Tag: #help

Fight to be “That Mom”

It’s MENTAL!!

This is a continuation of my blog post The proof isn’t in the pudding…it’s in the picture! Read it HERE!

You have decided that you want to be “that mom”! You know the one with 10 kids and a set of Abs! 🙂 Awesome! Well first things first….

You got to WANT IT and you got to be willing to FIGHT FOR IT!

“Wait what?”

Yes I said it, “YOU got to be ready to fight for it!”

“Why do I need to fight for it?” You are probably asking yourself!

Well because once you want something so bad you can taste it you seem to find resistance, temptation, and a million reasons why this will never work! It’s called SELF DEFEAT…and you have been around that mountain TOO MANY TIMES TO COUNT!  Be prepared to be mentally STRONG! I talk about my transformation story HERE. It’s not only about my body but my mind as well!

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Be prepared to take CONTROL of your busy life but also be FELXABLE!

Doesn’t that seem kind of like an oxymoron?

Yes, it does but lets be realistic here! IF you are a mother of small children, you know there will be those chaotic out of your control days when your children will get sick, and unexpected events will occur which will have the potential to derail your work out schedule! That’s okay! It happens! The most important thing is that you stick to is this. DON’T LET IT put a complete HALT to your goals! You can’t have a bad three day span or a week and then decide to throw in the towel to the whole thing! (I know, been there, felt like it.) Keep pushing forward. Be forgiving and extend grace to yourself!  READ …SET BACKS!

Be prepared meaning have a schedule for your work outs for the week and stick to them! If something causes you to miss, then already have a plan to make up for the work out or cardio session.

For me I have had to adjust my 5 day a week schedule of working out and cardio because of School Events and Work. I work at a Preschool so summer days our mine to spend how I choose!

found on pinterest
found on pinterest

 

I lift weights Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday but I run Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday! Check out what I discovered about Fasted Cardio here….nice results!

I recommend joining a GYM or some type of FITNESS center!

If you are having doubts or fears about joining a gym please read my 8 Awesome ways to Conquer your gym-phobia here.

Maybe you just don’t want to join a gym but are considering purchasing a home gym? I say go for it! Heavy weights will not bulk you up like the Hulk, they will help burn fat and create lean muscle tone.

Need help with a work out routine but you don’t want to hire a personal trainer at your local gym? Google Weight lifting work out for women or go to http://www.bodybuilding.com and search there. I am not a personal trainer so I can’t really give you “expert advice.” I can share with you what my work outs look like. You can ask me by commenting below or you can email me at leighleighspeaks@gmail.com. Please put Work out Routines in your subject box So I don’t spam it!

YOU CAN DO THIS!!

pinterest find
pinterest find

 

Words to pray and speak over yourself during the beginning stages of your new journey:

“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:7

DO NOT BE AFRAID!!

Stay Strong

-Leigh Leigh

 

What is holding you back right now? Let’s talk it out, I would love to be able to share some encouragement with you! Comment below!

Follow my blog! Follow me on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeaks or twitter @ash_leighharris God Bless!

 

 

 

Let’s just call you what you are.. A PRETTY LITTLE LIAR

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Yes………well you and me both!

I wish I knew statistically how much one actually lies to themselves a day. I did come across an article via the world wide web that explained that the average person will tell 4 fibs a day, with the most common fib to be “I’m fine.” But I have a suspicion that this calculation is based on the lies we actually speak out loud. But what about the ones that we don’t say?

Confused yet? Don’t be.

We defeat our own selves before we even begin.

Example:
“I can’t wear that, I look too fat.”
“I can’t run fast, I have been slow my whole life.”
“I have NO self control, and never will.”
“I can’t find the time.”
“It’s just too hard!”
“No body cares or even understand the struggles I am facing today.”
“No one appreciates anything I do.”
“There is no use in even trying, when I know I am going to fail.”
“There is someone out there better qualified then me, no use in putting in my resume today.”
“I am too old to be trying something new.”
“Other people are going to judge me if I …….”
“My past defines my future.”
“I am not worthy to be loved.”
“My kids probably wished they had a more fun Mom.”
“I can do it tomorrow.”

