Goal refresh--part 2 {CMA}

Last week I shared on my physical goals for the year. This included my goals for weightloss and for eating. I finished with a promise of sharing my emotional, mental and spiritual goals this week.



So here it goes...

Since its the glue that binds the rest together, lets zoom in on the spiritual. On January 1st, my church started going through the one year Bible. We're calling this journey reflect. I plan to occasionally write a blog post covering my reflections from the reading.

So far, I have been reading when I can, rather than at a consistent time each day. Which, honestly, is a huge improvement to what I was doing before. With 6 week old, I have kind of found that to be easiest. I'm not one to think what's easiest is best though. You see, by doing it when I can, I don't make the time for praying like I want to, I don't usually have my worship music going, nor do I reflect on what I just read. All of these things I want to make part of my daily routine.

Once again, I am participating in the next session of HelloMornings. It starts Monday. I crashed and burned when it came to establishing a routine last session. I am praying for this to be different this time. It's too important to continue on without it. On their blog, the crew has been going through a series on transforming a night owl into a HelloMornings participant. It has been great! Each post is full of great tips and tricks.



My goals for the session that starts on Monday are to:

1. Get up no later than 9am (after my son's mid-morning feeding)


2. Start my quiet time with my prayer journal


3. Followed quickly by some worship time


4. Finishing up with bible study and reflection time.

By getting these things in place, I am hoping that this will also help me conquer many of my struggles. Including the deep rooted struggles with insecurity.

What methods work best for your quiet time?

My ABC's

A while back a friend of mine answered these questions on her blogs. A way for readers to get to know her better. I've been meaning to do the same on here. While some of you know a bit about me, others of you don't know a whole lot. So I thought this would be fun. So here it goes.

A. Age:24

B. Bed size: Queen

C. Chore that you hate: Honestly..most of them. but putting away laundry is probably the top one

D. Dogs: I wish. When we get a house we have dreams of getting a dog.

E. Essential start to your day: Cuddle time with Andrew

F. Favorite color: Yellow. Although I've been told I look the best in red and pinks.

G. Gold or Silver: Silver. Gold makes me break out.

H. Height: 5' 2"

I. Instruments you play: Violin, Viola, and a wee bit of cello

J. Job title:Group home trainer...which is essentially a house keeper, goal runner, cook, and low-grade-nurse

K. Kids: Andrew. Our surprise boy.

L. Live: Fort Wayne, Indiana

M. Mother’s name: Terri

N. Nickname: Uhhh depends on who you talk to...most recent/used---Little Mama

O. Overnight hospital stays: After giving birth.

P. Pet peeves: My generation's lack of commitment

Q. Quote from a movie: "Can I get the ball sometime tonight" ... "there your ball" Love Radio

R. Right or left handed: Left handed.

S. Siblings:3 Sisters 1 brother.

T. Time it takes you to get ready: 20 minutes...and that's only bc of the little one.

U. Ultimate Vacation:  Just about anywhere away from home. Rarely get to go on vacation. Haven't had more than 2 actual vacations my entire life.

V. Vegetable you hate: Cooked spinach...I love it fresh though!

W. What makes you run late: Oversleeping due to sporadic sleep habits with the little one.

X. X-Rays you’ve had: Teeth too many times to count.

Y. Yummy food that you make: No bake cheesecake

Z. Zoo animal: Just about any baby animal

Since this post is meant to learn a little more about me... is there a question you've always wanted to ask but never knew the right time to? That time is now. I'd love to answer your questions about me. :)

New year, refreshed goals {CMA}

Well friends, it's that time again. We're restarting Count Me Accountable with a link-up at MustLoveGod. Every Thursday a group of us write about the ways we want to better our lives. Not only that but we list specific goals, and weekly we update each other on what's going on. We'd love to have you join us (just follow the link above).



Count Me Accountable. As much as I loathe it. I have also come to love it. So off I go.

All of my adolescence and adult life thus far has been spent being overweight, constantly tired, and completely insecure. After getting off to a great start by changing my eating habits and walking at least 3 days a week, I was able to go from 190 down to 174 from the start of January through the end of March. This was astronomical for me. As I had never been able to find an effective way to lose the excess weight and keep it off.

