Category: NanoPoblano 2015
POSITIVE SELF TALK
Is it okay if instead of a Throwback Thursday today we do a Truthful Thursday?
Great! Thanks!
Yesterday was one of those rollercoaster days. Emotionally I felt all over the place.
I had some high moments with smiles and laughs and then some extremely low moments where I compared how I felt to a dead branch on the pavement of a parking lot. At least I got my Wordless Wednesday post out of it.
I am going to come out and say it.
I struggle with maintaining a positive self talk. I’ll be good for a few days and then I’ll start forgetting and the negative thoughts and the negative self talk will resurface. If you don’t face this struggle then you may not understand that it’s a daily fight.
The fact that it’s a daily fight scares me. It overwhelms me to think that for the rest of my life I have to fight my own self. Because you see the battle lies within me. I have to choose to be intentional. To purposely think about what I am thinking about and choose to think the correct thoughts.
But the incorrect thoughts are sometimes easier to be thought.
That scares me too. The idea that I may not be strong enough to keep up the fight.
I suppose the only way through it is one day at a time.
Because we all know that the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.
So the other day while trying to keep up with my Tiny Pepper Mates I came across A’s post on exactly the same thing. Positive Self Talk. Check out her post here.
In the comments I mentioned that I would possibly write an updated list for myself and after the day I had yesterday I thought, “No better time than the present.”
So I started piecing my list together last night while fighting a migraine that rendered me pretty useless and bedridden.
So here it is. Some of it flowed easily and then other parts I really had to wrack my brain to come up with positive things to say about myself.

Positive Self Talk 11/19/2015
I don’t know if you deal with insecurities or self image, if you do or don’t I think a Positive Self Talk list is a good place to start.
Keep Shining, Nat
WORDLESS WEDNESDAY
BLESSED ARE THE….
This morning I had a schedule laid out for the day.
I knew where I’d be and what I’d be doing at every hour of the day… Ok maybe not that extreme. The point is that I had a plan for my day.
I had a #transformationTuesday post all planned out and then I got a phone call that changed everything.
You see when your sister calls you for help you pretty much put all plans on hold. Family comes first after all.
So I had to leave work early. I missed the puppy shower… Yes you read that correctly a party to celebrate the arrival of a puppy! I wasn’t able to post the piece I wanted to post.
But… All of that is ok because I was able to share an unforgettable experience with my niece. I was able to help my sister. I was able to have an unexpected bonding moment with the littles.
Moral of the story::: BLESSED ARE THE FLEXIBLE!!
You never know what greatness could come from flexibility!
Keep Shining, Nat
MONDAY HAPPENINGS!!!
Today is a dreary Monday… my alarm went off early this morning followed by the loudness of the rain. My first thoughts consisted of, “NO! I’m too sleepy to wake up!” and “NOOOOOOOOOO, it’s raining!!! Now I really don’t want to get up!” After the mellow-dramatic-ness in my head I remembered that Monday mornings are filled with sweet First Priority moments at my local middle school. As much as I didn’t want to get up I remembered how badly I didn’t want to be late. In an effort to not fall into the damaging generalization of “I am ALWAYS late.” I snoozed less than usual giving myself 30 minutes to get ready instead of merely 20.
Our club meeting was pretty sweet!! We are super excited to host our first Missions week next Monday! It’ll be a yummy Gospel-Donut Monday!!!
My sweet coworker and I are always talking about how we feel uncomfortable in our current bodies. We both want to loose weight and get the muffin tops under control. This isn’t any easy task being that there are always muffin top inducing snacks and foods around the office. Determined to combat the tires around our waists we’ve started taking 5 minute walks around the building. Literally, we walk down the stairs to the outside, around the building, back up the stairs and repeat. We are taking these walks twice a day.
It feels great getting to move and go out of doors even if for 2 minutes. It feels like a reset to my body and brain.
Today was a dreary day though so no sunshine. I’m looking forward to a dose of Vitamin D on our future walks. You do know that sunlight helps reduce depression and promotes a positive mood!
Tonight is also Tribe Fusion‘s Annual Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner! I’ll post all about sometime soon…
Tomorrow I want to share a special Transformation Tuesday! 🙂
Love ya guys for reading my Monday ramblings.
Keep Shining, Nat
By the way, did it rain today where you are?
SUNDAY NIGHT SNACKS
When I got the email from Menchies that they had brought in their holiday flavors I got super excited!!
Obviously I had to go get me some Mint Chocolate froyo!! Tonight my belly was filled with frozen yogurt happiness!!! Here are some pictures of our froyo adventures.
The littles got original tart & pink lemonade and ginger bread & Oreo. I got mint and pecan. So yummy!
What’s your favorite favorite froyo??
Or if you don’t like froyo what’s your favorite ice cream?
Keep Shining, Nat
TOP 5 FAVORITE: YOUTUBE MINI SERIES
If you have been reading my blog then you probably read the post, TOP 5 FAVORITE: CHILDHOOD READS. In that post I talked briefly about my love for books and the written word. I especially enjoy when the stories I love are transformed into visual accounts through various platforms. A while back I came across The Lizzie Bennett Diaries and immediately fell in love with the short installment mini series form becoming more and more popular on YouTube. So here are my 5 favorite mini series based on stories I love. There are so many other mini series that are equally as amazing but I’m staying within my 5 faves limit. I hope you guys check them out.
Let me know what you think in the comments below.
Have you already seen these or do you know of others you recommend?
Keep Shining, Nat
The Autobiography of Jane Eyre
The New Adventures of Peter and Wendy
TOP 5 FAVORITE: WORSHIP SONGS
Music has a way of infiltrating the soul and bringing healing.
There have been so many times in my life when I had no words. You know those moments when your heart hurts and you turn to the Lord seeking peace but don’t know what to pray. In those moments of anxiety or heartache I have found myself falling to my knees with the largest tears ever rolling down my cheeks, signing songs like the ones listed below. These songs hold such powerful promises. They remind me of God’s goodness and truth. I hope they minister to your heart as much as they do mine.
Keep Shining, Nat
1. LIFELINE Hillsong Young & Free
“You took me from the wayside! Called me your own!”
2. GIVE ME FAITH Elevation Worship
“My flesh may fail, but my God you never will!”
3. EVERLASTING GOD Trinity Fellowship Worship
“I will remain confident in this, I will see the goodness of the Lord!”
4. HERE NOW Hillsong UNITED
“Here now all I know is that you are here now, still my heart let your voice be all I here now.”
5. YOU MAKE ME BRAVE Amanda Cook & Bethel Music
“Cause your love in wave after wave crashing over me crashing over me. For you are for us not against us.”
What are your favorite Jesus songs??

