Health Journey

All my life, I have had an interest of being skinny. I was never extremely heavy, but my idea of beautiful was not what stared at me in the mirror when I was young. I always saw the girls in my grade as more attractive, and even friends that I hung out with I felt were much more pretty than I. 

It wasn't until I was pursued by my husband that all of the lies in my head subsided, but even then, the temptation of comparison was always lingering around. I felt that my hair wasn't as nice, or my measurements were right, or my features weren't as spectacular.

I had to get the Word in my heart and renew my mind. I had to tell myself that I was fearfully and wonderfully made. I had to tell myself that God does not make ugly people and I am loved. However, once I started to have children, I noticed that my body began to change. 

Of course, you might say. Well yes, I expected that, but my lifestyle changed. I was a stay at home mom off and on, but I never got back to the level of activity as I had been before kids. Our living situation changed which limited my space for exercise and then the weather of course plays a role as well as time itself. 

Recently, I just had our third child and she just turned one! Having a sit down job for the last 3 1/2 years has not helped my health at all and during pregnancy, made me put on a lot of extra weight....of course people tell me I look good, but I know where I came from. 

When I came back to work last summer, I knew that I was going to have to change some things in order to get back into a more healthy me. I found the 21 day fix and let me tell you, it works! I started the program in the fall of 2016 and continued right through the holidays. 

I lost about 15 pounds and felt great! However, because of time, I stopped after only 1 full round. I gained 5 pounds after I stopped, and now slowly the ounces want to creep back up. 

So, it is time to get back on the horse and ride, figuratively speaking HA! I am planning my meals and working out 30 minutes a day...only 30 minutes! I am looking forward to losing another 15 pounds and then we'll go from there. For 3 weeks, I can manage a work out regiment and change my eating. Just 3 weeks...and of course I have to keep telling myself that once I start ha ha ha. 

I am looking forward to blogging about my progress and if you would like to get involved with me just let me know!! 21 day fix is on!

Knowing your enemy

The enemy is subtle. The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:8 that he prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. The amplified version says he is like a lion that is fiercely hungry. That means that he is in intentional, stealthy, clever, and tenacious. 

Have you ever watched one of those nation shows that goes to the African safari to follow a pride of lions? Hunting is one of the major pieces to their existence.

When a lion is on the prowl, they fix their eyes on the horizon and wait. Looking back and forth over their pride, they wait for a potential victim to appear in their view. Whether large or small, they know that whatever it is, the other animal is going down.

Stealthily, they creep up behind their prey; taking their time so they don't scare it away. A lioness will step and then pause, step and then pause, waiting for the perfect moment to pounce. The group of lions might be starving, but they wait patiently knowing that in the small amount of time it takes to perfectly set up their trap, they will then be able to feast for hours and not have to eat again for days. 

Closer and closer a lion will sneak up, almost freezing itself in motion so it isn't seen. A lion's poise and muscle control is focused and it's eyes are fixed on the target. A lioness will pick out a small and feeble animal, but can also bring down a wildebeest on her own. A pack of lions can bring down a giraffe or even an elephant. 

When she does seize the moment, a lioness will run at full speed, pounce at the victim, and sink her claws into the animals backside bringing it down to the ground. More lashings of her claws and then her teeth go straight for the jugular. She will tenaciously continue until the animal has no strength left. 

I've watched videos where a lioness will just drag the animal to a spot where she will just clamp down on the animal's neck and just wait until her prey is completely dead. Motionless, bleeding, fresh flesh to feast on for the whole family. 

Once the animal is lifeless, the pack will come and tear the carcass to pieces. Ripping muscles, pulling at bone, picking off every fiber of flesh from the skeleton. There is no mercy, no feeling, no thought as to the family that animal left behind. I mean these are animals, so of course they are just taking care of the instinct that God gave to them.

However, I want to bring a point here. Your enemy is the same way. Peter wouldn't have compared him to such a predator without the truth of his character being as such. Satan has his eye on each and everyone of us. He looks for ways to creep up behind us and set his trap. He looks for those who are isolated, lonely, hurting, sick, feeble, or alone. 

He speaks to our minds to try to gets picked off from the pack so we are easier targets for his hunting mission. He tells us things like no one cares, you aren't worthy, you'll never be well, why did God do this to you? His lies aren't new though. He started in the garden with Eve and now look at the mess that she and Adam created by yielding to his madness? 

