June 29, 2012

Good morning to all, Hope you're making your plans and preparing your "special" food for those 4th of July BBQ parties. We MUST plan to be successful or failure may grab us at the close of Wednesday. Stay ahead of the game. :) I am! I'm needing your help. I have started the process of turning my blogs and recipes into a book and would like to have some suggestions. I am thinking the book will have some of my best blogs, maybe the top 31 (a month's worth of reading), or maybe 52 (one for each week of the year). I have written and posted close to 250 in the past 12-13 months and maybe 52 would be better??? I am considering a combination of blog/devotional, journal pages for reflection, informational pages on nutrition, a healthy recipe section with some of my best and some of yours (if you'd like to include them for publishing) as well as some of your photos and success stories as words of hope and encouragement to those longing to be free from prison. I know that's a lot - but I am just starting to contemplate the structure and would love some suggestions. What do you think people would read/use? I don't want to work on something that is not user friendly. :) I have had many of you make the suggestion that I write a book - so this is my blog book. I am several chapters into another book, but this one seemed more urgent. I realize many are trapped in this body of flesh. I think I may entitle it A Journey To Freedom and use Galatians 5:1 as my premise. The book will be written from a Christian perspective. I would love to hear your suggestions as I begin the process. I am currently reading through my blogs, inputting them, and reformatting. I would love to have this ready for publication by late October or early November. IF......I can keep my life from being in a "drama circle" for a season. :) PTL! ****** I know this blog is a bit unusual - but we have an armadillo who has taken up residence in our back yard for 2 years. He has about destroyed portions of our yard. He needs to go to heaven. :) I just saw him this morning coming by me going to his sleeping place under our deck for the day. We have tried traps twice, followed home remedies, chased him physically and still he abides to torment our yard. AGAIN, he needs to go to Heaven. Can somebody pray???? We are at a loss as to what to do! Okay friends - gotta get to work - enjoy your weekend and we'll talk Monday. PK

June 28, 2012 - Sharing

PTL - it's Thursday. The week comes to a close. :) Love to include other's ideas and encouragement on my blog as well! 1. Wendi sent this little nugget to ponder from 2 Kings 12:6-16: btw, the money to restore the temple was NOT used for the accessories for the temple; it was used for temple repairs only - not temple accessories. very interesting. thoughts to ponder. so, when adding things to our lives we could ask ourselves is this a temple repair or a temple accessory? is this food I am about to eat to repair or accessorize??? hmmm.....gonna be chewing on this one day...because of course it is for the repairing of this temple....lol. **** to that I add - this is the whole "refueling process." Our temples break down daily as we age and must be repaired. So, the food we bring to the "temple" (our body) should always be to repair and NOT simply because we "like" it. There are a lot of foods that I have to eat (now) that I don't like - but they repair my "temple" and there are foods that I CANNOT bring to the "temple" because they add weight and inches to my middle (accessories). Of course, this is using scripture to help us see at another level, and we are not saying this is what God was communicating - but it certainly helps me see something new. Thanks, Wendi - I AM PONDERING this. :) 2. Devotional from Joyce Meyer for today - GREAT!: Discernment Is the Key to a Clear Conscience It's critical to keep your conscience clear because nothing will keep you from enjoying life as much as guilt. In Acts, Paul said that he pursued discipline and avoided worldly desires so that he could walk blameless and guilt-free before God. The same applies to us. Walking in the confidence of a clear conscience will keep us free and happy. That sounds easy when it comes to clear-cut, right and wrong issues, but what about the 'gray' areas of life? How do we keep our conscience clear when we're unsure what the right or wrong choice is? What if we accidentally sin without realizing it? I've found that God's discernment solves this problem. Discernment is spiritual understanding, and it's the key to living with a clear conscience. It takes practice, but it simply involves paying attention to your heart. God will let you know when you shouldn't do something that will bring guilt later on. I encourage you to live in a way that will keep your conscience clear. Don't do things you know you shouldn't, and rely on God's discernment when you're facing an issue you're not sure about. He will never lead you wrong. *******Okay - that's it for today. Are you coming Sunday evening - let me hear from you. :) PK

June 27, 2012 - The End of the Storm

Good morning, The cool air here is so refreshing as it bathes the morning in anticipation of close to 100 degree temps. It has been hot since February and I sooo long for the fall. Have you ever been faced with a tough situation for a long time? The battle sometimes seems to never stop. We look around and it "appears" that the storms of life NEVER end. Let me remind each of us - satan will use a wrong perception as a tool to keep us from remembering how BIG God. Satan's a master at causing us to always see the storm and never the rainbow. The Bible instructs that things happen FIRST in the realm of nature and then in the spiritual realm. Why? Because the world SEES the realm of nature, but only those wearing "Holy Spirit glasses" see in the realm of the Spirit. wink In nature - NOT ONE STORM HAS EVER LASTED indefinitely without ending. NEVER. All storms come to an end. AND.......there are periods of sunshine in between storms and rainy seasons. ALWAYS! Now...we don't always see a rainbow, but we always come to the end of the storm; and for that we MUST show gratitude and change our perspective. Only seeing a storm can bring depression and added fear, which CAN trigger a "comfort response," which for many is sugar and carbs. I wish that weren't true - but it is true for many! In order to break this pattern, we must see the truth, walk in the truth, fight for the truth, sleep with the truth.......whatever with the truth. Read Proverbs 8 today - there is a high price for a lack of wisdom and understanding. YIKES! Truth: YES, there are storms YES, the storms can be devastating YES, the storms can last for more than one day YES, the storms ALWAYS end! Thank God today that the storms around you will end and ask to see God's rainbow so you can experience his promise of life and hope once again. And, while the storm is raging, choose fruit and water. (wink wink) PK

