God Speaks Today

Fitness Friday::5 Minute No-Bake Peanut Butter Power Balls

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy @ God Speaks Today) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

For a very ~~lame~~ brief P90X2 Update, Scroll to the end

If you are looking for a quick, healthy, delicious family-friendly snack that feels like a treat, you have got to try these. They are sweet and rich, like a dessert; yet hearty and nutritious like a snack. Because of the combination of simple sugars, fiber, protein and fat, I like to pop one in my mouth just before a strenuous workout. Just enough to sustain me, but not so much to make me barf.

Plus, they have peanut butter--which we all know is the perfect food.

5 Minute No-Bake Peanut Butter Power Balls

Ingredients:

*1 cup peanut butter (I recommend unsweetened, natural peanut butter. But if you use sweetened, just realize they will be very sweet--which isn't necessarily a bad thing, just a taste preference. You could also substitute almond butter here, which I haven't tried, but I'm thinking would be total yum.)

*1 cup honey (raw, local if you have it)

*3 cups rolled oats

*1 cup nuts, dried fruit or chocolate chips (or a combination of the three! I've tried all different combos, and each one was delish. Add what you like here!)

Crushed nuts, granola cereal, unsweetened coconut or puffed rice cereal

(the combo in the picture is chopped almonds, dried cranberries and chocolate chips, rolled in rice cereal)

Instructions

1. Mix the first four ingredients together until well-blended and forms a thick, sticky dough. (Using a stand mixer works best. Otherwise, you will have to get in there with your hands).

2. Form dough into balls. Golf ball sized is nice.

3. Roll balls into crushed nuts, granola, coconut or puffed rice.

You can serve immediately, but I think the texture is so much better after they have been refrigerated for at least an hour. Makes 10-20 balls, depending on the size.

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P90X2, Week 8 Update

Let's see, how do I sum this up? Last week was just crappy. I had some personal issues with a family member that sucked the life out of me. I caught a cold. And--(ESTROGEN WARNING! SHIELD YOUR EYES IF YOU'RE A DUDE)--had a certain monthly female situation that made me crampy, tired and irritable. And it all happened at the exact same time.

Yuck.

Suffice it to say, I took a recovery week--in every sense of the word. Basically, I did some walk/jogging (it was so nice outside). Some yoga. Some resting. Lots of praying. Some more resting....

I didn't weigh or measure this week, because I kind of don't care, (I mean, I do, but not as much as I care about other stuff). Yesterday, I did slip into a pair of skinny jeans which haven't graced my lower half since 2009. That's enough to make me wanna dance a little jig. Which I'll count as an additional cardio workout.

I will probably hit a hard workout tomorrow, because I miss it and I'm getting a little antsy. That exactly what's supposed to happen at the end of a recovery period. That's how you know it's time to get moving again.

Monday, I will begin P90X2, Phase 3, which will take me through the end of March and the end of the 90 days. I can't wait for Phase 3. I am ready. I've heard that it's fun and hard and kicks your booty. I'll tell you all about it next time.

Q4U: How is your workout routine going?

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Linking up with Jill Conyers and her fabulous Fitness Friday Blog Hop

And The Senseless Video Wins!

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy @ God Speaks Today) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:43:00 +0000

Major life issues completely engulfed me last week, leaving nary a single moment to write. I vacillated this morning between writing a short-not-so-great post, just to let you know I love you and I care about my blog readers enough to post something this week

or posting this short, senseless YouTube video.

Without further adieu...

(This post contains a video. If you are receiving this post by e-mail, you will need to click through to the actual blog to watch it.)

(Also, if you are receiving this by e-mail, chances are you received my Fitness Friday post by e-mail, also. Which, it turns out, had entire sentences missing in the middle of it, rendering it senseless, as well. Contrary to what appears to be true, I DO proofread my posts before, during and AFTER I post them. Apparently, in the spell check process, sentences mysteriously disappeared. I am sorry for this. I didn't catch it until Sunday morning. It's all corrected now.)

(Finally, if you ever see sentences which appear senseless in the middle of my posts, you can e-mail me and say, "Dude. What's with the senseless paragraph?" This would be both helpful and embarrassing to me)

Fitness Friday::Tips for the Cooking Novice

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy @ God Speaks Today) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

When I was little, I remember my mom cooking a lot. She canned her own tomatoes and peaches, from our backyard garden. She and Dad crocked pickles with homegrown cucumber and dill. I remember her grinding her own meat by hand in this meat-grinder thing, for spaghetti sauce and meat loaf (which may explain my meat aversion). She simmered giant pots of homemade soups and stocks. She even made her own noodles!

But as I got older, so did Mom. The 1970’s and 1980’s brought the onslaught of processed and convenience foods, which were a dream-come-true for tired Mommas everywhere—and my tired (and often sick) Momma took full advantage of meals in a box. She began to simplify dinners for her growing teens and college students—who were often going in 7 different directions. She eventually passed the baton to daughters and daughters-in-law for all-things-holiday. She gave up cooking entirely by the time I graduated from high school.

When I got married at the age of 25, my cooking skills amounted basically to being able to follow the directions on the back of a Rice-a-Roni package. And I could make a mean toaster waffle.

I remember Newlywed Sandy complaining to her best friend Lisa (who was and still is—along with her husband—an outstanding cook) that I had no idea how to prepare dinner for my new husband (aside from Rice-a-Roni and toaster waffles). Her advice was simple: “Just follow recipes!”

That was over 18 years ago, and the beginning of my cooking journey. Read: a lot of trial and error. And error. And error. Think dried out meat, bland soups, soggy crusts and overly cooked veggies.

Sorry, Jon.

If that’s you—if you WANT to know how to cook, but you aren’t quite sure where to start, let me offer you a few tips that worked, and still work, for me.

1. Follow Recipes: This is the best advice I could have received. I think this is the only way to learn how to combine and prepare ingredients so they taste good. If you are a beginner, resist the urge to modify the recipe the first time you make it. (I still make almost all recipes the first time exactly as written—but I’m slightly OCD that way.) From there, you can jot down notes and make adjustments for next time. Where are some good places to find recipes?

a. Cookbooks: (I know, Captain Obvious here. Sorry if this post is too deep for you to keep up.) If you are just starting out, you will benefit greatly from cookbooks with many pictures—especially pictures that show you how the dish should look at different stages of preparation. Even in this age of technology, I still love me a good cookbook. I probably have 20 cookbooks that I use often.

b. Internet: Of course, 18 years ago, we didn’t even own a computer, so cooking websites were not an option. But now, you don’t have to spend a dime on a cookbook if you don’t want to. There are millions (!) of great websites full of delicious recipes. You can also watch video demos on YouTube—which is so cool, if you need to learn technique. My favorite recipe site is All-Recipes—I always start there. Namely because of the sheer volume of recipes in one place AND the reviews (which I always browse) from people who have actually made the recipe before me.

c. Food Network: If any one thing has revolutionized cooking in a positive way in my lifetime, it’s the Food Network. It is truly one of the best ideas ever, right there next to coffee makers with timers and TIVO and spandex in jeans. If you are a novice, watch shows like 30-Minute Meals and Everyday Italian. These ladies make normal, easy-to-prepare, family-friendly food. And you can watch the process and technique, which I think is vital in learning to love the art of cooking.

d. Friends: Some of my best recipes, I’ve gotten from friends after they’ve made them for me. Don’t be shy if about asking. Most good cooks love sharing their recipes.

e. The Back of Packages of Products You Use: Did you know product companies only put the absolute best recipes on their packages--the ones that will best highlight the flavor of the product, so people will purchase and enjoy the product? Makes sense, doesn't it? For an outstanding oatmeal cookie recipe, look no further than the flip side of the Quaker Oats lid. White chicken chili is as close as the back of the Bush's Navy Bean label. And, hello? Can you say Nestle Toll House Cookies? Look on your pasta box, rice bag, chicken breast wrapping...chances are, there are some outstanding recipes hiding back there.

2. Take Notes: I write on every recipe I make. If my family hated it, I don’t want to accidentally make it again. If my family loved it, I want to make sure I stick that one in the meal rotation. Sometimes, I liked a recipe a lot, but I needed to do some tweaking to make it work for my family—I write all of that down, right there next to the recipe.

3. Tab Your Favorites: Any post-it note will do. This is self-explanatory, is it not?

4. Organize the Recipes you Want to Try or Make Again: I am sure there are all sorts of creative and fancy ways to organize recipes. I’m fairly archaic. I prefer paper over these new-fangled things called computers. And my creativity is pretty much limited to stringing words together, not making pretty recipe holders. Therefore, if I'm not using a cookbook, I like to print out my recipes and keep them in one of these-here-fancy-schmancy accordian folders. I am sure there are nifty ways to organize them electronically on my new-fangled computer. But that’s too techie for me.

5. Keep a Running List of Meals that Worked Well: Sometimes, you’ll sit down to do your meal plan, and your mind will go blank. That’s when you can pull out your handy-dandy Meal Idea List. I write down almost every meal that my family likes a lot. Sometimes, I even jot down what side dishes go especially well with a main dish. I forget those things, don’t you? You don’t? Never mind, then. Moving on….

6. Create Your Own Dishes: Yes, believe it or not, you will make it to this point some day. It won’t be long, and you will start getting a good feel for what flavors work well together--which ones your family says, “Wow! What did you put in this?” (in a good way) When that happens, you may be tempted to try to create something without Rachel Ray’s assistance. I say, go for it! What’s the worst thing that can happen? It’s terrible and you throw it out, that's what. Who cares? That’s why God created take-out. But maybe, you will stumble upon something delicious! If you do, be sure to write it down, and put it in your fancy-schmancy accordion folder. You’ll think you’ll remember it…but you won’t. Well, I won’t. Maybe you will. Write it down anyway. Trust me on this.

Now that I have a few years of cooking under my belt (ha! Get it? Under my belt? I didn’t even say that one on purpose, but it was funny!) I feel extremely confident in the kitchen. Confident enough to try to recreate some of Mom’s old recipes. Confident enough to create new recipes of my own. And confident enough to pass this cooking tradition on to my own children—and to you, via the new-fangled Internet.

My prayer for you today is that you don’t have to rely on Rice-a-Roni as your go-to side dish, neither today, nor for all eternity. That you would feel bold and fearless as you try your hand at cooking. And that God would kindly deactivate your spouse’s taste buds as you experiment in the kitchen. Amen.

Q4U: What tips would you give someone just starting out? If you ARE just starting out, what scares you the most about cooking?

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P90X2 Update, Week 7
Day 47
I'm over half-way there!

Total Weight Lost: 8.8 since Jan 2, 15.6 since last year!

Total Body Fat Lost:: 2.9%

Total Inches Lost: 7.5

This week was a challenge on every level. Which is why I'm ~~surprised~~ shocked to see I lost more weight and inches. I actually ordered dessert last Friday night (I said I wasn’t doing that until I was done with P90X2, but it was a macadamia-nut-brownie thingie topped with vanilla ice cream and real whipped cream!). Anyway, it was huge. Like for-3-people huge. My husband wanted the key lime pie and absolutely refused to help a girl out, so I ate the entire thing. I could have pushed it away after the first third, or the second third...but I didn't. I consumed all of it. All three thirds.

Not beating myself up. Just keepin' it real. Because, dude, that dessert was delicious. But, just remember, there's always a price to pay for too much delicious. I think that's in the book of Ecclesiastes.

In addition to that, I did extra snacking and indulging here and there the entire week, had a few unexpected nights where we had to buy dinner on the go and eat much too late. A lot of "life" happened in my home this week (stressful, yucky life) which meant my workouts were compromised also.

This is when it starts to unravel for some people. They eat too much. Or too much of the wrong thing. They miss a workout or two. They get busy. And stressed. Then discouraged. Then they fold.

Don't do it.

Over the course of months, a few days is just a blip in the radar. It won't matter as much as it seems it does right now. Just keep showing up and doing your best. Cook yourself something healthy and light from one of your new cookbooks. Go put on some workout clothes and sweat. That's what I intend to do.

Have a fabulous weekend everyone!

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Linking up with my friend Jill Conyers! Go check out her Fitness Friday Blog Hop!

For When You Are Tempted to Believe the Lies

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy @ God Speaks Today) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Jesus has been made unto you wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption.

(I Cor 1:30)

God has given you the spirit of power, of love and of a sound mind.

(2 Tim 1:7)

You have the mind of Christ, and you hold the thoughts, feelings and purposes of His heart.

(I Cor 2:16)

God is on your side.

(Rom 8:31)

You are God’s own handiwork—his workmanship—recreated in Christ Jesus that you may do those good works which God predestined for you. You are taking paths that He prepared for you to take ahead of time, that you should walk in them, living the good life, which He prearranged and made ready for you to live.

(Eph 2:10)

God does not require you to act on your own strength. He is all the while effectually at work in you, energizing and creating in you the power and the desire, both to will and to work for His good pleasure, satisfaction and delight.

(Phil 2:13)

Jesus is the Leader, the Source and the Finisher of your faith.

(Heb 12:2)

God’s love has been poured into your heart.

(Rom 5:5)

You dwell and continue to dwell in God’s love, and therefore, God continues to dwell in you.

(I John 4:16)

God has given you a secret place to abide and hide. It is under the safety of the shadow of His wings. No enemy can touch you there.

(Ps 91:1)

God’s angels protect you and preserve all your ways. In fact, He has given you power and authority to trample the very enemies that pursue you.

(Ps 91:13)

God has rescued and delivered you from this present and evil world.

(Gal 1:4)

You are born of God, and whoever is born of God is victorious over this evil world.

(I Jn 5: 4-5)

God hears your cry for help. His lovingkindness causes you to know the way you should walk, leads you to level ground and delivers you from all your distress and all your enemies—even the enemies who afflict your inner self.

(Ps 143)

When you roll your works upon the Lord—when you commit and trust them wholly to Him—He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will. And then, your plans will be established and succeed.

(Prov 16:3)

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Linking up with my precious friend Jen, who helps me know the truth and reject the lies.

Fitness Friday: Southwest Turkey Burgers

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy @ God Speaks Today) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:00:00 +0000

For P90X2 Week 6 Update, Scroll to the end!

I promised last week that I’d share some recipes with you. And I like to keep my blogging promises. So, here’s one of my favorites!

Since the beginning of January, I’ve been making one or two recipes a week from the P90X2 Nutrition Guide. These Southwest Turkey Burgers are one of my favorites, and the only one I've made twice (so far). They are so quick and yummy…even my kids love them.

(And by “kids” I mean 2 of the 3. It’s a rare day when every kid loves the meal. But I’m cool with that. You can't please all the people all the time, right? Sometimes, it's more a reflection of their feelings for their mother at the moment, and less about the burger.)

Serve these up with a platter of fresh veggies and dip. For the children you can add a side of homemade French fries or a fruit smoothie! Or BOTH!!

(and by "children" I mean "your offspring and your husband who are not trying to lose weight.")

Southwest Turkey (or Chicken) Burgers

Ingredients:

10 oz ground turkey breast (I used ground chicken, because I cannot, for the life of me, find organic, free range ground turkey! What’s up with that?? I may have to join some kind of farm co-op, just for the turkey.)

½ cup salsa, with corn and beans added. (I used jarred, all natural, medium heat)

½ tsp garlic powder

¼ cup seasoned breadcrumbs

4 toasted whole-grain hamburger buns

4 thick slices tomato

4 large romaine lettuce leaves

4 slices red onion

4 thin slices cheddar cheese (I used raw cheddar and sliced it myself)

Directions:

1. Combine turkey (or chicken), salsa, garlic powder and breadcrumbs in a bowl.

2. Form into 4 patties and grill or broil until cooked through. (The first time, I broiled and they came out beautifully. The second time I started on the grill and finished in a 400-degree oven until the rest of dinner was done—also beautiful. You can make these ahead of time, store in fridge, and cook later.)

3. Serve burgers on buns topped with lettuce, tomato, onion and cheese (For my kids, I omitted to tomato and onion cuz they think that’s just gross. And you do NOT need a condiment on these! They are so tasty and moist. Trust me.)

