tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59189361214430008482024-02-22T09:05:02.549-08:00 Honea Traveling, Trials and Triumphs HoneabeeMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14063131733252001724noreply@blogger.comBlogger155125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918936121443000848.post-87455200626203628522017-01-22T14:44:00.001-08:002017-01-22T14:47:25.668-08:00One Word 2017 - LightLast year I focused on "<a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2017/01/truth-from-2016.html">Truth</a>." I felt like I was set free from many of my self-made prisons of shame, guilt, and insecurities.<br />
<br />
This year, my one little word focus is "Light."<br />
<br />
I want to thoroughly explore two sides of the word "Light."<br />
<br />
For several months now, I am drawn to the creation story in the Bible, and fascinated by how God separates light from darkness - twice - during creation alone. We have this puzzle for our kids, and I have spent many moments feeling like God is trying to show me something big in the wooden numbers and the way the 1 and the 4 both show God's strong desire to bring light into the world - physically.<br />
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I have spent a few years now knee deep in Romans and walking through the book of Romans with some discipleship groups I learn from and lead. This year, I want to dig hard into the book of John and learn more about the character and life of Jesus himself, and I was struck at how that book begins:<br />
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John 1:1- 13<br />
<div class="chapter-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text John-1-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="chapternum" style="bottom: -0.1em; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; left: 0px; line-height: 0.8em; position: relative;"> </span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26035A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26035A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>In the beginning was <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26035B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26035B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>the Word, and <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26035C" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26035C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>the Word was with God, and <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26035D" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26035D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>the Word was God.</span> <span class="text John-1-2" id="en-ESV-26036" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">2 </span>He was in the beginning with God.</span> <span class="text John-1-3" id="en-ESV-26037" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">3 </span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26037E" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26037E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.</span> <span class="text John-1-4" id="en-ESV-26038" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">4 </span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26038F" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26038F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>In him was life,<span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-ESV-26038a" data-link="[<a href="#fen-ESV-26038a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1#fen-ESV-26038a" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #b34b2c; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote a">a</a>]</span> and <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26038G" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26038G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>the life was the light of men.</span> <span class="text John-1-5" id="en-ESV-26039" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">5 </span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26039H" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26039H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text John-1-6" id="en-ESV-26040" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">6 </span>There was a man <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26040I" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26040I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>sent from God, whose name was <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26040J" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26040J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>John.</span> <span class="text John-1-7" id="en-ESV-26041" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">7 </span>He came as a <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26041K" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26041K" title="See cross-reference K">K</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>witness, to bear witness about the light, <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26041L" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26041L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>that all might believe through him.</span> <span class="text John-1-8" id="en-ESV-26042" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">8 </span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26042M" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26042M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text John-1-9" id="en-ESV-26043" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">9 </span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26043N" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26043N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.</span> <span class="text John-1-10" id="en-ESV-26044" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">10 </span>He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26044O" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26044O" title="See cross-reference O">O</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>the world did not know him.</span> <span class="text John-1-11" id="en-ESV-26045" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">11 </span>He came to <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26045P" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26045P" title="See cross-reference P">P</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>his own,<span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-ESV-26045b" data-link="[<a href="#fen-ESV-26045b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1#fen-ESV-26045b" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #b34b2c; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote b">b</a>]</span> and <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26045Q" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26045Q" title="See cross-reference Q">Q</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>his own people<span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-ESV-26045c" data-link="[<a href="#fen-ESV-26045c" title="See footnote c">c</a>]" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1#fen-ESV-26045c" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #b34b2c; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote c">c</a>]</span> <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26045R" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26045R" title="See cross-reference R">R</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>did not receive him.</span> <span class="text John-1-12" id="en-ESV-26046" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">12 </span>But to all who did receive him, <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26046S" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26046S" title="See cross-reference S">S</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>who believed in his name, <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26046T" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26046T" title="See cross-reference T">T</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>he gave the right <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26046U" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26046U" title="See cross-reference U">U</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>to become <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26046V" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26046V" title="See cross-reference V">V</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>children of God,</span> <span class="text John-1-13" id="en-ESV-26047" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">13 </span>who <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26047W" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26047W" title="See cross-reference W">W</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>were born, <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26047X" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26047X" title="See cross-reference X">X</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>not of blood <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26047Y" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26047Y" title="See cross-reference Y">Y</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.</span></div>
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It is creation, and the beginning, and Jesus, and light. In HIM was life - and the life was the LIGHT of men. Verse 4 alone trips me up. Jesus brought life - Jesus was and is life - and His life brings and is light. This makes me feel confused, and curious, happy, and excited, like I'm about to stumble on a big secret I never fully understood before.<br />
<br />
The word "Light" also implies and means - "not heavy." The Erykah Badu song "Bag Lady" plays through my head when I think about this and I hear her voice saying, "Bag lady...you gone hurt yo back...Pack light...pack light..."<br />
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I want to get better at not being weighed down by mental/emotional/spiritual burdens that are not mine. Too often I carry in my head and heart shame that is not mine, worries that are not mine, and burdens that are not my responsibility or my ability to control. I also want to focus on ridding myself of the weight of the over-accumulation of stuff - clothes, papers, furniture, all the junk that we "clean up," but don't really even need. I want to live a life where I only carry what is mine to carry - and I can happily lay the rest down at the feet of Jesus. I want to live a life of minimalism, and clear out the junk that clutters my home and my mind. I want to leave 2017 with LESS stuff than I have begun the year owning - less stuff, and more LIGHT in all the dark spaces of my life.<br />
<br />
Matthew 11: 28- 30<br />
<span class="text Matt-11-28" id="en-ESV-23488" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">28 </span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-23488AP" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-23488AP" title="See cross-reference AP">AP</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>Come to <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-23488AQ" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-23488AQ" title="See cross-reference AQ">AQ</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>me, all who labor and are <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-23488AR" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-23488AR" title="See cross-reference AR">AR</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>heavy laden, and I will give you rest.</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="text Matt-11-29" id="en-ESV-23489" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">29 </span>Take my yoke upon you, and <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-23489AS" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-23489AS" title="See cross-reference AS">AS</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>learn from me, for I am <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-23489AT" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-23489AT" title="See cross-reference AT">AT</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>gentle and lowly in heart, and <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-23489AU" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-23489AU" title="See cross-reference AU">AU</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>you will find rest for your souls.</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="text Matt-11-30" id="en-ESV-23490" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">30 </span>For <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-23490AV" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-23490AV" title="See cross-reference AV">AV</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”</span></span><br />
<span class="text Matt-11-30" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="text Matt-11-30" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: small;">His goal for me is not that I am weighed down by heaviness constantly - but that I would be able to rest in Him, so that I take on His yoke, with a light burden.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Matt-11-30" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="text Matt-11-30" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: small;">I want to do a word study on "light" and dig into the verses that explain it. These are just a few:</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgAg_oef82ZAPHHeWcr-oGce75Tke4DE8pdmad1B0t7xJETsR1SZu-GhmSaNneoys_vNH0fgREF9Pm8LFzkFGTNJrQnD0RKXeCdgUVajPJV-6VdY2Y_cATwEHKMixJM6Rk5SkeOXgDPS8f/s1600/light.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgAg_oef82ZAPHHeWcr-oGce75Tke4DE8pdmad1B0t7xJETsR1SZu-GhmSaNneoys_vNH0fgREF9Pm8LFzkFGTNJrQnD0RKXeCdgUVajPJV-6VdY2Y_cATwEHKMixJM6Rk5SkeOXgDPS8f/s400/light.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="text Matt-11-30" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span><span class="text Matt-11-30" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: small;">I am seeking light this year. Light that shines in the darkness - and the darkness has not overcome it. I find this "one little word" to be so much better for me than resolutions. This word becomes a thought process I can pick up and lay down. I can research it and apply it to multiple areas of life. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;">Do you have a one word focus this year? I'd love to hear about it! </span><br />
HoneabeeMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14063131733252001724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918936121443000848.post-78427662255541591312017-01-03T21:23:00.000-08:002017-01-03T21:23:24.733-08:00Truth from 2016I have been embracing the "One Word" focus in lieu of a list of New Year's Resolutions for a few years now, and I love it!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWv1-teModrt7-tA0669GfU53rPkYlvMIwrvROANovuPpVYZJjP1fhkC4FyL-hYGSMM5POwm5sCfhcvozGU50ehSDT1U7qo3tQR9FWh6t2OrW3WjUl5Seqo-KHyQU8g2bN2pQ9nccqzjP/s1600/oneword.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWv1-teModrt7-tA0669GfU53rPkYlvMIwrvROANovuPpVYZJjP1fhkC4FyL-hYGSMM5POwm5sCfhcvozGU50ehSDT1U7qo3tQR9FWh6t2OrW3WjUl5Seqo-KHyQU8g2bN2pQ9nccqzjP/s320/oneword.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The first year, I focused on "Fearless," because I felt that I had a lot of fears holding me back from living life and trusting God fully.<br />
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That led me to the pursuit last year of "Truth" for 2016.<br />
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This is the original post I did at the beginning of the year about my journey to begin this study of <a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2016/01/truth-in-2016-one-word-365.html">Truth</a>.<br />
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After that post, I dug in and did quite a bit of scripture study around the word truth. I also began to unearth buried truth in myself that I had pushed way down. Broken pieces of my past that I had never allowed to heal, began to surface on my quest for truth. When I learned how to acknowledge my own feelings this year, I began to find truth on a whole new level. A dear friend of mine taught me this truth: we need to examine and understand our true feelings in order to stop pursuing negative behaviors that we choose in order to escape those heavy feelings.<br />
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For example, if we feel extremely sad and rejected by someone, it is more common for people these days to try to do one or more of the following things in order to escape those heavy sad feelings:<br />
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A. Lash out in anger, perhaps with swearing or violence ("I didn't like you anyways, you bleepity bleeping bleep bleep bleeper!" *Punching a wall or throwing something)<br />
B. Use a chemical substance to make one's self feel better (alcohol, drugs, including cigarettes and pot)<br />
C. Eat comfort foods (ice cream, candy, pizza, whatever)<br />
D. Retail therapy (go shopping and buy more than what you need of any type of item)<br />
E. Have sexual relations with someone or indulge in porn<br />
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All of those things (and other ways), are methods to ESCAPE the truth instead of forcing ourselves to face the truth and FEEL our feelings. Instead of attempting an escape from our feelings, we need to truthfully learn to feel our feelings with safe people. These are the steps to that process:<br />
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1. Find It (What is the actual feeling - in the above situation, the person feels SAD and REJECTED)<br />
2. Feel It (BE sad. Cry. Heave big sighs. Punch a pillow. Let the feelings out in a safe and healthy way)<br />
3. Share It (Tell someone you know who will be able to do the next step well)<br />
4. Receive Comfort (Comfort from the safe person you've told is NOT them giving you one of the escape routes listed above in A-E. Comfort from a safe person is them telling you honestly and openly, "If I was in your situation, I would feel the exact same thing. I am so sorry you are hurting.")<br />
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When I learned to take the above steps toward truthfully acknowledging and feeling my feelings, things changed in my life drastically!<br />
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The other big truth I learned to embrace is that we are ALL so very broken. Hiding our brokenness from others is only being fake. Not that we need to share everything with everyone - I am NOT saying anyone needs to share all of their business with everyone they meet and/or on social media - but we need to be far more honest about our own real life struggles than most of us tend to be. Slapping on a fake smile and telling people we are "fine," does nothing to lead any of us closer to Jesus. He wants us to tell the truth. Embracing this verse has led me to bare my soul and my personal sin struggles with far more people than I ever imagined:<br />
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Revelation 12:11 in my 3 favorite versions straight from biblehub.com:<br />
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<span class="versiontext" style="color: #0092f2; font-family: "arimo" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 700;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/niv/revelation/12.htm" style="color: #0092f2; text-decoration: none;">New International Version</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: "arimo" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: justify;">They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.</span><span class="p" style="color: #001320; font-family: "arimo" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 13px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span class="versiontext" style="color: #0092f2; font-family: "arimo" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 700;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nlt/revelation/12.htm" style="color: #0092f2; text-decoration: none;">New Living Translation</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: "arimo" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: justify;">And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.</span><span class="p" style="color: #001320; font-family: "arimo" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 13px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span class="versiontext" style="color: #0092f2; font-family: "arimo" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 700;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/esv/revelation/12.htm" style="color: #0092f2; text-decoration: none;">English Standard Version</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: "arimo" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: justify;">And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.</span><br />
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Revelation 12:11 tells me that I can defeat - triumph - conquer the devil when I allow Jesus' blood to take away my sins, combined with my truthful ability to share what He has done in my life. That is POWERFUL! When I am brutally honest about what my testimony is and how God has saved and redeemed all my messy broken pieces, God can use that to kick the devil's butt! The word of my testimony is the description of ways I failed miserably, and how He managed to take my failures and use them for His glory and my good, because that gives others more HOPE than my fake smile ever did.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-ElbVk1MkI2-iIKYSLNoT5KyBwUcG9bfgQgQGKiBtqY-AsLmjUplSNb_RShunjxWmhRG5TkrBxGuxo0_xqiRdJYuEDKGAPofbJrBvByNzGERC1ZcUtXwMog0OweU_Npv7_VHAVq1YvGB/s1600/brokenness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-ElbVk1MkI2-iIKYSLNoT5KyBwUcG9bfgQgQGKiBtqY-AsLmjUplSNb_RShunjxWmhRG5TkrBxGuxo0_xqiRdJYuEDKGAPofbJrBvByNzGERC1ZcUtXwMog0OweU_Npv7_VHAVq1YvGB/s320/brokenness.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The truth is so much more powerful than we give it credit. This has really transformed my marriage, parenting, and friendships. I am no longer afraid to tell the truth, and no longer desiring to hide my brokenness. Learning to kindly, graciously share the truth in love has also been important, though. You can't just tell people truth without love. Knowing the truth is helpful, but sharing the truth with love at the right time, is all about listening to the Holy Spirit.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZw0QdDBegNkhpeJvhRrIX66hgIY_ngMvZ8WoxFAfOE0JfOLSCszkEwz-Kd9le32UY8hFK9lZMdbMOMPCFaP-pkyP0rx77GSYIpbFxnpDosQpdrVWLFSrkmYGKybPEAgu-umb4cDGdx4J6/s1600/knowledge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZw0QdDBegNkhpeJvhRrIX66hgIY_ngMvZ8WoxFAfOE0JfOLSCszkEwz-Kd9le32UY8hFK9lZMdbMOMPCFaP-pkyP0rx77GSYIpbFxnpDosQpdrVWLFSrkmYGKybPEAgu-umb4cDGdx4J6/s320/knowledge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I also learned and recognized that the truth is absolutely only found in God's Word. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. When we choose to truly abide in His word, and soak it up to where it can influence our minds and our actions, then we are being set free from a lifetime of living in the defeat of the enemy's lies. I began to focus on John 8:31-32 around Christmas last year, and began the year seeking the word "truth" because I was so enamored with how to live those verses:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDnRKgbjBv0l1uxJb1E0Ai0Tu8oQKvDNwLBIerKra_0gmssXlxTcSgACEnkIFcuyqkriOK2f7NwiUu5scj9gEK_giAFHExMfoOPyAuF4MLql8xXKJIfsj5h8ub-nmJcowmvSe6CGIXFpP/s1600/truth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDnRKgbjBv0l1uxJb1E0Ai0Tu8oQKvDNwLBIerKra_0gmssXlxTcSgACEnkIFcuyqkriOK2f7NwiUu5scj9gEK_giAFHExMfoOPyAuF4MLql8xXKJIfsj5h8ub-nmJcowmvSe6CGIXFpP/s320/truth.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I wrote it down several times and began to focus on how much knowing God's word brought me the exact truth I needed to be set free from prisons of my own invention and the ones the devil used to keep me defeated. It was so impactful on my life, that I began to design a tattoo. I worked on that tattoo design from January, until I finally got it for my birthday present to myself (in September). For several months I practiced writing it on my left arm, until I decided that I definitely wanted to put it on my right arm, and I couldn't write it well left-handed. I asked several different instagram artists to help me design it, and ended up using some of their words and then tracing and reshaping them into the exact letters I wanted. I love it. I have no regrets. The truth really does set you free, because Jesus is the truth, and where He is, there is freedom.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5c7ZydlYAIFX4kWaYEGHf9F63n5TGQSUv2DEmH8MoUtAgYGGkVkP2ZrGmaKofAibQ1WtzTzmNxBmhtOkrkaHH46kCI8dqzdZ4mXDO3G234eXXhEbLmw2sjraoYyxyoaP9gZpTzyTiCqew/s1600/IMG_4663.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5c7ZydlYAIFX4kWaYEGHf9F63n5TGQSUv2DEmH8MoUtAgYGGkVkP2ZrGmaKofAibQ1WtzTzmNxBmhtOkrkaHH46kCI8dqzdZ4mXDO3G234eXXhEbLmw2sjraoYyxyoaP9gZpTzyTiCqew/s400/IMG_4663.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The night I got it - so fresh</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYG0NhHkF6E7Z8-AjCYoSuiPVGb6eWtNL_qXluPHy2BWcFE4LogWxwtY4mPRvmbbq4lddV2YcBQx0rVqslithVg_tzciQvSlMDdIiGDQ7hFtGZCcQuZvOhPEpWcfaLBv0kYS2AEGHWLeq/s1600/IMG_6478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYG0NhHkF6E7Z8-AjCYoSuiPVGb6eWtNL_qXluPHy2BWcFE4LogWxwtY4mPRvmbbq4lddV2YcBQx0rVqslithVg_tzciQvSlMDdIiGDQ7hFtGZCcQuZvOhPEpWcfaLBv0kYS2AEGHWLeq/s400/IMG_6478.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Recently - I need a few letters touched up, <br />but I like the more faded color overall.</td></tr>
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This year I am going to do the One Word focus again, and my word is "Light" for 2017. More on that soon. :) Are you doing a One Word focus? Have you tried it before? What did you learn? What is your word for this year?<br />
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<br />HoneabeeMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14063131733252001724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918936121443000848.post-42848843792311287112016-11-01T22:05:00.004-07:002017-11-16T17:38:35.185-08:00About Dressember - FAQs<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Thank you </span></b><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">for being interested and/or totally on
board</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;"> with joining our Dressember team "<a href="https://support.dressemberfoundation.org/team/96244">Dress For A Voice</a>" this year! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">I am so glad you are interested. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">I need to let you know that as the
team leader, I am a follower of Jesus Christ. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">That does not mean you have to be</b>. It does mean that a good deal of
my personal Christian beliefs will be shared publicly, in our “secret” facebook
group, and on our team page, visible to everyone. It also means I will be
praying for you daily, if you decide to join our team. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p> <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/AVvXsEjgD0Qp1mVhw3FzVsjRM8fv2506KPFXjbSMhRpC1ZUBmCa0ER7Mj0YJ0d-a3csbBhntF9KbXGyzJhT6yPSrD0wJ25wDw4639s2PpbsshM0Hi4CZaEmbEWs-skcPP8TtsNFYyw3YlrGy3edB/s1600/FF1A2889.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgD0Qp1mVhw3FzVsjRM8fv2506KPFXjbSMhRpC1ZUBmCa0ER7Mj0YJ0d-a3csbBhntF9KbXGyzJhT6yPSrD0wJ25wDw4639s2PpbsshM0Hi4CZaEmbEWs-skcPP8TtsNFYyw3YlrGy3edB/s400/FF1A2889.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am a Christian, wife, mom, friend, and advocate for freedom.</td></tr>
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</o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">I’m going to explain Dressember here
as a series of questions and answers. This is often how people tend to ask
about it in conversational flow. I hope this will also help you, should you
decide to join our team, to know how to answer some of these same questions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">What is Dressember?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Straight from the website <a href="http://www.dressember.org/mission/">“About” tab“Mission”</a>: </span><span style="color: #223855; font-family: "times"; font-size: 19.0pt;">DRESSEMBER IS A COLLABORATIVE MOVEMENT LEVERAGING FASHION
AND CREATIVITY TO RESTORE DIGNITY TO ALL WOMEN</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Dressember is a movement of (mostly)
women who want to bring freedom to other women (and children) across the world.
