February 20th

Today, I am celebrating the due date of the baby I never got to meet.

I started out the morning feeling sorry for myself as I made the comment, “I should be going to the hospital today, but instead I’m preparing chili for the crockpot.” That’s when Chad chimed in, “Don’t question God’s plan.” then he kissed me and left for work. I didn’t say a word, because all I could’ve said was, “You’re right.” and it was too early in the morning to admit that to him ha!

But friends, he’s right. Yes, my heart hurts a little more today than normal, but you know what would hurt even more?...Being out of God’s will and not accepting the plan He has for us. So today, I’ll celebrate - I’ll celebrate the most divine peace that only our Savior can offer. And I’ll thank God for giving me a husband who is right...sometimes. 😉

A Good Day

This meal...looks like nothing much, but it is. It’s the first meal I’ve cooked for my husband in two months! Today is the first time I’ve actually felt well enough to cook. (Thanks to wonderful family, friends, coworkers and church family - I haven’t had to even worry about a meal-forever grateful.)
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It’s crazy how the things we often complain about and look at as being “chores” can be seen so differently once you’re not able to do them anymore.
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A simple meal, but made with more love than any meal I’ve ever made. Today has been a good day, tomorrow could be different, but today I got to feel needed, feel like a wife and not like a patient and it’s been nice.

Adjectives

It’s 1am and I should be asleep, but that doesn’t seem to be happening at the moment so I figured I’d write. It’s been a while. A very long while!

Ya know. it’s crazy how life works. At a time when I feel broken, not just mentally, but physically - more broken then I’ve ever felt...I received a message from an old friend I haven’t seen in many years telling me that I’m strong, brave and an inspiration. Those are not three adjectives that I would use to describe myself at the moment, but it means the world to me to know that’s how I’m perceived during this season. After I thought about her words, I realized, she’s right. I am all of those things, but nothing on my own! I’ve got an amazing support group of friends and family...and of course there’s God. 

In all honesty, God is the only reason that anyone would be able to describe me as strong, brave or an inspiration. Since day one of this new chapter I’m in, I’ve had such a peace about things because I know who is really in control. I can Google everything in the world, go to the best doctors ever, get opinions from others and so on, but at the end of the day none of that matters because God’s got this. I know it may sound so cliche, but that’s honestly how I feel. Why should I fret about things I have no control over? 

Does it hurt? Yes! But it also helps to know the healer AND that He will heal the hurt. 

Less of me, more of you.

Bam! I just got hit in the face with a God moment….I love when that happens! I am so excited I am going to spend my lunch hour sharing about it rather than running to TJ Maxx as I had planned on doing ha!

For anyone who follows my blog, you know that I have not been writing for quite a while. I never have been one to post daily but over the last two years or so, I have rarely posted at all. It is always encouraging to have people ask me to write again or to tell me that they miss reading what I had to say but still – my brain and the pen have just not been connecting like they used to….until today. I had a professor at Winthrop, Mrs. Miller. I have always known she was special and today is a perfect example of that.

I woke up on Monday with the words “Less of me and more of you.” on repeat in my mind. All week long I have repeated those words probably one million times silently and even aloud a few times throughout the day. I knew that this was a remind to stop getting distracted by the things I want to happen and to remember to want more of what God has planned for me but I also had a few other things on my mind that I knew this phrase was significant about at this moment. Restoring a relationship with a family member, preparing myself better for what is needed out of a future relationship and writing. Those three things have been so heavy on my heart all week. 

I have seen things happen around these concerns all week long and have had to remind myself that those things are not happening by coincidence, but they are happening because I have been praying “Less of me and more of you.” nonstop. It just so happens that God and I really do want the same things for me but I just need to remember that He is making them happen and not me!

So back to Mrs. Miller, she sent me an email today stating “I thought you might want to read this again.  Hope your life is happy and full of the best things in life.”  with an assignment attached  from where I wrote an Ethical Will from years ago.

Ummmm….wow! Not only does my ethical will start out speaking to the one person I need to restore my relationship with it also speaks about romantic relationships and it obviously lit a fire in me to write out my thoughts! I think I may have shared this excerpt from that same assignment many moons ago but I do not believe I am the only person who may need to be reminded of some of this so I will share it again….I hope you find as much reassurance in these words as I did way back when and as I do again at this very moment.

(Warning: There are a lot of points but they are short and simple :) Also, I removed the beginning part that was for my family's eyes only - sorry nosy people haha!)

Now for everyone else, I would like to share with you a few points that I have always strived to live by. Notice I said strived, so don’t be sitting there thinking off all the times, I didn’t, and instead be thinking of all the times ahead of you that you can!

When others let you down, don’t feel extremely hurt or surprised….We let ourselves down, how can we expect others not to?

Simple things, it is the simple things you miss when you lose something so remember to be thankful for and truly enjoy the simple things.  It is not possible to name one thing you cannot live without, but you can name a million things…realize that you need them all.

Talk to God daily, not just when you need Him….truth is, you need him daily so make sure you tell Him or He will tell you.

Smile.

Do not stay angry. Most arguments last a few minutes and are over….let them be over. At some point in time you will look back and not even remember what the argument was about.

Do not have regrets. Even if you wish you could change something, don’t. It may not have turned out how you expected but learn from it rather than regret it.

Stay involved, surround yourself with people, you will find that in helping others you also reap the benefits. It makes you feel good!

