It seems that my word "connect" for 2021 has been important so far for this year.
Some connections have been bad while most have been good. I have reconnected with a couple of people from my younger years (think high school) and a couple from my 20's.
I've noticed that the bad connections have actually taught me a few things and I am growing as a person. For me, that is an important lesson when you have grown. Some things during those bad connections were not always pretty and honestly, I was a mess during those interactions or connections.
I am learning how to love myself better. That is going slow. I still do not see my worth and often believe the lies. Sorting that out is painful.
New adventures are on the horizon and I am excited...stay tuned.
Struggle...what a word to use for your first blog post of the new year! I 've been trying to put something together but my physical issues have been wreaking havoc with my mindset.
I'm in pain physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
To get past this hurdle, I am taking more time for me. I chose my 1 word for 2021 #oneword365 and it is the word "Connect". For several days, I went back and forth about making a healthy decision. It's an investment and not sure that my family can afford for me to do this right now. I've prayed and thought it through...finally, I got up the courage and spoke to my husband. I joined Weight Watchers. (probably seems lame and very anticlimatic) but this is a huge deal. I am notorious for signing up for things and not following through. NOT THIS TIME. Oh, and the new weight watchers has an app with a tool on it called "CONNECT". hmmm...that word smacking in the face again.
I must persist through this struggle. I want a skinnier me, healthier me, more active me...a happier version of me. I am going to use my word Connect to figure out how to get me where I want to be.
Fast forward to today, this day was not a great day. I slept most of the day. I did eat healthy. But I let my mind control the day. You know that voice that tells you all the lies...you will not succeed, you can't do this, you are going to fail, no money, no way, you can't juggle this with your family....the list goes on and on. Stressed about not being able to afford health food. Worrying about not being able to take care of me, my Dad, my kids, and my husband. Worried that I will disappoint every person that I love.
I was ready to quit today. Then I pulled up my phone and jumped on my Connect through my WW app and you know what happened? Magic. People jumped in and said hey you got this. Try this. Don't give up. So I am pushing forward and not giving up. I will figure this out and I will succeed.
"Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter." — Izaak Walton
The above was my very first post on WordPress. (I've been blogging for awhile now and recently figured out how to get my other blogger posts to the new blog!) But I love this photo and thought why not...back to blogger. I had a blogger site awhile back ago but I thought Word Press was the answer. Word Press is fine for some people. For me, it did not suit my purpose. I can no longer afford to pay for a hosted site so here I am.
Just so you know, this girl is a mess and I hope that my mess will bless others. Writing is therapy for me. It will be suitable for all audiences and I will not be discussing anything political as well.
Here you will get to here about my life and some things I have found that help through this crazy. Some are products that I sell or promote. Some items are just spiritual matters that help me.
May this blog bless you and you find some light in this dark world!
Honestly, that's been my emotion for 9 years since my Mom left this world. Numb. I smile just so that others don't see the pain. I have struggled with losing her.
As I sit here, getting ready to go into my own battle, I wonder what would Mom say. I imagine she would smile (to hide the pain) and then would grab me and hold me until the sobbing stopped. She would then tell me to go wash off my face and then we will talk. She listens intently as I tell her my latest news. Mom would say, "Now stop crying. You are only going to get a stuffy nose and a headache." Mom would go on to say, "You will be okay. It is all going to be alright. You have got to keep praying."
The reality is that she is not here. I now must put the armor on and pretend like it's okay.
However, it's not okay. Life as I know it is slowly crumbling and changing. I feel like there is a landslide coming soon. I have to wonder though if this feeling is all because of our world in the last 3 months. There has been so much fear, anger, hatred...unrest.
Tonight I am pondering why I was given the word "restoration". There certainly has not been anything restored. Back on my New Year's post, I had said that my faith is unshakeable. Well, my faith is strong but it has been shaken.
Tonight, I am kneeling for peace, comfort of fears, renewed hope, and restoration of this world so that the numbness we feel in our souls is replaced by a renewing energy. I am tired of being numb...comfortably numb.
I found this website called Good Generation. You can find it here: http://www.generationgood.com/
It is a community and an opportunity to exchange ideas and tips with others like you who care about raising the next generation in a healthy environment. You’ll be able to participate in discussions, share your feedback and opinions on all things Seventh Generation and you can complete surveys that help us better understand you and what you’re looking for.
I answer surveys and get offered free samples. I participate in forum discussions and give an honest opinion on different subjects or products.
One of the first questions asked was the following: We are all #generationgood by being here in this community and helping to ensure the health of our families and the planet we all share. What motivates you specifically, and what are some of the things you personally do that make you #generationgood?
My response was very simple: My family enjoys camping and being outdoors. We make sure to instill good values into our children so that this world will be a better place. We teach them to love others and that we must take care of the earth.
A beautiful day at our happy place!
Check out Good Generation here and join me: https://generationgood.socialmedialink.com/missions/3350
Weight loss so far is 17 pounds! The goal that I set is 100 pounds. There is no timeframe on this goal because I know that this weight has been added on over time. This is going to take time to lose.
