Life

Each step of life is a journey that you choose to walk.

Each moment of life is another line, sentence, paragraph and chapter of the book called your life.

Enjoy all that life has to offer, good friends, good food, good coffee and as always wisdom and a good laugh.

~Jen





20 January 2013

A little down time...

is what is in order at the moment. I don't seem to have a lot of down time, so when I do, I truly enjoy it.




















Some of the new changes that we have started since the first of the year have really had some great positive affects on my family and to be honest, on me. I really like our family Tuesday game nights and that we have been going out to our local county park for the kids to enjoy skateboarding, tennis and the playground while my husband, the dogs and I enjoy the 1 mile walk path around a man made pond. I honestly believe that these "little" changes are going to make big differences in our lives, and will give us a stronger family foundation.




It may not seem like much right now, but when a relationship becomes stagnant or strained then it's time to think outside the box and work on the parts that are not working or broken. If changes are not made (when even just one of you) then bigger problems are right around the corner. I know for me it has to be a mind change. To find the good and right in each relationship and work on the parts that aren't. That is my goal this year, to LOVE and to be my best for the ones that are closest in my life. I want the ones that I say I love the most, to get the best of me, not the worst.

I remember in Karate Bible Class yesterday that one of our adult students had shared this true concept with the pre-teen/teenagers that I teach. She said, that most of the time we are nicest to the people we don't even know and we are the most awful to the ones we say we love the most.

So how are you loving? Are you taking time to spend with your family, your husband, wife, children, parents? Love them more than you love anyone else. Take time to play a game, prepare a meal, or go to the park.



~Peace & Blessings~
Jen

15 January 2013

Half way through January...


 which is so hard to believe. Time seems to go by so fast. For the past 15 days my family and I have been on a new journey, one of restoring our health. It has not been as hard as what I thought it might have been. For me, it's a journey that I hope to stay on for the rest of my life, but I have to remember to take it one day at a time. I think what has made the transition easier is that we are doing this as a family.

We have added more vegetables to our diet, and even though I have seen some improvement, it was not until my youngest son's teacher said to me that he has made major improvement in his study habits and in his attitude during school and asked me what we were doing differently. That was an eye opener for me. I knew that what we eat does make a difference in our attitudes, but to have someone who did not know that we were cutting out unnecessary sugars and fats out of our diet say that they have already noticed a difference was such a positive reinforcement of what we are doing!


And as far as Parker, our 4 year old dog, he has shown great improvements in his health too. He is on insulin 2 times a day (for now), but I told the vet today that we are making our own dog food for him, and for his sister (she's just over 1 years old). We have noticed more energy in him, and he seems to be more alert and overall, more happy. It's amazing to me the difference.


This is only the beginning, and I do plan on giving updates, to include inches lost, weight lost, and body fat loss. It is going to be a hard road ahead, but as I read today on a friends page, it's not easy, but it's worth it.


~Peace & Blessings~
Jen

10 January 2013

Encouraged!

 Today I went to my youngest child's school. I have been going twice a week to help him with his reading. They have this program called AR, and he wants to "get more points". This is the first time he has ever shown excitement towards reading, so I want to be a positive encouragement in this change.


When I got up to the school, I spoke with his teacher and she was just so excited to tell me that she loves the new improved positive attitude that she has seen in the past couple of weeks. She asked me what is different. The only thing that has changed is our eating habits. And yes...it has made a real difference in not just his life, but all of us! Real food, that our bodies can process, digest and use gets us feeling better, restores the natural balance that our bodies are craving for, and by golly, you can eat more, consume less calories, feel satisfied, and have overall better for you energy that lets you focus and get more done.

It was so encouraging to hear her say that she has seen a difference! (because she had no idea that we were making these changes at home) Maybe you want to make a positive change in you or your family. I'm not saying it's easy (because it's not), but it is so worth it. Start with baby steps. Instead of drinking a soda, drink a glass of water. Instead of eating a candy bar (or several) buy a bag of cherries (it cost about the same and is so much better for you). I'm sure that I'll be sharing more as we continue to change our eating habits. I hope that you are encouraged to make a change too.

~Peace & Blessings~
Jen

"A Night of Hope & Healing" Concert to Pay Tribute to Sandy Hook Tragedy | TodaysChristianMusic.com

I know that many of you in the Golden Isles won't be attending, however I ask that you pray for this event. Please read the article by the link provided, and if you know of anyone in the CT area that may want to attend, share it with them.

"A Night of Hope & Healing" Concert to Pay Tribute to Sandy Hook Tragedy | TodaysChristianMusic.com

~Peace & Blessings~
Jen

04 January 2013

Stellar start...

to 2013, and yes that is a bit sarcastic.


 I have been posting on Facebook about our older dog (almost 5) Parker. After we came back from North Carolina he seemed to have a cold that he couldn't seem to shake. We took him to the vet on Monday. He spent two days at the vet to stabilize his sugar and to start him on antibiotics. He has an infection that was offset by his diabetes.  On the heels of this new normal, we also received news that my Mother-In-Law has stage one uterine cancer. It has been caught early, and I do believe that she will make a full recovery, but prayers are appreciated. After I received that news, I then find out that my sisters Mother-In-Law has terminal cancer. I'm asking for prayer for her and her family too.


As far as my "resolutions" so far...not too bad. I'm keeping up with my water change, and I have been praying more. As far as the rest...I'm taking them day by day, but so far so good. I'm sure that I'll slip up, but I also know that I will improve in my overall health this year. It's not easy to change bad habits. I know that people want you to succeed, but when you are in the middle of the changes, and you become irrational, irritable, or just plain mean, then they are ready for you to throw in the towel "just to have you normal"...LOL...I'm hoping that I can resist that temptation when it comes.


So that's where I am at the end of week 1 of 2013. How are your resolutions going so far? Leave me a post. Can I pray for you? If so, let me know in the comment section.


~Peace & Blessings~
Jen

01 January 2013

The beginning of a new year...




There is something about new beginnings that brings hope and a sense of renewal. Even with the all the ups and downs of last year, I am thankful for the opportunity to grow. With this being a new year I feel like I can have another chance. I am not big on the whole "New Years Resolutions" but I am wanting to make changes, so by default, I am making resolutions.



I don't know why we are so scared to say that we are making resolutions. Maybe it's because if we fail, or don't change, then we have let ourselves down (and no one wants to do that). It could also be that if we don't succeed in our change then we would be looked at as a failure.



So why make resolutions at all? I'm sure that the answer is different for each and every one of us. For me, it is because I want to be a better me. Better by whose standard, you may ask. Better by God's standard. He has a plan for me, for you. If we are born into sin, and saved only by accepting that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, then it should be a no brainer that once we accept Jesus as Lord, then He is going to begin a work in us.

Ephesians 2:10-13, "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands) remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ."

That means He is going to begin to change us, make us more like Him. God's Word says that we are a New Creature in Christ (that means change).
 2 Corinthians 5:17-18, " Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation."

The Bible also says that we are to be imitators of Christ (that means change).  

1 John 3:1-3, "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

My resolutions probably look a lot like yours, but here's my simple list:

  • Drink 8 ounces of water every 2 hours to improve overall health
  • Work out 4 times a week to improve physical health
  • Quiet time for an hour with God to improve spiritual health & to have a closer relationship with God

It may not be much of a list, but it is enough. It's not about "success", it's about striving everyday to improve in each area of my life. So what are your resolutions?



~Peace & Blessings~
Jen