LENT & Loss

Let me start off this post with the "loss" part of my title.
As of this weekend, I have lost 10 pounds.
:)
I weighed in on Sunday in the morning before I ate or anything.
I've been going to spin three days a week for about three months now.
I have felt the weight shift around over my whole body but I wasn't seeing the actual numbers go down until this weekend and I feel so elated.
I first noticed the weight shift difference in my legs (thighs).
Considering I've been doing spin this shouldn't be a huge shocker, but what I am surprised about is my "soccer muscles" coming back so quickly. I haven't played since freshman year in college (TYL!) and even then I didn't really work out at all cause I never gained weight.
Now, my butt.
Hasn't moved a bit I am afraid.
That has always been a physical aspect of me that I have a feeling is never going to change. I could seriously hold a cup of coffee on it.
However, my waist has shrunk dramatically and that's where I see the most difference.
I've always had a curvier figure than skinny and before I started working out most of my curves were gone. They were fudged in by fatness making me one big blob of blobbiness.
Now there is definite curvature differences which make me smile.

I am  going to go ahead and attribute some of my weight changes to new eating habits as well. I haven't let go of everything mainly cause of my hubs. We are a walking talking food contradiction the two of us. He wants carbs, calories, and high proteins all day so he can GAIN weight. I am learning moderation of those items so I can LOSE weight. So honestly when he deploys I think I will be able to kick some other habits.
I'm a huge snacker so I've had to get rid of a lot of the junk food and "trick" myself into eating better snacks.
Happy to not have to give up snacks all together.
So instead of Cheeto's I go for snack packs. Instead of vending machine I go for fruit or string cheese. My breakfast habits have changed too.
I usually try to have a banana or apple at every breakfast.
So lots of yogurts, fruits, and oatmeal for breakfasts.

Been off soda for about 4 months now (except for my one day of cheating at the Superbowl).
Haven't had Starbucks in about a month and haven't had coffee in about 2 weeks.
Shoot, except for yesterday before church.
Once a week is ok  with me anyways.
The caffeine withdrawal has been awful. SO tired in the mornings at work, but I am getting better!
I have substituted sweet tea for green tea and have grown an awesome fondness for it.
I am working BIG time on my portions and obeying my "pause-o-meter." (When I'm eating and "pause" to take a break, that's when I stop eating regardless of what I am wasting on my plate.)

And I am even working on becoming a left overs person.
Odd, I know, but I've always HATED left overs.
I plan my weeks worth of breakfasts, snacks, lunches, and dinners a week in advance so I don't wonder around snacking on things while wondering what to make for dinner.

Now, what really puts things in perspective unfortunately is that I was considered overweight for my age and height. Weighing in at 150 lbs. now puts me on the fence between average and overweight for my height/weight category, so I HAVE to keep pushing.
Like I've said in previous posts, my goal is to get back to my wedding day weight of 120-125 lbs. so I still have a ways to go, but I have a whole deployment's worth of time (1 year) to get 'er done. So I'm pumped and optimistic and ready for spin tonight!

Ok, so Lent.
Can I be the first one to say that I never even heard of Lent until I went to SNU for college.
Why all the sudden it appeared there of all places I don't know, but in the Nazarene church I grew up at in Colorado Springs either never focused on it or I just was constantly gone on THAT specific Sunday when it was taught.
I'm going to be honest and say that I have NOT done much research on it just because it wasn't prevalent to me growing up.
From what I have observed and heard though it's all about giving up something during the 40 days previous to Easter.
Well, while at SNU I saw a lot of people put this concept into practice, but I honestly can't say it was for all the right reasons.
I think some did it because their friends were doing it.
I think some did it just to say they were or to have bragging rights later that they did.
I think some did it as a personal challenge instead of a spiritual challenge.
Some gave up things that had no benefit to others.
Like, "I'm giving up soda."
Well, I am sure God can work with that somehow, but let's challenge ourselves a little harder!

I'm not in a place to judge anyone on their true intentions so don't get me wrong, but to me, some were missing the point.
Giving up something of ones self, for others.
Again, from what I've HEARD, you give up something/self-denial in order to help yourself mentally and/or spiritually prepare for the Easter Sunday.
I've also read that the self denial is only part of the picture and that you are also encouraged to pray, repent, and give something whether it be money or time, etc.

Well, yesterday at church our pastor spoke about the verb to give, and although it was not about Lent, it kind of rekindled some feelings I had towards Lent. This sermon was stemming off a week long annual "conference" type event they had at the church which focuses on the different programs/ministries the church is involved in on a community to national level.
He brought up the story of the good samaritan and asked us who the real giver was in this story.
(I'm totally summarizing this, FYI.)
Most of us would all agree that it was the samaritan that showed mercy on the beaten man left on the road.
But what I missed, and perhaps maybe you too, is that once the samaritan took the man on his donkey and took him to the inn, he told that innkeeper to take care of him. He gave him some money and told him the next time he passed through he would give him more if the expenses exceeded what he had just given him.
The innkeeper was the one left to GIVE his time, efforts, and compassion in providing shelter, safety, and human needs for this man to survive.
The samaritan couldn't do that.
Probably like us he had a job, he had obligations, a family, a meeting to go to. ;)
So he provided a way for someone that COULD physically give the help and the means to do it by.

With sermons like these you hear stories of world wide missions in amazing/crazy places like sri lanka, guatemala, the middle east, africa, etc. and you think, man I want to go there! I want to make a difference!
But realistically, how many of us can TRULEY give up our obligations here in our side of the world to actually go out and make a difference.
Very few of us are actually called to do that.
Drop our homes, cars, and comfortable living just to go sacrifice TIME and MONEY for those that have none.
Time is not our own.
We were blessed with it, so are you a samaritan or an innkeeper??

I mentally tied this in with my Lent thoughts in the way that many of us are samaritans, in that we are willing to sacrifice money, food, facebook, etc. but what are we giving to the innkeepers to do their end of the job??
If you gave up facebook, or something of that sort, use that new found time to go volunteer.
Go to an after school program, soup kitchen, or volunteer to help with the janitorial duties at your church.
If you gave up a certain food or something like that, this is what I propose:
I am giving up going out for any type of breakfast during the work week.
I had my weekly routine of stopping by chic-fil-a on Friday's for their amazing breakfast's.
If I felt entitled or justified enough I'd go by the biscuit kitchen and help myself to some southern lovin.
Well, with giving those trips up, I'm going to take the $$ I would spend going there, and give it to an "innkeeper."
THAT is what I am able to do as a samaritan.

I haven't decided where I am going to give it yet.

Of course Haiti relief comes to mind.
John and I sponsor a child that I met in Guatemala a couple years ago. We've been sponsoring him for about three years now and it's been such a blessing. Every month when I write a check for David's school there is a space for extra giving for kids that are in school but not sponsored. Maybe it could go there...??

I may not understand all the fundamentals and "rules" of Lent, but I do know that for me this is not just a "quit eating fast food" challenge. This is a challenge to do more than go without something for 40 days.

It's a quest to provide for the innkeeper taking care of those that I can't.
As our pastor puts it, it's making it hard for someone to go to hell.

:)

PS: I read this article online and I know this may not be a shocker to some of you, but it was to me. I love me some McNuggets!! :(