Good Morning!! Last Friday, during lunch, I walk to the door to greet a guest. I did not know them, but I could tell the older women was battling something..... a sickness of some sort. I walked her and her adult son to a table for 8 people. "The rest of our party will be here in a little bit". I left them and continued my lunch duties. The rest of their family arrived, adults & young children, I assume her kids and grankids. They were having a festive time....everyone talking at once. I was walking through the faith room when their food arrived......one of the precious children said a prayer of thanks for their food..... with all 8 heads bowed the words spoken touched my heart, besides thanking our heavenly father for the food that was set in front of them.....the precious words... "Thank you for my memaw" was spoken from this precious child. Ya know, I dont know this families journey, but I do know they were celebrating each other.... their memaw was sick and they were lifting up thanks for her being there. This long weekend I found myself thanking our heavenly father for every little thing. Shelby and my B playing catch, listening to the radio with the window down, keeping my family safe.... rejoicing that one of my dear friends made it through surgery. We seem to focus on being thankful during the thanksgiving holiday when we should be thankful in every moment of our life. Happy Tuesday yall.... whether you and your family are battling great things or life seems to be smooth saling right now .... be thankful, watching this family on friday.... their life at that moment was not very easy and yet a child was offering up thanks.  May your day be full of amazing blessings!! 

Good Morning!!! I don't come from a long line of military. My dad was a navy guy and my nephew is serving in the air force right now, but what I do come from is a family that loves our country. We are Christians that pray for our military and for our leaders. My head bows in prayer and tears as news comes from the brave men and women that have lost their lives protecting my family and freedom. To the moms and dads..., I say thank you for your children's ultimate sacrifice and to all of you serving.... I have no words, thank you is not enough. Happy Monday and Happy Beautiful Memorial Day, be thankful for our freedom and pray for our military. 

Good Morning!! May 23,1992 I found myself on a bridge in San Antonio saying vows to a man a barely knew (3 months to be exact). He never asked me to marry him.... "We are getting married" were the words he said to me. All of the family and friends gathered on that beautiful day, probably thought.... "No way will this last". Shelby and I have weathered great storms, as all married couples do. We have experienced the birth of two amazing boys, on our 4th anniverary we received the call of the accident that took his mom from us. We have been side by side through bad choices, job loss & lots of new adventures. I witnessed his accepting the Lord and being baptized with our boys. My husband of 20 years has taught me to be kind & loving. He has taught me to laugh at myself, and he can make me belly laugh like no other. We celebrate this amazing milestone, because honestly we never thought we would be here.Our heavenly father has carried us through this journey, when we felt we had no more to give to each other. I am so honored to be Shelby's wife. The sacrifices he has made for me to live my dream..... there really are no words. If you would have told me we would be working side by side one day I would have said "Absolutely Not" and yet we have each others back everyday. 20 years ago I did not marry my best friend, not sure I even loved him.....wow how time changes things. Happy 20th Anniversay, Shelby..."SIMPLY AMAZING" is how I feel. Happy Wednesday yall, My prayer is that all of you expereince an amazing love, nothin better. I love ya Shelby, thanks for spending your life with me:) 

Good Morning!! Last Friday I did something I have never done before..... During the lunch rush, I was cleaning a table in the Faith room, my heart started racing, tears started flowing and I could not breath. I told Shelby I was going off the floor for a few minutes. I stumbled my way to the office and with my door closed I proceeded to cry. I was feeling completely overwhelmed, exhausted, full of sadness and uncertainty. While the Lord was raining amazing blessing down on the CIG I have been dealing with personal and business issues and eventually it all came to a head. I know ALL of us feel this way sometimes. I regained my composure, a little angry at myself for cracking and made my way to the front. I had not been up there less than 1 minute and a guest comes in... "Dessert to go please", as my crew is getting her dessert's together, we start talking. She reads what I have to say in the mornings and asked me about one of my guest with cancer. Her asking changed my mind set.....You see.... my problems had not changed but I was able to focus my energy on my precious friends, there issues a lot more important than mine. There is a phrase hanging in my office, "The Lord will do amazing things among you", I know life is hard, I live it everyday, sometimes I get so caught up in the "surface"of my life I forget to look under the problems and celebrate ALL of my blessings. My head has been very noisy this weekend, being alone with my thoughts was the last thing I wanted, but the talks that I have had with my heavenly father brought comfort like no other. Happy Monday yall.... whatever is breaking your heart today or has you full of anxiety, give it to him... turn your eyes to him and believe he has your back, through the storms of life he will do amazing things among us... That actually makes me giddy to see the amazing things that are going to come out of all that I am feeling!! 

Good Morning!! I received a phone call yesterday from Nicole, she is on the air for FOX 34. " Someone suggested the CIG for a segment Thursday morning, it is live and early, will you do it?" I instantly thought.... sharing the CIG with others, ABSOLUTELY, YEA God. I hang up, I proceed to do the "HAPPY DANCE" all around the kitchen, my guest wondering if I am having a siezure and then It hits me... I look at Shelby, my excitment now only a memory, "Oh mylanta I cant do it, speaking in front of others, no way.... Alysha you can do it". There is a running joke aroud here, when people asked my name, I tell them "Alysha", that way if their is a problem, they will ask for that name.... well yall get the point. Back to my delimma.... I have stepped out on faith in every part of my life and this one fear, I just cant let go. I am great one on one more than 3 oh mylanta, I cant even describe it. My verse this morning, Psalms 138:3 " On the day I called to You, You answered me. You made me strong and brave". I know the Lord has a huge sense of humor when living my purpose driven life is so far out of my comfort zone. Happy Tuesday yall.... Is there something your facing today, their is nothing to small or big for our heavenly father, claim this verse yall, I will be repeating till Thursday:) God is great all the time!!! 

