THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER gODS BEFORE ME. EXODUS 20:3

THIS IS ME, PRAYING CLEAR DOWN TO MY TOES

2011-06-10T13:29:00.000-05:00

WELL THIS IN NOT MY VERY OWN TOES, NOR IT IS EVEN ME....

Do we ever reach the point when we are not afraid to step on those scales? Have you felt that anxious feeling in the pit of your stomach,at the thought of getting on the scales at a Doctor's office let say. No! let just narrow it down.....to the scales in our very own bathrooms?lol I pray for the day, when I can step up on that little bitty old,cold, judgemental place and not be afraid. lol

At my Doctor's visit this past Wednesday, I had lost five more pounds. It took three months. But, hey, there are five pounds less of me that there was three months ago. I am thankful!!

My husband and I have entered into a commitment to each lose 15 pounds before the second week in September. Please pray for us, It will be hard, we have not learned yet the virtue of disciplining ourselves all the time when it come to eating food. We get better but this past month has been filled with birthdays, graduations and preparations of one sort or another. You call that stress, my friends. But if we would discipline ourselves not only when we are home but also at church functions, family times, etc, then it wouldn't be so hard to step on those "cold hard harsh scales." They never lie even when we feel, it would make us feel better if they would. No, it wouldn't we would just have more the problems. To not know the truth in this area of our life and accept it,would make a hard situation almost impossible. We can and will have victory. It is the path we choose. If we choose right, then God will be there to help us in those weak times. Then that scale may eventually become our friend....well, I want go that far. But we can at least accept it with out hate.lol Praying for you to have discipline in your life also, then we can all see a scale and just step upon it without dreading it. God bless and keep you all. connie

TODAY IS A NEW BEGINNING......WE WILL BEGIN ANEW!!

2011-05-20T18:49:00.003-05:00

A NEW DAY DAWNING JUST FOR YOU AND ME

Beginning Today

Beginning today I will no longer worry about yesterday.
It is in the past and the past will never change.
Only I can change by choosing to do so.

Beginning today I will no longer worry about tomorrow.
Tomorrow will always be there, waiting for me
to make the most of it.
But I cannot make the most of tomorrow without first
making the most of today.

Beginning today I will look in the mirror and I will
see a person worthy of my respect and admiration.
This capable person looking back at me is someone
I enjoy spending time with and someone I would
like to get to know better.

Beginning today I will cherish each moment of my life.
I value this gift bestowed upon me in this world and I will
unselfishly share this gift with others.
I will use this gift to enhance the lives of others.

Beginning today I will take a moment to step
off the beaten path and to revel in the mysteries I encounter.
I will face challenges with courage and determination.
I will overcome what barriers there may be which
hinder my quest for growth and self-improvement.

Beginning today I will take life one day at a time,
one step at a time.
Discouragement will not be allowed to taint my
positive self-image, my desire to succeed or my capacity to love.

Beginning today I walk with renewed faith in human kindness.
Regardless of what has gone before,
I believe there is hope
for a brighter and better future.

Beginning today I will open my mind and my heart.
I will welcome new experiences.
I will meet new people.
I will not expect perfection from myself nor anyone else:
perfection does not exist in an imperfect world.
But I will applaud the attempt to overcome human foibles.

Beginning today I am responsible for my own
happiness and I will do things that make me happy . . .
admire the beautiful wonders of nature, listen
to my favorite music, pet a kitten or a puppy, soak in a
bath . . .pleasure can be found in the most simple
of gestures.

Beginning today I will learn something new;
I will try something different;
I will savor all the various flavors life has to offer.
I will change what I can and the rest I will let go.
I will strive to become the best me I can possibly be. (one that pleases,God.connie)
Beginning today. And every day.Author unknown

We each have days that we would like a do-over or a new beginning. Well, with each new sunrise, we have a brand new day. It is all sparkling and clean and we can use it how ever we want.

We can stick to our goals or say "just forget it today", I am going to eat what I want, when I want and how much, I want. Now, you tell me, which one of the attitudes will get us to where we are going? I have had far too many of those "do not care" days, as far as my weight is concerned. It has been only since I started caring and seeking my help from the Lord that I have seen progress.

If we keep going as we want and the years pass, there is a debt that will have to be paid.It can come in the form of diabetes, heart disease, kidney problem,etc. It will come, there is no doubt about it. I am living prof:(. Don't wait to wake up like I did one day and realize "this don't just happen to others, I am no one special, My body has rules to go by also."

1Cr 3:16... Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Cr 3:17...If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which [temple] ye are.

These verses apply to us, just as they do to others.So, today is a new beginning, IF, we use it as such.TODAY WE WILL BEGIN ANEW, BOTH YOU AND I. connie

P.S. This not only applies to eating but to drinking, drugs, and all the other abusive things we can do to our bodies.

WILL----Used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent.WAY----The course traveled from one place to another, a series of actions, or sequence of events leading in a direction or toward an objective.MY OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE GOD'S WILL, MY WAY.

WHAT A SWEET REWARD

2011-04-27T17:05:00.004-05:00

A SWEET REWARD

WILL----Used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent.WAY----The course traveled from one place to another, a series of actions, or sequence of events leading in a direction or toward an objective.MY OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE GOD'S WILL, MY WAY.

The losing the weight has been such a blessing. There have been a couple of downsides to it though.Said, as she laughs. First thing, I buy clothes that for the most part, I really like. I found as the pounds dropped away, I would not be able to wear some of the clothes that I really liked and felt very comfortable wearing.

But the second reason was the hardest to bear. I have lost enough weight now that my wedding band, no longer fit my finger. We talked of having it downsized.But that filled me with a kind of horror, what if I regained the weight and then I could not wear it again.:( Well, we came up with another idea and this one, I like much better.:) For a Mother's Day gift this year, Jim would buy me another wedding band. I liked that idea the best. I had a anniversary ring that he had bought me for our 30th anniversary. I probably never wore that ring more than a dozen times. It had big diamonds across the top. I felt like I was sticking out and saying, "hey, look at me." I was very proud of the ring but just could not bring myself to wear it.

So, last Saturday evening, He took me to the jewelry store and let me pick out a wedding band. The one above is the one that I picked. It is a gold band with 12 little diamonds across the top. We have been married 49 years this past March 18th, so this ring was very special to me. I feel in my heart, it is the one that I will be wearing when I go out of this world to meet my Lord.

I love the ring because first, it is from him but too, it represents the good, very good marriage we have today. I hold it with much thankfulness as I look at it and count the memories of those years.I look at it and see the man that means the world to me.I look at it and it reminds me of all the sacrifices he has made to give me such a good life. I love him, did you know?

So, this was a sweet reward from my sweet husband. I have now lost 93 pounds from my highest weight.It has taken years but I am so glad that I started on this journey and for the most part, have done it God's way.As His will became my way, I found the pounds leaving. Not always easy, but so worthwhile. When I see my husband's happy, proud look when he looks at me, yes! it has all been worthwhile. Let me add here even when I weighed 256 Pounds, he still looked at me with a pride that only a husband has in someone he loves. He never belittled me or EVER made me feel ugly. His pride when he looks at me now, is in the fact that he knows how hard I have tried. But I know that next to the Lord, Himself, I owe so much to my sweet loving husband, Thank you Jim, from the bottom of my heart♥♥connie

THIS NEW YEAR HAS BEEN KIND TO ME~~~

2011-02-22T20:51:00.006-06:00

Here we are already at the end of February and God has been so good to me. I am still trying with my weight and with God's help, I am seeing progress. I am praying that the same is true for all of you.

I will post a new picture soon but I wanted to stop by and thank each of you who have been so faithful to pray for me on this long and slow journey. When I weighed in this past Sunday morning, I was down to a beautiful 189 pounds. I am so thankful. I am off most of my blood pressure meds. now and have cut into half the Lipitor medicine that I take for my clogged arteries.

At my last Doctor's appointment,my cholesterol was down to 160. I don't ever remember it being that low. I am amazed at what God can do. So when I say this new year has been good to me, I really mean, God has been good to me!!

I hope you are still trying and have not given up. I know how hard it is and sometimes the gains seem so small but I do believe more each day that as long as we don't give up......WE WILL SEE VICTORY!!! I LOVE YOU ALL. connie

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL~~~~

2010-12-30T15:25:00.004-06:00

LITTLE DROPS

Little drops of water
Little grains of sand,' Make the mighty ocean And the pleasant land.

So the little moments,
Humble though they be, Make the mighty ages of eternity. copied

THE FUTURE

There's an unknown path before me,
And yet I fear it not:
I know through all the years gone by,
Whate're has been my lot;
That a kind and Heavenly Father
Planned out the way for me;
And I know that in the future,
Watched over I shall be,
Yes, I know God's care and kindness
Will ever with me stay
To assist me on life's journey,
And brighten up my way.

So the, welcome, unknown future,
Bring me whate'er you will.
With God's loving hand to guide me,
I shall be care for still!
copied

It will soon be a new year for us to use wisely or squander in numerous ways. A new year all bright and shiny with out any failures or disappointments to hinder us on our way.

We get to start over with a clean new slate to do our best each day to make God's Way our Way and His Will our will. We can do it, you and I and with God to help us, we can and will make it to our goal.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EACH OF YOU!!! Looking forward to getting closer to our goals this new year and then at the end of this new year, as we look back we will be happy in knowing that we have done our best!!! connie

IT HAS BEEN A WHILE

2010-12-22T02:16:00.002-06:00

WILL----Used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent.WAY----The course traveled from one place to another, a series of actions, or sequence of events leading in a direction or toward an objective.MY OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE GOD'S WILL, MY WAY.

It has been a while and I am happy to be back. I have been doing good with my weight. I have not lost very much more but I have learned a lot. I have learned to control what I am eating and how much. I hope to lose at least 20 more pounds this next year. I am now down to 195. For me, this is wonderful. I do feel much better. I had a small stroke August a year ago and it has taken me a while to get over that and learn exactly what I can and can not do. Sometimes I get sad and yet I am so thankful that it was only a small stroke and I hope not to ever have another. But God's will for my life is what I desire most.

So, if any of you still come to this place, I will be seeing you soon. I want to take this opportunity to wish you all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A MOST HAPPY NEW YEAR. ♥♥connie

"THAT RAGGED OLD FLAG"

2010-05-29T08:45:00.003-05:00

THAT RAGGED OLD FLAG

I walked through a county courthouse square

On a park bench, an old man was sittin there.

I said, "Your court house is kinda run down,

He said, "No, it will do for our little town".

I said "your old flag pole kinda leaned a little bit,

And that’s a ragged old flag you got hanging on it".

He said "have a seat", so I sat down,

He said, "is this your first visit to our little town"

I said, "I think it is"

He said "I don’t like to brag, but we’re kinda proud of

usaC.gif (10636 bytes)"That Ragged Old Flag"usaC.gif (10636 bytes)

"You see, we got a little hole in that flag there,

When Washington took it across the Delaware.

It got powder burned the night Francis Scott Key sat watching it, writing

"Oh Say Can You See"

It got a rip in New Orleans, with Packingham & Jackson

tugging at its seams.

It almost fell at the Alamo beside the Texas flag,

But she waved on tho.

It got cut with a sword in Chancellorsville,

Got cut again at Shiloh Hill.

There was Robert E. Lee and Beauregard and Bragg,

And the south wind blew hard on

"That Ragged Old Flag"

usa_gm.gif (24152 bytes)

On Flanders Field in World War I,

She took a bad hit from a Bertha Gun,

She turned blood red in World War II

She hung limp and low by the time that one was through,

She was in Korea, Vietnam, She went where she was sent

by her Uncle Sam.

usa_gm.gif (24152 bytes)

The Native Americans, The Black, Yellow and White

All shed red blood for the Stars and Stripes.

And here in her own good land,

She’s been abused, burned, dishonored, denied and refused,

And the very government for which she stands

Has been scandalized throughout out the land.

And she’s getting thread bare, and she’s wearing kinda thin,

But she’s in pretty good shape, for the shape she’s in.

Cause she’s been through the fire before

and she can take a whole lot more.

usa_gm.gif (24152 bytes)

So we raise her up every morning

And we bring her down slow every night,

We don’t let her touch the ground,

And we fold her up right.

On second thought
I do like to brag

Cause I’m mighty proud of

"That Ragged Old Flag"
written by Johnny Cash

THE GIRL I USED TO BE

2010-05-04T17:07:00.007-05:00

THE GIRL I USED TO BE

She came tonight as I sat alone

The girl I used to be.

As she gazed at me with her earnest eye

And questioned reproachfully,

Have you forgotten the many plans

And hopes I had for you?

The great career, the splendid fame,

All the wonderful things to do?

Where is the mansion of stately height

With all its gardens rare?

The silken robes that I dreamed for you

And the jewels in your hair?

And as she spoke, I was very sad,

For I wanted her pleased with me,

This slender girl from the shadowy past,

The girl I used to be.

So gently rising, I took her hand

And guided her up the stairs

Where peacefully sleeping, my babies lay,

Innocent, sweet, and fair.

And I told her that these are my only gems,

And precious they are to me;

That silken robes is my motherhood
Of costly simplicity.

And my mansion of stately height is love,

And the only career I know

Is serving each day in these sheltered walls

For the dear ones who come and go.

And as I spoke to my shadowy guest,

She smiled through her tears at me.

And I saw the woman that I am now

Pleased the girl I used to be.
rowena k. lewis

In all of our dieting and going about the things that take up so much of our time, Always remember that if we are raising children, then that should be our upper most priority in life after taking care of our husbands.

My children have long been gone from our home and married with homes and families of their own but they are what is important. They are what gives my heart comfort and joy in living. They each have such special places in my heart. I would not have lived by life any other way than being their Mother.

So, as we go about our lives, let us take care to keep our priorities straight. The main reasons we need to lose weight is because it is pleasing to the Lord. The next reason is so that we can be healthy to be able to take care of the husband and families that God has given to us. If we are blessed enough to have families.

I would like to say HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to any that come here if you are a mother by birth, or by adoption or by just loving a child. connie

"WITHOUT CHANGES THERE WOULD BE NO BUTTERFLIES." unknown

2010-04-28T13:28:00.003-05:00

"WITHOUT CHANGES THERE WOULD BE NO BUTTERFLIES." unknown

I wanted to check in with any, who maybe coming here to visit. So, here I am.

I have been thinking a lot about changes recently. One of my all time dreams, has been to play the piano. I tried once when I was a very young girl. Our Pastor's wife was going to teach me but we did not have a piano and I could not go to the church every day to practice. So, it did not come to pass.

I have tried to see that all our children could play some instrument if they wanted. I have seen three of them practice the piano as well as several other instruments, in our home. I am most joyful when I hear one of them or one of my Grandchildren playing the piano or another instrument. To be honest, I love hearing anyone play the piano or any kind of relaxing type music.

My Granddaughter by marriage started last week to give me piano lessons.YES!!! After all these many years, my dream has a chance of coming true. I have loved it!! I know that I will not feel uncomfortable or intimidated by her.So, I love her showing me the things that I need to learn. I just want to play simply, the church songs that I love. I have so missed the music in the years since my children, who could play, left home to be married.

Since the small stroke that I had keeps me from always saying the right word or words, I am hoping that the exercising my mind in this way,will be a help in that area also. If not, then I am praying that the Lord will give me an additional way of speaking from my heart.

So, changes come in many different forms. As we try to get our bodies and ways of eating back into line with the way God would have us to be, we can make even small changes each day. I know that when I first really began to eat in a different way, I would think about how much food that I always put on my plate. Then, I would make a conscious effort to put only half that much on my plate. Now, I can only eat about a third of what I once did. Just strive to made simple changes. Take a piece of fruit instead of a piece of pie, You get the idea.

I am staying right at 200 pounds for which I am thankful. In another couple of weeks, I hope to start losing a little again. But I am having to learn to keep it at a level that I want to be at, before I continue.

I have loved getting into old clothes and even shoes that I was not able to wear at 256 pounds. I feel like I almost have a new wardrobe. It is so much fun!!

I know that one day, my change will be complete when I get to heaven but until then, I will try to make my will God's will and His way my way. Hope you are making those small changes each day also. See, if we fail one hour then we can go on and make the other 23 the way they were intended to be. May God bless you each day as you try. connie

THERE IS A CROWN OF VICTORY FOR YOU AND FOR ME, ONE DAY!!

2010-04-12T18:24:00.004-05:00

VICTOR'S CROWN

VICTORY

When I really am contented
That my wish be set aside,
When I cease from selfish longings,
When I triumph over pride;
When I'm willing to relinquish
"To be nothing"-- as we sing,
But a :broken, empty vessel"
In the service for my King--
THAT IS VICTORY!

When I calmly take unkindness,
And as meekly bear a sneer;
When I'm willing to relinquish
All that earth is holding dear;
When the falseness of some dear one
Fails to waken in my heart
Any bitter, hard resentment,
Or to wing an angry dart--
THAT IS VICTORY!

When in patient, loving silence
I can hear my good made ill;
When I suffer any discord
Or annoyance, happy still.
And content with any climate,
Any raiment, any food,
Bear with any interruption,
Company or solitude--
THAT IS VICTORY!

When I cease to long for earth's love,
And content to be unknown;
When I smile if friends neglect me,
Happy in His love alone;
When I lose myself in Jesus,
And surroundings cease to be,
With their little jars and discords,
Able to discourage me--
THAT IS VICTORY!

Lord, I cannot hope to triumph
Over every form of sin,
And to live but for Thy glory
While my own will reigns within;
So I bring my will to Thee, Lord;
Rule Thou me in all my ways,
And the glory should be Thine, Lord,
And the honor and the praise--
THAT IS VICTORY!
copied

There are so many things in this life that I would love to have victory in doing or being. But in this poem, I think this verse says it all. "LORD, I CANNOT HOPE TO TRIUMPH OVER EVERY FORM OF SIN, AND TO LIVE BUT FOR THY GLORY WHILE MY OWN WILL REIGNS WITHIN; SO I BRING MY WILL TO THEE, LORD; RULE THOU ME IN ALL MY WAYS, AND THE GLORY SHOULD BE THINE, LORD, AND THE HONOR AND THE PRAISE----THAT IS VICTORY!"

Some days trying to lose weight is much harder than other days. It is on those days especially that we have to turn our wills over to the Lord. So that He can rule us. It is days like this that we are seeming incapable of making good decisions about the food we eat or how much we are to eat. Then when He does see us though these hard times, we should be sure to give Him the honor and the praise for any victory that we have.

When we turn our wills over to Him that is when we become "TRUE WINNERS." It is then that we receive the VICTOR'S CROWN. HOPE YOU ARE HAVING A GOOD DAY TODAY♥♥♥connie

THINK RIGHT THOUGHTS OR THEY MAY BE WHAT YOU BECOME.

2010-03-30T21:03:00.002-05:00

THINK RIGHT THOUGHTS

You know, I am always surprised at what I learn as I continue on this journey. I was looking through our family pictures today. They are from my birth until just a few days ago. I was shocked to find that except for 2 or 3 times in life that I have not really been fat. That really shocked me!!! I have always thought I was fat from conception, I think. haha. But the first time I was really fat, I had had two children within fifteen months and with each one,I gained and gained. So by the time my fourth son was here, I had lost over a hundred pounds. But as time went by, I still felt fat.

In my mind, I kept hearing sisters, friends say that little jingle, "fatty, fatty, two by four can't get through the kitchen door. Somewhere in my brain that was how I saw me. But today, I saw for maybe the first time that it was has not been true most of my life.

This last time that I gained back up to where I was after I had my first two children was not all my fault. I had developed gout. To they gave me steroids for it. I had it about every six weeks for a whole year. Gout is one of the most painful things that I have ever had. I could do nothing but sit for almost that whole year. The steroids just made me want to eat. So, I ate. I hate how I looked and kept remembering, "Fatty, Fatty, two by four, can't get through the front door. I couldn't breath well, had a hard time walking any distance at all, couldn't even cross my legs. Yes, I was that "Fatty." The fact is, no matter what excuse I try to make, it was "me" who put each bite of food into my mouth.

PHILIPPIANS: 4:15

FINALLY, BRETHREN, WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE TRUE, WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE HONEST, WHOSOEVER THINGS ARE JUST, WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE PURE, WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE LOVELY, WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE OF GOOD REPORT; IF THERE BE ANY VIRTUE, AND IF THERE BE ANY PRAISE, THINK ON THESE THINGS.

I have used this verse many times in my Christian life but until today did I realize that it also applies to these "thoughts" also. So, as I continue on this journey from this day forward, I will try to examine and see what is true, and then be truly honest with myself. If my thoughts are honest then they will be pure and lovely. I want my life to be of "Good report," even about how I look and how I behave myself with the matter of food.I want to be commendable in how I control myself where food is concerned. These are the things that I will "THINK" on from now on, when I am thinking. Gone is that fatty and here to stay is one who is trying and even though, I may fail at times, I WILL NOT GIVE UP!!

So, dear friend, are you letting "THOUGHTS" control you life. If so let it be the kind of thoughts that God would want us to have. Good thoughts, honest thought,Just and pure thoughts, Let us make them lovely thoughts that will bring a good report about our character. Yes, let us think on these things. connie

A GOAL ACCOMPLISHED, CLOSER TO A DREAM, GOD IS MY HELPER.

2010-03-22T17:26:00.004-05:00

WILL----Used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent.

WAY----The course traveled from one place to another, a series of actions, or sequence of events leading in a direction or toward an objective.

MY OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE GOD'S WILL, MY WAY.

My objective has been to make God's will in the matter of losing weight, my way. It has not been easy. There have been many setback of my own making. Even though I have not made it to my final goal, I have reached a big one for me. As of today, I am down to 200 pounds. It has been over ten years since I have seen that mark on my scale. In fact, I don't even have the same scales.

