Friday, June 29, 2012

"She is clothed in Strength" Printable & Pep Talk

It's Friday! While I love the weekend because we usually go to the beach or do something water related, I fear it because I can't resist the beer on the beach, the cocktail at the bar, and the pizza that everyone else is eating. It is a struggle that I am sick of! All week I do great, eat as best I can, workout everyday, but the weekend comes and I reverse all of my hard work. What is with me?!

It's laziness on my part. Giving in to the temptations of food and drinks. It's just easier to give in and say well there is always tomorrow, right?

No way!

It has to stop. At some point you have to tell yourself, "I have a goal and I'm gonna get there! I'll be darned if I'm the one stopping me!"

Which brings me to a line of scripture that has spoken to me for so long, and has been the inspiration for why I started this blog. It is a reminder of who I want to be, what I want to live for.





I will try to post every week an inspirational quote or scripture to get you going and keep motivated. You never know when some simple words can move you! Sometimes it can be stuff I have pinned on Pinterest that get me going or printable versions of quotes I have loved over the years or my own words that you can download and hang on your bulletin board or put in a frame. :-)


Get your free download of this print from my Scribd account. This version is a PDF and it doesn't have the url on the image. :-)

Here is to living the STRONG life!


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15 Day Love Boost Challenge - Day 15


We did it! We made it to the last day of this challenge! I have to confess that some days it was difficult to do everything on the checklist for the day, but I think being aware of that is an improvement. It certainly has felt like a part of my self-improvement journey. :-)

Today's challenge is not so much a challenge but more of a way to wrap up what the purpose of this challenge has been about.

Day 15
Commitment
If you have been following this challenge for the full 15 days and actually completed each checklist, I commend you! I called this challenge a boost because it was supposed to be challenging in a way that it would infuse different acts of love towards God, towards your man, and towards yourself into your life. By the 15th day, I knew there would be a lot to remember to do but I hope that it forced you to be aware of what is important in your life. Sometimes it can be a struggle to be strong in our lives for those that we love and often times, in trying to do so, we forget to be strong for ourselves. How can we ever expect to be the best we can for others if we neglect ourselves? The challenge for today is to make a commitment to yourself. One where you promise to go after that dream you have been dreaming. That goal you've been reaching for. It can seem like a daunting task but every single little step in that direction brings you that much closer. Why not go for it? Do something today that takes you in that direction. Commit to live a strong life! :-)

What little step will you take today? Did any of the challenges from the last 15 days speak to you? Is there one that you think you will keep doing? I'd love to hear about it!

As for me, I woke up this morning knowing that I was going to write this post. I have my dreams and a few goals along the way. Today I laid out my fitness plan to lose my last 10 pounds by August. This is one of my goals towards reaching my ultimate dreams. (More deets on that soon!) Bring it on July!

Day 15 Checklist:

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Thursday, June 28, 2012

15 Day Love Boost Challenge - Day 14


It's been a pretty busy day, but any moment that I had to sit down and open my computer, the Internet was down! With it being down all day, I'm posting late again. Ugh. I'll be writing tomorrows challenge tonight so that nothing gets in the way!

Anyway, so two days left of this challenge! How have you been doing? I know it has definitely been tougher to keep up with so many things each day but it is fun for me. :-)

Day 14
Strike a Pose
I'm sure you have heard that Yoga is great for your mind and body. It is an amazing stretch that makes you feel relaxed and helps with balance and flexibility. The reason I think it is important to do something like Yoga is that it is a good way for clearing your mind. I find it to be a sort of reset button for my soul. If Yoga is already a part of your daily routine, then you are set for today's task. If it is all new for you, then this should be fun! My hope is that by getting a little taste, that you will want to add more of these "resetting" moments to your life which I find to be necessary for us to stay at one with ourselves. Last week I posted a routine that is going to be a part of a Yoga Mix series for this blog. Do Yoga With Me has several free videos at different lengths for you to try as well. Another site that is useful is Yoga Journal where they have a pose index that explains how to do all the poses. For today, if you are new to Yoga, go to the pose index, pick a pose and do it for 5 breaths. Just one pose is easy to try right? How did that feel? If that felt good, pick another! For tomorrow, the last day of the challenge, pick a routine from Do Yoga With Me or do my Yoga Mix, or try a Yoga class in your area!

The Yoga Mix series on my blog is really my way of exposing myself to many poses to get familiar with them since I'd like to teach Yoga someday (that someday probably being a couple years, but someday!) I decided to share those on my blog, which is just 6 random moves, just in case someone would like to just get exposed and like having a routine set before them. :-) You can do any moves you want, buy dvds, or check out the sites I mentioned above!


Day 14 Checklist:


Have you always wanted to try Yoga? Is Yoga something you already do? What are your thoughts on the practice? Do share!