June 26, 2012 - Change One Thing

Good morning to all, Yesterday was a very long day, but a good one. I was up at 4 am and dressing to meet Laura, Chip, and Parker for his surgery. He did great! The surgery to repair the ASD went absolutely perfectly. About 1:00 yesterday we got to see him and he was just waking up, really pink and doing well. Praise God. Thanks for so many who prayed for him. This Sunday is the share-a-dish at my house. If you are coming, could you let me know? We are planning to meet monthly to share and pray. I am believing God for new recipes and monthly breakthroughs as we pray for one another and for God's divine plan for our lives. If you're coming, bring a dish to share, 10 copies of the recipe, and you could get a 2 inch notebook to start a cookbook. That's what I plan to do. IF you have no dish to share, come anyway for accountability and prayer. Come on! The watermelon and spaghetti squash plants are growing like crazy now! It's amazing how just ONE variable can "break" free those chains that were stopping growth. The new soil worked like a charm! If you're stuck today in your health plan and you keep saying, "but, I am doing everything like I always have," ask yourself......what ONE thing could you change to see if that is the issue??? Maybe that's smaller portions, maybe more OR less water, maybe decreasing the amount of nuts due to the salt intake, ask........ The Bible says it's the little foxes that spoil the vine. Try changing ONE thing at a time to see where the issue lies. I realized eating nuts daily made my feet swell from the increased sodium. Not only have I limited the amount I consume in a week, I now purchase them raw. This ONE thing did indeed cause the swelling in my feet to decrease. If you feel you're not being as successful as you'd like, I encourage you to look for ONE thing right now - address it - watch to see a change and then if something else is the issue - change it. :) This is a life-long journey for us and life brings change. So, like Joyce Meyer says, if the situation isn't going to change - you must change." I got the results from my lab work before camp and it was really good! While my bad cholesterol was up a little (maybe all the half/half in my coffee - I am looking for an alternative to this) my good cholesterol was SO perfect it counteracted the other. FOUR great blood reports now. YEA! I am so happy to be healthy. Are you keeping up with your health checks? PK PS - let me know if you're coming Sunday night. We are meeting from 6-7:30. If you're coming, try to bring dishes/recipes that we could use for the 4th of July.

June 22, 2012 - Discipline and Peace Walking Hand in Hand

Hebrews 12:11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. (NLT) Don't you wish things like this were not true??? I do! How many of you have ever said after you've had a really successful health day (eaten on plan, drank your water, moved your body), "Wow, I feel really bad. I wish I had cheated all day long and eaten everything I wanted to and laid on the sofa stuffing my face." Really? I doubt that. Usually at the completion of a great day we feel a sense of peace, a sense of joy, a sense of victory. During the day - while disciplining our bodies and training our stomachs to live with smaller portions and without certain foods - maybe then we snarl and say "not so pleasant phrases" (wink), but when we've had a victory day - peace comes. Yes??? And let's be honest - don't we prefer that? I certainly do. I would MUCH rather awaken for coffee and morning quiet time not feeling a sense of loathing and failure. And, I prefer to awaken EVERY morning with that same peaceful, joyful sense of accomplishment. How does that happen? 1) We HAVE a plan - do you know what the boundaries are for your health? We must establish them in concrete and know that we know this is what our body requires. I know what I need daily and when my flesh tries to convince me otherwise - I call my flesh a liar! I remind myself at the restaurant - not everything on this menu is available for you. :) 2) We WORK the plan - do you have the courage to take your own food to a function or call ahead and ask if there are foods on your plan? Let's make the plan work WHEREVER. 3) We DISCIPLINE ourselves - have you trained your body to comply with "you're not the boss of me?" Two year olds scream and want their way; but as adults we don't cave because we KNOW what's best. We must use this principle of discipline in our daily walk. (in many areas I just heard the Holy Spirit say) Re-read the above scripture. Discipline equals a peaceful harvest of right living. That's worth fighting for in my life! How about yours? Discipline during the day, each day, equals LONG-TERM health and YOU, my friends, are SO worth it. Love to all, PK PS - for those planning to come to my house next Sunday night, July 1st - please bring a notebook to start keeping the recipes shared monthly. And, please bring 10 copies of the recipe for the dish you brought to share. This will help us all to make a cook book, share a healthy meal, and PRAY for the health of our bodies.

June 21, 2012 - Wisdom vs. Folly

WOW - it's Thursday already and we have crossed over into a time of the year where we start to loose one minute of daylight each day until December 20th. Time waits for no one - does it? Sometimes I think back and really shake my head - was I REALLY 20? Where in the world did that all go? Someone said last week, "at my age I don't digest food as I used to and I can't seem to keep my weight off." Well.......some of that statement is a simple process of aging. Sometimes as we progress certain meats are not as easily digestible as others - but that REALLY has more to do with movement. Steak, for example, can be harder to digest than some other meats and tends to stay longer in the lower intestines. That doesn't mean we don't eat it - but it means that we drink more water and take a walk after dinner to bless our neighbors with a warm hello. :) As we age, certain things "want to settle" but again we cannot allow age to be our excuse to give in. We cannot! Aging is part of our future, using it as an excuse is not. Someone responded to my blog from earlier in the week and commented that a "sweet attack" had entered the room and they were wrestling with it. Good news......they chose to subdue the craving for sweets with additional foods on plan and ate more fruit. The next morning - no guilt, no shame, no feeling horrible about failing. SOOO....while time waits for no one and we are all getting older - hopefully, as the Bible teaches, we are gaining wisdom in our aging. And wisdom says, "another fruit." Wisdom says, "Additional water and an extra lap equals a smile as you eat that steak." Wisdom is priceless - folly is extremely costly. Sometimes folly is fun and I love a good deviation from the norm too, but let's make certain that we limit those folly-filled meals and social events where we trump the Scarlett O'Hara card - "tomorrow is another day." Yes indeed, tomorrow is another day but your body doesn't understand that concept and it grabs salt, sugar, and fat and places it in areas of display. Aging is not something we can avoid; so let's choose to LIVE well during the process. FOLLY, on the other hand, is often a matter of choice. OR......sometimes folly can be as simple as "I really didn't know the truth." I had a friend come to my office yesterday who was telling me her mother has battled yet another round of cancer. My friend said, "the doctors want my mom of all sugar. It has a strong link to her cancer." I stopped and said, "what did you say?" She repeated the statement. I told her that I had been reading those reports but had not heard from anyone to the support of them. My friend smiled and reported that her mom had always enjoyed lots of "sugar stuff." The doctors said she could have had these cells for 15 years before they were discovered. YIKES! My friend is determined to correct her eating habits as she sees clearly now the link to illness. We've been talking about that haven't we? Come on fam, let's age well, let's side step folly and excuses as they only make way for illnesses that sometimes don't show up until we're older and then, SOMETIMES, we are not as strong to fight. Let's fight now. Choose live and eat to live, PK

