Distractions! How to Overcome the Enemy's Most Used Weapon

 Earlier this year, I began posting to my blog after over a yearlong hiatus. I had every intention of publishing weekly posts that were entertaining and empowering. However, as I got back on my computer today, I realized I hadn't written ANY posts since January! How did THAT happen?! Three months had gone by before I knew it! Well, the answer is probably one that you have experienced, too...I got distracted!

Distractions are one of Satan's most used tactics to separate us from what the Lord has called us to do whether in ministry, in mentoring or who we disciple, or what church we are called to attend. I believe that by causing us to think on other things, besides the Lord and His will for our lives, we begin to lose sight of God. And while we don't necessarily see that we are being distracted, we are slowly being pulled away from the Lord. C.S. Lewis wrote in "The Screwtape Letters," that the following methods are "useful" by the father below (Satan):

1) Keeping our minds on our inner life and aggravating the most useful human characteristic: the horror and neglect of the obvious. In other words, causing us to focus on things that don't matter over the obvious things in our spiritual walk, such as prayer and reading The Word.

2) Causing our prayers to be innocuous by making sure we believe our prayers to be  very "spiritual" and focusing on the sins of others rather than our own. This causes us to view those we are praying for as less and less real people and seeing their faults instead.

3) Everyone has a particular tone that they have taken with someone that they know are irritating to another. Satan wants nothing more than for us to be annoyed by that and ultimately by our loved one that is speaking.

4) Allowing us to have double standards for us and others. Judging the words of others with an oversensitive interpretation of the tone and context. We've probably all seen this before when a loved asked something innocuous, but we "hear" a tone, so we respond to what we believed we heard. This is all a tool of Satan.

So how do we combat all these methods? A lot of them seem like things I experience in everyday life! Well, we do the opposite of the methods meant to distract us.

1) We focus on the Word, stay in prayer, meditate on the Word, repent when we've sinned, and keep other believers close to keep us accountable.

2) When we pray for others, we don't need to know what the details of the problem or issues of others are. We simply need to know that "God knows" the situation! From here, we can establish fervent prayers that will avail much!

3) Check our tone! Oh, boy! This one hits close to me because I know that I DO take a tone with my husband and with my mom. That tone is something I have control over, and I CAN choose to NOT use it, especially when I feel frustrated or irritated or if I've had a particularly stressful day.

4) This goes right along with the "tone"! We ARE responsible for how we respond to others. Just because someone else has taken a tone doesn't mean we have to reciprocate! In this case, it's best to pause, take a deep breath, ask the Lord to help you with your response, and then, in love, respond. 

Now, I am not saying replacing these things in our lives will be easy. I know each of these will take time to implement into our daily responses. But the more we focus on the Lord, His will, and how WE are doing in our spiritual walk, the closer we will draw to Him and His protection in times of trials and challenges.

~Lyn

Come for the journey, stay for the friendship

One Word for 2025

 Every year since 2013, I have chosen One Word to help focus my life, my vision, and my calling for that year. If you look on the sides of the blog, you can see some of my past years' words. I've chosen words such as success, intentional, flourish, and imagine. Last year, my word was surrender. This year, I chose a word that expressed my desire to cling to the Lord, maintain my ministry to young adults, and not allow me to give in to failure and defeat. My One Word this year is....

I chose this word to remind me that if I commit my works to the Lord, my plans, in His will and with His guidance, will succeed. I do sometimes need reminding that I must walk in integrity, following through with things I've committed myself to completing, too. How easy it can be to simply lay it on the Lord and tell others, "That season is over for me for now..." when in reality, the Lord has NOT released you from that commitment! I struggle in this area because I don't see aa many young adults attending our meetings like they did two years ago. But in the past year, I've had to privilege of mentoring some pretty amazing young people on a one-on-one basis. That's what the Lord had for me to do, and so that is just what I did. Who am I to tell God HOW to run the ministry HE gave me?!

Finally, be flexible, moldable, and teachable with the word you chose for the year. Allow the Lord to show you how you can grow and mature and move deeper into the talents and calling He has put on your life. He has equipped you to do something only YOU can do! Trust Him to hone your skills, talents, vision, and dreams so that you can learn exactly what you were created to do for His Kingdom!

~Lyn

Come for the journey, stay for the friendship

Empty Nester? I Say Bird Launcher!

