Blessings

This week time has stopped for so many people.  They will forever remember where they were in that split second that their life changed forever.  They will remember exactly what they were doing when they heard the news and this week has been filled with horrible news from Boston to Texas and so many places in between.  My heart has been heavy for these people that I don't know, I won't ever know, and I can't even (nor do I want to) imagine what they are going through.  It has been a hard week watching the little news that I watch and seeing the images of horrific events.  It has been hard explaining to my children that we live in a world where people would choose to commit such horrible acts and take innocent lives.  It is just mind boggling.  I don't understand all that has happened this week and at the same time I know it is not for me to understand.  I know that no news will explain it and that we only get to see what they choose to report on and how they choose to spin it.  I have to admit that I don't really watch the news much because I go so tired of all the negativity when there is so much good they could be reporting on.  I know that we need to hear about the bad things too, but quite frankly I find the news depressing and I get very frustrated by the way they choose to report some stories and not others.  I did flip on a certain national news morning show the yesterday to hear about the explosion in Texas and if they knew what had happened.  I watched as the anchor interviewed an eye witness to the explosion only to be angered when the anchor spun the interview around to be so insensitive to ask the man if he personally knew anyone in this small town that died in the explosion or if he knew any of the people critically injured.  I know that this seems like a valid question, but it was so completely insensitive.  Here was this man giving his eye-witness account and then the anchor eagerly points out how small the town is and how so many people there know each other and then nonchalantly and casually asked, "So do you know anyone who died in the explosion or was critically injured?"  I was just done at that point, the question had nothing to do with the rest of the interview.  It was a prime example of why I don't watch the news.  Anyway, I am getting off my soap box now.  So I have been trying to make sense of all the things happening this week and it all comes down to we will never know why it all happened.  As a Christian I do know that God has been a part of every situation that has occurred this week.  I don't know why He has allowed these things to happen and it is not up to me to ask, "Why?"  I don't want to question my Creator because I know that His plan is greater than my and He uses every situation for His glory.  I know these events are tragic and people say "How could God be using this horrific tragedy for His glory?" and I have to tell you, I don't know how He is using it for His glory.  I do know that people around the world were praying after hearing the news this week, I know people were showing compassion, and people were gathering together.  I don't think anyone but God knows why these events occur or how He uses them, but I do know for sure that God is at work in this world and I know without a doubt that He has heard every prayer this week.  I haven't made these comments to start a debate, but rather just to share what I feel and I know that not every one will agree with me and that is okay, but I am not here to start any debates.  I have made no secret of my love of music and this week I keep thinking of a specific song.  I keep thinking of the song, "Blessings" by Laura Story.  She wrote this song when she was going through a very tough time in her life and I think it just sort of puts this week in perspective.  We don't know why things happen the way they do, but I believe that there is a blessing in everything that happens and that is exactly what this song is talking about.  So this week when the news has been horrific, bleak, and mind boggling, I choose to cling to God and pray for those affected by the events this week and I am taking comfort in these beautiful lyrics by Laura Story and seeing that the blessings aren't always obvious, but sometimes the blessings do come in the rain.

Blessings

by Laura Story

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace

Comfort for family, protection while we sleep

We pray for healing, for prosperity

We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

And all the while, You hear each spoken need

Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops

What if Your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near

What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear

We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near

We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love

As if every promise from Your word is not enough

And all the while, You hear each desperate plea

And long that we'd have faith to believe

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops

What if Your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near

What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us

When darkness seems to win

We know that pain reminds this heart

That this is not,

This is not our home

It's not our home

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops

What if Your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near

What if my greatest disappointments or the aching of this life

Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy

What if trials of this life

The rain, the storms, the hardest nights

Are your mercies in disguise

5 Authors I Have Been Reading Lately

I have made no secret about my love of reading.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to read.  I wish I had more time to read, but being busy with my family, church, and my new business doesn't leave me with as much time to read as I would like to.  I thought today I would share some of the authors whose books I have been reading lately.  I read a wide range of books although I do tend to get hooked on certain authors and will return to them time and again until I have read all that they have written.

1.  Sandra D. Bricker - She is an Christian fiction author and she keeps my attention with humorous, yet relatable books.  I love the fact that in her series I read that started with the book, Always the Baker, Never the Bride, she developed the characters in the first story and then used them with added characters throughout the rest of the series.

