Category Archives: health

August 13, 2020 · 7:27 am

My Covid Excuses.

Do you have Covid excuses?

“I need to lose weight and eat better, but quarantine really through me off.”

“I need to finish that project or that commitment, but I just haven’t been inspired since Covid.”

“I don’t really have a set schedule. It’s a crazy year, you know! Covid!”

“It’s whatever goes here right now with these children. We are in survival mode, because, you know…..Covid.”

“Sure, I haven’t achieved what I hope to this year, but, Dear Jesus. What a year this has been! COVID!”

I have Covid excuses. PLENTY of them. I’ve made them with my routine (or lack of one.) I’ve made them for my last semester of Life Coaching school (that I’ve had plenty of time to complete.) I’ve made them for not writing as much, because I tell myself I’m just not as inspired. (Even though God has shown me more this year than any year…..but, here I sit not pouring it ALL out the way I should.) And, I’ve made excuses with my weight and eating habits. Let’s talk about that part.

I was already on a road to not so healthy habits last November when I began having back issues. If you’ve had debilitating pain, you know exercise is difficult. Sometimes, that’s beyond our control. But how I nourish my body? That’s on me. Now, I’ve eaten a gluten-free diet for almost 4 years now. But you know what can also be gluten free? Lays Stax Potato Chips (if you know, you know), crackers, bread, and even JUNIOR MINTS. All gluten free. But none of them are good choices. By April, I had fallen into giving myself permission to eat what I want to eat, because these are “unprecedented times.” And, then by June? I was all, “I’m just going to love myself as I am, because, this is SELF-CARE.”

Self-Care. What a term that has become an excuse for not doing the things we SHOULD do. I don’t knock real, healthy self-care. We need that. But, we have to determine true, authentic self-care by answering the questions: What SHOULD I do? What is better in THIS moment? And, then we choose the better. When making choices of what to do in any given moment, we have to sometimes say no to something that may good, so we can yes to something better.

Well, about a week ago, I became tired of my Covid excuses. And, I was reminded of this scripture in 1 John 4:4. “But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.” In this context, John was writing to a group of people telling them they are going to hear all kinds of things from all kinds of people that may not align with who God really is. John calls them “false prophets.” He reminds the people he’s addressing to not be weighed down by all of that. Because, the Spirit within them is greater, and they can rise above the noise.

Sidebar. I like how after this passage, John goes right into “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (4:7-8) In other words, not only can you rise above what’s going on in the world, but you’re response to it has to always be LOVE. This includes differences of opinions on masks, political candidates, and other issues permeating our society.

But back to my point. Last week, I said to myself: “The Spirit that lives in me is greater than Covid.” And, I’ve said that very thing to myself every single day since. Every time I go for that processed food. Every time I go for that oneeeee piece of chocolate. I said it to myself this morning before I wrote this, so I wouldn’t use the excuse, “It’s Covid. I don’t have to write.”

We definitely all needed to take a mental pause and break in the beginning of this. But, too much of it is just too much. Our bodies and health are at stake. Our dreams are at stake. What we are called to do is at stake.

Don’t make excuses anymore. The Spirit that lives INSIDE OF YOU is GREATER than that thing that is hovering over you. Write that down. Post it everywhere you can see it. Take back control, and remember who you are. There are certainly things beyond our control, but SO MUCH is within it. I’ve got this. YOU’VE got this. Let’s do it.

1 Comment

Filed under Chasing Dreams, health, life, making an impact, Uncategorized, Writing

Tagged as coronavirus, Covid, covid-19, dreams, excuses, health

December 28, 2018 · 10:44 am

I Can’t Wait To Hear Your Music.

It’s been a long minute since I blogged. I woke up this morning wanting to document my thoughts on 2018. And, what I am feeling in this very moment.

