Making Time, Taking Time

faciō, facēre, fēcī, factus
to do or to make (construct, fashion, frame, build, erect, produce, compose)

"I have to make time for dieting and exercise."  Beck, Introduction

There aren't any more minutes in my day today than yesterday. I know that I cannot create time. But it is important to make time for the things in our lives that are important. I am working on changing my habits, thoughts, and attitudes towards my body and environment.

And that is going to take time.
It will not happen in an hour, a day, or a week. Or even many weeks it will be a process. I need to commit to this process, to the long haul, and not be discouraged.

I will have to make time.
Time in my day will have to be devoted to doing these new habits. But in addition, there will be some extra time needed in these first weeks to learning and practicing these new habits. And, just as important, I will have to take time and practice for unlearning the bad habits.

It is also humbling to think that I do not know how to lose weight. I don't know how to be a normal weight. If I ever was as an adult, it never was for very long. I will have to LEARN how to do this. Even after all this time, I do not yet have confidence in my abilities. BUT today is a new day. I can learn this language of health and wellness. I can be dedicated student of self stewardship. I will learn how to take care of myself and my body and my household.

Flylady, Babystep 1: Shine Your Sink

Today I am doing a double reboot. I find that my eating habits and mental state tend to be reflected in my environment. So if I am going to clean up my eating habits, it is a good time to clean up my cleaning habits, too. I like the Flylady system, and I find her Babysteps program to be just right for getting on board.

I have shined my sink before, but doing a reboot to get into the groove will be helpful. So after lunch I am going to go the whole nine yards, clean with bleach, scrub it down. By the time school starts in August I will hopefully have made a lot of progress to keeping a well running household.

Advantages Response Card

1. I'll be more attractive and enjoy sexual intimacy more.

2. I'll enjoy activity more: hiking, biking, swimming, running.

3. I'll wear a small size and more stylish clothes.

4. I'll be a better steward of the life God has given me.

5. I'll be taken more seriously professionally.

6. I'll be a better role model for my children, family, and community.

7. I will have succeeded--no shame, no failure.

I will read my cards: in the morning before breakfast and in the evening before dinner. I will set a reminder on my phone. 

Flee as a Bird, FLY Baby

It's official: I'm a FLY Baby.

What?

FLY stands for Finally Loving Yourself, and this is a program to get your life and your home in order so that you can be rescued from CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome).
So: I use Weight Watchers (WW) for my healthy eating and exercise program. And with some other WW people on the message boards, we are reading/learning the Beck Diet Solution. One of her (Dr. Beck) principles is that whenever ever you resist temptations, you strengthen your resistance muscle. On another day, Beck talks about using the "Oh Well" technique. When you encounter something that you just don't want to do with your diet, one way to combat the sabotaging thoughts is to say, "Oh well, I can't do that" and then move on. I think of it as a very kind, but firm way to talk to the inner monster [what some would call the inner child, but I like to reserve the inner child as a positive image, the child of God that we all are].

Beck suggests that this is the same thing we say to ourselves when we automatically do other daily tasks like teeth brushing, getting dressed, and *sirens* keeping our house clean. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh she's funny, that one. I looked around my house. Clutter. More dirt than I care to admit. My Oh Well muscle is shot all to hell.

I mentioned this on the boards, that I needed to work on the housework as a way of strengthening my weight loss program. And of course, while it may not be linked as direct cause and effect, it is still true that when I am in a neat environment, my eating and exercise habits are better. So another person suggested that I try out Fly Lady and here I am. Fly Lady gets you into her program by easing you into her system over 31 days, and then slowly, over time, reinforcing the cleaning, organizing, and lifestyle skills until you have shifted your habits to include basic household cleanliness as a way of being. This is a gift that I want to give to myself and to my family. And her program reminds me a lot of Beck. One day at a time. New habits and skills and fun challenges. Did I mention it's free? Free!

And all of this FLYing has reminded me of one of the best hymns ever written.

Fly, for temptation is near thee. This tune resonates in my heart.

Flee as a Bird

Flee as a bird to your mountain,
Thou who art weary of sin;
Go to the clear-flowing fountain,
Where you may wash and be clean;
Fly, for temptation is near thee,
Call, and the Savior will hear thee;
He on His bosom will bear thee,
O thou who art weary of sin,
O thou who art weary of sin.

He will protect thee forever,
Wipe ev'ry falling tear;
He will forsake thee O never,
Sheltered so tenderly there!
Haste then, the hours are flying,
Spend not the moments in sighing,
Cease from your sorrow and crying,
The Savior will wipe ev'ry tear,
The Savior will wipe ev'ry tear.

He is the bountiful Giver,
Now unto Him draw near,
Peace then shall flow as a river,
Thou shalt be saved from thy fear.
Hark! 'tis thy Savior calling,
Haste, for the twilight is falling,
Flee, for the night is appalling,
And thou shalt be saved from thy fear,
And thou shalt be saved from thy fear.

Come then to Jesus thy Saviour,
He will redeem thee from sin;
Bless with the sense of his favor,
Make thee all glorious within.
Call, for the Saviour is near thee,
Waiting, in mercy to hear thee,
And by his presence to cheer thee,
Oh, thou who art weary of sin.
Oh, thou who art weary of sin.

Oh, 'twill be joy when I see Him!
See Him and hear Him say, come!
Oh, 'twill be joy when I hear Him
Saying, my child, welcome home!
Now thou are free from thy sorrow,
There thou shalt ne'er trouble borrow,
Night never comes nor tomorrow,
With Jesus forever to dwell,
With Jesus forever to dwell.

--Author: Mary Dana Shindler, 1840. Tune: FLEE AS A BIRD
[Most of the hymnals only had two verses, but some had three, and there are different combinations, though always at least the first stanza. For more on this hymn, go to: Hymnary.org ]

I think that this journey I am on to get my "house" in order is something God is calling me to--a clean home and a healthy "caboose." Oh, 'twill be joy when I hear Him saying, "my child, welcome home!"

The sink is shiny clean, y'all.