JustaChick

4Tunate $4 Friends - amazing story of friendship

Honestly... I don't know Jen.  I did not receive the blessing of  meeting her at Blissdom 2010.  I do know Jessie and Mandi and Manda and Jill through the bloggy world.  And this form of love and under-girding and fellowship took me to my face this morning.  

But, many of you probably know Jen Murray, "Quatro Mama," from her wonderful blog 4Tunate or Twitter. She is the mama of 4 3-year-old boys .  Jessie commented on her blog today that Jen parents with grace.  Amen. We need grace to be able to parent the way He requires us to parent.

Recently, she and her family have experienced some trying times.  Her family has been struck by illness and struggles.  Her sweet friends have rallied around her and are asking for our help.  Honestly, their devotion to each other made me want to pitch in, but their dedication and hands and feet action for Jen made me want to blog about it and spread the word.  Friendships like this are rare. 

Their goal with this #4tunatefriends campaign is to fill Jen's freezer, refrigerator, and cupboards with food. ALL proceeds gathered will go to do just that!

They are asking that you just donate $4! It is easy to do so through PayPal here. Please help them lift Jen up and celebrate her as a fellow mother and blogger.

If you'd like to write a celebrate Jen post, you can link it up here to the BlogHop and it will be shown on all the blogs with the BlogHop link!

and join me in praying for Jen and her family...

all is fair in love and war..

This week has been hard, but good.  And really, how can any of us expect perfect amazing weeks when we are striving for life changes? Really?  Life just happens and it is okay as long as we pick ourselves up and start over or in my case, push through the pain!

• Work out at least 6 times a week - I did not work out or run until Wednesday this week! :( or :) depending how you look at it.  I ran 4 miles on Wednesday, I walked 1 mile yesterday and did some upper body work.  SHOCKER... I skipped my long morning run today.  I woke up feeling all sore and stuff and decided to listen to my body!  Shocker!  I'll try to get at least 2 miles in today and plan on meeting some peeps for a long morning run tomorrow.
• Weight Watchers online. It really does work for me.  No lie.  I'm working on cutting back on carbs and meat again. Focused on vegetables, fruit and fish.  I did have a YUMMO dinner last night with some new girlfriends at PF Changs.  Brown rice with Cantonese vegetables with shrimp and scallops.  Topped off with some Raspberry sorbet with blueberries from Maggie Moos.  It's not about deprivation for me.. just moderation.
• Still no more soda but I did add back my morning coffee or two.  I LOVE love love my Crystal lite and my Spark by Advocare.  Yes.  I love the products and they have been a huge compliment to my health.  So much so that I joined to get the discount.. ;)  I love the SLAM product too.  Great way to gain some healthy energy in the afternoon!  You do remember that I have teenagers... don't you?

I've just completed week 18, I have lost a total of 30 pounds.. it equals 14.03 % of my weight.  I've lost a total of 17.5 inches as well.  No weight loss change for me this week.  Its A okay! ;)

What are your favorite tips to push through the soreness and aches of running or working out 5-6 times a week? Mind you... I'm a tad beyond middle aged.

Lobs ya,

so lazy but so not inactive... REALLY!

I'm going to stop asking for forgiveness for not being the happy bloggy girl and updating on the whole Losing It!  journey.. I'm just going to catch you all up and say how grateful I am for Kat! ;)

So.. the last time you saw me post about my weight loss and running.. I was here:

My girls turned 17, my son graduated from high school, we headed off to Auburn for Camp War Eagle (orientation and registration), we had lots of visitors and work kicked into high summer gear!  My attitude was one of perseverance... and I did.. persevere and slip, some.  Not alot.  BUT, I am totally committed.

• Work out at least 6 times a week - I haven't worked out 6 days a week, but I am consistently working out.  I've now gotten up to running a 5k twice a week and have become a part of a really cool running group on Fridays.  I'm running 4 miles on Fridays.  On my cross training or "rest" days, I am hitting the elliptical for 3 to 4 miles and working on some upper body strength.  I did run the Cotton Row 5k the end of May and my time was 40:02.  Not too shabby. :)  My goal is to log between 15 and 20 miles a week over the next few weeks...
• Weight Watchers online. I am still on the WW. ;)  Although with my weight loss comes some taking away of points.  Why do they do that?  JK.  I know why they do that.. it's just be a struggle to shift back to all those free points of veggies and fruits and lean proteins cause I be starving all the time with this running stuff!
• Still no more soda but I did add back my morning coffee or two.  I LOVE love love my Crystal lite and my Spark by Advocare.  Yes.  I love the products and they have been a huge compliment to my health.  So much so that I joined to get the discount.. ;)

I've just completed week 17, I have lost a total of 30 pounds.. it equals 14.03 % of my weight.  I've lost a total of 17.5 inches as well.  

After my 5:30 a.m. run yesterday, I showered (thank goodness for showers.. I was dripping) and then weighed in.  To say that I was a tiny bit angry would have put it mildly. I don't like the fact that the weight is not coming off quicker.. I totally complained to my fitness accountability partner, Becky Jo.. and then quickly got over myself.

Like Kat mentioned in her post yesterday.. getting out of the 2's is HUGE.  I'm out.  Permanently out.  I am on the verge of moving down to a much lower 1 zone.  I really would love to get there. BUT, you know what?  Perseverance, consistency, life style changes.. that is what matters.  Not the loosing it quickly (even though we want it that way).  I simply want what He is doing in my life in this area that has NOT been surrendered to HIM in forever to glorify Him and Him alone.  He's the reason I am doing it... He's the reason why I am here.  SO... pushing on... and totally getting over myself.

