No JOY 'til January

Since our next two meetings are so close to the holidays, and because of all the snow and cold weather, I've decided that our next meeting won't be until the last Tuesday in January. That means that there won't be a meeting tonight either. If you have any questions or need anything feel free to contact me. God Bless!

Are your spices old and outdated?

With thanksgiving coming up I thought you all might find this site interesting. This website allows you to check the date and freshness of your McCormick brand spices. There is also a lot of useful information about using spices and keeping them fresh.

Have fun!

Pray for me and my family

As we head out tomorrow to be with my family and attend the memorial service for my grandmother who passed away unexpectedly on wednesday morning. I am heartbroken and really need God's help to get through this time. Thank you all!

God Bless

Wordless Wednesday - Because it's all we have left

Matthew 5:45
That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Tasty Tuesday - Recipe For a Happy Life

Today is a highly emotionally charged day. I urge you not to over-indulge just because your emotions tell you to. If you feel the need to eat just to calm your nerves then just go fast and pray. It is better to fast than to over eat and suffer from the guilt of it later. No matter the outcome of the elections, no matter the decisions that are made tonight, there is only one fact that remains: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is the one true God and the only king and ruler we will ever need to rely on. Put your faith and confidence in God, not man.

Recipe For a Happy Life

Take a couple of whole months, clean them thoroughly of all Bitterness, Rumors, Hate and Jealousy; in other words, make them as fresh and as clean as possible.

Now cut each month into 28, 30 or 31 different parts...

But don't make up the whole batch at once..
Instead prepare it One Day At A Time.

Mix well each day:

One part of Faith,
One of Patience,
One of Courage,
One of Work,

Add one part each of:

Hope,
Faithfulness,
Generosity,
Kindness;

Blend with:

One part Prayer,
One part Meditation.
Good Deeds.

Season the whole with:

a dash of Good Spirit,
a sprinkle of Fun,
a pinch of Play
a cupful of Good Humor.

Pour all of this into a Vessel Of Love,

Cook thoroughly over Radiant Joy

Garnish with Smiles and serve with Quietness, Unselfishness and Cheerfulness

And you are bound to have a Happy Life.

Author Unknown

Wordless Wednesday - Food is bad for you!

Monday Motivation & Joy Update - Guest Author

Yes it's a real life posting on the actual day it's supposed to be here lol. I almost didn't make it in time but here it is anyway :-)

(A little reminder to the J.O.Y. women - Tomorrow is the last Tuesday of the month which means that we have a meeting tomorrow night. Hope to see you all there!)

This week's post comes from a friend of mine named Rachel who has set out on a quest to get healthy with the help of the Lord. She has lost quite a bit of weight and I am very impressed by her progress. Go give her some props for a job well done here at her myspace page and don't forget to leave her some awesome comments about how you love this blog posting!

Here is what Rachel has to say:

Maintaining Motivation in a Self-Pleasing World…

“Today is the day! Today is the day! Today is the day I begin my diet!” I’ve told this to myself a thousand times. A thousand times I’ve tried, and I’ve probably lost half myself over my lifetime, only to find more and more of me along the way.

I am overweight.

And, even though I’ve said it before…today is the day to begin my diet. Finding motivation was easy…I simply stood in front of a mirror and sized myself up. It took a while. I am definitely overweight. I turn from side to side. Yup. Overweight and at risk for health problems later on in life. That’s all the motivation I needed!

But, the day rolls on and life is running a hundred miles an hour. Slowly the plans I had made at 6am are fading away as I jump in the truck and think to myself, “Oh, I’ll just grab drive-thru on the way. Tonight I’ll eat a healthy dinner and make up for it.” For the thousandth time I’ve started out with good intentions and so easily gave in to easier and quicker choices.

But, not today. Today I began to really think about motivation and what it takes to set, make and achieve a goal. I think to myself of the lifestyle that we life. We fear the Lord, we honor him and his word. There are dozens of temptations out there and we bypass every single one of them. Why should dieting be any different? I didn’t go crazy, lose my mind or start condemning doughnuts back to wherever it was they came from…I simply decided to focus on the good things that God gave us, and let these things be what gives me life.

I had to decide to “eat to live” and not “live to eat.” I’d heard it before. It’s good advice. I think I’ll practice that today. Sure, it’s a self-pleasing world, and it’s so very easy to reach for things that are quick (and taste so very, very yummy), but that’s not what my body needs. I need vitamins and minerals. I need fresh fruits, veggies and a whole lot less grease and fats!

I started at the fast food restaurant where it seems that every greasy choice is set to doom my newly-adapted healthy lifestyle. I found a grilled chicken sandwich. I ordered it without the honey mustard and just put on a little bit of bbq sauce (½ the container). I got a side salad instead of fries, and used ½ a packet of dressing. Healthier choices, better for my body, better for me. It wasn’t so hard after all. Do I need french fries? Nope. I don’t need the calories or the grease. I think about my poor little heart and what I’m trying to feed myself. I think about the size of my little stomach in there and suddenly an entire plate of food seems overwhelming for my body to try and process. I cut back, I push away, I trim down what I consume.

And, it works.

I add in a little bit of exercise to strengthen my muscles and increase my metabolism. A walk with a friend, playing with my niece and nephew in the yard, a game of racquetball with my cousin. I check the scales a few weeks later…wow…it’s working! Right then and there I set myself on a course of better choices. Why? Because it works!

It’s been 3 ½ months and my scale says I’ve lost 32 lbs. My clothes fit better, I’ve gotten a few compliments and I feel a whole lot better about myself. I need to lose more, so I’ll continue to count every little calorie and work on strengthening myself along the way with some exercise. I am thankful for every day the Lord gives us, for every blessing he sends, and every meal he provides. I’ll try not to be ungrateful and I’ll try not to be selfish and self-pleasing. I’ll try to take care of my body and feed it all the good things he gave us. It’s not a glamorous plan, and the weight isn’t going to come off like magic. But, with a little bit of perseverance, I’m becoming a better, more healthier me.

(Recipe recommendation: Use applesauce instead of oil in your baked goodies.
It tastes just as well and saves on the fat and calories!)

