Okay moms! We are busy with a capitol B. Sometimes putting a healthy meal on the table is very challenging with all the extras we have to do between work, errands and extracurricular activities. We need something fast that doesn't require a drive thru. Here is one of my family favorites. Be aware it's not super clean because of the BBQ sauce but I'm all about all things in moderation. So here you go... Crockpot Hawaiian chicken. You pop it in in the morning then there is very little prep at dinner time. My kiddos LOVE this one! I won't lie.. I do too. :)

Spray the inside of your crock pot with cooking spray for an easy cleanup!  Place frozen chicken breasts in the crock pot and cover with sauce.  Empty can of drained pineapple chunks on top.  Cook on High for 2-3 hours or Low for 4-6 hours.  Shred chicken with two forks while still in the crock pot so the chicken will be well coated with sauce.  Serve over brown rice.
*Sometimes I also throw in a chopped up green pepper and chopped onion . . . it tastes good with or without it. 

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Day One. Today I begin my new workout program and refocusing on my nutrition. It's been almost 5 months since I've been able to actively work out. This morning, my alarmed sounded like any other morning, but like a good girl, I got up, weighed myself and took my measurements. I can honestly say, I was not happy with what I saw. Not working out for 5 months and slacking on my nutrition has taken me off course and up until now I just didn't care enough to do anything about it. *sigh* Today begins my journey of restoring what I've lost. However, this time I want to do things differently. Before it was all about ME; how strong I am, how toned I am, how well I could push those limits and find success. But if there is one lesson I've learned this year is that I'm not invincible and I can't do this on my own. I've tried and I've failed... and the frustration and bitterness was almost too much to bare. I'd put way too much focus on myself and my goals. I've had to learn the hard way that it's less about me and more about what God can do through me. So, as a sit here... a new journey ahead of me I can't help but feel overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by all the things I need to do and give up.. and most importantly overwhelmed by what God is calling me to do... and that is lean on Him.

At one point or another, we all have to have to come to the conclusion that we can't do life alone. Life is hard and temptations are everywhere. The life we desire to have is out there but for many, we don't know how to get there. If that is you today, I encourage you to stop depending solely on your own strength and abilities to get you there. Instead call on the only One who can truly help. Isaiah 41:13 says, "For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” What a relief to know we don't have to do life alone!  So, on this Monday... lets stop sitting on the sidelines.. lets get out there and start moving towards the life we've always wanted. Lets let God taking the steering wheel and let Him show up in our lives in a BIG way!

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Today is the Marine Corps Marathon. In 2014 it was my BIG goal to run this race. I began training and ran the Marine Corps 11.75K in the spring to reserve my spot in the marathon. I was on the top of the world and eager to began training.. then I got hit with a severe case of pneumonia followed by my back issue. It's obvious that God had other plans for me. I've wrestled with feelings of bitterness and frustration over losing my dream on my schedule. For months I slowly walked the trail by my house praying, seeking peace and answers. However, yesterday.. I got up early to walk and realized that my heart had so much peace. Those mornings of bitterness are long gone and I am excited for the future, even if I'm starting from day one again. I couldn't help but look back and see all the healing God has done in me, not just physically but emotionally and spiritually. I've come a long way, and even though I'm not where I initially planned, I know this is exactly where God wants me to be. My heart was full of peace and the only thing left to pray was prayers of thanks.


So, what do we do when everything is going well in our life? I think it's so easy to forget about God and our need for Him when everything is sailing along smoothly. For so many of us, we don't think about spending time in prayer or growing closer to God when all is well, but when things get tough we are back on our knees again. What can we do when all is well? The bible tells us to be thankful. Psalm 100:4-5 says, "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good. " We don't always have to NEED something to pray or spend time with God. So, no matter where we are on life's journey.. whether it's a good day or a bad day, lets not forget to give thanks. Lets continue to reach out in prayer and simply be thankful for all that God has done and will do in our lives. We are truly blessed!

