The Sheet Diet

Timing

2009-10-22T15:08:00.000-07:00

There must be something about starting over when I am about to be headachey.

Going to bed and it is 3pm.

Hopefully tomorrow is a better day.

Sticking to Plan

2009-10-22T08:54:00.000-07:00

Cottage cheese and banana and coffee.

Went to work out - incline 8; 2.7 speed - 20 minutes - sandwiched between warm up and cool down.

No supls today - headachey still.

10:00 Smoothy

Came Home

2009-10-22T07:21:00.001-07:00

After a meeting in town that disrupted the forth small meal came home just in time for last small meal, at too many nuts, too may slices of cheese and crackers two beers two glasses of wine but only two slices of pizza. Not a total disaster. Then the girls gave be too much ice cream (two scoops) with the slice o' pie. It was however a celebratory day and I knew I was going to have a bit of trouble when I got tooo hungry before that last meal. Need to remember to have portable meals.

This morning I am up late because I was up till midnight last night and later the night before, so I made myself stay in bed. Not sure what it was worth, because I wasn't asleep.

So I am behind today, going to grab some cottage cheese and banana this right now - 7:30 and head over to work on tread mill. Then I will have something at 10, 12:30, 3 and 6 and I should then be all squared away.

OOOpppps, the girls informed me today is shopping day. We leave after ten with our 12:30 and 3 'oclock meal in hand, I will drop them off at the dentist at 2 and finish what I need to do and then head home to make sure we have dinner at 6 no later than 6:30

That's the plan.

Lunch and Beyond

2009-10-21T13:30:00.000-07:00

Headachey

Lunch 12:30 Chicken breast, potatoe, strawberry/mango juice.

So Far, So Good

2009-10-21T09:41:00.000-07:00

Up @ 5

Breakfast @ 6 cottage cheese and banana, coffee.

Midmorning @ 9:40 Smoothy: yogurt, 1/3 banana, strawberries, blueberries, hemp protein.

Supplements - morning:
Calcium 1000mg; Magnesium 200mg; Evening Primrose, 1000mg; Fish oil 1000 mg, Selenium 200mcg; B 50's, C 1000 mg; Choline & Inositol 500mg; CoQ10 60mg; B2 50mg; Pantothenic 500mg, Beta Carotene; Vit D 400 IU plus A & D 10,000/400 IU

Out to work hard

Begin Again, Again

2009-10-20T21:51:00.000-07:00

This is it. Gotta really pay attention to the body. Things are starting to get tough. Bad lungs for the whole month of September and into October; the peripheral neuropathy, irritating and spreading, not fast but spreading. Other than those two chronic pains in the lungs and feet all is ultimately well, but food masters me and even if everything else was good, that would be wrong.

So it changes and it changes tomorrow. See you in the morning for cottage cheese and banana @ 6, then a fruit smoothie @ 9, ? @noon, ? @ 2:30 and company dinner @6.

Vitamins and supplements per side bar, and treadmill @ ten hopefully.

I know, not that great of a plan, but it gets me started. And I can't get hung up on not having a perfectly sculpted plan.

Yesterday and Today

2009-02-12T16:09:00.000-08:00

So a post every other day is at least better than every other week doncha suppose?

Yesterday I ended my fast. Just off on a bad foot and too hard to get in the groove.

This morning had oatmeal with cherries, pecans, vanilla and almond extracts, lunch was "natural" shells and cheese from the hippy market, and now for dinner? The thought of swallowing supplements didn't go over well so I will get back on those tomorrow.

Missed Monday, Ooops

2009-02-10T09:42:00.000-08:00

Monday was a good day, still fever free. Moving slow.

I am doing well on the "concoction."

Made a beautiful dinner for others, a taco salad of sorts using a little lamb burger lots of herbs and spices a little tomato paste and the juice from the salsa. Put that on a bed of spinach, crumbled a wedge of corn bread on that and drizzled a sour cream, salsa, lime juice dressing on top. Got rave reviews.

Now for Tuesday, still moving slow, no intake yet, at nearly ten o'clock.

A slow day.

Dirt brought home halibut prebreaded and some baby red taters, I fixed those and made some more carrot salad with and apple. Dirt put some of our apples in our spare fridge and they are doing well. Something to remember for next year.

He also tempted me with some Gewurztraminer. I partook. I am glad I did it has been a wonderful evening reading aloud the first chapter of the new Tozer book Terry gave us.

I'm Alive, I'm Alive

2009-02-08T14:47:00.000-08:00

Three days and I hardly stirred from my bed. Except for ginger baths, watching a couple of tv shows each night with the fam and making myself some fairly naked beans in a wrap yesterday, I was in bed. And most of that time I was asleep.

The fever is completely gone and I am back to my good ol' regular sub-temperature self. My lymph glands are no longer swollen and my sinus only feel slightly uncomfortable as does my right ear.

Except for Thursday nights complete cave in when I ate a bowl of ice cream after Bet served me up a nice healing bowl of soup, my few food intakes have been real and lymph friendly food. Yesterday's beans did come from a can but they were just straight beans, no junk. I've had several grapefruits and I think that's it.