Extending the right hand of authorship

      Ok I have finally had to give in to the fact that I just cannot keep up with this blog, or any of my blogs in fact, and my real life too. I do not want to see this blog go under or get lost in the endless world of never updated blogs. This blog is very important to me and the idea and concept behind it is truly a blessing to not only myself but to the joy women and to the many of you who have stopped by to visit and leave encouraging comments.
      So with that being said I am going to do something that has been on my mind for a while and I feel is the right thing to do to keep this blog going. I want to ask for your help. I am extending an invitation to any of my readers, and my joy women especially, to be a part of this blog by becoming a guest author. This door is open to anyone who is interested in diet, is knowledgeable on the subject, and is able to come at this topic from a christian point of view. I will be accepting articles, personal testimonies, links, bible verses, recipes, food reviews, devotionals, before and after photos, or anything else that you find of interest to post on this blog.
      The way this will work is that if you are interested in posting something just send me an email with a copy of what you are wanting to post. If it is suitable for the blog I will post it on here on the appropriate day to keep up with the blog schedule (see right hand side) and I will give you credit and aknowledgement for your post - including a link back to your own blog. I will also contact you to let you know I've accepted your submission and an approximate date and time of when it will be posted.
      I am opening this door with the confidence that you all will be able to help me revive this blog and keep it going. So from a humble heart I ask you to please help and a huge thank you in advance!

Here are the guidelines I will be going by:

1. Articles must be diet or christian related, or both.
2. Personal thoughts and devotionals must be diet related with a christian theme.
3. Personal stories and testimonies are gladly welcomed as long as they do not attack any other person or group in any way.
4. Pictures, video, graphics, clipart, or comics will be accepted as long as they are diet related, christian related, and you have sole permission (no copyright infringement) to post them.
5. Before and after pictures are great motivators, and we all want to share in your accomplishments, but please send only modest photos - fully clothed please!
6. Bible verses must be KJV. If possible please change your verse to KJV or I will do this before posting your article. Bible Gateway is an online place to find several bible versions including KJV.
7. For recipes and food reviews please send a picture of the food item with your article. Sorry but no recipes or food reviews will be accepted for the following items: pork products, gelatin (jello), or seafood like shrimp and lobster. For recipes containing these items please make substitutions if possible (example: exchange pork for chicken, bacon for turkey bacon and etc.) Thanks!
8. Your items will be posted on the appropriate day according to the blog schedule. For example if you send me a devotional I will most it on a Monday or a recipe will be posted on a Tuesday. So don't worry if your items do not show up right away, it just may not be time for it yet. If I have not contacted you or posted your item within a week please email me again - your mail may have gotten lost in my spam filters.

To contact me please send an email to: joyfuldieter@yahoo.com
Or if you know me in person (JOY women!) then please contact me at church or at home via phone or email.

I'm looking forward to reading all of your submissions. God bless!

Wordless Wednesday

A pictorial explanation of why this blog hasn't been updated in a while.....

JOY Announcement - Change of plans

Hey everyone,

Due to me and my kids being sick this week I'm going to have to reschedule the meeting and picnic to next week. I think this may actually work better for some of you - I'm hoping. Our meeting will now be on September 30th at the church at our regular time (6:30) and the Picnic will be Sunday October 5th at 1:00 p.m. at Mary Fate Park in Plymouth. If the weather is bad we will have to make a change of plans but I'll keep you all informed. If you cannot attend the meeting next week but need details on the picnic please feel free to contact me.

Have a great week and hope to see you all this weekend at church!

It's JOY time again!

Hey ladies we are having a meeting again. We will be meeting next Tuesday - Sept. 22nd - at the church to discuss the picnic. The picnic will be next Sunday the 28th at 1:00 p.m. at the Plymouth park. All future meetings after this will be held on the last Tuesday of the month until further notice. Hope to see you all there!

Something to think about - 4 year old Mcdonalds Food

J.O.Y. Tomorrow

We will be meeting at the Shelby Res. - Hope to see you all there! :-)

Thursday 13 - Exercises

1. Exercise your body - Go for a jog.
2. Exercise your mind - Read a nonfiction book and learn something new.
3. Exercise your spirit - Go to church!
4. Exercise your muscles - Do some stretches.
5. Exercise your heart - Do a good deed and don't expect anything in return.
6. Exercise your faith - Read 1 Corinthians 13
7. Exercise your eyes - Watch a sunrise or sunset.
8. Exercise your knees - Get down and pray.
9. Exercise your joy - Shout, dance and praise the Lord.
10. Exercise your voice - Psalm 95:1 O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
11. Exercise your shoulders - Let someone lean on them.
12. Exercise your hands and feet - Do the work of the Lord.
13. Exercise your life - Give it over to God.

***J.O.Y. info - Important***

In preperation for the homecoming dinner at the church this weekend we will not be having a "normal" JOY meeting this week. Instead I'm asking for all of you, if you are able, to come and help clean the church on Wednesday night instead of Tuesday. We will be doing a thorough cleaning of the church and we need all the helping hands we can get. We are doing this on Wednesday night instead of Tuesday because I am in the process of finishing up the painting / remodeling of the nursery and I'm counting on being finished with it by Tuesday evening. We really appreciate anyone who can come help! We will be meeting at the normal JOY time - 6:30 p.m. - Hope to see you all there :-)

God Bless!

No J.O.Y.

For those of you that didn't get the other zillion messages or emails I just wanted to make sure you knew that we cancelled tonight. I'm still having stomach problems and the storms look pretty hideous out there. Have a great week everyone and keep me in your prayers.

God Bless,
Amy

Thursday 13 - Useful Websites & Blogs

1. SparkPeople - Free online diet community with blogs, journals, calorie tracking etc.
2. Calorie King - Find the calories to all your favorite foods.
3. Livin La Vida Low Carb - This blog belongs to a man named Jimmy Moore who lost a ton of weight following a low carb diet. He's entertaining to read, inspirational and knowledgeable. (Thanks for the plug Jimmy! - Just returning the favor :-)
4. FitDay - I feel like I can't brag enough about FitDay. The free online journal is awesome in itself but if you haven't already I highly recommend downloading the pc version. I love having my own personal diet journal right on my computer and for the low price (around $20) it is definitely worth it.
5. Aimee's Adventures - Aimee's website has been a favorite of mine for years. She has a ton of great recipes, a blog and there is a free message board too.
6. Full of Faith (or full of food?) - A christian site about overcoming food addiction. I've found some very inspirational things on there.
7. Eating Low with Amy - Here's another one who took the weight off following a low carb plan. She has her own recipes (most of them low carb but yummy) with videos of her actually preparing the recipes.
8. Grocery Coupon Guru - A great blog that posts where to find the latest deals and grocery coupons online.
9. Hungry Girl - Interesting website that deilvers a daily diet digest straight to your inbox in her own fun quirky way.
10. Hassle Me - A new website that offers a free nagging service to remind you to eat healthy and exercise (or anything else you may need nagged about). I haven't tried this one yet but I like the concept.
11. My Virtual Model - Make your own personal virtual model to compare with. See how you'll look at a certain weight or use it to track your progress visually.
12. 3 Fat Chicks - Offers diet advice, articles, recipes, forums, online journals, and much more.
13. Workoutz - Free online exercise videos.

I hate to do this but...

