LIMITLESS Life

Have any of you seen the movie "LIMITLESS" it was released back in 2010 with Bradley Cooper as the main character. Before I get into the movie I do want to point out that my oldest son had this very idea before this movie came out. Mickial came down stairs one day and said I have this great idea for a movie. He began to explain it like this "You know how we only use 10% of our brain? Well what if you could take a pill and it expanded your brain power so that it gave you super hero powers!" Derek and I were astounded by this idea that our 9 1/2 year old at the time came up with. Not one month later, Derek and I were in the movie theatre watching previews and the preview came on for Limitless. This movie is the VERY thing that Mickial was talking about. Derek and I looked at each other dumbfounded. Just to give you a quick run down of the movie's plot: basically the main character came across some kind of drug that he can take, which gave him the ability to do super human things. With this drug he was able to write a novel in 12 hours, run forever, and had the capacity to expand his brain to do super human wonders. However when the drug started to wear off his whole body would crash dangerously, and for others who have taken this drug over a long period of time ironically had fatal results.

So here's my point: When we "wake up" and EXPAND our limited and capped thinking from 10% to 100% how unstoppable can we be?

What I'm discovering about life is that through heart break,hardship,pain,grief,and turbulence brings break throughs. Please note that I said THROUGH not around, or running from. I have to be honest my first instinct to pain or confrontation is wanting to run. I had ran from many things and issues in my life, until I just simply became exhausted and empty. The results of my running FROM things were that of a limited life. And because I ran FROM issues, and people, what I ran TO was becoming very destructive in my life.

It wasn't until I stopped running from all my past hurts, that I experienced freedom. Through God's timing, He gave me the strength to deal with and finally confronted face to face some of the many, many oh so many issues in my life!

This process is very uncomfortable, and can be painful at times. But God's word says that there is a time for everything: Ecclesiates 3:1-9

A Time for Everything

3 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:

 2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.


Right now I'm getting back in shape. So this alone is painful. Especially the work outs. I have to push past what my mind is telling me.(Without injuring myself and not having a heart attack) "What the heck are you doing to my body this is very painful!" once I push past the pain I then realize what my body is actually capable of doing! It's quite amazing actually. I have discovered how strong I actually am, once I get past the pain. Every time I push myself that much more I literally feel "limitless"!

I see people stuck. Stuck in mind sets,stuck in a life style of poor choices, stuck in religiosity, stuck in safe, stuck in fear, stuck in bitterness and unforgiveness, stuck in habits, stuck in insecurities. STUCK STUCK STUCK!!

I was stuck too for a very long time. I didn't start to get unstuck until, I realized that God was using these "sandpaper" people, and situtaitons in my life not to rub me the WRONG way, but to rub me INTO the right way. That running to the "other side" wasn't ever greener.

It's so very hard to see the light at the end of a very hard road when there is no hope. Hope can be a scary thing. It's a risk to dare to hope...We can only live 3 days without water, 40 days without food, but we can only live for one second without hope. Sometimes getting to that light is a journey of pain. But please believe me that the pain doesn't last forever. Just like after a painful workout; going through it may seem like hell, but the results are worth it. As it removes all the "caps, stucks, and limits in our life so that we can go on to live a limitless life!

Diamond in the making

I don't know about any of you, but I have issues. During this time of "Spritual Boot camp" that I'm going through, and perhaps some of you are also going through the same thing, things, ugly things are being literally squeezed out of me. I literally feel as though God is squeezing and putting the pressure and heat one me. Well what came to my mind was diamonds. I looked up how diamonds are formed, this is the definition that I found:

Diamonds were formed in the earth thousands of years ago under extreme heat and pressure. This extreme heat and pressure in the earth transformed the carbon into crystals and turned it colorless. Although diamonds formed deep in the earth, volcanic activity is what brought them to the surface. Hence, these volcanic pipes have diamonds in them. Over time, as some other minerals mix with carbon the diamond may takes on color. Most diamonds have some hint of yellow or brown in them. Others that did not mix with minerals are colorless. Some diamonds undergo dramatic changes to vivid or unique colors. These are very rare and valued more than normal diamonds.

hmmm the more the dramatic changes the diamond endures...the more valuable and rare it becomes. Well while reading this I had a "Holy Spirit aha revelation moment".

