October 17th Inspired ThirtyOne

Inspired 31

October 17th

We'd love to hear your thoughts about the day, so today I left an option for comments!

Mark the next one on your calendar, we can't wait to see you there!

Topic: Giving to Others In Various Ways

Debbie Marshall, Missionary/Heart of Hope in Romania

&

Jill Foster, Author Creative Cakes Anyone Can Make

Sunday, November 14th

3:00-5:00 Casual Tea & Scones

No Cost, Donations Welcomed

Inspired 31 with Chelsea Cameron

What a blessing the October 17th gathering of Inspired 31 was! Chelsea Cameron gave a truly inspiring message of having established convictions before the compromising situations arrive! She compared our old nature and new nature in Christ and the hope and forgiveness offered by a relationship with our heavenly Father.

The highlight for our table was the table discussion where the concept of "convictions" were challenged to us to take one conviction we particularly needed to work on! It was inspiring and touching hearing our ladies honestly share our heartfelt desire to work on a specific area. Some were self-control, speech and forgiveness.

The Mission of Inspired 31: To facilitate teenage girls & mothers & others to find & follow their God given path. Each of us has unique gifts were meant to use for God's glory! Without the convictions to take us through challenges and temptations we would not be able to reach that goal. What a blessing Chelsea was for hearing God's call on her life, and answering it by speaking to us! What a true honoring of her God-given gifts. Thank you Chelsea!

There will be a bible study follow-up on Convictions at Melissa & MacKenzie Kytlica's home, however the date has been changed. We will send an email to all who signed up and if you are interested please let us know!

Thank you to Macy Ens! Her cupcakes were as beautiful as they were delicious. More important than either their beauty or their taste was the fact that Macy is using her God-given gifts to honor God and donate to something that is (trying :) to be glorifying to God: Inspired 31. Way to go darling, Macy! You are inspiring to me!!!

Welcome also to Marta & Tabitha, our beautiful new mother-daughter steering members who boldly shared their testimony's on honoring God in different places: from movie sets to Hume Lake and at school. Thank you Tabitha, you were so poised and unruffled when the microphone was acting up! A real delight to see you keep your wits about you & show such grace!

We'd love to have you participate if you feel so led! We'd also love for you to sit back and just enjoy! Whichever you do...may you be richly blessed!

Please sign up for the blog, so you can receive the recap and pictures from the events automatically, as I won't be doing the follow up emails after this one...just the blog...now that things are running smoothly!

We'd love to have guest bloggers & comment! If you were inspired, convicted or touched my something please email me or reply to this, as we'd love to share your thoughts with everyone if you are so inclined!

God bless you richly,

Roxanne

Psalm 19:14

Thankfulness in All Things: The Big and The Small**

The last few weeks have made me appreciative of the big things: God, family, friends and health. It has also made me thankful for the small things: lunch with a friend, time to decorate for fall, lighting the pumpkin scented candles, simply for the blessing to just "be".

I was reminded, yet again, of the preciousness of life with some diagnosis of serious illness, surgery, etc.. of those I treasure. The recurring thoughts of our short time on earth, and the preciousness of our loved ones got me to thinking of little things (and how important they are) ...

Having "time out" to relax with a friend, and talking about life, dropping goodies of at a "sick" friends, hoping to show her how loved she is, coffee with a friend, going to watch a dear friends kids in their band, a cooking class with another dear friend made me think: All of these aren't the "little" ones really, they are the BIG things.

Thinking of what touches you? It made me think of what makes me feel loved. Time and I know you'll laugh...but dinner (or lunch) at a friends home. Why? Who knows? I'm guessing it is the intimacy of being at someone's private space. It is the time and thought. When beginning Inspired 31 and trying to prepare a 4 minute speech, my friend had me to her home and fixed me a sandwich and arranged it on her good china, and did it with such love. She kept apologizing for it, however I wonder if she realized how long it had been since someone had me to their home for a "simple sandwich"! I was so touched. It wasn't fancy, just so thoughtful!

It doesn't matter what you do, but that you DO it! Just like it doesn't matter what you have been gifted with, but that you USE it!

I have included some photographs here of some of the "fancier" lunches and dinners that I have been invited to at peoples homes. Yes, of course, I took pictures! It is just my thing. There are also simple things that remind me, it is true: It is the thought that counts!

From Romans 12: Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice Hospitality.

***Pictures are from "Fall", dinners or lunches, where friends put such lovely time and thought into having us/me over :) Thank you A!

Warming Up: With Fall (?)

Fall Colors are here, even if the season hasn't caught up yet!

A few days ago when it was actually beginning to cool off, I got the boxes of fall decorations down and began the very enjoyable process of transforming the main areas of our home into a warm & soothing fall feeling! (It feels a little funny to write this as it's been in the 100's here in Southern California)!