Serves 4

Calories: 357
Fat: 12g
Saturated fat: 5g
Carbohydrate: 32g
Protein: 30g
Fiber: 3.5g
Sodium: 433 mg
Cholesterol: 56 mg

Let me know if you make these and how you like them!

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P90X2 Update—Week 6

Total Weight Lost Since Jan 2nd: 7.8 pounds (14.4 from my highest weight last year)

Total Body Fat Lost: 2.6%

(I did not measure this week)

Do you see those clothes right there?

Do you want to know that they are?

I went shopping.

I know of this great place called Sandy’s Storage Room—a lovely boutique conveniently located in my basement. There, you will find 2 giant bins of clothes I packed away last winter, to end a crying epidemic that occurred every time I got dressed and realized I was unable to pull yet ANOTHER item of clothing over my thighs--or arms--or stomach--depending on the item.

(18 pounds will do that to you.)

(23 pounds will REALLY do that to you.)

(Thank you to all my real life friends and husband who pretended that you didn't notice and told me I was beautiful anyway.)

(I didn't feel beautiful.)

(Yes, I know I'm beautiful on the inside.)

(But still.)

If you started a fitness program as a New Year's Resolution, right about now is when you should start seeing some serious results.

Unless, of course, you are me. Then you should see some serious results in February of the year 2014. But hang in there. It'll be here before you know it.

(Last Sunday, my first real-life friend noticed that I am losing weight.)

(She commented on the size of my shrinking butt. Which is awesome and embarrassing.)

(But mostly awesome.)

These are some of the clothes that I love and prayed that I’d someday be able to wear again. You can't tell from the picture, but some of them still have tags. I literally, bought them, gained a bunch of weight on Lexapro, and then couldn't wear them. All in like 8 weeks.

I actually had another 2 bins of clothes that didn't fit that I donated to Goodwill. Obviously, I didn't love them as much as I loved these. But I still cried when I couldn't fit into them. My entire closet, ya'll.

I can now fit into these clothes.

I can hardly believe it.

I am happy.

I have written a lot of short, choppy sentences in this post.

Sorry.

That is all.

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Linking up with Jill and a bunch of other fitness-minded bloggers at Fitness Friday.

Intentional Mothering::3 Things I'm Working On Right Now

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy @ God Speaks Today) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:15:00 +0000

"Being intentional as a mother involves a constant call to action. It’s not enough to want your children to encompass godly virtue and values; you must be willing to model, teach, lead, and nurture them in the daily experiences called life."

~Catherine Hickem~

1. Organizing a workable chore chart and allowance system. We’ve had multiple versions of chore charts and allowance systems over the years. Everything from, “You will receive a flat fee, according to your age, not because you complete a task, but because you are a productive member of the Cooper family” to “Twenty Five Cents per chore, per kid, period.” to “I scribbled a list and it’s sitting on the counter. Do everything on it and come see me when you are finished.” to “It’s been four months since I paid you anything because, as it turns out, I’m quite the slacker-mom, so to appease my guilt, you may pick out whatever you want from Toys R Us and we’ll call it even.”

My kids are now all old enough to do regular chores, and do them well. Even the 5 year old. In fact, they do regular chores every day (make beds, feed pets, set and clear the dinner table, straighten rooms), but I rarely keep track or pay them an allowance. I want to improve in this area for two reasons:

a. It’s important to me that my children know how to handle money well: to give generously, to save diligently and to spend wisely. It’s impossible to teach them to handle money, if they never have money to handle. Duh.

b. Many times when we are out shopping, they will ask for something that I do not want to buy for them. They are quick to respond, “Please Mom, I will use my own money!” To which I respond, "You have no money." To which they respond, "I would if you would pay me an allowance."

True dat.

My parents were excellent at teaching money management. I grew up in a debt-free household, and it wasn’t because we were wealthy. My dad worked at a factory (sometimes working over-time AND working two additional jobs) and my mom stayed at home to raise seven children. Plus, they sent us all to Catholic schools. And paid for our college (without school loans!) for those of us who wanted to attend.

Thanks to them, I entered adulthood confidently understanding the value of money and the dangers of credit. I want to pass this heritage on to my children. It’s one of those things I’ve been meaning to do for years, but am just now getting my act together to implement it.

I’ve got a brand new chore/allowance system that I introduced yesterday. It’s not complicated—which is my tendency—to overcomplicate and then toss the plan because no one wants to maintain it. I don’t want to speak too soon, though. I’ll give it a few weeks to work out the bugs. If it works, I’ll share the details in a future post.

2. Having one Electronics-Free Day per week. Last week, I was having lunch with a friend, and she said when she was growing up, she was only allowed to watch TV on the weekends. That night, I mentioned this to my children, and they hissed at me. Literally—like a scary stray cat, they made a hissing sound.

It's no secret around here, I am not a fan of electronics of any kind. Evidenced by the fact that electronics are the first thing to go when I’m punishing a child for bad behavior. I harp constantly about the distraction and brain-wasting that occurs when a child is glued to a screen as opposed to running, creating or imagining something. I would love to throw every one of them out the window (the electronics, not the children) and live like the Ingles family, all prairie-like. But that is unrealistic—electronics are here to stay and serve a great purpose, when used in moderation.

But that doesn’t mean I can’t do a better of job of managing them in my home.

So, last night at dinner, I made the following announcement: "Hear Ye, Hear Ye! From henceforth, one day per week will be Electronics-Free."

And then I braced myself for the hissing.

To my shock and amazement, they shrugged their shoulders and said, “Sure, okay.”

I let them vote on the day, and they chose Sunday. But with one stipulation: That we make Sunday a true Family Day and do things like go to the park, the zoo, go bowling or roller skating. I wasn’t expecting that request, but I like it. A lot.

Jon and I will have to do a little schedule-switching on our part (he usually takes the kids to the YMCA while I write), but I love the idea of having one day a week, reserved just for quality family time. Writing can wait.

3. Reading to Elliana every day. *GASP!!!* What???? You don’t read to your daughter every single day? Isn’t that taught in Parenting 101, you novice???? What the heck is WRONG with you???

Well, I USED to read to my kids, how’s that?

Allow me to describe my gradual digression into the dark abyss of the Non-Reading Parent:

To Noah (Circa 1997), I read the Bible…chapters and chapters of the inspired Word of God, as I rocked him gently on my lap. That child heard more scripture in his 9 short months of life than I heard in the first 18 years of mine. No lie.

To Rebekah (Circa 1999), I read some Bible, but tons of books—books, books, books, every day and every night. That child knew entire books by heart before she was old enough to read. She still loves books to this day, and usually has 2 or 3 going at the same time—just like her Momma.

To Elijah (Circa 2001), I read some books, but MAN, life got so busy with a baby and a toddler. Before long, I was placing my sweet boy in front of Thomas the Tank Engine DVDs more often than I care to remember. I told myself George Carlin, Ringo Starr and Alec Baldwin were worthy reading substitutes—shoot, they were narrating our books verbatim. That’s almost like reading, right?

To Elliana (Circa, Holy Moses, what year is it anyway?), I’ve handed books to keep her occupied while I try to run my household.

It’s so hard with the last kid to keep up on all those things—I’m not beating myself up, because it really is difficult. Plus, I realize the baby of the family benefits in other ways that the oldest does not (I’m the baby, so I know). But reading one-on-one with my sweet girl is just one of those things I don’t want neglect. Not only is it very important for her brain development, but it’s also precious to me. The season of nighttime snuggling with a freshly-bathed, pajama-clad preschooler is coming to a close for me. I want to embrace every second of it before it’s over.

Q4U: What are you doing to improve as a parent?

Fitness Friday: My Philosophy on Philosophies and Cooking

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy @ God Speaks Today) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:00:00 +0000

(Scroll to the end for P90X2, Week 5 Update!)

If you only know me from my blog, and not in real life, chances are pretty good you think I’m nothing but a hot mess. (Oh, who am I kidding? You probably think that if you know me in real life, too.)

In a virtual world where I have the power to create and present a flawless image of myself, I tend to do the opposite. I throw myself under the bus a lot—I expose my flaws and reveal my struggles for the sake of flawed and struggling women everywhere.

You’re welcome.

I, for one, can’t relate to women who project an image of perfection. I’ve lived long enough to avoid the allure of the Comparison Trap. I have no desire to perpetuate the myth of the Flawless Woman anywhere on my blog. Therefore, I have no problem with showing you the scary,imperfect parts of my being—which are many. I think vulnerability in me produces freedom in you.

So, at the risk of sounding boastful or prideful or appearing “perfect,” it is with great reservation that I make the following confession: There are three areas of life where I have achieved order and tend to maintain order—even when the rest of my world is falling apart.

1. Daily communion with God (prayer and Bible reading)

2. Healthy cooking and eating for my family of five

3. Regular exercise

Honestly, if I have those three areas under control, it is well, it is well with my soul. I can handle pretty much anything else that comes my way if I am healthy and strong—first spiritually, then physically.

(You realize, don’t you, that just as soon as I hit “publish” on this post, I am going to fail miserably at one of these areas? That’s the way it works, y'all. All the more reason I make this confession with great reservation.)

I think the main reason I have been able to maintain order spiritually and physically is because these areas are where I place my highest priority. It doesn’t make you wrong or bad if you don’t place your priorities here. You probably have prettier flowerbeds, cleaner and more beautifully decorated homes and more active social calendars than I do, all because you prioritize differently.

By prioritize, I mean, that we not only regard these things as most important, but we also give them the very best part of our day, usually before or instead of most other things. We devote a lot of time here. If we have a free moment, we tend to gravitate here. We may not even do it consciously—but with every little decision throughout every day, we prioritize.

I am intentional about my priorities. I plan how I will incorporate them into my day. As seasons and circumstances change (pregnancies, new babies, illnesses, job changes, relocations, school and activity schedules), I think, “When will I pray? When will I exercise? What will I eat/feed the family?”

Yes, I actually consciously think that. And I keep trying and tweaking, until I find a way to fit it all back in.

That’s the main reason transitions are such a challenge for me. It takes me a while to get my groove back. But once I do, I’m good.

Behind every priority is an underlying philosophy where the priority originated. We all have underlying philosophies, whether we realize it or not. I happen to have firm, underlying philosophies about most things, but primarily about my responsibilities as a Christian wife and mother.

These philosophies steer me toward my priorities when life gets full and I’m tempted to neglect them or forsake them. These philosophies help me sort through the hundreds of things pulling for my time and attention every single day. These philosophies help me see the big picture.

So, today, I wanted to share with you a bit about the philosophies behind Priority Number 2: Healthy Cooking and Eating for My Family of Five

In my home, I am the one responsible for all-things-food. I decide what my family will eat, every single day. I plan all the meals. I grocery shop. I organize the food once it is in our home. And then, I prepare and serve the food.

I love this part of my job.

I sincerely consider it an honor to nourish my family physically. I’m so thankful my husband entrusts this area to me, solely. So, the primary component of my cooking philosophy is that I see it as a privilege, as opposed to a duty or a drudgery.

When it comes to my kids and food, I try to proceed with the end in mind—I try to envision my children grown and gone. What do I want to pack into their bags before they leave our nest?

Of course, I want them to be healthy, first and foremost. But I also want my children to have a healthy relationship with food. I want them to view food, not only as necessary fuel for their bodies, but also as a gift from God. God could have chosen to nourish our bodies in any other boring or scientific way; but, instead, He chose to bless us with colorful, fragrant, and delicious food. What a gift!

And like any gift from God, people often abuse, misuse or misunderstand it. Satan can (and will!) destroy people using food. I know a lot people who struggle with food on some level. You probably do, too—those who see food as bondage, who eat too little or too much, who eat nothing but processed, packaged, sugar-laden junk, so that they wouldn’t know a fresh vegetable if it jumped up and bit them in the face (actually, if your vegetable is biting you, it’s probably not a vegetable, after all). I don’t want that for my kids. Not now. Not ever.

Therefore, I make it a high priority to train my children to make healthy choices for themselves. They need this information now, even as students. Because sometimes they stand in the school cafeteria line and need to make a choice. Sometimes they are eating at a friend’s home and need to make a choice. If I don’t educate them for these times, who will?

Someday, they will no longer come to me to ask what’s for dinner. They will do their own planning, shopping and cooking—probably for their own families. When that day comes, I want them to be fully equipped to make great choices.

What does that look like?

1. I talk a lot about what we are eating, what we are NOT eating, and why. That means, I flip over every package and read it out loud (many times with little eyes rolling behind my back as I read). I explain why it is acceptable or not acceptable for human consumption.

2. I cook at home most nights with fresh, natural ingredients, even though it would be way more convenient to run through a drive-thru or open up a can of something.

3. I often invite my kids into the kitchen to help me, even though it would be less stressful and much faster to do it myself.

4. I sometimes prepare food in the morning—especially for soup or a crock pot meal. But If I am cooking between the hours of 4 and 6 pm (when every kid on the planet is cranky), I make meal prep time as pleasant as possible. I usually turn on music and light a candle. I will sometimes pour myself a glass of wine or a cup of hot tea. (For me. I meant I make it pleasant for ME.)

If the kids are not helping, they are often sitting around the counter doing homework or coloring or just talking to me about their day. Sometimes they are playing in another room or outside. But if they are near me in the kitchen, it's a very special time and I take full advantage of it.

With them nearby, I can teach them all kinds of things about food, and they don’t even realize it. As the aroma of dinner fills the house, I will stoke their anticipation with questions like, “Mmmmm…Do you smell that??? It’s basil, and it tastes soooo good in this sauce. Wow, look at how pretty this salad is with all the colors! What color is missing? What could we add? Do you know how to tell when this should come out of the oven? It will turn brown and the sides will bubble. Do you know why I added the egg to this? It helps hold it together…”

Just teaching...training...

Since my kids will have to eat several times a day for the rest of their lives (!), I want to instill in them a love for cooking and an appreciation for the process. You just can’t teach that in a fast-food drive-thru.

5. We eat together, sitting at the table without the distraction of electronics, almost every night. I know the day will come when this just won’t be possible…so I make it a priority today.

6. With three kids (middle school, elementary school and preschool) and a husband who works a full-time-plus job, I could not accomplish any of this if I did not plan ahead. Therefore, meal planning is high-priority to me. This isn’t a complicated process. It takes me maybe 5-10 minutes to plan my meals for the entire week, and another 5 minutes to make my grocery list from this meal plan.

Basically, I cook at home about four nights a week, depending on what is happening in our lives.

One of those four home-cooked meals usually involves chicken,

one involves pasta (easy with fresh salad and bread!)

and one involves soup (unless it's hot outside).

One night we do fish or maybe Mexican.

One night, we do pizza.

One night, we eat out.

One night, we eat left-overs.

I serve fresh fruits and veggies as sides, most nights. I make homemade bread once or twice a week (super easy with this recipe I recently discovered). Smoothies are this Momma’s best friend, especially on pizza night or when we are all headed back out the door for an activity.

7. I don’t fuss over breakfast and lunch, but instead keep my kitchen stocked with super-easy options like cereal, oatmeal, eggs, soups (homemade or canned) and turkey, cheese and bread for sandwiches—and of course, more fresh (and frozen!) fruit and veggies.

This isn’t all sunshine and roses. My children are just like yours—they would choose candy over carrots and French fries over fresh fruit, a! ny! day! of! the! week! Sometimes they complain. Sometimes they refuse to try something I’ve made. Sometimes I get tired of cooking and chuck my meal plan for the night and make boxed mac and cheese.

Not often, but it happens.

But, I know my hard work and diligence is paying off when my 12-year-old daughter chooses to stand by my side for hours, because she wants to learn how to prepare Thanksgiving dinner.

Or when my 5-year-old refuses a Tootsie Roll from her preschool teacher because she’d rather have one of Mom’s homemade treats later.(she's learned she can have no more than one treat per day).

