July 16, 2008 · 7:44 am

I love living in Stockton!

I recently took a walk around our downtown waterfront and was immensely enjoying the redevelopment that has been a recent addition to our city.  As I was sharing this with my dear friend, Angie Guzman who works at the new downtown Sheraton Hotel, we both agreed that we loved living in Stockton and that it seemed very few people shared this sentiment.  I told her that someday I was going to blog about our city in hopes of motivating others who live here to perhaps have an attitude change.

Well just this past Sunday, the editor of the Stockton Record, Mike Klocke wrote an editorial on Stockton’s “low self image” and gave the residents of our city an assignment to write him three things we liked about Stockton and one thing we would change.  That is all the motivation I needed to write this blog that was brewing in the back of my mind.  Yes, I am well aware that Stockton is currently number one in the nation for foreclosures and illiteracy and that crime is a huge issue here but despite these things I see and choose to dwell on the multitude of wonderful attributes about our area.  I hope if you live in Stockton it will bless you, give you hope and inspiration and perhaps motivate you to make your own list of what you love about living here.  But no matter where you live take the time today to remember all that you love about your city.  There truly is “No place like home!”

The top 10 things I love about living in Stockton:
  • I love the weather.  As a military kid who moved twelve times during my first eighteen years of life (before coming to Stockton, California as a freshman to attend UOP) I have lived in places where the hot summer humidity was so bad you immediately were dripping wet with sweat anytime you ventured outdoors even a 9 o’clock in the evening! (not too mention fighting larger than life bugs that come with humid climates)  And I have stood at bus stops waiting for a school bus where the wind whipped through your heavy winter coat and chilled your bones, while the moisture actually froze solid inside your nostrils. I will take our few 100 plus degree dry heat summer days that almost always melt away into amazing cool and comfortable evenings and the just barely freezing temperatures we rarely experience over the extreme weather found in most areas of the world. I also love that we live in a city that truly does have four seasons! (rare for California) The spring is full of the many large shade trees that abound in Stockton year round along with a myriad of foliage and beautiful, colorful flowers that continue blooming for months on end.  The warm (Ok, sometimes HOT!) water enticing, ice cream devouring, lemonade drinking summers bring us a plethora of the most delicious locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables sold on the roadside and at many farmers markets throughout the city. The fall colors are more spectacular than you will see in most California cities and you can even have the experience of wearing a warm woolly sweater with a matching scarf and gloves at a Friday night football game. The short and mild winter season is perfect for enjoying delicious soups, warm bread, hot coffee and fires in your living room on a silvery afternoon when the valley wears its blanket of fog or when we are kept indoors by a few days of rain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • I love the size of Stockton.  It is not too big and not too small.  It is big enough to have most every major chain store and restaurant that you could ever want (my personal favorites – Trader Joes, Target, Starbucks, Panera’s, Family Christian, Baskin Robbins and See’s Candies) yet small enough to have many unique specialty stores and interesting local dining experiences. (like Chucks, Papapavlos,  Bobs at the Marina, Sho Mi, Best Wishes, Beyond Pots & Pans)  It’s small enough that I always run into friends and acquaintances when I am out and about, yet big enough that I can always meet someone new.  It’s big enough to offer an array of family activities to attend – from athletic events, concerts and shows to festivals, farmers markets and Friday Night Lives  – yet small enough that we are motivated to venture out to the bigger cities of Sacramento and San Francisco to take in the cultural events and activities to be experienced there. It’s small enough that I can get most anywhere I need to in 15 minutes or less – with very little traffic irritation –  yet big enough that I can take a Sunday afternoon drive out to the countryside or down the Delta waterways. It is big enough to have a wide variety of youth sports, recreation and classes yet small enough to personally know many of the coaches, teachers and parents that are involved in my children’s lives.
  • I love my Stockton church where I have attended faithfully for 25 years – the church where I celebrated my wedding and have dedicated and baptized all my children.  But even more, I love the large and diverse local Christian community that has been more united over the years by Stockton’s own Christian radio station KYCC, many prominent local pastors and more recently the Leadership Stockton Group that has sponsored events like the National Day of Prayer and the inspirational city wide Easter Sunrise Service that we have attended at Weber’s Point since it’s inception in 2000.
  • I love the lights and decorations that adorn much of the city at Christmastime – especially the fun and festivity found in the neighborhood of Meadow Drive (aka – Christmas Tree Lane) and the awe inspiring, bigger than life nativity that Alex Spanos has graciously shared with the city that has become a part of our family tradition on Christmas Eve.  In addition, the multitudes of opportunities to attend Christmas concerts, productions and services throughout the city is unending!
  • I love the stately majesty and beauty of the ivy covered brick buildings on the campus at the University of the Pacific and the grandeur of the Cathedral of Annunciation. I could drive around the Miracle Mile and Victory Park residential areas for hours looking at the lovely unique homes on the beautiful tree lined streets while my daughters point out which houses they would want to live in “someday.”
  • I love my modest 50+ year old home, my kind neighbors and quiet neighborhood, my local swimming pool and city park complete with picnic tables, a playground, ball field, basketball & tennis courts (and no I don’t live in one of the shiny new “behind the gates” master planned communities) as well as my friendly mail deliverers, PG&E meter readers and UPS drivers.
  • I love the amazing and beautiful downtown waterfront that continues to grow and develop into one of the brightest spots in our entire city.  The most puzzling thing to me is the relatively few people who actually take advantage of what our downtown offers – a fabulous playground for the little ones and great picnic spot at Weber’s Point, a perfect place to get some exercise by taking a walk while enjoying the sights and sounds of the water ways and being cooled off by the gentle Delta breezes, the games and events at the ball field and arena, the interactive water fountain on a hot summer day, dining at one of several fine restaurants, taking in a movie at the most attractive theater in the area and grabbing a coffee or ice cream before taking a romantic evening stroll with your sweetheart by the fountains surrounding the historic Hotel Stockton. Not too mention a variety of special events that are held downtown throughout the year to take advantage of.  What are you all waiting for?
  • I love that when I need to experience the sights, smells and sounds of my favorite place in the world, the seashore or I want to stand on a mountain top and feel the awesome power of God I don’t even have to plan ahead. I can be in either of these two awesome places in less than a two hour drive.
  • Surprising to some, I may even love what others loathe about Stockton. I love that we have a city that has homeless, destitute and poor as it has given us the opportunity to share our blessings with those in need, to learn kindness and compassion and it has given us a greater appreciation of what we do have, even if it is not as much as we might hope to have.  I appreciate that we have a city with the problems of trash, graffiti and unsightly areas as it gives us the chance to serve our city and teach our children the importance of taking personal responsibility for God’s creation. I think that living in a city where there is the threat of having something stolen or your home or car broken into is a constant reminder that the greatest treasures in life are truly not our money or our “things”, but rather they are our friends, our loved ones, our time, our health, our precious memories, our lives and our God. It also keeps us praying – something we could all do more of.
  • Lastly but most importantly, I love the hundreds of people who have touched and been a part of our lives over the past almost three decades of living, working, playing and worshiping in Stockton, California.  They are of every age, every skin color, every background, every personality, every economic status, every faith and from every part of town.  These special and amazing people are truly what makes Stockton the place we love to call home.

