Strength!

When You Need to be Strong
I look at the days ahead and wonder what they hold.
Don't we all?
And then these words make their way to my heart:
"Go in the strength you have...am I not sending you?"
Judges 6:14
We don't have to...
wait to overcome our weaknesses,
complete the ten point improvement plan,
figure everything out.
The strength we already have is all the strength we need.
Because we have a limitless God within us who loves us.
As is.
And He promises to stick by us.
All the way.
-Holley Gerth
It never ceases to amaze me that God always gives us everything we need to complete any task we are attempting (within His will of course). It also amazes me that He uses words, thoughts, friends, family, and even strangers to help you accomplish the feat. I was thinking about how I needed to be stronger mentally and physically to accomplish this weight loss goal that I have, and I was on Facebook and read the above quote on my BFF's wall. I know God is sending me on this journey to a healthier, slimmer me and the scripture says....go in the strength you have! The strength I have is all I need! What?! That seems so easy, why do I always make it so hard? I DO believe that God is with me on this journey, so why do I try to carry everything myself? I know that Jesus always carries us when we are too weak and weary to carry ourselves so why do I resist? Human nature, that's why! I need to remember that I do have my own will too and that God is a gentleman and will not push Himself into a situation He waits to be invited! I am going to remember that this week as I step up the exercise, I will be inviting Him into every second of my day, and I will rely on the strength that I have because He is with me. I will also be depending on that strength in my everyday life as it is about to get CRAZY! My daughter begins summer school on Monday so I will be loading and unloading 1 3 year old and 2 infants into the car twice a day to get her there and pick her up, she will only go half days so I will be doing it every 3 hours! While she is there I will be feeding, dressing and changing the kiddos, doing the housework, devotions, daily bible reading etc. I will be praying I don't forget to pick her up, and that I rely on the strength I already have because Jesus will be with me every step of the way! I am looking forward to this next leg of the journey and I know I can count on you all for prayer and earthly encouragement. Well that's all for now, will write again soon. Loving my life......Toodles.....

Disappointed!

Tomorrow my friend is getting married and I waited until today to decide what I was going to wear to the wedding. Can you say not a good idea Becca?! I wanted to wear a dress or a skirt and I had some things in mind and was sure I could find something that would work. NOT!!!! I am in a weird place right now where all my old things are too big and the things I have been given from friends are too small.  I am still really out of shape and need to do some toning and I need to kick up the calorie burn a notch. Even though days like this are very disappointing they are also very motivating. I will not lie i was so mad that I started to cry! Then my loving family said something that brought me back to reality. They said not to be upset, because I have been working hard and if what I am doing isn't working the way I want it that its okay for me to find something else! So tomorrow I will be wearing dress pants and a tank top and sandals to the wedding and I will be changing it up starting Monday. You would think that this would be easier, it wasn't this hard to gain weight! I do know that it didn't come on in one day, one month or even one year so I need to turn my disappointment into patient motivation and just keep speaking to my mountain! I hope this blog is helping someone else but even if it isn't it is helping me. It gives me a place to vent and create so for all of you who read this I thank you for allowing me the opportunity. Toodles ....for now....

In Matthew chapter 17 verses 20 and 21 we are told that we can speak to mountains and they will move if we have faith the size of a mustard seed.
 "Jesus replied: It is because you don't have enough faith! But I can promise you this. If you had faith no larger than a mustard seed, you could tell this mountain to move from here to there. And it would. Everything would be possible for you."
The first time I read this scripture I thought how can I move a mountain? Furthermore, why would I want to? I soon came to realize that these were not mountains like Everest and Pikes Peak, but, obstacles that keep me from the things God would have for me. Losing weight so that I would have the healthy life God intended for me is the mountain I am referring to at this point in my life! I have spoken to and moved many mountains in my past and I intend to speak to and move this one as well. The only thing I know about actual mountain climbing I have learned from my Pastor. What I know is that you don't just decide one day to climb a mountain and do it the next day. You need to prepare and have the right equipment. I also know that you don't climb a 14er on your first climb. You start small and move up. To me diet and exercise is like climbing a 14er. I need to prepare and I need the right equipment. If you tried to climb a 14er without first trying to climb something smaller and without the proper equipment how successful would you be? What are the chances that you might be injured? Well, I know the answer to both of those questions, not very successful, and highly likely! You know what's coming now right? Yep, I tried to climb that 14er with no preparation and shoddy equipment and I hurt my knee! Well what you are going to read next is me speaking to my mountain! I will move you, I will be successful, and I will not quit just because my knee is hurt. My personal trainer (Jesus) and me have regrouped and have a new plan! I will be using some new equipment that is tried and true and before you know it I will move from flat ground to hills to mountains to 14ers! I need to build up strength and get better range of motion to keep my self safe but I will take it one step at a time and I will be speaking to this mountain until it moves and move it will do! Well that's all for today.....Toodles..... 

