it feels like fall outside, there are pumpkins and mums on my front porch, Big Tex is at the State Fair, and Sundays sound like football. October is my favorite! my life is full of family time, nurturing friendships, fulfilling projects, keeping first things first, and making the most of it. here is what else is going on around here lately...
// 6TH AND 9TH. woah. my kids are in 6th and 9th grades this year and it suddenly feels like they're so grown up. as hard as i try, time won't slow down. so i'm rolling with it and really trying to make the most of these precious days, full as they are. they go to a university model school which is a homeschool hybrid where they get classroom instruction twice a week and are at home to do the application and work with me the other days of the week. i love the collaboration and my kids love the school experience. my daughter is a varsity cheerleader this year and oh my goodness it is a total blast. my son is thriving in 6th grade, is becoming more and more independent in his school work, and has really stepped up his leadership game at home, at school, and at church. we're doing Latin and Spanish, Pre Algebra and AP Geometry, Biology and Geography, Bible/Logic and Art Appreciation, and so much more. life around here lately is full of schooling, school activities, and kids social events. i'm here for it. all in.
// DECLARE. still reeling from what i witnessed last weekend at the Declare Conference. dreams awakened, callings confirmed, purposes ignited, fears released, seeds planted, women cheering for one another, dancing together, finding freedom, making connections. in an arena where competitiveness and perfectionism reign, we're flipping the script and going against what the world wants us to do with our voices and platforms and gifts. as Kristen Welch described it, this work is beautiful and brutal, hard and holy. this year in particular felt like Declare was in it's "sweet spot," with nothing but God's favor all around it. year 8 was great! and we are hopeful for the future of Declare. life around here lately is one step at a time in obedience (with my best friends- the Declare team), only looking back to marvel at God's faithfulness.
// VEGAN. my husband and i did a 21 day cleanse (beachbody's ultimate reset) in september, in which we ate a whole foods plant-based diet to rid our bodies of toxins. it was effective. the results we experienced in 21 days were weight loss, increased muscle definition, improved digestion, improved sleep, stabilized energy, and regulated metabolism. so, after 21 days, we decided to keep it up! we're still on a plant based (vegan) diet (no animal products), and we both feel so great. we haven't gained the weight that we lost back and our metabolisms have stayed stable. if you've hit a plateau in your health/nutrition journey and need a swift jumpstart, i highly recommend the ultimate reset. that + LIIFT4 workouts = results that remind me of my 1st round P90X back in 2009. yeah! so, life around here lately is discovering new vegan meals and recipes, and changing habits and it is good!
// FOCUSED. "Follow the peace." wisdom that i keep coming back to. my friend Rachael shared this with me and it is very effective and actually practical for me to stay focused on a day to day basis. Rachael says,
"any time our lives start to feel overwhelming and chaotic my husband and i stop and re-evaluate all the things to which we are committed. there have been many times that i have no peace about a project, party or person (yes, some relationships) but i’ve kept it in my life out of comfort. God may have given us peace to do something for a season but when he releases us we must be willing to obey and let it go. the amount of peace that floods our hearts and homes in that moment is something that money cannot buy."
// READING. some good reads that i recommend:
What You Need to Know by Crystal Sparks
8 Things to do at the Beginning of Every Month by Brighton Keller
EMF (WiFi Radiation) Toxins Research shared by Danette May
Choices by Megan Fish
The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom
// LAUGH OUT LOUD. Jesus or Beyonce? https://youtu.be/R-erH1k0ZkQ
// GOALSETTER. "my cup is running over. This is the assigned moment for him to move into the center, while I slip off to the sidelines." -John 3:30 (the message version)
and that about sums up what's going on around here lately!
follow me on IG for more random life updates.
“Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven.
What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this. When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action.
And when two or three of you are together because of me,
you can be sure that I’ll be there.”
-Matthew 18:20
# # #
