Less Than 20 Pounds to Go!

Hooray! When I went to weigh in yesterday, I found I only have 18 more pounds to lose. That is amazing. I look at myself in the mirror and while I can see how far I've come, it sure is tempting to say that I probably need to lose closer to 30. But we'll see when I get there. I certainly don't want to get into that trap that says I'll never be skinny enough and never have that perfect body that I think in my mind I should have. After being 74 pounds overweight, if I have a few little lumps and bumps, that will be OK with me!

So here's the big picture:

Thanksgiving Weather

I wish I could take credit for this little forecast, but I have to admit that I got this in my e-mail today and thought it was cute. We do give thanks for the many, many ways in which we were blessed this year, but you just can't ignore these other aspects of Thanksgiving! (And by the way, I'm not too proud of my last post - griping and complaining about our finances when we've been blessed so richly. Sometimes, though, you just need to get real and admit when you've lost focus.)

So without further ado . . . here's Thursday's weather forecast:

Turkeys will thaw in the morning, then warm in the oven to an afternoon high near 190F. The kitchen will turn hot and humid, and if you bother the cook, be ready for a severe squall or cold shoulder.

During the late afternoon and evening, the cold front of a knife will slice through the turkey, causing an accumulation of one to two inches on plates. Mashed potatoes will drift across one side while cranberry sauce creates slippery spots on the other. Please pass the gravy.A weight watch and indigestion warning have been issued for the entire area, with increased stuffiness around the beltway.

During the evening, the turkey will diminish and taper off to leftovers, dropping to a low of 34F in the refrigerator.Looking ahead to Friday and Saturday, high pressure to eat sandwiches will be established. Flurries of leftovers can be expected both days with a 50 percent chance of scattered soup late in the day. We expect a warming trend where soup develops. By early next week, eating pressure will be low as the only wish left will be the bone.

Enjoy!

Lies - It's All Lies!

JJ and I are struggling financially this month. Next month doesn't look a lot better. I know that the Lord will be with us in this tight pinch, but it doesn’t mean that He won’t let us go broke. It’s just a little scary.

It’s so frustrating because JJ is working as hard as he can and we still come up short. I'm working full time and contemplating another part time job, but I don't feel like I could take care of things around the house and keep up with paying the bills on time and juggle everything else I'm trying to do AND work 60 hours a week.

We’ve been struggling for what feels like so long. It’s OK when you know it’s short term, but we’ve been trying to get out of debt for several years now with very little progress. We’re getting tired. Just when we feel like we’re making headway, something else like having to buy another car comes along. I’m sure many of you can identify.

I just have to keep reminding myself that no one ever promised me anything in life – I don’t know why I expect so much. Our culture tells us we can (and should) have it all, but that is a lie from Satan. And the fact that having it all would even be fulfilling or make us happy is a big fat lie too. I really wish that I could say that I have learned to be content in all circumstances like Paul. Man, why can’t I beat this mentality? Satan is just good at what he does, isn’t he?

A "Tommy Boy" Moment

If you've ever seen the movie Tommy Boy, then you're sure to remember the part when Tommy and Richard are driving down the highway crying and singing the Carpenter's song, "Don't you remember you told me you loved me baby?" Then out of the blue, the hood of the car flies up and they almost get killed swerving in and out of traffic. Although very dangerous in real life, this scene is hilarious in the movie.

Well, our experience Wednesday night had only one thing in common with that scene. We were not crying (although we sure wanted to afterwards). We were not listening to the Carpenters (I believe it was NPR). But the hood of the car DID indeed fly up and hit the windshield of the car as we were going 70 down the highway.

Thankfully, no one was hurt. The windshield did not shatter. We did not have to swerve in and out of traffic in a dangerous and hair-raising way. Although I did scream. JJ, however, remained cool and collected (thankfully, he was driving) and calmly slowed down and steered us off the road.

We called for some help from some folks at church (we had just left there and were not far from the building) and they came and helped us get the hood back down. There had been some bolts missing from the piece that the hood actually latches onto and it was very loose. We just cannot figure out how that happened. We only bought the car (used) 2 months ago. I cannot believe that in 2 months time those bolts loosened up and fell out on their own.

