Saturday, April 28, 2012

Saturday Smiles

On Saturday, I post about a couple of things that have made me smile during the last week.
*****

1) My Fitness Pal

I have been very unhappy with my weight lately...  With my health so crazy over the last four years I've gained way more weight than I had any business doing.  I weighed as much as I did when I was pregnant with Abigail!  That's ridiculous.
So, I've started using My Fitness Pal. It's easy, because it keeps track of what I'm eating and doing.  I just type in what I've eaten and it keeps track of the calories I eat and the calories I work off with exercise.  Honestly, I probably sound like a commercial!  But I've discovered something that has really works with me and for me.
So far, I've lost 6 pounds and I've only been tracking my activity for about 10 days.  I'm looking forward to seeing how it keeps going!  I'm enjoying using my body again, and I'm surprised at the amount of calories I was eating.  Blech.  Not hard to pass on something when I know how much fat I'll have to burn off!

2) This week is over!

I worked extra time this week because this was the week of reading tests.  We do something called the AIMSweb test in our school district, and it involves listening to every child in our school read for three minutes.  We use it to pin-point the kids that need extra attention and tutoring. 
The test is administered three times a school year- once in the fall, once in January, and finally in the Spring.  Repeating the test allows us to track the students who need help, and determine if they are getting the assistance they need.  Sometimes we'll switch the kind of tutoring they are getting if it is not helping, or sometimes we'll see that the student has improved so much they don't need extra reading assistance.
I got a lot of extra hours this week, but came home wasted every night.  However, I LOVE seeing my students improve over the course of the school year, and we saw a lot of good stuff this time around.

3)  First Presbyterian Church of Fairbanks

We are publicly joining our church tomorrow.  Joining is a huge step and we are both very sure God is pleased with our decision.  It has taken a long time for us to be sure of what we were doing and where God wanted us. 
We had attended Friends Church (a non-denominational church) here in Fairbanks for the last couple of years, mostly to hide & heal after the debacle at our prior church.  When we had healed sufficiently enough to want to get involved we discovered there really wasn't any place for us to get involved. 
Plus, our girls really hated church there- the children's program is very chaotic with little consistency.  There were new teachers every Sunday and the girls would spend half their Kid's Church time coloring pictures.  Honestly, they'd cry & beg every Sunday to not go.  Jake & I decided it was too important for them to at least LIKE church for us to stay there.
So we prayed about it, and our visiting missionary friend, Donna S. suggested we try 1st. Pres., which is pretty funny 'cuz Jake & I grew up Southern Baptists.  We'd heard that Presbyterians were soft on truth & the Bible & obeying Jesus, and long on allowing all sorts of non-Biblical ridiculous stuff.  Guess what?  Not true.
1st Pres is actively involved in sharing the truth and love of Jesus with the world.  They are involved with the homeless in downtown Fairbanks, and I'm delighted to be known as someone who attends this church.  They preach the gospel message- how Jesus died for love of us and took the sins of humanity upon Himself so that we could have eternity with Him in heaven. 
The Children's Ministry is dynamic and alive, and we are delighted to entrust our children & their love of Jesus & the truth with them.  We have a dedicated Children's Minister who is involved in the kid's lives and knows them.  They enjoy going, and happily participate in anything when their church family is going to be there.
Jake & I are involved with the worship ministry and a Life-Group.  I foresee other ministry opportunities opening up for us in the future.



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