2.  Lynn Austin - She is also a Christian author and I love her historical based writing.  I started by reading her Refiner's Fire series set in the Civil War and I couldn't put it down.  I am currently reading through her Chronicles of the Kings series and it is another series I find myself staying up way too late to read "just a few more pages."

3.  Nicholas Sparks - What can I say?  I am a sucker for a good tear jerker that sucks you in from the first few pages and captures your attention so that you have to keep reading.

4.  Kathy Herman - She is a Christian suspense author.  I love a great suspense book and I have read through her Sophie Trace Trilogy Series and am currently reading through her Secrets of the Roux River Bayou Series.  Both have been excellent and just as you think you have it figured out the book does a great turn and keeps you flipping pages.

5.  Cynthia Heald - She is a Christian author.  The book I am currently reading by her is the first book I have read of hers, but I am really enjoying it.  It is set up as a study book for growth in your Christian life.  She has some great insights and has brought up some valid points I never thought of before.

These are just the authors I have been reading in the last couple of months.  I have a bazillion books to read on my Kindle App and the list just grows every day thanks to all the free books out there.  I hope you love reading as much as I do and I would love to know what authors are your favorite.

*I am not affiliated with these authors in any way and they are not compensating me for posting this, I am sharing of my own accord who I have been reading.

Legacy

One definition of the word legacy is something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past.  A legacy is something that is handed down from generation to generation.  In some families legacies are a beautiful thing and in others, well, not so good.  I have been doing a lot of thinking about legacy in the past few days because of a funeral I attended at our church recently.  The funeral was for a man with quite a legacy and although I didn't know him very well personally, I do know several of his family members very well and so I went to show my support of their whole family.  This man that is now rejoicing in Heaven has an awesome legacy, that is very inspiring.  He was an Elder in our church.  He woke up every day and began each day in prayer.  He prayed for every family member by name (a family that had 5 children, 30 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren so far).  Then after he prayed for family members, he prayed for every church member by name and their families.  He didn't do anything without consulting The Lord in prayer.  He led his life by example and led his life for Jesus.  He led his life in such a way that his children all made the decision to accept Jesus as their personal savior.  He led his life in such a way that his grandchildren have made decisions to accept Jesus as their personal savior.  He led his life in such a way that as the great-grandchildren are growing up, they are making the decision to accept Jesus as their personal savior.  This man led his life in such a way that many people besides his family made the decision to accept Jesus as their personal savior because of the examples he set.  It was amazing to sit at his funeral and hear person after person tell how much he loved God, how he lived for God, how he passed God on to his family, and how he wasn't afraid to die because he knew he was, without a doubt, going to Heaven to be with God.  It was beautiful to hear this man's legacy and to think of all the times I have seen his family live it out.  At the end of the service our pastor challenged us with this thought...What is your legacy?  What are you passing on and leaving behind for your family?  After hearing all that was said at the funeral, I was lost in thought.  I know there are many things I am leaving my family, but am I teaching them enough about God, faith, and the Bible? Will they be able to say that I led my whole life for Jesus, that I left them a shining example to follow?  That thought just left me stunned.  I need to start living more for God and letting that shine through all I do.  I need to let the world see Jesus shining in me instead of just seeing me.  I want my legacy to be that I lived for God and served God to the best of my ability so that God will be able to tell me "Well done good and faithful servant."  What kind of legacy will you leave?  It is not too late to change your legacy if you are not living for God and accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior.

Giving It Up

I have to tell you that God never ceases to amaze me.  His love and care for me is astounding, overwhelming, and pure.  God takes situations that are too big for us to handle and He handles them when we give them over to Him.  All we have to do is ask.  He will hear and He will provide answers.  You have to be ready for the answer because sometimes it is not the answer we were hoping for, but keep in mind that God can see the entire picture and He knows the best answer for us.

