David's Bridal, of all places. This is quite funny, now that I think about it. So, here's the dish. Chad has to be at the Boilermaker Ball tomorrow night for work. This is an event I would normally LOVE to go to. In fact, when we were dating, I dreamed of going to formals with him. {Don't judge, this is what the soap stars I watched at the time did, LOL! So, I might have been a little bit out of touch with reality then, LOL!} That combined with my deep Purdue passion would make it a no brainer that I would want to go, right? Normally, but no so much.
I'm not sure what it was exactly. Maybe the fact that I won't know anyone there. Maybe the fact that Chad will be working. Maybe the fact that I feel too old to go to grown up prom. Or, really, the reality being I didn't know what I was going to wear. Sigh. I had dresses from college {which represent old boyfriends, no thank you. No offense to them if they read this.}, old bridesmaid dresses, which were pretty old. I didn't want to go shopping because I didn't think I would find anything. I also didn't know what I was looking for, lol! Ever been there ~ need something, but ya don't know what ya need? So, that's where I was.
Enter David's Bridal on Thursday. With Landon in tow. This week has not gone down the way I would have preferred. See, in my ideal world, I would have shopped solo, but no dice. Little man had been sick this week so he had to tag along. Plus, I was running out of time! We went on Thursday, mind you, the Ball is Saturday. Yah, I may have procrastinated a bit. A-hem!
So, here I waltz into David's with my sidekick. The gal peppily asks "how can I help you?" I wanted to gag. First of all, I thought, I'm here as an older thirty-something, with a child in tow. I'm too old to be here. I'm not a bride. I'm not a bridesmaid. I'm not a mother of the bride. I'm not going to prom. This isn't my scene and I don't belong here. My hesitation about the Ball was increasing, can you tell? So I explain to Miss Peppy Pants that I'm going to the Boilermaker Ball on Saturday with my husband, I don't want to go and I don't want to spend a lot of money, so what could she do? I was totally expecting to leave empty handed. She shows me some options and leaves Landon and I to peruse the store. Surprisingly, Landon is well behaved, staying by me, being quiet. I was stumped and thought maybe this won't be so bad. I look through the dress racks, find some I like that aren't too expensive, because after all, I am not a ball going type of gal and am too practical to spend too much on a one time wear type of dress. Get me?
I noticed as I found things I liked, my attitude was changing. Dare I say, I was having fun? Mrs. Frumpy Pants with preschooler in tow was having fun? HUH, I will be! I ended up with 6 dresses Landon and I took to the dressing room. As I tried them on and they fit {halleluiah!}, I realized that this wasn't so bad. Landon was having fun, helping zip me up, offering his opinion {he liked the pink one, but I didn't get it!}, asking funny questions {hope this isn't TMI but at one point said "are those your boobs?" Um, ok.} I would go out of the dressing room because they don't have mirrors in the rooms. What is that about by the way? And, I met a friend! Super helpful young 28 year old who actually told me the dress I liked was "too old." I appreciated that, since I was already feeling a little out of my league to begin with, ha ha! She told me her top two choices, so I tried those on again, made my decision and viola! The dress had been said yes to!
Next up, shoes. Ugh. Another sore subject. I have a foot condition that only allows me to wear flats, so fancy heels were out. Thankfully they had some cute flats that they could dye to match my dress for me. At this point, I was actually liking Miss Peppy Pants from earlier, and I could tell my demeanor had changed during my time there. I checked out, feeling ready and excited to go to the Ball, finally! A feeling I didn't think would come, but it did. So, my friends, what does this have to do with life? Let me tell ya:
* I wasn't excited about the Ball because I felt unprepared. I didn't have anything to wear and didn't know if I would find anything I liked. I think part of this was because I let my past dictate my present. For me having body issues/self esteem issues/confidence issues, shopping wasn't pleasant. I didn't feel good in anything, nothing ever fit right, which didn't make me feel comfortable in anything. Truth is I wasn't comfortable in my own skin, due to a variety of reasons. How many times are we unexcited, unmotivated or we procrastinate on things because we feel unprepared and we let past experiences dictate our present? Anyone?
* I didn't think I would find what I was looking for. I feared disappointment. How many times have you tried something and been disappointed because it didn't give you the results, or desires you thought it would? "What if" is a powerful voice of the enemy when focused on the negative. Instead of saying "what if I find the perfect outfit?" I was saying "what if I DON'T find the perfect outfit?" I was going in with fear already in my mind. Ugh. Not good.
* I had Landon with me. How many times have we used our children as an excuse for something? "I can't ____________, because I have kids." "I can't __________, because I'm a mom." What does that have to do with anything, really? Turns out, I enjoyed shopping with Landon and I was glad he was there!
* It was unknown. "If I didn't find a dress there, I would have to go to the mall, to how many other stores with Landon in tow to settle for something to wear?" Hear what I was saying to myself? Negative self talk going in. Defeated before I began. Not good.
Truth be told, none of those things happened. As my time went on and my guide helped me, I felt relief. I felt hopeful. I felt optimistic I would find something that I would love. Once I had selected my dress and shoes, I went to the bathroom. As I was walking to the loo, I felt relieved, thankful, hopeful and like a load had been lifted off my shoulders. I felt at peace. It was amazing.
I wonder what situations in your life are like that? What areas do you feel unprepared? Where your past dictates your present? Fearful of disappointment or bad results? It is unknown/you don't know what to do or where to start? Negative self talk gets you? I can think of several areas for myself where this has been the case. It has been the reason I have held off on things or not done things at all. What role did the clerk play? Quite a significant one, honestly. She showed me where to look, offered her advice and help and let me figure it out on my own, but she pointed me in the right direction and helped when I needed it. {I'm sorry, I have to say this, but does she sound like a coach or what? This is what I do in my challenge groups for my challengers.....but that is not what this post is about :) } If she hadn't been there, I would have wasted more time and energy which would have led to more frustration.
As I was leaving the store, all these thoughts came to me, then it hit me! This is life. This is what happens when people get stuck, they get caught up in things they shouldn't be, and so on. This is it. So, what if we all had someone like that clerk/coach in our lives to help us? How would that help you? Personally for me, God gave me an awesome mentor in Sioux Falls who did this for me as well. She spoke into my life and helped get me going in the right direction. What a blessing! So, friends, who has been in this role for you? Isn't it amazing the lessons we can learn from doing things like going to David's Bridal? I was out of my comfort zone, after all......
