FAMILY Archives • Page 22 of 49 • New Nostalgia

FAMILY/ Kids/Family/ Leaving A Legacy/ Love/ Parenting/ Spiritual

Leaving A Legacy-A Post For My 3 Girls

As a 2-time cancer survivor, I look at life with tangible knowledge that life could end at any given moment. None of us know how long we have here on this earth. This legacy series to my 3 girls…my lovelies… is my way of attempting to leave a legacy for them. To speak of what is most important for them to know from me, their forever Mom.

+++

It’s funny, my girls. I’ve wanted to write this series for awhile, but where to start? There are so many important things I want to tell you, and frankly I fail at this so often. I try to tell you verbally, and I know, especially now that you are older, that it often turns into a lecture.

So, I’ve decided to start with a journal entry I found, dating back to the year 2008. I remember writing it. I was at the Lied Lodge in Nebraska City, having a day set apart for just me and God. I remember a feeling a strong sense of unease, like something big was coming up and I needed to prepare both myself and my family for it. I didn’t know what that meant, but I had this pressing desire to express to you words that I would want to say if I ever was not around to say them.

This was 2 years before my cancer diagnosis. You were only age 9, 8 & 5. Precious wee ones. I’ve decided to share this with you as the first post of this series because I thought it was fitting to start with truth, and an apology.

+++

{Mother’s Day 2011}

Journal Entry March 18, 2009

For My Girls:

You are God’s precious treasure.

So very precious.

He also has treasure for you!

Receive the treasure He offers you.

The treasure of Jesus.

Nothing compares to Him! He will never leave you or forsake you. You will never be alone. He holds you in His hands. I entrust you to him, you are His, not mine.

Forgive me, my girls. I know I am not patient. At times my words can be harsh and my temper gets the best of me too often. God is working on me, and I promise to continue to grow in Him. He is creating a work in me. I pray He protects you from my shortcomings and my growth process. Oh, how I long to be a Mom who is already complete in my wisdom. But, until Heaven, when we will all be perfected and will all act perfectly, I will keep running forward and doing my best for Him in this crazy race of life. What a blessing to get to run this race with your Dad as my husband (he is SO wonderful) and as you 3 as my girls. You bring me so much JOY! God is only getting started with you, this is only just the beginning! He has so much for you. His way truly is the only way.

Follow Him. Keep His commands. Accept His forgiveness.

Have patience while He completes his work in you and don’t give into Satan’s lies. He will tell you that you are not good enough. He is a liar, a deceiver. Fill you mind with God’s truth about you so you can discern when Satan is trying to trick. He is sneaky. Watch for his craftiness BUT BY NO MEANS BE FEARFUL of him.

Our God is so powerful and so much bigger. Get to know God’s promises and cling to them, to Him, for He is truly awesome.

I Love You More-n,

Mom

+++

Source: unafloresita.blogspot.com via New on Pinterest

FAMILY

Goal Setting & Reflection-December 2012 – Purposeful Living

Goal Setting and Reflection December 2012

Goal Setting & Reflection-December 2012 – Purposeful Living

These posts written by Todd (Amy’s husband) are designed to model a system of purposeful living. At least once a month, he spends time setting meaningful goals around one of seventeen core priorities.

If you missed it, consider reading the foundation post – Purposeful Living #1.

Correct Priority #4 – Social Health-Spouse

Goal – December 2012

Invest in the social and emotional health of my wife and strengthen my marriage by reading and discussing two books with Amy in 2013. The first book must be a mutually agreed upon marriage book. The second book may be any book of Amy’s choice. Specific goals include:

Mutually choose a marriage book.
Amy chooses a book of her choice.
Decide how often to read and discuss each book.
Develop a plan to ensure relevant discussion and dialogue.

Thoughts

This goal has become a yearly tradition and one that has proven to be very beneficial to our marriage.

Strong marriages don’t just happen by accident. They need to be nurtured through commitment and sacrifice.

Reading a marriage book together is an opportunity to prioritize our marriage. It will allow us to focus on what is important to keep our marriage strong. Reading a second book of Amy’s choice is an opportunity to enter Amy’s world. It is an opportunity to learn what is important to her and show her I care about the details of her life.

In future posts I will share the books we chose and some things I learned from each selection.

Correct Priority #7 – Physical Health

Goal – December 2012

Become physically stronger by developing a daily/multi-day home strength training plan. I am specifically interested in strengthening the muscles in my upper body.

Thoughts

I have not lifted weights or done any strength training since college (almost twenty years ago). But now that I am past the age of forty (whoa) it is probably time to start up again.

Studies show that people generally lose about 1 percent of lean muscle mass per year after age 40. One major problem of losing muscle is it becomes harder to lose weight or stay at an ideal weight because developed muscle burns more calories than undeveloped muscle.

Three years ago I lost 25 pounds and have managed to stay at my ideal weight since then. But if I am going to be successful at staying this weight as I get older, developing muscle mass is going to be a necessity.

Since I am very lazy I will have to develop a weight-lifting plan I can complete at home. I am not about to get up at some crazy hour each morning to go a gym to work out.

In addition, I do not have any weights at home so I will need to get creative with my strength training plan. I believe there are a variety of exercises I can do that involve only my own body weight as resistance (pull-ups, sit-ups, push-ups, etc.). So I should be okay.

I’m not looking to become a body builder. I am looking to do just enough strength training to avoid losing muscle mass now that I’m getting older. Developing just a bit of muscle would also be cool. I think my wife would appreciate that.

