This Girl Is On Fire!

Today has been an awesome day, I have been energized all day, and I have had a lot to say!! So let me start my writing by apologizing to all those who ended up on the opposite end of a conversation with me throughout my workday, I know I was extra enthusiastic and chatty, often traveling off subject to other things, probably up on my soapbox a time or two. But I gotta tell you, GOD IS SO GOOD!!! I just feel so at peace, like He has our family's life under total control, and all I gotta do is share that with everyone around me! This is huge for me, (I might be kind-of a wee-bit of a control freak, one of those peeps who likes to be in charge of what's going on around me), as is the energy I've been feeling (morning person is not something anyone would say about me, yet I've been wide awake since 6:40am and had accomplished more before 9am today than I often get done before noon!)

 

Let's talk about that energy! I fully believe that AdvoCare Spark, and the 24 Day Challenge with it's accompanying vitamins and food-accountability, are responsible for me getting outta my slump, having more mental clarity, and having more energy and enthusiasm to get things done. Last week I met with a couple of awesome, God-loving, family-oriented women who helped me reinforce that I have everything I need within myself to be a healthy, happy, positive woman. That said, though, they also helped me see what AdvoCare has done for me in the short time I've been using it, and how it has helped bring those things within me to the forefront so that I can focus on them, rather than the not feeling well, the lack of energy, the feeling stuck in a rut. I may always have digestive conditions that cause my system to remain a bit sluggish and uncomfortable, but I must not use that as an excuse for my laziness any longer!

 

Part of my blogging is about personal accountability, for I feel that once I put something down in writing for others to see, I will better follow through on it. It is so easy to make excuses for ourselves, to justify things we are doing or not doing, and to just generally be lazy about life. NO MORE! I resolve to rise each day with a happy heart, thankful for the multitude of blessings the Lord has given me, and do everything I can to make the day count for myself and everyone who crosses paths with me. The only moment we're guaranteed is the one we're living right this instant.

 

[Quick family introductions for those who don't know me that well...husband Doug, married 11 years this May, Produce Department Manager, been at the same company for 16 years; daughter Gracie, 5 1/2 years old, late November birthday so not in school until fall, strong-willed, imaginative, and pretty much a mini-me; son Joel, will be 3 in July, ALL BOY, toddler all the way, also strong-willed. So blessed that God put Doug in my life 12 years ago; I had honestly planned on being a career-oriented single gal my whole life, but had prayed in my early 20's that if there was indeed a man meant to break my independence, then let me know when the right time is, and I truly meant that prayer and gave it up to the Lord just like that. Well, June 30th had a date with Doug, December 30th engaged, May 18th married. That is all God people, all God! We wanted to wait 5 years before thinking about kids, found ourselves pregnant with Gracie just before our 5th wedding anniversary. Right before she turned 2 we talked about maybe thinking about a second child...found out not too much later that I was expecting Joel. I've been very fortunate to work for a trio of common-ownership companies for 9 years now, and my awesome boss has let me set hours that fit in with Doug's schedule and the busy-ness of raising young kids. We have been and continue to be truly blessed!]

 

For over a year now, Doug and I have been talking about how we're going to manage family life once our Gracie-girl starts kindergarten in the fall. You see, with Doug's retail schedule and my fitting in workdays on the ones he has off, (plus one day a week that my dear mother comes out to babysit), plus all the other things it takes to raise kids and run a household, we are in a constant juggling act. The retail world is unpredictable, so while he's been fortunate to have a "set" schedule since we started a family, you can't really count on consistency with it. There's others in his department needing time off, this reset or that product change needing his attention on a certain day at a certain time, hours being cut, etc etc, on and on. It is exhausting! And my hardworking hubs who has a hard-to-find-these-days strong work ethic and is eager to do everything he can for his department's sucess, is just plain exhausted. He has arthritis in his knee, periodic back problems, and a screwy sleep cycle. Don't get me wrong, we have been very thankful for his having secure, full-time employment with excellent health benefits, and he has worked hard to get to where he is within not just his company, but also a career path that was not what he would necessarily "choose to do". He started in produce his senior year of high school, following in his dad and older sister's footsteps, figuring he'd give it a couple years while he maybe went to college and decided what he "really" wanted to do. Then he found it gave him a nice source of income to be able to spend on his hobbies, which are of the expensive mudding-truck variety, so he stayed on. Then he met me, and a couple of times looked at trying a new career, but decided he'd stay put for a little longer. Then kids came along, and we needed the dependable paycheck. But now, well, now he's ready for a break, and we're ready for a more family-friendly work schedule. So we've been praying on this, and asking the Lord for direction, and looking at lots of options. Then last week I had that meeting with those amazing ladies, and returned home with my kids who decided to both be stinkers at the same time, and I was feeling extra bloated and uncomfortable, and I decided to have a little pity party, called up the hubs at work begging him to come home early, and while talking to him something inside me said "ENOUGH", so I told him "nevermind, I'm going outside with the kids and pulling weeds or something", and 2 1/2 hours later when he did get home, the backyard was down several weeds, and I was feeling convicted of this one important thing...the only way things will change for the better is if WE MAKE THE CHANGE. No more waiting around to see if maybe the store will close (story for another day), or maybe by some miracle they'll offer him a raise and a thanks-for-your-dedication after 6 years in the manager position, or maybe this, that, or the other. Forget the maybes and make the change ourselves!

 

So, changes are on the horizon, and I for one believe that change is good. Especially if you have peace about it, trust in the Lord, and support from loved ones. We have it all, and more, and cannot wait to see just what the Lord has in store for our family!