This course that I have traveled from 252 pounds by learning to eat the way that God wanted me to. I have had to be satisfied with the amount that I can eat and still lose weight. Because I have gout and diabetes, I have had to take it very slow. I only have these things because I did not pay attention to God's way for my body to have good health. So by having to take it very slow, and I do mean slow, I have learned many things. I have learned to appreciate that 1/4 of a pound loss. At one time I would have looked with disdain at that amount of loss. Today, I consider it a victory!! Thanking God for each 1/4 of a pound that got me to this point.

I still have goals to complete. My next goal will be getting down to 180 pounds. Praying for God's help all the time to help me reach this goal also. I know that it is His Will, I just have to keep His Will for me, my will also. I will have to keep looking back to see where He has brought me from and all the things that I have learned. I have to look forward to where He is taking me to and giving me the grace to succeed each step of the way. Keeping pride from my heart in knowing that it has been Him and not me, I could not have done this myself. I tried my way for years. It did not work. I thought that I could have my cake and eat it too. Even in dieting, it has to be the desire of your heart and for the right reasons.

I want to thank all of you, who have been with me through a lot of this time. Thank you for your encouragement at times when I was weak, your happiness at each success. You are my blessings and I thank my God for each of you.

I am going to post an up to date picture in a couple of weeks. They are being made ready at wal-Marts at this time. haha. I am sorry she did not take a full length picture but hopefully it want be a long time before I post another. I am making my goal a smaller amount this time, in hopes that I can be an encouragement to one of you. Maybe you have tried and tried and tried again and are just about ready to quit. DO NOT QUIT!!!! You will make it, if you do not give up.

I am going to try and come here more often and look forward to seeing some of you here to visit with me. Take care have a good day and May God bless you ever effort. love you, connie

A CLEAN NEW PAGE TO BEGIN OUR NEW YEAR

2009-12-29T13:52:00.001-06:00

THIS NEW YEAR, I HOLD IN MY HANDS

Take twelve whole months,
Clean them thoroughly of all bitterness, hate, and jealousy,
Make them just as fresh and clean as possible.

Now cut each month into twenty-eight, thirty, or
thirty-one different parts,
but don't make up the whole batch at once.
Prepare it one day at a time out of these ingredients.

Mix well into each day one part of faith,
one part of patience, one part of courage,
and one part of work.

Add to each day one part of hope,
faithfulness, generosity, and kindness.
Blend with one part prayer,
one part meditation, and one good deed.
Season the whole with a dash of good spirits,
a sprinkle of fun, a pinch of play,
and a cupful of good humor.

Pour all of this into a vessel of love.
Cook thoroughly over radiant joy,
garnish with a smile,
and serve with quietness, unselfishness,
and cheerfulness.

You're bound to have a happy new year.

--- Author Unknown

Life is a book in volumes three---
The Past, The Present, And The Yet-To-Be.
The Past is written and laid away
The present we're writing every day,
And the last and best of volumes three
Is locked from sight----GOD KEEPS THE KEY.
author unknown

The old year is almost past, with all of its joys and sorrows, victories and losses. All of the "might have beens",and the "I wish I hads", are never to be seen again. The "I should haves",and all of the, "Oh, I did it all wrong", are in the past. We can not undo what we might like to change but we can go on and do better in this bright new year!

On January 1,2010, we are given a bright new Year. A totally clean page to begin to write the story of our lives upon. 'How will we use those pages,' is in large degree up to each of us. We can keep our pages clean by using love, kindness, thoughtfulness, consideration in large quantities each day. We can be quick to forgive others as we pray that they forgive us. We can be more patient and realize that others have troubles and problems in their lives as well. We can do to others as we would like for them to do unto us.

This past year has held some losses that I was not expecting. It has held some hurts that I didn't think were deserved. It has also held many victories that God gave so freely. He has sent love from many unexpected sources. God fills all the empty places with His ways and His love and then they are full.The victories, He gives are complete and real. We never lose any good things or people in our lives that God does not give us more and more abundantly.

Even at my age, I am still learning. Yes, this past year, I have made mistakes, and my heart has been broken over each one. God gives forgiveness and then lifts us up to carry on and be right and do right. I have no doubt that in this future, for as long as I continue to breath, I will do the wrong thing at times, say the wrong thing at times not be all that I can be at times. But thanks be to God, He knows that is why, I needed a Saviour. His blood has covered each sin, and made my heart as white as snow.

So, as I begin this new year, please Lord, let me not spoil this clean new page with selfishness, pride, and wrong attitudes. Let me represent you in a way that is pleasing and will point others to your dear Son, Jesus Christ. Let me tell others about you more than ever, let me spread your Precious Name to all that will hear. Lord, please each day, make me more like you.

This year has also held much wonder and great victories in my life. I have grown in Christ and learned to trust more, love more than ever before. I have seen many good things happen, protection given, health restored, ways made straight, battles fought, and won, It is to this end, that I thank the Lord, with my whole heart for His answered prayers, His Grace in my life and in the lives of those that I love and that includes even some of you, have been very evident in our lives this year.

So, I close with this poem to sum up all my thoughts:

I do not know what still awaits,
Or what the morrow brings,
But with the glad salute of faith,
I hail it with open wings!

For this I know------THAT IN MY LORD,
Shall all my needs be met,
And I can trust the heart of Him
Who has not failed me yet....
author unknown

THANK YOU LORD FOR THIS NEW YEAR, MAY I USE IT WISELY AND WITH MUCH LOVE AND COMPASSION. Connie

HAVING A HEART TO FEEL, A HEAD TO KNOW, A HAND TO DO.

2009-09-24T13:34:00.003-05:00

We can have a heart to feel and a head to know and these are needful qualities but we also need a hand to do. We have to have all three to be able to lose weight effectively. This is what I am learning. With my heart, I have lost hundreds of pounds.

We can have the heart that wants and desires to be in better shape, to have the correct body weight, to be able to walk a block or two without huffing and puffing. Our heart longs to be smaller like others who seems to have no problem with weight control.

We can also have the head for losing weight. We know the right amount of calories to eat to lose a pound. We know we need to exercise. We know we have to stay away from large amounts of certain foods. We know we have to have the right portion control. With my head, I have lost hundreds of pounds.

The heart and the head is NOT ENOUGH. We must have a hand that is willing to DO SOMETHING. We must decide to make the choice that we are GOING to lose weight. So, we put our heart and head together and with the help of our hands we WILL MAKE IT.

We can't waste time feeling sorry for ourselves, wishing upon the stars, making all kinds of excuses about why we did or did not lose weight this week. We have to face the fact that it takes our whole being to physically lose weight. That is not even taking into account our Spiritual Being. We must ask God to help us, to encourage us, to lead us in our choices. Then when we ask, we MUST DO! God will always do His part but it is up to us to do ours.

Hope this next week, you will be blessed by letting your heart, head, hands all work together while getting our strength from the Lord. See you, love you, wish you well. connie

THOUGHTS, A MAGIC WEAPON

2009-09-17T13:24:00.004-05:00

PROVERBS 23:7a

FOR AS HE THINKETH IN HIS HEART, SO IS HE:

You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you. ~ James Lane Allen

Thought is the seed of action. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thoughts are things; they have tremendous power. Thoughts of doubt and fear are pathways to failure. When you conquer negative attitudes of doubt and fear you conquer failure. Thoughts crystallize into habit and habit solidifies into circumstances. Adams, Bryan

This has been a very good week for me. I have had a lot of emotional feelings about a host of things this week. Things that ordinarily would have sent me to get "something to eat." For the most part, God has given me the strength to overcome those feelings of helplessness. The times I failed it was not because of lack of strength that was available to me but the lack of wisdom in choices that I made.

Thoughts are powerful things! We can use them for good or for bad. The thoughts we allow into our mind about food will determine our outcome for the loss of gain of a pound. This week, I have tried to keep positive thoughts in my mind, choose the right foods to eat, have the right portions, and to keep as busy as possible.

I have always known this to be true, concerning thoughts. Most of my life though, where food is concerned, I have allowed my desires to dictate to me. This week, I have made a decision each day, each moment to make right choices concerning food in my life and the place I was going to allow it to have.

I pray that each of you have had positive, helpful thoughts all the week long. If not, it is not too late, just start doing it. It is a choice we each have to make about many things in our lives. We would NEVER let our children be hurt, if possible. So, likewise we have to use wisdom and make good choices for the food that we take into our bodies. Things like the right kind, the right amount, how many times a day we will eat, etc. Lets all work this week to seek God early and ask for the strength we need in this area of our lives.Then with that strength, go on to do the right things in the area of eating. I will pray for you, please pray for me. connie

P.S. I forgot to tell you, I lost 2 1/4 pounds this week. For me that is just about right. Not one pain in my toe. I know I have done it right when that doesn't happen.lol Have a good week!!!

THIS COULD BE YOUR LAST EFFORT-----VICTORY IN SIGHT!!

2009-09-10T13:28:00.002-05:00

" The last effort is always the one that matters. So in whatever you do, never give in until it's over as you'll never know - you may just turn the whole thing around." unknown

It has been a very good week for me. I pray that it has for you also. I lost more than I intended to lose but so far no gout or low blood sugar. My weight loss for this week was five pounds. I wanted to keep it at 2 or 3 but it is so hard to just lose a certain amount. I find that when I start losing I want to go all out and for me that can be a bad thing.

I did have some unusual things come up in my routine this week but God helped me to get past them all without over eating. I only had a hard time once and that was last night. I knew that I had eaten all I could for the day and when my mind heard, "You have had all you get for the day," then my stomach said, "BUT I WANT MORE." Thankfully, my heart heard that small still voice that told me, "You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength. So, today I feel energized and really to go another day.

I do pray that you all are doing well and don't forget, if you give up today, you might just have made it had you waited. DON'T GIVE UP!!!! If things don't go as well as you like today, then try again tomorrow. I am praying for you. connie

SUCCESS COMES IN CANS; FAILURE COMES IN CANT'S

2009-09-04T13:25:00.002-05:00

I AM ALL FOR CANS!!!!! Aren't you?????

WILL----Used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent.

WAY----The course traveled from one place to another, a series of actions, or sequence of events leading in a direction or toward an objective.

MY OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE GOD'S WILL, MY WAY.

PHILIPPIANS 4:13

I CAN DO ALL THINGS through CHRIST which strengtheneth me.

AND we can if we keep looking to the Lord for our strength. The way may not be easy. In fact it may get very hard. There may seem like there is just no way to get to our goal but God says that there is. I WILL BELIEVE HIM! We may fail when we want so bad to succeed. But we can only fail if we QUIT. The last few months have been very trying to me. I will not go into all the whys and wherefores but God gives the VICTORY!!! We will go on and look toward that day when all things will be made right and if what we call success is not what God calls success then we will be content to have done our best.

I have begun again this week to keep up better with what the scales say. Please pray for me, I can not lose very much at a time or I will have serious other problems. I have to learn patience in this area, I now know. I have always thought of patience in other areas but I know now, I just have to take it SLOW and STEADY! You know like the turtle (laughing out loud) I have never seen myself as a turtle, I like to go and get it done. When I was young, I was able to go at weight loss this way but it is not the way the Lord has for me now. So, I WILL submit to His will and do it His way. I have come to realize that is why the Lord led me to start this blog anyway. He knew the trials that I would have to go through. So, my objective has not changed: To make God's WILL, my way.

I will be writing on this blog at least once a week, maybe more as God leads. I have learned so much coming here and letting you see my heart. In my letting you see, I have seen more clearly. I must say thank you for being so patient with me and for the encouragement you are to me.

I will see you soon especially as I am able. Have a good weekend, remember your goals as I will mine. I have some things that can make me forget them in the next few days if I let my flesh take control. I will remember that "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." I will remember that "Success comes in CANS: Failure come in can'ts.
Keeping my eyes on the goal, connie

I AM A BUTTERFLY~~~~~~~~~~;)

2009-06-09T15:08:00.003-05:00

I guess you thought I had given up or worse yet died. Not neither. I have just had some problems with my hip and could not sit at the computer for long at a time. I tried to keep up with my other blog http://connies-thoughts.blogspot.com but didn't do a very good job of that either.

I wanted to let you know that Curves did not work out for me. Certainly not because I did not love going and I loved doing the exercises but each time that I went, sadly to say my joints hurt me more and more. The doctor told me that I had to quit, it was making my joints inflamed. So, I may have had to quit that part but I have not forgotten what my real goal is. I am not losing but thanks be to God, I am not gaining. I have had to sit more than usual because when my hip gets bad, I can not lay or stand very well.

I hope that each of you are having good success whether you are in a holding pattern or losing with with zeal. If you find you have gained some pounds all is not lost. You just have to make a decision to go again. With each new day renew that decision and continue on.

One day we will celebrate when I finally make it down to that magic number of 200. I will appreciate it more than ever because it has been so much harder to get there this time.

I loved this little picture. We are really butterflies in this weight loss journey. We may just be cocoons in the flesh but God is making us into beautiful butterflies. One day we will spread our wings and fly!! Keep trying. connie

THIS IS NO TIME TO QUIT!!!

2009-04-28T14:18:00.004-05:00

QUIT-----To depart from or out of; to leave the company of; to relinquish, abandon, or give over ( as a way of thought, acting, or living): Forsake; to give up; To cease normal, expected, or necessary action; to admit defeat; STOP.

To me this is a very sad definition. I do not want to be found among those who quit, forsake, give up, admit defeat, STOP.

I know it really get hard sometimes, but just think where we would be if we did quit!! What a sad thought. We would never stand a chance at being what God would have us to be. We would never meet that goal that we have. DEFEAT would be our cry!!!

NO, NO, I am out for victory!!! No matter how hard nor how longs it takes me to get there, I know that if I do not faint then the victory is mine.

I am holding my own, not gaining and not losing but I have faith that as I continue on one day those scales will go down just a little bit more bringing me closer to my goal. I want to see it!!

I hope if you are having a hard time that his poem will be an encouragement for you. YOU CAN DO IT. Take a look and see how we may be able to do it a little better and those pounds will come off just like the ones we have already lost. Remember we have not gained them back because we have not quit trying. Have a good week and I will see you again soon. connie

I HAVE FOUND SOME HELP

2009-04-09T09:51:00.003-05:00

MY OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE GOD'S WILL, MY WAY.

Hello there!! I am just checking in to let you know how things are going with me. I am doing great. Have just gotten over a bout with gout. It slowed me down but I have not gained and for that I am very thankful. Now on to better things.

Right before I came down with gout I made a discovery! Well, I have known about it for a long time but my husband just finally convinced me to give it a try. I hated to spend the money but as usual my dear husband was right. He wanted me to start going to CURVES FOR WOMEN. I was afraid to go because I am so large. I can't get up from the floor. I move very slowly sometimes to make sure I will not fall. Oh, I had a lot of excuses to keep from going to check it out. Jim got this idea from our family doctor. He suggested it for me. "Oh, well,"I said, to myself,I will go and check it out. Thinking there would surely be a reason for me not to go. After all, I don't wear pants so I am sure that I will feel out of place, and how can I exercise in a skirt?

Well, I went with a lot of pushing on the part of my dear husband, Thank you dear Jim.

I was so surprised! It was run by Christian people. They didn't even mind saying, words like, "Thank you, Lord!" They didn't even look at me funny with my skirt on. Neither those that run the place nor those lady in attendance. But the thing that thrilled me the most was that I did not have to get down on the floor! I had to use machines. Machines that worked out every part of my body. I was in full sweat when I finished the 30 minute work out. I felt great when I finished! I was eagerly looking forward to going back the second time the next day. I went and felt even better. I just loved it, the place, the workout, the feeling of doing something good for my body and health. It was wonderful, really ladies, I mean it.

You have to go three times for the trainer to train you work on the machines . So, before the third morning arrived, I had gout in my ankle. I was so disappointed but was determined to go back as soon as my ankle was well.

Today was my third time back! I feel wonderful again. I can't wait for tomorrow. After the third training you can go at any time, at any of their places. I am so excited. I just know that now that I pretty much have my appetite, with God's help , under control, if I can just do this exercise. I know that I am going to be much better off.

I am looking forward to my blood pressure coming down and hopefully get off the diabetes meds that I am on. Would that not be just the greatest blessing, ever? It sure would!

This was not real cheap but my husband insisted that I give it a try. I am so thankful to him that he really pushed me into doing this. I do believe that it will be a great help to me. Just so you know it will cost me $36.00 a month for the year. That is a lot of money and I do not take it lightly. So, I will have to really be faithful to go and make it work for me.

I told you all this to say, Ladies, girls, if you have the money or can fit the money into your budget, I believe that it will be of great help to you also. There were smaller ladies there but the most of them were very overweight. As I said, all the ladies were very nice. I am looking forward to tomorrow. I can just feel my body getting in better shape.lol

I hope all of you are having a good day. If you can and will, please say a prayer for me the next days and months that what I need to accomplish with my health issues will be accomplished as I do my best at this. Thank you so much. connie

ALMOST THERE

2009-03-20T12:46:00.002-05:00

This picture was taken by my husband Wednesday, March 18, 2009, our wedding anniversary.

I just wanted to let you all know that I am watching all that goes into my mouth and waiting for the day in the not too distant future now when I will be able to post a 200 pound picture on my side bar. I hope to be able to do this by my birthday on May 27. It is slow but God is helping in every way. I can not asked for more. I have had a bout with the flu and food poisoning this last month. Guess what the food poisoning was from a salad in a Seafood place. It all looked so good, smelled so good but then as Christians haven't we learned how deceiving looks can be.

In less than 24 hours, I had all the effects of food poisoning. I am feeling fine now and have prayed that no one else other than myself and my daughter in law Michele had it.

So, I will continue on with watching the foods that I am eating, asking my self "are you really hungry?" I am beginning to exercise some and hope to continue that and as
Sis. Julie would say, "Drink my Water."lol. It really does help.

I hope all of you in which ever way, works best for you, are doing a good job and are finding your goals just a bit closer each day. In everything it is sticking to it that counts. If you go a day or two or two months, don't give up just take heart, pray and get back with it. I think we all know by now, if we know not much else of anything about losing weight, with us it is going to be a lifetime battle. So, it is a battle that I intend to win or be winning when I take my last breath. The Lord will not find me slacking off, I pray. connie

I HAVE NOT GONE ANYWHERE, JUST BEING SOMEWHAT SILENT

2009-03-03T15:09:00.002-06:00

I have lost 2 more pounds. I am very thankful that they seem to be coming easier for me now for a while.

I have learned somethings. It does not take nearly as much food as we think to live and be healthy. My sister had weight loss surgery about one year ago. She eat so very little. It was only about 4 ounces a day for months. Of course she took vitamins and such. But thank the Lord, I can eat much more than that and still lose and get all that I need to be healthy. So, I took note of that.

With the last dog we had, now mind you, I know that I am not a dog, and big dogs can eat a lot. But they don't eat as much as I use to, they just got more exercise. I did notice that they only ate once or twice a day.

So, I have been putting some of the things into practice. I eat less and not as often. I move as often as possible. Maybe not doing much but what I am doing if I can , I stand and do it. The results are that soon, I will be able to post an updated picture. I know you probably thought that I would never make it. At times, so did I but I just kept trusting the Lord and asking for His help. So keep watching if you are interested. It will be soon now~~~~A new picture coming. connie

HOPE YOU HAVE HAD HAPPINESS OF THIS VALENTINE'S DAY!!

2009-02-14T21:23:00.002-06:00

WILL----Used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent.

WAY----The course traveled from one place to another, a series of actions, or sequence of events leading in a direction or toward an objective.

MY OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE GOD'S WILL, MY WAY.

It is so nice to be able to post here once again. I am almost as good as new. The Lord has delivered me once again. I have missed being here and visiting with those whom I consider dear friends.

I have had to eat as the doctor's have told me too. It was not always easy and sometimes, I failed. I have lost only two pounds since my last posting here. I am very thankful for those pounds, they have come with pain and suffering at times but this was a time when it was more important to eat as told than to watch what I was eating trying to lose weight.

I hope this next week, I will be able to do well and remember to make God's will, my way. I hope to be able to visit with all of you this next week and be an encouragement to you. You have all remained in my prayers. I know this is a hard battle we fight and discouragement comes easy if we keep our eyes on the here and now and not on the future. Little steps today make a changed life in our future. Little by little we become more like our Lord and please Him with our thoughts and ways.

I have not been totally idle while I have been ill. I have been reading and learning and I hope to be able to put it into practice in the days ahead.

I wanted to also stop by and wish you all a very HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!! Just think what you can accomplish by next Valentine's Day. Yea!!!! I can't wait. connie

SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU SMILE------

2009-01-06T15:06:00.004-06:00

WILL----Used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent.

WAY----The course traveled from one place to another, a series of actions, or sequence of events leading in a direction or toward an objective.

MY OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE GOD'S WILL, MY WAY.

FATHER LOSES WEIGHT
by: S.J. kennedy

MY FATHER LOST A POUND LAST NIGHT
HE LOST IT WHERE IT BOUNCES.
HE CRIED, "GOOD GRIEF! SOME GROSS SNEAK THIEF
SWIPED MY FAVORITE 16 OUNCES!"
HE TURNED THE WHOLE HOUSE UPSIDE--DOWN,
SEARCHED ATTIC, ROOF AND BASEMENT.
HE MADE US ALL LINE UP AND STRIP,
OUR CAT BLINKED IN AMAZEMENT.
HE STOMPED ON THE BATHROOM SCALE AND SCREAMED,
(HE IS NOT THE BEST OF LOSERS)
UNTIL THE COUNTY SHERIFF BEAMED
THIS CALL TO ALL POLICE CRUISERS:

"NOW HEAR THIS! LOST----ONE POUND OF WEIGHT!
ALL CARS BE ON THE LOOKOUT!
LAST SEEN ON MISTER GEORGE MCQUEEN
AT THE CUB SCOUT POP CORN--COOKOUT!

