It is everywhere!

Why is that there is food everywhere, all the time?

There is a bible study starting at our church this week and I've been trying to decide whether to attend. Apart from the time commitment (2 hrs, once a week for 7 weeks plus daily homework), there is something else that concerns me. The description of the class says, "This is a wonderful time of food, fellowship, and an awesome study experience for women of all ages." FOOD! Listed first. Like it is the most important part.

I do not need any food temptations, but the class name is intriguing - Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer. Has anyone ever done this study?

Did you miss me?

Did you notice I was gone for a week? Sugar Pop and I went to Nashville for GMA Week and the Dove Awards. We had a really good time and got to listen to a LOT of Christian artists peform. Hopefully, we made some good contacts for Sugar Pops music, but only time will tell what develops on that front. The excitement of the week for me was getting to meet Mike & Jeannie from the Air1 Morning Show.

So, after a week of being away from home, eating whatever whenever, and not exercising, the scale was up 2.4 lbs. I was amazed that it wasn't more. My six week maintenance period is now officially over and I am returning to weight loss points again. My 20 year high school reunion is in 48 days and I have 8.6 lbs to lose to be back at my goal weight. Not impossible, but not a breeze either.

I am happy to be back home and back to my healthy habits and healthy eating and exercise. After a week of indulging, it feels good to return to discipline.

Peace

Today my quiet time has involved mainly quiet - just sitting and resting in God's presence. Most days I do my bible reading, but this has been a busy week and it seems my mind has been churning all day every day. It was nice to just sit in the quiet with God. I have His peace in my heart this morning and I want to bask in His love all day.

Obedience

False religion seeks a peace of heart through all the wrong ways. A true relationship with God requires wholehearted obedience, not a token sacrifice. ~ Life Lesson in my Devotional Bible

What pleases the Lord more: burnt offering and sacrifices or obedience to his voice? It is better to obey than to sacrifice. It is better to listen to God than to offer the fat of sheep. ~ 1 Samuel 15:22

Doing what is right and fair is more important to the Lord than sacrifices. ~ Proverbs 21:3

I want faithful love more than I want animal sacrifices. I want people to know me more than I want burnt offerings. ~ Hosea 6:6

Many people think God requires us to follow a set of rules and that He is just looking for us to screw up so He can punish us. That is not true. God loves us and wants what is best for us. He doesn't give us rules so that he can catch us doing wrong or keep us from having fun. He gives us rules to protect us. Parents don't tell their children not to cross the street because to spoil their fun. They tell their kids not to cross the street because they don't want them to get hit by a car. It is the same with God. When we are obedient to Him, we are actually free. Free from the troubles that are caused by our own sin. It is a glorious place to be.

O God, our Healer and our Good, you sent your Son to cure the world's sickness by taking upon himself the burden of its guilt. Heal the diseased vision which causes us to mistake evil for good; heal the sickened mind which causes us to mistake selfishness for love; heal the unhealthy habits which we have made our own, that we may stand before you, whole in body, soul, and spirit, to sing your praises for ever with all the saints, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ~ Magnificat 7-21-06

Human need of every kind cries out to God for healing. The sharpest cry is the plea of the human heart betrayed and wounded by the sin of self and others. The Lord hears every call for help and heals by taking upon himself the suffering of all who are impoverished and weakened by failure, sin, and death. ~ Magnificat 7-21-06

Jesus Christ is the only friend who never abandons anyone. He it is who in our last moments comes to visit us on our bed of pain. Let us, therefore, remain united with him by prayer and Holy Communion. ~ St. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier

I adore you, O my God, and render you homage, with all my heart by loving you , with all my soul by praising you, and with all my mind by submitting it to faith. ~ Magnificat 7-21-6

