tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32544668624549592682024-03-14T00:09:53.026-05:00Hearts TransformedRamblings of a heart being transformed.Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.comBlogger86125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3254466862454959268.post-48103799885407625502018-10-12T11:55:00.000-05:002018-10-12T11:55:50.028-05:00Moving Past Fears, Failures, and Flaws<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I have recently become more involved in the women's ministry at my church, <a href="http://ilifepoint.com/">LifePoint</a>. We have monthly women's ministry events called Sisterhood Gatherings and for these last couple of months, they</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> have been focused on living our "such a time as this" moments bravely and boldly. In September we took a closer look at the story of Esther and the different seasons or times she traveled before getting to her famous "such a time as this" moment (Hear that message </span><a href="http://ilifepoint.com/content.cfm?id=213&download_id=173" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">here</a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">). We were asked to search our hearts to identify the thing that is holding us back and for many women it was fear. This fear isn't phobia kind of fears, although those can be quite scary, but the fear that keeps us awake at night, the fear that stops us from taking that next step or making changes in our lives.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then this past Friday, a good friend brought a message of what next steps to overcoming our fears might look like and it really resonated with me. For many years I have tried, sometimes successfully and sometimes not so successfully, to live out of this personal mantra: "Everything can be changed by attitude and perspective." This mantra is super easy to remember but difficult to live. However, it poses two important questions:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><b>Where do you need an attitude adjustment? </b></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As humans, we are flawed and broken but God wants us to bring release these areas of inadequacy and ask the Holy Spirit to fill those places in order to make us whole. It isn't your flaws, failures or fears that are truly holding you back but a false belief that God isn't big enough to overcome those things. But the truth is you can step into your own “such a time as this” because:</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The LORD is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? Psalm 27:1</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So do not fear, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you... Isaiah 41:10</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I can do all things through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you...Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine. Isaiah 43:1</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3254466862454959268.post-54222733537587921672018-09-08T12:00:00.000-05:002018-09-08T12:00:12.655-05:00What If...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It is often times intimidating to put yourself out there. To be brave and bold in a world that does not feel safe. Yet we are so interconnected in our humanity. There are emotions and experiences that we all share even when we feel as if no one else gets us or that we are all alone. The "what ifs" are often the obstacles that hold us back from living a full and abundant life, those restraints on relationships from reaching their full potential and the thoughts that hinder us from being our true self.<br />
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There is a fairly new country song by Kane Brown called What Ifs and it addresses this exact thing when it comes to a relationship between and man and woman. The woman is not willing to give the relationship a try because what if it doesn't work out, what if she gets hurt, what if... The guy responds when what ifs as well but from a completely different perspective. What if this is the right thing, what if it is more than imagined, what if everything does work out?<br />
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I want to adopt this mentality as I approach opportunities and dreams in and for my life. Instead of being held captive to the fears of the negative what-ifs I am going to move boldly forward with the attitude of what if this works out, what if even more is possible. If you are feeling called to do something positive in this world, to share love, to be light then GO! Move bravely and boldly into this next chapter and focus on all that God can do through you to change this world.<br />
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What are the things you have allowed negative what-ifs to hold you back from doing?Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3254466862454959268.post-74092305232663708822018-08-08T06:24:00.001-05:002018-08-08T08:17:34.025-05:00Masks, Lies, and BeautyI like crafts. I like feeling creative. I like spending time using paper and glue and glitter. I know some of you reading this just rolled your eyes at the mere mention of glitter. Some people have such an aversion to glitter because it has a tendency to have a mind of its own. But I love how it brings a little something extra, another dimension if you will.<br />
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I like makeup. I like spending time making my tired face look fresh. I like the way I can add a little color in the areas that have frankly become a tad dull over the years. I like being able to cover up a blemish and to smooth out the rough places. I even like adding a little glitter from time to time.<br />
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I like a clean house. I like when things are in the right place. I feel so much more at peace when there aren't piles of clothes and toys and unsorted mail laying around. I like walking in after a long day and there being a sense of order and calm.<br />