IF FOUND, THE HOUND WHO PINCHED THE POUND
MAY BE ARMED, THIS MEANS DANGER!
TAKE CARE. PREPARE TO SHOOT ON SIGHT
THE LEAST SUSPICIOUS STRANGER."

ALAS POOR DAD! HE FELT SO SAD
HE ATE TO EASE HIS TROUBLES,
SIX SIRLOIN STEAKS, EIGHT WEDDING CAKES,
AND TEN CHEESEBURGERS (DOUBLES)
BUT ALL THE WHILE HE GULPED FRENCH FRIES
ADRIP WITH SALTY SUET
HIS MISSING POUND WAS HOMEWARD BOUND
WITH MORE POUNDS STICKING TO IT.

Isn't this the way, to some extent it is with us some days. It seems we look for an excuse to eat. We always find the pound we lost plus several more. What a way to live. No fun, you feel depressed over your loss of self control, sad that you gained what you had lost, guilty over it all. We think we feel so bad that we will never let it happen again. It almost sound like the drunkard, doesn't it? Promising never to let it happen again only to get up with a piece of cake in hand and more of the like placed close, somewhere around us.

I have often asked my self, "what makes people who like to eat, eat this way?" I know that just like the drunkard, it is that thing called sin that is in our heart. We would never want to be called a drunkard, no not us. But really when it come right down to it, are we not much the same?

I have used the excuse that there is just something wrong inside of me. I just like to eat, which is true. But when a few bites will do, I have to have two pieces. An excuse is just an excuse to eat more than I need.

Well, this was going to be something to make us smile when I started but I find that this weight thing is not a smiling matter. It is very serious and has life and death consequences. Even in the long run for you also my over eating friend.

I pray with my whole heart that this will be the year that we let this desire to overeat be a thing that we place under God's control and we use His strength to overcome when we are weak or rebellious.

I hope this is a very good year for us all and that we can day by day meet the goals that we have set before us. Your path may be different than mine, but we will all get to the end if we keep trying. So, please don't give up! I say this to myself too. The urge is always there, "just quit" and face it you are never going to lose all that weight. That sounds a lot like the devil talking to me. Jesus would say, "my strength is sufficient for you. You can do all things through my strength." So, this year, dear Lord, please let us be wise enough to lean more on you day by day in this area of our lives also. God bless you, who have to fight this battle each day. It is the hardest one that I have ever had to face but I know that my God is ABLE. connie

2009-01-04T21:30:00.002-06:00

WILL----Used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent.

WAY----The course traveled from one place to another, a series of actions, or sequence of events leading in a direction or toward an objective.

Thank you Yolanda, for asking the simple question," What do you weigh." If that question had not been asked by you, I don't think that I would have come to today and showing a loss. I know that God used you to touch my heart and make me see. So it is with Thanks to Him first and foremost but to you, Yolanda for letting God use you.
I also want to thank Amy, for being there during these holidays with an encouraging word just when I needed one. Thank you so much, dear friends.

I look forward now to going on not worrying about holidays, but just living each day in God's will and way. Thank you Lord for your Goodness on me. connie

ONE WEEK TO GO---

2008-12-30T13:59:00.002-06:00

WILL----Used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent.

WAY----The course traveled from one place to another, a series of actions, or sequence of events leading in a direction or toward an objective.

MY OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE GOD'S WILL, MY WAY.

HELLO! DEAR FRIENDS. I WISH FOR YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR. MAY ALL YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE IF THEY ARE WHAT GOD THINKS IS BEST FOR YOUR LIFE.

I have one more week to go and so far, my weight is staying the same through the holidays. This is the first time that I can ever remember this happening in all my years of dieting. Thanks to any of you that have been praying for me. I know that If I do my part, my prayers have been answered. I have learned a lot these last few weeks and I hope to put it all into practice the first day of this new year as the days come and go. Thanks again and I do hope that each one of you are doing well and are being blest. HAVE A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR. connie

WHAT WOULD WE DO WITHOUT CARING FRIENDS?

2008-12-22T20:27:00.002-06:00

WILL----Used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent.

WAY----The course traveled from one place to another, a series of actions, or sequence of events leading in a direction or toward an objective.

MY OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE GOD'S WILL, MY WAY.

I AM SO THANKFUL FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE PRAYED FOR ME AND ENCOURAGED ME IN SO MANY WAYS. I AM MOST THANKFUL TO THE LORD FOR HIS HELP DOWN THROUGH THESE YEARS AND FOR NOT JUST TOTALLY GIVING UP ON ME. I KNOW THAT HE KNOWS MY HEART AND THE DESIRE THAT I HAVE TO HAVE A BODY THAT IS PLEASING TO HIM AND LOOKS LIKE THE WAY HE MADE ME TO BE.

I HOPE AND PRAY THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE THE MOST MERRY CHRISTMAS AND YOU HAVE PEACE AND JOY THAT COMES ONLY FROM THE LORD.

I WOULD LIKE TO ESPECIALLY THANK ONE FRIEND WHO LIVES IN MY TOWN, WHO PROBABLY WITHOUT KNOWING IT HAS HELPED AND ENCOURAGED ME TO KEEP ON TRYING IN THIS VERY STRESSFUL WEEK.( GOOD STRESS, I MIGHT ADD), BUT YOU WHO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH FOOD KNOW WHAT I AM SPEAKING ABOUT. SHE WAS THERE AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME AND I KNOW THAT GOD PUT HER THERE. SO A.S. A BIG "THANK YOU." YOU WERE THERE JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST AND PROBABLY DID NOT EVEN KNOW IT.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! connie

THINGS GOING GOOD, COULDN'T BE BETTER.

2008-12-13T01:35:00.002-06:00

WILL----Used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent.

WAY----The course traveled from one place to another, a series of actions, or sequence of events leading in a direction or toward an objective.

MY OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE GOD'S WILL, MY WAY.

Thank you so much for your prayers. I know that is what is making things so much easier for me. I am having much success. I have not gained at all so far. Only a few more weeks to go and the temptations of this month will be past and I AM going forward knowing that God gives the victory. I see it now, it is as completed!!!

EPHESIANS 2:10

FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS UNTO GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD HATH BEFORE ORDAINED THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM.

I have not had a lot of time for posting. My sister had been very ill and in the hospital but she is doing better now. So much going on and I am slower than I used to be.lol But I just want you to know that I am praying for all of you as well. I am so excited about this new year, just in sight. All the great things that the Lord is going to do through you and me. We are so blessed. Have a very good day. connie

I HAVE KEPT MY COMMITMENT FOR THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY.

2008-12-02T22:18:00.000-06:00

WILL----Used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent.

WAY----The course traveled from one place to another, a series of actions, or sequence of events leading in a direction or toward an objective.

MY OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE GOD'S WILL, MY WAY.

I was able with a lot of help from the Lord able to keep my commitment of not gaining any weight through the holidays. In fact I lost 2 pounds. If I can just keep going through Christmas and New Year's Day then I will be off to the right start for this next year. Thank all of you who have been praying for me, The prayers are really appreciated. See you again next week. connie

2008-11-29T15:28:00.001-06:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR. connie

HAPPY, HAPPY

2008-11-21T14:31:00.002-06:00

WILL----Used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent.

WAY----The course traveled from one place to another, a series of actions, or sequence of events leading in a direction or toward an objective.

MY OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE GOD'S WILL, MY WAY.

HAPPY, HAPPY!! EPHESIANS 5:20

"Giving thanks always for ALL THINGS unto God and the father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

HAPPY--- FORTUNATE, ENJOYING WELL BEING AND CONTENTMENT; JOYOUS.

THANKFUL----CONSCIOUS OF BENEFIT RECEIVED, WELL PLEASED; GLAD.

I am feeling so happy that I just wanted to share some of it with you. I have been so blest in my life and I am so thankful for all that God has given to me. Undeserving, though I am, God is so very good to me. I look forward to these next weeks with so much excitement and anticipation.

There are many problems in the world today and many who are so unhappy but with the Lord as my Saviour, who am I to even think about being unhappy. I have everything because I have the Lord. I have a wonderful family, loving friends, a roof over my head and food on our table, clothes on my back with many to spare. Yes, Lord, you have given me everything.

I am so thankful that you, Lord, gave me the opportunity to be saved and to live for you. I can think of no greater blessings. I could have been born in a place where your name is not even known, I could have been born handicapped in some way where I would never have known you existed. Thank you Lord for making my life what it is and for all your blessings on me and please forgive me, Lord, when I get so unfocused that I do not see these important things in my life and so fail to thank you as I should. connie

TO FEEL ASHAMED

2008-11-19T21:15:00.002-06:00

ASHAMED MEANS; Feeling shame, guilt, or disgrace; restrained by anticipation of shame ; inferior, or unworthy.

At church tonight, God used a good friend asking me a simple question that made me realize where I am at with my weight and causing me to question whether I am doing my best. The question was one that we all get asked from time to time but it has been some time since I had been asked the question. It took me back at first and I didn't want to answer. She was trying to give me some very good tips on how to get through the holidays. I heard her advise and will certainly follow up on it. She simply asked, "How much do you weigh?" To say it out loud would have been shameful to me because I felt guilt over weighing that much.

I know that my weight in on this blog for the whole world to see, if they are interested in knowing. There was something about that question being asked face to face, My mind swirled, I could only answer truthfully for the weight is there for all to see. But I had to look myself in the face and that wasn't pleasant even though it was needed.

I am sure that the Lord used her to help me. I have thougt of little else since that moment. If I am ashamed and feel guilt and unworthy then it is up to me to do something about it. I am so glad that it happened because now I have more motivation to get through the holidays without gaining not even one pound.

When the holidays are over and I have kept my resolve to meet the goals that I have set for myself, I will be sure to let this sweet lady know the part that God let her play in my victory.

My goal for now is just to get through Thanksgiving and then I will set one for the Christmas holidays and then for the new years holiday. When New Years is over, I will look back and see how far God has brought me to. Until then please continue to keep me in your prayers as I will you also. May the new year bring a new and more healthy you and me. connie

A DECISION MADE

2008-11-17T18:49:00.004-06:00

At Weight Watchers last week a lady said that she had made a goal for herself during the holidays. It was a goal that would be carrying her through the holiday season. She was going to try to stay the same weight, These weeks ahead had always proved to be very hard for her. She felt that if she remained the same and did not gain then she would have succeeded. The Leader thought that was a good idea.

I have thought about this and prayed about it for the days since the meeting. I have come to the conclusion that, that is what I am going to try and do. Rather than worry about losing, I am making it my goal to just stay the same. I am hoping and praying if I get myself some liberty then I will not gain. I know my weakness. When our family gets together there is always lots of fun. We are a family who enjoy eating. So, I am thinking that what I have done in past years has not worked, I will try a new way. I will not put any pressure on myself to lose but just not overeat and then my weight will remain the same or who knows,God willing, I might even lose a pound.

I am praying that I have made the right decision. I feel at peace with it. I am just putting a rest on counting points and thinking about food all the time. I will just pay attention to my hunger and when I feel myself getting comfortable then I will stop eating. I will watch the amount of sweets that I eat but will not keep them out of my diet. A rest in music is a rhythmic silence. I will have a silence of making food my thought of the day during this time and will enjoy the peace and joy of the season with my family and friends. I still would like for you to pray for me as I will for you.

I will be back each week with news of that week. I will still be attending WW meetings and looking to God for strength to do what is right. I hope you all have a good week. connie

SUCCESS WILL COME AT A TRYING TIME FOR US

2008-11-13T09:13:00.002-06:00

WILL----Used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent.

WAY----The course traveled from one place to another, a series of actions, or sequence of events leading in a direction or toward an objective.

MY OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE GOD'S WILL, MY WAY.

TWO FROGS

Two frogs fell into a bucket of cream
And struggled to keep afloat,
But one soon tired and sank to rest
With a gurgling sigh in his throat.

The other paddled away all night,
And not a croak did he utter,
And with the coming of morning light,
He rode on an island of butter.

The flies came thick to his island home
and made him a breakfast snappy.
The milkmaid shrieked and upset the pail,
And froggy hopped away happy.

THE PLAINEST MORTAL IS IN THIS RHYME
WHICH WE SHOULD AT ONCE APPLY:
SUCCESS WILL COME AT A TRYING TIME,
IF WE PADDLE AND NEVER SAY DIE!
unknown author

Sometimes, we fail because we just get tired of trying. If we want to succeed then we must keep trying. We can't have thoughts like, "well, when I go this week and eat right then I am going to have that thing that I have not been allowing myself to have." Or "when I lose this weight, I am going to eat all the cake that I want." That is just Satan trying to distract us and keep us from doing what is right. Eating all the cake we want has never gotten us anywhere except some more pounds and closer to poor health. When we get tired of trying we just have to remember all the reasons we have for trying and doing our best. Some of my reasons are: My family and the example that I want to leave them. My health to be better so that I can enjoy a good quality of life. Most of all I want my body to be that Temple that my Saviour is happy to have as a place for His Spirit to abide.

When the going gets tough, we just have to find within our selves the determination to keep "paddling." If we find that on occasion we have failed, we must not hate our selves and give ourselves reason to quit trying, we must ask God to forgive us of our lack of trust in Him to show us the way and then follow the way of escape He has provided. Next time, we can plan ahead more carefully, never get too hungry, don't allow our self the right to feel sorry for ourselves. We must always pray and believe God.

If we look around there are always those who are less fortunate than our selves. They have conditions that are much more complicated that, they can not correct within themselves. If we GO FORWARD with a heart of Thanksgiving, we will find our self pity non existent. Then God can use us to finish the job He is giving us to do. That being to take care of the "TEMPLES" HE has given to us during our time here on earth. I leave you with this verses and I pray that we each have a good week.

ROMANS 8:37

NAY, IN ALL THESE THINGS WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM THAT LOVED US.

PHILIPPIANS 1:6

BEING CONFIDENT OF THIS VERY THING, THAT HE WHICH HATH BEGUN A GOOD WORK IN YOU WILL PERFORM IT UNTIL THE DAY OF JESUS CHRIST.

"KEEP PADDLING, DEAR FRIENDS, WE WILL MAKE IT." connie

2008-11-12T10:38:00.003-06:00

This morning at weight watchers, I had lost four pounds. It was really too much but I haven't learned yet all about the points and food. I had a very easy week as far as the amount of food that I could eat and I did not get hungry. Being at the meeting, holds me much more accountable. This is exactly what I need this time. I will continue faithfully to go to the meetings and do my best eating the right foods. I am still having a problem drinking enough water but I will try to do better with that this week. I was never hungry. I am not able to sleep as much but I never can when I am losing weight. I guess I have used food as a drug for so long that my body is on withdrawal.lol That really is not funny, since I am sure that to some degree that is exactly what is wrong.

The meeting this morning was very encouraging. I even said a few things.lol The leader liken losing weight to playing football. We have coaches, a plan, fumbles,goals, etc. Not in that order and I don' think that was all that she used. She quoted several great coaches such as Paul W. "Bear" Bryant who said, "IF YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND HAVE DEDICATION AND PRIDE-AND NEVER QUIT--YOU'LL BE A WINNER." This is very shallow thinking as far as I am concerned. I know that without the help of the Lord in this area of my life, I am sure to fail. I have tried it the other way and here I am again.

She did say something that I think will be a help and that was that we should remember a time in our life that we have succeeded at something. Go back and rethink all the reasons why we were able to accomplish our goal at that time. Then use some of those same things or others to help us once again to get to our goal.

"The goal is not the important thing, it is the day to day accomplishing of that goal that is the important thing," she says. We are to set small goals that can be accomplished, then move forward as we meet those goals. It is very difficult to think of losing 250 pounds or more or less but to lose one pound at a time is not so hard.The pounds then add up and make that goal we are trying to reach.

This brings to my mind the verse in Hebrews 12:1b that says, "LET US LAY ASIDE EVEY WEIGHT, AND THE SIN WHICH DOTH SO EASILY BESET US AND LET US RUN WITH PATIENCE THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US." This is not about losing weight but I am using it to help me in this area. We are to lay aside every weight(burden or pressure)and sin (an offence against God,misdeed, fault, transgression of the law of God. We can get rid of our weights and sin in only one way and that is to ask forgiveness of God and do them no more. Go forward with a clean heart. These are things in our life's that sometimes get us way off tract,overeating, eating things that aren't good for us, laziness, gluttony etc.The verse says that these things so easily beset (trouble or harass) us. Is is then that we are to have PATIENCE. There is that word again. It seems to me that God is telling me to be patient. Have patience. A clean heart and patience will help us to run the race to our goal. In this instance it is our weight loss goal. It is there, before us, we have to reach out to obtain it.

I hope that this has been of some use to you, I did learn somethings today but I know that when I have victory it will come from God and he just uses these other things in my life to help me to accomplish what we wants me to do. Have a good and blessed week. connie

PATIENT, SIMPLE PATIENCE.

2008-11-05T17:16:00.004-06:00

PATIENT------Bearing pain or trials calmly or without complaint: Manifesting forbearance under provocation or strain: Not hasty or impetuous: Steadfast despite opposition , difficulty or adversity: Able or willing to bear.

ECCLESIASTES 7:8

"BETTER IS THE END OF A THING THAN THE BEGINNING THEREOF: AND THE PATIENT IN SPIRIT IS BETTER THAN THE PROUD IN SPIRIT."

As I begin this additional way on my journey, I have to remember that the end of a thing is better than the beginning. Oh, yes, I have been very excited to have found a new hope of help in my human weakness. I am very excited today as I have lost a couple of pounds. I have to keep uppermost in my mind that it was God who enabled me and gave me the patience needed to go slow. But I know that this is just the beginning of this way, I have to keep my heart from being proud and realize that I could have done nothing except that the Lord gave the victory. I know many times I went to Him this week and asked for help. Asking for strength to do what was right. For help to just get me throught this day. He answered all those prayers and more.

The group that I meet with are very nice. I only know surface things about them now but I feel comfortable and not out of place. So that is certainly an answered prayer. I am learning some new things and ways along with renewing some good things that I already knew but had put out of my mind. Such as eat only when you begin to feel hunger and then eat until you begin to feel comfortable. Do not wait until you feel like you are starving nor until you feel stuffed.

I did lose two pounds this week. But I have lost pounds before. I have to be patient and stay committed to going to the meeting, eating the right food, and practice saying,"NO" to that extra bite, piece or plate of food.

So, here we go for another week. Hope all of you are following your plans what ever they are. Just remember that God is there and He wants to help and direct us all. We just have to take one moment at a time, one foot in front of the other, only one bite instead of the whole piece and the passing of time. We will make our goals and with God's help we will do it with patience. connie

BUT IN THE MULTITUDE OF COUNSELLORS THERE IS SAFETY.

2008-10-27T17:27:00.003-05:00

WILL----Used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent.

WAY----The course traveled from one place to another, a series of actions, or sequence of events leading in a direction or toward an objective.

MY OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE GOD'S WILL, MY WAY.

PROVERBS 11:14B

BUT IN THE MULTITUDE OF COUNSELLORS THERE IS SAFETY.

My doctor told me at my last visit, that he thought it would be good for me to join weight watchers. I have thought about it and prayed about it so with my husband's advice that is what I intend to do on this Wednesday Morning. I will only join for one month to see if it is a help or a hindrance to me.

I am a very private person even though, it may not seem that way on these blogs but I am. So it is very hard for me to go where others are, to discuss my weight problem. But I know that I have all the spiritual help that I need . I have the Lord to lean on and His Word to guide me and my husband to advise me, and all of you dear ones to encourage me. So, I know that I need the multitude of counsellors to help me. I need the practical help all can give me, the accountability that I can find at the meeting, and hopefully find a fiend that I can share the gospel with. So, I am coming once again for your prayers. I will let you know how it goes and if I find out anything that I think might be a help to you then I will share that.

I have looked at many blogs these past months. I have found one thing to be true that the ones who went to weight watchers did lose weight consistently. It might be just a little at a time (which is what I need) or it could be more one week and less the next but more times than not they were losing.

I am going to try and with the help of the Lord and knowing His will for my life in this area and knowing that His way is best, I am going to do my best. connie

ECCLESIASTES 7:8

BETTER IS THE END OF A THING THAN THE BEGINNING THEREOF: AND THE PATIENT IN SPIRIT IS BETTER THAN THE PROUD IN SPIRIT.

2008-10-20T20:47:00.003-05:00

WILL----Used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent.

WAY----The course traveled from one place to another, a series of actions, or sequence of events leading in a direction or toward an objective.

TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE TRIED THIS WEEK AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THE THINGS THAT YOU WANTED, TO ALL OF YOU WHO DID AS YOU WERE SUPPOSE TO AND MADE YOUR GOAL FOR THIS WEEK OR THIS DAY. MY LOVE AND PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU. CONNIE

THERE ARE GIANTS ALONG OUR JOURNEY ALSO

2008-10-13T22:48:00.002-05:00

WILL----Used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent.

WAY----The course traveled from one place to another, a series of actions, or sequence of events leading in a direction or toward an objective.

MY OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE GOD'S WILL, MY WAY.

