Light of the World

I

"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

Have you ever met anyone who just instantly brings light into the room or you would use the phrase "a ray of sunshine" to describe them? I have met a few people like that and by a few I mean very few. Just speaking briefly to them you instantly feel encouraged. Just as it says above in verse 15 "they put it on a stand and it gives light to everyone in the house." Just their cheerful disposition affects everyone in the room.  "A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit." Proverbs 15:13. Some character qualities I have noticed that these people posess are compassion, kindness, patience, humbleness, gentleness, joy, basically all the fruits of the spirit. That's the power of Jesus, but sometimes if your like me we don't let Him shine that brightly through us. I've noticed the one I struggle with the most is compassion, so often I just don't think to call someone when they are sick or send them a card or send flowers to someone who has lost a loved one so I am definitely praying that the Lord will help me to be more compassionate towards others. It's not that I don't care I just never put that thought into action.  

I am also guilty of focusing on the negatives in life, often blaming others for the way I feel. When we we allow that darkness to creep in our life it dims our light. I have learned that if we truly love God we can't help but to love others,but I struggle with letting that show sometimes. I have figured out that the reason why I have this love for others on the inside, but don't always show it on the outside is because I had a very low self-esteem. I wasn't content with who I was. I  was very self conscious and that hindered me from expressing love to others for fear of rejection. There's a difference in being self-absorbed & being confident, but for the longest time I saw them one in the same. But really, by not being confident I was being self absorbed. I wouldn't show love or kindness to others at times when I could have because I was too worried about me and if I would make a fool of myself or not say the right thing. When we truly love who we are and who God created us to be then can we show love to others without fear of rejection. Sometimes too who we surround ourselves with affects are attitude. If you are constantly surrounded by people who always focus on the negative or always seem to have something bad to say about others those types of thoughts will infiltrate your mind as well. So it is important to surround ourselves with postive people. People who are going to support and encourage us & who we can support & encourage right back! 

On the lock screen of my phone the picture says, "Today I choose joy." I put that there becasue usually when I wake up in the morning I look at my phone to see what time it is. So, the first thing I see everyday is "Today I choose joy" and it serves as a reminder of how I am going to go about my day. Although Jesus lives,rules, & reigns in our hearts when we are saved we are still human & we still have free will. We can choose to have a negative attitude & negative thoughts or we can choose joy, happiness, & postive thoughts. God has so richly blessed me & I have no excuse for having a negative attitude.

I just hope and pray that the Lord will help me to be one of those people who just instantly brightens the room & can encourage others. Truett Cathy said, "How do you know if someone needs encouragement? If they are breathing." Everyone needs encouragement & love and it seems like the number of people who are willing to be the encourager is getting smaller and smaller. 

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11


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Pride

Pride is a sin that I didn't realize I struggled with terribly until recently. And let me tell you pride is an abominable sin. God hates pride and unfortunately it's a sin more Christians deal with than any other. I'm not an self absorbed person by nature so I just always assumed I didn't have a pride problem, but boy has God showed me otherwise the last couple of months. It all started with me having a prideful attitude with my husband and saying that I thought I could drive better than him and not two seconds after that came out of my mouth I hit crammed the side of our new van we had only had for a week into the side of huge concrete pillar. Talk about a wake up call. And from there I have had little circumstances come up in my life that have really made me reevaluate my prideful attitude. I realized that I've been going through life thinking I had everything figured out. Thinking that I knew up from down, but turns out I was wrong. I don't know it all. I've learned to quit trying to have it all figured out all the time and take life day by day. Isn't that what Jesus said to do anyway?

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34 

I was taking pride in breastfeesing and having judgemental thoughts about others who didn't breastfeed. Only to come down with Bells Palsy & be on medication where I could no longer breastfeed & had to formula feed my daughter.  I was taking pride in being a  "co-sleeper" because that's the only right way. Wrong. My daughter sleeps so much better in her own bed and so do I. I was taking pride in home schooling because your not a real Christian of you don't home school. Wrong! God finally slapped me in the face and said wake up! Your child will be so much happier at a preschool where he could play with kids because that's all he ever wants is somebody to play with. 

God has really knocked the pride out of me & I praise him for that. I can't truly love others if I'm thinking judgemental thoughts about them. And I've seen it play out in my own extended family, if you want to tear your house down be a judgemental Christian. It's not going to turn out pretty, trust me. 

