Happy Thursday!

Spoke again with Mom today. She seems to be feeling better, but is having trouble with some low blood pressure. So the heart doc believes she is being over-medicated. The tentative plan is to remove all current medicines and begin again and see if some of the medications are counteracting each other. I hope to go and see her on Saturday. Not sure when she will be coming home as yet. Please keep her and Dad in your prayers.

Prayer: “Lord, help me to see others through Your eyes. May I never be ashamed of Your gospel. Help me to be faithful to share it with someone today. Amen.”

Eccl. 11:9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

Last night I shared with you that I have begin the 40 pounds in 40 days weight loss plan. Today was the first day of the next 38 days of the strict diet plan along with taking the HGC drops. I did pretty well today. One of the requirements is that I weigh myself daily. I have added to that regimen a website that helps me to write down everything I eat and calculates the calories as well as tracking the weight loss. (It is called FitClick).

As I was documenting information tonight it suddenly dawned on me how this practice, while not always flattering, helps keep me focused on the goal and the process to reach that goal.

How closely is this practice to that of my walk with Christ? How important is accountability? The daily accountability will allow me to watch my progress and also help me to see if I get off track and, if I do, to get back on track with the next meal. It crosses my mind that I could not be honest on the computer and with myself and no one would be the wiser. However, I can’t pull that off with God. If I do not stay focused on prayer, scripture and study, practice compassion and share the gospel in word and action, then my spiritual life suffers. I cannot lie to God even if I try to lie to myself. My discipleship would be in denial.

My accountability to God is reading scripture each evening and reflecting on it, praying throughout the day, giving thanks to God for every good and perfect gift, asking for intercessory prayer and confessing and asking for forgiveness for my sins. Lately I have been asking God to let me see others through His eyes and to act upon what I see with compassion. This is my Lenten journey. The 40 days of Lent and the 40 days of this diet seem somewhat spiritually linked. Perhaps during this Lenten journey I am to learn discipline along with wisdom.

As with any journey encouragement is always a key factor. Since I have shared this with you, my dear readers, it is my prayer that you will be in prayer for me to grow in discipline and wisdom as I hopefully shrink in size.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Remember that each of us is fighting some sort of battle. So let us continue to lift each other up in prayer each day. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.