Random Acts of Kindess

My goal was to do one RAC per week in February. Here's what I did:

Week 1: I sent texts of encouragement to random people that I haven't talked to in awhile. A few I knew were having a tough time, so I let them know I'm praying for them!

Week 2: I knew it was a tough week for my roommate because of Valentine's Day & her birthday the next day. At church on Valentine's Day, I threw a surprise birthday party for her. The week before I had every class do cards as their craft. I bought cake and they all gave her their cards.

Week 3: I was down for the week because of the flu, but my roommate did a wonderful RAC for me! :) The day I came home with the flu, she came home with chicken noodle soup and apple juice. What a life saver!

Week 4: I adopted another Soldier from Soldier's Angels. My last soldier was sent home and I hadn't adopted another one yet (it's been over 6 months).

I'm going to keep doing different RACs every week of March, not just for people I know! This month was kind of easy stuff, and mostly for people I know, but we're going to change that for next time.

How did your February goals go?? The ab challenge wasn't part of my goals, but I only got 1/2 way done.

Prayer

Today's Motivation - Click here to read the blog.

I read this on Saturday and it hit home, so I thought I would use it for this week's inspirational/motivation. :)

Drink Deep in the Truth

I cannot even BEGIN to describe church to you, but I'll try. Let me preface with saying that we have a new pastor (as of right before Christmas), and I'm so rarely seen in service, that I haven't heard him preach yet.

I went in focused on Jesus. Worship. I didn't think about what my kids were doing back in children's church. I didn't think about Sunday afternoon events.

Quiet.
Almost like a visitor. :)

Worship started as usual; singing, praising, raising hands. Then, the tears started. Blindly, I walked to the alter for the prayer with the elders. The woman who prayed for me is my previous trainer. I didn't know how to request prayer, so she just prayed. I cried. I can't remember a time when I've cried so much in church.

Pastor Jon preached on Truth. It was an excellent message! He gets really fired up (which our church is not used to) and LOUD! Suffice it to say, I'm so glad I asked someone to take my class. From now on, she's going to take the kids on the last Sunday of the month, alternating with me and CJ.

For that, I am grateful.

Weekly Planning

Since I've been down for a week, that's put a damper on my goals for February. Yes, I know I've had three weeks, but you should know by now that I'm a procrastinator. :)

So -- on Wednesday I'm trying Title Boxing Club. This was one of my goals for the month. Due to Ash Wednesday and Fit Club being cancelled because of weather, I haven't been there all month either. I'll push that goal to March! :)

My weekly workouts are as such:

Monday - Going to shoot for trainer day. With the incoming snowstorm I'm not sure that'll happen. Back up plan is doing stairs and ab workout.

Tuesday - Zumba (weather permitting)

Wednesday - Title

Thursday - Day Off
Friday - Running?
Saturday - Zumba

Since I'm basically sharing about my monthly goals, next week I'll tell you about my random acts of kindess for the month (1 per week). Happy Sunday!

Transformed

I hate when things happen that I've been so careful to not let take place. I've been in prayer mode for most of the afternoon. Listening to k-love with my headphones on.

I just got done listening to a sermon that our Pastor gave a few weeks ago. It's two parts, and I'm getting ready to listen to part 2. It's about being transformed. He describes feeling grace. Like when you get pulled over and don't get a ticket. Having an undiluted devotion to Jesus.

"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks, to God the Father through him." ~Colossians 3:14

Like when I'm in worship and suddenly begin thinking about what baseball game is on that afternoon... or anything else. Worship is when I focus on HIM! My heart needs to be right.

Not distracted.
Not watered down.

Today was also the last day of 14-day challenge that has been emailed to me. If you can, I highly recommend Pursued: God's Divine Obsession with You by Jud Wilhite. I LOVED this email challenge and will definitely be adding the book to my to-read list. It made me think. It wasn't just one of those things you sign up for and then delete without reading.

I'm also glad to announce that I'll be attending church tomorrow. I need to be fed after the week I've had. Being sick and then today just being run down emotionally. So I'm excited about that.

