Fundraisers, Fat, and Finishing

There have been several blog posts rolling around in my mind for some time now. Wouldn't you know it, now that I have a few minutes to sit down and get my thoughts together, I'm drawing a blank. So, I apologize if I'm less than eloquent in the following hodge podge of rambliness.

First things, first...

The wonderful ladies at Holgate United Methodist Church (where I was invited to speak last October) are hosting a Scrapbooking Fundraiser for Sufficient Grace Ministries for Women next Saturday, January 23, 2010 from 10am-7pm. There will be a demonstration, prizes, projects, lunch, and time to work on your own projects. Cost is $20 and proceeds will benefit Sufficient Grace. If you are local and are interested in learning more about this event or attending, please email me: sufficientgraceministries@gmail.com for details. They would like those attending to RSVP as soon as possible. We are so grateful for their willing hearts. Please pray that God will bless their efforts.

Next...I just wanted to thank sweet Sarita for sending me these beautiful Christmas ornaments in memory of my sweet Faith, Grace, and Thomas. She even had their names engraved on them and had their birthstone in each one. There are not words to share what it means to me that someone I've never met knows the names and birth months of my children in heaven and would take the time to have such a gift made and sent to me...even as her own heart grieves for her child. That is amazing...and it's also why I so cherish the friendships I have found in this blog land of ours. Thank you Sarita...and God bless you and your family...




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I thought I'd give a little accountability update on my "peeling back the layers" project. I have been praying, exercising, and eating healthy for the past couple weeks. I have lost three pounds in the past two weeks (six pounds total, since I ended my holiday eating frenzy)!

Goal: Lose 25 pounds, and more importantly gain freedom from unhealthy food habits

Progress: Lost 6 lbs...19 lbs. to go!

As I'm walking on the treadmill daily after work, I have some time to pray and reflect. It's good to think about the things on my heart and allow the Lord to speak and guide my thoughts. There aren't a lot of moments in my day when I'm quiet enough for that. It's been a nice time of refection...although, I could do without the painful shin splints and the sweat dripping off me while I'm praying and thinking. But, as moms, you know...we take the quiet time any way we can get it. And for me, a busy mom with a full time job and a full time ministry, it comes with the smacking of my feet on the merciless treadmill keeping time in the background. I'm so grateful there's a workout room at the school where I'm employed, so that I can spend the 30 minute wait I have until James gets off the bus squeezing in my exercise.

Here are a couple verses that stuck out for me this week as I bounced along...

If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed. But reject profane and old wives' fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. ~ I Timothy 4:6-8

Don't you just love the way God can just speak to us right where we are...even if we're bouncing along on a treadmill, wiping sweat out of our eyes? Love Him! And, I have to be honest...sometimes He cracks me up. It doesn't matter where we are, He will meet us there!

Before I share the other scripture He gave me this week, I just have to show you this:




This is pork tallow...a fancy name for fat. When we process our venison (as we were getting ready to do this afternoon), we add a little bit of this to the meat because venison is very lean. Anyway, in regards to exercise "profiting a little", I was whining about how much work it was just to lose three measly pounds.

My husband called me into the garage and said, "I want to show you something. This is 7 pounds of fat. You think three pounds isn't that much, but look at how much fat is in this bag. You lost almost half of that. Imagine carrying that around...that's a lot!"

I appreciated the encouragement...and also the fact that he noticed my struggle. I thought it was a good word picture, so I wanted to share it here. When I went outside to snap the photo, though, he shook his head and said, "So now you're taking pictures of fat to put on the Internet?" I told him you all would appreciate a good word picture, and that I wasn't the only woman struggling with this issue. Maybe his word picture would encourage someone else who thinks this weight loss thing is a tedious process. (He still thought I was crazy...but he loves me anyway!) There are also a million other spiritual lessons we could incorporate into this "fat-shedding" topic...like how heavy it is to carry sin around, and how good it is to rid ourselves of it's weight. Or even, how ugly our sin nature is. I'll let you chew on it, so to speak, and see what the Lord speaks to you about that.

On to the other verses...

As the thoughts and prayers poured forth, there was much on my heart and mind that I would like to do. I need organization and renewal in almost every area of my life. There are so many projects at home and in the ministry I would like to tackle...so much to ponder. I was wondering how it would all get done...and wondering if I would persevere until each task was completed. Or, would I get overwhelmed and give up as I've been known to do a time or two?

Here's what God had to say...

If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done. God's ways are as mysterious as the pathway of the wind, and as the manner in which the human spirit is infused into the little body of a baby while it is yet in its mother's womb. Keep on sowing your seed, for you never know which will grow - perhaps it all will. ~ Ecclesiastes 11:4-6 TLB

That's God's version of JUST DO IT! No excuses...don't wait for tomorrow...don't wonder if it's all worth it. Which seed will grow? Which won't? Don't wait until everything is just right...there will never be perfect conditions. Just do what He has laid on your heart to do...just keep sowing the seeds He's given you to sow.

AND, one more...

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ~ 2 Timothy 4:7

I don't want to be a quitter...no matter what it is. I want to be a finisher. I want to finish the race. I want to say, I kept the faith. A lot to think about, I know. And there are several meanings to this. But, I think our outward physical behavior is often an indication of our inward spiritual condition. I want to be a "race finisher" in both regards. I'm tired of the loose ends and unfinished state of so many things in my life. So, I will press on, fighting the good fight as the Lord enables me, hoping to finish the race strong. Thanks for your prayers and words of encouragement...I'm praying for all of you, too. Keep pressing on, sisters...

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By the way...how awesome was it to read the beautiful praises coming from the hearts of each mom on last week's Walking With You, post?! Just blessed my heart, ladies...thank you for doing that. There really is beauty in praising Him, no matter what. And He is worthy to be praised!!!!