Weight Loss Journey 1

So I entitled this entry "Weight Loss Journey 1" to specify that this is my first official entry about my weightloss. But when I looked at "Weight Loss Journey 1".... it made me thing about just how many weight loss journies I have already been on in my short life. I'm 22 and I think every other month for the past 5 years I have been trying to lose weight. So really this should be entitled "Weight Loss Journey #201".

I have been a member of http://www.weightwatchers.com/ for a little over a year now. I am currently 18 pounds lighter than I was this time last year (bravo....)... but am still oh-so-far from my goal. I am on the far left in the picture above.

Three weekends ago was our 3rd Anniversary! Matt and I went to Evergreen Alabama for the week and did so good as far as eating goes... UNTIL (dun dun dun...) My sister and her boyfriend, and my best friend and her husband came out there Friday and stayed through the weekend. We ate and ate and ate... and ever since then I haven't been able to get back into the groove of eating healthy. I eat great for breakfast and lunch, then BLOW it at dinner. I have to realize (again) that just because we go out with our friends, or have dinner at Momma's, it doesn't mean to pig out and eat whatever we want to.

STARTING RIGHT NOW ( lol... is's 10:30 at night... I'm about to go to bed.) I WILL EAT HEALTHY. Eating healthy is a choice that only I can make for myself. I WILL make that choice.

• For breakfast I will eat a piece of peanut butter toast and a 8oz. of apple juice.



• For lunch I will eat a spinach salad with 0point veggies and light honey mustard.



• For a snack I will eat low-fat cottage cheese and pineapple.
  Officially leaving me 16.5 points for dinner.. YUMMY!
  
  OH! I'm sure I'll fit a starbucks doubleshot in there somewhere. :)
  
  So... 15.5 points left for dinner. :)
  
  Why does blogging help me???? This is going to be great!
  

"I forgive you."

In my book, those are some of the most difficult words so speak...with sincerity. I mean, sure.... you say, "I'm sorry for lying." I say, "I forgive you." But forgivness goes a lot deeper than words.
For a long time, I took the meaning of "forgivness" for granted. Let's be honest.. all of us have had something done to us or someone we love, or said to us (or about us), that we thought we would never forget, much less forgive them for. I mean, afterall... do they really deserve our forgivness?? Probably not, if we look at it through the world's perspective. But forgivness is not for the other person. You choosing to forgive is you choosing to free yourself from harboring that bitterness inside your heart... if for no other reason... you forgive for you.

God's views of forgivness are completely different than ours. Forgivness is rarely easy, but it's always the right thing to do. God always forgives you.. always. Show God's love by forgiving people unfailingly. The Bible actually says that forgivness is mandentory in order to keep the communication lines opened between you and God. You cannot pray with an unforgiving heart.... God can't hear you(John 9:31). It's that important that you give your worries to God, and just forgive.

Die to yourself?

What exactly did Jesus mean when He said to take up your cross daily?" That's a quesiton that I asked Matt last week. I have heard that my entire life... but never quite understood what it meant. Matt's answers were great.... and truely encouraged me to dig a little deeper.

In Matthew 16:24, Jesus said to his deciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."

I have so many "plans" for my future... starting a family while paying down debt, owning a business while being a stay at home mom.... so many things that, quite frankly, could never work together beautifully. When you take up your cross, you lose all personal ambitions. You have to be willing to let the leader lead if you are a follower. (This also applies to my marraige.... if I want Matt to be the leader of our home, I have to be just as willing to submit and follow him 100%.)

Matthew 6:25 continues with, "For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it."

Anytime you have to do something to "be seen", you have lost the concept of dying to yourself. As Pastor Charles always says, "It is NEVER your ability, it's your AVAILABILITY!" We want to be 1/2 dead and 1/2 alive... We want to choose what we die to. You can't do that! You have to die to all of it. Die to your marraige. Die to your finances. Die to your friendships. Die to your diet. Die to your past. Give it ALL to God and he will make it more beautiful than ever.

Jesus finishes with with Matthew 6:26. "What good will it be for you to gain the whole world, yet forfeit your soul?"

When my heart is right with the Lord, it seems that I tend to "Count my blessings" instead of craving more. I have so much to be thankful for. YOU are # 1 on my list. :) Yes, YOU.

I am most greatful for my wonderful husband, Matt...
(And our baby, Baxter!)...









I am thankful for my precious Momma and Sister...















I am thankful for our Young Married's Group!..















I am thankful for The Bestest!..









I am so thankful for my wonderful in-laws...















I am greatful for my sisters and their beautiful families!..













I am greatful for my Dad and his awesome wife Linda!....












And for my amazing grandparents!...









And every single one of my wonderful friends!!....









I LOVE YOU ALL VERY MUCH!