The Cost

I've always wanted to do many things in my life.  There are so many things I want to learn and be better at.  Growing up, I've always been blessed with opportunities to develop my skills.  I would start out excited, envisioning myself to be the next greatest tennis player, or have an artwork that would sell for millions, or owning my own multi-national company.  But as I start training, practicing, studying I get bored, I get impatient and those wonderful pictures my mind conjured becomes a blur.  Somewhat like an unattainable fantasy.  So I go back just living within my comforts.

For many years, I've lived in such a way where I'll do what's needed to get by the level (so to speak) where I'm at.  Stepping out of my comfortable bubble isn't for me.  Imagine all the movies, travels, dinners, fun activities I'd miss just to hit some yellow ball over and over again, or get my hands all messy with paint, or read some boring book teaching me how to count.  

But there came a point in my life when I realized that getting the gratification I wanted in an instant isn't  making me live a purposeful life.  Yes, I've had fun experiences but it didn't bring a lasting value in my life.  It reached a point where I was just too tired from being comfortable.

I'm so thankful that God didn't give up on me and in His sovereignty He not only worked on my mind and heart but also gave me new opportunities to enable me to start living for the purposes He set for me.  I recall a friend praying that God was giving me new soil for old seeds.  It was about having a new perspective in living.  When you think about it, we often go through similar things in life, it's really about how we view it and act upon it.  What helped me see things differently is determining the things I valued.  I remember Michelle and I, together with some other friends sat down to list and share the things we valued.  This really transformed our outlook and since then served as a guide to the decisions we make.  

Now, God has really entrusted so many things to me.  I have responsibilities at home, I help manage two businesses, I'm the co-blogger of My Doolally, I'm part of Bible studies, I've been working on my painting, I take care of my pugs and I've been training in tennis.  It's really exciting and I'm really expectant!  However, there are days when I have to make a conscious decision to commit to my purposes.  There is a cost to my comfort.  I have to step up even if I feel timid or shy, I have to start my day early even if it feels so good to stay in bed, I have to increase my knowledge by reading instead of catching the latest movie, I have to attend meetings instead of meeting up with friends.  A lot of days, I would whine, I would complain, I would want to escape.  Maybe because these aren't decisions that the old me would have made and delaying gratification is something new to me.  Yet, I wouldn't trade where I am now for anything because I feel God's approval and pleasure like I've never before.  It is such a privilege and a joy to be living out what God has planned for my life.

Doing As I Do

As my kids get older, the more I realise a powerful yet equally challenging truth: my kids do as I do, not so much as I say. If I tell my kids to be kind but respond to them unkindly, they will most likely learn to be unkind. If I tell my kids to be patient, but act impatiently towards them, guess what they will pickup? Impatience. In the same way, if I show them a good example, they'll most likely follow that lead.

This is why it's so important to me to teach and show them what's right and what's wrong.

The world can be a confusing place for a kid with all the mixed messages he or she gets. Most of the world makes money, cars, things, fame, and human recognition the most important things, but we know from the Bible that these things are not only fleeting but harmful when turned into obsessions. I don't want my kids to care more about cars than they do about the drivers. I don't want them so impressed with the size of a house that they forget the household help. And I realised that left to normal influences they'll think that things are more important than people, and when they don't get their way, they won't treat others properly. I have to show them that people are way more valuable than any material thing - and this I can only teach through lessening my own materialism, showing them kindness, treating people who serve us generously, and displaying the attitudes I teach. There's no other way. Kids are too smart to fall for cheap words. They'll pick-up what they see.

If I want to teach my kids the value of money and hard work, they need to see me working hard, persevering, saving, not taking short-cuts, or using others. I want to show them that hard work isn't bad, and that working on something is a rewarding thing. I'm grateful Coco Cakes allows me to do that and is business we're all proud of.

This is also why the influences on my kids, their friends and who I call my friends, are important. I want to be able to tell my kids to follow this man's example, or this is how a lady should behave, or this is the kind of humility that we should pray for. It's so easy for them to get blinded by status and what's cool for now.