Just remember how a lion brings it's prey down and how it feeds. Then think about the fact that that is what Satan wants to do to you. He will use whomever and whatever to get at you, but behind the faces of people or the evident situations, remember that he is the one behind it coming after you.

Here's the good news. We don't have a certain end like the wildebeest, giraffe or elephant. For us, God created a way of escape! 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it."

Who is the tempter? Satan himself. You don't have to be taken down by your enemy, God is on your side. What's even more exciting is that Jesus has already overcome and because we are in Him, we are more than conquerors, and greater is He that is in us that he that is in this world!

Being aware of who our enemy is will give us the edge that we need to stay sober, well balanced, self-disciplined, alert and cautious at all times as Peter commanded. He is cunning, but he is also defeated. In Christ we can know that we have authority over him, but he cannot be taken for granted. 

Knowing who our enemy is keeps us in victory. We can get the jump on him when he thinks he's got the jump on us.  

A brand new year

Today is a unique one. Today is the last day that I will be 33 years old. Overall I am content with what I have and where I am. I am in love with my husband of almost 12 years, I have three healthy and intelligent kids, our church is growing, and we have dreams and plans for the future. 

However, looking back through this last year, I realized that it's been quite a 'cruise control' type of year. Last year, I was recovering from maternity leave and it was tough for me to go back to work. We changed schools with the kids midyear and raised an infant. We just continued with our heads down with our jobs and responsibilities. 

Then, there was one day that just made me think about the fact that where we are locationally is where we need to comfortably call home until the Lord moves us elsewhere. We've been moving for so many years that this is the first place that I know we are going to stay at least for a little while. I also realized that the more I just put the kids to bed so I can have quiet time, or the more I just keep running from place to place; checking off my list, the list will just keep growing, but life is passing by. 

I see the kids growing up in front of me and I wonder if I am teaching them what I've always told myself I wanted to teach them? Do they know Jesus or are they just going to church? Is my marriage on coast or am I doing everything I can to make it better, deeper, more meaningful? Am I really communicating to people around me that I care about them or am I just staying busy doing things to say that I care.

There's just so much to gain and so much to lose in this life if we're not careful to focus our attention on the right things. 

Beginning tomorrow is a brand new year of life for me. It will include our 12th anniversary, another slue of holidays, another school year and children turning 2, 7, and 9. I believe that it will also include some major faith projects coming to fruition, but the question that I have for myself is AM I INTENTIONALLY INVESTING IN WHAT'S ETERNAL, RELATIONAL, AND MINE.

Is what I'm doing just spinning wheels, wearing myself out? Or am I making an impact? Does my husband know that I care, that I listen, that I do what he asks and that I do respect him? Do my kids know that they are important, that they are worth my time, that I do have time to play, and that God has a plan for them? Am I eating well, taking care of my body, my soul, my spirit? Am I taking time to rest and to play? Am I stewarding my money, my possessions and resources well? Am I doing what God told me to do, or just what I want?

That might seem a little heavy, but in my 33 years, I've seen how people waste their lives chasing after dreams without God's wisdom. I've seen them use up all their energy on things that don't matter or that will never be finished. I've seen people stay broke, sick, frustrated and unfulfilled; and I am just determined not to be one of them.

This year is the year I promise not to be perfect. I promise to not have all the answers or to be able to fix every problem. I promise to do the best that I can by leaning on Jesus for every moment that I live and by loving my family as fiercely as I can. I promise to grow from my mistakes and through the proving of my faith.

My goals are to accept more quickly when I am wrong and apologize, but also to change and forgive. My goals are to put important things first, and allow everything else to fall into place. My goal is to have less of me and more of Him. My goal is the make more space for my wellness and making memories.

This is it 33! Here comes a brand new 34!

Tomorrow

Tomorrow; the Bible has a lot to say about it. In Proverbs 27:1 says "Don’t brag about tomorrow, since you don’t know what the day will bring." In James 4 it talks about tomorrow being like a fog that is for a little while and then it's gone. Jesus even spoke about not worrying about tomorrow because tomorrow will have enough trouble to think about.

Satan has many tricks up his sleeve to try to keep believers from fully stepping into the divine nature that God designed for us to live out. Worry is one of them. It paralyzes us in fear of what tomorrow might bring. Apathy is another. It says, "ah, there's no hurry. I'll just take care of that tomorrow."

