Find Your Fight Song And Sing It

Hello, friends. Don't you just love this time of year? The Autumn season is my very favorite time of year, even above Christmas.  There is something about fall that lends itself to a time of reflection and pause. Isn't it amazing that nature gives us such a picture of beauty from a state of dying? When the leaves start to change their color, it make me want to put on my scarves and boots, eat a bowl of chili and sip a cup of hot apple cider. To snuggle down and usher in our dutiful, and maybe a mite intrusive, great- Aunt Winter.

This year's fall has found me in a state of deep and pensive contemplation as I survey the state of things around me. My world, your world, our world, is changing. And not for the better, so it seems. Many aspects of life that have defined me have shifted, have changed so that sometimes I cannot even recognize the landscape around me.  I must confess, I feel more and more like a stranger here, in a place where I once thrived, and that breaks my heart. And by here, I do not mean a physical location, but I mean here, in an atmosphere where the values, principles, and beliefs that made me who I am are no longer  regarded as valuable. They are being thrown out the window like yesterday's McDonald's paper bag. They are being scoffed at, mocked, declared as ignorance. They are being reasoned away by new, enlightened doctrines and theological reasonings. All around I see an indifference for the things of God, an undermining of our precious Holiness heritage and beliefs. It is heartbreaking, devastating, and if we let it overcome us, it's downright depressing.

I am completely and utterly convinced, my friends, that Holiness is right. This conviction has not come casually, but from an exhausting, gut-wrenching digging in prayer and in the Word.  I have asked myself all the questions, I have weighed in the balance all  the inconsistencies that we see in the ministry and in the church. They are glaringly obvious. I came to a point where I had to search out and ask myself, "Why am I living this way? Why do l believe like this? Is it so I can belong to a "movement', a social group, so I can be accepted in a certain clique? is it so I will be invited to sing on Bro. So-and-So's platform at Such-and-Such campmeeting? Is it for my husband? Is it for my parents? Why? And the answer I keep getting, is none of the above. For if it were, it would be for the wrong reason.  I have purposed in my heart to live a life of Biblical holiness, not "movement" Holiness, because of this one reason:  a lifetime walking with and an eternity spent with Christ is all that matters.  I will stand before Him for my own judgement, which will not be based on my parents', my pastor's, or my husband's walk with God, but mine and mine alone.

As a mother, it has been especially troublesome to view the present state of such circumstances, and downright scary to imagine the future. What will be left for my children in ten years? Fifteen, twenty? When our precious prayer warriors are passing on to glory, and no one is picking up the torch they've left behind. When our churches are filled with sleepy elderly saints, jaded, indignant adults, and shallow,  disinterested youth? How will my children ever get their footing spiritually in a time of such discord, division, and confusion? Forgive me for sounding so negative, but this is reality. Yes, God is still moving, saving, filling with the Holy Ghost and healing, and I have not lost faith in Him or His ability to do any of that. It is not the Holiness message that is flawed,  but rather the application of that message. The motives and intents behind our lifestyle have got to be pure and solely for the purpose of exalting and glorifying Christ. And that is where we are missing the mark.
So what does a mother do, when faced with these questions that relentlessly pelt  her mind and heart? She must take them to her Savior. And when I did, He drew my attention to a few mothers in the Bible who defeated the spiritual odds, so to speak, and in the midst of similar, and probably worse circumstances, raised children who not only thrived spiritually, but rose up to become mighty leaders in their generation.

Let's look to Hannah, who brought her son to a man of God who had become weak and ineffective, who had compromised greatly. It was a perilous time of dissension in the land and the temple--and yet Samuel became all God needed Him to be for that hour. And then there's Jochebed, whose son cried his first cry in a world bent on his demise. He was born into slavery and bondage, his people at the very bottom of the totem pole in every sense. He was then placed in a home that knew nothing of God's truths. Yet God brought Moses out, called Him to a place of close-knit communion with and witness of the mighty power of God.

How did these children defy such odds, in environments of spiritual darkness? I have to believe it was a result of a mother's unrelenting, passionate prayers over and for her children. These mothers gave their children over to God unselfishly and with the utmost trust. They laid them on the altar, prayed, believed, and let go.

So, do I stand and wring my hands over what the future holds? No, I go to war on my knees, my goal sharing eternity around God's throne with all four of my children. the devil can't have a single one! Will you join me, dear mother, dear aunt, dear grandmother, in fighting for our next generation? Now is the time to rally our spirits and push through the thick fog of lethargy. Now is the time to fight! Our children are worth it!

Kiss the Wave, Cling to the Shepherd

    Of all times for the good Lord to nudge me to write more, why would it be now? As I speak, my house is stacked with packing boxes, as we prepare to move out of our house next Friday. As on the 30th. Of September. As in 6 days from today! Needless to say, I've been running on full speed. I've watched the clock strike 3 am a couple of times this week....while I cleaned out closets, and sorted stuff out for yard sale, keep, throw/give away. All the while trying my best to keep school, laundry, music lessons, and meals flowing. This will be our eighth move in 14 years of marriage, so I'm pretty much a pro by now! We're moving 40 miles away, where we will be closer to our church, family, and all other activities that we frequently drive over for. We outgrew our house a long time ago, and if all goes according to plan, we will be moving into a much roomier house at the end of October.