Here are just a few of those amazing people!

What I would I change?
 
Well of course I could probably make a very lengthy list of things I would love to change or additions I would like to see come our way but the greatest changes I would like to see really come down to two things:
 
Our hearts and our attitudes. 
 
If we could truly have a heart and attitude change – everything else would fall perfectly into place.  I would want the people in Stockton to have a heart for others – kindness and compassion as well as a desire to serve and give of their time, talent and treasure to make this city a better place .  Having a positive attitude – seeing the good even in the midst of the bad, enthusiasm instead of negativity, joy replacing gloom, pride overtaking apathy and hope not despair for the future  – all would go a long way to infusing this city with what it needs to become stellar.

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Filed under Attitude, Blessings

July 4, 2008 · 6:56 pm

Shaking my head

As we were heading out the door to celebrate the 4th of July in Red Bluff with my in-laws, the girls and I ran over to Old Navy to pick up a few patriotic shirts. In previous years, Old Navy has always had fun, festive and affordable shirts and so I assumed it would be a quick “run in, run out” errand.

Besides being immediately disappointed in the colors of most of the “patriotic” apparel (baby blue, Caribbean blue, creme and orange based red are NOT our countries colors  – they are navy blue, a dark red and white)…I was very disturbed by the verbiage printed boldly on the front of these shirts.

“Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of….Boys.”  SAY WHAT??? There are so many things wrong with this proclamation being plastered on the front of a patriotic tank top being sold to girls and young ladies (at least I am assuming that is their target audience – I can’t imagine married women my age wearing such a slogan?!)

  • First why are we degrading our Declaration of Independence, written by some of the most educated, eloquent and brilliant men of all time by replacing the words “pursuit of happiness” to a trivial “pursuit of boys”? There is nothing even slightly amusing about that. It is offensive.
  • Secondly even if someone thinks I need to lighten up and that it is just a harmless play on words – tell me WHY we want to suggest  to girls that the “pursuit of boys” is something that is worthwhile, valauble or honorable?  It is certainly not what I want my daughters pursuing during their youth and season of singleness.  I want them to pursue….godliness, righteousness, charity, good works,education, wisdom, noble character, health, fitness, skills, maturity, selflessness and the list goes on! (and pursuing boys is not anywhere on the list – is it on yours for your daughters?)
  • In addition what girl do you know who honestly takes joy in pursuing versus being pursued?  Despite the boy crazy culture teenage girls live in with all its crassness, aggressive behavior and role reversals – I know that in their heart of hearts they want to be pursued, to be desired and to be sought out by a gentleman who respects, honors and treats them like a princess.  It is just the way the Lord made women.  Yet, we are standing by letting the current culture continue to shape girls attitudes and actions towards boys resulting in a host of unhappiness and unfulfillment of their God given desires.
  • Lastly – Why would anyone want their girls, teens or young ladies wear such a message on their chests?  Doesn’t it seem a bit pathetic? shallow? desperate? degrading?

The next shirt I picked up said – “Hot as a firecracker”  Don’t even get me started on how anyone would allow their minor daughter to wear such a statement.  Shaking my head, we left the store.

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Filed under My "take", Raising Girls, Uncategorized

July 2, 2008 · 5:52 pm

Fat Face Update – July 2

It has been six months since I began my current lifestyle of healthy eating, weight loss and exercise.  Here are my results since beginning on January 2:

  • Total weight loss: 46 pounds
  • Total inches lost: 21 3/4 inches
  • Blood Pressure: January 2008 – on 2 medications with BP averages 130/85  July 2008 – OFF meds BP averages 132/84
  • Blood Tests: ALL normal! (even my iron levels – which are consistently low)
  • Fitness Level: I walk an 11 minute mile and can run 3/4 mile without stopping (although running is not my “thing”)

I am pleased with these results but am still working towards additional goals:

  • 13 more pounds (I am thinking this will take 3+ more months at the minimum – ugh!)
  • Several more total inches
  • Building muscles through consistent weight resistence exercise (Between my back problems & a recent knee swelling I have not yet gotten into this routine – excuses, excuses)

Ok….true confessions…in the last few days I have been a bit lazy on the “healthy eating” plan.  My justification? It is HARD to “diet” in the summer. (be sure to add the appropriate whine in your voice when you read that last sentance)  After all summertime is filled with FABULOUS foods like:

  • Ice cream cones, ice cream sundaes or trips to Baskin Robbins on warm summer evenings
  •  Fresh sweet corn on the cob slathered with butter (nothing better!)
  • BBQ dinners of hot dogs & hamburgers with all the “fixens”
  • Camping S’mores – which I can’t seem to eat just one
  • 4th of July smorgasbords of all sorts of yummy foods
  • Ice coffees & ice cold fresh squeezed lemonade
  • Family reunions, picnics and lazy poolside afternoons

Hmmmmmm….but come to think of it the upcoming Fall season is HARD too:

  • Pumpkin spice lattes with cinnamon scones on a fall cool crisp morning
  • Chili & cornbread (with honey butter) for dinner
  • Warm apple dump cake with vanilla ice cream
  • Friday night high school football games filled with temptations of popcorn, nachos, candy & soda (not too mention pizza parties galore)
  • Five immediate family birthdays (September 1,7,18 Oct 27 & Nov 2) with delicious homemade cakes
  • Thanksgiving with all its scrumptious blessings

Winter….now that would be easy if it were not for:

