Saturday, December 31, 2016

Freewrite on Wellness of Body and Soul and Mind

Body

 December 31, 2016 Update: 23.4 BMI and 10.6 pounds to go now! "Slow and SteadyWins the Race" and "Little by Little Gets the Job Done." 

It was probably a lot of water weight when I returned from Cabo. So, I am down to the weight that I told the guy at the Zip-Line. I wasn't lying. I just had not weighed myself since August 7th! That is so bad. I just got too busy and things got so traumatic the day after Spencer's wedding.

But that is all going to change in 2017. The course correction has been easy, and I must remember that I am 20 POUNDS lighter than I was seven years ago! That is amazing. Most people are gaining as they grow older. So, I am very happy.

I am also happy that I have been able to maintain a nice balance between POUNDS and PAIN. I am still continuing to do strengthening exercises, and I am going to go back to weight training TOMORROW! Overall, using my own body weight in Pilates keeps me strong, but there are certain areas that will benefit from targeted resistance training. So, I am going to really work on those areas, especially my arms that do not always get the attention because it is hard for me to do body weight exercises with them because of that elbow (that has gotten better, but it still is not GREAT). So, arm sculpting will be an emphasis. Legs are great because of the side-kick series, core is obviously very great. I could also benefit from more back exercises. I love the back extension exercises in Pilates (Swan, Single Leg Kick, Double Leg Kick, Swimming, Serratus Push Ups), but three of those are not done every single time I do Pilates. So, I need to do a little bit more with my lower trapezius, rhomboids, and serratus anterior muscles.

Another goal is to truly solve the Quadrates Lumborum issue. I know it is because that leg is shorter and puts strain on my L1-5. (This lovely blog has a nice explanation about the QL: http://blog.sublimity.co.nz/2013/11/back-pain-the-quadratus-lumborum-muscle-and-its-trigger-points/)

Another goal is to use my gadget that measures body fat in target areas. I just have not had time to unwrap it and look into it. I will do that tomorrow! Target areas for me will be my belly, love handles, and arms. :)

Soul

To say "It is well with my soul" sounds very cliché, but it is so true. I navigated the craziness of August 14 - 31st with good boundaries. Since then, there was the negativity with the coworker, and God removed that coworker and replaced that person with an amazingly KIND and THOUGHTFUL person. And the last little incident was quickly worked through and let go. All in all, I think that things are going swimmingly.

Moreover, it has been so healthy for me to seek God with people my own age again! What a delight to be with people I have discipled in the past, and I know are not going to trash me behind my back! They have my back, and they understand my need to set boundaries with people and even encourage me to do it more often. YAY for this.

I have also cut back on the "extra" things that others in our agency were putting upon me. I felt so good missing the event in November and replacing it with the Kingdom Community personality typing and spiritual gifts event!

It was also so healthy for me to go to Sister Joan. I am no longer tired. I was just very tired. I think the cumulative effect of having many people asking things of me that were really their job rather than mine and being around people who were so focused on themselves that they could not see me as a person. I am really grateful.

I have also navigated my extended family well. I don't know if I will ever have a meeting of heart and soul with them because of where they are on their journey, but I am very happy that they are sober and moving on. I treasure the history I have with them, but I know that family is with the one that George and I have created. And I so love being with my family. I see them growing into such wonderful men. I so enjoy talking and laughing with them, and it has been so fun to be with them this Christmas Season. Much of my family energy will be focused on praying things into their life and hoping that Michael can get a job! :)

Jesus - I will start reading in Genesis again with the Bible Book Club, but I will also read in the Gospels because I am challenged to know Jesus more intimately than ever before. There is always so much growth to be had, and I am so excited for the coming year to do that.

Kingdom Community - That will be primarily my Tuesday morning group. I know it takes a tremendous amount of time and energy, but the eternal dividends are enormous. I am so happy to be part of this 45-68 year old group! I love those 20's somethings, but I was a bit exhausted by them after seven years in their life. I will discuss The Making of a Leader with dear Elizabeth (she is a 30 something who is very other-centered) on Monday mornings, and that will be fun to review that book again.

George - Well the every other Thursday/Friday really worked for us in the Fall, and I want to stick to that again this year. It has been somewhat morphed because of Aunt Dot's kidney failure, but that has been an unexpected blessing as I did not really know her prior to this. There was never really opportunity to get to know her. So, I have enjoyed that. I will enjoy a trip to Hawaii with George's mom, George, and the Boys in March too. George and I are doing great, but that has always been the case because we are pretty easy going youngest children! LOL!

