cjbement

WOW! Those pics are fantastic! Another THANK YOU for posting. Just seeing them answers a lot of questions I have. Your skin tone is almost identical to mine so I can kinda see what to expect in another 80 lbs gone! Congrats, you look great already! CJ

LMAO! Now lets hope it sticks!

Dam, girl: Pass some of that Karma over this way! CJ :clap2:

Oh, the sanctimonious bypassers!

Thanks, same to you!! HA!

Thats ok, I can handle it! I just try not to strike first if I can help it. BTW, I am a female, but because of my name, quite often confused as a fella. No problem, and thanks for the welcome!

Religion gives Christianity a bad name sometimes! I ran away from religion, but eventually crawled back to God/Jesus/Holy Spirit. All the hoo-hah of some religions takes so much away from the big picture (not bashing on any particular religion and I do go to church) there is just much to be gained from spirituality that is not a part of organized fellowship with other people. My opinion only and not trying to get anyone to see it my way. :eek:

Thanks Laurend---Do you have any idea how long it took me to read this thread? I am supposed to be studying-SHAME ON ME! You guys have some great view points. I think I remember a beginning thread where you said you walked (ran?) away from "the church" at age 18? I totally related to that! I RAN away too! Funny how when you get a mind of your own you start to see things differently?? Thanks for the welcome! CJ

I hope I dont EVER get used to you, sometimes you take people for granted when you get used to them, and I would never want to do that!:eek:

I dunno, sometimes I'm just like that. CJ

Hello, CJ, Today's Token Christian, banded 12/14/7, down 35 lbs, etc etc etc. I am taking this opportunity, as a Christian, to apologize to all who have been offended by Ron and his enthusiastic tirades. My belief is that Jesus Christ came to earth as a man and interacted with whores, homosexuals, thieves, liars, morally corrupt and emotionallly damaged people from all walks of life. (Do not hear me saying in any way that I am morally superior to any of these people or anyone at all because I am a Christian!) He amazingly did this while loving and leading. If he'd had to depend on His superiority to make them feel stupid, bash their opinions and intelligence and generally dismiss them in every way they were different, Christianity would not be where it is today. It pretty much would have died on the vine 2000 years ago. Sharing Salvation is not about "LOOK HOW RIGHT I AM, HERE IS MY PEDIGREE AND HERE"S WHAT I KNOW AND HOW IGNORANT ARE YOU FOR NOT BELIEVING WHAT I BELIEVE." It is about accepting people, as Jesus did, right where they are, here and now, and living your life in a way that they want what you have and want to know how you have it. Things shoved down the throat are usually violently regurgitated. "Love thy neighbor as thyself" does not have a "but" or "except" after it. LOVE EVERYBODY! Thanks to all who shared their views and opinions, even Ron. CJ PS: Wheetsin-I am taking the liberty of playing off of your name. You are a very intelligent and vibrant lady and I think you're great! I applaud your consistenly quick wit and humor!

Carol, you obviously have an enormous amount of self-discipline and will power that most of us here do not. I applaud your ability to overcome the desire to eat with very little effort! Most of us arent that fortunate. CJ

Whats wrong with saying, "hey, that happened to me, too...AND when it DID, here's something that I found that worked for me..." Just spouting out rules and regs is not really support. It's not wrong, but if worked, would we all be here? Support is saying "me, too." and "I've experienced the same thing..." Sometimes it does makes you feel better to know you are not the only one. Because my eating is from an addiction, I may have a different viewpoint from other people. Most people who have an addiction can't glean much from people who have not walked in their shoes because if they haven't, their advice is just theory. Everyone has their opinion, but my main one is that this board is a great tool for everyone here and I appreciate everyone and their honest opinions. CJ

carol's right, i wont argue with someone who doesnt eat, but merely smears.... I mean that in jest, now. Cj

"The professionals" have probably never been on a two week liquid diet, and since the pre-op diets run the gamut between all of the many powers that be, I am not sure that even they know what is truly best. I have a friend who was banded at 450 lbs and she was on a liquid diet for ONE DAY before surgery. Her doc did not believe the fat around the liver concept. Well, my doc sure did, and I complied. I am merely pointing out that being realistic about this whole process is helpful and if the worst thing a person does is suck on a freaking chicken nugget and spit it out, she will probably be just fine.