Connecting the dots...

...between Faithfulness & my healthy diet changes.

God really opened my eyes today - and I wasn't all too thrilled with what I saw.

In a nutshell, my Bible Study this morning was on faithfulness. Faithfulness in regards to sticking with what God places in front of us, until He tells us to let go or move on. Faithfulness in regards to fulfilling a commintment because that's what we said we'd do - and we are HIS light in this world. The world should see us as different than non-Christians.

So:

we should be on time.

we should be reliable.

we should be dependable.

we should be trustworthy.

And basically, I struggle with my "feelings". I don't "feel" like fulfilling my commitment. I don't "feel" like keeping that meeting tonight. I don't "feel" like being uncomfortable or unhappy or stretched - so I simply walk away. It's easier that way.

But that's not God's way. That's not what He would have us do, not what He commands us to do.

And with my diet changes, lifestyle changes, well, I just give up when I "don't like it" anymore. That seems unfair or kinda hard or whatever. I just walk away, give up, compromise, or justify how I can be unfaithful. What kind of witness am I portraying??

NOW ~ we also discussed that God is not attacking us, not condemning us - He wants what is best for us. He wants us to grow in our faithfulness. Grow ~ so yes, mistakes will be made, yet growth will be taking place.

The dots were connected for me today, I saw in my mind's eye my lack of faithfulness and how it has been affecting me in this area (not to mention other areas). Our "feelings" are so worldly, so human, so faulty. I need to stop relying on them so much. Instead, I need to rely on my every-growing relationship with The Faithful One - follow and grow through His example.

This was a biggie for me. I had always blamed my lack of discipline, my lack of will-power. MY power was always lacking (duh). Yet looking at my *faithfulness* is totally different to me. God wants me to grow in faithfulness, He doesn't want me to grow in *my own* power.

prayers are greatly appreciated ~ you are in mine as welll...

*Michigan Momma*

p.s. all this lemon water, green tea and water - I didn't realize a person could pee this much in one day???!!?! HELP!!

Try, try again

Well, my mom is now gone (thanks so much, Mom) and my babies are all relatively healthy. I'm ready to give this healthy-change thing another try. I have lemons for my lemon-water-cleansing drink stuff (descriptive, huh?). I have my Pilates for Dummies video - awesome video, btw, really good explanations and modifications (for those less-bendy bodies).

It's almost midnight here, so I'd better get to bed if I have any hopes of making it up by 7am in the morning...

I'll check in with everyone tomorrow and we'll get this healthy-ball rolling!! It *can* be done (I think)...

'night

*Michigan Momma*

p.s. Mom, I want some of those pics on your camera - you know, when my batteries died. Thanks~

p.p.s. I may be re-starting with Week #1 around here - feel free to keep on keeping on if you did great last week. If your week was ANYTHING like mine though, join me for round 2 of week 1. Hey, better late than never, right, RIGHT?!!?

The Challenge is...

umm........challenging.

My mother is visting, I have four sick kiddos, and well, my motivation just isn't kicking in.

Today, for example, ALL four kids slept in until 10am - yes, I said TEN am.

Not exactly the "up by 7am" goal I had set for myself...

What else?? Well, I totally ate after 7pm. Heck, I didn't have my *dinner* until after 7 at least two nights this week. My schedule just kinda falls apart when my mom is here (not her fault, things are just relaxed when she's here), so this is A LOT harder than I anticipated.

SO anyways, even though *I* started this whole challenge - I guess *I* really need the encouragement and accoutability. How about a daily check-in? How about an hourly check-in?? (ok, maybe that's a *little* extreme). I think I'll check in at 7am(here on my blog), just to have a bit of accountability in that area. I'll also check-in at 7pm (if possible) to cement the notion that I WON'T be eating after that point.

I did get two new videos: Pilates for Dummies and Yoga for Headaches. These are just checked out from the library for a week, so we'll see how they go.

