Finding Inspiration: Have you prayed about it as much as you have talked about it?

Ah, a very, very simple and important question. My answer to that is no. This is one of my down falls.

Now don't get me wrong...I am a God-fearing, praying woman. But, do I always turn to God with my troubles? No. Do I always turn to God and praise or thank Him when I have one of those just perfect days? No. Do I say a prayer for someone who hurts my feelings, offends me, or rubs me the wrong way? Sometimes.

I am in imperfect person made by a perfect God. So, what do I do in these circumstances? I turn to others...my husband, friends, coworkers. I go to them with my complaints and praises more often than I go to God. I need to work on this. I need to be thankful to Him first. I need to turn to Him for answers first. I need to talk about it less and pray about it more!

xoxo

1 Corinthians 14:15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.

James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Summer=getting fit...right?

Summer is here!!!!

Well, not technically, but my spring semester is finished up which means summer is here for me. I began this blog during a school break (and have since been a slacker with sharing my deeply profound thoughts with the internet world.) So, I feel it is only appropriate that I get back to this fun blogging stuff while I have some free time again.

Taking care of your body is tough. I don't care who you are. It isn't just about counting calories. We have to stay active and make sure that we are filling our body with fuel that is actually healthy. You know...that stuff called nutrients.

I am ashamed at the shape I have let myself get to. As a very active person, I'm quite disturbed that I haven't found ways to take better care of myself even with the hectic schedule of work and school.

So, I am jumping on the bandwagon of blogging about health and weight loss. I will be researching through Pinterest, health mags, other blogs, etc. for realistic ways to stay healthy without devoting unrealistic time to doing so. I mean, come on....we're ALL busy!

Here's my first find...INSANITY! And, as I do this (I plan to only do it three days a week because I want to devote the amount of time to it that I would when I am loaded down with a heavy school load) I will update how I felt about the workouts and the progress that I am making. I have to say that this is not about weight loss for me. Overall, I am not that heavy of a person and I have a pretty petite frame. I'm just getting jiggly and my body is trying to express to my mind that it hates what I have done to it. Maintaning a healthy body is really my goal here.

So, here is the Insanity link I stumbled across on Pinterest. Feel free to jump on the health train with me and keep me updated on your progress and share your healthy secrets!

xoxo

Balancing "Self"

I'm slightly behind on my weekly inspirational posts. Okay, I'm more than slightly behind. I have to figure out something else with my time management skills to keep up with the blogging. I should also cut back the amount of time I spend on Pinterest.

However, I did come across a topic I wanted to address which is heart breaking and inspirational to me... Tiger Woods.

I have never been much of a Tiger Woods follower. In fact, I'm not much of a golf enthusiast. But, I did admire him. I admired the passion he had for the work he did. He was almost like an enigma with his flashy smile and trademark fist pump. But, what happens to us when we are no longer successful at one of our main identifiers? Tiger Woods is no longer the best golfer in the world. He has lost that shine that drew people into him.

As a normal and boring human being, I identify myself with so many characteristics. I am a Christian, a woman, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a student, a hard-worker, a mommy to furry animals, a sports and music lover...I could go on and on. What happens to us when we are so dominated by one of these characteristics and then we lose our shine like Tiger did? You often hear about people falling into depression once children head off to college or when someone retires. How do we keep a healthy balance of self-identification?

I feel as though I am putting so much energy into being a student and a good employee, that my other "roles" are somewhat suffering. I can relate to Tiger. We thrive in certain roles and it easily consumes us, leaving other aspects of our lives to suffer.

Here is where Mr. Woods is my inspiration. I must work on being fair to myself and others in my life. It will be okay if I make a B or a C on that quiz, if it means that I get to spend a little extra time with my husband or if we get to experience a lovely Sunday evening worship. I hope that Tiger is taking steps as well to find other successful identifiers in his life.

Puppy love.

I'm starting an animal shelter. Plain and simple. I don't care what I have to do. I try to be compassionate and empathetic with people. But, I just cannot understand what kind of heartless people can abandon an animal. How can someones conscience allow them to leave a living and breathing animal in a parking lot, under a house, in trashcans, in ditches? Especially a puppy!!! My four-legged friends are part of the family. They are just like my kids. A family member/friend/co-worker of mine recently found an itty bitty puppy abandoned under her neighbors house.

<------ This sweet little thing with one blue eye!!!

She's also a savior of doggies and has three "kids" of her own. So what does she do? Beg friends and family? Call an animal shelter? Call some dog rescue?

Well, I'm doing it. I'm going to rescue them all. All those little mutts that get abandoned. It's a work in progress. I got some plans going. I'll keep you posted.

