Turn, Turn, Turn

Whether you know it as song from the 60's or know the words from the Bible, it is said that to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under Heaven.
Unfortunately, I think most people, if you are like me, may be waiting for that "perfect" time, and seasons are passing us by. Whether it is when I "get my license", "turn 18", "move out", "have kids", "kids grow up", "we get our bills paid off", "we retire", etc., etc., etc. Whatever it is, we are always waiting for something else to happen before it is time to act. Even something as simple as, "I'll start my diet Monday", "I'll start after the holidays" it is never going to be the right time. Let me say that again, IT IS NEVER GOING TO BE THE RIGHT TIME if you are waiting for things in your life to be perfect, but NOW is always the right time. So right now, think of three things that you would like to accomplish in the next three months, anything at all. And now write three things that you can do in this next week to start yourself on the path to accomplishing those goals, and finally, think of at least one thing that you can do tonight and do it. Once you start, and get yourself in momentum, it is much easier to keep going. So whatever it is, start today, for today is the season of your life to make a change, to help you move toward accomplishing your purpose.

The Director's Commentary

One of the things that I like most about watching DVDs is watching the Director's Commentary.  I love seeing the movie from the Director's point of view.  In the Director's Commentary you get to find out little secrets about the movie and the reason for why certain things are done.  You find out about why certain lighting is chosen, why certain music is played and you even get to find out about certain "extras" that happen to be someone's wife, uncle, son, daughter etc.  Then when you watch the movie again you have a better understanding and appreciation for what went into the making of the movie. 
I started thinking what would my "Director's Commentary" look like, what if I saw my life from the director's point of view?  Would I pay more attention to the colors, the lighting, the sounds, the people around me?  Would I appreciate the simple things that seem to just fade into the background?  Would I take better care of myself, if I saw the love and details that went into creating me?  Would I see people differently, if I thought of them as someone's son, daughter, mother, father?  What if?
So my challenge to you this week, is instead of just going through your daily routine, stop and think about what goes into every aspect of your life, enjoy the sights, sounds, smells, beauty of each and every day, look at people, really look and see, don't just look through them.  Listen and appreciate everything about your life.  And maybe, just maybe with a better appreciation of life, we will take better care of ourselves and others.

"So What?"

So What? Is it a way to give up, or is it the beginning of action? I think if used correctly, then "So What" can be the beginning of action, or at least the beginning of thinking. Take for example, the other day someone said to me, "Do you know that when we retire there would be no more Social Security?" and I said, "So What?" This person thought that I was giving up and not caring about the subject at hand. What this person failed to see that if we answered every problem, complaint, difficulty with "So What?" we would have a better chance of evaluating the situation and seeing if there is anything we can do about the situation or anything we really want to do about a situation. Let's take for example the problem with Social Security, when I said so what that forces me to ask myself, so what does this matter to me, and so what I am going to do about it? Maybe I can't change the course of something, but I can take responsibility to change how I will approach a situation. Maybe I need to save now, maybe I need to find a second income that will keep coming in for the rest of my life whatever I choose the choice is mine to make and act upon.
The same holds true with what I see in the mirror, if I look into the mirror and don't like what I see, I can complain, and moan about it or I can say "So What?" and now the ball is in my court to do something. "So what" am I going to do about how I look, what choices will I make today and each day to change what I don't like. The choice is ours, so tomorrow will you complain about a situation that you don't like, or seems unfair or will you ask yourself "So What?" and then come up with an answer that you can act upon to make some real changes in your life. The choice is yours.

Eating Out

Ok, I have a confession to make, the first time that I walked into a restaurant and saw the calories listed by my favorite foods, I was less than excited. I mean I go out to eat to enjoy myself when I eat out, why in the world would I want my meal ruined by knowing how many calories are in my food. But as time I went on, I found that these numbers, when I looked at them the right way could be my friend. If I know how many calories and sometimes other nutritional information that is sometimes offered, then I can make choices based on facts and not what I think or feel. As a matter of fact when I started looking at the calorie content in the foods that I would eat, I was amazed. Some of the foods that sounded healthy (like some salads) were loaded with calories. Some of them had enough calories for my entire day. So now instead of having my meal ruined by seeing the calories, I now embrace this new system and use it to help me to make good choices and informed choices. Like this morning I went to I-Hop with my husband for breakfast, and was able to order my breakfast with turkey bacon and imitation eggs for under 500 calories. Not that you have to have turkey bacon or imitation eggs, but at least now the power is mine to make choices that are good for me.

Its Friday

Well, it's the weekend, weekends always seem to come with their own sets of challenges. First, weekends don't have a set schedule like the rest of the week has. You can plan the rest of the week, but the weekends there are things to do and things that come up at the last minute and are harder to plan for when it comes to exercise and eating. For me this weekend we are having a Holiday Open House to show off our Holiday line with Arbonne. So tonight and tomorrow morning I will be busy. Then there is always trying to catch up on cleaning, laundry, spending time with my husband, and of course some "me" time to relax. I can never seems to figure out is more harmful, a full weekend where you are more likely to grab something to eat on the run, or a relaxing weekend where you (at least I do) tend to overeat out of boredom? If I'm too busy, I can find myself skipping meals, but vegging out with a weekend full of old movies (chick flicks and musicals) can ruin my diet for sure.
Which is harder for you?