Readiness

READINESS
"God called to him...And he said, 'Here am I'" Exodus 3:4
When God speaks, many of us are like people in a fog, we give no answer. Moses' reply revealed that he he knew where he was and that he was ready. Readiness means having a right relationship to God and having the knowledge of where we are. We are so busy telling God where we would like to go. Yet the man or woman who is ready for God and His work is the one who receives the prize when the summons comes. We wait with the idea that some great opportunity or something sensational will be coming our way, and when it does come we are quick to cry, "Here I am." Whenever we sense that Jesus Christ is rising up to take authority over some great task, we are there, but we are not ready for some obscure duty.
Readiness for God means that we are prepared to do the smallest thing or the largest thing--it makes no difference. It means we have no choice in what we want to do, but that whatever God's plan may be we are there and ready. Whenenver any duty presents itself, we hear God's voice, and we are ready for it with the total readiness of our love for Him. Jesus Christ expects to do with us just as His Father did with Him. He can put us wherever He wants, in pleasant duties or in mean duties, because our union with Him is the same as His union with the Father. "That they may be one, even as We are one."
Be ready for the sudden surprise visits of God. A ready person never needs to get ready--he is ready. Think of the time we waste trying to get ready once God has called! The burning bush is a symbol of everything that surrounds the person who is ready, and it is on fire with the presence of God Himself. ~ Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

I thought it was interesting that this was my devotional reading this morning, the day following my post about procrastination. I need to break this procrastination habit so that I can be ready for the things God wants me to do.

Perfectionism and Procrastination

Today Beula wrote about this topic. A few days ago, Vickie mentioned the same topic. I suffer from these. Actually, I have a tendency to be proud of my perfectionism, but unfortunately it leads to procrastination which is quite embarrassing to me. I hate that I am a procrastinator. It causes me many difficulties.

For example, on Friday afternoon at work I was doing property tax renditions - that were due on Monday. They HAD TO BE in the mail on Friday and I was doing them at the last minute. I have had the forms since JANUARY! Why do I put these things off? I don't know if that is related to my perfectionism...or if it is just matter of not working on things until they absolutely positively have to be done.

I feel so much better when I stay on top of things that need to be done. But when I start lagging behind, I become paralyzed and I don't accomplish anything. I just can't get started. It is like my brain and my body just freeze and all my mind wants to do is play solitaire on the computer, while projects pile up around me.

However, if I can get myself moving and keep the momentum going, I can accomplish so much. I can be very efficient with my time and even amaze myself at how much I can do a little amount of time.

The problem is getting started. A helpful thing I learned from Fly Lady is setting a timer. Just setting a timer for 15 minutes and telling myself that I only have to work for 15 minutes is often all I need to get myself moving. And then once I am moving, I tend to stay in motion. But there are still days where I can not even motivate myself to set the timer. Why is that?

(By the way, I finally got my houseplants watered this evening. Poor houseplants, they are being neglected.)

Five Questions

Vickie is playing a game. Here are the five questions that she sent me:

If you were an animal, what would it be?
I've always liked cats - they are very indepedent, quiet, curious, flexible, but they can protect themselves and fend for themselves when they need to.

What is your favorite NAME of all time - could be a person, a product, a town - whatever and why.
Jesus - The Name Above All Names. The Name by which I am saved.

What is the one everyday thing - that needs doing at your house right now - that you just keep putting off?
I really need to water my house plants (which I will probably go do after I finish this).

What was your favorite thing about your first teacher?
I liked that she also played the organ at the church we attended, so I knew her outside of school.

Who is the current/living American/countryman of whom you are the proudest?
Father Frank Pavone with Priests for Life. He tirelessly works to promote the culture of life in our country, often times against very strong opposition.

Here are the instructions to continue:
1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by posting five questions on your blog. I get to pick the questions. (so you have to have the set up where I click on your name and it takes me to your blog).
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation andan offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed,you will ask them five questions.

We Cannot Keep the Great News to Ourselves

To Mary Magdalene the Lord said: "Do not cling to me for I have not yet ascended to the Father" (John 20:17). This is an expression that surprises us, especially when we compare it to what happens with the incredulous Thomas. There, in the cenacle, it was the Risen One himself who presented his hands and his side so that Thomas touch them and find the certainty that it was Jesus (cf. 20:27). In reality the two episodes are not opposed to each other; on the contrary, the one helps us understand the other.