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Wednesday, June 27, 2012

(TWL) Training Husbands

I am excited to be posting my first post for The Wifely Life series which is a continuation of my former series, Marriage Monday, from my other blog, Wedding Pickle. When I had posted, the posts are on the serious side and personal side. Today I thought I'd share a more light-hearted side to marriage! It is a lifetime of ups and downs but the little things in married life are what make those memories we cherish as we grow in our relationship.

The title gives away what I am headed towards for today. I actually was inspired to talk about this when I was watching an episode of Pregnant in Heels from Bravo. One couple was concerned about the behavior of their dog for when the baby arrives, and the wife was wanting to also train her husband. She seemed very particular on how she wanted things done and the husband was not so much.

This got me thinking about the possibility of actually training our husbands, lol. I remember my aunt and mom always saying funny things implying that you gotta train your man early because once you get married, you can forget about fixing what you want changed. Of course, a lot of things don't show up until after you are married for a small bit. I don't really think I'd want to "train" the hubs on anything that would make him different than from who he really is but I have to wonder if on some of my pet peeves if maybe training is possible. . .

When I had this in my mind I made a few observations of some things my husband did that I always ask him to do complain about. :-p (something I am working on not doing so much!)

One is that he always throws the bath towel over the shower rod instead of putting it back on the towel rack. Another is that I'm a tad OCD with certain things and locking the bedroom door before bed is one of my weird things that I have to do or else I can't sleep! (Anyone else do that?) Anyway, he would come to bed and forget to lock the door before getting into bed that I have to make him get back up to lock it.

One day when I asked if he would put the towel back for me, I went to the the bathroom for a pee break and found the towel on the rack where it was supposed to be. I didn't even nag, I just mentioned it in passing and he did it!

Another day, he had to go to bed before me because he had an early flight and I had a Thunder game to watch. When I went to go to our room, I was locked out. I didn't even ask. I wasn't even in bed with him. He did it out of habit I guess?

So does this mean we can train our husbands by not nagging, asking nicely, and making something habit enough that he starts to do things without asking?

Hmmm....

It's not a consistent change, but the fact that it pops in his mind once in a while just makes me adore him!


What things would you like to "train" your man to do? What things is he practically trained in doing? Do you find that in having a mutual respect of each other's requests that you both tend to do them more? If you could have a "Husband Obedience School" what habit would you fix?

Do share in the comments below or take it to The Strong Life's Facebook page where I'd love to hear from you! They can be silly, something small or something big!

15 Day Love Boost Challenge - Day 13


How are you doing with the water challenge we added yesterday? I actually got a late start in my day which usually happens when the hubs doesn't have a flight. It is hard to have a set schedule when I try to live by his schedule and he doesn't have one. He often doesn't know what he's doing until the night before, which I can't stand as a control freak! lol. Well, I've only had 2 glasses so far but I usually am pretty good at catching up!

Today's challenge is one that I find absolutely necessary for our souls simply because God made this world for us to live in. We gotta take it all in!

Day 13
Go Outside
At least once a day starting today and to the end of the 15 day challenge, you will challenge yourself to spend even just 5 minutes outside. Watch the sunset from your balcony, run outside, have your morning coffee on the patio, walk the dog, whatever it takes to see the living world around you. I have really come to hate doing any cardio in the gym because I have become so inspired by what the world has going on around me. When I run outdoors, I feel connected to the world and closer to God. I notice the squirrels. LOTS of them! lol. The sun reflecting on the trees, couples doing their nightly walks together, dogs super excited to be going for a walk. . . it really is the simple things that help to make you feel alive and appreciative.

So how will you spend time outdoors today? Will you be working out or relaxing? Do share!

Day 13 Checklist:
Pray for your man or future man
Say "I love you" before bed
Start a journal
- Start drinking some water
- Go outside for at least 5 minutes

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Tuesday, June 26, 2012

15 Day Love Boost Challenge - Day 12


I have to apologize for once again putting up a challenge late in the day! I think I got carried away doing menu planning and some food prep. A part of my journal will be my specific foods where I can keep track of my macronutrients and sodium intake. The other part will be more personal and the third part (my journal has three sections) will probably be tracking my gym workouts. I have been tracking my weight and reps on my phone but I am starting to feel that a good ol' pen and paper is easier. Anyone else feel that way sometimes, that apps on our phone are cool and all, but the old fashioned way is what you prefer?

Anyway, on to today's challenge!

Day 12
Hydration
What is the percent of our bodies being made up of water? I don't know off the top of my head, but I sure do know that it is most of our body! So what happens if we don't get the proper intake of water? It is pretty obvious that our bodies just won't function at its best. You've probably heard that you should drink 8 8oz glasses of water and that is just what this challenge will be for today and for the rest of the 15 days. Show some love for yourself by giving your body a better advantage by being hydrated! There are many ways for you to keep track and many bottles have measurements on them. What I did was measured a cup of water and poured it into a glass that I can easily tell where to pour to next time. Then I use My Fitness Pal on my phone to track each glass I drink! You'll probably feel like you have to pee all the time, but it is so worth it!