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I've been lacking inspiration these past few days. I'm just not feelin' it when it comes to doing the things I enjoy or even the things I have to do. Sometimes I just get this way. Nothing is wrong, all is well.. but there are some days I just lack the motivation or the desire to do the stuff I know I need to do. I used to get alarmed by this, like a red flag going off. But over time, I've learned to see patterns in my own personality and learn that it's okay to not be feelin' it all the time, it's normal. So as I was praying about this this morning, in my disconnected uninspired funk, I was reminded of what we have to do when we get this way. We have to do it anyway. We have to do the things we need to do, even when we don't FEEL like it. Ugh.. so I grumbled a little but told God, "Okay. I'll do what I need to do, even if I don't feel like it". It's true though... stick with me for a moment. We live in a society that is all about feelings. We buy more than we need because we have this deep desire for it, we get on a fitness routine because we have this overwhelming feeling like we need change, just to quit when we don't "feel" it anymore (Guilty as charged there!), or even worse... we marry someone we love but divorce them when that loving feeling is gone. Ouch. It's true.. right?!  It's not things we are proud of.. but it's a part of our sinful nature. We gauge everything by our feelings and not by our commitment or responsibility to it. Galatians 6:9 says, "Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Reaping a harvest sounds so much better, don't you think? We can't give up, yes there will be bumps in the road and some days we are going to feel totally inspired to reach our goals while other days we could really care less. Lets just promise that we will  keep moving forward whether we feel like it or not. God promises to bless those that move forward and never give up. Lets be blessed today!

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When you think of meatloaf.. you may have mixed opinions. Either you love it or hate it. Well, I want to share with you my go to meatloaf recipe. It's delicious and my kids devour it.. and that's saying something for being meatloaf. On top of that, I put them in muffin tins and cook them in 20 minutes. Easy, delicious and we have left overs for the following night which is awesome! Try out this recipe. I love to serve it with sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli or a fresh salad. YUMMO!

Turkey Meatloaf
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 onion, chopped
1 egg
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Topping:
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup (or less) of brown sugar
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease muffin tin
2. Mix ground turkey, bread crumbs, milk, onion, egg, garlic, and black pepper in a bowl; fill each muffin tin to rim with mixture.
3. Mix ketchup, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce in a separate bowl; set aside.
4.  Place in oven and cook for 20 minutes, remove and add topping. Put back in oven for another 5 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C)

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"I'm too far gone" used to be a mantra that I lived by, especially when it came to my weekends and my healthy living plan. For me, being good and making healthy choices throughout the week was easy but come the weekend, one mistake led to another and by the end of the weekend I had totally blown it. In all honestly, It's still something I struggle with. Weekends are killer for me when it comes to eating healthy and making good choices food wise. I could blame my husband or my kids, but at the end of the day I am the one shoveling the not so healthy choices in my mouth, u know? This topic fell heavily on my heart this weekend, because I realized how debilitating is it, not only for my health and fitness journey, but my entire life. The concept of being "too far gone" goes against everything I believe as a christian, so why do I still hang on to it?

Nothing breaks my heart more than to see a woman give up on herself, to say "I'm too far gone, I'll never reach my goals." This journey is tough and full of temptation, but today I want to remind you that you are never too far gone.. whether it's for making healthier choices or for your own walk with Christ. One of the biggest misconceptions about Christianity is that we have to clean up our life before God wants anything to do with us, but that is so untrue. In fact, God tells us to come as we are, even as messy sinners. Romans 3:23 reminds us that we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. We don't have to have it all together to pursue a relationship with Christ. In Romans 10:23, the bible says "For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Do you notice the word "everyone"? It doesn't say "perfect people" or "people who have it all together", it says EVERYONE. When we make the decision to have a relationship with Christ, it doesn't matter where we are in our life. It's the very action that matters most, he will work in us from there. Truly amazing right?! That grace is some powerful stuff! So, lets remember God's unfailing grace the next time we slip up and make a bad choice. If God tells us we are never too far gone, then we should practice that in our own life too. We are never too far gone to get back on track. We are never too far gone to decide to make healthier choices and pursue a healthier way of life. I don't care how far you have to go, how much weight you have to lose, or how many bad habits you have.. You Are Never Too Far Gone. Do you believe that today?! Don't waste another minute living in the shadows of your bad decisions, get up and do something Today!

