The Four Keys To A Successful Resolution (or Lifestyle Change)

People tend to make many mistakes when it comes to making New Year's resolutions each year. I thought I would give a little advice on how to make a "resolution" (I prefer "lifestyle change") that will last the entire year and beyond. My end of the year gift to you...

Key #1 - Be Specific

The first mistake is that most people make general resolutions, "I will lose weight", "I will quit smoking", etc...

Instead of saying, "I will lose weight", trying being more specific like "I will lose 50lbs". Instead of saying, "I will quit smoking", try "I will quit smoking in 6 months".
Being specific will give you a goal to shoot for. Best quote I heard on the subject of goals was, "Aim for nothing and you will hit it every time."

#2 - Be Reasonable

Another mistake people make with New Year's resolutions is that they go too far in their expectations or aspirations. When making a resolution (or "lifestyle change") be reasonable (or realistic). Don't say things like, "I will lose 100lbs in 6 months," or "I will run a marathon by the end of the year" (knowing full well the last time you ran was in high school).

Shoot for things like, "I will lose and maintain a 1lb loss a week", or "I will train to run 2 miles non-stop in 6 months". These are both specific and realistic or attainable.

#3 - Be Measurable

Your resolution (or "lifestyle change") should be specific and reasonable, it should also be measurable. Weight loss is obvious, for smoking my dad actually came up with "cigarettes not smoked" and "hours added to life" as his measurements for his lifestyle change. Looking for a new job? How about "resumes sent out" or "responses received".

With my weight loss, I had the scale as a measurement but also had what I call "non-scale victories". Buying clothes from a regular store and not a specialty store or catalog, walking for 2.5mi without huffing, riding a bike again, sitting in a restaurant booth - things that I could not have done when I was heavier.

#4 - Be Committed
This is probably the most important key to any lifestyle change. You have to be committed to making that change no matter what. Fall off the wagon? Then don't wallow in self-pity, get back up and get right back on track. The longer you stay in that self-pity mode, the harder it is to get right back on track.

People are amazed (and think I am crazy) when I tell them that I wake up at 3am 5 days a week to exercise. I do more before 7am then a lot of people do all day. I jog almost 3 miles, bike (weather-permitting) 3.5 miles, and then use an exercise program for 30 minutes. I'm not crazy, I am committed to this lifestyle change, case closed.

I'm no ironman, I've fallen off the wagon many times. Like today I weighed in and found that I gained 5lbs over the past month. news like that a few years ago would have found me in a shame spiral and a 'heck with this' attitude. I indulged for the holidays, I allowed myself that luxury so that I did not become so over-sensitive on what I was eating that it thrashed my entire lifestyle change. I look back, see that it was a once-a-year indulgence and look forward to getting right back on track. Does that bum me out a little? Sure, but I look at what I have lost overall - the weight equivalent of my wife and son combined. And that was done due to commitment and faith, not by surgery or pills or fad diets.

The success of any lifestyle change hinges on commitment. If you aren't committed, the lifestyle change you pursue will ultimately fail.

I hope these keys will help you make some positive changes to your lifestyle in 2007!

Reflections...

"It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory." - W. Edwards Deming


This morning I was reflecting on my eating pattern yesterday. The office had a luncheon and I induldged maybe a little too much. I thought I would be alright with eating a small salad when I got home for dinner, but found myself mindlessly munching the evening away.

I thought about the old me - the one who would have given up. I think about this guy that works in my office building, maybe late 40's early 50's. He looks as though he weighs in at close to 500lbs and needs a cane to walk. Takes him 5 or so minutes to get in and out of his vehicle everyday and has to park in the customer parking area. That could have been me. Actually I would have been much larger than he is now with the path I was going down.

Sometimes I wonder about people like that. Wonder why they haven't been hit on the head with the revelation that changing one's lifestyle, although sometimes painful, is one of the most freeing feelings that one could experience.

That's why in January I am going to start working harder on getting my public speaking off the ground. I know that my story could inspire many others to change their lives for the better. It breaks my heart every time I see an overweight person have to stop walking and sit, or stop because they are huffing so hard.

Think of me and wish me well...


On a side note, this has not been shared with too many people so keep it under your hat for now. My wife just turned in our formal application to begin the adoption process of (hopefully) a little girl from either Russia, the Ukraine, or Uzbekistan. We have been trying for the past 2 years without success and the doctors both concurred that we are fertile, just with a mix of health issues the chances of pregnancy are slim and nil. The cost is going to be around $35,000 and we were approved for a $20,000 loan. I am trying hard to come up with ways of making some money so that we can pay back the loan promptly and not have to go into debt to bring Analise Elizabeth home. If anyone has ideas, feel free to post or email me....


"Our only security is our ability to change." - John Lilly

Depression & Seasonal Affective Disorder

"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."
- Bill Cosby


An interesting thing my doctor mentioned to me when I was in for my physical a couple of weeks ago. Told me to take vitamin D supplements, it apparently helps to combat "Seasonal Affective Disorder" which becomes rather rampant up here in Michigan since we don't receive enough sunlight. SAD is described as:

"Throughout the centuries, poets have described a sense of sadness, loss and lethargy which can accompany the shortening days of fall and winter. Many cultures and religions have winter festivals associated with candles or fire. Many of us notice tiredness, a bit of weight gain, difficulty getting out of bed and bouts of "the blues" as fall turns to winter."

One of the ways people combat this is by using UV "light boxes" for an hour or so a day. This concentrated UV light stimulates the skin to produce vitamin D natural sunlight would.

Of course UV light has been known to cause skin cancer, so the alternative would be to add vitamin D supplements to your diet. I have been recommended to take 2000 units and the supplements that include calcium.

So if you are feeling a little depressed or "blah", give your body a boost with some vitamin D...




"There is no failure. Only feedback." - Robert Allen

Christmas Diet???

"We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action." - Frank Tibolt


I recently came across this article while perusing Fark.com. Scientists in New Zealand are claiming that it isn't realistic to start a diet around the holidays and expect to stick with it. I tend to disagree to a point.

I think that you can start a diet (I really hate that term, rather like "lifestyle change" instead) at any time of the year. To make it successful and ongoing takes commitment. Commitment has been the most important key for me in my journey. I have fallen off the wagon, had months of no progress as far as the weight goes, but I continue on because I have committed in my heart that I will stick with it. No commitment = failure.

Sure the holidays are tempting with the cakes, candy, sweets, nuts, and other favorites, but if you resign yourself to the fact that you need to indulge a little - your chances of success will increase.

The goal of the holiday season is to maintain your lifestyle change, it took a few friends on ASD (thanks to The Historian especially) for me to truly understand this concept. Once I got the message, the worries of over-indulging and ending up in a shame spiral began to disappear. Just need my accountability partner to understand that concept...

"All know the way; few actually walk it." - Bodhidharma

Matty's Monthly Update - November 2006

Well another holiday has come and gone. Hard to believe that another year on my weight loss journey is close to the end. Lots of memories and lots of things to look forward to as well.

To get the weight out of the way, no gain/no loss. Staying steady at 251lbs, which to think about Thanksgiving and the few days that followed where I fell off the wagon - this is a good thing. I need to take time to re-group after Christmas and come up with a more effective attack plan to kick-start the weight loss again.

Some more exciting things happened this month, I wound up in the Grand Rapids Press twice this past month. One time I was a part of their 'Vital Signs' column where they pick someone that has changed their lifestyle in a healthy way. The second ended up on the front page of the Lakeshore Grand Rapids Press on Thanksgiving Day:

http://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-8/1164268436145990.xml?grpress?NELK&coll=6

It was a well-received article, I even got phone calls and comments from some of our agency's clients...

I also recently completed my 10th speech for Toastmasters (www.toastmasters.org), which gives me the designation of Certified ToastMaster. I am excited about this and the continuing journey through the club. It has helped me immensely in my pursuit of becoming a public speaker.

My webshow, "The Fattening of America" is gaining momentum (www.youtube.com/user/phatteningphilms), I have had over 100 hits on several episodes and even a couple of subscribers. I hope to keep this project going to get my message out there to inspire others...

I saw my doctor for the first time in a year yesterday. He was very impressed and relayed that all of my lab work came out near perfect. Cholesterol, sodium, protein, calcium, blood sugar were all in the optimal ranges. My blood pressure came in at 116/60, which was excellent. He had commented on the articles and mentioned that now that I had such noteriety, I have no choice but to keep going. How right he is...
Well, that's another month! Thank you all again for being a part of my support system!

Matty (I weighed more than Jared from Subway)
481/251/225(starting weight/current weight/goal weight)

First mini goal achieved - 104lbs lost 10/26/04Second mini goal achieved - 137lbs lost 01/28/05Third mini goal achieved - 183lbs lost 09/30/05Fourth mini goal achieved - 204lbs total lost 01/30/06Fifth mini goal achieved - 233lbs total lost by 08/31/06Sixth mini goal - 256lbs total lost by 02/24/2007

Post-Turkey Day Blues

"People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas." - Author Unknown


Yep. Tried hard to stick with the plan of attack that I blogged about last time as far as the Thanksgiving festivities were concerned. The thing is, one day of splurging turned into another and snowballed into a long weekend of going over in calories. But today is a new day, a new beginning.