Mary Magdalene wanted to have the same master as before, taking the cross to be a dramatic memory to forget. Now, however, there is no room for a merely human relationship with the Risen One. To encounter him one need not go back but place oneself into a new relationship with him: One must go forward! St. Bernard emphasizes this: Jesus "invites all of us to this new life, to this passage.… We do not see Christ if we turn backward" (Sermon on Easter). This is what happened to Thomas. Jesus showed him his wounds not so as to forget the cross, but to make it unforgettable even in the future.

It is toward the future that our gaze in now directed. The task of the disciple is to bear witness to the death and Resurrection of his master and his new life. For this reason Jesus invites his incredulous friend to "touch him": He wants to give direct testimony of his resurrection.

Dear brothers and sisters, we too, like Mary Magdalene, Thomas and the other apostles, are called to be witnesses of the death and resurrection of Christ. We cannot keep the great news to ourselves. We must tell it to all the world: "We have seen the Lord!" (John 20:25). ~ Pope Benedict XVI

Today it is Quotes from my Hand-Written Journal

Just as a soldier never ceases to train for battle and prepares in sham warfare for the real wounds that are to come, every Christian must exercise self-restraint at all times, but especially when the enemy is near at hand with his well-trained hosts marshaled against us. ~ St. Jerome

God wants you to live for today. Worrying about yesterday or tomorrow steals today. But the great I AM has given you just enough grace for today. Grace for yesterday is all used up and grace for tomorrow will not come until tomorrow. So use the favor and power of the Holy Spirit to do His will right now.

God in His power is refuge and strength; God in His mercy is the river that refreshes the soul; God in His beauty stills all our useless struggles and gathers us into His peace.

Pride sets subtle snares. Whenever we imagine we are in control of life - our own or someone else's - we have fallen prey to the ancient whisper in the Garden: "You shall be like gods." Mortality is the enduring reminder that we become like God not by our own power but by the power of the cross.

True gentleness is so considerate, so tactful, and so active that, when we meet it, we are always astonished that it can do us so much good, while at the same time apparently giving us nothing. ~ Louis Lavelle

Purity comes from heaven; we must ask for it from God. If we ask for it, we shall obtain it. We must take great care not to lose it. ~ St. John Vianney

Items from my Fitness Notebook

If you want to reach your dream, you must stay past the point you normally would have given up. ~ Unknown

Life boils down to a choice. Are you going to let life get you down or are you doing to take control and make the outcome what you want it to be?

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

When you take a day off from exercising, do at least 3 things that will keep you moving towards your goals during your off day. ~ Unknown

Preparation yesterday will help make today productive, and productivity today will help make tomorrow's dream a reality. ~ Unknown

It isn't sufficient just to want -- you've got to ask yourself what you are going to do to get the things you want. ~ F.D. Roosevelt

A cookie lasts as long as it takes to chew it, but a healthy lifestyle lasts a lifetime! ~ Unknown

Life tends to get in the way of fitness goals. Don't let it push you around. Make time. Your health is that important. ~ Unknown

Today, THINK about WHO you want to be, WHAT that person would choose when faced with a difficult food choice and BE that person!!! Let healthy thoughts control you today! ~ Unknown

We can take a stand for our lives by saying no to certain foods and behaviors. Yes, we have the opportunity to choose to gorge on sweets, but that's not freedom, that's slavery. ~ Unknown

Being proactive will go a long way in our recovery from food and weight issues. We must be on guard, watching for temptations and praying for God's guidance and strength in each new situation. If we walk about unaware, we will easily fall into serving our flesh -- giving into the tempting gratification of binging. But as we instead live away of our surroundings, predictable traps, and our own weaknesses, we can then walk in the spirit and provision that comes from God. ~ Lose it for Life Day by Day - May 23rd

Real Beauty

Dee posted this article today. I really liked it and want to save it for myself to read again.

You and I live in a world where beauty is a sad plastic imitation of the real thing. Real beauty is a thousand skin tones and languages, different smiles, personalities and hairstyles. Real beauty doesn't matter if you're wearing a frilly skirt and ballet flats or a lacrosse uniform. It has nothing to do with your jean size or your height.