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However, over time, if I am honest my crafts have become more replicating something I see on Pinterest then allowing my creativity to flow naturally, my makeup is something I have used to literally mask some of the things I carry around, and my house may look clean when you come over at the agreed upon time but please don't look in my garage or the room with the door closed because all the chaos has just been pushed out of site.<br />
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Why do I share this? Because I believe God is working in me to help me peel back the layers of the masks that I have worn for a really long time and the Holy Spirit revealed something to me last night that changed the way I have been looking at myself and some of the lies I have allowed myself to believe. I have long been aware that I wear the mask of performance and perfectionism and I try to be mindful of when I am picking that mask up. It often is my go to in new situations or when I am doing something that is important to me. But wearing that mask is exhausting and I have been putting it on and taking it off for so many years now that its demands have taken a toll on me. Under that mask lied the tired tears that are cried, the sad mask of feeling alone and often overwhelmed. But God revealed to me just last night that this was a lie that the enemy is using to keep me from being vulnerable enough, brave enough, strong enough to be exactly who God created in me to be. The tender and patient Holy Spirit gave me a picture of a sweet face I know so well. It is a face that lights up in my presence. A face that brings me the truth of the feelings she is experiencing. A face that I carry on my phone, hang on my walls and have etched deep in my heart. It was the face of my daughters and the tender words the Holy Spirit whispered to me last night were the true face behind any of the masks I may try to hide behind or pick up in error is the face of God's daughter. I can bring my fears, my joys, my tears, my excitement, my pain, my everything to Him and he loves me.<br />
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2 Corinthians 3:17-18 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.<br />
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My hope in sharing this is that you can begin to unveil your own face. I hope you can ask the Holy Spirit to show you what you are trying to hide behind and that you can begin the process of identifying and taking off the masks that you may have been behind for a little while or a long time. Let your face shine. It isn't until we begin to unveil our face that the glory of God can be reflected out for this dark and hurting world. I would love for this blog to become a community of honesty and healing and I would love to pray with you, so if you are so inclined to share some of the masks that God is revealing to you or some of the things that keep you from putting these masks aside I would love for you to comment below.<br />
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<br />Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3254466862454959268.post-87670363891266836022016-03-22T08:38:00.003-05:002016-03-22T08:38:53.913-05:00MOPS: Grace for the Good Girl Chapter 9Indifference: <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">lack of interest, concern, or sympathy.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"she shrugged, feigning indifference" </span></div>
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That is really the example the internet gave when I looked up the definition. How many times have you feigned indifference when that isn't at all what you really think or feel. I do this alot with my husband and my children. I calculate the cost and feign indifference to keep from the fight or because I'm just tired. But then I over react because my shrug didn't really shrug anything off but only deflected the conversation or situation.<br />
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This chapter covered the story of the prodigal son, it is found in Luke 15 if you need a refresher. This story is used by many to celebrate the graciousness of the Father and the gift of forgiveness. However, chapter nine has us take a look at the "good" kid and explore his resentfulness and then his seemingly indifference to his brother's return.<br />
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It is often easier for us to get why bad things happen to "bad" people than to deal with the idea of injustice coming to those that have followed the rules. What are those rules and who decides if they have been followed? When good girls follow the rules and do the things thought to be good and right but don't get the desired outcome, what do they do? Where is God in the unexpected change of events? Where is our fair Father when the bad girls seem to have it all and the good girl is struggling? While these are legitimate questions we may have the fact of the matter is none of us deserve the good God has for us but we receive it everyday, even in the difficult times.<br />
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In order to live the full and free life we must change our perspective from one that measures good and bad and right and wrong. The truth is we don't know. We don't know what others are truly dealing with inside themselves. We don't know when that hard time is really the greatest protection we can have. We don't know but we can trust that God Is Good and he is never indifferent in His love for each of us!</div>
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</span>Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3254466862454959268.post-20901403518551127782016-01-18T11:18:00.000-06:002016-01-18T11:18:53.008-06:00MOPS: Grace for the Good Girl Chapter 8Hey MOPS Mommas and anyone else that is reading this! We just finished up with Chapter 8- Picket Fences.<div>
