Fall fades into winter, winter warms to spring… As with the seasons of weather, so are the seasons of life. And my! How the seasons in my life have changed over the last few years! Some changes have crept slowly along, while others have happened quickly. Some changes have been painful, while other changes have been refreshing and very welcome!

Sunday, in community group, it was pointed out to me that I don’t like change. Yep, I knew that! A lot of the changes that have happened in the past have come along with loss and they have been painful to me. That has caused me to fear change. It is only in recent months that change has come more gently.

For the last couple of years, I have really struggled with loneliness. I had some dear godly friends that moved on to other things in life ~ they, too, were experiencing change and it was good for them to go ~ but it was painful to me. I had to learn that just because friends leave after a season, it didn’t mean they didn’t love me anymore, it just meant that there were other places God needed them to minister. I did not enjoy having to learn that lesson. I did not enjoy being alone, but for some reason, God saw that it was good for me to go through those waters, for me to experience loneliness.

I am reminded of this passage in 2 Corinthians 1.

“All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us.”

At the end of last year, God began showing me that there are other single parents out there who are struggling with loneliness, too. It wasn’t just me. What a revelation! And out of that revelation, the winds of change began to blow, and with those winds, a new season of my life was providentially being ushered in.

Along with some friends, I have been able to help start a group for single parents in the area. A group where we can band together, to help and encourage one another. A group where we can get together and have fun and grow. Where we can share in the different seasons that life brings our way. Because there isn’t a season that we are going through that someone else hasn’t experienced already ~ friends are able to tell us if we will need hats and mittens, or shorts and sandals. ~ But more significantly, there is a Friend (Jesus Christ) who has gone through each season life has to offer and has come through it victoriously! Because of the hope He gives, we can offer His hope to others who are hurting, or lonely. And in the end we come out encouraged, too.

So don’t fear the winds of change that bring each new season, because as the wind blows, it removes leaves and snow, clouds and rain, and in the process it reveals blue skies and the warm sun, thus allowing new life to sprout; so it is with the winds of change in life ~ as the old dear friends and familiar things move away, room is created for new friends and other opportunities for us to see the Son and it gives us a chance to grow and blossom in the warmth of His love. Then when others see the beauty He has created, they in turn glorify Him!

Hope you are having a great Monday! A new week and a new beginning that we have been given!

Here’s my update on exercise and food choices…

The weekend went fairly well. I did cheat a little, but not worried about that too much.

Saturday -  oatmeal for breakfast, salad for lunch, and 2 Farm Rich quesadilla wedges for supper. (Holy cow! I learned that, while delicious, they are extremely high in fat. 12 grams of fat in 2 small wedges!)

Saturday night we were invited to a “camp-out” as the kids called it - aka a fire in a fire-pit, to roast marshmallows. So we took graham crackers and Hershey bars. The s’mores were good. I had 2. (1 = 1 graham cracker broken in half with 2 squares of chocolate and 1 FAT marshmallow.)

For exercise on Saturday, we walked downtown (not quite a mile.) And then I did yardwork that afternoon and cleaned my car.

Sunday - oatmeal for breakfast and a couple sips of Diet Dr. Pepper (I didn’t even come close to drinking the whole 10 oz glass.) For lunch - I went to a reception had a couple little sandwiches and some chips and dip, but I skipped on the cake! (And that was a sacrifice. It looked so yummy. But I will say that it is getting easier to skip, plus, I had some friends from my small group (church) there with me and they know about my “journey” so that helped to hold me accountable.) When the community group met @ 3:30, I skipped the snacks and had a small cup of coffee and a big cup of water. (Again - delicious temptations abounded! :-)  Like Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies!!)  When I got home last night, I had a hotdog (real bad on fat!) without a bun and I can’t remember what else… It wasn’t much.

Today - for breakfast I had two eggs w/ cheese, orange juice and water.

Snack- a yogurt and a cup of popcorn. This morning so far I have had about 70 oz. of water.

For exercise I was able to get in 70 minutes on the bike. Might try to get a walk in this afternoon, I am not sure, yet. But I am thankful to have the biggest part of my exercise done already!

If you actually read through this looonnng book and made it to this point, how did your weekend go? Did you have a good one?

Breakfast - two fried eggs (used olive oil)  and water, coffee and orange juice.

Snack/Lunch - Two yogurts and an apple and 2 (18 oz) cups of water.

Supper - Homemade cheese pizza with whole wheat crust, salad and for dessert homemade apple pizza (whole wheat crust, cream cheese/maple topping with homemade applesauce.) (We were invited to someone’s home for supper…)

Originally, I thought I would take it easy on the exercise today, after yesterday’s good “ride,” but I was able to get in 60 minutes on the bike today. So I was happy with that!

Have you heard Stephen Curtis Chapman’s Newest CD - Beauty Will Rise?

