"Encouragement is Key!"

I have successfully put away all of my summer clothes and restocked my drawers and closet with my Autumn/Winter wardrobe. I have more reason now then ever to lose the weight I seek to lose by next summer...I realized how many wonderful summer clothes I have in the size I want to be in! Haha! The big encouragement I got last night though was when I tried on a skirt that at the beginning of summer wouldn't zip. Guess what? Last night, it zipped!! I was so excited because I tried the skirt on after I had already tried on and returned several other shirts and skirts back into the bin for next winter due to being too tight. I love those little glimmers of light. It makes everything better!
            God also gives us those little glimmers of light. Sometimes we need to look  a little deeper but other times they are right in front of our faces!  I am always encouraged by God's love for King David. No matter what happened, God always held David in the palm of His hand and David never once blamed God for anything. No matter what you are going through, if you are God's child, He is always there. Do not dispair. The Good Shephard will always come to rescue His lamb!  

Labor Day Blues...

Happy Labor Day! Today marks several things for me personally. It is the official end of summer here at our home as tomorrow we begin school, it is the anniversary of my engagemenet to my husband, Roger and it is the day that I can get really serious about losing weight! I know, I know, I said that last month! But, with all the summer fun and outings, I feel like all I have done is eat! The good thing is that I haven't gained a pound...the bad thing, I haven't lost a pound either. I know that I could get very discouraged about that bit of information, but I will press on! Especially after I saw pictures of myself from a couple of our summer parties! GAH!! I didn't know who the fat lady was at first! It was an awful wake up call for me. I knew that I was fat but not that fat! As I close this very short entry, I am getting myself ready to hit the track and to walk my 3 miles with purpose....it will help in my efforts to lose weight while it also gives me the quiet time I need to talk to the Lord!

Have a safe and happy Labor Day!

Here's to Confessions!

Well, it is August 6th and what do you know? I have completely given up on the blog, the weight loss and my new devotions plan! I am so dissappointed for not really giving myself a chance with this and simply throwing in the towel when things got too hard! But for those who were cheering and praying me on, I do owe an explanation so here goes!

I thought that I could give insight and help to other women who are sharing in the same struggles I have, ie, balancing husbands, kids, housework and a relationship with the Lord while trying to take care of me. I realized in a few short days how inadequate I am. So I stopped writting the blog to try to get myself right first. My attitude has been so awful  towards my family (especially my husband) that I knew I had to address my own problems before I started doling out advice to others! I have spent hours praying and asking the Lord to help me change my attitude...it hasn't happened yet but I know that I am a work in progress and I will be until I die. Sanctification is an ongoing, never ending process and when one struggle is over, the Lord sends a new one. It is His way of refining and purifying His bride for that glorious day when all His children will be made new! Hallelujah!!

So with that in mind, I know that my attitude towards this blog has changed. I will be using this to share my struggles, both physical and spiritual. If it helps someone reading, Praise the Lord!! My task is to use all things to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and that includes my race to the finish! So, forgive me for having the wrong attitude when I began this 5 months ago and please pray that God keeps me humble through this.

My new goals are as follows:

Lose 25 pounds by December 25th with a total goal of 50 pounds gone by this time next year. But, we'll do it a little at a time! :)

I also want to spend more time in the Word of God and on my knees before the Throne. So for the second time this year, join me on a journey that is both physical and spiritual and together, may we all be able to give God the glory!

Finally!

So here it is, two weeks later and I am finally starting this weight loss program! It is so easy to forget about these kinds of things! Especially when it is a difficult thing to do! Below I will have posted my currant weight, my goal and my days worth of food, exercise and of course, my scripture for the day.
I have been doing well in regards to the food problem...I am slowly taking the steps to get away from my dependence on it and work on my dependence on the Lord. During the last 2 weeks, I have been praying when the "need" to snack has struck. That and drinking water while craving has been a huge help! I am also on a new diet that I started on Sunday. It is a neat little plan that for me is very doable! I drink a meal shake for breakfast and lunch and then eat a normal dinner with the family at night. Since we eat dinner so late here, I do have a snack around 4pm while I drink my caffinated Diet Pepsi! But the snacks have been healthy...fruit, veggies and 90 calorie granola bars to help curb that sweet tooth of mine! There has been no weight loss yet, but I am now exercising (which for me is the secret to success!) and plan to do so 3 times a week plus walking with the kids on days that I do not exercise. We shall see how long this lasts! :)

I wish I could report that my spiritual walk was on such an optimistic bent of mind. Sadly, it is not. Again, it is so easy to say what the plans are! I have the desire and craving to be closer and more real with Jesus so why am I not doing it? Maybe I fear that I will be thrown out of my comfort zone and told to look at myself in a way that I will not like.

