Estas botas son causadas andar!

As if their boots were not pointy enough to kill somebody, it can get even pointier!

Apparently, these extra pointy cowboy boots are the latest rave among men in Mexico right now. They wear them on  the dance floors (gasp! Wouldn't wanna be near a guy wearing that, or my feet might get cut-off! LOL) and rodeos. Some of them even light up! I just had a great laugh at this one so I'm sharing it!

These boots are made for more than walking!

Check this link to see the new must-have footwear in Mexico!
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/the-40-most-ridiculous-pairs-of-really-pointy-mexi

N.B. I didn't post this to make fun of Mexicans as I have a LOT of  friends from MX. I just wanna share this cuz it's really interesting and entertaining at the same time. Peace! =)

GOD'S TIME CLOCK

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8

A Time for Everything

 ¹ There is a time for everything,
   and a season for every activity under the heavens:
 ² a time to be born and a time to die,
   a time to plant and a time to uproot,
 ³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
   a time to tear down and a time to build,
 ⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
   a time to mourn and a time to dance,
 ⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
   a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
 ⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
   a time to keep and a time to throw away,
 ⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,
   a time to be silent and a time to speak,
 ⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
   a time for war and a time for peace.

God has made everything beautiful in its time...

Time is of value to me. I plan things because I don't like wasting time. I schedule activities and bills to pay. I make sure that everything gets done in a timely fashion. I keep a planner for work and for home so I am always up to date with everything. I arrive on time or early for an appointment or any event, and I hate when things are delayed or people I'm meeting are late.

Of course, I still forget. I still get late ( always because of some unforseen circumstances). I still mess things up despite of my efforts to be organized. But my life has turned into this series of routines, that when something doesn't go with schedule, I get disappointed or worried. Evidently, things will still get done, bills will still be paid. Just not in the time I planned it to be.

When most of us pray, majority of our prayers are supplications. Asking God to help us, to provide for us, to give us what we want. And there is nothing wrong with that. For Jesus told us that whatever we ask in His name, we shall receive.

But sometimes, God takes His time. He doesn't always give us what we asked for right away. Sometimes, He wants us to wait. He does this not to punish us but probably to give us time to realize our vulnerability. That we need Him to move on and feel better. This time of waiting may help us heal and be stronger. A time for learning and accepting things.

And then in His time, He will make all things right. He will put everything in its place. He will give us not what we want, but what we need. It may take time for you to realize, but soon you will understand that it was worth the wait.

God's time is always the right time. He knows that there is a time for everything. He has it planned and scheduled. But unlike us, His timing is always perfect. He will not forget nor mess things up. All we need is to trust in Him all the time because He knows what is best for us. So embrace the waiting period and delays. It is not a sign on an unanswered prayer but only of better things to come.

Emotional vs Physical

It's been 3 months since I started this blog and I am still not reaching my goal. Last Thursday I went to see my doctor and found out that I actually gained 6 lbs! My efforts have been futile and it just saddens me. I have produced results that are opposite to my goal. I thought I was on the right track. But still, I'm doing something wrong.

I asked Matt if he still finds me attractive even if I'm fat. He said that no matter what I say about myself when I look in the mirror, he still thinks that he is lucky to be married to a wonderful woman. If he encourages me to lose weight, it's because he wants me to be healthier, so I can stop taking my BP medications and just be well.

Maybe that's what's wrong with this picture. I might have the wrong motivation in what I'm trying to do. I want to look better, I want to wear cute dresses, wear heels without my legs giving up on me. Look better in a swimsuit. External beauty. I never thought I had such vanity til now.

I want to live better so I can live longer. With a healthier body, I can take longer walks, go hiking, enjoy dancing. Without panting, heart palpitations and tired feet. I will feel more confident about myself. I will have less worries. The things that losing weight will do for my emotional being is what should motivate me. That is what should make me strive harder.

 Well, of course there will still be those dresses and shoes....

