My goal for 2013 was balance. I'm pretty sure that will be my goal for 2014 as well. Ultimately, I want to blog here about my fitness journey, what I am eating, my lunch ideas, how I am balancing work and graduate school, and my spiritual journey.
I decided to do a fall bible study at Stonebriar Community Church, where Chuck Swindoll is the pastor. I am doing the bible study with my sister-in-law Emily. This first week was a bit of a fail for me. The bible study homework did not happen for me. I had so much graduate school and work stuff, I got buried in busy. It is no excuse. I need to make time for God, quiet time, and bible study. I need to make time to be still. Being still to be in the moment with God should be easy and natural.
I want to get back to finishing Grace for the Good Girl. I think I am going to try and blog about my thoughts on the bible study. Right now I am going to pray and then get some sleep.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Being Set Free from Life's Pains
I wanted to do a quick post this morning to mention my aunt just released her first book. My aunt's book Daughter of the King: Finally Free is released today.
I am almost done reading the book; I read most of the book in one sitting. My aunt, Fran Speake, details how her faith in Christ helped her overcome a childhood of neglect, abuse, and low self-esteem. She catalogs how as an adult she sought to fill that inner void with drugs and the wrong men. Her memoir is a story of pain, but a powerful testimony to the power of faith and the redeeming grace of Christ. I knew many details of my mom and aunts' childhood, but it was so much more profound to see it through the eyes of someone who experienced it. I can see how each generation of my family truly tried their best to give their kids more than the previous generation. As humans though, we will always fall short and disappoint one another. Only God truly fill that inner void. Short respites from emptiness can be found in relationships, food, drugs, alcohol, exercise, and other earthly endeavors. None of these things provide lasting peace or that deep joy that overcomes life's deepest pains. Through her faith, Aunt Fran is able to both see her life and choices clearly and be thankful for what she has been set free from. We have to acknowledge and face the things that haunt us, and then set them down on the alter for Christ to pick up. We often surrender our burdens only to pick them back up again. The hardest part of being set free is claiming that freedom every day. We can let go of the hold the past has on us, but we do not forget. Those memories and pains are something we can choose to give to Christ as often as is necessary. What we surrender to Christ we must choose to surrender daily. You can go to Fran's Facebook page. She is doing giveaways today for signed copies of the book.
I am almost done reading the book; I read most of the book in one sitting. My aunt, Fran Speake, details how her faith in Christ helped her overcome a childhood of neglect, abuse, and low self-esteem. She catalogs how as an adult she sought to fill that inner void with drugs and the wrong men. Her memoir is a story of pain, but a powerful testimony to the power of faith and the redeeming grace of Christ. I knew many details of my mom and aunts' childhood, but it was so much more profound to see it through the eyes of someone who experienced it. I can see how each generation of my family truly tried their best to give their kids more than the previous generation. As humans though, we will always fall short and disappoint one another. Only God truly fill that inner void. Short respites from emptiness can be found in relationships, food, drugs, alcohol, exercise, and other earthly endeavors. None of these things provide lasting peace or that deep joy that overcomes life's deepest pains. Through her faith, Aunt Fran is able to both see her life and choices clearly and be thankful for what she has been set free from. We have to acknowledge and face the things that haunt us, and then set them down on the alter for Christ to pick up. We often surrender our burdens only to pick them back up again. The hardest part of being set free is claiming that freedom every day. We can let go of the hold the past has on us, but we do not forget. Those memories and pains are something we can choose to give to Christ as often as is necessary. What we surrender to Christ we must choose to surrender daily. You can go to Fran's Facebook page. She is doing giveaways today for signed copies of the book.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Worship is Active and Not Passive
Bootcamp is on a two week break, and I already can tell a difference. Yesterday, I was feeling overwhelmed when I realized how much I need to get accomplished this summer to get ready for next school year. Normally on Tuesdays, I would have my bootcamp workout. Stressful day and no major workout...I was still stressed. I realized how much less stressed I have been the last 4 weeks.
