Eating better

I have always thought our family were healthy eaters. We eat mostly vegetarian, we don't eat many sweet things, and we do not drink soda or juice excessively. However, some not-so-good eating habits had creeped into our eating habits. At the beginning of January, my husband did a 10-day Master Cleanse fast. In the process, he lost 10 lbs. but gained some insight into his own diet habits. One of the main things he noticed was that he ate too many carbs. He is a vegetarian and has been for 20 years. Sometimes as a vegetarian, you can fall into eating too much pasta, bread, and potatoes. This we had done. Because my husband requested bread with most of our meals, I made bread with most of our meals. Always, always, there was bread with pasta, bread with soup. I had gotten lazy and out of the habit of making a fresh salad with our dinners.

My good friend Eve's husband recently found out that he had diabetes. I enjoyed seeing her lovingly and carefully change her family's eating habits and it got me inspired to really look into how I was feeding my family. I absolutely love this post of hers!!! So combined with my husband's fast, and talking with Eve, it has given me the push to slowly and deliberately change some ways that we eat.

I purchased the book Feeding the Whole Family to help inspire me to cook more whole foods in my kitchen. I also was hoping this book would give me inspiration to make more nutritious home made snacks. We had fallen into the trap of eating Go-Gurts and store bought granola bars too much. I also purchased the book Carb-Conscious Vegetarian to help make more vegetarian meals without so many grains and carbs.

I am just beginning, but here are some things I am currently doing to feed my family and myself better:

1. Cutting out sugar. No late night sour patch kids, no granola bar snacks for the kids. I am going to be conscious of the kind of sugar we eat, trying to focus more on unrefined sugars if we choose to have a treat.

2. Cutting out bread with our meals. No more pasta and bread dinners or potato soup and bread dinners or black beans and rice with cornbread dinners. From now on, instead of bread I will serve a salad or fresh vegetable with our meals. Occasionally we might splurge and have a yummy french bread with our pasta, but that will not be the norm.

3. I cannot cut out pasta. As a vegetarian, this is a huge staple in our meals. But I am going to try to serve less of it (only 2 times a week) and also incorporate whole-wheat noodles more into my dishes. I also plan to puree vegetables in my homemade pasta sauce to get those extra nutrients in.

4. Eating more green smoothies. When I drink green smoothies I have so much more energy and just feel better. My goal is to make more of these, for myself and my family, hopefully every morning.

I am sure I will incorporate more healthier eating habits into our family's diet as I continue on this journey.

Have you made any changes in your eating habits lately?

What has worked/hasn't worked?

I would love to hear!

Other great resources:

Simple Food for Winter Cookbook

Seasonal Winter Eating

C.L.A.S.

Lovely Tonia is starting a letter writing group: The C.L.A.S. Here are the FAQ to find out more about it and/or how you can join.

I love what Tonia says:

Because this world is too fast, too virtual, too shallow. We need slow, deep, tangible beauty in our lives and going to the mailbox to find a friend's words captured on paper and sent across the miles is one of those beauties.

Amen?

If you would love to be a part of this group, anyone can join!!

If you would love to write letters with me, please email me your address at flourishingmother@hotmail.com and I would love to start writing letters to you--(and vice versa.)

Multitude Monday: On a Thursday

It's official. It's now the snowiest January on record here. And me, the southern girl coming from mild winters has lived here in the Northeast for 13 years. And I'm still not used to the snow and the cold and all the headache they bring. But the Lord has me here--for my appointed time--for such a time as this. Who knows the ways of the Lord? And, so I'm counting. Counting the Thousand Gifts. Because I have to. Because He commands me to. Because I need to survive winter well.

#1 morning light on snow

#2 fresh greens in winter

#3 my go-to soup: Winter Vegetable Soup

(from the book:The Book of Soups by Lorna Rhodes)

#4 my red cast iron pot

#5 new cookbooks, new eating habits

#6 oh yes, and God bless this mess on my desk. (I think it's funny that the book 'Organized Simplicity' is in the middle of it all...that just sums up my life: good intentions, but life overtakes them sometimes....)

