My favorite Nail Polish

OPI's Hello Kitty "Let's Be Friends" is my new favorite nail polish color.

Special Thank You to my friend from work - YOU know who you are :O)

I probably only have a handful of people that read my silly ole blog, but one of the readers is a friend from work.  She texted me yesterday after my post comparing my progress.  She has been such an encouragement through this journey and I want her to know how much I appreciate her texts.  They mean so much to me.

She told me that, herself being a petite woman, she still struggles with weight issues.  It was eye opening, I see a skinny person and I think, wow, I would love to have her metabolism or just be born skinny, not realizing that they are working just as hard as a larger person is to keep the weight off.

She said she could really tell a difference in my face.  I guess looking in the mirror every day, all I can really see is how many more wrinkles I have and how much grey you can see in my roots.  I was looking for a picture of my grandsons today and saw this pic taken at Thanksgiving 2015.  I compared it to the one taken this Sunday on Easter with my family.

I guess I CAN tell a difference.  And not just the darker hair :O)  Thank you my friend (she is very shy about social media, so I don't want to list her name, but she will know who it is)!

my new Journaling Bible

At Christmas time, my friend Lisa got a journaling Bible.  It looked like something that I would really enjoy because I love to doodle and draw.  She told me that they were pre-ordering a journaling Bible that had some pre-drawn adult coloring book pages and then blank margins that you could draw also.  It was in New Living Translation, which is the translation that I love the best, so I pre-ordered it.  

A few weeks back in my Weight Watchers meeting, they were talking about snacking after dinner.  One of the ladies said that she has taken up adult coloring.  She said that she just gets lost in the colors and patterns and her hands are busy, so she doesn't think about eating.  

When my bible came in, that is what I started doing in the evening time instead of watching TV and being tempted by the chips or popcorn.  I just find a verse that I want to draw about, look up the chapter, read over the chapter and pray over it.  (I must admit that I get ideas from Pinterest, but they don't look much like they did on Pinterest :O) Ha!!!)

As I read about bible journaling, there are those that think it is not good to "doodle" in the bible, that it is sacred and God's Holy Word.  I believe that it is as well, but I also think that God would rather me spend time with him in prayer and meditation and not worry so much about what has been colored in the margins of my bible.

I also think back on the bible that Momma used all of those years.  Bro. Bobby preached her funeral with her own bible.  What a gift it was to hear what verses meant something to her, what notes she made in the bible.  I pray that this bible will be a gift to my kids one day when I am gone.

Since today is Easter Sunday, what better way to start this blog than with this verse.

this is one of my favorites.  I have to remind myself of this often.  I have a pretty low self esteem and I am sure it stems from being overweight most of my life, but as we have all heard, "God don't make junk!!!".

this is one of my least favorite, mainly because of the artistry, but I do like the verse and the adjectives.

This is one of the pages that is pre-printed.  I am finding that I am drawn to the blues and purples.  "Jesus, there's just something about that name"

This was the first page I colored.  It is Joshua 1:9.  It was the verse that Momma clung to when she found out that she had cancer.  I am finding that I like the pages that I draw myself better, but this bible does highlight some verses that I might not have been drawn to before.  

This reminded me of my sister.  She use to live in Virginia Beach and she loved light houses, she even has a small collection at her home.  She shared a song with me today that reminded me of what a gift Grace and Salvation is....it is not something that we earned, not something that we lose.  

Boy, I LOVE this.  I need to pray more and worry less.  My problems are nothing that God cannot handle, I just have to surrender to Him and trust him to handle it.  

This reminded me of Pastor Chris.  He talks each week about surrendering and living a life of "I am in Christ, Christ is in Me".  I always pictured surrender like someone at war waving a white flag, or sitting in the corner of a dark room with your face buried in your hands, now I know that surrender is freely giving you whole life to God to use as He sees fit.  It is reaching your hands and face towards the heavens and presenting myself as a living sacrifice.

He is with us wherever I go.

This journaling bible is for:

• doodling
• entering into His presence
• opening up
• experience more than rushing to finish
• chatting with God
• worship through art
• honesty
• sloppy handwriting
• hearing His voice
• laughter
• making mistakes
• coloring outside the lines
• skipping around
• brokenness
• meditating on scripture
• praying for others
• messy imperfect efforts

This journaling bible is NOT for:

• checking things off of a To Do list
• perfection
• proving how great of an artist I am
• Impressing God
• gallery art
• fear of failure
• showing off 
• neat, tidy thoughts
• fear of judgement
• impressing others

These pages may:

• crinkle
• wrinkle
• get stained
• RRRRRip!!!
• be ugly
• curl up
• bleed through

It is OK.  It is about spending time in the Word, spending time with God.

