Thursday, June 28, 2012

Thankful Thursday/It’s OK!!!

So thankful….

**That I’m going to accomplish one of my GOALS for 2012 THIS weekend!!!

**That I get to spend a week with my family at the beach! It’s long overdue!

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Heading back HERE!!!

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**That I’m married to THIS guy…

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**And that he does things like THIS for me….

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**And of course, that God is SO good. I am SO incredibly thankful for all the blessings He has been pouring out on us. After going through some trials recently, it’s nice to be on the other side.

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Its Ok Thursdays

It’s OK….

**That I’ve been BUSTING my tail with my workouts for the past few months, so I’m going to take this next week off!! (aside from playing on the beach & walks with my hubby!)

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**That I’ve eaten 100% CLEAN, with NO cheats, for the past few months, so I’m going to have a cheat meal on Saturday.

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**That I’m super excited/nervous/anxious about meeting my biological family in 2 weeks.

**That I’m PUMPED to show off my abs I’ve worked so hard for at the beach this week!

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**That I have ‘luxury taste’ in vehicles….And since we’re looking for a new car for me, and I can’t help but love these….

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Speaking of, anyone looking to buy a 2007 Lexus RX? Only 92,000 miles!! Great condition!! (We just want something with less mileage because we’re driving my next car till the wheels fall off!!) If not, we’ll just trade her in.

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Happy THURSDAY, friends!!!

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Actions Speak Louder Than Words!!!!

I know this sounds strange, but I’m not really one for apologies. It doesn’t mean much if someone says “sorry”… but I know they mean it if they sincerely try to not to do the same thing again. Not that I don’t appreciate an apology, it’s just that it doesn’t mean much if someone continues to do the same thing over and over.

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I’m not sure if this has to do with my love language or what, but I think we can all agree talk is cheap. Don’t TELL me something…..SHOW me. I try to make sure I do this. There are a LOT of people who say one thing, but proclaim something completely different with their actions, lifestyle, etc.Pinned Image

I think this is why so many people think Christians and the church is full of hypocrites. Don’t get me wrong. I am FAR FROM PERFECT. I screw up every single day, almost as soon as I wake up in the morning. But you better believe I try my best to make sure my attitude and actions reflect what I say.

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If you’re going to talk the talk, WALK THE WALK.

This rings true in so many areas. You can’t be a personal trainer telling people to eat grilled fish and veggies, then go eat cheeseburgers and drink beer. I’m probably not going to trust a hair dresser whose own hair is a hot mess. Probably not very effective for a parent to tell their kid not to do something, then they do it. You can’t be a Christian and then judge everybody, gossip, etc. and expect people to want what you have. You can’t be a financial advisor if your own finances are a wreck. (I know there are exceptions to each of these, but you get my drift. These are just a few examples of why our ACTIONS have to back up our words and beliefs!)

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It drives me ABSOLUTELY bonkers when people are negative, constantly complaining, and ungrateful. I have written multiple posts about CHOOSING to focus on the positive in our circumstances and all of our blessings. That is a CHOICE. The reason some people’s lives suck so bad is because they focus on all the negative. I mean REALLY….do we all have a roof over our head? a computer or phone to be reading this on? are we naked? when is the last time you had to skip a meal?? Let’s get serious. We all have LOTS of blessings in our life we can focus on.

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Gotta be honest….The last few months have been pretty trying for us. Our house flooded and we were out of our home for over 2 months. We had to deal with the insurance company, which you know is a nightmare. Jon’s transmission went out. We’ve had some family drama. It was the end of a school year, which is always crazy hectic. I’m dealing with some emotions from meeting my biological family this summer. We’ve been in the process of refinancing for a lower interest rate, which means a TON of paperwork. Plus, Jonathan is building a new business and has been working ridiculous hours, so we haven’t been able to spend as much time together as we normally do. We are normally inseparable and do EVERYTHING together….and we both like it that way- we’re best friends.

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Yes, a lot of those circumstances are not ideal.  So, I had/have a choice. I can dwell on them, whine and complain, feel sorry for myself, etc. OR….I can choose to be JOYFUL through the trials. I think it smarts with every small thing, and if you’re not choosing to focus on the positive in small things, you’re not going to be able to during bigger trials either.