I abandoned the cayenne pepper and the beet powder in my hot lemonade. So my hot lemonade was just Manuka honey (which doesn't taste all that great I might add) a lemon and hot water. I also tried to make sure that I drank regular water.

Bet made me a fresh ginger and raisin concoction, I've gone through half a jar of Manuka honey, and a bag of lemons.

I took two ginger powder baths and scrubbed my lymph areas with peppermint castile soap. I put a hot towel on my sinuses and ear last night.

And I'm confident my lymph is better and on it's way to really being clean.

Today I started back up with my concoction
Juice of one lemon
Teaspoon of Manuka home
Tablespoon of Beet Powder
Quarter teaspoon of Cayenne (to be upped later)

When I drank three quarters of it and it had cooled I put in a teaspoon of kelp and a tablespoon of psysillium husks and slugged it down quick.

I'll have a light supper tonight and then continue with my fast tomorrow

I felt well enough to do some light housework but my legs and glutes are incredibly sore and wobbly. Made Dirt some popcorn shared a little with him before I tackled the kitchen and dinner.

For dinner homemade beans, carrot and apple slaw, and whole grain corn bread no sugar.

Really tired, temp is a little over normal, lymphs on neck are enlarged again.

More Manuka Lemon tea this evening.

Slight Postponement

2009-02-06T16:46:00.001-08:00

I woke up on the second day of my fast feeling absolutely horrible. I have never had such a poor reaction to a fast ever.

Well come to find out I was sporting a whopping fever that has not completely gone away even today a good forty-eight hours of fever. Ugh.

I think I would rather have a migraine. Although along with this fever is a whopping headache. Can't quite figure out what the origin is, thought it might be the toxins taken in from smelling paint fumes on Saturday and Sunday last. But a friend's little girl also had a fever and now Dirt has come home with the same baseball-bat-to-the-back-of-the-head headache.

I waffle between not having even enough appetite to drink water or juice to fantasizing about eating everything I can think of.

I have watched what I have consumed in the way of foods, tried to keep them on the healing side of things but Dirt brought the girls home ice cream last night and I caved to its cool soothing temptation. Upon finishing it up I wished I could have dialed back in time and made a better decision.

Today it was all I could do to drink my hot lemon water with a little Manuka honey in it. But this evening had a little bite of Bet's scalloped potato and avacado, why, because it was there and it was quick.

I have never been in bed so long or asleep so much as the last two days. I hope this will be gone soon.

From the Other Blog to Here, A Begin-again

2009-02-05T00:26:00.000-08:00

I'm back, please go see the particulars at More Inspiration Came My Way on my other blog. I have been doing okay. Since here last although the workout thing has suffered since being sick and then Terry being sick and now she is gone.

I'll be taking care of that this week.

See you tomorrow with more info about supplements.

Alright Already

2009-01-15T19:03:00.000-08:00

So what has gone on since my last entry? Maybe if I make my lapses painful I will quit having them.

It's been three weeks and three days since my last post. My that sounded a lot like the beginning lines of inside the confessional. Well here I am I guess, inside the confessional.

And yes, I did not eat well or make sure that I did something physical every day. But the fact that I did log in here through most of December, kept nutrition in my mind and worked out with Terry I only gained two pounds over the holidays.

But I did get a hideous cold right after Christmas. I was feeling stalked by the crud so I took mass doses of vitamin C right up till a few days after Christmas and the intake of sugar went up very high that week, so the crud took over. And by Epiphany I was out, completely out. The day after I had to go to the nearly emergency room and get some prednisone so I could breath.

I'm done with the prednisone, which took me for a crazy ride. I had to do some research on it because I was experiencing mania from it.

As it turns out the reason that they try to keep prednisone short term and the dosage tapers off is because it does a big number on the adrenal glands. Interesting the adrenals directly effect thyroid. Is it coincidental that last January I had a bout with bronchitis and had to take Prednisone and then in June I had a blood test that showed my thyroid was way off.

I was able to correct my thyroid levels with nutrition and avoided medical intervention. So I will be hiking my nutrition up specifically for thyroid and adrenal function.

Terry is out of town for the weekend but she is also suffering from bronchitis so Monday we will most likely not be doing our aerobic routines. But we will do something. We will be recording our nutrition intake along with what we are doing physically here on this blog.

I need to stay serious about this whole health thing. I am not afraid of death, but I am afraid of self inflicted disability. I do not care to become a burden through my lack of integrity and my self indulgence. That is a sad thing and should be the top on the sin list don't you think?

I am concerned about not only my weight but my mental health as well right now, things are looming, changes in hormones and mental and emotion state are very much a concern right now.

I am needing to make sure that my nutrition takes into account my vulnerability in some areas, which include the ever present possibility that my Transverse Myelitis could return or flare or what ever you want to call it and then become MS.

This peripheral neuropathy thing is getting worse and seems to be including the palms of both hands. So I suppose that it would be time to make an appointment and see what is up and why I have peripheral neuropathy.

Enough confession and concerns. Tomorrow I hope to be back here with some idea of a plan, other than being here.

