My weekly weigh-in revealed a one pound, one ounce loss! YIPPEEEEE!!! 
I drafted this blog last weekend from Old Town Alexandria, Virginia as I was on my annual get-away weekend. Woo-hoo for me!
This tradition began three years ago where my accountability partner, Nancy, and I flew from our home states of Florida and Virginia to meet in St. Louis, Missouri for Joyce Meyer’s Annual Women’s Convention. What an AMAZING experience!
(For more information about Joyce’s 2008 Women’s Convention that will take place from 2-4 October 2008, http://www.joycemeyer.org/WC08 )
Last year, my prayer friend, Ginger and I traveled down to North Carolina to attend the Proverbs 31 She Speaks Conference, (I took the Writer’s Track) which again was AWESOME!
(For more information about this year’s She Speaks Conference, that will take place from 20-22 Jun 2008, http://www.shespeaksconference.com/ )
This year, I asked Dave for a “just me and God” retreat where I can read, write, exercise and eat meals (that I don’t prepare!); he sweetly agreed! We used his travel hotel points where I was able to sleep for free, so that fit the budget just perfect!
When my son Jake woke last Friday morning, I heart his voice chant from his top bunk, “BOYS WEEKEND, BOYS WEEKEND, BOYS WEEKEND.” Two hours later, I hugged my three men goodbye and my son Cal reminded me, “BOYS RULE, GIRLS DROOL!”
So, I confidently checked off “reassure boys everything will be fine this weekend” as they appeared way (too?) excited to sow a testosterone filled weekend with their Daddy. I added the following note to self: “feed them more chocolate so I’ll be missed!”
So Saturday I enjoyed my hot coffee while I viewed a waking city, filled with red brick history, decorated with blooming cherry blossoms…I missed my boys and delighted in the quiet solitude with God.
Some personal weekend delights:
- My breakfast was warm and ready when I was warmed up and ready!
- Endless free coffee!
- No dish or dust buster duty!
- Extra long hair conditioner treatment under the cheesy hotel shower cap!
- Non-interrupted bathroom visits!
- My non-rushed Saturday morning workout as there was no COSTCO run, T-ball practice, birthday party or home improvement project to run to!
- An 8th floor penthouse view (guess the hotel knew they were housing a diva!).
- My Saturday night phone call to my boys where Jake interrogated, “what hotel are you at?” and Cal inquired, “where you at Momma?” I was further affirmed as Dave wearily declared, “I’m exhausted!” (With a full day at the Washington DC Zoo under his belt, he’s not only our son’s superhero, he’s mine too!). PHEW…maybe they do miss me more than they let onto the day prior?!?
My boys were sowing and growing…since I was gone, they had some really special memories together that were just so tender, more than just, ”birds burp” and “monkeys stink”.
Yes, I’m sowing and growing too! I used to have (false) guilt when I had a moment away from my everyday life. Now I know it’s not indulgent but rather necessary for me to gain perspective outside of my everyday life. Two and three years ago, I sowed into my girlfriends, they sowed into me — I sowed into Christian teachings, and it helped me grow into becoming a better woman.
This year I sowed into peace and solitude and saw peace grow in me as my first bathroom visit home Sunday was interrupted by our sweet, omni-napping dog, Romeo. He attempted to gain entry by head butting the door. I knew I was restored by my quiet smile; it felt good to be missed!
I needed peace as God knew the week’s line up: Sunday night brought a middle of the night waking by Jake (croup and buggers galore!). Monday night I had a midnight Emergency Room trip, as my sexy firefighter Dave, laid strapped to a backboard. He fell eight feet right onto his air tank. The x-rays revealed NO BREAKS – THANK YOU GOD! The muscle relaxers revealed an even more chill-axed, (mildly drooling) Dave. I could only just THANK GOD, Dave was safe! WOW, that fall could have changed the next few months of our lives dramatically. That would most likely NOT have been my response if you caught me a couple of years ago. SPAZZ would be a more appropriate word!
I believe one of the most pivotal moments of my weight loss journey occurred when I realized I needed peace each day. God is peace. When my quiet moments with God are properly prioritized, as one of my first “to do’s” of the day, I experience amazing results. God helps purge and sort out my revolving emotions/thoughts/ideas. I used to think, “I don’t want to bug God with all my mess” but that is not what He wants, and it is no longer what I want.
Life is about balance. Each new “something” brings the requirement to recalibrate my scale to see balance. If I keep running and going without the anchoring peace from God each day, my physical scale shows the results, added physical weight. I need Him each day, as His mercies are new every day, so everyday I need Him!
Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV)
I’m no longer feeling completely “consumed” in my eating addiction recovery because of His Great Love! I feel more peace and less consumed as He’s taught me to seek Him each morning. I still have a bunch more road to travel on this journey, and it will continue to involve sowing and growing with God each morning!
Are you sowin’ and growin’ in the right soil each day?
