One day…..

My mama used to tell me “T never lose yourself in the midst of raising kids because one day they will be gone and you will be left picking up the pieces of your emptiness.” I have raised kids for the past 30 years and now there are only two teenagers left at home, and my mother’s words are coming to life. I should have listened but I did not. Today’s teens are so different than they used to be, they have their phones, electronics, and those things become their family, their reason for existence and their parents become lost in the shuffle. There are days like today I am left wondering what I did wrong, or if I should just get a life and stop trying so hard to be the parent they do not want, right now. I do not know how many times I have heard I do not need you all up in my business, or I do not want to talk about it, or not be included in the little things in life. People tell me it is a phase and they will grow out of it, but do they really? I try not to take it personally but some days it is harder than others. If you have teens how do you handle the silence or the time to get a life, or pick up the pieces of the emptiness?

 

Through a mother’s eyes

It is so hard to watch your children navigate through life as a mother. It does not matter their age when their wings are broken through heartache, mistakes, and the journey called life, you just want to jump in and protect them or fix the problem, but you know you cannot do that because they will never learn the lessons or build their strength. The pain they go through, resounds within our hearts. When the wings of a bird are broken, they are fractured, and they need that care or support, but you cannot handle them frequently or else they will not heal. The same goes for our children, we must accept they will be broken, they will hurt, and they will need encouragement but the best thing we can do for them is allow them to heal and encourage them to fly again. As a mother, we must realize broken wings are meant to heal and when they fly again our pain turns to joy. We want to see our children fly again through a mother’s eyes because when they fly, we know they have the strength to survive.

 

Middle aged spread!

Sorry I have not posted as often as I would like, life has kept this household busy. Well, I have to save the weight loss shot my doctor prescribed ended up costing me more problems than it was worth, so back to the all natural way. Weight loss for me is like taking 5 steps ahead and then back one. Back and forth like a rockin chair, if any of you all our there have any suggestions I would appreciate it. Middle aged weight loss is by far the hardest I have ever encountered, it honestly is depressing and frustrating. On a lighter note the other day I came across this meme that said, “Wouldn’t it be great if we could put ourselves in the dryer for a short time and come out wrinkle free and two size smaller.” Hey that would be a jump start!!! Please feel free to comment below, any tips, recipes that you have tried and enjoy, simple exercises, reading that I can do, anything please join my journey to a new me!!!

 

80 more to go

Has any one else struggled with a weight loss journey? How did you persevere to accomplish your goal? Always feel free to leave comments, suggestions, or recipes in the comment section. Anyone who has been on a weight loss journey knows it is not easy. Every season I find myself saying the foods of the season are a struggle… Do you? I am happy to report so I have lost 11 pounds!!!!! 80 more to go!!! Somedays it is so easy other days the fight is on. The one thing I have learned about myself during this journey is I am a stress/distress eater. In the past few years with my mom’s diagnosis of lung cancer, then passing away and right around the corner from that COVID, and sitting at a desk the majority of the day does not help keeping the weight off. How many of you have a desk job? What do you do to help keep the weight off and not snack at work? Well guys it is time to wrap this up as I have a graduation party to finish planning. Please share your story below, I’ll be waiting to hear from you!!

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Now What?

About a week and a half ago I went to the doctor see the Nurse Practitioner, and received advice that I already knew. You need to lose weight, I acted surprised. You know sometimes you have to let them think they are telling you something new!!. lol Ok…so where do I safely begin…. well drink more water and there is this shot you can give your self every morning and it will curve your hunger and the slow down the digestive process. Well that sounds easy…right??? Then what….well you see this way you will not have to worry about eating, and just be careful with what you eat., Ok come back in 2 months and let us see how your getting along.. Drink more water, take a shot…then… Is this what they are selling across America? What about teaching people to make lifestyle changes? What happens when you plateau? Should I not be little by little moving around? Is exercise a thing of the past? This is beyond frustrating because there are people out here like me that are really serious about taking control and getting our lives back!! In my spare time I have been google how to and what food to include and making a diet change and what little things can I start doing to exercise… There is so much conflicting information and studies. One day at a time the journey goes on. -5

 

Day 3

Three days into the weight loss journey and my will power is struggling. Has anyone taken the time to log everything you eat and drink during the day and after about the second day, you have this sudden realization you need to change your whole diet and float in water! Any tips on how to increase water intake and not feel like a water balloon? This weekend I went to the store and a couple of my teens came with me, and I started filling the cart with fresh fruits and vegetables and grains, and they had a meltdown that they were going to start eating healthy and any junk food they are going to have to buy themselves. If any of you have any recipes, tips, ideas, easy to do exercises please share them below or if you are also on this weight loss journey let me know and let’s encourage one another. Until next time….

