So, Lent is coming up, and while I am not Catholic, I am thinking about giving up something very precious to me for the Lent season. I think my dear friend, Mountain Dew, needs to leave my body for a while, along with most other sugar. I am waaaaaay too dependent on sugar in my diet, mostly as an energy booster (I know, I know, it's good for a quick high but then you come down hard and fast. I KNOW!!). I don't need the unnecessary calories, and sugar packs pounds on me quicker than anything.
I have always had a major sweet tooth. However, when I was pregnant, I had to give up most sugar, and carbs in general, because I had gestational diabetes. Believe it or not, it was not as hard as I thought it was going to be. I think that's because I knew it was good for Sydney as well as for myself. I worked with a diabetes specialist who really kept me on track, and Sydney was born as a healthy baby on March 19th, 2007 (almost 2 years ago- YIKES!!).
Just after I gave birth to Sydney, I asked Todd to bring me a Mountain Dew. Mistake #1!! I should have NEVER taken that first sip because now I have a Mountain Dew almost every day. UGH!!! Shortly after I came home from the hospital, Wheat Thins (along with Mountain Dew, of course!) became my choice of snack. Mistake #2!! I lost my baby weight very quickly, but as I started introducing more sugar and carbs into my diet, my weight began to creep back up (I have blogged about this before!!). Now, almost two years later, I have an unhealthy dependance on sugar and carbs, and especially on Mountain Dew (not so much on Wheat Thins, though).
I figure that Lent provides a great opportunity for me to try and give up sugar, and more specifically Mountain Dew, in my diet. I'm not fooling myself into thinking it will be easy because it's "only for 40 days." Believe me, it will only be by blood, sweat, and tears that I will be able to do this!! Maybe if I blog about it along the way I will be held more accountable. If I am successful at the whole Lent thing, then maybe I will give up Mountain Dew, and most other sugars and carbs, for good. We will have to wait and see!!
Have you ever give up anything for Lent? If so, how did you do it? Did you stick with it once Lent was over??
Friday, February 20, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Goose Bumps
Do you ever have experiences with your children that give you goose bumps? I had an experience like that with Sydney tonight. We were riding in the car listening to my new Avalon CD. Avalon is one of my all-time favorite Christian groups, and their new CD is of their Greatest Hits. Each song gives me chills, and I loooooove listening to Avalon for their lyrical and musical talents!
Tonight as Sydney and I were riding in the car listening to Avalon, I had the radio cranked up LOUD. I was singing my heart out as my daughter was clapping, singing, and head banging in the back seat (she likes to do that!). Each time a song would end, Sydney would say, "More, more!" and I would tell her that another song was about to begin. She and I were having such a great time singing and worshiping together!
On Avalon's new Greatest Hits CD, there is one new release called Still My God. When I heard this song, the lyrics spoke VOLUMES to my heart. Here is what the song said:
Up and down
Like the tide is moving in and out
We're in motion
And the ocean pulls us under
And even there You're found
You never change
So I will say
If I'm standing on the mountain
Or drowning in the sea
If I am filled with hope or crying out for mercy
If I'm singing hallelujah
Or scared to make a sound
When I am learning how to walk or when I'm falling down
I'm saying
You are still my God
Jesus, you are still my God
In a world
Where so much seems uncertain
You remain both for the strong and broken
No matter where we are
You are never far
And nothing changes who You are
You were
You are
You will be forever
As I heard this song and began to sing along in praise to God, I looked in the back seat, and Sydney was doing the same. She was clapping and singing louder than I was!! It was such a precious and heart-felt moment for me. To share my love for God with my child who means the world to me, to show her God's love as she grows into the person He desires her to be, is the MOST IMPORTANT thing I can do as her mother. I am by noooo means a perfect mom, and I get a lot of things wrong. BUT if I can demonstrate my love for God to my daughter, and if she can grow to love Him as her Savior, then I have done my job as her mother. There is NO greater thing I can do for her.
