I love this quote, and I think we all should live by it more than we do. Too often, we wake up everyday mulling over the failures of yesterday, allowing those regrets to overwhelm us to the point it is difficult to take a step forward.
This should not be the norm! Yes, we make mistakes. Yes. Sometimes, those mistakes come with heavy consequences, and yes, we should always learn from those and not repeat them!
However, if you are constantly stepping back into that cell of discouragement, worthlessness and mishaps, you will live your life in the prison of defeat!
Get up! Start anew. Today is a new day. Today, you can have a fresh start!
Begin again… you can do this hard thing called livin’! 😉
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
When did you fly away from childhood heroes and boyhood dreams?
When did you run down the trail to new horizons and discover new landscapes?
When did you walk into the footsteps of your father and become a man?
It seems to have happened so fast, and yet, I was there for every joyous moment.
I was present for each and every scraped knee and hidden tear shed.
I remember the little boy behind the mask, and yet, I see glimpses of him late at night when the lights go dim.
I remember the fast beating of your heart as you dreamt of the mighty warriors’ flights and the swords defeating the dragons.
And yet, I still hear that beat to a different drum as you seek to find your way in this great big world and glance back to see if I’m still watching, waiting, hoping for one more embrace.
I love you, my son, and shout to you across this chasm of the unknown.
“Run, fly, chase those dreams! You can do this! This is your time to shine!”
“You were made for this moment!”
Never forget, He will always be right there with you, and I will be here cheering you on, always ready to welcome you with open arms.
❤️
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Ok so, if you have followed my Tuesday’s Treats, you know that I don’t usually review franchises because these are pretty common and vary mainly depending upon the managers. However, this particular franchise is not in every season, and before this one, I had never been to once, much less heard of it very often. So, I’m going to make an exception to my “no franchise rule,” and take a moment to tell you about this place. It’s just that good! 😉
Let’s start with the atmosphere. This place is just great. It has lots of different really neat seating arrangements, and because of the various lighting options, you can choose a bright and airy table, a cozy, romantic booth, a cool round booth/table for a larger group, and even a sunny, fun patio setting. (This pic doesn’t do perfect justice, as it was a sunny day outside; so, the booths were a bit bright as well.) But the design team thought of everything, because there’s even a two seater table with “booth-type” chairs that have an armrest to one side. How wonderful is that?Now, let’s talk about food. Oh. My! I love shrimp and grits, and although this dish has a bit more tomatoes for my liking (I hate tomatoes, just love everything they make!), the grits are deliciously creamy, and the shrimp is scrumptious! The pepperoni flatbread is incredibly good! It’s not a huge portion; it’s made more as an appetizer, but it is oh, so tasty.
A few pics of which I didn’t get a pic are the salmon, the lobster bisque, and the naked burger. The salmon is served with sautéed green beans (a little crunchy), and marbled potatoes. The burger is served with no bun and a small salad, but we get it with a bun and ask for a side of the marbled potatoes. The lobster bisque is creamy and full of lobster and crab. All of this is SO SO good!!
The other day, I ordered the corn wheels and grits to go along with the salmon. Oh. My. Goodness! I overindulged myself, and it was AMAZING!
Okay, you’ve waited patiently; so, now we will top it of these little beauties. These are mini bites of heaven in a cup! (actually called “Mini Indulgences”…accurately named!) We splurged on this particular day and ordered 7, and we got one free!
From the top, spiraling downward, the options were key lime pie, peanut butter torte, pecan pie (x2), espresso panda cotta, Belgian Chocolate S’mores, strawberry cheesecake, and key lime pie (again). They also have a cookies n’ cream and a raspberry chocolate chip cannoli, but these all suited us just fine! Oh. My. Word!! We are prickly about key lime, but this one has the perfect mixture of tart key lime and rich graham cracker crust, and that caramelized whip cream on top is just delectable! The espresso will be a delight to coffee lovers everywhere. Our boys loved the S’mores and the strawberry cheesecake. Oh, and the pecan pie was a bit too sweet, but the pecans were so good, and the added crust was as if I’d snuck a bit of grandma’s homemade pecan pie.
We left on this particular day needing to be rolled out of the restaurant like a barrel! But we did leave full and very satisfied! 😂
I wonder how often this is true for us. In this “Me Society” where we live today, it seems so much is about being happy, being satisfied, being fulfilled, even at the cost of someone else’s happiness and satisfaction.
