This week's topic is…

Dinner

Some people call the 3rd meal of the day dinner.  Others call it supper.  Either way, most everyone eats it.  And when you are trying to lose weight, it can be a tricky meal to prepare a good meal that is healthy and filling.  So this week we are talking about dinner entrees.  Next week we'll talk side dishes.  What are some of your favorite dinner entrees?  What are your go to meals when you are short on time?  Have you tried any new recipes lately?  You know how I love recipes.  So I hope you will share with us!

One thing I have learned since I started this weight loss journey is that I have to have a plan. 

I have to know what we are going to have for dinner.  Before I started, I would just sort of have a plan.  I would go to the grocery store and buy the things I thought we needed, the things I thought could make a good dinner.  Then I would end up not having all the right ingredients for a meal.  Or I would be bored of having the same things all the time.  So we would end up going out to dinner. 

Now I try to always have a meal plan in place.  This makes it so much easier to plan my meals which in turn makes it easier to plan my grocery shopping.  I even put new recipes into the meal plan.  Sometimes I need to make last minute trips to the grocery store.  But not nearly as much.  Instead I'm going to the grocery store to get more fruit, which is definitely a good problem to have

So what are we having for dinner?

Below are a couple of recipes that I have blogged about in the past.  These are some real family favorites. 

Spicy Sweet Chicken Thighs

Hamburger Pie

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Filler

I make a Chicken Pot Pie that my family loves.  I found the recipe in a Hungry Girl cookbook.  It's easy & quick…definitely a meal for a night when I don't have a lot of time to cook.  I'll make sure to share the recipe soon.  

Hungry Girl is where I found this great recipe for Bacon Barbeque Meatloaf.  I have to admit it was a little crumbly.  But the second time I made it I added a half cup of reduced fat cheddar cheese.  Wow!  Let's just say it was a definite keeper.

I also find recipes through Spark Recipes, especially when I want something in particular, but I want a healthier version of it.  Since I have a monthly pass for Weight Watchers, I have access to their recipes, which is a great source of information. 

Another great resource is eMeals.  eMeals really helped me get started menu planning.  Now that I am better at planning, I keep getting their plans because they have great easy recipes.  One of my latest finds from them is Apple Pecan Pork Chops.  Super yummy!  And yes, I will definitely share the recipe…soon.

I am really making an effort with dinner these days.  I have mentioned in the past that I am a fish out of water in the kitchen.  Well that is slowly changing.  I have found that I love trying new recipes.  And I really want to be a better cook.  So I am working hard towards that goal.  It just proves that you really can teach an old dog new tricks

Speaking of old dogs and new tricks…

I have upped my exercise routine lately.  I have increased my Pilates time to 50 minutes.  Plus I have added a 30 min walk/run to my workout.  Actually it's more walking than running,  I am looking forward to being able to say I walk more than I run.  Soon, right?!?!

And as for the scale…

I lost another pound today, bringing my total weight loss to 35.2 lbs.  Yay!!!

How are you doing with your weight loss goals my friend?  What are some of your favorite dinner entrees?  Why don't you join us for Weight Loss Wednesday and share?  Remember…we're all in this together!

It's easy.  Write a blog post about this week's topic and link back to this post.  Then register with Mr. Linky below.  Please know, though, that I reserve the right to delete any link that does not conform to the spirit of Weight Loss Wednesday.  You can also join us on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #wlwed. 

Also please remember to visit some of the other participants as well.  It's very encouraging to know you are not alone in this journey.

For the next few weeks, our topics are going to cover a series.  We are going to go through each meal, including snacks, and talk about some of our favorites.  Sometimes the biggest challenge to eating well is knowing what to eat.  I love to know what others are doing.  It always gives me great ideas.

Next week is all about side dishes.

This week was going to be about entrees and side dishes.  But I found I didn't have enough room to discuss them both.  So let's do side dishes next week.  What do you like to have with your favorite entrees?  Do you have some great recipes for vegetables?  I have to confess I'm not a big fan of anything green.  So I'll be interested to see what you have to share.  I hope you'll join me!

