Brand-new Beginnings

       I know the title of today's blog is an oxymoron, but I think it just fits today! I am going to greater heights spiritually and physically. This time, I have my hubby to help me on this weight loss/healthy living journey. It somehow seems easier now that I have a partner who is health-conscience. Of course, he is allowed to eat more points than me. (not fair! :) As soon as I'm done writing this, I will be getting my gym clothes on and running downstairs to make a healthy, protein- filled turkey burger dinner with fresh green beans! I'm very excited to meet with my personal trainer tonight; I'm just kind of nervous as to how she'll have me working out and not being in shape, therefore, huffing and puffing my way to strength, health and victory.
        I stood on the scale this morning in dis-belief! I hadn't gained any of the weight back that I had worked so hard to get off! I was thankful, and it gave me great courage to keep going on this journey. I truly feel that I can be to my goal weight by this summer-time! I plan on working hard, eating right and teaching my kids to make the right choices!

My Grace is Sufficient

       So, I have been sick now for almost a month, but I am so very thankful for a roof over my head and a warm place to live. I am awake right now after having some sinus issues, but I know that I am on my way to recovery. I believe that God's healing power is alive and active in me. I have fallen short in so many areas of my life, and this sickness has humbled me to my knees. God deserves all of the glory in my life. He is the ultimate Healer. I remember being very sick when I was about 9 years old. My dad gave me some medicine, and I began to feel somewhat better. He proceeded to ask me who healed me. I said the medicine did. He then taught me that medicine doesn't heal, but God uses the medicine as a tool to help us get well. That lesson stuck with me to this day. No medicine will work in your body unless God wills it to, for He is the Creator of medicine. He put it in some person's mind how to make medicine for our sicknesses. God knows what He's doing in my life. I only trust Him to heal me as I know He has already. I can't answer for anyone as to why certain things come into my life, but I do know that I am learning daily, and while being ill, I see more of what needs changed in my spiritual life. I am not saying that that is the only time, but sickness has a way of humbling one to take a good look at your life. God's grace abounds in so many ways in my life. I do not deserve His love, yet He gives it. I do not deserve His forgiveness, yet He offers it. Thank You, God, for bringing people in my life who show me different things about myself. Thank You for your grace and forgiveness. Thank You for Your healing power.

City on Our Knees

       I feel that right now we are at a crossroads in Christianity, a place where many of our fore-fathers have also stood years ago. The only thing I fear is that we, as this present generation, may not be strong enough to make the right decision. We spend too much time thinking about the now instead of the future. Yes, we need to be able to make decisions for our families in the "now," yet can we not look towards the future while doing so? I hate what my country has become in these past years. I hate seeing so many people who have given up and have decided that "this is it." I refuse to think that we, as an American people, with "one nation under God" can actually give up, lay down and die. I would go and fight for my country tomorrow if I didn't have an obligation to my children and my husband. I believe that much in America and what we have stood for in the years past. I know that somewhere in America, there are a people, Christians, who believe as I do at this very moment...all it takes is right here, right now, a city on our knees. "If we've got to start somewhere, why not here? If we've got to start sometime, why not now?" Our nation won't change for the better until we are willing to start with ourselves. I'm tired of the broken promises in the White House. I'm tired of the criticism of our soldiers. My brother is a soldier, and I will defend what he does. I'm tired of the crying and complaining of the economy...why aren't we going back to the verse that says, "If my people which are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven and will heal their land." Let's join hands, hearts, kneel in humility and pray to the God who created this free home we call the
United States of America. May God bless the USA.

