Get This Book Before Making Your New Year's Resolutions

Ok, go get this book NOW!!!  If there's anything I love to talk about, it's habits.  Trying to change them, how they form, if they're good or bad, whatever.  Let's just say Gretchen and I would be good buds (and bonus, we're both firstborns).  :)

Anyway, this book didn't make my Five Books I'd Recommend as Gifts This Holiday Season list, but it's on my extended list of books I want to read for myself.  It's that good - you COULD get it for someone else, but I'm saying get it FOR YOURSELF people.  Gretchen's podcast is one of my favorites because I love the short, easily digestible segments of her and her awesome sis talking about their personal habits with Gretchen also sharing bits of her vast knowledge on habits and happiness.  Their Try This At Home suggestion they have each episode gives me a new challenge if it's one I haven't already tried/accomplished.  I did mention I'm a habit maniac, didn't I?

Be sure to visit Gretchen's page to get your pre-order bonus, but do it BEFORE December 15th.  And if you order via Amazon, the book will be here in time to digest before January 1st, giving you the biggest edge ever in tackling your New Year's Resolutions in 2016!

Order the book HERE

Go get your pre-order bonus HERE

Take a listen to Gretchen's Happier with Gretchen Rubin podcast HERE

New Beginnings

Spring is wonderful isn't it?  The birds returning and busily preparing for the birth of the next generation.  The new growth occurring on the trees, the ground.  Even with the impending return of outdoor allergens for me, I still love this season.

I've always loved newness.  New school supplies.  (Who's with me there?? I don't know if I could name ONE person who isn't a sucker for new crayons.)  New clothes.  New paint.  New babies.  Ohmahgoodness I go crazy over new babies.  Ask anyone who knows me well or has had a baby while knowing me.  I think I once practically pushed a gal out of the way so I could see someone's new baby at church (sheesh Amy, settle down for crying out loud).  When I say crazy, I mean CRAZY.  I blame it on the smell.  It drives me wacko apparently.  Who can beat the smell of a new little human?

This spring is a little more exciting for me though than past years have been.  Maybe it's because the allergens haven't really started yet, but I'm thinking it's more for this reason: I feel like I'm finally coming out of a funk from the last couple years.

The short recap of why I got funky (and not in an Uptown way)?  I had a my 4th (and last) baby.  Yes measures were taken to ensure this as best we can.  I developed intestinal issues after baby was born that I just recently figured out were being caused by food allergies/sensitivities that I didn't have before kid #4 arrived.  We acquired a lake property.  We changed churches after being in one place for 12 years.  Friendships were lost; not because of hard feelings, but because that's what happens when you leave a place you've been at for that long.  It can't be avoided no matter how hard you try.  And relationships at the new place take time to build. Lastly, I turned 40 in the midst of all this.  So, besides battling the health issues that kept me at home in pain most of the time, I also felt like I didn't have any friends or anyone that cared what was going on in my life or that I was contributing anything to the world besides clean laundry for 6 and chauffeuring kids around to activities.  And I was barely able to do those!  Basically, I was a mid-life crisis in the midst of depression-ville for a good year and a half.

But I've recently gotten a better understanding of the food/skin/intestine issues and am learning to manage what I need to do to stay healthy.  Being gluten, dairy, and soy free makes eating out an interesting endeavor and I have bad days here and there because something is mysteriously in a food I ate.  The lake property is getting easier to manage with everything that goes into making it enjoyable year-round for us and for short-term renters.  The new church is starting to bring forth relationships.  The baby is turning 4 in May.  Things are getting easier.  Finally.  The gray is giving way to sun.

New opportunities are also starting to spring up before me.  New ways of looking at how I use my gifts and talents.  New ideas of what I can do to use these gifts besides coordinating laundry and chauffeuring.  Which is good, because I did NOT dream of becoming a Martha Stewart or Betty Crocker sort of mom when I was younger.  A mom who only attended to the affairs of her own household.  I had dreams and ambitions I tell ya!

I'm not sure where these opportunities are going to lead me, but I do know it is nice to have most of the recent storm behind me.  It is nice to have the sun shining on my face again.  With these new opportunities comes the need for discernment and wisdom.  I will need to rely on God so I don't overload my plate and do myself in.  I am so thankful though that He is once again placing bigger dreams on my heart and visions in my eyes.  After a time of wondering if I would be able to even leave the house for an afternoon of errands, this is a huge blessing!

Where are you right now?  In the midst of a funk and dreading each new day or happily maintaining the day-to-day chaos? Facing new dreams or stuck in depression-ville?  Battling health issues or starting over in a new place and you feel alone?  Cry out to God today.  He loves you and is for you!  Reach out to those who have expressed care to you.  I know that God is faithful and will bring someone to you to help you.  And I know that He is ALWAYS there for you.  And He is FOR you!

Blessings,

Walls

Have you ever played Minecraft?  I admit I have...only because I'm a really cool mom. Seriously, I've played it a bit the last few years and am thankful I took the time to bond with my kids in this way.  But no worries, friend, I realize this in no way makes me cool among any group of people. haha

In case you haven't had the chance to play this awesome time-sucking game, I'll explain it very briefly.  The whole world is made of blocks.  The ground, the trees, and anything you build is made of 1x1 blocks.  If you want to build something, you need to gather the blocks (either by mining cobblestone, chopping trees, digging dirt, etc) and then build your object (ex: a house) one block at a time. There's more to it than that (which is why it's so addicting and great for developing creativity) but that's the big picture.  There are shortcuts to getting the building supplies (you can "gliche" things) but there's no shortcuts for the actual building process.  Each block has to be placed where you want it.  By placing ONE BLOCK. AT. A. TIME.  My son is a pro wall builder.  He can get things built at a speed that makes my brain (and thumbs) hurt just watching him.

I, on the other hand, am a pro wall builder in a different way.  I can erect emotional walls to protect myself from the outside world faster than any Lego Master Builder (yes, I have 4 kids...this is my world of expertise right now...Legos & Minecraft haha).  

Everyone has these imaginary walls to protect us from hurts, don't we? And they take time to build; most of them don't happen overnight. They are built brick by brick, hurt by hurt. We build them up little by little and if we're not careful we let them get too tall. Then they start to hurt us because they're also holding those hurts, that pain, in and not letting it escape. Being trapped within our walls is not good; studies have shown it can even make us physically sick!

I admit it's scary thinking about these walls coming down. Without them we are exposed, vulnerable. We are REAL. It can be frightening being real with people, showing them who we are, what our burdens are, what we're afraid of. We might get hurt again. Or completely rejected. But if we're not being REAL with the people in our life, we're not really living. He has created each of us to carry out His purpose in a way no one else can.

We're holding back who we are, holding back who God made us to be.

Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

For we are God's masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.

Have you built up walls to protect yourself?  Played emotional Minecraft stacking the blocks one by one until you are so protected from the outside world you're actually hurting yourself?  Take one small step today to be more real with someone. Tear down just one brick.   Reach out to someone for help.  God will help you no matter how buried behind walls you are - He is with you there.  

He is with you now.  He is with you always.  

Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

And once you've moved a few bricks and are able to see outside your walls, you will find there are people around you who care, people who love you and who will also help you.  Don't be one who falls alone...

Eccelsiastes 4:9-10, 12

Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.  If one person falls, the other can reach out and help.  But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.  A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer.  Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.

What do you need to do today to tear down a brick in your emotional walls and be more REAL with those around you?

Blessings,