I was reminded of this just yesterday.  Recently we have been dealing with a situation with some property we own.  It seems like we have to deal with the property every few years and quite honestly this property has overwhelmed me and left a very bitter taste in my mouth.  It is something I have struggled with and been very negative about.  When we found out information about this property, I immediately started thinking about all the things that have come up with this property, all the things I have had to put on hold due to this property, and all the ways that it has been a thorn in my side.  All the bitterness and disappointment came rushing to the surface again and I fell apart.  My dear husband was so kind and calm about the situation and he just kept encouraging me to give everything (all my feelings, thoughts, and negativity) to God and ask God to help in this situation.  I knew he was right and that I had to find a way to give it to God because me hanging on to it, was not doing anyone any good.  That same day I prayed to God and asked for help to just let Him have the issue and to not feel the way I felt about it anymore.  The next morning, I really poured my heart out to God about this situation and I truly gave the whole mess over to Him because I knew that at this point it was bigger than me and there was just nothing I could do.  I have struggled in the past to give my burdens completely to God because I pray and then I continue to worry, which is not the way it should be.  When we do that (pray, ask for help, and then continue to worry and fret) we are telling God that He isn't big enough to handle our problem and that is a habit that I am trying to break.  So this time I really focused on truly giving the issue to God and letting it be.  Then about a week ago my husband asked me if I had taken the next step about this property and I told him no, but I was going to get to it.  My hubby kept asking and I kept putting him off, all the while knowing God was nudging me to be obedient to my husband and do what he had asked.  Finally on Sunday, I took the next step in the situation and did what my husband had requested to do with the property.  I received a couple of responses that night but I prayed that God would just continue taking care of it.  I woke up then next morning to an overwhelming amount of responses and all I could do was let the tears run  while I thanked God for providing answers.  I know, without a doubt, that God has really been trying to show me for a long time now that if I completely give Him my worries, burdens, fears, and doubts that He will show me that He can handle them.  I know He used this situation specifically to show me that He is in control and if I give up it up to Him, He can bring healing for the bitterness, answers for the situation, and He can open the doors that I just can't.  I know God is just showing me that He is here, He cares, and He is in control that I just need to lean into Him and give it all up.  It is a hard thing to do, but something I am really working on.  I want to be obedient to God and to do that means to Fully Rely On God (FROG).  Is there a situation that you can give to God today?    Nothing is impossible with God - Luke 1:37

Checking in on my Resolutions

It really seems like New Year's was just last week, but it is March already and I am not quite sure where the time has gone.  I thought today was a good day to check and see where I am at on the New Year's Resolutions I made.  I don't want to forget that I made them nor do I want to give up on them.  I plan to keep revisiting them and keep track of my progress and hopefully at the end of the year, I will be able to check them all off my list.

• Continue working on losing my 50 pounds - If you want to know how I am doing, see my Weight-loss Wednesday posts where I am blogging my weight loss journey. - I have been working on this one even though I have temporarily stopped my Weight-loss Wednesday posts.  It is not that I don't want to share my journey with you because I do.  I decided to temporarily stop the weekly updates because my focus was off and I was getting way too obsessed with the numbers on the scale and not on making the process permanent.  I am committing to not step on the scale until the end of March in an effort to not be focused on the scale, but to instead focus on making good, healthy decisions and lasting changes.  
• Finish my Thomas Kinkade Cross-Stitch - After working on this cross stitch off and on for 6 to 7 years, I am so very happy to report that I have finished it and it is ready to frame so that I can give it to my step dad.
• Follow the FLYLady System - I have fluttered and almost started FLYing completely in 2012, but I didn't get all the way on the system like I wanted to.  I know that when I follow the FLYLady system, it works for me and in 2013 I plan to get completely back on track with the system. - I am still working on this one.  It is a week by week process for me and some weeks I do better than others.
• Get Organized - This one goes with getting on the FLYLady system, but I am tired of thinking I know where something is only to search and search and finally find it somewhere completely unrelated.  I am also tired of realizing I have something to do or somewhere to be the day I have to be there and not having things ready for it.  I just have to get organized so I can function better. - We have been steadily de-cluttering since January and it feels really good.  There are a few more major areas that I need to de-clutter and then I will just have to work on maintaining areas which will help me stay organized.  I have also been working really hard on writing things down right away and if there is something I need to take care of, I try my best to get it done right away rather than procrastinate.  I am not completely organized yet, but each day seems to be better than the day before.
• Craft More - I have a bazillion and one projects I want to do, but haven't gotten around to.  I am hoping by getting more organized and my schedule under control, I will have more time to craft. - I have been taking a little time each morning after reading my Bible, but before the kids get up to work on crafts.  So far this year I have finished a cross stitch project, a scarf, a hat, and I started a new cross stitch and a new scarf project.  I am working on completing projects as I go instead of just having fun starting new projects and not completing them.
• Scrapbook More - I am realistic and I know that I will always be way behind in my scrapbooking, but I hope to have more time to scrapbook so I can at least feel like I am making progress. - I have been making an effort to attend some monthly scrapbooking crops and I have gotten about 30 layouts done so far this year.  That is a good number for me and I am continuing to work.  I have a goal of completing 213 layouts this year and I really do hope to complete them all.
• Study my Bible and Pray More - I can always use more Bible and prayer time. - I do my best to get up and start every day with reading my Bible.  I tend to do better at this during than week than I do on the weekend, but I am really working on that.  I really want to be consistent with studying my Bible and my prayer life.  I find myself praying more and more throughout the day as thoughts and people pop into my mind so that is good and something I want to develop more and more.
• Blog Regularly - I apologize to all my readers for this year.  I started off well and then somewhere along the way I got off track and got in a funk.  Then at the end of the year I started thinking about why I started blogging in the first place and my desire to blog came back.  I blog to get my thoughts written down somewhere.  I blog to let others know what works for me and what doesn't.  I blog as my journal.  Along the way I hope someone is reading and getting something from my blog, but if not that is okay too I'll keep writing. - I am still working on this one.  Some days I feel like I have a lot to say and then other days, I can't even think of one word to write about so I haven't quite lived up to writing more, but I will get there.

