21 lbs gone!!!

Woo Hoo!!!  I am 9 lbs away from my first goal, and my first check from my job on the wellness program.  It’s exciting.

Well, lil’ Brian started his college courses last week and so far is enjoying his schooling.  He said it is definitely harder than high school, but he does like his professors.  Amanda is thinking about going for the spring semester.  I’m going to try again for the fall semester of 2009.

This is going to be a great weekend.  #1 I am so looking forward to having a 3 day weekend.  It will be nice to actually sleep in for once, at least one day.  #2 We are going to have some really good friends over for dinner on Friday.  #3 We are having a new couple from church over for lunch on Sunday after 2nd service.  Yep, we have a fairly busy weekend, but it will be good.

I’m going to go and eat my lunch.  Have a great day, love, love!!!

Today’s Verse from the New Living Translation

You saw me before I was born.     Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out     before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.     They cannot be numbered! I cant even count them;     they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up,     you are still with me! Psalm 139:16–18

Encouragement for Today

God’s knowledge of us is so intimate! He’s the source of our lives. He supervised the “weaving” of our DNA as we were formed. If we don’t like the way we’re made, we have a quarrel with God himself! He made us each the way we are for a purpose. Living your life in such a way that you’re true to yourself, the self God made you, is right. Also, there’s a plan for your life, and God knows it. He’s always thinking about you. How does this make you feel? Bask in God’s intimate knowledge and attention.

This week has been a struggle…

The weight loss is going well, but we haven’t walked for 3 days this week.  I can tell too. I don’t seem to sleep as well when we don’t go out on our walk.  We are definitely going to walk tonight.  I need it.

The thing I have been having the struggle with is that I found out from my sister that my step-dad is in the first stages of prostate cancer.  According to Chris, she said that in September, they are going to inject him with tuberculosis and that will eat at the cancer in the prostate.  But my mom, sister, and my nephews, will not be able to use the same bathroom as him when he is injected.  I was also told that my mom is having her issues with her lungs again, and the worst part of all is that she won’t quit smoking.  Sometimes I want scream at her just so she will hear me and know that I love her and don’t want to lose her.  She is hard headed.  I know, I am too and obviously I get it from her, but at least I can listen to reason.  I can’t believe that it isn’t scary enough for her that she was diagnosed with some lung thing, I can’t remember the name of it, and has COPD & Emphysema.  Why on earth would she still smoke?  I just don’t get it.

Anyway, those are my struggles, but I know that God will take care of me and help me through this.

Have a great weekend, we are going to the air show this weekend.  I was just glad I got 2 free tickets.  Brian and I will have a ball.  Love, love!!!

Today’s Verse from the New Living Translation

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “As we go into battle, I will disguise myself so no one will recognize me, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle. Meanwhile, the king of Aram had issued these orders to his thirty-two chariot commanders: “Attack only the king of Israel. Don’t bother with anyone else!” So when the Aramean chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat in his royal robes, they went after him. “There is the king of Israel!” they shouted. But when Jehoshaphat called out, the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, and they stopped chasing him. An Aramean soldier, however, randomly shot an arrow at the Israelite troops and hit the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. “Turn the horses and get me out of here!” Ahab groaned to the driver of his chariot. “I’m badly wounded!” 1 Kings 22:30–34

Encouragement for Today

Here we see intentions being thwarted. Ahab might have known he’d be the target, so he tricked Jehoshaphat into wearing his robes, willing to sacrifice Jehoshaphat to save his own skin. Ahab thought he’d be safe. However, the Arameans weren’t fooled, and then a “random” arrow hit Ahab just where he was vulnerable. So Ahab died, Jehoshaphat was spared, and God’s prophecy came true. Seemingly random events aren’t so random; all is in God’s plan. That should give you security!

Another Great Weekend…

I have been really enjoying the time Brian and I have been able to spend with each other.  For instance, Friday evening, his mom was over at the house and had taken our son out and got him several things for his college years.  While she was there, Brian and I went for our evening walk.  We up’d it a little and instead of walking 3 times around our neighborhood which is .9 miles we stepped it up and wound up walking 1.14 miles.  We were so proud of ourselves.  Then on Saturday, after our groups, the weather was perfect and we went walking around Happy Rock Park in Gladstone.  It is a mile around the park.  We’re trying to work ourselves up. 

In October, I think around the 11th, there is a 5K walk/run for Rachel’s House Pregnancy Resource Center.  Their website is http://www.rachelhouse.org/ and Amanda, our daughter, has asked us if we would walk with her.  So that is one thing we are working our way up for.  Also the week before that is the Eyes on Aids 5K walk/run to help with orphans with aids in South Africa.  Here is the website on that http://www.eyesonaids.com/ it is something my son usually runs for.