My prayer for Sydney is that she will have a child-like faith in God that will deepen throughout her life. May she always know how much God loves her through the ups and downs of life, and may He always be Still My God to her!
Tonight as Sydney and I were riding in the car listening to Avalon, I had the radio cranked up LOUD. I was singing my heart out as my daughter was clapping, singing, and head banging in the back seat (she likes to do that!). Each time a song would end, Sydney would say, "More, more!" and I would tell her that another song was about to begin. She and I were having such a great time singing and worshiping together!
On Avalon's new Greatest Hits CD, there is one new release called Still My God. When I heard this song, the lyrics spoke VOLUMES to my heart. Here is what the song said:
Up and down
Like the tide is moving in and out
We're in motion
And the ocean pulls us under
And even there You're found
You never change
So I will say
If I'm standing on the mountain
Or drowning in the sea
If I am filled with hope or crying out for mercy
If I'm singing hallelujah
Or scared to make a sound
When I am learning how to walk or when I'm falling down
I'm saying
You are still my God
Jesus, you are still my God
In a world
Where so much seems uncertain
You remain both for the strong and broken
No matter where we are
You are never far
And nothing changes who You are
You were
You are
You will be forever
As I heard this song and began to sing along in praise to God, I looked in the back seat, and Sydney was doing the same. She was clapping and singing louder than I was!! It was such a precious and heart-felt moment for me. To share my love for God with my child who means the world to me, to show her God's love as she grows into the person He desires her to be, is the MOST IMPORTANT thing I can do as her mother. I am by noooo means a perfect mom, and I get a lot of things wrong. BUT if I can demonstrate my love for God to my daughter, and if she can grow to love Him as her Savior, then I have done my job as her mother. There is NO greater thing I can do for her.
My prayer for Sydney is that she will have a child-like faith in God that will deepen throughout her life. May she always know how much God loves her through the ups and downs of life, and may He always be Still My God to her!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Volition
I had a co-worker email a very powerful short film to me. It is called "Volition," and it represents three classes of people who have been oppressed- Jews, African Americans, and unborn children. I urge you to take a few moments, open your heart, and view this film. I pray that it touches you as much as it did me.
Volition
Volition
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Is It Just Me??
Is it just me, or did any of you find a "disconnect" in President Obama's moral thinking today (well, actually yesterday since I am posting this after 1 AM)? President Obama signed two very important legislative orders today, and I am personally having a hard time coming to grips with how Obama's mind works.
The first legislative order that Obama signed dealt with the closing of the Guantanamo Bay prison and the manner in which the US military treats its foreign prisoners. In a nutshell, from what I understand, Obama does not agree with the way that foreign prisoners have been treated and some of the tactics that US military officials have used to gather information from prisoners (i.e. forms of what he considers torture). Obama feels that there are more humane ways of gathering intelligence information from these prisoners without compromising the security of our nation. I get that, but here's what I DON'T get.
On the same day that Obama signed legislation to preserve the rights of foreign prisoners, he also signed an order to reverse prior legislation that "prohibits U.S. money from funding international family-planning clinics that promote abortion or provide counseling or referrals about abortion services." Basically, your tax money and mine can now go to foreign clinics that promote abortion.
Now, here is where the disconnect in Obama's moral thinking comes into play for me. Why is it NOT OK to torture foreign prisoners, but it IS OK to kill innocent babies?? I just don't get that. When Obama discussed the Guantanamo Bay ruling today, he said, "We the people will uphold our fundamental values as vigilantly as we protect our security. Once again, America's moral example must be the bedrock and the beacon of our global leadership." I don't know about you, but MY moral example does NOT coincide with President Obama's moral example!! I don't see how you can work so hard to protect the "rights" of terrorists (and let's face it, people, that's who is held at Guantanamo Bay), but you can be so quick to take away the rights of innocent children. That form of thinking is just beyond my understanding.