When you don't feel well

Sitting here today trying to think about what I'm going to write and my head is pounding so hard, that I'm wondering how to put together two sentences, much less an entire blog.  But I am committed to doing this everyday, so go or bad, long or short, you will hear from me everyday.  Yesterday was a good day as far as eating goes, because I felt sick all day, so food did not look that appetizing to me.  in fact the only reason I ate at all yesterday, was to see if I could somehow get rid of this migraine.  Even had a coke on my way home to see if the caffeine would help.  I try to stay away from sodas but I made an exception yesterday.  So here I am at work this morning wondering if I should be here or in bed.  Not wanting to eat anything, and wanting to just go back to bed and pull the covers over my head.  I know this isn't a lot about dieting or choices, not even sure if it makes since, but I guess no matter what you are trying to change, improve or do in your life, there will be days that you just don't feel like it.  And some days it is best not to worry with it, as long as days like this are not everyday and you are right back into moving toward your goals as soon as you can, then give yourself and your body a break on days like this, and allow time to heal.  

Scale Friend or Foe????

So I got on the scale today and I am down 2 1/2 pounds.  This makes me feel good, but my question is, is the scale a friend or a foe?  Me, I'm an everyday weigher, I get on the scale every morning before I get dressed or have breakfast to see where I am.  I use this as a way to keep track of where I am, and how things are going.  And yes, I have heard all the reasons why you shouldn't weigh everyday, and how the scale fluctuates and this should not be the only determining factor, and I understand all of that.  But I believe each of us has to look at our relationship with the scale and how we feel after we step on the scale, no matter what it says, and what we do with the way that we feel.  I am one of those, that if the scale is down, I feel good and want to do well that day to keep up the good work, but also, if the scale is up a little I make adjustments for the day, cut back a little, step up the exercise a little more, so you see to me the scale is a motivator no matter what it says. 
So I don't believe in what's right and what's wrong, as far as the scale is concern, I believe in what works.  So find that balance in your life and do what is going to help you the most in reaching your goals. 
Today is a good day on the scale, I am motivated to keep doing what I am doing.

If you write it they will read: Perfection, is it worth it?

If you write it they will read: Perfection, is it worth it?: Yesterday was ok, but was it perfect, NO. Did well for breakfast (usually my easiest meal) then my morning snack was right on. And then came...

Perfection, is it worth it?

Yesterday was ok, but was it perfect, NO. Did well for breakfast (usually my easiest meal) then my morning snack was right on. And then came lunch, and instead of eating what I had brought to work, I wanted to go out with my husband, so there I was as Jack in the Box having a burger and fries. So what should I do if I make a bad choice, and is it really a bad choice or is it a choice that doesn't move toward my goal. What if I change my thought process, and instead of beating myself up when I eat something that doesn't move me toward my goal and just make a better choice with my next meal. That is what I chose yesterday, instead of telling myself that I blew it and just give up and eat like crazy the rest of the day, I ended the day on a positive note and made better choices for the rest of the day. So at the end of the day, I could truly feel good about my day. It's ok not to be perfect, that's life, none of us are perfect. But it's what we do with our imperfections that determines the kind of person that we are and the kind of person that we are becoming. I am becoming a person that can take control of my actions and make good choices, and will strive to be a better person each day.

Is knowledge Power?

"Knowledge is power"???? Is it really, if that is the case then I should have all the power in the world. Ask me what it takes to lose weight and I can tell you first hand, for you see, I have lost weight, over and over again. I know how to do it, even when I'm making wrong choices it is not because of lack of knowledge. So what is it, is it lack of will power? Are you kidding me, I have been on so many different diets that will power is not the problem. What I need is to stop dieting, stop trying to work so hard at losing weight, but sit back and ask myself, what is truly important to me, what are my priorities, my desires? WHAT DO I WANT? I want to feel good, not just physically, but emotionally, I want to feel good when I get dressed in the morning, I want to look in the mirror and say "Wow!!!" and then smile and go on with my day. I want to have the energy to play with my new grandson. I want to live a life that has meaning and purpose and not a life of just existing. But you can't do those things if you can't move your body, if you get winded just from walking stairs. So today, "knowledge is not power", "KNOWLEDGE WITH ACTION" is power, today I choose to act, to make the changes necessary to obtain those things that are truly important to me. Please come along with me on this journey and together "who knows" where are power will lead us.

Women of Faith Over The Top Conference Anaheim, CA

Last weekend I was blessed to go to the Women of Faith Over the Top Conference at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. It was truly a blessing in so many ways. First I was blessed to get tickets as a blogger to blog about the event, in fact I received two tickets, so the second blessing was being able to take my younger sister along with me. God blessed in that also, because she had been very sick and in bed for weeks up until this conference and wasn't sure she could make the conference even up until the day of the event. But somehow she was able to get out of bed and come. (She never knew until later that I had people praying for her). Then on top of taking my younger sister to the event, my older sister and my aunt already had tickets so it was great to be with both my sisters and my aunt and be able to share in this event.

