Vicki Pooley

On the Way to Where I'm Going!

For those who are keeping up with my journey of honoring God...this post is for you. I say honoring God because I prayed a little over a month ago and asked Him: "if there's one thing I could do in my life that would bring me closer to Him, and cause me to be spiritually stronger....what would it be?" I felt in my heart He wanted me to get healthy and get this weight off.

Frankly, I was puzzled...this was the ONE thing that He wanted from me? I don't fully understand all that will come out of my obedience in this area , but you know what? I don't have to! My part is to be obedient....follow Him blindly...knowing that where this is all going is a good place.

I have made some diet changes, been working out 3x a week, and I'm down ten pounds. This week begins week five of a very long journey for me. This battle won't be easily won, but I'm on the journey just the same!

Thank you to those who are cheering me on! Your encouragement has meant more than you know!! I have to pause and thank God for putting His finger on an area of weakness in my life. However, every weakness has the possibility of being one of our greatest strengths!

To be continued....

Dare to Dream

When the sky is the limit, we all can dream, but not all of us do dream. Daring to dream is the pavement that victories zoom down. Twists and turns may exist on the road, but it is possible to reach the destination.

There's a song that says, "You can do miracles, if you believe! A dream can turn into reality when faith is present. Faith has eyes to see what hasn't rounded the corner yet.

Faith has made the weak strong, the loser's winner's, the sick well, the fearful courageous, and any negative can be turned into a positive, "if" you believe.

The Lord reminds us that a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. When we dream of something greater, it has to have a stable foundation to stand on. A dream on sand will surly sink!

What dream do you have that is out there on the horizon? Get in the boat of faith, and sail out to it!!

Winner's Circle

There's something to be said for endurance. Endurance is another way of saying...no matter how much incovenience, discomfort, and lack of "want to".... you still do it.

We all want the rewards of effort, but we don't want effort part.

Too often we are strong starter's and weak finisher's. My goal is to follow through, and finish whatever I start.

Talk is cheap! It takes more than words to accomplish things.

Here I am in the middle of week three of working out. I have a love/hate relationship with working out. I love to hate it! =) No, it's really finding a way of doing the hard stuff, but in a way that I won't lose the momentum. Walking on a treadmill bores me to death!! So, I've prayed and asked God for the way that will work for me. He is faithful...I've found a couple things that are working for me. However, the endurance factor is still called into play...you can't go over it, under it, or around it!

Years ago, I wanted to quit smoking, but I didn't actually quit until I made up my mind that I was willing to suffer. I cried for three days....I wanted a cigarette SO bad, but I wanted the freedom more! I endured to receive the prize. I was willing to feel a little pain, for a ton of victory!

Every time it's time to workout...I have a choice...do I want the prize enough to go after it or will I give up and let my aversion to pain steal the prize?

Life is a series of choices, strung together by many decision's for good or bad. Help me, Lord to go for the GOLD!! I say that in honor of the Olympians. I admire all of the hours of hard work they have endured!

No Limits!!!

I've been enjoying the Olympic's. Seeing people who have put in the work, gather the fruits of their labor!

Dana Torres won the silver medal in the swimming competition. She lost by one one hundreth of a second, but that's not what stands out in my mind. What stands out in my mind is the fact that she was in the race at all! Dana Torres is quite a bit older than any of her competitor's. She had a dream and went after it. She didn't let age stand in the way. Instead, she kept her heart and mind focused on the dream...the goal.

I firmly believe that the one who limit's us the most is "ourself!"

One of my dearest friend's thinks she and I ought to run a half marathon next year...I have to chuckle, but I LOVE her spirit. I've just started working out again, but here's the thing...sometime's people see things in us that we don't even see in ourselves.

We have unlimited potential. I doubt, at this point, I would ever run a half marathon, but I love the fact that someone even believe's I could!!!

I wonder what we could really do of we didn't let anything stand in our way and just went for it!!

Valley of Decision

I woke up one morning, just going about my normal everyday stuff, when I realized that my rings were doing this "twirlly" thing that I didn't like. Then it occurred to me that I had lost some weight! Next thought, "Great! I have saddle bags, and my rings are twirling...isn't that special!!!

We measure success in so many different ways. So, the saddle bags are still fully packed, but I still had some success.

Now here I was standing in the "valley of decision, as we often are, asking myself if I could do better. Was I giving it my best? I had to answer with a resounding NO! You can fool other's, but it's a lot harder to fool yourself. You know if you are doing the work or not!

