Fun and Mental Changes

So... how to begin this???  Welp, I guess with being blunt.  I was a child who grew up in an abusive home being kicked out of the house around the age of 16.  I have spent MANY years of my life working on forgiveness and getting to a point where I can say that I've overcome the "consequences" of living with an abuser.  It is something that I willingly admit still rears its ugly head, not because of unforgiveness, but because of unrepentance (well this is what I thought anyway).  The relationship remained toxic well into my adulthood to the point where I finally separated from the abuser.  Well, you might guess from how I started this blog post that my abuser was a family member. Recently, I had another family member share with me that I have issues (that she will be praying for) and that my separation was wrong.  I was told that I was rigid and that I needed to look past the abuse even if the abuser did not repent.  That, me being a Christian,...

I could really use a miracle!  Today is day two in whatever this thing that I'm doing is going to end up being.  I'm hopeful, as I always am, that THIS time it is going to take and my life with be transformed.  And by "it", I'm talking about overcoming my addiction to eating and living a healthy life!  Maybe now is the time!?!  I mean, when I was a smoker, I remember trying over and over again to quit and it just wouldn't take..... until it did.  And when it did, it was effortless and it was for good.  So I have experience with big, successful changes in my life.  Why couldn't the stars be aligned this time? Well, I believe they have.  And I'm not ashamed to say that I'm tapping into WHATEVER I have in my arsenal to take it on.  My Body For Life workout schedule, a daily Bible devotional, becoming addicted to self-help books (already there really) and taking advantage of a newly retired husband who can p...

It is SOOOOO hard working on a goal you've been working on, what seems like, forever!  Most of the time I am often overwhelmed by the overall enormity of it.  But then there are days like today where the stars seemed to align and I just feel like I've gotten it right.  So I've decided to forget my goals and start working on just having one great day.  Today was that day. The starting line was set today and just for today.  I set my goals the minute I woke up and spent about 5 minutes visualizing what today was going to be like.  I told myself, "I am good enough.  I am good enough to succeed at my goals just for today."  And I set about tackling JUST TODAY. Welp it is a little after 9 p.m., I reached the finish line and had one great day.  I fulfilled EVERYTHING I spent the morning visualizing.  I had a couple of minor hiccups (and only one tantrum), but the day rounded out nicely and I did it.  I reached ALL o...

So this post is inspired by the pic above.  It was posted by one of my facebook friends and my response was, "um.... good point!"  And that led to me thinking about WHAT is marriage?  Well, I am a Christian and my Christian friends would say that marriage is a holy and divinely established covenant.  That the "holy" and "divinely" would exclude gay people from marriage based on the whole "and when a man lies down with a male the same as one lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination...Lev. 20:13" keeping the union from being classified as :"divinely ordered".  But then, couldn't the same be held true for divorce?  Why are Christians allowed to divorce?  Doesn't the Bible also say, “So they are no longer two but one flesh.  What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate . . . And I say to you:  whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery” (Matt...

Ok folks... today's the day!!!  Today's the first day of the 90 day Curves Complete program and my emotions are in overdrive!!!  Now, I've known FOREVER that a healthy, strong body begins in the mind.  I cannot tell you HOW many times I've read article after article about the brain being the largest muscle in the body that needs the most training, but you can KNOW information that never quite makes it to your heart.  THIS is where I really need the work!  But today I think I'm on the verge of a breakthrough! So as I was perusing the internet in search of inspiration to carry me through the next 90 days of Curves Complete I ran across THIS gem from Muscle and Fitness Hers:  Master Your Mind And that AMAZING article sparked a full-on Bible study that was desperately overdue!!!  So to start things off, the Bible very clearly points out that knowing without doing is NOTHING!!! James 2:17 - So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. ...

So, tomorrow is my 13th wedding anniversary. WHY we decided to get married on Christmas Eve, I'll never know, but while part of me KICKS myself for the added stress of the gift giving and event preparations, there's another part of me that is so glad that my wedding anniversary falls on the night before I celebrate the birth of my Lord, Jesus Christ. But with that being said, I will probably be starting my nervous breakdown any second now, so I thought I'd share my Christmas wishes with you now. I know that I'm rarely very serious in my posts, but this upcoming holiday is a very serious holiday for me. So please be forewarned, this post is not meant to make anyone laugh.... It's been a while since I've posted a Bible study, so I thought tonight I would share a very special scripture with you... My wish is that every one in my blogland family are blessed this Christmas season. Isaiah 9:6-7 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall ...

I am the wife of a police officer. This is not an easy position in life but it's one that I am honored to have. In fact, it's what I believe I was made for. But at times like this, I can't help but reflect on my own sacrifices. Tomorrow we bury one of our finest who made the ultimate sacrifice. A brother in arms, my husband will be attending Officer Ledesma's funeral and he will come home.... broken. I have been through this before. It's at times like these that I'm reminded how difficult my position is. He may be the officer, but I'm the officer's wife, his support. The spouse of an officer doesn't really understand what compels the officer they are married to to go after what everyone else is running away from and to sacrifice their very lives to protect.... even the criminal, but we accept it. We accept that our bad days won't ever compare to THE BEST work day of an officer that, by the way, was far worse. We accept that a life and death decis...

