Stronger

As it turns out, I am much stronger and more capable of pushing myself physically than I EVER believed was possible! I had a great weekend. I pushed past walls that I didn't even know existed when it comes to exercise. I learned even more about being an encourager. I was pushed to my breaking point physically. Friday night after 9 hours of training when I was beyond hungry (even though we had been given short breaks for eating while listening) and beyond exhausted, I was nervous about the next day and regretting ever registering for the Body Pump training. I had to refocus and decide that I was going to learn, about the program, but more importantly about myself. I studied most of the night for the next day. I was prepared even though I didn't feel like I was for the next onslaught of pain. I had lots of "ah ha" moments. It was exhilarating and emotional. I am so much more capable than I thought.

Now that it is over, I am thrilled that I went through the weekend. I still have to team teach and prepare a video for further evaluation before I get to actually teach or sub a class, but that is okay, I'm in no rush. I'm thankful for the experience.

Our neighbor wrote the following in an email to his men's Bible Study group after talking with David a few weeks ago. A few of the details about the training were lost in translation from person to person but the point of the message is still there. I thought it was very provoking and worth sharing. Please take the time to read it and share your thoughts!!!

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Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 1 Tim 4:7-8

I had conversation with my next-door neighbor the other night while our daughter's respectively where doing their thing in Upwards Cheer practice that sparked today’s thought.

His wife is leaving next weekend with a few other women to undergo a certification process that will qualify her to instruct various aerobic and weight training classes at the gym. He was describing the intensity of the weekend and the number of times she would have to perform the various regiments to ensure she had proficiency in them.

She would even be video taped and critique over her performance by other master trainers. In all, it would be a very intense weekend and what she was told was that, after the numerous workouts, she would barely be able to walk.

The conversation segued into matters pertaining to Christianity and the processes (or lack thereof) within our ranks to certify future trainers as well as the exercise of personal spiritual discipline necessary for growth.

It seems in most areas of life not related to our Christianity (if there are such areas-everything should be related to our Christianity) we accept the level of training we must submit to in order to achieve some level of certification. However, when it comes spiritual training we hand out free passes like cotton candy at the county fair.

I know not everybody enjoys working out, it is just not your thing, but the application holds. Perhaps because we have been told its all about ‘grace’ so much, and / or that works are not necessary for salvation (both of which in their own right are true as all get out), but… it is undeniable and an unarguable fact that we grow or benefit in proportion to the effort we put into something. Second, the church should be the pace setter when it comes to personal spiritual development and the training of future leaders. As we have the greatest charge and most solemn responsibility in carry the gospel to this generation, we should not shy away from imposing tough standards and holding people accountable. The secular market and professional athletes and the like should be taking lessons from us, not us from them.

We should, absolutely strive to be the best in our profession and industry, but we should also and even more-so strive to be like Christ in every facet of our life.

LEAVE NO DOUBT_LIVE WITH DISTINCTION
Get Connected, Stay Connected
Paul Blankenship
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Do you have a barrier that is keeping you from something better for yourself? Approach it with confidence and break through it! If you believe in yourself then others around you will believe in you too!

My Incredible Wife...

Hello, blogging world!! I know it is a surprise for y'all who read my wife's blog religiously regularly to see me write on here. But it's okay, I have permission! :-)

You see, my wife is spending this glorious weekend in Bossier City, LA with some friends. I know what y'all are thinking, but no...she is not gambling, although there is some risk/reward, tears and sweat involved. No, my wife is exercising the weekend away. She went with 3 of her friends to start the process of BodyPump certification, so they can potentially lead BodyPump classes at the Gold's Gym by our house. One of those friends is the Master Trainer, the one who trains the trainers. The other three (my wife included) are going to be under her leadership, and will learn the tracks and moves to hopefully, eventually, lead their own BodyPump classes. There are several more steps to follow once this training is done, but this will be the first, main step they have to finish.

This will be a LONG weekend for them. 12pm-9pm today, 8pm-5pm on Saturday, and 8pm-5pm on Sunday - 27 hours of non-stop, intense, physical training! I don't know if I would live through that beating wonderful exercise. But she will. I know she will, because she is my incredible wife...my Wonder Woman! And I am very proud of her.

If you think about her this weekend, please pray for her that she would be able to make it through the pain, and be able to get enough rest. I love you, sweetheart. Kick some butt!!

David Dickey

Me Featured

Are you wondering why I have a photo of our gym group fitness room here on my blog? Check out the picture.... one of these things is not like the other.... do you see him? Do you see the photographer with the big camera pointed at me?



Now are you wondering why? Glad you asked.



One of David's friends from High School, Christy, noticed my changes in his family facebook pictures and asked him if it would be okay to contact me about an article she was writing for the January Dallas Morning News. David passed on the message and I agreed to the email interview. Christy asked me lots of questions about my motivations, results, and more when it comes to going to the gym. I happily answered her questions.



