Good Morning!!The CIG is full of great signs..... 5 1/2 years ago the first sign purchased for the CIG was a little sign that read "If you want breakfast in bed sleep in the kitchen."....Some are really funny, some proclaim faith and others are really just a reality check, never take ourselves to seriously. I have had private messages regarding these colorful wall hangings....they do not like them or they tell of reading a sign and it making a difference in their day. Whether you are walking in and one catches your eye or you walk around the whole joint reading everyone of them they stir something inside you. Funny I am the one that has bought most of them, hung them and I walk past them everyday but there is one I try to read everyday...... "IN OUR HOUSE..... We do 2nd chances, We say prayers, We do I'm sorry's, We do loud really well, We give Hugs, We do love....We are family." Happy Beautiful Tuesday yall.....Gosh, I love these words that are painted on this little sign.....if we all lived by this phrase how different would our life be? I am inspired by the gentle reminders our heavenly Father puts in front of us.......I obviously need it more than others....I am surrounded by them, but it keeps this amazing beautiful life in perspective...If you were holding a sign what would it say about you and your house....... would it reflect your love for others and your love for your heavenly Father......may yall's day be full and your life reflect these little words sprawled on a little tin sign hanging in "his grill"
1 Comment
Good Morning!! The lessons we learn as children will carry us through our lives.....as parents we teach our kids how to do life, how to handle adversity, hardship, joy, chaos.... you name it we teach by example. I grew up in Dallas, I was the only one in my family born in Texas. Both of my parents were born and raised in Arkansas and that is where all of my grandparents lived. My mom was raised by a single mother, supporting 4 children on her own. My memaw was diagnoised with cancer, she lived on her own, with no family close by. My parents made the desicion to bring her to Texas and live with us.......we took care of her.....not long after my mom was diagnoised with cancer and now my dad and I were caring for 2 cancer patients....mother and daughter. My parents truly honored the verse in the bible that says..."Honor your father and your mother".....they lived this verse with their whole hearts and they were blessed in so many ways. Over the last few years, I have had the great opportunity to get to know a woman that is truly a joy to know.....she comes in with either her adult son or daughter and she radiates kindness to all around her..... I have been following her journey on FB, she has moved her elderly mom in with her.......when I asked her the other day "how it was going?" in her kind way she said it has been tough...the adjustment part. Happy Beautiful Thursday yall......my precious regular is honoring what the Lord told us to do......she is now taking care of the women that raised her and took care of her and she is doing it with grace. I have learned.....doing our heavenly Fathers will for us is not easy but always so worth the journey. I was a child when my parents made this desicion to care for my memaw, I did not really understand the committment, and talking and watching my regular, I see my parents, the sacrifices they made to honor a single mom who had cared for my mom in everyway. It is so amazing that 28 years later, after the fact ,I have learned a great lesson about life from my parents and it is because my precious regular shared her journey with me. I have had the great opportunity to meet the new "roommate" and she is precious......she has raised an amazing daughter that is making great sacrifices for her but isn't that the true cylce of life? with true love and commitment comes great sacrifce. We are the example for our children......how to live life, what kind of example are you? Gosh when I say that it kind of makes my stomach hurt..... I want to be an example that honors my parents and my heavenly Father and I want to do it with grace just as my parents did and my regular is doing. .....leading by example no matter the sacrifice it is always worth the journey!!
Good Morning!! My Sam I am, is heading into surgery this morning..... I asked for prayers. I claim that my heavenly Father is the utlimate healer, and he has a great plan for Sam and his precious daughter. My heart is full of all of yalls kind words and prayers for my friend. Since I talked of his diagnosis so many of you have come into the grill and asked of him, asked to talk to him, prayed for him and he knows he is loved by so many! I pray for the surgeons hands that they are led by he ultimate physician. Happy Beauitful Tuesday..... At 5:14, this morning, Sam and I were on the phone...yes I called him to pray, to insure he has the courage, strength, hope and FAITH to get him through this. God is Great all the time..... The great CIG crew is down one today..... our hearts are full HOPE, FAITH and LOVE.... really that is what our lives should always reflect! May yall's day be full and that yall find comfort and knowing our heavenly Father is control of ALL that is going on.......he loves us. Woot woot.... Lets do a praise filled update shall we??? Sam is home and has text me and then called me( really are we sure he had surgery ?) the mass was the size of a gum ball and contained in that one area. They were able to get it all. The doctor says maybe no further treatment is needed... It all went so well. We will find out further information on the 26th!! Woot woot!! From Sam and the CIG family thank you for your prayers, your phone calls, text and kind words. Your out pouring of love and concern has made us speechless and for Sam and this crew that is crazy!! Thanks again, we are singing our praises!! Thank you Heavenly Father for your healing hands!!