And for you out there reading, if there is anyone, how are you being challenged and how are you responding?



Revelation 4:1
"Come up hither, and I will show you things!"

"An elevated mood can only come out of an elevated habit of personal charecter."
~Oswald Chambers


Currant Weight: 201.4 pounds
Goal Weight: 175 pounds by September 16th

Todays diet: Meal Shake for breakfast
Meal shake for lunch
2 vanilla sandwhich cookies
1 oz of sharp cheese
2 pita chips
one granola bar
lots and lots of water!
Dinner will consist if one bowl of chili, a slice of homemade foccacia bread and a fresh salad. Dessert, if the craving hits will be a fruit crisp bar and a glass of water.

March 7th, 2012
Today Oswald Chambers' devotion was Romans 8:37; "Nay, in all things, we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us."

How appropriate as I begin my journey! On that verse he went on to say, "Paul is speaking of the things that might seem likely to seperate or wedge in between the saint and the love of God; but the remarkable thing is that nothing can wedge in between the love of God and the saint. These things can and do come in between the devotional exercises of the soul and God and seperate individual life from God; but none of them is able to wedge in between the love of God and the soul of the saint."

Praise the Lord! Even though we place wedges in place, God never does! He reaches beyond the wedges, walls, obsessions, weaknesses and cravings and gives us the power to overcome those obstacles and take away those wedges so that we can have open communion with Him! Hallelujah!

For my daily bible reading, I am working my way through the book of Acts. This morning I read the first 3 chapters. I was struck by the awakening of the saints as the apostles spread the life, death and ressurection of Jesus Christ to all who would hear! What a powerful time. I know that I need that kind of awakening; the wide-eyed wonder and delight of a child as they hear and see all that Christ has done! We can have that again! Open the word of God, immerse yourself in it, believe God and feel new life coursing through your soul!! Praise God! Hallelujah!

The beginning

March 6th, 2012
Today while sitting on the couch eating potato chips (cheddar & sour cream Ruffles!), I realized that it has been a long time since I read my bible or even gave God a serious thought.

When did that happen? When did fattning, greasy, chocolatety treats replace the One who has given me new life? When did I stop caring about my body....the temple of the Lord? I know the answer to that. It was right around the time I knew that baby #4 was coming. Baby #4....wow! And I was the girl in high school that said I was never having kids! I now find myself catering to the every whim of not only 4 children but my husband. I somehow am getting lost in the fray. But I cannot lose sight of God and I cannot be the wife, mother and friend I am called to be if I simply toss my Lord under the couch!

I have discovered that when I seem to be so organized and focused on the outside, my insides are screaming for help! So instead of doing what I need to be doing and should be doing (which is crying out to God and letting Him speak to me through His word) I grab a snack. Not a healthy one of fruit and veggies. Oh no. I go right for the cookie jar! Or the chip drawer or the tasty cake cubby. While feeding my flesh, that in no way needs feeding, let me tell you, I have starved my spirit of the vital necessities: The word of God! Being on my knees with a broken and contrite heart and asking Him to help me. Letting go of my foolish pride!

On March 12th, I will be starting my earthly, fleshly diet. Farewell to chips, popcorn, tasty cakes, cookies and candy of all shapes and sizes! My goal is to lose 25 pounds by my birthday, 6 months from now.

Today I start my spiritual diet. I want to gorge myself on the Word of God and immerse myself in Jesus Christ! My goal: to read the bible all the way through by this time next year...even Revelation, which I have avoided my entire christian life!

I sincerely pray that this is not a selfish endeavor, but one that will ultimately glorify God and bring praise and honor to Christ!