It has everything to do with what He says about you, and He says you're a star. He says beauty is a heart place, not a physical place, and when He invades that sweet broken heart of yours, it is impossible not to radiate beauty. I hope and pray that you'll look in the mirror and start to see what He has said and affirmed in your life over and over.

He says that He loves you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). And He says that He's called you out of darkness into freedom (Psalm 107:14).

You're not meant to blend. You're meant to shine like a bright star in the darkest night. You're meant to be unique and original. In other words, being yourself is beautiful...

In a world full of plastic, I dare you to be beautiful. I dare you to let His love shine from your heart so bright the world can't help but notice.

You are a dream.

You were originated in the mind of God; woven and spun into the living, breathing masterpiece you are. Put simply: You're beautiful.

Something is Brewing

There is something brewing inside of me. Like a big discovery about myself that I am about to make. Or maybe it is just a personal mission statement trying to get out. It is hard to explain the "feeling." Yesterday I was listening to a Maximum Impact Club CD and I had that feeling. I don't even know how to describe it...it is like a desire to make a list of the things I like, the personality traits I have, the qualities I would like to develop, the things that are important to me. And a long with that comes the urge to simplify things...perhaps that urge is to remove the clutter in my life so that I can "see" what those other things are. It's very fuzzy and like I said I don't know how to describe it.

Heavenly Father, help me with this feeling. I don't know what it is or what I need to do with it. I think it is your Holy Spirit prompting me to do something, but I don't know what it is. Please guide me and help me. I will listen for your voice. In Jesus Name I Pray. Amen.

Beloved Partner

"The body you are given will be yours for the duration of your time here. Love it or hate it, accept it or reject it, it is the only one you will receive in this lifetime. It will be with you from the minute you draw your first breath to the last beat of your heart. Since there is a no-refund, no-exchange policy on this body of yours, it is essential that you learn to transform your body from a mere vessel into a beloved partner and lifelong ally, as the relationship between you and your body is the most fundamental and important relationship of your lifetime. It is the blueprint from which all your other relationships will be built." by Cherie Carter-Scott

That is something to ponder. I have never thought of my body as a beloved partner or a lifelong ally. But thinking in those terms makes this health and fitness journey I am on seem more important. I am not just doing this for myself, but for my beloved partner.

Settling into Maintenance

This is week 5 of my 6 week weight maintenance break. I was reflecting on the previous weeks and it occurred to me that it wasn't until last week that I really relaxed in maintenance mode. I was struggling with binge eating (which is part of the reason I decided to take the maintenance break) for the first three weeks. I would binge and then want to go back to weight loss points. Then I finally decided that binging was "no longer an option." I want to give it up FOREVER. Now that I have done that and feel like the issue is settled, I feel very comfortable at maintenance points. And interestingly, the scale has gone down about a pound after 11 days of no binging (even though I am eating 27 points a day).

I know I have to be on my guard though. I need to stay close to God because the "binge monster" could attack at any time. I reviewed my list of differences between a binge and a splurge yesterday, just to keep me on my toes. I bought some Ginger Chews at Drug Emporium yesterday. I could have easily eaten the entire bag (and made myself sick in the process, I'm sure), but I recognized I was on the verge of a binge and I did not want to go there. I do realize I need to be on alert though...I could have easily eaten through the entire bag before I realized I had just binged. As it turns out, I had five pieces - 100 calories. God is my strength and I am sure that He is responsible for alerting me to the danger I was encountering. I can't even remember how he "snapped me out of it" but I know that it was Him. I must watch and listen for His voice.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the awareness you gave me yesterday. I was tempted to eat that entire bag, but you rescued me. I am your little sheep who so easily wanders off and gets trapped in the brush or falls into the river. Please keep a watch on me and continue to rescue me when I get too close to danger. It feels good to have been saved BEFORE I needed it. Thank you. In Jesus Name I Praise You. Amen.

