Hi-Ho-Hi-Ho Off to Work

Having a balanced life challenges the best of us.  Personally, I have began this quest to find a balanced life that ultimately will lead to and maintain a content lifestyle.  What I have already established……

1.  Quiet Time with God… check

2.  Exercising…CHECK

3.  Eating Naturally.. NO FAKE FOOD… check

4.  Praying at least twice a day on my knees and consciously using the prayer list I make throughout my day… check, check, and check..

As promised, this week I am taking a look at work ethics.  This one is going to be tough especially with the kids at home.  It is really harder to follow a work schedule when “MOM!!” is yelled a 100 times a minute… I am exaggerating just a bit.. my kids are really not that annoying..to be honest I would rather swim, shop, play, and have fun with them than work!

There are a few things I want to tackle..

1.  Complete what I start.  I am notorious for beginning a sewing project, painting, crochet project, etc and never finish it.  So, that is a goal I want to tackle… finish the project.. no excuses.

2.  Work on my books.  I have two projects in the making…nonfiction on contentment and a fictional story.  I am setting my goal pretty high.  I will alternate each project daily.  It is my goal to write 1500 on the project on its day.

3.  Keep this verse on my lips at all times while working, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, and not for men.”  Colossians 3:23 ESV

It is my hope that I can add these to my already jammed packed “work week” of running a household, blogging, writing articles and researching for my book.  No excuses! I guess I need….

4.  Whistle while I work…..or at least sing like Mary Poppins.  I can see my 13yo’s eyes roll…..I make joyful noise.

On Saturday, I looked at the pile of mending that had grown to great heights.  I sat down with my needle and thread.  I had the pile cleared in about an hour.  It really felt good to have finally accomplish that daunting pile.  It took as little as an hour from my day… so what was so daunting about that?  I could have done it instead of watching TV.. hmmmm.. food for thought.  I have already taken meat away.  I might have a great rebellion if I took away the TV.

Enjoy your work day!  God bless…

Smooth

I was a little worried that my family would throw a fit knowing we are vegan until further notice.  I purchased soy milk (regular, vanilla, and chocolate) instead of milk… dairy cow stories on farmsanctuary.org.  As I was planning my meals for this week, I have decided not to bake in this heat wave.  It would not be the frugal thing to do if my electric bill soars.  So, I decided to make soy milk smoothies.  They are cold, fruity and good for you, too.  Plus, if there is any pouting about the milk they will never know it is in there.

On Wednesday, I handed my son a blueberry smoothie.  At first, he looked at it and asked if it was good.  My response, “You tell me.”  He slurped that down and had a blueberry mustache.  He loved it.  Yesterday, the first thing he asked when he got up was if he could have another smoothie… YOU BET!!  This morning, he met me in the kitchen wanting a smoothie and his big sis was wanting one too.  I was thrilled!

My 13yo decided to drink the milk last night.  She said she liked the chocolate but loves the vanilla.  I was so happy I almost cried.  I could picture some happy cows.  That really made me feel so much better.  The transition from cow milk to soy milk has been successful… it has gone so smoothly!!

Here’s my recipe for smoothies:

1 cup vanilla soy milk

1 cup frozen blueberries (any frozen fruit will do)

2 pkgs of splenda

Blend in blender until smooth.

Don't Cha Love It?

To be honest with you, I have never sat down and actually read the Bible.  It has always been something I wanted to do, inspired to do, started to do; yet, never actually did it.  With my quiet time with God (a response to my quest for a balanced life), I have focused on Proverbs.  I have really enjoyed reading this particular book.  At first, I really didn’t get the idea of one piece of advice God’s thought after another; but, I continued with it and I have fallen madly in love with Proverbs.

The whole meaning behind Proverbs being advice from a father to a son, makes it even more special.  It is like God has become my “Dear Abby.”  He advises on just about every subject and well..it is really good advice.. DUH!!  Can you just picture God sitting beside you, holding your hand and giving you His advice?

Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise; apply your hear to what I teach, for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips… Proverbs 22:17-18

Oh, man, I want to please Him so…  Don’t cha just love that image???

God Bless..

I Care

I love the message in Psalms 33:5b, “the earth is full of his unfailing love.”  If you look all around, you  can see God’s love.  It is the blue sky, the sunset, the early morning crow of a rooster, the sighting of a hummingbird, a rainbow, the refreshing rains, the clouds, the grass, the pumpkins growing in my compost pile (God’s having to grow it…I’m clueless and have given up after trying to garden for 8 years), the squirrels fighting over an acorn, my cat trying to catch the squirrels… do you get the picture or must I continue?  God’s love is all around us and for that I am grateful.

