Christmas Slideshow

Merry Christmas

Powerful

Straight vs. Curly

Nate informed me tonight that when I wear my hair curly, it makes my face look much better...emphasis on "much"....

I'm not even sure if that was an insult or compliment...?

My Dog

Who Is Your God?

I wrote this for something else, but figured I would share...

This is my God...He is a God in a league of His own...A God who reigns on His throne in Heaven and rules over everything...He controls all things and can accomplish anything by just speaking the word...And although He could have saved us and rescued us from our tragic eternal destiny by merely demanding it, He chose in His own tender way to interact with us...to humble Himself and become one of us...My God became a man...He sat with sinners and men who scoffed Him. He reached out to the lowest on the social ladder. He met woman at the well and hypocrites in the synagogue. He offered eternal life to thieves, adulterers and murderers...My God is a personal God who offers a personal relationship with Him...He works in indescribable, unexplainable ways and His life and death prove this...He wrote His own story and could have chose any other plot, but He chose to become the Sacrificial Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. My God never fails. He never leaves you. He is the true essence of what love is. He offers new life...and life abundant. He is the origin of Joy, Hope and Peace. He rescued my soul and restored my spirit. He met me in my dark room and turned on the light. He is my Creator, my Savior, My Redeemer...He is my calm in the storm. He is worthy of my service, my gratitude, my praise and my worship. This is my God...the God who became flesh and dwelt among us.

Day Five

This will probably be the last post for a while about the health and fitness challenge...why? because it is boring to read about eating healthy almost as much as it is eating healthy...I'm going to continue my challenge and update you here and there, but I'm not dedicating every post to it.

I ate really good today...it could be the fact that I gained two pounds over the weekend! (stupid chinese food) But every day is a new day and I chose to eat healthy!!

One thing I have to work on is drinking more water. The benefits of drinking water are huge...including reducing the risk of certain cancers, cleansing your body of toxins...Plus, you just feel better when you are properly hydrated. When I worked at LA, I drank over 64 oz a day with no problem...but once you stop doing that it is hard to get back into it...It really does take a conscious decision.

What is your favorite healthy snack?

Day Three and Four...etc

Yikes! Yesterday was NOT a good day "food-wise"...I rationalized that banana bread was healthier than pumpkin bread...ate Chinese food for lunch...and had the ever so convenient fast food for dinner...So, yesterday was a complete disaster...nutritionally anyways. I haven't had chocolate yet though!!!

Today's Challenge for myself is to just not eat junk today!

Church was a blessing last night. I love when Mike preaches!! An excellent reminder of God as a Wonderful Counselor...I intend on increasing my wonder....which will in turn decrease doubt.

Day Two

So, I already miss chocolate AND pumpkin bread and wonder what on earth am I going to eat for breakfast and lunch now...



Physical Challenge: Do 25 of this awesome Pilates exercise...It is called the perfect curl and it was my favorite Pilates move that Ari taught me.



Perfect curl: Knees together, feet slightly wider than hips, toes turned in, and fingers interlaced behind head.



Exhale as you lift your head and chest up off the floor. Inhale on the way back down. Keep your head a couple inches of the floor at all times.

Some things to remember:

1). Inhale through your nose, deep exhale out your mouth...like you are fogging a mirror.

2). Always draw your stomach back toward your spine

3). Quality over quantity! You will gain more benefits through slow, controlled movement.

4). Adjust the exercises so that they are comfortable for you. You should feel tired but never in pain.

I hope you enjoy this one because I love it!



Nutritional Challenge: Keep a record of everything you eat and drink including condiments and the little things you pick at between meals...you would be surprised about how many calories are wasted on pointless things that don't even satisfy.



Spiritual Challenge: What is your favorite Bible verse and why?



So, I danced to "Shackles" by Mary Mary ...I just couldn't think of anything else and that was always fun at Bible College and at Young Married Beth Moore Retreats :)



What did you dance to?

For your viewing pleasure...

Day One

Physical Challenge: This won't be hard at all! At some point today, find your favorite song and get off your butt and dance to it...

Nutritional Challenge: Think of the one thing that you eat excessively that is a complete waste of calories and cut your intake of them in half today...enjoy it because tomorrow we are saying "goodbye"...I'm saying "goodbye" to chocolate and pumpkin bread...I've been eating it everyday lately.

Spiritual Challenge: Read 1 Timothy 4:8 and remember that there is no point in fixing up our outsides if we are not pretty on the inside.

I Challenge You!...

Well, I'm mostly challenging me...I'm feeling a 30 day health and fitness challenge...who's in? Don't worry, it won't be too challenging because I will be doing it too...


Disclaimer: you are not guaranteed any results at all...I just think it would be fun if we were all (however many of you actually read this) doing the same thing everyday not necessarily at the same time. Let's start tomorrow...check back for your first daily challenge!...hmmm...I have to make one up first...I'm kinda doing this on a whim...should be fun.

Happy Birthday!

Welcome to the world, Ava Grace Tucker!!

Born December 1, 2008
7lbs. 4 oz. 20 in.

We waited to see your perfect face for so long now and you are finally here!

Here are some words used to describe Ava...PERFECT, PRECIOUS, LITTLE, WONDERFUL IN EVERY WAY, AWESOME, MIRACLE, SO COOL, LOVEABLE, KISSABLE...all of them fit so perfectly. She is each and everyone of these to the fullest extent!

Shaun and Ashley: I am so proud of you! It is not easy to wait for God's perfect timing, but you did it! Remember the journey and God's guiding hand through it all! I am so excited about your new little family of three!

Tag You're It!

I was tagged for a meme by Hil at The Gleam of Rose Tea. The tag is to grab the nearest book, turn to the 123rd page and write sentence 5,6,7,8.

So...nearest book is "Ruthless Trust" by Brennan Manning.
Sentence 5 is kinda catching him in the middle of his testimony, but here it goes:

"Simply present yourself to God, clinging to nothing but your humanness. And so the hours of prayer became a death to all past achievements and any identity not grounded in truth. Soon, I discovered that, in addition to alcohol, I had developed a second addiction: ministry. The attention and recognition that come from writing and preaching, teaching and counseling, had become my latest drug of choice."

I love this book because Manning has a way of being poetically intelligent and transparently honest. He talks openly about his addiction to alcohol and uses it in counseling others. This book is about trust in God that allows you to be thankful for everything...the good, bad, the ugly. It is a recommendable read.