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I got a text at 5:42 this morning. It was my mother reminding me of something I had forgotten to do. My first thought was "ugh... I should have muted my phone"  (haha, love ya mom!) then that yuck feeling hit where I realized I'd messed up and had, in fact, totally forgot. The reality of the fact that I'm still working on balance and keeping my priorities in check hit.  I'm a  work in progress. So, I got out of bed, did what I needed to do, and opened up my devotional. What was the topic today? Balance and priorities. I love how God shows up just when we need him. I loved this specific quote from my readings today:

"God's miracles are all around, reminding you that He will take care of you and He is in control. Your part is to plan effectively so you don't spend too much time worrying." - Lysa TerKuerst.

I found this to be terribly true, how much time do I spend worrying or stressing over my own lack of planning? How many times do us women overbook our schedules and end up stressing over the logistics of it all, rather than enjoying all the activities we said yes too? Anyone else feeling convicted on that? I know I am. We take on SO much. We say YES to our friends, our kids, our jobs.. and the next thing we know we are pouring ourselves into bed and we've taken very little time that day to take care of ourselves and the things that truly matter the most.

Out of curiosity I did a little research on what the bible says about finding balance in our life and the common theme I found was this.."But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."(Matthew 6:33) The bible tells us the key to true balance and keeping our priorities in check starts with God. His plan is one that will truly bring us joy and peace. I love what Romans 12:2 says on this topic, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." You see, when we seek Him first and include Him in our daily lives, He will guide us and direct us down the path that is good, acceptable and perfect. We never have to wonder if we are on the right path if we let God guide us. So, my fellow busy moms, lets take a step back from our crazy busy lives and take time to quiet our thoughts and spend time in prayer with our Father in heaven. Lets ask Him what he wants us to do and what we can give up, then lets be brave enough to drop some activities that don't line up with the priorities that God has placed on our hearts. WE can do this, and who knows.. we may just be amazed at the ways God will move in our lives when we take the time to do the things that HE considers most important.

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I love Italian food but with two young boys in tow, getting to a nice Italian restaurant is rare. So, just like the rest of us busy moms, I love to bring Italy to me. I found THIS recipe on one of my favorite recipe sights and thought I'd try it out. Turns out it was a huge hit with my family, even the boys. They were happy to have leftovers the next day. With that said, I did add meat. So, see below for the few adjustments I made. YUMM-O!

Ingredients:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Combine spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Ladle about 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 12 baking dish.
Place a piece of wax paper on the counter and lay out lasagna noodles. Make sure noodles are dry. Take 1/3 cup of ricotta mixture and spread evenly over noodle, sprinkle ground turkey over ricotta mixture. Roll carefully and place seam side down onto the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles.
Ladle sauce over the noodles in the baking dish and top each one with 1 tbsp mozzarella cheese. Put foil over baking dish and bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese melts. Makes 9 rolls.
To serve, ladle a little sauce on the plate and top with lasagna roll.

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Sitting here letting the dust settle from a busy weekend out of state. I was blessed with the opportunity to attend a 3 day leadership retreat in Palm Springs, Ca this weekend. It was truly the most profound experience I've had and my heart is so full coming out of it. This weekend I was reminded of how faithful our God is and how he continues to pursue us,  no matter where we are on our journey with him. For months, I've been struggling to find balance in my life. Balance in juggling family life and my business while staying devoted to my faith and the calling God has placed on my life. I've strugged with feelings of stress and anxiety over trying to do it all. Come on Moms, I know you feel me!  I've known for months that I've needed a change but in my heart I didn't know how.. or what to do. I've been praying consistently for peace and wisdom, to know the direction I needed to go to truly find this balance. Through all my prayers, I've heard silence. I know God hears my prayers, the bible tells me so, so I wasn't sure WHY He was silent. After one rather challenging day, I pleaded with God.. "Lord, please give me direction, what am I supposed to do.." and for the first time I was comforted with "Have faith.. just have faith in Me" So I did. I kept on moving and believing that I would find my way.

