When Only a Miracle Will Do

Back to the grind, fat burning grind that is.  We did Bob's Pure Burn Super Strength workout today.  I thought it might be a nice change of pace... less painful... umm, yeah, so anything with Bob Harper's name on it is actually going to be quite painful.  Silly me.  As he said today, 'You don't get fit by doing ten minute workouts, you get fit by working out hard every day.' 

Today was all about muscle strength.  I used one pound weights and Jason used two.  Now, don't be nay-saying those small weights.  Go pick up a bag of flour, hold it over your head, do some deep runner's stretches, do all kinds of crazy lifts and stretches and then let me know how light one-two pounds are.  It's funny, but they quickly become very heavy. ("Heaby" as my nephew used to say.)  We did an amazing job though!  It's encouraging to me that even the workout helpers are sweating like crazy and grunting and wanting to quit when Bob's not watching.  They must forget they are being filmed.  It's quite funny, really. 

I can barely keep my eyes open.... oh wait.... I'm typing with my eyes closed.  It's kinda nice really.  Hope I don't make any mistakes.  If I do, I won't correct them, just to see how funny it looks.  Waking up at five after sleeping until nearly eight every day last week is a SHOCK to my system.  I'd like to go back to bed now.  Who knows?  Maybe there's time for a quick cat nap after blogging.  OK, My eyes are open again.  How'd I do?  Make any mistakes?

Weekend Roundup:
Saturday, I spent the day at my parent's house for an early Easter celebration.  My Sister and Nephew came over and eventually Jason did too.  We spent a good portion of the day outside, taking pictures, wandering around with G trying to find the eggs Mom had hidden (missing two still).  I hope those aren't the ones with chocolate inside, but pennies instead. 

Around 3, I went in to escape the heat and mosquitoes and had a tiny cat nap.  It was one of those sleeps, where you can still hear things going on around you, so I wasn't totally out.  I heard Mom and G coming back inside saying, "We need a girl, a rope and a ladder."  What in the world? I thought.  Turns out, Mom needed my help to take down a tree in the backyard.  Why take down a perfectly good tree, you ask?  Well, Mom said it was shading her garden too much.  Why not move the garden?  She already had twice, so the tree moved this time.  It took a bit of elbow grease but we finally got the tree sawed enough that we could pull it down (tied a rope to a top section earlier). 

[.....14 hours later....]  I was so exhausted this morning, I went back to bed for an hour before going to work.  :)

It's easier to show pictures than to explain:

Steph and Mom sawing down the tree

Yay! Girl power took down the tree!

Easter Sunday, we went to 8am church.  It was an amazing service!  Pastor Chris sermon was entitled, "When Only a Miracle Will Do".  I knew from the very moment he mentioned that we were going to do things a little different, I would be going forward to receive the miracle of healing in my body.  I was both excited and nervous at the same time, but I knew God was leading me to take this step.  This wasn't the first time I've been prayed over for this ailment (sciatica), but this time was different.  I don't know how to explain it, I just knew.

By the time the moment to go forward came about, I nearly pushed Jason out of the way to get out of my seat.  I knew if I didn't obey in the moment, I would talk myself out of the blessing.  I've asked Jesus to heal me over the past three years or so, but He's chosen not to.  Who knows why.  Maybe it required me to sacrifice something of myself?  Maybe I had to take the actual step of faith and trust that a stranger praying for me and ushering in His spirit of healing would be enough. 

I had to wait my turn in line... I couldn't sing the praise song... all I could hear was my beating heart pumping blood into my ears.  When I stepped forward, the sweet lady asked me what was going on with me.  I said, "I've been suffering with sciatica for years and I just need the pain to stop."  She said, "Oh, girl, we're going to get you healed in the blood of the Lamb."  She then began to pray and say things that ONLY King Jesus would know about me.  Things I've only said to Him, things no knows, yet she was praying them over me.  That's the second time that's happened to me in my lifetime.

