Tales From The Little White House: God's Faithfulness

2016

A glimpse into my possible thrift store addiction...

9:45 PM

2016

My word for 2016

3:04 PM

So a lot of people go around talking about words for the year. I had never really thought about that and since I tend to start things and then not finish them I was not really too worried about figuring out a word for 2016.

Until the Lord gave me one.

You see He has been stretching me a lot lately and challenging me in areas I have not allowed myself to go in a very long time.

I realized that for years I have not really had a true relationship with Jesus. I do better in different seasons-but overall I felt like I had to act like everything was ok because if I didn't I would be letting a lot of different people down.

I didn't want to do that.

Then my husband looked at me one night and said: "Why don't you just quit pretending?"

And I realized at that moment I really wanted to! More then anything in the world I wanted to get all areas of my life right again.

I wanted to be walking with the Lord again.

I was tired of being a slave to so many different things I was using to try to fill the void that only Jesus Christ can truly fill. Food, movies, social media, friends, family-the list goes on and on.

I was desperate to just be free once again but I was looking everywhere but the One that truly can free us.

So I started repenting and surrendering over a weekend.

It was beautiful.

I had not felt that alive in a very long time.

So one night as I was pondering the upcoming year 2016 this word popped into my mind.

Moderation.

How perfect is that? I could not believe how much it tied into the lessons the Lord had been teaching me and I knew.

This year my theme is moderation.

Moderation in the food I eat.

Moderation in media.

Moderation in budgeting.

Moderation in shopping (don't laugh I really am kind of a shopoholic although it is at thrift stores).

Moderation in my home.

Moderation in my relationships.

Moderation.

So it has been a few weeks and I have been noticing changes in my life that truly amaze me.

I guess that most obvious one is in the food I eat.

I had a secret habit of binging when I felt sad or mad or stressed or alone. Food was always there and it would comfort me and hey-I was pregnant so I truly had an excuse.

Then reality hit.

I gained 8 lbs. in less than five weeks and let me assure you it was not the babies fault! I knew I needed to make a change to be healthy-not just thin. My lifestyle needed to change and fast!

I had had great success with the 21 day fix in the past and decided to give it a try yet again.

First workout (a walking dvd with Leslie Sansane)-mess my foot up and am off it for five days.

So exercise is out apparently.

That threw me into a depression.

Then I decided that even if I could not exercise (I am going to a specialist to see about my foot) I could at least get my nutrition in the right place.

So I started drinking shakeology everyday (along with my hubby and kiddos) and joined a challenge group.

I love the 21 day fix for many reasons but the most amazing one to me is I can do it while pregnant and nursing (I just went up one calorie bracket).

So I started around the first of the year and did not take any photos or measurements because I figured it was not really going to make a difference anyway in how I looked I just wanted to feel better.

I was wrong.

It has already made such a difference! Not only in the way I feel but in the energy I have and the fact that I went back to the doctor and in two weeks over Christmas and New Years I had not gained an ounce (remember the last time I was there I had gained 8 lbs. in less then 5 weeks)!!!!

I was on top of the moon!

So then I decided to compare:

The first photo was when I was pregnant for my first baby back in 2012. I was swollen, unable to move and absolutely miserable. I was 32 weeks (what I am currently) and had 8 weeks to go before I was induced because of pre eclampsia. That pregnancy was miserable I felt awful!

My second pregnancy was not quite as bad but still miserable! This pregnancy I had vowed I didn't want to repeat my food habits from the first but got back in the binging etc using pregnancy as an excuse. It was a vicious cycle.

Sadly it was one I started with this pregnancy. But I realized that even in my third trimester I could practice moderation and see the change! I am not worried about after birth weight loss because of the 21 day fix! So thankful for never have to go back to that insecure girl in that first and second picture.

Why do I not have to go back? Because I am not trying to do this anymore in my own strength. My motivation is not to "be that hot mama" it is to practice moderation and to bring honor to Jesus Christ by taking care of myself and choosing to not turn to food for comfort.

So that is where I am at.

I think about my word every day.

Moderation.

I am excited to see what this year brings!

So what about you? Do you have a word for 2016? I would love to hear about it.

Do you ever struggle with moderation? Do you have a favorite verse that helps you through it?

smile emoticon.

2015

To Just Breath Again...

6:22 PM

2014

Do you ever feel like all you ever do is fall?

11:07 AM

It had been a long stressful day, Jason came home sick with a fever and went straight to bed. The boys seemed to be getting into and destroying everything they possibly could. I was tired. I was stressed. Did I mention I was super stressed? I put Micah to bed at 6:30 pm. I sent Elijah to my sister's for a fun sleep over. For the first time in....a really really long time-I was alone. I did not have little people needing me. Jason was asleep so he didn't need me. Gram was asleep so she didn't need me. I was alone...