Church - I feel like I have such a good rhythm there. I know they know that my ministry is outside the walls, but they are very supportive of that. I don't see the time or inclination to be in any women's groups, but I will "Listen and Obey" about going to the Spring Retreat!

Mind

I am on a roll so am extending my fifteen minute freewrite to include my mind. Well, I completed the 52 books in 52 weeks challenge again. It was my fifth year (I read more than 52 prior to those years - LOL!). I liked that I caught up at the very end this year.  It is always harder for me to get through them on the years I lead the Kingdom Community, but I am very happy that I have spent lots of time this Christmas break reading! I already have some on my side table that I am reading. I do have one "required" one from my Random Reviews pile, and I just need to DIVE IN, but I have others I would like to finish first!

All that said, my mind went many places this year, and you can read about that in my last post where I had the 52 in 52 Wrap Up.

Well, that is all for now. I am going to Teala's sorority to have our 21st annual Day of Prayer (I did two of those remotely in Malaysia though). It has been good to evaluate my year a bit here too! I am so excited about the coming year. :)



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Thursday, December 29, 2016

Freewrite for 2016

This might be my final freewrite of the year. It may not be. I take Teala out for her annual birthday extravaganza starting at 1:30, and I have a free morning. I worked hard until 1:30 yesterday going through ALL (yes all - oh wait, there is one more downstairs in my "too file long term" basket) my papers yesterday. I puttered and organized and tossed in the recycling bin. Papers are my nemesis. Seriously, if I stayed on top of it every day, it would be a two minute process, probably. Instead, about every six months or so I go through all of them, finding unopened envelopes of mail. Oh, maybe it has been more than six months because I think there was something from last - no, it was only last June so it has been about six month. WHEW!

Anywho, I do have a device that I got last April that I still have not opened. It measures body fat on each part of your body, and I thought I would use it for my personal training, but I have not gotten around to opening it, but at least it is out of the "junk" Amazon box I have been storing in my office closet to go through some day. Well that "some day" was yesterday, and I say YAY for me! YAY for getting things done.

I celebrated by going to the Iszlers to make St. Nicholas Day cookies. Kim rolled out and cut and Paul mostly decorated, but I sat and talked and washed up for Kim afterward. I liked it. We rarely get to sit down and talk together now that she and I both work. She is my soulmate; probably the friend who totally "gets" me because we are like twins. I like a variety of friends, but we do totally get each other. She is not as empathetic as I am, but other than that, we are a LOT alike in how we see the world.

In fact, she helped validate my reality about an incident that happened the day after Christmas. I RARELY have strange incidents with people since I said GOOD BYE to toxic people ten years ago. I have brief encounters, but they are not people I chose to be around (I used to be a glutton for punishment because those people wanted me as a friend but I just do not do that anymore for the sake of my family and sanity). This is one I could not avoid, however. I handled it with firmness, but I did not let it make me angry or afraid. I just dealt with it and moved on.

That is real growth for me. This person is similar to the other weird encounters I used to have with a coworker. Then that coworker was removed from his position, and his replacement is the epitome of kindness and healthy communication. So, I am blessed. It almost caused me to considered resigning from my position that I love so much, but he was removed to no longer bully me anymore.


 So, this newest situation was a blip on the screen that I will move on from. It is not good what that person did, but I am powerless to change that person. So, I move on and will pray. I prayed every day for that person for a whole year about 15 years ago, and it made a huge difference in how I handle that person. So, I will go back to it. It is not worth my time or effort to try to talk to them though. Some people are always "right" and cannot see how they affect other people. It is sad because I don't think they realize how many people they drive away by their behavior.

All that said, I was sick two days ago, but it was good to just be in bed for a whole day. I feel great today and am going to scrapbook right now because my freewrite fifteen time is almost over, and I must get up and get moving.

Oh I do have a bit more time - maybe three minutes (forgot I took a break during this freewrite to look for something). Micah is SO SWEET, he ordered me a GarminVivoFit3 for half price! I am wanting to track my step count. I miss my BodyBugg! I wish they would come back with that technology! Anywho, he ordered it for 45% off for, and I already paid him.

Now it is time to go. :)

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Tuesday, December 27, 2016

2016 Reading Wrap Up

This is my fifth year participating in this endeavor. I didn't think I would make 52 this year, but I read a lot over the last two weeks! I did not link the books I mentioned within this wrap up post, but there is a list of all the books at the end of it with the links if you want to see favorite quotes or reviews.

