Evict the Renters...Focus on the Landlord

Hi...As I sit to write this...I must confess that I am REALLY angry.  I am confessing that so that I do not take advantage of you as readers and just spew my anger all over these pages before I have actually taken the time to step back...pray...breathe...pray again and then write.  Instead...due to time constraints and the desire to let go of this and move on...I am writing at lunch and not waiting until later today to post. 

However, I did pray before I began typing!  The truth is...I am lousy at times of keeping other people's stuff out of my head.  The reason I am angry is work related and NOT important when I consider the larger Journey I am on and the fact that I most definitely know that "This too Shall Pass".

Instead...I have let this get into my brain and all of the self doubt that I battle with gets lit up like a firecracker!  So...here is another opportunity for me to gather myself, pray for strength, pray for perspective and do the following!

 

 

 

I am reading a book recommended by a friend.  It is called Emotionally Healthy Spiritually by Peter Scazzero.  Without getting into a full explanation about the book...for now, I am just going to quote something he said in the book...in context to his life as a Christian.  It applies to me as well...different circumstances...same problem.  If I am honest...this is something I do WAY too often. 

 

He says, "My life was lived more out of reaction to what other people did or might do or what they thought or might think about me."

 

He goes on to tie in the above statement contextually to his experience...However, I am taking it somewhat out of context and applying it to what I know about myself.  What I know is destructive and can cause stagnation for me in daily life, work life and relationships...and certainly to a weight loss journey...negative reactions, supposition, assumption and prognostication...all based on OTHER people's reality.  I have been known to let people rent space in my head...people's criticism, doubts, judgements...that  are not true for me.  However, instead of blaming it on other people...I must accept responsibility for my part in that behavior. 

 

 

If I can learn to keep my focus on my relationship to God...evict the renters and focus on the Landlord...many of the stresses in my life would greatly diminish.  I might even shed a few extra pounds if you consider that many "experts" believe that stress causes weight gain!!!

 

 

So there...nuff said about that today!

 

So...NEWSFLASH...I got up and worked out BEFORE work...I have not done that in a while and it was a good thing...Like I must keep saying...I have to stay focused on the prize...I have to maintain a healthy regimen...Physically, Emotionally and Spiritually!!!

 

Have a Blessed rest of the day!!!

 

 

 

 



Eat, Sleep, Work, Workout...

Well...I have survived the 1st day of a very busy week...I got to work WAY early, worked and then headed to the last practice of the volleyball season with my girls! 

I invited the parents to play the girls tonight in a friendly volleyball game...It was fun..the parents did a great job!!!! Now..we play our last game on Thursday!  I have again, enjoyed coaching and getting to make a few more sweet memories with my Emily.

After the volleyball practice, I was pretty clear that this Fluffy, 46-year old body was done for the night.  So Emily let me know that she thought I burned plenty of calories during our practice.  That is all I needed to hear! 

The rest of the week is incredibly full and as I said last week, it will be important that I maintain some reasonably healthy routine...sleep, eating right and making sure I get in my workouts!  I keep repeating these steps in my head...eat, sleep, work, workout...eat, sleep, work and workout...



The Good News...all of the things that I have going on this week...are more opportunities to see God working on this Journey and in my life!...I am pumped that we are meeting this week to begin the big work of planning and executing a charity event.  This is something I have envisioned  for some time!  So the fact that I have committed to hosting this event and that I have a group of people willing to take the plunge with me..is just one more blessing along this Journey!  Of course...I am nervous and want to make sure that I do both charities justice!!  Please keep this event and the planning/planners in your prayers!!!  We will need all the support we can get!


OF COURSE...I am still so excited at the possibility of meeting Kerri Walsh...I can promise you all will be fully sick of hearing me talk about it!!! But...I do not have any intentions of stopping..:)

I am pretty sure that Mom and I will be leaving for Cali July 5th!!! 

Speaking of Kerri Walsh...she posted the below on her FB page...I really love it and given some of my recent experiences along this Journey...It really fit for me to share with all of you!

 

I am learning that there are a lot of great lessons to be learned from my "broken bits"...the parts of me that are raw and vulnerable...are often the places where I learn the power of God's Love. 

 

Have a wonderful evening...

Staying Plugged In

Good Sunday to you...I do hope this day finds all of you enjoying your family, friends and some Peaceful moments to yourself.

I am making a point to get in my One On One time with God today...seeking guidance on how to turn over the management of what looks to be a very busy week, to God.  Looking for the courage and strength to follow His plan for this week.

I started my day in church.  It was a good service...good music, good company and a good message. But, something a little different happened.  Our Senior Pastor spoke first...the continuation of a year long series on The Essential Jesus.  After he finished his sermon of typical length, the youth pastor got up to deliver what he described as a "brief" message.  He commented immediately that he did not know that public speaking was really his thing...but....here goes.  I noticed as he began to speak...it became fairly clear that his definition of brief did not really match the congregation's general definition! 

Let the nervous squirming commence!! So funny to watch...grown humans wiggling like 3 year olds...At first, I felt nervous for him....I wanted to say...SAVE YOURSELF-DON'T RAMBLE! DON'T SAY "UM"...DON'T PAUSE TOO LONG....JUST DON'T!!

But something funny happened...I stopped "managing" and starting listening and guess what...I got something I needed to hear...eloquence, experience, evangelical wisdom...none of it mattered...the message was there for the taking. 

I am finding that this Journey is teaching me daily that Blessings, lessons, opportunities can and will come from any number of sources on any given day or any given  moment.  But, for me, there is only One Source of Power...a power that supplies those sources and provides those given days and given moments.

This young minister said the following (I am paraphrasing),

We get lost in the details...we spend our energy and our resources in the minutiae.
We lose contact with our power source...our source of strength.
He continues on to say that we have to make sure we stay connected and as a safety precaution...should make sure we have at least a couple of good "electricians" on our side!

