CHANGEISGOOD's SparkPeople Blog

YAY! Brandon is home!

Tue, 9 Apr 2013 21:07:14 EST

Yay! Brandon Peterson is home. Thank you all who prayed for him. He will be in a wheel chair until June and then see. God spared him and is healing him. Keep praying for him and his family through all of this .

Brandon update:

Mon, 8 Apr 2013 09:04:41 EST

Good Morning Everyone~
I had a great week end. Convinced my daughters to go shopping for a while and let me spend some quality time with my grandson. I can't believe he is 3 months old already!!! We had lots of fun playing and snuggling.

Thank you all so much for your prayers for my friend Brandon. The power of prayer is amazing!!! The first report after the accident was that he had a skull fracture, multiple facial fractures, jaw fractures, rib fractures, wrist fractures, bro...

CALLING ALL PRAYER WARRIORS

Tue, 2 Apr 2013 19:18:36 EST

Please join me in praying for a friend and member of my church family! His name is Brandon, and he was involved in an accident this morning. He was riding his motorcycle to work and I understand he was hit by a drunk driver. He is stable, but has some serious injuries. We know that God is the great physician, and we are trusting Brandon in to His care, but we all know how powerful prayer can be, so please join me and pray pray pray!!! For Brandon and for his wife and children.

Plea...

Spring What?

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 09:37:25 EST

It has been good to be off work this week. So, yes, it is Spring Break. But it has been a very busy week. And it is almost over...

Today I am tired. I am going to slow down some. Still have a lot I have to get done today. But I am going to pace myself and take some breaks. I am feeling much better now than I was going in to Spring Break. Feeling healthier and to the point that I have to remind myself to take my medicine. But still stressed and tired and know that if I don't stay on...

Today was a good day.

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 01:41:06 EST

Wow. Did I really say that? And I really meant that???
Today WAS a good day. I have felt a little better. And I got some things accomplished at my mom's house. Sorted a lot. Made some piles. Cried a few times. Smiled and laughed a lot. Started making some decisions.

And it felt good. It really did. There were some moments that were not easy. But over all, it was a good day. I can sleep well and know that I have made progress. Tonight I can relax some. I don't feel quite so ov...

No wonder I'm tired~

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 11:12:40 EST

My last 4 months in a nutshell ~ No wonder I'm tired.

A friend noticed that I am tired and not feeling well. She asked me what was wrong. She knew I had recently lost my mom. Wanted to know what she could do to help. I asked for prayer and then sent her the following message:

Dear Friend~
Thanks so much for the message. Yes, there is something you can do for me. Please pray for me. And I will pray for you, too.
Ok, here's the run down. The beginning of December...

Spring Break!

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 10:24:31 EST

Today is the first day of Spring break. I am ready for some rest and a chance to take care of me. I planned to sleep in this morning, that didn't work. But that's ok. The day is young and it is mine. I WILL REST AND TAKE CARE OF ME OVER SPRING BREAK!!!

I have a lot that I have to get done in the next week, too. But getting those things done will also help me in my quest to take better care of me. I am going to pace myself and keep my focus on my health. I have to. Period.
Wi...

I am going to start this year over.

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 18:47:36 EST

I think I am going to pick a day to celebrate the new year... and start it all over, again. This has not been a good year so for. I am ready to turn it around.

I started the year not feel well... by the end of January I got really sick. I had bronchitis... two days later I lost my mom. So I had to hit the ground running. No time to rest or take care of myself. I am not complaining... it's just the way it went.

I have not felt well since then. I thought it was the mournin...

BOD4GOD

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 10:23:07 EST

I am excited!!! 224

Last night, I joined a Bible based weight loss program. We just did the intro last night, so today is really day 1. This program is all about honoring God and giving Him all of the glory! And it is saturated with Scripture. We have about 22 people at church that joined this program. We are divided into two teams for some fun competition, but it will be a lot of support for all of us. I am looking forward to seeing where this program takes me. It is a...

Beyond Hard!

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:12:06 EST

This week has been beyond hard for me. If not for my faith, I would not be able to function. Last Saturday morning, my Mom was called home by our Heavenly Father. Her health was deteriorating and we knew it probably would not be long, but it was still sooner than we thought. I know she is with my dad in heaven and that she is happy. I am happy for her. I am sad for me. I am thankful she was happy and active right to the end. I talked to her Friday evening and she was ok, but tired. She went t...

