Fit Friday: Body and Spirit Connection

Few women are satisfied with their bodies - even the most beautiful movie stars such as Julia Roberts have had stand-ins for certain scenes. Our culture bombards us with the message that we need to buy something to make ourselves more attractive. There's ads for losing 10 pounds in 10 days, how to look younger, have glowing skin, prettier eyes, plumper lips, glossier hair - you name - they sell it! The message of the world YOU MUST NOT AGE! But guess what - we ARE aging!

Have you ever thought about your body and your spirit and how they are connected - take it one step further and separate them...

When you die - your body goes into the grave - but your spirit will go to heaven to be with God. Now you ask - then what will my body be like in heaven? I answered this question here...but here's the short answer:

Just as you sow a tiny sunflower seed in the ground and reap a huge beautiful flower - our bodies will be planted in the grave and our new heavenly bodies will be vastly different than the seed that was planted - this is explained in I Corinthians 15.

"When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. (37,38)...There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another(40)...So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.(42-44)"

When you place your faith in Christ and are born again - the Holy Spirit comes to reside inside of you according to I Corinthians 6:19-20 "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."

So inside of your body resides your spirit AND the Holy Spirit. Your body is just a container to hold them both. Should you take care of this container? Absolutely - it is not your own - it was bought with a price - the price of Jesus' blood on the cross. God uses your eyes - to bring his word to your spirit, he uses your hands to serve others, he uses your feet and mouth to bring the good news of Jesus to others, he uses your mouth to worship him, encourage others, and train your children. He uses your body to minister to your husband's spirit - if you know what I mean wink wink!!!

You need to feed your body, exercise your body - take care of your body!!!! Psalm 139:14 says you are wonderfully and fearfully made - stop tearing your body down in the mirror - and start praising the Lord for the way your body has helped you experience and enjoy the blessings God has given you. If you are reading this - your heart is beating - thank you Jesus, your lungs are working - thank you Jesus, your eyes can see - thank you Jesus, your hands can type - thank you Jesus. Your body has served your spirit well thus far! Thank you Jesus!

Stop believing Satan's lie in every magazine that this container you live in is not good enough - you are good enough for Jesus - he DIED for you - he LOVES you! Be satisfied with your aging body - it's a part of God's plan that we cannot change.

I am with you in this struggle for satisfaction. I have been training for my second race that I will run on Sunday with a group of friends - it's been a painful process - I HATE running - but I know that I am being a good steward of my container. Let's take care of our container so we can serve God with full energy and zip till he calls our spirit home! Take care of your body today - feed it good things, stretch those muscles and use them - "if you don't use it you lose it!"

And MOST importantly do not neglect your spirit! Life is but a vapor - Walk with the King!

http://www.womenlivingwell.org/

Knowing God's Will

The first time I EVER babysat I did a horrific thing! I was babysitting for my neighbors across the street and I put their children down for a nap. Then I sat down in the living room to watch TV and moments later I noticed another neighbor outside. Being the extrovert that I am, I thought I'd go out and just wave high. Why Oh why did I feel compelled to wave??? So I stepped outside - and you know what happened - the door LOCKED!

My intentions were not bad...but I made a very bad decision and became a really incompetent babysitter quickly! Luckily, I could run across the street to my parents and call the mother BUT it was terribly embarrassing to admit what I had done. The family was gracious and did continue to use me as a sitter - but the fear I had that day that the door locked - still sticks with me. I had failed to do what was best - and I should have known better!

Have you been there? Completely locked out of the center of God's will? Have you done or said something you completely regretted and didn't know how to correct it?

Everyone has regrets in life. One thing I have learned from my regrets is that I must walk with God daily and take everything to him because my gut and heart can lead me in the wrong direction - I just don't trust myself anymore! God is my anchor and my guide. I want to be directly behind him and go where he leads me. But how can we know God's will? There is only ONE way - to be in his word and pray every single day.

Romans 12:2 says "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Doing this one thing - renewing your mind daily in God's word will literally change the course of your life! It does not mean your life will be perfect - but it does mean you will remain in the center of God's will - and there's no better place on earth than resting in the center of God's will.

