Coincidence?

It's struck me on several occasions as I've journeyed on this road that when I'm doing well in one area of my life, other areas seem to fall in line too. Last January I started Weight Watchers, as we all know. It's been very successful. In September, I started Financial Peace University, and as of today have paid of $5497.18 in credit cards and today paid of my S40. That's $23,183.08 in 7 1/2 months. Plus I've paid an additional $5,042.27 toward my student loan. 77 pounds/ 18140.81 dollas of debt gone, it's actually pretty amazing when you think about it.

But today, as I'm struggling with 2 consecutive weeks of being incredibly off point and not being careful with my cash, I realized that the key and connection between the two things, that self-discipline everyone is so amazed by, has absolutely nothing to do with food or money. It's really about where I am in my relationship with God
and if I'm giving Him enough of my time and energy. The definition is: the act of denying yourself; controlling your impulses. The act is so very spiritual that God gives us self-control as one of those fruits of the spirit. It's the one no one wants to talk about and in my opinion, the hardest one to display if you aren't right with Christ. SO here I am, still at 156 pounds but I really can't blame NC for them and 20 euros short on cash plus borrowing from my emergency fund to pay for my trip to Austria in July. It's not about FPU or WW, it's about me and the fact that I've been going to the gym earlier and getting on the computer instead of reading my Bible in the morning. I've spent more time praying for other people than listening for what God has to tell me or confessing my sins. I can't even say that writing it all down for anyone who wanders by to see will make a difference, but I do know that if things don't change soon, spiritually. I'll be back up to 166 pounds and the new clothes I bought won't fit. And that student loan? Well it might take longer than 10 more months to pay it off as I spend it on more clothes that won't fit and traveling to places that I won't get scrapbooked for years.

Coincidence? I don't think so.

The noun self-discipline has 2 meanings:
Meaning #1: the trait of practicing self discipline
Synonym: self-denial
Meaning #2: the act of denying yourself; controlling your impulses
Synonyms: self-denial, self-control

Hard to believe it's the same two people. But it is and only 14-15 months separate this from my start picture. Proof positive it can be done!!

Home Again

I had an amazing time in North Carolina with the 'rents and my girls - Anne and Missa.
What fun it was finding out I'm a size 8 and eating in American restaurants with free water, refills and ice in every glass. I seriously pigged out on the shore but only had 6 pounds of damage on the scale last WEdnesday. Should be better tomorrow for WI and back to goal or less in another week.

Here's the link to my non annotated albums!

NCAA Round One with Mom and Dad

Outer Banks 2007