Counting the Cost...Days 25 and 26

So here is the lowdown on the past two days, sorry for the delay, again...

Tuesday, January 22

B – Nothing early
Workout - Power walk with Leslie Sansone – YAY!
Brunch – Egg and Cheese wrap
L – Tuna w/light miracle whip, whole wheat pasta/sauce/
S – Lipton chicken noodle cup-a-soup
S – Tilapia filet (baked), English peas, whole wheat pasta/sauce, piece of cheddar

Wednesday, January 23

B – Egg and Cheese wrap
S - None
L – None
S – popcorn
S – Tilapia filet stuffed w/shrimp(baked), green beans, whole wheat pasta/sauce,
No workout...:-(

Still at 23 pounds down, no more weight loss yet. But I can tell such a difference in my clothes. Usually when I put my jeans on I have a bulge at the top hanging over a little bit. I put on a pair of those jeans yesterday and the waist was loose, and the pants overall were just fitting much better. I am really happy with the results. I just have to say that working out makes such a difference in your body!


Okay, now I have to just go to a really very serious note. I know this is a weight loss journal, but I just have to share this because I think it is really important:

I found an article in our local newspaper about a woman who had been missing in our area, and they had found her body. Well, I had heard that they were trying to find out who she was, and when I saw the article with her picture I realized it was someone I used to work with at a store about 12 1/2 years ago. At that time we used to talk quite a bit and our job and I had invited her to church. She came with me one time, but that was all. I moved away the following spring to Nashville, and did not see her for a very long time. When my husband and I moved back here I would see her at the grocery store, or in passing at other places, mainly just shopping was the only time I saw her. And in all of that time I never, ever invited her to church again. I never tried to talk to her about Jesus again. It absolutely broke my heart to see that she was gone, and I would never get that chance back. It was a loss I cannot even put into words. All of those times I had seen her, I had just been busy, just been focused on me, caught up in my own problems or own concerns, dealing with my kids in the store, etc. And I didn't take the time to talk to her, time to wonder how she was, time to tell her that Jesus loved her. I will never, ever get that chance back. I don't know what her life had been like, I just knew her from when we worked together. All I know is that I didn't take time for her, I only had time for me. I failed her.

I have kept the article from the newspaper, complete with her picture, as a reminder to me of the cost - the cost to Jesus as he walked up the hill to the cross, the cost for me as I take up my cross daily, and the cost of just one soul lost - something that can not be taken back. I don't get a do-over in this, and I will have to live with my failure in that. I was so upset and just wanted to beat myself up over it, but instead, I will just keep this article and pic, and remember that each person I see, each person I come in contact with, is my missionfield. I will make it my mission to reach as many people as I can, not worrying about what they may think or say about me. Our pastor told us this past Sunday that we are responsible for each person that we see, to tell them about Jesus. He said when we stand before God, and the lost are being called before the Judgement Seat, we don't want to hear them say, "But God, Aprille didn't tell me about Jesus. I saw her every day and I never knew I needed You in my heart." Because then God will turn to us and say, "Why didn't you tell them about me?" And we will have no excuse. There is no reason good enough to not share the love of Jesus, we should have all the time in the world to share Him, make time to share Him!. I am so heartbroken over people in other countries who never hear about Jesus, when people here need Him just as much!

Once again, I cannot say where this young lady was in here life - maybe she had already accepted Jesus. The point is that I didn't take the time to find out, the time to just ask her simply if Jesus was her Lord and Savior. Time is short and the need is great, it is our responsibility to share the love of Jesus. We never know when there will be no more chances, when it will be too late.