Now the event itself was wonderful. Within the last six months I have read three books by Andy Andrews, who up until that time I had know idea who he was, and now he is without a doubt one of my favorite authors, so you can image my delight to see that Andy Andrews was one of the speakers at this year's event. What a pleasure to hear him share, in his quirky southern way, how everything we do matters. That weather we know it or not what we do right now today, will effect generations to come, and how one person could change another's life in a profound way by just doing one small thing. His insight, his stories, and his wisdom are so amazing that had he been the only speaker last weekend it would have been worth it.

But the weekend wasn't about just one speaker there was what in movies or TV they would call an ensemble. And when each speaker got up to speak your were sure that "this" was the message that God wanted you to take home from the weekend, that somehow it was this speaker for whom God had you there to hear. I heard this from more than one person over the weekend, so let's go through some of the other speakers that were there.

There was Pasty Clairmont, she is just a bundle of energy and oh so funny. Through her we learned that sometimes "Change can be good" we laughed with her and cried with her as she told of the illness and almost death of her son. And now when I try to fight God in some change that He wants to make in my life, her words "change can be good" will come up over my from the back of my head to the front of my head reminding me to trust God with not only my life but the lives of my loved ones.

We also had Marilyn Meberg, I had never heard of Marilyn before the weekend, but her wisdom and humor showed us how to have a better relationship with God.

Lisa Whelchel, I remember watching her on The Facts of Life and loving her then, but now God is using her in a new way. Lisa showed how to find and how to be a true friend. If you remember "Blair" you might think that like "Blair", Lisa must have it all together. How could someone who was on a show for so many years that centered around the friendship of four girls have trouble finding true friends as an adult? It was refreshing to hear Lisa share her story, because finding true friends as an adult has been difficult for me. It seems that all my friends are what I would call seasonal or event friends and as soon as that season or event was over these so called friends were no where to be found. I always felt that having friends was easy for women and more than once wondered what was wrong with me that I did not have the kind of friend that would be there no matter what, that I could be real with, that I could tell anything to and trust them that would now judge me, but hold me accountable when needed, let me cry when needed, laugh when needed or just let me vent.

Besides the speakers we also had great music, from ladies that not only used the gift of their voice to bless us, but used their life and their struggles to bless us. We heard from Mandisa, what a voice, Sandi Patty, no one can belt it out like Sandi, and Amy Grant, saw her concert years ago in San Diego, now seeing her again reminds me how remarkable she is.

The best thing, to me, about the weekend is that I never got the feeling, like wow these women are super Christian Women, I wish someday I could be like them. In stead I was reassured that we all as women struggle with the same things, whether it's weight, friendship, children, our relationship with God, we are all going through this stuff together. I am so glad that each speaker choose to just be real and not pretend to have it all together. It was a great weekend and I can not wait until the next one.

My Daily Thoughts

As I was doing my daily quiet time, I was reading in the book of Nehemiah, Now it happened when Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall, and there were no breaks left in it (though at that time I had not hung the doors in the gates), that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together among the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they thought to do me harm.
So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?”
But they sent me this message four times, and I answered them in the same manner.
Then Sanballat sent his servant to me as before, the fifth time, with an open letter in his hand. In it was written: It is reported among the nations, and Geshem says, that you and the Jews plan to rebel; therefore, according to these rumors, you are rebuilding the wall, that you may be their king. And you have also appointed prophets to proclaim concerning you at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah!” Now these matters will be reported to the king. So come, therefore, and let us consult together.
Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say are being done, but you invent them in your own heart.”
For they all were trying to make us afraid, saying, “Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will not be done.”
Now therefore, O God,strengthen my hands.
Afterward I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was a secret informer; and he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you; indeed, at night they will come to kill you.”
And I said, “Should such a man as I flee? And who is there such as I who would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in!Then I perceived that God had not sent him at all, but that he pronounced this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. For this reason he was hired, that I should be afraid and act that way and sin, so that they might have cause for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat, according to these their works, and the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who would have made me afraid.

I had these thoughts: As Nehemiah was trying to do a good thing (build the gates around Jerusalem) he was met with people trying to distract him. And I thought how sometimes when we try to do something good, we too can run into dis tractors. Over and over again they tried to pull Nehemiah away from what he was trying to accomplish, but yet he kept right on track. Sometimes those trying to pull us away can actually think that they are trying to do something nice. But they are in fact distracting us from our goals our purposes.

Let's say you are trying to improve your health, you can be sure that there will be those who will try everything they can to get you to eat something that you are trying to stay away from. They will say things like "just one bite can't hurt", or those who want you to hang out with them instead of going to the gym. Whatever the reason, they are distracting you from your goals.

It seems the more you try to improve your life, the more people will want to distract you from doing so. But like Nehemiah, we need to be single minded, with clear goals and direction and then we will see remarkable changes in our lives.

Please feel free to share what areas of your life you have run into dis tractors.