Coffee - It does the morning good

I love my morning cup of Joe. It's the first thing I reach for each morning. I loved flavored coffee and flavored creamer as well. I don't like the added sugar and calories though. So, as an alternative I've started adding my own flavorings and spices. It's really all taste preference. Listed below is one of my favorite combos. Give it try and see for yourself. Feel free to experiment with different spices in your own kitchen and leave me some suggestions.

1 cup brewed coffee 

Dash Cinnamon

A couple drops Vanilla Extract

Stevia to taste

Heavy Cream to taste

Cheers! 

Change is always good and necessary for a better life.

Why Trying Harder Won't Change Your Life

by Joyce Meyer

Change is necessary – it’s part of life.

And most people would say they want change in their lives. They want circumstances to change, people to change, the world to change… And it seems it rarely occurs to us that we need to change.

The truth is, you probably have a lot more to do with change happening than you realize. You can’t keep doing things the way you’ve always done them and hope or expect to get a different result.

For years I tried to make things in my life change and didn’t get anywhere. I would read the Bible and try. I would go to church and hear a message and try. Then I would tell God how hard I was trying, thinking maybe He’d feel sorry for me. And then I would go into my “drama” and say, “I just give up, God…”

The problem was, I was “trying” in my own strength, and I needed God’s help. I needed to realize the truth about myself and my situation before I could get His help and see results.

How to Change Your Life

I’ve discovered that things in your life will change when you first change your mind. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world…but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God…” (The Amplified Bible).

So how do we renew our mind? With the Word of God! It is full of life and has power to change us. But we can’t just read it and expect to be victorious Christians. We have to study it.

Think of it this way. You wouldn’t go to a doctor who didn’t study, would you? And no one expects to become a doctor without studying.

It’s the same way for us. To really know the Word of God and be changed by the Truth, we have to study. And we have to be patient and persevere. I thank God for what I know, but it’s taken more than thirty years for me to know it. And I’m still learning every single day.

What Are You Meditating On?

Part of studying is meditating – rolling something over and over in your mind or pondering it. If you know how to worry, you know how to meditate. It’s usually not hard to meditate on a problem all day long, if you let yourself. I call this kind of thinking “stinkin’ thinkin’.”

We don’t really know how messed up our thinking is until we study God’s Word and realize what we should be thinking. The Word is like a mirror – it shows us the way we should be and the way we are. Until I looked in the Word, I thought everybody else was the problem, not me.

So, what’s been on your mind lately? Stop and think about what you’ve been thinking about. If it’s stinkin’ thinkin’, change it. The good news is, you can think whatever you want to think.

You can change. Everything is subject to change except God Himself.

But you have to stop wasting your time saying things like, “My life is never going to change. My finances are never going to change. My marriage and children will never change…”

Start saying what the Word says: “All things are possible with God. And I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!” And think about good things so there’s no room for bad things.

Do your own thinking – don’t let the devil do it for you.

Finally, be daring in your prayers. Be bold and tell God, “I want You to change me. I want You to use me to change anything in the world that you want to use me for. I believe that You can change anything – me, my circumstances, my family, my marriage, my finances – there’s nothing You can’t change. I know change won’t be easy, but I’m committed to be where You want me to be at all times. I won’t sit here and give in to stinkin’ thinkin’ anymore.”

Supporting My Hubby

Hi friends!

It's been a really long time since I posted anything. I apologize, been a little busy. My husband came to me about a year ago and stated that he wanted to start his own company. So, trying to be a good supporting wife, I am helping him to spread the word on our new business. Its called Mears Innovations! We are a supplier of High Performance LED outdoor displays and also work with companies to offer modern business solutions. 

If you or anyone you know are interested in purchasing an LED display to promote your business, please give us a call. We can customize for your specific business needs. 

We were just recently named Business of the Month by US Bank.

  Give us a chance to bring you a new modern approach for boosting sales in your business! 