Before I would have given up and said "screw this" and ate myself into even more misery. But I am determined to get back on track today. Holidays come and go, but my lifestyle change is for the rest of my life.

Some say that the holidays are some of the worst times to start a "diet" or lifestyle change. Well, there is no time like the present. I am not an ironman, I am just a regular guy that decided to get back up and press on instead of wallowing in self-pity.

You can make the choice today to press on or wallow. I hope you choose to press on...



"Clogged with yesterday's excess, the body drags the mind down with it." - Horace


Matty



PS - Was on the front page of the Lakeshore edition of the Grand Rapids Press:

http://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-8/1164268436145990.xml?grpress?NELK&coll=6

Enjoy!

Tips for Turkey Day

"Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence." - Erma Bombeck

Tips for Turkey Day...

Americans consume around 18lbs of turkey each year, much of it during the Thansgiving and Christmas holidays. The average American packs away 4500cal, which is about twice their daily consumption.

Thanksgiving is about family, giving thanks for the blessings we receive, and the food. Here are some tips to enjoy the day without over-doing it:

1) Get some exercise in the morning - go for a walk or a bike ride. The exercise will help to jumpstart your metabolism in preparation for the big meal.

2) Eat breakfast - most people skip breakfast, wanting to save room for the turkey and trimmings. This leads to over-eating and uncomfortable feelings later in the day. A bagel or bowl of cereal, or even a piece of fruit would help.

3) Have an appetizer - have some appetizers but don't gorge yourself on them. My family tends to go overboard in the appetizer area, so try to limit yourself.

4) Try a little of everything - don't fill up your plate with mounds of turkey and stuffing or mashed potatoes. Put a little of everything on your plate and ENJOY the food.

5) Wait on going for seconds - give your stomach time to process what you've already eaten. This will hopefully cut down on the bloating and nausea caused by over-eating. Remember, leftover turkey and stuffing is better the second day!

Enjoy the day, but don't make gorging on the food your primary focus...

"For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

The surgery, for/against?

To tell you the truth, I am not for or against having gastric bypass surgery. I just decided for myself that it wasn't for me. I realized that I would have to change my lifestyle anyway and why not try to do that on my own and avoid the pain & expense of the surgery.

I bring this up on 2 points, the first is that one of my wife's friends (and in turn my friend) had mentioned to her that she was considering the surgery. And to that I offer this advice:

1) Do research. Do a Google search on the pros/cons of having the surgery. Look up blogs or webpages of people that have had the surgery. There are going to be some slanted views, but dig through all the mess and pick up answers to the questions that you have. Their blogs/pages may bring up new questions that you may not have thought of.

2) Go to the orientation. Most gastric/bypass clinics have orientation meetings to discuss what the procedure is, how it works, and what to expect. Bring someone with you that does not have a "vested" interest in you (no blood relatives or wife/husband), someone hopefully objective that can help you keep a handle on the information provided.

3) Talk it out with your doctor and your spouse/family. You need to make an informed decision. All of these people are important to making this decision as this decision means the rest of your life.

The second point was in response to a repeat of MTV's "True Life" I saw yesterday entitled, "I am obese" which followed the lives of 3 obese people:

Amy- 615lbs, planned on having gastric bypass (uses a wheelchair to get around)

Corey- 400lbs, thinks that the gastric by-pass will solve all his problems by forcing him to change his lifestyle

Frances- 215lbs, Happy to be overweight and strives to be a model/diva for large women

I felt for Amy, she could barely get around her apartment - a prisoner of sorts. She had the surgery and lost over 500lbs. Her website does tout the fact that the surgery isn't for everyone and that it was only a tool for weightloss. I must admit, though - she is looking awfully pale and sickly. Possibly due to lack of nutrients and vitamins (malnutrition), which is a consideration to take under advisement when deciding on the surgery.

People like Corey think that the surgery will be a breeze and it will be his magic bullet cure to turn him into the slim, good-looking dude he wants to be. Unfortunately I think that Corey will (if he hasn't already - this was filmed in 2004) be one of the failures - one of the ones that will stretch out the pouch and actually gain weight back. His heart isn't (or wasn't) into making that change for good.

Again, I am not for/against the surgery - I just ask that people do the research and make an informed decision.

Moderation...

"Even nectar is poison if taken to excess." - Hindu Proverb


The world and everything in it is here for us to enjoy. Smells, tastes, sounds, textures, everything has a beauty and an innate sense of well-being. No food or other object is inherently evil or bad, it's how the object is used that garners the connotation of being bad or evil.

Alcohol, for example, if taken in moderation is a wonderful thing. I do enjoy a frosty Guinness from time to time, but I know that too much can not only cause weight gain (@ 15ocal for 12oz) and other problems, both physical and mental.

Money, in another example, is not evil. The bible even states this, "For the love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. " 1Tim 6:10, NLT

In our own walk to losing weight, we need to remember that food isn't the enemy - it's the indulgence to excess. Have a food that you know you cannot stop eating? Walk away for a while until you get to a point where you have confidence to be able to eat one or two. It's all about control...




"Be moderate in order to taste the joys of life in abundance." - Epicurus

Matty's Monthly Update - October 2006

It's that time again. Fall is officially here and winter is definitely right around the corner. Mowed my lawn for the last time yesterday, a sad day indeed. I am looking forward to winter, ready to get the workouts from snow shoveling.

We went out and purchased a digital scale for our home, the doctor's office that I usually weigh in at still has not gotten theirs fixed (going on 2 months now). I believe it to be fairly accurate and will be using this month's weigh-in figure as the baseline for subsequent weigh-ins. I topped the scale today at 251lbs, which is definitely the wrong direction. A 3lb gain over the past 2 months, which isn't too bad but still is not acceptable.

I have increased my jogging to 5 days a week and increased the distance by a 1/4 of a mile to 2.75mi. I am thinking on adding a walk in the evenings to the schedule, my puppy (BIG puppy) Celine probably could use a workout and since I will get the major exercise out of the way during the day I can slow my pace for her in the evenings.

A few other plusses to add to my monthly report:

- I received a letter from the Surgeon General of Michigan commending me on my weightloss and an offer to be an article in a "Michigan Steps Up" newsletter. I forwarded my contact information, so we will see how that pans out. (see http://photos.yahoo.com/mvanderplow for scans of the letter and other awards)

- I was recently honored by the West Michigan Character First! Council for my weightloss efforts. I received a recognition award for self-control. I ended up in the paper:

http://hollandsentinel.com/stories/101306/local_20061013008.shtml

(username: hatereg password: 123456)

- Nancy was gracious enough to pass my name and information on to a contact at the Grand Rapids Press. I have an interview set for next week, it will be a part of the health and fitness column with a chance for the article to be a front page story on the Lakeshore edition!

- A few weekends ago I had the chance to be a part of the Toastmasters area humorous speech contest. It was an exciting and interesting opportunity and I won 2nd place with a chance to compete in the southwest division contest in Portage, MI. Unfortunately I cannot attend, but just having the opportunity to go is enough for me.

- My YouTube video project is in full swing, I've been posting episodes of my web show "The Fattening of America" and they have created quite a stir, garnering between 50 and 70 viewings so far. I have also posted my latest speech on accountability, feel free to check them out:

http://www.youtube.com/user/phatteningphilms

- I have 6 speeches under my belt at Toastmasters with 4 more to go before I receive my CTM designation (hopefully I will receive that before the end of the year!). Toastmasters has been invaluable towards my path of becoming an inspirational speaker. Check them out:

http://www.toastmasters.org

- The date is set for my first paying gig as a motivational speaker. I have been added to the winter catalog of events for Holland Hospital, which should be printing shortly. Of course the pay is in the form of a gift certificate, but hey not too bad for my first gig!

Keep me and my family in your thoughts and prayers, I have a few health items to deal with and have been overwhelmed by the attention I have gotten for my efforts. Pray for direction and also for more speaking engagements to come through, if you know of any organization looking for a motivational or inspirational speaker, my email is mattyspeaks@yahoo.com.



Matty (I weighed more than Jared from Subway)481/251/225(starting weight/current weight/goal weight)

First mini goal achieved - 104lbs lost 10/26/04Second mini goal achieved - 137lbs lost 01/28/05Third mini goal achieved - 183lbs lost 09/30/05Fourth mini goal achieved - 204lbs total lost 01/30/06Fifth mini goal achieved - 233lbs total lost by 08/31/06Sixth mini goal - 256lbs total lost by 02/24/2007

Looking forward...

"No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven." Phil 3:13,14 NLT


Got a digital scale last night. Needed to as the scale I use at the doctor's office has been broken for the past 3 weeks. My worst fears have been confirmed, I gained 7lbs over the past 7 weeks. I know again that I really cannot compare readings between the two scales, but I tend to think that this is an accurate reading since it is in line with what the traditional beam scales showed.

Having this scale is going to be a good thing. I will be able to monitor my weekly progress, on my fitness program loading screen it said that in a study 75% of those who weighed weekly maintained their weight loss.