So I got ice cream. Fudge brownie and cookie dough put together in one delicious mixture. And I ate it.

All.

So you know that whole coach thing...the challenge pack I have coming in the mail? Well, my logic was "I haven't started yet so one last hurrah."

Except it wasn't really that much of a hurrah.

I felt like I had a void to fill and there was nothing to fill it! Ice cream didn't help and neither did the multiple hallmark movies and face book browsing.

I felt even more empty except now I felt guilty too!

Then I was reminded that it is not the failure or the fall it is what we choose to do with it. Will we let it stop us in our tracks before we even truly start or will we get up and keep pressing forward?

I was musing over this when I crawled into bed sometime after 12:30am and I FINALLY decided to see if the Lord had anything for me (why do I always wait till last to turn to HIM?!?) and as I opened my "Streams in the Desert" a folded piece of paper fell out.

I opened it and whew-talk about a gentle rebuke! It was a quote a friend had said many many years ago:

"The closer we are to God the farther we are from sin. The closer we are to sin the farther we are from God."

Ouch.

Thoughts like these flashed through my mind:

Oh hey, Katy, ever since deciding to be a Beachbody coach and share your journey to a healthier lifestyle all you have been thinking about is you and God has not even been in the picture.

Why have you been stupid enough to yet again try to do all these life changes on your own without the Lord? You know how that always works out.

Gulp.

I had some forgiveness to be asking from the Lord that was for sure!

But then what?

I struggle so much in my addiction to food.

That is real life right now.

The problem is that so often I CHOOSE to struggle alone and believe the lies that there is no one out there that truly understands and God doesn't really care about my struggle with food!

But He does.

That is the truth.

Jesus WANTS to heal me from my addiction to turning to food for satisfaction. He says so!!

So why don't I turn to Him first? Why do I choose to listen to the lies that food and movies and TV will satisfy when all they do is leave me more empty?

I will be tackling that in my personal devotion time over the next few weeks. I recently did a post that tackled so many lies that I had believed for years and the scriptures that have been helping me believe the truth of Who God has made me to be.

I think I will be doing the same thing in regards to the lies I believe about food (it will satisfy me, it will help me not be so stressed or lonely or whatever emotion I am feeling at the moment).

So there you go. The real me falls and all.

I haven't even started this 21 day fix journey yet (still waiting for my challenge pack) but I just wanted to share some of the issues I have had since deciding to change my lifestyle.

The difference between now and so many other times in the past when I just gave up?

By God's grace-I am not going to quit before I even had a chance to start. My Jesus wants to set the captives free and I am so thankful that includes me!

So what about you? Do you turn to certain things when you are feeling stressed? Is it hard for you to get back up once you have fallen?

I just put a poll on the sidebar regarding new content on my blog and just want to see what you, my amazing readers, would like to see more of as I embark on this fitness journey so please let me know :)

2014

Our Very OWN Little White House

9:00 PM

There was a running joke for a while between Jason and I. Let me explain just a bit of the background.

2010-we met for the very first time. He was heading up a Bible study at the same time and 40 minutes away I had my girls Bible study. One of my girls invited me to visit his study and I did :)

I just adore this picture! It was taken in August 2010 when things were beginning to be a little more serious in our relationship but we still were not officially dating :) Oh and no Jason does not normally wear socks with sandals he had to borrow my brothers lol! ;) Just to clarify :)

Ok, back to the subject on hand!

2011- A year and two months to the day that we met we got married.

2012- Our lives where forever changed when Elijah Samuel was born.

2013- Our lives where changed forever once again when Micah Daniel joined our family.

Our joke was that with three years that had some major life events we were going to take a break and not do anything in 2014.

Well, the Lord (as He so often does) had other plans!

2014- Our marriage is re-surrendered to the Lord as He does a beautiful work in both of our hearts (and is continuing to do more each and every day).

2014- We buy our very own little white house!!!! :) We are now officially homeowners!!!

We had thought at one point that we were going to be building our own house so we had been saving materials for whenever that day would come (flooring, cupboards etc) and this house is a fixer upper that we can actually USE all the materials in :)

It is a ranch that is in town but has .37 acre lot AND is right down the street from the most amazing park ever!

We have been working like crazy remodeling and hopefully will be able to move in within the next few weeks! I can hardly wait to show you some updates but until then here are some before pictures:

The Breezeway.

The garage.

The kitchen.

The living room.

First bedroom.

Second Bedroom.

Washer and Dryer Area.

Third Bedroom.

So that was what we started with two weeks ago. It does NOT look like that anymore thanks to some amazing friends and a very talented husband :) I can't wait to show you the after pictures! :)

So what about you? Do you love home projects or are they not really your thing?
I actually really do enjoy most aspects of home projects but painting trim. Those two days made me want to possibly kill something or someone (ok not that drastic but you get the point lol). ;)