   Yet with all this going on, there's other concerns on my mind. Burdens and troubles. My mind is often troubled about certain situations. It seems these days that one barely catches one's breath from one ferocious storm, barely finds one's footing after being knocked down by a merciless wave when watch out, here comes a tsunami. Lest you think I am exaggerating, let me assure you I am not.  The past year has been the most tumultuous of my adult life. Yet it has taught me, to fix my eyes upon Him who is the orchestrator of all calm and peace. Even in the midst of confusion, hurt, and unwanted changes, He is a solid rock.  He alone can be depended on to never change, to never falter.

So I endeavor, that no matter who around me fails or disappoints me, no matter if the world around me becomes unrecognizable, to fix my eyes upon Jesus Christ. As a trusting lamb fixes his eyes lovingly upon its' shepherd, so I will fix mine upon Him.

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow
strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace."
~Helen H. Lemmel

A prayer/poem I recently wrote:


"A Lamb's Prayer"

My Shepherd, my Savior,
Let my eyes never leave yours,
Let me dwell near the hem of your robe
Let me never leave the warmth of your feet
Let me never wander away from the sound of your voice
Call to me, Lord. Scold me when my eyes look away to distant fields
Use the crook of your staff to draw me and discipline me
Let me dwell with you in the cool, soft grass of your presence
Let me thirst for you as I do the still waters
Be my Protector and my Guide
Protect me from the wolf and the bear who wish to devour me
You fight for me, you are my deliverance
You are the source of all my provision
In you is all life and strength and truth
You're all I need


He is all we need.

A Ready Heart, A Ready Writer

Hello, my dear friends.  For those of you who have my blog on your list, who still click over to read when I happen to post one of my sporadic ramblings, thank you for doing so. I don't really know if what I write on here matters, or why it would in particular matter to anyone. I know some probably read out of nosiness curiosity, some read because you know me personally and it's a way to connect with me (cause you love me, I hope).  Either way, I am ever so humbled that anyone would choose to spend time here in my little corner of the blogosphere.  Time, I well know, is precious, and that you would choose to give of yours to read my accounts is important to me. So thank you.

As of late, I've been repeatedly admonished by certain (you know who you are) various people to please write on my blog more often. I've been nudged many times over the past 6 months (maybe more) in my spirit to write. Just write. Write what's on my heart, write down those little whispers that come to my heart during my personal Bible study times. Write down my struggles and my triumphs, as a mother, as a wife, as a Christian. I recall a few months ago when I felt the tug, but was a little frustrated because our laptop was broken and had been for months. I prayed about it one morning, saying OK, Lord, I hear you, but you're gonna have to fix this little problem of a new laptop. Later that evening, as the husband and I were taking a walk, he says, "You know, the Lord dealt with me this morning to buy you a new laptop. So you can write." Swallow.

I'm really baffled at this persistence from so many directions, but I'm surely not going to ignore it. Now that I sit here typing away on a new sweet little laptop, I am following orders :). Yes, sir. At your service. I really don't think my writing is anything special, but if that's what you want me to do, I'm gonna do it. I'm not going to worry about what "niche" I fit into in the great world of blogging, or if anyone is even reading. I'm just going to write. I may not have breathtaking photography to  post along with my writing (at this moment I believe my camera is lost somewhere in the realm of things misplaced by absent-minded people like myself). I'm just gonna write. Apparently that's what I'm supposed to do.

I'm not writing to impress anyone or to attract attention. Writing is always a little scary for me--it comes with risk. It's putting a piece of myself out there for inspection and that makes me feel a little vulnerable. Dare I be as honest as I would like to be? Dare I venture to topics that I know my peers can relate to and must be pondering over as well, even if it may be met with opposition? Dare I? I almost feel that I must.

So, dear reader, here is a little taste of what it is to come on this blog of mine.  Hold onto your hats (or not), I'll be here,  writing.

A New Perspective on Marriage and Anniversaries

Fourteen years. Fourteen moons have shown since we stood in front of God and everyone and said, “I do”….when we didn’t have a clue what we were really doing! But here we are, fourteen years later, and I can honestly say our love has grown into one that is steady, mature, and sweetly strong.

Yes, John and I celebrated our 14^th anniversary this year(on May 25^th), and my amazing husband completely pulled out all the stops and planned the sweetest, most thoughtful anniversary trip ever. This is the stuff of sappy chick flicks, y’all. ‘Cept it really happened, to us. It was perfect and absolutely the most relaxing and fun trip I’ve ever been on.  Of course, I chronicled our adventures on Instagram—how he planned our whole trip and kept all the details a secret. The only thing he let me in on was that we were going zip lining in the mountains of Gatlinburg, TN (so that I could acquire appropriate modest attire for such an activity). Other than that, I was completely clueless, up until the point that we actually pulled into our second destination—the Shaker Village in Harrodsburg, Ky. He also planned a surprise meeting for me and a friend I met through this blog, around ten years ago. We had grown to be great friends through texting, email and Instagram, but never met in person. I had no idea until she walked up to us while we were eating a picnic lunch (well, I had hoped, but was pretty sure it wasn’t going to happen). I almost choked on my chicken salad sandwich and had to stop and chew it up before I even said, “Hi”, but it was an awesome moment anyway!