2008-12-22T07:59:00.000-08:00

Food:
Breakfast: 8:00 Egg Sandwich with onions, coffee, oj

Activity: shopping with Dirt and Rebecca all day

"Ugh" Weekends Are Hard

2008-12-21T23:10:00.000-08:00

Not all that hard to eat well or get some good exercise in (especially in the snow) but it is hard to stay on a routine and schedule. Well my bed is calling. Dirt is taking me into town tomorrow early so that we can be ready for feasting and celebrating Christmas. I do not know if I will have time to put together a post for tomorrow in the morning but I will at the very least do so when I get home.

I am not going to put this off until the first of the year. If I persevere then hopefully I will be more consistent by the end of the holidays and rolling at a good clip.

The point isn't to make myself miserable by trying to "diet" everyday all day through out the holidays but to be reasonable and moderate. But mostly to record what ever it is I choose to do.

Later Than I Had Hoped

2008-12-18T09:26:00.000-08:00

Went to bed later than I wanted, got up later than I wanted, doing this later than I wanted.

Food:
Breakfast: 9:00 bagel (not enough)
Snack 11:00 smoothy started, then got side tracked
Lunch: cottage cheese and banana @3pm late?
Dinner: Lamb stew [lamb Dirt raised, red onions Anna grew, potatoes and garlic out of our garden, carrots, celery, tomato paste, some of Dirt's wine, flour, olive oil, thyme, tumeric, dry mustard, tarragon, fresh rosemary, oregano, cracked pepper], Oatmeal Soda bread, rum punch.
Dessert: 2scoops vanilla ice cream with chopped snickers bar topping. Ginger tea.

Exercise: sledding

Activity: clean and decorate for Christmas

I Know How This Appears

2008-12-17T21:28:00.000-08:00

I am doing okay but I should be doing better.

I need to get back to my pattern I had last week, get up, do a few things, read a little something, create a post, set up my report format for the day post it and then report (via edit) through out the day.

So know that I am just now at nine thirty tonight reporting from scratch.

Food

Breakfast: bagel and cream cheese

Lunch: shells and cheese, tomato soup

Dinner: salad of spinach and mixed greens, artichoke heart, green onions, sunflower seeds, krab, sheep cheese; wine,

Desert: 3 cookies (little ones) 2 scoops vanilla ice cream.

Exercise: leisurely walk out to the skating pond.

Activity: house work

Supplements: vit c

Eww This Looks Bad

2008-12-16T06:33:00.000-08:00

But it really isn't as bad as it looks. I just didn't record for three days. so I will recap tothe best of my knowledge.

Saturday was St. Lucia day and breakfast was served in bed with eggs, bacon, St. Lucia buns and coffee and yes I had two of Bet's homemade St. Lucia buns. I had chili for lunch and dinner. Hows that for variety!

Sunday skipped breakfast by way of getting sidetracked, started to get some and then got distracted, remembered it at lunch time. Ate a lovely sandwich for lunch had the rest of the chili for dinner with a homemade cinnamon roll. Two cups of cocoa in there somewhere.

Monday duck egg for breakfast. Another beautiful sandwich for lunch. Fish fillets, tater tots (recommended serving no less) and a mixed greens salad with balsamic vinegar and olive oil dressing. Hot toddy for desert.

I worked hard this weekend. Even on Sunday when I was thinking I was going to take it easy. Monday Terry didn't exercise because she has the bug I am trying desperately to fight, and she has it bad, went to the doctor bad. Consequently I did not go over and exercise either. Thought I would get some exercise done here but cupboard organizing and decorating does not constitute exercise.

Fry Day

2008-12-12T23:54:00.000-08:00

No I didn't have fried foods it was just kind of a fried day. Not bad. Just not planned or focused in the food department, no supplements.

Worked hard in the gardens and nursery area today in freezing sleety rain, from ten to four-thirty. Came in at noon for lunch, greeted with a cup of cocoa -thanks Bet and sandwich - thanks Anna.

Hot Toddy and a bath - thanks Dirt!

Dinner was great. Gathering. Chicken and Butternut soup and green bean casserole. Bet's bread. Wine. slice of Huckleberry Pie.

Life is good.

Tired but sleepless. Enjoyed some Sleepy Time tea, now I am going to let it work, turn out the light and go sleep.

Sleepy Head

2008-12-11T08:55:00.000-08:00

Went to bed earlier last night and woke up later this morning than usual. Funny how that goes. But in reality I still did not go to bed when I had hoped or planned but hopefully I will get that turned around. Some people in my life are not convinced it has nothing to do with the head problem.

Food:
Breakfast 9:00 coffee, eggs ala Anna :)

Mid morn 11:00

Lunch 1:00 Tamales
Tea 3:00
Dinner 5:30

Exercise:

Supplements:

Activity:
Digging and working in the yard

2008-12-10T10:13:00.000-08:00

yesterday...trail mix 140c; coffee 30; creamer 80; sugar 32; roast beef 60; chicken thigh 140; penne pasta 200; alfredo sauce 160. moderate exercise. Today things aren't looking, or rather, feeling so good. I've had a sore runny nose for a couple weeks, yesterday by evening I had a really sore throat and today I ache all over - like my skin even hurts. Not a good sign. I plan to be brave and get my measurements down along side Lani's but I just have not gotten around to it. However, I will say that when I started this venture I weighed in at 160lbs. The most this 5'4" lady has ever weighed!

