To thine self be true!!!!

Learning to love yourself can be a tough thing.  To say that you are important can be even harder.  If you are a mom, as am I, the need to put others ahead of yourself is a requirement.  With out that things will sometimes just plain fall apart.  But to say there is not time to give yourself is honestly (in my case especially) a cope out. 
     If you know me, you know that I STRUGGLE with my weight.  It consumes me.  It has high-jacked my mind and my daily life.  Not only has it done that, it is robbing me of a better quality of life.  I am definnelty that girl that will cry through an episode of the biggest loser while eating a bowl of icecream.  Watching the show is suppose to be a motivator, the ice cream always serves as a comforter for something that is spiriling out of control.  I stood in front of my mirror the other day and took a good hard look.  I was disgusted.  I was not only upset with what I saw but also what I had become.  I feel like I am disappearing.  The girl so full of energy, life and laughter was gone ...and in its place stood an angry, defeated, lazy child/adult who wasnt ready to take reponsibilites for her own actions....a person who wasn't mentally strong enough to say NO I deserve better.  To place insult upon injury I was discovering that I was not only suffering physically, I was damaging my spiritual life as well.  God loves us no matter what, but I believe He wants us to try to be the best physically that we can be.  When we arn't we may be limiting the extent to how He can use us.  (Less influence, less voice, less stamina to get the job done.)
     While attending Seminar this febuary, I was given the privialge to attend a session where Steven Furtik, Pastor of Elevation Church in Charllotte, NC, was the keynote educator.  He was speaking on his book "Sun stand Still".  In this book He discusses  about believeing in the power of trusting God to accomplish the impossible.  While He said many things that I could apply to my life, there is one that has stood out and I have not been able to forget.  He was explaining that often people ask God to change things in their lives but are not willing to do the work required....and then He went on to say this.  "If you pray for God to help you lose weight, don't eat donuts, GEt up and MOVE more."  After Steven said that I sat very still letting the sting of the words sink in.  This is not anything new.  I knew this very thing.  It was jsut not somewhere I was willing ( in that moment) to go.  We cannot expect God to help us if we are not going to help ourselves first.
     Which brings me to the "Jumping off" point.  Where to begin....For me to make a calculated effort, a lasting effort, I feel like I need to embrace the fact that I am worthy of living a full healthy life.  I have to love myself enough to not cop out.  To do the work...no matter the effort it takes.  TO not talk myself out of every "good intention" I have planned for the day.  To have FOLLOW through.

So thought provoking question of the day....How do you begin to change areas in your life that you find disgusting?  Where do you start that will help you reach your goals?  What kind of things do you do daily to show yourself that you too are worthy of a fun filled, spiritually lead full life?