December 30, 2012 - The Gift of Health

GM all, Sorry about yesterday, I was battling a stomach virus. I am feeling better, especially when I don't eat. (wink) Today we can say we all survived 12.12.12! But, it did hail at our house and that was odd. :) As the staff at church blessed me with a beautiful Kitchen Aid for my birthday, I have been baking up a storm I am attaching a new strawberry cake and cream cheese icing recipe so you could use it at your holiday parties if you like. I am still working on the icing a wee bit. May delete the greek yogurt as it made the icing be less stiff than I thought. BUT, my husband loved it. I am well pleased with the cake, but as I said, you may need to play with the icing. I apologize for using a sugar free product, but occasionally I do. I wanted the color and I wanted the jello to hold the frozen strawberries in the mixture. Hope you enjoy making this. If you do, let me know. I really need some of my recipes tested as I am working towards the book being out in February. I am working every free moment I get. As we approach Christmas with all the beauty and majesty, let's remember that some people are smiling at the parties while crying on the inside. That was ME! Maybe our friends and families are trapped in the same prison cell we once were and don't have a clue where the key is. I remember dreading the Christmas season as I knew I would be gaining weight, smiling and partying, and slapping myself as I looked in the mirror daily. Not a happy memory, huh? Can I recommend a gift for you and your family? What about the gift of health! Make a healthy cake and bless someone; make some sugar free whipped cream and buy a pound of coffee with a small box of truvia. You can never tell who will grab that creative, healthy gift and decide that you are their hero. And, they may make the health choice, as you have, and their family be touched. Now isn't that a cool gift? So make a healthy snack and share - you never know who's future you're affecting. As you wrap those gifts and make your family and friends smile, remember a toy may break, new clothes will wear out, but helping someone realize that eating healthy can be yummy and the holidays can be healthy is a gift that may add years to their life. Smile and help someone today. PK

December 10, 2012 - Getting My Rain On

I pray your weekend was amazing! I am sorry this is late, I am working diligently on my recipe/devotional book and am a little tired today. :) I hope you understand. I was thinking about the devastation that lack of water is bringing to our nation. I read somewhere that it would take 9 feet of snow in some portions of the north to even begin to help with the spring run-off needed to bring health to the land. And, as I drove to south Georgia this past Saturday to take my mom to Westville for her birthday, my attention was dragged time and time again and focused on the destitute plight of the land suffering due to a lack of water. Ponds and small lakes were dried almost completely, docks sitting on the dry ground and ugly, parched land with pitiful weeds peeked out to inform me that death was near. I looked and wondered..........is that what our internal organs do when starved for water? Does my body shrivel and die from the inside out longing for ONE small hydration pocket. YES! Here's the bad part. Our bodies can't hydrate themselves no more than the dried and dying ponds and lakes can rain on themselves. They are totally dependent on water to arrive from an outside source. If not drinking each day causes my body to display what my eyes are beholding all around as water to the earth remains scarce, I am in trouble. Have you noticed the way the ponds and lakes around you appear? If not, take a peek. If yes, let's remember that God created our bodies with a high water content - 75% to be correct. When we fail TO WATER OUR BODIES, they become shriveled and dry and pitiful comparable to what we are experiencing around us today. Let's change that! We cannot create rain, nor can we make the heavens release rain to the earth. BUT......we can water our bodies. We DO have control over that situation. Take a look today and ask the Lord to allow the natural pictures of the earth to remind you that watering your body changes everything. Let that REAL picture make a REAL and LASTING impression. I'm getting my RAIN on as we speak.......how about you? PK

December 7, 2012 - Christmas Lights

Don't you love it when everyone has their Christmas lights up and the neighborhood is flooded with beautiful, colored lights that pierce through the darkness? I am such a light girl - keep the darkness - give me the light. As we were driving home last night, it was easy to spot the lights in the dark. The lights make a bold statement from deep within the trees and round about the corners they shine and bring a smile to my face. However, until they have been powered-up, they remain hidden. And, with no power or energy source, they never fulfill their purpose. I think that about us. When we are feeling bad about ourselves and not eating healthy, we seem to want to hide. (or at least I did) I was comfy in my house, on my sofa, in my baggy clothes. Those were days when it was easier to stay in the cave and "feel good about myself" as opposed to being in a group and being slapped with the reality that I was obese and sick. I'm a realist; I'm sorry. And, one bad gathering seemed to fuel the "lie" that I would never be free. So here's where I am going with this........ We made the choice to fight for our freedom, we made some strides toward health, we made it outside and started illuminating and displaying light (which says we're connected). However, holidays come - family gatherings come - opportunities to make excuses come and sometimes we start to rationalize that it's okay to remain unplugged for a couple of weeks. Is it really????? Remember, our lights help everyone else to smile, see the truth, feel the warmth. We never can tell HOW MANY PEOPLE are really looking for the beautiful lights in "OUR YARD." (our successful escape from the prison cell of obesity) I'm certain people feel encouraged when we bring our healthy lunches as they munch on the unhealthy ones. NOT! BUT.......it does remind them that "someone" is lighting the path to health and if they choose to start down that long, often "un-lit" path, your LIGHT could be their path maker. That's way DEEP this morning. :) Anyway, let your light shine this season. Make a stand for health and offer those who are suffering and in prison REAL HOPE that they too can "endure" holidays and enjoy the parties while eating nutritious, yummy foods. Have you ever thought of your successful, health journey as Christmas lights? :) Bless you this day! PK