First thing that I read this morning in my devotions was "For the Lord corrects and disciplines everyone whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes.—Hebrews 12:6

For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous and painful; but afterwards it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it [a harvest of fruit which consists in righteousness—in conformity to God's will in purpose, thought, and action, resulting in right living and right standing with God] (Hebrews 12:11).

When a diamond is mined and picked before it's fully formed, the less valuable it is. I tend to want a "microwave breakthrough" all the time. Well God doesn't work according to OUR schedule. I'm really learning to be at peace during this time, and fully rest and to "Be still and know that He is God".

I think God is speaking to me. But I know He's just not speaking to me but to many of you too. Are you going through some Spiritual discipline? Well be encouraged that it's not because God is mad at you, but he is forming you into becoming a beautiful, rare, highly valuable diamond!!

Then there's the chiseling, shaping, and polishing part of the diamond..I'll save that one for another blog ;)

WHEN is my time?

I always feel the strong need to blog when something is burning in my heart.

Ever since moving to Calgary, never has life been so murky for both my husband and me. Derek and I both have desires in our hearts that we believe are God planted. But we both feel now isn't the time to execute those desires for a number of reasons. God hasn't showed us or opened doors to go forward with these desires just yet. We believe we are in a time of "holding". This is a very tough time I must say. When you have all these dreams,and ideas in your head, but you don't have the "fire in the belly" to execute them all. I believe that "fire" is Heaven breathed. Does this sound all to spiritual. I believe that God gives us desires and dreams not to tease or taunt us. So we may have the dreams that are God given but timing is everything. I don't want to step out without God's annointing. But at the same time I don't want to MISS out because of well... fear. SO how do we know when it's our time? Isn't that a million dollar question? How I'm going about this very thing is making sure I have peace. Right now there is an opportunity for me. It is the very thing that is basically what I love doing. But I don't feel peace at the moment. So I'm doing a lot of soul searching,as to why I don't have peace. This makes me turn to the Word, and and I'm searching as to what is God saying to me. I find that I'm my own worst enemy a lot. I can create my own war to rage inside of me. As I'm trying to force the peace. But along this journey what is inside my heart is revealed. I have an amazing husband that willingly and lovingly becomes my sound board, and because he is a great and patient listener it enables me to get out what I need. However my husband doesn't stop there as he always gives me wise council. I couldn't be more thankful for a more amazing husband.

I want to share this blog from Christine Caine with you as it truly answered some of my questions and helped bring me closer to the peace that I need.


If You're Waiting for a Sign, THIS IS IT

I think I could have just posted this sign today as the blog and simply left it at that.

 

I don’t know what it is you are waiting for but I have a feeling that for some of you today is the day to simply step out and do it.
We often miss our moment because we are waiting for the perfect moment.
The moment the planets will align.
The moment every “I” is dotted and every “T” is crossed.
The moment we have 3 more confirmations to back up the 10 we already have.
The moment everyone approves.
The moment all the money comes through.
The moment everyone is on board.
The moment when we are qualified enough.
The moment when we are experienced enough.
The moment we are connected enough.
The moment we have prayed enough.
The moment we have fasted enough.
We are not sure when that moment is but it is always in some future time.
It is always not quite now.

Not yet.
The moment when we, who are not yet enough and don’t have enough, will somehow be enough, do enough, and have enough.
Let me be clear – we will never be enough.
We will never be...
Smart enough
Talented enough
Resourced enough
Perfect enough
Connected enough
Knowledgeable enough
We are not meant to be.
That is why we serve the God that is MORE THAN ENOUGH – El Shaddai
Let's not be like Pharoah when Moses asked him; "I leave to you the honor of setting the time for me to pray for you and your officials and your people that you and your houses may be rid of the frogs, except for those that remain in the Nile"(Exodus 8:9).
Instead of answering “RIGHT NOW, THIS MINUTE, TODAY" he answered, "TOMORROW"(Exodus 8:10).

