Investing in the New Year

If your holidays were as busy as mine (and whose aren't?!) you can probably understand why it's been a while since I've posted anything! I had always intended to post something every day when I initially started this blog. However, I've discovered that it just isn't very realistic, likely, or even very doable for me (unless I give up my day job as well as my main job of being a wife and mother...yeah, not going to happen!).

What I have learned over the years is that often times, "less is more" (who has time to read someone's posts every day anyways lol?). I've also learned how to not be so "all or nothing" and to prioritize. My health and fitness is always going to be something that is important to me (as well as helping others with their health and fitness needs/goals as well). However, my first priority has always been to put God and family first. It's not likely that I'm going to be one of the super duper elite diamond coaches out there who do this full-time, but that's ok with me. My success as a Christian, a wife, and a mother far outweighs anything else that I could possibly excel in; on Earth and in eternity! In fact, I've seen the best and most PRICELESS "returns on investments" EVER in the past year; both in my family and in my work environment. Most notably, my son accepted Christ and was baptized. There is no greater investment than when you invest in someone's life; especially your child's! If the only reason I live and breathe is to make sure my children know and choose Jesus as their Savior, then I'm confident that I'm accomplishing what God wants from me! I am enjoying every second of every opportunity I have in directing my children to walk in faith! Those devotionals and books that you see in the picture above were Christmas gifts for my children; which they have been reading and enjoying daily. I am extremely proud of them and that they are excited about growing in their faith!

My son, Casey, raising his hands in victory!

With that being said, I've been feeling a greater sense of urgency to make sure that I can continue being there to nurture my kids; which won't happen if I'm not functioning as well as I could be. I'm still an overweight, tired, aging Mom who finds it more and more difficult to make time to prioritize fitness back into my daily routine (because I got out of the habit again). Chris and I did do our first two months of Piyo, but we didn't get to the two months of the "strength" phase. Illnesses, busyness, exhaustion, and stress have been our obstacles in the past few months (though, I suppose that's everyone's excuse). We really need to get into our "beast mode" again! As I mentioned, one just has to find what is "doable" and prioritize even just a LITTLE bit of time. If all I can manage is just a few minutes on the treadmill for a while, a few glasses of water, one healthy choice, etc., then at least that's something...I just have to remember the Beachbody motto: "Decide. Commit. Succeed." With the Lord's help, I can definitely do this!

How about you? What are your priorities? With a fresh new year comes a fresh new perspective! Personally, I want my spiritual momentum to spill over into the areas where I am currently weak. The best part is that God excels in strengthening our weaknesses! In what areas do you need infused with his strength? Consider this verse; which has recently become a favorite of mine:

Lord, be gracious to us; we long for you.

Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress. 

- Isaiah 33:2

Now, personalize that verse! "Lord, be gracious to me; I long for you! Be my strength every morning (and all day!), my salvation in time of distress." This prayer not only gets me through the day, but gives me a sense of joy and peace that is amazing! This verse has been very calming and I feel that it has also been a key to unlocking a prayerful heart all day!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Leave a comment with your thoughts and feel free to contact me if there's anything I can do to walk with you on your journey this year! Visit www.infusion413.com to view the special January promotions (which include the 21 Day Fix as well as the new program The Master's Hammer and Chisel) or let me know if you need help choosing a program/customizing a plan. Remember, just start small; even if it's just walking for five minutes a day! Be the best "you" that you can be for God, your family, and yourself! Be infused! God bless you!

Bright Friday

You know, I'm not all that keen on all the Black Friday stuff. Therefore, I propose an alternative: Bright Friday! Isn't Christmas supposed to be positive and filled with good things? Isn't it supposed to be full of cheer and the spirit of generosity? Shouldn't the start of something good have a name that sounds positive rather than negative? "Black Friday" has always sounded a little gloomy and daunting to me; and for some people who have been trampled, injured, and killed in those crazy stampedes, it has definitely lived up to that title.  

I don't know about you, but standing in line to buy a bunch of stuff doesn't sound as fulfilling or appealing as standing at a kettle stand to ring the bell for charity. So, if you'd rather skip the shopping frenzy and put that generous/gifting spirit to better use, please, volunteer to bell-ring! In my county, we have very few people who have signed up for Friday. Maybe everyone is going to be too busy shopping or maybe they are just opting out of being around the chaos that day. Totally understandable. I get it. However, being that this IS a high trafficked day, it's a very CRUCIAL day to get volunteers. Filled shifts on big shopping days have a higher probability of raising more money to help local needy families; families who more than likely don't have enough money to shop on Black Friday (or even basic needs on ANY day, for that matter). Not only can they not afford gifts for under the Christmas tree, but probably not much food on their tables either.....UNLESS we can raise plenty of money to help. The many children who are hoping to receive clothing items, toys, etc. will only wake up to find those things on Christmas morning if we have the means to provide it for them. Hopefully, they'll even have more food to eat if our pantry shelves have more to offer as well. Please, ring the bell for at least an hour. Even if it's not on Friday, just pick at least ONE day! 