Menu Plan Review

In January I planned out many of the meals we had using the recipes I have pinned on Pinterest.  I love to try new things and I have a lot of recipes saved on my Pinterest boards.  All of the recipes in this post you can find on my board "Recipes to Try" except for the recipe for lentil soup which is just a recipe I make in my head when I cook it.  I promised to come back and let you know how the meals were and what we liked.  So here it goes...

• January 13 - Forgotten Chicken - We had this for a late lunch and it was DELICIOUS!  It will definitely go into our dinner rotation because it was E-A-S-Y and oh, so tasty.  I highly recommend it.
• January 14 - Beef & Bean Taco Casserole - This one reminded of an appetizer dip recipe I've had for years and we really liked this one.  You can eat it burrito style by using it as filling for a tortilla shell or eat it as a dip with tortilla chips.  Both ways was pretty tasty and I would make this one again.
• January 15 - Slow Cooker Enchilada Soup - This was not my favorite version of this soup.  I have had a chicken enchilada soup in the past that was hearty and more filling than this one.  So if I made this recipe again I would put in more chicken, beans, and add in some masa harina (ground corn flour) to thicken it a little.
• January 16 - Beef & Broccoli - I ended up getting sick and we never tried out this recipe so I am trying to work it into our rotation again so we can try it.
• January 17 - Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken - This was VERY good.  We really liked it.  I didn't add the optional jalapenos it called for since my kids were eating it too and they don't like their food too spicy.  If I was making it for just my hubby and me, I would go ahead and add some jalapeno, but the flavor was still really good without the extra spice and we will definitely make this again.
• January 18 - Baked Cheddar Broccoli Rice Cups - I ended up cooking some sausage and adding it into this recipe because the original one didn't have any meat in it and I wanted these to be a little more like a main dish instead of just a side dish.  They were T-A-S-T-Y and Baby Bear gobbled up her dinner quickly that night.  Usually she takes forever, but she kept saying how good they were and trust me they were good!  They even reheated well and Buddy Bear and I devoured the leftovers before anyone else could take them.  We will make them again.
• January 19 - Sausage and Pepperoni Stromboli - Oh my word!!!  This one will be made repeatedly and everyone begged me to make it again and again and again....
• January 20 - Lentil Soup (this recipe is not in my Pinterest board, I created it myself)
• January 21 - Taco Pie - This is one recipe that is just not for us.  It had barbecue sauce and taco seasoning in it and that was just a combination that we did not like.  I would not make this one again, but it was just a matter of personal taste.
• January 22 - Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup - We didn't use the ricotta cheese that this recipe called for.  My hubby is just not a big fan of ricotta and usually when I make my lasagna I use cottage cheese.  This time I just left out the ricotta and the soup was just okay.  I guess maybe I should have followed the recipe exactly.  I am undecided as to whether or not I would make this again.
• January 23 - Enchirritos - Oh so T-A-S-T-Y!!!  This one is a keeper and we will definitely make it repeatedly.  I could go on and on about this one, but you just have to make it for yourself.  It is worth every calorie.
• January 24 - Chicken Cordon Bleu - This was a quick and easy version of chicken cordon bleu and it was very good.  It reheated well and we would eat this again.
• January 25 - Cheesy Vegetable Chowder - We really liked this quick and easy soup.  It was a great way to use up some of our veggies from the freezer and the leftovers reheated well.  All of these things are qualities of a good recipe in this house, one that will be made again. 
• January 26 - Asian Turkey Meatballs (this is in a group of recipes called 100 Healthy Six Sisters Recipes) - We had this one as a late afternoon lunch and it was very good and very filling.  Everyone liked it and I would definitely make it again.
• January 27 - Creamy Garlic Pasta - WOW!!!!  That was the only thing I could say about this recipe as I was trying it.  I am a pasta lover and this one had my taste buds in pure bliss.  It was worth every calorie and I will make it again.
• January 28 - Fake Out Take Out Chicken Lettuce Wraps - I only used half the amount of brown sugar that is called for in this recipe because we just are not fans of sweet meat for dinner.  My family really did like these and I will make them again and probably use even less brown sugar just because of our tastes.
• January 29 - Southwest Chicken Soup - This one was like a white chicken chili and I initially thought that my kids would not like it, but they gobbled it up and asked for seconds.  We will definitely make this one again.
• January 30 - Smoked Turkey Cobb Wraps (this is in a group of recipes called 100 Healthy Six Sisters Recipes) - These were quick and easy to make and they were healthy and tasty.  We will definitely have them again.
• January 31 - Taco Roll-ups - These just didn't turn out right for me.  I was in a rush when I tried to make them and something was just off.  I will try making them again as we love Mexican food and I want to give the recipe a fair try.

