Hiking.

Hollywood Hills.

Last Friday BJ and I decided to visit Griffith Park and the Observatory. We wanted to get outside and enjoy the beautiful day and get our workout in at the same time. It was our first time visiting so we parked our car at the bottom of the park, put the girls in their stroller and started our trek up the hill. We worked up quite a sweat in just a few minutes of pushing the stroller up the windy, steep hill. When we arrived at the Observatory we were speechless. The view that overlooked the city of Los Angeles was incredible. The place was flooded with tourists, students and other locals just like us. We noticed a lot of people had parked their car at the Observatory and were actually hiking up the mountain. It looked like fun and since we weren't quite ready to go home, we decided to journey up what they call the "Hollywood Hills."

Every week I highlight a TRUTH about you, your life, or about a situation you may be facing and then I DARE you to believe it. 

Here are this week's TRUTH or DARE. 

 

 

TRUTH: "I'm running around, I got my feet on the ground."-Collbie Caillat

DARE: Live outside the box.

Gone Hiking.

Last Friday BJ and I decided to visit Griffith Park and the Observatory. We wanted to get outside and enjoy the beautiful day and get our workout in at the same time. It was our first time visiting so we parked our car at the bottom of the park, put the girls in their stroller and started our trek up the hill. We worked up quite a sweat in just a few minutes of pushing the stroller up the windy, steep hill. When we arrived at the Observatory we were speechless. The view that overlooked the city of Los Angeles was incredible. The place was flooded with tourists, students and other locals just like us. We noticed a lot of people had parked their car at the Observatory and were actually hiking up the mountain. It looked like fun and since we weren't quite ready to go home, we decided to journey up what they call the "Hollywood Hills."

Vantage Point.

With every windy turn and new set of ground to cover, the hills offered different "look outs" giving us a new vantage point of the city. What we thought was an incredible view from the Observatory became second best as we hiked up the mountain.  At each new "look out" we were convinced that this was the best view of the city! And it was. Until we climbed higher and discovered the next "best view of the city."

Higher.

Once we picked up on the trend that if we climbed higher we would experience greater and more amazing sites we were determined to hike all the way to the top. Let me remind you that our girls now weigh over 20 pounds each and when combined with their stroller, we were easily pushing over 50 pounds up the mountain. The sun was now shining down on us at about 90 degrees and the mountain was well a mountain. We weren't quite sure why people were cheering us on as we passed them on the mountain until we realized that we were the only people hiking up the Hollywood Hills with a jogging stroller. Not only that, but I will even go further and say that we were the only people running up the mountain. They waived, smiled, shouted and even clapped as they saw us climb higher. 

Moments.

This entire hike was filled with BLOG moments for me. Each time we took a few seconds to stop and experience the new vantage point I was encouraged to go higher! Just when I thought it couldn't get any better it did. When we live out the life we were meant to live our life will keep getting better and better. When we choose to go higher, we will find out that there are a whole lot of small moments that make getting to our goals/dreams/desires seem second best. 

I am addicted to hiking and I think BJ and I are going to do it more often. Have you ever been on a hike? If so, tell me about your experience in the comment box below.

Every week I highlight a TRUTH about you, your life, or about a situation you may be facing and then I DARE you to believe it. 

Here are this week's TRUTH or DARE.

TRUTH: “Some moments are nice, some are nicer, some are even worth
                   writing about.” -Charles Bukowski

DARE: Don't overlook the moments, instead embrace them.

Me & the Girls!!

Vantage Point.

Vantage Point.

We Bought A Zoo.

OK, well we didn't quite buy a Zoo, but we took a trip to the Zoo last week with some very special friends. It was an amazing experience! If you live in California or planning to make a visit, the San Diego Zoo is a must see. It was the first time we had ever been and it was a day I will never forget. The girls loved every single second of the day. They love animals and any animal that looked like it roared they roared at it. They pointed at the animals, the trees and just about anything and everything they found interesting. My favorite was when they would say, "Oh WOW!!!" over and over again as they experienced something for the very first time. When we would walk up to a new area they would immediately say, "Oh WOW!!!" I could tell that they hadn't quite seen the bear or the jaguar, but they new we were going to see something exciting. I would stare at them until I witnessed them actually SEEING what it was we were looking at. Many of the animals would almost blend in with their surroundings and it was difficult at times to see them. The girls would be distracted by the environment (trees, rocks, flowers, or other people standing around) and so it would take us standing there for a just a while before their eyes light up, their jaw would drop and out of sheer amazement they would clinch their fists and just stare in awe. Their expression said it all.

Oh WOW!!!

This past weekend we rented the movie, "We Bought A Zoo." If you haven't seen it yet, I urge you to rent it this weekend. It is an inspiring movie. I had been wanting to see the movie since it came out in theaters, but ever since our Zoo trip last week I really wanted to see it. There are a lot of great moments within that movie, but one moment in particular stood out to me. I had a BLOG moment. There is a special moment shared by a father and his son. When talking about fears and about life, he explains to his son that, "Sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of insane courage. Just 20 seconds of embarrassing bravery and I promise you something great will come of it." What amazing advise!

Insane Courage.

 It felt as though someone had raised the volume during this scene in the movie because of how loud and clear I heard it! When was the last time you experienced insane courage? When was the last time you did something so daring it freaked you out just thinking about it? I began to ask myself these same questions. This past year has seemed like a year filled with 20 second insanely courageous decisions. It is so funny to me because I am a big baby when it comes snakes, heights, and other Fear Factor type of things but there is an adventurous insanely courageous person inside of me that is always looking to take a risk!


Embarrassing Bravery.