 As a mom of 8 kids, I imagined that they would all grow up, live near me in our town, have me watch their children, and we would celebrate every holiday and birthday together. When we moved to Florida, I realized that was not going to be the case. Sure, we had chosen to move, but certainly the kids would find a way to make US a priority and come visit. Well, that's not always what happens. My husband and I do go back to Colorado to visit our kids and grandbabies, and sometimes they come here to visit. But not for holidays or birthdays, really. You see, I had this idea that OUR family was supposed to be the priority for our kids...but that's not how God intended it, at least from my perspective.

What the Bible Says-

When each of my children were married, THEY became a family! We might say, "We gained a daughter," or "We gained a son," but really, we launched a FAMILY! That's what is supposed to happen when our children become adults and are married: they create families. My role as their mother stretched beyond preparing them for adulthood (I don't know if I did that very well...), and I became a bird launcher, giving them confidence to spread their wings and soar in t

his thing called adulthood. Each of our children has thrived in life, but they also know they can still call me or my husband to ask advice if they need it, or just call to chat. Would I like my kids to come see me more often? Of course! Do I want them to prioritize my husband and I over their own family? NO! I want my kids to feel confident in going and doing things with just their families and not feeling bad for it! I want them to begin to foster love, confidence, security, and independence in their children, just as we did for them when they were little. 

I believe that the best thing we can do for our children as they grow and move into adulthood, marriage, and parenthood is to support their efforts and give them confidence to become independent families. Our children will always be our babies, no matter how old they are, and they won't cease being our children just because they get married. Helping them to create solid foundations in their families is a priceless gift we can give them.

When you feel as though your children are no longer a part of your life or that you're an empty nester, just remember that they will feel love, supported, and confident when we don't pressure them into prioritizing OUR family over THEIR family. You've done a great job raising your children, mama. Now give them the freedom to do the same!

~Lyn

Come for the journey, stay for the friendship

Welcome back! New season, new blogs posts, and new topics!

 Wow! It has been a few years since I came here to join you all in our journey with the Lord. In upcoming posts, I'll share some insight as to why I've been absent, but for now, let's talk about what is coming for Super Mom the Illusion!!

New Season-

In 2021, my husband, mom, and I moved from Colorado to Florida! It had been a goal for my husband and I to retire here, and the timing aligned beautifully. We quickly found a wonderful church and the people there became our family. I'm not sure how to describe the feeling of just becoming friends with someone yet also feeling as though you've known them for years, except to say, it was a God-ordained joining. When we moved, our kids (all adults at that point!) chose to stay behind in Colorado. That was a difficult transition since we had NEVER lived anywhere without children! The loneliness I felt as a mom, knowing my kids didn't need me, was almost unbearable. I questioned whether we had mad a mistake in moving. But now, three years later, the kids are thriving as productive adults. I talk to most of them weekly, which makes the days go by faster. After our move, my husband took a job as a truck driver, a position he had in Colorado. But this time, he was over-the-road, not regional as he had been, so instead of being gone for a couple of days at a time, he's gone 2-3 weeks at a time. More loneliness began to overwhelm me. The Lord started to whisper in my ear what He had called me to do. I'm called to write, so that is exactly what I intend to do! With this new season, I'll be posting weekly topics on being an "empty nester," getting involved in your church and community, and how to combat loneliness in our senior years.

                            New Blog Posts-

If you've read this blog in the past 10 years, you know that I used to post Christian book reviews. Well, the good news is, we're bringing that back! I had a goal several years ago to read at least 12 books in a year. Since I was reading books and posting reviews of them, that year, I actually completed almost 20 books! As an author myself, I also want to encourage you to write your story. Someone may be waiting to hear what you have to say...and it may just change their life! 

New Topics-

As I mentioned earlier, I'll be posting on being an "empty nester," (though I refer to it as being a bird launcher!), getting involved in your church and community, and combating loneliness. I'll be sharing insights into weekly Scripture reading, what the Lord has shown me through sermons, and cleaning and organizing hacks, vision board and prayer board creation, and so much more. I have some new things in the works, too, that will hopefully be premiering in June, but there are still some details to work out. I'll keep you posted on that!

Finally, I want to hear from YOU! What things are you interested in reading, learning more about, or just want reassurance that you're not crazy or alone in?  

So, starting in February, get ready to jump back into Super Mom the Illusion!!

~Lyn
Come for the journey, stay for the friendship!