It has grown tremendously each year since it’s conception, and is fundamentally
about bringing awareness and funds to the issue of human trafficking. Women
wear dresses and tell everyone they know that slavery still exists, and a few
organizations are out to help fix the problem, and those organizations need our
support. Please check out the <a href="http://www.dressember.org/">Dressember website</a>! Watch the videos! Read the
links! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;"><b><i>What is Human Trafficking?</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">This is the new term for modern day slavery. This is the </span><span style="font-size: 17px;">overall</span><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> term that covers those in child labor, sex trafficking with children, sex trafficking with adults, and forced labor that is nonsexual. If you have seen the original 2008 movie "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taken_(film)">Taken</a>" - you have seen a small </span><span style="font-size: 17px;">glimpse into what human trafficking looks like. I felt sad and depressed about the human trafficking element in that movie for several weeks after seeing it. I knew that that was the reality for millions of girls and women worldwide, who never get set free, and it made me feel sick. If you have seen the more recent movie "<a href="http://pricelessthemovie.com/">Priceless</a>," it also shows what this looks like. </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">How does wearing a dress raise
money?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Just like you may have seen people
signing up for a race or marathon, and then asking for donations, this is a
marathon of dresses. Choosing daily to put on a dress, for the entire month of
December, and then posting about it on social media, and asking your friends to
donate via a <a href="https://support.dressemberfoundation.org/team/96244">clickable link</a> is how it raises money. People click on the link,
are directed to the team dressember page, and they can click "Donate" to give over a completely secure
page, with their name and short message, or anonymously. If someone wants to
give me a check, I go online, use my paypal or debit card and submit their
exact amount to our page, and I cash the check. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Where does the money go?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">The two organizations that receive
the money equally are <a href="https://www.ijm.org/">International Justice Mission (IJM)</a> and <a href="http://www.a21.org/index.php?site=true">A21</a>. They are
legit companies, doing hard work in hard places, and not getting rich from our
money. Look around their websites and read about human trafficking and all they do to combat it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Do I have to join your team?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Absolutely NOT! You can totally be a
Dressember individual! I participated as an individual the first year. I
started a team the second year, and continued to love it during the third year. This is my fourth year, and I am sticking with
the team! You could also start or lead your own team if you think you have at
least 5 friends locally or long distance to join you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">I am praying for your heart to be
surrendered to the Lord and excited about following Him wherever He leads
- <i>whether He leads you to join us in this or not</i> - I pray you
are able to hear and obey wherever He is currently leading you. <b>Faith
is about not just hearing, but doing, so go out and DO what God has called you to
do in your life today! If joining our team or participating in Dressember is
NOT what you think God is calling you to do this year – it does not disappoint
or hurt my feelings. Be obedient to Him, first, in all things. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">How can I help if I do not want
to participate/wear a dress?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">You can share our posts on your
personal pages to raise awareness. You can pray that people who are able to
give, decide to give generously. You can also, of course, GIVE as you feel led
and able! </span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Not gonna lie, I’m going to really appreciate that last one the
most. ;) Also, check out this <a href="https://www.state.gov/j/tip/id/help/">great article from the US State Department</a> on what ANYONE can do to help fight Human Trafficking! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">When exactly do I have to wear
a dress?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Official rules say<b> it
does have to be a dress - not a skir</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">t</b>
- but also that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">you only have to wear it
when you leave the house</b> - so you don't have to wear it around your house
all the time. I just felt like it was redundant for me to participate and only
wear dresses when I left the house, because being a stay-at-home mom with 2
very small kids in a small town, in the winter - honestly, we didn't get out
that much! So I did choose that first year, and will again in following years choose to just
get up and dress up daily. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">For those of you with 'real' outside
the house jobs - I totally get that it is still a sacrifice to wear a dress to
work every day – and I say to you especially, you can wear whatever your heart
desires at home! This is completely up to you, and you don't have to tell
anyone unless you feel compelled to do so. The goal is that we wear dresses
anytime we are seen outside the home – so if you leave your house – throw one
on! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">There are caveats for those who have
a work situation in which they cannot wear a dress – that’s OK! You do what you
can! It does not say you have to wear a dress to exercise, but I generally
have, because it really is a fantastic way to continue to shine a light on
this. People don’t typically see women wearing a dress on top of their workout
gear. Some give funny looks and some outright ask. It’s your choice. I wear a
dress if I exercise outside of my house during December, and I welcome questions
and conversation about it. I have decided to make some business cards with our
team link on them to be able to give people in public/real life who have
questions and seem interested. Talk about it, and give them a card. They may
just decide to donate! I used swim cover up/light weight little dresses on top
of tights/leggings and it’s not bad.<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/AVvXsEhLghTGrdWRZGd23_cTlAj0V-G_zZLrN9LflLTJzMLMrfPKslW9IK0b-3B_LgYEnRCiMUg41aOfSoqDVu5YozWbzqasWrbeI37OOMN_cwE4mSUzETKputaavslmE77DR-fDPFc2Bb-7wDZ3/s1600/10885178_10100105304406703_8889747755140443162_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLghTGrdWRZGd23_cTlAj0V-G_zZLrN9LflLTJzMLMrfPKslW9IK0b-3B_LgYEnRCiMUg41aOfSoqDVu5YozWbzqasWrbeI37OOMN_cwE4mSUzETKputaavslmE77DR-fDPFc2Bb-7wDZ3/s320/10885178_10100105304406703_8889747755140443162_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working out with a dress on top, year 1</td></tr>
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</span></div>
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<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/AVvXsEiBEq879LQQvzLUNiIYpjLdUCNlyDRDr-T0QFVtKFAjjspvfsp-vdfu8ApCwACu0ojZX61oiiCKNA17iCovYQ3smFvhuon8nO2nFDQ-7lfLAqkBpZBhHTXnixueUQW73GJlSEfkD_29h9la/s1600/KHonea1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBEq879LQQvzLUNiIYpjLdUCNlyDRDr-T0QFVtKFAjjspvfsp-vdfu8ApCwACu0ojZX61oiiCKNA17iCovYQ3smFvhuon8nO2nFDQ-7lfLAqkBpZBhHTXnixueUQW73GJlSEfkD_29h9la/s320/KHonea1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Use those Christmas trees for pics! <br />
Especially pretty ones at other peoples' houses, to shake up your backgrounds!</td></tr>
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<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/AVvXsEgu_5_zMtRrQBaRfiAwW5eNHWF9wIAObE5spWJCO7P1SpKV9-ACihUjNES9IcvvHgTpveEgpJ8LbqBlpMVaU8-NHmL5MTYCmKgsE0llYdXgzmbVjabX2e1wt21sFt0V8cNTkq4c5lsTJOob/s1600/KHonea2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu_5_zMtRrQBaRfiAwW5eNHWF9wIAObE5spWJCO7P1SpKV9-ACihUjNES9IcvvHgTpveEgpJ8LbqBlpMVaU8-NHmL5MTYCmKgsE0llYdXgzmbVjabX2e1wt21sFt0V8cNTkq4c5lsTJOob/s320/KHonea2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Use layers...</td></tr>
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<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/AVvXsEjZy-UBWnBWbtdqgzSP0H5rEF5kQbBJ-W36UWxzsTRsKamZkAftoDEsZT9jTyKlcmHMynk81OqMTJXNc5OKjUwAySehAbD7ChQPh0VouqKz3AT4IuZ2ostt3YJJnv3bt3cGmBhD8rRWQwX6/s1600/10858460_10100104043862843_1002777116964736848_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZy-UBWnBWbtdqgzSP0H5rEF5kQbBJ-W36UWxzsTRsKamZkAftoDEsZT9jTyKlcmHMynk81OqMTJXNc5OKjUwAySehAbD7ChQPh0VouqKz3AT4IuZ2ostt3YJJnv3bt3cGmBhD8rRWQwX6/s320/10858460_10100104043862843_1002777116964736848_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even blurry kids are good picture additions.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBb6Q-eZAEtiWqfXu29mEKIJIf_sQPev66K_kfmsn75FKLIoybl-EvmpZWSLNohiRnW6S9Ptba87HT8CN4LJoTemq6UlryMXwqu8s2Vg0xqKuHBG79AGxDDtyhHJgGbZXSxjfLgAiKlGcz/s1600/dress2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBb6Q-eZAEtiWqfXu29mEKIJIf_sQPev66K_kfmsn75FKLIoybl-EvmpZWSLNohiRnW6S9Ptba87HT8CN4LJoTemq6UlryMXwqu8s2Vg0xqKuHBG79AGxDDtyhHJgGbZXSxjfLgAiKlGcz/s320/dress2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can rock a preggo belly, too!</td></tr>
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<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/AVvXsEiQEF3quouP7RUT_yhOWsnrw8JdR-rniVHrJlQ8wcOzMT-aMdmCRLtG99Vb72PiFmDjOmuDRqkzds2J6PAZj2QrCYG7sWdmaQaKlihyphenhyphen0cevr_IK4qoofs9X4zC3ChqsPIkBVKwkIQqy5lww/s1600/dress3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEF3quouP7RUT_yhOWsnrw8JdR-rniVHrJlQ8wcOzMT-aMdmCRLtG99Vb72PiFmDjOmuDRqkzds2J6PAZj2QrCYG7sWdmaQaKlihyphenhyphen0cevr_IK4qoofs9X4zC3ChqsPIkBVKwkIQqy5lww/s320/dress3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I felt guilty for buying that blanket scarf, <br />
so I donated more to our group page.</td></tr>
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<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/AVvXsEhgvl09j3oMqXuAU2sBdvjv5GjA5JFNP__P5Bp885VnSx100uXFohFFk9aQn2H_ndNlVcofnFwY82Y6fGJQPHgMs7r6g0NgiFkGqAQE8_CS586oTdLx90nik5ts7S1aTTrAF4iaYQGRQN_A/s1600/dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvl09j3oMqXuAU2sBdvjv5GjA5JFNP__P5Bp885VnSx100uXFohFFk9aQn2H_ndNlVcofnFwY82Y6fGJQPHgMs7r6g0NgiFkGqAQE8_CS586oTdLx90nik5ts7S1aTTrAF4iaYQGRQN_A/s320/dress.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hard to believe that belly is now a crawling baby...</td></tr>
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<o:p></o:p><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">What if I don’t have a lot of
dresses/it’s really cold?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">The founder of this has actually done
Dressember for the last two years, wearing just ONE dress the entire month! She
styles it differently with pants/leggings/tights or long and short sleeves
underneath, accessories such as scarves, necklaces, hats, and different
jackets/shoes, make it quite versatile! You do NOT need a closet full of
dresses to make this work. You are encouraged to NOT go out and spend a ton of
money on dresses. Instead, give to your own Dressember fundraiser page to get
something started! Borrow and share with friends. Get creative! If it’s cold –
use layers to your advantage. Long sleeves and pants underneath the dress is
completely acceptable. Do what you gotta do.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Am I required to post a picture
of myself in a dress every single day?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">NO! Not at all! I did not understand
this the first year until about week 2 and by then, I thought if I missed a day
people would think I wasn't wearing one, so I just continued what I had already
started. I DO think it brings in a lot more donations, and gives you a
chance to write short but effective little caption/posts about WHY people
should care/donate. A picture daily means shorter words – which means more
people may read them to the end. However, it gets a little time consuming to
set up your picture and decide what to say. You may start to feel very
self-conscious with so many pictures of yourself. I get that. I struggle
with that. I choose to spend a LOT of January with absolutely no social media
days to regroup and recover from this. You can always make a little 'collage'
pic of 2-4 days and post it like that if you prefer. It's totally up to you -
there are no hard and fast rules about post frequency, and I am not a dictator
- just the facilitator for this team! You need to take Dressember and OWN it -
in your own style/way! However – I would beg you to post a MINIMUM of ONE
full body dress picture per week with a small caption about Dressember and link
to our team fundraiser page. I feel that you probably should not participate if
you cannot commit to this one pic/per week goal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">If you have kids or pets – USE THEM!
They make your pictures look less awkward, and automatically get more noticed. I try to get my kids to help out as often as its possible!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">How do you set our fundraising
goal?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">I did set our team goal at $6300. That is what A21 and IJM together list on the Dressember page as the needed amount for ONE rescue operation. Last year we made it a goal of $4500 because that was the listed amount we found for a sting operation. It was hard, but we did it! Now this year I am praying God would again allow to meet and surpass our goal! We can totally raise it again if we meet our goal. The Dressember
Foundation suggests individuals have the goal of $300 - so I did the first
year, and actually raised almost $700. Then when we had a team of 12
ladies, and our goal was $2000, we also exceeded our original goal and raised
$3775. Projecting more team members this year, I am starting our team goal
higher. Every time I met my goal last year, I raised it, as per Dressember
suggestions because people don't feel compelled to give to a goal that's
already been met - so I raised it. Here’s why: This is not like a project
or “GoFundMe” we are trying to get “fully funded” – this is a race to save
peoples’ lives, and the race is won with more money and prayers being given.