Friday, February 27, 2015
What Exercise Has Taught Me About Life
Wow. This is kind of a deep post. I've been thinking about it a lot lately, so am ready to share some thoughts on this topic. Exercise has truly taught me a lot about life. Let me explain my relationship with exercise to you, so you will have a frame of reference as to where I have been. In elementary school, I would say I was a pretty sedentary kid. I don't remember playing sports or anything, was usually one of the last kids picked for the sports team in gym class {Remember that? Ugh.} In fact, I really enjoyed junk food, Doritos and Coke were my daily after school snack. Add that to watching t.v. and that's where I was. In middle school, I became a bit more active with cheerleading. Didn't make the volleyball team {more rejection}. I did dance all through school, though, I suppose. But, I don't remember any additional activities during middle school. In high school, I really kicked it into gear because not only did I do POMS {dance team}, but I also did tennis and my senior year I added on swimming! WAHOO! Go me! Also, during that time I decided I was overweight so used to dance for what seemed like hours, who knows how long it was, at night to burn off the big cookie I ate for lunch. {Notice my nutrition might be a SLIGHT bit off here?} So, that is my school age experience with exercise.
In college, I lived right across from the co-rec and remember working out several times a week. I'm not sure what my goal was, but I did enjoy working out. In fact, I remember very clearly one night, I had some conflict with some friends. Looking back, I was likely having an anxiety attack because I was short of breath and felt like I needed to escape. So, off to the gym I went. That is the first real memory I have of turning to exercise for stress relief. That was my first semester of college. Over Christmas break that year, I had jaw surgery where my jaw was wired shut for a few weeks. I didn't work out during that time. Once my jaw became unwired, I started to exercise again. Looking back, I'm again not sure what my purpose in exercise was, but I did it.
All through living in the sorority, I was a faithful gym go-er and in the summers, I would exercise by walking. I still continued to eat poorly though since I knew little about what I put into my body and how it affected me. Fast forward to life after college....again, joined the local Y in Chicago and worked out faithfully after getting off of work. A move to Madison, WI for a call to ministry.....again, faithful at working out. I even did some group fitness classes and enjoyed them. BUT, once I got pregnant, I did not exercise. I didn't exercise the whole time I was pregnant with Lauren. I think that is when I took a turn downhill, with exercise, looking back. Once we had her, we would go for regular walks, but that was about it. Going to the gym with a baby was too hard and those Madison winters....brrr! Once we had children, going to the gym for me was about my "me time" and utilizing the childcare, nothing more, really. Just a break.
Fast forward to February 2014 when I did an in home exercise program {the 21 Day Fix}. Wow. That was tough. I was sweaty. {I should tell you I don't like to sweat, which I will elaborate on later.} I was using parts of my body I hadn't used in years, well, ever really. I was sore in places I didn't know I had muscles. I was relieved when the 30 minute video was finished! I did it. I had a small taste of completing something and I liked it! The pain felt good. I liked feeling like I was going to get results. I liked how I felt about myself. It was exhilirating.
The long story short of that 21 Day Fix is I became a coach and have continued to exercise 5-6 days/week faithfully over the last year. I've learned what type of exercise I enjoy, what type I don't enjoy. I've learned what exercise does for me and it is amazing. It boosts my mood, changes my outlook, burns off stress and makes me feel a sense of accomplishment. So, I'd like to share with you some lessons exercise has taught me about life:
* I don't really like to be pushed outside of my comfort zone. Eek. Exercise pushes me. Truth be told, I don't really like exercise. I like what it does for me, how it makes me feel and the results, but I can't say I'm a fitness fanatic or anything like that.
* I don't like messy things, or to be messy, thus the I don't like to sweat comment. True story, I get up daily, shower, put on my make up, do my hair and THEN exercise after that! Wow, huh? I wonder if this is part of not liking to be pushed outside of my comfort zone? Being messy is for sure that to me.
* I am a driven, yet lazy person at the same time. I am driven to do the exercise, because I like the feeling of accomplishment, but I am somewhat lazy during the exercise. EEK! I know I could be more effective if I chose to be.
* I am impatient. Truth be told, yet again, I can't wait for the exercise to be finished. I watch the clock like a hawk waiting for it to be done.
* I lack focus. I have been known to actually check things/do things/multi task during the breaks on the video. Oye.
* I don't like to be interrupted. I have learned that childrens shows are really not 30 minutes, because Landon ALWAYS comes in before my 30 minutes are up. I just want to finish and not get ANOTHER show for him.
* I am disciplined and when I set my mind to something, I will do it. I can be focused when I choose to be.
* For me, exercise is a wonderful, awesome, incredible form of stress relief. It is my "me time." It gives me the energy I need to be the best wife and mom I can be. It is also showing me the areas I can grow in for sure {see the list above!}
* I have learned I am stronger than I ever thought I could be. I am capable of doing things I never thought possible.
* I have learned the power of self talk, what you tell yourself, what you put into your mind affects you and your outlook. If I'm in an exercise saying "I can't do this anymore," do you think I will finish strong? NOPE. But, if I say "I can do this. I'm stronger today than I was yesterday," I will likely finish. I've learned how to be nice to myself.
* I am learning how to become the type of person I always wanted to be, but didn't think was possible. It's been pretty powerful to overcome some roadblocks I've had.
For me, the benefits outweigh the other things I've listed. It is something I have to discipline myself to do daily, as with other things in life. There is always going to be something you don't want to do/don't have to do/don't like to do, but sometimes you just need to DO IT. Exercise is teaching me how to push through and do that in all areas of life.
So, now it's your turn....what has exercise taught YOU about life?
In college, I lived right across from the co-rec and remember working out several times a week. I'm not sure what my goal was, but I did enjoy working out. In fact, I remember very clearly one night, I had some conflict with some friends. Looking back, I was likely having an anxiety attack because I was short of breath and felt like I needed to escape. So, off to the gym I went. That is the first real memory I have of turning to exercise for stress relief. That was my first semester of college. Over Christmas break that year, I had jaw surgery where my jaw was wired shut for a few weeks. I didn't work out during that time. Once my jaw became unwired, I started to exercise again. Looking back, I'm again not sure what my purpose in exercise was, but I did it.
All through living in the sorority, I was a faithful gym go-er and in the summers, I would exercise by walking. I still continued to eat poorly though since I knew little about what I put into my body and how it affected me. Fast forward to life after college....again, joined the local Y in Chicago and worked out faithfully after getting off of work. A move to Madison, WI for a call to ministry.....again, faithful at working out. I even did some group fitness classes and enjoyed them. BUT, once I got pregnant, I did not exercise. I didn't exercise the whole time I was pregnant with Lauren. I think that is when I took a turn downhill, with exercise, looking back. Once we had her, we would go for regular walks, but that was about it. Going to the gym with a baby was too hard and those Madison winters....brrr! Once we had children, going to the gym for me was about my "me time" and utilizing the childcare, nothing more, really. Just a break.