In the meantime, remember….

Quitting is not an option!

I really don't know what to write this morning.  I want to join e-Mom for Marriage Monday.  Today she is discussing a great topic:  submission.  And I really do have thoughts on that topic….lots of thoughts actually.  I do have a great post on submission in the archives that I hope you'll take a minute to read.  But they're not coming together.  Instead I think I need to be honest and share what is on my heart.

Lately my heart is heavy with decisions that need to be made, situations that need to be handled, and work that needs to be done.  I have found myself wondering what to to about some pretty important things.  I prayed and felt peace about some decisions.  But still my heart feels unsettled.  So this morning, I am taking time to be still before God.

As I have prayed, the following verse keeps coming to mind…

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.  James 1:5

I love this verse.  I love how it says that God gives generously to all without finding fault because there are many days when I am full of fault.  There are days when I am angry, judgemental, uncertain, and full of doubt.

But God looks past that to see my heart.

He sees a heart that wants to do the right thing, but doesn't know what the right thing is.  He sees a heart that is searching for the right answers despite how it feels.  He sees me…little ol' me.  And my heart is humbled.

So today I will continue to ask for wisdom knowing that my Heavenly Father will provide.  I will trust that the answers will come…even if they aren't coming as quick as I would like.  And I will be still, knowing that the God of the universe has it all under control.

What about you my friend?  Are you struggling with decisions?  Is it time to be still before God?

This week's topic is…

Lunch

What do you like to eat for lunch?  Do you have any favorite lunch recipes?  Actually lunch is the meal I struggle with the most for some reason.  So I hope you'll come share with us because I need ideas!

Like I said, lunch is the one meal I struggle with the most. 

I am really trying to stay away from bread.  So sandwiches are out of the question.  Plus they aren't very filling.  So I looking for more options for lunch.  I will make grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch.  Being a lifelong comfort food, I can't get enough of them.  And I recently discovered that they are even better with a few slices of turkey pepperoni on them.  Super yummy!

Occasionally I eat salads.  I boil a whole chicken and cut up the meat for all kinds of uses, including salads.  A salad topped with chicken, a boiled egg, and cheese is quite yummy and filling.

Through the wonderful world of Pinterest, I did find this yummy lunch idea, Mini Deep Dish PIzzas.  My son and I have had them twice and decided that the recipe was definitely a keeper!

Someone suggested quinoa for lunch.  But I haven't been able to find a good brand in my local grocery store.  Next time I go into Atlanta, I need to stop at a better grocery store.

I love fruit with my lunch.  Lately I have been buying the precut fruit salad that's in the produce section at the grocery store.  Yes, it might be cheaper to buy it whole & cut it up myself.  But not really, by the time I buy the variety of fruit that comes in the bowl.  Plus they usually always have watermelon, which my son loves.  That kid can eat a whole watermelon by himself.

When we go out for lunch, I try to stick to a salad.  At Chick fil A, I'll get a side salad and a grilled chicken sandwich.  I throw away the bun & eat the chicken with the salad.  If my family wants a burger, I will usually eat the small size cheeseburger…again w/a salad.

Can I confess that I am not a lettuce lover?

Actually as a child, I hated lettuce.  But in the last few years, I have forced myself to eat it knowing that salads are good for me.  I do not eat iceberg lettuce, though.  I usually only butter or boston or bibb lettuce.  But I still don't love them.

So I would love to hear from you!  What are your favorite healthy lunches?  Please help a snowflake out!

BTW, my weigh in tonight showed that I had lost 2 lbs.  That is a total of 34.2 lbs lost!  WOO HOO!!!! 

In case you were wondering, I still have 25.8 lbs to lose.  A couple of weeks ago, my WW leader announced that she was having a baby in August.  I would really like to hit goal before she goes out on maternity leave.  In case the baby comes early, I would actually like to make it by June 30th.  This means I need to lose approximately 1.5 lbs a week, which is totally doable.  So that is the plan.  I can't wait to see myself in July!

