2012 Wrap Up

Hello and Happy New Year's Eve!!! It's officially the last day of 2012 and we made it through another year! I figured it'd only be appropriate to do a little recap of 2012 and all of it's splendor, ups and downs, lessons, blessings, etc.  I'm going to try my best to remember the most important things that occurred throughout the year, but of course that can be a challenge at times.  My memory is usually impeccable, but sometimes things escape me.  Ok, so here we go!

Thanks to church notes, I can recall what I did for NYE last year! It began at church at Alfred Street Baptist in Alexandria, VA.  I went to the early service then headed over to a house party that a friend of mine and his friend were hosting. The message at church was: The Courage to Cross Over and the scriptures to support it were Joshua 1:1-9.  The key points from the message by Pastor Wesley were:
1. You've got to have the courage to engage your enemies. You've made it to the promise land, but there are some people in it that want to stand in your way.  The presence of enemies is the confirmation of the presence of God. There is no blessing that comes without struggle. Every level God takes you to, there are some devils you've got to overcome to walk in glory.
2. You've got to have courage to make some difficult declarations. You've got to say some things that you've never said before. Confront some things you've never confronted before. The Lord realizes that where they're about to go, all your enemies won't be external. Struggle is inevitable, but misery is an option.
3. You've got to have the courage to change your conduct. If you do the same things, you're going to get the same results.  God says you've got to do something different. God says "don't worry about what you don't know. Wherever you go, I'll be right there." If God is in your life, you don't have to worry.
4. Follow your faith. God put a desire in your heart to make you move to where you are destined to be. When the Lord gives you a glimpse, it puts a taste in your mouth to make you go out and go get what He has placed in  you.

For the first time ever, I did a vision board for 2012!! I thoroughly enjoyed putting together this project and I backed up all of the visions with Biblical scriptures.  One of my favorite scriptures I used was Habakkuk 2:2-3 which states "Then the Lord told me: I will give you my message in the form of a vision. Write it clearly enough to be read at a glance. At the time I have decided, my words will come true. You can trust what I say about the future. It may take a long time, but keep on waiting - it will happen!" I plan to make another vision board for 2013 as well! I put my vision board on scrapbook paper so that I can make a scrapbook of my boards over the years! I will admit that even though my board was very visible throughout 2012, all of the visions did not come to pass. Not necessarily God's fault, because I had to put some effort and determination into a lot of the things I put down for myself.  I failed at doing this, but there's always this year to get it right and as the scripture says "though it may take a long time, keep waiting - it will happen!"

In my career, I started a 5th grade girl's group in January 2012 at my school.  The group was held after school and it focused on getting the girls ready for middle school.  It was a huge success for it to be my first time doing this! I have bigger and better plans for 2013 and I'm super excited about it! The group is open to all 5th grade girls, but since it's after school, all of them don't participate.  Last year I had 18 girls sign up and complete the program.  This year I have 26 girls signed up!! #growth

So then comes February.  February was an emotional month for me being that 1. Whitney Houston died and 2. I turned 28! Ok, I'm a huge Whitney Houston fan!! I love her!! Her music was just amazing and her voice was such a gift!! I remember I was sitting on my bed just relaxing and my best friend called me and said "girl....Whitney Houston...DIED".  I immediately went on Twitter (this was a way of confirming a lot of celeb news for me back then) and sure enough the buzz was all over the social media site.  I was immediately crushed and found myself following any news updates regarding what happened and why.  This interest in the case went on for a few months.  I had to eventually tell myself to just let it go.  I found myself more concerned with the well being of her daughter, Bobbi Kristina.  I too lost my mother at a critical age so my heart truly went out to her.  I didn't like the way the media was harassing her and following and scrutinizing her every move. It was truly a heartbreaking experience.  Her funeral on the other hand was televised and was a beautiful homegoing celebration! God was definitely in that place and the reflections shared by friends and family were amazing!

Ok now onto me and turning 28.  I must admit, for some strange reason, I felt severe ANXIETY after turning 28.  I mean I was very uncomfortable with this for like the first week.  It was the oddest feeling and I had never in my life felt a difference after turning a new age until 28.  I'm sure going out with my friends to a night club that was 21 and up (with the majority of the patrons being 24 or younger) had something to do with the anxiety.  We got dressed and headed out looking amazing.  We truly had a great time and partied hard (a little bit too hard)! As the night went on, different men would dance with me and would soon find out it was my birthday and ask "so how old are you"?? When I would say 28...a pit in my stomach would set in every time.  I felt so old!!! It didn't help that the YOUNG men would reply back that they were 22 or 23, and the highest age I heard that night was 24.  I felt out of place.  I didn't like it at all. It was like a revelation had set in that this was not the place for me.  As the year went on, the feeling subsided and I got more comfortable with my age and began to embrace it.  I just had to realize, there are just some places that I'm just not going to feel comfortable going anymore and that's ok.  I'm maturing and things that used to be appealing just aren't anymore.