Then she contacted me after writing her article and said that her editor liked the story and wanted to include a picture of me working out. Agh!!! Terror set in, after all, I'm usually the one taking the pictures not being the subject of them! I was soooooo nervous the morning of the "photo shoot". I was also shocked by how many pictures he took. He stayed for the ENTIRE one hour class just clicking away. I bet he took 700+ pictures.... of me.... sweating! I am so glad that my gym buddy Lisa grabbed her iPhone and took a picture of me getting my picture taken. That is good blog material after all.



It isn't the picture that I would have chosen but the article is very good.

Receipts

Last night David and I got to go out on a date for our anniversary. We went out to eat at Chuy's (very good by the way) and then went and saw Sherlock Holmes (pretty clever movie). Anyway, when David was paying the server for our dinner he immediately picked up the receipt and was looking at it and starting to fold it and put it in his wallet. The server got concerned and asked if everything was okay on our ticket. David said yes. Then the server said, oh well, I never see anyone pick that up unless there is something wrong. I just laughed!!!

This incident made me think of something very funny that happened right before Christmas. Kirstyn had gotten to go shopping at her school in the Penguin Shop, a shop powered by PTA, for her family for Christmas. She had spent time wrapping our gifts and making cards. She was really 'getting' Christmas.... Then she came down from her room with yet another package that she had wrapped all by herself. It had a label that said, to: daddy, I love you, Kirstyn. I knew she hadn't purchased anything else so I asked her what she had made for him. She grinned really big and said, I know Daddy will love this gift. It is his favorite thing to collect. I was still confused.......

then she told me, "It's a RECEIPT!" Daddy collects them and he will love it!

So true, Daddy does love to collect his receipts. Such a thoughtful girl!

Time to Jiggle and Shiver!

Remember last year when I ran (read jogged) my first ever 5K? It was the perfect race for me to participate in because it is in fact called the Jiggle Butt Run!

This year I offered to volunteer to help with the race. I will be standing (read freezing) at the 2 mile mark with a timer and walkie talkie. The race benefits the Safe Haven of Tarrant County Women's Shelter. It is a great cause and the organizers of this race are some pretty amazing women! Last year there was a record participation of about 500 runners. This year there are over 1,200 pre-registered participants! They have also introduced a 1K for the 12 and under crowd called the Wiggle Butt Run. Too cute, huh?

It is so amazing and very exciting to be a part of this event, but this week Texas is experiencing RECORD COLD! I know for my northern friends reading this you are thinking that the cold we are experiencing is not actually cold but I need to explain something to you.... See no one here has the appropriate clothing for these temperatures! And to make matters worse I'm pretty sure that our blood is thinner so that we can physically survive our summers! I mean last year I ran (read jogged) the race in shorts! I need for y'all to be praying that God will turn up the heat here.... at least for Saturday!

Hiatus Explained

"Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self." ~Cyril Connolly

So, the other day I was wondering why I wasn't blogging anymore. Actually, David had asked me if I missed it and I couldn't really answer him because I hadn't put much thought into it. Anyway, I'm a multitasker so I was also watching an old episode of Criminal Minds and folding laundry (that is seriously the task that never ends....) and when the episode ended they ended it with the Cyril Connolly quote, "Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self." Suddenly something in my head just clicked. I backed it up so that I could write it down! I knew why I hadn't been blogging.

I had gotten caught up on how many people were visiting my blog. I was making an effort to comment on every. single. post. that I read so that maybe just maybe that person would return the visit. I was adding more and more blogs to my reader. I was making what used to be a fun way for me to share pictures and thoughts into work. I was not actually interested in doing any more "work". So, I took a big step back without even realizing it. I logged out of my reader and did other things with my free time. I only updated my blog on occasion because I would get an email from BlogHer telling me that they were going to pull their ads if my blog remained "dead". I wanted to want to blog... does that make sense? So, I kept putting in a little effort.... but the thing is, I tend to be an all or nothing kind of girl. Half a$$ blogging wasn't making me happy either.

Now, I'm back to sharing my heart and talking about my joys and my struggles. I am enjoying myself. Thanks for sticking with me. Thanks for encouraging me!

Next is the daunting task of cleaning out and up my google reader. When I first logged back in it said 1000+ unread posts! What?!?!? I've marked most as "read" and moved on. Many of those bloggers probably haven't even noticed my absence. I also need to make sure that I am actually reading some of your blogs because if you are making the time to encourage me then I want to be able to return the favor. I would rather develop several close friendships here in blog land than end up with tons of 'no value added' comments! Some of you are VERY important to me and I hope that you know that!

I hope that I haven't just offended any of you. Just thought that I should share where I have been... you know, other than buried in the never ending pile of laundry!

Nine Years

Nine Years ago today (January 6, 2001) I married my best friend! Wow, that sentence makes me sound old. Thing is I think that I 'felt' older on my wedding day than I do today.

I just love these pictures of David and I. They were taken by Paul Knudsen at David's networking group Christmas Party. I didn't know we would be in pictures or I might have made some effort with my makeup... but the truth is, this is me, this is us and I love it!

