Year of change marches on

So I rejoined Weight Watches on September 1st. I have had some ups and downs. I have learned to get over the food downs in a hurry. Just start over. It's as easy as that.

Started new job mid August.  Still don't know about that. I'm not in love with it. I'm working temp to perm for 90 days. I am 2/3 of the way through that. I will decide soon if I want to stay at this place.

GOD IS MY PROVIDER (Yahweh Yireh) OF ALL THINGS.

GOD IS MY PROVIDER (Yahweh Yireh) OF ALL THINGS.

(Genesis 22:14 - So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided. ”)

I have been reading the book authored by Max Lucado called “Fearless”.  I never dreamed it would turn into a book that would lead me through my daily devotionals in such a personal way.   Today’s chapter is titled “Make Believe Money” and my personal take away has been a reminder that God is the provider of absolutely all things in my life.

The following sentences make up a summary of my own notes and prayers that came out of this morning’s study.  Please disregard grammatical errors and incomplete sentences if they exist as these are notes and thoughts that came to me as I read and pondered.   Also, the words in a contrasting color in the middle of scripture are where I inserted comments that brought application to me to a personal level.

Psalm 104:27-28

²⁷ All creatures (made by God) look to you (God)
    to give them (me) their food at the proper time.
²⁸ When you (God)  give it to them, (all creatures, of which I am one)
    they gather it up;
when you (God) open your hand,
    they (which includes me, myself and I) are satisfied with good things.

This led me to ponder on some of the things that I am satisfied and blessed with in my life.

My Savior

My Family

My Home

My friends

And soon I will be blessed with a new job. 

I can ponder for hours on why I am blessed and satisfied with each of the points above.  It is overwhelming to sit and ponder on the goodness of God my Provider. 

With all the goodness of God I wonder why fear enters.  The most fearful thought that invades my peace right now is when I dwell on the negatives of my jobless state.  Today I am reminded that God will provide a new job at the “proper time” (vs 27) and when he does “open His hand” I will be more than “satisfied with good things”.  (vs 28).  In the meantime, scripture tells me not to forget the blessing that I still have and that God is the source of them.

Hosea 13:6

⁶ When I fed them, they were satisfied;
    when they were satisfied, they became proud;
    then they forgot me.

Lord, I repent of forgetting you.  Let my thoughts, words and actions be pleasing to you.   I pray that I will always be aware of your presence in me and my fellow believers.  I also pray that the hearts of those who do not know you yet will be drawn to you through contact with your saints.

IT ALL BELONGS TO GOD. It always has, always will.

No matter what we have or don’t have, it all belongs to God.

Deuteronomy 10:14

⁴ To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.

1 Chronicles  29:11

¹¹ Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power
    and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
    for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;
    you are exalted as head over all.

Haggai 2:8

⁸ ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty.

What I have is more than sufficient.  I am richer than probably 95% of the world’s population.  The realization of this fact, lead me to this exhortation:

Psalm 49:16-20

16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
    when the splendor of their houses increases;
17 for they will take nothing with them when they die,
    their splendor will not descend with them.
18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—
    and people praise you when you prosper—
19 they will join those who have gone before them,
    who will never again see the light of life.

20 People who have wealth but lack understanding
    are like the beasts that perish.

Lord, I pray for understanding so that I will live according to your desires and not my own.  I pray that I never take you , my family, my friends or my processions for granted.  I pray that I always remember that you are the source of everything good in my life. 

The Lord provides everything that I need and so very much more.  I can take credit for none of it.  I finish today with a direct quote from the ending of Chapter 9 of “Fearless” by Max Lucado.

“God owns everything and gives us all things to enjoy.  He is a good shepherd to us, his little flock.  Trust Him not stuff.  Move from the fear of scarcity to comfort of provision.  Less hoarding, more sharing. “Do good…be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share.”

              And, most of all, replace fear of the coming winter with faith in the living God.   After all, it’s just Monopoly money.  It all goes back in the box when the game is over.

These thoughts that I have expressed are my own personal take away from this chapter.  They go along with the author’s thoughts most of the time but God sent me down a rabbit trail or two as well.

I pray for God’s blessings to all who stop by to read.

Year of Change Update

So, how is my year of change going?  I would say rather quickly in some aspects and very slow in others.  I say quickly because it has already been over three months since my job ended and I still don't have a new position.  Of course I just now started to seriously search for one so I can't complain about that.  I have been enjoying time with with the g-kids doing summer time things.

It is going slowly in the weight loss department, once again that is on me as well.  I am just now getting a hold on my eating habits and have started losing weight.  I joined a gym as well and I am surprised to discover that I kind of like it.  I work out with a trainer once a week and do cardio an additional five days a week.  So I am at the gym every day except Sunday.  So hopefully the weight will start coming off a little better.

