Not About Me

Wow, how fast I can forget that its not about me.  Today my blog was rising in popularity and I was really getting excited.  In just a few short hours I had gained 4 new members and none of these people were people I had ever met before.  I started thinking things like, "Wow, I must be a really good author," and "I must have a lot of important things to say."  How quick I forgot the real reason why these people joined my blog.  My last 2 posts were written about the grace and forgiveness of God.  These new followers came to my blog to see Jesus, not me.  They were not interested in how I said what I said, what interested them is what was being said.  And what was being said was that Jesus saves. 

My popularity grew because I was pointing to the cross.  I was saying look at God because he can help you.  And that is what I am going to continue to say.  Because I am starting to realise that when I am lifting my eyes towards Jesus and giving him the credit that is due him that is when life goes right.  Its all about him anyways.
1 Cor 10:31 "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

I am starting to realise that we have to move out of the way.  When I was a teenager there was this man at my church that did a lot to help me go to church camp.  I would always try to thank him and his wife and it would never fail.  Every time I attempted to thank him he would point up and say "thank God, not me."  That used to irritate me a lot that this man would not take my thanks.  Now I understand why he did that.  He was trying to get me to see Jesus.  He did not want to take the attention off from God.  He understood that if I was thanking him it was distracting me from looking at God.  He wanted me to gain a closer relationship with God.

I want to be like my friend.  I want to help get people closer to Jesus.  I don't ever want to distract someone from God.

Diet Challenge

I am going on a diet.  I have decided that this time I am going to stick to it and just really buckle down and loose the weight.  Starting tomorrow I am going to exercise 5 times a week and watch my carbs and sugars.  I just really feel that it is time to tackle this demon.  I even have a weight loss buddy to help encourage me along the way.  I really just want to be healthy and I know that I need to lose some weight in order to reach my full potential of health.  So my goal is to lose 10 pounds a month.  That is a realistic goal that is neither to small nor to big.  And by next year at this time I will be at my goal weight of 150 pounds. 

So I am also going to blog weekly on my progress in order to have some added accountability.  I am going to let you in on my ups and downs and let you know when I succeed.  So we start this journey together.  May this be a successful endeavor!

Here is my before picture!

Arts and Crafts at Jumping Java

So I finally convinced my best friend that he needed to start painting again, and that we both needed to spend less time on the Internet and more time doing creative things.  So every night when we go to Jumping Java now, instead of bringing our laptops Joe brings his painting supplies and I bring my crochet supplies.  We work on our projects and visit with each other.  I have finished my first project which is this beautiful circles and waves scarf.

This scarf is actually two pieces sewn together.  It is another project that I got from Interweave Crochet magazine.  It was actually very fast to make, and a lot easier than it looks.

And Joe finished his first painting this week.  Here is the first painting that he has done in a while.

I just love it when he does winter scenes.  He does very good with winter scenes.  The cabin in this picture is the perfect size compared to the trees and the river.  Good job, Joe!  Now I am just trying to convince him that he needs to start his own painting blog.  I hope he does.  When I told him that he could blog about his painting technique he looked at me like I was crazy, so I don't know if I will succeed in this.