  • The entire Christmas & New Year season with all its parties, celebrations and special events that are all centered around the most incredible food of the year.  For 6+ weeks it is one temptation after another – that alone makes winter by far the HARDEST time to diet
  • Cold winter mornings where a Starbucks vanilla latte just takes the chill off your bones (and of course whats a coffee without a goodie)
  • Valentines Day and its chocolate deccadance
  • Soups….mmmmm good – and the creamier (and most fattening) the better – potato soup with cheese & bacon bits, clam chowder in a bread bowl, split pea soup, lobster bisque, cheddar cheese soup garnished withpopcorn

How about Spring? I can think of lots of obstacles then too:

  • Easter with all its delectable delights (chocolate again!)
  • Wedding receptions and graduations to attend in abundance each having an assortment of food to tempt even the most dedicated of dieters
  • Spring picnics and Church potlucks
  • Strawberries everywhere – strawberry shortcake, strawberry pies, pancakes with strawberries & whip cream
  • Mothers Day breakfast in bed and being treated to lunch out on the town

Ok so that leaves…..no EASY time to diet.  That’s right – Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall all have their temptations.  If not for the special delights of each season there is simply the year ’round special events, birthday parties, weekends away, date nights and just plain daily living that is full of wonderful opportunities to eat and overeat! So if you are waiting for the “right” season or “easy” month or “perfect” timing – forget it! There is no such thing.  You simply have to begin today despite all the justifications that another time would be better. (because it won’t!)

With that said, I will not continue to use the “Summertime is just too hard” rationalization as I press on towards my goals – although I will enjoy relaxing the diet during our camping vacation later this month and treat myself to an occasional ice coffee (with a drop of cream and some splenda) on a hot summer afternoon. Other than those “planned” splurges – I will stay the course.  Will you join me?

 

5 Comments

Filed under Weight Loss

June 29, 2008 · 10:38 pm

Our Weekend Barn Raising Report

What a great weekend of working hard to enlarge a room to be used as a combo – office, school room, play room & family room- with the ultimate goal of creating (and filling!) a boys bedroom.

We were blessed this weekend to have many friends join in the effort and help us save time & money.  THANK YOU with all of our hearts to:

  • Deanne, Justin & Kaitlyn Barth – for their hard work, delicious food and always uplifting fellowship (Justin your expertise and excellence  was sooooooo appreciated and needed!)
  • Andrew Colton – who came over after a full days work to use his awesome building experience to help with this room
  • Tracy & Felipe Rodriguez for bringing over pizza on Saturday for the crew and for Felipe’s wise advice & input
  • Cindy Moore for the healthy & yummy snacks she brought over to keep us nourished
  • Jennae Lambdin for her tireless hard work & buying the door
  • Aunt Eilene for the yummy (as always!) food she sent over!
  • Rachel Fichtner – for providing a delicious and full dinner on Friday night
  • Sarah Vigil Jones for bringing by a basketful of snacks Saturday morning
  • Our dear “Grandma” Gloria Grupe for the financial help and for emptying her cupboards to bless us.
  • Brandi Gaston – for helping with Home Depot “hunting”, painting, sanding and encouraging.
  • Jeff Gilbert for working hard all day long on Saturday (we are ready to return the favor when you do your garage!)
  • Donna Nelson & her children for providing two fun filled days for Joy and Daniel (and one for Grace too!) – what a blessing.

The current project status:

The room is sheet rocked, taped & “mudded” (is that a word?), sanded & mudded again. (and again) The doors are hung.

Next up:

  • Monday – last check for more sanding & mudding needed; hopefully texture will be applied and perhaps painting will begin
  • Tuesday – walls, ceiling & trim painted
  • Wednesday – windows put in (depending on Scott’s schedule)  Floor tile begins???

Help Needed

  • Floor – we may be in need of help to tile the floor.  As we get a closer to that step – we just may be asking for help with this step in the process. 🙂
  • Counter & Cabinets – we are hoping to install a long (25 foot) counter with a space for each one of the girls to do school as well as a spot for my office.  We also will need cabinet storage for homeschool curriculum & supplies as well as my Creative Memories inventory and JECHS development office supplies.  We have a friend coming over this week to give us ideas on doing this inexpensively.  We have no idea what this part of the project will entail.

Our goal will be to have everything completed and moved into the room by the time Dan goes back to work on August 5th.  (oh and I would so love to have a new baby boy by then too – we are trusting the Lord for His perfect timing) We will keep everyone posted as things progress – both with the room & the adoption.

 

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Filed under Adoption, Life at the Lambdins

June 29, 2008 · 7:34 pm

The One Year Old Portrait

We are a picture taking, album making, photo loving family!

However we take precious few professional portraits.  In fact we have yet to pay for a professional family portrait and other than the occasional church directory family picture all our family photos have been taken by a friend or family member with our personal cameras.  We do “splurge” for two professional portrait sessions per child –  a one year old baby portrait and their senior picture(we have yet to arrive at the wedding era – yikes!). And when I say splurge…I simply mean we pay the sitting fee and purchase the smallest package available. 🙂

Almost eighteen years ago when we began the baby portrait tradition, we were given the heirloom dress that I and my two sisters had worn for our one year old baby portraits.  It was a simple creme colored knit dress with puff sleeves.  I was so excited to have my daughter, Michelle wear the same dress I had worn as a baby.  When Amy came along three years later, I thought “I want her to feel just as special” and so I had her wear the dress as well!  As each daughter arrived, they too had their professional baby portrait taken…in the same dress, at the same studio, with the same background, in the same red velvet chair.  Thus a family tradition was established and the dress has become a priceless heirloom in the Lambdin family.

My hallway is now lined with six 11×14 framed baby portraits of each of our beautiful daughters.  My Mom recently passed on to me my baby portrait as well which is hung across the hall for all to see and compare.

Daniel turned one this spring and it was time to take his professional portrait.  Of course we were NOT going to put him in the dress!  Since my husband did not have an outfit to pass on to him, we set out to find a simple, charming and special outfit that could also become a family heirloom someday for our boys.  Not an easy task. (in fact I am amazed at how hard it is to find nicer, more dressed up clothes for boys at all – an unfortunate sign of our times in my never to be humble opinion)  We finally found one at a local upscale clothing store and set the appointment with photographer, Janie McCoun who has taken every single one of the girls photos.  We called just in time as Janie is closing her studio this month and only had a few sittings available.

  • Our photographer and dear friend, Janie McCoun

Several of the sisters wanted to come watch Daniel get his portrait taken and he was by far the easiest and happiest of all our babies on picture day. (Joy was so uncooperative that she fell of the chair and bloodied her nose!)  We now are sitting with dozens of proofs that are all darling with the task of picking one to add to the hallway and start a wall of baby boy portraits opposite of the baby girls.

