Leah Stirewalt

Out of Deep Waters

2013 Bucket List (a Whimsical Wednesday post)

by 4 Comments

BucketHappy Wednesday bloggy friends! We’re half-way through the week already! Woot! Welcome back to Whimsical Wednesday. Click here if you weren’t able to join me for WW last week to get a better idea of what today’s post are all about!

I’m a “list person”. I love to make lists…all kinds of lists…cleaning lists, project lists, blog idea lists, packing lists before trips, menu lists, and the list is endless (pun intended). I think, for me, the ability to cross items off the list is what feels so good about the list to begin with. That said, today is a Whimsical Wednesday list day!

I’m all about making goals, however I struggle to complete them. I guess you could analyze my goals and possibly see a trend that might make the goal completion a bit difficult, but at least I’m setting some…right? My husband and I recently just did two things this past weekend that have been on my “Bucket List” for quite awhile. They were not all that hard either, so it caused me to ponder why I had to wait 41 years to cross them off the list. Honestly…lack of planning, I think. Those brain cells of mine started churning again, and I thought…what do I want to do/accomplish by the end of 2013. What is my 2013 Bucket List? No – not those items that are on my overall bucket list – unless I intend to complete them this year. These are simply some things that I want (and intend) to complete THIS year…before 2013 is over!

With further ado…my 2013 Bucket List:

1. Develop and keep a consistent fitness schedule. I’m learning to incorporate exercise back into my life again, but in order for it to become a routine habit…I’ve got to build in consistency.

2. Complete our wedding scrapbook. Now that Joel and I have been married nearly 8 months, it’s time to start tackling our wedding scrapbook.

3. Catch up 2013 scrapbook. As a scrapbooking lover, I have endless projects I could be working on, but I’m also trying to keep up with our years – in pictures. I plan on 2013 being the first year that I actually keep up with as time goes on…therefore, I need to get it caught up (and stay there until the 2013 book is done).

4. Memorize 9 new scriptures. I used to do scripture memory routinely, especially along with Beth Moore’s Siesta Scripture Memory Team. But, I’ve gotten out of the habit of regular, intentional scripture memorization. So, beginning now, I’m choosing to memorize two scriptures/month. For me, the scriptures I’m selecting are those that I feel will help me in my weight loss journey. Infusing God’s Word into this is vital to ultimate success!

5. Write a book proposal. I’ve had a book (actually a couple) in my head for quite awhile, but I’ve never taken the time to flush it out on paper. I’m going to do that for 2013 – in the form of a formal book proposal. What happens after that is up to the Lord’s leading. 🙂

6. Bike the Virginia Creeper Trail. This is something I’ve wanted to do for a LONG time! Along with my husband, I plan to finally do it later this year!

7. Get at least 1 more newspaper for my collection. I have this little habit. Some might call it silly, but it’s quite fun for me. I collect newspapers from all the state capitals. Now, I don’t just call the newspaper office from each state’s capital and ask them to mail one to me. I have to actually go there to get it. That’s the fun part…the travel! I have quite a few already, and I intend to keep pursuing this little passion of mine until I have all 50! So, my goal is to get (at least) one more this year.

8. Make curtains for all my windows needing curtains. This one is self-explanatory. My windows need treatment…I would love to make them myself!

9. Have all my Christmas cards ready to mail by Thanksgiving (even if they don’t get mailed for a few weeks). I’m a Christmas card freak! I love to give them AND receive them. But, the joy of exchanging Christmas cards can get snuffed out if I procrastinate and wait until the last minute to send them out. This year, I plan to work ahead and have them ready by Thanksgiving. I can do it. I know I can…I know I can…I know I can.

10. Reach my goal weight! This is my biggest and loftiest goal/bucket list item for this year. But, it’s not impossible. I’ve already “crunched the numbers” and see how I can do…jut gonna take some hard work and LOTS of prayer!

I promise to come back at the end of the year to let you know how I did. Have you thought about doing a bucket list for the rest of this year? What do your goals look like?

Scale Redemption (a Makeover Monday post)

by 7 Comments

Welcome back to those of you that joined me for Makeover Monday last week. If you haven’t any idea what I’m talking about…you might wish to start HERE and then come back and join us for this week’s Makeover Monday.

After last week’s confession of my 7.5 pound gain over a two-week period, I knew I had my work cut out for me. There’s just something about announcing your struggles for all the world to see that equates to accountability. I worked hard this past week, because I didn’t want to let God down, my hubby down, me down, and all of you down. Last Thursday, I went to my doctor’s appointment for my weekly weigh-in, and…drum roll please…

I lost 8.5 pounds!

Yes…8.5 pounds in ONE week! I don’t know that I’ve ever done that in my life. Granted, a lot of it was water weight that I had allowed to creep back on from too much sodium I had taken in the two weeks before, but several pounds of it was pure-T fat! My doctor happens to have one of those fancy scales that measures not only overall pound loss/gain but fat, water, muscle mass, etc. I learn a lot about what’s going on inside this evolving body of mine. I (nor the doc) dreamed I’d lose all I gained in one week plus a pound, but – by God’s sweet grace – I did! So, I’m up to a 26 pound weight loss. Little-by-little, a day (sometimes an hour) at a time…I’m getting there.

It’s funny how losing weight reminds me a lot of what it was like when I first became a widow. I never thought I would feel happiness again. Gracious, I couldn’t wait for evening to come just so that I could close my eyes, take a little sleeping pill and go to sleep for the rest of the night. I literally lived hour-by-hour in those early days, because I just couldn’t think past the moment.

In a similar way, I know that I’ve got quite a lengthy journey in front of me. But, just as God has worked miraculously in my life before…I have no doubt He’s got a handle on this too. So, for now…I focus on the small joys…the baby steps until I reach that end goal.

Speaking of goals…I find that if I make some small ones along the way, I feel success a little sooner.

This week’s goals: 

1) Lose 5 pounds…I know that seems extreme, but it’s possible with the type of program I’m on (not every week but occasionally). I’m going out on a limb and trying for a 5 pound weight loss this next week.

2) Exercise 4 days for at least 30 minutes. This is a STRUGGLE for me. I used to love to exercise, but I injured my knee a little over a year ago and ended up having surgery to repair my meniscus, so exercise isn’t quite the same these days. I’m praying God would restore that desire again.

3) Water – I’m doing fairly well in drinking 64 ounces a day of pure water plus other liquids, but there are some days I’m a little short on the water. I’d like to change that for this week and have a successful 7 days straight of drinking my water minimum.

I’ll report in next week on how I did with my goals. I promise to remain accountable to you as well. Would you keep praying for me? I need all the prayer I can get to reach goal. I’ll eventually share more about how long I think it’ll take, etc., but I’m just not quite ready for that yet. Baby steps…

For those of you joining me in making some health and/or fitness changes…how did your week go? I would LOVE to hear about it. Good week or bad week…I’m cheering you on!