We Are the Misfits

Today I got to go back in time. To my childhood. More specifically to my early teen years. Early 90s. When the grunge look was in.Everyone you knew had a Yaga, No Fear, or Hypercolor T-shirt, or a pair of umbros.Back when television was still somewhat decent. You know,Beverly Hills 90212, Saved By the Bell, and the TGIF FRiday night line up. The shows you would totally rearrange your schedule for. Sayings like "Poof!, be gone"!, "Not", and "Talk to the Hand" were common everyday junior high jargon. Today I went back to that time period, and did so through my daughter.
      Being a teenager is rough. Being a teenage girl is even more rough. I am soo glad i don't have to relive those days and I would never in a million years. Soo much pressure to fit in, and just be accepted. Trying to conform to everyone elses ways just soo people will think your are cool and like you. We have all done it before, all the while feeling the need to put on a mask because we are worried people wont accept us for who we are. Don't deny it. Even if for a brief, fleeting second you have done it.Now add the word christian to the teenage girl, and gets even more complicated.It shouldn't be, but it is.The desire to befriend and form likeminded relationships with other girls who share your faith can often become even more difficult.
   Today I saw myself(my 13 year old self) in my daughter.I was about to see her off to church camp. Shes very shy, just as I was and has a hard time fitting in because of it. One of the girls said something very rude to her(a very common occurance), and it made her  upset.Typical jr High girl behavior. They tend to be catty and full of drama,full of hormones. Yeah, like i said, I would never want to go back there.Anyway, I pulled her to the side and said something like she couldnt focus on how people were treating her,and the fact that she was feeling left out and not accepted,because if she did, she would miss out on what God had for her.She just needed to pray for them. We exchanged tears and I hugged her and sent her on her way. This moment sent me back in time.
      As a young teenage girl, I was always trying to fit in. Especially with my fellow youth group peeps. As much as I tried,those relationships never fully developed.Never got past the surface. It was a "See you on Sunday/Wednesday" or at the next youth outing type of deal. I would sit with them at school at lunchtime on occasion. Never asked to go to their houses and spend the night or have dinner with their family.Although everyone else was. That has carried over to this day.I have friends,good christian friends who I know I can go to for just about anything,but we never call each other on the phone,never hang out, never get our families together for dinner or a fun outing.Its a deep unmet desire that has carried over from my childhood into my adulthood. There are times when I am standing in a room of like 200 people and feel soo alone. I think we have all experienced that at one time or another, for some it goes away and for others it doesn't.Its not like I haven't tried, I have put myself out there. I had a conversation with a friend of mine sometime ago, and the word that was brought up was misfit. I finally had a word to put with what i have experienced and felt for all of these years. Being a misfit though, is not necessarily a bad thing.Jeremiah 1:5 says

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” The dictionary defines the word misfit as a person not suited in behaviour or attitude to a particular social environment . In other words, a person who stands out,or is set apart. One whom doesnt blend in. As Christians, we were made to be misfits. We were made to walk differently, talk differently, to not act like everyone else acts.. As Christians, we are called to a higher purpose. We were made to stand out, to be set apart.  The enemy would love nothing more than to make you feel as if you are all alone and don't fit in. Especially among fellow Christians. This couldnt be further from the truth.I saw many young people earlier who were feeling this way, you could read it in their facial expressions and body language.I have witnessed many adults experiencing this. Like I told my daughter earlier if you arent't careful, and you dont become aware of this, you could miss out on something very important God has for you.We are all called to be misfits, to be set apart, to stand out. So do just that. And do it in a way that brings honor and glory to him.

 

Pinterest Party Part 1

Ok, so this summer I am picking 25 random things off of Pinterest(I may do more if time allows) that I want to do. These include everything from crafts i want to make, to organizing ideas, beauty things, whatever. This blog post is dedicated to the first half of my list. My goal is to have the first part of the list done by July. I am challenging all of my friends to do the same and blog about each pin that they check off of their list. These are in random order:

#1

Art   Wall
So, we are past the pre-k art stage( I think that may be what this pin was originally intended for) but I thought this would be a really great way for my 12 year old daughter, who happens to really enjoy art, to display her work. Pretty sure I am not going to do the buckets. Still not sure where we are going to put it, most likely in her room. You can find the link for this here.  I have recently discovered Jenn's Blog Clean and Scentsible on Pinterest, and I think you will enjoy it. My next pin comes fro her website as well.

#2

Lemonade Bar
also found off the clean and scentsible site, thought this was a really cute idea. Depending on what size basket you have, you could use some starbucks Frapachino bottles( I know I spelled that wrong), or some mason jars. You could also use more that three bottles for more options. She has printable labels on her site.

#3
Kitchen Command Center

Ok, so mine definately wont
't be this elaborate, being that there are only three of us, will probably only be half this size. But its definately going to happen. I am thinking this will probably be one of my more difficult projects to take on.......

#4

Apartment Therapy
I have a banister that looks somewhat similar to this. This wont take me long to do at all  =) Hooray for simple projects that make a huge difference!