My favorite thing about these photos are their bare feet and little fingers and toes.  I also love the simplicity of the photos which does not distract you from looking at their distinct features, soft skin and shiny wet lips.  As a mommy I never tire of walking down my hallway and looking at each of these little lives that we have been so blessed with.  The years go by so fast and the baby stage is so short.  These photos are a sweet reminder of what a unique, special miracle that God has created in every life.

I want to remember and capture every smile, every sweet smell of baby breath, every touch of their soft skin and wiggly toes, every sparkle in their eye, every deep belly laugh, every squeal and every moment of their baby years.  If you are a mommy of a little one right now, stop & touch their soft skin, wiggle their toes, smell their breath and kiss their lips….because life is like a vapor – here for a moment and then it vanishes!

All too soon another wall in my home will be filled with senior portraits. <sigh>

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Filed under Blessings, Family Traditions, Life at the Lambdins

June 26, 2008 · 8:09 am

Choose Well

Sunday June 15 was the “perfect Father’s Day”.

First let me say that anyone who feels “sorry” for my dear darling hubby because he has six daughters needs to think again. This man is one very pampered Dad! For weeks the girls have been planning and scheming and continuing to come up with more ideas to give their Daddy an excellent Father’s Day.

The day began as the two eldest walked through the door Sunday morning (they had been house sitting the night before) with his favorite Starbucks coffee and a newspaper in hand. They then proceeded to prepare his favorite breakfast of pancakes, eggs and sausage that we enjoyed on the back porch. (although he insisted on making the pancakes – saying no one makes them as good as Dad!)

During breakfast, he was surrounded by the lively chattering of all his girls (and Daniel threw in some boy noises for good measure) as well as several dear young ladies that he has been a father figure to who joined us for the days events. Before long it was time to pile into the van and head out of town to enjoy a day at the ball game where Dans favorite team (the Oakland A’s) would take on across the bay rivals the San Fransisco Giants.

We arrived at the beautiful ball park right on the Frisco Bay with plenty of time to enjoy a leisurelytailgate party with all the fixen’s – ribs, brats, corn on the cob, fresh fruit, chips and cookies. (and yes we both took the day off from the “healthy eating plan”!) The weather was simply gorgeous  – a light breeze blew through the sunny stadium that was a perfect70 degrees. We had great seats overlooking the Bay Bridge while watching the A’s beat the Giants in a 5-3 decision. We returned home to ice cream sundaes and a movie in the family room while we soaked our feet in warm water and applied moisturizer to our lightly sunburned skin. We all slept soundly after our fun filled day.

As I was reflecting on the “perfect day” I thought about how incredibly blessed my children are to have Dan Lambdin as their father. I hope and pray that each one of my daughters will find and choose such a man to be the father to their children. 

To my dear daughters (and those who are like my daughters),

Before long you will enter into a season of life where you will choose a man to marry.  Too often young ladies concentrate on things that are shallow and even trivial when they dream of the man they will someday marry.  The “short list” I hear from many a girl is that they want them to be handsome (or I believe the current term is “hot”), physically strong, funny, romantic and earn a good living (ie: be rich).  Let me assure you that those things are the least important attributes you can look for. I am sure many wise women out there who have “been there, done that” can attest to this truth.

When I hear women complaining about their husbands and their lack of help with or interest in the children, I can’t help but think –  that is what you chose!  At least here in America your marriage is not arranged or forced on you – no, you get to choose the man who will someday be the father to your children!

  • Choose a man who likes babies.  Look for the one who is drawn to the little ones and who puts out his arms to hold them, who is comfortable with playing “peek-a-boo” and who is not too cool to change the tone of his voice and make goofy faces to make a connection with babies.
  • Choose a man who is self sacrificing – who you see regularly denying his own desires and putting others before himself. (not only giving of his time, talent & treasure to help his family and friends but also volunteering and serving others without getting anything in return)
  • Choose a man who speaks with the mindset that children are a blessing not a burden, a miracle not a mistake, an asset not an accident and a treasure not a taxing financial drain
  • Choose a man who like Jesus says – “Let the little children come to me”
  • Choose a man who is pro life – who has a heart and compassion for the unborn
  • Choose a  man who believes that every child is created by God and who does not want to limit or miss out on the children that the Lord has to give him – whether by birth or adoption into his family
  • Choose a man who loves the Lord with all his heart, soul, mind and strength

Choosing a husband, the future father of your children is the single most important decision you will ever make outside of choosing to serve the Lord.  Choose well.

Love,

Mom

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Filed under Courtship, Family Traditions, Inspiration, Life at the Lambdins, Marriage

June 25, 2008 · 6:07 am

My blogging anniversary

One year ago today – I published my first post on this blog.

After ten years of writing a weekly motivational message entitled – “Monday Motivation”  (which I have archived some of those most popular messages on this blog)- that was primarily written for an audience of the Creative Memories consultants on my team but had gained a readership of not only thousands more consultants but had been passed on to their husbands, friends and other direct sales consultants throughout the nation and even to other parts of the world, I decided to expand my audience as well as my message and thus began this blog – “Monday Motivation & More“.

The purpose of this blog is to inspire, motivate, encourage, challenge and bless others through motivational messages, stories of my life and insights gained after two decades of marriage, ministry, business and raising seven (so far!) children.

I want to share (with whomever will listen) my many passions –

  • the Lord Jesus and the Word of God
  • marriage, mothering & family life
  • creating meaningful family traditions
  • babies – both the born & the unborn
  • Christian education & homeschooling
  • photos, albums and memory preservation
  • ministry and missions
  • purposeful & positive living

I want to use my God given gifts and talents to positively influence people and make a difference in their lives.

For those of you who know me well – I am a “stats” and numbers gal – so after one year in the blogging world here are the statistics:

  • 148 posts written (almost triple what I was doing when I was writing a weekly email)
  • 220 comments posted (I would love to hear from more of you – your thoughts, insights, ideas – I know you all have lots to share!)
  • 567 subscribers to this blog (FYI – subscribing just means when I post something it is delivered directly to your email inbox – just click here to subscribe – it is FREE)
  • 31, 300+ “hits”  – averaging 100 per day, 2,500 per week this past year

The top 5 posts (most read – besides the photo page which consistently receives the most hits – proving to me once again that people LOVE photos!)