Don’t be afraid to let the things that made you laugh when you were a child also make you laugh today. Build sandcastles, swing on a tire swing, and eat ice cream before dinner.

Make your children each feel special. My mom still gives me a piece of candy or tells me a “secret” and tells me not to tell my siblings this makes me feel special…just as it does them when she does the same for them. Never tell mom you know she does this for each of you.

Do not settle. With another person or yourself, do not settle, always have what you know you deserve.

Remember we are all different, our little things, or idea of settling, or what makes us laugh is different. So never belittle someone else’s ideas, just understand that they are different from yours…chances are if you stopped pointing and joined in, you may be able to add a few things to your lists of simplistic laughs!

Remember that because it hurts does not mean it is wrong. The pain will go away but the situation won’t, so just know that you will get through the hurt at some point. Also remember that point does not have clock so do not give it one.

Trust. Some people say they trust until the trust is broken. Fix it. This is a hard one but fixing it is not the problem….allowing it to be fixed is the problem. If your trust is broken again then fix it again. This does not mean keep getting your trust broken from the same situation, it just means repair it and move on while remembering, just because it hurts doesn’t mean it’s wrong

Love your spouse unconditionally with everything in you.  If you truly do this, then many arguments will be avoided. Think about something you are truly passionate about, sports, children, your job…now think about how often you overlook the small stuff that can arise from this passion…be this way about your spouse.

Listen to people. Really listen. Don’t just hear, but listen.

Always remember people’s name. Nothing impresses them more or makes them feel important like being remembered. Even if they don’t remember yours, I bet they will remember you.

When you say you forgive, then forgive.

Forgiveness: To give up resentment of. –Webster

This is one of the only times I say to give up.

Nobody is made to flatter you, so when given a compliment, remember it is genuine and say “Thank you” instead of pointing out every flaw to show the person they are wrong. Just say thanks.

Always say what you need to say just not always as soon as you feel the need to say it. Write it out, put the note away, three days later read it…if you still want to say it without changing one small word on your paper then say it. But if you do want to change one word, then change it, put it away and try again three days later, continue this until it is ready to be said without changes or until you realize it never will be ready.

Take care of yourself. Do not go to the doctor only when 911 is in need of being called. Make sure you treat your body right…it’s the only thing that I can guarantee you will never leave you, it is always yours. How you choose to treat it at 15 effects how you have to treat it at 75.

Help people. Not only the people who help you or the people who would if they could, but also the people who can and never would…help them too.

Have fun.

When asked to keep a secret, keep it. Even if the person who tells you their secret tells a thousand other people you still keep it and as often as you may hear others speak of it, you don’t. Eventually this person will remember why it was so important to be classified as a secret in the first place…always know that you kept it just that, a secret.

When wanting to share your own secret, look in the mirror and share it with the person staring back.

Cry when you need to. Also, not only women were given tear ducts, there is a reason for that men…it’s ok to cry.

When stressed, If you pass an empty field, pull the car over, do a few kart wheels…the people waiting on you will understand or not believe you, either way I can assure you that once you catch your breath, you will be breathing better.

Send her flowers, buy her a dress, change the babies diaper and take her to dinner without needing a reason or special occasion.

Send him fishing, buy him a new Driver, change the air filter, and make him his favorite dish without needing a reason or special occasion.

Honesty is just as important to other people as it is to you…think of this kind of like you do the Golden Rule.

Be welcoming but not naïve.

Do your part and even above your part, but ask for help, there is a reason you are not the only person on earth.

Be thankful for your five senses…use them each for something good daily.

Remember to say always say Please and God Bless You.

Sip on your favorite drink. Taste your favorite meal.

Write important stuff down; remember to go back at some point read what you write down, to help you remember what is important and if it isn’t, if it should be.

xoxo,

Faith

#whatiloveabouttoday2015

Eeeek!!! Where do I even begin?! My last post was January 8, 2013 and I promised myself I would not let my blog sit for over a year without any posts, so here I am!!! Don't judge - It has not been a year yet! :)  Seeing as how it is a new year, I think I will make a resolution that I have no more than a month between each post this year. In addition to the present, I also have the last 365 days to write about so you should be reading more from me since I definitely have plenty to talk about!!

To get things started, I am going to share an idea that I came up with this morning!

Social Media is a friend of mine, anyone who knows me, knows that! I post on Instagram and Facebook as if it were my job!! I often hear people say things like, "I don't need to post every minute of my life for it to be real...etc" and while I do agree I also think that there is another way to look at it. We have all wanted someone to hear a song. When I finally have that persons attention for three minutes to listen to the song, I talk the whole time; "did you hear that part?", "Listen to this next verse!", "Is that part true or what?" and so on! (I am even worse at this with a movie haha) Anyway, my point is, when you truly enjoy something; a song, movie, food or moments then there is nothing wrong with wanting to share those times. However, I know I can be guilty of  posting and never looking back at it so I decided to create a new hashtag, #whatiloveabout2015today

How it works: At the end of every day I am going to reflect back on my post throughout the day and add the hashtag to my favorite moment of the day. Not only do I get to smile about that moment again right then but how exciting will it be this time next year when I click on #whatiloveabout2015today and see those moments again? Join in on the fun if you want!!!  I would love nothing more than to see your favorite post of the day too!

No matter how tough some days might be, we have to be able to find at least one #whatiloveabouttoday2015 moment in each day to get to the next!

xoxo,

Faith

A Gentle Reminder...

