Double Portion Inspiration

Somewhere above those clouds - the SON is shining! Lately, my head has been in the clouds.  Literally my entire body has been but that is because I've spent a ton of time traveling via an airplane.  My suitcase has been packed for the past month.  One thing you experience when traveling this time of year is a myriad of weather conditions. I am now a complete fanatic of the Weather Channel.  They help me know what type of clothes to wear to ensure that I'm prepared for cold, ice, snow, sleet or sun.  My hat goes off to all of those who are in other parts of the country and completely sick of snow. As I compose this blog, there are certain parts of the U.S. still dealing with freezing temperatures and ice even though we are officially into Spring. When you travel there are 2P's you must have - preparation and patience .  You are literally at the mercy of the airline whenever inclement weather derails your travel plans. I also learned that you mu...

Mommy/Daughter love! Recently at my daughter's school they invited the mother's in for a "Muffins with Mom" event.  I didn't know what to expect outside of eating muffins and fruit.  It was a beautiful, French themed affair that each mother shared with their sons and daughters. The teacher had each student share their favorite memories of their mom.  I was touched by my daughter's words.  They were few in number, but mighty in their power to convey her love and appreciation in good and bad times.  I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to share her thoughts about our relationship.           Dear Mom,   There is a path.  It can be smooth at times, or it can be rocky and rough.  This path is called, life.  It is very long and has many twists and turns.  Through this path, I have a person by my side.    My mom .    She makes the rough path smooth.  I'm...

Let me first start by saying this was a fantastic weekend.  It was full of adventure and milestones.  From celebrating my 17th anniversary, spending time on the track at my daughter's first track meet of the season to running my 3rd half marathon, it was awesome! It's been two years since I've run a half marathon.  I took two years off to focus on finishing my graduate degree and taking care of my health.  Sometimes you have to put your priorities in order and say "no" to some things.  I decided in January to run another half marathon because it would be a great way to lose my holiday weight and get back in shape.  It also causes you to depend heavily on your inner strength that is fueled by faith. Pushing yourself to reach your goals is the most rewarding feeling .  Ready to start the race!   I went into this race knowing that I wanted to finish my personal best.  I felt it could be accomplished with the help of a wonderfu...

This weekend was my subdivision's garage sale.  We have it every six months and I force myself to participate.  I wake up early in the morning to open up my garage doors and sell my unwanted items.  I love to hate this event every 6 months.  Taking part, forces me to declutter .   I actually took off work on Friday to clean and go through every room.  I wanted to find items to take to the garage.  From clothes to toys to books and dvd's, there was plenty to include in the sale.  I quickly realized that it was going to be chaotic and disorganized before it was clean.  It's the part I hated most about the process.  In the midst of trying to get the house clean, tidy and organized, things got messy . What a beautiful lesson!  That's how it is with our lives.  God desires to lead us gently to a place of self discovery.  Nudging us along to clean us up, uncover the dark places and bring li...

Well it's Friday and for most of us that means the weekend is ahead and it's time to have fun.  Renee and I were wondering…What do you love? What do you love to do on the weekends? What do you do for fun? What puts the biggest smile on your face? What makes any tough day better for you? What helps you relieve stress? We want to hear from you.  Let us know a few of the answers to the above questions.  We find it pleasurable to know more about our readers. Below is a picture of me at the South Beach Food and Wine Festival .  I had a blast because I simply LOVE food.  Whether it's caviar, cookies, chicken or champagne, I can find pleasure in almost any food.  That's right, I'm a foodie!  This little treat in my hand was a double stuffed chocolate chip cookie with a shot of milk.  Isn't that clever? Leave us a comment and let us know - What you LOVE! Oh yeah and by the way I also LOVE my new lipstick from MAC called, "Heroine". ...

 Renee's old truck There’s a shifting in my life and I don’t know that I’m embracing the new season in the best way.   Recently we had to replace my 13 year old truck.   To say I loved my truck is an understatement.   It was my first “mommy” vehicle.   It dependably bought home two babies from the hospital and helped us move into three different homes over the years.   Unfortunately it quit working at the same time my husband’s car stopped working.     Two vehicles beyond repair = One unhappy girl . It was obvious that God was moving us into another season of vehicle ownership but a part of me wanted to hold onto the old and comfortable.   Maybe we could fix it (again)?   Maybe it could last another year even though it already had 221,000 miles?   In addition to the autos changing in my life, I’m soon to be the mother of a kindergartner.   I should be happy, right?   Not.   Here’s my confessi...

I had the extreme honor last week to volunteer at a food pantry.  As many have told me, when you serve others you receive more than the recipient. The same rings true for me.  It's hard to imagine that such poverty, homelessness and hunger exist in our communities but it does. Did you know one in six children in America suffers from hunger? This food pantry is nestled in the center of an affluent community BUT the need is still there to feed those that just wish to have a healthy meal and groceries for their family. The energy in Minnie's Food Pantry is electric.  You walk in on a red carpet, you are greeted by friendly faces and spend your time jamming to loud music. There are no sad faces, just a team of people ready to alleviate hunger in their local area. The pantry was founded by Cheryl Jackson in 2008 that just had a " whisper from God " and little financial resources.  Cheryl understood hunger because she experienced it in her own life. ...