Hello LBY group (and others visiting):

How was your week? We’re deep into the Easter weekend, so I don’t know how many of you will have time to post. We’re off to various egg hunts and family activities, so I apologize that I won’t be able to get around to visit many blogs until probably Monday morning.

This week’s lesson was the best yet — our topic was love, teaching us how to move toward a selfless agape type of love. Here’s another verse I need to hang up around my house: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). A home full of grace is one where everyone can relax in the blessings of agape love.

I wonder how many of you are sharing all this with your husbands, if you’re married! I am. I know that one of you said your husband was watching the videos with you. That’s awesome! Well, I’ve been reading out loud to my husband, and he said the other night, “I like all that stuff you’re learning. I think I need to call up Beth Moore and see if I can make her a cake and send it to her.” OK — this was funny. My husband doesn’t make cakes! But that just shows you — we’re learning great things!

[I’m not going to blog about this — but p. 50 of the homework — that last paragraph before the questions. Whew! Amen to all that. And if it’s missing from a marriage, as Beth said in the video, this is a definite flag; in fact, it’s “Six Flags over Texas!” If you didn’t watch the video yet, you won’t know what I’m talking about — sorry!]

Here’s what happened to me this week: I have two people to thank for a MAJOR MIRACLE in my life — the first person is of course Beth Moore. In an earlier lesson, she encouraged us to get out of our comfort zones. Well, I immediately started thinking about missions — which is what I blogged about last week. And I can’t thank y’all enough for your encouraging comments and private emails. (Thank you, N. for those pictures.) Yet some of you reminded me to be content with where God has me right now — and to pray for God’s timing. It was so hard to open myself up completely last weekend … yet it ended up being a blessing after all.

The other person I have to thank is Carol, who hosted the Carnival of Beauty this week on the topic of “Aging Gracefully.” Carol’s essay has really stuck with me. And I began to realize what my comfort zone is … and what I must do.

The one thing missing from my life — are you ready? You might think I’m going to get all spiritual and say it’s God’s Word, and that’s not true. I love reading my Bible!

What I’ve been missing is EXERCISE, specifically … how can I say this without sounding gross? Sweaty exercise. Where I work out so hard that sweat pours all the toxins out of my body, and I feel like a different person when I finish. It’s not happening when I take walks outside pushing a baby stroller and watching my dog sniff things — this is fun and relaxing, but I don’t sweat at all.

SO! I know the only place in the world I’ve ever been consistent with exercise is Curves fitness center. It’s a 30-minute circuit workout for women only. There are no bulky men in tank tops and short shorts grunting in this room — what a relief. I wrote last week about how I sometimes think it would be nice to work outside of my home — well, taking the plunge to join Curves is my JOB now.

When I set my mind to do something and take it seriously, it will get done. The last time I joined Curves three years ago, I lost 55 pounds. You can read my story here. Since joining this week, I’ve already worked out three times and earned me $2 in Curves bucks! Woohoo! They have a program where if you work out three times a week during the month of April you get some special dollars that can be used to win Curves prizes — clothes, water bottles, fun stuff. I also won a hula hoop contest last night — got another buck. That was hilarious — I haven’t hula-hooped in years — but I’m actually pretty good, especially in a room full of clapping ladies saying, “Woo — you go girl!”

So, I’m hurting today. Every muscle in my legs is aching. The first two times I worked out, I couldn’t even do the machines to full capacity — I’m too weak and tired. But I did last night — I thought, “This is my job. I’m going to put effort into this.”

The humiliating part about going to Curves is that you have to be measured and weighed (if you want to). Of course, since I live in a small town, I know the girl who works there. So now she knows every detail about me — and my fitness goals as well. I wrote down that my goal is to tone up and lose 25 pounds. It’s written down — on a card! And I have a weigh-in day next month. I gotta do it!

Let me just tell you — I’m so happy there. I’ve seen tons of people I know, and I can talk while I work out. I don’t have to reset any of the machines — I just do them. No thinking involved. In fact, while I’m working out, I’m like a sponge, soaking up all the great conversations going on around me. I’ve got to remember to bring a notepad in my car to jot down some of these funny things people talk about. Y’all probably know I don’t watch a lick of TV — no time. And we only get a couple of local channels and PBS where we live. (We don’t want cable — we want out kids to be bored enough indoors so they’ll play outside! Which they do!) So I’m out of it, except for reading headlines of magazines in the grocery store.

Well, I’m catching up on the culture gossip now. For example, I’ve learned that Natalie Portman looks good with a bald head, and everybody wants to go see “V for Vendetta.”

While watching Beth Moore’s video of our lesson, I filled in the blanks to complete this sentence:
“Through the infiltrating power of the Holy Spirit, I can do things I couldn’t, feel things I didn’t, and know things I wouldn’t.”

On my own strength, I could NOT have walked into Curves — I had thousands of excuses. But this study and Carol’s gentle admonishment to take better care of my physical body — forced me to do it.

