Inspire

The Motherhood Side Effect

May 4, 2012

I never considered myself a girly girl. Feminine maybe, but not girly. I wasn’t drawn to pink and purple, ruffles or lace. I didn’t grow up dreaming of my wedding day or babies. And I definitely didn’t get emotional or cry at cute things often. Tears were saved for Lifetime movies or death. And don’t judge me, some of those Lifetime movies are real tearjerkers. Motherhood has changed me in a way I NEVER expected. I now have an emotional side that surfaces A LOT. I hug more, cry more, say “I love you” more. I don’t gag in...

Why I Love Kid’s Bible Time

February 1, 2012

By Towanda

One of our favorite parts of bedtime is reading the bible. Right now me and my little princesses are reading The Princess In Me Storybook Bible. It has 88 stories and each one has a devotion to encourage conversation. My girls love it because they enjoy learning about God and reading stories they haven’t heard before. I love the daily reminder that God’s love and commands are easy enough for a child to understand. Often adults make spirituality complicated. But God doesn’t complicate things. He simply wants us to trust him, love him and follow his commands, no matter...

Finding The Good

November 4, 2011

By Towanda

I’m a pretty optimistic person, so most of what you see from me is happy stuff. This is not because bad things don’t happen. It’s because I try to remember that every situation presents a choice, and it’s best to choose the positive option. Sometimes this is tested more than I would like. My Grandmother died June 28th this year. To say this was difficult for my family does not do the situation justice. We lost my grandfather two years ago and my dear aunt a year ago. This was way too much mourning in such a short time...

God’s Voice Is Clear & Simple

October 10, 2011

By Towanda

In my Girlfriend’s Bible Study a few weeks ago we discussed the ways God speaks to us. We talked about Oprah’s final episode and her reminder that it starts in whispers and progresses if we choose to ignore it. The conversation moved on to James King, the man that found an 11-year-old girl lost in the woods last year. During interviews he explained that he spends a lot of time with God and has learned to follow God’s voice. He didn’t think it unusual when God led him to the child, even though there were professional search parties. Both...

Did You See The Help Movie?

August 16, 2011

By Towanda

I went to see The Help this past weekend as a Girls Day Out. I had only read half of the book, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, other than an uplifting and heartfelt movie. Funny thing, I enjoyed the movie, but my many emotions (anger, sadness, disbelief, joy) did not include warm and fuzzy. Of course there is the racial tension, but that wasn’t a big eye-opener for me. I was captivated by the relationships between the women. The so-called bonds of friendship, the mother-daughter dynamics, the alienation because of misunderstandings, the decisions made in order to...

God Loves Admiration

May 12, 2011

By Towanda

From The Color Purple Shug: More than anything God love admiration. Celie: You saying God is vain? Shug: No, not vain, just wanting to share a good thing. I think it pisses God off when you walk by the color purple in a field and don’t notice it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Every time I watch this scene in The Color Purple it makes me smile. There is so much goodness in it… two friends walking in a lovely purple field talking about the splendor of God, nature and love. It’s a reminder that God has provided everything we need, including the random...

My Favorite Mother’s Day Gift

May 3, 2011

By Towanda

I get the same gift every year and I LOVE it! It’s not because my family is lazy and haven’t put any thought into it. In fact, they don’t even know it’s my gift. Well, they didn’t know until now, because I’m assuming Hubby will read this and my secret will be found out, . My favorite gift on Mother’s Day is the excitement and pure joy on the faces of my girls as they are giving me my gifts. To see them so happy to do something nice for me is priceless. And of course the follow-up hugs...

Two Rules for Balancing Work and Life

April 12, 2011

By Towanda

With so much going on, it is easy to get caught up in the quest for life and work balance. After all, if balance is found, life will be much smoother, right? Well, here are two of my rules for keeping it together: Sometimes things will not get done and that is just fine. I have embraced the idea that schedules and routines are a good base, but I must remain flexible in order to enjoy life… and stay sane. For instance, it’s been over a week since I updated this blog, but I had to readjust some things....

Daffodils In Winter… and Spring

March 19, 2011

By Towanda

A few weeks ago I noticed my daffodils and daylilies were coming up… and it made me smile. The calendar said winter but my spring flowers said otherwise. See, nature knows nothing of our calendar. March 20th doesn’t dictate when the flowers will come up or bloom. They take their cues from God. He speaks and they listen. This reminded me that too often we rely on a calendar to tell us when to do something. “Oh, it’s December, it’s the season for giving.” Or, “It’s Valentine’s Day, it’s time to show our family and friends we love them.” In...

A Few Reasons I Love Being A Woman

March 8, 2011

By Towanda

In celebration of International Women’s Day, here are 6 reasons I LOVE being a woman. I use “women’s intuition” and no one can argue with it. I’ve embraced this is how God speaks to me and no logic or analytics can make me think otherwise. I get to be Mommy & Wife. The joy here is beyond words… yes, no words. I can have a different look every day and be normal. I can wear a girly dress today and boyfriend jeans tomorrow. The fashion opportunities are endless. I define me. Others may judge women by outer appearances, but...