Get the point I am driving home now? We need to stop being pretty little liars and become pretty little truth tellers. Speak TRUTH into your soul. Speak Truth into your life. Be a blessing to someone else and Speak Truth to others.

I know I am so quick to realize when someone is criticizing their own self and speaking negativity about themselves. Why is it so hard to recognize my own negativity towards myself? I do struggle with this, but I am praying for sensitivity to my own lies I tell myself, so that I can quickly realize it is not the truth, it’s only deception to keep me where I am, not allowing myself to become better.

When you hear someone lying to themselves about themselves to you, STOP THEM IMMEDIATELY!

Speak TRUTH into their lives. Help them realize they are only deceiving themselves.

Ephesians 4:25 states this:
So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. (NIV)

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*image found on pic2fly.com

You have ears to listen to what you say, so don’t act like you excused from speaking or thinking lies to yourself, because you are not!

What a man believes in his heart, so he is.  ( Proverbs 23:7)

Don’t go turning your heart ugly with your own deception!! 😉

Love yourself!

xoxo

Leigh Leigh

Back to School CHAOS

Confession Alert! I am a CONTROL FREAK! Ugh, and I absolutely HATE being a “Control Freak!”

My summer time routine is about to come crashing down under a title wave of BACK TO SCHOOL CHAOS! This wave will include two Sons participating in football, one daughter cheering and playing volleyball (fingers crossed), me going back to work, and husband taking on more hours at the office due to a project at work. (Calculate the math and you will soon realize this puts me on side line cheering pretty much every night of the week!) This wave will most definitely crush my awesome summer work out routine as well! BUMMER!! You see we have five children ranging from 15 to a 4 years old. I will be trading in my gym time for football time!

When life shifts, my mind tends to shift as well but not the way it should, actually the opposite. I begin to feel this insane amount of pressure to CONTROL every change that is coming my way, or soften the blow for anything hard coming to mix things up. Yes, I try to makes my chaos controlled, if there was really such a thing possible!

It starts with my obsession over my calendar, marking and highlighting every school holiday, every practice, every game. Not all of the sports schedules are out yet causing more anxiety to the obsession! ha

But I got this!? Why you ask, because silly I am SUPERMOM! (Just kidding, Just kidding!)

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Actually I got this the same way you got this! The way I see it, we are all in the crazy rat race together.

A new school year brings chaos to all families! So I actually can breath in and breath out, knowing that I am not alone in my Crazy Chaos. This, just like every other busy season in my life will soon pass, and I will be looking ahead to new chaos and wondering the same thing I am wondering now,” HOW AM I GOING TO DO THIS ALL AND REMAIN STABLE!?”

Let’s start with finding a healthy balance. Priorities are important when trying to achieve this balance. This balance will also however require more self control and discipline.

Instead of focusing on what I think I am going to be losing in the chaos, I need to remember what all I am actually gaining. Memories with my children who will be grown in a blink of an eye. This year is important for my seven year old! Oh my gosh, his first year ever to play football! And to think, I could be raising the next Tim Tebow! The last year with little Kenna at home with Mommy before she starts the BIG World of Public SCHOOL, tear! My step daughter cheering for the very first time! Something that was just a dream what seems like was just a month ago when she was so small, now her reality. My step son, duking it out on the field in hopes to be able to say he plays Varsity as a Sophomore!

Highlights and heartbreaks, achievements and failures, joy and pain!

These are the years that make our children grow and become stronger little people. I don’t know what this Crazy Chaos of a new year will unravel but I know that through much prayer, mercy, and grace, we will get through it and come out better because of it!

I need to stop living life so afraid and so worried I am going to screw something up!!

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Embrace Chaos, the unknown! It changes us, rearranges, and does exactly what the good Lord wills for us all!