#7 evening light on the snow covered landscape

Family

We named our last baby after my husband's best friend. It was an honor. This is a man who loves the Lord with all his heart and goes after Him fierce. This is a man who is like a brother to my husband. He is an uncle to our children. I've known him for a long time, but what is really special to me is the wife he picked. She is now my best friend. She is like a sister to me, one who I can "let it all hang out with" (literally. Betsy, you know what I'm talkin' about...)

God graciously brings people into our lives who are not blood-related, but who are related by perhaps the bonds of Christ, the bonds of shared experiences, the bonds of love.

I am reminded of the story of Ruth. Beautiful Ruth who loved her mother-in-law Naomi--who stuck by her because she loved her. Who considered her family and followed her to where her family was. Who the Lord so graciously grafted into Naomi's family line with the marriage of Boaz, her kinsman-redeemer. And this, this beautiful verse:

"Then Naomi took the child, laid him in her lap and cared for him. The women living there said, 'Naomi has a son.' " ~Ruth 4:16-17

Naomi has a son. After her husband and two sons died, and she called herself "Mara" or "bitter" because of the circumstances of her life, God redeemed the situation and gave Naomi a son through her distant relative Boaz, and her daughter in law Ruth. And she laid him in her lap and cared for him. Beautiful!

And when our friends, who are like family...who *are* family... come to our house--we hug and kiss them and tell them we love them, and we really mean it...we don't take it for granted.

And they love on our kids like they are theirs and we do the same to their children.

And God has blessed us with family here, though they are not blood-related.

And He is so good and kind to us for bringing us all into His family.

Take the dare to fully live!!!!

Did you order Ann Voskamp's book yet? It's number 11 on the Amazon bestseller list!!!!!

Take the dare to fully live!!!

Check out the slideshow of readers!!

Congratulations, Ann!

Happy weekend!

Encourage one another

I wonder if....

How radically changed our community would be

if we actually used more words.

More edifying words.

More uplifting words.

More truth words.

More encouraging words.

Encourage one another, and build each other up. ~I. Thessalonians 5:11

"...on Monday I reached out to a woman in my bible study who actually doesn't go to my church, i asked her to come over and she did. Anyway she came over and just let me cry and told me that she was going to come over every day this week and help me with whatever, laundry, organizing, cry with me, let me take a nap, whatever. A huge weight has lifted for me at the THOUGHT of someone caring about me and my family."

Oh, just the THOUGHT. Just the THOUGHT! That is all it took to feel a burdened lifted.

How is someone to know if you are praying, are hearing, are listening, if you see their pain, if you don't tell them!!!!

Hi Andrea,
I just wanted you to know that I'm in prayer for your friend.

Oh, thank you, friend. You are praying. You told me. You care. I know!! I didn't know before!!

How am I supposed to know if you don't tell me?

Is there someone God has put on your heart? Someone that has come to mind? Someone who you know is struggling? Give them WORDS.

Words of encouragement, of edification, of praise, of truth:

Encourage one another and build each other up. ~I.Thessalonians 5:11

Even if...

you think they are ok, are handling it.

you think they are not ok.

you are scared of how they will act.

you are scared of how they will not act.

you don't know what to say. (God will give you the words. It so simple, it could just be: "I care.")

you are busy. (make time.)

you are not busy. (write a letter! words to always treasure!)

you think someone else is encouraging them or helping them or reaching out to them. (most likely not, but even if--still do it!)

I'm thinking of you so much lately, and have been remiss in letting you know. One of the best things we can do for each other is letting each other know that you are being thought of, prayed for. ~email from Elise

31 days of encouragement....

Friday five: Surviving Winter

We've already had our second big snow and it's only mid January. I can't believe it's winter again.

Last year, I was intentional about surviving winter. I planned things and did things that helped winter go by faster for me. It helped. I am not a winter person. I like sunshine, warmth, and open windows. I can appreciate snow and warm fires, but after awhile, I need to go outside without putting on layers and layers. Winter is just too long for me here in the Northeast.

