Renewing Ourselves

Our choir's special at church this morning was special indeed ... happy new year's everyone. May 2012 be the year to live your life abundantly and in His word.

This is a day of new beginnings,
time to remember and move on,
time to believe what love is bringing,
laying to rest the pain that's gone.

For by the life and death of Jesus,
love's mighty Spirit, now as then,
can make for us a world of difference
as faith and hope are born again.

Then let us, with the Spirit's daring,
step from the past, and leave behind
our disappointment, guilt and grieving,
seeking new paths, and sure to find.

Christ is alive, and goes before us
to show and share what love can do.
This is a day of new beginnings;
our God is making all things new.

In faith we'll gather round the table
to show and share what love can do.
This is a day of new beginnings;
our God is making all things new. 

(This is a Day of New Beginnings, words Brian Wren - copyright 1975, 1995 Hope Publishing Co.)

3rd Body by Vi 90 Day Challenge: Chaos!

I've decided to keep an online record of my 3rd Body by Vi Challenge. I'm going to do my best to post periodic updates here on the blog as another level of accountability. I'm down 23 pounds so far since September 2010. The best part is that the inches have melted away - I'm now wearing size 10 pants and large tops (some mediums and that's quite the accomplishment with these big boobs). I never in a million years thought I'd be this size again. So for the record, that's down from a tight size 16 in pants and extra large tops. Yep, I'm excited!

My goal for this next 90 days is to lose 10 pounds and go down to size 8 pants. I'm not going to set a goal for a smaller top because, again, big boobs ... don't think it's reasonable to expect a lot more change there. The way I'm going to have to meet this goal is to concentrate on exercise and building lean muscle. Luckily for me, the Vi-Shape does just that!

I may be a little crazy starting this challenge right now because there's a lot of craziness going on. We're going through a small remodeling project at home, so my den is currently in this state:

The project is almost complete although there are repairs to be made to the floor that can't be seen in this picture. Obviously, this empty room means all of the den furniture is in other parts of the house. The demolition that has since been cleaned up left plaster dust all over everything, so there's the added chaos of washing everything in the kitchen. The calm in the middle of the storm: the day's 2 shakes and my morning coffee!

Of course, it could always be worse. My husband's office literally no longer exists. The tornadoes in NC destroyed his building leaving him with an unwanted skylight. Thankfully, the tornado hit on a Saturday when the office and other commercial buildings were empty. God is good!

I know I'll face some unique challenges during this third 90 day challenge. I have many positives in my life that will help me overcome the obstacles: a supportive family, motivation to succeed and a great arsenal of tools at my disposal. Stay tuned for updates!

Body by Vi Giveaway Winner!

I'm so excited! The deadline for my first giveaway has passed, so now it's time to determine the winner of the Body by Vi Balance Kit.

There were 16 total comments ...

So like I've seen on other blogs, I went to random.org to find out who is the lucky winner ...

Then I checked to see who had the 5th comment ...

and it's TZel!

I'm not sure how TZel initially heard of my blog and giveaway, but I'm very glad she did. Her new blog and its posts are very well-written and are obviously very purposeful in expressing her thoughts. Her posts about prayer and her relationship with God speak volumes to me. Although this giveaway is just one small act, reading her words in her post on Tuesday just seem to round out this giveaway in a very nice way. She wrote:

"Now, here is where balance really comes into play. We have already discussed our relationship with God and taking care of our own needs. But Jesus advises us that there is more happiness in giving than in receiving ... Nurturing involves helping fulfill the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of others. Volunteer work, taking care of family members,' workmates' and friends' needs satisfies in us that basic human desire to serve others. Without working hard to help others, our lives will seem empty and without purpose."

Looking back at the first 8-9 months of 2010, I realize now that I was not living and enjoying life as God wants us to do. I was not leading a life of purpose. Was I depressed? I honestly don't know. There were no huge factors going on in my life to bring on a depression. I am incredibly blessed: I am married to my best friend since childhood and we have 2 wonderful, healthy children. I have a job which I enjoy. Materialistically, there is nothing that we truly need that we don't have. Spiritually, I know that I am a child of God who gave us all the gift of His Son so that we may live forever in a relationship with Him.

Why was I in such an "inner funk" for much of the year? Why did I feel that I couldn't love myself as others love me? I haven't resolved all of the emotions associated with this, but what I do know with certainty is that I felt that a part of my life - my health, my body - was spinning out of control. Finding Body by Vi changed that for me and for the first time in 20+ years I am loving my body - and all of me - again. To say that is a good feeling and that it has changed my life is a tremendous understatement.

That is what I want to share with others and why I write about Body by Vi on this blog. Yes, I'm selling the product because Taylor and I need the extra income to help patch some holes in our budget. But even if I did not have the financial needs, I would still be telling everybody I possibly can about how Body by Vi has helped me gain control of one part of my life which obviously makes everything else so much better. I want to nurture others and help them gain that same control by reclaiming a healthy lifestyle.

So, TZel, I do not know your story but since you entered this giveaway, I hope that in some small way this balance kit can help with nutrition and weight loss. I sincerely thank you for entering so that I can now follow your journey.

To everyone else who entered, I thank you as well! I know this will not be the only time I host a giveaway as it has been a wonderful blessing for me.

God is good!