What ways are you going to track your water? Is this something you keep trying to do but lose track or just can't seem to get enough? Do you flavor your water with fruit or mixes to make it less boring? What are your recommendations?

Oh and I know you definitely can't get 8 glasses now that it is evening for today, but tomorrow, get ready to drink down lots of water!

Day 12 Checklist:
Pray for your man or future man
Say "I love you" before bed
- Start a journal
- Start drinking some water

Be sure to Like The Strong Life on Facebook where I share more on fitness, love and faith!

Monday, June 25, 2012

15 Day Love Boost Challenge - Day 11


Today starts the third part of the series where you focus on showing love for yourself! Of course just as with the last two parts, you will still be doing the tasks from the days past on top of the new ones for the next 5 days. Refer to the checklist at the end of the post to keep track of what we will be doing. :-)

Day 11
Journal Keeping
I was always a journal keeper and this probably could be why I am a blogger. It has a therapeutic quality to it to keep a journal whether it is spilling your soul or writing quirky thoughts on paper. When I was in my Advanced Composition class in college, we started every class with the first 5 minutes of just writing in our journals. It didn't matter what we wrote, we just had to do it non-stop, moving the pen whether words or not, just moving the pen on the paper for 5 minutes. If you are new to journaling, you can do the 5 minute writing exercise as a starting point. Are you one to need to have a purpose or theme for your journal? Keep a food journal of what you eat, a workout journal to keep track of progress, spill your personal thoughts, inspirational quotes you found, sketches of ideas, dump your negative thoughts in your journal as a way to say good-bye to them, or keep a dream journal and have fun analyzing them. These are all ideas, but whatever you do, just keep a journal for the next 5 days, and beyond if you like doing it! My journal might just be a hodgepodge of all those ideas, lol!

What do you think you will journal about? Is journaling a new thing for you? Do share!

Day 11 Checklist:
Pray for your man or future man
- Say "I love you" before bed
- Start a journal

Be sure to Like The Strong Life on Facebook where I share more on fitness, love and faith!

Sunday, June 24, 2012

15 Day Love Boost Challenge - Day 10


I didn't realize how lazy I was going to be today, but we had a friend staying with us from out of town, and yesterday we went on a float trip. I was so tired after yesterday that I didn't even wake up 'till about noon today! So I apologize for not getting today's challenge up early but this challenge doesn't happen until you go to bed anyway!

Day 10
Nightly Words of Love
This might be something that is already a habit of yours, but you might also be in a rut of routine where even saying "I love you" to your man is something a bit on autopilot. I am pretty good at saying these simple but important words when we are saying goodbye, or hanging up, and even before bed. However, going to bed these past few weeks, I have felt that maybe we pass out with few words exchanged, or maybe we say "goodnight" and that's about it. So for tonight and the rest of the nights in this challenge series, we will be sure to say "I love you" to our men before bed. Not "love you" but "I love you". The shortened version is a huge pet peeve of mine! If you are not with your man at the end of your days, call him or text him to tell him those 3 words. Single ladies, why not tell the Lord how much you love him? :-)

How many things off the checklist did you get done today while waiting for today's challenge? I am up to five so far. :-/ I'll do better tomorrow, today was just way too lazy of a day! Tomorrow starts the last part of the series where you work on showing love for yourself! I'm excited!

Day 10 Checklist:
- Pray for your man or future man
- Say "I love you" before bed

Be sure to Like The Strong Life on Facebook where I share more on fitness, love and faith!

Saturday, June 23, 2012

15 Day Love Boost Challenge - Day 9


Now we are onto the 4th day of this second part of the challenge where we show love in our relationships. We have a friend visiting from out of town and I have to say that it really helped in keeping me from saying anything negative at all! I guess I kinda cheated, lol.

Is anyone else finding that they are being more challenged as the days go and the list of stuff gets longer? It's fun isn't it? I like it!

Day 9
Pray for Him
Today you will begin praying for your husband/fiance/boyfriend. The praying just becomes more and more as the challenge goes huh? Faith is believing that while we cannot see it, that God is working behind the scenes. When it comes to prayer, God hears us. He knows our hearts and when we pray, we show that we need Him, that we love Him, and that we trust Him. It is important to go to bat for your man and if you are needing any ideas of what to pray about for your man, there is an amazing post from  RaisingGodlyChildren.org that lists 31 things to pray for your husband. If you are single, pray for your future husband. Pray that God will bring the right man into your life. Pray that you will be ready for when he does come. Pray that he has a God loving heart. Pray for that future man as if he already exists in your life because one day he will be. :-)

Day 9 Checklist:
- Pray for your man or future man

Be sure to Like The Strong Life on Facebook for more on fitness, love and faith!

