Innocent but Charged AND Guilty but Free

Yesterday, when I checked the mail, I had no idea how it would affect my next 24 hours. It seemed pretty standard. Some coupons, an advertisement, a few bills....and at the bottom of the stack, a letter to me from the City of Arlington. (Back story: In late January, I was pulled over for having out-of-state tags. Since I am one credit hour short of being a full-time student, James and I had to go ahead and become Texas residents. We got our vehicles inspected and got new titles and registration at the DMV. Since we turned in our paperwork on time, we went back to our normal routine.) I figured this letter would be a receipt for that transaction.

But it wasn't. It was a warrant for my arrest.

Seriously.

Apparently when we turned out stuff in to the court, we faxed a copy of my registration and sent in a photo of my new Texas plates by mail. Though we were told they could be received separately, somewhere, things got crossed, and the city of Arlington didn't show that I had proof of registration. They only had photos.

No warning. No courtesy phone call. Just a warrant for my arrest. (With a $500 bail fee.)

Normally, I think I might have been able to have a sense of humor about this. But with graduation a month away and pressing school deadlines, a busy season with my job, and not to mention, the week of Easter when I'm married to a pastor....there is not extra time in my week right now to deal with anything else. There is nothing funny about this.

By this time, it was already 5pm, so the court was closed for the day. Ironically, I just had to go to praise team rehearsal (you know, where most criminals go) and wait it out until this morning.

More back story. In addition to getting my Texas plates, we also had to get our Texas driver's licenses. Well, my Tennessee license still had my maiden name on it....and while my license still had my maiden name, I couldn't change my social security card because the names on both cards are supposed to be the same. (By the way, both offices want you to get the OTHER one changed first. It's a blast.) So, I filed to get a new social security card, and it finally came in the mail. Now, I could get my Texas license.

Except I didn't just get to fill out the transfer license form. Because you see, in the time period of waiting on my new social security card to get here, my license expired...and the state of Texas doesn't even give one day's grace period. If you have an expired license, you have to start all over again. So like a 15-year-old, I had to take the written driver's exam. PLUS, I had to make an appointment to come back and take the actual DRIVING test...which was schedule for today.

Do I need to remind you that there's a warrant for my arrest?

So this morning, I get together all of my life documents, and James and I head to the driver's license office for me to take my exam. I arrive at 7:30, get the first appointment for 8:30, and we waited. The examiner comes out to my car, asks for my insurance, and I hand it over.

It expired on March 28.

Today is March 31.

REALLY?! What insurance expires on the 28th of the month?!

So, I go back inside, make my second appointment for 10:15am, and James and I go to his office so State Farm can fax us an updated copy of our insurance.

While we're waiting on that, I decide to call the warrant office. Guess what? They need proof that my car was covered on the day that I was pulled over. We call and get that faxed to us as well.

Our insurance agent sent us the right insurance...but for the wrong vehicle. Take 2.

Around 10am, we head back to the driver's license test with updated insurance and even MORE forms. Trying to be calm, I go through the practical driving exam....even suffer through parallel parking, although I was really tempted when he asked me to parallel park to step out of my car and yell, "JAMES!" (Because that's REALLY how I parallel park.)

I pass. Whew. One thing out of the way. It's around 11am now, and we headed down to the Arlington Municipal Court. After waiting in line, I hand the woman behind the counter all of the documentation that I have and explain my case.

"Oh, well, you need to go to the Department of Motor Vehicles and pay your penalty fee for getting a ticket," she says.

"Which is?" I ask.

"We show that you paid for your ticket when you sent in the photo of your new plates, but you have to pay a penalty fee to the DMV. It will probably be about $10."

If I wasn't frustrated before, now I'm REALLY feeling it. If I needed to go to the DMV first, why in the world would the form send me to the Municipal Court?!

I wasn't going to get anywhere by arguing, so James and I just drove to the DMV, paid our $8.15 penalty fee, and drove back to the court. More waiting.

