Another Eleven Pounds!

I was at the doctor’s office this morning for my monthly weigh-in and check up.  I weighed 313 pounds today which is another 11 pounds lost since last month and a total of 54 pounds lost so far.  I am pleased with that, especially as last month included two days off the diet during our anniversary weekend.  We celebrated by going to Outback Steakhouse one night (we had a gift card) and lunch with friends at a Mexican restaurant the next afternoon.

My blood pressure was 128/80 today which is good.  Overall the doctor is pleased with my progress and encouraged me to keep doing what I’m doing since it is working.

My next goal is to be at or below 300 pounds by my birthday, September 27.  I’ll have to do more exercise to loose another 13 pounds in less than a month.  I certainly can’t eat any less. My daily average last month was 698 calories/day, including the anniversary weekend.  My overall goal is to be at 200 pounds by Christmas, 2010.

Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement!

In His name,
Chaplain Sam

Official Weight Loss Numbers

I had a good visit with my doctor today.  I like his scales!  According to that I actually lost 19 lbs in July.  That  makes my overall weight loss 43 lbs so far. PTL!

Additionally, my blood pressure was down to 123 over 84.  I think my pressure at the previous visit was something like 180 over 95.

In His name,
Chaplain Sam

Weight Loss Update

I am starting my second month on a Very Low Calorie (VLC) diet of 600 to 800 calories/day under my doctor’s supervision. I began a food diary on July 2 and have been daily entering everything I eat since.  At the end of July I had averaged 683 calories and 20 grams of fat per day and lost 13 lbs that month.  You can view my food diary online (click on the tabs at the top left to switch between months).  Weekends, when we are most likely to eat out, are my biggest challenge. I am often over my goal during the weekends.  Even so, I’m still not way over in any one day and have been able to maintain my overall average.

My first two days in August were a weekend and I’m a little over my goal for that two day average (817 calories/day).  I expect that to get back on target during the week.  Unofficially I have now lost 37 lbs from my peak weight last March – down to 330 lbs from 367 lbs.  That is unofficial until I get weighed during my next monthly doctor visit Monday, 8/3/09.

I’ve had a number of questions about our protein intake.  We use powdered whey protein mixed with liquid to supplement our daily protein consumption.  We began mixing it in milk but that added more unnecessary calories.  Now we mix it with water.  The powder has 23 grams of protein per scoop and we are using 2 scoops per 8 oz glass of water.

I am now in between belt sizes that I own.  My largest belt is now way to big but I’m still a little to large for the next smaller one I have.  I may have to break down and put a new hole in the large one to tied me over for the next few weeks.  That’s a wonderful problem to have!

Exercise is another story entirely.  Margaret and I have been walking for our exercise but that has been really hit or miss.  We have to move that higher on our list of priorities!

Thank you for your continued prayers!  We are dependent on God to continue to help us see this through until we have regained our health.

In His name,
Chaplain Sam

Exercise Variations

For me, exercising is the most difficult part of my weight loss program. It is just hard for me to get into it.  Most of the time Margaret and I go to the closest mall and walk.  That gets boring after a while.  Today was a nice day weather wise…not oppressive heat and humidity plus there was a nice breeze.  So, we opted to go to Spencer’s Bazaar in Dover.  Spencer’s is a rambling combination flea market and farm market with merchants outside at tables and inside at stalls.  It was a nice change for our exercise.

One of the numerous entrances to the inside offerings

Some of the outside tables

Incase you’re wondering, we did not get anything to eat while we were there

Correcting a Mistake

One of my friends spotted a mistake on my food diary from yesterday.  I had entered 100 calories for a cup of rice when it should have been 160 calories.  That means I actually had 770 calories yesterday.  I have correct the diary.  (Thanks Anna!)

In His name,
Chaplain Sam Houchins

Off To A Good Start

I spent 45 minutes with the doctor this afternoon.  The previous time I was weighed at his office was in March when I weighed 367 pounds.  That is the most I have ever weighed in my life!  The spike happened when I overate in reaction to the sleep deprivation triggered depression.  At first I didn’t recognize the cause of the depression.  That weight really got my attention and I began cutting back on what and how much I ate then.  Today I weighed 343 pounds.  That is a 24 pound loss in the first two months.

I have lost over 100 pounds twice before.  Each time I put myself on a 600 calorie diet for 18 months without medical supervision.  This time I believe the health complications necessitated my being under a doctor’s care.

I had approximately 710 calories today.  You can see what that looks like by viewing my food diary for today.