Fast forward to February 2014 when I did an in home exercise program {the 21 Day Fix}. Wow. That was tough. I was sweaty. {I should tell you I don't like to sweat, which I will elaborate on later.} I was using parts of my body I hadn't used in years, well, ever really. I was sore in places I didn't know I had muscles. I was relieved when the 30 minute video was finished! I did it. I had a small taste of completing something and I liked it! The pain felt good. I liked feeling like I was going to get results. I liked how I felt about myself. It was exhilirating.
The long story short of that 21 Day Fix is I became a coach and have continued to exercise 5-6 days/week faithfully over the last year. I've learned what type of exercise I enjoy, what type I don't enjoy. I've learned what exercise does for me and it is amazing. It boosts my mood, changes my outlook, burns off stress and makes me feel a sense of accomplishment. So, I'd like to share with you some lessons exercise has taught me about life:
* I don't really like to be pushed outside of my comfort zone. Eek. Exercise pushes me. Truth be told, I don't really like exercise. I like what it does for me, how it makes me feel and the results, but I can't say I'm a fitness fanatic or anything like that.
* I don't like messy things, or to be messy, thus the I don't like to sweat comment. True story, I get up daily, shower, put on my make up, do my hair and THEN exercise after that! Wow, huh? I wonder if this is part of not liking to be pushed outside of my comfort zone? Being messy is for sure that to me.
* I am a driven, yet lazy person at the same time. I am driven to do the exercise, because I like the feeling of accomplishment, but I am somewhat lazy during the exercise. EEK! I know I could be more effective if I chose to be.
* I am impatient. Truth be told, yet again, I can't wait for the exercise to be finished. I watch the clock like a hawk waiting for it to be done.
* I lack focus. I have been known to actually check things/do things/multi task during the breaks on the video. Oye.
* I don't like to be interrupted. I have learned that childrens shows are really not 30 minutes, because Landon ALWAYS comes in before my 30 minutes are up. I just want to finish and not get ANOTHER show for him.
* I am disciplined and when I set my mind to something, I will do it. I can be focused when I choose to be.
* For me, exercise is a wonderful, awesome, incredible form of stress relief. It is my "me time." It gives me the energy I need to be the best wife and mom I can be. It is also showing me the areas I can grow in for sure {see the list above!}
* I have learned I am stronger than I ever thought I could be. I am capable of doing things I never thought possible.
* I have learned the power of self talk, what you tell yourself, what you put into your mind affects you and your outlook. If I'm in an exercise saying "I can't do this anymore," do you think I will finish strong? NOPE. But, if I say "I can do this. I'm stronger today than I was yesterday," I will likely finish. I've learned how to be nice to myself.
* I am learning how to become the type of person I always wanted to be, but didn't think was possible. It's been pretty powerful to overcome some roadblocks I've had.
For me, the benefits outweigh the other things I've listed. It is something I have to discipline myself to do daily, as with other things in life. There is always going to be something you don't want to do/don't have to do/don't like to do, but sometimes you just need to DO IT. Exercise is teaching me how to push through and do that in all areas of life.
So, now it's your turn....what has exercise taught YOU about life?
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Top Reasons to NOT Become a Beachbody Coach
If you know me at all or have been reading my blog, facebook posts, or whatever, you know I'm pretty honest, right? Well, I hope you know that because I am. I don't like to have people be dishonest with me, so I will not be dishonest with others. In the past, I have blogged about why I became a Beachbody coach, why coaching is great for me, but I have never addressed why NOT to become a coach. So, I'm going to do so now. In honest fashion, as always :)
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1. You don't want to help people. The MAIN reason I coach is so I can help people. Maybe you're not the type of person who likes to help others. That is fine! If that is the case, then coaching won't be a good fit for you.
2. You have no desire to grow and change. You like where you are at. Physically. Mentally. Financially. Socially. Emotionally. For me, becoming a coach has become a beautiful process of self growth. I have transformed my physical body for the better. I have changed the way I think about things for the better. I have been able to contribute to our family finances all by working from home. I have been able to spend time with and get to know other like minded people and made some great friends. I have learned to take care of myself in all ways, physically, mentally, socially and emotionally. It's been a beautiful transformation. If you don't want to be transformed in any of those ways, then coaching isn't for you.
3. You don't want to get paid to get fit. I was talking with a friend in another company similiar to Beachbody and she pointed out something I had never considered before. She said "you are getting paid to get in the best shape of your life." Duh. That is right. She was spot on, yet I hadn't realized that. It's a great side perk. So, if you're happy where you are with your body, then I encourage you to not consider coaching.
4. You don't want to connect with other like minded people. One of my favorite parts of this industry is the team synergy. I love connecting with and talking with others who have a similar mindset. It is invigorating! Something about it just fires me up! But, if you don't want to connect with others in a similar mindset, you shouldn't consider coaching.
5. You are totally content with where you are in life and are not looking for anything more. You don't want to make more money, you don't want to have more freedom, you don't want to be able to do anything extra.
Since I said I would be honest, the last thing I would like to address is tough. It has been the hardest for me with coaching. Is coaching perfect and all rainbows, unicorns and sparkles? No. A lot of the time, yes, it is great, but I would be remiss if I didn't share some of the things I have struggled with. {I said I would be honest, remember?} It is frustrating when people you have been in conversation with and talking to about a program sign up with another coach, it is frustrating when people don't get back to you {I can't stand to be ignored. I'd much rather be told "no thank you," than have something left unresolved.} It is frustrating when you see the potential in someone for this opportunity and they don't see it for themselves {with both the products and as a coach.} Yes, those things are frustrating. BUT, I have realized it is also LIFE. There have been a few times where I have wanted to sit down, have a pity party and tell my coach I'm done. But when I thought about what I would say, I realized this is life! Things happen. People are going to disappoint you. People won't see their potential. People don't reply. It happens. So, I can choose to let it take me out and quit, or acknowledge and move on. In a nutshell, those frustrating things have helped me handle life better in some ways. After all, you can't quit life, can you? At the end of the day, I am only responsible for myself and not others.
All that to say, if these things sound like you, please don't contact me about becoming a coach. It won't be a good fit for you. However, if these things DO NOT sound like you, please let me know. I'd love to tell you more about what I do. It is truly a great gig and I am LOVING it! In my opinion, if you love something, it is selfish to not share it. I don't want to be selfish, so I'd love to share this with you as well! And, if this post inspires you, please contact me! I would love to tell you more!
1. You don't want to help people. The MAIN reason I coach is so I can help people. Maybe you're not the type of person who likes to help others. That is fine! If that is the case, then coaching won't be a good fit for you.