Ten Questions

From Walking in the Light by Neil Anderson via the Life Lesson in my Devotional Bible

These are ten questions you'll want to ask yourself and pray about when you're faced with a decision. The first five are generic. They represent moral issues and godly wisdom that are normative for all times. The next five are questions that you need to ask when facing a change in direction. Let's take a look at what each question entails.

1. Have you prayed about it? We aren't supposed to ask God to bless our plans; we are supposed to ask God for His plans.
2. Is it consistent with the Word of God?
3. Can I do it and be a positive Christian witness?
4. Will the Lord be glorified? Am I seeking the glory of man or flory of God? Am I doing this to be noticed by man or am I seeking to please the Lord?
5. Am I acting responsibly? God doesn't bail us out of our irresponsibility. He will let us suffer the consequences of our sings and irresponsibly choices. But when we are faithful in little things, He will put is in charge of greater things.
6. Is it reasonable? God expects us to think. His guidance may transcend human reasoning, but it never excludes it.
7. Does a realistic opportunity exist? Closed doors are not meant to be knocked down. If you have a hopeless scheme let it go. If it isn't God's timing, wait. If a realistic opportunity exists, and all the other factors are in agreement, then take the plunge.
8. Are unbiased spiritually sensitive associates in agreement? Be careful not to consult only those who will agree with you. Give your advisors permission to ask hard questions. Don't be afraid of no answers. If it isn't God's will, don't you want to know before you make the mistake of acting impulsively?
9. Do I have a sanctified desire? Don't think that being in the will of God must always be an unpleasant task. The joy of the Lord should be our strength...Is this a desire to satisfy a lust of the flesh, or a Spirit-filled desire to see God's kingdom established and people helped?
10. Do I have peace about it? This is an inner peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but in Christ we have assurance of overcoming the world. Is the peace of God guarding your heart and your mind?

If you have been able to answer yes to all ten deciding factors, what are you waiting for?

Brother Lawrence writes to me

Dear friend,

We have a God who is infinitely good and who knows what He is doing. He will come and deliver you from your present trouble in His perfect time and when you may least expect it. Hope in Him more than ever. Thank Him for the strength and patience He is giving you, even in the midst of this trial, for it is an evident mark of His concern for you. Encourage yourself with His love and thank Him for everything.

Brother Lawrence

Heavenly Father, You have been teaching me lots of patience. I've been waiting for a new job for a LONG time. I know it will come at the perfect time because You have promised it to me. However, I am growing weary in this wait. Please give me the strength I need to wait. Please give me the wisdom I need to recognize the job you want me to have. I know where I want to work, but if You have other plans for me, please make them clear. Close the doors I don't need to walk through and PLEASE open the doors I need to walk through (SOON). I love you. In Jesus' Name I Pray. Amen.

HAPPY EASTER!

Sugar Pop played at church yesterday, so we have already started celebrating Resurrection Sunday. It was a GREAT service. Our youth minister spoke on resurrection power. It was a good sermon and it was nice to have someone from our church speak instead of the interim speakers we've been having while we look for a new pastor. The worship leader picked out some good music for the weekend. My favorite was My Redeemer Lives. (Last Easter we visited Sugar Pop's brother's church - a little country Baptist church - and the choir did that song as "special music" which meant no one got to sing along with them. I appreciated getting to stand up and sing along and raise my hands and really worship this year.) We had two baptisms. A father was baptised and then we baptized his daughter. That always gets me.

The celebration continues today. Sugar Pop is making chocolate waffles for breakfast (what a great way to break my lenten chocolate fast). We'll have the traditional ham for lunch and this afternoon we go pick up Honey and her friend from the Chrysalis retreat. I'm looking forward to hearing all about their weekend.

