The Journey!!!

I started a new page on Facebook called The Journey.  It is a page dedicated to those who are on a weight loss journey or a lifestyle change journey.  You hate to call it a diet now days.  I have struggled with weight for at least the last 20 years.  I would lose 30 lbs and gain 50 lbs back.  My weight was up and down when I went to the doctor.  One time I would have lost 10 lbs the next time I had gained 8 lbs.  Never consistant in my lifestyle of eating.  Being married to a pastor didn't help matters....churches love to eat.  Also, my Southern heritage was a problem...southerns fix every problem with food, every celebration with food, every milestone with food and  "Y'all come over and we'll cook something up good."

So I start Weight Watchers in June of 2011.  To date I have lost 40 lbs.  Not exactly flying off, but it slowly leaves...it didn't jump on all at once.  I am a work in progress, and I have down falls (like cheetos), but I do try to turn bad habits into good.  No more fried foods, lots of veggies and fruits and no more mindless calories (still working on the cheetos part) and I am trying hard to implement dairy into my diet.  I am happy with my weight loss even if another pound didn't come off, and some days I think it just might not. LOL  I feel a hundred times better....I can walk and not give out of breath.  I can bend and squat lots better.  Over all better feeling.

I tell people that I am no expert when it comes to maintaining a weight loss page, but I will cheer you to death.  I did find out early in our ministry that if I don't posses any other gift in the world, I am an encourager.  I am not an eloquent speaker or the best suited to teach, but I will make you feel special and let you know you can accomplish anything you set your mind too. 

The journey continues and will probably never end for me.  I struggle day to day just like everyone else.  I learned at Weight Watchers that when you do mess up you don't need to wait until tomorrow or next week to get back on track...get back on track with your next meal.

If you are on Facebook, and you are walking this journey along come and join our page...we would love to have you.

Wondering!!!!

Why is it that when someone doesn't like the church, they continue to use and abuse their generosity?   We don't like that church, but we will take anything they will give us.  As Christians they should want to give, and we will take all.  Sometimes this is not just the unchurched, but often times it is the very attenders of the church.

Why it is when people are anti Christian and bad mouth Christians, they are the first to ask one to pray for them or their situtation?  But as soon as the crisis is over the bad mouthing continues. God is not a band-aid to just to fix problems and be there only when you need something.

These are a few things I don't understand.  I know that we should give and pray for those who ask.  I am not talking about not giving or praying for them, but what makes people act like this.

Again, why do some Christian act like this?  They don't like this church or church member or pastor, but they will continue to take from them.  I don't understand.  Sounds hypocritical to me.  I am just trying to figure out motive or ideology behind their thinking.  To me if I didn't like someone, I sure wouldn't impose on their generous nature.  This has happened personally as well...I say personally.  My husband was a pastor, and you hear what people say about you, and then they call you wanting you to pray for them or go see someone...after they have talked about you in the most disrespectable fashion.  As a Christian and pastor you pray and go do what they ask...why?  Because you have a heart for people and God has called you to minister....you esssentially are better than they are, in the sense that you are not petty and don't care what people say.  In reality you do care, you are human and have feelings.  The old saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."  That is a big old honking lie...words hurt, and their hurt at times can run deep. 

I know that Jesus was persucuted and we will be as well, but there are times I want to stand and shout, "I am not going to take this abuse anymore."  The church gives and gives and yet it is run down in the ground by some.  Don't people realize that talking about one church hurts the cause of Christ, we are not in competition,but all the body of Christ.  Okay, I am getting into a whole other subject, but it is just irking me right now.  Noone church is better than another.  Size doesn't matter, programs don't matter and the building doesn't matter....what matters is the message.  Jesus died to forgive us of our sins!!!  He came to give us life and give it more abundantly!!!

I guess in this world there will be givers and takers.  It just saddens me to see takers that I feel don't really understand the love of God or His people.

What Does It Mean????

