Day 7 April 25th

I did something new yesterday.  I went walking by myself.  Cornelius was at piano lessons with the girls from 4-5pm and they wouldn't be home until 5:30pm.  I went right after work to walk the trail.  I had my DROID and earbuds and listened to Pandora.  I noticed my pace was faster and I felt more excited about this walk.  I was afraid to walk by myself thinking I might be slower or get lonely BUT I found that it was very energizing to have this time to myself to think, pray, sing and just walk.  And I was proud of myself for doing this walk "on my own".  I can't always depend on people to go walk with me or do this exercise program.  I have to decide to do this every day whether I have someone on my side or whether I'm alone.  My average speed was 3.31 miles per hour and I burned 221 calories.  I walked 2.2 miles in 39.56 minutes. :)  GO ME!!

On another note: There has been alot of turmoil emotionally/spiritually in our house the past month.  It seems since I started this journey last week that it has gotten worse or more intense.  I'm not saying that there is screaming matches or that we are fighting.  What I am saying is that the girls and Cornelius have shared issues that have been going on in them or with them that hadn't been shared until now.  Last night I felt led to call Cornelius' mom to have her pray for Cornelius.  I texted Cornelius' sister Sarah to get Irene's number because I didn't have it in my new phone.  She gave it to me.  Not an hour later, Irene called.  I told her I was in the middle of getting the girls to bed and if I could call her back.  She said that sounded great.  In my mind I thought "Sarah must have told Irene that I was going to call her."  Anyway, I called Irene about 9pm and we talked until 10:30pm.  I have never talked with Irene that long on the phone.  It was so good.  I was encouraged and she prayed for Cornelius, me and the girls.  She told me that noted in an email that I sent a while back to the family that I was going to be meeting with a gal about my health.  I asked her if she had read my blog and she said no.  So I filled her in on this journey I've started and how I realized that I'm in bondage to food.  She then told me something that in the past, I would have been hurt or upset by.  But this time, I totally received it and felt so loved.  She told me that she had noted the weekend she and Katrina visited (March 17-19) that I had gained weight since she last saw me.  She noted that once I sat down, I pretty much just sat and asked the girls to get things for me.  "Cherri, after that visit with you I felt lead to pray for you regarding your health."  said Irene.  She knows me well enough to know that I am and have been very sensitive about my weight and health.  But this time, hearing that just made me feel very loved AND know that God cares about my health.  Irene's prayers were heard. 
My dad had told me the same thing a month ago too-he hugged me and said "Cherri, I don't want to have what happened to me, happen to you."  And I said to him, "Dad, are you telling me I'm fat?"  "No.  I'm telling you that I love you."  wow......what do you say to that? It pricked my heart and stayed with me and that is one of the things that lead me to take Julia's challenge.  And how awesome that God put Julia and her husband Casey in my life so that I could have people who are experienced and educated in walking with people like me through this.

One more cool thing about day 7.  I started a Bible Reading Challenge to read my Bible in one year Chronologically.  My friend Mistie told me about youversion.com.  I uploaded it to my phone and LOVE IT.  Last night I started and we had 3 chapters read to us.  The girls thought it was very cool. :)  I'm excited for when I read tonight.

God's faithfulness is new every morning.  Amen