On a positive note, I got a phone call while we were waiting that the fax of my proof of insurance went through. There is no longer a warrant for my arrest at this point. Awesome....glad to know I'm no longer a criminal since I did everything to follow through on my end in the first place!

At this point, I've gathered quite a stack of paperwork. After giving the woman behind the counter what seemed like 15 different documents, she was finally satisfied. Writing one more check for the day, James and I walked out. Now, it's a little after noon, and we are both exhausted.

After arriving home, I couldn't help but think about how much time was wasted this morning. IF the city had called me to let me know they were missing documentation. IF the social security office hadn't given me such a hard time about not having changed my license first. IF the driver's license office had let me renew my license on time without waiting for my new social security card to come in. IF my car insurance card had been valid just three more days. IF they had told me to pay the penalty fee at the DMV before I drove to the courthouse...etc, etc, etc.

I finally just broke down and cried. Tears of frustration. Tears of guilt for wasting my husband's morning during a busy week. Tears of exhaustion. Tears of being treated like a criminal when I had done nothing wrong.

Realizing I wasn't going to get anywhere with my day until I stopped to pray for patience, I felt my Savior ask, "Michelle, how do you think it felt when you did that to me?"

Because he was charged for a crime that he didn't commit. Not just any crime. My crime. Your crime.

He was arrested....betrayed by one of his best friends...while he was praying. He went before Caiaphas, the high priest. That wasn't enough. He then appeared before Pilate. He was beaten. The crowd spit on him. His closest friends denied they even knew Him. The crowd chose to release a murderer into society instead of releasing Jesus. The very people that He came to save were shouting, "CRUCIFY HIM!"

They humiliated him. They put him through an excruciating death.

But Jesus wasn't frustrated. With humility that I cannot even grasp, He pleaded to his Father, "Forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34).

Jesus wasn't just talking about the crowd who was gathered around the cross when He spoke those words. We've all sinned. We all fall short of God's glory. (Romans 3:23). I may not have physically driven the nails into his hands, but it was my sin that nailed Jesus to that cross. I am guilty. I deserve death.

But I'm free. When Christ suffered for my sin, it was so He could bring me to God - the righteous for the unrighteous. (1 Peter 3:18).There's no penalty fee waiting for us on this earth. There's no outstanding warrant waiting for us when we get to heaven.

If we simply confess that we are sinners, that Jesus came and lived a sinless life as an atonement for our sins, and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved. (Romans 10:9-10).

As frustrating as the past 24 hours have been, I am so thankful that I got a fresh touch from God today. Yet another reminder of why my life is not about me...but about Him - and that He receives the glory for my life.

It is my deepest desire that everyone have the assurance that Christ's death covered your sins ONCE and for ALL....if you just believe in Him. After you believe in Him, you start to walk with HIm...because whoever says He lives in Christ must walk as Jesus did. (1 John 2:6). It is the journey of a lifetime....with a final destination more glorious than the greatest imagination.

I hope the lyrics to Chris Tomlin's "My Chains Are Gone" have a new meaning for you as we approach our Savior's death and resurrection this weekend. Please leave a comment on this post if you have questions about what it means to have a personal relationship with Christ. There's nothing I would rather do than tell you about our Savior.

"My chains are gone.
I've been set free.
My God, my Savior has ransomed me.
And like a flood His mercy reigns.
Unending love, Amazing grace."

10-Day Dairy Free Challenge

I am starting this today...so I thought I would share. I have been diagnosed as "lactose sensitive," but I've never really experimented with the thought of giving up dairy completely. For those of you who know me, you know that I hate cheese (in all forms - cheddar, macaroni, Doritos, Cheese-Its, etc.) but I LOVE yogurt, milk and ice cream... :)

Milk protein allergies and lactose intolerance have been linked to a wide array of physical symptoms. For some, it is as simple as lethargy or weight gain, for others crippling migraines and "autoimmune" type symptoms are a lifestyle complication. There is a great deal of research linking dairy to prostate cancer, breast cancer, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, heart disease.

