Gain Some——Lose Some
I’m reminded of the quote by Erma Bombeck: I’ve been on a constant diet for the last two decades. I’ve lost a total of 789 pounds. By all accounts, I should be hanging from a charm bracelet.
I happened in 2014 to keep track pretty conscientiously of my weight. I found that some days I would gain a half a pound, some days I would lose a pound, some days I would gain two pounds, etc., etc. Well, I went through those records and found that over the course of the year I gained 85 1/2 pounds, and I lost 79 1/2 pounds. On January first I weighed 150. And on December 31st I weighed 144 1/2. My highest weight within the year was 152, and my lowest weight was 138. That’s a fluctuation of fourteen pounds.
I don’t know what it all proves. It just was a little bit interesting.

Long-Term Program—Join Me
I’m starting a five-year program today. I woke up this morning thinking—you can do it—you just need to do it longer than a day, or a month, or until it collapses. Stay with it for five years!
I have to tell you that for the years 2001 to 2005 I kept a five-year diary. Not the little leather kind that has a lock and key and is pink leather and has teeny tiny spaces to write in. Back in 2001 I got a regular loose-leaf notebook and regular 8 1/2 by 11 lined notebook paper and I divided each page into five sections. The top section was 2001, second section 2002, third section 2003—-you get the idea. Each page was one day—January 1 for instance. And I filled in each section for five years. The beauty of this 365-page journal is that each page has the entry for January 7th or June 14th, and you can easily read where you were a year ago.
For me, the issue that I’m going to address is eating. I go on and off a diet. I am “good” for three days and then go berserk. I am a life-time member of Weight Watchers. I am not grossly overweight. But at my age of 81 years, the less I carry around the better it is for my back and my knees.
Now if you want to join me, it doesn’t have to be around eating. It could be something else you really want to accomplish AND you want to stick with it until it IS accomplished. So make your notebook (I’ve already got mine started and ready to go for these last days of January—although I’m using a 5 1/2” x 8 1/2” notebook this time). I’d say “good luck” to us, but in this instance, it isn’t about luck I’m thinking. It’s more about sticking to a goal for a good, long time, and writing it down. Make your notebook and let me know you’re joining me and if you want, let me know your project.

If you want to be able to comment, you can go on my website which is: annfreemanprice.com and click on the title of the most recent posting – it will say Long-Term Program—Join Me – and at the end of that posting click comment. If you’ve never commented before, wordpress will ask you to sign in to wordpress. Just the first time—-from then on you’re good.

377. New Year Prayer and Resolution
I came across the other day those lines that were used in the musical “Godspell” but that really dated back to the 1200’s. You’ll recognize them in the prayer of Saint Richard of Chichester (1197 to 1253).

Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits thou hast given me,
for all the pains and insults thou hast borne for me.
O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother,
may I know thee more clearly,
love thee more dearly,
follow thee more nearly, day by day. Amen.

And almost immediately we can sing those last three lines—–know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, follow thee more nearly, day by day, by day, by day, by day.
I can hardly imagine a better prayer for the New Year-—and in fact, I can hardly imagine a better resolution for the New Year.

I was going through some old memories I have typed and found this poem. It is long but captures that time in 1990 when I was engaged in full days of grandchild day-care and loving it. Reading the poem again brought back to me the reality of that Rock-a-roo chair and the Rock-a-roo song and the feeling of that little boy in my arms. That little boy is now 25.

***

Rock-A-Roo Chair

***

rocking with a baby

is one of the moments

where cuddle and

special take over

and pressure and must do

melt away

***

cherish the feel

of a tiny one

wrapped tight in blankets

rocking back and forth

forth and back

***

start to breathe

differently in a rocking

chair – breaths

synchronize with

sounds of wooden runners

skimming the floor

***

sometimes feet make

a pattern sound

heel – toe; heel toe heel toe

heel – toe; heel toe heel toe

baby quiets

adult too

***

sometimes songs gather

themselves in the rocker

Rockin in the rockin chair

You and me

Looking out the window

What do you see

Sometimes you see a car

Sometimes you see a car

And sometimes the car is green

and sometimes the car is red

and sometimes the car is blue

and sometimes the car is yellow

Rockin in the rockin chair

You and me…..

***

two and three-year-olds

will fight sleep for nearly

twenty-seven minutes

wanting to pick the

next thing you see out the window

or the next color

the list is endless

the moon, leaves,

animals, sun

real or pretend

there can always be

another verse

***

sooner or later

and later or sooner

even three-year-olds

get eyelids that

flicker closed

and heads that burrow

into softness and

sleepness

***

adult heads rest too

on the high backed rocker

adult eyes slide shut

sinking in the luxury

of rockin’ rhythm

and toddler scrumptious

***

rocking with a baby

is the moment

where cuddle

and special

are most

***

© Copyright 1990 by Ann Freeman Price

373. New Hymn

Last April I posted a recommendation for the book, “Just Jesus” by Walter Wink. Not long after I finished that book I wrote the following hymn, but I’m just getting around five months later to post it. Anyway, I’m back now. Here’s the hymn:

—

Follow This Jesus

(Dedicated to Walter Wink and his book, Just Jesus)

—

I would follow this Jesus who all through his days

Walked the road of compassion and non-violent ways.

He spoke of resistance when things were not just,

And he lived an example in which we can trust.

—

I would follow this Jesus who knew how to live,

Saving time for himself, finding time he could give

To others around him, both strangers and friend,

Showing how God is present without and within.

—

Yes, with Jesus before me and through all my years

He has given his model to conquer my fears.

I’ll live life authentic as he did each day,

I will follow this Jesus and know of the Way.

—

(Tune: How Firm a Foundation)

© Copyright 2014 by Ann Freeman Price