Time For A Change

Well, after long consideration and realizing that I'm not getting any younger...and...finding it harder to keep squeezing myself into clothes that don't fit right...it's time to do something about it.

It's time to lose these extra (extra...extra...extr---OK! I get it!!) pounds off the midsection and start becoming lean, trim & fit.

See, I've always had a bit of a "tummy" although it's not been as poochy as it is right now. I'd lost about 25 lbs on the lo-carb diet about 18 months ago but hit a plateau and never really got below a certain level. I'd been trying to get back to the 185 I was before we had Kaitlyn (over 9 years ago) but have never found a diet & exercise program that could become a lifestyle instead of a 3-6 month fad. The lo-carb thing worked for a bit but after a lot of discouragement and disappointment, I kind of reverted back to looking like this:



















OK. Maybe not quite that pronounced but you get the idea.

Actually, I do giggle when you press my tummy. Hmmm....

So, this past Monday, I began working with a weight loss clinic here in Fayetteville that will not only cover my fitness and training, but they'll also work with me on a livable diet and I'll also get to visit with a doctor (who will monitor my diabetes) and a wellness coach (who'll make sure my mind doesn't get too clouded with discouraging thoughts). That means I'll have an additional 4 people to help hold me accountable and encourage me through the next 6 months.

By the way, I've got my 20 year class reunion in Illinois in September and I'm thrilled to have been invited to join the fray, especially since I didn't graduate with them. I did spend my 5th grade years through my junior year there at Central so I'm glad they remembered me. Plus, some of my best friends are going to be there and not only do I get to see them but I get to introduce them to my ultra-HAWT wife!

Hopefully, I'll have lost about 30+ pounds by then, getting me very close to my target weight and perhaps I'll resemble this guy here



















instead of that white fluffy guy above.

Last night, when I went to bed, I saw on my new pedometer (it measures how many steps you take in one day) I'd walked over 11,000 steps. Tonight, when I go to bed, I'll be close to 13,000. In addition, my appetite is starting to go down (I left about a 1/3 of my seafood alfredo on the plate there at Olive Garden tonight) and my mindset is getting to that "steely resolve" I need it to be.

Food is good...just not constantly.
Peanut butter is supposed to be chunky, not you.
Women are supposed to look preggers, not you.
Jelly jiggles, not your belly.

I'd love to eventually have that muscular "cobra" style back where I'm a bit bigger, broader up top in my shoulders and get slimmer as I get around my midsection.

As it is, I look like either a ripe pear or a wilted mushroom.

It's no wonder my wife can't keep her hands off me. LOL

Anyway, on a serious note about all this, I really need to focus on getting fit. Not just for a reunion, not just for friends & family I haven't seen in a while, not just for going to the pool but for my overall good health and state of mind.

I really don't want the years to go by and as my weight increases, so does the risk of complications of having diabetes nearly 30 years.
I don't want to have a limb amputated or lose my vision or a kidney.
I don't want to have any further heart complications.

I DO want to see my kids grow up and have kids of their own.
I DO want to grow old & gray with my wife.
I DO want to become fit and healthy and (if the Lord allows it) be able to see these things occur.

If you wouldn't mind, would you keep me in your prayers and encourage me through the Holy Spirit to become the whole man God intends me to be? Would you also keep Jennifer in your prayers as well? I can't say a lot about her situation just yet but it's very evident God is beginning to lead her in a different direction and it's going to be a step of faith on all our parts to see this through. She and I have been encouraging each other that God always shows up and provides a way for us in the midst of our storms. We just need to put our complete faith & trust in Him to see it through.

Now that it looks like this "new direction" may happen, there are a couple of elements that are not quite what we expected. However, I was reminded by the Holy Spirit that we need to continue to walk in that faith and believe that God will indeed tend to our every need.

As our pastor has been preaching about the past few weeks from the book of Luke, if the Lord provides for the needs of the birds, how much more will He provide for His own children?

That's a pretty encouraging thought right there and one that makes me offer up praise to His awesome name. I thank God that when those times of doubt and concern happen to us all, He is faithful to show up in the nick of time and take us through the fires of refinement a better person that He has created!

God is good...ALL the time!

Just A Spoonful of Sugar

It's humbling to realize and hard to accept the fact that our little man Jacob is going to start kindergarten in the fall. Mommy is especially having a hard time accepting this since this means that both of our babies are growing up and starting to spread their wings.

Even Daddy gets a bit misty-eyed when I think of my "mini-me" going off into the big world with his Spiderman backpack on his shoulder, ready to face new daily adventures.

However, before all this happens, Jake has to get a pre-kindergarten physical to make sure he's in good health and ready to start. With this check up, unfortunately, comes the impending pre-K shots and Jacob is no exception.

I called his doctor's office last week and set up a time to bring him in, never telling him he had to get a couple shots. I didn't want him to stress out about things and I figured if he didn't know about it until right before they gave them to him, he'd handle things a lot better.

I was right.