Independence Day!

Today is Independence Day! You may ask why I would be writing on this subject, well, it is because I am celebrating my own independence! Independence means freedom, and I am celebrating my freedom! I am free from condemnation from sin, thank you Jesus! I am free from sickness, thank you Jesus! I am free from pain, thank you Jesus! I am free from the bondage of FOOD! I declare today MY independence day even though I have been free in Jesus for many years. Today I will only move forward in my quest for good health. No more backsliding, no more!
Today I will accept healing from pain in my knees, good health, self-control, strength and wisdom for my journey. Today I will inspire myself and those around me, I will encourage, and cheer for myself and those around me. Today I will begin to walk ONLY in the path Jesus has for me. Today all my excuses are behind me, and my healthy new life is before me. Jesus will be my personal trainer, my dietician, and guidance counselor. With God on my side who can be against me? I will stop sabotaging my success and start flaunting it to the world! Not for my glory but for HIS! Everything I am and will become are because
of Him!
I want to be the light in the darkness for someone else who is struggling with this same issue. I want to be the encourager the Lord has gifted me to be. I will become these things and TODAY is the day that I will begin. Today is Independence Day!........Toodles......

Talk about getting MOTIVATED!

Last night my hubby and I double-dated with my BFF and her hubby. We went to dinner, and then went to see the movie "Soul Surfer." Good movie! I have been following the Bethany Hamilton story so I was really excited to see the movie.  I have to tell you that Bethany is an amazing girl and she was determined from the very start to turn something awful into something good. She was adamant that she WOULD surf again. I could not believe her courage and determination, but her faith, I've been there and it got her through, and it got me through as well. Okay, now the motivated part. I watched this young girl who was attacked by a shark, lost 60% of her blood, nearly died, and now has to live with one arm persevere and learn to surf again. Not only did she learn to surf again she competed and turned pro! If she can do that I can persevere through sore knees and hip pain and lose the weight I need to lose. She stood on the scripture I can do all things through Him who strengthens me, and I too am standing on that scripture, and I will succeed! It never ceases to amaze me the things that God uses to get us to understand things we are struggling with. I bought new shoes and plan to embark on a new walking adventure starting tomorrow. Thanks for always being here Lord, thanks for showing me that my life is not stuck in neutral, it is in drive and I am moving! I love you Lord and I am happy that you are my navigator on this journey called life, thanks for always bringing me back when I take a detour, thank you for never giving up even when I do! Toodles.....

Jumping for Joy!

I am so excited I am jumping for joy (well on the inside @ least). I had to visit the Dr. this week as I have not been feeling 100%. So you all know what that means, the dreaded scale. I have been struggling for a bit and really did not want to get on the scale. But, I had to, so bravely I stepped up, and much to my surprise I had lost weight. Not just a few pounds mind you but 70 lbs since last summer! Yes you read that right! 70 lbs! My blood pressure was perfect! My Dr. was very pleased and I gotta tell ya I was feeling a little proud! One nice thing about this discovery is that I am very motivated now to continue on this journey! I am gonna be pushing myself a little harder every week to get to my goal. Thank you Jesus for walking with me on this journey, you and I are unstoppable! Will be posting again after the holiday so for now have a great and safe 4th. Love you all...Toodles.....

Happy birthday Adrian! Nana blew it!

Today is my grandson's birthday and yesterday we had a huge birthday party. We had pizza, chips, dips, fruit and deviled eggs or as my bff calls them angel eggs (she is so cute) and of course cake. Well from the title you probably know what is coming! I did not eat fruit, no fruit for me, nope I had pizza, chips, dips, and of course cake. You know I justified that by saying, it's a birthday party, you gotta eat cake!So I am back where I started and not real happy about it, but I am not going to beat myself up over it and I am getting right back on the success train. I did some strenuous exercise today moving furniture in my living room, and will be exercising tomorrow. I will also be eating healthy again tomorrow and I will do my very best to not hop off my train. I will be praying harder tomorrow for strength and wisdom and self control. I wanna be like Jesus when He was tempted, I want to quote scripture and defeat the devil. I will be equipped with my scriptures, my prayer, and my back-up. I am victorious! The devil is a lying loser, and I will not be tempted any longer! This is my mountain and I am speaking to it! This is my giant and I am running toward it, and like David I WILL defeat it! Thanks for your continued prayers and encouragement! Love you all, Toodles......  

