This week: -6.4
Total loss: 6.4
I know that you often loose a ton the first week of a new diet. I'm really happy about loosing 6 pounds - I can feel it in my pants and my knees don't hurt when I go down the stairs.
At first I was bugged - because that 6.4 was a 5.4. I blamed that on finishing up my points last night at 9:00 with a bowl of cinnamon toast crunch. But then I weighed again, and I'm just super excited! I've met a couple of my benchmarks already: past the weight when I delivered Jelly Bean, past 5 pounds. I'm almost to the point where I was when I started these silly hormone pills (that make me not have menopause symptoms any more, which this 33 year old thinks is a great idea!). This is such a good start to this venture. It has not always been easy - at all! I'm so used to finishing my kiddos lunches and cookies and whatever they hand to me when they don't want it. This morning my Hubby woke up early to make pancakes for everyone . . . and I had to tell him that I just couldn't eat them. They were too high points, and I knew I'd be hungry again in an hour if I did. But changes are happening. Great changes.
Here's to week two: this prayer circle is a huge one, but I know it can happen.
Monday, June 30, 2014
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
My improbable prayers
Let’s chat for a minute, shall we? I know, it’s been a million years since I’ve blogged for real. Sorry, that’s just the way my life has been. But I’ve set a new goal, so, while this blog will change a ton in the next while, I should be writing more.
Recently I picked up the book The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson. There were parts that I really enjoyed, and parts that I thought were needing some restored gospel knowledge. The basis of the book comes from a Hebrew legend of Honi the Rainmaker. He lived 200-300 bc (the time between the old and new testaments.) There was a very bad drought in Israel, but Honi had an improbable faith. He went into the desert, drew a circle in the sand with his staff, and knelt down inside. Basically he prayed that he wasn’t moving until God sent the rain. A light trickle started. Honi said “nope, that’s not the rain I’m praying for.” So a torrential downpour started, lighting, flash floods, the whole shebang. Honi said “ nope, that’s not the rain I’m praying for.” And a good steady soaking rain came.
Can you imagine? Asking God for the impossible, and not moving until He comes through? For a while now, I’ve been feeling that I don’t have enough faith. I worry too much about the things I’m responsible for, about our finances, or my Hubby’s job. I don’t test the Lord on the promises He’s made for me. The book talks about praying improbable prayers – things so big, so hard, so scary to think of that when it happens, you know there is no way your power made it happen. It had to come from Him. And to pray with intensity – to circle that problem completely in fervent, passionate prayers.
This struck so true to me. So I came up with three circles. Two of them I don’t want to share here. But the first one might be the most impossible anyway.
I’ve struggled with my weight for a long time. Way too long. For about three years now, I’ve been saying “when Hubby makes a little more money, I’ll just join weight watchers again.” But that money has been so long coming, and I can not wait any longer. Last Sunday, I tipped the scales as bigger than I have been in my entire life. I weighed 3 pounds more than when I delivered Jelly Bean. For months now I’ve felt completely out of control in my eating – I just can not stop.
Like all goals, Batterson states that your prayers need to be measurable too. I knew I needed to get specific, and a thought popped into my head. I immediately dismissed it as too hard, it just couldn’t happen. But that made me pause – if I prayed for this, I would know that the Lord had given it to me. There is no way I can do this on my own, but He is waiting to bless me, wanting to show me His power. I do believe that, so why not go for it!
Here’s my first prayer circle: 50 pounds in 6 months. I know, crazy, right? There is no way this fat, out of control body can do that. 6 months is 26.5 weeks – that’s losing an average of 1.88 pounds per week. It’s not an impossible goal, but it sure is an improbable goal to keep that up. Not to mention that I started this June 23 . . . 6 months after is December 23. Not exactly the best time to be finishing a weight loss goal! When I figured that out, I paused – then said, “well, it will show just that much more that I didn’t do this, He did.” I’ve got different goals along the way: weigh the same as when Jelly bean was born, loose 10 lbs, weight before I got pregnant with Jelly bean, loose 20 lbs, weight when ‘Lil was born. My end goal is almost exactly where I’ve been three times in my life: before I got pregnant with ‘Lil, before I got pregnant with Girly-Lou, and what I weighted in High School.
I believe with all my heart that one of the main reasons we are on this earth is to gain control of our bodies. He wants this to happen, so if I pray a circle around this desire, He will help me to make it work.
