Improve Yourself Challenge: Week 1 Update
Sooo…..the first week of the challenge is complete and I met about half my goals. What were they? Here’s a reminder:
1. Lose the rest of my baby weight, about 20 lbs (note: my “baby” is now a toddler)
2. Make intentional steps to improve my marriage
3. Get 200 Facebook Fans on MY HANDS ARE CLEAN fan page (“Clean Hands, Healthy Baby!”)
Weight Goal: Week 1 – 2000 calories/day and 15 minutes exercise/day
I think I did pretty well on the calorie limit; most days, I wrote down everything I ate and counted calories, fat, carbs, protein, fiber and Weight Watcher points. And instead of eating 6 cookies at night, I’d only eat 1. :-) The exercise goal is another story; I don’t think I did 15 minutes of continuous exercise even one day last week. I was going to make it all up on Saturday with 2 hours on the Wii, but I was sick and couldn’t. Oh well, there’s always this week!
Marriage Goal
Complete! I read the first 2 chapters of The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
Facebook Fan Goal
Fans increased slightly on “My Hands Are Clean, Are Yours?” FB page, but I’m still under 100. Williamson AM (local newspaper) wrote a story about me and my “Clean Hands Healthy Baby” signs last week and I did an interview with WKRN News 2 this morning, so I’m well on my way to some great promotion. I also attended the Social Fresh Conference yesterday in Nashville and got some more great ideas for increasing traffic to my FB page and websites.
To keep up with me on Engaged Marriage’s Improve Yourself Challenge, choose “Improve Yourself Challenge” under Categories or click here. Thanks for your support!
Make a Difference Monday: Clean Hands Healthy Baby
Last week, Danielle at Extraordinary Mommy challenged us to do something every week to make a difference. Or to share a company or product that dedicates proceeds to a cause close to their heart. Well, I recently launched a business in which giving back is central to my personal mission to be generous with my time, talent and TREASURE.
I invite you to visit my other website, www.MyHandsAreClean.com, and check out my “Clean Hands Healthy Baby” signs. I pledge to donate 10% of all income generated from the sales of the signs to charity.
In November and December ‘09, I chose Operation Shower as my charity of choice. In January and February ‘10 I will be dedicating my time and treasure to the Nashville Rescue Mission. Not only will I be donating 10% to the Mission, but I will also be volunteering my time there with the Nashville Alumnae Chapter of the Alpha Sigma Tau sorority (Delta Eta Alumna from Belmont University ‘00).
“I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” – Matthew 25:40
Nashville Rescue Mission: Mission Statement
Following God’s command to love our neighbor as ourselves, the Nashville Rescue Mission seeks to help the hurting of Middle Tennessee by offering food, clothing and shelter to the homeless and recovery programs to those enslaved in life degrading problems. Our goal is to help people know the saving grace of Jesus, and through Him, gain wisdom for living, find fulfillment in life and become a positive part of their community.
Support In Action
It only costs $2.26 to provide a meal to a homeless man, women or child. And that meal has the power to change a life! A person shows up at the Nashville Rescue Mission hungry and searching for a hot nutritious meal, and what they find is the life God had in mind for them in the first place. Once inside our facility, information is presented on the Mission’s life-recovery programs and a path that ultimately leads to a way off the streets. By providing a hot meal for someone in need, your support in action results in another life restored and produces another contributing member of our community.
Signs Featured in Williamson AM
Franklin mom creates signs to protect babies
Tags urge hand washing, attach to baby carriers
FROM STAFF REPORTS : READ FULL ARTICLE
FRANKLIN — Franklin mom and entrepreneur Kristin Gentry has launched a product line created to protect infants from infection.
Gentry’s “Clean Hands, Healthy Baby” signs attach to the handle of a baby carrier and asks the question, “My hands are clean, are yours?” It’s a gentle reminder to all to wash hands before touching the baby.
Washing your hands is one of the simplest and most effective ways to avoid viruses such as H1N1 and seasonal influenza. However, surveys report that only about three out of four people wash their hands after using the restroom and only one-third wash after coughing or sneezing.
Give Thanks in all Circumstances
This will probably be my only post this week ~ between my “day job,”my new business and the holidays, this week is pretty packed. But I’ll do my best to stay in touch!
As we near Thanksgiving, we all begin thinking about what we are thankful for…our family, our friends, our jobs, our warm homes filled with love… But what about the other things that have happened this year that weren’t so warm and fuzzy? Have you ever stopped to think about 2009’s trials and tribulations and give thanks for those?
C.S. Lewis said, “We ought to give thanks for all fortune; if it is “good” because it is good, if “bad” because it works in us patience, humility, and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country.”
I had a ROUGH year this year. I was laid off from my job in January (3 months after giving birth to my second child) and fell into a deep depression. My marriage struggled (and that’s an understatement), my children suffered, and I finally sought both marriage counseling and psychiatric help. Nothing really worked.
So finally, I turned to God for help. The passage we discussed at the first church service I attended was this: “Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess 5:16-18) It was like the pastor was speaking directly to me; that God was telling me to have faith. And so I did.