Friday, June 22, 2012

15 Day Love Boost Challenge - Day 8


This second part of the series is really tough on me for some reason! Since I screwed up on the Day 6 task, I focused soooo hard to not screw it up on Day 7 by not saying anything negative that I don't even know if I did the task for Day 7 or not! (Which was to say something nice)

Now I do got something nice to say about something that I absolutely have to give a shout-out to! (Love my grammar? I do "got" something instead of "have" something? ;-p It's the Okie in me!) Speaking of Oklahoma. . .


The game last night was painful to watch and I think my mood the past few days has been directly related to how we played each game with the Miami Heat. But looking back at the season and how far our team has come not only for this season but ever since they had started in OKC, they have accomplished so much when no one outside of Oklahoma believed they could! I could go on forever about this team, so I'll stop here. I'm a proud Thunder fan! No matter where I live my team and my state will always be my heart!

We still have 3 days left of showing love in our marriage and relationships. Let's make it count!

Day 8
One Touch
Remember when your husband/fiance/boyfriend and you first started dating or flirting with each other? Do you remember how you felt when you would get a simple touch from him? When he would hold your hand or touch the small of your back as if to tell the whole world that you were his girl? I remember those days, and while a simple touch from him now doesn't make me giddy, it does make me feel warm in my heart. I feel loved and my heart feels safe. I guess that's the mature version of giddy love and it is very important to keep up. For today and the rest of the 15 Day Love Challenge, you will do one touch. Just one simple touch each day. Hold his hand. Touch his shoulder as you walk past. Kiss his forehead when you hand him his glass of water. Hug him before he walks out the door. Mad at him? Do it anyway. Just do it once everyday. Of course you can do it more if you like! A touch is a reassurance that the love is still there. He will love it! I suspect you will too. <3 Now for you single ladies, "touch" someone you love and care about. It can be physical, like giving your father a hug, or it can be through any way of communication you have that is non-verbal. Send a text, an email, or post on someone's timeline on Facebook each day. Pick an old friend one day, a new friend another day, a family member tomorrow, anyone you can "touch" that day to make them feel loved. Then you will do this every day for the remaining of this challenge series. Even a simple "Hello!" will do!

This one luckily isn't too hard for me to do. I am thankful that showing affection is still something we do, but to be conscious of it will make me appreciate it more. I hope it does the same for you! How do you plan to give your one touch today? Do share!

Day 8 Checklist:
- Do one simple touch


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Thursday, June 21, 2012

15 Day Love Boost Challenge - Day 7


Yesterday was the toughest of the tasks in this challenge for me. I completely and utterly FAILED! Even when I griped I was aware that I was doing it but his reaction to it made me mad and I kept going. I really struggle with this a lot these days, granted the time of the month doesn't help (TMI?) lol. Oh well, today is another day, another chance to hold back my tongue.

Today's task really complements yesterday's. That whole if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all thing? Today is about saying something nice!

Day 7
Kind Words
There might be days that you think of something nice and never verbalize it. "He put his dish in the sink, I should thank him". "He looked good going to work this morning, I should tell him". "He put in extra hours at work so that we could spend more on our trip, I should tell him that I appreciate him". Tell him something kind today. The kind of words that build him up. It could be a thanks, it could be a compliment. It could also be telling him something you like about him. Or if he does something you like, something that makes you happy, tell him. I think guys need to be told and reminded when they are doing something right. I know that sometimes I feel like my guy has no clue that he did something nice or something that I noticed in a good way unless I say it. Positive reinforcement will make them want to do it more right? Sounds like training a dog when you give them treats, but in this case, it is the kind of thing that encourages positivity in the marriage. The things we hang on to when things get tough. The things that keep us connected. If you are single, say something nice to someone you know with a complement or a thank you. Give kind words today, and for every day left of this challenge. Hopefully it will catch on to become habit!

Day 7 Checklist:
- Say something nice 

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Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Yoga Mix - One

Since about February, I've been incorporating Yoga into my workout routine, but if you have seen my workout calendar for this month, it seems like I am biting off more than I can chew. Half way through this 2nd week of the first month of my 6 month plan, I'm finding that Yoga is taking a back seat to my cardio and weight training. I keep finding that putting in my 30 minute Yoga DVD isn't happening and I'm beginning to think that I like more just doing the Yoga exercises while my tv show is on, or while the food bakes in the oven.

I get that it probably defeats the breathing focusing and the meditation aspect of Yoga, but for my current fitness goals, it works for me. (using yoga for flexibility and balance) As far as the mind and spiritual aspect of Yoga, running does that for me! 

I love when I do a good stretch, and I feel so refreshed and not to mention accomplished when I can balance on one leg longer than my hubs can! lol. 

So to fit Yoga in where I just get up in the middle of the living room without setting a specific time aside or hogging up the tv with the DVD, or needing a time of peace and quiet where I can hear the video playing on my laptop or phone, I'm just going to have a set of moves I learn and do for the week. This is also just fun for me and I thought I'd share it with you! :-)

I found this app called, Pocket Yoga, that has this cute library of all the Yoga exercises. Each week I'm just going to scroll and press to pick out 6 exercises. This way I can expose myself to new moves and hopefully learn more since I'd love to teach it someday!


