Thursday, January 28, 2010

Julie's Journal

Well as you probably all know by now, there are some changes under way in the H.O.P.E. Program.  Cathy Lewis, who has been the group therapist and co-facilitator for over 5 years, is leaving.  I want to take this opportunity to thank her personally for her role in H.O.P.E. and for the years of service she committed to this program.  While change is never easy, and may not feel comfortable, it is an opportunity for growth for all parties involved.   It is my deep prayer that Cathy finds everything she is looking for in life.  I know that God will bless her abundantly and I look forward to a continuing professional relationship in the future.  I am just as fully convinced that God will provide the right therapist, who is a perfect fit with us, to take us into the next several years. 
I wanted to allow folks the opportunity to tell Cathy what she has meant to you personally, and to this program.  Please post your comments this week with that goal in mind.  Let's take the time to share with our fellow group member, our co-facilitator and our friend just what she means to us. 

Be mindful to feel what you need to feel about this upcoming change. If you need more information or just want to talk about it, I am always available for you ladies, always.  Thanks everyone, and have a great weekend.  Get your sled out, it looks like snow!!

Friday, January 22, 2010

Practical Ponderings

One of the friends I work with at the Y, Sarah Jane, was sharing this funny story with me yesterday.  She was telling me how she went to meet her then boyfriend, now husband's family, for the first time.  She was excited and nervous as anyone would be.  They had a swimming pool in the back yard and her boyfriend and siblings decided to have some contests in the pool.  One contest was to see who could swim across the pool under water the fastest. Well Sarh Jane thought "I have this in the bag, and they will all be so impressed with me.  She was a swimmer all her life, had been in many swim competitions and couldn't wait to take them on.  She had her contacts in, so just wanted to be sure and remember not to open her eyes and loose a contact.  One you mark, get set, go!  The race began, everyone swimming there hearts out, Sarah Jane's eyes tightly closed, then WHAM!!!  She hit the cement wall, full force, with no hands in front of her to block it.  They pulled her out of the water to administer first aid to her. To hear her tell the story, it was pretty funny and she was not hurt too bad. . . except for her ego! 


That story made me think of our journey of lifestyle change so much.  Many of us are so prepared for this journey, we know what and how to eat, we know about fitness, we know about feelings and so on and so forth.  The only problem is that we walking with our eyes covered!   Our eyes are covered by wounds from our past.  They are covered by false beliefs that were peddled to us as children.  Our eyes are darkened by shame messages that come from a myriad of places.  Our eyes are even dimmed because we hold our own hands up and cover them.  We can have an incredible amount of "knowledge" about lifestyle change and still find it hard to see the path we would like to be on. 

Are you struggling with consistency on your journey?  Could it be that you are having trouble seeing the path?  Can you identify anything in your life that is darkening your view on this journey of lifestyle change?   What can you begin to remove that could increase your visibility.  Do you need help removing something from your eyes?  The above story highlights so clearly that although we can be prepared and skilled and ready, we must be able to somewhat see the direction we want to go!

Have a wonderful week ladies!     

Friday, January 15, 2010

Contest Winners Announced!

Ok, don't have a heart attack because you are getting two post in one week!  The odds of that happening again are fairly low!  This post is to announce the H.O.P.E. Tshirt Contest winners.  We had a contest that allowed folks to send in the Tshirt color, writing color and the quote that would appear on the back of the shirt.  I am happy to say that we have two first prize winners and one 2nd place winner! 

First Prize Winners
Kelly Bullock
and
Yarby Williams

Second Prize Winner
Julie Hallman

All three will receive their Tshirt free and Kelly and Yarby will also receive the first prize for their efforts.  Great job to all who entered the contest.  Tshirts will be out in the Spring and you can see the new design.  Thanks for your help in deciding what we will wear on our backs this year!  Have a great weekend!

Thursday, January 14, 2010

H.O.P.E. Highlight

Happy New Year everyone!  OK, OK, I know, it's a day late and a dollar short. . .  . make that two or three dollars short!!  Last week was a challenging week for me in many ways and I couldn't get the Blog post out.  The good news is, that I don't live in that crazy "all or nothing"-ville anymore.  Every now and again I may go there for a very short visit, but I definitely don't live there!!  All or nothing-ville for me simply means living in a place of compulsive behaviors.  I can hear me now in the old days, "I didn't Blog on time, so I will not Blog anymore, ever, at all, ever.  Or maybe even this, "I will Blog every day since I missed a Blog post last week, maybe even twice a day".  Scary, isn't it??  Those are the old, unhealthy behaviors that I choose not to engage in, so here is the post!

This topic seems to keep coming up, and there are a couple of differing views on it.  I am most eager to hear what you think about this.  Someone in group recently asked this question again, and it tends to come up at least a couple of times a year; "when can I expect food to be a non-issue?"  That's the way it was worded this time, but another way of asking the same question might be "When am I done with this journey of lifestyle change, is it after I loose all my weight?"

I do not believe food can become a non-issue because it's not about the food!  Its just not.  It's about learning to feel our feelings and get connected with ourselves while learning and practicing healthy personal and relationship behaviors. While I do believe that we can learn to negotiate lifestyle change and food issues in a way that they no longer completely control our lives, I do not believe that food can ever become a non-issue.  That would imply we could get passed it or totally free from it.  I don't know about ya'll, but I am a professing Christian, born again, saved by grace, sold out to Christ, and I still do not believe food is a non-issue for me.  What I do know is that I can choose to live out of the flesh and give-in to my desire for unhealthy emotional overeating or I can live out of the Spirit, decide to feel my feelings just as it was intended by our Creator, and make healthier choices   Either way. . .   .the choice is mine.  Bottom line, the choice is mine.  As soon as I believe that I am totally free of any fleshly desires, I am setting myself up to fall on my hind end, and believe me, I have choosen to do that more than once on this journey.  I have though, learned to negotiate the journey in a way, that I have not gained my way back to 422 pounds.  The journey IS my goal as KT would say.  The choice IS mine.  Learning as much as I can about nutrition and fitness is my choice.  Trusting God to strengthen me on my journey is what I have chosen.  I have also chosen to recognize that my flesh is not a good thing for me to listen to, but the Spirit of God is!

Do I think I'm still ensnared completely by unhealthy eating behaviors and a lack of fitness?. . .  NO!  Do I think I am passed it, or that food is a non-issue? . . . . NO!  Have I personally recognized that it's not about the food? . . . YES!   Do I believe that I have all  I need to make far more healthier choices than not, regarding food and fitness? .  .  .Absolutely!!  That's the best news of all! 

I would love to hear other perspectives regarding this issue.   Remember, you are the smartest people I know!!!