Of course there is a lot more than just cutting my food intake. I need to drink lots of water and exercise regularly. I prefer walking for the exercise.  At this time of year that means going to the Dover Mall where it is air conditioned!  The doctor also suggested exercising my arms at least once a week with weights or resistance equipment to maintain muscle tone.

I already had the necessary blood work done following the previous doctor visit.  The cardiac workup from my two knee procedures was recent enough to cover that requirement.  I go back to see the doctor monthly so that he can monitor me.

This weekend will be a challenge.  We head to the chapel tomorrow evening and will be there through both services on Sunday.  We’re covering for a chaplain who is on vacation.  I’ll probably eat a lot of salads!

In His name,
Chaplain Sam Houchins

Leaving TFC

Yep, Margaret and I are retiring from Transport For Christ (TFC) at the end of July. That will be eight years and one month since our first night on the chapel as volunteers. On August 1, 2009 I will no longer be the Lead Chaplain for the Life-Saver Chapel in Elkton, MD., but I will still be an ordained Chaplain, just not with TFC. And before you ask, we have no idea yet what TFC’s plans are for the Life-Saver.

This will be the third time I have retired.  The last time Margaret put up with me at home for six months and then told me I had to get a job or volunteer someplace.  She had enough of me home underfoot.  It will be different this time because now Margaret is the one working and I’m at home.  Just call me Mr. Mom!  I will still be filling in as a relief preacher when requested plus teaching an adult Bible study every Thursday night at church.  I’m sure the Lord has other things for me to do as well.

My main focus initially will be to get some health issues under control.  Last November I had two sleep studies which confirmed that I have Complex Sleep Apnea which is a combination of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Central Sleep Apnea. From December through May I spent six frustrating months trying to get a V-PAP breathing machine to relieve the apnea.  I tried six different masks and they all failed to work correctly.  My apnea is so severe that it takes a lot of air pressure from the machine to force air into my lungs while I sleep.  At full pressure, all of the masks leaked which defeated the purpose plus the leak was loud enough to wake me.  At one point I had a serious infection in the bridge of my nose caused by a mask.

Life without a breathing machine means Chronic Sleep Deprivation for me.  That is much more serious than just being tired all of the time. When we consistently don’t get adequate sleep lots of health problems develop and the effects are cumulative.  The longer you suffer Sleep Deprivation, the more severe the symptoms get—some of which are irreversible.  The biggest immediate issue for me is that it causes migraine headaches. When I get a migraine I don’t get pain, I get vertigo which puts me completely out of action for hours.  Right now I don’t do mornings!  I need ten to twelve hours in bed at night to not wake up with vertigo.

There is surgery for Obstructive Sleep Apnea but my pulmonologist did not recommend it for me.  The only other alternative is to lose weight.  My apnea is related to my being over weight  Gee, where did I hear that before?  So, this afternoon I have an appointment with my doctor to begin a 800 calorie per day diet.  I expect that it will be an easy diet to follow—if it tastes good, spit it out!  I also expect to hear my doctor use that awful word “exercise".  Please be in prayer for both of us as I do this.  I will be posting my progress here so you are all my accountability partners!

On a happier note, Lord willing, our goal is to move back to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia after the Lord gives me victory over this health issue. That should be in 1.5 to 2 years.  I would rather not change doctors in mid stream.

In His name,
Chaplain Sam Houchins

Pooh Bear

This past weekend our Daughter, Sheri, and her youngest son, Patrick Sean, came from Virginia to visit.  One of the things they brought with them was a belated Christmas present.

Sheri had put together a Pooh puzzle and then framed it for me.

I can't imagine how she was able to do this. There are so many pieces that look so much alike!  Thank you Sheri for a special gift.

In His name,
Chaplain Sam Houchins

Busy Weekend

We had a wonderful and busy weekend.  Our 10 yr-old grandson, Patrick Sean, was visiting with us.  Friday afternoon the three of us went to the Air Mobility Command Museum located on the Dover Air Force Base.

This is a picture of the tarmac next to the museum which is located in the hanger in the top center.  There are 19 restored aircraft inside and outside the museum.  I got this photo from the museum website.  It is a great museum and the admission is right, free.

Saturday was my 62nd birthday.

Margaret and Patrick Sean had a birthday cake for me, complete with 62 candles!  I am amazed that our smoke detector did not go off!

It is a wonder that the cake survived! (Chocolate Oreo, of course)

 

Patrick Sean shot a video of me opening his present to me, a bar of extra dark chocolate.