Go here and check it out. It is great!

I am thankful that through his loss, he is able to minister to others who have experienced loss. Isn’t that what it is all about?

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us.”  1 Corinthians 1:3-7

Have you ever wondered how much water you should be drinking each day? If you are anything like me, you have…

Here is a cool tool. It calculates how much water you should be drinking, so you can save energy from having to do all that math, and apply it toward working out!

 Let me know if you try it!

I just beat my personal best record… not a big deal, but exciting for me!

I did 90 minutes on the bike. (I’ve done that before…)

I was hitting 20 mi/hr! (Holy cow! I usually average about 12-15.)

I burned 1,019 calories!

And it said I did 83.1 laps - but who really cares about laps? 

Breakfast - oatmeal, orange juice and regular coffee. (I usually do decaf.)

Snack (Boy! I could tell I really needed some protein!) - yogurt and popcorn. Not together. That would have been gross.

So far I have had 5 (18 oz.) cups of water.

SO PUMPED!!

Now it is off to get schoolwork knocked out.

25 minutes on the bike this morning.

45 minute walk at the park this afternoon. (Another beautiful day!)

Oatmeal for breakfast.

Salad and 2 chicken nuggets for lunch.

Snack at park - yogurt.

Supper - not the greatest (high in carbs but high on protein, too) Simply Asian - Spicy Peanut Noodles.

Sleepy. Sleepy. Heading to bed!

Today was an awesome day! It was busy, but so good! The weather was incredible! God did some really neat things for us today!

Well here is the update on my journey to get fit…

For breakfast I had oatmeal.

For lunch I had a big cup of water and a can of Progresso soup ~the light chicken noodle~ and some baby carrots…

Around 4:30 I had a sandwich.

This afternoon/evening, we were invited to a “leaf jumping and pizza party” and the kids LOVED it! (It was held at Grammy and Papa’s!) Right after we enjoyed an hour of playing in the leaves they made some delicious pizza! The kids really enjoyed their evening!! And Mommy had quite a bit of fun, too! (You can’t beat running and jumping into a 3 ft tall pile of leaves! It was the biggest pile I have ever seen! Actually, there were 3 of them tonight!) I was able to eat salad tonight for my supper and I had the toppings off of  half a piece of pizza.  I did have dessert! They had these teenie, tiny little chocolate cakes! And I split one with Hannah. It was 2 bites worth at the maximum. But it was tasty!

Playing in the leaves was GREAT exercise! Picking up and throwing “30-45 pounders” into the pile was a great workout! Not to mention the running and jumping I did myself. My arms are tired!

Then tonight, I did 35 minutes on the bike.

Just wanted to say thanks, again, to those of you who sent encouraging messages today! It is a big help!

How was your day? Did anything exciting happen??

We are starting our morning and I am writing to ask you all for some accountability! It is going to be an “on-the- go” kind of day! I have an eye appt at 10:45 (the girl called last night and left a message to remind me of my 10:45 appt and I swear she said they need me to be there at 10 o’clock!! I mean, FOR REAL?! You need this mom to be there a whole 45 minutes early? WHY?!) But anywho, I guess I will be dropping the kids off at the “sitter’s” earlier than planned and heading over to my appt (and taking a book with me, I hope!)

Then I am going to be heading over to switch off - my bro-in-law has graciously agreed to keep my kids while I have my appt, and then I am going to keep their kids while he has an appt this afternoon.

With all the running around, I am nervous that I am going to hit a “fast-food” joint sometime in between, or after. Please hold me accountable for healthful food choices today?! I think I am going to need it!

On a side note, I am still hoping to hit the park after babysitting, to get a good walk in this afternoon!

How about you guys?! Can I help encourage any of you in some way?

I know there are lots of friends out there who are going through some rough things and I just want you to know that I will be praying for you today! Hang in there!! God is doing something beautiful through the tough times!!

Catch you later…

Today was a pretty good day. I babysat from 8:15 am - 7:45 pm. (Give or take a few minutes tonight… Didn’t exactly look at the clock as we were walking out the door.)

I was able to get in an hour on the bike when we got home tonight. (I really wanted to hit the park today and get a good walk in with the kids, but by the time they woke up from their naps and we got everyone’s shoes on, and to the bathroom, and got the carseats in the car - it was getting dark already! NO JOKE! We went one day last week and stayed pretty late and today I just completely forgot about the time change! Maybe tomorrow we can head over there for a little while.)

I did pretty good on food today, until I took the kids to McDonalds for supper! Don’t worry! I ate a sandwich and a yogurt before we got there. But I did order a decaf coffee to drink while the kids played, but there were some “complications” with it and ended up with a hot chocolate instead. I only drank about half of it and threw the rest away. I know those things have to be loaded down with sugar… Does anyone know if there is a good sugar free hot chocolate mix out there??