Hearts Transformed

I worked out so hard last night that may body felt shredded when I finally laid down. I woke up today at the bright and early time of 12:47pm. Yes, that is correct I slept for about 12 and 1/2 hours last night. But my workouts are paying off. I have lost a total of 14 pounds!!!!!! I am loving this new exercise routine. I just hope once "real life" kicks in I can stick with it. I mean it is pretty easy to make it to the gym when that and waking up are about the only things you got planned for the day.

Warning: This is a long one. Well the past few months have been so much of a transition and I wasn't quite sure how so many things were going to play out. And David and I definitely have some hurdles to jump until things are "stable" but I am sitting in such a place of calm and trust right now. You know when people make a comment and it hits a chord in your soul? That happened recently. I live now just moments away from our nation's capital and so many other things of interest. Places that millions of people travel hundreds, even thousands, of miles to see and experience. I don't want to miss the treasure in my own "backyard." I have also recently been challenged to see the blessings and to live a life of gratitude, which in turn is how you honestly live this life to the fullest. So here I am going to exercise classes and enjoying it. Going on day trips to places of interest. Stopping by obscure historical places in the town I just moved. And spendin...

Well this has been an interesting first couple weeks here in D.C. But this blog is entirely dedicated to one of my new goals. I currently do not have a job so I have structured my day in such a way as to try and make the most of this non working time. I have joined Gold's Gym and I have really enjoyed two of the group classes so much. BodyJam which is just a time to dance it out and burn some calories and BodyFlow which helps core strength and flexibility. I met with a trainer that was too expensive for me to do right now but helped me with a starting place for some weight training. So far I have lost six pounds which is great because I had really been packing it on leading up to the move. I am a self admitted stress eater and I let that have far too much control over my life. I am using MyFitnessPal to help track calories and exercise. I am trying very hard to stay between 1200-1400 calories a day. I am working out five times a week for an hour minimum each time. And I am drinki...

So i didn't have time to take a picture of our almost delicious dinner. Moving has brought on a few exciting challenges that I am trying to figure out as we go. For starters we don't have an oven or a place for one so it will be stove top cooking for this season in our lives. Thankfully colder weather is coming not to far away and I can stick to soups. Anyway, I digress, today I went to check out a new store called, Mom's Organic Market, well they have a few things but did not have fresh asparagus or parsnips. So I thought it was time for a little experiment vegetable. WRONG decision! Black turnips are very hard, very severe and very bitter. So my tip for today is if you are in the mood for a little experimenting with new things; stay away from the black turnips.

So it is already July and I have a little less than one month before I will be unemployed and the world will be my proverbial oyster. So what should I do in this next chapter of my life? I want to do something creative. I want to make things or teach how to make things. But what "things" should it be? Should I try and open a group painting studio. Or should I try a new business idea all together? I welcome comments to the question: What should I do next?

Tonight I got very creative and decided to attempt a new recipe. To be honest it is more out of necessity to cook all the food I can find in the cabinet and freezer right now. I am on a tight budget and I am doing my best to stick to it. Here goes nothing: Summer Veggie Chicken Bake 1 can cream of chicken 1 can Rotel 2 chicken breast cubed 1/2 onion sliced thin 1 yellow squash sliced thin 1 zucchini squash sliced thin 1 cup frozen corn 1 small can black olives 2 cups cooked shell noodles shredded cheese of your preference Mix all ingredients (except cheese) pour into a 8x11 cooking dish and top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. It was delicious!

Each year I set out to accomplish goals in my life and one of my personal goals this year was to cook a new recipe each month that I have never cooked before. So far in 2011 the only thing new I made of Cod Bake. So several days ago when I noticed the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook was out I thought David was hinting at something. Needless to say he finally came around to asking for me to cook what he had found. So here we go: Pan-Roasted Root Vegetables from Barefoot Contessa. I tried several vegetables that I had never eaten before. * 1/2 stick butter * 1 white turnip diced * 2 parsnips diced * 2 carrots diced, * 8 Brussels sprouts, cut in half if large * 4 thyme sprigs (i used dried about 1/4 teaspoon) * salt * pepper * 2 celery ribs diced. Melt 1/2 stick of butter in a saucepan that has a tight fitting lid. Toss diced parsnips, carrots, turnips and brussels sprouts, thyme, salt and pepper in the melted butter cover and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. Uncover ...

