Personal Trainer

Today I met with my very own personal trainer. She guided my work-out and my legs were so shaky I couldn't hardly walk. When we first started talking I told her all that was going on in my life and that I couldn't possible start before December 19th (when all my commissiong paperwork is due). She said you will always have an excuse for not working out, just do it. So I did, and I'm glad.

Working on my own I have only lost ten pounds over the last three months. Will keep you updated on how well it works.

Justifiable Homicide

I want to strangle my child. Yep, I admit it. Do you remember all of the fuss over getting her the proper Cross Country footwear? The two hour round trip to the mall, the $86 dollar pair of shoes.... Well, she has LOST THEM. How do you lose your shoes? I could understand (maybe) if we were on a wilderness trip but she lost them at school. I love my daughter, she is the most important person in my life but, for heaven's sake, she is the most scatterbrained, genius that I've ever met.

Changing the subject: Do you see the huge pecan tree's that grace my back yard? If you look real close at the picture on the right, you can see the pecan's that are getting ready to drop. Yum, Yum, Yum - pecan pie, pecan cobbler, and just pecans. Lovely.

Diet Update: I have been working out and watching my food intake. In fact, the other day I added up my calories and they were only 1200. I have lost a total of 6 pounds - now if I could just multiply that by 10 - I would be one happy camper.

More Committee's

I went to the 4-H Council meeting last night and still ended up on two committee's - decorating and awards. I knew, as sure as God made little green apples, that I would be put on a committee if I didn't show up but I truly didn't expect to end up on even more while present. I really can say No, see I just did. No, No, No - (just practicing).

My daughter is just on the cusp of the literal teenage years. She will be thirteen in December. However, in mental and emotional years she is 45. And she makes me feel, right around, 105.
((I was going to tell you a personal story about Ryss but I thought "better not". She might read this and be mad at me for two or three weeks!!)) And the reasons that she makes me feel old: She is a cheerleader, purple-belt in Karate, runs cross country, active in the 4-H Vet Science and Horse Club, plays four different instruments. I am very proud of her but gues who drives her to cheer practice, karate practice, cross country practice, 4-H meetings, music lessons - me, me and me.

We have three dogs in my family: Lily is a purebred border collie who was given to me for free and had a rough childhood with a man who shot at her because she chased his cows. Gus is the daschund, who is the old man of the bunch at 9. Luke is only 10 months old and a pure-bred Australian Shepherd. His favorite past-time is eating all of Ryss' rubber bands that she absolutely will not pick up. Plus, I don't take a single step in the house without him right there.

We have two cats which I will seldom mention because I'm really not a cat person. Three guesses about who is and the first two don't count. They are both around 8 years old. And the black one - Stormy - follows my daughter around like a dog. She gives kisses if you blow on her nose and she let Ryss push her around in a baby stroller ever since they were both babies.

I did a weigh-in this morning. I have lost grand total of 2 pounds for the two weeks and absolutely ZERO for this past week. I figured up my calories for yesterday - only 1200. Plus, I'm still sore from the bicycle ride and working out my arms with weights.

Well, time to get ready for the 1st day of Kidz Day Out. Still only four official kids coming but it will give us the opportunity for an initial evaluation without being overwhelmed. Plus, there might be some unofficial ones that just drop in. Pray for us!!!!

Flash Flood Watch

Much of the area is under a Flash Flood Watch. It rained pretty hard here yesterday afternoon. I really didn't notice as I was comatose. Took a nap, called my mentor and complained about the "Banes of my existence". He told me, my mistake was going back to finish cleaning the kitchen but that the rest I handled in a professional manner. Yea, for me.

I worked out this morning but forgot to weigh myself. I am scared too because after I got so upset yesterday - I ate chocolate cake and not just a small reasonable sized piece. Oh no, a massive piece. I did give the rest to the neighbor so that I wouldn't continue down that slippery slope.

I finished the RevGals Read of the Month "Good Fences: The Boundaries of Hospitality" by Caroline Westerhoff. I disagreed with her assertion that "we are not God's hands in the world". I do agree that "God could do it without our help" but that isn't how it works - at least, not in my understanding of theology. God chooses to do it through our work. Otherwise, why are we here? What are we doing?

I am off to the bank to deposit my paycheck and to visit at the nursing home. Tonight is Karate and a Horse Club Meeting.

We had an idea for our Mother's Day Out Program. We are going to take the kids on outdoor nature hikes. So I want to talk to our County Extension Agent, who is a Master Gardener, about giving a demonstration or talk. This week I am going to take Lily down to meet the kids. She loves kids. Plus, she will fetch a frisbee until she collapses from exhaustion or a tennis ball or a stick (basically, anything you throw she will fetch). Plus, she doesn't jump and she smiles. I kid you not, she smiles at people.

