Progress Report from Nov. 2011 to July 2012

First of all I want to give God the glory for giving me the grace to lose weight. I am very grateful for all the support from Coach Veronica Dowdy and my friends who prayed for God to give me grace to lose weight and TeamBeachbody for their amazing products that educate you and train your body to be in the great shape.
    I took the first picture Nov. 15, 2011 at a friends baby shower and I had forgotten what I looked like seriously! The second picture was from July 23, 2012 at my cousins wedding. I m still working on goals, learning, getting back up when I do not eat what I should. I tell myself what Tony Horton says, "Rome wasn't built in a day".
     Consistent good food choice for me is the hardest and especially when there's a party or as you can see I love good food!! But once I get motivated it's easier and food is the key to successful weight loss and good health! No magic pills gimmicks! So I tell myself whats the point of exercising hard if I don't eat right??? Right!
Tony Horton, P90x creator said you will see the best results when you cut processed foods, breads, wonder bread, croissant, sugars, artificial sweeteners and cut the dairy.
Eat real unprocessed foods- this is where I need to improve, more veggies on my plate. I didn't grow up with veggies on my plate, but its okay because I m learning! However, I do drink Shakeology daily that is made up of super foods, nutrients and cuts my chocolate craving.Yum!

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Getting to the Harbor you Long For

A long time ago I read on a small sailing boat sculpture, which had inscribed something like:" A man that walks with God always knows where he is going." It moved me, I thought it was a great gift. Even though I knew there was more to that phrase then what I was grasping. We all want to follow God and know we are headed on the right track. But sometimes the storm rages and the direction you thought you were going to seems to spin a 180 degrees. Or even though you are skilled you are still longing for the harbor you cant seem to find. I heard this and read this today and I thought of the sailing boat once again.

"Rising up to the sky, sinking down to the depths,  their courage melting away in anguish, they reeled and staggered like drunken men, and all their skill was useless. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He stilled the storm to a murmur, and the waves of the sea were hushed. They rejoiced when the waves grew quiet. Then He guided them to the harbor they longed for. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His faithful love." Psalm 107:26-31

Oh la la!! Who wants to win a NAKED 2 PALETTE 2??

You can submit your picture or video on Selena's Wall by tomorrow 12am. Have Fun!!!

I dont know why I went Vintage automatically, but I did. I thought of the 70's and remembered this dress Brande gifted me with from Victory Vintage Boutique. Make up inspiration was by my friends Jean Demasi MK Catalog.

 Save the dress for the Wedding! Found in the dressing room of Goodwill $7 And Brande helped me put it together!

  J Jill Jacket $7 and American Outfitters Dress for $7 too!

Rodeo Time! Boots, Hats and Real Cowboys.

This is my first time at the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo. My grandpa is a cowboy at heart. I remember when I was child he used to wanna take me every year. I think next year I m going to take him.

And we are here :)

The other big half of the tribe.

Chuyito and the mean cow. Dear Cow: sorry I called you she. thanks for the picture.

I loved my hat made in Mexico and Yellow!

My brother George and I. Nice brother and sister time with friends. My brother took me to dinner @ Redlobster too :)

Es que Xhio, "Un Vaquero de verdad nunca es presumido, es trabajador, fiel a su esposa y temeroso de Dios." Jorge Rodriguez

Real cowboys!" A real cowboy is never conceited, hardworking, faithful to his wife and a God fearing man." Jorge Rodriguez.

"When Your Natural Eyebrows Just Wont Do"

Earlier this week I was meditating on a particular scripture, “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’” — 1 Samuel 16:7

I recently started an awesome workout challenge for 3 months. I am learning how to eat better, working out with a intense exercise program and so on.. Which is great, I feel great. But when I read, "The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." I see that the main thing is beautifying your inner beauty, while there is nothing wrong with shedding excess weight or having the desire to be "Beautiful" inside and out. After all it does say, your body is the temple of Holy Spirit, so you need to talk care of your body. And the bible speaks so much about beauty. "So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him." Psalm 45:11

    Okay, so then after reading all this, your going to ask? What the title is all about? Yesterday, as an interpreter I took a call of a lady who had a bad experience getting her eyebrows tattooed. Her eyebrows came out way darker then she expected, so the lady felt so guilty, depressed, embarrassed and self hatred for  getting her eyebrows done. I know not everyone has this experience I know people that get it done and they look amazing. So I m not judging anyone, I think I even considered it once too, I color my eyebrows almost daily (Oops! I blurted the truth). And I wondered what would my reaction be if that was me instead? She was embarrassed of her husband and son even looking at her. She hid in her room for a month, she didnt realize that her biggest problem that came to surface was forgiving and loving herself. Because her husband had already said, "it looks fine, they are looking natural." Which is almost an oxymoron, we want a darker shade of eyebrows but still looking natural? But that was not enough for her. She told her doctor, I have always been a little vain. I guess we all can be vain, and other times we wont believe that we are beautiful, even though we are. Which honestly by what I heard, I knew the lady was beautiful.