Easter 2016

Happy Easter everyone from this little bunny who woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed!

He loves being able to sit up.  I still put pillows around him because our floor is HARD when he falls.  

What a sweetie Pie!

He is such a HAM!

Annabeth loves her some Dallas.

Maybe he will be a dentist one day.  He loves checking out our teeth. 

Easter Sunday at Lakeland First Baptist Church.  We sure missed Sarah who was working and Noah and Hunter who were with their other grandparents.  It just wasn't the same without them. 

taking a picture in front of the infamous LFBC brick wall where EVERYONE takes pictures for instagram after church each week.  

we looked like  a couple of Easter eggs. 

Uncle Austin love this baby.

Dallas......just like Noah and Hunter.......love their Peepaw Sooooo much!!!!

Progress so far

It is not a huge difference, but you can tell a little bit.  I have got to hit the gym more to try to tighten up the skin that I know will be getting even saggier.  And look at that chest!!!!!  I have always teased that my bra size was the same as a men's suit, now I really do have 38 Longs :o)

And this is my official Weight Watchers weigh in uniform.  It is what I have worn for the last 14 weeks to weigh in.  I can tell the T-shirt is getting looser.  

4th of July goal

So they say that you should tell someone about your goal. My first goal was to be able to ride a horse.........I did that after losing 25 pounds.

My next goal is to have lost over 50 pounds  by July 4th. I had hoped to make it to that goal by the time we go to the beach in early June, but that is just not realistic. It is too much too fast, but an extra month seems like it could actually happen. We will see.

I have not exactly figured out what my reward will be, so I will be thinking about that. New outfit?? Massage? Bathing suit? Weekend getaway??

only 30 points per day :o(

Soooo..........the day has finally come that I only get 30 points per day. Pooey! I knew it would get here sooner or later, but it just seems like not enough points.

I guess it is a double edged sword. It means that I have already lost some weight and am smaller, so I don't need those extra points, but it also means that I will have to carefully budget my points so I have enough when supper rolls around.

I have never used very many weekly points, so I know I will be alright, but it is just another adjustment that I will need to make.

Some weeks, I wonder if I should be using some of my weeklys because the day will come that I will need to use them and I don't want to have a gain. Who knows??? I guess the program has worked for me so far, so I will just keep on doing what I have been doing.

still losing my marbles

I am so excited that I decided to do the jars of marbles when I started Weight Watchers. Let's face it, I am a pinterest hoarder. I have pinterest boards and boards of food I will never cook, homes I will never buy and crafts that I will never make. But, this was one idea that I did. I love the visual of the marbles. Each Friday when I go to my WW meeting, I cannot wait to get home and move my marbles and blog about it. It is silly I know.

I also love the WW challenges. They are so fun. It is not competitive at all. We are all winners, but it is fun to see if I can reach the goal set forth for the challenge.

I even started my own challenge "Beach Bound - Lose 20 Pounds". It is such a great way to encourage each other.

I also love the groups that I follow, especially the WW Losers with Faith group and the Motivational Weightloss Quotes group. Never thought I would love the E-tools as much as I do.

Glad to have somewhere to go to if I just need to "talk"

SHQ at Community Bible Church

We had the opportunity to sing at Community Bible Church, formerly Speedway Baptist Church down off of Jackson and I-240.  It is an inner city, multi ethnic church.  Wow is all I can say.  We went to bless them and we received the blessing, indeed.  What a time of testimony they had, a lady who had been laid off from her job of 30 years has been out of work for 2 years and hit rock bottom but continued to surrender to God.  She finally was able to receive disability and is giving back to her church and the ministry there.  A lady that the church had ministered to at Jail East for women accepted Christ as her savior.  The time of invitation was beautiful.  It is something that is missing in so many churches these days.  I know that people say that it is an time of emotion and people only come forward out of the emotion....I don't believe that, I believe that the spirit has a chance to move and people have an opportunity to answer to the spirits calling.  It was a great day to be in the Lord's house.  I sure do hope they invite us back there.

Caleb, Jeff's son, video'd some songs for us.  He did a great job....too bad the podium was right in the way.  Thank you Caleb for trying though.

"Here I Am To Worship"

I think I have a NECK!

Someone took a picture of Servants Heart last night and without doing any sort of contortions to get rid of any double or triple chins, I actually look like I have a neck.  That is thanks to being 32 pounds down.

Stage Door Manor

Austin has accepted a summer internship at the Stage Door Manor in the Catskill Mountains of  New York.  I have visions of the summer of Johnny and Baby in Dirty Dancing.