Visit us at mearsinnovations.com or contact us directly at 614-758-7446 or by email at mearsinnovations@gmail.com

Ebay Deals!!!

Crazy, Great Deals!!!!

If you're or someone you know is looking for great deals on women's clothing and accessories then check out my eBay store. I will be listing more items throughout the week. Happy bidding y'all!!!

Motivation

I just started a new Facebook page simply for motivation and encouragement for the normal, average woman. Not a professional body builder or fitness model. Please check it out and stay tuned for updates, clean eating and paleo eating recipes and tons of encouragement  To show you what a workout program at home and a no gym membership or personal trainer can do for you I have been brave and decided to post two of my before and after shots of my transformation. I am still working on my bottom half and striving to reach new goals everyday. Keep pushing yourselves. If I can do it, you can too! My facebook page is Southern Yankee Gurl Motivation. I would love your feedback and comments.

Before and after doing Insanity

Fake Yourself Out!

I don't know about you guys but, I get sorely depressed in the winter. Don't get me wrong, I love the pristine beauty of the snow and the change of seasons but, when the cold drops down into single digits and the sky stays gray and dark for months on end, I get grumpy and depressed. I know a lot of people that experience the same mood shifts. Most of us can't afford to high-tail it off to Belize or Cancun for a week to lift our spirits. So, here are some easy in-expensive things you can do to fake yourself into a summer day. I actually did this today and it worked wonders for my mood. 

 I have a Relaxation DVD of Hawaii that I got as a Christmas gift and I LOVE IT! It has beautiful scenes and music or you can just listen to the calming sounds of the waves as you watch the scenes on a continuous loop. These DVD's are available through amazon or eBay for next to nothing. I've had mine on all day. I use it quite frequently, even in spring and summer months to just "take me away". Look online and invest in a vacation at home. This is the one I have. 

 Give yourself a spa day at home for pennies what you'd pay at a salon. Today, I started with a long hot shower, which included - exfoliating face scrub and mask, shaving ( ladies we all know how just shaving our legs and other areas can make us feel like a new woman), exfoliating body and deep conditioning hair. Then, I applied a self tanning lotion all over, face included to give me that "sun-kissed" look. I try to never allow myself to be completely pale in winter. There is no need for me to channel my inner Nichole Kidman! Finally, I took the time to style my hair. Now, some of you might do this everyday but, since I don't work, this usually only gets done if I need go out. You can even style it in loose "beach waves" for a summer feel. 

 

I continued my spa treatment by giving myself a manicure and pedicure. This is something I often neglect to do. I really don't know why. I guess because I just don't sit still long enough most days. My feet and hands look and feel marvelous!

Make yourself a summer or beach menu. Try a refreshing berry smoothie for breakfast. Lean back on the couch and close your eyes and listen to the sounds of the waves on the relaxation DVD and pretend your on the beach. Have a cool salad for lunch and then for dinner throw something on the grill. It won't kill you to grill a quick burger or steak or piece of fish. If you find you just can't stand the thought of being outside to grill, use an indoor grill pan or the broiler on your oven. And don't forget the cocktail! Sip your favorite summer cocktail while basking in the feel of your freshly painted toes, soft skin and fluffy hair! 

If you can afford it, get a massage and make sure you to tell the the therapist to turn the heat up on the massage table! So what if you get a little damp from perspiration, just pretend you're on a table on a tropical beach some where! 

Make sure to open all the drapes, blinds and curtains in your home to allow as much daylight in as possible. If you want, you can even crank up the thermostat a couple degrees to add additional warmth to your atmosphere. It's not impossible to have a great fake it day for yourself. Its fantastic therapy for the winter blues. I hope this has been helpful. Let your imagination take you away. 

All photos from google images

Clean Paleo Chocolate Pudding

4 very ripe bananas
1 ripe avocado
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2/3 cup almond milk
dash cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup honey

Mix all ingredients in food processor until smooth and creamy. Pour into a container and refrigerate until firm.