I think we as women think we're alone. I'm speaking to women, about women because that mostly who reads my blog. I think we sit and ponder things over and over that we aren't good at or shouldn't have done or wish no one knew about us when in reality, we all experience the exact same things.
In fact, I'm sure this is true. About 4 months ago, I had two girl friends from small group over for a movie & wine night. We didn't end up watching the movie. Instead we all shared a current struggle that we'd been having: desiring deeper relationships and feeling worthless (all three of us were unemployed at the time) Within minutes we were crying and laughing about how we were going through the same exact emotions but none of us wanted to share it with anyone because of insecurity. Boy are we insecure.
I often think I'm the only strange girl that, for example, gathers her shed hair up on the bathtub wall at the end of each shower, or doesn't always shower after a hard workout (I know, I know)or sings Taylor Swift's songs really loud in the car or looks back at her Instagram photos almost daily to reminisce.
Can I get personal? Sorry for any dudes that read this. I read recently from an M.D. gastroenterologist at the Mayo clinic that gum and especially sugar free gum can cause or exacerbate digestive distress. I have issues in this area for sure. Poor hubs. This M.D. says that the artificial sweeteners mannitol, sorbitol and xylitol are not absorbed by the intestines, which can lead to bloating as well as stomach upset and diarrhea." Chewing gum inadvertently makes you swallow air, which can make you gassy. I have laid off the artificial sweeteners in the last week and I can already tell a difference! This is legit! It's hard though. I do like my Dt. Pepsi, sugarfree gum, and splenda in my coffee. But I like a healthy digestive tract better! amen. Anyone else have this issue?
How about cleaning off the cutting board? EVERY time you slice two pieces of apple? are you kidding me? no, I do not do it. a little bacteria ain't gonna hurt no one. Am I normal here too?
Can anyone just eat one frozen Thin Mint cookie at a time? This girl says no.
How about feeling pressured to stray from your normal way of eating when you're out with friends. Example, if you typically eat healthy and everyone around you is ordering the fried, stuffed, bacon wrapped ________ for starters with the prime rib, garlic mashed potatoes and wedge "salad", do you feel like you shouldn't be "the healthy prude" who gets a salad or grilled chicken and veggies?
Or if you typically use eating out as a "no rules" thing and order whatever you want but you're with "oh I'll have the side salad with balsamic vinegar and chicken cooked in PAM spray" friends, do you hate yourself for ordering like a "fatty"? I know I can be influenced for sure. I'm getting better about just ordering for me and not for what other people think. Cause I'm the one eating it, right?
Anyways, spring has sprung in Columbus, GA, kindof. Do you wear white pants all year long? I do. I totally don't stick to that after Easter stuff.
I set my alarm to an odd time. Like 7:21. I don't know why, I don't like to wake up to "0" or "5" ending numbers. Weird.
If I ride 26.2 miles on my bike can I say I did a marathon? I think that'd be sweet. I'd buy the sticker.
I like books about theology, apologetics and the facets of God. I rarely read a fiction book or biography. Just don't like em as much. Except the Hunger Games. What's your favorite book currently?
I have passed by many a penny without picking it up. (dimes & quarters, no) But then, every time, I think "that's money. why didn't I pick it up?" I'm gonna change that.
I'm trying to cut back on caffeine but it is sooo hard. I'm only drinking one 8 oz cup in the morning. By 2:30, I'm desiring another cup but I've resisted almost completely since the new year. Caffeine & sugar are stinkin hard to stay away from!
I love to clean out my drawers but then it takes me forever to take the stuff to Plato's Closet or Goodwill. It will sit in a corner for weeks, even months. Sad.
I keep wanting to print some of my instagram and facebook pics but haven't sat down and signed up for Mpix to order some prints. Has anyone else used a program to do this that they recommend? I want printed photos. What if Facebook crashes one day? That's a heck of a lotta memories POOF gone!
I love food blogs and food shows but I cannot watch them late at night or I will clean out my pantry. I watch them at dinner time, while I'm eating. What's your favorite food blog or food show? Have you made any of their recipes?
Well that's enough random thoughts for one post. Happy Tuesday ya'll!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Razors, Almond Milk & James 4
So... my husband shaved his head. Yep, Kaci, he looks like Jay now. I'm not used to it yet. It's so....ARMY. :) But hair doesn't make the man and I love him and desire him just the same- full head of hair or shiny top. We'll be that old couple where he is bald and I'm one big wrinkle. Bring it.
So that's the razor part of my post. Oh and also related, I shaved my legs for the first time in.... quite a while. (I shave my arm pits regularly, no worries)
But I mean, really...
1. It's winter.
2. My husband is in Afghanistan.
3. I could care less.
I feel like I wanna go out on the town with my freshly shaven legs. Except the man I wanna stroll along the sidewalk with is 1,000s of miles away. :(
We are doing well. It's been almost a full 3 months apart from each other and God has used this time to make us truly thankful for what we have in the other. Champ got up in the recliner the other night. Just hopped up and plopped down. That's DR's seat. It was sad. A buddy of ours returned from Afghanistan a couple of weeks ago and him and his wife were in church today. I got a pit in my stomach when they walked in. It hurt bad to not have DR sitting in church with me. We sang one of my favorite songs, "Be Still My Soul". It always, always makes me cry. The words are so sobering.Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side. Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain. Leave to thy God to order and provide; In every change, He faithful will remain. Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend through thorny ways leads to a joyful end." They make you really think about what's important in this life and remember that we are made for the next life- the full, abundant, sin-free life. I can't imagine a day when I no longer get impatient behind the wheel or judgmental at the gym. Where every kind word will have 100% pure motive behind it. Nothing tainted by selfish thoughts. Only unadulterated joy and praise lived out because of our glorification and oneness with Jesus! Sigh.... A beautiful longing.