Goodness gracious! I know we all have our own bit of "drama" but it amazes me how some share so much of it with the social media world. My mama always told me, 'whatever people are doing in the open they are doing way more behind closed doors' - this is probably why I a still act like a 5 year old when a boy tries to hold my hand in public haha!
Yes, this is a repeat post that I originally posted this in 2010 but after seeing a few of my friends posts on Facebook recently, I think that a reminder is good for us all every now and then.
I hope that those of you who allow your significant other to "disrespect" you (in my opinion) will print this out and post it somewhere so you both are reminded daily. Yes, this is geared towards respect for females but I know that we women also have our responsibilities as well - one of the first is for ladies who do have men that are respectful to....Remember to appreciate it and not to expect it - be sweet ladies and remember your worth - you set the price so don't be a clearance item!

Enjoy!


I honestly believe the South’s male population has forgotten what a true gentleman signifies, I can’t necessarily blame them. Perhaps it’s the wave of feminism sweeping the nation that has so wrongly transformed our men. After all, why would a man open a door for a woman who constantly declares that she’s strong enough, capable enough, and independent enough to do it on her own? Or, perhaps acting in a gentleman-like manner isn’t the “masculine” way to behave in today’s midst of rebels, outlaws, and “bad boys” that women so dearly crave. So guys, believe it or not, I truly sympathize on your behalf. However, let that not be an excuse. If you expect to find a truly charming, intelligent, and graceful southern belle to stand by your side through thick and thin, you’re going to have to step it up. It’s only fair. So with that in mind, let’s get started.
According to Southern Byways and eHow, a true southern gentleman should do as follows:

1. Open doors. This one should be a given to any man who was raised right. Yes, women are perfectly capable of opening doors for themselves, but it shows a sense of respect that every woman should appreciate.

2. Carry heavy things. Again, women are not porcelain antiques, but they should be treated as so.

3. Mean it. Unfortunate for you, women have a way of detecting insincerity from a mile away. So don’t say something unless you mean it, don’t act in one way if you don’t mean it, and surely don’t make a promise if you don’t mean it. Nobody has time for childish games.

4. Live your beliefs. Stand up for what you believe in and never back down (don’t confuse this with stubbornness). More importantly, allow your actions and way of life speak for itself. Anyone who knows you should know what you believe in, whether you’ve told them or not. Remember, actions speak so much louder than words.

5. Do unto others. After all, it’s the golden rule. If you wouldn’t wish it upon yourself, don’t dish it upon others.

6. Smile. Nothing says “hello” like those pearly whites.

7. Be responsible. You’ve outgrown those diapers, so it’s important to act like it. You shouldn’t be babysat, looked after, or watched. Just be responsible by paying your bills, doing what’s right, and getting your work done.

8. Expect resistance. Especially from any true southern belle. If it’s worth having, it won’t come easy.

9. Say “Please” and “Thank you.” Anyone with manners knows the importance of this one.

10. Compliment women. Southern gentlemen aren’t shy about flattering women, nor do they hesitate to shower them with compliments. If you think her eyes are pretty, tell her. If she doesn’t appreciate it, move on to the next one. She wasn’t worth your time anyway.

11. Respect your elders. This requires a sincere use of “Ma’am” and “Sir,” unless told otherwise.

12. Be polite. Contrary to popular belief, ladies don’t like “bad boys” who treat them badly – only insecure girls do, and it’s important to know the difference. Being anything less doesn’t get you anywhere other than someone’s bad side. ( The Southern Advantage gives an excellent example of true southern politeness: If Donald Trump was from the South, he’d say “you’re fired, but bless your heart, you’ve tried.”)

13. Offer your coat. Especially if you’re just getting to know a woman. You can offer your arm, but only after you’ve reached a truly comfortable level. This is not the time to make any moves, so don’t even think about it.

14. Pick her up. But don’t ever be too insistent, as it may come off desperate. If she wants to meet you at the restaurant on the first date, let her. She’s only ensuring her safety and should be allowed to do so. However, never fail to offer.

15. Allow her to order first. Take care of her needs first, or at least offer.

16. Dress the part. When in public, always be presentable (yes, this means you should know how to tie a tie). Women love to follow the old saying, “Look your best, but more importantly, hang your arm on someone who looks his best too.” So make it easy for her. After all, every woman loves well dressed gents.

17. Learn how to speak when with a lady. Although she may like to get down and dirty, she’s not “one of the guys,” so watch the language and treat her with respect.

18. Flirt. This may sound odd, but southern gentleman are avidly flirtatious. However this is not to encourage any vulgar or sexual comments. But let’s face it – southern gentleman flirt with most women they come across – whether the old lady down the street, the waitress at the diner, or his girlfriend/wife. They simply know how to make women feel good and enjoy doing it.

19. Remember chivalry. Contrary to popular belief, it truly does exist. Give up your seat for a woman (not just the elderly), stand when a woman enters the room, always walk on the outside of the street, always pull out her chair, and bring her flowers.

20. Always defend a lady’s honor. Never allow a man at the bar to speak to her in an inappropriate manner, and offer to walk her to her car. Remember, a woman will always admire a man who can protect her.

21. Be a man of your word. As eHow so graciously puts it, “a Southern gentleman is a man of his word. He is faithful to his wife, faithful to his church (if he is religiously inclined), unfailingly honest, and lives by a code of nobility. He is a genuine man in a world full of posers.”
Thank you eHow, I couldn’t have said it better myself. So gentlemen, do me a favor and restore the chivalry which was once so prominent across the southlands.