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This chapter is all about our comfort zone. Some of us find our comfort zone pretty open and friendly as long as we are the ones in control but when someone else tries to enter through the gate to the inner most part of who we really are it is locked up like Fort Knox. And other's of us keep our distance so great from others because we don't want to risk being hurt. Which one are you?</div>
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I am definitely more towards the open circle as long as I can control the real personal stuff. I still struggle daily with trying to seem like I have it all together and trying to be sure that everyone else is pleased and happy. Funny and convicting this about this chapter is that i am not really a people pleaser at all. I am a self pleaser. I want other to be pleased with me so I will do what I think will make them the happiest with me. I do not want to disappoint others mainly because I want them to not be disappointed in me. Wow, that one is a little deep and is going to take some serious self reflection and prayer. I need to readjust my focus because once again I am realizing that no matter how I label my care for others it is still really rooted in fear and selfishness. </div>
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The one statement from this chapter that really stood out to me, and it is very similiar to another earlier statement that stood out, was page 92 halfway down the page. "And you will smile and wave from a distance, because who they think you are is infinitely more important than who you really are."</div>
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I want to truly be authentic but it is going to take some hard work. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3254466862454959268.post-42137841440027105592015-02-18T12:56:00.003-06:002015-02-18T12:56:46.142-06:00One WeekMy heart is super heavy. I work with some really amazing families that have had their share of struggles but today tops it. I work with a lady whom I spoke to exactly one week ago this afternoon and now she is laying in a hospital bed and her family is having to make the difficult decision of whether to pull her off life support. This lady is like all of us with a family and friends. She was working to set goals in her life and for her family. She had hopes and dreams. I am devasted. I am in shock. I am at a loss.<br />
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It is Ash Wednesday and we enter into this most somber of seasons to which I have never entered in such a state of overwhelming feelings of impending death. I pray that her family is safe and well. I pray that her children push themselves to accomplish all that they dream and all the she dreamed for them.<br />
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I reflect on the coming remembrance of Jesus death and I pray that I push myself to accomplish all that I dream and all that MY FATHER dreams for me. I pray that I keep my eyes fixed on Jesus the author and finisher of my faith.<br />
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This life is but a moment. I am very much reminded of that today. May we make the important moments count and not waste time on the moments that have no value. Draw your loved ones close and let petty things pass.Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3254466862454959268.post-86128901510173709862015-02-10T02:06:00.001-06:002015-02-10T02:06:07.472-06:00Winter to SpringSeasons come and go and right now I am in a season of great anxiety. My head and my heart are not matching up. My head knows the logical things, like it is 3 am and I should be asleep. My body is exhausted and has a headache. My attitude is exhausted and needs adjusting. My faith is exhausted and needs a fresh wind. My heart is exhausted with worry. I know to be grateful. I know to be calm. I know worry doesn't change things. I know my fears are unfounded. Yet here I am in a season of exhaustion. I am in winter and I need signs of Spring! <div><br></div><div>I have family that loves me. I have friends that support me. I have a belief in The God whom is patient and kind. I have a warm house. I have food in the fridge. I have sooooo much. Yet I am in winter and I need signs of Spring!</div><div><br></div><div>Seasons come and go and I am certain that Spring is coming and I welcome it!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-HRvcjHITF2QLbCnqm2pAQvdgiADGBlt0Jv_U6NWlzI_Gi3CdK4VbSYypZeKiWS5aKD6Kpi2-9YoOYzrBgtCoMJRgq2ndtfvp-uHkotG0iKPwvo30pjB8Ry3axkz1knKT1bE86nvuv0Ya/s640/blogger-image-2134613327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-HRvcjHITF2QLbCnqm2pAQvdgiADGBlt0Jv_U6NWlzI_Gi3CdK4VbSYypZeKiWS5aKD6Kpi2-9YoOYzrBgtCoMJRgq2ndtfvp-uHkotG0iKPwvo30pjB8Ry3axkz1knKT1bE86nvuv0Ya/s640/blogger-image-2134613327.jpg"></a></div></div><div><br></div>Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3254466862454959268.post-42152840450512755162015-02-02T19:07:00.001-06:002015-02-02T19:07:25.809-06:00Yummy in My TummyToday started out rainy and fairly warm given that it is February but by this evening it was down right frigid and called for a bowl of soup. I decided I wanted chicken chili and I thought I would create my own recipe. It was SO yummy and pretty healthy!<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix31-KYT_D3BApMD1gwT5QuE_iqvEpAW0bH2VONvMG92stDeZ7oKJE5b7AXFYIgTDoDzd33nt-6mUklWWfHK7wVULXUuw56fAMA0xA6TnBWb9pil7XLgToAfZxD_Nc8kvVRba1GPPUOdOf/s640/blogger-image--639857587.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix31-KYT_D3BApMD1gwT5QuE_iqvEpAW0bH2VONvMG92stDeZ7oKJE5b7AXFYIgTDoDzd33nt-6mUklWWfHK7wVULXUuw56fAMA0xA6TnBWb9pil7XLgToAfZxD_Nc8kvVRba1GPPUOdOf/s640/blogger-image--639857587.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div><div>Ranch Chicken Chili</div><div><br></div><div>4 cups chicken broth</div><div>1 small white onion</div><div>1 can Rotel</div><div>1 can diced green chiles </div><div>1 can white hominy drained</div><div>1 can white beans drained</div><div>1 can pinto beans drained</div><div>1/2 package Wildtree Creamy Ranch Dressing and Dip Mix</div><div>1 tablespoon Wildtree Chipotle Lime Rub</div><div>1 tablespoon Wildtree Grapeseed Oil</div><div>1/2 Rotisserie Chicken shredded</div><div>black pepper to taste</div><div><br></div><div>Heat oil in 4 quart pot and add onions until tender. Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil. Turn down and let simmer for 30 minutes. Serve with lime wedge and avocado slices. </div><div><br></div><div>Let know how you like it if you try. </div>Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3254466862454959268.post-42213750903562136062015-01-30T14:05:00.002-06:002015-01-30T14:06:23.110-06:00Discoveries at Mt. PaperestI don't often take sick days but Miss Chelsea doesn't know that and she has had her fair share of sick days. Today is one of those days. It has been so bitterly cold here and we ventured out the other night and wound up walking quite a distance in the cold windy air. And like magic the nose started running. Well last night the cold moved from runny nose to full on seal coughs and crying spells. Poor thing. By this afternoon Miss Chelsea is on full tilt and running around like her normal self. All of that back story to say, I stayed home today and I didn't feel bad at all so I knocked some things out like going through Mt Paperest on my desk. I found all kinds of goodies. Bills that I didn't pay on time (awesome), letters from our <a href="http://www.compassion.com/">Compassion</a> sponsor child that I hadn't responded to (sad), and an itunes card for a free download of a Christmas song I picked up for a friend (Merry Christmas 2015?). I looked everywhere for a card that was a just because occasion and couldn't find one so I "upcycled" a Christmas Card and thought I would share. It is a great idea for those cards you have that are the wrong occasion but have good "bones."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimd8qqF1VN8DowDilDzREgr6crG3g9wUNcpXx1GxdamNzWX6qpdesJdLkJv0fajWNnh8wqv6NLvGKmtMvalSkY5WF7nlB1yQ4GlYQvMUXZLxzsugWCerr8Nou_ExfpVNCaQ0nePIB6kVoF/s1600/card+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimd8qqF1VN8DowDilDzREgr6crG3g9wUNcpXx1GxdamNzWX6qpdesJdLkJv0fajWNnh8wqv6NLvGKmtMvalSkY5WF7nlB1yQ4GlYQvMUXZLxzsugWCerr8Nou_ExfpVNCaQ0nePIB6kVoF/s1600/card+before.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZOelcCNQe55wuwBhBu61BQRwCT27phFBurk_BwyqL9-gaEZlJOOB2iW7ru8apD4M-WQiHq7P6i43GaVGc9eOD4cWL-SkcJaWTzaNoFoNcz7e2f01-BQJ7zByaEHAXKwu81N-InRYfdVW/s1600/card+after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZOelcCNQe55wuwBhBu61BQRwCT27phFBurk_BwyqL9-gaEZlJOOB2iW7ru8apD4M-WQiHq7P6i43GaVGc9eOD4cWL-SkcJaWTzaNoFoNcz7e2f01-BQJ7zByaEHAXKwu81N-InRYfdVW/s1600/card+after.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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Now I just have to do the "hard work" of getting the card to the mailbox! </div>
<br />Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3254466862454959268.post-90263947028852367862014-12-09T15:43:00.000-06:002014-12-09T15:43:36.912-06:00Let It GoI have continued to have a very tiny little corner of my heel dug in about our now three year old move to Maryland. I have continued to think of Nashville as HOME. I have let a large part of my heart long for my life back there. What is so wrong with all of this?<br />
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I have missed a lot of what was my present and now is missed opportunity. I was choosing not to remember the lonely times when I felt like I didn't know anyone. I forget the months when I wasn't sure how I was going to pay rent. The truth is that there was really great times in Nashville but there were some heartache mixed in as well. </div>
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It has been a year of letting go and I haven't even seen Frozen. I am trying really hard to live in the present I am trying really hard to remember things in totality instead of parts Remembering isn't bad but getting stuck isn't helpful. </div>
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Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3254466862454959268.post-79417864701960647772014-12-03T17:03:00.000-06:002014-12-03T17:03:11.699-06:00Epilepsy Hitting Too Close To Home<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTe6b9J23CFpHUQVdh8KAkNtnglgm1y8n2Nu7oqqCaIGIAxFRAKQxxjRY_gRHUXlZog4_QdcLgGSNtWiUfyDTYCTQKOBMGv7k3QcrQB8SQAR9-sxTuL6woNamUIwlltWPo-OwHkOzrrCUe/s640/blogger-image-1832633754.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTe6b9J23CFpHUQVdh8KAkNtnglgm1y8n2Nu7oqqCaIGIAxFRAKQxxjRY_gRHUXlZog4_QdcLgGSNtWiUfyDTYCTQKOBMGv7k3QcrQB8SQAR9-sxTuL6woNamUIwlltWPo-OwHkOzrrCUe/s320/blogger-image-1832633754.jpg" width="240" /></a>I am sitting in my bed typing with tears streaming down my face and snuggling next to my sweet baby girl. It has been a difficult morning for my momma's heart. Chelsea has been diagnosed with <a href="http://www.epilepsy.com/">Epilepsy</a>. She has been having what seemed like a slight tick for almost a year and they have become more frequent and been joined by moments of pure catatonic state that last about 30 seconds. I brought up the tick with the pediatrician at her 18 month well visit but he said given her age we should just watch it and take note. Then about two months ago when we were traveling to celebrate my grandpa's 80th birthday Chels had a convulsing seizure. It was to date the worst day of my life. The seizure was accompanied by a fever and the medical team at the hospital felt confident it was a <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/febrile-seizure/basics/causes/con-20021016">febrile seizure</a>. Which if you don't know 1 in 10 children experience before the age of 2. My brother had experienced this when he was little and given the fact I was 16 at the time remember very clearly how scary it was. My brother never had another and is very healthy, so I knew it wasn't a definite symptom of something more serious but something didn't settle well in my spirit.<br />
