R3P2D21/24 - Half way to goal & planning ahead

Round 3, Phase 2 (Very Low Calorie) Day 21/24

April 29, 2012

Well, I'm officially half way to my goal.  This weekend, I hit 70 pounds off.  That's 70 pounds down in less than 6.5 months.  I'll take it.  I will be done with Round 3 (R3) Phase 2 (P2) on Friday, May 4, when I enter Phase 3 (P3), the proteins Phase.  That means I stop taking my drops as of Tuesday morning (although, I might run out on Monday).  If I have enough drops for Tuesday morning, then that will make Tuesday's weigh-in as my Last Dosage Weight (LDW) day.  That's the weight I need to stay within 2 pounds for 21 days straight (Phase 3).  

I'm ready to be done with Phase 2.  While I've lost almost 20 pounds (I had hoped for 25), and this is my shortest Round, mentally, I'm exhausted.  Even so, I made some good choices today.  Next Sunday, my Mom's side of the family (me included) will be going out for my Gram's birthday (part 1 -- I'm spending the whole day of her 98th birthday with her on May 8).  My Aunt & Uncle chose a place called Fairview Chicken Farms for lunch, because Gram liked it.  They serve fried chicken, mashed potatoes, fritters, cole slaw and salad drenched in dressing, roles, etc.  I started thinking, this morning, "Hm.  How can I eat anything?"  That's when I decided to look at their menu on line and see if I could special order something.  I absolutely do not want to get attention that day, so I was thinking, "Lovely.  I'm going to have to not eat -- drawing attention to me -- or bring in a packed lunch of only proteins."  Nope.  They can bake some dark meat (my fave) for me.  And, I can have green beans.  And a "california medly" (zucchini, tomatoes, onions, squash).  And a salad.  Perfect!  I'm rather happy about that.  They'll bring it out with all of the other food, it will cost the same price and, while I'll be eating different food (I'll share), it's Phase 3 proteins (and veggie carb) approved.  Awesome.  Baby steps.  It was baby steps that brought me to 70 pounds off and baby steps will bring me to the end of the other 70 pounds.  Lord willing, by next March.

So, yes, I'm pleased that I'm almost at my lowest weight since 2001.  As of today, I'm 6 pounds above that.  But, I'm ready to be done with this Phase.  I want lots of protein.  And cheese.  And peppers with cheese.  My "healthy" comfort foods.  It's no surprise.   I'm exhausted.  Not because of this diet, but, as you know, because of work.  I'm getting closer to being resigned to this new job.  My last day on my old job is tomorrow (which could be difficult), and then I have 4 days of pedal to the medal in Morton.  It will probably be insane.  But, the Lord will help me one moment at a time.  I'm getting a little clearer in my brain, that I am not in control -- or when I try to be, I can only fail -- but God IS in control, of me, my job, and my future.  The sermon today (Psalm 121) was awesome, about God "keeping" me (and you who love Him) and protecting us.  I had been thinking about Moses and Jonah, lately.  Pastor Ritch brought up David (and Moses and Jonah).  It made me smile.  I believe God wanted me to hear this -- and maybe He wants you to hear it too.

MOSES

Moses was talking to the burning bush (that wasn't being consumed).  That was obviously a "God thing" that Moses didn't do on his own (like my new boss coming to me asking me to interview for a job I knew nothing about). God talked to him from within the bush.  He told Moses to go back to Egypt, which he had fled from (like I did with HR Communications in the past).  Moses felt completely inept (like me!) and told God that God had made a big mistake ("How about you ask my brother Aaron over there?").  Uh, hello?  That's me with this job.  Do I think I know better than God?  Moses tried white-knuckling it and overseeing every one of the conflicts that the 40k freed Jewish slaves and it about killed him, until he let go of it and stopped trying to be everything to everyone.  Hello, Julia!  Moses had Pharaoh at his back and the Red Sea at his front and 40k scared people who followed him out of their "safe" homes in slavery to face drowning or dying by the sword.  What did God say to him?  One of my favorite verses of the Old Testament, that's all.  Exodus 14:14: "The Lord will fight for you, you need only be still."  He sent an Angel and fire before and after them, to hold off the legions of Pharaoh's army, while Moses got his head together and (key point) FOLLOWED GOD'S LEADING!  And, you know the rest.  The Red Sea parted and the Israelites walked through unscathed.

DAVID

David was the youngest son of a sheep herder.  Saul, the king, was being crushed by the Philistines.  His brothers were fighting, but little 12-year-old (I think) David was tending the sheep.  Somebody had to.  He enjoyed playing his harp and doing his duty of protecting the sheep from bears and lions.  Which is what he did.  Fast forward to David and Saul talking (I'm clifts noting this) about the giant, Goliath.  David was confident that if God would protect him, a pre-teen, when fighting off a bear and lion, he would enable David to defeat Goliath for the good of the Israelite nation.  It seemed like an insurmountable job, in my book.  Something akin to what I feel like with this new job.  So he took that tiny rock, put it in his sling-shot (imagine the laughter) and BOOM.  Goliath, meet your maker.  

JONAH

Jonah hated the Ninevites.  They were pretty nasty.  They hated God, God's people, and they went about persecuting people.  God told Jonah to go to (you got it) Ninevah and to preach God's word to them.  Jonah thought, "Are you nuts?  I'm not going there.  They'll kill me, or worse (yes, worse), they'll repent and get off Scott free.  NO WAY.  I'm going to hide from God."  Just like me thinking I wanted to stay in my old job!  So, he took off on a ship going the absolute opposite direction.  What did God do?  Did he smite down Jonah?  Nope.  He made the waters rocky, which scared the snot out of the sailors on the ship, until they said, "Out you go, dude."  Did God let Jonah drown?  Nope.  Good thing God isn't me.  I think at that point, I might have been saying, "Tough love, guy.  Tough love."  But nope -- God allowed the sailors to throw Jonah out right where there was a hungry whale.  And, no, Jonah didn't "speak whale" like Dori in Finding Nemo.  He got swallowed and then spit out --- right on the beach of Ninevah.  Yep.  God took him there.  So, Jonah decided, with grumbling in his heart, to preach to the Ninevites.  I have to think it was more of a, "I hate this job, but I'll do it" thing (HELLO, Julia).  So, he preached to them.  Did they kill him, torture him, taunt him?  Nope, from the lowest person in the land, to the king, they repented!  They did exactly what God wanted.  Hm, who knew best there?  God or Jonah.  Yah, we all know the answer to that.  So, what did Jonah do?  Did he rejoice and thank God for letting him be a part of that (scary but fruitful) journey?  Nope.  He said under an olive tree and whined and complained that THEY got off easy (sounds like me with a difficult co-worker I am leaving who took a new job that seems like a vacation) and that he didn't have enough shade (comfort).  That is NOT going to be me.

So, there are three stories of well know men in the Bible, having to surrender the reigns and go where it wasn't comfortable, but they were needed.  I have 4 people reporting to me.  I'm pretty sure many of my fellow workers (including my 4 direct reports), although very nice, do not share my faith in the Lord (from conversations I hear).  But I love Him and trust Him.  Maybe Morton is my Ninevah.  This Communications job could just be my Red Sea.  Giving up control of my future and financial well-being to God could be my Goliath.  What is your Ninevah?  Red Sea?  Goliath?

Shall we press on?  I say yes.  What say you?