Monday morning rolls around again and I am...happy? Yep, strange but true. I have a lot to be happy for this morning and thought, since Natalie is asleep and the cats don't care to listen, I would share the reasons on my oh-so-popular blog with my two followers (mini cheer for you!) and anyone else who happens to wander by. That reminds me, I have been trying to find out - how do I follow your blogs - or those of other people I know? But I digress...
Before I begin, I am issuing a disclaimer. This is going to be a very egocentric, sappy, meandering blog. If that does not interest you, stop reading now. I will wait for you to go back to Facebook... :) Ok, NOW my reasons for being happy! The obvious ones that immediately come to mind are my family and coffee. Both have blessed me greatly today, and it's only 9:35! Other reasons...new beginnings. Lately I have been REALLY struggling with a few things. Losing weight and being healthy is on the top of that list. Time management and making God a priority is another. Finding a church home and Christian friends rounds out the top three. So this weekend God has brought me clarity and a sense of newness in all three areas!
Let's start with losing weight and being healthy, since that is something that floats around somewhere in my mind pretty much ALL THE TIME. I had an epiphany that too much of my focus is put on what goes into my mouth. One wrong morsel leads to guilt and being angry with myself, which in turn leads to....GUILT EATING. This is a BAD thing, because it starts this endless cycle. I also tend to eat because a clock says it's time to do so and I obediently go to the kitchen. The scale has been gradually creeping up and in desperation I decided to pray about it. Feature that, right?! In response, God has shown me a new perspective. First thing I need to do is CALM DOWN. I have given food way too much credit. Ultimately, it's nothing more than nourishment to help me do what needs to be done in a day. It can taste good, I can enjoy it, it can also bring a social element into my day, but it's primary function is to give me nutrients and energy. The next thing I need to do is CUT BACK. What I eat does not matter as much as how much I eat - within reason. I already avoid fatty, fried foods due to my lack of gallbladder, which is good. I try to remember the diabetic plating rule and adhere to the basics...mostly veggies, with some whole grain carbs and lean protein. I try to eat different colors and include all food groups in my day. But it's also ok to eat a lot of things I have considered FORBIDDEN if I do so in small, occasional doses. This frees me up from the guilt, hence no responsive guilt eating! I also am going to eat when I am actually hungry as opposed to when I think it's time. And I am going to stop eating when I get full as opposed to feeling like I have to eat everything, regardless of whether what's on my plate is healthy or not. Now, I am not naive enough to believe this change in thinking will magically transform my eating instantly or cause me to lose 10 pounds in the next 4 days. But I am aware of being a work in progress, and being mindful of what I am eating will hopefully cause the numbers on my scale to start going in the right direction.
Time management. Whew that's a biggie for me. I have NO clue how to do that. And I have all these big plans/aspirations daily on my "TO DO" list that get shoved aside. I realized in looking into how to get back into "school mode" that I need to prioritize. What matters most? God, my family, and being healthy. So everyday I need to make sure I include QUALITY time with Natalie and Joe, time where I am reading Scripture and really spending time with God as opposed to sending up "vending machine" prayers, and I need to exercise and plan out meals in advance so I am not hitting up the drive thru. This will, in turn, help with my weight loss goals! I have a plan for being ahead at work which will help me leave by 4:00 and get done the other things I want/need to do. I am going to be better at keeping a calendar, which I hope will help me keep track of time as well. I am going to recruit my friends (this can include you, my faithful readers!) to help hold me accountable to exercising and having my devotion time daily. Feel free to be in my face about it; that's what I need! Although I hate to see summer end, I am looking forward to a fresh start in my life.
The last thing...looking for a church home and Christian friends. I read a book this weekend called Heaven Is For Real. AMAZING story that really reminded me how much God loves me and how often I fail at remembering that and also at making Him first in my life. Joe and I have been looking for a church for a while now, yet Sunday morning rolls around and we just can't seem to get there. Call it laziness, or complacency, or a strategy of spiritual warfare to keep us on the couch and away from church...we haven't been anywhere in over a month. AND I HATE IT! We talk about how much we want a church to go to, to raise Natalie in, how much we miss worship and fellowship, yet every Sunday finds us at home. So I have decided enough is enough. I am SETTING AN ALARM for Sunday morning and we are going to church. There is one I really have been wanting to go to. The problem? 9:00 worship. Or maybe it's 9:30? It's early. But if I can be greeting children at 7:15, I can go to church at 9!! I also miss having Christian friends to share life with. Fixing that began Saturday when Stacy and Dave came to dinner. We had SUCH a great time! It showed me God really does want these kinds of relationships for us. If He can bring one couple into our lives, He can bring more. Like the other things God has shown me, I know that finding a church home and Christian relationships is going to take time and will be a work in progress. But I am feeling hopeful...I know that He loves me and His plan is not that we go through life alone but that we live in community with others. And I am looking forward to all the fun and possibilities that will entail. :)
OK, I think that is all I wanted to say. Whew...my brain feels 5 pounds lighter!! Natalie has awakened and it is almost time for my daily dose of Drew Carey and - hopefully - Plinko!! Love one another and have a great day, y'all! :)
Good luck with all of it...I've been there with ALL of it too, and none of it is easy. I'm sure you are doing the best you can! To "follow" someone's blog...go to the top left of the blog screen and you will see a little "follow" to click on. If it is not private, it will show up on your "dashboard" whenever someone makes a post. If it is private, you just have to go to their blog from time to time to see if they've written anything. As far as meal planning goes...I've gotten into freeze-ahead meals. I have several cookbooks with instructions for freezing if you'd like to borrow some. We have an extra freezer in our basement, which is awesome. I try to sit down and plot out my week on Sundays. Doing the "rainbow" eating plan has helped me do better with fruits and veggies. Lately I try to do a couple of workouts by myself (to get AWAY) and the rest of the time, we try to do family stuff...like going for a walk or jog in the park with the stroller. If you ever want to meet for a freeze-ahead cooking date or a walk or something, just let me know! I know it's a bit of a hike...but maybe we could find somewhere in between.
ReplyDeleteOoh...both sound like fun!! I am going to try to get back into my Zumba video (a DVD I do at home when no one is around but Natalie and the cats!!). It would be nice to do something active with someone. And I am ALWAYS open to new food ideas because we eat out WAY too much! Let me know when would be good for you :)
ReplyDelete