Here’s what I predict will happen:

Month 1 — Nothing will happen. I’ll see no results and feel like I’m wasting my time.
Month 2 — I’ll GAIN weight and feel even more discouraged! This is because muscle weighs more than fat. As I gain muscle and lose fat, the scale will make me feel worse.
Month 3 — Let the games begin. If I’ve been consistent with going three times a week, the pounds will drop and my husband will say, “You look like you’re getting toned up.” My arms will stop looking like tree trunks, and I’ll be able to stop wearing stretch pants and actually fit into some of my old clothes again. And have an excuse to go shopping for a new spring outfit!

I’ll let you know my progress. Also — exercising like this where I really work hard and sweat makes me thirsty. Which means I crave water … not caffeinated drinks. Drinking a lot of water further cleanses toxins from my body … and my mind. I’m looking forward to thinking clearly again, something I haven’t been able to do since Baby #5 entered the world a year ago.

Thank you for reading, if you’ve made it through today’s post. This is really for me … since I’ll print this out and put it in my notebook. Someday, I’ll look back on this and see how God is working in my life — getting me out of my comfort zone to get my body in shape, so I’ll have more energy to run this marathon He’s called me to run.

I wish you all a glorious Easter, full of JOY — as we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ!

Addie	Heather*	Carol
M	Rach	Jeana
Jenn	Amanda	MamaB
GiBee	Boomama	Maria
Blair	Heather	Nancy
Janna	Flipflop	Robin
Sherry	Patricia	Tara
Lauren	HolyMama!	Faith
Christy	Eph2810	Karin
Leann	Rachel	Janice
This is a list of the women participating in the study and the links to their blogs. New postings on the study will be published for the next ten weeks, between Friday 8pm – Saturday 8am. Please feel free to visit each of us and comment. Everyone is welcome to participate in this discussion as we seek to live beyond ourselves. May God bless you richly from the hearing of His word.

Have you been feeling stressed out lately? I have. I’m stressed. You’re stressed. We’re all stressed, right? As women, we’re rocking the cradle, raising up the next generation, and carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders … at least, that’s what it seems like at 5:00 in the afternoon when everybody’s hungry and we gotta feed ’em. Do you ever feel like saying, “I need some time to BREATHE!”

Ah …. We’re in for a treat today. I’ve discovered a mom who is an expert on teaching women how to find the breathing room we need to survive. Everybody say “hello” to Keri Wyatt Kent! She’s a mom and author of several books for women, including Breathe: Creating Space for God in a Hectic Life and her newest that releases this week (woohoo!) Listen: Finding God in the Story of Your Life.

Hi, Keri. Thanks for visiting Mom 2 Mom Connection. We’re all glad you’re here!

Thanks, Heather, for inviting me.

Keri, not all of us here are moms, but we all know how it feels to be pulled in 20 different directions as we try to please everyone. It’s impossible. Is there something missing in our lives? I know you write and speak about a woman’s soul and what we really need. Can you tell us more about this?

I think we neglect our soul because we think caring for it is a luxury. But really, it’s a necessity. Parenting is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Would we run a marathon without breathing? Of course not. Would we prepare for a marathon by not eating anything for a few days prior? We need to take in air and fuel in order to run.

In the same way, if we are going to love and lead our children, those are spiritual activities. They are ways of expending spiritual energy. We can’t do that very well if we haven’t taken in energy — fed our souls, so to speak. That’s the kind of thing I write about — how to breathe and feed your soul.

How can a woman find a place where her soul can breathe?

Well, she can’t do it by waiting for someone else to give it to her. As women, we often worry about other people’s needs, and we secretly wish someone would give that kind of care to us. But typically, they don’t. Rather than feeling frustrated by that, we need to choose to care for ourselves. Decide to do this. You’re an adult, you don’t have to ask permission to care for yourself.

Do you have any suggestions for how we can enlist help?

In practical terms, that means you have to get a sitter or a friend or relative to watch your kids, and get out of the house. You need to trust that God is in control and someone else can handle your children. Decide where to go — there are a lot of retreat centers all over the country. Or, if it’s nice, go to a park or beach. If it’s not nice outside, go to a library or even a coffee shop — but not one where you’ll run into people you know.

Some churches keep a chapel or room open where you can go for silent prayer — that’s a great option. Another idea is to have a friend watch your kids at your house, and you go to her now quiet and empty house for some time alone. Make sure you return the favor for her!

Do you think getting away alone is something we should try to do every day?

It depends. I suggest trying to get a bit of time (say five minutes) each morning, to just offer your day to God, ask Him to help you to notice Him in your day, just to ask for His help with whatever challenges you’re facing. Trying to have a long time of solitude or prayer with very small children underfoot is a recipe for frustration. If your children are very young, aim for five minutes a day, and then once a week, plan ahead for a longer time, even if it’s only for an hour.

