Cleaning the Cabinets

If you've been reading this blog for very long, you know God seems to speak to me while I'm cleaning.  Ha Ha.

Actually, I know I haven't been blogging very much lately.  I think Daniel has given up on the idea that I write blogs, but I digress.  I guess having a baby, two "big kids," dieting, exercising, and all that entails has kept me busy lately.  I'm just not one of those gals who can do it all and eat her cake too.  So I hope you'll come back and visit because in time, hopefully, I will be back to blogging more regularly.

When do you clean the outside of your cabinets?  When do you clean the inside of your cabinets?

Earlier today I was cleaning the outside of my cabinets.  I've been noticing for quite a while how dirty they were, but I had not gotten around to cleaning them, and I don't have a schedule for cleaning them.  I just knew they were dirty.  So after I cleaned the sink, I looked around and found my next job.  As I was cleaning, God began whispering.  Have you ever noticed a sink, a house, a cabinet that stays perfectly clean after the cleaning is complete? 

In my mind I was conversing with myself about how I often take care of the inside before I take of the outside.  I began to hope that I could say the same thing about ME.  I hope that I have a clean heart before I have a clean outward appearance.  "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)  I'm not a real girly girl in the sense that I do not look outwardly pretty and well kept all of the time.  And when I do, I can get it done in a matter of a few minutes.  I like to dress and look nice, but that doesn't mean that I do it often.  My hair is not always fixed and make up is not usually worn.  And it's not because I'm lazy, though I'm sure laziness is a factor sometimes.  It is just because I don't care as much about my outward appearance.  Lately, though I've given it more thought.  Dieting and exercising have caused changes in my outward appearance.  And I'm getting older and I really need to put on make up regularly.  I guess you could say that I am learning to take care of the whole me, which includes making new things part of my regular routine - things like walking and wearing make up.

Anyhow, in the midst of all this silliness, I was cleaning the cabinets...
God spoke and He said,

"You are like this cabinet or a house or a sink. You get dirty on the outside and you have to be cleaned out on the inside."  Even a house that sits empty gets dirty both on the outside and the inside.  And to be really clean, my cabinets need to be replaced with new ones.  (We plan to paint them instead.) 

Again God said,

"I make all things new."  (Rev 21:4)

He has made me new both inside and out, but as much as I have to clean, he continues to make me new, cleaning me daily, hourly, minute by minute, and second by second, into a new creation.

My part?

Offering myself as a living sacrifice.  Surrendering every aspect of me to him for His control and desires.  Not confirming to the world.  (Rom 12:1-2) I've gotta be still and let Him clean me outwardly and rearrange inwardly and throw the old things away.

The Biggest Loser

To give you a running update:  it is hard.  It is not easy.  Sometimes, I just plain do not want to do it.  I already bled all over my first pair of shoes, which I suppose I will have to throw away.  I got another pair of shoes and kept on walking/running.  In a week, I logged 5 hours 45 minutes of work out time, most of which was walking.  If you don't know me, this is like amazing.  I've never worked out much in my entire life.  In the process, I managed to hurt my knee, then my other knee began hurting.  And my toes go numb when I walk/run, so I've gotta it going on.  *sigh*  No pain, no gain, or in this case, no pain, no loss.

I joined the faithfully fit bible study on Wed nights at church, and this week, I was the biggest loser, losing 4.7 pounds.  I also lost an inch.  Yay me!  My workout buddy lost 4.5 pounds too. Yay, friend!  My scales at home said I'd lost only 3.5 lbs, which I think is more accurate.

My first pair of running shoes

First Day of School

Princess and Speed Racer started school on Tuesday.  Princess goes 4 days, and Speed Racer goes 2 days.  He was supposed to go 3, but there was a mix up between me and the school, making in my opinion, both of us at fault for this mishap.  Speed Racer did not much care for Wednesday when Princess went and he did not, but we had mommy / Speed Racer time and went to the library as well.  After some explanation on my part, he said, "I go this many" holding up two fingers.  Today, he came running into our room yelling, "I wanna go THIS many" holding up three fingers.  We are hoping that he is able to go to three days in the future, but we've chosen to believe that God has placed him in his 2 day class for some reason unbeknownst to us. 

These little faces might be only loved by us, but they are our kids, and we love them fiercely no matter what.  I was chosen to be their mommy, and it is my honor to get to do it no matter what anyone says of them or thinks of me.  For the life of me, I don't know why anyone wouldn't feel the same way.  Look at their adorable faces.

Princess and Speed Racer excited to go to school

Speed Racer's first day of 3K

Princess excited to start 4K

As Princess says, you've gotta get one with our backpacks, mom.

If I could, I would...

Working from this post from Living Proof, if I could, I would...

1.  write books and make money from them.
2.  homeschool my children.
3.  go on a vacation at least once a year to a new place.
4.  spend more one on one time with my husband and children.
5.  Travel overseas.
6.  Enter a cooking contest and place.
7.  Own my own business - like handcrafted knitted/crocheted items or a bakery.
8.  Disciple someone regularly.
9.  share Christ more often.

The End of Summer

I'm having a sad day today.  It's the last day of summer.  On Tuesday, Princess starts back to preschool and Speed Racer starts preschool for the first time.  Next year, Princess will be starting Kindergarten, and I am already mourning this.  I hate it so bad.  It's a year away and I am already a crying fool, I can only imagine the heartache I will feel on the first day of Kindergarten.  It is days like today I feel so lonely and lost as a mother.  Into your hands, Lord.

I'm Gonna Do What?

As far as weight loss goes, since I posted on it, I hit a plateau and fell of the diet and exercise wagon.  So, I am getting back on the wagon, counting points and calories again and I am going to sign up for the Race for the Cure 5k in October.  My goal is to attempt to run it.  This is a very lofty goal considering I have never been a runner.  However, I am following a training plan, have training buddies, and whether I walk or run I am doing the 5k.  Plateau, you shall go away!