I rallied. We put our kids back in daycare so I could focus on finding a job. I learned new things and “marketed” myself to potential employers with intensity. “Let’s not get tired of doing what is good, for at the right time we will reap a harvest – if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9) And in God’s faithfulness, I landed a job in a month’s time.
If it weren’t for 6 months of complete hell, I wouldn’t have found my way back to God. And so I am THANKFUL for God’s faithfulness and love, even when I wasn’t faithful or obedient. I wasn’t sure I would get out alive; and now here I am, much happier than I was at this time last year. Because now I understand that when God takes something from your grasp, He is not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better.
And yet, I have some “warm and fuzzy” things to be thankful for too:
- A stronger, happier marriage (see “A Total Money Makeover Saved My Marriage”)
- Two beautiful daughters, growing strong in God’s grace
- A new personal goal to be generous with my time, talent and treasure
- A new business (I’m a “mompreneur”!) which will help me attain my goal ~ 10% of all sales will go to different charities throughout the year (November = Operation Shower)
But most of all, I am thankful for the struggle I endured during the first 6-7 months of 2009. Without it, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
May God bless you this holiday season!
Creating Goals to Obtain my Vision
Dave Ramsey writes: “Goals are the building blocks of vision, vision in work clothes.”
Here are my goals, in order of what must happen first:
- We must be debt-free, with the exception of our mortgage (debt snowball must be complete).
- We have to finish our emergency fund (6 months expenses).
- We have to begin saving for retirement (15% gross income).
- We have to begin saving for our daughters’ college education (this is the MOST important step for me).
- We have to save enough money for a down payment on the shop (house in Franklin), renovations on the house, equipment and inventory. I can only imagine this will be a minimum of $100k.
As you can tell, I’m pretty far away from my vision right now. If we continue to pay roughly the same amount down on our debt every month, it will take us 2 years. We can accelerate that greatly by selling our Durango and picking up odd jobs for extra money (which we’re already doing). Examples of odd jobs range from marketing contract work to landscaping projects.
I also recently developed a product, my Clean Hands sign, that I’m hoping will be a catalyst for reaching my goals – and vision – a little quicker. In adherence to my values (being generous with my time, talent and treasure), I’m pledging to donate 10% of all sales to a charity, which will change periodically. In November and December, I’m donating to Operation Shower.
If you like my vision and want to help me reach my goals, there are a few things you can do to help:
- Forward the link to my blog to your friends.
- Buy a sign for a new mom or mom-to-be.
- If you know of anyone looking to make a vehicle purchase, send them the link to our Craig’s List ad.
- If you live in Middle TN and are looking for someone to do some work around your house (my husband is pretty darn handy), or your company needs some marketing assistance (on a contract/outsource basis), give us a shout!
We’re seeking out every opportunity to reach our goals and obtain our vision. Do you have a vision? What are your goals? I encourage you to write them down and begin working towards them.
Be My Fan!
So I FINALLY got my Facebook Fan Page up and I hope you’ll check it out and be my fan. 
My FB page is dedicated to my “Clean Hand” crusade to keep our families healthy during this cold and flu season. And if you haven’t seen our “Clean Hand” signs, be sure to check those out. 10% of all sales in November and December will be donated to Operation Shower.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Franklin-TN/My-Hands-Are-Clean-Are-Yours/322428850149
My Hands Are Clean, Are Yours?
Between the flu season and the H1N1 epidemic, it’s more important than ever to safeguard your family. Yesterday we had to take our 3 year old to the ER; she was diagnosed with pneumonia. A bacterial infection she got from someone who probably didn’t wash their hands before coming in contact with our little darling.
We can’t be there 100% of the time to protect them, but we do our best. Infants are especially susceptible to infection and this flu season is going to be brutal.
So let me ask you something. Have you ever been at the mall with your baby and a stranger (or worse, their kid with the sniffles) walked right up and stuck their [germy] hand right into your stroller to touch your baby? I have, and it still gives me the willies. How dare they take such liberties?
My nephew was born 3 months premature. An infection like the flu is down right dangerous for a preemie. The hospital sent her home with a little sign to attach to her baby carrier asking people to wash their hands before coming in contact with the baby. A year later, I borrowed her baby carrier for my youngest (it still had the sign on it). Everywhere I went, other moms asked where I got the sign because they wanted one. Turns out, my sister had the same experience. So I did some research.
I finally located the sign online; it’s a pretty simple design. Being the crafty person I am, I decided to try to improve upon it. It’s copywrited, so I altered my signs significantly. And I made one major change – I use eco-friendly and non-toxic ink instead of a screen-printing process which I’ve been told by several printers is toxic.
This flu season, protect your precious little baby. And while you’re at it, support a great cause. 10% of all November sales will be donated to Operation Shower, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that recognizes and honors the sacrifices military families make by producing and coordinating unit-wide baby showers and “showers in a box” for pregnant or expecting military families in a deployment or high stress situation.
I’m accepting pre-orders now through November 15, at a discounted cost of $7.99. Shipping is FREE, so don’t wait! The price increases to $9.95 on 11/16/09. Visit our Store to choose your design (there are 7 options!) and place your order.
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