I hope to be checking in with you ladies much more from now on. Please feel free to post about your challenges in your blog and then let us know here in the comments. Also, if you need accountability in a particular area, want a one-on-one accountability partner, just need prayer RIGHT NOW, etc.etc.etc. We have to be transparent and let each other know how things are going and how we can help each other.

God be with each of you ~ I know He loves each one of you and wants the VERY BEST for you!!

*Michigan Momma*

Week 1 ~ Day 1

Hello all ~ time to get to business.

I've got 6 participants - perfect!!

1. Lori
2. Shari
3. Mary
4. Julie
5. Laura
6. Jessica

If anyone else is interested, I'm willing to accept a few more people, this week only - I'd like it to remain a small group, a small group that sticks together for this 6 weeks.

So go ahead and email me (on my sidebar, click on 'view my complete profile', then click on Email Me) and give me the following info (whatever you are comfortable sharing with the group).

1. full name
2. blog address
3. email addy
4. snail mail addy
5. 6 goals for this challenge
6. personal info to your desire (age, dh, kids, schooling choices, other facts/convictions)

This info will NOT be shared here on the blog - just with the other "challenge" ladies (in email form). I will also be adding a "Health Challenge" sidebar box - to post your names and blog - so other may go to your blog and read about your successes/failures/challenges, see before & after pics, etc.etc.etc.

Please let me know if you have any questions, comments or suggestions. Email me or leave a comment here on the blog.

I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited about this!! I love having you ladies as a form of accountability ~ I can't just "give up". If one of us feels like giving up, hopefully there will be 5 other ladies ready to cheer us on and encourage us through the tough times.

So here goes nothing....
*Michigan Momma*

~HEALTH Challenge Update~

H ~ Healing
E ~ Eating
A ~ Attitude Adjustment
L ~ LivingLife
T ~ Total body
H ~ Helping others


Here are my six basic ideas to help me through this challenge. Why am I doing this challenge? Is it just weight loss? If so, I'm pretty sure I'll fail miserably. Instead, look at these ideas:

H ~ Healing
I have made poor choices in the past. Not just here and there, not just a celebration or occasional indulgence. Consistent poor choices. This has hurt my body. Changes need to be made so my body can begin the healing process. God made our amazing bodies with the capability to heal itself in many instances. Praise God!!

E ~ Eating
You've all heard it before - eating to live, instead of living to eat. I need to work on how I view food, *why* I head to the fridge, what am I eating for? I also just need to work on LESS overall in this catergory - yes, better choices in what I eat, but also just eating less. Eating what my body NEEDS. I'm guessing I'll deal with withdrawl symptoms, cravings, etc. Only God can honestly get me through this.

A ~ Attitude Adjustment
In the past, I have always viewed those "healthy freaks" well, as freaks! Why in the world would you eat that stuff? Why when we have mashed potatoes, pie and chocolate?? Why waste time exercising, or spend the extra cash on healthier food options? Why care about our environment or "green" options?? The Lord has been slowly opening my eyes about many of these subjects.....I believe I still have a long way to go though.

L ~ Living Life
Really that's what I'm getting at. God gave us these bodies, these lives. I don't think he wants us indulging every physical whim, being lazy, basically destroying our bodies (and minds and thoughts) by our choices. What is it I'm trying to accomplish here?

T ~ Total Body
It's not just our weight. It's not just our physical strength or flexibility or stamina. I believe it goes deeper than that. We're talking about overall health: physical, emotional, mental, spiritual. Did you exercise today? Did you make healthy food choices? Did you drink enough water or take your supplements? Great! But did you read your Bible? Did you pray about what God would have for you today? Did you take the time to relax and enjoy the creation God has given us? Did you enjoy your children today? Did you love on your husband? There's so much more to "life" than our physical bodies.

H ~ Helping Others
I put this idea in here because most of us are mothers. Most of us are responsible for the diets and activities of many little ones (not to mention our dh's). We will pass on a legacy in this area of health - be it good or bad. How can we possibly leave a positive legacy if we are killing ourselves in these very areas? It is not only for ourselves that these changes need to be made.