My quest for balance has brought me to the book of Proverbs.  While reading chapter 12, I ran across a verse that floored me especially after reading Eating Animals.

A righteous man cares of the needs of his animal.. Proverbs 12:10a

I sat there for a few moments and I knew that a change was on the horizon.  I thought about how so many animals are chemically altered, mass reproduced, grossly slaughtered and confined in farm factories just so I can have a freezer full of meats.  What I read disturbed me and no where did I find the caring for the animals’ needs.  So if purchasing such “cheap meats” is supporting these “techniques,”  I can not consciously and knowingly buy the said meats.  Does this mean I am vegan?  You bet.. until I find local farms with righteous farmers who cares for the needs of their animals.  I hate to think I am promoting cruelty to animals just because it tastes good.

You might want to say a prayer or two for my family.. this is going to be a BIG change in our household until my research is complete and I have a list of local farmers worthy of my purchases…

God bless….

*****

Just want to share with you guys the progress made towards my balanced life…

1.  Quiet Time:  reading a chapter of Proverbs twice a day,  sitting completely still and trying to keep my mind quiet for 15 minutes at least once a day, praying before and after reading Proverbs, and making it a point to pray for those I say I will pray for them.

2.  Ridding the Sluggard:  Walking in the morning, enlisting kids to be my own personal trainers, and praying that I continue to “want to” exercise.   Making it a goal to finish one project a week… this week’s goal is complete, I finished the drawing I promised a friend.

3.  Balanced Eating:  Well, today’s post covered this topic.  I am compiling a list of local organic farms in my area.  I purchased fresh cucumbers and squash from a fresh produce stand down the road.  I only spent $65 for a week’s worth of vegan foods for this week’s groceries.

Next week I am going to tackle a balanced work week…

Lazy

Each evening and morning, I have been spending time reading and studying Proverbs.  God has opened my eyes on two different levels during my quiet time in His Word.  First, He is providing great material for the book I am currently writing.   And secondly, He has pointed a few things out involving my present lifestyle and the quest I am taking to find balance and ultimately total contentment.

Several topics like finances, work ethics, and attitude have bruised me while reading Proverbs.  But nothing like the topics of laziness and being a sluggard.  I came to the realization that my busyness isn’t always productive and there are times.. as much as I hate to admit it…. that I am… I don’t know if I can say it without cringing from the honesty..that I am..Lazy.  Not to imagine me sitting in front of the TV all day eating bon-bons, but I never complete projects and goals.  I grow tired and quite frankly lazy before I finish something.

Before 2010 started, I made the decision to become a healthier me.  Ahem…  At least the decision was made.  I thought I would continue the vegan approach after experiencing it for 6 weeks for Lent.  Ahem.. well, the thought crossed my mind.  I prefer napping over exercising.  I would rather sunbathe than swim.  I enjoy AC more than the Arkansas heat.  I love to read rather than listen to books on tape while walking.  Get the lazy picture?

When I began the quest, I listed items that I needed to add to my day to create a sense of balance.  One thing was exercise.  So, yesterday, I called the kids to the living room and asked them what the word, “sluggard” meant.  They had no idea.  I told them it was someone who was lazy…like me.  And I needed them to help me with exercising.  I explained they were to be my personal trainers… my own personal Jillian and Bob from the Biggest Loser.  I told them to look back at what their coaches do in PE and to create a “workout” for me.  I encouraged them to not let me “give up” nor to say “I can’t.”  I gave them permission to cheer me on and to add penalties if I was to complain.  I told them that I wanted to sweat and to feel it the next day.  I knew that in the back of my mind I would do whatever because I want to be a better example not a lazy example.

Boy did they make me sweat!  They had me running, jumping, doing abs work, Wii Fit, and crab crawls (thanks to my 8yo).  For 30 minutes they had me doing things I didn’t think I could ever do…ahem… I would never do those things on my own.  I thought I was going to drop dead afterwards… even at one point, I had to stop and catch my breath; but my 13yo was quick to point out that Jillian would not have that kind of attitude.  She was right.. but I couldn’t breathe!!  I caught my breath and took off for more.. especially when I was threatened with 5 more laps!

This morning, I could hardly get up I was so sore.  What can I say…Bob and Jillian worked me over!!

God Bless..