I'm Free...Happy Independence Day 2012!!

As I think about what Independence Day means to me, I can't help but think of all the nostalgic type memories that come to mind: fireworks, BBQ, family, summer, fun in the sun, American flags, being thankful of what war vets and present soldiers have done and are doing for us.  But in the back of my mind (and it probably should be in the forefront) I can't help but think of what Christ has done to keep me from sin, from the legalistic law, and free from death and evil...

And for these reasons I am grateful and is why I CELEBRATE my independence day.

 "Christ has set us free to live a free life. 

So take your stand! 

Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you." 

Galatians 5:1

P.S. Party on and everybody tell me how your BBQ was!!

#nojudgingfattymcfatty

Linked up to:

Red, White & You FollowFest July 4, 2012

BeYouTiFul (Beautiful) Tuesday

Happy BeYouTiFul  Tuesday, Blessings!!

There are many blogs that focus on beauty as its main focus and  that's awesome!!...
I need a little bit of help myself in that department sometimes...

But isn't funny that with ALLLLLLLLL the beauty magazines, websites, blogs, entertainment shows...etc. that are made available and are consumed that women, of all ages and ethnicities,  still suffer a great deal from the lack of self esteem?

I know there are days when I can look amazing!!...not to toot my own horn AT ALL, but only because of tons of complements I may have gotten that day, and none of it  can even matter because of the pre-negative thoughts I already have stored up within me...you know those days, right??

So, BeYouTiFul Tuesdays will be dedicated to affirming our natural born beauty and our God-given attributes that make up our beauty inside and out. This will be an outlet to encourage and inspire girls and women to love who they are no matter what the media may be feeding us...

There are two stories to everything...
you have to make the decision to choose which story you're gonna believe...

...'cause whether you believe it or not...your views on what is beautiful, YES...YOUR'S...are somehow in some shape or form,
somewhat based off what society has implied that it is...

BeYouTiFul Tuesday is here to reformat our programming...and the only way to do that is to do that is to reboot OUR  system and start over...with a perhaps a brand new program.

Let's begin with the TRUTH?...you ask what is true??...

Let's start with this today:

[Photo Source]

Be Blessed, my BeYouTiFul Blessings <3

And I'm Off. . . .

Was up all hours of last night and came across this blog where these awesome and inspiring women, who are uber eager to become even MORE awesome are participating in The 30 Day Challenge!!!!!  I was kinda disappointed because I stumbled upon this brilliant idea on Day 9...But knew inside that I HAD to start NOW...this was too good of an exercise to pass up or put on the back burner for another 20 days or so...

The Challenge is pretty much, helping women get in a routine of becoming the women God created us to be...we've been instilled with all these amazing characteristics, attributes, and talents yet don't have the time, the will, energy or drive to manifest them...we've grown tired and weary as we go through the motions of caring for kids and husbands or busting our butts to climb the corporate ladder to prove ourselves just as worthy as our male counterparts, being Supermom as the college degree hangs and collects dust on the bedroom wall or working double shifts (figuratively and literally speaking) to make ends meet...both types of women ending her day exhausted, catching her breath thinking, "When do I get to get myself together?"

Now, you may be thinking, "What's so BIG and BAD about this challenge?"...not much, to be honest.  It's very little basic things like drinking these morning and night "elixirs," going to bed at a decent hour and walking up earlier than you normally would, writing in your prayer and gratitude journal and praying, breathing and stretching exercises...calling a buddy who's doing it with you and encouraging and holding each other accountable...little things you do daily until its routine and habitual which will lead to MAJOR results in the long run...(low key its the Compound Effect.)

Soooo...Crystal OFFICIALLY gave me the okay to jump on in!!...YAY!!!!...I did the warm milk last night (although I didn't get to bed until like 1am...Booooo!) but I was so excited to jump start this challenge. AND...the warm milk bit was quite tasty...Just picked up my lemon juice to start the "morning elixir" tomorrow.  I'm at the point where I am ready for a new me...A me that I love being and that others love being around and would love to know. I'm ready to be self-disciplined and decisive in all my thoughts, actions, and decision making. I LOVE the affirmations...all that's missing is that "I am fearfully and wonderfully made!!"...(my 2012 motto).