March marked the 5 year anniversary of my mother's death.  I miss her so much and although it's now been almost 6 years, it just doesn't get easier.  Time does help, but sometimes I struggle with not wanting to forget important details about her.  She definitely lives on in my heart, but it's just not the same.

Oh I almost forgot! Lent 2012! I gave up meat for Lent this year which included only eating fish and seafood, but no pork, beef, chicken, or turkey.  I was very successful in this endeavor and actually continued to not eat meat long after Lent was over.  I began eating chicken and turkey again in the summer because I noticed I was eating anything that didn't have meat in it, but I wasn't necessarily making healthy choices. I am still not eating pork or beef and probably never will again.

April 2012 on of my really good friends since high school got ENGAGED!!! It's a wonderful thing to see your friends be truly happy with a good man! We have all been through our fair share of losers and lames and when my friend finds a man who loves her and treats her like the queen that she is, it truly does rest well with my soul.  I am extremely happy for her!!

May 2012 marked the wedding of all local weddings!! My good friend/soror/Siamese got married to her beloved on 5/5/12!! It was truly an awesome wedding where we kept it classy and got crunk at the same d@mn time!! I love a good wedding and wonderful party!! We celebrated her bachelorette in New Orleans in April 2012.  It was a wonderful time and was actually my first time traveling there.

June 2012 marked another wedding which was simply beautiful, small, and intimate.  I especially loved the reception in that they had a live band (very nice touch) outside on the patio with a cocktail hour.  It was really really nice and although it was a small crowd, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  My blog buddy also gave birth to her first child in June!! And the baby is a DOLL!!! I'm so proud of my friend!! She also graduated from law school in May while being 8 months pregnant and successfully sold her house! So many blessings in the neighborhood and I was more than thrilled for her and her husband!!

July 2012 was my time to rev up my duties as maid of honor! My sister got married in August 2012 and I was her maid of honor.  Since the time she got engaged in July of 2011, I began to really experience what it's like being a part of the wedding planning craze!! It's a highly stressful situation and did I mention EXPENSIVE!!??? Either way, we had a bridal shower and bachelorette celebration for her in July and it came together very nicely.  My sister was very pleased and appreciative of all of our efforts to prepare for her special day!

August 2012...as I just mentioned...my sister got married to an awesome man of God!! They are truly made for each other and I welcome my new brother-in-law to the family with open arms!! The wedding was held in Palm Beach, Aruba!!! It was such a beautiful ceremony on the beach! Truly breathtaking and well worth all the hustle, bustle, and preparing we put into making that a special day!

During the months of August, September, and October, I went through a period of growth and self-examination.  I was seeing myself from someone else's point of view and I was being stretched from all aspects of my life.  While going through this experience, I wasn't sure what was going to come of it all, but hindsight is always 20/20 right? I am truly thankful for these periods of growth and self-examination.  These are a must in order to grow and to be a better you!

November marked a critical time in my life where when I say I was stretched, I was s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d!!! I prayed to God back in maybe September or October to keep me near him.  To be sure that I wasn't losing sight of him and not getting too comfortable with my current life and forgetting that I definitely need him in my life.  Well I'll say this, be careful what you pray for!! Many things started happening to me in the month of November that kept me on my knees in constant prayer!! Even into the month of December and onward, I'm still constantly relying on God and praying and clinging to him! I must admit, although the experiences aren't comfortable and doesn't feel good, I have learned a lot from every experience, trial, and test.  There is no testimony without a test!!

A highlight from November is the re-election of President Barack Obama!! This is such a proud moment in the lives of so many Americans.  Sure many Americans weren't happy with the results of the election, but I'm praying that our nation will only get stronger and better for the years to come!

A little excitement in my life began on October 31st when I decided to join a gym! I have been pretty consistent throughout the past few years with working out, but I always fall off the wagon and will workout for a specific event, then the event comes and the workouts stop.  I have now decided to stick to a healthy lifestyle instead of working out in order to get ready for some vacation or specific event.  I'm also embracing a clean eating lifestyle from now on.  I'm excited to see what kind of health benefits will come in 2013 and beyond!