Top 5 search words used in finding this blog (you know like “google searches”)

  • Beth Lambdin (by far the number one way people find my blog is by searching under my name)
  • Monday Motivation (I am thinking this is all those wonderful CMC’s who have been my biggest fans for the past decade – love you all)
  • Communion (who knew that there were so many people searching this word?)
  • Tea Party Recipes (smile!)
  • Christian Seder (Perhaps more & more people are looking for meaningful tradiotional ways to express their faith)

 Top 5 referrers (People or blogs that send folks my way – THANK YOU to everyone who passes my blog site on to others!)

  • WordPress Dashboard
  • Emails (from those who email my blog site to their friends & family)
  • Mommylife(I occasionally comment on this blog and she has a large readership and many click on my blog after reading a comment)
  • loveconquersall (A dear friends sister,  Jeannene who always has an encouraging word for me)
  • Hysterical Housewife (Becky Collins – whose spirit, enthusiasm & passion I love!) 

On this one year anniversary I want to thank a few people who have really been a blessing to me in this blogging adventure:

  • Christina Gilbert who got me “turned on” to the blogging world and encouraged me to “go for it”.  Christina you are such a valuable resource, an encouragement and you “sharpen my sword”.  Am I ever so glad that the Lord brought you into my life!
  • Jeff Gilbert – you are the BEST!  Thank you, thank you, thank you for loaning me your computer genius and your entrepreneur mind.  I am always challenged, refreshed and renewed after spending time with you. Who knew that my former student would one day be teaching me?
  • Patty Martin – I so appreciate your regular input via email to me.  Your words have meant so much.  I am glad this blog has reconnected us after so many years.
  • My dear darling hubby Dan, the six princesses and the knight – thanks for allowing the “whole world” a look into our lives and for giving up a slice of my time to sit at the computer and write.  I love you all so very very much.

Lastly….I can’t let an anniversary go by without setting goals for the next year. (I know, I know – shocking!) So here they are:

  1. To triple my subscriber-ship to 1500 (are you subscribed?) & double my annual “hits” on this blog
  2. To encourage more of my readers to comment and add their valuable input and ideas to this blog
  3. To average 4 to 5 postings per week
  4. To get some of my writings published
  5. To use this blog as a springboard for speaking engagements for – businesses, schools, church retreats, women’s meetings, mothers groups etc….

Here’s to another year of blogging!

Blessings,

Beth

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Filed under Blessings, Monday Motivations

June 23, 2008 · 1:19 pm

Barn Raising Update

We have been working steadily for the past two weeks getting bits & pieces done on the new room.  We are so thankful to all of the people who have helped with their labor, their ideas, their wisdom and their expertise.  (THANK YOUFelipe, Scott, Chris, Rick, Kim, Jennae, Jason, Josiah, Justin, DJ – we cannot tell you enough how very, very much we appreciate each of you)

Here is a peek at the progress so far:

We are gearing up to put the crew to work who have volunteered to come out either this Friday or Saturday to help us “raise the barn” – aka – finish this room.

Dan will continue to sheet rock this week as well as getting the supplies ready for the weekend activities.  We hope to complete the following:

  • Any remaining sheet rock hung
  • Taped & Textured
  • Walls & doors painted
  • Hanging doors
  • Tile floor laid
  • Possibly put in the windows (if they arrive)

That will get us to the place where we can begin to move in furniture and then work on putting up our long counter work space and cabinets as time, money and expertise permits.

We have lots of people who have inquired about being involved but we have not heard for sure.  This is who we have a commitment from for some or part of the two days (if you told me you were coming and I don’t have you on this list – please tell me again!):

  • Scott & Brandi Gaston
  • Justin & Deanne Barth
  • Jeff Gilbert
  • Felipe Rodriguez
  • Donna Nelson – babysitting our wee ones
  • Cindy Moore, Rachel Fichtner, Tracy Rodriguez, Deanne Barth – bringing food to feed the workers

If you have been thinking about possibly coming to help or you can bring food or drinks to share – let us know by Tuesday so we can get a good schedule going of who will be doing what. (but ya know if you just show up we will put you to work!)

We are hoping that if Extreme Home Makeover can re-do an entire house in a week we can add on a small room in a few days.  Here is Dan working away right now as I type this!

I will post pictures of this event over the weekend.

PS – A cool breeze blew into Stockton today making our house very comfortable today – we are praising the Lord for the relief from the heat!

 

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Filed under Adoption, Life at the Lambdins

June 23, 2008 · 1:27 am

What’s wrong with this picture?

The first photo is the thermometer on our back porch which reads 86 degrees at 7:50pm tonight.  The second photo is our thermostat inside our home which reads 91 degrees!  What’s wrong with this picture?  I’ll tell you!

It is just WRONG that it is cooler outside my house than it is inside when I have the air conditioning running full blast all day, with fans blowing in every room, every curtain drawn & all the lights turned off.  Just plain wrong!

Ok….so here we are again – the temperatures are soaring in the San Joaquin Valley and our air conditioning looks to have gone on the blitz (it runs but doesn’t cool the house….at all…obviously).  We have been here before.   Eleven years ago the original air conditioning (most likely 30 years old) died at a very inconvenient time – the very beginning of summer and dear darling hubby and I were without any source of income during a huge life changing transition.  Yikes! My Mom came to the rescue loaning us the money to get a new system that worked AWESOME.  Unfortunately a couple summers ago things began to stop working well and after an entire week of repairmen  troubleshooting to try to get it up and going again….we found ourselves $900 poorer and with an air conditioning unit that would only ever cool the house down to the low 80’s.  Although this did not make this very “hot blooded” gal too happy, I have lived with it, trying hard not to complain. (and FYI 85 actually feels cool when it is 105 outside)

That brings us to last Friday – the first extremely HOT day of the summer where the mercury hit 105 and the air conditioner decided to quit working again all together! I was miserable and mad.  It is doubly painful because while the weather in Stockton always cools down in the evenings to a very comfortable and beautiful level which I enjoy immensely (and is one of my all time favorite aspects of California summers) but despite opening all the doors and windows the inside of our house just doesn’t cool off without the help of a working air conditioner.  Thus after midnight on Friday it was still 89 degrees in my house and I could not sleep even after taking a cold shower and lying in bed soaking wet with two fans blowing in my room.  In fact the coolest it ever got all night was 84 – YUCK!

Things did not improve over the weekend!  Saturday was another whopping 105 degree day and today topped off at 98.  And the inside temperature consistently stayed in the 90’s until well after 9pm, and then only creeping down ever so slowly throughout the night.

