I Have Made A Goal

post number 2 for the day - be sure and check out the first one

Above is a photo of the first part of my breakfast. I also had a bowl of steel cut oats with raisins cooked along with the oats. I wanted to share this -and also share with you all a break through that I had this morning.

I have struggled all my life with my weight. I have tried to lose weight and each time - I would lose a decent amount of weight and then fall off the wagon. There seem to be a place on the scales that I would be fearful of passing, although my ultimate goal would fall below that point. Well this morning I decided that not only do I want to lose weight- I want to set my goal at the spot that I have really wanted to be at - but just have had a mental block of getting there. For quite some time I had given up on ever getting there. I had decided that since I had tried multiple times and could not obtain that goal that I just could not do it. Well not any more. I have set that goal - and that goal will be to lose any where between 67-77 pounds. I want to have a little bit of wiggle room.

It is BIG just that I am willing to put this out there, because like I have said I have tried and tried and failed and had given up. So just being willing to put this goal out there means that I have hope. I have prayed about it and have asked God to guide and direct me. Only with His help will I be able to accomplish this goal. Oh and don't expect this goal to me meant any time soon- I am realistic enough to realize that it could take me a couple of years to meet this goal.

One reason I think this time will be different is that I don't have the luxury of totally falling off the wagon - when it comes to going with healthier eating habits. Now that cancer has been a part of my life - I realize the need to take better care of myself. And I will have to continue the way I have been - trying to eat healthy as much as possible. My husband still likes the foods and such that he has always had - so I will have to continue to fix food for him. And I may eat some of it - but it will be small portions of that stuff. There will be times when I will go on campouts with our Pathfinder group and I don't always have the option of eating as healthy as I would like to - while on them but I will do my best. Part of losing weight and being able to keep it off is to learn how to be moderate. I can not just go cold turkey on all the things I like - because they are always going to be a part of life  but they don't have to be such a big part.

Ok - anyway I will try to check in with you all ever so often to share how this journey is going in my life. And I will share new things that I learn that help me along this pathway. I will also try to post periodically how much weight I have lost. Sorry - but I am not brave enough to actually share with you all how much I weigh. If God leads me to sharing - I will - but for now I will just be posting how much I have lost.

So I have a goal that I realize will take me a couple of years to obtain - but I look forward to the day that I can post on here - that I did IT!

And by the way- please keep me in your prayers - to be able to have the preaerverance to meet this goal. Thanks so much! :0) if you are also struggling with weight issues or any issues that you'd like prayers for just let me know. I pray for each of you in a general way, unless I know of specific things you need prayers for.

Confession Time

I have a confession to make. I really do enjoy eating healthy; however, I really do not like oat groats or at least the cooked groats that I make for breakfast. At least I have not really liked the results of the method that I have been using to cook the groats, which has been in the slow cooker on low all night. I don't like that they tend to be slimy and mushy. I can add a few things to make them more bearable but I think I am going to look into a better way to cook them. I thing that I used to have a way of cooking them on the stove top and I will look that up. The results of cooking them this way is that you get chewier groats, which is what I like. Plus the added benefit is that when you have to chew your food more, you actually will feel more satisfied. That is also the reason, or at least one reason that I like to eat fruit or raw veggies with my meals. More satisfaction.

Anyway I think I will be using steel cut oats until I figure out how best to cook the groats. When I figure it out I will share with you all.

Eating healthy is good for us. We may find that we don't like some things, but sometimes all it takes is to find a new way to fix it. Good luck to you in all your efforts to be healthier.
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Speaking of trying to be healthier- I tried something new yesterday and I liked it!! I tried Quinoa!!! I sautéed some onions and bell peppers and added them to the quinoa. I thought it was very good. If any of you have good recipe that use quinoa - I would love it if you would share them with me!

This week end I also tried some radishes again - and these weren't so spicy. I found out that radishes that don't get enough water - are usually more spicy/hot. And I don't know if there is a way to tell if they got enough water - so it is kind of a gamble to get them. I will have to look up the nutritional value for them to see if they are something that I may want to get ever so often - especially if they are on sale.

I was reminded by a sweet reader- that I am still in the recovery stages from having chemo. I so want to be past that stage - but this past week end, with staying up too late and all, well it really took it's toll on me and I am working on recouping from it. I am trying to go to bed earlier and hope that - that along with healthy eating and all will help me to feel better.

Finding the Path

I love exploring. Whether it be streets and roads, to see where they lead
Or paths and trails to see where they lead. It's all fun to me!