Oh and let's not forget about the "prediction" of the end of the world by our friends The Mayans.  I'm a firm believe in the word of God and his word says "no one knows the day or hour. The angels in heaven don't know, and the Son himself doesn't know.  Only the Father knows" Matthew 24:36.  Looks like the Mayans and that man who predicted the world ending back in May were wrong and must not be up on reading THE WORD!

...and finally, it's New Year's Eve 2012.  The last day of the year and I'm fully ready to step into 2013 with great expectations and a new outlook on life! With God by my side, family, friends, and a renewed spirit, I'M READY!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!! Be blessed and I hope you will visit my blog throughout the new year!!

The power of a praying friend

Over the last 2 months, I have experienced a few things in my life that has caused me to be in constant prayer. I strive to keep an active and engaged prayer life no matter what's going on in my life, but the month of November and December has been especially critical in regards to standing in the need of prayer.

The events of the past 2 months have not only affected me, but things have occurred in the lives of my friends who have needed prayer.  I realized in the midst of these trials and tests, it's such an advantage to have friends who encourage you and pray with you and for you. I was going through a situation that began at the end of October and one of my friends jumped right in and offered to pray with me every morning.  When she offered this to me, I was thankful, but I didn't realize at the time how powerful this would be in my life.  We would talk every morning and share our prayer requests with each other then take turns praying.  Times when we wouldn't be able to connect in the mornings, I would still find myself praying for whatever her requests were from the day before and lifting up my own petitions to God.  

I experienced a lot of things in the month of November that without prayer could have left me bitter, broken, and discouraged.  I look back over these events and just evaluate how amazing it is that I came out of it with such a positive outlook and a renewed spirit.  One of of these experiences left a lasting impression on my heart because I had a chance to thoroughly evaluate myself and learn from the experience.  

Life lessons are so profound because the test comes first and the lesson comes afterwards.  Everyone isn't always open to the lesson, but when you open your mind and heart to trying to find the blessing in every lesson, it's amazing! 

December has been a month of me getting down on my knees and carrying friends through tough times.  I realized how important it is to be there for a friend and really pray for them when you say you will.  I must admit I used to be guilty of offering those sweet words "I'll be praying for you" and then I'd go about my way and totally forget to pray for that person.  I would even forget what I said I would pray about. I had to check myself and realize I was only saying what sounded good, but wasn't following through with an action that would be so beneficial to a friend in need.  Prayers are free and God desires for us to cast our cares on him (1 Peter 5:7).  

Be blessed!  

Ain't nobody got time for {fat}...

A woman who goes by the name of Sweet Brown swept the nation with her catch phrase "Ain't nobody got time for that..." after she explained to a local news station her experience with a house fire and complications with bronchitis.  Since this video went viral and has been the punch line to several conversations, everyone has gotten a huge laugh on Sweet Brown's expense.  I find myself saying this line several times a week...sometimes more than that. I am definitely the type to wear a joke into the ground.  Little known fact about me...I'm working on it!

Either way, one day I was laying around and was thinking about how I needed to get up an exercise.  I struggled with finding the desire to get out of bed and do something to get my heart rate up and continue on my journey to get fit.  I also thought of a million other things that I could be doing instead of working out.  We're all busy nowadays.  We have so much on our plates and sometimes between the tasks we have to accomplish for the day and the fact that we're just plain exhausted, exercising usually comes in as a dead last on our "to-do" list.  

I have fallen in love with High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).  When you don't have a lot of time, yet you want to get a good work out in, I suggest this for you.  Now if you're not familiar with HIIT, it's basically working as hard as you can for a set amount of time, then resting for a set amount of time.  When I'm pressed for time, I get on the treadmill to get some cardio in.  By the way, I hate cardio and would rather lift weights, but cardio is a must so I must press on.  Ok, so what I do is run on the treadmill at a very high speed that I would normally not ever be able to run at (I have started at 7.5 mph). I am usually pushing it to run at 6.0 mph on the treadmill (yes, I'm a slow runner), but sometimes I can get that in and not feel like I'm going to die.  Either way, I will set the treadmill at 7.5 mph and run for 20 seconds then I hop off the treadmill and rest for 10 seconds.  I repeat this for 15 minutes.  I then up the ante and increase the speed to 8.0 mph and alternate between working and resting for the last 5 minutes.  By the time I'm finished with my 20 minute run, I'm dripping in sweat!!!! Now I must say, I'm so not a sweater! Some people can come into the gym, run for 5 minutes and they're already perspiring.  Not me! It takes a lot to get me to sweat so of course it was to my surprise when I did this for the first time and was exhausted and drenched after only 20 minutes.  There have been times when I have run on the treadmill for an hour and was nowhere near as exhausted or sweaty.  My heart rate is up, the sweat shows me my body is reacting to trying to cool itself down, and after 20 minutes I feel like I've been working out for at least an hour. 