#5

Pizza Box Organizer. Doesnt need much Explanation. This one is a little plain, Im sure mine will be decorated a bit more.......whew! halfway there.....

#6


I Love this!!! This one appears to have been done with paint pens. I think I just might tackle this one first.....

#7


What Pinterest Party would be complete without an Angry Bird Pizza .We may have to make some of his friends as well.

#8
Hot Dog Bar


and what summer would be complete without one of these? We have done something similar to these before, but it wasnt this fancy. Im thinking menus and everything........have family that will be down on the 4th so this should be extra fun.
#9
Greenhouse made from discarded windows
My parents recently remodeled their home, and have all of these old windows left over from that remodel. I told them to hold onto them,because I just knew that I could figure out something to do with them. Here we go! I cannot wait to tackle this. This will be a two person project, so I will have to have my husband help out. Not sure if Im going to make a big one or a little one yet, but it is going to happen!

#10
Necktie Pillows
for a list of  really cool necktie crafts visit here. These are going to be amazing.


So that, my friends, is part 1. I hope there will be a part 2, but I am not going to rush it, because I want to enjoy the experience. I look forward to posting pics of my creations.......

No Regrets

So, its official. I exhale with high velocity at this blogging thing . I mean, cmon, my last post was in August. Ridiculous.Last fall(2011) I started going back to school. This past fall, I actually started attending back  campus. Some friends thought it would be cool take a music theory course together. Music is something I have always wanted to pursue, and is a huge part of my life. I want to grow and get better at it. I have always been one to make up excuses why I couldn't and I finally got tired of that and started thinking of reasons of why I should. My biggest excuse was because it would be too hard, you know the theory and ear training part of it. Its definately been a challenging to say the least, but it has also been alot of fun. For example, this past November, i took part in an opera workshop. That was a first for me, i have never ever been exposed to opera on any level and thought that that was for a bunch of stuffy people =) but now I am in love with it to say the least.Same with jazz, had never really dabbled with that,but was able to this past spring. I was even able to attend an opera and a musical theatre show(Camelot) for the first time with my fellow students. I would not have been able to do all of this(and i am just getting started), had I continued to make up excuses. I try my best to live a life of no regrets. If there is an opportunity that comes about, and I know later that I will regret not doing it, then I do it.........
     So, why am I doing this? Well, Im glad you asked. To be honest, I have no idea....lol. I just felt led by God to do it. I dont know what plans he has for me as far as this goes, butI do know that they are good plans. I am staying very ministry focused, but alot of ideas are swirling in my mind. If I could do anything, I would want to perform. Eiether lead worship or just perform for a living, you know, make money doing it. But the reality of it is that most music majors go into some sort of teaching, so I may end up teaching voice. I wouldnt mind having my own studio......
  So,now that you know what I have been up to, in between going to school full time, and homeschooling(yes, we are still doing that,lucklily most of her stuff is eiether online or on the computer), I guess you can understand why i havent been on much. Plus my life really isnt that interesting anyway....lol.
Thats my story and Im sticking to it.

Do you beleive in magic?

     I am a woman of little words. Which is funny, being that I have a blog and everything. I am very opinionated and tend to keep my opinions to myself, because well, you know what they say about opinions,ahem. Everyone has one. It takes alot to get me upset. It really does. Currently there are two words that are getting under my skin. Those two words are Magic Mike. This movie has me all hot bothered and not in the way you would expect. What I am apalled by are the amount of married CHRISTIAN women who are flocking to the theatres to see it. I am going to address my frustration through several points of view;that of a fan, of a Christian, and that of a Christian wife and mother. I realize I may lose some facebook friends over this,but I cannot keep quiet any longer.
        For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about,let me fill you in.Set in the world of male strippers, Magic Mike is directed by Steven Soderbergh and stars Channing Tatum in a story inspired by his real life. The film follows Mike (Tatum) as he takes a young dancer called The Kid (Alex Pettyfer) under his wing and schools him in the fine arts of partying, picking up women, and making easy money. It is soft porn or as I have heard some describe "mommy porn".Its disgusting.
         Channing Tatum. The very mention of his name makes women old and young alike swoon. I will admit, while I definately think he is a genetic gift to the world(after all everything God creates is beautiful), he is just a human being like the rest of us, and really isnt all that special. At least not to me. That being said I am a fan of his acting. I am also a fan of Matthew McConaughey, who co-stars in the movie. Or at least I was. He is one of my favorite actors.Speaking from a fan standpoint,Channing and  Matthew, what you did in this movie is nothing short of prostitution. Prostitution can be defined as to offer (a person, esp oneself, or a person's talent) for unworthy purposes. You guys are nothing but a bunch of glorified prostitutes in my eyes,offering your talents and your bodies in exchange for the almighty dollar. Because of you, women everywhere are cheating on their spouses(more on that in a second). It makes me soo sad.
   Its movies like this that lead women to have unrealistic expectations that will never be met. In the bible it says "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" . This scripture not only applies to men, but women as well. If you look at a man lustfully you have already committed adultery. You wouldnt be ok with your guy watching "Magic Marissa", and if you say you are, then you'd be lying.
    Id like to note, that before i end this that I wrote this over a month and a half ago....lol. But Im still pretty furious.......