However, it was ME who I began to worry about as the time drew near. No parent likes to think aobut their child being in any kind of pain, even if it's momentarily for their own good.

When we got to Dr. Kim's office (she & Jennifer went to med school together back in the day and it's great having Kim live within 25 minutes of our home), they brought the boy in for weight & height. I had intentionally dressed us both the same as a show of support for "the Captain". We both had on black Spiderman t-shirts, blue denim shorts, white andle socks and blue & white tennis shoes.

We were stylin' to say the least.

They got his weight, height, temp, blood pressure, etc and then walked us into the exam room. Dr. Kim got in there a few minutes later and Jake really put on a show for her. He counted all the way to 50, recognized all his colors & shapes, hopped on one foot and even tried to stand on his hands for the good doctor, just to make sure she realized he was fit as a fiddle.

I tell you what...that kid is a ham!!

Finally, the time came to give him his shots but I was horrified to hear that he'd have to get 5 shots, not just 2 or 3.

5.

1...2...3...4...5.

Jake didn't seem too concerned (yet) and they got him up on the exam table and had me lay down over his chest to hold him in place. The nurse counted out loud "one...two...three...quick sting!" and it began.

And so did Jake...

as he began to giggle. Yes, GIGGLE. The first 3 shots the child giggled. All the while, I'm locked on his eyes, looking for the first tear or ounce of fear but the first 3 shots went off without a hitch and amid his laughing. By number 4 though, the smile began to wane and by the time #5 was done, his smile was pretty well gone and a couple tears began to well up.

But he never cried. What a stud the boy is!!

I gave thanks to God as we got to the Sequoia for getting us through that ordeal in an even better way than I could've ever hoped or dreamed. Jake was even in a pretty good mood, with a sticker on his arm and a couple cool band-aids on his thighs.

I gave him a couple small Batman / Justice League figures to reward him and distract him from any kind of discomfort. It seemed to work pretty well, especially when we drove through Burger King for a treat and one of their Spiderman kids' toys.

Even as silly as we were acting with our superheroes and as happy as we both were it was all over, I realized that God was there in the midst of that doctor's office and gave us that special touch of comfort we so desperately needed.

His love and protection is SO much better than a spoonful of sugar to help us get our medicines down. Thanks be to Him for His faithfulness!!

Catching A Vision

Many of you may be aware of the struggles we are facing at home concerning Jennifer's job. I'm not really going to get into some of the gory details of it, I'll just say that it's an extremely stressful time in her life and subsquently in all our lives. When she is under stress and upset at things that have happened in her day, I feel that same discouragement. I feel her same pain and frustration. I hurt when she hurts and I do all I can to keep her encouraged and uplifted to face another day.

One of the things we've started to do with each other is praying together right before she leaves for the day. Most of the time I just pray that God will give her peace, comfort and discernment as she considers her future here in NW Arkansas. I pray that overall, God's will would be done in our lives together and that we continue to walk in faith that He indeed is in control.

Numerous scriptures have come to mind as a way to share encouragement with my wife. I remind her that the Bible says:

-when God shuts one door, He opens another.
-He has promised to never leave nor forsake us.
-His ways are higher than our ways and He knows what He has in store for us.
-that we need to continue to walk in faith...our complete belief in HIM...that He will see us through.

She told me one night that she had picked up the Bible to thumb through it and find a verse or 2 that would speak to her. She said that she found herself in the book of Habakkuk and commented on what a "great book it is". I was intrigued and thought I'd check it out the next morning during my quiet time, along with the new book / devotional I picked up called "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers. This is an updated version of his book but it uses more modern language, making it easier to understand...which is especially good for a lunkhead like me.

The next morning, I turned to the corresponding page in "Utmost" that matched that day's date. It was May 2. Guess what the central themed verse was for that day?

Habakkuk 2:3. It says "For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it testifies about the end and will not lie. Though it delays, wait for it sine it will certainly come and not be late."

When I read this, I was blown away! It was as if God Himself was speaking directly to me that early morning, reassuring me that all of this mess with Jennifer's job and the stress that has come to our home because of it was all in His control. He said through His word that even though we can't see how the future will unfold for us and Jennifer's job, to wait upon Him and He will show us a way.

I shared this with Jennifer and began to rejoice and praise God in my heart. He showed up yet again when I least expected it and proved to me His ever-lasting faithfulness!! He reminded me that what He knows about our lives is still yet to be revealed but that He will lead us by faith and keep our feet upon solid ground.

Hallelujah!!

Whatever it is that you may be facing today, trust me my friend...we serve a living, vibrant and LOVING God who cares about you and the most finite detail in your life. You can call out to Him at any time, day or night and He will always hear you. When we give our hearts & lives to the Lord, He reminds us that as much as He tends to the needs of the birds, how much more then will He tend to ours?

God is a loving, caring Father to us all and He so desperately wants to fellowship with you. Won't you open the doors to your most inner places and let Him come in? Trust in Him...believe in Him.

Catch the vision He has for your life and He will lead you to that place.