Thursdays are for Jenny Craig weigh-ins!

or not.

We cancelled our Jenny Craig appointment yesterday because, well, 1) I was under the weather and 2) we had company stopping over at the same time.

So now it’s confession time.  Before I realized that I actually had these great excuses, I was actually planning to cancel the appointment anyway because, frankly, I was too fat to get on the scale.  Plus, what would I say?  I have spent most of the week leading up to the appointment eating whatever amount of whatever I wanted.  (And, yes, this was the week after Thanksgiving week in which I gained 2 lbs. contrary to my goal.)  And, since I’m on a roll airing my dirty laundry, last night, for the first time since we began the Jenny Craig program, my husband and I teamed up on ordering a 15″ diameter of meaty, cheesy, saucy, greasy pizza pie of goodness!  How about I go on and tell you there were only two slices of leftovers for the kids’ lunch today.  Ouch.  This is the second time we’ve reverted to our old ways of late night 4th meal eating.  The last time was a few months ago and Burger King’s array of heart attack burgers and fries won out.

I’m not proud of this.  So why do I even tell?  I could just keep it as a secret and “try harder” this week.  You know why?  Because there is freedom on bringing our sins into the light.  Now, Satan has no authority over that greasy little secret.  He cannot keep me down. He cannot steal my joy.  He cannot lie to me about how horrible I am on this diet and succeed at convincing me that I should just quit.  John 10:10 I believe what God says in the Scriptures and I’m thankful that He will forgive me and afford me a a fresh start….again.

1John 1:5-10 reads:

⁵This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. ⁶If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. ⁷But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from allsin.

⁸If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

taken from BibleGateway

As I sit here nibbling on the Jenny Craig Turkey Burger (which is delish, by the way), I am even more excited about the opportunities ahead of me this week to conquer this issue buried deeply inside.  As Sasha (my super great Jenny Craig consultant) always says, “It’s PROGRESS, not PERFECTION.”  I can make lots of great choices for my health even today.

I think today I’ll:  1) not eat and nibble all afternoon, 2) measure out my dinner portion and eat nothing more, 3) no eating before bed unless it’s a health choice like fruit or yogurt, etc. and I’m legitimately hungry.  And, tomorrow, Saturday, there’s all sorts of time to find a 30-min. workout!

My chances of dying young are already significantly diminished thanks to the 30+ pounds I’ve removed.  But, the journey is not over.  It will be a series of ups and downs, for sure, but I’m so thankful to be doing this with my husband (and Sasha) AND with the supernatural power, strength, and healing that comes from my Creator, the Living God.

Wifey Stuff (read if you’re single)

I figured out how to get my husband to do what I want him to do. I know…you should be paying me a million bucks to read this post. But, because I like you, we’ll settle on $free-ninety-free.

To make translation from my house to yours easier, I’ll just write these as imperatives (it’s totally up to you whether you do them :o)

1.  Treat him as though he is the king of the earth.  Likely, he doesn’t deserve to be treated this way.  Do it anyway.  Likely you don’t deserve to be cherished and loved but you expect him to do it anyway.  See the connection?

2.  Look hot.

3.  Act Be interested in his day, his likes, his hobbies, his thoughts, his heart.

4.  Make time to hang out with him but don’t let it seem that you had to etch the time out.  This will make him feel that he is important to you.

5.  Pray for him.  And, at least tell him that you are doing so.  Otherwise, do it with him in your arms.  If you are doing #3 you’ll have better insight into what to pray for.

6. You start.  Yup.  Don’t sit around waiting for him to start the change and then be all mad when he doesn’t.  You start.

7. Take care of his children and his home WELL so he doesn’t feel bogged down by adding this to his plate (regardless of whether or not he then does either of those things, it still feels like burden to him and can clog him up).

