Blogging With Goodly Intentions

Our Outdoor Sink On Cinder Blocks

noreply@blogger.com (Rebagv) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 14:53:00 +0000

This is my outdoor sink.

First off, I must apologize for not blogging any time sooner. I have not wanted to keep repeating myself, especially about my diet and weight loss efforts, which, by the way, have stalled; however, I think I've got a cool subject to cover.

As you can see, I now have an outdoor sink.

I've been wanting this set up for quite a while, and my hubby did it this past weekend. I should give some background about this project, though. My hubby's friend was updating a house rental, and my hubby stopped at a yard sale and bought a used, stainless steel double sink that the friend could use. We had lived in that rental for a few months, and I remembered the old, white single sink with the built-in counter on both sides. I knew how I could incorporate it into my outdoor area so...

my hubby and his friend did an exchange.

Yes!

This is a side view of the sink standing on 8 upright cinder blocks.

With this sink, wash up will be easier after gardening.

I asked my hubby to install a shelf underneath the sink. If you look carefully, you will notice that there are two horizontal, parallel 2 X 4's holding up a piece of plywood. I wanted to have a space to hold watering cans, pots, and soil. It's still a work in progress to move things out of my sauna-like metal storage, but the sink setup has very promising storage of its own.

This is the underside of my outdoor sink.

I wanted to show the underside of the sink. My hubby found old, plastic pipes, including elbows to direct the dirty water into a container, which is located to the left.

This is a closeup of the left side of my outdoor sink.

The dirty water drains out into a 5 gallon Home Depot bucket. I will reuse the dirty water to hydrate my parched plants.

My outdoor sink faucet was hooked up to the outdoor faucet.

The special feature to the sink is that my hubby installed a metal, flexible hose so that water can come out of the faucet above the sink.

I knew that it was possible to have a sink outdoors!

I had faith that my hubby could put it together. All it took was some imagination to dream the possible. This idea was inspired by a picture I saw on Facebook about a couch made out of cinder blocks. I believe it was from an article in the Better Homes and Gardens website. I think someone had pinned it on a board at Pinterest.com.

Well, thanks for reading about our outdoor sink. I hope it has inspired you to create your own cinder block projects.

How about you, my readers? Have you created anything special with cinder blocks or other such sturdy material for your oudoor areas?

This blog entry will be placed under Family Fun Fridays.

Healthy Choices: Update on Health Habits for April 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Rebagv) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 04:55:00 +0000

Veggies and fruits are healthy choices.

Choices, choices--what is healthy to eat?

What meat can I eat? Grass fed beef, without hormones and antibiotics is a good option. Salmon is good for the heart. It has Omega 3 oils. Chicken, free range, and while you're at it, the eggs are great, too.

What about the type of oil to cook with?

Canola oil is out. Wait, what is vegetable oil? Olive oil has been my option. I've heard coconut oil is best.

Can I eat tortillas?

What about grains? Well, am I gluten intolerant? Then, I should stay away from wheat. Barley is delicious. What about couscous...they are a bunch of mini-balls, a funny texture to the mouth.

Of course, there are other considerations.

One should stay away from processed foods. One should stay away from Genetically Modified foods. One should stay away from high fructose corn syrup. One shouldn't eat so much takeout. Given all of this, the food choices are very limited.

What am I supposed to eat?

Well, there are fruits and vegetables and nuts. I've heard chickpeas are a good source of protein. I think I can still eat my pinto beans, but I don't think I should eat white rice. Brown rice is a better choice. The vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, and lemons are wonderful choices to consume as are fruits, like apples, bananas, and pears.

You may be asking, what brought on all this compilation of information?

I have been keeping a good food diary of what I've eaten. It has lead me to consider what I should be eating versus what I am actually eating. Also, my husband and I finally saw Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead, a documentary about Joe Cross, a very sick man, who went on a quest to get healthy by juicing. By the way, my husband finally understands my desire to eat healthier. We've even discussed buying a juicer.

I pray that my journey to making healthier choices for foods drastically improves. I pray that the cravings for junk foods and takeout decreases. I pray that my family joins me at every step. I pray that I have the energy to make positive changes to my health. I pray that I can institute the changes, as well.

How about you, my readers? Are you keeping up with any health goals for the month of April, related to your New Year's resolutions? How do you plan to improve your health at this point? Have you seen Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead? I encourage you all to consider seeing the movie, which can be viewed through Netflix. It's a great opportunity to have some tangible proof of how one man lost weight and got healthier through consuming fruits and vegetables.

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays. For past entries, click here.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions. Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health. I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health. Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate. You know best how your body is doing.

Food Journaling: Update on Health Habits for April 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Rebagv) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 03:36:00 +0000

I plan to eat more of this healthier foods.

I have a confession to make.

I haven't been eating right. Are you surprised? You shouldn't be surprised because I haven't really lost any substantial weight. Sure, I've lost perhaps up to 5 lbs., but I haven't been serious about weight loss. I've been more concerned with changing some of my habits, like drinking no soda and drinking more water, which I am still practicing, by the way.

I am wanting to ratchet up my eating plan.

I am serious about eliminating more foods out of my diet. When I speak of diet, I don't mean that I am going on a special eating plan, like the South Beach Diet. By diet, I mean what I want to put into my body, or rather, what I don't want in my body.

It's time to jump to the next phase.

I knew that if I wanted to change my lifestyle of health, I would have to do it piecemeal. That's how I did it to lose 30 lbs. a few years ago. I had to go radical on what I eliminated. Like Dr. Phil says, "How's that working for you?" If you don't change certain behaviors in favor of others, you won't see any progress in life.

...So what exactly will I be eliminating?

I plan to exclude from my intake potato chips, cookies, cake (except on a birthday), sweets from the bakery, and candies. I will continue to eat my meats and proteins and drink my 1% milk. I have decided to drink 1% as whole milk does not agree with me. Also, I will stay away from most breads, to reduce my chances of a yeast infection. Of course, it won't be easy, but I will try my best.

I had already spoken to my husband about my plan to eliminate certain foods. Do you think that's made a difference? No. He still bought candies yesterday. That means I have to do what I can to stare down all those bad foods in the face and say NO to them.

How will I be held accountable for my actions?

Besides having the consequences of what I eat showing up on my body, I will be journaling for the next few weeks. I will write down what I consume from today until the end of this month. I am not planning on showing you all my food diary. No. I will be holding myself accountable to me.

Food journaling will keep me honest.

It was suggested in the healthy moms group on Facebook (of which I'm a member) that it would be a wonderful idea to jot down what we eat for a few weeks. I loved that idea. I felt that would keep me honest about my efforts. I readily admit that I've been floundering at my health quest. I have an opportunity to see what foods will and/or will not help me lose weight and get healthy.

I sincerely hope that food journaling will yield good results. I want to see if I lose more weight with the elimination of certain junk foods. I want to see what will happen when I eat more fruits and vegetables. I encourage you, my readers, to join me in this journey as I fill out my food diary. You don't have to share your diary with anyone. It would be for your benefit.

How about you, my readers? Are you keeping up with any health goals for the month of April, related to your New Year's resolutions? How do you plan to improve your health at this point? Have any of you ever kept a food diary? I encourage you all to consider it. It's a great opportunity to have some tangible evidence of what foods can be beneficial or harmful to your health and efforts to lose weight.