Spiritually, I know I am supposed to not worry...to let go and let God. This is so hard sometimes. I can be such a control freak over my immediate life and to-do's. I feel like over the last month or two God is really showing me that worship and surrender are ACTIVE and not PASSIVE. What I mean is that for me I am coming to see that there is something amazing that exercise does for me spiritually. Let me clarify. When I work hard and sweat hard, I let go and I surrender. Each lap and each physical movement helps me let go of the worries and distractions and stresses that weigh me down. As I sweat out the stress, there is more room for God...more room for prayer.
Exercise is great for me physically, mentally, and emotionally. I am finding that as I feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally, I also see improvement spiritually. I take more time to seek God throughout the day and the week.
I also have been trying to go to Holy Yoga once a week. I have always enjoyed yoga, but there is something special about actually doing yoga with other Christians...about actually worshipping while being physically active. With holy yoga, you are actively worshipping.
Today, I got up and went for an interval run/walk with Nala.
Running and I do not have a great relationship, but I feel like I need to keep trying. Things worth doing are always hard.
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Spiritually, I know I am supposed to not worry...to let go and let God. This is so hard sometimes. I can be such a control freak over my immediate life and to-do's. I feel like over the last month or two God is really showing me that worship and surrender are ACTIVE and not PASSIVE. What I mean is that for me I am coming to see that there is something amazing that exercise does for me spiritually. Let me clarify. When I work hard and sweat hard, I let go and I surrender. Each lap and each physical movement helps me let go of the worries and distractions and stresses that weigh me down. As I sweat out the stress, there is more room for God...more room for prayer.
Exercise is great for me physically, mentally, and emotionally. I am finding that as I feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally, I also see improvement spiritually. I take more time to seek God throughout the day and the week.
(Source: Pinterest)
I also have been trying to go to Holy Yoga once a week. I have always enjoyed yoga, but there is something special about actually doing yoga with other Christians...about actually worshipping while being physically active. With holy yoga, you are actively worshipping.
Today, I got up and went for an interval run/walk with Nala.
Running and I do not have a great relationship, but I feel like I need to keep trying. Things worth doing are always hard.
(Source: Pinterest)
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Sunday, June 23, 2013
Bootcamp Fitness
I started this blog so I could document my personal journey with balance. The last few weeks I have been going to a bootcamp fitness class with Texas Bootcamps. I have really enjoyed it. It is on a two week break. I will miss it. I know exercising outside in summer in the Texas heat...it sounds crazy, right? I absolutely love it, though. Other people are exercising with you, so it motivates you to keep going...keep pushing. We meet three times a week, and each workout is different. You never get bored, and your body doesn't plateau as much with all the variety. I feel so much stronger. I have been sleeping well, I have more energy, and I am in a lot better mood.
(Gotta love Pinterest quotes for motivation)
Speaking of sleep, I really should be in bed already. Time for some water and sleep. I'm going to restart the Fast Metabolism Diet again tomorrow. I keep starting it and getting sidetracked. Hopefully this time I can make the full 28 days.
(Gotta love Pinterest quotes for motivation)
Speaking of sleep, I really should be in bed already. Time for some water and sleep. I'm going to restart the Fast Metabolism Diet again tomorrow. I keep starting it and getting sidetracked. Hopefully this time I can make the full 28 days.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Holy Yoga and a Long Walk
Well, today was Day 9 on the Fast Metabolism Diet. I do feel a lot better, and I have lost 3 pounds. I have not followed it 100% perfectly, but I have tried to follow it pretty closely.
Eating better and working out more is so time consuming. I feel good, but I also am just tired. The positive side of exercise though is you sleep better. Yesterday, I did 30 minutes of hot yoga and then an hour of holy yoga. That was my second time to go to try holy yoga. I really enjoyed it. I absolutely love the idea of worshipping God while exercising. Worship just feels like it should be active and not passive.
