I'm A Fan Friday!

I've missed this theme, though it's quite temporal:). One of the best things about being somebody is that you have your own likes. If someone else enjoys them too, great, if not, you are still sharing part of yourself.

• I'm a fan of this guy on YouTube. He was linked on one of the theories at the LOST ABC theory site that I read a lot of when I was resting to recover from surgery (any other time I'd not have had the time to be that into it). He gives a weekly run down of the last episode of LOST and he's just well.....darn entertaining. I think he does a new one every Friday. Here is his latest. Of course, this means nothing to non-losties. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URrPwy5C8SY (if you enjoy his stuff, go back and catch up on some of the others).
• I'm a fan of this Trader Joe's cooking site I mentioned yesterday and look forward to looking at it more.
• I'm a fan of the local libraries for having Wii games now....that is so cool of them.
• I was (thank goodness it's passed tense!) a fan of Whoppers Robin Egg candies....they are gone now, and it's a very good thing!
• I'm a fan of this song from New Moon. You know how every now and then there is a song you just could listen to over and over, well right now this is it. So not spiritual, but such a great beat. (btw to read my soap box on Twilight go here)

• I'm a fan of "Food Inc" which you can watch on Netflix watch now. I've been thinking a lot about these issues anyway with my hormone challenges but this stuff is enlightening. I know we really have to do the best we can with what God gives us when it comes to food, and really we don't all have the budget to be really truly healthy eaters, but man this movie makes you want to shoot for something better. Go to the link to watch the trailer.

What are you a fan of this week?

Thankful Thursday + Help Me Out Here!

I've not done one in a while so I think it's time!

• I'm thankful Rick and I have made it 13 years together, and I'm thankful for him. We had a nice evening out to celebrate. I'm thankful for my friend Trish watching the kids so we could get out.
• I'm thankful my hormone symptoms are dissipating. They are not going away completely but when they come, they are not as severe as they were closer to post surgery. I am praying this means my body is slowly getting back on track. Easter Sunday was difficult and I began to have heart flutters during church so I had to go out for most of the sermon, but it's still not as bad as it has been. I mostly went out from fear of not knowing if it's going to get worse. That really is the problem right now, being that when the symptoms hit, even though they are not as bad, I have to really fight off fear of them getting worse like they have before. My prayer is that I would learn what God has for me through all of it.
• I'm thankful the kids have been home the past two weeks. Though the house is a bit more messy, we have had some fun times. I'm thankful we got to go hiking to a beautiful waterfall together and just be home together.
• I'm thankful I got to spend one of those days shopping with Princess all day. I was really not sure how it would go. Some days with tweens are just tough and I was not sure the clothing choices would go well if we disagreed. We ended up having a lovely day out together and even a little Carl's Jr. lunch. Though we were tired as could be, it was good day.
• I'm thankful for sunshine again. I know it will be triple digits before too long so I'm really trying to soak in the beauty of the warm days.

That's what is coming to mind for today.

Help me out!

I am doing somewhat of an experiment for our family. I'm having to really try to eat better with these new health issues so I've decided to try to pretty much eat from Trader Joe's. There are some things I just cannot afford there but I'm also trying to milk out the budget with legumes instead of meat all the time. They have grass fed beef there we are slowly trying but it's SO expensive! We are trying to eliminate extra hormones that may be seeping into our diet from meat and dairy.

So, I've been checking out the Trader Joe's site as well as the Cooking With Trader Joe's site but I was wondering if any of you had a few or even one good recipe that is composed of TJ's stuff.

