Back In the Saddle!

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Ok, so my deepest apologies go out to those of you out there who might follow this blog rather frequently and who might have wondered for a bit why I’ve been so lax over the last month… There might not be too many of you, but I know there’s some, because we’ve kind of formed “friendships” along the way. So, I felt like I should take a minute to tell you that your attentiveness and caring to this little blog space, in the vast and vague world of blogging, hasn’t gone unnoticed. I appreciate you, and I thank you for your kindness and patience in my “lag time.” ❤

June just kind of came and went in a whirlwind, and I found myself covered up with our boys’ summer plans of constant activity and busyness. I also found myself in a lot of reflective moments but not a lot of moments where I wanted to write and share what was going on in my heart and mind. It was almost like I was in those last few minutes after a surgery, where the anesthesia is wearing off, and you hear and feel things; yet, you’re still too groggy to make sense of any of it, and you can’t speak or see to really share it with anyone anyway.

So, all that to say…I’M BACK! I have so many things to share with you; so, it’s time to start inking up the pages! 😉 … I hope you’re ready for a great adventure ahead!

PS. I hope you’re having an AMAZING summer, and I hope, maybe, you will share your summer stories with me, too! ❤

Tuesday’s Treats #75

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Ray’s at Killer Creek

Location: Alpharetta, GA

This place is absolutely AMAZING, and I really could let the pictures speak for themselves. The atmosphere is incredible, and the food is off the charts! We have been several times, and everything has always been delicious. Now, our favorite of these “sister” restaurants is Ray’s In The City, but if you live north of Atlanta, as we do, Ray’s at Killer Creek is a nice substitute. The traffic isn’t half as bad, and the parking is a breeze. The atmosphere of each is different and very unique to its own, but the menues are very similar; so, you know what to expect. 

Some of our favorites are the BBQ shrimp appetizer, the Shrimp and Grits, the blackened Black Grouper and the Prailine Basket for the dessert. Oh. My. Word! It’s making my mouth water just thinking about it! 

There’s not enough good things I can say about this place, and I don’t want to just keep repeating myself; so, go give them a try and find out for yourself. 😉 Here’s the website for you to check out the menu and the various locations.  

Friday’s Friends #22

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Today is Friday, and it’s time to share with you one of my “friends.” I love this moment of the week when I get to highlight someone you might know in hopes that you will check out their blog and find a new friend as well. 😊

Today, is like to share with you one blogger whose posts I found a long time ago, but I still so enjoy them. Keith Garrett is and incredible writer, and his blog is a great place to find great poetry and prose. I hope you will check him out. 

Tuesday’s Treats #74

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Antoneta’s Italian

Location: Dacula, GA

Antoneta’s is a great Italian restaurant, and it’s not a local kept secret; so, you’ll want to get there early. The rolls are amazing as is everything else! The calzone is monster big, and it’s cooked to perfect – crunchy on the outside, hot and delicious on the inside. The salads are great, too. The atmosphere and staff is just as good, and the owner will probably be there to help with anything you might need. If you hear him talk back and forth with his employees, you’ll feel as if you’re in an authentic Italian restaurant. Check them out on the web here. They don’t have a website. This is only the google search, but it will give you the hours and a little more information. 😉 Hope you enjoy!

Friday’s Friends #21

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Friday’s are AWESOME, because I get to share a new “friend” whom I’ve found along this blogging journey! This is such a fun moment, and I hope you enjoy it, too! 

Today, I’d like to share with you a new blog that is full of encouragement and strength. Grip and Grace has been developed to give you a place to go and find other blogs of things you love. There are blogs about music, events, inspirational quotes, etc. You just go on, click the area of interests and a whole new field of choice opens up! It’s great! 😊 I hope you’ll check it out! 

Tuesday’s Treats #73

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Country Cupboard

Location: Dillard, GA

If you’re looking for great country cooking, this is one of the few places in North Georgia that you can enjoy it! They have an incredible selection of veggies, chicken and the like. There is a great salad bar, Ana the desserts are to die for!!

They also have a great gift shop for shopping after meal, too. If you’ve got time during the day, you can drive down to several of the antique shops as well. They don’t seem to have a website, but you can find out more information here. 

Happy Father’s Day to You!

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As I sat there preparing for Father’s Day weekend and enjoying a great lunch with my little family, we received a text from a precious friend who is about to say goodbye to the love of her life who has fought valiantly in his battle with cancer. Just an hour prior, I was speaking to a mom who tragically lost her husband last fall and listened while she shared her heart of the struggle, challenges and faith to which she clings. My mind thinks of so many more who will shed tears instead of celebrating this Father’s Day…

We are never guaranteed tomorrow. We are not even promised our next breath. Cherish the moments you have. Make the encounters account for more than just whispers on the wind…

Almost fifteen years ago, I said goodbye to the one man whom I loved as a Dad. He was my grandfather, but he was with me every step of the way. No one will ever be able to take his place in my heart. I miss him to this day, and I will always cherish the memories we made. 