Overall it was a great experience trying my Pinterest recipes.  I plan to do it again.  I pin the things I want to try and like my hubby says, if I just keep pinning without trying, I am getting nowhere.  I recommend Pinterest (although it is a little addicting) and I recommend following me on there if you want to see what I would love to try, not just for recipes, but for crafts, home schooling, exercise, and the list goes on.

Weight-Loss Wednesday

I have been blogging about my weight loss journey since the beginning of December and although sometimes I haven't wanted to blog, I have.  I think it is important to be real in my journey and for you to know that I have struggled, I have had ups and downs, and I have had days where I just haven't wanted to do what I know I should be doing.  Somedays instead of this feeling like a journey it has felt like a battle and all of the old comforts that I have loved have beckoned me and tempted me.  In the end I know it is just not worth it and it is really just moments of weakness, but they have been struggles.  I am still working on a concrete plan that I wish I could tell you was a guarantee to work, but the truth is that I am human and I am just taking it all one step at a time.  I have to face each decision as they come and choose in that moment what I am going to do - will I give in or will I push through?  That being said this past week I have chosen not to focus so much on my weight.  I decided to take a break and not worry about the scale.  It is not something I do every week, but every once in awhile my focus gets off and I get way too worried about a number defining me which is exactly what I do not want to do.  So I didn't weigh every day, I didn't exercise every day (my body was really, really sore and I needed to take a break before I got injured), and I even had a few desserts in the last week.  I didn't just fall off the wagon and cave into every whim, but I did try to make sure I got in plenty of water, ate fruits and veggies every day, and do some little things that aren't really exercise, but burned a few calories - I ran up and down the stairs a few more times, squatted a few extra times grabbing the laundry, etc.  I just didn't focus so hard on a number on the scale and a formal form of exercise.  I needed a mental break.  It was a good thing because I actually ended up breaking my plateau and losing 1.5 pounds.  I am pretty happy about breaking the plateau and I think it will help me find some focus to get completely back on the right track.  So as of today I have lost a total of 9.5 pounds and that is a good thing.


Changes implemented:
Reintroduce limited caffeine starting 12/21/12
Finish first 30 day fitness challenge 1/30/13
Start 30 Day Fitness Challenge at high intensity 2/1/13 - I stopped this last week due to muscle fatigue, it kept working out the same muscles over and over to the point that I felt if I continued at the high intensity level, I would get injured.  I am in the process of getting started on a different workout and I will add this one back in eventually.
Increased water intake - 12/1/12
Reduced sugar intake - 12/1/12

Weight to lose: 40 lbs.