I know that no matter what I say, there's going to be a ton of people out shopping anyways; and that's ok. I'm not trying to condemn shopping (anyone that knows me knows that I could NEVER do that lol!). I'm just advocating a balance because even though we're all going to be shopping at some point, it's important not to lose sight of the bigger picture. I'm obviously going to have Christmas shopping to do too, though I have no "battle plan" for it. I'm just more determined than ever this year to stay focused on what matters. It's not just because I work for The Salvation Army now, but because each year I get more tired of the "hype" because I'm yearning for the "heart" of Christmas. Is it just me, or is there anyone else that feels that way too? I just want to give, not get. December the 25th is when we celebrate the birth of Christ and yet, we get all the presents? I'd rather just give to Him (and to others in TRUE need) in His name. I want to experience Christmas...for REAL! How about you? What's your reason to celebrate the season?

Grace and peace to you, my friends! I was going to take a moment to talk about the "special" Team Beachbody deals here at the end, but I really don't care anymore. You're welcome to visit www.infusion413.com to see, but if you only have time to visit just one link, pick www.registertoring.com . It's the BEST deal for you and for the people you would be helping! I truly mean that! Have a BRIGHT Friday! Be careful out there; whether you're shopping or volunteering (or both). Grab a friend (or a group of friends) and ring together! :) Be safe, stay warm, and take care of yourself! Be infused! God bless you! 

Our October Blessings!

There are only ten more days until Halloween. The kids' costumes have been picked out and ordered and we are looking forward to taking them out to get candy. I'm just hoping it won't be cold and/or rainy! It's been horrible weather for it the past few years! Irregardless, we'll still be going and making new family memories! This will be our first Halloween together!

Speaking of new things, there are a few other new things that are happening right now. It's been keeping me so preoccupied that I completely forgot to post this month's promotions (sorry about that!). Before I tell you what's going on with the fitness stuff, I'll just fill you in on the two big blessings that have been taking up my time.

The first one is the sale of my house (yes, finally!). It's very bittersweet. While we are very glad to finally get it sold (which will free up our budget, bless us with a profit, and take a load off of our minds) it's also sort of sad for me. As you might remember, I bought the house last year and my parents and I went to work on updating/improving the inside. The house not only reflects my personal taste, but it meant so much to me to be able to live close to my Dad and to have been able to get the house as a single mom. It was a milestone for me. I barely had any time to really savor it before God surprised me with Chris and things began moving me in a different direction (both literally and figuratively). The merging of our two lives meant trusting that God would provide for us as well as bring a new job opportunity my way. It's been a little unsettling to have to wait for the house to sell as well as a new job.

That's my other great news! :) It took three tries, but I finally ended up with the right job! It was almost like "The Three Bears" story in which the previous two jobs/interviews had a lot to offer, but only the third one was "just right" for me. God always knows best and I'm glad that He didn't allow me to have the jobs that I felt were right. He knew what the perfect fit would be for me (and when) and no matter how disappointed I felt in missing out on the first two, I knew that that only meant that God had something better. :) I am so thankful to God, and to The Salvation Army, for giving me the opportunity to work and serve the organization! It is an honor and a joy to be part of a team of people with big hearts and big faith! I am enjoying the learning process and looking forward to using my gifts and skills to help people!

Of course, one of my gifts is being able to connect with people, so I'm hoping that I will be able to enlist the help (as well as donations) from my big hearted family, friends, and readers of my blogs! ;) The organization can't exist without YOUR time and gifts. It is because of YOU that The Salvation Army can continue to have the means to feed, clothe, and give assistance to those that might otherwise not have basic needs. Please, prayerfully consider how you can get involved; whether it's through a donation of any amount or volunteering your time (we need individuals, families, groups, church congregations, etc. to start signing up for bell ringing! Click here to sign up to be a bell ringer!). These last few months of the year are busy for everyone. The holidays can be a hard time of year for various reasons. What better way to show your Christmas spirit and spread, peace, joy, and hope to others than by spending at least one hour of your time ringing that bell and encouraging people to donate their spare change for those in need?! C'mon, you can do it! One hour will bless you AND others. Get your spouse, kids, or church involved too! :) You'll be glad you did!

Ok, so I've been so busy talking about the Lord's business here that I nearly forgot about my own business. It pales in comparison, but since I need to finally clue you in, I'll throw it in here at the end lol. You've got a little over a week left to take advantage of the following deals: the new P90X challenge pack and the Ultimate Reset challenge pack. Additionally, they are offering up to 50% savings (yeah, I know, right?!) on Les Mills Pump and Les Mills Combat challenge packs, programs, and accessories! Now THAT'S a deal! I LOVED doing Les Mills Combat! I got three words for that: Fun. Fit. Fierce! It was enjoyable, got me results, and I felt super tough (how can you not when you're doing boxing and martial arts mooves?!). Get it while the getting is good! You won't regret it!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Thank you so much for reading! Also, a big thank you to all who have supported and prayed for my family and I. We couldn't have made it without you! We appreciate everyone's encouragement and prayers! Be infused! God bless you!

Do We Know?

