Photography Fridays ~ 1, 2, 3... Leap!

The story of my life.
The story of our pastor's current series.

But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture.

Malachi 4:2

(Look! 'Free' popped up again!)

Creative Thursday ~ Free Wheelin'! {2012 page 8}

The journey of 'free' landed here!

Riding free by Lindsey Krauss. 

Supplies: Paper: My Mind's Eye, Rhinestones: KaiserCraft, Stickers: AdornIt-Carolee's Creations,
Brad: American Crafts, Letters: White Blossom, Other: leather flower, chipboard heart, happy chipboard.

Wednesday Weigh-in ~ 2 weeks

This turned out to be a light week but a good one. I've only lost 1 more pound, but it was that elusive 11th that I haven't seen gone in over 6 years. I remembered the other day that on The Biggest Loser, week 2 is always the hardest week, so that gave me a little patience with such a small loss.

Unfortunately, I was also light on the exercise, too, so I didn't have that on my side. Today is literally the first day I can walk without pain in my calves from jump roping last week. I really couldn't tell if my muscles are just that out of shape or if I had somehow injured myself, so I didn't push it. I left last week to diet alone.

My Fitness Pal

For those of you wondering how I'm doing it, it's the combination of the following things:

• 1,200 calorie diet (for now), adjusted if exercise was included that day
• low sugar, low fat, low cholesterol
• 4 meals a day
• 1c Cheerios, 1/2 c oatmeal, and 1 serving of almonds, pistachios or walnuts (for the cholesterol lowering) included in daily diet
• whole grains only, no white carbs at all
• at least 6 cups of water a day, usually 8+.
• no eating after dinner
• app called My Fitness Pal on my phone. It tracks all of my calories, activity and water each day. Weight if I choose. Has lots of nutritional information on it, plus you can add your own.
• sheer willpower!

I feel like this should be the time I make goals or predictions, but I won't. This isn't a competitive thing. I'm just doing absolutely as much as I can do in one month before my cholesterol is tested again, hoping to be in ranges where I can avoid medicine. 

1 Corinthians 3:16 ESV 

Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?

Musical Mondays ~ The Revelation Song

Please note that I wrote this blog post last Thursday, scheduled it for four days later, and added the song to my blog lineup that Friday. There are no coincidences. Our amazing worship team used this song {last} weekend, and I certainly didn't want to take away from the fact that Bonnie, Jeff and the team worshipped with this song to its higher level. The fact that I would love to sing it to the masses one day is completely unrelated to this weekend's team performance. 3-25-2012

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I know it's not that old, but this has got to my most favorite song ever. Especially the Kari Jobe (album) version. I seriously play it so loudly in my car, I'm surprised I've never gotten in trouble over it. :)

It is a dream that I might one day get to sing this with a band. One day - the right one, at the right time - perhaps...

Scripture Sundays ~ John 8:31-33

The word, action or idea of "free" has kept coming about during my last week. I have no idea where He's going with it in this time of my life, but I'm following!

You saw this one a few days ago:

Psalm 118:5
5Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free.

Here is another I found today:

John 8:31-33
³¹ So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, ³² and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

So the word first appeared in my thoughts as McKenna set herself 'free' without training wheels.
*Then a Bible verse popped up on my phone having to do with 'free' - one I didn't memorize or take note of before it disappeared. :(
*Posted a 'free' verse last Thursday.
*After this, I started the process to scrapbook McKenna's training wheels pictures and I found a paper with the word 'free' in the title. (Even if it isn't the perfect paper for the pic, I'm going to use it and make it work!)
*We're not talking 'free' like free of charge or freewill, we're talking free like a bird. So excited to see where this ends up leading me...

Photography Fridays ~ look, ma...!

...no wheels!

Ooh - this is fun! Haven't posted a Friday in a while! You should know by now that I just love snapping the moments - we got one a little less than two weeks ago!

For a while, I wished that this picture was "better" (I had two dogs playing about as I held the camera for these shots). I wished that it was centered, everyone in focus, everyone in frame. But you know what? These are what the moments are about! Take them when and how you can get them! 

(p.s. I wonder if our God ever gets to feel like this, arms up, celebrating, watching His children go free? Always or never?)

Psalm 118:5

Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free. 

Wednesday Weigh-in ~ 1 week

Yay! What a week! I'll do the numbers last, but as of right now, the echo has been done and the halter is hooked up for a month. This is an event monitor; that means we're pretty much just sitting around waiting for something to happen. So while I don't want something to happen, we do. I'm so super happy that it's not recording day and night for a month because that sounded kind of creepy, to be honest. However, I feel just a bit of disappointment because I thought I would have someone to answer to, to help keep me disciplined, to help keep me accountable. I guess my work with self-control is yet unfinished...

