In It To Lose It

Back in July we started a weight-loss competition and as off tomorrow there will be exactly a week and a half left. Thanks to the mercy of God, I have lost about 20 pounds so far.  To see it in print makes it feel pretty good, but then I remember I have 30 more to go to be at my pre-pregnancy weight.  It's a weird feeling to be excited and discouraged all at the same time.

I'm so thankful that I have been able to stick with it and seen some success.  But I'm even more thankful to be around others who are struggling with the same things.  Whether I gain or lose, succeed or fail this week, it's just comforting to know that it's hard for everybody and not just me.  And it'll probably be a gain/fail day because we're going to the state fair tonight.  Yummmmm...

So, anybody have any tips for sticking with it when you're not even halfway there?  I hear a lot of advice on getting started and setting new habits, but it seems to be a different ball game when it's not about the small changes anymore.  Making even bigger or more consistent choices, especially when you've been working hard already, is a pretty big mountain.  For me anyway.  I get super excited because some of my clothes are looser, but then I remember that those are clothes I had to buy BECAUSE I'd gained weight.  And I still can't fit into all of my pre-prego stuff.  Yeah, so then I get pretty aggravated that I've worked and worked and I still have to work some more! Call me impatient! :)  So, any inspiring words, tips or tricks?

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The Maintenance Crew

As I was feeding J this afternoon, I started thinking about how much time I will have spent sitting at his high chair, mimicking a baby bird's open beak, stuffing pureed something down his throat.  And then for a split-second I wished it wasn't so.  Some days things like showering, eating and making the bed just seem redundant.  You're going to do it again tomorrow so why worry about it today? :) The more I thought about it though, I have a bad habit of wishing everything was a 'do it once and be done with it' kind of thing.  Don't you?

But let's consider this a bit more.  What aspect of our lives as beings on the earth do NOT require maintenance?  Sure, some require more than others, but everything requires a little bit.  The cactus needs water at some point.  Our spiritual disciplines don't do us any good when they are applied once and then abandoned.  Relationships will not survive without some attention and many require it daily.  And though I sincerely despise housework and the fact that toilets get dirty over and over again, I'm learning to be thankful for the maintenance crew.

When I put on my maintenance cap willingly (in my marriage, in housework, my prayer life, etc.), I always feel better afterwards.  I learn things, I strengthen things and the world is just better.  I used to spend 90% of my energy getting away from things that required lots of maintenance because I wanted to be free to 'do whatever I wanted to.' I'm slowly learning that everything I wanted to do wasn't worth all the traffic jams I caused in all the other parts of my life.

So, today, what can the maintenance crew teach me?  Nourishment and growth takes time.  Lots of time.  Good things rarely spring up over night without a lot of work behind the scenes.  Let's all be thankful for the people in our life that put so much effort into maintenance work, both physically and spiritually.

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An Hour of Thanks

It is so easy to complain.  Perhaps it's even fun to complain sometimes.  Who are we kidding? It's fun to complain MOST of the time.  We complain about dinner, salespeople, your family, your friends, the weather, our phone service, traffic, pain, discomfort, but basically we complain about a world that isn't out to make us happy!

But today try being thankful for just an hour.  At least we have dinner, money to consider buying anything,  a family at all, a few people that actually tolerate us, an earth that has changing seasons, the ability to carry around a device that can communicate with others anywhere in the world, cars to take us places, life, awareness but mostly at least we have the opportunity to try harder and make the world a better place!

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