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September 14, 2011

Miranda – Draft Written in Nov 2009

I really believe that the most amazing woman in the world has married me. We’re coming up on 6 years of marriage and I’m more and more amazed by her each day. Let me tell you about the her most recent extravagant efforts: As many of you know, we’re going through a tough time right now. I need to find a way to support my family by January due to some financial troubles in our church. (They’re making all full-time positions part-time – due to finances, not performance.) Anyway, God had been making it clear to me that He wants me to begin moving in some different directions. I chose not to say anything to Miranda for a couple of reasons. 1. I have come to understand that women need to feel secure. Stability and consistency are highly valued among them. 2. All my contacts and my reputation is in youth ministry. I could probably get a youth ministry job relatively easily. 3. The timing was horrible – I just lost my job and it would not have been smart to tell her that I was planning on seeking another position the hard way.

Here’s what’s so amazing about her though: I came home from work one day about a month ago and she sat me down saying that she had been praying and God had revealed something to her. She went on to explain that she would be willing to let go, even lose our house and sacrifice/scale back on our living expenses in order to wait for the “right” position. She knew that God was leading me elsewhere and wanted to give me the freedom to chase the lion that she knew I was being called to.

Whew!!. . . For me, this was incredible! I was feeling tons of pressure to “provide” for her and the kids in the same ways that I had been doing so for the past few years and yet I also knew that this new calling would probably mean we’d have to make some sacrifices. I have the most amazing bride!!! One who seeks God and who is willing to follow Him even when it’s hard to make sense of the things He’s calling us to do. She not only came to those decisions, but also recognized that out of my love for our family, I was in an awkward position – wanting to provide and wanting to follow God. So she took care of it. Before my stress grew too large to handle – even before I came to the place where I needed to find a way to tell her what I was feeling, she alleviated the stress. She is good. I love her more today than any other day. I know we’re probably going to see some hard times ahead, but I wouldn’t want to go into these uncertain times with anyone else. I’m so blessed to be able to walk through this life with her by my side.

August 11, 2009

36″

I wore a pair of shorts with a 36 waist yesterday!! I can remember exactly, but it’s probably been at least 10 years since I was in a 36. Right before we left for our vacation last week, I went to get some more shorts. The first 36s that I tried on fit great!! I was excited. Too bad the next pair I had to go back to my regular 38s. Oh well – at least I’m moving in the right direction. It’s now week 14 of this lifestyle change and the scale said I weighed 229lbs this morning. When I started, I was 240lbs and my goal is 190lbs. I’ve still got a long way to go, but according to Andy Stanley, it’s “direction that determines destination” and I’m moving in the right direction. In all honesty, I figured I would have weighed much more this morning, ’cause last week was vacation. I ate all kinds of “bad” (and good) things and I didn’t get the exercise in that has become my routine. I was happy with 229lbs.

Another milestone occurred during this vacation. I actually showed up at the beach and got in the water with no shirt. I have worn a shirt for years when I swim ’cause I’ve always been too ashamed of my big belly. (And it always feels awkward to have my shirt off when I’m doing youth ministry stuff around pools, etc.) I think I’ll still wear a shirt for youth stuff, but I crossed some sort of line this past week that I think is notable. Of course, I still don’t look all that different than I did when I started, so maybe this has more to do with me not caring what other people think anymore – of course the fact that there were other guys on the beach who were fatter than I helped too.

Here are the pics this week:

July 21, 2009

Week 11

OK – After my last post, I got back down to 227.5lbs the very next day. Now it’s week 11 and I’m still the same weight. I must admit that I haven’t been as strict with my eating habits as I was in the beginning. I’ve also not been walking/running as much. Instead, Miranda and I have been riding bikes quite a bit more lately. I’ve been hauling the kids behind me in a little “trailer-type” thing that attaches to the back of my bike. Kasen loves rising the “bite” (He can’t quite say his K’s yet.) Kesleigh has been getting a nap in while we ride – not sure she enjoys it as much. (I’ll also try to get a picture of the whole family on our bikes soon.) Anyway, my plan is to continue with the exercising (whether it be on the bike or walking) and to be much better with the eating habits this week. I hope it makes a difference.

Here are the pics:

July 9, 2009

A Bump in the Road

I’m 9 Weeks into this whole weight loss/exercise/diet thing and I guess I hit a bump in the road. Last week I weighed 227.5lbs and this week I was back @ 230lbs. I don’t really think I gained 2.5 lbs. I think it has to do with when I weigh myself. I didn’t eat as well this past week (and I have no excuses – well, maybe I could blame Shana’s visit for one meal, but. . .well. . . that’s just me playing the “blame game” that I learned from my ancestors back in Genesis.) Anyway, I think there are probably gonna be weeks where I feel like I’m getting nowhere. This is one of them, but regardless of what the scales say, I can still say I feel better. I feel like I’m really doing well. I’ve been on the cholesterol medication for just over a month now and taking “fish oil” for about as long. The lifestyle change that I’m really seeking is well underway and it really hasn’t been as difficult as I had imagined. If I can just make my feet hit the floor in the mornings, then after that, the exercise part comes easy. Eating better will always be difficult, but I’m finding more things that I enjoy that are “healthy.” (By the way, Miranda made some great pork chops last night!)