As many of you know, I'm a single mom. Many people ask me, "How are you able to balance everything?" I tell them that I can't, that I'm thankful to God for His help and for really surrounding me with people who have helped me in the areas I lack. I'm so grateful for the wiser people who have advised me. I'm so grateful for those who help me with Coco Cakes, and for those who have helped me in the past. A lot of what I'm doing is new, and it's such a great feeling to feel real support, and to see people acting out their love. It's really taught me so much on how I should treat others too.

I really want to teach them, to show them, that people, even those others treat lowly, should be treated with dignity.

Among the different things I want to teach my kids, teaching them to put others first is one of the top. I know this isn't always easy to train in a materialistic and "me-first" world, but I know I have a chance if I do it myself and show them how.

Going Paleo

I decided to get into the Paleo diet for a month.  I've had friends who've done it and had impressive results, some even decided to make it their lifestyle.  The Paleolithic diet, also known as Caveman diet, as the name suggests, is a diet modeled from the ancient era where people would hunt and gather for food.

Basically, the diet restricts you from intaking dairy, grains, sugar, starch, processed food, soy and legumes.  Thus, the bulk of what you eat are lean proteins, fruits, vegetables.  Here is a helpful infographic that best explains the diet:

A month of doing Paleo served as a learning experience for me.  It helped me beyond just physical benefits.  Here are the things that I gained from getting into the diet:

Control over appetite.  One of the main reason I decided to go into a diet is because I've noticed how my cravings have started to take control over me.  There was a point where I started giving in to my every urge to eat.  The more this happened the more my appetite was insatiable.  I had to take action to put my flesh in its rightful place.  A lot of the food that I craved for like sweets, dairy, bread where not allowed in the Paleo diet.  So deliberately cutting off those food made me develop self-control.

Creativity and resourcefulness.  I'm a foodie.  I love to cook and eat good food.  I have a palette for flavors.  Paleo put me in a position where I was limited with the ingredients I could use to cook.  It challenged me to come up with something delicious that was within the boundaries of the allowable food of the diet.  Luckily, there are tons of sites online with really good recipes.  After researching and trying out some recipes, I was able to come up with my own.

Here are some of the Paleo friendly meals I made:

 

Well-being.  Making a decision to live a healthy lifestyle does wonders not only physically but also mentally and emotionally.  One of the benefits of Paleo that was really evident to me was feeling energized.  I was less tired and felt like I had more strength for my activities (work, workout, tennis).  This made me feel more productive.

Perseverance.  I cannot really quantify my results in the basis of a weighing scale.  I would weigh myself almost every 3 days and still be stuck in the same weight I started.  It actually made me feel discouraged because I felt like I'm cutting all the yummy food for nothing.  My friends would tell me that the scale wasn't an accurate basis because I had to look at my progress in terms of body mass or inches.  I had to really stick to my commitment to the diet for a month.  I did feel like it was effective because my clothes seem to be looser and I can see that my stubborn body fat has shrunk (whew!).

As it is often stressed, a healthy diet is good but it should always be done with proper exercise.  It works hand in hand. During the course of my diet, I didn't stop working out.  I did Crossfit, tennis and plyometrics.  Paleo was perfect because it fueled my activities and helped me achieve results.

Learning to Learn Again

One of the most amazing things about being a mother is watching my children grow up. When I say grow up, I don't only mean taller or bigger or stronger, I also mean smarter, more intelligent, and, with constant encouragement and discipline, more mature and purposeful. Sometimes, when I look at their kid pictures, I'm so surprised at how fast they've grown. And when having conversations with them, I realize how fast they absorb things and how they're now processing ideas. My eldest, Lucas, who loves to read and is highly intelligent, always comes up to me with new words and ideas that I have to admit confuses me sometimes. Andres, my second, has a totally different set of gifts, picks things up fast, from cooking and baking to sports. Of course, my Natalia, who has stretched so much the past few months, always imagining, always laughing, asking questions, and thinking of things we can do together.

What a blessing it is to be a mom!

Chaos!

Finally!