Friend, today is the day of salvation! 2 Corinthians 6:2. Today is the day that the Lord has made. Psalm 118:24. Even Moses said in Psalm 90:12 "So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom."

What we need to realize is that we are only promised 120 years. You might so whoa! That's forever! But in the eyes of God, it's nothing. Moses saw that we need to cultivate a attitude of efficiency. Doing much with little. Wisdom to use our years, days, hours, and minutes for good, for advancement, for His glory.

The days that God gives us should not be something that we take lightly. They will never be returned to us and He has given us a responsibility to meet. To work hard with our hands, to love our families, to preach the Gospel, to take care of ourselves, and to worship Him in everything that we do.

I pray that as you read this today, your heart is stirred to SEIZE THIS DAY. Whatever you have planned for the day, bring to Jesus. Ask Him for wisdom on how you can use this day to honor Him. Ask Him for wisdom on how to do you job better or how He wants to use you. Spend time praying for those around you.

In whatever you do, know that you are here on purpose and for a purpose. Don't listen to the lie that says you don't matter and what you do doesn't matter. If change is needed, seek the Lord. But remember, that we will be held accountable for what we do with our time here on earth, and everything that we sow will reap a harvest. This time is precious and we need to be constantly eternally minded.

Be encouraged today. What you do matters. And what you speak creates atmosphere. Let's yield ourselves to Jesus so that our existence here on earth moves heaven to impact generations to come.

Local Eateries

This past weekend, my family and I went to Asheville to watch Cars 3. While we waited for the show time, we stopped at a local burger join called BT's burgerjoint. I've been wanting to taste their food since they opened just a few years ago at the Biltmore Park! 

When we walked in, it reminded me of a fuddruckers, but with out the toppings bar. With fun artwork on the walls, I got a sense of family at the same time I expected funky times ahead. 

We were greeted by the menu which offers pre-designed burgers, chicken sandwiches, Nathan's hot dogs and salads, as well as make-your-way options. They even had a separate kids meal which isn't always easy to find especially when you're trying non-chain restaurants. 

As we approached the counter with our orders, the kids took a window seat that overlooked the street facing the movie theatre. The place was clean and not very loud, but had some well familiar music playing while scattered televisions were showing sports games all around. 

Making the order was quick and painless. There were a couple of cashiers that were ready to help and were pleasant in doing so. We received our cups and a number card after we paid and got our drinks at the fountain. 

We chose to sit indoors, but BT's also has a patio option directly beside the street. Soon after we sat down to wait, our made-to-order meals were brought to our table. 

The kids ordered mac n' cheese with fries while the hubby and I ordered burgers only. I specifically asked for the All American which was a 1/3 lb burger with Thousand Island dressing, pickles, tomatoes, onions, cheese and lettuce.

First off, the fries were great! They had a battered texture to them and the flavor was not heavy. Of course it helps when everything was hot!! The kids loved their food and so did my husband. They all thought the it was wonderful.

My opinion, however, was that my burger was hot and thick, but I think the sandwich itself was a little too wet. The tomatoes were steak sized, which is too thick for my taste, and the the bun was saturated from the pickles, lettuce and dressing. Don't get me wrong! The burger was good, but it kind of fell apart. I didn't get the flavor pop from the meat that I was looking for, and it wasn't as juicy as I like, but I will definitely go back to try another sandwich since this was my first time and since the family loved their food. 

Let me know what you think if you get a chance to visit!!

To find their menu and more visit: https://asheville.orderamericanburgerco.com/#/

Shopping Finds

I have never been one that is obsessed with shopping or beauty products. I probably should pay more attention, but in my awareness of that, I am working on becoming better. 

As someone who is in leadership as well as in customer service, I understand that having an attractive appearance makes you look more professional and can help people take you more seriously. However, I feel that having on an amazing outfit, eye-catching accessories, dazzling hair, and naturally applied makeup will also help you feel more confident.

It's not that I find my identity in these things, but I do like looking nice, and so does my family. So, in my attempt at sprucing up my wardrobe, I stumbled upon this gem!!

Now, granted, it came from Target, but WHO CARES?? Faux leather, yes, but the color was what spoke to me! I wasn't interested in straight gold for the metal accents, so I went through bag after bag until I found this one!!