Super Mom: The Empty Nest Season

 I enjoy when my children call me just to share their day or week with me. Though we are as far apart as nearly 1,500 miles, those phone calls and texts just seem to make the miles disappear. It's like we're just a few blocks away, like it was before we moved from Colorado to Florida. 

Then, there are those times that make the miles seem endless. Holidays apart from our children are the most difficult for me, especially Thanksgiving and Mother's Day. I truly do enjoy seeing all the social media pictures of the moms with all their children, and even  their grandchildren, too! But my heart is missing the parts of my children and grandchildren during those celebrations.

I saw a video that said that when a woman is pregnant, the cells of her baby cross the placenta and go into the mother. They never go away, and they always remain a part of her. WOW! That's an amazing thing God has done in us, Mommas! You see, we long for our children and feel like something is missing when they are apart from us because something IS missing! It's in these moments, when are children aren't near us that we can take comfort in the fact that they will always be part of us! 

~Lyn

Wives of Integrity Online Conference

 I wanted to let you know about the 2023 Wives of Integrity Online Conference, which kicks off THIS THURSDAY. As more details come out, this event just keeps getting better and better - and you don’t want to miss it!

I can’t wait for you to hear from the 40+ Christian marriage experts being featured and learn the best strategies to experience God’s design for your marriage. It’s going to be absolutely life-changing for those who attend!

You’re going to hear from me about "Preparing for and Thriving In Your Empty Nest Years"!

You’ll also hear from some of my friends, including:

Carlie Kercheval

Jennifer Daly    

Holly Haynes

And a whole lot more!

These presentations are totally free to you until Wednesday, May 17th at midnight, as long as you’re registered! Here's my personal link:

Wives of Integrity Conference FREE registration

You can also get your hands on the ALL-ACCESS PASS for a reduced price right now. With it, you’ll get unlimited, lifetime access to all 40+ workshops, workbooks, and bonuses worth their weight in gold! The All-Access Pass price goes up on Thursday!

Check it out here!

I can’t wait to see you at the conference and to hear your favorite takeaways.

Click here to grab your free ticket!

~Lyn 

P.S. Know of any other wives who could benefit from this free event? If so, hit the SHARE button and send this to them right now before you forget. :)

Super Mom: The Empty Nest Season

 I knew my children were growing up. I knew they would eventually move out of the house and start their own lives with their own little families. But honestly, I didn't know eventually would happen so quickly in my life! I've been a homeschooling mother since 1994! My children have all graduated, drive their own cars, have their own jobs, and have their own homes. My husband and I have successfully raised our chicks, and they have flown from the nest. So what happens now? And what am I supposed to do with myself now that I'm not raising and educating my kids?

I wish there had been a manual or a preparedness book to prepare me for the massive amounts of emotions that seemed to overwhelm me in those days after we left Colorado and began a new season (and a wonderfully warm one at that!) in Florida. But there wasn't, at least not that I had found. And so, I am hoping to prepare you mamas who still have little ones, and maybe not so little ones, for what to expect. Kind of a "What to Expect When You're Expecting An Empty Nest"!

I want to assure you that your children will still need you! You haven't stopped being their mother, you haven't ceased being a mother at all. You're role will likely become more that of a friend and a counselor. Being a mother isn't just who you are and what you do. It was a role you had for a season. I want you to consider some things that may help prepare you as your children begin moving out of the house. What did you do in life before you had children? What were some activities you enjoyed, places you visited, and events that you looked forward to? Are those things that you still enjoy and have interest in?

If I can help another mama transitioning from actively parenting to empty nest, then I'll gladly share all I've learned. The truth is, though, none of us will transition in the same way. Some of us watch as our children leave for the military or get married or go off to college far from home. Some of us will move away from our grown children and perhaps our grandchildren. Some of us will mourn the loss of our "babies" as they move on with their own young lives. Some of us will rejoice that we finally can enjoy time with our husbands in more spontaneous ways! Some of us will have happy days while others seem to be sad all the time when we think about our children not being in the home anymore. Some of us will talk to our children daily and others may talk to our children once every few weeks. 

I searched for ways to ease what I was feeling, but none of them fit me just right. So, here I am sharing with you what I'm going through in hopes that it will prepare you for your own journey into this new season of having an "empty nest."

If you're already an empty nester, what tips would you pass on to women who are approaching this season?

Lyn~

Come for the journey, stay for the friendship!