I also love that I can say that I definitely have not "let myself go!" Here are some pictures that David scanned for me from our wedding day. I think we may have to renew our vows at some point so that I can wear a simple white silk gown that I can for sure say will NOT be a size 22 like my original wedding dress was!

I know for sure that David loves me for me. I cannot express how grateful I am that he has been open to me changing me and in the process making lots of changes for our family. He could have dug his heels in and been resistant to my changes. He could have determined that I am for sure not who he married. Instead, he chose to come with me on this journey to a better us! Some days he has led me, some days he has pushed me, but every single day he has supported me and has loved me for who I am.... and for that I will be forever grateful!

David, thanks for loving me even before I loved me!

Link up for more Wordful Wednesday!

Because Inquiring Minds...

Since at least one of you asked...

I still have to lose (as of today) 5.2 pounds to make lifetime at Weight Watchers. Yes, that is the very top of my "healthy weight" bracket. And yes, my fat percentage is already in a "healthy" zone. And yes, my size 4 jeans are stretchy but they don't leave any marks which is more than I could say about my size 20 jeans that I wore into Weight Watchers. I literally had a rash around my middle from where my jeans rubbed. I was well on my way to switching to all elastic clothes when I made up my mind that something HAD to change! I will never regret that decision to try!

I can't believe that there are still so many of you out there supporting me and reading my blog!!! I thought for sure that most of you were long gone after my blogging hiatus! I love your comments. I think I might have to print some of them out and tape them to my bathroom mirror. Seriously. Thanks!

I really needed today to catch up from Christmas "Vacation" but instead I am playing choo choo and wiping snot because James has another ear infection and had to stay home from school today. I had to add this picture of the little man being caught eating some of my birthday cake after everyone had finished and left the table. He decided that he needed another bite and snuck back to the table (yes, he got himself a fork out of the drawer!) and helped himself! I love this uh oh look on his face! Seriously, those eyes save his life over and over!

Oh and I have no idea why blogger is jacking with my spacing.... ugh! Wish I had time right now to figure it out!!!

It's a New Year and a New Me!

Well, I have to say that I really had hoped that January 1, 2010 would not include for me the desire to lose more weight *sigh* maybe next January I can say that. What I can say is that I spent all of 2009 working on a better me! I focused on Bible Study, cleaner eating, and exercise! Although I have only lost about 10 pounds this past year (that sounds really sad), I do think that I can see I some improvement from the first picture to the second. Can you?

I'm glad that I made the effort. I'm glad I made the effort to continue to improve ME! I have worked very hard at educating myself on what is really food. I mean because about 85% of what they sell at the grocery store is only masquerading as food but it isn't actually real. I have eliminated things like hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, and white flour from our food supply here at the Dickey house. I am proud of that. I think my family is only better for that and they haven't even really noticed the change!

What frustrates me is that I haven't reached my lifetime goal with Weight Watchers! I mean, I wonder what size I will be when I finally do reach that goal. I was a size 20/22 when I joined. The jeans that I am wearing in the picture above are an Old Navy Sweetheart Jean in a size 4 Tall! Did I just say that about myself.... a size F-O-U-R? (yes, they are snug but I didn't want them too big since I am still getting smaller... and I have that fat roll around my middle even when 'nekked' so the jeans don't really cause that muffin top on me) I really though I would be thrilled just to see a single digit size inside my clothes!!! And yet here I am....

I am trying really hard not to be hung up on the number that looks back at me from that Digital Demon (the scale). I am focusing on working out even harder and lifting even more weights. Why? Because when that is my focus then I feel accomplished rather than defeated!

So, here we go.... bring it on 2010! I have some exciting things coming up in the next few weeks. I am going to make an effort to blog more regularly because I find that I NEED your support!

So, did you accomplish what you set out to do in 2009?

Happy New Year!

What does New Year's Day mean to you? To me it is rooted in tradition!

My family has ALWAYS shared this meal together on New Year's Day. It is my favorite meal of the year, way better than Easter or Thanksgiving or any other of the eating holidays!

I also think the symbolism in this traditional meal is fun! Do you know what each of these foods symbolizes for your year to come?

Black-eyed peas: Good Luck! You are supposed to eat at least one pea for each day of the new year.... I don't count mine but don't worry, I had plenty!

Corn bread: Wealth/Gold! I mean who doesn't want to have plenty of wealth for the new year?

Greens: The spicier they are the spicier your sex life will be! My greens are actually steamed spinach with lots of garlic, onion, and red pepper.... bring it on!

Ham: Moving Forward. A pig uses its snout to dig in the ground searching for food in a forward direction. It is said that you shouldn't eat fowl (turkey, chicken) on New Years because they have to scratch for their food and no one wants to just "scratch by for a living", they want to be associated with the plump and well fed pig.... give me prosperity but I am still working to get rid of the plump!

So, tell me, what is your New Year's Day tradition?

Thanks so much to all of you for your love and support in 2009... Here's to a fabulous 2010!