Watching my children grow, I realized that I have to grow myself. I cannot say, "I'm the adult here. I know what to do." Frankly, many times, I don't know what to do. I have to learn. In fact, I have to learn to learn again. And I don't mean learn a new hobby, or learn a new exercise routine, or a new reciple. I mean learn how to grow as a person. Learn like I used to in school, absorbing lessons, absorbing experiences, and using them to grow. I need to go back to being curious and open without losing the lessons already learned.

Most of all, I need to be a student of my relationships if I want them to grow. I love God, but I know there's so much about Him that I don't know. For some reason, I've found Him more now than ever with less material things and more pressure. These days, I feel like I can't do anything right, which I know is a lie, but the little criticisms of people get to me. I'm learning not to listen too much to the opinions of man but to pray. Maybe that's really His way of showing me that He is my protector and provider. Maybe it's His way of teaching me trust. I need to keep learning that and growing in faith.

I also need to learn from and about my kids. Sure I do know more than them and I know I'm here to lead them, but I also know that God can speak to me through them. I also know that there is wisdom, creativity, and insight behind their bright eyes. I need to learn their music and talk to them about it. I need to learn the shows they watch (when they do watch). I need to learn about their books, their subjects, their lessons. I need to learn more about their friends, their dreams, and their hopes. I need to learn how to teach them to trust in God, and to apply faith in their different situations.

I also need to learn to grow as a friend. I shouldn't get too familiar with friends and think they'll always be there and will never change. People's circumstances are always changing and it affects us all differently. We need to be willing to reach out and care.

There's so much I need to learn, and just thinking about it can get overwhelming. But not knowing isn't the end, in fact it's the start, if we are willing to learn to learn again.

Our Heart's Song

Music has the power to express and draw out certain emotions.  There's always a song that touches you at a particular way in a specific time, there's always a song that you hear that floods your emotions back to a certain situation in your life and there are songs that uplifts you or highlights your feeling towards someone or something.  Music is a wonderful gift that speaks to our hearts.  Music is part of us.

Since music has such a great effect in our lives, let our hearts compose a wonderful symphony.  Let's give our hearts a chance to be true to the depth of its joy, pain, triumph, failures, anger, laughter.  Let us let go of pretenses and allow our hearts to melt in the midst of a melody that sings along with our  Heavenly Father.  Let us let Him be the high note.  His love the chorus that repeatedly reminds us of its certainty and fervor.

Like the Psalms of David, so sincere, so true, so real, so transcendant, so humble... May our hearts have a lasting song to sing...

A song of being loved by a perfect king.

A song of gratitude for a price that can never be paid.

A song of hope in the midst of anguish.

A song of praising a beauty that only He can offer.

A song of a heart that chooses to love.

May God put a new song in our hearts today that we may experience something wonderful that only music can give.

My heart, O Lord, is steadfast;I will sing and make music with all my soul.Awake, harp and lyre!I will awaken the dawn.Psalm 108:1-2

3 Simple Power Uppers

Whether you're a single mom like me taking care of what seems like an army of kids at times, or any mom for that matter, or a student with never ending homework, or a businesswoman beating deadlines and meeting people, or an athlete preparing for a competition, we all need a lot of energy to do everything we have and want to do. We need to fill ourselves with something to help power us through the day - because people need us to step up, particularly, in my case, my kids need me.

Here are 5 simple things to help you power-up to step-up.

Drink: get a lot of water.
This has always been my problem even as a young girl, I just never drank enough. Staying hydrated is important to staying healthy and energetic. Web MD writes:

"Your body is composed of about 60% water. The functions of these bodily fluids include digestion, absorption, circulation, creation of saliva, transportation of nutrients, and maintenance of body temperature."

 And here's even better news:

"What works with weight loss is if you choose water or a non-caloric beverage over a caloric beverage and/or eat a diet higher in water-rich foods that are healthier, more filling, and help you trim calorie intake," says Penn State researcher Barbara Rolls, PhD, author of The Volumetrics Weight Control Plan."

