The Mountain and Sea of Information: Introduction

So, here I go getting downright personal.  For the first time in my life, I've gained weight.  I hate it.  I went to the doctor.  Surely something must be medically wrong.  My thyroid!  No.  Diabetes?  No.  Not that I want to be ill, understand, there just has to be some reason for this weight that isn't actually MY fault.  After all, I've continued to do everything I've always done (which is next to nothing) and eat everything I've always eaten (which is nearly everything), how could my body "all of a sudden" change so dramatically??
Well, it has and that's all there is to know.  My doctor had a very informative conversation with me about diet and exercise and so I'm now heading down this new road of purposeful activity and careful eating.  Add to that the fact that a good friend just suffered a massive heart attack despite careful monitoring of his cholesterol and blood pressure and I'm totally on this new band wagon toward a slimmer, healthier version of me.  Since patience is not a virtue I seem to possess, I am using this blog to help keep me focused on my new goals.
In a nutshell (because nuts are good for you), I'll be blogging about foods that aid in weight loss and control and that additionally will help with my heart health.  I'll be talking about moderation and the definition of exercise.
Because I'll be learning so much as I go, I'm counting on you to correct and inform as you have information to share.  There is so much information out there and I know that some of it is conflicting, but I'll try to stay focused on the main points that are bound to help everyone at some point or another.  The information I give will only be from conversation with my doctor and research I've done on my own.  It won't be complicated because, if it were I wouldn't be following any of it.  I'll share successes, failures and stalls.  I'm counting on you to encourage me along to better health and hold me accountable.
That's it.  The next post will be about complex carbohydrates....

Darn! Busted Again!

I've been battling Mitchell all day.  "Do your chores!"  "Get along!"  "Do your schoolwork!"  Sigh.  Finally I decided that I would leave it alone.  His Dad could deal with his laziness when he got home... not much of an anniversary gift but it hasn't been great for me, either!

mitch... ready for anything!

So here I sit in judgment when Mitchell pipes up and says, "Mom, what's your temptation?"  Choosing honesty over nobility I said, "Feeling sorry for myself and complaining."  "Oh," he says.  "Mine is messing around and playing when I should be working."
Shoot.  He got me.  We all struggle with something, don't we?  Where did my compassion go today?  When did I start yelling instead of guiding and teaching?  As difficult as Mitch can be, there is no denying that God speaks thru him straight to my heart. 
I have been sufficiently humbled.

Nice Man. Think I'll Keep Him.

Well, it's official!  Today I have been married to Joseph for 19 years!  Long time in today's world.  We met through a mutual friend and a few months later we started dating.  We've officially been a couple for about 21 years!  That's a long time to put up with someone, I suppose.  The question was posed, "how do we do it?"  The answer is a lot of hard work and the grace of God.  There's a huge amount of forgiveness and humility involved in marriage, I think.  You soon realize that you're not "all that" and that life is short... yeah, even after nineteen years I can say that life is short.  I've come up with a few bits of wisdom that apply to my marriage...

• I am responsible for my own behavior even if my spouse is being, shall we say, less than ideal.
• As soon as I start saying, "what about me?", I've doomed my marriage.  We go through seasons.  Sometimes it's about you, sometimes it isn't.  Grow up and serve.
• Guard yourselves against intruders at all costs!  Don't EVER let anyone come between you and your spouse.
• He's the leader, but she at least wants to know that she's been heard and considered.
• Stay interesting.  Who are you aside from wife and mother, husband and dad?
• Stop taking each other for granted.  You are both here to serve each other all the time, not just when it's convenient or when you feel like it, or when you think your spouse finally has done something to deserve it.
• Love is a choice... not a feeling.  Choose to love your spouse.  You're a big girl, you can do it!

So, because we've been married for 19 years and I have all of these great pearls of wisdom that means Joe and I have it down.... right??  bahahahahahahahaha!  Oh, man, that's funny!  Yeah, funny but not likely.  We pray and we rely on Biblical training.  Without the training we'd be doomed for sure.  If you haven't participated in a marriage seminar or had biblical marriage counseling, I'd encourage you to do that---even if everything is going great in your marriage.  Satan is roaming about the earth like a hungry lion seeking to devour whom he may. (1Peter 5:8)  Don't let your marriage be the "weak" or "sickly" or "young" one that that hungry lion devours.  And remember, "anger gives the devil a mighty foot hold." (Ephesians 4:26-27)  Besides that, anger is arrogant.
There's an enemy to our happy homes out there and he's dying to get in.  Guard yourselves.  Believe that the next home he poisons could easily be yours and fortify your marriage at all costs.  You will never be sorry you did.  And neither will your kids.