The Chameleon Lady Bug

Project 365

I once read that when Ladybugs emerge from their week long cocoon stage, their color is often a faint yellow or gray... and that a few hours basking in the sun will bring out their true & glorious colors. She could be destined to live in shades of blue, green, red, orange... the list goes on.
Makes me wonder about this Little Lady.
Had she ever met the sun?

There are over 5,000 species and variations of this beloved little beetle around the globe. When you think about it, that's quite a large variety for just one type of insect. How do you even begin to differentiate between them all?

The same could be said for us people. There are so many, many variations, colors, races, talents, abilities out there... how are we supposed to find our place in the world? How are we supposed to harness our true color?

I know the answer.

Submit to Grace.

Bask in the SON.

Like a ladybug, who receives her vibrant coat after time with the sun, we blossom and shine when we let the Son into our lives. I whole-heartedly believe that we cannot be truly and completely fulfilled with out Jesus. 

The amount of peace and joy that I feel when I am syncing up with The Lord is unending. 

His guidance and grace bring out the best in me. I am encouraged and empowered by His faithfulness. 

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. ~Philippians 4:13

  I have had people ask me how I know God is real... how I can so blindly believe...

The answer is faith.

If I know nothing else, I know and feel and live and breath this faith. 

I know that God is truth and that Jesus is the Savior... more than I know anything else. 

There is nothing evil, false or deceiving about God. 

I feel only peace and joy and love in The Lord. 

Patience.

Calmness.

Strength.

Guidance.

All else fades before Him.

 

Break Out.

I think this little grey lady bug got her coloring because she was just fitting into her surroundings, and not assuming her full potential. She was being a chameleon to her environment. Had she ever truly met the sun and embraced the light, she may have soared with golden wings. 

Luckily for her, she is a beetle. And being grey is what she was probably meant to be. 

But we are not beetles.

Don't be a chameleon.

Let the Son shine on you! 

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

John 8:12

 

Peace

Project 365

He makes me lie down in green pastures...

God Roots

Our Current Home & God's Promise...a beautiful banner of Love.

We are a nomadic family.

We move, on average, every two years. And... to the average person, that seems insane. Maybe it is. =/ But we're making it work. Our travels have taken us almost around the globe and we try to make the most of every station we're anchored to.

In the same way, I try to make the most of every house we land in. Often times, we have no control over the place the military puts us. Generic shoe-box homes that you can barely squeeze your queen-sized beds into are typical. Just look at our last place!

 As you can see... cracker box!  Literally. That thing was 1042 square feet and over 60 years old. And when we got there, the yard was as TAN as the paint on the siding. Ugg.

But, it is what you make of it. 

So I watered the heck out of the grass and planted tons of drought-resistant stuff (pictured here in its baby stages). The beds bloomed into life and we were a little prouder to pull in the driveway.


Thankfully, we have since moved on from the flowery cracker box and into a much larger and more modern place. I have to say, it's the nicest military housing we've ever lived in. When the housing lady told us about the place she apologized that it was not new... "It was built back in 2007." 
Whaaaa? Are you kidding me? New is anything built after the 1940's!! We'll take it!

And so here we are.
Before we moved out here to this rock, I was worried about what our housing situation was going to be like. How can you blame me...leaving out of what we did? Would we get a newer place? Would it be big enough? Would my washing machine have to sit right next to my stove again? (Yes, my kitchen doubled as a laundry room in the cracker box.)
But then I remembered something...

 God has a plan for us.
...and further more... He has ALWAYS provided for us. Always. Every place we've been, every home we've lived in..has always been enough. Usually, it was more than enough. When I realized this, all worry ceased. I became confident in the Lord and what he had in store for us. We were headed to this rock for a reason. I needed to embrace it all with a faithful heart.

There is this verse:
Hebrews 6:18 "God cannot tell lies! And so his promises and vows are two things that can never be changed. We have run to God for safety. Now his promises should greatly encourage us to take hold of the hope that is right in front of us." (CEV)

When I saw the rainbow brushed over the sky above my home yesterday I was reminded of this...  God is faithful to his children. His rainbow, a promise made thousands of years ago, also serves as a reminder of his Faithfulness and Grace. When I see it, I am reminded of His constant Love and Protection. I am grateful for every place that He's planted us. 

Some might say that our little family's roots are in Texas. And they might be right. We love us some Texas! And can't wait to move back there one day. But really, what we have are God Roots. He plants the seeds for growth in our lives... not always where we planned, or predicted... It is up to us to take hold and trust in Him.

So in the spirit of growth and home... Here's a little something that I've been working on... trying to nurture what I've got to work with... Where my current God Roots are. =)

 This is the back patio.. or I could be fancy and call it a lanai. =D  I built the little lattice fences because we're on the corner...right where everyone and their grandma's dog walk/drive by. I wanted to sit on the patio and have a smidge of privacy. Plus... they're long horn orange! YAYA!

The bougainvillea is my favorite plant that I'm currently growing. White is pretty unique in Hawaii... you usually see hot pink, orange, purple, red... it lines the highways. Right now, my pretty plant is about 6 feet tall. I've had passersby complement the plant... I guess I'm growing it right? haha

And there is my side yard Rainbow Shower tree...as seen through my hangy ferns from the lanai. (ogh.. I was fancy right there.)