I'm going to keep today's post short and sweet. I was working on a die cut for an old friend I used to go to high school with. She's putting together a scrapbook page about her family and we got to talking about Bible versus that would go with her title: Gratitude. Well, today I want to share the Bible verse that popped into my head. James 1:17 - Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. I love this scripture so much and I've spent some time thinking about it. In an ever changing world where life can (and certainly does) shift in a matter of seconds, there IS one constant that never changes and is never shadowed... God. I can't speak for anyone else, but I am grateful for that comfort. Well, then there's the part about God sending down gifts!!! Woo Hoo!!! God, can I please have the entire set of Copic Sketch Markers? What!?! That would be a PER...

I'm tagging this post under Bible Study, but a Bible study isn't really a part of today's blog post. It's really just an observation that struck me this morning while I was in the garden. First off: MY FIRST SPROUT OF 2010!!!! Woo Hoo!!!! And of course its Zucchini! I love zucchini and seemed to have mastered growing it last year with my first garden ever. So I'm not surprised that I'm pulling it off again this year. But while I was in the garden this morning it hit me how our creator... call Him whatever is applicable to your particular faith, made us to constantly be creating (*please note here that I'm not taking any glory from God, I'm only referring to the work I'm doing with my hands. But I will add that it is my own personal belief that there is the power of creation in our free will). Moving the soil of our lives around, burying seeds and watching it grow.... creating something of beauty that is useful. Of course we can't forget that we n...

There are SO MANY ways to read and apply the words of the Bible. Sometimes when I read it, it's a story (it feels almost like I'm reading fiction), sometimes I'm looking for a lesson, other times I'm looking for examples, but for those who believe, the Bible is a history book as well. It's filled with real people and real events and I have a tendency to forget that when I read it sometimes because I'm too busy looking for the story, the lesson and the examples. But last night, the Joyce Meyer Conference in Phoenix Arizona showed me just how real these people really were. And when I say "real", I mean they followed our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and were FLAWED ! They were anointed even with their personality glitches and attitudes. For some reason, the reality of these REAL people FINALLY jumped out of the pages last night thanx to Joyce Meyer.... another self-professed FLAWED follower of Christ. But aren't we all (flawed, I mean)? So let me tak...

I don't know what it is about this movie, but I can't get enough of it. Since it's release on DVD, I've watched Fire Proof at least a dozen times! My heart swells thinking about what has been given to me versus where I came from. The following is a blog post that I wrote last year after first watching the movie and it kind of just sat as an unfinished draft. But here it is, the middle of the night and I woke up with an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for the opportunities that I have and the blessings that I've received. So, with that being said, here's my post on Fire Proof.... better late than never. I am also adding a special note at the end... an excerpt from a note that I wrote for a friend (in case anyone here can use it.. LOL). I was married, then divorced, at a very young age. Like Michael in the movie, I didn't know any better and did the best I could in a situation that was not working out. I did everything I could to make that marriage work...

So, I said a short while ago that I was going to get Jillian Michaels' new book, Master Your Metabolism, and I did! OMG!!!! IT IS THE BEST BOOK EVER TO BE PUBLISHED.... ok, that might be a little dramatic, but it's close!!! My health journey began years ago after having a nurse practitioner prescribe an antidepressant for me to take when there was nothing chemically wrong with me ON TOP of the multiple pain killers I was also prescribed prior to the antidepressant. And for those who do not know... if you ARE NOT depressed due to a chemical imbalance that the body cannot balance on it's own, chemicals added to your system cause SEVERE PROBLEMS.... like wanting to kill yourself problems! At least, that is what happened to me. I thought I was crazy and sought help which led me to work with a life coach out of a holistic clinic. I was FREED by this holistic doctor and set on a long path to achieve optimum health. My journey would later pick up pace when my sister invited me to ...

There is nothing in the world like receiving handmade items! I LOVE THEM! Anything handmade is like some special treasure and I ALWAYS adore whatever is given to me that was made by the giver. And for me, it's never about the item itself. It's the idea that, not only did someone think about me, but they cared enough to invest time for me. That speaks volumes and overwhelms me with a feeling that I rarely get any other way. It's from this place within me that makes me LOVE to make things for others. The joy that I get when someone else "gets" that I care about them. I spend the entire time making my projects envisioning the receiver and how they will know that I care about them. And you see it. Give a handmade gift and watch a special expression cross their face.... that look of surprise and the twinkle in their eye when they ask with surprise, "Did you make this???" It is because of this that I'm NEVER concerned with small characteristics in my proje...