It is a cross body style option with great snaps and pockets inside! The handles are pretty hefty as well, but overall the bag itself is really light weight.

I love that it looks more expensive than it actually was!! $35 before tax is a steal for something like this. A bag that is inexpensive, but does feel or look cheap! I wasn't able to find this bag online though which is sad, however, it does have a matching wallet that I plan to buy in the future. 

To find similar bags shop at Target.com!

Cars 3 Movie Review

I have been a huge fan of Disney/Pixar since day one. I remember when Toy Story came out. I was in sixth grade and I absolutely fell in love with the toys that came to life when Andy wasn't looking. 

Since then, we have seen some pretty amazing animation come from their studio and most of them I can say, have left me suspended in hopes that they come up with a sequel!!

Cars 3, however, left me a little sad. I am not the best at keeping the most important details secret, so I will do my best. 

The opening of the movie helps us catch up to Lightening McQueen's career since we left him and Mater in Cars 2. All is looking successful and reputable until during one race, a rookie car leaves Lightening in the dust!

We are introduced to a whole line of new technology cars that have the most advanced engineering for the best results on the track. Lightening, however, finds himself alone after watching his old friends be replaced by newer rookies their sponsors decide are better investments, and struggles to hold on to his position as the best racer of his time. 

Sold to a new sponsor, Lightening McQueen is uncertain, but hopeful that his

future will be better than before. As he begins to find his bearings, he is placed under the care of a new, much younger, trainer. She has state-of-the-art equipment that the faster rookies are using to train and this sends Lightening head over heels.

Everything looks exciting and promising until Lightening, and his sponsor, realizes that he just can't keep up. Nothing feels right. In his attempt to keep his sponsor interested in him, he places a deal on the table. He challenges his sponsor to allow him to train the way he wants to and then allow him to race. If Lightening wins, the deal is that he will quit when he wants to, but if he loses, then he agrees to RETIRE!

I could just feel my heart sink....I know right? It's just a cartoon! But this beloved character, I felt, was leaving us for good! He can't give up! He just can't retire!!

Through several adventures, Lightening and his new trainer experience highs and lows in racing, as well as, vulnerability to their pasts and dreams for their futures. In the end, the race's outcome will have to viewed by YOU, since of course there is a twist, but in my opinion, Lightening's luster lost a little of it's glimmer in this film. 

I left with a sense that there would be a fourth movie coming out in the future, but that Lightening will probably take a back seat, no pun intended. Ha ha ha. And I could be wrong, his glory didn't seem to be the same.

Morally, the story was good. You can teach your children about grace, compassion, truth and kindness; never giving up and being confident in who you are. However, there is a bar scene that in my opinion isn't that big of a deal, and a few inappropriate connotations that the kids won't necessarily read, but the adults will get them. Overall, these didn't take away from the movie, and the written connotations were very few in the credits.

In general, I enjoyed the movie, and of course who wouldn't love Mater -- in the few scenes he was in, but it left me disappointed because Lightening takes second fiddle. Yet, I want to see where the story of Lightening McQueen continues to lead. I am holding on to the hope that he returns no matter what his role is. 

The best judges are the kids, and my kids absolutely loved the movie. I will probably end up buying it. The humor was there, we all laughed! And the cuteness factor was definitely stamped throughout. Congratulations Pixar, you have done it again! 

Recipes for Ground Turkey that will satisfy the whole family!

A couple of great meals that I made for my family this week were: BBQ Meatloaf muffins and Swedish Meatballs. Today, I would like to share my recipes with you!

First: My BBQ Meatloaf muffins!!

This succulent meal was enjoyed by the whole family!! I served my meatloaf muffins with a side of mashed potatoes and green beans. The key to any dish, is to season it well with salt and pepper. These two sides are bland on their own, so even if you can't eat a lot of salt, you can use any herbs or spices to help you out in the flavor department. In either case, don't be shy!