There is no limit of need, because there is no limit of evil, and MILLIONS of
people are currently enslaved, needing MILLIONS of dollars and prayers and hard
workers to set them free. I will keep raising the “goal” if it is met, because
the “goal” is to raise as much as possible. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">How do we get people to give?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">This is a campaign mostly funded by
people sharing it on social media - so Instagram and Facebook are your biggest
tools here. If you don’t have instagram, you may want to seriously consider
getting it. You can post a picture to instagram and link to facebook so it will
instantly post in both places. Find me on both and lets be cyber friends! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">IG: honeabeemama <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">FB: Kelly Honea <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">With every post related to this, it
is a good idea to use </span></span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13pt;"> </span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">clickable hashtags,
because they lead people back to the clickable links. I usually do #dressember
#endslavery #ijm #itsmorethanadress #humantrafficking and our team name
#DressForaVoice I may also make some posts using all of your faces in a collage
to show people how awesome it is to be on a team! In our "secret" </span><span style="font-size: 17px;">Facebook</span><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> group, you will see the other </span><span style="font-size: 17px;">lades</span><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> who are showing interest and on our team. "Friend" them! Like their posts! </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">I am also encouraging you to
engage people in real life conversations about it though, as well. Anytime
someone compliments you on being ‘dressed up,’ ‘looking nice,’ or ‘wearing a
dress even though its so cold’ you have an easy opening to say, “Well, I’m only
wearing it to bring awareness to the current fastest growing crime of human
trafficking. Would you like to know more?” Boom. Life on Mission. I may also
ask them if they know Jesus and would like to join me at church in that
conversation, but you can say whatever you want.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">When do I start wearing
dresses?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">This does not start until December
1st, officially</span></b><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">. You have time to recruit more
friends! Feel free to copy this link to people you think may be interested. The
more on our team, the merrier! This also gives you time to size up your
wardrobe - but <b>don't over think it! </b>I decided that it would be
redundant last year to spend money on more dresses while asking people to
donate to IJM, so I donated to IJM and just used the dresses I had. I do
think <b>it's a nice way to get the fundraiser bar rolling. If we would
each donate like $20 maybe to someone else on our team, it also shows we have
more skin in the game than just the clothes, and we do truly agree with how
IJM/A21 spend the money.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;">I hope that's not too overwhelming! I
can't wait to be on a team with you fantastic people! I hope you have a
wonderful day, and please do not hesitate to ask me any questions and dig into
the dressember website!!!! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.0pt;"><b><i>How do I register to join Dressember?</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Go to the website and click in the upper right corner where it says </span><a href="http://www.dressember.org/" style="font-size: 13pt;">"Join Us</a><span style="font-size: 13pt;">." Then you choose "</span><span style="font-size: 17px;">Become</span><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> An Advocate." If you want to go it alone, choose "As An Individual." If you'd like to join our team (and we'd LOVE IT!) choose "Join A Team" HERE - at the First Chance you get - and scroll </span><span style="font-size: 17px;">through</span><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> to find us - "Dress For A Voice." It will direct you to then create an individual page after that, and your individual page should be linked to the group page if you clicked that correctly and all the unicorns danced just right in the internet neverland where things like that are worked out. ;)</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13pt;">May God bless you today in a way that you notice and appreciate.</span></b><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13pt;"> Happy Registering if you choose to join this movement! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13pt;">My Year 1 Blog Reflections on Dressember: </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2014/12/dressember-week-one.html">Week 1</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2014/12/dressember-week-two.html">Week 2</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2014/12/dressember-week-three.html">Week 3</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2014/12/dressember-week-four.html">Week 4</a></span></div>
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My Year 2 Blog Reflections on Dressember:</div>
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<a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2016/01/fearless-reflections.html">Fearless Reflections</a> - Dressember is the bottom half of the post</div>
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HoneabeeMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14063131733252001724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918936121443000848.post-49651572580883199512016-07-02T20:57:00.001-07:002016-07-02T20:57:16.923-07:00Ode to PregnancyIt was an honor to carry you under my heart<br />
Even when I thought your presence might be tearing me apart<br />
You were a miracle to watch unfold<br />
You were my joy to finally behold<br />
I loved you from the first time I knew you were there<br />
Even though being your host didn't always feel fair<br />
In being your mother, I will always take great delight<br />
In giving you birth, I fought with all my might<br />
Watching you grow on the screen and in my womb<br />
Was a beautiful gift, and my love grew out of room<br />
Now grow baby, grow into a person of your own<br />
Please just don't forget where your heart first found its home<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/AVvXsEhgCnS6xN-4SE7jpbw1OBsvCrKzwCjNs2ygfpGLqxZJZqqNgjp5agoq93BglQr3nHckd63Adn2SCq0Ms40bx4c58QNL7B64X-06EOgp9afr8KA8Krr_6mWoehRHt40IwM3t-oCHzaFb0Ss0/s1600/jonah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgCnS6xN-4SE7jpbw1OBsvCrKzwCjNs2ygfpGLqxZJZqqNgjp5agoq93BglQr3nHckd63Adn2SCq0Ms40bx4c58QNL7B64X-06EOgp9afr8KA8Krr_6mWoehRHt40IwM3t-oCHzaFb0Ss0/s320/jonah.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The day before Jonah was born</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<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/AVvXsEh9fykfZglpb_wdfbo9DMZpWLsXyaoFJO8wIqnnepnYtDyWOaSIgdF9y5hGo4pquz2ubp0mcb-tE6tpQWSEOgG1MBT8cAPdALsc192C5Y7_hzxhY_qnejxeL-H3ZirvtnQlB6oxmAcQ41fk/s1600/karis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fykfZglpb_wdfbo9DMZpWLsXyaoFJO8wIqnnepnYtDyWOaSIgdF9y5hGo4pquz2ubp0mcb-tE6tpQWSEOgG1MBT8cAPdALsc192C5Y7_hzxhY_qnejxeL-H3ZirvtnQlB6oxmAcQ41fk/s320/karis.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">36 Weeks with Karis</td></tr>
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<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/AVvXsEjedQzPd5ISGm4PyNxLtIFKVgFAFkOmKvS7Gex3l5idaA54xHA2mVsWK5QIYeHXoHsCm-4XcK-tz-frLNy6YlyDSQEe5qpQIB2yNJXX-V9CcXEm8DdUV04qB9B47-YGEmg-qct7nJzvu8CN/s1600/Josie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedQzPd5ISGm4PyNxLtIFKVgFAFkOmKvS7Gex3l5idaA54xHA2mVsWK5QIYeHXoHsCm-4XcK-tz-frLNy6YlyDSQEe5qpQIB2yNJXX-V9CcXEm8DdUV04qB9B47-YGEmg-qct7nJzvu8CN/s320/Josie.jpg" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">40 Weeks and 2 days with Josie - <br />still 4 days before she was born</td></tr>
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<br />HoneabeeMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14063131733252001724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918936121443000848.post-36743786031460143212016-03-02T14:14:00.001-08:002016-03-02T14:14:27.406-08:00Disney - the Message in the Movies!My husband, John, is the Lead Pastor of a neat, small, contemporary church body here called "Church of the Valley," and we are absolutely loving being able to serve this community. We attended this church during our <a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2014/02/things-i-love-about-this-life-season.html">unemployed time</a>, and so we already knew and loved many of the people, goals, and outreach activities of the church. I wrote some about it in our <a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2015/08/when-gods-plans-trump-ours-movingagain.html">initial transition here</a> when we felt God leading us to move back here in order for John to take this position. <br />
<br />
Now, several months into the position, we are getting to know and love everybody even more! They just finished a sermon series comparing a few Disney movies to some Scriptural truths, and it was really eye-opening and FUN! If you are even slightly curious, you should listen to some of these podcasts:<br />
<br />
All sermons are listed here on the <a href="http://cotv.podbean.com/">pod bean spot</a>, or you can individually hear them at these links:<br />
<br />
1. <a href="http://cotv.podbean.com/e/disney-the-message-in-the-movie-sermon-1-lead-pastor-john-honea/">The Lion King - John Honea</a><br />
<br />
2. <a href="http://cotv.podbean.com/e/disney-the-message-in-the-movie-sermon-2-lead-pastor-john-honea/">Finding Nemo - John Honea</a><br />
<br />
3. <a href="http://cotv.podbean.com/e/disney-the-message-in-the-movie-sermon-3-lead-pastor-john-honea/">Beauty and the Beast - John Honea</a><br />
<br />
4. <a href="http://cotv.podbean.com/e/disney-the-message-in-the-movie-sermon-4-nathan-ross/">Frozen - Nathan Ross</a><br />
<br />
5. <a href="http://cotv.podbean.com/e/disney-the-message-in-the-movie-sermon-5-jphn-honea/">Cars - John Honea</a><br />
<br />
They are really unique ways to compare the Bible to some of our favorite movies. I hope you enjoy them and learn and grow from them as much as I did!<br />
<br />HoneabeeMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14063131733252001724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918936121443000848.post-66848171007245377202016-02-19T10:04:00.000-08:002016-02-19T10:04:15.125-08:00Welcoming Josie Faith in PicturesThese are all my favorites from our newborn photographs by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Christi-Haney-Photography-142882045875484/">Christi Haney Photography</a>. She came to our house when Josie was 5 days old, and worked hard to get lots of sweet poses from our wrinkly little girl. Catching pictures of all three kids felt impossible. Thank God for fast camera clicks to catch a few seconds between the silly faces, smirks, and purposely closed eyes! Jonah and Karis were completely enamored by her enormous bean bag that she used to prop and set up the pictures, so it was a constant struggle to keep them away until John just left the house with them after they were done. I was still pretty swollen from all the IV fluids at the hospital, so I don't really like the ones with me, but that's just life and puffiness 5 days after being induced, and I can live with that. Now, 3 weeks later, I look very different, and am constantly reminded by how amazing it is that God made our bodies to house another human for so long.<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/AVvXsEhpNMxvHWW07XK5Ye-9wXMeGwYYnCo54a6eD5D4xfxqFVeAEfqur8_Ds3x_7DQhoa8XpkWTTP1kfKX7V9n5yMbhyi_QMGRyuIydwpj99PmN5DtwUXLWns7mND4nXiD6Ry6rZrd_wglBsYCa/s1600/FF1A4914+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNMxvHWW07XK5Ye-9wXMeGwYYnCo54a6eD5D4xfxqFVeAEfqur8_Ds3x_7DQhoa8XpkWTTP1kfKX7V9n5yMbhyi_QMGRyuIydwpj99PmN5DtwUXLWns7mND4nXiD6Ry6rZrd_wglBsYCa/s400/FF1A4914+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Her eyes were a steely gray. <br />They are already starting to look sort of blue now.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZFTgfTP5xabw3psVq-V6qItHAu0e3PhLAcARtetOZFjHJWC_e8dR2m5cKj3VQbGAuPEcww1cLr4x1Zsztz68uKfjf0dU8vLGAeFpy3pB3jthy95rr6VRD2jJHgXiCMnBksWYl8RrQlpBc/s1600/FF1A5128+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZFTgfTP5xabw3psVq-V6qItHAu0e3PhLAcARtetOZFjHJWC_e8dR2m5cKj3VQbGAuPEcww1cLr4x1Zsztz68uKfjf0dU8vLGAeFpy3pB3jthy95rr6VRD2jJHgXiCMnBksWYl8RrQlpBc/s400/FF1A5128+copy.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karis was really disgusted by Josie's umbilical cord stump, <br />and refused to sit by her/touch her once she saw it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jonah kept saying the sun was in his eyes and refused to open them.<br />Looks sweet though, haha!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We have pictures of John like this with all 3 kids.<br />They make me happy.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE9kZYMcP5inKo9hhfEXmhdRuHHgozysJc6oW7o2bd9Pmg5La-xAk4n1bVVMrh-VU21THqqP6ZsREi2zDuJQGCtuFm_ntVc7QMb1mfRc9zJyhYQk230CFph2YuxrMxgBZhoOG6zSaeZas7/s1600/FF1A5254+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE9kZYMcP5inKo9hhfEXmhdRuHHgozysJc6oW7o2bd9Pmg5La-xAk4n1bVVMrh-VU21THqqP6ZsREi2zDuJQGCtuFm_ntVc7QMb1mfRc9zJyhYQk230CFph2YuxrMxgBZhoOG6zSaeZas7/s400/FF1A5254+copy.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Absolutely nothing more attractive than when he is being a good father.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the pink makes me think of her as a little fairy here.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikUpHT3EodLlzfbmbcYzMLM3xBDOohm4k311sUEolEBpBTzlGSlhKuINDXmMNaRsRC44CPl1BbgNkNQLWlguv8mek6eoUkndMp2imMRH0iL0IaME6xeqA_FFX8IQsmaw1T1LpYfPex-Wrf/s1600/FF1A5540+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikUpHT3EodLlzfbmbcYzMLM3xBDOohm4k311sUEolEBpBTzlGSlhKuINDXmMNaRsRC44CPl1BbgNkNQLWlguv8mek6eoUkndMp2imMRH0iL0IaME6xeqA_FFX8IQsmaw1T1LpYfPex-Wrf/s400/FF1A5540+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And now she's an elf with the cutest hat ever!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq-hNp-bgGPxyd2d43K33sd_l-A4yNTYAwUI2Z9JoeTPPIzUUMeI1xXRwkJ9lajhyphenhyphensU4_LGFxsxkpMEHbvWln-SehKLVouoDtmBo_S5x87uoz-YNHv0-1-tFBbEPOXqcsfD_kJvh5cfjnC/s1600/FF1A5504+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq-hNp-bgGPxyd2d43K33sd_l-A4yNTYAwUI2Z9JoeTPPIzUUMeI1xXRwkJ9lajhyphenhyphensU4_LGFxsxkpMEHbvWln-SehKLVouoDtmBo_S5x87uoz-YNHv0-1-tFBbEPOXqcsfD_kJvh5cfjnC/s400/FF1A5504+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweetness in a basket!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimW6ow1b1g1jdRvlJI33MXPxqpAXv1lF5rsbrQffG1ghTpqRsb4nKRwZvywzoIz30Qilug7yAyU_ErnUn8rAFPueD6KX-j6mBS72nmVIG8JV6LiO3myPpxN6QP1nYoo-mgNtNJAwBP53aU/s1600/FF1A5488+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimW6ow1b1g1jdRvlJI33MXPxqpAXv1lF5rsbrQffG1ghTpqRsb4nKRwZvywzoIz30Qilug7yAyU_ErnUn8rAFPueD6KX-j6mBS72nmVIG8JV6LiO3myPpxN6QP1nYoo-mgNtNJAwBP53aU/s400/FF1A5488+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My second favorite.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVDWCiXhyZR4Zo8rOSYnyZdZODhUpYP2W7P67yitfq0OK1ojQo-cNG5h05GQfWeP04-BDBtMvnr5vl2hLWIx6S3cUlAdPE8_h4qPuUvYDF5dqI1zbIc76HSxDPhUjXuTBI6T2plEfmJlxr/s1600/FF1A5436+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVDWCiXhyZR4Zo8rOSYnyZdZODhUpYP2W7P67yitfq0OK1ojQo-cNG5h05GQfWeP04-BDBtMvnr5vl2hLWIx6S3cUlAdPE8_h4qPuUvYDF5dqI1zbIc76HSxDPhUjXuTBI6T2plEfmJlxr/s400/FF1A5436+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My absolute favorite. I don't even know why. <br />I just love this one.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiISBU82S9CewxfwnnAp6fqlLmUYCA46NdECIVxqmBzpxH7ugaIgHLXF4Vi0YYi35r4uMj3vGTlWp3SDxhUTx-e6mKHcZ_hLDZs-FKyq7DnjjOJH6TUmtuiBKYwjDSBWQOlgES-g-QYmW_X/s1600/FF1A5344+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiISBU82S9CewxfwnnAp6fqlLmUYCA46NdECIVxqmBzpxH7ugaIgHLXF4Vi0YYi35r4uMj3vGTlWp3SDxhUTx-e6mKHcZ_hLDZs-FKyq7DnjjOJH6TUmtuiBKYwjDSBWQOlgES-g-QYmW_X/s400/FF1A5344+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She makes this face constantly, so I feel like this is very true to life.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT7LJsrac6VQTQm2de3vGdz51acJWyDkhsthhcs6tNZUXRQodND9qBmNKYjiQWz9ZhiL469pn_ltPwXml2zUH4VIfS69H_yAA8hhJJVJRF2f1HmNkocq1KSnpPLsurbqhoqeS0hJ37PD_l/s1600/FF1A5594+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT7LJsrac6VQTQm2de3vGdz51acJWyDkhsthhcs6tNZUXRQodND9qBmNKYjiQWz9ZhiL469pn_ltPwXml2zUH4VIfS69H_yAA8hhJJVJRF2f1HmNkocq1KSnpPLsurbqhoqeS0hJ37PD_l/s400/FF1A5594+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love her little hand on her chin. </td></tr>
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Postpartum has really kicked my butt this time around. Thank God we have friends and family here who have been super helpful with our other 2 kids and bringing meals! I am overwhelmingly grateful for all of the love people have shown us in the last few weeks. Now, at 3 weeks postpartum, I am FINALLY starting to feel like 80% of my normal self. I'm not sure why recovery took so much longer this time, but it has been teaching me once again to find my strength and hope in the Lord, and not myself. More on all that later. :) </div>
<br />HoneabeeMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14063131733252001724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918936121443000848.post-74096266644960081762016-02-02T09:22:00.000-08:002016-02-02T18:52:27.063-08:00Birth #3 - InducedI have had 2 natural labor/deliveries in the past, and this was 'planned' to be no different, meaning I fully expected to go into spontaneous labor on my own, and have the baby at the hospital this time (because baby #2 was <a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2014/01/birth-in-car.html">born in the car</a>), with as few interventions/medications as possible. The weeks leading up to the due date were full of a myriad of differences from my last pregnancies, and a considerable amount of pain. You can read about them in the previous post - <a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2016/02/pregnancy-3-false-labor-back-pain.html">Pregnancy #3</a>.<br />
<br />
Monday, January 25, 2016, I woke up before 3 am with some contractions that were mostly in the front of my belly. After so much back pain recently, I welcomed gladly pain in the front! They continued, got longer, most lasting around 2 minutes, but stayed around 9-12 minutes apart. However, all my movement in and around our bedroom woke up John, so he started being comforting as we both hoped this was the real deal. At 6am, they were bad enough that I called my mom and asked her to come over to our house instead of going to work, because she had decide to take 2 days off in order to help with the kids. Right after I called her, I laid down to rest a second, and the contractions stopped. I had one more small one twenty minutes later, then I just felt exhausted again, so I called her back around 6:40 and told her to just go ahead to work, false alarm again. John was also exhausted, but needed to go to work in order to have his 5 days off when the baby came, so he had to get up, get ready and go. <br />
<br />
Frustrated, a little sad to have had false labor again, 5 days overdue, and extremely exhausted, I saw him out the door, made breakfast for the kids, and then had a morning of movies while I dozed in our big cuddled recliner between the kids. I woke up to make the kids lunch, and put them down for a nap. I took a shower, did make up, and made coffee to help myself wake up a little more. One of our good friends from church came over to stay with the kids while I went for my doctor's appointment. I had to have an ultrasound and non-stress test because I was overdue. I was honestly not looking forward to this.<br />
<br />
I went in ready for them to tell me the baby was measuring large and to try to convince me to induce. I was prepared to argue for waiting on the basis that I was not afraid to deliver a large baby, and lots of recent research proves that ultrasound can be off by up to a pound either way, and I would wait to go into labor spontaneously until I hit 42 weeks. I was surprised and taken completely off guard then when the ultrasound tech did not even mention the size of the baby, other than to say<br />
"Baby looks good, great heartbeat, all the organs look great." However, she did throw some brand new information at me, "Your fluid is very low. The doctor will probably talk to you about inducing." Confusion washed over me like a cold shower, and I started asking questions,<br />
"What does that mean? How much fluid should I have? How much do I have? Can that hurt the baby?" She answered calmly and politely,<br />
"Baby looks good, healthy and fine, so it's not affecting her, yet. We like to see numbers above 10, but we will take as low as 8 when you go overdue like this. You're at a 6, so the doctor will talk to you about inducing."<br />
I took some deep breaths and went to get hooked up to the non-stress test, where they monitor baby's heartbeat for twenty minutes. I prayed about all this, and sent a few text messages out asking for prayer, and then just gave it to the Lord and waited to see what the doctor would say. I had asked God to keep the baby healthy despite my pain, and He had. Baby was ok, and that was very reassuring.<br />
<br />
<b>I had some terrific back pain in the days prior to this, and now it made sense. My fluid was so low that the baby's skull was literally resting very close to my spine and just bumping nerves all the time. </b> It made sense that some of the back pain was sharp and electrical feeling while some was just constantly aching. I had asked God to know why this was painful, and now I knew. I looked smaller and gained less weight because there was so much less liquid. I remembered with Karis they did an ultrasound at 37 weeks because I was measuring "large," and my fluid was at 17 or 18, and they had said that was a lot. I remembered the huge gush as my water broke in the car with her. I thought about reading birth stories where a woman's water was broken hours before labor and how sometimes it led to a more painful "dry birth," and I didn't like the thought of that.<br />
<br />
