Constant and Unchanging

A few weekends ago my family went on a mini road trip to go visit my dear Grandma who lives about 4 hours away.  The moment we pulled up and I started walking into the house from the garage, there was that very familiar smell.  I can't really describe it but it's just the same smell I have recalled since I was little. 

Everything about my grandparents home is exactly the same every time I come for a visit.  The same pictures hanging on the side of the fridge, the same little stuffed animals sitting up on a little toy rocking chair, the same couch, the same TV, the same grandfather clock that chimes all through the night, the same pictures on the walls, the same dishes, and the same joyful Grandma to greet me with a hug and a kiss.  The only thing not the same is that my Grandpa has passed away and his presence is certainly missed.

 

There is such comfort in the familiar, the unchanging, the constant.  I thrive on those three things.  I love routine, a schedule, things planned out on the calendar, and daily rituals.  But we all know life doesn't always work this way.  Sometimes there are unexpected things that come up, strains in relationships, health issues that arise, a child suddenly feverish, a planned event that gets cancelled, a death in the family, a marriage that feels like it's unraveling at the seams, a child that is leaving for college, oh the list could go on and on.  The ground can feel shaky underneath us and we don't quite know what to hold on to.  We feel like we are losing our bearings.  Or losing sight of what truly matters. 

But just like my sweet Grandma's home being an unchanging place of such comfort...that is our God.  He is unchanging, He is constant, He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  We can always count on Him.  He will never fail us.  His love endures forever.  His grace is always there.  His forgiveness is always available. 

We can find the same peace, joy, hope, strength, truth, forgiveness, healing, love, and comfort every time we open the door to the Lord's house.  I don't know about you but I am so incredibly thankful for one thing in my life that I KNOW won't ever change!   He is who we can hold onto when life gets shaky and He is who we must keep our eyes fixed on, ALWAYS!!

 

 

 

 

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Along the way....

I had a very sweet gal message me on my Homeschool FB page.  She shared with me how much she enjoys reading my blog and that it has been such a source of encouragement to her.  She noticed I had not posted over the winter and just wanted to see how things were going.  She said, "I was hopeful that you were not going to go MIA."

I've really missed writing on my blog, but so many things have taken precedence, and I have had to set it on the shelf for a while.  But after reading the words from one of my blog followers I decided I needed to post something and to let anyone who reads my blog know that I am not M.I.A!  I'm here!!  I'm living life, being a mom, homeschooling my girls, and learning lots and lots these days.

So I thought I would share some things I am learning along the way of life....

• I am learning...that when your kids are begging for more of something (that involves learning) to run with it!!  Over the past few months, during lunch time, I started reading a chapter a day from the YWAM "Christian Heroes: Then and Now" books.  So far we have read about missionaries such as: Amy Carmichael, Gladys Alward, Corrie Ten Boom, Eric Liddel, and Nate Saint.  This wasn't part of our curriculum for the year, nor was I reading them during our "school" time.  It was just for fun!  But as I began to open these books and read to my girls I found a wealth of information on history, geography, governments, wars, world events, various cultures, customs, religions, and lives devoted to serving Jesus in whatever capacity He called them to.  My girls would beg me to read, and when I finished a chapter, they would beg me to read another!  Isn't that how learning should be?  I just ordered a ton more of the YWAM books to incorporate in our history for next year.  It's stories like these that really bring people, places, and events to life!  More than being able to recite their multiplication facts in 10.5 seconds flat or be a spelling whiz....I want my children to have such a heart for reaching the lost...to have boldness, courage, trust, perseverance, a love for others, a servants heart, and a heart of obedience to whatever the Lord might call them to!