I had set such high standards for myself in my head that weren't even obtainable. If you haven't read the book Real Christianity I highly recommend it. One phrase in the book really got me. It was saying we can never be enough, do enough, pray enough, etc. for God that is the whole point of Jesus! When you quit trying to climb a ladder to God and quit having prideful thoughts about every "good work" that you do, you finally get to enjoy real Christianity. There's no room for judgemental thoughts in real Christianity. There no room for a prideful heart in real Christianity. It's about love. The two greatest commandments: 1. Love God with all your heart, soul, mind & strength & 2. To love others as yourself. When you start focusing on those two things & get off that ladder you start seeing life in a whole new perspective of joy, peace, & life. Before I was doing all these "good works" or what I thought were good works, but I was exhausted, miserable, & bitter. I was jealous of every Christian who I thought was taking the easy way out like sending their kid to preschool or putting their baby to sleep in their own bed. I wanted everyone to be as miserable as I was. I was just going to through the motions hoping that when I got to the top of that ladder I would find this joy, peace, & life everyone was talking about. Life is short & I don't want to get to the end with a big pile of "good works" because it's not enough for God. Jesus is enough.  That's all God wants me to do is to have a relationship with Him not perform for Him. 

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32

I did not feel free. I was saved, but I felt trapped still in bondage not of sin, but of feeling like I had to perform God to be a good Christian until I realized that wasn't even biblical! This verse is spot on when biblical truth finally sets in it sets you

 free! 

Now I'm focusing on my relationship with Jesus not a list of do's and dont's. I'm focusing on loving others & being patient and kind. 

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 

If your following Jesus and your burden doesn't feel light like mine didn't maybe it's time to reevaluate. It's not us working for Jesus. It's Jesus working through us. 

Countdown to Clean Eating Challenge

I am 2 days away from my clean eating challenge. I will be starting Thirsday because that is when I go to the grocery store, but I would love for you all to join me next time you go to the grocery store! 

Here is my meal plan for the week:

I left Monday open because usually at least once through the week we eat at my mom's house or someone else's house. 

Here is my grocery list for the week:

The items that have red balloons beside them are items I plan to buy at Target and the other items I'll buy at Kroger. The only not so clean things are the cream of mushroom and cream of chicken because I have really been wanting a good casserole, but I'll definitely be buying the most healthy option of those. Everything else I will buy organic if it's the same price or close to the same price as not organic, but if it is double the price or my budget is tight I will buy whatever is cheapest. The cereal will be for my husband and I always get Maddox some frozen organic pancakes because they are quick and the ingredients are good.  I also plan to do some meal prep ahead of time hence the baggies.

I'm also going to make sure I'm getting enough food everyday by using my "diy 21 day fix container system". I'll be using just plain measuring cups instead of their special little containers. If you've never heard of Beach Body's 21 Day Fix basically it gives you a formula to calculate how many calories you should eat a day and then how much of each category (protein, veggies, fruit,etc) you should eat to reach that amount. So you measure out your food each meal to make sure your eating the right proportion. I know very little about meal portioning so I'm hoping this will help me learn how much food I should be eating everyday. 

I am in the very small percent of people who are actually trying to gain weight. Most people don't talk numbers about their weight, but I'm not going to be shy about it because it could help someone else. My ideal weight for my body frame is around 115 lbs to 120 lbs. Right now I weigh 101 lbs. I weighed 135 lbs right before I had both Maddox and Natalie then two days later after birth I weighed 117 lbs. This is usually where I get the "you lucky dog" comments, but what has happened after both of them is I lose weight pretty rapidly in the post partum months. When I became pregnant with Natalie (Maddox was 15 months) I weighed 98 lbs! I felt awful physically and I'm sure I looked as scrawny as I felt. I'm not sure exactly why I was losing so much weight, but I know for sure I wasn't eating enough to keep up with the calories I was burning by breastfeesing and I know I wasn't drinking enough water. Now I'm almost back down to under 100 lbs so that why I am trying to take charge and eat healthy and drink plenty of water. Eating healthy is good if you want to gain weight or lose weight by just adjusting portion sizes, so if you are unfamiliar with meal portioning hopefully we can learn together!