Ok, I am headed out of town overnight - I'll be back Saturday evening. On Sunday, I'll try to compile the participants, their specific 6 goals and shoot everyone an email. I'ld like to get your snail mail addys is you are willing to share with me (I'd like to send everyone a little something - can you believe I actually need your address Shari? I can't believe I don't have it.) So if you haven't already, leave a comment that you'd like to participate, list you 6 Health Challenge goals, plus whether you will be tackling them all at once or one per week, plus any other pertinent info.

Once again, here are mine:

#1. up every morning no later than 7am (this will include my daily Bible).
#2. exercise daily (this includes pilates in the am, plus stretching in the pm)
#3. start carrying a water bottle around (filled with *filtered* water - we need a filter).
#4. increase WHOLE FOODS (and overall, just LESS food).
#5. no eating after 7pm (this is my worst eating time)
#6. get to bed each night between 10-11pm.

I will be working on these all at the same time. My dh will be at seminary for these first two weeks (my mother and mil will be helping me out here at home - PTL!!), so I'm hoping for a major change while he is gone! But I'll need lots of girl-friend support, so get ready for lots of Health posts, ladies~

Talk to you all Sunday~
*Michigan Momma*

Shari....

I blame you completely.








*Michigan Momma*

p.s. still looking for more participants for the 6-week Health Challenge. Leave me a comment and come up with your own 6 personal challenges.

The 6-week HEALTH Challenge

Are you up for the challenge??

I am looking for a few other people to do this challenge with me. It is to improve our diet, to eat less food, to increase exercise, etc. Maybe this will include daily exercise, increased water intake, more fruits & veggies, a specific diet you are following, actual weight loss goals, whatever...

What I'm hoping for here is a get some other ladies involved. Each woman will come up with her own 6 changes. Now, you can work on one "change" at a time, or all 6 at once - if you are uber-disciplined!!

We will help each other through email support, here in the comments, at each other's blogs and perhaps through snail mail (a nice, encouraging card or gift works wonders!!). The main idea is to get involved with others. To be held accountable. To know that there are these other gals, working hard each day to change, just like you!

And it's just a 6 week challenge. I figured that was long enough to really CHALLENGE us, yet short enough to not overwhelm us. That would bring us to just past Thanksgiving.

So who's up for the challenge?

If you think this sounds like just what you need, leave a comment here. Then come up with 6 basic goals and get ready! We are already reading each other's blogs, we are already reading about each other's struggles and joys - why not help each other out and get a little bit of encouragement ourselves??

~Looking forward to the challenge~

*Michigan Momma*

Here are my 6 goals (just to give you some ideas)

#1. up every morning no later than 7am (this will include my daily Bible).

#2. exercise daily (this will include pilates, stretches, stregthening - that's what interests me)

#3. start carrying a water bottle around (filled with *filtered* water - we need a filter).

#4. increase WHOLE FOODS (and overall, just LESS food).

#5. keep the weight going DOWN (no specific numbers, just keep going down).

#6. get to bed each night between 10-11pm.

~

Your goals will be different - perhaps gluten-free or a specific diet program. You may already exercise each day, so maybe you need something new to jump-start your health improvement again. Maybe it's no t.v. during the daytime, or to simply get outside for fresh air each day. Whatever you need. Pray about it ~ ask God what He wants you to do. Ask you dh ~ perhaps he's been thinking about a change for the family in regards to health. Just pick 6 and get ready to be encouraged and challenged!!

Up & Coming

How excited am I????
(you can click on the above banner, but I don't have any items listed as of yet - but it's still cool)

My dh is very supportive. We just need a "little" more money to feel more secure each month. He is not pressuring me in the slightest. He wants me to do what makes me happy.

I *love* creating items with my hands. I love the feeling I have as I sit in the living room in the evenings with my dh, twisting the newest yarn around my fingers.