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays. For past entries, click here.

Spring Gardening: Update on Health Habits for April 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Rebagv) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 01:35:00 +0000

These are plants that were started indoors.

Been wanting to let you all know about our gardening.

Indoors, I started some seeds for various plants including tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and herbs. I love springtime. We get to grow what we eat. Best of all is that we shop right in our backyard. After all, who can afford the gasoline to get to the local farmer's market?

My hubby tore apart old flooring from a storage shed.

My husband salvaged some wood.

My husband's workplace had a storage shed that deteriorated with time. It was to be torn down. My husband and some of his co-workers took whatever they could. For example, some took old wiring. My husband took some of the walls and floor.

We made these garden beds this past weekend.

By now, you must be asking yourselves, how does this all relate to health habits?

Well, the work related to gardening is intensive. It tests one's patience. It takes planting seeds and waiting for them to grow. It takes putting hammers to nails to remove them so that we can have boards to create the bed frames. It takes shoveling soil into the frames for new garden beds.

I had immense movement of my body.

On Saturday, the whole family was involved in using hammers and crow bars to take apart sections of an old storage shed. My husband rented a large trailer and hauled the wood to our house. My three older children and I hammered out the nails. Mind you, this all happened in 90 degree weather. Even the youngest one collected the old nails and stored them in a white bin.

Then, on Sunday, my husband bought nutrient-rich soil from Fertile Garden (here in San Antonio). While my husband nailed some beds together, the children and I shoveled as much as we could of the 1 cubic yard of soil into the new beds. Just like Saturday, it was extremely hot.

We took precautions due to the heat.

My husband brought out some heavy duty fans on Saturday. We made sure to drink lots of water both days. On Sunday, my husband set up our canopy over the empty beds. That way, we would have shade while we shoveled the soil from the trailer onto the beds. We even had ice cream as a treat. In all, we basked in a lot of Vitamin D, while constructing our garden beds.

Now, I have a dilemma.

Should we place the plants in the garden beds or wait? We have been having heavy rains, and I am afraid my smallish plants might get drowned. Also, we might be going on vacation soon and don't want to neglect watering the plants properly.

I do hope you liked this different take on spring gardening relating to my health habits. I could have related the same information about how much weight I've lost (or not) or how much water I have consumed. I thought this blog entry merited a different format from enumeration of accomplished goals. God bless you for reading about our garden. I'll post updates about our garden throughout the year.

How about you, my readers? Are you keeping up with any health goals for the month of April, related to your New Year's resolutions? How do you plan to improve your health at this point? Are any of you gardening? I encourage you all to consider gardening. It's a great opportunity to get some exercise and to grow some organic vegetables.

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays. For past entries, click here.

Listening to My Body: Update on Health Habits for March 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Rebagv) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 04:29:00 +0000

My trusty pedometer is helping me listen to my body.

I'm at the same weight.

I did not do much by way of exercising last week. I thought that I should avoid doing any sudden movements so that my gums would not throb in pain. I wanted to avoid the accompanying pain in different parts of my head. Instead, I took some supplements to aid the healing of my gums, which won't be 100% better without a dentist's help.

I took a proactive approach to my dental problems of last week.

I used tea tree oil directly on the abscesses. I downed some probiotics. I also used some echinacea (antibiotic) in my smoothie. I'm sure that together with prayer, I feel a lot better now.

Here is an update on my health habits:

1. The pain in my mouth has dissipated.

2. I've continued to use my pedometer.

3. I've been drinking lots of water.

4. I haven't drank any soda.

5. Set up an appointment with a dentist.

Goals for the upcoming week:

1. Continue with my supplements to aid the curing of my gums.

2. Try to exercise a few days in the week.

3. Drink lots of water to flush out toxins.

4. Stay away from whole cow's milk and bread.

Been trying to listen to my body.

There are some big myths out in the media that have persisted for years. The nutritionists tell people to eat a balanced diet of dairy, vegetables, fruit, and meat. However, what if you feel sick after eating bread or whole milk? That's what is happening to me. That's why I am going to limit myself from those two things.

Well, thanks for letting me update y'all about listening to my body to aid my health. I ask you all, my beloved readers, to please continue to pray for me, as I wait for my dental appointments to resume.

How about you, my readers? Are you keeping up with any health goals for the month of March, related to your New Year's resolutions? How do you plan to improve your health at this point? I encourage you to assess your current health. It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life.

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays. For past entries, click here.

Dental Problems Are Affecting My Health: Update on Health Habits for March 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Rebagv) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 03:34:00 +0000

I am continuing to wear my pedometer and tennis shoes.

What can I say that hasn't been said already?

I have set up goals for my health. I have made some major accomplishments. I have been drinking water. I have given up soda during the Lenten season.

I'm not losing too much weight.

I have also noticed my skin condition dramatically improve. I now have looser clothing. That's okay for now. My main concern has always been to get healthier. Fortunately, I do feel more knowledgeable about the information of real healthy foods than even a year ago.

Here is an update on my health habits:

1. Tried my best to stay away from breads, but I needed to eat a peanut butter sandwich yesterday (Sunday). I was able to sleep afterwards. Been noticing that milk causes me some bloating, too.

2. Been suffering with tooth abscesses. Haven't been able to eat hard foods. Can't exercise because rapid movements and heavy chewing causes me headaches.

3. Drank some smoothies and V8 vegetable juice.

Goals for the upcoming week:

1. Will try my best to eat what I can. I will opt for several smoothies and more V8.

2. Call a dentist and set up an appointment. Thankfully, we now have dental insurance.

3. Try not to sink into depression after my setback of all this tooth pain and sense of hopelessness.

Here's a special point of honesty.

My dental problems have greatly affected my life for these last few years. It is a source of deep sadness and humility. I am very limited in what I can eat. While others take for granted that they can bite into an apple, I sincerely wish I could do it. Hopefully, a good dentist can help improve my life.

Well, thanks for letting me vent about dental problems affecting my health. I ask you all, my beloved readers, to please pray for me, as I resume my dental appointments.

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays. For past entries, click here.

Spring Is Upon Us: Update on Health Habits for March 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Rebagv) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 05:22:00 +0000

I wear my pedometer at all times to track my activity levels.

Spring is upon us.

I had a long, dreary week with the rains. I started out fine with activity and then, I couldn't keep the momentum. I had to rest. It's as if my body needed it. By the way, my weight stayed the same.

Here is an update on my health habits:

1. I'm still soda free.

2. Have been reading my Bible.

3. My back is better.

4. Decluttered at the beginning of the week.

5. Drank lots of water.

Goals for the upcoming week:

1. Limit sweets.

2. Limit bread.

3. Exercise more.

4. Continue to be soda free.

5. Go to sleep early.

6. Drink more smoothies.

I had a wonderful weekend.

I learned about what causes back pain. I also learned what I could do to alleviate it. One of the causes is sugar. That means that I have to avoid it like the plague to keep my sciatica away.

I look forward to the new week. The birds are already singing. The trees are bearing bright, green leaves. The bluebonnets are gracing San Antonio's grassy lands. That means it's gardening time--which should provide plenty of exercise and wonderful vegetables.

