Good Morning!! On Tuesday Shelby and I ran out of the grill at 2:15.....we got all of the staff on the same page as far as closing down and hit the road to Childress.....what could happen we were closed right? Wednesday morning came really quickly for these tired traveled parents...... when we arrive at the grill I am hit with the issues that happened on Tuesday after I left.... I became very angry and frustrated and went straight to the kitchen, instead of asking their side I laid into them...all 5 of the guys looked at me and listened, never saying a word or defending themselves(they know I dislike excuses)..... later I hear different stories floating through the grill. I had made a mistake and I needed to make it right...these guys were not totally the only ones at fault... Happy Beautiful Thursday yall....when you realize you have treated someone wrong what do you do? Over the last 3 months I have felt great pressure to get everything right, more pressure than I knew could possibly exist and shamefully there have been days that the pressure boils up and I become the worst version of myself but what I am learning is how to ask for forgiveness from those around me...... "I am sorry, I was wrong" has become a phrase I am learning ALL about. It is very humbling and hard to go to someone and say this phrase but as a child of God I need my actions to reflect his love. We are all held accountable for our actions and regardless of the pressure and stress in our lives we still need to treat others with kindness. I am a huge work in progress and I am thankful that those around me accept my apologies.....if you do not say "I am sorry, I was wrong" it is hard to move forward in any relationship whether it be personal or business. Is there someone today you need to say I am sorry too? all you can do is put it out there and see what happens. I went to these guys and told them "I was wrong, I should not have jumped in without knowing the full story.... I am sorry"...this opened up a line of communication for them to talk of the incident. Gosh life is such a beautiful journey and we can so easily mess up the amazing blessings the Lord has given us......I want to be better and do better and being humble enough to admit when I am wrong eases a huge burden from my heart......giving an apology can be life changing yall!!
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Good Morning!! I have had the great blessing to meet a lot of amazing people through the CIG, they become regulars and then they steal my heart and become a part of me. Ironically a lot of them are pastors..... and I feel very honored to know them. One of these Godly men is the pastor at Focal Pointe Fellowship. He messaged me a while back about a fundraiser for St. Baldricks Foundation, this organization raises money for cancer research for children. He tells me a little about this event and asked if I would donate desserts to be sold to raise money....no brainer of course. The fundraiser will be held tomorrow at the church and the link below tells about all of it. You can also catch Brittany, from look around Lubbock on Fox34, as she shares about the events. Happy Beautiful Friday yall.....people working to make a difference in children's lives, that is what this life is all about. The CIG crew are sporting shirts today that reflect this organization, we are honored that we can do this for Paul, and for St. Baldricks. We can make a difference for kids all over this beautiful country.... http://www.stbaldricks.org/events/mypage/1890/2013 This is the amazing CIG crew that does it everyday.... We are exhausted and still smiling for a great cause !!! Happy beautiful weekend... Proud of this crew they rock!! Thanks Paul for letting us be apart of a special cause:) Good Morning!!! Yesterday I ran out of the grill at 3:30.....I had an appointment that I needed to get to and Shelby had taken my B to an eye appoointment. We meet back at the grill at 5:00 and we head down to Giorgio's for Italian food before heading home. Giorgio's pizza has been a staple in downtown for 20 plus years. The great old building sits on the corner of J and Broadway and like myself if the doors are open, Giorgio is there. His thick accent and kind words are what greet every customer that walks in the door. He knows us by name, he knows the CIG and always ask how business is......we have a connection....we both work in the crazy, chaotic world of the restaurant business in downtown and we both love it, we love our regulars....many of which we share. We always have great conversation, yesterday we talked of our Faith and our love for our heavenly Father. Giorgio is a christian and a parent that has suffered great loss, the loss of a 15 year old daughter, 9 years ago. He told Shelby and I of his journey and how his Faith and love is stonger now because of his loss. I could not hold back the tears as I listened to his journey...in some ways more than my heart could take...... On the drive home my mind was on this great little pizza joint that sits in the heart of downtown. I have said the biggest thing I have learned over the last 5 years ministry does not just happen in a church, it happens daily at the CIG and I experienced ministry at Giorgio's yesterday.... Happy Beautiful Wednesday yall!!Yesterday during lunch I had the pleasure of meeting a guy and gal that were here visiting from Tyler, they came in Monday and loved it so much they came back yesterday, their words to me" We love the experience and the food and we will see you again tomorrow before we head home." The experience.....those are the words that I feel everytime I enter Giorgio's and my heart is for every guest to have an experience everytime they walk into the CIG, that they feel they apart of a community and a ministry.....that they feel great love. I get it...I was renewed yesterday and I am thankful...what kind of experience do others get when they are in your presents.....is it one of ministry & love?
Good Morning!! Silence and smiles..... these are both very powerful tools. A smile is the way to solve many problems and Silence is the way to avoid many problems. I believe I have the first one mastered.....it is the 2nd one I tend to fail at. Lord wrap your arm aound my shoulder and your hand over my mouth.....All I have to say is ...AMEN and to those that really know me, know I need to pray this daily. Happy Beautiful Tuesday yall!!!May it be full of laughter and smiles and silence when needed.....I am truly a work in progress when it comes to silence....that is pretty hard for me!!