Today, Nala and I walked two miles on our favorite trail by the duck pond in the beautiful weather. (With Texas the beautiful weather will not last long.) Then, I went to an hour of boot camp fitness. I made a quick dinner taco of ground turkey, kale, and salsa on a spelt tortilla.
Now, I finally am blogging and getting ready for bed. I really need to keep up with my gratitude list. Today though, I was grateful for the beautiful weather and a good day at school.
Eating better and working out more is so time consuming. I feel good, but I also am just tired. The positive side of exercise though is you sleep better. Yesterday, I did 30 minutes of hot yoga and then an hour of holy yoga. That was my second time to go to try holy yoga. I really enjoyed it. I absolutely love the idea of worshipping God while exercising. Worship just feels like it should be active and not passive.
Today, Nala and I walked two miles on our favorite trail by the duck pond in the beautiful weather. (With Texas the beautiful weather will not last long.) Then, I went to an hour of boot camp fitness. I made a quick dinner taco of ground turkey, kale, and salsa on a spelt tortilla.
Now, I finally am blogging and getting ready for bed. I really need to keep up with my gratitude list. Today though, I was grateful for the beautiful weather and a good day at school.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Prayer, More Fitness, and a Better Metabolism
This weekend has been a great weekend. Today I went to church at First Baptist Dallas. I have really enjoyed the guest speakers over the last couple weeks for the opening of the new sanctuary. We have had Dr. David Jeremiah and Jym Cymbala. Today Dr. James Dobson came and spoke. The last couple sermons have convicted me on how much more I need to consistently be praying. I enjoy praying when I walk my dog. We have a trail by a duck pond down the road. I enjoy walking Nala over there. I find it very peaceful, and it brings me a lot of joy. I like praying while we walk. The ducks, the water, the trees, and the sunshine all help me let go and let God. Over and over I am reminded of the importance of surrender and faith. I am an achiever. I always have a list to accomplish, so it is a daily...hourly choice to surrender and not worry and not overthink.
This week I finished week 2 of bootcamp fitness. I can already tell I am getting a little stronger. It feels good to feel some progress. I also started a meal plan this week to help increase my metabolism. I have a slow metabolism even though I am a small person. I can gain 5-10 pounds quickly (especially when my thyroid levels are off) but then it is so hard to lose that 5-10 pounds. I found a website called The Fast Metabolism Diet. I purchased the book through Kindle and the app for the i-Phone.
The diet lasts 4 weeks and each week you go through 3 phases. The first 2 days you eat more grains and fruit, the next two days you eat veggies and protein, and the last 3 days you eat a mix of all of it. In general, you cut out sugar, alcohol, wheat, dairy, soy, and corn. Just cutting out dairy and wheat can help your body detox. On Thursday and Friday, I felt awful and had headaches from detoxing and allergies. Yesterday, I felt a million times better. The app for the phone is amazing (it also only costs $1.99)! You eat about 5-6 small meals per day. At each meal/snack it tells you what types of foods to eat and then gives you choices. I like this a lot better than other meal plans I have seen because it tells me what to eat but still gives me options. So far after week 1 I have lost about 2-3 pounds. I am glad to have found something to help me know what foods to eat to help increase my metabolism, and it did not cost me a fortune.
This week I finished week 2 of bootcamp fitness. I can already tell I am getting a little stronger. It feels good to feel some progress. I also started a meal plan this week to help increase my metabolism. I have a slow metabolism even though I am a small person. I can gain 5-10 pounds quickly (especially when my thyroid levels are off) but then it is so hard to lose that 5-10 pounds. I found a website called The Fast Metabolism Diet. I purchased the book through Kindle and the app for the i-Phone.