Or, when, just last night, my 10-year-old son walks into the kitchen, closes his eyes, breathes in deeply and says, “Mom…I love when you cook dinner. You cook such good food.”

And especially when we drive past Mc Donald’s and I hear a kid in the back seat declare, “That’s not food—it’s poison.”

Yep. Makes it aallllllll worth it.

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P90X2 Update, Week 5 (30 Days down, 60 more to go!)

Total Weight Lost: 6.4 pounds since Jan 2, 13 pounds since highest weight (I gained 1.4 pounds this week). My goal is sort of vague...but I'd be super happy with 5 more pounds lost. And I'd be ecstatic with 8. That's right, only 3 pounds stand between my happiness and my ecstasy.

Total Inches Lost: 6, from waist, hips, butt, and thighs! No wonder my jeans are all baggy! I may be able to shop in my basement soon!

Total Fat Lost: 2.3%

The beginning of the week found me fatigued. I forced myself through my first 3 workouts—workouts that felt more draining than they did energizing. I wanted to sleep a lot. So I took naps. Caffeine alone wasn't strong enough to get me over the mid-day hump.

All that tells me I’ve pushed my body hard enough for long enough, and it’s time for some rest and recovery.

One of the neat things about P90X2 is the flexibility built into the program. They expect that you know your body well enough to recognize when it’s time to take a break from the normal workout routine.

So, Wednesday and Thursday, I rested. And next week, I’m taking my first official “recovery week.” I don’t want to over-train. Because over-training is a recipe for injury and weight-loss plateaus. No thank you. I'll tell you more about my recovery week next time, after I actually take it.

Speaking of recipes (smooth segue there), I have so many I want to share with you. But I’ve been very chatty lately on Fridays…maybe next week, we’ll do a little recipe post. Sound good?

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Did you know you don't have to check this blog for updates? Did you know you can have them delivered to your inbox for FREE? No strings attached. Just look in the sidebar at the top of the blog and enter your e-mail address. You'll get an email asking you to verify you are not a robot. That's it! Unless you are a robot, of course. Then, you're out of luck.

Linking up again this week with Jill Conyers--hop over there for more great posts on fitness, health and nutrition!

Also linking up with Sarah at Emerging Mummy for her blog carnival on the Practices of Parenting.

What My Brain and Fox News Have in Common

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy @ God Speaks Today) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:30:00 +0000

In my quest to examine all-things-time this month, I’ve made a discovery: I exert an abundance of mental energy carrying around my to-do list. Not a paper to-do list. I carry it all in my brain.

Thus, my brain is a lot like watching Fox News. See, there’s the Main Story going on, usually in split screen, because more than one person is talking—sometimes arguing. It’s what happening right now, in real time.

Then there are the two Scrolly-Strips at the bottom of the screen (because one strip is never enough) scrolling, scrolling, scrolling. These are the things I can’t forget, even in the middle of the main story:

*make the house payement*wash Elijah’s basketball uniform* Rebekah is buying her lunch, not packing on Thursday but Elijah is buying on Monday and Elliana only needs a lunch on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday*stop at Target after you pick up Elliana from Mother’s Day Out, the kids need shampoo and conditioner in their bathroom*call Dad*feed the cat, check to see if we need kitty litter*Elijah had his antibiotic at 7 am, next dose will be after school, tell Jon to give him the third dose before bed*schedule a sitter for next Friday*pull the chicken out of the freezer*schedule a carpet cleaning*no, wait, save the money and buy some carpet cleaning solution for the Bissell you bought 15 years ago*when you go to Target today to buy shampoo and conditioner, buy carpet cleaning solution, too*vacuum and clean the carpets*pray*make Elliana’s 5-year-doctor appointment*pull the wet laundry out of the washer*check e-mails*garbage goes to the curb on Monday*write a blog post*get gas in the car before you pick up the kids from school*we’re out of bananas…

Then there’s the giant red box in the top corner of the screen flashing the Breaking News:

Rebekah left her school book on the front seat of the car! Jon has a dinner meeting tonight and won’t be home until 9 pm! Elijah needs a historical fiction book for his book report due in 2 weeks! Elliana just spilled an entire box of cereal on the kitchen floor! Elijah has strep throat and needs to see a doctor! The cat just puked on the couch! Rebekah busted a bracket off her braces and needs to see the orthodontist!

(whoever said stay-at-home moms don’t “work” has never done this job)

And let’s not forget the Commercials:

You need a bigger laundry room. You need to lose 10 more pounds. You need hardwood floors. You need new jeans. You need a vacation. You need to sign your kids up for spring sports. You need new kitchen towels. You need to spruce up your front entrance. You need to go to small group at church. No, you need to LEAD a small group at church. You need granite counter tops. You need to cut coupons. You need a new computer. You need to read more. You need to keep a cleaner house. You need to be a better wife. You need to remain calm when your kids talk back. You need to spend more time with your girlfriends. You need a pedicure. And a manicure. Who cares if it chips the very day you get it? You are worth it—you NEED it!

That, my friend, is the 24/7 news show known as my brain. All. The. Time. No wonder I am in a constant state of “overwhelmed.” No wonder I feel too busy before I even pour my first cup of morning coffee. I simply cannot carry that much information in my brain all the time and stay sane. No one can. Yet, that is how I live. And that is why I am insane.

So a few weeks ago, as I began to pray about all the duties flashing on my news screen, I felt like God was leading me to perform a massive Mind Dump: Take the contents of my brain and dump them out on paper. Everything that was in my brain. All of it.

It wasn’t pretty.

Now, just to clarify, I am, by nature a “list girl.” I always have some kind of list-system going. I love lists. I love looking at lists. I love crossing things off lists. Sometimes I actually write things ON a list AFTER I’ve done them, just to have the satisfaction of crossing them off. (<---- proof that I am insane)

But if I start to reel in a perpetual state of “overwhelmed“ you can be sure that I’ve stopped keeping and maintaining a good list system. I may jot down a quick grocery list on my way out the door, and maybe I know what I’m making for dinner this week. But that’s probably about it. The rest of it, I’m lugging around in my little News-Show-Brain. And it’s a gigantic, heavy mental burden.

(the nice thing about the news show analogy, however, is that the girls always have great hair)

So, back to the Mind Dump. Here’s how it played out.

1. I got out a blank sheet of paper and literally wrote down every single thing that was weighing on my brain. Everything I was trying to remember. Everything I had to do, even if it was next month. It took me quite awhile to complete this dump, but it was incredibly cleansing. I didn’t have any less to do after I wrote the list, but I had nothing to remember to do. It was all written down on a sheet of paper. And my brain was suddenly free.

2. I then organized my list into different categories.
a. To do this week
b. To do someday
c. Groceries
d. Target/Costco/Whole Foods
e. Things I would like to buy for the house
f. Projects
g. Meals
h. Etc…(I’m adding categories as I need them—it’s a work in progress)

3. Finally, I got out one blank sheet of paper and I wrote at the top “Monday.” And from that massive to-do list formed from my crazy-news-show-brain, I chose a few things that I needed to do that day. I set the bar low, because the worst thing you can do to an over-achieving-lover-of-lists is to give her more things to do than she can actually accomplish in the allotted time. I also learned a long time ago, I need a lot of margin in my day. If I pack it full, I don’t do well.

4. I put all my lists in a cute little 3-ring-binder, with Monday’s list as my very first page. So, my today’s list is in my immediate line of vision when I open it up (not the entirety of my brain dump).

5. I carry this Mind Dump binder with me in my car. I keep it on my kitchen counter when I’m home. As new things pop into my mind, I jot it down. Like a mental game of hot potato, I try to hold information mentally for the shortest time possible.

6. At the end of every day, I look over my lists, consider what I accomplished (which is always WAY more than I give myself credit for) and what I need to do next. If I need to move something from today to tomorrow, I do. I extract only the most important or most urgent things from the other lists to do that day, pulling items from my various dumping areas to create a current-day manageable list. Emphasis on manageable.

And suddenly, like magic, I have clarity. My day is controllable. Enjoyable, even! I wake up refreshed, knowing I am able to accomplish everything I need to accomplish today. And just in case I don’t, I can start over fresh tomorrow. I don’t have to worry about forgetting anything because it’s all right there…in my cute little binder.

I know it's just a simplified version of a daily planner--and those have been around for decades. But still...

I feel like I pulled the plug on that over-stimulating news show and, instead, stepped outside… into a green meadow full of wildflowers, warm breezes and sunshine.

OK, not really.

But it’s helped me a lot. And I thought it might help you, too.

Q4U: Do you have a good system in place to manage your life’s tasks? If you feel overwhelmed, have you considered that maybe it’s not that you’re too busy, but instead you’re holding too much in your brain?

Fitness Friday: What All Successful Weight-Loss Plans Have In Common

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy @ God Speaks Today) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

(Scroll to the end to read my P90X2 Update. Or not.
You may instead want to roll your eyes and go, whatEVER.)

The other night I was lying in bed paging through my husband’s Triathlete magazine. Which means only one thing: I have absolutely nothing else to read.

When, low and behold, amidst the myriad of articles about “shaving time off your swim” and “preparing for Kona” (*yawn*) I found a fascinating article about weight loss. Which is funny to me because, second only to vegans, triathletes are the leanest people on the planet. Why do they need to lose more weight? Are they trying to rub it in our chubby faces? Aren't they busy enough with their 5-hour bike rides?

Anyway, I wanted to share a snippet or two from this fascinating article,* because it underscores a few things I’ve been telling you for years. Which means only one thing: The articles I find most fascinating are the ones that support my own opinions.

The National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) is a national database of women and men who have succeeded in losing at least 30 pounds of weight and have kept it off for a year or more. Here are four things the members have in common:

1. Daily exercise (doesn’t specify what kind—just exercise)

2. Dietary consistency (maintaining the same eating habits on the weekends as they do during the week—this is critical, because most dieters eat more on the weekends and sabotage their weight-loss efforts)

Let’s talk about number 2 for a minute—dietary consistency. What exactly DO these people eat day in and day out that leads to weight loss?

All different things.

That's right. Some lost weight on low-fat diets, others on low-carb. Some used Weight Watchers. Some went vegetarian. In other words, their diets were all over the board—they chose a diet that worked for them.

This supports what I told you last week: God made each of us unique. The diet that works for you may not work for me. The key to your weight loss is finding the diet that makes you feel energetic, while at the same time, ushers your body into its ideal weight range. You may not figure that out today. It’s a trial and error process.

3. Self-monitoring (food journaling, calorie counting, regular weighing or measuring)

4. Several failed weight-loss attempts before succeeding. Did that one surprise you? It did me. Again, with the trial and error process!

But here’s the point I found most fascinating:

“The combination of ....variety in successful diet approaches and failures preceding success suggests that people succeed in losing weight when they are psychologically ready, and fail when they are not ready…

Real world and scientific evidence indicate that the specific diet that a person uses to shed fat is not especially important to success in the effort to lose weight.

What’s far more important, it seems, is the motivation level and attitude of the person seeking weight loss. Men and women who are truly ready to commit to a particular weight-loss strategy are almost certain to succeed, regardless of the diet they choose (provided it’s healthy and realistic). By the same token, those who are not prepared to fully embrace their diet are bound to fail, no matter which diet they’ve chosen.”

This supports what I’ve been telling you for-like-EVER: The mental side of fitness is absolutely critical to your results. If there is one key to your success, this is it, baby--Commitment to your plan.

Q4U: Are you committed to your weight-loss strategy? Are you fully embracing your healthy lifestyle? If you haven’t done so yet, make a commitment to yourself today. Then tell me about it in the comments. I promise to cheer you on!!!

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P90X2 Week 4

Total Weight Lost Since Jan 2: 7.8 pounds
Total Weight Lost Since My Highest Weight: 14.4

(You can't see me right now, but I'm throwing a little party at my kitchen table at 5:30 am on a Friday. I haven't seen this "decade" of weight on my scale since Fall 2009)

Well, I ended Phase One--or what I like to call, “How Many Exercises Can I Perform on One Leg or While Balancing on Some Kind of Ball?” Or HMEC IPOOL OW BOS KOB, for short. I have to admit, I got pretty darn good at most of those exercises. And thanks to about a million balance moves, my core is rock hard. It's still under a thin layer of unwanted fat, of course. But I PROMISE, under that layer of fat, I am TOTALLY RIPPED.

I started Phase Two on Monday. Phase Two is much like the original P90X—lots of weight training, alternating days with plyometrics and yoga. Except P90X2 has me doing it all while balanced on one leg or on some kind of ball—or several balls, all at the same time. There are so many balls involved in this workout. At one point, they expect me to do pushups balanced on 4 medicine balls—It’s like some sort of circus move. To this suggestion, I respond, “hahahahahahaha” and then I drop down to the floor and do some traditional push-ups.

I think in Phase Three, we move to juggling the medicine balls while walking across a tight rope, balancing on one foot over flames. Kidding.

In all honesty, that’s one of the things I love most about P90X and P90X2—I can modify the heck out of it and still get an incredible workout. I mean, who can do a balance/resistance move like that on the first try? My husband, that's who—because he’s just all lean and buff and coordinated that way—he's a triathlete, after all. He eats mere humans for breakfast, and then burns them off on his 10-mile run. No layer of fat on HIS core. :)

I choose to look at it this way: I have a lot of room to grow in the program. It will be a LONG time before I get bored, that’s for sure. If I ever master that 4-ball push-up move, I’ll post a picture. And when I can see my six-pack peeking through my fat layer, I'll post a picture of that, too. Maybe.

*This post is based on "Race Shape Ready?" by Matt Fitzgerald; Triathlete January 2012; pages 78-80.

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Linking up with a community of fitness-minded bloggers (and probably a few triathletes) at Jill Conyer's place!

If I Could Ask One Thing of God Today

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy @ God Speaks Today) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:20:00 +0000

Show me the wonders of your great love

Psalm 17:7

If I could ask one thing of God today, it would be to learn to love others the way He loves me. And I don’t mean in some religious, impersonal, send-your-donation-to-the-address-on-your-screen way.

And I don’t mean I want to love the people on the other side of the globe or even the other side of the river. I mean, I DO want to love them. Certainly, I want to love those people, too. But that’s not my prayer today.

My prayer today is to learn to love the people closest to my heart. The ones in whom I am completely and wholly emotionally invested. The ones with whom I share love every day.

For me, this is so much more difficult than loving the person across the river. Not every day. Some days those closest to me are easy to love. Like when they smile and cooperate and speak kindly. And some days they are not.

(I know this goes both ways. I am no saint. But this is my blog and my prayer, not theirs.)

Today, I need to fully rely on God’s love for me to instruct and lead me in love.

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love.

Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.

I John 4:16

I want to learn to love beyond faults, weaknesses and insecurities. To see beyond what is said to me with their mouths and instead get a glimpse of the pain and confusion within their hearts.

To have the wisdom to discern whether Love requires closeness or distance.

Forgiveness or consequences.

Talking or silence.

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love,

I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

I Corinthians 13:1

To resist my own human nature to attack back. Or worse, to flee. To maintain a self-protective stance. To make vows with my heart that declare, "You will NEVER love like this again. Love hurts too much."

And instead embrace again.

Invest again.

Die again.

And do it all willingly. Joyfully. Because I love them, and that’s how Love behaves. Love never fails, even when it gets a door slammed in it's face.

Within your temple, O God, we meditate

on your unfailing love.

Psalm 48:9

I want God to show me how to die to what I deserve. Or what I think I deserve. Especially when I know I'm right and I’ve been wronged. To restore those caught in sin gently. Oh my…the “gently” part is so very hard for me. Which is why I need Love so badly today.

We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for,

and we can understand how someone good and noble

could inspire us to selfless sacrifice.

But God put his love on the line for us

by offering his Son in sacrificial death

while we were of no use whatever to him.

Romans 5:8

The Message

The world would tell me to let harsh words and hurtful actions roll off my back. Don't sweat the small stuff. That's life and life is hard. Move on, already.