Saturday afternoon we drove to Lansdale, PA for the 29th annual TFC Bucks-Montgomery Chapter Pig Roast and concert

As always, the food was great.  You can just see Patrick Sean at the far end of the serving line in the yellow hoodie.  Margaret is just to the right of him.

Here is a closer picture of them.  Next to Margaret is Peg O'Hare, wife of TFC Director of Chaplains, Bunny O'Hare.  That evening there was a great Gospel Concert by the Mark Trammell Trio.  I brought two CDs and a video of them home.

I drove home after the concert.  This was my longest stint driving since my accident.  We were ready for a snack when we got back into Delaware and went to one of my favorite restaurants.

The Charcoal Pit is a 1950's hamburger and ice cream restaurant that I started eating at when I was still in high school.

Patrick Sean was fascinated with the table-side jukebox

"The Pit" still serves milk shakes the old fashion way, in the metal mixing containers.  I had a triple thick, double chocolate shake (chocolate syrup and chocolate ice cream).

Sunday afternoon we went to the Brandywine Zoo in Wilmington, DE.  Patrick Sean took a bunch of pictures of the animals there.

On the way home we stopped at another restaurant dating from my growing up days, The Dog House.  They specialize in foot-long hot dogs with a big assortment of optional toppings.

That evening we went to another Gospel concert.  This time we heard a great choir from the Smyrna AME church that came to our church to share their music ministry.  Today, Margaret and Patrick Sean drove to Philadelphia to tour the U.S. Mint.

Praise the Lord for a wonderful weekend.  I guess Patrick Sean enjoyed his visit because he was reluctant for Margaret to take him home to Virginia when it was time to leave this evening.  He wanted to stay a little longer.

In His name,
Chaplain Sam Houchins

Happy Birthday

Last Saturday Margaret and I went to Arundel Mills, south of Baltimore, for a surprise birthday party for our friend and co-laborer Chaplain Hoppy.  Hoppy serves as the Lead Chaplain for God's Trucking Ministry at the TravelCenters of America in Jessup, MD.

Hoppy, on the right, was totally surprised when he arrived at the restaurant and found a group of us waiting for him.
Left to right: Linda (wife of Chaplain Tom), Evelyn, Jerry (head of God's Trucking Ministry), John (a truck driver), and Chaplain Hoppy

Chaplain Hoppy and Me
It was a wonderful party.  Hoppy is doing much better now and able to get around with a cane but makes sure he has someone with him when he ventures out.  He is now legally blind.  Controlling his blood sugar is still a challenge.  Hoppy recently moved into a larger room at the motel where he lives.  He now works part-time on the chapel (which is located in a room inside the truck stop).

Chaplain Tom, me, Chaplain Jim (Retired), Bonna (Jim's wife), Jake (grandson of John and Pat)

Chaplain Tom, driver John, Pat (John's wife)

In His name,
Chaplain Sam Houchins

Margaret's 60th Birthday (post script)

I forgot a very important part of the celebration at home.  After everyone else had left, Patrick Sean said he had something special for Meme.

Patrick Sean had picked out a special birthday cake for Margaret.

While Sheri was giving Margaret the cake, we all sang Happy Birthday with Patrick Sean playing the song for us.
He had learned the tune for the occasion. That was his special gift to Meme.

Margaret's 60th Birthday

Margaret's birthday is April 14.  Back in February of this year she told me that she had never had a surprise birthday party.  I decided that her 60th birthday would be an ideal time for her first surprise party!

The first challenge was how to organize this without her realizing what was going on.  After all, we not only live together, we also work together.  Normally that's one of the blessings of our being in the same ministry.  It's a major problem though for something like this.  I needed someone who was sneaky and devious to help plan and coordinate this project without Margaret finding out.

My first choice for the job was Sharon Orshaw, our Pastor's wife.  She was not sure if my asking her was a compliment or not.  She did like the idea, though, and agreed to take on the job.  She in turn enlisted two more gals from church to help her — Sharon Daniels and Sharon Cahall.  These three did a great job of organizing all of the details for the surprise party.  We kept in touch with email and IM (instant messaging).  We chose 3:00 PM, Saturday, April 12, in the church fellowship hall, to have the party.

I began inviting folks to attend via a Windows Live Event website (setup so Margaret could not access it) plus a church emailing sent out by our church secretary, Marnie.  Folks without email were invited by phone or in person.  Obviously, we could not put this in the church bulletin!

