Bon Jovi probably has the best line using the word halfway. In his song “Livin’ on a Prayer” he tells of Tommy and Gina trying to make their love last. In the chorus – in a melodic scream he shouts:
“Woah, we’re halfway there
Woah, livin’ on a prayer
Take my hand, we’ll make it I swear
Woah, livin’ on a prayer”
Technically, July 2 is halfway through the year. Midway between two points in time on a calendar.
So here we sit, a little over halfway through the year. Let me just stop and ask – how are you doing?
At the beginning of 2021, I made 9 commitments, what some people call resolutions, to do every single day of the year culminating in a desired result by the end of 2021.
My commitments were as follows:
- Weigh under 250 lbs by the end of the year
- Read 25 books (keep list, reviews)
- Be happy
- Cumulative 500 miles by the end of the year
- Pray Daily
- Read Bible Daily
- Read Other book daily
- No more than two Diet DPs a day
- Drink a gallon of water a day
I have my reason for each of these. Let me take a moment and walk you through each of them, why I chose them, and how i’m doing on each one. I do this just to help hold me accountable.
Commitment – Weigh under 250 lbs by the end of the year
Why I chose this – Well, who doesn’t want to have a weight loss goal right? Before I moved to Huntsville, I weighed 315 pounds. Then, my brother passed away from a combination of heart problems, sleep apnea, poor health, and more than likely obesity. He had shed quite a few pounds before he died, but the effects of poor decisions took it’s toll on him. So I decided it was time to take it seriously.
I got down to 267 pounds doing strict keto. Then at Thanksgiving/Christmas, I dropped the Keto in exchange for holiday sweets and treats. I got back up to 287 pounds. For those of you who struggle with weight problems, you know it’s an ongoing battle that never goes away. So I made it a commitment for 2021. I was going to achieve a very reasonable 40 pound loss, in a matter of a year. My doctor helped me make a few changes, I went to eating 2200 calories a day, tracking everything on My Fitness Pal, and exercising (see below).
For my weight – i’m measuring in inches my waist, belly, chest, and neck, and then also pounds. I do this only once a month, usually around the 5th or 6th of the month.
How am I doing? I’m happy to say that as of the time of writing, it was time for my measurement day.
My measurements thus far:
– Neck – I’ve lost 1″
– Chest – I’ve lost 2.75″
– Belly – I’ve lost 3.5″
– Hips – I’ve lost 1.5″
– Weight – I’ve lost 19 lbs (since March 2). That puts me at 268, which is right at where I was before I put the weight back on. While 250 is the goal by the end of the year, the ultimate goal is under 225. For a guy that is 6’2″, I think that’s pretty okay.
Commitment: Read 25 books (keep list, reviews)
Why I chose this: I’ve always had a hard time finding good books to read, unless they were Calvin and Hobbes or Far Side comic strips. I wanted to challenge myself on reading some good books, providing reviews for them, and telling people when I’ve found a good one.
How am I doing? I started my 13th book yesterday. I’m right on pace.
Commitment: Be happy
Why I chose this: You know what? Sometimes, I need to choose to do this.
How am I doing? At the end of each day, I evaluate all I did and I write down something that either made me happy, something that I should have found happiness in, or I’ll be brutally honest and gripe about how I did not find happiness.
Commitment: Cumulative 500 miles by the end of the year
Why I chose this: I’ve never ever enjoyed running or walking or anything in between. I’ve had what you may call
“laziness” and I was sick and tired of it. Plus I knew if I was ever going to get to the 250 pounds, I’d have to exercise.
How am I doing? Just a few days past the halfway mark for the year, I hit 247 miles. I try to get at least 2 miles in 5 days a week. It was a bit harder through the winter.
Commitment: Pray Daily
Why I chose this: I found myself only praying corporate prayers at church, in classes, or at meal times. I was struggling in my prayer life.
How am I doing? I have kept a journal every day in 2021 of my prayer life. Some days it’s marked down as “Prayed on my walk tonight” and some days it’s a journal entry. I’ve made it every day but one.
Commitment: Read Bible Daily
Why I chose this: Here’s another confession. I’m not confident I’ve ever read the Bible completely all the way through. I’m pretty sure I’ve read most of it during my 43 years of church, bible classes in elementary school, high school, college, while teaching Bible, and then while doing ministry. But I’ve never made it a goal to read my bible daily.
How am I doing? Excellent. I’ve learned you don’t have to do marathon readings of Scripture. You don’t have to “read the Bible through in a year” for it to count. Nope – at least a chapter a day was my goal. Thus far, i’m nailing that one.
Commitment: Read Other book daily
Why I chose this: In order to hit my 25 books by the end of the year, I knew I’d have to read daily.
How am I doing? Excellent. I have successfully read every day this year something other than the Bible as well as read my Bible. Most days I aim for a chapter, but some days, it’s only a few pages. Either way, it’s something that is stimulating my mind.
Commitment: No more than two Diet Dr. Peppers a day
Why I chose this: I have a major addiction. One of the reasons I have never touched alcohol is because I know I’d be an alcoholic. I would drink daily. I know some of you may think that 2 Diet Dr. Peppers a day is still a lot. Well that depends on how you look at it.
How am I doing? Not very well. I’ll leave it at that. I still have a long way to go. Sadly, I’m often not even “halfway there.”
Commitment: Drink a gallon of water a day
Why I chose this: Initially, I chose this because I thought if I did this, i’d be less inclined to drink Diet Dr. Peppers. I was wrong.
How am I doing? Just okay. I do start every morning with 12-16 ounces of water before doing anything else. There are some days I hit about 30 ounces. But reaching 64 ounces daily has not happened but maybe a few times. Who has time to drink all that water when i’m busy drinking Diet Dr. Pepper?
Being Changed from the Inside Out 