Trek 2000

223 lbs. I am so annoyed with myself for my weekend splurges; if I hadn’t, maybe I’d be 221 now! But anyway, ½ lb down from yesterday.
Yesterday was a good diet day.

Breakfast: Oatmeal with ½ banana and some natural PB
Morning snack: apple
Lunch: Lean Cuisine (Butternut squash ravioli with veggies)
Afternoon snack: carrots, green beans, and hummus
Dinner: omelette with 1 leftover turkey sausage, chopped, spinach, and a laughing cow. ½ grapefruit, some lima beans
I meant to eat an evening snack, but got busy and forgot. I was a little low in my calories yesterday, which isn’t a good thing!

I’ve found myself thinking nonstop about China lately. My husband and I are still planning on going; I think getting away from the stress of work/school here in the states will do our relationship some good. He’s a free soul; he loves traveling, and is his happiest when he has a trip to look forward to or look back on. I think it will help me too; I’m such a worrier, and a planner. The culture in China is completely different from here, and I’ll be put in situations where I can’t plan, and where I have to learn that improvising is okay.

Our money is due by December 20th. We’re still not sure whether we’ll have it on time or not; only time will tell! We have family members that have pledged money, in lieu of “Christmas gifts”, but it’s hard to plan when you don’t know how much to expect. I’ll just have to keep praying, and if we don’t get it in time, then we’ll bump plans to September, and we’ll just have to be patient!

Memory of the day: Trek 2000. In high school, our youth group went on a hiking trip in the little Smokies. I was an entering freshman. There was quite a mix in our group, with equal girls and guys. We packed up and drove to Ohio for a week, where we were outfitted with packs, tents, food, stoves, etc. The trip was 40 miles. We busted our butts and pushed ourselves farther than I ever thought we could. Every night, we would find camp and pitch our tents, then sit around a fire and cook dinner. We were absolutely exhausted each day. We would either sit around and sing praise songs, or just collapse into our sleeping bags at the end of the night. I felt STRETCHED. I felt like I was seeing what my body could really do. Sure, they weren’t the Porcupine Mountains, or the Rockies, but we had some decent sized climbs, and some pretty tough terrain for beginners. It wasn’t about looking good. After day 1, we didn’t get a shower. After day 3, my hair was permanently in a long braid with a handkerchief wrapped around it. I wore the same 2 shirts, 1 pair of shorts, and 1 pair of pants all week. No makeup – no jewelry. I felt no need to “impress the boys”. I was honestly completely focused on seeing what the potential God had given me physically, and seeing what God could teach me through the trip.

We stopped at a ridge overlooking some of the mountains, and took a lunch break. I remember perching my pack right at the edge, taking out my apple and energy bar, and just singing quietly while looking at the mountains. There is something about nature that connects me to God in a way that nothing else can. There were no phone lines, no buildings. No trash on the path, no construction sounds echoing. Only birds, wind in the trees, and a soft voice praising God. I felt good about myself. I felt good about what God was DOING in me. I felt strong, capable, and willing to push myself. And I did.