Daily we must seek to know God's will and it's in his written word. Daily we must renew our minds or we will be conformed to this world. Daily - daily - daily... here's the key word for doing this daily ...discipline - discipline yourself daily to Walk with the King! You can't afford to be locked out of God's will for just one day. Walk with the King and you will experience the truth of Romans 12:2 - "you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will."

If you don't know where to start - start with Romans chapter 12 - it is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible - my husband and I memorized this chapter together when we were dating. It has a lot of solid counsel for relationships. So dive in and rest in the center of God's will.

Walk with the King!

http://www.womenlivingwell.org/

Family Devotions

Have you been a part of a small group? What was your favorite part? Most likely it was the way you grew closer to those in the group as you opened up during discussion time about things in God's word and things close to your heart.

We led a small group in our home for 3 years that ended a year ago. I was very sad on the last evening as the small group came to an end. God had new things in the plans for Keith and I and so we felt the need to move on. But I had grown very attached to the group. I prayed for them regularly, thought of them often and enjoyed the close, safe friendships that I had with them. Over the course of 2-3 hours during our meeting times the conversations usually went deeper and deeper and deeper. Rarely in life do we discuss the deeper things of God - it takes time to get there. So I valued this small group like none other.

In the past year, I have seen a small group blossom in my little family of four. While the kids have been young I have looked at devotional time as Keith and I being the teachers and the kids being the students. But as the kids have begun to want to discuss some of the deeper things in God's word, I see a turn in our times together from being a teaching atmosphere to more of a small group discussion atmosphere and I LOVE it!

Daily I read out of the NIV Bible during breakfast to the children. Because of my husband's work schedule it is difficult to have family devotions daily - so weekly is what we currently do. I blogged about our summer family devotions on the 10 commandments here.

I always imagined that devotional time as a family would be magical - that is not the case. It is hard work and it takes some planning to make it a meaningful time and discussion - but what we gain from our "small group" time together is priceless!

If your family does not already meet together at least once a week to read the Bible, I want to encourage you to start a devotional time now. Approach your husband to see what he thinks. If he is like my husband he will want your help. Be your husband's helper and take the initiative to chose a book or a study that your family would enjoy. Then help your husband by getting the children together and ready to meet. If you have little ones who won't make it through the time quietly, prepare them with crayons and paper or another book they can look at. My children have journals that they draw pictures in of what we are reading and discussing. Allow your husband to lead and make it your duty to keep the children quiet so your family can experience a meaningful time of meeting with God and each other.

I have discovered a powerful tool for memorizing verses and it's called Seeds Family Worship. This company makes CD's with verses set to modern music that the entire family can enjoy - while memorizing scripture. Check out this video below with one of their songs from their CD's. I can guarantee you if you listen to the song the entire way through you will have Psalm 55:22 memorized. Give it a try! I highly recommend you purchase one of their CD's even if you don't have small children - purchase it for yourself!




Feel free to share in the comments section what you have done in the past for family devotions - I have a lot to learn in this area and would love to hear from you on this subject!

Walk with the King!

http://www.womenlivingwell.org/

Tasty Tuesday: Quick and Easy Pizza Bread

This quick and easy pizza bread is original... one day I just decided to roll up my pizza without the sauce like a Stromboli and it worked! So this is not fancy - but it is quick, easy and a hit in my house.

Quick and Easy Pizza Bread:

1 can refrigerated Pizza crust dough

1+ cup of mozzarella cheese

Pepperoni
1 large egg, beaten

1 small jar of pizza sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Unroll the dough onto your cookie sheet and roll it to 1/4 inch thickness.

3. Sprinkle it with cheese and toppings (but no sauce).

4. Roll it up. Brush it with the egg and sprinkle it with some Italian seasoning.

5. Bake it at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until brown.

6. Cut it into 2 inch thick slices and serve the pizza sauce on the side!

I am participating in "In Passionate Pursuit's" Tasty Tuesday and in Tempt Your Tummy Tuesday. For more blogger recipes go to these links!

Walk with the King!

http://www.womenlivingwell.org/

Losing My Mind!

So I went to the attic the other day. I needed something that was up there. So up I went - boy was it hot up there! Then I walked to the back of the attic and stood there - hmph - I couldn't remember why I had gone up there - what exactly was it that I needed? I wandered around a little to see if I would see what I was looking for and remember and well - nothing came to me. So I stood there and thought...I'm losing my mind!!!

