Thanks for congratulating me on the weight loss...but it hasnt' happened YET. I set it up to monitor my first 20 of the 60 I lose. So the hershey kiss is on the twenty and the cheering smiley is at the end when I do reach it. I put it there preemptively so that I'll be accountable to keep 'track' of the loss as it comes. But I'll hold you to that congrats when the time is right.

Open my eyes,Lord

I want to see Jesus.

To reach out and touch Him

To show Him I love Him

Open my ears,Lord

And help me to listen

Open my eyes, Lord

I want to see Jesus



-author ~ Robert Cull



May your dreams come true,

Your prayers be answered

If you are musically inclinded the cords are shown for this song ( this song really touches me everytime I hear it)

Chorus 1
C
He paid a debt he did not owe,
F
I owed a debt I could not pay.
C G
I needed someone to wash my sins a-way.
C
And now I sing a brand new song,
F
"Amazing Grace" all day long,
C G C - F - C
Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay.

Chorus 2
C
He paid a debt at Calvary,
F
He cleansed my soul and made me free,
C G
I'm glad that Jesus did all my sins e-rase;
C
I now can sing a brand new song,
F
"Amazing Grace" all day long,
C G C - F - C
Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay.

Chorus 3
C
One day He's coming back for me
F
To live with Him eternally,
C G
Won't it be glory to see Him on that day!
C
I then will sing a brand new song,
F
"Amazing Grace" all day long,
C G C - F - C
Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay.

July 19


2 Timothy 4:7
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.


Bonnie took a good look in the mirror. Amazing. She never thought she'd look this good again in her life. All the pain and torture and sacrifice was well worth it. She still couldn't believe it. She had dreamed of the day she would feel really good about her dieting, and that day had arrived. What a great feeling! If we will persevere, the day of triumph will indeed come. Like Paul, we need to fight the good fight, keep the faith, and complete the course. God promises to reward those who remain steadfast. Hold on to your dream and God will bless you richly.
Today's thought: I am closer to my goal with each passing day!

Good morning

Michele, prayers for your epidural and prayers that it eases your pain greatly. Hello to Cheri, Marilyn, Sunny, Gary, MKay, Sami, Deanie.

Sherry: I have the same housekeeper you have and I would love to fire her cuz I am sitting here looking at a big cobweb right above the computer.

One of my kitties disappeared last week. I am finally trying to resolve myself to the fact that he probably will not never be back. I don't know what happened to him and that is the worst. I do kitty rescue and they all had it pretty bad before we got them so I just want them live in peace and comfort for the rest of their days. The newest addition had it the worse, someone threw him from a moving car then came back to run over him, some lady saw all this and was able to grab him and get some help for him. I cannot even imagine.

The doctor wants me on Sugar Busters which from what I can tell is pretty similar to SB Diet but I have not read about SB Diet so not sure but basically I give up all sugars and all white flours. I can eat bread but it has to be at least 3 grams of fiber. I go in tomorrow to find out the results of the bloodwork I had done two weeks ago.

I already forgot who was putting in the pond , we are going to do that next year. We put if off because we have so many racoons in the area and I didn't want them fishing in there but someone told us how to do the pond so they won't go in. Apparently, it works good cuz she has expensive fish and the coons are eating the neighbors but not hers. I love ponds. Something about being around water just brings such a peaceful feeling into my life.

God bless and keep each of you today.

Afternoon, ladies.

I just finished up Pilates I wish I was one of those folks that just loves exercising. Even when I've been in my best shape in life and exercising daily I never once woke up excited about getting to exercise that day. But alas, sometimes we just have to do it and quit waiting for inspiration, huh? Anyway, so that is out of the way. I've drank about 60 oz of water so far and I went and got groceries early this a.m. so I'm stocked with good food.

Hope you all are having a great day.

OH and we are in South Texas, Sherry. Very South, hubby works in Brownsville and we live just a bit north of there.

HI GALS

First of all thank-you for those that missed me!! I thought of you all while I was gone the last few weeks but was never by a computer to post a hello.

Second of all belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHERRY!!!!

Third of all WELCOME to CHERI and BUNNABABY. I am not sure where you are in Oregon BUNNABABY but I do know the Bend area a little. My wife and I spent a week there last year visiting my best friend and the best friend of my ex-wife, they both just happened to move there from California about 11 years ago--loved the area, almost bought a home to rent too, still check on a monthly basis on the possibility of still doing that if we can find what we are looking for in regards to cost, area, renting out possibilites, etc.

