End of 2017

The year is finally coming to an end. It's been a crazy year that has been filled with many ups and downs. With another year starting tomorrow, many of us have a hope that our lives will magically change. We hope that some miraculous  thing will occur as soon as the clock strikes midnight.

In reality, the only thing changing is the month, the day, and the last digit of the year. The calendar will go from December 31, 2017 to January 1, 2018. We have a whole year to make changes but without the will power, drive, and determination nothing is going to change. When December 31, 2018 come along we will striving for the same goals, with maybe a few more pounds on our body, and we will be lying to ourselves again that this year will be filled of "greatness.' 

Instead of making the same resolutions, why not make realistic goals that are both attainable and realistic. For example  instead of saying I am going to be healthier (which has no way of tracking) make it more attainable. The goal could be drinking half my body of water each day and workout x amount of times each week. Start small- by the end of the year those small steps will be huge. 

If you want a bigger savings account, instead of buying that $3 Dunkin Donuts coffee or $2 soda on your lunch break- make it at home and put the money you saved in your savings account. 

As you can see, I want you all to be successful this year and decided I would post a blog on making attainable goals. Tomorrow I will post my personal goals. Please keep me accountable and if you need an accountability partner I would gladly help you. 

May you all be blessed with a wonderful 2018. 

Courageous

"Life isn't easy." "Life isn't fair."
Aren't those the things we tell our kids when they are whining and complaining about something they feel was unwarranted to them? Why is it that as adults we forget that.

Life isn't easy. Health issues, financial issues, marital issues, parenting issues, work issues .. none of them are easy. We all face one or more of these every day of our lives. But it's what we do in response to them that is what is important.

Casting Crowns has a song called "Courageous" that has been pushing me all day. I may have even listened to it in the hardest portion of my run. Whatever we are struggling with today allow the Lord to help you by asking for it. He will give you peace beyond understanding.

Here is some of the lyrics to the Casting Crowns song. I hope they encourage you and push you as much as they have helped me.

We were made to be courageous
And we're taking back the fight
We were made to be courageous
And it starts with us tonight

The only way we'll ever stand
Is on our knees with lifted hands
Make us courageous
Lord, make us courageous

Choices Today, Impact Tomorrow

I've been quiet again. 

I haven't had much to say lately. 

I have started countless posts but never finished them or if I did I didn't want to post them. 

Today though I've decided to post about completing tasks that will benefit you even if in the moment you don't want to. 

Today life seemed to be playing to the song Monster by Skillet. (If you are familiar with the song you know it's not one you want as a theme song). I was a monster. I was hideous today from the moment I woke up and I couldn't get out of this horrible funk. Even when my loving husband pointed it out to me, I would apologize and just kept on going down the road I was going on.

Dont get me wrong, we got a lot of things done today. All five kids are still alive and most of my to-do list was done. But everything was frustrating me especially when it took me two hours to get Greyson to fall asleep.  As I noticed that he was finally starting to fall asleep, I started listing off everything I still needed to do in my head (dinner dishes, sweep kitchen, clean living room, fit test, yada yada yada.) Then I got really angry. I wasn't going to do any of it. 

I was going to leave the dishes in the sink. 

I wasn't going to clean any more rooms.

I definitely wasn't going to do a fit test. 

I was going to get a bowl of ice cream and I was going to get into bed. 

None of that happened. I put my hair up in a tight pony tail, washed those dishes, cleaned the rooms, got my fit test done, and I still haven't had any ice cream. (I probably won't.)

 

I now feel accomplished. But not by my own strength but by the Lord's. The entire time I did those tasks I prayed. It was like I was on autopilot the entire time and when auto pilot finally turned off, everything was done.

 When I get up in the morning by his grace I won't be a monster. I will feel like a new woman who knows that the Lord will get me through and I will be proud of the tasks I got done today. I won't see piles of dishes that need to be washed and the pile of stuff from Jacob attempting to empty the vacuum into the trash can that landed on my running shoes. I will see five happy children who want to be greeted with love and a warm breakfast.  The choices I made tonight will get through another day.

Lifestyle Change Post 2

Have you ever found yourself reflecting on the week wondering how you got so off track? This past week and a half has not been my best effort in eating healthy and making changes to my lifestyle.