8.  Initiate physical intimacy….that is:  Sex.  (Refer to #2 for advice.)

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Recommended Reading…just to get started:

Created to be His Help Meet by Debbie and Michael Pearl

The Holy Bible, Proverbs by God

The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands by Dr. Laura Schlessinger

*Now, if you’re single, you’ll notice that the above imperatives include a lot of selflessness.  You’ll want to develop that character trait well before marriage.  It is in error to think that you’ll ride the “magic love wave” all throughout marriage and your selfishness will magically disappear.  Take it from me.  I am an expert on that line of thinking.

I knew none of these things on this day…

So happy to be 5 sizes smaller today! Yay for dealing with heart issues!

Disclaimer:  I am not an expert on wifey-ness. Some assembly required. Member WWJD.

Let’s add a few more to the list!!  Comment away on your suggestions on marriage.  That will make this more fun for me :o)  –Jen

Rainy night and brilliant lights.

Last night, while driving to meet my friend for dessert, it was drizzling rain as it had been all day.  So, while driving, I specifically asked God to give me a a prophetic word from Him for our time together.  (Isn’t that great?!  He wants to participate in our lives in this way, and he WILL.  Just ask!)

As I was just being in his presence on the drive to the restaurant I was struck by the brilliance and beauty of the red and green traffic lights reflecting on the street.  There were street lights, too, in various hues of yellow and white.  The lights looked so long and bright and brilliant in the puddly places on the street.  The colors were extraordinary.  The whole thing was in high def, it seemed!  Glistening and beautiful.  This photo is not my actual view, but this picture illustrates the essence what I saw.

Do you notice the places on the street (in the foreground) where the concrete is wet but not reflecting?  It is dull and rough looking.  If all of the street is wet, then why are these parts textured and rough?   More specifically, why does the street reflect at some places and not others?  I studied the street and realized that the light reflected so well where there was actually standing water, like a sheet of water over the concrete.  Then I got it.

We reflect the brilliant light of Jesus Christ when we are immersed in the Living Water. Just as the street was beautifully reflecting the colors from the traffic lights only where the street was immersed in water.  Immersed.

im·merse \i-ˈmərs\ to plunge into something that surrounds or covers; especially : to plunge or dip into a fluid

Wet isn’t doing the job.  One is immersed, one is just wet.  Whoa!  I know!  There it was. Exactly what I asked for and I didn’t even have to try (read: do something) for this to happen to little ‘ol me!

Is it a word for you today?

Eternity starts today.

This morning at 6:52 I rolled out of bed.   I left the quiet room and silently thanked God for another day of life.  Interestingly, at nearly that same moment in time  my grandma entered heaven.

This wasn’t entirely unexpected.  Earlier this year, we all thought she was dying but then she miraculously recovered.  But, it wasn’t without lots of trouble.  In short, she has carried around tackle box of prescription drugs for years that kept death at bay and helped to redeem any quality of life there was left for her.  Then, after the above-mentioned episode and consequent nursing home stay, she had broken both of her ankles and was wheelchair bound all while staying off the failure of numerous organs.

I had just been to see her (with the grandbabies in tow, of course!) a few weeks ago and brought some oatmeal raisin cookies for our picnic.  What brings the biggest smile to my face is how she kept reaching for another one saying, “Ooh, these are just so wonderful, Jennifer! I must have one more.  This is a special occasion, afterall!”  She probably had about four!  And, how when I left her the extra 1/2 dozen to share with her friends at lunch the next day, I think we both knew that fewer and fewer friends would share in the cookie love before the day was over. ;)

She was the kind of grandma who maintained her matriarchal position in every family gathering whether she was cooking the turkey and bossing us all around or laying in the hospital bed…well, still bossing us all around!  It didn’t really matter the circumstances of her life, she had a well within from which she drew life. Spitfire life.  Dramatic life.  Humble life.  Joyful life.  Abundant life. Eternal life.

Happy Eternity Day, Grandma!   And thanks for the reminder that eternity starts today for me, too.