I love getting groupings of fall colored items together to fill my clear vases and cake plates with. M & M's are my favorites, however seasonal nuts and leaves also look so pretty! I walk up and down the grocery store, farmers markets, and trader jo's looking for the fall-ish colors. I love the process!

Last year as we were getting ready to shoot the photos that are used in INSPIRED DESIGN, our front lawn was covered with the most wonderful leaves! Shades of orange, yellows and browns were simply breathtaking. Our garden comes on Fridays and so I wanted to make sure he didn't sweep, rake or blow that day. I explained it all to him, then began to get the house ready for the photographers arrival. An hour or so later while walking past our front bay window I was horrified! He raked up all the leaves, and smashed them into the yard/trash bin. Not believing my eyes, I guess, I ran outside to see where the leaves were! (Um, where did I think they went?) He said I'm so sorry, I forgot what you said! (Ugh, that was like 45 minutes ago, ugh, ugh, again ugh!) Oh, well, I thought it's just leaves I don't have to take photos, so I went back inside to finish up the inside. Low and behold, while washing my hands at the front sink, I see the gardner half way up our huge tree shaking the tree to try to make the leaves fall. (I'm seriously not making this up) I ran out to tell him to get down, he could get hurt! No big deal. I was hysterically laughing later!

One year when I couldn't decorate for fall...my daughter said to me, mom where are all the ceramic pumpkins and those fluffy leafy things you put on the mantle? Where are all the pictures of us with the pumpkins? Where are the dishes of candy corns & M&M's? Hey what's with nothing on the front door? Huh, I thought. She actually noticed all those years of "Fall" decor? Who'd have thought it? Not, me. I thought I loved it so much, and it made me so happy that it was worth all the puttering and placing things lovingly just so, but not sure all the people in my family did. But Hannah did. She said it just didn't feel like home without those touches for fall. So, out the boxes came, with the dust from the construction and all! I haphazardly put them out, so it would resemble our usual, but no. She said that isn't everything, and you usually do this, and that.

My encouragement to you today is simple: The little things do matter.

The little note to tell your friend thank-you. A note in your child's lunch, an email or facebook (if you are super hip) to say how much you appreciate an effort, and a simple glass bowl filled with candy corns. Who'd have thought!

I'll post some more fall ideas from this year, in a few days! For Now:

You have it easily in your power to increase the sum total of this world’s happiness now. How? By giving a few words of sincere appreciation to someone who is lonely or discouraged. Perhaps you will forget tomorrow the kind words you say today, but the recipient may cherish them over a lifetime. Dale Carnegie

Blessings to you!

Psalm 19:14

Roxanne

What a wonderful day, the launch of Inspired 31 was! Here are some of the Mother-daughter, & Other Combinations of us! I have heard wonderful feedback from so many & feel like this is an idea whose time has come! A few exciting details to wrap our first meeting:

First: The lovely Mother-in-Law of Wendy & Melanie White, Leila White, won the Yamaguchi Gift, for her INSPIRED DESIGN book purchase! Billy Yamaguchi generously is going to give her a cut, and the salon a manicure and pedicure! Thank you, Sweet Leila, for coming and sharing in the fun & blessings of Inspired 31, and being a great mom and mother in law. How fun that there was 3 generations of "White"s at our Launch! Grandma, daughter, daughters in law, and granddaughter! Thanks for your generosity Leila, it is what will keep Inspired 31 going!

Secondly: As we had prayed, a darling "baker" is making 96 cupcakes for our next gathering. Macy Ens has a beautiful talent for baking! (I've seen the pictures, just wait girls, you are in for a treat!) I'm thrilled that Macy wants to be involved, and use her talents to bless you all!

Lastly: I've spoken with the speakers for upcoming events this last week, and they are all so excited to come and share with us! The "convictions" talk by Chelsea Cameron on October 17, our next meeting is certain to be convicting! Our cake lady send pics of her cakes, and I cannot wait!

Our Website is under contruction & We'd love to have you help if you desire to do so! If not, sit back: Enjoy & Be Blessed!

oxox

Roxanne (Mrs. P) and Hannah

Inspired 31 Launch Huge Success

Sunday, September 19th was the launch of inspired 31, a teenage daughter & mothers & others Ministry! It was a day that was God-blessed and so much fun! We had an amazing turn out, with the perfect amount of room.

The scones were delicious, the mother-daughter teams, and girls, and speakers were great! Looking out and seeing the laughter and smiles on everybody's face, we knew we had something here :) !

The highlight however, was probably our wonderful sound/techie Drew and his great sense of humor and hard work that I think was my favorite part! Although, the teamwork of our amazing teenage girl steering committee was also a fave!

I'll post more pics on Thursday or Friday.

If you are inviting friends, pls have them email me asap., as we anticipate doubling our attendance and will, at a certain point, have to close the event! We are at 220 so far, we can take another 150ish!

God bless you all! Thanks for being there! If you'd like to help out, just let one of us know!

Roxanne