I look back and now it all makes sense. You see, God was silent because the message He wanted to give me was one that couldn't come in a form of a whisper on my heart. He wanted it bold. He wanted it to make an IMPACT and be undeniable. He wanted to give me the direction and the wisdom, but it would take time to prepare and plan this leadership retreat to provide me with those things. So, in his silence, he wasn't ignoring me.. He was simply working behind the scenes to make sure everything was just right to give me the message I so desperately needed.  As I sat there and listened to the speakers talk, my heart raced and tears filled my eyes. The answers I've been so desperately needing poured from their mouths. This weekend I was able to not only get answers but I was able to see the vision for my life that I've been so unsure about. God was present this weekend and pursuing me harder than ever before. It's funny how God uses ordinary things, like in my case, a business leadership retreat, to completely change our lives. That's what I want to share with you about today.

God is an amazing God. He loves us and so desperately wants us to have a relationship with him, to the extent that he pursues us. It's not like "take it or leave it" kind of relationships that we are all to familiar with. God is madly in love with us and pursuing us. However,  sometimes it's easy to feel like God has forgotten us, that he doesn't hear our prayers, but he does! Jeremiah 29:12 says, "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you." Just like I have done many many times,  I encourage you to lift up your desires, struggles and heartache to God and wait expectantly on Him. Don't let your discouragement prevent you from continuing to seek God. Just because the answer hasn't come yet, don't mean it's not coming, it simply means God has a plan for you that may take some preparation. He's setting up the stage and working everything out and sometimes that takes time. So, my dear friends, rest assure that your answer is coming and when it does, it will be the absolute best answer for you. God is faithful and the bible reminds us that all good things work together for our good (Romans 8:28). He heard my daily prayers for wisdom and direction and he hears your prayers too. Don't lose hope, pray without ceasing and wait expectantly. Your answer is coming too!

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This particular morning as I headed out for my walk, I did something new. For the first time, I grabbed the keys and locked the door behind me. My beautiful family was still in bed sleeping and for the first time, I didn't feel safe leaving it unlocked for the 30 minutes I'd be out of the house. - I wear a simple cross around my neck that I received on my last birthday. I love it. I'm a simple girl, it's not flashy, but as I run my errands I'm very aware of the sterling silver symbol that is displayed around my neck. It very quietly expresses that I am a Christian. - These days, my family and I are washing our hands a lot more and using a lot more disinfectant. FEAR or AWARENESS... which side do you lean towards?

When we turn on the news we are bombarded with negativity. The realities of the world we live in are continuously staring us right in the face. As a military family, this is particularly true as we have been identified as a specific target by extremist. The Army put out last week that we are to be "vigilant" and "take precautions" such as limiting who can see our social media profiles, turn of geographic tracking and remove any military affiliation from our accounts. If that wasn't enough, the deadly virus Ebola has entered the US. FEAR. It's our initial reaction to this news. As I was praying about this issue recently, searching for peace, I was reminded of two things. 1. No matter what, God is STILL in control. 2. This is MORE the reason to be a light and Shine bright. THAT'S what I want to focus on today.

I don't bring up these topics to scare anyone. I think it's important that we are aware of what is going on around us and to be vigilant and take precautions, but I don't think it should consume us. We should continue doing what we do.. but I think we should also be aware of the GOOD that we can bring into this crazy world of ours. Matthew 5:14-16 says, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." The darker this world is, the BRIGHTER your light will shine my friends. If there was ever a perfect moment to do good, it is today. Smile at a stranger, open the door for someone... we all can do something. We can still have HOPE. Hope that the story is not over yet and that the victory belongs to God. Lets not let fear consume us or be the biggest factor in our decisions. We were not created to live in fear. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control" We don't have to fear, if we call on God he will protect us (Psalm 34:7). With God on our side, we have the freedom to love and spread that joy to others, to be a light to others in an otherwise dark place.

I know this is not my traditional peppy and health inspired post. I actually wrote this yesterday and sat on it.. in my own fear. But today, I'm posting. I'm posting to remind us all the importance of our light.. that our kindness and love for others is crucial right now. Lets not get consumed or drowned out by the bad news and yuck of this world. Lets shine through it all. Lets be a beacon of light to others. Imagine what one gesture of kindness can do to another persons day? Lets go out and be the light!

