inheritance

"Blessed are the meek

for they shall inherit the Earth."

Matthew 5:5

Most people today consider meek to be an adjective describing timidness and weakness. What a negative connotation. I'd rather explain it as meaning submissive and trusting. 

One of the greatest challenges I face is full submitting my life to God's plan and his desire in how he would like to use me. Everyone likes to have everything figured out all the time, right? But let's face it, I'm sure you have all experienced seasons of your life in which you could have never ever predicted them to happen; even with the help of the infamous magic 8 ball we would turn to as children. 

Examples in my life which came my way COMPLETELY unexpected:

1. Taking myself off the lacrosse team my sophomore year at Mess

2. Placing in my first road race

3. Deciding to pursue degrees in Sport Management and Marketing (I originally went to Messiah for youth ministry)

4. Being the only intern accepted for the Sales department with the Philadelphia Wings, and then going to Messiah's campus at Temple University not knowing anyone to pursue this. 

5. Extending my stay in Philly for a full year because I just couldn't leave (and LU decided to conveniently open their Ardmore store that same year - perfect timing right?) ;)

6. Spending my senior J-term in Ghana, Africa

7. Ending up in Danbury, CT my first year out of school - with my first Real World roommate a long time friend from grade school (who conveniently got her first job in the same area as i)

If you were to ask me my plan for life at 18, my freshman year of college, NONE of this would be on my list. However, these have all come to be life-changing, learning and loving seasons that continue to show me joy and the greatness of God, all the time. Inheritance.

Without meekness; trust and submission to follow what I felt in my heart I needed to do, my life would be totally different. I am 100% sure of that. The thing is, I can't even begin to fathom where or what it would be like. But does it matter? All i know is that by trusting  the lead I felt at each of these points, the next point on the list has developed through the help of the one before. And when I look at each point, of course hardship was found at times with each one but without a doubt the joy that also came outweighs everything else.

This is a really awesome concept to me now that I look at it; how life just unfolds, and it always seems to just the way its supposed to - if you let it. 

Even through the course of a single day. I really urge each of you to just let it happen, trust without even thinking about it, and go with where you're led. Be meek in submitting but strong in pursuing; pursing the lead you receive from submitting. 

I have complete faith that everything will work out, and everything will unfold right before your eyes. Life is just that good. 

If you're reading this tonight, tomorrow is a new day - and if this finds you in the morning - today has begun, but there is still so much left unsaid to it. 

Let it be new, and good, please.

Peace&love,

Kelly

You Go in Your Own Way

Noah and the Whale was my artist of the day for my run to the gym this morning. Therefore,

Song of the day: L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N

I leave you with the video for the song at the end. 

You've got more than money and sense, my friend
You've got heart and you go in your own way
L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.
What you don't have now will come back again
You've got heart and you go in your own way

[Bridge]
On my last night on earth, I won't look to the sky
Just breathe in the air and blink in the light
On my last night on earth, I'll pay a high price
To have no regrets and be done with my life

The words I wish to share from this. 

Anyway, it's Tuesday, day off #1 of the week, and I figured I should at least do part one of my updates. 

But this is what I've been doing:

1. Friday: Working, after my morning off post

2. Saturday: day tripping to Jersey to celebrate my lovely friend Marla at her Bridal Shower. Pit stopping in Princeton, to visit LU, and ending up at my sisters house to bring her some things from home and hang out with her and the little guy. 

3. Sunday: Church, and work. 

4. Monday: Work by day, babysitting by night - My sister and her boo got tix to the Pats preseason game so I got to spend the night letting Braden do all the fun things Mommy and Daddy don't let him do while they were gone. (Kidding)

This morning I woke up at Kate's, playtime-d a lil before I came back home, to ran to the gym to lift. And of course it was a baking day: 

Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Almond Mocha Frosting

(pre-oven)

These will be going to Lacrosse Unlimited of Danbury, per a request I got yesterday after they finished the chocolate peanut-butter-cookie filled ones I sent a little while ago. But, since I both miss them dearly and the store has been doing great this past month, this is my gift to them to celebrate.

Cook to Love.

I leave you with the song for now, I finished the last of the coffee this morning so a walk to the store needs to happen at some point. (Why drive when you can walk or run, right?). Seriously. Plus, I need my fill of my New England weather before I'm sent for my next adventure. 

Peace&Love,

Kell

p.s. life goes on.

(via youtube)

Sneak the Veggies In - Cookie Recipe

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Adapted from here)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softend

1/4 cup brown sugar

13 cup maple syrup

1 TBS vanilla

1 egg beaten

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cup white flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 medium zucchini shredded

1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 *

2. In a large bowl combine flours, baking soda, salt and cinnamon

3. In another larger bowl mix the butter and sugar

4. Add the syrup, egg and vanilla to the butter/sugar and mix

5. Slowly add the zucchini and mix till combined

6. Add the flour mixture, gradually

7. Add choco chips

8. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees.

yum.

I'll be catching up soon - it was a long busy weekend.

peace&love,

-Kell

Just a morning

It's Friday! Happy Friday

This is what I made for breakfast.

The best part of morning-off days :) 

While cooking my eggies on the stove THESE guys were performing on the Today Show:

Yes, 98 Degrees. Throwback, but you gotta love it - especially if you were a child of the 90's. Oh the mems. 