Wednesday - payday

2008-12-10T08:56:00.000-08:00

To shop or not to shop that is the question.

Food:

Breakfast: 9:00 Toast and Cheese, coffee no cream (late)

Midmorning

Lunch 12:00 meatballs and sauce no pasta

Tea 3:00 2 rice cakes with sun butter

Dinner Yikes! A Costco hot dog and a coke! the vegetable is sauerkraut and relish woo hoo

Exercise: Treadmill 5min incl.-4 mph-2.5; 20min. incl-6, mph-3; 5min. incl-4, mph-2.7

Supplements:
morning - skip
noon - am set.
10:00pm-afternoon set

Thought
Today was a resting day, well except for shopping with Dirt! Need to do the sups better. Timing better, to bed on time, up on time, meals on time.

Today's tomorrow.

2008-12-09T08:35:00.000-08:00

So, yesterday. I learned one small fraction about what there is to know about blogging. I ate breakfast. Exercised and while doing so exercised my mouth more than I should have. I ate lunch. Then I exercised my mouth too much, got irritated, lost my temper.... Didn't care about my diet. I lite of family strife it mattered little to me to count calories. Today's another day - Maybe the first day. We'll see. Can't change yesterday - just get right with God and family and move on....

2008-12-09T07:48:00.000-08:00

Up: late, because I was up late -

Food:
Breakfast 8:00 1 duck egg, 1 chicken egg, 2 heals of toast, coffee with cream

Mid morn 10:oo sun butter on rice cake - forgot it, ate it just before lunch!

Lunch 12:00 yogurt strawberry smoothy

Tea 3:00 - Had a bath and beer at 5:30 instead.

Dinner 7:00 roasted chicken, rice, broccoli, bread, apple pie, coffee with cream and frangelico.

Exercise 10:00 treadmill - 5min warm up, 15min @ incline of 6, 3mph, 5 min cool down

Supplements:
8:30 B complex, D, Ca, ...
noon B complex and stuff

Activity:
9-10 writing
11-1 work with girls inside, kinda
1-3 weed/plant went 'til 4:30 no tea.

Again, Again

2008-12-08T17:54:00.000-08:00

Well here goes another again again. Terry will be getting used to blogging and I will be getting used to doing what I know I should.

Food:
Breakfast: 9:30 2 turkey sausage links, two eggs, coffee with cream
Lunch: 1:00 tomato soup, heated it, got sidetracked, didn't eat it, remembered at 3:30 0ut in the garden
Snack: 5:00 2 Wasa crackers and herb cheese, beer
Dinner:: 6:15 spaghetti, meatballs, green beans
Snack: 8:30 popcorn, almonds, cranberries

Exercise:
11:00 Late AM aerobic - Elliptic trainer 7min warm up 28 min. two green lights

Activity:
1:30-5:00 Gardening, planting and weeding

Supplements:
10:00am 2 C, 9:00pm (Calcium, primrose, D, A, selinium, coQ, zinc, Cx2) x 1

Thoughts:
Psalm121
I lift up my eyes to the hills where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip-
He who watches over you
will not slumber.

Done 10:30

rookie

2008-12-08T12:58:00.000-08:00

I am a beginer blogger. LeeAnn is taking me under her wing and today is training day so I can be accountable with my diet. testing, testing 1,2,3...

Tomorrow, Tomorrow, There's Always Tomorrow, Well Maybe

2008-12-04T00:22:00.000-08:00

So if there is a tomorrow, then tomorrow this blog will become a partner blog. My good friend and exercise partner is all up for having her weight and food intake seen by the entire world, well at least the entire world that will be coming this way anyway.

Saturday update. Hang in there folks, Terry had a big weekend and to top it off no internet service. We will be on board Monday. And things should really get rolling soon there after. Being busy moms and wives, we will be taking this one step at a time, but you will see our daily progress.

But we most likely will be changing many things in increments. That is Terry's style and I am turning a "everything in moderation" leaf over. Please do not be disappointed or irritated or call us out because we don't get it all whoopdeedoed over night.

This is what I'm thinking based on what Terry and I have discussed so far: I am going to try and set up a template for us so that each day we fill in what we have eaten, what we have done for physical activity, what some of our thoughts, struggles and encouragements are and what our prayer(s) are for the day (regarding health and fitness). We will post at the beginning of the day and "edit" it (add entries onto our one post) as we go through out the day. So essentially each day Terry and I will have one post each and on that post will be the stuff we think is important to note during the day. Terry's format may look different than mine. This isn't so much as finding the perfect diet and exercise plan for the whole world as it is each of us finding what we need to be doing.

So now I am headed off to sleep on my ice pillow.

