To Be Kinder

Kindness is not just a singular act. 

It is patience.  It is compassion.  It is an active choice. Every moment.  Every day.

To be considered "kind" you must be sweet more often than your are not, but this is not the goal. Kindness is not easy, and it should not be limited to a Random Act of Kindness on a random day for you to check off and say "Hey, I am a pretty good person!"

No.  Kindness lives in the heart.  You must actively choose to respond with a gentle spirit, a kind word, and a smile.  You must actively choose to "turn the other cheek" when someone has wronged you.  You must actively choose to smile at the woman who scowls at you in Walmart as she cuts you off and rams you with her cart.  You must actively choose to not flip off the driver that cut in front of you.  You must actively choose to just be nice.

And Let's Be Honest...

Kindness is just plan hard.  

I don't always want to be kind.  There are times I want to be angry.  I want to call that women in Walmart a mean name, just so she can hear it and know my displeasure.  I want to tailgate the vehicle that cut me off.  I want to ignore the man on the side of the road with a sign.  And then rationalize the unkind act by thinking, "Oh... it is just a scam."

There are days where it's just to impossible to be kind because, well, I am human.  Perfect kindness is just not in me.  Thankfully, it is in God.  Humans have the ability to be kind, God has the ability to be kind even when we do not.

So in the end, Mother Teresa had it right:

c Kathryn Parton

And this is my Resolution.  To attempt to always be kind, even when I do not want to be.  To know that there will be times where I will fail, and that's okay, but I should always strive for better.

Here's My Challenge to You:

Can you try to be kind?  Even if you do not believe in God, even if our views on God are radically different. 

Just be kind to one another.  Love on one another.  The world would be a much better place if people just worked to achieve kindness in their everyday lives.

Simply Happy, Incredibly Blessed

New Year's Eve

2014

Holy goodness.  This was a wonderful year!  

In June, I married my best friend.  In August, we traveled to Italy, met locals that were so very kind, and found out we're both not too shabby at a Blackjack table.  

c Andy Barnhart Photography

Star Pride

Our Cabin-- Quarantine was still luxurious. 

St. Mark's, Vince, Italy-- "Sneakiest Picture Taker" goes to the Mister!

Classic.  Arena.

I began my job at a child care center, and found some very good friends through it.  Then I was blessed with the chance to be surrounded by books and still work with people.  Part-time is a much appreciated work schedule so that the Mister and I can actually see each other.

Thanksgiving and Christmas

The Mister and I were lucky enough to spend the weekend before Thanksgiving with his parents and sister and then to have my sister and family with us in our tiny apartment for my very first Thanksgiving dinner--That I didn't destroy!

Present from a student's parents.

Turkey!

Momma M and Krissy

Christmas was only slightly lonely, but we were able to spend our first married Christmas in our well decorated apartment surrounded with thoughts and love from our family.

Weight Loss

I have kept all the weight I lost off through the holidays and I couldn't be prouder.  I've also decided if I never lost another pound, I am pleased with my body.  I weight 152 pounds, wear a Small to Medium shirt, and size 8 pants.  That's a far cry from my 175, X-Large, 13.  Thus, this will not be my New Year's Resolution.

2015

Resolution

To be kinder. To be gentler. To continue marriage with a loving, joyful heart.  To seek first my God in all things.

Happy New Year from the Partons!

Simply happy, Incredibly Blessed.

Newlywed Weightloss

On June 7, 2014 God answered me as I married the man I prayed for since I was a little girl.  I was happy, there was nothing I would have changed about that day and so many things to be thankful about.  My mother was healthy and happy and vibrant.  My husband and his groomsmen had minimal hangovers, I had women stand next to me that loved me.  My sister was a shining Maid of Honor.

Married life is still wonderful.  I am still happy.  But I have gained weight thanks to easy recipes not always being the healthiest and an amazing honeymoon to Italy.

At my heaviest I was 175 pounds.  At 5'2" this is nowhere near healthy. Crying once a week at my reflection, I decided I needed a change.

5'2", 175 pounds, Italy

I am very good at wearing flattering clothes, and posing in just the right way.  Hands on hips ALWAYS hides a belly and gives you a waist.  But on the right side in the picture, you can see where my fake waste is ruined and where the lovehandles shove their way through anyways.

Hubby says all supportive things, and I truly believe he never saw my weight.  But I did.  And I was done. Over the past month and a half I have worked very  hard at losing weight.  I am still nowhere near my goal, but am almost 20 pounds lighter.

5'2", 157 pounds, Cheyenne, WY, USA

No faking the waist on this one!

The funniest things I've noticed about the weight loss? My wedding ring fits much better, and my arms toned and my collarbone shows again.  Plus, when Chris picks me up it is noticeably easier for him and less embarrassing for me. 

Weight, the number on that scale, should NEVER define who you are nor what you will become.  I am a loving wife, a good house keeper, a fun teacher, and a struggling cook.  None of that is defined by numbers.  You shouldn't be either.  But if weight loss is going to help you gain a more confidant you, go for it.  Be healthy about it, be smart about it.  Have FUN with it. (I still eat Chick-Fil-A, and I still go for that candy now and again.  It won't break you.)

I still have to get to 130 to reach my goal and a "healthy" BMI rating.  It will happen, and it will not end a part of me, because this is a goal, it is not who I am.

Oh, by the way:

Blogs gain traction because they pick a theme.  I won't have a theme.  Sometimes a post will be about a yummy dinner that actually turned out half decently, sometimes a weight update, sometimes just life--Maybe an Italy story post-- but mostly, this is just about our lives, living simply happy, and knowing we are incredibly blessed.