I see the term used so often today, "I am a follower of Christ."  Which to be honest disturbs me.  The reason this disturbs me so much, because most people that use this term don't fully believe the entire bible, disregards miracles in the bible and I have found generally interprets the bible to fit anything in their life at the moment....they also are not faithful to the church or the doctorine of the bible (this has been my observation on some) and some have never accepted the Lord as their Savior (let me just say this is based on some who I have talked to...not all)  It is like they are still searching for something.  Saying that I am a follower of Christ is like saying, "I am following Jennifer Aniston on Twitter or someone you don't know on Pinterest because you like "some" of their ideas."  You don't know Jennifer Aniston or this person on pinterest, but a few of their ideas or their life intrigues you.  Jesus didn't die for you to follow Him around and watch and learn at a distance.  He died to save us from our sins, to have a PERSONAL relationship with us.  I like the phrase that I am a Child Of God (it may sound old fashion to some), but He is my Heavenly Father.  And if someone is your Father, you are not His follower; but rather His child.  I am a Christian!! What is wrong with that phrase...I am a believer in Christ...still a little sketchy to me...I believe in a lot of things, but doesn't mean I have a personal realationship with them.  Myself and all those who have accepted Him as Lord and Savior have be bought with His blood that was shed for you and me.  The term follower is just too loose for me...you might as well say I am following the tides of the ocean or the green van in front of me.  It also sound noncommittle to me.  Like I am following Him and checking Him out to see if that is really the way I want to go.  In general, I am not impressed by the phrase nor does it make me think you more spiritual or closer to God than anyone else.  It does make me think that you use it in a general way as not to offend anyone on what you think about God.  If you have ever watched the Passion of Christ, then you have some idea of what Jesus went through for us.  Don't generalize your beliefs, lay them out in plain english and let people know what Christ did for us, so that we may have eternal life.   Take a bold stand!!! Generalizing where you stand with God is an insult to Him.  Let people know that you a Child of God purchased through the blood He shed for you on Calvary...not just a follower, who is looking to hop on the train at a convenient time (this is how it sounds to me). I am sure lots will disagree.   You will disagree with me and take a stand on why you like that term, and how I am so wrong about you.  But better yet, stand a strong firm stand in the eyes of the world, they are the ones who are living in darkness.  They need a beacon of light...that comes from that personal relationship with Jesus Christ, not someone who just says, "Yes, I am a follower of Christ."  Don't be ashame that you know God in an intimate way. 

Now this is my take on this blog....this writing is my opinion, and you can agree or disagree.  But here is why I shared.  I too try so hard not to offend people, but not anymore as far as where the Lord is concerned.  Time is short, and people are in need of a Savior and I am not doing my duty by tip toe around the situation and not mincing words, and trying so hard not to offend or make them feel uncomfortable.  The truth is sin is sin and you and disguise it, disregard it or ignore it...but it is still there.  The truth is Jesus died for your sins....all you have to do is call upon the name of the Lord and you shall be saved.  America and this whole world needs more Christians to call themselves what they really are...Christian, Children of God and a soul that has been purchased by the precious blood of the Lamb.  He's not ashamed of you, so don't you be ashamed of Him.

New Phone Mishaps!!!

I spent most of Friday afternoon with a wonderful employee of US Cellular named, Ruth Graham....no relation to Rev. Billy Graham or Rev. J. Billy Graham in Moore County (I asked).  I finally took the plunge and got a smart phone.  How ironic that a dummy got a smart phone.  Ruth took time and showed me how to use it, but my ADD/HD kicked in during instruction time....They have a plant that has lots of dead leaves on it and they are falling all over the carpet.  Okay, so that is why I don't know how to use my phone.  I did finally today learn how to answer it...they almost hung up before I figured out how to answer, and I can't promise that I can answer it again.  I can look on Facebook and take a picture with the camera.  It has more features than our van.  The one thing that I did master was the GPS....almost, just read the following story:

Okay, so I got this new phone..and don't know how to use anything but the GPS. Yesterday while at Carolina BBQ, I was showing my dad how it looked just like his Garmin. I popped in my home address to show him...I think he was impressed...I need to add that my knowledge of the GPS is limited. I put my phone in my purse and head to the restroom. To my horror in the restroom my phone starts yelling, "Recalculating, recalculating." Turn left in 200 ft." I have no idea how to stop it, and it keeps repeating. Then I just hear this big old cackle from another stall. At least I gave some a good laugh. I still don't know how to turn the GPS off. LOL

After pushing many buttons...I still don't know how to turn the GPS off, but it went off.  Mark finally asked me today, "Aren't you going to watch the DVD that came with the phone?"  I said yes, but I wanted to try and figure it out by myself first.  I am learning...I can use the camera, pull up WW restaurant guide to see how many points and play word search, but using it for it's intended purpose...to talk to people...not so much.

