As I arrived in the Las Vegas airport, I was greeted by all sorts of things that are typical Las Vegas:
Bottom line...lots of slot machines in the airport! One thing that I saw that was really unique, was a vending machine from Best Buy!! Who knew you could buy a Nintendo DS from a vending machine at the airport?!
After seeing all of the billboards advertising Vegas shows, I retrieved my suitcases from baggage claim. Although I have been gathering things for the past month, I still did not pack efficiently!! I brought stuff that I could have purchased at Target here (on the weekly Wednesday run), but I knew there might be a chance I would need it prior to Wednesday night! For example, moleskin...in case I get blisters...not something you want to wait on!! As I was rolling my suitcases (2 larger ones, plus a carryon w/wheels) away, I realized I was not going to be going far with all of it. So I went outside & waited for the shuttle...didn't realize there is a time difference between Las Vegas & Utah, so my wait was even longer than I had calculated originally. Not a problem, I have plenty of things to read...but I didn't really want to read any of them!
Amazing what it takes for me to stop & just think! No distractions...no one wanting anything from me...nothing else that I could really do but just think. I was really tired, but taking a nap was out of the question & I didn't really want to strike up a conversation with anyone else. If I had been inside, it would have been quite a good people watching experience, but there was not a lot of people milling around as I waited for the shuttle. It's was an unusual experience.
I have read on other blogs that some people have gone full force into the "last meal" before the resort. I had not interest in doing that...but I was able to have one of my favorite sandwiches from Jimmy John's...a "#12 on wheat with ez mayo". It has been a while since I have had one & I was full after only half of it. I have been actually concious while I have been eating lately thanks to my Bodymedia Fit device, so it was another unusual experience. I will tell you about this cool device in a later blog...
Today was a really good opportunity for me to sleep in...but noooooo, I had to wake up at 4:15 & was unable to go back to sleep!! Another unusual experience. My mind was racing away, so I sent my husband a text to tell him more things I forgot to take care of before I left! Today is the last day that I can really be able to do that because if I try to take care of stuff back home while I am here exercising 6-7 hours a day & going to food classes, I am going to completely defeat the purpose of coming here! Note to self: let go & let God...let go & let God...
One of the things I want to do while I am here changing myself physically, as well as mentally, is to increase my faith. To be quite honest, I can read parts of the Bible, but I really need to hear or listen to others' interepretations before it goes beyond the surface for me. There is this website from a church out in Oklahoma that has free resources available on the web. There are so many good videos of their sermons, I had a hard time trying to choose. I thought I could download some of them onto a DVD & then watch it in my room, but that was going to take too much time because I would have had to use another software program first. So I decided to print out the transcripts of some that sounded interesting to me...now don't get all up in arms any of you on the "go green" kick - you want to complain, then buy me a laptop!!
This morning I decided to read through one of the transcripts called "Joy" & I really enjoyed it! Lots of stuff for me to ponder during the day. Here's a link to watch the video:
http://www.lifechurch.tv/watch/joy/1
Here are my takeaway points from the sermon based on Philippians 1: 3-26
*Instead of asking "why?", ask "now what?" "Now what is God's purpose? Now what does God want to show me? Now what does God want me to do through this?"
*"What are the chains in your life that are binding you? ...The very thing that you may feel restricts you, may be the very thing God uses to release you." God can take our obstacles & turn them into opportunities.
*Ask "so what?" "Will this matter 100 years from now? ...what is really important now? ...Are you going to let that steal your joy or are you going to see that maybe God has a purpose for you? ...Are you here to please people or to please God?"
*"...happiness and joy are two different things. Happiness is based on happenings...Joy though is never based on happenings. Joy is based on God & God alone."
Not much more to say after that...I just need to chew on that for a while!
