Friday, April 29, 2016

Name change.....for a while

I have decided to focus my blog on what I have been focusing on for the past 3 months.  Weight loss.
It takes a great deal of concentration to lose weight, so I have been journaling about it.  I thought it might be helpful to someone else if I journal publicly.  So here goes.

It is not too much a departure from my regular blogging because all that we do has spiritual connections.  There is still much to be learned, so I am still learning....to lose.

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Shame




It is an ugly word.  Shame.  Sad thing is that it used to mean something and now it means something quite different.  The dictionary says that shame is a painful feeling of humiliation or distress, caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behaviour.  Now, no one wants to feel shame for anything.

Now, people no longer want to feel shame over their (bad) choices.  They want to flaunt their sin. We don't want anyone to say anything that will make us feel uncomfortable.  But I say that shame, like guilt can be a God-given tool that should lead us to repentance.

Now, it is not my job to shame anyone but myself.  Well, maybe my kids.  Remember when parents used to say, "Shame on you!"  It was a call to change immediately.  You didn't want to be a shame to yourself or anyone.

The first step in letting go of sin is to realize that your behaviour is in fact, shameful.  You should feel awful. Ashamed.  The second is to realize that Jesus paid the price of your sin and He will take away your shame if you ask.  Grace.

Monday, April 11, 2016

Nip it in the bud

I found this to be truly inspirational.  So many people struggle with discouragement, anger, frustration, loneliness, fear.   It seems that people tend to mask their feelings until they are unbearable and have started taking a toll on them physically.

Wouldn't it be great if, at the first sign of ............., we started worshipping God and found what we needed in Him?   That's what my mama would have called "nipping it in the bud."   No time to fester, no time to grow.  No chance to make it to the next stage of its miserable existence.  Our fears, angers, discouragements and frustrations would melt away while we rested safely in the Father's care.

How can we worship?  Pray, sing, serve.  Immerse yourself in Scripture.  Have a song ready to listen to.  If your only time of worship is at 10:30 on Sunday morning, you need to discover the joy of a personal time of worship to the Lord.

Saturday, April 9, 2016

Another weight loss milestone

I passed two really important weight loss milestones this week.  One, the 10-pounds marker.   That was really great because it has been a long time since I lost 10 pounds.
The second is this: this is the lowest I have weighed in the past 5 years.   I know this, because last time I dieted, I kept a journal.  I am lighter now than I was when I finished journalling last time.  And that was over 4 years ago.

I have learned a few things this time around.  Exercise by itself really doesn't help you lose weight.   If you put exercise and eating less together, it really makes a difference.

I make it a habit to go to bed empty, almost really hungry.  It seems that it is part of the consequences of eating past full so many times before.   It is a really good example of how you can be forgiven of past sins, but you still have to deal with the consequences of your actions.  God can forgive me for being gluttonous, but He doesn't just take away the fat.   I guess that for every time I went to bed stuffed, I will now have to go to bed hungry.  I am not complaining, because I could get up and eat anything I wanted to.  I choose to do it this way, so that I remember the discomfort that the sin of overeating causes.

I have also learned that a day off is not really just a day.  You see, if you are not going forward, you are going backward.  So a day off is one day, and then a day or two to recover.  So a day off is really a 3 day loss in my weight loss journey.  Looking at it that way, I can really choose wisely.  Do I really want a day off?  Is it worth it? Sometimes it is, often it is not.

Midnight Inspiration and Love Works

It's usually while I am in bed, trying to fall asleep, that I get all these ideas that I would like to blog about.  Unfortunately, by morning, they are forgotten. So much for that!



We are starting our Love Works campaign at church.  For one month, we are doing several community outreaches.  Yesterday, Vanessa and I were down at the church putting labels on water bottles that will be distributed around town at bus stations and college campuses.  There was quite a crew of workers, and we all had a good time.  

"Love Works" is an interesting phrase that can be used in many ways.   It is great to be able to get out and into the community as a team.   We all have matching shirts that we will wear as much as possible during the next month.

The Spanish Church will have a booth at the swap meet for one of the weekends, and we are in charge of a dinner for the community.   I will also go to one of the college campuses to hand out water, tracts and granola bars.

The greatest thing is that all of Tucson Baptist Church loves to be involved in Love Works.  We are praying for many souls to be saved and our testimony and influence as a church to increase.