Here are the Wrap Up questions from http://www.read52booksin52weeks.com/:

 How many books did you read and did you meet or beat your own personal goal?  Or did you get caught up in reading and forget to keep track like me?  *grin* 

 I read 52. I love to have goals. This is a manageable one for me after reading all the books on Well-Educated Mind, Invitation to the Classics, and 100 Great Books Lists (see links to those lists above - it was a Big Hairy Audacious Goal). 

What countries and time periods did you visit?

COUNTRIES:
  • England: this was the main one since we traveled there (see my Travelogue of that trip here: http://carolhomeschool2.blogspot.com/search/label/Travelogue) to see a photograph I had on exhibition there and to enjoy some of the haunts of our favorite authors.
  • Afghanistan (In the Sea there are Crocodiles)
  • Middle East (The Rise of ISIS, The Terror Years)
  • Iran (My Name is Mahtob)
  • Multiple Nations in Poverty (Half the Sky)
  • Everywhere (Pray for the World)
  • I had some delightful journeys to Narnia also!
TIME PERIODS:
  • Post War London (The Life and Times of Call the Midwife)
  • 1930's America and Germany (The Boys in the Boat)
  • 1930-1950's England (The Fellowship and Bandersnatch)

What were your most favorite stories?   Any stories that stayed with you a long time,  left you wanting more or needed to digest for a while before starting another?  

 Ben-Hur - Absolutely beautiful
The Boys in the Boat
The Silver Chair (my favorite of all the Narnia books because of Puddleglum's speech)

 The Way of the Beloved was not a story but one of my favorites of the year.

Which books became comfort reads? - don't have one

 What is the one book or the one author you thought you'd never read and found yourself pleasantly surprised that you liked it?

 Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life - I thought it would be another "pop" Christian book and was so delightfully surprised at its depth and beauty!

Did you read any books that touched you and made you laugh, cry, sing or dance?

 Boys in the Boat - WOW!

 Any that made you want to toss it across the room in disgust?

 Half the Sky - You can read my review, but I really hated the patronizing tone of the authors. The stories about women were around the world was good though.

Please share a favorite cover or quote.

















Here is my list:


43. SPEG Manual

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2016 Reading

43. SPEG Manual


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52. Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life




I would not have picked this book up if it had not been the third book of the Renovare Book Club, but this is where "required reading" can help us to discover delightful things. I can honestly say that I loved this book. I was a little leery of it because I read a book a few years ago that seemed similar.  I felt like everyone loved this book but me. That author's reflections seemed  immature and lukewarm. It was obvious that she was commissioned by a publisher to write a book because she is a good writer, but I didn't sense she had a real hunger and thirst for God. She is popular now, but I was not impressed. I cannot even remember the name of the book, and I won't look it up to remind myself of the title.



Since this is a book looked similar from the outside, I was a bit leery, but I know now I just cannot judge a book by its cover! This author does have a heart for God and a wisdom far beyond her years. Her writing style is beautiful. I was pleasantly surprised and delighted by everything about this book. She quotes some of my favorite classical authors showing she is well-read. She also refers to popular culture! Love that too. She quotes one author I have never read, Annie Dillard, and makes me want to read her. She quotes Scripture too. Everything is so perfectly balanced. Oh, this is a lovely book in every way.

She goes through a day of moments and routines where we can become aware of God presence:

 1. Waking: Baptism and Learning to Be Beloved
2. Making the Bed: Liturgy, Ritual, and What Forms a Life
3. Brushing Teeth: Standing, Kneeling, Blowing and Living in a Body
4. Losing Keys: Confession and the Truth About Ourselves
5. Eating Leftovers: Word, Sacrament, and Overlooked Nourishment
6. Fighting with My Husband: Passing the Peace and the Everyday Work of Shalom
7. Checking Email: Blessing and Sending
8. Sitting in Traffic: Liturgical Time and an Unhurried God
9. Calling a Friend: Congregating and Community
10. Drinking Tea: Sanctuary and Savoring
11. Sleeping: Sabbath, Rest, and the Work of God

 I highly recommend this book!

 “The new life into which we are baptized is lived out in days, hours, and minutes. God is forming us into a new people. And the place of that formation is in the small moments of today.”   

“...small bits of our day are profoundly meaningful
because they are the site of our worship. The crucible of our formation is in the monotony of our daily routines.”   

