Me and MY CRAZY ideas, that somehow I make come true...

A while back a crazy idea crossed my mind (which usually happens several times a day, but this one idea really was special). I wanted to complete a marathon. Crazy, right? Especially for me, I mean really... my legs don't work ya know!?! Oh wait, but I wanted to do it on a wheelchair, I knew I was leaving a minor detail out... but have you seen the cost of those wheelchairs -- CrAzY expensive. So, yeah that became "dream".  

SIGH...

Then about a year and a half ago I began working out again and doing major upper body strength training and yes, the idea was still waaay in the back of my mind. I never really thought I'd actually do it (I still haven't done it ;-P...). Then, Jessica, my sister-in-law began her training for a full marathon (she had already done half-marathons before) and I saw her motivation and how good it made her feel... and that thought, yeah, the crazy one that was in the back of my mind, was slowly creeping back up... and after Jessica completed her marathon she sent me a text that totally convinced me to do it.

So, I bought that funny looking contraption, uhm, I mean, handcycle that you see pictured up there... and that is how my journey has begun-- I am going to complete a  marathon. When? I haven't thought that far, but I guarantee you, it WILL happen ;-).

And, while yes, actually getting this handcycle to reach this goal of mine is great, the true greatness of it all-- the little girl right next to me in that picture riding her bike. It hit me the moment I got on it... I fought back the tears when the salesman was showing me the features... I was riding a bike... I was going to ride a bike with my baby girl... I... ME... on a bike... yes, me, the girl with the legs that don't cooperate with her and would never stay on the pedal, even when strapped down, was on a BIKE WITH HER BABY!!!

And that my friends... that is God... that is what you call a miracle. Many think a true miracle would be God "fixing" my legs, but no.  This was it.  This is a true miracle. And while I can't wait to complete my first marathon and feel that sense of pride that Jessica has shared-- I know this feeling was pretty good too. Pretty darn good I tell ya!

Oh, and God IS good friends.  Very, very good. 

Seriously...

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.

Philippians 1:3

Beyond blessed to be trusted with this beauty!

 Yeah, she's beautiful and she totally knows it too.To order this outfit or different color- GO HERE!

10 Things I Believe

 

 

I Believe:

 

I believe that I am where the Lord needs me to be.

I believe in a place where I will one day be able to run and take long walks without getting tired and without a limp.

I believe you can do anything you set your mind to, if you really want to.

I believe everything happens for a reason.

I believe in God.

I believe that if something or someone is important to you, you WILL find time for it.

I believe in love.

I believe in soul mates. We all have one.

I believe that legs are overrated! :-)

I believe in ME!

What do you believe?

 

 

 

 

Learning...

In hard times

I had learned three things-

I was stronger

than I ever imagined.

Jesus was closer

than I ever realized.

And I was loved

more than I ever knew.

All I Really Need to Know... I Learned from My Kindergartner

ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN

• Share everything.

• Play fair.

• Don't hit people.

• Put things back where you found them.

• Clean up your own mess.

• Don't take things that aren't yours.

• Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.

• Wash your hands before you eat.

• Flush.

• Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.

• Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.

• Take a nap every afternoon.

• When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.

• Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.

• Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. So do we.

• And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK.

I had always seen this posted in classrooms, posters in stores… I would hear the saying often, but I never really knew what it meant- until yesterday.

It took MY kindergartner to TEACH me just what was meant by this “saying”. Yes, my five year old has taught be a lesson or two on love, acceptance and most importantly- forgiveness.

Jayda never fails to make me SO proud to be her mommy. And I thank God each day for blessing me with her. I also thank Him for making her such a wonderful little girl – a challenge, but a wonderful challenge.

In kinder Jayda has shown me…

• To love the people who are “different”
• Be the voice to those who haven’t yet learned how to fully use theirs.
• Be open to new ideas
• LOVE to learn, LOVE new knowledge
• Keep trying; even if they are not responding to your kindness… don’t give up on them
• POPCORN words are FUN
• SHARE often

"It doesn’t feel good when someone is mean to you"… BUT, “I can give her a second chance Mommy…”

Yes, my baby, my five year old, my kindergartner… has taught me so many life lessons. She loves people. She sees the good in everyone. She is SO giving. She is SO forgiving… and she just LOVES to be at school to learn new things…

Even to those kids who she keeps talking about – they are “mean sometimes” and “I am trying so hard with them Mommy, I’m just trying to make it work…”

Yes, baby… I see your efforts. Through your efforts, Mommy is learning to keep “trying to make it work” and learning to not be so judgmental…

And yes, baby, everyone does deserve a “second chance”… thank you for reminding me when I was telling you to do the opposite.

I love you with all my heart Jayda… forever and always! And I am SO proud to be your Mommy!

Woman to Woman... Looking Out for Each Other

Stop Making Comparisons

We as women always tend to compare ourseves to other women… you know you do! Don’t deny it. It’s in our nature. But, that is what is causing us the most insecurity. I know I am VERY guilty of it.