Am I a little, teensy bit depressed? Sure, but I will continue to press on towards the goal...

CHARACTER FIRST

http://www.hollandsentinel.com/stories/101306/local_20061013008.shtml





"SELF-CONTROL: Character First representative Nancy DeBoer, right, presents Matthew Vander Plow with a certificate of recognition for self-control Thursday morning. Vander Plow was recognized for his two-year weight control effort, resulting in the loss of more than 200 pounds without the use of drugs or surgery."

From the Department of Community Health

Mr. Vander Plow,
Thank you so much for writing to the Governer about your great accomplishments using lifestyle changes, and further, for offering to reach others as an "ambassador" for Michigan Steps Up.

Governer Granholm and I extend to you our heartfelt congratulations, Matthew. That you have been able to lose 230lbs by moving more and eating better - two of the three "pillars" of Michigan Steps Up - is truly remarkable. I am not surprised that Richard Simmons as well as your local newspaper have chosen to honor you.

The fact is: you already are an ambassador for Michigan Steps Up, in how you are living your life each day and setting such an inspiring example for others. But we do want to take you up on your offer to do more! With your permission, we would like to consider you as a personal story for an upcoming profile in our Michigan Steps Up newsletter, Steps Up-To-Date.

I have already passed along your letter and media clips to my Communications Coordinator, Tiffany Baker, who will be in touch with you about the next steps. If you would, could you please send a convenient email address and/or phone number to **** or contact my office at **** with this information?

Again, many thanks for all you are doing for your own health, and by example, for the health of countless Michigan residents. Thank you for writing!


Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom, MD, MS
Michigan Surgeon General
Michigan Department of Community Health

Fall is definitely here. Downtown Holland is decked out with pumpkins, hay bales, & cornstalks. It's getting a bit chillier on my 4am jogs as well, I may need to break out my winter hat and gloves if it gets much colder.

To get the bad stuff out of the way first, I was unable to get a weigh-in number this month due to the fact that the scale I use for my weigh-ins was in need of repair. Hopefully they will have it fixed soon so I can check my weight. They did have a traditional sliding-weight scale, but I cannot compare those numbers to the electronic scale (as I think it was in need of calibration).

On the other side of things I have several exciting things to report:

* I had recently sent a letter to the mayor of Holland explaining my weight loss efforts and how on my noon walks I noticed so many lovely things about the city. From the changing seasons on the Window on the Waterfront, to the wonderful Victorian architecture in many of the historic homes. I thought that the city could benefit from taking a day to check out their own neighborhoods and had asked the mayor to dedicate September 28th as "Walk Your Neighborhood Day".
I met with the mayor in person this past Monday, where he proceeded to present a proclamation stating that September 28th would indeed be "Walk Your Neighborhood Day" in Holland. I have scanned a copy of it into my photo album on Yahoo.

* I was recently contacted by the events coordinator for Holland Hospital and was asked to speak publicly about my weight loss as a part of their winter catalog of events. I was absolutely floored! Of course I would do it!

* This past Tuesday I entered my Toastmasters International group's humorous speech contest. To my surprise, my speech entitled - "The See Food Diet", won first place! And now apparently I have the opportunity to compete in an area speaking contest among the winners of the 4 other area Toastmasters International groups. i have scanned a copy of that award as well.

* I also have to honor of being presented with an award in a few weeks from the West Michigan Character Council, a group that meets to discuss character-building and recognize those in the area that have shown character.

* I have also launched a new project on YouTube that I have titled "PhatteningPhilms". I will be posting videos of my speeches as well as starting a bi-weekly show called, "The Fattening of America", where I hope to share some of the bizarre and misleadings things I have come across in my weight loss journey - www.youtube.com/user/phatteningphilmsI have two videos up now with more to come...

Lots of positive things going on, I truly feel blessed.Yesterday was a very special day for me and my wife Brenda. 10 years ago yesterday we were pronounced man and wife. Bren has been a great wife, mother, supporter, & friend. Honestly I cannot say where I would be today without her love and support. She truly deserves much more than I could ever give her. Happy Anniversary, Bren...

Feel free to check out some of the photos from that magical day:http://photos.yahoo.com/mvanderplow

Although this update didn't include a weigh-in figure, there still are many positive non-scale victories!

Thank you all again for your continued support throughout my weight loss journey. Myself and my family really and deeply appreciate it!

Matty
481/248??/225(starting weight/current weight/goal weight)
First mini goal achieved - 104lbs lost 10/26/04
Second mini goal achieved - 137lbs lost 01/28/05
Third mini goal achieved - 183lbs lost 09/30/05
Fourth mini goal achieved - 204lbs total lost 01/30/06
Fifth mini goal achieved - 233lbs total lost by 08/31/06
Sixth mini goal - 256lbs total lost by 02/27/07

Priorities

"Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned." - Peter Marshall

Sometimes things just pop into my head as far as what to blog about...

Priorities. We need to have them in our lives if we can ever expect to keep control. The thing that spurred this thought was an offer I got to go to Kalamazoo to see some races with a friend that I recently met. Unfortunately the cost is a little too much for our budget right now. We have several expenses coming up including a couple of birthdays and doctor's appointments.
I was kinda looking forward to going and hanging out with some guys (the first time in a l-o-o-o-o-ong time) but I really could not justify the expense. the money involved could have been one doctor's appointment or one birthday present. And with insurance sales on the decline, every penny counts.

But that is a priority. Bills and prior commitments before fun. Sure future opportunities will come up and hopefully we will have the money set aside to do them. You need to have a list of priorities in your life, it's a good time management, money management, & life management tool. Quality time - in that you spend your time and energy on a small list of important things than trying to spread your time an energy over a broad list of things that include some stuff that may or may not be important.

Go ahead (today is a great day to start) and make a list of important things in your life and prioritize them. It'll be a VERY freeing experience...


"Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced." - James Baldwin

My first public speech...

I gave a speech recently to a group of FPU students on commitment. I was nervous and did a lot of hand wringing as you will see on the video. Not too bad for my first...

Things done differently...

"If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies." - Author Unknown


Found someone I went to school with on Myspace (well I found a few people) and we have been conversing a little back and forth, catching up and all that. I had commented that since high school, many of the things I envied in people had become really petty over the years.

For example, 2 of the preps I knew in high school - guys that seemed to have it all, chicks, money, friends, etc., we in totally different situations now. One is a car salesman and the other is a realtor. They turned out a lot different than I had once imagined they would after high school/college. But that's the thing, we have plans but sometimes those plans don't work out the way we had hoped. Just to toss in a bible verse - Proverbs 16:9,

'We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.'

In the conversation, she had mentioned an experience at a store in Chicago when she was 18. She was being lorded over because the staff thought she was a model. Once the truth came out, some had suggested she get into the business. She chose not to take that particular career path, but as all of us do - sometimes wondered what would have happened if she did. Of course not saying that the lives we have now aren't great, but there is always a few 'what if's' hanging in the back of our minds.

I have a few, 'What if I got the balls to ask Luann to the prom instead of going with Andrea?', 'What if I got my act together and pursued the film career path at WMU instead of being overwhelmed to the point of suicide?', 'What if I didn't meet Bren, would I be living in Texas with my mother right now?'

I've heard it before and always seem to use it when people say, 'I should have' or 'I could have' - Hindsight is ALWAYS 20/20, always. Sure there are things that I would have changed or done differently, but that wouldn't have brought me to here, to right now. Have you ever seen the movie, "The Family Man" with Nicholas Cage? He had the opportunity to make a different choice in his life, to snag the girl he'd let go of previously. He went from Wall Street to Main Street, watch the movie to see what he chose to do in the end...

It's alright and important to make plans for your life, but remember who holds that life in the balance. Little interruptions or distractions or frustrations may be steering you onto a pathway that is better than you could ever have even imagined...


"Things alter for the worse spontaneously, if they be not altered for the better designedly." - Francis Bacon


Matty

"Changed, nothing stays the same..."

"Unchained, hit the ground running..." - Van Halen, "Unchained"

Nothing can't stay the same. Life has to move forward. We need to experience new things. The day we are born is the same day we begin to die. There is so much out there, we need to cram in as much as possible. Create new memories that we will cherish forever.

My parents came back from Florida this week. They had gone to Disneyworld to spend a little time in their second childhood. My step-mom is getting up in years and they both try to make as many memories as possible of the time they spend together. My dad told me a story of going to a restaurant at Disney where Mickey, Pluto, Chip & Dale came around the restaurant and visited with all the patrons. Mickey made it a point to stop by my parents table at least 4 times, each time giving my step-mom a hug & a kiss. I can only imagine the look of joy on her face and hear the little school-girl giggle that she gets when she is happy.

I took the time to map out a plan for each day so that my parents could maximize their vacation time. My dad told me when they got back that he truly appreciated that because they were able to create some really memorable times together. That made me feel good.

In this fast-paced world, we often overlook opportunities to make memories like that. We're too busy, too lazy, too self-absorbed to aspire to do that. I know myself, I have been guilty of that. Choosing my own selfish ambitions or paths instead of making what could have been some really great memories.