And yes tomorrow I will go to bed sooner

I Know, I Know

2008-09-15T16:36:00.000-07:00

Just in case there is anyone who comes to this blog, I am sorry that I haven't been here since going camping. I haven't ditched the diet thing but I'm not inspired to write here or tell how things are going. And if I don't write here I don't have to be acountable.

Okay so today - no supplements

The only food has been a pot of coffee, a scoop of cottage cheese with banana and now a beer instead of finding something else good to eat.

I have to get ready for the fair so I can't give a bunch of bogus reasons why I have not been more focused. I'll try and keeep up. I know it makes a difference. And I need a difference.

Okay So There You Have It

2008-08-26T11:49:00.000-07:00

Put my current measurements on the side bar. Yippee! Love that near -to-naked feeling before the entire world, thank goodness only three or four people know me and no one reads this. I didn't take them when I first started but I know from shirts, skirts and pants that I have lost inches. I do know I have lost 18# and 3% points of fat since the latter pat of June. That is only 2# a week and I know I can to better. There seems to have been more poor days than good days.

I am looking forward to coming home and really seeing a difference, in measurements and in behavior.

Because I just know took my measurements I am going to use this date as my starting point for my 2 week goal. 8# 3%points off of fat.

I will be taking my lap top and my paper notebook and I am going todo my best to record meals and exercise.

Here goes.

Just Real Quick

2008-08-24T13:16:00.000-07:00

I'm being a very good girl and I am packaging up over a week's supply of supplements to take on vacation.

I will not use the Huckleberry Fest as an excuse.

Goal - loose eight pounds or more between now, Aug 24 and Sept. 7 - two weeks!

Packing up and getting out of town I don't expect to be back here (The Sheet Diet) until Sept 4 or 5th. Even though I don't leave until later and I am back sooner, I am just being realistic, for once.

Gathering

2008-08-22T17:20:00.001-07:00

Not sure what happened to Thursday. It came and went in a whirl. It was good some supplements got taken some forgotten, exercise happened on the elliptic trainer, food wasn't bad but it wasn't well planned.

Off to gathering, after a less than average day. Next week we leave for camping and I don't know what I should do. Wait till after then to get this bus turned around for reals or risk turning it and have it tip over and really derail me. Sorry for the mixed metaphors but I am dashing off and no time to edit. You get spell check and that's it and that doesn't really do much.

Poor writing and poor living yippee!

Hey, Ho. I Ain't So Slow

2008-08-20T21:23:00.000-07:00

I just realized that I could still reclaim part of my day. I took all of my regular supplements. Yeah. Really looking forward to tomorrow.

Need to find some inspiration.

In the word today, not unlike everyday, but not for this aspect of things. Struggling getting health as a priority right now.

Man, my oriental lillies smell beautiful - have the window open even though it is way cold outside!

Heading to bed right now! 9:30

When

2008-08-20T19:23:00.000-07:00

Good day in many aspects - things coming together, falling into place for a great end to the week but as far as what this blog is all about... Not a good day.

Started out really good, up and took some supplements, but no work out with Terry - she hurt her back and didn't work out. Bet made some oatmeal for me but the day fell apart from there. Heading to bed, tired grumpy, spent. Dark rainy day.

Gotta turn this around.

Terry's Back!

2008-08-19T13:45:00.000-07:00

Hip hip hooray, Terry is back from vacation and I can go over and work out with her. I never really got into an exercise routine while she was gone. But I really need to add a free weight routine to my daily stuff.

This morning I was on the elliptic trainer for over 30 min.

Never once looked at my supplements. For several days now and golly I feel it. Man, is that stupid or what?

Food intake was poor today although I didn't grossly over eat, even Sheila's great Tuesday dinner.

In bed, but not sleeping, at a fairly decent hour, 10:30. I promise to close this computer in less than one hour, most likely sooner. I am tired and don't feel like writing on the other blog tonight.

Tomorrow is a new day and another day to try and teach old dogs.

I am going to spend some moments fixing the side bar - goals and "Tomorrow's Plan" and "Today's Account" It hasn't been in touched in days, since last Monday to be exact, over a week!. This inconsistency has got to stop.

I know I do way better when I am documenting my actions - exercise, eating, activities, supplements etc.. I know I feel better when I do the things I know make me feel better - duh you say, well why don't we all do that then? But just because I am not alone in the silliness of not doing what I know and can feel is better for me, will not be my excuse to continue.

So off I go to tidy up things I left undone.

See you tomorrow partner, for a better day.

Well That Was Quick

2008-08-18T11:47:00.000-07:00

What a productive day it was yesterday. I left here at around 10 with the intention of beginning a fast and solitude at the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Well the solitude was intense and productive and I heard many things I needed to. Mostly I read and reread and contemplated Ecclesiastes.

And I learned a lot about me. Incurred many "two-by-fours" yesterday.

This week my prayer ought to be that I don't forget what was revealed to me. I need to apply today and tomorrow what I learned yesterday, since I was not able to apply it right away last evening. Ugh, application. Man that is the sticking point for me, eh? Feeling the effects of yesterday evening's indulgence as if the lesson from scripture isn't enough I get the back up illustration. Well I'm glad that I'm not such a big looser that God has kicked me to the curb. But I suppose that I ought not to keep trying his patience and mercy and just learn the lesson to the bone of myself.