I wonder where we went wrong.
When did it get so important that you’re made happy that it doesn’t matter if, in the process, I am made desolate?
When did it get so determined that your satisfaction could be at the expense of my daily living?
When did it become ok to demand the freedom of one race, one party, one organization or one people group at the detriment of anyone else who might disagree?
Where did we go astray?
Maybe when we began believing the life of a tree was more important than a human.
Maybe when we began determining which life could live and which could die by our own hands.
Maybe when we began believing we could actually give life and take away life by our very own hands and believed we shouldn’t suffer any consequences for the decisions we made.
Evil is evil, and it has been the same since the beginning of time.
The difference today is too many have began calling evil goo and good evil.
And when these things become the norm, no one can escape the fall.
So, where will we go? What will we do? Who will we turn to?
We must go back to the beginning.
We must go back to the moment we went astray.
Return to that place in time and start anew. Repent. Make new choices. Make amends.
It is possible. But we have to see past ourselves to actually make a difference.
*I know it’s Wednesday, but ‘better late than never,’ right? Ha!😂
This place has a great atmosphere, and you can enjoy your meal inside or outside on the patio, complete with a a cushioned couch and a beautiful working waterfall. Yes, this is a pretzel. It’s an appetizer, and it is delicious! What a great presentation!Southwest Chicken Skillet. Delicious!!My son gobbled up a taco before I got the pic! 😂 He said they were very tasty!I didn’t get a pic of all the food, as we gobbled it up when it arrived! Lol. However, I did get a pic of the menu. The choices are pretty unique to CCT, and I believe you won’t be disappointed.
We have ordered the Shrimp and Grit Bowl, the Southwest Chicken Skillet, the Classic Burger, the wings and the Chili Dog. As you can see from these choices, it’s basically a high scale sports bar menu, but they do it with style and class.
The Shrimp Bowl is delicious, although I order the chorizo on the side, simply because I think chorizo is a bit of a bully. The dish begins to taste more like chorizo than what else is in the bowl. The grits could be a bit more creamier for my liking, but this bowl is very tasty.
The wings, chili dog, burger do not disappoint. There are endless ways you can order each of these, and we’ve had several that have been wonderful.
The Southwest Chicken Skillet is bountiful enough to share for two people, maybe if you don’t have an over eager appetite. We got an appetizer, and I wasn’t able to finish my skillet with it’s piles of chicken, kale rice, jalapeños, cheese and black beans (and I don’t eat black beans).
This is a great little dive for a friendly lunch or casual date. I’m not sure I’d worry about getting too romantic here, unless sports programs and rock and roll music is your thing, but we love it. … And when my husband and I are alone together, it’s a romantic date no matter where we are!
In 2019, I’d never have guessed I’d have face masks hanging from my shower wall awaiting to dry.
In 2019, I’d never have thought of driving into our favorite North Georgia mountain town to find one great restaurant after another either closed early, have outdoor seating only, take-out only or have such dismal cleaning abilities that you’d not want to eat there.
In 2018, I never once worried about whom I could hug on a Sunday morning or whom I couldn’t, unless she was a visitor and then, I’d give it pause to not seem too much.
In 2018, I never once thought about how many people across the nation were dealing questions of, “Should I go or stay?”
In 2017, we had concerns around the world about sickness, desolation and fear; yet, we faced it together. We faced it with purpose.
In 2017, we glanced through the hour glass of time, wondering what the future might hold; yet, we glanced with hope, with promise for a better tomorrow.
In 2016, we had disagreements and didn’t see eye-to-eye; yet, that was a “normal” with which almost all of us could live. It was ok to disagree. It was ok to be at odds.
Life just went on.
I wonder how much has to change in 2020 to wake us up from our slumber.
I wonder how many have to be lost before we realize “that normal” is no more and “this normal” is here to stay.
We have to quit “glorifying yesterday” in order to live for tomorrow and be present in today.
We have to quit pointing the fingers and finding the blame in order to live determines and strong.
If we are to not simply survive…
If we are to choose to THRIVE, then, it starts with you and me…
It starts today…
And it must start now.