I am trying to keep this in perspective. The Lord protected us and no one was hurt. There is extensive damage to the hood, but the car drives just fine. But, our insurance does not cover the damage and the dealership, as expected, is saying that this is not their problem. So it looks like our beautiful new (used) car will just have to live with its scars for quite awhile. Maybe forever.

There are much, much worse things in life. I just wish we could have a bit of a break to recover financially before we get hit again. and again. and again.

Weigh-in results - as promised

Well, after 2 days of Take Off (LA Weightloss intensive 2 day kick-in-the-behind regimen), I lost another pound. So here's the latest:



Wow! What a mile stone! It's such great news that I won't even ruin it and tell you the really scary, very expensive thing that happened to us last night. Not yet. And just so you don't worry, everyone is OK. No injuries. Just very expensive repairs.

A Great Success

Last night, our little church that averages about 20 on a Sunday morning pulled off a Fall Carnival that was attended by over 100 children and we have no idea how many parents! Everyone put so much work into it and we were blown away by the turnout. It was encouraging for our little family to invest so much time and energy into something that was enjoyed so much by the community. Since we are in a new building, it was great for the community to see us where we worship, doing what we do best - ministering to kids. We have so many members in our congregation who are teachers or involved in the school system somehow that kids have really become our main ministry focus.

I did the clowning thing and dressed up as "Chipper". Balloon animals were enjoyed by all. I was impressed by the other adults in the congregation - almost everyone had a costume. Many adults are too embarrassed or too "grown-up" to dress up. I think this is exactly why we should do it. We just do not "play" enough as adults and Halloween is a great excuse to do just that! Some of the costumes I saw were a BIG smiley face, a Hershey's kiss, a scarecrow, a "spelling" bee, Elvis, biker dude and chick, Rambo, and a farmer. And of course, the kids' costumes were lots of fun too.

And best of all, I did not have a single piece of candy, cupcake (even though I baked and decorated 4 dozen), or cookie. Way to go me! The LA Weightloss thing is still going strong. JJ and I did a special 2 day "Take Off" on Sunday and Monday and I haven't been able to weigh in yet, but I will post my progress as soon as I weigh in. Stay tuned!

Special Effects

I was sitting at my computer at work today, typing away when all of a sudden, I noticed a lot of movement on the wall behind the monitor. The wind had picked up quite a bit (as it often does in West Texas) and the shadows of the trees outside my window began to dance and put on a great show. I had to stop for a second just to enjoy the play of light and then to watch the trees themselves bob and sway in the autumn wind.

I had to stop and thank God for the free special effects that he brought to my day. No Hollywood, $9 movie ticket, or obscenely priced consessions necessary.

Creative Costuming

I had to share this idea I found online today. I found out that a party I'm going to tonight is costume-optional. I hadn't even THOUGHT about costumes this year because I'm going to be a clown for our church's carnival on Halloween so I had to find something quick and easy. I looked online and found a super easy costume idea. I wish I could say I thought of it myself. I am dressing up as "partly cloudy with a chance of rain". How are you going to pull this off, you ask? Why, I'm glad you asked!

I'm going to wear a blue shirt and pin cotton balls randomly on it. Then I will carry a squirt gun around and I may or may not squirt the people around me when they ask what I am!

I think my favorite costume of all time was when I dressed up like Mimi and JJ was Drew Carey. We were supposed to insult each other all night, but (thankfully) neither one of us is very good at insulting the other. It was still a cute idea. And the bright blue eye shadow and neon blue and pink moo moo was very attractive.

Are any of you dressing up this year?

Campaign for REAL Beauty

A friend of mine sent me an e-mail the other day about Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty. They have a video on their website about the "before" and "after" picture of a model and all that went into making that final gorgeous billboard of her look absolutely nothing like the woman she started out to be.

It really helps you to see how unnatural the images are that we are innundated with every day. We scrutinize and frown at that reflection that we see in the mirror every morning because we're comparing ourselves with a standard that is so unrealistic and preposterous.

So how about thinking about your best features today and appreciating the beauty that God made you to be! It's a challenge, especially when our enemy is a great liar - the best - and he tells us whoppers about ourselves every day. Don't let him do that to you! And maybe you can send the link of the Dove video to a friend that may need some encouragement to appreciate her unique beauty.

