Intentional Living - Day 1

Today I'm starting a 30 day series about Living Intentionally. Each night I will journal, and each morning I will give my journal and details of the previous day.

Last night I jotted down some of my goals for this time, and I'd like to share them with you.

August 26, 2012 10:40pm

Tomorrow is DAY 1! New wife, new mom, new person!

I'm going to be intentional about everything I do.

• Bedtime is 10pm (for me).
•  NO GLUTEN!!!!
• Focused - NO TV, Clean house, school work completed timely. 
• NO YELLING! Even, and especially @ Malaki during fits. 
• Vitamins & supplements daily. 
• Exercise daily!
• Make EVERY decision thinking 'Does this glorify God?'  

Intentional Living = Better Life (period)



If I don't go to bed by 10, I am exhausted in the morning. So yes, I'm exhausted today. Plus, I wake up at EVERY NOISE, so I'm woken up several times throughout the night, which causes me to lose even more sleep, and be even more tired.


My children all have wheat and milk allergies. At this point, we are only off of wheat, but we feel better. Except that last week we went on a gluten binge. All we ate was gluten filled food. Mom had tummy aches and dizzy spells all week, and is still actually suffering from it. It takes 15 days to get out of your system. So, the next week or so I will still be feeling the symptoms of it. A few times last week the kids did express that they had tummy aches, so I think they had the same issue as I did.

Malaki has behavior issues. I'm really thinking that it's Oppositional Defiant Disorder, which means he has a 'fit' at every NO or DON'T DO THAT. If someone touches something of his, he flips out. If
someone says something to him that he didn't want to hear, or that he doesn't agree with, he flips out. He does a range of things from screaming, to throwing, to trying to knock down my 52" TV. I'm working on getting him into play therapy, but I have to convince my husband that it's worth doing first. So yelling is not the best thing in this situation, even though it's the number one thing I want to do. I'm a yeller, sadly.

The twins are on a supplement called Gamma-AminoButyric Acid (GABA). It's something that helps calm them, though I'm wondering how well it's really working as we've missed several days. I also bought B Complex capsules, but haven't opened them yet. I'm afraid I'll puke if we even open the container, as I can smell them even when it's closed. I am on Iron, I want to take a Niacin once a week to help with eye sight, and there are others I can't even think of right now... but I'm really bad with pills, so I rarely take any of them. I really need the iron, though, so I need to get on a routine with them.

Last I checked - I'm going to be brutally honest here - I was about 220 pounds. I need to exercise, bad! I have no motivation, and my heels hurt bad right now. I'm hoping we can walk like 20-30 minutes a day for school, then I was doing crunches when putting the boys to bed so I need to start that again. Even just that small amount of exercise on top of the movement I do daily chasing kids around & doing housework, I should be able to lose weight.

On a different note, but about weight loss - I watched Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead the other night. I now want to do a ten day cleanse. Maybe that will kick start my weight loss journey, and I can keep up the good eating habits from there. :)

Do you live intentionally? If not, will you try with me? Today was my day one, make tomorrow yours!

Filling Jesus' Shoes

Today I wrote a post on our school blog about the Bible Study we had today, and the conversation that followed. If you'd like to read it, go here. Leave a comment, let me know you came from this blog!

Bible Study, Getting Fit, and Starting School

Today, three important things are starting in my home.

Still not doing what we're supposed to...

School - Today is our official first day doing school work. Right now is quiet time while the baby naps. My Kinders and Preschooler are sitting down with a snack and watching Barn Yard. We had a rough start today, the boys didn't want to do anything they were told. We started our devotional two days early, so instead of the planned DAY 1, we were on DAY 3. I made a statement as I was trying to get them sat down, that they were not making good choices by disobeying so much just in the hour we had been awake. I opened the book to DAY 3, and had to laugh. Today's reading was choosing wisely. After reading our devotional, we have had a much better time. If you want to read more about our schooling, you can check out my schooling blog, Schooling Lowry Style.