Here are the pics:

June 18, 2009

Week 6

I haven’t done so well the past couple of weeks. With our camping trip last week, I had to eat whatever was on my plate. The same will be true next week on our Mission Trip. I have done pretty well with the whole exercise thing during the time that I’ve been home, and I feel like all the extra work next week on the mission trip will be good too. Anyway, when I weighed in this week. I weighed the same (230lbs) as 2 weeks ago. Here are the pics:

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June 1, 2009

20%

Well, I’ve lost 10 of what now has become a 50lb goal. That’s 20%!! Pretty good for just 4 weeks of effort. At this rate, (I know the rate will slow down) I will reach my goal by the beginning of October! Of course the real goal is health and that means I’ll never reach the end of these efforts. This is a lifestyle change, not just a diet or exercise program.

All in all, I must say, it really hasn’t been as hard as I thought it would be. I’m sure there will be more ups and downs, but . . . the whole thing really seems like something I can do. I’m sure that when I stop losing weight, some of the motivation will be gone, but. . . well, who knows.

This week during our small group I got a call from my doctor. He had just received the results from my blood test. He prescribed a cholesterol lowering medication that I’m gonna have to take once a day. That’s no fun, but if that’s what it takes for me to be healthy and live so that I can do God’s work, then it’s certainly worth it. Maybe I’ll be able to get off the medication once I get into shape?!?!?!

Here’s the pics for this week:

: Week 4 – 230lbs

May 26, 2009

Off the Wagon

I didn’t do so well this week with this whole healthy eating/exercising thing. Not real bad – just not as well. We had a good friend come down this weekend and ended up taking her out to dinner at a place where we had only been one other time. It was a great meal, but they didn’t have much on the menu that I was willing to eat that was still semi-healthy. I opted for a steak. I know it’s not that bad to eat a steak, but I still felt sort of guilty about it – of course the “delicious factor” overwhelmed my guilt, but never-the-less at least there was a little guilt. I figure that means I really am turning some sort of corner. I mean – I would never have felt any guilt at all before all this. At least I know my mindset is changing. I also failed miserably with the whole food thing during our youth lock-in Sunday night – it’s tough for an old man like me to stay awake all night and be responsible for 25 youth without a few cookies, chips, and caffeine in the middle of the night.

Not only that, but I also didn’t do so well with the exercise stuff this week. I missed one day of exercise yesterday ’cause I was sleeping after the lock-in all night Sunday night. No problem – I’m make up the 2 miles later this week.

I went to the Doctor last week and he gave me some great news! I don’t actually have to get down to 178lbs, but only down to 190lbs. That’s 12lbs less to lose!!! Yeah!! I didn’t get to weigh myself this morning, so I don’t have a current update for today, but I figure I’m probably still around the 233lb mark that I was last week.

Here’s the pic today in comparison to my first week. PS – I happen to be wearing the greatest T-shirt I’ve ever owned today. It says, “Friends Don’t Let Friends Listen to Country Music!” (I don’t really have much against country music, but I still think it’s hilarious!)

May 11, 2009

Lost Kid

The kid in the picture weighs 60lbs. That’s how much I’ve got to lose.

Right now I weigh 240lbs and according to some website that Miranda got on, at my age and height, I should be 178 to be healthy. That means I’ve gotta lose that kid and a couple more pounds.

I decided that if I blogged about my progress – my ups and downs – I might be more motivated to actually stick to this whole lifestyle change. If I know you guys are watching me and I have to update you every week, then I’ll feel a little positive peer pressure to do well. So. . .I guess this is the beginning of a weekly series of blogs where I’ll update you on my progress. Also thought I’d post a picture each week. (Maybe I’ll actually see the difference and be motivated too. – Of course that could work against me too, but. . .well, I’m gonna give it a shot.)

The good news is that Miranda is doing this with me, but she doesn’t want to be quite so public with it all.

I’m already an “old dad,” and I’m not willing to risk being a “dead dad” so I’ve got to do this. I want to be a part of my kids lives and well. . .I haven’t been so motivated before.

So the plan is – eat more healthy, exercise regularly, and enjoy life. (Oh – I’m also using a cpap now and hopefully sleeping better.) My goal this week is simply to get up and exercise, eat better, and make an appointment with the doctor. I’ll let you know how it goes.

So there’s my first pic. 240 lbs. Yuck!!
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