Now I'm starting to sweat because it's so hot up here - but I'm not budging because I know there's something up here I need - just what is it?... I think through what I was doing right before I came up to the attic - nothing is ringing a bell. ARGH! What did I need - now I feel stubborn - I am NOT going back down without whatever it was that I need - but WHAT did I need exactly? Did I take a wrong turn - did I go to the attic by accident???

I wrack my brain - it finally hits me - a bottle of lotion! Yes - I buy my lotion in bulk at Bath and Body Works when they have big sales and I store it in the attic! So I got my lotion and headed back down stairs - all sweaty!

Do you ever feel like you have so much going on you are losing your mind?

Peace of mind - do you long for it? In just 4 short weeks summer will be over and fall will be at our doorstep. Have you taken the time to watch the sun rise and just meet with Jesus peacefully in the warm summer morning? Have you taken the time to meditate on God's word and let the Psalms comfort you, the Proverbs counsel you, the gospels draw you nearer to Jesus and Revelation to fill your heart with hope? Have you sat with God and just talked with him about your struggles, pains, frustrations - giving him all your cares in exchange for peace? Are you seeking God's will for your life or some answers to some difficult situations? Have you sat still long enough to renew your mind in his word so you can know his will rather than lose your mind?

Slow down...enjoy these last few weeks of summer. Take the time today to renew your mind. Romans 12:2 sits on my window sill in the kitchen. It's a prayer I pray over my children before we leave the house sometimes. Pray this verse over each person in your household today: Lord , help us to "not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind. Then we will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Walk with the King!

http://www.womenlivingwell.org/

John Piper's Latest Book - Free Download

John Piper has been on sabbatical writing his newest book titled "Filling Up the Afflictions of Christ." This book will not be available to purchase on Amazon.com until September 18th - but you can read it for free by downloading it here!

Here's a brief description of the book:

Filling Up the Afflictions of Christ The Cost of Bringing the Gospel to the Nations in the Lives of William Tyndale, Adoniram Judson, and John Paton

The Swans Are Not Silent: Book Five

The history of Christianity’s expansion proves that God’s strategy for reaching unreached peoples with the gospel includes the sufferings of his frontline heralds—the missionaries who willingly die a thousand daily deaths to advance God’s kingdom.

The price William Tyndale, Adoniram Judson, and John Paton paid to translate the Word of God, pave the way for missionary mobilization around the world, and lead the hostile to Christ was great. Yet their stories show how the gospel advances not only through the faithful proclamation of the truth but through representing the afflictions of Christ in our sufferings.

Walk with the King!

http://www.womenlivingwell.org/

Fit Friday: Meet My Trainer Clare!

Some of you have already met my friend who is a trainer - Clare - over on http://www.womenlivingwell.org/. She has generously given of her time and talent so we can build some lean muscles for all that cleaning we need to do hehe!

Here's a recent message from Clare to you!

"Hi everyone! It's been a while since you've seen me on the website with any fit tips or exercises, but it comes with good reason.... I had a baby! Lila Irene was born on June 3rd at 10:07am. My labor went very well and recovery has been much better than with my first born. I'm sure you expect to hear this from me, but I truly think that working out during the pregnancy helped me immensely not only during the pregnancy but also during labor (increased endurance, strength and body awareness) and in recovery (return to pre-baby shape).
You'll be hearing a lot more about pregnancy and fitness over the next few months.


In the meantime, I want to gear you up for some upcoming articles and exercises that you can expect to see over the next few months!

Exercise Ideas (with pictures!)
- Stretches with the Resistance Band
- Upper and Lower Body with the resistance band
- Cardio Moves with the Aerobics Ball
- Pregnancy Workout


Articles regarding:
- Portion control
- Working out during pregnancy
- Getting your body back after pregnancy
- Food Labels 101
- Recommended DVD's

Please write to me at clare@womenlivingwell.org with any questions or ideas you'd like more information on!"