It is an hour or so train ride from NYC.  He will be there 10 weeks working as a costume designer.  He will get a couple of 3 day weekends to go into the city and also they will go into the Garment District to get fabric.  He is beyond excited.

I am so proud of you son.

The Bottom of the Barrel - 32 pounds down!!!!

So........I had a good week on Weight Watchers, in fact, in a hurry, we ran through Sonic on the way to see Tribute in Dyersburg after work last night.  I got a corn dog kids meal for 15 points, funny thing was I was full after eating only about 3/4 of the meal and the GREASE.....yuk!  It is funny how your tastes change.

A few weeks back I was talking about my jar of marbles.  I could not wait until I could no longer see the bottom of the jar.... TODAY WAS THE DAY!!!!

Servants Heart Quartet

So, you may have heard by now that Servants Heart Quartet, that Dwayne sings in, is looking for a tenor.  I am filling in for them on an interim basis.  

Thank goodness it is getting easier, I am not nearly as nervous and my voice is getting stronger.  

Now I just have to learn all of these songs.  

29 pounds down total!!!

as expected, I did not have a large weight loss this week. I was coming off of a bigger loss following the stomach bug last week, so I knew my body would need to re-hydrate.  I just worked hard to stay on the program and track and use only my daily points.  I was unable to exercise very much because I worked very long hours every night this week...some nights getting home at 10-11 p.m.  I did eat drive through a couple of nights.  I tracked and ate smaller point options, but not nearly as many fruits and vegetables.

I went to the grocery today and did alot of food prep for the week, so hopefully today will be better for me.

Until next week, I still count it as a loss......even if it was just 0.2 pounds.

OH...OH....OH!!!!!  I can cross my legs.  I did not even notice, but one of the ladies in Dr. Reddy's office noticed.  That is a non scale victory!!!

Servants Heart Quartet

Just in case you don't follow my husband on social media, he sings baritone for a southern gospel group called Servants Heart Quartet.  I have filled in occasionally singing the alto/tenor part.  Last week their tenor singer resigned.  The guys asked me to fill in for them until they can find another tenor.  Soooooooo................

I have always loved singing.  Growing up, that was my favorite part of church.  I played the flute and I sang - not at the same time of course :O).  Back then, I sang soprano, but really, as I have gotten older, alto is more my range.  Rhonda played the guitar and we sang growing up.  I also have always sang in the choir at church, and a solo or duet occasionally, but I have never really considered myself a singer.  Actually, I can't stand to hear my own voice, but it blends well with the guys, and heaven knows that I already know the songs from attending most all of their concerts over the past 8 years.

I have filled in quite a few times, so I am not quite so nervous anymore and it is getting easier.  What I do know is that I love my husband and I want to support whatever he is doing.  If that means getting out of my comfort zone to help him, then that is what I will do.  Besides that, the guys are all funny and silly and a joy to be around.  There have been a few people that said SHQ sure does look better with a girl singing.........ha!!!!  And a couple people have compared my sound to Vestal Goodman of the Happy Goodmans.  Really BIG HA!!!!  

So, if you see a post on Facebook about SHQ singing...........DON"T LAUGH!!!!!

It really is the little things

I got a coupon in the mail this week from an anonymous friend for the horse stable that I visited last week.  I had posted pictures of my horseback riding adventure on Facebook and someone sent this to me.  It is so encouraging to know that people care about me and care about this journey.

So to whoever sent it, I really appreciate your kindness and support.  

Encouragement from my sister

My sister left this note for me with a gift the day after I started Weight Watchers.  She is starting a new beginning of her own.  Prayers for each of us that we are successful in our own journeys.

I love you Rhonda.

Another loss this week, but I was sick so not sure it's really reflective of weight loss

I lost 3.8 pounds this week for a total of 28.8 pounds.  I did very good at the beginning of the week, then the stomach bug hit our house hard and I was sick and did not eat anything for 2 days and very little the third day.  I  know that some of this is just weightloss from being sick.  I am so worried that next week I will have a gain, just because some of this was not true weight loss.  

I will just have to really stay on track this week and make it worth the while.  

 Each week when I move my pounds lost marbles over, I always think, I sure will be glad when I can't see the bottom of the jar.  It is getting closer and closer.  Maybe by the time April rolls around, the entire bottom of my jar will be full of marbles.  It is the little things.  

I still have such a long way to go, but I am really starting to tell a difference in the way my clothes hang.  I started singing with Dwayne's quartet recently and they wanted to make a few pictures.  I can actually tell a difference - and yes, my other foot is in there, it was a little bit wet and my shoe was getting stuck in the mud :0(