“Everyone wants a revolution. No one wants to do the dishes.” I”   

“Alfred Hitchcock said movies are “life with the dull bits cut out.”
― Tish Harrison Warren, Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life


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Friday, December 23, 2016

51. The Life and Times of Call the Midwife by Heidi Thomas



I devoured the Call the Midwife trilogy of Worth's books back in 2013. Worth based them on her deeply personal experience of working in the East End of London in the 1950s (see reviews HERE), and this book was just icing on the cake. It made me cry. I really thought I would just look at the pictures, but the text was so beautifully written by the writer for the series, Heidi Thomas (Cranford and Upstairs, Downstairs). It was especially moving because Worth died just months before filming began.



 The diary of Thomas' experience is my favorite part, but the background chapters are fascinating. I learned so much about life in Poplar. The cherry on top was the chapter on Christmas in the East End since I finished reading on December 23.

Wonderful read and gorgeous photographs!
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50. The Way of the Heart by Henri JM Nouwen


This book takes a look at the way of the "Desert Fathers and Mothers" and their commitment to Solitude, Silence, and Prayer. I noticed it on my shelf after reading Nouwen's The Life of the Beloved.  Since I liked that book so much, I thought I would also read this one. It is a simple and profound book.


"In Solitude we become compassionate people, deeply aware of our solidarity in brokenness with all of humanity and ready to reach out to anyone in need."

“Solitude is the furnace of transformation. Without solitude we remain victims of our society and continue to be entangled in the illusions of the false self. Jesus himself entered into this furnace. There he was tempted with the three compulsions of the world: to be relevant ('turn stones into loaves'), to be spectacular ('throw yourself down'), and to be powerful ('I will give you all these kingdoms'). There he affirmed God as the only source of his identity ('You must worship the Lord your God and serve him alone'). Solitude is the place of the great struggle and the great encounter - the struggle against the compulsions of the false self, and the encounter with the loving God who offers himself as the substance of the new self.”
― Henri J.M. Nouwen, The Way of the Heart: The Spirituality of the Desert Fathers and Mothers 

“Secularity is a way of being dependent on the responses of our milieu. The secular or false self is the self which is fabricated, as Thomas Merton says, by social compulsions. 'Compulsive' is indeed the best adjective for the false self. It points to the need for ongoing and increasing affirmation. Who am I? I am the one who is liked, praised, admired, disliked, hated or despised. Whether I am a pianist, a businessman or a minister, what matters is how I am perceived by my world. If being busy is a good thing, then I must be busy. If having money is a sign of real freedom, then I must claim my money. If knowing many people proves my importance, I will have to make the necessary contacts. The compulsion manifests itself in the lurking fear of failure and the steady urge to prevent this by gathering more of the same - more work, more money, more friends.”
― Henri J.M. Nouwen, The Way of the Heart: The Spirituality of the Desert Fathers and Mothers

"Silence first makes us pilgrims. Secondly silence guards the fire within. Thirdly, silence teaches us how to speak."

"Prayer, when we are faithful to it and practice it at regular times, slowly leads us to an experience of rest and opens us to God's active presence."

“Prayer is standing in the presence of God with the mind in the heart; that is, at that point of our being where there are no divisions or distinctions and where we are totally one. There God's Spirit dwells and there the great encounter takes place. There heart speaks to heart, because there we stand before the face of the Lord, all-seeing, with us.”
― Henri J.M. Nouwen, The Way of the Heart: The Spirituality of the Desert Fathers and Mothers   

“For many of us prayer means nothing more than speaking with God. And since it usually seems to be a quite one-sided affair, prayer simply means talking to God. This idea is enough to create great frustrations. If I present a problem, I expect a solution; if I formulate a question, I expect an answer; if I ask for guidance, I expect a response. And when it seems, increasingly, that I am talking into the dark, it is not so strange that I soon begin to suspect that my dialogue with God is in fact a monologue. Then I may begin to ask myself: To whom am I really speaking, God or myself?”
― Henri J.M. Nouwen, The Way of the Heart: The Spirituality of the Desert Fathers and Mothers

"By their solitude, silence and unceasing prayer the Desert Fathers show us the way. These disciplines will teach us to stand firm, to speak words of salvation, and to approach the new millennium with hope, courage, and confidence.

"When we have been remodeled into living witnesses of Christ through solitude, silence, and prayer, we will no longer have to worry about whether we are saying the right thing or making the right gestures, because then Christ will make his presence known even when we are not aware of it."



