My mindful moment this week is simple…instead of always asking God “why” ask Him “what”.
A situation came up and as I started to pray my first words to God were “why God, what is going on?”
As I sat and started my daily devotion, soon I started to feel a soft stirring in my heart. So I just started talking to God. I started to tell Him how I was feeling…honestly and w/all of the ups and downs that come w/the curveballs that come from the left field of life…
Then I just sat. I read my Bible. I wrotein my journal.
And then my answer came…ask “what” instead of “why”.
So, that’s what I did! I asked God “what”.
“What” God do you want me to get from this situation?
When I asked “what” my whole perception changed. No longer was I angry, judgmental or even self-righteous.
I was prayerful, compassionate and more determined to be faithful…
So I challenge you to ask the “What’s” instead of the “Why’s” and see if your perception changes…for the better.

I recently read a comment on Twitter where a young lady told a celebrity that she was her “Idol”…for more reasons than one this statement lingered in my thoughts.
IDOL<=that's a huge statement.
When I think of a person being “idolized” I think of a copy. A copy may look like the original from a distance, but a soon as you get close enough you start to see that the copy is a flawed, unauthentic version of the original…
Its ok to admire certain qualities about people. Heck, even some of the people on Twitter inspire me to be more disciplined and diligent about writing…but to IDOLIZE someone is a totally discredit to God and the amazing way that he created you.
Your smile. Your voice. Your complexion. Your creativity. Your walk. Your heart…it was all made specifically for you.
So please short change God’s wonderful creation by trying to be someone that you are not.
You weren’t meant to be anyone but You. You are “fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) and the works of God (You) are wonderful…
Be You! Nobody can be you except you…and you do it the best!

Today has been a great day!!!
Our oldest daughter’s first day of Kindergarten was today and it’s also my 31st birthday:o)
More than anything, today I’m oh so mindful of time.  My awareness of how quickly our kiddies are growing up and how fast this year has went by were at an all time high!
Instead of dreading being a year older or dissolving into a puddle of tears b/c my big girl is in kindergarten and it seems as if just yesterday I was potty training her, I welcomed the joys that came w/this day.
I welcomed the smile that came to my face and the joys that filled my heart as I seen my big girl so excited about being a “real kindergartener”….I welcomed the urgency that I felt about being a year older and having a few specific “to-do’s” that I have to get done w/in this next year!
So whatever it is that you have on your “Lifetime To-Do List”, I hope that your being mindful of getting those tasks done…the time is now!!

“Mindful Monday ” is something new on the The Mommy Diaries!
I will be taking the time on Mondays to share w/you some of my “awareness” moments…
Please be aware that these moments will be good, bad and maybe even ugly…but they will be honest, heartfelt, hopefully relateable.
By the end of the post, I hope that you see the light that I did and it encourages you to keep pressing, improving and growing closer to God in every area of your life!!!

Mindful Monday
Can I be honest w/you? I haven’t always appreciated being a stay-at-home wife/mother. 
I haven’t always taken the time to “smell the roses” and appreciate the season that God had me in.
All I could think about is what financial position we could be in if we were still a two income household and how I could do more, buy more and pay more bills.
I didn’t take the time thank God for allowing me to be a wife/mother whose full-time job was creating a home for my family, while at home.
Now I’m appreciative! I appreciate being able to be the “Home Manager”! I’m thankful that I can volunteer at a local pregnancy center 2x’s monthly. I’m appreciative that I can be active at my daughters school w/o reservation, I’m thankful that I can support my hubby in his coaching career.
I’m not sure that I would be able to do what I do now, or even desire too, if I was still working full-time in corrections.
I’m grateful that I can look at my life and tell God that I’m grateful for my “home” season…and not feel insecure or that I’m missing out on something b/c my life isn’t where I thought it would be (my aspiration was to be a prison warden:o)).
I now know w/o a doubt that I’m in the right place at the right time.
I encourage you to be grateful in your “now”season…there’s always a lesson to learn, not only for yourself but also to bless someone else:o). So grow in your faith and be perfected…in this season!

Being a Stay-At-Home Wife and Mother isn’t the easiest job on earth! One of the many things that I’ve learned over the past 4 years is that w/o a plan you might as well plan to fail!
Here’s my Top 7 Lessons for SAHM’s…enjoy!!!

1. Know Your Hubby’s Expectations:
Have the talk! Ask him what he expects from you as a SAHM. Once you know what he expects and you know what you’re going to do, you’ll have a clear “job description”.  With open and healthy communication there will be less room for error and offense.