Her heart rate bounced around between 120 and 160 and they were happy with all that, so they promptly removed the monitors at the 20 minute mark and the doctor came in shortly afterward. He examined me and said there was definitely not a leak in fluid, I was still dilated to slightly less than 2, and since there was no leak, it meant the placenta had stopped doing its job. He said that when the body goes overdue and fluid gets low it means the placenta has basically quit, and although it doesn't harm the baby much, the fluid will not replenish, it will only continue going down, until a "dry birth" is likely. He said we needed to induce the next day. I was still a little in shock, and kept frowning and saying, "I just didn't want to induce." to which he would answer, "I'm really sorry." However, when he said I needed to come in the following day, it was to Huntsville Hospital. That made me even more uncomfortable, because I had only great experiences with Crestwood, and did not want to make this new territory in birth even more new. I expressed my concerns, and he explained the only reason he chose Huntsville was because he had an 8am surgery there, and he didn't want me 15 minutes down the road if he was still in the middle of surgery when I needed to deliver. I understood, but my response was still, "If I MUST be induced, then I ONLY want to do it at Crestwood." I have read enough and been through labor enough to know that my personal comfort level/anxiety level is a huge factor in labor, and I did not feel comfortable switching locations now. He frowned now. "I really don't want you to wait 2 days." So I offered,<br />
"I can come in this afternoon to Crestwood. Would that work?" He thought a moment and said yes. It was almost 2pm. He asked if I could be there by 4pm. I thought I could. It was set. I texted John all the info, and thought about how he had been up since 3am with me, and had not had a nap. Poor guy.<br />
<br />
On the drive home I prayed about this some more, and felt total peace. This was not me going in and requesting an induction because I couldn't stand the back pain. This was the doctor saying it was medically necessary to induce. Being induced had always scared me because of the stories of how bad pitocin contractions are, and how most people cannot continue to go without an epidural. <b>However, my doctor said he had plenty of patients who were induced and continued to go without an epidural. I only have one friend who has done this, so hearing him say he had 'plenty' was more reassuring. I don't know you - women of the 'plenty'- but I am thankful for your story, and it gave me hope.</b><br />
<br />
I went home and carb loaded for my marathon ahead, eating gluten free spaghetti leftovers, a banana muffin, and had another cup of coffee. My bags had been packed for weeks, so I just threw in last minute items and put them by the door. My mom came to spend the night with the kids and keep them for the next 2 days. John came home and we left. Agreeing to be induced, and showing up 2 hours later for it is a fast turn-around time. My doctor said that since it was my third, he felt that once I hit 4 cm, the process would "fly." That was hopeful as well.<br />
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We were checked in to the exact same room we had been in for false labor almost a month earlier. It was calming to be somewhere familiar, and I was very happy that I had stood up for myself and insisted upon Crestwood. We saw a few of the same nurses, and a few new ones. When we had come in for the false labor, our nurse had given me a hospital gown, but said, "Unless you have your own you'd like to wear?" That day I had forgotten that I had my own, but walking around in the bottom-showing, scratchy hospital gown for several hours, reminded me to go home and pack mine. I put on the little Old Navy maternity dress, that is either truly a night gown or a swim cover-up, but not a 'real' dress, however, the color is one that makes me happy, and it was very soft, and covered my behind most of the time. No one said a word about it, and I was thankful again to the Lord for giving me the false labor to be reminded of this one thing, <b>because in labor - comfort is power</b>!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7oGqPr1M1KpymUXHw9SlxC5VH78OC0DtR-UpM3UmNhLoQR1Zrt91_9sf1gL36US18QKhh1JsI-fjS5yjJACBhHZVLdDIGEko1hsirbDYv-rHYHO4HhsljGxEWNl1PKbkWubC6H71DpVX/s1600/IMG_6703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7oGqPr1M1KpymUXHw9SlxC5VH78OC0DtR-UpM3UmNhLoQR1Zrt91_9sf1gL36US18QKhh1JsI-fjS5yjJACBhHZVLdDIGEko1hsirbDYv-rHYHO4HhsljGxEWNl1PKbkWubC6H71DpVX/s400/IMG_6703.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last belly picture, before getting induced in the hospital.</td></tr>
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I put a few drops of essential oils on the shoulders of my 'birthing dress' to help me take deep, calming breaths. I put 2 drops of peppermint on one shoulder and 2 drops of lavender on the other shoulder. This is far easier than using a diffuser when away from home. If I needed the scent to be stronger, I just turned to that side. I reapplied the drops once, several hours in. At one point during labor I did feel the need to pee, but couldn't, and putting a drop or two of peppermint oil in the toilet fixed that problem immediately.<br />
<br />
Without even having to request it, the nurse said, "Oh, you'll want the wireless monitors. Let me go get them for you." That was also a huge blessing, because in labor, you need to move around a lot, and being confined to the bed is far from ideal. The wireless monitors seemed to work great all over the room, but I'm not sure if they would have worked in the hallway, I didn't try.<br />
<br />
I hate needles. Getting the IV with the catheter in my arm was by far part of the worst of it all. I had to have it for the pitocin and the antibiotics, because I was Beta Strep positive again. There was also a bag of just 'fluid' up there on the pole. Having that in my arm was very uncomfortable the entire time. My first nurse for the evening explained how the pitocin induction process worked - with them starting me out at 2 (I don't know what measurement - 2 somethings per minute), and every fifteen minutes they would turn it up more if I was "comfortable" with it. She said she felt like 6 was a good number to stay at for a while, although some doctor and nurses seem to think it's OK to turn it all the way up to 30. I don't remember feeling anything with it on 2, so I was happy to get to 4, which started some itty bitty short contractions, and then at 6 they did increase to lasting almost 20 seconds, but still at least 4 minutes apart. I was happy for them to keep turning it up until we hit 10. I worked with level 10 for about an hour before I said, "Ok, let's try 12." Romans 12 is my favorite chapter in the bible, and talks about being a living sacrifice, and for some reason, I felt like 12 was where it needed to stay for a long time. I thought about how to worship through birth. I tried to sing along to some of my music, but decided that it was worshipful to just focus on the task at hand, pray for strength, and stay kind to everyone around me.<br />
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<b>Here's also where I feel like God was all over the timing of this process - my false labor that very morning gave me a true sense of how my own body ran contractions.</b> For three hours I monitored their length, I knew how much my body would put me through on its own, and how much I could stand, and now this knowledge gave me confidence in how much I was going to allow in the pitocin. Isn't God cool like that? Because pain is something you don't always remember details of - so having false labor that morning gave me a specific starting point. At the end of it all, when the doctor asked me,<br />
"Was that as bad as you thought it would be?" and I said,<br />
"No," he then told me,<br />
"Yes, contractions are contractions - whether they're natural or pit, or whatever, people shouldn't be so scared of it." Says the MAN who has never had one contraction. Also, I don't know what would have happened if I had let them turn it above 12 - I don't want to think about 30! This is one of the few things I do disagree with him on, because here are the differences in my natural contractions and the pitocin synthesized ones (in case you were interested in being induced after going natural a time or two):<br />
<br />
Natural contractions for me begin and end more gradually - like they creep up the front of my belly before taking over as a big huge total core squeeze that sometimes wraps around the back, sometimes not, and then they fade away as well. This is where some people compare them to waves that wash over you and recede. It's like they begin on a pain scale of 5, then cap out at like an 8 or 9, and then fade away again, sometimes down to 1 or 2 in the beginning, but as labor progresses, the pain does not completely go away between contractions, but stays somewhere between a 3 and 5.<br />
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The pitocin contractions began and ended rather abruptly - it was sort of like 'all or nothing' with them. Pain scale ranging from 2 in between contractions, to suddenly being a full on 7-9, lasting it's length and then suddenly stopping again. I do not believe this would have changed had I let them turn the pitocin up any higher.<br />
<br />
Natural contractions lasted much longer for me - averaging 2 minutes, but going up to 3 minutes several times as well. I remember that with my other two labors, and had that experience that morning, which was one reason I was so shocked it stopped - I mean having a three minute contraction should turn into real labor! Then they would also wait several minutes apart and gradually build up to coming closer together.<br />
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Pitocin contractions never lasted much more than a minute, even after several hours. They also came a lot faster. 30-50 second long contractions, that were about 1 - 2 minutes apart for several hours is what I experienced on level 10 and 12. Had I let them turn it up higher, they may have lasted longer, but their intensity and speed were enough to keep me happy with their duration.<br />
<br />
After 3 hours, and getting up to pitocin level 10, when she checked me and I was at 3, we were rather disappointed and that was when I let them turn it up to 12. After an hour of that, she checked me and I was at 5. I do want to say that my nice little nurse was always very respectful and gentle when checking me, and waited for contractions to end. She was a gem, and spent a lot of time in the room with us, bringing me ice water (they encouraged real drinking! - not just ice chips), and anything we asked for. She suggested a cool washcloth on the back of my neck when I started getting hot, and that was nice for a little while. She told us that my doctor wanted to know when I was at 6, and he would come up to the hospital and hang out until the baby was born. After an hour of some longer contractions, that now seemed to come about a minute apart, we asked to be checked again, and she informed us, almost apologetically,<br />
"Almost the same, not yet to six. But I can tell it's getting harder for you, so I am going to call your doctor and let him know." He came in shortly after that, watched for a few minutes and commented nicely,<br />
"You have excellent pain control. You're doing a great job."<br />
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It was probably around 11pm, and John and I were both getting really exhausted. I did not want to be checked again and told 5, so I decided mentally to just power through it, and wait for my water to break so I could push. Now, with <a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2013/02/jonah-birth-to-life-birth-story.html">Jonah (my first)</a>, I got very nauseated right at the end, and throwing up made my water break. After the water broke, they checked me and said I was at 10, to wait for the doctor, but I never felt the urge to push. I think my body wanted to rest. With Karis (my second), I felt like I was trying to hold back in the car as we went to the hospital. This sounds strange, but it was the feeling like needing to pass gas, but hoping it will be silent, and then giving a teeny tiny push, and my water broke - all over the car, and we had to pull over and h<a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2014/01/birth-in-car.html">ave her in the Jet Pep parking lot</a>.<br />
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Because of those two experiences, I really wanted to make my water break, and I got to the point with these rapid-fire fast intense contractions to where I realized I was pushing a little during the contractions. I wondered if that was OK, but decided not to tell anyone. I did that for an hour or more, moving around like crazy, trying different positions on the ball, on the bed, standing, lunging, rocking, squatting, always having John there to hold his hand or lean against him. I had my music on, I had read my encouragement cards and scripture so much the day before, I only read through them all maybe twice in the hospital. I told John, "Tell me it's almost over." So, he would try to say that every now and then and be as encouraging as he could, being so very tired, and not really having an encouraging spirit. I think around midnight we were both shocked that we still hadn't had a baby yet, and so very tired. I asked the nurse to turn the pitocin back down to 10 because I felt like everything was getting a little too hard to take. I think we were getting close to 'transition.' I felt like the room was darkening around me, and the pain was getting very intense, like I wanted to bite something and scream. At this point, had a large birthing tub been available, I would have probably spent the remainder of the time there, and I believe it would have been a shorter time. Alabama really needs to get on board!<br />
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At the end, I was kneeling on the end of the hospital bed, and John was sitting on the ball in front of the bed (because he admitted he was absolutely too tired to stand up), and I had my head and elbows in his lap, with my behind up in the air, and he was hugging my upper body and holding my belly through each contraction. I had done this sort of position near the end of labor at home with Karis, just pushing back into a downward dog yoga position, so I felt like this meant we were close. I was still pushing just a little during the contractions, and starting to moan very loudly. In labor with Karis, my awesome doula Hannah had taught me to open the mouth wide and make low sounds - because, little high pitch shrills with a tight mouth do not help the body/uterus to relax and open. I remembered and followed that advice the whole time - wide mouth, low noises, volume doesn't matter, as long as it's not high pitch. Suddenly, I realized the pain was not going away between contractions at all - it was staying a hard, high 8 or 9 on the pain scale (I hesitate to say 10 because I always feel like it's bad, but could probably get a little worse) - and I felt a little dizzy with my head down. I realized I was trying to push harder hoping to break my water, and I felt hot all over, and pictures of babies born with their water intact popped in my head and it occurred to me that I might be ready to push even though my water had not broken!<br />
<br />
I decided to go with that, and began saying loudly, "I'm ready to push. I'm ready to push. I'm ready to push," and I just started moving back up in the bed, raising the head so I could sit up all the way. The nurse said, "I need to check you then," but I was not really cooperating well, because the contractions did not feel like they were stopping, and so I think I was laying on my side, gripping the bed rails, growling, and she checked me and said, "Yep!" and ran out of the room, and came back with the doctor, saying, "She's at a high 8, maybe 9, very soft though, but she wants to push." This woke up John fully, and he was standing by me, saying very honestly now, "It really is almost over, babe. Almost over. You can do it." The doctor just nodded, pulled up a seat, and I started pushing and yelling like crazy!<br />
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I pushed really hard, and my water broke, and then her head started immediately coming down, and I was yelling a lot. John said he thought it looked like the doctor was pushing against me, holding his hand down just under where her head was coming out, and I think that counter-pressure low did help me to tear much less. However, it also slowed me down just a little, because her head was out and I stopped a second to breathe. She was already screaming, and I felt like I was coming out of a big black cloud of pain. The doctor told me to push one more big time and she'd be out. I did, but I don't know if I was too tired or what, I didn't get that huge rumbly, bones and baby leaving my body feeling like I did when Karis was born all at once. <br />
<br />
Then it was all better. <br />
I felt like the lights got turned back on in the room, but they had never been turned off.<br />
Josie Faith was born at 1:09am, Tuesday, January 26th.<br />
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The miracle of birth is so crazy that the second that kid is out, your mind clears from the pain fog, and all these amazing happy hormones flood your brain, and no matter how tired you were, you are suddenly wide awake like a red bull was just shot up in that IV! They held up her little wiggly, wet self and gave her to me. The doctor let the cord stop pulsing, and I don't know how long that took because I felt like I was holding this little baby outside of time. I remember feeling like that after the other two. It's this wide-awake dream-like <i>I can NOT believe that just happened</i> feeling. I don't know when I delivered the placenta, but it had a lot of white stripes/streaks that I do not remember seeing on the other two, so I wonder if that had to do with it 'quitting.' I did not get to hold her for very long before the nurses wanted to suction her mouth/nose because she was sort of gagging a little. The doctor said I only needed 2 stitches, and he did that quickly. Then the shaking began really bad. I remember the violent leg shaking, total body tremors after the other two births, but I also thought it had to do with feeling cold both times. I made sure to keep my hospital room very warm this time, and it still was, and I even told the doctor, "I'm not cold at all! Why am I shaking so bad?" He just laughed a little and said, "Oh that's the adrenaline." Then he put some very warm blankets on top of me anyway, and softly pushed down on my legs, smoothing the blankets out, and that helped most of the shaking to stop.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinelxJxvrRYYcrVSSEqeiYt2Oz2koHJUal24v4QUawwpVxbsk8ymyXHeWwdxtbmnm4tAALiFfb1XcbbH7J8dstywdXvOnD91IOoHEB2LIPa26xnkBywwZRybKqI8xLsPMoO6Ff_6I-X60Y/s1600/baby2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinelxJxvrRYYcrVSSEqeiYt2Oz2koHJUal24v4QUawwpVxbsk8ymyXHeWwdxtbmnm4tAALiFfb1XcbbH7J8dstywdXvOnD91IOoHEB2LIPa26xnkBywwZRybKqI8xLsPMoO6Ff_6I-X60Y/s400/baby2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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She was 8 lbs, 5oz, and 20 inches long. One ounce smaller than her siblings. When they gave her back, John took a few pictures and then we started breastfeeding. Every prayer, answered. I was induced, but no epidural, no other interventions, healthy baby, healthy mama, so very thankful.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love her little popeye nose!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Her hair is much darker than my other two kids, for now.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ffLJnOBKRaucQtDtuUHpBLa5kYdesYtJNDFp8-ajuEwG7liK-meOxFvUXJfyRPgET7zVltb7NfX4B9RUoTMWdFD0ZkEKnGwCamqEn5f9tnh8cY973KErycqVlssOXon9hbjeJxTpv44_/s1600/babe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ffLJnOBKRaucQtDtuUHpBLa5kYdesYtJNDFp8-ajuEwG7liK-meOxFvUXJfyRPgET7zVltb7NfX4B9RUoTMWdFD0ZkEKnGwCamqEn5f9tnh8cY973KErycqVlssOXon9hbjeJxTpv44_/s400/babe.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christi Haney Photography - 5 days old</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christi Haney Photography - All THREE kids!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxsJSfldOFdl-S3-JaJMPf9ugp0SFAU7e2zscWkDlDMEnWixEbttf_wYAAjOFYyPfu5wleghOVoCqa07ELjsp8D5wwgHzShyeRDEHhVyrG_MuJUS4PNOWLHdCNu3i9pyz7tbIfFu6dm5GY/s1600/babe2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxsJSfldOFdl-S3-JaJMPf9ugp0SFAU7e2zscWkDlDMEnWixEbttf_wYAAjOFYyPfu5wleghOVoCqa07ELjsp8D5wwgHzShyeRDEHhVyrG_MuJUS4PNOWLHdCNu3i9pyz7tbIfFu6dm5GY/s640/babe2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christi Haney Photography - 5 days old</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D5918936121443000848%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D7409626664496008176%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dposts%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-G1moQpTZGdk%2FVrDgaoWN2GI%2FAAAAAAAADXQ%2FSg076-Mpn_w%2Fs400%2FIMG_6703.JPG&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=5hXj3dRP5zJT&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 203px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 1842px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D5918936121443000848%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D7409626664496008176%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dposts%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-G1moQpTZGdk%2FVrDgaoWN2GI%2FAAAAAAAADXQ%2FSg076-Mpn_w%2Fs400%2FIMG_6703.JPG&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=5hXj3dRP5zJT&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 203px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 1842px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>HoneabeeMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14063131733252001724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918936121443000848.post-14901721365609708462016-02-01T09:15:00.001-08:002016-02-02T11:03:18.228-08:00Pregnancy #3 - False Labor, Back Pain & PrayersThis pregnancy has been a surprise blessing my life. However, surprise blessings do not always come with ease, and this has also been the most sick/uncomfortable pregnancy for me. The first and into the second trimester were full of nausea. I had about six weeks of no nausea, before it returned in the third trimester like a mean old trick. I found that Vitamin B6, frequent gluten-free snacks, lots of protein (especially in the morning), and eating cereal before bedtime helped. I was more active this time, with exercise 2-3 times a week until about half way through the third trimester, when moving and unpacking took over my exercise times. I gained 5 pounds less than I did when pregnant with Jonah, which means almost 20 pounds less than with Karis, which I attributed to better exercise and eating habits, but found out had other reasons as well. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwRxuN0AjdbCD9_CDjxvBRMd6E4-x8mFVgI7kh0V2ytCnHSUTSkJWDkefZC26Zi2Lk5ZcdHtsLxWjW9v-bHFicn6febrPcpcbd9deENkc1qQ77dwNDMU5YBX_XQrYFNGNEwZrINts4J6ax/s1600/preg3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwRxuN0AjdbCD9_CDjxvBRMd6E4-x8mFVgI7kh0V2ytCnHSUTSkJWDkefZC26Zi2Lk5ZcdHtsLxWjW9v-bHFicn6febrPcpcbd9deENkc1qQ77dwNDMU5YBX_XQrYFNGNEwZrINts4J6ax/s640/preg3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Same shirt, each pregnancy. <br />
Pregnancy produce sitting on the counter.</td></tr>