To begin, the meatloaf:

Preheat oven to 450
1 lb Ground turkey
1 beaten egg
1 cup Italian seasoned Panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup your favorite BBQ sauce
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Onion Powder to taste
2 cups white button mushrooms chopped and sauteed
1 medium sweet onion chopped and sauteed
2 tbs butter or olive oil

*You'll want to mix the first 7 ingredients in a bowl
*Sautee the mushrooms and onion in a pan until softened with either butter or olive oil, season these as well with salt and pepper 
(You want to make sure that every layer of the recipe is flavorful)
*Pull the vegetables off the heat and allow them to cool 
*Once the veggies are cooled enough to handle, mix them into the meat
*Spray the cups in a muffin tin with any kind of non-stick spray
*Divide the meat mixture into each muffin cup
*Place the muffin tin into an already hot oven and let the meatloaf muffins bake for 20 minutes
*Top each muffin with a thin layer of more bbq sauce and your favorite cheese (optional)
*Place back in oven for another 5 minutes until the edges of each muffin are crispy, the sauce looks sticky, and the cheese has melted

You will want to serve them hot! ENJOY!!

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Second: My Swedish Meatballs!!

This meal will take you over the top with flavor - of course depending on how much you season the meat. I placed the meatballs on a serving of buttered egg noodles (seasoned with salt and pepper of course) and added a side of sweet carrots. The carrots were just cooked in butter and brown sugar. 

This recipe begins with:

1 lb ground turkey

1 beaten egg

Onion powder to taste

Parsley for color

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

2 tsp poultry seasoning

*You'll want to mix all of these ingredients up in a bowl.

*Then roll the meat mixture into as small or as large sized meatballs as you would like. I believe I was able to make 18 total.

*Take a sautee pan and heat 2 tbs of olive oil

*Once the oil is hot, place each meatball into the pan carefully so you don't burn yourself

*Brown each side of the meatballs and keep them in the pan until fully cooked 

*Remove the meatballs from the heat and start step two:

2 tbs butter

2 tbs flour

2 cups milk

2 chicken boullion cubes

*Melt the butter in the pan the meatballs were cooked in

*Mix in the flour until well incorporated

*Then slowly pour in the milk while whisking

*Allow the sauce to come to a simmer and then add the bouillon cubes

*Let the sauce cook down some while whisking then add more salt and pepper to taste

*Place the meatballs back in the sauce, coat them and allow them to heat up again

*Turn heat off and serve over hot noodles

I could not get enough!! 

For more details to the recipes, give me a shout in the comments!!

Dad

I love to celebrate!! It doesn't matter what it is! I love getting gifts together or make the event special by going on special trips or errands. Then of course we have to include special FOOD!!

So, today I have decided to go ahead and begin celebrating my birthday a week in advance. HA! Tonight, Cars 3 is on the agenda and in 3D to boot! I plan on writing a review for anyone interested in knowing what the movie was about before going to see it. 

My son and daughter are super stoked and I thought it would be a perfect beginning to my special week! Plus we're going to see it at the Biltmore Park which I believe I spoke of in one of my earlier posts. This special place reminds me of a place stuck in time. 

Away from the hustle and bustle of traffic, the people shopping seem to have a confident sense of being there on purpose. It's a turn off the main road with a dead end to the shopping plaza, so unless you're meaning to be there, there really is no reason to stay which keeps throughway traffic to a minimum.

But, speaking of celebrations and the like, Father's Day is happening this weekend as well!! Father's Day I feel is a touchy day more than Mother's Day. All of us have both, but in more ways on the side of the Dads children have had painful experiences. 

So this post is for the Dads who stayed and the Dads who left. The Dads who are still living and the Dads who have passed. The Dads who are serving, working, honoring, and loving; and the Dads who are surviving, trying, searching, and hurting. 

Let me just say that WE (the community at large, and the Church as a whole) love YOU! We would not be here on this planet without you and whether you are walking with God or not, we NEED you.

The devil has done a pretty good job of lying to all of us when he says, "Being a dad is too hard", "It's too difficult", "Your family doesn't care about you", "They don't need you", "You aren't good enough", "What if you become just like YOUR dad?" But here's the thing, we as a society, have done a pretty good job at believing and enforcing those lies. 

God created a man first. That must mean that he was pretty important. Secondly, he made him to be a husband, and then thirdly a father. God has a plan for that piece of every man's life, and whatever someone else has done or didn't do, doesn't have to effect us in the long run. Neither does our past have to seal our fate. Today, is the day of salvation and God's mercies are new every morning!