It is so hot in my house during the day that the candles are “sweating”, the chocolate chips turned into one large blob and the butter left out after breakfast began to melt away in just minutes!

It is so hot that it just zaps everyone of all their energy.  No motivation to clean, work or even play in the hot house.

So what have we done to survive the scorching heat wave with no AC?  During the day we have –

  • hung out anywhere there was air conditioning – the grocery store, Home Depot, Target, the Mall, Starbucks, friends homes, church, even the car – you name it we have been there & lingered much longer than we needed to.
  • spent much of the day at the neighborhood swimming pool.  Even me, “the mom”…who rarely gets in the pool preferring to only take a quick dip and then sit on the deck with a cold drink and a good book…was in the water almost the entire time and to the amazement of my kids even got my hair wet! (note to self – spend more time in the water with the kids – even when the AC does work!)

  • We have escaped the hot house in the evening by setting up a make shift family room outside.  Saturday night we blew up air mattresses brought the TV & DVD player outside, made fresh ice cold lemonade and root beer floats and enjoyed the cool evening watching a movie in the backyard.  When it was still too hot after midnight to go to sleep inside our house we just slept outside on the air mattresses all night! 

At least we are making memories! 🙂

It is now 12:30am – after a slight (7 degrees) dip in the temperature today – the house is still in the mid 80’s and I am in my bathing suit in front of a fan with the back door open (listening to Dan & Rebekah watch a movie outside – the other girlies have left to an air conditioned home they are house sitting for the evening).  Here I sit pondering what to do?  If finances were flowing freely – I would have called someone out on Friday and paid to fix it immediately – but that is not the case.  Besides a two year down turn in our financial situation (and before that we were not living the “high life”)…in just the past 2 weeks we have been dealt some financial blows to the tune of several thousands of dollars –

  • Discovering termites in our garage and having to have them treated to the tune of well over $1,000. (you can’t really let that go…at least I think) Check out this picture of those little buggers

  • The fuel pump went out in Dans car (and the car AC hasn’t worked in months which would be ok except the windows wouldn’t roll down either – talk about cooking your insides)  Obviously we had to fix his car since it is his only transportation to work.  “Ching Ching” – more unexpected cash out the window. On a side note  throughout the majority of our lives together, my dear darling hubby has driven pretty well worn beat up cars that were on their “last leg”.  Several were friends “cast off” cars while others were the cheapest cars we could afford.  We always say he drives by “faith & fumes”.  His current wheels have lasted 5+ years (much to the amazement of the guy we bought it from for $2,000 in 2003) – check out this picture – after a recent accident (Dan was not driving – this was attributed to a newly licenced driver in our home) and no it will not be repaired. (Dan, if you are reading this, know that I am believing that someday I will drive the “junk car” and you can have your dream truck.  It just might not happen until we are 70!)

  • Medical bills came due from a trip to the Emergency Room in an ambulance last March while we were in Santa Cruz,  when baby Daniel had a very scary episode and trouble breathing in the middle of the night. (we have a new large deductible plan at Dans job that is not working so well for us)
  • I had a back molar break a few weeks ago and am now in need (this is not a want) of a crown. (Typically a $500-$800 bill after insurance) Not to mention my recent back problems where I sought the help of a chiropractor which is not covered under our insurance)

All of those expenses came up after we made the decision to use the remainder of our tax stimulus rebate (after donating some of it for a Jim Elliot Scholarship) to finish off our garage as inexpensively as possible to make space for a boys bedroom. (click here to read about that – I’ll be posting an update tomorrow as well. If you are new to the blog and want to know why we need a boys bedroom it is because we want to adopt a baby brother – for that whole story click here) Now we have that additon started and all the remaining rebate money has been used for these unexpected situations….but we can’t exactly leave it not completed.

 Whew!  It can all be overwhelming and if I analyze everything too long I might just feel so defeated that it paralyzes me. 

So yes….I ponder what to do about the air conditioning.

  • Do we just “live with it” – knowing that the next two months we will have mostly 90+ days and if it is a normal Stockton summer there will be at least one “heat wave” of 110+ sweltering days(what a sobering thought that perhaps the inside temp might hit over 100!)? I won’t be able to hold workshops here for my business which will result in less money coming in. I will have to find creative things for my kids to do outside of the home & still figure out how to do my JECHS development job that I do from my home. (working on my lap top at Barnes & Noble?) Cooking in an already hot home is very stressful and will have to be dealt with as well because we do not eat out.  The list multiplies as I think of living in a “hot house” all summer & throughout most of September too.
  • Do we call someone out to look at it (and pay for the service call), get an idea of what we are facing and the costs…knowing that we don’t have the money to do anything?
  • Do we just take out a loan and live on “beans & rice” for the next few years as we pay it off?
  • Does Dan look for a “night job” to pay for it?

I honestly do not know the answers to these questions.  What I do know is this:

  1. God is not shocked or surprised by this turn of events in our lives
  2. God is in control
  3. God has the answer and He will give us wisdom, if we ask Him in faith. (The Bible promises that if we ask for wisdom He WILL give it to us)

Check out this chapter from the book of James in the word of God –

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away. Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

With that word of encouragement, I think I will consider it “all joy” now and go to bed.  I hope that any of you out there who are facing financial hardships and needing to know what to do (and with the struggling economy, I am sure there are many) – that you are encouraged.  Let’s all ask God for wisdom and faith.

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Filed under Attitude, Endurance, Life at the Lambdins, Lifes Challenges

June 9, 2008 · 10:36 pm

Who knew?

I just ran across an article on people who live to be 100.    Of course there were the obvious things like eating “heart healthy” and watching your waistline  —  but look at this one —

Giving birth after age 40 more than quadruples a woman’s chances of living to 100.

You can read the article here

Wow!  Who knew?  I have had two sweet babies after age 40 – I wonder if that means I have eight times the chance of living to be 100?  🙂

I am always saying that having kids at my age keeps you young!  I guess I was right.  I often wonder if I only had two children (Michelle & Amy) and I was on the home stretch towards an “empty nest” like many of my peers, if I would feel like slowing down and taking it easy?  Perhaps I would “feel”older.  Of course when you are chasing a one year old (and are trying to adopt another baby) slowing down does not even enter your mind, nor is it an option.  Perhaps aging has a lot to do with your mindset. I can’t think of slowing down for at least 20 more years.