Some years seem like challenging years because of loss. Loss of a loved one, loss of a marriage, loss of job, etc. Some years seem challenging because of struggles in health or finances. One thing I’m kind over, though, is defining a year as one thing. “It was a hard year.” “It was a disappointing year.” “It was a challenging year.” It’s not that those words can’t necessarily define a season or experience, but I’ve grown tired of it defining a year. The truth is, life can sometimes be hard. It can be disappointing. It can be challenging. And, life will always be that way. But in the space in between, it can also be amazing. It can be filled with tender moments. It can be filled with moments you laugh so hard until you cry. It can be filled with tiny victories and big victories. And, this is life. Not a year. Life.

I do love the feeling, however, a new year brings. A new chance to be better. A new opportunity to accept things I once struggled with or a new opportunity to embrace the in between moments with more awareness of how precious they are. And, I lean into that feeling with excitement and readiness. And, I lean into it bringing every lesson that 2018 brought me.

2018 has been filled with all of the moments and seasons described above. It’s been challenging at times, disappointing at times, hard at times. It’s been filled with the tenderest moments and some really great victories. It’s been a year of crazy growth. And, I am thankful for every single moment and season.

The disappointing moments taught me to wipe the tears from my face, look up, and look ahead. My year began with a knee injury in January and a back injury in February. And, then in March, I would preach a message that would inspire some and bother others. I got it. I understood both kinds of responses. It kind of shook my internal world for a bit. But, what I learned from it all is that 1) Time does heal the body. Be patient. And, 2) “Muddy water is best cleared by leaving it alone.” – Alan Watts

I stirred way more than necessary, and then I had to wait on the water to clear again. Next time, I’ll be more gentle, but I’ll also accept that not everyone is going to see things the same way as I do, and that’s ok. Accept it, be tolerant, continue to be you, and move on. When you stir things and create muddy water, you are no longer able to see clearly and truth becomes blurred. But if you remain still, and leave whatever that thing/person is that’s causing you turmoil alone, it will all clear. And, what Spirit has been revealing to you will remain in tact. And, it won’t take you near as long to recover from it.

The challenging moments taught me to trust the process, and don’t try to fit the round peg into a square hole. We kept trying to do this with adding on to our house. We ran into road blocks every time we engaged the idea. Kris never had real peace about it, but I wanted what I wanted. Don’t we always? Kris went along for the ride, trusting that I would hear what he heard and saw what he saw. Here, I learned: 1) Don’t force what you see and hear onto someone else. Trust the same Spirit that reveals things to you will reveal things to them. And, sure enough, I finally listened. And, 2) You’ll be so glad you didn’t force that thing that kept working against you. You’ll be glad you flowed with life. We now have a getaway that has already created the best family memories for us instead of an addition that gave me what? More to clean? What I thought was working against me was actually working for me. There are only two ways to view challenging moments: Working for you or working against you. They are always, ALWAYS working for you.

The inspiring moments have taught me that there is always more. Moments of victory, moments around the table, moments where you stir gratitude until you are overwhelmed by it…..hold tightly to them, because the longer you hold onto them, the greater it gets, and only more follows. But the more comes by not just holding onto the good, but digging your heels in and going after it. Getting dirty and rolling back your sleeves in every possible beautiful way and making happen what you want to make happen. We either let life happen to us or we make it happen for us. And, this is how I am rolling into 2019.

Back in October, I knew I needed a shift. As a matter of fact, I focused so much on the word “shift” that I remembered a movie my mom has begged me to watch for the past two years. TWO YEARS. It’s called “The Shift” with Wayne Dyer. I have yet to escape this quote from that movie: “Don’t die with your music still inside you.” My music isn’t just for me. Your music isn’t just for you. It’s for every person in your life and those who are yet to be in your life. It’s for the people you may or may never meet. You have something to give to this world. We just have to shift our thinking from “What can I get” to “What can I give.” And, then give it.