Along with learning about my shortcomings I had many good prayerful moments for others, one of whom called to my home at almost the exact time I was praying for her, gotta love those continual Godincedences.

Many on-my-face-moments for some of the individuals and families in my life. I look forward to the answers.

Arrgh

2008-08-17T09:49:00.000-07:00

So inconsistent with this blog. Doing well, working hard. But I am going to take a purposeful break. Solitude and fast. I was going to start tomorrow but God has me starting today. I was going to only blog here for those three days but God says no I am to leave my lap top behind and only take pen and paper, Bible, perhaps St. Teresa and/or St John, and Celebration of Discipline.

I will be in our "guest house" at least till Wednesday evening, perhaps longer.

You might come by here for a visit or at It's the Dirt because I am leaving my lap top in the hands of Dirt and the Girls

Fun Fun Fun

2008-08-13T11:37:00.000-07:00

OOpps I didn't change the "tomorrows plan" and "today's account" last night but its all good I took supplements this am Bet made me breakfast and now I am off to have an invigorating swim. I have lost nearly twenty pounds since this blog began (and the challenge that caused it) but it doesn't feel like enough to make me feel good about getting into a swim suit. Oh well ya gotta do what you gotta do.

Oh and yesterday's exercise, I don't remember doing anything in particular but I am sorer than sore in my upper body. My buns I understand being sore because of the horse riding, Another Great Ride , but my upper body?, I can't figure but I'll take it. What's better than exercise? Exercise you don't remember doing!

Off to swim.

A Little Late Is Better Than Not At All

2008-08-12T09:17:00.001-07:00

So I am up a late again today. First off, I took my amino acids, B6 and C as soon as I got up at 8ish. Now I am enjoying a bowl of oatmeal with a half cup of cottage cheese in it for the first time. It seems like the perfect breakfast food. It is interesting.

Up late even though I went to bed at a decent hour. But I woke up in the middle of the night to my husband's radio station screaming at me. John Gibson I presume. He is usually the late night screamer. Ugh. I wish my husband could sleep without the radio on.

Sometimes when I know he is fully asleep I turn it off. But soon it is back on again. So my nights are filled with crazy people. First off it is George Nory (sp?) and his nutty conspiracy theories, people who see dead people, people who count the numbers in your life and tell you who you are, people who see UFOs or have been in one or better yet several, people who want to go to area 51, people who say they work in area 51 but can't tell us anything, remote viewers. They play the show about three times I think, at least twice.

Then John Gibson comes on. His thing is politics. But for some reason he likes to scream about his politics. That's usually when I wake up. And because by now I am fully indoctrinated by the conspiracy theory freaks who were previously on and am now wide awake full of anger that I'm not quite sure of the source of, feeling like I need something to worry about. I don't have much so I usually invent something tangible like, "someone left the gate to the pasture open and my horse is going to get out on the highway and get hit." Once that plays in my head I am up, finding some one's shoes to wear and the "beacon" and, stepping over a sleeping guard dog, I go down and check the gate. It is always hooked. Sometimes, if John Gibson has been super angry or Nory was super creepy, I walk to the other side of the pasture to check that gate.

The horses always look at me like I am a nut job. The sheep think that I am out to feed them. And the Rooster thinks it is time to get up, who wouldn't with a fifty million candle watt light shining at them.

Okay cottage cheese in oatmeal is not my favorite breakfast food, even with dried blueberries in it.

Hopefully tomorrow will be a better morning and I can recapture the rest of today.

Headachy

2008-08-11T19:12:00.000-07:00

Today I am sporting a gigantic headache and feeling not so hot. Slept in horribly late. Bad night even when I finally went to bed. (reading, (books are of the devil)) Ugh.

The girls have been sick I wonder if I am next. Yikes. I will be if I don't sleep and eat better.

Turning my tomorrow around by going to bed early tonight. With immune booster tea and some vitamin C and calcium and no books!

Not As Bad As It Looks

2008-08-10T15:21:00.000-07:00

It looks as if I once again just abandoned staying on top of things. But that's not entirely true. We had out of town company come in on Friday. So even though I didn't have time to post on this site I kept better eating in mind.

I feel as if I did pretty well considering that this weekend was about feeding people and making them feel comfortable.

I'm going to rest for a while and then spend sometime in prayer before I prepare for this coming week.

Side Ways

2008-08-07T23:37:00.001-07:00

Good day bad day.

Terry won't be home next week so I really need to get out the free weights and start strength training. I like it once I start it and I know it is really the best thing but I just can't get to it.

I need to make a plan and live by it.

When I fast I don't have a problem. I need a plan like the plan I have when I fast (a plan to not eat.) I really cannot get any farther without writing out menus and having a simple schedule to guide my day. But I need time to sit and map it all out.

Good Morning Wasp Sting

2008-08-07T10:19:00.000-07:00

Agghhh I think I've been poisoned!