Fake Church Signs!!!!

As I hear things on the news and read the newspaper, I think to myself a lot...what in the world is going on???  I mean there are so many things that just don't shock me anymore.  They don't shock me, but still I wonder why??? Why people do the things that they do, and where do they get the time.  This really came into play when my husbands boyhood church made national news with their church sign this week.

Someone photo shopped their sign to read as the following:

I am talking about a church that is not on the main road and even though I know where it is located, I still have to follow the signs to get there.  It is a country church!!! Why in the world would someone do this???  Not enough activities to fill their time?  For laughs? Publicity?  There have been many speculations as to why, but it comes down to common decency and respect for God's property (which this world seems to have none).  This is what their sign really read:

Pastor Barbery stands beside the real message that Beulah Hill Baptist Church is sending. The sign is locked and everything.  If you examine the two signs closely, you will notice the fonts are different.  Now this pastor has to spend a lot of his time defending his church and members. On a good side, their church has been packed since this has happened, and maybe a golden opportunity to share the gospel while he is being interviewed by so many.  What satan meant for evil, God turns it around for good.

Publicity has not been a problem.  Just mention a church, pastor or the word Christian and the media comes running.  Papers, such as the Moore County paper, The Pilot, has ran this story.  As well as, The Fayetteville Observer, not to mention a host of websites, and a snippet on Fox News.  This all started with TMZ running this photo shopped picture.  Not just the fact that a church was used, but a person and their baby was mentioned with such disregard to the new life that was just born (and I don't care that it was a celebrities baby, they have feelings and emotions as well).  America is so far down in a pit of filth it is not even funny.  Why say this about an innocent baby plus use God's house to say it?? 

This started out to inform everyone about a fake church sign, but I think the real story here is just how far America has sunk into an abyss of no morals, ethics, conscience or regard to human decency anymore.

Real Food V/S Fake Food!!!

I am watching the 700 Club the other week (I love watching Skinny Wednesday's) when they show this skinny blonde chick on their talking about her latest book.  It is called, "Skinny Chicks Eat Real Food."



Naturally after watching the show, and hearing all these great things that certain foods can do, I bought the book.  I understand where she is coming from in the book, but get real.  The book is basically about processed foods and how harmful they can be.  I understand that, but we are talking about canned food, frozen foods and even meats.  I don't have time or the money to run around and look for grain fed and organic food....I don't have kids, so imagine a mom of 4 trying to fit this into her time frame of all that leisure time that she has. LOL

I make a spinach, grilled chicken pizza, that I think is healthy...only 6 Weight Watcher points in a slice...that is a big slice.  But according to this chick the only thing good on my pizza is the spinach (and only then if is organic).  I buy the grilled chicken already cooked...a no no.  I buy the whole wheat pizza dough....a no no.  Not to mention the canned tomato sauce and the cheese....BIG no no's.

So, according to this book...I should be letting the yeast rise and making my own dough with some kind of flour that I have never heard of....buying fresh tomatoes and making my own tomato sauce.  Plus, getting some organic, free range chicken and grilling it myself to get the full benefits of eating "real food".  WHO HAS THAT KIND OF TIME??????? 

I say give me Sandra Lee with some semi homemade ideas any day.  I want my short cuts to preparing meals.  I want it to look like I have slaved away in the kitchen all day, but it reality I had time to read, go for a swim and still present a fabulous meal.

I am not saying this book isn't right on target, there are lots of extra things in our food at the grocery store.  I am just saying that I would have to become a professional chef to prepare our meals.   I would stay in the kitchen all day prepping for meals, because you can't buy those short cut veggies and fruits that are already cut for you....that is a no no. There are a few things that after reading what goes into them during processing I will give up.  But for now, I will probably be eating more "fake food" than "real food".