Back to basics!

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 09:38:04 EST

This week I am getting back to basics. I am going to log everything I eat and drink. (I haven't been doing too well with this). I am going to make sure I am drinking all of my water. (Again, haven't been doing too well with this). And I am going to exercise! (I haven't been doing this at all). I want to lose the weight, but wanting it alone is not going to get it done!!! This week will be different.

Calorie cycling!

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 12:18:05 EST

Well, my weight loss is slowing down again... but that is okay. I am going to try something again that has worked for me in the past and has been getting a lot of attention in the media! I am going to start cycling my calories for a while again. If you aren't familiar with this, it's actually pretty easy. Just alternate your calories between the high range and low range of your limits. Every other day eat in the low range of your calories, still try to balance your meals, but keep the calorie...

Asian doctor's advice on weight loss...

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 20:50:46 EST

Q: Doctor, I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this true?
A: Heart only good for so many beats, and that it... Don't waste on exercise. Everything wear out eventually. Speeding up heart not make you live longer; it like saying you extend life of car by driving faster. Want to live longer? Take nap.

Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
A: Oh no. Wine made from fruit. Brandy distilled wine, that mean they take water out of fruity bit so yo...

I hope I'm a coffee bean!

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 18:10:34 EST

Grandmother Says...
Carrots, Eggs, or Coffee; "Which are you?"

A young woman went to her grandmother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved a new one arose.

Her grandmother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water. In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs ...

"Jesus Calling"

Wed, 2 Jan 2013 11:20:57 EST

"Jesus Calling"
WOW! What a powerful devotion tool!!!
I started the book yesterday, starting my year with Jesus.
In my Happy New Year blog, one of my goals... my first and most important, is to protect my quiet time. This book is going to make that goal easy to meet. I can't wait to see what tomorrow's message will be. But I don't want to look ahead, because today's message has given me a lot to think about. What a peaceful and encouraging way to start my day. If you are look...

Happy New Year!

Tue, 1 Jan 2013 11:37:14 EST

Happy New Year! It has taken me until this morning to set my goals and make a plan. I am excited about it and I am ready to do this. Some of my goals are short time and some are a little more involved. But I have a plan. This is going to be my best year ever.

1. I am going to protect my quiet time. If this year is going to be better or different, I need to start every day with God and ask Him to order the steps of my day.

2. By the end of March I am going to deep clean a...

Why are you waiting?

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 10:27:08 EST

As the new year approaches... here are some questions to ponder...
If you knew for sure you were going to die before New Years day...
1. Who would you call?
2. What would you say??
And most important...
3. WHY ARE YOU WAITING???
40

Re-starting my paper clip chain!

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 12:45:44 EST

Ok, I am back on the right track. I lost 5 pounds last week and 2 pounds this week, so I am re-starting my paper clip chain. I can't wait to see how long I can get it this time around. I am 2 weeks in to a 10 week challenge and I am going to be successful!!!!!

Feeling better!

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 09:00:52 EST

Ok, so it seems that every time I am ready to get busy and serious about my weight loss something major happens to slow me down before I ever get started good... no, I do not believe it is some huge conspiracy to keep me unhealthy. However, it is a little frustrating. But not to worry... I have not given up. I did get sick last Thursday. I have had an awful time with the flu. And although I have not logged everything this week, I have been very careful to not use my illness as an excuse to pi...

Starting my plan over... because I am back to my starting weight!

Sun, 9 Dec 2012 09:16:25 EST

Ok, I AM READY!!!
Ready to get started.
Closing the door on the past.
Stepping into my future!

SW: 237
CW: 237
GW: 160

So here's my plan:
I am going to start logging everything that goes into my mouth.
I am going to keep everything in the low end of my ranges (calorie, fat, cholesterol, etc.) 3 days a week. I am going to allow myself to go to the high end of my ranges 2 days a week. I am going to keep it in the middle the other...

:( ouch!!!

Wed, 5 Dec 2012 09:16:30 EST

I have undone all of my hard work. I have gained back the weight. I have let myself get robbed of the joy I was feeling with my weight loss success...

I am now 4 pounds away from my all time heaviest weight. When I first joined Sparkpeople, I weighed 241 pounds... Today I am at 237. And I have no one to blame but myself. At one time I had managed to get to 199. And I did it in a very healthy way, with lots of hard work and healthy eating. I really haven't eaten "more" food... but I...