At our church, we have been in Revival this week. Bro. Taylor our visiting Pastor who is bringing us God's Word this week has been bringing very thought provoking messages each time he has spoken. He used as one of his references tonight the story of Moses sending out the 12 spies to spy out the land of Canaan. This story is found in Numbers 13. My husband and I were discussing what a very good message it was tonight. It got me to thinking about the words found in Numbers 13:33. "AND THERE WE SAW GIANTS, THE SONS OF A-NAK, WHICH COME OF THE GIANTS: AND WE WERE IN OUR OWN SIGHT AS GRASSHOPPERS, AND SO WE WERE IN THEIR SIGHT."

On this weight loss journey as I have travelled along and things will be going fine and suddenly up jumps a "giant." There are many "giants" on this journey I am on. Some times they come in the form of a piece of cake, a family reunion, a class reunion, a death in the family, a family misunderstanding, willful attitudes, and the "giants go on and on and on. You see what I mean. We have giants in our lives also in this particular area of our Christian walk. We are grasshoppers in their sight. How can we stand up against them? We are weak, they are strong. We are small of stature and they are tall. They are full of temptation and desire. How can we overcome?

As it is in every other area of our Christian walk, it is the same with this, weight issue. It is our attitude and what and who we turn to for help. I have turned to my husband before and he loves me with all his heart, I know he does. But sometimes he will say, "oh, go ahead hun, it want hurt this one time." I have turned to my friends before and sometimes they offer me the best piece of dessert. They love me but they don't understand my weakness at times. No, it is my choice. I have to go to the one who made me for the help that I need. He knows what needs strengthened. He gave me His word to know exactly what to do.

He tells me, "Fear thou not: for I am with thee: be not dismayed; FOR I AM THY GOD: I WILL STRENGTHEN THEE; YEA, I WILL HELP THEE; YEA, I WILL UPHOLD THEE WITH THE RIGHT HAND OF MY RIGHTEOUSNESS."

In this moment of weakness if I look to Him, it will pass and I will remember His words where He has said, "I SHALL NOT DIE, BUT LIVE, AND DECLARE THE WORKS OF THE
LORD." No, I will not die and because He helped me get through this particular trial then my inner being is made stronger and I can give glory to Him.

He wants me to remember that as He has said, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." So, alone, I would fail for sure but if I look to Christ for the help that I need, HE WILL STRENGTHEN ME. You know sometimes I don't look, nor ask because in my secret self, I know I have not always wanted to be strengthen. I want to partake of that little piece of what I should not have and pretend that I had no strength. What a lie. It was done in willfulness and not in lack of strength. We have all we need in Christ.

I learned a lot tonight after coming home from Revival meeting and it all stemmed from a message brought from an entirely different perspective but God used in it is own way to show me what I am, I am a sinner saved by grace. But by God's help I will keep trying to do what is right.

I hope each of you are finding out things about yourselves along your own personal journeys. Just know that if you are saved God is there and He is wanting to be your strength. If you don't know Him and would like to, please e-mail me at jimandconniemc@yahoo.com and I will be glad to answer any questions you might have. It would be a blessing for me to introduce you to my Lord and Saviour. connie

THAT IS ONE MOUNTAIN THAT I WANT!!!!

2008-10-06T18:01:00.006-05:00

Live your life as you would climb a mountain. An occasional glance toward the summit, keep the goal in mind, but many beautiful scenes are to be observed from each new vantage point.
harold b. melchart

Last night as I lay in bed, I found myself laughing out loud. Really quiet literally laughing out loud. I just was thinking back over my life about my weight loss journey and it made me laugh.

My whole life I have had one thing in mind, eat as little as possible,and, lose as much as is possible. Now I find myself in a very unfamiliar place. The doctor says don't lose more than 2 pounds a week but two pounds a month are enough. Somehow that just doesn't fit well into my brain. It goes against everything that I have tried to do in losing weight.

So this morning I found my self laughing out loud again. It was time for me to weigh on the dreaded scale. Oh, no, I said to myself, "I was only supposed to lose no more that two pounds." The scale showed me losing 5 pounds since last Wednesday. Now, how can that be, I am fixing to have to eat more. Me eat more, that is really laughing material to me. I feel like laughing right now even as I write this post.

I know I have to try and do what the Doctor told me to do or I will be having GOUT again. I SURE DON'T WANT THAT. But me having to eat more so I want lose too much! Wow, who would have ever believed such a thing was possible as it concerns me.

The Doctor made some changes in the medications he is giving me for the blood glucose and I am having some side effects from that but they are suppose to get better. I am feeling really quiet well this week.

I have gone to the Lord, so much complaining of not being able to eat enough and would He please help me to lose the weight. He answered in a way that I would not have even thought about. I was doing it wrong and it took a few bouts of GOUT and high blood sugar level for me to finally get it!! I don't need to lose every pound tomorrow. I should just enjoy each day that the Lord gives me to live, taking an occasional look at the goal that lays ahead of me, keeping the goal in mind but enjoying the days that come for me, to eat right as I get my body healthy because I DO WANT THAT MOUNTAIN. It may come slower and now I have to change my mindset,(laughing out loud) but I have not changed in knowing that with God's help I CAN, in fact WE ALL CAN. I am praying for you.

J0SHUA 14:6-15

Joshua wanted a mountain and He asked the Lord for it. Read the story and you will see what great things God can do when we ask. He will give us our mountains also. connie

I WILL NOT LEAVE THEE NOR FORSAKE THEE

2008-10-01T16:08:00.002-05:00

WILL----Used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent.

WAY----The course traveled from one place to another, a series of actions, or sequence of events leading in a direction or toward an objective.

MY OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE GOD'S WILL, MY WAY.

I am so thankful that when things get hard in our lives, God has promised never to leave us nor forsake us.

I have been having some health problems for a few months now. I have not tried hard enough to get my blood sugar under control and then there are the things that have been out of my control that has kept it high. When it does get high, I just can not seem to get enough to eat. A few weeks ago, I had a large loss and because I lost so much so soon, I had an attack of gout. I had my Dr.s appointment today. He told me once again that I need to go to Weight Watchers. He thinks with my problems that will help me the most. I can not lose more than one or two pounds a week. That just seems like it doesn't go fast enough when it is that slow but if I have to do it that way then I have to.

Those of you who are young, please use me as an example, it will not always just be a matter of losing weight there will be other things that have to be taken into consideration to be able to lose weight. The older you get and the more you let your weight go it brings on many complications. So, if you possibly can, lose the weight now while you are still healthy except for being over weight. We just can't do as we please when it comes to eating we have to eat healthy.

I am thankful that through all of this even at times when I have not deserved it, the Lord has been with me and helped me when I ask in sincerity.

I have been reading in Exodus chapter 33 for my Bible Reading today and I want to ask the Lord to tell me what He told Moses in verse 14. He told Moses,"And He said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest." I want the Lord's presence to always go with me and I know He will give me the rest that only He can give.

I hope you are all doing good and if you are having problems like mine or different one just don't give up and look to the Lord and I know that He will see us through. I wish that I could always be a good example to you ladies but I have a need also and I have to look to the Lord minute by minute or I would be sick all the time and getting bigger and bigger which would lead to more sickness. So, I want to do what is right and please pray for me as I will be praying for you. connie

JUST TO LET YOU KNOW

2008-09-22T11:09:00.002-05:00

WILL----Used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent.

WAY----The course traveled from one place to another, a series of actions, or sequence of events leading in a direction or toward an objective.

MY OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE GOD'S WILL, MY WAY.

I wanted to let all know who come here to read that I am doing good. There has been so much going on that I have no had the proper time to come here and blog but I have not forgotten any of you. You all remain in my prayers and thoughts.

I have run into a problem with my weight losing situation. I am trying to rethink how I will be able to handle this roadblock but I know that I can with God's help.

It seems that I have been losing too much at a time, can you believe that one? No more than I have been losing and its too much, that is hard for my mind to get hold of. My body fights back, it seems when I lose what it considers too much at a time and I get GOUT. What an ugly word. It sure is not a fun thing either. The Dr. is suppose to get with me again, in a couple of weeks and give me some help on what I can do to prevent this from happening again. I am not able to take the steroids, when I get gout,anymore for other health reasons. Even if like the turtle, I have to creep along, I will continue to do my best. It may not be inspiring for you to come here but I will be trying. As soon as I reach that 200 pound mark, you will see a new picture and oh, what joy that will be for me!!

I hope you are all doing good, I have had so much to do recently that I have not had time to sit at the computer for any length of time, and I have missed you. connie

THIS TOO, SHALL PASS

2008-08-25T15:11:00.002-05:00

WILL----Used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent.

WAY----The course traveled from one place to another, a series of actions, or sequence of events leading in a direction or toward an objective.

MY OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE GOD'S WILL, MY WAY.

Thank you Pam and Tori for your prayers and words of wisdom. I learned somethings over this last week. I was a little disappointed that the week off didn't go as well as the weeks on the Rotation Diet but I learned and will not repeat the same mistakes. I am doing very good once again and look forward to the next days and weeks. I guess if things would have gone just as smooth as could be then I might forget my need for the LORD. I sure hope not, even and especially on this journey in my life. I know that I need Him always. So, I am trying to surrender my will to His and go in the WAY, He has set for me. Thank you, Pam and Tori again. You were there when I needed you and I appreciate you letting God use you on my behalf. connie

HARD WEEK

2008-08-20T17:15:00.001-05:00

IT WILL BE LIKE A NEW BEGINNING

2008-08-17T21:32:00.002-05:00

WILL----Used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent.

WAY----The course traveled from one place to another, a series of actions, or sequence of events leading in a direction or toward an objective.

MY OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE GOD'S WILL, MY WAY.

As I have explained, I am on the Rotation Diet. So this past week, I have been eating as I usually would except only smaller amounts. I have done very good and I am excited to getting back on the Rotation of smaller calorie amounts. I will let you know how it is going in a week. I just feel better and better.

I hope all of you are doing very good and know that you are in my prayers. I will be over sometime this week to see you. Have a great week. connie

10 STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO GUARANTEE FAILURE

2008-08-14T12:52:00.002-05:00

THE GOAL

The main points of 10 Steps You Can Take To Guarantee Failure are quotes taken from a post by Goals And Goal Setting.

01) "MAKE YOUR GOALS VAGUE"------I have certainly had vague goals down through the years. Things like, " I sure hope that I am down to 150 pounds by Christmas, or my anniversary etc. I sure would like to keep my calories down to 1000 for this week.

02) "MAKE YOUR GOALS DIFFICULT TO VISUALIZE"----- Finally in the last few months, I have posted a picture of what I look like right now. I have just realized that I also need to have a picture up by the side of that one to show what I looked like 100pounds lighter. I must do that today. Yea! I am beginning to visualise. I have almost forgotten what I did look like.

03) "THINK AND SPEAK NEGATIVELY ABOUT YOUR GOALS."-----I know how to do this by heart. I have done it so often down through the years. Things like, "I know, I will never make it but I will trrry." Knowing all the time, I was not going to try very hard.This one is a good one that I have used a lot also, "I will start tomorrow, since we are having company over tomorrow, well, our anniversary is coming up in a month, I think I will wait until then, I just under too much stress right now, It is too cloudy, too much sun, too humid, I will walk tomorrow, next week, oh maybe, I better not do it right now, it might make me too sore." I am so good at this, it is a wonder that I have ever accomplished even a pound loss.

04) "AVOID PLANNING INCREMENTAL STEPS"------ "Oh, yes, I wouldn't want to do this, I don't want to place myself under too much stress, or accountability." "I just hate to keep food journals, if fact I have NEVER TRIED TO KEEP ONE." "Planning today or for a week what I will be eating at any given time." "Planning for situations that may come up and make provisions for them."

05)"DON'T DO---JUST TALK"------- This has been my mode of operation many times in my life. I will prepare to start a diet. I even figure out how many pounds I want to lose in a specific amount of time and brag to all my friends, "Hey, I am starting on a diet tomorrow. You just wait til you see me six months from now!" But when the actual doing time came, I could always find a perfectly acceptable excuse.

06) "WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE MOTIVATED"----- It has always been against my "religion" to go on a diet unmotivated. I wouldn't even know how.

07) "DON'T SET A DATE"----I don't really want to be a date setter, something might come up then I would feel like I had failed. That is toooo much pressure for me right now.

08) "LIST WHY ITS IMPOSSIBLE"-----I see that I am an expert on more than one of these things. I can make a list a mile long of all the reasons why it will be impossible for me to succeed on my diet. "The kids are coming today,I feel to down today, I don't want anymore stress right now, we don't have the money to buy the foods that I need to succeed, I can't exercise, I am too old." You know all the things why we tell ourselves that it is impossible for us to lose weight.

09) "DON'T RESEARCH YOUR GOAL"---- To be honest in the last few months is the first time I have ever researched my goals and the reasons why I wanted to lose the weight. I have never thought much about dieting except that it prevented me from eating all that I wanted when I wanted it.

10) "THINK ABOUT ANYTHING EXCEPT YOUR GOAL"----Boy, can I think of all kinds of things to think about when it comes time for me to use some disciple in my life in the area of eating. It is usually along these lines, "now, how much can I eat and still make myself believe that I am still on a diet and trying." I have only learned these last few months the difference between hunger and appetite. That has been one of the greatest things that I have learned.

I hope these things will help you to THINK. It sure did me. connie

ITS NOT IN ATTITUDE ONLY BUT IN STRENGTH FROM GOD

2008-08-11T18:03:00.001-05:00

Jeff was the kind of guy you love to hate. He was always in a good mood and always had something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"

He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jeff was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jeff was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation. Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jeff and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?"

Jeff replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, Jeff, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.' I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life."

"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested.

"Yes, it is," Jeff, said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live life."

I reflected on what Jeff said.

Soon thereafter, I left the restaurant industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that Jeff did something you are never supposed to do in a restaurant business: he left the back door open one morning and was held up at gunpoint by three armed robbers.

While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jeff was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma center.

After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jeff was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body.

I saw Jeff about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he said, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Want to see my scars?"

I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place. "The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door," Jeff replied. "Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live, or I could choose to die. I chose to live."

"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked.

Jeff continued, "The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the emergency room and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read, 'He's a dead man.' I knew I needed to take action."

"What did you do?" I asked.

"Well, there was a big, burly nurse shouting questions at me," said

Jeff. "She asked if I was allergic to anything. 'Yes,' I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Bullets!' Over their laughter, I told them, 'I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.'"

Jeff lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is everything.

*Author Unknown

I don't totally agree with this post but I understand what it is saying. I do believe that most of us with a weight problem, it takes more than just a good attitude to make things right. It takes all the strength God has for us. It takes seeing things through the eyes of God and how he looks on being a glutton or being lazy. Most of us who are over weight may have one of these problems. Some have things in their bodies that don't work exactly right and other may have other reasons. But I do know that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. It is not easy but most of life is not easy if it is worth having. When we accomplished something or get something through hard word and effort they always mean so much more to us.

So having a good attitude is very important!!! but looking to God for our help and strength is a MUST. Putting these things together we will not fail but we will lose. Have a great week. This is my rotation where I eat as normally I would but I just watch the amount that I eat. It purpose is to not go into starvation mode but to keep the body burning those calories that we are taking in. Have a good week in which ever way you are chosing for a help in loseing the weight and I'll be praying for you. connie
.

UNHAPPINESS IS IN NOT KNOWING WHAT WE WANT AND KILLING OURSELVES TO GET IT.~~DON HEROLD

2008-08-08T11:52:00.007-05:00

PICTURE BY OLIVIA MCENTIRE

I wanted to let you all know that I am in my second week of the Rotation Diet and I am really very content with it. My blood pressure has gotten so low that I have had to get off some of my medication. My blood glucose level has stabilized. I have lost 9 pounds. I feel wonderful. My clothes are feeling looser. I do realize that a couple of weeks do not a life make nor a loss of sixty more pounds but, I feel so hopeful and look forward to each new day.

I thought that I would share one day of the diet that I am on. Remember that it is a rotation diet. So you eat a certain amount of calories for a few days then the calorie amounts raise. Then in a few days more you go to a higher amount of calories. It is a three week rotation. Then you are allowed to eat as normal for a week or two and then go back to week one. You can go directly back to week one if you want. The thing that I like most about this diet is that you are allowed bread, fruit and whole wheat crackers in certain amounts. I really like bread and fruit and feel very deprived not to be able to eat them.

The following is from The Rotation Diet. It is the first week, day one.

Breakfast----1/2 banana, 1 oz. high fiber cereal, 8ozs skim or low fat milk, no-cal beverage.

Lunch---Large chef salad, 1oz each of cheese and turkey, plus any free salad vegetables, lo-cal dressing, 5 whole wheat crackers, no-cal beverage.

Dinner--41/2 ounces of baked chicken, 1 small, 31/2 oz. baked potato, 1 cup green beans, 1 apple, 1 oz. cheese, no-cal beverage.

As you can see, I did not go hungry, nor did I get hungry.

Well, this has shown you some of what I have been up to but not all, I have filled my life with prayer, Bible study,cooking, house cleaning, laundry, mending, listening to soothing, uplifting music, grocery shopping, letter writing, showing my husband my love and appreciation for him, going to the church that I love, loving my family and friends and the strangers that I meet, riding my stationary bike some, keeping in contact with those of you on this same journey, writing two poems, making phone calls to family far away, and 1000 other things that make up my life. You get the picture.

I hope this might be an encouragement to one of you. I hope your week has gone well and that you are a better person for having lived it. connie

I'M GRATEFUL

Within my heart is one small room,
Its doors are open wide
To gather joys and sorrows,
And to let love come inside.
There's also room for friendship,
And may I simply state,
I'm grateful for that lovely day
You walked into my gate!
~doris m. lagasse

OUR EYES ON THE GOAL

2008-08-02T12:04:00.006-05:00

UPDATES BELOW POST:

The other night Jack and I watched a television drama called "See
How She Runs." The story concerned a 40-year-old divorced teacher
from Boston who decided to become a jogger and eventually entered
the 26 Mile Boston Marathon. To finish the race became her goal,
and in spite of being harassed, jeered at and assaulted, she did
not lose sight of it. The day of the race came and she faced her
ultimate test.

As she ran, huge blisters developed on her feet. She was also hit
and injured by bicycle. And several miles short of the finish line
found her utterly exhausted. Yet she kept going. Then, within a
few hundred yards of the finish line, late at night when most other
runners had either finished or dropped out, she fell and lay flat
on her face, too tired to raise her head. But her friends had put
up the crude tape across the finish line and began to cheer her on.
She lifted her head with great effort, saw the tape, and realized
her goal was within sight. With a supreme effort she got up on her
bruised and bleeding feet, and in a burst of energy dredged up from
deep inside her courageous heart, she ran the last few yards.

She had kept her eyes on the goal and for the joy of finishing,
she endured.

We are to do what our example, Jesus Christ, did on earth. He kept
looking at the goal, not the going. He was seeing the prize, not
the process; the treasure, not to trial; the joy, not the journey.
And we must do the same!

By Carole Mayhall

I loved this quote from the above story, "We are to do what our example, Jesus Christ, did on earth. He kept LOOKING AT THE GOAL, NOT THE GOING. HE WAS SEEING THE PRIZE, NOT THE PROCESS: THE TREASURE, NOT THE TRIAL: THE JOY, NOT THE JOURNEY. AND WE MUST DO THE SAME!"

I have been looking at the goal of losing down to 150 bringing me a more healthy life. The going this week has seemed most unimportant as I kept my eyes on the goal. I have not looked at the process just did what had to be done knowing that in the end God would give me the victory! The treasure of being in God's will has made the trial a joy and the journey one of great expatiation! So, I hope this story encourages you as much as it has me this week.

The week has been full and I have enjoyed the Rotation very much. I loved being able to have bread and fruit, cheese, protein, milk, vegetables, the whole variety of things that God has given to us to eat to make our bodies healthy. I did not feel deprived even once. The weight loss has been very good and as I start my second week, I am so excited about what God chooses to show me this week. I have loved reading and listening to more music and even being on the stationary bike. I never once felt that I was being punished.

My prayers have been for each of you this week also. I pray that God has sustained you as you keep your eyes on your own goals. I pray that you have learned a little more about your selves so that in the days ahead you will know how to handle the many situations that come up in life. I pray that God has given you what you need to finish this journey and end up with the prize and victory. You all have it in your grasp, you just have to want it bad enough. Keep trying and with each step, I pray that it becomes easier for each of us. God bless you. connie

UPDATE:

SUNDAY--- I must say that I was tempted today. Our church had it monthly Birthday Party for those who had birthday's in the month of August. It is always a joyous time. We all bring refreshments and drinks and we sing "Happy Birthday" to those having birthday. NO, No, Our singing may not be the best in the world but I know for one the singing of Happy Birthday in my month always touches my heart and I love the fact that those that I care so much about are singing Happy Birthday , no only to me but the others who have my same birthday month. It is lots of fun!!

But it is always such a temptation to me. I love to eat and fellowship. My husband let me buy Fried chicken for this special Month of August.Fried Chicken is also a big temptation to me. I prayed to myself the whole day for the Lord to show me what to do. I wanted to go to show how much I loved those who were having birthdays but I knew that I could not keep my eyes on the goal and follow my diet plan if I partook of the refreshments. As the time drew nearer and nearer that night, I felt very calm. I went upstairs and prepared my food to be eaten, sang Happy Birthday with my whole heart and then I thanked God that I didn't need the food to make me happy. So, I waited til the end of the line which is always very long and everyone had their food then I put what was left of what I had brought on other's plates and by that time my husband had finished eating. We got our things, telling those around good bye until we would meet again and went home. I felt very good and not deprived at all. I thanked God for the strength He had given to me and for the Victory that I had won through Him.

MONDAY----A STORM was expected in our area for the following morning. Now, I usually eat when I am worried, bored, hurt or lonely. I decided that I would not worry. I prayed the storm would not come here nor would it go anywhere that people would be hurt. I relaxed and went about my day. Stayed in God's Will.