I have an unhealthy obsession with almond milk. I drink it like water; in my cereal, in a glass, in shakes, in my egg whites, in baking, in oatmeal, in sauces, in coffee, in hot tea. I stinkin love that stuff. If you haven't tried it, you must give it a shot. It's more pricey than regular milk but so much tastier- and better for you!!
I've been doing so much better in my struggle with weight/running. I haven't run more than 5 miles in the last two weeks and those have been walk/runs. I've gained a few pounds and honestly the Lord has quenched the desire to stay 105 "fit". Fit is not a number on a scale. That's still a struggle. I am stronger than ever. I am doing a lot of different work-outs. Constantly confusing my muscles so as to gain strength and tone. A mix of exercises have taken the place of long-distance running, for now.
I was reading James 4 today and of course, like all of God's Word, it was applicable to what I'm going through right now.
"What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." James 4:1-8
I pray. I pray quite often actually. I ask the Lord for all kinds of things. But this verse reminds me that there is a wrong way to pray. I cannot ask God to give me what I want- especially when I know that what I want is an idol in my heart. That serving two masters thing doesn't work. He is a jealous God and will not allow competition. Thankfully. I have earnestly asked the Lord to take the desire to be "fit" (my twisted definition) and to be fertile at the same time. He is graciously answering the first and I'm so grateful. I put my scale on the top shelf of my closet instead of next to my toilet. Hopefully this will help me a great deal. I like to eat healthy and I like to eat chocolate everyday. It's a balance. Being unaware of my weight is freeing. I can enjoy food and enjoy exercise so much more!
Questions:
What's a food/drink you must have every single day?
What's your favorite cardio workout?
Is there something in your life that you have been selfishly asking God for?
So that's the razor part of my post. Oh and also related, I shaved my legs for the first time in.... quite a while. (I shave my arm pits regularly, no worries)
But I mean, really...
1. It's winter.
2. My husband is in Afghanistan.
3. I could care less.
I feel like I wanna go out on the town with my freshly shaven legs. Except the man I wanna stroll along the sidewalk with is 1,000s of miles away. :(
We are doing well. It's been almost a full 3 months apart from each other and God has used this time to make us truly thankful for what we have in the other. Champ got up in the recliner the other night. Just hopped up and plopped down. That's DR's seat. It was sad. A buddy of ours returned from Afghanistan a couple of weeks ago and him and his wife were in church today. I got a pit in my stomach when they walked in. It hurt bad to not have DR sitting in church with me. We sang one of my favorite songs, "Be Still My Soul". It always, always makes me cry. The words are so sobering.Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side. Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain. Leave to thy God to order and provide; In every change, He faithful will remain. Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend through thorny ways leads to a joyful end." They make you really think about what's important in this life and remember that we are made for the next life- the full, abundant, sin-free life. I can't imagine a day when I no longer get impatient behind the wheel or judgmental at the gym. Where every kind word will have 100% pure motive behind it. Nothing tainted by selfish thoughts. Only unadulterated joy and praise lived out because of our glorification and oneness with Jesus! Sigh.... A beautiful longing.
I have an unhealthy obsession with almond milk. I drink it like water; in my cereal, in a glass, in shakes, in my egg whites, in baking, in oatmeal, in sauces, in coffee, in hot tea. I stinkin love that stuff. If you haven't tried it, you must give it a shot. It's more pricey than regular milk but so much tastier- and better for you!!
I've been doing so much better in my struggle with weight/running. I haven't run more than 5 miles in the last two weeks and those have been walk/runs. I've gained a few pounds and honestly the Lord has quenched the desire to stay 105 "fit". Fit is not a number on a scale. That's still a struggle. I am stronger than ever. I am doing a lot of different work-outs. Constantly confusing my muscles so as to gain strength and tone. A mix of exercises have taken the place of long-distance running, for now.
I was reading James 4 today and of course, like all of God's Word, it was applicable to what I'm going through right now.
"What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." James 4:1-8
I pray. I pray quite often actually. I ask the Lord for all kinds of things. But this verse reminds me that there is a wrong way to pray. I cannot ask God to give me what I want- especially when I know that what I want is an idol in my heart. That serving two masters thing doesn't work. He is a jealous God and will not allow competition. Thankfully. I have earnestly asked the Lord to take the desire to be "fit" (my twisted definition) and to be fertile at the same time. He is graciously answering the first and I'm so grateful. I put my scale on the top shelf of my closet instead of next to my toilet. Hopefully this will help me a great deal. I like to eat healthy and I like to eat chocolate everyday. It's a balance. Being unaware of my weight is freeing. I can enjoy food and enjoy exercise so much more!
Questions:
What's a food/drink you must have every single day?
What's your favorite cardio workout?
Is there something in your life that you have been selfishly asking God for?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)