I'll be doing this specific routine for at least 2 days this week holding each pose for 5 deep breaths. I used the names from the list of Poses from the Pocket Yoga App, some of the poses are variations of the poses that I have linked to from Yoga Journal. The app is $2.99, free when I got it, so it bums me out to recommend a non-free app. However, it really does have a good pose library with really good descriptions. Of course you can always Google search these poses!


Yoga Mix One
1. Revolved Chair - lower back stretch
2. Gorilla (Big Toe Pose) - hamstrings, calves stretch
3. Mountain with Arms Up - strengthens thighs, knees, ankles
4. Supported Shoulder Stand - stretches shoulders and neck, tones legs, butt
5. Warrior Twist - opens chest, stretches pec minor
6. Seated Forward Bend - Stretches spine, shoulders, hamstrings

Be sure to Like The Strong Life on Facebook for more on fitness, faith and love! Until next week's Yoga Mix, have fun!

15 Day Love Boost Challenge - Day 6


I had a horrible run this morning. My body felt tired and my soul felt tired. Maybe it's one of my down days, maybe it's the time of the month, maybe it was from the OKC Thunder loss last night ;-p. Whatever it was, I had my best time in a long time yesterday to my worst time in a long time today. You win some, you lose some right?

So far this morning I've done 4 out of the 5 tasks from the last 5 days, but today we begin a new part of this challenge! The first five days focused on our Love with God. These next five days will focus on our Love with our significant other. As I said yesterday, my focus is on building stronger marriages, but I also recognize that you single ladies out there will be wives someday! So, I'll provide alternatives for you!

The idea is that, and this is what I strongly believe in, that we should focus on God first, our marriage second and ourselves third. If you have kids, you probably are saying it should be God, marriage, kids, then you and that is okay, just know that your being and your mental/physical health is important for you to be better at caring for those you love and for serving God.

Okay, onto Part Two of this challenge!

Day 6
Hold Your Tongue
Ever get run down by negative thoughts about your man? Do you keep it bottled inside and/or snap at him? Do you end up arguing about things that really don't matter but only become damaging to the relationship? Sometimes we can get so run down and so emotionally tired that we don't even think about how mean we can be. For example, the hubs and I are watching tv and it is always a show I'm sick of seeing. A dumb line or scene that annoys me comes on and all of a sudden I'm snapping at my husband for making me watch the same shows that are re-runs everyday. But when he gives me the remote, I snap again saying there isn't anything on tv that I want to watch. What did my snapping do for us? Absolutely nothing good for our relationship! Had I kept my comment to myself, and let him laugh, I could have let him enjoy his moment to unwind after coming home from a stressful flight he had that day. It is about looking beyond the surface of the thing that we want to complain or snap about. Looking at how it can affect him and our relationship. So today's challenge and for the remaining of these 15 days you will focus on not saying anything negative. Not. A. Thing. If you find yourself wanting to nag or complain, really focus on pausing. Think of a better way to say something. Think of a way to say it in a positive tone, or decide if it is really worth saying at all. In life we gotta pick our battles. Save our energies. If we waste our energies on things that build up walls, we won't have any energy to get through the things that really matter in life. If you are single, focus on how you talk to others at work, at home, your family, and your friends. What's that old cliche line? If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all! :-)

Alright so now that I have given reason to only speak positive to your man (or to the people in your life), now I need to do the same! No lie, this is something I have struggled a lot with lately with my hubs. So if you find this to be a tough challenge, I'm right there with you! Think before we speak? Easier said than done, but we can do it!

Day 6 Checklist:
- Hold your tongue when you want to say something negative

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Tuesday, June 19, 2012

15 Day Love Boost Challenge - Day 5


I have to say that I am loving this Christian music only part of the challenge! On my runs and in my "me" time so far I feel so charged. It is as if God is recharging my batteries the more I listen to songs of worship. I even had an improved run time this morning. Was it my dedication or will-power? You could say that, but my dedication is inconsistent and my will-power is actually pretty weak. I attribute my run this morning to being fueled by His grace!

So today is the last day of the first part of this challenge that focuses on God. The next part of this challenge, the next 5 days, will focus on your relationship to your husband, fiance or boyfriend. The focus of this blog is targeted towards living a strong life to be a strong wife and having stronger marriages, but I don't want to leave out any of you who are single. You might be a wife someday and we want you to be strong one! So I'll try to put out some ideas on how to apply each challenge in the 2nd part to you!