Climbing stairs!

The one thing I have the most trouble with due to my knee pain is climbing stairs. So when I have to climb them I take them slow and obviously one at a time. While I was exercising today a thought came to me, scary I know, but a thought non the less. I do try to stay away from stairs but sometimes they are unavoidable so I just deal with them. The thought I had is this, when I have to climb stairs I climb them in the way best suited for me, not Susan, Greg, Rachel, I climb them the way I need to climb them. Changing eating habits and starting to exercise to be more healthy is the same process. What works for one person may not work for me, probably won't. I need to find the best plan for me. If I make this change 1 step at a time like I climb stairs I will be successful. I always make it to the top of the stairs and I will make it to the top of my health climb! I may struggle and it may be hard but if I take it 1 step, 1 day, 1 lb at a time I will make it to the top! I can do ALL things through Christ Who strengthens me! Toodles......

WHAT I USED TO DO WHEN I WAS TICKED-OFF!

I am a little ticked off right now and I refuse to fall back into my old habits of eating when I am feeling that way! First of all I don't like being ticked-off and second of all it's not how God wants me to be and the reason I am ticked-off is stupid! I can not change the world, I am not every one's mother or grandmother and I can not change people, that is God's job and I am happy about that! Soooo instead of eating a bunch of junk that is going to make me feel really bad (physically and emotionally) I decided to blog and exercise! Yay! I feel much better already! I have been doing some reading on the benefits of exercise and it helps alot more than just weight loss. It helps with stress reduction, moving actually helps arthritis, it helps with sleep and just overall health.  It doesn't mean we have to do strenuous exercise it just means get up and move! So I am getting up and moving Toodles......

Exercise Is Not A Bad Word!

Regardless of what I may think exercise is not a bad word! The key to exercise is to find something you like to do and do it. I like my exercise ball, dancing and walking. Now all I need to do is figure out how to incorporate these things into my already busy life. Here is my thought, I MUST incorporate these things if I want to continue with my life! I WILL walk once a week with Doris and Susan, starting tomorrow I will get back on track @ Curves on Monday, Tuesday and every other Friday and every other Saturday (gotta work around work schedules). I will use my ball in the evenings and I will start journaling both food and exercise. I really want to start dancing but I need to get my Dr's okay first because of my knees. Since we went to putt putt the other night both Greg (hubby) and I decided we would like to do that on a regular basis. I have some in home walking videos that I can utilize a couple days a week and my hubby wants to start walking in the evenings. Okay so I have a plan, what am I going to do besides journaling to keep me accountable? That is where I recruit my friends! Susan, Doris and Barb are you ready? I haven't weighed for a couple of reasons #1 my scale is broken and #2 I really don't want to know! In my devotional Fit for My King, Sheri says we should let God be our mirror and not stress over the scale so at least for now that is what I am going to do. As long as i stay on track with eating right and exercise I should see results in how my clothes fit and how I feel, and that is enough for me right now! Pray for strength and wisdom and NO PAIN as I start this next chapter! Love you all and Toodles for now..... 

Date Night!

I really hadn't planned on writing about this but, I needed to. I wish I could say that I stayed on track all day, but, I didn't! However, I did very good all day so that I could enjoy myself on the outing. The hubby and I went on our first date night with our church. 7 couples went to Perkins for dessert and then to putt putt golf. I ordered a chocolate chip cookie sundae and boy was it good! I only ate 1/2 of it! I was very proud of myself. Then we went to putt putt (my very first time ever playing), I was worried that I would not make it through the course since there is alot of bending and walking. You see bending is very hard for me and I have trouble walking very far. My hubby was prepared to do the bending for me, but I asked him to let me do it until I couldn't do it any longer, which he gladly agreed to. I surprised myself and my hubby and if truth be known probably Susan and her hubby as well by finishing the game with NO bending help! This may not seem like a big deal to most of you but to me it is a VICTORY! I now know that I can do more than I give myself credit for! I found out that I like putt putt golf and would do it again and that I am not that bad at it! My first score was 56 and I am planning on lowering that the next time I go, and there will be a next time! Toodles......

Friends!

One thing I can honestly say about my life is that I have the most supportive friends ever! Susan my bff always has encouraging words for me no matter what may have happened. I love her so much. She is always willing to walk with me and never judges me. Doris is always willing to walk with me and she is very encouraging also. Barb is willing to do any exercise I may want to try and is very supportive of my knee issues. Lysa is my inspiration she has lost so much weight and looks absolutely amazing. Amanda is going through a very hard time right now and never ceases to amaze me that she can think of me during this time and offer me some help that I think will be just what I need to win this battle. If you don't know by now I love each one of you, and do not know what I would do if you weren't in my life. All of you say that I encourage and inspire you but I want all of you to know that you all inspire and encourage me as well. Thank you Jesus for putting these amazing women in my life! You all rock! 