Mawage Is Wat Bwings Us Tugetha Tuday

The perfect marriage is the perfect joke. It does not exist. The sooner one settles that the better. There are things I would love to get the opportunity to do different, better, or without. But if someone told you, that without those problems, you would not be the people you are together today, would you trade it? No, I wouldn't. Here is the beauty of God's work in a marriage. The rest of the world has to face the challenge (and it's there, in every couple) without the hope of beauty from ashes. We get to see God work for our benefit through our failings. Holding on to us long and steady, holding us together when perhaps our own emotional hands have let go and given up, we are carried to a new place. Each place has a vista, a vantage point, a room with a view. This place is a chance to look back and see the dark blend with the brilliant and become beautiful. It's inspiration to go on, but not only inspiration, it's expectant excitement. If he can do this, what more can he do?! The day to day humdrum threatens to overshadow the excitement but these vista's are important to remember the daily is only one part of the bigger picture. Left to ourselves, we would seek our own and be fatally disappointed with each other that the other is not seeking our own the way we would like. With Him we begin to understand the deeper joy of seeking the delight of sacrifice. Christ is like the Phoenix for the marriage, he makes it raise up and soar when you thought it was done forever. Do you believe in magic? The magic of infatuation seems pale in comparison to this magic. It brings to life again and again, through grace, the "had enough" human reaction. It pushes us beyond ourselves to find there is more beauty to be had. It shows us that our needs are met fully in Him so that we can only give to each other. We bring nothing to this table of marriage except our problems but he prepares a banquet for us through is Son, to partake and enjoy in purity and commitment. HE allows us to see that Love is not what we thought it was. It is not what comes naturally (and what does should not be called love, for love never dies) but supernaturally. It is the eyes that let us love as we have been loved, knowing full well we will never measure up but we are chosen for each other so our measurements are insufficient. When we fill we are not a fit, he reminds us that he says we are so there is a way through. On the other side, again, the vista, we look back and are overwhelmed.

So, all joking aside, marriage is what brings us together today as it did this day 13 years ago. Because marriage is a reflection of Christ and his church and what he holds will never be let go of. Emotions falter, sometimes even to the darkest of degrees, but Love is what we have been given to have for each other from a source outside of ourselves. I know that when we come to him, he is an endless source to carry on. How delighted I am to carry on with you! I look forward to the future, and I hope it's long, but either way I know it will be fulfilling. Imagine the vista way down the road. That is a treasure we share together that no one else on earth can see. It's between you, me and Him and I will never trade it for anything else.

Today is the day we celebrate the vista, the beautiful view, that is this journey thus far. Happy Anniversary to my deepest friend, my constant, and my journeyman.

Tackle It Tuesday: The Climb

I joined TOPS this time last year. Has it helped me? Yes. I have lost 10 lbs and flirted with a few more pounds that have bounced back way too many times. Still I have to remember that going keeps me from overall gaining. Ever time I get going something happens in life to halt me. I'm sure that happens to everyone though. The surgery has really set me back again and although the nausea and appetite loss helps me at times, the estrogen patch is fighting against me and I can really tell. So, I have to get serious or I'll be in trouble soon. Time to get back climbing.

I told my friend Trish who is in TOPS with me, that we should come up with a few simple goals and hold each other accountable. I tend to go overboard on goals and bury myself in disappointment when I cannot possibly reach them. So, I'm going to start with three and go from there.

1. Breakfast: I don't enjoy breakfast and if I do it's usually carbs that I like. I kind of gag at the thought of eggs in the morning (and I have since I was a kid really). So, for a while I don't want to have to think about it at all. I purchased a big tub of Soy Protein at Trader Joe's and have tons of frozen fruit in the freezer i need to use up. I'm just going to use that and a little yogurt for morning smoothies. Thankfully the weather is warming up!


2. Walk: The most important thing I can do is get more walking. I really wanted to be running a 5k by now but I'll have to be patient and build back up now. My goal is 20-30 min 6 days a week.


3. Evening Eating: I'm making a goal to only have herbal tea or water after 7pm except for one night a week (Monday's when I go to TOPS and don't eat until I get home).

It's hard to believe I only have about 20 lb to the top end of my healthy weight. The last 20 are so hard and I know they are going to take sheer warfare! I'm praying my hormones don't get in my way too much either. I'm drinking lots of ginseng, decaf green, and tension taming herbal teas to help with all that.

Every time I come back to this goal I am encouraged by this song. It reminds me of many good things. It's a good walking warm up song too. Though it's a cute little teen song, it's got a lot of truth to it. There is always going to be a struggle, a goal, a battle. Thinking that getting through one will make everything in life good is not true but that doesn't mean it's not important.