2. Have A Schedule:
Time management is key!!! Having a daily schedule gives you boundaries and helps give you a clear vision for what you need to accomplish for that day. Do specific things on specific days ie, laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping etc. Block off certain times for meal time, work time, playtime etc. Having a workable routine is a benefit to your whole family!

3. Have An Outlet:
Take time to do something that you love! Whether it be writing, volunteering or teaching a weekly class, take part in something that is productive, refreshing and brings you joy.

4. Don’t Be Afraid To Say No:
Some people automatically think that if you’re a SAHM you can be their very own “walking to-do list”! Don’t take on extra errands and tasks from family and friends that is going to cause havic in your life! Don’t be afraid to let people know that your time is valuable…

5. Set The Atmosphere
As a woman, you have the ability to set the tone in your home. If you are uptight, upset or worried those feelings translate into everything that we put our hands too.  Do your best to create a God-centered home that is welcoming, encouraging and fun to all who enter in…be intentional about loving your family and that love being shown by your service to them.

6. Get Up Early
Getting up early doesn’t have to be at the crack of dawn! Get up early enough to spend time alone w/God before you start your day. Daily devotional time will give you direction, peace and give you time to have your first cup of coffee before your mommy adventures begin!!!

7. Be Appreciative:
Let your hubby know that you appreciate him! Sometimes living on 1 income can be challenging…thankfulness goes a long way:o)

8. Keep Yourself Together:
Take time to get dressed and doll up sometimes! Even if I’m not in makeup and heels, I try to stay presentable. A good pair of jeans, a nice shirt and lipgloss can go a long way! After your morning devotion, try getting dressed for the day. When you look good chances are you’ll feel good and be productive too! Ps-I’m not saying that I don’t have days when I’m in sweats…I just tr to make sure they are clean and they match;o)

I hope that this is a help and/or a loving reminder to SAHM’s! God Bless

I don’t have a whole lot to say today…but I do have a few words that are ringing in my ear “Just Do It”.
Whatever it is that you love to do, whatever God-given gift that you’ve let sit dormant, whatever you’re passionate about…just do it.
By know means I am I saying that everything will just fall in place overnight…but I KNOW that if you give God your best,He’ll do the rest!!!
Whatever you are born to do, do it everyday…work on it, perfect it, and be excellent in your dealings.
Turn your dream(s) into attainable goals…”Just Do It”!!!
Be the You that you are meant to be…God’s best!

Through every difficult situation in life, a person can experience growth…How do I know you ask? I am a living witness!
The past few months have been quite challenging for the Boyd Family.  Throughout all of the changes, the one thing that has been apparent to me has been growth!
Growth spiritually, personally and mentally.
Is the process easy? No. Is it comfortable? Heck No!!
And I’m glad.
I’m glad that I’m able to be in a difficult situation without being comfortable. Being uncomfortable causes me to change my position, make adjustments and do something(s) different.
Being out of my comfort zone has given me a chance to examine myself, my thinking and my intentions. 
It has also broadened my prayer life and my expectations. Being in the midst of transition has caused me to be more frequent,honest and outright w/God about my feelings and my thoughts. 
My expectations have become BIG!!! I’ve always been able to see so many great things on the horizon for others.  But when it came to myself, my scale was too small…I would even venture to say non-existent and mediocre.
But God!!!! God has opened up my eyes to His greatness both IN and FOR me:o)
So what do I suggest for those who may be going through a difficult time in their life?
Expect More! Expect more from God and yourself. Expect to overcome your current difficulties w/a testimony about how God blessed you in the midst of!
Do More! Do more seeking, praying and meditating on the Word of God.
Change! Change what your thinking about. Replace every negative thought with a positive affirmation from the Word of God. Change what your speaking. Speak life into every situation, speak the Word.
Change Your Outlook! Instead of focusing on the problem, focus on the solution and the possibilities of greatness! Change your routine if what you’re currently doing isn’t bringing about results.
Be Open! Be open to God, change and new opportunites.  Don’t let another blessing pass you by
b/c you weren’t open to get out of what you’re used too.
Do Something Different! Do something outside out the norm for you, not crazy or unwise…just different:o)

Life may throw us a curve ball no doubt…but nothing is impossible for God! Give your situation to God and ask Him to bring about a godly change in you through your circumstances…
We have a choice when we face hard times…to grow in God and His characteristics or shrink in fear, doubt and unbelief. Which do you choose???

