Friday, April 30, 2010

She's back!

And boy am I GLAD to be back!   Now I had a wonderful time, and saw so many things I never imagined my eyes would see, but there is no place like home!  And not many who love me like that big black dog of mine!  Let me apologize to all of you who took the time to check the other blog set up for Israel, but we could not get it to work at all, and I even had several folks who were far more adept than I look at it to no avail.  I look forward to sharing some stories and pictures with you in person instead.

Israel is a beautiful country, and for me personally to walk around where Jesus lived, was crucified and resurrected was such a spiritual highlight that is hard to articulate.  The things I saw just made the Bible come alive to me.  I also got baptized in the Jordan River on my birthday.  That was very cool.  One of the most fun things I did was ride a camel.  I just wish you guys could have seen me clinging for dear life when that beast got up from a sitting position.  They get up in stages so you either fall forward and lean way back, and I mean WAY forward and WAY back!  The other really fun thing I did was float in the Dead Sea.  As heavy as I am, I just floated right on top of the water the whole time I was in it!  That was the most freaky feeling, not being able to get down into the water.  Also, it feels very silky on your skin until you wash all the salt off.  If you don't wash, you turn a bright white.  We also went to one of the seven wonders of the world which is called Petra in Jordan.  That was the most beautiful and mind boggling place I have ever seen.  What a hike that was!  The last day, I stood on Mt. Nebo which is also in Jordan and overlooked the promised land just as Moses saw it thousands of years ago. 

It was just an amazing, once in a lifetime trip, but that's not all it was.  It was also a tremendous reminder to me of the whole reason I ever wanted to loose weight and change my life in the first place.  I was so tired of watching life from the sidelines and not being engaged in life whatsoever.  This trip reminded me once again, that the hard work and effort I have put in allowed me to walk, hike, ride a camel, float in a salt sea and fly in an airplane without a seatbelt extension.  I am actually engaging in life in every way, without allowing fear or shame or doubt or anything to stop me, and that is exactly what I wanted so bad in the beginning of my lifestyle change.  I hope you are doing the same or working toward it!

Enjoy the weekend!

Monday, April 12, 2010

Satisfying my wander lust

It has been an incredibly harrowing and stressful this past week and a half!  In that time my mother almost, well, let's just say she became extremely sick and was in ICU for a week and a day, then has been moved to a regular room where she is as I write this.  She is expected to leave the hospital tomorrow to go to Rehab for a couple of weeks.  She has what the Dr. calls global weakness, the aftermath of such serious illness.  The other pressing issue this past week has been whether to go on my long planned trip to Israel or to cancel it.  After deciding not to go several times, we all decided as a family that I should go after my mother turned the corner on Friday.  Between a very sick Mom and long hospital stays and the on and off again trip, I was just about to crack on Thursday and Friday.  By Saturday the clouds moved out, the sun appeared and all is right with the world again.  Mmmm  Not!  But after much prayer and family conversation, we have all decided, including me, that I will go tomorrow on my trip to several countries, including Israel.  I have set up another blog so that my family and friends can check in on me and see pictures and hear what I've been up to.  Here is that address.  http://www.wheregodsfeettrod.blogspot.com/
Just go to that website anytime you like and I should be updating it every day or so with pictues and adventures.   

I will miss you ladies deeply.  I know you will use your time in group well until I return.  God bless each and every one of you.  I love you all and remember. . . You are the SMARTEST people I know!!  Without any doubt!!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

I wanna be an eagle

As many of you know, I am in the midst of a couple of life's storms.  My mother is in ICU extremely sick and I am scheduled for several neurosurgeries.  I happened to catch this show on Animal Planet a few days ago.  It was about eagles and I found it just fascinating.  When an eagle sees a huge, dangerous lightening storm approaching from far away, he takes to the air.  He flies directly toward the storm and keeps flying until he can harldy keep even and upright, continuing toward the storm.  Right when he hits the edge of the storm, the updraft grabs him and sends him sailing straight up until he reaches the top of the storm and flies over it.  He is then in the beautiful sunshine, looking down on the storm, flying without any trouble at all.  It was one of the coolest things to see the updraft sling him up and over the storm, where he is still quite aware of the storm below him, and must still negotiate the storm until it passes, but he is not being pummeled by the winds and rain and lightening.  If the eagle did not take the updraft up and over the storm, the winds would likely injure or even kill him.  When the storm passes, he begins to fly back down to the altitude and terrain he knows. 

The question I have for you this week is the following:

How does this story relate to our journey of lifestyle change?

I would love to hear your thoughts on this, since all of us will experience storms in life. I want to be an eagle who rides the updraft of my faith up and above the storms of my life.  And maybe that was the thought of the author of this verse;

           But those who wait upon the LORD shall renew their    
               strength;
               They will mount up with wings like eagles. 
               They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not
               faint.               Isaiah 40:31