Intentional, Disciplined, Living in the Moment Me

Welcome to 2013....in June :)  I must say, for this non-tech savvy chic, I figured out how to switch email accounts for this blog to eliminate having to check one thousand (read:three) email accounts each day.  Wow this year has been a wonderful year so far!  So many exciting changes, so much personal growth, and new paths in life leading to new adventures!  I quite honestly don't even know where to start!!  So I'll just dive in :)



Last weekend I did a race called the Warrior Dash with 3 friends from Fight Club Pink (that will be a post all on it's own).

Denise, Me, Suzie, Linda

 

What an awesome time!!!!  I've run 5K's, a 10K, and 3 half marathons, and this by far is the most fun one I have done. (That being said, I'm getting the itch to do another half, and Patrick and I are loosely training for a small triathlon!) It's a 5K full of mud, hills, and obstacles. Seriously go check out the website and look at the obstacles!!  (Though there are some we did that aren't on the website, and vice versa.)



Muddy, happy me at the end!

There was one obstacle that was a 20 foot wall STRAIGHT UP that you had to climb with a rope, then go OVER the wall, and climb down the other side like a ladder, only the steps weren't close together, so you had to let go, trusting that your foot was going to land on the next piece of wood, and you don't go plummeting down to your death.  Yes, you may be thinking, a wee dramatic, but you don't understand my intense fear of heights.  Like, as in, one day training for this, Linda made us climb a 6 foot fence and go over that, and I was hyperventilating on that!!  The first time I tried going up the wall of death, I gave up half way, quite happy to walk around and move on.  But oh no, my too-good-of-a-friend-for-her-own-good friend, Linda, was not about to let me quit on myself.  So our other friend Suzie went up the back side, and Linda came up behind me, while Denise cheered from the side, and they encouraged me right up that thing.  Once I got to the top, I clung to that wall for dear life, quite loudly praying, "Jesus!!", then took a deep breath (or 20) and headed down the other side.  After that, I was on an adrenaline rush like no other. 

This is Linda :)  We were accountability partners for Fight Club Pink, and

is one rocking awesome friend.

 

 

Now, the enemy was working over time for me to not go on this adventure, and God thwarted his plans :)  And once I conquered that ridiculous wall, something happened inside of me.  I have been working my way through the book Captivating, and this just all has fallen in line with what God is teaching me this year and doing in my heart. 

 

Once upon a dreamer's mind, (I am such a wonderful visionary, but the follow through sometimes lacks.....) I wanted to use this blog to track my journey of finding freedom in Christ, being a wife and mom and the adventures that brings along in life, fighting for health and wellness over my life, sharing my successes and hiccups, and believe me,with trying these new healthy recipes, there will be hiccups. :)  So you know what??  Today is a new day.  Time to start living in the moment, which is part of my challenge from God this year.  To be disciplined, be intentional, and to live in the moment.  Here is to many more blog posts to come :)

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.  Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained in it."

Hebrews 12:11



Paying it Forward

I sent this out as an email but felt my heart stirring to put this on my blog as well.  It is just another way for me to give back and be supportive of something that has been SUCH a blessing in our family's life....

Gavin and Sam are doing a Walk-a-thon to raise money for North Webster Elementary school. Now I am not usually big on fundraisers, but I am very passionate about this for a couple of reasons.

One is that it's promoting health, getting them outside walking, instead of selling something in a catalog that you will pry never use anyways.

Two is that this school has been beyond supportive and amazing with Gavin's journey. Starting with his kindergarten teacher, Amy Kuhn, she helped us learn to fight and be an advocate for him. Thank God he was placed in her class, b/c that is what has begun a positive chain reaction over these past few years. First grade he had an IEP (Individualized Education Plan), where he was getting more help. Then the school brought to our attention some other ways we could help him. When last year, school (not the building, but the demands in general) were eating him alive, we decided to pull him out and homeschool him for the year. NWES supported us!!! The whole time, the whole way. What a blessing!!! They checked in with us, answered my questions and even crying phone calls when overwhelming emotions overtook me. His teacher would email to see how he was doing and offer support. (He has this same teacher again this year, it's going AMAZING!!!)

All this to say, I want to do my part to help our school, and that is my reaching out to you to see if you are able at all to donate to them. A dollar or whatever you can afford, every little bit helps. Thanks so much!!!! If you are willing and able email me :)  smrose1019@gmail.com

Here is a link to an article that is going to be in the newspaper, with a picture of Sam on in :)

http://www.staceypageonline.com/2012/09/10/north-webster-students-walking-for-dollars/

Thanks so much for all of your love and support in our lives.