Clutter!

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 08:48:23 EST

Clutter. This should be on a "bad word" list. Or something. And "stuff". It's not the words that are bad, it is the feelings they bring. This week, with the help of church and Bible study, I am starting to make a plan to declutter my life. I have realized that my life is cluttered. Like most people I know, I have too much "stuff"... way too much "stuff". In fact, I have so much stuff that my garage is filled with boxes of stuff that I don't even know what is there. I did finally downsize last...

Back to tracking!

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 08:55:21 EST

Last week was a hard week. Without my car and with having to depend on my car for all of the running I do in a week... well, I never tracked anything I ate all week. I really wasn't home enough to get on the computer long enough to track anything. I maintained my weight which is a miracle in itself, but I depend on my tracking to, well, to keep me on track. So starting today I am back to tracking!!! Feeling pretty good about it, too. I have planned my menus for the day and already tracked it....

YAY! My car is home!

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 08:28:56 EST

226
Ok, it's not a race car... but it's mine and it's home! The really good news is I have some friends who do car repair from their garage and they do what they can to save me money with out compromising the quality of the repairs. They really do amazing work!

The not so good news is it generally takes them longer because they have to track down parts and sometimes rent tools that they don't already have. And my bill is $1299.37.

Actually that should h...

:( Car Trouble

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 18:41:00 EST

I hate cars. We need them. But they are so much trouble!!! I am blessed to have some friends that do car repairs at their house and they are good. Also they get anything that they can at a pic-a-part place and that saves some money. However, I took my car to them on Monday to have my brakes changed and to have them check something else... and my car needed a lot of work! Part of it was things that made my car dangerous for me to drive. Long story short, I am on the go a lot and have been with...

A Blue Rose!

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 18:42:36 EST

A Blue Rose

Having four visiting family members, my wife was very busy, so I offered to go to the store for her to get some needed items, which included light bulbs, paper towels, trash bags, detergent and Clorox. So off I went.

I scurried around the store, gathered up my goodies and headed for the checkout counter, only to be blocked in the narrow aisle by a young man who appeared to be about sixteen-years-old. I wasn't in a hurry, so I patiently waited for the boy to...

Today I am thankful for talents God has given people in my church family!

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 22:50:52 EST

This morning my mom told me that her toilet was still leaking... 2 weeks ago it was leaking and I tightened what I thought needed to be tightened to fix it. It stopped leaking. 1 week ago it was leaking again and I replaced all of the parts inside the tank thinking that would fix the problem. I had done that before and it took care of the problem. It stopped leaking. This morning she told me that it had started to leak again... I was going to go back over after church and see if I could figur...

Thankful for 1 more pound released!

Sat, 13 Oct 2012 11:38:42 EST

Ok, I won't lie, I was hoping for more... but I have gone over my calories a couple of days this week. So I have 2 choices: I can mope because I didn't lose more... or celebrate because I didn't gain any!!!
236 410
I CHOOSE TO CELEBRATE!!!
I am thankful that I have released 1 more pound... my paperclip chain is one link longer... I am 1 pound closer to my goal! So much more fun to celebrate than it is to whine!
321 224 <...

Thankful for a quiet house.

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 18:43:25 EST

Just got home from work. No one else is home. The dogs are all outside and quiet. The cats are sleeping. Aaahhhh. (sigh of relief). I know it won't last, and I wouldn't want it to be like this all the time. But right now, for this moment, I love it. So many things I should be doing, but for a moment I am going to just sit and enjoy.

Thankful for the rain!

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 11:03:48 EST

Today I am thankful for the rain! I live in Las Vegas, Nevada. And we do not get a lot of rain here. When we do and the sun comes out afterward... our valley is BEAUTIFUL!!! Everything is bright and pretty. We live in the desert and when we don't get rain for a while, a layer of dust settles over EVERYTHING. It is still beautiful here, don't get me wrong. I love my home! But after a rain, when God has rinsed everything off, it just makes everything come to life!!! Even the lights of the casin...

Thankful for my pets!