Until then, rescue a dog. Or a cat for that matter. Go to a shelter and find a sweet, furry, four-legged creature that responds to your voice. Take them home and make them part of your family. PLEASE!

xoxo

Finding inspiration.

"A southern gal's life" doesn't have much of a theme yet other than the fact that it's about things going on in my life. Simply put, my only goal thus far is to post about things I enjoy and I think others will enjoy as well.

Since there is no real theme yet, I thought I should at least start a trend. I don't have a lot of time to blog. In fact, the only reason I have done three posts this week is because it was a class assignment. But, I think I should do at least one post a week and I these weekly posts should be "themed."

I've pondered this over the last two days. What's something themed but different? What is something that I could continually find a different topic or angle on but keep it all related? What's something everyone loves?

Feeling inspired of course. We love the happy endings in movies. We love finding the good in others. We love finding the good in ourselves and feeling some kind of achievement. So, this will be my new goal. Find something inspirational and share it.

From another blog, I found one of the most inspiring things I've seen in a long time. I hope this is the only way, from this point on, I ever criticize my husband. This is so beautiful and touching. It shows the true bond of marriage. Hope you enjoy.

25 Prayers for My Husband. I pray… 1. that he continues to grow spiritually through the disciplines of Bible study, prayer, and quiet times. (Proverbs 4:23) 2. that his relationship with God will bear much fruit in his life, and that he will be a man who seeks wisdom and understanding. (Proverbs 3:7, Psalm 112:1) 3. that he would walk humbly with God, and would always be convicted quickly about any sin in his life. (Micah 6:8) 4. that he will continue to grow as the leader of our family, and that God would be glorified in our marriage. (Ephesians 5:25-29) 5. that he would have a teachable spirit and a servant’s heart, and that he will listen to God and desire to do His will. (Proverbs 15:33) 6. that he would always look to the way of escape from any kind of temptation, and that he would rely on God to remain faithful to our marriage, and to God. (1 Corinthians 10:13) 7. that he would safeguard his heart against inappropriate relationships with the opposite sex, and this heart would pure and undivided in his commitment to me and to our marriage. (Proverbs 6:23-25) 8. that he would continue to be able to provide for our family, and that he will not become discouraged by doing work he does not enjoy. 9. that money would never become a source of discord in our family, and that we would be wise in handling finances and in stewardship. (Luke 16:13) 10. that the words he speaks will build our family, and reflect a heart of love. (Proverbs 18:21) 11. that our physical intimacy would be a positive reflection of selfless love. (Song of Solomon 7:10) 12. that the men in his life would encourage his accountability before God, and that he would be a godly influence on his friends and coworkers. (Proverbs 13:20, 27:17) 13. that he would choose healthy foods and activities, and honor God by taking the best possible care of his body as the tabernacle of God. (1 Corinthians 6:19) 14. for his strength — physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. (Ephesians 3:16) 15. for him to have wisdom and discernment in training/disciplining our children, and that You would enable him to love them unconditionally. (Ephesians 6:4) 16. that he would always have an eternal perspective, and make the most of however much time he has in this life. (Ephesians 5:16) 17. that he would always be a man of peace, who allows the Holy Spirit to lead his responses in all situations. (Romans 14:19) 18. that he would have a balanced life in regards to work and play, and that he would submit his schedule to You. (Proverbs 16:9) 19. for him to find favor with the Lord, but also with people he knows and interacts with. (Luke 2:52) 20. that he would enjoy peace and refreshment in his relationship with the Lord. (Psalm 16:11) 21. that he would always be courageous in his stand against evil and injustice, and that he will protect our family from Satan’s attacks. (Ephesians 6:13) 22. that he would be a man of prayer, seeking God in purposeful ways. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) 23. that he will serve God and others with pure motives, and that God would be glorified in everything he does. (Colossians 3:23-24) 24. that he would offer all this dreams to the Lord, and pursue only those that bring God glory, and that count for eternity. (Jeremiah 29:11) 25. that he will recognize the lies of the enemy in his life, and that he will always be guided by the Truth. (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

*25 Prayers for my Husband was found on http://www.seejamieblog.com/

Pinning! Pinning! Pinning! Food! Food! Food!

I planned on my next blog post being about the art of packing light. But, I haven't started my practice runs on filling only one suitcase, so I need to do a subject change.

It's nearing that time of year where we crave comfort foods. We all want stews, soups, cornbread and savory desserts. I like to think I'm a pretty decent cook. Not a chef. And, I'm definitely not innovative with my cooking. It has only been within the last couple years that I have ventured out from my mastered basics...spaghetti, pork chops, bbq chicken. I need recipes to try new things. I need recipes that are simple, direct and do not require a ton of ingredients because I do not keep anything fancy in my kitchen. So, Pinterest has been PERFECT in making me go from a pretty decent cook to a dang decent cook.