Seasons Change

I don't even know where this blog post is going to take us today.  I just don't feel like writing this in my journal b/c my hand might fall off :)

 

What a new season of life.  The children are off to school all day.  While I had this experience for just a wee bit last year before Gavin came home for the year, then I was all about being as busy as possible and filling every loving moment with something/anything/everything.  The Lord has so much been working on my heart this past year, and it has been such a journey, but I had no idea the progress and growth until now.  I pretty much hate being busy now.  I looked at my schedule this week, and cried.  Once again just another level deeper of saying "Yes" to God and "No" to other things in life.  I just recently read a devotional on this very thing, and one line has stuck with me. Pretty sure my wise friend, Beth, spoke this to my heart as well.

 

 "Everytime you say yes to something, you are saying no to something else." 

 

I need to make sure that all my yes's are being focused toward my family. 

 

I am now having to say "no" to good things.  To make sure I only say "yes" to great things, God things.  Now that the children are both at school all day, I need to take advantage of every second I have with them at home.  To live out being a STAY AT HOME wife & mom, what a concept :) 

 

I also know that God has done a work in me, b/c I MISS my children, terribly!!  I get giddy when they get home from school to hear about their day, only for them to scatter like the wind toward bikes, the cat, trains, littlest pet shop, angry birds, SNACKS...and I have to wait until the dinner table to get the low down of the day.  But I get to be a part of play time, which is great, too.  And Sam wants to learn to cook, so she has been helping me with preparing supper, which is fun, and messy (but I am a horribly messy cook, like my dad, so it may be me more than Sammy making the mess...)

 

I even tagged along out to the garage yesterday to watch Patrick package bumpers out of desperation and loneliness.  *Disclaimer* I love spending time with my husband.  But the garage is HOT.  I would rather be floating in our pool together.  Instead, we are going to be starting to work out at the gym together...which I am quite THRILLED about, but seeing as he is already thin, he is going to get ripped in about a week, while it will pry take me another 2 years to have a hint of a tricep muscle, but anyway, I am totally not bitter about that at all.... :) :)

 

Once I get myself into a routine and rhythm of life, I am sure I will settle into things.  But I have pretty much been with children for 8 years.  What a new world this is for me. 

 

The children are LOVING school this year.  It's been such a wonderful answer to prayer.  I know they are right where they are suppose to be.  And the time I do have with them is amazing.  I am learning the value of QUALITY time verses QUANTITY of time :)  This is a wonderful (and freeing) thing. 

 

I am thankful today for God's love and freedom and truth in my life.

 

 

 



First Day of School!

Here we are again at the beginning of a new school year!!!  I can't even believe it!  Here are some pictures to capture the first day of the 2012-13 year.

They are even being sweet to each other :)

My first and second grader.  For those who don't the down low, we homeschooled Gavin last year.  It was such an amazing year for our hearts to be connected.  He did just a couple months in school before we took him out for lots of different reasons, but the most being that the Lord was leading us to.  But, Patrick felt this year, being back at school is the best fit for him.  He has the same teacher he started with last year, who is awesome, just a new group of students.  A fresh start for my little man. 

I had a hard time making them stop for me to take this picture, they excited to start the school year.  What an anwser to prayer :) 

This pic is of Sam and her bff, Windsor.  These two are so sweet together.  They are different classes this year but they will still get recess together. 

My prayer over them this year is for Gavin to find solid, life long friendships and gain confidence in himself, along with who he is in Christ.  For Sam, that she continues to be a leader and shows God's love to everyone around her.  She said she can't wait to talk to her friends about Jesus :)

As I drove away from the school, I had tears in my eyes.  A new season.  A new chapter for me.  I got to go have a wonderful morning shopping with my sweet friend Brittany, where one stop we went to was the beauty supply store, and I got to be in my favorite spot, the nail polish aisle.  This is what pry kept the tears at bay :)  I am looking forward to what God has in store next for me.  So far I see lots of guitar practice in my future, so I can get past the chords of C,G,Em, A, A minor, D.....Oh and yes, to finally catch up on scrapbooking, woohoo!!

Here is to hopefully having more time to blog as well :)



Too Long

My goodness it is way too long since I have last posted.  I guess that is what happens when you are busy doing life :)

So anyway, I am just going to jump in!  Last night through a conversation with the husband, I am going to start getting up with him again when he gets up for work.  I use to do this way back in my Tastefully Simple days.  I forgot how much God time I get blessed with when I get up!  I am a night owl by nature, so this is an act of discipline for sure!! 

This morning, I was totally challenged.  I have slowly through out these past two years of my heart and healing journey (which started on my Destiny Rescue missions trip in 2010) been working through a couple of different books.  It's odd for me to stop and start, b/c that is not my personality at all, but I am trying to follow the promptings of the Spirit.  I found myself camped out today in "Created to be his Help Meet" by Debi Pearl.  I did Chapter 3 today, and could have just highlighted the whole thing.  This little nugget caught my attention and heart:

A wise woman sets a joyful mood in her home.