2. You have no desire to grow and change. You like where you are at. Physically. Mentally. Financially. Socially. Emotionally. For me, becoming a coach has become a beautiful process of self growth. I have transformed my physical body for the better. I have changed the way I think about things for the better. I have been able to contribute to our family finances all by working from home. I have been able to spend time with and get to know other like minded people and made some great friends. I have learned to take care of myself in all ways, physically, mentally, socially and emotionally. It's been a beautiful transformation. If you don't want to be transformed in any of those ways, then coaching isn't for you.
3. You don't want to get paid to get fit. I was talking with a friend in another company similiar to Beachbody and she pointed out something I had never considered before. She said "you are getting paid to get in the best shape of your life." Duh. That is right. She was spot on, yet I hadn't realized that. It's a great side perk. So, if you're happy where you are with your body, then I encourage you to not consider coaching.
4. You don't want to connect with other like minded people. One of my favorite parts of this industry is the team synergy. I love connecting with and talking with others who have a similar mindset. It is invigorating! Something about it just fires me up! But, if you don't want to connect with others in a similar mindset, you shouldn't consider coaching.
5. You are totally content with where you are in life and are not looking for anything more. You don't want to make more money, you don't want to have more freedom, you don't want to be able to do anything extra.
Since I said I would be honest, the last thing I would like to address is tough. It has been the hardest for me with coaching. Is coaching perfect and all rainbows, unicorns and sparkles? No. A lot of the time, yes, it is great, but I would be remiss if I didn't share some of the things I have struggled with. {I said I would be honest, remember?} It is frustrating when people you have been in conversation with and talking to about a program sign up with another coach, it is frustrating when people don't get back to you {I can't stand to be ignored. I'd much rather be told "no thank you," than have something left unresolved.} It is frustrating when you see the potential in someone for this opportunity and they don't see it for themselves {with both the products and as a coach.} Yes, those things are frustrating. BUT, I have realized it is also LIFE. There have been a few times where I have wanted to sit down, have a pity party and tell my coach I'm done. But when I thought about what I would say, I realized this is life! Things happen. People are going to disappoint you. People won't see their potential. People don't reply. It happens. So, I can choose to let it take me out and quit, or acknowledge and move on. In a nutshell, those frustrating things have helped me handle life better in some ways. After all, you can't quit life, can you? At the end of the day, I am only responsible for myself and not others.
All that to say, if these things sound like you, please don't contact me about becoming a coach. It won't be a good fit for you. However, if these things DO NOT sound like you, please let me know. I'd love to tell you more about what I do. It is truly a great gig and I am LOVING it! In my opinion, if you love something, it is selfish to not share it. I don't want to be selfish, so I'd love to share this with you as well! And, if this post inspires you, please contact me! I would love to tell you more!
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Let's Talk About Pain.....
Pain. How do you feel when you hear that word? I'm not a fan of it. I've been thinking a lot about painful experiences lately and have some things I'd like to share. When you have a chance to encounter pain, what do you do? Do you walk into it, or do you run away? I run away. Well, I have in the past. Avoiding pain has been my tendency. But, as a result, I have also missed life. Pain is a part of life, isn't it? Life isn't all rainbows, unicorns, smiling faces and pain free, unfortunately. I think we need to be told that we will encounter pain and that it is ok. Hearing that just brings freedom, doesn't it? As opposed to not expecting pain and then being disappointed, hurt and not knowing what to do with it when it comes. But, I digress......
Pain. Do you purposefully walk into situations that might be painful, or do you back away? I don't know what that would be for you, but I will use exercise as an example. Exercise can be painful, right? You are using muscles and parts of your body that maybe haven't been used in a while. That can hurt in the beginning. You either have a choice to 1.) make a decision to go for it, push through the pain and see the results, 2.) decide to try it, then quit because it hurts to much and miss the results, or 3.) not try at all because it MIGHT hurt too much. Not only then are you missing the results, but you are also missing the fact that you DID IT! You miss pushing through the pain, realizing you are stronger than what you thought it would be and feeling the VICTORY of accomplishment and success! Man, what a bummer! I don't know about you, but I'd rather try something than miss out enitreley, right?
Here's another example. Having children. Have you ever heard anyone say they were not going to have children because they thought childbirth might hurt too much? {I will be honest, it did cross my mind.} No, because people don't get pregnant and think about the pain. They are focused on the other parts - the pregnancy, the showers, the getting ready for baby to come, childbirth classes, etc. The pain isn't on their mind. The pain didn't determine whether or not they would get pregnant. The pain is often an after thought, right? Is childbirth painful? Yes. Even though I had c-sections, those aren't a walk in the park either, friends. There is pain involved, but you don't let the pain dictate whether or not you have a child, right? Right.
So, why do we do that with other areas of our life? Why do we let past pains and hurts hold us back from walking into our destinies? I see it time and time and time again. Someone got wounded or hurt in a certain area of their lives and they carry it around with them for the rest of their lives. This hurt oozes into other areas of their life, affecting not only the person who got hurt, but those in relationship with them as well. Why aren't we willing to address or deal with our emotional pain? Why do we let it control us? Are we afraid to admit we are hurt? Bruised? Wounded? It's like I posted on my facebook page earlier, if we had a gash on our hand, we would address it, wouldn't we? Wouldn't we bandage it, and let it heal rather than leave it open and not heal? So, why are our emotional hurts different? Do we think it makes us look weak to have past hurts we need to deal with? Please help me understand this. Are we so prideful that we don't want to admit we have healing to do? I sincerely want to understand this. Why do we avoid pain in certain situations but not others? It is bondage, friends. We are made to be free, but we aren't if we keep walking around with unhealed hurts. What do you think?
Friday, February 20, 2015
Old, New, Broken, Whole?
Old.
New.
Broken.
Whole.
What do those words have in common? They are very much my life. Right at this present moment. Let me explain.
My very dear, dear friend from South Dakota came to visit this past week. It was awesome having her here. One of the many fun things we did while she was here was show her where I grew up. My history. My lineage. The "old" me, if you will. Who I was as a kid. Where I lived, grew up, etc.
The unfortunate thing about my story is that part of my lineage is missing. My dad died when I was 2. {Yes, you might be surprised by this. I don't really talk about it much and I don't have a tattoo on my head saying "my dad died when I was 2."} Because I was so young when he died, I didn't have the chance to know him. I knew ABOUT him. I heard about him, but I didn't KNOW him. There is a difference, isn't there? See, all my life I had this IDEA about who my dad was, based on what people told me. Based on their perception, their view, which is based on a small bit of what they knew of him. I have never had a WHOLE complete picture of who my dad was because of this. Yet, because I was a child, I accepted this as my reality, my worldview. So, here is Old Melissa.