But is that the way God loves? Does God pretend things don't bother Him and move on? Does He simply choose to stuff His emotions, so He can go about His day unmoved? Where's the Light of Redemption in that?

Maybe I'm wrong, but I don’t want to learn to shut down my emotions and shove them in a dark closet, pretending they don't exist. That's not God's way. That's not redemptive for anyone. Not me OR my loved ones.

Instead, what I need from God today is His supernatural power to transcend emotion,

to transcend hurt

to transcend frustration

to transcend sadness

and to love anyway.

To be so filled with the Love of God, that Love cannot help but spill out of me when I’m pierced.

That's how God loves me.

And that’s what I’d ask of God today, if I could only have one thing.

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Linking up with Soli Deo Gloria today.

Fitness Friday: Eat to Lose Weight, and P90X2--Week 3

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy @ God Speaks Today) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

As if I’m any kind of expert on eating to lose weight.

I am so not.

To refresh your memory, I am the girl who in 2009 gained 12 pounds in 6-ish weeks. And then gained 6 more pounds over the next few months, while trying desperately to LOSE the weight. And then, packed on 5 MORE pounds over the course of 2010.

You do the math. Okay, I will do the math. That's a grand total of 23 pounds in a year and a half. All this, while trying to LOSE weight.

A special thanks to Lexapro. And an honorable mention to my over-40 metabolism. What a great team, the two of you.

Last week, I told you that I had lost 6 of those pounds in 2011 (which, honestly, happened so slowly, I didn’t even notice it until I saw an old journal entry with last January’s weight in it). Yes, it took me a full year of trying very, very hard to lose that weight. I also told you that since starting P90X2 on January 2, 2012, I have lost 5 MORE pounds. Which seemed almost miraculous to me.

Well, now you can make that 6 ½ pounds, 2 inches, and 2% body fat, thankyouverymuch.

That’s 12 pounds of the 23 I gained. Gone. Finally. Adios.

I’d love to tell you that I have it all figured out—that I’ve discovered the magic bullet to weight lost. I honestly haven’t the foggiest. Over much of 2010 and 2011,I tried just as hard as I am trying now, only with little (or opposite!) results.

I. don't. know.

But here is what I have always believed and still do:

1. Diet plays a primary role in weight gain/loss—even more than exercise. Exercise is very important, but diet is even more important. And by "diet," I don't mean "going on a diet." I mean, "healthy eating for life."

2. God made each of us unique. What works for me may not work for you. There is a lot of science to support this fact. Some people thrive on extreme diets on either end of the spectrum, where other people on those exact same diets get very ill. We're different.

3. It is so important to take your time and find the diet that makes you feel strong and energetic, and also gets you to your optimum weight for long-term health. In order to find that, you need to pay attention to how foods make you feel and continually make minor adjustments. We're all learning together what works and what doesn't.

That said, here is what I’m currently eating.

No, wait! First, I have to tell you a few more things:

1. I do not keep a food log. I think they are helpful and, for some people, necessary. But I am emotionally allergic to food logs. I am also emotionally allergic to counting calories. And I am emotionally allergic to following overly-structured meal plans. However, I am loosely following the P90X2 Nutrition Guide. Based on my current weight and my fitness goals, The Guide recommends I eat about 1800 calories/day and is kind enough to map out sample meals--which I am not following exactly (emotional allergies). I have not taken the time to figure out how many calories I’m eating. I am making ball-park assumptions based on the suggested meal plans.

2. I have been tweaking my diet for years, slowly making more and more adjustments toward a 100% whole foods diet. So, what I’m eating now is really just a slight variation of what I was eating in December. The major changes being the following:

a. For the duration of the 90-day program, I am treating myself like an athlete training for the biggest event of my life. I know this isn’t for everyone, so don’t feel pressure to get all nutty like me. Just realize I’ve spent a lot of time trying to maintain some level of “junk” in my diet, and it has not produced the desired results. Don't get me wrong, I like my share of “junk.” But for a few months, I’m just not having it.

b. I am not eating any processed foods.

c. The only sugar I‘m eating is in the form of raw, local honey and fresh fruit.

d. I am not drinking any alcohol.

e. I am not taking any “free days” or “free meals.”

f. I eating less. I have cut my portion sizes back by maybe ¼ from what I was eating previously.

3. Back in October, I started replacing one meal a day with Shakeology, and continue to do so. For the record, I am not a fan of meal-replacement. I believe you should be able to get all of your daily nutrients from real, whole food. However, Beachbody (the makers of P90X) has what appears to be an outstanding and one-of-a-kind product in Shakeology. I don’t have time to explain all the reasons why, but I will say it is 70 of the most nutrient-dense ingredients on the planet and it tastes fantastic. If you want to watch the advertisement that sealed the deal for me, it’s HERE. (This is not a paid endorsement—I get no money for telling you how much I love Shakeology).

NOW, here is a list of different things I’m eating at each meal:

Before Breakfast: 2 large cups of coffee each made with a tbsp raw honey and some half and half (I don’t measure—but I like my coffee creamy)

Breakfasts : 2 eggs and a piece of fruit or a slice of Ezekiel toast; ½ cup oatmeal made with water and topped with a cup of blueberries; ½ cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt topped with a drizzle of raw honey and ½ cup frozen berries; Shakeology mix with 1 cup almond milk, ½ banana, a cup of frozen berries and a giant handful of raw spinach (you cannot taste the spinach at all—it’s only 20 calories and it’s packed with nutrients!)

Lunches : Leftover dinner (see below); soup (left-over or Amy’s canned); turkey breast slices wrapped around carrot sticks and dipped in mustard; fresh veggies and hummus; giant salad with a small can of tuna and balsamic vinaigrette or Shakeology (made the same as above).

Snacks: an apple and a few almonds (like 6); a cheese stick and some fresh veggies; a cup of plain green tea; a very small portion of left-overs. My snacks are small—like snacks should be.

Dinners: I have made several of the recipes from the P90X2 Nutrition Guide. They are easy to prepare and very delicious. So far, we’ve had Chicken and White Bean Soup; Chicken Enchilada Soup (YUM!!!); Chicken, Broccoli and Brown Rice; and Southwest Turkey Burgers on Whole Grain Buns (Double YUM!). I am making P90X2 Fish Tacos this weekend. I have also made old Fitness Friday Girl Standby Meals like whole grain spaghetti with meat balls, barbeque chicken in the crock pot with sweet potatoes or salmon and roasted veggies. Sometimes—like on Pizza night—I make myself a giant salad and skip the pizza. I add fresh fruit, salad or fresh veggies to every meal. I try to load up on veggies as much as possible. Once a week, we eat out. I stick with the same principles whether I’m eating out or in—whole foods, lots of veggies, smaller portions, no junk.

You may be asking yourself, "Is Fitness Friday Girl hungry during the day?"

Answer: Yes, sometimes. Especially around 4 pm and between about 8 pm and bed.

But here is my little rant about hunger:

I don’t think “avoiding hunger” is a noble goal. I’m talking mainly to North Americans here—where about 2/3 of us are overweight or obese. Constantly filling our mouths so that we feel nary a hunger pang is a recipe for over-indulgence and obesity.

Most Americans (me included) have absolutely no idea what it means to feel real hunger to the point of malnutrition or starvation. We say we want to get to a healthy weight, but as soon as we feel the slightest bit of discomfort, we decide we could never do this for the long-term, chuck our healthy diet and fall back to our old eating habits.

Please hear me. I am not advocating that we deprive our bodies of the nutrients and calories they need for optimal health (Does my food list look to you like I’m starving?) Don’t starve yourself. It’s dangerous, and could be deadly over the long-term.

But, neither do I believe that feeling a little hungry an hour before dinner or just before bed warrants putting more food in my mouth. Mild hunger pangs are not a bad thing, to be avoided at all cost.

Honestly, if I’m hungry and it isn't time to eat, I just think through all the delicious, nutritious food I have already eaten that day. Then I consider all the people in other parts of the world who have never felt the satisfaction of a full belly (the full belly I felt 2 hours prior—not to mention, every day of my life!).

And then, I tell myself the same thing I tell my children when they come to me an hour before dinner complaining they are starving: Dinner will be ready in an hour. Drink a glass of water. Go play.

In other words, I suck it up and ignore it until it’s time for me to eat again—which sometimes is the next day. And that’s okay. Because I am so very, very blessed with an abundance of food. And I am NOT starving. Besides, it’s not good for me to give into my flesh every single time it whines. And, have I mentioned, I’m on a mission to lose the rest of this stinkin’ Lexapro weight?

I’m not yelling at you. I love you. Feel free to speak your mind about my rant or my dietary choices in the comments. I'd love to hear what you think.

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Linking up with Jill at Fitness Friday this week! Go check out a few of the other fitness blogs for more inspiration and less ranting.

For When You Are Weary

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy @ God Speaks Today) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:11:00 +0000

"For the eyes of the Lord

range throughout the earth

to strengthen those

whose hearts

are fully committed

to Him."

2 Chronicles 16:9a

Fitness Friday: My Number-One Tip for Success

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy @ God Speaks Today) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:35:00 +0000

From now until the end of March, I will be giving a weekly P90X2 Progress Report. I will put it at the END of my Fitness Friday posts, so the 95% of you who couldn’t care less what I ate for dinner or if I lost an inch don’t have to read it. You're welcome.

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I am about to give you my absolute, number one, best tip to help you succeed in reaching your fitness goals this year: Name Your Why

Think of every single reason you want to be fit, healthy and/or lose weight, and write it down.

Be specific.

Be honest.

Be passionate.

Be aggressive. B-E-A-G-G-R-E-S-S-I-V-E!

That was me, regressing into 16-year-old Cheerleader Sandy. You don’t really have to be aggressive. Unless, of course, aggression helps you name your reasons for being fit and healthy. Then, by all means, get jiggy with your aggression!

This list is for your eyes only. But I highly recommend you keep it somewhere not too far from your vision (which may or may not include the eyes of your house-mates, or in my case, the entire world wide web): Your journal, your bathroom mirror, taped inside your kitchen cabinet, stuck to your fridge, stuck to your computer. Somewhere you can easily access the list. Especially when you are tempted to give up.

I’ve talked so many times on Fitness Friday about how the mental component affects your outcome. Mental resolve is powerful. It can make or break you. It's a vital part of the fitness equation.

So, this is that. This is the essence of the mental component—the mental resolve. And this will help usher you from the excitement of making a New Year’s Resolution to the success of keeping it.

Here is my list as to why I chose a lofty fitness goal for the first quarter of 2012 (to complete P90X2), just so you can see how specific, honest, passionate and aggressive (?) I am.

1. I believe my primary purpose in life is to glorify God. I feel I do that best when I, among other things, take excellent care of my physical body.

2. I love the way I feel physically when I eat pure, whole foods and exercise regularly and intensely.

3. My mom had her first heart attack at the age of 53, when I was just 13 years old. From that point until she passed away at the age of 70, she suffered from serious heart-related ailments, including high blood pressure and cholesterol, additional heart attacks, strokes, bypass surgery and breast cancer (which isn’t heart-related, but still). She ultimately died from complications after carotid artery surgery. Genetics are not on my side. I have wonderful, warm memories of my mom and I miss her every single day; but in those memories, I have none of her living a healthy, vibrant life. I choose to do everything in my power to end that family cycle HERE, with me. I want my kids to have different memories of their mother, not filled with lengthy hospital stays and bed rest. I want to be in a very different place at age 53 (which is only 10 years from now.)

4. I will someday stand before God and give an account as to how I raised my children. I want to teach my children to be good stewards of their health so they can glorify God in their bodies. Like it or not, they watch and often imitate everything I do, including what I eat and if I exercise. I want to model for them a life of health so they can make healthy choices now and in the future.

5. I struggle with clinical depression. Exercise and clean eating is one of the most effective ways to manage it.

6. I love the challenge of a very intense, short-term goal. To me, there is nothing quite like buckling down and conquering the hard thing. Much like a runner training for a marathon, completing P90X2 will give me a great sense of accomplishment. And then I will want to take a long nap.

7. Self-discipline is a fruit of the Spirit. When I discipline myself to eat well and exercise, it automatically spills over into every area of my life. I’m a better wife, a better mother, a better friend and a better Christian.

8. I have hundreds (thousands?) of people who read what I write and watch what I do. I want to be an inspiration to others to eat healthy foods they love, to find exercises they enjoy and to conquer health and fitness goals.

9. I have two bins of beautiful clothes in my basement that I can no longer wear because of my Lexapro weight gain. I want to wear those clothes again. (and then box up all the big-girl clothes in my closet right now!!!)

10. I can tell myself all day long that I’m okay with the 18 pounds (which, at times, crept up to 22 pounds!) I gained on Lexapro in 2009/2010. But truth-be-told, I really, really, really, really, really (REALLY!) want to lose it. I don’t like looking at pictures of myself from the chest down. I don’t like looking at myself in the mirror. I don’t feel good about the way I look on most days, even when I take a lot of time to get ready. I don’t like looking at pictures of me from prior to 2010 and think, “Look how fit/muscular/toned/thin I was!”

And for the record, I did NOT like wearing a skirted tankini last summer, in order to cover up 18 pounds of fat on my stomach and thighs. A skirted tankini is not a bathing suit. A skirted tankini is nothing more than an expensive spandex dress that floats up around your chest in water. It is not comfortable, neither is it conducive to swimming with children in a pool or ocean. I'd be better off wearing a sundress.

I know the day will come when I will need to cover up those areas because of age (sagging, veins, etc). THAT’S NOT TODAY! If I am going to wear a skirted tankini at age 43, I want it to be because it is my favorite bathing suit at the store and I feel gorgeous in it—not because the regular bathing suits don’t fit me.

(I told you: HONEST!)

That’s my list. Tell me one item on yours.

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P90X2 Progress Report, Week 2

This is already a long post, so I will keep this brief.

1. P90X2 workouts are completely unique. I have never done anything like it. Phase One is chock-full of balance and core moves. Many of them on a stability ball or trying to perform pushups on medicine balls (say what??!!?). Plyocide, which is an ultra-intense cardio/jump-training routine is SO HARD and SO FUN! It’s my favorite, for sure. When I’m finished with it, I feel like Tom Cruise expressing my love for Katie Holmes on Oprah. Only cRaZiEr!

2. The diet/nutrition guide is awesome. I’ve made several of the dinner recipes (very easy to make!) and they have all been a big hit my fam—even the kiddos! Next week, I will give you an idea of what I’m eating and what I’m not.

3. And now, the best part…I can hardly believe this, since I didn’t even think it was possible…but since starting the program on Jan 2, I have lost FIVE POUNDS. Remember, it took me a full year to lose six pounds???? A year ago today, I weighed about 10 pounds more than I do right now (however, I was at the very high end of my weight gain—the 22 pounds end). So, really, I still have 12 pounds to go. But dude, I would be happy with seven more. I really would.

Today, all my big-girl jeans are sagging—a feeling I have not felt in YEARS. Thank you, Jesus. Seriously. I can hardly believe it. If you have kept up with my saga of battling this weight gain, you know I’ve tried HARD to lose it. And you may also remember that I had one incident where I dropped 4 pounds in one week, and then put it right back on, even though I was eating right and working my tail off with a personal trainer. So, I don’t want to get too excited here (yeah, um, okay) but I think I may have found the winning combination for my crazy metabolism and stubborn weight.
Finally.
Maybe.
Hopefully.
Time will tell.

Related posts:
The Mental Side of Fitness, part one
The Mental Side of Fitness, part two

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Linking up again with Jill for Fitness Fitness Friday!

Time Diet/Facebook Fast

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy @ God Speaks Today) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:11:00 +0000

Teach us to number our days aright that we may gain a heart of wisdom

Psalm 90:12

In launching this year’s theme for my life, this week I’m intentionally focusing on how I spend my time—or more specifically, how I waste my time. I’m hyper-analyzing my day, minute by minute. Kind of a pain, I know. It’s tedious, for sure. It feels a lot like a diet.

