He Must Increase and I Must Decrease-Yep Lost 100 Pounds! Let's Have a Huge Give a Way!

We overslept this morning. It is not something that happens very often during the work week. Once Roy was out the door, I settled back in thinking that I'd sleep another 30 minutes or so. Silly rabbit, I overslept another 2 hours. The day just wasn't starting out as I had envisioned. So going with the plans blown theme, I threw caution to the wind and decided to weigh this morning instead of my usual Wednesday morning routine. Bleary eyed and weary I pushed the user 1 button on the scale and once it had ran through the inputted info of age and height, I stepped on the scale... There, just like the Magic 8 ball, a number appeared that I have only seen in magazines and a long time ago when I was much younger. Oh my! That dratted pound had finally left the building. I decided to do a re-do just to make sure. I have no clue how or why this happened, but when I stepped on the scale to reconfirm the number so I could truly celebrate, the number 370 came up. What the heck? No way, what? I have never weighed that much. Calmly, I stepped off the scale and did another re-do and the original number came up. It was time to celebrate. I woke up Buddy, our cat, who didn't seem at all in a celebratory mood and only reacted by covering her face with her paws.


After emailing Roy and a few friends, I announced the news on Facebook. It crossed my mind this morning as I left the house to run errands and go workout, it would be so much fun to have someone to do the day with, celebrating the 100 as a main and pivotal milestone. I forgot I could have invited the Lord in on the day. So when I stopped at the dry cleaners He reminded me how Roy had to drop off and pick up the clothes because the two steep stairs without a railing conquered me every time. He and I then celebrated as I took to those stairs like they were nothing, all the while balancing the cleaning to be put into the trunk. Thanks God! Then at Target, where once again I was hypnotized to buy more than what I originally had gone in the store for, I shopped and didn't drop. There was a day and it wasn't too long ago, that I couldn't have done what I did today. Thanks Lord for that great reminder. This seems silly but I had to park some distance away from Lifetime today to go workout. Very funny we all want close parking to go exercise. Parked the good distance away and again the Lord reminded me of those difficult days when I literally staggered to the car after working out and nearly passed out several times in attempting that long walk back.


It was while riding the recumbent bike today, listening to Erwin McManus talk about God cares about the little things in life, that it dawned on me how wonderfully Jesus has cared for me since this heart and virus journey began in September 2008. Erwin's talk is based on Jesus turning the water into wine, a small detail of life that affected maybe 30-60 people on the planet at the time. He taught that we aren't willing to trust the Lord with the little things because we want Him in on the big things and it seems easier to trust Him on the big things. Only, His time had not come when His mom asked Him to intervene in a situation that wasn't going to mean anything than to those who were there. Erwin kept saying, Jesus was invited into the situation and He was given room to do things, the little things because He was invited to do so. Clinging to life while Hurricane Ike devoured Houston and the Gulf Coast, I remember asking Jesus to intervene, to help and provide wisdom, knowledge and what I needed on this sometimes daunting journey. I had no clue what I was in for and losing weight had always been such a tough thing for me. In reality, today March 2, 2010, how is the world affected or changed because I lost a 100 pounds and know the certainty that 40-50 more is the goal the doctors have for me? Not much. Wars didn't cease, the earth goes right on rotating on its axis...but in this room, in my heart and life, there is joy overflowing that 100 pounds lost brings just like the good wine brought joy overflowing to the wedding celebration. Give Jesus room in the little things. He brings so much more to life and the party when we invite Him to intervene. That podcast today on the bike was such a special gift from the Lord Jesus. I have much to be thankful for and over.


So, now that you have plodded through all the above words, comes the most welcome news of a give a way. I cannot think of a better way to celebrate on Monablog but to give a $100 in gift cards away...to one winner. So combining my loss to Houston's gain of a Nordstrom Rack, I am giving away gift cards from the Nord, Grand Lux, Old Navy and Barnes and Noble that will total $100.00. Once you find a parking place in the lot, you'll have gift cards to visit the main stores, have lunch and can make a whole afternoon of it. All you have to do is leave a comment on my blog. This rolls over to Facebook but don't comment on the Facebook notes, you need to come here nancysmonablog.blogspot.com and leave the comment. The drawing for the gift cards will be on March 15th.