Front Porch Planters!

Look at my baby Plumbago plant!!  I had a monster one growing at the cracker box house..it was on the other side of that wall with 2 stars. The dark brown planter is something I slapped together (I'm not exaggerating here) one day with left overs I found in the garage. I am quite happy with how it turned out.

This is today's Project 365 photo.

It's the Mexican glass wind chime that my mama brought back for me on one of her recent-ish Cozumel trips. 

Its delicate tinkling reminds me of the glass chimes my Granmommy has always had under the vent in her kitchen.

I love these chimes.

As you can see, my little butterflies hang on the back patio near the hangy ferns. They're neighbors with another set of chimes that my mama bought for me. It doesn't feel like "home" with out those chimes...

Their soothing melodies will seriously put you to sleep on a breezy day.

Home really is where you make it.

Joshua 24:15
"But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

Related
Also read: Home in HI

The Tare

Project 365

The Tare

The farmer picks a seed

He plants it in the ground

This seed is very special 

He's happy that it's found.

He sprinkles water lightly

Very carefully with love

The seed then sprouts a green full leaf

It reaches for the farmer above.

He's over-joyed in seeing this

He gives it love and care

And when the leaf has rips and holes

He mends each and every tear.

The leaf knows not what to expect

The farmer knows all things

It just relies on the farmer's wise ways

It depends on what he will bring.

So the farmer tends it lovingly

It grows into something greater

And as the clouds come and gather round

It looks up to its maker.

The clouds make fun and scorn at it

"Why, you're nothing but a weed"

It is hurt and the farmer says

"He came from a special seed." 

You see the farmer loves it so

That's why he gives it love and care

It really doesn't matter to him

That's it's a simple little Tare. 

© Brooke Arceneaux

January 21, 1998

Yah, so I wrote that when I was 16. But after I took the picture of the weeds today, I thought of this poem and decided...why not? A Tare is a weed that's mentioned in the Bible. When I was sixteen, that's all that mattered to me. I saw the word in the index one day when I was doing a devotional and it stuck with me. Thus a poem was born. 

Now, with many more years of wisdom and experience, haha, I have done a teensy bit more digging. Apparently, this little Tare has more significance that I thought. It is part of a parable that Jesus told in Matthew 13:24-30.

 ^KJV
24Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
 ²⁵But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
 ²⁶But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
 ²⁷So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
 ²⁸He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
 ²⁹But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
 ³⁰Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

NIV

24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ 29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

The Tare was actually a weed, weed... like a yucky bad weed that was invading the good stuff...not a sweet little flawed thing that was loved anyways, like in my poem.

I think it's interesting though... the parable told here....

Jesus says to let the weeds be. To let the good wheat grow with these "flaws". Then, when the time is right, the good wheat will be stripped of these flaws. They will be discarded and destroyed. The wheat, having grown among those obstacles, will be stronger for it. Their roots will have fought for the good soil and nutrients. Their buds will have reached higher for the light and the sun. 

I think my poem still applies to people, as flawed human beings who are still loved by God. But we are also like the wheat... as children of God, we still live among obstacles. We face trial and refinement each day. By rebuking the enemy and fighting for righteousness we become stronger. 

We should always remember to reach for The Light and The SON. 

Boo!

Oh, this morning wasn't pretty. My scale screamed 170 at me. What the eff! I'm totally dehydrated, but I know that jump isn't completely caused by that.
I'm soooo done with this up and down, feeling uncomfortable thing to stop. DONE. I need to just stop all the junk and start treating my body like the temple that it is. I have to. This is so terrible for me.

I haven't exercised, really, since Wednesday night. I really tore myself up doing that P90x last week. And I didn't fuel myself properly. So this week, I'm taking a new approach. More protein. P90x spaced farther apart. Zumba still. We'll see how that goes. And more water!!!!!

Boo.


TODAY'S WORK OUT

P90x legs and back.
kicked my butt.
Woo!

Ouch

HO-LEEE Crap! My muscles are SOOOOORE!
This P90x is no joke. I did the back/chest (like I said) and then the next day did Ab Ripper. It hurts to move. I've never felt discomfort like this before. I have to lean over in the shower to wash my hair because it hurts to lift my arms. Jumping around like a kangaroo in Zumba yesterday didn't help either. Not sure what the move is called...but it's a sort of leaping, traveling battement tendu..and now my hips are feeling it. I can't help but think the P90x has something to do with my tenderness because I've done the same dance at least 5 other times and never felt sore.
IT'S AWESOME!
Having been and "athletic sort" all my life, I love this feeling. Even though I'm in a pitiful hobbling state at the present. I know it means I'm working hard. And my body will benefit.

Didn't do anything active today. I slept in and read my book all day-ish. It's a rest day. Tomorrow is Zumba again. And perhaps I'll throw in some kill me now P90x. We'll see.

Day One

Gah! Today was day one of P90x. I did chest and back.... and my SHOULDERS are going to fall off now. They are. I've never been one to claim any sort of upper body strength. Now is no different. But if I stick with this stuff, the guns are mine.