• I'm learning to be comfortable in my own skin.  My whole entire life I have been fortunate to have a wonderful complexion, with only a few breakouts here and there during my monthly cycle.  However, all that began to change at the age of 36, and my skin began to get worse and worse.  I found myself so embarrassed and humiliated by my skin.  I was in constant tears and felt so devastated.  Yet every time I would say something to a friend they would reply with something like, "Andrea, I think you are beautiful and I don't even notice your breakouts until you start bringing it up."  Even my husband was still complimenting me and acting as though nothing was different with my face.  I began to realize that I needed to let go of my insecurities, focus on loving myself, and be comfortable in my own skin (flaws and all).  I even stopped wearing make-up...that was hard but I haven't worn make up (except eye make-up) for the past few months.  My skin is making remarkable progress and I will be sharing in another blog post the changes I have made and the things I have been doing both internally and externally that I feel has helped!  I hope it will be an encouragement to any other moms out there struggling with adult acne.

 



• I'm learning that God's timing is always perfect.  A few years ago the Lord put a vision on my heart for a way to minister more to the moms at the homeschool co-op I attend.  My vision was for ladies to gather during their hour off (there are 3-1 hour long classes at the co-op and every parent helps or teaches 2 out of the 3 class hours and then has 1 hour off).  The Lord put it on my heart to call it REFUEL time (a time to be Refreshed, Encouraged, Friendships made/strengthened, Unity, Equipped, and Laughter).  And I also wanted to give different ladies opportunities to share something from their life, perhaps a trial or hardship they walked through, a way the Lord provided in their life, a blessing they experienced, or a way they have grown in their faith.  To make a long story short, this idea was not made a reality until this last session of our co-op.  The main leader of the co-op contacted me and asked me if I would want to oversee the hour off time.  When I shared my vision with her, she had goose bumps, and told me this is what the Lord had put on her heart as well!  We just finished up the 10 week session and the REFUEL time was amazing!! 

 



• I'm learning to let go, even to some really good things.  My husband started a new job last May.  After 17 years with the same company, he was laid off, and they were going to be closing down the office/warehouse he had worked out of all those years (He was the only US employee for this Canadian company).  His new job came within days of being laid off and he was able to stay in the same office/warehouse and was paid quite a bit more than his previous job.  However, this job requires a lot more travelling.  So when your "partner in crime" isn't home as often, it changes day to day life a lot.  Things that I could normally be apart of, became harder to do.  I had signed up for a half marathon race and quickly realized I couldn't put in the time to train, so I had to drop out of that race.  I love to plan monthly "Mom's Night Out" events and had to let go of this as well.  I love to run outdoors and have had to revert to using my treadmill in the garage.  And of course I've had to let go of blogging regularly.  I am so tired after an entire day taking care of kids, that I tend to go to bed immediately after tucking them in (Yes I know I am turning into an old lady!).  But in the midst of letting go, I've also learned to cling more to God.  I love spending time with friends, running, and blogging...but  He is the true source of joy and hope in my life!!

 



• I am learning...God wants to use me, imperfections and all, to impact the lives of others.  I still have moments when I feel like a failure as a mom or a human being.  I fall short with my words.  I struggle to be that example I desperately want to be to my kids.  I get impatient.  I feed my kids hot dogs or frozen pizza sometimes...I mean literally just that with no side serving of fruits of veggies. LOL  Sometimes my joking or sarcasm goes too far and I feel regretful.  I get upset with my husband and handle my hurts with anger.  But even in the midst of my flaws, God chooses to use me, ME!  I am blessed with the opportunity to sit on the couch, most mornings, and read from a children's Bible with my girls and pray for our day.  I am able to tell my girls everyday about how loved they are by God and that He has wonderful plans for their lives.  I can text a Bible verse to my sister on her way to work when she is bogged down and consumed with hard things.  I pray for friends and strive to encourage them whenever they are struggling.  I can give out a smile or a hug to someone who really needs it.  You see, we'll never have it all figured out, sin & our flesh will have the upper hand at times.  We are going to fail but we are not failures.  We will fall but we don't have to stay down.  You don't have to  wait to get your life all sorted out before God can use you.  God simply wants a willing heart that says, "Here I am Lord, use me!" 



What is God teaching/showing you along the way?

 

 

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Run with Perseverance!

The evening of October 26th I laid out my very important outfit for the next morning...my black & pink ensemble for my very first marathon! 