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I chose to focus on the positive. At least we have a house- our very own home that we love. It didn’t burn down. And the Lord provided the perfect place for us to stay during those 2 1/2 months. AND now we have new floors, countertops, and paint. At least we both have vehicles, and he was able to catch the transmission issue before it caused him to wreck. And that we have family who allowed us to borrow a vehicle for the 2 weeks it took to get his truck fixed. At least school is out for summer and I have a few months to rejuvenate. At least I have an opportunity to meet my biological family, establish some new relationships, and learn more about my family history. At least we have the option to refinance and rates are killer! At least Jonathan is the MOST HARDWORKING man I have ever met and has an incredible desire to provide for our family. (Seriously, I KNOW what a blessing that is…I have never. ever met another man as driven in this area as my husband is and I am truly thankful for that.)

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See how that works? It’s so simple….I chose my perspective on those situations, and I can tell you that I was much better off (along with everyone around me) by remaining optimistic, positive, and continuing to focus on my blessings. Like I said, I am not perfect by any means. I have LOTS of flaws and things God is constantly dealing with me about and revealing to me. But I refuse to let Satan steal my thoughts and joy and take glory away from all that God has blessed me with!! (Have you ever thought of it that way? If you focus on the negative, complain, whine, mope, have pity parties, etc., YOU are CHOOSING and ALLOWING Satan to steal your joy! That’s almost like slapping God in the face.)

I truly feel SO BEYOND blessed!!!! I hear so many people say that, write it on FB, whatever, but when it comes down to it, they sure don’t act that way.

If you’re thankful and grateful, show it. WALK the WALK.

I honestly don’t have much sympathy for people who are “woe is me” when their life is full of blessings. It’s exhausting and mentally draining to be around people like that, and I don’t really enjoy being around those type of people. I try to encourage them as much as I can, but honestly, I try not to be around them if I can help it because I believe in surrounding yourself with people who are going to lift you up and encourage you.Pinned Image

I also believe God POURS out blessings on a joyful heart. He LOVES a joyful giver/believer. Whether you’re giving finances, time, a lending ear, whatever, if you’re doing it for Him, he will bless the snot out of you. I want that. His desire is to give us “exceedingly, abundantly more than we can ask or imagine.” The thing is, He has already given most of us that, and we are missing it.



Have you thought about lately…..”WHAT ARE MY ACTIONS/ATTITUDE SPEAKING TO OTHERS???”

Some of us need to really get it in check, because it’s not lining up with our words.

My husband is HOT.

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And even hotter when he’s putting up bead board for me in our guest bath! Woot woot!! (Hey, creeper wife in the mirror…we see you!)

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That's all.

Monday, June 25, 2012

A Blog Award!

Blogger Award

How sweet!! The lovely Miss Holly @ Just a Small Town Girl hooked me up with a blog award! I haven’t done one/received one in a long time, and this is always fun! Here we go… 

1. What is your current beauty obsession?

Definite Difference Night Recovery Crème! Seriously, it feels like silk on your face!! I load my face up with sunblock & makeup and sweat during the day…(yuck, that sounds gross, huh?), so I LOVE washing my face with the foaming cleanser & my Clarisonic, then lathering up with this!!

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2. What is one beauty item you wish you owned?

Can I say a personal hair stylist?? Haha….I guess that doesn’t count as a beauty “item”….so I’m going to go with an airbrush makeup machine. I’m sure there is a more technical name for it, but we’ll just stick with that cuz I’m too lazy to look it up. I had my makeup airbrushed for my wedding as well as for one of my BFF’s weddings, and I LOVED it!! It stayed in place for HOURS and looked totally flawless!!!

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3. What kind of posts are you favorite to read and write?

I love hearing people’s personal stories!! I like to read about all kinds of people, with all kinds of backgrounds, and all kinds of testimonies. It’s fascinating to me! And I love to look at their pictures.Duh! Really…..I NEVER watch t.v.- I’d rather read blogs about REAL people any day! (I know some people think that’s weird because I don’t technically know them. Whatev.) And, I really enjoy it if they’re humorous. (The two I skip are fashion posts & recipes. I’m just not that interested in those two topics…)

My two favorite things to write about are fitness and faith. I love all things health related, so I’m very passionate about sharing my knowledge of clean eating and working out….as well as things I learn in my walk with Christ. “Iron sharpens iron.”

