In Other News...

Yes...two posts in one night!  These things just didn't seem to fit in my Global Leadership Summit post.  So here they go...

More non-scale victories!

• Twice this week (Thursday and again Saturday morning) I went to the Body Pump class at the YMCA by myself.  While that may not seem like an NSV to some, for me it's a big deal.  Seriously!  I tried to talk myself out of it both times.  Thursday I even had a conversation with myself on the way to the Y that went something like this:  "No one will know if you don't do it."  Yep...tried to "sneak" my way out of it.  But I didn't!  I wen to class and had the sore arms to prove it!  Then Saturday morning, I didn't set my alarm...purposefully...so I could say I didn't wake up in time.  Guess what.  I was awake by 7am on my own.  I TRIED to go back to sleep, but my brain kept saying, "Really... c'mon.  Go to the class.  This is good for you!"  So at 7:45 am I left the house and tackled the class.  Yes, these are BIG deals to me.  I did it!
• Hiked ~3 miles with CME and our boys at John James Audubon State Park  AFTER the Body Pump class AND I pretty much was able to keep up with them - with the exception of a couple of semi-steep (in my opinion) inclines.  Last year, this wouldn't have happened.  I couldn't have happened.  Add to that the grocery shopping (Aldi & WalMart) and then working an information table at church and my legs were pretty much like jello last night!
• I was talking with someone that previously served on a committee with me.  About 3/4 way through the conversation he said, "I'm sorry...but who are you again?"  Now, there were some medical issues on his side that could have affected this too, but when I told him who I was and he said, "I thought that's who you were, but you're so small now." made me realize that the changes are noticeable to others.
• As I type this I'm wearing a pair of CME's large pajama pants.  LARGE.  L-A-R-G-E.  Not XL or my previous XXXL.  LARGE.  :)

Other items of interest to me this weekend...

• I am starting to realize that the terms "thin" and "skinny" are relative.  Multiple times this weekend I had people say something like, "You're getting so skinny."  And I laugh because I'm no where near "skinny"...technically I'm still considered obese.  Only because of the comparison of where I began to where I am now would anyone use the term skinny to define my size.
• I have a canned (though genuine) response to the "You're looking great!" comment.  EVERY time I say, "Thank you.  I'm FEELING great!"  I want to keep this in perspective for me.  Though it's good to know that I look better, this surgery is the tool for me to get healthy.  I must remain grounded in that truth or Satan could easily lead me down other paths with other lies.  
• I was in a meeting today where there were a lot of sweets: birthday cake, cookies, zucchini bread.  The sweet aroma that once would have me salivating was actually VERY overwhelming for me.  I won't go as far as saying that the smell made me nauseous, but it definitely put my nose on alert.  It was like my brain said, "DANGER, WILL ROGERS!  DANGER!"  Though it "looked" inviting, the smell was overpowering for me.  (Maybe this is an NSV too!)

As far as exercise goes, I know I asked you to pray for me in that regard.  Please continue!  Exercise and I are not friends yet.  We're conversing, so there's potential, but we're definitely not BFFs!  It's not who I would choose to hang out with, but I know it's one of the most important ingredients of this journey.  

So there ya have it... the "rest of the story" of my busy past few days.  I'll close with a quote that I wrote down from the Global Leadership Summit...

"We must marvel at Jesus because His work is not done yet." - John Ortberg
________________________________________________
"I praise you [God] because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." ~Psalm 139:14