By studying the previously listed ways of becoming a southern gentleman, acquiring the essential attire, and complimenting like crazy, you’ll be well on your way to becoming the next southern stud. But I must warn you- southern women have a sense of mystery that can make any pursuit challenging. Although well spoken and mild-mannered, their intellect and sassiness can leave you wondering. Luckily, today’s social media has the ability to alleviate some of your worrying woes as personal statuses plaster the Internet. Filled with daily activities, heartbreak stories, and personal insight, you may be able to decode her true emotions from a quick glance of her online status.
(Southern Charm 4/27/10 Blog)

xoxo,
Faith

It's All Good...

Somewhere between last night and today I learned that we have been saying it all wrong - it shouldn't be "You take the good with the bad" it should be "You take the good with the even better."

 I love my alone time on my drives home from the beach. As sad as I am to leave the ocean I always find comfort in just thinking, praying and like Kenny says...'the road and the radio'.
I think it is safe to say that the last year of my life has felt like the worlds fastest, scariest, highest, lowest and craziest roller coaster ever. During some of these times it seems like everything is taking a turn for the worst possible outcome but I always realize; whether it takes a minute, day, week, hour or year - everything that happens has taught me many lessons and makes me even better and more secure in handling the roller coaster rides ahead!

On my drive home last night I was listening to Kacey Musgraves (check her out-her songs are awesome!) and in an interview she said something along the lines of,
"An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backwards. When you feel like life is dragging you back with difficulties just know that you are being launched into something great."
She hit the bulls eye on that one huh? These words rang so much truth to me that I listened to the podcast again on my lunch hour today...and again it was just the reassurance I needed!

Tonight as I write this, I am thankful for my weak moments because they are making me stronger, I am thankful for the road and the radio and I am definitely thankful that I am understanding how to take the good with the even better!

xoxo,

 Faith

My take-away from my take-out!

I ordered Chinese take-out for lunch today and I was so disappointed when I got home to find that they forgot to give me a fortune cookie. I mean there are things going on in my life that I was planning on figuring out after reading that fortune cookie and over analyzing it for a few minutes! haha

Tonight I grabbed a Milkshake from the Cookout (it's a rainy Sunday -no judging allowed!) :) and on the side of my cup I noticed the words Proverb 3:5-6. Who needs a fortune cookie? 
I told my grandmother and mother just this past week, that for my name to be Faith, I sure do lack in the department of chilling out and trusting!

I go to cookout probably once a week (again, no judging!) and I cannot ever remember noticing these verses. It never ceases to amaze me how during the times that I feel  so overwhelmed and wondering how in the world I am going to possibly figure out what to do next, God uses simple things -even a milkshake :) to remind me:

"Faith, Trust in ME,the Lord, with all your heart; and lean not unto your  own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge ME, and I shall direct your paths, Faith!"

xoxo,

Faith

Big Shot

We all seem to reach a point every now and then when we feel like we are at a spot in life that doesn't seem to be going forward or backward but instead it just seems to stop. If you have ever been there and you are like me then when you reach this spot you feel like you have stopped growing as a person and that is not a spot where I am comfortable staying for more than about ten seconds!
Upon reaching what I would call a stagnant place in my life professionally, I was reminded by someone today that I need to remember that even when I feel like I am not moving...I really am! I will be able to look back one day and see all of the action that was taking place the whole time!

All of this "deep thinking" haha! today made me remember a quote that I once heard -
"A big shot is the little shot that kept shooting” so I googled it and found this interesting little article...Enjoy!


Somebody once said the difference between a big shot and little shot is that the big shot was the little shot who kept on shooting. There’s much truth in that witticism. The reality is, no matter what our target might be, we seldom hit it on the first try unless the target is low, which means the accomplishment and the rewards will be insignificant.


In bow shooting, experienced archers test the wind by using the first shot to judge its strength and direction, enabling them to zero in on the target with their following shots. In short, archers learn from their mistakes. That’s good advice for all of us. Success in business, athletics, science, politics, etc., seldom comes on the first effort. Walt Disney went bankrupt a number of times and had at least one nervous breakdown before he made it big. Athletic skills are acquired over a long period of time and after countless hours of practice. Authors by the hundreds can tell you stories by the thousands of those rejection slips before they found a publisher who was willing to ‘gamble’ on an unknown.

It’s more than just a cliché that persistent, enthusiastic effort produces powerful, positive results, that failure is an event—not a person—and that the only time you must not fail is the last time you try. Whatever your target might be, chances are good that you’re not going to hit the bull’s eye on the first effort you make at being ‘successful’. The key is persistence and the willingness to try again in the face of those early misses.

You can learn from those early mistakes and if you do keep on shooting, it’s just a question of time before you, too, are hitting the bull’s eye.
http://www.internetmasterycenter.com/blog/2013/01/17/hitting-the-bulls-eye-by-zig-ziglar/

xoxo,
Faith

Lilly

Faith vs the Fork Week Two

OK here we are again....the night before I weigh in after another grueling three days of the Military Diet! Just Kidding - This second week has actually been much better than I expected! It was not as difficult this week, maybe that is because I know better what to expect this time - either way this week has been much easier but still not much fun except for the ice cream at dinner each night! :)

My results for last week ended up being a total of 6 pounds lost during my three days on the diet. For the next four days I did not go crazy but I did eat what I wanted. I had pizza twice, chicken wings, Mexican and a margarita or three. ;) When I weighed on Monday I had surprisingly not gained anything back!

