Double Portion Inspiration

It's almost December,  how did that happen? Is the Earth rotating quicker? Are their less than 24 hours in a day? The Fall season is quickly coming to an end and the winter months are ahead.  Almost time to say bye to changing leaves! I look to the world around me for inspiration and lately I've been mezmorized by the book, BREATHE by Priscilla Shirer.  What I crave most about this book is learning how to rest. Our calendars, closet, and work spaces can become overcrowded.  This leads to depletion emotionally and physically. Think about the many things you are holding onto when you should release them.  I participated in my first garage sale and I spent weeks searching through "stuff" in my home I felt could be sold. How do we arrive at having so much "stuff"? I challenge you to sit in your car, open your garage and just look.  What would you see? How about opening your closet (some of us have more than one). What do you see? Some of us ju...

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...

A few months ago I told you I was going to commit to having more peaceful and encouraging speech.  You do know when you make a commitment like that, you will immediately be tested.  Well it happened to me. I'm striving to be more intentional with the words I use.  Through a recent study, I learned that I will be held accountable for every idle word I speak.  That's right, every empty or casual word you speak, you will have to give an account to God for using it. And I tell you this, that you must give an account on judgment day of every IDLE word you speak. ~Matthew 12:36 Here's what happened - while on vacation major damage happened to our rental car.  I was in my hotel room napping (YES, I love to nap) and I received a phone call from the front desk manager. He informed me that damage happened to my car.  I was delirious from being asleep and didn't really get it.  Finally, I woke up and went to see the car. Sure enough this is what I fo...

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...

The Summer has flown by. Renee and I have enjoyed a bit of a hiatus.  I've been fortunate to spend time in South Carolina, Dallas, Key West, Naples and Orlando during this Summer break.  School is almost in session and just around the corner are cooler temperatures - Thank God! Even though we haven't been on our blog, Renee and I have spent time this Summer reading and writing.  I had the opportunity to participate in an online session about transforming your speech.  I shied away from this assignment, at first, but I've learned so much along the way. Even on vacation - I rest and read! We are in a world where many people are more interested in being understood vs understanding what the other person is saying. With the amount of words that we use daily to communicate, most of us don't do it effectively. For instance, did you know you communicate in 3 ways - verbally (WHAT you say), vocally (TONE you use) and visually (BODY language)? In fact, 55% of ou...

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...

I am often asked this question - How do you "fit "it all in? How do you get it all done? Life is really one big juggling act - and just for the record, I don't get it all done.  You might feel like me, as soon as you resolve one conflict another life "curveball" is right around the corner. Life can be intense - between traveling (last month I was in New York, Philadelphia, Dallas and Tampa), cooking, writing, working, exercising, raising kids, and keeping up with my own "extracurricular" activities - life can be overwhelming.  Do you feel the same way? I am in that season of life where most of my time is spent in a car shuffling the boys to school, baseball or driving to the grocery store. I treasure every moment as the days are passing so quickly.  My morning meditation often times happens while driving. How do I attempt to "fit" it all in: I start with sacred mornings; my time ALONE thinking, praying, and meditating sets the t...