I'm going to have to cancel JOY tonight ladies. I've been having some pretty bad stomach problems for about a week now. I just don't think I'm up to having joy tonight. There are also some severe storms headed this way so everyone can just stay home and be safe tonight. :-)

Please be praying for me. Have a good night and God bless!

Tasty Tuesday - Interesting Fruit & Veggie Facts

INTERESTING OBSERVATIONS ABOUT FRUITS & VEGETABLES

A Coincidence????

A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and
radiating lines look just like the human eye...and science shows that
carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.

A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart is red and has four
chambers. All of the research shows tomatoes are indeed pure heart
and blood food.

Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape
looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows that gra
pes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.

A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere,
upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds are
on the nut just like the neo-cortex. We now know that walnuts help
develop over 3 dozen neuron-transmitters fo r brain function.

Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes,
they look exactly like the human kidneys.

Celery, Bok Choy,
Rhubarb and more look just like bones. These foods specifically
target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23%
sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet the body pulls
it from the bones, making them weak. These foods replenish the
skeletal needs of the body.

Eggplant, Avocadoes and
Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the
female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows
that when a woman eats 1 avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds
unwanted birth weight and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound
is this? .... It takes exactly 9 months to grow an avocado from
blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical
constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science
has only studied and named about 141 of them).

Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the
glycemic index of diabetics.

Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries.

Onions look like body cells. Today's research shows that onions help
clear waste materials from all of the body cells They even produce
tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes.


"The news isn't that fruits and vegetables are good for you, it's
that they are so good for you, they can save your life."
David Bjerklie, TIME Magazine, Oct. 2003

Monday Motivation - Trust

Don't gasp or fall over, it really is a current post from me :-). I'm actually home and at the computer at a time convenient to post so I thought I'd put something up today. We will be talking about this at joy tomorrow night but I decided to post it one day early.
In the past few weeks we've been talking about eating fruits and vegetables. We talked about how awesome and wonderful it is to know that there is a God who cared so much for us that he gave each food a specific purpose to our bodies (I will post an interesting email I received on this subject at the end of this post or sometime tomorrow). God is not slack in His care for his children just as we are not slack in caring for our own families. He has given us a bounty of healthy and delicious foods that are not only beautiful to look at but beautiful in the way they work to take care of our bodies. It is amazing to think that something as small as a carrot is full of vitamins and minerals specifically designed for our needs and by eating that carrot we are trusting it to do it's job inside our bodies.
We all have faith in God and we know the right things to do without anyone ever telling us so, but to act on that faith is called trust. You can have the faith and knowledge that something is right for you and that God knows exactly what you need but if you never step out in faith then you are not fully trusting in God. You are not giving the battle over to Him. When we eat the foods God designed specifically for our every need you are telling God, yes, I do trust you! If we continue on the same road we've always been on (i.e. eating unhealthy and unnatural foods) then we will get the same result we've always gotten - unhealthy bodies. God said "here's what I've designed for you to eat, this will make you healthy and give you strength" but instead of trusting that we turn to ourselves and say "no I think this is what I want" and then we are surprised when the end result is not how we expect it to be. It is always a matter of seeking the desires of our own flesh, putting trust in ourselves instead of in God. The bible says to "seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you." Seek God first and be amazed when you receive, in faith, the things you've been seeking all along - including a healthy body! The first step is a step of faith. You have to step out on that limb and say ok God, direct my path, I trust you, and no matter how much my attention is swayed to the left or right, I'm still going to trust you. Did you know that there is an actual diet plan laid out in the bible? It's in the book of Daniel. It is a wonderful story of trust:

Daniel 1
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.
And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.
And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes;
Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.
Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.
And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.
Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.
Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.
So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.
And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat.
Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.
As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.
And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.
And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.

So for 10 days Daniel ate nothing but pulse, which is a mixture of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and water - foods all created by God's own hands. You see Daniel had to not only trust in God himself but he had to trust in God's creation to help bring him in safety from his situation. Daniel trusted so much in God's plan that he risked his own life to prove that God's ways are better. In the end, for his trust and obedience, he was rewarded with good health, wisdom and knowledge and the respect of the King. When we trust God there is nothing but good to be gained. God does not lead us to harm but rather to the safety of His arms. The process getting there may be a tough long road but the end result is worth every step of the way.

Ruth 2:12
The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

Tasty Tuesday & Joy Announcement

Wow I can't believe it's July already! I haven't posted in almost a month, but thankfully we are finally finished with school over here so I will hopefully have a little more time to post. For those of you that don't know, I homeschool my children and we were in the last few weeks of crunch time trying to get everything finished. I now have a little breathing room in my stress level but I am still extremely frustrated right now with a lot of things going on. Please keep my family in your prayers!

Anyway I just wanted to remind all of you that we will be meeting at the park tonight for Tennis and Badminton. Hope to see you all there!

Tasty Tuesday - Easy Biscuit Recipe


(Note: This photo is not mine but these are pretty much how the biscuits look. I "borrowed" this one from this site: http://www.yumsugar.com/774382 - Looks like a pretty interesting site. Go check them out!)

Ok I realize that biscuits are not exactly a great food when you're on a diet but sometimes there's a need for those little puffy bread creations - like when you're making low fat gravy and biscuits. I discovered this recipe last week and made them twice for my family and they absolutely loved them. They said they tasted a lot like the biscuits from a local chicken place (Churches). I think this recipe could easily be made using whole wheat flour, liquid egg substitute and skim milk and still turn out just as good.

Dry Ingredients:
2 Cups all purpose flour (for healthier whole grain biscuits substitute whole wheat flour instead)
3 Tsp. Baking powder
1 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Sugar (This is very minimal in the recipe so I would not worry about it. An alternative sweetener would probably work just as well or you could leave it off all together. I used honey in mine, I like as much natural ingredients as possible.)

Wet Ingredients:
3/4 Cup Milk
1/3 Cup Oil (Corn or canola oils are healthiest. I would not recommend using olive oil as it may alter the taste of the biscuits or even give them an odd taste.)
1 Beaten Egg (Or 1/4 cup liquid egg substitute)

Blend the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over the dry ingredients. Stir together lightly.

