God is Good...

All the the time! Prayers answered overnight and bills are gonna get paid. See what happens when you place your trust in God? ;)

Look At The Birds...

"If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to Him than birds." Matthew 6:25-26

I am reading this over and over tonight. I have come to find out the more I trust in God, the more He delivers. However, I still go through trials and times of extreme stress and worry. Like tonight. (This is not a blog complaining about anything...Just letting you in on my worries right now so that in a few days, I can share how God got me through it).
As you all know, I am in school and not working so I'm not bringing in a paycheck. My husband is the one who takes care of us and provides and all of the money runs through his account first and he then transfers enough to me (determined by our budget) to get through 2 weeks at a time. This plan has been AWESOME... up until now. He was on land and I knew he would be getting back on the ship, heading to their next port, on the 30th or 31st of last month. There is 1 computer on the ship that he has access to and sometimes they don't have internet or phone access due to security reasons (I believe). Usually not a big deal as I can handle the time apart-I'm a military wife and I prepare --and I prepared for this. The reason it is a big deal now is that I haven't heard from hubby in a few days (so I'm thinking they're in a 'black out') and today is the 1st. One a pay check to pay check budget-that means the money ran out (ish) yesterday and we have bills coming up this week. Hubby did not prepare. (I will say I told him to create a scheduled transfer to happen at midnight tonight so we wouldn't have to worry about this exact scenario and he said "Oh, don't worry. I'll be able to do that from the boat."---I think I gave Satan an idea by saying it out loud haha-shoulda kept my mouth shut ;) ) Anyway...right now, I am sitting and waiting, unwilling to spend any extra gas or money on anything than I have to. Praying that I will hear from my husband 1) because I miss him and 2) because I need the monay!!! haha. (but seriously).
Though I am worried and slightly anxious, I am handing this to God. My worrying will not lift any "black out" (not sure what they actually call it) or cause him to be able to get to the computer faster. I am waiting in faithful anticipation expectation that God will provide for me, like He ALWAYS does.
No matter what happens, Satan will not get the best of me. I will praise Him. I have a roof over my head and food on the table (and scrubs in my closet haha) and I have exactly what I NEED.

I'll let you know what happens :)

This Weight Loss Journey

...has been so frustrating. I joined a local gym ($9.99 membership- HOLLA) with a friend and we were doing great! I have lost about 10 lbs and was seeing definition in my stomach (the top) and my bi/triceps, calves and thighs....
Then came a 12 day break from school. I went to visit my family in Orlando. My mom use to be really strict about what we ate so I thought it would be easy to stick to clean eating...it wasn't. There was 4Rivers BBQ (TWICE) and other unhealthy things that I found excuses for (THAT is the real problem). I gained 6 lbs back :(
My sister came into town this past weekend for her birthday (25th one) and we went out to eat a lot and got root beer floats in Old Town..."We're on vacation" is what she was saying and I used it as my excuse, too...and gained 6 more lbs...SOOOO- I lost 10lbs but gained 12 back so I'm 2 lbs up from the beginning of my journey. I am heartbroken and so disappointed in myself. All my hard work and egg whites and chicken and spinach, etc was all a waste because I made excuses for momentary gratification THAT WASN'T EVEN WORTH IT. (I did bring my resting heart rate down 10 bpm's though...thats good)
Beginning anew again tomorrow-feel free to join me in getting healthy and getting fit and down to my goal weight of 115lbs!!! (I'm not letting you know my starting weight haha but I will update on how much I've lost, and when I hit my goal weight, my total weight lost so, if you MUST know, you can do the math yourself)
You don't have to have a gym membership to join me...start with me tomorrow...go for a walk, go for a run, left plastic shopping bags of cans or gallons of milk...just get moving and get healthy! Let's go!


(PS-there's a new app called Gym Pact that I downloaded for free. Holds you accountable to your workouts by charging you money when you miss one and rewarding you with MONEY when you make them....)

Free Military Care Kit Package

Not sure if this is still working, but I used it when Pat was deployed last time... FREE SUPPLIES!!!

Since Priority Mail® supplies are the packaging of choice for families and friends preparing care packages for service members overseas, the post office has created a “Mili-kit” based on the items most frequently requested by the military. This kit is available for free to military families.

The contents of the kit change from time to time. Right now, each kit contains:

• 2  large priority mail flat-rate boxes
• 2 medium priority mail flat-rate boxes
• 2 medium shirt box priority mail flat-rate boxes
• 6 priority mail labels
• 1 roll priority mail tape (yay!)
• 6 customs forms and envelopes.

