Trim Healthy Mama - The Journey Continues

It's been a busy week and weekend, and we still haven't finished reading the Trim Healthy Mama in its entirety, but everyday we seem to be learning something new. And, while this week has been far from perfect, we are pretty much set up in on-plan foods, and have made several new recipes, most of which we enjoyed, but, we are also coming to some conclusions.

#1 - We are definitely going to have to take finances into consideration and settle into a more economical system of menu planning. I have yet to set anything down on paper, but am thinking that we probably need to alternate egg white dishes, with, or without turkey sausage, or turkey bacon on occasion, with oatmeal for breakfasts, and the hearty soups (Red or Green) for lunches. I made a half recipe of the Hearty Green Soup on page 334 this past week and it is very good and it's very economical! A half recipe has fed my husband and I for days (a bowl each for either lunch or supper) and one day we even shared some of it with company! By alternating these breakfast and lunch ideas on a regular basis, we will just have to plan nice suppers and can put most of the allotted grocery money into those meals.

#2 - I still haven't figure out if we started off wrong, if we're missing something, or what, but where on-plan foods according to the book, in places anyway, include things like full-fat butter, full-fat cheese, full-fat cream cheese, ground beef, etc., we have decided to stick with foods that we traded those items in for long ago. Light butter instead of full-fat butter or margarine, 2% cheese in place of full-fat cheese, Neufchatel or fat-free cream cheese instead of full-fat cream cheese, ground turkey instead of ground beef, etc. Why add the extra fat and calories when there is no need to?

The thing that we feel that we've learned the most about thus far is the effect that sugar has on the body and how most of the foods that we were eating before, and the combinations in which we were eating them, created a never-ending process of glucose clean-up, which, in turn, made it impossible for the body to ever get to stored fat and use it as a fuel source. We feel so much better getting off the sugar and, did I mention? I love Truvia! And thanks to a new found love affair with cauliflower, I don't miss white potatoes at all, either. That is something that I never thought would happen! Wow!

I do wish I would have measured before starting this journey though because my clothes are definitely feeling looser. I need to buckle down and get more serious with everything, and I need to start walking again!

Well, I guess that's it for this week. To all you other ladies who are endeavoring to go the Trim Healthy Mama way, I wish you well. Feel free to drop in, comment, and let us know how things are progressing on your end. In the meantime, love to all and God bless!

All My Love,
~Rebecca

#thm

Trusting God Through The Hard Times

Over the past several years my husband and I have lost multiple friends and family members to death, grandchildren have been born, some have gone to heaven before we even had a chance to meet them, we have had ups and downs, gains and losses, joys and sorrows. Through it all God has been there. During the times of sorrow His love has sustained us. During the times of joy His presence has moved us to even greater depths of love and appreciation for those He has put in our lives, and bound us to, in His infinite wisdom.

So often, especially in times of trial and testing, we question the Lord. We ask, "Why, Lord? Why is this happening to me?" "Why is this happening to our family?" Over and over again we question the Lord, doubting His promises and even His very presence in our lives.

But, you know, it is in, and through, these hard times that we grow. It is in the face of hard times that we go running into the arms of our Heavenly Father, and they move us ever closer to Him. It is in these hard times that we seek Him out and commune deeply with Him, because it is in these hard times that no one else can ever truly know and understand what we are going through deep down within our hearts and spirits. God can because He is our Creator. God, and God alone, knows us better than anybody on the face of this earth. He knows us better than anyone else ever could, or will.

If you are going through hard times right now...physically, financially, spiritually...if your marriage is in trouble, or if you have suffered loss and are having a hard time healing...stand strong and keep this in mind...

God knows who you are. He knows where you're at, and what you are going through. He knows your heart. You are not alone, because God is ever with you. He will never leave you, nor forsake you, because God cares for you.

"For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end" (Jeremiah 29:11). 