 

XoXo

Leigh Leigh

 

Brain FREEZE no ICE CREAM NEEDED

Insecurities of writing have paralyzed my fingers from typing.

I (HEART) blogging, but these past few weeks I have been at a complete stand still.

My mind races in the middle of the night with words to tell stories, but I wake with only the remembrance of something great, yet I am just blank.

Life is shifting, creating chaos, unbalance, disorder.

I am evolving as a wife, a mother, a woman, a person.

I am a creature of habit, changes corrupts my stability.
I Love a challenge….. Bring it LIFE.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
When life gives you football games, lots and lots of football games, Cheer Loud.
When life gives you chaos, embrace a change.
When life gives you events, games, practices, appointments, deadlines, make a schedule.

found on pinterest
found on pinterest

Philippians 4:13

xoxo
Leigh Leigh

follow me on twitter http://www.twitter.com/ash_leighharris or Facebook http://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeaks

*featured image found at http://sweeps.piqora.com/spirithalloween

What do we want? Sleep! When do we want it?

…………………..NOW!

It has been the topic of several conversations lately…SLEEP, or should I say lack there of!

We are now counting down the weeks until school starts which means waking up at the crack of dawn. BOO!! With that comes sleep adjustments or just anxiety and not being able to fall a sleep due to all the upcoming back to school chaos!

I for one have enjoyed my late night Netflix binges, but unfortunately, this must come to an end. 😦 Why? Because I am a WOMAN and if I don’t get a good 7-8 hours of sleep, I am a very easily aggravated cranky WOMAN! Going to sleep late and waking up early is not going to work at all for me. I needed a plan and I was going to have to find something to aide me in this process.

I have never been a very big hot tea drinker! I am a southern lady who LOVES her cold sweet ice tea! So when I heard about herbal hot teas I wasn’t too thrilled about the thought of actually having to drink hot tea! Seems unnatural for a TEXAS gal! I recently received some TAZO tea in a gift, which I do need to blog about here later. It’s amazing stuff that picks you up and gives you copious amounts of energy. I figured if they had tea to take you up, they would have to make tea that brings you down. So I off I went to search for sleepy tea in my local grocery store. There it was, neighbors with all the other teas.

I am a sucker for packaging. The cute little sleepy Momma Bear sold me!

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Okay now that I am looking at it, maybe it’s a Daddy Bear? Either way the bear is sleeping so peacefully. I was thinking to myself, “Man that is some good stuff if she couldn’t even make it out of the recliner with out passing out!” Wait recliner? Okay I must come to grips that this must in fact be a Daddy Bear!

Here is what the box says about this tea:

Nothing promotes physical and mental well being like a restful evening. So if you’re wondering how to sleep better or just looking for something to help you unwind, try a cup of Sleepytime Extra®. This relaxing and delicious herbal tea starts with the time-honored blend of chamomile, spearmint and other soothing herbs found in our beloved Sleepytime herbal tea. We then add valerian, trusted as a natural sleep aid since the days of the Greeks and Romans because of its mild sedative properties. The result is a tea with the trusted calming effect and great taste of Sleepytime, plus just a little “extra” to help you rest.

You can get Sleepytime tea, but I went ahead and purchased Sleepytime EXTRA because, well, I really wanted this to work! I Didn’t want to take any chances on it not making me sleepy!

This is also caffeine and glutton free!  You can purchase Sleepytime Extra for $3.18 for 20 Bags.

Here are the Steps on how to brew Sleepytime Extra Tea!

First you want to brew your water. I just use my Keurig, but you can boil water the old fashioned way on your stove top, or microwave.

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Then you will want to remove a tea bag from the box and place it into your boiling hot water.

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Next you will want to steep your tea for 4-6 minuets.

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Dispose of your tea bag and if you fancy add your favorite sweetener.

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Mix it up until the sweetener dissolves.

enjoy

Now here comes my favorite step! Drink up!

