Double Portion Inspiration

We all have people in our life that are unlikable. Maybe they are annoying, unpleasant, mean, rude or just overall different than us. Ok, most people won't admit it but we all know people that are unlikable. We also encounter those that live with a different set of values. This unique world, allows our paths to cross with all types of people. We interact with those we like, love, and dislike. That's our reality. This pandemic shows how we are all interdependent on one another. I came face to face (through Zoom) with someone, and we don't share the same values. I was rubbed in all the wrong ways. Now, I naturally can deal with many different personalities but this person was just...I will save that comment to myself. How do you handle interactions with the unlikable? What if the one that's unlikable is in your own family? Again, NO one wants to admit it but it is our reality. We find many reasons and ways to distance ourselves from people, not just geographically but eve...

The thoughts twirling in my head on any given day in 2020 are random. As I try to process the amount of information and news to stay informed it can lead to anxious thoughts and nervousness. Sometimes the largest battle in our life isn't happening externally (outside world) it's happening internally (inside us). Our smiles and normal demeanor can hide the true feelings rattling around in our brain. We mask (no pun intended) how we really feel thinking no one has the time to truly listen.  WHO wants to hear us complain?  I hear people say reach out to someone if you are struggling, but honestly most often that someone is too captivated with their own day to day living. How do we stop the self defeating and anxious thoughts? What do we do after we've reached out to someone and we feel the same way? With each passing day in 2020, there is more and more to frighten us. I'm learning (not there yet) to sit still. This might be the hardest part of my day, sitting still.  I si...

I know this is shocking news especially since my oldest son is already 20 years old. If I had to do it all over again I would want a sweet newborn that would sleep through the night, not have allergies and not have to deal with asthma or multiple ear infections. CLEARLY - not possible!!  Babies are full of life and innocence. We don't get to choose their temperament. We are designed to parent and love our children NO matter what. As parents, we learn life lessons of being adaptable and vulnerable. Having a newborn in the house is humbling and complex. Everyday we learn about them and also about ourselves. Most likely this year we've wished for a more perfect world. A world that wouldn't have a global pandemic. A world with more employed workers. A world without poverty or social and political unrest. Unfortunately, that's NOT our reality now. How will we RESPOND when our situation isn't changing? Our RESPONSE is the one thing we can control. We can always choose h...

Many times we limit our ability to be provided for by only the paycheck earned with a job or side hustle. We narrow our focus to only look at money in a bank account as a gauge of provision. God can provide beyond our wildest desires. I am on a mission to grow a " victory garden" . Victory gardens were grown during the recession as a way to sustain families. My victory garden is being grown to commemorate the chaotic year of 2020. I forever want to remember this moment in history. I've researched, watched YouTube videos and went to purchase the items needed, but really didn't want to make the investment yet . Yesterday, I started out for my morning run and a miracle was right in front of me. My neighbor was THROWING AWAY 2 bags of unused potting soil and variety of clay pots. Many of the pots had the tags on them. He had never used them. It's exactly what I needed to start my victory garden. PROVISION IN POTS Now it may seem trivial to get this excit...

In these unprecedented times most people are feeling that life is out of control. In fact, 80% of voters feel this way. One person I spoke with said, "I wake up every morning with a sad heart." I've come to realize that some of the greatest progression in history comes during times of chaos and commotion. We have certainly entered a time that has an all new normal. Simple activities like grocery shopping and getting a haircut require a new process. In our quest to make sense of what's going on, imagine the conversations in homes with children, teenagers and young adults. In the midst of adversity, humanity collectively feels unsettled with all that is happening in our world and communities. Each day we wake up, we face a new set of fears and worries. Trouble seems to be pressing in and we are fighting to find the JOY of each day. How do we keep moving forward ? How do we stop the self defeating thoughts in our minds? When grieving and sadness become as common as...

Is it over yet?  Has this all been a bad dream?  Will I wake up and life will return to normal?  Will I be able to go to the mall again? NOPE, not a bad dream. This is REALITY!  It's been a rolling change but we have entered a brand new way of living. 2020 has ushered in a new era. A new level of sensitivity to frailty. It has also expanded our level of understanding how connected we are as a globe. It's not us vs them. It doesn't matter if you are a parent in Spain, Bangladesh or the U.S., you are trying to figure out the best way to protect your family from COVID19. I'm adapting to this "new world" by learning breathing exercises to help cope with stress. I notice that certain conversations, social media post or news stories can start my heart beating faster. In my head I think that I'm calm. My outward demeanor is relaxed and tranquil.  My inward body tells a much different story. Lessons From A Retainer Unfortunately, I had to star...