How are you doing with your weight loss goals my friend?  What is your lunch routine?  Why don't you join us for Weight Loss Wednesday and share?  Remember…we're all in this together!

It's easy.  Write a blog post about this week's topic and link back to this post.  Then register with Mr. Linky below.  Please know, though, that I reserve the right to delete any link that does not conform to the spirit of Weight Loss Wednesday.  You can also join us on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #wlwed. 

Also please remember to visit some of the other participants as well.  It's very encouraging to know you are not alone in this journey.

For the next few weeks, our topics are going to cover a series.  We are going to go through each meal, including snacks, and talk about some of our favorites.  Sometimes the biggest challenge to eating well is knowing what to eat.  I love to know what others are doing.  It always gives me great ideas.

Next week is all about dinner.

Some people call the 3rd meal of the day dinner.  Others call it supper.  Either way, most everyone eats it.  And when you are trying to lose weight, it can be a tricky meal to prepare a good meal that is healthy and filling.  So what are some of your favorite dinner meals?  What are your go to meals when you are short on time?  Have you tried any new recipes lately?  You know how I love recipes.  So I hope you will share with us!

In the meantime, remember….

Quitting is not an option!

photo by ColShelly

A friend of mine shared the following scripture on Facebook this morning…

He has taken me to the banquet hall, and his banner over me is love.  Song of Solomon 2:4

Isn't that beautiful?!?!

His banner over me is love.

Miriam-Webster says that the definition of banner is a piece of cloth attached by one edge to a staff and used by a leader (as a monarch or feudal lord) as his standard.  This means that God's love is our standard.

So what is a standard?  The website defines a standard as a conspicuous object (as a banner) formerly carried at the top of a pole and used to mark a rallying point especially in battle or to serve as an emblem.

Did you see that?  A standard is a conspicuous object, meaning it can't be missed.  Not only can is it conspicuous, but it is our emblem.  And an emblem is a device, symbol, or figure adopted and used as an identifying mark.

So basically God's love is our identifying mark. 

Everywhere we go, we are marked by God's love.

At the grocery store, we are marked by God's love.

At the dentist's office, we are marked by God's love.

During a difficult day at work, we are marked by God's love.

While paying our bills, we are marked by God's love.

While scrubbing the toilets, we are marked by God's love.

Paul said it this way…

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  Ephesians 3:16-19 (emphasis mine)

In other words, Paul wanted us to really grasp how much we are loved by God.

But why?  Why is it so important for us to grasp this love?

So that we will be filled to the measure of the fullness of God.  When we are filled to the measure of the fullness of God, we walk in the fulness of God.  This means we walk with His purpose, His heart, His compassion, His confidence.

I am convinced that if we could truly grasp how much God loves us, then we could move mountains. 

There would be no more second guessing ourselves. 

There would be no more…I can't do this because I'm not that.

Or I can't reach out to her because I don't know something.

Or I can't be the mother and wife I need to be because I keep messing up.

Instead it would be…

I can step out in faith because I am loved by the Creator of the universe who wants to help me succeed.

I can share with my neighbor because I have God's love in abundance to give.

I can be the wife and mother I am called to be because God's love is shown in grace everytime I mess up.

And I can walk in confidence, because God's love is my identifying mark.

So this week as we focus on loving those around us, let's remember that we love because He first loved us…because His banner over us is love.

Dear Lord, we thank You for this day that we can celebrate your love.  May we walk in the fullness of your love.  And may we give it freely to those around us.  Thank You for loving us first.  Thank You for loving us enough to send your One and Only Son to die in our place.  And thank You for always being there…no matter what.  In Jesus' precious name we pray, Amen.

So what are your Valentine's plans my friends?  Going out to dinner with hubby?  Making a special meal for the family?  How do you plan to celebrate your love this week?