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Overall, I felt like I looked more healthy this time, because I did not seem to gain as much weight, but looking healthy did not mean I felt healthy. I also had far more general aches and pains this time, with pain in my hip flexors, shooting down the front of my thighs, and in my back, down the sciatic nerve frequently in my rear end and the back of my leg. Some people would attribute all that to being a mom of two little ones, chasing them and such, but honestly, I tried to nap if I felt tired when they napped in the afternoons, which was at least half the time. If the mornings were very hard for me, and exhaustion took over (also - first AND third trimester this time - super tired some days, like 2 naps were needed just to open my eyeballs), I would sometimes put on a movie for them and cuddle/lay back in the chair and doze for the length of the movie. I did not have that option when I was pregnant the first time and taught 1st grade, and I never even felt that I needed it the last time when I just had one toddler to chase. I don't know exactly why this pregnancy took so much out of me, but it kept reinforcing and bringing me peace that this would be the last one.<br />
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I am not at all comparing this pregnancy to the super women who have high-risk pregnancies, lots of problems, are put on bed rest, and lots of medications. I understand that I had no where near that difficult a trial to go through, and I am thankful for that. I am comparing this one only to my first two pregnancies, which were far easier for me physically. I considered very seriously not writing all this out, because I do not want it to be perceived that I was ungrateful or angry about this pregnancy. I know that babies are a gift from God, and I am so thankful that I was allowed to have three healthy pregnancies and three healthy babies. I know my three babies are far more than some women ever get to have, even after begging, praying, and spending a fortune on trying to just have one. I am so thankful for this baby. The story of my pregnancy leads into the story of her birth making far more sense.<br />
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I had several Braxton Hicks contractions daily - not painful, but tightening sensations all over the belly, beginning around week 30 this time. Then at 36 weeks and 5 days, near the beginning of Christmas break for my husband (a pastor and a high school ISS teacher), we had a big storm weather warning with a warm front coming through, and my body went into the early stages of labor. I woke up at 4am with fairly steady contractions, that built up to about 10-12 minutes apart for a few hours. This made me extremely nauseated (which labor has not done before to my body), and I ate a banana and began to get out the newborn baby clothes to wash them. I sorted newborn laundry, and packed my hospital bags, while breathing through some contractions. I decided to take a shower to see if labor would stop. In the shower it got worse, and I threw up. After the shower I felt exhausted and laid down for about 15 minutes before deciding to get up and dry my hair. Contractions took about a 20 minute break, then resumed again, this time fairly regularly 9 minutes apart. At my previous doctor's appointment, I had asked him, in relation to contractions, when should I come to the hospital. Based on the fact that my previous birth had happened so quickly, he said, "As soon as you think it's the real deal, I don't care how far apart they are, you need to get here in case it goes even faster." So, on this sort of "High-alert" thinking, I told John we should head in for the hospital. Our kids had already gone to spend the night with a grandparent the night before, because of the Christmas break, so we didn't even have to worry about them. We are so thankful to have family close by. It has made a HUGE difference in the amount of help we get with our kids, and the amount of alone time John and I get to spend together. We stopped for coffee, and headed to the hospital, now with contractions about 8 minutes apart, lasting about a minute or slightly more. <br />
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The hospital of my choice for this town is Crestwood, because I had a great experience there the last time with recovery/postpartum from baby #2, and it is very commonly known for being natural-labor friendly. We signed in, and immediately, a few of the nurses recognized us and so happily began referring to us as "The Jet-Pep Baby People." It was like a comedic reunion and made me smile. My nurse checked me though and said I was only at a high one/low 2 maybe. Not much dilation, so we walked laps around the hallways. Labor sped up as the weather got worse outside. It was stormy and pouring rain with this huge warm front outside, and contractions sped all the way up to 4 minutes apart, lasting longer than a minute.<br />
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We thought for sure we were coming home with a baby 3 weeks earlier than expected. However, when the nurse checked me again, I was exactly the same, no progress. Disappointed, but entirely scared to go home with contractions 4 minutes apart, we stayed another hour or so. Then, as the sky lightened, clouds passed, and the weather improved, my contractions got further apart, and then completely quit. We had been shocked that morning, and a little worried about being over 3 weeks away from the due date. Worry had turned into peaceful excitement though, as we thought that we were going to meet the baby, and have everyone's Christmas break time to get to know her before people all had to go back to work. Now, we felt deflated as we were going home with nothing to show for our long hours at the hospital. I crash slept for the next 3-4 hours just to be able to function. My stomach hurt the rest of that day and into the next.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The day after being in the hospital with false labor.<br />
Walking around Costco gave me a few contractions while I was there.</td></tr>
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That day began all the false labor. The next few weeks included many days of weather related contractions, nausea, and exhaustion. I would have a day or two where I felt good again, and then a sudden onset of several hours of this false labor. It was unpredictable, but left me exhausted and frustrated. I began to try to really change my mindset, and focus on this being the last pregnancy, and enjoy the baby movements, and cuddling the other two kids while there were only two of them. That, along with deep breaths, helped most of the time. Then, at around week 39, extreme bouts of back pain began. Back pain that varied from deep tissue that felt good being massaged, and seemed to be a contraction only in my back, to some weird back pains that were more like electrical spasms as if someone had snuck up behind me and stuck me with a taser. Each time, it lasted for several hours. One day it was from the time I woke up to the time I went to bed. I had a hard time enjoying pregnancy from that day forward. I felt very emotional, and struggled with the fear that I would go in and request to be induced because I just could not take the pain anymore. I asked several people to pray about it, because I was so frustrated with the pain. As my due date came and went, the back pains increased, and I began to pray for true labor to start. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I went and got my nose pierced because it's something I've always wanted to do.<br />
I was feeling like a large whale, and I felt like a tiny sparkle would make me feel slightly 'cooler.'<br />
I am so glad I did! I love it!</td></tr>
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I got out my Scripture encouragement cards, and began listening to my labor playlist. The verses that I clung to most were:<br />
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Psalm 27:14<br />
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Galatians 6:9<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6iv1g469EcuM03rbOkKwXKgVCjORsFiURIJHrFBuuxrpO000me7eKd0ecfbP9N9XIFC-UUkHeyN-QYazEhoROeAyOtMel0fam5EEydVeWFrEIFRWE7DVqeyl-XMZEi8_JOACB2ok7YZnT/s1600/verse2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6iv1g469EcuM03rbOkKwXKgVCjORsFiURIJHrFBuuxrpO000me7eKd0ecfbP9N9XIFC-UUkHeyN-QYazEhoROeAyOtMel0fam5EEydVeWFrEIFRWE7DVqeyl-XMZEi8_JOACB2ok7YZnT/s400/verse2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Psalm 29:11<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn8QiqZW2rvnTl4to-0ERy6tDst9TG_cDF3fESZameEFtLoUsFW3cStf6GrX1nDs72RthfMPZ_2_gohQ78WqUh8jlU-_WClHJsTKhQ24ClJjDOFZzrHZ3CBOqD8g0Ur7EQ51bTsuJZ6H5L/s1600/psalm-29.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn8QiqZW2rvnTl4to-0ERy6tDst9TG_cDF3fESZameEFtLoUsFW3cStf6GrX1nDs72RthfMPZ_2_gohQ78WqUh8jlU-_WClHJsTKhQ24ClJjDOFZzrHZ3CBOqD8g0Ur7EQ51bTsuJZ6H5L/s400/psalm-29.11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Proverbs 3:5<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdBcAfv_t-7wlQYWkJkjRfuLEp0vLDenVtGwRoxwd7O7P4CAQ3Km1jcarHpG9Ryp-AiJ-CP3BCLZu3ZQw8i09OCUhQ_i3Xvsx35upglvHB_nLyoffRF8EJ-WhXOOUronsS_ntkwzfz7_yB/s1600/proverbs3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdBcAfv_t-7wlQYWkJkjRfuLEp0vLDenVtGwRoxwd7O7P4CAQ3Km1jcarHpG9Ryp-AiJ-CP3BCLZu3ZQw8i09OCUhQ_i3Xvsx35upglvHB_nLyoffRF8EJ-WhXOOUronsS_ntkwzfz7_yB/s400/proverbs3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Hebrews 11:1<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcsuZogVPcEvnM2VycT6W3TnfTbdOQb_eFbunzP5vhBxZbigazHLXuqABCaAayDjP-4mfYQoONwKpAtpiDEj9Bo4YFaaQUeoUx8AY9eItIFqz4JI7tk1f2bOVb1jie3ZzdMRz32M02PAKc/s1600/Hebrews-111-Your-Faith-IntentionallyPursuing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcsuZogVPcEvnM2VycT6W3TnfTbdOQb_eFbunzP5vhBxZbigazHLXuqABCaAayDjP-4mfYQoONwKpAtpiDEj9Bo4YFaaQUeoUx8AY9eItIFqz4JI7tk1f2bOVb1jie3ZzdMRz32M02PAKc/s400/Hebrews-111-Your-Faith-IntentionallyPursuing.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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John 14:27<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg3r5a8aMvUrK0aYhs0QsL17TO9LZx1QDdMfctogiXTnjUd0Kv3ymy0Gdw1Ba3NQODrvp3Z8VBeBBJ-Qw1318ntmkiTZGgcccgGTxty4vtmSTDRQGsAk1TP-L9Im9KuDrtNlDsDyYFfzCs/s1600/855c75a3f763aeb2fde20d1b2ee35d9a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg3r5a8aMvUrK0aYhs0QsL17TO9LZx1QDdMfctogiXTnjUd0Kv3ymy0Gdw1Ba3NQODrvp3Z8VBeBBJ-Qw1318ntmkiTZGgcccgGTxty4vtmSTDRQGsAk1TP-L9Im9KuDrtNlDsDyYFfzCs/s400/855c75a3f763aeb2fde20d1b2ee35d9a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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1 Peter 5:7<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp_9Q_CJmya5guC2EApzRh5PhcXtGj6jo8LVkX8xxaoYeKoZt3g36k4yMOOeIZJeGxiVGBZ2xYFPw9nREQgCpMOluEVws6jpqdYd0YtcpKZjyy3EBOGr9h-t45uQUXslpK5G7-UMGLO49h/s1600/he-cares-for-you.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp_9Q_CJmya5guC2EApzRh5PhcXtGj6jo8LVkX8xxaoYeKoZt3g36k4yMOOeIZJeGxiVGBZ2xYFPw9nREQgCpMOluEVws6jpqdYd0YtcpKZjyy3EBOGr9h-t45uQUXslpK5G7-UMGLO49h/s400/he-cares-for-you.jpg" width="310" /></a></div>
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James 1:2-4<br />
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and the Lauren Daigle CD songs "Trust In You," "My Revival," and "Loyal," which all focus on use trusting God in all circumstances based on His good character. The song "It's Not Over Yet" by King and Country, and "Good Good Father" by Christ Tomlin were also extremely helpful in dealing with the back pain. I got out my adult coloring books and sat at the table and colored, and cried, and read my scripture cards, and listened to music.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">40 Weeks, 1 Day<br />
I did hair and make-up to go to Kroger with the kids. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going over-due meant daddy could play in the snow with the kids on our snow day.</td></tr>
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On Sunday, I specifically prayed harder for the back pain to end and real labor to start. I prayed for strength to not waiver on my desire to go natural. I prayed that the back pain was not related to the baby's health, and that she was just fine in the womb. I prayed that one day I would understand why this was so painful. I prayed that God would use all my pain to glorify Him, and that I would not become angry and short-tempered at home with my family for as long as it lasted. John came home from church and found me in tears and prayed for me and the baby also. God answered all those prayers and more the very next day at my doctor's appointment, which led to the birth, so is in the next post. :)<br />
<br />HoneabeeMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14063131733252001724noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918936121443000848.post-40501046651122322382016-01-11T06:54:00.003-08:002016-01-11T07:10:42.182-08:00Truth in 2016 - One Word 365I enjoyed doing the 'One Word Focus' last year in lieu of any resolutions. Last year I chose "<a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2016/01/fearless-reflections.html">Fearless</a>," and learned much about myself in the process. This year I am choosing to focus on the word: Truth.<br />
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As I explained in my last post about addressing fears, I realized that I needed to embrace the truth about situations in order to stand firmly on faith. The Bible teaches quite a lot about the truth, but my favorite verse on the topic has to be John 8:31-32:<br />
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IF we hold to His teachings, abide in His word, learn them, believe them, apply them, THEN we will know the Truth, and the Truth will set us FREE! That's amazing!<br />
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Jesus IS the way, the truth, and the life. I know that on this journey, I must only draw closer to Him if I want to uncover the truth about anything. (John 14:6)<br />
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My focus on truth is mostly centered around becoming more aware of the lies I believe about myself, the lies I believe about God, the world, and other people, and the lies I tell that may seem 'harmless' or 'insignificant' or even are not lies in the telling, but lies because I do not tell. <br />
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I want to uncover the parts of my life that have been hidden for too long, because I buried, neglected, or felt ashamed of the truth. I lied to myself when I believed I should not share the testimony of my past with others, because I was ashamed of different parts, or afraid of what others may think of me. God has redeemed me, called me his own, and my past can be used to share His glory. There is no better way to be free from bondage, than by speaking the truth.<br />
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I want to learn how to immediately identify lies the enemy tells me based on Scripture and who I know God to be. I know some of these lies I encounter on a daily basis:<br />
"You aren't worthy of love."<br />
"You are too _____(varies with what I am struggling with - fat, lazy, forgetful, etc) to be loved unconditionally."<br />
"You will never be enough."<br />
"You are not a good _____(varies - in all the roles I have - wife, mother, daughter, ministry partner, friend, etc) and never will be." (John 8:44)<br />
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I know these are lies, from the 'father of lies' - but I want to more quickly fire back with the truth - the Word - the sword, to cut through them. I know God's Word tells me He loves me so much He gave His son to die for me, while I was still a sinner. I know God's word tells me that I am saved by grace through faith, not of my own work, so there is nothing I can <i>do</i> to be 'enough.' I already am, because of Jesus. I know that I am in each life role for a specific reason, at this specific time, and God is using each role to refine me, and each person to shape me into being more Christ-like, and I am the exact person He wants for that role. I am going to put more specific scripture up in my home to help me memorize and fight those lies.<br />
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I want to learn how to constantly tell the truth in love and not be ashamed of my true feelings, or afraid of conflict, but to kindly share the truth with grace at all times. I want to be able to set honest, clear boundaries with others that are true to my own heart. People pleasing is tough, and not wanting to cause conflict is tough, and both cause us to tell little lies. "Can you do ___ for me?" Truth: That's not a good time, it will be very inconvenient, and I'd rather not. What I say: "Sure!" which is another way I lie. Or "Does it bother you when ___?" Truth: Yes, yes it does, and I wish you'd stop it. What I say: "No, I hadn't noticed it." I want to become better at voicing my truth in love, and not worrying about what others think. (Ephesians 4:15, Proverbs 12:22)<br />
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I want to be better at choosing the most true-to-me activity for my time. I will often lie to myself and act as though social media or television is relaxing and good for my spirit. The truth is that I feel much more alive and at peace after reading, writing, coloring, hand-lettering, exercising, spending time outdoors, with friends, or soaking in a bubble bath. I want to choose things that truthfully make me come alive, not the things that just scratch the surface. I want to stop lying to myself and letting those things that are 'easy' be done in the name of recreation, when they are not the true ways I unwind.<br />
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I am looking so forward to embracing<i><b> truth</b></i> in 2016! Do you have a one word focus?<br />
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<br />HoneabeeMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14063131733252001724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918936121443000848.post-32024715391009100602016-01-06T12:10:00.001-08:002016-01-06T12:10:23.951-08:00Fearless ReflectionsFor 2015, I decided my "One Word" focus was "Fearless." The original post I made about is here, <a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2014/12/fearless-in-15.html">Fearless in '15</a>, which is where you should begin now, if you haven't read it yet, or in a while, like a year maybe. ;)<br />
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I feel I owe that focus word a wrap up, before I begin the word for 2016. </div>
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I was given the opportunity to rehash all of the fears I discussed in the original post, plus many more, over the course of 2015. I learned a lot about myself, as I tried to sort through "What is it that I fear, right now?" At the beginning of the year, and as I stated, I believed the opposite of fear, was faith. However, the more the year wore on, and I began to dissect my fears and rationalize their causes, I found that all fears are based on a lie or over-exaggeration of some sort. So, to me, the opposite of fear is actually accepting the truth, processing my feelings that go along with the truth, before I can say in faith "God's got this, no matter what." My word for 2016 is going to be truth. More on that, later. </div>
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I became pregnant again, at a time when John and I were both far more interested in adoption than in having another belly baby. We had discussed another pregnancy, but had firmly put it the "Maybe in a few months to a year from now" category, with a generous helping of, "We want a Spring/Summer baby again, not another Winter baby when we fear germs."<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A week before we found out we were pregnant.</td></tr>
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Then, the day after Jonah turned 3, I realized I was a few days 'late' and decided to just double check with a little at home test, that came back glaringly positive. Due date: January 20th, three days after Karis' birthday. A Winter baby again, kids barely two years apart. This is mentally/emotionally what it looked like for me to process my fears:</div>
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Fear: We are not capable of handling a third child this close to the other two in age. One, or all 3 kids, will have serious psychological issues from our lack of competent parenting. </div>
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Truth: We may not be very good parents. However, God will give us the grace we need to survive this season, and will help our children to overcome anything negative we impart to them. We will pray and read Scripture, and try our darnedest to be Godly parents who point their kids back to Christ, don't yell, don't discipline in anger, feed them a good amount of vegetables, and make sure they sleep enough, but at the end of the day, it is Jesus we want them to cling tightly to, not us anyways.<br />
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Faith: We do have to have faith that God will work all of it out - but we have to accept the truth, that even if we 'fail,' God is big enough to 'fix' them. It is not my job to be so afraid of making mistakes with my kids that I forget to enjoy life with them.</div>
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Fear: Another baby in late January means all the hand sanitizer, staying at home, avoiding social gatherings, wondering if people have had their TDAP vaccination, and praying for no flu or other big viruses to attack the house while baby has an immature immune system. The baby could get sick and die. </div>
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Truth: Newborns do get sick and die. People are careless with their hand washing, germ spreading, anti-vaccinating beliefs, and our baby could die. However, she was never ours to begin with. Our children are a gift from God for whatever amount of time He deems reasonable. I will mourn the rest of my life if I ever lose a child, and I will have to seek lots of counseling and grace in order to continue to function, but I would hold tightly to the hope that I would hold that child in heaven, and in all of eternity. That is still a sad and scary truth, but accepting it is better than becoming a hostage to it. Just typing it feels kind of wrong, and very scary, like its a more real possibility, which just drives me to more fervent prayer.<br />
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Faith: Knowing that God says he has a plan for me, and He has a plan for my children, and praying "God, your will be done, and please let it be a lifetime of loving all my kids here on earth." I can protect her as much as I can, but it is not my job to be stressed and worried constantly about her health. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a GIRL!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josie Faith</td></tr>
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Fear: We will never have the opportunity or resources to be able to adopt. </div>
