Good Morning!! It will be 5 years in September that the CIG has been open. Oh mylanta how time flies!! 2 1/2 years ago I was beaten down and exhausted, the fate of my precious restaurant was truly out of my hands.... not knowing if I could keep my doors open, I was truly leaning on the Lord for strength. I was not really even focused anymore, I was living in fear. I had already planned to close the grill that summer for a much needed break. The week before closing everything came apart at the seams.... I went ahead and closed, honestly not knowing what was going to happen. My precious little family headed to my dads for a few days and then it became a working week, honestly a pretty miserable hard week.....many tears and sadness.  I proclaimed "I will never close again for a break". Its amazing how time and his strength, comfort and love can change things. Of course, wednesday it hit me....what if something happens to this place I love so much, will my crew be ok.... will my guest return. Driving in this morning one of my favorite songs came on the radio, Mandisa's "Things can only get better", one line of the song... When the waves are taking you under hold on just a little bit longer, he knows that this is gonna make you stronger, the pain ain't gonna last forever. WOW i believe this song was sent to me this morning reminding me.... I was drowning a few years ago, but with his strength and love I am stronger in Him than I ever thought possible. Happy Friday yall, you and the Lord knows the journey you are on, allow your pain, suffering and your anxiety to rest on him. I am a walking testimony of his grace and love... been there done that everyday yall. At 2:00 today when I shut the CIG doors for one week, I do so with excitement. Pray for my amazing crew for much needed rest and for my precious family as we travel. I pray yall have an amazing 4th!! WOOT WOOT vacation is here yall!! 

Good Morning!! 4 1/2 years ago 3 of my regulars brought me an iron sign....it has Cast Iron Grill cut out of it, this treasured gift has been hanging in my front dining room since the day they gave it to me. 2 years ago, another man became one of my regulars. He would call in a to go order every morning, the exact same order everyday, and would come pick it up on his way home for work. The more he came in of course the more we talked.... one morning he looks at the iron sign that I have loved so much, and tells me he was the one that made it.... that became our connection and a friendship started. The girls and I have celebrated his accomplishment of finishing school and promotion at his job....he is just a good guy. A while back his wife was diagnoised with cancer. I have prayed with them and for them during this time of struggle. He has been her caretaker, nurse, provider, cheerleader..... on this journey he has brought her in daily for breakfast or lunch. He works overnights so many days when they sit to eat, he has had no sleep. Her treatments are done as of last week,.... the spots have dissappeared, what an unbelievable praise. To experience watching a spouse love and care for their mate, when their mate is in a battle to save their life, I honestly can't describe it. Last week they come to eat and hand me a bracelet, the words that wrapped around this precious gift ..."A life lived 4 others.... is a life worth living" . Mr W has lived these words....and I was so honored and humbled that he gave me one. I have not taken it off since I received it.... when I look at it, I remember my claim is to make a difference in someones life. Happy Wednesday yall... when you step outside of yourself and live a life for others, it changes your whole perspective. Thanks Mr. W for your friendship and allowing me to experience yalls journey, and for this precious gift that is a reminder to me everyday it has made a difference in my life:) 

Good Morning!! My mom was an all-state basketball player.... yes for those that know my height, she was a lot taller than me. She was raised by a single mom, with two sisters and a brother. A story that has stuck with me since I was a kid..... After every game the team would go to a cafe for pie. My memaw would give my mom the .75 cents to eat with the team, what my mom did not know that when my memaw gave that to her, she would not eat lunch for a few days. My memaw wanted so much for her child, that she would sacrifice her eating so my mom could be with the team. This life lesson has stuck with me for 35 years. When you love someone with all your heart, you will sacrifice for them. When you have children you will sacrifice anything for their safety, happiness & well being..... the ultimate sacrifice was given from our heavenly father, he did not send us money or food for us to live, he sent his son. As a parent, we make huge sacrifices everyday for our children but if we do not teach them about the ultimate sacrifice given to them, none of the other stuff matters. Happy Tuesday yall.....when you make sacrifices for your loved ones remember the utlimate sacrifice of love you were given and plant the seed for those you love....it will be life changng:) believe and receive yall!! 