Good Morning!! A different kind of love story.....Sam I am(that is what I call him) wandered into the grill looking for a job..... I did not hire him the first time or the 2nd...3rd time is a charm and he became apart of the CIG. He has been with me almost 2 years, and what a difference he has made in my life. I jokingly say I wish he never knew my cell phone number, because he calls me as much as my kids do and when I do not answer he leaves a message.."Teresa I know you know it is me quite ignoring me and call me" We have laughed together, cried together, been very angry at each other but we have always loved each other. He is the sole caretaker and provider to his precious 6 year old daughter and helps raise his grandchildren(yes his daughter big surprise) He loves his church and his pastor and had an amazing opportunity to sing last Sunday. When he gets all riled up you can not understand him because he is talking so fast and he takes everything that happens at the CIG to heart.....he loves this place, he loves our guest and wants everyone to be their best. Yesterday the CIG crew gathered in a circle in the FAITH room, held hands and prayed for my SAM I AM..... Happy Beautiful Thursday yall.... On Tuesday I receive a call for my sweet friend....."Teresa the bleeding is being caused by cancer.....I have cancer. I sit in complete silence, with tears streaming as I listen. The CIG crew has been on this journey with so many of our precious guest but now it is one of us and my heart is broken. My crew came together with tears, prayer and a heart of hope for our friend and co-worker. If you have ever been to this amazing place Sam has touched you with his talent and love for cooking and his enormous sense of humor... he has served you straight from his heart!! On this beautiful Valenties day I am celebrating my love for ALL that are in my life. I am asking for prayers for Sam....for healing, comfort and peace and for my crew, we are pretty tight around here, we are family.......There are many things I have learned over the last 5 years......ministry does not only happen in a church, blood does not mean family.....and our hearts have the capacity to love so many!! May your day be full of celebrating the amazing love the Lord has given you!!
Good Morning!!I receive a lot of sales call's..... people wanting me to switch credit card companies, food companies, linen companies you name it they call everyday. Last week after closing I receive a call from a bank here in town. He introduces himself and tells me of his services. My response, like always, I am really happy with who I am with but thank you for calling. On Monday, one of the girls comes and finds me and says...."Wow there is a beautiful man up front wanting to talk to you!" I ask who it was but she had no clue. As I approach him, my arm outstretched, I introduce myself and he does the same....."I called you last week from ________ bank, but the reason I stopped by, I read your bio and it was all about Faith....how did you do that? step out on faith and this is what happened?" I do not get stumped to often with questions I am asked but this one I really had no answer for. My response, " I am not sure.....I prayed, I listened and he led my footsteps in HIS direction...in this crazy process I never stopped doing, even though I was constantly in prayer, I was moving forward and when it was not his direction that door would close..... our heavenly father knows our heart he knows what we are seeking and for what reason." He tells me he is on a journey with a passion and he is unsure how to go about it....he has a family to provide for and is really stuggling stepping out on Faith. He grew up in a muslim household and became a christian when playing football in college, he knows the Lord led him to that University to learn of him and to get invloved in so many Christain organizations, he has absolute Faith in our heavenly Father but he is scared and unsure. Happy Beauitful Wednesday yall!! Isn't this how we all are? we have a relationship with the creator of the universe, he loves us and we know he has a great plan for us but we are scared to take that step...I was stumped by his question because I still struggle with stepping out even though my whole journey has been exactly that...... I felt I was the last person to be asked that question, I am still learing about it everyday. Later that afternoon I received an email from this young man..."It was great talking to you today, you know you said something that really stirred something in me, God looks at the heart, he knows what it is saying....you never know who you will meet on any given day, thank you." When you take the time to really talk to others and share in their journey it is amazing the things you learn. I realize we all face fears, and we really stuggle with stepping out on complete Faith, being a child of God and doing his will is hard and scary but it so rewarding. What is your heart saying yall? Gosh those 5 little letters.....F.A.I.T.H. can bring so much anxiety, stress and more joy than you can imagine. I have very little answers to this crazy life but I do know how it feels to step out and trust.