Man this sting hurts so bad I just would like to say a few nasty ugly words and take my turn at cursing Adam - wasps must be his fault and all. (Color )

I wake up scratching and wanting to rip my arm off.

I am up late and dashing off, rice cake and nut butter with coffee and I will come home and make a mid morning smoothie (only it won't be mid-morning because I've slept in) and then oysters for lunch for Rebecca and I (check out More Farm Visitors)

Oh My

2008-08-06T13:00:00.000-07:00

I've done well in the weight department but this week is just silly. I will attribute it to not posting on this blog. So my dear reader, I must post here every day or better yet twice or loose the contest. Well maybe that is a little hyberbolic (about loosing) but you get my drift, I won't do well. Even though I am not recording all my food and all that I still tend to pay attention to things when I know I am posting.

Went grocery shopping on my birthday Sunday and I bought oysters and liver for lunches this week. But then I noticed that they had hot dogs on sale, the ten pound meat sale. so I bought them for Anna, she loves hot dogs. So for lunch Monday and Tuesday I had oysters and liver, no, I had hot dogs!

So today even though I couldn't move, I decided that I was going be a little better. I had liver and onions for lunch and rice cake with nut butter and green drink for breakfast. I din't take my supplements. But this morning I was just doing good to get to the bathroom and find Dirt's vicodin.

Tommorrow will be even better but for now I feel better about things.

Pasta and shrimp tonight.

Noise and Distraction

2008-08-01T11:00:00.000-07:00

My world is terribly noisy. My brain, whether I acknowledge it or not is full of noise. I often recognize it but this week, holy moley, I want to pass out the duct tape. (Masking tape, the tape of choice for the nuns when we would not stop talking, is to easily removed by licking. Not so duct tape, my tape of choice for threats.)

I also noticed something last night when I was asked by my family to join them to watch So You Think You Can Dance. People are constantly bombarded with tantalizing temptations to go in the opposite direction God wants them to go. Last night for me it was ditching my fast, and the vehicle was commercials about food or just depicting people chowin down on sumthin. But I quickly came to the realization that we don't need the TV on to be tempted, the obvious substitutes, radio, the Internet (who thinks those pop ups, or whatever they ares that you can't seem to get rid of, of people constantly jumping are attractive? If I take note of the product it is to make sure that I never ever buy it!). Then there are bill boards, magazines, signs galore, store fronts themselves. My my, how can any of us stay on track.

But I would like to report that even though I was bombarded with a least two commercials about food at each commercial break last night that I hung in there and was even able to change my attitude. This morning was one of my rougher mornings but I do not feel released from my fast and I have no idea when that will be.

I am to wait. Not something I do well. Even though I am a spontaneous nut job, I like to have a plan when it is someone else that is leading me. If it is me driving and doing, hey I can duck and dive all over the place and love it, telling the inquiring children, "Sit back and enjoy. You are just along for the ride."

If it is Phil driving then, "Honey, where are we going? How long? Why? What will we do after that?"

Just like a kid saying, "Are we there yet?" constantly.

But I am learning gobs. I wish I could learn the fine art of solitude. That is the hard part of all of this.

Not only is my life noisy it is noisy. Noisy with traffic and needs. Not sure what to do.

2008-07-31T12:10:00.000-07:00

Thanks be to Thee, my Lord Jesus Christ
For all the benefits Thou hast given me,
For all the pains and insults Thou hast borne for me.
O most merciful Redeemer, friend and brother,
May I know Thee more clearly,
Love Thee more dearly,
Follow Thee more nearly,
Day by day.

St. Richard of Chichester

A busy physical day yesterday and emotionally exciting also. I remain true to my fast from food while still struggling with my pursuit of solitude. Plagued in the middle of the night with vivid dreams of eating fancy deserts. Even ones the characters in my dream counseled may have been spoiled. Wide awake at four. Went for a walk to escape talk radio. So much stupid stuff remains in my head. Not of talk radio but me. Confusion but not confusion, frustration perhaps, I dunno. Going out to be productive in the garden. In silence.

Before I go I want to write down a thought I had yesterday, while being with the girls dealing with the new horses' area. I felt very hungry but easily dispelled thoughts and urges for food. I wondered though about how easy it seems for me to do a fast from anything but water, tea and a cup of coffee in the morning with Terry. I wondered how well I would do if I had to go without food because of economic reasons and not high fluting spiritual pursuits. Would I be able to give someone else my daily ration? If we are headed for a hard-times season in our lives, would I be able to endure it with dignity? Would I be as good as my grandmother seemed to be from my mother's stories? Or would my children come out of it like my mother with a mixed bag of ability to make ends meet but with a twinge of bitterness towards certain things? Would I be able to face it as Christ tells us to do a fast, with a bright shining face? What if a fast was truly forced on me? Perhaps I do not do fasts as well as I would like to think.

Break Fast

2008-07-30T11:58:00.000-07:00

Thanks be to Thee, my Lord Jesus Christ
For all the benefits Thou hast given me,
For all the pains and insults Thou hast borne for me.
O most merciful Redeemer, friend and brother,
May I know Thee more clearly,
Love Thee more dearly,
Follow Thee more nearly,
Day by day.