I was not the only one blown away by John’s thoughtfulness. I can’t tell you how many women have asked, “Can he give my husband lessons?” or “Why can’t my husband do things like that for me?” I want to say, “If you only knew…it hasn’t always been like this.”  And I can hear myself asking the same question, even a year ago.  Rewind to last year’s anniversary, when John took 6 boys from our youth group on a camping trip on our anniversary weekend. I was NOT a happy camper (in a tent or otherwise). I moped and pouted and complained. I cried on a friend’s shoulder, “How could he be so thoughtless?” Well, this (very wise) friend looks at me and says, “Amy, John loves you and shows you all year long. He is faithful to you, provides for you, and loves you and your children with his whole heart. Why do you need him to perform one weekend out of the year to prove that he loves you?” Needless to say, I felt a little abashed and sheepish about my childish griping. She was right, and I knew it.

That little encounter got my attention and got me to thinking, why do we women put so much pressure and emphasis on our husbands to shower us with gifts, dinner, and attention on anniversaries and Valentine’s Day? Not that we don’t deserve it, but why do we deserve it any more than our husbands? Society has turned these events into elaborate displays of over spending and unrealistic expectations. Our husbands (in most cases—I am aware that many women hold jobs outside the home as well) carry the weight of responsibility for the leadership and financial well-being of their families, on a daily basis. A man like mine, who gets up every morning and goes to work, whether he feels like it or not, so his wife can enjoy the privilege of being at home with her children, certainly deserves to be honored and respected. Do we realize how much our men crave special attention and appreciation from us? Attention that goes beyond the basic, every day meals and honey-dos? How might our marriages grow and change for the better if we took the initiative to do special things for our husbands, instead of sitting and waiting for them to do it for us?  Ladies, I know for a fact you would be blown away by the change in your husband!

Believe me, I am fully aware that there is that ever-present issue of funds and finances. If you’re like me and have no source of income other than what your husband brings home, you may find an obstacle when it comes to finding the means to fund that special occasion. For me, it just doesn’t make sense to spend the money he earned on his own (even though I know it is our money) on a gift/event that is for him. Well, ladies, God made us to be creative creatures, and now is the perfect opportunity to blow your husband’s mind with how creative and fun you can be! Don’t have the money to go out to eat? Send the kids to their grandparents (or aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, etc) for the evening. Dress up your back porch with Christmas lights and a pretty table, whip up a yummy meal, and create an evening that he will never forget! A certain friend of mine built a romantic “fort” in her living room with blankets, Christmas lights, and a mattress. Her husband was blown away!  

This past Valentine’s Day was a special one for us. We had came through a tough trial in our marriage, one that we fought and won together, through lots of prayer and dedication. This situation brought us closer together than ever before, and I wanted to really shower John with a special Valentine’s Day, to celebrate that we had made it to through the valley, to the top of the mountain. So I got my husband’s permission to spend a certain amount of money on a special weekend. Surprisingly, he was thrilled with the idea and told me to go for it (I about fainted!). I can’t tell you how much fun I had sneaking around and planning things. I ordered an Edible Arrangements bouquet and had it delivered to his office, picked him up from work and took him to a high-end steakhouse in our area (that required reservations), bought him a personal gift, and finished the night off with a stay at our favorite local hotel. So if you have the means to fund such a weekend, go for it. He deserves it! He might be so pleased that he turns around and takes you on the anniversary trip of your dreams ;).

Let’s not take our marriages for granted, ladies. Let’s not forget that a good marriage takes a lot of hard work, on both our parts. But we can’t just sit around and wait for our husbands to be the one doing all the work. A little spontaneity every now and then can turn a good marriage into an extraordinary marriage. You never know what God has in store. Go for it!

The Great Critter Conundrum

Our little country homestead is swiftly growing in critter population. I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, I know that the memories I have of the pets of my childhood are some of the best memories of my childhood. I remember coming home from school in the afternoon and running out to the shed or the barn to play with my new kitten or puppy. There are so many such sweet moments that I treasure. Pets help teach children compassion and responsibility. There's so much to be said about a child and their pet. So, how can I, as a Mom, rob my children of these experiences by denying them ownership of a pet?

On the other hand, pets bring lots of irritating baggage along with them. Yes, they are cute and funny and entertaining (at least while they are babies), buy soon grow into smelly, loud, jumping-on-you, pooping-in-the-wrong-places annoyances. I have to constantly nag remind the kids about feeding them and cleaning up after them. And I find myself silently screaming, "Never again!" Does anyone else out there feel me?

Our pets are usually pretty run of the mill, but at the moment, we have some very interesting, full-of-personality critters calling our farmstead home. Meet Georgia (as in "Curious George-ia").