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Us Griffins love Mexican food. Seriously, enchiladas, tacos, nachos.. we love it all. I have to check myself when making our meal plan for the week to make sure I'm not going overboard and that I'm staying to healthy options. Mexican food can be delicous but all the tortillas and cheese can be high in fat and calories. So.... when I stumbled across this recipe I was intrigued. Enchiladas.. but instead of high calorie tortillas it has quinoa which is much heathier for you and high in protein. Also, instead of being saturated in cheese (which isn't necessarily a BAD thing in my opinion..hahah) it just has a sprinkle on the top. I figured it was worth a try. It was FANTASTIC! And even better.. it makes A LOT.. so we have left overs for tonight. This is totally worth trying! With that said.. I did make one change. In the recipe it called for ground turkey, I opted for shredded chicken (2 large breasts). On top I added a sprinkle of colby jack cheese and a dallop of light sour cream. YUM!

Here is the original source for this delicious recipe.

• 2 large chicken breasts, shredded
• 1 and 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 cup onion
• 1/2 cup sweet bell peppers, I used orange
• 1 cup water
• 1 can (19 ounces) enchilada sauce*
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 cups cheddar or Mexican cheese
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• Optional: 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, sour cream, green onions, 1 small jalopeno

1. In a large skillet, cook the ground turkey until browned through. Drain out any grease and place in the slow cooker.
2. Add in the uncooked quinoa (make sure to rinse first), the black beans (drained and rinsed), the frozen corn, the diced tomatoes and green chilies (do not drain), the salsa (I used medium), and minced garlic.
3. Chop up the onion and sweet bell pepper into small pieces. Add to the slow cooker. If desired chop up a jalopeno and add it too.
4. Add in the water, enchilada sauce (I used mild, but use whatever you like best), chili powder, and cumin.
5. Stir everything together really well. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 3 to 3 and 1/2 hours or until the liquid is all absorbed into the mixture.
6. Once it is done cooking, remove the lid and stir everything again. Stir in the cheese and fresh cilantro (stems removed and chopped).
7. If desired add in the fresh lime juice.
8. Add a dollup of sour cream and some chopped green onions if desired.
9. **If you want to make these into more of traditional enchiladas: warm up the tortillas, spread some cheese on one side, a large spoonful of the mixture on top of the cheese, and more cheese on top of the mixture. Roll it up and top with more salsa or enchilada sauce. Add sour cream, green onions, and cilantro if desired.

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It's a fresh Monday and the perfect opportunity to start fresh with new focuses for the week. As much as I would love to have started this day refreshed and ready to take on a new week, that really isn't the case. I'm tired today. After a battle of the wills to go to bed last night, My youngest was up several times throughout the night. I thought waking up 2-3 times a night with a child ended in infancy? Ha.. the joke was on me I guess. I keep reminding myself that when he's a teenager I will have to drag him out of bed, that these sleepless nights won't last forever. This morning as I opened my devotional, I was reading the qualities of a proverbs 31 woman. She's the beautiful example of a Godly  woman laid out for us in the bible. She's the woman we should strive to be. However, her qualities are hard to match. The proverbs 31 woman demonstrates love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control in her own life. My first thought as I read through that list is "wow, I can never measure up to that, I am so far away from being all of those things". In my opinion, there is nothing that makes me feel more like a failure than being a mother. I feel like I fail daily. Oh yes, I just said that. It's true.. as a woman, I know you have felt that way too. So, just as soon as the thought "I could never measure up" popped into my head, another thought came.."Thank goodness for God's grace." THAT is what I want to remind you of today.

The reality of this life is that we are never going to measure up. We are always going to fall short. There are days where we will totally rock it and other days where we fall flat on our face. It's reality and apart of this messy world we live in. As much as I love my children and my husband, I'm going to mess things up. I'm going to say and do things I shouldn't. It's going to happen, but it doesn't have to cause us to feel defeat. 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, "But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." None of us are perfect, but our shortcomings present the perfect opportunity for Christ to show up in our lives. We can't do this life alone, but with Him we can do anything, including asking forgiveness and admitting our shortcomings if the need arises.