THROWBACK THURSDAY #2
Prom 2003
A rite of passage
A night that is typically a dream.
The chance to be a Princess or, better yet, a Queen.
Prom 2003
Not the typical prom.
A room of Jesus Freaks trying to live in a world that is not their own.
A better title would be: Christian Prom 2003.
A red carpet dress and glass slippers obtained for free,
From the girl met randomly at Walgreens.
A fancy up do and classic makeup to frame the smiling face of the naïve.
A raffle ticket at the door.
Prizes and oddities galore.
The mention of a crown and scepter.
Yet another round of numbers called.
The unexpected becoming reality as you find yourself walking up to the front.
The exclamations and cheers from your table mates as they celebrate your newfound royal status.
Queen?
Me?
How could it be?!
A coronation and royal introduction as the Queen and King meet.
A photoshoot to follow.
Remember to return the scepter.
But the crown you may keep.
A story to go down in history as the day you walked in a girl with a raffle ticket and exited a Queen.
A poem to commemorate my untraditional senior prom. It’s actually a wonderful memory.
Keep Shining, Nat
Did you go to your senior prom or an alternative?
WORDLESS WEDNESDAY
The SON will ALWAYS shine through the darkest places in my heart and in my life.

HELLO NACHO LIBRE
And so it goes that every heart broken girl should have a cuddle buddy in the form of a small doggy.
After a devastating breakup I took it upon myself to create a Vision Board.
On that Vision Board I added the picture of a doggy. I went online and started browsing the adoptable pups over at the Broward Humane Society. I fell in love with this particular blonde female Chihuahua by the name of Perla. I thought she’d be a great little friend and it was totally an LTA sign that her name would be one of our symbols. Yet, when I met her I was gravely disappointed by the crazed look in her eyes. I had to scratch that option of the short one option list I had written. I decided to look around and see if there were any other small doggies that caught my attention.
Within no time at all I found myself standing in front of a kennel with about 3 or 4 dogs in it. They all looked so sad and lonely. But one in particular looked especially in need of love. He was quiet in the midst of all the barking chaos. I looked at the info sheet on the kennel door and read about how he was abandoned by his family in a vacant apartment. My heart went out for the little face that looked up at.
It was basically love at first sight. I didn’t have to think to hard to know in my heart that that little black and beige Chihuahua was my new best friend.
I couldn’t take him home that night they had to wait a few more days to see if he would be claimed but nope he was meant to be mine. After about 5 days I went back to pick him and he became all mine, forevermore.
With the help of my sister we settled on the name Nacho Libre because, Hello he’s a Mexican Chihuahua!!! LOL
This week we celebrate 2 years of being a family!!! Here are some pictures of my sweet little boy.

Happy New Years!!

Merry Christmas!

Happy Halloween

I can smell you too!
Do you have a family member that is furry and cuddle friendly?? Are they small enough to fit in a purse or too large to sit on your lap? Tell me about it in the comments below. 🙂
Keep Shining, Nat