TUESDAY--- The storm did not come our way. I thanked the Lord nor did it do anything but good. It gave rain that was much needed. I tend to eat when something big is over and has ended well also.I am learning that I eat for just about everything! Today, Occasionally I felt the temptation to eat something for comfort. lol. Comfort, no, no, not in that way anymore!!! I got my Bible out and began to memorize some verses we are to be learning in Proverbs and put a CD on that played classical Opera. I almost learned four verses and this was my first time to listen to opera and I found I liked it. So I will consider today a blessing and Thank God!!

WEDNESDAY----I have had a very good day. Tonight is our Wednesday night Church, so I have been looking forward to that all the day. Things have been quiet and simple, no problems for which I am thankful. Am still doing really good, had a chance to write two poems today. connie

THURSDAY----Very slow day, so far, but it is a day that I rejoice in for God did make it. I have followed my rotation exactly and on sunday, I change back to the first one. I am glad, I don't have to eat as much. I am having a hard time doing my stationary bike ride but still trying there also. It started out fine but then my hip messed up on me so, no bike riding for a few days. It want stop me though, I will just find another way. see you tomorrow.

EVERYDAY BECOMES YOUR CHOICE, EACH SITUATION YOU CHOOSE HOW YOU WILL REACT TO IT

2008-08-02T11:48:00.007-05:00

SHEW ME THY WAYS, O LORD; TEACH ME THY PATHS

2008-07-31T11:15:00.004-05:00

I couldn't wait for a whole week to share with you what I have been learning AND have learned so far on this journey.

1) God will give me the victory if I will just learn His ways and follow in His paths.

2) He above all wants me to succeed in this journey.

3) I have to have, known boundaries in my life where my eating is concerned.

4) I have to realize that my limitations may be different and probably are, than those of others.

5) I have to depend on the Lord for my strength.

6) God has given me all that I need to succeed.

7) He has given me a great support system in my husband and all of you. Thank you!!

8) I need to learn more discipline in this area of my life.

9) I need to learn to be patient and to know that failing at times, does not make me a failure but " QUITTING." does.

10)I need to learn to be content with what ever happens when I have done my very
best. I can't see what is going on inside my body and what it may be doing to help me along the journey.

11)I need to be more thankful for the pounds that I do lose, and not waste time regretting those that I did not lose.

12)I need to be content with my efforts if they have been pleasing to God, whatever the results .

13)I need to remain consistant in my efforts, and not on one week and off another. If I want a break then take a break just don't eat like a pig when I do.

14)I need to not place undue pressure on myself over weighing, losses, gains, food preparation, etc.

15)I need to not be ashamed or afraid to ask for help when I do need it, which is
often.

16) I should not weigh EVERY week or every few days. I need to weigh when I feel like it. One day can make a lot of
difference. I need to know that that 2 pounds may be the pickle or some other salty food that I ate the night before. It does not mean the world has come to an end and I am the biggest failure of all. It simply means that for some reason my body has chosen to retain more water than usual.

17) My first goal is to feel well and happy not frustrated and anxious over what I am
having on my diet. What ever God has given to me, then I will be content.

18) I refuse to think about food, meal preparation, diet, weight, etc. all the time. I will listen to good music, read an uplifting book, the Bible first of all, go for a walk in the sunshine, make a plan to show my husband that I love him in a special way.

19) I will relax and enjoy life and not make Food my god. I have the One and True God.

20) I will thank God each day for the victory He is giving to me, has given me in the past and wants to give me in the future, if I will have faith and trust Him. This too shall pass and even though for me, food will always be a problem or at least the way that I use food, it need not control me and my life.

I have started on the Rotation Diet. I have studied the book and I feel it may be just what I need. It is not so strict in the foods that you can eat and yet their is system to doing it. It gives you the food you need to eat and a big variety. Foods that I am familiar with along with guidelines and recipes to go along with the plan. I can see how it will work and it is a healthy diet for someone also with my health problems. I have come to understand that all of us are different and we need to find something that works for us.

I don't expect miracles, but I do expect progress as I do my part. I know that I still have much to learn and I will share with you if you are interested.

I have never heard much about this program before so it is very new to me. I have been on it for three days and I am very satisfied with the results.

When I get down to 200 pounds, I will post a new picture. connie

TODAY----I WISH YOU

I wish you a day of ordinary miracles--
A fresh pot of coffee you didn't have to make yourself.
An unexpected phone call from an old friend.
Green stoplights on your way to work or shop.
I wish you a day of little things to rejoice in....
The fastest line in the grocery store.
A good sing along song on the radio.
Your keys right where you look.
I wish you a day of happiness and perfection---
little bite-size pieces of perfection
that the Lord is smiling on you, holding you so gentle,
because you are someone special and rare.
I wish you a day of peace, Happiness and joy.
They say it takes a minute to find a special person,
an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them,
but then an entire life to forget them.
I'm sending this to you because you are
SPECIAL to me....
It's a short message to let you know
That I'm thinking of you today...
and that I appreciate OUR friendship
Today.... I wish you enough!!
author unknown

THE PROVISION OF OUR GREAT SHEPHERD

2008-07-21T19:01:00.003-05:00

We have a Shepherd today. He has provided all that we need to succeed in this weight loss journey. We can overcome in any trial if we are in His will. He wants to be our guide even in this hard journey. He makes a way of escape in the temptations that come to us daily. He make the way, we just have to want to find it.
1 CORINTHIANS 10:13

There hath NO TEMPTATION taken you but such as in common to man: but GOD IS FAITHFUL, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able: but will with the temptation also MAKE A WAY TO ESCAPE, THAT YE MAY BE ABLE TO BEAR IT.

YEA, THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH------. If we die to SELF in this matter of appetite, He is with us. God Almighty, not just a friend across the way but the One who made us. What do we really have to fear? In my heart, I know this. In my head when I see the "cake, fried chicken" I may question. The answer is NOTHING OR NO ONE. Yet, in our on human weakness, we do. Each day in our lives there come the dark places that we must pass through. They are called, living, disappointments, loneliness, fear, etc. Yet, you and I need to remember, We have the Great Shepherd going with us on this journey. WE CAN MAKE IT! We have to trust Him, do our part and HE WILL GIVE US THE VICTORY!! It is during the time that we spend in this valley, He has given us a great tool but much better than a fork. He has given us the ability to PRAY. He hears and answers us. JEREMIAH 33:3---CALL UNTO ME, AND I WILL ANSWER THEE, AND SHEW THEE GREAT AND MIGHT THINGS, WHICH THOU KNOWEST NOT.

THY ROD AND THY STAFF THEY COMFORT ME. The earthly shepherd always carried a rod, which he used in protection of his sheep. If the wild animals came, he would use it to run them off or whatever needed to be done for his sheep's protection. He also carried a staff. The staff is very long with the end turned into a crook. When the
sheep would lose their footing and slip down the mountain side, he would take the staff and reach down and place the crook around their bodies and lift them back up to safety and his protection. He is "able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think."

THOU PREPAREST A TABLE BEFORE ME---------.The earthly shepherd would always check over the ground that he was about to take his sheep on to see if there were any poisonous plants or sharp thorns that could hurt one of his sheep. If he found any he would remove them. He was preparing their table. My daughter-in-law, Michelle, is always pulling up the weeds that grow in her gardens. She does this not because she likes to pull weeds, No, she does it to protect her growing plants. We have this promise, "FOR WHOSOEVER IS BORN OF GOD OVERCOMETH THE WORLD. 1John 5:4a

HE ANOINTEST MY HEAD WITH OIL-----.Sometimes despite the earthly shepherd's careful preparations, the sheep would get scratched by a sharp stone or thorn. As the sheep would come to the sheepfold, the shepherd would carefully check them over one by one and apply the soothing oil where it was needed.

Sometimes we get hurt, disappointed, feel lonely and unloved even forsaken by our earthly loved ones and friends but our Great Shepherd knows us. See in the previous verse it is very personal......"MY HEAD." He knows the needs that each of us have that are ours alone. He know the needs that we have that others also may have. He takes care of us on a one on one basis.

Tomorrow, when you come to a hard place in your day, remember our Great Shepherd. He wants to help us. He wants to take care of our wounds, our failures, our disappointment. He loves us.

The verses where a place is not listed which I am sure you already know came from the 23rd Psalm.

I have been praying over a new way to try to have some help with my weight loss. When I make my decision and see that it is going to work safely. I will tell you about it. It is just healthy eating but in a certain way. Please pray for me that it will help me to do what I need to do and to do safely. Thanks so much.connie

WE HAVE THE CHOICE, WHICH WILL IT BE?

2008-07-15T11:45:00.003-05:00

In this life, we are always having to make choices. Though some are not easy. If we do nothing, we have made a choice. So, we have to prayerfully consider, think what God has said and then act according.

Here are Just two such choices--Which one will you take???

THE DIETER'S PSALM

My appetite is my shepherd, I always want.
It maketh me sit down and stuff myself.
It leadeth me to my refrigerator repeatedly, sometimes during the night.
It leadeth me in the path of Burger King for a Whopper
It destroyeth my shape.
Yea, though I knoweth I gaineth, I will not stop eating.
for the food tasteth so good.
The ice cream and the cookies, they comfort me.
When the table is spread before me, it exciteth me.
For I knoweth that I sooneth shall dig in.
As I filleth my plate continuously. My clothes runneth smaller.
Surely bulges and pudgies shall follow me all the days of my life,
And I shall be "pleasingly pump" forever.

I don't know who wrote this poem.

Now here is your choice, the way before or this way!

PSALM 23---A PSALM OF DAVID

THE LORD IS my SHEPHERD; I SHALL NOT WANT.
HE MAKETH ME TO LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES: hE LEADETH ME BESIDE THE STILL WATERS.
HE RESTORETH MY SOUL: HE LEADETH ME IN THE PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR HIS NAME SAKE.
YEA, THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I WILL FEAR NO EVIL: FOR THOU ART WITH ME; THY ROD AND THY STAFF THEY COMFORT ME. THOU PREPAREST A TALBLE
BEFORE ME IN THE PRESENCE OF MINE ENEMIES: THOU ANNOINTEST MY HEAD WITH OIL: MY CUP RUNNETH OVER. SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY SHALL FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE: AND I WILL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOREVER.

I will post again about this subject when I next post but please consider your two choices today. It doesn't have to be one of undisciplined behaviour even though that has often been my way over the years in this area of my life but it can be with the outlook that "THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HATH MADE; WE WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT. PSALM 118:24. If God made this day and He is our Great Shepherd, He will give us all that we need to get through it with victory!!! We can make the right choice. connie

P.S. I feel the need to tell you that I write these kind of post because this is what I need and it is the failures that I have had. If in the process there is something here that is a benefit to one of you then I am happy. But I know what I need. I am probably older, much older than any of you, I have made many mistakes and have purposely over eaten at times in my life for which I am very sorry, now. I hope that my failures can keep you from going there and doing that. You are all young for the most part, you need to take care of your bodies, they will not take care of themselves. It is just like a child it will do what feel good, what looks good, what is good, without giving a thought to the effects of what they might eat over time. So God gave them parents. We have the Lord, if we would just listen to Him and do what He has told us to do, and use the power that He has given to us, if we are saved by His blood, then we will be alright. If we choose not to follow His ways on this journey then we will have high blood pressure, cancer, heart disease, diabetes,etc. I know, I have been there.

WE ARE NOT ALONE IN THIS BATTLE

2008-07-10T19:18:00.004-05:00

HE KNOWS

He knows it all--the winding path,
The sky o'er cast and grey,
The steepness of the mountainside,
The roughness of the way.

He knows it all--the haunting fear,
The doubtings that distress
And all the strain and stress.

He knows it all--each troubled thought,
Each anxious wave of care,
And every burden, every grief,
Or cross that thou dost bear.

He knows it all--thy weight of woe,
Thine often tear--dimmed eye,
The stabbing pain, the slow, dull ache,
And sorrow's broken cry.

He knows it all--but His to choose,
And thine to take His choice!
He knows it all! He planned it so!
Then trust Him, and rejoice!

HE KNOWS
E. Margaret Clarkson

This is one of those battles in life that I don't ever think that I will be able to come here and report that I had an easy time. I sometimes wish that I could but I have been at this a very long time and I have not been able to say it even once. I have had some very good losses before but they did not come without a lot of prayer and discipline. It did not come easy. Sometimes I wonder why it can't be easy for me. I see others eat all they seemly want and never seem to gain a pound. I see those who gain a few pounds and then get it off quickly. I see the way some eat and people who are always going and doing. I ask myself why wasn't I born like this?

Foolish questions, I might add. God made me this way. He know my every strength and weakness. I have it harder, or at least it seems harder to me, because I must have needed the harder way to keep my eyes on the Lord. I might have forgotten where my strength comes from if I had, had it easy in this area of my life. I might have gotten puffed up and believed that I had stayed at a healthy weight out of my own will and strength. I don't have the answers but I know He knows it all. He know the winding path that I have taken my whole life through. He know the hard climbs that I have had. How that sometimes, I succeed and sometimes I fail when I don't lean on Him, and find myself going off my own way and doing it my way. I know that He knows how hard it is for me in this area of my life. He knows the fear that I have in failing. He knows the stresses and strains my over eating has put on my life. He know my every sorrow with each failure and yet He raises me up again to try once more. He knows the weight on my heart that my bad example is to me. He knows the tears that I have shed over this, knowing that I have influenced my children and Grandchildren and friends with my example. He hears my cries of sorrow and gives me all that I need to try once again. He lays my life in front of me for me to chose. Sometimes, I make very good choices in this area and rejoice and sometimes when I fail, I cry and ask God to forgive my sin and He always does. He gives me friends like you to encourage me to keep on going and for all these things I am thankful. connie

LET'S HAVE A FUNERAL??

2008-07-05T01:28:00.002-05:00

Donna's fourth-grade classroom looked like many others I had seen in the past. Students sat in five rows of six desks. The teacher's desk was in the front and faced the students. The bulletin board featured student work. In most respects it appeared to be a typically traditional elementary classroom. Yet, something seemed different that day I entered it for the first time. There seemed to be an undercurrent of excitement.

Donna was a veteran small-town Michigan school teacher only two years away from retirement. In addition, she was a volunteer participant in a countywide development project I had organized and facilitated. The training focused on language arts ideas that would empower students to feel good about them and take charge of their lives. Donna's job was to attend training sessions and implement the concepts presented. My job was to make classroom visitations and encourage implementation.

I took an empty seat in the back and watched. All the students were working on a task, filling a sheet of notebook paper with thoughts and ideas. The ten-year-old student closest to me was filling her page with
"I can't kick the soccer ball pass second base."
"I can't do long division with more than three numbers."
"I can't get Debbie to like me."

Her page was half full and she showed no signs of letting up. She worked on with determination and persistence.
I walked down the row glancing at students' papers. Everyone was writing sentences, describing things they couldn't do.
"I can't do ten pushups."
"I can't hit over the left-field fence."
"I can't eat only one cookie."

By this time, the activity engaged my curiosity, so I decided to check with the teacher to see what was going on. As I approached her, I noticed that she too was busy writing. I felt it best not to interrupt.
"I can't get John's mother to come in for a teacher conference."
"I can't get my daughter to put gas in the car."
"I can't get Alan to use words instead of fists."

Thwarted in my efforts to determine why students and teacher were dwelling on the negative instead of the positive statements, I returned to my seat and continued my observations. Students wrote for ten minutes. Most filled their page. Some started another.
"Finish the one you're on and don't start a new one," were the instructions Donna used to signal the end of the activity. Students were then instructed to fold their papers in half and bring them to the front. When students reached the desk, they placed their statements into an empty shoe box.

When all of the student papers were collected, Donna added hers. She put the lid on the box, tucked it under her arm and headed out the door and down the hall. Students followed the teacher. I followed the students.
Halfway down the hall the procession stopped. Donna entered the custodian's room, rummaged around and came out with a shovel. Shovel in one hand, shoebox in the other, Donna marched the students out of the school to the farthest corner of the playground. There they began to dig.

They were going to bury their .The digging took over ten minutes because most of the fourth graders wanted a turn. When the hole approached three-foot deep, the digging ended. The box of "I Cant's" was placed at the bottom of the hole and quickly covered with dirt.
Thirty-one 10- and 11- years -olds stood around the freshly dug gravesite. Each had at least one page full of "I Cant's" in the shoebox, three-feet under. So did their teacher.

At this point Donna announced, "Boys and girls, please join hands and bow your heads." The students complied. They quickly formed a circle around the grave, creating a bond with their hands. They lowered their heads and waited. Donna delivered the eulogy.
"Friends, we gather today to honor the memory of . While he was with us on earth, he touched the lives of everyone, some more than others. His name, unfortunately, has been spoken in every public building - schools, city halls, and state capitols and yes, even The White House.

We have provided with a final resting place and headstone that contains his epitaph. He is survived by his brothers and sisters, "I can," "I will" and "I'm going to Right Away." They are not as well known as their famous relative and are certainly not as strong and powerful yet. Perhaps someday, with your help, they will make and even bigger mark on the world. May rest in peace and may everyone present pick up their lives and move forward in his absence. Amen."

As I listened to the eulogy I realized that these students would never forget this day. The activity was symbolic, a metaphor for life. It was a right-brain experience that would stick in the unconscious and conscious mind forever.
Writing "I Cant's," burying them and hearing the eulogy. That was a major effort on the part of this teacher. And she wasn't done yet. At the conclusion of the eulogy she turned the students around, marched them back into the classroom and held a wake.

They celebrated the passing of with cookies, popcorn and fruit juices. Donna cut out a tombstone from butcher paper. She wrote the words at the top and put RIP in the middle the date was added at the bottom, "3/28/80."

The paper tombstone hung in Donna's classroom for the remainder of the year. On those rare occasions when a student forgot and said, , Donna simply pointed to the RIP sign. The student then remembered that was dead and chose to rephrase the statement.

I wasn't one of Donna's students. She was one of mine. Yet that day I learned an enduring lesson from her.
Now, years later, whenever I hear the phrase, , I see images of that fourth-grade funeral. Like the students, I remember that is dead.

Author unknown

Today as I sit here typing this post, I have been tempted to say, "I Can't." I believe that God led me to this story.

I sometimes get tired of trying but know that I have to continue on. Sometimes when it get hard, I am tempted to say, "But Lord, it is so hard, I can't." Then He reminds me in a gentle way that "I can." He has told me often that I can do all thing through Christ who strengthed me. I know God does not lie. So, I accept that I can. He has not promised me easy roads to travel or every day to be a sunny one, but he has promised me that He would be with me and He will never forsake me. He has promised me strength to keep from falling, a way of escape in times of temptation and He has promised to love and forgive me when I do fail, if I only ask.

This has been a hard week for me. I started out with so many plans and I wanted to rush the progress that I was making. It turned out that this was not the week to achieve a big loss on the scale. I did remain the same, I want to be content and happy about that but I was not. I wanted to say, "I can't."

I believe that I will have a funeral of my own. When that word comes back to my vocabulary, I will remember that it is a word that is dead to me. So today, I know that I can, I will and I am on my way to another week of praying, watching, trying and with God's help overcoming. connie

GOD BLESS AMERICA AND MAY WE EVER THANKFUL BE.

2008-07-02T21:43:00.002-05:00

Have a happy 4th of July and remember those who gave that we might have freedom and liberty. connie

LOTS OF INSPIRATION THIS WEEK= ONE HAPPY GRANNY

2008-06-26T00:07:00.003-05:00

This has been a great week for me. I have had five of our Granddaughters visiting with us. Their enthusiasm and jest for life couldn't help but rub off on me. They were watching their weight so that was a great help to me. I wouldn't at all be surprised if they were doing it for me so that I would be able to stay on the program that I am on. They were a great encouragement to me. Where I have found it hard to get on the stationary bike and pedal away, they were on it several times a day. My youngest Granddaughter even rode it for eleven miles one day. They were constantly busy doing something and such energy. Always smiling and sitting down to listen to their Grandma talk as if she had something very important to say. It was so good for my soul. I am very thankful to God for the time that I have had to spend with them. I see them grow physically and spiritually with each visit and it thrills me from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet.

I have learned a lot from watching them this past week. I have made up my mind that I am going to put my day on a schedule for a time. I have always worked well with schedules so I am going to give this a try and see if it want give me some accountability.

I have lost two pounds this week. In many ways I am surprised but in others, I guess I am not. It has been a very busy week and has passed all too quickly. I look forward to this next week to see how I will do putting all my new thoughts into actions.

I do so hope that each one of you have had a great week. We all know by now that the kind of week that we have is much up to us. We can look at things in a negative way and our week will be one where we feel low and seem to have nothing to look forward to. It can be a week where we set goals and then go to work to make them come to pass with the help of the Lord leading and guiding our every step.

I have the last half of my teeth cleaned on this Friday so I would ask you to please pray for me. I look forward to it being done and yet I am hoping that this secession goes as well as the last one. I would appreciate your prayers and thank you for those you have prayed on my behalf in the past. I pray for each of you by name. Have a great week and have a good attitude and work toward that goal. connie

WHAT A WEEK!!

2008-06-22T00:07:00.002-05:00

I was told a couple of weeks ago that I needed to have my teeth cleaned. Not just cleaned by deep cleaned. Now, I have only been to the dentist twice in my life, this being the second time. How did I know what "deep cleaned" meant. I just knew I didn't want to lose my teeth. The dentist said this is what I needed. So my husband set up an appointment for me on this past Friday and began to save the money needed. Wow! Made me wish I had "flossed". I am not even sure about all that.

