What do Christmas trees, Motivation and Jesus have in Common?

I was sitting in my front room watching my husband build a fire and thinking about my plans for the day. Near the front window stood one of the two Christmas trees I still hadn't taken down. I had stopped turning them on after the Epiphany and they'd just become an unnoticed part of our home. I knew they were there, I knew I needed to take them down, yet somehow I'd managed to take my eyes and mind off of them even though they stood there waiting. That is when I realized what Christmas trees, motivation and Jesus all have in common. All three wait patiently for me to do my part.

People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily.
-- Zig Ziglar

All good things in life take effort and motivation is one of them. If you are sitting there waiting for the motivation to come so that you can make a positive change in yourself - STOP waiting! Decide WHY you want to change, inscribe it on your heart and then ACT. Your motivation will ebb and flow but the reason you want it will always be with you. I tell myself when my motivation is low that no one always feels motivated but successful people do it anyway!

So how is Jesus like my Christmas trees and Motivation?

Even a studied and devoted Christian can become complacent. We get caught up in worldly things - our day to day lives - and we see Jesus standing there like my Christmas trees and motivation. Standing there waiting. He is ever present in our homes and our lives waiting there for us to do our part. We have to stop walking past Him, barely acknowledging His presence, thinking that we are doing enough because we believe He is there. There is more to faith than belief. Everyday I learn more about this. Our relationship with God can't be one-sided. Healthy relationships are formed when both participants contribute. God has amazing plans for us, but again, ALL good things take effort. Ask God today to guide you on His path and then get up and walk with Him.

“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?  My hope is in you." Psalm 39:7  

 

The night I accepted the challenge and why I've been married 10 years and counting...

Today is the 10th year anniversary of my marriage to Joey. He is truly a God send and I work hard daily to live up to being the kind of wife he deserves. I'm sure I fall short most days but he swears I'm the best. :)

In my previous post I mentioned being aware and ready to accept what God lays before us. Over 10 years ago I knew I believed that God existed but I wasn't ready to give myself to Him. I was at the end of my college days and felt like I didn't truly understand what it meant to be a Christian and I felt - like most things in my life that I couldn't live up to it anyway - so why bother trying. Then I met Joey. He didn't preach his faith to me like a lot of the Christians I had met in my college area. Instead he lived it as well as he could being a human. In fact in my eyes, he lived it better than a hand full of some of the Christians that had attempted to get me closer to God. I fell in love with this man for many reasons. One day while on the back of his motorcycle riding through the mountains we passed a little country church with a sign that said, "When you look into the eyes of Love, you'll see the eyes of God." Wow - Its not everyday that God sends us a sign in actual sign form!!! I realized that day how much I had to learn from this man and I knew at that moment I would one day marry him. SO here's to 10 years boogie! I love you dearly!

Now about the night I joined the challenge...
When Suzanne came to my house to throw a challenge party I knew before she got there that I was ready to change my health. I was nervous but like I've said before I'd ignored the signs long enough watching her receive the blessing I'd been begging for so I made myself ready to do my part.


I was sitting down with Suzanne to sign up when Joey came home with the kids and announced that the transmission was going out in the van. Transmission going out equals breaks working just fine on my drive to a better me. :( Again - my husband comes thru with his usual faith and encouragement. He pulls me off to the side and told me that I can do anything and that we'll find a way. Maybe this is a sign that God wants me to jump in with both feet and face Challenges and life head on. And so I pushed the fear and doubt to the back and I jumped in with both feet!

Sometimes when we try to break free of the things we've allowed to hold us back - that is when we have to brace ourselves for the obstacles that will be thrown in our way. Money is always a good excuse to keep us from bettering ourselves. Its easy to blame money or time for our inability to change. Yet we some how justify spending our money and time on things that aren't healthy or things that don't nourish us.

Everyday I face obstacles, big and small, but I am learning to jump in with both feet like Joey encouraged me to do that night. I've found that no matter what if I hold my head high and do the things I don't always want to do and more than anything pray hard and pray often, then I make it through. No everyday isn't perfect and happy - but I get stronger everyday and that and 10 years of marriage is something to be proud of.

Take risks and never give up! Don't let your biggest obstacle be yourself.

Who am I? I am...

Anyone who has known me or has been following this blog knows that I started this because I wanted to make some changes in myself. I caught myself admiring successful people and wanting to be the kind of person that works hard, never gives up and achieves. I never saw myself as this type of person and I've been on a mission for years to change this.

I've tried almost everything, with my typical half-hearted effort though. But I never found a way to pull myself out of the slump of feeling worthless, unmotivated and lazy. Add to that that I was getting fatter and fatter and in turn less and less healthy and I was creating a person that had no drive and couldn't get thru the day without praying for a nap. Most days I'd find a way to get one even if it meant missing out on things in life. I'd rather be sleeping.  I was on a downhill slope and negativity was snowballing. Everything fed off of everything else. I was so tired so I needed a nap, I'd feel guilty for napping so I'd beat myself up telling myself how lazy and worthless I was, I'd feel miserable so I'd get more tired.

 I started to pray. I prayed hard and often about the same thing...God please help me. I feel so worthless and I want to be more. Help me to do better. Help me understand how to live for You. I want to feel like what I do and who I am matters. I know Lord that I am loved by You but I have dragged myself so low that I have a hard time even feeling that lately. Show me God what I need to break free from this low so that I may walk with You. Help me to have you in my thoughts, my words, my actions and my heart today and always. Amen.

