The kicker

I am an introvert. If you know me well enough, after hearing this you'd probably think: 'umm...no you aren't.' Really, I am. All the tests I've done say so, and so do I. Once I know people, I tend to open up, but getting out there to meet people and start conversations, not easy!

In my attempts to Reshape it ALL in my life, I've decided that I need to meet new people. I've been living in my town for 9 months and only know my small group of friends, and those I work with. But like I said, I'm an introvert.

Over the weekend I read about a female kick boxing place here in town. Conveniently, it is right down the street from my house! I decided then that I wanted to go - and the first class is free! So today I went. The hour leading up to leaving was tough. Satan then started to play his games, using my own insecurities, my mind told me every reason not to go - I wouldn't do well, I wouldn't meet people, there is no way I would succeed, I can't lose weight, feel good about myself or generally feel better. Thankfully, I was able to push past that and went to the class.

It was awesome! The cardio at the beginning and the ab workout at the end definitely kicked my butt, but I really enjoyed the kick boxing part. I've also made the decision that for now I will buy a 1 month pass and go from there. The people were nice and the class was good, and will challenge me. I'm looking forward to it!

Blessings.

tipping the scale

I've been talking for years about the idea of losing some weight and feeling healthier - but it was just that...talk. Now I have a little more determination, or at least that's what this thing in my spirit feels like! So today I am going to purchase a scale! EEK!

Knowing how food has become such an emotional thing for me, buying (and stepping on) a scale is a scary feat. But it is going to happen today!

As for how my whole Reshaping it ALL process has been going: not bad. I'm still working at changing my eating habits - which is happening; just slower than I would like. I've found in the past that regular physical activity and eating decent portions allowed me to still enjoy the things that I like, while feeling better overall. This is what worked for me to drop 20lbs when I moved cities almost 6yrs ago, and this is what I expect will work now. However, what I'm realizing now is that then, when I was feeling healthy physically, I was also really healthy spiritually.

If I were going to rank my physical/spiritual health on a scale it would look like this:

Physical: Less than moderate
Spiritual: Moderate

The other day I actually thanked God that my Spiritual health is above my physical! I don't know a lot of people who would do that in the world. The thing is, if my spiritual health can stay above my physical health, then while it is rising (which I'm working on daily), so will the other.

A friend of mine was just telling me about how the past few weeks have been hard for her. She lives in a city where it rains a lot, and is very grey for the majority of the year. I encouraged her to keep active, eat well, and drink lots of water so that she could persevere. I also encouraged her to dig into the word and pray more, because if its not coupled together, her blah, depressed feelings will linger - even when the sun comes out. It amazes me how I could have grown up in the church, yet I still have these obvious "a-ha!" moments that seem so logical!

God is good.

Time to buy a scale!

Blessings.

What's hitting home so far

I just thought I'd share a little as to what's been hitting home for me in the book thus far. I've been reading it for about 2 days, and have been writing down quotes and scripture in my journal for daily encouragement. Hopefully they will encourage others too:

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it"
Hebrews 12:11

"That internal argument is familiar to most of us, but do most of us recognize what it is? It's our flesh and our spirit fighting to lead. Our flesh is ruled by passion and desire, but out spirit is led by wisdom and truth." Reshaping it ALL

"So I say, live by the spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature."
Galatians 5:16

"Self-discipline doesn't know when it's Monday; it calls us to step up today." Reshaping it ALL

"Dying to one's self is an act of worship. Each time our body yields to the spirit, we reflect the passion of Christ in our life - a passion that's worth fighting for." Reshaping it ALL

I'll have to remember to make note of page numbers from here on in.

Blessings.

Reshaping it ALL

I'm breaking out the blog again! Only this time everything will look a little different.
I can't say that I am one to follow trends or avidly follow celebrities (though I do follow a couple on twitter!), but I am about to follow what could become a trend (at least in Christian circles) and it all started with a celebrity - who, yes, I now follow on twitter! haha!

