My Daughter's P90X Pics

This is what happens when Mommy and Daddy are taking before and after pictures for a fitness program :) Our daughter wanted to take them too :)....

My Walk

This touched me this morning when I read it.

"Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood, but who can stand before jealousy?

Better is open rebuke than love that is concealed.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy."

Proverbs 27:4-6

You see is wasn't just irony from a bad night last night, it was God ministering to me through His word this morning. Praise Him for a new day and a fresh start!

Last night I was struggling with jealousy, lack of love emotions, and I was most likely wounding my husband because of it ;( How can my poor hubby even stand when I am so jealous?! And jealous of things that are MORE than likely inspired by lies of the enemy! But how easy is it to be jealous when I see more love in kindness than frustrations... the scripture is right, I would much rather receive and open rebuke (which I have before - it is HARD), this is harder!

"Love is as strong as death, jealousy is as severe as Sheol; Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the Lord." Song of Solomon 8:6

"For jealousy enrages a man, and he will not spare in the day of vengeance." Proverbs 6:34

"For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother's were righteous." 1 John 3:11-12

Lord help me to love my husband. Break my heart free from this bitter jealousy, extinguish the fires that start up from it Lord. Turn my rage and anger into kindness that I will spare those who hurt me and be forgiven myself for be forgiving. Pour Your Holy Spirit out that I may be able to love as You love. I do not want to be as Cain. I don't want to do the work of the evil one. I don't want to murder in my heart with my anger rooted from my jealousies, forgive me Lord. I want to burn bright for You, extinguish the darkness of my flesh and let me spirit have free reign in me!!!

Here's my Heart oh Take and Seal it

I had this song on my heart this week. With the topic in my devotions and my heart struggling with the flesh, I couldn't help but find it to share :).

Someday I pray to learn this version by Jadon Lavik, I love his strum! The original hymn was composed in the 18th century by Pastor Robert Robinson :).

Lord, I need my heart tuned. Tune it to sing Thy grace Lord. To sing of Your unceasing mercy. To praise the name of Your redeeming love. The love that has blessed me and brought me to You. The love that will someday bring me safely and graciously home. Though I was once a wandering stranger running to danger You bought me with Your precious blood. Your grace amazes me. I am so constrained to be in debt to You Lord. So prone to wandering from Your love. But You've bound my heart to You Lord and You refuse to let me go. I want You to take me Lord. Take my heart and seal it, seal it to be ready for my home above.

Ready to Weigh Again...

Yes I'm still working on my weight.

I haven't posted regarding this in a good month and a half. And this post will not prove me successful in my weight loss endeavor, but I am here to show myself (and you) that I don't wanna go back!

I pretty much allowed a "self plateau" for about 2 1/2 months, which is not great for my goal but I am blessed to have only gained 3.5 pounds from my lowest weight back in August - not losing my pre-pregnancy goal weight and only missing my 20 pound loss goal by 1 pound!

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Food

I am sad about this... not only for the fact that I was giving up a lot, but for the fact that I WASTED A LOT of money eating out and being lazy! Praise the Lord for His grace in only 3.5 pounds gained off of almost 3 months spoofing it!!!

Water

Yeah, um this existed in ordering a water to come with my soda, but I wouldn't drink the whole thing! BAD!

Exercise

I have been trying to get back on it with P90X I just have no energy or motivation to workout when the kids get to go sleep... did you hear that? "get to" - can you tell I have been going to sleep also? :)

Challenges

Motivation to get off my rump! I have been feeling kinda blah lately attitude was and it is affecting EVERYTHING else! We also have more on our schedule now-a-days and that seems to affect my energy level.

Successes

I maintained my pre-pregnancy goal weight!

Plans for the Week

No more eating out when it is not needed, and when we do I WILL make good choices. We have a couple birthday celebrations this weekend and I will be going to the restaurant website to know I am ordering well before I even get there!

Weigh-In

Start: 184.5 lbs.

The weeks I've missed....

August 25th: 163.5 - lost 0.5 lbs.

September 1st: 165 - GAINED 1.5 lbs.

September 8th: 162.5 - lost 2.5 lbs.

September 15th: 163.5 - GAINED 1 lb.

September 22nd: 165.5 - GAINED 2 lbs.

September 29th: 164 - lost 1.5 lbs.

October 6th: 165.5 - GAINED 1.5 lbs.

YESTERDAY: 165.5 lbs.

Total lost = 19 lbs. & 12 inches

I messed my 20 pound loss goal, but I still never went past my pre-pregnancy goal, I've maintained that the whole time! Through God's grace alone.