So diet-wise, lowering-cholesterol-wise, I've realized that Cheerios and Oats are my friends. I've gone to about four meals a day. One includes Cheerios. Another includes 1/2 cup of Quaker oats, a very small selection of nuts (almonds or walnuts) with some real fruit-dried fruit bites. A big shout-out to Quaker. I posted a question that I couldn't find the answer to on their Facebook page and I got an actual reply - and answer! (Yes, uncooked oats have the same cholesterol-lowering benefits that cooked oats do. Just drink lots of extra water.) I haven't had a single "bad" carb in a week but my sweet husband went out and bought me, among many other healthy items, brown rice and whole wheat pasta, both of which he hates! It helps to have the family on board. My sweets intake is down to next-to-nothing as well. Self-control. Self-control. Self-control. lol!

Ohh, which to choose, which to choose...

Proverbs 25:28

A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.

Okay, so let's do the numbers.

2 is the amount of times I took my multi-vitamin. I always forget to take it since I accidentally bought one with caffeine in it and won't take it at night anymore.
3 is the amount of times I've exercised. That's my focus this week. Garage workout, here I come!
4 is the amount of times we ate out this week (bday parties galore - this isn't normal!) and also the amount of times I stayed within calorie & nutrition range for eat-out meals! Friday's and Chili's both have great healthy choices. Full nutrition information easily available!
5 is the amount of times I used my night cream. About 150% better than normal!
6 is the amount of times I took my calcium.
6 is also the amount of pounds I lost this week! Woohoo!
10 is the amount of total pounds I've lost so far. But I've been here before. It's getting to the next pound off that is so hard...
7 is the amount of days I stayed on my calorie task this week!
25 is about the amount of meals I've eaten this week.
50 is roughly the cups of water I drank this week.

So this week is about a better workout. Some strength to add to more cardio.
I'm still working on getting the house back. It's not that it's a major mess, but I feel like it's ahead of me and I want a happy home. uh, house. I just {gloriously} haven't had the time. Ooh! Except the closet! Husband rebuilt inside our closet and we both went thru all of our clothes, purged, reorganized and cleaned like crazy. I want to sleep in there now.

p.s. When I was typing in Thesaurus.com looking for a word I just couldn't think of, I accidentally typed in discipled. Cool. :)

John 15:4 - 5.  Remain in me, and I will remain in you.  No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.   I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit, apart from me you can do nothing.

Thanks all. Pray with me as I send a prayer with every oat that each one takes a bit of cholesterol awayyyy!

Scripture Sundays ~ Jeremiah 29 & Proverbs 3

Having visions of many paths lately - these oldies-but-goodies got me through last week, so pick one {or both!} and enjoy!

Jeremiah 29

New International Version (NIV)

Jeremiah 29

A Letter to the Exiles

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” 

Proverbs 3

English Standard Version (ESV)

Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart

3 My son, do not forget my teaching,
     but let your heart keep my commandments,
² for length of days and years of life
    and peace they will add to you.

³ Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;
     bind them around your neck;
     write them on the tablet of your heart.
⁴ So you will find favor and good success
    in the sight of God and man.

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not lean on your own understanding.
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths.
⁷ Be not wise in your own eyes;
     fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
⁸ It will be healing to your flesh
    and refreshment to your bones.

⁹ Honor the Lord with your wealth
    and with the firstfruits of all your produce;
¹⁰ then your barns will be filled with plenty,
    and your vats will be bursting with wine.

¹¹ My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline
    or be weary of his reproof,
¹² for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,
    as a father the son in whom he delights.

Creative Thursday ~ My Dude {2012 page 7}

Man, am I falling behind! Even counting my sunflower project as a page, I'm still three behind of my goal of one project per week. Just haven't had the scrappy time. And I've noticed that my blogging time is directly related to my time in the scraproom, too, by the way...

Supplies: Paper: Daisy D's,  Flowers: Prima, other, Felt: Fancy Pants,
Ribbon: Making Memories,
Other: sticker letters, button, brads, ribbon, rickrack.

The post for True XoXo Scrapboooking is up (remember! new web address!) and the challenge was to be "Pinterest-ed". Man, these girls continuously amaze and surprise me. Here is my humble project for the challenge, inspired by a graph of some sort. Honestly, I never even looked closely at the Pin until a while after I finished this page! Funny how inspiration comes in the oddest forms sometimes...

and its Pin-inspiration (PINspiration?):

Enjoy. And please visit the new XoXo! https://truexoxoscrapbooking.wordpress.com/

Weighing in on Wednesdays; Wednesday Weigh-ins

Well, it seems I actually do have something to write about on Wednesdays. No more Wacky Wednesdays; that wasn't really working out anyway, was it? Nope. I'm switching it up to Wednesday Weigh-in.

We will pause for a public service announcement. I aptly apologize in advance for the overuse of active alteration in this blog post.

This is not about weight, exactly. I mean, yes, I do have weight to lose (at least 25 lbs, to be almost exact) and will chart that as we go along, but I've always believed losing weight is less about pounds and more about overall health and wellness. Truly, when I am healthy, I am happier, and my home is run better. 

*Health.
*Happiness.
*Home.

That's the goal.
I have so much to do. 