Working @ Mom's desk on Math.

Bible in 90 Days - I'm going through Mom's Toolbox and reading the Chronological reading plan. They have set me up in a group with 9 other women, one being a mentor, so that we can encourage each other and pray for each other. I am really looking forward to enriching my life with God's word, and being drawn closer to Him. Not only will I get a closer relationship with my Creator, I will hopefully become a better Daughter of the Most High, Wife, Mother, Person, and Friend. I struggle in many areas, and I'm hoping that I can become a stronger (and more gentle) person because of Him. I'll be writing about my journey along the way on this blog.

Pretending we know what to do.

Forty-two Days to Fit - I'm joining Brandy @ The Marathon Mom on her journey to becoming fit. I struggle a lot in this area. Even before having kids, I wasn't in shape. I was thin, yes, but I was not in shape. I tire easily, and my bones ache every time I attempt working out. I give up easily in this area. I will definitely need encouraged in this department.

In other news, we bought a 1/4 size violin last night. We're hoping to find someone who can help Daddy and the kids learn. Daddy found a full size violin for a good price that we're hoping to get this week as well. I would love to learn, too, but I just feel like I have so many other things on my plate that now is not the time for me to be learning an instrument. Daddy wants to learn for part of what he's wanting to do with his career, so it's important for him. If I ever want to focus on something other than the things I already focus on, I will focus on writing - my dream is still to be a Christian sci-fi-ish writer. As in, I'll have sci-fi themes, but I really feel like they're real good depictions of the battles and daily struggles we have as Christians. My fear, though, is that I will never get published as a Christian author because my writing will be too edgy. I have some hope that I can succeed because my favorite author, Ted Dekker, is an edgy writer.

An Uneventful Post

Today I have no real post, I only have a request for my readers.

Pray for this mama. 

Two of my children are being extremely defiant today, and are truly testing my patience. 

Psalm 32:7 says, "For you are my hiding place; You protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory."

Nehemiah 1:11 says, "O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring You."

These words are my constant prayer right now. So, if you're reading this, pray! I need calm in my house. 

I will have a post planned for tomorrow. Have a blessed day!    

Planning

As a child you spend your days waiting for, and planning, to be an adult. You have no idea what adulthood is going to be like, but you plan fervently for your future. You want to fill the shoes that daddy so proudly wears. You want to be just like mommy.

Proverbs 21:5 says, "Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty."

As adults we can get ahead of ourselves, take shortcuts, as the proverbs say, and lead ourselves into poverty or destruction. If we don't wait on the Lord, we can lead ourselves down the wrong path. If He isn't showing us the path to take, how do we know it's the right one? If we just jump at an idea without praying and waiting, we may end up in a place He hadn't planned to send us; we'll have made a decision on our own without God's will being considered. Isn't it His will that we live for daily? 

In this time of waiting, I'm trying to slowly plan. "Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity..." - How do I know what planning is going to lead to prosperity? Well, I begin with preparing our hearts, praying for whatever God is going to do with us. Praying that He change our wills to match his. Not just mine and my husband's, but our children's as well. Right now, my daughter is set on San Diego - every night she says: mom, let's pray about San Diego. She is adamant about praying for it. She wants to go because mom has talked to her about it. 

If I have readied my daughter's heart for San Diego, how hurt will her heart be when God doesn't lead us there... The first step in the process of planning is preparing our hearts. Daily we will pray that God shows us his will, and that He aligns our wills with His. After that, where do we go? 

My husband is currently working on his portfolio, preparing himself for the aspect of a job in another area. However I can help him, even if it is just keeping the kids out of the way during the time that he's trying to work, that's what I'll do.

Nehemiah 1:11 says, "O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you."

Honoring God in my daily life, praying to Him daily, and following His will, even when I don't want to; these are the thing required of me. These are the things I must do. If I am to believe that He is leading us somewhere, how can I not do these minimal things?