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 09:48:46 EST

We have quite a houseful of animals... 5 dogs, 2 cats, 2 hedgehogs, 2 fish, 1 snake and 1 desert tortoise in the back yard. Today I am very thankful, especially for the dogs. All of the four legged critters are happy to see me when I get home from work and surround me with hugs and kisses... but yesterday when I got home and my neighborhood was literally swarming with police activity (SWAT, at least a dozen cruisers, a couple motorcycles, and I think 3 helicopters) I was happy to know that wh...

Thankful #2

Tue, 9 Oct 2012 08:37:18 EST

Today I am thankful for my family. The close immediate family I see all the time and the family members that for whatever reason I don't get to see anymore. And for those family members that are family by choice, you know the ones, they are such a big part of your life that they are somehow closer than blood relatives. I am even thankful for the family members who have broke my heart... I love them, cause if I didn't it wouldn't hurt so much. God has blessed me with a great family that gave m...

The Power of Eight!

Mon, 8 Oct 2012 19:10:09 EST

This is an eight part challenge that I posted in one of my spark teams today. I thought I would post it here as well, because I think that it could help all of us stay focused. One of the challenges is to invite 8 people to join our team. I am going to be inviting 8 people individually, however, if you are reading this, please come check out the team and feel free to join us as well. This challenge was originally drawn up and posted for members of the "Getting Ready for Summer ~ 2013" team. I...

I am thankful...

Mon, 8 Oct 2012 10:03:06 EST

Today I am thankful for Sparkpeople! For the support and friendships I find here. For the great resources. For all of the ways sparkpeople helps me to work toward my goals. I am happy to be part of such an amazing program!!!

Slow and steady~

Mon, 1 Oct 2012 20:02:38 EST

I am on track and doing well. Only released 2 pounds this week, but that's still 2 pounds gone... 9 so far in 2 weeks. I will take it.

Now to add some exercise... I always have good intentions and don't seem to make it too far past my intentions. So, here's my plan. I am going to use my Gazelle to ease into exercise. I am going to do a minimum of 1 minute of exercise for each corresponding date of the month. Today is the first and I am going to do at least 1 minute of exercise. Tom...

Right on target!

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 10:07:01 EST

So, when I mapped out my plan, I not only set mini weight loss goals for the journey, but I also made a list of about how much I wanted to weigh each week on my weigh in day from now till June 22nd. I am not naive enough to think that I can hit each week exactly as I hoped for, but it's more of a guideline so I will know if I am on track for my main goals. Today is my first weigh in day since I started and ... I MADE IT! I lost 7 pounds this week!!! I am SO excited!!!

I know that i...

I feel empowered!!!

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 00:23:24 EST

This week has been extremely, super hectic and stressful... that being said, by this time in a week like I am having I would have usually given in to stress eating oh, maybe about 10 times by now, in the past 3 days.

I am so excited and happy with myself... NO STRESS EATING!!!
No emotional eating, no bored eating, no mindless eating...
I have logged EVERYTHING that has gone into my mouth, and so far, other than Sunday, I have kept my calories in the low end of my calorie...

My plan:

Sun, 16 Sep 2012 10:16:24 EST

Ok, I AM READY!!!
249 Ready to get started.
225 Closing the door on the past.
311 Stepping into my future!

SW: 237
CW: 237
GW: 160

So here's my plan:
I am going to start logging everything that goes into my mouth.
I am going to keep everything in the low end of my ranges (calorie, fat, cholesterol, etc.) 3 days a week. I am going to allow myself to go to the high end of my ranges 2 days a week. I ...

OUCH!!!

Fri, 14 Sep 2012 10:19:01 EST

So, I have gained 19 pounds in less than 4 months.
46
I will be setting new goals and designing a new game plan this evening...
I CAN'T DO THIS ANY MORE!!!

40
~Sandy

I don't like to gossip... but

Thu, 6 Sep 2012 09:35:12 EST

Hummm, I don't like to gossip, but I heard the

Father telling the Son to tell the Holy Spirit to

Tell the Angels to protect You today, tonight and

always! Its in the Word.

Ssshhh...Just say AMEN and share it !

GOOD GOSSIP FROM ABOVE IS THE GREATEST WORD OF ALL.

Have a Blessed Day, My Friend.

Look back and thank God.

Look forward and trust God.

Social Security:

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 22:18:10 EST

FYI...

SOCIAL SECURITY NOW CALLED 'FEDERAL BENEFIT PAYMENT'/ENTITLEMENT!