So, herewith a list of things that I hope will help me endure winter.

1. Not being a hermit. My first instinct is to stay inside and not go anywhere during the winter. I hate bundling up, hate bundling up my kids, and I hate the bitter cold. So I stay indoors and don't go anywhere. But I get so lonely doing this. I need interaction and socialization with people, especially during the winter months. I have decided to plan something fun to do every week with friends until it gets warmer. This gives me something to look forward to, and more importantly, gets me out of the house. Last year I did it and it was so helpful to have something to look forward to every week. Not to mention I am nurturing relationships and connecting with someone in person. Always good.

2. Warm clothes. This seems like a no-brainer, but I grew up in the South. We never had a winter coat. If it snowed, we wore ziplock bags over our shoes. It has taken me a long time to figure out how to dress warm in cold weather. This year I bought myself a long down coat. I am determined to stay warm. I get so grumpy when I am outside and freezing. I also finally bought myself some winter boots. Yes, I have lived in the cold Northeast for 11 years and have never had a decent pair of winter boots. I'm armed!!!

3. This body oil. Yes I paid $20 for body oil. And it is fabulous!! My skin gets so dry and itchy during the winter and it makes me sooo grumpy. I have been using this on my skin after the shower every morning and it smells so good and makes my skin stay hydrated all day! I honestly look forward to using it every day!

4. Referring to this article. Winter changes my mood. I definitely get depressed in the winter. Call it SAD, call it whatever, I just know my mood is lower in the winter.

5. Being thankful and practicing gratitude. I am so looking forward to receiving

Ann's book soon. It is perfect timing for me. I think that having a spirit of gratitude during this challenging time of winter will help me survive it.

Do you have things that help you survive winter? Are you a winter-hater like me? ;) Please share your ideas!

*Edited to add:

20 ways to stay healthy and happy this winter
Homemade body spray recipes
Candlelight (from the archives)
Thriving in winter

"You and me, buddy."

I wake early in the morning, grab my Bible and go downstairs. Put the kettle on, grind the beans, make a cup, and settle into reading:

"If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, you are to offer a male without defect. You must present it at the entrance to the tent of meeting so that it will be acceptable to the LORD. You are to lay your hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on your behalf to make atonement for you. You are to slaughter the young bull before the LORD, and then Aaron’s sons the priests shall bring the blood and splash it against the sides of the altar at the entrance to the tent of meeting. You are to skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces. The sons of Aaron the priest are to put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, including the head and the fat, on the wood that is burning on the altar. You are to wash the internal organs and the legs with water, and the priest is to burn all of it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the LORD."

And I'm settling into reading for about 5 minutes, and I hear the baby.

I take a deep breath and go upstairs to grab him before he wakes anyone.

"Okay, it's you and me buddy," I tell him.

Then there's the diaper change, and a sippy of milk to break his hunger, and I settle back down to read Leviticus.

I decide that I won't be miffed.

There was a time when I let these interruptions get the best of me, and discourage me to continue. When I cried out to God: "How long?" How long will it take for me to have an interrupted quiet time? (I'm dramatic like that.)

But this time? I brought the baby down. I read....in spurts.

The children came down soon after.

Not ideal, but loosening my grip on the ideal of the perfect quiet time has helped me make the most of the time I do have.

And I'm doing it! I'm reading the Bible in 90 days!!!

Pray for me?

"These past eight years have been the best of my Christian life. I've spent more intimate time with Jesus than anyone else on this earth. I've lost countless hours of sleep. I've showed up sick. I've showed up in pain. I've showed up in different locations. I've showed up with a
candle or a flashlight. I've showed up in the cold. I've showed up in the heat. But I've showed up. I don't trust myself for a minute. So I cling, cling, cling to Him each and every day. He has blessed me in His Word more than I could ever write to you. The more I know of Him, the more I hunger for Him. I definitely know what the verse means about the deer panting for the water, so my soul pants for you. My soul truly pants for Him like no other."

~Laine's Letters

Mama Monday

Mama Monday is back!

Did you miss it? I did!