Sore Muscles

Did NOT want to get up and exercise this morning, figured "I've been good. I can take the morning off." And I'll be darned (not the word I was thinking), my friend shows up - ready to exercise. So we did. Have lost two pounds. Here's hoping that I can keep it off.

Still haven't heard from the furniture delivery people........ promised to call at 1:30 yesterday with the time..... have a issue with those kinds of things. Oh well, I studied Henri Nouwen for my meditation this morning. It was over fear (not irritation). Realized that part of my short temper was over the money thing for the end of the month. My mantra is..."let it go, let it go, let it go".

Thought you might want to see this huge praying mantis that was on my patio.

Day's End

This is a view from the top of Ryss's corn snake "Dot". She is leaving for a new home after over five years. She is over four feet long and has been one of the easiest pets we have ever owned and is going to a good home. Ryss just doesn't have the time to properly care for her any longer.

I worked out for 1 1/2 hours today. Did my regular Pilates workout and then my friend came over and we worked out even longer. I feel pretty righteous - not any lighter but righteous. But today I was watching CNN and saw this news story about a guy whose lungs were damaged by inhaling the fumes from his microwave popcorn. Granted he ate popcorn several times a day but this was very strange but that isn't the interesting part - immediately after hearing the story I had the worst craving for popcorn and had to make some. Didn't inhale the steam from my fat-free popcorn but I did eat a bowl.

Thought I better check on my financial aid for my D.Min. program today. Was informed that everything is in order and that they will send me some money after the 30th of this month. Excuse Me. My week long stay on campus begins on the 9/24. How am I supposed to pay for the hotel, travel, etc??? Oh, that's right she says, you are starting school before that - "YES" (you dunce). They are going to check on advancing me some of my student loan money. I hate being so needy but I am a single-parent, student pastor and barely scraping by. We didn't even go on a week-end trip this summer because we couldn't afford it. There is no way I can rent a hotel for an entire week without some up-front money. I was happy that I could afford to buy all of the books in advance. Anyway pray for me. Hopefully, they will help me out. I'm wondering if I should email my plight to the director of the program. Any advice out there??

I was vindicated today. Told Hard-Headed Child that volleyball would interfere with cheerleading, she argued and argued but I prevailed. They are actually canceling the squad tomorrow at the game because all of the girls except my child can't be there - they have a volleyball game. Hmmph..... told you so.

Admin Council went very smoothly. It is back to normal after the whole "remodeling of Sanctuary" controversy. I was very leery, though. The SPRC Chair even said during her report, "The rest of you really don't realize all of the work that the pastor does behind the scenes". Felt good but I'm not sure that some of those present were convinced but it still felt good. Everything is now approved and in place for the Mother's Day Out Ministry. Hip, Hip, Hurray!! Good thing because my article about it came out in today's newspaper. And they put it in big headlines about the fold of the paper (not on page one but big headline).

I will have three hours tomorrow to finish up my sermon and to blog, surf the net, shampoo the carpet because they are delivering the new dresser. So blog something interesting for me to read. They called for directions and were supposed to call back with the 3-hour window, but didn't. Maybe they will come early so that I can get to the Nursing Home before the afternoon nap.

New Hair Color

So lately I've noticed that I am getting gray hair, not a surprise I suppose I did just turn 43. I probably have been getting gray hair since I was 25 but I haven't seen my natural hair color since 16. So today I put blond streaks in it, I let munchkin help. Maybe not the best idea because I have some serious Blonde streaks now. But you really don't notice the gray at all :)

I've been reading over some of my previous posts and realized that it really doesn't look as if I do any ministry at all. Things haven't been that great at the church ever since I moved some pews around. But now that we have totally renovated the sanctuary I'm hoping that things will get back to normal. So anyway, when I blog I really haven't been talking alot about my ministry. I really do keep busy but now I have a way to let off some steam.

I have been doing my D.Min. reading and right now I am reading "Invitation to a Journey: A Road Map for Spiritual Formation" by Robert Mulholland. I a up to the classic spiritual disciplines. Of course, I studied all of these in my wonderful Spiritual Formation class at Perkins. I am a member of the Order of Saint Luke so praying the Daily Offices helps keep me focused (most of the time).

He does have this great paragraph - talking about us doing a spiritual discipline for a while and then stopping - kind of like yo-yo dieting (something that I am very familiar with). "This is not a spiritual discipline. If you have had that roller coaster experience - trying to maintain the discipline, falling off, starting it again and falling off, starting it again and falling off - it may be because you've not been offering God a genuine discipline. You may have been trying a do-it-yourself operation, a form of works righteousness."

As an experienced you-yo dieter, all I can say is "OUCH".