This has a very strong spearmint and dill pickle taste to me. This is why I flush that out with the sweetener. It will definitely take a few cups to get accustomed to.  I like to drink this in bed with my Netflix show on. About 30-40 minuets into my show, my eyes are growing heavy and I am catching myself falling a sleep before the show is even over! No more worrying about getting sucked into the next episode and staying up another hour! Nope, I am dreaming away!

Now the awesome part about this Sleepytime tea is I get a good nights rest and I don’t wake up with a fat head or a bad mood. I wake up well rested and feeling great!

I sure hope you at least give this a try if you are having problems adjusting to a new bed time routine! I believe you are really going to love it!

 

*This is strictly a review of my own opinion.

You can’t be beautiful with out a good nights sleep!

XoXo

Leigh Leigh

Follow me on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeaks or on twitter http://www.twitter.com/ash_leighharris

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6 EFFECTIVE STEPS TO DEFEAT, NOT REPEAT, A BAD WEEK

It has been a week! Not one I would like to repeat that’s for sure. It wasn’t physically demanding, but definitely mentally draining. I can honestly say, I cried and I haven’t just let the tears roll in months. It wasn’t until I got a grip and discerned what I was thinking out in my journal. Suddenly it became clear what was going on. I was under spiritual warfare and I was letting it get the best of me. If your week was similar to mine here are 6 EFFECTIVE Steps to DEFEAT, not REPEAT, a no good week!

6 EFFECTIVE STEPS TO DEFEAT, NOT REPEAT, A BAD WEEK

#1 Write it down

Go back through your week. Pin Point the first event, circumstance, thought, that knocked down the first domino in your mind of torment. Write the order of events down on paper.

#2 Recognize your Enemy

Was your week derailed out of chaos or disorder? Was it weakened by lies, deceit? Did an unexpected set back occur?

1 Corinthians 14:33 “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,”

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

1 Peter5:8 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

#3 Recognize the bad seeds planted from your struggle(s)

I was dealing with some decisions I have made in my life on forgiving others who had caused harm to me years previous. I recognized it was a distraction to my calling to forgive and get past difficulties through Christ’s love and healing power. I was about to stop giving grace and mercy to a person, but realized this could be dangerous as I am in need of grace and mercy myself every day. I recognized that the seed planted was pride and unforgiveness. I also was dealing with another issue that’s core root came from jealousy. I know that these types of seeds planted in my mind are VERY dangerous for me to let take root and grow. Out of them springs anger, resentment, and bitterness. All things in which I do not want to have inside of me. What gets rooted in the heart comes out of the Mouth, (Matt 15:19). As a Jesus follower I am called for life free from this kind of bondage. My enemy, Satan, was out to steal my joy and he used some very personal issues to rattle the my cages. Once I recognized the warfare in my mind, I was able to stop the chatter of nonsense that was fueling my downfall.

#4 Forgive them, Forgive yourself

Whatever happened this week, what ever offenses were made against you. What ever thought of unforgivness you may have harbored. Forgive. Forgive them, and then forgive yourself for the set back. 2 Corinthians 2:10-11,” Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.” Unforgivness gives Satan the advantage in our lives. It also causes bitterness, resentment, strife which is the exact opposite of Love. Sometimes we need to extend grace and mercy to ourselves as well. If you let Satan’s attacks bring your down, don’t stay down, forgive yourself for the pity party you threw for an hour! 😉

#5 Let it Go

Proverbs 19:11, “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.”

Ecclesiastes 7:21-22, “Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.”

Let it go, forget about it, press onward, seek things above.

#6 Change your mindset

Tomorrow is Monday. I love Mondays because they are the beginning of a new week and new opportunities. I may have been blind sided this past week, but this week my eyes will be WIDE open!

Colossians 3:1 , “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

Lamentations 3:22-23, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

 

I hope you have a Fabulous week ahead!

1 John 4:4, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

This is a little gold nugget. Tuck it in your pocket, keep it safe, and pull it out when trouble comes your way!