Well, thanks for reading about my spring fever. I hope this blog entry encourages someone to develop your own health goals.

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays. For past entries, click here.

We Have Weight Loss: Update on Health Habits for March 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Rebagv) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:51:00 +0000

My weight loss aids are my pedometer and tennis shoes.

Oh, I experienced a tough week. I was eating lots of beans and veggies. My stomach was churning uncontrollably. I knew that eating the healthier foods would not be easy. Trying to eat better foods like cauliflower and edamame would be a great challenge.

Something wonderful happened--I had weight loss.

All that suffering produced a welcome result. I lost two pounds. The pain of bloating was horrible, but I feel better now. I felt helpless and even bought some medicine, but I didn't need it after all.

Here is an update on my health habits:

1. I've been soda free. Hasn't been easy. My hubby is still buying soda for himself.

2. Caught up with my Bible reading plan a bit. I am about two-thirds caught up. Hope to catch up with the rest eventually.

3. My sciatica is still bothering me. We need a new mattress set, but we need to save up to buy it. Until then, I will have to bear up with stretching.

Goals for the upcoming week:

1. Continue to be soda free. Giving it up for Lent has helped. That's not to say that there aren't temptations. Seeing hubby drinking it makes me want to take a sip. The pain on my left side will remind me to stay away from it.

2. Pray about my cravings. No amount of supplements or talks or advice will help me. I will put my trust in the Lord for this one. I will keep knocking on God's door about this, until the cravings subside.

3. Declutter and deep clean my house. This will provide exercise. I am not able to do any organized or rigorous programs. I think just getting active has helped me this past week so I will keep at it, and my house will get cleaner.

4. Plan to lose 7 pounds within the next few months. That is 5% of my current weight. I haven't focused on numbers lately, but I need a solid goal to approach. This will propel me to rev up my methods to lose weight and get healthier.

I now have momentum in my health quest.

Knowing that I have lost weight is motivating me to keep going. Of course, I am out of the first two months of the year 2012. In those months, I ate lots of cake. From this point onward, I will concentrate on eating more healthy foods.

Well, thanks for reading about my weight loss. I hope this blog entry encourages you, my beloved readers, to develop your own health goals.

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays. For past entries, click here.

From Cravings to Contagious Behavior: Update on Health Habits for February 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Rebagv) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 04:41:00 +0000

We bought new bottles to fill with water for the kids.

My hubby was on a semi-vacation last week.

This past week was a tough one. My hubby was home for part of the week. He took off work so he could fix our Ford Taurus and do some home repairs. I gotta say that whenever he is around, I get lazy so that affected what we ate.

Here is an update on my health habits:

1. Had too much takeout and junk food. We are definitely out of the No Takeout Challenge.

2. Suffered with sciatica and feeling of bloating. Stretching has helped my lower back.

3. Didn't meet my goal of walking 3,000 steps per day, but I still jotted down how much I walked.

4. Never did catch up on my Bible reading plan, but I still read my Bible everyday.

5. Here's one positive thing--I've been soda free for at least a week!

These are my new tennis shoes and pedometer.

I am concerned about my children's water intake.

Trying to get healthy is not just for me. It's for all of us. I want my children to develop positive habits. This means that I have to devise methods for them to change negative behavior. I've noticed that my oldest son drinks (craves) too much apple juice.

I bought each child a jug. They now have a water challenge. They must drink at least 2 cups or 16 ounces of water per day. My youngest ones exceeded the challenge by at least 4 cups.

Goals for the upcoming week:

1. Continue to be soda free.

2. Try to walk 2,500 steps per day. This might be more doable.

3. Continue reading my Bible and try to keep up with the plan starting in March.

4. Continue to do my stretching. This should keep injuries at bay.

5. Continue to make dinners with veggies and smoothies with fruit.

6. I'm hoping to take supplements to stave off cravings for junk food.

7. Try to eat a few spinach salads with balsamic vinegar. I've been craving something sour, but I have to be careful with my salt intake.

Sciatica reared its ugly head last week.

I tried to move around last week, but I felt stuck. I researched and found a great article on sciatica that helped me immensely. I hope it can help someone who suffers with it. I also read on Facebook about the idea of taking Vitamin D3; I have some so I will try that out, as well. Keeping hydrated should help.

I pray that my health habits become contagious behavior for my children.

Now that I have my tennis shoes, I feel more confident. I hope these shoes help steady my feet while I walk. My pedometer came with a nifty booklet. In it, there was a worksheet to fill in how many steps I did for any given day. It also came with tips to walk efficiently, and I hope to institute some of those ideas so my kids can watch and be encouraged to take part.

Well, thanks for reading about our cravings turning to new, contagious behaviors as part of my health goals for 2012. I hope this blog entry encourages you, my beloved readers, to develop your own health goals.

How about you, my readers? Are you keeping up with any health goals for February going into March, related to your New Year's resolutions? How do you plan to improve your health at this point? I encourage you to assess your current health. It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life.

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays. For past entries, click here.

New Pedometer, New Shoes to New Beginnings: Update on Health Habits for February 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Rebagv) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 05:21:00 +0000

My new beginnings include giving up soda and putting on new shoes and a new pedometer.

An inaccurate pedometer was a disappointment.

I think last week was not a productive one towards my health goals. I didn't really exercise. I did drink water everyday really well. I did continue to consume some of the wrong foods. I have been working at not eating too much breads and eating more proteins.

Here is an update:

1. I continued to drink water...but I still drank soda. Hubby has continued to bring soda into the house.

2. I didn't walk much; was disappointed that my pedometer was not accurate.

3. Slept in a lot. Been very tired lately. Went without breakfast a few times.

4. Made dinner more often, but we had some takeout. I think I'm out of the no takeout challenge.

5. I've continued to read the Bible, but I've fallen behind in the reading plan.

Goals for the upcoming week:

1. Give up soda for Lent.

2. Try to walk at least 3,000 steps.

3. Hope to eat breakfast in the mornings.

4. Continue to make nutritious dinners with veggies.

5. Catch up on my reading of the Bible.

With the new Lenten season coming up, I hope to get off this nasty habit of drinking soda. I have soda in the refrigerator right now. I don't want to drink it. I've been experiencing terrible pains again on my left side. I'm tired of feeling this way. It makes me think that I have something seriously wrong with me.

I now own new, better fitting tennis shoes.

I'm hoping that the new tennis shoes I have will be more comfortable. I am very fortunate that my hubby bought me a new pair of shoes. It was a grand impediment to use the old tennis shoes because anytime I walked, my feet slipped back and forth inside those big shoes. I still have to get used to these new ones, but they seem more snug fitting.

I now own an accurate pedometer.

As for the pedometer, we bought two. The first one seemed to have an old battery. The current one was cheaper and has less of the bells and whistles. It also has less of a chance of resetting the steps already walked. I was having trouble with the green one resetting accidentally with simply bumping into it.

Well, thanks for reading about my new pedometer and tennis shoes for a new beginning at my health goals for 2012. I hope this blog entry encourages you, my beloved readers, to develop your own health goals.

How about you, my readers? Are you keeping up with any health goals for February, related to your New Year's resolutions? How do you plan to improve your health this month? I encourage you to assess your current health. It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life.

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays. For past entries, click here.

