinder God’s purpose in my life.   Those are the moments when I truly live out the promise that God will give me peace that passes human understanding.   Then there are times when I feel like God is nowhere near.   I pray and I wonder if He hears.   I try and find peace in the middle of my doubts and fears but the worry of the situation can take over.   Even though I’ve grown up in church, study His word, and share it with others, I still have times when I have to search for peace like so many others. I’m not sure why those moments of uncertainty creep in because God’s word is clear.   Early in scripture Isaiah 26:3 (NIV) tells us, “ You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you.” ...

Essence Magazine-March 2013 We thought it would be fabulous to share with our readers some of our favorite things .   I have a secret obsession with lipstick and lipgloss.  I don't wear much makeup but I love a great lip.  I am always searching for a new hot color- red , pink , bronze , orange , matte, glossy, lip shimmer or frosty I will try it. A few of my fav MAC lipsticks! My top cosmetic lines to buy are Bobbi Brown and MAC.  But, I will even pick up a nice shade from Cover Girl while buying groceries at Publix. My Essence magazine provides the perfect inspiration on the hottest lip trends.  Below is a sampling of my stash! Here are my top 3 picks: MAC Rebel Lipstick Bobbi Brown Black Ruby 8 Lipgloss MAC C-Thru Lipgloss P.S. On any given day I carry about 10 different colors in my handbag, I told you I'm OBSESSED!! Send us a comment and let us know one of your favorite things. (Posted by Roslyn) Lipgloss Mania

Well it's Valentine's Day.  A day where we celebrate LOVE .  Whether you are single, engaged, or married, it's a wonderful day to remember the power of LOVE and all that it means to be in LOVE .  Enjoy this gentle reminder from I Corinthians 13:3-7 (MSG): Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always “me first,” Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn’t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end. Live. Love.Laugh Share a hug with a co-worker, laughter with a friend, a kiss with your spouse, or an encouraging word to anyone that will listen.  It's LOVE day! (Posted by Renee)

1 day after surgery I'm writing this blog exactly one week after having major surgery.  Over the coming weeks I will have to give my body time to rest so that it can swiftly flow through the healing process.  I wanted to share a little of my experience and the lessons learned along the way. Heading into surgery I was nervous because I've only been in the hospital to give birth. The thought of iv sticks, having blood drawn and feeling pain was overwhelming.  When they allowed my mom and husband to finally say good bye from the pre-op area before surgery, I lost it.  Tears flowed.  I was so nervous and scared. In the weeks leading into surgery, my husband had only one request, please don't cry when they roll you away.  So much for that.  I blew it. I realized that even though I fully knew and trusted God's ability to heal me, my thoughts of the procedure over took my knowledge of His ability.   In the midst of my tears, my mom whispered...

I have a little extra time on my hands these days so I decided to organize my kids artwork.  Whenever they bring home new art pieces, they are so excited and I love it!  I wanted to share some of my favorites, hoping they will bring you some joy before the weekend. Hannah brought this home last year.  She's always loved the color purple.  In this painting, she used several shades of purple to create a beautiful masterpiece. We loved this painting so much we had it matted for framing.  We find it's such a cost effective way to honor our children's artwork and lovingly display it in our home. I always LOVE my little man's hand or footprint on artwork.  It captures his growth in such a fun way! Here's another example of Jordan's "handy" work. We hope this post inspires you to celebrate and honor your kids this weekend.  They are so precious in God's kingdom.  Mark 10:13-16 shows us just how muc...

I love to "gather" information.  Some might say it's being nosy, but I beg to differ.  If a friend shares she's not feeling well, I'll want to know why.  If I find out that someone is in the hospital, my next question might be, "Oh no, what happened?"  For years in my career I was tasked with asking questions to investigate claims.  It's now spilled into my personal relationships. Recently during a conversation with my mom's friend, she shared with me her guiding principal in life.  It stems from the text in 1 Thessalonians 4:11 (NIV): 11  and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands.... WOW!  What an awesome scripture.  Since reading it, I've tried to make it apart of my daily living.  It is how I will aim to please God as we are directed to in I Thessalonians 4.  Let's look at this simple text a little further. Peaceful St. Pete beach ...