I started back to running today.  This time last year, I started C25k and within a month I was easily doing 5k and in 2 months, 10k.  I know my body can do it.  Since this time last year I have shed nearly 70 pounds.  I still have around 50 to go.  What has changed is my mindset.  

The reason I love running is because once my body subjects itself to the torture and relinquishes the endorphins over, my mind clears and I can focus on finding an answer to something that's plaguing me.  

Today, it was food.

I know that God provides us with everything on earth we need to survive and more.  Our nourishment and answer to our health problems is found within our food.  However, so much is being done to what God made perfect that it is becoming harmful to us.

I know that God provides us with what we need to survive but we over stock our fridge and pantries with things that will go to waste.  It's okay to store up in planning ahead but without a plan it is wasteful.

I know that I lived to eat.  I love food, flavors and textures.  I love a colorful, full plate but do I eat it all, should I eat it all?  That depends.

Today, I thought of gluttony!!

Gluttony is what leads to obesity.  It's what led me there.  Gluttony is severely frowned upon in the Bible just like other lifestyles that are not of God.  A person who is a glutton is a disgrace to his father, lazy, becomes poor, and it is better to put a knife to your throat than to become a glutton.  That sounds harsh but becoming a slave to food is a slow painful death even with the pleasure the food gives us.  Proverbs 23:2, 21, 28:7, Titus 1:12.

The mindset must change.

We must re-educate ourselves on what is healthy, portions and we must learn to eat to live, not live to eat.  The changes are gradual sometimes and sometimes we dive right in.  My body is a temple and I should treat it as such.  I should respect that God created it perfectly and that He gave me the tools to better health.  I strive to buy food in a manner that is not wasteful and clean as well as growing our own.  I am eating leaner to become leaner and to have the energy to have the clear mind to become closer to Christ so that he can continue to show the way.

I had to share this...it was found on a website called Sharenator.com.  The reason I found it was because I was informed today that an eBay seller was selling my free patterns.  So, I was doing a little research to see if anyone else was too.  The seller was not only selling mine but some of SkiptomyLou.org's.  Now, Cindy at skiptomylou is awesome and I'm a little tickled I ranked up there with her on the eBay scandal.  My listings are gone but from what I can tell, the seller made a profit of about $20.45 on something that I give to all my readers for free, even if you don't actually read my blog.  I just want you to have them.    I want to thank my devoted reader who reported the fraud.  As frustrating as it was, it was kind of entertaining reading the sellers response to my "catching her" in the act...

 The patterns indicate that you can "sell" the items you make as long as you give me credit for giving you the pattern...not sell the pattern and give the customers a direct link to the free one I offer.  Seriously?!    Anyway,  I understand everyone does their best to give credit were it's due but it's another thing to down right sell someone's stuff.  This was my laugh for today.

Still I'm impressed that my blog ranks right up there with the Vatican...what does that mean anyway???  A rising empire?  Maybe.  Doubt it... : )

I live in a state of mind that our God is everywhere and that He reveals himself in many ways every day.  I also live every day, taking for granted the most important details of my life.  When I say take for granted, I mean that I expect certain things and people to be who they are and where they are supposed to be.  I just expect to be able to call on my friends, kiss on my children, love my husband and have a home to come to.  My mind depends on our universe to be in order and everything in a proper place.  That is why I pick up toys and put them away, why I hang clothes on hangers and why I want my children in their beds at night.  It sometimes feels that the universe is constantly against me....then I am reminded that my God is everywhere and that He reveals himself to me in many ways every day.

I just love watching my babies sleep.  I know I'm not the only one.  They just look so peaceful and dreamy.

I had a dream last night that I was rescueing children from a hidious monster.  The monster was human like and the only think that would scare it away was to see itself in a mirror.

Children first needs have to be met and those needs consist of the vitals like a roof over their head, clean clothes to wear, food on their table.  The second is is safety and security. The third is love and so on...click image to see full size of his hierarchy and keep in mind this is for every human being young or old.

