Call & Response

Hello Friends!!
EXTRA EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT!!!
Melinda Here!! We have been going through some exciting times here at the Pink Daisy Cafe ~ Studio Live. We have recently redesigned our logo and are revamping our website! We are so excited that it will all be up and running in the very near future along with the launch in early 2013 of some of our product lines! We are planning on having a fun filled Launch party once we are ready to debut our 1st PRODUCT LINE!!! Until we set everything up with the new website I will post regular updates along with my Blog here and on our FB page! Stay tuned! Please keep us in your prayers as we move forward and upward!
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CALL & RESPONSE
Lately I have been feeling the call to prayer. The call to draw near to the Lord. However I will be honest... It has been a struggle. I hear the call. My hearts rejoices at my recognition of that call, yet, to respond or in the way that I respond is where often I find myself, tripping up. I arise sleepy and without motivation, but I know I want more.  I know that I am supposed to live differently, powerfully and happily. So why was I stuck in a place so remote from that??

Ever notice with kids, that for the most part, it is a struggle to get them up to get ready for school, and they drag their bodies from bed, to bathe, to the breakfast table to the door, to the car, they are still dragging on, to the walk into school. But, tell them you are going on a special trip, say a theme park or traveling somewhere, anywhere. They are up bright and early and with a hop and skip in their step. Sound familiar? We often, still after all these years do the same thing, but with work! When we enjoy or have an enjoyable association with something, we are excited to get up and get there, hurry up let's do this! You arise refreshed, no matter the fact that you only slept four (4) hours. You are ready for the excitement, the fun, the enjoyment ahead.

Made me evaluate how do I perceive prayer? Is it a chore or a bore to me? Wait, what is prayer? Prayer
is the time I spend in communication with God. It's My private and personal time with Jesus. It's time that I can get together with a brother and sister in Christ and together we can share with Jesus our concerns, fears, tears as well as our joys, hopes and gratitude. That's pretty awesome! I am given the opportunity continuously to connect with Jesus, with the Great I AM! I don't know about you, but that is pretty exciting to me!

Once I was able to look at prayer with renewed eyes, and reminded of what it really was, I was invigorated and encouraged to rise early and pray. I even posted on FB a call to prayer, and was blessed to not only be join in on a conference call with my sister, but with a brother and sister in faith who have recently moved a few hundred miles away. But there we were early connecting and agreeing in prayer for the needs of our communities and being able to share a word of encouragement and a Passage of Scripture to feed our souls. I encourage you to join into the call for Prayer! In fact if you want you can join me Monday and Friday mornings 530am EST over the next few weeks!

Be blessed & Live Love!

Minda

Keep it Moving!

Hello dear friends!
As many of you know I spent a large part of my summer in Southern California and I was blessed with sunshine and warm days, which encouraged me to move about and stay fit. Now, I am back in South Jersey and we are in the lovely beginning of FALL! The air is crisp and the days are cool, it's an invitation to get out and go for a brisk walk and keep that body moving. 

While Priscila and I work on our business and all of the wonderful little details and ideas that come with that, I have been encouraged to continue to work on me. I have been working out a few days a week with my brother Joe, who cracks me up each time that we do, as he knocks on my door early in the morning to work out and then while I am pushing, no encouraging, him to push harder, he points out the sweat that is forming and grunts almost annoyed. How dare I make him sweat! I laugh and push him a lil harder.  Some of you who know Joe or are averse to exercise may wonder where is my compassion?  I have compassion, for I too arise the next morning sore and feeling parts of my body that before were dormant, but it is a good sore, 'cause I know that I am getting stronger and firmer.

Building the discipline to workout a few days a week and changing it up from time to time as my body acclimates to the intensity has served as a reminder of what hard work and dedication yield... a strong, healthy body, mind and spirit.  It is after a good work out that I feel completely sweated out, and I can overcome that temptation for that Bizcocho de queso con Frosting de queso de crema... all that butter and cream cheese goodness is hard to resist! But as I build discipline and self control in this area of my life (I suffer from a major sweet tooth!), it is helping me be more dedicated to the prosperity and health of my business and life goals.

Maybe you had a bit of hiccup as it relates to one of your life goals, it happens and is ok, I understand, believe me! But enough dwelling on and staying in the past, use that experience to push you to do even better this time.. even if it's hard and may cause you to sweat and grunt a bit!

be blessed & keep it moving!
Minda

Woosh

Whirlwind, wooshing around my head.
Thoughts, concerns, worries
all cascading and clashing and crashing between my ears
So much to do
and I am laying under the pile that is my to do list
but still a smile creeps onto my face
The anxieties that over powered me are nothing
they crushed me
but now,
they are nothing.
I may be squeezed in a vice constructed by my own fears
but
I am not without
I have it.
It
What I have sought after was already with me
and all my wandering wonder submits to it,
and I smile.
The end is better than the beginning.
The end is a new beginning.
I smile.

PriscyMarie

It's December alright!

Hello everyone!
Cheers and Blessings to all as we enter the fabulous month of December.

It's December Alright.

The Fall is almost gone

The air is quite crisp.

It seems as if it just might snow,

are those bells I hear?

The sound of the chimes 

fill the air 

as a cold breeze passes by.  

It's December alright, 

It's December.