So, whether it's your parenting skills that make you feel like a failure or perhaps even your pursuit to living a healthier lifestyle. I encourage you to give yourself a little more grace on those days where we simply don't have it all together. For me, I continually pray and ask God to fill in my gaps. Today I am reminded that I'm not perfect, but thanks to God's grace I don't have to be. The same goes for you. This week lets put our focus on being thankful for that unconditional love and grace and less time beating ourselves up for not measuring up.You never know what a little change of perspective can do in your day!

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Another long run Saturday is here. It's almost like I count the ones I miss. This morning as I scrolled my FB newsfeed I saw that my Marine Corps Marathon peers are running 20 miles today. Twenty miles, so amazing! So, I got out of bed, put on my running tights and Sauconys and headed out on the trail by myself. I didn't have 20 miles planned but I did have a goal of getting up and being active this morning. Despite the fact I was walking, I had peace. Somewhere along this journey and my setbacks I've found peace with the new me. I realized that somehow I've been able to leave behind the old me, so I can embrace the new me. Was there anything wrong with the old me? No, I don't think so.. maybe I had too much pride and took too many selfies haha, but having a long term set back like this has shown me that I have some things to learn and more opportunities to grow. That's not such a bad thing, right?

I think a lot of the setbacks we face on our health and fitness journey have to do with the fact that we are set in our ways. We are comfortable with where we are. We are comfortable with our hectic schedules, our quick and easy meals, and the familiarity of the life we live. Whether it's good or bad, it's us and there is comfort in that. You've heard the saying.. You can't teach and old dog new tricks right? Well, even though we've heard it tons of times and often times believe it, I don't believe it's true. Afterall, the bible says something much different. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." The bible tells us that change is possible, that when we accept Christ we can leave the old us behind and grow into a better version of ourselves. All things are possible with Christ and we're reminded of that here. We have to make the decision to step out in faith and grow; to gain knowledge and do the work. If we do, we will be blessed. Proverbs 18:15 says, " An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge." God wants to direct us as we leave the old us behind and to embrace the new healthier us, but we have to do the work and step out boldly on this journey.

Leaving looks differently for all of us. Sometimes leaving may be embracing a new workout regimen or tossing out the junk food in the house. For others, it may be recognizing that no matter where we are, there is till room for growth. For me, leaving is accepting the fact that I"m not invincible and God's plan for me is different than the one I had planned. I'm learning that that is okay. It's okay to leave the old us behind in an attempt to become a better, healthier version of ourselves. Do we have to change WHO we are? Absolutely not. God simply wants us to be the BEST version of ourselves. So, if you've tossed out the idea of ever "figuring it out" I encourage you to reconsider. Decide to begin the process of improving and asking God to direct you as you become a healthier version of you. You never know what you will achieve when you step out in faith and leave the old you behind. I love what Joel Osteen says on this topic:

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It's Friday! Is anyone else as excited about Friday as me? As I was cruising through my devotional this morning, I was taken aback by a moment of total conviction; you know the moment where you suddenly realize you've been doing something wrong and you need to change. Yup, that was me this morning. Honestly, it's too early for this and to top it off, I'm out of coffee! haha Right now I'm reading a great book called A woman's secret to a balanced life by Lysa TerKeurst, which is based off of the Proverbs 31 woman. Fantastic and applicable read. I need all the help I can get on balance in my life. This mornings topic was on children.. and the author said: "A mother whose children arise and call her blessed listens with her whole being, putting down the dust cloth and looking into the eyes of her child." So, my first initial thought was.. hm.. maybe I should pick UP a dust cloth, haha. But then I felt this strong conviction that instead of putting down a dust cloth, I should put down my phone. Ouch. There it is. Anyone else addicted to their smart phones? It's something I'm constantly struggling with; checking my email, checking social media, checking, checking...   I found myself wondering how many years I have left where my sons will actually want to hang out with me. How many years they are going to want to talk my ear off. Someday I'm going to miss those moments.

I love what Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven." I think as a mom with young boys, it's important to remember this season of life isn't going to last forever. In some ways, that a good thing. I look forward to a day with no diapers and getting more uninterrupted sleep. However, I know I will miss this stage of life we are in and all the giggles, goofiness and imagination. I don't know about you, but I don't want to miss these moments because my nose is in my phone. I want to be seen as the mom who invested time, energy and undivided attention into my children. I want to be a mother whose children arise and all her blessed.

