My Interview

The "other Heather" over at Want What You Have has been conducting a series of interviews of fellow bloggers. As I can rarely pass up a chance to talk about myself (therefore, I blog), I signed up to be interviewed. My questions and answers are as follows:
1) Like me, you recently began a diet and exercise plan, and your ticker says that you've already lost 11 pounds! What advice can you give to other who want to lose weight and get healthy, but don't know how to start?
For a frugal (re: free) weight-loss program, check out www.sparkpeople.com. This site offers exercise guides, suggested menu plans, an on-line calorie tracker, health articles, and so much more. When I use this site regularly, I have great results.
I would encourage anyone who is trying to lose weight to spend some time learning how their weight came to be a problem. For many people, being overweight is so much more than just eating too much of a good thing. If the person is an emotional eater, than dieting alone is not going to be a long-term fix.
One thing that I am doing differently with this diet is praying several times a day about eating. I pray when I wake up that I won't eat too much or eat when I'm not hungry. I pray before I eat to not only give thanks, but to also be able to know when I have had enough to eat. At the end of the day, I give thanks for any success I might have had, and I pray for strength for the next day. I know this approach isn't for everyone, but for me, it really does seem to help. I haven't been as hungry as I normally am, and I haven't had as many instances where I have just pigged out on something. I am much more conscious of when I am full.
2) You used to teach in the public school system, and based on that experience, you've decided to homeschool your son. Can you explain your reasons, for those of us who are still on the fence about homeschooling?
Whew! This subject is a soapbox issue for me. I have written about homeschooling before on my blog here. To give a short answer, I will say that DH and I believe that one day we will have to give an account to God for how we parented BB. I want to make sure that BB has a strong foundation in both academics and faith. While BB is young and impressionable, I don't want to expose him to things that will undermine what DH and I are trying to teach him at home. For a more specific answer about a part of homeschooling, please feel free to ask me. I'm more than happy to give my opinion to anyone who asks! ;)
3) You are the mother of a little boy. What do you think is the greatest joy, and greatest challenge, of raising a son in the world today?
The greatest joy for me would be to see BB grown up to be a Godly young man. To one day be able to see this accomplished is certainly the greatest challenge as well. There are many day-to-day joys with any child. My day-to-day challenge is to remind myself that I am not raising a child to simply live in the present - I am raising a child to become a man in the future.
4) When I read your blog, I'm always impressed by the balance in your life, and the amount of time you devote to your faith. What advice can you give to other moms who are struggling to find time for God in their busy lives?
I know it has been said before, but getting up early is key to making sure that you have a daily devotion. I find that when I get up early to have my devotions, the rest of my day flows more smoothly. You don't have to have hour-long devotions. My favorite devotional is My Utmost for His Highest. I have read that countless times, and I find something new each time. I often pair the day's reading with either a Psalm or Proverb. When I am participating in a group Bible study, I will do the Bible study's assignment instead. If you have trouble fitting in a devotion, grab bits and pieces throughout the day. There's nothing wrong with leaving your Bible open in a prominent place to remind you to read!
5) If you could have one day to yourself, with no obligations or responsibilities, what would you do?
You don't know how good that sounds to me right now! Although I never thought I would be the type to say this, I am currently in love with the idea of going to a spa. I've never been to a spa, and the idea of a manicure, pedicure, massage, etc. sounds so lovely. If I weren't going to a spa, I would sleep in, take as long as I wanted to in the shower, and then find neat little antique or thrift stores in some quaint little town. I love looking through other people's junk!
Thanks Heather for the great questions! If anyone reading this would like me to interview them, please e-mail me or leave me a comment below. I'll look over your blog and then send you 5 questions for you to answer!