Updates on previous posts

Well, I looked back and thought I better update some of my past posts.

• General Conference has come and gone.  We have restructured The Wesleyan Church to being led by one general superintendent and four major department leaders.  Many of the changes are good.  There are a couple of concerns as far as how some of them will impact overall effectiveness, but all in all, the denomination is leaner and meaner. 
• I completed my online training for IWU and I passed!  I'm still a bit nervous about that first online class when it gets assigned, but like anything new, you have to try it before you know if you will like it!
• I've lost about four pounds since implementing the "weight upon the Lord" plan.  I only have a couple of others in the church doing it with me, but that's fine.  By the end of the summer we'll be the envy (oops, can't have that) of the church.  :)

I'm praying our vacation plans come together.  There have been some obstacles but we are working toward it.  Look out New York! 

Weight on The Lord

Yeah, it's corny, but I issued a challenge to our congregation a week ago that we need to be better stewards of our bodies.  The Bible tells us to wait upon the Lord for strength.  Well, if we exercise and watch what we eat, our weight will go down, our health will improve, and we will have more energy for our families and for serving the Lord.  Part of the goal is for each participant to set a financial goal at the end of the next three months as a gift for a benevolence that we will be designating in the near future.  The money isn't for the church.  It will be given away to others. 

My goal is to lose 15 pounds by the end of August.  I've made my financial pledge.  If any of my readers would like to sponsor a financial pledge in support of my goal, that would be awesome!  Just let me know.  As I said, the money will go to assist a person or persons in need.  I have a couple of other people in the church who are also doing the challenge.  I hope a few more will step up!

One of the reasons I am doing this is to be more accountable for my weight loss.  My doctor says I need to take off more weight (and keep it off) in order to better combat my diabetes.  If I hit some of his weight goals, I may actually be able to get off my medication (Metformin) and keep my diabetes under control with diet and exercise.  When I was first diagnosed I weighed about 242.  A week ago I was at 224.  Today I was at 220.  I may be able to lose more than my goal of 15 pounds.  But that's the goal for the summer! 

In Over My Head

Have you ever had one of those experiences where you really wanted to do something, pushed hard to be able to do it, and then when you were granted permission you found out you were way over your head?  Man, I've felt that way the past two weeks, but this week in particular.

I have been teaching for Indiana Wesleyan University for nearly 12 years.  Due to the explosion in online education, our onsite program is struggling and the number of courses I am being offered to teach has dwindled from six to one a year.  That's not good on the old family budget!  I started asking to teach online about two years ago.  I was always turned down and told, "You are too valuable to our onsite program and we don't want to lose you to online."  I assured people that I would make onsite a priority, but I needed a couple of online classes a year.  I was finally approved a couple of months ago and started my training two weeks ago. 

Wow!  The first week of training took up a bit of time (about 14 hours).  This past week was supposed to take 18-22 hours - to give us a feel of what a real online class would be like.  Right!  I spent nearly 40 hours just on the program, doing my online assignments to learn how to use the program and grading fake papers that were all jacked up!  I mean, I had one three page paper I graded with 35 errors!!!! 

Next week is the third and final week of this training process.  If I complete it without losing the rest of my mind, I might be "hired" by the online division.  If not, I will continue teaching onsite in a very limited capacity. 

To top it all off, I'm still working on my coaching certification for the Wesleyan Coaching Network!  Anyway, I'm not really whining.  Seriously.  But I may have bitten off more than I can possibly chew, let alone eat!

Thinking About Summer

It's June.  I'm looking at my schedule. 

• I am just finishing week 1 of a three week training course with Indiana Wesleyan University to teach online.  I've been teaching onsite for nearly 12 years.  Next week will be killer!
• It's the end of the district conference year.  Monthly, quarterly, and annual reports are due to the district and denomination.  Before June 15!
• I am trying to get my coaching hours completed by the end of June for my coaching certification. 
• Vacation isn't until July 5... Look out Dennis, I'm gonna win the fishing competition!
• Return from vacation July 16 or 17.
• Sarah, Adam and Micah arrive July 18.
• District conference - July 21
• Vacation Bible School - July 23-27
• Bekah has volleyball tryouts in early August.

Summer used to be a slow down time in the church world and life in general.  Not any more.  I'm going to stop now and take a breath.