But for today - if you are looking for some new exercises to try check out these workout plan tutorials she's already created for you:

Work Out Plan - Abs

Work Out Plan - Upper Body

Work Out Plan - Lower Body

Work Out Plan - Pilates

Workout Plan - Upper Body with Aerobics Ball

Workout Plan - Lower Body with Aerobics Ball

My favorite! Workout Plan - Abs with Medicine and Aerobics Ball

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." I Corinthians 6:19,20

Walk with the King!

http://www.womenlivingwell.org/

Chore Packs - Teaching Our Children to Work

Here are my happy helpers!

If you Google a search on the word "chores" you will find over 33,000,000 articles written on this topic. Is that not crazy? I think EVERY mom struggles with this at some point - so if you are struggling - do not feel alone! My mom just reminded me yesterday of my stinky attitude as a teen. Sorry mom!

Why should we require our children to do work? In Genesis, before the fall - God put Adam into the garden to work tending to the garden (Genesis 2:15). Work is not a result of the fall - but something that God created for man to do because we are created in his image and God works.

In Proverbs we are given many verses about not being lazy or slothful such as Proverbs 6:6 about how the ant works hard to gather food and Proverbs 21:25. In I Thessalonians 3:10 Paul says "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." I have never withheld food from my children, nor do I recommend it - but I will say that withholding all desserts and snacks are not a bad consequence for a child who refuses to work. When a child sees his siblings eating their Popsicles you better believe that the silent motivation might just help the child get his rear in gear!

Our final example is Jesus himself. In John 13 Jesus washed the disciples feet and then he said - "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you." Jesus called his followers to serve one another and serving begins in the home.

The method I use is called the "chore packet" system. I first saw this on the Duggar's show with 18 children. I noticed that they were wearing a little name tag holder that has their list of chores clipped to their pants. In the Duggar's book, they explain their system so I decided to give it a try. If your children can read - making the packet is simple - just write the chore and a description of what the child should do and slip the cards for that day into the packet. If you have a child who cannot read - either print out pictures from the web - or do what I did - I took photos around the house - of the flowers - to have them water the flowers, of their beds to indicate they need to make their bed, of a broom to indicate they are to sweep - etc.

Each morning RIGHT after breakfast - I choose about 5 chores and slip them into their packet and then hang their packet on them. They are not to take the packet off until they have completed all the cards in their packet. As long as they are wearing their packet, they are not permitted to watch television, video games or play on the computer. I do not have to tell them what to do (or argue with them), I do not have to nag them and I do not have to check off charts - which I have found very challenging to do consistently. I simply look around for what needs done - and slip those cards into the packet for the day. I rotate who gets what chore daily so they both learn to do all of the tasks well. I always include making their bed and cleaning up their toys in their own room.

My children have progressed from working along side of me to being able to do many chores all on their own. This has developed their confidence (I praise and cheer and clap for them!), their sense of belonging, serving and is a testimony to my neighbors who have seen my kids working and doing their chores! Here's what the packets look like and some photo's of my kids working:

The blue cards with a star indicate a "bonus" chore. This may be a chore that I forgot to take a picture of or a special chore like cleaning out the garage or sweeping the basement. Bonus chores get a candy reward when they are completed. My children celebrate when they find a bonus chore in their packet!

They love laundry day! This is a "bonus" chore!

Watering the flowers! This saves me nearly 20 minutes a day and they love the outdoors and getting their feet all wet! I praise my son for the green thumb he has - he has kept these flowers along with some tomato plants alive! What an accomplishment! She is able to sweep the crumbs into piles but I have to sweep it onto the dust pan for her - she has not mastered that skill yet. Winding the clock!
So for all the moms in the thick of it - I offer just one method in the midst of 33,000,000!!! If my method cannot work for you -please do not be discouraged - go out there on the web and search - I know there has to be one out there for you!!! There are charts galore available - here's one link to a blog with gobs of links for chore charts and ideas!

Walk with the King!

Part 2 - How Do I Clean in the Midst of These Kids?