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Truth: It may be several more years down the road before we feel competent enough to add another small human to our household, but waiting does not mean that it won't happen. <br />
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Faith: If God continues to want us to adopt, He will provide the resources and funds needed when He is ready for our family to grow again. It is not my job to worry about when or how it will happen. </div>
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We also felt the unmistakeable call to change jobs/states/cities again last year. If moving doesn't scare you a little bit, you might be crazy. I've spent my entire life moving, and that's part of why I hate it. I am great at adjusting to new things, places, and people, because I have had to live in a state of constant change. This was a move from a large, more traditional church, to a much smaller, very Contemporary church. This was also a move from a city 4 hours away from family, back to living less than half an hour from each of our parents. There have been several moments of Fear/Truth/Faith processing that went along with that move in September, and are still happening.<br />
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I did decide to participate in <a href="https://support.dressemberfoundation.org/fundraise/team?ftid=63621">Dressember</a> again this year, and was pleasantly surprised and overjoyed by having a team of 11 ladies join me! I would have never set such high fundraising goals by myself, out of fear that I would not reach it, but as a team I felt we could accomplish more, and holy smokes, batman, generous people and God really showed up! Instead of posting weekly about that, you can feel free to check out my<a href="https://www.instagram.com/honeabeemama/"> Instagram</a> or Facebook page for how that went, wearing dresses the entire 8th month of pregnancy. ;) These were my favorite pictures from the month:<br />
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This was my final post about it yesterday:<br />
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Grocery shopping with children under 4 deserves some sort of medal (or beverage - coffee, of course) <span style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">. However, it is MUCH easier in comfy jeans than in a dress! Dressember is over and January is here with so many fresh beginnings and hopes. I want to admit that I am overwhelmed and in awe when I think about how many big anonymous givers we had this year. It makes it harder to thank individuals, but easier to say "Wow, God" </span></div>
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About half way through the month, when we were far<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"> less than half-way to our team goal, I confessed to my husband that I was concerned we weren't going to meet our goal. He reassured me that any amount was better than nothing, and I should be grateful whether we reached our goal or not, because our efforts had brought some donations. However, I wasn't satisfied. I searched my heart, cleared out any selfish ambition and made sure I was in this for God's glory only, the freedom of captives, and not one bit about myself. I began earnestly praying that we would at least meet our team goal, if not exceed it. Then something amazing happened. We DID! Varying sizes of small and large named and anonymous donations began flooding in toward the end of the month. I was so shocked and excited because it's not about the money, but the lives that can be changed and restored with each dollar! YOU helped to make that happen, and I am eternally grateful. The Dressember foundation is accepting donations that will still count toward IJM and A21 until the end of January, if you feel led to give toward freedom. Just because we surpassed our goal, doesn't mean the organizations that receive this money are now fully funded- every single time someone is set free, it takes money, so they still need it! I raised under $700 last year. This year, as a team of 11, our goal was $2500- and thanks to the generosity of many, we are currently at $3557! </span><span style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">All praise goes to God! Thankful once again for answered prayers.</span></div>
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I would not say that I 'conquered' fear in 2015, but I sure did become far more aware of it in my own heart and mind, and begin to address it, process it, and turn to faith more often. I have also been reading the book lately, "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Emotionally-Healthy-Woman-Things-Change/dp/0310342309/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452110840&sr=8-1&keywords=the+emotionally+healthy+woman">The Emotionally Healthy Woman: Eight Things You Have to Quit to Change Your Life.</a>" It is an easy read, but is ground breaking on how to handle, process, and deal with fear and all sorts of other issues, in a Biblically healthy way! It has helped to uncover many fear/truth/faith moments I had not realized I was just shoving away/denying. I VERY HIGHLY recommend this for any woman, regardless of whether you think you struggle with any fear issues at all. It encompasses so much more than that!<br />
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How did your 2015 "One Word" go? Was it what you expected? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this!<br />
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I got most of this recipe/idea from the <a href="http://www.mamaandbabylove.com/">Mama Baby Love</a> original e-cookbook, but then modified it some to fit our family. She says that the healing properties are best with all organic ingredients (meats and veggies especially) and no added carbs (noodles/rice/potatoes), but if you are just eating it for fun/flavor you can add one of the carbs if you wish. I have rarely added any carbs to this because it is so healthy and filling as is. You need a large crockpot and about an hour of prep time, 4 hours of cook-time, and another half hour of prep time at the end. Everything you discard from the chicken and the veggies can be saved to make easy crock-pot chicken broth the same or next day, and you are getting twice the 'mileage' out of the ingredients with a great homemade broth and almost no trash or waste!<br />
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<b><u>Soup And Broth Ingredients:</u></b><br />
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1 Whole Chicken thawed (I prefer to use organic, and the flavor is actually a little more rich)<br />
7 Carrots, sliced<br />
3 celery stalks, roughly sliced (optional - I don't include this because my husband doesn't like celery)<br />
1 Large Onion, finely chopped<br />
1/2 Large bag of Kale or 1 fresh bunch of Kale (spinach adds a different flavor, but I have used it before and it was still pretty good, honestly the kale tastes better)<br />
1 Can Chicken Broth (Check for Gluten-free on this if it is for a friend with Celiac)<br />
4 Bay Leaves<br />
4-6 Cups Filtered Water (straight out of the tap does not make this taste very good. I use a Brita filter pitcher, but any filtered water should taste fine).<br />
1 tablespoon salt<br />
1 teaspoon pepper<br />
1 tablespoon basil (or fresh leaves)<br />
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning<br />
1 tablespoon parsley (or fresh leaves)<br />
1 teaspoon minced garlic<br />
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon onion powder<br />
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<b><u>Soup Instructions:</u></b><br />
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1. Rinse the chicken, cleaning out the neck bone/organs from body cavity and putting them aside in a medium to large bowl, which will become your broth ingredients as you add to it - the 'discard bowl.' Place the whole chicken in the crockpot, doesn't matter which side up, and sprinkle generously with the salt. Turn crock pot on low.<br />
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2. Wash and separate the kale leaves from stems. Save stems and a few leaves in discard bowl. Rip remaining leaves up and add to crockpot.<br />
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3. Wash, peel, and chop the carrots. Save the peelings and tops of the carrots and add to your discard bowl You can roughly chop one carrot without peeling for the discard bowl as well.<br />
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4. Wash and chop celery, add to crock pot. Save ends and roughly chop one stalk for discard bowl.<br />
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5. Peel onion - I throw away the outermost thin papery skin, but put at least one or two outer layers roughly chopped in the discard bowl. I add another half or whole onion to the discard bowl, for flavor in the broth. Finely chop the interior of the onion and add to crockpot.<br />
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6. Add all seasonings and bay leaves to crock pot, and add same seasonings to discard bowl in same or slightly smaller amounts.<br />
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7. Pour the can of chicken broth in first. Then add filtered water until your crockpot is absolutely full, but will not spill out with the lid firmly in place. Put foil or a lid on your discard bowl, and place it in the fridge.<br />
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8. Turn crock-pot to High once all ingredients are in, and cook just like that for 2 hours. Then you need to flip the chicken over (I use two forks, stick in both ends and carefully lift it up about half-way out of the crock-pot and then flip it). Stir the veggies up, making sure the carrots stay under the water, and cook that way for two more hours.<br />
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9. After at least 4 hours of total cook time (five hours is also fine), you need to have a separate empty bowl to place your chicken. Get your discard bowl out of the fridge. I use a fork and lift as much of the whole chicken as possible down into the clean bowl. Let it sit about 5 minutes to cool enough for you to pull it apart. This is a good time to use a slotted spoon to fish out the bay leaves from the crockpot and add them to the discard bowl. Then begin pulling the meat off the bone in strips, tear it up, and put all of the meat back into the crock-pot. Put all of the chicken skin, fat, and bones into your discard bowl. When you get all the meat of the bones, and bones in your discard bowl, there will probably be some juice/water/broth and veggie pieces in the bottom of the bowl, which I pour back into the crockpot. Put your discard bowl back in the fridge.<br />
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10. Stir the meat and veggies well, turn off crock pot, and let sit for about 15 minutes to soak up all the flavor. Serve piping hot!<br />
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My husband always adds hot sauce to his bowl of soup. We didn't have hot sauce this time, and three good shakes of crushed red pepper did the trick. You can also add lemon juice if you enjoy that flavor. Both hot sauce/red pepper and lemon together are great in this soup for busting up a cold/congestion.<br />
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My kids don't drink their broth well, so I mostly scoop their portions with just solid pieces, but they are happy to eat the chicken/carrots/kale like that.<br />
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Try to cook this on a day when you know most of your family will be able to consume a large portion of the soup, so that you can put remaining soup in a storage container, and then have the empty crockpot to make your broth. You can also save your discard bowl for about 3-4 days in the fridge while you finish the soup out of the crock-pot, if you don't want to make your broth immediately.<br />
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The natural chicken fat will solidify in the fridge - so don't be alarmed at the solid yellow/greenish film on top of things. Reheat it and it will melt back down - this is delicious and healthy, don't try to skim it off!<br />
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<b><u>Broth Instructions:</u></b><br />
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1. You do not even need to wash the crock pot if you just took out the last of your soup! The juices hanging on from the soup are great for the broth.<br />
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2. Dump everything from your discard bowl into the crockpot.<br />
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3. Add filtered water until crock pot is absolutely full again.<br />
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4. Cook on low for 12-24 hours. Cook for at least 12 hours, no more than 24. Stir at least once while cooking.<br />
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5. Turn off crock pot and have a large colander over a large metal or glass bowl. Scoop solid pieces out onto colander, and stir and shake to get the juices to fall down to the bowl beneath. I do maybe 3 big ladle-fulls, and then dump the colander solids into the trash or compost. Repeat until all solids for the most part are out of the crockpot. Allow crockpot to cool enough to pick it up, and pour into the colander/bowl. Lift the colander, shake, and again dump solid pieces into trash.<br />
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6. The remaining liquid in the bowl is your homemade chicken broth! This golden goodness can be added to almost anything to add flavor and healthy vitamins and minerals. Once cooled, I scoop it up and store in freezer quart-sized zip-lock bags in the freezer. This is about 3-4 cups per bag.<br />
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I use this broth whenever I cook rice or quinoa, or make a soup. It is fine to drink it in a mug as well, and so good for colds/congestion. Hot sauce or crushed red pepper and lemon juice can also be added to help with congestion! If your kids are so congested they can't taste, they will drink this as a hot beverage and not even care. I can't get mine to drink it plain though, if they can taste it's not something sweet. <br />
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Happy chicken soup and broth making!<br />
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<br />HoneabeeMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14063131733252001724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918936121443000848.post-37887869674433077302015-11-14T09:21:00.001-08:002015-11-14T09:21:04.656-08:00Praying for Your Family - 31. HolidaysOn HOLIDAYS - All of them - any days you get to take off from work or school because it is a "Holiday" like Columbus Day or Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, President's Day, etc - pray specifically for your family's health: physical, mental, and emotional health. Holidays are the worst time of year for some people because they are missing a loved one. What a better time than special days to remember to pray for the overall health of your family! Sickness, disease, viruses, and cancer are all ways our physical bodies can be attacked at any time, without much warning. Anxiety and depression can also bring a lot of people down in their mental and emotional health, also without much warning, and have grievous effects if not noticed and treated. Pay attention to your family's health, and pray for them about it! <br />
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I recently heard Mark Lowry say that if David had Prozac, we would not have Psalms. ;) There are many examples of Biblical men and women who suffered from physical, mental, and emotional health issues. Being saved by grace through faith, is not a stamp for perfect health this side of eternity. It is the assurance that we will one day be perfectly healthy and with our Savior in heaven. Until then, it's OK to ask the Lord for help with our family's health. Of course, we are greatly responsible for maintaining our health as much as we possibly can through mindfully focusing on making healthy choices with food, exercise, making time for adequate rest and stress release, avoidance of harmful substances, and sexual purity. It's hardly fair to ask God for complete healing from a disease we could have prevented through better choices.<br />
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<b><u>Holidays - Health</u></b><br />
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<b><i>Lord God,</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Thank you for this holiday. Please help my family to be healthy so we can serve you better. Help me to prepare meals that nourish our bodies, instead of harm them. Thank you for providing enough hours in the day for us to rest, please help us to use our time wisely on what will bring good health. Help my husband and children to have physical bodies that function to the best of their ability, the way you created them. God, give us the ability to see when our mental and emotional health is not steady, and to seek help from you and others, instead of hiding or ignoring our problems. Protect us from cancer, diseases, and accidents that harm us, so that we may live long lives serving you. Thank you for our time on earth, and these bodies as earthly temples for you until we get to heaven. Help us to honor you with our temples. In Jesus' Name I pray, </i></b><br />
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<b><i>Amen. </i></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is the final post in a series on Praying for Your Family: a 31 Day Challenge. You can go to the main 'landing page' and scroll to the bottom, for a list of all the days by clicking here:</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2015/10/praying-for-your-family-1-why.html"><span style="font-size: small;">Landing Page</span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>HoneabeeMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14063131733252001724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918936121443000848.post-21405368706281536472015-11-03T07:45:00.002-08:002015-11-03T07:45:57.256-08:00Praying for Your Family - 30. CookingI know I did specific <a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2015/10/praying-for-your-family-18-breakfast.html">Breakfast</a>, <a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2015/10/praying-for-your-family-19-lunch.html">Lunch</a>, and <a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2015/10/praying-for-your-family-20-dinnersupper.html">Dinner</a> prayers, but we can often eat those meals without ever having to cook. Cooking is a separate task from sitting down and eating! You can even cook and NOT eat! Therefore, I decided that cooking was another reasonable way to direct our minds back to prayer.<br />
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Sometimes cooking can take awhile, and we often cook while managing other tasks in the home. This can make it a little overwhelming for me at times, trying to mentally and physically prepare a meal that has protein, vegetables, and often a grain or starch (quinoa and potatoes are my go-to sides), while making sure the kids are not harming each other or destroying something. The combination of cooking and child-rearing, though common to most people I realize, results in me comparing my cooking abilities to other people and being sadly disappointed. I can't fry things well (chicken, okra, whatever, I can't make the stuff stay on), and my excuse is that it's not healthy anyways, so why spend a ton of time trying to figure out a technique my family doesn't really need?<br />
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At the heart of it, when I compare my cooking abilities to others, I fall super short. Cooking becomes even more intimidating to me, because I spend a lot of the time feeling inadequate. This is flat out ridiculous. As long as the food is reasonably healthy, and most of the humans in my house like it relatively well, why should I care that it's not gourmet, Paula Deen and 100% local and organic? This leads me to pray about the issue of comparing myself to others - in all aspects - not just cooking. If I'm not as pretty as all the people on TV, or as smart as the super moms who manage to work in major medical fields and manage their homes, or as sweet and kind and soft-spoken as my friend down the road, why do I care? It's just one more way my flesh and the devil team up to work against my spirit. I think the opposite of comparing ourselves (when we feel lacking), is instead to find Confidence in exactly who God has created us to be as individuals.<br />
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I adored the 31 Day series that Alison Wren did on this specific topic, with lots of guest writers. If <a href="http://www.aliwren.com/blog/31-days-of-overcoming-the-comparison-trap/">"Overcoming the Comparison Trap"</a> is a struggle for you even a little bit, check out her series! Great, relatively short reads that provide a very fresh perspective on 'cultivating authenticity' and more!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Theodore Roosevelt Quote</td></tr>
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Instead of Comparing - we need to have Confidence!<br />
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<b><u>Cooking - Confidence Overcoming Comparisons</u></b><br />
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<b><i>Dear God,</i></b><br />