Weight (exercise, diet), yes.
Get my home in order (the 'stuff', the to-do list, and ugh, the regular dusting), yes.
Actually sick to a bedtime routine, night cream and all, yes.

Please understand, although I really will count how many times I use my night cream, this is least of all about vanity.

¹⁹ Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, ²⁰  for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

English Standard Version (ESV)

Yeah, that's about it.

So, what will I do? Me time. Use it wiser.

w - Get back into the exercise routine, for sure.
w - Eat better. Ok fine - we actually do eat quite healthy - I will work on laying off the sugar . Weight Watchers, if necessary.
w - Get to those doctors appointments. Today was primary. Tomorrow is cardiologist. Next is dermatologist.
w - Wash face at night, use night cream.
w - Get my house back! Donate what needs to be donated. Empty the baskets of 'what needs to be put away'. Clean the clutter! (Side note: did the garage today!) Just generally get to those procrastinated projects.

So, onward we roll, thankful that there are such things as smart phones so that I can write all of this, at 11:45 pm, in my bed, to clear my head, so I can sleep tonight. Hmmm, almost Seussical.

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So as of this point, I have gone to my two doctors' appointments and had bloodwork done. One two very different instances, I have two battles about to begin. By next Wednesday's Weigh-in, I will have visited the hospital on a scheduled visit for an echocardiogram and to be hooked up to a halter monitor for a month. My cardiologist isn't alarmed, but didn't clear me either. I've had all of this, or something similar, fifteen years ago. Fifteen years ago I had the luxury of blaming everything on freaky circumstances. At this point, at 36, I feel a little more like it's my fault.

Secondary to that, I just found out that my cholesterol is extremely high. As in: high enough for the doc to call me himself and threaten medicine. I have one month to get it down. Again, I'm pretty sure I only have myself to blame. 

Looks like I have a new ribbon to add. Join me and the American Heart Association in my new battle against heart disease. Fighting it before I actually have it, that is. 

If you're inclined to pray, well, God's got the heart and cholesterol stuff. What I would need help with is self-control. It's definitely my weakest spiritual fruit. Is that why it's almost always mentioned last? Is it the hardest one for everyone?

So I march forth with discipline in my pocket. Calorie-counting, Walking again. This week will be filled with much research, getting ready to take better care of me so that I can better take care of others. Join me, wontcha? 

Musical Mondays ~ Legacy

Ohh, I just love this song. It's always been about leaving more than just picture and paper for me, and certainly teaching children about salvation has opened my eyes as well.

If you want a little more... please see the podcasts somewhere between #46 & #59 for a really neat series our lead Pastor, Jarrod Jones, spoke about. Enjoy.

Scripture Sundays ~ Deuteronomy 6:6-7

 This is a piece of scripture our beloved Miss Betty uses all the time; I can't remember where I first heard it, but I do remember the impact it had on me. Everlasting!

I'm actually writing this almost a week beforehand, on Monday morning, because I wanted to go search this verse out. I Googled it, couldn't find the one I wanted, went to BibleGateway.com instead and - not kidding you - it was the verse of the day. How cool is that?!

Enjoy!

Verse of the Day

 

“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” Deuteronomy 6: 6-7 ESV

Creative Thursday ~ Sunflowers and Structure {2012 project 6}

Ahhh, MOPs. Not only does it bring a social aspect, it brings great tips and projects like these.

The topic was home organization and I fared pretty well, I learned while listening to tips and tricks. But this project totally surprised me! I loved the idea and simplicity and I knew exactly what I wanted to do. My kitchen has yellow accents with sunflowers and I have tons of sunflower supplies that I stow away and keep for special occasions, just like this! Here's what I came up with:

Cute, right? In the scrapbooking world, this might be called altering; to many others, it's repurposing. Either way, I really like the idea, the design and we really use it! Since this, I've gotten more supplies to make one for each of the kids... stay tuned!

Lessons Learned - hats.

Image compliments of Caps For Sale,
book by Esphyr Slobodkina.

Today I learned a valuable lesson.


I must take off one hat before putting on another, otherwise I end up wearing too many hats at once and my brain begins to hurt.

Figuratively, but literally would work, too. 

Musical Mondays ~ Grenade

I just love this song. Can't get enough of it. I don't know if it's the passion in the words. I don't know if it's the anxiety in the vocals. I just love it. And Delilah, from The Sing Off, has performed my favorite rendition, by a mile further than any other.

Enjoy.

Scripture Sundays ~ 1 Timothy 4:12

I saw this verse on a former gymnast's page (a gal, I might mention, who is currently studying in Sydney with Hillsong International Leadership College - wow!) and it inspired me this week.

photo by Melody Young via Instagr.am

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.                

1 Timothy 4:12 NIV

I can't get it out of my head. I've been walking with it on my heart for two days. But I don't know what to do with it. I kinda wanna shout it out, but for now, this is the best way I can think of.

Thanks, Mel. Youth inspiring leaders. Yay!