Surrounding ourselves with good conduits of that power.

It did not take long on this journey for me to figure out...that I must stayed "plugged in" and that I must have good "electricians".

That is the key component to my Journey...my way to Fight to Light!

I ask you today for a few super charged prayers...as I find myself fighting hard against those things that keep me stuck and in the dark!

The Sand Dune Training Begins

Ahhhh...I am still smiling from yesterday!  What an amazing opportunity God has given me!  This entire Journey! Seriously...yesterday was just one more blessing...one more reason to be inspired!

So in case you have not heard, I have a chance to meet the amazing Kerri Walsh Jennings in July and if all goes well, I will be able to look her in the eye and tell her what an amazing inspiration she is and how grateful this old, fluffy girl is that she has such a kind, giving spirit!

I Can't Wait!!

So I have officially begun my "training" to climb the big sand dune!! I did some serious Evil Elliptical incline training today!! I added 3 sets of leg presses at 180lb...bicep curls...chest presses...I was a MACHINE!

Mom and I toured Willowbrook Sports Complex today...where we will be hosting Play It Forward in August...GREAT facility and again, another amazing blessing that the facility has been donated for our event!!!

I needed this big dose of inspiration...this reminder that God will continue to open doors, shine a light on my path and show me how I can grow in His love!

See you tomorrow!

Happy Friday

It has been a very exciting day in my Fluffy Girl world!
I started the day down another pound! 52 so far...68 to go! 

I got in to work early...traffic was not too bad!
I got a few supportive messages from friends...
I had on my favorite "skinny jeans" and settled in to what I had hoped would be a truly productive day!

Oh...but before I started my day...I sent my standard "tweet" to Kerri Walsh Jennings with my Friday weigh in AND I shared with her a mini-goal that I will doing in July!
You see, a few months ago...Kerri posted about a hill at Sand Dune park in Manhattan Beach, Cali.  She had a climbed this hill like 10x!  It is no small hill...I decided I wanted to give it a try as a part of my Journey!

So...I tweeted to Kerri my plan and she replied...I'M IN!
To which I replied...ARE YOU SERIOUS? Guess what? SHE IS SERIOUS!  Holy Toledo! I am going to meet Kerri Walsh! Are you kidding me!!

I have not stopped grinning!!!

This is yet another amazing blessing...I am dumfounded, excited, goofy excited...and inspired all over again!!

Happy Friday, People...HAPPY FRIDAY

Safely in my Heart

Today was super busy and the Fluffy Girl is TIRED!

But today was a good day in several different ways.  First, my Sweet Pea (Emily) made the Honor Roll!! I drove like a crazy woman to get to the awards presentation...I got there 3 people before she got her award...Phew!!
So very proud of her...I am fully involved in deep denial about how quickly she is growing up.  She fills my heart and I am beyond blessed to have her in my daily life!

After the awards ceremony, we went to dinner...several of us...Being around different people is rejuvenating!

After dinner, I walked 1.5 miles...not some fierce workout...but I stuck to my plan to get in a workout Mon-Thurs.  Last night I did a rowing machine/evil elliptical combo...that rowing machine is the devil!

Today I had an email conversation that really challenged me to think...in a good way.  It was a conversation that encouraged me to be a better me...to take another step along this Journey that encompasses my physical, spiritual and emotional health.
But there was something different about this conversation...it was personal, something that I know that I am suppose to actually live and not over analyze or overstate...which, as most of you know, is highly unusual for me! 

Some things are actually  best if lived...practiced and demonstrated in our daily lives...instead of quoted or written...explained.  For me, some things are best kept in my heart than displayed in a blog. 

Tomorrow is another weigh in and I feel nervous!  Just needed to say that out loud!

Today's blessings include a fabulous 12 year old...a great dinner conversation, a chance to move in a positive direction and a special conversation that though it is blog worthy...will be kept safely in my heart.

YES, YOU DO!!!

So...I am sitting at work today and I am working directly with my co-worker Kyle...He is 25 years old...so he is a youngster...However, all morning...every time I ask him a question he replies "Yes Mam"...REALLY...He never does that!!!  NOW...today...he is cranking out the "Yes Mams" left and right. 

I must be looking particularly "old" today...So I wanted to say...do I look like I am old enough for you to be calling me Mam...and then I realized...YES, YOU DO...You are old enough to be his mother!!!!  Gratefully, I had the presence of mind to ask myself that question before posing it to him...and possibly having to hear YES, YOU DO...from him!!!

So...I am may be looking a little matronly today...OR there could  be something wrong with him...That is probably it! 

So...I did interval training on the Evil Elliptical last night...worked out the fluffy arms and upper body!!!  I am losing inches...even my recently purchased "skinny jeans" are getting a little baggy!!!  However, I have decided to jump start things again going in to the latter days of this 1st year of this journey...I will be doing "The Cleanse" again in June...28 more days of detox!

Next week is INSANELY busy...Volleyball practice (Monday) and last game (Thursday), dinner with my friend Mary D., Committee meeting for Play It Forward-Rally to Serve event, workouts, work...So...I will need to remember to make eating healthy and resting a priority...and I think we all know that can be a challenge for me!!!  Please keep my sanity in your prayers!!! :)


Blessings for Today:

• Funny Dixie Cups
• The birth of my friend Lindsey...30 years ago today!
• The Power of prayer
• Footprints in the Sand
• Funny moments of Reality

I love music...it speaks to my heart and says what I cannot say at times...It reminds me that Angels sing on High!!!  Music reminds me that God is all around me...even when I don't "see" Him...I can hear His Voice.


Footprints in the Sand-Leona Lewis