Many days I skipped fruits and vegetables and choose chips, ice cream, popcorn, etc. At the end of the night I would skip a workout and instead eat a late snack in my bed while watching movies. I would often choose soda or coffee instead of water. Then at the end of the night I would down cups of water to try to help my body  flush out all the crap I ate and drank. 

For this reason I am letting this 21 day fix round go. This weekend I am going to use it to reset. I am going to reteach myself how to say no to late night snacking and choose my fruits and vegetables.  I am going to say no to coffee and replace it with water. In the morning I will allow myself one cup of tea. 

The reason I am posting this is to reiterate the point that we all have excuses. We all have reasons that we let ourselves go and sometimes we choose to wallow in them. There is a way we can all feel the emotions that we are feeling and not act out that emotion. 

For me this past few weeks have been overwhelming. From my kids, to my family, my husband's family, the expectations of the holidays, and every day life have completely drained me. It has left me going through the motions of life. Today I am choosing to live. I am choosing to make changes.  I am choosing me and my well-being. There are no more putting it off until tomorrow. There are only todays. 

Lifestyle Changes Week 1

Week One for me is always the hardest. It takes me forever to get the hang of implementing a new diet plan but I am rather good at pushing through workouts ( with modifications.)

This past week I continually pressed play. 

I pressed play when I didn't want to. 

I kept going as tears poured down my face. 

I pressed play at the first sign of bruising.

I pressed play when my entire body was exhausted. 

I pressed play day after day.

Even as Week 2 started today, I pressed play. I tried not to cry since my little boys were home. I still used modifications. In the shower I noticed the bruises. Bruises on my thighs, arms, calves, and back I knew the program was too much. I knew I hadn't hit all those places.  I couldn't continue to press play for another two weeks and bruise continually. After some more tears, I put 21 Day Fix Extreme on the back burner for now. 

I pressed play for a second time today and completed Total Body Cardio fix for the 21 Day Fix plan. I am excited. I was tired and still modified on one exercise but the difference was that I felt a good sore. Not a sore that was going to inhibit the rest of my day. 

Listen to your body. Don't allow your feelings of inadequacy or weakness to continue to push you. I was on a path that was going to lead to injury. One day I will be ready for the program but for now I will focus on becoming healthier. 

Accountability

Accountability is so important in numerous areas of ones life. Some people need it for weight loss, others for overcoming addictions such as drugs or pornography. Still others need it to read their Bible's daily or attending a weekly class or small group.

Typically I don't ask for accountability or desire it in any area of my life. Like most people I am hesitant to commit to anything long term. Even short term commitment is difficult for me. But I want a new chapter. I want to be proud of the body the Lord gave me and treat it like the temple it is. For that reason and many others, I am ready to loose the marriage and mom weight that I have gained over the last 7 years of my life.

In November in addition to starting a thankful list for the 2018 Thanksgiving, I have a goal of losing 6 inches and keeping them off.

Each day I will be posting in the Healthy Living Accountability Group on Facebook. Each Sunday I will share on the blog and in the group what I have accomplished. This will hold me accountable. If you are looking for accountability please post in the group or pm me if you aren't already in there. I will be posting some new things each week such as motivational quotes, recipes I've tried, and different ways that I have gotten myself through the week. Every day I will post a check in thread for anyone interested in checking in. You don't even have to post each day but it would be a lot more fun if others are in the group too.

Happy Monday Y'all. Don't skip a Monday workout.

Our plans vs God's plans

As some of you might know about five years ago my husband separated from the Marine Corps. At the time, my husband and I thought that at least one of us would join another military branch in either an active or reserve capacity right away. During that time, the Lord made it almost impossible for that to happen. We could have kept fighting for the dream but we didn't.
Over the years at different points in our lives, we tried again but again it was a windy, rough road that we didn't want to pursue.
As a last ditch effort my husband requested information from our local Air National Guard. In just a few short weeks, everything has come together. As of tomorrow he will officially be signing six years of his life to supporting and defending our country and our local community. I couldn't be more proud of him and his dedication.
This evening as I put our five children to bed, it really hit me that his dreams from five years ago are FINALLY happening. Five years... Most of us let go of dreams or prayers before the end of the first year. Five years is a long time to allow a dream to sit on the back burner, working countless hours at jobs that really seemed pointless. In the quiet of my house, it really is amazing to see how the Lord blesses those who do his work and live the life he has planned for us and allow it to unfold as he sees fit.
As a go to bed tonight, I can only thank the Lord for preparing us during these five years. I am so thankful for the peace I feel during this time. I have full faith that the Lord has huge plans for our family during this next chapter. It won't always be easy but I am ready to stand with his peace and love supporting my husband and children.