Good Morning!!... 5 years ago when Shawn and I opened the grill Shelby took over where I left off with my boys. He took them to school, took them to the doc., worked on homework with them....he became the "stay at home" parent and he was great at it. When circumstances happened in our life and Shelby ended up here at the grill we really depended on my oldest, Taylor, to help with my B. He would go to school functions, so B would have someone there, He would take him to the doc and make sure his homework was done. As a stay at home mom for 15 years I was invloved in every aspect of their precious little lives and it was an awesome honor, to give it to Shelby was hard and the guilt started creeping in & when Taylor took over the guilt consumed me in some ways....if you work full time yall have experienced it!!! I very rarily leave the grill for any reason once the doors open and my sweet family knows this and has accepted it, they have made so many sacrifices for me and this wonderful place the Lord has blessed me with..... Back in September, my B brings home the paperwork for his Senior ring, I honestly sat there the whole time with my heart breaking, and my B saying "Mom please do not cry!" I could not believe it was time....he talked of the process of designing the ring and receiving a memory ring to wear until his came in, there would be a ring ceremony and he would give the memory ring to someone in his life that was important, that he had learned life from.....someone that made a difference...."Ummm that is me right B?" those were my words to them and Shelby immediatly jumps in a says "NO, it is me right B?", of course we were laughing when we said it, but could not wait to hear his choice..."It is neither one of yall, it is Taylor, but please do not tell him, I want to surprise him!!" My heart was giddy for both of my boys.....Happy Beauitful Thursday yall!! In January I receive the calender...Ring ceremony, Wednesday the 6th of Feburary 8:30 am. Oh mylanta seriously, I have to work again my heart was broken!!! I tell Taylor, without revealing any secrets, you have to be in Idalou for B's senior ring ceremony, we cant be there and I want someone there for him.... Yesterday morning I sat at my desk with tears streaming down as pictures started coming across my phone, pictures of a very special time in my boys life and I was not apart..... I tell Shelby....the 3 of yall have made a great sacrifices for this amazing grill..... I have learned the only reason I get to do what I do is because of the amazing love and support the Lord has surrounded me with. I am so thankful my B honored Taylor yesterday, that was how it was suppose to be, what a blessing. Have you honored those in your life that have sacrifice greatly for you to have the life you have? Thank you and I love you goes a long way.......As a mom, I try to ignore the guilt and focus on the amazing blessings and say "Thank you" to my precious family..... out of great sacrifice comes a great amount of BLESSINGS!!See More
Good Morning!! The 5 weeks that we all worked on getting the CIG ready for open, I had a lot of ideas and suggestions thrown at me. There was a core group of 7 of us that worked almost every single night since Thanksgiving. One of the guys walked in one night and said "Hey Teresa, what is going to be your thing in here?" he proceeded to explain.." Ya know some places have $ bills everywhere with n...ames and date...or you could have bras signed by people..." of course this last one we all laughed at with an emphatic, "I dont think so!!" but I didnt know. As the days turned into weeks, this old building full of history started coming together. When we started on the place we had a lot of clean out before we could get started.....lots of things left behind. There was an old brown pair of cowboy boots that we could see way up in the raftors but could never reach..... finally one of my precious friends, Rotten is what I call him...and I promise that name fits him,was able to reach them. When he brought them down we all talked about the questions surrounding the boots, "Who's were they? why were they up there? how old they were? The old brown boots sat on the bar for the next few days as we continued to work. Rotten one night proclaimed he knew what he wanted to do with the boots..." I want to sign my name and hang them up!!" My precious friend had worked night and weekends all voluntarily for weeks I would do anything he wanted. After the boots were hung, I would sit and look at them, they were special.....Rotten would always be apart of this building, his name written on the bottom and when I saw his name it would bring a smile to my heart and lips...I would remember.... Happy Beautiful Wednesday!! That is when it hit me...this would be the CIG thing, boots hanging with names written on the bottom, so when you look up you remember.... it is special. My B was the first one to bring another pair of boots in, they were his Papa Lynn's boots (Shelby's dad), he left to go to heaven almost 2 years ago.....but he now is remembered at the CIG. The next pair are a childs boots....the first CIG baby, now almost 5, and oh mylanta is he precious he loves to dance and is full of personality, he makes me giddy and seeing his boots bring a smile!! The newest pair I have been given...... a man that passed on January 9. His daughter sat in a booth one morning with tears streaming as she tells me of her loss...I tried to give words of comfort but her hurt was still too new. The next time she was in she asked one of the girls what is up with the boots? they tell her.."It is people memories" that afternoon she brings me her precious daddy's boots for me to hang. She came in yesterday and saw those treasured boots hanging with her daddy's name wriiten on the bottom and there were tears but I believe tears that brought good memories... she took a picture and expressed her feelings. What an honor for people to bring me boots.... they are a celebration!! I envision boots everywhere, whether they are in memory of or they were the best dancing boots you have ever worn and now they are worn out or they are the ones you got married in.... no matter what the memory....they are special!! Next time you are in...enjoy others memories.... they have intrusted the CIG and me with them and I am honored and humbled to be apart.....these boots represent a journey of others....I celebrate them and I am honored. I can promise they are hung and displyed with love.....the day we hung Papa Lynns boots we stood as a family and remembered......what an amazing blessing...funny how cowboy boots can bring tears and joy and memories!!