Good morning!! Peace. it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, chaos or hardwork, it means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in you heart..... I live this phrase daily.... the restaurant business is crazy and never the same and always a catastrophy waiting right around the corner. Shelby and I needed to get out of the grill pretty quick yesterday. The crew was cleaning everything up and I was in the office closing the books for the day. My thoughts.."we are going to get out on time".. and then all chaos broke out and I was informed, "call the plumber right now!" as I made my way to the main dining room I experienced water flowing everywhere, all of the crew scrambling to help and Shelby turning off the water supply..being in this business in a building that is 60 plus years old, I have the plumber on speed dial. I made the call, the crew cleaned up the massive mess and Shelby and I started playing the waiting game. My afternoon was not going as planned, I was now going to be very late... instead of being completely frustrated and overwhelmed I turned my chaos to praise.... I was thankful it happened after we were closed..can you imagine water filling up the dining room when it was filled with guest.... oh just the thought!!! Happy Wednesday yall... our lives are so noisy and filled with trouble, chaos and turmoil but our heavenly father offers absolute peace. My prayer for yall? That you experience "Peace" today inspite of the chaos, it comes from within and starts with him!! 

Good Morning!! Ya know I am really struggling with.... stepping out on complete an absolute faith. My family has been praying about a situation since February. This prayer is finally coming all together, but not all tidy and wrapped in a big pink bow. Ugg I hate when that happens. Our ulitimate final choice could really effect my precious family. My boys are relying on Shelby and I to make the final right choice. And so this is life everyday for all of us. It can be all consuming. We were smack dab in the middle of cold winter days when we started praying for the Lord to give us direction.... my B was struggling with his decision, one early morning, as I am sitting all bundled up (not to fond of winter) doing my bible study this passage sprung from the page..." Remind yourself of who you are in Christ Jesus on a daily basis. God has crowned you with HIS favor. So grab ahold of God's promises, put your fear behind you, and step into your dreams." I read it about 10 times and then sent it to my B. I took a picture of it with my phone so I can pull it up always and remember it. Stepping out on faith is putting all your fears behind and letting our heavenly father take control. Happy Thursday yall..... Having absolute Faith is very hard, but I know when letting go amazing special things happen in our life. Whatever yall are sturggling with today, I pray you remember these words that jumped out at me.... they were given to my B when he really needed them. and now I read this passage everyday.... Faith is not thinking our heavenly Father can...... its knowing he will:) 

Good Morning!! Typical Wednesday.... I was running late. As soon as I leave my house I call the grill, & get a list together of the supplies I need from Walmart. Hummm the only words I can say about Walmart.... it makes me crazy. I have been going into the one on Q several times a week for 5 years, it is actually not to bad early in the morning....it is usually me, the over night stockers and either homeless people or people that are just getting off work. I have my two favorite cashiers, they are kind and caring. I was frustrated with myself for running late and I rushed through the store to get my needed supplies. Always there is only 1 lane open.... as I approach the lane there is a line and now I am really frustrated. I hear my sweet cashier and the others in line carrying on a conversation...oh mylanta people I am LATE!!!While I was standing there sulking I started listening..... The conversation? one of the ladies had cancer and she was on a new treatment...the other lady soaking in everything she said because someone she loved was facing the same thing. My sulking immediatly stopped and besides listening ,my heart was embracing the fellowship of these strangers that had just met. The words out the mouth of the cancer patient..... "God is so Good and if he chooses to heal me I will shout his healing from the roof tops and if not... that is his plan for me". WOW in the middle of Walmart I am hearing her praise our heavenly father even though she is not well. Happy Wednesday yall...I am so thankful for running late this morning, I had an amazing opportunity to witness our heavenly fathers amazing love. I was able to listen and learn from a total stranger....ya know when I woke up late I never thought this was how my morning was going to be... her faith was unwavering, I am so thankful for his plan !!! 

Good Morning!! Have you ever experienced a person in your life making a promise to you and keeping it always? If you have been married, yes there are promises made... But not always kept. When you become a parent you promise to protect and love. I often think about a promise that was made to me over 20 years ago.... My mom had just passed away and my family gathered at the house that night to eat pizza, funny how you remember these sorts of things. I made my way to the apartment in the back of the house, maybe trying to find comfort in the hospital bed that had been place there, for my memaw and then my mom. My dad found me sitting there.. tears streaming down my face I tell him.."I still need a mom", he took my hands and promised me "I will be your mom and dad". He has kept that promise for all these years... We have had talks that would make most dads uncomfortable. When hardships have come my way... He has always been there, when I have made bad choices he still loved me. Funny, when Shelby was taking a job in Lubbock 17 years ago, I was devastated to leave my dad, " why can't I stay with you and see Shelby on the weekend", of course in his gentle way he told me that is not how things work but we can see each other every weekend if you want & again he kept that promise. You see it's easy in away for me to understand the unconditional love and promises of our heavenly father because I have had the amazing opportunity to experience that in my life.., but for so many others they do not have that from their dad, I was talking to a girl the other day,that had it rough growing up, her dad did not love unconditionally and her mistakes were still brought up, My heart was sad for her, I told her she receives that kind of love from our heavenly father. He made a promise to us thousands of years ago and has kept that promise..he loves unconditionally and when we confess to him our sins he doesn't bring them back up again, they are done. His promise to love, guide & comfort us is there.Happy Tuesday y'all .... I am so thankful for the promises the Lord has given and never broken, curl up in his arms y'all and have a talk with him bask in his love for you:) 

