Plans

Things don’t always work out the way we plan, but God can work out everything better than we imagine.

In January, Sandra and I went on the South Beach Diet. For 2 months we strictly deprived ourselves of everything we love: pizza, pasta, potatoes, ice cream, bread, all things fried and for crying out loud, chocolate! All the foods that give life meaning and purpose.

After 2 months of a culinary void, we lost collectively a smashing grand total of 0 pounds. That’s not a typo. That’s a big ol’ zero.

I wanted to fly down to South Beach and hurt someone.

Then Connie told me about Myfitnesspal, a phone app that helps you track calories. She had lost 29 lbs, so why not give it a shot?

The great thing about this strategy is that you can eat anything you want. You just have to deduct the calories and when you get to zero for the day, stop eating.

I realized right away that keeping my caloric intake below my daily target was very easy. Why? Because the prior 2 months of psycho SB dieting broke my carb cravings and had trained me to eat healthier. So I started monitoring calories as well as eating in a way that pleases my life insurance company.

My goal was to lose 2lbs a week and its happening. I’m down 14lbs. And it’s working for Sandra as well.

So we had a plan. We worked the plan. The plan didn’t seem to work. We stayed committed to our goals. Then God redirected us showing us how our initial plan was instrumental in the big picture.

I guess the moral to the story is this…just start. Do something. Whatever it is. Dieting, budgeting, loving your wife…you may not always get it right, but God can take our best intended efforts and work with them.  He’s an awesome God.

It’s easier to steer a car that’s moving than one parked in the garage.

Oh and thanks, Connie.