The time away from the kids is as important as anything you read or pray about. Give this as a gift to yourself. If you trade babysitting with a friend, it won’t cost you anything.

I love the idea of giving this as a gift to ourselves. How can we convince our families that we need this time away?

That can be a challenge. Don’t start with asking for an entire weekend away. Start with an hour. If your spouse won’t help, get a friend to watch your kids. Take the time. Too often we say, “Oh, my husband won’t help,” or “My kids won’t let me,” or whatever. Don’t fall into the trap of letting other people make decisions that you are supposed to make.

Wow! That hits close to home for me. I have a hard time admitting that I can’t do it all.

Explain that in order to be the best mommy you can be, you need to have some time alone. The old “If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy” is really true. I think our families can see that — it’s not usually them that needs to be convinced. It’s us. We have to let go of thinking we are the only ones who can do things around our house or with the kids.

Also, if your husband is the one with the kids while you are gone, don’t come home and complain about how he handled things, or re-do the dishes he washed. That’s one sure way to dissolve his support in an instant.

Those are great ideas, Keri. I’m always so thankful when my husband keeps our kids for a while — and they end up doing fun things that are different than when I’m home. What about women who need to find support outside of their home? Can you tell us how you got involved with MOPS?

MOPS stands for “Mothers of Preschoolers.” It’s a wonderful international organization that provides resources and support to mothers of young children. There are chapters all around the world. You can find out if there’s one near you by going to their website.

They typically meet in churches but are independent and are a very comfortable and accepting environment for all moms, regardless of their background or where they are on their spiritual journey.

I got involved with them through my writing — my first book, God’s Whisper in a Mother’s Chaos, was a popular resource with groups. MOPS eventually put it in their catalog, and did the same with my second book.

I think we’re all looking for God’s whisper in the midst of our chaos. That sounds like something I need to read!

Because of these books, a lot of local groups have invited me to come and speak to them. My third book, Breathe: Creating Space for God in a Hectic Life, was co-published by MOPS International. After it came out, several more MOPS groups invited me to speak. I was also invited to teach a workshop at the MOPS International convention. My newest book, Listen: Finding God in the Story of Your Life, is featured in their magazine, MomSense, this month. I also write articles for that magazine pretty regularly. It’s a great resource for moms.

Yes, I love reading your stories in MomSense. Can you tell us what people do at MOPS meetings? Is this only for moms with preschoolers?

A typical MOPS meeting depends on the group. There’s childcare (called “Moppets”) provided, which is great. They often have coffee and a snack, but some groups serve a buffet breakfast. Usually there’s a speaker talking about some aspect of parenting or spiritual growth, often about how those two areas of life intersect. Some groups do a craft and there’s usually time for small group discussion and sharing.

What about moms who might have teenagers or an empty nest? Is there a way for moms to get involved as a mentor of some sort to the younger moms?

Each MOPS group is run by a committee of volunteers, which usually has at least one “mentor mom,” whose kids are beyond the preschool years. Obviously, some moms have kids who are spread out in age so they might have one preschooler and a couple of older kids. There are also groups for moms who are teens themselves, as well as single moms — although sometimes those moms are included in a regular group.

MOPS groups always need mentor moms, and it’s a great ministry. All the mentor moms I talk to say they get so much by giving in this way.

Keri, you have given us all some fantastic ideas. And I can’t wait to learn more about how we can find space for ourselves to breathe and listen to God. I’m looking forward to having you visit again tomorrow.

Thanks. I’ve enjoyed it!

Tomorrow, Keri will be back to give us more details on what we can discover in her new books for women. If you’d like more information about Keri Wyatt Kent, please visit her website, as well as MOPS . You can also read Keri’s latest MomSense article here on the Christianity Today website.

I’ve been noticing that my Travel category in this blog is a bit wimpy. I mostly focus here on books and parenting issues. But if you’re like me, blessed with little ones at home, you may have to do a lot of your adventure-seeking from your armchair (or should I say rocking chair? Or maybe I should even say laundry room, after seeing a picture of a mom tapping away on her laptop a la washing machine over at the recent contest on Mommy Net).

Did you know people all over the world are writing travel blogs? This technology did not EXIST when I did some international traveling in my late teens/early 20s. As I mentioned once, when I lived in Japan, I spent every evening writing letters, one by one, BY HAND telling my family and friends (and my special pen pal who later became my husband) all about my adventures living overseas.

But now the technology is here to be able to update everyone instantly — with words and pictures. This is also useful for anyone preparing for a trip somewhere. I mean — why read a guidebook that was written like two years ago when you can read about a traveler eating in a trendy bistro this morning?

The best site I’ve found so far is one called Travel Blog: Live Travel Journals. Have you heard of this site yet? I recently went to Rome — and before that, I climbed a mountain with a traveler somewhere along the coast of South America! The pictures are stunning. Of course, since the blogs are not edited, you never know what you might read. But for the most part, I’ve been interested to hear people’s fascinating stories.