So I want to finish off with this, one day in deep worship and prayer, I knew in my heart I was "Beautiful" to the Lord. To him I was the most beautiful, and at the same time I knew He felt the same way about every other woman he created. And I wasn't jealous because it was insight to my heart, how beautiful every woman really is. So I hope you love yourself even more after reading this!

In Memory of the Ones I love and for the Ones I love...

I recently saw the movie "Courageous" and the movie targets mainly fathers, but along the way everyone is touched and inspired. In the movie one of the character's loses his daughter, and goes through deep pain, that maybe initially he does not know how he will ever overcome. This desperate father seeks the help of his pastor, and his pastor points him to the Lord. The pastor says something really powerful, "that we all need time to grieve, and that living with the loss of the loved one was like living with an amputation, because even though you healed you were never the same. But that those who do go through a loss like that develop such an intimate special relationship with the LORD that others do not know what that is like. The pastor gives the man the choice to be bitter over his daughters death, or to let the Lord heal his wound with his help. Not only does this man embrace the Lord; but with the Lord's help and seeking scripture he becomes a better father, husband and friend.

If one member of the family hurts we all hurt. Earlier this year we lost my Tia Letty...she battled cancer. As you see her here, this was her attitude with just about everyone. She is Loved and missed. Super Alegre as we say! She will always be remembered for the joy and cariño she contributed. Todavia sueño contigo...

Mi QueridoTio Jose (hermano de mi papa),  se nos fue en el 2009. Lindisima persona...Extraordinario.

"What May Seem Chaos is Actually Beauty and Harmony."

This semester I took a botany class. Which is really the best time for me, any time prior, I would have less appreciation for the study of plants. Even though I thought I would have a different experience, and I was going to love everything about it. But I am very grateful for the class because my professor is very knowledgeable about the subject, he actually helps write our text books.

But anyway,  George Valliant said, " if you want to study the lives of men, then study trees." I know there is alot more to us then trees for sure. I read in his Harvard University Study, that Love "good relationships" is really the main contributor to a persons happiness and state of well being and longevity. Yes, Love- including forgiveness.
  Initially his comment on trees was a little whack to me. But then I saw things in a different light. God is the creator of all things so all of creation testifies of His Majesty. In nature, "What May Seem Chaos is actually beauty and harmony." 
 Sometimes if a tree is completely destroyed in a forest fire, it is actually for the purpose of survival. Even when a dead tree just falls dead it benefits the rest of the surrounding land. Recycles nutrients, growing space for others to grow and food for fungi. Okay so you just took a Botany simple crash course basics...

The good news is I'm not here to tell you, that your going to be used as food for fungi.hahah! I think that I grew up almost wanting to runaway from problems sometimes instead of facing them. It s almost like when we go through something the first thing that can pop in your mind is why? or Why me? "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face your trials of many kinds.(James 1:2)" His intent was, that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord." Ephesians 3:10-11) 

So I learned something metaphorically speaking. And I am speaking encouragement to myself: nature automatically knows what to do in its DNA. So you know what you are also designed by the Heavenly Father to face problems and solve them, not just to runaway from them. For the last couple of months a friend of mine recommended a book titled " Blessing your Spirit." It says,"The problems God has designed for you to solve will bring the greatest treasures in your life. People are remembered for the problems they solve or the problems they create. May you be blessed with wisdom and pure Joy when you face different kinds of problems. May you be blessed with rejoicing in the situation, instead of complaining and turning back."

  Sometimes we experience loss, whether its a job, or a relationship. Sometimes what we face according to our view is the unbearable it just seems like life as we know is going to end. But whatever situation the Lord has entrusted you with, can be your best comeback. You have the opportunity to see the Lord demonstrate his infinite Manifold Wisdom in the situation and reveal his faithfulness. You can have the courage to face the problem you think you cant handle, and you will have room to have new life in you. Your character is just being polished for better things when you pass the test, just like Joseph. It was God that put him into prison, yet it was God who took him out. Not only did he take him out of prison, God blessed Joseph, he let his character be polished and I am pretty sure he knew the Lord was with him through it all. It was God that let Job be tested, yet it was God who restored him double. Your best days may actually be ahead of you and behind you. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)
 

This tree is dependent on the Son-Light and for that reason its stature is a inclined towards Him.