Here are a couple of the ridiculously easy recipes I have found and successfully tackled that were a huge hit.




Click here for baked potato soup recipe.
*I followed these directions exactly except I cut my cooking time in the Crock pot to 3 1/2 hours on high. Turned out perfect. The hubby really, really liked this one.






Click here for easy pumpkin muffins recipe.
*the only changes I made to this recipe was that I added a little bit of cinnamon and 1/4 cup milk and the cook time for mine at 350 degrees was 30 minutes.


ENJOY!!

The dirty 30 update...kind of.

My 30 before 30 list has not progressed as well as I had planned. I really believed I would be a beer brewing, Spanish speaking, picture snapping, belly dancing, tango strutting, salsa shaking, hot tamale by now. This is not the case. But, I have crossed # 13 off the list: get a new tattoo. Yippee!!!



However, nine days from now, the hubby and I will be relaxing and celebrating for our two-year anniversary in Estes Park, Colo. (VACATION!!!!!!! Yes-I did just scream that out loud.)

We have already booked snow skiing lessons, which will allow me to cross off # 6. And, I am looking into the mountain climbing, the bungee jumping and the concert at Red Rocks. I will be cooking our Thanksgiving dinner for the two of us at the cabin which will give me a shot at SUCCESSFULLY making mashed potatoes as well.

Today is my 28th birthday which leaves me exactly two years to get on the grind. Keep ya posted!

......Next post: Teaching myself the art of packing lightly since we will have the 3 "kids" along for the ride.

Not Guilty

I recently purchased the NIV "Women’s Devotional Bible," and I must say that it is definitely one of my wisest purchases. I try to set aside at least a few minutes every day to dive into the scripture. However, my King James Version just wasn’t given me what I needed. I was seeking some guidance to apply to the daily struggles we all face in life and I wasn’t finding it there. So, the Amazon search began and I came across the Women’s Devotional Bible. It is just what I needed. The devotionals have all been extremely helpful, but a couple weeks ago I found one that was exactly what I was searching for. I have a crazy, hectic schedule and I often take on more than I can handle. I get stressed and feel guilty if something doesn’t get done just right, or if the kitchen floor doesn’t get swept, or if Kevin is home on the weekend and I have committed my time to something other than spending time with him. This devotional “Not Guilty” has been extremely helpful as I work on trying to worry less with these small things. Just thought I really needed to share something so inspirational to me.

Not Guilty

Isn’t it painful to harm others unintentionally? Premeditated evils can’t be set right by our finite sense of justice, even if guilt then rests on our own head. But imagine the fear and frustration of being held accountable for hundreds of violations that you committed without knowing it. Nothing you ever did would be good enough; you would carry around the guilt of wrongs you never intended to commit. Talk about paranoia.

Yet in Old Testament times, you would certainly have been guilty of such unwitting sins, and they would have required blood sacrifice. The Law of God was clear; no one could be good enough, not even those who sinned without awareness, unintentionally. Few of us think of sin in these terms today, but God remains the same. His standard of perfection cannot be attained, even by the best of us on our best day.

The sacrifices of the Old Testament foreshadowed the ultimate sacrifice: Jesus Christ. When Jesus offered himself on the cross, he paid the debt of sin in full. He declared his followers “not guilty.” The law was fulfilled. We no longer need the sacrifice of a ram to cleanse us from the sins we knowingly commit or the sins we intentionally commit.  No other blood sacrifice will ever be required.

Women today are often burdened by guilt. We are inundated with “should” and “oughts.” We feel guilty if we work; guilty if we don’t; guilty for not spending enough time with our husbands, kids and friends; and guilty for not taking time for God and ourselves. We have a hard time knowing when we’re really guilty and when we suffer from false guilt. But Jesus’ declaration from the cross that we are not guilty covers all our sins-even the unintentional ones. Instead of blood sacrifice, we can make offerings of gratitude: repentance, praise and service.

We all both unintentionally and intentionally wrong God and others. But Jesus Christ bought our forgiveness on the cross. Offer him the sacrifice of confession, and you’ll be covered for overlooking the things you should have done and the things you ought not have. Then pour out the sacrifice of praise. Present the sacrifice of service, helping others in God’s name, for “love covers over a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8) Despair has no place here; our advocate perfectly kept even the hidden laws.

The dreaded 30!