And the very idea that other people will *pay* for these items - totally awesome!!

No, this blog will never turn into merely an advertisement for The Shop ~ but I *will* post about new items I list, simply to inform - never to pressure.

So rejoice with me, be excited with me! Now I just need to get busy building up enough stock to open the shop doors......

*Michigan Momma*

Family Vacation

Yes, this post is mainly for family who wish to see some of our vacation pics. We went to northern MI (still in the lower penisula) and stayed near the Au Sable Institute (Christian, environmental agency). We stayed at a great cabin on a lake where we spent most of the trip, although we did take a day trip to the UP and to Mackinac Island.
I uploaded the pics in the "small" format, but I'm pretty sure you can click them to see the bigger version. Enjoy!

Hints of autumn

Just some snapshots of fall around our home...

Well, it's October 2nd..

So what was the big deal of Oct. 1st??

It was actually just a simple guideline I had given myself - that I wouldn't decorate for "fall" until Oct. 1st. That gives me close to 2 months (until Thanksgiving) with these decorations - and that is enough. I love autumn and harvest time, but I also like to change things up fairly often.

Anyways.....come Monday evening, I *still* hadn't decorated our small home. My dh came home and I asked him to please take 2 children and go away. I know, that sounds terrible, but we had a few errands to run anyway, so I just asked him to do them with two children.

He actually agreed no problem (yes, he is wonderful!!). He even took the two most "challenging" children (when it comes to cleaning/decorating) - the girls! When he asked how long I would like them to be gone, I jokingly said "three hours!". He honestly was gone close to that amount of time.

And during that time, I nursed the baby, laid him down for his evening nap, let Isaac play computer WAY too long, and TOTALLY CLEANED MY HOME! No, not everything is perfect, but it is very nice! I tastefully added fall decorations here and there (as much as my small home will allow - that's a new thing I've learned about living in a smaller home - you simply *have* to par down the "clutter").

I also learned that as each child is added to our family, I have to come up with new ways to get things done - or change what it is I want done. While they are all so young (6 and under right now), if that means I ask my wonderful hubby to take the girls on a "date" - so be it.


ONE MORE THING:
Remember how I said not everything was perfect. Of course, right?! Well, one of the things I didn't do last night was mop the kitchen floor. I really dislike mopping. Anyways, well that was kindly taken care of this morning by my two year old. Nothing forces you to mop your floors better than your two year old vomitting all over them.

Yup.

Gross.

I told my dh last night that I really wanted to get back to our schedule. I wanted the house nice and clean to start off with. I wanted to get to bed early. You know, I wanted things "perfect". (of course, he did laugh pretty hard when I said I wanted to have "normal" days - HA!).

So this morning, come 4am or so - Tali started coming to our room whining. We simply thought she wanted in bed with us. We don't regularly allow our children to sleep in bed with us. So we firmly, but lovingly, took her back to her own bed - oh, I'd say a half a dozen times. Finally, while praying over her head, she coughed, sat up and I *knew*. I pulled her (rather ungraciously) over the side of the bed and grabbed the closest thing I could to "catch" it. (Selah was less than loving as she cried "that's MY jacket".....oh well).

And while my dh is WONDERFUL - yes, WONDERFUL - there are times we all make mistakes. Like feeding the vomitting said 2 year old FRUIT LOOPS in the morning, while your exhausted wife is trying to squeeze in another hour of sleep before you leave for work. So after my WONDERFUL dh left for church this morning, as my baby is whining to be fed, my beautiful baby girl threw up fruit loops all over my feet. Yes, my feet.

Gross.

Ok, well, that's the vomitting post for today. I don't even have pictures to share with you yet of my clean, freshly-decorated home. Even if I did, I wouldn't want to post them with all the vomit stories.....

Gross.

I'll get back to you later today (most likely). I hope to post a Kitchen Tip and pictures of my decorations. We'll see how my "normal" day pans out. Ha!

~still in my jammies~
*Michigan Momma*