It worked!  The party was this Saturday and Margaret had no clue what was coming.  I had told her not to make any plans for that afternoon because we were going out for her birthday.  She jumped to the conclusion that we were going out to eat.  After we got into the car, I told her we needed to first stop at the church because the Pastor had something to give us. (Thanks Marnie for coming up with that idea!)

The fellowship hall at the church is downstairs.  I parked in front of the church, so she couldn't see the church parking lot, and went in the front door.  (I found out later that a number of folks had parked elsewhere so she wouldn't see their cars in the lot.) She finally got suspicious when we got to the top of the stairway to the fellowship hall.  She could hear the voices of a lot of folks downstairs.  She looked at me and said, "You didn't?!".

Everyone there shouted "SURPRISE!" when we opened the door to the hall. What followed was one emotional high after another as Margaret recognized unexpected out-of-town friends and family one at a time.  She was so excited and surprised she actually walked right past our daughter and two grandsons the first time without even noticing them.  It was great.  A number of folks remarked that it was the first time they had ever known Margaret to be at a loss for words.

Margaret finally realized daughter Sheri, and grandsons Jonathan and Patrick Sean were here from Virginia

left to right: Chaplain Tom Kramer; Chaplain Don Jaggers; and his wife Carol

 

Charlotte , Margaret, and Kenzel
Pastor Kevin Wall from Chesapeake City, MD, back left, and Sharon Orshaw way back in the kitchen
(that's the ribbon on a balloon in front of Margaret's face)

Lorraine, Thelma, Janice, and Tootsie - ladies from our church

very dear friends, Gordon and Edwina, who came all the way from western PA

Jessica with baby Danny, Pastor Kevin Wall and wife Dawn

front, left to right: Chaplain David Weaver, Linda Kramer, and husband Chaplain Tom Kramer
daughter Sheri is standing behind Margaret
(Chaplain Ron Jones was also there but didn't make it into any of my pictures)

Margaret with the three Sharons, left to right: Sharon Orshaw, Sharon Daniels, and Sharon Cahall
They are showing Margaret the birthday cake made by Sharon Cahall

The Pooh cake.  Half of the cake is lemon, for Margaret, the other half is chocolate, for the rest of us

Pastor Dan Orshaw, and his wife Sharon, and their granddaughter, Emelyn

Margaret posing for pictures with her cake

Of course the kids were first in line for cake and ice cream!

A Pooh piñata filled with candy.
You don't hit this one with a bat to break it open.  Instead you pull the ribbons on the bottom, one at a time.
Only one of the ribbons opens the bottom to let the candy spill out.

Margaret and the kids took turns pulling out a ribbon until the right one was pulled

That's our grandson, Patrick Sean, on the left

The last activity at the church was Margaret opening presents. I think the kids were as excited as she was.
Notice the country girl without shoes — can't take her anywhere!

Some of the folks had time to come to our house and visit after the party.
(including Charlotte, on the left, and Patty, on the right)
Patty worked with Margaret and me years ago in ministry in Virginia.  She now lives in NJ.

Sheri and her two sons spent the night at our house.
We had breakfast together at a local restaurant, the Wagon Wheel, Sunday morning and
then they had to get back to VA for Sheri's father-in-law's birthday party.
(Patrick Sean is hiding)

The last birthday weekend activity was lunch at the TA in Elkton, MD. with Chaplain David Weaver, Chaplain Tom and Linda Kramer, Gordon and Edwina, and driver Greg.  Margaret and I drove to the TA after attending church in Smyrna to meet up with the others.  We had a great time of fellowship there.  No pictures though...I didn't have the camera with me.

You can watch a Flickr slide show of all of the pictures here.

In His name,
Chaplain Sam Houchins

Friday Musings

I haven't felt much like blogging the past month or so.  Margaret and I were both sick with whatever this sinus/bronchitis stuff is that is making the rounds.  After two trips to the doctor and a second round of antibiotics, I am finally feeling better.  Margaret did not get any prescriptions from the doctor and she got better about a week earlier than I did (and $300 cheaper).  Go figure!  Praise the Lord we are both better now and getting back to normal activities (as normal as we get).

Margaret and I have decided to get more serious about our health.  We are eating healthier - almost no deserts (except chocolate, of course, that is one of the basic food groups).  Since last November I have lost 16 pounds and Margaret has lost 13 pounds.  PTL!  We are also exercising regularly.