You can choose any continent in the world, and hundreds of countries. The site owners pick different blogs to feature on the home page — I’m not sure if they’re updated daily or maybe weekly. Today’s front page features:

— On March 30th, a traveler named Keith took pictures and wrote about seeing humpback whales off the coast of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

— An explorer dubbed Honest Abe reports on sheep herding and eating curry on the island of Fiji.

— A traveler shared views of life on Penang, a large island off the northwestern coast of Malaysia.

— An April Fool’s Bike Ride through Pittsburgh (I suppose exotic to someone).

— A duo who call themselves “Cumberland Sausage” share pictures of a Holi Festival in Udaipur, India. You won’t believe their pictures. And they close their brief post with this: “No more blogs for a month I’m afraid, we’re off trekking in Nepal.” Ughhh!!

You gotta love it. I can travel the world for free via reading these people’s blogs — and you can too.

With two more months until summer, I’d love to hear back from you readers who don’t live in America. I know you’re out there! You may not realize it, but your home is very exotic to me. I know where a few of you live, but I’d love to learn more. Can you write me and tell me what it’s like? You don’t have to send a picture — I can probably find one on Google.

Do you live on an island? Anywhere near the ocean? I don’t. So in my opinion, you’re on vacation year-round. I want to know what the ocean sounds like for you. What color is the sand? Do you eat fish from the sea, and what kinds? Do you cook it at home or eat it at a restaurant?

You don’t need a blog to write — and you can email me, and I’ll use only your first name or initial. I just think it would be so interesting to use this blog technology to bring the world to my home — and yours.

If anyone else knows a good travel website, I’d love to hear about it.

(Sigh … bigtime sigh.)

Edit: (after much sighing) — If anyone reading this happens to live on an island and is in need of a family to herd your sheep for a while, we’d be happy to consider your offer. I think I’m kidding, but I might not be.

Author Susan Thacker is back with us again today to tell us more about her passion for restoring the “dinnertime hour.” If you missed yesterday’s discussion full of inspiring kitchen ideas for spring, you’ll want to read here first.

Welcome back, Susan. Well, I’m holding a copy of your book right now, and I must say I love the hardy design with a glossy cover that looks easy to wipe off. In the first few chapters, you introduce us to the concept of supper swapping, and share how we can eat healthy and build friendships at the same time.

But the recipes are the true heart and soul of your book, an eclectic variety of mouth-watering meals! You feature recipes from several top chefs around the country. Why did you seek out these well-known chefs?

Would you believe — because I wasn’t a very good cook. You know how some people have a mental block against math? Well, I had been like that with cooking. So I literally called up all these chefs and said, “I need your easiest recipe. I’m not a very good cook.” Then they were like, “Yeah, right.” One of them even said, “That’s very humble of you.” It kind of tickled me that this big-time chef didn’t believe me. Oh by the way, I didn’t use his recipe. It was too hard.

I’m looking at the Chicken Picatta recipe on p.120 from Edible Arts in Franklin, Tennessee. This one got a double thumbs-up rating from both of your kids (which I think is a great idea, by the way — the ratings!). You’ve only got nine simple ingredients, and you even tell us how to get more juice from a lemon on p. 66.

Although the recipe has a fancy name, it looks do-able the way you describe it. You write, “Everyone loves it … This dish is versatile. Try making it without the capers and parsley and garnishing with Black Bean Asparagus Salad on p. 88. It’s beautiful!” I’d feel like a real gourmet cook if I prepared a meal like this! Do you think it’s possible for today’s busy parents to serve fabulous meals like these professional chefs do?

Yes, that’s one of the great things that I learned. Chefs all have a few simple recipes that they just throw together. At our website you can click “Recipes” to try some.

Well, I’m going to have to give these a try — it will be fun to say, “Tonight we’re having ‘Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Apples and Walnuts’ from Chicago’s internationally renowned Chef John Coletta of Quartino.” Sounds fancy.

Now can you tell us what it was like to be featured on the Dr. Laura radio show?

It was awesome. It’s kind of a funny story, but I have to first say, on a serious note, that the Lord handed me that endorsement. I had been second-guessing all the work I’d put into collecting these recipes, and I said, “Lord, please bless me with some kind of recognition on a national level.” I needed the encouragement. Right after that, Dr. Laura said she wanted to feature it.

The funny part of the story was that one day I just spontaneously decided to send Dr. Laura a silly fax mimicking one of her books called 10 Stupid Things Men Do to Mess Up Their Lives. My fax said, “10 Stupendous Reasons Dr. Laura wants to give away 50 Supper Swapping cookbooks,” and it looked like her book.

Then I listed 10 stupendous reasons, of course. It cracked her up! Her assistant called me immediately and said, “Dr. Laura wants to review Supper Swapping.” She loved it!

And now your book is featured on Dr. Laura’s website, and we can hear an audio of the broadcast on your Supper Swapping website.