My human side (head) wants to err on the side of caution and say, let's wait and see if I'm truly healed.  But my heart tells me, I was healed the moment I asked Him to bless me with a miracle.  I've prayed He would heal me many times before, but all I can say is it was different this time.  I hope and pray I truly am healed.  What a glorious experience I will have for my life to remember Easter 2012... the day I was healed.

Any other Highlanders out there?  Or has anyone else received a miracle in their life?  I'd love to hear about it!  Please leave me a comment!

Sunday afternoon, Jason and I decided to create something beautiful by doing an art project I had seen on Pinterest.  You glue crayons to a canvas and then melt them using a hair drying.  The finished product looked amazing and so I thought we could figure it out and give it a try.  The whole project was less than $20 for us both!  It took muuuuuuuuuuuch longer than either of us thought it would, but the finished product was completely worth it!  I'll save you all the numerous behind the scenes details (unless you just really want to know) and show off our finished art project! 

My art

Jason's Art

Finished Products!

Today was the first of many two-a-day workouts.  It actually was pretty OK.  I probably could have done more cardio, but my right side extremities fall asleep within 10 minutes of starting.  By 40, I just have to quit.  Pins n needles are no fun.  Does anyone have any idea why only my right hand and foot go to sleep?  I would love for that to stop!

Week 2 Day 1

I had an interesting weekend.  They're never as long as they need to be to recover from the week, but I'm thankful for having weekends off.  At different times in my life, I wasn't so blessed.  Friday night, Jason and I went to one of our favorite hang out places in Montevallo called Eclipse Coffee.  They have a great menu and so we tend to overeat.  But this time, we only ordered one thing at a time and shared while playing games.  We found that we really didn't need so much food (Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Tuna Fish sandwich and pretzels).  Good for us.  They also serve the most amazing peanut butter chocolate milkshake!  I'd been thinking about it all night.  Wrestling with whether I should get one or not.  I had been so good all week and hadn't had any sweets.  Oh, it was calling my name!  I finally decided it was OK.... and.... they were out of ice cream!  Noooooooo!  So my craving went unfulfilled but my waste line didn't increase.

Saturday, I headed to Sybil's Stoneycreek Farm with some close girlfriends to have a farewell luncheon for our good friend CPH.  Her husband is in the Navy and they are being transferred to Virginia.  Sybil was a fabulous host as always; excellent food, great company.  It was fun to hang out with one another, chasing after little ones, taking pictures and just generally enjoying the day.  All the while, remembering that at the end, I'll have to say goodbye to my friend.  We've been friends for 10+ years.  Hard to believe.  I still remember the day we met.... Thanks D$ for introducing a life long friendship.

After our tearful goodbye, I raced home as I needed to make a dessert for the game night my friend was hosting.  I had the idea to make it a special St. Patrick's Day dessert, in that I used hidden green things.  I wasn't sure people would go for it, but everyone loved the creativity.  After dinner, we played Telestrations, which is the visual equivalent of the classic school-yard game "telephone." It's a fun-filled sketching game in which everyone's attempts at "art" can turn hilarious. The game starts with a secret word that is passed from player to player. As the word is sketched, interpreted, and then sketched again, it undergoes a visual transformation that will surprise and delight everyone.  We laughed and laughed and laughed.  Love that game.

 

Sunday, I met Jason at church.  Wow, what an incredible service!  I could write a whole blog about the lesson and maybe should.  It was powerful and touched many.  After church, we were supposed to go to McWayne's, but I had a massive allergy attack!  I couldn't quit sneezing and my head was killing me and I felt so sick.  It came on so sudden and unfortunately will last until there's a good rainstorm to wash all the pollen away.  I have a tolerate/hate relationship with spring.  I hate that it got in the way of our fun day.  Oh well, we both had a nap instead and watched a movie.

 

 Which leads me to Week 2 Day 1 of waking up early to workout.  Nothing exciting to report, really.  We did Dance Praise, which my knees and hips will be screaming at me later, if they aren't already.  We laugh the whole time though, so that's a lot of fun.  We need more cardio in our workout though.  We either need to make time to go back to the gym for a little bit or get out and walk or something.  Personally, I'm going to avoid going outside at all costs during this season.