Lots of Love and Hugs,

-Leigh Leigh

Don’t miss anything!! Follow and LIKE Leigh Leigh on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeaks

 

 

8 Awesome ways to CONQUER your Gym-Phobia

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So, you have made up your mind, you are going to get your priorities straight and start living a more healthier life style for yourself! Awesome, and good job for you!

The only problem is you are FREAKED OUT OF YOUR MIND about joining a new gym and the thought of working out alone makes you want to hyperventilate!!!! This scary fear is really pulling you down and keeping you from pushing through and taking the plunge into progress of a firmer, leaner, slimmer, healthier body!

I promise you are not alone in this fear! It is a very common fear to have because there are millions of women and men out there that are afraid to work out alone in a new Gym. Let’s face it all those machines, dumb bells, bars, plates, bands, balls, benches, ellipticals, treadmills, row machines, and don’t forget all the buff people, are just flat out intimidating! They are afraid they are going to look stupid trying something they are not completely confident is the correct technical way or form. They are super self conscious of their bodies and feel like they will be judged and made fun of by all the “professional gym rats” that pretty much should just take up residence there.

If this is you and you are really struggling with this let me give you some tips to help bust down that wall of Fear! First thing is first take a DEEP Breath and read on to discover my tips on how to Conquer your Gym Fear!

8 Ways to Conqueror Gym-Phobia

  1. Recruit a friend! Everyone really needs an accountability partner and a little healthy competition. She or He will push you to go on the days you feel lazy and would rather stay at home on the couch. She or He will encourage you and support you. Together you can work towards your goals. Make a competition to see who can run the fastest, lift the heaviest, lose the most inches. Just have fun together!
  2. Hire a Personal Trainer! If you don’t have that close buddy that you can invite to the gym with you, then I would suggest that you hire a Personal Trainer. I know they can get pricey and you may be on a tight budget so don’t think you have to always have a PT. You could just hire one to help you create a work out regimen and teach you the fundamentals, and how to use the equipment correctly, etc. Then, when you feel comfortable enough to fly on your own, you can just discontinue their services.
  3. Take a class! I go to the YMCA and they offer a variety of cardio and resistance training classes. My favorite classes at the moment are Zumba and Body Vive.
  4. Let the internet be your guide! Go to http://www.bodybuilding.com to search for awesome work outs you can emulate on your own. You can also watch people demonstrate how to use the circuit machines/equipment correctly online.
  5. Skip the free weights! Until you become comfortable with using free weights, take advantage of the machines that work out indivudual body parts. These machines will actually help protect you more from lifting injuries.
  6. MUSIC! Download your favorite “pumped up” tunes to create the perfect playlist, and bring some good quality headphones to help you zone in and drowned out the crowd.
  7. Make new friends! Be friendly and engage in conversation with other ladies at the gym. Make friends and schedule your work outs around the same time of day so that you can grow  friendships and eventually end up with a new best friend and an awesome gym partner!
  8. DO IT AFRAID!! That is right, I said it, “Do it afraid!” The more you go, the more comfortable you will feel and that fear of going will soon turn into excitement and joy! Working out Makes your feel happy, it boost your energy levels, and it spikes your self confidence. Friend there is nothing scary about those things! 😉

 

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About 80% of my work outs are with my husband, 10% with my girlfriends, and 10% by myself. Working out with my husband has given me the confidence to work out alone. I know our routines and I know how to use all the equipment if he isn’t able to work out with me.

I love working out with my husband don’t get me wrong, but I also really love to just put my loud music on and go, go, go. No talking, just the sound of the music and my heart beating fast. It is a hour away from the reality of whatever is going on that day, it’s just me and the metal! It is GREAT!

I also want to give you hope with this verse from 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”

God wants to be included in all areas of our lives, even working out. He doesn’t want us to ever feel fear or be held back because of it. James 4 tells us that you have not because you ask not. I truly believe that when we let God into ALL areas of our lives this is a free invitation to ask him for help with ANYTHING! Say a little prayer before you go asking him to remove all fear and anxiety from your mind. Mediate on the words of 2 Timothy 1:7 over and over again.