Drop by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Bake in a 450° oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

Makes 12 to 14 biscuits

I put a little melted butter and honey over the tops of mine. You could also coat them with a few sprays of the parkay margarine spray or I can't believe it's not butter spray. You could also add some low fat cheese and onions, or just about anything to make unique biscuits. Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday - A water solution

I have a filtered water pitcher in my fridge but it was always getting empty before I could get enough water during the day or - because I had just refilled it - the water would not be cold enough to drink. Sooo my husband had the great idea for me to get a jug and fill it up with the filtered water and then I won't have to keep refilling the pitcher all day long and that way I'd always have cold water. I bought this jug at walmart for $1.79. It's 64 oz which is equal to about 8 cups of water. I have a goal to drink one of these a day then I will know I'm getting enough water throughout the day. So far I've managed to get through the whole thing twice. This is making the loss of my diet soda so much easier to cope with ;-)

Tasty Tuesday - An Interesting Link

For today's recipe I'm sending you to the Ladies Home Journal website. The link is an article that includes a shopping list for 10 fresh ingredients and 6 meals to make with the ingredients. I thought everything looked good and sounded yummy (all except the shrimp of course - I would think that you could substitute salmon, tuna or chicken for the shrimp recipe.) so I decided to share it with you all - happy Reading:
Ladies Home Journal - 10 Fresh Ingredients, 6 Sensational Meals

Wordless Wednesday - Since I'm in a biking mood

See, even the president needs to exercise every now and then! Although I think the bike would do him a whole lot more good if he actually rode it ;-).

Monday Motivation Continued - Legacy

I don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me
And I enjoy an accolade like the rest
You could take my picture and hang it in a gallery
Of all who's who and so-n-so's that used to be the best
At such'n'such ... it wouldn't matter much

I won't lie, it feels alright to see your name in lights
We all need an 'Atta boy' or 'Atta girl'
But in the end I'd like to hang my hat on more besides
The temporary trappings of this world

I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough
To make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who
blessed your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy

I don't have to look too far or too long awhile
To make a lengthly list of all that I enjoy
It's an accumulating trinket and a treasure pile
Where moth and rust, thieves and such will soon enough destroy

Not well traveled, not well read, not well-to-do or well bred
Just want to hear instead, "Well Done" good and faithful one...

Monday Motivation - This do in remembrance of me

Today is Memorial Day. The day that we remember those in our lives that have already gone on. I was thinking about this and wondering what would people remember about me when I am gone? Will they remember that I was an intelligent, caring, and motivated person or will they remember that I was someone who struggled with her weight and had poor self-esteem? Is that really how I "want" to be remembered anyway? The more I thought about this the more I realized that when I am gone I don't want to be remembered for my outward appearance and if I am remembered by my outward appearance I want it to be a good memory for people. I want people to say "now that was a pretty and confident girl." When I remember my loved ones I don't think of their appearance but rather the people they were on the inside. I remember what it is who made them who they are. Some of those loved ones I have many good memories of, some of them there are memories that I wish I didn't have to carry with me. Those memories are the ones that make me think that I want to leave a lasting impression with the people I leave behind when I go. I don't ever want someone to have a bad memory of me when I am gone. I want people to remember that I was confident, strong, kind, compassionate, intelligent, funny, and willing to do the Lord's work. If I am not confident with who I am now, if I feel very awkward in my physical appearance then it is hard to be all of those things. My outward appearance affects how I feel inwardly. My weight makes me feel like I can't really accomplish what I want in life. I struggle even trying to pray some nights because of the confidence I lack. I don't want this to be the way I am remembered. We had communion at our church last night. We usually do this during passover but some things happened and we had to push it aside. I think it was very fitting however that we were able to do this during the Memorial Day weekend. We read the passages in the bible that explains about the communion and how Jesus said to do this in remembrance of Him. I thought it a very powerful line when it said "this do in remembrance of me." We can never remember the Lord as He was to the desciples but we can remember Him as He has worked in our own lives. I certainly remember and am in awe of all the things He has brought me out of. The Lord is not slack concerning His children and He has been there through every "need." We are His children so if we remember Him and all the things He has done for us then we too should leave a legacy for others to remember. One that tells about the wonderous works of God. What does it say of us as christians when the only thing people can see on us is poor self esteem and a physical body that does not match the inward spiritual body? It would be wonderul to have said of us when we are gone that we were true christians and God fearing people and served God with every part of us. How do you want to be remembered?

Luke 22:19And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

Watch the video in the next post. It explains perfectly what I mean.

Thursday 13 - Things you could give up and feel healthier

1. White sugar - brown sugar is better and honey is just as good, if not better when used as a sweetener.
2. Franken foods - foods that are supposed to resemble the real thing but are just a freak chemical mixture that is just barely mocking the real thing.
3. White flour - whole wheat is so much better for you and does not cause your blood sugar to crash and spike like white refined flour does.
4. Fast Food - Well the bad fast food anyway. There are healthy options at fast food restaurants, you just need to physically make the choice to eat them.
5. Soda of any kind - the phosphoric acid in regular soda is bad for your bones, the sugar is bad for you all the way around, caffeine is a drug, and diet soda is just another franken food loaded with chemicals. (Even I still struggle with this one!)
6. Your tv - yes this may seem strange but it's very easy to veg out in front of the tv. It's been proven that people eat more while watching television and are less likely to be physically active. Besides, tv is not only bad for you physically it's bad for you mentally and spiritually. Is there really anything on television that's worth your total well being?
7. Processed and prepackaged foods - There are so many chemicals and preservatives in these foods that it's no wonder we are unhealthy and overweight. We don't even know what we are putting into our own bodies! Not only does homecooked food taste way better but it's much healthier for you and you know exactly what you're eating plus there's an added bonus - it's much cheaper!
8. Stress - stop worrying over the little things. It's a proven fact that stress causes more health problems especially heart related problems. Try to let the little things go and save the stress and worry for the really major things in life. Worrying and arguing over a sock on the floor, or a cabinet door left open is not worth elevating your blood pressure and increasing your chances for heart attack or stroke.
9. Exchange your artificial house plants and flowers for the real thing. I'm not saying to get rid of your decorations - I have some too - but I am saying to add some real plants too. The fake ones are just dust collectors which is bad for your lungs - and allergies - and real plants and flowers actually help to cleanse the air in your home.
10. Negative attitude - A cheerful mind and outlook on life helps to relieve stress. Happy people are usually healthier and live longer!
11. Laziness - Get up and move! It's hard to get started but trust me - you will feel awesome once those endorphins kick in!
12. Noise pollution - if you leave your tv or stereo on for background noise then maybe you should try turning them off. Find some quiet time - if you can - sit down with a good book (or the good book), write in a journal or even pray. We can all use some wind down time especially before bed and more rest = better health!
13. Anything that keeps you from achieving your goals or feeling good about yourself and this includes negative people. Surround yourself with people who support you and take away all the things that hinder you. If you have a successful environment then you will be successful!

Wordless Wednesday

Have a joyful day! :-)

JOY

Don't forget that there will be JOY tonight. Hope to see you all there :-).

Meeting at the Library

We are meeting at the Mans. Library tonight. The event starts at 7:00 p.m. so we should get there a little early in order to get seats. The library events are usually held on the second floor between the childrens section and the a/v section. You can wear your JOY shirt if you like. I will probably wear mine. We may go out to eat afterwards but I'm not completely sure about that. We can discuss it later. Hope to see you all there!

