Monday, February 21, 2011

Missed It? Made to Crave Re-Runs

I just received this email and thought I'd pass it on for any of you who were interested in the Made to Crave webcasts but missed them the first time around- 

Made to Crave Webcast Re-runs Starting Tuesday, February 22nd

We've heard your cries, your pleas, your requests and your many emails asking us to re-run the Made to Crave webcasts. So, we've made special arrangements to re-run the webcasts on demand for the next 6 Tuesdays!

We're calling them "Tell a Friend Tuesdays!" For 24 hours, starting tomorrow morning, we'll re-air Week One of the Made to Crave webcast on demand. All you have to do is go to http://www.madetocrave.org/ anytime tomorrow starting at 6 am EST, and you'll be able to see Lysa, Tonia, Kathrine Lee, and Dr, Chilton chatting it up.

Invite your mama, your sister, your girlfriends, your neighbor you like, and even the one you don't like. You won't want to miss this unique second-time-around opportunity!

We'll be doing some fun giveaways every Tuesday on Lysa's blog too! (http://www.lysaterkeurst.com/)

See you there!
Blessings,

Holly Good
Executive Assistant to Lysa

You can read my series of blog posts about Lysa's book and the webcasts by clicking here. 

Happy Monday! 

Love,

Friday, February 18, 2011

The Hunger Games Trilogy Ruined Me

Someday soon...when it's not a Friday night and I'm not too fried to be coherent...I'll write a review on my latest reads, The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. 

But for those of you who have already read these books, you'll understand when I say they ruined me.  Now everything I try to read seems too dull to hold my interest.

I'm craving a good read to ween me off the adrenaline rush that was the Hunger Games.  Any suggestions out there in cyber land?  Lately I've been a YA Fiction junkie, but I'll take any suggestions at this point.

Yawn...



P.S.  Please pray for Prince Charming.  He's had a bad case of croup this week and I had to take him into the doctor's office this afternoon for his second dose of steroid treatments to ease his breathing.  I can't wait to see him back to himself again and to stop worrying about my sweet little guy.  Thanks! 

Monday, February 14, 2011

Princesses Show Off Their Heart Hairdos and Final Made to Crave



We were all so proud of the girls' Valentine's Hairdos this morning, I wanted to show them off:




The girls woke up and asked for hearts in their hair this morning.  I didn't know if that was possible, but figured Google is good for everything.  : )  We stumbled on this amazing hairdo site here and decided to give it a shot.  It's a miracle we made it to school before the tardy bell, but it was very easy and so much fun.  

I hope you all have plans for snuggling your family today and remembering the greatest Valentine of all:


Don't forget tonight is the final Made to Crave webcast.  You can watch it here.  I'm so thankful for all I've learned from Lysa these past six weeks and for the honor of being a part of her blog tour. 


Happy Valentine's Day everyone! 

Love you!

Friday, February 11, 2011

Prince Charming Hijacked my Blog Today

I hijacked Mommy's blog today, because I wanted to say hi to my cousins.  


Even if you are not one of my cousins, you can still watch my videos and see how hard I have been working on my speech. 






Mommy says I've come so far from when she was just hoping to hear me say, "Mama". 

She is proud of me.

Happy Friday!

Love,

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Shift Change

Part of the life I signed on for,
Expected,

His new hours aren’t bad-


            Weekends off
           At least it’s not nights!



Just rearrange the schedule
Like we always do and


Adjust.


            But something hardens
            The words “shift change” hit this time unexpectedly
            Like tipped arrows,
            Nicking my heart with the poison of


Self Pity.


            No!
            I don’t want to s-h-i-f-t and
            I don’t want to change!
            I like the way it is.


A soul level tantrum where I cannot pray, “Search me…”
Because He will not find poetry inside,
Only the off rhythm heartbeat of,


“Me, me, me, me.”


The shift comes and the change happens
I fold my arms and pout, until
The dark parts are held up to the Light and
The still small Voice whispers,

“It’s time”


I surrender to the shift
I embrace the change
I adjust and
I grow.


And Shift Change becomes 


Good.



**************************************************
I'm writing this today as an expression of gratitude for my patient husband, who loves me through the "soul tantrums" and times when my heartbeat is off rhythm. 