The diet lasts 4 weeks and each week you go through 3 phases. The first 2 days you eat more grains and fruit, the next two days you eat veggies and protein, and the last 3 days you eat a mix of all of it. In general, you cut out sugar, alcohol, wheat, dairy, soy, and corn. Just cutting out dairy and wheat can help your body detox. On Thursday and Friday, I felt awful and had headaches from detoxing and allergies. Yesterday, I felt a million times better. The app for the phone is amazing (it also only costs $1.99)! You eat about 5-6 small meals per day. At each meal/snack it tells you what types of foods to eat and then gives you choices. I like this a lot better than other meal plans I have seen because it tells me what to eat but still gives me options. So far after week 1 I have lost about 2-3 pounds. I am glad to have found something to help me know what foods to eat to help increase my metabolism, and it did not cost me a fortune.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Fitness, Food, and Gratitude
Last week I was becoming a worrier again. I was feeling stressed, buried, and overwhelmed. This is a battle I walk daily. I am serious, focused, and often tense. I work hard at balance and relaxing. Yes, I have to work at relaxing. Please do not dismiss me and just say "You just need to relax." It is not always that simple.
God reminds me again that in the piles of worry is the neglect of gratitude. I began counting 1000 Gifts last year and neglected it. He reminded me it is time to start again. I pulled out the journal, and so I begin this post with gratitude:
391. pedicures with a good friend
392. the Spring Blooms at the Dallas Arboretum
393. a baby's laughter (I took pictures of my friend's baby and the flowers at the arboretum)
394. time spent with a good friend
395. pancakes at The Orginal Pancake House (I had craved pancakes for a month. They were the perfect dinner Saturday night).
396. began a bootcamp fitness class today (Hopefully I will still feel gratitude tomorrow).
397. committed to eating better more consistently the next 4 weeks
398. loose leaf tea and the electric tea kettle
399. new storage for our small house from Ikea
400. hot showers
As I work on balance and eating better, one of the things I make myself do is cook on Sunday. I cook usually 2-3 main course meals on Sunday with about 2 days worth out of each item. This gives us enough leftovers during the week that we eat at home but I do not have to cook on a school night. I tend to make a lot of the same items with no variety, so one of my goals is to try one new recipe each week. Last week I made a beef and vegetable soup in the crockpot. It was yummy! Even the hubby liked it (who by the way hates soup). This week I tried two new recipes from the Six Sister's.
1. Chicken and Black Bean Casserole
2. Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry
Now, I also want to get back to tracking more of what I am eating.
Today I just had a Nugo Dark Pretzel protein bar for breakfast. For lunch, I had some of the black bean and chicken casserole with a Navel orange. For dinner I had a southwest salad before going to bootcamp fitness.
God reminds me again that in the piles of worry is the neglect of gratitude. I began counting 1000 Gifts last year and neglected it. He reminded me it is time to start again. I pulled out the journal, and so I begin this post with gratitude:
391. pedicures with a good friend
392. the Spring Blooms at the Dallas Arboretum
393. a baby's laughter (I took pictures of my friend's baby and the flowers at the arboretum)
394. time spent with a good friend
395. pancakes at The Orginal Pancake House (I had craved pancakes for a month. They were the perfect dinner Saturday night).
396. began a bootcamp fitness class today (Hopefully I will still feel gratitude tomorrow).
397. committed to eating better more consistently the next 4 weeks
398. loose leaf tea and the electric tea kettle
399. new storage for our small house from Ikea
400. hot showers
As I work on balance and eating better, one of the things I make myself do is cook on Sunday. I cook usually 2-3 main course meals on Sunday with about 2 days worth out of each item. This gives us enough leftovers during the week that we eat at home but I do not have to cook on a school night. I tend to make a lot of the same items with no variety, so one of my goals is to try one new recipe each week. Last week I made a beef and vegetable soup in the crockpot. It was yummy! Even the hubby liked it (who by the way hates soup). This week I tried two new recipes from the Six Sister's.
1. Chicken and Black Bean Casserole
2. Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry
Now, I also want to get back to tracking more of what I am eating.
Today I just had a Nugo Dark Pretzel protein bar for breakfast. For lunch, I had some of the black bean and chicken casserole with a Navel orange. For dinner I had a southwest salad before going to bootcamp fitness.
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