Supermarket Diet

                                                             
   Ok, so this summer I have decided to try a different diet every week. You know , just for fun. =) I realize this is not healthy, but wanted to do it to get an idea of what is out there,so I could review it.  I will use a rating system and also report my success(or lack of)This week I am doing the supermarket diet. Basically, you eat a sensible breakfast(the plan recommends a cereal bar or bowl of cereal), then a 300 calorie or under frozen dinner for lunch, a 500 calorie or under dinner for supper, then a sensible snack in between meals, such as a yogurt or a pudding cup. The whole idea of this diet is portion control. Your portions are controlled for you, there is no going back to get seconds. It is also very convenient, and perfect for an individual who is constantly on the go , and who doesnt have time to plan meals, etc.  I have been on it almost a week, and have lost 7 pounds. This is with no exercise. I highly recommend exercise with any diet to increase health benefits and weight loss. Unfortunately, I haven't been taking my own advice . The following are my ratings for this particular diet:


Cost: **
this plan is very expensive,as is to be expected with already prepared meals
Convenience:*****
Health factor:***
you have to really watch the sodium content.If you are concerned about healthfulness, stick with Healthy Choice or Lean Cusine
Taste:*****
Hunger :*
my tummy was constantly growling with this diet.Dislike! Then again, this is to be expected when you are not used to a certain caloric intake. It just about drove me crazy. Nothing like being kept awake at night from a growling tummy =(
Results:****
I am overall pretty happy with the results. I would do this diet again. Its probably the same equivalent to  lets say Nutrisystem, except the options are greater.

If you do decide to try this diet, please try the dinner I have pictured above. It is amazinG!!!!!

20 out of 30 stars.
If you would like more information,check out the Good Housekeeping website.

Coming Soon   Morning Banana Diet Review

January in Review

        Nothing like a January Review in May.......lol


 Whew! What a month is has been! Where do i start? Hmm, lets see, how about Christmas? It was pretty good, I guess. I am glad its over. I have decided already that next year we are eiether not giving gifts or doing just homemade ones. I have a ton of fabric I need to do something with.....lol. I really get joy out of making things and plus they mean more. Which leads me to my first topic. This year I am thinking about making some stuff and doing some vending. Im going to get my etsy store back up and running. I am leaning towards making things out of/everyday repurposed items. I am really excited about it and working on a plan as we speak.
      Of course january is always the month to get focused on being healthy,etc.  Well, I have done just that and am off to a good start.  I decided to try going vegan for the entire month. No dairy, no sugar, no meat. I recommend everyone to try it for at least 30 days, and i promise you that you will feel better. Now, while I am not going to stay a vegan, I am going to incorporate alot more of it into my lifestyle.  I lost 17 pounds this month and would like to keep the momentum going. I would like to be 60 pounds down by my birthday, which is in May, so we will see.  I have officially subscribed to almost every health magazine there is.......lol. I am even considering going to school for holistic medicine,herbology,etc. I am still praying about that one..........but it is relatively inexpensive to get a certificate, so we shall see..........
     Speaking of school, I am now in my second semester, and it hasnt kicked my booty too much thus far. I am taking all of these classes that end in ogy, including psychology which is an area i am considering majoring in. I barely have time to do anything else, which is frustrating,hence the long pause in between blog posts. I mean no one really reads this thing anyway........lol.
     I recently got back into couponing after a long pause. Hubby hasnt worked in two months so we had no income.  I am soo thankful I had a small stockpile to lean on during that time. Looking at my records, i saved us a grand total of 3,000 dollars last year! Considering I am a beginner and I just barely got started in May, I thought that was pretty good. My goal is to save at least 10,000 this year.....
  So, thats all thats been going on in my world...........To the 2 of you who read this, thanks for stopping by =)

An Epic Fail Day

From a previous post.......

        Wow, can't beleive it is almost April already. The past few months have been a blur, filled with studying(studying =student dying.....lol) , church activities, etc. I think I may be starting to adjust to this thing called college life somewhat. This semester has been quite the challenge,I am pretty much taking all science and math related stuff which is not my strong suit. Yuck.
    This blog is an outlet for me, and no one really reads it anyway, so I can say what i feel.  At times I feel like a complete failure, I am going to be completely honest.  Its as if everything I have ever done or attempted to do, or am doing now is just going completely wrong. I have failed miserably at being a mom sometimes. At being a wife. At serving God.At serving others. At striving towards my own personal goals. Life has never come easy for me. It has its moments. There are those things I do in life and I do well, but I tend not to focus on those soo much  and just question everything around me. I just wish for once that I could see some fruit bearing in my own personal life, in myself and in my loved ones. Its there spiritually, but I soo badly want to see it in the physical and emotional sense. You know, some evidence............

Just what Im dealing with right now.Having one of those epic fail kindve days. But Our God is greater, our God is stronger.......