I received the sweetest note from a friend named Regina. She had read Monday's post titled, "How Do I Clean In the Midst of These Kids?" and then she posted these pictures of her precious children on Facebook and sent me this note:

"Thanks Courtney. Your site is where I got the idea. You are the one who encouraged me to do this and I am so happy the way it worked out. I know as time goes on they might grumble but for their first time.....they were having a blast. I went to the dollar store and got a box of gloves and got them both their own feather duster (same color... so they have nothing to fight about). We actually did have fun working together one room at a time. It really opened up Jacob's eyes though by helping. He would always say "Mommy, why are you always cleaning?" I would tell him that it gets dirty if I don't. He didn't understand until he helped clean this morning. He noticed how dirty the toilet got. I explained to him the importance of cleaning so we can use clean things in our house. I think he got the picture. hehehe Thank you Courtney for all the wonderful posts you put on your site. I get lots of wisdom from you. Keep posting more wisdom my way. I need it!!!!"

************************************

I am humbled by her email and wanted to share it with you because her heart is just so tender and teachable. She is right - the grumbling will come. But I must admit that my children are both about 2 years older than hers and the grumbling is truly rare. Thus far, I have been able to keep it fun and interesting and my children have moved from working along side of me - to having specific duties and chores that they are able to do on their own. I believe this came through the training they received when they were much littler.

Tomorrow I will share my chore system - I don't use charts or big boards or anything too crazy - it's simple and it WORKS! I had to find something that wasn't too hard for me to consistently do - and well - charts are hard for me to keep up with week in and week out, month in and month out, year in and year out...!

Walk with King!

http://www.womenlivingwell.org/

Tasty Tuesday: Golden Graham S'mores Dessert!

This is a fun dessert that my mom made a lot when I was a kid! This dessert doesn't last much longer than a day at our house!

Golden Graham S'mores Dessert Recipe:

8 cups of Golden Grahams
3 cups of mini marshmallows

1 package (11.5 oz) MILK chocolate chips
3/4 cup light corn syrup
3 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Spray a non-stick spray on a 9x13 pan

2. Heat the corn syrup, butter and chocolate chips to boiling in a large pot.

3. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

4. Pour the Golden Grahams into the pot 2 cups at a time and stir until completely coated with the chocolate.

5. Fold in the marshmallows.

6. Press mixture evenly into the pan with your spoon or spatula.

Let it cool and enjoy mmmm...the perfect ending to a picnic or bonfire!

Walk with the King!

http://www.womenlivingwell.org/

How Do I Clean in the Midst of These Kids?

I received a question last week in the comments section (warning this is long!):

Anonymous asked: "If I stay busy at home (which seems to be busy cleaning and organizing) what do my kids do? That is a huge area of guilt for me. I am ready to unplug the TV for good. I know I can rise earlier and be more efficient, but I feel as though I "ignore" my kids a lot of the time to clean the house constantly."

This is an excellent question and I have found this to be one of the greatest challenges as a mom with little ones. It's obvious that when we compare which is more important - cleaning vs. your children - that the children are more important - BUT I don't look at these two as mutually exclusive. Our goal as moms should not be to entertain our children and to coral them from one fun activity to the next. They need to fellowship in the daily activities of their parents. They need to feel like they are a part of what is happening in the home. They should find purpose, comfort, and joy at the side of their mother.

We must depend on God's strength in order to have the patience, endurance and organization that it takes to allow your children to be a part of your daily duties. Let me give you some examples of how I have accomplished these goals in my life - and remember I only have 2 children (which is easier than 3+). But I have learned these techniques from reading books by moms who have 5 to 18 children.

My children have helped me with laundry since they were 1 and 3. First, they help me carry all the baskets to the main room for sorting. We pour all the laundry into one HUGE pile. Then I crank up music and allow them to take turns jumping into the pile. They LOVE this! After about 5 minutes of fun (or chaos) we stop and begin to sort. My daughter is in charge of pulling out the reds. My son is in charge of all the whites. I do the rest. Once we have sorted the items we push the bins down the hallway, down the stairs and to the washing machine. Then they each get a high five and a nickel for their hard work!

Truthfully, it is much easier to do this myself - BUT this is a time of bonding - and giving them a sense of contribution and purpose. This takes their focus off of themselves and onto serving the family. When daddy comes home - I brag on their helpfulness and express how grateful I am for them. When they were 3 and 1 they were not very helpful. But now at 4 and 6 - they can do the ENTIRE task without me - And yes, it still would be faster for me to do it myself but they would be crushed if they knew that.

Another example: cooking. We all know that kids LOVE to get creative in the kitchen but it is SO difficult to have their little hands into everything! So - take a deep breath and pray for patience!!! Remember - you are bonding while teaching them a life skill. To avoid using the television as a way of managing them - I have collected as many Lego's as I can from every friend and garage sale I could find. We have four large baskets of Lego's that they are ONLY allowed to use in the kitchen when I am cooking. I have a rug that I assign them to and they are not allowed to leave it. I get them started building and they are extremely creative once they get going. Then as I cook, when there is something they can help with - I invite them one at a time to stand on a chair and help. We fellowship together as I make dinner. They help set the table or get to taste test things while building with Lego's - all while having order in the kitchen.

I continue this philosophy into cleaning bathrooms - they use paper towels and water (use a spray bottle) on everything and I let them clean anything they want to their hearts delight! Give them feather dusters to dust as you dust. Let them have a turn at the vacuum even if it's too heavy for them - help them - this is great fun for them! And soon they will be able to do it for you - yahoo! My son takes great delight in wrapping up the vacuum cord and I praise him for his contribution. You will find this mutually beneficial - as you fellowship and bond with your children in love and joy and as they find praise for doing something other than sitting quietly while watching Dora.

If you have a big task - like cleaning out a closet or filing papers - and a tot that is going to be WAY too difficult to have in the room (don't even try it) -break this task up into 20 minute intervals. And work on it - each night after the kids are down for bed. I will admit it is hard work to bring your children along side of you as you work - it takes time, sacrifice, organization and creativity. But I never have guilt after spending this time with the children - but I will admit to complete exhaustion! We reap what we sow (Galatians 6:9). Enjoy your children - watch their eyes light up as you praise them for their great dusting. Admire their strong muscles when they lift the laundry basket! There is no substitute for mommy's praise and delight - the television may be an easy short term solution - but remember - we reap what we sow.

Feel free to share in the comments section your thoughts or some ways you have found to bring your children along side as you clean. I'm always looking for more ideas! If you are a fellow blogger, feel free to write on this topic and leave your link in the comments section - I'd love to learn off of you!

Walk with the King!

http://www.womenlivingwell.org/

Book Giveaway: "Life Management for Busy Women"

It's time for a GIVEAWAY!!! And to go with this weeks theme I'd like to giveaway the book titled "Life Management for Busy Women" and the study guide that goes with it! So this is two books - one to read and one filled with verses and a place for you to write down what you have learned.

These books are by Elizabeth George - one of my FAVORITE authors. Here
are a few of my favorite quotes from this book:

"Remember we live life one day at a time...yet we are living for eternity in that one day."


"Behind the passionate life of every passionate saint is a passion for God and his word."


"Discipline (in reading God's word)...you do it because it is what you need to do and are supposed to do and because it is the right thing to do...somehow...the duty of the discipline turns into sheer delight and we reap the blessings of a priceless, tender relationship with the Lord a thousandfold."


"Never major on the minors."


"We must never allow ourselves to be mastered by anything or anyone other than Jesus.We aren't meant to live as we please. We are not meant to have what we want. We are meant to live a life of self-denial, self-restraint and self-control."

"Paul's secret to discipline...he wanted to please God."

"Strive, reach, press, endure, fight, run and continue!"

If you do not win this book in the giveaway - I highly recommend that you go out and buy it! If you already own this book - feel free to enter and give it away as a birthday present or save it for a Christmas present! I hope to hear from all my loyal readers the answer to the question below - as it will guide me as I blog in the future...

To Win: Leave a comment in the comment section answering this question:

Which area of your life do you struggle the most to manage?

Your walk with God, your physical life, financial life, your homemaking skills, your marriage, parenting, your friendships or ministry life.

The winner will be chosen by http://www.random.org/ If your email address is not connected to your ID please leave your email address with your comment or email it to me at courtney@womenlivingwell.org with the subject "Giveaway".

RULES: Starts today, Saturday, July 18th and Ends Friday, July 31st at 9 p.m. Open to residents of the United States who are 18 and older. Winner will be contacted via email.

BONUS ENTRIES: Become a follower of my blog and leave a second comment to let me know or for fellow bloggers, blog about this giveaway and include a link back to this post or grab my button and then let me know in the comment section for a bonus entry!