This week's topic is…

Breakfast

Have your breakfast habits changed since starting on this weight loss journey?  What are some of your favorite breakfast meals?  What do you do when you're in a hurry?  I hope you'll come share with us.  Afterall breakfast is the most important meal of the day!

I am not sure if I have confessed this here or not before. 

But the reality is that I am not a morning person!  

I always wake up hungry.  Therefore I have never been one to skip breakfast.  Plus, I have learned it doesn't do me any good to skip breakfast…even if for some reason I don't feel hungry in morning.  I just end up feeling extra hungry later in the day.  So I always try to eat something in the morning.

Since I am not a morning person, I don't like to spend a lot of time making something to eat.  So my breakfasts are usually pretty quick and easy.  I love oatmeal.  And since I like quick, I generally do the instant kind.  Although I am interested in trying this Peanut Butter Breakfast Pudding.  It sounds delish!

Cream of Wheat is an all time favorite comfort food of mine.  I mean like a lifelong favorite.  It has been my go to comfort food since I was young.  I used to make it with milk to make it extra creamy.  But since I've been on this weight loss journey, I've made it with water.  While I do miss the difference the milk made, I don't miss it enough to want those calories.  I do love my Cream of Wheat with a little bit of Brummel & Brown Margarine and sugar. Yummy!  I think I want a bowl now!

Ooh…I almost forgot another favorite.  I love buttered toast w/sliced banana.  Yes, I make the toast, butter it, and then I put banana slices on it.  Don't ask me where I came up with this combination.  I started doing it as a teen.  And I have loved it ever since. 

Ooh…I'm getting hungry.

Since I am too lazy to make waffles, I will buy frozen waffles and pancakes for breakfast.  Yes, I know I could make them & freeze them.  But I have never perfected that.  So for now you will have to forgive me for my frozen breakfasts.  But I am telling you this to tell you about my new favorite substitute for syrup….strawberry syrup.

Strawberry syrup is extremely easy to make!  Just chop up a handful of strawberries and cook them in a pan along with a tablespoon (or less) of sugar.  Give the strawberries plenty of time to soften up and congeal with the syrup.  Then put them on your dish of choice along with a little fat free whipped cream and you've got quite a treat!

Oh my!  I do think I need to stop there before I decide I need breakfast!

BTW, the scale was kind of nice to me today.  I lost 1.2 lbs.  Yes, this is a loss.  But after last week's unexpected & frustrating gain, I was disappointed that it wasn't more.  But I'll keep at it.  As Scarlett says, tomorrow is another day!

How are you doing with your weight loss goals my friend?  What is your breakfast routine?  Why don't you join us for Weight Loss Wednesday and share?  Remember…we're all in this together!

It's easy.  Write a blog post about this week's topic and link back to this post.  Then register with Mr. Linky below.  Please know, though, that I reserve the right to delete any link that does not conform to the spirit of Weight Loss Wednesday.  You can also join us on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #wlwed. 

Also please remember to visit some of the other participants as well.  It's very encouraging to know you are not alone in this journey.

For the next few weeks, our topics are going to cover a series.  We are going to go through each meal, including snacks, and talk about some of our favorites.  Sometimes the biggest challenge to eating well is knowing what to eat.  I love to know what others are doing.  It always gives me great ideas.

Next week is all about lunch.  What do you like to eat for lunch?  Do you have any favorite lunch recipes?  Actually lunch is the meal I struggle with the most for some reason.  So I hope you'll come share with us because I need ideas!

In the meantime, remember….

Quitting is not an option!

This month's Marriage Monday, hosted by the beautiful and talented e-Mom, is all about overcoming apathy and boredom in a marriage. 

When we were first married almost 18 years ago, I didn't think apathy and boredom were possible in our marriage.  We were so much in love.  We're going to be different.  For a long time that was true.

Then somewhere around that magical 7 year mark, things begin to change.  But we worked through those changes.  I learned some things about being a submissive wife.  We worked through some issues.  Things were better.