Living Passionately

Recently, I have been thinking about times in my life that I felt most like I was walking in the favor of the Lord, living out my calling, or satisfied and complete. For the past few years, I honestly haven't felt as though I was living out my calling, I didn't feel satisfied in anything I was doing, and it just felt as though I was simply going through the motions of life. I look back over the past year, and it doesn't seem as though I've accomplished anything, let alone up to the level of completion I had in years past. In spite of that, I can still look over my life in the past year and see the favor of the Lord all over! What a joy that is to me!

Now, I can't go back through the last year and have a do-over. But I can make it a high priority to spend time with the Lord in order to find out what the His will is for my life and where my will intersects with His--wholeheartedly--there I will be satisfied and complete and walking out my calling! 
On Sunday, my pastor shared Colossians 3:23-24, which says:

Whatever we're passionate about, pursuing in life, having faith that the Lord will give us strength to complete, we need to do it until we are literally out of breath! And the Lord will reward us. Isn't that just the perfect ending to running our races?! The Father, Abba, Almighty God will reward us!

No matter what you think you missed, messed up, or lost control of, God will still use that for His good. Press in today to the heart of the Father! He knows the desires of your heart! He gave you the talents you have for a reason--USE THEM! 

What are you passionate about? I'd love for you to share!


Lyn~
Come for the friendship, stay for the journey!

It's Not Too Late to Choose Your One Word for the Year

Since 2013, I have started the year by choosing "One Word" to focus on. This word would guide my thoughts, actions, goals, and make my year more intentional. In 2020, just before the pandemic, I dislocated my toe, and I ended up having surgery. I lost track of the fact that I hadn't yet chosen my "One Word" for the year, and the year was pretty chaotic and a bit scattered. In 2021, before I realized again I hadn't chosen a word, we found ourselves with the opportunity to sell our house of 14 years and move to NE Florida. While last year or this year haven't been as chaotic as 2020 was, I still can see that my life, actions, and goals lacked direction that I had seen in previous years when I had my "One Word." 

So, I decided, even a month into the new year, I would choose a word for the year! Mamas, I want you to know that it's not too late! If you're trying to decide on a word, I want to encourage you to pray and ask the Lord to reveal a word to you. I'm guessing that you've already seen that word or heard that word popping up in your life so far. If you're having trouble focusing in on that One Word, the folks at Christian Planner have a One Word generator that can be helpful.

One Word from the Lord can change your life! Feel free to share your word, if you feel led to do so!

~Lyn

Come for the journey, stay for the friendship!

Super Mom: The Empty Nest Season

When I started blog, Super Mom: The Illusion, 11 years ago, I had the intention of helping other homeschooling, Christian moms with weekly encouragement, educating moms about homeschooling and what that really looks like with a large family, engaging moms with other women in similar life situations, and, often, entertaining women with glimpses into everyday life.

My last two children graduated from high school in 2020, and with that our homeschooling journey came to an end. Coupled with the pandemic, lockdowns, a trucker husband who was an essential worker, our family contracting the virus, and everything else, my blogging took a backseat in life. We were faced with new opportunities, though, that, through prayer, we believe the Lord aligned in His perfect timing.

In August 2021, we sold our home of nearly 15 years. The only home our youngest three children really ever knew. The home we bought after my step-father passed away so that my mom wouldn't be alone. The home where we said goodbye to three of our dogs, where we celebrated 7 high school graduations, a college graduation, anniversaries, birthdays, Thanksgivings, and Christmases. The home that all of our children came home to during military leave times and visits. The home with so many memories...

We began a new journey in Florida! After one home purchase fell through (through no fault of our own!), the Lord led us to the home we fell in love with and bought! It has everything on our "wish list," and we truly believe the Lord gave us "the desires of our hearts"! It's a smaller home with 3 bedrooms instead of six, but it is 20 years newer than our previous home in Colorado. LOL!

It's quiet here in our new home in the country. No children running around the house. No toys thrown all over the living room (well, there ARE dog toys EVERYWHERE!). No kids needing rides to work or school events. And it's in this moment that it's easy for me to wonder what life holds for me now.

I know that He works all things for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. I know that God has plans for me! Plans that will prosper me, plans for good, plans that will give me hope, a future, and an expected end! I know that for everything there is a season. And in this season, right now, right here, I'm not alone! 

So momma, if you're an empty-nester, know that this isn't the end of your story. There are so many things that await you in this new season! In the coming weeks, we'll discover how we can find our new purpose as mothers of adult children. We'll explore new opportunities for us in our church and communities. We'll see how our relationships with our husbands grow and change for the better. And most importantly, we'll strive to have a deeper relationship with the Lord.