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Let’s do it!

Have you ever been to the doctor expecting a good visit, and you walk out feeling like a total failure? Like thousands of people over the last year, I have gained weight and today the numbers on the scale climbed to an unspeakable number. After a long talk with my doctor and realizing all the health issues it is starting to cause, we both decided it was time to do something about it. Looking over what I eat in a day, really not that much but I realized in a pinch I reach for the wrong things and they have added up. I actually thought I was losing weight but…. From time to time I will post updates during this journey. Time to learn the balance to feeling great again. Feel free to leave tips and a favorite healthy recipe. Please do not leave supplement sales information. Time to do it and do it the healthy old fashion way..

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The Journey

As I was going through my senior daughter’s pictures trying to pick and choose ones for her graduation party, I found myself going down memory lane. From life’s first cry to now another part of her journey. As a single mom raising five girls, there have been many struggles, good times, failures, success and every emotion in between in these years. The warm tears falling down my cheek, memories but also the realization that I too am moving on to another chapter of my life as one more child goes off to college to pursue a career, one moving over seas, and another so engrossed in her career we often do not see her. I am reminded going through pictures that life never stops not for one second and we must embrace every season for as long as it last. Today as I am sitting here writing I am filled with every emotion a mother can have during these times, but most of all I am thankful for the journey.

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Man’s Purpose VS God’s purpose

You know so many times we get distracted by man’s desire for our lives that we forget that we were created designed with a purpose and dreams already built in us it is the effects of this world that attempts to remove them or change them. Some people never reach their purpose because they are to busy trying to fit in or please others or just don’t take the time to build a relationship with the one who created them. For the past 15 years I have been a nurse and I loved most minutes of it because I learned so much and it is a satisfying career and what a career to minister in however the reason I chose that career was because I knew I was going to need an income to support my children and I thought it would always be there and job security but what I have learned is the only security I have is walking in the purpose God has for me. I can do a job and be good at it but still inside of me be missing a piece still have a void. Over this past year when I was unexpectedly taken out of work not able to nurse anymore I have struggled  to fight to go back because I know I can do it and that is where the money is but that is not where God wants me to be. Every door I have tried to open in nursing has been closed or not opened at all. SO I have been questioning God show me and he told me to look inside of me and see what is my desire, reexamine my dreams, what makes me feel whole (besides Christ) what do I love to do. Well it was a struggle for almost a year now because money job security was playing more than he purpose GOd has chosen for more life. So what is it that drives me?  Writing (no surprise there) lol, children, mission, I want to travel the world and experience GOd in every nation, minister and be ministered to , I want to work with children and those in prison, I want to write to change the world so to speak. I want to settle into a life GOd has for me and help others. When we choose careers lifestyles things and so on that God has not purposed for us we are just getting by but I am ready to live and walk in the blessed purpose of my life and watch my children walk in theirs. Stand with me in prayer that GOd will order my steps and open the doors to my journey and purpose in life and I will pray GOd will do the same for you. Your true purpose will be found when you walk in your relationship with God.

 

Pen and My Paper

The beauty of writing is what is written flows from what is in the inside a true measure from the heart. It is the flow that reveals the depth of the person behind the pen. The flow of the written expresses the seasons of life, the pain the sorrow the joys and the hopes for tomorrow that a person has journeyed on or a witness to life around them. The pen to my paper produces such a freedom to be me, to think freely, to observe freely, to grow beyond the length of the paper. Amazingly enough each new paper starts a new life journey and each journey reveals different parts of the inner soul. Pen to my paper is like the melody to a song, ahhh so refreshing so freeing so reviving. I want to encourage you to write. It doesn’t have to be perfect it doesn’t have to be graded but what it does have to be is from the heart. Through your pen paint with me your picture and I will share with you mine.