You know the scenario. You are walking through the store and you go to check out. As you are standing in line you look to your left (or right) and see all these magazines. With these gorgeous girls. Gorgeous people.

So if you are anything like me it is all to easy to compare ourselves. Especially when the featured model is a Mama of three months and looks like she never gave birth-let alone gained weight over a nine month period!

But here is a question:

How much of that is real?

Here is a movie that I recently re-discovered and thought it would be good to share it once again.


Can you believe that???

You can watch it again if you are in as much shock as I was the first time I watched it!

I don't know about you but-it makes me feel a little bit better when I realize that those pictures and billboards...most of them are NOT REAL. They are powdered and squeezed and spend hours getting make-up and hair PROFESSIONALLY done and THEN-they are photo shopped till, in all honesty, the original person does not really even exist anymore because they had to be made "perfect" according to the world's standards.

Now, does this mean that we do not make an attempt to dress nicely and take care of ourselves? No. But it is nice to realize that these models we hold ourselves up to so often...most the time they are normal people...they are real too and nine times out of ten-even they do not look like the photo shopped pictures of themselves.

So what is beauty?

What does the Bible say about beauty?

I googled that and found a really neat list of Bible verses HERE. Below are some that ministered to me:

1 Peter 3:3-4 ESV

Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.

Psalm 139:14 ESV
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 ESV    
He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 ESV     
He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

So what are your thoughts?

 What are some of your thoughts on beauty?

 Do you ever struggle with comparing yourself to others?

Do you have any lessons you have learned along the way to share?

I would love to hear them! :)

September 17, 2012

Dear Baby Boy,

How is it possible that you are five months old? It seemed as though five months took forever to go by when I was pregnant with you-


and now that you are here...it just seems as though the last five months have flown by! You went from this tiny little thing:

• You are such a little ham. Always smiling! 

• You talk ALOT. Daddy says that you are just getting it out right now and you will talk less as you get older. I think that is just hopeful thinking considering he is already married to a chatter box!! :) The cutest thing is that you actually have inflection and it really does sound like you are carrying on a  conversation!

• You are eating solids! You especially like sweet potatoes. It is so funny when you first try a new fruit or veggie-your face is priceless!

• You adore your Daddy! It melts my heart to see you two together! Your favorite place in the world is on his shoulders with your little hands buried in his hair! 

Today has been one of those days. Actually mornings because it is not even 12pm yet! Things have been in chaos and, while we are making a dent in the stuff we brought back from Florida, there is still much to go.

So I got on facebook this morning and saw a link to a post entitled Five Words Mom's Need to Hear. So, I clicked on it (as you should, you will not regret it) and was so blessed!

I love how the Lord does that! The reminders He gives us right when we need them MOST!

My reminder today: "He has grace for that."

He has grace for my baby being so fussy and not pacified with anything.

He has grace for the chaos that comes from moving from Florida to NY...again.

He has grace for exhaustion.

He has grace for the little frustrations in life.

He has grace for the goals I want to meet but have not yet.

He has grace for the lessons He is trying to teach me and I am just having a hard time getting.

He has grace!

Thank the Lord for that!

And I am thanking the Lord for this:

All Pics taken by a sweet friend in FL :)

Because even though some days are hard-God has grace for that and I would not trade being a wife and Mama for the world!

Today I am clinging to His grace!

 How about you?

Today was a first for little man! A very big first!! What could I be talking about? Check out this video below:



How cute was that? Hehehe :) I love his expressions! It will definitely be interesting when he can match words with his expressions!

Tomorrow is a second for little man! We are heading back to Florida to get our stuff and move back permanently to NY. It is a VERY long car ride. The first time Elijah boy went on this long journey he looked like this:



Now just a few short months later he is embarking once again on the same journey however, this time, he looks like this:



My sweet boy! I love him so very much! SO, we will be in Florida till the seventh Lord willing. However, tomorrow I have something that I want to try for a month beginning so make sure to check it out and let me know your thoughts on it as a long term thing :)

Many blessings to you all!

Splat!

I looked up shocked! We all burst into peals of laughter as Sarah said: "Well, that was an answer from the Lord."

Gluten Free.

Ever heard of those words?

Gluten is found in wheat. Now some people can tolerate it but more and more people are beginning to realize that they are not able to tolerate it. We think that Jason is one such person.

He has been sick for months now and ,after getting some council from people who have had some of the same problems, we decided to cut wheat out of our diets and see the difference that it makes.

We are on day two and so far I have eaten two eggs (and less then a handful of chocolate chips you did not just read that).

Yesterday was day one and we did pretty good. It was also the first time that we were really tested!

My sister-in-law invited us and a few other families with young children over for dinner. We were supposed to grill out but it was rainy so we ate inside. Jason and I (I am doing this with him) did pretty well overall. Instead of hamburger buns we had spelt bread (which is a more ancient grain and many people with wheat intolerance can eat it), forsook the chips, pink stuff and macaroni salad.

Then came time for desert.

Ice cream sandwiches, loads of cool whip, chocolate sauce and butterfingers. Can anyone say: temptation?

So I was outside with all the mom's helping the little ones get their desert and then they started handing our desert out.

I caught Jason's eye and asked him if he thought it was ok if I had some. He indicated he did not care (which I knew he wouldn't I was just trying to not feel so guilty about devouring eating this amazing looking concoction) and so I took my serving and happily envisioned myself eating that first amazing, definitely not gluten free/healthy bite.

Guilt consumed me.

Ok, that may be a little bit dramatic but I really did feel bad! I mean, here is my sweet husband doing so well and I can't even NOT have desert to help show him some support.

What is a girl to do?

Ask the other Mama's what they think of course!

"So what if your husband is going gluten free? Should you support him in all things or just eat this desert anyway?"

They smiled and said: "Eat the desert."

I smiled thinking of the smooth medley of flavors I was about to consume when all the sudden without warning: SPLAT!

My bowl slipped (not even sure how that happened) and that beautiful ice cream stuff smashed all over the patio.

Now really-would it have been that bad if I had had that teensy weensy little piece of cake? No!

But, I am glad I didn't!

See the Lord has called me to be my husband's help meet. I believe that means even in the little things in life.

My husband has to give up wheat, which is really hard for him, so what can I as his wife do? Support him in it!

I am thankful that I did not eat that desert because I could go to my husband and say: "I didn't have any either."

Not only did it make him feel better but it also showed him that I love him and am willing to support him and help him even in the things that are not as fun!

So folks, we got through the first day of no wheat! On to the next...well, who knows? I am excited to see how this is going to change our lives! I will definitely keep you updated!

Have you ever had to go gluten free? Have any suggestions? I would love to hear them!