Weight Loss Journey Begins - Again

A friend, Doris, and I stopped at a fun quilt shop in Covington, VA a couple of years ago.  The owner uses very colorful fabrics and simple patterns to create fun quilts.  I took photos to inspire me to not be afraid of color and to just go for it!

This is the kind of inspiration I need to lose weight.   I just need to go for it!  I can't stomach the "before" photos but I know that I don't want to be the largest person in a photo anymore, a moose next to my diminutive mother.  I want to have more energy and to not hurt.  To feel stable and not worry about walking on uneven terrain to get down to the creek's edge.

Listening to an audio story in the car yesterday, one character commented to another that she obviously had a vitamin D deficiency because she was shaking and had several other symptoms - I did not catch them all but they sounded familiar.  My labs just returned saying the same thing.  In the little bit I researched about this, it is quite common for women of a certain age to have this issue and leads to weak bones among other things.  Being obese is one of the causes - something about metabolizing and  absorbing D.

Of course, the best source of D is sunshine.  I tend to be an indoor person, especially lately.  But I desperately need to find a way to exercise regularly.  DD and I joined the Y recently but neither of us has figured
out how to fit it into our overcrowded lives.  I am tired of paying money for things that I should be able to do on my own:  Y, WW, Plexus.  Need to cancel them all and walk and eat my fruits and vegetables and lay off junk food.  We all know how to do this, but I've not been able to do it. Maybe if I blog about it, it will help.

I need to put together Advent worship for chapel on Tuesday right now, but plan to write daily about this journey.  I need to figure out how one creates a list on Blogger that can be added to continuously because I need to write down 100 reasons to lose weight and get into shape.  I have heard (I think it was Brian Tracy in his Psychology of Achievement - or something like that) that if you have a 100 reasons to do anything you will be unstoppable.  That sounds good to me!

CIVILITY

A seminary friend posted a brief statement about civility and the hope for healing for our nation after this horrible election season.  I treasure our right to vote, but I wonder at the process. Who would want to run when they are scrutinized and torn apart day after day for months, even years?  Some of the best and brightest avoid running for this reason.

Personally, I am happy that Donald Trump is the President Elect as I did not like or trust Hillary Clinton but I am well aware of the passion of those around me who supported her. As our HR person said, people of color do not trust Trump.  I would have loved to support the first woman for president and certainly would have voted for Condelissa Rice but Hillary lied and 4 people died and she has no respect for the security of the nation or sanctity of our borders.  I do not appreciate Mr. Trump's lack of civility but I can't help be impressed with his business acumen and his incredible wife and children.  They do not look like people who were abused or disrespected, not that that excuses his volatile words.  

I pray for our nation.  God sets above us the leaders that are right.  I wonder how this applies to Hitler and Stalin?  Leaders can be for our correction as well as for our own good. But, in some way, God uses those that are in power to do His work.  Cyrus of Persia was called the anointed one, the messiah, yet he was a non-believer and a cruel king.  But he allowed the Israelites to return to Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity to rebuild the Temple and recover Jewish life.  God used who was in power to accomplish his purposes.

I pray for my friends who are horrified at the results of this election.That they do not lose faith in the country and that they find a way to support this man who worked diligently and at his own expense with the dream of making our nation better for all citizens.