June 20, 2012 - Self Confidence

Good morning to everyone, I woke up this morning thinking about how confidence is critical to a good journey. I was able to minister to one of our youth last week about that statement, but it really applies in so many areas. There is a big difference in confidence in our own ability and God's ability. And, I understand that confidence CAN cross over into pride, but the flip side CAN BE disastrous as well! For example, we must have confidence that following a healthy plan for our lives will produce long-term benefits. If we are not secure in that, then every other day brings a day filled with bad choices. And, we must be confident that our resolve to fight for our health cannot be overturned by passing the yogurt shop daily. There is something for being SURE of what we believe and never being dissuaded from that. Our belief in God is built on that type of confidence. I want to encourage you this morning - be confident that you CAN BE healthy, you CAN SAY NO, you CAN make the correct choices. WE CAN DO THIS! I am leading the pack in that daily confession as I lived so many years making a confession of death and destruction over my life. Remember - we are confident in the TRUTH and we fight for freedom without making compromises. Have faith in you - I do! New recipe: Crab Salad - lump imitation crab (large pkg), 2 large stalks of celery chopped tiny, 2 tablespoons of mayo, 2 tablespoons of sour cream, sea salt, dill. All of these can be adjusted per your taste - (I like a lot of dill. My husband said, "I could eat that like icecream") let rest overnight - SOOOO yummy. It's time to start looking at our 4th of July journey - we gotta plan now. Yes??? :) Remember - the first Sunday in July I will be having my health life group and most of the recipes that night will center around the 4th. You can come if you like - love to have you here! We meet the first Sunday of EACH month to share a healthy dish and pray for our bodies and health. Love to have you! PK

June 19, 2012 - What's In The Mirror?

How many of you have ever been carrying something heavy and had someone come and ask to relieve the burden and you refuse to let it go??? I have! Sometimes we do that because we don't want to inconvenience someone else.....sometimes it's a balancing act and one slip means everything kisses the carpet.......or sometimes we're just so tired that someone wanting to help is a question mark. I spoke with a friend yesterday who's really tired and life continues to manifest itself in difficult trials and sometimes out of desperation we begin to proclaim, "this is my place in life - this is the best I can expect." And then in defeat, and sometimes shame, we carry those burdens and the weight of life brings despair and despair CAN LEAD to a "why bother" mentality. That's when we REACH OUT to someone in this group. We are not pack horses - we were not designed to carry heavy loads for long periods of time. Telling someone you're tired, you've been making poor food choices, you're carrying this THING and your heart is breaking is a GOOD THING. How can we pray for each other unless we know? Prayer changes things! The Bible tells us to bear one another's burdens. SO........don't feel bad when you need to ask me, or someone in our family, for some extra support or accountability or a new recipe. I am the one who often doesn't release the burden because I don't want to inconvenience someone or burden THEM. I suffered for so many years in silence and I don't want any of you to do that. I understand - I care! The torture of feeling like I was always a failure and seeing myself EATING my way to an early death with no way of stopping was a nightmare that never ended. AGAIN - we are not designed to carry that kind of stress. Stress induces a multitude of creatures whose sole purpose is to sabotage your health - you know them from my blogs over the past year: weight around your belly, poor sleep, craving for sugar, binge eating, self hate. God spoke to me last week at camp about people HATING what they see in the mirror and it breaks his heart. He reminded me that as Christians, we don't HATE anyone and yet we HATE ourselves most of the time. We can't do that - it hurts our Father. He designed, color coded, and created each of us and HE IS REALLY PROUD OF HIS WORK. SOOOO.......we need to download all the self-hate statements and shake off those negative words and look back in the mirror and confess, "I can do all things through Christ" - "I bring my yoke of obesity to Jesus, for your yoke is easy - I give up." Come on fam - give up today. Drop the burdens, drink your water, smile and realize you're starting over and it's never too late. Then remind yourself - we CAN DO THIS. You CAN live a healthy life style and never grab that extra baggage again. WE just have to look into the mirror and decide THIS PERSON was never created to carry such heavy, crazy, death-inducing stuff. Let go today - stress will hurt you long term. God orders our steps - we just walk them. Walk well today and make those right choices ONE DAY AT A TIME. I am praying for our family this day. We CAN DO THIS! PK A new recipe from Shelly: 2 sugar free angel food cakes-- found them at walmart cool whip 1 lg container mix is greek yogurt blueberries truvia almond milk 3 banannas blend in a food processor layer cake/yogurt mix/cool whip/ top with blueberries

June 18, 2012 - Living vs. Existing

Good morning and I hope your Monday is off to a great start! I am back from camp and WAY full from what I saw God do in our young people! God's heart is so big and so real and he never desires that we compromise in any area of our lives, as he never compromises with us. Over and over again while at camp we heard the cry of God, "just surrender......quit trying to have your own way........give up........it's easy." As I listened I was reminded that the "fight for life" is STRONG within each of us. People cling to life, and I understand that. But in God's economy, simple giving in and letting go of "our life" is really the best way. Now, I know that at camp God was stressing to these young people, let go - "I've got it." But I really feel that sometimes that "let go" is perched right in the heart of "but what if I fail.......again." Sometimes, in relation to our health, letting go means we really LET GO and there's nothing to which we can return. My husband and I had this discussion on Saturday as a follow-up to a discussion I had early in the week with a dear friend. We KNOW that choosing health is the best option - each of us really knows it. But our past way of existence is always a possibility........right? "If this eating healthy doesn't work and I don't end up a size ????, then I'll go back to what I know - my old way of existence." We simply cannot do that any longer! Living and existing are 2 different concepts. While engulfed in 65 pounds of extra weight, I was simply existing. I got up every day, did my stuff, and longed for Heaven so I could be free from this prison of a motal body in which I found myself trapped! I worked hard at covering my pain and hiding and a lot of times I did that by cheating. However, as I said to someone last week, I don't look at "cheating" the same any more, because I am living now and not existing. MY RATIONAL: I was existing in a "situation that God knew about and allowed (obesity) as I had prayed many years for HIS deliverance - and God didn't take it away - so it must be my LOT in life." I simply "accepted" existence with the thought that someday I would be in Heaven and never have to worry about my weight again. Ever thought that??? That way of thinking totally allowed me to cheat - after all this obesity is God's fault, and someday it won't matter anyway. NO! That's a LIE! BUT LIVING - which is where I find myself currently, has a whole broader picture. In my old life, cheating was indulging GENEROUSLY in the wrong foods with a PROMISE to do right again tomorrow - that's an existence mindset. LIVING, on the other hand, doesn't consider indulging in those things as an option because that old life is gone. SUGAR IS NOT A PART OF THIS LIFE AND THEREFORE CANNOT BE USED AS A "CHEAT." IF IT DOESN'T EXIST AS AN OPTION, IT CANNOT BE "RETURNED" TO AS A CHEAT. RIGHT? I don't cheat because I can't. Cheating is death to me and I choose life! I simply LET GO and burned the bridge to my old way of thinking about food AND THERE IS NO PLACE IN WHICH TO RETURN. Therefore, cheating is not really cheating. NOW.....if I am extra hungry - I refuel. But, I eat extra fruits, another piece of lean protein, something in MY LIVING PLAN and I stop when I am satisfied BUT NOT GORGED. That, sweet family, is living and not simply existing. I love this scripture: 1 For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.2 We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing.3 For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies.t4 While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. That is SOOO good - let's make certain today to choose LIFE - burn those bridges to your place of compromise and existence, and let those "dying bodies be swallowed up by life." YEA! Have a great Monday, PK

June 12, 2012 - More Than Conquerors!

