WOW: Word of the Year

At First Orlando, our pastor challenged us (as he does every year) with the following question: "What's your Word for 2012?"

Psalm 51:10

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

 From that passage alone, can you guess what my word is? Anyone?  How about a picture?

Good job...you're completely right.

Now let's break it down:

For about six months now, I have had the creative itch.  I've adopted a completely different view of blogging and I have some exciting things on deck to share with you.  For now, all I can say is to keep a look out and ask that you give me all the (positive and negative) feedback I can get.

Writing, editing and creating has become a new passion for me, and I'm hoping to expand my tips and storytelling beyond a personal blog in 2012.  But, being creative isn't necessarily just about reading, writing & the arts...

I want to create a new home environment for Scott and I. 

I don't want us to just live in a house I want to create an environment that's hard to leave.

I want to create a platform for myself to market who I am and what I do.

I want to create a site where anyone can read, follow and feel inspired to live life to their fullest potential.

I want to create and maintain a consistent, healthy and active lifestyle, for keeps.

And finally, I want to pro-create...as in start a Hesington Family.  I'm not going to say when or where (we could be living on the other side of the world for all I know at the end of 2012), but I'm saying it: we want to start a family this year.

I wouldn't have gotten to where I am today without all of you, and I'm forever thankful for you reading, commenting and believing in what I do.  You have created and sparked a fire in me to keep on keepin' on.  So...

Question:

If you had a Word of the Year, what would it be?

REALLY! I want do hear from you on this one: 

Send me your WOY... 

Facebook me: Health, Beauty & Sweet Homelife

Tweet me: @hbshesingon

WOW: Give Thanks

Since Thanksgiving is tomorrow, I'm sure there will be a lot lists of what we're thankful for out there.  Even though the turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie, and dressing is something to get excited about, I'm counting down the hours the true meaning of Thanksgiving is to do just that: to Give Thanks.

While browsing on Facebook earlier, I stumbled upon Scott's status and it took me back for a second.  THIS was a perfect inspiration for my Word of Wisdom this week:

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

What a pick-me-up.  It's things like seeing Scott inspire and share the Word via Facebook that makes me prouder than ever...even more than when he produced the D12 Orlando All-Stars Game.  He's goofy, outspoken, and at times a tad inappropriate, but he's also our family's preacher and inspiration for me to grow in my faith.

For that, I am thankful.

Although I could write all day about things I'm thankful for, here's a short list of the highlights:

1. A wonderful start to our Hesington Family.

2. Our Extended Families.

3. Our purr-boxes: Aspen & Cali.

3. Finding our stray dog, and falling in love with Roadie.
(Wouldn't YOU keep him?!)

4. My Health.
(This is my favorite photo from my first year of NBA Dancer Auditions).

5. A roof over our heads.
(This photo was taken through Instagr.am as I caught a sunrise from our balcony!)

6. Food in our bellies.
(Especially yummy home-made remedies like Scott's Spicy Brisket Chili!)

7. An opportunity for new jobs and career paths.

8. A new found love for learning how to cook.
(This was my very first recipe to share on my blog!)

9. Our church and getting to dance through the Rejoice! Dance & Drama.

10.  Jesus Christ!

As you scramble around trying to finish cleaning your house before your guests arrive or make your last minute trips to the grocery store - remember to GIVE THANKS.

For the big things, for the little things and for everything in-between...

I'm still dreaming about the turkey, stuffing, and other Thanksgiving treats I get to experience tomorrow...but at least I'm thankful for it! :)

WOW: Eat, Drink + Be Merry.

Somebody's Birthday's coming up...tomorrow! :)

I won't say who, but they are a pretty big deal in my life.  Okay,  okay...it's Scott!  The birthday boy will be turning 38 thirty-something, I re-arranged my work schedule and we have a great day lined up for us.  You'll here all about what we'll be up to for his birthday, but for my Word of Wisdom this week I figured a quote about celebrating would be fitting.

Ecclesiastes 9:7

Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do.

