by Kimberly | Nov 18, 2013 | Uncategorized
Today is brought to you by the word: Persevere
That is the word in every runner’s vocabulary. Every person who has ever succeeded in any fitness forum has used this word probably every day of their lives. And this week, it has had to be in mine. Its been colder here this week, and I’ve just gotten short times of exercise in with the boys around the neighborhood or to the library, but I’ve had more control over what I’ve put in my mouth. That is what has helped the scale move more this week.
1. 39 lbs down, many more to go. I rejoice in the little goals, but always keep the end goal in sight!
2. Salads are going well. Many people ask me what I’m having – just whatever looks good in the produce aisle.
3. My friend Courtney wrote this blog post on post-baby bodies/fitness/losing weight. If you are in the same boat I am, please go read this. My response to her on FB Was I wholeheartedly agree, but that doesn’t give me the right to be lazy and keep the weight on.
4. Dec 9 I will be cleared to exercise again (besides walking). I’m looking forward to doing videos in my home during nap time for the boys.
5. With the holidays right around the corner, what are your goals now for eating right and staying active? I have full control over the menu for our Thanksgiving meal (with my parents) so I look forward to creating a healthy menu!
by Kimberly | Nov 13, 2013 | creatives
Disney has some great movies that are accompanied by some equally wonderful music. The Little Mermaid is a favorite and I heard many songs from the soundtrack as I was trying to calm my baby today.
As I was listening to this song, I thought poorly of my “sour” attitude lately, as I pondered these lyrics:
Look at this stuff, isn’t it neat
Wouldn’t you think my collection’s complete?
Wouldn’t you think I’m the girl
The girl who has everything?
I mean so I don’t get my way in everything nor is my opinion always taken freely and readily changed to my every whim…but so what?
I have Jesus.
I have an amazing husband who lives out Eph 5 for me, for our boys.
I have a wonderful amazing joyful Elijah-Bean (my nickname for him right now). He makes me smile!
I have a sweet cuddly BabyBach who needs to be held a lot to calm his stomach.
I have wonderful friends across this country who rejoice w me, share life with me, cry with me, etc.
So, aren’t I the girl – the girl who has everything?
So, when you are tempted to complain…think of Ariel just longing to be somewhere else, above the waters so blue, and remember that God has given you so many blessings.
As the old hymn line says, “Count your blessings, name them one by one.” And as far as other songs go, my husband picks a Song of the Month for our church and teaches it to the congregation. This month’s is fitting for November but also for everyday: 10000 reasons by Redman. Here is a line: “For all your goodness I will keep on singing, ten thousand reasons for my heart to find.”
How will you count your blessings this Thanksgiving season? How will you help your children learn how to count their blessings? More on that coming in a creative post soon! 🙂
by Kimberly | Nov 12, 2013 | Books, Kids r Readers 2
It is no secret that I love books, writing, and reading. Most books I read are biographical or non-fiction, with the occasional classic or fiction.
Being a Mom now of 2 boys (14m and 1m) I want to also instill in them a love for books and all things adventure, reading, characters, etc. Books can open up an entire new world for them (and kids of all ages).
But, also being a believer, I want to instill a love of God’s truth in my boys from an early age. I don’t want them, however, to just read Christian books, but look at Literature through the eyes of the Word. Tony Reinke taught me well with his book Lit!
So, here begins a series of books that I will read to our boys and take a few points of how to turn them back to truth – especially if that truth isn’t apparent.
The first book is The Little Squeegy Bug by Bill Martin, Jr.
Why I chose this book: It was on the table at our local library in the children’s section.
Synopsis: A “squeegy bug” doesn’t know what he is supposed to be and sets out on a journey to find out who he is.
Age: 3-7yo
Truths to teach your children:
1. We are meant to find God’s purpose for our lives. Jeremiah 1:5 is a great purpose verse and is easy for children to learn (especially the first half). And we don’t have to be prophets for us to have a purpose. All of us, created by God, have a purpose – to live for His glory. As the Westminster Shorter Catechism says “the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever”.
2. God created you! Whatever God’s purpose is for you – He created you to do just that. He is sovereign over everything (kids can learn big words) and He is creator. The Westminster Shorter Catechism asks Who made you? God did! Genesis 1:26-31 and Psalm 139 are perfect Scriptures to teach that truth!
