MY MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT DURING WEIGHT LOSS

Friday, January 29, 2010

One of our teams was discussing an issue we found quite embarrassing at the time but now we could look back and laugh at it. How many of you have had the same experience.
Since I don't like to use naughty words I will let you break down the word embarrassing, then read the following.
As all of you know when we lose weight our clothes begin to fit looser.
We don't want to buy new clothes every time we go down a size as we know it would be very expensive so we wear what we have for so long we look like a dish rag walking down the street when we know there is a inside.
The have it made as their clothes are attached and doesn't show their real shape.
One day I went to the store in a very loose fitting pair of pants. Upon arriving home I found no parking place in front of my place so had to park across the street and since I wasn't into and didn't want to make more than one trip I grabbed all of my bags and started across the street? Well, right in the middle of the street and in broad daylight my pants fell down. I said OOPS and am sure I turned . I set my bags down pulled up my pants and somehow managed to get all the bags on my arms and holding my pants crossed over to my house and went in. I saw no one but I wasn't looking and who knows who might have been sitting at their window looking out.
Sorry Pants but you went to the used clothes pile to be donated never to be worn by me again and I decided it was time to buy some clothes.
Have you had a similar experience or can you top this one. It would be interesting to read.
Who says weight loss has to be boring.
Irene

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Pain, Pain, Pain please go away

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Many of you have had back pain,
knee pain,
neck pain
and just pain, pain, pain.
I hope this encourages you. God bless.

Years ago I had terrible back pain. I had spasms in the lower back, I couldn't sit, stand or lay down without pain and sometimes fell to the floor because of the pain. I wore a back support and took pain pills.
One day I received the Lord as my Savior. I did not know about divine healing or even how to pray but was so hungry for the Lord. I would go to the altar every service and one night the Lord said "If you ask me I will heal you" I said, "Ok Lord heal me". No big prayer. Well he did. I went home took the back support off and never wore it again and although I kept the pain pills for awhile just in case :) I never used one.
For years I did not go to a doctor or take any kind of medicine. I grew proud in my heart and wondered why other people did if they were saved. I didn't realize God uses doctors, medications and other means. I let pride grow and grow.
Then I got terrible pain in my hip. I was living in the basement of the church I was pastoring and it was not good. I had to walk clear to the back of the lot to go to the outside toilet. When it snowed it was quite a chore. I also had to climb steps to get to the church auditorium and outside. Every step was excruciating.
One day I could not climb the stairs. It was Saturday and I knew I had to preach on Sunday so I gave in, put my pride aside, and called a doctor. He made a house call and came to see me. He gave me three shots. He asked after each one if the pain was gone and I said no. After the last I was like a drunk as I guess I was full of dope. I said. I will try to get up and walk if you want me to. He said no way.
Then he said tomorrow the ambulance will come and take you to the hospital. I said I don' want to go. He said you are going anyway. Oh how my pride did hurt as he came right in the middle of service. Church came out to see the pastor taken away in the ambulance.
They took x-rays and said I had no cartilage and sent me home with crutches. You know back then they had no surgery for this. Every day I prayed and tried to walk but couldn't. The doc said if I didn't stay off that leg he would put me back in the hospital.
One day I was washing dishes leaning on the sink. I was staying with a family from the church. God said, "You can walk". So I left my crutches and walked. PTL
Then years went by and I got the pain back. This time I did not want surgery as I wanted God to do it like he did before. I wanted my will not His. I had it figured out for him. Well, I didn't get better so finally decided to have the surgery. I used a walker and cane and went to Reynosa to the Bible School. Now I have no pain in my hip. I do limp but can go to the gym and work out.
I hope this helps you to put all pre-conceived ideas to one side, pray and let God meet your needs however he sees fit.
Irene

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WE MET

Saturday, January 09, 2010

What a wonderful day! On November 21 our team, the McAllen Sparkers, met in Weslaco at the Blue Onion. We had looked forward to this for so long and were jumping up and down. One member even sent me a goodie "the Trampoline" so I could jump higher and faster.
Not many were able to attend but we had Dan our leader with his family and three of us ladies. What a great time we had visiting, trying to eat good for us, and taking pictures. By the way where are the pictures. Oh well, maybe later.
We plan to meet again soon and hope more of our team will join us.
For those who have local teams you should try this. It is so good to finally meet those who inspired us, motivated us, lifted us up, encouraged us, made us laugh and just were there for us, friends to the end of this weight loss journey and far beyond as we are enjoying Spark too much to ever let it go.
So McAllen Sparkers, no one wrote a blog about this and I just couldn't wait any longer. and I love you and send a million
Irene

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Answer TO HOW DO YOU GET THROUGH CHRISTMAS WHEN YOU ARE ALONE