I ordered Bob Harper's (from The Biggest Loser) Inside Out Method DVDs the other day for only $20!!  I know Bob and he's going to kick our tail, but that's exactly what we need.  I can't wait for those to arrive to kick start our workout routine.  We've also talked about doing Turbo Fire too.  I think it looks like a lot of fun but hard work too.  My friend has done it and seen amazing results.  We'll see... 

OK, I feel like I'm just rambling, so I'm going to go get ready for work.  Have a great day all!

Be the Active Ingredient

It all started on January 25, 2011 when JP and I went to get dinner at Smoothie King after working out.  On the bottom of my receipt it said, "Be the Active Ingredient".  It struck a cord within me and I knew one day it would turn into a blog post.  (That's the thing about being a writer, I never know where my next inspiration will come from.)  Little did I know, God would make me wait SIX months!  I have no idea why, but everytime I went to write, I heard, "wait".  So I did.  It wasn't until this afternoon that He gave me the OK to write about it!

Let me explain what this little phrase has come to mean to me over the past six months!

When I first started doing some research about active ingredients, I wanted a simple definition, however that's not readily available.  Try this one on for size:  "Active ingredients are components in a drug which provide some pharmaceutical value, in contrast with the inactive ingredients, which act as carriers to make the drug easier for the body to process. The term “active ingredients” is also used in the pesticide industry to describe the active pesticides in a formulation. In both cases, these ingredients are literally “active,” performing a specific function upon application or ingestion."

Or in laymen's terms: When something or someone has been added to a certain situation, it/we have the potential for greatness.  Or, at the very least, change.  Ahh, change.  I have a love/hate relationship with that word, but more on that another time.

Anyone has the potential to BE the active ingredient!  It just takes a little extra effort on your part.  Are you up for the challenge?   If you'll remember our complicated definition from above, the last phrase is the most important, "active ingredients perform a specific function upon application."  Let's talk more about that, shall we?

April 27, 2011, a day Alabama won't soon forget.  JP and I had the pleasure of volunteering through Church of the Highlands that very next Saturday.  We met at the Dream Center with our red SERVE t-shirts and were immediately sent within the community.  They piled us in the van, heading for Pratt City.  I have to say, first, I've never heard of Pratt City until we were there.  And second, it was an extremely surreal experience.  We had no real idea of what to expect. We didn't even know what the damage would be like. Let me just tell you, pictures do not do it justice.

There were two major active ingredients within the volunteer efforts: our Highlands red tshirts and food.  It was amazing!  They were the secret keys to get us beyond the police barricade and into the front lines.  "Oh, you're with Highlands?  Come on through." or "Oh, you've got food for us, sure, come on through."  It was like having a "Golden Ticket".

Once we got into the main part of Pratt City, it looked like a bomb had gone off.  We all just stopped and looked around.  Twisted metal.  Tree stumps as far as you could see.  Houses either completely gone or in complete ruin.  We even saw a matress speared through a remaing branch on a remaining tree.  I know you've all seen pictures by now, but until you've actually been there.  Met the people who's lives have changed forever.  Talked with the kids who are trying to act like it's a normal day.  Served food to families with only the clothes on their backs... you'll just never understand.

I don't say any of this to brag on anything great JP and I did.  There were COUNTLESS volunteers that day.  We met a lot of great people, all with hearts of service.  I would say that's another active ingredient: a heart of service.  Once we got our feet in the door, then it was up to us how to serve using the strengths God gave us. 

At one point, we (about 15 of us total - 3 in the cab, the rest in the back) all piled into JP's pickup, went further into the community and delivered tons and tons and tons of water.  What a site we must have been!  I remember starting to cry at first... the devestation...was unreal!  Even now, I have a mind's eye view and my eyes fill with tears.  I felt so helpless.  What could I do to help these people?  I decided right there and then, I would do whatever it took.  I would get out of my comfort zone and love on strangers.  I met a lot of amazing strangers that day.  I pray they are doing OK.