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<b><i>I'm sorry I compare myself to others when I know you created me to be exactly who you want me to be. Help me to stop doing this, by being confident in you and your love, and what you are doing in my life. Remind my husband to not compare himself with others. Help him to find confidence in the abilities you have blessed him with, and not feel lacking. Give my children confidence in who you created them to be. Help us as a family to fulfill your purpose for us with confidence, not comparing our family to others. Help us to put all of our confidence in you, keeping our eyes on you, instead of ourselves. In Jesus' Name I pray,</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Amen. </i></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is post thirty in a series on Praying for Your Family: a 31 Day Challenge. You can go to the main 'landing page' and scroll to the bottom, for a list of all the days by clicking here:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_nBHlETn6N-ZZRDPykfTcdOvs4LJ3EP0aZ3TzmYyk3Swu2_xDLUs5FqLyaYxAji9Hs7LhwyS7SDvgCpE4FRl4ucwvDklPM5Z-_m6qTmHULg5f4P1eq2S-VhznyXevrMTELtGKAiJ62iXd/s1600/prayerbutton125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_nBHlETn6N-ZZRDPykfTcdOvs4LJ3EP0aZ3TzmYyk3Swu2_xDLUs5FqLyaYxAji9Hs7LhwyS7SDvgCpE4FRl4ucwvDklPM5Z-_m6qTmHULg5f4P1eq2S-VhznyXevrMTELtGKAiJ62iXd/s1600/prayerbutton125.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2015/10/praying-for-your-family-1-why.html"><span style="font-size: small;">Landing Page</span></a></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D5918936121443000848%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D2140536870628153647%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dposts%3BpostNum%3D2%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-0AHA4gmCT1M%2FVjjRVAalheI%2FAAAAAAAADPQ%2Fz9ExCkwYtSc%2Fs400%2Fcompare3.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=x1m73Mm2CX8c&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 153px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 1366px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D5918936121443000848%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D2140536870628153647%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dposts%3BpostNum%3D2%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-0AHA4gmCT1M%2FVjjRVAalheI%2FAAAAAAAADPQ%2Fz9ExCkwYtSc%2Fs400%2Fcompare3.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=x1m73Mm2CX8c&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 153px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 1366px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>HoneabeeMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14063131733252001724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918936121443000848.post-89889459799228677452015-11-02T19:47:00.002-08:002015-11-02T19:47:35.579-08:00Praying for Your Family - 29. WaitingNo matter what you do, there is some point during most days you probably have to wait for someone or something. Whether you are out and about, in a store line, or watching little ones and waiting for them to fall asleep at bedtime, most people I know have experienced plenty of waiting on a daily basis. <br />
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Then there are those times in life where it feels like we are stuck in a waiting room and we can't get out of that particular life stage - a constant time of waiting for something. I have been there, too, friend! For our family, that time came when we were unemployed for 8 months. It was a long time of waiting for God to direct our path, but when He did, it all fell into place! Recently we moved again, and moved knowing John would need a second job, because this is a bi-vocational pastor position, but also knowing God would provide it in His timing. So we have spent the last two months praying about and waiting on what/where that job would be. In typical AWESOME GOD fashion - today my husband got a job with benefits! Prayers of many have been answered, and ALL the glory goes to God! This will give our family enough financial stability to start saving/looking for a permanent home, and to pay all the other bills in the meantime, while hopefully allowing John enough time to still commit to our family and church/pastoring.<br />
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Whether your wait is infertility, or being single and longing for a mate, or also waiting for a job, or waiting for adoption to be finalized or any other major life waits for 2 months, or 8 months, or 5 years, or whatever, waiting gets very difficult the longer it lasts. If you are in a waiting time, I am truly sorry that you are experiencing difficulty, and I am not by any means comparing infertility to unemployment or being single for a decade of dreaming to 2 months of hoping for a second job. I know some of you warriors are experiencing a longer wait than I ever have, and I applaud and love you for it. I am hoping to provide just a little encouragement and truth in the midst of your wait. During our last waiting time, God brought this verse to my attention specifically in different translations:<br />
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Psalm 27:14:<br />
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It was then that I realized waiting itself requires bravery, courage, strength, and patience. Waiting seems dull, boring, and stressful. However, God uses times of waiting to make us grow - grow stronger, braver, more courageous, and more patient. Growing pains hurt, and it's not always fun, but God never promised fun. He promises hope, salvation, forgiveness, unconditional love and mercy, but not a life that will be 'easy' or 'fun' all of the time. Of course, we will have experiences of happiness, and fun, but those are a bonus, and can only really be enjoyed if we have waited long enough to truly appreciate them. So when we encounter times of waiting - daily or long-term - let us pray that we (and our families) would be able to wait without worry.<br />
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<b><u>Waiting - Without Worry</u></b><br />
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<b><i>Lord Jesus,</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>I am sorry we become frustrated when we have to wait. Please help me to wait without worry in the small waiting and in the long waiting. Remind my husband of your faithful promises when doubt and worry creep in, so that he can maintain his faith and trust in you while he waits. Help my children to learn that we can wait for you for all that we need, and that you always have perfect timing. Give our family the courage and bravery to continue to take steps of faith that require waiting on you. Remind us in the waiting times that you have a purpose, a plan, and more love for us than we can imagine. Remind us as we wait to give our burdens to you, and to remember that you have not forgotten us. In Your Holy Name I pray,</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>Amen. </i></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is post twenty-nine in a series on Praying for Your Family: a 31 Day Challenge. You can go to the main 'landing page' and scroll to the bottom, for a list of all the days by clicking here:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_nBHlETn6N-ZZRDPykfTcdOvs4LJ3EP0aZ3TzmYyk3Swu2_xDLUs5FqLyaYxAji9Hs7LhwyS7SDvgCpE4FRl4ucwvDklPM5Z-_m6qTmHULg5f4P1eq2S-VhznyXevrMTELtGKAiJ62iXd/s1600/prayerbutton125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_nBHlETn6N-ZZRDPykfTcdOvs4LJ3EP0aZ3TzmYyk3Swu2_xDLUs5FqLyaYxAji9Hs7LhwyS7SDvgCpE4FRl4ucwvDklPM5Z-_m6qTmHULg5f4P1eq2S-VhznyXevrMTELtGKAiJ62iXd/s1600/prayerbutton125.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2015/10/praying-for-your-family-1-why.html"><span style="font-size: small;">Landing Page</span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>HoneabeeMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14063131733252001724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918936121443000848.post-57709266835316610812015-11-01T17:28:00.001-08:002015-11-01T17:28:22.964-08:00Praying for Your Family - 28. Road 'Rage'If you live somewhere there's not much traffic, count yourself blessed. Perhaps think of this when you are on the road, whether you feel angry or not. For the rest of us who drive on roads full of other imperfect, and sometimes downright crazy drivers, you have probably been in a driving situation where you felt some anger. Commonly known as 'road rage,' and a totally pointless emotional outburst - because my anger at the driver I don't know, does nothing to change the driver's actions or habits - it's just a reaction, not a solution. If you are the kind of person who has already conquered this, then just let the thought of being on the 'road' drive you to pray in the same way. <br />
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So let's try to instead pray for Rest. Resting in Christ, resting in our identity in Him, resting from too much work, resting from too much TV, too much social media, whatever you feel you should pray about in regards to resting from that does not call your soul closer to Jesus when it is there in excess. Many things in life are good, but we spend too much time on them instead of on rest. Think about what God is saying instead, "Come to me. Rest from that." My husband actually preached on this topic a few weeks ago, and you listen in <a href="http://cotv.podbean.com/e/come-to-me-lead-pastor-john-honea/">on the podcast here</a> if you like. Let's turn road rage into prayers for rest!<br />
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<b><u>Road Rage - Rest</u></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>Father God,</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>Help my family to rest. Help me to rest from all my striving and just come to you. Help my husband to rest in you and all of your promises. Help my kids to rest physically through good sleep. Help my husband and I to know when we need to turn off distractions and rest, so we can be the people you created us to be, not half-zombie, stressed-out versions of ourselves. Help us as parents to know when we need to help our children to rest, and when we need to take a break from our parenting and have a date night. Help us to know where and how we find you, to become refreshed by you in the best possible way to rest. Help us to rest from screens, and from constant going, and take some time to just enjoy each other at home as a family. Thank you God, for ordaining rest by giving us the example of you resting on the 7th day from creation. Help us to make time to rest, at least once a week. We love you, Lord. In Jesus' Name I pray, </i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>Amen. </i></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is post twenty-eight in a series on Praying for Your Family: a 31 Day Challenge. You can go to the main 'landing page' and scroll to the bottom, for a list of all the days by clicking here:</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2015/10/praying-for-your-family-1-why.html"><span style="font-size: small;">Landing Page</span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>HoneabeeMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14063131733252001724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918936121443000848.post-7037279876776321792015-10-29T08:04:00.002-07:002015-10-29T08:04:25.362-07:00Praying for Your Family - 27. TelevisionDoes your family ever watch TV?<br />
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Are you laughing?<br />
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Did you maybe think that you could limit your kids' screen time to exactly ten minutes per their age in years? (Like a two year old gets 20 minutes maximum, and absolutely no other screen time.) How's that working out for ya? Yeah. Unless you are that 5 percent of the population who has managed to get rid of TV in their home (and I envy you), it's probably on for someone, at some point in the day for more than twenty minutes. I go through seasons of needing the TV more or less to help with keeping the kids' attention. First trimester of baby #3 - LOTS of movie time for my kids, because I was more exhausted and nauseous than I ever imagined possible. Now it's dialed back a bit to letting them watch a video for as long as it takes me to get through my morning Bible study, then when I'm done, we all get up and go outside (if possible). They watch TV at other times, too, though, and in this transition season of needing to pack/unpack/clean I am letting go of trying to be the perfect mom who comes up with plenty of educational activities instead of videos. I can only accomplish so many things at one time, and I'm okay with that. My kids' newest favorites are old (the ones on sale) Dora and Diego episodes with 4 shows on one DVD, the Land Before Time series (they haven't seen the first 2, but by George - we've got the next 7 on two cheap DVDs), Thomas movies and episodes on PBS, and Curious George. We have a ton of movies and educational DVDs, that are in storage. So we are really getting to know these few shows we have for now.<br />
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Husband watch TV? Are you laughing again? Yeah, we are not in charge of his screen time, so we can just pray for him, too. ;) I used to be far more organized about my own time, and opted out of TV for several years in college, and did not miss it. I exercised more, read more books, and went out with friends more often. Eventually, I'd like to get back to that place. Until that is possible, I usually keep myself busy doing something else while my people watch TV.<br />
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Anyway - when your spouse or kids watch that television screen, think about praying for their Time Management skills in life. Television is one of the biggest ways I find we waste our time, so it also makes sense to be the time I pray about us spending our time more wisely.<br />
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<b><u>TV - Time Management Skills</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><i>Dear Lord,</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>Please help me and my family to spend our time wisely for you. Help us to see when we are wasting time and when we are investing time in efforts that will produce fruit. Help us to seek you first in our time, before all other things in our day. Show me how to teach my children to spend their days wisely, but not wasting my own time. Help us to accomplish the work that needs to be done today and each day, without becoming consumed by the work itself. Help us to also enjoy our time together doing fun activities as a family. God, give my husband wisdom on how to use his time to glorify you the most in his life's work as a husband, father, pastor, and everything else. Give us an eternal perspective on what matters the most as we spend our days here on earth. Help us to remember that we are created for 'such a time as this,' and we can be useful in the exact situation you have already placed us. In Jesus' Name I pray,</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>Amen. </i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is post twenty-seven in a series on Praying for Your Family: a 31 Day Challenge. You can go to the main 'landing page' and scroll to the bottom, for a list of all the days by clicking here:</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2015/10/praying-for-your-family-1-why.html"><span style="font-size: small;">Landing Page</span></a></td></tr>
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<b><u><br /></u></b>HoneabeeMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14063131733252001724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918936121443000848.post-13511075288585224752015-10-26T21:10:00.002-07:002015-10-26T21:10:43.580-07:00Praying for Your Family - 26. Seat Belts The remainder of the prayer posts in this series will center around things we see or do commonly in our day-to day life that may not necessarily fit into another category, but can certainly remind us to pray. <br />
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I was taught from an early age that every time I sat in the car, I immediately should buckle up. Whenever you fasten your seat belt, or strap your kids into theirs, it can naturally lead you to pray for safety. If you do not wear your seat belt, then PLEASE start wearing it all the time! Seat belts really do save lives, as this <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/seatbeltbrief/">easy read from the CDC</a> confirms. Strapping your babies and children into their carseats is equally important, and can continue with the prayers for safety. This is a good article on <a href="http://www.everythingmommyhood.com/2014/12/holiday-travel-dos-and-donts-featuring-the-safety-1st-advance-se-65-air-convertible-car-seat-giveaway-ends-1231.html">carseat do's and don't's</a> and my favorite pictures from it:<br />
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We can pray for safe travels while in the car, but also for safety in the daily lives of our families, to be protected from evil, accidents, and poor decisions which could lead to great pain or death. This is not meant to increase your worries, or lessen your faith, but to cover your family in prayer for their safety and protection.<br />
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<b><u>Seat Belts - Safety</u></b><br />
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<b><i>Dear Lord,</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Thank you for this vehicle and these safety belts. Please keep my family safe in this car today and always, on every road we cross, and even after we get out of the car. Keep my husband and children away from harm and evil, so they can continue to glorify you with their lives. Please be faithful to keep us strong and safe from the devil's schemes. God, I know we can take shelter and refuge in you, so please remind us to run to you in prayer and listen to the Holy Spirit to stay safe from all harm. Keep my family safe from violence, weapons, and evil. Guard us in Jesus' Name,</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Amen. </i></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is post twenty-six in a series on Praying for Your Family: a 31 Day Challenge. You can go to the main 'landing page' and scroll to the bottom, for a list of all the days by clicking here:</span><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/AVvXsEgXyPmZG5ZidHc39M-UFFwiL6hYkBeZuhvtD8xEitE-Hp5vcV7qrstZbN9U9FzqVab7utNbeJGxVbzJUoh7-sSBxGKaTMdD40GwMU1HcPpj8X0PX3YY300qhZuwHyQ9sg4FBIZj8tNQ8P4D/s1600/prayerbutton125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXyPmZG5ZidHc39M-UFFwiL6hYkBeZuhvtD8xEitE-Hp5vcV7qrstZbN9U9FzqVab7utNbeJGxVbzJUoh7-sSBxGKaTMdD40GwMU1HcPpj8X0PX3YY300qhZuwHyQ9sg4FBIZj8tNQ8P4D/s1600/prayerbutton125.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2015/10/praying-for-your-family-1-why.html"><span style="font-size: small;">Landing Page</span></a></td></tr>
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HoneabeeMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14063131733252001724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918936121443000848.post-31198388174391224602015-10-25T21:27:00.000-07:002015-10-25T21:27:02.420-07:00Praying for Your Family - 25. Snow DaysSNOW! I grew up across the globe, and from South Dakota's blizzard on Halloween one year to England's light wet dusting of snow, to southern Idaho's thick, dry powdery stuff, and the occasional snow here in the southern states (Alabama and Tennessee) that is fun and usually very short-lived, I have experienced many different types of snow. I love the way it falls and how it slowly covers everything in sight with such a fresh, bright white, sparkly blanket. As a teacher, I loved the extra days off! A fresh snow fall makes me take deep breaths and slow down a little (usually where we live, most of the world is closed so we can't go anywhere either, but I would still want to mostly stay home and enjoy it). The snowfall prompts a natural stillness. When you experience snow this year, pray for your family to be still before God.<br />
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Snow is so rare in the south, and people mostly do not have 4 wheel drive or other road-safety measures, that these memes are sadly true:<br />
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Now, some of you may not get a whole lot of snow days depending on which part of the globe you live. However, I'm sure you see television shows with snow, or watch some holiday programing that involves Winter weather, or your kids watch "Frozen" and that is when your mind can also be prompted to pray for Stillness - the ability for your family to literally "Be STILL and know that I am God."<br />
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<b><u>Snow Days - Stillness</u></b><br />
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<b><i>Father God,</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Thank you for this beautiful snow, and the creative way you have made so many different types of weather and forms of water, that even these tiny crystals can amount to something this lovely. Help us to be still and rest in knowing you. Help me to slow down and notice your presence more in my life, so that I can direct my children back to you. Help my husband to be still and know that you are God, no matter the circumstances. Being still can be difficult in our fast-paced world, so Lord, help us to be as still as the snow from time to time so that we can focus all of our heart, mind, strength, and soul on loving you. Help us to know when it is not time to move or fight, but to be still and let you do it all for us. Teach us to embrace the stillness. In Jesus' Name I pray, </i></b><br />
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<b><i>Amen.</i></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is post twenty-five in a series on Praying for Your Family: a 31 Day Challenge. You can go to the main 'landing page' and scroll to the bottom, for a list of all the days by clicking here:</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2015/10/praying-for-your-family-1-why.html"><span style="font-size: small;">Landing Page</span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>HoneabeeMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14063131733252001724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918936121443000848.post-43943635845319427152015-10-25T20:53:00.001-07:002015-10-25T20:53:42.909-07:00Prayers for Your Family - 24. Rainy Days Rain is good, depending on the situation. Too much rain can be dreary. Too little leaves a drought. Rain makes me sleepy, and a little sad if it goes on for a few days.<br />
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Rain also has this beautiful ability to wash away a lot of gunk and provide enough water for plants to grow. Just as the rain makes flowers and food grow, let's pray that it make our family grow spiritually by bringing revival.<br />
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<b><u>Rainy Days - Revival</u></b><br />
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<b><i>Dear Lord,</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Please bring revival like rain into the hearts of my husband and children. Revive me so that I am awakened to a deeper level of love and commitment to you. Bring times of healing revival into our lives, so that our relationship with you grows and becomes stronger. Help my husband and I to stay completely in awe of you, by praying and reading your word to gain revival as only living out faith in your word can do. Help us to praise you because you have revived our weary hearts. Bring revival to our marriage - helping us to fall deeper in love with each other because we are more deeply in love with you. Bring revival to our parenting because we desire to share your love with our children in a more tangible way than ever before. Bring revival to my kid's hearts, that they would see your love, kindness, mercy, and grace through us and desire salvation and revival of their souls. Thank you, Lord for the rain that revives our land. Please revive our souls. In Jesus' Name I pray,</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Amen. </i></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is post twenty-four in a series on Praying for Your Family: a 31 Day Challenge. You can go to the main 'landing page' and scroll to the bottom, for a list of all the days by clicking here:</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2015/10/praying-for-your-family-1-why.html"><span style="font-size: small;">Landing Page</span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>HoneabeeMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14063131733252001724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918936121443000848.post-20103148392875539872015-10-25T18:20:00.000-07:002015-10-25T20:26:06.443-07:00Praying for Your Family - 23. Warm DaysWarm days for me, are when I can comfortably wear short-sleeves, but not so hot I am grouchy without air conditioning. Warm days can be breezy or stuffy, cloudy or sunny, it doesn't matter, as long as I don't need a jacket, I consider it 'warm.' On those warm days, it is a good time to remember to pray for our families to lead lives of worship. Worship not just in song, but in how they honor God with their lives. So that we not just be 'luke warm,' but people who live a life that is HOT in worship of our Savior!<br />