Susan, this has been fun getting to know you and sharing your ideas about making family dinners practical and special.

Thanks so much, Heather, for interviewing me. If anyone has any additional questions or wants to obtain Supper Swapping through our website, I’ll send them my personal list of the meals that I think are the fastest and easiest in the cookbook. I think it’s a good cheat sheet for getting started, particularly if you don’t like to cook.

Now, do you have one recipe you wouldn’t mind sharing with us as we head into the spring season?

Yes! For spring, I love the Spinach Salad with Blueberry Vinaigrette — a recipe in Supper Swapping from Post Oak Grill in Houston. It’s what we all want: nutritious, few ingredients and kid-friendly. I wait to make this when blueberries are on special; otherwise it can be expensive.

[This recipe also appears on p. 78-79 in Supper Swapping, along with a tip from Chef Polo Becerra on how to cook fish properly so you don’t lose the juice and protein.]

This week’s Carnival of Beauty is being hosted at Scribblings by Blair, so if you’d like to participate, you’ve still got until 3 pm today to post on the topic of “The Beauty of Order” and send Blair your link.

I confess, I’m shooting two birds with one stone here. One of my high school friends is co-authoring a book on the subject of “Breastfeeding,” and she’s asked me a couple of times to send her some tips. Well, it’s one of those things I keep meaning to get around to but haven’t. Then yesterday I realized my #1 tip for nursing moms also relates to the theme of order, so here goes.

First of all, if you’re one of my guy readers (and I know you exist, though most of you never comment!), you may just want to click on out today — because this is woman stuff here. That is, unless your wife is taking care of a newborn — in which case, what I’m saying here may make you the hero.

I don’t like to talk about controversial subjects in my blog (got too much else going on in my life!), but I do have strong opinions about the importance of scheduling a routine in homes with newborns — and toddlers for that matter. This is something that doesn’t come naturally to me — we were so blessed to be invited to take a class before our first son was born. The couple who taught the class were our neighbors, and they were the experts for me — with three happy, orderly children.

The first thing we learned was how important it was to establish a schedule for feeding your baby. This is especially important for nursing moms. Why? Because if your newborn nurses more often than every two hours, he or she will be “snacking” and not getting the rich hind milk that comes from nursing long enough to have this released. Plus, you’re going to be exhausted if you’re nursing a baby every hour around the clock.

When you can establish a flexible routine of nursing every 2-3 hours (aiming for 3), your life will start to have some order, and your baby will learn how to sleep longer at night. Getting a full night’s sleep is important for you and your baby — if a baby continues to wake up several times a night, he or she will probably be a toddler who can’t sleep well either. This makes everyone grumpy!

I’m not the kind of mom who likes to nurse out in public, so I liked to schedule my feedings when I knew I’d be at home — or in a quiet place (as much as possible). I didn’t carry my newborn in a sling and let him or her nurse all day. I know there are moms who do that, but I think this can be exhausting, especially when you’ve got two or more siblings who want to sit in your lap and be held.

With each baby I brought home from the hospital, I scribbled out a very flexible routine — that I adapted and changed each week as it became more apparent how this baby’s personality fit into our family. This schedule helped me keep my sanity, and I can’t imagine if I’d had to survive the first six weeks without having something written down to go by.

Moving on from feeding your baby, here are some other advantages of establishing daily routines. It’s very easy when you’re home with only one baby or toddler to fall into a slump of “I have nothing I really need to do, nowhere I need to be, so I think I’ll stay in my pajamas all day.” This is OK every now and then — even fun! But it shouldn’t be routine, or you’ll start to resent your husband for being out in the “real world” of adults, while you’re staying home day after day in your pajamas.

You should plan something for every day, and write it on your calendar. “Today, I will get dressed and go to the grocery store.” Or plan out a little schedule of weekly activities that you can do with your baby — or even something that you can do without your baby. I specifically joined a gym and church Bible study that both provided great child care!

Even when we were pinching every single penny in graduate school, I kept our two little ones on a routine. We didn’t have the financial means to take expensive Mommy-and-Me classes, but we looked forward to daily walks with our neighbors, free library storytime, and a couple of mom playgroups. At least three times a week, I tried to plan something that involved getting out of the house for a little bit — even if it only meant for a walk down the street.

Why am I writing all this? Because I have such a tender heart toward new moms. Sometimes I felt so alone during those early years. It’s so much easier when you have older children because they’ll have schedules that dictate how you spend your time — the baby will just come along for the ride wherever you have to be.

But it’s easy to fall into depression when you’ve got a newborn, and you’re home alone. Since many women don’t make up a schedule to live by — they feel like they’re bored or on the verge of going crazy, and they end up heading back to work as soon as possible. This makes it even harder for the moms who stay home because you really have to seek out like-minded stay-home moms.

Wow — I feel like I’m just getting started. Yikes. Blogs should be quick to read — sorry! Can you tell I’m passionate about this topic?

