You Do It Right

Doesn't it always seem August goes about Mach 10? If I said a lot has been happening lately It'd be an understatement. I have been yearning for a good write and today even though the to-do list just keeps getting longer I gave in. In the past few weeks I have finally decided on a cosmetology school and will be starting in 2 weeks, gained a roomie/sista!!!, bought a new car (only my 2nd car ever and I'm almost 22), found a new place to live at in a month for us 3 ladies (they are my sistas and I could not ask for better roomies) and numerous other small things that have been fun but keeping this gal busy! That is not a complaint by any means as I'm wired to be a buy bee but it's just undermining the fact that organization is the key to success and the only way I will not lose my marbles is staying focused on what matters most and not doing it all!

Here is a pic of a fun night with one of my awesome roomstas!

D-backs won 4-3 in 10th inning!

Lifting is beginning to show it's work (since I had virtually NO muscle) and my appetite is that of a monster. I usually go the gym 2-3 (about 30 minutes each) times a week and run whenever I can since running is my alone time and keeps my sanity most days! It's really about balance, there is not perfect formula as to what is best. It's personal and I have to remind myself of that when I feel like I should be doing more or less of a exercise or eating how so& so does, just as our needs change mentally and emotionally and are different to those around us, same goes for our physical and physiological needs. With that being said I do believe physical and emotional are connected and if running or going to the gym evoke stress and negativity then find something else!

Being at the gym too much or too long gives me a judgmental spirit and I've noticed this in the past month. I noticed I had started to think negative thoughts about others that did not reflect the person I am or want to be. Sure maybe others are not in the best shape or what have you but then again who is? Who determines what is ideal?

For me being for a prolonged period of time in an environment where a concentrated group of body-conscious individuals reside I develop unrealistic expectations for real people. Since I am a visual thinker and observe and take in every detail this way, for me it has meant going to the gym with an intentional mindset. Not comparing or critiquing anyone else and if I do reminding myself we are all made differently and beautifully in God's image.

We need to do what is right for us and not anyone else. We rock at who we are, how much more encouraging can that be?! No matter how bad we think we do we still rock at our lives! There is only ONE of you. We get to paint where and what we'd like our our beautiful canvas created by a beautiful creator!

Here is a photo that an awesome lady and friend took of some sweet gals and I!

Love you all so much and praying that you will never doubt who you are and how you go about it!

² Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. -Romans 12:2 NLT

Seemingly Sporadic

The past few weeks have been exciting and spontaneous. I live for spontaneity and have no problems with it but this has taken it to a whole new level. Also I have began trying to incorporate more strength training into my life and though at first I was way disliking it, but I have finally found a good balance of what works for me. The trainer at the gym helped a lot also, he gave me an "endurance training" workout and I have been using it and enjoying it! Its basically doing each machine and/or exercise at a comfortable yet resistant weight doing about three reps of 15. Each person is different but I've just been hitting pretty much every muscle group and doing it quick, it's given me good results and takes me about 30 minutes and I usually do it 2-3 times a week. I have been SUPER hungry though which I was fighting at first then figured out I just needed to fuel with the right foods aka more protein.

Saturday was the Mr. Awesome and I's six month anniversary and wow! Talk about life in the fast lane. The past six months have flown by and have brought so much JOY. He put flowers and my favorite clif bar outside my door and later picked me up and we went up north to SEDONA, one of the most beautiful places on Earth!!! We ate at an AMAZING Mexican restaurant there.

Good stuff

and ate this:

Homemade Corn chips, salsa, carnitas (him)

&

chicken enchiladas with rice and beans!

followed by this:

Chocolate Mexican Ice Cream with raspberries.

Classic b&w

We walked around the town and enjoyed the 20 degree temperature drop and GREENERY!

Sunday at church Dr. Wayne Grudem spoke as was discussing Proverbs 4:23 "Guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life". This has been one of my favorite verses since around my freshman year after I began re-committing my life to Jesus! He talked about how our heart is our whole inner moral, spiritual life and our deepest convictions. He said something that I have been struggling with lately and that is that there may be times when we need to let go of good things because it is not part of our greater life plan. I was also reminded of how easily my heart can be deceived. Yes it is good but that doesn't mean there isn't room for any world influences to seep in and deceive us.

Though life can often seem sporadic and unorganized. That is what makes it so beautiful. God has a much more intricate, alluring piece of art painted for my life than any figment of my imagination. Yes, even that flat tire on my way to work is another colorful stroke to the masterpiece!