3. Godly friends help you be who God created you to be. God did not make us to live in isolation. He made us to be in relationship. Not only with Him but also with others. Friends are very important to our story. Proverbs 17:17 is also a good verse for memory work and how to live out the Word.
by Kimberly | Nov 11, 2013 | mothering, Quotes, Uncategorized
Facebook has a way of dictating our lives, don’t you think? Or any other social media for that matter. At least in the month of November, that happens to be a good thing. More and more people are choosing to be thankful for 30 things during this month, and putting it on facebook helps them recount all the things and people they are thankful for. Even though I am not taking part in those postings, I did have a word of wisdom spoken to me the other day that I thought I would share.
As my MIL and I were heading toward a women’s event at our church this past weekend, she said how thankful she was to even get to be here to hold her grandsons even if they did cry or get up in the middle of the night or she had to change their diapers (which all of them happened a lot). That was so convicting for me.
I know I had said I was thankful the delivery went well and that I had friends to help. And I know I said how cute the boys were. But, had I thanked God aloud that I get to be their Mommy? Not that I recall.
When hard times or periods of sleepless nights or trials come into your life – do you remember to thank God for that? How do you thank God – every day – not just while sitting around the Thanksgiving table?
“Prayer in the name of Christ ends with a calm and joyous Amen; for Jesus Himself is the Amen of God, in whom all promises and gifts of God are sealed.” – Saphir
by Kimberly | Nov 8, 2013 | Books
Do you ever struggle to believe the Gospel? If you are a Christian or non-Christian your answer is or should be YES! Even as believers, I think we tend to struggle in believing the life-giving hope of the Gospel that is ours in Christ.
One of my favorite authors put together a month-long book of devotions going through the first 8 chapters of the book of Romans. Not only is it theologically solid, but it is also easy for anyone to grasp, and full of hope for sinners like me.
I hope you find hope in these quotes as Elyse points us to Christ – and if you haven’t picked up this book, then I urge you to do so.
“He (Jesus) emerged into the dim light of our world, bringing with him the ineffable brightness of a universe remade, having reverses the curse and defeated the power of darkness forever.” (pg 20)
“He absolutely delights in demonstrating his mercy and love. Rather than our failures frustrating him, our sin simply serves to make his mercy more beautiful.” (pg 29)
“Our gospel inheritance is meant to cause us to rejoice and to live out each day in grateful obedience.” (pg 55)
“In both our justification and our sanctification, Jesus Christ must remain in our minds where he is in Paul’s: completely, utterly, permanently, gloriously, preeminent.” (pg 101)
“God no longer has any wrath left for us because we’ve been justified by faith.” (pg 130)
by Kimberly | Nov 1, 2013 | fit fridays
hey folks.
It’s Friday again! I hope y’all have had a great week – living healthy!
Here are some aspects of my week:
1. I love my new shampoo! It is great and makes my hair look shiny and strong. It is cheap for a big bottle and the best shampoo for my normal long hair!
2. I haven’t gone on a walk all week. We’ve had company, my baby has been fussy, I’ve been tired. Need to get better at not making excuses. And I’ll be ready to exercise in other ways in about 3 weeks when I get clearance from the doctor. How fun. I especially can’t wait to get some Yoga Downloads in and some kettlebell workouts for weight training and in December starting Jillian’s 30 Day Shred again!
3. I’ve gotten a bit of my appetite back and have enjoyed cooking again, though I am so thankful for people bringing us food since Baby Bach was born. This week we received a roasted chicken. My favorite roasted chicken recipe is from Sara Foster. You can do so many healthy meals with a simple roasted chicken recipe. Definitely should be on your weekly menu!
4. Some folks ask about my favorite fashion or style websites. One of my new fave sites is by Molly Buckley – a new mom herself. I love her attitude toward clothes and fashion and also how she makes outfits her own.
5. Since I’ve not exercised as much this week and my appetite has come back somewhat, my weight loss was a little less this week: about 2lbs. Which is what it should be – that is a healthy weight loss. And it is right on track with my goal for my 37th birthday!
6. The above photo – I love scarves! My husband picked this one out for last year’s Christmas cantata at our church. Glad I get more than one wear out of it!
by Kimberly | Oct 30, 2013 | Bible, Books
I used to work in a chain Christian bookstore. Bibles took over the place. There were so many. And so many have come out since the mid-90s. There is a Bible for teens, children, moms of _______, dads who golf, etc. If you are charismatic – you have a Bible just for you. If you follow certain preachers – they probably recommend a certain Bible. Why is there a need for another one?
I was intrigued by the Gospel Transformation Bible and was excited that we got it in the mail.
Here are three reasons I love the Gospel Transformation Bible and maybe some thoughts that will point you to it if you are in the market for a new study Bible:
1. The design. This may not be the most important factor in choosing a new study Bible, but I think the simple black and white hardcover design is fabulous. Simple and precise. Very easy to read and find what you need inside, too.