Georgia is not your typical chicken. She thinks she is a human and that she should live, eat, and sleep with humans. Not that she has ever stepped a claw into the house (Don't thinks he hasn't tried. She has.) We let our chickens free range during the day, and leave the coop door open so at night, they can all gather back in and roost safely in their enclosed home. Not so for Georgia. She refuses to participate in such chicken-y behavior, but insists rather on remaining up at the house instead of joining her chicken comrades. During the day, she perches on the back of the front porch rocking chair, and cranes her neck to peer into the kitchen window to watch the goings-on. It's a little unsettling to be stared down by beady chicken eyes while one is washing the breakfast dishes. But I've kinda gotten used to it. She descends from her perch only to squeeze herself as close to the carport door as she can (which is a full-length window type door). Maybe she doesn't want to miss out on the morning's Bible reading time or the afternoon Language lesson?

Here is Midnight, our newest kitty. He was snuck in unawares by a certain mischievous great-grandparent. I came out of church one night to find him in my van, much to the delight of my  children.
 

 (I didn't have a photo of Skittles and he wasn't available for a photo shoot--off courting perhaps?--so I borrowed one of his likeness from Wiki)

Skittles (adult cat) has been with us for about 3 years now. Against my adamant protests, Skittles manages to stay in the house about 80% of the time. This started because any food that is put outside for him is eaten by possums, coons, or chickens (one in particular--can you guess?). So in order to keep the poor thing from starving, we started bringing him inside to feed him. The children started sneaking him off to their rooms, where he promptly falls asleep in a corner and sleeps there most of the day, while I forget he is even in the house in the first place. If he is not let in in the morning (I put him outside at night), he goes to the kids' windows and howls until someone comes to get him. Being that I like my children to sleep past 6:00 a.m. if at all possible, I will usually bring him in myself just to shut him up! He then promptly makes a beeline for Elijah's room and settles in for a good nap. He also goes to the door and cries when he needs to go out to use the bathroom. Pretty smart cat!

This is Cottontail. He is probably my favorite pet because he is content to live in his little cage, doesn't make any noise, and is  low maintenance. He's also pretty cute and cuddly. Josie loves to hold and snuggle him and he seems happy to oblige.

 

Now these two gals (Sugar Baby and Stacy), I like to pretend are not here. They live on the hinder side of our barn/shop and so I cannot see, hear, or smell them unless I walk around the barn/shop to see them, which I rarely do. My dear husband has been mildly obsessed with owning a pair of "large blacks" for quite some years now. I made a bargain with him that if I got a new couch, he could get his hogs. And so here we are (the couch is very comfortable, by the way).



We also have two broods of chickens--an adult brood that we've had for about 3 years, and a new, young brood that Elijah and Grace are raising for the 4-H Chicken Chain Project.  Here's hoping that something positive comes out of this project. And that the chickens live through it (we've already had two fatalities).

We started out with three lab/golden retriever puppies last spring, but they got so big and began to eat so much dog food that we got rid of two of them. The third one that we decided to keep, Bess, had a uteran prolapse and had to be put down last fall.  We've had really bad luck with dogs so far, losing about five different dogs (either died or ran away) since we moved here three years ago.

If it were up to the children, we would add a horse, cows, and goats to the count. Their Daddy is already putting up fences for the goats he hopes to get this summer. I'm admittedly nervous about goats because of their tendency to get out of their fence. I keep having visions of a an overweight white girl chasing goats through the pasture.

So I guess animals have their place, and at least make things more interesting from day to day. As much as a I sigh with exasperation, deep down I get attached to them (despite my best intentions). When one of them gets sick or hurt, I'm the first to gather them up and bring them in the house (the utility room of course) and nurse them back to health.  Just don't tell anyone! They are all a part of our family. That being said, if one of the kids were to ask for a new pet today I would most likely answer, "No more pets!"

The Power of Encouragement

To encourage, is to inspire, to stimulate, to promote, says Webster. I have often asked, in prayer, for the Lord to make me an encourager. But I don't think I really grasped what it meant, until now. Not until someone showed me--inspired me, stimulated me, promoted me. They looked for the good in me, the positive potential for greatness, that I did not, nor have I ever seen before. They brought it to light and promoted me to strive for more. They showed me a goal and inspired me to reach for it. They shared stories with me of great and mighty deeds God has done through them in their own personal prayer life and stimulated me to deepen the intensity of my communication with God. They promoted me by pointing out how God wanted to use me in ways I never dreamed, and nudged me when he actually did--saying, "See, what did I tell you?"

Let me take a moment, if I may, to inspire you. God is waiting, in suspense, for you to discover the potential that He has put in you. He knows it is there, because He put it there. It may be buried underneath feelings of inferiority and self-doubt, but it's there. If you could see what He sees when He looks at you, and what you could be--you'd spread your wings and soar. It takes faith to push past the layers of self-degradation. Faith in God first, then faith in yourself.