Good Morning!! On saturday I was having a conversation with a friend about the grill. She is the one that built my website and updates all of my stories to "Teresa Tidbits".....she sees issues for the outside in and we were discussing them. Her words to me, "You and your staff not only did all of this in such a short time but you did it in a glass house for all to see... celebrations and failures. Yesterday I wrote be the person you would like to meet.....well I wrote it but did not live it, in fact if I would have met me yesterday I would have ran the other way. Do you ever feel like every single way you turn is a test? A test of the right choices, a test to how you will react to a situation a test to who you really are? I went to bed early last night just to get away from myself, I had a very heavy heart and I was angry.... I actually was wallering and making excuses for my behavior.... my thoughts."Why does no one truly have my back?" Happy Beautiful Tuesday!!! Do you ever feel this way? I have told my boys since they were little...make good choices or there will be consequences.... my B learned that lesson the hard way this weekend.... he was at the wrong place at the wrong time, even though he was not involved in the festivities he was there....and is suffering the consequences....the crazy thing is, he has not made 1 excuse, he has not blamed the other kids, he has showed no anger....he is not wallering like I was, he is learning to do better, he is taking a life lesson and using it. Everyday I learn something so valuable from our heavenly father....yes I have put myself, my co-workers and my family in a glass house but it keeps us accountable to everyone in our lives.... I am my heavenly Fathers daughter and my actions need to reflect that!! I pray yall have a beautiful blessed day.....the reality is....everyday minute of everyday we will be tested in some form or fashion, are you going to react poorly like I did or are your action going to reflect who's child you are. I learned from my B...it is not about making excuses, it is about being and doing better....I am a work in progress and sometimes that stone comes right into my glass house and hit's me between the eyes!! It is worth heartache, frustration and pain if it makes us better!!
Good Morning!!....Be the person you would like to meet.... I heard this awhile back and it has stuck with me. When I greet everyone at the door, I try to greet them like I would want to be greeted....way over the top and always with a "Happy___", whatever the day may be and I usually immediately get a smile or a laugh, sometimes a comment...."what is so happy about it" but usually it is joy coming from them and what it does to my heart I have no words for. Happy Beautiful Monday yall!! I was in Market Street yesterday, with every other person in Luboock, and I ran into so many of the CIG 's regulars. Every few feet I would stop and talk. The conversations were of the festivities of the day, what everyone was eating, where they were going or questions and kind comments about the new location. Shelby finally drags me from all of the conversations to the check out line...I look up to see another regular coming in the front door......She has been my regular since the day I opened...she is in a high stress very successful career and sometimes I think....she thinks I am crazy... she acts as if she has no time to waste on greetings just get her to her seat so she can get back to work. As she approaches I prepare myself to speak the right words and out of her mouth made my mouth drop open and my heart smile..."Happy Sunday...how are yall!!" and that was it she was gone just but her words and how she said them made my heart smile. As you go through your day be conscience of those you come in contact with...are you reflecting the kind of person you want to meet? It also gives a good chuckle when you tell someone Happy Monday!! it completely takes them off guard but it changes their mindset, if only for a moment.... words are powerful, use yours to make a person's heart smile and bring joy to their lips. May your day be full!!
|
AuthorI opened the Cast Iron Grill in October 2007. Lots of changes have happened in the last 5 1/2 years. The CIG started with 55 seats in an office building located at 18th and K. After five years, we were bursting at the seams with now 167 seats, and 24 wonderful co-workers working on top of eachother to make it happen. 2012 the Lord chose a different journey for the CIG. We relocated the CIG and opened our doors on January 2nd, 2013, just four blocks away from the old location! It has changed my world completely! All of these stories are the happenings of the people and the joy and celebration that make the CIG what it is. Archives
May 2014
Categories |