Project Health & Fitness: The Journey Begins

One of my resolutions for 2009 is to take better care of myself - physically and mentally. I normally don't make resolutions of any kind because I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT keep them - plus I don't really see the point in "resolving" to do something that you should already be doing anyway. But, I went ahead this year and decided to force myself into a... er.. goal (that's what I'd rather call them). I have written on here before about my previous attempt at losing weight - walking 5 days a week, my McDonald's fast, cutting back on soda & drinking mostly water and tea... I think the Christmas holidays got the best of me. I stopped watching what I was doing and honestly I actually stopped caring!! So now, here we are, January 7, 2009 and I am ready to make the commitment!
Yesterday my doctor gave me a goal of losing 40 pounds. I think that's a reasonable challenge as long as I stick to what I need to do. Between August & end of November I lost 14 pounds - more than I've ever been able to lose before just by doing simple things like not eating at McDonald's (my biggest weakness) and upping my metabolism with a little exercise. I was talking to my friend Dallas last night and we were both picking each other's brains on stuff that we have done or are going to try to make Project Health & Fitness a successful one. After the support that we both gave each other during project GTFO (ask me if you didn't know about that one - I'll be happy to fill you in), TOGETHER we can accomplish all of our goals (whatever they may be). You are all invited alongside me on this journey. I will do my best to update my progress here on the blog and please, please, PLEASE feel free to leave your comments, suggestions, encouragements or discouragements for me along the way. I welcome any and ALL feedback!

So as I am finishing up bottle #4 of water for today and my South Beach Living Crispy Meal Bar lunch I have to ask the question: It can't be THAT hard right?? I mean, I see other people do it all the time. What do they do? What keeps them motivated?

Until next time...

My Apartment's New Look (at least for the next 3 weeks or so)

I thought I would post some photos of my Christmas decorations since some of you (ahem.. CAM) are not on facebook OR myspace ~ I haven't really wanted to decorate or do a tree in about 4 years so keep in mind that all of this is a HUGE step for me! I like it though -- I just haven't had a chance to really sit and just admire it... (FYI, if you click on the photo you can view the whole thing -- I don't know why it's not letting the whole picture show on here.. )

Just call it Christmas -- for goodness sakes! | MissMegan85's Xanga Site - Weblog

Just call it Christmas -- for goodness sakes! | MissMegan85's Xanga Site - Weblog

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Part III - Christmas Cards

I just bought my Christmas Cards!! They are way cute and didn't cost me near as much as I thought they might (coupons are a life saver!) -- so if I have your address, then you should receive yours sometime this month! I'm sending my cards out much later than I normally do this year because I have to wait for another paycheck to buy the postage. LOL I'm glad I can be "real" out here in blog land. I put a lot of thought into my cards every year though so I hope that they are a blessing to you all.

In years past, I have thought about doing all sorts of things - Christmas letters, cards and even this year I thought about doing a Christmas photo - but then I changed my mind because I kinda want to save that for the next chapter in my life - like with the husband (hopefully) and the kids (big stretch but it could happen). Christmas cards are a big deal at my house, they have been since I was a kid. My dad used to get out the roll-o-dex and his favorite pen and start writing all sorts of letters to people in his cards. I think once we moved to Texas, my mom got on the bandwagon and did the same thing for HER relatives. When cards came in the mail, they wrote down who they got one from, not so that they could "keep track" (at least I dont' think) but just so they would know if they got the addresses right, etc. Well.. following in their footsteps, the digital age helps me to be even more anal about my cards!! First there is the updating of the database - yes, I know I'm only 31 yrs old but I have a list of over 100 friends alone that I like to keep in touch with. I like to hear from them and see the pictures of them and their kids -- oohh.. we'll get to the photos in a second. Used to be that my reason for keeping up with the list so well was so that I could INSURE that they were all notified of my wedding shower, wedding, baby shower, etc. since I invested my time and energy in all of theirs. I have people who call or email me all the time to get so-and-so's new address because most everyone knows that I keep track of folks really well! This is going to sound crazy but I also keep most every card - birthday/Christmas/whatever - that I get in my filing cabinet because it is fun to go back and read them years down the line - especially the newsletters - to see how people's lives have changed. A lady at bible study gave me a really great idea for using the cards throughout the year so if you send me a card, you will find out what that is..

Going back to those Christmas photos - just know that if you send one to me, you go on the hall of fame - my refrigerator. Trust me, other people like to look at that kind of stuff when they come over here and I like to be reminded of you everytime I go to open up the fridge ;)

Guess I had better get started - until next time..

