Road to the Fittest Mom

I saw yesterday on Good Morning America a story about a girl who was 6yrs old and was worried that she was fat. Here is the link to the video and article...PLEASE WATCH! (Body Image Issues: 6-Year-Old Girl Worries She Is Fat - ABC News She came home and asked her mom why her tummy was so fat? Her mom responded with "Why would you ask me this" and the daughter replied that a girl in the bathroom said that she had a fat tummy. In a recent survey, half of girls age 3-6 were worried that they were fat. Doesn't this outrage anyone else but me?! How is it that these young girls are concerned with being fat, when they should be worried about how to tie their shoes or which swing to play on at the park. The 6yrs turns out to be totally normal and healthy according to her pediatrician, who said her BMI is completely okay. I found myself worried about what sort of message I am going to send to my kids regarding body image. I have a song that I sing to Avery when we go to the gym ...

This past week I have spent quite a bit of time outside doing yard work . While I enjoyed getting a good tan, I did not enjoy the back breaking work of laying mulch, spraying for bugs, cutting grass, and pulling up vine ground cover. Lame. However, I was out spraying weed/grass killer around the driveway and sort of had an epiphany. I saw these weeds growing along an area of our driveway and wondered how in the world they were able to grow there! In an area of poured cement, sealed for years, how in the heck could a small piece of weed find itself in such an isolated area? It made me think about our lives...we can feel and look put together, but given the tiniest and minute of space, a weed can weasel itself in and cause an ugly space. We must constantly find ourselves at the feet of our Gardener. Thankfully God doesn't prune us as often as I tend to my yard. How thankful we should be that we don't have to live with those weeds...that God is always there to accept us and forgiv...

I recently heard about an acquaintance who was under investigation for sexually abusing his 4 year old little girl. While my mouth hit the floor, I was in shock at how something like this happens. Sadness, anger, disgust, sorrow...so many emotions for that family. And combine it with the recently news about Elizabeth Smart and her abduction and assault, it makes me sick. How does anyone person trust another person to watch their kids? Or how do you ever let your child our of your sight? I know we live in a sinful world but I struggle with how such horrible things happen to innocent children. I think about when our kids get older, meet friends at school and want to have sleep overs or go and play at their house. I'm certain that I will always say no and they will be forced to have their friends over here. I remember when I was a kid, my parents would let my brother and I ride our bikes all over the neighborhood. We'd be gone for hours. Did they worry too or just trust us and our...