I hope you'll come with me on this journey! And if you're not quite and "empty nester," I hope you'll join us so you can plan for this upcoming season! The Lord has so much in store for us! Don't be afraid to ask Him, "What's next, Lord?"

Lyn~

Come for the journey, stay for the friendship! 

He Works All Things For Good...

I wanted to share with you some things the Lord has been doing in my life, especially during this pandemic and time of near isolation. What an awesome God we serve!

I had foot surgery on Thursday, March 12th. That might seem a bit insignificant, but here's how the days following unfolded. I actually CHOSE to have foot surgery instead of an experimental PRP (protein-rich plasma) injection to repair a torn ligament in my foot/toe. After surgery, the Dr said the PRP never would have worked bc the ligament was completely torn off the bone! Friday, schools were closed. By that Tuesday, March 17th, all elective surgeries were cancelled. This surgery is considered elective, so had I even thought of doing the PRP and then ended up having to go ahead with surgery, I'd have had to wait. My husband and I are a planning to go to Poland for our 30th anniversary in August, and I would 1) potentially NOT have even had the surgery, or 2) not have been able to walk around Gdansk! God's planning is soo good! Additionally, our state's stay-at-Home order forced me to slow down, to prioritize some of the things I volunteer for on a weekly basis, and really focus on what He has for me in all of this for the year and for my calling. This has, ironically, been a wonderful time for me! Though I can't drive and walk around the lake near our house like I want, I have been able to be more intentional about my prayer time, remain focused on physical therapy and recovery from foot surgery, and I have been able to declutter, clean, and organize my home better than I have in the past few years!

What are some things you've been able to accomplish, see, change, realize during this time of distancing from our daily busyness and rushing?

Bonus: my husband is a regional truck driver, so he has been working through it all!

~Lyn

Come for the friendship, stay for the journey!

It's Not Okay to Quit!

Today, I'm taking back my health and my fitness!! While I had been a virtual "coach" for about 2 years, and seen GREAT success, had a setback, and waffled in what I was WILLING to commit to in my health and fitness journey, I decided I HAVE to do this! My WHY...is ME!

I'm not trying to lose weight and get healthy to be sexy for my hubby of over 30 years (a plus, no doubt!), I'm not doing it to keep up with the grandkids (another plus, though!), and I'm not doing it to silence those who might call me fat or look at me a certain way (Who's listening to those people anyway?!) NO! I HAVE to do this for ME! I recently realized that I hadn't looked at the value of working out and being a healthier more fit version of ME! That was a reality check for me! I have to find the value in becoming the healthiest version of me first!

It wasn't until I was listening to one of my favorite motivational speakers (Terri Savelle Foy!) the other day that I even realized that! She said that when you try and fail and try and fail, you don't believe yourself, you don't believe you can do it. When you do that over and over, you start making silent promises. But your dignity takes a hit each and every time, and your personal integrity doesn't know the difference of whether you say something out loud or to yourself. You gradually lose confidence in yourself. So you have to build a reputation to yourself--That you KEEP the promises you make to YOU!

You have to believe in YOU to be successful!

Make one simple promise to yourself:

Focus on your new reputation of yourself, that you keep your promises to YOU! You have to decide to do it. The Latin root for decision is to cut off alternative options. If you say, "I'll TRY to...," you haven't made a quality decision. Change that response with, "I'm GOING to..." and don't settle for anything less than accomplishing your goals and keeping that promise to yourself!

What promise will you make to yourself? I'd love for you to share!!

~Lyn
Come for the journey, stay for the friendship!

How Do I Know I'm Living Out My Purpose?

The past few weeks we've been talking about finding our purpose and how we even know what our purpose is! Today, I want to ask you, how do you know you're living out your purpose? 

I suppose my purpose has changed a bit over the years and I believe that's okay! It's not that God called me to something and then took it away. No! Quite the opposite. See, as a homeschooling mother, my purpose was to educate my children, for our family that was through high school graduation. Now that my youngest two have nearly finished that aspect of their lives, that purpose is coming to and end. 

Now, I'm a leader in a youth organization and have had the pleasure of sowing into so many young people, sometimes without ever really telling them about Jesus, but sowing His love, compassion, gentleness, and goodness into their lives. One of my favorite things I've done with them, that is BIBLICAL, is to have them create their own vision boards! And you know, that's my purpose in life for these kids at this time.

