Saturday Snap Shots

I wanted to quickly share these photos before we left this morning. I came in to an empty play room and found Laci playing in the toy box! She was so happy and content, I snapped a few photos. Mitchell was the culprit responsible for her being inside the toy box!!
Have a great weekend everyone!!

Fitness Fridays: Pros and Cons of Weight Watchers

Today I wanted to share my experience with Weight Watchers. I was a member two different times in my life. The first was right after Mitchell's birth in 2003, the second after Laci's birth in 2006. Both times I lost weight. Overall, I give Weight Watchers a big thumbs up. There are a few things about it which I did not like.

The Pros:

1. Weight Watchers is a plan you can live with forever! You do not need to purchase special food, or expensive equipment.Each food is given a Points value based on calories, fiber and fat. You figure the points using the Points Finder that you recieve when you join. You recieve your daily Points goal based on your gender, activity level and weight. It is all very easy to do. They give you a ton of recipes, but I found it best to use my old standard recipes and just eat less of the food rather than adapt it. I wanted something I can live with forever!

2. Weight Watchers helps you set small goals. They encourage you to lose 10% of your weight at a time. This is a very reachable goal. Every time you lose 5 lbs. you get a huge cheer and a small reward, like a book mark or a sticker that says "I lost 5 lbs." This is great encouragement.

3. You want to attend meetings because if you miss a week, you still have to pay for that week. This keeps you accountable. I needed the accountability.

4. This plan allows you to eat out at any restaurant! By purchasing the "Dining Out Companion", you automatically have hundreds of Points Values of lots of various restaurants at your fingertips. You can pick out what you will eat ahead of time and not use up all your points in one meal...and when you eat out, that's easy to do!

5. You get to gain more Points to eat by exercising! This is great!

The Cons:

1. Attending meetings is better with a friend.I always felt very isolated and alone, even though I tried to talk to those around me. It was hard because everyone else had a friend with them.

2. It can get costly! There is a joining fee, plus a weekly fee. All the books cost extra as well. It is worth the cost, however, to be healthy. You must "weigh" the cost for yourself however! (Pun intended!;]) You'd hate to go bankrupt trying to lose weight!

3. Sometimes, figuring points can be tricky. If you have a lot of ingredients in a recipe, it can get confusing trying to figure out what the Points value is.

I hope this information is helpful. I enjoy Weight Watchers because of the accountability, and the ease of use. You don't have to deny yourself anything forever on WW. It is a very doable plan!

How I did this week...

Week two of the exercise regimen went well! Despite having to leave for the dentist at 7 AM on Wednesday, and being ill on Thursay, I managed to exercise three days this week! I will be out of state next week, but I hope to get in some walking while I'm gone. Terry has lost 4 lbs. and I have lost 7, and that's encouraging. But the best part is feeling stronger and more energetic!

Here's a little tip to help you at the weigh-in, should you decide to join Weight Watchers. I highly recommend this method! ;] Have a great week everyone!!

PS..Please read my comments for even more info on WW from readers. If you have anything to share, please, PLEASE, comment! You will be helping me out so much!

Thanks!!

Just Had To Share This...

Okay, most of you know that we, well okay, I am an "I Love Lucy" fan. My kids are also fans, and we are slowly winning Terry over to our side. It is funny because, really, I have lots "Lucy" moments. Anyway, we have all six seasons. Since we love the show, we spend hours (just kidding folks) teaching our children things like singing "Babalu" while pounding on a chair or table. Laci has mastered the technique of doing it on her belly! I just captured this on video and I had to share it with you. Hope you like it.

This next clip will be most appreciated by relatives, so non-relatives, feel free to skip this one! I just thought you would enjoy hearing some of Laci's new lingo.

Arkansas is Calling My Name

Yes, it's that time of year again! The changing of the seasons is barely noticeable here in Texas. Things look browner in winter and greener in spring, but that's about it. The weather is slowly getting warmer, and in winter it will slowly get cooler. With every changing season, I suppose I long for home! Not just the natural beauty of the natural state, but home. You know, seeing the smiling face of my Mom and enjoying the flood of happy memories that wrap their arms around me as I cross that threshold on 2811 Karen Street in Benton. My childhood greets me as I walk through the garage and remember coasting in on my bike and hopping off for a cold drink. And it just gets better as I enter the kitchen, the den, and of course, my room! It's as though I never grew up. (Okay, no comments please about my not having grown up in reality!)
Terry also longs for good ol' Arkansas. He loves fishing in the Saline River. He has decided this would be a good time of year to visit the River once again. We are all heading out on Saturday, April 19th, for home sweet home.
I can feel Arkansas, or home, calling my name. The Lord is graciously allowing me to answer!
Please pray for us as we travel. We've had another smaller bout with a stomach virus. I am praying we'll all be 100% for the trip on Saturday. We'll be coming home on Friday, April 25th. I'll be posting that day for sure. A very special guy has a birthday that day!! I'll give you a hint, he's the one who's wanting to go fishing in Arkansas. Yep, Terry will be the big 3-0 on Friday the 25th.
Thanks for your prayers and friendship.
See you tomorrow!!

The Lethal Combination

I Sam. 21:6 So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the showbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.
I Sam. 21: 8-9 And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste.9 And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me.

