Motivated

November last year I started dieting and exercising. I got motivated to lose weight and try to have a healthy body and lifestyle.

My routine was to do (many) crunches and leg lifts each day. I began at 100 each day and now can easily do 600-700 each time (without stopping). I also started watching what I ate and I drank as much water as possible. I started at almost 250lbs. in November and at my lowest I was 150lbs 2 months ago.

Around September (three months ago) I felt really good about myself and decided to stop pushing myself so hard and I started to slack off of my exercising. I really enjoyed the taste of cold drinks again too. Wow! I noticed my weight coming back again and it was quicker than ever. I would tell myself, "I will start my exercising again tomorrow." I'd also notice myself not able to control my cravings for sweets anymore. I knew what was happening. Just like the studies say that if you lose alot of weight fast, you normally gain in all back and more quick. I don't want that. I want to keep it off. It's been over a year now and I've kept it off-most of it. I've gained back about 15-20 lbs. I'm now around 170lbs. Now for my height and size, I suppose that isn't too bad, but it certainly isn't too good either. I know what I'm capable of and that is what I now expect.

I did start exercising again last week. I see very little difference at this point which I know what to expect and the time frame to expect it in. I know not to expect drastic changes over night. However, I am buckling down to discipline myself to be strong in my faith that Yahweh wants me healthy. Certainly not for vain reasons, however, I do want to look my best for my husband. I want to be pleasing to him but mostly to Yahweh. I want to be used and I can't do that if I'm always sitting around the house and never want to leave because I'm embarrassed of my weight.

I didn't track my progress on my blog last year for the drastic weight loss, however I plan to from this point on. My next post will have my before and after pictures and more of my struggles along the way.

My prayer is that we all live healthy lifestyles for the high-esteem of Yahweh. Lastly, eating all clean foods has helped alot. We started eating only Scriptural clean foods more than 2 years ago. That makes a big difference in our health in the long run and it is most pleasing to Yahweh. (Pleasing Yahweh is the point of my life anyways.)

So, work with me and start a new lifestyle at this point. I will not guarantee you all pleasing numbers on the scale, nor will I guarantee you no pain. But, I will say this....

"NO ONE EVER SAID IT WOULD BE EASY, JUST WORTH IT"

This is what the sign says at my gym.

*SMILE*

P.S. D.H. (you know who you are), I know the struggle of dieting, but you hang in there. You are doing great! Best thing, you have an awesome wife that want the best for you and is there helping you along the way by preparing the best foods for you. (HalleluYah for awesome wives for the husbands.) !!Squirrel!! Anyways, like I said, you are looking great and doing a great job for yourself. Stay with it.

Ahava,
Amanda

More Pictures from our Toronto Vacation ~CN Tower

CN Tower Facts and Pictures

1. The CN Tower at 553.33 meters (1,815 ft., 5 inches) was once the tallest building, tower, and freestanding structure, but as of 2010 retains the title of world's tallest tower.
   
   


2. Construction on the CN Tower began on February 6, 1973 and wrapped up about 40 months later in June 1976.
   
   


3. 1,537 workers toiled five days a week, 24 hours a day to build the CN Tower.
   
   


4. The CN Tower was built at an original cost of $63 million.
   
   


5. On April 2, 1975, onlookers gazed up in amazement as a giant Erickson Air-crane Silorsky helicopter placed the final piece of the CN Tower's antenna into place, officially making it the world's tallest building.
   
   


6. The CN Tower was built to withstand an earthquake of 8.5 on the Richter scale (the Kobe earthquake in 1995 was 7.2 on the Richter scale). The upper reaches of the CN Tower were built to withstand winds up to 418 km/h (260 mph).
   
   


7. In 1995, the CN Tower is designated a Wonder of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
   
   


8. Lightning strikes the CN Tower an average of 75 times per year. Long copper strips run down the CN Tower to grounding rods buried below ground to prevent damage.
   
   


9. The CN Tower dims unnecessary exterior lights during bird migration seasons to prevent bird injuries.
   
   


10. The CN Tower is an incredible 2.79 cm (1.1 inches) within plumb, or, true vertical.
    
    


11. Six glass-faced elevators travel at 22 km/hour (15 miles/hour) to reach the observation deck in 58 seconds.
    
    


12. On a clear day, visitors to the CN Tower's observation deck can see over 160 kilometers (100 miles) -- that's all the way to Niagara Falls and across Lake Ontario to New York State.
    