You know how when you first make a decision to eat healthy, and there are obvious foods to eliminate from the get-go? Fast food, soft drinks, Krispy Kremes, stuff like that? What? You don’t know you should eliminate those? Have I lost you in this analogy already?

Anyway, once you give up the obvious, the pounds melt off your hips like butter. You’d think you’ve discovered the key to everlasting weight loss.

And then…

Your new habits become routine, and, lo, your body adjusts. Eventually, you stop losing weight—you reach the dreaded plateau. That’s where you scratch your head and go, “This has been working all along, I didn’t change a single thing. What am I doing wrong?” Now, it’s time to look deeper, more intently at your diet—the things sabotaging your efforts are no longer quite as obvious.

Maybe you start a food log. Maybe you begin to count calories. Maybe you measure portions. Maybe you read more about the nutrient content of your most beloved foods. Maybe you experiment with eliminating foods that aren’t terrible but aren’t wonderful either, like bread or cheese or red meat. You pull in the reins even tighter. You’re on a mission.

Some people struggle with food. Me? I struggle with time.

Managing time well has been an on-going battle for me, for as long as I can remember. On and on in the pages of my journals, I call out to God asking Him to help me “get it all done,” and “make the most of my day,” and “set the right priorities.” It’s not just a trite prayer, either. It’s the cry of my heart. Because, mostly, I feel like I can’t quite get a handle on it. Sure, I go through seasons where I simplify and feel like I conquered it—shoot, I even teach Bible Studies on it! But inevitably, I encounter a disturbance in the force, and I’m right back to struggling again.

Like now.

Therefore, I'm declaring a Time Diet. And the first thing to go is Facebook.

Ah, Facebook. Who could have imagined 10 years ago, something like Facebook would take over our lives? Mark Zuckerberg, that's who.

I don’t play Farmville or anything like that, but I do love to read my news feed, and I love to leave comments and banter with my friends and family. I know that’s not terrible, but sometimes it’s not wonderful either. Time slips away mysteriously, especially since I check Facebook multiple times a day on both my computer AND my phone. It could potentially suck HOURS out of my day—and it has. Not every day, but it’s the only obvious time-sucker I can immediately identify. So, for this week (and maybe more!), I have called a Facebook Fast.

Here are some things I noticed since being on my Time Diet/Facebook Fast

1. I am easily distracted. I’ll start folding a load of laundry and remember I didn’t unload the dishwasher, so I’ll go over to do it. Then, I’ll wonder if anyone commented on my last blog post or Facebook status and I’ll walk over to the computer to check. Then, I’ll think about a song I want to listen to while I’m folding laundry and/or unloading the dishwasher, and click over from e-mails to I-Tunes to play it. Then I-Tunes locks up and I spend an hour trying to figure out what is happening.

On and on and on, day after day. All of that hopping around is wasting a ton of time and making me feel very unproductive. No wonder the days get away from me.

2. Wouldn’t you know, the week I’m off Facebook, I’ve come up with some of the FUNNIEST status ideas. Like this one: “Some kids sneak around to do drugs. My kids sneak around to do soda.” Of course, you’d have to know I forbid soda in the house. And that my kids guzzle it like Buddy the Elf when given the opportunity. Okay, if I have to explain it, it probably isn’t that funny. Never mind.

3. When I don’t manage time well, I forget things. Like the fact that Rebekah is scheduled to get braces this week. That would have been a good thing to remember. I didn’t even have it written on the calendar, and I made the appointment six months ago. Thank God for the “confirm your appointment” message on my answering machine.

4. Even without Facebook, the computer and all-things technological are major time-suckers in my life. I know the computer and my cell phone are good things. I use them for good, productive and godly purposes every single day. But I find myself spending a lot of time trying to figure stuff out.

Sunday, I made a 1 ½ minute promo video for an upcoming speaking engagement, and it took me about 8 hours (!), start to finish, plus additional e-mail discussion time with the sweet ladies who requested it. No lie.

Not to mention, my computer is almost out of memory space, and I’ve spent hours trying to figure out how to clear some. I’ve deleted multiple files, some of which I have no clue what they are or what they do. I-Tunes hasn’t worked properly on my computer for months, so every time I try to sync one of the 6-or-so household I-pods, everything locks up, thus, forcing me to sit there in all my electronic glory restoring and restarting (and using the spiritual fruit of Self Control to resist dashing all-things electronic against the wall and my blond head right along with them.)

I don’t even know what the heck I’m doing half the time—and I waste HOURS doing it. Come to think of it, perhaps I deleted some files that are necessary for I-Tunes to run properly.

Technology is here to stay, so, short of hiring a full time Tech Dude, I don’t really know what to do with this one. I’m open to suggestions.

5. I don’t spend enough time playing with, reading to or engaging my kids. I just don’t. And I don’t like it. I haven’t taken my almost teen-aged Rebekah out for a Starbucks/shopping date in months. I don’t even remember the last time I just hung out with Elijah. Unless by “hung out” I mean helping him with homework or driving him to a Taekwondo lesson.

Last year, I set aside most Thursday mornings to have “Girl Time” with Elliana. I’d take her to her dance lesson, then we’d go to lunch or go to a park or have a play date with a friend or walk around Costco and eat free samples. She still talks about it. Sometimes we pass a certain restaurant and she’ll yell, “Mommy! Remember when we had girl time there and I ordered the mac and cheese?” Then, I had the bright idea to enroll her in a third day of Mother’s Day Out instead of dance this Fall, and voila: the end of Girl Time.

I can come up with all kinds of excuses and tell myself she’s having a blast with her friends (she is) and I’m getting more writing done (I am. Sort of. Wait, am I? And do I even care? Is this what I should focus on right now?) But the truth is, I don’t spend time with her like I should—especially considering I’m a stay-at-home mom and she is a preschooler for only seven more months.

If I accomplish one thing through this emphasis on Time in 2012, I want it to be that I did a better job of cherishing the time with my kids. I can see after only a few days that God has a lot of work to do on me and my time...

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Q4U:

Do you struggle with time management? Have you ever taken a break from a time-sucking activity (TV maybe?) What did you learn about yourself? And finally, can anyone tell me how to free up some space on my computer or why-oh-why I cannot get on the I-Tunes Store or sync an I-Pod to save my life????????????? If you are local, I will totally PAY YOU to come fix my computer. Please oh please oh please.

Fitness Friday: 6 Tools To Help You Slaughter Your Fitness Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy @ God Speaks Today) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Quiz Time!!! What was the Number One New Year’s Resolution made in 2011?

You win, if you guessed "TO LOSE WEIGHT!"

Actually, if you Google “Top New Year’s Resolutions,” you’ll see health-related goals show up multiple times in multiple forms on every list:

“eat healthy”

“quit smoking”

“drink less alcohol”

“manage stress”

Most of us know we need to improve our health, and many of us use the momentum of the new year to make changes. I say, Go FOR IT!

I’m a big fan of setting fitness goals. In fact, this year I’ve set a pretty big one for myself: Over the next 90 days, I am going to complete P90X2.

In case you are not familiar, P90X2 is the successor to the wildly popular 90-Day extreme fitness program, P90X. I love P90X and have recommended it numerous times on Fitness Friday. I’ve already completed P90X twice, but I’m bored and am ready for a new challenge. So, this year, not only am I going to do the daily (insane!) workouts, but I am also following the recommended diet guide AND submitting my final results to the P90X2 people. When I do, I will earn my exclusive P90X2 T-shirt (not available in stores) AND enter to win a chance to be featured in a P90X2 infomercial, which in turn, will make me rich and famous and eternally happy as I prance around in my P90X2 t-shirt, signing autographs as random strangers recognize me on the streets. Oh, the glory of it all.

I intend to slaughter this goal. Seriously, I’m so psyched about it. But, as you all know, it takes more than a ginormous dose of excitement to succeed. Everyone's excited on January 6th. Let’s talk again on February 27th. And again On April 12th. Excitement will only take you so far. To write your own success story, you need tools. Maybe you’ve already set some fitness goals. Or maybe you haven’t, but you know you want to achieve better health in 2012.

No matter if your goal is big or small, you’ll glean something from this

Handy Dandy List of Things That Will Help You Slaughter Your Health-Related Goals in 2012

(or HDLOTTWHYSYHRG2012, for short)

1. Set a realistic goal: I know. Crazy-original, here. But , listen: it’s really important to strive for something you can honestly achieve—especially in fitness. I am only 5 days into the program, and I already know I would never, ever recommend that someone try to do P90X2 unless they were already (a) in excellent shape, (b) had the discipline of exercising daily for at least an hour and (c) enjoyed working out alone while on a stability ball and/or balancing on two medicine balls or maybe even on one leg. This workout is not for beginners, fo sho!

If you are just starting out, it may be more realistic to set a goal of exercising for 30 minutes, 3 times a week. If you prefer to work out with a buddy, it would be better for you to join a class or a gym. Think do-able—which may be small.

Huh? Small? Where’s the glory in that?

Think about it: worst case scenario is that you achieve your goal and then get to set a new one! That’s fun! Besides, I have found that the most lasting changes occur in tiny increments, over time. Glorious!

2. Prepare Mentally: For me, health and fitness is probably 50% mental and 50% physical. When planning to start P90X2, I spent a few hours on You Tube watching promo videos and commentary about the program. I read the entire nutrition guide and fitness guide from cover to cover to see what I was getting myself into. I looked at my calendar and determined the very best day to start and end. I stared at my giant box of new gear sitting in the corner of my dining room and envisioned myself using it.

In other words, this was anything BUT impulsive. By the time Monday, January 2nd rolled around, I was 100% ready to attack this thing. For you, it may be necessary to look through cookbooks and websites to see how you can incorporate healthier meals into your diet with food you enjoy. Or maybe you need to think about how you will rearrange your daily schedule to fit in a jog or a spinning class. Or perhaps you need to grieve the loss of your daily six pack of Coke. Seriously, you will have so much more success if you give yourself the opportunity to adjust mentally to your new habits.

(BTW, for the next 90 days, I’m eating absolutely no junk. I’ve never gone that long without a treat—so, I spent the entire month of December grieving the loss of home-baked goods!)

3. Prepare Physically: I preordered P90X2 in the Fall. And the very next morning, I was in my basement diving head-first into P90X, in preparation. For nearly 11 weeks, I prepared my body for the challenge of the new program. I knew if I wanted to succeed, I needed to be in the best possible shape when I started.

How can you prepare physically for your goal? If you plan to change your diet, you will need to physically remove junk from your home and go shopping for better food. If you want to run a 5K this year, you will need to get off the couch and start moving. If you plan to hire a personal trainer, you need to work out your budget so you can afford it. Do what you need to do to create an environment that encourages you toward your goals.

4. Talk About It: I promise, everyone who knows me well knows I started P90X2 this week. How? I talked about it—all. the. time. Why? For one, I found the more I talked about it, the more excited and committed I became. And B, over the course of the next 3 months, I hope people ask me how I’m doing. I want people to encourage me and cheer me on. I want the accountability. And consequently, people now want me to shut up. What ev.

5. Choose Accountability: Speaking of telling people, I think it’s really important to find someone who will hold your feet to the fire. We do such a good job (especially as Christians) forgiving each other’s failures—we call it “extending grace.” Grace is awesome. I’m pro-grace. I NEED grace when I fail. But when I skip 3 days of workouts because I’m too busy and then eat a plate of chocolate chip cookies because I don’t feel like cooking dinner, I don’t need you to tell me how much I deserve the break. I need you to encourage me to stay the course and do the hard thing:

Sandy, you’ve set a goal. You can do this. Don’t let a plate of cookies derail you! C’mon, you are better than this! Think about how good you will feel if you work out and eat salad!!!

I don’t generally need accountability to achieve my fitness goals—I’m very self-motivated in this area—but I wanted to set up a safety net, just in case I decided to go soft half-way through. That’s another reason why I chose to join the official P90X2 Challenge. I took “Before” pictures and recorded all my measurements. And I have to do it again at 30 days, 60 days and 90 Days. Then I report in at the end. When I’m smelling that plate of cookies or thinking about blowing off a workout, I will think first about reporting those monthly results, and it will help me stay committed.

(Choose wisely, though...if you don't want your husband questioning you when you reach into the bag of Doritos, don't ask him to hold you accountable. Know what I mean?)

6. Know What You Can Control and What You Cannot: You CAN control what and how much you eat. You CAN control how hard and how often you exercise. But you CANNOT control how your body will respond to those changes. I realize many of us need to lose weight—me included. But setting a goal of, “I am going to lose a pound a week for the next 3 months” is ridiculous—no offense. Go ahead and set your weight loss goal, but realize that each person is genetically unique.

You’ve heard the popular mantra, “Calories in—calories out.” That’s catchy, but it's wrong. The human body is not a math equation. Many factors contribute to how quickly and how efficiently you lose weight—everything from genetics to the amount of sleep you get to how much weight you need to lose to the quality of the calories you eat.

Better to set a goal of, “I am going to lose 25 pounds,” without setting a time-frame—realizing it may take three years. Or, “I’m going to complete this program or finish this class or run this race” and then let your body respond the way it will.

And it will!

You just won’t be able to control how it responds or how quickly it responds.

(BTW, it has taken me a YEAR of a controlled and whole foods diet coupled with a variety of physically demanding fitness routines to lose 6 of the 18 pounds I gained in 2009/2010. A YEAR to lose 6 pounds! Where’s the math equation for THAT?)

Q4U: In the past, what goal-setting principles helped you succeed? Would you add anything to this list? What are your health-related fitness goals this year? Share them with me, and I will cheer you on! Also, if you haven't linked your New Year's Resolution Post, there's still time!

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I'm linking up with my friend Jill--aka my P90X2 partner in crime. Check out her Fitness Friday link up for more inspiration on reaching your fitness goals in 2012!

A New Word for the Whole Year, Give or Take

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy @ God Speaks Today) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

I’m just going to say right off the bat, I reserve the right to update and/or completely discard this New Year’s Resolution at any point in the current year.

I suppose it isn’t really a “resolution” if it has an exit clause, is it. I feel a bit like I’m signing a prenuptial agreement—Honey, I promise to stay with you forever and ever…but just in case I DON’T, here’s how it will go down.

Every year, God has been faithful to give me a scripture or a theme on which to focus. Sometimes, He even gives me a list of things He wants me to work on—I like when God speaks to me in lists. It’s like my very own little Mount Sinai moment. But this Fall, while praying and thinking about 2012, I was having trouble visualizing one single theme that would carry me through the entire year. My year, as far as I have it scheduled thus far, looks like four distinct seasons.

Jan-March: I am working on a major fitness goal (which I will tell you all about on Friday). Plus, I am preparing for an upcoming women’s retreat where I will be speaking in four sessions. And yes, it really does take me that long to prepare for four sessions.

April-May : I will be preparing for a class I will be teaching for several weeks at my church on adoption.

June-July: I will be teaching the adoption class, and also be vacationing and recreating with my family during summer break.

August and beyond: I begin a new season of life where I will have all of my children in school during the day. For me, this is entirely weird and scary and sad and exciting all at the same time. I have been a stay-at-home mom of small children since October 1997 (and, for any Cooper children who may be reading this post, I HAVE LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT AND WOULD NOT CHANGE A THING). Prior to that, I worked outside the home full time. And prior to that, I was skinny and tan, and ate pizza at 2 am and slept until noon (also known as a college student). And prior to that, I was a child.

So, I have never, ever been home during the day without little children or without an outside job. Well, except the brief period in 2007 when we were waiting for our travel date to adopt Elliana from Guatemala (which coincidentally was exactly 4 years ago TODAY!). Remember when I wrote about my season of solitude? Fall 2012 seemed so far away. And look, we’re almost here.

Anyway, I am anticipating that August will be the launching of a new era where I can finally focus on my writing full time, guilt free—both through blogging and pursuing book publication. I have tons of ideas I’ve been accumulating and putting on the back burner until Elliana starts kindergarten. I’ve tried many times through the years to thrust ahead with my ideas, only to be gently reminded by God to walk at the children’s pace. I sense the day is finally coming where I can sprint. I very well may combust if God tells me to wait again. And yes, I do realize He may ask that of me.