“Almost universally, when people look back on their lives while on their deathbed […] they wish they had spent more time with the people and activities they truly loved and less time worrying about aspects of life that, upon deeper examination, really don’t matter at all that much. Imagining yourself at your own funeral allows you to look back at your life while you still have the chance to make some important changes.” — Richard Carlson, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff…and It’s All Small Stuff
😊 And if it’s way too late for a Friday night, and your work week has been heavy, and your feet are hurting, and your bones are so tired that they need their bed early tonight…
Just set out tomorrow and make it a “belated” Friday Fun Day! 😂
Sometimes, you’ve got to capture the beauty right where you are.
You may have just exited a busy store and felt like a corralled calf trying to get through the one way door.
You may have just spent way too much money trying to get your college-aged son settled in his new place.
You may have just wandered down aisles for way too long feeling you’re about to suffocate following the rules of the mask wearing brigade.
You might have just hurried out the exit, gasping for air before a mighty headache settles in.
Sometimes, you’ve just got to look up.
You’ve got to look beyond the chaos, beyond the hustle, beyond the noise.
Look up and capture the beauty that is right in front of you.
Breathe deep. Breathe long. Breathe freely.
Remember Whose you are and rest assured, it won’t be long till He returns.
There is still Hope.
“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Mancoming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, becauseyour redemption draws near.”
Well, it’s been a little while again, but let’s see if we can get this started once more…
(Have to acquire the name!)
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
I know it seems funny that I don’t have the name of this restaurant, but as you will see below, I have the picture of the name. I have to get in touch with my Ukrainian friends to get the American spelling! Lol.
This place was so intriguing. We were told it is the setting of the Soviet Union homes back before the USSR fell. I felt like I was walking into a home from the 1960s in America.
I especially loved the bakers area, where they were creating all kinds of delicious goodness! I placed that pic at the beginning because I felt it really captured the essence of this restaurant.
The food was actually similar to what you could find in some diners in America. The menu was several pages long, and the food, although delicious, was not fancy or extravagantly presented. (My apologies for no food pics! We were starving by the time it came!)
The food was really good. We had pickles and veggies as an appetizer. We had roast, chicken fillets and sour cherry dumplings and a chocolate cake for dessert. There were other items ordered in our party; however, my memory is a bit fuzzy from the January trip. *I will get an update here soon!
I hope you enjoy these pictures as much as I enjoyed taking them. I almost felt conspicuous in the restaurant, as I was so awe struck by the decor and atmosphere.
The bakery displayed all sorts of delectable pastries and goodies!If you can decipher Ukrainian (or maybe a bit of Russian) , you might be able to read this! The atmosphere was actually very quaint and cozy. I felt as if I was eating in someone’s home, enjoying conversation in their living room. This was the table in which we sat. The bench was soft and inviting. The bookcase behind simply decorated with a few plants and vases, and a warm lamp glow just beyond. The stairs going to the downstairs of the restaurant was filled with old books I’d like to sit and read and a vintage lunchbox that made me wonder who owned it, where he has worked and if his home had been a bit like this one in years past. The napkins and toothpicks were all neatly displayed in little red and white checked jars.
I have never appreciated Russian fare nor the Russian way of life, as I have read so much destruction and so much heartache that they have brought to their world. Yet, when eating here in this restaurant, I can see why there are some in Kyiv who almost want to believe Russia doesn’t want to bring harm but good. (Yet, watching their invasion of Crimea, I do hope they are never deceived… another story for another day… 😉)
*I will need to acquire the name and the website; so, you can visit one day while you’re in Kyiv!
💜 There was a girl who got through the day with routines, laughter. and some memes...chores, laughs, smiles, and some cats...food, naps, plus coffee too...then yoga for the win... a warm bath, some books, and You Tube📺-hdtj💜
My journey didn’t stop with mere time travel or writing; it led me to become one of the most sought-after empaths, a soulful psychic who reads the hidden depths of the human spirit. I’ve been blessed—or perhaps burdened—with an ability that allows me to feel the emotions of people from every corner of time.
I am a licensed psychologist based in Greece. My love for housekeeping has inspired me to create this blog about home management and family relationships. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing!
Dedicated to movie nerdom, nostalgia, and escape. In the late 90s, I worked at Blockbuster Video where they let me take home two free movies a day. I caught up on the classics and reviewed theatrical releases for Denver 'burbs newspapers and magazines. Today, while raising two young, beautiful daughters with my amazing wife, I look forward to anything rated R and not Bluey. Comments and dialogue encouraged!
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