FYI:

I have never gone this long without a grand reunion with all the things I should not be eating. Not that we haven’t had a special enjoyable splurge, splitting a bit of badness.

As we come up on the fourth month of making better food choices, we are still invested in eating more lean protein, salads, veggies, and fruit.  And walking.

For almost 120 days, I’ve pushed back from the table; politely declined desserts; resisted chips, and crackers, and made a point of drinking more water.

Good old me.

Would this have been so hard thirty years ago?

Apparently.

Anyway, knowing me, I can be back to my old habits too quickly. So, I thought I’d check in. Thus far God has led us. Hope it’s not T.M.I.

FYI: I do feel better; the clothes are looser; a few too big, and the scale continues downward, but in ounces.

Some days I am flat-out overwhelmed with the blessing of having health and strength to enjoy the day; today has been such a day.

Who knew a car ride could stir up joy?

Zipping down the highway, headed home from a lunch with family, there we were feeling pretty darn good and singing to the oldies, that Sirius XM was spinning – from the 1960’s, -50’s and ta-dah: the big hits from the 1940’s.  Love songs in that decade take on a special meaning knowing what people were doing from 1941-1945. Comparing them to Who Put the Bomp In the Bomp bah Bomp bah Bomp? however, could explain . . . why my parents’ generation and mine stopped talking.

Although, they listened to some weird stuff too. Ever heard Three Little Fishes or Mairzy Doats?

FYI: Today, joy has been a companion.

In A Good Old Age: from A-Z of loving and following the Lord Jesus in Later Years, Derek Prime writes J is for Joy. Joy is not commonly associated with old age, unless it arises from an agreeable set of circumstances – but they not always everyday experiences, and are at best passing. (Page 73)

Losing sight of Christ – that is,  letting go of the faith that He is more real than the circumstances that are depleting my charm and my joy – is easier to do today than I ever imagined it would be. The older I get, sometimes the weaker my faith feels. I need to be as watchful of spiritual habits as I am about health choices.  So, a practical approach to tending joy is to

• Aim at always doing what is the right thing – practical righteousness.
• Take the trouble to seek peace in human relationships. (i.e. letting go of grudges)
• Listen less to the world.
• Pray and meditate on God’s Word. (Page 78)

And the last suggested plug in my leaky JOY jug that Derek Prime makes is

Confess my sins to the One who knows all about them and patiently waits for me to quit excusing myself.

An excuse is a skin of a reason stuffed with a lie. ~Billy Sunday

T.M.I.?

(That’s Too Much Information; Doug wanted to know.)

I hope not. I want to keep on a saner, healthier path to enjoy the  day the Lord gives. Here’s hoping  you do, too. Thanks for reading – Praying that the joy of the Lord is your strength today, dear reader – and mine, too.

FYI: New life — habits — can take place in unlikely places.