Hello, Old Friend….

This space has sat quietly, in a moderate form of hibernation, for quite sometime waiting for me to "come back home".  I'm not sure at what point life got so busy that I couldn't carve out 20 minutes every now and then to reflect and record….but, busy it got.  So, I'm drawing a line in the sand.  Giving myself permission to not "catch up" on all that has passed by without mention.  Instead, I'm starting again.  With fresh vigor.  New determination.  And manageable goals.

I just finished the Whole30 which is a healthy eating challenge that lasts for 30 days.  No grains, no dairy, no peanuts or beans…and the kicker-- no sugar.  Natural, refined, or artificial.  My sister and I did it together out of solidarity.  Its much easier to be miserable for 4 weeks if there is someone suffering alongside.  Here's what I learned:  

• Sweet Potatoes are amazing roasted, baked, shredded, or in a hash--and it is possible to eat them almost everyday for two weeks straight without looking like an Umpa Loompa. 
• Everything tastes better with bacon.  This is a pretty well established fact, but I took it upon myself to test the theory.  Game. Set. Match.  Bacon for the win.
• My super expensive and very awesome Vitamix blender can not only make DEE-VINE smoothies, it turns almonds into very tasty almond butter in about 4 minutes flat.  Life. Saver.

Perhaps, most importantly, I learned that when I put my mind to it, I can practice great discipline in my life. That means I can be stronger than the little voice in my head that calls out "give me coooookies".  At the end of 30 days I felt like I had really accomplished something.  And, there was noticeable, measurable, positive change.  Like feeling satisfied by one square of chocolate instead of the whole bar (don't judge me, you know you've been there, too!), and really focusing on putting fresh, whole foods on the plates around our dinner table.  My energy levels were, well, level.  No more 3 o'clock bonk and nosh. I felt in control again….not held hostage by cravings and habits that I had come to think were par for the course.

I don't say all of this to wave a banner, beat the drums, and say "LOOK AT ME FOR I AM AWESOME!"  No.  I say all of this to remember the power that healthy discipline can have in our lives.  To remind myself that my priorities need to stay my priorities, and not get pushed out of the way by things that seem better or more important at the time.  Like, my priority for sleep needs to outweigh the desire I have to watch one more episode of Master Chef Junior (why do those kids have to be so dang cute AND amazing?!?).  My priority for getting into God's word needs to outweigh my "to-do" list.  Newsflash: the laundry is not in anyway involved in my sanctification.  I know, shocking.

It is with all this in mind, that I come back to this space.  I come back knowing that 24 hrs in the day is NEVER enough, the kids will ALWAYS have an emergency right before bed (Ohmygosh! This essay is due tomorrow.  Can you please help me?!?!), and that some days I just might not feel like writing.  However, having been reminded of the power of discipline, this is the promise I make to myself:

I will spend time-- doesn't matter if its a minute or an hour-- writing each day.  It may be droll, or dreary, or dramatic-- you just never know around here! But, it will be time I take to use my mind and put two thoughts together that don't involve mismatched socks, permission slips, or what's for dinner.  Who am I kidding?  I will probably write about all of those things. But, at least it will be disciplined.