This is me back in the summer of 2003. I could barely keep up with the family, using Javan's stroller to lean on. You would think that seeing the expanding waistband or the slow creeping of the car seat backwards would have made me stop and think about the life that was slowly escaping not only me, but that of my friends and family. I was blind and deaf to the warning signs.




This is me today. I have come a long way. I still struggle with my selfish tendencies. I still have missed opportunities to interact and strengthen bonds with neighbors, friends, & family. The difference now is that it is my choice and not my limitations. And I deal with that on a daily basis.

Try to create some special memories with your loved ones and friends today. Down the road you will be glad you did....

Ch-ch-changes...

"All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another." - Anatole France


Was watching "Can't Buy Me Love" this afternoon on television. This is one of those 80's teen flicks that has a place deep in my heart. The story of a nerd that basically pays his way into popularity and how the whole thing blows up in his face because he tries to be something he isn't. He cannot accept who he is and build relationships off of that.

I guess I feel a little like him lately. Trying to fit in where I really shouldn't be. I need to learn to be content with how God made me and not worry about being like or popular. Trust me, even when you get older, that whole "preps", "jocks", "nerds" thing still seems to haunt you. You're not "in" unless you have the right car or clothes or job.

I am going through changes with my weightloss, but I cannot let those changes change who I am in Christ. I cannot let those things deter me from reaching out to others in love. I cannot let the promise of being accepted by my peers control and shape my way of thinking - not speaking out or rebuking when necessary.

Funny, yesterday at the farmer's market I saw my Latin teacher. I hadn't seen her for at least 15 years. Her daughter was with her (a year older than myself). Back in school she was hot to trot and ran with the preppy crowd. Now she is at least 50-75lbs overweight and didn't look like she was married. Not comparing, mind you, just an observation that being seemingly perfect in high school doesn't necessarily mean that life will be always perfect.

My cousin stopped me on the street also, I always thought her life was perfect. But seeing her made me realize that no, she has her own cross to bear - it may not look like mine, but it's still there. Don't compare yourself to others - someone will always have a bigger and better yardstick...




"Time, which changes people, does not alter the image we have retained of them." - Marcel Proust

Matty
481/251/200

The body temple...

In my daily devotional I am reading through the bible in a year. Working my way through both the old and new testament with a Psalm and Proverb put in for good measure.

I am working through 1st Corinthians and the other day Paul was explaining all about eating food sacrificed to pagan idols. This verse caught my attention:

"Whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, you must do all for the glory of God." - 1Cor 10:31, NLT

Which made me think, when you over-indulge & become overweight, are you truly honoring God? Of course the food available is there for us to enjoy, but it's there to enjoy in moderation. Now sure there are cases where the weight gain cannot be helped (medication, certain diseases, etc.) but what about those of us who became overweight 'naturally'? What excuses do we often use?

I have taken personal responsibility for my situation, the person to blame for my overweight problem is the person I shave with every morning. I used food to satisfy my emotions & to some extent, my soul. I did not realize and understand that food's comfort was temporary and fleeting until a few years ago. Whatever it is - food, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, pornography - these earthly things do not satisfy in the long term which makes us need them constantly to keep that sense of comfort going...

You can change. It takes commitment to change. It takes a decision in your heart to say, "Today I will make changes to my lifestyle that will bring glory to God." You will fall. God knows I have fallen many times, but if you have made that commitment - it won't matter. You will get back up, dust yourself off, and get right back on track. Nothing in this life is easy and being a Christian doesn't make it easy. But it does make it worthwhile and gives you strength to carry on when life does pounce on you.

"Or don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself,

for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body." - 1Cor 6:19,20



Read that again... Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. How's your temple looking today?


Matty

Unity 2006 Music Festival Roundup

Well, I am back from my experience at Unity 2006. I am tired but glad I did it. It was a new experience that I will treasure.
I met some interesting people and had a good time overall. And I got to express my appreciation to the men and women that wrote/perform the song
that has become the anthem to my lifestyle change - Superchic[k]. The two who were really impressed and happy for me were
Matthew(bass guitar/vocals/synthesizer) & Melisa (rhythm guitar/background vocals).

I asked each of the members to sign my volunteer shirt and put down their favorite bible verse, and here they are:

Matthew (bass guitar/vocals/synthesizer) : Philipians 4:6-7 - 'Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.'

Brandon (drums) - Genesis 1:1 - 'In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.'

Dave (lead guitar) - 1 Corinthians 1:8-9 - 'He will keep you strong right up to the end, and he will keep you free from all blame on the great day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. God will surely do this for you, for he always does just what he says, and he is the one who invited you into this wonderful friendship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord'

Tricia (lead vocals) - Job 23: 8-10 - 'I go east, but he is not there. I go west, but I cannot find him. I do not see him in the north, for he is hidden. I turn to the south, but I cannot find him. But he knows where I am going. And when he has tested me like gold in a fire, he will pronounce me innocent.'

Melisa (rhythm guitar/background vocals) - Psalm 139:14 - 'Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous and how well I know it.'

I didn't think I could volunteer and contribute, but I got out there and stretched myself. I was glad that I had the opportunity, and I will possibly be open to volunteering again next year (for 1 or 2 days, not all again - my son and wife missed me too much). I will definitely consider taking the whole family, there was a lot to do and the food prices were really family-friendly...

I would never have imagined being a volunteer several years ago, but with my weightloss has come an urge to try new things. this is a good thing and I pray that it continues.

Here are a few photos from my experience:


My signed volunteer shirt




The Newsboys




Superchic[k] ready to rock the house




Thousand Foot Krutch giving out their "Rawkfist"





Hawk Nelson rockin' the joint...

A Letter...

I finished reading the book, 'Come Thirsty' by Max Lucado today. At the back of the book was a letter that I thought I would post. The letter represents what could be a personal letter to you from God:

'Dear child of mine,

Are you thirsty? Come and drink. I am one who comforts you. I bought you and complete you. I delight in you and claim you as my own, rejoicing over you as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride. I will never fail you or forsake you.

I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins, yet my grace is sufficient for you. I have cast all your sins behind my back, trampled them under my feet, and thrown them into the depths of the ocean! Your sins have been washed away, swept away like the morning mists, scattered like the clouds. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.

Your death is swallowed up in victory. I disarmed the evil rulers and authorities and and broke the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Blessed are those who die in the Lord. Your citizenship is in heaven. Come, inherit the kingdom prepared for you where I will remove all of your sorrows, and there will be no more death or sadness or crying or pain.

You are worried and troubled about many things; trust me with all your heart. I know how to rescue godly people from their trials. My Spirit helps you in your distress. Let me strengthen you with my glorious power. I did not spare my Son but gave him up for you. Won't I give you everything else? March on, dear soul, with courage! Never give up. I will help you. I will uphold you.

Trust in me always. I am the Eternal Rock, your Shepard, the Guardian of your soul. When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.

So don't worry. I never tire or sleep. I stand beside you. The angel of the LORD encamps around you. I hide you in the shelter of my presence. I will go ahead of you, directing your steps and delighting in every detail of your life. If you stumble, you will not fall, for I hold you by the hand. I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.

Wars will break out near and far, but don't panic. I have overcome the world. Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything. I surround you with a shield of love.I will make you fruitful in the land of suffering, trading beauty for ashes, joy for mourning, praise for despair. I live with the low spirited and spirit crushed. I put a new spirit in you and get you on your feet again. Weeping may go on all night, but joy comes with the morning. If I am for you, who can ever be against you?

I throw my arms around you, lavish attention on you, and guard you as the apple of my eye. I rejoice over you with great gladness. My thoughts of you cannot be counted; they outnumber the grains of sand! Nothing can ever separate you from my love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't and the demons can't. Your fears for today, your worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep my love away.

You sometimes say, "The Lord has deserted me; the Lord has forgotten me." But can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for a child she has borne? Even if it were possible, I would not forget you! I paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, my sinless, spotless lamb. No one will snatch you away from me. See, I have written your name on my hand. I call you my friend. Why, the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are valuable to me.

Give me your burdens; I will take care of you. I know how weak you are, that you are made of dust. Give all your worries and cares to me, because I care about what happens to you.Remember, I am at hand. Come to me when you are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. I delight in you, and I can be trusted to keep my promises. Come and drink the waters of life.

Your Maker, your Father,

God "

Brings tears to my eyes when I read that...

What Motivates U??

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." - Benjamin Franklin

What's your motivation? Mine began 2 1/2 years ago when I decided that what I was doing was not getting me where I wanted to be. I wanted to be alive in 10 years, I wanted to see my son (and hopefully daughter) grow up into responsible adults. I wanted my wife to enjoy growing old with her husband. It took 20 or so years for things to finally fit together for me where I was able to receive the motivation I needed to get out of the rut I was in.

Ben was right, doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is pure insanity. Are you happy in your job? Why not? Pinpoint the reasons why and decide to do something about it. Happy with your life? What do you want to accomplish? Make a list of things you want to accomplish in the next week/month/6 months/year/3 years/5 years. Make goals and strive to achieve them.

