I need new scales!

SERIOUSLY!!!!! I have been diligently adhering to my eating plan, limiting myself to 12 carb, 7 protein and 6 fat exchanges a day, only splurging at the family reunion last Saturday and even then, I didn't gorge myself. I felt comfortably full and only had 1/2 a brownie....

My struggle is veggies and fruits...just not into rabbit food, although when the girls and I went to Arby's yesterday for lunch and I vasilated back and forth, I ordered the salad, but got cheese stix to go with it. Still better than the large beef 'n cheddar with large potato cakes and apple turnover that I wanted!!! Thank you LORD for your strength!

Okay, anyway, How long does it take to see results? I still weigh the same today that I did 3 weeks ago when I weighed at the doctor's office...are my scales broken? UGH!!! My concentrated physical activity has been sporadic over the past couple of weeks, but I'm not being a couch potato by any stretch...it's up at 5am to fix Kevin's breakfast and lunch for the day, then breakfast and devotions for me after he's out the door...Facebook updates and new blog post before heading in to get myself ready...stop the routine at 7am to get Hannah up, then back to finish getting ready and motivate her to do the same. Out the door to summer program and where ever I need to be...if I'm "in the office" for the day, it's work at my desk and housework during my lunch break, then dinner more housework, bathtime and bedtime. If I'm out in the field, it's home, cook dinner, dishes, housework, bathtime and bedtime.

Since Kevin has gone back to work, I am slowly eliminating the clutter from our lives...slowly so he doesn't notice all those trashbags full of empty plastic containers disappear...boy will I be in trouble when we need those to save our lives! This weekend it's the overflowing basket of newspapers by the fireplace to the recycle box at Hannah's school.

Are YOU Polluted by the World?

In my devotions, this morning, Pamela Reeve focused her devotional contribution on Proverbs 12:16 "A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult." (NIV) I pray this will be engraved in my brain, especially today...it's evaluation day. That one time a year that comes around where my boss gets to tell me everything that I'm doing wrong...I used to look forward to evaluations, but the past three years have really changed my outlook on this one day every year.



You see, my supervisor has admitted to being intimidated by my skills and experience and feared that I am "out for her job"...nothing could be further from the truth! Things got better for a few months, but then a new staff person was added and it's all gone down~hill again. I have analyzed the situation and have determined that she has a serious case of transference...she is very intimidated by this new employee, as she was with me, but one step further is that the new person is in a position to step in and become the "new boss". Transference, you ask, how is she transferring that to me? Well, throughout the whole year, plus that she was acting this way toward me, I said nothing, did nothing, except my job, that is. And I did my job, joyfully, as if God were my supervisor...actually, that's how I "made it through," so-to-speak. I focused and reminded myself, daily, that I am in this position only as long as God wants me to be here and bottom line, God IS my Supervisor, so that's how I did my job...anytime I was face with a difficult situation, I prayed about it and God led me through the storm.



Some things have transpired in recent weeks that I have not responded to as spiritually as I should have or would have liked to. I know those will be brought up during my evaluation today. I pray that I will remember Proverbs 12:16. Not only that, but James 1:22-25 "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away an immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it -- he will be blessed in what he does. If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this" to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" (emphasis added).

Body Image

During my devotions this morning, I read a story by Debbie Smith, wife of Christian musician Michael Smith, where she shared her struggle with anorexia nervosa. She shared Psalm 147:10 where David writes "His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man...(italics added by Debbie for emphasis).

What is important to GOD is the condition of our heart...is it right with HIM? Our society is obsessed with the size of our clothing...yes, there is a certain amount of energy that needs to be used to care for ourselves, including a healthy lifestyle with a good balance of fuel (food) and activity. If we could all learn to depend on GOD for our sustanence as the Sparrow does, then we wouldn't have the weight issues that we do. If we would all concentrate on pleasing GOD instead of mortal man (be it ourselves or others, or both), then stress would be lower and weight more managable.

As I stepped off the scales yesterday, I was a bit frustrated because I worked really hard last week to stay on-task and follow the 12 carb, 7 protein and 6 fat exchanges each week. According to my scale, I only lost about 1/2 a pound...UGH!!!!! So frustrating, I know!!! As I stepped off, though, I remembered a move that Kevin and I caught on TBN Sunday afternoon about how the enemy will take any opening he can...and he only needs a fraction of an inch, just like all of those annoying and dangerous creatures...to slither in and take hold of our vanity to inflate it like a balloon inside us until there's not much room for God in our lives....

I have a hefty supply of straight pins if anyone needs to use one to burst that balloon so HE can start pouring back in! That's exactly what I did as I stepped off that scale...I said, outloud, "Satan, you're not going to get ahold of this and cause me to defeat my efforts!" and I walked out of the bathroom and into the kitchen where I fixed a nice, tall glass of ice water and returned to my office to work.

"The LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love." ~Psalm 147:11