    


13. The CN Tower has a hollow 1200' hexagonal core providing stability and flexibility to the full height tower.
    
    


14. The CN Tower's Glass Floor was the first of its kind when it was opened in June 1994. It is 23.8 square meters (256 sq. ft.) of solid glass and 5 times stronger than the required weight-bearing standard for commercial floors. If 14 large hippos could fit in the elevator and get up to the Observation Deck, the Glass Floor could withstand their weight.
    
    


15. The 360 Restaurant makes a complete rotation every 72 minutes giving diners a changing view of Toronto more than 1,000 feet below.

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Blessings in the name of the King of Israel!

The live stream we hosted a couple weeks ago was such a success we've decided to implement this tool on a more consistent basis. After some prayer, thought and working out a few (hopefully all) technicalities, we're ready to announce the first:

"Monday Night Live With HaYovel"

This Monday night at 8:00 PM CST we will be kicking off the new weekly "Monday Night Live With HaYovel" live stream. The live stream will include updates, teachings, a time for Q & A and much, much more. All you need to do is Click Here about ten minutes before the meeting starts. When it asks you for your "Attendee Key" enter: isaiah61.5 and you'll be directed to the meeting where it will ask for a username for you to be recognized by (please enter a recognizable name!). And that's it!
Looking Forward,

The HaYovel Team

The Shower is Thawed!!!!

HalleluYah!!!!

In a previous post I told you my shower was FROZEN. Well just as I suspected it would....it thawed! Yay!!!! By the way...all pipes are perfectly fine with NO leaks.

Praise Yahweh!

My husband bought some "Heat Tape" and is now planning to wrap the pipes in this tape. It is regulated by the outside temperatures. When the temperature reaches a certain degree, the heat tape powers on and heats to a lovely 75 degrees. That sound like a lot of peace of mind for Daddy. By the way, this "Heat Tape" cost $40.00 regular. My dear husband got a deal at just $10.00 for 100'.

~~Amanda sighs a breath of relief~~

*SMILE*

Yah bless you on this FREEZING December night.
Amanda

WOW!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!

Alex's Loft Bed Made From PVC Water Pipe

When Alex was 3 years old I decided to give him a little extra room in his bedroom by building him a loft bed with a lot of play room underneath. I had been using PVC pipe for other projects and thought it would be good for this one, too, so I made some measurements of PVC pipe fittings and created some 3D CAD models so I could construct the whole thing in the computer before ever cutting a piece of pipe.

PVC pipe is great stuff to work with. You can get it at any home supply store, it is cheap, strong, easy to cut, fast to glue, and there are enough standard fittings that you can make almost anything. There's no need to be particularly accurate or precise when cutting, and the fittings provide accurate 90 degree angle joints. The only tools you need are a tape measure, almost any kind of saw, and a rubber mallet. A drill comes in handy, too.

First I measured his mattress and figured out how big the mattress platform needed to be. I also had to figure out how he was going to climb up into the bed- a ladder, of course!

In the end, here's what I came up with (click the picture for a larger image):

So far the loft bed plans have been used to make two beds- my son's and my nephew's. My brother built the bed using my plans and everything worked out exactly as expected (though he left out the middle bar on the railing). I'd post a photo of Alex's bed but his room is so messy it's embarrassing. A photo my nephew's bed (made by my brother using my plans) has been on the web (here) for about a year and I've had about fifty requests for plans to duplicate it. I was hoping to get $10 for a set of plans, but so far everyone who has asked for the plans balked at the price, so I have decided to make the full set of plans available here, free. Don't say I never did anything nice for you! If you build the bed please send me an email and a photo and I'll post it here.

update October 2007:

Finally, after emails from about a hundred people about the bed I have a photo from someone who has built it!

Here's a bed that was made by Stacey S. and her son using these plans. Like my brother, she decided to leave out the middle rail.

Update August 2008:

I finally took a good picture of Alex's bed. Yes, here it is, the original! Note that I have raised the bed height because we moved to a place with higher ceilings. The ladder now has one rung more than shown on the assembly drawing. The vertical support pipes are now about 51 1/4" long and I wouldn't recommend going any higher. The bed starts to get pretty wobbly when they get that long.

