Progress Report Mid Week 6

Physical Jewels:
Week 1 - 5 1/2
Week 2 + 1/2
Week 3 - 4
Week 4 No weigh in - at hospital with Trinity
Week 5 + 2 1/2
Total weight loss: - 6 1/2 lbs.

I'm feeling so much better about things. The scale was lower today than it has been in a long time. I have high hopes for Saturday morning.

Spiritual Jewels:
Even though the scale clearly reflects some back paddling, I felt very good about week 5. Going through Trinity's accident was very hard for me. I had to pull myself up by the boot straps and take inventory. Without any family around and even having to have Mark absent a good bit, it was rely on God or else.

As bad as the situation was and as alone (in earthly terms) as I felt, it was a truly rewarding Spiritual experience. For once in my life I didn't consume food to hide from the worry and the stress of the situation. Even if that meant cutting off my food portions because I knew the volume was too much, not because I didn't WANT TO EAT MORE, because I did. But I trusted God to keep comforting me and He really did.

I had a hard time praying, formally so to speak. When I'm caught up in these situations, I often can't find the words. Little more than, "Father, I need Your help," or, "Father, take care of her." Whispered prayers of this nature were all I could muster for awhile and for the first time in my life, that felt like enough. I think I've come a long way.

Devotional Time:
This time had to morph and change a little based on what I was able to do for a few days there and based on what I had in me to offer to the Lord for several days since. There were a few days I couldn't do anything. A few days I could only reflect on my one daily verse. And then I've started adding my Psalm reading back in as well. It isn't back up to full steam but again, I feel okay about it. This is the least guilty I've ever felt, and yet the more eager to resume my NORM.

Struggles:
Main course portions are my main struggle. I am allowing myself to have sweets. Deprivation is not part of this plan. I don't go overboard with those. But I have a hard time getting smaller portions of my meal. I refuse myself seconds, which is good, but still need less to start with.

Blessing My Heart:
This fell to the way side when I was at the hospital with Trinity. She's been sleeping in our room and so I haven't wanted to get up early to walk because I didn't want to wake her up. She's going back into her room tonight so perhaps tomorrow I'll get back on track ... or back on the treadmill.

Prayer Concerns:
Please pray for Trini's arm to continue to heal well. Her x-rays looked good yesterday as well as her incisions and pins. She likes the new cast so far and she likes me a little better now too. Pray for healing and no permanent damage.
My step-dad's father, Ed Fleming, is in real bad shape in a hospital in Oklahoma. He's dying. I don't know if anyone has really said that out loud. He's had a bad stroke and several small ones and now the main artery that supplies to his brain is closed off. He has a feeding tube in his stomach but that is having complications as well.
My cousin Jenny's son, Chase, has a heart condition that is probably going to require him to have heart surgery with the insertion of a pacemaker. Chase is an active 11 year old so pray he will have a quick recovery and be able to resume the things he loves to do.
Join me in thanking our Heavenly Father for beginning to deliver me from overeating and overweight.