I will turn 28 in November....I can't believe it! I almost had a mental breakdown when I turned 25. My thought process of it was that I was halfway to 50. When I look at it that way, sure I'm going to have a breakdown! I haven't handled any year since that 25th birthday any better. So, I'm trying a different approach in the upcoming 2 years. There are so many things I want to do in life. And, as much fun as I've had in my almost 28 years of living, I haven't accomplished very many of these things. Well, that changes right now!

I have compiled my 30 before 30 list. This was actually a lot more difficult to do than I thought it would be. I had hundreds of ideas, but I had to be realistic. This isn't a bucket list. So, I had to make sure the list only contained things that I thought were achievable. I also wanted to make sure that I included things I could do entirely on my own but also include things I can achieve with my husband, my family, and my friends. I want to travel all over the world, but I knew I couldn't travel all over the world in 2 years. So, maybe once I do hit 30, I'll start another one. An actual bucket list. Maybe this way I won't let these things I want to achieve so badly slip by me again. So, here it is.

1. Graduate college

2. Change careers

3. Begin Master’s degree

4. Become fluent in a foreign language

5. Go scuba diving

6. Go snow-skiing

7. Buy land

8. Learn to technically play piano

9. Open an animal shelter

10. Go bungee jumping

11. Have a girls-only weekend

12. Learn to brew beer

13. Get a new tattoo

14. Go mountain climbing

15. Learn how to salsa

16. Complete a full marathon

17. Go to Aquapalooza

18. Take a hot air balloon ride

19. See a concert at Red Rocks

20. Learn to play the mandolin well

21. Learn to photograph well

22. Take a belly dancing class

23. Have Lasik surgery

24. Learn how to tango

25. Quit smoking for the 18^th and final time

26. SUCCESSFULLY make real mashed potatoes

27. Buy a fixer-upper

28. Swim under a waterfall

29. Plant a garden and not kill it in a month

30. Spend my 30^th birthday with my husband in paradise

Home truly is where the heart is.

It does not matter where we roam, there is usually only one place which truly feels like home.

I believe that people are genuinely good and decent. I am a sucker and I guess somewhat naive and romantic like that. But, when Kevin and I went to Joplin, MO to volunteer on Memorial Day weekend we experienced just that, the outstanding good nature and resiliance of people.  The devistation in Joplin truly is unbelievable and heart wrenching. As we made our way through town to Mt. Hope Christian Church, where we were volunteering, you often could not tell what was a business or what was a home. Everything was leveled, debris was scattered, power lines were twisted into 100 year old trees which had been uprooted in an area of nearly 7 miles in length, caused by an F5 tornado that was a mile and a half wide. The only thing close that I could possibly compare the destruction to is a war zone.

Once we arrived at Mt. Hope, we were quickly overwhelmed with a feeling of awe when we saw all those who were there to help. At least a hundred cars filled the parking lot, and so many items had been donated that they had to begin moving the items to an off site storage facility. Volunteers continued to show up all day long. Some came in convoys of Silverados and F-150s loaded down with young men and chainsaws. With their hands already in work gloves, the only questions they had were, "Where do you wants us?" or "How can we help? There's 16 of us with 16 chainsaws." The size of these men's hearts was truly immeasurable. Shortly after 9:00 a.m., tornado victims began showing up. Mt. Hope was giving out supplies to those in need. And, most often, the first words out of these victims mouths were, "I really hate to ask for help." They were also very willing to share their horror stories of what they experienced during the tornado. There was a woman who made it out alive of her 2 story duplex by hiding in the utility closet, lying on top of the washer and dryer with her husband lying on top of her holding on to the hot water heater. The 3 walls around them and 6 of the steps up to the second floor, which is where she found her two small dogs, were the only things left standing. She found her car later in the evening in a park nearly 4 blocks away. Then there was the 17 year old boy, who had no parents. He lives in an apartment on his own, still attends high school, and works as a delivery driver for Dominos. He was inside the Dominos when it was leveled and his car was ruined. The only items that he came in to ask for at Mt. Hope was food and water since he no longer had a job or transportation. The very last person I assisted was a woman I had been working with all day. Her rental home was demolished and she was there as a volunteer. I asked all of these people if they would be leaving Joplin to start over, or find a place to stay since options are somewhat limited for them there; they all said no because Joplin was their home.

After a physically and emotionally exhausting day, Kevin and I came home forever changed. Because you see, we would also need help in a disaster like that. We own our home, thus we have homeowners insurance, but what we would do in the meantime? Where would we go? Would we respond as eloquently and thankful just for being alive as those inspiring victims we met in Joplin? I sure hope so. I think that our short 12 hours in Joplin made us appreciate each other and the home where our hearts are significantly more.