Good Morning!! There is a person that has been in my life a long time. His son and my B have been best friends for as long as I can remember. A few years ago he was diagnoised with cancer in his neck area. He was having a really hard time staying positive. Shelby and I tried to be his cheerleaders.... Bible verses sent to him daily and alot of prayer, he almost became reclusive. Months of treatment found his cancer gone... a celebration was going on but not for long it was back and this time required very invasive surgery and more treatment. He could not eat and in time he lost a lot of weight, but this go around, even though he was still in a deep depression, he would come hang out at the grill, not to eat but to feed his soul. His mind set was getting stronger. After a long year he was told the cancer was gone once again. We once again were lifting our praises upward. The last year has been great for him, he has felt great and enjoying his life again. re-building relationships. Last Wednesday morning the grill was crazy busy.... I was leaning down taking a to go order when I see someone sit at the bar, I look up to find my friend with tears rolling down his face..... My heart stopped, I knew it was back. When one of my friends is hurting, it's like everything stops. I stopped what I was doing and immediatly went to him after some whispered words and tears we prayed. I am not just hearbroken with the cancer being back, I am heartbroken because I do not want him to revert into staying at home by himself and dwelling on it. I want him to live and enjoy his beautiful life. I once again come to yall and ask for prayers, I ask not for just prayers of healing, but for his heart, I pray that he experiences pure joy everyday and that only comes from our father. Happy Monday yall..... This place the Lord has blessed me with has seen a lot of tears..... but through those tears this place has experienced true blessings. I pray yall have an amazing Monday!!! 

Good Morning!!! There is a book called... "The Same Kind of Different as me". This book is really what catapulted me to working with the poor and homeless. I didnt really learn the true meaning of that phrase until I was knee deep in trying to meet others in need. I was startled at first when a mom with babies and kids started coming in, it actually made me sad, until I realized these moms want the same thing for their kids as I do mine..... A safe, clean place to have a hot meal and they were going to make sure they got it. This is what being a mom is all about. A few years ago the film "The Passion" came out, Shelby asked if I wanted to see it, my answer was "NO", I knew it would make me sad and angry to watch Jesus be abused and mistreated, I knew the story, I didnt need to watch it. Shelby watched it and convinced me to do the same. I sat with tears streaming down my face, as he hung on the cross, of course I knew the ending, but the one thing that I never thought of? Mary, Jesus mom, at his feet weeping. She was heart broken, this was her son....Even though she knew he didnt belong to her, she raised him and loved him made sure he was fed and safe. Being a mom is the most important job I have ever had, I would do anything to keep them safe, full and happy. There really are no words when I try to describe being a mom....there can be a line out the door and around the corner and when my boys walk in, I stop what I am doing and kiss and love on them (groans from them), ahhhh I could just eat them up. Us moms we are all the same, no matter your walk in life. Happy Friday yall...... As one mom to another I honor every single one of yall... our children? they are just on loan from our heavenly father and what a blessing to be called by thoses 3 letters. I pray you all have an amazing special day on Sunday. Thank you Lord for this honor:) 

Good Morning!! 3 years ago a girl walked into the grill for a job, Shawn, my business partner at the time hired her. Her name has been spoken from my lips a million times..... Crimson. As a boss we are not to get attached but I have broken the rule and I am just that, attached. Over the 3 years she has been with me we have laughed together, cried together, shouted at each other. She keeps me on track and knows exactly how crazy I am. She loves my boys and the feeling is mutual. I went through 9 months of pregnancy with her and she honored Shelby and I to be Godparents to our precious Aiden. She has grown and changed so much over time. She has amazing self confidence and her heart has changed to have a relationship with our heavenly father, Im proud. Today is her wedding day..... she is marrying an amazing man. He has been a regualr at the CIG for along time. He has a kindness and sweetness about him that instantly makes you love him. He comes from an amazing christian family, that will love my precious godson with all their heart. I am so honored to be on this journey with her, I know the Lord has an amazing plan for this sweet couple. Today, as I sit and watch them pledge their love to each other, I know their will be tears from my eyes, because she has come so far from the girl that walked into my heart 3 years ago. Crimson and Gaines, I am honored to be apart of this new beginning, thank you for allowing me too. Happy Thursday yall..... I believe its a beautiful day for a wedding. Thank you Lord for this precious family!!! 

Good Morning!! While I was sleeping.......lets back up to before I was sleeping. I have two caterings today, totally 280 people. We have planned for how it will work and prepared the crew. Everything was going as planned until a phone call came last nght that revealed, I was to be one down in the kitchen because of sickness. My heart was full was anger, frustration, panic. My first call was to Shelby and then the rest of my kitchen co-workers. We pulled together another plan and hung up. I was frustrated as I went to bed honestly not knowing how we were going to pull this off. Back to while I was sleeping.... My two boys came to the grill during the night, and worked along side their Dad, to ensure all of our guest would be taken care of today. I arrived this morning a little before four and sent Shelby to bed, he had now been up 24 hours. My heart has been filled with joy and my frustration and panic melted away. The most important people in my life, with their actions, showed me I was important and sacrificed their sleep so I could sleep.There really are no words when you find out, you have been taken care of, someone has your back. Happy Wednesday yall, for all of the loved ones in your life, do your actions reflect how much you love them and appreciate them? Do something today for a loved one that really shows how you feel, we tend to get so wrapped up in helping strangers and friends, that we let our family down. Thank you Shelby, Taylor and Branum yall made a girl feel really loved and absolutly special.... I love yall with all my heart, thanks for having my back:)