Dave Ramsey tells a story of an old farm dog. A city slicker stops by and old farm to ask for directions and notices an old farm dog quietly whimpering while laying on the porch. "Mister, what's wrong with your dog?" to which the farmer replies, "He's laying on a nail." Puzzled the city slicker says, "Well, why doesn't he move?" "It must not hurt enough..."

If we are unhappy in our careers, life, health, whatever, then we need to get out there and do something about it. We've become too accustomed to sit and have this "woe is me" attitude thinking that the lot in life we've been given cannot be changed. Bull crap. We need to get out of that mindset and into the mindset that WE CAN CHANGE WE CAN DO THIS!

How's the list coming? What? Not finished yet? An unknown author once wrote, "Aim at nothing and you are bound to hit it every time..." What the list is going to become is a sort of roadmap for your life with measurable milestones or points on that map (accomplishments). Just as a snowball picks up snow and momentum as it rolls down a mountain, so these accomplishments will hopefully help you continue your momentum to change your life.

It's easy to get bogged down in the day to day hum-drum and rigamarole, mired in the "why me"s and "if only"s. You can change that and this list is one key to doing that. So what are you waiting for? Dream big, but attain reachable goals along the way. Whether it means to smoke less, walk more, whatever it may be, you CAN change your life! It all starts with you.

As some more motivation, I found that I lost another 4.5lbs this morning bringing the total to 229.5lbs in 29 months! If you need some encouragement, shoot me a message, I am just about always around...


Matty (I weighed more than Jared from Subway)
481/251/225
(starting weight/current weight/goal weight)

First mini goal achieved - 104lbs lost 10/26/04
Second mini goal achieved - 137lbs lost 01/28/05
Third mini goal achieved - 183lbs lost 09/30/05
Fourth mini goal achieved - 204lbs total lost 01/30/06
Fifth mini goal - 231lbs total lost by 09/30/06

Golf...

"Golf combines two favorite American pastimes: taking long walks and hitting things with a stick." - P.J. O'Rourke


This week a friend of mine took me to the golf course for a little driving and possibly 9 holes. Never been golfing before in my life (at least in reality, I own Outlaw Golf, Outlaw Golf 2, and the 2 expansion packs for Xbox) and had come across some old golf clubs that someone was going to toss out. Everyone in my church seems to golf and I thought if I got into it I might make some friends. Not looking for pity, but I really don't have any male friends that I go out and do things with. Dave and I had talked about going and thankfully he kept asking me to go and time became available.

I can say that I need a lot of practice. But Dave said I did fairly well for my first time. I was excited when I hit one ball 150 yards! It's a lot harder than it looks and you can find yourself overthinking which can ruin a good shot. I find that happens in my weightloss journey as well. Sometimes I overthink what we are having for dinner and will go overboard. Or going out to the grocery store with a list in hand and end up going over in the food budget because I overthought and didn't stick to the plan.

Life is a journey and sometimes you just need to let go and allow the ebb and flow of life take over. That's how I was able to hit that 150 yarder. I began to overthink after that and could not hit another one past 100 yards (many ended up as 'worm-burners', as Dave called them).

"My handicap? Woods and irons." - Chris Codiroli


Matty

The Storms of Life...

"You can overcome anything if you don't bellyache." - Bernard M. Baruch

Last night we had a major storm that hit the area. I woke up to go out jogging (as a part of my daily routine) and saw firsthand the aftermath. Lightning had struck one of our pine trees and cut it almost completely in half. I was dark out yet so I really couldn't see what other damage was done. What I did see around the neighborhood was tree branches and other debris littered the streets, sidewalks, & yards.

When light broke through the darkness I could better assess the situation. Dead limbs, twisted branches, and other miscellaneous debris littered both my yard and the neighbor's. It took all my strength to take the pine tree to the road. Spent time clearing the yard and getting all the dead stuff out to the street for the city to pick up, all the while thinking about this:

Like the storm that came through last night, sometimes we need the storms that enter our lives to shake us up, breaking free the dead wood so that we can clean it up and discard it. From medical emergencies to car breakdowns or financial woes, when the storms of life come we need to thank the Lord for them. Because through them we will learn what true faith is - where our hearts truly lie. If we fret and worry then we do not fully trust the One who created us. But if we are patient and thank Him for these trials and ask for the strength and wisdom to overcome these obstacles, we will grow and mature.
Sure it's easy to automatically go into panic mode and a 'woe is me' attitude. You have a choice - you can allow the storms to victimize you or you can stand up in faith and learn from the situation. The choice is yours to make.

"If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it." - Mary Engelbreit

Matty

Honesty, pt. 2

"Truth is such a rare thing, it is delightful to tell it." - Emily Dickinson

On Friday I was all set to take the van in for a transmission fluid change. Had a coupon and let the guy know when I made the appointment on Monday that I had it. They had me in their system and knew all the particulars about my vehicle beforehand.

Anyway, I get there, drop of the keys and sit down with my book in preparation for the hour or so it was going to take. The guy that owns the place took my keys and verified the information on the van. Then he says, "Did you get a quote for the cost?" to which I replied, "Yes, I have a coupon."
"I'm sorry, that coupon isn't valid for your vehicle. The transmission fluid is a special type and a bit more expensive. The cost for your vehicle is $103." I took the keys and told him that I was prepared to pay the $50, but not $103.

I'm not so sure he was being totally honest when I left. I thought about it afterwards and remembered that they did the fluid service the last time I needed it done and they accepted the coupon without hassle. This was a couple of years ago, but I don't think my van all of a sudden needs a more expensive type of transmission fluid.

I was thankful that they did not start work on it and then tell me this. But if they had, I would have politely demanded they honor the coupon because when I made the appointment with them on Monday, the guy should have known the coupon was not valid on my van nor did the coupon say 'not valid on all vehicles'.

When it comes to our food diaries, we need to be honest as well. Include all food and drink calories, "cooking calories"(sneaking bites or 'tasting' to see if the food is done) "kiddie calories"(those leftover fries or chips on the kids' plates) or "convenience calories" (the morning cappucino or quick drink from the 7-11). I have been guilty of all of the above lately and it is starting to become habit. Today is a new day and time to step up to the plate.

Each new day brings us a clean slate to start over again. Use that opportunity.

"Always tell the truth. If you can't always tell the truth, don't lie." - Author Unknown

Matty

Summer...

"Do what we can, summer will have its flies." - Ralph Waldo Emerson



I think summer is a magical time of year. Fresh produce at farmer's markets, people out and about enjoying the sunshine, just a time where laziness finds honor and nobility.

It's harder as well to keep up with the exercise program as the heat and humidity seem to sap my energy and strength. But I press on through the sweat and fatigue. I need to continue the struggle and overcome these lazy tendencies.

Had a wonderful time with my wife's family on the 4th of July. I was able to keep up with my son and nephews, doing cannonballs, climbing and swinging, just having a grand old time. They kept commenting how much weight I've lost - we don't see eachother so often so they can see a difference.

I sent out the first batch of letters to local organizations offering speaking engagements. I pray that I receive some sort of response. I really feel that this is my calling - talking to people about weightloss and inspiring them to change their lives for the better. Time will tell...

Keep pressing on, the journey is long and hard but it is worth it.


"Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it." - Russel Baker


Matty

Success...

"Don't aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally." - David Frost


Well, didn't gain/lose any weight this month. But again I try not to gauge my success in this lifestyle change by the numbers on a scale. It's more than that. Success is being able to jog a little over a mile without stopping. Success is gathering $695 for a charity walk event, beating your previous year's donation goal.

A successful weightloss journey is much more. Being able to resist overeating or the urge to not get out of bed at 4:15am to jog in the dark, that is success.

Take some time today and think about some of the small successes you have enjoyed recently. How about putting on those pants you haven't worn for 5 years because they were too small? Or take that extra lap around the neighborhood that you wouldn't have even thought of doing a year ago.


"Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it." - Author Unknown


Matty

Identity...

"He who trims himself to suit everyone will soon whittle himself away." - Raymond Hull


Ever have an identity crisis? I am currently working my way through one. Actually I think I have been in one all my life. I've turned into a shapeshifter over the years to battle with fear and the need for acceptance from other people. I can get into a social situation and key in on what people are talking about and most of the time sound intelligent talking about it. To make friends I have found what others were interested in and then learned all I could about it so we had something to talk about.

I've been into comics, basketball cards, cars, computers, video games, hunting, guns, you name it. Now I have gotten to the point where I want to be accepted for who I am. But who am I? That's the $100,000 question.

Don't be pressured or try to revolve your life around what others think of you. If it takes things to impress people, then those aren't the people I want to spend time with.

How do you get through the identity crisis? Not sure. I take it day by day and trust that God will direct me. I am me. A guy that was determined to lose weight. I am a guy that has a passion to get his story out to inspire others. I am accepted by Christ...


"It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are." - e.e. cummings


Matty

Pleasure...

