Faith: Don't Worry!

Just about an hour ago I was starting to worry about something. Getting all upset, over reacting, full of anxiety and worry over the future. Then I sat down to check my email and came across a new post from Loving My Lot. I loved her post "7 Reasons There's No Reason to Worry" that I decided to share the list of 7 Reasons here. Find her blog here and subscribe to her posts :) Here is a little quote from Loving My Lot to help you understand what she is about:

"I think these two things–my faith in Christ and my love for my family–are what have stirred my passion for biblical womanhood. With my whole heart, I want to embrace the role and calling God has for my life so that when I do finally see Him face to face, it will be with no regrets."

From Matthew 6:25-34

1. Because if God has given me big, substantial gifts (such as my life & body), I can trust Him to provide for smaller, less substantial needs. (v25)

2. Because God is so sovereign He cares about even the insignificant details of nature. (v26, 28-29)

3. Because I am of great value to God. (v26b, 30)

4. Because anxiety does zippo to fix my problems or extend my life. (v27)

5. Because God knows what I need. (v32)

6. Because God’s kingdom and righteousness are more important than anything I could ever need or want. (v33)

7. Because tomorrow will bring new troubles I didn’t even see coming, so I might as well live one day at a time. (v34)

Reference: http://lovingmylot.com/2013/10/25/7-reasons-theres-no-reason-to-worry/

Family: Time to end the Mommy wars!

I really love this topic. Some Moms are very judgmental of others and it is hurtful and sad. There is more than one way to raise children, parent them, feed them, discipline them, teach them, mold them and shape them. Not one way is the best or correct. If it were, somebody would be teaching us all.

I LOVE this article below that I am re-sharing from Connecticut Working Moms.

Posted June 11, 2013
"It’s hard to believe that this month marks the one-year anniversary of our post-baby body photo-shoot – I mean where did the time go? In true CTWM’s fashion, we decided that we wanted to do something to commemorate this important anniversary so we chose to tackle a topic that makes our skin crawl – the mommy wars. Last year’s photo shoot was about embracing our bodies and this year’s shoot was about embracing our different parenting choices. Cause seriously people, the world needs more love and less judgment.



Personally I think the mommy wars were created by the media as a way to pit women against each other and gain ratings and I just don’t want to be a part of that. I am soooo over it. Who cares if some moms choose to homeschool vs. use public schools or if some moms breastfeed and others don’t or if some moms let their kids watch more TV than others? The only choices we have control over are our own. What another mom chooses is her decision – who are we to judge that? And when you really think about it – what’s the point? It feels so much better to treat people kindly with loving intentions than to go straight to a place of judgment. We should be supporting women’s decisions instead of critiquing them and making snap judgments based off our limited knowledge of other people’s situations."




What an AWESOME message! LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE it!! I am so glad to have found this. I also located a Facebook page for them. Go like them here!!



And honestly, in my opinion, sometimes it is not the judging that is the big enemy, it is the comparing. YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH JUST AS YOU ARE. You be you. Let everyone else be them. God made us each unique and different with our own talents and strengths. That Mom that you think "has it all together", could just be wishing she was more like you in some ways. We are all in this crazy, hectic, roller coaster ride of Mothering together. We need to support, respect and accept each other for who we are. And for God's sake we need to be KIND to one another.

Future: 8 Things you can do NOW to have a better life! GO!!

I really liked these 8 tips, which appeared in an article on Huffington Post today! Link to full article is at the bottom. Happy Reading! 

1. Stop believing your bullshit.

All that stuff you tell yourself about how you are a commitment phobe or a coward or lazy or not creative or unlucky? Stop it. It's bullshit, and deep down you know it. We are all insecure 14 year olds at heart. We're all scared. We all have dreams inside of us that we've tucked away because somewhere along the line we tacked on those ideas about who we are that buried that essential brilliant, childlike sense of wonder. The more we stick to these scripts about who we are, the longer we live a fraction of the life we could be living. Let it go. Be who you are beneath the bullshit.

2. Be happy now.

Not because The Secret says so. Not because of some shiny happy Oprah crap. But because we can choose to appreciate what is in our lives instead of being angry or regretful about what we lack. It's a small, significant shift in perspective. It's easier to look at what's wrong or missing in our lives and believe that is the big picture -- but it isn't. We can choose to let the beautiful parts set the tone.

3. Look at the stars.

It won't fix the economy. It won't stop wars. It won't give you flat abs, or better sex or even help you figure out your relationship and what you want to do with your life. But it's important. It helps you remember that you and your problems are both infinitesimally small and conversely, that you are a piece of an amazing and vast universe. I do it daily -- it helps.

4. Let people in.

Truly. Tell people that you trust when you need help, or you're depressed -- or you're happy and you want to share it with them. Acknowledge that you care about them and let yourself feel it. Instead of doing that other thing we sometimes do, which is to play it cool and pretend we only care as much as the other person has admitted to caring, and only open up half way. Go all in -- it's worth it.

5. Stop with the crazy making.

I got to a friend's doorstep the other day, slightly breathless and nearly in tears after getting a little lost, physically and existentially. She asked what was wrong and I started to explain and then stopped myself and admitted, "I'm being stupid and have decided to invent lots of problems in my head." Life is full of obstacles; we don't need to create extra ones. A great corollary to this one is from The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz: Don't take things personally. Most of the time, other people's choices and attitudes have absolutely nothing to do with you. Unless you've been behaving like a jerk, in which case...

6. Learn to apologize.
Not the ridiculous, self-deprecating apologizing for who you are and for existing that some people seem to do (what's up with that, anyway?). The ability to sincerely apologize -- without ever interjecting the word "but" -- is an essential skill for living around other human beings. If you are going to be around other people, eventually you will need to apologize. It's an important practice.

7. Practice gratitude.

Practice it out loud to the people around you. Practice it silently when you bless your food. Practice it often. Gratitude is not a first world only virtue. I saw a photo recently, of a girl in abject poverty, surrounded by filth and destruction. Her face was completely lit up with joy and gratitude as she played with a hula hoop she'd been given. Gratitude is what makes what we have enough. Gratitude is the most basic way to connect with that sense of being an integral part of the vastness of the universe; as I mentioned with looking up at the stars, it's that sense of wonder and humility, contrasted with celebrating our connection to all of life.

8. Be kind.

Kurt Vonnegut said it best (though admittedly, and somewhat ashamedly -- I am not a Vonnegut fan): "There's only one rule that I know of, babies -- 'God damn it, you've got to be kind.'"

Kindness costs us nothing and pays exponential dividends. I can't save the whole world. I can't bring peace to Syria. I can't fix the environment or the health care system, and from the looks of it, I may end up burning my dinner.

But I can be kind.

If the biggest thing we do in life is to extend love and kindness to even one other human being, we have changed the world for the better.

Excerpt taken from an article authored by Kate Bartolotta. You can read the full article here.