For some of you, this may not be an issue. You may not ever experience any type of adverse reaction when you have dairy products...but it ALWAYS leaves me feeling worse than before I ingested it. So i'm going to check it out and see if a dairy-free diet helps. It's only 10 days -- I can do anything for 10 days!

While a dairy-free life is essential for those who are lactose intolerant, it may help more people than we realize to eliminate dairy: increased energy, easier (or more permanent) weight loss, and increased muscle mass. There have been numerous research studies which evidence the benefits of a dairy free diet, and there have been some inconclusive ones as well. The fact is, we as humans share many common health traits, but we are all still individuals. The only study that can conclude what is absolutely best for your health is your own. Prove it to yourself!

How Do I Begin the Challenge?

Visit this web site to get started!

Also, one of my favorite non-dairy substitutes (I use it in protein shakes, with cereal and in my morning coffee - Unsweetened Almond Breeze. It's SO good! You will find it in the grocery store located near the soy milk. I've put a picture of it here so you can recognize it in the store!

Overall Wellness: A Note from Debbie Siebers

Debbie Siebers, best known for the Slim-in-6 series took a few moments out of her busy schedule to tell me about a few small steps she takes to improve her overall health and wellness. If you've never checked out any of Debbie's workouts, check out this website. Click Shop, browse by trainer, and drag to Debbie's name. They are GREAT workouts! (Feel free to contact me about any of the purchases - purchasing from that link not only gets you access to workout and nutritional products, but you get me as your coach for free!)

Exercise and wellness is not ALL about bouncing around and burning calories. Here are a few tips from Debbie that don't require more energy, but will help you make the most out of your workout routine.

Find some good tunes and focus. Debbie says, "Music is what drives my spirits and lifts me up!" Each day, she incorporates breathing exercises, which she does while listening to soft, soothing music. "These CDs help me empty my mind an thoroughly relax my body and nervous system."

Listen to your body. "I also take about 15-20 minutes to prepare my body before I workout. As we get older, our muscles get stiffer, which is a bummer. But, like anything else, we just have to be consistent to take good care of ourselves."

Don't get in a rut - take it outside! "Getting out in nature relaxes me, and I feel most in touch with myself and what is important," Debbie explains. "It grounds me and makes me feel so appreciative and grateful for all that I have." I've got to agree with her on this point. While hiking in Hawaii last week and running outside this past Sunday in Dallas, I was amazed at the beauty of God's creation and the small blessings that we so often take for granted.

Thanks, Debbie, for contributing and supporting my blog. You're awesome - keep doing all you do!

Follow Debbie on Twitter -- @debbiesiebers

You can also give me a follow if you aren't already -- @michellemyers24

Does God's Presence Shine Through Me?

This morning, I was reading in Exodus 34. Moses has spent 40 days and nights on Mount Sinai with the Lord. During this time, Moses begged God to let him see His glory. God could only allow Moses to see His back, because God said "no man can see Me and live (Exodus 33:20). God also entrusted Moses with the Ten Commandments. So 40 days later, Moses comes back down the mountain, Aaron and the other Israelite leaders were afraid to come near him. Moses had to have been confused.
Exodus 34:29 says that Moses didn't know that his skin of his face was shining because of Him speaking with the Lord. Yes, you read that right. His skin was shining! This served as proof to the Israelites that Moses' words came straight from the One true God.

There are a few things I learned from Moses in this passage so God's love will shine through me:

1) I have to spend time with the Lord daily -- without distraction.

In Exodus 34:2, God says to Moses, "Be ready by the morning..." Now, I'm not going to say this will work for everyone, but I know that for me, this is the only time I can give God my undivided attention. Before I even look at my email, begin to think about work, or even the responsibilities around my home, I know that the morning is the best time I can spend with God without interruption. If I wait until later in the day, it seems my cell phone is ringing, an appointment gets shifted, or another responsibility pops into my mind. Beginning my day with God gives Him priority. It aligns my heart to think about Him first. My relationship with Him comes before anything else in my life. I trust that when He is my top priority, He will take care of everything else.