My sister homeschooled her three children through high school graduation. Then she, her husband, and all three children were in college at the same time! She got a degree in teaching, sowed into the lives of the students at the charter school she worked in, and now, she is ministering and filling children in Poland with Jesus' love and goodness, even though they don't know it!

I think of Esther. She was a young, beautiful woman that found favor with the king. He chose her over the others. And she was the vessel God used to save her people, the Jews. When her people were saved, did Esther's purpose in life cease? Of course not! Now that may be all we read in the Scriptures, but that is a great account of Esther's purpose at that moment in life. Isn't that neat?

You see, your purpose isn't necessarily a one-time, all-inclusive purpose. it may be for a season or for a lifetime, but God always has a purpose for your life!

What's your purpose? Has it changed as you've entered different seasons in life? I'd love for you to share!

~Lyn

Come for the friendship, stay for the journey!

How Do I Discover My Purpose?

When I was a young, first-time mom, I remember thinking, "If my only goal in life is to give this little baby boy of mine a happy life, then that's what I'm going to do!" As my husband and I added more children to our family, I began to think, "Am I only called to have babies and be a mother and wife?!" I wasn't completely sure of my purpose, though. Was that all there was to my life? Was I only made to birth children?! Of course not. But that is where my purpose began. You see, I believe I was called to reach mothers and youth in a unique way, even if I had no idea what that unique way was!

I am passionate about so many things and they all really do tie together with women and youth:

Can you see how these things go together? I can...now. I honestly couldn't see the big picture of this many years ago!

So how do you figure out your purpose? Well, look at the things you do on a daily basis. Are you a wife, mother, do you work, are there things you're passionate about? That's where you begin! Write it down. Look at what you do every day, inventory what you're passionate about, and that will guide you toward your purpose!

How have you determined your purpose? I'd love for you to share!


Lyn~
Come for the friendship, stay for the journey!

What is My Purpose?

The other night, I had a dream that our associate pastor made a feature film entitled, "What is My Purpose and How Do I Know I'm Doing It?" Pretty profound, isn't it? That I would have a dream about this question is simply my spirit revealing things, I believe that is what was happening anyway. So in the next few posts, I want to talk about this with you. I want to know what you think about your purpose, how we discover our purpose, and how we know we're living that out!

So these posts will be a bit different than others where I might explain how to do something or discuss things the Lord has been working on me about. No, this time, I am making an interactive discussion post! And YOU get to play a major role in it. My hope is that through these discussions, we will each have a new revelation as to what our individual purposes are and how we know we're doing them.

What do you say? Want to join me on this quest? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Okay, today, let's just talk about what the Word of God says is our purpose. Please share as many Scriptures as you want!

Next week, we'll discuss how we discover our purpose and how it ties into our calling!

Please share this post, too! Someone may need a new revelation that only YOU can tell them!

Until next week...

Lyn~
Come for the friendship, stay for the journey!

It's Not Too Late...

A few months ago, I was feeling like I was so organized! I had printed out a great Christian planner, scheduled a few blog posts every week, stayed on top of new youth kids joining my non-profit organization, scheduled cleaning days for every area of my house, and had regular work hours for my blog and non-profit! But then...

Then, life changed a little when my second oldest son decided to enlist in the Army. We are so proud of him, his wife, and their two sons while he is gone at Basic. My husband and I and some of our children stepped up to help my daughter-in-law with the boys since she works full-time which meant some of the things we had been doing in life had to take a temporary backseat to my son's family. If you remember way back to May, you know that I had an attitude here and there about some things, too. All that changed when the Lord spoke to my heart and reminded me that, as with my own children, these days, weeks, and months with my grandsons will not last forever. My son will be sent to a base, potentially farther away from us, and we will not be able to see the boys everyday as we do now. It's not too late to stop and focus on them and their learning and fun times together!

One of the things that I allowed to take a backseat during this time was my health and fitness. I have sadly become easily tired and lack energy to play with my grandsons because of that choice. A year ago, I was working out six days a week, drinking my superfood shake, and felt so full of life! Now, I often feel as though the days get away from me with little fruit to show for the days and weeks. But just as it's not too late to stop and focus on my grandsons and our time together, it's not too late to stop and focus on my health and fitness first, and then on the boys!

You see, if we stuff too many things into our days, nothing will get done well. It may get done, but without prioritizing tasks, things will be completed in a rush and be done poorly or we'll end up exhausted and lacking the proper sleep necessary to do it all!

