Today’s my B-day! What I learned this year…

Today is my 30th birthday, so I wanted to share a few things that I’ve learned this year! 🙂

1. Make time to enjoy family!  Throughout my 20’s, I was super busy and always trying to achieve.  And while that was kind of a good thing b/c I did accomplish a lot, I am making a point now to slow down and enjoy my time and my family more. 🙂  On your death bed, you’ll never say, “I wish I’d spend more time at the office.”

2. Exercise is important!  I love Zumba, but hadn’t had a lot of time this year with starting my businesses, so I didn’t do it as much, or go to the gym.  I was recently re-motivated by a good friend who wakes up at 5 a.m., swims for 45 minutes, goes to work full time, and then volunteers in her spare time, (and still has time for fun.)  Now, I’ll be waking up earlier to to devotionals and 20 minutes of Zumba before my preschool babies arrive at 7:15 a.m.  🙂

3. Not everyone will like you.  No matter how nice, friendly, or kind you are, some people won’t like you.  And while I always knew this, (and honestly didn’t care,) lol, I would sometimes still wonder why.  But now, I still don’t care, and I am done wondering why.  🙂  All I can do is keep moving forward, and those who don’t like me or resent me for whatever reason can do so without a thought of mine!  🙂

4. Schedule days where you do nothing.  This is so important.  If you don’t have quiet time to think, you may not realize the things you’re doing wrong, or could be doing better.  You won’t realize that your life is going off track, or that you’ve become stagnant in achieving your goals.  Alone time helps you to be honest with yourself.

5. Live by a budget.  I always knew about Dave Ramsey, but had never tried the cash/envelope system.  Recently I lost my debit card, and was forced to use cash for everything.   It really is true that when you use cash, you can physically see how quickly it is slipping through your hands, versus a painless swipe.  (I am not knocking credit cards; I just realize that implementing the envelope system for me is going to be super helpful!  🙂

That’s it…off to take a nap and then go celebrate my birthday this evening.  How about you?  What did you learn this year?  I’d love to hear!  🙂

Blessings,

Lauren

Lauren is a wife, mother, Jesus-lover, the owner of a Spanish Immersion Christian preschool, and the owner of an organic beauty company, (making her own home-made Soaps, Scrubs, Shea Butters, and more!)  She loves Zumba, Pilates, the beach, chocolate, berry smoothies, travel, and spending time with her friends, family and children.  Her life’s mission is to be happy, to help others, and to spread God’s love, as well as to be an Author, Motivational speaker, Consultant and Coach – her first book will be available soon!

When people laugh at your beliefs…

Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net
Maybe you have shared about Christ or the Bible with your friends, and they have laughed, told you it’s no longer relevant, or even gotten angry with you.  Maybe you’re feeling let down after a negative experience with sharing your faith.

But friends, have you forgotten that the word tell us in James 1:2-4, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Frankly, the world isn’t always going to like Christian views. That’s nothing new, but it doesn’t mean that you should stop living for Christ. It doesn’t mean that you should change or water down what the Bible says. Even if people laugh, keep on loving and speaking the truth.

As followers of God, we can’t be swayed by people who mistreat us, laugh at us, or don’t want to hear our message. Jesus was persecuted, and if we follow Him, we probably will be too. Dust your feet off and keep on loving. Be the bigger person. And if not everyone accepts you or your message, that’s OK.  🙂   Jesus loves you, so take your eyes off of your circumstances, and keep your focus on the only one whose opinion of you really matters!

Blessings! 🙂

Lauren

Stay tuned for our next women’s ministry event at the end of February/early March. 🙂

If you like this post, feel free to follow my blog or to “like” my page below.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Loving-Life/378787838834868

And watch my videos here if you like:

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheLholmes79

If you or your kids need Spanish lessons or tutoring, click here!

http://www.successcoachingandtutoring.com/Spanish-for-Kids.html

http://www.successcoachingandtutoring.com/Spanish-Tutoring.html

Also, check out this awesome sermon from Carl Wentz!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5JmY7M_zXg

City Girl Goes Camping – Part One

Yesterday as we got in the car to begin our kidless weekend vacation at a wilderness resort, I said a quick prayer for safety.  My husband added in, “and I pray that my wife will be nice to me all weekend, amen.”  I had to smile and pray that he would also be nice to me!

We were off to a great start!  The kids were with Grandma and Grandpa probably being spoiled as I write, J and we had just eaten (probably too much food) at Frankie’s place for ribs.  I had a jolt of energy after a fresh coffee courtesy of the car place where we’d gotten our oil change done before dinner, and we were ready to drive to our destination.

