Monday, January 30, 2017

BB40: Week 3

Well this has been one crazy week! We've had so much basketball, school, friends birthday parties, celebrating our first Chinese New Year as a family of 7...it's just been go go go. With all the "busy" I didn't even touch any of the rooms that are partially purged. LOL. They will have to wait til this next week. Sometimes things just have to go on the back burner for a bit.

I did manage to exercise twice, so...well...that's better than none! Progress at least. But I DID manage to eat waaaaaaaay better than last week and I am happy to report those pesky pounds came right back off! The bigger challenge will be when we travel for a few days in the next couple of weeks for our State Basketball Tournament. It will be way too easy to simply eat junk at almost every meal. There will be plenty of exercise with all of the walking, but I don't want to use that as an excuse to be undisciplined in my eating. If I'm going to make a lifestyle change, it has to be consistent. Don't get me wrong, I don't believe in giving anything up entirely. I firmly believe you can eat anything--in moderation. In the past, every time I've tried to just give something up completely, it just made me crave it more. And then I would let myself have some because I "deserved it"...but rather than have SOME I would have a LOT. And then I'd feel lousy about myself and eat more to feel better. Thus the vicious cycle of self-sabotage continued. So now, rather than give something up, I want to find ways to eat it in moderation. One of the easiest ways of doing this for me, at least regarding my insane sweet tooth, came as a suggestion from my sweet friend Kim. She was able to drop quite a bit of weight a few years back and when I asked her how she did it she simply said "portion control". She didn't gorge herself at meals, but ate whatever she wanted. And when it came to sweets, she chose one or two "bite size" portions of her favorite candy to satisfy her. Now THAT is something I can do! So just after Christmas I hit up a sale on Christmas candies that I love and keep them in the fridge. Then when I have a craving for something sweet, I'll either choose fruit, OR I'll grab a piece of chocolate I love from the fridge. It's been SO much easier than I imagined AND I get to still have sweets now and then! I'm telling you--I believe with everything in me that if this change is going to be permanent, I HAVE to find little ways to make it work EASILY.

Speaking of easy...it's much easier for me to keep my cool with my kiddos when I've spent time in the Word BEFORE they wake up. LOL. I had been very consistent with reading my Bible these last couple of weeks, but I found that the last week I wasn't getting it in first thing in the morning as much. It's not that it matters really when it happens, but I sure do have a better mindset, a God-focused mindset throughout my day when I start it off with Him! I made it a point to get back to that the last two or so days and it's made alllll the difference! I'm going through a great study of Wisdom right now, reading through Proverbs. Do you ever have those moments when God just humbles you on the spot? I had one just today. My reading this morning was over the importance of our words, and how easy it is to say something and walk away and not give it much thought, but yet it can linger on in the mind of the receiver for days, weeks, even years to come. It's SO important for us to choose our words wisely, to speak LIFE to those we encounter every day. I was overwhelmed with this deep message (even though I've heard it time and again) and prayed that God would help me guard my mouth and to think before I speak. And yet...rather than just guarding my mouth FOR me, I found God giving me opportunities to guard my mouth, time and time again, as one by one my children irritated me to the Nth degree today. For the most part, I did quite well...but the end of the night saw me blowing up at my children on the way home from an event...yelling even. When I'd finally gotten home, calmed down, and spent some time alone, God spoke so clearly to my heart. He showed me how He'd repeatedly given me those opportunities to APPLY the wisdom from that day, and how I'd come up short.

No one is perfect, by any means. But we must realize (and I think this comes easier for parents because of the relationship with our kids being mirrored in God's relationship with us)...we are learning. We are growing. We are never stagnant. Whether it's our health, our relationships, our goals, our walk with Christ, or anything else we set out to do, we are either moving TOWARD it, or moving AWAY from it. The choice is ours. We can make baby steps in one direction or the other, but we ARE making those steps. Choice by choice, moment by moment...

Let's choose to move in the right direction!
Blessings,

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

BB40: Week 2...ish

Yeah so, I'm a *little* behind on reporting for this week. LOL.

As with all goals, changes, etc (I believe anyway), the second week in seems to be the hardest. Maybe it's just me...but this last week was not what I had planned. I ate horribly and only exercised ONCE. So yeah, those two little pounds that came off the week before? Yep, they are back to haunt me...and they brought a friend with them just for fun. So if you're keeping score, that's +1 for the other team. NOT what I had planned at all.

That being said, I want to stress that for me, this is NOT a diet. I'm not looking to drop weight quickly (as lovely as that would be). I'm looking for a LIFESTYLE CHANGE. I don't believe in diets, in fads, in sugar free, fat free, etc. I want to eat better and exercise more. That is all. I want something that is a permanent change that allows me to enjoy the food I eat, but to eat it to FUEL my body, not to comfort me. See, historically speaking, I am an emotional eater. Always have been. I eat when I'm happy. I eat when I'm sad. I eat when I'm stressed. I eat when I'm excited. I eat when I'm angry, hurt, bored, overwhelmed, celebrating, consumed with guilt, consumed with pride...you name the emotion, I will eat in honor of it. It's RIDICULOUS. But, I also know I'm not alone. I think too many of us turn to food as our vice...and we justify it because in our minds we "don't get drunk, don't do drugs, don't sleep around" or what-have-you. We justify it because we believe it could be worse. That, or we allow ourselves to believe we "deserve" it.