A Whole Lot Shakin'

Well, our little country church suddenly has a full plate! We had quite an opportunity that we couldn't pass up and so now we are in the process of closing on a new building. We've been renting and so now we'll have a place of our very own. The church is only a few years old and everyone is really excited. I'm happy for them, but I also wonder why it is that we sometimes feel we need a building in order to be a legitimate body of believers? I know there are pros and cons to both sides and honestly as far as our church goes I have my opinion but because JJ and I are so new there, I care more about the church making a harmonious transition than I do about the actual decision to buy the building.

We've also recently started a Wednesday night children's ministry. That's been fun, but quite a challenge since there are not many of us. As a small church, we tend to fly by the seat of our pants rather than plan things out very much, mostly because we can get away with it. I hope people don't wear themselves out because the kids enjoy it so much and get a meal out of the deal too!

We're really hoping to be in the new building by Halloween because we're going to do a "Trunk or Treat" and a carnival inside. I'm going to do a little clowning around since I know how to make balloon animals and juggle (sort of). When I'm a clown I can get away with dropping the balls a lot when I juggle since it makes it funnier anyway! So we've got lots of prep to do before the 31st. Anyone have any ideas on cheap and easy carnival games?

How 'bout some shrimp on the barbie, mate?

Today JJ starts his first official shift at Outback Steakhouse. So now he's a full time graduate student, a part-time minister (which means Sunday am, pm and Wednesday pm responsibilities), AND he'll be working 5 shifts a week "down under". How is he going to do this, you ask? GOOD QUESTION. Sometimes, when you need to do it to pay the bills, you just do it.

I feel bad that I'm just here working my safe little 8-5 job, but someone has to do the laundry, the dishes, pay the bills, and make sure that our family functions, at least on a basic level. (I never claimed our house was tidy or that I am the next Betty Crocker, mind you.) I contemplated waiting tables too, until I realized it really wouldn't do for us BOTH to be working ourselves into the ground. Someone has to be there to pick up the pieces later (ha, ha)!

And there's LOTS going on at the church where JJ's been serving and I'm really enjoying getting to be a part of things there. I'll have to fill you in on some of the details later, but for now, I'll just say it involves a new building, lots of kids, and a little clowning around.

Torn

I have not been motivated to post lately and it occurred to me this morning for the first time why that might be. Maybe instead of feeling bad for not keeping up with my site, maybe I need to put this on hold for awhile so that I can focus on some other things in my life. I did spend a lot of time thinking about posts, posting, and looking at other people's blogs. And while I see some value in this and make no judgements on others for their "blogging habits", I know that there are some areas in my life that really need more attention right now.

Time management is a real issue for me. I watch too much TV and spend too much time doing very little. Being an introvert, it is difficult to reach out to people in my life and foster the kinds of relationships that I know that I not only want, but also really need. Not to mention the fact that I know that I am not called to live in a bubble, but to be God's light in the world.

There is a lot more to this discussion, but I thought I would put these few ideas out there and see what you think. I do feel conflicted about the whole thing because I do see how blogging can help to keep you connected with people and this is obviously one of my goals. This is going to require some prayer and time to think this all through.

How much time to you all spend blogging? Why is it valuable to you?

Warrior Princess

I just found out this week that I have a new nickname. Never had many cool nicknames. My dad sometimes calls me "Pete", which I kind of like, but it's not one of those things that many people know about. But one of the faculty members notified me after coming out of a meeting that my new name is officially "Mary the Sukuma Warrior Princess". I don't know how this came about, but it is kind of catchy isn't it?

For those of you who don't know, the Sukuma tribe is the tribe that JJ and I hope to be working with when we go to Tanzania. They're a very peaceful tribe overall, and I hear pretty laid back, but the whole warrior princess thing does have a nice ring to it. Now I just need to find a cool costume to go along with it. . . maybe some war paint. That could be fun. . .

School Days

Ah yes, the first few weeks of school. I always loved the beginning of a new school year. Getting to know a new teacher and seeing which classmates you would be with all year was always exciting for me (even though it got more scary as those terrible middle school years arrived). I think one of my favorite things was new school supplies. I don't know what it is about paper and pens and notebooks - I still love buying all that stuff! And this year, I'll actually be back in class again!