I’ve seen and read this quote all over the internet: “Your greatest calling may not be something you do, but someone you raise.” I’m with this in theory, and raising my children IS my greatest calling….but I think it eliminates any thought that YOU bring something powerful into this world all by yourself. I cannot expect my children to believe they can achieve greatness and fill the earth with something amazing and impactful if I can’t believe that for myself. My children will become what they see. In every area of their lives. I owe it to them to show up, pay attention, and let my music happen.

So, that’s how I’m entering into 2019. There is a lot of music inside of me. There is a lot of music inside of you. I need your music, and you need mine. We can either let life happen, or we can MAKE music happen. Christmas Eve night, Kris and I went to bed, and he looked at me and said, “Take ownership. Do it. Stop waiting for something to happen, and go after it.” It was the most random, out of the blue affirmation. And, it was just the thing I needed to seal it on my heart.

I hope this seals something in your heart. Take ownership. Do it. Stop waiting for something to happen, and go after it. 2019 has a lot in store for you. Hard moments, disappointing ones, challenging ones, growing ones, fun ones, amazing ones, victorious ones. They are all happening for you. And, I can’t wait to hear your music.

Choose Hard.

Choose hard

The easy way out. We all want it sometimes. The easiest way, however, isn’t always the best way. Usually the easy way means there was no growth, there was little or nothing gained, and there was no positive change. I think I’ve been looking for the easy way out lately. And, since I write and post a lot about our triumphs, I think I should also write about the revelations of when I also realize I’ve been falling short.

I’ve been choosing the easy way out in my health. What’s the quickest and easiest way to satisfy my hunger? What’s the easiest excuse to justify not being physically active and taking care of my body?

I’ve been choosing the easy way out in my attitude. Being positive is hard and takes daily discipline. Being careless with my words and sliding into being negative about a few situations have been really easy. That ease leads to habit. That habit leads to automatic negative responses to the most ridiculous things. Embarrassing things.

And, the real kicker: I’ve been choosing the easy way out in my relationships. In some relationships, I’ve just taken a step back and justified it with our busy summer. In some relationships, I’ve put up a wall and justified it by calling it a healthy boundary. In some relationships, I’ve created in my mind who I think they are and what I think their intentions are, because it’s easier than being a seeker of the heart.

I’ve been happy. I’ve been content. I’ve had an amazing summer with my family. But, I have also sacrificed the more. The more in my health, the more in my attitude, and the more in my relationships. I haven’t been intentional in how I walk in these things lately. And, when we aren’t intentionally living life in every area, something will go lacking. Something will be sacrificed. The first step is to quit making excuses for them. The second step is to remember that the easy way out isn’t always the best way.

Hard means work. But, hard means growth. Hard means you’re choosing discipline, because your health matters. Hard means you’re allowing those around you to hold you accountable for every careless word and taking those words captive and replacing them with truth. A truth that is grounded in love. Hard means that you invest in your relationships even, at times, when you are tired, because you will always be strengthened by their presence. Hard means if you want a relationship with someone, you fight for it…..even if it’s been a struggle. Hard means you rise to your higher self and see people the way you’re meant to see them. You eliminate judgment, and you see the light in every person.

Hard means you’re living an intentional life. And intentional life means you are living the life you’re meant to live. It’s the more in life. It’s the cherry on top in life. It’s the “I came that you may life and have it to the full” in life.

Easy won’t get you where you’re supposed to be. Where you’re meant to be. Hard will.

Today, I choose hard.

I Was Out of Her Hair.

Anna had requested that I remain in the hospital an extra day or three, so she could tell everyone her mom is in the hospital. And, I am aware that she eagerly ran to many of you boasting of her momma’s awesome accommodations. Of course, I will admit…the hospital can be quite entertaining. At least, my neighbors were. I don’t think it’s appropriate to uncover on the world wide web those experiences; but, I will tell you I did have a nurse’s assistant who was very proud of her tattoos. And, her evening wouldn’t have been complete without making sure I saw “cream de la cream” on her back side.