Of course, in the midst of each of these seasons, I will still be running a household of five, which consists of but is not limited to

trying to be a decent wife (which is WAY harder than it looks),

cooking healthy meals,

keeping up on the laundry and four dirty bathrooms,

remembering which kid needs to be where and when,

and fulfilling my various volunteering obligations at church and at school.

Oh, and I would also like to have the occasional dinner or lunch with my girlfriends, so I don’t go completely bonkers. (now you understand why it takes me three months to prepare four speaking sessions!)

So, anyway, for the last few months, whenever I prayed for direction on New Year’s Resolutions, I kept taking this list and holding it up to God and asking, “What do you want me to accomplish this year that isn’t already scheduled for me? What do you want me to become, and how can I improve? What will help me be the most effective person I can be for Your Kingdom this year—what is one thing that will carry me through each of these unique seasons?

And the word that kept coming to me was “Time.”

Okay. Um. “Time” is not a verb. Why can’t I have a verb, God? Verbs are easier to implement. Like “surrender” or “give” or “pursue.” Those words make more sense and translate nicely into lists.

(Well, I suppose, technically, “time” could be a verb. As in, “Can you time Sandy to see how many hours it takes her to explain her New Year’s Resolutions?”)

But I’m fairly certain I’m not hearing “Time the Verb.”

I’m hearing “Time the Noun.”

As in,

Time Management

Wasted Time

Appointed Time

Cherish the Time

Save Time

Spend Time

Time is Short

On Time

Time out

When I pray, all of those statements (and more) flood my mind. But what does it all mean?

A few weeks ago, I still wasn’t quite sure. So, I looked up every Bible verse with the word “time” in it. And then I wrote most of them out. I was seeking clarity and insight. But, honestly, I still felt a bit lost and confused. None of the verses gave me that "aha" moment I was hoping for.

I mean, I understand what “time” means, but if I’m going to select a goal for the entire year, I really want to make sure it’s God leading me there. Otherwise, I’m just running into walls, know what I mean? And though I had a word from God (maybe), I didn’t really know how it translated into a goal. Especially when my focus will shift so drastically from month to month.

In fact, while I was looking up all those verses, the scripture that continued to come to my mind didn’t have the word “time” in it at all.

Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away…Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:10, 12

So, I took all my scriptures (with and without the word “time”) along with what I already had scheduled for 2012. Then I factored in all the unknown things that will happen (good and bad) that are not yet scheduled and will completely take me by surprise and undoubtedly throw me into a tizzy...

And I concluded that in order for me do and be all that God created me to do and be in 2012, (sound the trumpets) I need a major Time Overhaul.

I’m suspecting my very first item of Time Overhaul Business will be to eliminate Time Wasters. And I also suspect I will be revisiting my To Don’t List, and maybe even adding a few additional items that I will prayerfully neglect for the sake of balance. And I also suspect I will be blogging about in real time. (get it? Real TIME?)

And, truth be told, all of this will all go so much more smoothly if I could translate this vague noun-resolution to tangible goals. Which I haven’t really done yet, because I haven’t really had the time.

Heh.

That wasn't funny. I sincerely apologize.

Hopefully, as I move through each mini-season of 2012, swinging from one major undertaking to the next, God will direct me in new ways on how to manage, save and cherish the time—ways that will be unique to each season.

Of course, this may just be something on which I need to focus right now, until I get things under control, and then He will give me a totally different focus for the Spring.

Which is why I reserve the right to update and/or discard this Resolution at any point in the future.

Amen.

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Now it’s your turn. Have you written a post about New Year’s Resolutions? Maybe you’ve written a post saying you are NOT making any resolutions this year. That’s cool. I get that. No matter what you think and feel about annual goals or New Year’s Resolutions, I would love to read about it. Add your link below so we can all come visit you.

If you do link up, please remember to link to your specific post and not your blog's URL. Also, please be courteous and link back to this post so your readers know where they can find us!

If you don’t have a blog or didn’t write a resolutions-type post, leave a comment telling me about your goals for 2012.

New Year, New Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy @ God Speaks Today) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Scroll to the end to hear an announcement about Wednesday's link up!

It's been nearly three weeks since I sat down at this computer to craft a new blog post. Thanks for sticking with me during my break. Well, MOST of you stuck with me--a few of you unsubscribed. Technically, YOU did not unsubscribe, as you are still here, reading this.

Thank you.

I try not to take it personally when someone unsubscribes. I tell myself it's not the quality of my writing, but rather, the unsubscriber is trying to simplify, which I totally support. But it's sad when I happen to be the fun-but-unnecessary activity that made it to the simplification chopping block.

That's what I say to myself.
As I weep over the notice that reads, "A subscriber has unsuscribed."
Just kidding.
I don't really weep.
Much.

On a good note, even more of you became new subscribers, which is pretty miraculous considering it was a month of reruns. If one of those new subscribers is you, welcome. I hope this blog is everything you dreamed it would be, in your dreams about blogs.

(I have a feeling this intro is probably making it more likely than not that I'll soon be "simplified" out of your inbox.)

(I promise not to say mean things about you, if you decide to go that route.)

(and I will only weep a little bit)

So, three weeks off and I bet you are all wondering how the Cooper family spent its Christmas. First, and most importantly, I slept a lot. And by "a lot" I mean, I slept in until almost 10 am on a few days. Seriously--that's like five hours later than I usually get up. After two weeks of sleeping in, I set my alarm this morning for 8 am and felt like it was the middle of the night. By the time you read this, I will have already been up since 5 am. And will probably have already been mean to someone who has tried to engage me before my caffeine fully ignites my brain.

And though, this is a blog of pictures, I did not get any pictures of me sleeping. In fact, you will see a trend here--in the hundreds of pictures taken during Christmas, I think I was in 2 of them. I really must hand my camera to other people more often. My children are going to grow up thinking their father was a single parent or that I was a vampire or Amish or something.

But we did have a great Christmas break. In the hours in which I was awake, the children and I got creative. And by "the children and I" I mean "the children."

I don't know if I have ever posted any of Rebekah's artwork prior to this. But my daughter is insanely talented. She is very critical of her own work, so she doesn't like me to post it. But I did get her permission to post this. She printed out an impressionist piece of artwork from the internet and tried--for the very first time--to see if she could paint something similar. I think this took her less than 30 minutes to paint. Her's is the one on the right.

We also baked...a lot. My house smelled like a bakery for about five days straight.

Curse the day I discovered I could melt Giradelli chocolate into the fondue pot and dip stuff in there.
Like balls of peanut butter.

Dude.

I also made an all-natural version of Thin Mints, the Girl Scout cookie. I didn't get any pictures of those, because it took me about four hours to dip them all, (and by "me" I mean "ME!") and I was just too stinkin' tired when it was over. But MAN-o-MAN were those little cookies yummy!

On Christmas Eve, Elijah diligently wrote Santa a letter to leave next to the cookies. This year, Elijah is on the fence about whether or not Santa is real. This letter was insurance, just to cover his bases in the event that he IS.

This picture was taken shortly after Santa dropped off all the presents.

Speaking of letters to Santa, remember this one? Turns out, Santa got Rebekah's letter and granted her Christmas wish. Here is Rebekah opening up her last gift. That is a look of confusion/hope on her face.

The gift was a can of food for THIS living creature. Meet the newest member of the Cooper family. His name is Diego. He is a bearded dragon. Who is actually really cute. And will grow up to get really big.

Though, I must admit, I don't think I will ever get used to seeing this in my refrigerator.

The "after" photo. My living room still kinda looks like this, a week later. I'm about to go manic on everyone and start throwing things away. That would be very mean.

The day after Christmas, it was off to Ohio to celebrate more Christmas with our extended families. We also saw our first snow of the season while we were there. My in-laws have the most beautiful bird feeders outside their living room window. So, during the beautiful snowfall, I shot some gorgeous pictures of the birds. And by "some pictures" I mean "about one-hundred."

Jon is an identical twin. And even though we see him at least once or twice a year, it still freaks my kids out every time they see Uncle Joe. This time, Elliana ran up to Jon and yelled, "Dad, there's a guy in here who looks JUST LIKE YOU. Come on!!" And she dragged Daddy off into the other room to see the imposter.

Here is an action shot of the Cooper Christmas. This is just Jon's brothers, their wives and their kids. And not even all of Jon's siblings were there. Have I ever told you Jon and I both come from large families? Yep, we are each one of seven children.

Jon's dad and step-mom have a Christmas ornament with a little-kid-picture of Jon. I'm going to swipe it one of these years.

We stayed with my sister and her husband while in Ohio. If there is a hospitality award for out of town guests, Pam and Deny win, hands down. They treat us like they sincerely enjoy our company. Which is a great quality to have when you are hosting a family with 3 kids for 5 days. My throat hurt from talking and laughing and crying with my sister. I love when that happens.

Here is Jon greeting my 87-year-old father. I'm fairly certain my Dad likes Jon more than he likes me. I'm not bitter.

And here is MY side of the family. And no, not everyone was here either.

Eileen, my Dad's ~~girlfriend~~ ~~companion~~ ~~lady-friend~~ (seriously, what do you call a sweet lady who is almost 80-years old and hangs out with your 87-year-old father???), anyway, she knit all the grandchildren hats.

Here is one of two pictures taken of me over the holidays. It was 11 pm, I was exhausted, and I was talking to my brother about the pros and cons of raw veganism--yes, as a matter of fact that IS fun to me. I could talk diet/fitness/exercise all day long.

And here is our Christmas card, front and back. Notice, I'm wearing the same outfit as I am in the previous picture. Nice. I really do have more outfits than this white vest.

Wishing you and your family the very best 2012!

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Have you made some New Year's Resolutions? Want to blog about it? On Wednesday, January 4th, I'm having a Linky Party!!! Link up your New Year's Resolution post, old or new. And by "old" I mean like a few days old. No one really wants to hear about your resolutions from 2009.

And by "no one" I mean "me."

Can't wait! See you then.

Best of 2011: Lots of Sowing and Sowing and Sowing

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy @ God Speaks Today) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

It's become a God Speaks Today tradition.
Each year, during the end of December, we look back over the most popular posts of the year while I step away from writing to enjoy the Christmas Season with my family.
Maybe you missed these the first time around.
Maybe you'd like to read them again...

Welcome to the Best of 2011

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Original Run Date: October 25, 2011. This post is born out of a very difficult season of parenting. If you have children, this one is for you. And it also proves that not all of my posts are random thought-type and/or lists. And sometimes I don't write about American Idol. Scroll to the end for info on the upcoming New Years Resolution Post Link-up Party!

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“As long as the earth endures,

seedtime and harvest,

cold and heat,

summer and winter,

day and night

will never cease.”

Genesis 8:22

Photo Credit

I am in a long season of sowing. I am in the throes of parenting a middle-schooler, an elementary-schooler and a preschooler. I’m on my fourth year of blogging. I sing on the worship team, fill my monthly slot at the nursery sign-in table, and volunteer for the PTO. And I’m doing all of this alongside my husband of 18 years.

If I were to describe my typical day in one word it would be “routine.”

No job relocations, no book contracts, no newly-adopted babies. I’m not changing the world, or even my hair color, as far as I can see. I am just diligently and faithfully setting my hand to do everything God has given me to do for this long, laborious season.

Seedtime is exhausting. It’s easy to become discouraged during seedtime, because I rarely see evidence of my labor. Sometimes, it’s almost as if the ground is looking up at me and screaming, “You are RUINING MY LIFE.” And then, it runs upstairs and slams the bedroom door.

Sometimes, in the midst of seedtime, it’s tempting to look over at the farm next door and wonder why their crops are higher, more colorful. Why are they reaping already? How is it that they have homemade pumpkin pie when I barely see a sprout? Or is that a weed?

Sometimes I look down into my dirty, calloused hands, examine my seed, and wonder if the seed is any good at all—if it will ever produce the harvest I envision. Maybe I bought some cheap seed by accident. Maybe my seed is rancid. Maybe my see is worthless.

Most days, it feels like I’m slowly and painstakingly walking up and down acres and acres of fields, tossing seed this way and that. Scattering pests that swoop down to devour my seed before it even has a chance to take root. Pulling up weeds that threaten to choke a tender bud—a bud that has yet to break through the carefully tilled soil. Hoping the soil and the rain and the sun all do their thing, so my vulnerable little seeds will someday grow.

And then I pray.

And I wait.

And I keep sowing.

That’s where I’ve been, lately. And from my vantage point--out here in the middle of a giant field—where I’ll be for a while.

And that’s why I appreciate so much when God sends me a little sign that something, anything, somewhere, somehow is sprouting. Maybe something I had sown years ago—or maybe last week—took root. Maybe someday, I will have a crop after all.

God graciously sent me one of those moments last night, when my 12-year-old handed me a report she wrote for school. Her assignment was to discuss someone she views as a good Christian example. No, it wasn’t me. That would have been ~~a miracle~~ nice, but I wouldn’t expect such an atrocity until well past her 21st birthday, when she realizes I wasn’t actually intending to ruin her life.

But her choice was someone I had just told her about last week, in passing, while chatting with her in the kitchen one ordinary (and dare I say, routine?) evening.

I chose Rich Mullins because he was an amazing Christian artist with the best of intentions for others. The profits from his tours and the sale of each album went to his church, which divided it up, paid Mullins the average salary in the U.S. for that year, and gave the rest to charity. As a result, Rich lived close to poverty even though he was one of Christian music’s top artists.His faith is demonstrated in a quote that he said during one of his concerts shortly before he died. He stated that:

“Jesus said whatever you do to the least of these my brothers you’ve done it to me. And this is what I’ve come to think. That if I want to identify fully with Jesus Christ, who I claim to be my Savior and Lord, the best way that I can do that is to identify with the poor. This I know will go against the teachings of all the popular evangelical preachers. But they’re just wrong. They’re not bad, they’re just wrong. Christianity is not about building an absolutely secure little niche in the world where you can live with your perfect little wife and your perfect little children in a beautiful little house where you have no gays or minority groups anywhere near you. Christianity is about learning to love like Jesus loved and Jesus loved the poor and Jesus loved the broken.”

She found that quote on her own—she searched for something meaningful to her, and she chose that.

Is that a sprout I see peeking up through the soil?

And so this morning, with dirty and calloused hands, I kneel next to this tiny bud-of-a-harvest, and wipe away tears. I am committed to protect this little sprout from the Enemy who would love nothing better than to choke the life out of it.

Not on my watch.

I thank the Lord that this one tiny seed--and the million others like it—sown in love, will produce a crop of righteousness at the appointed time.

And let us not grow weary while doing good,

for in due season we shall reap

if we do not lose heart.

Galatians 6:9

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Monday, I will be back with all new material. Just a reminder that I will be having a little linky party for your New Year's Resolution post. Maybe you aren't a "resolution" kind of person. That's cool. You can call them "goals." Or you can call them "things I might want to focus on in 2012, maybe." Whatever. I just want to hear where you think you're headed. Let's plan for Wednesday, January 4th. Have a very Happy New Year and see you soon!

Best of 2011: Ten Completely Unspiritual Things I Learned at the Beth Moore Conference

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy @ God Speaks Today) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the Best of 2011

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Original Run Date: August 27, 2011. This post was a "Plan B" type of post. I wrote it after "Plan A" fell through. And it ended up being my highest-traffic-producing post of the year. Go figure.

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This post was supposed to be the one where I tell you how Beth Moore heard directly from God, spoke what she heard with eloquence, and left me completely undone. This was supposed to be the post where I try to decode the 10 pages of notes I furiously and frantically scribbled, so that I can share with you all of the deep spiritual truths she extracted and eloquently shared from the Word of God. This was supposed to be the post where I move you to tears as I describe the special bonding weekend I had with my 12-year-old daughter, my sister-in-law and my 12-year-old niece in our annual Girls’ Weekend.