Still no Joy

Sorry everyone but I think I need another week to rest up. My ears are all plugged up and I'm not up to "speaking" when I can't even hear myself talk. I do want to remind you all that next week we will be meeting at the Mans. Library at 7:00 instead of our regular JOY meeting. Hope to see you all there! Have a good week and God Bless.

No JOY!

Joy is cancelled tomorrow night. I'm still very sick and in need of all of your prayers. I don't think I've ever been this sick before in my life. Well God bless ladies and have a great week.

March of Dimes Walk

Well for those of you that still went today I hope you had a fantastic time! We actually managed to raise over $100 - congrats!
Looks like over 250 people turned out for the walk - that's awesome! You can read all about it here:
Walkers turn out for five-mile March for Babies

I spent last night at the ER with a temp of 103.9 - Keep me in your prayers, turns out it's strep after all. Hopefully with the antibiotics and plenty of rest I will begin to get well soon.
Have a great weekend everyone!

Important Announcement about the March of Dimes Walk

Due to the fact that I am still very ill I really don't think I will be able to participate in the walk on Saturday. I just don't forsee myself getting well enough to go with you. I will warn you though that I won't be the only one missing - some of the other members will be travelling south for a funeral this weekend so I'll leave it up to the rest of you whether or not you still want to participate. Those of you that are still interested in going are free to do so and if you need directions just give me a call or send me a message.

Please keep me in your prayers. I am very sick. I went to the dr. and all they had to say was that I had all the symptoms of strep but it's not strep - go figure! It's just a severe viral infection or something like that. I can't eat, I can't drink, I haven't slept well in about 2 days and my body feels like I've been hit by a truck. Also be praying for those that are heading south this weekend. God give them peace and comfort in this time of sorrow!

Wordless Wednesday

Just 3 days left!!!!!!!

There are just 3 days left to donate to our March For Babies Walk. Please click here and leave us a donation:

A Joyful Walk

Tasty Tuesday - Chicken Soup for a Cold

I have a bad head cold right now with probably the worst sore throat I've had in years. So in honor of that I've decided to post a nice soothing chicken soup recipe with a little kick. This recipe takes advantage of leftovers or you can start from completely fresh ingredients. I usually make this when I have leftover roasted chicken. I've also found an article that discusses foods to help a cold - http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking/hl/nutrition/article/0,13803,734808,00.html

Chicken Soup for a Cold

4 cans 98% fat free chicken broth
4 - 6 cans water (depending on how much broth you like in your soup)
2 Tbsp. Parsley
1 tbsp black pepper
1 - 2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 - 2 cups chopped, diced or shredded chicken (I usually debone the remainder of a roasted chicken that we've had the night before)
1 can carrots (do not drain liquid)
1 can green beans (do not drain)
1 can corn (do not drain)
1 - 2 stalks celery diced (this is optional and I really do not like celery so I usually leave this out)
1/2 bag egg noodles

Put all ingredients except for egg noodles into a large pot. Bring to a rolling boil and then add the egg noodles. Cook just until noodles are tender and immediately remove from heat. Noodles must be added last or they will get very soft and mushy. The chicken broth combined with the hot pepper makes for a great food for a cold. More or less pepper can be used. I like mine very spicy!

No Recipe Today or Devotional

But I will tell you about the new challenge we started. This is our kick-off to summer. We started our own version of The Biggest Loser but ours is called the Joyous Loser. This is our second week in and so far we've had two women already lose over 3 pounds each (wtg girls, I'm so proud of you!). The challenge will last 12 weeks - to June 24th - just like biggest loser. We will also go by highest percentage of weight loss. The winner of the weight challenge will win an actual cash prize - just like TBL. I'm also throwing in some other challenges just so everyone gets a chance at a prize. The idea is to jump-start us to getting in shape for the summer. We will have an inch worm prize which is the most inches lost, an exercise prize which is the most minutes of exercise collectively over the 12 weeks, the chug prize which is the most 8 oz. glasses of water drunk over the 12 weeks, the goal getter prize which is a prize for those who reach their personal goals at the end of the 12 weeks - for example my goal is to lose 30 pounds, and there will also be a prize for the most attendance. Everyone who participates will also get a little token or prize - probably a charm for the bracelets. My hope is that this will be the final push and motivation we've all needed. I know I for one definitely needed this! We will be keeping track of the results every week by posting it on white boards. There is also one more thing to this challenge that I'm not sure anyone likes, but maybe it will be a great motivator lol - We have the Unjoyful Gainer board. Just like on TBL, where everyone can see if you've done good or bad, the Unjoyful Gainer board is for those who gain during the week and the name will stay up until there's a loss again. I'm hoping and praying that I don't ever have to put my name up there lol. Pray for us on this journey - and feel free to join us by posting your weekly results every week either on the forum or you can post a comment on the posts here on the blog.

I'm getting behind again

Yes I realize I totally forgot to post all the posts at the end of the week last week and I haven't gotten around to posting the devotional today. Hey I've been out getting some exercise and enjoying this 75 degree weather we've been having. Here in Ohio we've got to take the good weather when we get it lol. I walked 45 minutes yesterday and over an hour today! I will try, try, try to post it [the devotional] tomorrow along with the Tuesday recipe. I will also be posting about the new challenge we started in JOY called "The Joyous Loser." It's gonna be a good one! God Bless everyone and have a great week!

Oh and so I'm not leaving you totally empty handed here's a quote to get you through until my next post *grin* -

"What fools indeed we mortals are
To lavish care upon a Car,
With ne'er a bit of time to see
About our own machinery!"
~John Kendrick Bangs

Wordless Wednesday - Genesis 28:15

And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

Tasty Tuesday Recipe - Meringue Cookies

This recipe is a bit labor intensive but is well worth the effort. These little melt in your mouth goodies are only about 30 calories each! You can mix in any number of ingredients to have a different cookie each time. Try crushed peppermint instead of chocolate chips, or toffee bits, crushed butterscotch candies, or you can even try different extracts for an entirely different flavor. One tip is to place the batter into a cake icing bag and squeeze these out onto the pan in a "kiss" shape.


Meringue Cookies

4 large egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups baker's sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups of mini chocolate chips

Cover 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until they hold very stiff peaks. Add the salt. While beating at a high speed gradually add the sugar in a stream to incorporate. Add the vanilla. Fold the mini chocolate chips in very gently by hand. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets. Because this is a stiff batter they do not need a lot of space between them - they have already done their rising. Bake them in a 170 degree oven for about two hours, or more. Cool on racks before storing. For added sweetness you can dust the tops of these with a little powder sugar. Can be stored in the fridge (in an air tight container) for up to two weeks or store them in the freezer for 3 months.

Monday Devotional - Heart Disease

OK so this isn't a devotional per say but this is what we talked about in Joy the week before last:
Psalm 51:10 "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."

