WW PLATEAU

Well... it happened. I gained a pound at Weight Watchers last week. SO...now I have only lost 21.5 lbs. Before that, I had plateaued in my weight loss...but at least I wasn't gaining.

When I left WW on Friday...after I had gained... what did I do? I took Brianna and my niece and nephew to the Apple Orchard where we went through the Corn Maze, picked apples, AND THEN CELEBRATED my fall off the weight watcher wagon with Cider and a cinnamon and sugar pumpkin doughnut!
Today I continued my festivities with two bite size Almond Joys at church, Qdoba's for lunch, and Marilynn's delicious apple crisp when I went to see baby Robert...and I can feel myself slipping into the mode of...
"I JUST WANT TO EAT EVERYTHING! Chocolate...ice cream... french fries...non-baked potato chips......peach cobbler...you name it... I want to eat it."

I am entertaining those evil thoughts from the Weight Watcher Devil...who, by the way, looks like a devils food cake with whipped cream horns and licorice tail... "JUST GIVE UP...WHO CARES...IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU GAIN BACK ALL YOU HAVE LOST AND MORE...YOU DON'T NEED TO BE HEALTHY...OREOS ARE HEALTHY...There is milk and calcium in the cream in the middle (a Ken Martin philosophy)...yada yada yada...You really can't do it anyway! SO JUST FORGET IT!"

I KNOW what I have to do to get back on track... to push through the plateau... to take off the rest of the weight...

I have to work harder, watch what I put in my mouth....exercise more....press in... be faithful to my WW meetings to be encouraged to stay on track...and Get my MIND SET to do it..tell the DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE TEMPTER to GET BEHIND ME...and...........DON'T GIVE UP!

So many times that is like our walk with the Lord. We plateau...we start putting back on those things we thought we had overcome "for the cause of Christ"...

Those are the times we have to press in...work harder...watch what we are feeding our minds and hearts....get our daily exercise and work out by reading the WORD and praying MORE......being faithful to the House of the LORD where you will be nourished, refreshed, and encouraged to keep on track...fasting....saying NO to the junk food in your life...whatever that is for you...

(I have decided I am going to try a technology fast once a week...no computers or email...no TV...etc. It can be a time waster for me. Since my work is on the computer this will be a challenge.)

...AND we have to get our MIND SET on things above...and NOT GIVE UP!"

My tendency when I feel like I have reverted backwards in an area of my life is to say, "FORGET IT! What's the use of trying again. I have wandered so far off the trail... I haven't read the WORD...I haven't spent time praying..."...AND the enemy of our souls is tempting us with thoughts of..."God doesn't really want you NOW. If you can't do the right things every day...then you may as well GIVE UP. REMEMBER you have struggled with this your WHOLE LIFE! You will NEVER overcome. You are a LOSER!"

To that, you KNOW what you have to do....put on the HELMET OF SALVATION, take up the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT...and Say to that father of lies...GET BEHIND ME!"

We are encouraged in Philippians 3:12-14...
"I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But CHRIST has taken hold of me. So I KEEP ON RUNNING and STRUGGLING to take hold of the PRIZE. My friends, I don't feel that I have already arrived. But I FORGET what is behind, and I struggle for what is AHEAD. I RUN toward the goal, so that I can WIN THE PRIZE of being called to heaven. This is the prize that God offers because of what CHRIST JESUS has done."

Press on and on and on my friend. HIS MERCIES are new every morning. NO ONE is perfect except JESUS!

RUN THE RACE...DON'T GIVE UP...WIN THE PRIZE!

THE OFFICE

Brianna and I had to go into Steve's Office one day this week to do some work. There was a large meeting going on and the girls in the office were getting lunch together for the group. Four of the Admin. Assts. were out for the day...BETSY WAS HAVING HER BABY! A BOY...Robert William...18 days early. Marilynn...aka. Grandma to Robert...was at the hospital with Betsy...and two more were out on vacation days. SO they were a little short handed.

Being the 'servants' that we are, Brianna and I jumped to task. As we were setting the food out and getting it ready the phone rang. All the 'adult women' (didn't think "older women' would be appreciated) had their hands tied up so Lisa, the office manager, said, "Brianna, get the phone and say.."Good Afternoon. Assemblies of God." She did...and was great.

A little while later it rang again. Feeling like a pro...Brianna picked up the phone, pushed the line, and answered, "Hello...this is THE OFFICE!"

Needless to say, we all laughed. The lady on the phone laughed. Brianna said she was thankful it wasn't an 'uptight old lady' who was on the other end.

I am sure there are days when EVERY office feels like "THE OFFICE" or WORSE... and could write episodes of their own.

What are the keys to our SANITY????

1. Keep everything in perspective.
Col. 3:1 states: " ...See things from His perspective."

2. Keep Laughing.
Psalm 100:1 tells us this...
"On your feet now—applaud God! Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourselves into his presence"
Proverbs 17:22...
"A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-tired."
Proverbs 15:15...
"A miserable heart means a miserable life; a cheerful heart fills the day with song."

And remember...3. Tomorrow is another day.
Ecc. 1:2 "...It's business as usual for the old planet earth. The sun comes UP and the sun goes DOWN, then does it AGAIN, and AGAIN..."

Break into Song..."The sun'll come out tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow...there'll be sun..."

Hide these WORDS from the LORD in your heart...and YOU be the one to make "THE OFFICE" a GREAT PLACE to be!

(The Message was the version of choice for above scriptures.)