From Hormones to Hopefulness: Update on Health Habits for February 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Rebagv) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:48:00 +0000

Enjoying my freezer full of veggies and fruit.

Hormones have struck again.

I've been suffering terrible migraines. I'm hoping that they'll be going away soon. Feeling debilitated has caused me to get sidetracked from my health goals. I am looking forward to jumping on the good bandwagon once again this new week.

Here is an update on my progress:

1. Drank at least 64 oz. of water.

2. I put on my shoes for most of the week. Unfortunately, the pedometer I used was not accurate at counting my steps.

3. Cooked everyday. Incorporated more vegetables. Got takeout only once in the weekend.

4. Made a Greek yogurt smoothie with whey protein. Drank it throughout the weekend.

5. Weight is still about the same. Can't tell of any change due to the hormones causing bloating.

6. Most importantly, I've read the Bible everyday.

Plans for the upcoming week:

1. Hope to buy a new pair of tennis and a pedometer.

2. Hope to schedule and plot down my supplement intake.

3. Hope to sleep more.

4. Hope to drink my current berry smoothie in the mornings.

5. Hope to incorporate more veggies to the morning meals and snacks, possibly in a frittata and/or salads.

Well, thanks for reading about my being affected by hormones but feeling hopeful about my health for 2012. I hope this blog entry encourages you, my beloved readers, to develop your own health goals.

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays. For past entries, click here.

From Intentions to Improvements: Update on Health Habits for February 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Rebagv) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:17:00 +0000

My "new" refrigerator's freezer holds more fruits and veggies.

I am sensing a change inside of me.

My skin is clearing up, even shiny on the face. My tummy is getting more flabby so I know I'll have to be toning up soon. I'm feeling a pull on the lower calves. I am also enjoying spending more time in the kitchen, preparing more foods. I have lots more energy, too.

My intentions to get healthier are paying off.

There is definite improvement. I am feeling more hungry, but I am able to get up and get going. I might not see a noticeable change in the mirror, but my insides are changing. I am encouraged!

Here is an update on my progress:

1. I've continued to read the Bible. This is truly setting the tone for this year. I feel more well-rounded and ready to face the world after having dug into God's word.

2. Haven't lost anymore weight, but I haven't gained any, either.

3. I'm still drinking water. I was drinking three bottles of water with lots of ice everyday.

4. Still ate some junk food and drank some soda. It's hard with the hubby still buying it, but yesterday (Sunday), I managed to not drink any.

5. Made a concoction of strawberry whey protein, Greek yogurt, bananas, and ground flaxseed. I stretched it to drink it about 3 times last week.

6. Last Friday, I used the Wii Fit. Spent 27 minutes, 10 minutes of which I briskly walked a mile. Yes, I'm slow to do one mile. I improved a few of my other scores from the past. Not bad; I had not used it for about 300 days.

7. I managed to walk more than 4,000 steps for 6/7 days. Yesterday, I went to the stores with hubby and lost my pedometer...so I'm not sure how much I walked. Fortunately, I have another pedometer.

8. I've been getting up early to eat breakfast. My younger son has often joined us. I've had more energy and gotten more done like dusting books and bookshelves and decluttering magazines and pots and pans.

Plans for the upcoming week:

1. Continue to drink lots of water.

2. Continue to walk at least 4,000 steps per day.

3. Make more drinks in the blender with more berries.

4. Stretch in the mornings. Been feeling better afterwards.

5. Cook more because our family has entered a new challenge for no takeout for 22 out of 25 days of February.

6. Try to use the Wii Fit more. It is fun and helps pass the minutes quickly to exercise.

Well, thanks for reading about my intentions leading to improvements in my health for 2012. I hope this blog entry encourages you all to develop your own health goals.

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays. For past entries, click here.

From the Pedometer to the Progress: Update on Health Habits for January 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Rebagv) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:54:00 +0000

My water and a pedometer motivate me to move.

I went through an interesting week. We struggled financially. Then, my side started to hurt again. I think it was the caffeine that started affecting my kidneys. It slowed me down from seeing any progress on the pedometer.

Fortunately, I did have some good news. Here is an update on my progress:

1. I'm still reading my Bible.

2. I walked 6 out of 7 days. The day I didn't, my left side was hurting me.

3. I stopped taking my supplements. Instead, I am taking a liver tonic because the last time I had the pain, I felt better afterwards.

4. I drank my allotted water 6 out of 7 days. I'm okay because I started two days earlier. Yes, Saturday was the first time I only drank 2 out of at least 4 bottles of water.

5. Still ate junk food and drank soda. I can't believe that my resolve is not strong enough about this. I can't say NO to hubby when he offers to buy me soda.

6. We bought a larger refrigerator. Yes! Now, I can buy grassfed beef and fruits and veggies in bulk.

7. I think I've lost 2 lbs. My blue jeans fit differently. Yes!

Plans for the upcoming week:

1. I hope to cook more meals, instead of getting takeout.

2. I hope to make more smoothies.

3. I hope to eat more fruits and veggies.

4. I hope to walk 4,000 steps per day.

I'm very excited because of the bigger refrigerator. It will allow us to buy more of the good stuff and be able to see it. In the past, we had the fruits and veggies hidden inside a white drawer. Now, the drawers are see through. Also, we were needing a bigger refrigerator because the one we were using was too small to hold enough food for just one week for a family of six. I thank God that we finally found this refrigerator.

Well, thanks for reading about my pedometer helping me progress towards my health habits for January 2012. I hope this blog entry encourages y'all to develop your own health goals.

How about you, my readers? Do you have any new health goals for January, in keeping with New Year's resolutions? How do you plan to improve your health this month or this year? I encourage you to assess your current health. It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life.

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays. For past entries, click here.

From Motivation to Movement: Update on Health Habits for January 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Rebagv) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:50:00 +0000

My water and a pedometer motivate me to move.

It has been a struggle for me to gain new, positive habits. It should be easy to match my brain's thoughts with my body's movements. After all, I can control what I do. No. It's not that easy, without concrete motivations to getting me moving on my health.

I want to give a list of my motivations for wanting to get healthier. First, though, I want to recap what happened last week. I managed to do the following:

1. I read the Bible with the help of http://www.biblestudytools.com/.

2. I put on my shoes and pedometer and walked 6 out of 7 days. On Sunday, I decluttered for a few hours.

3. I noted my progress on my calendar. This has helped to show me all that I have done towards my goal.

4. I have been taking my various supplements.

5. I am still crocheting and have decided to accumulate them to give to a homeless shelter or some such organization.

6. I have been drinking at least 4 bottles of water every day.

7. I still drank some soda and ate junk food. For this coming week, I'll be consuming less of that.

Now, I want to share some specific motivation for wanting to get healthy:

1. I want to feel healthier.

2. I want to optimize my immunity.

3. I want to move around faster.

4. I want more energy.

5. I want my clothes to fit better.

6. I would like to work to help my family financially.

7. I want to play with my kids, without getting tired quickly.

8. I want to enjoy my life with my hubby.

9. I want to live longer to see my potential grandbabies.

10. I want to be a witness to what God can do for me and others.

It's not easy to get fit. My energy is very low. I have terrible cravings. We have bought healthier foods like nuts and fruits. I'm hoping that with exercise and better eating habits, I can get healthier.

