S Club Mama

Where was this book 3...5 years ago? I'd say 3 years ago was when I was at my most desperate; right when Squirt was going through that long/short infant stage (long as you're going through, short in hindsight). I was surviving - barely. I hope and pray my children came out unscathed. I was grumpy - even angry. I had a grumpy, gassy, unhappy baby and a toddler I missed hanging out with who I couldn't understand much of the time (this is prior to our autism diagnosis). Phew! This mama was unhealthy (also prior to my weight loss and running) and unhappy. I don't know if I had post pardum depression but it felt close. I had no close friends nearby so I was really lonely and overwhelmed. Anyway, this book would have lifted my soul to hear I wasn't alone! I thought I was. That's why I try to be very vocal about my bonding issues with my younger son, my loneliness, my weight loss journey. All of it because if someone else doesn't know you've gone through thes...

Last year's word, intentional, did OK. Probably not as intentional as I would have liked but I think I had a pretty good year in regards to mothering, wife-ing (is that a word?), homemaking. I feel like I've grown spiritually and domestically in the last year more than the past 6 years combined. So this year's word came to me while reading Desperate (review coming as soon as I finish it, hopefully by the weekend). In chapter 12, Sally & Sarah talk about Living on Purpose. And Sarah said that she had "resolve. I've resolved to be in the Word every day. I've resolved to think about the end-game and what kind of legacy I want to leave...I was thoughtful and kept my eyes on pleasing Jesus, not pleasing man." That's what I want! I want to be thoughtful in regards to Christ in my life. I want the thoughtfulness of patience with my children. I want the thoughtfulness to be loving toward my husband. I want the thoughtfulness of cleaning my home so t...

This is my favorite Veggie Tales song and I think it fully encompasses the message that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered in his "I Have a Dream" speech - that everyone can be equal and be friends. So in honor of his day, here is "I Can Be Your Friend." 

When I volunteered at the Women of Faith conference in Kansas City, I was very blessed to hear some wonderful speakers. As a blogger, I have been blessed to review some of those speakers' books. Fully Alive by Ken Davis is just one of those speakers and books I've been blessed with. Ken spoke extensively about living fully alive when he spoke to us at WOF, so really I had heard probably 40-50% of this book already. That wasn't a let down at all. It served as a refresher course of what God has really been teaching me my whole life. It's really simple, when you're a Christian, to say that you'll die for Christ. As a believer, we know what is going to happen when we die (or at least where we're going if not specifics of what it will look like & such - although we've had glimpses). But what about LIVING for Christ?? Living FULLY for Christ? That's not so easy. We can almost get into a comfortable little coma as Christians. That coma is not ...

I saw a preview for The Biggest Loser where the contestants had to stand in a temptation room filled with food goodies for something like four hours a day. Sometimes I feel like I live in that temptation room. We are forever baking something or another either for small group or MOPS or dinner guests or because our children watch Super Why and that episode was about carrot applesauce cake. Then there's our pantry cupboard that is filled with candy that we use as incentives (bribes) for our children. I'll be honest. My palate naturally gravitates toward salty, crisp snacks like chips. Chips are expensive, ergo we don't buy chips. Good for me. Candy is cheap, ergo we buy candy. Bad for me. And when I focus on not eating the candy or baked goods, that's when I gobble it down. It's like driving. I was taught in Driver's Ed back in the day that if you focus on something, you'll naturally gravitate toward it whilst controlling a giant vehicle (or a not-so-giant...

I so want to read more books this year than last year and I'm making headway on that (helps I was sick the past few days and made it halfway through one book and today I made it a quarter way through another). Anyway, I like to mix up my book likes with fiction, nonfiction, Christian disciplines, etc. Below Stairs by Margaret Powell was the inspiration behind Downton Abbey. If you haven't seen this show, check it out. It's on its third season on PBS; I can't wait for this season to be over so I can watch it on Netflix. Yes, first world problem. Below Stairs is a memoir of a really lower-class gal, Margaret, who became a kitchen maid and then eventually a cook. She details her life at different houses she worked for. I know that sometimes people still look down upon those of a lesser economic status but it's nothing compared to those times! The help was seen as almost subhuman; it's crazy. Downton Abbey almost romanticizes the staff and even some parts of...

