Ben and I are kicking off our summer in a rather artistic way this summer. Usually, we pack out every day with events-and we do have several events packed-but we have a general theme that we’re concentrating on this year: Mind, Body, and Spirit. We hope to rejuvenate ourselves over the summer to become better people for our family, friends, students, and each other. We really want to enjoy this world God gave us, and savor the little things, for example, our view from last night’s wedding (no filter)
Body: I’ve always been overly body conscious. I was the fat kid growing up. I was taller and more round than every other kid in my class-even the boys. As I got older, I slimmed down, but once you’re bullied enough for being the fat kid, it always sticks. After college, getting married, having 2 kids (one being an over 10 pound whopper), and starting some migraine prevention meds, I’ve gained a good bit of weight. On top of all of this, I’m a social eater. I eat as part of a good time. Summer nights are ALWAYS a good excuse to hang out and eat junk. The key to anything, but specifically weight loss, is discipline. I’m one who has tried every diet in the book. Truly, the key is to make smarter choices and not eat so much of it. For me, it’s logging it. I’ll keep you updated on my progress, workouts, recipes, struggles, and cravings throughout this process. Today was a cardio day at home with a fun dance workout.
Goal: About 10 lbs lighter, and a lot more energy.
Mind: Ben and I have learned this year, first hand, about people. People are a creation of God. People are precious and can change the world-for good or evil. You always hear the inspirational quotes on “The Power of One”. I’ve got work to do on cleaning up my mind. See, my mind has been conformed by the world. We live in a competitive world where everyone has forgot about being the “One” to make a difference, and concentrated more on the “Power” of self once they achieve it. I want to work on my listening skills. A lot of times, I listen to respond and don’t listen to hear. Not everybody talks for a responder. Some talk for a hearer. I want to hear better.
In hearing better, I want to talk better. If you know me, you know that I am not tempted by foul language. That’s not my thing. But, I’m ashamed to say, that I love a good story. My temptations surround conversation in the “he said/ she said” dialogue. Unfortunately, I found myself there a lot. You know what the “he said/she said” world gets me? Not confidence, not entertainment, but guilt. Especially when I’ve been a part of a story that’s wrong (which is 99% of the time). I’ve been a victim of these stories that have been life altering to myself, my community, my career, and my family. I know the feeling of devastation of being talked about by people and having to reroute your life because a group of insecure folks needed a good conversation starter. I’m retiring my mind to cut those practices. If you start a conversation heading in that direction, just know that I’m practicing the discipline to change the subject or walk away. I’d love your help with this if we hang out this summer. Let’s talk about positive things! There’s so much positive to talk about.
Goal: Be the one person to bring power to others and glory to God.
Spirit: This one is a tough one to put into text. I feel like we will be judged by this next paragraph, but I want to be as open with you all as I can. I grew up in the church and so did my husband. We’ve read through the Bible multiple times. We raise our kids to know the stories and to know the why of those stories. We are now at an age where we have discovered that the Christian lifestyle is minority-even in the “Bible Belt” where we live. When did Christianity become more of a fad and convenience rather than a lifestyle? Ben and I want to do our part in bearing fruit. The alternative is to scary not to. Jesus says in John 15:1-2 states, “I am the try vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”
Ben and I are studying why we do what we do in regards to our traditions in the church of Christ. We are studying topics like music in the church, baptism, frequency of taking the Lord’s supper, women’s role in worship, and others. Even topics such as creation, the Bible being the inspired Word of God, and faith. We have so many people that ask us about these things, and honestly, we’ve thrown ourselves in these positions, but we want to stretch our faith to aid in our confidence to answer these questions. I’m excited and terrified about this study in fear of challenging my faith, but you know, our faith needs to be challenged in order to be made strong. Isaiah 54:10 says “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, my unfailing love for you will not be shaken.”
Goal: Bear fruit.
This weekend kicked off a pretty fantastic summer so far. Make your goals this week for your summer. Take an expo marker and write them on your bathroom mirror to hold you accountable each day. We’ll revisit them in 8 weeks. Happy Summer y’all!
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