Thanks for reading about my motivations to get moving towards my health habits for January 2012. I hope this blog entry encourages y'all to develop your own health goals.

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays. For past entries, click here.

From Documenting to Seeing Results: Update on Health Habits for January 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Rebagv) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:29:00 +0000

A calendar can help document fitness progress.

I've been taking this month to reset a few habits. It's been wonderful to see that drinking water is of great benefit to me (a wonderful result). It is also eye opening to me how much junk I've been eating. It's disappointing to see how much of what is considered as food is actually bad for me. It is said that it takes a few weeks for habits to form, and I am aiming to gain good ones.

My creativity includes these latest scarves.

My water and a pedometer are ready for me in the morning.

Here is my update (documentation):

1. On the spiritual front, I have printed a checklist for Bible-reading. I did this just last week. I felt badly for not having started this on the first of this month. Then, I just let that guilt go. I'm done feeling the stress of disappointing myself.

2. I have put on my shoes and walked most days. I found a working pedometer and am keep it close to me so I can remember to use it. On days when I put my shoes on, I get more done. My sandals slow me down, but when I put my tennis shoes on, I get up and get moving--moving my furniture, that is. Seriously, though, I love the signal my shoes give me to move.

3. I have been documenting my fitness progress on my calendar. At first, I only intended to post how many bottles of water I've been drinking. Now, I have added how many steps I have walked. I am also blogging here, and that is helping me to document my health progress.

4. I have been continuing to take my supplements. I'm taking: garlic; a probiotic; a B vitamin (for energy); Vitamin D-3; and detoxing and inflammation formulas. I'm working on detoxing which will allow me to lose weight. I'm hoping to bring inflammation down to reduce the pain I suffer on a daily basis so I can exercise.

5. For the creative arena, I have crocheted several scarves. I am making different schemes this time. I am enjoying the outcomes. I am not about selling them necessarily. It's more about how crocheting relaxes me.

6. I have been drinking at least 4 bottles of water everyday. On some days, I have consumed more, especially when I have been super thirsty (probably due to mountain cedar allergy). Perhaps when I document my foods, I will figure out if it is due to some diuretic or food. My skin condition is improving somewhat, too. I feel very confident in this area of my fitness.

7. I haven't stopped consuming junk food, including drinking soda. This is still my biggest challenge. It is extremely difficult if family members living in the same household still want to eat the wrong foods. I am reaching the decision that if I want to get healthier, I have to be firm and say NO to the junk food. I know I can do this because I had stayed away from soda for a few months last year.

I'm thinking that I need to address the issue of motivation. I need specific reasons. I need to write them down. I also want to journal about the foods and drinks I am consuming. I want to document how certain foods (like carbohydrates and junk foods) affect me. I am excited to think about this next step. I want concrete answers to my fitness questions.

I also want to encourage those of you, my dear readers, who are working on fitness goals. Please pray about what needs improvement. God is willing to give us wisdom if we seek it. We can boldly ask God for wisdom. I have learned a lot about my health as a result of asking God for the right websites, resources, and people to come into my life.

Well, thanks for reading about documenting to see results to my health habits for January 2012. I hope this blog entry encourages someone to develop their own health goals.

How about you, my readers? Do you have any new health goals for January, in keeping with New Year's resolutions? How do you plan to improve your health this month or this year? I encourage you to assess your current health. It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life.

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays. For past entries, click here.

From Water to Walking: Update on Health Habits for January 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Rebagv) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:09:00 +0000

New Year's resolutions often involve health.

Getting healthy takes time and patience.

After I wrote up my list of healthy habits last week, I began to think of many others I could have listed. Isn't it funny how one can think of all the things they aren't doing? It's hard to start off small when attempting to improve life. We are often impatient and want to do everything at once. I must not overwhelm myself or I will quit like last year, and I don't want that.

Here is the update on my health habits:

1. I have slowed down on my blogging. I have needed a break from it. My wrists have needed a break. Unfortunately, my brain feels guilty about not writing everyday. Rest assured that I have ideas for new blog entries. I just needed to break from doing it everyday due to burnout.

2. I have taken a few supplements. Mostly, I have taken my probiotics. I have also drunk detoxing tea. After the long holiday season, I was left feeling sluggish. I felt I needed to get some toxins out of my body. The tea contains lots of beneficial ingredients for inflammation, too.

3. I have been eating breakfast. This is very important to me. It has set the tone of my day. On days when I've eaten breakfast, I have had better days. It didn't matter whether it was oatmeal and an omelet or potato/egg/corn tortilla tacos. We also switched to a stronger coffee; I'm hoping that it will be strong enough to keep me awake while I wean away from soda.

4. I haven't gone to sleep early. This ties in with caffeine. I just stopped drinking soda this Sunday. Caffeine keeps me awake at night so I have stay away from even chocolate late at night. I have asked that my husband not keep any soda inside the house; if he must have some, it needs to stay in the van.

5. I started crocheting last night. This always helps to clear my mind. It is creative work, too. I have to do this in moderation, though, because my arms, neck, and wrists start to hurt. Still, it is fun to see something forming in my hands. Hoping to make some Christmas-looking scarves and small blankets.

6. I am suffering with terrible headaches. This could be due to several reasons, like: stress over home schooling; wanting to blog, thinking over the new year goals; concerning myself over bills; and getting off of soda. The biggest thing is a seasonal allergy to mountain cedar. I had a migraine last year in January so I am thinking it might be that I suffer with hay fever in a big way. I had blogged about it last year so it's great that I documented it.

7. I am drinking water. I started drinking at least four bottles of water last Wednesday. A few days, I have drank five bottles of water. I can already feel a big difference in my skin condition, and my face doesn't look so haggard. I know it has to be helping my allergies, too, because it is keeping my nose hydrated. I am currently charting my progress by marking the number of bottles on a calendar because I joined a water drinking challenge on Facebook.

8. Haven't chucked the junk food. January is a challenging month for me. I am coming off of the holiday season, but my birthday is this month. I love to celebrate my birthday with cake. My hubby is spoiling me by baking me chocolate cakeS...oh, and don't get me started on potato chips. Stress eating has me over-eating, which is bound to keep me from losing weight.

9. Last, I want to start walking. It doesn't matter that I it's raining outside. I will be donning the tennis shoes and pedometer. I will walk around the dining room table and/or in place in front of the television. I plan to start with 3,000 steps and work up to 10,000 eventually.

Friends, as I've said before, my quest to get healthier isn't just about weighing a certain amount. of pounds That's why I don't like to deal in numbers. I'm not saying that I wouldn't like to lose weight. Who wouldn't? My real aim is to feel and be healthier.

My kids love to join and cheer me on in my health quests.

I see that drinking water is helping me feel a lot better. I've had to take baby steps to improve my health. I want to rev it up to include the walking. I feel this will get me pumped up to move more. I also look forward to having my kids watch me and imitate me.

Well, thanks for reading about my update on my health habits for January 2012. I hope this blog entry encourages someone to develop their own health goals.

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; he will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays. For past entries, click here.

Health Habits for January 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Rebagv) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:17:00 +0000

New Year's resolutions often involve health.

