motd Sat. Aug 13, 2011

[Guest guest]

THE ROLLER

COASTER RIDE

Saturday, 13 August 2011

Barbara

wrote and shared this story with me about a summer time

achievement of hers this year. Oh, I know you're gonna

just love this story.

She and her husband took their kids to a big theme park

located just outside New York City. Both her kids were

big fans of roller coasters and this park was known for

having some really scary ones. Barbara hadn't planned

to take in many rides, she was doing this for the kids.

But both her son and daughter begged their parents to

take a couple of rides with them. Barbara finally gave

in and said yes, even though her insides were telling

her NO.

Barbara

was very nervous but didn't want to disappoint her

kids. When they selected one big roller coaster to

ride, Barbara's husband and son took one car while she

and her daughter took the car behind them. Now here's

where the story gets interesting.

The moment she sat down in the roller coaster car,

Barbara began to sweat. Now let me tell you, it

wasn't because she was that afraid of the

coaster...something else was making her nervous. She

waited for what seemed like an eternity before one of

the people who worked at the park came to check each

person's seat before the roller coaster took off. When

he made it to Barbara, he said to her, "Mam, you

need to lower your safety bar before we can start the

ride. Here, let me help you." Gulp!

The

ride attendant reached up, pulled down the bar and...CLICK!

It fastened and locked perfectly! When it did, Barbara

said to herself, "Oh, my goodness! I am now the

happiest person in this park! No, make that...the

world!" Oh, she was so excited and had so much

fun, after the ride was over, she said to her family,

"Let's do that again!"

Now you have to know that a few years earlier, at

another theme park, when Barbara boarded one of

the rides, there was a totally different ending. She'd

waited in line nearly 45 minutes to get on the ride.

When her turn finally came, she sat in the car, tried to

lower the safety bar herself and, uh-oh, it wouldn't

lock across her stomach. Poor Barbara was so

humiliated. There, in front of all those other people

who'd waited in line with her, Barbara had to get up and

walk away. Oh, she could just feel their stares.

That's why she was so nervous getting on that roller

coaster with her daughter.

But thankfully, this time, things were different. See,

over the past year-and-a-half, Barbara had been working

hard and she'd lost 60 pounds! She did it by Sweatin'

To The Oldies everyday and taking control

of her eating habits. And oh boy, look at what she now

had to show for it. She could see, feel and experience

the rewards of her hard work!

Now I

have to tell you after losing 60 pounds, Barbara's

weight-loss had kind of plateaued and she was

feeling very frustrated because of it. She really

wanted to lose 50 more pounds. Well, that roller

coaster experience was the shot in the arm she needed to

keep fighting! Barbara made up her mind that she was

going all the way. She was going to win this

fight!

Hey, Barbara...job well done! I wish I could

have been there with you, our hands thrown up in the

air, screaming at the top of our lungs as we rode that

roller coaster together! I know you're going to lose

those last 50 pounds, too. And next summer, you'll be

writing to tell me about the great time you had...bungee

jumping!

Love,