Who knew there was a bible quote suggesting I do all of my favorite things? :)

Some people are afraid or intimidated at the thought of going to church or becoming a believer.  I've heard it's because they feel like they might be "breaking a sweat" for feeling bad about things they do in their every day lives.  Good news, God is your number one fan and will always be there to guide you in the right direction.

Anyone who knows me at all knows I enjoy going out to dinner, trying new restaurants, food, desserts and enjoy a glass of wine (or two) every now and then.  There's nothing wrong with celebrating and enjoying life, and there's nothing to be ashamed of.

There is, however a difference in enjoying life's luxuries and taking them for granted.  Scott and I now have "an app for that." Really...it's called Mint, or you can sign up online at Mint.com.  I'll go into budgeting and managing your spending on another post down the road, but for now I can tell you we actually get alerts via text message when we've done too much "extra" spending.  Pretty cool, huh?

This category includes dinners out, movies, entertainment, shows, shopping, etc.  We set a limit for what we can spend per month and once that hits we get notified and that's it.  God wants you to enjoy the small things in life and favors you to treating yourself every once in a while too.  The important thing is just to find the line of what "too much" or "overboard" is.

So there you have it in black + white (or in this case pink + green):

God wants you to be happy.  Go on and live a little!

WOW: The Holy Land Experience

Every year, The Holy Land Experience offers one free general admission day for anyone and everyone to come see the park.  Scott and I live less than 10 minutes away from it, but have never gone over to visit it together.  When that free admission day came around last week, we figured it was the perfect time for us to go. 

Scott has been a few times, but this was my very first time to the park.  Right away, I loved the buildings, statues, especially the number of random animals.  Hello there, Camel!

The buildings and landscapes were absolutely beautiful.

Scott said it was pretty crowded (free admission....hello!), but on normal business days it's usually less crowded and becomes a great place to reflect, pray, and have some alone time. 
*THOUGHT: What's really alone time anyways?  Are we ever alone?

For my Word of Wisdom this week, I was inspired by a framed bible quote inside one of the auditoriums.

Matthew 28:20

teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

What a great reminder.  How many of you ever feel alone?  I know I do sometimes.  You could have a million people around you and still feel alone...why is that?  I think that feeling is completely normal, however I have good news for you: You're never really alone.  Jesus is kind of like Santa Claus...He sees you when you're sleeping & knows when you're awake.

The park was truly a blessing.  I've been wanting to go see it for a while now and I'm so glad we did.  We saw a few shows (which were great), with my favorite being the Passion of the Christ.  The actors and singers impressed me and it was amazing how real the scenes came across.

In between shows, we got to take communion and be a part of the Last Supper.

We saw a bible that is over 300 years old!

We got to travel over to Little Jerusalem.

Then took advantage of the kid's area photo opp...naturally.

Regardless of what our only photo there together looks like, it was quite the experience & a Holy Land one at that ;)  I know not everyone who reads thinks like a Christian, but whoever you are or whatever you believe I hope you got something out of this Word of Wisdom.

I didn't feel like I was alone at Holy Land but I feel alone most when I'm at a busy, high traffic spot.  Airports and theme parks fit into this category but restaurants and movies are where I feel like an ant in a world of giants.  Within seconds of sitting down I turn to my cell phone for entertainment while dining alone (which I rarely do) and avoid going to the movies alone all together.

Question:

Do you ever feel alone? If so is it when you're at home by yourself, or in public surrounded by people?

WOW: Pray Together, Stay Together

During my 3 months of marriage, I can already tell you a few things.  One thing: nobody is perfect, and neither are relationships or even families.  Marriage is a joy, but it is also a relationship that requires work.  I am not here to bash my new husband via Word of Wisdom post, but instead I am going to do the opposite and give the guy some credit.

Scott and I have our good days and our bad days, just like any other family out there...(as long as the good days outweigh the bad right?!) ;)  We have had lots of GOOD days already in our marriage and I've noticed a common trend in our attitudes every time a really good day comes along...

Praying.  Together.  Not just before you eat, not just by yourself before you go to bed, but actually taking time to pray about something together at least once a day, every day.