I woke up this morning with this phase on my heart - "more than a conqueror." Isn't conquering good enough? Isn't "knowing we win" the best part of the game? Absolutely not! We have to constantly remind ourselves that IN THIS WORLD, there are MULTIPLE trials and temptations and battles. It's ALWAYS been like that throughout history in the real world. Always! The kingdom was always in need of protection as various rulers saw the political gain of land as another "jewel" in their crown. This morning, I don't want to focus on conquering - I want to focus on the phrase "more than." Romans 8:31-37 gives a wonderful picture of never being separated from the LOVE of God. That one concept is so eternal some of us miss the real implications. We miss that life is a daily battle but even in our failure, God's love never changes. We often miss that nothing can remove us or separate us from God's love and yet we struggle to accept that as we should. Coming to the full realization of the POWER of this passage places us in the "MORE than conqueror" category. There is a place in our mind, where we REALLY understand: "Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture." And yet everyday is a struggle........I hear that from so many on a regular basis. Sometimes our health plan is more than a daily struggle - sometimes it's an hourly battle and we become tired. I so understand. I had that day yesterday. I was tired, had a lot on my plate, had my physical (so shouldn't I celebrate 18 months of "no cheating"???? REALLY?) I actually got up about midnight (7 hours ago) and ate some nuts, as I was starving. WRONG time to eat - but I was really hungry from water aerobics late. UGH! But this morning the Spirit of the Lord awakens me with "MORE THAN" a conqueror. YES, WE ARE! SoI began to meditate on that and while looking at this passage in several translations it says, "overwhelming victory, surpassing victory, more than a victory" because of the way Jesus embraces us! Amen! In order to be more than conquerors on this health journey, we have to realize that God's help is constant - he never sends us to battle without HIS armor. We must realize and see our food situation from his perspective and embrace the fact that God cares enough to place deep within us a CARE for our health. (if you didn't CARE, you wouldn't read this daily). We must begin to operate in the confidence that GOD gives each of us strategies and that we MUST do the victory dance OFTEN as reminders that we are MORE THAN......... MORE THAN means above, beyond, not limited by (a defeat - whether one meal or three months - we get back up), embracing of, understanding at a different level than the other "soldiers" on the field.........this is a place of confidence because we KNOW that hunger and occasional food blunders are a momentary BLIP on the radar. And we ask daily for OUR battle plan and we execute it with determination and expectation. I feel that someone needs to see in spite of months of "seeming" failure, YOU ARE MORE THAN a conqueror through Christ! Keep referencing that - keep saying that confidently all day - "I am more than conquering my health plan." Keep reminding yourself that you KNOW what to do and you CHOOSE to follow the battle plan! To all my "more than conquerors" - someday we will feast at the table in our eternal home and smile at each other with that God confidence that says, "I was one and so were you!" Conqueror well this day and live above! PK PS - no blog for the rest of the week as I will be at summer camp with our youth. LOVE you dearly. PK PSS - getting my blood work yesterday reminded me to REMIND you - check your systems. :) PSSS - I will be preaching tomorrow morning to our youth - please pray!

June 11, 2012 - A Recipe Fluke

Good Monday morning, I have a doctor's appt at 10:30 to get my bi-annual check-up and so NO COFFEE with half/half until almost lunch. UGH! I love a good cup of coffee in the mornings. I have one of those coffee pots that grinds the beans and makes the coffee at 5:30 each AM, so that the aroma joins my alarm clock in the morning ritual of getting me out of bed. I LOVE IT! And, how much more on a cloudy, rainy morning??? Or well, gotta have my blood checked and that happens with no food or coffee. BUT, 11:30 will get here and I will go to DD and get my special cup. I actually stumbled onto a recipe this weekend as I was trying to consolidate left overs. (PS - if you didn't ck your email on Saturday I sent a yummy one for homemade key lime pie yogurt that's FABULOUS! I promise - even my husband adores it) But anyway, I made a spaghetti sauce last week with fire roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, vidalia onions, some smoked sausage and some seasonings. Terry loved it. NOW....my spaghetti squash (2 medium) were actually overcooked and instead of looking and feeling like pasta, they looked like mush and were watery. So I left the bowl in the fridge for a couple of days not sure what to do - but knew that it needed to be used. You know we all do that. :) Friday evening I got into a creative, cooking mode. I took the bowl of spaghetti squash and added three large eggs that I had beaten, some sea salt, garlic salt, the remainder of the spaghetti sauce (about 5-6 cups minus the meat - it was all eaten), and a small bag of 2% skim mozzarella cheese. I mixed all this well and placed in a baking dish sprayed with Pam and started baking it on 400. After about 30 min, I turned the temp to 450 and added sprinkle cheese (parm) and let the cheese crisp up and brown a bit (maybe another 15 min). I served this will grilled pork tenderloin and grilled yellow squash. It was FABULOUS! I don't know the exact amounts as this was a "left over" project - but we LOVED it! And, it was better on Saturday. I think I wlll call this Italian Spaghetti Squash Bake. I will work on details, but needless to say - it's close and worth the effort. My husband said it reminded him of lasagna - not me, but a YUMMY, yummy side dish none the less. Let me know if you try either of these new recipes, or the cabbage one I sent last week. I am trying to explore new recipes with different things. Here's some info from Jenny (in Texas): Hey I know you have been talking a lot about non-sugar products. A lot of the stores here are starting to sell Erythritol, it's a lot finer than Xylitol so it works as a great powdered sugar substitute for say icings and such. I used it in my cheesecake recipe and works great, just doesn't give everyone tummy issues :) Made some this week for a Birthday today, I'm interested to see everyone's reaction to the sugar free aspect! Also I found a sweetener similar to Agave Nectar called Coconut Nectar but without the higher glycemic index. It's great on top of almond flour pancakes. Has kind of a maple flavor. Don't you love this? I know that eating, for us, has to really be viewed as refueling or we can get into the "I'm bored and quit" mode, but even refueling can be fun! Choose life and eat to live, PK