I’ve enjoyed visiting the blogs of those of you fellow FlyLady fans (Fly Babies) who are also working on reducing clutter in your life — including body clutter. That’s the term FlyLady uses — isn’t it wonderful and appropriate? I haven’t read the book yet but would like to someday.

I notice that some of you have posted your weight and height on your sites — wow. You’re brave. I know I couldn’t do that. For me, the scale is a personal thing — and it’s not so much about what I weigh, but how I feel. Some of you would look at me and say, “So what? Why are you even trying to lose weight?” But I know that I feel most energetic when I’ve reached a certain target weight.

There are a lot of things in life I have no control over — but I’m working on the few that I do. And one thing I did yesterday was deep clean my closet — and I FINALLY got rid of all of my maternity clothes. I really have been wearing them off and on for almost ten years. I’m too embarrassed to pass them along to anyone I know! So, now I’ve entered this twilight zone — what am I going to do? Throwing out my maternity panel jeans means now I’m much more limited in what I have to wear. But the time has come!

I’m taking baby steps, as FlyLady says, toward FLYing — which stands for Finally Loving Yourself. Yes, it’s all about love, isn’t it? It’s not about denying myself that extra-large pack of French fries. It’s about loving myself enough to want to eat something that’s better for me.

I appreciate the person who sent me the comment reminding me to drink plenty of water. After I read that note of encouragement, I did go drink a glass of water. And another. And then I got full and didn’t want to GRAZE on junk food. I’m still wearing my handy pedometer, and I’ve started to take two walks a day instead of only one. It’s amazing. There’s always something new to discover when I get outside.

But honestly, I don’t think it’s the pedometer so much as my dog that’s getting me out to walk — I love watching him sniff everything. And then one or two cats come along as well, prowling nonchalantly like they don’t want me to know they’re being extra sociable — and we usually have some good-hearted yipping and hissing.

I wish you all a happy Friday as you swish and swipe (your house, not your credit cards!) to get ready for the weekend. Behind the scenes of this blog, I’m working on my first real author interview — with Mary DeMuth, who is currently living in France. I’m finishing up her wonderful book, Building the Christian Family You Never Had, which will be released next Tuesday, Jan. 24th. She’s planning a Blog Tour, which will be held once a week for several weeks — she’s asked us to think up some quirky questions so we don’t all ask her the same thing. Check out her Relevant Prose website and blog here — she’s also a Christian novelist with a new book coming out called Watching the Tree Limbs.

Well, I’m going to “live it up” this weekend, the last weekend of my present age — my birthday is coming this Monday, January 23. Dwarfing that news is the fact that the new Super Wal-Mart will be opening that same day, about two miles from my house. I may have to go walk the aisles just to be sociable. Another spot on the planet that used to be woods and is now a parking lot. Hmmm…on that note, I better log off.

Ellen has announced the Beauty of Hope Carnival on her site. I’m speechless, as I read through these entries. So much to love about these fellow bloggers! I’m feeling full of hope today, at least right now, though that might change in about 20 minutes. (Because I’m moody!)

If you love great quotes about writing, Sally at All About Children’s Books has collected some wonders. More inspiration for you.

On my homefront, a small victory in the world of us who are secretly wearing our “pep-o-meters.” I walked 8500 steps yesterday, on a rainy day. I wrote this in my comments that I walked back and forth in a flat spot in our backyard, much to the chagrin of our puppy (who hurt his paw on something and had to be carried inside, yipping with wet fur.)

I briefly considered making up the difference on my treadmill. Briefly.

Oh! One more thing I must record for all of posterity…the ice cream incident. I did not eat some ice cream yesterday that I normally would have — all because of my new weight loss goal. I ACCIDENTALLY put chocolate syrup on someone’s ice cream who ABSOLUTELY did not want chocolate syrup — and so that ice cream could not be eaten. If I’d been in my usual mode of let’s not waste food — if it’s not eaten by one of the kids, then I better eat it mode, I would have devoured it. But I’d worked too hard trying to walk my 10,000 steps to eat ice cream that I didn’t really want.

Slowly, I’m trying to overcome my habit of grazing…eating leftover food that I don’t want to throw away. I have this mental habit of eating for two…that’s why I weigh an extra two sacks of potatoes. (Got that?)

So, losing weight is not some big, huge task that you tackle all at once. It’s making decisions like I made — I will not eat that ice cream — over and over again.

Maybe one day I’ll actually be drinking water and munching on celery sticks for pure pleasure. I’m not there yet. Chocolate syrup on ice cream sounds pretty good to me. Back to my step-counting.

I discovered some shocking news yesterday, which I thought I would work into this essay topic, “The Beauty of Hope.” My news? I live a sedentary lifestyle. I’ve denied it — but the truth was revealed yesterday in a $7 piece of plastic.