My son, Jeff's advice for me was, "Mom tell them to give you "laughing gas." Now I knew that I didn't want to be laughing while I had my mouth wide open. Then this past Wednesday night my son Jeremy, told me, "Mom, you KNOW it is going to hurt." Well, no I didn't until he told me.lol. I was beginning to get a little nervous by now. But still determined, I kept very busy so that I would not have time to think about what might be going to happen inside my mouth.

So Friday morning came and my husband took me to the dentist, nothing happened to keep him away. So without excuse, I got into the car to face what lay ahead.

They were very nice at the Dentist's office.Took me right back to a small room with I noticed a large chair that was practically reclining. The nurse told me to get on it. I look at my husband to see if he was going to rescue me and he smiled sweetly and said, "It will be just fine, hon." So, slowly I lay down to meet my fate.

The nurse sat down beside me and said now we can do this one of two ways, we can either have the dentist come in and give you a shot or we can use jel. She said the jel works fine for some people and others it doesn't. Hey! well I knew that I didn't want a shot if I could get out of it. So I said, I will take the jel. She put it on my gums. She got every which way in my mouth with this thing that squirted water and ever once in a while she would say close your mouth and it would suck up everything in my mouth that was lose. Very strange feeling. She worked steadily for an hour first the top half and then the bottom half of my teeth.She would pick a while and then I am not sure what it was she was doing but I didn't smell anything burning nor did I feel any PAIN. It didn't hurt and I didn't laugh all the way through it.So things seemed to be going just fine. She kept asking if I was ok. I kept nodding my head in the affirmative not knowing if I was suppose to not be ok or not.

She finally said she had finished. She gave me a new toothbrush and some floss and explained how to use it. Wow! That is going to be a job. She told me that she would see me again on next Friday for the other half.

It seems so odd to have one side of your teeth cleaned and knowing that the other side after 65 years must be off the charts. But it did feel must better on the good side and I can hardly wait for next Friday to get the other side cleaned so I can have a fully clean mouth.YEA!!!

I have said all of that to say this, I have not had a hard time staying on my program this week. In the beginning I was too nervous to eat and now I am not wanting to get my teeth on the good side dirty. I am sure that as the days pass, I will get over it. lol. Thank you for listening about my dental problems and how they are being solved. I will try to do better next week in this space. Thanks again.connie

I HAVE FOUND A GOLDMIND IF YOU KEEP UP WITH WW POINTS

2008-06-19T16:09:00.002-05:00

I am really beginning to love Google. I found the key lime pie recipe as I told you in my last post. I decided to look for the Strawberry Shortcake recipe also. "BINGO" found it but while looking I came across the wonderful sight. It is made up of Weight Watcher Recipes and most all of them show how many points they contain.

You can find it here:

htt://fakeouttakeout.blogspot.com Go check it out! It is a great find. It sure was for me. connie

JUST SOME DESSERT, PLEASE

2008-06-17T18:44:00.003-05:00

My husband and I have been trying some of the Weight Watcher Dinners. I want to learn some things from the way they are cooked, the portions, etc. We have been trying to do the point system. Not going to Weight Watchers but I had attended once before so I had the books. So we have eaten the right point values for breakfast and lunch and any snacks but leaving enough for the dinner Weight Watcher Meals. So far so good. We bought one of their desserts last week. We wanted something sweet so much. I was afraid we were going to mess up if we did not not eat something that we could count into our daily meal. So we bought the Key Lime Pie dessert that Weight Watchers makes. It was delicious. The package comes with two servings in it. Just perfect, not too much but not too little either.

I looked everywhere to see if I could find the recipe, No luck. Finally I decided to Google it up on the e-net. My husband always tells me when I don't know something to Google it up. So that is what I did. This was under the title Weight Watchers Key Lime Pie. So we shall see. I will make it sometime this week. I sure hope it is the same. Here is the recipe if you are interested.

WEIGHT WATCHERS KEY LIME PIE

1 reduced fat graham cracker crust
1--1/16 package sugar- free lime gelatin
1/4 cup boiling water
1- 8 ounce container fat-free whipped topping
2- 6 ounces key lime pie yogurt

1) In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water.
2) Stir in yogurt with wire whisk.
3) Fold in whipped topping with wooden spoon.
4) Spread in crust.
5) Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

This has 3 points per serving.

Other facts:
CALORIES 73
TOTAL FAT: 6.3g
SODIUM 37 mg
TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE 3.6g

This does not include the crust or the yogurt. This is not something I would advise anyone to eat every night but on those times when you just think you can't go one more meal without a taste of something sweet well this is it. That is if you like tart, sweet desserts.

I hope all of you are doing great!!! connie

"FEED YOUR FAITH AND YOUR DOUBTS WILL STARVE TO DEATH."

2008-06-13T15:19:00.002-05:00

The following is a quote from a copied article and I do not know who the author is but it is a very good quote that I think can benefit us here.

"WITH FAITH AS HIS ONLY GUIDANCE SYSTEM, BRYD FORCED HIMSELF TO DO THE NECESSARY THINGS FOR SURVIVAL VERY SLOWLY AND WITH GREAT DELIBERATION. AT TIMES HE FELT AS IF HE WAS LIVING A THOUSAND YEARS IN ANY GIVEN MINUTE. BUT AT EACH DAY'S END, HE COULD SAY HE WAS STILL ALIVE. AND THAT WAS ENOUGH."

I know at times during a given day, I may feel as if it will be a thousand years before I can eat again or not have to fight the desire not to eat. But, we like Bryd must force ourselves to do the necessary things to keep our bodies healthy. Things like eat the right foods, exercise, drink plenty of water, watch out for the carbs., etc. We know if we are wise that we must do these things for our survival and quality of living. I know I am in that category of people. I must do the necessary things to make my body healthy. We must do them slowly and with great deliberation and focus. It must not be a half-hearted effort. We must be determined.

There will be times in our lives when we will fail but we have to realize that we are human and get up and wipe ourselves off and continue on! It is not the failing that will STOP us but the QUITTING will.

How many times does the end of the day come and you think if I can just make it until I go to sleep, then it will be over for today. When the morning comes, you are so thankful that you have succeeded one more day. Now the long day is ahead of you and your realize that the fight has to be done all over again. You know when my children were young and I would clean house from top to bottom and everything was sparkling clean, that would be when one of the kids would track mud in or leave things laying all around. I might be a little discouraged that it seemed like my work was in vain but it did not keep me from doing it over and over and over again for all these years. My objective was to have a clean home. The same way with our bodies, we have to keep on doing the right things for our health, to be pleasing to God and to look better is no small thing. You natuarally feel better if you think you look right. So, we must keep doing the right things over and over and over to reach our goal! Yes, we may despair and be discouraged at times but with great DETERMINATION, we must CONTINUE ON. connie

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, DAD

2008-06-10T14:34:00.004-05:00

I want to say Happy Father's Day to my Dad. He has been gone to be with Jesus for some thirty-five years. I can still remember my Dad as though it was only yesterday that I saw him last. I loved and appreciated him more than I could have ever told him in words that I knew. I just wish that I would have let him know more often what he meant to me. How very happy I was that I was his daughter. So, Dad, up there in heaven, what ever you are doing, I just want you to know that I love you still and appreciate you so much more today than I did way back then. I have grown and experienced being a parent and a Grandparent and a Great Grand Parent now and I realize how very much you loved me and sacrificed for me. I know that the years grow short now and it want be so much longer before I see you once more but today, I felt a great need to say it out loud, "I love you, Dad!"connie

If you have a Dad, still living, don't take for granted that he will be here tomorrow. Sometimes tomorrows never come. Take the opportunity you have today to say, "I love you, Dad." Remember no one is perfect, no even you so appreciate the things that you can about your Dad and let him know it. Just some advice from someone who no longer has a chance to tell her Dad all the things she would like to.

A LOOK INTO WHAT YOU MIGHT BE.

2008-06-06T19:20:00.008-05:00

I have been trying to think of a way that I could be a help to all you young ladies that come here. You are in a time of life that you can do something about what you will be in the future. If you can just take control of your eating and make your body the temple that God intended, you will look back when you are at my age and be glad. I have not been a good example in this area of my life and today I am paying for it. It is not that I have not had good advice, not that I have not had any help that I wanted. My husband has always seen that I had within reason anything that I needed to keep me healthy. No, it is totally on me and the bad choices that I have made for a lifetime. I don't like writing this but I felt if I can help one of you to keep you from coming to where I am, then it will be worth it. I will start from the beginning.

As a child, I was always overweight. I was the one that the kids were always saying, "Fatty, fatty, two by four, can't get through the kitchen door." It usually hurt my feelings but did not touch my weight problem.

In my high school years, my weight stayed at about 180 pounds. In those days, 180 pounds was considered FAT. People back then didn't weigh as much as they do today.

During my senior year in school, I lost down to 165 pounds. Sill considered over weight, I met a young man,named Jim------. He thought I was the most beautiful person he had ever met. My heart was so warmed by his love. We met September of 1961 and were married in March of 1962. We have now been married for 46 years and he still thinks that I am the most beautiful person he has ever known. So I have no excuses, I have been loved. I have been cherished. I just did not make good choices concerning food.

I had our first son when I was 19 in 1963. By the time our second son was born, I weighed 256 3/4 pounds. My husband still thought I was the most beautiful person he had ever seen and he not only said so but showed me with his actions.

After my third son was born, I started to TOPS CLUB. It is a place where you go to be encouraged to lose weight though competition and help from the ladies. It was a good time in my life. I lost 100 pounds while going there. Then I got Pregnant with our fourth son.

I gained slowly back to 180 pounds after that. It took years but for the most part that is the weight I stayed at. Then three years ago, I started having gout, I had it about every six weeks for a year, until they found a way to control it.During these episodes I had more pain than I ever thought possible. I could not walk. My husband had to help me with the most intimate of things. I have always been a person who always took care of herself and anybody else that needed it. It was a very hard year. During the episodes of gout, I had to take steroids which made me gain weight. I could not hardly move for about a year. Each episode I was barely recovered from a it, then it would hit me again. So you can imagine just laying mostly around for a year and still with my eating habits, I gained up to 238 pounds. The rest of the story since then you know.

Now, I was put on blood pressure medicine when I was 19 years old for being overweight. When I was in my 50s, I was found to have some arteries part blocked. I had high cholesterol. So now I took medicine for chest pain and high cholesterol. Two years ago, the Doctor told me that I had type 2 diabetes caused from being overweight. Now, I take medicine for that and that is what has been wrong with me for the last month or so. The diabetes got out of control.

Now all of the things came into my life because I have made wrong choices about food my whole life. It did not have to be. I probably would have still had pretty good health if I had listened to the Lord and to my doctors and learned to control my appetite according to what I needed for a healthy body.

I want all you young ladies to please listen to me, Life passes by very fast and you can always think you will do better later but then one day, it is too late. Health is gone and in some ways you can never get it back. IT WAS NOT NECESSARY. If I could tell you one thing, please do all that you can to take your eating habits seriously for they are effecting your body's health.

I am still fighting a battle and except for the Lord and all of you, I probably would have already given up trying. So, if you can , please think about my story and don't repeat what I have done. I want to do better now but it is so much harder at this stage of my life to lose weight, but I will not quit. To quit would mean my not pleasing my Lord and also premature death for me. connie

GETTING CONTROL

2008-06-03T15:27:00.002-05:00

Dear ones who are on this journey with me, I have been ill for the last few days. After visiting my Doctor today, I am going to take a break from this blog but not from you all for a while. My diabetes is way out of control and I have to give my attention to that at this time. I do not want to continue to be ill. I thank you for your prayers and I will continue to pray for all of you. I am still holding my weight.I am very thankful for that. We have been gone a lot over the past couple of months for various reasons. Life has been a little unsettling or maybe I should say out of our regular routine. Jim and I have to get back to our healthy , regular routine for eating and rest for health's sake. As soon as I am feeling a little better, I will be to visit all of you. May God bless you in your lives. connie

MY SIXTY FIFTH YEAR

2008-05-26T11:10:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow will begin my sixty fifth year of life. I don't think that I can remember a time since I have been in my pre-teens that I have not had some concern about my weight. In the early years mostly about how I looked but in the last three decades of my life, it has been as much about my pleasing the Lord in taking care of the house in which He gave me to live. I may go out of this world not having done what I would like to do in this area of my life but I pray that I will always be found trying.

Tomorrow as I go out to Cracker Barrel to eat breakfast with my husband, I will have to keep the important things in my mind. I know me, if I do not, then I will regret it in a few days. I am very thankful that God has given me these wonderful years. I have learned so much about Him and how I should be pleasing Him. I have learned things that I thought I would never see in a different way. But thought his grace and the wisdom He has given to me, I see things today that I was not able to see before. So I am looking forward to knowing my Lord even better in the years or days or moments that He still gives me.

I can not say that I have full control of my emotions yet but they are under much better control today than they were a couple of months ago. I haven't been faithful to exercise yet but I have not given up. I have not lost but I am keeping the weight under control with God's great help.

Sometimes, I wish that I had a body where I could just eat whenever I got ready and be slim and healthy as could be. I have prayed for such a situation for many years. I am afraid that for some reason it will never be that way for me in this life. Maybe if I were some slim "chick", I would not be what I should be for the Lord. I don't know what the reason ,but I do accept that this will be my fight for the rest of my life. I will continue to try and when I fail, I will try some more. If I were to give up, I know that my length of life would be effected. My health would be in great jeopardy. So, I will just trust God and continue trying. One day though, in heaven, I will be perfect and these things will not matter, but until then-----------may you find me trying. connie

"LIFE CAN ONLY BE UNDERSTOOD BY LOOKING BACKWARD, BUT IT MUST BE LIVED BY LOOKING FORWARD"

2008-05-17T20:05:00.003-05:00

On New Year's Day, 1929, Georgia Tech played the University of California in the Rose Bowl. In the first half, Roy Riegels recovered a fumble for California, but he became confused about direction and ran the wrong way. One of his teammates tackled him just yards before he scored for the opposing team. When California tried to punt, Tech blocked the kick and scored a safety, which became the winning margin.During the halftime, the Cal players sat quietly, waiting to hear what the coach had to say. He was uncharacteristically quiet. Riegels put his blanket around his shoulders, stayed in a corner, put his face in his hands, and cried like a baby. Three minutes before playing time, Coach Price looked at the team and said simply, "Men, the same team that played the first half will start the second."The players filed onto the field, but Riegels did not budge. "Roy, didn't you hear me?" the coach asked.Riegels responded, "I couldn't face that crowd in the stadium to save my life." Coach Price put his hand on Roy's shoulder and said. "Roy, get up and go on back; the game is only half over." Tech men to this day will tell you they have never seen a man play football as Roy Riegels played that second half.copiedThose of us who have had gains in our journey to weight loss have got to look back and "SEE" what and where we went wrong. Then we must look forward and continue the journey to its completion.I will be the first one to say, I did cry like a baby the first time that I stepped upon the scales and they started going the wrong way and to such an extent. I allowed my self a time to wallow in my own self pity. I could see that was not getting me anywhere at least anywhere that I wanted to go. So instead of wallowing, I once again got down on my knees and ask my Heavenly Father to forgive me where I had failed, naming as many of those areas that I could bring to my memory. Then I still had to face all of you. I do take this responsibility as being very important. If I am going to try to help and tell you all what you might do then I sure have to be sure that I am doing those same things. It was not easy for me. Pride, you could say, shame was there also. I did not want to be responsible for any of you failing as I had. I put all that over and behind me and faced writing that first blog.God has given me such good encouraging friends. You were there to help me and I want to thank you all very much.I have lost two pounds and I have been getting off sugar and most bread slowly but on Monday, I will start back fully into my plan.I have bought me a stool that you sit on and do exercises. I can't really explain it. I am going to do that and walk in place. So , on next Saturday when I weigh in, I want to be able to be a good example to all of you.I am past "half time," but all of you are not. It is not a ballgame that we are playing. It is our lives that could hang in the balance and especially a quality life. So, come on , let's get out there and run the race until we reach the goal.If we have set backs well, we will continue to get up and try again until we finally accomplish that thing that we started. I am praying for each of you and when you are praying, I would appreciate you mentioning my name to the Lord. Thank you so much.

connie, your partner in reaching for the prize!

HOME AGAIN, HOME AGAIN

2008-05-13T14:09:00.004-05:00

I can not say that I am glad to be back. I have dreaded this day for a few weeks now. I even thought very much about not coming back. I knew though that if I did not, I would then be a quitter. I do not want to be that. So here I am facing up to the last couple of months. I wish I could say that I have continued to lose but I can not. I wish I could say that I have not gained but I can not but here I am ready to start this all over again one more time.

The past weeks have been very busy and full of meals out, meals not planned, meals with others, bad meals, meals not good for me . I can not honestly other than a few times that I have over eaten but I just haven't eaten the right things. But the results are in and I have gained ten pounds. I know no other thing to do that forget what is behind and continue on pressing for the mark.

I hope all of you have done well, I would not wish these feelings of failure on any of you. But if you find yourself in my position, I do pray for us both as we try once again. I will not give up and I do believe if I continue to do it God's way and give Him my will then in His time I will get my weight down to a more healthy weight. So come on you all , let do this together. connie

I WISH YOU EVERY HAPPINESS!!!

2008-04-21T13:45:00.004-05:00

Some happiness seems to be handed to us with very little effort on our part. But most happiness, like the view from a mountain peak, has to be earned by hard work on our part.
celia luce

I wish for each of you every happiness. I am taking a break from this blog but I will check in from time to time. You can always find me at my other blog, http://connies-thoughts.blogspot.com/ When I am able to get some things accomplished, I will try to be back here. Have a great life and I pray that your climb to your mountain peak will be a work that comes easily as you are trying. love you all, connie

A NEW DAY, A NEW CHANCE

2008-04-15T01:17:00.009-05:00

A NEW DAY DAWNS

Another day is dawning
Another days begun
Another day to turn to God
And pray, "Thy will be done"

A day to slay doubt's dragon,
To know within your soul
That as you give yourself to Him
He'll bless and make you whole.

A DAY TO LIVE WITH PURPOSE
A day to show you care
when others turn to you distraught
Confused or in despair.

A day to share God's blessings
In quiet countless ways
That touch the heart with hope and joy
And brighten cloudy days.

IF WE MIGHT HAVE A SECOND CHANCE
TO LIVE THE DAY ONCE MORE,
AND RECTIFY MISTAKES WE'VE MADE
To even up the score.

IF WE MIGHT HAVE A SECOND CHANCE
TO USE THE KNOWLEDGE GAINED,
PERHAPS WE MIGHT BECOME AT LAST
AS FINE AS GOD ORDAINED.

BUT THOUGH WE CAN'T RETRACE OUR STEPS,
HOWEVER STANDS THE SCORE,
TODAY BRINGS ANOTHER CHANCE
FOR US TO TRY ONCE MORE.

A day for sweet rejoicing
For gratitude and praise
Because His love enfolds you
Both now, and all your days.
author unknown

PSALMS 121:1-2

"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help? My help cometh from the Lord, who made heaven and earth."

Our help comes from the Lord and He can smooth out the rough times in our lives.

Sometimes the going gets rough but as they say, that is the time for the tough to get going. We can be tough , if we let the Lord strengthen us!! It is a new day with new chances. Let us make the most of each of them. Just one step at a time will give us one ounce at a time, and those ounces add up to pounds. I know sometimes it seems as if it will take forever. But today is the first day of forever. We will get there if we do not give up. It is a good thing, what, we are trying to accomplish. A body that is more healthy, brings a smile more readily. Each day that passes brings us closer to our goal. Just take that one day at a time and don't forget to lean on the Lord and look to Him for all the strength that you need. He wants to give it to us. We are told by the One who made us that we can do all things through Christ. Losing weight is one of those things that we need His help with, so let us start each day with a prayer asking God, to please give us that help and the determination to do what is right. God bless each of you and I am praying for us all. connie

THE FIRST STEP

2008-04-08T11:04:00.003-05:00

A comic strip created by Charles Schulz addresses the need for each of us to make the most of the immediate present in our lives.

Charlie Brown is seen at bat. STRIKE THREE. He has struck out again and slumps down on the players' bench. He says, "Rats! I'll never be a big-league player. I just don't have it! All my life I've dreamed of playing in the big leagues, but I know I'll never make it."

Lucy turns to console him. "Charlie Brown, " she says, "you're thinking too far ahead. What you need to do is set yourself more immediate goals."

Charlie Brown looks up and asks, "Immediate goals?"

Lucy responds, "Yes. Start with this next inning when you go out to pitch. See if you can walk out to the mound without falling down."
copied

Do you ever feel like Charlie Brown? I know that I do at times. It is then that I have to remember that I can do nothing without the Lord. I can not boast of what I may do today or tomorrow because I do not know what a day may bring into my life. I can say though with much assurance, If it is the Lord's will then I will be able to accomplish the goals that I have set for my life.

When I start feeling like Charlie Brown the I must remember that we are told that, "Nay, in ALL these things, we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." As Christians we can be assured that even in the matter of losing weight that we can be more than conquerors through Him because He loves us and wants what is best for us. To have a healthy body is God's will if it is not, then He will make it know to us. He used Paul in a mighty way even though He had a thorn in his flesh.

I do know that the first step in making tomorrow a success is what we do with today. If we continue to take the right steps they will become a habit and it will be out of the ordinary for us to choose the wrong things to eat.

So take one step after another in the right direction today and let us, let tomorrow take care of it's self.

I have remained the same this week. I could let that get me down or I can be thankful that I did not gain a pound. Which should I do.??? To do the right thing will take me farther down the road of success and to do the wrong thing by getting down on myself will hinder me on my way. So----I am thankful that I did not gain this past week and I will do my best to lose for next week and God willing, I will. connie

I WANNA BE A HEN

2008-03-30T19:20:00.003-05:00

I wrote a post on my other blog once and I want to share a part of it with you.