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4. What inspired you to become a blogger?

Two of my long-time childhood friends whom I’ve remained close to, Emily and Rachael have both had blogs for a while that I read regularly. I loved keeping up with them through their blogs and always looked forward to new posts, so I decided to start my own after Big Jon proposed. I thought it’d be a neat way to document our engagement (I’ve always been into journaling/scrapbooking, so this is just a way cooler way for me to continue those hobbies), and I love that I can get a blog book made out of these posts for my kids to read some day. It kinda just stuck from there and I’ve established some great friendships through the blog. I know some of my friends and family keep up with me this way too….

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5. What color nail polish are you wearing right now?

Clear! My OmegaPlex makes my nails grow like CRAZY, so anything else  would probably look tacky on me. I do like a French manicure every now and then when I decide to splurge though!

And now I get to choose 5 great ladies for the Laine Blogger Award! (Seriously, HOW do I keep it to just 5??)

1. Dana @ Now You're My Whole Life

2. Ashley @ Baseball Diamonds & Hairspray

3. CMae @ My Oh My (just changed her name!)

4. Christin @ A Classy, Southern Wife

5. Cait @ Fit, Fierce, & Fabulous

These are always a fun little way to get to know people better. Thank you Holly, for thinking of me!!

Hope you have a FABULOUS week!!!

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Setting Goals

I have to be honest. Setting goals scares the poo out of me.

I 100% believe in being a goal setter. It helps you maintain focus and achieve things (to make yourself better and help others) so you're not floating aimlessly through life. I always encourage others (my students, specifically) to set goals and work hard toward acheiving them. Never give up.
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So here's why setting goals scares me. If I set a goal, I am DEAD SET on making it happen. I WILL accomplish it. I have always been that way...I wanted to get a college scholarship, I wanted to graduate college with honors, I wanted to continue to get my Specialist's before I turned 26, I wanted to wait on God's timing for getting married, buying a house, having babies, etc., I wanted to run a marathon. I set a goal for each of those things...And I did them. No questions asked...
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When I set a goal for myself, naturally I'm afraid of failing.  (Aren't we all??) What if I don't accomplish it? What if I don't succeed? Those kinds of doubts are exactly the reason many of us don't achieve some of the things in our lives we want to.  I can guarantee you that any of the great people in history have had the very same thoughts, but they didn't let that stop them. Imagine how different our world would be if they had....
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Back to my point. If I have my mind made up enough about something to vocalize it, I will do what it takes to get it done...and preferably blow past it. I'm not sure what it is in me, but I refuse to give up until I've acheived what I've set out to ahcieve. One thing that helps me maintain my focus is to remember WHO I am working for....WHO I am serving....anf giving HIM the glory when I do accomplish it. I kow it's not in my own strength or power that I accomplish anything....but only with the Lord's help.
But THAT is why setting goals is scary to me.

I have a friend and mentor who always says "Non-specific goals will get you non-specific results." I have been working on setting goals more often, being more specific about my desired outcome, putting a time deadline on it (so I know how hard to work to achieve it), and identifying my purpose behind it. WHY do I want to achieve that? When do I want to acheive it by? Once I have my purpose and my vision established, THEN I can focus on making it happen and the "how" of it all.
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I truly believe one of the biggest factors that gets in our way is....are you ready for this.....US! We are our own worst enemy, critic, and naysayer. If you don't believe in yourself, why would others?
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There is something very powerful about vocalizing your goals and writing them down. If you see it every day, and others know what you're trying to achieve, you are more likely to accomplish it.
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Whether you have goals related to your health, fitness, fiances, career, education, travel plans, family, personal, spiritual, whatever....It's time to STOP "wishing" for something to happen. Get out there and MAKE IT HAPPENThe only person stopping you is YOU.
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Why not make your dreams a reality?
Why NOT today??
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What are your goals??? Set some, then make them happen.

YOU CAN do this.
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