You are brave, not afraid. In your weakness you are made strong in Christ.

I can’t wait to hear all about your first day at your new gym!!

Being BRAVE is BEAUTIFUL!

Be Beautiful!

-Leigh Leigh

Follow me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeaks

Transitioning into summer break with the littles

Tomorrow signifies my first day back at my old J O B. Yes, my teaching duties are over until August and I am back to being a full time stay at home Momma! It always seems like a tense transition. This transition will be more difficult then the past because I had the privilege of having my husband home for the past six weeks!

We are foster parents and his job allows him up to six weeks fmla to help when we have a new child in our home. It was a HUGE blessing to us ALL! I can’t brag enough on him for what all he did for our family. I was working three days a week but was involved with things that kept me out of the house for technically four days out of the five. He cooked, baked, folded clothes, washed the dishes, straightened the house, took kids to the all the intake appointments, completed honey dos, and even grocery shopped! Seriously, he was a ROCK STAR and tonight I am sad because I am going to miss him being here helping me out so much!

MY MAN BAKES AND WASHES DISHES!!

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This week I will concentrate on getting the house cleaned, laundry caught up, a meal plan made, groceries bought, all while juggling a doctors appointment for my daughter and involvement in the activities the last week of school brings! I am excited that I do at least have a few more days to accomplish most of this while my older children are still in school.

I am promising myself that I will not stress on the mess summer brings with the littles home. This will be a peaceful transition as I find my SAHM groove back. This summer I don’t want to concentrate on completing all the lists of things that need to be completed upon the Pinterest SAHM standards, no I want this to be a summer that my kids remember how much fun there Momma was. We will play, we will swim, we will bake, we will go out for play dates, we will makes messes, we will be lazy on some days, we will have fun, all while I am teaching them still to become responsible clean young people.

Saying goodbye to the pressures of being the PERFECT stay at home mom makes you beautiful and free to get what your family needs accomplished first. These needs will change with the seasons of your life. My babies are not going to be little forever and I acknowledge this sad, sad truth.

How are you feeling with summer break days away? How will you transition into having the babies home for summer?

xOxO

-Leigh Leigh

Overwhelmed Much?

 

I am OVERWHELMED!

I have exactly one week until I turn 29 years old. This number has been a cruel reminder that I have one more year left of my 20s. Why does this freak me out so much? I mean its only 29! Shouldn’t I be going through these motions as a 29 year old fixing to turn 30? Oh well, guess I am a crazy person!?

“Do I suffer from Attention Deficient Disorder or am I just discontent?” I asked my husband late last night while we were talking about hobbies and things we enjoy doing. For giggles, I like to make fun of myselfso I started to go through the list out loud of all the crazy things I have done over the past few years. The joke really was on me when I started actually counting up my silly escapades of things we call “Hobby’s, talents, time fillers.” I laughed it off and dropped it.

The short car ride each morning to take my son to school has become my self reflection outlet. I love to get in the car and drive off into the beautiful sun rise knowing this is the start of a new day. The bright Sunshine brings warmth to my face as I sit at the four way stop waiting on my turn to take a left. I am almost home and whatever I do that day will not begin until the ignition is turned off and I make my way back into my favorite place I call home.

This mornings car ride sparked questions; what is it? Am I discontent Lord, or do I just have a super bad attention problem? I keep searching for that one thing that sets me apart that I love doing. Did you really create us to be good at one thing? I mean there are singers who sing, athletes who play professional sports, artists who paint, teachers who teach, dancers who dance, authors who write best sellers. Why can’t I just find that one thing I find joy in and confidence in?