The Holidays - Part II - The Music

Thanksgiving and everything that goes with it (the food, the family, the family drama, the shopping, the days off of work) FINALLY got here and is already gone away. BUT, really all that means is that it was/is FINALLY time to break out the Christmas music!! I'm a firm believer in "Keeping the THANKS in Thanksgiving" so I kept my Christmas CD's stowed away until the right time. Some, however, did not do the same thing - I was at Wal-Mart a few weeks ago and yes, they were ALREADY playing it. And they were playing Handel's Messiah none the less which I dont' normally associate as a Christmas song (more so EASTER) but I guess since we were keeping CHRIST in Christmas I'll let it slide. Actually, the more that I've listened to traditional "Christmas" music so far - especially the hymns - I am seeing that these songs apply to more than just Christmas. Quite a few of them talk about JESUS and CLEARLY tell us who is is and what He came here to do. That's the message of Christmas that I hope everyone understands this holiday season and all year long. There's a local radio station here in Dallas that prides itself on "keeping CHRIST in Christmas" but yet every other song on their station so far is about "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" - I don't get that at all.

On a much lighter note - here is one of my FAVORITE Christmas videos - at least it has been since I was a teenager (okay, I was in college when it came out! LOL) ENJOY!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTRPEWoAnq8

Holiday Preparations - Part I - FOOD

One of my favorite things about this time of year is.. well, a LOT of things.. Since I'm eating right now, I'll start off with the FOOD. I dont' know about ya'lls houses but at my house - we go ALL OUT when it comes to Thanksgiving, Christmas and even New Year's Day meals. Everyone in the family has a specific dish that they are assigned to bring/make. Mom usually covers the turkey and the pumpkin pies (but mom's pies don't hold a candle to Grandma's.. anyway..), Dad makes the salads - regular salad, pasta salad, strawberry jello salad and his delicious chocolate layered dessert. My sister is in charge of the mashed potatoes -- mainly to insure that we have them EVERY year -- there was this one year where we picked up our Thanksgiving dinner to go to an extended relative's house, we get there and lo and behold -- NO MASHED POTATOES!! A few of my cousins and I STILL reminisce about that year.. LOL. My job is the broccoli/rice/cheese casserole. I have already made my first batch of the year - a test run, if you will, over the weekend. We had a massive Thanksgiving feast last Friday night at Bible Study -- our leaders are AWESOME! They turned their one bedroom apartment into a dining area that seated 30 (yes 30 people!). We had a really great time but there was sooo much food leftover! I guess that's my next favorite part of the food is the leftovers - we usually eat on this food for days and then personally, I've had my fill for the year. I LOVE Thanksgiving food but too much of a good thing in this case, is a bit much...

Also, as of today, I have a 7 pound smoked turkey in my freezer. Apparently, my boss started a "tradition" last year of giving all the employees a turkey for Thanksgiving and we got ours today. I have no idea what I'm going to do with this thing!! I mean, I plan on eating some of it but not all by myself. Looks like I'll be surfing recipes.com or Rachael Ray or Bobby Flay to find some turkey recipes to use with it. Any suggestions? (I know there are a few closet chefs out there that read my blog)

COUNTDOWN: 4 more days until Christmas music (which may be my 2nd favorite thing about this time of year..) more later...

Does God Know What He's Doing?

We've made it! Wednesday, November 5, 2008 -- The election is over and America has spoken - Barack Obama is the President-elect of the United States of America. There was no question about it once the votes were in. We didn't have to wait until all hours of the night or even still sit here in the days and weeks following election day wondering who our new leader would be. The American people - made up of all ages, races, genders, sexual orientations, religions, etc. - had the opportunity to participate in making history. That is the beauty of America and more importantly of democracy - look around at other nations and their election processes and you'll see that most of the rest of the world does not have the ability to make that much of an impact in the future of their country like we do.

Leading up to D-Day (decision day), I heard countless people (a LOT of them professing Christians) say "Whatever happens, God is in control" or "God's will be done." (or something to these effects). Why today do I hear some of these same people grumbling and complaining about the outcome and truly expressing their overall dissatisfaction with the way things went down yesterday. A couple of things to remember: a) You voted right? Your voice was heard whichever candidate you placed your support behind and b) GOD IS SOVEREIGN and TOTALLY IN CONTROL of this thing. Who are we to question HIS knowledge and authority. He KNEW the outcome before we even voted!!! (and actually long before that..)

From a Christian perspective, we have no option but to submit to the authority that God has placed over us in this situation. In Romans, Paul says:
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. Romans 13:1-2

Notice a few things in this passage: the word EVERYONE. Everyone=Everyone -- that means you and me and whoever else. Also, rebelling against this authority is rebellion against God. I dont' know about YOU, but I don't want to knowingly turn away from God. Therefore, I must humbly accept what God has done and is doing with this situation and continue to read, study and align myself with God's word.

Mike Huckabee's Blog said this this morning (and I agree):

He was not my choice, but he will be my President and I will pray for him to lead this great nation with God's help and grace. He will face serious challenges to lead our country and he will need all Americans to give him a chance.

God knows what He's doing. Has He ever been wrong?