Friends, I'm here to tell you--as much for ME as for anyone else reading who needs to hear it--BOTH of these are lies. The reality is, eating as a vice is just as bad for your body and your overall health as drinking in excess, doing drugs, sleeping around, or any other poor choice you could make. It may be a slower "death" for your body, but it's death just the same. It's a sin called gluttony...and it's no different that any other sin in the Bible. And thinking you deserve it?? NO. What you deserve is to have a body that functions at its best! What you deserve, is to have optimal health that allows you to enjoy LIVING with those around you, while having the energy to keep up! And just in case you question the authority of these beliefs, let me refer to 1 Cor 6:19-20  "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies." I don't know about you, but I find it WAY too easy to get caught up in focusing on my words, my intentions, how I treat others, how often I pray or read my Bible...and allow myself to forget that how I treat my body is of equal importance if my purpose is to HONOR God. And most times? That's gonna be day-to-day. I am not one who can look at the bigger picture and tackle it head on. I have to take it step by step. I have to focus on TODAY. Sometimes, I have to just focus on this MEAL. And if I eat a super unhealthy meal? MOVE ON. I have to do better at the next meal. If I miss a day of exercising? MOVE ON. I have to make it a higher priority the next day. It's step by step, sometimes that means moment by moment. Baby steps here, not a sprint, but a marathon.

As for other parts of my week, well, I took the opportunity to tackle the girls' room when my 7yo mentioned she wanted to purge the room. However, it was way more of an undertaking than I expected and while the ROOM looks great, I now have piles of stuff laying all over the gameroom. And I haven't even gotten to their clothes or shoes yet! LOL. At the same time, my youngest son decided he wanted his "own room", so Sean decided to let him try out the theater room for a month. If it goes well, we will move his bed in there (he's on the sofa bed for now) and all of his belongings. So THAT was going on at the same time. If you're keeping score on this front, that means that THREE of the four bedrooms in our home were being purged almost simultaneously...not for the faint of heart. My house looks like a tornado hit it. So this week I will simply try to crawl out from under the rubble and manage to contain the mess!

I DID manage to decide on a location for my War Room! One corner of our bedroom contains a chair of my grandmother's that I recovered and a little table my daddy built. As long as I lock the door to my room, it should be the perfect location!  ;)  I also have a call scheduled for Thursday (that I may have mentioned last week) to discuss an opportunity I have to really pour into a passion of mine. I'd love for you to pray with me for clarity on this!

I have to say though, the BEST thing to come from this week?? I only missed my daily time in the Word once--and my walk with God is stronger every day for it! I find my days are easier to manage, my time is spent more intentionally, and my focus is sharper--when I make sure to set my day right, right off the bat. And I'm not the least bit surprised--Hebrews 4:12 tells us the POWER of the Word of God  "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." When I spend regular time in the Word, it changes my attitude, changes my focus, changes my heart...and helps me to become that better wife, mom, daughter, sister & friend that I am reaching toward. If NOTHING else comes of these next 38 weeks but developing the habit of daily time in the Word?? Then I win. More than anything I want to be the version of me God created me to be...and that starts with the most important relationship I'll ever have--the one with Him.

Here's to an even better week this week!
Blessings,


Sunday, January 15, 2017

BB40: Week 1

Well, so far, so good! Week 1 wasn't as brutal as I expected it to be. However, I must admit that I am starting slow. Every other time I've attempted to "get in shape" I've jumped in feet first and injured myself. LOL.

This time, I want to produce results that will last. In order to do so, I need to know what my body is capable of and what it's not. Right now, I have no "core". As in, none. Any tummy muscles I once had have long gone the way of the wind...back to before my first born came along, nearly 17 years ago! If I were to just begin working out the way I'd like, I would again injure myself, and be stuck in a state of recovery for days if not weeks. No thank you. Cardio? No problem. Weights and lifting? Not so much. So I've started out with simple arm, leg, and stomach exercises that are more resistance than weight related. I managed to make time for that 4 times this week! That's 4 more times than last week, so I call that progress. My ultimate goal is 6 days a week. Even though I only formally started this last week, I have been making changes since just before the beginning of the year on my eating. I can PROUDLY say I am down 2 pounds from last week!! That's 2 more pounds of me I never plan to see again!

More importantly, I spent time in the Word every. single. day this week. Prior to this week, my average was 3-4 days a week. Not bad, but not daily, so not where I wanted to be. This time it is my TOP priority because from that, the rest of my day flows. If I am rooted in the Word of God, my mindset is where it needs to be, I am more focused, more patient, and more intentional about all the other aspects of my daily life. It is THE single most important thing I can do...for myself, for my family, for everyone I encounter and every goal I set forth to achieve.