On the second day at the state park, as I was exploring our campsite - I found a trail that led back to the lake. It was a trail that just doesn't scream - trail. It was a path that you would have to step over a log and go around a bush and continue to wind around until you came to an opening in the brush to a view of the lake.

Sometimes our walk with God is the same way. We don't always see exactly where the path may be taking us next. And there is always the possibility of danger( trials) beyond the next curve. But if we will turn our wills and our lives over to God and accept His gift of salvation and allow Him to guide us, we are sure to end up coming out of the brush(this life)to a great view!

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Thanks so much to everyone who left comments saying that they could relate to my fears. Sometimes I don't know if I may be being too overly cautious about things. And to hear several of you say that you can understand makes me feel more normal. I really do appreciate it. 

I was able to get a decent amount of rest last night. Still a little tired today but I have been tired - ever since chemo and such so I am still just recovering.

Hiking

This weekend my husband and I went camping. We were going to go camping with the youth group from our church for the weekend and we went s day early so we could enjoy some more time away. We went to a favorite place of ours. My husband loves to fish at one of the lit docks that they have. I really enjoy going on the hiking trail. The only problem is that my husband is not that much into hiking. So the last time or two that's we have been here, I just haven't gotten to go hiking on the trail.
I've been kind of afraid to go by myself. I guess it's because I have heard reports about the number of wild boars increasing.  And I've been a bit afraid because there have been times when I have been hiking that I have seen rattle snakes.

Well on Friday morning, I decided that I was going to go hiking. My husband wanted to go fishing so I thought that taking a hike would be a good idea. I prayed and asked God to protect me.

As I walked, I thought back to when I was a kid and how we spent many hours out in the woods playing and exploring. And how I hadn't even been concerned about my safety and how even though I hadn't asked for protection, God had been faithful.

I ended up walking for 2 1/2 miles with walking to the trail and walking the trail. I even thought of taking these photos to share with you all.

Once I was done with my hike, I was so proud of myself for just doing it. That even though I had been a little scared and nervous about going by myself - I had done it. And it felt great!

I actually ended up walking that trail 2 different times- one time by myself and the next time my husband actually went with me.

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We are home now- and I am awfully tired. I am sure hoping that I get a good nights sleep tonight and that I wake up in a better mood tomorrow - because right now I am not in the best mood.

I hope you all have had a good week end. :o)

Love With All Your Heart.....series chapter 8

Love with all your Heart

by:

Linda Driver

 

8

Love gives up its rights:

Love is not provoked or incensed to anger

 

Nothing seemed to go right for Joan; at least it seemed that she was always upset about something. Joan was a crusader, and she always had a cause for which she was contending. She knew her rights, and she was out to protect them. It seemed that someone was always crossing her. And so she was always having to put someone in their place and set things right. Because she was hyperactive, no one else could ever be fast enough or efficient enough for her. When she was inconvenienced and thwarted from her pursuits by anyone, she flew into a rage.

 

Then one day Joan came face to face with the claims of God's love as found in the Bible:

 

Love.......is not provoked.

 1 Corinthians 13:5

 

The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.    Proverbs 19:11

 

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret--it only causes harm.

Psalm 37:8

 

    A wrathful man stirs up strife, But he who is slow to anger allays contention. 

 Proverbs 15:18

 

    Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, For anger rests in the bosom of fools.

 Ecclesiastes 7:9

 

    Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 

Ephesians 4:31

 

    But now you yourselves are to put off all these:

anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 

 Colossians 3:8

 

Love is always calm, never getting annoyed and irritated under any circumstances.

Love is at peace with all those around and subdues anger and wrath.

When things don't go according to schedule, when unexpected delays and interruptions occur, love will keep one calm and gentle, and one's heart will experience peace even when all around are upset, impatient and annoyed.
Love never flies into a rage.

Love does not strive or contend for its rights.

When people are slow, inconsiderate, annoying, rude, or cruel, love keeps an ever patient attitude toward them, never becoming short, angry, or riled up.

 

 

 

It's Up Date Time

Well it's about time for an up date. So here it is - A photo take this week. A friend of mine gave me a tiny curling iron. And so now I am able to curl the top of it and the sides- over my ears. The front top - still ends up sticking straight up but hey - its so much better than it was. It is still quite short- probably just over 2 inches long. I don't know if the growth has slowed down or if we were just stretching the hair up and so I thought it was at 2 inches when it really wasn't. Who knows.