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After a few promptings from my sweet aunt and much discussion with my logically husband we made the decision to search out more information. Since we live in such a fantastic part of the country it just so happens that a leading force in studying seizures in children is right here at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. We called and booked an appointment. Chelsea had an EEG the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and we followed up with an amazing neurologist, <a href="http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/neurology_neurosurgery/education/residencies/pediatric_neurology/profiles/team_member_profile/D4C99E8B250D35945505C636AD03EF4A/Sarah_Aminoff">Dr. Sarah Aminoff Kelley</a>, this morning. So here we are in the beginnings of this journey. Honestly, I am scared. I am scared for my sweet girl and what this could mean for her life. I am scared that the MRI we are scheduled to have will turn up something terrible. But I don't choose to stay in that place of fear. I choose to trust that there is a bigger plan in all of this. I choose to trust that God is in control no matter what. Fear does not equal life and my hearts biggest desire is to live this life I have been given to the fullest. I choose to be thankful that my sweet girl is here next to me and I will do whatever it takes to help her dream big in this life and to go after those dreams.<br />
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Now that I have this heavy off my chest and written down, back to snuggles!Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3254466862454959268.post-23046710692756692732014-12-02T00:13:00.001-06:002014-12-02T00:19:27.833-06:00Journey to 50There are many areas of my life that I feel I have a pretty good handle on, at least most days. My little family is doing well, my extended family is a blessing, I have a strong belief system and friends that love me. I am doing well and trying to do good. <div><br></div><div>Here is the hang up. My two sore subjects: I have spent too much money on junk and I eat entirely too much junk. So what am I going to do? I am going to use this amazing product Plexus Slim and I am going to get everyone else to use it too. </div><div><br></div><div>Please check it out and get ready to be inspired. Today is December 2 2014 and 50 weeks from today I am going to be 50 pounds lighter and 50k closer to financial success! Join me!</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">before 12/02/2014<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXtzES9HzbNziatMPBctNvfooW9M8Lpow0AVTMsSb2gFYbiY119s2vyUcoFIiDVBHdhHC9qlVO3uBMEtsvr_vgmNi6R9AkmS4wlbiXoHAPmQ0xWNYkTnYnHDiw5LhbPLVBHga9THW_KDOk/s640/blogger-image--417815453.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXtzES9HzbNziatMPBctNvfooW9M8Lpow0AVTMsSb2gFYbiY119s2vyUcoFIiDVBHdhHC9qlVO3uBMEtsvr_vgmNi6R9AkmS4wlbiXoHAPmQ0xWNYkTnYnHDiw5LhbPLVBHga9THW_KDOk/s640/blogger-image--417815453.jpg"></a></div>Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3254466862454959268.post-2094056272218138482014-11-26T14:16:00.002-06:002014-11-26T14:16:52.061-06:00Blogging is Hard Best of intentions and so many starts but here I am more than a week past the last post and I am beating myself up. This is not the point. The point is to get a perspective out there. I have so much spinning in this head all the time. I was just thinking the other day how I need a microphone that will record around me at all times and then I though well I could get a little recorder. But in all honesty I would just record all my random thoughts and never listen back to them.<br />
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I think like anything else in life we have good ideas but unless we put some goals and deadlines to those ideas they certainly never get accomplished. So here you go, three things I want to accomplish this week.<br />
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1. Call about the charger I left in the hotel back in October. Probably too late. Probably don't have it. Yes, but does it hurt to call and ask.<br />
2. Take the SD card from the camera so I can try and remember the last place I took pictures because not only have I lost the battery charger for the camera. I replaced the charger. The battery must have been charging because it is missing as well.<br />
3. Buy an appliance bulb for the hood over the stove.<br />
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Seriously, these are not earth moving, life changing things but three things on a very long to do list that I probably could have accomplished in the time it took to write this blog!<br />
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So what are three things that you need to do? Write them done and then get them done. We can do this friend!Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3254466862454959268.post-46454364470069174622014-11-15T07:48:00.002-06:002014-11-15T07:48:33.924-06:00I Am Woman Hear Us RoarLet me start this post by giving you a little background. I come from a family of strong women, very strong women. I don't mean the pulling trucks with their teeth kind of strength, I mean the pull yourself up by your boot straps kind. Perfect example, My grandmother likes to say of other women who are complaining about pregnancy or labor, "She speaks as though she is the first woman to ever have a baby?" So early on I was taught "weak" women were bad and "strong" women were good. I carried that view for many years. As I entered college, I swore that I would never do anything as silly as join a sorority. I carried that attitude on trips with friends, on women's retreats, and at women's conferences. But then, I grew up or at the very least I grew.<br />
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I grew to see that the women in my family have as many fears and insecurities as most other women. It was more a lack of being honest and vulnerable than actual strength I had experienced as a child.<br />
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I grew to see that all women are full of strength. Some of us struggle with this idea but it is true and often times it shows up most when we face hardships and trials.<br />
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I grew to see that we are a tribe and it is in our best interest to stick together rather than tear each other down. I am not talking about feminist movements or women vs men in any way. I am talking about the fact that I spend too much time comparing myself to others than celebrating my sisters.<br />