I have caught up on the posts yesterday and today. I will post what I can now although I am SAVING Reba and Rylee from angie and the mean 'ol vacumn cleaner as we speak The girls are sitting together under the computer chair. We really missed them while we were gone! They sure were happy to see us and us them. My daughter's "BOYFRIEND" took good care of them while we were gone. For the newbies Rylee and Reba are our 6 and 7 month old Golden (I never ever want a dog but the wife finally got one..Rylee.. the we adopted Reba from a neighbor that didn't want her) Retriever's. Reba is not the brightest dog and Angie wishes we didn't have her but there is NO WAY (I don't ever want a dog!!) myself or the kids will let her give her up!! NO WAY...we all love her...Angie too...but Reba is alot more work!!

Well I will be quick here with what we did as I have the fence guy coming to measure THE LAST...FINALLY!! of our fence replacement...he thinks he can do it Saturday.

First of all Ryan came down with strep-throat 2 days into our trip (my 23 yr. old son for the newbies) was out for 4 days until the amoxicillian kicked in. We site see'd/sawed but had to stay close to the condo in Spotsylvania for a few days which meant 1 less day in D.C. and 1 less day at Civil War sites. We were able to leave but only for 5 hours or so to make sure he was OK. It hit him pretty hard, 102+ temps for 3 days.

The condo in Spotysylvania was in a campground area, more like a 32 bedroom 2-story cabin...there was nothing but forest around...indoor and outdoor pool, lake for fishing and plenty of activities for the kids if they wanted...only problem was that the public could buy day passes for the place and the first day we were there was 4th of July so tons of people!! we were pretty busy doing the historic D.C and Fredericksburg to take advantage of the campground though.

The second place was alot nicer as far as modern... a modern "PLANTATION" in Williamsburg... a 2 bedroom condo with indoor and outdoor pools, miniture golf and many things for the kids. We played golf and did the pool thing here because we had a little more time after site-seeing.

Here is what we did:

D.C....SAW:
CAPPITOL
WHITE HOUSE
VIETNAM WALL
THE
LINCOLN
JEFFERSON
FDR
WASHINGTON
MONUMENTS
SMITHSONIAN MUSEUMS
PENTAGON..from a distance
RODE THE METRO
THE NEW WORLD WAR 2 MONUMENT
ARLINGTON...WOW!!! WHAT A PLACE (THANK YOU DEAR LORD FOR OUR HERO'S!!)
MOUNT VERNON...WOW! WHAT A PLACE

IN FREDERICKSBURG WE SAW:
THE BATTLE FIELDS OF FREDERICKSBURG AND CHANCELORSVILE
MARY WASHINGTON'S HOUSE
KENMORE HOUSE (WHERE GEORGE WASHINGTON'S SISTER LIVED)
FERRY FARM WHERE GEORGE GREW UP
JAMES MONROE MUSEUM
RISING SON TAVERN
APOTHECARY HOUSE
A SLAVE AUCTION BLOCK
WHERE STONEWALL JACKSON LOST HIS ARM
MANY MORE LITTLE THINGS AND BUILDINGS

IN WILLIAMSBURG WE SAW:
A REINACTMENT OF A WITCH TRIAL
HAD A 21ST BIRTHDAY PARTY ON JULY 11 FOR MY DAUGHTER AMANDA AT KINGS TAVERN...she doesn't drink, Angie was driving and Ryan was still under the weather so I had to make up for everyone
SAW MANY THINGS ON THE WAY OUR FIRST SETTLERS LIVED...IT WAS SO COOL...THEY MAKE THINGS THERE AND SELLL THEM JUST LIKE OUR EARLY SETTLERS DID
WENT TO JAMESTOWN TO SEE OUR FIRST SETTLERS...VERY VERY INTERESTING!!
YORKTOWN..WHERE THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR ENDED
DID BUSCH GARDENS...ROLLER COASTERS FOR THE KIDS
DID THE WATER COUNTRY SLIDES FOR ALL OF US

HAD A GREAT TIME BUT GLAD TO BE HOME...WILL SEND YOU ALL PICTURES AS SOON AS ANGIE GETS TIME TO GET THEM ON THE COMPUTER.