We'll see you guys tomorrow. I'll blog about my church experience. It doesn't happen often, so it has to be good, right? :) Love you, guys!

Snow Day

I've been in bed since Tuesday with the flu. Today, snow day! I love snow when I don't have to go anywhere. I would love to use my workout today to shovel once it stops... but I'm so tired, I don't foresee that happening. We originally were in the 4-6" band, but the last time we measured, we had 11.5".

I also don't foresee me going anywhere, for awhile... 

How do you recover from being sick? I surely don't want to try anything today or maybe even tomorrow, but how do you ease back into working out? Tips, suggestions?

If it's snowing where you are, stay warm and be SAFE! Don't go out!

Don't Quit

I missed inspirational Tuesday because I've been down with the flu, so I thought I'd bring you a little something. I'm still down, but I'm SOOO bored - not being able to go on Facebook and all. :)

Preparation

Here we are, six days into the season of Lent. I'm trying, once again, to give up Facebook. Last year I made it 12 days. I'm not doing too bad! I've even deleted the app from my phone so I'm not tempted. This year I didn't want to concentrate on food. So much of my life is already overloaded with food do's and don'ts. I wanted to focus on the one thing that takes up more time than anything else. Something that is distracting me from getting in God's word.

Today's devotion was about Adam and Eve in the garden... Why was Eve so quick to believe the serpent? Why are we so quick to believe the devil when he lies to us? We can't be angry with Eve because we do the same thing! When the enemy tells us we're too fat or we can't do something, we believe what he has to say, and we can't get past that. We can't trust God with our lives because we're so in tune with untruths about ourselves.

In preparation for Easter, the next five weeks will prove difficult, but there's many more things for me to focus on -- Prayer, devotions, eating right, workouts, and maybe even reading an actual book. ;) I'm reading A Woman Who Trusts God: Finding the Peace You Long for by Debbie Alsdorf.

Valentine's recap from a Single Girl

I hate Valentine's Day. I always have. Perhaps it's the lack of significant other. It's not the lack of love. I know I'm loved, but it's not the same. This year was different. I still disliked the day, but I wasn't mopey as all get out. I had a fabulous sushi lunch date with my friend, Laura (who is also my boss) and I got to spend the evening with my favorite people -- my church kids.

One of my friends sent me this:

I saw a sign the other day that said "wear cute pajamas because you never know who you will meet in your dreams!" It reminded me of you! I know valentines day isn't your favorite day, but I also know that God is molding and shaping his prince for you. Some men just take longer than others...

It tugged at me... I might have even cried a little. I was so appreciative of the encouragement from a married sister! I thanked her for the encouragement and she thanked me for being her friend (which promptly made me cry again).

There's a Christian artist named Mandisa, she was also on American Idol. She created this event for single girls called Galentines. I love the idea!! She posted yesterday on her Facebook, a letter.. to her future husband. I loved reading it. I think she was in my head when she was writing. :) Maybe someday I'll give that a shot, so my future husband can read it. In the battle of losing myself, I want to gain so much more. My perspective on Jesus, not a worldly self-image, but to see ME how He does. A beautiful daughter that He's shaping to be more like Him. Wow. What great thoughts! What great love our father has lavished upon us. I know I'm undeserving, but He loves me anyway.

I'm overcome with joy in my heart.

A Day In the Life

I thought I'd try something new to get me started -- my days started that is.

I also have an alarm set for 6am, to spend some time in the Word and in prayer. I need something at work to remind me to GET UP. Otherwise, I could sit there for 7 1/2 hours a day and never move. Since I've been tracking my steps, it's a big motivator to get me going -- normally. This week not so much because the princess ball has consumed my life.  If you notice the time this picture was taken it was 12:40 am and the alarm went off at 6. I need beauty sleep!!! :)

The last alarm I have is at 7pm and it reminds me to take my meds. You wouldn't think I would need reminding, but if the alarm doesn't go off, I will go about  my evening without it. 

