BIOY and schedule your priorities

BIOY means Bible in One Year :) I am challenging you to dive into Bible reading in 2020. Also, I challenge you to schedule your priorities and I tell you about running in the bitter cold.

Sunday Seven

1 • I believe in learning from my life. I know that when I have an extra busy week, I need to rest more. This practice gives me margin to face whatever comes my way. I made myself rest more this past week. It helped me a lot. I have this habit of inserting rest, even when I am working full-time. What I don't want is to be tired and stressed out all the time.

2 • I love Podcasting. It requires a different rhythm than other media. I enjoy connecting in a different way. I enjoy being a voice of encouragement. I hope you are listening. I am also looking for topic suggestion from my friends. Reach out and let me know what you'd like to speak about.

3 • Zeke and I have birthdays and anniversary coming up. I love celebrating every day with him. Moving has colored every facet of our lives, including with whom we celebrate. I haven't decided on my birthday. Last year, I decided not to orchestrate it. It worked. This upcoming year, I need to decide on what exactly I want to do.

4 • We started having friends over for meals. It is such a joy to practice hospitality. We are a family that believes in having open doors, open table, and open hearts. Sharing a meal is good. Enjoying unhurried time getting to know the other is my favorite thing ever.

5 • I'm amazed at the amount of work I do for someone who is not working full-time outside of the home yet. Housekeeping, writing, translating, errands, studying and helping my family takes a lot of time. I keep reminding myself that my vision drives me. I also choose to drop everything and see people in real life. The conversations I've had are a blessing. I was created for connecting and connecting with others I will.

6 • We have been speaking about generosity at church. I felt challenged to be generous with my time. I am listening to God's call to be generous when it comes to giving my time to someone. It would be easy to say I'm busy and I have a lot to do. I prefer to obey and to give myself to others. So far, the results have blessed me a lot. Trusting God is the only way to be effectively generous with our time and talents.

7 • A few years ago, I started Weight Watchers before Haloween. It seemed crazy but now I'm healthier than before. I learned that excuses will not improve my health; being proactive will. I guess I'm trying to say that you can let go of your excuses. You can take small steps towards being healthier. Start today and watch the results pile up. 

Goal Getter

What do you get when you add Vision + Focus + Small Steps + Repetition? You get the life you always wanted! Tune in this week and get some inspiration to reach your goal!

Notes:
• Barba Coffee Co (use code: SIMPLYCINTIAFRIENDS for 15% off your order!)

Meal Plan

The smell of baked goods and beans are a clear sign that we are indeed home. I started cooking for the family a week after we arrived in our new home.

I had a conversation with someone who does not know me well the other day. She asked if I cook dinner every night. It turns out, I cook most of our meals. I only make a list of dinner because the leftovers are enough to give us lunch for the entire week.

I'm a fan of oatmeal for breakfast. I didn't grow up eating oats, but in my early married years I read about the wonderful nutrition packed in them. I have a feeling my kids might not be oatmeal fans when they grow up. The important thing is to at least know what these nutritious foods taste like.

Most weeks, we have a variation of foods such as the following list.

Sunday - Brazilian salpicão • an easy and delicious Brazilian recipe.
Tuesday - Street Tacos • the kids love tacos!
Wednesday - Pizza and salad • I buy it from Aldi. Easy for for a busy night.
Thursday - Crockpot chili and cornbread • We love chili. This recipe is our favorite.
Friday - Spaghetti • I actually haven't tried this specific recipe but I will try it this week.
Saturday - Leftovers • the best part of doing all this cooking is eating leftovers (and sending them to school with the kids for lunch!)

What are you having for dinner this week?

Sunday Seven

1 • It takes a while for my physical surroundings to catch up with the fact that home is where I make it. I know I will get there. I am one month in this transition and I have no doubt we are supposed to be here. Going through this transition has been challenging but God is giving me grace. I am learning from previous moves. I am practicing what I believe. I am sure that this land is fruitful, good and exactly where we are supposed to be. 

2 • Last week was busy but thank God, I balanced it well with rest. I know that if I don't rest, I can't have an ideal day. Resting is a discipline worth practicing daily. Rest is a powerful tool.

3 • I have a lot of compassion for people going through a tough spot in life. I pray that they will have the help, empathy and strength they need to life an abundant life. I also hope they speak up.

4 • We are around 10 weeks away from the Houston Marathon. It feels like that's a long way to go but it will be here before I know it. This is the time to trust my training. It is also the time to persist and work towards my goal, even when it is difficult. I find that often, training for the marathon is the greatest challenge of all. Running 26.2 miles seems like a culmination, even a coronation of sorts.

5 • I've been watching some interesting foreign movies on weekends. I watched an interesting moving based in Kygyzstan. I also watched a few movies and documentaries about writers during this transition to our new home in East Texas. Writing and writers are fascinating.

6 • Today is day 307 of my Bible in One Year plan. I am really enjoying rearing the Bible in Portuguese. It's hard to believe how quickly 2019 went by. The small steady steps we take towards our goals really matter.

7 • I am starting to think about my 2020 goals. I like to start the new year with them which means I have 8 weeks to write them down. Before that happens, I need to analyze my 2019 goals. The optimist in me believes I can still achieve them.