Being Still

Lately, I've been stressing about the idea of moving away from where we are now. Corey & I have always wanted to move away from Kansas, but never thought we would have the opportunity or the determination until Azariah was 18. Neither of our hearts really lay here in Kansas. Our families are here, yes, but we very much want to be somewhere else.

Over a month ago, my friend's husband got the opportunity to go to California for work, and now they are moving there soon. (Her husband is already there, while she is here with their two kids trying to sell their home and waiting for the Lord to show them a place there to live.) In this time, she's been anxious to get there and be with her husband. We remind ourselves (I remind her, she reminds herself) almost daily, that she needs to be still. God will show them the perfect time, and the perfect place that they need to go to.

Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

It is hard, at times, to be still. Your flesh is impatient and wants to move NOW, wants results NOW. Our time is not the time; God's time is the time. If He says not yet, that doesn't mean no, it just means wait; be still. 

After learning of their opportunity, Corey and I decided that it is time for us to take the chance and move away from Kansas as well. We are hoping and praying that God will send us to California with our dear friends. We are satisfied to just move, though. Being away from here will be good. My flesh wants to say: these are my requirements - warm weather most of the year, good land to have plentiful crops for our family, and the beach! My spirit knows that God will give me what is good, will send me somewhere that my family can thrive. It may not be where I want, when I want, but God will get me somewhere. Or, he may tell us no. And I'm okay with that, I think. A part of me would be truly sad if He did say no. But the no may just be not now, and I'm okay with that, too. 

This morning, my oldest child, getting into the routine of school, got up at 6am with me. He thought it was such a nice morning, and he sat on the porch drawing a picture. I loved his outlook, and his motivation to do something good with his time. Instead of using my time to worry about whether or not we will be able to do what we want, I need to use my time to pray, wait, and be still.

Is there a situation in which you need to just be still? What verses or things do you remind yourself of when you know you're supposed to be still, but your flesh wants to be impatient?

Friday Faves - Blazing Hot Summer

Today I'm linking up with Rachel @ Finding Joy for her Friday Faves. This is my first time, and I'm super excited to share with everything my favorite things this week.

Here in the Midwest, we've had extreme heat. We're on a burn ban, have had numerous field fires, and our grass is so dry it will stick your foot. We rarely go outside (or, I rarely do with the baby), so I've been grateful for the slightly cooler weather this week.

 I'm not sure how many rains we've had this summer, but it sure hasn't been many. Last week my husband captured this beautiful shot of our sweet princess with the rainbow. At one point it was a beautiful double rainbow. We got a much heavier, much more appreciated rain fall earlier this week, which my children - and my plants - loved very much. I wish I had caught some pictures of them playing in the rain.

We got a beautiful rainbow.

Our forecast until next week is nothing over 90 until it hits 92 on Wednesday. That is Ah-May-Zzzzing! This morning, we chose to put off breakfast and hang out in front while it was really nice out. I think my neighbor said it was in the 60's. Wonderful. There was a nice breeze, and the kids really enjoyed being outside. Mom was able to sit out and read (even in the sun) for about an hour.

We haven't done much with schooling lately, as I'm trying to hold off til' all the friends are in school so that we aren't distracted by wanting to go outside all day while everyone else is out. If you would like to read up on what we have been doing in school, though, you can go to my new blog, Schooling Lowry Style.

We've really been enjoying hanging out with our neighbors. We're going to miss them when they move away to California in a month!

Best friends

Four shots, and this was the best. Lol.

 Mommy has been enjoying nights/mornings lately when dad is home and can hang out with the kiddos to let me have a break. Last night I watched one of my shows and read some of my book ,A Son Called Gabriel. Daddy cooked dinner & put all the kids to bed. It was a great night.

What are some of your favorites from this week?
Head on over and read some other Friday Faves: