Punch Today In The Face!

As the school year winds down, my "To Do" list amps up! Between ballet recitals, the close of soccer season, and the myriad of events taking place at my children's primary school, I feel like a woman on the verge. However, lucky for me, I am easily soothed by two things...a great workout and, well, I'll keep the other to myself ;).

That said, I get up every morning, peruse my agenda, and then make a point to try and tackle what I can without allowing the sensation that I'm becoming overwhelmed to overcome me. It's something that can be difficult to do when your days don't ever seem to end, but balance is something that has to be maintained in order for me to be effective as a mommy/wife.

So, as you prepare to rumble through your day today, and knock out the things that need to be done, remember that you are the sole proprietor of your good sensibilities. Even the most challenging of tasks—mandatory or not—can be directly effected by your approach and overall attitude. You are the one element in the equation that has the biggest impact so don't let little setbacks discourage you from getting the job done.

Go out there and kick today's backside!

Source: bippityboppityboo.tumblr.com via Kimberley on Pinterest

A Mother's Prayer of Love for Her Baby Girl

I saw this Pin and immediately thought of my daughter whom I pray will never have to know the heartache I did before finding my "prince".

Source: Uploaded by user via Kimberley on Pinterest

Even though I know the chances of my little princess going through the world with an unscathed, unbroken, heart are slimmer than slim. I do hope that the lessons she learns about love via her father and I will make her better prepared to recognize what a healthy love looks like when she does in fact begin to search for it on her own.

I suppose that's all any mother can hope for, right?

Strength Is Not Given

Strength is earned.

The biggest misconception any woman (or man for that matter) can have is to believe that strength is inherent from birth. It isn't. It's something that is acquired through overcoming the challenges and trials that He sets in your path. Those obstacles are like weights for your soul and—the more you lift, the stronger it gets—it's up to you to step up to the bench and do the heavy lifting all by yourself. That's the only way to become a stronger, more spiritually balanced woman of God.

Of course, over time, it becomes easier to remain still and shy away from the unknown because it's easier to not keep opening the doors with unknown paths and struggles behind them. However, there is little glory in conceding to your fears and allowing your soul to cower and remain weak in the face of a new challenge—challenges that, I truly believe, He skillfully places in our paths as reminders  that a) He knows you're there and b) is confident you can handle whatever it is He presents to you.

My personal view on facing these challenges is that we should feel blessed by their presence because it shows us that He's confident in our strength and ability even when we're not. That realization more than anything else gives me the motivation I need to continue to face my demons—no matter how frightening the battles might seem because I know where the strength to fight those battles will come from and I know I'll earn a few more stripes along the way if I stay the course.

Don't ever be afraid to step up to the bench, put on your gloves, and do that spiritual heavy lifting. I promise you as each set gets harder, He won't be far behind to help you—His hands beneath your elbows, offering you His services as your personal "spotter".

Get lifting.

Source: fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net via Kimberley on Pinterest

You're So Vain

I often say of my daughter (who is still just a toddler) that she's never met a mirror she didn't like. I mean, literally, she is incapable of passing a mirror without admiring the beauty that she most definitely owns and I do her humility no favors by showering her with as many compliments and touts of how infinitely gorgeous she is on a daily basis. If there's one area in which I hope my baby girl never lacks confidence, it's that of self-image—so take that airbrush nation.

That said, I am also completely aware of the superficiality that can develop if you tie your self-worth into your physical appearance. There has to be more substance to your total make-up than just the glow of your skin, the build of your body, and the tags on your rags. You have to be every bit as beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside, otherwise you are akin to a piece of artwork done without purpose—beautiful to look at, but essentially soulless.

Outer beauty fades, inner beauty doesn't. It 's that simple. Never forget to cultivate the spirit in as many ways as you do the body.

That means making time for others, being a voice where there isn't one, extending a hand when needed, and always remembering to do everything with purpose and from the heart. If you do those things, you will encompass a more enchanting beauty than you've ever witnessed before. That will be the beauty people appreciate every bit as much as that which you see in the mirror.

Related articles

• >Now This Is A Beautiful Lady! (proverbsnwisdom.wordpress.com)

Take Control of Your Day

It's not always easy to stay cheerful and focused—as a matter of fact, it's hard work—however, as a wife, mother, and superwoman (yes, I am), I find that it's a much harder thing to allow the negative forces of life to rule me. I simply don't have time to add those demons into a day that already has the potential to be a challenge.

Let's face it, there are multiple reasons to get up in the morning and say, "this day will mirror the rest of em'—poorly planned and poorly executed—so why bother making the effort to be productive?" Well, if you're like most, you make the effort based on the possibility that the day could turn out to be special.

My advice is to focus on the latter point more. Stop making it tough for yourself to find the positive spaces within the harried levels of your daily life. Wake up and take five minutes to imagine the day as a success—visualize yourself getting something done and being a productive piece of this overwhelming puzzle—not a failure.

You have a responsibility, to yourself, to be more than just an instrument utilized improperly by someone else. Take control of your day and make something good happen.

Related articles

• Trying hard to stay motivated (mamahaas.wordpress.com)

Day 11: Great Music Is Hard To Find...

I'm not a child of the 50's or 60's. The era of my musical conscience starts with the 80's. That said, I have always considered myself a person who can appreciate quality music—no matter the genre. So, as I listen across the landscape of what the world has to offer these days, I find that I am utterly disappointed by what I hear.

The music of now lacks the soul, spirit, and awareness that the music of the 60's and 70's  wrought with such ease. There are no modern day Marvin Gaye's, James Taylor's, Aretha Franklin's, or Carole King's for us to relate to, just a bunch of mildly talented singer/songwriters who no one is likely to recall a decade from now.

It's sad, really, because I hate to think that the best music my children will ever listen to will have to come courtesy of my iTunes collection.

Admittedly, there are under-appreciated artists out there who aren't getting their due, but they are harder to find than they used to be and the music industry appears more interested in promoting the bad than the good.

Either way, music like this...\"People Get Ready\" by Curtis Mayfield

this...\"Into The Mystic\" by Van Morrison

or this...\"Sittin\' On The Dock of The Bay\" by Otis Redding

aren't likely to come around again—anytime soon.