2. The preachers and scholars that Crossway chose to use is varied. There are men and women from different denominational backgrounds, some are preachers, others are teachers or professors at seminaries. It is encouraging to see the common ground that the Gospel brings together.
3. The main focus: the Gospel. The notes that you will read in this study Bible will all point to one thing – the Gospel – Jesus Christ. He is most important part of any theological discussion. He is what all the Scriptures point to.
Appreciate Bibles that focus on this one thing – Jesus!
This is from the Crossway website about the Bible: “Focusing on heart transformation rather than mere behavior modification, their points of application emphasize the Hows and Whys of practical application to daily living—in short, how the gospel transforms us from the inside out.”
by Kimberly | Oct 30, 2013 | Arkansas, Events
Are you looking for a family outing this fall? In October (and Nov 1 this year due to the weather), Quitman (small town outside of Little Rock) is host to the Arkansas Frontier. This wonderful family adventure, perfect for families that have preschool or school age children, fills up a huge acreage with all sorts of fun activities for children of all ages.
We were highly taken by the hospitality of every employee present. From the ticket givers to the men and women that ran each “exhibit”, they were friendly, knowledgeable, funny, and very willing to help or answer any questions we might have had.
Our son, who is almost 13 months old loved the animals (goats, rabbits, mini horses, pigs, chickens, etc) and also was really enthralled by the pumpkins and hay bales. He enjoyed hanging out with daddy and oma for the morning too (a special treat).
This October fun place is not only FUN but also educational, perfect for school trips or homeschool outings. They teach you about how school “worked” in the earlier days. There was a mining exhibit that kids actually got to “Swish” and pan for minerals, but they also learned about the minerals they found and about the history of mining. There were teepees and a history lesson of Indians. For really fun times, there was a hay ride, wagons that parents could pull little children in, and duck races.
Families often have trouble finding positive outings to do together nowadays. Quitman has the answer – the Arkansas Frontier is that answer. Especially if you like pumpkins and all things fall – then head on over there (FRIDAY!) Your family will enjoy the day – just as mine did today! I have 2 sleeping boys to prove the fun was more than they could handle.
*My family received free admission into Arkansas Frontier in exchange for this blog, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
by Kimberly | Oct 26, 2013 | Uncategorized
“But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.” – Romans 6:17-18
Another journey – here we go!
If you have read this blog for any period of time, or known me my whole life, this weight loss/fitness/healthy lifestyle has been something that has come and gone. Since I’ve gotten married, and had two children, I have gained 77 lbs as of today (with having lost 15 from delivering our second baby 5 days ago). I’ve got a long way to go.
There are many reasons why I want to lose weight, get healthy, etc:
1. For myself. I love fashion and wearing stylish cute things (for me) looks better when I’m thinner.
2. For my husband. He married me. He loves me. He wants me to be healthy.
3. For my sons. I want to be able to be active with them, be here for them for a long time, Lord willing.
4. For the love of God. I want to be a healthy example of a Christian who lives freely under the authority of God’s Word – because He loves me. I have a book in my head, outlined, and some chapters written.
Personally – I know I feel better, look better, am more confident when I am thinner. Ask my husband and my mother.
So, here we go. Here are two pictures.
One was taken at my heaviest which was on my second anniversary, Oct 8, 2013. I’ll spare you the weight for now. The next one was taken yesterday as we went to the pumpkin patch down the street, 4 days after the birth of our sweet second.
So, on these Friday posts – I’d like to show some updates, talk encouragement, post some healthy recipes, fashion, pictures, etc. I hope you follow along and are encouraged as well!
Update: Week 2 – now down a total of 34.8 lbs since having baby. I’ve lost all the weight for baby2. All the fluid is gone. I can wear my engagement ring (waiting on my wedding band to fit). I’m down to mostly regular clothes except for a denim skirt and a pair of jeans. I’ve set a reasonable but tough goal for my birthday – and the start of a Florida “vacation” in January.
by Kimberly | Oct 25, 2013 | 31days, Books, Uncategorized
“All earthly things are the shadows of heavenly realities – the expression, in created, visible forms, of the invisible glory of God.” – Andrew Murray
I’m beginning the study of a million little ways by Emily Freeman. How to live all of life in a creative fashion after the order and ways of the Creator God.
This is going to be a fun ride! Come along over at (in)courage and the bloom study of this book. Just started this week!
(Photo taken Durham NC, October 2011)