Good Morning!! Last fall I wrote of a precious young man, he is a senior at Idalou High School.The 2nd day of the school year he became violently ill and was hospitalized and diagnoised with west nile meningitis, during the scan of his body they found a brain tumor. I talked of his journey, what an amazing blessing it was that he became ill....they found the tumor. The 6'9 inch young man is a basketball player and his goal was to heal from surgery and play his senior year, the game he loves so much. The Idalou Wildcats will play in the semi finals of the State championship this morning and this precious young man will be leading this amazing special team.....he has played and played well. His quote in the paper really hit me this morning....." At church they say God puts his toughest warriors through the toughest challenges, something like that." Happy Beautiful Friday yall!! ........yesterday I spoke of "I have seen the healing hands of God" here it is right in front of us.... I pray for strength mentally and physically for these boys this morning. Out of the mouth of babes we can learn so much......whatever you are going through today, life's tough challenges, remember this quote from this young man. The toughest warriors go through the toughest challenges. I promise I will keep this with me always!! Good Luck Idalou Wildcats...... WOOT WOOT..... proud to be a Wildcat!!
Good Morning!! I have seen the healing hands of God..... when I think of this song many thoughts go through my mind but healing of the heart is first and foremost. Last year I was talking with a precious regular and the talk turns to his daughters pregnancy, it was difficult with some problems he then shares the journey of loosing his teenage son..... the heartache and turmoil he and his wife have been through, I listened with tears streaming down my cheeks ,never would I have guessed his journey......as long as I had known him he seemed..."whole". I was sitting at the Idalou baseball field last year when I met a gentlmen through private message on FB....seeing my check-in he tells of loosing his precious son, his name in memory of on the score board, I have since met this man in person and if I had not known about his journey...I would have thought he was "whole". I have another precious regular that is absolutely precious....she usually has her grandchildren in tow and she is full of joy with a beautiful smile always spread across her face.....a couple of years ago she lost her adult daughter....if I did not know her journey I would have thought she was "whole". Last week I received a private message from a friend/regular to pray for the family of a young co-worker that had died, she mentioned it was her co-worker and another young man. I had been praying for these families..... my heart absolutely broken for these parents. I receive word a few days ago, I knew the other young man, he played sports with my kids and I instantly felt sick to my stomach and my thoughts went to his parents. Happy Beautiful Thursday yall....I have experienced sadness and turmoil but not this.... I have no comprehension of this anguish, all of these parents have a connection that none of us want to be apart of......Life is beautiful and when I look at these precious parents they also share absolute FAITH in our heavenly Father and that is why I "thought" they were "whole". I know there has been a lot of anger, millions of tears and a broken heart that seems would never heal...... life forever changed but ALL of their lives have moved forward....different. I have seen the "healing hands of God"....because that is the only way these parents are still standing and functioning. Whatever is going on...the turmoil, the sadness, loss, the chaos, our heavenly Father is there with his perfect peace and healing hands. To get a glimpse of these amazing parents and their grief brings hope for all of us grieving. There are "new parents" that are now apart of this coonection. My prayer is absolute perfect peace for them on this journey.... and may they experience the Healing hands of God.......
OH Mylanta !! I forgot to tell y'all.... A reality show filmed at the CIG a few weeks ago, it is called car chasers . This show premiers tonight on CNBC at 10:00 eastern . Not sure what episode we will be on but woot woot pretty cool.... Part of all of the blessings our Heavenly Father is raining down on the CIG!!! Yes ... I promise we won't get to famous for all y'all...... BAHAHA just kidding:)
Good Morning!! Over the last weeks "stories from the grill" have been few and far between. After being open for 2 months I am still trying to process everything..... Blessing after blessing and I am having , for the first time, a hard time putting it all into words. Everyday around here is crazy busy and with every minute of lunch rush my mind is on the kitchen, they do an amazing job but are still very fragile, crashing is always a concern. On Friday the line was of course out the door and my magic number for the amazing guest waiting in line is 15.... The amount of minutes I have to get them seated. Carrying on a deep conversation with others is usually not in my plan .... But there are those that The Lord has brought to the grill, not just for food but for there soul. The saying in the picture is written across my big wall and it has been apart of the CIG for a couple of years now. The night I sat in the empty CIG and watched it go up, i was giddy and full of emotion... I felt it would make a difference in someone's life and also let all who entered this place know that God was apart. I had checked on tables and the kitchen to make sure all were good and was making my way back to the line when a women stopped me. She had a camera in hand and ask.." Do you mind if I take a picture of your wall... I have a friend that is very sick, he has always ministered to many but he is dealing with a lot right now, I told him The Lord has a plan to use him whether he is sick or well.... As long as he has a breath in his body he can do the Lords work... This saying is what he needs." I know the guest at the door are waiting patiently and I know they wonder truly what could be going on that I stop in my steps to listen to every word she has to say.... This is why the grill is here to touch real life people,.... Happy beautiful Monday y'all!!! See how beautifully GOD has added one more day in your life , not necessarily because you need it but because someone else might need you!! Our Heavenly Father is so good and gracious to place reminders of his love.... Her hurting and love for her friend brought tears to my eyes but my heart was full.... After 5 1/2 years his grill is still making a difference in others life . This saying touches so many..... He has blessed you with another day... what are you going to do with it? As she told of her friends journey something really stuck out to me.... His whole life has been "ministering to others" and now he doesn't understand why The Lord just doesn't take him home..,., The Lord is not finished with him yet... Someone needs him today!! My prayer every morning is Lord use me to make a difference for your kingdom, what is your prayer?
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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
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