The structural part of the bed is made entirely from 2" schedule 40 PVC water pipe and fittings. The railing is made from 1 1/2" schedule 40 pipe. I put a few pine boards on the mattress platform to support the mattress instead of using a box spring. Unless you have high ceilings, you'll want to do the same.

Tips on building the bed:

When you buy the fittings and pipe, buy a couple extra of each piece. You can return the extras when the project is finished. Nothing is more frustrating than making a mistake and having to make another run to Home Depot just before closing time so you can buy one lousy elbow or T.

I made the bed in sections then connected them together. The subassemblies correspond to the assembly drawings (see links below). I made them in this order- base, mattress platform, ladder, railing.

Cut the pipe pieces, then dry-fit everything before applying any glue. This is where the rubber mallet comes in handy! You will need the mallet to get the pieces apart after dry-fitting. Apply a little thought to the assembly sequence. I found for example, that the best way to make the ladder was to first glue a T to the end of a rung, then glue the other T to the other end of the same rung. How do you assure that the two T's will be aligned? When gluing the second T to the rung, quickly position it as close as you can by eyeball, then press it against the floor so that it will rotate into alignment with the other T. The glue sets in a matter of seconds, so time is of the essence! Once the rungs and T's are assembled, you can add the vertical pieces.

The same sort of process is used throughout the bed construction.

PVC pipe usually has some red or black ink markings on it. You can clean the ink off by wiping the pipe with a rag dampened with acetone. Clean off the ink before you glue the pipes together!

I left the main vertical supports unglued so I could take the bed apart easily to move it. It is a good idea to drive a single screw through the fittings and pipes at any unglued connection to ensure that they can't come apart.

The plans consist of shopping/cutting list that you can take to the store and five drawings showing how the parts fit together. Here they are:

THE SHOPPING LIST - Print it out and take it with you to the store. You can check off the items as you fill your cart.

THE CUTTING LIST - note: the lengths of pipe pieces on the shopping list are longer than the dimensions shown on the drawings. The drawing dimensions show the exposed part of the pipe and don't include the ends that are hidden inside the fittings.

ASSEMBLY DRAWINGS - These will show you how the pieces go together. Duh!

If you want to make a bunk bed, you just make 2 mattress platforms, add another rung or two to the ladder and you're good to go (you're going to need high ceilings):

Update July 30, 2009:

Joe "Nitro Joe" Higgs built a bunk bed based on my plans and sent me a photo. Click the image below to see a larger image. Joe has a pretty good science web site with lots of science demos for kids. Check it out here: http://www.nitrojoe.org/1.html Thanks Nitro Joe!

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HananiYah Gets a Hair Trim

HAIR TRIM!!!!

HananiYah get a hair trim tonight!

YAY!!!! Good bye friz

Fudgesicles

All time kids friendly dessert....

Fudgesicles

1 package 4 oz instant chocolate pudding

2 cups milk

1/4 cup sugar

1 can evaporated milk

Combine pudding and 2 cups milk in large bowl. Mix for 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup sugar and 1 can evaporated milk.

Pour into popsicle container. Allow to freeze.

Enjoy!!

Amanda

SHOWERS ARE OVERRATED ANYWAYS!!!! WANT PROOF????

ASK YOUR KIDS!!!!
*SMILE*

It's been very nippy here in Southern Tennessee. Around here the highs have been in the mid-20's. Of course, we all know that is well below freezing point.

In the winter, we normally leave our water running on really cold nights like last night. However, last year we installed a new shower. It isn't just any shower. It was completely designed by...YOURS TRULY.

Our shower is like one you might find in a campground shower house. It is very large, 4' x 6'. I really love my shower. (Squirrel) Anyways, I asked for the showerhead to be on the opposite side of the room and so it was installed there. I also wanted one knob instead of two. Looks nice. Very nice. However, if nights get cold and I choose to leave the water running, I have to leave it almost full blast to have the hot running as well. Not happening. Two problems there. Because of that, the shower water is now frozen. *SIGH*

We have water everywhere else so we aren't completely without water. That alone is a reason to shout """""""HalleluYah!!!!"""""""""

We are praying the pipes thaw with no damage to them. I'm sure all will be fine. I'm a very positive person and think of the best in every situation.


Shalom,
Amanda

Yahweh's Name identifies His People

Yahweh's Name identifies His people

Deuteronomy 18:5 (KJV) For Yahweh thy Elohim hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of Yahweh, him and his sons for ever.