Today, I want to encourage you to write down all that you have to do in the coming weeks. Maybe it's caring for your children/grandchildren, writing a book, helping with Vacation Bible School, cleaning the house, working out, etc. Then, I want you to prioritize each thing. Those things with higher priority are things that are not debatable! You will complete them every day. Those things with lower priority, they can wait a day or two or three before being completed.

What do your priorities look like? I'd love for you to share!


~Lyn
Come for the journey, stay for the friendship!

The Truth About my Health and Fitness Journey...

When I was in middle school, I remember thinking I was "fat" because most of the cool girls my age were still wearing a girl's size 14 or 16 jeans and I was wearing a size 1 or 3. I weighed all of 104 pounds back then at 12 years old. Oh, how I wish I could tell my 12 year old self that it didn't matter what I weighed as long as I was healthy and eating right. The fear of weighing "too much" would follow me into adulthood when, as an 8 month pregnant woman with a 2 year old, all I could think was, "As long as I don't gain weight so that I weigh over 150 pounds, I'll be okay." The truth was, that I would have had just a 12 pound weight gain for that pregnancy, and that was not healthy for me or my baby. I had struggled with my overall perception of how I looked if I weighed a certain amount until I crossed a mental line and ended up thinking, "I don't care what I weigh," and I gained more weight, not even post-pregnancy weight!

About three years ago, I began working with a wonderful personal trainer! He knew I could do more, but didn't push me to the point of feeling defeated, just challenged, which I really needed to build my confidence. Unfortunately, the cost of a personal trainer caught up with me, and I had to leave my good friend. Soon after, though, another friend began posting videos of her workouts and this awesome shake she drank once a day. Well, I loved watching her working out, and she was very motivating to me (I've known her for over 20 years!), so I joined her team. I lost about 20 pounds and felt the best I had felt in years! She was my workout buddy, support, coach, and friend. But then, she quit the business, and I never felt more alone. She is still there for me, but as a great friend and encouragement. My motivation, however, waned. The weight crept back up, and my poor food choices and habits soon returned. It wasn't that I didn't want to eat more healthier, it was that the emotional eating that I had succumbed to years before was never dealt with, so I fell back into my old habits. What you keep in front of you, what you talk about, what you're focused on, that is what you will eventually lead yourself into--good or bad!

But I made the choice to start back on the health and fitness journey I had begun with my sweet friend. I'm choosing life, a healthier life, and I'm choosing to not make poor food choices. Just as I'm choosing this healthier lifestyle, we must also choose life in Jesus.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the weight of yourself, your relationships, your health, your life, I encourage you to read the Word and find Scriptures that support a healthy lifestyle. Just as I said on Monday, we are the ones who are in control of what we decide to do. No one can make the choice for you just as no one can workout for you or eat healthy for you and then you see the weight loss. Our decisions need actions to be successful!


What will you choose to breathe life into? I'd love for you to share!

~Lyn
Come for the journey, stay for the friendship!

Got Attitude?

I try to be fairly transparent with you all, and today is not going to be any different. In the past, I might have made this one of my "Friday 'Fess Up" posts. But I feel it worth putting out there today!

This past week, I've had a bad attitude. Some events transpired, and I felt as though I deserved more than what I was getting. Anyone else ever feel that way? 
"How come he gets this and I don't?" or "It's not fair! I'm in a higher position! I should be the one getting that!" or my own personal whine, "I'm the mom! I deserve to get that!" Can anyone relate?

Well, the Lord began speaking to me in my bad attitude. He said, "You have a choice. You can sit there with your 'attitude pants' on OR you can change your attitude and the way you're thinking!" What if I were to look at things differently? What if instead of being jealous that I wasn't getting something I thought I should be getting, I turned my attitude around and thanked the Lord for what He is doing in those people through those events?

You see, each of us are responsible for our own actions, thoughts, and feelings. 
In 2 Corinthians 10:5, Paul tells us that our weapons in warfare are not physical, but mighty in the Lord to pull down strongholds, arguments, anything that is against the knowledge of God, and for bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

And finally, in Philippians 2:5, it says that "You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had." WOW! He was in a similar situation that I was and worse! But Jesus never said, "It's not fair!" or "I'm the Savior Jesus! I deserve to get better!" No, Jesus simply did what the Father asked of Him. 