You can also do HIIT with other exercises.  I usually make up a list of exercises I want to do and get to it. Jumping jacks, high knees, butt kicks, skaters, burpees, plank jacks, mountain climbers, lunges, squats, etc.  20 seconds on, 10 seconds of rest.  Do each exercise for 8 reps of this 20 on/10 off combination before moving on to the next exercise.  If you're not sure how you'll respond, just start with smaller reps.  Do it for 5 reps and work your way up to 8.  Research also shows that incorporating HIIT into your workout routine is more effective in burning fat quicker.  Because like Sweet Brown says...ain't nobody got time for THAT! But I say...ain't nobody got time for FAT! 

Summer is about 6 months away, so get up and get some! Happy working out!!! :) 

2013...

Today marks approximately 5 days until the new year!  Now I've been the type to make "New Years Resolutions" in the past, but this year, I'm doing something a little different.  I started thinking about what I wanted my NYRs to be a few months ago and have since then started getting in the habit of doing the things that I want to change in my life for the new year.  Don't worry, this isn't one of those "new year, new me" posts! I'm totally not on that bandwagon! I think sometimes people get really excited about a new year and make resolutions that they decide on January 1st, they are going to start making changes towards those new goals.  You start going hard on January 1st; you're pumped up and excited! You've got a new attitude...Patti LaBelle status! Then around February, you start to resort back to your old ways! You aren't as excited anymore, the goals start to get old, you lose interest, stuff starts happening that makes it hard to keep going in the right direction, you eventually quit.  Around March, you realize you're not making any more progression towards these new goals and you throw your hands up! You say "whatever!" Maybe next year I'll lose 15 pounds.  Maybe next year I'll stop dealing with no good guys who use and abuse me.  Next year, I'm cutting off all these "fake" friends who don't appreciate me.  Next year, you either get with me or get lost! Etc., etc., etc.!!!

I was reading my Bible the other day and came across this scripture that reminded me of New Years Resolutions and the type of attitude we must have to be successful.  It's from Luke 8:9-15.  This is the parable of the seed.  The seed is the word of God and verses 12-15 explains the different types of ground the seed will fall on.  Although the seed in these scriptures represents the word of God, I felt like I could use it as a metaphor to represent people who makes new years resolutions.

Type One: The Easily Discouraged.....

verse 12: Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes along and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.

The Easily Discouraged is the type of person who gets an idea of what they need to be doing to make significant changes in their lives, but they are easily discouraged by others.  You know you're overweight and it's affecting your health.  You know what you need to do and you even have a gym membership.  You know you need to start saving more of your money instead of spending it.  You are only two semesters away from graduating and getting your degree and you're standing on the decision of taking this next semester off or continuing.  You've got the vision in your heart, but your problem is, you let others deter you from accomplishing what you really need to be doing.  You decide on a gym partner to help keep you motivated, but when that person consistently cancels on you, you get discouraged too and stop going.  You continue to accept dinner invitations from friends, trips to the mall to find an outfit for yet another event instead of just wearing something you already have or just simply declining the invitation to go.  You have packed your lunch for the day, but find yourself ordering out with coworkers anyway.  You let your mind get boggled down with all these other things that you "need" to be doing instead of making school a priority and just finishing.  You've come this far, you see the light at the end of the tunnel, but you keep putting it off. Another year goes by, and all of these things have still not gotten done.  You feel like maybe it's not for you.

Type Two: Solid Ground is Nowhere to be Found....

verse 13: Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root.  They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.

Foundations are so important in just about anything we do! You want to achieve these things for the new year, but you have no idea where to start.  You're super excited for the new year! You declare: NEW YEAR, NEW ME!!  You're hype and excited for this fresh start! Woohooo this is exciting!! You've made your list of resolutions, you've put it in your mind you're going to get out there and make some changes, and then a road block comes along.  Whoa...didn't expect that one did you? You didn't have an emergency plan for those unexpected set backs that would try to get in your way.  So what do you do? You give in and feel defeated.  You give up and just like the easily discouraged person, you decide you'll just pick up and start again next year.  Around November of this new year, you'll start getting excited again and start to declare how much this "new" year was a bunch of trash and you can't wait for it to get out of here!! I'M SOOOOO DONE WITH 201__ AND I'M READY FOR 201__!!!!! A lot of the things we want to accomplish require us to have a solid foundation.  To be fully rooted in what it is we want to achieve.  If you want to lose weight, educate yourself on healthy ways to do it, surround yourself with other people who are looking to achieve the same goals.  If you want to save money, talk with a financial adviser.  Open a savings account and set up an automatic savings plan.  Plan ahead!! Expect the unexpected!!

