Weight Loss Journey - It's Been a Year

It has basically been a year since my weight loss journey began.

Oh, what a journey of days it has been.

Days of success.

Days of failure.

Days I did not think I could do it.

Days I thought I could conquer the world.

Days I had huge amounts of self-control.

Days I gave in.

Days I stood on the scale and saw I had lost weight.

Days I stood on the scale and found I had gained pounds.  HARD-FOUGHT-to-get-rid-of-pounds.

Through all of those days, I learned much.  

I have learned perseverance.

I have learned self-control.

I have learned it is HARD.

I have learned how much better I feel.

I have learned that toned muscle is quite awesome.

I have learned I have to do it whether I want to or not.

I have learned there is no such thing as a quick fix... this has taken me a year and I am still not at my goal weight.  Anything worth doing right takes time.

I have learned that I can only do it with the Lord's strength.

Those days have also taught me to be appreciative.

I am appreciative to the Lord for His strength.  I do not want to take it for granted.

I am appreciative for my Sweet Man who has encouraged me day in and day out.  He has bragged on me and kept me going when pounds were gained instead of lost.

I am appreciative of my children who have cheered me on while watching yet another workout DVD.

I am appreciative of friends who have given me encouragement.

I am appreciative of a healthier lifestyle.

I am appreciative of SO. MANY. THINGS.

I have learned that this is a LIFESTYLE CHANGE and not a diet.  

I cannot go back to the way things were.  I have to care enough about this Temple that God has given me and take care of it.  I realize that the Lord could allow anything to happen to me to take my health away, and that is His choice.  However, He has also told me I am bought with a price... His life for mine.  May I glorify Him in all I do... and that includes my health.

With all of that being said....
Here is a picture of me last year and this year together - side by side - 35 pounds ago wearing basically the same outfit and in the same spot.  (Same skirt... it is kind of cool... it is reversible.)

I do not want to go back to that unhealthy version of the woman on the left... and I will be the first to admit that sometimes the fear of that can be overwhelming.

It is during those overwhelmed feelings that I reach out to my Lord, Who has given me the strength thus far, and He tells me to take it a day at a time. 

An hour at a time.

A minute at a time.

A second at a time.

Just put one foot in front of the other and DO IT.

Losing weight is hard and hard things are just that... HARD.

But by doing this hard thing the Lord has shown me that nothing is impossible with HIM.

Genesis 18:14a - Is any thing too hard for the Lord?

Teenagers ~ A Glorious Unfolding

I have been thinking on this one for a couple of weeks.  The Lord has shown me many things on which to write.  

I have shared about teenagers on here quite often lately.

I am in the middle of them, so to speak, with two in the house... the same age... living out the boy and the girl teens, so I guess I have many opportunities to do so!

That being said, the Lord continues to reveal to me how much what I teach my students daily also teaches ME.  

We are going to discuss complete metamorphosis.  And, yes, I wrote that.  My brother will be proud.

I am sure many of you have thought of the life cycle of an insect....   OK... maybe you haven't.  I truly would not think of it much except for the fact I teach it every school year and have been teaching it these past few weeks to my students!

I want to compare how complete metamorphosis and the teen years I am experiencing are similar.  Bet ya didn't know you were heading into a Science lesson when you opened up this blog.  Just stay with me and I pray you will learn a double portion as you continue to read....

I have not photographed insect EGGS.  I am sure I have had opportunity, but never chosen to do so, I guess.  Forgive me for not having an actual photograph with which to begin.  

I think you get the picture, though.  :)  

Our little, sweet babies are born.  They are born to us and begin to grow.

Now let's take a look at the second stage of complete metamorphosis: LARVA.

This is the stage they are growing constantly and eating.... a lot.  We experience that in bursts in our house and I am sure others of you can say the same.

The insect larva grows out of their skin many times.  They actually have larva stages where their skin is "shed" for the larger body.  Our children shed their "coats" many times as they grow.  Some days we feel we just bought them the clothes they have put on and are too little.

However, the Lord has caused me to probe further into this shedding of skin.  

Our children are just like the larva shedding their skin in that they are also trying to figure out who they are.  They are shedding their habits and ideas they had as small babies and change with each passing year.  I have seen my two change right before my eyes.  They are bigger versions of themselves but with more knowledge, more ideas.... changing who they are becoming.

It is so important that through these "larva" years we are feeding them from the Word of God.  They need to be munching on His Words while growing physically so that they will be stronger as the skin is shed. 

Next comes the PUPA stage.  This is when the complete changing takes place.  Insects go into the pupa stage of complete metamorphosis looking like one thing and come out looking totally different.  What takes days to a few weeks for insects takes years for our children.

I have observed the changes that have taken place in the "larva stages" of my own two children and was in awe.  Now that the teen years have begun, I am seeing how our children have munched their way into the pupa stage and will come out totally different.

In the pupa stage, the insect usually is quite active at first setting itself up for quietness and change.   They are secured on the plant that once they were munching upon.  Then, it must be still in order to change and grow.   If they are not secure, they will fall and be eaten by other insects/animals.

 

In the teen years our children need to be secured to the "plant" of God's Word so that they may be still.  They need to be still with parents.... and TALK.  They need to learn how to be still still before the Lord so they can hear His voice. They must be secured in this because the world wants nothing more than to eat them up when they fall.

It is a known fact that teens require just as much sleep, if not more, than infants because their bodies are changing and growing so much.  Yet, I find that so many teens are going non-stop with no chance of quietness.  Spiritually, how will they allow the Lord to change them if they never secured or quiet?

I was reminded of this song when thinking of this post.  It fits perfectly with this stage:

The changes that take place inside of the pupa are amazing.

The quietness then leads to struggle.  If an insect is "helped" out of its pupa stage, it dies. 

The changes taking place inside my teens are amazing, too.  I am watching them change physically before my very eyes.  I am watching them grow spiritually.

However, I am also watching them struggle. 

I remember how hard the teen years were and have made mention that I would not want to go back to them, but living them with your own children is difficult as well.

The struggles are hard to watch.  There are so many times I wish I could make things easier for our two whether it deals with relationships, schoolwork, or everyday learning of WHO they are.

However, if these struggles are not experienced, our children will not grow and become stronger. 

The struggle is what makes them stronger.

But during that struggle, if they are still secured to the plant on which they began the stage, and if the quietness gave them the time to be still before the Lord, they will be able to have a GLORIOUS UNFOLDING.  They will become the adults that go out and begin the cycle of life again with a strong foundation of WHO they need to trust and depend upon all during their lives.

A friend from school recently reminded me that this song can be for parents going through the teen years with their children.  I have loved the song greatly before she reminded me of that visual with this song.  It has been a blessing to me as I have watched the struggles going on in my own two and the struggles I am also facing with them....

This same process applies to me as an adult.  I may have already passed the teen years physically, but I am still in the pupa stage spiritually. 

Just as we all do, I have struggles in my spiritual pupa stage.  The Lord is changing me daily and the struggles are what make me stronger.  I am not stronger in my own power, I am stronger because of the Lord!  I will fly when I am changed completely into His new Creation.

 I look forward to the day when I will be able to experience my own final GLORIOUS UNFOLDING.  The day I meet my Savior face to face.