YOU can change your future. Whether you had a dad that hurt you, whether your dad lost his life too soon, whether you never met your dad, or whether you want to be a better dad; you have the opportunity of getting to know THE Father who has all the answers to every question and every void that you might have. 

The Father, God, is LOVE. In the last two posts, this attribute came up as well. Love forgives the hurt and pays no attention to a suffered wrong. Love believes the best of every person. Perfect love casts out fear which means in every situation, we can go to Him for security, wisdom, and help.

Father's Day should be a day that we release the past and embrace the future. But it should also be a day that we take the time to praise and celebrate the men who have walked faithfully and left a legend within their family and community. Father's Day should be a day that we thank the Lord for being a good Father full of love to the point that He would adopt any of us who accept His Son -- Jesus. 

In the light of the up coming holiday, I encourage all of us to remember our true Father and spend time just telling Him how much we love Him. We need to let our earthly fathers (no matter the situation, as best we can) know how much we love them. And let's be a little easier on yourselves dads. You're being perfected in Christ, but we also love you just the way you are.

This may seem extremely simple as a blog post, but in all honesty, our minds can get in the way, making it more complicated, and when our spirit man wants to just love, we talk ourselves in to criticizing, hating, and holding on we can become frustrated at the whole situation. On the positive side though, we have some really great dads! Men of God, men protecting our country, men providing for their families, men leading the way. 

I am thankful for my Father who has taught me how to love. I can always count on Him in everything. I am thankful for my dad who raised me, loved me, and invested in me through out my life. I am thankful for my father-in-law who has adopted me as his own and taught me more than I could have every imagined. I am thankful for my husband who stays connected with our children and teaches them how to stay child-like (notice I didn't say childish 😁)while honoring God. 

My prayer is that you find something special within this Father's Day and celebrate it. Whatever might try to steal that away from you, don't let it. Hug your dad, meditate on that memory, find something good out of the ugly. God will help you and He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. James 1:17

Be blessed this Father's Day!

Leading Me

As a mom, my life takes twists and turns that can sometimes be predicted, but for the most part can't be foreseen. Today, I would like to touch on what the Bible teaches concerning parenting!

Hundreds of parents or guardians struggle with strong willed children or they struggle with how to handle discipline or the like, but again, just like in marriage, you find more parents lost, confused, and frustrated than actually experiencing the bliss that is possible while parenting. This is not how God intended for moms and dads to exist.

You might ask, where is she going with this? Stick with me for a minute. The twists and turns that I can't control will ultimately show where my peace lies. How I manage and react to stress, unforeseen situations, or hurt will show my children how they ought to respond. 

If I respond from these moments in an unhealthy, ungodly, unscriptural way towards my kids or even just around my kids, they will remember them as that being who God is and that they could be the issue. 

But if I manage my emotions and keep myself under control, by displaying my desperate need for God, then I will be showing my kids that we have a loving Father who receives us no matter what's going on and that mommy is vulnerable and human.

I have been doing research to help me grow in my own parenting journey, and in doing so, I stumbled upon some great statistics! One of those was that the number one way we as parents effect our children is by the way we manage our own stress. Can you believe that?! Not by punishment or discipline, but by how we manage our stress!!

I have some great resources for parents, and I will get into that another time, but what I have found is that the way my children view themselves, others and God all funnel from how I view myself, others, and God. My reactionary impulses, emotional meltdowns, frustrated fits, and angry arguments all effect my kids because they are watching, learning, and storing every memory their little brains can handle. 

These are the years that catapult them into their future. The first 18 or so years of a person's life will influence the other 102 or so (we are promised 120 in the Bible ;) ). We all experience disappointment and misunderstanding, but a parent's main responsibility is to be a human representation of the Lord in their life by expressing the Father's love through guidance, forgiveness, repentance, correction, and play by teaching the Word of God. 

The first thing is to quit so hard on ourselves. I am being perfected in Christ as I submit to His Word and the Holy Spirit, but we are never beyond mistakes or emotion. 

The second thing is to remember that your children love you for who you are not what you aren't. They love you before you have a chance to get your make up on and right after they get disciplined. All a child wants is your time, your attention, and your support. 

The third thing is we must allow ourselves to let go of the hurt that we may have experienced from our childhood so that we can raise our children with fresh understanding. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to change within us our definition of what discipline is and what is the best for our kids. The Bible is full of help!