"In everything satiety closely follows the greatest pleasures." - Cicero


Food used to bring me satisfaction or at least temporary comfort. The key word in that last sentence is temporary. You can't eat your way, drink your way, or buy your happiness. The more I ponder on it, the more I begin to realize that the things of this world are temporary. The pleasure they bring are temporary, for example my Xbox. I used to play it all the time, enjoyed the challenges of the games. But now it's a rarity that I pick up the controller, I do on occasion to play with my son. You can have too much fun where it gets sickening after a while. Solomon wrote a book in the bible all about it. He was the richest man, EVER. He had everything he wanted, built many buildings and monuments, accomplished many things but after a while he became jaded. It just wasn't fun anymore. The thrill was in the chase, but since the chase was over - it wasn't fun anymore.

We need to think of that in our own lifestyle changes. We need to continue to set the bar a little higher, we need to reset goals and not rest on our laurels. If we don't, we too will become jaded and fall backwards. I think happiness closely follows contentment, so try to remember to be content with what you have now, but not with who you are. Strive to go the extra mile...

"Fun I love, but too much fun is of all things the most loathsome. Mirth is better than fun, and happiness is better than mirth." - Thomas Carlyle



Matty

Perspective, Pt. 2...

"If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail." - Abraham Maslow

I thought I would continue a little more on perspective since I heard a song the other day that kind of clarifies what I was talking about:


"You say that we've got nothing in common
No common ground to start from
And we're falling apart
You'll say the world has come between us
Our lives have come between us
But I know you just don't care

CHORUS:
And I said what about "Breakfast at Tiffany's?
She said, "I think I remember the film,
And as I recall, I think, we both kinda liked it."
And I said, "Well, that's the one thing we've got."

I see you - the only one who knew me
And now your eyes see through meI guess I was wrong
So what now? It's plain to see we're over,
And I hate when things are over -
When so much is left undone

CHORUS:
And I said what about "Breakfast at Tiffany's?
She said, "I think I remember the film,
And as I recall, I think, we both kinda liked it."
And I said, "Well, that's the one thing we've got.

"You say that we've got nothing in common
No common ground to start from
And we're falling apart
You'll say the world has come between us
Our lives have come between us
But I know you just don't care

CHORUS:
And I said what about "Breakfast at Tiffany's?
She said, "I think I remember the film,
And as I recall, I think, we both kinda liked it."
And I said, "Well, that's the one thing we've got."

- "Breakfast at Tiffany's" , Deep Blue Something

The guy could have just given up on the relationship when the girl said they had nothing in common. Instead he looked at it from a different perspective and found some common ground in the movie, "Breakfast at Tiffany's". So often we live our lives in terms of seeing the glass half-empty. Think of what we can accomplish if we perceive the glass as half-full instead! If something has got you down today, step back and try to look at it from a different perspective. You may surprise yourself and find an answer that you hadn't thought of!


"Retreat, hell! We're just advancing in another direction." - Oliver Prince Smith


Matty

Perspective

"It is not enough for a man to know how to ride; he must know how to fall." - Mexican Proverb


It's all about perspective when it comes to failures. Sure we hold a pity-party and cry about the failures when they come. Or we can change our perspective and look at the situation from a different angle and try to gain some sort of insight or bright spot.

Dave Ramsey said something that made me think a little- he spoke about the old saying "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade," but he continued, "Or you will spend the rest of your life tasting it's bitter fruit." Or something to that effect. It's true, you can wallow and moan about your situation or you can pull yourself up by your bootstraps and make changes that will bring a positive result.

Take time today to think about a failure or some unfavorable situation and resolve to find something positive in it. You'll be surprised what a new frame of mind/different perspective will achieve...


"My play was a complete success. The audience was a failure. " - Ashleigh Brilliant


Matty

Anxiety...

"Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday." - Author Unknown


My stomach is in knots. Is it worry? Is it anxiety? Why do we worry about stuff that we have no control over? Dr. Covey talks about changing your thinking to things within your circle of influence and things outside your circle of influence. The things inside the circle of influence are things that you can change yourself. Those outside the circle are things you cannot change.

The trick is to sort out what you can change and what you cannot change. I will do that today. Figure out what is within my circle of influence and that which is not a part of it. After those have been sorted, it comes down to figuring out how to change what can be changed -whether it be an attitude about something, positive mindset, a physical change. That will take time as well as you assess what can be done. But we all need to do that. You cannot go on and worry about things that you have no control over.

But I am struggling today. Problem with a co-worker that I cannot seem to shake. Life is never easy and I never expected it to be...

But I will resolve to figure out what I can do to change what is in my circle of influence.


"Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere." - Glenn Turner


Matty

Jealousy...

"Envy is a waste of time." - Author Unknown



Sure we all struggle with jealousy and envy. We look around us everyday and see something that someone else is doing or has and wished that we had the same things or opportunities. But envy can lead us down some dark roads. Roads that lead to restlessness, discontentment, anger, and depression. This can eventually lead to poor food choices and lack of enthusiasm for exercise and cause us to lose our focus.

I am struggling with that a little bit today. But you know, I shouldn't be envious. Their situation is fraught with their own set of problems - some that I know of and I am sure there are many others that are just beneath the surface. Instead I will make sure to wish them well today and be thankful for what I have and for what God has allowed me to accomplish.

Don't get sucked into the mainstream that you aren't cool if you don't have the latest and greatest or are wearing or driving something cool. Be content and feel blessed with what you have and watch as God blesses you with more.

No sense in letting jealousy grab ahold of you, it will only lead to misery. Again, be content with what you have but not with who you are - you can always improve yourself.


"Envy is the art of counting the other fellow's blessings instead of your own." - Harold Coffin


Matty

Regression...

"What you need to know about the past is that no matter what has happened, it has all worked together to bring you to this very moment. And this is the moment you can choose to make everything new. Right now." - Author Unknown

I was walking to church the other day and saw that someone had written years ago into the wet cement "regress". That odd word actually hit me with some meaning. This last month was a sort of regression in my weight loss journey. I had relapsed into some unhealthy stress coping and with not maintaining vigilance with measuring portions or staying within calories, I gained 4lbs. That was a wake-up to me. I also cleaned out my closet this past week and weeded out a lot of the clothes that I can no longer wear. Each shirt or pair of pants that I pulled out was a reminder of where I was and that it also was a vow that I would never fall back into those same habits again.

We all relapse sometimes, hey, but the difference has to be not to wallow in those relapses. Reflect on the past but don't long for it. I was watch Kathy Griffin last night and although she has some funny stories - she's a Democrat at heart. She was whining in one of her bits about the good old days of Clinton in the White House and the Monica situation. Although I have to admit that my faith in the President is wavering, I cannot say that the Clinton administration was better or worse than this one. That's all I have to say about that.

I remember in the movie, "Say Anything" the commencement speech that the character Diane had given to her classmates at graduation. One line caught my mind as I thought about the word regress - "I can say that I have glimpsed the future and all I have to say to you is... Go back..." Or something to that effect. Sure I admit for some things it would be cool to go back, but as the quote I found at the beginning of this entry states, all things have worked together to bring you to this moment...


"The one charm of the past is that it is the past." - Oscar Wilde



Matty

Regret...

"Regrets, Ive had a few
But then again, too few to mention.
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption." - Frank Sinatra, "My Way"


We all have regrets, times where we wish we could go back and change that one decision or seize that one opportunity. "If onlys" seem to dominate many people's minds these days. But you have to look at the flipside - you wouldn't be who you are without those decisions. For example, if I had seriously studied in college and pursued the degree I was looking to get - I'd probably be in Hollywood as a part of some film crew. Sure it'd be an exciting life to make movies, but would I have come to know Christ? Would I be married? Would she have been as wonderful as Brenda? What if I didn't have the courage to ask my wife out on our first date? I think I would be living in Texas with my mother right now working at some rundown movie theater. Seriously.

Live in the now and learn from the past. It's not a crime or bad to wish for the times of your youth, but never ever for a second believe that those times were better than today. What we remember are the good times for the most part, like when I was in high school. I remember all the fun we had piling into my friend's mini-van and going to the local burger joint, grabbing a huge sack of burgers and making cat-calls at the girls in the parking lot. What I try to forget is the times I felt so alone because my friends all had girlfriends and the taunting I got from the jocks for being a fattie.

Would I trade away anything that has happened to me over my life? There may be one or two moments, but for the most part - no, I wouldn't. Everything that has happened to me has culminated and fused together to make me who I am today. Remember that...


Carpe Diem, my friends...



"Look, if you had one shot,
one opportunity
To seize everything you ever wanted
One moment
Would you capture it or just let it slip? " - Eminem, "Lose Yourself"


Matty

Being Yourself...

"Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else." - Judy Garland

I have a problem with being myself around others sometimes. I always have the feeling like I need to be 'on' all the time in order to garner the acceptance of others. Self-esteem or having confidence in yourself needs to become a priority in your walk. You cannot plan a path based on what others might say, think, or feel. You cannot start your weightloss journey based on wanting to please others. Using this method of thinking will guarantee failure.

We all want to be liked. We all want to be a part of the 'cool' crowd. It feels good to be liked or to have people want to be around you. We, like junkies, sometimes makes decisions or do things to get that 'fix'. We don't look at the whole picture to see what consequences may come, only looking at the current moment.