For this week I decided I am not going to weigh myself until after my final day which means I will weigh tomorrow morning! I do not expect to lose another six pounds this week which is one reason I decided to hold off on weighing until my three days were completed, I know myself well enough to know that if I saw two pounds a day last week and none or one this week I would probably be more likely to cheat and eat an extra scoop of ice cream with dinner haha!
I feel like the first week may have been a lot of water weight and this week could be more of a true weight loss so I am guessing maybe half of last week is what I will see for my results this week.
I guess I will find out in the morning!

Tomorrow is Valentines Day so I am sure I will be snacking on a few sweet treats at least I can do so knowing I ate good for at least three days this week haha!

Happy Valentines Eve!

xoxo,

Faith

Faith vs the Fork

In the last three days I have definitely learned that it is amazing what food can tell you about yourself...Physically and Emotionally!

I ran across this article last week about a diet: How to Lose Up To 10 Pounds in 3 Days on the 3 Day Diet (Three Day Military Diet) of course after reading the article I did a google search and then went straight to instagram (#militarydiet) to see if people were really seeing results. Much to my surprise, they were! From everything I have read it seems at though most people seem to lose around 6-7lbs in the three days but I am sure that if you were to stick to  the diet 100% and exercise it would be possible to drop ten in three days. (most seemed to gain 1 or 2 pounds back in the next four days.

Another great site is http://themilitarydiet.com/

This is a very strict diet that tells you exactly what to eat three times a day for three days and then you can continue your normal diet for the next four days until it is time to start the three day diet again. I read through the menu and other than cottage cheese everything seemed to look like foods that I could deal with for three days, so once I found out that (it is not recommended) it is possible to "substitute" foods then I decided it was going to be game on! "Faith vs the Fork"

My new adventure started Monday morning and I just finished my last of the three days tonight...it was extremely hard but I made it!

Opposite of what I thought would happen, Monday was the easiest to me -maybe because I was excited for the new challenge or maybe because I was able to have two sugar free red bulls before dinner haha but either way this day proved to be by far my easiest. Each night with dinner you get ice cream and I remember after dinner on day one thinking that I was so full I could not eat my ice cream and that this diet was going to be a piece of cake if everyday left my belly this satisfied....like I said, this was day one - day two and day three were definitely not a piece of cake!

Day two definitely consisted of less food (around 900 calories) and the lunch (cheese, egg, and crackers) is what I would consider a snack which is exactly what I felt that I had eaten....just a snack that had to hold me over until time for dinner!

Day three has definitely been the kicker.... today consisted of less than 700 calories and my body could feel it...I felt more lethargic than the other days and not satisfied at all with any of the meals other than the ice cream with dinner! :)  However, the satisfaction that came with my last bite of dinner tonight knowing that "I beat the fork" was definitely more satisfaction than any cheeseburger in the world could have given me at that moment!

So whats next? I plan to pick my calories back up over the next four days, I am not going to overindulge and eat everything in sight but if I want a cookie or a salad (I have been craving cesar salad since day one!) I am going to have it , knowing that on Monday I will be back on the military diet wagon! I plan to do this until I am five pounds less than my goal weight....for example, If I want to lose 20lbs and I lose six pounds per week and gain back one during my four days off of the diet that means I really am losing five pounds that week when it's all said and done so I will continue this diet for five weeks (week one down yay!!!) until I lose 25lbs (the extra week/5lb loss is so that I can have a little extra wiggle room after such a strict diet for this many weeks) at which point I will stop with the Monday - Wednesday plan and focus on maintaining my weight and becoming healthier by drinking less soft drinks, WAY more water, eating less fast food...etc...All of the stuff I should be doing anyway to avoid having to "diet"!! :)

As I said in the beginning it is amazing what food can tell you about yourself...this diet has helped me to better understand how important food and proper nutrition are to my health and how much it really does effect me physically and emotionally.
I learned that I actually don't have to drink a soft drink or sweet tea to survive....water really will work in keeping me alive - who would have ever guessed it?! haha
I also learned with every meal except for dinner on day one and day two (those days were fine) after eating I felt full but not satisfied -meaning I knew I did not need anything else, my "hunger needs" had been met but mentally I could not believe that such a small portions could have done that. Contrary to how I may have felt at some moments while eating tuna, eggs, or bananas....I did not starve to death and even better -I have lost 4.2lbs as of this morning - tomorrow morning will be the final verdict of what I lost throughout my first three days! I will try to keep posting the results - and if you try this diet let me know...accountability is always a great thing! :)

"If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you."


My Military Diet "photo journal" on Instagram:

xoxo,

Faith

Embarrassing Bravery

A friend sent me a text this week telling me to check out a video clip that he had found to be inspirational and thought that I would also enjoy it….it sure is great to have friends who know me so well-this short video clip was just the inspiration I needed!

You can view the video below but to sum it up it is a clip from the movie We Bought a Zoo (which I must see now!) where a man giving advice regarding a little boys love life but the words he says can be used in every other aspect of life as well. He tells this kid that “20 seconds of insane courage, 20 seconds of embarrassing bravery will always lead to something good”.

This got me thinking…he was right – as embarrassing as something may feel, in the end something good will come out of it. Maybe not right that moment but if we look back at all of the times we took advantage of those “20 second courageous moments” we will be able to see how those 20 seconds got us to where we are. We can also see how not using these 20 seconds to our full advantage regardless of how silly we may feel at the time will in some way down the road, also impact our life.

