And so it goes

To all that feel lonely:

Billy Joel - And so it goes, with lyrics

A great, free, opportunity to get in shape

Do you feel you in in swimsuit shape? If not, here is a great opportunity to get that nice figure:

SparkPeople's Sweatsuit to Swimsuit Bootcamp

It does not get any easier than this and it is the least expensive workout program you will ever find: free.

Enjoy!

Powered by ScribeFire.

Making memories

A little girl had been shopping with her Mom at the mall. She must have been 6 years old,this beautiful red haired,freckle-faced image of innocence.  It was pouring outside — the kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the mall.
 
We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world.

Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.
 
The little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in. "Mom, let's run through the rain," she said.

"What?" Mom asked.
 
"Let's run through the rain!" She repeated.
 
"No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit," Mom replied.
 
This young child waited about another minute and repeated, "Mom, let's run through the rain."
 
"We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said.
 
"No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning," the young girl said as she tugged at her mom's arm.
 
"This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?"
 
"Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us through this, he can get us through anything!'"
 
The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few minutes.
 
Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life, a time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.
 
"Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If GOD let's us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing," Mom said.
 
Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling, and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles.  They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked.  But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars.
 
And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing too.
 
Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories...So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories every day.
 
To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.
 
I hope you still take the time to run through the rain.
 
They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them. Share this with the people you'll never forget.  It's a short message to let them know that you'll never forget them.
 
Take the time to live!
 
Keep in touch with your friends. You never know when you'll need each other -- and don't forget to run in the rain!

Powered by ScribeFire.

Don't Ever Judge a Book

We go through life judging things and people. We look at someone and make our mind up as to their capabilities, without given them the chance to prove themselves. Every now and then we have the opportunity to be set straight. Watch this video and you will know what I mean.

Britain's Got Talent 2009 Susan Boyle 47 Year Old Singer

I heard about this on the radio this morning, and then received an email about it. I just checked it out and I am humbled by this lady.

Powered by ScribeFire.

How to Deal with Setbacks

Here is a nice article:

How to Deal with Setbacks

I am currently dealing with a setback. I am in the middle of training for my first 5K race and, to no fault of my own, I have sustained a back injury. But that is not going to stop me from continuing on my path to a thinner, healthier, stronger me. On the contrary, I will take this opportunity to renew my determination to achieve those goals. I will do as much as I can in terms of fitness and I will focus on great nutrition to ensure that I do not gain weight while I recuperate from this back injury.

From this setback I will come out with an increased fire to push forward and achieve at all levels.

Powered by ScribeFire.

The Week in Review: Week of 4/6/09

Last week was an interesting one. It was probably one of the most stressful periods I have had in years. And yet it had some great rewards.

Personally, I had the unfortunate experience of having to evict a family from the house they rented from me. It was very sad and stressful. This was the last thing I ever had imagined would occur; what was supposed to be a win-win arrangement resulted in a lose-lose situation for all involved, including myself.

But that event (on Thursday) was followed by a great day with the kids. We went to the beach and had a fantastic time together! The only tarnish on Friday was that we were rear-ended on the way back. The kids were scared and, unfortunately, I have developed back pain for which I am getting medical treatment. But that still does not diminishes the beauty of spending great quality time with my kids.

Last week I managed to lose two more pounds. I am now starting to fit in medium-size sweaters. Large shirts feel too big for me, so the next batch of shirts may be medium. I really need to buy new pants, because I am beginning to swim in the ones I have (38 and 36).

I had a couple of days when nutrition suffered a bit, and I really need to be more careful when going out. For example, Friday morning we had breakfast at Waffle House -- the waffle did me in nutritionally. I had one other day when I exceeded my target calorie intake. However, all things considered, it was still a good week and I learned some lessons and do not regret what I did.

In the fitness arena, I did great with my C25K program, but did not do well with my strength training (ST) goals. I need to re-focus and work on that. It is essential to balance cardio and ST to maximize fitness results. With the back injury, I suspect this week will be a challenge for both areas. I will try to do as much as it is safe without causing damage to my back. I am going to research stretches for back muscles to help me recuperate as much and as quickly as possible.

I was told this morning by my Chiropractor that running is out for at least two weeks. I was disappointed. I am already planning on re-starting my C25K program at week 3 as soon as I can. These things happen and we have to adjust to them.

I hope you had a great Easter and that this is a great week for you. I am going to make it the best week I can and push forward!

Powered by ScribeFire.

Fitness progress

I continue to make good progress towards a healthier and more fit me. Rather than copying stuff from my SparkPeople blog, I invite you to read all about it there:

VGASCON's Blog

I have managed to lose a total of 45 pounds since January 1. I am training for my first 5K race. I feel in so much better shape that it is unreal! :-)

Everyone Can Heal

For a very long time I have known that we all have the power to heal ourselves and others. It is, in part, a matter of faith. Here is an excellent article on how it can be done:

DailyOM - Everyone Can Heal

Interestingly, there are those of us that believe that healing touch can be done remotely, simply by using the power of imagination and visualization. The mind is a powerful tool, indeed.