HCG Day 12 (or is it 14...?)

Monday 25th - 9.15am: I'm even confusing myself here!! So this is the 12th day of the 500 calorie diet, and the 14th day since I started taking the drops. There!

After a VERY busy weekend, which saw an unforgettable worship concert by the Naz Saturday Night Band on Sunday night, the weight loss figures for yesterday are in. Loss was 1.2 pounds, making the total lost to date to be 20.8 pounds (or for those in the UK, 1 stone 6 pounds).

I suppose if I were looking for landmarks, this is the last full week I will be taking the drops. Next week I will take them up until Thursday, and then Thursday through Saturday I will continue the 500 calories but will be off the drops. This week though, it's full steam ahead!

HCG Day 11

6.20am: Again just a short post today as I have to be at church soon :-(


Loss for yesterday was just small - 0.2 pounds - but the trend continues downwards at 19.6 pounds. Very encouraging. Have a great Sunday.

Day 10 Report

Just the briefest of reports today cause I overslept. lost a whopping 3.6 pounds yesterday - somehow - bringing total loss to 19.4 pounds. Wow!!!


Okay, gotta run!!!

Bring The Rain

I had to edit a large number of teaching programs before this week's Pledge Drive at theDove, and this entailed going through and listening to much of them, in order to determine where to best position the edit that would chop the program in half. The program that most impacted me this week was the Focus on the Family 2 part interview with Todd & Angie Smith. 

Todd Smith is one third of the Christian vocal group Selah. He and Angie already had three daughters when she became pregnant with a fourth, whom they had named Audrey Caroline, back in 2008. It became apparent early on that there were serious problems with the pregnancy, and Todd & Angie had to make some tough decisions.

The outcome can be followed in a blog (now a book called "I Will Carry You: The Sacred Dance of Grief and Joy") which has been read by hundreds of thousands of people, and which has provided comfort, inspiration and challenge to many more.
 
I was riveted by the Focus program when I listened back to it this week, and decided to investigate the blog further. It is lengthy, but also fascinating, compelling, and very emotional. The latest Selah album - "You Deliver Me" - includes as a bonus song a musical version of an open letter to Angie's daughter, written by her mommy and recorded by the group. It is a powerful, powerful song.

I could talk for hours about all this; how reading the blog and hearing the interview seemed to kick start something within me which wanted to get back to this incredible God who revealed himself through this extraordinary set of circumstances, and from whom I have been WAY too far away... 

but instead I will content myself with posting the link to the blog and encourage you - if you haven't already - to check it out, or better still, get the book. You will cry, you will laugh, you will be angry, but through all this you will see the fingerprints of God all over this story.
Take a look here

P.S. I ought to point out that on May 19th this year, Todd and Angie welcomed their daughter Charlotte Olivia into the world. God is good.

HCG Day 9

Just a quick mention that after 8 days we are looking at another 0.8 pounds loss. Total now just under 16 pounds (15.8 pounds).
Today at the office we are all walking around in something of a daze after 4 incredible days of Pledge Drive. Looking forward to the weekend, that's for sure, but I have a busy busy one ahead with multiple church commitments. Pray for me, for strength, and that I stay awake! I'll be going into work on Monday for a rest!!!

One week (Day 8) of HCG and the last day (Day 4) of Pledge Drive

So it's just after 5.30am and I woke of my own accord around 5. Maybe I'm too tired to actually sleep - who knows?
Anyway, after an exhausting week of pledge driving, we have our final big push today, the day when historically, most people call in. I really hope they do, because we are 100% listener supported, so we need people's support so we can keep going - that's no exaggeration. By 6pm tonight it'll be over and we'll know just how much we can do in the next 6 months.
After a slightly less exhausting week 1 of HCG, I can report that the total weight loss (after a loss overnight of 0.6 pounds) is exactly 15 pounds for the first week. Not too shabby, I think you'll agree! For those Brits reading, by the way, that is 1 stone and 1 pound.
Anyway, time to finish my cup of tea and probably go straight to work. Might as well, seeing as I have to be there by 7 anyway today. Get there early and get some work done....

Day 7 HCG, Day 3 Dove Pledge Drive

Well it seems that the Take That name change was just proposed, and not finalised, which is a relief - not that I'm too closely into that one, you understand!

On the weight front, day 6 saw a loss of just under a pound (0.8 of a pound to be exact - I have digital scales!), to make the total weight loss as we move into day 7 14.4 pounds. Those in the UK will recognize that as being just a fraction over a stone, which is the first big landmark. Feeling okay as well. No headaches, cravings or starving hunger, so I'm quite encouraged so far.

Right. To work!