Another new year has come upon us. It's time to dust out the health habits and see what needs tweaking. What do we need to add or remove from our diets? What do we need to start doing this year? What has worked for us in the past? What do we want to try this year?

I often heard Dr. Phil say that in order to do away with one habit, like smoking cigarettes, one needs to replace it with a beneficial habit. That's why I am willing to attack unhealthy habits with positive ones. There are several that have been with me for quite a while. There are others that have fallen by the wayside. I'm hoping to institute these before getting physical.

I have a list of health habits I would like to continue or start up, in no particular order of importance:

1. Keep writing. This has helped me tremendously. I have kept sane. I have collected my thoughts many times to sort through my emotions. This habit is definitely a keeper.

2. Take my supplements. I want to continue taking the probiotics to balance the good bacteria in my body. I want to detox, too, with my Swanson-bought formulas. I also want to take something to suppress my cravings for simple carbohydrates and junk foods.

3. Eat breakfast. I want to continue this. It is said that having breakfast helps you have a better start to the day. I definitely need my protein at this time of day. To have a good complex carbohydrate will keep me fuller.

4. Sleep early. Definitely need to do this one. This is one of the most challenging. I've heard that sleep helps one to lose weight. I must make sure to not drink any caffeine after 6 p.m. or I will have difficulty going to sleep.

5. Pray about my health. Prayer works miracles. Prayer is communication with God. I want a deeper relationship with my Abba Father. I want to get deeper in His word. Asking God for help for my health, I am sure, will yield a wonderful outcome and witness.

6. Drink more water. I love water. I just need to amp this up some more. When I am thirsty, I need to continue to reach out for the water, instead of other liquids. This means saying no to soda.

7. Chuck the junk food. It was hard this past holiday season. It won't be easy during this month. My birthday is coming up. I love cake. I also can't live without my chocolate.

Well, thanks for reading about my new health habits for January 2012. I hope this blog entry encourages someone to develop their own health goals.

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; he will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays. For past entries, click here.

New Year's Resolutions for My Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Rebagv) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 13:54:00 +0000

I've enjoyed blogging.

What is in the future for my blog?

Every time a year is ending, I start pondering certain things. I reflect back on the year that is fast expiring. I think about what I've been through, and what I can learn from it. I also look forward to the future and what it holds. I usually write out my thoughts, and I've been doing this since I was a teenager.

This year, I blogged almost everyday. Yes, I skipped a few days in November and this month of December 2011. Still, I know that I blogged for more than 300 days. I am very proud of what I have accomplished. I am proudest that, with God's blessing, I attempted to create quality-filled entries.

I thank all of my loyal readers. Without you, I wouldn't have kept at it. I know that many of you would have liked to respond to my blog entries, and I tried to provide different ways for that to be possible. Since I have taught myself how to set up my free blog (through templates and online tutorials), my knowledge has been limited as to what I could actually do with responses. Still, I am glad that I was able to do what I did do.

It has been a fun challenge to try to blog everyday, but alas, my energy has petered out. I feel, though, that my objective to create the best entries has been accomplished. For the new year, I will continue to create quality blog entries. I could not write something if I didn't think it was polished enough. I couldn't just write a few lines this year on any given topic; I had to flesh it out. I hope you, my readers, will agree with me, that I did that to the best of my ability.

I cannot say that I will blog everyday in the coming year. I have yet to figure out what my new plan will be. I don't plan to neglect my blog, but I do know that I will step down the amount that I write. I would like to work on the novel I created back in November for NaNoWriMo. I would also like to write a few children's stories for my six year-old.

I also need to spend some time monitoring my children's learning in their home schooling. I have some reorganization to do within my household, too. These will shape future blog entries, which I look forward to creating. In addition, I want to write more about my spiritual walk.

One thing that I don't want to do is to use this blog site for financial gain. If I want to make any money at blogging, I will likely create a new blog. I am still debating that. I also want to visit other blogs more in the new year. I have some of my favorite blogs that I have followed throughout the year, and I hope to highlight them in a future blog entry.

This coming February will be the one year anniversary of this blog.

Again, thanks to you, my loyal readers, for keeping up with me. Please forgive me for not blogging for these past few days. I hope you appreciate the varied blogs that I have provided this year. I look forward to being a blessing to you all in the new year. God bless us all in the new year as we seek out to accomplish new goals.

Thanks so much for reading this entry about my new year's resolutions for my blog.

If you enjoyed this entry, please share it with others.
I would appreciate that very much.

How about you, my readers? Are you a blogger or a writer? If so, what are your resolutions or plans for your writing/blogging for the new year? What would you like to see for the new year as far as blog entries? I would encourage you to evaluate your writing to see what you can tweak for the new year. It's important for our readers to get the best of our writing.

May God bless you all with His wisdom and peace.

This entry is part of the Family Fun Fridays series.

Happy Anniversary to My Hubby

noreply@blogger.com (Rebagv) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 22:38:00 +0000

Lights installed onto grill of van.

My husband went and did it! He actually put lights on the grill of our van. It's so hilarious. I wondered where our giant wreath went. Well, he let me know after the fact. I just shook my head.

I love my hubby. He's a funny guy. He has a wonderful sense of humor as you can see. I feel very blessed to have my hubby in my life. He has brought me lots of jolly moments like this one.

This is the doohickey job for the outer lights of the van.

My hubby loves to create things like trailers and storage sheds. He also loves to create a wonder-filled atmosphere. I guess in that respect we are alike. Where we have differed, I firmly believe it is to complement each other. He is very energetic and out-going, while I am a homebody, who is more comfortable with writing about our latest adventures.

I am very grateful that God has placed my hubby in my life. We have spent 17 years married to each other. There have been challenging times, yes. There have also been lots of fun times. I pray that we get to enjoy a lot more years together.

Happy anniversary to my hubby, Frank Villanueva. My life is richer because you are in it. May God bless you with more patience with me. You are like a saint in my eyes. You've been through a lot with me, and I thank you for bearing with me through all these years.

Enjoy the following pictures of the Christmas lights that my hubby used to decorate our home:

My hubby used more than ten strings of lights.

Hubby even decorated the gates.

Hubby usually makes a runway out of the sidewalk.

Thanks so much for reading this entry about my jolly anniversary with my hubby.

If you enjoyed this entry, please share it with others.
I would appreciate that very much.

How about you, my readers? Are you married? If so, is your anniversary close to or on a holiday? How do you celebrate? I would encourage you to praise your spouse for helping you enjoy life. It's important for our spouse to know how proud we are of them. It's a great way to boost their self-esteem.

May God bless you all with His wisdom and peace.

This entry is part of the Family Fun Fridays series.

A Teachable Moment: Forum Etiquette

noreply@blogger.com (Rebagv) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 19:30:00 +0000

My teenage daughter loves to visit online forums.

Let's face it: We, as parents, would love to shield our children from every hurt and boo boo that they come across. Unfortunately, that is impossible. Yes, we can pray for their safety, and we can equip them to deal with others. What happens when our children want to join forums at websites?

My daughter and I were recently discussing her visits at an online forum. I won't mention the website because she asked me not to. Anyway, she was telling me that there was an individual who jumped into one of her conversations. The person was downright rude to all of them.

We discussed the need for mercy in the face of such rude individuals. Perhaps the person was having a bad day. Maybe the person was mistreated in some manner. My daughter then realized that the individual could be an eight year-old. It was a teachable moment.