OK, so I'm only auditing one class, but I'm still excited! JJ's taking Church Planting on Tuesday nights and since it's a night course I decided to join him. I am quite nervous since I've never taken a master's level course before. I'm a little worried I'll make a fool out of myself, but you know, if I do, it won't be the first or last time!!!

So wish me luck. And just maybe I'll learn something in the process!

He's Ba-ack!

Yes! JJ is once again home. Back where he belongs. It's very nice to not be living alone any more!!! And of course, to have someone to play Skip Bo with again!

For those of you who may be a bit behind (like me since I haven't posted in FOREVER), JJ's been gone since July 4th doing some small business consulting. He's never done this type of work before and it ends up that he actually likes it! Well, he likes working for the client. As for dealing with the corporate offices, not so much. So he and a friend are looking into the possibility of doing some consulting on their own and this way, JJ might actually be able to work and go to school at the same time. Especially since he's taking 10 hours this semester rather than the completely nutty 15 that he took last semester. Anyway, they're still in the very early stages of examining the possibilities of consulting on their own so we'll have to pray and see what happens.

As for me, I've been up to the same old stuff. I'll have to share later about some exciting things going on at church. But I'm going to try and get back in the saddle again. I have a lot of reading to do to catch up on all your goings on too! Hope everyone had a great summer!

The Luckiest

Yesterday was our 10th anniversary. JJ sent me a gorgeous arrangement of white roses even though he's all the way in Montana. Let's just say that he scored some major brownie points! I just can't stop looking at them and they are so fragrant.

We will celebrate when he gets back, which probably means sometime in September. At least it will be cooler then!!!

In honor of our special day, I thought I would share the lyrics to a beautiful song called "The Luckiest" by Ben Folds. I know that our marriage has nothing to do with luck. First and foremost it is a blessing from the Lord. Then it has been a wonderful journey and a lot of work that has been totally worth it. No luck about it. However, the song still communicates so much, I still love it.

And I love you, JJ!

The Luckiest Lyrics
by Ben Folds

I don't get many things right the first time
In fact, I am told that a lot
Now I know all the wrong turns, the stumbles and falls
Brought me here
And where was I before the day
That I first saw your lovely face?
Now I see it everyday
And I know
That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest

What if I'd been born fifty years before you
In a house on a street where you lived?
Maybe I'd be outside as you passed on your bike
Would I know?
And in a white sea of eyes
I see one pair that I recognize
And I know
That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest

I love you more than I have ever found a way to say to you

Next door there's an old man who lived to his nineties
And one day passed away in his sleep
And his wife; she stayed for a couple of days
And passed away
I'm sorry, I know that's a strange way to tell you that I know we belong
That I know
That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest

A Whole 22 Hours

JJ finally got to come home this weekend! He flew in on Saturday evening and then left again on Sunday afternoon. It was great to have him home!!! We had to fit in a game of Skip Bo, which I had really missed. We used to play almost every day – either over my lunch break or in the evening. He was able to go to church with me on Sunday morning and it was nice to have him next to me the whole service (instead of preaching like he usually does.)

This week, he is in Wyoming. At least that’s where he is right now. I just got an e-mail from him saying that they may fly him out to another job later in the week. At least for a few days he is working with a quilt shop that also has an online store. I asked him if he could get me a discount. No word on that yet.

All is well on the home front. I actually lost over 3 pounds last week. What is up with that!? So I have definitely made my half way point now and have also lost 22 inches total. If it takes me the same amount of time to lose my second 37 pounds, I will reach my goal around Christmas or early January. Considering the holidays, it will probably be later than that, but I’ve been able to resist treats so far so you never know. Even if it’s not until early February, that will be the one year mark and I think that losing 74 pounds in a year is not too shabby.

Irony

One of the many, many reasons why I love my hubby is that we complement each other so well. As I mention in my profile, I am a "rule follower" and he's somewhat of a rebel. Occasionally, I recognize that I need to "let loose" and break a few rules. Maybe throw off my shoes in the middle of the floor with total abandon. (Gasp - can you imagine?) And accordingly, he at times benefits from my more organized nature. However, generally, he resists structure of any kind. Schedules? Doesn't follow them. My nice little "systems" that I dream up to help our lives run more smoothly? Ha! He scofs in the face of "systems"!

