Intentionally, Unintentional

The word "intentional" came up some weeks ago in our lifegroup from church. It somehow got under my skin and started sneaking into my thoughts throughout the next week ar so. IT began to burden me so much that I felt the need to sit down and write about it ... although it is not nearly as fresh in my mind now.

Intentional:  done with intention or on purpose; intended
               synonyms: designed, planned

The word itself doesn't seem so scary until I start thinking about how much of my life "isn't" that way anymore. I started to realize that in many things I am just doing what I have always done... maybe out of habit..but other times because I would need to invest more time than I have or want to spend on something or someone to see whatever result I was looking for..... how sad....

I began looking at my life for where and what I SHOULD be intentional about.... like the mother that I am, the wife I am, the friend I am, and of course the follower of Christ that I am. Since all those other roles hinge on this one it is obviously the most important. It is also the one that I fear I have become more unintentional about over time. Not on purpose mind you, but within the definition itself lies the answer... I have simply not been "intentional", or doing things with intention.. or on purpose.. or with a purpose in mind. My life seems to have become a blur... just "dealing" with things as they come up or doing whatever happens to be there... not preparing for things.. whether seen or not.. or having a plan for one thing or another.... not that everything can be planned. I am well aware that things can slam into you that you never expected and every plan you have takes a backseat to dealing with that particular situation, but the other things, the everyday things, the ones that are always around and have become second nature to us (me).
Am I still or have I ever been intentional about them... and if not... why not????

These are just a few of the questions I was sort of wondering about.. and I must say it has been an interesting journey thus far. I am trying to be MORE intentional in the areas of my life that I believe are the most important.. like as a wife, I want to love my husband unconditionally, and be the helpmate that God wanted me to be for him. (IT is a big job and often I get frustrated with both of us.. because I know what I want to see how I want us to be and often it is far from my vision). Then as a mother.. am I being the Godly example I want them to follow....??? The friend one is REALLY slacking... I don't think I have a single friend that has called me to do anything in about a year... obviously I am not doing so well in that department... my apologies to those I am blessed to call friend.. I have let you down... if I were more intentional I would have called YOU to do something.
And lets not forget about the other family relationships, that of being the daughter, sister... aunt, cousin, etc. etc. .... I seem to failing miserably at all of these too.

And lastly and of course most importantly my role as Follower of Christ... where is my "intention" in this one..... ??? This is where my heart began to break .... because I believe I have simply "been" ... instead of  "been Intentional".... or I was simply "unintentional"...

Now I know that these things didn't just happen overnight... like all sin... it was a slow process... and somehow like I always do... I have a HUGE pile of it before I notice.... I know I have a long road ahead of me .. and that there are some things that may not be repairable.... shame on me... but my ultimate goal has always been that when the Lord takes me home; that somewhere along the line, I made a lasting Godly imprint on the lives of those around me that ultimately helped them along their road to glory, and brought HIM glory in the process.

So I guess the question has become.. what is my intention... and why... because if there isn't a plan ... all to often I get carried away in the moment... and that is where the trouble begins....

Pray for me... and I will pray for you too... that we may be "intentional" with our faith... and that the Lords glory is our ultimate "intention" overall....

.. Weighin' in Wednesday ...#4

well hello friend...

did your week go as planned...????

mine NEVER does..... and I am not someone who does well with "curve balls"... although, you'd think I'd get better, at either catching them or defending my self against them since I believe that is ALL that gets thrown in my direction.. usually at my HEAD...  now where DID I put that helmet..????

So of course my weekly plan ..not so good..
I did make a bit of progress in the "downward" dept.   YAYYYY!!!!

I lost about 1/2 a lb. ...down to 203 on the nose....

So lets see.. start week..207 ..week#2..203.6  ..week #3..203.8.. #4 203...lets hope the next curve ball knocks me out cold before I head for the chocolate .. ;)

Praying for you all too.. keep me in yours.. hoping to add more movement this week...

The difference between...Can't & Never....

This is something that has been prodding me ever since the retreat....

You've heard the phrase...God NEVER fails...and I know this to be true.. He is God so nothing happens that he doesn't have control over.. therefore He NEVER fails.. it is all part of the plan..His plan

But at the retreat Tammy (the speaker) made the statement that.. God CANNOT fail...this for some reason spoke volumes to me.... because this speaks to His character, not just His ability.....He never fails because he chooses not to... He cannot because it would go against everything in His character.. against His perfection.. to fail is in essence to NOT be perfect...

It made me realize that it only emphasizes His perfection...it makes our FAITH possible...
because we know that... "HE WILL do what HE says HE will do... and that HE IS who HE says HE is.." (borrowed from Beth Moore)

Faith: (noun)

1. -confidence or trust in a person or thing: faith in another's ability.

2. -belief that is not based on proof

Faith is the evidence of things unseen...beyond hope, and MORE than confidence...I have had my hopes "dashed" plenty of times, and I am not very confident...very often AT ALL...at least NOT in myself, that is...

But I have Faith in God...I am confident in Him, that He will follow through on ALL His promises, and I can trust Him...because HE WILL KEEP ALL His promises....

 1 Kings 8:56
“Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses.

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Joshua 21:45
Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.