So, today I ask you, what do you need to put down to be more invested in your children or the other relationships in your life? Maybe you don't have an issue with your phone, but it's something else.  I truly believe it's all about moderation and just like in the bible verse above, there is a time and place for everything. As we move into the weekend, lets vow to be more IN the moment. Lets put aside the things that don't REALLY matter and focus on the things that do.

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Working out. You either love it or hate it. Up until the past few years.. I hung out on the side of hating it. I didn't like to sweat and really.. how could getting all uncomfortable be appealing? Come on, I know I"m not the only one who feels that way. It's wayy more comfortable to sit on the couch. And honestly, that's what most of us do. We're busy, we have better things to do and it's never the right time. Afterall, why would anyone want to get up an hour early, just to sweat. haha  I get it. I've been there. However, I want to shed some light on this topic. While it's hard to get into a good routine, if you can get past the initial suck of a workout you WILL feel better afterwards. You will feel accomplished, refreshed and most likely eager to do it again. It's getting into a routine that is the hardest part. Working out not only burns more calories, it increases endorphins in our body that make us happier. We feel better about ourselves and the world around us. It's TRUE! That's why you see so many crazy fitness people posting it up on Facebook. It has changed their life and they want everyone to know the awesomeness that comes with it. So.. today I'm giving away a freebie workout from one of my celebrity trainers, Tony Horton. If you arent familiar, he is the creator of p90x and several others that follow, including his new proram p90 which is being called "the on switch to fitness".  Tony is hilarious! I love laughing while I workout. So, get in a little freebie workout today and let me know if you did it! You never know.. one little workout today may spark a flame to work out tomorrow....

Tony Horton- No Equipment Gravity workout

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We live just a block away from my son's elementary school. One of my favorite things about living so close is getting to walk him to school on days when the weather is good. With that said, getting him to school is a pretty chaotic experience. For such a busy school the parking lot is small and crazy with buses coming and going, parents waiting in line to drop off and families walking in. All of this chaos is kept in control by one man. Bless his heart, he is out there rain or shine.. directing traffic going in all directions. He has a tough job, I know I wouldn't want it. I assume he has them job because he's reliable and good at what he does. Last year as the school year began this man, Mr. T., stood out in front of the school doing his thing. However, it was not such a pleasant thing to observe. It was common for him to be rolling his eyes, gesturing aggressively and frowning on a daily basis. I get it.. people don't pay attention, but it was obvious that this man hated his job. My husband often made remarks about his bad attitude and when being in his presence you just kept your head down and went on your way. You didn't want to be caught up in his wrath. This was the reality of Mr. T.  Fast forward to Fall 2014, another school year arrived and there is Mr. T out there doing his thing as predicted. However, this year is different. Mr. T isn't so grouchy. In fact he's very pleasant. He's smiling, happy, high fiving and hugging the kids that pass by. He waves with a smile when you drive by. It's the craziest thing.

I can't help but be curious about Mr. T. What is the cause of his transformation? It's obvious he's happier. We're a good month into school, surely if it was a front his true colors would be showing through by now. Yet, there he is each day smiling and happy. Something has changed on the inside and it's reflecting on the outside. He is shining. Now, I don't know what his transformation was, maybe I'll be brave enough to ask some day. But his change of behavior has me wondering.. "What does my behavior say about my heart?" If someone was to look at me from a distance would they see the grouchy, stressed, frowning Mr. T version of me or would they see the new and transformed happy version? Would they see me shining? It's so easy to get "in our heads".. you know, your so consumed in the here and now that you aren't aware of your behavior and how it's affecting those around you.  As a christian it is my goal to let my light shine, to reflect out into the world. But.. as many of you moms know, that's easier said than done. We have rough days and say and do things we shouldn't, especially when others are watching. I don't know about you, but I'm so thankful for God's grace. For each moment we have a fresh chance to get it right and to try again.

So, with that said... my question today is this... "What does your behavior say about your heart?" Are you stressed, grouchy, and frowning or are you smiling, positive and letting your light shine?  It truly is a choice that we each can make. Today I encourage you to make the choice to let your light shine. Be the person that brightens someone elses day. You never know who you can have a positive impact on today!

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