We have all heard the Eleanor Roosevelt quote, “Do one thing every day that scares you.” to me that has always meant I should drive a few miles over the speed limit, go skydiving, swim with the sharks….things along those lines. However, this quote found new meaning with me about two months ago when I had a customer at my desk. We were finishing his paperwork up and just as I always do I asked him was there anything else I could help him with – he at first said no and that he was all taken care of and then he picked up my card read my name and said, “Faith. Faith, you are very pretty.”  I said “Thanks!” as I blushed and as he nervously stammered around to pick up his car keys and papers and it hit me – this is what Eleanor Roosevelt was talking about. It was very apparent this man was not just throwing out some line – he was doing his one thing for the day that scared him. Even though it was apparent he felt as if he had just realized he had left the house without any clothes on – He got it – he understood what “embarrassing bravery” is all about.

Believe it or not, for as much as I love to talk and write – I am not one that is good at taking advantage of my “20 seconds” in real life situations. I thought that I was good at hiding this until tonight when talking to my mama and she pointed out the fact that I never talk about stuff, instead I write out my thoughts and email them to whoever they need to go to or I post a blog but it is very rare, even in these instances that I don’t talk using metaphors. I always seem to think of an example to express how I am feeling but never just say, ok – this is what is happening in my life and this is how I feel. Hmmmmm mamas always have us figured out huh?!

To me, words are one of the most powerful tools that we have in our daily life which is why I am so careful when choosing mine and so careful that I don’t say the same old things to everyone on the occasions when I do choose to reveal my thoughts. As careful, (or scared) as I am with my words this year has definitely not helped to calm any hesitations – saying “yes” to a marriage proposal, something I always thought I would only do one time in my life and then having to later go back and say, “no” has almost made me so that I am even afraid to write (as you can tell from my scarce postings) because I am worried what if I change my mind about what I said or how I feel. This is why my friend sending me this video clip was so enlightening to me – between that,  the man from my office and my 30^th birthday quickly approaching I am going to TRY to “drop my guard” so to speak. I tried this today and it felt really good - I text a friend that I will be seeing soon that I was actually looking forward to seeing them – I know this sounds silly but for anyone who knows me well, you know I am going at saying, “You too!”, “Ditto”, “OK”, “Uh huh”….etc. but I am not good at initiating those nice, simple, little comments because I don’t want you to not reciprocate and me stand there feeling embarrassed and because I do not want you to think I just say that to anyone. Baby steps people!

I am by no means saying I think that everyone should just feed me compliments constantly and I will be the happiest girl on earth – even that makes me squirm – how do I know you are as careful with your words as I am and I am not the tenth person you have given that same compliment to that day?

I don’t know this, just like I am realizing that I don’t know right now how I will feel tomorrow but I am slowly but surely grasping on to the fact that it is ok to “mess up” because chances are whether I am telling someone something or trying to believe in the sincerity of what a person is telling me, I will more than likely look back and realize that it wasn’t a “mess up” at all.
 
So this is my 30^th birthday gift to myself - I am going to work on allowing my true feelings to be expressed and I will do so with the understanding that I may look back and be so thankful that I did that or I may look back and laugh at how silly I sounded but either way I will be able to look back and know that I used many more of the  “20 seconds of insane courage and 20 seconds of embarrassing bravery” the next 30 years of my life than I did in the first!

xoxo,

Faith

 

The Happy 12

I saw this on Pinterest tonight and I just had to share it!
LOVE it!

xoxo,
Faith

Not crawling in my cave....just yet!

Aaaaaaaaaagggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh....it is happening. The winter blues are hitting me....bad part is we have only had about three really cold days!
There is just something about this time of year that gets me every single time...it is getting dark earlier, the air has a not so comforting chill, my car windshield has frost on it, I can see my breath....all of these things are on my list of things I could do without! When this time of year starts rolling around, I always seem to buy more pajamas than any other time - I guess all I want to do is lay in bed sipping hot chocolate so the fashionista in me feels the need to do this in cute PJ's. How can I remain in a completely gloomy mood when I at least had an excuse to go shopping...in a warm store?! :)

I was talking to a friend today and I told them I was starting to get these feelings but that I felt like my gloomy mood was coming earlier than normal, to which my honest friend replied...Nope,go take some Tylenol PM, and go to sleep, you have done this every year around this time since I have known you.

As I have mentioned before in my posts I am so thankful for my friends, even without trying they often snap me back to reality. He was right,every year around this time, I do seem to fade away into what I call my "poor me' bear cave"...I really do which is why all I could do was pause for a second and then laugh when I realized no rebuttal was needed to his comment!

This conversation helped me to decide that I am not going into hibernation just yet...I mean, the temperature tomorrow is supposed to be 68 degrees -That is really close to 70...I have gone to the beach on 70 degree days - I cannot break out the Swiss Miss at this point...I am promising myself to at least wait until we get down to 60! :)

This Winter (or Fall as some call it...to me it is all winter haha) I am going to try a different approach, this cold winter, I am going to keep my chin up even if snowflakes are landing on it!

PS) Only 253 more days until it is officially Summer! ;)

xoxo,
Faith

 

 



YOU are the Cashier

I was chatting with a friend the other day and we were talking about life. How we have to remember to take it one day at a time  and to learn from each day but also remember, to not let the tough lessons hold us back.