As women it is important for us to keep our bodies strong and healthy to be able to care for our families. God has given us one life and one body and we need to make the best of that life and body. Your life is a gift from God and your heart is what keeps that life going - so take care of it! Heart Disease is the number one killer among women in the united states. The reason for this is that many women do not have the "atypical" symptoms of heart disease. It is much harder to diagnose heart disease in a woman than it is in a man and oft' times it goes unnoticed or misdiagnosed. Heredity, obesity and weight related health problems are directly related to heart disease. You can help prevent heart disease by maintaining a healthy weight, eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and high in fiber, and getting plenty of exercise.

Here are some facts about heart disease:
1. Heart disease is the number 1 killer among women in the United States.
2. 1 in 3 women will die of heart disease.
3. About 6 million American women have heart disease.
4. 38% of women will die within one year of having an initial recognized heart attack.
5. About 35% of women who have had a heart attack will have another within 6 years.
6. Heart disease is not ageless; the risks can start as early as the teen years and increase dramatically in mid-life.
7. Heart disease is also very preventable and treatable with lifestyle changes and paying attention to your own body signals.
If you would like to read more facts about heart disease then click here to download the pdf file - you can also find this pdf, along with a heart rate pdf, on the right hand side of this blog under "printable weight loss tools."

To keep your heart healthy we all know that you should eat right and get plenty of exercise but did you know that you can also help prevent heart disease before it happens by keeping in tune to your body? You can do this by knowing your blood pressure levels and when they are elevated, checking your resting heart rate - a higher resting heart rate could mean a symptom of heart disease - having your cholesterol checked and being aware of the uncommon symptoms of heart disease such as pain in the back instead of down the arms and jaw or pain that is similar to indigestion and upset stomach. Rarely is a heart attack like it is seen on tv with a sudden collapse and clenching of the chest. This is especially so for women. If you ever have the slightest doubt about the way you are feeling do not hesitate to have your symptoms checked out. It is better to be a little embarrassed about going to the doctor than to lose your life over something preventable!
Click here to download a pdf file that shows how to check your heart rate and what resting heart rate and blood pressure levels should be.

Here are some links that discuss heart disease in women:
Women Heart
American Heart Association
Womens Heart Foundation
For Woman
Women's Health

Remember: 3 John 1:2 "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth."

Ok don't shoot me but....

I made an executive decision and made some changes to the design of the J.O.Y. shirt. I've already placed the order so I really really hope you all will like it. I made several changes including changing the dancing woman on the back to a woman kneeling in prayer. I thought this was more suited to the theme of our group - also I realized that the woman dancing was not exactly what I was looking for (I'll explain that later lol). I also changed the front to have a cross on it instead of flowers to make the whole design of the shirt more unified. Now here's the big change I made and you'll have to hear me out to understand why I made this decision - I changed the colors from pink and purple to brown and pink. The main reason I made this decision was for our modesty and the fact that brown will be less likely to show stains. I was very afraid that the pale pink color would be too see through and show dirt and stains more easily. We want to keep these fairly expensive shirts nice for a long time lol. I decided on the brown and pink versus other colors because our main Joy color is still pink and also I know that a lot of you really like brown and pink together. It's a unique combination and gives the shirts more of a "special" look. I was going to go with a light purple (violet) with dark purple print but I wasn't sure how many of you would actually like those colors together. In my heart I felt that brown and pink was the most neutral way to go. I did not make this decision lightly and I literally fretted over this all day (I started working on this at 10 O'clock this morning and just now placed the order). I never felt like the pink and purple was 100% right. The brown and pink may not be 100% right either but I felt the most comfortable with that decision. This is not something that we will be wearing all the time so if you really truly don't like it then maybe you can hold out until next year when we order again and possibly change the design. Here is the new design - let me know what you think....or not lol:

I still have 24 hours to change my mind so if you really don't like this design please let me know. If enough of you don't like it then I may still be able to change it to another color - probably the purple. If you are interested in seeing the other colors send me a message before tomorrow.

Thursday 13 - Reasons to get healthy

1. You'll feel better.
2. Your life depends on it.
3. For the sake of your family.
4. You'll look better.
5. You'll have more confidence.
6. Clothes shopping will be a much more enjoyable experience.
7. Because God commands us to take care of our bodies: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
8. Do it for yourself.
9. Because we are only given one body, and one life and we should make the best of that life.
10. Eating healthy foods and exercising is certainly much cheaper AND easier than going to the doctor for medical problems that are related to not taking care of your body.
11. To serve God more readily. It's difficult to be able to be used in God's service when you can't even get up from your seat.
12. To never have to be ashamed or embarrassed by your own weight or health problems.
13. Because we are the light of the world. If we are keeping ourselves hid behind weight, health, or emotional problems then how can we ever shine to the world and let them know the true goodness of God?

Wordless Wednesday

Tasty Tuesday - Pineapple Angel Food Cake

This is a super easy cake recipe and is about 130 calories per piece. The pieces are actually pretty large. Just divide the cake into 12 squares.

1 box 1 step angel food cake mix
1 large can crushed pineapple (12 oz or larger) do not drain!

Preheat oven to 350. This is very important - completely ignore all instructions on the cake mix. Mix angel food cake with undrained pineapple - do NOT add anything else like water or eggs. Lightly coat a cake pan with cooking spray. (I usually use a 9x13 pan but you could use a bundt pan or any pan you choose. Just remember that the smaller the pan you use, the thicker the cake will be and it will divide into less pieces.) Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until it is golden brown and slightly crispy on top. You can top this with fat free sugar free pudding, low calorie vanilla ice cream or my personal favorite fat free cool whip.

Joy Announcement and a blog schedule

Hey everyone I just wanted to let you know that Joy will be cancelled on Tuesday the 25th due to the passing and funeral of Sister Elsie. Please keep her family in your prayers and I hope to see you all again at JOY in April.
--Don't forget that I need the money for t-shirts by the end of next week!!! I will be placing the order on the 28th!--

I also wanted to announce a new schedule I am making for this blog. It is just a little thing to help keep me organized and on track with posting to this blog. Life got a little hectic and I haven't been able to keep up with the blog like I've wanted too but I am hoping that by having a schedule it will help keep me on track and let you all know what to expect from this blog. Here is the schedule (I will also post this on the right hand side as well):

Mondays - Diet Devotional of the week (The Devotional will also be what we talked about in JOy the previous week) and Weekly Bible Verse.
Tuesdays - Tasty Tuesday (Recipes)
Wednesdays - Wordless Wednesday (An inspiriational, or funny picture)
Thursdays - Thursday 13 (13 diet / health / exercise related topics)
Fridays - Friday Food Review (A new food will be reviewed)
Weekends - Due to my very busy church schedule on weekends (we have a saturday evening, sunday morning and evening service) there will be little to no posts over the weekend except for urgent announcements and occasional interesting tidbits.
Anytime posts - Interesting articles, quotes, bible verses or any other tidbit that is diet related will be posted at various times.
The last Tuesday of the month - This will be reserved for posting about my personal progress and may or may not include a picture :-).