Physical and Emotional will always go hand in hand. But what matters most will still be how being healthy will make you feel.

Ok, time to start over again.

WORRY, WORRY, WORRY....

Be content with what you have, for God said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."  So say with confidence, " The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid."
Hebrews 13: 5-6


Well I'm back!


It's been a while since I posted anything on my blog. The past weeks have been both busy, but really delightful. A visit from my in-laws and Matt's Uncle Steve and Aunt Bonnie had been so much fun. Meeting up with old friends and LOTS of walks on San Diego's beaches. Everything has been pretty good so far.


Yes, I have been watching what I eat and I take advantage of every opportunity I got to get my body moving. I have found a gym close to where we live and will start going there soon. ( Finally!) There are still bumps on the diet road every now and then, but hoping that with more physical activity, I will get to my goal.


I would like to focus today's blog to the scripture above. I read an article on MSN today about calming your inner worrywart. It made me think a lot about myself. I am a big worrier. I worry about...well, almost everything.

I worry about my health and Matt's health. My Mom and Dad's health. Matt's Mom and Dad's health.
I worry about our finances. I worry about our jobs and what we will do if one of us loses it. It happened to about 2 million people so why won't it happen to us.
I worry about my loved-ones who are thousands of miles away.
I worry that we are not taking care of our car enough so it might break down anytime.
I worry about what other people think or say about me all the time, whether I know them or not.
I worry about my future and how I don't have enough savings for when I retire...( really, I do.)
I worry that I will not get the things that I want, what I planned for or what I dreamed of.
And the list goes on.....
I HAVE THE WORRYWART! GASP!

Reading today's scripture gave me a realization how little faith I have. There is really no need to worry because there is someone up there who is always looking after me, who will not forsake me and will always give me the things He knows are best for me.

As long as we take care of ourselves physically, eat properly and don't abuse our bodies.
As long as we are honest and hard-working in our jobs
As long as I pray and consistently keep in touch with my family
As  long as we do periodic maintenance on our vehicle
As long as I be myself and accept who I am
As long as I don't spend on frivolous things, and save even just a little each payday
As long as I trust and have faith to my GOD who has given us such blessings, believe that with His grace and our efforts, there is really no need to worry about anything.

He has proven time and time again to me that He is there for me, no matter how big or small the situation is.

NO NEED TO WORRY.

PSALM 51: A Prayer of Repentance

<sup>One of my favorite chapters in the Bible. My prayer to the Lord everytime I know I have displeased Him or others. In time for the Lenten season, I share this sincere and heartfelt prayer with you.

1</sup> Have mercy on me, O God,
   according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
   blot out my transgressions.
² Wash away all my iniquity
   and cleanse me from my sin.
 ³ For I know my transgressions,
   and my sin is always before me.
⁴ Against you, you only, have I sinned
   and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
   and justified when you judge.
⁵ Surely I was sinful at birth,
   sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
⁶ Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
   you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
 ⁷ Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
   wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
⁸ Let me hear joy and gladness;
   let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
⁹ Hide your face from my sins
   and blot out all my iniquity.
 ¹⁰ Create in me a pure heart, O God,
   and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not cast me from your presence
   or take your Holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation
   and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
 ¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
   so that sinners will turn back to you.
¹⁴ Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
   you who are God my Savior,
   and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
¹⁵ Open my lips, Lord,
   and my mouth will declare your praise.
¹⁶ You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
   you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
¹⁷ My sacrifice, O God, is^[b] a broken spirit;
   a broken and contrite heart
   you, God, will not despise.
 ¹⁸ May it please you to prosper Zion,
   to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
¹⁹ Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
   in burnt offerings offered whole;
   then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Buffets: Friend or Foe?

"A buffet is a system of serving meals in which food is placed in a public area where the diners generally serve themselves. It is a popular method for feeding a large number of people with minimal staff.  Another advantage of buffets compared to table service is that diners have a great deal of choice and the ability to closely inspect food before selecting it."