We see in the above verses that David is on the run from Saul. He has just been warned by his best friend, and Saul's own son, Jonathan, that he needs to "get out of Dodge". David heads to Nob, where the priest Ahimelech is. The priest is curious as to why the hero of Israel is alone. David tells him that the "king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know anything of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee..." (I Sam.21:2) This was the truth, for the King had sent him on a business. It wasn't King Saul, but the King of Kings! And his business was staying alive. David was being very discreet.
He continues to tell the priest that he needs bread. The priest offers him the shewbread, after he confirms that David is pure. David then asks for a weapon. Ahimelech tells him that all he has is Goliath's sword. David says (I like this part!)
"There is none like that; give it me." This sword was a token from the greatest battle in Israel. A battle that David himself had fought. God delivered a giant into the hand of a young man! What a boost to his spirit to be reminded of a great victory during a time of trial in his life. Isn't God good?
The thing that caught my eye was that David received food or nourishment for the journey from the priest, or at church. He also received a weapon there. When we go to church, we receive the food for our journey, from God's Word, as the Pastor preaches. We also receive a weapon to fight the spiritual battles in our lives at church. We get "ammunition" from the Bible, so to speak! Likewise, when we get in God's Word daily, we receive food from the Lord. When we go to God in prayer, we are using our greatest weapon against Satan.
There have been times that I have felt the enemy breathing down my neck. But just when I needed it, I received the "shewbread" to give me strength, I am reminded of a great victory that God wrought in my life and I remember to use the weapon needed to fight in spiritual warfare -God's Word! It isn't long before I see a victory!
Yes, any way you slice it, God's Word and prayer are a lethal combination.

Samuel's Heart

I Sam. 15:11 It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.

I Sam. 16:1 And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

I was so impressed with Samuel's tender heart in the above verses. He cared so deeply for Saul that he cried unto the LORD all night long. It grieved him that Saul disobeyed the Word of the Lord. I must admit, I don't cry to the Lord all night very often. And if I did, I'm afraid it would be over something much more personal. I don't know that I am compassionate and loving enough to cry for others all night.

I found it interesting that the Lord finally had to tell Samuel to stop crying for Saul. He told Samuel that He had rejected Saul, and chosen another. He wanted Samuel out of the dumps, and thinking of the future. I suppose I do often dwell on the negative and stay down when I need to pick up and move forward. I hope I will remember this the next time I face discouragement and disappointment.

It's Not For Pastors Only

Hey everyone. I couldn't sleep. It is 4 something in the morning and my mind was whirling. I couldn't seem to turn it off. I started remembering this story and thought I would share it with you. I don't know if you'll agree, but these are just my thoughts. If it doesn't make sense, it is because it so early and I am sooo hungry! ;]

I was once a member of the church where the Pastor said in a sermon that his daughter had done something wrong (I can't remember what, it wasn't huge, she was only about 8 years old) and he said to his daughter, "Why did you do that? You know you shouldn't have done that, you're the Pastor's daughter." This girl seemed to resent the fact that she was a preacher's daughter. May I say, I can see why! She didn't ask to be a preacher's kid. There wasn't a big push at church for all who wanted to be in the pastor's family to please "sign up". So, why did it matter? Aren't we all called to a higher standard as Christians? Jesus wants the world to see His reflection in us. Also, on the selfish side, living life His way brings innumerable blessings. This doesn't apply to pastors only. If you're His child, then you can get in on the blessings, too!
We try to live to a high standard, not because we are better than anyone else, not because we believe in a works salvation and not because we are the pastor's family, but because of one reason: we are Christians. We do right because of Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.

My husband and I were married for seven years before he entered full time paid ministry. But we were in full time unpaid ministry for seven years prior to receiving the salary. We do not do one thing differently now than before we were a "Pastor". We read our Bibles then, and now. We dressed modestly then, and now. We did not watch filthy TV then, or now. We attended church faithfully then, and now. We went out soul winning then, and now. We corrected our children for disobedience then, and now. We did not listen to wicked music then, or now. We did not use foul language or even crude language then, or now. We did not drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes then, or now. We were honest then, and now. We tithed and gave to missions then, and now. Why? Because as Christians, we read the Bible and found verses that instructed us to live this way. Not because we thought "Well, we're gonna be pastoring, so we better clean up our life for the job." We do not live this way because there is a contract that pastors must sign before they can get a church. We live this way because the Bible teaches it. We live this way because we try to obey the Lord. Jesus said If ye love me, keep my commandments. John 14:15 I love Him, and I want to obey Him. Oh, I need to do more. You all already know that. But, I'm trying.

When my daughter asks me why we do or don't do something, I say "Lauren, we live this way because we're Christians, and we try to do what the Bible says." When she or Mitch or Leslie does wrong, Terry says "Why did you do that? You know that ________is a sin. The Bible says..." and then he fills in the verse. We are hoping that if we teach them what the Bible says that there will be a good chance they will live by the Bible as an adult. My teaching is faulty. My example is frail at best. But the Bible's teaching is infallible. Jesus is the perfect example. I hope I can keep their eyes on Him!
As the song says:
The Bible stands, though the hills may tumble.
The Bible stands, though earth may shatter and crumble.
I will plant my feet on its firm foundation,
though all around is sinking sand, the Bible stands!

The church people watch us closely. So does the world. I hope I am pointing everyone to Him.