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I grew to see that being surround by women is inspiring and encouraging when I gleam the knowledge they have gathered on this journey and share the things I have learned with honesty and courage.<br />
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I grew and I pray I continue to grow.<br />
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Now I am a proud member of M.O.P.S. International which is a sisterhood of moms that have preschool aged children. I meet with a local group pf moms to share life, laughs, and struggles. I am honored to be a part of this group. Through that connection with M.O.P.S. I have been encouraged to write again and I love all that is stirring inside me. I hope you are able to connect to a group of people that can inspire you to Be You, Bravely!Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3254466862454959268.post-67684413100890490972014-04-08T14:02:00.000-05:002014-04-08T14:02:42.289-05:00The Bird or the Snake?<div class="MsoNormal">
I was driving home the other day and all of a sudden a
really large bird swoops down in the grass to the side of my car and grabs a
snake. It seems effortless. The bird never stops flying. It just rises in front
of my car and flies away with its prize tightly grasped in its claws. I am
certain this thing happens all the time but very few times have I witnessed
such a feat in person. There were several thoughts that ran through my mind.
The first being, “Dang that bird has a snake!” Followed by, “Dumb bird you
better fly or I am going to take you and your bounty out with this car.” But
those thoughts aren't very inspiring so on to the “meaty” thoughts. I thought
how I want to be the bird. I want to focus in on my goals, dive wholeheartedly
into them and then glide off into the horizon with my tangible sense of
accomplishment grasped tightly in my hands. However, I think more often than
not I feel like the snake. Going about my day none the wiser to the talons
about to carry me off into something completely different than what I had
planned. Now if we follow that snake it is more than likely headed for a brutal
ending and praise God my life doesn't feel quite so certain for doom. But I
want to be the bird not the snake. The predator; not the prey. The thing is
that we don’t become the bird without some effort or some driving force. No
matter how easy it appeared to me, it didn't just happen for that bird. There
was something driving her. Hunger maybe or a need to provide quite literally
set that bird in motion. What can I do today to set things in motion? What can
you do? Am I doing something to “go after” things or am I just allowing things
to happen? Don’t be the snake!<o:p></o:p></div>
Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3254466862454959268.post-6815835705524701682014-03-28T15:00:00.001-05:002014-03-28T15:00:28.381-05:00Insta-tech and Rulers<br />
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Ever feel down? Ever feel like there is no one else who understands where you are coming from? Of course, you do. But the truth is we aren't alone. Especially now in this insta-tech (I may have coined a new phrase) world. I mean it never fails if I wake in the middle of the night or if I am spending time in the middle of the day, there is ALWAYS someone else on social media. People are posting pictures of themselves, or their food or whatever else is catching their fancy. We are sharing our opinions and sharing "news" but are we sharing our lives? I try very hard not to get caught up in the competition that is out there.<br />
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I recently read a Huffington Post article belaboring the new holiday craze trends that social media sites tend to feed. It was a hilarious article but it really hit the head of a bigger issue. When we are exposed to so much more, we have to decide what to do with this information. The new ideas are a great place to draw inspiration but they can become a pit of self comparison if we aren't careful.<br />
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There is no one else exactly like you on this planet. I mean some close calls for sure, but no one else has your exact same life experiences, outlook, personality, etc. So why can't we embrace ourselves and draw from the beauty in others without feeling like we are measuring up?<br />
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You are the only true ruler by which to measure yourself. -Amber Anyanwu<br />
<br />Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3254466862454959268.post-34392397994981176192013-10-17T08:30:00.000-05:002013-10-17T08:30:03.531-05:00Our Words Matter<div class="MsoNormal">
Our words matter. This isn’t a new concept; nothing each of
us don’t already know however it is something that I struggle with both in the
words that I use and the way I allow other people’s words to affect me. If only
I was truly able to follow the golden rule. I want others to treat me with
respect and dignity but is that what I offer? I want others to have patience
with me when I am struggling with tasks at hand or I have simply forgotten to
follow through on a promise. Yet when I have to wait or feel like someone has
let me down by not doing “their job” I am frustrated, offended and often self-righteous
in my view of the situation. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am proud and selfish and I hate those attributes in
others. I am cynical and sarcastic but demand understanding. I am broken. I
live in a broken world surrounded by broken people. That seems like such a
doomed existence yet I know a higher life. I know the One who offers life. I
know the Prince of Peace. I know the Healer. I know the King. Why then do I
live so defeated and frustrated a good majority of my day? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have lost perspective and focus. I have chosen to keep my
head down. My eyes are not on the hills in expectation of the lifter of my head.