Then along came the 16 year mark.  Problems began to surface again.  Through the years before that, we had been under some very severe stress.  During that time I had learned some terrible coping techniques.  I was quiet and distant to my husband. 

When my husband finally asked me what was wrong, it took me a while to really open up and be honest about my feelings.  Some of it he didn't want to hear.  Some of it I didn't want to hear.  But we were able to talk it out.  Since then our marriage has been much better.

One of the things I've learned is that being married for a long time is hard.  Over time, habits develop that can be detrimental to a good marriage.  Then it becomes difficult to break those habits.  Feelings are hurt.  And if left untouched, those feelings can lead to bitterness.  Bitterness can destroy any relationship.

It's at those times that we have to make a choice.  We have to decide where is our focus.  Is our focus on all the things that have gone wrong in our marriage?  Or is our focus on the good in our marriage?

We also need to look honestly at the man that we married.  Why did we marry him?  What attracted us to him?  And then what is good about him now?  Those are things we have to remember during the times of apathy.

We also must be willing to communicate openly and honestly about our feelings..  Contrary to popular belief, husbands are not mind readers.  We have to tell him when we are feeling neglected or left out or unimportant.

Finally we must be willing to take time out of our busy schedules for our husbands.  Yes, we are busy.  Running a household, taking care of children, working in and out of the house – all of this takes time and energy.   But we must not forget that our husband deserves some of our time and energy too. 

Besides, I have learned (the hard way) that when I make time for my husband, I feel better about life.  He listens to my stressed out complaints.  Sometimes he is able to help out with those complaints in ways I could not have imagined.  Othertimes he helps me see the situation in a new light.  Either way it helps to spend time with him.  It reminds of those days when we were first in love and it was just us against the world.

I love my husband dearly.  Marrying him was one of the absolute best decisions I ever made.  But we are both human.  We both mess up.  We both hurt each other's feelings at times.  The point is to keep believing even when you don't feel the magic and to pick each other up and keep going.  Remember you're in this for life…and that is a great thing!

This week's topic is…

Recipe Swap

Do you have a favorite low-fat/low-cal/healthy recipe that your family loves?  I hope you'll join us next week and share.  I'm always on the hunt for new recipes!

I haven't mentioned it lately.  But since we're talking recipes this week, now is the perfect time.

On the right side of my screen, you'll notice a button for my affiliate advertiser E-Mealz, a great meal planning tool.  They take the guess work out of what's for dinner with an easy meal plan that includes an ingredients list and a directions list all on one easy to read page.  Plus their meal plan comes with a shopping list for the store of your choice. 

They even try to match up the sales with the plan.  For those of us trying to lose weight, they have low fat, low carb, gluten free, and WW(called portion control).

Now in all honesty, I don't use these menu plans exclusively any more.  They are more of a jumping off point for me.  We are rather picky and don't always like all the dinner choices.  So that's when we make family favorites.  But I love that every week I get a great choice of new recipes that includes the WW points.  It takes the guess work out of tracking my meals.  Yay!!!

So I've said all of that to tell you about this week's recipe, which came straight from an E-mealz meal plan.  It was an instant family hit!

Apple-Pecan Pork Chops

1 1/2 lbs boneless pork loin chops, trim all fat

1 T light margarine

3 T brown sugar

2 c diced apples

1/4 c chopped pecans

Salt & pepper to taste

Season chops w/salt & pepper.  Melt margarine in a large skillet and add the apples, cooking for 2 minutes.  Push the apples to the side and add th epork chops.  Cook the pork chops for 4 minutes.  Then turn the pork chops over and cover with the apples.  Add the pecans and brown sugar.  Cover and cook for 4-8 minutes or until the pork chops are done.  Makes 6 servings.

I don't know the whole nutritional value of this meal.  But for you fellow WWers out there, I do know it is 6 PP per serving.  Add a salad with another vegetable and you've got a great meal!