ROSE BOWL

       How very proud I am at the moment that O-H-I-O State Buckeyes won the Rose Bowl 2010! Commentators had us losing by a landslide to Oregon, and I must say at some points, I was a bit nervous for our team! But we rose strong and victorious, beating Oregon 26 to 17! I proudly wore my Ohio state t-shirt and hat this morning long before the game began knowing that I'd be proud of our boys no matter the outcome! I even had Josh take a picture of me by our Christmas tree which proudly has the colors of OSU. So, today, January 1, 2010, I am even more proud to be a native Ohioan! :)

Better Than Ever 2010

       Ya, ya, I turn 30 this year! I have so many goals I want to reach, but I'm not exactly sure of what order of importance to place them in. It's been a while since I really sat  down and wrote down New Year's goals, but I seriously am going to be doing that this year! :) So, here's my list, and I may add to it as time draws closer to the New Year!

1.) Lose the rest of this WEIGHT! (yes, I will do that this year! :)

2.) Continue to prepare for my own tutoring business (I really want to do this because I miss teaching!)

3.) Start training for the NYC marathon (don't laugh because I am really serious about this! I will run this marathon one day, and I will start training to run long distance this year!)

4.) Continue to teach my family how to eat healthily, including myself :)

5.) Organize my day in my planner daily

6.) Show Josh everyday just how much he means to me by writing notes, baking cookies, etc.

7.) Spend at least an hour with each of my children, one on one, learning what they like and don't like and just getting to know them better by playing, reading, singing, being goofy etc.

8.) Joining a gym with Josh and working out to be more fit and healthy

9.) Blog more so I can one day turn it into a book for my kids

10.) Learn new healthy recipes for my family :)

Many of these goals have to do with being healthy and staying healthy, but most importantly to being healthy is being healthy spiritually. I plan to go to the next level in my Christian life, and I trust God to bring me there in His timing. God is so good all of the time, and He has great things planned for me and my family! I am excited to see what He has for us! Happy New Year, 2010, the year I turn 30 and the year I am the new me! (inside and out! :)

God Bless Sam

        I'm so proud of my brother, Sam. I remember the exact day he was born, and although I am 8 years older than him, I feel that we have a good relationship. Today, I just want to take the time to thank God for our soldiers who fight so we can be free. Soldiers who put their lives on the line everyday they are out there defending America. I want to thank God for our veterans who have fought in previous wars that we have been in the past. I think we forget that our country isn't free for no reason; there were men and women who defended it and still do. My dad is a pastor as well as my father-in-law; without these soldiers, they may not be able to pastor today. We take for granted our freedoms everyday of our lives. Most often we are selfish in our everyday living. We wake up, go to work, don't have to worry about whether or not we have to be indoors at a certain time or whether or not our food will be rationed....we simply don't stop to thank God for our freedoms, no matter how small. I have to say, the day Sam told us he joined the Army, I cried. It was with mixed emotions of course because he's my baby brother! Today, I am so proud of him. I watched him as he watched the sports' channel every time he got on his vacation over Thanksgiving. I watched as he enjoyed every bite of food because his food is horrible overseas. He loved driving his truck and playing with the family dog. I am very sure with every minute here in the USA, he was thankful. Soldiers like him make me very proud. God bless AMERICA and God bless our TROOPS!

Sometimes I Wonder

        Sometimes I wonder why it is that God brings someone across my path who truly doesn't like me as a person. They really don't have a good reason...they just don't like me. Then, I remember how Jesus walked this earth and experienced the very same thing. It wasn't just one person, but it was many persons...they had no reason to hate Him except maybe jealousy? Maybe it was just the fact that they were deceived by Satan himself. Anyway, it was there...He experienced everything mankind would experience while down here on earth.
       The thing is, why do I allow this to bother me so much? I can't really answer that question, but it does...But in all reality, maybe I am seeking approval in the all of the wrong places...I shouldn't be seeking approval from man anyways. But what if it's someone I once looked up to? What if that's the person who seems to not be able to stand to look me in the eyes anymore? It still shouldn't matter. Approval should come from God...I can't live to please people because I am human and will fail in this area. I only know that I hurt when this happens, and I search my own heart to see where I've gone wrong...if I have gone wrong in some place, I ask God's forgiveness and simply go on. When I become down in this area of my life, I simply think of Jesus and how He experienced the same thing, yet He loved. Thank you, Jesus, for Your example to me.