I also read somewhere that drinking water is an effective antidote to feelings of fatigue or confusion. These may be signs that you are dehydrated. Uh-oh!!

Who knew water could do all of that? Health, energy, and weight loss!

Now my aim is to drink 8 glasses, or 2 liters of water a day. Sounds difficult for a non-drinker like me, right? The trick is to break the quantity down so I drink 1/2 glass every 30 minutes, or 1/4 glass every 15 minutes.

Natural Fruit Juices: easy-to-make supercharged smoothies

Fight your next low-energy slump by trying one of these easy-to-make supercharged juices and smoothies. Consume foods rich in potassium, like oranges, bananas and apricots, to replenish your energy if you've been very active. These can even be taken before or after your workout.

WAKE-UP CALL: packed with energy-giving B vitamins

Blend 1 cup rice/soy milk, 1 banana, 4 dried apricots, 1 Tbsp. flaxseed, 1 tsp. honey and a sprinkle of nutmeg until smooth.

BERRY BUZZ: a burst of Vitamin C

Blend strawberries and blueberries, then add cranberry juice and a squeeze of lime.

You can also put them into popsicles for your kids to enjoy. Just put the smoothies on a popsicle maker. If you don't have one, you can use a cup and stick a popsicle stick in the middle.

Rest: get enough sleep.
Another "yikes" for me here. I always feel like there's not enough hours in the day. It's important for your health to have a sound sleep every night. Many people, like me, take it for granted and I notice that as I age (double yikes!) I find it increasingly difficult to achieve a good night's sleep.

Here are some tips for bedtime bliss:

1. Try to go to bed and get up at the same time -- or within an hour of your usual time.
2. Caffeine is a stimulant that is found in coffee, chocolate (boohoo!), and tea (double boohoo!) Avoid these for several hours before bedtime. Experiment to see what suits you and your body: some people find caffeine consumed any time after 10 am is enough to prevent them from sleeping.

3. Regular exercise should guarantee a good night's sleep, but try to complete your workout at least 2 hours before going to bed.

4. Establish a calming bedtime ritual, such as a soak in a warm bath. Add a few drops of relaxing lavender essential oil.

5. Use your bedroom only for sleeping. Set aside another time and place for planning, thinking and worrying so you are less likely to toss and turn at night.

I notice when I zoom in on these things: enough water, natural juices, and adequate exercise I don't get lethargic throughout the day. Since I need all the energy I can get with all the things I'm juggling everyday, I focus on the things that are readily available to me.

Healthy Breakfast Hash

I love breakfast food but I don't particularly enjoy waking up early to cook.  I realized that its one meal that I shouldn't miss because it fuels my energy for the day.  In order to be able to prepare a hearty breakfast, I started making weekly meal plans.  This helped determine beforehand the ingredients needed and the cook time and procedures.  I researched on different breakfast dishes and came up with a lot of really delicious and healthy choices.  It also expanded my cooking creativity as I would tweak some recipes or come up with a new one altogether.

One of my favorite breakfast dish is Breakfast Hash.  Most recipes I came across with make use of potatoes but since I'm currently doing the Paleo Diet, I substituted potatoes for zucchini and squash.

Here's the recipe:

   Ingredients:
   1 cup of shredded zucchini
   1 cup of shredded squash or pumpkin
   3 tbsp of flour (I used almond flour for Paleo)
   2 tsp salt
   2 tsp pepper
   2 tsp marjoram
   olive oil
   2 eggs
   1 sausage of your choice

   1. Use a grater to shred zucchini and squash into shoestring.  Squeeze the veggies to drain the water stored in it.  Mix in flour and combine in salt, pepper and marjoram.

  2. Heat olive oil in a skillet.  Cook the shoestring zucchini and squash until golden brown.  Set aside.

   3. Fry two eggs sunny side up (medium cooked) and cook the sausage of your choice.
   4. Place the eggs and sausages on top of the vegetable hash.

   Optional: Drizzle with mayonnaise or aioli for added flavor

I hope you'll enjoy this healthy breakfast treat!  We will be posting more breakfast recipes soon!