WELL ANGIE HAS A CHEF SALAD FOR DINNER READY SO GOTTA GO...

CATCH YOU ALL LATER...SUNNYD, WILMA, MICHELE, SAMI, SHERRY, ANGEL, SUE (BACK FROM ALASKA, RIGHT?) MARILYN, BUNNABABY, DEENIE, MARYKAY, CHERI, I THINK I GOT YOU ALL!!

In HIS GLORY, Gary

Gary~I'm so glad you are home and had a great time, except for your poor son. Hope he's all better now. Wow, you guys did so much! I'd need a vacation from your vacation! Can't wait to see pics and glad you are home safe. Were the dogs at all mad at you? It's funny how sometimes they get mad or ignore you for leaving them.

I tried to post last night, but lost the post when computer shut off... anyway, the epidural went really well, i think it's going to help. It's given me some relief already. He gave me a different pain med and i finally had a full night's rest. I'm hopeful this will really help and i can get on with life. I'm mad that i spoke to that woman about the procedure because she didn't know what she was talking about. THe procedure was almost painless, like having an IV put in. A little uncomfortable sometimes, but NO BIG DEAL! More at lunch time...

Wow Gary you saw and did a lot while you were gone. Sounds like you had a great time. Sorry about your son though.

Michele, glad the epidural helped. My dh has to have cortisone shots in his bad on a regular basis and the last one was quite painful and didn't help him that much. I told him to call the pain specialist to find out why. Back pain is the worst.

I am off to the doctor this a.m. to find out the bloodwork and he will probably recommend a diet plan for me. I know that I have to give up sugar for more reasons than just weight. Sugar is an idolatrous behavior in my life when I get too stressed I turn to it rather than God who can really help me.

I am just trying to remember what Dr. Stanley said in one of his devotionals, I am loved, I am special, and I am forgiven. So that makes it time to move on and do something with my life.

Hello to everyone who hasn't been posting. Have a great day.

July 20


Philippians 3:14
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.


Stan lived to please people. He served his church, his job, and his family with total devotion. He was continually asking what he could do for others. There was nothing Stan would not do in order to please someone else. Stan had never worried about his weight until one Sunday when the pastor read that his body was the Lord's temple. From that day forward, Stan worked to make it a fit and healthy temple. Not only was God pleased at Stan's desire to improve himself, but He was also pleased by the example Stan set for others.
Today's thought: I can actually glorify God just by losing weight!

Thanks for asking about my kitty Sunny. I think he probably is gone forever cuz it has been a full week now. I don't like letting my guys outside but we live in the country and they so love having run but this is the price I pay for their freedom.

The doctor appointment went pretty well, I have insulin resistance which is what he suspected. He put me on the South Beach diet so I picked up the book today. He said it takes a little more study to really learn the good carbs-bad carbs thing but is worth it. I know a couple of you said you were on that plan too. I just need to remember where my strength comes from and look to Him when I feel weak and come here too. He did make a suggestion though that had never occured to me which was to pick 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches, and 4 dinners that I really enjoy, then make sure that I have the things in the house to make any one of those meals at all times so that I have a meal that I enjoy right at my fingertips at all times. Then of course,

Will stop in the a.m. Good night all.

i posted earlier but again it didn't seem to take?

I actually made it to the grocery store yesterday! I'm doing better but not as great as i thought it'd be. My back is sore where they gave me the shots and i went for an adjustment this a.m. and that was ok, kind of painful. The constant pain is not there, but it's still there periodically. Guess i'm glad and can say it's atleast better. I think one of the biggest things is getting sleep. Last night i woke up in pain but i still felt more rested when i got up. Showering is still hard, but i'm at work today.

Having a potluck at church tonight with all the Alpha people! John will be there! I made a 5 can fruit salad, super easy and good. lg. can of fruit cocktail, lg. can of mandarin oranges, lg. can of pineapple chunks and pkg. of frozen strawberries, all drained, add 1/2 bag of min. marshmallows and a pint. of sour cream......yes, sour cream! It's refreshing and people seem to like it. My ex boyfriend could eat a bucket of it!

Bunna, sent you a PM

Sunny, i'm happy to see you, you make me smile....