Psalm 9:10
Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

 Philippians 4:13
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

2 Corinthians 1:20
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.


So when things in my life start going downhill, or seem out of whack... and I wanna believe that it is because He doesn't love me, or because He has forgotten me.. I have several options...1) I have started believing one of the MANY Lie's of Satan, 2) that I have walked away from Him, even if only a bit, or 3) I am in His will.. and it is just one of those "things" (test or trial) that will make me stronger in the end... a little more like the One who created me... a little closer to PERFECTION....our ultimate goal....PRAISE HIM...

..this-n-that......

unfortunately My brain.. and the computer just don't seem to be in "sync" these days.. I think of things I want to post.. whenever I'm in the car, or at work, or in bed at night... however...none of those places are where the computer is.. (well I use one at work..but not for "this" stuff.. ;) so you see the problem.. and when I'm here, well the thoughts seems somewhat jumbled ..here-n-there.. scattered.. nothing that would make a decent post...so don't give up on me yet.. hopefully I'll get a time that works.. maybe those wee hours after work.. once the weather warms up.. and I don't freeze while sitting at the computer .. we shall see...

thanks for the support, and of course keep up the prayers...

Well, i missed Wed. but the scale was not kind this week... (and no that is not why I didn't post).. .I gained about 1/2 a lb (204.2).....Not surprised to be honest.. I always get a little "cocky" after I lose a few and didn't have to try to hard...hoping humility will help keep me focused..and contimue the trek downward.. (on a positive note..this morning I was 203.8..so all is NOT lost..literally and metaphorically)

Keep those chins up ladies.. and get those bodies in MOTION....

...Weighing in Wednesday...

Howdy all,
I am back.....and honestly I was sure that I wouldn't have good news this week...
 but God is gracious...as diligent as I tried to be to "behave"... temptation was everywhere...and we had our "Ladies Retreat" this weekend...and you can't have all those women together without LOTS of FOOD, and it was mostly JUNK.....my personal downfall were the homemade "whoopie pies" made by a dear friend.. and for those who may not know what they are.. take a VERY chocolatey cupcake..cut it in half ...and fill with creamy filling...and you have something close to heaven...in a food.. they were YUMMY.... ;)

But that left me scared to look at the scale.......although I was persistent to control myself elsewhere...I was nervous as to where the scale would send me....so....imagine my surprise today when it told me I had in fact gone down ...

Week #2 ...starting weight...207 lbs., todays weight...203.6 lbs., goal weight.. 135-150 lbs.

Yes...you read correctly.... I not only lost the 2 lbs. I was shooting for but almost doubled that... God is not only good He is AWESOME....

I can only give Him the glory for it.. because I was sure I had gained....PRAISE HIM!!!!

Yes ..even in this He deserves the Glory....

Footprints in the sand.....

I am in one of my favorite places in the world.....the BEACH... :) :) :) :) :) :)
I am here with some of the best company in the world as well....sisters in Christ....children of MY FATHER.....listening to the waves as I type......it is very refreshing, to get away, to get-together, just to be...

I took a walk in the sand today..in my bare feet..(it was wonderful)....and 82 degrees as well.. (YIPPEE!!!)

...and as I walked I began to look at all the "paths" in the sand... some were feet, some were made from debris, washing up on the sand, some were from the "dune dragger", but I found the foot paths most interesting....Who had made them, Where had they come from, Where were they going?????

How many of those feet had walked that same sand today and not even given thought to the One who created such a beautiful and peaceful, place......????

 It made me think of the passage of scripture that we studied the other night at the ladies study at church, and oddly enough..(not really, God knew of course.. ) brought up again tonight...it is Luke 7:13-14..

" You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate. the highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way. But the gateway to life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it..."

How many of these "paths" that I crossed today..had found that gate..?????
How many even knew there was one to find..???

Then I had to ask my self the hard question....although I know that I have found the gate... am I walking on the narrow path..the one that leads to precious life... or veering closer and closer to the path of destruction....??? And harder still...do I know the difference..???

The gates may be far between...but the paths all too often "look" very similar.....the end of those paths however is the goal.....and I definitely WANT life.....and the only way to get there is to follow in the footsteps of my heavenly Father...he knows the way...no wrong turns, no asking for directions...and if I am in His word.. I will have the directions...because it is the map.....and like our speaker said tonight...He IS the GPS......

..Weighing in Wednesday......

well today's title.....is a little cliche'...
but let me fill you in  on one of my "light switch" moments.. it happened last night while I was watching the show "Heavy" on TLC..(i think)... watching these people go away to "health" camp for 6 months.. and return home ALWAYS thinner.. and hopefully healthier for the long run...but even though I can't go away for 6 months.. (i wish)...to relearn how to eat and exercise .....I can be accountable.. to you....so from now on.. On Wednesdays..(hopefully).. though it may not be a whole blog on weight and my struggle with it.. there will be a little blerb.. at the bottom... with the week number and where I am weight-wise.. and where I wanna be.. please bear with me.. this is a COMPLETELY NEW concept to me.. not necessarily the weightloss part.. that has yet to be seen.. but the documenting part.. feel free to join me if you like..in the journey...either as a partner, a reader , or an encourager...all are welcome



So here we go.. Week #1.. the beginning.. start weight...207 lbs....let the journey begin..ending goal.. for the week...2lbs...the end result...somewhere between 135-150....right now to get rid of that "2" in front is more my goal...ughhh... :(