My alarm woke me up at 6:00 am on the morning of the 27th.  Ok not really I was awake way before my alarm went off, laying there thinking about the day ahead.  I had 3 hours before my race began... a race of 26.2 miles to complete with over 2200 feet of elevation.  Not necessarily the best choice for a first marathon but getting to experience this race with my dear friend Rachel (and the breathtaking scenery) was worth it!!  I had quinoa with bananas, blueberries, almond milk, and brown sugar for breakfast!  Then another banana and a bar in the time leading up to the race.  I drank coconut water too!! 



at the starting line!

 

As we gathered at the starting line I had this moment of fear..."can I really do this?"  I reminded myself of how hard I had trained and prepared for this moment and that everything was going to be fine.  So much about getting to the finish line is being mentally strong.  I had a strategy to go out at a 12 min/mile pace for the first 5 miles, then increase to 11:30 pace up to mile 13, 11:00 pace to mile 20, and then 10:30 pace for the last 6.2 miles.  This would give me an overall average pace of around 11:00 minutes per mile and a finish time of around 4 hours and 48 minutes.



Waving to my family!



My supportive friends cheering me on and holding up signs!



A photo at the turnaround point (mile 11.8)

I was so blessed to have several friends, my parents, and my girls all there to cheer me on.  It was so beautiful out but after the turn around the wind started to pick up, the sun disappeared behind the clouds and it started to rain.  I just kept pressing on and on but as I approached the 18 mile marker I was beginning to feel tired.  I also knew once I passed the 18 mile marker I would be going further than I had in my training.  I passed my group of friends cheering me on and asked them to pray.  It was an uphill climb for several miles and I knew it was going to be tough.  Later they shared with me that they gathered and prayed immediately, then looked up and saw me running up towards the top of that portion of the hill. 

Between miles 18 and 23.5 I was on a paved trail with no through traffic, so I was without any support from my family or friends.  It was raining rather hard at this point, I was running uphill, and my phone died so I had no music to help motivate me.  I had forgotten to grab more fuel/food from my friends the last time I had seen them and was out of my electrolyte drink.  Basically everything I relied on to help sustain me, motivate me, encourage me and keep me going was taken away from me. 

I remember calling out to the Lord, "You are the only one I have to sustain me and get me through this Lord.  Help me to stay strong and keep moving forward.  Give me the endurance, perseverance, and right mindset to make it to the finish line." As I continued running I was feeling like I needed to get some carbs in me quickly and suddenly I saw a wrapper on the ground that caught my attention.  I picked it up and discovered it was an unopened packet of gummies.  I couldn't help but smile..."Manna from heaven" is what I thought of in that moment.

I prayed for someone to be up at the top of the hill (mile 23.5) so that I could get more food/electrolytes.  Sure enough my family was there to greet me and give me what I needed.  Now it was the downhill and final miles to the finish line!!  As I came down the winding road around mile 24.5 I suddenly heard clapping, cheering, shouting...and saw my entire group of supporters cheering me on.  I was filled with such emotion and began to cry.  It really gave me that boost to keep going and finish the race.

My biggest fans!!

What an amazing feeling it was to cross that finish line!!  Victory!!  Success!!  Perseverance!!  Relief!!  Joy!!  I was overwhelmed by so many emotions and so so so thankful to be done!  I crossed the finish at 5 hours, 13 minutes, and 27 seconds.  A little slower than I had hoped but taking into consideration all the hills I was very proud of my accomplishment!

And Rachel did amazing...finishing in 3 hours and 51 minutes!  I am so very proud of her and how well she did!! 



A few photos after crossing the finish line!



 

Every gal in this photo is a homeschooling mom!! 

 

 

I am so thankful to have had this experience.  It. Was. Hard....but so worth it!  Running has so many comparisons to our Christian walk.  I didn't just go out and run a marathon.  I had to train & prepare my body, mind, and spirit.  I had to be disciplined.  I had to push through even when it was hard.  As a Christian, it's a growing process and requires discipline.  We train ourselves to trust God, to lean on Him, to walk in our spirit and not in the flesh, to be humble, to forgive, and so much more.  In our life we experience hills, obstacles, rainy seasons, fatigue, and hard times.  But there is purpose in every step we take.  We can not give up...we must keep moving forward...we must press on and run with perseverance the race set out before us!