December 6, 2012 - Great News!

Good morning to all, Today's blog will be short as I have been studying the book and character of Philemon this morning and lost track of time. :) It caught my attention that Paul writes, "Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you have refreshed the heart of the saints." What a great thing to be said of each of us. Yes? It is my real joy to share the doctor's report on my youngest grand daughter, Kailey. As you know in late July her blood sugar level was 19 and she had gained 17 pounds in 4 months. We were told she would either need to lose a lot of weight and modify her foods, or start insulin. WELL...............Kailey (who is 9) hooked up with Nina (me) and started following our health plan. (I do bake yummies for her every couple of weeks, cook a big, healthy meal once a week and talk her through some tough situations - but KAILEY has grabbed this and run with it. Her mom makes healthy lunches now, and Kailey is so disciplined.) It's amazing! SHE NEVER STRAYS - NEVER. And NOW she gets to do the VICTORY DANCE! Yesterday, she went for her check-up. Since the 29th of July, she's lost and kept off 20 pounds, her blood sugar level was back to normal (although still on the high end of normal - still need to tweak a few things), and body fat ratio was significantly diminished. Again, she's NINE. Can you say proud? I am so proud of her. There were tears at times, and it does require that Teree and I cook special, shop special and buy special - but here's another life that has been rescued from insulin. Her birthday is in 2 weeks and she's asking for a sugar free cake. YES! Her health is my greatest birthday gift for this year. It brings tears to MY eyes. So, if you have kids, they can change. Kailey even challenges me now. Sometimes I might want another piece of meat and she'll say, "no Nina, I've had enough." YEA to health. Love you, PK

December 5, 2012 - Be It Unto Me According To Your Word!

GM all, Can you believe we are 3 weeks away from Christmas? I remember blogging LAST Christmas. It's really amazing how fast the 12 months go. I wonder if our days in Heaven will feel as quick??? Will there be seasons or holidays? I think I need another cup of coffee. :) I am head long into the creation of my book which is a combination of blogs and recipes. For those who have tried my recipes, do you have favorites that you feel should be included? I am working on the nutritional content for each now, and while it's time intense, I feel it is necessary. However, would you try a recipe with no informational numbers? Some cookbooks don't list it. Is it important to you? Let's talk about FEAR this morning. In the first chapter of Luke - three times the angel Gabrielle says, "Fear NOT." Why? Because our flesh is weak and we are very familiar with our own failure. Can I get an amen? Fear of failure, fear of man and fear of rejection live at the top of our lives MOST of our lives. But we must remember FEAR is not stronger than we are. Our plans, our resolve, our information, our trust in GOD are really more powerful than FEAR. I find that when I KNOW what's going on - I am less afraid. I find that when my resolve is steady and I have not broken trust or strayed from the path - I am stronger and less afraid that I am "returning to my old ways." How about you? Fear is real - our response is real - but if we don't respond well, it can control the outcome of our journey. God told me once, "Courage is not the absence of fear; it's trusting me in the presence of fear." Can you imagine the fear Mary may have felt??? A baby.......a virgin.........the Holy Spirit will over shadow me............is that like sitting under a shade tree in the desert?????? And yet her response, "I am the Lord's servant. Be it unto me according to your word." We may never UNDERSTAND fully how GOD desires us to walk in health - He purposes that - he wants us to be in health spirit, soul, and body. We are his children - he wants the BEST for each of us. MANY events are lined-up in front of me the next three weeks and sometimes I feel myself getting a little "fearful" about trying to navigate three events in one day and fuel my body WELL during this season - I refuse to let my emotions control me. Mary was basically saying, "my emotions don't understand, but my spirit will submit to your plan." That's us - we can't live by the emotions or the parties that DRIVE us to eat. No, the Holy Spirit gives us wisdom to make the right choices and follow the plan ONE DAY AT A TIME. Let's follow Mary's example this holiday season and don't let our emotions drive the train. Let's stick to the truth and submit to the Holy Spirit. When he says, "no," we say, "be it unto me according to your word." Love you - PK