The Lord liveth. I do not lie.

Fortunately, Anna wasn’t around to witness that little occurrence, but she did attempt to record a little documentary of part of her hospital visit experience. Watch out. This ride may get a little bumpy.

And I wasn’t having a baby. “That’s what’s clear,” Anna documented.

The day after I came home, Kris took the big kids on our already scheduled trip for Winter Break. And, when Anna learned that I would not be joining them, Kris said she immediately broke out into song, “She’s out of our hair!” from Monster’s Inc.

She is a clever one. That is for sure.

9 Comments

Filed under health, Kid Stuff, Motherhood

Tagged as documentaries, hospital visit, Kid Stuff, Monster's Inc.

March 1, 2011 · 5:00 am

He Had Me At Colon Spasm.

So sorry I’ve been MIA from the blog. And, sorry for the ridiculous title of this post. I thought I might be dying from the colon spasms a few days ago, but it all worked out okay. I spent much of last week resting and trying to think of creative ways to drink my food. That creativity ran out by day one.

But, seriously, y’all. Thank you for praying for me the way you did. I am humbled and thankful!

Now, I’m not one to start yellin’ things like “God caused my pain.” Because, He didn’t.

But, He did use it.

To get me still.

I’ve been so focused on accomplishing goals, checking items off of my list, and trying to make this and that happen that I have failed to just be still and listen.

One morning, I woke up earlier than necessary, and I was feeling pretty rotten. I decided to take a hot bath. And, I became very still.

“Okay. I am still,” I told Him.

So, I listened. To Him. His voice. Not my friend’s. Not my mom’s. Not my sweet pilot’s.

His.

And, He brought such wonderful reproach in my life. Yes, wonderful. Because, it is His goodness that brings reproach. That corrects. That tells me I’m not always right. I didn’t feel condemnation. That’s not His style. But, I did feel a holy conviction in a specific issue in my life. And, listening to Him set me free from it.

So, my recovery has been more than physical.

And, I’m so thankful. Thankful that He loves me enough to correct me, so I can live a much more contented life.

Maybe you are chasing after things so hard right now, and you are not taking time to be still before Him. To linger with a keen awareness that you are in His presence. Well? I’m gonna go out on a limb here and tell y’all to take a moment this week to be still. He might want to tell you something. And, that something just might make a big difference.

He is just so good.

3 Comments

Filed under God Stuff, gratitude, health

Tagged as colon spasms, correction, healing, listening to God, prayers, recovery, reproach, stillness

March 8, 2010 · 6:00 am

Laugh Out Loud.

I laugh a lot. I laugh out loud a lot. And, I laugh loudly.

It’s true. You can ask anyone who knows me well. I really can’t help it. I’ve asked Kris if my loud laugh embarrasses him. He kindly tells me it’s one of the things he loves about me.

That’s a good thing. Because, he makes me laugh every day we are together.

We can even laugh about things that most married couples wouldn’t laugh about. Like his past relationships….and sometimes, even my divorce.

I’ll tease about things I lost in the divorce. Like a CD or some other random item. “Yep,” I’ll say, “Lost that in the divorce.”

Last night, he made me laugh again.

Me: (folding laundry) “Ya know, I used to iron Bryan’s golf shirts, even some of his t-shirts.”

Kris: “Did you lose that in the divorce?”

We should really take our act on the road. Like Sonny and Cher.

Or, I guess, not.

Life is much too short to not truly enjoy even the smallest of moments. To laugh out loud. To laugh at oneself. It can be easy to let the stresses of daily life overtake these moments.

Don’t let them. Scripture tells us that a merry heart does us good like medicine. (Proverbs 17:22) What does medicine do? It comforts. It heals. It prevents our hurts from getting worse.