Good Morning!!! I have to confess.... I fell in love with a preacher yesterday & my heart is singing with pure joy. Maybe I should back up and start from the beginning.... One of my regulars is a youth minister at a baptist church here in town. He also sits on the board with me for St. Benedicts. He comes in once or twice a week, and in tow he always has the younger interns that work with the youth also. What a great group of guys they are, we have so much fun with them when they come in(personality plus) They have their favorite waitress and she adores them. They come in on Monday with the brightest purple shirts I have ever seen & of course I had to make fun of them. They were kicking off the week of vacation bible school and they were pumped. On Tuesday morning my sweet co-worker (their favorite waitress) is giddy telling me of dropping her kids off at their church for vacation bible school. Honestly her words made me smile..... the way they treated her and her kids and the excitement that they showed them, well I actually have no words. You see.... if you dont grow up in church, it can be pretty intimidating and the kindness and love and welcome that they showed my precious waitress she will remember forever. When I say I fell in love.... I fell in love with his actions. The moment they shared and invited her kids to vacation bible school they were making a difference by radiating the love of our heavenly father....I will always be grateful for that. Happy Friday yall....do your actions show the love of our heavenly father? when they do people will fall in love, and her kids? they have had the most amazing time this week... thanks guys for being good and faithful servants and taking the time to share and invite. God is Good and I know these 3 little lives were changed this week:) 

Good Morning!! The first time I met him, he was sitting in his living room, not to interested in me. Shelby and I were dating and he wanted to introduce me to his family...mom and twin brothers. His brothers were seniors in high school. The day I met Shawn... I could instantly tell he was sweet and kind. Over the last 20 years, Shawn has been a constant in my life, not just a brother n law..but a brother & friend. He was at the hospital when both of his nephews were born. He has been apart of most of our family vacations and we have stories that make your belly hurt from laughing. Animals love him and loosing sweet stoli girl broke his heart as it did ours. He has never been married.... and never had the opportunity to have his own kids. He started the CIG with me, we were partners. He took me on with no restaurant experience and patiently taught me everything he knew. During the year and half we worked side by side, we laughed together, cried together and argued...memories I cherish. When he left the CIG I was scared.... could I do it, but he taught me well. His life has taken him in many directions...to the Dallas/Ft Worth area and then back to Lubbock 2 years ago to work with dad in his catering business. He loved working with his dad.... loosing him was devasting.... he returned to Ft Worth last year. In January he took over that caterng business and travels back and forth weekly to work caterings. I love when the weeks come around that he is in Lubbock.... Yesterday, he drove into Lubbock, and made his way to the grill... we were slammed, crazy busy and without me saying one word(he could see I was getting my butt kicked) he jumped right in. We worked side by side on the floor, ensuring every guest of the CIG was taken care of.... he had my back and there was no greater feeling. Happy Thursday yall...... there is nothing better than having history with someone. Do him and I always agree with each other, No, but he has taught me... no matter what we are family and I cherish his friendship and love. I am giddy when the Lord provides me with life lessons right in the middle of a crazy lunch rush. Is there a person in your life that is an amazing blessing? Relationships are such an amazing gift from our heavenly father....give thanks yall. Im thankful for Shawn..... I love him with all my heart and my prayer for him ..... happiness that comes from within.... because the happiness he brings to other, no words can express:) 

Good Morning!! Yesterday during the lunch rush, I was walking out of the kitchen and nearly ran into 4 young adults. I greeted them and also apologized for nearly plowing them over. As I am guiding them to their table, one of them says...."This is our first time here, we are from the east coast." They were giddy to be here, their excitement contagious. I told them how happy I was they chose the CIG..... "we are about as Texan as you can get" my accent made them smile. They tell of their journey, they all four just graduated from a college in Massachusetts. They were celebrating their accomplishment by a road trip across the country. Ahhhh, to talk to them was a celebration. They reminded me.... take time out and celebrate the great things the Lord has allowed you to do. We are so busy "doing life" they we let great accomplishments go by ...striving for the next accomplishment. Happy Beautiful Wednesday yall.... a few of the girls stopped by their table yesterday to visit and to listen of their journey and congratulate them... we were celebrating this amazing journey they were on. When you celebrate yourself its great but when you celebrate others with an absolute pure heart....it makes your heart sing. I am so blessed they shared their journey with me. I pray for these 4 kids....they made an impact on all of us