Shhh, It's Quiet Time

It is Sunday and I have had the worst after Church lunch experience EVER!!  Alexa had a friend spend the night last night, so we were a family of 6.  We decided to venture out to Shane's Rib Shack.  We ordered a pulled pork plate, a hamburger plate and a chicken tenders plate.  Now mind you, my children eat like birds, so all six of us feasted on these three platters.  It took awhile for our food to come out because they cook their hamburgers fresh.  Meanwhile a hungry tummy makes one whiny; a strong-willed child becomes bored, which always leads to trouble; and girls voices reach their all time high.  By the time food was served, I was ready to leave.  On the way home, I am stewing.  I am just hoping my walking buddy calls me soon, so I can walk off this steam.  But here I am, sitting at the kitchen table in silence (everyone is outside), getting my daily devotional in before my sneakers hit the pavement, and here is what God instructs me to do.

Thank Him for the conditions that are requiring me to be still.  Do not spoil these quiet hours by wishing them away, waiting impatiently to be active again.  Search for His way in the midst of these very circumstances.  Quietness enhances your awareness of His presence.  His strength and power show themselves most effective in weakness.

Zechariah 2:13; Isaiah 30:15; 2 Corinthians 12:9

Sitting here allows me to reflect on our lunch experience.  I vowed to stop our after Church lunches until my kids are older, and can behave out in public.  But these lunches are what we do after Church.  Do I really want to stop a tradition just because my kids are acting like kids.  We just need to take them to kid-friendly places where loudness is accepted, and every other table has at least one misbehaved child.  That will make me feel normal!

I forgot to report yesterday about my weigh-in.  I am down another pound, which makes it a total of 9 pounds lost.  I have read and been told that setting smaller goals will help you succeed because they are more attainable.  Before I started this weight loss journey, I did not set any goals.  So after losing 9 pounds, here is my first small goal.  8 pounds in the next 8 weeks.  Why 8???  My birthday is in exactly 8 weeks, and I will be back to my pre-pregnancy weight if I lose 8 more pounds.  By the time my birthday rolls around, I want to go on a shopping spree with hopefully a leaner, firmer body.