Obsessed with Avocado

This may be my dinner tonight! I have recently become obsessed with Avocados. Is that a bad thing? Surely not! Its green, yummy, a healthy fat, high in protein, sodium and cholesterol free....and classified as a FRUIT!
So I think this is a really good addition to my daily regimen. Instead of an apple and day, and avocado a day will be my daily dose of health!

So tonight an alligator pear please! :-)

This pretty much sums up how I'm trying to be.  I will not be discouraged or dismayed. I will endure, remain faithful to Christ, and keep hoping. I can never lose hope, never.

Time

I miss having the time to write down my thoughts....I use to keep a journal and was dedicated to writing in it almost daily. Did it for almost 15 years. But I haven't read them in quit some time. I know what's in them. A bunch of junk! But since I know what's there, I do know one thing. I've grown from those days and time has surely made a change in me. Thank the Lord!

So now in my busyness, I can't find the time to sit and write, and I really want to. I almost feel God needs me to.  I like where I am now in my life and mainly because its not just about me. Yes I am single. No husband, no children, but God keeps me busy doing the things I may not find the time to do otherwise. Somehow though, I need to find the time to write.....I'd have growing experiences, ah-ha moments, struggles God has walked me through.....  I need to write these things down. Not just for me, but hopefully for others that can be encouraged and uplifted, or maybe just to cause someone to chuckle at my ridiculousness.

So I'm hoping to start making the time to write, maybe once a week? Time will tell.....tick, tock.

Be still and know...

Psalm 46:10 says 'Be still and know that I am God...' and Romans 8:28 promises this, 'And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.'

These passages have stayed on my mind alot in the past few months. Right now, I really need to meditate on these verses. An area of my life has been going nowhere for too long. I've tried too hard and I'm constantly getting frustrated with my efforts. I'm not giving up, I just can't keep trying things my way. I have to surrender this thing completely over to God and be still and let Him take over. I will stop physically trying but I will start praying about this and trusting that God is working on my behalf.

My past mistakes in this area can only have been necessary to get me to where I need to be now, especially since I'm putting this in God's hands at this point, finally! So all my past decisions and mistakes will work together for good and God will work out the blessing that is to come. I love God but I know He loves me more. He only wants me to trust Him now, put Him first, and follow His commands and leading in my life. He has His very best in store for me and I have to always believe this no matter what the circumstances.

So tonight, I am still....

Weeding

Have you ever recognized how God removes people from your life? Sometimes you see it as a good thing, but not so much when it's people that you are very close to and care about. I’m going through this right now and it’s been difficult. For the past year or so, God has been weeding out certain people in my life.

Some have been distractions from the path He has chosen for me. These people added in my stumbling and poor decisions making, and distracted me from seeking God first. Once I recognized these people as negatives, God removed them. How did he do it? He hardened their hearts and they abandoned and ignored me. What a blessing!

God also removed a few people that weren’t really causing me to stumble in anyway, but looking back now, I wasn’t growing in my faith with them. Maybe I wasn’t doing my part by being a better Christian influence or vice versa. We were just comfortable with the ‘status quo’. So I’m not sure if these people will come back into my life, only God knows. I have realized that the ones that remain are even more important to me now. I know I have to love them more through giving, understanding, listening, helping, and prayer.

God has removed a couple of very close and dear friends from my life too. They didn't die, move away, or become comatose. I think one of these three may be easier to understand and accept. They just basically stopped communicating with me, stopped being my friend. They were friends that I never expected to abandon me. It has hurt me tremendously. Feelings of anger, confusion, and sadness have evolved during this lose. I've tried to make sense of it all but their behavior has truly baffled me. Right now I can't understand why God has allowed them to become absent from my life. I do know however that this pain has only caused me to lean on God more and trust Him. I still love them very much and pray for them everyday. As hard as it may be to see it, life will go on without them.

Thank God He will never leave me! I may not feel His presence some days, but His word promises that He is still with me regardless. People may come and go, but my Lord is lovingly and constantly present. Amen.

...I will never leave you nor forsake you. Hebrews 13:5

Snail Mail

I was reminded today about how excited I used to get when I had mail in my mailbox in college back in the day. LOL…yeah back in the day when there was no email and definitely no texting. Heck, no cell phones barely existed yet! My dad had a mobile phone in a huge black bag he let me carry sometimes when I’d drive 3 hours back to college to Greenville, NC. I never used it! Never felt I needed to. Today I freak out if I leave my cell phone at the house just to run and get gas up the road. I’m afraid I’ll miss something…good grief!