Have you noticed, your Social Security check is now referred to as a "Federal Benefit Payment"?

I am forwarding this message because it touches a nerve in me, and I hope it will in you. Please keep passing it on until everyone in our country has read it.

The government is now referring to our Social Security checks as a “Federal Benefit Payment.” This isn’t a benefit – its earn...

Stiff. :(

Mon, 6 Aug 2012 10:12:11 EST

Hm, do I need to make stretching a priority? Sometimes I am so stiff it is hard to get up and down let alone exercise. And then when I walk, I walk like a little old lady. I am NOT a little old lady!!! But my back and legs get so stiff. Last night I guess I had an epiphany (?) maybe if I make stretching a priority it will help limber me up! So today I am going to look for some stretches that might help. Any suggestions? I am doing better with getting some exercise in every day... and I feel b...

Why do I let life get in the way?

Wed, 1 Aug 2012 10:22:01 EST

What a vicious cycle! I determine that I AM READY! This is it. I am going to log my food, exercise, stay on track and improve my health... and I do for a few days. Then I have a busy day or can't get to my computer for some other reason (excuse), so I don't log my food. Or I get distracted by a good book or get busy with housework and don't exercise... And then I realize I haven't been drinking all of the water I need to stay healthy and to feel good. Then I start craving junk food and don't ...

Help! God has given me a job! :)

Sat, 21 Jul 2012 23:58:14 EST

Hi Everyone~
I have taken on a task, at God's urging, and could use some help. My church is a small and fairly young church, we are getting ready to celebrate our 7th anniversary. Up till now, we have one women's Bible Study and we have a Lady's Tea once a year. Other than that, we do not really have a women' ministry. God has been leading me to encourage the women of our church, and now I feel like He wants me to do more. So, I am working on creating a real women's ministry. God has giv...

God Bless The United States of America!

Fri, 6 Jul 2012 00:40:57 EST

"The Lord said to Abram: Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who treat you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you." Genesis 12: 1-3

So, when I read this in the Bible this morning, it made me think... this could have been G...

Summer... break?

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 00:55:09 EST

I work for the school district. I love my job. I work hard 5 days a week. I am off nights, week ends, and holidays. And now school is out for the summer. Time to be a lady of leisure, time to relax, travel, catch up on reading and movies, and spending time with friends and family. Oh, and plenty of time to work on starting a workout routine. More time to cook healthier meals. And how 'bout those craft projects I have been waiting to have time to start? Yay!!!!

Well, that was a grea...

How children perceive their grandparents!

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 11:39:41 EST

1. She was in the bathroom, putting on her makeup, under the watchful

eyes of her young granddaughter, as she'd done many times before.

After she applied her lipstick and started to leave, the little one

said, "But Grandma, you forgot to kiss the toilet paper good-bye!" I

will probably never put lipstick on again without thinking about

kissing the toilet paper good-bye....

2. My young grandson called th...

Hi, my name is Sandy

Sat, 26 May 2012 12:02:43 EST

Hi Everyone~
My name is Sandy. I am about to turn 51 and don't know how the number doesn't match how I feel... hm, and that varies. Sometimes I feel like I am still in my 30s and sometimes I feel like I am in my 80s... anyway: where to start.

I am married, but about to be divorced for the second time. Never thought I would ever be divorced once, let alone twice. My husband moved out 1 year ago today... I guess he isn't coming back. That's ok.

I am a Christian mom of...

Listening to my body

Thu, 24 May 2012 00:48:50 EST

This week has been very enlightening on my weight loss journey! And of all places, I got the best "food for thought" of the week at church on Sunday. Pastor T was talking about getting unstuck in our fitness. He said that God provided us with an alarm of sorts to let us know when we need to eat something. But that most of the time we don't wait for the alarm. The alarm is when our stomach starts to growl to let us know when we are hungry... when we NEED to eat. I started thinking about it... ...

:(

Tue, 8 May 2012 09:11:12 EST

I am tired of being sick. In fact I am sick and tired of being sick and tired... Last week I had an upper respiratory infection. I did nothing but sit and rest and drink lots of liquids to try to get better. Yesterday I was feeling better, not great, but better. I went to work. Then I went to tutor a girl I have been working with. I came home and was having horrible allergy problems. Had to take medicine. I was too tired to stay awake to eat dinner. Too tired for anything. In fact I was sound...