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Thursday, December 22, 2016

49. Settle for More by Megyn Kelly

I do not get Fox News, but I have seen her on clips on our ROKU. I also saw her on several interviews after the debate where she asked Donald Trump about his attitude toward women. So, I wanted to learn more about her.

I like her. It was a good read. I learned a lot about the News and what makes a good reporter. Donald Trump called her a Bimbo, and she is anything but that. I am glad to read that she is so happy in her marriage and family life, and her employers give her the opportunity to live the balance between work and family life. It sounds like she has a wonderful husband who helps a lot. This is a book about living your best life and not being afraid to make a course correction career-wise.
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48. Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief

Oh my, what a book. I checked out this book because it is written by Lawrence Wright, and I loved his book that I read earlier this year called The Terror Years. Going Clear has the same excellent writing style and does not disappoint.

I had checked out the audiobook from Library2Go (Oregon Digital Library Consortium) more than a month ago, but I did not finish it before I had to bring it back. I would have had to wait on the hold list for quite some time. So, I checked out the Kindle book. It captivated me from the get-go.

 I also checked out the HBO Documentary of the same name that came out in 2015. The book is MUCH more detailed than the documentary, but both of them are excellent! The documentary gave me the opportunity to see the faces of the ex-Scientology leaders who are quoted in the book.

This is a cult founded by the most prolific "Pulp Fiction" writer ever, L. Ron Hubbard. His religion is also fiction. So sad.

Fascinating read.
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Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Prayerful Review of Sunday - Tuesday

Prayerful Review of December 18-20:

What made me feel most alive and in tune with God's plan:

 Being in church for the morning and evening. Worship. Visiting afterward.

Family lunch at Applebee's

 Birthday Zumba for Vickie's 60th birthday and donation to the International Justice Mission fighting human trafficking and slavery.

 Getting my annual mammogram.

 Reading. Resting. Wrapping presents.

 Eating well and lower calorie.

 Teaching Pilates.

Walking in the Tuesday afternoon sunshine.

 Doing Dial a Book volunteering.

 Face to face time with my bestie, Kim and her mom. This happens so rarely because of our schedules that do not overlap, especially since we have not gone to the same church for 10 1/2 years, but thankful we are still friends.
What made me feel most dead and not in tune with God's plan:
Someone I sat next to and just met, without anything to do with what we were chatting about, going into a monologue about pre-tribulation rapture. What? That was interesting.
Ways to show my love for God and others today:

 Follow through on the remainder of our Christmas giving in lieu of presents to my side of the family. I just couldn't decide so am giving to all the things we volunteer for.

Gifts God has given not already covered in feeling alive:

 My Tempur-Pedic mattress - as I was making it this morning, I was so thankful. It was a big purchase, but I wish we had made it two mattresses ago because this thing is almost six years old and show NO SIGN of wear. Our last two mattresses were giving out by this time.

Sunshine for the day!

 Peaceful family dynamics and zero drama. I am so grateful for my kids. It is so nice to have them home.
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Monday, December 19, 2016

47. The Index Card: Why Personal Finance Doesn't Have to Be Compilcated

I wasn't as wowed by this book as many people who touted it. Most of it was pretty much a repeat of what Dave Ramsey has been saying for years. I also thought they made the "Buy Inexpensive Index Fund" really confusing, and I never really understood what the bottom line in the whole chapter was. So, it was COMPLICATED. The very thing they promised they would not do!

Then some of the captures were like "no duh"! So I wasn't too impressed with it.

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Sunday, December 18, 2016

Prayerful Review of Week

Hard to believe that I have not done one of these for a week. I can see the advantage of doing it at the end of the day, and I am going to try to do that before I go to bed in the new year. I may or may not post it here though.



Prayerful Review of December 11-18:

What made me feel most alive and in tune with God's plan:
Jumping right back into my beautiful life in Corvallis by having a cookie party less than 24 hours after my return.  Ika, Rika, Nancy, Rebekah, and Heather. I loved that we all pooled our gifts together. Nancy is so good at hospitality (I am the only person in the group who does not have that gift). Her house was so beautifully decorated. Rebekah had made cookie and frosting, and I demonstrated how to make cranberry scones (using my teaching gift). I also explained the Advent Wreath. I had put together the whole Christmas story from Prophets to Angels to Shepherds to Wise Men to Jesus. I feel most alive when I teach.