I think bravery and embarrassing should be considered synonyms. In order to be a brave person you have to be willing to be embarrassed. Daring plans aren't predictable nor are they anything like an insurance plan. That is why they are called daring plans. "More often than not, the will of God will involve a daring decision that seem unsafe or even insane." Mark Batterson, Wild Goose Chase. Insane courage means that you and I dream dreams that we can not achieve on our own and by doing so we run the risk of being embarrassed if what we are believing to happen will not happen. But being an insanely courageous person means that we do not look at a situation and think, "What if it doesn't work out?", but instead we think, "What will I miss if I don't try?" 


Something Great.


I can honestly say that something great has always come out of doing something insanely courageous. It doesn't always mean sky diving out of an airplane. Forgiving someone who has wronged you will always lead to something great. It may not result in a repaired relationship, but it could grant you the freedom and healing you need to move with your life. Loving someone who is unlovely takes insane courage. Giving of your time (when you can not even find the time to do anything else) to help someone in need takes courage. If it is going to take more than your own efforts and if it scares you just thinking about it, then you can call it insane courage and you can take it to the bank that something great will come of it.


20 Seconds.


You've got twenty seconds to comment in the box below and tell me what insanely courageous thing you are going to do!






Every week I highlight a TRUTH & DARE you to believe it. Here are this weeks TRUTH or DARE.







TRUTH: "The twenty-first century needs more daring people with daring plans." Mark Batterson






DARE: Do something insanely courageous.

Value.

A lot has changed since I have become a mom. Even if I tried, I don't think I could possibly list all the things that have changed in my life. I am not the same person I was before I had the girls. Most of you who have been following my journey know that most of what I talk about these days are my girls. They have taught me so much about who I am, who I want to become, where I need to change, and where I need to be better. They have taught me how to love deeper, forgive sooner and that no matter what happens in a matter of 24 hours, there is no such thing as a bad day. These days they are carrying on full conversations with each other and to anyone who will listen. I don't know everything they are trying to say, but coupled with their blabber is a lot of hand motions, facial expressions and finger pointing that help get their point across. They are so much fun! They love to sing and dance, especially to worship music. They lift their hands, sing and even close their eyes. Those moments are truly priceless. Seeing them worship their creator melts my heart, I could only imagine what it does to Jesus, the one who created them. I love seeing them grow up right before my eyes and I feel I am the most blessed person on this earth to be their mommy. I stare at them all the time and get lost in many moments. They brighten up my every day. Kennedi and Brooklyn have added to my life what no other person or thing has ever been able to do. I take advantage of every moment, every diaper change, every single second I have to stop what I am doing to hold them, love on them or give them my undivided attention. 

Mommy.

Last week as I was doing what every mommy finds herself doing most days: straightening up the family room, putting away the toys, searching for the remote that was buried in the toys bin, taking out meat from the freezer, (while crossing my fingers hoping that it will thaw out in time to prepare dinner) pouring Drano down the bathtub because our apartment has horrible plumbing, and cleaning up the kitchen all before the girls wake up from their nap I was stopped dead in my tracks. I had a moment, yes a BLOG moment. I felt as though the Lord  reminded me of something I can often lose sight of. He said, "you are valuable. Your value is found in what I have done for you, not given to you by anything you can ever do or accomplish."

Speaker.

Last week I had the amazing opportunity to speak to a group of world changers. It was a great experience and I was so honored to have been asked to share with them about God's faithfulness. As I was walking back to my car and thanking God for a great morning I had another moment, yes a BLOG moment. I felt as though the Lord reminded me once again. He said, "you are valuable. Your value is found in what I have done for you, not given to you by anything you can ever do or accomplish."

Dreamer.

This past weekend as BJ and I were talking and dreaming about how we are going to help change the world I had another moment, yes a BLOG moment. I felt as though the Lord reminded me once again. He said, ""you are valuable. Your value is found in what I have done for you, not given to you by anything you can ever do or accomplish."

 

Father.

I've always wanted to make those in my life proud of me and my accomplishments. Not in a prideful way, but in a way that honors them as my parent, friend, sister, wife, boss, pastor etc. I don't want to let anyone down, including God. Many times in my life I have looked to God as my coach or CEO, but not enough times looking to Him as Father. This past year I feel as though I have realized that God doesn't want to be my coach or the CEO in my life, but He wants to be my Father. A coach or a CEO puts a certain amount of value on a person based on that person's achievements and accomplishments. A father sees His son or daughter as valuable no matter what that person could ever achieve or accomplish, for the good or the bad. 

Valued.

My daughters couldn't possibly make me love them or value them more if they tried. No matter what they do in a single day, my love for them is the same. They are valuable to me because they are mine. A lot of things happened this past week, days where I seemed to have accomplished a lot and days where I may not have. What I learned is that no matter what I do or don't do, I am still valuable. Not because of what I have done but because I belong to the Lord and what He did for me on the cross gives me value. 

Easter.

I thought it was fitting to share with you what I learned this past week since this Sunday is Easter, one of my most favorite Holidays. It is my reminder that it is not about anything we can accomplish on this earth  but it is all about what He has already accomplished for us that will last forever. He was crucified. He was buried. He was raised back to life. These things that HE accomplished give us HOPE and life everlasting. 

Maybe you are like me and your deepest desire is to be someone who has accomplished much in this lifetime. Never lose sight of that, but as you change the world, make a difference and accomplish great things for God know that, "you are valuable. Your value is found in what I have done for you, not given to you by anything you can ever do or accomplish."

TRUTH:  "It is not about what WE have accomplished that gives us value, but instead it is what HE has accomplished." - Me.

DARE: Let me know that you believe it and leave a comment in the box below that reads, " I am valuable, my value is found in what God has done for me not given to me by anything I can ever do or accomplish."