A New Day!

November 7, 2008
Its Friday! Yeah. Its has been a long week and a busy one. I weighed in on Wednesday and lost another 1.4 lbs. This brings my total to 12.8 lbs. I am very thankful because I struggled over the Halloween weekend. I really ate more than my share at the hayride activity we had for Sunday school. But that is in the past and my journey continues. Jimmy has lost over 25 lbs now (yes, I would like to choke him sometimes because men can lose more quicker), but instead I like to hug him now. I can actually stand against him instead of our belly's hitting each other. Hahaha. He has been so supportive of me during this journey and we have been supportive of each other. We are learning new things about food each day and making good choices. Rachael has even requested prayers and "bragged on her parents" at school. I so thankful she sees us trying to set the right examples for her. I pray that she knows how hard we try to set good examples in front of her. I went shopping on my lunch hour and found her a couple of Christmas presents. I get so excited about Christmas because one of my spiritual gifts is of "giving." I love to give! Even if it is a kind word, a meal, a small token, a card, a hug, or just prayer. I think that giving is one of the most important qualities we can have as Christians. Jimmy is a giver. He would give you the shirt off his back. The one thing that "tears" me up every time is that when we sit down to eat a meal, Jimmy will let everyone else get all they want. He will eat just a little and he will offer the last of everything to everyone else. If there is anything left over and everyone has gone, he will ask me if he can have something else. That's how big his heart is. He will take his last dime out of his pocket at the ballgames and he will give or buy something for the other kids before he will buy for himself. I love that about him. I remember after he was saved and R.U. started at the church, there was a young gentleman that was coming to RU that started coming to the church. He did not have a lot of clothes and wanted to dress nice. Jimmy came to me and asked if he could give the brand new black suit that Rachael and I had bought him for Christmas to this young man. I went upstairs and spoke with Rachael and told her what her dad wanted to do and how much it meant to him and we both agreed that we were blessed enough to eventually get him another one. I remember seeing that young man come to church the first time in that suit and how tears welled up in my eyes because I saw the love of Christ in my husband. I have to reign him in at times because I honestly think he would give all we had away. His heart is that big! But as my Pastor has said more than once, you can never out give God. Tonight is BBQ night at RU. I will be very careful about my portion and what I eat. I walked this morning before work and will walk tonight when I get home from the daycare. Rachael is going to Confluence tonight on a youth activity and to a birthday sleepover. She has a busier social life than her parents. (we are just old and tired). She has been sick with a head cold but seems to be getting better (I pray). I have no idea what we are doing for her birthday. I thought I might just have a small birthday celebration at the house with some of her close friends. Last year we did a sleep over for her 13th birthday and there over 19 teenage girls in my home. I don't think I am mentally ready to handle that one again so soon. She talks about taking driver's education school now and how next year she will be eligible. I don't even want to think about her driving. It is so scary to think that she is going to be driving in 2 years. Time flies! I told Jimmy last night that we built this bigger house and now have no children to fill it with since Rachael is growing up and the other 2 are gone. I told him we should just adopt. He went silent. I don't think he is ready for the baby stage again. He keeps talking about the retirement age and how he wants to take weekend trips with me. That's so sweet! He is looking forward to the time that we spend together and so am I. Of course, I'll probably beg Rachael to live with us forever. I will be the mother who on the day Rachael leaves for college, I will be an emotional wreck. She mentioned the other day that she wanted to look at several colleges and they were all hours away. I mentioned Piedmont Baptist College (yes, I have an agenda) and she said, "that means I would live at home." Duh...that's what your mother wants. She is so not ready to be around her mother 24-7, at least during this time in her life. She was so sweet last night. We ate dinner at a friends house and she had made a pumpkin spice cake. Rachael told her that it was her favorite cake and that she just had to take "ninny" a piece or he would be upset. "Ninny" is McKinley Brown. Rachael has called him "ninny" forever and they have grown up together since K-4 in the same class. They are so much like brother and sister around each other and just the fact that Rachael thought of him was so sweet. She took him some pumpkin spice cake today for lunch. She loves the Brown boys and they are the closest brothers she has next to her own big brother who is significantly older than her. I have things I need to get done this weekend and really no big plans. I spoke with a dear friend last night who is having a difficult time and my heart goes out to her. I know the importance of praying for someone when you tell them you will pray. If we say we are going to pray for someone, then we should follow up and pray. I prayed for them last night and prayed for them this morning. I know that my God is Mighty and he can do Anything! He knows their needs and he knows our desire to see their prayers answered. I hurt when others hurt and I worry when others worry. I cry when others cry and my heart desires to fix it all but I know there is only one that can fix it and that is Jesus Christ. Proverbs: 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.