I have to figure things out, when I can’t it drives me insane. So I did the only thing I know to do when I just can’t seem to put my finger on it I journal. I love how God knows what we are going to ask and when we are going to ask it. My journal time usually becomes a super divine conversation with my maker.

photo 2 (7) journals

I titled todays entry ADD OR DISCONTENTMENT and then I made a list of everything new I have tried in the last four to five years. I will just stop and say, I am a little embarrassed to share this with you because you will really think I am a CRAZY if you don’t already! 😉 Each item listed was going to be “MY THING,” you know that one thing you do all the time because you love it and you are good at it! I have only stuck with two of them which are in italics. I do however hope that the blogging becomes permanent!

  • Working out
  • Hair bows
  • Handmade get well cards/birthday box
  • Crochet (self taught by YouTube videos)
  • Journaling
  • Blogging
  • Mums
  • Hand made jewelry
  • Organizer binds for house chores
  • Flower Garden
  • Fondant cake making

 

 

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I then brainstormed what I loved to do when I was younger. I use to love making collages out of magazine clippings. I would love to redecorate and rearrange my room over and over and over again. I was beginning to make a connection. My 20s looks a lot like a collage of things I would have made when I was a teenager. I had collaged and collected all my interests and all I had left was a big mess of everything running together to create a blob of massive proportions: dollars lost, over flowing bags of ribbon, cardstock, glue sticks, and yarn taking over a closet in my house!

It wasn’t until ran out of lines to see the scripture that was printed on my journal page at the bottom.

The journal I am currently using was a Mother’s Day gift from my Husband and children a year ago. I LOVE this journal because on every other page there is a scripture posted at the bottom.  It is no surprise to me that the answer I was looking for would be starring right at me on todays blank sheet!

“Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

Colossians 3:17

OH MY WORD!!!!” Whatever you do,” it didn’t say the “ONE thing you do.” I was instantly hooked and reeled in on the word “whatever.” I knew if I dug a little deeper in scripture I would find what I was searching for. I proceeded to grab for my LIFE Handbook, my Bible, and I read over Colossians and 1 Timothy 6.

I kept staring at my list, there were so many things on this list in such a short amount of time in my life. Why so many? I then remembered how creative our Creator is. I mean stop and think about the variety we have on this planet; people, food, animals, plants, the colors each night of the sky as the sun is setting. He has created so many things and they all bring glory back to himself. I began to ponder if God has so much variety with us here on planet earth what is really the matter with having so many things on this paper? Maybe he doesn’t want us to limit ourselves to just one thing!? I closed my journal and read some more. 1 Timothy 6:6 says that” Godliness with contentment is great gain.” I knew I had let my imagination run off course and I was brought back with this truth.

I should not be too concerned about what makes me happy or wasting time comparing myself to other women’s talents, hobbies, gifts.

 I should be more concerned about how the desires, talents , and gifts God has given to me bring benefits to others not myself.

After all, My life really isn’t my own.

When you put verses 23 and 24 together in Colossians 3 you will realize that it all comes back to being a servant of Christ.

23″ Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

If your suffer from crazy ADD or DS (discontentment disorder), such as myself, make a list of all your crazy endeavors and then examine the motives behind each one and label that motive beside the item. Do they benefit just you, just others, or both? My motive list included attention, pride, and ways to make money. (Ouch) These things I can mark off. I can come back to them later in life when my motives are no longer one of the three previously stated. 😉 What brings joy or encouragement to others? Those things, you should keep!

This morning I found contentment in this truth; I am a servant of the Lord, and “whatever” I choose to do with my free time be it a hobby or just for fun, I should focus on my motives behind it, and if it doesn’t give thanks to the Lord and it doesn’t benefit others, I am wasting my time, energy, and focus on it. I need to drop it and let it go. This gives me freedom from being OVERWHELMED!!!!

Being mindful to be a blessing to others will bless you as well.

I have a new outlook on my hobby list and my condition. I do not suffer from ADD, but I do suffer from discontentment because nothing Godly was gained in my pathetic attempts to chase after things that did not bring any satisfaction to anyone else but myself.

I feel confident that I can now bring my focus back on to others while I am enjoying things that I love to do! Contentment is a BEAUTIFUL thing!

Be Beautiful-

Leigh Leigh