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<b><u>Warm Days - Worship</u></b><br />
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<b><i>King Jesus,</i></b><br />
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<b><i>I am so thankful to be living in a country where we have the freedom to worship you anytime we wish. Please help us to remember as a family that worship is how we live our daily lives, not just singing or attending church. Help my husband to make you his first priority, to be able to worship you in spirit and in truth with his actions and words. Help my children to see us leading lives that seek to glorify you from true heart change, and never a desire to follow man-made rules. Help us to worship you by offering ourselves up as a living sacrifice. When we do come to you in song, help us to be reverent, totally focused on you, in awe of all that you have so mercifully given us. Lord, help me to focus on worshipping you throughout my day, and playing encouraging music that lifts my spirit back to acknowledging and inviting your Spirit into our home. In Jesus' Name I pray,</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Amen. </i></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is post twenty-three in a series on Praying for Your Family: a 31 Day Challenge. You can go to the main 'landing page' and scroll to the bottom, for a list of all the days by clicking here:</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2015/10/praying-for-your-family-1-why.html">Landing Page</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>HoneabeeMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14063131733252001724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918936121443000848.post-4949504701217636272015-10-23T14:46:00.000-07:002015-10-23T15:27:15.257-07:00Praying for Your Family - 22. Cold DaysWith beautiful Autumn, comes some cooler temperatures, and thus, the fun sweaters/scarves/boots weather! Winter clothes are by far my favorite, because most of the Western culture dresses more modestly, and they're downright comfy! These are some of my favorite cold-weather pictures from last year:<br />
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When I take a deep breath of crisp Autumn air, and it is cold enough to need a coat/scarf, I begin to think "Oooooh it's getting cold." That's a happy thought for me personally, although I know several sweet people who detest it. Cooler days mean cold nights, and my family all sleeps much better when it's cold outside and we can snuggle down under the covers. Cold nights mean deeper, longer sleep for my husband and kids, which is always a win-win!<br />
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However, when that cold cuts through your coat and you get that bone chilling freezing tingle, it's a different story. When the wind cuts like a knife, and takes your breath away, that cold reminds me of the way it feels when I am convicted. I wrote a few weeks ago about <a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2015/09/when-im-wrong.html">how it feels to be flat out 'wrong,</a>' however I think conviction is a more serious - it's agreeing with the Holy Spirit that I am out of line somewhere. It's not a good feeling, but it is absolutely necessary for growth in my walk with the Lord. I cannot continue to journey forward to know God better, if there is a sin blocking my path, making me constantly stumble instead of walking in freedom. We are praying this would be the kind of conviction that leads to repentance, a clean heart, and a restored walk with our Savior.<br />
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<b><u>Cold Days - Conviction</u></b><br />
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<b><i>Dear God, </i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>Thank you for giving us the Holy Spirit to speak truth right into our hearts and pray for us when we cannot. Please use your Spirit to show us where we should feel conviction. Cut through our hearts like cold wind and show us what needs to stay and what needs to go. Convict us of sin that is dishonoring to you. Rend our hearts to be more like yours, to stay on the path toward holiness. Where my husband may sin, convict him quickly so that he can repent and restore his relationship with you. When my children sin, help me to teach them how to understand their feelings of conviction, and give them a desire to repent. When we feel conviction as a family, help us to quickly and honestly be broken together, and draw closer to you as we give you all of our broken pieces. In Jesus' Name I pray,</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Amen.</i></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is post twenty-two in a series on Praying for Your Family: a 31 Day Challenge. You can go to the main 'landing page' and scroll to the bottom, for a list of all the days by clicking here:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSkXfx5ugnN-vQJtCBLck0uiiWf0QNx6Ir7m_02VPV_rFiiKvgZ160BSHZ5IIX1Oweu2xxD5Kjs48f8pdDBbNl2c3PPohmQNxSTATTcRrFw1Ei_nkaB2h61Tdext5aJ3-syZY5C-b_RPXX/s1600/prayerbutton125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSkXfx5ugnN-vQJtCBLck0uiiWf0QNx6Ir7m_02VPV_rFiiKvgZ160BSHZ5IIX1Oweu2xxD5Kjs48f8pdDBbNl2c3PPohmQNxSTATTcRrFw1Ei_nkaB2h61Tdext5aJ3-syZY5C-b_RPXX/s1600/prayerbutton125.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2015/10/praying-for-your-family-1-why.html"><span style="font-size: small;">Landing Page</span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>HoneabeeMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14063131733252001724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918936121443000848.post-64483921844445864692015-10-22T20:51:00.003-07:002015-10-23T11:33:39.888-07:00Praying for Your Family - 21. Gorgeous DaysThe next few prayers will center around being reminded by the weather to pray for our families. The weather is something that affects most of us, whether we spend much time outside or not. I check the weather app on my phone frequently to plan for how to dress myself and the kids as we spend as much time outside as possible right now. We are all subject to changing season temperatures and a wide variety of different weather patterns if you live in a location that experiences the 4 seasons. If you live in a climate without that much variation, perhaps seeing these types of weather on a TV show or hearing about them on the news could prompt you to pray.<br />
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We will start with the best of days, in my humble opinion, the ones where you feel like the whole world is just absolutely gorgeous! Autumn is my favorite season, and the flaming colors of the trees, combined with the deep blue sky, set my heart to sing His Grace.<br />
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Grace is the unmerited favor we have with God, only because of Jesus Christ. Grace is the gift of God we do not deserve and cannot earn - that is why it is 'freely given' and 'freely received.' Grace is the only way any of us can get to know God! Grace is something we have all received in abundance, and yet we struggle to give to others.<br />
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<b><u>Gorgeous Days - Grace </u></b><br />
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<b><i>Hey Jesus, </i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>Thank you for this gorgeous day! Help me remember to give grace to my family in all situations. Show my husband how much grace you've given him, and help him to respond to our family, our church family, and everyone with whom he comes into contact, with a heart full of grace and mercy. Help my children to understand when we show them grace, although they deserve consequences. Help us all to know and truly allow your grace to be sufficient for us. Remind us to give more grace than we receive, and never forget how much grace you have shown us. In Jesus' Name,</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>Amen.</i></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is post twenty-one in a series on Praying for Your Family: a 31 Day Challenge. You can go to the main 'landing page' and scroll to the bottom, for a list of all the days by clicking here:</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2015/10/praying-for-your-family-1-why.html"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Landing Page</span></a></td></tr>
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<br />HoneabeeMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14063131733252001724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918936121443000848.post-5336545224959506692015-10-21T21:12:00.005-07:002015-10-21T21:14:27.515-07:00Praying for Your Family - 20. Dinner/SupperI recommend you read the first post about <a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2015/10/praying-for-your-family-18-breakfast.html">praying before meals here</a>.<br />
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Dinner/Supper is the final meal of the day (unless you happen to be a late night snacker - which is not good for weight loss, but almost constant for me, especially when pregnant). Some people call it supper - either way, it's the evening meal. This <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/parenting/science-says-eat-with-your-kids-090049415.html">scientific research article</a> explains how it helps improve the mental and emotional health of everyone in your household to eat together around the table for dinner. It's also a great time to play the "High-Low" game with your husband/kids as well, to get to know each other and the day's events a little better. Each person shares what was the "high" point (favorite/most happy part) of their day and the "low" point (least happy, bad part) of their day. We tried this several times while working as house parents, and it effectively involved every person talking and sharing.<br />
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I don't have a ton of great dinner ideas for you, because I struggle at dinner. I really only feel like I have enough energy, brain-power and time in the day to effectively feed my family 2 meals unless one is all snack based - so because I like breakfast, it's usually lunch or dinner that gets the short end of my Paula Dean stick. I love pre-seasoned salmon from Costco, with baked asparagus, mashed sweet potatoes, and quinoa/rice with spinach. That would be my favorite go-to dinner meal, besides spaghetti.<br />
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Because of the name pairing for this one - Dinner/Supper - I think it's a great time to pray that our family would be Diligent Stewards. Here's a little breakdown/refresher of these two words, because they aren't used a ton in everyday vernacular:<br />
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<u>Diligent</u> - Characterized by steady, attentive, careful, earnest, energetic effort at one's duties or work.<br />
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<u>Steward</u> - Someone who protects, manages and is responsible for the land, property, or money of another.<br />
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Diligent stewards means that we will be asking God to help our families responsibly take care of all that He has so graciously given us, from our bodies, to our finances, to our friends, and material things. We are stewards of everything we have, because essentially, it all belongs to God anyway, we just get to take care of it.<br />
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<b><u>Dinner/Supper - Diligent Stewards</u></b><br />
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<b><i>Father God,</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Thank you for the day you have allowed us to have. Thank you for the food you have again provided for us. Help us to be diligent stewards of all that you have given us. Help us to be responsible with our time, money, and our bodies. Give my husband and I wisdom to know how to best give you our family's finances and how to constantly acknowledge that our children are gifts from you, and not truly ours. Help my children to see and understand that you are the giver of every good thing we have, and it is our blessing to be able to take care of all things well. In Jesus Name I pray,</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Amen. </i></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is post twenty in a series on Praying for Your Family: a 31 Day Challenge. You can go to the main 'landing page' and scroll to the bottom, for a list of all the days by clicking here:</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2015/10/praying-for-your-family-1-why.html"><span style="font-size: small;">Landing Page</span></a></td></tr>
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<br />HoneabeeMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14063131733252001724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918936121443000848.post-63029607730229908892015-10-19T13:14:00.000-07:002015-10-19T13:14:06.247-07:00Praying for Your Family - 19. Lunch I recommend reading yesterday's post about the <a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2015/10/praying-for-your-family-18-breakfast.html">mealtime prayers and breakfast</a> before you jump into this one.<br />
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Lunch comes next on the daily meal agenda! At home I often try to throw together a fast lunch with very little prep time so that it's not as time-consuming as dinner. Lunch time at the work place is often rushed. This can be a wonderful opportunity for you to pray with and for your co-workers, as well as your family! A healthy lunch should involve a protein (meat, beans, fish), a whole grain carb (bread, rice, pasta, potato), at least one cup of vegetables (cooked, raw, or salad form), and a healthy fat again (1/2 an avocado, tablespoons nuts, nut butter, organic butter, or dark chocolate). My favorite lunch meals usually involve a sandwich/wrap with some fruit or a salad with lots of toppings, including chicken, or hot soup.<br />
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Lunch is usually somewhere around mid-day, with half of the day spent and a good deal left. It's also a great time to re-evaluate how we are doing in our relationships with those around us. At lunch time, let's pray for loving attitudes toward others.<br />
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<b><u>Lunch - Love Others</u></b></div>
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<b><i>Dear Lord,</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Thank you for this meal and providing for our family. Please help me to love them well and teach them to love each other. Help us to be loving in the words we use and the tone in which we deliver them. Give my husband and I loving, gentle hands, to teach our children how to love with touch in a kind way. Help us to love the way your word instructs. Let our love be genuinely patient and kind toward each other in our family and those not in our home. Help us to model that love forgives and keeps no record of wrongs. When we fail to love, Lord, help us to remember that you loved us first, and gave your life for ours, so no sacrifice is too big in comparison. Give our family a loving attitude toward all people we encounter, because you love them. Help us to remember even when we are inclined to be selfish, that love always gives more than it takes and expects nothing in return. In Jesus' Name I pray,</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Amen. </i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is post nineteen in a series on Praying for Your Family: a 31 Day Challenge. You can go to the main 'landing page' and scroll to the bottom, for a list of all the days by clicking here:</span> </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2015/10/praying-for-your-family-1-why.html"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Landing Page</span></a></td></tr>
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<br />HoneabeeMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14063131733252001724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918936121443000848.post-43623128163756401042015-10-18T20:58:00.001-07:002015-10-18T21:04:57.748-07:00Praying for Your Family - 18. BreakfastIt is common to eat 3 meals a day in western culture, and we usually refer to them as Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Many people pray over their meals before eating, either verbally, or silently, and I think it is a wonderful practice! I have to honestly admit, that since having kids, it has become a more difficult task to pray at meals, but we know it is more valuable than ever because we are setting an example for them. <br />
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Begin to try to make a practice of thanking God for your meals. As part of the Lord's Prayer, Jesus includes thanking God for our "daily bread," our food, which is God being our provider. I want to get better with this one, and am hoping that by writing and posting this, it will help me to be more accountable to myself to thank God for my meals, and include a short prayer for each specific meal for my family. <br />
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Naturally, we are going to start with the most important meal of the day - breakfast! As a former personal trainer, I have to recommend that you eat breakfast every day! An ideal breakfast would consist of one protein (2 eggs, 2 oz. meat, or a dairy serving), one whole grain carb (I have to eat wheat-free, so for me this is mostly a Gluten-free waffle, piece of toast, or oatmeal), a cup of fruit (it is best to eat most of your fruit in the morning due to it's high sugar content, and vegetables in the afternoon/evening to aid in digestion and metabolizing of all your eating throughout the day), and a healthy fat (a tablespoon of nuts, nut butter, organic butter, or dark chocolate). I followed "The Flat-Belly Diet" for several months between pregnancies and found amazing food combinations that really helped me to lose the baby weight and not feel hungry. A few of the breakfast recipes I learned to love from that, which I still frequently use today are:<br />
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<u>Power Eggs:</u> 2 eggs scrambled in a tablespoon of organic butter with 1 slice of deli ham, 1 cup fresh spinach chopped, a teaspoon of diced onion, a teaspoon diced tomatoes, garlic powder, italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste, either with one piece of whole grain toast or inside a whole grain wrap, drink water or 1/2 juice and 1/2 water. No milk needed - plenty of protein in eggs/ham. *Note - if you put the butter, ham, and veggies in first to slightly brown for a few minutes over medium-high heat, then add the eggs and seasonings and turn it down to medium heat to finish cooking, the flavors are so much stronger! You could add some cheese as well, if you like!<br />
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<u>Easy Smoothie:</u> 1 cup milk of choice, 1/2 cup spinach, 1/2 cup strawberries, 1/2 cup mango, 1/2 banana, 1 tablespoon almond butter, 1/2 cup ice, 1/2 teaspoon agave nectar if you need it to be sweeter, all finely blended into a cold smoothie! *I prefer frozen fruits/veggies because they make it so much colder - but you can also buy them fresh and freeze them as individual servings in baggies.<br />
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<u>Dessert for Breakfast:</u> 1 whole grain waffle toasted with either 1/2 cup strawberries and 2 tablespoons of dark chocolate chips (put the chocolate cups on the waffle fresh out the toaster and it semi-melts them, then put the strawberries on top OR 1 small apple chopped and 2 tablespoons of walnuts, a sprinkle of cinnamon with a 1/2 teaspoon agave nectar on top of the waffle, with 1 cup milk of choice.<br />
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So when we consume breakfast - whether an ideal healthy breakfast or a fiber one bar or something from a fast food place, let's pray for bravery. It's the beginning the day, and we have no idea what our family will face, so let us pray that we will meet it all with bravery.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I can't stop singing this song in my head as I type this post,<br />
and every time I think about being brave.</td></tr>
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<b><u>Breakfast - Bravery</u></b><br />
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<b><i>Dear Lord Jesus,</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Thank you so much for providing this meal. Thank you for another day to serve you. Please help my family be brave for you today. Help my husband to bravely stand firm on your word as he begins to think about planning a sermon, and as he encounters many cultural temptations to fear and doubt. Help my children to be brave as they grow older. Help them to conquer the fears that would otherwise weigh them down. Lord help us to teach them to be brave in this life, because to live is Christ and to die is gain. Help me to be brave as a mother today, not parenting or disciplining in fear, but in love. Help me to be brave as a wife today, not basing my worth on anything my husband does, but in Christ, bravely being the helpmate to my husband that you call me to be. Help me to focus my mind and thoughts through prayer all throughout this day. For the things I can't plan and pray for now because I don't know what's coming, Lord I pray you help my family to be brave by standing on our faith in you. In Jesus' Name I pray,</i></b><br />
<b><i>Amen. </i></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is post eighteen in a series on Praying for Your Family: a 31 Day Challenge. You can go to the main 'landing page' and scroll to the bottom, for a list of all the days by clicking here:</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://honeatravels.blogspot.com/2015/10/praying-for-your-family-1-why.html"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Landing Page</span></a></td></tr>
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HoneabeeMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14063131733252001724noreply@blogger.com0