Let me promote you to prepare yourself for God to have His way with you. What are your spiritual goals? Sit down and write out a list of areas where you would like to see progress in--is it your prayer life? Is it a greater faith? Is it for power and anointing of the Holy Ghost to sing or testify?  Teach, lead, or step out in a brand new area of ministry? Seek God's face for His direction, soak it in prayer, then stand back and give Him a chance to work.

Let me stimulate you: when He sees a heart and a life that is open, yielded, and truly desiring to break out of its ordinary condition, He will be delighted. He will fill it to overflowing with purpose, passion, and fruitfulness.

Look around--do you see anyone who could use a little encouragement? Go ahead--inspire, promote, stimulate!

A Typical Week of Trim Healthy Mama Meals (southern style)

In continuation with my previous posts about Trim Healthy Mama, I am going to break it on down to what it's like on a day-to-day basis (for me). I'm a southern girl, and love some southern food. We also like Tex-Mex and Italian. Tex-Mex is probably the easiest types of meals to convert over. You don't have to do a lot changing up, just nix the flour/corn tortillas and replace with Joseph's pita or lavash bread. So you'll see a lot of that in this list.

Let's start with breakfast:

• Eggs, eggs, eggs. Eggs boiled, eggs fried (in butter or coconut oil). Egg casserole, omelets, etc. Load on the cheese, the sausage, the turkey bacon. Anything with whole eggs are "S". 
• Smoothies. The book has some very tasty smoothy recipes, and there are also tons of recipes out on the WWW. They consist of ice and whey protein as your base, with almond milk, berries, chocolate, peanut butter, and even coffee (think McDonald's frappe) combined to your preferences. Yum! The type of meal depends on what you put in it.
• Trim Healthy Pancakes. These are made by grinding up oatmeal into a flour, adding a few more ingredients into the blender, and cooking with a little butter. I eat them with either SF syrup or some blueberries that have been stewed down with a little water and Truvia. These are "E". 
• There are other options like Cottage Berry Whip and Ricotta Cream Parfait, which are recipes from the book. They are cold, ice-cream like dishes that are great for hot summer mornings.
• Muffin In A Mug: Also a recipe out of the book. This recipe is on my THM Pinterest board. It's made with almond and coconut flour, truvia, an egg, and baking powder (along with your flavoring of choice).

Onto lunch:

• When I can afford it, I buy salmon in the can. Red salmon, not pink (this is greatly encouraged in the book). I brown it with a little butter in a skillet and eat it on a salad with a baked sweet potato on the side. I use a light vinaigrette dressing on the salad and put just a teaspoon of butter with some cinnamon on the potato. Very slimming meal. If you eat this 2 - 3 times a week, you will have speedy weight loss. 
• Green salads with all your favorite toppings and ranch dressing. Add in some diced chicken breast with full fat Ranch--"S". Or use a lower-fat, higher-carb dressing, go light on the cheese, and you've got an "E".
• Sandwiches--oh, my. Joseph's pita or lavash breads are a great substitute and make great sandwiches/wraps. 
• Tuna salad, Egg salad, chicken salad. Either on a Joseph's bread or with some celery sticks. 

Supper: A Few of Our Favorites

•  Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas. "S". Throw some chicken breasts in the crock pot in the morning with a little bit of butter and fajita/taco seasonings. By suppertime, they will be fall-apart tender. Drain off some of the broth and add a block of 1/3 LF cream cheese and a can of Rotel or Salsa (be careful that your salsa does not contain corn).  Save some of the cream cheese mixture and set aside. Using your Lavash bread like tortillas, spoon the mixture onto the lavash and roll up, placing in a casserole dish. Spread remaining mixture you put aside on top and bake until bubbly. Serve with green breans, squash, or another non-starchy veggie. 
• Chicken Alfredo: "E". The key here is to find a good alfredo sauce that has 3 grams or less of fat per serving. I can't remember the brand, but there is one at Wal-Mart that works. Cook up a box of Dreamfield's pasta (from WM) and you have Chicken Alfredo! I consider this an "E" because of the pasta, although it is low-crab, it's still pasta! Since you've got your "E" going on, have a starchy veggie with it--peas, butterbeans, etc.
• Cheesy Broccoli Casserole with Hot Wings and Cabbage. "S". You make the casserole by pouring a bag of frozen broccoli into a casserole dish, adding one block of chopped cream cheese, chopped green onions, bacon bits, and whatever other cheese you desire. Bake until hot, stir, cover with tin foil, and bake again until bubbly. My, my, my! Tastes just like a loaded potato! Cook your hot wings however you like 'em, and cook up a pot of cabbage. Don't add sugar to the cabbage--this would mess up your "S" flow :). 
• Victory Garden Casserole: "S"-- This is kind of like hamburger helper, de-carby-fied. I brown 3 lbs of ground beef (or ground deer when I have it on hand), sautee onions and bell pepper, add a can of Rotel or spaghetti sauce and about 1/2 head of cooked cabbage. The cabbage is your pasta sub and it is delicious! You're gonna love it.
• Brown Rice Stir-Fry: "E"-- Cook up your favorite stir-fry with a lean meat, and serve with brown rice. Only a 1/4 cup of brown rice per serving at first, and as you start losing you can add in a little more, but no more than 3/4 cup per meal. You can have any starchy veggie alongside this. 