Melissa moves away, goes to Chicago, Madison, Champaign, Sioux Falls & back to....West Lafayette. Old Melissa collides with New Melissa. This has been my reality since we moved back here in October. See, I know this area as the old Melissa. The child, Melissa. I was a kid here and a Purdue student here. I wasn't a wife here, or a mom here, so New Melissa encounters the stomping ground of Old Melissa. A disconnect is created. I have a word picture that might be helpful to share what it is like.
Those of you from around here are familiar with State Road 25. This is the main road from Delphi, where I grew up, that leads to Lafayette, where Purdue is, the mall, various other things. When I was here, there was 1 main way from Delphi to Lafayette.....State Road 25 was it. However, since I have left, a new road has been built. I believe it is called the Hoosier Heartland? It is the NEW way from Delphi to Lafayette, as opposed to State Road 25 that I know. Yesterday, I was at the crossroads of State Road 25 & the Hoosier Heartland. I wanted to take the Old State Road 25. Why? Because I know it, it is familiar. It is safe, I know where I end up when I take it. I didn't want to take the new road. Why? Because it was new, unknown, unfamiliar, yet that was the way my GPS was taking me. As I hesitated there at the crossroad, it hit me! This is the picture of my life. I am New Melissa, back in Old Melissa's turf. I can go the old way or I can take the new way. I took the new way yesterday and hope I will continue to do so while I am here. I seriously feel like I'm having two cultures clash. Old vs. new.
Now, let's talk about the broken and whole part, ok? {It's my blog and you are reading, so sorry, you don't have a choice!} When I was living here, I was very broken. I didn't know it, but I was. It doesn't matter why now, but there are a lot of factors that caused this. Part of the beautiful thing of being away is I have gotten healed of a lot of the things that wounded me. But, there is more healing to take place still. Part of that includes learning who my dad was, what he was like, what qualities of his I have. It is easy? HECK TO THE NO. Is it fun? What do you think? But, I had a friend say something really profound to me as I shared some of this with her. She said "I'm proud of you for pushing through the pain to get healing." My first thought was I'm not pushing through the pain to get healing. I honestly thought "I have laid in fetal position long enough, letting this eat me," that now it's time to do something about it. So, I guess in a way, I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. It's time to find out who I am, all of me. Not just part of me, the living parts, but also the parts that are deceased. Those parts are good, too, even though they aren't living. That is what I need to find out.
So, being back home is very much about me being OLD. NEW. BROKEN. MADE WHOLE. Talk about opposite worlds, eh? I appreciate your prayers on this leg of my journey, friends. Thank you!
New.
Broken.
Whole.
What do those words have in common? They are very much my life. Right at this present moment. Let me explain.
My very dear, dear friend from South Dakota came to visit this past week. It was awesome having her here. One of the many fun things we did while she was here was show her where I grew up. My history. My lineage. The "old" me, if you will. Who I was as a kid. Where I lived, grew up, etc.
The unfortunate thing about my story is that part of my lineage is missing. My dad died when I was 2. {Yes, you might be surprised by this. I don't really talk about it much and I don't have a tattoo on my head saying "my dad died when I was 2."} Because I was so young when he died, I didn't have the chance to know him. I knew ABOUT him. I heard about him, but I didn't KNOW him. There is a difference, isn't there? See, all my life I had this IDEA about who my dad was, based on what people told me. Based on their perception, their view, which is based on a small bit of what they knew of him. I have never had a WHOLE complete picture of who my dad was because of this. Yet, because I was a child, I accepted this as my reality, my worldview. So, here is Old Melissa.
Melissa moves away, goes to Chicago, Madison, Champaign, Sioux Falls & back to....West Lafayette. Old Melissa collides with New Melissa. This has been my reality since we moved back here in October. See, I know this area as the old Melissa. The child, Melissa. I was a kid here and a Purdue student here. I wasn't a wife here, or a mom here, so New Melissa encounters the stomping ground of Old Melissa. A disconnect is created. I have a word picture that might be helpful to share what it is like.
Those of you from around here are familiar with State Road 25. This is the main road from Delphi, where I grew up, that leads to Lafayette, where Purdue is, the mall, various other things. When I was here, there was 1 main way from Delphi to Lafayette.....State Road 25 was it. However, since I have left, a new road has been built. I believe it is called the Hoosier Heartland? It is the NEW way from Delphi to Lafayette, as opposed to State Road 25 that I know. Yesterday, I was at the crossroads of State Road 25 & the Hoosier Heartland. I wanted to take the Old State Road 25. Why? Because I know it, it is familiar. It is safe, I know where I end up when I take it. I didn't want to take the new road. Why? Because it was new, unknown, unfamiliar, yet that was the way my GPS was taking me. As I hesitated there at the crossroad, it hit me! This is the picture of my life. I am New Melissa, back in Old Melissa's turf. I can go the old way or I can take the new way. I took the new way yesterday and hope I will continue to do so while I am here. I seriously feel like I'm having two cultures clash. Old vs. new.
Now, let's talk about the broken and whole part, ok? {It's my blog and you are reading, so sorry, you don't have a choice!} When I was living here, I was very broken. I didn't know it, but I was. It doesn't matter why now, but there are a lot of factors that caused this. Part of the beautiful thing of being away is I have gotten healed of a lot of the things that wounded me. But, there is more healing to take place still. Part of that includes learning who my dad was, what he was like, what qualities of his I have. It is easy? HECK TO THE NO. Is it fun? What do you think? But, I had a friend say something really profound to me as I shared some of this with her. She said "I'm proud of you for pushing through the pain to get healing." My first thought was I'm not pushing through the pain to get healing. I honestly thought "I have laid in fetal position long enough, letting this eat me," that now it's time to do something about it. So, I guess in a way, I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. It's time to find out who I am, all of me. Not just part of me, the living parts, but also the parts that are deceased. Those parts are good, too, even though they aren't living. That is what I need to find out.
So, being back home is very much about me being OLD. NEW. BROKEN. MADE WHOLE. Talk about opposite worlds, eh? I appreciate your prayers on this leg of my journey, friends. Thank you!
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Why Team Beachbody Is A Perfect Fit For Me {And Why It Might Be For You As Well!}
I have been thinking a lot lately about my Beachbody coaching gig. I'm the type of person who likes to periodically evaluate things, to see how they are going, where my heart is, what I'm being called to in life, etc. So I have been doing that lately. I am very grateful for this season of life and for being able to do something like this. For this current season of my life, being a coach is truly a great fit!