If you have a desk job, how do you keep moving? On the days I teach (Thursdays and Sundays), I make sure we sing upbeat songs, so I'm up and moving constantly with the kids. I've also been making sure to demonstrate the games (which usually involve running). Then, when I a "teach" the Bible Story I walk around. Every little bit adds up!

You're Beautiful!

I hope you find this encouraging! :)

Sunday Funday

I've realized most of my Sunday posts are very random. This one will be no different. :) 

Since I'm quitting the gym, I've been doing my workouts at home. Sit ups, push ups, planks, running stairs. I need to get motivated to walk/run outside - perhaps at the track, but today was WAY too windy for that nonsense. It's ok - the day quickly got away from me, so much I've barely gotten all my steps in (right now, I'm just shy of 5,000).

I did manage to teach my lesson on my feet, so I was constantly moving. After lunch, it was back to the church to finish painting for the princess ball this Saturday. After that I was home long enough to eat a reasonable dinner, then left again to go to church.

Whew. Since getting home at 9pm, I've managed more steps, but not quite enough. There's still time, once you people quit distracting me! ;)

In the middle of all that, I've been pondering Lent. What do I want to give up? It's easy to figure out what to add... but do I want to do a Lenten Bible plan on youversion? Or a book?

What are you guys doing?

I wish you guys a fabulous week! Hang in there. :)

More randoms?

I wasn't sure what to write about this morning. I'm feeling kind of blah.. and really for no reason. I'm supposed to have a leadership meeting at church this morning (at 9) and then a training at 1. Honestly - I don't want to go to either. I get like this sometimes, possibly more frequently since being diagnosed T2.

Possibly something to talk to my dietitian about when I see her next week. I didn't work out much this week, but my eating was good (until last night... we had pizza for dinner)! I did a couple days of the sit ups challenge, but right now I'm behind a day or two.

This is a vicious circle, because I don't feel like working out, and don't really care. Then when I get out of the funk, I'm mad at myself for doing (or not doing) things I did.

Boo.

Hope my New England friends are staying safe! Have a fabulous Saturday. :)

P.S. No t-rex dance, please. ;) You know who you are.

No Words

There are no amount of words for me to express how grateful I am for the opportunity that has come my way.

I'm totally going to leave you guessing and wondering, but I'm not going to share until it's final. I'm just so humbled and appreciative at this gracious offer.

Wow.

Courage

Your motivation for the day... and mine.

Insightful Question

A couple of weeks ago a friend asked me "If time and money were no object, what would you do?" I quickly named a couple of places I'd like to visit (Germany to see my aunt Peggy, another cruise...).

After much consideration on this subject, I realized what I want most.

Fat Camp.

Don't laugh. :)

Austin Andrews from Biggest Loser and his dad (who was also on Loser), have a ministry called RetroFit. They are hosting a Faith and Fitness week, with workouts and worship and other sessions.

Since I've been struggling so much with the scale, I've been wanting to do something that will jump start my health. Not only that, but I feel like there's so much that I never share with people that I need to let go of for my health. Forgiveness that I thought I had given, but when something happens or comes up, this anger rages.

I've looked at a couple of Diabetes camps (I lovingly referred to them as Fat Camp), but they're so expensive! The ones locally aren't for adults, so that's out. The Biggest Loser resort would also be awesome.

Faith & Fitness week is also expensive, but I guess that's part of the question, right?

So that's my answer. If time and money were no object. I'd want to go to fat camp. ;)

If time and money were no object... where would you go? What would you do?

February Goals

Here's what we're working toward, kids!!! Don't forget our 25 crunches for the challenge!  I'm also going to try to work up my plank for another challenge and doing couch to 5k (c25k) for the 50-millionth time.

First weekends workout:

2/1/13: 10 sit ups, 25 crunches (challenge), 4 push ups, 10 second plank
2/2/13: ZUMBA, 15 sit ups,30 sit ups (challenge), 5 push ups, 15 second plank
2/3/13: 20 sit ups, 40 crunches (challenge), 6 push ups, 20 second plank
2/4/13: Day 1 c25k, 25 sit ups, 50 sit ups (challenge), 6 push ups, 12 second plank