Stressed-Less Living: #Blessed

As part of the <a href="http://melissataylor.org/2013/06/06/sll-week-9-day-4-stressed-less-living-blog-hop" target="_blank">Stressed-Less Living Bible Study</a>, this week I am sharing 5 things for which I am #Blessed.  I'm sure I could easily come up with a much longer list!<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #674ea7;">1. Baby Buzz</span><span style="color: #351c75;"> </span></b>- I am still at the point where I cannot even believe I am having a baby!  This whole thing is still very surreal to me, but I know that God #blessed us with her for a very special reason.  I cannot wait to learn more about our daughter!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZXPUVWCKfHJU3FCkjwCCVimW-HRRk0GzmRj7zgMYi-k3Xg1vJNDWYdpMtZLczV-61CPLZnlfSESXvi8VuNom2GS67G_JAVJbVSblAteYFlsm3tFHmhRTOZGqo6tOoJBeKLAOfL8TtUQ/s1600/baby+girl+20+weeks+cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZXPUVWCKfHJU3FCkjwCCVimW-HRRk0GzmRj7zgMYi-k3Xg1vJNDWYdpMtZLczV-61CPLZnlfSESXvi8VuNom2GS67G_JAVJbVSblAteYFlsm3tFHmhRTOZGqo6tOoJBeKLAOfL8TtUQ/s320/baby+girl+20+weeks+cropped.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>2. Joel</b> </span>- <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2012/02/love-endures-all-things.html" target="_blank">How far</a> God has brought our relationship from just one year ago.  Exactly one year ago today, we would have been shopping at Kohl's for some last minute beach clothes for Joel, followed by a very anxious dinner at Uno's.  We are fearful flyers, and were so incredibly nervous over our impending flight to Jamaica the next morning.  We had a gorgeous wedding ceremony on white sandy beaches with crystal clear blue waters, and I wouldn't have changed it for the world.  Joel has proven every vowel we took that day <i>just</i> in our first year of marriage.  I have heard many others say that the first year of marriage can be the hardest.  God tested us from the very beginning - after being married for merely 3 months, He gave us one of His greatest gifts.  Joel has been by my side for every good and bad day of pregnancy from day 1.  He has dug me out of the depths of sadness (at the beginning), and helped me get excited for our new little 'bee.  As the Blake Shelton song goes, "God gave me {Joel} for the ups and downs..."  I could not have done this journey without him, and Joel, darling, I love you so, so much!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmyQuDoxk_d-Ky8d1YFW9gimoQGx3d78kxkPgqW3IA2y7T0rmobIFcW6mEBycgNqKazShny19q1BFkOpFJMCONymIOXuPDkFKF57SweF9YxvaHISzaj3lGg0D28eqBhmjTISWX0FPnrpw/s1600/veil+wedding+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmyQuDoxk_d-Ky8d1YFW9gimoQGx3d78kxkPgqW3IA2y7T0rmobIFcW6mEBycgNqKazShny19q1BFkOpFJMCONymIOXuPDkFKF57SweF9YxvaHISzaj3lGg0D28eqBhmjTISWX0FPnrpw/s400/veil+wedding+pic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #674ea7;">3. My Health </span></b>- Pregnancy has taught me so much, but one thing that has really shined through is how durable my body is.  I may be overweight, but I fully intend to get back to caring for this body once the little lady is born.  I have had a challenging pregnancy - battling morning sickness nearly this entire time, hemorrhoids, heart palpitations, etc.  Still, I know it could be so much worse.  Those are mild issues compared to what some women have to endure - preeclampsia, miscarriages, issues with their placentas, etc.  I am lucky and thankful that God has #blessed me with a body that has been able to carry a child.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsZdTzjnePZTswH2iNGYPRxZ8v0yEV75EU0fBrGpZGL6RC6VbgL9Wi-xt8uYDCJxjWTTnzvuhr3hwnz0sIfzJkOktfEv192696_u8PqnESyJw8ZO5EsDPSHVQawa2P30jzQpfqSN8MF4/s1600/IMG_3618-2496794874-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsZdTzjnePZTswH2iNGYPRxZ8v0yEV75EU0fBrGpZGL6RC6VbgL9Wi-xt8uYDCJxjWTTnzvuhr3hwnz0sIfzJkOktfEv192696_u8PqnESyJw8ZO5EsDPSHVQawa2P30jzQpfqSN8MF4/s400/IMG_3618-2496794874-O.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image courtesy of <a href="http://www.elkinks.com/" target="_blank">Elkinks</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><span style="color: #674ea7;">4. My Cats</span></b> - Oh <a href="https://www.facebook.com/merlinandcharles" target="_blank">Merlin & Charles</a>!  Sometimes a source of frustration (furniture clawing!), but often a source of laughter.  These two have been our babies for so long - I cannot wait to see how they adjust to a third human in the house!  I cannot get enough of their antics - they have truly been a blessing in our lives!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4L8g2SXdKqSLI7AesmdM8yM752gdYpM1tWtlXnD6Yha6ydyBPo1GpCHgVWNLZLpBr4tYAV0EAookt8X9_UFABa4E26YR6VrTZlOfGs97iwqtW2Q7kjMnGtrdeQX3HPUnnAA2ZKqnKB0/s1600/merlin+charles+pink+bag.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4L8g2SXdKqSLI7AesmdM8yM752gdYpM1tWtlXnD6Yha6ydyBPo1GpCHgVWNLZLpBr4tYAV0EAookt8X9_UFABa4E26YR6VrTZlOfGs97iwqtW2Q7kjMnGtrdeQX3HPUnnAA2ZKqnKB0/s400/merlin+charles+pink+bag.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #674ea7;">5. My Job </span></b>- If you know me, you know I really dislike my job.  However, I have an income!  I have a place of employment that affords me the luxury of working at home.  I'm not sure I could have survived this pregnancy without that flexibility, especially during this last trimester.  Sleep quality is so awful right now, I can't imagine waking up for work at 4:30 AM to commute an hour into the city... 8 months pregnant!  Words cannot express how thankful I am to have this opportunity to work at home during this last trimester in order to smoothly transition into the birth of our daughter.  Not only that, but I am so #blessed to have a paycheck and health insurance.  Our lives could be a heck of a lot more stressful if we were not employed!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.someecards.com/usercards/viewcard/MjAxMi1mMTExNGUzMGEzYzE0Mjc0"><img alt="someecards.com - WHY can't PINTEREST be my job? I'm so good at it." height="280" src="http://static.someecards.com/someecards/usercards/1350152697909_5135338.png" width="400" /></a><br /><br />What are 5 things you are #blessed with right now?