The important thing to remember is that we cannot control what others say or do to us. It's up to us to figure out how to treat others, even in the face of adversity. How should we respond to such persons. Should we be rude right back at the person or remain calm? I think the latter is the better course. Why do we need to add fuel to the fire, when we have the power to diffuse the situation?

I was glad that my daughter let me know of the situation. She admitted that she was so mad that her body started shaking. Do I feel badly that she went through that? Yes...but I feel that she needed to go through that to learn from it. She also, in her young years, has realized that what the rude person provided was "unnecessary drama."

Thanks for viewing this entry about using a teachable moment, when discussing etiquette for participating in forums. I hope I've given an idea of what can be used in the home school to teach strategy.

How about you, my readers? For those of you who visit forums, do you read the rules before jumping into conversations? How do you deal with rude participants? I would recommend reading the rules and regulations before joining any conversations. Also, if your children will be visiting forums, discuss with them that there are difficult people in all sorts of chatting formats. That way, they are not stunned when they meet with online bullies.

I pray that God helps us all, whether we are homeschooling or are thinking of home schooling. May God bless us all with His wisdom and peace, as we teach our children.

This has been an entry for Thorough Thursdays. If you liked it, please consider sharing it with your friends and family.

Spreading the Wealth: My Contemplation of Verse 53 of the Tao Te Ching

noreply@blogger.com (Rebagv) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 22:58:00 +0000

Dr. Dyer's book is Change your Thoughts--Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao.

Today, I am focusing on verse 53 of the Tao Te Ching:

If I have even just a little sense,

I should walk in the Great Way,

and my only fear would be straying.

The Great Way is very smooth and straight,

and yet the people prefer devious paths.

that is why the court is corrupt,

the fields lie in waste,

the granaries are empty.

Dressing magnificently,

wearing a sharp sword,

stuffing oneself with food and drink,

amassing wealth to the extent of not knowing

what to do with it,

is being like a robber.

I say this pomp at the expense of others

is like the boasting of thieves after a looting.

This is not the Tao.

The straight and narrow path is one I should follow. What does that mean? What is my responsibility to others? Can I bury my head in the sand when there is need on this earth? Or should I share of my wealth?

This verse challenges me to look past my own wants and needs. How can I eat my own meals in peace, when there are others who are starving? How can I spend oodles of money on expensive clothes, purses, and shoes, when my own children have outgrown their pajamas? How can I ignore the fact that there are homeless people in my own city?

My responsibility is to spread the wealth. How many people are actually thinking in these terms? I believe a lot of people down others who want to spread the wealth. Guess what they are being called? Socialists, radicals...individuals who want to tax the rich.

The Bible asks us to reach out to our fellow man who is less fortunate than us. People like to dress that up as un-American, even though our Founding Fathers shaped our nation's laws on biblical principles. This country has long been known to be a place where you can realize the American dream. Unfortunately, that dream has become a nightmare to countless individuals who have lost homes, cars, and jobs. What are we as citizens of the United States to do for each other?

Are we to hog up all the wealth we amass? Or should we share it with others? Can we really be that greedy? Do we dare allow others to call us un-American when we push the idea of everyone deserving healthcare? Doesn't everyone deserve the dignity to be cared for when in poor health?

During this holiday season, and as we walk into the new year, may we strive to be more Christ-like.

May we emulate Jesus, when He healed the sick. May we strive to feed the starving like He did. May we be merciful when we meet with those who are less fortunate. Let us not turn them away but instead help them. After all, aren't we really celebrating the birth of a loving God (clothed in human form), when we deck the halls with boughs of holly, don our gay apparel, decorate the Christmas tree, and exchange presents?

Thanks for reading this entry about the need to spread the wealth.

I appreciate you taking the time to read it.

My beloved readers, I'd like for you all to answer the above questions and these: Are you willing to spread the wealth? Or are you going to hog up your wealth? Are you willing to help the less fortunate? Or are you going to insist that you don't need to help others? Are you going through the motions of celebrating Christmas, without acknowledging why the holiday exists?

I pray that we all would seek wisdom from the Source of everything--Our Heavenly Father, God. I pray that we would ask God for His help to experience a deep, loving relationship with Him.

May God bless us all with His wisdom and peace, in Jesus' name. Amen!

This has been an entry for Wisdom Wednesdays.

I am currently drawing inspiration from Dr. Wayne W. Dyer's book and the 81 verses of the Chinese wisdom book the Tao Te Ching.

A Family Favorite Movie, Iron Giant

noreply@blogger.com (Rebagv) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:28:00 +0000

Iron Giant is a family favorite movie.

Iron Giant is now available to view through Netflix.

Many years ago, we bought the movie, Iron Giant, (an animation of a story by Ted Hughes) in VHS format. Over the years, we have watched it countless times. Yes, it has been a family favorite. It is a movie that tugs at the heart strings. Our copy is now so old that some of the scenes are distorted.

In fact, we have often discussed Iron Giant. We love that the metal giant sacrifices his life. We have often wondered if a sequel would ever be created. It doesn't seem like it, which is disappointing. My children have researched the movie online and have hit brick walls with regard to finding out if that could ever happen.

We have deduced that perhaps it has not been cost effective to have created a sequel. The movie did not receive enough media attention when it came out. That is our opinion. We have wanted for the Iron Giant to come back to the boy, who befriended the giant.

It could be that according to past standards, the movie may have been violent. Yes, it could be considered as such because it deals with weapons. I believe that ten year-olds would be better equipped to understand the movie's theme which covers the need for caring for all of creation. Younger children would need their parents to explain the concept of what weapons can do to people.

The movie ends with a cliff hanger in that there is a possibility of the giant coming back to the boy. Who knows? That's why we have often discussed what could happen later in the boy's life. Will Hogarth meet the giant when he is a father? That's how wonderful the movie is; it provokes questions and discussion.

Well, thanks for reading this entry about our family favorite movie, Iron Giant.

I appreciate it.

How about you, my readers? Have you ever seen Iron Giant? If so, did your children enjoy watching it? Does your family have any particular favorite movies? I think movie nights are a wonderful way to bond and discuss a movie together.

I pray that God gives us all His wisdom and peace.

This has been an entry for the Technology Tuesdays series. Please visit my Technology Tuesdays webpage for a list of my previous entries.

One New Year's Resolution: Ask God to Renew My Mind

noreply@blogger.com (Rebagv) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:24:00 +0000

My 6 yr.-old's Christmas note.

Yesterday, I had my cryfest. I was feeling very sad. I was reeling from an insult I had received. I felt trapped because I didn't understand why the person felt compelled to compound the insult again and again during a conversation. I was shocked and paralyzed.

I have tried to be a good person, but it hasn't been easy. Being a Christian, whether around Christians and/or non-Christians, has been difficult. Because I am kind, I am considered a doormat; I grew up with certain values, and among them is to respect others. Still, how should I respond to such insults?

It is difficult to stick to my values when I have people questioning them. There are those who love to test my patience. Yes, it's been a challenging year for me. It has been a balancing act to remain a loving person in the face of rudeness.