Emotional Eating!

Yesterday I learned or should I say remembered that I am an emotional eater. But I also learned that I don't have to give in to those emotional cravings .I was upset because someone I thought was my friend did something that was not very friend-like. I was so tempted to blow the whole day and eat junk!  I settled for some animal crackers, which in the big scheme of things is a victory for me. I did have an ice cream bar for dessert but for the most part yesterday was a great dieting day compared to my eating before this journey began.  My family is being very supportive and have decided that we all can eat a little healthier.  In my Made to Crave book it says you crave what you eat so if you eat healthy foods eventually you will crave healthy foods, that is my goal for my whole family! Today is the day that the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it, I will also glorify Him by the choices I make today! Have a God-filled glorious day my friends and keep my journey in your prayers. Toodles.....

Bad days!

I used to let bad days keep me from reaching my goal. But as I said in an earlier post that was the old me.  Yesterday was somewhat of a bad day (diet wise). I met Susan (my bff) for breakfast burritos, which wasn't a bad choice until I ate the sopapilla with honey on it.   We went and got our nails done, which is always a good time.  Then I had cheese pizza for lunch (not a great choice) and cottage cheese for snack (my favorite) and did great til supper. We had a good supper turkey and black-eyed peas and corn and peppers, then guess what I did? I ate a Reeses's peanut butter cup, and nachos!  Looking back I realized that I was rushing around all morning getting ready to meet Susan and I forgot to read my devotions and I forgot to pray for strength!  I know that these are very important things for me if I am going to succeed, and I AM going to succeed! Today I will be reading my devotions and will be praying for guidance and strength. I WILL NOT let my bad day yesterday affect my success for today! Hope all of you have a great day and I will post tonight to let you know how I did. Toodles......

End of the First Day!

Well, well, well! It is the end of the day and if I don't say so myself I did a fine job not giving in to temptation. I did some weight training and some work on my exercise ball.  Looking back I could have done better keeping track of calories but I believe I stayed at my 1800 I am allowed on my diabetic diet. Tomorrow I will begin a food journal and keep better track. I did great keeping my blood sugar down today but I could have drank more water. As my bff Susan says baby steps! Tomorrow is a new day and I am excited to see what it holds for me! Toodles...... 

Lies I have told myself.....

I am an insulin dependent diabetic with a thyroid problem who has osteoarthritis in both knees. It's really hard for me to exercise, so why bother? I am destined to be fat my whole life! Not true! All of theses conditions are manageable and exercise should start small and work up as your fitness level increases. Okay so now that I know these are lies you would think that would help right? Wrong! Those lies turn into excuses and people are usually pretty sympathetic, especially when I throw in the fact that I was healed from cancer and a potentially deadly blood infection, and a hole in my small intestine. Don't get me wrong all of these are good excuses, but that's all they are, excuses. God didn't heal me from all these things to use them as excuses. I should be using these things as to help others, this is my testimony and I and I should be moving forward and living the life God healed me to live. No more lying to myself, no more excuses! My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and if I was the Holy Spirit I wouldn't want to live here. Do you not know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. This is the scripture I will be standing on as I press forward. Toodles....

Confession Time!

Monday June 13, 2011 I will be embarking on a journey that I have taken before (more times than I can remember). Weight loss, hence the name "Losin' It". Problem is I don't know what I will lose first weight or my mind! Like I said I have taken this journey before and I have had some success, but, you knew there was gonna be a but, I fall, and instead of getting right back on the success road I fall further and further. Well, I said to myself, "self you have got to figure out why you can't stay on this road called success". Then it came to me, I had forgotten to take someone on the journey. That someone was Jesus Christ. So tomorrow I will be fully equipped. Along with Jesus I will be using some devotional help Food, Fitness,and Faith for Women (anonymous), and Fit for My King by Sheri Rose Shepherd, and a book by Lysa Terkeurst called Made to Crave. I will be topping this off with daily prayer. I would also like to bring you along with me if you choose to follow this blog. If you do choose to come along I would appreciate your prayer for strength and for me to not give into temptation. I know that I will be successful if I continue to lean on Jesus because I can do ALL things through Him Who strengthens me. Well that is all for today, but tomorrow will be the first day of my new life! Toodles...