BTW, I am Southern to the core.  I say pecan w/a long e…not pecan w/a short e.  I know people prefer the 2nd pronunciation.  I remember a long discussion when I was a child between adults about the proper pronunciation being w/the long e.  I don't really think that's proper.  But I say it that way in their honor…and to keep the tradition alive.

Before I leave, let me tell you the scale was not nice to me this week!  I gained .6 lbs.  I'm not entirely sure how this happened.  I was diligent about my diet and exercise, including getting up early to work out before long days away from home.  

I will not let that gain deter me!  Instead I will keep working at it.  And I know next week will be better!

How are you doing with your weight loss goals my friend?  Do you have a healthy favorite recip?  Why don't you join us for Weight Loss Wednesday and share?  Remember…we're all in this together!

It's easy.  Write a blog post about this week's topic and link back to this post.  Then register with Mr. Linky below.  Please know, though, that I reserve the right to delete any link that does not conform to the spirit of Weight Loss Wednesday.  You can also join us on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #wlwed. 

Also please remember to visit some of the other participants as well.  It's very encouraging to know you are not alone in this journey.

For the next few weeks, our topics are going to cover a series.  We are going to go through each meal, including snacks, and talk about some of our favorites.  Sometimes the biggest challenge to eating well is knowing what to eat.  I love to know what others are doing.  It always gives me great ideas.

Appropriately enough, we are going to start with breakfast.  Have your breakfast habits changed since starting on this weight loss journey?  What are some of your favorite breakfast meals?  What do you do when you're in a hurry?  I hope you'll come share with us.  Afterall breakfast is the most important meal of the day!

In the meantime, remember….

Quitting is not an option!

I am very excited to tell you about a new project!!! 

For years I have been a member of East Metro Atlanta Christian Writers (EMACW).  This is a great group of writers who made me feel at home and assured me that I was a writer even though I didn't believe them.  Many of them have become close friends that I treasure deeply.  And now I am excited to give back to them!

They have graciously asked me to head up one of their newest projects:  East Metro Atlanta Christian Bloggers (EMACB).  This will be a group for Christian Bloggers in the Atlanta area to come together for education, fellowship, encouragement, and support.  Although our group is a Christian group, Bloggers don't have to write completely Christian subject matter to be a member. 

We are having our first meeting on Saturday, February 11th from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.  We will be discussing what it means to build a community online and how we can use that to further our message.  The meeting will be held at Georgia Piedmont Technical College – a state-of-the art facility conveniently located 25 miles east of Atlanta off Interstate 20 at Exit 92 in Covington, Georgia. The 2500 square foot Conference Center is located on the first floor. We’ll be waiting to greet you when you arrive.

So if you are a Christian Blogger in the Atlanta area, I hope you will consider joining us.  It will be a great time to connect with other bloggers.  My hope is that you will leave refreshed and invigorated for the task God has given you.

If you need more information or directions, please either leave a comment or email me, aliciathesnowflake@gmail.com.

This week's topic is…

Support

It's hard to be successful at anything without support. Who is your support system in this weight loss journey? Are you doing it with a friend? Or what about your husband?

I love this week's topic.  Really I do.  And I hope that you'll write about it.  But I have something on my heart that I really want to share.  So I am going to do that instead.  If I can work in the topic too, then that's great.  So we'll see.

Last year I won a copy of Made to Crave(affiliate link) by Lysa Terkeurst from my sweet friend, Ginger @ Here's My Cup Lord.  Earlier this month as I was trying to get past my plateau, I decided to finally pull it off the shelf and actually read it.  It is well worth the read and has won a part in my morning devotion time.

All of it is good, but I read something in particular that want to share with you…

"I am a Jesus girl who can step on the scale and see the numbers as an indication of how much I weigh and not as an indication of my worth." (page 75)

Did you read that my friend…really read it?

