Equipped Ministries

“It’s time for you to get your priorities straight.” I think I heard my mother say this directly to, or about each and every one of her six (no, make that seven, my parents adopted my niece when she was just 5yrs old) children, including yours truly. I recently came across that phrase again, in a book about finding and aligning my purpose in life with God’s plans for me. Thinking I knew most of what the book would say, I read on hoping to find some nuggets of information that might spur me onto truly understanding God’s plan for “who I’m supposed to be when I grow up.” Although the strategies themselves were not surprising, changing my perspective about them (something the book proposes) was. For instance, we expect for God to be our first priority, but how many of us truly treat him as such. In other words, do we really spend quality time with Him each and every day? If we’re not reading His word, the answer is a resounding NO! The best way to get to know someone is to spend t...

So I journaled my eating yesterday "live" on facebook and surprisingly the "aha" moment is coming this morning....Checking my messages while waiting for coffee to brew, a friend replied to my afternoon loss of control eating....(spoonfuls of cake batter while making cake for my husband...)  "You might be doing some emotional eating...."  My initial reaction was, "I'm the teacher, I would know if it was emotional eating, I just wanted cake batter!!"  But after a little soul searching, I realized she was right on the money...Although my day was not a disaster by any stretch of the imagination, it was slower and less hectic than most.  However, a few issues had crept up over the course of the morning and looking back I think I just let  them simmer a little too long and they erupted in cake batter.  Nothing major, just three growing and able children leaving groceries in the car because "mom can get them..." "grrrr"  Just thr...

A cool video was added under the "I'm reviewing Greenworks Products" Check out the latest devotions under "My Journey to Forty" Follow me today on facebook as I journal everything I eat!  Yikes! www.facebook.com/equippedministries

The “Son” Shines through the Clouds As I type this, I am sitting in a campground in Champaign, IL. on a mini vacation visiting my little sister and her baby, recently relocated here. Camping is a way of life for my family and I love it so. One of my favorite things about camping is the storytelling. Yes, we’ve heard the stories before, yet it seems each time they’re told they get a little sweeter. Maybe it’s because I’m getting older and realizing the importance of family and time together or that my children are hearing them for the first time and learning about their history and family tree. So we visit, talk, and tell stories, and I listen as my father retells stories about grandkids nearly falling in fire pits, trips when it rained every day (that can be rough for a camping family), and silly fights among siblings. I am reminded that the sweetest, funniest and most memorable events in life are sometimes created out of some of the most stressful times. Events that at the m...

Although basketball season is long over, my husband and I still reminisce about the big “What if” for us. As exciting as the tournament was, we were hoping for one more twist. You see, we are a divided family when it comes to college basketball. I, the Kentucky girl and him the Bearcat man. Now, for the most part, this has never been an issue for us and certainly doesn’t cause fights. I am not as die-hard as other members of my family, (can you say broken television set?) Yes, really. Since this tournament was proving to be an exciting one, we had decided early on that if the final game came down to U.C. and Kentucky (I know long shot) we were definitely having a party. And the person responsible for the broken T.V.? Yes, he would be invited. We felt safe, as this incident had occurred more than thirty years ago. Initially, I thought I was so open about the whole thing, that I might even sport a U.C. jersey to support my husband among a sea of U.K. blue. But then it hit me. Could ...

I was reading a book the other day and came across a phrase that got my attention. “Abandon Control.” The phrase was being used in reference to a person’s continuing dilemma in life; giving God complete control over all areas in life. The idea certainly made sense within the context of the book, yet when I really began to think about the idea of abandoning control, it seemed to completely go against most everything I have read and learned in school, books and magazines in terms of being a “balanced and successful” person. Abandoning control is the polar opposite of what “successful” people do. “Successful” people have control of all areas in life. They have control of their finances, control of their tempers, and control of their futures. The notion of losing control conjures up failure, not success. A loss of one’s mind, or senses. Dictionary.com even defines control as, “to exercise restraint or direction over; to hold in check.” All seem like good, solid advice. The world encourages...

Get Equipped 1st Annual Fun Walk/Run 1K, 2K, 3K, 10K Whatever K!!! Saturday April 7, 2012 Walk/Run/Whatever you choose! St. Barbara Church,Turkeyfoot Road 7am-8am A great start to your Easter Weekend! No registration fee, no racing…. Just motivation to move your body! · Spread the word! · Tell a buddy! · Bring a friend! · Bring your kids! Call Julie for more details 802-8965 (but there aren’t many lol!)