Day 5
Drive-By Prayer
This type of hit-and-run is far from being a negative thing! Today and for the remaining of this challenge you will pray for someone who is a complete stranger that you see in the parking lot, walking along side the street, standing in the check-out line, or chillin' in the car next to you at the stop light. You will pick a person each day, and consciously pray for them. In your heart, truly feel compassion, for God loves that person as He love you! What a better way to live by Love! Pray that the person feels God's love today in some way. Pray that the person to be led to or to live by the word of God. Pray for that person as you would for a fellow brother or sister. You never know when your prayer for that person might be the only prayer they get! Here is to loving our neighbor!

As I was typing this, a young boy who I see walking around our neighborhood often, was out before 8 AM walking his dog! He was my pick for the day and it really felt good to open my heart to prayer for a complete stranger! It is actually quite healing.

Are you one that lives with fear, anger or other shadows in your heart? Maybe this can help you to take the focus off of yourself and by loving as God loves us, our souls will be stronger!

Day 5 Checklist:
- Do a Drive-By Prayer for a complete stranger

Don't miss a single day in this challenge and make it easier for us to be in touch! Please Like The Strong Life on Facebook!

Monday, June 18, 2012

15 Day Love Boost Challenge - Day 4


How were your prayer lists? Did you feel like it was a long list? If you did I just wanted to make mention that the list is for those who have asked for prayer or those who you have mentioned praying for. Otherwise we would spend hours listing everyone we love right? Really, I think as long as those you love are in your heart, God knows that.

So yesterday we had 3 tasks to do in one day. See it's not so hard for all of these challenges to build on each other right? Today you will do the three tasks from the last three days and then add today's task! Refer to the checklist at the end of this post for a to-do list of what you should be doing today. :-)

Day 4
Christian Music
When I lived in OKC, my hometown, I had the privalege to get to work downtown. Of course that meant having a commute and every morning I listed to my fave station K-Love. I don't really remember when this was or where I was when I heard it, but they once did a 30 day challenge of only listening to Christian music. The idea is that other music can bring sinful thoughts to mind, or distract you from God. Now I love me some Nikki Minaj and Katy Perry, but I find that when I listen to Christian music that I feel closer to God. In fact, I feel a healing presence within me.
So for today, and the remaining of this challenge, lets only let our ears be exposed to music of worship! You may already have a station you listen to from time to time or you may need to be doing some scanning of your stations to find the Christian music station in your area. Or you can use Pandora or Spotify to play your worship tunes. I have a Sanctus Real station (one of my fave bands) on my Pandora that plays amazing music.   :-)

When do you typically listen to music? Do you get K-Love in your city? What's your fave band or song? You can share in the comments or take it to The Strong Life's Facebook Page! Please 'Like'! I'd love to connect with you!

Day 4 Checklist:
- Listen to only Christian music 


Sunday, June 17, 2012

15 Day Love Boost Challenge - Day 3


How did Day 2 go? I actually opened up my devotion email yesterday and put a Bible Verse thing by my bedside. It's this thing that has a card with a verse on it and you change it everyday. Here is a pic for you to see what I mean:


Kind of a two-fer huh? Giving thanks and a verse! I kinda forgot to give thanks the moment I woke up but when I turned the card for today's scripture it gave me that verse to read that made me give thanks! God does have a sense of humor doesn't he? I love it!

So now for today you will give thanks if you haven't already, read something from the Bible and do today's task for the challenge. I'll provide you a checklist everyday of what you will do each day as the challenge progresses since it could be difficult to remember everything especially once you get to Day 15 when you will have 15 tasks to do!

Today's task will incorporate that journal or notebook I told you about. I'm excited to use my cute new notebook! Or you could just use a piece of paper you pin on your bulletin! Whichever you prefer!

Day 3
Prayer List
You know those times when someone asks you to pray for them or you tell someone that you'll be praying for them? Are you like me and pray at that moment but then forget later on? I mean it is easy to pray for the big things because who can forget if something big is going on, but what about the little things? Like when you you see a status update on Facebook from your Aunt Sue asking for people to please pray for her? That's easy to keep scrolling and forget if you are just seeing it in passing. So today's task is for you to begin a prayer list. Where every time you come across a prayer request from someone, or every time you find yourself telling someone that you'll keep them in your prayers, write their name down on that list. And whenever you find yourself in a quiet time or when you find you are in a prayer time, pull out your list. Pray for those you have on your list and this way you won't forget! In your daily life you could pray for each person individually or as a grouping, everyday or occasionally when you remember, but for this challenge, you will pray for the people on your list every day in this challenge. Maybe you'll see what the power of prayer can do in these next few days!

Alright, I'm gonna get to writing my list. I have a few people already in mind that I know need prayer. :-) Be sure to Like The Strong Life on Facebook so that we can talk and share!

Day 3 Checklist
- Start a Prayer List and pray for those people on your list

Oh yeah, and go hug or call or remember your Dad's. :-) It's Father's Day! <3

Saturday, June 16, 2012

15 Day Love Boost Challenge - Day 2


How was Day 1 for you? Did you remember to give thanks? Did you give thanks right after reading the post while it was on your mind? I cheated and was able to give thanks right when I woke up since I already knew the challenge going into my day yesterday.