Don’t let worry, fear, stress, or anger plague your life. Let your heart be merry. We can’t control everything that happens to us, but we can control how we react to them. If we choose to laugh, we’ll find life much more enjoyable (and more enjoyable to be around.)

We can also find in Proverbs 15:13 that “a happy heart makes the face cheerful.” And, that is something you’ll never find in those expensive facial creams. So, laugh more. And, save yourself some money with Oil of Olay. My momma swears by that stuff….and by the laughs my dad has consistently provided her the past thirty-seven years.

10 Comments

Filed under divorce, health, life, Marriage, Motherhood

Tagged as cheerful, countenance, laughter, medicine, merry heart

January 21, 2010 · 10:26 pm

I Have A Favor That Can Change Lives.

Dear Friends,

I have a favor. It’s a small favor, but it can pay huge rewards. If you are a Facebook member, I am asking for you to become a fan of Chase Community Giving here. Chase is giving one charity $1 million to pursue a Big Idea. You can learn more about this project here.

Once you become a fan of Chase Community Giving, you can cast your vote for the charity you would like to see funded by Chase. I humbly ask that you consider voting for Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Network Cares. Heard of EDS? Most have not. The EDS Network Cares writes,

“EDS is a life-threatening, painful, crippling genetic disorder caused by faulty collagen. It weakens the connective tissue causing fragile skin, joints, ligaments, organs, and blood vessels. EDS is misunderstood, grossly misdiagnosed, and some 90% never receive a proper diagnosis in their lifetime. There is no funding for research. There are no treatments. There is no cure. Today, we are at the threshold of promising research that can change all this and offer those who suffer, HOPE. It’s estimated that 1,358,640 people are affected worldwide, and thousands die. Sadly, many are diagnosed at autopsy after catastrophic internal ruptures. Yearly, 30,000 children are born with bleak futures as they struggle with lifelong consequences due to EDS. Our HOPE is to continue to fund research, increase education/awareness, find treatment options, and save/improve lives. Help us find that cure.”

You can read more about EDS and their Big Idea here.

Why is this charity so important to me? Because, I lost a best friend in 1998 to Vascular EDS. His name was Josh Doss. Few have ever been as passionate about life as Josh. He was a lover of Christ and a lover of people. His son, Karsten, was only seven weeks old at the time of Josh’s death. In the few short days after Josh died, his mother, Debbie learned that Karsten had the same disease.

And, there is no cure.

Please, watch this video as a tribute to Josh and Karsten. Then, please cast your vote for Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Network Cares so Karsten, and so many others like him, can have a chance at long life. Vote for EDS. Vote for hope.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

4 Comments

Filed under giving, health, making an impact

Tagged as charity, Chase Community Giving, EDS, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Network Cares, Facebook, hope, Josh Doss, Vascular EDS, vote

November 2, 2009 · 6:00 am

For Those Who Haven’t Heard…

Our little Takle baby is a

BOY.

We are excited.

All of us.

Even Anna who wanted the “girl kind.”

And, for those who have wondered where I vanished to last week. Well, I tore a muscle in my right arm from strenuous housework. And, yes, I call the WetJet strenuous activity. It left me in too much agony to type, you see.

It has become apparent I need a housekeeper and a personal assistant. However, my budget says otherwise. Budget Schmudget.

I’ll be back with a little more substance tomorrow. I’ll pick up from this post, and how God has been dealing with my stuff.

He’s good y’all.

1 Comment

Filed under health, Motherhood, pregnancy

Tagged as boys, cleaning, housework, injuries, pregnancy, writing

May 27, 2009 · 6:00 am

The Slacker.

It’s no secret that I was rather slack yesterday – oh, and the day before – with my blog posting. I could say that I’ve been busy traveling with my children. Or, preoccupied convincing Anna that her hot pink socks really do not flatter her awesome silver tennis shoes. Or, making sure John Henry has “Slow Ride” and “By Your Side” on his DSi for the plane ride. Because, he is well-rounded like that.