Request your FREE Military Care package kit by calling 1-800-610-8734. Select your language (1 is English, 2 is Spanish). Select option 1 (it states it is for Express Mail®, Priority Mail or Global Express Guaranteed® products).

When you reach a live agent, request CAREKIT04, the “Military Kit.  Allow 7-10 days for delivery. You can request up to 4 kits.

You will also be issued a customer ID number to make it easier for you to reorder supplies next time.

YOU CANNOT ORDER THIS KIT ONLINE – This Military kit is only available via the phone number.

Mail sent to APO and FPO addresses overseas require special customs forms. All mail addressed to military post offices overseas is subject to certain conditions or restrictions regarding content, preparation and handling.

The cost to mail the large flat-rate box to APO/FPO is $12.50

Love From Home

SOOOOOO...as most of you know, my husband is in the Navy and currently deployed to SHHHH for SHHHH months. In fact, a lot of men and women I know are away from their families right now and they could all use some love and encouragement from back home. As a Navy wife, I send letters and postcards and treats to my hubby whenever I can, and I know his Navy mama does, too. But sometimes, it's nice to know other people remember your service. That other people are praying for your safety and protection.
That in mind, I would like to start a group to send care packages, large and small, to our boys overseas. (Can you believe that some go entire deployments WITHOUT A SINGLE LETTER?!?!) It breaks my heart. But we can do something about that. In fact, it doesn't even have to be a 15lb box of treats and magazines, but a simple card/post card saying "Hey, I'm praying for you. Thank you for your service," could change a soldier/marine/sailor/airman/coastie's day.
Please pray about this, I mean REALLY PRAY, and ask God if He would like you to join in and send some "Love From Home" to our boys overseas. If this sounds like something you would like to do, leave a comment with your email and I will get an address of a military member.

If you're on Facebook, you can find us at https://www.facebook.com/luvfromhome

This Memorial Day

This Memorial Day weekend, amid the BBQ's, the beer, the lake/river/ocean, and the family and friends...take a moment, just a moment, to be silent and to remember. Many people gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we would have the freedom to do the simple things...to have the BBQ's, to go to the lake, to have the jobs we want. Mama's gave up their baby boys, daddy's gave up their princesses, wives their husbands, children their mommies...all so that we can live in a place where we don't have to fear, in a place where we can have free will.
I ask you to also take a moment to pray for those who are serving today, for those who don't get the 3 day weekend with their family and friends, who have to wake up early in a strange place and put a 50 lb pack on and march up and down streets. Remember them and their families. Pray for our leadership and government, because the Lord knows they need it. Pray for protection and grace.

Don't take today for granted...Remember the fallen, remember those serving...Just remember.

In The Midst of the Storm

It's only been two days since the tornadoes hit OK. I am still shocked at the pictures and videos that I am seeing. It brings back memories of the tornadoes that hit AL a little over 2 years ago. I am so thankful that I

did not experience any direct loss and that no one in my family had any drastic damage to their homes. When you live in an area that gets storms like that, you prepare yourself. But it's completely different when you hear those sirens go off. I remember feeling completely helpless. I was 36 weeks pregnant and all I wanted to do was protect my unborn baby and I didn't know how to, except to pray. God truly answered my prayers. He protected my entire family.
As I look at the pictures of devastation from the storm two days ago, all I know to do now is to pray

for each and every person, across this country, that has been affected by this storm. I can't imagine what the families and friends of those lost are going through right now. My heart aches for the mommies who lost their babies. For the men who lost wives, and the women who lost their husbands. For the sisters and brothers lost. For the aunts and cousins and uncles and grandparents. For the children who lost a mommy or daddy.
I know it can be hard to look at the devastation, not just in OK, but worldwide and think 'how could God

do this?" But my insight is that He did not DO this but allowed it to happen. There is a difference. I don't just see lives and homes lost when I look at the pictures, I see people coming together, I see lives SAVED. How this storm didn't take more people is beyond me except for the fact that I know God had His hand in it. How many blessings can He hand out through all of this? How many people will be brought closer to Him because they saw His love through another person?
In the midst of the storm, do not lose sight of the Savior. He calmed the seas, do you not think that He would be able to protect you if you reach out to Him? He is waiting with His arms wide open. He will carry you

when you have no strength left to hold your head up, much less walk.
I ask, as you look at these pictures, that you pray for survivors and, if God puts it on your heart, that you donate to the Red Cross.