Every have those seasons in life that feel relentless? I am in the middle of one of those right now and I am trying my very best to focus on the blessings in my life. Because they are many but it just seems each new day is compounding upon us what we are having to deal with. David is at the house feeling a little loss with no where to go during the day and it breaks my heart to see him so discouraged. We are praying that the paper we need for immigration will come this week and we can get it to the office it needs to be at the beginning of next week. Then I will be calling Senator Corker's office once again to see if this law abiding, tax paying, voting AMERICAN citizen can't speed things along with the ridiculous Immigration process. For anyone who thought it was as easy as getting married for David to become a citizen, sadly you are mistaken. I have been having some complications with my health that are concerning and I am scheduled for more test this coming week and then...

Everyone knows, I heart a great deal. Given my year of no new non-food, non-health product purchases it has been so difficult to pass on some of the wonderful offers I have seen come through. But ALAS! this morning I quite possibly hit the jackpot.  There is a new discount website that offers great discounts to local fares while allowing you to use these promotions from your phone and there is no need to pre-buy or print out certificates. It is  ScoutMob  and their tag line is Mobile Deals for the Local Curious. And they are hiring in the D.C. area! How amazing would it be to discover my new city and get paid to do so? 

So today I am really at my limit. I feel like i keep trying to get ahead in losing weight and paying debt and it seems like I am going in the wrong direction in everything. I am distracted with my future worries. I am pretty sure Jesus said, "Today has enough worries of it's own." I need help. I need accountability. I don't want to spend money on this but I think it may be exactly what I need to do. I am going to have to bite the bullet and join a gym where I can be motivated to get a move on. I felt so motivated when David was here but with him out of town most of the time, it is so difficult. I just need to commit. I haven't been as vulnerable as this before with the blogosphere but I need an outlet. I want my life to be one that is extraordinary. I want to be an example to the world of what the FULL LIFE looks like and I don't think I am doing a real bang up job right now. I get distracted with all the worries of the world and don't look to the One ...

With my new challenge of not buying anything for a full calendar year I have had some really proud moments like, when I walked through Target and only bought disposable razors and draino and some really hard moments like, when I find a great sale on something.  This morning I realized that my smell good soap is almost out and although I am going to buy soap I am only buying the cheapest  I can find with a coupon, of course! And I am having a BAD HAIR week which is really working my resolve to not spend money. SO, I come into work today in a huff over the hair experience. It is like my fun curly hair has decided to go straight? What is up with that?  Here is where the story gets good and God blows me away. A wonderful woman from my church comes into my office to drop off the key to her house (for which I am house-sitting this weekend) and she puts a great big bag on my desk that includes two pair of the killer deal flip flops from Old Navy, a new smell good soap...

I have one hundred things running through my head today and here are a few: *I have been in a rut and I feel as though I am climbing out. YEAH! *I want to host a book club, because I like to read and I like to host parties. *I would like to do a bible study this summer with a few women *I HAVE to get active. I have recently found myself becoming sucked dry by the television. *I must blog more because it feeds my internal creative juices. *I want to make the most out of the next three months! *I want to pick strawberries and make delicious things so i am going to attempt on June 5th They just keep coming! I got to get off the computer and get some things done!

Last night I hosted a coupon class at my church and it was so much fun! I love teaching people. I was so energized. I think there is something to this and while I don't want to develop yet another money savers blog, I do want to share with people what I have learned. Let the games begin! Let's see what can happen.

Ever since I was a young child, I remember loving to shop. My sweet grandmother would take me out to get a "happy" when I was with her. I am so grateful to have a family that loves me and supports me. I am blessed beyond my comprehension. With that being said, I have issues with restraint. Over the last several years I feel God has convicted me more and more about how I spend my time and money. David and I are living comfortable lives and although we aren't able to take lavish trips or go out and purchase things without concern, we are still living as some of the wealthiest people on the planet. So with the pending move to new adventures I have really prayed about what is next for me. Here is my revelation, I believe there is more than enough resources in this world to go around. There are millions of us with abundance just sitting around our homes while there are billions with nothing. There are millions of us who are overwhelmed by the disorganization in our closets...