Well, I hope this gives you an idea of what the food is like. There are also lots of snack and dessert options, but I think I will save that for another post! 

Breaking Down THM {Things You Should Know Before You Buy The Book}

I am, in the 10th month of my journey to becoming a Trim Healthy Mama. I am 52 lbs lighter and 3 sizes smaller than I was this time last year. While I am very, very proud of these numbers, the fact that I still have some 30 lbs to go lends a certain amount of restraint to my celebration. And lest I exult in my accomplishments, prematurely, I am often reminded (by well-meaning complimenters) that I "sure am looking good". Which, in Swahili means, "compared to what you used to be, you look a hundred times better, but you've got a long ways to go before you're there, sista, so keep on truckin'!" So, truck, I shall! And, I want everyone who has unwanted pounds to shed, to do it with me, my way!

Which brings me to this blog post. I sometimes share my weight loss progress with my friends on Facebook, and over the past week, have received 2 - 3 PMs asking for more info on the plan. Of course, my first response usually is, "Buy the book", which is usually followed with "but before you buy the book". Because I realize that not everyone has $45.00 to spare, especially on something they are not 100% sure is going to be doable for them.

So, here are a few things you should know before you make that purchase:

• You will have to say goodbye to sugar. Which means, if you like sweet things, there will be a process of trial and error before you find a sweetener substitute you are happy with. I started with Stevia--didn't love it, but lived with it--until I tried Truvia. Wall-a! So much better! I was happy with that for a while, but now I am using Swerve, which is even better (IMO). You can order a free sample here (just pay $1 for s&h).
• Say goodbye to corn, white rice, white flour, white pastas, and white potatoes. What? Yes, I know that's like every single staple of our southern style of cooking and eating, but....that's also why we're all obese and riddled with diabetes by the age of 30.
• You will learn to make delicious dishes by replacing the above-mentioned items with brown rice, coconut and almond flours, healthy pastas, and sweet potatoes.
• Say "Hello!" to butter and coconut oil. Real butter, that is. I buy LuAnna brand coconut oil from Wal-Mart. It's relatively inexpensive and doesn't have the strong flavor that organic coconut oil is said to have. These will replace the vegetable and canola oils that you are going to give up :). 
• Are you a cow's milk lover? You will replace this with almond milk (unsweetened) or coconut milk. I use Almond Breeze from Wal-Mart. I don't like to drink it straight, but use it to make delicious, slimming smoothies, cheesecakes, and puddings. 

As you can see, the plan does require a lot of change. A lot of trying new things, and letting go of those families "comfort foods". But if nothing ever changes, then nothing. ever. changes.  Kwim? It's baby steps. Do not try to jump in this thing with both feet in one day. Slowly introduce new things into your diet. Experiment with recipes from Pinterest and their FB page. It IS doable. Don't be intimidated by it.

Onto a few more points you should be familiar with:

• You will have to learn some rules and some lingo. Your basically will eat two types of meals, the "S" and the "E". Each meal is based around protein (meat). 
• "S" meal--S stands for "satisfying" and refers to a meal that is higher in fat, lower in carbs. Because fat is satisfying, right? When I say fats, I mean butter, cheese, mayo, sour cream, cream cheese, etc. Example: You could choose a fatty meat like steak and pair it with a cheesy broccoli casserole (delicious!) and some green beans. High in fat, low in carbs. 
• "E" meal--E stands for "energizing" and refers to a meal that is slightly higher in carbs (good carbs), but lower in fat (think of a see-saw). Choose a lean meat, say a grilled chicken breast, and pair it with a sweet potato with a teaspoon or so of real butter on it, some cinnamon and salt sprinkled on, with a side salad topped with a low-fat vinaigrette dressing. OR diced chicken breast in some red beans and brown rice (beans are considered a carb, not a protein). 

To be perfectly honest:

• They are going to introduce you to some pretty strange-sounding stuff in the book. Glucomannon,  konjac noodles, whey protein, who has ever heard of this stuff? It's OK, you can still apply the concepts without going full-fledged with all that. Although it is helpful.
• The recipes are strange. Especially to people in southwestern Alabama and southeastern Mississippi. But, modify and roll with it. Be creative and make it work. If you want it bad enough.

So, is that clear as mud? I hope this gives you an idea how you will be cooking and eating on this plan. Please, please, do not feel overwhelmed. It takes little baby steps at a time, but once you get going, you will take off, I promise ya! The pounds will melt off so fast you will be amazed! Go ahead, take the plunge! 

Have questions? I'd love to answer them! Fire away!

Weight Loss Success With Trim Healthy Mama

                                               
*In reference to the above picture: due to the fact that I avoid the camera, I couldn't locate a "before" picture. Not sure if this is the best "after" picture, but here it is nonetheless*

After I had Josie (now 15 months old), I reached the point where I was past ready for a CHANGE. I've been overweight 85% of my life, and have bemoaned my dissatisfaction therewith to my husband for most of our marriage. He'd always say something like, "You're the only one who can do anything about it", then usually followed it with "but I love you just the way you are." The fact is, I did not love me just the way I was.

