Food For Thought On A Monday. . .

Controlling The Direction Of Your Thoughts
by Steve Arterburn

And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8 NLT

Here’s a proven way to build character: learn to control the direction of your thoughts. Your thoughts, of course, are intensely powerful things. Your thoughts have the power to lift you up or drag you down; they have the power to energize you or deplete you, to inspire you to greater accomplishments or to make those accomplishments impossible.

How will you and your family members direct your thoughts today? Will you follow the instructions of Philippians 4:8 by dwelling upon those things that are honorable, true, and worthy of praise? Or will you allow your thoughts to be hijacked by the negativity that seems to dominate our troubled world?

Are you fearful, angry, bored, or worried? Are you so preoccupied with the concerns of this day that you fail to thank God for the promise of eternity? Are you confused, bitter, or pessimistic? If so, God wants to have a little talk with you.

It’s up to you and your loved ones to celebrate the life that God has given you by focusing your minds upon “whatever is commendable.” So form the habit of spending more time thinking about your blessings and less time fretting about your hardships. Then, take time to thank the Giver of all things good for gifts that are, in truth, far too numerous to count.

The mind is like a clock that is constantly running down. It has to be wound up daily with good thoughts. Fulton J. Sheen

God’s cure for evil thinking is to fill our minds with that which is good. George Sweeting

If our minds are stayed upon God, His peace will rule the affairs entertained by our minds. If, on the other hand, we allow our minds to dwell on the cares of this world, God’s peace will be far from our thoughts. Woodroll Kroll

Baby Business

I think there's something in the water with all of these babies being born! What an exciting time in life. I'm so thankful for the world of blogging that keeps us all connected and up to date with each other's families.

Although I'm personally not quite ready to be a mom, I do find myself pondering the topic a lot. . .I mean a lot - like almost every day. I first wonder when I'll have my first baby, if I'll be able to easily - or if it will be a struggle. Then I wonder how many I will have; will I have multiples, or just one or two. And, the funniest part of all - is absolutely none of this is within my control. It's 100 percent up to God. What a relief to know He is greater than any worry, and already has my family's future carefully and thoughtfully planned out. Although I must admit, I still sometimes worry. I guess that's part of being human.

I hear some people talk about their children with such joy like it's the greatest thing since sliced bread - and I know they're genuine, because it shows through in their eyes, they can't hide it. Then other people act like kids are the biggest inconvenience. Like their life was suddenly interrupted by these little, innocent beings (Disclaimer: I can only imagine how children test their parents' patience in ways I can't even begin to comprehend, but at the end of the day - exhausted to the bone - shouldn't it be the best job you've ever had or hoped to have?!). I pray to God that I never take for granted the lives He blesses me with someday. I hope I will always remember what a privilege and responsibility He's granted me and remember that He set me out to do this when I was born nearly three decades ago.

I often ask my friends about being parents, and I overwhelmingly hear that there's nothing that can prepare you for the amount of sleep your body can go without and also how having a baby completely rearranges your schedule in ways you never thought possible. So my questions to my blog readers who are parents are: What's your advice or your opinion on being a parent? What's that one thing you wish someone would have told you about before you became a parent? What do you suggest people without kids do before they take the plunge?


P.S. A black lab is the only thing we've ever parented - and we failed MISERABLY. Poor Brinkley had to go live with a new famiy. He's probably much happier, if they haven't killed him yet! :)

Namely Fun

Stole this one from Maddie! :)
Please enjoy the portrait of me at the aquarium!
This is what happens when you don't have kids.
You end up putting pictures of yourself on your blog - pathetic!