I was swirling these thoughts around in my head when I started thinking about my dream where the children were in the dark with this evil beast and some how one of my babies had been captured and I had to get him back.  I did successfully and was so thankful that he was never harmed just scared and in my dream I stood up straight and tall and thought...those poor other little children, I have to save them.  They are living with this beast, they are terrified because that's what the beast did, scared little kids. 

So, with all this swirling around in my head on this long drive home, I started wondering what beasts children really live with.  It's all too true that there are children out there that live in horrific conditions.  They endure being hungry, being cold, having no safe and secure place to live, they are deprived of love or abused.  They are put down, beaten, told they are worthless, and the list goes on and on.  It makes me think of the book I read in college for the first time, "A Child Called It." by Dave Pelzer.  I was stunned from beginning to end. 

My point is this.

During your day you will probably come face to face with a child, maybe even just your own.  Don't ever forget that children need us to show them the wonders of the world.  They need us to tell them they are special, that they can achieve greatness.  They need us to encourage them and point out what they are doing right  much more  often than what they are doing wrong.  They need hugs, they need love, they need guidance.  They need to feel safe and deserve to be happy. 

Encouraging children, loving them and giving them the best possible life builds their self confidence to go out into this great big world and try something new.  

There are many organizations out there that help children and families...share with me your favorite if you will.

When I say my life is chaotic, I mean it!  It could be worse, I could enroll my children in sports but that's coming soon enough, I'm just praising God it's not right now.   So, the last few weeks I've barely been in my sewing room, which is my haven.  But I did manage to whip up a few new beauties.  Along with some others and I have some special ones I made for my cousins baby shower this weekend.  OH CRAP!  I forgot to put it on the calendar...doing that now!                     Whew!  That was close...anyway...they are more stunning than any I have made and I can't wait to share them with you!  But that'll be later.

After finding about 15 markers in this toy box alone, I decided it was good thing I checked...I'm really overly tired of Magic Erasing my walls.  They are now just works of art!  I know I'm not the only one, right?

Jake did not feel good Friday...ran a fever so after his big brothers left...

I got down the crystal biscuit bucket filled 1/3rd full with Easter candy and let him have at it.

By Saturday night he was better and we went to Alabama.  Yes, Alabama!

It is absolutely beautiful there but my favorite picture from the whole weekend was my baby and his cousin eating lunch on a cardboard box like a couple of hobo's.  No offense to hobo's.  Aren't they sweet.  Right there in the gravel!

and now back to my regularly scheduled program of the boring life of a supermom/grad student/self proclaimed amazing wife!  Looks like fun, aye!

Actually, I'm enjoying the learning part...not the "WHERE"D MY TIME GO" part.

I'll be back...

My hiatus is still in affect....

ya, right!

What does a girl have to spend to get a camera that takes the picture she wants it to take?

Evan had the CAWUETEST (cutest) milk mustasche this morning.

I tried capturing it with my camera but the kid didn't want to say cheese.

So, I turned off the flash but if he moves one milimeter, it's blurry!  It probably didn't help that he wanted to put his hand on the lens.  To me, the lighting is rightnow.  I like the fresh, non harsh look...what ever it's called.

So this may have been the clearest picture of them all but to me, the harsh lines of the flash are annoying!  

So, is there anyone out there that can help me with this!  

I want to take the picture that I want to take and I want it to look like what I see.

Camera recommendations?

Classes I should take?

Blogs I should read?

Does it really matter about the camera?

I think $400 on a camera is alot but maybe I should take out a small loan and get a professional camera!

Now!  Outdoor pictures are always great!

I just want my indoor pictures to be great too!

I pulled this old photo out of a frame yesterday. It's been folded up for many years with just me and James smiling out of its window. That's my friend from high school, April and her date an old dear friend of mine Mark. They really didn't know each other but April was dumped at the last minute...how rude, and Mark was very gracious to go with us. What a sport! But we had a blast! Anyway, I've been think alot about love the last few days, probably because Cooper and I have been making what feels like 100's of Valentines cards and really there's just like 30. So, I found these pictures of James and I all dressed up and ready for prom in 1995, yes 14 years ago.