I started on Monday. My sister gave me all her old weight watchers stuff and I took the plunge. And He helped. I was able to eat exactly my points . . . and I wasn’t hungry. I didn’t feel deprived. I could feel my body craving chocolate, or wanting to make cookies, or just eat everything in sight, but I could feel my spirit being stronger than those desires.
I know this morning only starts day 3. And I know that weight loss often is really huge at the first. But I just got off the scales, and I’m down 4.8 pounds from Sunday. I can NOT believe that number. Which is why this process is strengthening my faith. I can not do this on my own. But I know He can – and is. That’s my first benchmark goal achieved.
Since I don’t have the money to join the support group of weight watchers, I’m doing one here. Every Monday I plan on weighing in. I’ll post my +/- each week. And I know He will make this happen.
Want to join in with me? What improbable prayers do you need in your life?
Recently I picked up the book The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson. There were parts that I really enjoyed, and parts that I thought were needing some restored gospel knowledge. The basis of the book comes from a Hebrew legend of Honi the Rainmaker. He lived 200-300 bc (the time between the old and new testaments.) There was a very bad drought in Israel, but Honi had an improbable faith. He went into the desert, drew a circle in the sand with his staff, and knelt down inside. Basically he prayed that he wasn’t moving until God sent the rain. A light trickle started. Honi said “nope, that’s not the rain I’m praying for.” So a torrential downpour started, lighting, flash floods, the whole shebang. Honi said “ nope, that’s not the rain I’m praying for.” And a good steady soaking rain came.
Can you imagine? Asking God for the impossible, and not moving until He comes through? For a while now, I’ve been feeling that I don’t have enough faith. I worry too much about the things I’m responsible for, about our finances, or my Hubby’s job. I don’t test the Lord on the promises He’s made for me. The book talks about praying improbable prayers – things so big, so hard, so scary to think of that when it happens, you know there is no way your power made it happen. It had to come from Him. And to pray with intensity – to circle that problem completely in fervent, passionate prayers.
This struck so true to me. So I came up with three circles. Two of them I don’t want to share here. But the first one might be the most impossible anyway.
I’ve struggled with my weight for a long time. Way too long. For about three years now, I’ve been saying “when Hubby makes a little more money, I’ll just join weight watchers again.” But that money has been so long coming, and I can not wait any longer. Last Sunday, I tipped the scales as bigger than I have been in my entire life. I weighed 3 pounds more than when I delivered Jelly Bean. For months now I’ve felt completely out of control in my eating – I just can not stop.
Like all goals, Batterson states that your prayers need to be measurable too. I knew I needed to get specific, and a thought popped into my head. I immediately dismissed it as too hard, it just couldn’t happen. But that made me pause – if I prayed for this, I would know that the Lord had given it to me. There is no way I can do this on my own, but He is waiting to bless me, wanting to show me His power. I do believe that, so why not go for it!
Here’s my first prayer circle: 50 pounds in 6 months. I know, crazy, right? There is no way this fat, out of control body can do that. 6 months is 26.5 weeks – that’s losing an average of 1.88 pounds per week. It’s not an impossible goal, but it sure is an improbable goal to keep that up. Not to mention that I started this June 23 . . . 6 months after is December 23. Not exactly the best time to be finishing a weight loss goal! When I figured that out, I paused – then said, “well, it will show just that much more that I didn’t do this, He did.” I’ve got different goals along the way: weigh the same as when Jelly bean was born, loose 10 lbs, weight before I got pregnant with Jelly bean, loose 20 lbs, weight when ‘Lil was born. My end goal is almost exactly where I’ve been three times in my life: before I got pregnant with ‘Lil, before I got pregnant with Girly-Lou, and what I weighted in High School.
I believe with all my heart that one of the main reasons we are on this earth is to gain control of our bodies. He wants this to happen, so if I pray a circle around this desire, He will help me to make it work.
I started on Monday. My sister gave me all her old weight watchers stuff and I took the plunge. And He helped. I was able to eat exactly my points . . . and I wasn’t hungry. I didn’t feel deprived. I could feel my body craving chocolate, or wanting to make cookies, or just eat everything in sight, but I could feel my spirit being stronger than those desires.
I know this morning only starts day 3. And I know that weight loss often is really huge at the first. But I just got off the scales, and I’m down 4.8 pounds from Sunday. I can NOT believe that number. Which is why this process is strengthening my faith. I can not do this on my own. But I know He can – and is. That’s my first benchmark goal achieved.