I know we can all debate for endless hours on each of these subjects (along with the death penalty), and we all have a moral "compass" for our thoughts and feelings. I just find it so profoundly interesting that Obama was soooo quick to care about the rights of prisoners but at the same time not care at all about the right to LIFE for innocent babies.
Here are two articles that you might want to read in regard to this post:
Obama signs order to close Guantanamo Bay facility
Obama reverses abortion-funding policy
Let me be very clear that I am NOT a political expert. However, I am beginning to pay much more attention to politics than I ever have. I am not posting this to open up a can of debate and criticism about whether the treatment of prisoners or abortion is "right" or "wrong." I simply wanted to point out that two of the most important items on President Obama's agenda today seemed, at least for me, to hold very opposing values. All I know is, my morality is a bit different from Obama's.
The first legislative order that Obama signed dealt with the closing of the Guantanamo Bay prison and the manner in which the US military treats its foreign prisoners. In a nutshell, from what I understand, Obama does not agree with the way that foreign prisoners have been treated and some of the tactics that US military officials have used to gather information from prisoners (i.e. forms of what he considers torture). Obama feels that there are more humane ways of gathering intelligence information from these prisoners without compromising the security of our nation. I get that, but here's what I DON'T get.
On the same day that Obama signed legislation to preserve the rights of foreign prisoners, he also signed an order to reverse prior legislation that "prohibits U.S. money from funding international family-planning clinics that promote abortion or provide counseling or referrals about abortion services." Basically, your tax money and mine can now go to foreign clinics that promote abortion.
Now, here is where the disconnect in Obama's moral thinking comes into play for me. Why is it NOT OK to torture foreign prisoners, but it IS OK to kill innocent babies?? I just don't get that. When Obama discussed the Guantanamo Bay ruling today, he said, "We the people will uphold our fundamental values as vigilantly as we protect our security. Once again, America's moral example must be the bedrock and the beacon of our global leadership." I don't know about you, but MY moral example does NOT coincide with President Obama's moral example!! I don't see how you can work so hard to protect the "rights" of terrorists (and let's face it, people, that's who is held at Guantanamo Bay), but you can be so quick to take away the rights of innocent children. That form of thinking is just beyond my understanding.
I know we can all debate for endless hours on each of these subjects (along with the death penalty), and we all have a moral "compass" for our thoughts and feelings. I just find it so profoundly interesting that Obama was soooo quick to care about the rights of prisoners but at the same time not care at all about the right to LIFE for innocent babies.
Here are two articles that you might want to read in regard to this post:
Obama signs order to close Guantanamo Bay facility
Obama reverses abortion-funding policy
Let me be very clear that I am NOT a political expert. However, I am beginning to pay much more attention to politics than I ever have. I am not posting this to open up a can of debate and criticism about whether the treatment of prisoners or abortion is "right" or "wrong." I simply wanted to point out that two of the most important items on President Obama's agenda today seemed, at least for me, to hold very opposing values. All I know is, my morality is a bit different from Obama's.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Sydney's BIG Accomplishment!!
On January 19, 2009, on her 22nd month birthday, little Miss Sydney Lynne (aka "Peeps" for those of you who do not know) tee-tee'd in her big girl potty!! I could not have been more proud of her! We have not been trying to potty train Sydney because she's not even 2, but she has been asking to sit on her potty from time to time. Usually, she sits there for a while, we read a few books together (thanks, Mom, for the idea of doing that to pass the time!), and "nothing" happens. We give Sydney a sticker anyway and tell her we are proud of her for trying, and we will try again later.
Yesterday was a different story! Sydney wanted to sit on the potty, so off we went to her bathroom. She kept saying "poo poo," so I figured that's what I would get in her potty (I actually DREAD cleaning poop out of her potty once she starts doing that!). We sat there for about 20 minutes when all of a sudden she tee-tee'd! You could have heard me cheering a mile away! I immediately called Daddy to tell him the great news! Sydney got some stickers, LOTS of "Good Jobs!!" from me, and hugs and kisses, too.
