Learning to be Business Minded

I relate to those pitiful moths that obsessively pursue a porch light until they have no more strength or get too close to the heavenly glow only to be zapped. 

All the world dims and nothing matters but the light.

Often when the Lord directs me to something I pursue it heartily with little adherence to reason.  Sometimes I can even misjudge my blind passion as faith; which may be true in part. 

But, like a moth to the flame, this behavior is not always healthy. 

Presently the Lord is leading me to purse a business.  I began to dream with Him and wrote out ideas and goals.  In the process He showed me Beach Body (the company that puts out workout dvds like Insanity and P90x) and I readily became a coach.  I found myself using hours of time that once had another purpose to fulfill protocol the company thought was best for my business to grow. 

It felt exciting to take the bull by the horns.  But not quite right.  It was exciting, but not fulfilling. 

But God had led me to Beach Body, hadn’t He?

I began to talk people out of buying things.  I really love the workouts.  They have helped me make a change in my life I had long wanted.  But I didn’t like the idea of selling. 

I started seeking the Lord for direction in what He meant by coaching.  

He started answering right away: 

1. A close friend had a dream about me being a Beach Body Coach.  The gist was I don't need to use the Beach Body model.  The way I was going about it was not true to who God made me to be.  The word we ended on was, "gentler."
2. Two days later another friend had a dream about me coaching.  In the dream she was going to run a half marathon, but decided not to, but I wouldn't let her give up.  (Two dreams in three days! I knew this was "dreaming with God," but woah, I guess He was being literal.)
3. Next came a quote from the book I'm reading to the kids:“You can do better than this, Jo.  Aim at the highest, and never mind the money.” –Mr. March in Little Woman. I felt like MY Father was speaking to HIS "Jo", aka Becky Jo. 

I don't have to be afraid.  Its okay that I don't follow the business model others have found success in.  

I may loose money right now. He will guide me.  The road to "success" may begin differently than what makes sense to me.  It may end differently.

It's time to apply Kingdom Principles to my business.  I will invest in people.  For now it won't look much like a business.  The investment may not have have returns that begin with dollar signs.  But in the Kingdom of God the economy is different.  It's a learning curve.  

Set you mind on the things above and not on the things of this earth.  For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Dreaming Big

Cory and I are not making it financially.  We budget every dollar (almost). We are frugal.  We receive help from the government.  We don't have any medical insurance.  He is working full time and some overtime and pursuing a second bachlers degree because we cannot maintain this lifestyle forever.  And I have felt so useless in this aspect.

I have no marketable skills.

I didn't complete college.  I don't have any specific training.  I never interned.  I don't see myself in any career.  Working for minimum wage would not even pay the sitter.  And I cannot live away from the kids.  I have talked with the Lord about this a lot.  I have told Him I'd do more if He wanted me to, 

but I had NO IDEA what to do.

Until we went to Idaho on vacation.

Fording the river to climb to a waterfall.


Cory and I were talking on our drive to Idaho for our summer family vacation.  Those long drives are often the opportunities for introspection of our marriage, our family and our goals.

We were just updating each other on our lives. I was telling him about the I workout program called Insanity I began and how I became connected with a beach body coach.  (That is a story in itself)

Cory said, "that sounds like something you would be so good at." 

I thought he was teasing.  The name "beach body" sounds pretty awful to me and he doesn't usually get too interested in that sort of thing.

But he wasn't kidding.  He went on to encourage me over and over again about what my strengths and giftings are.  I'm a coach by nature (often to a fault), I'm motivating and inspiring (or so my husband says). I love health and am passionate about helping others on their journey toward healthy living, I love working out, etc.

By the time we reached Idaho my thumbs couldn't keep up with my brain.  Ideas were pouring in and I was trying to catch them on the notepad on my iphone.  

What if I could mentor women in areas like healthy eating, feeding kids well, getting kids involved, meal planning, loosing weight, improving digestion, overcoming sugar additions, living with more energy,  excercise and fitness, etc??