Easy? No way. This has not been easy by any means. I have had days where I could not get past a craving so I gave in. However, I have a plan to get past that and to move on. 90% of this plan has involved self reflection and getting over mental barriers. I have realized that I can't do this on my own. Now, I do have supportive family and friends that I know I can reach out to when this journey gets to be too much. It is very important to seek support. Some tools that I use include prayer, a therapist, personal journal, and this blog.
Just yesterday, I was feeling down. I had a very lazy day and laid in bed watching Netflix and playing games on my phone. At one point, while I was on my phone, I could see my reflection. I must admit that in that very moment, my thought was "I hate this body. This body is ugly. I am fat. I am lazy. There is no way I am going to reach this goal." Today I woke up and said, "Jen, that was a lie that the enemy is telling you. Jen, pray and look at some scriptures so that you understand this was a lie." You see the enemy wants me to fail. But what the enemy has failed to see, I have something bigger and stronger than that. I have God. In those moments where I have given in to temptation of eating things that are not good for me and God still gave me grace. I am so not worthy but yet God loves me.
Victory in Christ is mine. Romans 8:37 NIV "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." I can succeed. I will succeed. Nothing is going to separate God's love from...absolutely nothing can come between me and God's love.
Furthermore, Lie take this...do you hear this?! "I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13 NIV. "For I am God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which GOD PREPARED IN ADVANCE for us to do." Ephesians 2:10 NIV I am a work of art that God created in advance; fearfully and wonderfully made in my mother's womb as in Psalms 139: 14-16 MSG
"Oh yes, you s haped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.
Mix all of the ingredients above in a bowl. Spray a Muffin pan with Canola Oil or other of your choice. Scoop the dough into the muffin pan, fill each cup to the top edge. Makes 12 Biscuits. Bake on 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
Ingredients for the gravy:
2 Packages of ground sausage or Turkey Sausage
2 Cups of Chicken Broth
2 Cups of Heavy Whipping Cream
2 blocks of cream cheese
Use a large skillet. Brown sausage until all the pink is gone. Drain grease (I did not). Once sausage is cooked through, add all of the other ingredients. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Turn down to low and cover. When sauce is thicker, remove from heat and let stand. Will get thicker as it sits.I opened my biscuits and put butter on the biscuits. I then cooked 2 eggs over easy. Then poured the gravy over all of that. Hope you enjoy!
Good Evening! I want to introduce myself and tell a little bit of my story. I will tell my story in greater detail with upcoming posts. It is turning out to be a very emotional story so I've decided to share in parts.
Part One: Who I am? My name is Jen and I am fueled by Jesus and Coffee. I am a wife to a great guy that has been in my life for 27 years this past October. That man has uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. I am a Mom of 3 beautiful children: ages 16, 11, and 4. I am also a Fur Mom to 2 dogs and 2 cats. Our family loves to camp and we can be at our happy place most every weekend starting April 1st to November 1st, rain or shine and a few times snow. I enjoy being outdoors and like to fish, swim, kayak, or just float out on the lake with family and friends. I am a music lover of all types...my radio goes from Christian Rock, Classic Rock, Pop, Rap, Country, Alternative and Classical (like Mozart). I play the trombone but not at the moment because I loaned a neighbor kid my trombone. The last thing that I want you to know is that I am a food addict. I use food much like a someone who uses Heroin or some other type of illegal drug. Instead of eating to live, I LIVE TO EAT.
My weight is the same as when I delivered my third child 4 years ago, 234 pounds. The husband, as I mentioned above, has uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. Something had to change and it changed quickly, about 3 weeks ago. I am going to share my "fat" picture below and will show you my progress in future posts.
Yours Truly, 234 pounds...I still look pregnant!
The husband and I have decided to change our lifestyle. We have been using keto recipes, diabetic recipes, and I am counting calories. Jack has been craving stuff and is hungry all the time. I have not been craving as I have been down this road and have employed the tools I used way back when. I am measuring ingredients with measuring cups and spoons. I will be weighing my meat. If I drink milk or any kind of juice (which is usually low carb fruit juice), I measure out the serving. I am working on drinking 64 oz. of water daily. I am going back to yoga and hope to be able to do that 2 to 3 times per week. I am having Jack bring the treadmill upstairs where I can see it and hopefully make myself get walking.
Here is a recipe that I put together last week: Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry
Frozen Stir Fry Vegetables and Frozen Cauliflower Rice (used garlic and herb flavored). 1 bag each.
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast - 2 lbs.
Canola Oil
Lawry's Teriyaki Marinade (2 bottles)
Step 1: Cut chicken into strips and marinade the chicken breast overnight with the Teriyaki and put in the fridge.
Step 2: To start cooking, add 1 tablespoon of canola oil and heat wok to medium/high heat.
Step 3: Dump both bags of veggies into wok and cook 8 to 10 minutes. When cooked, pour into serving dish, keep warm.
Step 4: Cook chicken in the wok. Bump up the heat a little. Cook until chicken is 170 degrees (Took about 10 minutes). Don't over cook..chicken will dry out.
Step 5: Pour chicken over the veggies and mix all together. Ready to serve.