Romans 12:12

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Do the thoughts: "Prayers are complicated," "I don't like praying out loud," or "I don't really have time," ever cross your mind?  At first Scott was the prayer leader and initiator.  I liked to pray with him, but I never really wanted to speak up and lead a prayer.  Over time, I felt more and more comfortable and realized there really isn't a wrong or a right way to it.

We learned in our P.R.E.P for Marriage is class just that: A couple that PRAYS together STAYS together.  After seeing our relationship with and without daily prayer, I couldn't agree more with the suggestion to find the time to do it.  Whether it's a quick goodbye "I Love You" prayer, or a "Welcome Home, you're finally here safely" prayer, there aren't really rules on how long you have to pray, or what you have to say.  Prayers are there for you to talk to God, and this is one of those things that can do wonders for you, and your family.

Whenever there's a bad day thrown into the mix where I'm stressed, Scott's frustrated about something or things just aren't going our way we pray.  Take a second, step back and reflect at what's going on.  There's just something about the quiet, calm talking that makes everything instantly better.
*Let God know your struggles and don't be afraid to ask for forgiveness. 

To show you how easy it can be to incorporate Prayer into anyone's crazy schedule, here's ours:

Morning: pray for each other

Whoever leaves for work first, that person takes a moment to initiate prayer before walking out the door.  If the other person is sleeping, pray softly by their ear and they'll understand what your doing without having to fully wake-up.  If you are on a business trip or out of town, a simple phone call will do.

Dinner: count your blessings
This is usually the time of day we give thanks for what we have.  We work hard for everything we're given, but at the end of the day none of it is really ours.  Dinner, or any meal time really, is a great time to think about all of the great things going on in your life.  You then feel inspired to think and talk about all of the positive things that happened that day.

Evening: pray for strength
Most of us feel very tired by the end of the day.  This is the time we reflect on what went right and what you need more guidance and work on.  You could also pray for freedom from everyday silly stresses, problems or tensions at work, or home.  Doing this with your partner or family helps them to understand what's really going on in that world of yours, which in-turn helps communicate any issues that need to be addressed.

Suggestions for family prayer time:

• Invite your spouse to pray with you, just don't be pushy.  Start leading prayer and eventually they will become comfortable enough to try.
• Pray out loud. There's no need to be shy here, since prayer is just talking to God. There's nothing to feel ashamed or to be embarrassed about, and they're isn't such a thing as not praying "well enough."
• Choose a comfortable prayer position.  We like to sit, hug, hold hands, drive, whatever. It really doesn't matter...the important thing is just to pray!
• Prayer for a reasonable amount of time.  Prayers can be 30 seconds, or they can be over 5 minutes long.  There's no need to have a prayer much longer than that, and eventually you'll feel how long is comfortable for you both.

Speaking of catnaps... ;)

What are some of the things your family does for prayer time?

WOW: Living on a Prayer

Ohhh, we're half way there, oh-OH Livin' on a... Plan?

Last week was a busy one and I never got to share a Word of Wisdom with you.  When this week rolled around I became anxious the get back to sharing the Word this Wednesday.  My last WOW: Peace Out post, was all about finding peace in any situation you get into or stumble upon.  This week, I wanted to take that idea a step further and go from accepting the situation to trusting in God's plan for us.

I'm a planner.  I always have been and I always will be.  I'm the girl people always copied notes from in school because I have a complex about everything looking exactly the right way, circled, highlighted and mapped things out for future use.  Don't even get me started about planning our wedding...did you SEE my Wedding Notebook? Maybe I should consider wedding planning as a career?  Maybe not...been there, done that & blogged about it... ;)

But what happens in life when you don't have a Notebook to go by?  I'm happy to share that for the first time in my life I'm accepting that God will be planning it from here on out.

Proverbs 16:9

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.  

 This past year has been an epic one for us filled with happy, life-changing moments.  A friend (and fellow blogger) of mine has had a crazy and even more dramatic year than I have, so I'm also writing this WOW for her.  Like her's it's been one of my most challenging years to date after being in a traumatic car accident, taking in a stray dog with heartworm and continuous trips to the vets, planning our dream wedding, fighting my accident in court, going to the E.R. and getting staples put into my head, losing my license for a quick minute and the list goes on.  To top this year off, my husband's job disappeared within a blink of an eye 3 weeks before the wedding and he is now looking for a new one (ie: a new life for us). 