I also went to Target and got a cute small spiral notebook to prep for a few of the challenges we will be doing. So if you want to do that before those challenges come, go ahead!

Remember, each challenge will continue for each day, so today you should have given thanks when you woke up this morning and you will do that for the remainder of the challenge. (Though it won't hurt if you kept going beyond the challenge!) You'll do what you do today for the remainder of the challenge, and so on to where when we get to day 15, you'll have 15 tasks to complete that day! Maybe I'll put a quick checklist at the end of each post so that you can keep track of what you will do each day.

So now for your next challenge! Remember that the first 5 days of the challenge will focus on showing your love for God.

Day 2
Bible Everyday
What is the best way to stay connected to God? Why read his word of course! Your task for today is to read from the Bible. This means you will need to set a way to get scripture to your eyes or ears everyday whether it be one line, a passage or a whole chapter. You can do a devotional, open up the bible to a random part, do a reading plan or subscribe to something that sends you an email everyday.
Need some ideas? Here are some of the ways that I do it. I have to admit. I don't always open my iphone bible app everyday and sometimes I just go on an email deleting spree and not open the devotional emails I get, but for this challenge, I will get back into that habit!
YouVersion - an app that brings the bible to your phone in many versions and languages. They now do a verse of the day that you can quickly open and read, or you can start a devotional or reading plan within the app. It also will send you a reminder which is really helpful!
Crosswalk.com - You can subscribe to certain newsletters and to devotionals. Great site!

What tools do you use? Or do you stick with simply opening the Bible? Do you happen to have a devotional Bible?

Share what you are going to do to get your eyes or ears seeing or hearing the scripture in your daily life! You can comment below (I think I fixed the comment form to allow you to comment without having to be logged in to something) or you can check out and Like The Strong Life's Facebook Page! Not only can we converse about the challenges there but you can be sure not to miss a single day in the challenge!

Day 2 Checklist:
- Start a routine to have exposure to the Bible everyday

Friday, June 15, 2012

15 Day Love Boost Challenge - Day 1


Alright, are we ready to be better at Love? I sure am. This couldn't have come at a better time for me and I'm definitely going to have fun with this. I hope you do to!

So today starts Part 1 of the Challenge which focuses on God. The way this will work for the whole challenge is that you will have the challenge for the day, than tomorrow you will do the second challenge along with today's challenge, the third day you will do day 1 and day 2 with the third challenge and so on. I know by day 15 it might be tough to do all 15 challenges, but all you can do is your best and as long as you feel you are being conscious about your loving effort, than you are doing exactly what I hope for! I am hoping that one, if not more, of these challenges become a new habit for you. :-)

Oh and while you are at it, if you would like, you can buy a small notebook or journal for a few of the challenges coming in the next few days. I think I might head to Target to get myself a cute small spiral notebook for this!

Now, on to the challenge. . . 

Day 1
Give Thanks
Our mornings are the best time to set the tone for your day. You could be getting up thinking how you wish you could skip the day, or how you hate work, or that you are just so gosh down tired! Or maybe you get up and are in robot/zombie mode until you have your coffee. So here is where your challenge lies. You will give thanks to God for giving you another day. The moment you open your eyes, and turn off your alarm, say out loud or in your head.
"Thank you God for this day you have given me."
Maybe you are tired and can barely fight another day, or maybe you are one that goes through the motions of life without really taking in the fact that you are alive. That you have another chance to do what you didn't do yesterday. Say that line every morning and the gratitude could set your mood to want to tackle your day like it is a gift.
Well it is a gift, thank you Lord!!! Think about how many of those we love or know who have lost their days...
You will do this for the next 14 days of this challenge. So if you want to hang a post it note at your bedside, do so! Just make this the first thing you do!
Now today you are already awake, so give your thanks sometime today. In the shower, in the car, while you eat, or right now.

Not too hard, right? Get ready, we got 14 more! Be sure to comment below or better yet, take it to The Strong Life's Facebook Page! I want to hear from you!

Where did you give thanks today? Don't be afraid to share especially if you did when you were in the bathroom, lol. Hey, sometimes that is our only time of quiet!

Want to get your friend's involved in this with you? Pin the pic on this page, share on Facebook or Tweet about it! Let's all live a STRONG life!

Thursday, June 14, 2012

15 Day Love Boost Challenge!



When I get to put together a love challenge I get excited but this one has got me all kinds of excited for many reasons.

One is because I love sharing these with you...

Two is because I have launched this here new blog (as you can obviously see! lol) and I can't think of a better way to celebrate a launch...

And Three is because it is going to be an extra challenge being that it will be daily. But that's not all there is to it!

I'm calling it a love boost because it really is going to force you to be conscious of your efforts daily for 15 days with each challenge building on top of the other. Which means each day might be harder for you to be conscious of having more tasks! Hey, I said it was a challenge right?