And finally, this was supposed to be the post where I provoke you to action as I describe the ways I’m committing myself to study, do and teach everything I learned from Beth Moore at the Living Proof Live Event.

And all that would be 100% true and completely accurate.

Except that I left my notes in my sister-in-law’s car in Columbus, Ohio.

D’oh!

So, instead of all that, I’ll give you the severely watered-down /behind-the-scenes/unplugged version of the post. Trust me, this is harder than it looks. Because when you are sitting in a Beth Moore Bible Study of any kind, you can be a stinking cockroach on the floor and absorb something spiritual. It takes real talent to come up with something irrelevant and nonsensical.

And with that Intro of Pure Awesomeness, I give you:

The Ten Completely Unspiritual Things I Learned at the Living Proof Live Event:

1. Wearing a flowy black top, dark flared jeans and high heels is a very flattering outfit for all body types.

2. After this conference, 7,000 women, give or take, went shopping for a flowy black top, dark flared jeans and high heels. And went to their perspective salons to get layers cut into their hair like this. Talk about pure awesomeness.

3. Beth Moore uses the grease from 10 slices of bacon (but not the bacon itself) to make her cornbread stuffing at Christmas.

4. It is a moral injustice, plain and simple, that Beth Moore can eat bacon grease and still look like this.

5. Speaking of Christmas, my zoom lens on my nice camera (the camera that was my Christmas present to myself) takes great shots from afar…

6. Except when the subject gets too close. There’s just no way to switch out lenses quickly enough when the subject is walking toward you at a fast clip.

7. Leaving your nice Christmas-present-to-yourself-camera in the hands of two 12-year-olds means you later find about 50 pictures that look like this.

8. When 40-something-year-old women are wiping away tears and frantically scribbling down 10 pages of notes, 12-year-old-girls are drawing mustaches on the pictures in the program

(insert picture here of 12-year-old’s mustache-drawing, except that the program in question is sitting in a car 150 miles away)

9. I have a female, Christian 40-something-year-old friend who has never heard of Beth Moore. Yes, she is from the U.S. And no, she is not Amish, nor does she live in a cardboard box or in any sort of seclusion, voluntary or otherwise.

10. Riding home in a car for 3 hours alone with your daughter, basking in the afterglow of a Living Proof Live Event, is an excellent opportunity to share with her a few nuggets of wisdom she will need later in life. Like the lyrics to Black Water, by the Doobie Brothers. You just never know when she will need to chime in to a little of THIS:

I'd like to hear some funky Dixieland
Pretty mama come and take me by the hand
By the hand (hand), take me by the hand pretty mama
Come and dance with your daddy all night long
(Repeat into fade)

My heart swells with pride, knowing that when the time comes, my daughter is now prepared for such a moment.

I warned you, this would be irrelevant and nonsensical.

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Not that you would want to after this post, but if you subscribe to this blog, you will never miss another post as long as you live. It's easy, free and safe. What's not to like about easy, free and safe?

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Fall 2011 also brought one of my personal favorite series: Everything I Want You to Know About Adoption. To see all the links to individual posts in that series, click here

Best of 2011: What American Idol is Teaching Me About Walking with God

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy @ God Speaks Today) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the Best of 2011

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Original Run Date: May 3, 2011. As you can see, I have an unnatural fixation on American Idol. But I'm trying to use it for good, not evil.

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You knew it was coming, didn’t you. The American Idol/Spiritual Application post? Writing on a blog called “God Speaks Today” carries with it tremendous responsibility to listen for God anywhere and everywhere. Even on reality shows involving singing competitions and newly sober Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees.

So, here you go:

1. When you operate in your gifts, even the Steven Tylers of this world will recognize the gifts are from God. There have been times this season when one of the contestants hits a note or does some insane vocal run, and it literally brings tears to my eyes. I always think, “Wow…what a gift God has given them!” I don’t know how well Steven Tyler knows Jesus, but I can’t help but smile big every time he credits God for the talent—and he does it a lot. I can’t sing like that at all, but God has gifted me in other ways. I believe when we flow in our gifts—really step out there and do our thang, we all can have this effect on people.

2. Just because you don’t win, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t sing: There is only one Idol winner. But there are dozens of contestants who should and will go on to pursue professional singing careers. There are still hundreds more who should and will continue to sing in their little realms of influence—local bands, church choirs, weddings. And there are thousands more who should and will sing only to their children or in the privacy of their shower or in bad karaoke. And that’s okay, too. My point is, not everyone lands the book contract or the president position or the blog that gets a million hits a day. But that doesn’t mean you pack it up and start selling pizzas. Unless, of course, selling pizza is your gift. Then, sell your pizzas with reckless abandon.

3. Sometimes the majority doesn’t know what the heck they are doing: Pia’s gone. Casey’s gone. That’s all.

4. Don’t be afraid to let Simon go: Does anyone even miss Simon? Remember last year all the commotion about Simon leaving and everyone was all “oh my goodness, what will happen to the ratings, and this will be the last season of American Idol, blah, blah, blah.” Remember that? I have found the show this season to be nothing short of a breath of fresh air. I see it on all the contestants’ faces too. Instead of standing in fear of harsh criticism at the end of every performance, they stand in anticipation. I’m convinced, no one needs a Simon in his or her life. Simons may stir up controversy, but they don’t help you excel in your gift. Identify the creator of the negative energy, bid him farewell, and don’t look back.

5. Surround yourself with people who are successful at what you want to do: What a difference it makes to have, say, Jennifer Lopez—who is selling music off the charts right now—or maybe Steven Tyler—who has made a platinum record every decade for four decades straight—offer a compliment, a criticism or a direction. I mean, Ellen was delightful, but she was more like the good friend who just wants you to succeed, but doesn’t really “get” your gift, know what I mean? It’s nice to have those people in our lives, too. Kara was just agitated with something, I don’t know what. I don't want friends like Kara either. But oh…what a difference it makes to have Jennifers and Stevens and producers and vocal coaches working with you—for you!—refining you and your gift day in and day out. Find those people, and stay close to those people.

6. You can sing the exact same words to a different arrangement and it won’t be the same OR Make sure you listen to the demo before you buy the track: During Carole King week, 17-year-old country singer, Scotty, sang the most gorgeous rendition of “You’ve Got a Friend” I have ever heard. Literally. It was outstanding. Off the charts. And that’s sayin’ somethin’ cuz

a. I’m not a big Scotty fan and

b. I AM a big James Taylor fan, and I posted HIM singing that same song long before Scotty was even born, like a few months ago.

So, the next day, I decided to download Scotty’s song from I-Tunes. Only, when I listened to the demo, it wasn’t the same version. The song was still “You’ve Got a Friend,” but it was like double time with banjos and an added dose of twang. It was TERRIBLE!!!!

And I don’t really know how I can spiritualize this point, except that I wanted to complain to someone about it, and it might as well be you. Because I really wanted that other version and it’s not available on I-Tunes!

Can you help me find a spiritual application for that last point? What other spiritual applications can you draw from your favorite television show? Doesn't have to be American Idol. Any show will do.

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May 2011 also brought a 31-Day Series I entitled

31 Days to Health, Wellness and Bathing Suit Season.

Click the title for links to that series.

Best of 2011: Shop/Shoppe? Steven/Stephen?

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy @ God Speaks Today) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 13:38:00 +0000

Welcome to the Best of 2011

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Original run date: March 25, 2011. Sometimes "random thought" posts don't work. And sometimes they do. This one did. I think it had something to do with the caffeine. (note to self: drink more caffeine when you write). Is it tacky that I laugh out loud at my own posts?
Oh, and Merry Christmas!!!
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I am sitting in my favorite coffee shop with cute clothes and bad hair, because I have a hair appointment in about an hour and a half. I am seated at a table without an electric outlet, which means I have about an hour of battery power on my laptop.

All of that means, instead of writing another stellar post in my Freedom From Perfection series, I am going to do one of my stellar lists of random thoughts. I actually have a Perfection post half-written, partly in my journal and partly in my head. But I don’t think I have time to pull it together perfectly before my computer dies. But I do have time to ramble. I always have time to ramble. And rambling, by definition, does not need to be perfect. Plus, the rambling will allow me to clear my head, which will, in turn, allow me to write a stellar perfection post.

1. In my favorite coffee shop, I see three tables of people sitting near outlets who are not using computers. Isn’t there a law against this? Is it a violation of coffee shop etiquette to approach these people and ask them to switch tables with me? Can they tell that I’m stalking their tables from across the room? Must I start carrying an extension cord in my purse? Is that what it’s come to? Does spelling “shop” as “shoppe” make you feel like you should be wearing a corset and a giant hat?

2. Tonight my man and I are going to see James Taylor in concert. This was one of my Christmas presents to Jon. We love James Taylor. In fact, I had no idea there were people on the planet who didn’t love James Taylor. Until, our friend Kevin apparently gave Jon a hard time about it. Kevin is scheduled to guest post on my blog soon. I think I may have to accidently delete his post, just because he made fun of James Taylor.

3. Elliana’s preschool teacher doesn’t know who James Taylor is. I could see it on her face when I mentioned his name. I even sang a heartwarming rendition of “You’ve Got a Friend” for her at the threshold of the classroom just moments ago. Still, nothing. Oh, the humanity.

4. Oooo! A table with an outlet just opened up! Now I have battery power. But I still have a hair appointment. Enjoy this clip of James Taylor singing “You’ve Got a Friend” while I move my stuff.

5. I had a dream the other night that I was voted off American Idol. I didn’t see it coming. I really assumed I was going all the way to the finale. Did you ever wake up from a disturbing dream and feel disturbed in real life all day long? Yeah, that was me getting voted off American Idol.

6. My sister asked me (in real life, not in my dream) what I sang. I don’t remember that part of my dream. But if I had the chance to do it all again, I would sing “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” My sister said she thought I could really have a “moment” with that song. I agree.

7. Have you been watching it??? American Idol, I mean. I have to pull a Randy here and remind everyone that I’ve been watching the show for 10 seasons. That said, I can honestly say I have never experienced more bliss watching Idol as I have this season. I absolutely love the new judges. Without Simon there, the panel is so peaceful. I knew Simon brought a lot of negative energy to the table, but I had no idea how little I’d miss it until Stephen (Steven?) and Jennifer entered the scene. They are so encouraging, so professional—except for the occasional f-bomb from Steven/Stephen.

8. Jon and I were pontificating about why the talent over all seems so much better this year. My theory is two-fold. First, I think having Jennifer and Steven (Stephen?) picking the talent from day-one made a huge difference. They didn’t put through many goofballs in the various cities. When they did, they got rid of them in Hollywood. Second, this is the first year the contestants are working with producers each week instead of “guest mentors” or “no one.” They have big-shot-music people coaching them, helping them arrange their songs. It’s making a big-shot difference.

9. I bet it’s driving past contestants crazy that the contestants this year are getting the royal treatment.

10. Wednesday’s show was my absolute favorite so far. Not only did they sing MoTown, but they all did so well. Please tell me you’ve all heard of MoTown.

11. Thursday’s show had me on my feet. It was so stinkin exciting. As far as I’m concerned, the season could end today and I would be satisfied. When Casey made bottom 3 and THEN got voted off, I about died. As did the entire known world, I’m sure. I mean, next to the crisis in Libya, this is front-page news. EVERYONE thinks Casey is a contender for the Title. I knew the judges would save him. I predicted it when the bottom 3 was announced. However, I did NOT predict that they would cut him off while he was “singing for his life” to save him. The chaos. The drama. The emotion. I was so impressed with the judges at that moment. I loved when they said, “We know who you are.” You know, like he didn’t need to perform to win their approval. There’s a spiritual analogy in there somewhere.

12. We play American Idol during the show at our house. Elliana is Jennifer. Jon is Randy. Rebekah is Ryan. And I’m Steven/Stephen. Elijah doesn’t get to be anyone, because he always leaves mid-show to play the Wii. Traitor.

13. I’m going to have to pull another Randy here and remind you all that in 1995, I stood behind Steven/Stephen Tyler while waiting for ice cream at an ice cream shop/shoppe called Mad Martha’s in Martha’s Vineyard. He had on ripped up jeans with bandanas tied around his legs. He was with two pretty blonde girls. I was afraid to say hello.

14. I also saw Aerosmith in concert in 1986. Honestly, it was a little too loud for me. Even 17-year-old-rock-and-roll-me.

15. Please tell me you have all heard of Aerosmith. Am I gonna have to sing “Walk this Way?”

16. I went to a lot of concerts in grade school and high school. Most of them with my sister (see #6). My very first concert was Def Leppard, in 1982. I can’t even say that without laughing.

17. My favorite concert is a toss-up between Chicago (while Peter Cetera was still there) and Bruce Springsteen, Born in the USA Tour—row 52 on the floor. I thought for sure I was close enough for him to pull me up on stage and sing “Dancing in the Dark” to me.

18. It’s a good thing I have American Idol and James Taylor to keep me grounded, because our spring schedule is in full swing, and it ain’t pretty. Even with each child in one sport, I am losing my mind trying to remember who needs to be where and at what time and with what uniform. I’m in my brain trying to figure out when they all will eat, if they’ve completed homework and if I remembered to secure Elliana’s seat belt before I drove away. I’m losing my mind. And it just started.

19. Tip of the day? It is wise to know the full extent of the time involved in an activity BEFORE you sign up for it. Who knew middle school track meets would be 4 hours long?

20. Last week, we sat at the track meet when it was 38 degrees and raining. For four hours. That’s when I had a spiritual revelation: Hell is not hot. Hell is 38-degress and raining. I don’t want to go there.

21. This week, we had 80-degree temps and sun. It was glorious. Birds singing. Flowers blooming. My windows were open. I wore shorts and a tank top. I painted my toe nails. That is, until yesterday, when we had another track meet. Then it was 38 degrees. Winter coats and boots. Blankets. Hats, gloves, hand warmers. Is God mad at me for something? The Def Leppard concert, maybe?

22. Today, I had my morning devotion time sitting on the floor of my laundry room hiding from my kids. True story.

23. Well, I hate to cut this off at 23 items and 1400 words, but I gotta get these ends trimmed off my hair. But before you go, leave a comment and tell me: What was your very first concert? or Have you ever hidden from your kids?

Best of 2011: The Comparison Trap

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy @ God Speaks Today) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the Best of 2011

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Original run date: March 8, 2011. I wrote three blog series in 2011. One of them I called "Freedom From Perfection." Writing this particular series brought me more personal freedom than any series I've written thus far. And judging from reader comments, I think it resonated with a lot of you, too. Here is Part 8.

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The other day, I went a-searchin’ for a women’s conference to attend this year. A conference to nourish and refresh my soul and give me an event to look forward to, as I impatiently wait for spring to arrive. I googled around until I found one I thought might suit my fancy. (Why I’m talking like I lived in the 1800’s, I do not know.)

I then started reading through the speaker bios. They went a bit like this:

Susie Smith is a homeschooling mother of six. She and her husband live on a farm where she creates nightly meals from scratch with the organic food she has grown and harvested with her bare hands. Her passions include scrapbooking, home interior design, green living, frugal living, women’s ministry, and nurturing sick and orphaned animals back to health. She is the author of seven books and the wildly popular blog, I Have it All Together, Why Don’t You?

(insert professional headshot of beautiful, flawless woman)

Jenny Jones has lived in seven countries and dreams of living in five more. She is a homeschooling mother of four, ages 6, 5, 4, and 2. She and her husband are expecting quadruplets in the fall. She is a marathon runner and plans to complete her 20th marathon just before delivering the quads. She has led over 50,000 people to Christ, through her personal discipleship and mentoring program. In her spare time, she enjoys writing best-selling cookbooks, and has appeared on Food Network, The Today Show, Oprah and Ellen.

(Insert professional headshot of beautiful, flawless, buff woman)

Alright. I’m exaggerating. A little. There was no one pregnant with quads. But every one of these women were simply unbelievable. I wish I could say that as I read through the bios, I celebrated each woman’s accomplishments and considered how I might glean something from her, should I attend this women’s conference. But I would be exaggerating again.

