TGoF .9

Precious and Gracious Lord, today and everyday I am thankful for/that...

#1 we are healthy.
#2 my Bible study groups, they have become great friends.
#3 Jason making a commitment to doing The Love Dare with me even though he is crazy busy.
#4 Proverbs.
#5 new paper from Stampin' Up. This may seem petty but this really helps me de-stress and use one of my gifts.
#6 comments on my blog. It really makes me feel good!
#7 books. What a great escape!
#8 cameras (especially my very nice one!), otherwise I'd forget so much.
#9 will be going home in December!
#10 my rockin' hubs!

Food Tracking and Living A Healthier Lifestyle

Much like balancingeverything I very much dislike food journaling. The thought of writing down everything I put in my mouth makes me nauseous. I know that it works and is a great way to reflect on my poor eating habits but it is just another chore for me to do. So balancingeverything recently started her weight loss blog and shared this tip. I love it and have made my own!

This is for an 1800 calorie day, which is the amount recommended to me by a Registered Dietitian for healthy weightloss of 1-2 pounds per week. You can also go to MyPyramid and find out your serving allowances for each day. This is a great article about making smart choices for weight loss.

The American Heart Association is a wonderful resource for learning about heart attack, stroke and the benefits on daily exercise. You can also learn about your BMI and ways to live a healthy lifestyle.

I'm also reading Gwen Shamblin's book entitled The Weight Down Diet. It is a Bible based approach to weight loss but more importantly overcoming overeating and turning to God to fill us up. Believe it or not it all comes full circle; eating, contentment, peace, joy.

-1 Corinthians 3:16
Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?

-1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

-Romans 13:14
Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

-1 Kings 19:7-8
The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." So he got up and ate and drank.

Avoidance

It may be easy to avoid but physical balance and health are a very important piece to the life puzzle. I have struggled with my weight for quite a while now. Not my whole life but it started in high school. I can't even blame this weight on my boys. I weigh less now than I did before they came along. It is a huge commitment, so much time and energy, struggles with food, addiction, emotions and hormones. But my doctor, the one who prescribed my high blood pressure medicine, really thinks I need to lose some weight. Don't you think that would motivate me? If only... I highly dislike being told what to do and how to do it. This makes weight loss a bigger challenge. My husband has lost about 45 pounds in the last two years or so and that makes him an expert. I love him so much but he needs to take a class in how to talk to his wife about weight loss. I keep hoping that one day I will wake up and magically want to go to the gym! Or even more importantly, that I'll want to eat nutritious, satisfying foods. I just read this article about having a hungry soul and it really hit home. I wish that I could turn it all over to God but the control freak in me has a tough time with letting go. I guess I need to figure out WHY I eat. Maybe I need therapy. That wouldn't surprise me. Maybe I need to go to the gym. Hmm.
How do you keep physically in balance? What are your challenges? I can't be all alone in this battle, can I? Oh, the picture is me in 1993.

Drowning in Home Management!

I am a follower of the Preschoolers and Peace blog by Kendra Fletcher. I've also downloaded a workshop of hers about getting organized. She is a Christian, homeschool mom of EIGHT! I'm enjoying her current series about how to not drown in home management.

Here is part one. Read it (make sure to look at the comments, too) and then you'll understand what my top five list is...

#1 Time with/learning about God
#2 Nurture my marriage
#3 Quality time with kids/homeschooling
#4 Mom Time (peaceful, productive time)
#5 Home Care (if there were ten this would probably be lower on the list)

Here is part two of her series.
I like how she says "keep our home sanitary" not clean it top to bottom!

Anyway, I love Kendra's realistic approach to life. She is an inspiration! There are so many wonderful articles and resources on her blog! Make sure to check them all out!

TGoF!

I'm thinking this will be my regular Friday post. TGoF! Thank God on Friday! I also challenge any readers to this with me. List ten things that you are thankful for, other than the obvious. Really think about your list. Here is mine...

