Amy J. Bennett

Extraordinary Faith for Everyday Life

You are here: Home / Archives for 2008

Archives for 2008

Notes from Saul’s Conversion

by Leave a Comment

The Sunday School class we joined a few weeks ago is studying Acts.  I spent one whole year teaching Acts two years ago.  We jumped in right at Saul’s conversion in chapter 9 last week and I can say I still am able to learn from it.  While I won’t go into a dissertation about each, I’ll leave you with just three things that got me thinking and may do the same for you:

  • Verse 2: Saul could pick out the Christians from a crowd in order to persecute them.  Can people pick you out of a group of friends as a Christian?
  • Verse 5: God made him blind.  Normally we think of God as being the one that heals the blind not makes people blind.  To me this is validity for the idea God lets you go through trials in order to “see Him” in the end.  When Saul was made to see again, he had converted and would then become one of Christ’s biggest ambassadors instead of persecutors.  Sometimes it takes something tough to go through to come out following Him.
  • Verse 15: Saul was God’s chosen instrument.  God DOES have a plan for us.  For what are you a chosen instrument?

Melissa, Oh!

by 3 Comments

The girl in this picture with me

is the same girl in this picture with me

And also the same girl who just started her own blog!  I’ve known her since we were 8 and she’s been writing as long as I can remember.  She has a degree in journalism/creative writing (I think that’s what it is) so she’s a much better writer than me.  I’m thoroughly enjoying keeping up with her so go check her out.

Crashing

by Leave a Comment

So this past week has been a tough one.  I’ve kept my extra time really busy.  The new site kept the first part of my week very busy.  I’ve been really concentrated on the new Isagenix plan I’ve been doing which if nothing else, is just a mental toll on me.  We started our new Beth Moore bible study which takes 30 min- 1hr 5 days a week.  Also, a few people have reached out for my time whether it be with computer help or just dinner which I’ve gladly accepted in all cases.  Triple coupons were Thursday at the grocery store.  We had an extra choir practice Saturday night, bible study that ran over Saturday morning.  It just seemed like there was a lot of “extra” stuff to do this week.

Last night I completely crashed. I was in bed by 9:30, slept until 8:30 and then thankfully Scott watched the kids this afternoon while I slept all afternoon.  I’m feeling better this evening but I really could crash early this evening again.

This week is looking pretty busy as well.  I still need to get to CVS for the week tomorrow and tomorrow and Tuesday are “cleanse days” for Isagenix.  Basically you eat no solids and drink this fruit juice stuff and lots of water.  They do allow eating a protein/carb snack if you get really hungry.  I’m going to be interested to see how this cleanse goes.  I was down 1.5 lbs. since last Wednesday so 2 days of not eating anything might take me down to my goal.  If so, I think I’m going to switch to their regular maintenance plan of only one shake a day.

I’m working on getting my Bible study worked in regularly which honestly is going to be hard with all my TV shows starting this week 😉

This weekend we are going to the mountains with our youth council.  That is, of course, if I can make sure to get someone to watch the girls. I really need to work on that tomorrow!

So anyway, all that to say that’s probably why posts are pretty slim around here and explain that’s where my head has been lately.

Microdermabrasion

by 1 Comment

So I had my first “microderm” yesterday afternoon.  I’ve struggled with adult acne since my early twenties and have finally gotten it mostly under control in the past few years.  I have long thought about dealing with my acne scars and with the Hot Blogger Calendar shoot coming up in two weeks, I really want my skin to look its best.  I happened to have my scheduled visit with my dermatologist a few weeks ago and he recommended either a microderm or chemical peel to lessen but not get rid of my scars.  He said either way it would really help my acne.  The chemical peel sounds scary so I went with microderm.

I wish I would have taken pictures but I didn’t.  But basically I went in, she cleansed my face and then put some sort enzyme mask on for 5 minutes.  Then she whirled the table I was on around to the actual machine.  It was a wand attached to a machine.  The wand had small crystals that were flying around inside of it and she ran the wand across my face quickly.  It has suction to it so it basically just felt like I was getting my face roughly vacuumed.  It wasn’t painful though.  She described it has being licked my a cat.  And yes, that’s what the crystals feel like but she left out the suction part which I was a little surprised about.  so that process basically takes off the top layer of dead skin.

She made two passes over my face and then did what they like to call “extraction”.  Which basically means she spends 15 minutes popping all my pimples and blackheads.  I had a quick discussion about this since dr’s are always emphatic about NOT popping pimples but she explained there is a right way to it and “leave it to the professionals”.  This of course at times was a little painful and took me back to times when my mom would lean over with her two thumbs saying “can i just pop that for you??”.  Oh yes, fond memories.  That was probably the least pleasant part actually.

After that, she washed the crystals off my face and then let me wear another mask for a few minutes.  And that was it.  My face was a little red but not anymore red than if I had just done my own mask or something.

My face was a bit oily at first because she also put on sunscreen when she was done.  You’re not supposed to wear makeup for 24 hours so I had to go out to dinner all shiny and red but that’s ok.