Hard work means nothing to a hen. Regardless of what business prognosticators say about the price of eggs. . . . . . regardless of what others expect of her. . . . . . she keeps on digging worms and laying eggs.

If the ground get hard, she scratches harder.
If it's dry she digs deeper.
If it's wet , she digs where its dry.
If she strikes a rock, she digs around it.
If she gets a few more hours of daylight in the barnyard, she digs a few more hours.
Have you ever seen a pessimistic hen?
Have you ever seen a hen cackle in disgust at the prospect of her job?

Did you ever hear one cluck because the work was hard, the conditions were poor, and some of her eggs were taken from her before they hatched?

NO.

Hens save their breath for digging. They save their cackles for the eggs that are laid.
copied

I have decided that I want to be at least like the hen. Regardless of how hard it may get to get these pound off my body, I will just try all the harder. If something fails then I will try another way. If I get tired of no sugar then I will make up my mind that it want be forever, then when I get my eating emotions under control and can control my desires then I will be able to have something sweet and not let it rule me but be glad that a little will satisfy my need. If the pounds come off more slowly then I will add a little more activity and fewer calories to my diet. I will be determined 7 days a week, 24 hours a day and not just now and then. I will not feel jealous when my thin friend is able to eat all she wants and not gain an ounce. I will just be more determined to keep on trying until I succeed. I Will do my very best not to complain but be upbeat and cheerful about what I can eat. Most of all when things do not go like I think that they should have gone , I will be thankful to the Lord for all that He is doing through me and my trying to please Him.

I hope that you are encouraged in your trying and do not let Satan win even one battle that you have to fight. All it takes for him to win is for you to get discouraged and QUIT. We are not quitters anymore we will be victorious with the help that God so wants to give us. Do you want to be a hen or a quitter? I wanna be a hen? Can you hear me cackling? connie

HUNGER OR APPETITE

2008-03-24T15:34:00.003-05:00

Yahoo!! I have come through a month of birthdays and our anniversary and with the Lord's help and your encouragement, I have made it through. I have lost one pound. For me, that is victory!!! I am so happy and looking forward to the days now that will be a little easier on the trying. You just can not imagine what has been accomplished in my life. It is very hard to lose even the smallest amount when you have diabetes but put that together in a person who has not always succeeded in controlling her appetite, God has worked a miracle of that I am sure.

I am learning more and more about appetite and hunger. I have not always been able to distinguish between the two. You know I am not even sure that I have always known the difference.

HUNGER--- a craving or urgent need for food or a specific nutrient; an uneasy sensation occasioned by the lack of food.

APPETITE---- one of the instinctive desires necessary to keep up organic life, the desire to eat.

I don't think that I have ever been truly hungry in my entire life. I have been ruled for the most part by my appetite.

I am learning to tell the difference and to try not to eat until I feel hungry. You know that little tell-tell sensation in the pit of your stomach when you have not eaten for four to six hours. Then I try to eat more slowly so that as I am eating and begin to feel full, then I STOP. I feel so much more comfortable and do not have that stuffed feeling. I also do not have to face the feeling of guilt in knowing that I have done wrong. I am finding eating a much more pleasant experience. Being a diabetic, I have to be very careful to eat something every few hours. But I have learned that I don't have to eat a full course meal six times a day.lol Of course, I always knew that, but I let my appetite control my desires for to many times.

I do want to thank all of you as well as others who have helped me along the way. I am looking forward to these next days because I am sure now that I can lose a few more pounds. Maybe not as many or a quick as I would like but I am losing and that is my goal.

Since returning from a great anniversary , I have been very busy. I am trying to catch up on all the things that I am behind in doing. I cleaned our refrigerator out today and also the pantry. This is a new beginning to get rid of some of the things that do us no good in being there. My husband has started trying with me today. I am sure that it is going to be much easier for the both of us to work together. Well, it is so good to be back and talking to you all once again. I hope that you all have been having good success. I have not forgotten to pray for each of you. see you again soon. connie

THE TOMB IS EMPTY!!!!!

2008-03-21T21:59:00.002-05:00

For this post, I would like to refer you over to my other blog, connies-thoughts and the post, THE TOMB IS EMPTY. You can click on this blog over in the right hand side bar. Thank you, I wanted to share this post with you for this very special Sunday. connie

I AM STILL HERE, MARCH IS A VERY BUSY MONTH FOR US.

2008-03-11T13:23:00.003-05:00

I wanted to check in, so you all would not think that I had given up. I have not given up by any means. Things are going very well. I am thankful to say. In march we have eight birthdays and especially Jim's birthday which was the 8th of March. He had a very good birthday. I am happy to say. We both did as a matter of fact. Our 46th anniversary is coming up on March 18th. We are taking a whole week this year to get away and celebrate. Every years since we have been married we have always taken a day up to a week to go back and remember all the good times we have had. The reasons why God put us together. The reasons why we have stayed together. Why we continue to want to be together. They all add up to the Lord. He is the very center of our life. It is with the love that He gave us that we are able to love each other through the good and the bad, the sad and the happy. He gives us our reasons for living and living for Him.

I am really doing quiet well with my weight. I haven't lost but about a pound but I am learning new ways. It is becoming much easier for me now. The reason why I have not been around this week is that my second son is here taking a course at our police department on Child abuse. He is an investigator for the Sheriff's Department in another county. So , We have the privilege of him and part of his family being here with us this week. Really, and truly, I just have not had time to sit down at the computer. I did want to take the time to let you know what is going on. To also tell you that I have not forgotten you all for one moment. You have been in my prayers and hope to after our trip next week to be able to visit with you as before. I look forward to it. So please don't forget me.

I am going to take some time before we leave to plan out my meals and exactly how and what I am going to eat. I don't want to be taken by surprise. I want to go prepared. This is really very exciting for me. In the past , I have always said, "Yeah!! a whole week to eat as I please!!!" Not so now, I am determined to stick with my plan. With God's help and the encouragement that I am getting from all of you and others, I truly believe that by the end of this year, I can be down to the goal that I have set for myself.

I hope that each of you are doing very well also. Keep up the good work and I am anxious to hear all about it come Monday week. love you friends. connie

IN THY LIGHT WE SHALL SEE LIGHT

2008-03-01T10:46:00.003-06:00

PSALM 36:7-12

How excellent is thy loving- kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of they wings.

They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of they house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

For with thee is the fountain of life: IN THY LIGHT SHALL WE SEE LIGHT.

O continue thy loving kindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.

Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked remove me.

There are the workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise.

If we are walking in the Light of God then we can see light. When we are doing things that are not pleasing to him (overeating, not taking care of the temple he gave us to house our soul and spirit, our body) then we know it and it is up to us to do something about it. As Christians we must remember that the SPIRIT OF GOD lives in our hearts .
We need to not let the "foot of pride," or the "hand of the wicked," take over our lives. They will cause us to fall in our Christian walk.

PRIDE---The state of being proud; inordinate self-esteem, conceit

WICKED---Morally bad or evil; causing or likely causing trouble

If we find pride creeping into our lives, or anything that will cause us trouble , then we should cast it out of our lives. These are not character traits of God so we do not want them in our lives.

You know as a child, my Mom and Dad were always saying to me, "YOU have to have some pride." I don't think that they realized what they were saying. I know that I sure didn't when I said these same words to my children. We must always know that we are nothing and any good thing seen in our lives is the Lord Jesus Christ as we allow Him to work in our lives.

In the matter of weight loss there is always the possibility of allowing pride to come in and we think if not say, "look what I have done." We could have done nothing except God allows us. So we need to always give God the glory that is where it belongs.

As the week will begin anew tomorrow, I want to commit myself to doing all that I can to keep pride and evil from my life and treat my body with the respect it deserves by remembering who is living in my heart, The Holy Spirit of God. I pray that you have a good week. connie

FAITH THE SOUL'S GREAT NEED

2008-02-27T22:00:00.005-06:00

Faith begets courage,
Courage begets victory,
Faith without courage is kin to doubt.

Faith implies trust,
And it implies confidence.
Faith is reliance in truth,
It is belief in one's activity.

Faith is vigorous,
It is vital.
Faith comes not on crutches.
Faith overpowers evil,
And overcomes weakness.

Faith builds.

Faith yields not to defeat.
Faith heals wounded hearts and sick bodies.

Faith does not stoop to conquer,
It rises in full stature.
Faith need not trumpet its success,
Its deeds speak.

True faith is not egotistical,
Yet it is positive.

Faith remains young.
The armor of faith is not pierced
by shafts of fear.

Faith is belief and trust in God.
by everett wentworth hill

I had been a little down over my failure but I realized that I wasn't having the faith that I needed to accomplish my goal. As the poem says, "Faith begets courage, COURAGE BEGETS VICTORY." If we are going to have victory then we are going to have to show courage even when we seemly fail. If we believe in what we are doing and for whom we are doing it then we should have trust and confidence that He will see us through.

I think sometimes that my faith does come on crutches. It is then that I am weak. Faith builds us up because we know that our faith is in God. We cannot let fear of failure stop us. We must continue on in God's way and we can if we make His will our way.

PSALM 91:10-11
There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

PHILIPPIANS 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

ROMANS 8:25
BUT IF WE HOPE FOR THAT WE SEE NOT, THEN DO WE WITH PATIENCE WAIT FOR IT.

1JOHN 4:4
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: BECAUSE GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN YOU, THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD.

I pray for you as well as for myself victorious times ahead as we remember that "GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN YOU, THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD. connie

A NEW DAY, A NEW TIME TO TRY

2008-02-25T13:52:00.002-06:00

I have not been eating right at the right times or the right things for me. Result: a gain in weight. I have lost ground but not my determination to do what is right. There are many things involved in this and I know that I have not done the best I could have done so in that I have been wrong and have to get up and try again and do it right this time. I know that I have not lost the battle unless I quit trying and so I have not lost. I have to regain some ground that I have given to the enemy but I will just have to pray that if it was not my fault that it will come off as easy as it went on and because I didnot do my best and I have to pay the price then I pray that I will not compound the problem and get discouraged. I will not do that. So, here I am off to another week of trying to do it the right way. I have been trying some different things but for me they will not work so, I have to go back to the things that was working. This should be the last week that we have Doctors appointments for Jim. God has been so good to us and things are going so very well in that area. He hasn't hurt in over a week. I have not forgotten you all, I have just been too busy to post or to visit. I am still praying for you and I hope you are praying for me. Looking forward to the day when we can all say that we have met our goal . Have a good week. connie

NO LOSSES NO GAINS BUT VICTORY FOR ME!!!

2008-02-20T09:51:00.002-06:00

I wanted to let you all know that I am still around. Those of you who read my other blog know that my husband has been having some health problems. The Lord is taking very good care of him and all is going well. It is taking lots of test and Doctor's appointments to rule out everything , it seems. So I have been very busy taking care of my wonderful husband and I am so very happy to be able to do this for him. In the past he has always taken very good care of me when I have had health problems. These tests and Doctor's visits will continue for at least another week or two. So I will not be able to be around very often. I do check in often as I can and am encouraged by each of you and your visits. Thank you so much.

I have neither gained nor lost so for me, I consider that VICTORY! We are having to eat away from home often which is fun being togeather but I can't eat the right way and the right things. So, no gain to me means I am staying in control and with all the help that God gives me and the encouragement from all of you I am not gaining.

I hope each of you are doing well, Even though I may not be able to pay you a visit, I have not ceased to keep each of you in my prayers. God bless and keep you all in His will. love you, connie

BE NOT CONFORMED BUT BE TRANSFORMED

2008-02-11T10:32:00.000-06:00

I look out into my yard each morning and I am not just looking, I am longing to see something that is not there as of yet. I know that it is a little early , still I look each day to see. I am looking for the new leaves that will be coming very soon, I hope. I am not to fond of fall, it is very beautiful and it is much cooler but I love trees that are full of green leaves. Spring is my favorite times of the year. It is a time of renewing, of new growth, of vibrant green color. There has been a great transformation from Fall, then Winter and finally Spring.

In the fall, I see feel the air get cooler, then the leaves change color and finally drop off the trees one by one until they are very naked and bear. I know this has to take place before the Spring time comes and the new growth arrives all bright, strong and full of life. So this process takes time and I have to be patient. Then one moring when I go to my yard to look around there will be a complete transformation. A TREE FULL OF LIFE GIVING EVIDENCE BY ALL THE LITTLE GREEN BUDS THAT ARE POKING THERE HEADS OUT ON THE BRANCHES. My heart will rejoice and be glad and I will keep watching as the transformation continues. Then before I know it , those trees will be full and flourshing filled with more beautiful green leaves that I can count. It will give us shade in the hot sunny days of summer. Even now, I can feel the excitement filling my heart as I think about those coming times.

So, it is with you and I as we are being transformed. One by one we will lose those pounds. One thought at a time we will be letting the Lord transform our thinking so that we can better handle the battles that we will face in the future concerning the food that is around us every day of our lives. We will drop those bad habits and learn new and healthy ones. Even now as I read your blogs, I am being made stronger in body and mind. I have learned some very good new and healthy recipes and the different ways that you all are succeeding in your lives. I value everything that I have learned and I thank you. I have added to my memory many of the verses that some of you give for strengthening our purpose and will. They have been a great help.

We must go through this transformation and it is not always pretty to look at not easy to live with yet as the days go by, we are being transformed into that person and body that God would have us to have to be pleasing to Him. One day, with much determination and purpose and focus we will see the person we are striving to become. Then one day we will have become. My heart gets very excited about that day. We can not give up, we have to go through the transforming before becoming the butterfly. The reward will be worth each moment of sacrifice and effort.

I know now something that I truly never knew before. With you and I it will be a daily battle. We are weak in the area of food for what ever reason. We can win this battle daily as we give it to the Lord and let Him lead us in this area also. So, with you, I am looking forward to that peek in the mirror one day soon and actually be able to see for myself that budding of a new body and feel in my mind new thoughts that have taken root and are growing stronger each and every day. God be with you, my friends in our transforming and our becoming what God would have us to be. connie

THE WORK AND THE EFFECT

2008-02-06T17:38:00.000-06:00

ISAIAH 32:17

And the WORK of righteousness shall be PEACE; and the EFFECT of righteousness QUIETNESS and ASSURANCE FOR EVER.

WORK-----ACTIVITY IN WHICH ONE EXERTS STRENGHT OR FACULTIES TO DO OR PERFORM SOMETHING; SUSTAINED PHYSICAL OR MENTAL EFFORT TO OVERCOME OBSTACLES AND ACHIEVE AN OBJECTIVE OR RESULT.

Trying to lose weight is work. There can not be another name for it. It is easy to eat too much but to get the excess weight off once it has been put on requires physical and mental efforts to overcome obstacles and achieve our objective to lose the excess and reach our objectives. Each of us have different goals in what we need to lose but we all have the same objective and that is to achieve our goal weight and be pleasing to our Lord.

EFFECT----Something produced by an outward cause, result; An outward sign

We all want to have the correct effect. We want our effect to show an outward sign in a lighter weight. If we want the proper effect then we have to work and when we do these two things we will have peace , quietness and assurance for ever. When we know that we have done the right thing in any thing we are attempting to achieve then we do have peace, do we not? That peace will cause our hearts to be quiet and filled with assurance in that we are pleasing God with our efforts to do what is right.

Now, I know that these verses are not talking about losing weight, that are found in Isaiah but I think that they speak words that can apply to our situation because we know that" the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effects of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever." These words are not speaking to our situation but the truth of them do apply, I believe. I have found them a help to me and maybe they will help you. I hope that I have made you understand what I have been trying to say. I am praying that we all are working the right way this week and that we can all have peace knowing that we are pleasing God. In that, we will find quietness and assurance in our hearts. connie

WHEN IT IS DARK ENOUGH

2008-02-03T21:39:00.000-06:00

"WHEN IT IS DARK ENOUGH, YOU CAN SEE THE STARS."
charles a. beard

1 Corinthians 12-13

WHEREFORE LET HIM THAT THINKETH HE STANDETH TAKE HEED LEST HE FALL. THERE HATH NO TEMPTATION TAKEN YOU BUT SUCH AS IS COMMON TO MAN: BUT GOD IS FAITHFUL, WHO WILL NOT SUFFER YOU TO BE TEMPTED ABOVE THAT YE ARE ABLE; BUT WILL WITH THE TEMPTATION ALSO MAKE A WAY T ESCAPE, THAT YE MAY BE ABLE TO BEAR IT.

I have found myself actually complaining this past week. It seemed everywhere that I looked there was food. It all started when I made dinner for some of my family and bought stuff that was extra and that I shouldn't have had in the house. (remember, I have a problem with food, not alcohol, not drugs, etc but food. ) I knew better but I did it anyway. I think I have a problem that I am just seeing and it is that I feel , for some reason more secure when the pantry is full to overflowing. I have put my trust in a full pantry instead of the Lord in this area. I don't know if I think that we will wake up one day and be without food or what it is but I have got to give this to the Lord. Then it seemed everywhere I went there was food, food and more food.

It wasn't the food that was the problem it was my attitude toward the food. So for me I know that I didn't please God this week because complaining is never pleasing to God. I started going to the scripture to find an answer so hopefully in the days ahead , I will not have this same problem and hopefully not the same problem just wrapped in a different situation.

The verses that I found that helped me and maybe they will you also if you find yourself in such a week. I have applied these verses in other situations in my life but I found that they have helped me with this situation also.

Just when I was beginning to think that I had the battle almost won and I would be able to do it in my own strength, I didn't take heed so there were times this week that I failed. I forget to remember that God knew the temptations that I would face this week and that He is a faithful Lord, God and he would not put any food before me that I could not say no to and do it without complaining. He would put along with the temptation a way to escape. You know what, I didn't even look for an escape. I didn't even try to bear it. I just thought how much I was having to go through not being able to eat all the things that my eyes and heart was lusting after. I didn't even ask God for help before the situations arose. I just dove head first into a situation without my armour on. I failed and I am sorry to have to report this to you but I would not be honest if I did otherwise.

I felt sorry for myself for few hours but then got on my knees and ask God to forgive me and to help me to remember that He would always make a way for me to escape if I just looked and want to. I would also like to apologize to each of you for not being a good example and I hope that my failure does not become a stumbling block to any one of you. You can do it. I know that I am determined to do better this next week.

As this next week comes, I already know that there are going to be extra opportunities to be around food. We are having guests over for dinner on Friday night so I know that will be one time. I am sure as the days go by there will be other opportunities to "TAKE HEED." I am starting to night to make a plan for my escape not literally but you know what I mean.

I hope each of you had a good week. But if like me, you did not do your best. Get up, and try again. As long as we are trying we have not lost the battle or the war. love you all, connie

PERFECT PEACE

2008-01-28T17:39:00.000-06:00

ISAIAH 26:3

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

I share with you one of my favorites verses for help in any stressful situation. It is the above verse found in Isaiah 26:3. I love this verse. It has given me many hours of peace in the years since I first made it apply to me. It can apply to you also, if you let it.

My sister called me late on Friday evening saying her and her husband were coming to visit for the weekend. I love my sister and I was so excited about seeing her and my brother in law. Then as I hung up the phone or maybe even before, I started thinking now, what am I going to fix to eat while they are here. I thought of several of my favorite recipes and wondering if that would be aright and good enough for them. I wanted to do my very best for them as they are able to come not very often. I could feel myself becoming more and more anxious. Then it was as though I could hear someone say, "how soon you forget." I knew what it meant. I was putting too much emphasis on the food and not those that I love and the time that we would have to spend together reviewing our memories of days past.

So, first thing I did was go and reread my posts over the last few weeks and then I remembered the verse in Isaiah 26:3. I read it over and over for about 10 times until I knew that it was in my heart. God gave me peace----------. I then remember that my brother in law had had open heart surgery a few years back and he did not need some of the things that I had in mind to fix for them. I knew my sister had been trying to lose weight .These two things uppermost in my mind I sat down and with the things I already had in the house, I prepared menues for the day that they would be here. We had a great time! She and I beat my husband and her husband in "42" for 7 out of 8 games. Let me tell you ladies and gentlemen who may be reading this, it was pure pleasure. We stayed up late and then got up on Sunday morning and they went to church with us. On this particular morning we were having all day services. We had three of the men of our church speak in the morning time from 9:00 am til 12:00 noon. My husband and son were two of those men. It was such a blessing to all of us to hear what the men had to say. It was now noontime and the church broke to have lunch together. My sister, her husband, Jim and I said our good byes and they left on a 5 hour journey back to their home in Northeast Texas. It was a great time and made all the sweeter because God had given me such peace about the issue of food. I want to say that with His help I was able to do what was right in how I thought about food and the food that I ate. I am so thankful that He is always there when I need Him and He helps me at times before I even ask.

I hope you have the peace that only God can give you in your stressful situations that come to all of us in life. We can have this peace because we trust in Him. It is not the words per say that gives us peace but it is the author of those words. I trust Him with my life . It is kind of silly not to trust Him with a weekend, Isn't it? I hope you have learned to trust Him in all things. He wants us to. In this matter of losing weight, if you think you can't do it, He can do it through you. You just have to be willing to let Him. God bless you all and I pray that you have a great week. When we come back next week, I would like for you to post at least one way that God has helped you this past week. That would be a great blessing to me and to others. Thank you. connie

''LET THERE BE LIGHT.''

2008-01-22T13:56:00.000-06:00

GENESIS 1: 3

''And God said, 'Let there be light': and there was light."

LIGHT-----Something that makes vision possible, truth, a particular illumination,

I picked these definitions because they were what I am talking about today.