My self-esteem has been in the toilet for over 20 years, it is one of the things that had caused my weight gain. Low self-esteem leads to depression, and for me, depression leads to eating, which in turn comes back to the viscious cycle all over again.

Slowly I am realizing that I shouldn't care what others think of me, their opinion of me has little bearing on my life. But it's hard, so hard sometimes to go against the grain or popular flow. Stay strong, stay the course...

"It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are." - e.e. cummings

Matty

Promises...

"A promise never intended to be kept is a lie." - Matthew Vander Plow

I was biking yesterday morning and saw a rainbow. It was the first time in years that I had actually seen a fully arched rainbow. It reminded me of the story of Noah and how that rainbow was a reminder to future generations that God would never deluge the world in a global flood ever again.

We all make promises to ourselves, to others, and to God. But how many of them do we make as a part of duress or to quell an argument or other situation? God takes promises very seriously and as His creations, we should also hold them in high regard.

How did it feel when someone made a promise but never kept it? I have had many promises broken and let me tell you, it did not feel right at all. I have also broken promises myself and I felt awful when it happened.

We need to be careful of the promises we make because someone is always keeping score... Take time to mend some broken promises and be wary of new ones you make and be sure that you can follow through with them to completion.


"Promise only what you can deliver. Then deliver more than you promise." - Author Unknown



Matty

Peace...

"I take it that what all men are really after is some form of, perhaps only some formula of, peace." - James Conrad


Went to the Memorial Day parade in my hometown today. We're kind of an old-fashioned type town with tree-lined streets, victorian-era houses, small downtown district. It's things like parade days that I enjoy living where I live. Watching the kids in the parade and the people cheering and clapping along the sidewalks gives me a sense of peace. Peace is hard to come by in this day and age with 24 hour access to entertainment, news, & commerce.

We all need to take a little time, turn off the television, put the cellphone on standby, sit outside and listen. Listen for the peace inside your heart. Did you fall today? Something not go right? Having a crappy day? Take a little time to listen to the peace that is waiting inside your heart.

Take time to step back and look at the situation your in at a different angle. What can you learn from it? Did you overeat? What caused it? What can you do differently next time?

Thank the Lord today for the tribulation you are going through today and ask for the peace to face it competently.

And God bless our troops, both from former, current, & future conflicts to protect our nation and other nations around the world.

"Let there be peace on earthAnd let it begin with me." - Seymour Miller & Jill Jackson


Matty

Complaining...

"You can overcome anything if you don't bellyache." - Bernard M. Baruch

I fell yesterday. Not literally, but failed as far as my calorie intake. This was due to some stress that overcame my life. I've been on this journey for over 2 years and I still find myself falling into the same traps that caused me to gain weight. I had been dealing with some stresses over the past 2 weeks that has been causing me to consistently go over in calories. This had started to become habit and I needed to break it. Finally I thought I had it licked and was back on track until yesterday. The lawn mower decided to crap out on me. In my frustration at trying to restart it, I yanked the pull-cord right out. Then while trying to take off the cover to fix that I dropped a screw into the engine. I was pissed because This month's commission check was larger than I had figured (a first in many months) and I was planning to get some plants and bark for my yard as well as start a raised-bed garden with that money. I figured I might as well kiss that idea goodbye when the mower crapped out. So I ate. And ate. And ate. Finally I said enough was enough and ended my childish hissy-fit.

Funny how we seem to revert to a child-like behavior when we either want something or something goes terribly wrong in our lives. Have I learned from this experience? Yes, if I didn't then it would not have been worth going through the experience. I have learned that things happen and to thank God for the money to fix the mower. My dad brought up a good perspective - Since God is all-knowing, He saw the lawn mower trouble and made sure we had the money to pay for it. Hadn't thought about it that way...


"Oh, wouldn't the world seem dull and flat with nothing whatever to grumble at?" - W.S. Gilbert


Matty

Perseverance...

"I may not be there yet, but I'm closer than I was yesterday." - Author Unknown


Stick with it. Plow on, dig in, keep going. I'm sure your mind is racing with self-defeat, telling you that you cannot overcome. You can. It takes commitment and perseverance to win. You may get discouraged from time to time, but hang in there. The prize is definitely worth it: feeling better about yourself, wearing clothes that actually fit well, being energized, just plain feeling good.

I'm reminded of a lyric from "Burning Heart" by Survivor:

"In the warrior's code, there's no surrender
Though his body says stop, his spirit cries never
Deep in our soul a quiet ember
Knows it's you against you
I's the paradox that drives us on
It's a battle of wills, in the heat of attack
It's the passion that kills
The victory is yours alone"

I struggled with that this morning. My mind was encouraging me to just sleep in today and not go out and jog. It took some determination to change that attitude, but once I got out there to jog - I knew I made the right decision. Don't let that little voice distract you from your goals today. Take some time today and write down your goals, or better yet develop a personal mission statement. Mine is in the works and isn't totally polished but here is the gist of it:

"I will strive to help people to better themselves through making positive changes to their lifestyles. I will be a caring and helpful listener. I will use my creativity and compassion to lead discussions, write books and other materials to empower people with the tools needed to make those positive changes. I will not allow fear of rejection or ridicule to prevent the joys and blessings I have receive through God from being passed on to others."

A personal mission statement is always in a constant state of being changed and upgraded.


"When the world says, "Give up,"Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."" - Author Unknown


Matty

Perfection...

"Have no fear of perfection - you'll never reach it." - Salvador Dali


We all strive for perfection. It seems to be an ingrained trait put there by our creator. But we as humans cannot ever hope to achieve perfection without Christ in our lives. And even then perfection will not be completed until the end of our days.

We need to step back and take a deep breath. We need to resolve ourselves to the fact that nothing is perfect. It's okay to strive for perfection but not to the point where it becomes an all-consuming passion in our lives.

If you fall off the wagon, don't fret. We all make mistakes and will continue to do so. I am no ironman and have fallen off many times. This week it seems I have been falling off every day by going over in calories. Does that get me down? Yes. But I get right back on the horse and try again the next day. The difference between failing and falling is not trying.

"A good garden may have some weeds." - Thomas Fuller, Gnomologia, 1732


Matty

Action...

"The shortest answer is doing." - Lord Herbert

Taking action is usually easier said than done. You can make all the plans and precautions necessary, but unless you get to it and implement them, they aren't worth 2 pennies.

Making lifestyle changes starts with you. It starts today. It starts now. Put down the cappucino and doughnut. Take the stairs today instead of the elevator. Order a salad at lunch or brownbag-it instead of going out. Make little changes at first. As you get into the routine you will be able to alter those changes slightly to make bigger commitments.

Don't let your commitment die when you fail on occasion to follow-through with a lifestyle change. Remember, it takes time to develop a consistent habit. Start fresh again immediately. Don't dwell.

Get out there and make those changes! TODAY!


"Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned. " - Peter Marshall



Matty

Freedom...

"Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide." - Napoleon Bonaparte


You can be free from being overweight. It takes dedication, commitment, & faith. Making the right choices, following through, not dwelling on mistakes, all are needed in order to reach freedom from our fleshy prisons.

I do liken being overweight to being incarcerated. Limited mobility, depression, rampant vices and urges, many of the same things you think of when you think of prison or jail. But you no longer have to be a prisoner of your body. By making changes to your lifestyle that will last, you can be paroled into a new life. Again I say paroled because these changes are going to last the rest of your life - kinda like parole.

I enjoy new freedoms that my previous weight had kept me away from. I jog now. I bike. I play on the swingset with my son. I can buy clothes at Target or Old Navy. As you lose weight, you too will see new freedoms opening up for you. You can do this, break free from the chains of fat...

"In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved." - Franklin D. Roosevelt

Matty

Habit...

"I am your constant companion. I will push you forward to success or I will drag you down to failure. I am completely at your command. 80% of what you do, you might as well hand over to me and I will do it promptly and I will do it correctly. I am easily managed; you must merely be firm with me. Show me what you'd like to have done, and after a couple of lessons, I will do it automatically. I am the servant of all great people. Alas, I am the servant of all failures as well. All who are great, I have made great. All who are failures, I have made failures. I am not a machine; but I do work with the precision of a machine and the intellect of a human. Take me, train me, be firm with me, and I'll lay the world at your feet. Be easy with me, and I will destroy you! Who am I?"


I AM HABIT


I read somewhere that it takes 21 days (or 3 weeks) to develop or break a habit. Repetition is the key, repeatedly doing the same thing at around the same time everyday. That's how I got myself to get up at 4:10am every morning to exercise. That's the reason I get itchy when 11am rolls around - it's time for a walk. You can develop good habits, you just need to be determined to see it through. From budgeting to exercise, from weightlifting to reading - you have the power to change your lifestyle.

Like anything else it takes time. You will forget or not feel like doing whatever habit you want set. This gets easier as time rolls on, just keep plugging away at it. When I got my bike this past weekend my butt was sore. I got a different, wider seat thinking that it would help, but it still got sore. I was thinking on saying forget the bike riding because it hurt so much. But I was determined to change. As a result, the pain is becoming less and less and I am enjoying a new hobby.

Temporary pain or discomfort of starting a new habit is worth it. Stick with it, it'll only get better...

