Gracious and Gentle

Losing weight is hard. Like really, really hard. It’s harder than I want it to be. I’ve got an endomorphic body: lots of curves, puts on weight easily, and releases weight slowly (very, very slowly). I’m working hard at it, but it can still be discouraging.

My food accountability partner (who happens to be a wonderful friend and sister-in-law as well) said something this morning that really stuck with me: “we need to be more gracious and gentle with ourselves.”

I’d love to be losing 2lbs a week. I think it’s a healthy rate of weight loss. And yet, it may not happen. No matter how well I eat and how often I exercise, my body may not release the fat that quickly. That makes me mad; really, really angry. I don’t want to be patient.

I want to be at a healthy weight NOW.

Here’s my weight loss chart. It’s trending down and that’s a reason to celebrate. Another reason to celebrate? I spent the last week traveling and I made good food choices!

I am choosing to show myself grace. I am working hard to get healthy and lose weight. The results will follow even if it takes what feels like forever. This verse resonates with me:

[source]

God loves me when I am overweight. God will still love me when I lose the weight. God will love me no matter how quickly I do it. God shows me grace in the midst of it all: his unconditional love is a gift that keeps me motivated through the discouraging times.

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This is a post in the 31 Days of Grace series.

Dear Dad: Valentine’s Day

Dear Dad:

I’ve never been a huge celebrater of Valentine’s Day; you and mom did a great job of demystifying such a silly holiday. Today just feels different – somehow this “holiday” is making me miss you more than Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Every year, you always found the silliest cards and filled them with affirmations and words of encouragement. I still have a little Snoopy valentine; I’m pretty sure it came with a lollipop stuck inside. You always knew exactly what I needed to feel loved.

Keith is probably the only guy on the face of the Earth that wishes his wife were more romantic. I got him a little something from Costco (that’s where everybody gets romantic gifts, right?!) and accidentally left them out on the counter. His first gift was something sweet: dried mangoes that are super addicting. The other was a symbol of our love and how I feel about him: the movie Baby Mama. After all, I am his baby’s mama. :)

In all seriousness, today I’m thinking about that conversation we had in August after the chemo toxicity scare. You were adamant in making sure I understood that I couldn’t do anything to make you love me any more. I was so touched that it was so important to you that I know that you love me unconditionally. I will always be thankful for the depth of your love.

I was comforted by this verse that Mom sent this morning:

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100:5

Your faithfulness to God was obvious to all of us and God was equally faithful to you. Your love and faithfulness for me has helped me to understand just how big God’s love is for me and there’s nothing I can do for him to love me any less.

Celebrating today with my little Valentine and so thankful for the ways he reminds me of you.

Love you, Dad.

Rebecca