Type Three: Unfocused Ursula/Ubaldo

verse 14: The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.

The unfocused person will be like the seed that falls on thorns.  You know what you want to accomplish or what you want to achieve, but your mind is everywhere except on your goals.  You're wandering through life aimlessly like a nomad.  You verbalized what you wanted to achieve, but you haven't written it down.  You haven't made any plans for success.  When you're unprepared like this, of course it's easy to get distracted.  Life is tough as is, so to make changes to our lives, we have to be focused.  Change requires maturity.  You'll be caught up in the same boat as the Easily Discouraged, and the person who's not standing on solid ground if you don't gain focus!

Type Four: Perseverance and the Determined Soul

verse 15: But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

This is the type of person I'm striving to be with my New Years Resolutions! Like I said before, I started early.  First I evaluated what I said I wanted to achieve for 2012 and what didn't actually get done.  I thought about what changes I wanted to make for the new year and what I wanted to continue doing that I declared for 2012.  By starting early, giving a true evaluation to your progression or regression on a daily basis, by the time the new year sets in, you're already in the habit of making the changes that you wanted to make.  Of course with any change, we will backslide, make mistakes, fall back into old habits, etc.  It's not about falling down, it's about whether you get back up and get back on track.  Going through anything and falling down makes perseverance so much sweeter in the end.  As you look back over the year and see what could have stopped you, what could have gotten in your way and stayed in your way, yet you made it through anyhow is a huge accomplishment.

I'm going to declare my "New Years Resolutions" as My Lifestyle Changes.  I only have two for right now, but they definitely will have a huge impact in my life and the lives of others.

1. To live more for God.  My relationship with God has grown and flourished as they years go on.  I am nowhere near perfect and am a sinner, but I pray and hope that I will sin less and be more pleasing in God's sight from now on.  I give myself away so He can use me.  I give God all the glory for everything he has done in my life! I was at church on Sunday and I was just thinking about how I wish I would have fallen in love with Jesus sooner. My life has been so much better since I've developed a personal relationship with him! My soul has been more at peace, my heart has smiled from the inside out, I have become a better person.  He loves me so much and I know I don't deserve it.  Had I accepted this unconditional love a long time ago, my life would have been so different.  Everything happens for a reason and my past is part of my testimony.

2. To continue to take care of my body: spiritually, mentally, and physically.  I started working out and educating myself on eating better back in November.  Since then, I am thirsty to learn more and to continue to get fit and stay fit.  My body is a temple and the only body I will have for this life.  While I am here on earth, I know I have to take the best care of it that I can! I want to be healthy for my children and grandchildren.  I also want to inspire and help others along.  A lot of people have been telling me that I'm an inspiration to them when I talk about working out and eating right.  That inspires me to keep pushing and moving forward with this goal.  The inspired inspires the inspirer and vice versa! It's a cycle of inspiration!!

What are your New Years Resolutions or are you looking to make Lifestyle Changes as well?

Holiday Stressed!!!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!!! It's interesting that just about every month of the year has a holiday in it, yet we consider the time around November, December, and January "The Holidays".  Possibly because Thanksgiving, Christmas (Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, etc.), and New Years are all within a few weeks of each other.  Although this time of the year is a very festive, joyful, and magical time of the year, it also comes along with STRESS!!!!

Getting the whole family together, traveling, Christmas shopping, packing, finishing all the unfinished business you meant to do weeks ago, cooking, cleaning, entertaining, ahhhhh the list goes on and on!! Every year, I tell myself I'm going to do better at managing this time of the year, and every year I find myself back in the same predicament as last year....stressing to make it through these next couple of weeks. Luckily for me, I'm an educator so I get two weeks of vacation.  This is so needed and appreciated!!

Things that usually stress me out during this time of the year are: packing to travel, and the shopping.  Now I love to travel and I love to shop, but when you have to do everything at once, these things start to become my least favorite things.  I usually travel to see my sister and brother-in-law for the holidays so I have to pack for an extended stay.  I'm weird about how I pack though (which probably causes me more stress).  I have to pack a bag for the weekend I spend in Richmond (I go to Richmond first then fly out of RIC to get to Ange), then another bag(s) for the trip to Memphis (that's where Ange and Chika live now).  All of this baggage is stressful within itself because I just come with so much stuff. I'm sure there's got to be a better way of packing/traveling, yet I haven't mastered this yet...*sigh*.  Right now I have a full sized suitcase, a carry-on sized suitcase, and a duffle bag. Don't forget the purse and my coat that I'll be toting along on top of my magazines that aren't quite fitting in my carry-on right now.  