Have not been blogging for a while because of this. It's like I'm in a buffet once or twice a week and it's messing up my goal. Yes, I enjoy dining with my friends and my hubby. I love how there's so much to choose from. And how about that term " eat-all-you-can"? Best thing of all: it's only $ 9.99! Prime rib, steak, chops, shrimp, paella, pasta, potatoes, soup and salad, bottomless drinks....and the desserts! Oh the decadent desserts! How can I resist? Everything that I love to eat is laid spread out before me!

So I put my calorie calculator aside and enjoyed.

I think I just gained 5 pounds in the last 2 weeks. =(

F. 70. I have failed. I have to start over again. This time with helpful tips when eating at a buffet. http://www.ehow.com/way_5777011_tips-eating-buffet-staying-diet.html.  There is no reason to murder my diet or totally avoid buffets. It is economical and can be healthy. But now I know how to handle it better.

Ok, back to step one today. Oatmeal for breakfast. 30 minute walk done. Another one this afternoon. Hopefully get my gym membership back next month so I can burn more. Sorry for the disappointment. But like what I always say when I was a kid: "Try and try until you succeed!"

Oh, yeah. There's this party tonight at my cousin's house....

DAY 2&3: JAPAN WASN'T THE ONLY ONE THAT HAD A DISASTER!

¹⁰ The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
   the LORD is enthroned as King forever.
¹¹ The LORD gives strength to his people;
   the LORD blesses his people with peace

^{Psalms 29: 10-11}

My thoughts and prayers go to the people of Japan. Some things are just out of our hands. Our faith in the Lord is stronger in times of adversities such as this. He is in our midst to strengthen us and give us peace. Do not lose your grip on His hands. Trust that there is a reason for all this. We may not be able to comprehend it right now, but soon we will.

FACING MY OWN DISASTER

DAY 2: It was mine and Matt's day-off. Usually, we run errands and try to spend some quality time together. QT consists of walks on the beach, shopping, doing chores and other "activities." =)

CALORIE BUDGET: 1,759

BFAST: Waffles, Eggs and Mushrooms, 2 Sausage Links and 2% Milk- 597 cals

LUNCH: Gyros Sandwich, Fries and Tea- 1022 cals (ugh! But it was so good...)

SNACK: Pancake Puppies from Denny's ( Matt's Idea!)- 390 cals

DINNER: Fried Calamaris (Hand-breaded by me....) -1233 cals

Total Calorie Intake: 3242 ( OMG....)

Total Exercise: Brisk walk for total of 2 hrs, Chores and other "activities"- 1,498

Balance:  15 under- It may look good but not it isn't. Too much food taken today.

DAY 3: Started good but ended up in a disaster!

CALORIE BUDGET: 1,759

BFAST: Blueberry Yogurt, Sandwich Thins with Low fat cream cheese- 192 cals

LUNCH: Beef Flautas and Water- 578 cals

SNACK: Plum and Cinnamon Chips- 216 cals

DINNER: This is where it all crumbled down....we had dinner at Hometown Buffet- (pot roast, ham, fried chicken, hush puppies, chicken noodle soup, stir-fry veggies, dinner rolls, baked fish, lava cake with frozen yogurt and watermelon...small portions but still added up to gazillion cals!)- it's too embarassing to post how much...but I promised to be honest- 1842 cals!

Total Calorie Intake: 2828 cals.

Total Exercise: 45 Minute Brisk Walking-700 cals

Balance: 369 over- This is bad! Very bad....

Japan wasn't the only one that had a disaster.

I think I did poorly in the first three days. Although I exercised, I still ate a lot. My appetite control is not as strong as I want it to be. Plus there are external factors that I need to work on ( E.g. My husband who loves to eat and cook good food, our proximity to good restaurants, the sinful foods in our fridge...). This is tougher than I thought. Comments or suggestions anyone?