Pleasant is not promised...

Pleasant is not promised… not hardly… I have a favorite scripture I would like to share. "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11 I reminded myself of this scripture…in line with a few conversations I have had in the past and particularly one I will share a portion with you of one I had last night with a friend. She said that “so & so” had gone to “Dr. This & that” in V’burg and had gotten a “pill or something” and she has lost 20 lbs and “Susie Q” has even lost some too…… Then I was surfing channels last night and landed on a segment of “Tyra” and Carol Alt was on. She was talking about losing weight and that often you are able to “starve yourself” at 18 and loose 10 lbs or so in a week. At 40 (or more) though, you may even GAIN weight when you do that! Tyra has been in the “lime light” of late, after one of the tabloids dissed her for gaining weight. WHELLLL … she is “fighting back”. She has done several shows on the subject I think now, about body image, what is “normal” to healthy etc. Anyway, I though Carol’s statement was very accurate. I also read a statement that OPRAH (remember to email) stated (and then my sister quoted again to me yesterday) that.. If there was a “magic pill” or anything near that that was a “quick fix” that OPRAH would have done it by now! Now… as much as that poor woman is ragged about her weight… and with the money she has to afford those things you know she would have it! Plus… anybody that came up with something like that would probably get in touch with her…. Basically you should have my point by now. Then today a fellow teacher joined Linda and me on our walk. She asked, “Well is it easy yet?” We told her “Not really but we are committed and keep pushing”. You know… I may not HAVE to be easy! We must keep on anyway. It is the “JOURNEY” as they say. We can find ENJOYMENT out of something that is not particularly PLEASANT, and I think that is where I am. I know I am doing better. I am able to do more each day (o.k. maybe not EVERYDAY) I am hanging in there and proud of myself that I do. “Do you love yourself enough to practice it?” That is a Bob Greene question. For those of you with me in the (“100 lbs to go Club”…. “Half of me would be better”….. “I’m Twice the woman (man) I wish I was”) need I go on?…… this is what we must realize. Like with many things in our lives… God never promises things will be easy. But he will be there to help us through it! Now we have Mark, and Robin and EACH Other…. I guess I have pretty much worn this soapbox out today. I will try to come up with something else tomorrow!