December 4, 2012 - The Christmas Announcement

We normally associate the announcement by Gabrielle of the birth of Christ as the Christmas Announcement. But it was so much more and so far reaching. Following the book of Malachi, God remained silent with no communication to mankind for 400 years. FOUR HUNDRED! Then, God chose to break the silence by speaking to Zechariah through the angel - "Do not be afraid, for your prayer has been answered." But Zechariah did not believe and was silenced. God turns to Mary and sends the angel - "Fear not, for you have found favor with God." But Mary's response to the announcement was quite different. She replied, "Be it unto me according to YOUR word." Mary had questions to the "how," but trusted that God was big enough. And finally, with Gabrielle's announcement to the shepherds, God not only speaks to mankind once more but ushers in a new covenant. "Fear not, for I bring you GOOD news of GREAT JOY that will be for all people." Can you stop and smile as you really connect with the phrase "and it will be for Kathy, for Paulette, for Shelly, for Laura????" WOW! Gabrielle said to all people, and that meant He was speaking our names! Double WOW! The shepherds were afraid also, but responded to the announcement and went immediately to find this JOY. For us, Galatians 5:1 declares our freedom from the chains of past addictions, bondage, and wrong thinking. Paul makes this announcement over mankind - "It is for FREEDOM that Christ came to set us free." He didn't say, "fear not," (but I assume he wasn't eight feet tall with wings either) so maybe it was unnecessary? But sometimes we can be fearful about getting through the holidays and doing well. Yes? I am so proud of Shelly as she announced the other day, "I'm loosing weight over the holidays." Now that's a Christmas announcement, too, with no FEAR involved. Don't want until January. I have spoken with more than 10 of you who are "waiting until January." Be careful - four weeks can mean a chunk of weight. Stay on top of your plan of healthy eating and motion. I have missed water aerobics so badly that I went and signed up at the pool yesterday. (and yikes are my muscles reminding me it's been 3 months). This Christmas I want to bring forth this reminder (A Kathy paraphrase) "Fear NOT, for behold I bring you a good message of GREAT HOPE, there is freedom for you which is found in Christ. The Holy Spirit will come and live within you and He shall assist you in making healthy choices and walking in freedom." Then we must respond. We ask for help, we rejoice that we are stronger than obesity, and we declare that we "stand firm, then, and will no longer allow ourselves to be burdened for the 100th time WITH A YOKE OF SLAVERY." (Gal 5:1) Enjoy Christmas, love your family, go to ALL the parties, and take your food. FEAR NOT! PK

December 3, 2012

As I sit here this morning beginning to write, the sun is flooding into my dining room window, There's something about light. The morning light breaking through the darkness signals a new start, a new chance, and a new day. That big, booming stream of light announces.......... "NEW!" I don't know how you feel, but during the morning light I seem to feel such peace. The light calms my spirit and really says, "it's ok." I love to look at the morning light and smile - it illuminates without the blistering heat of the midday. There are so many biblical directions here for us. Maybe the sunlight this morning needs to remind us that God is not mad at us and sends LIGHT to ILLUMINATE our PATH out of the CELL of DARKNESS that can sometimes cloak us so rapidly. I gotta confess, I've been wrestling with some things in my heart lately - not sin issues, but issues involving a fight with the evil one for joy in people that I care about. There is a time to rest and a time of war - I am fighting for some friends and sometimes feel like I've been cloaked with darkness. Ever experienced that? BUT THIS MORNING, the light just reminds me that God illuminates the whole earth and when HE ILLUMINATES the path, there's a way out. I don't know the way sometimes, but HE ALWAYS DOES! I am comforted by that! I know that even in providing us with a plan for nutrition for our bodies - and there are several, correct plans based on body types - there is the underlying truth that HEALTH is our objective as opposed to appearance. YES? If appearance is the main objective, it changes as do the seasons. BUT our health must remain if we are to bear fruit in our golden years. The following verse of scripture jumped out at me this morning: Luke 1:78-79 "Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, 79to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.” Don't you love that? So, let's remember that the place of PEACE is not wrestling with the way we look, but being healthy. Continue to fight for that revelation and let's ask God to always keep illuminating the path to our BEST HEALTH. NOW......if our best health means the single digit jeans, "bring it on!" :) Smiling as I think of you this morning, PK