I was talking with a friend recently who was in the party plan industry with me. {You know, the in home parties where you invite people over, hear the spiel, etc.} She was actually on my team. I asked her if she ever saw me lugging my baskets around when I was pregnant. Then I realized how out of my mind I truly was. Who drives for hours one way to a party in the middle of winter {in Wisconsin, none the less} lugging heavy baskets in and out of homes for a party while they are 8 months pregnant? Seriously! Yes, I did that. Isn't that sad? Who in their right mind does that? Did I not realize I was putting not only Lauren's life at risk, but also my own? Whoa. That was an interesting thought to process last night after that convo. with my friend. So I got to think about the number of years I lugged around those heavy baskets, in & out of not only homes, but also vehicles. Ugh. {Disclaimer - you might be wondering what the baskets are about. That was how I transported the products I was selling at the time.} I was going into strangers homes, for the most part, as I didn't always know the hostess or anything about her. {All of the people were lovely though, very kind, warm welcoming and very normal. I felt very safe. And, actually became friends with quite a few of them, which is a blessing.}
As the convo continued on, I realized that I am truly a homebody. It is important for me to be home at night, having dinner with my family and being able to tuck my kids in. When I was out doing parties, that wasn't the scene. I often times would eat quickly at home before heading out the door, or eat on the way to the party. I would then get home very late at night and be so tired that I just wanted to crash. There wasn't really a great quality of life there, in case you couldn't tell. On top of that, I was doing this more than once/week. Some weeks I would have 3-4 parties. That is a lot of running! A lot of running to try to build a business. A business that all depended on people doing what they said they would do. If the hostess cancelled her party after I had held that date for her, I was out of work. So then I would need to find another hostess to replace that party.
I also didn't really feel like my schedule was my own. Sure, I had my choice of dates open for parties, but if my dates didn't work for a hostess, I didn't want to lose the party, so I threw out another date. It was all dependent on them really following through, to be honest with you. So, see my schedule and my paycheck were entirely dependent on other people.
The other thing I really don't miss is sending out hostess packets and catalogs. I was at the post office so much in my other business that I knew all the employees by name. Not kidding. It was bad. And, I shudder to think about how much I spent on postage. Ugh. Those are the main things I didn't like about my former gig. So, now it's only fair to share what I LOVE about my current gig, right? {In no particular order, mind you.}
1. No parties ~ in person, book parties or online! WHOOT! I LOVE that I can do this business from anywhere, anytime! I am not dependent on a hostess for my business. I love that it is truly based on my lifestyle and schedule.
2. The time commitment. We have something called a "Power Hour," we are encouraged to do daily. An hour on the business/day, why sure! That is a lot less time than my parties would take! There are no meetings to attend on a regular basis, etc. We do have conference calls, but those are twice/month and are always recorded if ya can't make it. It is truly a business that fits into YOUR schedule.
3. The way we build this business. This is a business that can be done 100% via social media. Some people choose to build it other ways, but for me, doing it all from home or the coffee shop, etc. is ideal. I LOVE that part of it!
4. No inventory, no orders, nothing to ship...need I say more? There is no spending money on products I don't need to up my party totals, there is no placing orders {our customers do that on their own} and the only thing I ever have to ship, if I choose to, are samples. {Which I don't do that often!} That is a nice breath of fresh air after being in the post office ALL.THE.TIME with my other experiences.
5. We are truly a company that wants to HELP people. Our mission statement is to help people achieve their goals and enjoy healthy and fulfilling lives. Who doesn't want to be a part of that? I honestly for the first time in a long time don't feel like I'm selling someone something they don't need! I am coming alongside them, coaching them, guiding them and teaching them how to take care of themselves, which is INCREDIBLE!
6. Personal development. This company is all about helping you become your best, which I love. You are encouraged to exercise daily, eat well, drink your Shakeology, spend time DAILY in personal development. Who else wants you to be your best? In my former positions, personal development might have been more about "How to Book More Parties" vs "Personal Development God's Way." This is more about me, becoming my best self. {This might also be due to where I am in life now vs. where I was before. I realize that.}
7. Last but not least {I hesitate even mentioning this because it isn't about this for me, nor is it the reason I am doing it......} the compensation is really, really, really generous. Let's just say this is the most lucrative business I have found yet. And, for that I am thankful. Not because I'm earning more, but because I am paid in return for my time and effort. This then allows me to GIVE more, which I love!
If you're curious about this at all, I would love to tell you more. I'm not going to pressure you into anything! I'm happy to answer any questions you have, if you'd like to hear my experiences so far, I would love to share those with you as well. This has truly been a blessing to me and I'd love to share it with you as well if you'd like to hear more.
{Disclaimers...I am not trying to bash anyone, any industry, etc. with this post. I am merely sharing what has worked best for ME. These are my preferences. You might very well be the type of gal who needs to get out of the house after being home all day, so what I do doesn't appeal to you. That is fine. We are all wired differently, the key is finding what YOU are wired for. For years, I kept trying to do something that wasn't for ME. But, that doesn't mean it isn't for you. I'm just sharing my perspectives after being on both sides of the fence.} Thanks for reading!
Monday, February 9, 2015
Sinus Infection, Or ..............????
So, the craziest thing happened this week. Want to know what it is? I'm gonna tell ya, no worries! As you likely know, we recently went to Disney World. It was awesome! We had a great time and I am so glad we were able to go. Chad had a conference, so we tagged along with him. The kids loved it, so that was awesome! The tricky part with our family is the food. We all eat clean and with the kids and I all having issues with wheat and dairy, we avoid them. Is it easy? No. But we have found ways around it.
However, what I have learned about myself is that when we are on vacation, I seem to think the normal rules don't apply. Most of the time I do work out, but my nutrition kinda goes to the dump. This time, however, I went in with a different mindset. See, with Chad being there for work, he had work commitments in the evenings, so I'd be flying solo and he also would be staying there longer than we would be to follow up on meetings, etc. So, I would be flying solo for most of the week. I know from past experience that when I am solo, I need to take care of myself. I need to exercise, I need to avoid wheat and dairy {it makes me crabby}, I need to eat clean and I need to be on my A game. {I didn't want Mean Mommy coming out right after being at the happiest place on earth, right?} So, I did my best while we were there. I think I did very well. Disney is very food allergy friendly, btw.
However, the ride home from the airport, I blew it. Not intentionally, but I did. That hamburger from McDonalds did me in. I ate the bun {wheat}. Also, unbeknownst to me, I had some hidden dairy from another source once we returned home. So, all in all I tried my best, but wasn't on my A game.
I woke up the day after we returned home and had a headache, which isn't normal for me. I took some advil, or something like that that we had in the cabinet and went on my way. Next morning, I woke up congested, with a headache. I thought for sure I was getting a sinus infection. Last time I fell off the wheat and dairy wagon, I got a sinus infection. So now, I associate wheat and dairy with sinus infections apparently. {Which makes sense, as it compromises the immune system}. So, being proactive, I took some OTC {over the counter medicine} for congestion, headache, etc. See the disconnect here, already? I WAS TREATING THE WRONG THING! Did the medicine help? No, because that isn't what it was for! I was not feeling well because of what I had eaten, not because I was getting sick. I was treating myself like I was sick and I wasn't.