I'm also dividing it into 3 parts for the all around love that God intended that will be 5 days each.

  • Days 1-5 will focus on God
  • Days 6-10 will focus on your man (if you are single, I'll have alternative tasks)
  • Days 7-15 will focus on you!

Tell me this doesn't sound fun and exciting! I know I'm looking forward to challenging myself! My hope is that by the end of the 15 days, you learn something about yourself and that you take away a few of the habits that you might want to continue beyond the challenge!

I strongly encourage you to get on The Strong Life Facebook Page to make sure you don't miss a challenge and to leave comments on ideas, thoughts or feelings as each challenge day goes on. Come July we will be more loving and will have made the effort in the journey for a strong marriage, a strong faith, and a strong self!

Spread the word, Pin the picture to this post on Pinterest, Tweet or and or Facebook about this! Let's get together and support each other in this 15 Day Love Boost Challenge! I will see you tomorrow! ;-)


Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Peach & Yellow Squash Smoothie

I read an article once from Eatingwell.com, of course go figure that I didn't save it to link to it, but it described how a person can train their tastebuds to like different flavors over time. Also, that in associating positive feelings with the flavors we "think" we don't like, we can learn to "like" the stuff we never eat or crave.

I am in a constant battle with diet and it is frustrating because now that working out on a daily basis and running is like second nature, I am to the point that my diet is holding me back from truly seeing the results I want for my body. I definitely know that a healthy diet needs veggies! But I'm a girl raised hating veggies! So on to the training of my taste buds. I'll try anything at this point to like a vegetable.

I decided the way I'd go about it is to make veggie smoothies with fruit as my first plan of attack. I made Spinach and Banana smoothies and loved it, but Spinach is an easy introduction for someone like me. lol.

So this week, while at the grocery store, I decided to tackle Squash. Yellow Squash for this week's smoothie fun! I learned that it is a good source of Fiber, Vitamin C and low in Fat! I am no chef, and so I couldn't decide what fruit might go best with Yellow Squash. However, I have read many food blogs that always say, just try it! What is the worst that could happen? If I don't like it, I won't drink it!

So here is my Peach and Yellow Squash Smoothie Recipe!




I also added a dash of Cinnamon and some Chia seeds. All in all, the flavor was quite good and reminded me of Oatmeal cookies. It tasted delish! And all in all, it was only about 180 Calories! I'd definitely make it again. Some adjustments you might make might be less squash or more peaches, it's all on your preference!

I finally have a Facebook page up and running for this blog where I probably will share a ton of stuff on fitness and motivation. Be sure to Like The Strong Life on Facebook!

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

LiveFit Inspired Plan























I was so excited to start Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer back in April and I did awesome going to the gym everyday according to the plan until I hit Phase 2. That and the hubs stopped going with me to the gym so I had to adjust the exercises to ones I am more comfortable with thanks to my lack of confidence in the gym. It is also the military base gym so it is always packed with military dudes and not many women in the weight machine area.

I didn't stop going but I ended up just following the plan with my own modifications (different machines or exercises for certain muscles). I also find it to be a problem to do supersets with some of the machines because our gym is small with basically one of everything you need. However, that means hogging up two machines to superset makes me feel bad.

Maybe as I go further along in my own 6 months workout plan, which incorporates Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the LiveFit Trainer, I will have to get myself to the gym in the wee hours of the morning to actually do the exercises exactly as they are outlined in the plan. For now, Weeks 5-6 of Phase 2 are the basis for which I base my June workout plan on.

This is my June workout plan! It also incorporates Bodyrock and Yoga just because I love doing those things and I don't want to not do them. Call me crazy but I don't have a job and it is bikini season and I need to drop the last 10 pounds to reach my goal weight! (That and I have a crazy idea of maybe going to a competition at the end of the year!)



Monday, June 11, 2012

Intro to The Wifely Life (TWL) Series!

I initially started this as a series on my wedding and marriage blog, Wedding Pickle, called Marriage Mondays. As I make the transition to making this my full time blog, I decided to keep the essence of the Marriage Monday series and bring them to this blog newly named "The Wifely Life".

What this series documents is my growth and woes as a newlywed wife. Okay, so I've been married nearly 2 years now, but being that I have still so much learning to do in my journey as a wife trying to serve God and my husband, I still consider myself a newlywed! Also, being a USMC wife, I'm always learning and adapting my life. Heck, I've lived in 4 homes and 3 states in just under 2 years! It's crazy!

It is my hope that with this series that I can be an open book where you can relate to what I'm going through and hopefully by reading these posts, you can feel not alone in your own marriage ups and downs! Some posts may be funny and others may be serious. So hopefully they are fun and interesting to read!

A part of living a Strong Life (as a married woman) is to work in having a strong marriage by being a strong wife. That's The Wifely Life!


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