DISCLAIMER: This blog post is not meant to offend anyone. These are my notes from a personal Bible study that I thought might help others out there as it has helped me. If you are dealing with someone who has made bad decisions in life, hurt or used people and is turning to God as a last resort, PLEASE let them know that they could not have come to a more perfect place (I know from PERSONAL experience)!!! But they should understand that while God has forgiven them and will provide guidance and strength, salvation does not remove consequences. This is a wonderful message to convey so that they can honestly test their own motivation for salvation. Are they looking for God to fix their situation, or are they looking for God to fix THEM? Galatians 6:7-8 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the spirit reap eternal life. God ...

The whole Jillian Michaels craze, I'm gettin it. Jillian appeared on the Joy Behar show last night and I was charmed by Ms. Michaels to no end! While I'm not a big fan of Joy Behar, I happened to catch her show while flipping through the channels at the precise moment Joy said that she is interested in diet and exercise for her introduction to "Joy's Anatomy". That too is where my interests lie so the Joy Behar show is where I stayed. Ms. Michaels rocked. She did not over speak, she was articulate, humble and charming, tackling each of Joy's questions with an easy candor that has won me over. To be honest, I've always kind of been drawn to the drill sergeant in her.... I don't know why??? But last night I saw another facet of Jillian Michaels that I adore. Her honesty about her own workouts and the RESPECT she has for the hard work that the Biggest Loser contestants put in blew me away. And what kind of relationships is she cultivating??? Season 4 Big...

A couple of days ago Jon Stewart of The Daily Show aired his beliefs and opinions surrounding Rush Limbaugh and Pat Robertson's comments regarding the tragedy that took place in Haiti. Of all the places for God to show himself... THE DAILY SHOW!?! But sure enough, Jon Stewart recited scriptures from the Holy Bible on this national cable show! Not only were these scriptures applicable, but he was spot-on-right in my own humble opinion. While his delivery WAS a bit vulgar, he did touch the heart of God's mercy and compassion. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't shocked and a bit taken aback by such a real message from God put into terms that may or may not have spoken to Limbaugh or Robertson, but certainly spoke to a secular crowd to root for the home team... YAY GOD! It WAS God's word recited by Mr. Jon Stewart. We are to rebuke satan, devils and demons... NOT each other. The Light that these Haitian people need to see is sorely missing from Mr. Robertson (also on ...

"He who wrestles with us strengthens our nerves and sharpens our skill. Our antagonist is our helper." What a wonderful quote from Mr. Burke. Me thinks Mr. Burke read his Bible... either that or he was married to my ex husband... HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I am so very lucky for all the lessons I learned at a very young age. Those lessons were, in fact, the prelude that would make the stories of the Bible JUMP out at me. I was blessed with bad decisions and bad behavior right from the beginning which lead to a tough run too young.... and too soon after being baptized a Christian. But, I was in effect wrestling... a picture that became crystal clear years later reading Genesis 32:24-28. This is the scripture that came to mind when I read Mr. Burke's quote earlier today. Genesis 32:24-28 - "And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was ...

A couple of nights ago I had the pleasure of going to a Joel Osteen event. His wife and kids were there, his brother Paul was there along with local ministers. I did not pay for my ticket and believe it or not, I was picked up in a white hummer with black tinted windows... "my limo", I called it. This event was literally given to me. I got to spend the evening with two of the most amazing women and we had a BLAST. With all of that to be so grateful for, I find that my sights are set on the greatest gift given to me that night.... Philemon 1:6 . I really hate admitting this, but I have never read Philemon and I don't know why (it's 1.5 pages for crying out loud!!!). I want to say that it's so small and easily missed, but that isn't a reason.... made even less of a reason since I have tabs that extend from my Bible that don't know 50 pages from 1.... no excuses. Honestly, BECAUSE it's so small, it really should not have gone unread. Could ANY book of the...

I'm reminded, this evening, of the importance of "DO IT ANYWAY". I've had a few weeks now where I'm skipping workouts and not completing my planning and journals and the feeling of fatigue is catching up with me. It starts with skipping workouts, and then I forget my vitamins which perpetuates the "not wanting to work out". Then I find myself not drinking all my water and feeling even more tired from dehydration. It becomes a vicious cycle quickly that ends in bouts of insomnia... can anyone relate? I've always told others in the past that sometimes you have to fake it till you feel it. But does "fake it till you feel it" really work? Because we really DON'T feel it sometimes.... do we? According to Hebrews 12:11-13 , that's EXACTLY what God tells us to do. " For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore, ...

Yesterday, I blogged about my Master Cleanse journey... the fifth time around. It got me REALLY thinking about fasting for spiritual connection and, of course, took me to my Bible. As I stated yesterday, I first did the cleansing for health and found something more. :) So after looking through my concordance, searching my Bible and hopping online (I found this REALLY great site ), I've come to some conclusions. Fasting seems to me to have been something that was done when making requests to God and also something that was done in thanksgiving after the fact. Fasting was also done in preparation for coming events. Why? Why all the fasting? And why is fasting deemed so unhealthy in today's day and age? Why do people shy away from something that sounds pretty "normal practice" to me. Exodus 34:28 So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments. I ...