Saturday Morning!

Don't you love Saturday mornings?  There is rarely one like the next.  Last Saturday we were buried in snow, and the children were working on this work of art:

It was a day for comfort food, warm jammies and old movies.

Today?  55 degrees! Not a drop of snow left in our yard (including Bob the Snowman, RIP.  He went quickly.)  Heatwave in Wisconsin!  Sunny skies and my 4 year old is trying to convince me he needs to wear his shorts today.

Its making me think about how close we are getting to these kind of Saturdays:

Yay!

This morning we have had a leisurely morning, meaning a nice bowl of oatmeal, coffee and a lovely date with my treadmill while the kiddies catch up on playing make believe and Saturday morning cartoons!

One of this week's echoes is a lovely thing called Cauliflower Pizza Crust first seen over at Meals and Moves and also at Lauren's blog.  I am such a carb addict, I cannot stop at one piece of pizza and we all know how quickly those calories can add up.  This is an awesome alternative!  I am literally going out this afternoon to get some Cauliflower to try this!

Second Echo?  Support.

As in,  I can't get to my workouts, eating well, getting through the busiest time at work, be a present mom and wife, without the countless people who bless me with their support.

As in, how I needed support when I cut my knuckle this week while getting dinner ready for the kids.  And how it started GUSHING blood, completely freaking out my children, and which momentarily made my head spin.  Scary.  My oldest girl, God bless her heart, jumped to my assistance and helped get dinner done while mommy held her elevated hand with pressure, until 20 minutes later it finally stopped gushing.

As in, how our worship leader has had the flu and wisely called me to sub at this week's choir practice for the Easter season services.  This is something I haven't headed up in a few years, and I remembered  how much I enjoy it.  The great group of people that make up the choir make it such a fun time too!

As in, I have been seriously considering how much I verbally and by actions support my friends and loved one's.  Self-check.  Hmmm....

In my readings this week, I came upon Colossians 4:6:  Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer every one.  Salt has powerful preservation abilities and enhances taste. In terms of our speech and actions toward others, it should be gracious, wholesome, and edifying.  Supportive.  That doesn't mean we can't ever be critical.  But like my mom always said, there will be plenty of people ready with criticism, why not bless your friends and family with some unrestrained support?

More references on supporting each other? Below are a few.  Happy Saturday all, time for us to take advantage of some vitamin D boosting sunshine!

1. Be devoted to one another (Rom. 12:10).
2. Build up one another (Rom. 14:19; 1 Thes. 5:11).
3. Counsel one another (Rom. 15:14).
4. Be gentle with one another (Eph. 4:2).
5. Speak truth to one another (Eph. 4:25; Col 3:9).
6. Show compassion to one another (Col. 3:12).
7. Encourage one another (1 Thes. 5:11).
8. Seek good for one another (1 Thes. 5:15).
9. Pray for one another’s spiritual and physical healing (James 5:16).
10. Be long-suffering and patient toward one another (1 Peter 4:8; Eph. 4:2).

Be Well

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice--the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Romans 12:1


We are into the third month of the year, March!  Of course living in Wisconsin, that means we nestled in for a snowstorm!  While I'd like to be heading out into some spring like weather for some activity, mother nature has other plans. 

Just another something that can derail the best of healthy moving intentions.  So how are those New Year's resolutions?  The best way to stay on top of those goals, is to keep the topic forefront.  Look for inspiration and encouragement daily to achieve your goals.

Sometimes I'm inspired by healthy living books, fitness magazines, documentaries and even random runners on the road on my drive home (thanks ultra runners!).  But recently, blogs have been fueling my motivation.  Here are a few of my recent favorites for eating and moving well:


Better with Veggies

Heather is always inspiring.  Focusing on plant based food and exercise.  Love her!

Moves and Meals
From Salt Lake City, Janetha always has recipes to share and best of all they are Packer fans (GO PACK!!).  As the title promises, great meals and moves shares.  She is also nominated for Fitness Mag's best eating blog award.  You can check her out and other inspiring blogs here.


Oatmeal after Spinning
From info on Tofu Presses, supplements, books and great looking recipes, its always a good read at Lauren's blog.  Then she posts beautiful things like this pic of Bear Lake.  Is that gorgeous or what?!









Runs for Cookies
Katie has lost over 100 lbs!  She is one of my biggest inspirations.  She is true blue tough as nails in my book.  You can follow her new love of running (or rather how she feels AFTER running), and read up on her amazing story and recent appearance on Dr. Oz!

Oh She Glows
Angela ALWAYS has recipes that I want to run to the kitchen to try.  Vegan recipes galore, like this recent Millet Bowl with Mushroom Gravy,  talk about comfort food!






Running with Tongs

Lindsay is a Certified Holistic Health Coach who is currently expecting...awww.  Another plant based healthy living blogger, she is someone who has struggled with weight and decided to take control.  Getting healthier every day, check out her blog for great recipes and healthy living info.

Ahh....now I'm off.  Time to get moving myself!

Weekend Echoes

Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. — Ferris Bueller

Because people are writing or sharing clever, interesting, inspiring images and words every day, here are a few echoes from this week that have influenced me.   This week's echo?  Share your life story.

• As seen on a facebook share:

  - Source Unknown

• This week marked the start of the Just One Conference !  There are amazing leadership women speaking such as Kay Warren and Jenni Catron.  One of my favorite points of reflection came from Heather Palacios, Executive Pastor’s Wife at Church by the Glades:  There is incredible power in your own personal story if you are willing to transparently share it.  Will embarrassment stop me or will faith propel me? 

I absolutely ask myself that question each time I sit down and write.  There are times that I read my blog and think - do I really want to hit that publish button?  Now, do I tell my friends to read this blog???  Hmmm..

There's still time to jump on board.  The Just One Conference is going on over the next three weeks.

• Great post for reflection from Carlos Whittaker. Be Brave and Stand, though technically not from this week, was new to me this week. Absolutely love his style of laying out some simple, but deep, in your face, kick you in the pants, posts.    Favorite line:  "Resolve doesn’t come from an easy life."  As I read this blog, I wanted to continue - be brave, stand, then share your story!  What so many people cloak as  hardship and failure and carry as shame, is really a story of resolve, survival and inspiration!  We all want to know we are not alone, and hearing your stories of difficult times, or moments when you had to start all over again, encourage all of us - we too can get through and overcome!

• Steven Chaparro writes about The Power of Story.  Favorite line: "He has prepared words, chapters, and pictures for your future story that will cause you to shake your head in awe. They will read of faith, hope, and love. "  So true!  Your life is a great novel!  If you read back over your life like a book - think about all the small but amazing pieces that make up your story.  Foreshadows of things to come.  The gradual build to each climax.  Beautiful.