 

 

 

 

I am so thankful for everyone who has supported me, encouraged me, and prayed for me during the past few months of training and on race day!  A very special thanks to Rachel, Sarah, Anna, Sandi, Mary, Bob, Gracie, and my girls!!

 

 

 

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Solid Ground

 

Today I dropped my girls off at a friends house so I could go for a run.  I started at her house and ran through neighborhoods and on roads that I am not super familiar with.  I found myself running downhill for a very long time and ended up on one of the busiest roads in our area.  I am not a fan of running with lots of cars and traffic but decided to just keep running.  The sidewalk I was running on suddenly stopped and as far as I could see there was construction going on.  By this point I couldn't really turn around and the 4 lane highway was not something I was going to attempt to cross.  So I ran through the chaos, the mud, the rocks, the dirt, the puddles, the tree limbs, the construction crew, and the cones. 

 

As I ran today on the unstable and muddy ground I thought about people in my life whose lives are so full of chaos, pain, hardship, challenges, addictions, sadness, depression, guilt, anger, brokenness, struggle...they've made a few wrong turns, as we all have, but they haven't found their way to solid & firm ground. 

 

Sometimes we make wrong turns in life and find ourselves in a place we never thought or wanted to be.  Sometimes hardships and difficulties come, not by our own doing, but as a result of living in a fallen world.   Whatever the reason, it can be messy, hard, challenging, and feel like it's never going to end. 

 

 Thankfully for me on my run today the construction finally ceased and I returned to solid ground and found my way back to where I needed to be!  The only way we can recover, the ONLY way we an recover...is by turning to Jesus and clinging to Him through the mess.  He will set your feet on solid ground and He will make your path straight!
 

 

God doesn't want us remaining stuck in chaos...He is all about seeing people through those difficult circumstances, bringing freedom, healing, redemption, and recovery.  A friend, Jeremy, from Bible college shared this quote on his Facebook page and it blessed me tremendously to read it:

 

"Jesus helped the woman at the well recover love, the woman caught in adultery recover dignity, the blind man recover sight, the tax collector recover purpose, the religious people recover relationship, the sick recover health, the lonely recover friendship, the world recover life and hope. Jesus is in the business of Recovery!!"

 

 

 

"Lord I lift up anyone reading this who needed to hear these words, whose life resembles the chaos and mess of a construction zone.  May you direct their steps and lead them through the chaos and to a place of peace, safety, wholeness, strength, freedom, healing, joy, and a strong & firm foundation in you.  Thank you that nothing is too difficult for you.  Thank you that you are in the business of recovery. Thank you that you make all things new.  Guide and direct them back to solid ground.  In Jesus name I pray. Amen"

 

 

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At my side for 18 miles!

When you are preparing for a marathon and you are down to the wire with only weeks left in your training...you hope and pray nothing gets in the way of your plan and your training.   But as we all know life doesn't always go as planned.  Life happens!  After my 16 mile run on August 31st I began to have some pain in my left knee.  Nothing real serious but some tenderness that made me step back and evaluate my running plans.  Do I keep moving forward?  Do I bring this whole thing to a halt and drop out of the race?  I did the only thing I knew to do...I asked the Lord for wisdom, guidance, and of course healing. 

 

I am not an expert runner, there is still much I have to learn, but I do try to always listen to my body and back off when needed.  So I decided not to make any final decisions but to just take it one day at a time.  I iced my knee and took it very easy for a few weeks.  This caused me to get very behind in my training.  I only had one shot to run my 20 mile run....this big magical number that you are suppose to run before a marathon...and now I knew it would be next to impossible to gain lost time. 

Then another situation occurred to make running even more of a challenge....my husband had to go out of town for several weeks for work.  When he is the one I rely on to watch the girls for my runs...well that really puts a damper on things.

 

Thankfully family & friends are coming to my rescue to help and my knee has improved!!

Yesterday I ran 18 miles.  It is my last long run before the big day.  I will not get to 20 but that's OK.  My knee did great the entire run.  I was also extremely blessed to have my mom watching my girls and my dad riding alongside me the entire time.