I starting thinking long term.  Cory said I should look into getting some education and certifications in fitness and nutrition.  (That's intimidating.  I'm not the best at smarty pants school stuff like him)

Then my friend who is a beach body coach messaged me about a 5 day free informative class she was hosting about what coaches are and how to become one! I hadn't told her I was interested.  Literally while I was talking to Cory about all of this my phone dinged with the message from her!  

I don't know if Beach Body will be my landing point.  But it may be a good starting point.  And the timing sure seemed special. 

I went to a little mom's retreat a few months ago and spent hours around the table, smiling from ear to ear, teaching them how to soak oat meal, soak beans, make stock, getting probiotics through foods and drinks they can make at home.  It was energizing for me.  I wouldn't need to get paid! My heart is in it, it  wouldn't be about the money.  

But what if, 

just what if 

the Lord was letting me dream. 

Even encouraging me to dream. 

Beginning to fulfill a dream that was certainly there by not fully realized until that moment in the suburban.

That lines up with the way God has been manifesting His love to me lately.  The last season of my life was a very difficult one.  I left it very wounded and empty.  I spent years getting hurt and nursing the wounds, and dealing with recovery.  It was all purposed.  All good. But very inward focused.  And this season has been one of restoration. As I've recognized the healing He has done in my heart and received the things He wanted to give me I have felt freedom.  

Freedom to pursue the desires of my heart. (I actually put it that way just a few weeks ago) 

Someone asked me, 

"what are the desires of your heart?"

I couldn't tell her what my desires are specifically.  I'd been healed, but I hadn't yet let myself discover what I wanted to pursue with this new freedom.  I have no idea what to expect of this or how to make it come about.  I am NOT business minded.  But I am excited. 

It seems surreal.  Like a dream.  But maybe it's supposed to right now.  So now I'm dreaming.  Dreaming big. 

Buckle Your Seat Belts Ladies and Gentlemen...

In preparing for my sugar detox/cleanse/freedom I found myself talking about it quite a bit, and others were interested in joining the bandwagon.

Our food processor needs to be manually held down, but I needed some nut butter, hence the earmuffs.

If you are one of those people you may be asking:

WHAT DID YOU GET YOURSELF INTO?

Well...
The idea is that you need 21-66 days (i think that was the right #) to break an addiction.  The emotional attachment is super deep for me, so I wanted as much time to ease in and get serious as possible.  That's what week 1 is all about.

I am using the format I found in "I Quit Sugar." I like her food philosophy and I like her pace. 

Day after tomorrow, Thursday, May 21st we begin week 1.

Week 1: Cut Back and Stock Up

Basically be aware of how much sugar (fructose in particular) you consume.

If you take 2 teaspoons of sugar with your coffee, try 1 this week.
If you drink diet coke, switch to coke for now.
Just ease in...

As we become intentional about what we eat we are building a new mindset.  I totally believe sugar is bad for me.  It make me fat, it messes with my emotions, my body metabolizes it like alcohol, it's a bad example for my kids, etc.  But does that stop me from eating it?
NO!  Sigh

So week 1 we can all work on eating one donut instead of two from the box at church.

Part B:
Stock your pantry and freezer

Preparing my self for success by adding probiotics, healthy fats, and raw cacao.

Now is the time to get prepared for when the SUGAR hits the fan.

Some ideas:

avocados

eggs

young coconut

almonds (preferable soaked and dehydrated)

nut butters

kombucha 

kefir water or soda

lacto-fermented sauerkraut

Week 2: Get Fat

Sugar creates an addictive cycle of hunger, fatigue and moodiness. It initially spikes blood sugar, causing us to feel energized and happy. But since it's devoid of real nutrition, blood sugar quickly plummets, leaving us tired, hungry and moody. So we reach for more sugar ... how to quit sugar in 5 days

 

Part of the solution is fat.  Fat stabilizes our system.  Though I may not be chronically hypoglycemic, I daily struggle through the craving to treat hypoglycemia type crashes.  

