I Can Do It!

All right - I have not fallen off the face of the map or gone over a cliff.  I'm still here and I am back!  I took a break from blogging for a while.

 I was getting quite discouraged with my life. What I mean is that I was giving into my poor health and thinking that this was how I am going to be for the rest of my life so I might as well give up and give into my situation.  Not a good thing to do I might say!

So, at end of May, after a good "scolding" from the Lord, I picked myself up and brushed off the cobwebs from my defeated heart and decided it is time to really change my life for the better!  I decided I needed to BEeLieve I CAN!

"I CAN do all things through Christ who gives me strength."  Philippians4:13

It is not in MY strength that I can do all things - but Christ's!

I have a lot of things that need changing - improvement - but I CAN!

I had gained all my weight I had lost a couple of years ago and then some.  I became the heaviest I had EVER been!  Part of the weight gain was the food I was eating - part was my medicines and doctors mistakes.  Yes, my doctor last year misread my thyroid test results and instead of increasing my thyroid medication he decrease it quite a bit.  So mid May I started taking the right dosage of thyroid medication and a drug to help lower my sugar.  I also started looking into diet plans.  I have been on "tons" of them over the years.  One in particular has caught my eye over the years but I kept saying no because of the cost.  Well after further examination of the diet plan along with much prayer along with discussing it with my hubby, I choose to try this diet.  We looked over our budget and found that we were spending almost this much in going out to eat each month!  So with much peace and contentment I took the big step of faith and joined Nutrisystem.  I started the plan on June 6th and as of today - June 15th I have lost - drum roll please - 16.8 lbs!  Yes people - that is not a typo!  This is the first diet plan that does not feel like a diet or that I am depriving myself of anything!  Now I realize that when you weigh as much as I do, one will loose quit a bit in the first month due to the change of eating habits.  I know that eventually the weight loss will slow down - but I love the plan.  I is working for me and that is what is important. 

As I loose I know I will be able to walk more and exercise.  I also know that the weight loss will not repair the damage I have already done to my knees and eventually I will need to have surgery on them. I know that some of my health issues will not go away entirely - unless God intervenes - but with the weight off I will be able to manage my health better.

I have a LONG way to go with my weight loss.  It may take a few years to get it all off, but then again it took years to put it on! 

I have an "army" of health and other issues - BUT..... as the verse at the top of my blog says -

"In Your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall." Psalm 18:29

I greatly appreciate all of your prayers and encouragement.

My Quest For A Healthier Me

I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting older, but doesn’t it feel like the days and years pass by awfully quick?  I was just getting used to writing 2010 and now we have to write 2011!  I remember when I was a child and even a teenager I thought the days and years went by too slow.  Jim and I were talking the other day about when we were younger we thought people our ages were old.  I was teasing Jim that he is pushing 60 and he said he no longer thinks that is old anymore.   Isn’t it funny how as we get older we don’t think we are that old, but then we talk with someone in a younger generation and they will say, “You’re that old?”   Mark Twain once said, “Age is an issue of mind over matter.  If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.”   I have an Amish kitchen wall hanging that says, “Vee Get Too Soon Oldt, und Too Late Schmardt!”  Isn’t that so true?  Although, I am waiting to get “schmardt!” 

This year I am continuing my pursuit on becoming a “healthier me”.  I need your continued prayers - not only prayers regarding my chronic health issues, but included in that I need to lose weight so I will become healthier.  The doctors say it is a “catch 22”, my age, chronic health and obesity work against each other.  Between the health issues, medications, and now the breakdown of my knees, they all make it extremely difficult to lose weight.  Difficult – but not impossible!  “But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.” Mark 10:27 (NKJV). 

I continue to believe that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  Philippians 4:13 (NKJV).   As the bible verse says on my blog, “In your strength I can crush an army;  with my God I can scale any wall.”  Psalm 18:29 (NLT).  There is an army of health issues and years of negative thinking that is trying to destroy me, but I must keep on believing that with my God I can crush these armies that are trying to destroy me and scale any wall of doubt and destruction that the enemy throws at me. 

We serve an awesome God who knows exactly what we need and when we need it; I know that He will bring along mighty prayer warriors who will not only pray for me, but will also encourage me as I continue on my quest for “A Healthier Me”. 

God bless you and your family in 2011.  I know He has might plans for us all.

 In April, 2010 I wrote the following prayer request:

http://beelieve-ahealthierme.blogspot.com/2010/04/in-need-of-prayer-for-healthier-me.html

The request is still the same today. 

I realize I must transform my mind every day. I need to have the mind of Christ.  His will for me is to be a healthier me.  

Romans 12:2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.


Please continue to pray for me.  My health has been in a decline again,  But just as He has done for me for the past 20 plus years, I will  improve once again.  God is faithful and just. 