Today's Mama Monday is the lovely Payton from the blog Life in the Birdhouse.

Payton's blog is a sweet little place where she shares snippets from her family life and beautiful photos of her children.

I personally love her "Ten on Tuesday", where she writes 10 things that are going on in her life. I have laughed out loud at many of them.

I appreciate Payton's honesty and realness on her blog.

Payton is the sister of my very first Mama Monday ever featured here, Betsy!!

Ladies, I bring you Payton:

(Payton is so fabulous looking, don't you think? I love her cowboy boots in the first picture.)

*Greatest thing about being a mom-
I love all of the physical things about being a mom. Starting with the flutter kicks in the womb, to the
sweet smell of baby breath, hugs, snuggling, pinching fat legs, kisses, watching a new walker, watching
sleeping babies. (I have trained my 4 year old baby to not wake up when I sneak in at night and kiss all
over him.) As my babies are getting older, I am starting to appreciate watching them grow into tiny
people. I think watching them "get something" for the first time is awesome. From the first bike ride to
grasping a complex subject, seeing that light go off in their head is super fun for me.

*Hardest thing about being a mom-

Besides having patience? I think knowing my prayers for them are on God's time and not mine. These
little eternal beings have their own path that God has planned and I have to let them walk down it. I
want to prevent pain sometimes at any cost, but I have to remember that God might be teaching them
something painful, even a second grade mean girl struggle.

*Favorite Blogs
This one, of course! Karen Russell 's My Life, The Creative Mama, Fly Through Our Window, The Pig
Bear, hoop city, and all of Sara Janssen's blogs. I would like to say I don't look at FaceBook more than a
couple of times a day but that would be a lie.

*How do you find balance in your life?
As a mom in recovery, balance is essential. I attend about four 12- step meetings a week ( thanks to an
awesome husband who gives up his lunch hour to watch our littlest because he knows I need the
meetings to stay sane. Or as sane as I get.) I also exercise with an awesome group of women 4 times a
week. Accountability is key for me. Add BSF Bible study, church, and the most important (even though I
put them last), my marriage and my family, and that's all I have time for. I keep it simple and I say no.
The parties and clubs will have to come at another season of my life. There are many great organizations
that I would one day like to be a part of but for right now my family and my sobriety requires the
majority of my time.

*One word that describes you- Genuine. (I cheated and asked some people. This answer was from my
mom and I liked it the best. She said, "You are just gonna be who you are." I like that. )

*Favorite color-
Green and navy blue

*Hobbies/interests
Music, photography, hooping (thanks Sara), writing, CrossFit, baking. I know watching TV isn't really a
hobby or interest but I do that a lot too.

*I couldn't live without-
My faith. My best friend and amazing husband, Jason. My sister and my camera.

*What helps me through tough days?
Prayer, talking to friends, or a hot bath. Getting out of myself and focusing on the needs of someone
else always helps.

*What has the Lord been speaking to you about lately?
How big He is and yet how personal He is. I have been studying Isaiah at BSF and church and I keep
getting this picture of a God that created the Universe and can hold the ocean in the palm of his hands
but yet takes me by the hand and says, "Do not fear. I will help you." (Isaiah 41:13) I think I often
underestimate how big God really is and when I get a glimpse of the reality it makes my stomach flip and
my brain hurt. And to know that this big God knows ME and loves ME is totally overwhelming.

*What do you like best about yourself?
I am comfortable with where I am in life for the first time. I am so excited about how God has redeemed
my life and love when He give me opportunities to share it with others.

*If I could encourage a young mother I would say...?
Funny that you ask this because I had the opportunity to spend some time with a young mother recently
and this is what I told her:
1. Pray. About everything. All the time.
2. Stay in today. Don't worry about what your baby is going to do when she is 3 because today she is 3
months. Enjoy each day and don't waste your time worrying about things that haven't happened.
3. Trust your gut. Listen to whoever you want to and read as many books as you want, but remember
that none of those people have ever had YOUR baby. Your baby might want to do things differently and
that's OK. If your motherly instincts are telling you something, then LISTEN.