I joined Weight Watchers, which has always worked for me (up to about a 15 lb loss), but I got to the point that I was burned out with it. After 15 lbs I would start to lag and have to work harder at it, then I'd get discouraged and quit and the cycle would begin once again.  Then one day while reading an Above Rubies newsletter, I saw an advertisement for the Trim Healthy Mama book. It piqued my interest, as I have always had a lot of confidence in and respect for the wisdom of Nancy Campbell and her family. It was a little on the pricey side, but I saved up my birthday money that year and ordered the book.

I have to be honest with you--at first, I was a little intimidated. The book has "more pages than the Bible", as a friend of ours recently put it, and it taking in all that information seemed a little daunting. So I put it to the side. That was in January of 2013. A few months later, I noticed my brother and sis-in-law saying things at the Sunday dinner table like, "We can have the sweet potatoes, but just not combined with a fat." I also noticed my brother, who has carried around extra weight as long as I have, dropping weight like lightning. This, of course, was due to their implementing the Trim Healthy Mama plan. So, I picked up my book and dove in. I read it a couple of times, then started to experiment with different recipes. In mid-September, I took the plunge and went all the way with it.

By Christmas, I had already lost 35 pounds! And never added up a single point, or counted a single calorie. I ate things like fried eggs (in coconut oil) for breakfast, a fajita-steak wrap for lunch (complete with sour cream and cheese), and grilled chicken with parmesan crusted zucchini for supper. And these are just a few examples of the delicious foods that I eat every day while the pounds melt off. Since Christmas, I have lost about 15 more pounds, putting me at a round-about total of 50 lbs.

My goal is 80 lbs, so I still have a ways to go. I have now reached that "donkey weight" that doesn't want to move, and I am probably going to have to include an exercise regime to get the rest of it off. Yes, I have lost 50 lbs in 7 months without exercising consistently (although THM strongly recommends it).

I cannot say it enough. I LOVE living the THM lifestyle!! It's the best thing I have ever done, health-wise, and I am never looking back! I have changed my lifestyle for good. There's no need (or desire) to go back to my old ways. I eat delicious, satisfying meals, snacks, and desserts every day and they are all working for me to bring me to that goal weight.

A couple of months ago, I was walking across the church parking lot when a friend yelled from her car, "Hey, girl, you look good! What have you been doing?" I replied, "T.H.M." She looked at me with a confused look on her face, then yelled back, "G.O.O.D!" (lol). And yes, it is soo good!

Josie Amelia Turned One!

Um, back in January, that is. Better late (posting) than never, right? We had an awesome party and celebrated in style! You'll just have to use your imagination! Ha!

Josie is a little bundle of joy, and every single one of us are crazy about her! She has been walking since she was about 9 1/2 months old, and so by now she is a live wire and can climb like a little monkey! Her favorite things are playing outside, reading books, and giving her Daddy all her good sugars! She is also the "church baby" and gets spoiled by everyone at our church, including her pastor, who is one of her favorite people. She brings smiles and love to our home every day and we are so thankful God gave us this special little girl to call our own.

Back in March, John's awesome-photographer sister Wendi took some pics of our little Stinker and I was thrilled with how they turned out!  Oh, you'd like to see them? I'd love for you to! ;)

If you're in the Moss Point, MS area, look her up! She's on Facebook under Wendi Wood Photography.

He's Alive! (and so is this blog).

It's not very often that I get a chance to sit down and blog a spell, but every now and then I come out of the woods and re-enter civilization long enough to pick up the laptop and connect to the wide world of the web. Out in the backwoods of Mississippi, we neither have cell phone nor internet service, believe it or not. It's been an adjustment, but I kind of like it! 

My husband was sent to the big city of Jackson this week for training, and Jo-Jo and I tagged along. John did  not give me much choice. He said, "You need a break and you are going with me." He even sweet-talked my Mom into keeping the other three kiddos while we are gone. Poor Gran! She will be needing a vacation now!  I must admit it is rather nice to sit back and relax, let someone else wash my dirty towels and prepare my meals. Having uninterrupted screen time is icing on the cake.

We had a very nice Easter Sunday. We visited my "home" church (although it is not where we attend, it will always be "home" to me) with my parents and brothers' family. Afterwards, we drove about 20 minutes south and joined my Mom's bustling family (she has 6 siblings) for Easter dinner. My cousin Beverly's home was bursting with aunts, uncles and cousins. The food was abundant and delicious and of course we all ate too much. Even though all of that is wonderful, it's not what "makes" Easter so special. Being a born-again child of God, the Easter holiday stirs me like no other. I love Christmas, but Easter comes in a pretty close second. As a blood-bought, born-again child of God, I can't get over the significance of His resurrection.  He is alive! He is ruling and reigning from His heavenly throne. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, and whatever it brings with it.  I can face death, whether my own, or of a loved one because He has taken away the sting. He conquered death and all its darkness and pain and grief.  He is my glorious overcomer, and now I have nothing to fear!