Stressed Less Living Stressed-Less Living: #Blessed

As part of the Stressed-Less Living Bible Study , this week I am sharing 5 things for which I am #Blessed.  I'm sure I could easily come...

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Stressed-Less Living

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://melissataylor.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Stressed-Less-Living-Book-Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://melissataylor.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Stressed-Less-Living-Book-Cover.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>A few weeks ago I began this online bible study through <a href="http://www.proverbs31.org/communities/" target="_blank">Proverbs 31 Ministry</a>.  It's called Stressed-Less Living, and it follows along with <a href="http://www.stressedlessliving.com/" target="_blank">Tracie Miles' book</a> on how to lessen the stress in our lives.<br /><br />This study could not have come at a better time, with the impending changes about to happen in my life!  While having a baby is a happy and joyous occasion, it certainly brings an added element of stress into our daily lives. <br /><br />I think whether you're a parent or not, you can imagine the changes that are involved with having a child: daycare costs, general care for the child and the costs associated with it (diapers, formula, food, clothing, doctor's visits, college education savings, etc), sleepless nights - this list could go on and on.  Joel and I have been blessed in that we are both employed fulltime, and so I am less concerned about the added expenditures of having a baby.  There will be an impact for sure, but at least we have jobs that can afford us the freedom of worry for caring for her!<br /><br />Still, there are other stressors that one might not think about as readily when it comes to having a baby.  For example, I know until I get into a new routine, my life is not going to be my own anymore.  The priority will be caring for her and making sure her needs are met first.  Time will be even more of the essence that it is now.<br /><br />I'm used to my freedom - exercising when I want to, cooking/meal planning and preparation at my convenience, taking college classes toward my nursing degree, reading, swimming, meeting up with friends, making my weight loss journey a priority. This list could <i>also</i> go on and on.   <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://melissataylor.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/SLL-Ch-8-Pin-Graphic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://melissataylor.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/SLL-Ch-8-Pin-Graphic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Truth be told, this latter group of things is what I'm most worried about right now.  This is a weight loss blog after all.  My health and my journey toward getting to goal is still very important to me.  I don't want to become that mother who has a baby and never devotes anytime to self-improvement.  Afterall, now I have <i>one</i> more reason to want to better my health - to be around for as long as possible to see my child grow up into a beautiful young lady.<br /><br />One thing that has really resonated with me during this study is a quote the author shared that says:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i><span style="color: #351c75;"><b>If the devil can't hinder our relationship with God by making us immoral, he'll simply make us busy.</b></span></i></blockquote>In essence, what this means is that God no longer becomes the center of our universe - other things do.  I was taught from a very early age, back in my Sunday school days, the importance of having quiet time with our Lord each day.  It is hard to do that when you have a to-do list a mile long, like mine tends to be! <br /><br />Still, another thing that I've learned during this study, via a participant, is that no matter how busy her day appears to be - if she starts her day with quiet time with the Lord, her day always progresses so much more productively.   Sure, she might not get everything done on her to-do list.  But she made the one thing that should always be #1 on her to-do list a priority.  I've started implementing that same idea into my life, and I really see the positive impacts already.  It's hard to explain, but I think what happens is that the other things on my to-do list suddenly become less stressful to accomplish, and also not as important.  I almost take on the mentality of, "If it gets done, it gets done.  If not, there's always tomorrow."  However, many times I am able to knock those things off my list with near ease - I know it's because of how I chose to start my day!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://media-cache-is0.pinimg.com/originals/6f/55/5b/6f555b589c44da52c73a83a55a92ab30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://media-cache-is0.pinimg.com/originals/6f/55/5b/6f555b589c44da52c73a83a55a92ab30.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><br />So when the baby comes, I know our lives are going to be turned upside down for awhile until we can get used to this new change.  I also know that it's going to become imperative that I pray for God to reveal to me areas of my life that I have to let go of.   This might be in the form of finding a new job where my commute isn't as long or my schedule is more flexible, electing to work part time, reading less, getting rid of Facebook/Pinterest (i.e. big time suckers/wasters), etc... whatever it is - I know some things are going to have to go to the wayside for now, if not for forever.  <br /><br />And that's okay!<br /><br />Afterall, we are about to be blessed with one of the most precious gifts in life, and it's hard to imagine that I'm going to love her anymore than I already do.

Baby Busbee Bible Study P31 Pregnancy Proverbs 31 Ministry Stressed Less Living Stressed-Less Living

A few weeks ago I began this online bible study through Proverbs 31 Ministry .  It's called Stressed-Less Living, and it follows along w...

Read more »