I am thankful for/that
#1 God was holding my husband in His hands on Sunday when he crashed his motorcycle.
#2 we live in a country (even outside the US) in which we are able to worship our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ, not in fear but with joy.
#3 my boys are healthy, happy and thriving.
#4 my husband has a secure job.
#5 the internet. Honestly, it is a necessity living here.
#6 my patience is getting better.
#7 Joshua is finally figuring out the potty thing.
#8 I have amazing friends.
#9 a great family (even my in-laws!).
#10 God puts up with me and all the junk I do and still loves me for me!

Some verses to think about...

Psalm 7:17
I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.
Psalm 28:7
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.
Psalm 35:18
I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you.
Luke 22:19
And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."
1 Corinthians 15:57
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

I love BibleGateway.com! Search all the versions of the Bible by keyword, chapter or verse.

Have a blessed day! Enjoy your Easter holiday!

P.S. Thanks to the Company Girls for stopping by and saying hi!

A New Design

I am really excited about my newest design on CafePress and I have to share it. I have been playing with some new paintbrushes and colors in Photoshop CS4. Let me know what you think! If you look around in my store, you'll see how far I've come. I love creating and sharing. I also made my new header! What a productive day even with the sickies!

Compromising and Balancing in a Marriage

I'm sure that this will be the first of many posts on the subject of marriage. My husband loves to ride his sport bike (a bright green Kawasaki zx6r, for those that care). Once again living overseas has its limitations in purchasing things he needs, especially for this [ridiculously expensive] hobby. But he finally got a trailer to tow the bike to the track. And was finally able to go spend the day at the track with the boys today.

I, on the other hand, was really looking forward to going to Stamp Club with the girls. My friend Mary is a Stampin' Up Consultant. Every month we get together and learn new techniques and do projects. This is one of the highlights of my month. I love crafting and more than that I love fellowship with the girls. I couldn't find a sitter, which is partly my fault for waiting to call them. I'm bummed!

But my husband rarely gets to visit the track. I know how much he loves riding. So, I make the sacrifice for him. My happiness is so important to him and I really want to give him back the things he does for our family. And not be bitter about missing something that is important to me. My husband's happiness is so much more important to me.

1The Song—best of all songs—Solomon's song! The Woman!

2-3Kiss me—full on the mouth!
Yes! For your love is better than wine,
headier than your aromatic oils.
The syllables of your name murmur like a meadow brook.
No wonder everyone loves to say your name!

4 Take me away with you! Let's run off together!
An elopement with my King-Lover!
We'll celebrate, we'll sing,
we'll make great music.
Yes! For your love is better than vintage wine.
Everyone loves you—of course! And why not?

~Song of Songs 1:1-4 (Message)

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. ~Ephesians 4:31 (NKJV)

A soft answer turns away wrath,
But a harsh word stirs up anger.
~Proverbs 15:1 (NKJV)

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for bringing this man into my life. He is all earthly things to me, he gives me joy, he challenges me. In loving him, I am loved. In understanding him, I am understood. Help me to honor him, to share all things with him, to be one flesh with him. Amen.
(Bible Verses for Busy Moms from Meredith Corporation)

I Must Share This!

I have found a great way to balance the house! Home Sanctuary is new favorite place!

I love it but...

I love reading. Books, magazines, blogs. I love to fill my mind with new information or romantic notions. I try to read a book (not including a Bible or Bible study) at least ten minutes a day. If I commit to ten minutes, then I can usually get enough time to finish a chapter.

Here is my current book list for your enjoyment...
1. California (4 short Christian fiction stories)~Billerbeck, Leonhardt-Koehly, Laity & Yapp
2. Adobe CS4 Master Premium for Dummies ~This book is thick and I probably won't ever finish it but it is full of information for the Adobe programs that I (TRY) to use.
3. John 3:16 ~Nancy Moser, technically I haven't started this one yet but I might when I'm done here.

I also am doing two Bible studies and hopefully one more soon.
1. First Place 4 Health's Begin With Christ -This is a weight loss study that I am leading.
2. A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George -This is great and I highly recommend it!
3. I'm really hoping that my husband will be able to re-prioritize so that we can do The Love Dare study together.

As I am writing this, I'm really thinking that I need to put more book time on my schedule! Happy reading!