Since I don’t have the money to join the support group of weight watchers, I’m doing one here. Every Monday I plan on weighing in. I’ll post my +/- each week. And I know He will make this happen.
Want to join in with me? What improbable prayers do you need in your life?
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Winner winner!
And who was #4?
I'll try and get that in the mail relatively soon! Thanks for playing guys - it was great to see the fun memories.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Fortune Cookie
Guess what I've got!
Yup - it's book #11 in the Sadie Hoffmiller series.
I'll admit, this book was harder for me to read. Usually Sadie is rather removed from the crime (although she always wiggles her way into the people surrounding it!). But this time it's her estranged sister. She meets family she never even knew existed. There is all kinds of relationship stress. And the whole book takes place in less than a week. It's a crazy packed adventure. (ok, I say harder. That meant instead of taking about 4 hours for me to devour it was around 10!)
Because we have to test the recpies so far in advance, I've usually forgotten which ones are in the book until it comes out. One of my favorite parts of these books is when a recipie is mentioned. I'm flooded with memoires, either of how devine it was (that would be the nuttella french toast), or how hard it was to make it awesome (mincing anchovies is one of the most disgusting things I've ever done. Just use anchovy paste for the dressing!)
Want a copy?
Leave a comment. Hmm, let's have you tell me the best memory you have of the last few weeks. Maybe you had something big happen, maybe you just saw a tulip start to grow -whatever is great!
Contest will run through 8 pm Sunday March 29. I'll announce the winner the next day!
Yup - it's book #11 in the Sadie Hoffmiller series.
I'll admit, this book was harder for me to read. Usually Sadie is rather removed from the crime (although she always wiggles her way into the people surrounding it!). But this time it's her estranged sister. She meets family she never even knew existed. There is all kinds of relationship stress. And the whole book takes place in less than a week. It's a crazy packed adventure. (ok, I say harder. That meant instead of taking about 4 hours for me to devour it was around 10!)
Because we have to test the recpies so far in advance, I've usually forgotten which ones are in the book until it comes out. One of my favorite parts of these books is when a recipie is mentioned. I'm flooded with memoires, either of how devine it was (that would be the nuttella french toast), or how hard it was to make it awesome (mincing anchovies is one of the most disgusting things I've ever done. Just use anchovy paste for the dressing!)
Want a copy?
Leave a comment. Hmm, let's have you tell me the best memory you have of the last few weeks. Maybe you had something big happen, maybe you just saw a tulip start to grow -whatever is great!
Contest will run through 8 pm Sunday March 29. I'll announce the winner the next day!
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
I don't think I'm starting a book any time soon.
I might have mentioned it once or twice, but in case you've missed it, I've been part of a test kitchen for the last 6 years. It has been fabulous! I've loved trying all the new things, learning new techniques, chatting with new friends.
And now it's over. I made my last Josi recipie Friday. The last book is finished. And I don't get any new fun emails. (sigh. I'm kind of in mourning for this one!)
Anyway, back to the topic at hand. One of the bakers had the idea to do a bio page for each one of us in this last book (and there's a cook book too!) So I needed to write my page. 100-400 words, so nice and short.
Um, ok, I guess I can do that. I mean, I write all the time, right?
Yeah. It took me almost 45 minutes to write my 148 words. I had to rewrite it 4 times before it finally broke 100 words. And it sounded really REALLY stupid. So after the 6th rewrite I think it might be passable.
I have a whole new respect for authors when they post things like "I only got 3000 words written today". Seriously. I'll need a story that grabs me and demands to be let out before I write anything for real.
Here is different - I can spout out my randomness just fine. 'Cause I don't really worry about it making any sense.
See - I just plunked out 250 words and changed a diaper in 10 minutes. Randomness is easy. Understandable . . . not so much!
And now it's over. I made my last Josi recipie Friday. The last book is finished. And I don't get any new fun emails. (sigh. I'm kind of in mourning for this one!)
Anyway, back to the topic at hand. One of the bakers had the idea to do a bio page for each one of us in this last book (and there's a cook book too!) So I needed to write my page. 100-400 words, so nice and short.
Um, ok, I guess I can do that. I mean, I write all the time, right?
Yeah. It took me almost 45 minutes to write my 148 words. I had to rewrite it 4 times before it finally broke 100 words. And it sounded really REALLY stupid. So after the 6th rewrite I think it might be passable.