I'm drinking my coffee right now, watching Live with Kelly - my second favorite part about morning off days. Summers home during college I watched Regis and Kelly pretty religiously (of course classes get in the way while you're at school). But I loved them. So now I try to still watch Kell on my days off/mornings off if I have nothing else to take care of. Today is one of those days. 

I woke up early this morning and restless so this mornings workout was a little longer, please don't feel pressured.

Get Your Endurance Back Workout

4 miles treadmill run ~ 29 min

(Repeat all sets 3 times)

Bi Curls - 15 lbs - 15 reps

Mac Raises - 5lb discs - 12 reps

Tri Extenstions - 20 lb - 15 reps

(push ups repeated only twice)

Push ups - 15

Tri push ups - 10

77s - 30 lb bar

Chest Press - 50lbs - 15 reps

Tri pull down - 40 lbs - 15 reps

25 min elliptical

10 min ab circuit

This did not take me longer than an hour and a half - so if you have some time definitely give it a shot! I promise you will make it. Cut down the run and cross training if you need by a few minutes and you'll be golden. I'm just missing my runner shape from spring senior year at Mess, so I'm looking to get that extra energized good-feeling back. And I'm committing myself to at least one race next month in Sept. I have to. 

BUT its 10:00 and my show is over, so now it is time to officially start the day. I have some recipes and thoughts from the past few days to compile and post so there will be more :) 

Enjoy the last workday of the week! 

Tomorrow's the weekend, look forward to that.

Peace&Love,

Kelly Anne

Tuesday Toning & a T-Song

Tightrope by Walk the Moon is the song of the day for this Tuesday.

These people look like fun.

i like it.

The month of July consisted of almost no working out whatsoever. Between moving back from Danbury, and getting situated in the new store, I needed to put my priorities elsewhere. It was definitely good for a break, but a month has been enough.

Last night after summer ball it was just TOO nice to go back home so I stayed for the next 40 minutes running full campus laps and then a few suicides on the football field. Super fun.

Lifting has also come back :) 

This morning: Shoulder & Back Toner Workout

15 min elliptical

Repeat each super set 3x

Set 1

One-legged Dumbell Shoulder Press (10lbs) 10 reps each arm for each leg

Bent Over Row - 20lbs, 12 Reps

Set 2

Lat Pull down - 60 pounds, 12 Reps

Mac Shoulder Raises - 5lb disc in each hand - 15 reps each shoulder

Set 3

Dumbell Fly - 10lbs, 10 reps

Upright Rows - 30lb bar, 12 reps

10 min elliptical

10 min ab workout

Work ALL day today, it's looking cloudy so I'm not missing anything outside, and I'm off tomorrow so it's not so terrible.

Wonderful days please!

Peace&love,

Kell

Honorary Mother

Mom and Baby mac have been road tripping to SC since 4am yesterday morning to move the little one back into school, so I took roll for cooking dinner for Dad last night. 

Fish with lemon butter, homemade sweet potato fries and sauteed snap peas with pepper strips. Dad was happy. 

My food for thought for you for the start of the week:

"I get the invitation every morning when I wake up to actually live a life of complete engagement, a life of whimsy, a life where love does. It doesn't come in an envelope. It's ushered in by a sunrise, the sound of a bird, or the smell of coffee drifting lazily from the kitchen. It's the invitation to actually live, to fully participate in this amazing life one more day. Nobody turns down and invitation to the White House, but I've seen plenty of people turn down and invitation to fully live.

Turning down this invitation come in lots of flavors. It looks like numbing yourself or distracting yourself or seeing something really beautiful as just normal. It can also look like refusing to forgive or not being grateful or getting wrapped around the axle with fear and envy...sometimes we forget to show up or get head-faked into thinking we haven't really been invited. But you see, we have been invited - every day, all over again."

-Bob Goff Love Does

LIVE today :) the sun is shining brightly for a happy Monday.

Work today with some summer laxin after that,

peace&love,

Kelly Anne

El Chaiyai

I've been doing this the past few days. Baby Mac leaves to go back to school tomorrow, and we had to have one last summer adventure, she was the one to come along for moral support.

It says El Chaiyai in Hebrew script, which translates to "the God of my Life"

ps. 42:8 is quoted underneath which is where this reference comes from. It reads,

"By day the Lord directs His love, at night His song is with me 

- a prayer to the God of my Life"

Wanting to get a tattoo since last summer, I always joked about getting the Lacrosse Unlimited Laxman on my wrist. However this was my final decision. I had it done on the inside of my right arm, right where my wrist ends (my hand is right where the picture cuts off on the left) the size is deceiving, its only about 1/2" x 1 1/4". (Yes I have tiny wrists and fit into baby bracelets). 

I love the name El Shaddai for God, which is usually translated to "God Almighty". However, when I learned about El Chaiyai I fell in love with this, as he is just that - the God of my life. 

Putting this on my wrist is not only a constant reminder of my faith and where I should be directed. But also the peace that comes from his love everyday. I wanted it to be subtle but visible for others to see; in hopes that it sparks conversation, where I can continue to share God's name and love. 

Working today
but YOU have a happy saturday, please :)


p.s. workout posts will be making a comeback soon.

Peace&love,

Kelly