Join me on Instagram (Instagram.com/naturallybeingmommy) using #nbmcleaneating and let's share our clean eating pics and encourage one another to reach our goal of a healthier lifestyle!

-Hannah

Clean Eating Challenge for Beginners and On a Budget!

Confession time: I have fallen way off my clean eating "diet". You know why? Because I was treating it like a diet and diets don't last. It has to be a lifestyle change to last. So I wanted to start a Clean Eating Challenge for beginners and on a budget! There are so many clean eating "programs" out there that are so intimidating and expensive! I would try those meal plans only to realize I didn't like half the food on the meal plan and the rest of it was so expensive we were going into debt trying to buy it. I grew up on a heavily processed foods diet so I can't eat hummus or drink coconut water without wanting to gag! Most of the recipes on these said meal plans involve ingredients I've never even heard of. So, I was trying to jump in feet first and was quickly burnt out.

Then, it dawned on me as I was eating some Cheetos (yes, I know, terrible.) that clean eating does not have to be an overnight change from Cheetos to hummus. The key to clean eating in the beginning is less ingredients, not so much organic or crazy healthy. Ask yourself can I pronounce all the ingredients in this product or do I recognize all the ingredients in this product? If the answer is no chances are it's probably not good for you. Now let's be real. I have small children so I need convenience foods. Are all foods in a box bad? No, at least not for me. As long as I can recognize the ingredients then that's good enough for me (I.e. Those squeeze pouches of applesauce or baby food, baby puffs, etc.).  

So here's the first challenge for clean eating. Next time you are at the grocery store only shop the outside aisles. This would be produce, bread (we personally don't eat much bread), meat, and dairy. Also, frozen fruits/veggies are good if you need something quick. If your like me and need some convenience foods make sure you can read/recognize every ingredient. This doesn't mean everything in your cart needs to be organic, free range, grass fed, etc. But just shop these aisles and pick out things you know your family will eat and don't worry if it's not the most healthiest option. We are just going to take it slow. 

The only trick to this is that most of these foods aren't just a pop it in the microwave type food, so this is where meal planning comes in really handy. I personally just meal plan dinner because that's our biggest meal of the day, but you can be as detailed as you'd like. Also, remember to stay within your grocery budget. Buy off brand or store brand items, look for clearanced items, or use coupons to keep you within your normal budget. 

So if you want to join the challenge with me I'll be on Insatgram  posting my weekly meal plans, grocery hauls, and meal pics! I'd love to see your clean eating pics as well so if you are joining the challenge use #nbmcleaneating so we can encourage and support each other to a real life style change that works for your life and your budget! 

I'm also looking into meal prepping and freezer meals that you prepare ahead of time so if anybody has any advice on that let me know!

How To Avoid Gossip

Gossiping is an area of my life that the Lord is dealing with me about right now. Anything I say in this post keep in my mind I may have one finger pointing at you, but I have three pointing back at me. Thankfully through much prayer, bible study, and grace I feel like I have better control of my tongue now than I did before. So I want to share some tips with you on how to avoid being caught up in the middle of a juicy gossip conversation or even being the person to start a gossiping conversation.

Webster's dictionary defines gossip as "a person who habitually reveals personal or sensational facts about others".  That word habitually is what got me. Gossip is habitual is it not. Once you start talking about somebody it seems to spread like wild fire!

The Bible says this about our tongue:

"The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." Proverbs 18:21

"With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. " James 3:9 (Can I raise my hand and say guilty right here?!)

"Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity." Proverbs 21:23

"Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark." James 3:5 (Think wild fire!)

"The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." Proverbs 12:18

And there are many more verses similar to these as well. 

So in short we can see how dangerous and hurtful such a small part of our body can be if used carelessly, but at the same time it can be used for encouragement, healing, and building each other up.

We all know that situation. Your with a group of friends and they bring up the latest scandal about so and so and you've got a piece of gossip that will trump everything they know about this person or the person they are talking about has done something hurtful to you so you know it will feel good to say bad things about them as some sort of punishment for what they've done to you.  What do you do? Do you give into to the temptation? The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:13, "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." 

What are the ways we can endure it or escape that temptation?