I have made a list of the projects I want to finish and put them in order. This next week I will start on the first one. I have been looking into my War Room--and still haven't settled on a location that I am happy with, so that area still needs some focus. I plan to determine a final spot this next week.

As for ridding my life of unwanted junk (Purge), I managed to work on my room some this week. A small table and my nightstand and dresser top were my focus. I started a sell/give away pile, threw some stuff out, and organized the things I am keeping. Slow and steady will win this race...I have a lot of...stuff. Less is more and I intend on having much MUCH less when I am done!

Finally, I have the opportunity to really put some of my deepest passions to work! I have a couple of different avenues I am praying over and I cannot wait to see where the Lord leads in this area. I am humbled that there might be a way for Him to use me to touch the lives of others. I look forward to sharing more details with you as they become more apparent to me!

 All in all, I am happy with how this last week has gone. I have felt a LOT more intentional in how I spent my time and my energy, and I feel my walk with the Lord getting stronger by the day. I was struggling to make some decisions this last week and for the first time in quite a while, I felt clear, concise direction from the Lord. I love when He is clear--even when I don't necessarily like His response.  ;)

I plan to post weekly on how I am doing on these goals, as much for my own accountability as for maybe a little bit of encouragement for someone else. My prayer is that you are encouraged to walk closer with Jesus, take care of yourself better, and only give your time and energy to those things you truly hold dear.

Blessings,

Sunday, January 8, 2017

Better By 40

It's funny...when you begin a new phase in life, one that you didn't plan on, how overwhelming it can seem. I had planned to go back and blog all about our time in China, but it just never happened. Instead, it's cataloged on Facebook in our travel group. And ya know, I'm ok with that. For now, I'm not gonna give it a second thought...I'm just going to focus on where I am now.

It hit me a month or so back that this year, we both turn 40, Sean and I. FORTY. Not quite sure how that happened, because I'm quite certain we were only 20 year olds in college just last year. LOL. My how time flies...

As I pondered all the years that have passed in the blink of an eye, I wondered just what I'd done with all that time. I can't get it back, you know. It's gone. How did I spend it? Did I make a difference? Was my time well spent? Did I serve the purpose God had for me in those minutes, hours, days and weeks? I know one thing. If any of those things DID happen, it wasn't because it was intentional. Oh I had moments of being intentional...but on the whole? On the whole it's been more just go with the flow. And I realize now...that's NOT what I want. So this new phase? It's all about change...

I have a number of areas in my life that need work. I mean, don't we all? But I couldn't just choose to "change all the things". I needed some sort of structure, some sort of plan. See? Even my plan needs to be intentional. So I narrowed it down to 6 main areas of focus. I am posting it here for my small world of readers to see, if for no other reason than accountability, for "putting myself out there". But in the mean time, if it encourages someone else to work on something they need to, to be intentional in some area in their life that is lacking?? BONUS! I pray that my words and actions are an encouragement.

So my "goals" as it were, are the following:

"Better By 40":

1. 40 x 40. I want to lose 40 pounds by the time I turn 40...which, funny enough, happens to be exactly 40 weeks from today!

2. I want to declutter/destress/purge every single area of my home, one little bit at a time.

3. I want to finish the myriad of projects that I've started and not completed.

4. I want to be a better wife/mom/daughter/sister/friend/Christ follower.

5. I want to find a way to use my talents and creativity to bless others.

6. I want to set up and USE my own personal "War Room".
**Side note, if you haven't seen that movie, it is a MUST. Do it. Do it now.**

In order to make my list easy to remember, I gave each item a one-word description...and made them all begin with the same letter. So I narrowed it down to:

1. Pounds
2. Purge
3. Projects
4. Progress
5. Produce
6. Prayer

So now that I have the ideas in place, I need to set some action steps to make it work. I came up with these to start:

1. Pounds: I have lined my mirror with scripture, quotes and other inspirational writing for daily motivation. I will spend time exercising every day and make each meal healthy. I am taking it day by day, so when I mess up, I simply start new at the next meal or the next morning.

2. Purge: I am taking charge of one room at a time, starting with mine. I will make progress weekly on each room until it is finished, then move on to another.

3. Projects: I will make a list of my outstanding projects, and tackle one at a time, starting with the smallest.

4. Progress: I will focus on one personal change per month. I will make a list and tackle one at a time. Up first, my daily time in the Word, which has been lacking.

5. Produce: I will make a list of creative ideas that I have. First up, I am learning to hand letter. I hope to make a few inspirational home decor printables.

6. Prayer: I will determine my location, clear the space, and write out/post some immediate prayer requests.

Overall, my focus comes from a sermon from a week ago...MAKE IT COUNT.  Whatever I do, however I do it, for myself or for others, I want to be intentional with my time and my talent. I want to make it count. I want my life to count.

The verse that I've chosen to focus on for this journey is Galatians 6:9

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

So this is my new phase, my focus for this year. Want to join me? To be intentional with your time? You don't need to come up with as many areas as I did...these are the ones I chose because they are important to me, because they work for me. You may have 3...You may only have 1.

It's not where you start that counts, what counts is that you do start...

Let's start here. Let's start now. Join me!