Friday, January 01, 2010

This is in answer to my blog "How do you get through Christmas when you are alone".
God surely does supply all our needs and many times our wants as we rely on Him and serve Him at home or in strange lands.
Thinking that my Spanish Sunday School class really didn't care for me as a teacher any longer I had determined to resign and leave the class to someone younger and possibly of a Hispanic background. My heart was breaking as I had had the class for years and truly loved these people who were originally from Colombia, Chile, Mexico and the USA.
One of the ladies from the class, whose family has adopted me as one of their own family, invited the Sunday School class to her home on the 21st of December for an evening meal.. People usually don't surprise me but they sure did this time as the party was in my honor. They gave me a beautiful card each one telling me how much I meant to them and how I had helped them and they also gave me a liberal monetary gift. Then other gifts followed.
The 21st of December after the am. service at church they had a Christmas dinner for the whole church. I was invited to sit at the table of the family who had given me such a difficult time and she waited on me like I was a queen.
Christmas hasn't even arrived and God is showing I am never alone. He is always with me and is there through His people also.
On the 24th of December I was invited back to the same home for the family Christmas eve dinner and the opening of gifts. More gifts. I am beginning to feel ashamed. It isn't even my birthday, it is Jesus birthday, and I am receiving all of these blessings.
The 25th of December one of my best friends and I went to a wonderful buffet for Christmas brunch and she also had a gift for me.
Then the same family who had held all of the dinners invited me back again to their home. This time they had invited our pastor, his wife, his daughter and me. This was to honor them and it was such an honor to be part of that.
People called, people sent cards. I am feeling more ashamed all of the time for feeling I was alone.
Then my SPARK FRIENDS and others from SPARK, some of which later became my friends also voted for my blog as POPULAR BLOG and I received almost 200 comments on the blog for being an inspiration to them. I received no negative comments.
SO I FOUND OUT I WAS NOT ALONE
I had God
My step kids who love me even though two of the three were so against their dad remarrying
My two brothers; one I heard from, one I didn't
My Sunday School class.
The family from church who has adopted me into their family.
My church
Telephone friends
E-mail friends
And all of my SPARK FRIENDS.
Thank you one and all.
And remember you are never alone. God will supply your needs, He will touch your family, He will touch your pets, He will touch your body, He will restore what has been taken from you by the enemy.
God bless you and Thank you from Irene

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HOW DO YOU GET THROUGH CHRISTMAS WHEN YOU ARE ALONE

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Forty Seven years ago I chose to leave my country and follow the leading of the Lord to become a missionary to Mexico. Back then it was not so easy to travel and many of the first years I had no telephone even to communicate with my family.
I saw my family once a year for about three days and when I would leave my mom and dad standing on the porch as I drove off I thought "This may be the last time I will ever see them" and drove away with tears in my eyes.
Holidays were always worse especially from before Thanksgiving and through New Years. I would find a telephone to call home on Christmas day which took a big bite out of my small income but oh so worth it. I would talk to everyone at home.
You would think you would grow out of it as you got older but you don't. Even with your folks gone and all of my brothers except two and my one sister gone on to meet the Lord I still feel alone with no children of my own and no family here.
So how do I get through it.
One thing is to keep busy. Make lots of friends. Sunday noon we had Christmas dinner at our church and a family from my Sunday School Class asked me to sit with them. Sunday pm. another member of my Sunday School class invited the class over for another Christmas dinner.
I had began to think they didn't really want me as their teacher any longer. After all I was old and some of the others could do a good job. I was thinking of giving up the class and turning it over to someone else. Yes, it broke my heart but I wanted to do what was best for the class.
Little did I realize they had planned a big surprise for me. After eating we went to the tree in the living room and first they handed me an envelope with a nice card with the nicest note from each of them telling them how much I meant to them and how much they appreciated me. I couldn't believe what I was reading.
Then they said there is more and I looked in the envelope and there was $140.00 for me. The lady of the house, who is also a good friend of mine along with her whole family, then gave out gifts. She gave each of us a gift. And another lady who is a friend but is not in my class also gave me a gift.
Today the lady who drives for me when I go to Mexico called me and we went out and had a nice lunch together.
The 24th I will be going back where I was Sunday night for the family Christmas and the 25th will be going out with another friend.
I just thank the Lord that He has allowed me to be in full time ministry for over 50 years. All other things will pass away but what we do for Him will not pass. I thank Him for coming to this earth to live and die for us so we could receive forgiveness. Just think that little Baby was God Himself.
So keep busy. Exercise. Get out among people and love them like God loves you. You know you are never alone as the Lord said He would never leave you or forsake you. Now I know it is good to have family and to have that one special person. Sometimes even then it is sad. A long time friend of mine has Alzheimer's and has been in hospice over a year now and her husband cried. I know by experience that is more difficult than being alone as you are alone but still have someone you love suffering.
You will make it through and 2010 will be a great year. I will be back on my eating healthy.
Irene

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