Good Morning!!........ Bri and her dad could see the finish line ahead of them. Her dad celebrating his 50th birthday by running this marathon of 50 miles and Bri running it to be by his side. A lady runner passed Bri and her dad and crossed the finish line before the father-daughter duo. Crossing the finish line after 9 hours of running was exhilarating and exhausting. Their legs feeling as if they could go no more gave up on them. Bri's dad looked at her and said..."If you would have not waited on me, you would have won your age division for the ladies.....she passed you and crossed 25 seconds ahead of you." Bri told her dad...it was not about running this race and winning...it was about running this race with you and finishing with you. This experience reminds me of not being left behind. Ya know the military says....no soldier left behind....or our government says to our school system no child left behind.... what about in your own life. We can become so focused on winning, that we leave others behind. In our professional life we are always striving to "win".... and in doing so we leave those that love us, have cared for us and helped us along the way, behind. Our heavenly father did not want to "leave us behind." He came to this world as a man and endured great pain to ensure if we chose him we would not be left behind. When this great race is over, we are crossing the finish line with "our heavenly dad." Happy Beautiful Wednesday.... I wrote of this father and daughter experience again, because since I have heard..."The rest of the story" it has truly touched me, maybe because I have always related the love that my dad and I have for each other(which is great) to the love that my heavenly father has for me is even greater. Are you to focused on "winning" that you are not sharing the love of our heavenly father with others? It does not mean you have to stop right in the middle of this great race to share his love with others, but maybe ease up a little and take the time with others....to ensure they are not left behind. This journey that Bri has taken me on has reminded me its not all about winning it is about doing "life together." and making sure we all make it to the finish line.....with our heavenly father!! Run this great race yall and I challenge you to make sure you bring others with you. That is what are heavenly father intended.
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Good Morning!! A series of events would take place in the year 1985 that would change who I would become and what my family is today. In this year,my precious mom was diagnoised with breast cancer. It was a disease that no one talked about...and being a teenager, I was really caught up in my own world...honestly no worries that my mom would not be "ok." I have written many times about the passing of my mom and how it has shaped me. Pink October is here....it is this month that this disease that effects so many women, is brought to the front of the war on cancer. Funny, I have thought about this disease almost everyday since I was the teenager 25 plus years ago. I have had the most amazing blessing to grieve, pray and celebrate with many women that have or had this disease. I am writing today to celebrate them and to say..."I love you and pray for you daily." Last year a meeting was set up with someone from the junior league regarding Holiday Happening. A beautiful, "put together"lady introduced herself as Tammie Swann King, we talk of why she was meeting with me....she told me the charity that was being highlighted with the holiday events.... breast cancer research.. it was very dear to her, in the spring she went for her 1st mammogram and there on the screen was this disease. I sat and listened to her journey..her faith, I fell in love. I met Jackie Dunlap this year, as she was going thru her second battle... her beautiful colorful do-rag were covering her bald head, she loves horses and is full of spirit, oh and loves CIG pies!!! I have seen bad days, good days and celebrated with the news..."Its GONE", I have experienced strangers,to her, buy her meal "just to make her day a little sweeter. I love this women. I have often talked about Donna Ford... I have known her and her precious husband for a few years now. The day she was diagnoised I remember like it was yesterday....This journey she has been on has been tough.... She chose to shave her head before it came out, and her precious husband followed suit. I have prayed and laughed with her...Every week she comes in before treament and her meals are payed for by people that love her, they are anoymous(which it will remain that way until they say ok) Yesterday was a struggle...if I could take her struggles away I would.... gosh, I love this women. 2 chemo treaments left and then on to radiation. Happy Beauitful Tuesday yall....these were all just ordinary women that have over come or overcoming a life altering disease. In this month of October my crew wears pink every friday...we celebrate and love all of these women that have been diagnoised. I support them and pray for them on this journey.... they touch my heart to its very core. These are some of the stongest, most beautiful women I have ever met. God is good to provide them with strength, peace and families that cheerlead for them, take care of them and love them. May your day be beautiful!!
Good Morning!! Back at the 1st of September one of my girls came to me and ask if she could have off Sept 28th and October 1st. My answer..."Whats up?" She proceeds to tell me her plans for this weekend that was 4 weeks away. She is my newest girl....her family lives in Vermont, she is a college graduate, trying to get into med school. Her older sister lives here and goes to Tech...she has lived and studied abroad and ended up here in Lubbock and found her way to the CIG. Her answer to my questions took me by surprise.... "I want to run a 50 mile marathon with my dad back home." My first reponse....UMM Bri, why would anyone want to run 50 miles!!" she laughed and we began to talk of her journey....how she has prepared for this marathon but as I was listening to her I realized it really was not about the run, it was about doing this with her dad. I so get this.... I would do anything with my dad if he asked. Over the last 4 weeks she ran and trained..... "30 miles straight is where I want to be....I know my adrenaline and want to will kick in the last 20 miles." I have thought about her all weekend and the thought that keeps coming to mind....training and anticipating for this marathon is like being a christian. Everyday we "train" to live a life that our heavenly father is proud of.....We learn about his word, we become spiritually strong with his armour, we anticipate spending time with him. Happy Beautiful Monday yall..... I received a text from Bri last night..."We made it through...it was fun to share the experience with my dad...thank you." I know Bri's dad was so proud of her for paticipating in this race with him, she trained and worked hard and made it through. When I stand before my heavenly father I want him to say..."You made it through and I am proud of you." Doesn't the thought of that make you Giddy!! This beautiful life is a marathon and I want to train and run it with my heavenly father....
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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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