 Talk with sensible 20-somethings who are friends with my niece and her new husband. They all had their heads on straight and were not into the partying. That was refreshing to see the individuals in the group.

Reading Notes from a Small Island on the way back from Cabo - I feel so alive when I read. I don't know why, but I do.

 War and Peace mini-series with George - Tolstoy has such spirituality woven into his deep tales. Loved every minute of this thing. So good to enjoy it with George.

 Snow days and walks in it. George being home from Wednesday to Friday because of it.

 Our family all together and God opening up the skies with sunshine so we could go grab a tree.

 Watching the kids decorate the tree all on their own.

 Gathering around the Advent Wreath and Jesse Tree for stories that tell the Scarlet Thread of Redemption from Creation to Christ.

Singing "Come Thou Long, Expected Jesus" with my family is one of the best feelings EVER.

 Serving the Stewarts as a family. We helped them move.

 A nice note from both my niece's about Cabo.
What made me feel most dead and not in tune with God's plan:
Two "deadening" encounters with people come to mind, but I feel God wants me to retract what I wrote previously. If they involve other people the details will be between me and God!
Ways to show my love for God and others today:

 Fellowship and love on our pastor and his wife at their retirement celebration.

Follow up: YES! Great retirement celebration!



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Thursday, December 15, 2016

Wellness of Body and Soul Update

I am convinced that mind, body, and spirit are intertwined. So, it is two days in a row of "Wellness of Body" for me!

I said I would periodically update, and I am doing it again. The picture below is my goal.


This is January 2014 at the Benson Hotel before George's office Winter Celebration. I had lost 30 pounds by April 2013, and I had kept most of it off (with five pound fluctuation) for nine months at that point, and I did that for the better part of two years, with less than double digit fluctuations, until Spring of 2015.

I think deciding to get certified in Pilates in Summer of 2015 was the turning point. I had always been more of "Cardio Carol" exerciser with a little bit of Pilates and weight training about two times a week. I still had pain though. Now, I am super strong in my core from Pilates, much more flexible, and out of pain. YAY! But the pounds came on with the reduced cardio (also cardio tends to really curb my appetite). Once I started teaching classes, my burn exchange was 720 calories burned  versus 2400 calories burned per week.  If I kept eating the same to maintain on the old workout routine (and same number of hours truly available for working out), I was going to have a 1680 less calorie burn per week than when I was on maintenance. That was about 1/2 pound per week, and that is exactly what happened! My weight started slowly creeping up, and I DID NOT ADJUST MY EATING ACCORDINGLY!

So this is my inspiration picture, and I am 13 pounds above that today. I think the weight on Monday was a lot of water because six pounds has come off, and it is only Thursday. I have eaten a sensible diet that should only equal about 2 pounds a week weight loss so I know that I should have waited and not panicked after Cabo.



I think the water weight is off, and this is probably the weight I was before I went there. And this tends to be the weight that I continue to try to "set" at! It is not a bad weight because it is 23.8 BMI. The healthy range is 18.5 - 24.99. My personal training textbook says that 22-24.99 is where your disease risk is lowest. And I feel best at 22 too!


So this picture is my inspiration, and I am going for it! I am happy to be going for it!

December 31, 2016 Update: 23.4 BMI and 10.6 pounds to go now! "Slow and Stead Wins the Race" and "Little by Little Gets the Job Done."

February 14, 2017 Update: 22.4 BMI and only 2.4 pounds to go!

All that to say is that I love to combine my spiritual and physical life. I was grumpy when I woke up in Cabo on that first morning. I had not exercised all day the day before. Once I went and had some time on the elliptical overlooking the Sea of Cortez . . .


... and prayed and worked out. I was a new woman! :)

(I just want to say that we do not usually do this kind of "luxury." It was a forced vacation because all the wedding guests had to stay at this resort. We have access through my husband's mother to a house on a hill overlooking Cabo for FREE, but it would have required taxi rides back and forth to see my family. I loved seeing my niece get married, but I will say that highlights of our time were talking with the locals about their lives. We like to be in among the people more than at a resort that cuts you off from the culture, but it was nice.)

I better go. It is so beautiful outside right now!

I just listened to Messiah from "Behold the Lamb of God" to "All We Like Sheep" as I danced around the living room to the light of electric candles! So fun. :)


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Friday Freewrite Fifteen

My timer is set for fifteen minutes. It is actually a Friday. When I first started doing these freewrites (too many years ago to remember), ...