Motivational Minute

Motivational Quote of the Week:

It's never crowded along the extra mile.
Wayne Dyer

I LOVE the motivational quote I found for this week. It's perfect for what has been on my mind lately...remember how I teased you last week with what I'm giving up for Lent which should also help with my weight loss efforts? Well...I'll tell you about that after I fill you in on how I've done this past week!

My challenge was to drink more water - at least 24 oz a day or 8 oz every time I nursed the baby. I did pretty well! I didn't meet my goal every day but I on the days that I didn't do well, I at least drank more water than usual. I've gotten to that point where I crave water. I reach for it before I reach for my diet coke...but...not before my coffee in the morning - huh, yeah, water before coffee - HA! At one point I had lost a pound but with people bringing us delicious meals that usually include even more delicious desserts...well, that's what we're going to talk about next.

SUGAR!!! I've decided that I am a sugar-aholic. Hello, my name is Stevie, and I'm a sugar-aholic. You know what I really love right now? Valentine candy - yep - those little drops of greatness with wonderful surprises inside that come in a lovely heart box. Who can resist the heart box all wrapped with red cellophane? What? You can? Oh, well, that's because you are better than me. And probably skinny too. Oh well. So, this brings me to my topic for this week.

The extra mile. To me, that is what Lent is kind of like. Going that extra mile so that we can suffer along with our Lord. So that we can become closer to Him through that suffering. So that we can appreciate His rising from the dead in an even stronger way because we appreciate His suffering for us that much more. I'm sure you've guessed it by now...I'm giving up sugar. Now you're saying to yourself, big deal, that is what everyone gives up. Sweets or alcohol seem to be the two I always hear most often! But let me tell you, this was not a decision made lightly or out of habit. I've given up all kinds of things for Lent. One year it was television - that was HARD! One year it was smoking - yep, I used to smoke. Yikes! Last year I gave up wine and then right at the end of Lent when I was about to go on a 40 day wine binge to make up for the 40 days I didn't get to have it, I got pregnant and went on a 9 month fast from wine!!! Crazy! I've also gone the doing something good vs giving up something route. And I will do that this year - like a commitment to prayer time or something like that. But to me, suffering during Lent is the best way for me to feel that I've really drawn closer to the Lord and at this time in my life, giving up sweets is going to be about the hardest thing I can think of to do. Now, at the same time, it will benefit me greatly! I debated between giving up sweets and vowing to track my points each day which is somewhat of a sacrifice because it means you have to really watch what you eat. I decided that giving up sugar is a much harder and more real sacrifice but I also feel it will help a great deal in my weight loss efforts.

So...bring on the sweets! I'm going to raid the Valentine candy aisle and stuff myself full before Lent. It's my Mardi Gras...my Fat Tuesday. Bring in the sugar for next week it will be banned from this house all together. Okay, not all together, the kids are not required to give anything up for Lent yet! Wow - I guess I don't get to eat all of their Valentine's Day candy this year in an attempt to keep them from having too much sugar and rotting their teeth because I'm just htat good of a mom. Yeah right, that's why I do it!