1. Say something good-The person they may be talking about may be somebody who has hurt you and you really want to say something bad about, but don't. Instead find one good thing about that person or one good thing they have done and share that instead. You may have to dig really deep, but with a forgiving heart I'm sure you can find at least one good thing. I guarantee that will stop the bad mouthing pretty quick once they realize you aren't going to participate.
2. Leave the conversation-If you are sitting in the same area as others that are gossiping just get up and leave before you say anything. Excuse yourself to the bathroom or to get a drink, etc. that way you won't have to hear the conversation and be tempted.
3. Change the subject- If you are in the same area or talking on the phone with others who are wanting to gossip, simply change the subject to anything else (except somebody else) besides the person they are trying to bash. My opinion, the crazier thing you change the subject to the more likely the people you are talking to will get the hint that you do not want to gossip.
4. Tell them of your gossiping conviction-This one is a little harder especially if you are in a group of non-believers because they may not understand what a conviction is, but just tell whoever your talking to that the Lord has really been dealing with your heart about gossiping and that you are trying to break the habit so you'd rather talk about something else.

Just like with anything for us to really change a characteristic about our lives it has to be a heart change, not just a "in my head" change. So how do we change our hearts to not want to gossip anymore?

1. Prayer-ask the Lord to forgive you for gossiping and ask Him to change your heart to not have the desire to gossip anymore.
2. Reading the Bible-Here's a couple good verses in this subject:

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29

"You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart." 1 Peter 1:22

So here is my challenge for you and for myself: See how long you can go with only saying things that are good, helpful, encouraging, or would build somebody up.

I hope this is an encouragement to you as I know the study was for me! :)

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Zucchini Harvest

I'm going to start doing some more daily posts because my babies are growing so fast and I just want to remember the little details of them being this little and also it helps me to reflect on the postive things that happened during the day. 

Today was our first day back from vacation so I wanted to try to get back into our routine, but first I had to go to the grocery store. I like to go to Target first and then go to Kroger for fruits, veggies, and meats. I barely made it home in time for my husband to leave for work because as always I lose track of time in Target. 

The kids took a pretty good nap today which is always nice to have a little moment of silence! I had a lot of unpacking and cleaning to do from our trip even though I didn't get all the cleaning done that I wanted to. 

Maddox got a Citrus Lane box this month and he has been loving these Eco crayons that came in it. They were shaped like little sea shells which was perfects since we just got back from the beach. 

This evening maddox and I went to check our garden and found this huge zucchini! We've harvested five zucchini in the last two days from two plants! Unfortunately our zucchini plants are growing so big that they our overshadowing my cucumber plants so I'm hoping it doesn't interfere with the cucumbers growth too much.  

The kids had a bath, watched a movie and went down for bed time pretty easily. 

Weekly Cleaning Check List| Free Printable!

I have tried many different methods and routines of cleaning over the past few years. I used to be able to have a schedule of "deep cleaning" one room per day. So for example on Monday I would clean the bathrooms, Tuesday I would clean the bedrooms, etc. I found though after having two children and minimal energy for cleaning I would put it off until the end of the day and then by that time I was so tired I just wouldn't do it. I would let my house get out of control before deciding to clean it because I had let it go so long. I am a clean freak by nature so it literally pains me to see the house a wreck. Then, one day when the house was totally upside down and hadn't been deep cleaned in a good while, I decided to get up and just attack it full force. It actually only took me a couple hours to get the house clean, like really clean. That's when it dawned on me why don't I just do that once a week instead of feeling guilty everyday for not doing my "scheduled" deep cleaning. Usually one evening after my husband gets home from work I will get him to entertain the kids for a couple hours while I go into to crazy cleaning mode and it feels good when I'm done because I can actually see the progress!

I found a complete home cleaning check list on Pinterest that I have been using to make sure I get every area of my home clean at least once a week. If you do everything on the list in the exact order it's in you will get every area without back tracking. The printable version was no longer available when I tried to go to the website to print it off so I made my own checklist. I can't take credit for the order of the list, but the picture below is my own printable I made that you are more than welcome to print off for yourself!

To Print: Click on the image, right click and choose "save as", save the image to your computer, and then you can print it from where you saved it :)

I only made a black and white version because my printer only has black ink, but if you would like a colored version I can make one too! If your in a cleaning rut like I was and are looking for a fresh perceptive hopefully this will be an encouragement for you! The hardest part for me was just getting up and doing it, but if feels great when you feel like you have taken back control of your home!

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