My plans?  Well, they're pretty much out the window.  Six months ago we had the next year ahead completely mapped out.  I was going to leave my part-time job, we were going to finally look for a house and I was going to spend the year getting it set up while completing my final season as a dancer for the NBA.  The big finale of our year's plan? Starting a family.  Yup, we had literally planned out what month and day we would start trying, which happened to be around my birthday in April.

Where are we now?  Still happy and optimistic, but not doing any of the things I just listed.  THAT is just so frustrating to me.  With Scott looking for a new job, the possibilities of where we will end up are endless...and bit overwhelming.

If there's anything I've learned from our world being turned upside down, it's that everything DOES happen for a reason.  I know, I know...that sounds so cliche, but it's just the more common version of "God has a plan for you."  I've always told people that advice, but never truly believed it myself until the last few years.  God DOES have a plan for you and for everyone.  Everything happens for a reason and falls into place when it's supposed to.  So when you're asking yourself "why?!" or "why now?"...trust in the Lord, He knows what He's doing.

And for all of the planners out there like me...don't worry.  You can still keep your beautiful, color-coded planners.
Just pencil some of those plans in, will you?

WOW: Peace Out

We all go through hard times.  We all become frustrated.  We all are challenged, and we all get in those "I want to run away where no one can find me" funks.  You are the only one who can choose to give into it, or pray about it, find peace and move forward.

I'm sure a lot of you are aware that Scott and I are currently going through some crazy life changes.  We recently get married, but the changes keep on coming with both of us currently looking for the next chapter in our lives to start.  There are days where we truly live the life of newlyweds before kids by experiencing Orlando, going out to eat, seeing movies, going to events and going out with friends.  Other days it's rough...not knowing what's next in your lives can be pretty frustrating.  It's easy to get caught up in our obstacles, forget what we have going for us and obtain negative outcomes.  The only thing that gets me through times of uncertainty is count on my faith, and find peace in what the Lord has in store for us.

My Word of Wisdom (WOW) this Wednesday?

Psalm 34:14
Turn from evil, and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

Peace Out, Girl Scout.

As of right now, the only thing keeping us in the city we currently live in is family.  We are both at a point in our lives where we could pick everything up at any given time and are considering moving to another city, state or even country.  That is such a cool feeling, but it's also unbelievably frustrating and scary not knowing what's next in our new lives together.  I would be lying if I said I didn't miss the life we had together even just a year ago...it seemed like we figured everything out.  But, seasons change, jobs change and so do lives.

Instead of dwelling on what we don't have going for us, accept your life for what it is today.  Your future depends on an optimistic attitude and trusting that the Lord has a plan for you.  Find peace in the situations around you and move forward.  With that, we're taking one day at a time...getting the most out of our time together and looking forward to see what's in store for us.

Do you seek peace?

WOW: Anger, Schmanger.

Yesterday for whatever reason I became emotional, moody and at times quickly annoyed and angered at petty things.  We all have those days where every little thing affects you, your thoughts and/or your actions.  Being a girl filled with estrogen doesn't help this case and for this week's Word of Wisdom Wednesday, I decided to see what the scripture suggests us to do to avoid giving into these emotional funks.

James 1:19-20

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 

If only controlling our emotions was that simple!  We are all human and at one point or another we are ALL guilty of having selective hearing, speaking before we think, and getting angry about something small.  I know I am guilty of everything I just listed...what about you?  Nobody's perfect.  We all have tempers and we all let our emotions get the best of us sometimes...it happens.  But is it okay?

The Bible is here for us to reference or go to for everyday reading, prayer and learning.  I'm sure there are people reading this who think I'm crazy for dedicating a post to the Word EVERY Wednesday on my blog!  But for me, reading scripture inspires me to be the best person, wife, friend, neighbor & believer I can be.  Living up to my full potential makes me happy.  Whenever I have questions, concerns or queries I always know where to turn to.

But, reading and applying the Word are two different things... 