Motivation

I have not taken pictures since I have somewhat fallen off the wagon. But I did want to show the comparison between my start pic and my lowest weight (so far) pic to show that I DO NOT want to go back there!

"No food tastes as good and being fit feels."

These pics represent a 22 pound total loss........

Ready for Another Retreat

These are pics from my last retreat back in May, it hasn't even been a half a year yet and I cannot wait till my next one :)

These pics of mine would be when I was almost 15 pounds heavier, I definitely see the difference looking back...

I can always get a picture of at least one person texting nowadays (still not me)...

My good friend simply adores animals! She picked up this doggy outside a little store, aren't they cuties? :)...

This is my other good friend whom I haven't seen in TOO long...

Me and my mommy...

The retreat grounds were BEAUTIFUL...

Great spots for quite times with the Lord...

And time with good friends too :)...

Gorgeous...

One of their meeting rooms was even built like the ark! It was huge...

Me before our trek to see if the pool was open...

It was... and Miss Teen jumped in with me, with her clothes on! I love her!!...

Another great friend I hadn't seen in a while, but now I am blessed to see her all the time at my new church...

Another one of me and my mommy...

And our little group from my old church family, I miss them....

I also shared more photos with an overview on what I learned from some of the message here in this post. That message has stuck with me to this day, great visuals!!!

My Walk Monday

I'm so blessed to see proof of other christians being a sharpening tool in my life.

Yesterday I was having a blah day until a light bulb went off while listening to my husband and another brother in Christ talk through a familiar subject, it was then I realized what was wrong with me!

It's like that also with My Walk Monday, I don't know how many times I go over to visit others participating that I think "WOOH me too!" :)

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

Now hopefully I will be able to help sharpen you... :)

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I'm reading through Hosea in my devotion time and this week I have a clear message from the Lord showing me that He yearns for me... yes me.... and YOU!

Hosea chapter 11...

When I was young He loved me - v.1

Out of my chains He called me "daughter!" - v.1

He taught me to walk - v.3

He took me in His arms and healed me - v.3

He lead me with a bond of love - v.4

He set me free - v.4

He bent down and fed me - v.4

Yet I refused to turn and return to Him - v.5

Still I am bent on turning from Him - v.7

I call Him the One on high, but I do not exult Him - v.7

Even STILL - He will not give me up - v.8

He will not surrender me - v.8

He will not leave me to total destruction - v.8

His heart turns over for me - v.8

He is filled with compassion for me - v.8

Side Note: He promised me (yet again) a house, in the end of verse 11 He declares to me that He will settle me in my house :).

He wants us to RETURN TO HIM...

Hosea 12:6 "Therefore, return to your God, observe kindness and justice, and wait for your God continually."

If we do not return, then what are we?!

Hosea 13:3 "They will be like the morning cloud and like dew which soon disappears, like chaff which is blown away from the threshing floor and like smoke from a chimney."

He has been the Lord our God since our bondage; and we were not to know any god except Him, for there is no savior besides Him. He cared for us in our times of circling rebellion, in the land of drought. When we thought we could take care of ourselves we grew proud and forgot Him. We don't want Him to be like a lion to us, like a leopard who lies in wait by the wayside. We don't want Him to encounter us like a bear robbed of her cubs, to tear us open. We don't want to be torn and devoured! - v.4-8

It is our destruction, O people, that we are against Him, against our help! - v.9

We don't want to be found guilty for rebelling against God! - v.16

Return, O people, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity (chosen sin). Repent and return to the Lord. Ask Him to take away all the iniquity and receive you graciously that you may present to Him a thank offering. - v.14:1-2

"Whoever is wise, let him understand these things,

Whoever is discerning, let him know them.

For the ways of the Lord are right,

and the righteous will walk in them,

but transgressors will stumble in them."

Hosea 14:9

Lord thank You for loving me THIS much! For calling me and teaching me and healing me and leading me and freeing me and coming to me and feeding me. I am hear near You now Lord. Help me not to turn from You again. I want to exult You! You who does not give me up or surrender me to my enemy. You who saves me from destroying myself with Your grand compassion. You who reassures me in my impatience. Help me wait for You continually. Forgive me for putting other things and myself before You. Forgive my pride and rebellion. And thank You for Your help! For Your Holy Spirit to comfort me and guide me through my days. Please take away all my iniquity and and receive me graciously. I love You Lord and want to give my life to thank You.