Long Time No Blog

I do not even remember the last time I came in her and wrote anything. Last night on the drive home though the thought crossed my mind that I should blog about our night. So here I am, after an enjoyable stop at my friend's blog.

Last night I did something I thought I would probably never do. I went to a Casino. Well, we went to a Casino. We rode a bus filled with my co-workers out to Casino Rama. As we got off the bus we were given dinner vouchers. Now you can see why I was there in the first place, free dinner! Free ride, free dinner, four hours with Tim!

I am encouraged to learn that I think gambling is awful. I hated it!! Hated the punch in the stomach when the machine sucked in the bill and never spit it back out. Hated the quickness of the money going. Hated the dinging bells and flashing lights and how some people were winning hundreds, thousands or more dollars as others were stuffing that much back into machines in the hopes that they too (me too!) would be the recipient of free money! Only you're not. Casino's are there for a purpose. They. Make. Money. End of sentence.

Walking around I saw people of all ages and races playing, and I use that term loosely, games. What game? What is the game in pushing a button and watching a computer screen just miss matching three pictures? That's not a game. A game involves thought, effort and your actions have some control over the outcome. The majority of the casino was filled with machines doing just that.

Then there's the tables where dealers are dealing cards, spinning wheels, handing out tokens and more. If this is a game why is no one smiling? Where is the laughter, the fun, the joy? With all the noise there was a noticable lack of positive emotions. Pleasure? Where? I didn't see it. Not really. Maybe for a moment when the bell went off and you won, if you won. But how much did you put in the machine before it gave some back to you?

No thanks. Gamblings not for me. I enjoyed the free meal. I enjoyed the time with my husband. I'm not even sorry I went. I do not belive that gambling in itself is a sin. It's not a wise use of money, that's quite true. But it is not a sin. To be addicted to it is. To remortgage your house, apply for credit (which is available onsite from 9a.m.- 11 p.m.), to spend the grocery money, bill money, etc. that is wrong. THAT is a sin. And I can see how one could so easily be sucked into it.

Even when I felt my stomach heave as the last credit was spent and my five dollars was gone I felt that urge to try again. The thought that if I did it one more time I'd probably win. So yes, I can absolutely see how it could be addictive and how it could so easily become a sin and like all other sins strangle the good out of life.

A wise person will avoid Casino's, avoid gambling whether on line, in a bar or at a casino, and stays clear of the dangers that lurk there. There but for the grace of God, go I.

Here we go again.

Life is a cycle of cycles. Right now I'm continuing up the hill towards a healthy body. Again. I've done it before, two years ago April I was practically skinny. :) Currently I'm at an unhealthy weight and size. Over 200lbs and wearing 18's. *shudder* I started trying to get back to healthy last March. I had high hopes I'd already be there now. But life happens and I quit trying so here I am at about the same spot.

There's hope though. I found an exercise dvd I actually like and can do. It's called Walk Off The Pounds, by Leslie Sansone. Thanks to some friends at the www.heartsathome.org bulletin board I borrowed a dvd of hers from the library then got my own. I'm up to walking 2 miles.

Two very sweet friends got me started at WW about ten weeks ago and that has been a good experience too. I bombed over Christmas and gained what I'd lost back. But over the past week I worked really hard. I journaled what I ate. Every weekday morning I walked and one night even went to the gym. Wednesdays are crazy there, I won't be back on a Wed. This afternoon I weighed in at WW and I'm down 5lbs. Whoohoo! Fifty-five to go, but this is a good start.

Last Tuesday Tim issued me a challenge, or an incentive, call it what you wish. If I can be down 20lbs by my birthday just 12 weeks away then he will treat me to an amazing date. I'm going to get to wear that hot red dress I bought last fall. I'm going to do it! :) Five down, fifteen to go by April 7th.

Sara









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