Author Archive

Posted on March 9, 2010 - by Mary

7 Life Principles Jesus Taught on the Cross

This week I am at the Resurrection Life Church Leadership Conference in Grandville. It is so amazing! We just ended the first full day and the speakers and messages were amazing. I wanted to share the message from tonight’s last session with Chris Hodges from Church of the Highlands in Birmingham Alabama. The title is “7 Principles to Make it Through a Bad Day”. Basically, they are the 7 statements Jesus said on the cross which are 7 life principles for us to live by everyday.

1. “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.” Forgive every person who is trying to ruin your life. When you carry that stuff around, the only person it hurts is you.

2. Jesus told the criminal on the cross next to him, “Today, you will be with me in paradise”. (Luke 23:43) Help others who are experiencing your same struggle.

3. In John 19:26, Jesus says to his mother, Mary: “Dear woman, here is your son.” Be sure to be sensitive to those closest to you…your spouse and your children. Don’t go to church and put on that happy face for everyone else, then go home and be mean or grumpy to your loved ones.

4. In Matt 27:46, Jesus calls out to God, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Until we get to heave there are some things we will never understand. (Job 42:2)

5. “I thirst” (John 19:28) Be Human enough to acknowledge your needs.

6. “It is finished” (John 19:30) Be assured there is a purpose and an end. (Romans 8:28)

7. “Father into your hands, I commit my Spirit (Luke 23:46). Finally, surrender your day to God and let it go.

Posted on March 6, 2010 - by Mary

Weekly Weigh In #7

Hi there! Here is my weekly weigh in video. There’s some interesting news (I think so anyway) so be sure to watch all the way through Thanks!

So, what do you all think? Be sure to check out and subscribe to WAHM Weight Loss! See you soon!

Mary

Posted on March 2, 2010 - by Mary

Weight Watcher’s Weekly Weigh in #6

Whew what a week and weekend I had! Normally I would get discouraged by my weight loss, or lack thereof, not to mention with the busy-ness of life lately, I sometimes find it hard to track my food and find time to exercise. But, since I started tracking my progress on video as well as here on my blog, I find it much easier to keep pushing onward toward my goals. So, without further ado, here is this week’s weigh in results…plus other news and updates and a question for you! Enjoy!

So, what do you think? Weight Watchers or Jillian Michaels? Let me know!

Posted on February 24, 2010 - by Mary

Proof Jesus IS God

Some of you may not know this interesting fact about me, so I thought I’d share it with you because the issue has arisen again recently. And that interesting fact is…I was raised a Jehovah’s Witness. Yes, that’s right, my parents became JW’s when I was in the 3rd grade and I hung onto their beliefs and was even baptized later in my adult years. I got saved in 1997, when I was 32. A co-worker, who is now my best friend, had been trying to witness to me and I was “witnessing” to her. After much discussion and going back and forth, neither of us getting anywhere really, we decided to pray together and have God reveal the truth to whichever of us needed it. Of course, you know the outcome now, so needless to say, after praying that prayer, I began to see all the contradictions the JW’s teach, right in their own bible. Of course, most JW’s are too brainwashed to see anything different, and most would never pray the way I did with a non JW.

I had to give you that little background because yesterday in church I had a gentleman, someone I’ve never met before, asking me some questions about it. He was saved, I don’t know how long ago, but a while back I’d guess, then he fell away, and then he was searching again and, I think he started going back to church, but he’s also been going to the Kingdom Hall (JW’s meeting place-they don’t call it a church). The main question he had was, “How do you know Jesus is God? How do you prove it to them?” Of course that’s been my biggest struggle, because it is a mystery and it is difficult to wrap my head around sometimes.

Tonight our church began the Experiencing God bible study. Each week we are to do the studies ahead of time, then we go over the main points during the bible study together as a group. I just love how God knows exactly what we need when we need it…don’t you? Anyway, each week, there is also a DVD that goes right along with that week’s lesson and in the video I got the answer to that question. One of the things Henry Blackaby, the author of Experiencing God, said that really stood out to me was: “Jesus gave up his right to know what God was doing when he came to the earth”. So, when we got back into discussion, I asked the leader of our group where in the bible could I find proof of that statement. He pointed me to Phillippians 2:5-8:

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

So, that clears up some huge questions for me personally! Whenever I read verses about Jesus praying to God, I always wondered why he didn’t already know the answer since he is God, but this verse shows that he gave up that right and humbled himself. Of course Almighty God has that ability because nothing is impossible for God. (Luke 1:37)

I invited the gentleman to Experiencing God, but he didn’t show up. I hope he didn’t have second thoughts about going back to the Kingdom Hall. I was able to give him some other good scripture references, so hopefully he will be able to use them if he did go back. I will be praying for him; will you join me in that prayer?