 

Sometimes he was at my side, other times in front of me or behind me.  I had total peace knowing he was with me from start to finish!  And that was important as I ran a somewhat secluded trail with some sketchy looking men along the way.  He carried a backpack and had extra fluids and food I needed during my run.  He was there each time I needed his assistance.  At one point we were approaching some gals walking and he said, "Serious runner coming through"...and they made way for me to pass and cheered for me!  During a moment of silence I thought about how this is such a great picture of how the Lord is in our lives.  He is always with us, He goes before us, behind us, and is constantly at our sides.  He is our protector, our friend, and he cheers us on and believes in us!  Jesus is our bread of life and He quenches our thirst...he provides us with all we need on our spiritual race!

 

 

 

I thought too about how God is a father to the fatherless....because my real dad actually passed away when I was 12 years old and I feel so blessed to have such an amazing step-dad in my life.  He has stepped in and taken that role of a father in my life.  Thank you Bob for all the many ways you bless my life...and a huge thank you for riding alongside me yesterday!

 

 

 

Sometimes it can feel that God is a million miles away and doesn't see us or our circumstances...but the reality is He is with you, every step of the way!  He loves you!  He is always working on your behalf!  He is proud of you!  He will never leave you nor forsake you! 

Looking forward to running 26.2 miles in a month with my Heavenly Father at my side the entire way! 

 

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I've come a long ways from my Top Ramen Days!

I have a confession to make...I am a former Top Ramen, Cheese Whiz & Chicken in a Bisket, Taco Bell, frozen burrito, Oreo cookie, and Rice-A-Roni consumer.    

I can tell you I am now a changed woman who over the past 5 years has been on a mission of health for my family!  And one of the greatest ways to accomplish health is through the foods we put in our bodies. 

I honestly didn't think too much about the foods I was eating and feeding my family until my oldest daughter began to battle severe coughing issues at the age of 2.  She endured weeks and weeks of coughing that would escalate to the point of affecting her breathing.  By age 4, doctors diagnosed her with cough induced asthma as well as dust mite & outdoor allergies.  The recommendation?  Allergy shots, 2 daily inhalers, and allergy medications. 

We live in a day in age where it's all about convenience, fast, quick-fix, and easy.   I didn't just want to address the surface issues.   I didn't want the quick remedy.  I wanted answers.  I wanted to get to the root cause.   Thankfully a wonderful naturopathic doctor, Dr. O'Leary, made that possible.  She wanted to do food allergy testing on my daughter but I couldn't make the connection between food allergies and her coughing issues.  So Dr. O'Leary explained to me that 70% of our immunity comes from our GI tract (the gut).  If your gut isn't healthy you won't be healthy.  After running some tests, her recommendations?  Gluten free diet, probiotics, fish oil, and a multivitamin to name a few things.  This wasn't going to provide a quick fix but a slow improvement to my daughters overall health. 

Fast forward to present day and my almost 10 year old girl is a very healthy kid.  She isn't reliant on pills, shots, or inhalers either.  She still gets colds/coughs here and there but those severe coughing fits are a thing of the past.  I use to battle regular headaches and those are a thing of the past too!   

What you will find in my kitchen is vastly different than years past and I know that has made the difference for all of my families health.  I also will insert here there are more changes I'd love to make but it's a process....baby steps, small changes, one step at a time!  I have begun to make more things from scratch rather than in a pre-boxed package (though I do have on hand some pre-mixes).  I wanted to give you a sneak peek into my kitchen, with the goal to help encourage anyone reading this that wants to make changes, that it is possible.  So come along as I give you the tour....

Let's start with my fridge, I just went shopping so it's full!

 

 



 

My fridge is full of fruits and vegetables.  I just invested in a Vitamix so we have been making lots of delicious smoothies!  Our eggs come from our own chickens.  The Green Pasture Butter Oil/Fermented Cod Liver Oil is something I highly recommend for all it's health benefits!