Later in the evening, Sydney started telling Todd she wanted to go sit on her potty, so off they went. Nothing happened that time, but we are still excited about the one tee-tee we got yesterday! We'll see what happens from here! I'm not trying to have Sydney potty trained by the time she is 2, but the sooner I can get her out of diapers, the better!! Woo Hoo!!!
Yesterday was a different story! Sydney wanted to sit on the potty, so off we went to her bathroom. She kept saying "poo poo," so I figured that's what I would get in her potty (I actually DREAD cleaning poop out of her potty once she starts doing that!). We sat there for about 20 minutes when all of a sudden she tee-tee'd! You could have heard me cheering a mile away! I immediately called Daddy to tell him the great news! Sydney got some stickers, LOTS of "Good Jobs!!" from me, and hugs and kisses, too.
Later in the evening, Sydney started telling Todd she wanted to go sit on her potty, so off they went. Nothing happened that time, but we are still excited about the one tee-tee we got yesterday! We'll see what happens from here! I'm not trying to have Sydney potty trained by the time she is 2, but the sooner I can get her out of diapers, the better!! Woo Hoo!!!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Something That Made Me Think
Today I was reading a recent devotional from the Proverbs 31 Ministry. This particular devotional really struck a chord with me and made me think about the priorities in my life:
Her Children Arise and Call Her Busy
12 Jan 2009 Sandy Cooper, She Speaks Conference Graduate
"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody." I Thessalonians 4:11&12 (NIV)
"Mom, will you please tell me a story?" my eight-year-old daughter asked me recently. It had been one of those insanely packed days, full of errands, chores and activities… and it wasn't over yet. My mind strained to keep everything in order for the remaining events we had planned for the evening. I was coordinating our homeless outreach followed by plans to attend my husband's softball game. Kids had to be fed, pottied, properly clothed, and in the right places at the right times. I had to remember to bring supplies, snacks, drinks and driving directions to our various destinations. There was no brain reserve left for creative stories.
"I'm sorry, honey. I can't tell you a story right now. I just have too much on my mind.""That's okay," she said. "I'll tell you a story. Once upon a time," she began, "there was a very busy mom."Uh oh. This ought to be interesting…"She woke up every day and she was tired. She made a big pot of coffee and went into her room to pray. She prayed and prayed and prayed…but nothing happened. She did the laundry and went to Target and to the grocery store where she spent lots of money. She made dinner and cleaned the house. She went to help the homeless children. At the end of the day, she was still tired so she went to bed. The end.
"Wow. I'm like a twisted version of the Proverbs 31 woman, only much less effective.I managed to fake a smile and kiss my precious daughter on the head as I blinked back tears. Is that really how she sees me? As a tired woman with a futile prayer life? Overwhelmed and overscheduled?
I had always taken pride in the fact that I wasn't busy. Years ago I learned to say "no" to activities that ate into our family time. I value simplicity and solitude. I had even taught Bible studies about it! Yet, somehow in the midst of my un-busy life, I managed to get very busy. And now the children were taking notice. This was something I promised myself would never happen.
That night I couldn't sleep (a very rare thing for me...being as "tired" as I am and all). So at 1:00 am I got up and began journaling. For two hours, I poured out my anxious thoughts to God as I sifted through my schedule to identify where and when things had gone wrong. I listed every activity in which I am currently involved, as well as every household responsibility that was taking up my time. The process was very revealing. I discovered that it wasn't one nasty "culprit" I could quickly cast out of my life, but a series of little culprits to address:
Mismanaged time like checking and responding to e-mails over ten times a day.
Commitments which were longer than anticipated like the freelance job that was supposed to be completed two months ago.
Time management systems I previously put in place, but failed to maintain like my mailfiling system and my "write-everything-on-a-master-list" system.
Piles of clutter in my home which often left me feeling exasperated because they represented areas of my life that were out of control.