Why would that man want to spend one more night with those frogs?
What are you putting off until the tomorrow that never comes because you simply will not step out today?
Do it
Make that call
Try out for that team
Apologize
Volunteer
Give
Enroll in that course
Say yes to that friendship
Cut off those negative voices
Confront that person
Deal with that addiction
Be honest
Now is the time!

Muscle Memory

Well week one down, and onto week two! I wouldn't say that I did great, but I'm starting out slowly. I usually tend to go full force at the start, and I can get burnt out. I'm a natural sprinter, but this journey I need to view more as a marathon, especially with the injuries that I have. HOWEVER I also need to be stronger than my excuses!!
I started my first weight loss journey back in November 2007. The first seven months I actually gained weight. I was very discouraged and frustrated. I also allowed the numbers on the scale to dictate how I felt that day.I then got my hands onto two books that changed my life: Eat Clean diet by Tosco Reno, and Body for Life. Before these two books, I was only working out 3 times a week and still eating whatever I want. And if you want to LOSE weight a person needs to increase their exercise and decrease their calorie intake. I didn't realize that what you eat is actually 80% of the journey. So for this next weight loss journey I'm more educated, and have more muscle than back in 2007. It took me almost three years to lose 60 pounds. I'm giving myself ONE year to lose 50! My goal is to actually lose it quicker than that. With being more educated on fitness and nutrition, knowing what my body is capable of, and still having the muscle that I gained from before, I'm in a much better position! My weakness right now is to trying to keep focused! Also liking myself and not hating or being angry with myself for gaining this weight back. This journey is learning to be content, but not satisfied!!!

Day One!

When my alarm clock went off this morning at 5:35 am I can't say that I jumped out of bed, clapped my hands and said "Well Praise the Lord!" nope none of the above were any of the emotions that I was feeling. No I was thinking thoughts like "What am I doing?", Is this worth it? I'll start tomorrow!... but when I got up and weighed myself for the first time in a long time, that's when reality slapped me right in the face and I eagerly put on my workout clothes, and with determination went to my first boot camp class this morning. It was so great! Driving back home, that's when the endorphin "high" kicked in, and THAT'S when my excitment and motivation kicked into high gear!

Ok so now for the eating part. That is why I love to start the day with a workout, as it encourages me and I find it easier to eat properly as I don't want to waste all the hard work that I did the morning!

It's going to be a great day!!!

Living life on purpose

Ok.. so for the next year this blog is going to have some changes. I'm feeling the fire inside my belly again, and I'm needing to do something about it. Since moving to Calgary things havn't exactly went the way that my husband and I had planned. So.. putting all that has transpired behind...it's time to move forward. "My beloved spoke and said to me, 'Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me. See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone.'" Song of Songs 2:10-11 (NIV)

Over the next year I will be blogging about my weight loss, getting back in shape journey. Yes I did this before, and now I need to do it again.  I will be turning 39 this Friday July 6. My goal is to be in the best shape of my LIFE by age 40! So my weight loss goal is set at 50 pounds. That will be my high school weight. It took me 2 years to lose 60 pounds last time... I'm determined to lose 50 in 1 year!

My reason for blogging my journey is for a couple of reasons: 1) So I can be accountable.. once I have put it out there I will be accountable to do it! 2) I hope to inspire others, as I will be real,truthful, and raw about the whole journey! I will be posting pictures... (oh fun!)

I can write a whole bunch of quotes right now, but bottom line is that I need to put my own sweat, and tears into this. If anyone has went on a weight loss journey, or any other highly disciplined journey... I'm sure they can attest to how difficult it can be. But easy doesn't bring victory. I have been putting this dream on the back burner for sometime now, and if I want to make this a reality now is the time.

My heart started to race, not with excitement, but with fear when I spoke the amount of weight I wanted to lose out loud to my husband. I started to analyse why I felt that way. I was scared of failure that I wouldn't reach it, I also know how much work is required in order to reach this goal...early mornings, sore muscles,pain,..and worst of all the discipline of eating....am I up for this... YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT!!!!!!

So here we go, I invite you on my 1 year journey. It's very attainable as I only have to lose less than 5 lbs a month. How it all starts is in the MIND....I CAN DO THIS!!!!!!




July 1 2012