This is why I had a nice little chuckle yesterday when he e-mails me and tells me that he has to create a budget for a 2 million dollar a year company that he is working with this week. I'm sure he will do a great job, but if that company only knew what I know . . . But hey, now that I think about it, this might just work out just fine. We've never had any trouble actually writing a budget, just sticking with one. So maybe writing a budget that someone else will have to follow isn't such a tall order for him!!!

I'm a Loser

Hooray! After a few weeks of plateau I am a "loser" once again. I am now down 36 pounds and have one pound left before I am half way to my goal! I found I had to make an adjustment to when I was eating in order to get over that hump. I am now eating more at breakfast and my morning and afternoon snacks. This means dinner is rather small and no evening snack. I've been OK with a small dinner, but I'm really feeling the loss of that evening snack! On the nights where I just can't bear it, I have a cup of coffee or tea. Not the same, but it helps a little.

We're still not running the a/c at home and we've had a high of 103 degrees the last few days. I'm ready for September, to say the least. And the a/c in my car is now acting up. Well, I keep telling myself I'm preparing for Africa.

JJ's still doing OK, although starting to get homesick. He will probably finish the job he's on in Vermont on Friday and he MAY get to come home this weekend! I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much, but it looks like if he's in between jobs this weekend he'll come home on Saturday morning and have to leave again on Sunday afternoon. We're not sure where he'll head next. This job certainly keeps us on our toes! We appreciate your prayers while we are apart and JJ is traveling so much.

Where to start?

Well, it would be impossible to bring you all up to speed on all the goings-on around here so I'll give you the highlights.

JJ is in Vermont (well, actually right this second he's probably in Maine but I will explain that in a minute). He got a job with a company that does small business consulting. It is 100% travel and he left on July 4th for his training in Chicago. His first job was last week for a company in Vermont. He really enjoyed the work, but is exhausted. They work long days and he is getting very little sleep. Thankfully, this weekend, he was able to go see a friend of ours who is an intern this summer in New Hampshire. You know all those New England states are so close together so he drove down to NH yesterday and went to church with his friend today. Then they drove up to Maine to see the ocean and some lighthouses. He'll drive back to VT tonight and probably work on the same job there tomorrow but then they are probably going to send him off on another assignment - only the Lord knows where. Thankfully he will only be doing this until school starts at the end of August. He may even get to come home for a weekend in between now and then, but there are no promises.

Meanwhile, I've been trying to keep myself busy so that I don't throw a pity party (and I am The Queen of pity parties). But so far, so good. I had something going on every night last week (except Wed. when my stomach was feeling a little cruddy.) I caught both plays that ACU put on for the Shakespeare Festival, although the comedy wasn't Shakespeare at all (I still don't really get that.) But it didn't matter because the comedy, The Triumph of Love, was terrific. It was theater in the round and the set was great, the acting was great and it was a wonderful night of free entertainment and the air conditioning was plentiful (a very big factor for me since we still haven't turned ours on.) Saturday was the last showing of Romeo and Juliet and it was done in a more modern way. The set and the creative way it was used was fascinating - probably my favorite part about the production. The acting was also good, but the language less accessible. I'm not one of these super-intellectual types so I really don't get some of the flowery language. Maybe if I sat down with the script in front of me for awhile. Anyway, I still enjoyed it and again, it was a nice distraction.

The new church JJ filled in for a few times before he left is still taking good care of me. I decided to attend there while he's gone because it's a small group of believers where I won't get lost in the shuffle and they are very much a community, which is what JJ and I have been looking for. I will have to tell you more about our night of country dancing with them some other time. . .

Overall, we're doing great. As soon as he gets his first paycheck, even better. (Transitioning jobs really stinks because of that lag between checks!)

I'm learning all kinds of stuff in the Beth Moore study and am enjoying my quiet time with the Lord.

Now I'm off to catch up on all your news! When I took a hiatus from my blog, I have to confess I didn't really check up on you all either. However, I have repented and turned from my evil ways and, for what it's worth, will now be back on the scene.