This, however, was when the game had to change for me. Two days after posting this lowest weight, I took a test. A life changing test. Two days after this milestone, I discovered that some bigger changes were taking place. I discovered that I was pregnant. I had to focus more on mental, emotional and spiritual more so than the weight side of physical.

This year, I feel like I'm starting new. I weighed in this morning at 179lbs. I am proud of this though. It would have been extremely easy to just have not cared, and gained a large amount of weight through the journey that is pregnancy. Without this community, that would have been exactly what I would have done.

My plan was to go back to my eating habits from before. This was supposed to start this past Monday. That didn't happen quite as easily as I hoped. However, I have drastically cut back, almost completely eliminated pop and other sugary drinks, as well as candy and other sugars.

My plan is to completely eliminate all the sugary drinks and the sugar-filled foods by February 1st. After that, I will see where I am at, and evaluate what needs to go next.

Next week, we'll dig into the other areas that I'm going to be working on improving. The spiritual side which is going to be the most important for me in this journey of motherhood, let alone life. As well as the Emotional and mental goals I have. Which, if the spiritual goals are in line, the other ones should fall into place naturally.

So friends, I ask, are you in?

It's been a month

It's been a month. I can't tell you for sure if it's felt like more than a month. Or if it's felt like less than a month. Or perhaps it's felt like what it has been, a month. All I know for sure is this: I have been a mommy, my husband has been a daddy, we have had a son...all statements have been true for a month.



In the past month: we have encountered countless new learning curves. We have had to adjust our schedules for our little one. We have had to be intentional about connecting as a couple. We instantly made ourselves less in favor of someone else's needs.

This month. This little boy. This initial experience with parenthood. Has changed me. My priorities. My needs. The way I love. The way I show love. The way I hear love. All this change, helps me to better understand the greatest love I've ever known. This Love, I now understand on a more intimate level than I can explain.

As reality kicks back in tomorrow. As I go back to work. To serve my clients. To attempt teaching them. To love on them. It is these changes I hope to display. It's my prayer that these clients, who are judged everywhere they go, will experience the unconditional, non-judgemental, freeing love that I am blessed to experience everyday.

Then there's the change in routine. Rather than being at home. In a routine with my little one. I will be dropping him off with his Auntie B or leaving him home with his PaPa.

While I know beyond a shadow of a doubt he'll be taken care of, loved on, spoiled...it's still going to hard. Extremely hard. You see, it's my dream to be able to be home with him. Full-time. I believe this is a yearning that will become a reality, one day. For now, I will sit waiting, trusting that one day, that dream will become a reality.

It may take days.
It may take weeks.
It may take months.
Or perhaps it'll take years.

But one day, I believe the way the past month has been, will become my reality again. I am confident of this for the simple fact that I have a God who makes dreams come true. After all, isn't this year all about trust for me?

Another year gone

Has another year come and gone already? 2012 held a lot, I mean a lot, of heart ache. For myself, my family and countless others in my circle. From miscarriages, to loss of loved ones (both expected and spontaneous), to fractured relationships, to heartbreak of all sorts. Despite all that, there was an incredible journey going on within me. Not just the one that lead up to our precious baby boy, but a journey that has begun to transform me.

Inside and Out

You know those prayers, those dangerous prayers that scares the dickens out of us to pray? The ones that everyone warns against praying? Yeah, me too. Let's say 2012 held many of those prayers in my life. While the answers that came to them were scary, the answers brought about a beauty that one could have never have dreamed about.

If you were around for the journey the past year, let me say this: THANK YOU! Your prayers, love, support and encouragement was and is more appreciated than I can even begin to explain. I love each and every one of you so much. 2013 has some great stuff in store, I'd be so blessed to have you continue this journey with me.

If you're newer around here welcome and thank you for stopping by! I would encourage you to go back and read up on some of the posts from last year. The ones on my one word "limitless" from last year contain most of the big events from the past year.

With all the progress made last year, there's still a lot left to be done. Particularly in one area. That area is trust. I went into a little more of that in this post describing my word for this year.

As I venture out to learn how trust is going to grow within me, I hope that each of you will help me through this journey. I don't expect it to be easy. I don't expect it to happen completely over night...or even come near completion this year, but I know it will be a good start. A start of a freeing journey.

I pray you'll join me.

What Are You Saying?