And no, I am not doing P90X, Insanity, or any other of those crazy home workouts. I wouldn’t last 5 minutes with those routines. Not interested. I am looking for something simple, easy, I can do every day, and won’t lead to burn out.

Correct Priority #7 – Physical Health

Goal – December 2012

Thoroughly review every section of Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s website (www.drfuhrman.com) to gain better understanding of his nutrition philosophy.

Thoughts

Dr. Fuhrman is a board certified family physician, best-selling author, and nutritional researcher who specializes in preventing and reversing disease through nutritional and natural methods.

I first became familiar with Dr. Fuhrman after watching the documentary Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead with my wife several months ago. He was only in the documentary for a few minutes, but I was intrigued by what he was saying. I was specifically intrigued by the Nutritarian Food Pyramid which he developed and was highlighted in the movie.

Ever since watching that documentary I have been toying around with the idea of becoming more vegan (or maybe completely vegan). The key for me in making this switch is that I would have to thoroughly enjoy the food. It would have to taste good.

A thorough review of Dr. Fuhrman’s website is a good place for me to start. He is a leader in this field and can likely both provide me with great information and also point me in the right direction to new information as I embark on this journey to further transform my eating habits.

Foundation Post

Build Your To-Do List Around Correct Priorities – Purposeful Living #1

Outline Of All Purposeful Living Posts

Purposeful Living Outline

Counting Gifts/ FAMILY/ Kids/Family

Captured Life Tidbits–Our Life In Instagram Pictures

So thankful for these moments– these tidbits–that make up life.

Capturing the moments visually is a gift.

It keeps me present, it keeps me thankful, & reminds me to live NEW!

~a yearly tradition. A Family night out to Valentino’s Pizza Buffet

~after pizza, we each chose an ornament. The after Christmas sales are great!

~reading Scripture on my phone. A simple click to underline & share.

~gifts of love in the mail from our heart friends in Cali.

~a family date day, planned by Dad

~a trip to Omaha on our family date, to a Christian bookstore

~fun, family chill time.

~oh how I love my 3 lovelies

~Salted Caramel Pops. A Starbucks snack for the ride home.

~Dad instructs each girl to choose a Bible, a book & a devotional

~evidence of their choices being used. How their choices show their individual personalities

~a low key New Years Eve at home. A few fun snacks.

~how festive touches make it fun

~using my manicure skills to make their fingers sparkle & spend quality time with them

FAMILY/ Spiritual

I Finally Found a Word for 2013

I’ve been keeping my eyes and ears open for the perfect word for 2013. I found this beautiful image on Pinterest and immediately knew I had stumbled upon my word. Couldn’t you just spend an afternoon (or 5!) curled up on that couch with a book and some chai?

This is the opposite of worry, fear, anxiety & fretting. It is only accomplished in me through the power of Him. It will remind me of the deep trust I have in God and His goodness, that nothing passes through His hands to me that He is not aware of. It will remind me that “Life is NOT an emergency”-Ann Vosamp. It will remind me to be serene enough to be present in each moment, continuing to remember to life this life NEW! Cancer did not take my life, and I see that as an opportunity to live intentionally. Submitted to my Creator. Calm.

My Simple New Year’s Resolutions

1. Get my greens daily. In salads, smoothies or juicing.

2. Get to the gym, 3 hours a week.

3. One load of laundry per day. Washed, dried & put away.

Breville Compact Juicer–On Sale for $99.

Below is the juicer I use and love!

Click here for my posts on juicing/juice recipes.

Books/ FAMILY/ Love/ Spiritual

Supplementing Bible Study With Great Books – Purposeful Living

These posts written by Todd (Amy’s husband) are designed to model a system of purposeful living. At least once a month, he spends time setting meaningful goals around one of seventeen core priorities.

If you missed it, consider reading the foundation post – Purposeful Living #1.

Correct Priority
Priority #1 – Spiritual HealthGoal Setting & Reflection Date
November 2012

Goal
I need to always be reading one life giving book focused on growing in my relationship with God. Specifically, I need to develop a process for identifying great books to read.

Goal Status
Completed

Thoughts – UPDATED
I spent a couple weeks after setting this goal looking through my library of books at home, doing some internet searches, and getting book suggestions from others.

Nothing peaked my interest until I came across a book I read years ago in college – The Pursuit Of Godby A.W. Tozer. Apart from the Bible this is the most influential book I have ever read.

The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer

I was excited because he has written many books of the exact type I am looking for. I want to grow in my relationship with God. There are few people write about this topic more passionately and profoundly than Tozer.

After browsing through all of his books I selected Man: The Dwelling Place of God by A. W. Tozer as the next book I will read to supplement my Bible reading. As an added bonus the Kindle version of this book was only $.99 on Amazon.

Man the Dwelling Place of God by A.W. Tozer

The first paragraph of the Introduction to this book is fantastic and I want to share it with you below.

The supreme interest in the life of A. W. Tozer was God: He who spoke and brought the world into being, Who justly rules over men and nations, yet deigns to make man His dwelling place. He believed that all that really matters is for man to be in right relationship with God, that his first duty-and privilege-is “to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” For this reason he delighted to speak to men of God’s majesty and wonder and grace and he ever sought to instruct and exhort Christians to let this be the purpose of their lives. He grieved that they should be content with less.

Thoughts – ORIGINAL
I’ve been reading through the entire Bible over the last couple of years which has been a great use of my time. But I also want to supplement that reading with literature focused on nurturing my personal relationship with Him.
//

Foundation Post
Build Your To-Do List Around Correct Priorities – Purposeful Living #1

Outline Of All Purposeful Living Posts
Purposeful Living Outline