Since then, I've realized that anything can be a catalyst to cause an active ingredient explosion in any given situation!  You never know the potential impact you might have in someone's life.  For instance, I tweeted/Facebooked where JP and I were and that Pratt City needed more volunteers.  Later in the day, we went back to the Highlands Command Center (where all the military, police and utility workers came for food and drink) and my friend Mandy was there.  She said she read
on FB what I said and she and her husband came to volunteer.  My decision to ask for help (something I've also been learning this year) resulted in two more amazing volunteers.

My examples go on and on, but the point I'm trying to get across to you is that it doesn't take Super Man to be the active ingredient in someone's world!  Everyone has the chance every single day to make a difference!  Whether it's making conversation with the grumpy clerk at Walmart or Publix, trying to illlicit a smile from them.  Or allowing someone in on the road, even though they cut you off a few miles back and you're still steaming about it.  Go on, let them over.  Or if someone let you over, wave at the person to tell them thanks.  So many examples!

My challenge to you, dear friends, be the active ingredient in your world of influence!  You never know how your own decision might affect someone's life.. for eternity!!  Wow, what a responsibility.  Remind yourself daily.  I still have my Smoothie King receipt in my wallet.  Each time I open it, I'm reminded of the lesson God's been teaching me.

"Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another. - Napoleon Hill"

Happy Feet

There was a certain time in my life, when I had to put the camera down and just live life. I loved capturing all life had to offer, but I quickly realized I wasn’t the one LIVING this said life. Recently, I had good intentions to document my life more through writing. However, one glance and you’ll see I haven’t blogged since the first of January. That’s not to say there haven’t been many things to blog about, I just chose to once again LIVE through the experience rather than editorialize my life. Hmm, there’s gotta be a balance.

Photography and writing are both huge aspects of my life. They are my creative force to find beauty in the world around me. They are my voice when I have no words. And finally, I believe they are the gifts God’s given me to share His love. Therefore it’s my duty and responsibility to not squander this talent.

At every turn, I’ve always tried to keep the attention on Him. I write for and see Him in the pictures I take. But sometimes, human nature creeps in and it wants to say, “I did that.” It’s easier for me to step back and do nothing rather than primp for the glory, when really it’s all about Him.

I’ve been asking Him to show me what my “Feet” project should be. Oh, that’s right, I never explained what that was. You see, last year, I went to a women’s conference through Church of the Highlands. The main theme was to put “feet” to your God assignment. In that, whatever you’ve been tasked to do for His Glory, put it in action. So, if you felt led to lead a Bible study for children after school, then you were to start one. If you felt led to run a marathon, you were to start training and make the goal to accomplish it. For me, I wasn’t exactly sure what I was supposed to do. Write another book? No, I didn’t really feel led to go that route. I’ve been thinking and praying about it for months, but all the while still taking pictures.

Jason frequents a local organic restaurant on Riverchase Parkway called “Fresh Art Cafe”. (VERY good food!! Please go support the business!! 2100 Riverchase Center #226, Hoover, AL 35244, 988-8360). The owner, Kitty, mentioned to him that she’d like to add some artwork from local artists on the wall for decoration, but wasn’t sure whom to contact. He told her about me and my love of photography.  She asked him to tell me to bring in some pictures and she'd hang them in her store.  How exciting huh?

JP told me about this conversation about a week or so ago and immediately something in me went, “YES! THIS IS IT!” Since then, I’ve been scouring my computer for my best of the best pictures. It was a daunting task at first. I wasn’t sure the best path of least resistance, but quickly realized I really did need to go through every picture I’ve taken in the last year. I spent most of last Sunday working on it. I started to see the light at the end of the tunnel when I showed JP some of the ones I’d chosen thus far. He was impressed and renewed my sense of purpose.

I went to Michael’s the other day and bought a bunch of frames. That, my friends, is putting feet to a dream. To actually visualize my pictures in these frames made me VERY excited… but also nervous. You see, writing has always been easy for me. I knew God had blessed me with talent long ago. But photography is a recent passion. I do think I have gifting here as well. But it’s one thing for me to think that and an entirely different thing for strangers, who know nothing about me, to view my work.