Posted on February 22, 2010 - by Mary

Menopause? Me? No! I’m Too Young for That!

For the past several weeks, I’ve been highly irritable. I’m sure my hubby and probably my children will attest to that!  Also I haven’t had a period in 2 months…and NO I’m NOT PREGNANT! Just thought I’d clear that up right away. Pretty sure it’s the “Big M” starting.

I don’t know how I feel about it. I’m kind of excited that pretty soon I won’t have to deal with Aunt Flo coming to visit any more, but then on the other hand, I’m scared! Both my mom and my only sister had hysterectomy’s at my age. But, I’m not claiming that! I’m claiming a “normal” menopause! Whatever that is. I am not looking forward to the hot flashes, unless they don’t get any worse than they are now. Before I was officially “late” I began having “hot spells” where I’d suddenly get real hot, but it would only last for about 30 seconds or so. They’re not too frequent and they usually hit first thing in the morning. I have some hot spells like that at night as well where I throw all the covers off and 30 seconds later, I’m freezing.

But, so far the worse symptom is my irritability. I feel like I want to claw someone’s eye out, often, and really for no apparent reason. People just get on my nerves. I’m not normally like that and have a high tolerance and can usually put up with people’s laziness or stupidity….see there I go again….just being plain mean. What the heck is wrong with me???? Ugh!

So, I apologize in advance if I snap at you suddenly, or just break down and cry for no apparent reason.

And when in the heck did I get old enough to start menopause???? Oh wait! I do have my 4th grand child on the way. I guess it was bound to happen after all.

Are you menopausal? Have you gone through it? Got any tips????

Posted on February 21, 2010 - by Mary

Weight Watchers Weekly Weigh In #5

Today is weigh in day. There are a couple of things I need to clear up though. Watch the video first, then under it, I will clarify what needs to be clarified, okay? Okay. Thanks

Okay, the first thing I need to note is Tishia Lee’s weight loss blog is nomoreplussize.com. And the second thing to clear up regards the measurements. I didn’t lose all those inches since beginning this newest journey on Weight Watchers. The last time I measured was way back last spring when I first began Weight Watchers online. Then I got off track, so the loss is a from a combo of what I lost last year and what I’ve lost so far. Make sense? So, here are my measurements today (just for a good reference in the future):

Hips: 46.5
Thighs: 25.5
Waist: 43.5
Bust 41.5
Arms: 14.3
Dress Size: 16

And one more thing: Last night, at Tishia Lee’s birthday dinner, I shared a Triple Chocolate Meltdown with my friend Angel of Plus Size Skills.

Oh, and we recorded some fun videos, which will appear on Plussize Bloggers soon, so be sure to check those out too and to take the Plus Size Bloggers challenge and get a chance at winning a Wii Fit Plus. I did!

Posted on February 21, 2010 - by Mary

You Were Created for this Exact Time and Place

At church today, I attended both services because I’m learning how to run overheads using ProPresenter…which I love to do…and attending both services really helps the message to sink in. If I don’t attend both services, then I take notes, which also helps the message to sink in. And I can’t take notes when I run overheads because I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the overheads. ANYWAY…

Our Pastor has been talking about our amazing God for the last 6 weeks, and starting this week, our entire church will be studying the “Experiencing God” book. Today’s message was about how God is Omnipresent…meaning He is everywhere all the time. That fascinates me. When I think about how big the universe is, and that God is present everywhere all the time in the universe, how BIG He really is. Actually He is bigger than that, bigger than I can imagine.

One of the scriptures that really stuck out in my mind is Acts 17:26 – “From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.” How amazing is that??? It just goes to show God is in control. He created YOU for this exact time and place!

I sometimes wonder if I would have made different choices throughout my life, how my life would look today. One day, Jeff, my husband, and I were talking about what if we would have met years earlier, like in high school, if we would have hooked up then and if I would have had his children. My comment was, “my children would look a lot different than they do now.” But, I think things are just as they are supposed to be.

I haven’t always let God be the Director of my life. I made some really poor choices and decisions when I was growing up, and if I would have made different ones, I know my life would look, probably a lot different than it does now. But, as Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”. So, I know that things are the way they are today for me because God has “worked everything for the good”.

Have you allowed God to be the Director of your life? If not, what’s stopping you? Why wouldn’t you allow the Creator of the Universe, the One and Only True God, who knows what’s best for you and your life, to be the Director of your life? No, my life is far from perfect, but I know I could not live with God in the center of it.

Well, that’s about it for now. I just wanted to share what was on my heart with you real quick. That scripture really stood out to me today and made me realize I am here at this exact time and this exact place for a very special purpose And so are YOU! So, what are you going to do about it?