A couple of days ago I felt what it really felt like to forgive and really mean it…
A couple of months ago I can’t say that I felt that way.  A person that I thought was a friend turned out not to be. I thought the relationship was going to lifelong but it turned out to be only for a season. 
Although things didn’t turn out like I would have liked, it taught me a lot

…

I learned how to handle conflict. I haven’t always known how to talk to people when I’m angry. In this particular situation, I got on the spot training!!!
I thank God for being able to be honest and really ask the questions that were on my heart. Not only that, I learned that people will only do what you allow.  And in this particular case all parties involved learned that I don’t tolerate disrepect and disregard for people.
For me I always thought that forgiveness was automatic b/c that’s what Jesus did and as a Christian that’s what I’m supposed to do. 
But in this instance, it wasn’t automatic for me. Opening myself up to people, welcoming them into my home and my family is something that I take seriously.  And when I felt

that it all

was disregarded, it was hard for me digest.
I had a hard time even mentioning

the person w/o feeling like I wanted to sock ’em (just being real lol). 

I rehashed the event mentally more times than I can even count.
I prayed about it. I mean really told God how I felt…the good, bad and the ungodly. And the words that the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart were unexpected… “she doesn’t know”.

At first this was hard for me to accept. I tried to reason it out w/all the things that I thought best justified the situation. But honestly, none of it really mattered. We, people, do what we know to do. Unfortunately, what we choose to do isn’t always right. I’ve don’t it.  So who am I to be mad at someone for being…who they are???
In the end, I knew that I had forgiven when I was able to pray for her w/o thinking of what happened previously.  I knew that I was ok when I genuinely wanted to help her b/c what’s she going through now, I’ve overcome.
So…what does forgiveness look like to you???

For the past few months I’ve been doing something that has been almost nonexistent most of my life…focusing on me.
Not in the selfish, materialistic, narcissitic way. But in a real, God centered way…
I’ve just been taking the time to really examine myself, my motives, how I really feel about things and myself. 
I’ll be the first to admit, I haven’t always lived an authentic life (gasp :o)).
Before I met Jesus (lol), I wasn’t very confident. So, I tried to cover my insecurities by what I wore and what type of handbag I carried. I’ve always had a quiet demeanor and a sometimes a way too serious facial expression…so a lot of times I was just mean.  I didn’t have to say a lot b/c the looks I could give would say it all…
Then once I received Christ, I wanted all that to change.  So, instead of truly focusing on God and what it says about me, I just tried to be what I thought people thought I should be. And after awhile pretending gets exhausting!!! My life, my decisions were soley based out of fear of what people would say or think about me if I didn’t meet their standards.
This fear caused me to “dumb” a lot of things down in my life and then try to pretend to be this extrovert of a person that wasn’t really me.
I dressed very homely (which is ok if that’s your personality!!!). And that has never been me.  I’ve always liked really nice things that had a contempary flair. But for a few years I wore the plainest clothes I could find b/c I didn’t want people to think that “I wasn’t saved”.
I grew my hair out…I’ve always loved my hair shorter and for me it is easier for me to maintain and to be honest I look really cute w/short hair (lol).  I did it b/c I didn’t want to be rebuked for having short hair, and cutting off all my glory (thank God I’m delivered!! Lol).
I didn’t go too many places that wasn’t church related b/c I didn’t want to blend in w/the world. I honestly questioned my relationship w/God if I missed a church service!
I even stopped writing as much b/c I didn’t feel like it meant a lot….
By no means am I blaming others for my former insecurities. I realize that I didn’t know how much God loved me and that He took the time to make me the person that I am…He knew everything about me a long time ago and He declared that His work (me)is wonderful.I was trying to hard to be this person that always said and did things that pleased everybody.  I’ve come to the realization that I won’t be able to please every person in my life…and I’m ok w/that; as long as my DaddyGod is pleased w/me, I’m good!!!
I’ve learned that being quiet isn’t a bad thing!! I’m observant and discerning. In those moments when I’m just listening to people around me, a lot of times the Holy Spirit gives me the prayer to pray for particular individuals. I’ve also learned to just be me! I’m quiet but socialable. I love get to know people, so I ask questions- I like to hear about their lives! And I’m confident that God works through my particular personality. I don’t have to try to be someone I’m not.
This journey hasn’t been easy but its been life changing. It feels good to feel good about me! Yeah I’ve gotten the side eye from some but being confident about who I am in God is the best.
More than anything I appreciate authenticity. Being who you are and loving the person God created you to be, w/o regard to the opinions of others is a blessing!! It is freeing! I’ve come to realize that I can’t live off of anyone’s love except Jesus. He’s the only one I strive to please now:o)
I can honestly say that I’m living Authentically now…what about you??