2) My personal relationship with God must be just that -- individual.

Exodus 34:3 instructs Moses to come up to the mountain alone - not even to let flocks graze opposite of the mountain. Just because my husband's a Godly man, just because my dad is a pastor, just because I attend church every Sunday....that will not save me. I have to have my own alone time with Christ. Fellowship with other believers is important, but intimacy develops with alone time. If you NEVER had one-on-one time with your spouse, would that effect your intimacy? Of course. It is the same way with our relationship with Christ. Spending time reading His word, conversing with Him in prayer, even singing worship solos to Him is ultimately the best way for me to fall deeper in love with Christ.

3) With obedience and preparation, I must go above and beyond to make sure my personal time with the Lord happens.

Exodus 34:4 discusses Moses' obedience to do just as the Lord says. Also, Moses knew the Lord was going to tell him important things, so he took two stone tablets with Him. I don't know if you've ever been hiking - but it's tough! As a fitness fanatic, the first time I ever climbed a mountain, I was underprepared for the physical exertion I was about to go through! Not only did Moses do that, but he did it lugging two large stone tablets. Some days, spending quality time with the Lord is going to be a struggle. It's going to be inconvenient. But Moses knew that He needed to be prepared to share what God was going to teach him with the Israelites, so he did what was necessary. It may mean getting up an extra hour early. It may mean shuffling some of my schedule around. But it always boils down to this fact: I've never regretted a single moment that I've spend with the Lord.

4) I must surrender everything I am to be 100% humbly His.

When the Lord passed before Him, Moses "quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshipped" (Exodus 34:8). I can't let pride, selfish ambition or anything else get in the way of remembering that anything that I am in a result of everything God is. I cannot do anything on my own power, and nothing I have belongs to me. It has simply been entrusted to me by the God of the universe. Exodus 34:29 says that Moses didn't even know that His face was shining. Moses wasn't gloating about His time spent with the Lord. His humility allowed God to shine through Him.

5. I must get rid of things in my life that do not push me closer to God.

Moses went without food and water for the 40 days that he was on the mountain (Exodus 34:28). He wanted to be that focused on God. This is not limited to food, though I think fasting is an important spiritual practice. However, I need to continually ask myself - is there anything in my life that is holding me back from what God has called me to do? Hebrews 12:1-3 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

Have you ever been around one of those people where Jesus' love just radiated out of them? Of course, I could name dozens of pastors and Christian speakers who regularly reflect Christ. However, when I am outside the church and can tell by the light in someone's eyes, the passion of their words, the kindness of the heart WHO their life belongs to...I am so overwhelmed by the greatness of God. When His influence over a person captives who they are, it inspires me to be more and do more for Christ.

To those people in my life, I say thank you. I need the accountability. I'm praying that my life will be a shining example for the Lord....just as brightly as Moses' face was before the Israelites.

OVER THE TOP Blog Award Survey

A new friend, Lauren, gave me this award. Lauren serves alongside her husband, Matt, who is the high school pastor, at our church. Check out her blog by clicking here.

I'm always honored when I get encouragement from others about this blog because it just seems to be an outpouring of what God is teaching me, what's going on in our lives & random thoughts for living a healthier lifestyle. As part of the award, I am supposed to answer the following questions with just a one word response. Here it goes! (Also, don't forget to check out the blogs I pass the award to!)