With shopping, I always tell myself to start shopping early, but that rarely happens.  My mom used to shop for Christmas all year round! She'd start for next year's Christmas on December 26th of this year.  She never seemed too stressed about her holiday shopping.  I suppose it was because she did it all year round so by the time December came, she probably only had to get a few things to tie everything together.  I didn't do too bad this year, but a few people I forgot to shop for (that I forgot to shop for last year and the year before) are my coworkers.  It's that awkward moment when people are coming with gifts and cards for you and you have nothing to give back.  I know Christmas is not about receiving, but they've got to feel some kinda way that I never have anything to give back to them.  It always slips my mind until I get to school and there are several cards on my desk and other goodies from various people in the building.  I told myself that next year I'll try to remember them and at least make a photo card through Snapfish or something!! 

With all this stress talk, "The Holidays" are also that wonderful time of the year for EATING!! And lots of it!! According to this poster at my gym, the average person gains 8 pounds during the holidays! Eeekkkkk YIKES!!! 8 pounds!!!??? With all the eating (Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner), drinking, and the plethora of desserts being offered, I can totally see how gaining 8 pounds can happen if you're not careful! My gym has a challenge going on right now that encourages participants to weigh in every week from November 1st to December 31st and you must stay within 2 pounds of your original weight (well you can lose, but you can't gain more than 2 pounds).  I decided to sign up to keep me focused and to remind me that I cannot be that one who just carries on as if it doesn't matter that I've participated in the "eat, drink, and be merry" festivities without a care in the world. Thus far, after Thanksgiving I gained 2 pounds (ahhhh almost got a penalty for that one), but I have since lost it by getting more serious about my diet and putting in some really intense workouts.  I hope to practice self-control for Christmas and to continue to work out regularly while I'm on vacation.  I believe I can do it! 

What stresses you out the most during "The Holidays" and how do you deal with it?  

"I wanna be healthy...I wanna look good" - my mantra

This morning, I woke up at 5am to go to the gym before I went to church.  I am staying with a friend in town for maybe 2 days since I have to get my car repaired tomorrow and without adequate transportation, I knew going to the gym was probably not going to happen.  I am currently reading a book called "Monday Morning Choices" (will further be referred to as MMC) by David Cottrell and in chapter 2, he talks about committing passionately to our goals.  

He says a lot of people are interested in achieving their goals, but seldom do they commit to them.  Commitment means doing whatever you have to do to be sure the it gets done.  And when you're passionate about your commitments, you will more than likely be successful.  Just a little plug, this is an awesome book! I ordered mine from Amazon (a used copy) for $.01 plus $3.99 for shipping....pretty much costing me only $4.00 for a real gem!! 

Either way, one of my goals is to be healthy and to look good which will be achieved by eating right and working out.  So yes, being fit is and has always been a goal for me.  Unfortunately, I've never fully committed to this goal.  I've always been interested in being fit, but when it came down to committing, I always fell off the wagon some way or another.  My sister used to always tell me when I was younger that I wasn't dedicated enough.  I used to resent those words, but she was right. I had no dedication whatsoever.  When it was hard, I'd quit! Or I'd be doing well for a while, then something would come up and being fit would just go right out the window.  

After reading chapter 2 in MMC, I made a decision to start getting serious about being healthy and looking good.  I first had to start educating myself about foods and different fitness routines.  I started going to a Boot camp class at my gym 2 days/week and asking the trainers in the gym questions if I wasn't sure about something.  I also watched a video on YouTube called Sugar: The Bitter Truth (I found out about this in the January 2013 issue of O Magazine).  This video changed.my.life!!! That is a topic for another blog though.  I'll get more into that later.  

Then I had to develop a mantra for myself.  Sometimes you really do have to encourage yourself.  I was laying in my bed this morning and I could hear the rain pouring down outside! Now who doesn't like sleeping to the sound of rain? If you don't, that's fine...but know that I love it!! My goal was to get up at 5am and prepare to go to the gym.  I rolled out of the bed a little early (around 4:50am) and started getting ready. 

I'm a huge scardy cat (with bad nerves), so I really don't like going to the gym when it's dark outside and after staff hours...but going to a 24 hour gym does has it's perks when you have goals to get up and go at 5am on a Sunday morning.  I get to the gym and of course, no one is there. Duh...it's the 5am hour on the day of rest! Of course no one is in there! I get in there and I notice someone left a book on top of the cubbies.  I get a little closer and I notice it's a pocket sized version of the New Testament.  I immediately felt at ease and reminded myself that God was with me and there was no need to fear (Matthew 14:27).