I’ve been trying to get motivated to start exercising again — lately I’ve done nothing for my health. I’m just too busy. Plus I’m sure I get plenty of exercise chasing kids all over the place. But I’ve finally admitted to myself that I’ve got to do something about my postpartum pounds. They’re stuck.

I thought maybe our scale was broken, so I’ve weighed myself about five different places — and those scales seem to be broken too. (How can our pediatrician’s scale be SO wrong? What a shame for all those children!)

Truth is — I’m 25 pounds heavier than I was two years ago when I felt like my old self. When I used to have energy! But I read in Alyice’s DM Writes blog about how she’s going to start riding her new exercise bicycle. And that encouraged me!

Then I read in the newspaper that 2/3 of Americans are overweight (yikes!), and I also read that a healthy, active person should walk 10,000 steps a day. Oh! Here’s a statistic I like — this is measurable, something I can relate to. I’m sure I walk 10,000 steps a day around here — don’t I?

So I invested in a pedometer — a little blue plastic thing that I attached to my belt loop yesterday. And boy was I active. MLK Day — no school. I had kids everywhere — at one point, we had eight kids over here and two moms talking about how tired we were. I was showing off my shiny sink (thanks to FlyLady) and clean countertops. And I loved knowing that every one of my steps was being tracked!

I went up and down stairs all day, transported clutter from room to room, prepared three meals and little snacks for small tummies, swept, washed dishes, changed diapers, refereed life-threatening battles, helped with homework, and cleaned up spills. To make sure I was EXTREMELY active, I decided I’d better take a walk.

It was drizzling, but that did not deter me — the active, many-steppin’ mom. I loaded the baby in the stroller, and two of my kids joined me in my quest for good health. My son also wore another pedometer I’d bought, so we enjoyed comparing notes — he was a few thousand steps ahead of me, but I knew I’d catch up!

Last night, when I finally got ready for bed, bone tired, I checked my pedometer and saw this: are you ready? I’d only walked 4,843 steps! Less than half of what an active, healthy person should walk! So, I’m considered sedentary. My heart is not getting enough exercise. The little pamphlet that came with my pedometer said a person who needs to lose weight should probably increase the number of steps to 12,000 per day.

I thought about jumping on the treadmill for a few minutes — but I can’t sleep if I exercise right before bed. So I hit the pillow letting my shocking discovery sink in.

And today I write with great hope. I’m going to do something about this! For one thing, my sporadic walks are going to become daily. Last week, I read in Ann’s Holy Experience blog … the most inspiring passage from C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters. She quoted this:

A junior devil’s excuse for a man choosing to commit to Christ:

“How did that happen?” roared the senior devil.

“Because he did two things that took him away from us.

First, every day he took a walk, not for the exercise but for the pure pleasure of it.

Second, he decided to read a good book, not so that he might quote it to someone else, but rather for the pure pleasure of it.

Between the walk and the good book, he came within [God’s] reach.”

That quote reminded me how we connect with God through getting outside and enjoying His world — as C.S. Lewis says, for the “pure pleasure.” Since I’m a multi-tasker, my pure pleasure of enjoying the presence of God can be shared with kids who like my company outdoors and a puppy that needs to be walked.

I’m reminded of that old Chinese proverb: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” My desire to lose 25 pounds and get in shape seems like a long road ahead. But at least now I’ve taken the first step. The first 4,843 steps. I have hope that I’ll be able to reach this goal. And along the way, I’m sure I’ll experience many truths as God speaks to me while I walk and come within His reach.

Would anyone else care to join me? Let’s start a Secret Pedometer Club. We can all wear our little plastic meters and check to make sure we’re getting our 10,000 steps in. The thought of other people joining me in this endeavor makes me feel very happy. And hopeful!

Do you read Dear Abby in the newspaper? I do. I’ve been reading her every day for years. I always find the editorial and advice columns the most interesting items in the newspaper — can you tell?

Although I like Dear Abby, I don’t agree with her much of the time, unfortunately. I wish a columnist with a Christian worldview could be the most-read syndicated columnist on earth. Much of Abby’s advice carries a hidden agenda that is NOT from the Bible — and her solution for most people with severe problems is to go see a counselor.

While that’s very important, many people need help quicker than that. They’re on the verge of complete despair. People should be taught to pour out their hearts to God, to pray for His strength and mercy to get through the day. That should come first. THEN they may need to seek help from professional Christian counselors — not psychobabblers who don’t understand the condition of the human heart from a Biblical standpoint — and are too quick to dole out prescriptions that may lead to addictions.

Well! I could go on…of course! But I did clip something from the newspaper that I wanted to keep — and I’ll lose it if I don’t let Google cache it for me in my blog — so you can read it too.

Dear Abby’s List of New Year’s Resolutions:

“JUST FOR TODAY, I will live through this day only. I will not brood about yesterday or obsess about tomorrow. I will not set far-reaching goals or try to overcome all of my problems at once. I know that I can do something for 24 hours that would overwhelm me if I had to keep it up for a lifetime.