A Busy Holy Week

It has been a busy week. You will notice I missed blogging a couple of days. It's Sugar Pop's early week and my quiet time always gets cut short this week. Then I was spending time getting stuff together for Honey to go on the Chrysalis retreat this weekend. Monday evening I had a massage, Tuesday evening a haircut and color, Wednesday evening was Honey's night to come over for supper and then I went to the grocery store, Thursday evening we took Honey and her friend to the Chrysalis, and Friday after work I had a job interview. Whew! I'm tired. It was unusual for me to be so busy. I haven't got in any good workouts. I walked on the treadmill for 10 minutes on Monday & Wednesday. Tuesday Sugar Pop and I went for a 20 minute walk. That is it...I haven't even got my floor exercises and stretches done very many days. Today I will do the Couch to 5K workout, but I am going to start Week 6 over since it has been a week since my last workout. (Edited to add: I ended up doing Week 6 Day 3 anyway...it was a 25 minute run - my longest yet!)

Even with all this busyness, it has been a good week and I have been close to God. Since it is Holy Week I decided to do a little extra "fasting." Not fasting from food though. I gave up posting to the WW boards, to reading blogs, and to listening to the radio (I've been listening to worship CDs instead). It has been pleasant and I was much more productive at work. It helped me to draw nearer to God and listen for Him instead of listening/reading other people's words. I have missed the boards and blogs though. They are a good support system and I will be reading/posting to them again. However, this week has been a good reminder that my ultimate support comes from God and that I can always rely on Him.

Anxiety

Whenever we spin anxious scenarios about the future, we waste precious emotional energy. This kind of worrying represents a negative use of the power of our imagination. As such, it can be a misguided attempt to control the future. But instead of controlling the future, we soon discover that anxiety controls us. Jesus said, "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matt. 6:34. Begin to form habits that will help you break the power of worry in your life. Start by thanking God each morning for some small sign of His goodness: a loving friend, a beautiful garden, a child's smile. Gratitude will increase your sense of God's presence in your life. Then, set aside some time to think about ways God has taken care of you in the past. Write them down and make them part of your faith arsenal, so that when you are tempted by anxious thoughts you can remind yourself of concrete examples of how God has already provided for you. ~ From "Women of The Bible."

40 Questions

Someone sent this to me in a myspace bulletin, so I thought I would answer these questions.
1. What do you want for your Birthday? It's too many months away to know.
2. Who will be your next kiss? Sugar Pop
3. When is the last time you went to the mall? I can't even remember.
4. Are you wearing socks right now? Yes.
5. When was the last time you went out of the state? Last summer, when we went to see Brooks & Dunn in OKC.
6. Have you been to the movies in the last 5 days? Yes. Sugar Pop and I went to see Wild Hogs
7. What was the last thing you had to drink? Water
8. What are you wearing right now? Black slacks, white tank, purple cardigan.
9. What was your last purchase? A Massage and it was FABULOUS!
10. Last food you ate? Vegetable soup
11. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? Sugar Pop
12. Have you bought any clothing items in the last week? No.
13. Do you have a pet? Just step-dog.
14. What's the last sporting event you watched? The Super Bowl
15. What's the most played song on your iTunes? Coming up to Breathe by Mercy Me
16. If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be? At home, with the afternoon off work.
17. What is the last thing you purchased online? Stamps.
18. One thing you hate about yourself? I'm shy.
19. What's your favorite soup? Healthy Valley Garden Vegetable
20. Do you miss anyone? My mom & dad.
21. Last play you saw? I don't remember.
22. What are your plans for the day? Work...darn it!
23. Last person you msg'd? My niece.
24. Ever go to camp? Once in the 5th grade and I HATED it...I was a homebody even then.
25. Were you an honor roll student in school? Yes.
26. What do you know about the future? It's in the future.
27. Are you wearing any perfume or cologne? Yes.
28. Where are your best friends located? My husband is my best friend and he is at work right now.
29. Do you have a tan? No, but I'm using the Oil of Olay Quench stuff that gives you a little color.
30. How old do you want to be when you have kids? I'm not planning on having any, but I was 29 when I got my step-kids.
31. Who was the first person who made you cry? I have no clue, but I'm sure it was one of my siblings.
32. Do you have any tattoos or piercings? Just my ears.
32. Have you ever drank your pop ((coke)) from a straw? Yes.
33. How do you like your pop ((coke)) I don't drink it any more.
34. Do you like hot sauce? Yes.
35. Next time you'll take a shower? Tomorrow morning.
36. What's the last movie you saw at home? Nacho Libre (except I slept through most of it)
37. What is your mood? Fair...I'm a little peeved because I found out we don't get off work early on Good Friday.
38. Are you someone's best friend? Yes.
39. Have you ever been to Virginia? No.
40. What are you doing right now? Wondering why someone asked "Have you ever been to Virginia?" when they made up this questions.