I am not trusting in the One from whom my help is coming. I know with my head
what the Scripture teaches, heck I’ve taught it to hundreds of people. Yet my
own inter-dialogue and often the words from my mouth are littered with desperation
and negativity. I must be honest with myself that I have chosen a lesser way. I
have chosen to accept less than. I do not want this for my life; I do not want
this for the life of my family. I want us to live in the fullness of God’s
grace. I want us to experience the depths of this well of life that He offers.
I want our words to matter first to ourselves and then because we truly believe
what we say, I want my family to impact the world.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Now I am not asking for us to live in an unrealistic place.
I want honesty. I understand that we still live in a broken world and we must
rise above this. Things will happen that aren’t fair, that don’t make sense but
it is okay because we aren’t striving to belong or remain in this world for
eternity. I haven’t fallen into this ungratefulness overnight so I know it is
going to be a process to change the way I think, the way I react, the way I
behave. It is going to take discipline and I am often lazy. It is going to take
consistency and I am often very inconsistent. But all of this again falls back
to the fact that I allow excuses and ill thinking to be what drives me. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So today will be a wonderful day. I will stop the hurriedness
and I will make each moment count. I will be honest about my fears but I will
turn them over to the One that gives me courage. I have the same 24 hours today
that every other person has been given. I will focus on making the best choice
right now. I will expect great things from this day. Will you join me?<o:p></o:p></div>
Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3254466862454959268.post-66899595376214835732012-06-27T19:06:00.001-05:002012-06-27T19:06:22.657-05:00What am I doing?I feel so funny. I feel so blessed. I feel so tired.<br />
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I feel as though there are a hundred new ideas and things stirring just under the surface of my soul. And yet I can't seem to get clarity on any of them. It is like hearing a sound without being able to distinguish from where it comes. It is a sound that peaks your interest and you want to know more yet something is blocking it from fully being heard and enjoyed.<br />
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I don't know if I need lists. I love lists! Or if I need motivation. I don't know what I'm doing.<br />
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But I need to do something. Make something. Paint something. Write something. Do something.Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3254466862454959268.post-20879032357379630822012-06-17T23:02:00.001-05:002012-06-17T23:02:17.025-05:00From heart pouring overI haven't been the most faithful blogger lately but I wonder sometimes to what effect I post these anyway. I mean I do love reading about other people's life and assume they like reading about mine.<br />
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I have been bottling so much up lately due to "my condition" lol. I am no 13 weeks along into my first pregnancy and have had so much on my mind but really wanted to "get out of the woods" before I told the world.<br />
<br />This has been one of the most difficult things to hold back from shouting. I am blown away. Literally, overwhelmed with love and emotions for this little "mocha bean" that this being knit together by the Almighty in my body right now.<br />
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I am so early on and know there is so much to experience in the coming months, years, lifetime! I am already proud of my bean. I have prayed and wanted a baby for so long. I mean there where times, pre-David, that I wanted to be a mom more than a wife. Now, I am glad that my prince charming is along for this journey.<br />
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For those of you who don't know, I have been struggling with a disease called Endometriosis since I was about 14 years old and the doctors have told me all along the way to expect delays and complications and even prepare for adoption if I really wanted children. This has been a heavy thing that I carried and a discussion that I knew at the time my future spouse would need to be aware. Thankfully, God brought the most amazing man ever into my life and we agreed right away that adoption is always a consideration and that we would consider that journey a blessing as well.<br />
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After having some difficulty earlier this year I went to see yet another specialist who decided to switch things up a bit with treatment and man oh man did it switch things up. I never expected this to be the next treatment plan but it is truly the best-both for my body and for my heart.<br />
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So here's to a new chapter of thoughts and ponderings. And to the three people that read this thanks for coming along for this ride.Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3254466862454959268.post-89050637835989356312012-03-11T18:43:00.002-05:002012-03-11T18:43:40.074-05:00Confessions for this Sunday.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #f9fdff; color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.</span> I Peter 5:8<br />
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I lack self control. Or better yet I have already been given self control and I choose not to pick it up and in my hands where self control should be found; one will find fear and worry.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #f9fdff; color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life</span><span style="background-color: #f9fdff; color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">?</span> Matthew 6:27<br />