JUST FOR TODAY, I will be happy. I will not dwell on thoughts that depress me. If my mind fills with clouds, I will chase them away and fill it with sunshine.

JUST FOR TODAY, I will accept what is. I will face reality. I will correct those things that I can correct and accept those I cannot.

JUST FOR TODAY, I will improve my mind. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration. I will not be a mental loafer.

JUST FOR TODAY, I will make a conscious effort to be agreeable. I will be kind and courteous to those who cross my path, and I’ll not speak ill of others. I’ll improve my appearance, speak softly, and not interrupt when someone else is talking. Just for today, I’ll refrain from improving anybody but myself.

JUST FOR TODAY, I will do something positive to improve my health. If I’m a smoker, I’ll quit. If I’m overweight, I’ll eat healthily — if only just for today. And not only that, I’ll get off the couch and take a brisk walk, even if it’s only around the block.

JUST FOR TODAY, I will gather the courage to do what is right and take responsibility for my own actions.”

What a beautiful list. We can all hang in there for just one day. I know January can be an overwhelming time for many people. We just found out about a suicide from someone in our town who was very well liked and successful. It’s a complete shock. I don’t understand what kind of problems this person had — but I say a lot of it is the post-holiday crash — the expectations that weren’t met, perhaps overwhelming bills are coming in, and physically — we’ve eaten too many rich foods and need a break.

About this list, notice that all the strength and courage come from within — but Paul in the Bible says, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation…I can do everything through Him [Christ] who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). And I’ve already mentioned before how powerful Psalm 143 is for me — here’s the advice someone needs: “Answer me quickly, O Lord; my spirit fails…Show me the way to go, for to you I lift up my soul” (Psalm 143:7a,8b).

If you haven’t gotten going with a Bible reading plan this year, here’s my post from New Year’s Eve where I listed several links that have reading plans you can download. No offense to those who only read the King James Version (I love it too), but I think reading a modern language version can bring the Bible to life, especially if you haven’t read it in years. The words will jump off the page at you!!

P.S. If you’re feeling desperate and need to talk to someone right away, the best place to start is Focus on the Family. You can talk to someone on the phone who can lead you in the right direction.

I’m going to confess something to you I have a really hard time with — and that’s drinking enough water. I know I’m supposed to! I feel better when I do — but it’s so boring to drink water when there are so many more fun things to drink…I hope that doesn’t sound like I’m an alcoholic.

I’m talking about drinks with caffeine. Are you a caffeine drinker? I am! I love coffee and tea. That’s what I crave — along with other fun things, like Diet Coke or Diet Mountain Dew. I have to drink diet these days because the sugar in regular drinks makes me sluggish and negates the caffeine altogether.

The other day at the grocery store, I saw these pink drinks that were on sale for $1 each, and they looked kind of fun! I picked one up and read the copy on the back, and it cracked me up. How’s this:

Sobe Liz Fuel
Strawberry Banana Flavored Beverage
With a blend of Astragalus, ginseng & yerba mate
A creamy, energizing strawberry banana blend designed to power the lizards like Travis Pastrana who grip it and rip it and ride without fear. Courtesy of Sove.

OK, now that’s a bit weird. Is it not? I mean, “grip it and rip it and ride without fear” – what?! And what on EARTH is astragalus? And yerba mate? Do I want to drink a yerba mate?

Well, I did. I drank yerba mate. And it tasted pretty good — but very sweet.

So ANYWAY, back to my original confession. I’ve got to be drinking more water. And you do too. When I talk about it with you, it makes me feel like I can do it. Here’s something I read about water yesterday — from Jon Herring:

Water is your most essential nutrient, and every system in your body depends on it. Unfortunately, chronic dehydration is widespread … and there’s a convincing hypothesis that it is a root cause of many degenerative diseases.

To achieve optimal health, make water your drink of choice. Unless you’re exercising, your body cannot process more than about 8 ounces per hour, so it’s best to drink it in small sips throughout the day. Not only will adequate hydration improve your health, it will also suppress your appetite and help to metabolize stored fat.

Whenever possible, avoid tap water unless it has been filtered to remove fluoride and chlorine. Best to stick to spring water from a trusted source.

Sometimes when I force myself to drink water, I “trick” my mind by adding a little bit of lemon juice or orange juice and tell myself this is expensive bottled water enhanced with a refreshing zest of lemon or twist of orange. It works!

So, as you enjoy your weekend, I hope you’ll drink plenty of water. If I can do it, you can. Let’s do it — eight glasses full, OK? See if you feel rejuvenated by the end of the day. The best way to crave water, though, is to exercise and get REALLY thirsty — then it’s fun to drink.

P.S. If you’re feeling parched spiritually, here’s a verse for you (I wish I could type in red!): Jesus said, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him” (John 7:37).

Now do you feel a bit rejuvenated?