Where is your cell phone? Attached
Your hair? Post-workout - sweet!
Your mother? Servant
Your father? Hero
Your dream last night? Uneventful?
Your favorite drink? Passion Tea (Starbucks)
Your dream/goal? Family
What room are you in? Home Office
What is your hobby? Teaching
Your fear? Disobedience (God)
Where do you want to be in six years? Mommy
Where were you last night? Night class
Something you aren't? Quiet
Muffins? Bagels
Wish list item? Tropical vacation
Last thing you did? Read my Bible
Where did you grow up? Memphis
What are you wearing? Turbowear
Your TV? 24
Your pets? Bauer (James and I want a dog for protection - Bauer...named after Jack Bauer. No one will mess with us!)
Friends? Authentic
Your life? Blessed
Your mood? Thankful
Missing someone? Katelyn...love my niece.
Vehicle? Texas plates - just became an official TX resident on Friday!
SOmething your not wearing? Shoes
Your favorite store? TJ Maxx
Your favorite color? Green
When was the last time you laughed? Breakfast with James
Last time you cried? Last time I skyped with Katerbug....miss that kid.
Your best friend? James
One place you could go over and over? California
One person who emails you regularly? Platinum Presenters :)
Favorite place to eat? Panera Bread

I pass this award onto...

Stephanie: a childhood best friend who is godly woman, an amazing mother of 3 and as creative as they come. Love you, Steph! Check out her blogs at www.braithwaitblog.blogspot.com and www.reasonstogather.blogspot.com.

SheSeeks.org: a branch of Proverbs 31 Ministries, geared towards young women 18-26

Unlocking Femininity: a great blog co-written by great friends Diane, Gabrielle, Katie F, Katie M & Sarah - Come see what the Bible has to say about biblical womanhood!

Discover Your Eating Personality

You've probably taken a dozen personality tests in your life - Myers Briggs Inventory, The Big Five, The Four Temperaments, etc. People often use the results from these tests to help make critical decisions such as career choice, interpersonal communication issues and intrapersonal struggles.

But have you ever thought about uncovering your eating personality? Understanding your relationship with food is critical to breaking out of the diet dungeon you may be knowingly or unknowingly incarcerated in.

Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch have identified four eating personalities in their book Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program that Works: the careful eater, the professional dieter, the unconscious eater and the intuitive eater.

We are born all born intuitive eaters, and life experience can cause our eating personalities to vary to one of the other three personalities. None of these other eating personalities are better or worse that the other. However, it can be problematic if you find yourself constantly existing within a single eating personality division other than intuitive eating.

The careful eater rarely eats anything without a thorough examination of the nutrition label first. Painfully prolonged grocery store trips, waiter interrogation at restaurants and specialized orders are inevitable. Careful eaters systematically plan each meal and do not handle their meal plans getting disrupted well. While these characteristics can be seen in a health-conscious person, careful eaters may tend to make eating decisions based on body image rather than overall well-being.

The professional dieter is always on some sort of diet. They are well-versed in portion control and calorie counting, and perhaps even macronutrient counting, knowing amounts of carbohydrates and fat grams. Unlike careful eaters, professional dieters make it known that every food choice they make is based on weight loss. These eaters can also experience the yo-yo effect of dieting and losing weight to eventually trailing off and gaining weight...only to go on to the next diet. Undereating usually results in overeating, so it's not only an ineffective weight loss plan in the long run, but professional dieters are typically not very healthy.

The unconscious eater exists in four forms: the chaotic unconscious eater, the refuse-not unconscious eater, the waste-not unconscious eater and the emotional unconscious eater.

* Chaotic Unconscious Eater: Maybe due to an overly busy schedule or refusal to plan, this person is constantly making eating decisions based on what is available, whether fast food, vending machine or leftover snacks in the office break room. They tend to go long period of time without eating, so they are ravenous when they finally decide to eat.

* Refuse-Not Unconscious Eater: These eaters live a grazing lifestyle, simply not refusing food whenever it's available. They may grab a handful of M&Ms unknowingly from the candy jar each time they walk past the office desk. Hunger doesn't matter. If food is there, they will eat.

* Waste-Not Unconscious Eater: Fast Food Dollar Menus and buffets were created with this type of eater in mind. Desiring to eat the most they can for the least amount of money is the biggest concern for this eating personality. Waste-Not Unconscious Eaters will never be members of the clean plate club...nor will anyone else who eats in their presence.

* Emotional Unconscious Eater: These eaters turn to food for comfort. Whether stressed or hurt, happy or excited, food seems to be the only reward or punishment that will satisfy.

