July Blogging Challenge Day 8

How do you envision your life being in the next 5 years?

I've been told on many occasions to never set your expectations and if you are going to set them don't set them too high because you will often find yourself disappointed when things don't pan out like you want.  But in light of the question and a matter hoping the best for my self I would say at the very least I would like to be living in good solid recovery from my eating disorder as well as have met the man I intend to marry, if not engaged or married to him already.  This is keeping it short, sweet and attainable... the main thing I want to accomplish though is freedom from my eating disorder, if falling in love happens too great, but what matters most is my freedom, my life depends on it!

July Blogging Challenge Day 7

If you could live in any time period in the past, when would it be and why?

The Fifties would be my choice of time to go back to.  I like the simplicity of life during that period of time and people's ability to enjoy themselves, appreciated their families and embraced in a balanced way the fads of that era such as  television, fashion & music- especially the the dancing.

Facts of the Fifties:

Life in the early 1950’s was still very strict. Women were still obligated to the status of housewife and men were the main breadwinners in the family. Children, including teenagers, were to be seen and not heard but by the mid-1950’s, that was becoming more difficult because of newfound freedoms, rock and roll music, and other outlets teenagers had available to them.

In the 1950’s television was becoming more and more a part of everyday life, more families had televisions in their homes and AM radio was also becoming more popular, along with the advent of 45 records, jukeboxes, and eventually albums.  Televisions shows that were popular at the time included The Ed Sullivan Show, I Love Lucy, Lassie and Dick Clark's American Bandstand. 

Music was expanding; the sound of rock and roll was creeping into the mainstream with the help of radio and television and teenagers were experiencing more independence and freedom than what their parents had as teenagers.  Popular musicians at the time included none other than Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis.

                                        

Clothing fads included Guys wearing their hair longer with sideburns and slicked back with grease. They also wore jeans and leather jackets (with the collar turned up to be “cool”) and the girls wore ponytails, poodle skirts, pedal pushers, and scarves.  

Although, times were changing, major changes didn’t take place until the 1960’s, which saw a shift in morals, attitudes, family life, race relations, and overall feelings about the government. To many, this is why the 1950’s are seen as the best time, when families and morals were intact and times were much simpler and enjoyable.

                                     

July Blogging Challenge Day 6

If you could spend 15 minutes with any celebrity who would it be and why??

If I could spend 15 minutes with a celebrity I would choose Princess Diana.  She has always intrigued me... Her poise and grace in handling both herself and others I have always admired and I would bid for a bit of time with her to ask her how she did this along with how she handled balancing her life and dealing with the judgmental world she faced at optimal levels day in and day out.  

"Everyone of us needs to show how much we care for each other and, in the process, care for ourselves."

"I don't go by the rule book... I lead from the heart, not the head."  

 ~Princess Diana

"A dream is a wish your heart makes...."

If you haven't already noticed I changed the title of my blog from Allured by Christ Through His Mercy to Eden.  The origin of Eden is of course from the book of Genesis in the Bible.  It is the Hebrew word for 'paradise'.  It also means 'delight.'

Why the change?  Well this word has been heavy on my heart for some time now for lots of different reasons, right now, for me the word represents 'beautiful', 'pure' and 'new beginnings'... 

I feel as though God planted this word in my heart for many reasons, some beyond my dreams!  If you'll recall back about a year ago I created a Vision Board with all kinds of dreams I have for the future.  Well, one of the boards included my BIG dream of having a flower/gift/coffee shop.  While I was in the hospital and working on some therapeutic matters my dream was re-awaken, but this time with a name... EDEN!  With this name came the acronym:

Extending forgiveness

Dispelling guilt & shame

Embracing unconditional love

Navigating truth

The acronym reflects more of what Eden has meant to me in my journey to forgive, love and accept myself as I am just as the Lord does.  This is something I have to do and all the time because I am super hard on myself, in fact, I am my own worse enemy.  This self-hate has caused me time and time again to pick up my lovely eating disorder as a means to feel control over whatever it was that I messed up.  And then the vicious cycle is begins again... I get mad at myself for 'failing' and using my eating disorder yet again to 'feel better' and so rather than forgive myself and move on I practice my eating disorder more and believe the LIE that it is the only thing I am good at.  So now, day by day, sometimes hour by hour, I am working on being more gentle with myself by extending forgiveness, dispelling guilt and shame and loving myself unconditionally just as the Lord does.


My hope is that Eden would be a place where this acronym can be reflected into the lives of others... I see Eden as either a shop I own and run on my own or have it connected to some type of ministry or program that gives individuals who go through their program the opportunity to work and share their talents at Eden.  Either way Eden will  be a place people can count on to have just the right gift or floral arrangement to brighten someone's day, but also a safe haven to come sit and relax at with a cup of coffee and pastry, comforting tunes and friendly faces.
      

Honestly this all seems quite impossible... my dream seems too BIG, too far fetched.  But I am going to hold onto to several of God's promises and do my part to make my dream come true believing that this dream will do more than touch my heart, but to the heart's of many others.

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matt.19:26

"Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." Ps. 37:4 

He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”  Matt. 17:20

Goals for 2011

 And the LORD answered me: "Write the vision; make it 
plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.
For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—
it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay."  --Habakkuk 2:2-3

Daily

*Be more gentle with myself

*Be consistent with my vitamins

*Set aside quiet time for each day

*Work on balance, variety & moderation in every aspect of my life

*Drink more water

*Laugh more

*Allow my inner desires, wants and intuition... the Holy Spirit, 

to shape the choices I make throughout each day

Weekly

*Hang out with a friend at least once a week

*Eat out 1-2x a week

*Work on a few exercises from Beautiful You: A Daily Guide to Radical Self-Acceptance

*Treat myself to dessert

*Pamper myself (massage, pedicure, movie)

*Journal

Monthly

*Attend Recovery at The Village Church

*Meet with support system

*Give to church

*Save some $$$$

For the Year

*Attend Passion 2011

*Graduate from University of North Texas

*Hawaii with my family

*Start searching/interviewing for a job

*Hopefully get a new car, or at least start looking for one!

*See some of my Mercy Sisters

Things I want to work on incorporating throughout the new year:

*Read more

*Face some fear foods

*Get to a place where I can workout again

*Better manage my free time
*Love & accept myself as a person & my body as God's temple

*Cook more actual meals

*Go to the grocery store less

Hopes, Dreams & Desires of my heart...

VISION BOARD TO COME!

**Disclaimer: Additional goals may be added throughout the year**

What's most important to you for 2011?