It's been 8 weeks. Eight weeks of a solitude think tank for me. Eight weeks of being at home. Eight weeks of seeing my world quickly evolve. I don't think any experiences in our life are wasted. I believe it serves a higher purpose. I've heard many people say that God is trying to tell us something. Well, He certainly has my attention. The collective breath of humanity will persevere through this moment. Some people will come out stronger, some battered, some with scars and there will be some still wondering what the heck is going on. What are you learning through this process? What life lessons will you take away from this moment in history? I truly believe in the midst of this chaos God will provide clarity .  Clarity to know who God is. Clarity to know how strong we are in Him. Clarity to know our families more intimately. Clarity to know all the "busyness" of life is actually quite distracting. Clarity to understand what matters most....

As I write this, it's Easter. For the first time on Easter, I've attended church and experienced communion on FaceBook Live. It was nice to gather in my own home with not only my physical family but also my church family. It's been quite a long time that I've dressed for church without wearing Spanx. 😁 There was a beautiful garden and an empty tomb. There was a prophecy declared (Isaiah 53) and prophecy fulfilled. But there was also weeping, sadness, confusion, doubt, fear and grieving on that first Easter Sunday. Mary Magdalene came and found an empty tomb. It was reason to celebrate yet she was confused wondering what happened to the missing body of Jesus. And they said to her, " Woman, why are you weeping ?" ~ John 20:13 NASB Why was Mary weeping? The empty tomb was a sign of a promise fulfilled. In light of all of the emotions that day, the disciples and Mary forgot the promise that Jesus gave about his death but also his resurrection . ...

I wasn't created for this. Feeling isolated from the world is a humbling experience. From the moment I was conceived, I had another human with me. God knew my limitations by providing an identical twin sister to always be by my side. In 2020, celebrating anniversaries, birthdays & graduations all looks different because of quarantine guidelines. As the number of days increase for the "shelter in place" mandate, we miss the liberties of "normal". HOW many of us are desperate for a hair cut or just hair color? We will ALL soon be embracing our gray hairs. What is NORMAL these days, is the ability to feel a myriad of emotions from fright, fear, anxiety, confusion, anger, discouragement, and loneliness. Don't try and push those feelings away. Don't suppress them. Be honest about how you feel. Although feelings are NOT facts , they ARE there for a reason. Not dealing with the reality of our feelings can lead to us pushing them down. Negative fe...

During a recent family meal, we each went around the table and shared one thing we loved about each other. Typically my 16 and 10 year old are on each other's nerves, so it warmed my heart to hear them being pleasant to each other. They were also surprised to hear each other's response. Do you ever ask similar questions around your dinner table? If not, try it. My youngest during vacation  As much as it was a blessing to hear them talk about each other, their answer to me was beyond words. My 10 year old started out first. I was pretty sure he was going to compliment my cooking. I've always felt like I take "rock star" status in his mind because I enjoy cooking his favorites on a regular basis. His world revolves around sports, video games, sleep, reading books, and eating. Typical kid stuff. Instead of him listing my participation in any of those activities, he quickly let me know that he loves how I teach him God's word. ...

I am thrilled that the holiday week is upon us. Today is Canada Day and on Wednesday (July 4th) the United States will celebrate our independence. Our freedom as a country. July 4th is such a celebratory holiday where the day is long and the grills are wafting some incredible aromas in the air. People happily stay up late for fireworks and holiday shenanigans with friends and family. BAD NEWS : I try to look at the news daily for edification on the latest events. This year I'm realizing there is so much I don't recognize about our country. The constant bickering on the news really, I mean REALLY upsets me. People no longer take the time to research the facts of a story. Water cooler discussions at work have turned UGLY. Many are just a passionate imitation of what they see on the nightly news. I don't recognize why people love a political party more than their love of GOD and country. The human spirit is alive and well if you open your eyes to see it . The news...

If you knew, in just a matter of hours a brutal beating of your body would take place, what would you do? If you knew that you would have one last meal with your friends before your horrific death, what would be your demeanor? If you knew, in only hours, your head would bleed profusely due to a crown of thorns being jammed into it, how would you react? If you knew your mom would have to witness your back being ripped open and your hands and feet nailed to a cross, could you even sleep? What about if you knew, your shed blood and broken body would redeem people who would never even say thank you. How would you respond? If you knew ...... I've wondered about the answer to those questions. Today in church our teaching Pastor taught about the excruciating pain Jesus endured before dying on the cross. Simply, it was difficult to hear. It birthed inside of me a spirit of gratitude for His supreme sacrifice. To know that His passion for us was so strong and deep...