OH, yeah.. and I totally signed up for the Women's Running 1/2 Marathon in September.. right before my 45th birthday.  AND no, I am not crazy.   Yet.  I just needed another goal.  Please tell me that someone out there gets that with me!! And spent my LOSING IT gift card to help off set the cost of my Garmin Forerunner 405cx.  And I am still trying to figure the darn thing out!

How do you encourage your friends to persevere and continue on?  Do you text them with a scripture, do you call them, do you send them a note?  Spill it.

Lobs ya & glad to be back,

just radiant... completely

UPDATE:  Congrats to Becky Jo for winning the Kate Carlson prize pack!  Congrats to Joanne & Pat for winning Kate's Radiant EP!

It's been a month people!! How did that happen?  Well... life happened and I seriously didn't think that you wanted to hear all my dribble about my son graduating and our visit to Auburn and work and life and ... ENOUGH!  I have much more exciting news to share with you.. life will come after this post. :-)

I have this really great friend named Melissa Carlson that I met on the the Twitter and the FB and through the blogging world.  Really great friend, like drove in just to have lunch with me so we could meet face to face, really great friend.  See...

This is Melissa (cute one on the left), her son Cole (handsome dude in the middle) and me.. back in October of 2009.  (What was I thinking with that hair people?.. enough already)

So.. Melissa and I have made a point of talking to each other and trying to see each other (she lives near Nashville..) and praying for one another and laughing.. So it was no surprise that soon after this meeting, I got another chance to meet Melissa's daughter, Kate.  I call her my snug-let.  She fit perfectly in the crook of my arm.  (I am tall.. she is not) and we were walking outside in the fall...

I've made a visit or two to see them and we've texted and chatted and emailed and etc... and I knew that her passion was leading worship.  Not performing.  Not making music for the sake of making music.  BUT.. worshiping God.  Period.  But get this.

I HAVE NEVER HEARD HER SING... OR WORSHIP GOD WITH HER VOICE. NEVER.

Not until last week. 

And she has ripped my heart to shreds. 

I kinda knew that she had been approached by an awesome woman to lead worship for her conferences... cause Pat rocks.  I kinda knew that she had been approached by some really cool and talented guys about putting together an EP.  I was praying for her during the process.  I was praying for her sweet mom, Melissa (you have to go read her Momma story as well) as she worked and prayed over the art and graphics for the EP.  The first time I put the EP in to listen to her I was driving to work. 

Ready for a great day. 

I was in tears and a mess when I got to work.  Sweet Kate had just spent the last 21 and 1/2 minutes speaking straight to my heart and she had no clue. 

She had ushered me straight to the Throne Room. 

Kate sings three of my favorites.. How Marvelous, Desert Song and Revelation Song.  She doesn't just sing.  She worships Him and invites you in. 

There is a huge difference.

I have listened to A LOT of Christian music.  I used to work for a Christian radio station.  I have listened to A LOT of Christian music. 

My ears and my heart are conditioned to recognize a performer vs. a worshiper of God.  Kate worships Him.  She invites you in.  Through these songs I can see her singing to Him and not caring who is listening or watching.  It's an intimate and Holy thing.  Truly radiant.

My HANDS DOWN FAVORITE song is You are Able.  Hands down.  I can't stop listening to it.  I can't stop singing it.  I can't stop running to it.  Well.. that last sentence was a lie.  I can stop running to it, cause the running is a thorn at the moment.  But I can't stop listening to it.  Can not.

He's all I need and all I have right now.  This season of my life is taking me to the end of myself.  The only One that can lift me up right now is God.  He is the only faithful, constant, firm and able loving God that can lift me up and remind me that I am not enough.  I am never enough.  He is.  This song makes we want to dance around in circles and skip and jump up and down and rock out for Him.  It makes me surrender my heart to Him. 

Isn't that the point?  And she co-wrote the stinkin' song.  ummmhmmmm.  Wrote it.  She's adorable and cute and sweet and kind and TALENTED with all capitals.  (No, I am not sorry I just said that)

I love the woman singing these songs.  First, cause she is my heart friend.  Second, because even at her young age, she gets it.  She is tender and kind and funny and points me straight to His throne.  Where He never leaves.  Ever.  That, my sweet bloggy friend is indeed the Truth.

I have a surprise for you..  Besides asking you to go listen for yourself right here: Kate Carlson

I have a surprise for you.  Don't you just love surprises?

Leave me a comment and tell me what takes you to your knees when you are worshiping God and I'll select some blessed peeps. 

One winner will get a PACK.. a shirt and a CD. 

Two winners will win a CD.

Look how precious this shirt is:

Kate drew the flower.. Melissa designed the shirt.  SHUT THE DOOR.  These girls slay me. (and yes I already bought mine... :) )

And this one... just radiant.. completely:

 

Watch what happens with this sweet girl's life.  God is doing some amazing things through her.  I can't wait to see what happens next!  I wanna get in the car and meet my girlfriends for Mexican food in Nashvegas just so I can tell them how grateful I am. 

Go ahead.. tell me what takes you to your knees as you worship God...

I'll pick winners on the Sabbath! :)

Ready, set, WORSHIP!

PS.  Here is your standard disclaimer... except one of the two CD's I bought me self. :)  And I have a ton more to give to random people that I see smiling. The pack and one of the CD's have been provided by Kate Carlson Music.  I'm not making any money off of this blog post and in fact wouldn't dream of taking any glory away from Him.  And, quite frankly, Kate and Melissa wouldn't either.