I also had surgery on my left foot in April and am still in the recovery process for that as well.  Went to the doc yesterday and he said that everything is progressing normally.  I will be going back to physical therapy because the scar tissue needs to be broken up which entails manipulating the tissue using a high amount of pressure and I can't do that to myself.  It is painful.  I know that this is minor compared to what other people go through for surgeries and injuries but I will freely admit that I am a wimp.  I will go through this stage without complaining.  It will pass.

I have one more hurdle to get through though and this one is more a matter of the soul.   I am searching for a new church.  Not because I am unhappy with the one I currently attend but because my heart is being lead in a different ministry direction which means that I must move on.  I need to actively start that search as well and stop Internet surfing and actually start visiting.  I get so timid when I have to go do something by myself for the first time. (I wouldn't have gone into the gym for the first time without my sister taking me with her).

Overall life is good.  I just have to stop procrastinating and move forward in a more focused manner

God's Blessings to everyone who stops by to read.

Missing friends...

It has been an incredibly sad year for me so far. Thursday we will celebrate the life of Lesa Latham Godsey who fought a long and difficult fight against cancer; and I will I have had to say goodbye to my third friend this year as they relocate to their permanent home in the presence of our awesome God. Although I rejoice for them I feel their absence.

2012-The Year of Change....Progress?

Weight loss appears to be going well in spite of the fact that I constantly sabotage myself. It is very humbling to realize there is no such thing as will power. I know that I personally have absolutly none. The only way I am going to be successful in my quest for a healthier me is to constantly be reminded that God is the only one in control. By myself I'm just a glutton.  Hard lesson indeed but acknowledging this and embracing this truth has given me great peace. I sure was tired of trying to do it on my own.  Oh yeah, lets not forget the good news...the scale tells me I'm ten pounds lighter than I was just one month ago.

On to the second phase of a healtier me. I found out why my foot has been hurting so bad for the last year. I have plantars faciitis. So far I have had a cortizone injection and have been signed up for six weeks of physical therapy. I'm trying to be a patient patient.

2012 - THE YEAR OF CHANGE-Thursday, Dec 29 2011

Re-learning to cook real food for one instead of just heat & eat takes some thought.

2012 - THE YEAR OF CHANGE-Monday, Dec 26 2011

Got on the bathroom scales and almost had a stroke. Rejoined Weight Watchers that evening.

2012 - THE YEAR OF CHANGE

I am not making any "New Years Resolutions" this year; I seldom do anyway. I do however have many opportunities to make significant changes in my life. I have two challenges / opportunities that I already know are on my plate. They are listed below in order of long range importance.

1. Take care of my health. This will include weight loss because I am now having multiple health issues because of it and I would like to be around to see my Great-Grandchildren born, God willing. I would also would love to be able to go for a walk in the woods without pain. That would be awesome in itself.
2. Acquire new employment. A necessity not only to be able to stay financially stable but I also need that thing called health insurance to accomplish number 1.

I have found that I really don't journal or blog very well but I am going to try to share a bit about my year because I need all the support I can get from my friends. These goals are both very achievable and although they may not be easy at times I look forward to the journey and choose to be excited to begin.

Going through the motions......

With all of the recent news and activity that has been going on in our family; weddings, birthdays, a new precious grandson on the way, you would think that my mind would be on track and my heart would be secure. Unfortunately that has been the farthest thing from the truth in my mind for several months now.

I thought that when I found out my exit date from the company that I would be able to start making plans about who I wanted to be or what I wanted to do when I grew up. Instead I seem to be stuck in neutral. I have had to begin taking medication for depression and anxiety added to the have high blood pressure and acid reflux. Combining my vitamins and Rx drugs together I take 9 pills in the morning when I wake up and almost the same amount before I go to bed. I feel a lot older than I should. I also need to lose weight which would be a great help in correcting all of the above.

The issues I listed about are just my physical state. Spiritually I have been walking around in a dry land. Last night I was at church for a time of worship, prayer and communion, During my personal prayer time I became acutely aware of scriptures that where running through my head and where directed straight to my spirit. "Be Still" , "I have plans for you", "I'm right here, I'm not leaving you.", "Be Still", "You are my daughter", "I care for you" , "I know what you need and I will provide".

So, as I start today with these assurances held close to my heart; I will move forward with the intention of being fully engaged in the world around me; because even though I don't know what or where it is right now.....the is a place for me because my heavenly Father said so. Not that this is a magical formula and all my woes have disappeared but I have been reminded that God my Father hasn't disappeared either.

Blessing to all!