... filled with love

"Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. 

He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God."

Ephesians 5:2 (NLT) 

Love

 Our hearts  are troubled with yet another senseless tragedy. It is  easy to feel powerless. What are we called to do in the midst of another mass shooting? It seems that the cycle of violence never ends.

We  live in a broken world. It would be easy to respond with hate. Yet,  hate  is the not the answer.
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that." Martin Luther King, Jr.

Frugal Friday

It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.
Frederick Douglass

Indeed. It is cost effective to prevent problems instead of repairing broken lives.

Last night, I joined with hundreds of volunteers as we recognized individuals who are making a different in the lives of our youth and families. We listened to inspiring stories of people who are making a difference. We do believe that it is easier to build strong children.

Leadership Lexington is a faith based program that seeks to serve those who are on the margins of life.  How does the program work? Volunteers are screened and trained to become Read to Succeed Volunteers. In addition volunteers serve in the The Fatherhood Initiative to serve with fathers who are incarcerated. Another program is Amachi  which acts as a mentoring program for young people.

From prayer, to after school programs, tutoring,  and mentoring, leaders want to make our city ... A City For God.

Attending these events allows volunteers to see the big picture in our community.
I love that I have the opportunity to serve along side talented servants of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The added bonus, "L" is my prayer partner. Her husband and I teach a group of fifth grade students.
I thank God I can count them as dear friends.
Making a difference in the lives of young people is so worthwhile. Praying with and for children is an investment in eternity.

Tea Tasting

Do you have a favorite tea? Do you prefer sweet ice tea or hot tea? Currently my favorite hot tea is peppermint. A close second is a delightful peach ginger tea blend.

Tomorrow, I will  try this tea. It is a white and lavender tea blend. What caught my eye about this tea?  The label. The sun-kissed lavender white and lavender tea blend. Top it off with Skinny Piggy Kombucha. What is Kombucha?
The label says this,
"Every sip of Skinny Piggy Kombucha is a dance party
full of delightful tea blends and live cultures.
Drink one every day and you'll be dancing, too."
After I drink this tomorrow afternoon, I will let you know if I am dancing.

What is Kombucha? According to an online source, "Kombucha is a a green or black tea that is fermented with a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast, otherwise known as SCOBY.
During the fermentation process, the yeast in the SCOBY breaks down the sugar in the tea and releases probiotic bacteria."

Hmmm ... sounds like I could be dancing to the restroom.

Monday Musings ... a blessing

May you always have
enough happiness to keep you sweet;
enough trials to keep you strong;
enough success to keep you eager;
enough faith to give you courage;
and enough determination to 
make each day a good day. 
-Blessing

Thrifty Thursday

Grateful I was able to cook dinner
for these two work colleagues.
Dessert tea and cookies.

This week's tip:  Use your Amazon Prime account with Wholefoods. You will enjoy10% off Blue Tickets plus an additional 10% off sale.
Check it out. It may be something that will work for you and your family.

Wordless Wednesday

Tasty Tuesday

Today's brunch provided a welcomed  break from our daily routine. Loved the invitation from Jerry. Who do you need to call and invite to meet over coffee? Make the effort to keep in touch with friends. Make a call, send a text, or send an email. 😃

Monday Musings ... life

"Life is amazing.

And then it's awful.

And then it's amazing again.

And in between the 

amazing and the awful

it's ordinary and

mundane and routine.

Breathe in the amazing,

hold on through the awful

and relax and exhale

during the ordinary.

That's just living

heartbreaking, 

soul-healing,

amazing, awful, 

ordinary life. And it's

breathtaking, beautiful."

L.R. Knost

Frugal Friday

My son - in - law, recently introduced me to this wonderful product, Bee's Wrap Seconds.  I love their business philosophy, reducing waste and fostering a culture of reuse.  Check out their website.
Beeswrap.com  Sign up for their email list. Receive a discount on your first purchase. 😀

This product has me thinking... what will I reuse in my home. What will you reuse or repurpose in your home? Will you share what you are doing? I would love to read about your creativity.

Wordless Wednesday

Tasty Tuesday ... DV8

On most Tuesdays, I share a quote or a picture about a local recipe or a luncheon.
Today is a little different...  it is about DV8

"DV8 is a restaurant and bakery in Lexington that provides second chance employment opportunities for people in substance  recovery who are trying to redirect their lives." Connections PBS

DV8 has been featured in the New York Times, NBC, and our local television station.

In September, Ron Perez, Owner of DV8 spoke to the Lexington Chapter of the Altrusa Club. Check out details about our local chapter, Altrusa Lexington
Ron shared the story of how his restaurant is built on social responsibility. The restaurant is making a difference in the lives of recovery addicts, the community, and serves as a model for businesses.

Please take a moment and read or view the story about DV8. If you google, DV8 you will discover the history of the amazing restaurant. I am sure that you will be encouraged and challenged.

Rob Perez, Owner, DV8 and Saul Good Restaurant 

Mason and Sheba

Mason and Sheba are the pets of the week. Don't you think they live in an idyllic setting? They have plenty of room to run, jump, and enjoy daily exercise.   They are excellent guard dogs.

According to the American Kennel Club, the German Shepard stand in the front of the canine royalty.
Why? "They are loyal, display courage, have a keen ability to learn commands to many tasks, and they are often willing to put their lives on the line in defense of their owners." I don't think that your can ask for more.

They even look royal in this setting. Special thanks to my friend "C"  for sharing this picture.

sparkling and wonderful family

"I hope you know how brave, important, sparkling, and wonderful you are, 

even if you don't feel like it. " 

unknown 

It is nice to be amazed! I admire my cousin. She is a beautiful example of strength, joy, and faith in God. Her outlook on life is so inspiring. Praying the next chapter in her life will be a inspiration to others.  Wow! She is an inspiration to me. It is never to late to make a change in your life. 

Wordless Wednesday

Tasty Tuesday

I love when family members come to visit. Yes, it means extra work. We do more cleaning, cooking, grocery shopping, and visiting. Even with the extra work, it is a labor of love. We love spending time with family.

When you have working professionals come to visit, your dining room becomes their work space.
First, it was a professor from the College of Charleston. Now, we have a government employee parked in our dining room. Instead of placemats, we have work paper and a computer in the dining room. Depending on the weather, we are dining in the kitchen or enjoying our meal outside.


As for cooking, I have prepared soup, pasta casserole, and on  tonight's the menu ... Chicken and Waffles.  I hope you will consider trying this syrup for your Chicken and Waffles.

Now we are preparing for a neighborhood party on Sunday. On the menu... A Labor of Love.

Monday Musings

October is Breast  Cancer Awareness Month. Take the time to schedule your mammogram.  Thousands of people across the country are wearing pink to encourage everyone to stand together in the fight against breast cancer. 
#AKABreastcancerawareness