After that, I got to work and I worked out as hard as I could.  All while chanting my mantra: "I wanna be healthy...I wanna look good".  I've noticed that a determined attitude, a mantra, and good music can get you through any workout.  Even the bad ones that you're not proud of, you at least got it done! And besides, there's always tomorrow to do it again and make it awesome!! 

Do you have a mantra for working out? What are your fitness goals? 

Dinner on a budget!

As I mentioned in my first post, I will be sharing foods that I cook and love to eat! Tonight's post is called dinner on a budget, because well...I'm on a BUDGET!! Every penny counts and every dollar has a name in this household! Now don't get it wrong, I am blessed and God definitely supplies all of my needs. Now my wants on the other hand....yeah, you get it.  But as long as my needs are supplied, I'm all good! Thank you, Lord! :)

Either way, yesterday I went by Trader Joe's (which by the way is a health haven for those on a budget) and I picked up a few things.  One of those things included some ground turkey.  I had it sitting in my refrigerator and knew I either needed to cook it or freeze it very soon.  So I decided today to cook it.  I do cook meals for one (that would be moi), so sometimes I have to get really creative so that I don't waste food as it is kind of hard to make portions small enough for just one person. With the ground turkey, I made two meals! Yes, two different meals and both were very cost efficient!  One meal I will have tonight for dinner, and those left overs will probably be lunch or dinner tomorrow.  The other meal will be eaten some time in the next few days.  

Meal number one: turkey burgers! And they are good!! So I took half the package of ground turkey to make two turkey burger patties.  I mixed an egg, sweet onions, green peppers, Mrs. Dash Onion and Herb seasoning, and a little bit of Worcestershire sauce together to make the patties.  I then cooked them in a frying pan over medium heat until they were completely cooked.  Putting the onion and green peppers in with the ground turkey makes it sometimes hard to keep the patties together while cooking, thus I added the egg. When I got finished cooking those, I set them aside because I was working on meal number two.  In the mean time, I cut up a little red onion (I love onions!!) and placed those on top of the patties and sprinkled a little bit of shredded sharp cheddar cheese on top (not too much, just a little).  To go along with my burgers, I baked some french fries.  Not the most healthiest side dish, but sometimes I have cheat days! And besides, I baked them so not too too bad.  

Meal number two: whole wheat penne pasta with marinara sauce, ground turkey, and a few pieces of turkey pepperoni.  I cut up a few more green peppers and onion and sauteed those before putting the ground turkey in to brown and cook thoroughly.  I combined the cooked penne pasta, marinara sauce, ground turkey, and pepperoni together to make a quick and easy pasta dish! I seasoned the ground turkey with Italian seasoning, basil, and oregano.  

I now have two meals using some of the same ingredients without wasting anything! 

By the way, in case you haven't noticed the trend or was wondering why...I don't eat red meat or pork so this is why I'm using the ground turkey and turkey pepperoni.  I gave up all meat instead of fish for Lent this past Lenten season and after it was over, I only incorporated chicken and turkey back into my diet.  I left the red meat and pork alone.  It hasn't been too bad either! I have really enjoyed using turkey and chicken products for that added protein.  I also use a lot of herbs and spices to season my food instead of salt.  Mrs. Dash's line of seasonings is amazing and gives food a real boost of robust flavor!! Some of my favorite from the line is lemon pepper, garlic and herb, original seasoning, and onion and herb! 

meal #1

I didn't have any bread, so I basically adorned my turkey burger with all the fixings without a bun.  I added fresh spinach, red onion, organic ketchup, and spicy brown mustard.  I am also working on taking at least 20 minutes to eat my food instead of scarfing it all down in record time.  What I found to be helpful was to write this blog while I ate.  And sure enough, it's been about 20 minutes! I washed dinner down with a tall glass of water!! I may have a piece of fruit for dessert.  

Do you like turkey burgers? If you make yours from scratch, what do you like to season yours with? 

Prayers for Newtown, CT...

As you all may have heard by now, there was a tragic mass shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut early yesterday morning.  It is with a very heavy heart that I state 20 children and 6 adults were killed.  Although our nation still remains in great shock over these horrific events, school shootings are becoming very familiar in America.  This event really hit home for me because I work in an elementary school  that is about the same size as Sandy Hook E.S.  Every day, I walk into the building and the joy those children bring me is beyond what words can describe! They are our future and I love them all!

Yesterday, I went home and I read countless Facebook status posts, twitter messages, and tweetgram messages on Instagram about this senseless tragedy.  All I could think about was praying for these people.  It is about 10 days before Christmas and families are torn to pieces with grief and an unanswered question of "Why?"