I know I wrote a few weeks ago about my New Year's Resolutions . Now, I like resolutions because it's just a new start to a new year. I love fresh starts. That is one thing I love so much about God is that He is the Lord of fresh starts! I failed to mention in my NYR that my biggest resolution, which is the same year after year, is to look more Christ like this year than last. Not physically - the beard isn't my thing. But inside. I want to rely on Him more in the every day. I want to be desperate for Him every day. I want have more patience, love more (without borders!), be more joyful (which is part of my counting my blessings in the Joy Dare ). Those are really hard resolutions. I've been working on that patience thing for...the good part of a decade. Yet I won't give up. Because I know that God will transform me "by the renewing of [my] mind" by the Spirit challenging me. A friend said "if you're tired of pulling yourself up by your boots...

I'm on a reading streak lately, if you haven't noticed. My newest finish is Deadrise by Robert Blake Whitehill. I'm not generally a reader of a thriller like this, but I'm glad I finished it. Besides some unsavory language and sexual content, the characters in this book were well-rounded. They were believable - you could believe in a person like Ben Blackshaw and Maynard Chalk (even as disgusting as he is). Whitehill really developed each character in this book so they weren't so out there (even though some of the personalities were out there) that you couldn't believe in them. I appreciate the thought that went in to each person, major and minor. The writing is great in this book except for a few excerpts, mostly the ones about Maynard Chalk and his business relationship with a senator. Those really were ones that I skimmed over because I didn't feel they were really important to the ongoing plot, and yet you couldn't have left them out because ...

If you've read God Gave Us You, you've heard of Lisa T. Bergren. Wonderful children's book! Bergren's new book, Upside-Down Prayers for Parents, will be released February 19, 2013. It's a 31-day devotional that helps parents help their children - and themselves - to trust God. I like that this devotional doesn't take me very long to read but I get a lot out of it. It's challenging to me at a Christian and a mother. It's called Upside-Down Prayers because you will be praying for things for your children that sound like stuff you wouldn't want to happen to your children. For instance: I pray you'll know what it is to be lonely. Wow. I don't want my kids to be lonely! But if you finish the prayer, "and find intimacy with the One who is always beside you" then it makes sense. I don't want my kids to be lonely, but if their loneliness leads them to the Lord, then be lonely children! A few other prayers you'll be praying ...

No, this is not a fashion piece (although, if you do enjoy fashion, Together in Ten is a cute site). I was reading "This Momentary Marriage" and I'm reading it very slowly (very) because it's a complex piece with a lot to take in. Anyway, I came to the part where he's talking about clothing. Why we wear it - Adam and Eve clothed themselves in shame after disobeying and rebelling from God. It said that God dressed them after their clothes weren't suitable because it was appropriate to show that they were not what they ought to be. So we are not what we ought to be - perfect and holy. The book says that nudity is a rebellion against God because He clothed us, deciding that because of the fall it was appropriate to show that we weren't what we should be. Then it says that using clothing as a way to show power, prestige, and something else was wrong as well because clothing is a statement of our sin, not something to be proud of. It says clothing should b...

I love making resolutions and goals. You can do it any time, of course, but I really like the New Year's Resolutions. A fresh start. I can't remember what I resolved to do last year (I'm not sure if that's good or bad), but here are my goals and resolutions for 2013: - write more letters (while organizing I came across letters and cards. I want that again. Nothing like snail mail.) - have unintentional Facebook time once a week. Other times on there must be specific, get on and get off. - run 26.2 consecutive miles (in May) - take 1 walk (at least) per week with my boys (weather permitting) - 1,000 blessings joy dare from Ann Voskamp That's really it. I want to improve my prayer life but I don't have a specific goal for that. I also want to read more books, but, again, there is no specific goal. I'd like to lose that weight hanging on from LAST Christmas, but no real specified goal (other than the 26.2 training). What about you? Any goals th...

If you've never heard of Jessica Heights, please check out her blog! She is very encouraging and so is her new ebook: 100 Pound Loser (How I Ate What I Wanted, Had Four Babies, and Finally Took Control of My Weight - And You Can Too!). What a mouthful that title is BUT there are a lot of helpful encouragement in this book for anyone who wants to take control of their weight. Tis the season to begin your weight loss goals, right? I know I did in January 2010, but please don't let this season discourage you as we all hold on to those extra pounds from the holidays. It's hard to pass up on the pumpkin pie or pecan pie or cheesecake or sugar cookies or any of the other endless goodies shoved in your face by well-meaning neighbors and family. One of my favorite parts of 100 Pound Loser is where Jessica tells a secret: she eats what she wants! If she has a craving, she eats that thing! She has found that if she doesn't, she'll skim on other food items looking for som...