I have read over all of my posts since I first began this blog. I was amazed at the process of the "light" on this subject that has been given to me, as I have studyed God's word. Studying the things that would help me to lose weight the way God would have me to. I truly found that as I ask for "light" He has given me more and more.

LUKE 11:9

"And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."

I have asked and as I sought, I have found the answers. The way is gradually being open to me and I am so thankful. I realize that this is just like anything else, I am capable of sinning even after knowing the truth. But it will not be God's fault. The blame will be entirely mine. He has given me "light" now it is up to me, if I make use of the knowledge that I have gained. I know without doubt, if I keep God in His right place then I will do what is right. If I have no other gODS before the God of heaven then I will stay on the right path. I pray that those of you that read this blog, have gained some "light" along with me. The journey will not be easy. There are those out there who have others things in their lives that can be a stumbling block that to me might not even register. Food to me is a stumbling block that will trip me if I do not keep my eyes on the Lord. I am praying for all of you and I would ask you to please do the same for me. I wish for you a "light" filled day. connie

DOING IT GOD'S WAY

2008-01-18T12:55:00.000-06:00

Do you see the cartoon in the side bar. "This is not God's way." That is an understatement. On my last post, a friend left me a comment that contained a verse that I wanted to share with all of you. This is God's way and it is the best way to not have other gODS before our Father in heaven. This is the verse found in Romans 6:12 "LET NOT SIN THEREFORE REIGN IN YOUR MORTAL BODY, THAT YE SHOULD OBEY THE LUSTS THEREFORE." She was memorizing the verse this week to help her with her battle in this area. I would like to encourage you to do the same. I have memorized it before but I have done so again. I am also putting a sign on my refrigerator to remind me of what God's will is for me in regards to the food that I put into my body.

We have to treat this sin as we would any other.1 John l:9 tells us what to do.
It says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." First confess then let Him cleanse us from our unrighteousness.

You know for years, when I have eaten more than my body needed to run smoothly, I would get all depressed, because I felt like such a failure. I would always lie to myself and say, "Well, I have messed up so I might as well go ahead and keep on eating." It was not that I had failed God Almighty, that made me feel so bad, but that I had failed myself. Some times, those days of eating much more than I needed would go on for days, even weeks and sad to say even years. You see, I did not face my sin, if in my heart I even was taking note that I had sinned. I did not confess it to the Lord and let him cleanse me from the unrighteousness of my heart in lusting for more than I needed. So one sin added to another and my body was bearing the weight of all those sins. Sin brings forth death. I was literally causing years to be taken off my life because of a failure to recognize sin for what it is. It is not just murder, adultery, envy, lying, coveting, and etc. It is also being a glutton. Gluttons have a hard time wanting to get up and move. So then the sin of laziness and lust was added on to the list, and yes the sins started to add up. We must confess and be made clean even when there is one sin. We can not see a certain sin as having no value. God says sin brings fourth death. He does not say certain sins, He says SIN.

I am so glad that I have allowed God to show me this much needed lesson. I wish that I had done it sooner. I hope if you are young, middle aged or even elderly that you begin to day to see sin for what it is. Not only in this area but other areas of our life as God gives us light.

Jim and I went to the Doctor on Thursday morning for our regular 4 month checkup. He just kept saying, "Beautiful, Beautiful," as he read our blood test report and also our blood pressure readings and our loss of weight. I thought to my self. He is so pleased, I wonder what my Lord and Saviour is thinking, I pray that He is pleased .

Keep on trying and don't give in when you sin or fail in your trying, just confess and let Him clean you up. It makes the heart so thankful, and ready to start again and do better the next time. We are going to do it wrong many times in our struggles but the most important thing is how we handle the wrong. Don't let days, months, years past before you do what is right. Be quick and then you can continue on with a clean heart. love you, connie

OTHER gODS

2008-01-15T03:56:00.000-06:00

How easy it is in this life to have other gods before our GOD? I looked up the word god. It said as part of the definition, "One controlling a particular aspect or part of reality." Now, if we are to be honest, we must admit that at times food does control a part of our reality. Does it not? I know for me there have been times that my mind seemed constantly on the next meal, what we were eating or how to fix this or that or having something to do with food. I know that in times past I have made food a god. Anything that we put before God in our lives becomes a God to us. Yet, God's word tells us in Exodus 20:3 that, "THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER gODS BEFORE ME." He tell us NO OTHER gODS. We have to be very careful how we look at and use food. This is one sin that is very plain to see. It is in the puffiness of the face, around the hips and stomach. Even our feet and hands become larger. Our necks become thicker . We pay the price for eating too much. Our bodies and the systems of our bodies become weaker and do not work as efficient. Our blood pressure goes up, our arteries clog, our blood sugar goes to high, too much pressure is put on our joints, etc. Yes, we pay a very high price. We are not bringing honor and glory to God with our bodies being used in such a way. As we start to take a bite of food, we need to ask ourselves, Am I hungry, Do I need this for energy to make my body work . Will I be using what I am eating to bring honor to God or is in for my own fleshly lust. There is nothing wrong with having food sometimes just for pleasure but if it causes us to gain weight in excess then it becomes wrong. These are just some things that I have been thinking about lately and I wanted to share them and see what you think. connie

IMPORTANT THINGS

2008-01-09T00:30:00.000-06:00

Tonight as I sit here at the computer, weight loss seems so unimportant. I watched today as they lowered my sister in law down in the grave that had been dug for her. I know that our relationship with Jesus Christ is the most important thing. I pray that each of you have made that right with God.

Yet, it is through things like looking to the Lord for help with the problems and weaknesses that we have in life that show us just what the Lord is willing to do to help us because He loves us. He is there for us even in this. We can be so thankful that He feels the feelings that we have during these times. He will help us if we will just ask. He is our Father and He wants us to ask Him for his help. Let us make it more of an important thing this year to ask God when we need His help even in this area of our life. He will, I know He will.

I have missed coming to this place to visit with you , my friends but I thank you for the many prayers you have prayed for us these last few weeks. Thank you so much. connie

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!!!

2008-01-02T15:27:00.000-06:00

If you would like an update on Margie, please go to http://connies-thoughts.blogspot.com As far me. Today I can finally say I am feeling good. I want to wish each of you a very HAPPY NEW YEAR. This year, I pray that we all make our commitment to lose weight a reality. I wish that I had more time but I do not as of yet. As soon as I can, I will be coming to visit you all. Thank you all so much for praying for me and my family. It is a blessing to have you in my life.connie

THE LOST CHANCES

Whenever I am starting out
Upon a fresh new year,
I always stop to think about
The one no longer here.
The year thats dead, I travel back
And let my memory run
In contemplation through the stack
Of things I could have done.

I check the deeds I meant to do
With those I did, and find
That I neglected quite a few
Real chances to be kind.
I learned the words that I meant to say
To comfort and to cheer,
And yet postponed them for a day.
I didn't speak that year.

And then to my disgrace I find
That had I paused to smile
And do those little actions kind
I'd not have lost a mile.
I learn now that the chance is gone,
That I have missed a lot,
For all those deeds I could have done
As eaisly as not.
Edgar A. Guest

AN UPDATE ON MARGIE

2007-12-29T10:40:00.000-06:00

You know it is times like this that I feel so guilty for even being concerning with "weight" and things that I bring on myself that are so unnecessary. Life is so precious, we should all be doing everything we can to preserve it rather than doing things to ourselves that brings harm to our bodies. The houses that God has given us to live in until He calls us home. It really puts things into prospective. I hope in the following days, I will remember what I have learned.

Margie has been placed in a Hospice facility. The Doctors at the Hospital said there was not anything more they could do for her and she will not get better. She is in a comma at this time. Jim and I thank you so much for your prayers for her as well as for us. May you continue to pray as we are praying that God's will , will be done in her life and ours. Thank you so much for caring enough to pray and I say again, Thank You! connie

THANK YOU AND PLEASE PRAY!

2007-12-27T08:23:00.000-06:00

I am here asking you to pray for my husband's sister. I told you about Margie. She had a stroke a few weeks ago. She had another one a few days ago. This one was major. We would appreciate you praying for her and especially her husband and three children. They say that there is nothing that can be done for her and there will be very little if any improvement in her condition.

Thanks to those of you who have come and left comments in my absence. I hope to be back soon. I caught a bug and it is making me feel not too good. I look forward to being back soon.

I hope all of you had a great Christmas with those that you love. Thanks so much for everything. connie

THOSE IN MY FAMILY WOULD LIKE TO WISH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

2007-12-14T20:45:00.000-06:00

I am taking a Christmas break until the week of January 1, 2008. I will do my very best to have the Will to stay in HIS Way during this time. My prayers are that we will let the Lord guide us in each bite we put into our mouths. I wish for you a wonderful Christmas and a New Year that sees the desires of your heart met. I look forward to the day when we meet again here in this place. God be with you in all that you do. connie

A WEEK OF VICTORY FOR ME AND I HOPE FOR YOU AS WELL

2007-12-10T15:02:00.000-06:00

I don't have much time to visit today. I will try to get back later in the week.

I did want to take the time to thank each of you that have prayed for me this week. I have had a week of victory in my battle. I found most of this week to be more easy and I am not forgetting that I am sure it was as a result of answered prayer .

I have jury duty this week. It may be over tomorrow but I want know until then. So I am finding myself in a fact pace situation. This is not my favorite place to be but I am going to try to slow down enough to appreciate all the things that God has made around me. First of all the people that I meet and remember the fact that I need to be a witness in all that I do and say. I want to notice the beauty that He has made for us to enjoy in the things of nature and places and people that I meet. I am mostly a stay at home person so I want to take advantage of this time that I am having to be out of my normal place in life and appreciate all the wonderful things around me.

I hope each of you are having good weeks, days, and even moments in your lives. I have been praying for you as well. See you later and may God bless and keep you in HIs Way. connie

WHAT IS IT?

2007-12-06T18:54:00.000-06:00

I have been studying in Exodus chapter 16, this week. I have seen something that I believe the Lord has showed me and I would like to share it with you.

In chapter 16 of Exodus we find the children of Israel had come into the wilderness of Sin. That got my attention right away, because I know without doubt that my over eating was sin. So that struck a cord in my heart.

We find the children of Israel complaining against Moses and Aaron, God's appointed men, which in fact meant they were complaining against God. They were complaining that it would have been better to have died in the land of Egypt where they had more than enough to eat. But no, Moses and Aaron had brought them out to this wilderness to kill their whole assembly with HUNGER.

The Lord then told Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no." He told them that on the sixth day that they should prepare that which they bring in. And on this day they were to gather twice as much, so they would have enough for the seventh day also.

In verse 8 Moses says, "This shall be, when the Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full."( JUST TO THE FULL, NOT OVER FULL)

True to God's word in verse 13 it says, "--------at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host. And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. (manna meaning, 'what is it') And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat."

Then Moses gave them instructions on how they were to gather it and how much they were to gather. They were to gather of it every man according to his eating. So we are told that some gathered more and some less.

Moses told them that they were to leave none of it till the morning. Some of the people paid no attention to the instruction that God had given to Moses to give to them. So some of them kept some of it, til the morning, and it had bred worms, and stank. Then we are told that Moses was wroth with them because they had not obeyed God.

Now remember that on the 6th day, they were to gather twice as much, so they would have enough to last for the holy sabbath unto the Lord. He told them to bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over, lay up for you to be kept until the morning. This time following Moses instructions from God the bread for the holy sabbath day did not stink, neither was there any worms therein. He told them to do this because there would be no bread in the field on the seventh day. Some of them did not obey and did not get enough for two days, on the sixth day, so when they went out to gather on the seventh day, there was none to be gathered.

The thing that was brought to my attention was that God gave them just enough. They didn't overeat nor were they to put any back for another time except on the sixth day.

So if we follow God's way of feeding the Israelites then we are to eat just enough to fill us up and then STOP. I realize that I very rarely do this. I love the taste of most food and I eat many times more than it takes to fill me up. THAT IS SIN. I have confessed that sin before God and have asked Him to forgive me. I know that He has. Now, it is up to me to follow HIS WAY.

In Exodus 20:3. One of the 10 commandments is: THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER gOD'S BEFORE ME. I believe that with eating, I have had another god before the ONE TRUE GOD, many times in my eating. I know that because when I was born, God gave me a healthy body. It has been mostly through my not taking care of this body where food is concerned that I have caused it great harm. I have not obeyed the first commandment of God often in this area of my life. I pray that I will not be guilty of that again. For now, I know the truth.

I think this WAY is going to bring a lot of things to light for me. I just pray that God gives me the strength to correct those wrongs that I find as I go this WAY.

Maybe you see the same thing in your way of eating and your attitudes toward food. I will pray that if you do, we can all tear down that god that we have clung to so tightly in times of stress, loneliness, sadness, grief, happiness even, etc. Times when we should have been going to the Lord for our comfort or need, instead we went to our god. Please pray for me as I am attempting to correct these many years of bad habits. So, now we know WHAT IT IS, IT IS SIN.

Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right.
Henry Ford

Age wrinkles the body, quitting wrinkles the soul.
Gen. MacArthur

Have a victorious day! connie

ENTHUSIASM

2007-12-03T18:24:00.000-06:00

ENTHUSIASM means to be inspired.

The sense of this word among the Greeks affords the noblest definition of it; enthusiasm signifies "God in us."
--Mad. de Stael.

Enthusiasm is one of the most important keys to success. It revs up our energies. Work becomes easier, more stimulating, satisfying. But, to most people, enthusiasm is like the ocean's tide. It comes and goes. It 's important to keep enthusiasm on an even keel.
Barbara Clem

Remember what Jesus said, when a woman came with an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. Some there were filled with indignation and wanted to know WHY was this waste of the ointment made. Their concern was for the money it could have been sold for and given to the poor. But Jesus said, "Let her alone; why trouble ye her? She hath wrought a good work on me."

He did not even try to stop the woman but encouraged her. We need enthusiasm if we are to succeed at anything.

It gets very hard when you try and try and see very little change. It is then that we have to keep on and not lose our enthusiasm. As the quote says, "It's important to keep enthusiasm on an even keel."

This week let us work with enthusiasm and see what a difference it can make in our results. May God bless you as you try. connie

THE WAY THAT SEEMS RIGHT

2007-12-01T03:37:00.000-06:00

PROBERBS 16:25

There is a way that seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death.

This verse can certainly be true with the way we eat. It seems perfectly alright to eat that extra piece of pie or cake. It seems alright to cook in greece after all who likes food broiled or baked. It seems alright to lay around and become a couch potato and NOT get up and move your body. Chips and donuts are for me you say, or maybe its lots of good old red meat.

These are the kind of things that can kill you if you have them in abundance and too often. Have you heard of clogged arteries, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, etc. and the list goes on and on.

When I was young, I thought these things would not touch me and when they did, I just told myself it was in my genes. I told myself a lot of lies back then when it could have made a difference. Today, I am much wiser and older and I have high blood pressure, clogged arteries, diabetes, and etc. To late for me to some degree. But maybe not for you, if you will take it seriously.

We always say we will start tomorrow and tomorrow never comes for us. If it does , we don't take it seriously. Days pass that turn into years and you finally arrive. You have your arteries so clogged up that your heart can't get the oxygen that it so desperately needs to pump life to your body. One day, the pain in the chest and down the arm, horrible pain with the nausea and sweating and awful weakness. Heart attack!!! You body is fighting back and is winning!!! My way seemed the right way and it was so much fun. Sin always is. Otherwise people would not sin. But death is just a heart beat away, and the end of our lust for food is bringing us closer to death each day.

IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THIS WAY FOR YOU. Stop and think!! Eat those vegetables and fruit and good grains and a little meat. These are the things that give you more life. It gives your body what it needs to keep running smoothly. It is your choice but remember choices bring consequences.

It is up to us to study and to know what is best for us in all areas of our life. Our flesh will tell us lies and flatter us. Remember where those ways lead. We are here for such a short time let us make the most of that time. The way we are taking may seem right but it does not necessarily mean it is. We must not let our flesh win this battle if we are to win the fight. The fight means LIFE AND LIVING. connie

SOW RIGHT OR WRONG BUT WE WILL REAP!

2007-11-26T14:22:00.000-06:00

Credit for this cartoon goes to:Woman's World.

These are my sentiments exactly.

There are so many new fangled ideas on the market and I do not know how to work many of them. The can opener is my one victory. I could at one time, roll the windows up and down on our car. I still can if the electronic windows don't quit working. To make a DVD or a stereo, microwave, and many other things work , it is beyond me. I like things simple. That way you don't have to wonder. It just works.

I think that is how it is with losing weight. You have to put less in than you put out. If you put the same amount in as you put out then things will remain the same. That is how it has been for me the last couple of weeks. I am positive that if you put more in than you take out then you will gain weight. See its simple. We just have to put less in or do more. If we both, put less in and do more then we will show a greater loss.

We do have to eat. It is not like stopping something completely. But that is no excuse by any means. It is what the Bible talks about to some extent when it says, "We will reap what we sow."

I know that these verses pertain to souls but I am using it to explain , I believe what we can look forward to in regards to losing weight.

Psalm 126:5

THEY THAT SOW IN TEARS SHALL REAP IN JOY.

As far as eating the things we want but do not need, I think that if we sow by only eating the amount our bodies needs to function correctly then it may at times cause us to want to shed tears because we feel we are depriving our flesh of it sensual desires. There will come a time that we will reap the rewards of good health and a smooth running body if we give it only what it needs and eat the extras only rarely. We can reap in joy if we want to, concerning this part of our lives IF WE WANT TO.

Galatians 6: 7

BE NOT DECEIVED; GOD IS NOT MOCKED; FOR WHATSOEVER A MAN SOWETH, THAT SHALL HE ALSO REAP.

We need not try to fool ourselves, God will not be mocked, he has made us and He knows what and how much we need to make this body run the right way. If we eat more than we need then it will show. We may put on bigger clothes, darker colors, let no one see us when we eat but it will be there for all to see sooner or later and the one that matters most (God) sees everything all the time. WE ARE GOING TO REAP WHATEVER WE ARE SOWING.

I write these things to be a help to myself but if in the reading you find that they might help you with your struggle for victory then I am very happy to share my way and hopefully it is becoming our will. connie

THANKSGIVING A TIME FOR THANKSGIVING

2007-11-19T10:57:00.000-06:00

I want to make this a special post. One of thanks and thanksgiving to the Lord for to Him I owe everything.

Thanksgiving should be more of an attitude than an observance; more a way of life than a day apart; more a habit than a holiday; more a spirit of gratitude than a time of feasting.

----william arthur ward----

WHEN WE DRINK FROM THE STREAM REMEMBER THE SPRING.

chinese proberb

Our despondent moods are, for the most part, moods of ingratitude.

----earl riney----

HE WHO THANKS BUT WITH HIS LIPS

THANKS BUT IN PART;

THE FULL, THE TRUE THANKSGIVING

COMES FROM THE HEART.

--j.a. shedd

God gave you the gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one of them to say "THANK YOU"?

TO MAKE EXCUSES

2007-11-12T03:31:00.000-06:00

" Wanting to win is common to all; working to win is the real mark of a champion."
author unknown

We are always trying to make an excuse why we are overweight.

An excuse is an excuse.

EXCUSE---To make apology for; to try to remove blame from; justify,Something offered as grounds for being excused

I know that there have been many times in my life as I was trying to lose the excess weight and something unexpected came up, like a death, a celebration, a holiday, these were times that I would make excuses to go back to an old way of eating. I know that when I do things the same way then the same things keep happening. I gain weight. I also know that if I want to lose weight then I must do things in a different way .

With God's help, I have been able to lose this week. I am very thankful that no matter what came up that I was able with His help to stick to my plan.

Like the quote at the top of this post, I also know that wishing or wanting does not make a thing happen. I have to do the work to get it accomplished. We all do. If there is something in our lives that we want to accomplish whether it is losing weight or not, we each have to have the goal and do the work necessary to accomplish the fact.

I love the cat jumping on the scales with balloons in his hands(on the right side bar) to make himself weigh less. I have tried in my own way to do this many times. Weigh with my shoes off, wear the lightest weight clothes that I have in my closet, not eat for the day before, none of these things work. They are all just a means of lying to myself. I did not do the work necessary in the last week to show a loss. Now I am having to face the judgement of the scales as they tell me the truth.

My Dad used to say, "if you have trouble sleeping at night, keep getting up early enough in the morning and stay up all day, then when you lay down at night , you will be able to sleep." I know this is true because I have tried it out and it does work. It is the same way with gaining weight. To gain you have to eat more than your body needs to operate. So to lose weight you have to eat less than it needs to operate. Then you will lose weight.

I have been doing something this past week that has helped me a lot. If I feel like I am going to die if I don't get what I want to eat, I try to eat something with less calories. I wanted a piece of pie so much, one night but instead, I settled for an orange. It worked that time.

Another time, I was very hungry , at least that is what my mind was telling me but then I remembered that I had read several times over the last month that sometimes when we feel hungry it is really that our body is wanting water. I have found this to be true many times this week. I was really quiet satisfied after drinking a glass of water.

I hope things have gone very well for each of you this week, whether you have been trying to lose weight or accomplishing another goal in your life.

REVELATION 4:11

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power
: for thou hast created ALL things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

NOTHING BEFORE, NOTHING BEHIND,
THE STEPS OF FAITH
FALLING ON THE SEEMING VOID, AND FIND
THE ROCK BENEATH
--john greenleaf whittier

WHERE THERE IS A WILL, THERE IS A WAY

2007-11-07T10:02:00.000-06:00

WHERE THERE IS A WILL, THERE IS A WAY. I belive that is the way the saying goes. I have the will, I am determined to find the way. I didn't want to do this again , after losing my other blog on losing weight, but here I am again. I guess I will keep trying until I die. connie