February 25, 2012

Good morning (burr, it's cold again!),

Teree and her fam are in Orlanda at Disney and she sends me a text, "mom, my family is all eating warm pastries and I am eating a boiled egg. I told you I can do this." If you knew my daughter, you would so laugh. She has just finished her first round, did very well, but tortures herself for the fun of it. Grabs candy bars and smells them for several seconds, sucking the life out of every inhalation. I can imagine she was hanging over the display counter wiping her noise along the glass doing the "deep breathing thing." I really would have paid to see it. :)

Maybe you are strong like that - I am not! I try to avoid situations where I am tempted. i figure i have nothing to prove and quite frankly - to be REAL honest - sometimes the smell stirs me up and my stomach starts growling and I get hungry. I wish I was 100% free, but I am not. SO........why tempt myself. :) Teree says it helps her - it makes me mean. wink!

Had someone contact me who has done amazingly on the program and is battling fear as they transition to eating some Ezekiel bread, etc. Remember fam, fear has torment. WE ARE NO LONGER in prison - so don't be afraid to try. I personally am not reintroducing starch or sugar - I have found ways to satisfy that craving and don't need it. But remember - if you are weighing daily and only introducing ONE new variable in a week, the scale will tell you how your body processes that food. Scientists do this all the time. But, you cannot introduce THREE new things and then if your weight starts climbing make a guess as to which one is the trigger. NO, no. When on phase 4, add a piece or 2 of Ezekiel bread and weigh carefully for 5 days. Then you'll know. :) It's an easy process and it works. But, not three at a time. And NO fear - we are in control of our health! :)

I made the most amazing coconut milk whipped creme last night over fresh blueberries and strawberries with xylitol. My company loved it. I took a quart of heavy whipping creme (beaters in the freezer for a second), 2 cans of GOYA coconut milk I had in the refrigerator for a week, (popped the top, scooped all the solid - not the liquid or your whipped creme will be runny - you drink the rest - you'll be running too), 1/2 cup xylitol and a tablespoon of coconut extract. Grab the cold beaters and beat on high until solid, firm, and forming peaks. OMGoodness! Fruit first, coconut creme, fruit again, creme again and serve. SLAP me! What an easy and healthy dessert. You can do the same thing without the coconut pulp and substitute peppermint extract if you like. I prefer the density the coconut pulp gives and the smooth flavor. SO yum! It makes a big bowl, so you could cut it in half. I had plenty for my party, some for my coffee this morning, and some for a Mary Kay party I am having at 11. YUM x 2! If you wanna free facial this morning, come on over! I am serving chicken salad tacos with fresh fruit for lunch and we get to play in the makeup too. Come on - the more the merrier.

Have a great Saturday - let's reconnect on Monday morning. PK

March 26, 2012

Good morning friends.........I'm back.....did you enjoy your week without my mouth running? Just kidding - we are running together through this journey to look and feel our best! Right?
First, thanks for all your prayers. These last three weeks have been some of the toughest. :) But I have seen God move in immeasurable ways!
Second, some of you know I went to water aerobics last Thursday night. It was a sight. :) I was determined to not get my hair nor my makeup wet. Can anybody go to water aerobics without getting their hair wet? NO. But in my trying, I must have conveyed to them all that I was pitiful, that I couldn't swim, and I needed a lot of help. So, in order to "save face and my hair" (I am a good swimmer but a prissy swimmer who didn't want to re-straighten my hair) I smiled and did all the modifications "so I wouldn't drown." I was extremely thankful no one had a hidden camera, but I couldn't help but laugh at me too. What a sight! LOL
Third, yummy recipe for you: zucchini squash, sweet onions, cooked for about 20 min in a little butter and a little water w/salt. Drain fluid after 20 min and add chopped tomatoes. Cook for 5 additional min ONLY. Add a cup or so of low fat mozzarella cheese and remove from stove. Cover and let sit for 5 min to melt the cheese. Serve immediately so the tomatoes don't get drippy. YUM!!!!! This is a phase four recipe.
Read this article Saturday evening that talks about increasing our brain power. Please keep reading to the end as our healthy eating also adds strength to our brains:
"Exercising actually helps grow bigger brains," he said. "We have more brain cells that grow through our life."

More than 400 clapping, cheering fans, some wearing T-shirts that said "I'm a mental athlete," crammed into a Manhattan conference room to witness the champs sweat it out. Contestants ranged between 14 and 59, with backgrounds that included unemployed, computer programmer, nurse and TV presenter.

During a break a special guest, "International Man of Memory" Chester Santos, wowed the brainy crowd by asking them to name any one of the 435 members in the US House of Representatives. To each name he then supplied, from memory, that member's state, district, party and which -- often obscure -- committee he sits on.
"This is actually pretty difficult, thousands of pieces of data, so if I get something right, clap," he said, before getting all but one challenge right.
Dottino insisted that in this fight, anyone can become a contender.
"Myth number one," he said, is "you're either born with it or not. It's a skill you can practice."
Memory experts use techniques like the "chunk" method, in which different bits of information are tidied up and grouped. A basic example would be to reduce a series of individual numbers into pairs, so 2-0-1-2 becoming twenty twelve.
But Dottino says you also need to feed the brain omega-3 fatty acids, specifically DHA. That's found in fish like salmon and mackerel, or, he pointed out, fortified formulas produced by the contest's sponsor, life'sDHA.
At a minimum, Dottino said, keep away from those comfort foods. "Lots of carbs, starches, refined sugars are bad news!" he said."
So, when we're tempted to cheat and eat those "comfort foods," let us ALL remember that denying our bodies the comfort of sugary, starchy foods can actually be causing health to come to our minds. And at my age, that's a great thing! wink - wink
Choose foods for your brain today and remember - water causes the electrical current to flow WELL. Let's give our minds what they need to be all WE NEED THEM TO BE. :) PK

April 7, 2012

Hey guys, here's my new favorite song. It's .99 on I Tunes. It's worth it! I encourage you to let this bring excitement to your soul today. The bridge talks about an army rising up that will break every chain due to the power in Jesus' name. Our HCG family is rising up to break chains of obesity and early death. YES??? Thanks for making the choice to stand again when it's easier sometimes to quit. Our flesh is so strong, but our spirit is STRONGER because of Jesus. "Greater is HE that is within ME and YOU than he within the world." Right?