So add fats to your diet as much as possible.  

Spoon coconut oil into your porridge, then top it with nuts.

Just get crazy.  If it's good fat your body knows what to do with it and will not store it.  

Don't worry about that , we have other things to worry about...

Week 3: The Real Deal

 

Now we make the dive into craziness. But we have each other!

No sugar (fructose). Check labels. Be hard core.

  

I love fruit, but in the attempt to recalibrate my system I will abandon it for a few weeks.  

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right?

I Quit Sugar, Week 3

embracing the vegetable section

For now we will:
-reduce fructose intake
-increase healthy fat consumption

Here are some things I think are worth doing as well:
-take the supplement L-glutamin
-probiotics are a MUST  (we can go into this more soon)
-drink extra water

Oh wow, I'm stoked!

Pandora's Box Must Have Been Filled with Chocolate

You know it's bad when you sing, say prayers, hug and kiss, then RUN out of the kid's bedroom to steal your 3 year old's "potty treats" in a vain attempt to satiate your sugar craving.

The day started well:
Today is our busy day.  I took Cherith in and out of her car seat 12 times, that number would be higher if her big sisters couldn't walk to soccer practice or if I didn't leave her in the car while dropping some others off at science co-op.
Busy can often lead to stress which some how activates the hand-to-mouth mechanism.
But I was prepared.

We had lunch on-the-go:
I had a plan.  I was doing pretty well.
I had a coffee with sucanat before the departure... or wait, did I??
Leaving was so hectic, it's all a blurr now. Either way, I meant to.  I have allowed myself one sweetened, frothy, hot bev a day.
My lunch was cucumbers, tomato and avocado with balsamic vinegar and some seasoning.  There were pumpkin seeds and a carrot too. AND, as insurance, when I juiced this morning I set aside enough to take along for the ride (dandelion greens, cucumbers, beets, oranges and lemon were my ace in the pocket).

I was super proud of myself:
until 3:00pm hit.

I'm not sure what I should have done better.  3:00pm rolls around and nothing felt more pressing than the need to get home and lay in bed.  But that was not a realistic hope.  So immediately the fantasy morphed into: GET SUGAR AND FAST.

Crash: Getting up the stairs to put Nissi to nap sent my head spinning into a headache that lasted for a couple hours.  As soon as the coast was clear I made (another?) coffee with frothed milk and sucanat and devoured a generous slice of the sourdough bread I made yesterday with and even more generous dallop of honey.

This may not seem so bad.  But for me there is not a reliable brakes system in place.

Have you ever gone to an ice cream shop with the fam and made the mistake of letting the baby taste your ice cream?
As soon as the kid gets tipped off to what the creamy stuff in your bowl tastes like...
 that's all your are doing the rest of the time there.
Oh and don't run out of ice cream before it's time to go.
Oh no.
If every moment is not completed with the deliciousness in their mouth anyone in ear shot will bear the consequence of you're "sharing the wealth".

Pandora's box must have been filled with chocolate.  I just realized that... I'm changing my post title

And Burn: I'll skip over some of the details of the next several hours, but now I find myself hiding taffy (potty treat) wrappers in the back side of the trash can so my kids don't bust me in the morning.

I am addicted to sugar.  I have known and fought this for years.

I don't want this for me or for my family.  My philosophy of food and life cannot coexist with this addiction.

So here's my idea. I'm going to quit sugar for 8 weeks.  That's supposed to be the time it takes to fully detox and break the addiction.

Some of my action plans are:
-Blog through the process. This will hold me accountable somewhat and give a sense of purpose.
-Prepare for success with healthy combatant foods like probiotic sauerkraut and hard boiled eggs.
-Trade my joys of sugar for the joys I was intended for (i.e. the reason to look forward to a party ought not to be the cake).
-give freedom to myself as a gift.  I plan to start May 22nd.  My birthday is exactly 8 weeks later.
-... well that's all I've got for now.

Even if he's a sexual predator?

