The first is in the area of weight and fitness. I'm well aware of the shallowness in that and that I've already dedicated way too much blog space lately on the subject. That being said: C'MON, MAN.
I've lost 7 of the 12 lbs I want to lose, but cannot seem to break past this point. I'll usually get to this number and, having had endured dieting for 4-6 weeks already, I'll throw in the towel and gain it all back. I've been at this on and off since November ("off" being pretty much all of December and a good chunk of January), but with slightly more regularity since February and I'm just kinda over it.
At the risk of getting the "just wait" comments, I gotta say I am not at all pleased with what age and this post-baby stage of life has done to my metabolism. I used to be able to reign it in diet-wise for a week or two and jog around the block and the weight would come off. (Okay, that's not entirely true, but I swear this did used to come a little easier.) Now I take one cheat day, or lately, just a cheat MEAL over the weekend, and I spend three to four days getting it back off, which does not equal a lot of progress.
There are a few other areas that I'm feeling these plateaus as well: a couple of different friendships, organization projects around the house, and, the hardest hitting one right now, the neighborhood 5K I'm trying to put together.
I haven't shared a whole lot about the project, but I've been working on it in the background. I can't remember where I left off or what I've already written, so let me give you a quick recap of the timeline:
Late October - I got things rolling and submitted a proposal to the HOA board.
November - I met with the Board and presented the proposal.
Mid-January - I finally heard back from the Board with a green light. Unfortunately, all of the spring dates were booked already with the organization I wanted to partner with. We began to look at Fall, but only two dates were open. Due to an oversight by the race organization, one filled up and we were left with a less-than-desirable mid-November date.
Mid-March - The race organization added a new employee and tons of Fall dates opened up.
Early April - After running it through several channels, a date was chosen: September 26th. Glory be. We secured the a website domain name and got to work on drafting publicity.
Mid April - I submitted an official announcement and two proposed course options to the HOA Board for approval.
Now, if you read in between the lines of the above, you will see some struggle. There have been some serious back and forth and ups and downs and excitement and disappointment over this already. So, when I got an email earlier this week from a Board member stating we needed to talk about "some things that would definitely have to change before the Board could give a thumbs up" you can imagine my discouragement.
Again I say, C'MON MAN.
In my previous life, I was in charge of a lot of volunteers. I recruited them, trained them, and celebrated them. It was my world for a period of time.
Here is one of the many things that I learned during that time: When someone competent is willing to step up and do something for your business/organization/community FOR FREE that falls within its vision/goals/priorities, you do not make it difficult for them. You empower them. You support them, encourage them, and give them the tools they need to succeed. You do not want to make them jump through hoops or micromanage them or make them wish they'd never volunteered in the first place. That is a no-no. Duh, right? That is Managing Volunteers 101.
And yet, that's been my experience and it's all been so...defeating. I feel tired. And the real work of organizing, registering, drumming up sponsorships, etc. has not even begun yet! Ugg.
I was in the mental thick of it Wednesday night and had a hard time sleeping. I was rudely awaken by my alarm at 5:45am Thursday morning. I got dressed and sleepily drove to the gym in the dark. I prayed on the way, asking God to help me push through these walls that seemed to be cropping up everywhere. As I pulled into a parking space, I ended my prayer by asking Him to just give me some signs and encouragement that day. I needed to know He saw my weariness and I needed a "fresh word" as they say in churchspeak.
I walked through the gym doors and immediately noticed a new display of t-shirts for sale. The one in front jumped out at me. It read: "Remember Why You Started."
Huh. That's a coincidence.
I did my workout and drove home to finish getting the kids ready and take Audrey to school. Flipping through the radio channels on the way, I stopped on the local Christian station and heard a song I hadn't heard in awhile. The song was "Our God" by Chris Tomlin and talks about how God is greater, stronger, and higher than any other and that if He is for us (which He is) then no one can ever stop us or stand against us. (Romans 8:31)
Well.
My outlook and mood were starting to slowly shift, thankfully. What really sealed the deal, however, was a devotional I read later that day. The title drew me in immediately. It was so fitting, I actually laughed out loud. It was...get ready...Did I Hear God Wrong?
Perfection. Please stop and read it right now. I could summarize all of the key points, but I wouldn't dare be able to do the great job that Lysa TerKeurst did.
It was everything I needed at the very moment that I needed it. Just as I was wondering whether I'd really been called to do the race...whether I'd misunderstood God's prompts...I received multiple signs and a breath of fresh air from Him that renewed my resolve. Obedience to God rarely means walking an easy path. It's a road full of valleys, peaks, and a few plateaus, but oh, the view at the next level is worth it.
Stay tuned for more race news and in the meantime, please pray for favor and support from the HOA Board!
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