Or, recovering from Anna kicking me in the face with BOTH feet simultaneously in her sleep, because I failed to remember our last night sleeping together. And, the many violent times before that one.

But, it’s much more probable that my slothfulness is due to my self-inflicted sugar withdrawals. One may try to argue that sugar slows the body down; thus, my energy levels should be soaring. Physically? Perhaps. But, Junior Mints produce clarity of mind. And, they make me happy. And, isn’t that what really matters?

But, I am saying no to sugar. For now. It’s likely that I will fall off of the “Just Say No To Sugar Wagon” any day second now. Because, I love it. Luh-huv it. However, I’m going to try my darndest to resist the urge to enjoy that dark chocolate with a creamy mint center or those delightful, chewy Sour Patch Kids. Just for a while. A short while. A very, very short while.

In other news, I’m looking into the P90X training system. Of course, giving up sugar and “sweat-inducing, muscle-pumping workouts” may be a little over-kill. Don’t ya think?

4 Comments

Filed under health, Randomness

Tagged as diet, nutrition, P90X, sugar

September 12, 2008 · 6:00 am

Healthy Livin’

Okay, Shari Lynn. You asked for it.

I’m not as skinny as I used to be, ‘cause I like food. But, I do try to stay within my healthy weight range. Which gives me about a good 20 pounds of leeway.

I am far, far from perfect. And, I can eat my weight of eighty pounds more than one-hundred pounds in chocolate.

But, most days, I am generally mindful of what foods enter my mouth. Most days. I do believe that our weight is eighty-percent of our diet. I don’t say that to discount exercise. Exercise is good for the body, mind and soul. I try to get in a decent work-out four days a week. I used to push for six days. Hence, the “I’m not as skinny as I used to be.” Since John Henry started Kindergarten, I’m finding that I have to make myself go to the gym. ‘Cause nothing beats sitting on the sofa in my PJs eating a box of Cheez-its.

Here are a few things I do day-to-day to maintain a healthy-ish weight:

1) I never, EVER skip breakfast. You’ve heard it said a gazillion times. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I believe it. Not only does it get the brain and body functioning efficiently, but it also jump-starts the metabolism. When you skip this necessary meal, you teach your body to store fat. Our bodies are smart. It will store fat and subsequently slow down the metabolism, because it knows it will be a while before it gets more nutrition. This is no problem for me. I wake up starvin’ Marvin. EAT BREAKFAST. Mmkay?

2) I drink water. A lot of it. Not as much as my momma drinks. She is about outlandish with her H₂O consumption. But, I usually always choose water, even over diet sodas. And, it’s good for your complexion. Remember, sometimes when you think are hungry, you might just be dehydrated. Drink up. Water, that is. My new favorite water beverage is Smart Water. It’s pricey. But, I love the way the bottle feels in my hand. And, I have this secret hope that it will make me look like Jennifer Aniston.

3) I don’t deny myself foods I love. I just don’t over-indulge. All things in moderation – except chips and queso. No such thing as moderation there.

4) I exercise. You don’t’ have to sweat until you pass out. Just move the body. And, the older we get, the more important strength training becomes. So, they tell me. I do a lot of floor exercises and don’t use a lot of weight. For my upper body, I do push-ups. The real kind. No wimpy girl-stuff here. My lower body presently needs my attention. Suggestions? Please, don’t say squats. Puh-leese don’t.

I have good food choice days and bad. I don’t let guilt consume me for making a poor choice. There is always tomorrow, according to Scarlett O’Hara.

Okay. Your turn. What do you do to stay healthy? Christie Arnold, I’m sure you can add to this one – you healthy, personal trainer you.

Oh, and my friend, Kim Heinecke, loves the Magic Bullet. I have no idea what it does, but she is skinny. Must be the magic?

Have a good weekend, and go easy on the wings.

18 Comments

Filed under health

Tagged as exercise, health, nutrition