Whenever I get angry, upset or completely at a loss about a situation, my first instinct is to remove myself completely.  Once I calm down, I start to access what happened and majority of the time I see that an argument or my feelings of anger came from something that has nothing to do with the situation at all.  James 1 says to "be quick to listen."  How many of us can honestly say we listen to what anyone at any given time is telling us and putting our complete attention towards them?  Not many I'm sure, with myself being included in that group.  I can't tell you how many questions, mistakes and even arguments I could have avoided, if all I had done was really listened to what someone was telling me.

Be "slow to speak and slow to become angry," IE: bite your tongue and think before you speak.  If you have an outspoken or strong personality, this can be something extremely difficult to do. When people argue there are usually things said that nobody really means to say, and they will then come back later to say "you know I didn't really mean that, right?"  The solution to this? The book of James is clear by saying think before you open your mouth!  If what you are about to say might be taken the wrong way or even offend the person you're talking to, maybe you shouldn't say it.  On the other side, don't take everything so personal and become quickly angered from it.  There is usually an explanation to every situation, and there's no room to hear the other side of the story if you don't give the person a chance!  LISTEN, THINK and respond only after you've done so.

One last thing about this verse...it mentions that failing to follow these steps does not result in a "righteous life that God desires."  To me this sounds like ignorance, offensive words and a quick temperament is not part of a righteous (or even happy) life.

God doesn't ask us to do things that don't make sense. His words are wise and I'm excited to be sharing a weekly WOW with you...

See you next Wednesday!

Words of Wisdom Wednesdays

Today, I’m starting something I’ve never done before on a blog and I’m really excited about it.  I’ve been itching to share the word of the Bible with all of my viewers since I started blogging, but never really found a way to incorporate it into my writing subjects.  Since faith is a huge part of Scott & I’s every day life, I thought it was finally time for me to include scripture into a Word of Wisdom Wednesday segment of my writing.  After all, THIS is a huge part of my Homelife & Happiness, a main part of what this page is all about!

Every Wednesday, I will start my morning by sharing a verse or so of a quote from the Bible that inspires me.  Not a believer? There’s still a lot of wisdom you can learn from the Bible, even if you aren’t a Christian, although I will always encourage you to research that journey.

All I ask is that you have an open mind and give my WOW posts a chance.  First up? I wanted to start with the versus that mean the most to me.  Scott read them to me before he proposed, and they were also spoken in a reading on our wedding day.

Right before Scott's proposal.

1 Corinthians 13: 4-13, The Way of Love

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

What a great lesson.  How many of you take a simple concept of LOVE for granted?  “Love bears all things, believes in all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”  That’s one of my favorite lines because it describes exactly what marriage is supposed to be about.  I strongly believe that marriage should be looked at by all as permanent thing, not just something a couple could “undo” later.  No one said love is easy, but what IS said here is how great it is.  Trust it, believe it in, and go with it.

I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but a quote I strongly agree with is “it is better to have love and lost than not to have loved at all.” Love never completely goes away.  If you’ve ever loved somebody throughout the duration of your life, they will always have a place in your heart.  Seasons change and so do  people, but there will always be a part of your heart attached to any person you love.  If you have ever experienced LOVE, even if it ended in heartbreak, consider yourself privileged.

Faith is challenging but is also common, since we all have our own beliefs.  Whether it’s on a spiritual level or not, there’s something out there that every one of you believes in, which gives you your sense of faith.  Hope is automatic.  If you’ve ever put yourself out there, applied for a job or tried to adapt to anything new happening in your life, your attitude is filled with hope.  What’s the only thing greater than these feelings? LOVE.  And that’s why I cherish these verses so much: to optimize my level of love towards others.

If you’re ever doubtful in what love is, it’s written out for you right here in 1 Corinthians.  So often we take the concept of love for granted, and in turn forget what it was intended to be.  Love is patient, so be patient.  Love is kind, so go out of your way to do nice things for one another.  Don’t let envy or jealousies take over any situation, and don’t be rude or disrespectful.  The result? Real feelings and experiences of love.

Take a moment out of your day today to evaluate your relationships with others to see if you’re getting the most out of love.