Z is for Zee End...or is it? [A-Z Blog Challenge]

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Zee End...or is it?

 

As I end this blog challenge, I thought I'd present some "honorable mentions" for my recovery heroes series:



Dolvett, Jillian, and Bob:  The Biggest Loser Trainers.

 

The sweet ladies from my Sunday School class.  We are called morning blend.



77 year old Ernestine Shepherd is one of the world's oldest competitive female body builders.  She didn't get started on her health journey until she was in her 50's.

 

Richard Simmons.  Flamboyant? Yes.  But this dude has maintained his health for about as long as I've been on this planet!

 

I hope you've enjoyed going on this blog challenge journey with me.  Stick around for more
 



 

For more information on the A-Z Blog Challenge, go to:

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

W is for Woolly Booger [A-Z Blog Challenge]

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Woolly Booger

 

This is Jimmy.  Jimmy (or as I say to people, my friend over there with the woolly booger beard) is a fellow struggler and Christ follower  He is also the Training Coach for my local Celebrate Recovery (CR).

Why is Jimmy a hero to me?  1) I've heard his testimony of struggle and triumph, and seen the evidence of God working in his life.  B) Jimmy has such a heart for CR.  He simply oozes recovery.  3) Jimmy encouraged my running.  Last year, He and I ran many of the same 5k races.  Well, not only is he taller than I am, Jimmy is also a much faster runner.  He would finish his race, run back to find me, and run with me to my finish--cheering me on the whole time since he pretty much could just walk to keep up with me.  That wasn't something I asked him to do; it was his way of encouraging me to keep going until I finished.

Is that not how recovery works?  A sponsor or accountability partner  who's further along in his recovery--comes along side someone who's not as advanced, pushing them to finish the course no matter how long it takes.  That's why I said Jimmy simply oozes recovery without even trying.

Thanks for being a hero, my woolly booger friend!




For more information on the A-Z Blog Challenge, go to:

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

J is for Jim and Jan [A-Z Blog Challenge]

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Jim and Jan

 

You are the life to my heart and my soul
You are the light to the darkness around me
You are the hope to the hopeless and broken
You are the only truth and the way.

 

No Sweeter Name. by Christ for the Nations

 

 

If we are the body, why aren't His arms reaching?

Why aren't His hands healing?

Why aren't His words teaching?

 

And if we are the body, why aren't His feet going?

Why is His love not showing them there is a way?

 

If We are the Body by Casting Crowns
 



When darkness surrounds me and I feel like I can't hear directly from God, He sends parts of the body of Christ to be His hands, feet, and voice.  It's no secret that the past few years have been very dark times for me.  In the midst of that darkness he sent me Jim and Jan Reaves

 

Jim is a retired counselor and Jan is a retired librarian (books and crazy people--two of my favorite things).  They are not only involved in helping others in recovery, but also living out their own recovery--Jim with more than 30 years of sobriety.  This precious couple has mentored me for more than a year.  They give hugs and encouragement as well as tough love with tough questions.

 

Celebrate Recovery principle four says "Openly examine and confess my faults to myself, to God, and to someone I trust.  'Happy are the pure in heart' (Matthew 5:8)."  The Reaves have proven to be trustworthy with my heart--the good, the bad, and the very ugly.  That, and the fact that they know so much about me but yet have stuck with me through it all makes them heroes.  I love y'all.





 

For more information on the A-Z Blog Challenge, go to:

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/







H is for Homer Smith [A-Z Blog Challenge]

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Homer Smith

 

Mr. Homer Smith

I joined my county's community band in the fall of 2012.  The first time I attended practice, I got the pleasant surprise of being greeted by my high school band director, Homer Smith.  I hadn't seen him since I graduated from Jacksonville High School more than 20 years ago (has it been THAT long?  Have mercy!). His presence made me smile, but it also made me remember...

 

I started taking percussion lessons in 10th grade (I was 15).  I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and neither did Mr. Smith.  I was afraid he would be like many of my other teachers who had used my appearance and obvious vision difficulties as a means to embarrass me.  Other than enlarging copies of my music, no further mention was made.  I never heard the words you can't do that in his class, nor later on the marching field.   I'm sure that my first attempts at drumming made Mr. Smith question his career choice and I'm probably the reason his hair greyed so early, but his patient instruction and constant encouragement made me hungry to learn more and more about music.

 

My first marching season

I won't go into deep details about the initial difficulties I had my first marching season, but I will say that Mr. Smith could have easily put me in a quiet little corner and never allowed me to march at all, but he didn't.  You see, as far as we've been able to figure, I am the first female to every march snare drum at our high school.  Let's just say the alpha males didn't relish the thought of a girl being in "their" drumline.  Even now, playing snare seems to be a "dudes only" club in most high schools and colleges.  Fortunately, my high school alma mater isn't one of them.

 

Playing in the Community Band

In recovery, as well as in certain types of therapy/counseling, behavior redirection is a technique used for behavior modification.   One redirects a negative behavior by substituting it with a positive one.  Until I started drumming, I had no outlet for creativity--nothing I could pour myself into.  Even though I had made a decision for Christ a year earlier, I was still very bitter and full of anger.  Playing drums was very therapeutic for me.  Without knowing it, Mr. Smith's investment in me kept me in school until graduation.  He also gave me something to live for and look forward to.  What do I mean?  No matter how the kids treated me, no matter what was going on with me at home, no matter whether the other teachers wanted me around or not, last period was where I could strap on my drum and bang out all my frustrations and stresses of the day--turning a negative into a positive.  Plus, Friday always came.  For two football seasons, I may have been a freak, a nerd, and Shamu the Killer Whale during the week, but on Friday nights, I was one of the cool kids on the field and no one could take it away from me.  And you know what?  Because of the community band, THEY STILL CAN'T.  Thanks, Mr. Smith for being a hero!