Yesterday, I shared about our church sermon and how Christmas all boils down to "God is with us." Our pastor challenged us to stop and ponder the miracle and gift of Jesus. He mentioned this song, "Mary Did You Know?", which describes the many things that Mary must have pondered about her son. Those of us that are parents know what she must have been feeling; to hold her first born, to admire his perfect features, and to think about his life ahead. Now, imagine that that child is the Son of God. Everything is that much more magnified! Pause and think about it. Take it all in!

Grace and peace to you, everyone! I won't be blogging again until Friday. I hope you all have a blessed Christmas and that you are blessed by the things that you ponder and know about Jesus! Be infused...and inspired! God bless you!!

Decompressing Christmas

Sander in hand and safety glasses on.
It's decompression time!

Yesterday was just one of those days where all the miscellaneous stress and busyness of the season (and life in general) finally caught up with me. I felt emotionally frazzled. Anything and everything was getting on my nerves and I really needed to take some time to decompress and channel it all into something. I had just bought an old chest of some sort (probably a toy box) and I felt like it was the perfect time to redo it. I needed to be "giving new life to old things", as Chris puts it. It's very freeing when you have a soulmate who understands and encourages you to have some "you" time. He said, "Okie dokie, my beautiful artist. You take all the art therapy you need. I totally understand the need for decompression time." So, that's what I did!

"Before"

As I mentioned, the busyness of life is stressful enough; and then you add the holidays on top of all of that. While there is usually much to enjoy about it all, it can be overwhelming. It's really important to take a timeout to just "be" and reflect. Taking a small break to breathe and decompress is vital.

It's very timely that today's sermon was about that very thing that I was doing last night. Pastor Larry Sprinkle was saying that no matter what is going on during Christmas, the four words that it all boils down to is "God is with us." Jesus, Emmanuel, was sent to us (and for us). We are not alone and God is always with us. In our busyness and in our downtime, He is there. He gives us strength and energy to endure as well as the peace and comfort to rest. He is everything we need. That is an amazing truth to take in; and something I value greatly when I have that "decompression time" because I know that God is always there to help me process things.

"After" :) 

Taking in the sermon, I thought about how true Larry's words were regarding how the Bible often says that Mary treasured and pondered all the wondrous things about Jesus in her heart. That's what we need to be doing; meditating and pondering the amazing things of Jesus in our heart and allowing it to sink in. Sometimes, you have to find fresh ways of making the "familiar" fresh again. We can easily become callused to the life-altering power of the true meaning of Christmas because we have heard the story, sung the hymns, and participated in the same traditions for so long. Therefore, we really do need to realize when we need to just hit pause on everything and take a timeout to refocus. Just like that old chest, we can find a way to give new life to old things.

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Don't miss the wonder of it all because of all the distractions. Decompress Christmas and get to the heart of it. Stop. Ponder. Listen. Ask Jesus to make His story new and fresh for you! He will do it! New life is what He's all about! Ponder the miracle of what Christmas is: a precious baby, the Son of God, resting humbly in a manger; a baby, destined to die for you. His perfect features would one day be marred by thorns, nails, and a spear. All of it was for you. If you're a parent, you can imagine how Mary must have felt; her mind totally blown away at not only the miracle of her first-born, but the fact that her son was the Son of God. Treasure and ponder that! Be infused! God bless you!

"Home" for the Holidays

Every time our worship leader shares a personal story, I always tear up. His stories always grab at my heart and resonate so deeply. Yesterday was no exception. Dennis broke the bittersweet news of his father-in-law's passing to the congregation. He mentioned that while it was sad to lose him, it is great for heaven to gain him. He said that years ago, his father-in-law spent a lot of time mentoring a young man. Sometimes, it got to the point where his wife would call the church office, ask if he was there, and then say that he needed to come home. Dennis said that his father-in-law had been at death's door for a while. Finally, God called him up and said that he needed to come home.

I was all teared up thinking about that concept; about how we are all lingering on earth fulfilling God's purpose. Then, the time comes where we get called to go to the home where we truly belong. It just overwhelms me to think about how amazing it will be!

It also blows my mind to think of Jesus being sent from that amazing home to this sinful earth; just so we could be there with Him someday. This is the season where we pause to think about all of that; to think about the hope that humbly entered this world. We watched this short video which reminds us of that simple fact. There are a lot of things that sometimes get mixed in with the Christmas story. There may be a lot of things that aren't "politically correct" in how we celebrate it, but all that truly matters is that we GET IT. We need to get the simple fact that God sent His son, Jesus, to this earth to give us hope and salvation. He was born with the sole purpose to die.....for US! Because of Jesus, we can go "home".

Grace and peace to you, my friends! I hope that this video fills you with hope and that you'll take joy in the fact that someday, you'll get to go "home" as well (if you've made that decision for Christ). I know that many of you are probably remembering those that have already gone home (I'm thinking of my Grandma a LOT!). You might also be greatly anticipating the joys of being "at home" with the ones you love during the holidays. Enjoy it! Celebrate life and hope with your families in this temporal home we call "earth" and look forward to the eternal one in heaven! I know I am! I may be enjoying the new house that I've been blessed with, but it will never be "home" like the place He is preparing for me! Be infused! God bless you!