We, David and I, are waiting on big news. He is up for a wonderful job with a wonderful company and was told he would hear something by last Thursday. A phone call followed on Friday that informed him he would hear the first part of this week. WELL IT IS WEDNESDAY and in my book that is mid week. I am trying today to keep in mind that today is all I have to worry about because tomorrow will have enough worries of it's own. But that is so stinking hard. I want a plan. I want a list. I want an answer to this question. I want to know what is next. But I am trying, probably not as hard as I should, to take a breath . After all, I did say that was my personal theme for 2011. Today I am thankful that I have a husband that loves me. Thankful that we both have jobs in an unsure economy. Thankful that God has a plan for our future. And learning that I don't have to know.

Each week at CCH  we have a devotion lead by one of our staff members. This week happened to be Mark Williams's week. He shared a few great thoughts some of his own, some borrowed. But here are a couple I wanted to share.    Joseph tells his brothers and family of his BIG dreams and it doesn't go so well. And although in the end the dreams in fact come true, do you think Joseph would have agreed to those dreams if he had seen the journey he would have to take to get there? Which naturally leads to the question; Would you pass on some big dreams if you knew the road leading to them was marked by danger, accusations, and suffering? David and I are in the middle of one of those not so fun parts of our journey together. He is currently in Washington, D.C. and I am here in Nashville. Obviously this isn't ideal but we are blessed to both be working and I just couldn't help but think that God was reassuring me that the journey may not always be what we had in mind but he ha...

Note to all reading this post: This is just a little rant. I realize I should be grateful for a job and for shelter and all of that. My office has been incredibly hot and in response our solution was to turn on the ac. This resulted in the sound of twin turbines taking off and then the most wretched smell I have experienced in a long time. Repair man assures us that there is no remains of a unfortunate squirrel or the likes and that he added a fragrance for us. You guessed it WINTERGREEN! Now my options are two: Hades Hot or Wintergreen Whiffs! BOO!

is not like the other. In 2010 our church, Community Church , had a great theme and each month we had a wonderful colored banner that hung in the sanctuary to visually remind us of the name of Jesus that we were praying and studying that month. All of the banners followed a particular set-up but the name of Jesus for the month was bold and featured. After the month passed we retired the banners to the entrance and to a popular meeting room. Each week our staff meets in this particular room and many of us had never noticed the one of the banners was missing the highlighted name. Or if we had noticed we never mentioned anything about it. Until this past Monday when our administrative pastor was doing the weekly devotional in staff meeting and he made mention of this. His whole point was often times we miss seeing the things that need our attention. "We have to look for the obscure." Now with the banners sure we should have caught this right away and had the problem recti...

Today's Lectionary Reading Morning Psalm begins with Psalm 56. 1. Laugh- When I was younger I liked to joke around, much the same today. It was a big deal in a strange circle of Christian friends to sign your name and write a verse. Now for clarification I did not pull this joke out of disregard for scripture. I have a high view of Scripture and I did then as well. Anyway, I used to sign my name and then write Psalm 56:1. If anyone were to look this up they would have read. "Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me;" (NIV) 2. Leading- Well that is about as far as I ever got with remembering anything about Psalm 56 but today with continued reading. I was comforted beyond my own comprehension. I am currently in a really amazing season of my life but there have been seasons that aren't as swell. So I take great comfort in Psalm 56:8.  "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your ...

I am very interested in expectations. I find it the expectations I put on myself and on others fascinating.. I find it humorous the expectations that others put on me. What is it about expectations that get so skewed?

Today is Valentine's Day and it is a day full of emotions. For some this day is full of joy and excitement while others this day is full of disappointment and loneliness. Regardless of where you may fall on the emotional continuum, I offer you Valentine's wishes. If I had tons of money and all kinds of time I would hand address a paper craft and attach a good ol' cherry flavored white stamped Love sucker.