So, I got to thinking.....how many times has this happened to others? We go into the doctor, clinic, etc. for one thing, get a medicine that DOESN'T TREAT THE PROBLEM or make us better, but actually makes us worse? The body is an amazing thing and when we give it what it needs, it tells us when something isn't right. My body was trying to tell me that something was off and I didn't listen, I just put a "band aid" {the medicine} on it. It just made me wonder if this is what is happening in our society today? Are our bodies trying to tell us something but we don't know how to listen to them so we take something else in place of what the issue is? Would love to hear your thoughts on this.....
However, what I have learned about myself is that when we are on vacation, I seem to think the normal rules don't apply. Most of the time I do work out, but my nutrition kinda goes to the dump. This time, however, I went in with a different mindset. See, with Chad being there for work, he had work commitments in the evenings, so I'd be flying solo and he also would be staying there longer than we would be to follow up on meetings, etc. So, I would be flying solo for most of the week. I know from past experience that when I am solo, I need to take care of myself. I need to exercise, I need to avoid wheat and dairy {it makes me crabby}, I need to eat clean and I need to be on my A game. {I didn't want Mean Mommy coming out right after being at the happiest place on earth, right?} So, I did my best while we were there. I think I did very well. Disney is very food allergy friendly, btw.
However, the ride home from the airport, I blew it. Not intentionally, but I did. That hamburger from McDonalds did me in. I ate the bun {wheat}. Also, unbeknownst to me, I had some hidden dairy from another source once we returned home. So, all in all I tried my best, but wasn't on my A game.
I woke up the day after we returned home and had a headache, which isn't normal for me. I took some advil, or something like that that we had in the cabinet and went on my way. Next morning, I woke up congested, with a headache. I thought for sure I was getting a sinus infection. Last time I fell off the wheat and dairy wagon, I got a sinus infection. So now, I associate wheat and dairy with sinus infections apparently. {Which makes sense, as it compromises the immune system}. So, being proactive, I took some OTC {over the counter medicine} for congestion, headache, etc. See the disconnect here, already? I WAS TREATING THE WRONG THING! Did the medicine help? No, because that isn't what it was for! I was not feeling well because of what I had eaten, not because I was getting sick. I was treating myself like I was sick and I wasn't.
So, I got to thinking.....how many times has this happened to others? We go into the doctor, clinic, etc. for one thing, get a medicine that DOESN'T TREAT THE PROBLEM or make us better, but actually makes us worse? The body is an amazing thing and when we give it what it needs, it tells us when something isn't right. My body was trying to tell me that something was off and I didn't listen, I just put a "band aid" {the medicine} on it. It just made me wonder if this is what is happening in our society today? Are our bodies trying to tell us something but we don't know how to listen to them so we take something else in place of what the issue is? Would love to hear your thoughts on this.....
Saturday, February 7, 2015
The Great Cleaning Debate....
This has been a hot topic in our home on and off for years....to hire a cleaning person or not? Here are some of the reasons to NOT hire a cleaning lady, discussed between Chad & myself:
1. If we have someone else clean our home, does it teach our children to rely on other people to take care of things? This was one of our arguments {in this document, names will be withheld to protect the innocent, LOL!} The concern was by hiring someone to come in and do our cleaning, we are not modeling to our children how to take care of their own things.
2. With me being a mainly stay at home parent, couldn't we save the money on cleaning and have myself do it?
3. In this season of life with young children, the house is rarely clean. Once it is clean, it quickly becomes unclean because we live here! And, children are messier than the adults in the home :) Does it make sense to invest the money to have the home clean to have it quickly undone?
Now, the other side of the argument ~ the reasons TO hire a cleaning person:
1. Our time is limited. I have been putting what used to be my limited amount of free time {while Landon is at preschool, just a few hours/week} into working on my online health and coaching business. I didn't want to be spending all of my time when I am home cleaning. That doesn't seem fair to the kiddos.
There is something to be said for asking for help. We realized that trying to do the cleaning ourselves was also teaching our children to not ask for help. It is ok to ask for help and we want to model that for them. There are other ways to teach them to take care of things. It seems to be a balance of taking care of things, and also learning to ask for help, and being ok with both.
2. Yes, I could do the cleaning, but as mentioned above, I have added a new responsibility to my plate. For me, that means also taking something off. For everything you say yes to, you have to say no to something else. Trying to do all of these things was stressing me out a bit. I also personally enjoy supporting other small businesses. This cleaning business helps support another family and I am thankful for that opportunity to help them.
3. Ultimately, for this one, the peace of mind of having the home clean was worth it. Yes, it is going to get messy regardless of if we clean, or someone else does. We can use this opportunity of having a clean home to teach our children to be good stewards of the money we just spent on having our home cleaned.
These are just some of the thoughts and conversations we had regarding hiring a cleaning person. Am I glad we did it? HECK. TO. THE. YES! Would I have done it if I didn't add the coaching to my plate? I don't honestly know. Likely not. Because of my coaching business, we have chosen to use some of that money to hire the cleaning person. I am thankful we have.
So, friends, would love to hear your perspective on this topic.....I really did wrestle with it but am grateful for the place we arrived with it.
1. If we have someone else clean our home, does it teach our children to rely on other people to take care of things? This was one of our arguments {in this document, names will be withheld to protect the innocent, LOL!} The concern was by hiring someone to come in and do our cleaning, we are not modeling to our children how to take care of their own things.
2. With me being a mainly stay at home parent, couldn't we save the money on cleaning and have myself do it?
3. In this season of life with young children, the house is rarely clean. Once it is clean, it quickly becomes unclean because we live here! And, children are messier than the adults in the home :) Does it make sense to invest the money to have the home clean to have it quickly undone?
Now, the other side of the argument ~ the reasons TO hire a cleaning person:
1. Our time is limited. I have been putting what used to be my limited amount of free time {while Landon is at preschool, just a few hours/week} into working on my online health and coaching business. I didn't want to be spending all of my time when I am home cleaning. That doesn't seem fair to the kiddos.
There is something to be said for asking for help. We realized that trying to do the cleaning ourselves was also teaching our children to not ask for help. It is ok to ask for help and we want to model that for them. There are other ways to teach them to take care of things. It seems to be a balance of taking care of things, and also learning to ask for help, and being ok with both.