Being that I home school and own six children I am here at home a LOT. It's difficult to leave in the first place (suiting up seven of us in winter clothes has proven to have it's challenges); and once we do leave it's only a matter of time before we need to be back for someone's nap time.

I have a deep desire to live a life that is meaningful. So I'm working with what I have.

It is here in my living room (amongst the dozen and dozens of plants Cory brings home from the dumpster at work) that I do most "ministry."

According to Merriam-Webster, 

ministry: a person or thing through which something is accomplished

One of the ways I accomplish kingdom work is I hang out with Mormon missionaries weekly.  I've had my present missionaries for a few months and we've really gotten close. We invited them to the kid's piano recital and nearly every time they come they often stay well past closing prayer to play Down By The Banks on the floor.
I never cared to talk to the missionaries that would occasionally knock at my door back in California, but I feel so differently now.  If anyone wants to come in my house I really want to make a way for that to happen.  I know that the atmosphere is somewhat chaotic on the surface, but under the day old smeared sweet potato on the table and behind the volatile bursts of of laughter and/or tears,
there is a Spirit of Life here.
A wellspring of Hope and Truth.

I want to let anyone who will experience the Living God, even if it's only by catching up here in my home.

The other side of it is that I absolutely love the LDS (Mormons). They have a heart for God. They are kind.  They love their families.  They serve well.  They bring me fresh baked bread, garden zuchinni's, and backyard raw honey.
What's not to love?

These people are part of the Bride of Christ... that is confusing for me still. But I believe it's true.

This week the missionaries and I discussed the book I'm reading, Emma Smith, Mormon Enigma.

This girl had it so rough.  I'm in chapter 9 and Joseph has just taken a few more plural wives, but Emma doesn't know about them yet.  I told the missionaries that I learned historians disagree on the number of plural wives Joseph had, but it was somewhere between 27 and 84. I usually don't try to persuade them with common arguments like polygamy, but since I had been reading about it and they were asking questions it came up.
As I told them some of the things I learned and my reactions to them the missionaries eyes glossed over and became distant.
I asked them if they had ever thought about he polygamy issue.
Neither had spent much time on it. In fact one did not even know that Joseph had ANY plural wives until she had been on her mission and someone told her otherwise.

Our conversation went like this,

My concern is the LDS insistence of focusing only on the present.
The present prophet, the present practices and the present doctrines.
The present looks pretty good, but we need to evaluate the past.
What if Joseph Smith was a sex addict? Would that mean anything to you?

I don't know.  I've got my answer about the Book of Mormon and scriptures. And since I got my answer I don't think that would change anything for me.

Even if he's a sexual predator?

That idea did not seem to bother them. It didn't matter if the founder of their religion was a sex addict or an offender, they are in deep and are not looking for a way out.

And I sympathize with this.

If someone attacked my religion. Or even proved the Dead Sea Scrolls to be a fake. I would not care.  I know that the Living God loves me and lives in me.  I have a full blown relationship with Him.  Not to mention I have given so much up and spent my whole life living for this.

That's where they are... sort of.  I love them for it.

How much would it help I hated them at that moment?  Judged them for their... I don't know... blindness?  Is that God's heart toward them?

Love conquers. I want to be a part of that movement. I want to see death and deceit and law and false religion conquered.

My desire in posting this is to address the Christian community who may be willing to read this.

I invite you to open your heart.  

It's not about a cult.
It's about people who love God.
People who are loved by God.
He's doing something with the LDS.

Kefir Water Soda

 Probiotics is a word that gets thrown around a lot today.

As far as I understand it, our gut has healthy bacteria that is super important.

If we ate a traditional (old-world style) diet this issue would not come up as much for at least 2 reasons.
1) back in the day they prepared food and drinks differently...

a lot of fermentation= probiotics

2) back then refined sugars and flours were not a part of life

Did you know that most of your immune system is in your gut?

So in order to be healthy in our fast paced eating world, we need to think about probiotics.