In Need of Prayer For A Healthier Me

“Take control of what I say, O Lord, and keep my lips sealed. Don’t let me lust for evil things; don’t let me participate in acts of wickedness. Don’t let me share in the delicacies of those who do evil. Let the godly strike me! It will be a kindness! If they reprove me, it is soothing medicine. Don’t let me refuse it.” Psalm 141:3-5

Ever since we moved to Pennsylvania I have not followed my healthy lifestyle change I made 16 months ago. I have made excuses of not being able to afford fresh healthy food. Though that is true in part, I realize that this is mostly an excuse. I head to the refrig, or cupboard when I am bored, depressed, and not hungry. I have not always made healthy choices.

Here is my new cry out to God rephrasing the above scripture.

“Take control of what I eat, O Lord, and keep my lips sealed. Don’t’ let me lust for food or earthly desires; don’t let me participate in gluttonous acts. Don’t let me share in the delicacies of those who try to woo me to participate in unhealthy lifestyles. Let those who are godly give me wise counsel and may I not get offended when they reprove me and hold me accountable; for it is soothing and healthy medicine for my body, soul and spirit.“ Paraphrased Psalm 141:3-5

I realize that these changes will not happen overnight. I must allow God to change me from the inside out. My doctors say I have a lot against me, but even they say it is not impossible to be a healthier me. They tell me not to look at the BIG picture, 200 lbs to lose… but to look at it as eating and living healthier. In so doing I will feel better both emotionally and physically. I know it is possible because I did it the first 7 months of 2009. I felt better back then. Since I have been here I have slowly been going back to my “old” eating habits. In return I am in more pain, gained 25 lbs of the 55 lbs I had lost, and I am so weary all the time my strength is spent on just existing!

So here I am today, asking for prayer warriors and accountability partners for myself. When I look at the big picture it seems impossible, but I know that NOTHING is impossible with God!! Praise the Lord. If you are willing to be one or both of these requests today, please let me know. When you contact me, please state if I can email you, instant chat, or even phone you when I am in need of prayer and encouragement. Follow this blog if you wish as well.

I know that I am not alone in this battle, but sometimes I feel I am. God bless you all for your encouragement and prayers.

We're Finally HOME!

After 47 days and almost 5,000 miles. Jim and I are finally home in very HOT Phoenix, AZ!

Our motor home is not home though. We left it in Albuquerque, NM to hopefully get fixed. We had spent 2 days in Albuquerque driving and sitting around in the hot car or runny the AC while the shop works on the RV. Every evening we would bring the RV to the KOA so we could sleep. It was just too much for Jim and I let alone our two dogs and cat so yesterday morning we loaded the car with the animals and some of our belongings and headed home. We arrived yesterday afternoon and wished we were still back east in the 70 plus degree temps! Oh my, we had forgotten just how hot it gets in Phoenix!

Heather and family met us at our apartment to help unload the car and visit with one another. It was so good to see our kids once again! Travis is getting so tall!!

Jim and I had not had a shower since Monday and we just wanted to jump in the shower to get all the dirt and sweat off, and low and behold there was not water in our complex until about 6:00pm!! So later on we finally had our showers and felt so much better!

This morning, I woke up around 6:00 a.m. and decided to stay up so we could go out to eat and get some groceries before it reached triple digits and too hot to go out! Right now we are having to get used to the heat again. Jim just said, "I will hate to see our electric bell next month." Why? because we have it set at 72 right now!

Pray that the mechanic can find out why the RV does not want to run properly and it does not cost an arm, leg and a few necessary organs! If it costs too much we will need to get rid of it. Either way, Jim will still need to return sometime next week to get the rest of our things. Hopefully it will be to pick up the RV.

We will have some exciting news to share with you all next week. So until then keep praying!

Thank you again for all your love, prayers, and encouragement you have all sent our way.

God bless.

Hard To Stay on Track - But Won't Give Up!

This past week has been extremely difficult again trying to stay on track. My mother continues to make food that I cannot eat and if I don't eat what she makes she gets all upset. Then my sister was here too and we went out to eat a couple of times at a "home style" cooking restaurant and also a tea room. Many of the foods that are not good for me. Especially my IBS. Today I bought some things I can eat and will make at my moms for the three of us. She is not too thrilled, but I told her I wanted to cook for her too. Hopefully she will like what I make.

I have been able to take walks in between the rainy days. If it's a rainy day then we walk inside a mall or store. Otherwise we enjoy the beautiful scenery as we walk around my mom's or our campground.

I appreciate your prayers and encouragement to stay focused. Thank you so much.

Fitness Friday Update

I have not posted in a couple of weeks.

I am still on vacation. It is very hard to stay on "track" while at my mother's. I am watching my portion control. I am walking, almost every day. Unfortunately, we have had rain for three days now. I did have my mom take me to a mall yesterday for me to walk. My IBS has been acting up because I am not able to eat organic foods. I have been doing the cooking the past three days which has helped.

The walk has been about a 1/3 of a mile... half of which is uphill. I could walk further I believe if it were not for my right hip and left foot. Pray I can find a pedometer (is that what it's called?) so I can measure my walks.

I am praying this rain stops soon or maybe we should build an ark! LOL! I'm a little tired of the rain and dampness.

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