We are the only ones who can decide what we do with our thoughts and our attitudes! We can sit and sulk and have a pity party and stop focusing on the Word, or we can take our thoughts captive, pray for good things for those who are getting what we think we are owed, and we can start agreeing with what God  and the Scriptures say!

Have you been in a similar situation with similar feelings and thoughts? I'd love for you to share!



~Lyn
Come for the journey, stay for the friendship!

Hear the Word again...for the first time!

This past week, I was feeling overwhelmed by upcoming events. A big formal banquet with the youth organization I work with, my mom's knee replacement surgery, caring for her post-op, vet visits for my pups, my middle son's induction into the honor society at his college, a big praise and worship night at church, caring for some of my grandchildren, and ending with next Monday when my second oldest son will be heading to Boot Camp in Georgia! Just glancing over all of that, I feel those same overwhelming thoughts creeping back in...
But yesterday during our discipleship classes at church, I was reminded of a verse I have read, recited, and meditated on several times in the past. It was the perfect verse for ALL that is coming up for me this week!

That verse just popped right out at me! And then, it made me stop and think. Why am I worrying about what is coming up?! I've got enough to think about for today. As a matter of fact, I forgot something I was supposed to do yesterday because I was so focused on the rest of the week and not living in the moment of TODAY!

You may have read a particular Scripture over and over and over again. But when the Lord wants to teach you or show you something in that verse, it's like you're seeing it with new eyes, hearing it again for the first time!

What's a verse that you've heard and one moment it made a world of difference or you saw or heard it differently? I'd love for you to share!!


~Lyn
Come for the journey, stay for the friendship!

Distractions--How to Avoid Common Pitfalls and Finish Your Tasks

Staying the Course and Finishing the Task at Hand

One of my favorite books to read to the kids was "If You Give a Mouse A Cookie."  It was the perfect example of how a simple task can lead to distractions, and, before we know it, we've done everything except the one thing we had set out to do in the first place.

There was recently one on Facebook that described a mom's life almost perfectly.

If you give a mom a muffin, she’ll want a cup of coffee to go with it.  So she’ll pour herself some. 

The coffee will get spilled by her three year old. She’ll wipe it up. 

Wiping up the floor, she will find some dirty socks. She’ll remember she has to do some laundry. 

When she puts the laundry in the washer, she’ll trip over some boots and bump into the freezer. 

Bumping into the freezer will remind her she has to plan supper for tonight. She will get out a pound of hamburger. 

She’ll look for her cookbook. The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail. 

She’ll see the phone bill which is due tomorrow. 

She will look for the checkbook. The checkbook is in her purse that is being dumped out by her two year old. 

She’ll smell something funny. She’ll change the two year old. 

While she is changing the two year old, the phone will ring. 

Her five year old will answer it and hang up. 

She’ll remember that she wants to phone a friend to come over for coffee on Friday. 

Thinking of coffee will remind her that she was going to have a cup. 

She will pour herself another cup. And notice that someone has eaten the muffin.

(C) 2012 Parenting Is Funny

Does this sound familiar to you?  I know it does to me!  It could almost be my daily routine and one reason I lose such valuable time throughout my day.  These sorts of distractions are all around us, but there are ways of avoiding them.  

As I said yesterday, we can make schedules.  Whether you use a smartphone, tablet or hard copy calendar, I encourage you to write things down.  This allows us to see our day at a glance.  And with everything we have going on in our busy lives, we are not likely to remember all these things no matter what we tell ourselves.  I am a list maker and I enjoy checking things off throughout the day.

Since I'm a writer, I like to do that, but maybe you need something printed out or visual examples work better for you.  Then I would encourage you to create a pictorial task list or chore list.  Laminate it so it can be reused.

When taking on more tasks, such as helping at church, community involvement, and children's activities, ask yourself if you can do it and then ask God if you should do it!  Service is such a great opportunity to reach out to others, but not at the expense of our own families.  This can be a distraction that keeps us from accomplishing daily goals and tasks.  

It is also a pitfall for us if we fear letting others down or how we might look if we choose to turn down the request for help.  This is a pride issue.  A lot of distractions, not wanting to let others down, how we might come across to others, wanting to seem as though we can "do it all" are all pride things, and we need to know and accept our own limitations. 

We don't have to live with an immediacy expectation either!  We can work to finish our tasks knowing that we have done them well and for the glory of the Lord.

Lyn~
Come for the journey, stay for the friendship!