Guest-bloggin' over on ApostolicSportswear | Wearing an orange ASW skirt for #HungerAction Day!

Featuring one of Apostolic SportsWear Skirts!

It is no secret.
I am a running-skirt kinda girl. My sweet friend Teresa was probably one of the forerunners of modest active skirt-makers and she has stayed true to her passion. A bit of her passion has spilled over to her ultra-creative daughter Hannah, who is maintaining the family business website Apostolic SportsWear.

Hannah asked me if I would write a little diddy about some of the physical benefits of exercise, aside from a smaller number on the scale or in the tag of your clothes.

Jump over to their blog and read about Perking you up with a fresh cup of...Exercise? Leave a little feedback and share on your favorite social media if you know someone who could use a little pick-me-up!

So do you want to know why I am wearing orange today? September is #HungerAction month which is an initiative to encourage folks to donate non-perishable goods to their local food banks. September 3rd is a day to wear orange signifying your action on hunger.

Did you know that 1 in 6 Americans struggle with hunger? As summer comes to a close, many food banks have run very low on their supplies due to increased needs while the children are out of school. Locally, the Pentecostals of Deland is hosting a food drive throughout the month of September to benefit local needs and contribute to The Neighborhood Center in Deland. Our church has 5 key missions in a Whole Life Challenge for the year 2015. Two of them are Feeding the Whole Man and Serving the Whole Community. I cannot think of a better way to actively contribute to these vital mission points. We welcome your donation of non-perishable food items during our service times:

Sunday 10am and 6pm
Wednesday 7:30pm (except the 3rd Wednesday when groups meet in homes)

If you are not in the Volusia County area, I encourage you to reach out to your local food banks and donate. They can always use your help!

As always, be well...

The Blessing of Walking with a Stranger...

Yesterday morning, I took my normal morning walk a little later than usual.  The music was flowing out of my headphones and I was moving along at a pretty brisk pace.  Just ahead of me was an older gentleman, out for his morning walk, carrying a cane just in case he may need a little help on his travels.  The pace I kept was just a bit faster than his so in time I caught up with him.  First, I cleared my throat to create a little noise so he would not be startled when I came up along side of him.  When he turned, I apologized if I had startled him, and he kindly said thank you. 

At first, I was going to keep my pace and pass him, but then he said, "Do you walk here much?"  So I answered, "Yes, a few times a week."  He explained that he was hoping the walk would strengthen his back, so he committed to walk as much as possible.  The questions kept coming.  He was kind, gentle and almost seemed glad for someone to chat with while he pressed himself to walk this 3 mile treck.  I got to know a little about him, how he recently had to place his beloved wife in a nursing home, which explained his desire for a little conversation.  He told me that he served in the military and retired from 35 years of service at the Post Office.  We talked about family that lived close by and he gave me a little grandfatherly wisdom concerning the path to success from his viewpoint.  Never pushy, just very kind. 

I felt like I had taken a walk with my Grampy.  Anyone who knows me, knows that my Grampy means the world to me.  It's been a couple of years since I've been able to visit him, so this little walk with a stranger seemed to be a blessing that Jesus taylor made for me.  It is a reminder to me to not get so busy that I "forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." Hebrews 13:2.

Wisdom in the Multitude of Counselors!

Proverbs 11:14 says:
Where no counsel [is], the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors [there is] safety.

Why do we sometimes find it difficult to take advice from others? Pride? Naivety? Whatever the case may be, we may miss out on valuable information and instruction if we do not know how to learn from others!  When I look around and think of how many people are part of my 'multitude of counselors', I am astounded at the amount time invested by these individuals and know that there is no way for me to repay them except to find someone else to invest in, thus, I write to you!

This weekend, my friend Darcy and I attended a coupon class by Couponmamacita.  She did a wonderful job of giving us some new tips on saving $$$ by using coupons for shopping for our family.  If you have a chance, take a look at her site.  Good info that you will want to put to use right away.

My kids and I wrapped up the weekend with wonderful church services yesterday.  In a day and hour when there are so many uncertainties, being able to stand firmly on the Rock of My Salvation is extremely important.  Pastor Glenn Hires from The Pentecostals of Deland always provides strong wisdom that is applicable for our day.  He invited Rev. Eli Hernandez all the way from California to be here to wrap up our 40 Days of Fire revival.  Rev. Hernandez's level of faith challenged us to take God out of our box and let Him do what He does best without being hindered by our preconceived ideas of what He can do. 

Who is on your 'Multitude of Counselors' List?