It's a time to enjoy hot cocoa 

while cuddling with a loved one 

or a favorite book, 

by the warmth of the 

flickering flames from the fire place. 

It's a time filled with laughter

and fond memories of

Decembers long ago.

It's a time when you don't

so mind the cold,

'cause love fills you and warms you. 

It's December alright 

It's December.

With the first day of the month

you begin to count down

from the first to the twenty-fifth

'Cause soon enough Christmas will be here. 

Christmas comes with bells and whistles

It comes with joy & peace.

Humming along to carols 

singing makes you tap your feet.

Your body begins to sway 

and life fills all that you are

as you sing that song.

It's December alright,

It's December.

It's December indeed, 

Yes it is!

So as you go through your days

whether the first or twenty-fifth

Singing Carols to your hearts content

remember the Love for which we sing.

 It's a time to remember

when such a long time ago,

in a sweet little manger a couple stayed there, 

with no other place to go.

They made the best of what they had, 

and in that manger there was a break 

in the silence of the night

with the sound of the coos and cries

 of a new born babe.

It was the first sound our Lord Jesus Christ made. 

And so we celebrate 

the Birth of our savior.

It's December alright,

It's December.

May the Love of the Lord fill each and everyone of you with JOY & PEACE.

Be blessed,

Minda

Thanksgiving!

Hello Everyone,
Thanksgiving is around the bend and typically on the Tuesday before, my house would be full of the aromas of a home made sofrito and adobo.  My hands would be either helping my sis and dad season the turkey and maybe preparing one of our many desserts for our Thanksgiving dinner.
This year however, I do not have to do a bunch of cooking, I will be joining my beau at his family's dinner.  While it's a great feeling to know that I can rest and just take myself and my appetite to the dinner that I was invited to... I have been going back and forth, figuring out what I should take to the hosts.  They said I need not bring anything.. but it's such a foreign feeling.. no cooking at all on thanksgiving, not even a pie or cookies?
So, I think that I may just take a box of chocolates, or chocolate covered pretzels and strawberries, with a homemade batch of chocolate chip cookies.. come on, who can say no to CHOCOLATE! Chocolate is an always welcomed treat in my book.

in the mean time I will give thanks.. to have a happy stomach and free hands!

Be blessed,
Minda

Every Day is a Gift

Hello everyone,
I pray you are doing well. These last few days have been interesting and have taught me a bunch.   I am like many who believe that each day comes with it's own set of lessons, and mine senses have been opened to take it all in and further appreciate all that this day, my today brings.

Every day 

Is a gift from above. 

Arise, arise I say

From that sweet slumber, 

For the sun has risen.

With outstretched hands 

I greet the day.

With blessings on my lips,

My lids begin to flutter.

The bright light 

Speak to me this hour

as I stretch and sprawl.

Every day

Is a gift from above.

I am reminded of this 

As I toss and turn

Searching through my thoughts

For the dreams I dreamt.

And soon, the comfort of my head rest

Has gone with the dark skies.

Alas a new day has come

Arise, I say arise

and...

Take in this day 

Knowing that the dreams will come

Take in this day

For it will be like no other

Take in this day

Choosing to walk in love

Take in this day 

With a smile in your heart and on your face

For every day 

Is a gift from above.

be blessed my friends, 

Minda!

Love is on the Move

Hello everyone!
I pray you have been well, I have been doing quite famously. It has been a busy time here and I have not been able or rather disciplined enough to post a blog.. I know, I know, but alas here I am and was so uplifted today as I was reading through my devotional "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young. For those of you who have yet to come across this devotional, it is written as daily notes from God to you, or me in this case.   Today's message served as a reminder that God is with us.  And how we should strive to remain conscious of His presence even in our busiest moments.
Life can be very very busy. In it we can lose sight of who we are and what we are about not to mention remember God. What's my name again? ah.. yeah.. but it is important to take time and in our time even the busy time talk with God and share with Him what makes us happy or delights us and even what makes us upset, whatever is on our mind. And to take time to spot the sacred.
Hmmm, spotting the sacred, just a few moments ago I was going through one of my books, a small little book filled with images and a keynote address given by Bono back in 2006 at the National Day of Prayer. That book, spoke to me, I heard through it God speaking to me, reminding me of His love for me, and all of creation.  It reminded me about our call to help the least of these and to see in them His face, and through service to them and all understand to new depths the power of love in this age of grace.
I leave you today with a few quotes from his book, and a video from a group called Leeland, so that you too may be inspired to meditate on God's goodness through the busy-ness of your day and remember those who are in need this day.

"Jubilee - why Jubilee? what was this year of Jubilee, this year of our Lord's favor? 

I'd always read the scriptures, even the obscure stuff. There is was in Leviticus (25:35)... 

"If your brother becomes poor," the scriptures say, 

"and cannot maintain himself...you shall not led him your money at interest, 

not give him your food for profit."  It is such an important idea, 

Jubilee, that Jesus begins his ministry with this.... 

His first words are from Isaiah: "The Spirit if the Lord is upon me," 

He says, "because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor." 

and Jesus proclaims the year of the Lord's favor, the year of Jubilee. (Luke 4:18) 

What He was really talking about was an era of Grace - and we're still in it."

Love is on the move, Mercy is on the move, God is on the move.

http://youtu.be/etXqqGAPYhY


be blessed,
Melinda