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I know these verses. I have read these verses yet I do not live these verses. I am frustrated with circumstances that have greatly impacted my life and instead of standing with my husband to fight off the attacks of the devil. I allow myself to be used as a pawn to discourage him even more. What is up with that?<br />
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When searching for the reference to the Matthew 6 verse I started the search by using the words, "who can add a single day" well that didn't get me to where I was going so then I just started flipping through Matthew cause I knew it was there. But the point is that although I think I have hidden these things in my heart, I have actually paraphrased them in my memory.<br />
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Jesus knew us better than days, he knew that worry was something that was so consistently a struggle for us that it had to be broken down to the hour. I have 24 hours everyday, well; ironically only 23 on this particular day given daylight savings time, but you get the drift. 24 hours today and tomorrow and the day after that all in which to choose to trust that God has something better for me than being used by the devil.<br />
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So today, friends, I confess that I am struggling to keep worry and fear from my heart and mind. I confess that I have been less that trusting of my Creator and Savior. I have been less than wonderful to my husband. But instead of losing this hour or the next, I choose to stop, pray, write, and ask for forgiveness.<br />
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<br />Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3254466862454959268.post-3976546862611806422012-02-18T21:20:00.003-06:002012-02-18T21:20:48.010-06:00PinterestBut seeing all this cute and wonderful stuff is really only part of the fun. When do I got pinterested enough to do it?Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3254466862454959268.post-22733783760212675232011-09-23T13:00:00.003-05:002011-09-23T13:01:04.130-05:00Worked myself into a sleep coma<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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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.Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3254466862454959268.post-57767467197132273722011-09-16T16:10:00.001-05:002011-09-16T16:10:37.007-05:00Making the Most of Each DayWarning: This is a long one.<br />
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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."<br />
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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 spending my free time at the park watching the birds, the people, and the water. Enjoying the day in ways that I am often "too busy" to enjoy.<br />
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Why is it that we get so focused on going after things that we don't stop to enjoy them? I went this week to Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, and I had a truly moving experience. I stood at his tomb and cried as a veteran in the crowd helped lay a wreath by his tomb and another veteran read a prayer from Washington. Wow! I am standing on the grounds of our first president's home. Walking through the house where strategies of war were conducted and family meals took place. It was such an overwhelming moment of realization of past, present and future generations standing and experiencing.<br />
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I don't want to take things for granted. To experience things only on the surface. I want to dive deep into life. I want to stop and enjoy. I want to make each day, each moment count. So here's to being inspired. To stopping to make the phone call or write the letter or tour the mansion or sit by the water. Here's to living and being grateful!Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3254466862454959268.post-85154586328270428362011-09-06T14:30:00.000-05:002011-09-06T14:30:57.699-05:00New BeginningsWell 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.<br />
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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 drinking around 100oz of water. I have given up all carbonated drinks. And I am limiting caffeine. I am stopping when I am full and trying to make better food choices. I'm not doing no carbs, no sweets, no etc. I am trying to do this the right way this go round with a change in perspective and attitude towards food and eating. I am still tempted very much by cupcakes and Auntie Anne's and those sort of things but so far I haven't given in to one single craving in over two weeks.<br />
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I hope that as I journey on this healthy living shift, I can inspire and motivate others. I just had to make the decision to get serious this time.Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3254466862454959268.post-12560312122014044482011-08-29T21:51:00.000-05:002011-08-29T21:51:56.779-05:00Adventures in Cooking: DON'T DO IT<a href="http://health-advices.info/pictures/2009/05/black_turnip_splenitis-150x150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://health-advices.info/pictures/2009/05/black_turnip_splenitis-150x150.jpg" width="320" /></a>So i didn't have time to take a picture of our<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"> almost</span> 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.Mrs. Anyanwuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00797802636120961477noreply@blogger.com1