Neither one of us get very excited about getting out and walking in bad weather.  We do some walking at the big mall in Dover, DE when we are home.  Since we aren't home that much, mall walking wasn't doing us much good.  I searched the web for a portable exercise machine that we could use both at home and at the chapel and that would be easy to transport back and forth.  Some portable machines are mostly plastic and the reviews of them were not good for folks our size.  The machine also needed to be small because we have a very limited space in the chapel living quarters.  And of course, it had to be economical enough to buy on a missionary's budget.

We settled on an InMotion E1000 from Stamina.  It has a steel frame but is only 24 pounds and very compact.  It now goes back and forth with us between home and the chapel.

Margaret exercising at the chapel.  We use her old walker for stability.
Because the walker folds up and is very light weight it works great for this.

I could barely manage 50 steps on it when we first got it.  We both lost some ground while we were sick.  Now I'm able to do around 300 steps at a time twice a day.  That is a long way from where I need to be but at least I'm headed in the right direction.
Margaret can do about 150 steps per session and a daily total of 500 to 600 steps.

We have also been introduced to the books of Dr. Batmanghelidj.  Marty Miller, an Elkton Volunteer Chaplain, has an amazing personal testimony about how the Lord used the teachings of Dr. "Batman" to bring about an amazing change in his life - from a back injury 10 years ago that was to have resulted in chronic pain and disability to now being a marathon runner.  You have to meet Marty and have him share the details!

Anyway, after talking to Marty and reading a couple of Dr. Batman's books, we are now drinking a lot more water - up to a gallon a day for me.  We have cut out all caffeine drinks and the use of artificial sweetener. It is amazing how much damage can be caused by caffeine in our system.  (Chocolate doesn't have that much caffeine in it, does it?)

The past few weeks have been especially busy for us.  As of last Saturday, we had been in Elkton for ministry 16 of the past 19 days. - the result of a combination of the sudden death of a truck stop employee and volunteer chaplains needing time off.  On the plus side of that we were able to provide much needed pastoral care and ministry to employees and chapel visitors.

A very big praise report: Volunteer Chaplain Allan Graham led two drivers to the Lord in recent weeks.  PTL!

In His name,
Chaplain Sam Houchins

Merry Christmas!

^Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.  Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”  Luke 2:8-14 (NKJV)

Margaret and I wish you and yours a blessed Christmas!

 

Here is a classic illustration of the reason for the season, Paul Harvey's modern day parable of the incarnation of Christ. (Make sure your sound is on)

 

In His name,
Chaplain Sam Houchins

Five Months of Confusion

I have not been posting very often to any of my blogs.  Frankly, the past five months have been very unsettling, beginning in April when our ministry finances were turned upside down.  We have not received a check from TFC since March, when we got a check to reimburse us for our February ministry expenses.

Since that March check God, through many wonderful individuals and churches, has miraculously provided for our personal needs plus covered our ministry expenses.  Praise the Lord!  We believe God has affirmed to us each month that he wants us to serve at the chapel in Elkton.

We fully expected this month to be authorized to resume being able to submit our monthly ministry expenses for reimbursement.  Unfortunately, this latest expense submission was again denied.  And, as before, we were not informed that it had been denied.  Margaret found out that it had been denied after the expected check did not arrive and she called to find out what the delay was.

In my mind I keep coming back to Paul's statement in 1 Corinthians 14:33, "For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints." (NKJV)

This entire process has been incredibly draining, distracting, and disheartening!  Our personal relationship with TFC has been strained to the breaking point on more than one occasion.

Please continue to keep us in prayer.  Our only desire is for us to be in God's will.

In His name,
Chaplain Sam Houchins

AECC Northeast Conference 2007

July 13-14 Chaplains Tom Kramer, "Hoppy" Hopkins, and I went to Waverly, NY to attend the annual AECC Northeast Regional Conference.  We stayed in a lovely Victorian Bed and Breakfast in nearby Sayre, PA, the BriMarie Inn.

My room at the BriMarie

Chaplain "Hoppy", second from left, and Chaplain Tom next to him.
(see more pictures)

Some of you may remember that my ordination was at this conference last year.

The first session was Friday night followed by a time of fellowship.  I gave a presentation about our TFC ministry during one of the Saturday morning sessions.  Lunch was provided by the host church and no one left hungry.  The final activity before we left was communion.  It was great to see some of the folks we met last year.

Margaret and Tom's wife, Linda, did not go with us this year.  They were in D.C. for a Women of Faith conference.

In His name,
Chaplain Sam Houchins