Instead, I was jealous. With every bio, I compared that woman’s accomplishments to my own. And mine fell painfully short.

Sandy Cooper is a stressed-out mom of three. She knows she could never home school because she dreads daily the overseeing of 3rd grade math homework with her 9-year-old . Every morning she wakes up wondering how she’s going to get it all done. And most days she doesn’t. She loves to write and actually has some pretty good ideas, but has a terrible time keeping up with her blogs. Sometimes she forgets to bathe her 4-year-old. She dreams of changing the world, but often puts off changing light bulbs and the kitty litter.

(insert un-touched picture of me in sweats and no make-up, taking a nap)

After my brutal exercise in self-deprecation, I simply didn’t measure up. The more I read and compared, the more defeated and deflated I became. Until, finally, I just clicked off the website, turned off my computer and shuffled my pathetic, underachieving-self into bed. So much for “nourish and refresh my soul.”

For those of us struggling to be free from Perfectionism, The Comparison Trap is a dangerous place in which to linger. We are constantly told that “no one is perfect” and that “perfection is unattainable.” And we know this is true, logically. But it’s hard for us Perfectionists to internalize these truths when we come across others who are living what we define as a perfect or near-perfect life.

“We like to identify our shortcomings, form them into a club, and mentally beat the tar out of ourselves. Over and over and over again. We label ourselves and soon lose our real identity to the beaten and bruised fragility we call ‘me.’ We compare, we assume, we assess, we measure, and most times walk away shaking our head at how woefully short our “me” falls when compared to everyone else. How dangerous it is to hold up the intimate knowledge of our imperfections against the outside packaging of others.”

~Lysa Terkeurst, Made to Crave

Maybe you aren’t comparing yourself to writer/speaker/moms, like I am. But you are comparing yourself to the neighbor with the beautifully decorated, always immaculate home. Or the couple with the thriving, healthy marriage. Or the family with the polite, intelligent and spiritually mature children. Or the minister with the massive following and booked speaking calendar. Or the executive with the top-level, high-paying position.

To us, they appear perfect. Or near-perfect. We see them. We envy them. We wonder what we are doing wrong. And the bondage of Perfectionism continues as we erect an even higher standard with which we feel compelled to judge ourselves.

The older I get—and the more my peers accomplish in life—the more brutal The Comparison Trap becomes for me. Sometimes I feel like everyone is dashing past me, doing all the things I envision for myself. Things I thought I would have already accomplished by now. Yet, I’m limping breathlessly behind, buried in a pile of laundry or stuck in a line of 1,000 vehicles in the carpool line.

This is not the “liberty” Jesus intended for me!

I sense God is wanting to give me total victory here. Thus, He is providing numerous opportunities for me to mature. It seems lately, I have been faced with countless women who appear to have attained “perfection” in some area of life. An area where I currently struggle. An area where I long for success. And I sense God asking me,

“How will you respond? Will you compare yourself with her? Or will you walk confidently in My will for your life? Will you strive to be like her? Or will you rest in My grace, knowing I only expect you to listen for My voice and humbly obey? Will you define your success and failure by your flawed perception of someone else’s success? Or will you allow Me to define you with the Truth of My Word? Which will it be, Sandy?”

For the last few weeks, as I’ve worked through the issues of Perfectionism for the sake of this series, God has revealed to me that a major component in conquering my Perfectionism lies in decimating The Comparison Trap.

I had no idea how much mental energy I spent in the cycle of looking at others/comparing myself/falling short/beating myself up/trying harder.

It’s bondage. Complete and utter bondage.

I’m seeking God’s guidance and asking Him to reveal to me the pathway to freedom from The Comparison Trap. I have some ideas that I’m pretty sure are from God. I want to share them in Part 9. So, please come back.

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If you'd like to read through this entire series, here are the links to individual posts

Intro

Part 1, Perfectionism Defined

Part 2, The Root of Perfectionism

Part3, Re-examine the Painful Memories

Part 4, Procrastination

Part 5, My Best Anti-Procrastination Tip

Part 6, Picture (Im)Perfect--guest post

Part 7, Picture (Im) Perfect, second part, guest post
Part 8 is the post you are reading

Part 9, Decimating the Comparison Trap

Part 10, More Decimating the Comparison Trap

Part 11, When Perfectionists Collide

Part 12, Unconditional Love--guest post

Part 13, Perfection vs. Excellence
Part 14, Conclusion, Embracing Imperfect

Best of 2011: My To-Do List vs. My To BE List

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy @ God Speaks Today) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the Best of 2011

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Original Run Date: January 21, 2011. This one speaks directly to my heart. One of my continuing struggles as a mother: to center my days on "being" not just "doing." Maybe you can relate.

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It’s another snow day here in the fine city of Louisville, Kentucky. And that means three things:

1. Kentuckians are very afraid to drive on any amount of snow. Very, very afraid.

2. Our school make-up days will now extend into the summer (which is entirely too short as it stands, in my opinion. Seriously—since when did the entire month of August cease to be part of summer? And now, we will begin eating away at June, too? *sigh* ).

3. My To-Do list is totally shot, again.

Do 2 loads of laundry
Pick up clothes from the dry cleaners
Go to Target
Change the sheets on two of the beds
Mop kitchen floor
Return phone calls
Write—something…anything

Don’t get me wrong. I LOVE me a good snow day. I cherish having my kids home. I like to bake homemade chocolate chip granola bars. I like to make a big ‘ole pot of something hot. I have been known to stay in jammies all day. I get all-nostalgic, remembering as a child playing in four-foot snow drifts, and thawing out in front of the heating vent with a cup of hot chocolate.

But running a household of five takes a certain amount of organization and self-discipline. Snow days don’t really scream “Let’s have a day of organization and self-discipline!” do they.

I know, I know. I’ve been a mother long enough to realize I need to go-with-the-flow on days like today. But honestly, something about setting aside all I have to do (again) generates a bit of anxiety within me. The slightest hint of frustration. Blowing it all off for the sake of another snow day means tomorrow’s chores instantly multiply. And I already feel like I don’t have enough hours in the day to do all I need to do today. Know what I’m saying?

“God is far more interested in what you are

than in what you do.”

~Rick Warren, The Purpose-Driven Life

So, this morning as I lay in bed, watching the sun peek over the trees, listening to the stirrings of children emerging from their warm beds, I think about everything I intended to do today that won’t happen. And in my pre-caffeinated anxiety, I hear the undeniable whisper of God.

“Instead of a To-Do List, how about we create a To-BE list?”

Be gentle: with children who spill dry cereal on the carpet, forget to make their beds and fail to brush their teeth.

Be patient: when absolutely no one moves as quickly as you want them to.

Be kind: to everyone, always.

Be present: to a little boy who wants to share with you every detail of the dragon he fought and conquered on level nine of his Wii game.

Be fun: with the little girl who is asking you to play doll-house, again. With the kids who are begging you to put on your coat and boots and sled with them down the hill.

Be a peacemaker: when you hear sarcastic tones and angry responses behind closed doors

Be merciful: if you are going to err today, let it be on the side of mercy.

Be self-controlled: Pause before you respond, before you react.

Be pure in heart: Let the motivation for everything you do today be the extension of My love to your children and your husband.

Be full of faith: I know exactly where you are today. I created the snow. I created your children. I saw this day before it ever came to be. And I have lovingly and graciously equipped you to DO and to BE all I called you to DO and BE.

Best of 2011: God Speaks Through Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy @ God Speaks Today) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the Best of 2011

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Original Run Date: January 7, 2011. This one gave me chills all over again. Definitely one of my favorite stories of the year.

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The following events are true. I'm not making any of this up.

The day was Tuesday, January 4, 2011.

9:00 am

I drop off my 4-year-old daughter, Elliana, at her Mother’s Day Out program. As I am leaving, Linda, the director of Mother’s Day Out, stops me to share some exciting news: the day before, Linda received her “travel date.” That’s adoption-speak for that long-awaited call from the orphanage in Korea telling her that she may come and pick up her 7-year-old daughter.

For those who don’t understand the magnitude of this, the “travel-date” call is akin to your water breaking in pregnancy. You're having regular contractions and you're on the way to the hospital. You're in the home stretch, baby. It’s just a matter of time, and that child will be in your arms.

As you can imagine, Linda is beside herself with excitement. And I’m more than happy to join Linda in her excitement. You don’t much have to twist my arm to get me talking about adoption.

For the next 30 minutes, Linda and I chat and giggle about the arrival of her new daughter. Seeing the anticipation on her face brings a flood of sentiment to my heart, as I recall the day WE travelled to pick up OUR daughter.

Hey…wait a minute…it was exactly 3 years ago that day (January 4, 2008) when we flew to Guatemala and met our sweet girl for the first time!

Wow. What a cool coincidence.

10:15 am

In honor of this little anniversary, I post this as my Facebook status:

"Three years ago today, in the lobby of a hotel in Guatemala City, a beautiful woman handed me my daughter and our family was complete."

Along with this picture:

11:33 am

I receive this message from a Facebook friend. This particular friend and I had exchanged lengthy e-mails a year or so ago, where she revealed that she and her husband were considering adopting a child. She had lots of questions. I had lots of answers. You don’t much have to twist my arm to get me talking about adoption.

Anyway, her message reads this:

I had some pretty scary health issues this year so I put the whole adoption thing begrudgingly to the side. Long story short I was being checked for cancer and didn't want to bring another child into the fold if I was not going to be healthy. Looooong story shorter, my heart has been so consumed by the desire to adopt a precious child who needs so much love. My human nature seeks confirmation, over and over again sometimes. I kept praying for God to give me signs to know if it was the right thing for us. Yes my desire (and my husband’s too) is there, but is it the right thing?

My silly human self asked God for 3 specific signs.

1. The first was to show me a way to help us cover the adoption costs. While reading a book (Mary Beth Chapman's) I discovered an organization I had never heard of that helps.

2. I asked God to show me if my children could handle the changes. My son directly asked me this weekend if we could adopt a child who needs a good home...preferably a boy because he could relate to him more...but a girl would do, none the less.

3. Third I asked God to show me somewhere, somehow, the face of a mother meeting her new baby. Why I asked that, I am not sure. I guess I wanted to see if I could see it through her eyes.

In under one week ALL of my "signs" were given to me...the third being your picture you posted today. I am in awe of the loving grace of God.

I sent her 3 more pictures of my "face" that day, just to make sure she didn't miss the sign. And I told her to get busy with that paper work. Looks like she's adopting a baby.

Best of 2011: Setting God-Directed New Year's Resolutions

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy @ God Speaks Today) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the Best of 2011

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Original Run Date: January 3, 2011--This one will probably be more helpful to you this time around, since you still have a few more weeks before you set your New Year's Resolutions for 2012! Read to the end to find out about linking your New Year's Resolution post in January!

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I am driving my husband crazy. Every time we have more than about three minutes to talk, I say, “So, let’s talk New Year’s Resolutions.” And he rolls his eyes, gives me a long, deep sigh and says, “Um…okay.” And then, he says absolutely nothing while I go on and on about all the things mulling around in my crazy brain about 2011.

I’m totally into New Years. I LOVE riding the huge wave of momentum created by an entire nation of people wiping the slate clean and looking toward a fresh, shiny new year. I love goal-setting and planning. I love TALKING about goal-setting and planning. I love PLANNING to talk about goal-setting and planning. It’s my spiritual gift, talking and planning.

My husband? Not so much.

That's why I need you. While I so very much enjoyed taking the last few weeks off from blogging, I missed you all so much. I missed our chats. I really did! So today, I release Jon from this burden to “talk New Year’s Resolutions,” and turn to you, my virtual friends. Let’s plan and set goals! And then? We shall TALK ABOUT IT!

I'm so excited.

For me, setting my New Year’s Resolutions is serious business. It sets the tone for the entire year. It keeps me on track, as I measure my daily activities against my goals. In the mundane months of every-day-ness, should I start to feel frustrated or confused about where God has me, I look back at my New Year’s Resolutions and immediately feel more centered and focused. It’s a constant reminder of where God is leading me, at least for this year.

I actually start thinking about all of this in the late fall, and most certainly by Thanksgiving. I don’t randomly or impulsively set my resolutions. Not by a long shot. I brainstorm. I ponder. I dream. And then jot down ideas in my journal as they come to me. I pray over them and listen for God’s direction, usually for weeks, before determining what my resolutions will actually be.

Here are some of the general steps I follow in setting my resolutions for the year:

1. I ask God: There is a big difference between asking God to help me form my New Year’s Resolutions and forming my New Year’s Resolutions and then asking God to help me fulfill them. I’ve beat my head against many-a-wall, chasing a dream that didn’t originate in God’s heart for me. I constantly remind myself that some goals are good, worthy goals, but not all goals are God’s will for my life right now, or ever. My heart’s desire, above all other things, is to be in the center of God’s will. So, before any idea turns into a resolution, I ask God for wisdom.

2. I look at five major areas of my life: Spiritual (prayer, Bible reading, character-development, outreach), Relational (marriage, parenting, friends and extended family), Financial (saving, spending, giving), Work-related (for me, this is blogging and teaching), and Health-related (exercise and diet). I don't always have goals in every category. Sometimes I have miscellaneous goals that don't fit any category. This is just to get me thinking about all areas of my life.

3. I look at last year’s resolutions: How did I do on those? Can I cross them off my list? Do I need to continue working on them in 2011? Did a previous resolution develop into a new and different resolution? If I didn’t fulfill a resolution, why didn’t I? I try to be realistic, but not too hard on myself. Just because I didn’t reach one of my goals, doesn’t mean I failed. I don’t follow through on every resolution for a variety of reasons. Even with all my brainstorming and praying, I sometimes set unrealistic or misdirected goals, so it’s actually a good thing that I don’t follow through. Last year, for example, one of my resolutions was to submit one article a week for publication, either in a magazine or another on-line forum. But it only took a few weeks to realize how time-consuming this was. Researching possible venues for my work, and then crafting original material within each magazine’s specific submission guidelines took much longer than I realized it would. Since I only had a few hours a week to write, I realized a better use of my time was writing quality blog posts for my own blog and submitting articles only occasionally.

4. I look at my season of life and my unique family dynamics. It’s so tempting for me to look at my peers and feel compelled to accomplish what they accomplish. I constantly have to remind myself that I have children who need me…a lot! I have a four-year-old, who is home with me all day. I spend almost 2 hours a day carpooling and another hour a day over-seeing homework. I have a hard-working and ambitious husband who relies on me to run the household. Taking care of my children, my marriage and my home trumps any other opportunity life affords me, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Even if other women choose to travel on the weekends for speaking engagements or be president of the PTO or work outside the home or run a home-based business, that is not me. At least not this year. I need to look realistically at my current season of life and set my resolutions accordingly.

5. I look at the Word of God. God’s been doing a lot of “scripture highlighting” for me lately. In my private prayer and Bible reading time, certain scriptures are leaping off the page. It’s crazy. I’m writing them all down, and asking God to show me what it all means for the upcoming year. God usually gives me one main verse to become my “theme” for the year, and it gets posted in a place of honor, in my direct line of vision—just above my coffee pot.

6. I listen to my inner promptings. My feelings don’t always dictate God’s will for my life, but many times God uses those little inner pushings and pullings to direct or re-direct my steps. Last year, as I lived out my every day, ordinary life, there were times I sensed strongly “this is not the way” and other times I felt an overwhelming “yes, this is it…keep moving in this direction.” I’ve been jotting all those things down and asking God for clarity, as I continue to live out my every day, ordinary life.

So that’s my insanely-detailed process. I’m curious, how do you determine your New Year’s Resolutions? Leave me a comment and tell me all about it. That’s right, it’s your turn…”Let’s talk New Year’s Resolutions.”

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It's me again...I'd love to do another New Year's Resolutions link up, like last year. Be thinking and praying about your goals for 2012 and we'll have a little party, right here on the world wide web! Let's aim for the first week of January. Don't worry, I'll remind you.