We have been having snow every week it seems. At Community our church snow policy is to follow our local school closings. Needless to say we have had quite a few snow days this year and all this open time on Wednesday nights called for a substitute, heaven forbid I stop for two seconds. Snow Wednesdays have been deemed, Automatic Movie Nights. My good friend Erin B. and I go to see a movie and often invite others along. This is a great new tradition but it has become a little expensive this snowy winter. I digress. This past Wednesday, we went to see The King's Speech. Warning: Adults only for language. But if you can get past the language which thankfully was limited to a few scenes, this is an amazing movie. I learned so much and was very inspired to learn more of King George or Bertie as his family called him. All of that to say there was one scene that a background item caught my attention. The exit sign read, "Way Out." I found this fascinating. In life I have ...

When I was in Charleston with a group of friends several weeks ago, we were walking the streets looking at all the great buildings. My eye was caught by quite a few things. The most striking though was this scene. I edited the picture a little to capture the feelings I had about this bench. At first it was hilarious to see a reserved sign over a random bench in a parking lot. But as I stopped to take the picture I realized it was one of those teaching moments in life. A "God Sighting." Right here in the middle of an obscure parking lot there was a reserved space. A place set aside. A place to take a rest. A place to be still. How wonderful it is to consider these words in relationship to a God who prepares a place for you to sit. A place in the middle of the most obscure times in your life. A place, reserved.

So I am getting married in 9 days and I am so excited for that to happen, but I would like to give a run down of my week: Monday-Had to have my entire windshield replaced because a rock broke it. Tuesday-Had to have an air inlet tube replaced in my car and learned of new and exciting repairs needed. David brings me to Jazzercise only to have a wreck right outside the church messing up his car. He is okay and the car is drive-able. Wednesday-My car was put back in shop to have the entire brake system (basically) replaced. It's David's birthday and I spend a good part of his birthday dinner crying and asking him what we are going to do with no savings and one income? I am busy telling God how unfair it is that this is all happening this week. What could he possibly be teaching me? Why in the world is all this happening to us? UGHHHHHH!!!!! And how I am so frustrated about all of it. And how I feel like this should be the time in our lives that everything seems to be falli...

You know when you click on that random email link to check it out. Well I did that several weeks ago and it opened up so many new ideas and thoughts for me. First, I won a drawing to receive a free book. I never win those things. I was so excited. Less Clutter, Less Noise by Kem Meyer is a wonderful book of new ideas and funny anecdotes. I would recommend this to anyone who is in church ministry or any other profession where you are trying to communicate with your audience important information. Also I am a guest blogger tomorrow, January 19. Check it out at Less Clutter. Less Noise. Group Blog Happy Reading!

I am not a big fan of resolutions but I am a huge fan of goals. Each year I set goals to accomplish throughout the year. I appreciate that I have shared these with a few people and they are my accountability to continue to work towards these goals. I don't know if I will accomplish all 25 of them but I am sure going to try and I promise I will get more done working towards these than if I had planned none at all. I won't share all of them with you but here are a few. I have broken my goals into 5 categories. Physical Work out 4 times a week for at least 1 hour. Professional I would like to get one article published  Personal I would like to try a new recipe once a month Spiritual Begin each day with prayer and time in the Word. Relational Invite one new couple to dinner once a month.  I set 5 goals that are specific and measurable in each category. I encourage each of you reading this to set forth goals as well. See how much we can get done in 2011!

I recently went on an annual traditional New Years trip. I have the most amazing group of friends that come together every year to ring in the new year with one another. We have traveled all sorts of places: New York City, Gatlinburg, South Walton Beach, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Gulf Shores, and this year Charleston, SC.  I will probably blog about my Charleston visit in the coming days but today I wanted to get a particular stop off my chest. I went to the Old Slave Mart Museum located at 6 Chalmers Street. It cost $7 for adult admission and it seemed like a pretty small place. I wasn't sure if it was worth the money but decided to give it a try. David and I entered together but soon split up due to reading speed. I found myself lost in a world so "foreign" to anything I know. Yet it was about my country and my people. I finished the tour and walked outside so overwhelmed emotionally and mentally that I needed a minute to take a breath. I could not process all the thoughts...