Basic Truth

Lately life has been a string of events that happen one after another. Some events are completely expected while others have knocked the wind out of me literally and figuratively.

Life in general has given me more to think about than I ever expected. As a mom of five and wife of six and a half years, I thought I would have more figured out. At the very least what I want to do when I "grow up." Day after day, I think about what is on the horizon for my family and I. I just ponder what the Lord has in store for us. Some days it excites me and other days it leaves me quivering in the corner of a room afraid to even look across the room. 

In every circumstance that has presented itself, I have learned that even when I feel the loneliest, I am never truly alone. The Lord is always with me. He will never leave me or forsake me. In this basic truth, I know that every time life throws me a curve ball that knocks me down, I know I can get up. Even if "up" only means kneeling on the floor until the Lord's strength and love helps me stand back again. I will continue to choose to kneel, crawl, walk, or run when I am called to do it. I will keep choosing to live in his love and grace. 

Deuteronomy 31:6

Life Changes

Life has a funny way of changing on you when you least expect it.

A few months ago, Nathan finally started working on first shift and Jacob started preschool on the same day. We were starting to get into a great routine until Nathan got hurt on the job. This shook me to the core.

That day was horrendous to begin with. Nathan wasn't having a good day at work and Owen was being noncomplaint with everything. It was a day that I had spent in prayer. Praying for Nathan, praying for Owen to settle down, praying for the rest of the kids, and praying that we all would make it to 3 when Nathan would arrive home. So when I got the text at 1230 stating Nathan was in the ER because he crushed his fingers, my doubt began and my anger arose. We won't go through the rest but we will leave it at it wasn't a good day or week.
Since then we have seen the positives but that first day it felt like everything was crumbling.
Nathan didn't break anything despite his fingers literally being crushed in a conveyor system. He will be only working 40 hours for at least 6 more weeks while he completes therapy (better than 6 days a week) His sprained ankle from the beginning of the winter is finally healing. We have gotten closer and have had to trust each other more.

The most important thing was realizing my foundation in the Lord isn't as strong as I thought it was. It withstood this shake but there were times I didn't think it would. The anger and confusion I felt during this time was consuming me. I took care of the kids and my husband's needs but that was it.

Now its time to continue to rebuild a strong foundation and learn to trust that his plan for my life is so much bigger than the here and now. Even when we don't understand everything in life, we can trust that he does. He has a plan for each one of us that believe and trust him. Jeremiah 29:11

New Year

This year has started out with a bang. Its already the ninth and it feels like we just celebrated New Years Day yesterday. I have been MIA for weeks. So I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Years.

As most individuals this year has already been a blur of meeting life's demands and trying to stay on top of resolutions that I set for myself. Some that were the Lord driven and others that I set for myself. 

In all of this choas, I have noticed a nasty habit coming back. Yelling. Yelling at my spouse, my children, the dog, myself when I miss something, and the Lord when I think he has it wrong. This weekend my husband had the majority of it off. Which has seemed to happen more often lately. 

Anyways, I got to spend more time alone with the Lord. He has been reminding me that we are called to live a life with a spirit of praise and thanksgiving to him. In whatever we do, we need to praise him. This has made the annoying and most frustrating parts of my life today, more bearable and peaceful. It is all because of Him. I have already cleaned my living room four times because of my boys. The constant needing to wash dishes, do laundry, fold, and more cleaning would have me yelling last week. But this week, instead I am praising him. I am singing songs I havent heard in years because I am just singing whatever comes to mind. I am praising him and my spirit is so thankful. I could probably list a 100 things that he has blessed me with. So get praising and if you need some reminding like I did read Psalm 150. It is such a great reminder of how we are supposed to live. 

Have a wonderful Monday.