So...who's down to start getting their lives together with me?

Recap of the First Sermon of 2012 in Photos...

Good Stuff, Fate.

 (minister of The Metropolitan Church of Christ).

This was taken from the first installment of the

Fresh Start series.

Peep knowledge.



Me, The Co-Creator of My Life??

So, while keeping up on my blogs that I read daily, I've been seeing this idea of "ME" being the "Co-Creator of My Life". I haven't quite understood what exactly this meant so I would pretty much breeze through that part, especially knowing that my Lord and Savior is THEE ONLY Creator of my life and yours.

Recently I've been on an emotional roller coaster as I'm undergoing "My Lessons of Life," AKA: My Circumstances, My Storms, Major Tomfoolery...LIFE!  I choose to refer to them as "My Life Lessons" because I choose to believe that God is not just allowing bad things to happen to me as I sit here questioning his motives as to why are these things occurring.  But instead, I know that God is teaching me important lessons to help live my life to the fullest, to help build me into the D.O.R.K. (Daughter Of The Righteous/Risen King) He wants me to be, to help me find and live my purpose in Life, and to better equip me with the godly characteristics that I need major work in.

So, for when my marriage is at a low, I could, and have many times, choose to feel like a complete loser and think, "Boo on my life," or I can thank God for the test (and for the testimony to come) and work my butt off on Acing It, so I don't have to struggle with this storm anymore. I look for the lessons in my circumstances, and trust and have faith in God, that He'll see me through since I know He does not give me anything that He knows I can't bear. 

So when I feel burnt out, like a loser, unloved, lonely, stressed...(ADD YOUR OWN HERE)...I choose NOT to!  I choose to change my way of thinking about the situation and choose to feel the POSITIVE feeling to the previous negative one I was just experiencing. 

I have learned this is what it means to be the Co-Creator of My Life.  I choose to feel loved, not lonely, to feel like a winner, to feel refreshed and blessed. Because I am fearfully and wonderfully made...

As Lady Gaga would say, "I'm on the right track baby, I was born this way" but only because God made ME and YOU to be nothing less...So why think and act like you are?

Choose to be the Change you wish to see.

*Pink Hugs & Blessings*

Wonderfully Made

He tells me that I am "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made"...but how much of that do I truly believe?...I've been going through a lot of tomfoolery (you'll see that I use this word way too much) this past year and it's led to stress and worrying; not leaning and relying on God to see me through and it's been taking a physical, mental, and emotional toll on me...no bueno. 

But God is a GREAT God and he knows EXACTLY what he's doing in our lives...we just have to trust and believe that he knows what's best...

'Christine, even if that means going through it right now in my marriage?'

...Yes, even if it means troubling times in my marriage, Christine, God still knows this is what I need to go through right now...(whomp whomp =/ )

Through these ever-much-so trying times, I've been reading two particular blogs: The Daily Love (whoot whoot!!) and Proverbs 31 Ministries, along with a few new Twitter Accounts that I'm following now, and I've been noticing a re-occurring theme from the content of each of their postings: Self Love and Acceptance.

I began thinking, 'Do I really care for and love myself the way I thought I did?'

I've been so into my family and my husband and my mess, that I may be neglecting myself and not even knowing it...You know, we as women, invest and sacrifice all that we are and have for our families that we tend to forget ourselves...and any thought of taking care "me" would be just darn right selfish, right?!?...but I'm beginning to realize that I have to take care of me, and know and believe that its not being selfish...but its the self love and acceptance for myself that I've been lacking.

Now, through my trials, I'm learning not to be worrisome and stressed (have I mastered it, GREAT SCOTT, NO!...but I'm learning), and to rely on God, for he knows I need to learn something from these circumstances and he's building me up into the DORK (Daughter Of The Righteous King) he has created me to be (which is one of my requests I've been recently praying for anywhoo...). 

I'm also learning not focus on the problems before me and to focus on the results or the outcome...focus on the lesson to be learned...on the person that I will have grown into due to my endurance, patience, and faith during my tomfoolery...

...and that is what I am CHOOSING to do.

*Pink Hugs & Blessings*