How parents lead and manage themselves will ultimately direct and lead their children without too much effort. You will have to step in consistently, but you won't have the fight all through out their childhood when they are living under your roof. 

Even through rebellious and experimental stages will come and go, God is there to bring guidance to us in our parenting journey. Let's allow the Holy Spirit to bring clarity and help every day, whether we think we need it or not. 

Let me tell ya something, half the time I don't know what I'm doing and I need His help. The other half of the time, I think I know what I'm doing, but I can get off track quickly if I allow my intellect, emotions, or the advice from others to steer the ship. 

God's got your child in His hands, if you placed them there. He created them and He's a lot smarter than we are. Lean on Him. Trust in Him. Rely on Him like you've never done before. 

You'll find that He was a lot more involved and aware of what was going on than what you may have thought. His heart is for the family to function well. Love is who God is and love is the glue to our hearts with our children.

Let Him love you where you are and let Him love through you. You'll be totally glad that you did.

Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].

1 Corinthians 13:7

Comment suggestions:

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God's idea of marriage

Marriage is a beautiful union between a man and a woman, and God has a lot to say about it. I want to delve into this topic with our community because I believe that when we can understand how the marriage relationship is supposed to work, then we can truly understand it and experience the bliss that God intended for it to have.

My husband and I have been married for almost twelve years and I can say that we've had our share of ups and downs, easy seasons and hard, and marathons and sprints. From the beginning we decided to keep two things in the center; that Jesus is first and there is no other option than working things out.

When I see articles about marriage, it seems like we can tend to stay on the negative side because obviously, marriage is hard work! However, I cannot stress enough that if we only factor the hardships of marriage we can never rest our eyes on the blissful times of marriage. Of course, some of us have never experienced that, but if we can identify how God views marriage and what it's supposed to be, we can then put an expectation out there that will be realistic and that will work.

The ultimate underlying piece of marriage is love, and you might say, "well of course!" But I'm talking about agape love, the God kind of love. The love that says no matter how you treat me, I'm still going to love you. No matter what I need, I'm going to make sure to meet your needs as best I can. 

I will go ahead and admit, I am a work in progress, but for those of us who have declared Jesus as Lord and Savior, that kind of love resides on the inside of us and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we are capable of loving this way. This kind of love definitely goes against the grain according to our cultural attitude, but it is the only one that Christ operates by.

To begin our study and fun concerning this topic, I want to drop some scripture off for your reflection: 

No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. 1 John 4:12

Love is a choice, but God gave us a guideline as to what love is. Allow the Lord to bring some things to light within you as you endeavor to grow in Him specifically in the area of marriage. And if you're not married, ask the Lord to help you in your love walk with others. How you treat others, will help you practice in how you treat your future spouse. 

Comment suggestions:

Are you married?

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Have an amazing Wednesday!! If you have a church that you call home, make sure to set aside time to go to service tonight -- if your church has a service tonight. Going to church will strengthen your relationship with your spouse as well as your personal growth, and the spiritual influence of your children. Your attendance will not only encourage your pastor, but will bring joy to those around you and will fill you up with the Word so that you can LOVE the community around you!

4 Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.

5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].

6 It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right andtruth prevail.

7 Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].

8 Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy ([a]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 AMP

My beautiful home

I love to travel! I don't get to do it as much as I would like, but we occasionally get away for a family vacation and frequently cross the North Carolina/Tennessee state line. 

I live in one of the most sought out places in the country, as I stated a few days back. We are surrounded by rivers and lakes like Glenville and Fontana Lake or Nantahala and Tuckasegee Rivers, but as far as tourist attractions go, Dillsboro, Sylva and Bryson City are full of quant little shops where you can find locally made chocolate, hand crafted art, and unique gifts for anyone. Bryson City in particular is home to the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad and white water for kayaking and rafting sport.   

Continuing in the direction of Tennessee, Cherokee and the Great Smoky Mountain National Park are also full of water attractions like fly fishing and tubing, but include so much history and wildlife that you'll want to spend the day shopping, picnicking, and taking in the view of the mountains. Visitor centers which include working farms and unique shops that offer baked goods and Native American gifts crowd the entrances to the national park.

Through out the park are dozens of hiking trails and waterfalls, as well as wildlife including turkey, black bear and elk, which can be seen in the early mornings and evenings. It's fun to watch a bear waltz across the road or climb a tree at record speed while also stumbling upon a herd of elk in the same day. 