I am doing pretty good. I am trying to get walks in at least several times a week - if not more.

I am having problems with my right hip - I have had problems with it for almost 2 years. This week I went to the Dr and she has set up an appointment for an MRI. That will be next week. She thinks it is caused by a problem with my back. We will see. I also have a mammogram coming up next week. It's about time to get it behind me. I have put it off. I had just had too many medical things going on. But now I have had enough of a break that I need to get this stuff taken care of. It also helps that I have enough hair that I don't have to wear a hat or anything.

I will then need to make up appointment to get my eyes checked- I am behind there as well. Goodness. You all will be proud- After my last chemo I did get in to have my teeth cleaned so I at least took care of that.

Well I hate to complain but it looks like at least for the next week - our highs will be in the upper 80's to lower 90's. I am SO ready for cooler weather. We have at least had a few cool nights - So I have been able to open up the house and have the house opened up at least half to 3/4ths of the days. So that is good. It's always good to get to open up the house and air it out. It is better for us when we are able to do that.

Well I better close.  I hope you all are having a good week. :o)

It's Fall Ya'll :o)

Well this morning- I was thrilled to find temperatures at 60 degrees! I opened all the windows and enjoyed the coolness. I was able to keep the windows open till about 4pm - when it go up to 80 degrees and I know my husband would like some coolness when he gets home. So I closed down the house and it has cooled off nicely and quickly. These are temps I could get used to - for sure. It looks like the temps for the next week the temps will be mid to upper 80's during the days and mostly mid 60's at night.

I am reading a new book. "To Know God - a 5 day plan" by Morris Venden. Now it's gonna take me a little longer then 5 days to read it because there is a lot to understand. I am only at about page 40 and I am really liking this book. I really think it will end up being a favorite of mine.

Last week a friend challenged me to list the top 10 books that had changed my life. Well I really can't follow directions very well - cause I certainly came up with more than 10 - and just couldn't whittle any more off of the list. I had already condensed a series of 5 books to just listing the title of the series. Anyway I thought I would share that list with you all today as well. Just in case you are looking for a good book to read and would like some ideas.

 

1. Bible
2. At Jesus' Feet (Doug Batchelor)
3. The Cross and Its Shadow (Stephen N. Haskell)
4. Outrageous Grace (Dwight K. Nelson)
5. Steps to Christ (Ellen White)
6. The Conflict of the Ages series (Ellen White)
7. The Heart Mender(Sally Streib)
8. The Refiner's Fire (Gavin Anthony)
9. A Womans Heart- God's Dwelling Place (Beth Moore)
10. A Shepard Looks at Ps. 23 (Phillip Keller)
11. The ABC of Bible Prayer (Glenn Coon)
12. Thoughts from the Mount of Blessings (Ellen White)
13. The Cross and the Switchblade (James Wilkerson)
14. Run Baby Run (Nicky Cruz)
15 The Hiding Place (Corrie ten Boom)

Conflict of the Ages series includes:

Patriarchs and Prophets

Prophets and Kings

The Desire of Ages  

The Acts of the Apostles

The Great Controversy

 

 

I have found a link to a few of my favorites so that you can clink on the link and read these books also if you would like.

 

For #2- At Jesus' Feet - I found a link that gives you the first maybe through most of the first chapter. If you read what is there and you really like it and would like to read the whole book - just let me know and I will send you a copy of this book. It is an amazing little book. It is small but such blessing I received reading it.

 

Something else I wanted to share today was a quote from a cute little movie that we saw on the Hallmark channel- I think. 

 

"Don't lose yourself in the temporary.
No one has ever seen,
No one has ever heard, and
no one has ever imagined
what God has prepared."
Great quote from "Coffee Shop"

 

Anyway I hope you all are doing well. I am doing pretty good. I went to the Dr today. I have continued to have problems with my right hip area- Dr thinks that it is my back causing the problems - I don't know I just know it is close to the hip area on the right side. Anyway she is looking into seeing if my insurance will approve me getting an MRI to figure out what the problem is. I am hoping it is an easy fix- we will see. I am just tired of having such a hard time getting comfortable at night- and waking up every couple of hours being super sore - no matter what position I am in. Anyway we will see.

 

Ok - I better get off of here and get some more things done around here. I have a donation quilt that I really need to work on- my Mom helped me get one portion of it done- so I need to get the rest of it put together. Anyway I put it some where and can't find it. Its weird.

Anyway hope you all are doing good. :O)