Many of the posts I read were posts of anger labeling the gun man as "crazy", "sick", "evil", and the list goes on.  I don't know what the motive for this was, but all I could think of was mental illness.  Many of the shootings that have taken place in our nation have been committed by someone who suffers from a mental illness (depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, multiple personality disorder, etc.). All of these illnesses are real and we must educate ourselves and get the people who are suffering the help they need!

I can't put this all on mental illness because the case is still being investigated.  We still don't know why.  In the mean time, prayers for those who are too weak to pray on their own are much needed right now! I can't stop thinking about everyone affected! The parents of the children who were killed, the family members of the staff members who were slain, the children in the building who were there to witness their classmates be murdered, the staff members who had to think as fast as they could to protect the children in their classroom, the members of the community who never thought this would happen in a town like Newtown.  They all need our prayers right now.

Times like this are times when we need to cling to God! To seek him and really rely on Him to get us through.  Some people will be angry with God, swearing He is nowhere to be found because how could He let this happen? God is always there and we don't know why things happen the way they do, but despite this tragedy, the rest of our nation is coming together grieving with these people.  We are pulling together to host candle light vigils in honor and memory of the slain victims.  We are interceding on their behalf to pray for peace, comfort, and joy to come in the morning.  God is working in the lives of so many of us right now! I even saw a Facebook post that said "I"m not really religious, but I'm praying for these people".  Now that's God! Tragedy does that sometimes.  We can't control what happened or change it, but we can control our reaction.  My reaction is to mourn with these people, but mainly to pray for them.  My reaction is to continue to spread the love of Jesus and to believe his word that he will comfort those who mourn (Matthew 5:4), he will heal the brokenhearted and bind their wounds (Psalm 147:3), and that these children will come to Jesus and be among the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:4).

God bless Newtown, Connecticut and God Bless America!

Hello....are you there?

Welcome to my blog! I have been inspired to start a blog based on the journey of my life and all the happenings, but have neglected to do so for so long! Finally I mustered up the courage and time to put this thing into action! Ok so welcome!!! I'm excited about having you here and hope you find my blog to be interesting, exciting, and most of all INSPIRING!

I want to focus on many things mainly in under the topics of faith, fitness, food, family and friends, fun and some other things that probably don't start with an "F"! :)

So here's a basic break down on why I chose these topics:

1. Faith - I am a devout Christian striving to live a life that is pleasing to God and inspiring to others on a daily basis!! My faith and relationship with God has grown tremendously over the past few years and I'm in awe at how far I've come and excited about how far I will continue to go! I have found so much peace and joy since I fully accepted Christ into my heart! I couldn't imagine life without the love of Jesus in it!

2. Fitness - I have become a true lover of fitness!! I have always had goals of wanting to be fit, but I never fully committed myself to them until recently! Being fit is truly a lifestyle and so many changes had to be made in my life to adapt to this. Be on the look out for fitness inspiration, tips, and just what I'm doing from day to day to stay healthy and fit!

3. Food - We all love food! We can't live without it! Right? Right! I believe to be fit and stay fit, we must be conscious of the things we're eating.  All calories are not created equally, so educating ourselves on what is in our food is soooooo important!!! I used to think if I ate a bunch of crap and just went to the gym to work it off, I'd be good.  Unfortunately, working out helps, but it doesn't change the fact that I still allowed so many horrible things to enter my body...my one and only temple!

----*Disclaimer* I am not a fitness or food expert.  I am just really interested in the topic and will just share whatever I'm learning about or whatever is working for me.  Always do your own educating on these things to be sure it's right for you and your body! ----

4. Family and Friends - this is another important aspect of my life. Their support, encouragement, and love for me has helped me through some of the hardest times in my life! I will definitely have to post things about my family and friends because they are a part of me!!

5. Lastly...fun - Everyone loves to have fun! Laughter is the medicine for the soul! One aspect of fun that I love so much is TRAVEL!!! I will post about my experiences, and other things that I love to do for fun!

...so in case you hadn't noticed, you might be wondering why I chose "Romantic Comic" as my handle. Well I am a true lover!! I love love! God is love!! Thus I love God! But really, I do love love! I"m a huge romantic and believe in pure, beautiful, healthy love! Not just in romantic relationships, but love everywhere! And in case you don't know me personally, I'm rather funny! I feel like my energetic and bubbly personality brings a lot joy to the lives of others and I'm proud to be able to put a smile on peoples faces!

...so here we go! Enjoy and please leave a comment if you're feeling inspired! :)

Yours Truly,

Ash