"Break Every Chain" Will Reagan & the United Pursuit Band In the Night Season

As I said in an earlier blog, this Easter I am focusing on LIFE beyond the cross. Don't get me wrong - words can never express my gratitude for the sacrifice, but that sacrifice brings ABUNDANT life to each one of us. Are we living in that place? Each of us can - I am convinced - but it comes at the mortification of our flesh which wants it's own way and that way OFTEN leads to death. Yesterday I continued to quote the 23rd Psalm, and really focus on a certain part, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death - I won't be afraid - because you are with me. Your rod and staff they comfort me." I must have said that five times and each time I felt stronger.

God desires to walk with each of us daily and be as much a part of our lives as we will allow. (that's an upcoming blog) But especially in the toughest times of our lives HE IS THERE and for some, making decisions to STOP EATING AS WE PLEASE, is a tough valley. But, God's love and his help are here. Let's consider this: what if he is using the scales and/or our family blog, even though we sometimes DON'T WANT TO WEIGHT OR BE CONFRONTED, as the hook of his staff when we would easily give up and walk off the cliff???? Maybe he's placed us in this family for a definite reason! If I'm about to eat something crazy or make a bad choice - speak up! That may just "grab my neck" at the right moment when I am not strong enough to say NO! Encourage one another to weigh, make correct choices, live beyond FOOD and let's hold each other's hands as we walk through this tough journey to health. BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE - The VICTORY DANCE!!!

Sometimes I dance and shake my head and wonder if that's really the victory dance???? Maybe that looks differently for each of us????? Can you get a visual? :)

Love you dearly - listen to the song - enjoy the sunshine today - your Easter services tomorrow - your Easter lunch with your fam - and most of all the COMFORT that GOD brings to you each day, but especially in that valley. Look beyond the cross to LIFE that was promised to you.....John 10:10......and declare that abundant life includes your HEALTH!

PK

PS - making sugar free carrot cake with cream cheese icing and black walnuts, brownies with sugar free dark chocolate chunks, roasted pork tenderloin and deviled eggs as my portion for tomorrow's meal. THEN - someone is bringing a salad, someone fruit (I am making my coconut creme for the top) and someone green beans with fat free beef stock. OMGoodness - my family lunches have so changed. :)

June 8, 2012 - The Unwanted Visitor

Good morning to all, During water aerobics last night we were surprised by a special visitor that escaped from a diaper (I guess) from one of the babies at the other end of the pool. I almost lost my dinner. CONTAMINATION. Ugh! But the bad part is, if one of the ladies in my class had not looked down as she was walking laps and "thought" it was a pebble and reached down to try and remove it from the pool, any one of us could have stepped on it. Am I bringing a visual to you? UGH!!!! All of the sudden my eyes were focused on the murkiness of the water and the fact that I was in the "toilet bowl" while they were trying to EXAMINE the substance to verify. This really only took about 8-10 minutes, but I felt like I was trapped in a bad story. I know I could have vacated the pool immediately, but the life guards said, "it probably is nothing." BUT THEY WERE WRONG. I had to really talk to myself as we were asked to transfer to the bigger, lap pool. This started me on a "life story" journey. So, if the pool represents our body - our structure, and the water represents our internal fluid, how many times do things enter our bodies that can go unnoticed for years that can contaminate the fluid that our body requires to live? I wonder how many things we willing place in our mouths that deeply affect these life-giving fluids. As you know our bodies are more than 75% fluid and need that exact amount to remain mostly constant in order to function well. For example, when we exercise and release fluid from our skin, it is imperative to rehydrate or we can become VERY tired, have a headache, develop muscle cramps and experience foggy thinking. WOW! All of this due to improper hydration? Absolutely! But today, let's talk about those unwanted visitors that find their way into our bodies that don't bring health, but could bring long-term contamination. What about all the chemicals and preservatives added to foods to make them "taste" better and last longer? MSG is at the top of the list..... not good for us! Our liver and kidneys act as major filters, but how many of us know - as with filters in our houses, computers, electronics - if NOT PROPERLY cared for - they stop working and our equipment burns out. Same thing in our bodies. I was telling someone yesterday that when my triglycerides were so high several times in a row, I was sent for a liver scan and it was revealed that I had a "fatty" liver. My filtering system was clogged AND I HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THAT EXCEPT FOR THE BLOOD TEST. The doctor IMMEDIATELY limited the amount of sugar and fatty foods that I ingested, as well as instructed me to eat a large salad with lots of raw vegetables daily to help "CLEAN THE FILTER." This filter affects my fluid levels and the purity of the water in and out of my blood. But until someone "spotted" the unwanted visitor - I was walking along thinking all was well. And, we need to watch those "sugar free" products which are almost always loaded with sodium as well as aspartame, which is the same chemical structure as snake venom. We need to be reminded that "SOME" scientists say that aspartame takes as long as 10 years to clear our bodies and MAKES OUR BRAINS CRAVE SUGAR! The "sugar free" products may make us feel better about not eating sugar, but it may be more of an unwanted visitor than we know. We can use almond flour, xylitol, natural substances to create yummy foods to satisfy those "sweets" cravings - but it requires our time. I'd rather sacrifice some time than be in a pool with an "unwanted visitor." I said all the above to say this - I certainly am not a "germaphobe" nor am I freak about NEVER eating preservatives. BUT.....I am really mindful of these things. At my age, I cannot walk through life acting as if I am uninformed and unconcerned. The vessel God has given me has to be maintained properly, filters cleaned, fluid levels balanced and refilled, and all systems checked on a regular basis. I have a LARGE part to play in that. If not, someone else may find the visitor in my water and if it has gone undetected long enough, a deadly response (Ecoli - for the sake of this picture) could find it's way into my fluid and claim my life. NOT good. So, try to cook as often as you can and check the labels on everything. Let's examine the fluid around us and make certain WE ARE NOT THE ONE placing the unwanted visitor in the water. wink-wink PK Talk again on Monday!