 

For more information on the A-Z Blog Challenge, go to:

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

F is for Fitness Blender [A-Z Blog Challenge]

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Fitness Blender

 

Because of budget concerns (and because I'm thrifty cheap), I'm always on the hunt for free fitness resources online.  One of the best I've found for short effective workouts is Fitness Blender (www.fitnessblender.com).   This website was started by husband and wife fitness trainers Daniel and Kelli.  From their website:

Photo courtesy of fitnessblender.com

We started Fitness Blender because we believe that fitness should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their income. We also felt like there was a lack of reliable health and fitness information on the web, and too many people in the industry were more focused on appearance than they were on good health.

The couple produces their videos in a home studio and the website is funded by donations and gear sales.  They have every workout from short warmups, to lengthy 1000 calorie burning workouts of high intensity training and they add more every week.  My two favorite workouts so far have been her upper body workout and his short spinning workout (videos below).  They also offer meal plans, recipes, and workout regimen suggestions.

 

Their website is a great help to me because:

• They are regular hard working people, not fitness gurus with corporate sponsorship, Photoshop, or a good cosmetic surgeon.
• Their workouts vary in length, intensity, and type, which keeps me from getting bored.  I have several of their workouts in my "tried it Mikey" queue.
• They also give tips and debunk several fitness myths.  One thing they stress is that fitness is what looks and feels best on you, not what Hollywood says it should be.
• I like the fact that Daniel and Kelli are just plain silly sometimes.  They show their bloopers, misspeaks, and adventures with trying to get their dog, Loki, to be quiet while their shooting footage.

Daniel and Kelli are the epitome of the Principle eight concept of passing on what you've learned to others and being a good example.  They make me long to be able to pay it forward.  The minute I'm back to full time work, you'll probably see me walking around in a pink Fitness Blender tank top.

 

 

 

For more information on the A-Z Blog Challenge, go to:

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C is for Craig Ferguson [A-Z Blog Challenge]

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Craig Ferguson



 

"Sober alkies are often asked, ‘When did you hit rock bottom?’ But a more informed question might be, ‘How many times did you hit rock bottom?"

 

Craig Ferguson

 

 "Look, the point is, I already know how to eat better; we all do.  Honestly, is there anybody out there that doesn't know how they should eat?  It's pretty simple; you eat more vegetables and fewer snacks that are covered with orange dust.  Ah, sweet, delicious orange dust.  I like to rub it on my gums like fluorescent cocaine.  Oooh, I need another Cheeto bump!"  

 

 Craig Ferguson 

Sometimes God brings people into my life that I feel I have nothing in common with.  Some I interact with in my daily life, some are far away images who the Lord uses as examples and distant heroes.  One such person is comedian Craig Ferguson.

Ferguson is a naturalized American citizen originally from Cumbernauld (a small town on the outskirts of Glasgow, Scotland).  He came to America in the 90's and worked his way into show business.  He is now well known for his comedy, acting, and hosting the Late Late Show. 

So, how does a self-described "vulgar lounge entertainer" become a recovery hero for a small town Southern girl?  First, earlier this year Ferguson celebrated his 22nd year of sobriety, having been to rehab for drug and alcohol addiction and continuing to stay sober ever since.  I've only been in Celebrate Recovery for food addiction for a little over 5 years, so anyone who's maintained his recovery longer than I have I look up to.  I mean how, how do you just never touch the stuff again?  I still can't imagine myself never overeating or eating for emotional reasons again.  I'm a lot better, but still...

Second, Mr. Ferguson is not a Hollywood pretty boy who went to "celebrity hospital" and lounged by the pool for "rehab holiday."  He never says he was in rehab for a couple of weeks and everything was O.K., so what's wrong with the peasants who can't get it together.  In fact, his story is quite the opposite; he went to a regular place with regular people at a facility in England, not L.A.  He worked hard and went through the process.  He's a reminder that the recovery process is not a microwave, but a crock pot, and he's still simmering away.

Third, he's just plain real about life and recovery.  He's open about the fact that he's an alcoholic (among other things), had a couple of failed marriages, still struggles with food and weight, and was very damaged by his childhood. Yet, he made something of himself.  No, I don't agree with everything he says or does, but he has more humility about his foibles than many Christ followers I know.  He says, "Yep, I'm screwed up, but I'm still going and having a blast doing it."  My story is not nearly as dramatic as his, but yet I've wanted to give up many times.  He mentors me without even knowing it.  When I see him online (I don't have cable) or read a quote of his, I'm encouraged to keep on.  Yes, I realize his blessings and success seem to only be on this side of heaven (for now).  But look at it this way.  Mr. Ferguson has accomplished great things while trying to find the God that he admits he doesn't understand.  I made a decision for Christ almost 28 years ago and still have no type of success in my small corner of "JackVegas"--Alabama's version of Cumbernauld.  I don't have nearly the influence he has, nor the ability to help as many people as Mr. Ferguson.  I can learn from his work ethic and business sense. He is not a victim of circumstance; he has kicked circumstance in the taint and sent it away crying for its mama!

For more information on the A-Z Blog Challenge, go to:

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/