Author: Christianview blog

Christianity

Tracked goals: aim for success

Christianview blog

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all
to the glory of God. – 1 Corinthians 10:31

I had a nice walk today and wanted to post a shot of what I took while I went walking.

It’s a local park I go to a lot because it has wide open spaces and a duck pond. It’s pretty safe there and I don’t have to worry about anyone attacking me.

Kids from the local schools play soccer in the soccer field that’s in the park.

Today I did something special, I went through a bunch of videos and found a spreadsheet from someone’s blog that will help me track my steps every day and compare my steps each day.

Then I will log my weight, possibly each day. I think it’s good to see what I’m doing right to lose the weight I gained when I went on the carnivore diet.

I still haven’t lost the 20 pounds or so that I gained during the six months I was on the carnivore diet. I’ve posted my blog post about my negative experience on the carnivore diet. It’s called, I quit carnivore to return to keto; here’s why.

Needless to say I didn’t want to continue on a way of eating that results in gaining around 20 pounds and caused extreme abdominal pain for a few days.

Now that I’ve returned to keto, or low carb, depending on the day, and I’ve returned to intermittent fasting, I am beginning to feel like my old self.

Except I feel sluggish. The weight has got to go. I’m having problems getting back to losing weight as I did on keto, with intermittent fasting. I can’t seem to get up to fasting 22 hours per day. I’m not there yet. And that’s about what I need to lose about a pound a week and feel comfortable losing it with one meal a day (OMAD).

So looking at the excel spreadsheet I downloaded from someone’s blog, I’ve added a few more columns for number of steps, hours of sleep, hours I’ve studied, and a column for notes.

This should be helpful if I actually track the data every day.

I’m a little bit hesitant to weigh in every morning. It’s scary and so many people have given advice about whether to weigh every morning, once a week, or throw the scale away and just take measurements every month.

I’m not sure what I’ll do but I’ll start with a baseline, weigh in, take measurements, and start tracking all my numbers.

I’ve got several goals I’ve been working on and needed a way to track everything. I could have created my own spreadsheet but she’s laid it out already so I’ll just use hers, the lady who created it.

I’ve got more things to track, so you can understand that getting things done is overwhelming, so it’s nice to have a plan and goals to aim for.

Plans work best if you write them down, I believe.

Christianity

Slowing my blog posts down. God has plans for me.

Christianview blog

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. – Jeremiah 29:11

Hello friends! I appreciate you all whether you are regular readers of my blog or have dropped in now and then.

My desire is to offer blogging about life from a Christian’s perspective.

My desire has been to create media which I enjoy very much. As a Christian I wanted to build on my understanding of God and the bible and write about that and how it’s effected my life as well as society here in the United States.

I have a bachelor’s degree in journalism, from California State University, Sacramento. I wrote for two of my college papers and wrote news for a local radio station. I also won an award for local journalism, in Napa.

Over the years my interest in writing stories grew and news has always been an interest of mine as well as photo-journalism.

I never really went into the field of journalism on a professional level but always had websites, did internet radio for a nonprofit or other news-related things as a sole proprietor.

Researching local news stories was a wonderful way to use my skills, and I also began writing ads, getting paid for writing SEO content and other creative ventures with others as well as for myself.

I began researching things like HAARP in Alaska, RF technology and other advanced technology for groups of people feeling attacked by such technologies.

A few years ago I attempted to build a local micro-news site online and did that for awhile until the cost to my health from the hours I worked caused me to burn out so I quit that company and continued to work full-time in HR for other companies.

I began to find my way on another path, one that included Christ Jesus as my Savior, Lord and friend. I am a believer in Christ Jesus and have been trusting his guidance about my career path.

I’ve had to let go of past professional training and education and so have let go of journalism, and my other career in counseling psychology where I also worked on my doctorate degree in psychology. Teaching at a university was also let go.

My life changed dramatically. I give all glory and thanks to God my Savior who is Jesus Christ.

All this to say that I have over-booked myself once again. I have to let things go to make room for the new in my life.

I must quit my blogging on this site which I’ve tried to do daily but again, it’s gotten too much for what I believe are God’s plan for me.

I’m now studying for two certifications for my new career in HR, Human Resources, and they’ve taken time away from my need to express myself through blogging.

So if you don’t see me here quite as much you can understand.

We give our lives to Christ and he takes us where he wants, and where he knows is best for us.

In the meantime, I will check in here, however often I am moved to, and I hope you’ve enjoyed my content here.

I’ve enjoyed knowing my readers have sometimes come back, and I know that fellowship by way of knowing a Christian writes this blog can sometimes be of comfort to some.

I hope it’s been of some way to connect and feel somewhat connected to another Christian. I know that’s valued by me and others and I keep myself strong in the Lord through prayer, talking to God out loud and reading the Word.

I pray you’re week goes well and that you are blessed by knowing the Lord cares for you.

Christianity

Skin cancer not scary

Christianview blog

Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. – 3 John 1:2

The results of my two biopsies were that both areas are basal cell carcinoma.

I will go in and have several areas on my face and hands frozen off. The are not serious and are common.

The other larger bump on the side of my nose will need surgery.

I will schedule an appointment with a surgeon for a consult then have it removed.

It is slow-growing and not serious. This allows my health insurance that I just paid for to kick in, becoming effective May 1st, so I can put off any procedures until then.

Stay out of the sun if you have fair skin and I will be using sun screen from now on, even in winter.

Christianity

Biopsies taken. This week will provide the results.

Christianview blog

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. – 2 Timothy 1:7

A few days ago I went to a dermatologist who took two biopsies.

I have a bump next to my nose and a small red patch of skin on my arm.