Over the park, you enter into Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. These towns see enormous amounts of people who come to visit year round. With their Appalachian feel, you would find live banjo music on the sidewalks, unique gift shops and restaurants that you can't find anywhere else. 

My favorite spots in Gatlinburg are the Thomas Kincaid Gallery, Ripley's Aquarium, and Ripley's Davie Crocket Put Put Golf. In Pigeon Forge, I greatly enjoy the Old Mill shopping plaza, The Island shopping plaza, Tanger Outlets and Dollywood. Of course, being home to Dolly Parton, you'll also find the Dixie Stampede and many other attractions from her corporation. 

As you continue on towards Sevierville, you will find pleasant and breathtaking drives through Weirs Valley and Cades Cove. These are areas where you can see what the mountains were created to look like. Weirs Valley is residential, but for the main part is still untouched. Several cabin rentals, farmers markets, and homes pepper the hillsides, but are maintained as to attract tourists.

Cades Cove, however, is part of the National Park and is completely preserved for wildlife and history. This eleven mile loop allows you to take a tour in your car to view historic homes and churches while also getting a chance to see bear, dear and turkey; ride horse back; take a dip in the water; go on a waterfall hike; or just enjoy a car ride with a stop for ice cream on the way out. Camping and picnicking are also a treat available in this area of the park.

Now, back over to my neck of the woods. From Sylva, going in the other direction, Waynesville is about 20 minutes away. Again, quant little shops can be found on main street while progression can be found everywhere else with new restaurants and retail stores being built every year. 

Driving on toward the city of Asheville, you can find a wealth of locally owned stores and restaurants that offer hand crafted items and farm-to-table food. The Biltmore Park Shopping plaza, The Chocolate Lounge and Tupelo Honey Company are just a few of my favorite places to shop and eat, but I have to mention the Vanderbilt Family Home!! The Biltmore Estate!!

This attraction is the largest family owned home in America and is breathtaking with it's architecture and landscape. The property also includes gardens designed by the same person who designed central park, petting zoo, and exquisite food and boutiques. 

Asheville also contains all of your local chain restaurants and outlet malls, and being nestled in the Pisgah National Forest, the mountains and the elevation keeps the city cool and pleasant even during the summer months. You can find just about anything there.

Now, south of Asheville and in between Sylva, is a beautiful place called Highlands and Cashiers. These two towns are directly beside each other, and I would have to say, these areas of the mountains are literally my piece of heaven. 

With art work and pottery in every shop, locally owned restaurants, and beautiful spas and hotels, Highlands and Cashiers if the classiest area of the ones I mentioned. You can see the more expensive vehicles driving those who are wearing the more expensive outfits. The prices are average, but they offer a lot more of the higher end. 

All in all, where I live is full of fun, shopping, and eating. I failed to mention that 2 hours in the Tennessee direction is Knoxville and 3 1/2 hours south is Atlanta. Just 4 hours towards the East is Charlotte and of course beyond that is the beach! I love where I live and this is not even where I'm from!

Where do you like to travel??

Is there a vacation or trip that you took that leaves the best memory??

Tell me your story -- where are you from??

Of course, this post is not an all inclusive or fully exhaustive description of this area, but you can kind of get the idea of what's available. Some of my family and friends come to visit yearly. One friend in particularly has traveled and lived all over the world and has said that Western North Carolina is one of the prettiest places in the world. 

Come check us out! Until next time, be blessed ~~ 

To find out more: 

Sylva - http://www.mainstreetsylva.org/

Dillsboro - http://visitdillsboro.org/index.html

Bryson City - https://www.greatsmokies.com/

Great Smoky Mountain Railway- http://www.gsmr.com/

Cherokee - http://visitcherokeenc.com/#home

Great Smoky Mountain National Park - https://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm

Gatlinburg - https://www.gatlinburg.com/

Pigeon Forge - http://www.mypigeonforge.com/

Wears Valley - http://www.aboutwearsvalley.com/

Cades Cove - https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/cadescove.htm

Waynesville - http://downtownwaynesville.com/

Asheville - https://www.exploreasheville.com/

Biltmore - http://www.biltmore.com/

Highlands and Cashiers - http://www.ncliving.com/cashiers-highlands-visitors-guide.html