But as a freshman in college, the highlights of the week was of course Thursday nights and the weekend, but it was always checking my mailbox every day in hopes of having a letter waiting for me. Even if it was just from my parents that was still good, but if it was from a friend that was at school elsewhere or from a friend in the military that was way cooler! Just picking up the phone back then (btw-this was 89’-94’) was not feasible. It was so expensive to chat long distance to friends so writing hand written letters was the next best thing. And I can’t leave out the wonderful care packages. They were the best treat! I didn’t get but maybe one or two the whole time in college but still, that was the ultimate surprise! And yes there always seemed to be that one girl on every hall that received a care package at least once a week from either her mom or boyfriend filled with food, toiletries, pictures, love letters, money!! I bet she is still spoiled rotten! LOL

Today I go to my mailbox and all I see is bills, bills, and more bills….Oh and let’s not forget countless flyers and junk mail that should have been band years ago! Of course I still get birthday cards in my mailbox but not as many as I used to, just from close family. All my other relatives and friends either send me an e-card or text me now for my birthday. That’s still ok, and I really appreciate them thinking of me, but it’s still not the same. I also receive thank you or thinking of you cards in the mail sometimes. Those are the best. It warms my heart to know that someone took the time to sit down, write their thoughts on paper, get a stamp, and walk to their mailbox or post office and mail a card to me. Taking this time for someone else, even if it is just for 5-10 minutes really does make an impression on you, great or small.

Today we live in a world that’s all about ‘instant gratification’. Everything is convenient, accessible, and easy. It has its good and bad points. I’ve been able to reconnect with many high school and college friends that I’ve lost contact with for so many years via the internet. That’s a good thing. Now we can keep in touch daily if we want without ever actually having to speak to one other through instant messages, texts, emails, voicemails, checking out each other’s status on Facebook, MySpace, Blogspot, or following their every move on Twitter (which I refuse to do btw!). And if we do feel like talking, most everyone has cell phones with free long distance! How cool is that! I would have loved free long distance in college. I used to have some really ugly phone bills!!

But with all the portals we can use to ‘connect’ with one another, one is slowly fading away…hand written letters. I’ve heard that someday soon we may not even have the US Postal Service anymore. That makes me sad. There are still so many people that need this service even though it is the slower alternative. If this does in fact happen, then mailing hand written letters will become obsolete. I think I am going to go write some letters this weekend. Maybe it will be more of a blessing for me than whomever I decide to write to. Maybe if anyone reads this blog, you’ll feel inspired to write one too. Don’t forget the stamps!

Tootsie Roll

Something happened to me yesterday that I never thought would….I ate one midget size Tootsie Roll and didn’t desire to eat another. It was amazing! You know that Doritos commercial where they say, ‘You can’t eat just one’, well that’s always been me with Tootsie Rolls, Peanut M&M’s, Popcorn Jelly Bellys, Hot Tamale Candy, and Goetz Caramel Creams…just to name a few. Those are my favorites anyway.

So how did this happen? Well let me just say that change can occur in our lives if we are willing to let it happen. I’ve been trying to change my way of eating for years! Heck, my whole adult life! Most people that know me well know that I’ve always struggled with my weight. I’ve tried all kinds of diets like most overweight people, lost the weight, gained the weight back, then I stopped dieting and focused on just a healthy life change of smart eating and daily activity/exercise, but then life would take over, mess that up, and I was back starting over again for the umpteenth time. And of course, I’m older now, pushing 40! But I’ve got a good 6 months before I die and keel over. Anywho, the older I get, I’ve noticed that my body does not respond to losing weight in ways that have worked for me in the past. That has left me to trying new things once again.

Well this time, I’ve taken all my compiled and current knowledge of health, nutrition, and exercise and worked out my own little plan. I figured the best approach for me would be to take things in baby steps. Take away things in my usual regimen that’s bad for me one at a time. So along with eating healthier and staying consistent in the gym, my first one thing I decided to completely take away from myself was Diet Cherry Pepsi. This has become my addiction, drug, fix, you name it, it’s what I’ve become dependent on first thing in the morning and the last thing at night. Crazy huh?! Well I’m sure I’m not the only one that likes this stuff! It tastes awesome and the caffeine, well enough said! But really, it’s all bad. Filled with fake stuff with no nutritional value. Yes it is calorie free, but the artificial sweetener still triggers the brain to crave sweets and carbs. Not good! Besides I read one time that people use diet soda to clean rust off cars. Hmmm….I’m not a car!

So my baby step approach was this, no Diet Cherry Pepsi until I reach my first goal, 10 pounds lost! Once I reach this first goal, then I would reward myself with one 20 oz bottle of the good stuff! Then begin the next 10 pound loss and reward myself again with just one. Well I started this strategy over 2.5 weeks ago. So far so good. I’ve had no diet drinks and I have lost 5 pounds. So I am 5 pounds away from my reward guzzle. But after yesterday with my Tootsie Roll incident, I wonder if I’m going to be able to drink that whole 20 oz bottle?

I’ve not had many sweets at all during this time, mainly fruits and yogurt, and I did try some homemade blackberry cobbler two Sundays ago my mom made. Yummy! So I know that my body is changing with the elimination of Diet Cherry Pepsi and other sweet stuff. But I tell ya, not to grab a second Tootsie Roll was mind boggling. It was an awesome thing for me. It affirmed to me that my plan is working. Plus I didn’t succumb to grabbing another one just because it was there. I refrained from an old habit and just walked away! Change is awesome!!

So now I think I may change my reward. Instead of having that Diet Cherry Pepsi at the 10 pound loss mark, I may just burry one in the backyard with a note of the date of when I had it last. Then I’ll decide what to eliminate next and then burry that in the backyard. Better go buy me a shovel! LOL


Sometimes if you want to see a change for the better, you have to take things into your own hands. –Clint Eastwood