After 40+ years of brokenness, my biological dad and I have a reconciled relationship of acquaintances being built. It will never become what it should have been, and even though, my heart still aches for the little girl who had dreams for what could have been, I appreciate the reality of what is. My soul breathes a little deeper with the hope we now have. 


Thirty-two years ago, a man walked into my life and became a father he’d never had the chance to be. To many, a stepdad is just a man, one who lives in the house, pays the bills and sets the rules. This man came in and became a father. He had his own mistakes, and I had mine. We kind of grew into this thing together. It might not be the best father-daughter scenario, nor one of perfection, but it is one of love. For that, I am grateful. 


No matter where you find yourself today, whether you are in your Daddy’s arms, or at the graveside, saying goodbye one more time, or saying hello to a new relationship, or trying to figure out what to do with all the pain and sorrow of those yesteryears, there is One who will be there for you always. Place your heart in His hands, for, He will carry you through, and He will never leave you. ❤️

Friday’s Friends #20

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Today is Friday, and that means it’s time for me to share a new “friend” with you! I love this time of the week, because there are so many incredible bloggers out there, and I get the privilege of highlighting one each Friday. 😊

Today, I’d like to share with you Let The Spirit In. Rev. Beene has a unique way of sharing a spiritual truth within her everyday living experiences. I only came across her blog this week; so, honestly, I cannot say I know, understand or even agree with all of her Biblical standings, and I will not pretend that I do. However, the few posts I have read thus far, one on the Spirit, one on gratefulness, and one on spiritual discipline, have been incredibly encouraging to me. I hope you will check out her blog and be encouraged as well. 😊

Tuesday’s Treats #72

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Tannery Row Ale House

Location: Buford, GA

This is a cool restaurant in a cool little town in North Georgia. The downtown of Buford has been restored, and this eatery is in the old Tannery Building just a block beyond the town. It began as a pretty small restaurant with seating for probably less than 50 people; however, they’ve converted much of the open warehouse into an “open patio” seating area with giant screens for movie nights and a stage for local bands. The atmosphere is great. Every once in a while, they will have a/c issues in the warehouse area; so, it can get pretty toasty. However, this happened the other day when we were there, and they had those giant floor fans which we directed our way; so, it wasn’t too terrible (and it was a hot 85+ day, too😉).  

The food is tasty, and the service is friendly. The fried pickles are a must, and the fried grouper fingers are a must most days. (Every once in a while, the grouper doesn’t taste so fresh.) They have a wide selection of burgers, sandwiches, pizza and specialty items. The shrimp and grits are a favorite of mine, as they make it different than I’ve had anywhere else. They start with a grit cake, melt pimento cheese on top and layer the shrimp and sauce on top of that. Yum! There is a brisket pimento cheese on Texas toast that is definitely a fork and knife meal, and my son says the ribs are pretty tasty, too. 

This is also an event hall; so, if you need a really cool, large building for a big gathering, give them a call. I’m sure they’d love to book your event. Here’s the website for more info and contacts. 

Looking For A Sign

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Read this Scripture today, and even though, I’ve read it before, it seemed to come alive to me once more. “Lord, You are my portion and my cup…” He not only is what fills me, but He is the vessel which holds the filling, the portion. He is truly all we need! 

Our pastor’s sermon this morning was titled, “Surrounded by Miracles While Still Asking for a Sign.” He talked about how everything around us is a miracle. We live on this little blue marble, which circles this great big ball of fire, while a sphere of rock illuminated by that ball of fire controls and maintains our ocean tides, all hurling through space, while all surrounded by rock and death and other masses of fire. This tiny blue marble has the perfect conditions for life and oxygen, wind and rain. All the while, we have this heart beating within our chest over which we have absolutely no control, and we still sit here demanding God for a sign. We keep saying, “God, I don’t see any miracles today. I don’t see Your hand moving as it once did. I can’t see any miraculous acts declaring Your glory and power.” 

How blind are we? How wicked is our wayward heart? There are miracles all around us, we just fail to see them. Our eyes are not given to us to see. Our eyes are given to us to look through. We must allow Him to give us the right perspective. We must allow Him to cause our eyes to see. 

2 Kings 6:17, shows us how the Lord does this. Elisha was surrounded by the army of Arameans who were commanded by the king to kill him. Elisha’s servant saw this army and was afraid while Elisha didn’t fear. He knew God was on his side and would win the battle. Elisha prayed this prayer for his servant, ““Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:17) That’s a pretty big difference in just a moment of time. God gave him a new perspective. 

Sometimes, we must have a new perspective to see clearly. There are times in our lives when God isn’t going to answer the prayers we pray the way we believe they should be answered. There are going to be moments when things don’t make sense, and we wonder where God is and if He has forsaken us. There will be other days when we get into the mode of comparing our lives with someone else’s and wondering why God is blessing them so much, and we just seem to get the skimpy leftovers of life. 

That is when we need to remember this scripture in Psalm 16. This is when we must remember the story of Elisha and his servant. This are the very moments when we must ask God to give us the right perspective that we might see His miracle right here within our own chest.  

I pray He’d give you eyes that you might see. 💗

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