June 7, 2012 - How Sweet It Is

Now if you've been following my blog for any time, you know I advocate limiting or eliminating sugar, in all 101 forms, if at all possible. At the beginning of time, there was NO sugar as we know it. The craving for something sweet was satisfied with natural things like fruit. And yes, fruit has a natural sugar and can also contribute to diabetic reactions if consumed in HUGE quantities, but there is the counter balance of the fiber. I was doing some research on xylitol (which I use for cooking, etc) and found this article on sugar and its relationship to depression. I am posting one section as a reminder of some of the things we need to keep in front of our memory card as we plan our meals and weekly activities. Just How Bad Is Sugar? Pretty bad. Research hasn't come up with a whole lot of benefits for sugar, but it has found sugar implicated in a host of medical problems, including depression. That's one important reason to limit sugar in your diet. Also, that sugar high that kicks in shortly after you've consumed a sweet soon dissipates, leaving you feeling tired and spent. Sugar raises the levels of the neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. Sugar can lower the amount of Vitamin E (alpha-ocopherol) in the blood. Sugar can interfere with the absorption of protein. Sugar can increase the body's fluid retention. Sugar can cause hormonal imbalance; some hormones become underactive, and others become overactive. The body changes sugar into two to five times more fat in the bloodstream than it does starch. The rapid absorption of sugar promotes excessive food intake in obese subjects. Sugar induces salt and water retention. What to do? Reducing your consumption of sugar and products containing refined sugars is one giant step forward in relieving the symptoms of depression. You'll feel less tired and more able to exert control over your depression. It's also better for your teeth! Now, I'm not saying that if you eat sugar - you will be depressed. But when I read things like this, it reminds me of the WONDERFUL reasons to limit sugar in our diet. I will tell you that sugar, and again all it's 101 "hidden names" are found in almost anything. I challenge you to really do your research and keep looking at what is being said about things we, AND OUR FAMILIES, ingest. And you can count on this - SUGAR is addictive. Ask anyone, including myself, who has deleted sugar from their diets and they will tell you - it's NOT easy. Some researchers say it takes 40 days for it to clear your body. YIKES! But for those who are mourning and saying, "I cannot give up sweets," there are plenty of recipes that allow you to satisfy that craving in a more natural and healthy way. My recipe and devotional book will hopefully be out by the end of the year and it will have lots to choose from. :) Until then, here are tips from the fam: 1. Jenny V has started ordering Omaha Steaks - they bring to your door, are less expensive than store bought and are WONDERFUL in quality 2. Helen uses rosemary as an herb when she makes lamb 3. Danny, who manages ABetterway Cafe in PTC, created a "honey" mustard dressing with no honey and it is FABULOUS! He uses stevia as the sweetner. WE CAN DO THIS! YEA! Keep sending your encouragement to the fam and your tips for us all. Have a fabulous Thursday and at the end of the day thank Father God for helping you today to make all the right choices. PK

June 6, 2012 - Me Time!

I love the coolness of the morning - but the warmth of the sun on my skin also brings a smile. When we consider the real complexities of creation, how can we help but smile? I know that so many times there are formulas for everything and everything seems so complicated. But last night I was in a friend's pool in her back yard; and there were no houses around only trees; and peaceful flowers and the gentle sounds of a bird sanctuary and for that span of time - life came to a resting halt and the complexities of the day melted and we laughed. We did our water aerobics and worked all our muscles but it was fun and uncomplicated. I drove home realizing how critical to our journey are the moments of peace where our bodies really rest and enjoy life. Maybe your life is uncomplicated and you have pockets like that daily - but I do not. And in that pocket, I KNEW my body was resting. NOW I was working out - but my mind, spirit and heart were at peace. The psalmist writes that our hearts are to be SET "at peace" again. That means SET BACK to a resting state. God never intended for us to live in such complexities that our heart is racing in competition with our minds and one day ROLLS into the next. As my body hung in the water last night and the warmth of the water protected me from the chill of the wind - I was reminded that God's best plan for our life included moments like this as we stop striving to BE and HAVE and DO and PERFORM and we SIMPLY REST......even for a pocket and let our bodies regroup. Many times life demands ALL of us and then our health, our food, our water intake is the LAST THING on our mind. In fact, we give to everyone, make meals for everyone, watch everyone's lives in our "protection mode" and don't have enough energy for ourselves. I lived there forever and still have to fight against that tendency! But things are changing. I have heard statements like, "always make time for yourself - you deserve it" and I felt that people who spoke things as such were selfish. I now get it - I DO have to focus on me or I will not be healthy enough to focus on others very long. If our bodies were created to last forever - no prob - I can take care of everyone BUT me. But unfortunately that is untrue. So, at this season of life, I had to start retraining my mind and body to expect and enjoy things that were foreign - WATER, VEGGIES, ALMOND FLOUR, POCKETS OF SIMPLE REST. :) You know. But I am also having to study health and shop differently and spend more on food that is healthy. Isn't that horrible - the foods we NEED are the most expensive. But, I am worth it and I find other avenues in which to balance the "budget." I am amazed at how many confess, "I can't be healthy - it costs too much." I don't know about you but being sick and unhealthy is VERY COSTLY. Money for prescriptions is one thing - but feeling bad all the time and depressed about being sick is way more COSTLY to me. I hate being sick. So today it's really okay to focus on YOU for some part of each day and enjoy taking care of YOU. I challenge you to readjust the budget, readjust your exercise time (get in the pool and laugh), readjust your ME TIME and your heart will begin to laugh and that contagious joy will change the atmosphere where you are. Give yourself PERMISSION to take care of you. The dishes will be there tomorrow. :) PK

June 5th, 2012 - Rosemary Anyone?

Good morning all, Wanted to share some info that I found interesting yesterday. But let me back-up. My husband and I planted some rosemary over a year ago and what a hearty, sturdy plant it grew to be. So, we actually divided it and made two containers and they are SO flourishing. I have started trying to use the herb to add flavor to our foods (BE CAREFUL - a little goes a long way) and how nice to walk on the deck and grab some sprigs, chop them, and add to whatever. Last night I took about 2 1/2 pounds of lean ground beef (no added oil) and browned it to which I added 3 large cans of diced, fire roasted tomatoes. I let this heat well. Then, I chopped, in small pieces, a large head of cabbage and a large Vidalia onion and added this to the beef mixture. Then, I seasoned with sea salt and tabasco. AND......I also added two stems of rosemary chopped extra fine (about 30-40 pieces - but it was too strong). I let this cook together until the cabbage was very tender (your preference). Before serving, I add grated parm (low fat) - YUM, YUM, YUM! And.......low in calories, makes a big pot, and lasts for several meals. My husband absolutely adores this recipe. It was my first time with the rosemary, and it was a little strong, so next time I'll cut that in half. I said all that to say this - as I researched the rosemary herb to find recipes, I discovered that it actually has great health benefits. One article says that rosemary is beneficial in helping with memory issues and is used in other countries to help treat Alzheimer's disease. And, the herb is packed with antioxidants - memory enhancing and cancer fighting too - awesome! I like finding new things that are so beneficial to our bodies. I did use a stem of rosemary on Saturday as part of my marinade for the mahi mahi on the grill. (that's high in Omega 3 oils) Grilling mahi mahi is easy and is such a great tasting meat - not fishy at all. If you've never tried it - you should! My grandbabies KEPT saying, "yum, Nina!" Variety is a key component in our new world - so let's keep being creative and utilizing those herbs God gave to help keep our bodies healthy! How about you - do you have any special herbs or seasonings that you love that we could benefit from? Send it to me and I'll forward to the fam. Choose life and eat to live - PK