I don't care how much you may try to avoid a tragedy, it might just find you. Few of us go through life without experiencing some type of tragic event or loss. It comes out of nowhere. It's never expected. It has a way of finding you whether you open the door, answer the phone or say hello to it. Recently I returned home from a 10 day vacation. Our family time away started in West Palm Beach with us cheering on our youngest in his rookie baseball state tournament. We were on such a high because the boys dominated and won their district championship that allowed them to advance to the state competition. Unfortunately our state appearance ended quickly. Oh well. Despite the sweltering heat and game losses, we had a blast! Accidental country girls! We then traveled from the Palm Beach area to our yearly vacation with my sister and her family. Just two hours north we would find the wide open fields of ranch living. Beaches, city lights, and a vibrant night life gave...

Parenting is probably one of the biggest challenges in my life. There are days that I win as a parent and days that I fail big time. Every day it's a different twist and turn. I have a teenage daughter and an 8 year old son. They have different personalities, likes and dislikes. Most days they don't agree but on the days that they do, it's a wonderful blessing to see them together. My kids when they were younger! Photo credit: Delana Brooks When I share with some people that I'm absolutely loving the teenage years, most look at me like I'm crazy. Especially raising a teenage girl that's full of emotion and attitude. It's not easy BUT I'm just resolved to enjoy every phase and stage of my children's lives . Those were words of wisdom given to me by a colleague years ago and I've never forgotten it.  Before I know it, she will be an adult and living on her own. If I CHOOSE not to enjoy these years, I WILL MISS OUT ! I recogni...

Thanksgiving is a few short days away and most of us are gearing up to eat more that we should while spending time with family. Everyday on my Facebook news feed, individuals are sharing why they are thankful. There's a consistent theme of family being the number one reason to be thankful. But, what about those that aren't thankful at all this year? As much as I'm thankful for the holidays, I realize that there are so many that aren't. They find themselves in a season of grief and pain. For some, it's their 1st major holiday without their loved one. How can they feel happiness and joy when their heart aches for the embrace of their loved one?    How do you make the move from pain to gladness when every single part of the holiday reminds you of them? After my father died, I remember how sharply the grief felt when you have to "move" through all of the "firsts". 1st Thanksgiving 1st Christmas 1st Birthday 1st Mother's...

Beaches and Pools! A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I had a chance to visit one of the most beautiful places.  We had a get away to Hawaii for a week without our kids (thanks Mom for watching them).  I really, really missed my babies but I was thankful for the alone time with my hubby. It was divine! I feel like I live in paradise already. In my home state I'm surrounded by blue skies, palm trees that sway beautifully on a breezy day and the ocean is only about 45 minutes away. What's great about Hawaii though, is the unity of my two favorite landscapes, beaches and mountains . The combination of the two together make for breathtaking views and outstanding photographs! For those who haven't visited Hawaii, maybe you can live vicariously through my experience.  I wanted to share a little about the places we visited and some things I quickly learned about the island.  Here's a list of 10 things I learned about Hawaii : Birds are everywher...

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted.   If you let it, distractions can make you lose focus and disrupt destiny.   Writing my blog posts is a way to encourage others, t herefore, I need to make time for it.   I’m typing this post while returning home from my family reunion.   I’m blessed that both my mother’s and father’s side of the family have an annual reunion.   It’s such a great time to catch up and reconnect with family members.     This weekend we came together in Warrington, Florida (near Pensacola) where my father grew up.   The city holds precious memories of a time full of laughter, love, and wonderful fun. This would be our first family reunion without the last living matriarch of the family because my dad’s twin sister passed away last year and she was the last of his 7 siblings remaining on this side of Heaven.   Our reunion starts on Friday and lasts the entire weekend.   As a family we pray, fellowship...

Confession…….relaxing is hard for me.   That’s why the message at church today was just for me.   My pastor talked about the necessity and benefits of relaxing.   He pointed out that even God rested from creating the heavens and earth.   Genesis 2:1-3 (TLB) Now at last the heavens and earth were successfully completed, with all that they contained. So on the seventh day, having finished his task, God ceased from this work he had been doing, and God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he ceased this work of creation. I've come to realize that I can be a workaholic .  Gosh, I can’t even believe I’m saying that out loud.  It’s amazing how much we can deny certain truths about ourselves.  Between being a wife, mommy, career woman, blogger, involved community member, church volunteer and runner, there’s not room for much more.  My days normally begin at 6:00 am and end around 1:00 am.  If ...