I am always on the search for new and interesting things to add to the blog. If you have any pictures, quotes, articles, funny things, or even recipes that you would like to see posted then feel free to email me at: joyfuldieter@yahoo.com

God Bless!

Joy Announcement

There is a huge storm system coming in this evening and tomorrow with possible freezing rain, wind and snow (aka an ice storm). If the weather is too bad for our JOY meeting at M.'s house then we will try again on either wednesday or friday. Please let me know what day is better for all of you, if the weather is bad tomorrow. If it's just raining then we will still be on for tomorrow night.

Also I wanted to send out an apology to my readers for not updating this blog (or my others) in a while. I promise I will try to get back to doing the devotions and the other stuff on a regular schedule again. My back and neck was all haywire again for about a month and a half and sitting at the computer for more than 10 minutes at a time was too much for me. By the time I would get finished checking email, updating my daughters school and catching up on news and stuff I would be done for the day. For those of you that don't know I have scoliosis and sometimes my back pain is more than I can handle. Sitting at the computer seems to be a culprit in aggrivating it further. Just keep me in your prayers. I have hope yet that God can make this ol' crooked spine straight again :o).

Chat Tonight!

Join us in the chatroom tonight at 6:30 for an online JOY meeting.

I hate to do this again...

...but I think we're going to have to cancel tonight. What is it about Tuesdays that we always get the bad weather? Hello! lol. Anyway I'll be calling you all this afternoon just to let you know for sure. If we cancel the actual meeting we might chat instead.

Wordless Wednesday

This is the shirt we plan to order in March:

Joy tonight

See you all there!

J.O.Y. - No meeting tonight but we will be chatting

Due to the weather - thank the Lord for the snow He must have a reason for it lol - we will not be having our meeting tonight. The meeting at M.'s house is rescheduled to the 26th and next week will just be a regular meeting. I've decided that tonight is a great excuse to make use of the chatroom. So instead of a regular meeting we will be meeting here in the chatroom at 6:30. Just click on the right hand side where it says "enter the joyful chatroom." Hope to chat with you all later - keep warm!

Thursday 13 - Reasons you should sponser our March for Babies walk

Please click here to sponser us - even a donation of just $1.00 can help and is very much appreciated! God bless and don't forget to tell your friends about us too.


1. It's for a good cause - saving the lives of premature babies.
2. You will be helping us (the women of JOY) get healthy as we go on the 5 mile walk.
3. It will make you feel good for doing something good!
4. Because each year half a million babies are born prematurely and will have lifelong disabilities or even die and your donation could make a difference!
5. Because your donation of $1.00 may not seem like much but if you combine all of our dollars it can make a big difference in the lives of these babies and their families.
6. Your donation will help us (the women of JOY) be more encouraged in our walk and feel as though we're truly making a difference.
7. You will feel like you are making a difference.
8. Because maybe you've personally had an experience with a premature baby of your own or within your own family and you have seen the hardships and struggles.
9. What better way is there to spend $1.00 today?
10. Because McDonalds and Starbucks would not go broke if you did not give them your money today ;-).
11. Because you will get a nice thank you note (or email) from us with all sincerity!
12. You will also get fame and recognition for your good deeds! We will post a public thank you - along with your name - on this blog and on our March for Babies site: (http://www.marchforbabies.org/ajoyfulwalk).
13. Because life is precious and short and your donation today could save someone's life tomorrow.

Wordless Wednesday - Help save this baby

and others like him/her. By sponsoring myself and the members of J.O.Y. as we walk in the Walk America / March for Dimes now called March for Babies on April 19th. You can sponsor us by going to this website: http://www.marchforbabies.org/AjoyfulWalk and giving a small donation. All proceeds will go to the March for Babies foundation. Your help would be greatly appreciated and it does not take much to make a difference. You can donate $5.00 or less and even just $1.00 can help us reach our goal. Every dollar counts! Be sure to leave a message for us at the website to let us know you stopped by. Thank you so much and God bless!

Tasty Tuesday - Pot Roast and Cabbage

This is a recipe I am well known for among my friends and family. My family used to make this when I was a child and I started making it for my own family a few years back. Nothing says love like a good home cooked meal of pot roast and vegetables. Yummy! Nutritionally this isn't the best for you but it is certainly much better for you than a big mac or processed food. We don't eat this all the time in my house because of the price of beef and also the fact that beef is not something you should indulge in all that often because it is high in fat and cholesterol. If we use the bible as our example then we would save the "fatted calf" only for special occasions.

Pot Roast with Cabbage and Vegetables

1 5-8 pound roast - choose the leanest possible, the less marbling (white streaks) the better
1 small head cabbage
1 medium - large onion
1 small bag baby carrots
1 can green beans
1 can corn (frozen corn is good also)
8-10 red potatoes (these are also called new or russet potatoes)
Seasoned Salt and Pepper to taste

In order for this to turn out right you have to have patience. This can also be cooked in the crock-pot but I personally prefer the oven method. Preheat your oven to 350. Place the roast in a casserole dish that is approximately 9x13 (I use a glass pyrex pan). Put about 1-2 inches of water in the bottom of the pan and then cover with foil. Bake the roast for about 2 hours. While the roast is cooking go ahead and chop the cabbage and onion into large pieces. It really doesn't matter how large you chop the cabbage and onions because they will get softer and mushier as they cook. I usually just quarter them. Chop the potatoes into halves, or quarters if needed. After about 2 hours of cooking take the roast out of the oven and remove the foil. Layer the onion and cabbage pieces all around and on top of the roast. Be sure to get some of the onions close to the roast because this will help to add flavor to it and make it more tender. Add the potatoes, corn, carrots and green beans. If you are using canned vegetables it is ok to add the liquid as well - this will help add flavor and keep it [the roast] from becoming too dry. Sprinkle seasoned salt and pepper all over the top. Cover the pan again with foil and put back into the oven for another 2-3 hours. The longer you let this cook the more tender it will be. You will know it is done when the vegetables are nearly wilted, and the roast literally falls apart when you try to pick it up with a fork.

Q.O.T.D.