June 4, 2012 - The Work of Perseverance

This morning let's talk about perseverance. In a society where giving up is the norm, as believers, however, we are encouraged to continue and persevere because according to James, "perseverance must finish its work so that we may be mature and complete - lacking nothing." I am watching my watermelon seedlings (blog from about three weeks ago and if you're just joining our family, you can catch up at: kathyshcgfamily.blogspot.com) fight for maturity now and it speaks to my heart about so many things in life where it's easier to give up than continue to fight for what's right. My husband transplanted the seedlings when they were about 3 inches tall from a pot on the porch that I, personally, could watch, water, and tend to. When he transplanted them, he thought he was placing them in good soil that had been decomposing for a couple of years. I had my doubts - but he "knew." :) Not to make a point about a wrong decision, but the seedlings went from my porch - in almost perfect conditions - to a place where MOST of the conditions were favorable - but certainly not all. And they stopped growing. They simply stopped. Their leaves browned and for a moment it seemed death was imminent. But I continued with the water and the attention, beyond an imperfect soil, that I could continue. I checked them daily, prayed over them (yes I did), encouraged them with my words to "grow and prosper" but last week I had to come to the realization that THEY must fight for life. They must persevere when conditions are not always perfect and they must adapt if they are going to grow, mature, produce fruit and live a long, healthy life (in plant terms). I so see our journey in this picture. For me, I was in a "pot" where I had grown and grown and actually OUT GROWN my surroundings (jeans, clothes, amount of medications to combat overweight issues, etc) and life no longer was best lived in this TIGHT container. So I chose another place to start over on Jan 24, 2011 and there were many times when it was not easy. The convenience of stopping at fast food restaurants, eating anything (and MORE) that people prepared for me at parties, living from one meal to the next ALL STOPPED. Choosing to live a healthy life style was questionable at times. Many said, "it can't be done." But here's the truth - I am now in another world (soil structure) and I cannot go back to that same pot. It NO LONGER exists. I cannot "choose" health "with the option to return" to my former life style if "healthy eating doesn't work." NO! I live in a different place now (with it's own challenges), I have started to mature (as have my watermelon plants) RIGHT WHERE I AM, and there is NO PLACE OF RETURN. That option in our lives must be eliminated! I must fight for my health daily and realize THIS IS MY NEW NORMAL. That's what perseverance is all about. The watermelon plants cannot return to their former life (pot) so they must accept their new journey and fight for survival where they are. And good news - they are doing just that. I will say that my husband has determined to redo the soil because they are not growing as rapidly, but now that he sees they have persevered - he is responding and they will find their new journey so much more favorable after today. :) That's a picture of us - we can never return to our old way of living - healthy eating cannot just be a "choice." It cannot be "I'll eat what I WANT at this meal and do better at the next meal." If that is our mantra - we still LIVE IN THE OLD POT. Can we be honest? We must persevere and continue to persevere against all odds so that perseverance finishes its work - which is.........we have NO options other than being healthy. PK

June 1st - Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

I know you KNOW it's not morning any longer and you KNOW I am late sending this out but you need to KNOW that I am not being a slacker. :) I have been busy, busy and unable to write. But I have a window and want to communicate before I close things down for the weekend. As I was meditating over our group this morning, I felt the Lord speak to me about how INFREQUENTLY we really feel we did something right and what bondage that is! Most of the time people are quick to see fault in almost everything. There is a TIME to see even the smallest issue - the foundation of a mighty building skewed, one malignant cell, money drawn from your account from someone unauthorized. Yes - we pray for that "eagle eye" as it is critical to survival. And when we spot those things - we move to attack mode. Don't we? But how many of you KNOW that not everything needs a critical eye. It's okay to try on a bathing suit and blame the MIRRORS for making you look a wee bit chunky - especially if you haven't been moving the boundaries daily. :) It's okay to laugh and grab another swim suit and it's OKAY to go home without one. You don't have to stand in front of the mirror and slap yourself - like that helps - or proclaim "I HATE standing in front of the mirror. I NEVER look good in clothes." I lived there - I NEVER tried anything on in the stores because it lead to moments of INTENSE criticism of myself and then a quick journey to the doughnut shop for comfort. But, I always blamed it on a lack of time. It's OKAY to believe in yourself and give yourself credit when you've failed and understand the power of TRYING AGAIN. It's okay to realize that failure is a part of life and sometimes so is constructive criticism. It's okay to remind yourself that you missed the mark - but too much of that leads to negativity and depression and SO MANY people are caught in that trap. And, that's NOT OKAY. None of us can escape our reflection forever - but we CAN change our response to that reflection! If you are doing everything to be healthy, and you KNOW that you are not moving the boundaries to allow for compromise, and the mirror is STILL lying - deal with the mirror. :) I find stores who have favorable mirrors that tell the truth and all my clothes come from there. (just sayin) But the real truth is - God is not sitting in Heaven being critical of us! Sometimes I wonder if He is saddened by the way we feel about ourselves as HE CREATED us? I wonder if He sees that we are being CRITICAL of His best creation? Have you ever poured your heart and soul into a project and then have someone criticize it??? I have - it's devastating. I wonder if God feels those emotions when I criticize ME - the work of His hands - a daughter he adores. Being critical is a CHOICE. Speaking life to yourself is a CHOICE as is choosing healthy foods. As I said in the beginning, God wants you to know today that He fashioned you, never criticizes you and loves you more than you have words to describe. So tonight as you read this and over the weekend - let's all promise to speak well of ourselves and not be SO FAST to criticize. There are plenty of GREAT things about each of us to celebrate, but often we are so busy criticizing we can't see them. And, when we look into the mirror, let's all WINK at God's best piece of art and not allow our own critical judgment to taint the reflection HE WANTS US TO SEE. PK