What's in a Name. . .
1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME (first pet, current car): Cocoa Eos
2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME (fave ice cream flavor, favorite type of shoe): Cookie Dough Heels
3. YOUR NATIVE AMERICAN NAME (favorite color, favorite animal): Yellow Puppy
4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME (middle name, city where you were born): Cambron Fort Worth
5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 of your first name): Becla
6. SUPERHERO NAME (2nd favorite color, favorite drink): Black Diet Dr. Pepper
7. NASCAR NAME (the first names of your grandfathers): Jack Howard
8. STRIPPER NAME ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent,favorite candy): Heavenly Twix
9. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME (your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter): Sewell Seattle
10. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower): Winter Daisy
11. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing rightnow): Pear Jacket
12. HIPPIE NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree): Cheetos Crepe Myrtle

Two New Things Tried

I love trying news things, and this weekend I got to do not one, but two!

#1: One new thing was not so fun, and definitely not documented with photos. It was a yoga class. I'm still not quite sure my hips have completely locked back into place. That lady had us so twisted and turned, I'm just grateful I was on the back row. I really wanted to crack up laughing for the first 30 minutes, but by the end of the class I had really opened my mind up to the whole idea. I hate it when others are close-minded and judgmental, and I was guilty of that at first - but I really do believe that if I weighed 95 pounds. . .yoga would be a great fit for me! However, until I weigh 95 pounds, I believe I'll stick with the treadmill. :) There is just too much of me to hold up standing on one foot with my back arched - stretching to the ceiling. It was really cool at the end of the class (not only because it was over and I was still alive), but also because she had us get into our "gratitude" position and we took a few moments to reflect on all of the blessings in our lives. Yoga can be a very mind-clearing and spiritual exercise - and for me, was a wonderful chance to thank God (while burning calories) for all that he's given me.



#2: Hot air balloon riding!
The husband and I got to go up in a hot air balloon! Yes, it was a quick ride - but it was exhilirating! We happened to be driving by a local shopping center and there was this ginormous balloon - and they were giving people FREE rides! We were totally in. We signed our lives away - basically saying we wouldn't sue if I fell out of the balloon from thousands of feet in the air - and then were set.

Bunny Boys

This is how you celebrate Easter "boy style". . .get three wild brothers, add in ear-piercing loud screaming and a fiercely competitive game of croquet. Now that's what I call fun! :)



















Don't worry, I did force the boys to do an Easter egg hunt and tried my best to get them to obey my rules for the game. They didn't listen so well, but it was entertaining to say the least.

Don't you just want to pinch their cheeks?! I personally think the one in the pink shirt is the most PRECIOUS of all. . .and I promise he picked that out on his own! I'm not lying!

All Work ~ No Play

So sorry for the long absence! It's literally been all work - no play for me lately.

And in regard to the weight loss - I've pretty much been in a holding pattern: not going down or up. Which I'm glad about the not going up part. I'm easing back into working out which I think will jump start my metabolism. I have these friends who think getting up at 5:30 a.m. to go to the gym is fun. I think it's insane - but I've done it a couple of times. I just don't think I could ever get used to that though. I think I am the definition of a non-morning person.

I have some major exciting news from the husband...he's in a line of work that requires him to do some majorly rough shift work, but he just got a promotion to a different division - that will have better hours - and we are both ecstatic. I am so proud of my sweet boy. Just another reminder that God is faithful on His promises, we just sometimes have to wait longer than we'd like.

So, what is up with this Texas weather? I took some photos of the beautiful snow blanket while driving home from work today. I felt like I had been transported to another state! I don't recommend trying this, but I was pretty impressed with my photo skills on my iPhone - if I do say so myself, while driving - and I managed to only swerve out of my lane a couple of times. :)

Wednesday Weigh-In #4

Weight Loss Report
This Week: +1
Total: -3.5

Well, I said one or two bad words when I stepped on the scale this morning. BUT, in honor of our recent holiday for Martin Luther King, Jr. - "I have a dream." And I do - I have a dream that I will run on that treadmill and not grow weary, and that someday my pants will fall off of me in public because I'm so dang skinny. No, I'm not giving up - I can't! I've got a dream.

Okay - all inspiration aside - I'm hacked. I think it was a couple too many chips and my taco salad last night - thanks, Rachel W. - it's all your fault. Whose idea was it to eat Mexican food the night before my weigh-in?!

Maybe you'll see less of me next - maybe you'll see more. Who knows!