I'm linking up for the first time with "A Holy Experience" for Walk with Him Wednesday"





And also for a second time with sweet Emily for Imperfect Prose.   I'm so thankful for the permission to admit and to be imperfect.







Love,

Monday, February 7, 2011

But Why?



When it comes to my weight struggle and food issues, I've asked, "why?" a lot.

I've often thought of the whole thing as a big, unfair curse.

I can't count the multitude of prayers I've lifted concerning these issues. Prayers to be beautiful, prayers to be a certain number on the scale, prayers for help on this diet or that diet, and even prayers that God would spare my daughters from inheriting my issues with food and weight so they will avoid the same heartache.  

One of the lessons I've been learning lately is that this whole thing is anything BUT a curse. 

Looking back over the course of my lifetime, I cannot think of a single issue that has sent me more consistently to God than this one.

 
In the past God has used this struggle to: 
  • Draw me closer to Him
  • Humble me
  • Get me on my knees
  • Reveal my need for Him
  • Teach me of His (and others) love for me just as I am
  • Inspire me to more maturity
  • Show me how unsatisfying anything will be that I crave more than Him

 And now God is continuing to use this struggle to :  
  • Deepen my dependence on Him
  • Refine and mature me
  • Lead me to repentance
  • Prompt me to use the resources that are mine in Him
  • Teach me I am stronger than I think I am because He is great in my weakness
  • Alllow me to know Him more (something I long for)
  • Demonstrate that He is enough and all I need
  • Show me where my true worth lies
  • Confirm His great and undeserved love for me
  • And to lead me to victory instead of defeat

I'm embracing the journey because this journey and all these things He's doing through it are

 
GOOD!

 
I'm embracing this journey and realizing it does not have a beginning nor an end. It is something I will keep working on my whole life, but the results will be worth it.

 
But, what if this battle with food isn't the curse we've always thought it to be? What if it's actually the very thing, if brought under control, that can lead us to a better understanding of God? What if we could actually get to the place where we thanked God for letting us face this battle because of the rich treasure we discovered on the battlefield?

- Lysa TerKeurst, Made to Crave, Chapter 10

 
*****************************
Only two more webcasts left! Tonight I'm looking forward to seeing Mandisa talking with Lysa. Here's the link to the webcast which will air at 8 PM (EST). Don't forget to adjust for your timezone. If you miss it, it will air again tomorrow at several times throughout the day on the Made to Crave website.

 
See you there!

 
Love,  

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

{{Hugs}}

My oldest princess has been so independent from the beginning. 

She crawled at 5 months, walked at 9 months, and had a new baby sister that needed our attention one month after her first birthday.  She didn't seem to have much time or need for snuggling- she was on the go and she was the big kid, not the baby. 

Recently, she has been doing more growing up.  You know that kind of growing up that happens when you are almost nine, when you start changing, and everything seems so overwhelming?  Along with that changing and growing up has come a lot of emotion- tears and frustration and bickering. 

I felt this ache in my heart as I realized how quickly she is growing up and how disconnected she and I have been this winter.  I"ve been frustrated with her and she's been frustrated with me and more than a few nights I've cried and prayed about how sad I was to be losing my little girl to the tween years.  As I prayed, God gave me some direction that was different from what I expected.  You know what He told me to do?    

Hug her more.      

I was so surprised.  Every once in awhile she's asked for a hug or snuggle time, but it always seemed to come when I couldn't (or didn't want to) give her that kind of attention.  It appeared to come when she wanted out of something like going to bed at night or when I was right in the middle of something like cooking dinner or finishing a project and my answer had to be, "I can't right now.  I'm busy."  

I hadn't noticed how little physical affection I had been giving her lately, and I hadn't noticed how hungry she was for it.  Until I started giving it to her. 

Instead of opening the door in the morning and saying, "Rise and shine.  Get up for school!" I've been going in to her room a few minutes early and snuggling with her until she wakes up.  At school, I won't let her leave my car in the morning without a kiss and hug goodbye, and throughout the day, I've tried to grab her as often as I can and hug that little girl that she still is and will always be to me. 

I didn't know hugs were her love language, or how empty her little love tank had become, but she's blooming lately and seems like a new, more peaceful girl.  She needed Mommy hugs, and I'm so thankful God showed me she did, because what I didn't know or expect was how much I needed those hugs, too

I love my girl!