*One book I would recommend (besides the Bible)...
I really like the Jesus Calling devotional book and The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace has been a
reference book of mine for a long time. I keep having to go back to it when I realize how non-excellent I
have become. My favorite fiction book is Redeeming Love.

Thank you Payton!!!!!
Make sure you stop over at her blog and say hello!

It's a Chet Atkins listenin' day...

A playin' Monopoly kind of day...

It's a snow day!

I love to hear others' New Year's "Goals". I'll admit, I am not the greatest at keeping Resolutions, so this year I decided to call them "goals". With a goal, you need a plan. This I keep in mind when making some of my goals for this year.

I love the idea of making a New Year's word, but there are other goals that I have that don't fit into that "word". Also, I have more than one word. Oh, the dilemma.

But I remind myself that life is messy, and my goals may not all fit into one "word"--so who says I can't have both? A word (or two), and some goals. There's meaning to be found there!

I thought for awhile about my "word". I couldn't narrow it down to one. So I have two.

The first is OPEN. This year I want to be open. I want to have open eyes to see what the Lord is showing me. Open eyes to see where needs in my community are. Open eyes for the chance to show gratitude to the Lord for the many gifts He has given me. Open eyes to see where I can minister to others. I want to have an open heart that is sensitive and tender to what the Lord is telling me. I want to have an open heart to be humbled before Him. To accept what He has given me, even though I might want something else. An open heart to forgive and love others that are placed in my life. And then, I want to have open hands. Open hands palm up ready to accept what He has placed in my life. Open hands palm up giving Him all that I have. Open hands palm up in worship to Him. Open hands palm up ready to give all that I have to Him--whether it is time, energy, money, thoughts, plans--whatever.

The other word is JOY. I am looking at the word JOY differently than others might. I am using the acrostic Jesus Others You to fight for JOY in my life. This helps me keep my priorities in order, and doing that will ultimately give me true joy in my life in all circumstances. I want to dive deeper into the word of God and devote my mornings to Him on a more consistent basis. I have gotten out of the habit of rising early and spending time with Him since my last baby. This year I am participating in the Read the Bible in 90 days program at Mom's Tool Box. I got to sit beside Amy at the Relevant Conference and got to hear first hand her experience doing "Read the Bible in 90 days". It is such a great opportunity to do this with support and prayer and accountability. All needed when taking this huge project on! I am finished with the book of Genesis and it has blessed me tremendously. I am doing this with my sweet friend Natalie. We text each other every day to see how we've done. Having that accountability with her also been a blessing. Doing this will help me get in the habit of reading the Word and also rising early to be with Him.

Along with the JOY acrostic, this year I want to focus on other people God has placed in my life. I want to be intentional about this. I want to serve others, deepen relationships, and minister to people God has put on my heart. I want to listen, and more importantly, OBEY what He tells me to do.

Lastly, "YOU". I plan to continue to focus on taking care of myself as a mother so I can mother my children and also be a better wife to my husband. This includes eating well, taking my vitamins and

Doing things that make me happy.So I suppose the words "Joy" and "Open" do fit well with my goals for this year.

Do you have a word? Do you have goals? Please share a link or comment!

Related Good Reads:

Decluttering your soul

How to begin a new year

Tetelestai

The Birth of Christ

by Carl Henrich Bloch

Lord, I am worried about some people in my family with health issues. I am worried if they are taking care of themselves the right way. I am wondering if they will be healed. I am wondering what I can do for them.

Lord, I am worried about my son. Lately he is so whiny and doesn't obey like he should. Is he going to grow up to be a sullen young man?

Lord, my oldest daughter will be going to college in a year!! I am worried if I have raised her in the right way. I am worried about letting her be on her own. Lord, I wonder what else I can do?

Lord, there are so many things to do in a day. I feel like I never get anything done. So much is left unfinished. I know You said Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light. Help me see that in my life.

"Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." John 19:28-30

Lord, I thank you for the finished work on the cross. All my sins are forgiven and paid for. All my anxieties and worries are already solved. Tetelestai. "It is finished."