Social media can be a great asset for us to connect with others around us. Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the like, all offer unique ways to connect with each other. These tools are great, when used properly and put in the proper perspective in the overall big picture of this thing we call life.

My question is this: How do we, as Christians, use these tools effectively to reach out to those around us? Do we use them the same way those who aren't followers use them? Or do we use them with a goal of shining Christ's light to those around us?

While social media is a great way to update others on the recent events of our lives. A method of connecting with others who have similar tastes and hobbies. An amazing means to encourage one another, how often do we think twice before putting up a frustrated status or tweet, posting a picture of a pet peeve of ours, pinning pictures of actors/actresses?

I have a feeling that if we're really, truly, gut honest with ourselves...and others, we rarely think twice.

I can't help but stop and wonder what our unbelieving friends think when they pop into our Pinterest page and see that the most recent pins we've made are of houses and items we wish we had...more than wish, we dream about. What about those days when all we post are images of our favorite actors, actresses, or athletes...a good majority of them in less than PG clothing.

What if someone clicks into our facebook or twitter accounts? Will they see status updates, pictures, interactions with others that glorify Christ? Or will they see nothing but complaining about the bad, and bragging on ourselves when things are going well?

On instagram, do we use it to catalog our 1,000 gifts and the good things God has given us. Or do we use it to show off our latest and greatest acquisitions. Whether it be objects, clothing, or the like?

As we continue on into 2013, I am challenging myself to be more aware of the types of things I am posting. I am wanting to use social media more wisely than I have in the past. Rather than boosting myself, my ego, and my feelings, I want to use them to exalt Him, His name, and His plans.

How about you? Do you have any plans/desires for social media this year?

The best of 2012

I thought that at the start of this new year, it would be fun to link back to some of my favorite posts that I wrote in 2012. I have a few categories and I'll link a few posts with a short description under each. Won't you take this journey with me? Here are my favorite:

Personal Growth:

One of Those Days-On taking a time out to refocus, to reconnect and seek Him.
Chatting-A conversation that spurred on a dangerous prayer
FMF Acceptance-On steps to overcome a life-long struggle

Taken from media:

No One Else Knows-A dearly loved song that helps ease my insecurities every time I hear them
Worlds Apart-A song that challenges into the depths of my soul each and every listen
Still Haven't Found It-One of the few lessons from college that stuck with me

Relationships:

Pursuit of Peace-My search for peace and forgiveness after a friendship came to a hard close
FMF Friendship-Five minutes to look into what friendship has meant to me.
Rethinking Family-My goals for what I want my family to look like as my son [& future child(ren)] grow older.

Have you ever...

...had a period of time when there's this song. One song. That you can't get out of your mind?

If you know me at all, you know it happens to me quite often. In fact...there's been one song in particular that has been on my mind lately... especially as the start of the new year rolls around.

To see what it is and why...join me today over at mustlovegod.net

One Word 2013

The other day, I shared that this year isn't a typical year. While I have some goals in mind that I would like to make progress on, I don't have any traditional resolutions.

There is one new years thing that I joined in with last year that I loved. That would be choosing one word. One word to reach out and grasp a better concept of. One word to challenge myself to live up to, in a way.  Last year, that word was limitless. It was quite a journey. Here are a few snippets from that journey.

This year the word for me is:
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc427/godsbeloved110/trust_zpseb994b9e.jpg

With all the challenges, changes, and learning curves that are bound to come my way in the next year, trust is going to be key for keeping my eyes where they need to be. Trust is what will keep me from spinning out of control when uncertainties, insecurities, and fear tries to knock me down.

Trust is to believe in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of something or someone. Trust is a huge area of struggle in my life. It doesn't matter what or where the trust is to be placed, I almost always have a hard time allowing myself to even attempt to trust.

Ginny Owens - If You Want Me To
This song is one I've known for a long time and just rediscovered. I really think that this song will be key to help me refocus on trusting His way for me, my marriage and my family.

I have also chosen a verse to go with this word. To challenge me. To memorize. To help me remember to always trust Him above all. The verse is Psalm 31:14:

"But as for me, I trust in You, oh Lord, I say, "You are my God."

Tell me friends...have you chosen a word, phrase, song, verse to help challenge you into a more consistent walk with our Creator? If so, please share.