2. Yes, I could do the cleaning, but as mentioned above, I have added a new responsibility to my plate. For me, that means also taking something off. For everything you say yes to, you have to say no to something else. Trying to do all of these things was stressing me out a bit. I also personally enjoy supporting other small businesses. This cleaning business helps support another family and I am thankful for that opportunity to help them.
3. Ultimately, for this one, the peace of mind of having the home clean was worth it. Yes, it is going to get messy regardless of if we clean, or someone else does. We can use this opportunity of having a clean home to teach our children to be good stewards of the money we just spent on having our home cleaned.
These are just some of the thoughts and conversations we had regarding hiring a cleaning person. Am I glad we did it? HECK. TO. THE. YES! Would I have done it if I didn't add the coaching to my plate? I don't honestly know. Likely not. Because of my coaching business, we have chosen to use some of that money to hire the cleaning person. I am thankful we have.
So, friends, would love to hear your perspective on this topic.....I really did wrestle with it but am grateful for the place we arrived with it.
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
The World, Food, Sin, The Fall and Us
I have been doing a lot of thinking lately, so this might be pretty deep. I have been thinking about things like death, prayer, the Holy Spirit, Adam and Eve, food and where/how we all fit into that. This might seem like a bunch of hodge podge, so bear with me here as I explain where I am coming from.
As you likely know, our friend, mentor and pastor who married us passed away last week. Chad and I both struggled with this, because we both know and believe God could have saved him if He chose to. He could have healed him, He could have performed a miracle. My Bible says God is the same yesterday, today and forever, so I do believe that the same God who performed miracles in the Bible still does them today. I believe, as a believer, we have the same dunamis power that raised Christ from the dead in us and that miracles still happen, as I said. So when we heard Steve died, I was puzzled. Did the prayer not get answered? Did I not pray right? All these thoughts went through my mind....questions, bewilderment, sadness, etc. You get the picture.
As I often do in times like this when I need clarity, I pray. I also seek advice. As I prayed, I realized that God came to give us LIFE to the FULL. The devil comes to steal, kill and destroy. Death and disease are from the devil. Right? Still with me here? So in my mind, if we have the DUNAMIS power we can defeat the devil, right? Ok, well, that didn't happen with our friend. So, I reached out to another friend, mentor and someone whose advice I respect and asked them about this. They agreed with me, but they pointed out part of my theology that was missing. THE FALL. Adam and Eve. Here is what my friend said "Theologically there is one small tweak I would make to what you wrote. That is that Satan uses disease and death to steal, kill and destroy. But they entered our world because of the fall. They are consequences of sin. And though sin, Satan and the world have been defeated, God has chosen to let them continue for a time."
Ok, so let's look at the fall. What happened in the Garden? According to Genesis 2:15 " The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” This was before Eve was created from Adam, mind you.
Fast forward - in Genesis 3:1-7, this is what happened - "Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”
4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God,knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves."
Ok, so what made Eve fall? FOOD. It was FOOD. Do you see that? FOOD made her fall. This is huge people!!!! Then look at verse 13 - "13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done? "The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
How did the woman get deceived by the serpent? WITH HER FOOD! Food caused the fall. Do you see that?
Later in verse 17 it says: "To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’
“Cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat food from it
all the days of your life."
I think Genesis 3:22 best sums up what happened as a result: " And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us,knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever."
Do you think the devil is still using food today to trip us up? I do. Why is obesity at an all time high? Why are people unhealthy? Why do people not know how to care for themselves? We are wounded, hurting, broken people who often use food as comfort. It is legal after all, right? It is good for us. We need to eat to live, right? Well, are we eating to live, or living to eat? Friends, I am concerned about the state of our nation and our relationship with food. I believe several of us are in bondage to it. It's not good.
If you feel like you are in bondage to food, please let me know. I'd love to share with you what has worked for me to bring me freedom. If you are in bondage to food and you don't feel well, you are tired all the time, are you effective for the Kingdom? No, you aren't. You are right where the devil wants you. So pick up your shield, and break the chains of bondage friend. You ARE worth it! There is a battle to fight and we need YOU!
As you likely know, our friend, mentor and pastor who married us passed away last week. Chad and I both struggled with this, because we both know and believe God could have saved him if He chose to. He could have healed him, He could have performed a miracle. My Bible says God is the same yesterday, today and forever, so I do believe that the same God who performed miracles in the Bible still does them today. I believe, as a believer, we have the same dunamis power that raised Christ from the dead in us and that miracles still happen, as I said. So when we heard Steve died, I was puzzled. Did the prayer not get answered? Did I not pray right? All these thoughts went through my mind....questions, bewilderment, sadness, etc. You get the picture.
As I often do in times like this when I need clarity, I pray. I also seek advice. As I prayed, I realized that God came to give us LIFE to the FULL. The devil comes to steal, kill and destroy. Death and disease are from the devil. Right? Still with me here? So in my mind, if we have the DUNAMIS power we can defeat the devil, right? Ok, well, that didn't happen with our friend. So, I reached out to another friend, mentor and someone whose advice I respect and asked them about this. They agreed with me, but they pointed out part of my theology that was missing. THE FALL. Adam and Eve. Here is what my friend said "Theologically there is one small tweak I would make to what you wrote. That is that Satan uses disease and death to steal, kill and destroy. But they entered our world because of the fall. They are consequences of sin. And though sin, Satan and the world have been defeated, God has chosen to let them continue for a time."
Ok, so let's look at the fall. What happened in the Garden? According to Genesis 2:15 " The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” This was before Eve was created from Adam, mind you.
Fast forward - in Genesis 3:1-7, this is what happened - "Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”
4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God,knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves."
Ok, so what made Eve fall? FOOD. It was FOOD. Do you see that? FOOD made her fall. This is huge people!!!! Then look at verse 13 - "13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done? "The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
How did the woman get deceived by the serpent? WITH HER FOOD! Food caused the fall. Do you see that?
Later in verse 17 it says: "To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’
“Cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat food from it
all the days of your life."
I think Genesis 3:22 best sums up what happened as a result: " And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us,knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever."
Do you think the devil is still using food today to trip us up? I do. Why is obesity at an all time high? Why are people unhealthy? Why do people not know how to care for themselves? We are wounded, hurting, broken people who often use food as comfort. It is legal after all, right? It is good for us. We need to eat to live, right? Well, are we eating to live, or living to eat? Friends, I am concerned about the state of our nation and our relationship with food. I believe several of us are in bondage to it. It's not good.
If you feel like you are in bondage to food, please let me know. I'd love to share with you what has worked for me to bring me freedom. If you are in bondage to food and you don't feel well, you are tired all the time, are you effective for the Kingdom? No, you aren't. You are right where the devil wants you. So pick up your shield, and break the chains of bondage friend. You ARE worth it! There is a battle to fight and we need YOU!
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