Walk with the King!

http://www.womenlivingwell.org/

Fit Friday: Get Fit Cleaning Your House!

This week the theme of Women Living Well has been on the Proverbs 31 woman and homemaking. So the fit tip of the week correlates with the theme.

The Proverbs 31 woman is described in verse 17 as having "arms strong for her tasks". One way that we can grow stronger is simply by cleaning. We can burn about 200 calories walking for an hour or burn 100-500 calories by doing some deep cleaning for an hour AND have the max benefit of getting a task done!

Imagine how much harder tasks were physically 100 years ago. Women had to scrub their laundry, wring it out and then hang it on a line. They had to pluck the feathers off of chickens, knead dough, wash all their dishes by hand and beat their rugs.

Last Friday I showed how to make a fitness notebook. One way to grow physically stronger is to work out - but another way simply comes through out the course of the day as you manage your home. If you don't have time to bike, run, swim or exercise or have the money to invest in a treadmill or gym membership - you can squeeze these other activities in during the day to gain some muscle and flexibility.

1. When you are making your bed and stretching to pull the covers - add an extra stretch in to gain some flexibility.
   
2. When you are lifting your laundry basket to carry up the stairs - do a couple extra lifts - up and down to strengthen your arms.
   
3. When you are mopping the kitchen floor - really push down on the mop and scrub - this will strengthen your core and back.
   
4. If you have stairs in your home - do a couple extra trips up and down putting shoes and items away - this will get your heart rate up.
   
5. If there is raking, mulching or outdoor sweeping to be done - do it continually for 30+ minutes to get your heart rate up and strengthen your arms.
   
6. Weeding, window washing, vacuuming and dusting all strengthen your arms, legs and abs - and we ALL know that carrying those babies on our hips is NO easy task!
   

I have noticed my arms are weaker now that I don't have to carry my children anymore! Those baby carriers are a workout!!! But once those babies grow into preschoolers - our arms and backs will weaken if we do not keep our arms "strong for our tasks". We must not shy away from hard work - it's good for us!!! Working hard will help us live well with energy and vibrance and benefit our families with a clean place to take refuge.

Walk with the King!

http://www.womenlivingwell.org/

Thrifty Thursday: How to Make Homemade Powder Laundry Detergent and How Much You Save!

This week I've been blogging about the the Proverbs 31 Woman. The Proverbs 31 woman is a DIYer - she's a do it yourself type! She plants her own vineyard, selects wool and flax, makes her own linens and coverings for her beds, and supplies the merchants with sashes to sell. So in honor of the Proverbs 31 lady - here's how to make homemade powder laundry detergent:


Ingredients:
1 cup of Borax
1 cup of Super Washing Soda
1 cup of baking soda
1/2 bar of Fels-Naptha


Directions: Grate the Fels Naptha laundry soap with a grater or use a food processor. Add the other ingredients. Shake and/or mix well. Put in an airtight container. Use 2 tablespoons of detergent per large load.


Now here are some answers to some questions you may have:
1. Where do I find these ingredients? The Fels-Naptha will be found in the aisle with all the other bars of soap like Dial and Ivory. The Borax and Super Washing Soda should be found in the aisle with all the other laundry detergents.

2. What if my grocery store does not have these items? Go to http://www.doitbest.com/ or http://www.amazon.com/ . (If you have found these ingredients cheaper elsewhere on the web - please share the link in the comments section!) If you live in my area - you will find the Borax and Washing Soda at Hartville Hardware.

3. How many loads will one batch do? 24 large loads

4. How much do I save using this homemade detergent? My friend Clare has done the math based on our local pricing - yours will differ if you can find these items cheaper.

The 16oz box of Baking Soda cost $0.60, so the price per batch was $0.30.

The 55 oz. box of Super Wash cost $5, so the price per batch is $.073.

The one bar of Fels Naptha cost $1.50, so the price per batch was $0.75.

The 76oz. box of Borax cost $5.00, so the price per batch was $0.53


Total cost per batch = $2.30 compared to normal brands that run from $6-$9 for equal number of loads. That's a big savings!!! Enjoy!


Walk with the King!