I have a whole new respect for authors when they post things like "I only got 3000 words written today". Seriously. I'll need a story that grabs me and demands to be let out before I write anything for real.
Here is different - I can spout out my randomness just fine. 'Cause I don't really worry about it making any sense.
See - I just plunked out 250 words and changed a diaper in 10 minutes. Randomness is easy. Understandable . . . not so much!
Monday, December 16, 2013
On being scrooge
Oh the joys of Christmas! The lights, the smells, the twinkle in my children's eyes. And the responsibilities, the crowds, the pressure that I put on myself to do things, make things, give things.
I have not been feeling the season this year.
Part of it is my daughter. 'Lil is just. so. HARD. sometimes. I haven't let myself call her anything more than determined (though her special ed preschool teacher laughed when I said that, and said that was a VERY nice way to describe how stubborn she is).
But more than once this month, in an attempt to not scream like a banshee, I've sent everyone downstairs with a movie on, and cranked Christmas music super loud to drown out all the bad.
It's worked - sort of. I've calmed down, but I still haven't felt the Christmas spirit.
I always give presents to many people - friends, neighbors, family. This year I've been fine to get things together for my kids and hubby, but every time I go to do more than plan a gift for someone else, I just put it off more and more and more. The other day I realized that I was resenting this whole gift thing. No one is making me give presents - no one but myself. I resented myself for being selfless in other years and expecting it of myself this year.
Selfishness has been a bit of a problem this year. I was being Scrooge.
Enter Saturday night. My wonderful sister took four of us to a Messiah sing along.
It was fabulous.
The soloists did more than sing notes - they sang the story. I felt the power of that inspired piece of music. I fumbled along as we sang A a a a a a a a A a a a a A ------------ men over and over and over, and felt the power in my soul of the truthfulness of our Savior. I mentally connected that "blessing and honour, glory and power" and felt my testimony deep within my soul remind my natural self of just why I've always loved giving to others.
I left that performance inspired - full of love and the Spirit of Christmas.
My only regret - it was too late to make those 6 loaves of bread for my neighbors that night. But don't worry, I have a plan today. I'm off to play with flour and yeast and bring that joy to others.
I have not been feeling the season this year.
Part of it is my daughter. 'Lil is just. so. HARD. sometimes. I haven't let myself call her anything more than determined (though her special ed preschool teacher laughed when I said that, and said that was a VERY nice way to describe how stubborn she is).
But more than once this month, in an attempt to not scream like a banshee, I've sent everyone downstairs with a movie on, and cranked Christmas music super loud to drown out all the bad.
It's worked - sort of. I've calmed down, but I still haven't felt the Christmas spirit.
I always give presents to many people - friends, neighbors, family. This year I've been fine to get things together for my kids and hubby, but every time I go to do more than plan a gift for someone else, I just put it off more and more and more. The other day I realized that I was resenting this whole gift thing. No one is making me give presents - no one but myself. I resented myself for being selfless in other years and expecting it of myself this year.
Selfishness has been a bit of a problem this year. I was being Scrooge.
Enter Saturday night. My wonderful sister took four of us to a Messiah sing along.
It was fabulous.
The soloists did more than sing notes - they sang the story. I felt the power of that inspired piece of music. I fumbled along as we sang A a a a a a a a A a a a a A ------------ men over and over and over, and felt the power in my soul of the truthfulness of our Savior. I mentally connected that "blessing and honour, glory and power" and felt my testimony deep within my soul remind my natural self of just why I've always loved giving to others.
I left that performance inspired - full of love and the Spirit of Christmas.
My only regret - it was too late to make those 6 loaves of bread for my neighbors that night. But don't worry, I have a plan today. I'm off to play with flour and yeast and bring that joy to others.
Friday, November 1, 2013
Words of the Prophets
So earlier today I was on Pintrest, when I saw THIS pin, which links to The Idea Door.
Now, anything that makes my life easier just makes me happy, and having a great handout to give when Visiting Teaching this month is great! But then I started really looking at it. And very quickly I realized that the handout was not in fact the words of the prophets. It was the words that one person heard while listening to conference. Now, maybe I'm a little picky here, but I always prefer my quotes direct, not just paraphrases.
So I ended up taking almost 2 hours finding the actual quotes and arranging them. (and some them were VERY different or not even there!)
Since I don't want to make everyone else do the same, here's one line quotes from different talks - in their own words this time.
(just right click and select "save image as". You should then be able to print it!)
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