Hey guys. Haylee here. Is it just me or does it seem like everywhere you look people are getting married and having babies?! INCLUDING ME.
Never could I have imagined that within one year I would be blessed with the most loving husband and beautiful little baby boy. It's humbling. It's beautiful. It's exciting. It's exhausting. It's my new and amazing life.
I can't believe how different life looked a few years ago. I was one of those girls that wanted to get married young and start having a family. Just like any young 20 something year old, I was searching for that key to happiness, and for me that was finding the man of my dreams that I could journey through life with. God heard and answered my prayers because I found that man and am now married to him. There is nothing quite like entering into your vocation and knowing 100% that God has called you to serve Him through this other person. I was convinced that once I found him, my life would be completely fulfilled. And as much as I adore my husband, I have found that this answered prayer is only one aspect of my life that has brought me true peace and fulfillment.
In my humble 24 years of living, I can honestly say that I have never been happier and more content, and there are A FEW reasons for this. After years of searching for the ANSWERS and WAYS to a meaningful, God-centered life, There are 3 simple questions I believe we should always be asking ourselves.
1. Are you healthy?
2. Are you holy?
3. Are you happy?
Ironically, all these questions are intertwined. If you are healthy, you are happy. If you are striving to be holy, you will be happy. If you are happy, you will makes choices in your life that lead to a healthier and holier you.
So, what does it mean to strive to be healthy? It encompasses a few things...
1. Eating Healthy. Putting food into your body that will fuel you and energize you to do God's work throughout the day. I will have SEVERAL blogs that discuss healthy eating and living because I am extremely passionate about health and believe it transforms people's lives, because it has my own.
Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food. Hippocrates
2. Exercise. Striving to be healthy also means that when possible, training our bodies to do God's work but also to feel STRONG and CONFIDENT while doing it.
"I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified."
1 Corinthians 9:27
3. Finding a balance. THIS I believe is something that people fail to talk about and is CRUCIAL to being healthy. You must make sure you are eating ENOUGH (too many women I see don't eat enough) and NOT TOO MUCH (not using food for comfort... *cough *cough...ME ) This goes for exercise too.. you don't want to be someone that can't get off the couch but also don't want to be an exercise guru where exercise becomes an idol in your life. Balance is KEY to a healthy life.
4. SLEEPING! Couldn't we all do more of this??
What does it mean to be holy?
The answer to this question is something I believe we discover how to do better each day.
Why did God create us? He created us to know, love, and serve Him. So if we are doing these things each day, we are striving for holiness and living the life He desires for us. I believe holiness looks different for every person.
For me, my holiness comes in many ways.... cleaning the apartment and making sure my husband comes home to a loving and clean place, picking up clothes day in and day out with a smile on my face, changing diapers, feeding, making healthy,nutritious meals, doing the day to day chores of a stay at home mom. Holiness also comes by spending alone time with God, whether its 10,30,60 minutes a day. Trying to go to mass a few times a week. These alone times with God are SO FRUITFUL, and I have found God blesses me tremendously in that time.
Also, holiness comes by loving the people that God has put into my life, striving to be a loving and loyal friend, daughter, sister.
Lastly, I believe that God calls us to be holy by living in the PRESENT. The past is gone, the future is in God's omnipotent hands, God wants you in the present, because that’s where His grace will flow.
“Wherever you are, be all there.” Jim Elliott
Do I fail at these everyday? ABSOLUTELY. But God doesn't expect perfection. He just desires for us to try our best.
What does it mean to be happy?
Like I said earlier, I believe that happiness is intertwined with striving for health & holiness, but I also believe happiness comes from a few basic things: having people to love and that love you, having enough money to provide food, shelter, and basic needs, and having a goal and purpose to your life (whether its a job you enjoy or for me, being a stay at home mom).
But something that I think it so important and people fail to remember is that a key to happiness is learning to sit back and ENJOY YOUR LIFE. God is simple. He didn't intend for us to spend our lives learning how to be happy. He just wants us to trust Him and BE happy.
What is it in your life that makes you unhappy? What of those things are in your control and what aren't? The things that are in your control, do something about them! (For me, getting in shape after having a baby!! Are you not making enough money? Pray and keep trying! God helps those who help themselves)
What things in your life that make you unhappy are NOT in your control? SURRENDER them to God. Trust in His Divine Plan. And sit back and enjoy the ride.
Lastly, I believe a part of being happy is incorporating what you are passionate about into your life. I am passionate about being a wife and mom. I am passionate about music. I am passionate about striving to better myself everyday. Whatever you are passionate about, find a way to do it! Even if its a small way.. it will feed your heart and bring a deep peace that you are living your life to its fullest potential.
So, am I writing this blog because I am now a stay-at-home mom and have some extra time on my hands? Sure. But it's so much more than that. I am so so passionate about the three questions I listed above. I am passionate about my God, I am passionate about my health, and I passionate about living a a life of happiness.
I hope this blog is something that helps makes you laugh, brings you comfort, educates you, or simply gives you something to do while waiting in line for coffee, but more than that, I hope this blog helps you on your journey to live a happy, healthy, and holy life.
