I’ve been reading a fantastic book on money management called, “The Richest Man in Babylon” by George S. Clason. In the third chapter the author is talking about the importance of making a budget and he says, “It is to enable thee to realize thy most cherished desires by defending them from thy casual wishes.” As I read this I thought how this also applies to how we spend our time. If we budget our time wisely it enables us to do those things that are most important to us and to make our dreams come true, but if we squander our time we are only fulfilling our casual wishes and we will find we haven’t made time for the things that truly mater. My goal this month is to be more intentional with how I spend my time, and to stop forfeiting the best things for my casual desires.
This is just the way my life is sometimes, okay, most of the time. Life is happening, life is messy. The kids take over, they make messes, they are underfoot, or on the counters, helping, laughing, crying, and it’s hard for me to take pictures of real life. Real life means things aren’t always perfect. Real life means there are real messes, and real problems, and real life means I’m not perfect and neither are my children. On the other hand, real life can also be beautiful, because it is real. It isn’t a fake put-on show for other people. To me, real life is the nitty, gritty of everyday that we are submerged in, and it’s beautiful because it has purpose and meaning. I’m trying to be more intentional with my photography about capturing my real, everyday, life because I want my children to know that I thought my whole life was beautiful, not just the picture perfect days. The day I took this picture, this boy was my helper. He thought it was so funny to shake the nutmeg in my pot over, and over again. Every time I told him no, he would laugh and put the nutmeg back in the cupboard, but as soon as I turned my head he had it out again, shaking it into the pot. It was a great moment, one I want to cherish forever, and it would be a pity for me not to take a picture of it because my kitchen wasn’t perfectly clean.
My kids are all pretty amazing, if I do say so myself. It has been so fun and exciting to see their passions and talents emerge as they grow up and take on life. I want to be more intentional about enjoying them and their incredible gifts. I seem to get stuck in the “mom correction” mode of life when what I need to do is relax, step back, and just enjoy how fabulous they really are.
Intentional:
1. done with intention or on purpose; intended 2. of or relating to intention or purpose
Synonyms: designed, planned. See deliberate.
Since today is Valentine’s Day I thought it would be fitting to feature a picture of my sweetie. I took this picture of him while he was out splitting wood in the 20 below weather so that we would have enough wood while he was away for a few days. I am trying to be more intentional about telling him thank you and to tell him how much I appreciate all he does for us every single day. It can be so easy for me to take what he does for granted because he does it all without any pomp and ceremony, just hard work, day in and day out. I love you Shawn Douglas. You are my world. Thank you for such a beautiful life.
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Hannah’s birthday was yesterday and Logan’s is tomorrow. We are celebrating both birthdays tonight with the cousins and chocolate cream pie. Yum, yum, yum!
Sometimes you have a crazy week and the best you can do is to just be intentional about continuing to try. And that was my week this week.
I would love it if you would join me in Project One Word this year! All you need to do is choose a word to describe the coming year, take one picture a week centered around your word, and post it for us to see. Next, leave me a comment with the link to your blog post. You can also post it on instagram using hashtag Projectoneword.
This is a picture of my husband signing us up to for the 2015 Honolulu Marathon in December. It makes me sick to my stomach and a bit light-headed just thinking about it.
My plans to be more intentional with how I treat my body are something I started last year, and I am excited to be carrying it over into 2015. In June 2014, I decided to hire a trainer to help me become healthier. I didn’t want to go on a diet, I wanted to make healthy lifestyle changes that included eating better and exercising. I could have gone and gotten a gym membership, but just having a gym membership doesn’t make you go to the gym. I needed to be accountable to someone, and I needed a program tailored specifically to my needs and goals. Working with a trainer was the best move I could have made toward being healthier. She wasn’t as expensive as I thought she would be. I went to her home once a week, she worked out with me, and showed me how to correctly do the workout moves she was sending home with me. She talked with me about my food choices, and taught me how to plan my week for the greatest success. All the exercises she gave me were things that I could do at home, I didn’t have to go to the gym for anything. I made a lot of progress and she taught me so much. I began to have the confidence in myself that I really could loose weight and feel great. I found I was tougher than I thought I was and that I can do anything I put my mind to.
About that time, I told BFF Amy, that we should do something fun together like a bike race or maybe a 10K. I was thinking something that I would have to train for but that wouldn’t have to work too hard for. Amy dreams much bigger dreams than I do and she suggested we run a marathon. While we were discussing what and where over the phone she googled marathons for 2015, and after looking at several, we settled on the Honolulu marathon. There were several reasons why we chose Honolulu, not the least of which is: what better motivation could there be to train for a marathon than a trip to Hawaii. As we were discussing all of this and making plans, my stomach started to churn. Could I really do a marathon? It sounded too crazy, and like WAY too much work.
I stopped working with the trainer in November, and then slacked off of my workouts. The cold, dark winter combined with all the good food at the holidays about did me in. I was disappointed in myself for backsliding, but was having trouble getting back into the habit of exercising and eating like I should. Then my sister suggested we do an 8 week fitness challenge. It has been just what I’ve needed to jump start the new year and get me back into the habit of consciously working on my own health. I’m exercising and eating well and I’m feeling good.
A few days ago, Amy called me and said that registration for the Honolulu marathon was open and that she and her husband were signing up. My stomach dropped. Thinking about doing a marathon and actually signing up are two different things, and signing up makes it all so much more real. As I thought about it, I knew I had to do it. I need a goal to work toward so I don’t give up when our family fitness challenge is over, or when things get crazy or hard. I have to push myself. I have to value my health and make it a priority, and even if I walk 100 percent of the race, I will be there, and I will be better for it. Wish me luck!
I want to be more intentional about my relationship with God this year, and I’ve been thinking a lot, lately, about how to do that. There is a difference between knowing of someone and really knowing someone. To have a relationship with someone you need to know them, and the better you know them the better that relationship can be. God already knows everything about me, He created me, He is my loving Father, and I know He wants me to make an effort to get to know Him better. When we spend time with God by reading the scriptures and praying we come to know Him better and our relationship with Him is strengthened. This is what I have been trying to be more intentional about this week: spending real meaningful time with my Father in Heaven. When I do spend that time with Him my knowledge of Him increases, my faith in Him is strengthened, my trust in Him and His plan for me grows, and I can better feel His presence and love for me. It’s awesome!
I would love it if you would join me in Project One Word this year! All you need to do is choose a word to describe the coming year, take one picture a week centered around your word, and post it for us to see. Next, leave me a comment with the link to your blog post. You can also post it on instagram using hashtag Projectoneword.
You can also follow me on Instagram. My username is KimberlyMLowry.
Welcome to my blog. My name's Kimberly. I moved to Alaska from Utah, when I married my wonderful husband, and I've been in Alaska for 14 years now. Little did I know, when I got here, what an eventful life it would be. Surviving the "Last Frontier" while raising and home schooling 7 kids is an everyday adventure.