I drove most of the way, (see – I am a nice wife!!) J and when we arrived at the cabins, it was too dark to really see anything.  Once we got inside, I remembered that there was no TV or internet, (which was actually pretty nice.)  So, just like any good husband would, my husband checked the cabin for spiders while I unloaded the food items.  Once the coast was clear, he relaxed on the couch while I proceeded to read him, (as he politely listened,) the latest medical research by Dr. Sanjay Gupta from a women’s health magazine.  🙂

Dr. Gupta spoke on how we can actually train our bodies to grow younger versus older simply through exercise coupled with eating right – (he said it way more eloquently with lots of medical terminology.)   Dr. Gupta mentioned that he’d been a triathalete for the past three years, (so I told my hubby that we had to start doing triathalons!lol…)  Dr. Gupta also talked about how as we get older, our light didn’t have to grow dimmer; instead, it could shine even more brightly.

Wow…this sounded like a spiritual principle to me, so I had to preach a little mini sermon to my husband, (who always just smiles and listens patiently as I go on and on.)  🙂  The doctor’s words brought back to my mind the verse on how as believers, our light is also to shine brightly.  We don’t have to let life make us jaded, negative, and pessimistic just because of the world’s troubles.  No!  Instead; we are to be beacons of light for the world to see.  When people come around us, they should feel God’s love and kindness.  That light on the inside of us should shine so brightly that they know there’s something different about us, so that in the end they’ll say, “I want what she’s got – what must I do to be saved?”

Today, is your light shining brightly?  Has anyone asked you why you’re such a nice person lately?

About a year ago, one of my ground classes that I was teaching during a fall semester was dropped from my schedule, so I figured that it had been cancelled at the last minute, (which classes sometimes are due to low enrollment.)  However; I later found out that the person scheduling the course had meant to just change the classroom, but actually dropped the class altogether.  Some students hadn’t checked the class roster and went to class that morning only to find that I wasn’t there, so they dropped the class, and switched to other sections.

When I found out what happened, I was very gracious about it.  I didn’t fuss and yell at them for taking money out of my pocket.  I was kind about it, and told them not to worry about it, and that mistakes happen.  The person in charge said, “you have a really positive attitude…I like that…wow!”  They may not have known that I knew Jesus at the time, but I later found out that they were also a Christian.  From then on, that person has always looked out for me, and made sure that I get all the classes that I want, (scheduled whenever I want.)  🙂

See how good God is?  When the light inside you shines, and you are living your life to please Him in every way, (and treating everyone with love,)  God’s favor can’t help to follow you everywhere you go.  You will begin to advance in areas that you never thought possible.  Doors will open that used to seem sealed shut.  You may not all of a sudden be making $100/hr, but God will begin to drop free things in your lap that others had to pay thousands of dollars for.

It’s not all about pleasing God just so that you can have a blessed life – there are benefits of letting your light shine for Jesus.  You will have God’s peace and happiness, and when problems do arise, you can get through them because you know that you have a higher purpose.  You know that you’re not a mistake.  You didn’t just end up on this earth by chance; your lift isn’t meaningless.  When you follow God and have  a personal relationship with Him, you know that no matter what happens here on earth, you will one day have eternal happiness and peace in heaven forever.

So today, let your light shine.  If God is telling you to talk to the person in the line at Wal-Mart, just do it.  🙂 Sure, it may seem awkward, but your kindness might be the only kindness they get all week.  God is famous for doing that in my life.  He is always leading me to talk to the most random people, and most of the time, it’s like, “but God, I just want to relax, do I haaaaave to go talk to that person?”  I’ll admit that I’m not always obedient, but usually I am.

That’s the cool thing about God.  He will disrupt our lives for a greater good.  That happened all last year at the pool.  I was eight months pregnant and just wanted to relax.  But I felt that I was supposed to be friendly and show God’s love to the other people at the pool.  I actually ended up making some new friends and having more fun that I would have if I’d just stayed in the deep end floating all by myself.  🙂

That’s just how funny and amazing God is.  He can talk to you too – His voice isn’t always loud and audible.  Sometimes it’s just a feeling in your heart when you know that you should do something.  So today, listen for God’s voice.  Let your light shine.

I’m on vacation all weekend, so I’m sure that God will lead me to talk to a few people and show them God’s love.  My husband joked that I should do my zumba out by the lake and see if anyone joins in.  I don’t know about all that. 🙂  But hey, if God wanted me to, I would!! 🙂

Be blessed!

***The book is due out in the fall, but I actually might finish sooner.  If you like what you’re reading, feel free to follow my blog and “like” my fan page so that you get all of the updates.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Loving-Life/378787838834868?ref=ts