That night God helped me identify a few key areas I could immediately cut in order to be less busy. He helped me draw up and prioritize a master list of projects to tackle, as well as new chores to delegate to my children. But mostly that night, He reminded me - for what seems like the millionth time - that my children would only be little for a season. And in comparison to the pages of other tasks and responsibilities I had just written in my journal, my commitment to be a Godly wife and mother stood far above them all. And then He reminded me that He doesn't view me as some kind of "ministry production machine." Nor does He value me because of what I can accomplish in a day. He cherishes me because I am His daughter. When I remember this, I'm much less inclined to add many things to my plate. Instead, I rest in the peace of knowing who I am in Christ and what He has purposed for me to do and be.
Dear Lord, I offer my schedule today to You. Help me remove from my schedule things not in Your perfect will for me. Help me add anything to my schedule that I may have overlooked but is important to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
This devotional made me think about my own life, my priorities, and what I waste time on. It reminded me of a day last week when I had a gagillion things to do, and Sydney was trying over and over to get my attention. We were having my boss over for dinner, and I was scurrying around that afternoon trying to clean the house and get ready for company. I am one of those obsessive women who cannot stand for someone to see my home in disarray. It drives me NUTS. As I was cleaning, I remembered the book "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World." I reminded myself that I really am more of a "Martha" than I want to be. I mean, who cares if the house is not "just so?" Who cares if Sydney's toys are scattered around? Who cares if the hardwood floors are not shiny? Who cares if the carpet is not vacuumed? Who cares except ME????
As I was frantically cleaning my house in preparation for our dinner guest, Sydney kept getting into mischief, and she was driving me nuts. She REALLY wanted my attention. At one point I almost lost my cool with her. This devotional made me realize that although Sydney is too young to verbalize in words how much she needs my time and attention, she says a ton through her non-verbal language. On that particular day last week, I really think she was trying to say, "Yo, Mom! Stop for a minute and just PLAY with me!!"
I know I spend a lot of time on things that are not important, and I am trying to reprioritize my time more. I need to spend less time cleaning, less time on Facebook, less time in front of the TV, less time focusing my energy on things that at the end of the day don't really mean a whole lot. What I need to start focusing more on is spending time with God, my husband, and my daughter. A lot of times all three of them get far less than they deserve of my time. I do purposely try to not get involved in too many activities outside of the house because I work part-time and want to be at home as much as I can when I am not working. Despite this, there are still many times when I am "not home" for my family. I recognize that I need to change this and FAST! I am thankful for this devotional that reminded me how valuable my family time is and how QUICKLY that time flies. May I strive to be less concerned over trivial things in my life and more concerned about what really matters when all is said and done.
Her Children Arise and Call Her Busy
12 Jan 2009 Sandy Cooper, She Speaks Conference Graduate
"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody." I Thessalonians 4:11&12 (NIV)
"Mom, will you please tell me a story?" my eight-year-old daughter asked me recently. It had been one of those insanely packed days, full of errands, chores and activities… and it wasn't over yet. My mind strained to keep everything in order for the remaining events we had planned for the evening. I was coordinating our homeless outreach followed by plans to attend my husband's softball game. Kids had to be fed, pottied, properly clothed, and in the right places at the right times. I had to remember to bring supplies, snacks, drinks and driving directions to our various destinations. There was no brain reserve left for creative stories.
"I'm sorry, honey. I can't tell you a story right now. I just have too much on my mind.""That's okay," she said. "I'll tell you a story. Once upon a time," she began, "there was a very busy mom."Uh oh. This ought to be interesting…"She woke up every day and she was tired. She made a big pot of coffee and went into her room to pray. She prayed and prayed and prayed…but nothing happened. She did the laundry and went to Target and to the grocery store where she spent lots of money. She made dinner and cleaned the house. She went to help the homeless children. At the end of the day, she was still tired so she went to bed. The end.