We often get so caught up in bad moments that happened in the past that we miss out on the good things could be happening at this moment. The friend I was chatting with the other day, was telling me how amazing the girl is that he is currently dating but how because of past failed relationships  it is sometimes hard to believe that this new love in his life is always completely sincere in having his best interest at heart. 

I'd be lying if I said I'd never been there before, it's not fun at all not being able to let your hair down and really enjoy something which is why this convo with an old friend reminded me of a little scenario I came up with a while back to help me through a similar situation. 

If you have ever talked to me about an issue like this then I am sure you know exactly what you are about to read before continuing on!

Ok, it's story time! You are in line at the grocery store when the lady in front of you is finally done, the cashier begins scanning your items and then he says, "ok, your total today is $350.00." You look up from texting and  say, "Wait just a minute....all I have is a couple of items-a pack of gum and a bottle of water so do you mean $3.50?!?" To which the cashier replies, "No ma'am, I mean $350.00 unless you have any more coupons other than the ones she gave me already" For a minute you are completely puzzled and then you realize what is happening, the cashier is charging you for items from the lady who was just in front of you! So you quickly exclaim, "Sir, why should I have to pay for that lady's stuff - I don't even know her and I don't even like half of the stuff she bought!" 

The cashier can handle this situation in one of two ways, he  can either apologize and tell you he's  sorry but that's just the way it is -take it or leave it for the next girl in line OR he can thank you for bringing this to his attention, apologize that he almost made a huge mistake that could've cost him his job and then assure you that he trashed her ticket and started a brand new one just for you. 

Sooooooooo,  Mr Cashier....do you choose to make her pay for the baggage from the person before her or do you choose to give her the new and improved ticket?

"You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don't try to forget the mistakes, but you don't dwell on it. You don't let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space." 

~Johnny Cash

xoxo,

Faith

To me, From me

Some have painting, some have music, some have sports, some have photography, some have their profession, some are still trying to figure out what theirs is (and they will) but for me, my passion is this...writing. 

This is the place where I can say what I am thinking and feeling and regardless if anyone else besides me reads it, I know that I put it all out there...exactly what I'm thinking. Writing is how I express my happy thoughts, sad thoughts, confused thoughts or whatever they may be- I know that when I sit down to write out my thoughts they just come naturally with no hesitation. 

So you would think with all of the things going on in my life in the past year I would be writing ten times a day, but it has actually been quite the opposite. 

I have had so much going on that I would love to share but I just haven't been able to find the inspiration, something that before I never even knew I needed...I've finally  come to realize it's something that I don't need, inspiration isn't what's been missing, instead it's been honesty. 

When I write, I am writing to me. 

I am sincere and honest in what I have to say. The last few months of life have been amazing, hard, confusing, happy, frustrating, tiring and quiet. 

Somewhere among all of those adjectives there came a point in my life where I couldn't write because I couldn't write to myself and know that it was sincere and honest. So I stopped. I would start typing and then just stop because I felt like what I was writing just didn't make sense with how I felt. It made sense with how I should be feeling with everything going on in life,  but when it came time to read over it I felt like I were writing to someone else or for someone else and that's not why I write.

So here I am, laying it all out there and writing to myself to say...

It is ok that I am not happy at work, it is ok that I will be 30 this year and not married,  it is ok that I said yes,  it is ok that I sometimes smiled when I wanted to cry, it is ok that it ended, it is ok that I let pride interfere with decisions, it is ok that I have had to hurt people, it is ok that I am having to hurt while at the same time feeling happy and relieved, it  is ok that it took me this long to accept that no matter what people choose to say or what people choose to believe, it is all ok. 

"For after all, the best thing one can do when it is raining, is to let it rain." ~ Longfellow 

xoxo, 

Faith

Three Things.....

Worth 5 minutes and 3 seconds of your time....important lessons that we all need to be reminded of!!!

xoxo,

Faith

The Summons

Sometimes things are so on time that you don't even know you needed them until they happen...it's as if someone can see the big picture and is always steps ahead...thankfully, that is the case - God always knows just when to make himself known. Yes, He is always there but it is so nice to receive His subtle reminders, even on the days when we feel like all is well!

This happened to me last week...I received a piece of mail through my company's interoffice mail. It was a photocopy of a hymn titled The Summons with a sticky note that said, "This song makes me think of you!".
The words of this hymn are so beautiful and present us with the remember that the challenge we face is to leave yourself behind and go where God directs us.

The song has five verses can be found here but the one that stuck out to me the most was verse two:
Will you leave yourself behind

If I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind
And never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare
Should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer pray’r
In you and you in me?

If you read my posts then you know I (with lots of prayer) decided not to move to the beach, something I had been planning for quite a while but once everything was in place and the dust settled I felt a different direction calling me and as this verse says "Will you risk the hostile stare Should your life attract or scare?" I have had to face a few of these stares from people in deciding not to move and of course as any major decision is I have definitely felt scared....but as the next line states, "Will you let me answer prayer In you and you in me?"....wow - it has been amazing how my prayers have been answered once I accepted the call of the Summons and let God answer my prayers instead of trying to satisfy them on my own!

So to my dear friend who sent me this sweet hymn,thank you for taking a few extra minutes to let me know you thought of me - this photocopy is one that I will hold dear forever and pull out from time to time to reflect on the ways that the other verses remind me what it is all about.....leaving me behind to get ahead in Him!

xoxo,
Faith



28 Lessons From My 28th Year

I celebrated my 29th birthday yesterday! I guess due to all of the birthday excitement and the quickly approaching Christmas excitement I found myself wide awake this morning around 2am with no sleep in sight so I decided to use that time to reflect on my days as a 28 year old and I came up with a list of 28 things I already knew but came to understand even better over the last year of my life!


