Only 10 days to go..

I have ten days to the my next step in my journey. I am looking forward to hopefully the disappearance of my back and neck pain and being able to run again. I have an App in my IPOD that I cannot wait to use. It is a plan to run for a full hour on 10 weeks or so. I want to begin training for 5 Ks as soon as I get the go ahead from the doc. Perhaps a Turkey Day 5K? Now wouldn't that be cool! Anyone want to join me?

I have been really trying to be really good about eating and exercising lately. I have dropped almost 5 pounds. Who would of thunk it? It actually does work. I am really gonna gonna try to drop another couple this next week.

Work has been tough lately, but I have a feeling this week will lend to future opportunities one way or another. I am just gonna keep praying that God will guide His way in my current work situation and that I will be content in what ever the turn out will be.

The boys are back in school. It is hard to believe that J Wags (Joey) is in 7th grade and Ben is now a senior. Where did the time go? Wasn't it just yesterday that Ben was in Kindergarten? I actually have a picture of his Kindergarten class on the jungle gym. Now he is turning into a young man. The picture above is one of his senior pics. J Wags was asked to "lead" worship for the children's church today. He did a great job. I am very proud of both of my boys!

14 days..

Only 14 days till my surgery.. Am I nervous? Heck yeah but who wouldn't be.. It's the part of my process in my total personal transformation. Not that I did not like who I was, but just making myself better.

I worked out today for the first time in many months. I am exhausted but felt good none the less. I also dropped almost 3 pounds... I am really trying to make positive choices in my eating and moving a bit more. I am so looking forward to being able to exercise and really start dropping this extra weight. I have a program on my IPOD that allows me to plan my goals and if I keep on it, I should be able to drop to my goal weight by April of 2010.

I am very luck to have a employer that has a gym available to use free of charge, and they also may be having some additional weight loss programs as well. Earlier in the week I was speaking to a coworker who dropped a substantial amount of weight and really has made her life about a healthier lifestyle. She was a real encouragement to me. I want to be healthier again in every part of my life. I have really started to really make choices about the food that I am eating and asking myself, "do I really need this?" and in moderation.

Having Passion in Leadership..

I am reading a book by John C. Maxwell called " the 21 indispensable qualities of a leader". It is an amazing book. I have really struggled with some issues at work over the past months and I have determined that if I cannot change things, I can change my own attitude and outlook.

"When a leader reaches out in passion, he is usually met with an answering passion" ~John Maxwell.

In the book, there is a chapter that talks about passion and how it applies to leadership. Here are the four truths that he shares:

1. Passion is your first step to achievement..

2. Passion increases your will power..

3. Passion changes you..

4. Passion makes the impossible Possible..

If you truly believe in what you are doing, it will show in everything that you do. He writes that "passion is contagious . Schedule some time with people who can infect you with it".

I once heard that you should only be friends with people that make you a better person. So true.. Spend as much time with those who continually build you up and encourage you to do your best..

Attitude..

"Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment, and making the best of it without knowing what will happen next. Be thankful for hard times in your life. Try not to look at them as bad things, but as opportunities to grow and learn."

I am not sure why things happen the way that they do... I am trying to do my best every day to have a more positive attitude about life and the situation around me. Even though I cannot change certain situations, I can keep a better attitude about it..

I am looking forward to September 9th. This will be my next step in my total personal transformation.

Learning to fly..

"When you come to the edge of the light that you know, and you are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things will happen: there will be something to land on, or you will learn how to fly."

These past few months have been a really trying period for me. With Joe out of work, and work being a struggle for myself, it is hard to figure things out. It's hard to ask "Why?". Why did Joe lose his job? Why are we struggling financially? Why do I feel as if I have lost control of my life? I have never felt this way.. I feel depressed, discouraged and angry at times and I don't know how to handle it all.. I have been really angry with my friends and my faith.

Athough it may not seem like me, I went out a few weeks ago and got a tattoo. Why? I am not sure, but I am glad that I did it.. Actually getting it has given me inner strength to deal with some issues. I am learning to stand again on my own two feet. I am learning to realize that you can't place your hopes in things that may not happen or people in your life. I realized that I am the only person that can change direction in my life. I have realized that I can't depend on anyone to make me feel better about myself, only I can do that for myself.. My self confidence is increasing as I am "learning to fly." I feel more confident in myself.

I look at my tattoo and I realize that you can't regret the decisions in your life. The things in your past makes you continue to grow into the person that you are.

The next step in my continued journey, is my upcoming surgery. I am not able to to be the best I can be physically. I am hoping that this surgery gives me more self confidence to lose the extra weight and to be a better person for me.