Picture this…

You are heading to a party and the entire way over there you are wondering if your blouse looks ok, hoping your pants don’t look too tight… how is your hair?? "UGH,  should have worn the black pants… black is MY color. Oh, well… I will just try to ‘hide’ the muffin top as much as possible… uhm, ok I will wear this sweater." You walk in, and yeah… there she is.. she looks great, like always. Why did I even try knowing she’d be here? I look so dumb next to her…

C’mon, you can admit that you HAVE had these thought… you have felt that way at one time or another… RIGHT? RIGHT? Seriously, don’t leave me hanging…

Then you have the OTHER scenario… the “Yeah, I know I look good… She.is.no.competition for me… I will stay with this crowd because all these ladies ENVY me… “ Yeah, we ALL know someone like that too… OR perhaps we HAVE been this person at some point in our life?!

Beth Moore discusses this ‘complex’ in Chapter 15 of her book – So Long, Insecurity (have I meantioned it is an amazing book?)

The nature of our competition depends to a large extent on what we tend to value. If intelligence is high on the list, given the opportunity, we will try to assess whether or not the people around us seem smarter than we are. If appearance is a personal premium, we have the tendency to rate ourselves according to the looks of those in eyeshot…same with talent, giftedness, spirituality, and success… .

… we can stop playing the game… when we work from an activated mentality of God-given security, we are fully capable of thinking another woman is beautiful without concluding we are ugly. We can esteem another woman’s achievements without feeling like an idiot. We can admire another woman’s terrific shape without feeling like a slob. Where on earth did we come up with the idea that we have to subtract value from ourselves in order to give credit to someone else?

More examples…

I tried to talk to her + she seemed really distracted = she hates me

She’s really gorgeous + she gets a lot of attention that I don’t= she must be really conceited

She’s got this + she’s got that= I’ve got nothing…

Are we getting the picture? Yeah, I know…

I mean, I will admit… math has ALWAYS been my weakness, but I never thought I was THIS bad at it!

Galatians 5:26

'We will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.'

You heard it here… straight from the sacred text itself!

So make the commitment… catch yourself in the act of comparing… call yourself out! You are better than that… tell yourself that…

 I AM better than that!

Blessings always,

So Long...

Insecurity...

I mentioned in my last entry that I am reading Beth Moore's book, So Long, Insecurity. It is absolutley amazing! I am about half way done and it is hard to put down... but other interruptions have not allowed me to finish it. I did write down a couple of excerpts (yes, I am a dork that takes notes as she reads) that really stood out for me and hit very close to home...

God can bring freedom and vision to your life because of those limitations that you would never have discovered without them. You can let your limitations make you either insecure or unstoppable.(p. 66)

WOW... so true. I am working hard on letting my limitations make me be unstoppable!

Another excerpt that actually almost made me tear up was this...

He knows it's scary to be us.

He does not take lightly that some of us were raised in a veritable madhouse. He does not take lightly that some of us have been mentally berated or physically beaten or sexually abused or simply abandoned. He does not take lightly that some of us are still trying to recover from that midnight phone call. He does not take lightly that some of us were born with legs that don't work. Or eyes that can't see. Or ears that can't hear. He does not take lightly that some of us have endured the cancer treatment of our very own children. He does not take lightly that some of us, have buried our own children.

He knows it's scary to be us.

I didn't cry because I read this in the middle of silent reading during a class of 30 sophomores. I can't show weakness with them ;-). But this was so powerful for me!

The Blessing Box

One of my "goals" this New Year was to be more thankful. My goal is to find something every day to say "thanks God... I know that was you!"  As I was blog stalking, uhm, I mean, as I was visiting some of my favorite blogs, I came across this one and got a GREAT idea! Create a blessing box!  I thought this was a fun and creative way to hold me accountable and best of all, Jayda can do it too! 

So, with the help of my cute, #1 blessing in my life... Jayda... we found two "boxes" and some index cards and discussed what "blessings" were and created our very own...

"Blessing Boxes"

Jayda was so excited and so was I... we just labeled the top of the card with the date and then we put the year on the left side and wrote our blessing for the day.  We then "filed" today's cards to the back and will  repeat tomorrow.  Great tradition!! 

Ours isn't as "decorative" as the one where we got the idea... but, a blessing is a blessing!

Another thing I am doing is spending some quality "Me and God" time... One way I am doing this is by reading this book:

Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God, Not Food by Lisa TerKeurst  It is opening my eyes to some bad habits and what I need to do to "fix" them... which in turn is leading me into some very serious talks with our Lord!

I am also reading:

So Long, Insecurity by Beth Moore it is an awesome read so far! I just LOVE Beth Moore!

So, 2011 is going good so far!  I'm sure it won't be perfect... but hey... perfect is a bit boring don't ya think?