Through laughter, music, and happy times, she creates a positive attitude

 in her children.  She knows that a light-hearted home relieves her husband of stress.

Okay God I hear you, loud and clear.  It's funny how you can know He has called us to do something, and you want to obedient, yet it takes so long to act on it.  Well, for me anyway, this is how it is :)  There are a couple things I know have been impressed on my heart, yet I don't act on it.  Sometimes change is hard, even when good.  A prayer of mine is to want to change from the music of my life to shift from dischordant notes to a beautiful melody.  Amen and amen.

"Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

I Thessalonians 5:16-18





Daddy/Daughter Dance

 On Pat's birthday there was a daddy/daughter dance held in our town.  

Sam was so so so excited to go!!  I took her shopping for a new dress (she kept 

asking if they were on sale, oops, hehe, a Dave Ramsey girl already!) and I thought for

sure she was going to pick frills and bows. Nope, she is all 80's :)

 As I was curling her hair, she kept squirming and asking how much longer.

Then she looked in the mirror and asks,"Can we do this

everyday???"  Umm...no thank you.

 She and her Daddy have a sweet relationship.  She loooooves

her Daddy.  They both will lay on the couch, snuggled up with her silky

blankie, totally content.  Gavin and I could last doing that

for about a minute.  We are both touch me nots :)

 They had so much fun.  What a special event, I can't wait to watch

them do this year after year.  I can wait to watch her grow up

in each years picture.  It's going way too fast :(

This picture melts my heart.  I am blessed.  And this is my first entry

for my 1000 gifts.

#1: A husband who loves his children totally and completely.

One Moment at aTime

Hi friends :)  I have thought often of this blog, and life has a way of getting IN the way! I set some pretty lofty goals for me as I began this new blog.  The thing is, right now, I am busy doing life.  And I am pretty thrilled to be okay with that.  January has been about learning to eat healthy, and incorporate fitness back into my everyday life.  I love to exercise, so that part has been quite easy for me.  I am training for the Indy Mini-Marathon with one of my dearest friends in the whole wide world, Elise, and I am taking Zumba classes and have found a love for Hip Hop Abs :)  So I pretty much have gone from maybe working out once a week (just so I could state that I was exercising, oops) to 5 to 6 days a week.  But more than just vamping up my health with exercise, this eating better has been life changing and a HUGE undertaking!  Elise and I were walking one evening and I told her how I have been eliminating unhealthy choices and it's been a battle but good.  She mentioned that she felt she has walked this journey with me before, but we were able to put a finger on the difference, I am replacing those bad choices with good ones, great ones even!  Before, I would eliminate all the icky foods in my diet, but was totally ignorant as to what to eat, so I just starved, then binged.  Getting the Action Plan that goes along with Made to Crave has been HUGE for me. 

Since my journey has began, I have hit the 5 pound weight loss mark.  There of course was a hiccup Friday.  I knew it was weigh in day.  And I also knew it was that time of the month.  So before I got on that scale, I prayed.  I prayed that Jesus would help me to maintain an attitude that was positive, and to speak to my heart that it isn't about a number.  And it wasn't what I was hoping it would be.  But I was able to stay motivated, and not run to the kitchen to comfort my woes.  That, my friends, is victory.  I knew I had worked out, made healthy choices in my food, and didn't turn to food for comfort. 

In any "spare" minute that I have, I have been reading Educating the Whole Hearted Child and soaking up all the amazing wisdom I can find in it.  Homeschooling has been one of the hardest, yet most rewarding challenges I have EVER faced.  I have to die to self, every second of every minute of every hour of every day.  But this is what Jesus commands of us.  I know that this what God is calling me and my family to.  And I want to live it out and do it the best I can, with the Spirit's power guiding me at every twist and turn (or reading and math, whichever you prefer).

So yes, I still want to begin my 1000 gifts journey of thankfulness of the heart.  And I finally unearthed all the clutter that has been piling high on my scrapbooking corner today in high hopes of paper using some adhesive and embellishments tomorrow. But for now, if I am living in the moment, I am doing well. If I can go to my room, and jump on that treadmill even as the laundry is beeping in the washer and dryer, there is stuff folded piled up all over my bed and piano, and my precious guitar is sitting there, all demanding a bit of me, then I doing well.  If I can sit on the floor with Gavin while we play Thomas or Uno, even though the buzzer has gone off on the dishwasher and we still have our workbooks sprawled all over the kitchen table, I am doing well.  I am choosing to live in the moment.  To live in freedom.  Big happy sigh. 

Here are two of the best reasons in the world for me

to find freedom in life :)