In Him and With All My Love,
~Rebecca

Five Minute Friday - Writer

Five Minute Friday is a special time set aside each week where, as our hostess and inspiration, Lisa-Jo Baker, puts it, "We write for five minutes flat. All on the same prompt...no extreme editing; no worrying about perfect grammar, font, or punctuation. Unscripted. Unedited. Real." 

Today's prompt is writer. So...here...we...

Go!

Since getting back on track with blogging last week, I've anxiously awaited Lisa-Jo's next prompt all week, but seriously? Writer? 

Oh, don't get me wrong. A writer is what I want to be, but am I? A writer, I mean? 

I've always wanted to be a writer. Even as a child a whole world of words resided in my head and in my heart, and one way or another, they've always managed to come out. When it comes to talking, I've never been at a loss for them. In fact, I've been known to talk way too much and often out of turn. But...writing? Writing makes you have to slow down and think about those words...BEFORE they come tumbling out from the inside of you. It has a habit of making you harness your words...rein them in...and choose them carefully. Writing is hard.

Am I a writer? Sometimes...on rare occasions...the words just flow. I can hardly hit the keys of my keyboard fast enough to get them all down in print before I lose them. At other times...the words come hard. Sometimes I can't MAKE them go together. I mean...the thoughts are there...but the words won't form...and adhere to one another in a coherent sentence. 

Easy or hard...does it matter? I mean...words are words...right? If the words are cohesive...does it matter? Perhaps. It would depend on the purpose for which the writer is writing. But words...any words...written words...handwritten on a piece of paper, or words in print...in a book or the computer screen...words are words, and writing words makes you a writer.

So am I writer? Why, yes, I am! I may not be a great writer, but, I am a writer of words, and that makes me a writer nonetheless! 

Stop!

Until Next Time...

~Rebecca

Five Lessons of Wisdom from Abigail by Guest Writer Darlene Schacht

I’ve been reading much about wisdom these days. It’s mentioned about 45 times (depending on the version) in the book of Proverbs alone.

Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
~ Proverbs 4:5-7, NIV

When God sends a message that clearly, I sit up and take note. “What now, Lord?” I ponder. “How can I apply wisdom to my ministry?” (That ministry being a loving wife to my husband, a leader of four children and keeper of our home).

Looking to the Greek translation for clarification on wisdom, we find “sophia,” which is why we see words like philosophy, a combination of “philo” (brotherly love) and “sofia.” The shortened version of the word (wise) can be found in sophisticated and sophomore. Ever wonder why some teeth are called “wisdom teeth?” It’s because we get them at the onset of maturity.

Dictionary.com defines wisdom this way: Knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; sagacity [level headedness], discernment, or insight.

Throughout scripture, wisdom and understanding are found hand in hand. Wisdom is the fear of the Lord, while understanding is that wisdom in practice.

“How can I apply wisdom to my ministry, Lord?”

In silent reverence I wait until I feel His guidance lead through a whisper, “Seek Me until My truth is living, moving, and breathing in your home; until the righteousness of My Word is coupled with each step you take; and until My wisdom exceeds your desire. That’s what you’re called to do.”

Looking to His word for example I find Abigail in 1 Samuel chapter 25. Abigail was the wife of Nabal, and while she was a woman of good understanding and beauty, the Bible describes him as churlish. In other words, he was rude, impolite, hot-headed and lacked the wisdom his wife had.

In verses 7 and 16 we see that David had protected Nabal’s shepherds and was now asking for a reasonable favor in return: that Nabal would give them provisions when they arrived.

Nabal was rich, and so it certainly wouldn’t have been any trouble for him to comply, but instead of being wise and generous, he chose to be rude, which only provoked David to fight.

Gathering an army of 400 men, David set out to destroy Nabal’s household, and had it not been for the wisdom of one woman he would have.

Recognizing that David was a servant of the Lord, Abigail sent a generous gift to David, and with that gift she humbled herself at his feet pleading for the life of her husband. She didn’t deny that Nabal was ill-mannered or rude, but she sought grace on his behalf.