28 Lessons From My 28th Year

1) Keep your Joy.
Don't let simple frustrations steal your joy. We are all inconvenienced from time to time, take a moment to realize the good that ended up coming from a frustrating moment. You just might me surprised and life will get a lot happier!

2) I'm happy if you're happy!
Don't let selfish feelings get in the way of others happiness. Nothing can lose a friend faster than not being a true friend.

3) I'm lovin it!
There is a girl at a McDonald's here in Rock Hill who works during breakfast and when I approach the window she ask how I am doing and then responds with "I'm Lovin' It!!!" when I ask her the same. I have actually passed the McDonald's closest to my office to visit hers instead just because she reminds me to enjoy life and smile no matter what - I am sure there are a million other places she would rather be that early in the morning but she is making the best of it and I'm lovin' it!

4) X+Y=Z
Everything doesn't always have to make sense to work....for me this equates to math. I cannot make sense of equations but I know that if you do them right then you get the correct result. So when stuff happens that I don't understand or cannot explain, I have learned to just roll with it and enjoy it rather than wasting time trying to figure out why!

5) It could always be worse.
Don't believe me? Make a trip to a children's hospital.

6) Enjoy the nagging.
One day I'll wish I  had them so I have been more conscious of making sure I answer the phone when my parents call...even if the call is to nag me about something, one of these days I will wish they were still here to nag me.

7) Not all gifts are found under the tree.
This past weekend I went to my fathers side of the family Christmas gathering, since I could not attend last year due to a scheduling conflict this was my first Ramsey Christmas without my grandfather or Uncle Terry since they passed last year. I would have given back any present in the world to have been able to have them there!

8) Take chances.
Don't confuse "I can't" with "I'm scared".

9) True love is real.
The way to know it's real is when you try to explain it to someone and find yourself pausing then saying, "I can't put it into words". I have learned that defining Love isn't making a list of adjectives to describe a person...instead it's not being able to find an adjective strong enough to express a feeling.

10) Relax.
"Worry is like a rocking chair it gives you something to do, but gets you nowhere."

11) Be direct.
If you have tension with someone find the courage to confront it so that it can dissolve rather than build up.
 I often remind myself of this quote by Maggie Kuhn:“Speak your mind even if your voice shakes.”

12) Set the Sleep Timer.
I have found that in the past few weeks when I turn my TV off at night I sleep like a baby. All. Night. Long.

13) I just called to say...
If an old friend crosses your mind, something reminds you of someone or if someone just crosses your mind for no reason at all-tell them, it only takes a second and will brighten both of your days.

14) Reciprocate.
Working in customer service I often hear people calling to complain, try that same approach of reporting someone when they are nice. You will be surprised at the satisfaction YOU gain from this.

15) Prioritize.
Don't put your job ahead of relationships or opportunities-they won't return the favor

16)When in Doubt, Don't.
I read this quote once in a Jane Austen book but I think you can take out the word man and fill in the blank with whatever it is your are deciding on. "If a woman doubts as to whether she should accept a man or not, she certainly ought to refuse him."

17) Through good and bad.
Pray for your family and friends constantly, not just when they need it. If you don't then don't be mad when they go astray...Ask and it shall be given works in reverse too.

18) Remember who the Author REALLY is.
¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jer. 29:11-13

19) Say Thanks.
I read this a few weeks ago and it really hit home: What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday.

20)SITS
Remember the constant reminders we all use to wear around our wrists a few years back...WWJD well I often think of making a new bracelet to wear as a constant reminder SITS "Stand in Their Shoes" this would remind me to sit down for a second and think about situations from the other point of view...being empathetic can get you so much further than being judgmental. By remembering SITS daily it's amazing how much easier a lot of the others on this list have been!

21) Look it up.
"Google it" I wish I had a dime for every time I say this in a day! Look stuff up...words, people, quotes...expand your brain!

22) De-Clutter.
Keeping my room and car clean-this is one that I rarely actually do but I have found out the few times this was the case that it seems like the less clutter around me the less clutter in my mind!

23) Take Notes.
Write everything down and don't abbreviate it-at that moment you think you'll remember but you wont.

24) DIY
I am craftier & more creative than I ever knew...Thanks Pinterest.com

25) Date Night for One.
Pencil in "Me Time" on your calendar. In a post a while back I wrote about a lady I met you made plans with herself and made it a priority to write it on her calendar just as she would for any other meeting and would be sure to plan other things around that time. Treat your time with yourself as important as your time with others.
26) Pause.
Tell God 'good morning' before anyone else or Facebook. Also at this same time tell him Thanks for the good things you'll face that day as well as thanks for the help and understanding of the not so good things you'll face.

27) Affirmation Calendar.
"Everyday may not be good but their is something good in every day." I saw an idea on Pinterest and I am going to start it Jan 1 to help remind me of this quote. On Index Cards/Rolodex write the date at the top and one good thing that happened that day - do this each day on a different card then when the year starts over you can see what good thing happened to you one year ago each day as you continue using the same cards for the new year ahead! What a great reminder of what you have to be thankful for as well as where you have been and where you are going!  (calendar idea)

28) Value.
Webster defines precious as: valuable, beloved.
Time is precious be precious with your time.

xoxo,
Faith