I waited until just now to put on makeup and I have to say my skin is very, very smooth today.  And it feels good not to have ANY blemishes today.  My makeup went on smoothly and overall I’m very, very satisfied.  They recommended me coming in every 2 weeks until I get to the point I want to and then coming every 2 months.   So that’s it.  If you’re looking for that extra cleansing and some smooth skin without any downtime, I think this is it.

Awkward Moment #2

by 8 Comments

Unfortunately I’m really good at sticking my foot in my mouth.  And for this one, I still feel more bad than awkward.

When we moved to Columbia, I was intent on getting involved from the get-go at church.  We weren’t sure how long we were going to be living there but we knew no one and I wanted to recreate my circle of family and friends at church…and in a hurry.  So we signed up for Sunday School right away, we went to their functions, signed up as leaders for AWANA and I joined a Bible study that met really early in the morning.

The Bible study included women that were mostly older than me.  I was about 25 at the time.  The leader was probably in her late 40’s, maybe early 50s, there were some 30 somethings in there and I distinctly remember a lady there in her late 30s.  Her and her husband were in our Sunday School class.  I think they had two boys about 8 and 10 that were both adopted.  She had shared on several occassions her pain of not being able to get pregnant.  It took Scott and I 15 months of trying to get pregnant with Emma so I understood a little of what she was going through but she was to the point of real pain and questioning God.

Scott and I got pregnant about 9 months into our move to Columbia.  We were ecstatic of course and I was ready to share with everyone I could tell.  I remember going into the Bible Study and one of the first things we did was share prayer requests/praises.  I put a big smile on my face and shared our good news.  “We just found out I’m pregnant!”  I waited for all the congratulations, smiles and encouragement. The leader look at me with one of those half-smiles and said something like “That’s great!”  I realized right after I said it that the other lady dealing with infertility was there and she probably was dying inside.  It was one of those times I just wish I could take back and still get that awkward feeling inside when I imagine that moment.

Isagenix – Day 1 Summarized

by 3 Comments

So yesterday I started Isagenix.  Once again, I’m on their Total Health and Wellness Plan which basically means maintenance nutritional cleansing and not aggressive weight loss.  Heather is doing the other plan if you want to follow her.  Except I’m on the fast track because I want to be done by the time I go to NY for the Hot Blogger Calendar.  Which means I have to drink two of their shakes a day and then one normal meal as well as take some fruit juice thing and their vitamins.  I survived day 1 and ended up down 1/2 lb already (which I’m NOT supposed to be looking at the scale but sshhhh.  Heather was down 2.5lbs this morning.  My mom has lost 8-9lbs in a few weeks).  I will probably reduce to one milkshake a day if I keep losing because I don’t have that much to lose.  Here are my initial thoughts:

  • The milkshakes are bland and too thick for my taste but I’m not coughing it down.  Adding less ice was better.  I’m glad after two weeks, I only have to drink one a day.  I can handle that.
  • The fruit juice thing is NASTY.  Glad I only have to drink 1 oz. of it.
  • I feel good taking vitamins. I should have been doing that all along.
  • I’ve been drinking a TON of water.  Not because I’m supposed to but because I’m THIRSTY.  She says this is normal.
  • Their chocolate candy bars are bearable but not great.
  • I’m not looking forward to the full cleanse days when you don’t eat any solids.

So are you just raring to go on this plan??  I think it’s going to be good but I’m not raving over it yet.  I keep reminding myself that I’m doing this for the health benefit and there’s no good way to measure how cleansed my body is. I just have to trust it’s doing it’s job.   So day 1 down, 13 to go.

The case of the missing…well, several things

by 3 Comments

Lexi has a really bad habit of getting things and putting them in very “special” places.  I think it may be something all kids go through because I remember Emma doing this but it seems worse with Lexi.  Like recently I couldn’t find her shoes and after making laps around the house, I finally asked her and found them in this closed jewelry box.  If you follow me on twitter, you may remember that little tweet.

Well, today I come home from taking the kids to school and get all ready to sign on to work and can’t find my key fob thingie that is attached to a necklace thing from work to sign on.  I knew one of the kids had it.  Ironically someone seriously asked me yesterday at work what to do if you lose your key fob and I said jokingly,  “Well me?  I go in the playroom and usually find it.”  Lexi loves to put the necklace on and play with it.  So I go around the house looking in weird places for the necklace.  I can not find it.  I’m late getting on to work and I get desperate.

I call the preschool and have to ask the head of the preschool to go ask Lexi where “Mommy’s red necklace for work.”  She kind of laughed and said sure.  She comes back and says “Lexi says it’s in the curtain.”  OK.  I make her hang on and check all my curtains.  No necklace.  She asks if she should go get Lexi and put her on the phone.  It’s work so I say yes.  Lexi comes on the phone.  She sounds very serious and I’m hoping she doesn’t think she’s in trouble.  I say “Lexi.  What room is Mommy’s work necklace in?”  She says, “The office.”  Great.  Especially since I don’t HAVE curtains in there.  But lo and behold, I walk in and find it on the moulding under the blinds.  Whew.  “Thanks Lexi!”

But then it looks like this without the cap.  And that always irritates me when I don’t have the cap.  But I don’t see it anywhere near my desk.  It doesn’t warrant a call to the preschool though.

This afternoon I ask Lexi where the top is.  She laughs and says, “In here, silly.”

Of course!  In the DVD case.