So that is why we get all dressed up for Easter Sunday. It's certainly an occasion worth donning our best, to show that this Resurrection Sunday is special and significant to us. And we do clean up pretty good, if I do say so myself!

                      
                                                                      Our Family, Easter 2014

 

The Cooper Grandkids! All ten of them!

 

 

My Parents and I

 

Josie Amelia's First Easter

 

 

My Four Sweeties, My Whole World

 

 

Elijah shucked off his Sunday duds and climbed a fence post the first chance he got!

 

A Fall Update

Here we are, in October, and isn't it the most wonderful time of year? I'm most definitely an Autumn lover, and we've been blessed this year with several weeks of wonderful, cool weather. What a blessing after a long, hot, muggy Mississippi summer.

Our little family seems to have been through so many changes in the last year, and the last month found us once again, moving. But not very far this time! We bought a little house about 10 miles down the road from the house we were renting, and have been moved in four about 6 weeks now. We are in love with our new homestead, and it really feels like home. A place where we could put down roots and raise our little brood, if the Lord so wills.

Our little house in the woods is just that--way back in the woods of Mississippi, away from traffic and, well, pretty much any other civilization. It is quiet and peaceful, and teeming with wildlife. We're so far off the beaten path that there is no internet access or cell phone service available. And after talking to our cell phone company, we learned there are not any plans of extending service to our little neck of the woods. Not enough people out there, they say.

So, we have learned to live without texting and Instagram and have gotten reacquainted with the ole practical and dependable landline phone service. Oh, Pinterest, how I long for thee! Seriously, though, it has been a blessing to not have these things pulling at me and constantly competing for my time. My house actually stays pretty tidy now!

Due to the move, we are only in our fourth week of schooling. It is going great so far! Emma has already blown through her entire book of Handwriting Without Tears and is making progress in her 100 Lessons. She is wired completely different than my older two children, who whizzed through two lessons a day. She is just as smart (maybe even smarter), but has a much shorter attention span, so we have to approach our learning a bit differently. I still have not ordered her any Math yet, mainly because I can't decide what to use. Any suggestions?

                                                  (Emma on her 5th birthday, August 14)

Grace and Elijah are both using Sonlight's Core C and absolutely love it! I could devote an entire post to this subject alone. But for now I will say it is working great for us so far. Grace is taking violin and had her first recital last month. She loves the violin. We are so proud of her!

Elijah is growing into such a big, responsible young man. He helps his Dad take care of the quail and chickens that we raise, and is really excited about getting hogs and goats. He loves to read and occupies his time with gathering crickets, frogs, and lizards for his Critter Collection (I draw the line at snakes. NO snakes.)

Josie is crawling around and "floating", getting into everything! I expect she will be walking within the next month. My baby is growing way too fast! Her personality is a lot more mellow than my other girls, and she is a steady-she-goes little girl, pretty much only fussy when something is really wrong, or Mama has delayed feeding time a little bit too long! Her smiles and giggles are the highlight of our days!





John loves it in the country, and it is the fulfillment of a long-time dream of his to have a place in the country where our roosters can crow and we can raise honeybees without disturbing and/or freaking out our neighbors. We love to sit out on our front porch and watch a mother deer and her twin fawns walk across the pasture in front of the house. You want to see a man's eyes light up, that will just about do it! 

I apologize for the long post, but it has been a long time in coming! I do miss blogging, and reading my favorite blogs. I feel like I am away from dear friends, as some of the blogs have become just that to me. Please, leave me a comment and let me know how your fall is going.

Amy, the Reluctant Canner

Last week, my Dad called to tell me that the corn he had planted for us at his house was ready to harvest. I have to tell ya, I haven't done much gardening in my life. My parents grow beautiful, lush produce, but I usually don't come in contact with it until it's sitting on the table. It's OK--go ahead and laugh!

Let's just say, this is an area I need to grow in, and this summer is providing plenty of opportunity for learning. A girl's gotta start somewhere, right? So...I'm a bit proud of the 9 quarts of green beans, 300 ears of corn, and 4 quarts of cut-off corn stocked up in my freezer and pantry. OK, OK,...John canned the beans, and Mom bagged 90% of the corn. But I DID cut-off and bag most of the second batch of corn. AND shucked the 300 ears (with the help of Dad and a friend). AND snapped the beans.

.

(Above--my cutie-pie shucking, bean-snapping helpers)

I think my main obstacle in this area is that I am not able to let go of my other household duties. I think the laundry must be done, the house must be clean, and the kitchen spotless before I begin such a task. And with 4 kiddos (including a 5 month old), this is pretty much impossible. The produce would probably sit and spoil before all the above actually happens! Breathe in, breathe out. Where is Mr. Miyagi when you need him?

So, dear canning, gardening ladies (Laurie @ South GA Mama and Rebecca @ Renaissance), please keep posting about your abundant gardens and your industrious canning. I desperately need the motivation and inspiration your work provides! You're my Super Gardening Supreme Canning Mama Heros!