Acquiring a Mentor

I am irresponsible. I can obviously not be trusted with my own well-being. After all, I have had this body now for 43 years, and what have I done with it but neglect it and abuse it?  I've let it fall into disrepair, knowing full and well that it's the only one I will get. It's broken down, ugly, out of shape, and pretty well worthless. It hurts all the time. I know how to take care of it, I just don't. I don't exercise it, I don't fuel it properly, and I don't rest it well.

It's kind of surprising, really, when you consider all the things I can manage quite well...my children, their education, my career, my husband's diabetes, my parents' doctor's appointments, the bills, my social life, my church obligations.  All of these things outside of myself, I handle beautifully. But this one treasured resource, I can't take care of.

Today, I weigh 336 pounds. My waist is 57", my hips are 64", my thighs are 36", my calves are 23", and my upper arms are 23". You would think with all that pork, the US government is in charge of my body. But the truth  is, NO ONE is in charge of it. I weigh exactly 3 times what the guidelines say I should weigh. My BMI is 57.7. How am I not dead?

The answer is, by the Grace of God! I don't have high blood pressure, I don't have diabetes. I don't have high cholesterol...must be God. He is giving me a chance to make a change before I have to...to avoid a heart attack or a debilitating stroke...to become all He wants me to be by using the gifts he gives me to the fullest.

I took a bold first step this past week. I asked a man I know who is very  health conscious to be my mentor...my accountability partner. I see his posts on Facebook all the time...he rides his bike for health and recreation, and is in great shape. He was an athlete in high school, has a fantastic family, and he is just the kind of guy that usually intimidates the hell out of me. But I know he's a man of God, I know he worships faithfully and leads his family in church, and I know God didn't lead me to ask him just to have me injured by him. I'll meet him once a week at his church for a weigh in and a "atta girl" or some encouragement. I'll have to face him every 7 days to be accountable for my behavior. I'll know he's praying for me as I struggle.

I feel good about this. Right now, I'm not strong enough to be accountable for this part of my life. But I feel God has led me to someone who will help me get there.

My first goal is to have the courage to stand on the scale in front of him. I already told you what I weigh, so that's a start, but it's going to be hard. I'm ashamed of the state I'm in. But I'm not a victim...I did this to myself, and I can take a step in the right direction.