Just thought I would share that fun fact with you today.  My daughter Rebekah who is always saying “Mom, You have to live to be 100”  was simply thrilled to hear this information (and being the strong willed choleric child that she is she will now settle for nothing less than my living to be 100!).

For now….I will keep living and enjoying my life as if today was the last day.

One more thing –  The article also said –  Coffee is another potential “health drink,” with studies showing that moderate coffee intake is helpful in preventing diabetes, gallstones, Parkinson’s disease, cirrhosis, kidney stones and even heart disease.  You don’t even know how happy that made me!  As soon as I reach my goal weight, I will be adding coffee back into my regular routine (in moderation of course!) along with a splurge of dark chocolate also said to add years! (it is TRUE – read it here & here)

 

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June 7, 2008 · 10:38 am

Can We Have An Old Fashioned Barn Raising?

A Barn raising is a one to two day event during which a community comes together to assemble a barn for one of its households, particularly in 18th- and 19th-century rural North America.

Ok, so we don’t have a barn to raise – but we do need a boys bedroom!  As we continue to wait for the Lord to bless us with a precious baby boy (or two!) we have decided to get going on a boys bedroom.  (If you are new to this blog and need a reminder of our current home space – click here to read and see photos)  After much thought we have decided that the best solution for our needs is to increase the size of our family room (which for us is known as the CM/School room) so that we can continue to use it for school, my home based business and also put the couch, games and TV in there as well. We currently use the third bedroom as our family room (with a large couch & TV in it).  By moving those things to the CM/School room we would have ourselves a “boys” bedroom (our “girls” bedroom currently sleeps all six of the girlies and both bedrooms are the same size so we could easily sleep three or more boys in there!) Right now Daniel sleeps in a portable crib in the corner of our bedroom – but when the new little one arrives (hopefully soon!) he will need to have a place to sleep – so……we decided to start moving in that direction now!

We have spent the past couple of weeks cleaning out the garage (which is where the extra space will be added since it sits right in front of the room we are wanting to expand), cleaning out my office and school room (what a chore!) and then moving everything out of both of those areas into the living room and back porch, leaving our house looking like a disaster area!

Yesterday we began the demolition!  Dan and the girls pulled down the garage cabinets, knocked down sheet rock, pulled up carpet and then tile that was under the carpet and hauled debris to a truck to take to the dump today.  Now that we have knocked out the wall between the CM/School room and the garage there is NO turning back!  We are committed.

So far this project has cost us nothing. (but hard work and lots of sweat)  Since you are all aware that we are saving every penny towards the adoption expenses, we are really wanting to do most of the work ourselves….or with the help of those with expertise in certain areas (like electrical and cabinetry) and friends who are willing to give up a few hours to help us tape and texture,  paint the walls, glaze the floor (yes it is cement and we are going to simply use one of those garage floor kits!) and I am sure other things we are not thinking of.  And that’s where a “barn raising” comes in!  We are seeking the help of our “community” of friends and family to help us meet this need for a boys bedroom. 

We have a former student and dear friend who owns a construction company and is going to send a crew out to quickly frame out and sheet rock the new walls.  Before that happens we first need to take care of some electrical infrastructure – like adding a few outlets and overhead lighting in the garage extension area.  We have no experience with this – anyone out there willing to volunteer their expertise and teach Dan how to do this?

Ways that someone can be a part of our community for a “barn raising”:

  • Give us advice, ideas, expertise, insights on this “do it yourself” project
  • Ideas for where to get supplies inexpensively or even free (you never know!) – wood, sheet rock, paint, glaze kit, tape, a door, double pain window, insulation, nails, cabinets, counter etc…
  • Come out for a few hours (or all day) on these two “barn raising days” – Friday June 27 and Saturday June 28 (I am sure these will be just the first of many more during the summer – or call Dan and I am sure he would take your help anytime!)
  • Help provide food on our barn raising days to feed the workers
  • The electrical needs
  • Putting in a new window (or two) – anyone done this?
  • We really would like to put up a long row cabinets to store all of our school supplies, my inventory and other storage needs – anybody out there with skills in cabinet making? (doesn’t need to be fancy)
  • Putting in a long counter top (24 – 32 feet long) that we can use for each of the girls study areas
  • Pray – for wisdom, guidance, good attitudes, safety and provision

Thanks Everyone!  We will keep you posted.

 

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Filed under Adoption, Life at the Lambdins

June 5, 2008 · 6:35 pm

Our Night at the Theater

We have been looking forward to this evening for nine months.  Last summer when we found out that Phantom of the Opera was going to be performed in Sacramento, we knew we had to be there!  The Phantom is one of our family’s personal favorites and we have many a memory surrounding the movie and soundtrack. (My favorite one is when the girls and I spontaneously went to the movies very late one school night to get away from the blaring of professional fans that were trying to dry out our kitchen after a water disasater.  We were the only ones in the theater so we sang out loud to every song and got up and danced in the aisles. Great fun and laughter!)

So how do you afford to take a family our size to the theater for an evening?  I’ll tell you!  Everyone pays their own way.  While there are times that I long to be able to treat my girls to things like this, we simply can’t afford it and because of that our children have learned to not only work hard for the things they want to do but they appreciate them more too.  The girls each worked to pay for their tickets as well as dinner and everyone helped Grace (the 9 year old) hold a small yard sale and lemonade stand last summer to pay her expenses.  Since Michelle was in Australia last September when she turned 18, we all decided that this would also be her birthday celebration, so everyone pitched in for her evening as well.  The tickets have been sitting in my jewelry box for nine months as we all anxiously awaited the big night to arrive.

The girls (the first five – Joy who is just five & baby Daniel stayed home and watched the movie!) spent most of the afternoon getting beautiful!  There were blow dryers, curling irons, make up, brushes and other accessories everywhere.  There was a flurry of excitement and lots of advice flying through the air on hair styles, color choices, jewelry etc… In this day and age almost any attire is acceptable for the theater – but not for my girls – they were not settling for anything less than formal dresses for this affair. It was one of those moments that I could not have been more thrilled and rather proud of my blessings of many girls who are growing into beautiful and accomplished young ladies.

Dan (who I am sure will enjoy the A’s game on Father’s Day much more than the theater) was also very accommodating, donning a fancy vest and bow tie. He looked dashing!  I went through my dresses only to find that most were a bit too big. (I am not complaining!)  Thankfully many friends have donated dresses to us over the years so we wouldn’t have to purchase them for high school formals. (And thankfully my girls are very agreeable to wearing “hand me downs”) I finally found the perfect black dress (size 10!).