Random Things Collected in my Hand-Written Journal around July 2006

The wise counsel God gives when I'm awake is confirmed by my sleeping heart. Day and night I'll stick with God; I've got a good thing going and I'm not letting go. ~ Psalm 16:7-8 (The Message)

Yes, Lord! Not just a good thing, but the BEST thing. Always keep me close to you and protect my heart and soul from the dangers and temptations of the world. Please protect my husband, my family, my friends - everyone -- also! You are our mighty God and able to do it!

Oh, how can I give you up, Israel? How can I let you go? My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows. No, I will not punish you as much as my burning anger tells me to. I will not completely destroy Israel, for I am God and not a mere mortal. I am the Holy One living among you, and I will not come to destroy. ~ Hosea 11:18-19 (NLT)

Thank you for being a merciful God, for not treating us according to our sins and what we deserve, but instead treating us according to your nature - a loving Father!

Saint Sara of Skete - 4th Century
Sarah guarded and preserved with particular zeal the purity of her heart. Her solitude was regularly disturbed by a demon intent on tormenting her with impure temptations. On these occasions, she would pray, "Lord, give me strength." After thirty years of afflicting her thus, the demon conceded defeat, telling her, "Sarah, you have conquered me. " She replied, "It is not I who have conquered you, but rather Christ, my Lord."

Lord, please grant me the fortitude of Sarah. That when I am facing temptations that I will also ask Christ for strength that He will destroy the demons in my life.

April Healthy Habits

Here are the Healthy Habits I will be working on this month:

1. Journal Food and Activity
2. Blog Daily
3. Keep in Touch
4. 5000 Steps per day
5. Cardio workout (at least 10 minutes)
6. Core - at least 5 minutes
7. Strength Training - at least 5 minutes
8. Stretch and/or Yoga - at least 5 minutes
9. Remember 2nd set of vitamins
10. Water - 4 bottles
11. Produce - 5 servings
12. Dairy - 2 servings
13. Healthy Oil
14. Nuts
15. Fiber One
16. Whole Grain
17. Only 1 Coffee+1 G.Tea per day for caffiene
18. Alcohol~0-1 servings
19. No Sugar
20. No Flour
21. No Junk (chips, popcorn, fast food, gum, hot chocolate, soda, cheez-its)
22. No Food or Drink from the break room
23. No Food after 9 pm - only liquids
24. Spend at least 5 minutes cleaning or flinging
25. Enter Receipts
26. Wear Sunglasses
27. Pampering
28. Lotion on Feet & Fingers before bed
29. Bedtime Routine (wash face, tone, brush, floss, bedtime meds)
30. Bed before 11

I have taken Binge-Free off the list, not because it is a habit I want to work on, but because I am making it a non-negotiable item, not merely a suggestion.

Differences between a binge and a splurge:

A binge is alone. A splurge is with Friends or Family
A binge is always processed food. A splurge is probably processed food, but could just be high calorie food.
A binge is large quantity. A splurge can be a regular or large serving,
A binge is not measured. A splurge is a prepared serving.
A binge is unsatisfying. A splurge is satisfying.
During a binge I feel out of control. During a splurge I feel in control.
A binge is eating fast. A splurge is eating slow.
Don't really taste food during a binge. Savor food during a splurge.
During a binge I don't enjoy the food. A splurge is enjoyable.
Eat from the box or bag during a binge. Eat off a plate or bowl during a splurge.
A binge comes with or due to negative emotions. A splurge is for celebratory reasons.
A binge leads to guilt. A splurge doesn't.
A binge is self-indulgent. A splurge can nurture.
A binge is usually an unconscious decision. A splurge is a conscious choice.