Week One

Well after my first week back on Weight Watchers I am pleased to report a 1.5 lb loss. I feel good and back in control of my eating and not the other way around.
I am enjoying planning menus and eating good home cooked food.
So 7.5lb in 3 weeks. Hmmmmm.
I have had a slight downer this week though. I went to give blood on Tuesday night. I haven't given blood for 18 months due to sheer laziness and I was all ready to go. I feel healthy, hadn't taken any medication etc etc so it came to my finger prick test.
A drop of blood is supposed to sink in 15 seconds in the magic solution if it's Iron content is high enough. Mine sank in over 30. Not good. So the lovely nurse took blood out of my arm and put it on a machine that reads your Iron level. 120. Apparently between 120 and 140 is a good range for women, but to donate blood it had to be 125.
So I left, with a full arm of blood, feeling dejected and bought some vitamins the next day.
I now have to wait 4 months.
Man that's annoying!
H x

Wednesday: Weight Watchers and Weird Films

Well I went back. A week later than planned but I got there. It was a new meeting to me, in a new place and on a new day. I was nervous. Being a re-joiner is odd. It's a good thing because I've realised I need to stop my slide up the scales but not so good that I let it happen in the first place. Anyway I needn't have worried too much, the leader is Sarah, who was leading my Warlingham meeting when I got to goal! As I queued to pay (yes I have to that again) Sarah saw me, and came over to say hi. It was so nice to be welcomed. Anyway. I am 9lb over my goal weight and I have 4 weeks to get back to it to obtain that star! The heat is on......

After staying to the meeting I was really motivated and went home to a yummy meal of Tacos, to start date night. This week is Cubs half term so we took advantage of Orange Wednesdays and went to the Cinema. Now James and I are not film buffs, but the cinema is always fun.

Or at least confusing. We went to see 'No Country for Old Men.' Other people had told us this film should be seen and it is Oscar nominated. It was odd, and uncomfortable. I think it was a good film. I certainly didn't get bored. You can go and read plot synopses and reviews elsewhere so I won't go into it. I am not sure I understood it, although perhaps I wasn't supposed to. It's the sort of film I think I need to discuss over a pint! James didn't get it either. But despite all this I think I am glad I saw it, although I don't think I liked it!

Hannah

Worship

MY TROUBLED SOUL, why so weighed down?

You were not made to bear this heavy load.

Cast all Your burdens upon the Lord;

Jesus cares, He cares for you.

Jesus cares, He cares for you.

And all your worrying Won’t help you make it through.

Cast all your burdens upon the Lord.

And trust again in the promise of His love.

I will praise the mighty name of Jesus,

Praise the Lord, the lifter of my head.

Praise the Rock of my salvation,

All my days are in His faithful hands.

My anxious heart, why so upset?

When trials come, how you so easily forget

To cast your burdens upon the Lord;

Jesus cares, He cares for you.

Robert CritchleyCopyright © 2001 Thankyou Music

Dan preached on A Worshipping Life on Sunday night. And we sang this song at the end of the service. And as we sang the Holy Spirit reminded me once again that its not about me, it's all about Him, and it gets better: Every single one of my days are in God's hands, good, bad, ugly, fun, difficult, grey, sunny, sad and happy. He's got them. Everyone. Hooray!

I love the image of God being the lifter of my head, just gently drawing my vision and my sight line from my feet scuffing along the floor to a wider view where the sun pours in and the wonder of creation astounds me once again.

It was the Alpha Holy Spirit Day on Saturday, which I joined for the morning. The Holy Spirit is something I find confusing so it was good to explore some things about it. It was a shame to miss the afternoon but I had a prior date with some Warriors. I was thinking especially about fruits and gifts of the Spirit, exploring a bit more about Hospitality. Every time I pray about hospitality I get a picture of my new house. Be interesting to see how that pans out. I have also been thinking about being filled with the Holy Spirit and how the Spirit works in people. On Sunday evening I asked the Holy Spirit to help me Worship, to dedicate my life to God again, to help me reflect God's worth in my day to day life. It's a tough one, but at Alpha last night and this morning in our Bible reading I have had answers, along with more to think about. I am enjoying how Alpha is refreshing my faith, and God as always is holding my hand, lifting my head and helping me along the way. H x

Valentine's Day

I don't do Valentine's Day but I do do Chocolate Fudge Cake.
James I love you.
Hannah x

Re-Start

• This evening I am re-starting WeightWatchers. There are a couple of reasons:

My jeans are tight. They are also falling apart. I don't want to buy a new pair in a bigger size. When I was Weightwatching last time I promised myself I would never own a pair of FAT jeans again.

• I know I weigh over my goal weight. I got to goal on 15th March last year. If I am at goal or below on 15th March this year then I get a little star to add to my keyring. If I missed out due to sheer lazines I would hate myself.


• I want to look good in a bikini this summer. I don't love my body right now, but I know why and only I have the power to change this. So I am going to.


• Moonwalking will be easier if there is less of me to carry! I found that as I lost weight running became easier. I am using the same theory for walking.