We headed up to Sacramento mid afternoon to have an incredible dinner before the show at The Melting Pot, a fondue restaurant.  It was delicious, we all enjoyed every single course served and finished every last bite.  The dessert was especially spectacular – we had four types of chocolate fondue at our table – dark, white, milk and a combination of chocolate with peanut butter crumbles.  They were served with “dippers” of pound cake, brownie bites, strawberries, bananas, rice crispy treats, marshmallows and cheesecake. Oh my! It was heavenly.

We walked from the restaurant to the theater and I am sure many wondered where we were all going “dressed to the nines”! Our friend Mark Holliday (a season ticket holder) had gotten us seats on the fourth and fifth row – what a way to experience a production.  The costumes were stunning, the sets amazing, the music inspiring, the acting excellent.  We laughed, we cried and our hearts were touched once again by this wonderful show.

The memories will last a lifetime!

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Filed under Family Traditions, Life at the Lambdins

June 2, 2008 · 2:58 pm

Our 10th graduating class

This past weekend fifty two excited students marched across the platform to receive their diplomas and become the 10th graduating class at Jim Elliot Christian High School.  We now have over 350 alumni who are making a difference in this world after  being trained, taught, discipled and mentored at this exceptional school.

Dan and I are proud to have been a part of the beginning of Jim Elliot and each year as we witness another class graduating our hearts overflow with joy and thanksgiving to God for the great things He is doing in and through these incredible young people. 

 This years class was an awesome example of the kind of sacrificial giving and life of service that we hope to instill in our students.  They were continually giving of their time, talent and resources to bless others.  They volunteered at children’s homes, pregnancy crisis centers, emergency food banks, retirement homes, hospitals, churches, tutoring elementary school students, special olympics to name a few.  They opened up a snack shack during lunch and ran it all year raising over $11,000 for student tuition assistance.  They held a talent show to raise funds for college scholarships for next years senior class.  Several young men spent the entire year helping a handicapped girl learn to ride a bike and roller skate and in the process gave her the confidence to begin to communicate more effectively with everyone around her.  And the list goes on.

One of the best examples of the type of stellar students we have is this –  When I asked the student body president a few months back if he would do me a favor, without hesitation he enthusiastically responded, “Of course!”.  I looked at him and said, “But John, you don’t know what it is I am going to ask you yet.”  To which he replied, “It doesn’t matter what it is Mrs Lambdin, I will do it for you.”  How refreshing!

It is amazing to me that these mere eighteen year olds have often done more to serve and give to others in their four years of high school than many adults have done in a lifetime.  I pray that their legacy of service will touch and inspire others to begin to live a rich life that is centered on God and service rather than self centered pursuits that are ultimately empty and unfulfilling.

Congratulations Jim Elliot Christian High School Class of 2008!

 

 

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Filed under Inspiration, Jim Elliot Christian High School, Making a Difference, Service

June 2, 2008 · 11:23 am

Hope deferred

We got an email from the adoption agency this morning saying that the birth mother had chosen another family for her sweet baby boy.  We rejoice that another baby has been placed in a loving Christian home.  We rejoice with that family who is celebrating today!

  • Are we disappointed?  Yes
  • Are we a little down today?  Yes
  • Are we discouraged?  No (well maybe a little but that won’t last long)
  • Do we know and believe that the Lord has a baby boy for our family to adopt, raise and love as our very own?  YES! YES! and YES!

One of the hardest things for us right now is the knowledge that there are many orphans around the world without a forever family who we could “easily” adopt now that our home study is completed, if we only had the finances.  We have not considered foreign adoption due to the huge expense involved.  Even though a domestic adoption is expensive (We estimate in the end we will spend close to $14,000) – a foreign adoption begins at $20,000 and often ends up costing much more.  So we will continue to pursue a domestic adoption unless the Lord gives us the resources to look abroad (We were sent a great website about adopting from Uganda – they have two boys right now we could go get if we had the means – frustrating, huh?)

What happens from here?

There are currently no more babies without families at the adoption agency in Tennessee.  They do have a few mothers who are delivering throughout the summer and have chosen to adopt.

So we wait…..and we hope. 

 

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Filed under Adoption

June 2, 2008 · 11:03 am

Fat Face Update – June 2

“And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”   James 1:4 

Endurance – that is what I need to continue to work towards achieving my weight loss and health goals.  This month despite continuing to be self disciplined in my eating and exercising (except for the last two weeks of not being able to do weight resistance training due to my back pain) I only lost…

2 pounds

Not really very motivating for my “results oriented” personality.  However, I did lose 3 1/2 more inches (which is why I always recommend weighing and measuring)  and I got my blood test results back and my total cholesterol was 195 with my HDL (good cholesterol) going up significantly and my LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides going down!  All other tests (kidney & liver function, thyroid and blood sugars) came back well within the normal range.  This was GREAT news! My blood pressure continues to hover at the 133/82-84 level. (which I am confident will improve with the next 10 pounds)

So despite the less than impressive weight loss – I will endure and carry on with the program realizing that these final 15-17 pounds may take longer than I want them to.  In the first four months all I needed was personal self discipline which was quickly and regularly rewarded in many ways – the scale and tape measure showing shrinking numbers consistently, fitting into smaller size clothing, losing the “fat face” and double chin and the compliments and admiration of others.  But now I need endurance, which often does not come with any immediate rewards.  Endurance means carrying on no matter what.  Endurance is what it takes to get you through despite discouraging circumstances, bad reports, slow change, negative predictions and even when you can’t see the “light at the end of the tunnel.”

Endurance is a key component to most everything important in life.  It takes endurance to –

  • Complete a degree or training program
  • Become an outstanding athlete, musician, actor, artist, writer or any other pursuit
  • Start and grow your own business, especially in the early years or when there are major setbacks
  • Stay committed to your marriage vows for life even when things look hopeless, strained, complicated or just hard
  • Be a good and diligent parent for decades with often little appreciation
  • Walk through the seemingly never ending adoption process
  • Live a Christian life without compromise when you are being tempted, belittled and berated from all sides

We could all use a hefty dose of endurance in areas of our lives.  I know that if I continue to endure with this healthy lifestyle, I will eventually reap not only the reward of meeting my health goals but I will have built up my endurance which will benefit every area of my life!

 

 

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Filed under Endurance, Uncategorized, Weight Loss