Go back and read it again.  Or better yet, I'll write it for you again…

"I am a Jesus girl who can step on the scale and see the numbers as an indication of how much I weigh and not as an indication of my worth." (page 75)

This was a lesson I had to learn way back in the beginning of my weight loss journey. 

My value is not determined by a number on the scale. 

And neither is yours my friend.

Our value is determined by our relationship with God. 

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.  Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.  Romans 8:16-17

You are a child of God…not the fat girl.

You are a child of God…and not a number on a scale.

You are a child of God…and you have value.

I know some of you are in just starting in your weight loss journey or you are restarting after a fall of the wagon.  I know it's hard to look in the mirror and see yourself and be happy with what you see.  But God is.  And He wants you to know that.

You are good because everything God made is good (1 Timothy 4:4). The writer of Ecclesiastes even says that God made everything beautiful in its time. My friend, that includes you.  You are beautiful just the way you are.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  Psalm 139:14

Do you know that my friend?  Do you know that you are fearfully and wonderfully made?

Yes, you may need to lose weight.  Yes, you need to get healthy.  But that doesn't change who you are…a beautiful daughter of the most High King.  May that truth ring in your heart more than any number on the scale.

Speaking of the scale….

drumroll please…

I lost 1.8 lbs this week.  Putting my total weight loss at 31.4 lbs!  Yay!!!!  I finally made it over that 30 lb hump!  I am going to celebrate by buying a new pair of jeans…that is one size smaller.  That will put me down two sizes into a size that I haven't worn in 10 years.  Yay!!!!

So I want to say thank you…to you my dear readers and friends.  You are my support system.  Knowing I had to come back to you and be honest kept me giong through the last year during times when I wanted to quit.  So thank you!  May each of you know just how much you mean to me!

How are you doing with your weight loss goals my friend?  Who is your support system?  Why don't you join us for Weight Loss Wednesday and share?  Remember…we're all in this together!

It's easy.  Write a blog post about this week's topic and link back to this post.  Then register with Mr. Linky below.  Please know, though, that I reserve the right to delete any link that does not conform to the spirit of Weight Loss Wednesday.  You can also join us on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #wlwed. 

Also please remember to visit some of the other participants as well.  It's very encouraging to know you are not alone in this journey.

Next week's topic…

Recipe Swap

Do you have a favorite low-fat/low-cal/healthy recipe that your family loves?  I hope you'll join us next week and share.  I'm always on the hunt for new recipes!

In the meantime, remember….

Quitting is not an option!

It is very dreary outside my window this morning.  I've lost track of how many days it's rained.  I'm ready for some sunshine.

Apparently I'm not the only one.  A friend posted on Facebook this morning that she wasn't coping well without the sunshine.  But I loved her mother's response that despite the dreary gloom, she could see daffodils blooming in her yard.

It reminded me of a scripture I read this morning…

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.  Psalm 42:11

Life isn't always easy.  And unfortunately there are times when the problems don't seem to stop.  The bills are overwhelming.  Problems crowd on everyside.  It seems like it has rained for days without a break of sunshine. 

These times can leave us hopeless.

Where are you God?

Don't you care about what happens to me?

Why is everything in my life going wrong?

It's easy to let those times rule our emotions.  But the truth is we all have a choice.  We can't control the circumstances, but we can control our attitudes. 

We can choose to focus on the rain. 

Or we can choose to focus on the daffodils.

I love the response of the Psalmist…that even though his soul is downcast and disturbed, he is going to put his trust in God.  He is even going to take it a step further.  Not only is he going to put his trust in God, he is also going to praise Him.

We can make the same choice.

Yes, it has rained for days here.  But I am thankful that my family was able to stay inside and rest this weekend.  Yes, problems can be overwhelming.  But I know God's goodness and I have seen Him provide for us time and time again.

God's goodness is all around. 

We just have to take the time to see the daffodils.

Dear Lord, I thank You for this day…despite the rain.  I thank You for the warm, dry home over my head.  And I thank You for always watching over us and taking care of the problems.  You, alone, are God and I will forever praise You.  In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.