So as my first official weigh in, as I begin blogging my way through this, is....

166.5. Ahhhhh!

It's ok. It's ok. I did start at 172 at the beginning of the year. I haven't lost much. But I've been in a losing frame of mind...or rather, a healthier frame of mind (for the most part.) Now I'm getting down to business. I took "before" pictures. But the cartoon will have to suffice for now. I'm chicken today.

I don't plan to do P90x every single day as the plan prescribes. I'm still going to do my Zumba classes 3x a week as usual. I love them too much. P90x is a "supplement", if you will; an addition to my regimen.
Time to chug some more water. And maybe sweat a little more cleaning the house. Maybe. ;)

the Eve

Today was morning Zumba. Madalene is my Monday & Friday morning Zumba instructor. She's my favorite. I guess she's a master instructor... which means??? She knows more moves than other instructors?? I dunno. But still.. she really focuses on what moves work which muscles and how they'll help you to burn calories.
I heard somewhere that you can burn anywhere from 700 to 1,000 calories in an hour of Zumba! I'll do some research on that and get back to ya... I swear it feels like I'm burning more.

I plan to do my first round of P90x tomorrow. I figure that with my combination of P90x and Zumba will really do the trick. If I don't see results after incorporating this... I'm gonna eat nothing but carrots and lettuce from now on. HA!

Seems like what I am eating, though, at the present time is working for me. My metab is rolling like crazy. I have that burning hungry revved up feeling in my stomach that I get when I'm on the 6 week body make over (6wbmo) program. I have been doing a modified version of it since January. But I've stalled in losses for the last few months. Sucks.

Tomorrow will be my day 1. A Tuesday. I know that's weird. Day 1 blogging my progress. So get ready for my weigh in. I'll take pictures. But don't expect to see them yet... not that anyone is reading this anyways.

Hello Again

I am one of those people that knows exactly what to do to lose weight and maintain a healthy body. I know how to eat right. I know what foods work with my body... I LOVE exercise.
But I also love food.
Pizza.

So.....I am also one of those people that battle back and forth, up and down hill after hill on the weight loss/ healthy body roller coaster.

It's freakin frustrating. WHY can't I just get and maintain the right frame of mind?

I don't have the answer to that. Maybe I just need to stop making excuses and WORK.
I guess taking it one day at a time is best... I have to work on that.

I think I'm going to try P90x. A friend of mine has it and is gonna let me borrow it. We'll see. I'm excited for it. I love exercising.
Currently, I'm taking Zumba classes 3x a week. You'd think that would be enough. But it doesn't really engage my muscles like I need. It's a great calorie burn and super fun. I love dancing. This is the first work out that I've stuck with over a long period of time. I'm more of an exercise grazer. But I'm willing to give this P90x a go. 90 different days of working out with it...
I'm gonna record daily here and ((probably)) post up progression pics. Hopefully next week I'll get to start. We'll see... just have to get it from my friend.

My "new approach", as mentioned before, will be employed again. It's ridiculous how easily prayer and faith can be pushed aside in the pursuit of a hot body. I guess it's vanity getting in the way. But I do believe that The Lord and my faith and trust in Him will be key to my achieving my goal.
So...

Lord,
Help me to keep you first and foremost in my mind. Help me to be faithful in prayer and faithful to myself in working toward a healthier body. I know that with you as my strength, it will happen. And I thank you for that.
~Amen~


and I say again


Lord,

Please help me to stay focused. Give me the drive and want and strength to see this through. Please help me to be ardent in my task. Please help me to seek you when I feel like eating things that are not healthy for me. Please help me to be faithful in my exercise. I know that it will make me stronger.
I have been living selfishly and lazily for far too long and am unhealthy and uncomfortable because of it. Please forgive me for putting things into my body when I know that they are not good and nourishing.
Please help me each day to keep my eyes on you and to put my faith in you. I know you will bring me through this.
I pray these things in Jesus' name.
Amen

God Does Facebook

I was skimming through my facebook news feed earlier and came across this prayer my friend had said:

Lord, in today's time when we are encouraged by the media to focus on our appearance for self gratification help us to not forget to fall on our knees to pray. Help us to see that perfection can never be accomplished and that only in our imperfection we become whole. Help us to find pride in the calluses that form on our knees as a result of prayer and not our superficial exterior appearances. Amen.


Amen! So true. I forget, as we all do sometimes, that God really does have His fingers in all of my life. Even my weight loss. If I am diligent in prayer and faithful and trusting, God will take me where I need to be. I say NEED. Not WANT. Sometimes want coincides with need. Need is definitely more important.

I think that today God is trying to reiterate to me faith and prayer. Also, in the facebook news feed, I came across another posting with a link to a blogspot page. This person had a "revelation" of something they'd known already, but sometimes forgot... a lot like me. This revelation told them to be patient and quiet and listen for God's direction and guidance in a very big life change.
Weight loss is a life change. For me it is. That blog was nudge #2 for me. Time to listen.

If God can get on Facebook to tell me He's got this, I can get on my knees to tell Him I trust Him.