Simply Sara

As parents it can be SO stinking hard to teach our children that the world does not revolve around them. Truthfully, we can’t blame our children for acting this way. We are all sinners from birth, and parents certainly do not help kids in overcoming their self-centeredness. From the moment they are born, kids today have a camera shoved in their faces. Every look, smile and action is documented and shared for the world to enjoy over and over again.  And while children should be celebrated and shown tangible support, it is also our job as Christian parents to teach them that their lives are not meant to be totally about themselves. In fact, when we live our lives solely for ourselves, we always come up empty and lonely. Jesus tells us in Matthew 22:37-40 to love the Lord our God with everything, holding nothing back from Him. He also tells us to love others as much as we love ourselves. We can tangibly love like Jesus in a variety of ways, but here is one simple thing our family ...

I love this picture but I also hate this picture because it is a lie. I look so happy due to a fresh new hair style and the camera's angle is just right to hide my extra chin(s).  But the truth is that I am miserable and I feel ashamed to say that out loud. My life is so sweet and good right now, and I never want to lose sight of that. Ever. But underneath all of the goodness lies this murky, icky feeling that I can't shake. This quote from Body Matters  by Chrystie Cole sums it up really well. "But how you feel about and care or don't care for your body can determine the measure of joy you experience in this life as well as hinder your growth in spiritual maturity and your effectiveness for the kingdom of God." Y'all that's legit. My joy or lack of joy is directly determined by how I feel about my body. Embarrassing but true. So I'm doing something about it with the help of Trim Healthy Mama  and today is Day 1 .  In case you're int...

I've recently been challenged to start writing again, so here's to writing more than twice a year! When we moved to the Upstate from the Lowcountry, it was hard for me emotionally and physically. I was struggling with undiagnosed anxiety that was manifesting itself with physical symptoms like exhaustion, tingling in my hands and feet, and insomnia. I had managed to lose about 10 pounds before the move, but over the course of that summer and into that depressing fall and dark winter seasons, I began to eat a lot. It's not like I was extra hungry or anything, but it felt like I had no control over my actions, and I would hide and eat fattening foods under the guise of wanting to be alone to rest. I spent a lot of time alone that season. Depression/ Anxiety wears you out and I was taking naps daily. Eating and napping, I sound like a baby, but the eating was out of control. I read books, I prayed, I counted calories, I asked for accountability, but nothing seemed to wo...

If you're shopping at Aldi's this week, I recommend that you stock up on Eggs and Milk! Seriously, a dozen eggs for $1.09 and Milk for $2.19! The price of beef may have gone up, but I'm loving the other staples we get from a cow! I bought 4 dozen eggs this week. Overkill for sure, but when our family eats eggs, we usually eat 7 in one setting! Eggs and toast are a staple breakfast in our house - we eat that at least 4 times a week! It's fast and filling and cheap! If you're looking for something more exciting to do with your eggs, try making a breakfast casserole! I love this casserole from Ree, the Pioneer Woman. Everything she makes is delightful, but this recipe is especially great! As with most recipes, I tweaked it a bit to fit our tastes. For all of his perfect aspects, my handsome husband does not eat mushrooms. This could have been a deal breaker for me 13 years ago, but then I saw his drummer toned legs and I decided to look past his misjudgment! No ...

I took a long nap this morning, from 10:30 till noon. I was convinced that this necessary nap wouldn't keep me awake tonight, but here I am, after midnight and I have found myself wanting to blog again. We are days away from Christmas, tomorrow being Christmas Eve in our house. (We're celebrating early.) I want to share a story, not to bring recognition or pride, but to share what God's been teaching me and how He's using my children to do that. A week or so ago, Christmas cards arrived for my children, containing money for each of them. It was quite a lot of money for a seven, four and two year old to possess. As they sat at the table in awe and wonder of the $25 dollars in their hands, I casually mentioned the Christmas offering. My heart's desire was to gently remind them that with every blessing God gives us, we give back a tenth to Him as a way of saying thanks and expressing trust in His provision. But before I could get the kid-friendly words out, my Lucas ...

Guess what? I'm taking steps today to get just a little closer to my dream. We're off to the gym in a little bit to keep working towards losing those 38 pounds. I'm also working on a plan to sell specialty homemade cheesecakes during the holidays. Doing something I love and making some extra money for the people I love. Pretty great stuff!