Humbly,
Haylee
Never could I have imagined that within one year I would be blessed with the most loving husband and beautiful little baby boy. It's humbling. It's beautiful. It's exciting. It's exhausting. It's my new and amazing life.
I can't believe how different life looked a few years ago. I was one of those girls that wanted to get married young and start having a family. Just like any young 20 something year old, I was searching for that key to happiness, and for me that was finding the man of my dreams that I could journey through life with. God heard and answered my prayers because I found that man and am now married to him. There is nothing quite like entering into your vocation and knowing 100% that God has called you to serve Him through this other person. I was convinced that once I found him, my life would be completely fulfilled. And as much as I adore my husband, I have found that this answered prayer is only one aspect of my life that has brought me true peace and fulfillment.
In my humble 24 years of living, I can honestly say that I have never been happier and more content, and there are A FEW reasons for this. After years of searching for the ANSWERS and WAYS to a meaningful, God-centered life, There are 3 simple questions I believe we should always be asking ourselves.
1. Are you healthy?
2. Are you holy?
3. Are you happy?
Ironically, all these questions are intertwined. If you are healthy, you are happy. If you are striving to be holy, you will be happy. If you are happy, you will makes choices in your life that lead to a healthier and holier you.
So, what does it mean to strive to be healthy? It encompasses a few things...
1. Eating Healthy. Putting food into your body that will fuel you and energize you to do God's work throughout the day. I will have SEVERAL blogs that discuss healthy eating and living because I am extremely passionate about health and believe it transforms people's lives, because it has my own.
Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food. Hippocrates
2. Exercise. Striving to be healthy also means that when possible, training our bodies to do God's work but also to feel STRONG and CONFIDENT while doing it.
"I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified."
1 Corinthians 9:27
3. Finding a balance. THIS I believe is something that people fail to talk about and is CRUCIAL to being healthy. You must make sure you are eating ENOUGH (too many women I see don't eat enough) and NOT TOO MUCH (not using food for comfort... *cough *cough...ME ) This goes for exercise too.. you don't want to be someone that can't get off the couch but also don't want to be an exercise guru where exercise becomes an idol in your life. Balance is KEY to a healthy life.
4. SLEEPING! Couldn't we all do more of this??
What does it mean to be holy?
The answer to this question is something I believe we discover how to do better each day.
Why did God create us? He created us to know, love, and serve Him. So if we are doing these things each day, we are striving for holiness and living the life He desires for us. I believe holiness looks different for every person.
For me, my holiness comes in many ways.... cleaning the apartment and making sure my husband comes home to a loving and clean place, picking up clothes day in and day out with a smile on my face, changing diapers, feeding, making healthy,nutritious meals, doing the day to day chores of a stay at home mom. Holiness also comes by spending alone time with God, whether its 10,30,60 minutes a day. Trying to go to mass a few times a week. These alone times with God are SO FRUITFUL, and I have found God blesses me tremendously in that time.
Also, holiness comes by loving the people that God has put into my life, striving to be a loving and loyal friend, daughter, sister.
Lastly, I believe that God calls us to be holy by living in the PRESENT. The past is gone, the future is in God's omnipotent hands, God wants you in the present, because that’s where His grace will flow.
“Wherever you are, be all there.” Jim Elliott
Do I fail at these everyday? ABSOLUTELY. But God doesn't expect perfection. He just desires for us to try our best.
What does it mean to be happy?
Like I said earlier, I believe that happiness is intertwined with striving for health & holiness, but I also believe happiness comes from a few basic things: having people to love and that love you, having enough money to provide food, shelter, and basic needs, and having a goal and purpose to your life (whether its a job you enjoy or for me, being a stay at home mom).
But something that I think it so important and people fail to remember is that a key to happiness is learning to sit back and ENJOY YOUR LIFE. God is simple. He didn't intend for us to spend our lives learning how to be happy. He just wants us to trust Him and BE happy.
What is it in your life that makes you unhappy? What of those things are in your control and what aren't? The things that are in your control, do something about them! (For me, getting in shape after having a baby!! Are you not making enough money? Pray and keep trying! God helps those who help themselves)
What things in your life that make you unhappy are NOT in your control? SURRENDER them to God. Trust in His Divine Plan. And sit back and enjoy the ride.
Lastly, I believe a part of being happy is incorporating what you are passionate about into your life. I am passionate about being a wife and mom. I am passionate about music. I am passionate about striving to better myself everyday. Whatever you are passionate about, find a way to do it! Even if its a small way.. it will feed your heart and bring a deep peace that you are living your life to its fullest potential.
So, am I writing this blog because I am now a stay-at-home mom and have some extra time on my hands? Sure. But it's so much more than that. I am so so passionate about the three questions I listed above. I am passionate about my God, I am passionate about my health, and I passionate about living a a life of happiness.
I hope this blog is something that helps makes you laugh, brings you comfort, educates you, or simply gives you something to do while waiting in line for coffee, but more than that, I hope this blog helps you on your journey to live a happy, healthy, and holy life.
Humbly,
Haylee