Catch Up

I know lately I've been slacking on the health and hair portion of this blog. It hasn't slipped my mind or I haven't completely lost my marbles yet (who's to judge that right?!) Really and truly so much has been revealed to me lately and I've trying out new ideas in the fitness realm that I've really had to take a step back and evaluate my life and what I want to make of it. But despite the circumstances I was able to go to one of my favorite places today and purchase ALL of this:

For... $20.00!!! Yes, amazing.

Nothing like a little produce pick me-up. Fresh blueberries, raspsberries, watermelon (yes I ate that within .05 seconds) and some Voskos greek yogurt... My eats have been far from phenomenal lately, that will be changing starting now. Summer just gets whirlwind crazy but then again when isn't life crazy?!

A lot on my heart lately and so much I've learned but that will have to wait for another post in the very near future! Hope and pray everyone is enjoying summer and sucking every day dry for what it's worth!

²⁸ Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

-Matthew 11:28-29

LOVE YOU & BLESSINGS!

Well Esteemed

Having a low self esteem is to simply slap my creator in the face with a 2x4 and call it crap. Blunt? Of course! When I am struggling with how I look, my body, hair, clothes or any other aesthetic characteristic that is out of my control, I am telling the same creator of this universe he has failed, the one who so intricately designed me before my mother knew who I was, The One who made me BEAUTIFULLY perfect in his image, who did not use ONE template and design variations but instead made ONE ME and called me PERFECT. Unlike me he didn't need 18 tries before he found the right look. He took one shot and nailed it. Why do I think my idea of beauty is so much better than his? It's like I get frustrated with the way, He the PERFECT ONE made me when he should be getting frustrated with me that I even think there is another option to what I look like.

It's not about having smaller this and bigger that, prettier those and brighter these. It's about embracing what we have been given. Sure we all have failures but let's not allow the world to shape what those aesthetic failures are. Let's deal with what we have been given and cherish that! We (at least I sure do!) have enough issues going on within myself why in the world bring on more stress and failure of what we perceive to be beautiful outside? It's a perpetual cycle of self destruction and I am sick of allowing a fable to run my emotions and relationships. Every single physical change I have changed and achieved does NOT magically make me feel beautiful. It's knowing the fact that nothing and everything will make me beautiful. Nothing the world can give me yet everything I already have. Yes, I have failures and yes I have a whole heck of a lotta junk in my heart I need to work through in order to make any impact in this world and keep solid relationships but I do not have aesthetic failures and I was made perfectly in his image. You might not think I'm pretty but I don't care. You might think I'm gorgeous and that's fine.

At the end of the day even when I'm doubting my self image, what assures me I am in fact beautiful is knowing there is not one single person who looks like me because he created ME PERFECTLY.

So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27

Real

Ok this is going to be a bit well REAL. As a woman I have had enough of the fake, competitive, snotty, "I'm better than you's" type mentality, attitude and personality at it's greatest. We all suffer, we all have body image issues, we are all uncertain about what the future holds and we are all taken advantage of no matter how much we stomp our feet. Instead of putting on a facade and acting like everything is okay or we are totally secure and confident, why not be REAL and AUTHENTIC and show our personality for what God created it to be? After all his ways are perfect and blameless and clearly mine are not.

God's way is perfect. All the LORD's promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.

Psalm 18:30

Everything from the way we dress to the way we treat people is a much deeper issue. We are women and we are wired emotionally, we express what is in our hearts from the inside out. It's like the smoker who has tar built up in his lungs and when he coughs heavily, black phlegm is coughed out. Just like lungs, our hearts accumulate dark resin that will build up unless we take care of it. By hiding what is going on in our lives and putting on a front we are just visually displaying a symptom of far greater issues. Sure, there are things that the whole world doesn't need to know in detail but reality is we live in a dark, hurting world that is dealing with the same crap we are all dealing with.

I myself, find myself flipping into default mode and acting like life is great and everything is ok when things get tough because as women that is our "job". We lighten the mood up, we bring joy and we give compassion to those around us. By not allowing myself to be real and authentic I am being unfair to those around me and selfish to my own insecurities. Sure I might be judged, looked down upon or never talked to again but with 100% certainty I can say I have never once regretted being real, genuine and truthful. The Lord each and every time I have broken down that tough outer shell has absolutely worked through me and his love was highlighted. His love is UNCONDITIONAL, FREE and LIMITLESS. How selfish am I to not share my own heart, life and trials with others due to my own insecurities or fears?

Is anyone thirsty?

Come and drink—

even if you have no money!

Come, take your choice of wine or milk—

it’s all free!

Isaiah 55

I pray for every single women, girl and female that feels insecure, inadequate and unworthy. I pray we will be able to be real with each other and not let what the world has deemed as 'unacceptable' become an outline for our hearts but rather let the unconditional, incomparable love of Christ be our guideline and life path.