Should I return evil for evil? No. In the Bible, particularly Proverbs 25:22 says that I should heap coals of shame on those person's heads, and I will receive my reward from the Lord. It's just hard when all I want to do is pounce with my feet on their heads. I'd like to knock some sense into their heads and yell at them, "Look, I don't have to be nice to you, but I'm not gonna stoop to your level of behavior."

The best I can do is to ask God to bring positive people in my life.

Perhaps I've been around people who have been too negative. I'm the type of person who enjoys being a positive influence to those around me. I love to encourage others when they are going through hard times. I love to congratulate people when good things happen to them, too. I have just felt so drained because I also need the same encouragement, which hasn't been coming my way.

In the midst of my sadness, my daughter wrote me a beautiful note (pictured above).

Lately, I have felt the blahs. It's been hard to shake that off. That's why I'm turning to God like I did last night. I prayed to God because I felt like I was at the end of my rope. I thank God that He stepped in when he did.

It was lovely to receive something in my stocking. My youngest child had placed a note in there. It really lifted my spirits that she, my six year-old, would get what I have been about as a mother. It read:

"to mama. By Kaelyn I love you Because you cook For us. ind Because you turn on the lights."

I think she has a wonderful head on her shoulders to notice my efforts to make Christmas a happy time for the family.

I plan to dig more deeply into the Word (Bible) next year.

With all this in mind, one of my New Year's resolutions is to ask God to renew my mind. I want to look at people and circumstances through God's eyes, even if those people have wronged me. In fact, I especially pray that God will help me with those difficult people in my life. I also pray that He will give me resolve to be assertive when dealing with them.

Thanks for reading about my decision to ask God to renew my mind. I hope this blog encourages someone to improve their own mind.

How about you, my readers? Are you thinking of any New Year's resolutions? Do you have any new mental health goals for next year? How have you handled difficulties this year? How do you plan to handle difficult people next year? I encourage you to assess your attitude towards others. It's a great opportunity to adjust your attitude to improve your lives.

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays. For past entries, click here.

Our Limited Wisdom

noreply@blogger.com (Rebagv) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 23:29:00 +0000

The Bible says that our wisdom is limited.

16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. 18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written , He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. 21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; 22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present , or things to come; all are yours; 23 And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's. --1 Corinthians 3: 16-23 KJV 16 Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 17 God will bring ruin upon anyone who ruins this temple. For God's temple is holy, and you Christians are that temple. 18 Stop fooling yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world's standards, you will have to become a fool so you can become wise by God's standards. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, "God catches those who think they are wise in their own cleverness." 20 And again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are worthless." 21 So don't take pride in following a particular leader. Everything belongs to you: 22 Paul and Apollos and Peter; the whole world and life and death; the present and the future. Everything belongs to you, 23 and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. --1 Corinthians 3:16-23 New Living Translation What should my conduct be in this life? What do I bring to this world? How do I process what has happened to me throughout my life? How should I react to others around me? How do we deal with those who propose that they are wiser than us? Do we respect them and their differences? Or do we claim that we are right? Do we give grace to others who might not know all the details about a topic of conversation? Condemnation, through judgment, is detrimental to a Christian's mental health. A judgmental attitude against me from fellow Christians has perplexed me. To understand this situation, I consulted my Bible. I have long looked at the above verses in one light, but I have learned something new. I used to look at these verses as referring to my body being a temple of God, in terms of the physical health of my body. This second look is helping me to understand that it could also refer to the mental health aspect, too. My mama said that if I knew everything I had to know, I wouldn't need to learn anything new (in college). I have said it before--I am not perfect. I have never claimed to be the smartest, even within my own family. In fact, even during my university days, I was regarded as a know-it-all by several individuals. In many ways, I have merely challenged myself in many areas of my life. I am always on the lookout to improve myself; that's why I read my Bible. I humbly say that I, in no way, see myself as the wisest person on this planet. According to the Bible, King Solomon was the wisest man, and even he claimed that to know everything was not enough. In verse 18 above the apostle Paul says that if anyone of us humans claims to be the wisest, he/she should realize that it is foolishness. The thing about being human is that we don't see all of the different viewpoints in a given situation. Only God can claim that. I liken this situation to a person being inside a box. This person can only see whatever is inside the box. Now, imagine a giant looking from outside of that box. The giant can see so much more. I truly believe that we should try to be like the giant, who can see all the angles of any given situation (or inside the box). We, who are Christians, belong to Christ, even though we have limited wisdom. The next time I am judged for something I say or do, I will try to remember that my persecuters are basing their opinions about me with their limited wisdom. I should give them the same grace that I want from God. I will aim to, in other words, "cut them some slack." After all, we are, as Christians, constantly striving to become more Christ-like.

I think God's word below sums up my situation (my limited wisdom is my weakness): Each time he [God] said, "My [grace] gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness." So now I [Paul] am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me. --2 Corinthians 12:9 New Living Translation

Thanks for reading this blog entry about our limited wisdom. I appreciate you taking the time to read it.

How about you, my beloved readers? As Christians, do you understand the idea of our limited wisdom? Are you willing to give grace to someone who isn't as smart as you? Or are you willing to be uncharitable by withholding grace? Remember this: If you want God, the Father, to forgive you of yours sins (or shortcomings), you should also forgive your fellow human beings, too. I encourage you all to read different versions of 1 Corinthians 3:16-23 to understand what the Bible says about our limited wisdom affecting another person's mental health, which is part of a Christian's body (temple of God). May the only true God of all gods bless us, my dear friends, with His wisdom and peace. In Jesus' name. Amen!

This has been an entry for the Spiritual Sundays series.

To compile this mini- bible study, I visited: http://www.biblestudytools.com/

How to Make a Gingerbread House

noreply@blogger.com (Rebagv) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 02:08:00 +0000

Gingerbread House Kit--ingredients visible

Years ago, we had bought a gingerbread house kit. The kids enjoyed it so much. I wanted to give my kids an opportunity to put one together again. I even asked my eldest to join in the fun. He gladly joined in.

Backside of gingerbread house--the instructions

Decorations for gingerbread house

There were gumdrops and peppermint candies in the kit. I added other ingredients like the colorful M&M's, chocolate chips, and candy canes as an option. I wanted the kids to pick and choose whatever they wanted to use. I put each ingredient in different cupcake holders so the kids could slide the ingredients around on the table. That took away a lot of the fussing.

Assembly of gingerbread house

My husband poured the glue, while my oldest put the walls and roof together. The glue was some super gooey cream.

Hubby adding glue to gingerbread house

Kids decorating gingerbread house

It was finally time to decorate the gingerbread house. A lot of the glue had been set on the roof, windows and doors.

Finished product--one awesome gingerbread house

There was no right or wrong way to decorate the house. I didn't criticize the kids for where they put each candy piece. I gave a few suggestions, but they did a wonderful job. They even made a path from the house. I love what they came up with. More important, I love that all four kids worked on it together because they need to know how to work within a group setting.

Well, thanks for reading this entry about how to make a gingerbread house.

I hope you liked it.

How about you, my readers? Has your family ever made a gingerbread house? If so, did you make it from scratch or did you buy a kit? What would you add or subtract from this gingerbread house? I would encourage buying a kit and letting the kids work on it. It's a wonderful project for the kids to use their creativity.

This has been a Saturday Spreads entry. I hope you liked it.