Splash of lime is tasty!

the Kroger Sharing Network sends me free products to try in exchange for an honest review. This time we got to try Tostitos organic chips and splash of lime salsa. My husband loved the splash of lime in the salsa, but the salsa tasted too much like spaghetti sause for me. It wasn't bad, but I've had better. #TostitosSplashOfLime

Book review: watch for the light

Book review: watch for the light readings for Advent and Christmas

I was given the chance to review this book for free, and in return I was asked to write a book review. This book is small and hard backed with the readings that started in November and go through January. The authors of all the daily readings include but are not limited to: Aquinas, Bon Hoeffer,  Dillard, Donne, Eckardt Elliot, Hopkins, Luther, Louis etc. Some of the readings are short and some are several pages long. There are poems as well as excerpts from famous authors writings. All of the readings are geared to help us get the right attitude towards Christmas during the advent season.

I have enjoyed reading this book with my family and I really think that it is helping us get the right attitude and focus as we approach Christmas this year. It is a nice book and durable since it is hardback and we will probably use this book every Christmas season. I like that it starts in late November and carries through until early January, not just a week or two before Christmas.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to get more out of Christmas and who wants to teach their children and their family the true meaning of Christmas.

I received a free copy of this book from handlebar publishers in exchange for doing an unbiased review of the book.

Bridging the Gap

This is Watson's Mill State Park. This place is special to me because my husband and I went on our first "date" here, and we love bringing our sons here to play on the shoals and to canoe (the river on the other side of the bridge is calm).

As Lysa said in "The Made to Crave Action Plan," ~“Perseverance bridges the gap between the trial and the blessing of becoming mature and complete, not lacking anything” (page 126). What a beautiful reminder that there is indeed a point to perseverance! We are not just "suffering through" life's trials. God is using them to mature us, and in the end we will be complete, lacking nothing! I don't know about you, but that sounds pretty good to me!

Now I must confess that having joy in the midst of a trial is often easier said than done. Right now we are struggling because things keep breaking In our house that we can not afford to replace. My recliner broke, then the dishwasher, the. The microwave, then the washing machine! Through God's grace and my husband's perseverance, he was able to fix my recliner and dishwasher. Youtube has been a great resource. The microwave is totally dead. The washer he eventually fixed and now we are dealing with the stove. A week ago he fixed it after many perilous trial and error attempts. But last night it took nearly an hour for the oven to reach 350° Again. Also Tuesday I was told I need to get almost $1000 of dental,work done with in a month or two or I will need a root canal. It is so expensive because I had to have an implant put in that used up all my dental benefits. So please pray for us please that God provides and we continue to persevere.

I will say though that I can see that I have grown. I'm not falling apart. I am having to work at it, but I'm not falling apart. I am trying to keep my eyes on God and trust in His ability to provide and not focus on our inabilities or the huge waves of our trials. Thank you so much for your prayers!

Drinking Green Tea

I have been participating in the Proverbs 31 bible study called, "The Made to Crave Action Plan." This week we learned about adding polyphenols into our diet. "Polyphenols are compounds found primarily in plants, especially in naturally ripened, dark-skinned fruits and vegetables. Current research suggests they may play a significant role in promoting health and preventing disease." Quote from "Made to Crave Action Plan" by Lysa Terkeurst & Dr Ski Chilton. Our assignment this week was to try to add as many as we can I to our diet. 

For me, these changes will have to be gradual based on our budget. For right now I do have green tea so I am brewing up all the green tea I have in the house to use as my primary drink.

Looking at the list, we already eat apples, corn, strawberries, grapes, raisins, dried cranberries, dried mangoes, oranges, broccoli, garlic, onions, nuts, dried beans, and cinnamon. That's encouraging! What I intend to start doing is being intentional about these foods and how much we eat. We will continue to get healthier as we gradually add these foods, whole grains and make good healthy food choices!

Healthy Eating

I participated,in the Proverbs 31 ministries bible study called "Made to Crave," and now I'm doing their action plan. What great information! I feel like for the first time I can make life-long, lasting  changes and finally get healthy! God is the focus, and that is the reason why it works. I don't feel hungry either so I don't feel deprived. When I choose strawberries,over a fattening dessert it is a pleasure. I get to eat the strawberries. They are good and good for me. Do I still want fattening desserts? Sure, but I'm trying to allow God to renew my mind and reshape my desires. Here is a breakfast I enjoy now. Greek yogurt, granola and strawberries. Yum!

Emotional Triggers

I think I have been an emotional eater my entire life. It has always seemed so natural to want chocolate or a special treat of some kind when I have had a bad day or I am sad. Really, it's pretty socially acceptable, especially for women. Now overeating is another matter. That is never socially acceptable and being overweight can actually trigger emotional eating in and of itself. I have gotten discouraged and gave up, thinking it is hopeless to try to loose weight so why not enjoy myself. What I wasn't stopping to think about is that I bought into a lie that said food could fill the empty spaces in my heart that only God can fill. I love how Mrs. Terkeurst refers to the Israelites in chapter 13 and how God provided mannah every day to teach them to depend on Him and Him alone. He knew food was a weakness of theirs and in His infinite wisdom knew that was a perfect teaching tool.

 

     Until I read "Made to Crave" I never really thought of overeating or eating for the wrong reasons as a spiritual issue. Maybe that is why diets have never worked permanently for me. But now I am totally open to giving God this area of my life and allowing Him to teach me His ways. I became very discouraged this weekend because after loosing 5 pounds the scale put me right back where i was when I started this study. I think I need a new scale as it's not accurate at all, but it was discouraging none the less and i wanted to quit. Then with Monday's newsletter came the encouragement I needed. This is a process. There will be peaks and valleys but permanent change isn't going to happen overnight. I will fall, and get back up multiple times before my journey is over. I so appreciate being a part of this community where everyone encouraged one another. It has helped me not give up and I hope I can also be an encouragement to all of yhou to help you also stay the course. Our prize, a deep relationship with the Lord, is well worth it!

Pity Party Central

I love how we are not just trying to loose weight or be healthy but we want to get closer to God. I have never done this before. I guess I always thought that since I got myself into this mess (of being overweight) I have to get myself out. But God has always been here for me to help me and now I realize it. Last Saturday I was volunteering at church and they had food there for the volunteers. There were donuts and all kinds of goodies. I was full from breakfast and found myself not being drawn by the donuts. I thought I would feel sorry for myself but I didn't! I had to serve right next to where the donuts were too! I chose to eat fruit and was perfectly happy.

Not to keep it real, we've been snowed in for thermoset several days and I have been wanting to make some kind of awesome dessert. I have two teenaged sons who have been asking me to do so but with my husband's encouragement I have resisted. I did make my boys something for valentine's day but other than that I did well. But I haven't done it in. My own strength, that's for sure!