And I prayed and nothing ever seemed to change. The next nap came and I told myself its ok - tomorrow I will change. And I prayed some more. I kept asking God to help me but I never really tried to help myself. I'm sure that God was sending me the signs I needed and putting me where I needed to be but I wasn't doing my part. I hadn't become willing to look and listen. I hadn't become willing to be Helped. Not even God can help someone that refuses to attempt to help themselves.

I watched my friend Suzanne Barger make changes in her life. The kind of changes I was looking for. I watched her and I ignored the signs and I envied her and I wanted to unfriend her on Facebook for shoving her happiness and success down my throat. How dare she be getting what I was praying for. And all the time she was asking me to join her and I ignored some more. But God and my husband and Suzanne diligently nudged me in the right directions until one day I asked for help because I was ready to help myself. I joined the Body By Vi 90 day Challenge with Suzanne.

Hear me out...This isn't just about weight loss.

Soon I'll backtrack and tell you all about the night I joined but for now lets jump ahead. Joining the Challenge gave me accountability and I was blessed to have joined on a unwavering team with the most friendly, knowledgeable and supportive people  across the country. Add to that a product that needs no explanation because the results speak for themselves and I was finally given the tools I needed to make real changes. Thank you God!

Weight loss has been fairly easy for lack of better words. I'm 41 pounds down today about 1/3 into my 2nd 90 day challenge. I have energy and I feel like a different person. This weekend I went out in the heat to play with the kids and other family I was visiting  instead of sleeping while everyone else played with my kids! Not only that - I enjoyed it even though it was hot! AND after we came in from the heat and my nephew making me chase ground balls around the baseball field - I still wasn't worn out! I've built stamina! I'm not missing out on my life anymore! I'm challenging myself and I striving to be my best! I'm working hard even on days I don't really feel like it. I'm not giving up - I'm pushing through. I'm transforming more than my body! I am working on all of me!

Today I asked all of my family and friends to describe me in one word. I wanted to know how other people described me so I could focus on becoming the word I want to be known for. I didn't know what to expect. I was thinking I'd get things like friend or kind - typical words that people that love you say. The word I got several times was Driven! What!? Me?! I am becoming the person I have always know I can be. I am a Challenger! I am an Achiever! I AM DRIVEN!

Do yourself a favor - Help yourself! Don't ignore the signs as long as I did! Look and Listen!

On Faith...

Faith in God: Since my young adult years I have worked to strengthen my relationship with God and when I focus on this and I take time to give thanks it reminds me that I am not forgotten. It reminds me that I am loved. Doing this also makes me aware of my blessings.Whether it be through prayer or simply taking an honest appreciation audit, I challenge you to feel negative afterward.
I also pray for help. It comforts me to know that I am not alone in the challenges I face. Be they big or small, I can always ask for guidance and support. I find that when I ask I receive what I need (not always what I want).

Faith in self: This doesn't come easy for me but I'm looking forward :)Every morning I have been praying for guidance for that day. If I spend my day thinking about what is important, the things that I love I find my motivation. Its so much easier to clean the dishes if I focus on how great it is that I've made a good meal for the people I love or for myself! When I am motivated and productive I feel better about myself.



How does faith effect your daily life?

NEED to WANT less

Blurry eyed and feeling my way to the kitchen I thought to myself, "I need coffee!" Again I am reminded of the power of words. It struck me that I could possibly improve on myself by distinguishing between my needs and wants. I so freely use the word "need." I need new salt and pepper shakers, I need a new hair style, I need creamer for the needed coffee, I need chocolate and pizza and french fries! And then I'm depressed when it is out of my means to fill these so called needs. I sometimes easily forget how grateful I should be that my true needs are readily met.


As a parent I regularly look to God for inspiration and advice.  I try to model myself as a parent the way that God "parents" me as my Father. I find that the less I want and the more I appreciate the more God provides. I try hard not to spoil my children with their frivolous wants unless I see that they have learned to appreciate the things I have already provided for them. I hold somewhat high expectations on my children in regards to this partly because I want to teach them to be better than I am and partly because I can not afford financially to satisfy many of their wants. Don't get me wrong - my children are plenty spoiled - they are not lacking in any of their true needs and they have more toys than some day-cares. But I try anyway to teach them to be thankful for these blessings and to resist the urge to want more and more. Not an easy task when to them it seems that their friends get the newest and greatest things daily. So how do I achieve this in a world where we justify our many wants by labeling them needs? I am not innocent of this. I encourage my children to want less and appreciate more, all while I am spelling out my wants as needs as if that is somehow better.

By just realizing and making an effort to correct my wording could I change my perspective? Realizing that wants come after needs are met and after financial, health and family necessities are met could make decision making an easier process and help me meet my goals. Not that I shouldn't have the things I want. After all there is more to life than just mere survival but setting real priorities could help all areas of my life...


Health - the food and activity that is needed to make my body healthy should always be my first choice.
Money - the spending that keeps our basic needs met should come first.
Family - this includes the health and money aspects and also...hygiene, education, time together, memory making and much more.

I see where making an effort to truly recognize the difference between my needs and wants and to fill my needs within my means will allow time and possibly even money for fulfilling my wants. More than anything correcting my wording will teach me to appreciate that my needs are met and that not having my wants met immediately isn't something to get sad or frustrated about. Modeling this thinking and behavior will do more to teach my children than any other efforts I have made in the past.

That said, I still feel the need for coffee, let's be realistic here, but the salt and pepper shakers really can wait!