I have tried to follow Weight Watchers without going to meetings but I am the queen of lying to myself. I need to go to meetings for a while, set myself a new goal and just do it.

and if one person says 'Don't be silly you don't need to lose any more weight.' I am going to smile, say thank you and then ignore them.

Hannah

New Blog

http://moonwalkingsisters.blogspot.com/

It's in addition to this one. Check it out x

Lent Promises

Today is shrove Tuesday, or pancake day!
"The reason that pancakes are associated with the day preceding Lent is that the 40 days of Lent form a period of liturgical fasting, during which only the plainest foodstuffs may be eaten. Therefore, rich ingredients such as eggs, milk, and sugar are disposed of immediately prior to the commencement of the fast. Pancakes and doughnuts were therefore an efficient way of using up these perishable goods, besides providing a minor celebratory feast prior to the fast itself."
This year I am using Lent as a re-start and re-fresh. I am making three promises:
1. I am not going to eat Chocolate. Since before Christmas my weight has been creeping back on. This scares me and I need a big kick up the bottom and to restart Weight Watchers with a commitment. Chocolate is an occasional treat that has been becoming a lot less occasional. I don't need it. I am going to stop eating it until Easter
2. I am not going to eat Biscuits. They are my downfall. I am incapable of having just one. They give me short term pleasure and long term displeasure. I am not going to eat any until Easter.
3. I am giving up Facebook. I once again have an unhealthy relationship with it. I use it at work and at home. I spend far too long on it and check it over and over again. It is boredom driven. I have tried telling myself not to but my resolve has been poor. When I was skiing I had no desire to check Facebook. This shows me that I can live well without it. I am going to deactivate my account and when Easter comes I will think about logging back on.

So what am I going to do instead. Well whenever I want to eat chocolate or biscuits I am going to drink water. I am going to find a skinny picture of me and focus on it. I might also put the Moonwalk logo on my noticeboard too as a reminder that it will be easier to walk 26.2 miles if there is less of me to carry! Whenever I want to log into Facebook I am going to pray. I am going to refocus on God and his plan for me.

And throughout Lent I'll be blogging. So stay in touch? Hannah x

What am I supposed to do?

I went away to Carroty Wood this weekend, cooking with James, for Connexions youth group. 6 meals for thirty four people in the space of 43 hours. A challenge but not an impossible one. I am lighter in spirit than I was this time last year, and think that is as a result of a closer and more honest walk with God and with my husband.

I spent alot of time thinking about what God wants me to do. Not for a job, but what my gifts are, and how I should be showing His love.

This was partly borne out of the cooking! I enjoy cooking for people, and caring for people, making tea, and baking cakes. At the weekend I was glad that me cooking meant that everyone ate well, and that the other leaders had time to lead, and talk and take part. The more people said thank you, the more I thought about hospitality as a gift, and whether it is mine.

My thinking was extended by the very exciting news that James and I have had an offer accepted on a house. Yes we are about to buy our first home, as long as everything goes smoothly. It's lovely, and I will tell you more about it once we have exchanged contracts and I can call it 'Our New Home.' So I got to thinking about how I would like our home to be a place where people feel welcome, feel they can ring the bell and come in and have a cup of tea anytime without having to make a date to do so. I want our new home to be a place where our marriage grows, and strengthens, and where God can grow in us and strengthen us. Where people come for food regularly, and don't stand on ceremony but eat well, drink well and relax. I want it to be a home of love, between me and my husband, and between us and our community.

I am sure that God's hand is on this house already, after all he found it for us just at the right time, and He will see it through. As long as we let Him his hand will remain there and His love will grow there, and I will learn how to show it in the best way.

Hannah x

Date Night

Once a week James and I try to have an evening or a weekend afternoon to ourselves. Us time, marriage time or date night. They all mean the same thing. Sometimes we go to the pub, for a walk, for dinner, to an exhibition. Sometimes we stay in for a meal. Last night we went to the cinema.
We went to see St. Trinians, shockingly this was also James' choice! The cinema was empty, which takes away a bit from the shard experience atmosphere but does mean you get to pick you seats, and reduces the chance of a chatting, chopping or rustling neighbour.
The film was fun and frivolous, which was perfect for the mood I was in. I did find myself with my face screwed up for the first ten minutes, no doubt sub consciously replaying some of my worst school days. I liked some of the more subtle jokes: "I think Mr Darcy likes you", as the dog humps Colin Firth's leg! and when Kelly introduces Annabella to one of the groups as Goths: "We're not goth, we're emo" Rupert Everett was perfect as Carnaby and Camilla Fritton. My favourite scene was the Trafalgar Square scene with the whole school walking up the steps to the national gallery. Big Ben in the background stood at 7 O'Clock, and I found myself wondering what it would have been like to be in Trafalgar Square that summer morning!
Go and see it if you want and easy film with some laughs and a mixture of new and old faces. Oh and the delicious Russell Brand.
Watching it gave me an idea. I am going to a lookalike party soon, what do you reckon to me going as Head Girl Kelly? (have a look at the picture)
H x