Kefir soda is a fun venture down the path of healthfulness.

What is kefir water?
a probiotic byproduct of kefir grains

What are kefir grains?
Kefir grains look like chewed up clear gummy bears.  They are like a pet and need to be fed regularly.  They eat sugar (sucanat are my grain's favorites) and turn it into probiotics!

What about kefir soda?
When you put kefir water in a bottle with a lid it becomes oxygen is taken out of the equation. As the kefir consumes sugars in the bottle (I add juice) it naturally carbonates! Seriously.

How do you care for kefir and make soda?

Here's what you need:

• kefir grains (if you live close by drop in and I'll hook you up)
• mason jar
• sucanat (any whole sugar like palm sugar works)
• water (our water is really hard, so I use spring water, at my old house that was not necessary)
• strainer (non-metal)
• bottles with caps (Grolsh is what I use. I bought it at the grocery store and had a friend who enjoys beer "take one for the team" then supply me with the empty bottles)
• juice

Here is a non-scientific, non-specific guide:

1) water kefir grains

1. Start with 3Tbsp kefir grains +/- 
2. Mix 1/4 cup sucanat with 3cups water
3. pour sugar water into the jar with the grains
4. cover with a breathable lid. I use a paper towel. warning: If you seal this puppy it kind of becomes a bomb.
5. Set in a warm spot for 1-4 days, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. In the winter I turn mine over every 3 days or so, in the summer it's definitely every day.

2a) 1/4 cup sucanat

2b) 3 cups water

3pouring sugar mixture

4 viola

Now onto the kefir soda part, 

pour your cultured probiotic kefir into a glass jar.

If using two jar, then about 1 1/2cup kefir each.

 Next add juice. My favorite is grape. Don't fill the juice too high in the jar. Stay below the neck.  Depending on how carbonated it becomes it may be difficult to open without spraying every where if it is too full. I have a funny story about that one.

 Because the batches change and the kitchen temperature changes, I'd suggest experimenting according to preference. You can even label your bottles with the date the started so you don't loose track of them.

I found that trying to explain this was more complicated than it felt in my brain. So if you have any questions I love to be be a kefir mentor!

Cheers to good health.

Make Me a Servant

There's a song Charity Churchmouse sang that I often hum to myself, it goes,

Make me a servant, 

humble and meek.

Lord let me lift up 

those who are weak.

And may the prayer of my heart always be, 

"make me a servant, 

make me a servant, 

make me a servant today."

And when I hear it, with the minor key bathing every word with emotion, I really feel like it's important. I pray it genuinely. Make me a servant.

But when the kids interrupt my serene nostalgia with whiny demands, like a balloon, my good intentions burst and I'm lecturing.

But yesterday I let the words repeat in my soul. I considered another childhood tune,

Scurry maid

"If you want to be great in God's kingdom

learn to be servant of all."

And we know it.  Being a servant IS great. Jesus declares it to be so. 

Given the right circumstances we can really get behind that idea (say for instance I was asked to serve the President in World Peace affairs... yep, I'd be sure... this IS great)

But that's likely not the heart Jesus is interested in for me. 

For me, it might look more like this:

The kids wanted a tea party, I was just finishing a long-overdue kitchen clean. Not only did they want tea, but cookies too. I relented and my kitchen suffered. But this time I embraced it. I grabbed my apron and hanky and literally served them. I gave them a bell to ring from the tea table if they needed anything. 

When the bell rang I'd curtsy at the door, "Yes'm". 

Pretending I HAD to serve them for bit, broken accent and all, really gave me some perspective. 

These little ladies may not be the Duchess' of Wales, the truth is they are even more valuable. In the kingdom of God these beauties are of more worth than anything I can grasp in this world.  So for me to serve them is indeed a privilege.

I'm not stuck at home with them. NO. That is a lie!

I am a part of a glorious work. The Lord chose me for greatness. What is the evidence? My opportunity to serve. Praise the Lord! I'll say yes Jesus, 

Make me a servant!