As my health has been my special project of late I decided to go in and have them checked out even though I have no health insurance to help cover the cost of the doctor’s visit and biopsies.

Thankfully I had the money to pay the full amount of $505.

I have other small patches of dry skin that I want to get rid of so will have more biopsies in the future.

My doctor recommended I get health insurance. It was weird since I haven’t had health insurance for a long time.

I did sign up for health insurance at the cost of $139.78/month which I can afford even without having a job.

God is good and now’s the time to get these things taken care of.

I feel blessed today.

Christianity

Checking off tasks completed

Christianview blog

In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. – Proverbs 3:6

Hello friends! Happily I have moved a few tasks off of my schedule this week. They have been completed.

These tasks were to create a draft newsletter for a community group I belong to and also to complete the board meeting minutes for the group.

It’s nice to have a schedule to check off completed tasks each day.

I use google calendar as well as my personal day timer to keep track of all my meetings and tasks I must do each day.

In this way I do not procrastinate. Procrastination is an old habit but I believe that due to my belief and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that I am becoming more disciplined.

I hope you are having a blessed day!

Christianity

Unburdening ourselves. Our health, our time.

Christianview blog

Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. – 1 Peter 5:7

To take care of myself and provide less stress and more time to my day, I gave up the ownership of a social media group to someone yesterday.

Because I am moving out of my area in the coming months, the social media group I founded and was the owner of will no longer be a relevant group for me to be a member of.

I always wanted to get free of having the daily, mundane postings and commenting in that group to help keep it going. It was always something that took my time, and I didn’t want to be tied to doing those duties for the last few months.

In fact, I resented it. I wasn’t getting the joy of talking to people in my general area and sharing things that were happening and my thoughts about them with the group. It became a chore.

Respecting ourselves and our time is a major way to help restore our health. If we keep doing things we don’t want to do, that take our energy and joy away, having a good look at whether it is a valid responsibility is key.

As someone said in a meditation I followed recently, when we feel badly about something or feel oppressed, “look for the opportunity”. Look for what we can do about the situation, how we may take care of ourselves, what the situation presses us in a corner about to look at more constructively, and then take care of ourselves.

Thankfully in this case, someone stepped forward and offered to take the group leadership from me. I am greatly appreciative of this person.

And I’m greatly relieved that the group moderation is no longer a responsibility that I have to carry.

Let’s continue to seek the Lord Jesus in all of our cares and let him guide in his working with us individually.

Lord, we love you, worship you and are continually thankful for your leadership in our lives! In Jesus’ mighty name!

Amen.

Christianity

Childhood without God in my family (audio)

Christianview blog

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. – Matthew 18:10

I’ve been thinking about my childhood lately and how it contributed to where I am in my life today.

I also want to blog about how my health has been impacted by how I was raised.

I recorded a short audio about my childhood but it only touches on how my life was as a child. It says some pretty important stuff and I won’t go into great detail about it at this point because I like to keep my privacy intact.

However, after I read “Demonic Foes” by psychiatrist Dr. Gallagher, I began thinking about demonic influences in my childhood and how it effected my life.

Being a Christian now has changed things for the better and I want to support those of you who were raised without God in walking alone, without family members, if you have to.

Here’s the audio I started a few nights ago about my childhood.

Christianity

A beautiful day at the duck pond (video)

Christianview blog

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. – Romans 15:13

I went for a walk at a local park in Bellevue, Washington state yesterday afternoon.

It’s one of my favorites, called Robinswood Park, and it has a little duck pond in the center of the park.

I took videos of the ducks floating around.

The day was overcast but I walked around for about an hour enjoying being outside.

I hope you have a blessed day today!

Christianity

Job growth and learning new job skills

Christianview blog

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. – Philippians 4:13

Friends, this afternoon I’ve been spending time on a google certification program. I feel it is necessary to help with my job seeking for a good, permanent job.

I want to stay out of the boring, entry-level jobs that some recruiters are still contacting me about.

I must be on a list.

To make a big change in my career opportunities so that better opportunities come my way, I’ve decided to take the data analytics course.

I also have the Professional Human Resources certification class on tap; I need to get back to it.

In order to make progress in life we have to keep growing and learning, and it takes work.

Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is madness. So I can’t expect to climb up unless I make improvements in my skills which I am doing.

It’s all included in my health journey.

Let’s take care of ourselves on all levels.

Have a blessed day!

Christianity

Meditation helps me stay calm

Christianview blog

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7

Hello friends, I hope you are having a nice week!

Today I wanted to tell you a little bit about how well meditation is working for me.

I use a meditation app to guide me through meditations for sleep, or just to deepen my meditation practice by completing breathe control.

Last night during a meditation I realized that I was more aware and focused on my breath, and on my surroundings. I felt very calm and focused.

Many times during the day I feel pressured about getting tasks done where I realize I am experiencing the wear and tear of stress.

Stress can be good stress or bad stress, but too much stress during the day can be bad.

I appreciated that I was in a calm state and my mind was still.

I do practice meditation during the day as well. It has helped me to become calm when I’ve felt reactive and agitated due to come incompetency of my apartment maintenance, or due to spammers using my LinkedIn personal messaging to try and sell me something. As if I am a customer waiting to be contacted by random salespeople.

I believe that due to my regular meditation practice, I have less stressful reactions to people that hopefully add to having energy instead of having my energy drained at times due to negative interactions with people.

There are a few free meditation apps that I use. I will add them here but I get no compensation for publishing them.

Here they are:

  1. Balance app (free for one year)
  2. Medito (free)
  3. Alexa (cost of an Alexa device)
  4. Fitbit (free for limited time)

May your day be calm!