Let me share how it all started:

Last week I came home to a friend sitting on my couch. She was sharing with me that she had just spent the better part of an hour reading through tweets from the various cast members of Full House. If you don't know what Full House is, google it! But briefly, its a tv show from the 80's/early 90's that I used to watch weekly! My friend came across the tweets of Candace Cameron Bure - or DJ Tanner in Full House terms - and started sharing them with me. Almost instantly we were drawn in by how sweet, encouraging and so open about her faith she seemed to be. The more we read, the more we both knew we would have to follow her.

Within a couple of days I started wondering about a particular hashtag she was using #reshapingitall. I did a little research and realized that Candace, with another woman, Darlene Schacht, had published a book: Reshaping Is ALL: Motivation for Physical and Spiritual Fitness.

Living in a small town I had only a couple options to finding the book - order it online or through the bookstore, or hope that its at the library. The latter proved to be the better option! Thank God for public libraries...seriously.

From what I've read so far, the book is well written. It gives background into Candace's life and career, but also talks of getting on the right footing spiritually, connecting with God and connecting with yourself. I'm a fan.

I've been convicted for some time about changing my eating habits and getting on track with regular exercise. With the recent death of my mom, who was diabetic, and finding out at the same time that my brother is also diabetic, the reality that I need to take better care of myself has really been smacking me in the face. Then I started reading this book and it all started resonating once again!

Which brings me to today. I've decided to join in the the 65 day Reshaping it ALL challenge. I'm a few weeks late, but that's ok. I can start at any time! "Self-discipline doesn't know when it's Monday; it calls us to step up today" (pg. 101).

My plan is to blog daily on my progress and how I've been changing not only my physical self through my eating habits and exercise, but also how my spiritual self has been changing and growing as well. If the 2 don't go hand in hand, I don't think I'll make it through!

Blessings.

Ummm...Wow!

Its been a while. Almost a year, actually.
Honestly, I'm not sure I've even thought of this blog since my last post. And then I got a comment and *WHAMMO!* here I am!
A lot has happened since then...

I moved north to a smaller town.
I experienced an actual winter for the first time in a few years
I spent 6 weeks in Ontario due to the death of my mom.
Every day I have at least a few minutes where grief takes me captive and its hard to function.

Life is still somewhat confusing and most days I feel a little like a fish out of water, just floundering around, attempting to get myself back to the pond...sigh...

I press on, though. I press on.

Maybe I will start to come here a little more often. Maybe. Maybe not. It might help.

so apparently...

...I am feeling the urge to blog. Weird.

Its not the right time to share about the past year of my life - but maybe just start with where I am at now...a point of confusion. Life feels as though its all jumbled up into a big, ugly ball of garbage and its got me at a pretty low point and asking a lot of questions.

How to I peel it off and move forward? Good question. I have no answers these days. All I do know is that I'm tired. Tired. Tired.

more on faith

God answers prayer!

At my job I spend the days with a mixed group of people from various faith backgrounds and countries. Its so lovely to learn about the different places and experiences that these women have gone through in their lives. Today has been no different than any other day, other than a few of the women sharing about answered prayer! PTL!

One woman's 14 year old son ran away from home and had been missing for 8 days. Yesterday in morning devotions we prayed for this young boy - that he would be safe and know their are safe places and people to go to, even if he didn't want to go home. Well, this morning in devotions she shared that last night she received the call that he was safe and had gone home!! Love it!

Today we prayed for the court date of one of the ladies b/f. There have been issues with this guy, but of course we want what is best for him, and God's will. That is what we prayed - for judges that are just, with open eyes and ears to hear truth and make a good decision. The outcome...its not perfect but could have been worse, and my lovely friend here had actual happiness in her voice (something not heard from her often!).

The idea of having faith is often something that these women don't want to grasp. I mean, something they can't tangibly see, hear, touch, smell or taste?! That just can't be possible!
God is answering my prayers here in this place as well (and testing my faith a little more as I sit and think about these things!!!), by showing me the growing faith that is taking place in so many of these women! Its truly amazing!

Blessings.