 

What you will find in my freezer/deep freezer:

 

 

During the summer months pick or buy fresh, local organic fruit in bulk.  You can freeze them for smoothies and baking!  I paid $1.50 per pound for Organic blueberries....and 35 pounds total came to $52.50.  The grocery store was selling organic blueberries for $4.99 for less than a pound.  My mom and a friend gave me several zucchini so I shredded them up and froze for zucchini bread and soups!  That didn't cost me a thing! 

My pantry: 

 

 

If there is one item for your pantry I highly recommend it's organic Quinoa!  This is a very versatile item that can be made into a breakfast porridge, a side dish, salad, or main entrée.   Quinoa is a seed not a grain and has all 9 essential amino acids.  Want to know all the health benefits? Read here and here.  Know someone with apple trees and the apples are going to waste? Ask if you can pick them and spend a day or two making applesauce.  Canning is a very new thing to me but I chose applesauce to start with as it is pretty simple! 

 

 

Spices/Baking staples:

 

You will notice my salt up above is Real Salt.  I've always thought salt was bad for us and have avoided it, however, Real Salt is full of natural trace minerals and is actually very important for health.  I also recommend Safflower oil for cooking and heating at high temperatures.  You do NOT want to heat olive oil (I just recently realized this!)

Beverages:

 

 

 Coconut Water is another thing I recommend to have on hand.  It's a great drink when you are sick as it is high in electrolytes and potassium!!   Yes I do treat myself to soda sometimes but ones without high fructose corn syrup or other artificial sweeteners, food dyes, or other harmful ingredients!

 

I do believe in the saying, "Pay now or pay later."  Changing the way you eat may mean increasing your food budget....but it's a worthy investment and it doesn't have to break the bank.  For a family of 5 I have budgeted $185/week for food and household supplies.  That is $26.43 per day.  Per person that is $5.29 a day.  I think this is the first time that I have ever broken down what I am spending...I am quite impressed!!  $5.29 per person for whole foods, healthy, organic snacks & meals!! 

 

Here are a few suggestions to help you budget :

• A lot of the photos you saw above are things I purchased in bulk at Costco.  The savings is huge compared to going to the local grocery store and making the same purchases.  So although you may be paying out more at once, you are paying less per ounce, box, can, package, etc...
• Get some chickens!!  We live in the city with no property at all.  My husband built a chicken coop and we have more eggs then I can keep up with!  We also did raise some chickens for meat but really don't have the space for that where we live.  Buying whole organic chickens at the store is not cheap.  Hoping we can raise our own again in the future! 
• If you eat beef, find a local rancher and fill your freezer for the year.  You can buy 1/4, 1/2 or a whole cow.  If you have never purchased beef this way, it is a big upfront expense but overall a huge savings...especially if you want organic, grass fed!  Beef is typically sold based on hanging weight, but your actual bring home amount that you put in your freezer is going to be less than the hanging weight.  So for example if you pay $3.50 per pound (including butcher fees) for 1/4 a cow and the hanging weight is 250 pounds.  Your cost will be $875 but you will probably end up with 150 pounds in your freezer.  $875/150=$5.83 per pound.   If you were to go to the store and individually purchase organic, grass fed steaks, ground beef, roasts that equaled 150 pounds you'd be spending a tremendous amount more!!!
• Buy fruits and vegetables from local farmers markets, CSA programs, or produce stands.  Most are going to have local organic or minimally sprayed produce at great prices!
• When things are marked down that is your time to stock up and purchase several at once!
• It's amazing how much you save when you stop buying pre-packaged, processed, and junk food.
• Limit those spendy Starbucks/specialty drinks and eating out!  Our family could go out to dinner and easily it would cost $25-$50 for one meal, depending on the kind of restaurant. 
• Use cloth dinner napkins instead of paper napkins.  Hey every little savings matters!
• You will also discover that you stay fuller longer when you are eating whole foods!!

 

The best advice I can give when it comes to what to eat and not eat....stick to whole foods as much as possible.  A whole food has only one ingredient - itself!  If the ingredients list is a mile long and most things you can't even pronounce and have no idea what is means....set it back down on the shelf and then turn and run! 

 

Cheers to your health!

 

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