About a month ago, I felt the Lord put in my heart to lose the weight, and start taking better care of myself. Yes, it's for health and beauty, but also to rid myself of some barnacles that I picked up along the way. Only Jesus and a few close friends know what they are.

I'm stepping it up. I've decided to do the work, bigger steps than baby steps that only make your rings twirl and make you mad.

I want to take a moment and thank all of you who have been praying for me, giving me awesome advice, and to a of encouragement!

This is the beginning of the journey...I will
keep you posted!

Spiritual Eating Disorder!

Everyone seems to be up in arms about the state of the economy. Yes, it is scary!!  When the funds run short, we certainly feel the pressure and concern sets in. Believe me, I have times when I feel fear trying to set in, as well.

One of the things the Lord keeps putting in my heart is "GET IN THE WORD!!" I feel a sense of urgency!!! Faith comes from the word, Wisdom comes from the word, healing comes from the word, direction, having a deeper intimacy with the Lord, all come from the word of God, and SO much more!!

The thing that keeps rising to the top, for me, is...we become concerned when we feel we have "low funds" in our bank account, but so many of us are walking around "spiritually bankrupt!" Not too many are running around telling everyone that don't have enough word in their heart's and mind's. We simply state..."I am just too busy!" We list excuse after excuse for not doing what is vital to our spiritual life.

We have to feed ourselves the WORD. It will strengthen our spiritual life, God will use us more, we will have more peace, we will have more answers, and again the list could go on.

For years, I have told our Ladies group. You have to learn how to feed yourself, too. When we are invited to someone's home for dinner, they do the preparing of the meal and it's wonderful to just sit down and enjoy the benefit of their labor. However, the next day when it is time to eat...they don't come to your home and say, "I will be bringing you breakfast, lunch and dinner for the next year!" No, you have to feed yourself!!

Going to Church on Sunday is like being invited to dinner. Someone has labored over the message and word you receive, but you can't live off of that one message for the whole week. You have to eat more. One meal a week would not sustain your physcial body...why do we think one or two messages a week will sustain our spirit man?

It's a crisis!! We must get back to the basics! We are a country suffering from a "spiritual eating disorder!" May we begin to love to read our bibles more. A beautiful, thriving, well-fed spirit is what we need more of...how much more could God do through all of us if we would do this one thing???

A couple things that I have been doing to help myself get back in the Word is: Downloading the bible on my Ipod. Also, this a great tool to use...go to www.youversion.com there is a daily bible reading. You can also go to any book of the bible you want to, you can choose any version of the bible you like, and you can single out any scriptures you want. Getting in the Word couldn't be easier.

You can also buy CD's of the bible, or in some cities you can even check them out from the library.

Wisdom is standing in the streets...she's calling out to us...she's crying for us to keep the Word a priority in our life. We will be changed...

Thanks for the encouragement

Just a quick thank you to those of you who have told me that you enjoy my blog. I often wonder if anyone is out there in cyber space...thanks for letting me know that you are out there and alive and well =)

New Level

the humiliation of being a Christian. Naturally, if a man does not hit back, it is because he is a coward; but spiritually if a man does not hit back, it is the manifestation of the son of God in him. When you are insulted, you must not only resent it, but make an occasion to exhibit the Son of God. You cannot imitate the disposition of Jesus; it is either there or it is not. To the saint personal insult becomes the occasion of revealing the incredible sweetness of the Lord Jesus. Oswald Chambers

The proof is in the making of a man or woman. If we aspire to a greater good, this would be a level worth attaining. Don't our lights shine the brightest when they are surrounded by a dark night? We give up our will for His...giving no place to the devil. We know he, the enemy is always jockeying for an unrightful position.

When we are pressed, may the love of Christ be the first thing other's see. This is a life-long aspiration, and once we reach one level of loving other's then the bar is once again raised to a higher level.

Max...striking the pose!

This picture goes with a couple blogs back...too funny! Loveable, Max! This is more than a semi pose, but not the full one, but you get the idea.

Father's Day

Had a wonderful Father's Day, with the family.

 At the end of our night out, we caught a beautiful sunset. My heavenly Father displayed His wonderful art work! Happy Father's day, Jesus. =)

Family is important to our family. I am thankful for special days, because it causes us to slow down, and take time for one another. Robert's Mom is feeling SO much better and she was able to spend the afternoon and evening with us.

Robert said that he had a great Father's Day. His restaurant was the Fish House. Great food! But my favorite part was being with the one's I love.

We got to sit on the outside deck...felt like I was on vacation.

Here are two hopeless romantic's just before the sun began to set.

I am glad that Robert had a wonderful Father's Day...he certainly loves his baby girl, Leanna!