Mental Changes

Hello to all my peeps!

I want to send a special shout out to Rika: Thanks, Sis for working out with me! It was not only helpful, but it also made me feel loved that you were willing to hang out at the gym instead of at Starbucks! :) Also, go us for stepping it up and jogging instead of only fast-walking the whole time!

I can't remember if I mentioned this before, but one thing I've been consistently praying for is a change of attitude towards exercising. I knew that in order to maintain a regular schedule of exercising I would have to start enjoying it. Honestly, that was one of those prayer requests about which I always thought, "If I can just get to a place where I don't hate it, I'll be satisfied. I don't think I'll ever enjoy exercise, but at least I'll be able to tolerate it."


The other day, while I was on the treadmill listening to some classic rock, I caught myself smiling at nothing in particular. I liked the song that was playing, I felt slightly winded but not overly tired, and I felt healthy. In that moment, my smile went from smirk status to a full on grin. God had performed an insanely cool miracle: I was enjoying myself while exercising! This thing that I thought was impossible had actually happened! While I don't relish getting up early, I do look forward to going to the gym now and if for some reason I can't make it in the morning I think, "Do I have time to go tonight? BSF finished at 9pm…is that too late to go?"


It may not seem that huge to someone else, but this is a pretty big deal in my opinion. Big enough that it's gotten me thinking: Where else in my life am I settling for satisfaction when I could have enjoyment? John 10:10 says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." While that's slightly out of context, it's still so applicable! Jesus laid down his life for us, not so we could live on the sidelines settling for ok lives, or even good lives. He has plans for us and if we obey and follow him, he can make our lives great!


Life will never be without trials and disappointments; sometimes it's downright awful, but I'm learning that trusting Jesus to control my direction is always best. I didn't think he would, but without me realizing it, he's been molding and reshaping my heart. He is sloughing off my immature qualities and burnishing me into something that reflects Him.


To those of you who can relate to asking for a miracle that you don't think will happen: don't let that stop you from asking! While I technically knew God was capable, I just didn't think he would change me. Let's stop selling ourselves short when approaching our Father. He is gentle and loving, and when we ask for something in line with his will, he's promised to come through for us! John 15 even says, "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples." So lets go out and start glorifying our more than worthy God!

Bringin' In the New Year (a little late)

I realize I'm almost a week late on this, but happy new year! And what better way to begin 2014 than with blizzards? Am I right? Of course I am, but without the blizzards I would've have gotten nearly as much of a workout as I did when I shoveled this afternoon! I will for sure be feeling that one tomorrow...which is good because that danged blizzard interrupted my appointment with the YMCA.

***readers do a double-take and wonder: "Did I see that correctly? Did homegirl finally bite the bullet and actually join a gym?"***

Yessirs, I did in fact join a gym! I am now the proud owner of a fancy YMCA membership badge with an embarrassingly awkward ID photo of yours truly. I went by and joined on a day when I was scrubbin' it in a major way - I looked like a college freshman reveling the the freedom of wearing sweats in public and thinking they're "rocking it". I almost struck the red-carpet pose to compensate for my lack of clean hair, but figured it wouldn't help since the camera was only going to get a head shot. 

In my defense for going out in public like that: I was only out to get my oil changed and join the Y. I figured the guys changing my oil are oily themselves so they'd have no room to judge, and the people at the Y will regularly see my before-shower glory, so this way they'll be more likely to recognize me in the future. Really, in hindsight, it was quite an inspired decision.

Another milestone taken at the end of last year: I started a medically supervised weight-loss plan! When I say medically supervised, I'm talking bi-weekly blood tests, weekly meeting and weigh-ins. It's pretty intense...as in 800-900 calories a day intense. It sounds incredibly difficult, but they do make it easier by providing all the food I'll need, and it's surprisingly affordable! I started between Thanksgiving and Christmas and have lost about 3lbs. That's not nearly as much as they expected, or me for that matter. I think getting through the holidays and into a normal routine will change that, but there are definitely some things you can do to help:

1. Please pray! Sometimes I get sick of their food because it all kinda tastes the same, and I want to cheat. I also get discouraged because I'd like to lose more quickly, but their scale says I'm just not.
2. If I'm at your house, please don't offer me something to eat. I'll probably accept and tell myself I'm just being polite, but mostly I just like food...it's easier if I just ignore it.
3. If we're going to hang out, please lets do something that doesn't involve food. I can handle a coffee date, but dinner date, or even invitations to parties that will have food, are definitely difficult.
4. Instead of just hanging out, how about we do like Olivia Newton John and Aleece sings: "Let's get physical - physical!" (If you don't get that, click here and it'll make sense.) As the weather warms up we can go for a walk, or I could even get a guest pass and you could join me at the Y sometime!

So there you have it. 4 pretty simple and straight-forward things! 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 says "For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ." That is a promise I'll be clinging to this year; Christ has giving me divine power to destroy strongholds. That is just SO COOL! Can we all just take a minute and praise him because he's already won the battle? All we have to do is call on him and he'll whoop some major temptation butt!