In this beautiful love story, we see that David granted her that grace, and within ten days God took the life of Nabal, and rewarded Abigail with her freedom.

Where did that freedom lead her? Into the arms of David, a valiant soldier and soon-to-be king.

Through Abigail’s example, we see the cycle of wisdom in action:

• She realized that David was a holy man and what his God was capable of. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the holy is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10).

• She avoided conflict. “A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident” (Proverbs 14:16).

• She worked quietly to resolve the problem.
  “A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards” (Proverbs 29:11).

• She put her understanding into action and offered a gift to David.
  “He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame” (Proverbs 10:5).

• She reaped the rewards that come to those who are wise, when she became David’s wife.
  “The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.” (Proverbs 3:35)

You are loved by an almighty God,

Darlene Schacht
www.timewarpwife.com

Darlene is an Evangelical Christian whose number one priority is to serve Jesus Christ in every area of her life. She started Time-Warp Wife in 2010 out of a place of grace, with a passion to encourage women in their marriages.

She and her husband Michael live in Manitoba Canada. Married 25 years, they have four children (three still at home), a bird and two pugs who are everyone’s babies, especially hers! Their lives are basically surrounded with three things: faith, music and everything books. She’s an award winning and New York Times best-selling author who is nothing without the grace of God.

Check out her newest book: The Virtuous Wife of a Christ-Centered Life. Join the community of over 160,000 women on facebook. Send Darlene a tweet or two, and check out her boards on Pinterest.

Click here to go straight to Darlene’s articles

Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse (S)

Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse

I found this recipe on one of the Trim Healthy Mama sites on Facebook and decided to give it a try. At first I wasn't sure that I was going to like it, but, after tweaking it just a bit (my tweaks are in parenthesis), I can honestly say that it is absolutely delicious! Since my husband and I both liked it, I will definitely be making it again!

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE MOUSSE (S)

1 can pumpkin
2 boxes low-fat cream cheese
1 cup heavy cream (I didn't have any heavy cream, so I used half & half)
4 packets of Truvia (I added 2 more for extra sweetness)
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Whip all ingredients together until you have a nice fluffy mousse. I added shaved dark chocolate on top for a garnish.

#thm

Trim Healthy Mama - The Journey Begins

As many of you know, I spent most of last month carrying out My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March. In reality, the project was two-fold. The first goal was to save money by using up the food we had on-hand, and using the money saved to take care of more immediate needs...which we did. The second goal was, as we used up the food on-hand, to start reading the Trim Healthy Mama book (that I ordered last fall) and see if I really thought I could make a go of it...and I did...and I do.

I'm still not finished reading the book in it's entirety (it's a HUGE book!), but I have read the biggest portion of it and am well on my way with familiarizing myself with the plan, learning some of the recipes, and putting them into practice. In fact, by the 20th of March we had pretty well cleared out our old food stock and, when I restocked with fresh foods on the 21st, they were all foods that were on plan and in line with the Trim Healthy Mama.

Yes, I've went on diets before. I've lost and gained...lost and gained...and regained even more, but the Trim Healthy Mama isn't a diet. It is a new (actually it's a very old) way of eating with a Biblical approach  to food, and I really feel that it is entirely doable. Even my husband (yes, my half-Sicilian husband who has to...make that had to...eat pasta up to three times a day...is reading the book with me and, for the most part, is coming on board, too. I've never seen him so willing to try new things before and I've never seen him go this long without sugar (and all those starches that turn into sugar) and be satisfied. Yes, I honestly do believe that this plan is completely doable...even in my household!

In the days ahead I hope to share my Trim Healthy Mama experiences with you here on a regular basis...my successes, my failures, favorite (and not so favorite) recipes, etc...and I am hoping that other women who are on the plan come along side and chime in, too, joining with me, and others, as we travel this journey together.

Until Next Time...
~Rebecca

#THM