Deuteronomy 28:10 (KJV) And all the people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of Yahweh; and they shall be afraid of thee.

2Chronicles 7:14 (KJV) If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. {which...: Heb. upon whom my name is called}

Ezra 5:1 (KJV) Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews that [were] in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the Elohim of Israel, [even] to them.

Psalms 61:5 (KJV) For thou, O Elohim, hast heard my vows: thou hast given [me] the heritage of those that fear thy name.

Psalms 118:26 (KJV) Blessed [be] he that cometh in the name of Yahweh: we have blessed you out of the house of Yahweh.

Isaiah 43:6 (KJV) I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
Isaiah 43:7 (KJV) [Even] every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; verily, I have made him.

Isaiah 52:6 (KJV) Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore [they shall know] in that day that I [am] he that doth speak: behold, [it is] I.

Micah 4:5 (KJV) For all people will walk every one in the name of his elohim, and we will walk in the name of Yahweh our Elohim for ever and ever.

Micah 5:4 (KJV) And he shall stand and feed in the strength of Yahweh, in the majesty of the name of Yahweh his Elohim; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great to the ends of the earth.

From eliyah.com

I feel

THANKFULThankful

Hebr 13:15 (NKJV) Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to Elohim, that is, the fruit of [our] lips, giving thanks to His
name.
Ephe 5:20 (NKJV) giving thanks always for all things to Elohim the Father in the name of our Master Yahshua the
Messiah,
1The 5:18 (NKJV) in everything give thanks; for this is the will of Elohim in Messiah Yahshua for you.
Phil 4:6 (NKJV) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and

supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to Elohim;
Psal 105:1 (NKJV) Oh, give thanks to Yahweh! Call upon His name;

...................

What are you thankful for?
Post it in the comment area.

PS...I DO NOT CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING.

THIS IS NOT A THANKSGIVING POST.

I AM THANKFUL EVERYDAY.

*SMILE*

I feel Joyful!!!

I Feel
JOYFUL

Joyful

Roma 5:11 (NKJV) And not only [that], but we also rejoice in Elohim through our Master Yahushua the Messiah, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Roma 12:15 (NKJV) Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

Phil 4:4 (NKJV) Rejoice in Yahweh always. Again I will say, rejoice!

Jame 5:13 (NKJV) Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.

Luke 10:20 (NKJV) "Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

P.U.S.H.

A man was sleeping one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light, and YHWH appeared. YHWH told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. YHWH explained that the man was to PUSH against the rock with all his might...

So, this the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sunup to sundown, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might! Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.

Since the man was showing discouragement, the adversary (Satan) decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the weary mind: (He will do it every time)! 'You have been pushing against that rock for a long time and it hasn't moved.' Thus, he gave the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man.

Satan said, 'Why kill yourself over this? Just put in your time, giving just the minimum effort; and that will be good enough.'

That's what the weary man planned to do, but decided to make it a matter of Prayer and to take his troubled thoughts to YHWH. 'YHWH,' he said, 'I have labored long and hard in Your Service, putting all my strength to do that which You have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?'

YHWH responded compassionately, 'My friend, when I asked you to serve Me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all of your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to Me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed.. But, is that really so?

Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back shiny and brown; your hands are callused from constant pressure, your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much, and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. True, you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be Obedient and to push and to exercise your Faith and trust in My Wisdom. That you have done. Now I, my friend, will move the rock.'

At times, when we hear a word from YHWH, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what He Wants, when actually what YHWH wants is just simple obedience and faith in Him. By all means, exercise the Faith that moves mountains, but know that it is still YHWH Who moves the Mountains.

When everything seems to go wrong..........................Just P.U.S.H.

When the job gets you down..................................Just P.U.S.H.

When people don't do as you think they should.............Just P.U.S.H.

When your money is 'gone' and the bills are due...........Just P.U.S.H.

When people just don't understand you .....................Just P.U.S.H.

P = Pray

U = Until

S = Something

H = Happens

One of my favorite things about being a stay-at-home mom....

One of my favorite things about being a stay-at-home mom....

During my time of cleansing, I have the privilege of staying at home, getting plenty of resting, and being pampered my by sweet loving children that I adore so much.

Ahhhhhh.....*Sigh of relief and thankfulness*

PRAISE YAH!!!!