Here’s the thing. I know this has been set up by Jesus. I honestly don’t think this is an accident. So, no matter what ends up on Kitty’s walls, I’ll know that I did my best; put my best foot forward, if you will (no pun intended [get it?  Foot Project]). That in and of itself is enough to bring Honor and Glory to Him.

So, if you're in the Riverchase area soon, you'll have to stop into “Fresh Art Cafe” (2100 Riverchase Center #226, Hoover, AL 35244, 988-8360) to not only get a really good lunch, but also take a look at my art on the wall!  (I'll let you know when it's they're officially up!) 

Happy trails!

21 Days

Homework.  I've never liked homework.  Not in school, not as an adult.  I mean, who wants to bring work home?!  As much as I've always loved blogging, it started to feel like work.  So, I just sorta stopped.  God's given me this desire, passion and the ability to write things that most people don't see or know or even get until they read what I write.  Which is pretty amazing!  Humbling and amazing!  During my blogging hiatus, I feel as though I've been dishonoring God by not using those talents.  I've been thinking about that a lot lately. 

I've been working on, well, praying about what I should do for my next  "feet" project.  (What is "feet" project?  It's a whole other story that I don't feel like sharing right now.  Soon though.) Essentially, I was created for a specific purpose.  Now, what that purpose is, I'm not sure yet.  I might not know the full extent this side of Heaven (which is frustrating).  God's given me these passions so I need to use them.  So... I've decided I need to blog again. 

How long will I blog?  I don't know, as life is b-u-s-y!  I'm thankful that I'm busy.  It's a blessing the things and people I'm busy with.  My life has drastically changed the past nine months in ways I can't even begin to describe.  I'm extremely thankful for those blessings, but at the same time, I'm busy and therefore can't get as much done.  Or so I think...

Every January my church, Church of the Highlands, does 21 days of prayer and fasting.  It's essentially a tithe for our year.  We are giving God our first in the new year.  In past years, I've given up certain things such as listening to secular music.  (I remember how hard that was.  I was so committed that if I walked into a store and the radio was on, I walked right out.)  Well, most of the church does a total food fast (water only).  Some do a media fast, while some others does something specific they feel God is leading them to give up.  Ultimately, it's an offering to God.  Less of me and more God.

I personally can't do the no food thing.  I know my body and I would get horrendous headaches.  However, I can give God others things, such as my Facebook time.  Gosh, FB is like a Venus fly trap!!  I hop on to check something really 'quick' and the next thing I know, three hours have passed and it's time for bed.  So, yeah, I can give that up.  Sure, I might miss my friends and what's going on in their lives.  I'll also miss playing Scrabble with my sister, but you know what?  I can use that time I would have spent playing on the computer to do something productive.  Goodness knows there's not enough productive hours in the day! 

Jason also suggested I give up something I really love, like my nightly mug of Publix's frozen peanut butter cup yogurt.  It's ridiculous how much I love this stuff.  When he mentioned it last night, I replied by saying, "I can't give it up for a whole month!  God knows I can't do that!"  haha  So he said, take it a week at a time.  Week one: no Facebook.  Week two: No refined sugars (only natural sweeteners, like honey).  Week three: Haven't figured that one out yet, but perhaps add more fruits and vegetables into my diet.  Because, frankly I don't get enough.  My diet is not entirely the best for me.  I eat way too many carbs!  I'm not fueling my body with the things it needs to be strong and productive. 

Which leads me to the next step in my attack.  I want to get healthy.  Not just because around the globe made a resolution/"commitment" to get in shape.  No, no.  I never make resolutions like that.  I know this sounds crazy, but I know myself.  If I resolve to do something, it usually falls by the wayside within the first month.  Which causes me to get down on myself.  Instead, I set goals.  Sometimes I have to make them small and attainable, so I can push myself to the big ones!