"Habits are safer than rules; you don't have to watch them. And you don't have to keep them, either. They keep you." - Frank Crane


Matty

Discipline...

"Many people think they want things, but they don't really have the strength, the discipline. They are weak. I believe that you get what you want if you want it badly enough." - Sophia Loren



In order to make any change permenant you have to want it. You have to want it with every fiber of your being. Half-assed attempts or half-heartedness will only spell disaster and failure. I hear it all the time from people that, although they don't mean to, make my efforts seem trivial. "Oh, I wish I had your discipline to lose weight," "I should start eating better," "I should follow your lead and lose these 10lbs." Even though the sentiments are well-meaning, they somehow put a non-sensical spin on it. I can't really explain it, it's as if they are saying that they can do it but choose not to.

I have fallen off the wagon many, many times. Discipline is a process that will take a lifetime to master. It's about making choices in our food choosing, exercise, and other things associated with our daily lives. We may not make the right decisions all the time, but it's being determined to make the right choice the next time.

Yesterday was my birthday and I fell off the wagon to the tune of 1200cal over my allotment. I made some poor choices. But today I am going make the right choices and stay under calories.

Only when you are determined will you succeed...

"Without discipline the Army would just be a bunch of guys wearing the same color clothing." - Franks Burns, "Novocaine Mutiny"

Matty

Crisis...

"When written in Chinese the word 'crisis' is composed of two characters - one represents danger and the other represents opportunity." - John F. Kennedy


Life is full of crisis, there's no getting around it. But you do have a choice of how you deal with the crisis. Let me reiterate - whether its a money, family, work, or social crisis - YOU have a choice on how you respond to that crisis.

For many years I used food as my response to crisis and stress. Food was always there, never judged, and temporarily relieved the stress. Coupled with low self-esteem I ballooned up quickly over the years. I now realize that there are healthier alternatives to stress and crisis management that do not involve food. Don't get me wrong, I still have pangs to instinctively reach for food in times of trouble - but for the most part I do not allow them to follow through (I have slipped on occasion - hey I'm human!).

I pray, I walk, I breathe deep, I occupy my mind, I rationalize on whether the stress is necessary. Many things that I had sweated over in the past did not have anything to do with me - I could not change anything in those situations and yet I subjected myself to undue stress because of them. Things happen. Life goes on.

I had a situation a while ago where we had just made Baby Step #1 on our total money makeover ($1000 in the bank). Then the car flipped out - total cost $660.00. Times before I would have stressed out big time, but because we had the emergency fund - the stress was non-existent. I was bummed that we had to start over on the fund. I was thankful and prayed for a renewed spirit. The Lord blessed me in this and we were quickly able to replenish that account.

You do have a choice in crisis situations - not doing anything IS a choice...


Matty

Accountability...

"When you stretch the truth, watch out for the snapback." - Bill Copeland


I credit my successful weightloss so far in part to my accountability partner. She's been a tough customer but also I think my biggest fan. She has been with me through my ups and my downs, always willing to snap the whip when needed. I am thankful to my mother-in-law for all she has done for me.

One of my keys to success has been accountability. Find yourself someone that DOES NOT LIVE WITH YOU to be your accountability partner. Find a co-worker, friend, church member, someone that is willing to take on the task of keeping you on the straight and narrow. This person must be willing to email or call you on a daily or weekly basis about your progress. They must also be willing to offer encouragement and also admonishment when needed. It will not work unless you find someone willing to commit to such a task.

Finding that someone will take time. In the meantime I recommend posting to a diet forum, either alt.support.diet, or some other diet newsgroup or forum with your daily activity & food diary. What's the point of this? I think you may find it a little harder to binge if you have to account to someone else about your food and exercise. You'll think twice about that second helping of cheesecake or that midnight refridgerator raid. You'll also have someone to turn to when you do have those urges and they will be able to "talk you down" and get you back on track.

I have avoided many binges knowing full well I would be accountable for them, afraid of the disappointment and admonishment from my accountability partner. Hopefully you will find a strong person willing to take the role.


"A half truth is a whole lie." - Yiddish Proverb


Matty

History...

"The challenge of history is to recover the past and introduce it to the present." - David Thelen

Only when we reflect on past mistakes can we ever hope to learn not to make them in the future. Reflecting on the past is fine, as long as you do not dwell for too long. I have found myself dwelling on past mistakes for far too long asking myself the "what if?" and "If only" questions. These are not the questions to ask. The questions to ask are "how did I get into this mistake?" or "what can I do to make sure this doesn't happen again?" I had a situation recently where I thought about what had happened in the past to help figure out what I needed to do. That reflection was very helpful in making the right decision.

Don't ever beat yourself up over past mistakes, it's pointless. Time to move on and remember the mistake for only the learning experience. God doesn't remember your mistakes:

"And I will forgive their wrongdoings, and I will never again remember their sins." Heb 8:12

If God can forgive and forget, you can too...


"History, as long as it continues to happen, is always another chance." - R. Jackson Wilson



Matty

Temptation...

"Opportunity may knock only once, but temptation leans on the doorbell." - Author Unknown



This is a photo I took of a candy bar that has been sitting in my freezer for the past 5 months. I won it at a Christmas party held by my brother-in-law and his wife from a Scattergories game. There's a reason it has sat in the freezer all this time. It's a reminder, a reminder of who I was and of who I am now. The me from 2 years ago would have devoured that candy bar before we even got home that night. The temptation was there, believe it. But I had maxed out the calories for that day and could not consume it for fear of going over.

Temptation is all around us. Advertisers feed on using imagery to tempt us into buying or consuming their product. The luscious colors, textures, smells, feels, emotions, all combine to urge us into action. Reminds me of a line from a Survivor song that became popular in the movie, Rocky IV:

"In the warrior's code, there's no surrender
Though his body says stop, his spirit cries never
Deep in our soul a quiet ember
Knows it's you against you the paradox that drives us on
It's a battle of wills, in the heat of attack
It's the passion that kills
The victory is yours alone" - Survivor, "Burning Heart"

Our spirit may be strong at times, but it's the weakness of the flesh that succumbs to temptation. In the back of my mind I know that candy bar is sitting in the freezer, and honestly I think about consuming it when there doesn't seem to be anything in the house to eat. But, I also reflect on that and remind myself of the reason it is there.

I know it's hard to resist temptation sometimes and you need to learn what tempts you and do what you can to avoid those situations. In the beginning of my journey I could not eat at an all-u-can-eat buffet. I was very undisciplined and afraid of falling into a spiral of packing away the amount of food I used to. Now I am able to control my portioning and allow a little extra for those times that I do visit buffets. Maybe it's fast food for you or that cappucino in the morning. Maybe it's chocolate or some other food that makes you weak. You need to avoid these things for a short time, until you have been into a routine and feel you can control yourself. Some situations you may not be able to avoid, especially in a social setting. If you do succumb to temptation and fail, DON'T GIVE UP! Pick yourself up and get back on track right away. Do not let this side-track you into a spiral of self-pity and failure. I have fallen many times, the difference being I chose to press on and not wallow in the self-pity.

Temptation is a part of life (unfortuanately) but it is something we can do our best to conquer. We may not win all the time, but we can choose to deny it continued power over our lives.

"A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is.... A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness. They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in." - C.S. Lewis

Matty

Simplicity...

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." - Albert Einstein


Came back today from Indiana, went to Middlebury - home of the Essenhaus restaurant - a "family-style" restaurant and gift shop. It's been a tradition for my wife's family for ages to travel at least once a year to enjoy the fried chicken & roast beef dinner with all the fixings.

Middlebury is in "Amish country", not unusual to find buggies parked outside stores or traveling down roadways. My father-in-law and I had a little conversation about being a little envious with the Amish. Life seems so simple for the from the outside. No dealing with cars, television, newspapers, no stresses that us "English" deal with on a daily basis. We admired how they are able to keep outside culture from interfering or encroaching on their belief system.

But they have their pressures as well - dealing with crops, animals, farms, etc. Our lives aren't much different in the general sense, both have their share of problems and joys.

Interesting thing I read about the Amish, they do not hate modern conveniences. If it serves a purpose to benefit them in a positive way without causing their minds and bodies to become lazy, then they will adopt it. Many Amish-run dairy farms have electric generators to run pasteurizing and milking equipment. Some use tractors and other simple machines to help them in their daily work. But they shun things like telephones, automobiles and other "frivolous" things that serve no real purpose.

When it comes to things like lifestyle changes, simple changes can make a huge difference. Weighing food and cataloging calories are simple things that over time become habit. Walking stairs instead of using the elevator, we can all find little things to simplify our lives and make changes for the better.

Sometimes we even try to over-simplify which may not get us the answer we want. Reminds me of the story I read a long time ago about a semi-truck that had become stuck under and overpass. Many adults tried and tried to come up with a solution to release it. It took a 5 year old boy to solve the problem - let the air out of the tires to lower the truck & trailer.

Is there some clutter in your life? What can you do to simplify your life?

"Eliminate physical clutter. More importantly, eliminate spiritual clutter." - D.H. Mondfleur

Matty