Anyway, like I was saying, this weekend has been pretty good and I can’t wait for the next to see where we are in our walking at that time.

Talk to everyone later.  Have a blessed day and keep pressin’ into Jesus!!!  Love, love!!!

Today’s Verse from the New Living Translation

But the LORD said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” … And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He replied again, “I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” 1 Kings 19: 9–10, 13–14

Encouragement for Today

Even after God’s amazing revelations—windstorm, earthquake, fire, then the whisper—Elijah’s story and perception of his situation didn’t change. It was all about him and his problem. That was all he could see, it seems. Yet God met him; he is ever patient with our weakness.

Monday’s weigh in…

OK, I weighed in Monday and I’m down 13 lbs.  Brian is down 12 lbs.  But when I started, on myfitnesspal.com, they would like you to measure your neck, waist, and hips.  At first I was thinking, you’ve got to be kidding me, but I did it anyway.  So I also measured myself again on Monday and it turns out that I lost 1/2″ off my neck, 1 1/2″ off my waist, and 1″ off my hips.  So I’m pretty happy with that.  After measuring myself, I thought maybe I ought to do a leg and an arm.  But nope, I didn’t, I just left it the way it is.

Right now it is 10 am and I am hungry.  So I am having one of my little 100 calorie snack packs.  I just love those things.  I have been eating about 6 times a day.  I have my breakfast in the morning, between breakfast and lunch I have a snack, then my lunch, then another snack between lunch and dinner, then dinner.  Usually after dinner we go for our walk, but last night was just too darned hot.  It was like 105 – 110 outside with the heat index.  It seriously was a sauna.

Well I hope y’all have a great day and keep cool, it’s gonna be a scorcher out there!!!  Love, love!!!

Today’s Verse from the New Living Translation

[Herod] had the apostle James (John’s brother) killed with a sword. When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter. (This took place during the Passover celebration.) Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover. But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him. … Peter finally came to his senses. “It’s really true!” he said. “The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!” Acts 12:2–5, 11

Encouragement for Today

The apostle James was killed—just like that. Being a close follower of Jesus doesn’t make one immune to suffering. God didn’t deliver James, but he did deliver Peter in a miraculous way. You never know exactly how God will choose to work. We do know that corporate prayer was offered for Peter. For important matters and “impossible” situations, we must seek prayer from the larger body of believers.

Day 12 of “Change”

Well as of yesterday (July 31st) I had lost 12 lbs. and Brian had lost 10 lbs.  What we are doing is so much easier than I expected.  I do enjoy it.  I know that sounds really weird, but I have had my cravings taken care of with my 100 calorie snack packs, and I praise God everyday that He is giving us the strength to do this and change our lives for the better.  Brian was thinking he would be losing weight a lot faster than he is, but I think one thing he needs to remember is that he is more physical and muscle is going to weigh more than fat.

I have to get something off my chest that Brian was telling me last night that just really bothers me.  I guess he was sharing last week at his leadership group that we are doing this weight loss thing together.  Well, I don’t know the exact words that were said, but one of the other leaders took Brian to the side and basically told him that it did look bad that we are so heavy and in leadership, and that we really did need to do something about our weight.  I’m sorry but we do also have a couple of leaders that smoke.  How does that look?  Should we condemn everyone that has a struggle in their lives.  NO!!!  You know, one thing about Brian and I is that we are real.  Yes we have our struggles, we have our problems with the kids, but God forbid that we are fat.  It just kind of rubbed me the wrong way.  I know it rubbed Brian the wrong way also.

Sorry to vent, but I needed to get that out.  Hope everyone has a great day.  Love, love!!!

Today’s Verse from the New Living Translation

So Elijah did as the LORD told him and camped beside Kerith Brook, east of the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he drank from the brook. But after a while the brook dried up, for there was no rainfall anywhere in the land. Then the LORD said to Elijah, “Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.” 1 Kings 17:5–9

Encouragement for Today

God provided for Elijah’s needs miraculously for a while, until the brook dried up. Then he chose other means of provision: a widow. God doesn’t always provide in the same way twice. Often he leads us to a different way—sometimes the opposite of what we experienced before. Elijah moved from a miracle to a more ordinary means of provision (albeit still somewhat miraculous, as the little that the widow had to share was never used up). He also went from solitude and isolation to fellowship and interaction. Expect God to provide—and he does promise to do so—but expect the unexpected as to how he does it.