Jason and I have decided to work out three days a week this semester instead of doing a small group.  Last night was our first night to really go at it.  We did about 25 minutes of cardio and 30ish minutes of lifting weights.  The gym was super packed.  I hope it's not always like that!  But it was amazing!  It was hard and it hurt and I sweated like a pig.  (Although, I'm not entirely sure that pigs actually do sweat!  Where did that expression come from anyway?)  The workout was really good.  I came home exhausted, but energized.  (Though, I did have an unscheduled nap in front of the TV before bed.)  I slept hard and woke up without any sore muscles.  That's good!  Guess that means I need to push myself harder and do more tomorrow night? 

I was on the way home from work tonight, when I was talking with God.  Not necessarily praying, just talking with Him about life.  It dawned on me that this was to be my blog post, but I knew if I didn't get those thoughts down then, I doubt I would remember them later.  Usually I think of good things to talk about while sitting in traffic, but by the time I'm in front of the computer; it's flown the coop!  I had the bright idea to use the voice recorder on my phone and talk through what I wanted to say.  Then when I got home, I would dictate back to myself what I wanted to say.  Good idea huh? 

So, yeah... this is the beginning of some kind of new journey.  I will do my best to be faithful.  Happy trails, friends!

Great Day, Boring Post

Today (which is actually today's yesterday), but I didn't get to post until now so it's still my today, since I haven't slept yet.  Wow, that was confusing.  Let me start over.

Saturday was a really good day.  Before I went to sleep on Friday night, I set my alarm to wake up about eight hours later.  But then I picked up this new book I'm reading, "How Starbucks Saved My Life: A Son of Privilege Learns to Live Like Everyone Else" and had trouble putting it down.  When my eyes could no longer stay open, I got up out of bed and turned my alarm off.  I knew that was a potentially bad decision, but how often do I get to just sleep until my body is well rested?  Not too often.  After some crazy dreams, I finally got up at 12:52 today (Saturday).  Crazy, I know.  In my defense, I didn't go to bed until around 2:30.  Though, that still means I got ten hours of sleep.  Ahh, whatever.  That's not the point.  In fact, I don't even know why I'm writing about this.  Moving on.

While putting away my clean dishes, I realized I was tired of being frustrated at the way I store things in my kitchen.  Over the next two hours or so, I took most everything out of the pantries and started over.  I was given a lot of things when I first moved in (as I had nothing).  And now that I'm starting to buy more things on my own or just acquire more; it was getting out of control.  I love my kitchen but some of the storage space just doesn't make sense.  I put the things I never use in there.  Next time someone is having a garage sale, please let me know.  I'll donate to the cause.

I was listening to a Church of the Highlands sermon by Joe McGee while I cleaned and organized.  I don't know if you've ever heard of him or heard him speak, but boy that man can bring the Word.  I can burn you a copy of his sermons if you're interested, just let me know.  It took me a while, but boy the final result was amazing.  Though, hours later, when looking for a container to put leftover dinner in, I had trouble finding something to use.  Maybe I need to rethink some of the placement of items.

OK, I feel like this post is super boring.  I don't have some big revelation or anything, just rambling about my day. 

My friend JWW came over for a girl's night.  I made dinner and dessert; which, both were fabulous!  I'm not just tooting my own horn either.  I mean, I'm a good cook, but these were incredible!  People joke with me as I'm seemingly incapable of reading a recipe.  Somehow I always mess something up.  The same was true with the dessert, though thankfully, it really didn't matter.  We had "Fast Fruity Delight".  It was quite delightful as well!

I used blackberries.  Yummy!

Mmmmm Mmmmm Good!

We had dinner first though, Saucy Mexican Chicken.  It was super easy to make and was incredibly delicious.  *pats myself on the back*  If you'd like the recipe, just let me know.

...served over a bed a rice.

After dinner, JWW and I played a game of Scrabble.  We love to play Scrabble together; wish we could do it more often!  I started the game with "Zap", 28 points, but it stunted the growth of the game for quite a while.  We had a lot of fun and JWW won!! 235 to 197.

We were going to play Dance Praise (exactly like Dance Dance Revolution, but with Christian music), but we ended up watching The Proposal instead.  Funny movie!

Whichs leads me to now... 1:31am and because I slept most of the day, I'm not sleepy for bed now.  Hmm.  Guess I'll find something constructive to do, like go read!