"Wow. I'm like a twisted version of the Proverbs 31 woman, only much less effective.I managed to fake a smile and kiss my precious daughter on the head as I blinked back tears. Is that really how she sees me? As a tired woman with a futile prayer life? Overwhelmed and overscheduled?
I had always taken pride in the fact that I wasn't busy. Years ago I learned to say "no" to activities that ate into our family time. I value simplicity and solitude. I had even taught Bible studies about it! Yet, somehow in the midst of my un-busy life, I managed to get very busy. And now the children were taking notice. This was something I promised myself would never happen.
That night I couldn't sleep (a very rare thing for me...being as "tired" as I am and all). So at 1:00 am I got up and began journaling. For two hours, I poured out my anxious thoughts to God as I sifted through my schedule to identify where and when things had gone wrong. I listed every activity in which I am currently involved, as well as every household responsibility that was taking up my time. The process was very revealing. I discovered that it wasn't one nasty "culprit" I could quickly cast out of my life, but a series of little culprits to address:
Mismanaged time like checking and responding to e-mails over ten times a day.
Commitments which were longer than anticipated like the freelance job that was supposed to be completed two months ago.
Time management systems I previously put in place, but failed to maintain like my mailfiling system and my "write-everything-on-a-master-list" system.
Piles of clutter in my home which often left me feeling exasperated because they represented areas of my life that were out of control.
That night God helped me identify a few key areas I could immediately cut in order to be less busy. He helped me draw up and prioritize a master list of projects to tackle, as well as new chores to delegate to my children. But mostly that night, He reminded me - for what seems like the millionth time - that my children would only be little for a season. And in comparison to the pages of other tasks and responsibilities I had just written in my journal, my commitment to be a Godly wife and mother stood far above them all. And then He reminded me that He doesn't view me as some kind of "ministry production machine." Nor does He value me because of what I can accomplish in a day. He cherishes me because I am His daughter. When I remember this, I'm much less inclined to add many things to my plate. Instead, I rest in the peace of knowing who I am in Christ and what He has purposed for me to do and be.
Dear Lord, I offer my schedule today to You. Help me remove from my schedule things not in Your perfect will for me. Help me add anything to my schedule that I may have overlooked but is important to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
This devotional made me think about my own life, my priorities, and what I waste time on. It reminded me of a day last week when I had a gagillion things to do, and Sydney was trying over and over to get my attention. We were having my boss over for dinner, and I was scurrying around that afternoon trying to clean the house and get ready for company. I am one of those obsessive women who cannot stand for someone to see my home in disarray. It drives me NUTS. As I was cleaning, I remembered the book "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World." I reminded myself that I really am more of a "Martha" than I want to be. I mean, who cares if the house is not "just so?" Who cares if Sydney's toys are scattered around? Who cares if the hardwood floors are not shiny? Who cares if the carpet is not vacuumed? Who cares except ME????
As I was frantically cleaning my house in preparation for our dinner guest, Sydney kept getting into mischief, and she was driving me nuts. She REALLY wanted my attention. At one point I almost lost my cool with her. This devotional made me realize that although Sydney is too young to verbalize in words how much she needs my time and attention, she says a ton through her non-verbal language. On that particular day last week, I really think she was trying to say, "Yo, Mom! Stop for a minute and just PLAY with me!!"
I know I spend a lot of time on things that are not important, and I am trying to reprioritize my time more. I need to spend less time cleaning, less time on Facebook, less time in front of the TV, less time focusing my energy on things that at the end of the day don't really mean a whole lot. What I need to start focusing more on is spending time with God, my husband, and my daughter. A lot of times all three of them get far less than they deserve of my time. I do purposely try to not get involved in too many activities outside of the house because I work part-time and want to be at home as much as I can when I am not working. Despite this, there are still many times when I am "not home" for my family. I recognize that I need to change this and FAST! I am thankful for this devotional that reminded me how valuable my family time is and how QUICKLY that time flies. May I strive to be less concerned over trivial things in my life and more concerned about what really matters when all is said and done.
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