Don't dig your grave with your own knife and fork.
~English Proverb

Thursday 13 - Ways to Exercise without a Gym

1. Walk. You can walk around the block, walk around your house, or even march in place while watching tv. Who says you need a treadmill?
2. Take the stairs. Instead of the elevator take the stairs, or if you have stairs at home you can use them to exercise on. Just go up and down 10 - 20 times.
3. Take the longest route possible. When going shopping, and if you're not in a hurry, try to park as far away as you can. The extra walking from the parking lot to the store will be great for you.
4. Use a chair for exercise. You can do an entire exercise routine just using a chair. Youtube has some great videos that can show you how. Just do a search for "chair exercise."
5. Strength train your upper body with just a pair of hand weights. If you don't have hand weights try using soup or vegetable cans.
6. Put a little elbow grease into it. Give your house that extra scrubbing it's been needing all while giving your body fat an extra scrubbing as well :-)!
7. Do some crunches. You don't need a special machine to work out that belly flab. Just get on the floor and do some old fashioned crunches!
8. Do something fun like play volleyball, tennis, or even go for a bike ride. You will easily trick your body into thinking you're having fun instead of getting healthy exercise!
9. Dance! Put on some upbeat gospel music and go to it. Just make sure nobody is watching lol.
10. Play with your children (or play like a kid again). Play tag, jump rope, throw the ball around, jump on the bed (shhhh I won't tell). Who says the fun has to stop just because you're an adult?
11. Waiting for the dryer or microwave to stop? Do some stretches or march in place while you wait.
12. Don't leave the hard stuff just for the guys. You can take out the garbage, cut the grass, or rake leaves too!
13. Go shopping. Go to a museum. Just get out and move! Exercise doesn't have to be complicated or require fancy equipment. All you need for a healthier body is to move it!

Wordless Wednesday - 2 Corinthians 9:6

But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

Tasty Tuesday - Breakfast Egg Bake

This is a recipe that I kind of came up with myself but you could in some ways just call it a crustless quiche. This is great for making ahead and keeping in your fridge for breakfast all week.


Breakfast Egg Bake
1 8oz. carton liquid eggs like egg beaters
4 - 6 strips turkey bacon cooked and crumbled
half of a small onion chopped
2 tbsp. flour (preferrably whole wheat)
1/4 cup shredded fat free cheddar cheese
1/4 cup regular shredded cheese
2 tbsp. melted butter
1 tsp. parsley
1 - 2 cups baby spinach
salt and pepper to taste

In large bowl mix together all ingredients. Pour into a pie pan lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes or until this has risen and is golden brown. This will rise a lot while cooking but it will come back down to a normal size while it cools. This makes 8 slices at about 200 calories each. For variation you could also try peppers and diced turkey ham, or even broccoli and chicken instead of spinach and bacon.

Some new stuff and a new diet plan

I have some new stuff for all of you. After much prayer over our short break I decided it was time that JOY went in a slightly new direction. It's not much different than what we have been doing but I decided that we needed to have a unified goal in mind. My desire for JOY has always been to increase the fellowship of the women at church all while getting healthy. Well we have certainly went above and beyond on the fellowship aspect. I've gotten to know all of you so much better and I feel so much closer to my church sisters! Praise the Lord for that! Now I feel it is time for us to work on achieving our health goals as well. So I felt that it was the right thing to do to give JOY an actual diet plan. I realize that the word diet has some negative connotations associated with it but for most of us learning to eat healthy takes the restrictions of a diet. Diet is not a negative thing unless you make it a negative thing. A healthy diet is a just a way of living and eating for life. It is something you can do and say "yes, I can follow this for the rest of my life." A good diet will teach you important things like moderation, portion control, self control, and it can encourage you to harness your will-power! As long as a diet is teaching you these things without negative effects on your body then there is nothing wrong with that. I never even realized what was wrongt with my eating habits until I followed a popular diet plan a few years ago. I knew I was overweight and needed to get healthy but I had no idea what to change or where to start. I eventually went on to lose 90 pounds but I realized I couldn't live the rest of my life that way. What I did learn however is what to eat, how much to eat and what works for my own body. I think we can all be in agreement on the fact that you cannot live the rest of your life restricting certain foods or eating strange foods and food combinations. You have to learn to do what's best for your own body to keep it healthy!
I decided that the best diet for this group to be following, given the fact we are a Christian group, is one based on the bible. You can't get any simpler than the basics right there in the bible. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, and non-processed foods are the best way to live along with moderation! Yes you can eat what you want, just keep it in moderation and enjoy as much natural food as you can! We will be counting calorie on this diet which is important to teaching portion control and moderation. No you do not have to count calories for the rest of your life but for those of us who struggle with food issues, counting calories is a way to open your eyes and say "I realize I didn't need all of that food after all." Sometimes you just have to retrain yourself to do what's natural to your body especially after spending so many years doing what's unnatural (i.e. gluttony and over-indulgence). Imagine the person who is in a car wreck and has to learn to walk all over again. They're not going to tell the person to take off running. They are going to take them step by step every single day until they can learn to walk with the aid of a crutch or cane and then it may take years to learn to walk without the aid of that crutch or cane. You have already taken your first small steps by deciding to get healthy now consider counting calories your crutch. Until you can learn to "eat normally" on your own then you must start over from the beginning and learn to eat as God intended. We all need to go back to basics and learn to eat the foods God designed for our bodies, and in the portions needed just to fuel our bodies. We should eat to live and not live to eat.
I am tired of this world telling us what we can and cannot eat. If God did not want you to eat carbs then why would He send bread from heaven [John 6:31], or give us carb loaded potatoes and vegetables? The bible even refers to eating whole eggs, not just the whites [Job 6:6]. This means they - people in biblical times - did not worry about cholesterol. For those of you worrying about your cholesterol I wouldn't worry about it in eggs because I'm sure your cholesterol worries are coming from sources far worse than an egg! Even beef was eaten in moderation, just consider the prodigal son and his homecoming meal. God has a plan for everything in life, including diet, and with everything in God's plan all you have to do is read and follow! Mark 1:17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.

With that said here is our new diet plan - Print this off and hang it on your fridge - These are also posted under the weight loss tools on the right hand side:
The Joy Diet Plan

I've also made a chart showing foods listed in the bible:
Foods in the Bible
(If you notice any foods missing from the list feel free to contact me.)

God bless everyone and joyful dieting.

P.S. I've already lost 5 pounds in 2 weeks of following this plan. God's ways always work over the ways of men!

Wordless Wednesday - My dinner

It was so pretty, colorful and healthy looking I just had to take a pic of it. I just wish I had a better camera lol. See everyone, I am behaving :-)!

JOY tonight

Be there or be square! :-)

J/K but I do hope to see you all there tonight.

A return to JOY

Our first JOY meeting of the year is tonight at 6:30. I am excited to be returning to Joy and to the blog again after so many weeks of extreme busyness! I'm feeling refreshed and ready to start on JOY again and head into this new year with a new attitude towards acheiving our goals. I hope and pray that you are all with me on this and I hope to see some fantastic results this year! See you all tonight! :-)!