Last, meet the intuitive eaters. This type of eater listens to internal hunger cues. When hungry, they eat whatever they choose without guilt or debate. It's that simple.

In today's diet-crazed world, remembering how to have an eating personality that you might have lost somewhere as early as elementary school can seem impossible. However, the statistics show that if we returned to a lifestyle of balance and moderation, we may discover our bodies are smarter than we give them credit for. After all, what do we have to show for our diet-conscious American society?

- Higher obesity rates in adults and children
- Higher eating disorder rates
- More fat-free/diet foods available than ever - yet 1/3 of adults are overweight.

While it's simple to read, it's much harder to do. I recommend talking with a professional you can trust to help you restore a healthy relationship with food. Personally, I recommend checking out http://www.healthylifestylebalance.com and calling 817.584.5399 to set up an in-office or phone appointment with Jennifer Pereira.

2010: NOT just a New Year's Resolution!

January, It's every fitness professional's dream month. Why? Because for one month a year, WE are the most sought after people in the nation! New Year's resolutions bring people to us everywhere we go - whether we're physically at the gym, checking out at the grocery store, or simply checking our Facebook inbox.

Well, we're almost at the end of the month. I know that inevitably, the WIDESPREAD fitness mania in my life will end. Sure, I can always count on my die-hards...and a few new ones will stay committed - but the questions everywhere I go, the 20 emails everyday, I know it's bound to dwindle.

And that makes me really sad....because the best part of my job is motivating others to live better and healthier lives. It's not about weight loss, gained strength, or a 6-pack to me. Those are just perks. It's the increased energy, the confidence boost, the better quality of life, taking care of the temple God has blessed us with. I LOVE it!

So I got to thinking....what would motivate someone to KEEP making healthier choices - choosing proper nutrition, working out more, etc.?

An incentive.

So though I am not made of money, I decided it would be worth the investment in the people I care about to launch a contest. No money to get in....just the chance EVERY SINGLE DAY to gain an entry into a contest to win a BODYBUGG.

If you don't know what a bodybugg is, let me tell you: The bodybugg® is the most accurate device on the market today for measuring calorie expenditure outside of a clinical setting.
It utilizes a patented process for interpreting calorie burn called "sensor fusion" developed by BodyMedia, Inc. This process involves collecting a range of body-data using multiple physiological sensors instead of a single sensor, which is what other calorie estimation devices such as pedometers and heart rate monitors rely on. It's this multi-sensor approach that enables bodybugg® to "see" the wearer's context (whether they are sitting, sleeping, jogging, walking, etc.) that makes bodybugg® such a reliably accurate device for calorie expenditure estimation. You've probably seen it featured on NBC's hit show, The Biggest Loser.

They retail for $200. I'm not looking at that as money out of my pocket (even though it is)....I'm looking at it as in investment in people that I care about - because whether you win or not, I hope the CHANCE of winning will motivate you enough to push past the temptation to end the health and fitness goals you've set for yourself.

So...now to what everyone wants to know.

Who can enter?

ANYONE and EVERYONE!

When does it start, and when does it end?

We will begin Monday, Feb. 1, 2010. The contest ends May 1, 2010.

How can I enter?

There are two different ways. First, for any of my classes that you come to, you will get one entry. My schedule of where I'm teaching is always up on my blog - http://www.michellemyerswrites.blogspot.com - so you can check my schedule to see when/where I am teaching. I will have scrap pieces of paper each time I teach. You will write your name on one of them, and I will add it to my stash. Remember, you get one entry for every class you attend, so attend as many as you can!!

Second, for those of you who are not local, you can make a purchase on my website - http://www.turbomichelle.com. For every $10 you spend between Feb. 1 and May 1, you will get 1 entry into the contest! (Please email me at coach.chelle@gmail.com, and we will work up a perfect plan JUST for you at no extra charge!)

That's it. Plain and simple. I just have one more question to ask...

Who's gonna win?! :)