St. Richard of Chichester

Ah, dear friend, this is a very different fast I am in.

(I am sorry if it seems offensive that I am writing about my fast, but I really believe that I am to share what I am going through.)

I loved being with Eric and Stephanie on Monday and being able to sit and commune with them at the dinner table and yet keep to my fast. However Tuesday was a different story entirely. I had intended to let the Fryer's know that I was fasting and that I would just be partaking of bread and wine. but as soon as I walked into their home I knew that it would not be the case and that I needed to partake of the entire meal with them, nothing said.

It was very good. And this morning I continue in my fast.

I am fasting that I may find myself drawing closer to God, understanding what it means to identify with Christ and to be confident as to when I am hearing and what I am hearing from the Holy Spirit.

The solitude thing - much, much harder than the fasting thing. Solitude in small snatches I get - not a big leap, sustained solitude I am finding very difficult in my world. Not really sure what it is supposed to look. I am not drawn to do a legalistic, don't say a word to anyone, exercise in solitude. I do not think that that is what I am being called to do, but really beyond that I am uncertain. I am going to reread the chapter on solitude in Celebration of Discipline. I am also adding daily readings and meditations of Dark Night of the Soul, St. John of the Cross.

Solitude certainly is coming up in all sorts of strange places for me to think for a moment that I am released from figuring this out. So I will attempt to apply myself. Whatever the heck that saying means.

Very Good But Busy Day

2008-07-29T17:23:00.000-07:00

What a nice time yesterday. Eric and Stephanie came out with their boys Kai and Aksel to enjoy the last of this week's sunshine with us.

We had a beautiful roast chicken dinner with baby red potatoes and garden salad from Steph's garden.

Well I should say they. I had gone to just lime water by afternoon, but was happy to serve and fellowship with everyone.

Today was certainly a good one on the farm for the girls and myself, Phil too, since he has a big smile on his face. (see New Family Members )

Off to the Fryer's, not on the bike. And the girls are taking care of Terry's dad for the first time tonight. Good luck girls! Welcome home Lou!

Morning

2008-07-28T09:33:00.000-07:00

Ummm. Wish it was a good morning, although it certainly is not a bad morning because I have recouped what I lost. Up too late again, what was it this time that made me stay up later - doesn't matter because there is no good reason at all - unless it was to help someone but I wasn't so the rest is all just excuse.

The consequence then is that I get up late and have a bad start. I was quick to recover as I got up, got dressed, and got over to Terry's to exercise - thirty minutes on the elliptic trainer. I really like the elliptic trainer and it no longer bothers my hips and knees as it once did.

Came home and immediately had a smoothie of rice milk, banana, frozen strawberries, and rice protein.

So now I will be going out to water and figure out my day. Because it sure wasn't planning that made me stay up late.

Good Start

2008-07-27T14:15:00.000-07:00

Today has been a great day so far even though I woke with a hideous head ache (could it have been from staying up too late?, golly maybe). Left quickly because Dirt figured it took an hour to get to Cabela's but because it didn't take and hour and we were there on time which turned out to be an hour before it opened we were able to go back over the freeway and get some breakfast. (For more on our Cabela's trip see Look Out Its A Moose! and Sunday Drive )

Some members of my family don't care to much about what goes into their body so I found myself in the car with two sausage egg and cheese biscuits and an order of hot cakes, sausage and a side of hash browns for all. Luckily I spotted a juice place across the street and Phil accommodated my needs and took me there.

Jamba Juice. I have no idea if they really use all the fresh produce that they have behind them in lovely metal baskets but I am just glad that our world is changing enough that there are places like it and they at least try to look as if they are feeding you real food. I was able to have them add some whey protein, good for my achy head and some B vitamins. I managed to find a smoothy that was strictly fruit juice and blended fruit, no sugar via frozen yogurt etc.

Picked up some Odwalla Super Food at Costco along with some other fresh fruits for the rest of today and till midway through tomorrow.

Feeling very good physically. Waves of hunger come and go quickly. Head ache is gone.

Going out to garden and meditate in a bit.

A Good Friday

2008-07-26T18:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a good day: good exercise, thirty strong minutes on the treadmill; good head space, pleasant thoughts, prayerfully considering others situations; good food, oysters for lunch and dinner at gathering; good sleep.

Today is also good (see what went on around here on Its The Dirt That's My Girl and Oh Mercy). I like it when I make sure to get in a full day even when I have nothing I have to do. What I mean is, that because on the weekends I really don't have to get up and get going and exercise with Terry sometimes I neglect to make sure I move myself around.

Tomorrow I am going to begin a fast. Phil was worried about me fasting as long as my thyroid numbers were bad. But I had a blood test on Wednesday and the results were on "My Group Health" by Thursday morning and I am in the normal range. (Oysters and kelp, among some other stuff, not in vain.)

The plan, nutritionally, is to do raw foods and juice for the first day, maybe two. Phil wants to make sure I am careful with my thyroid, so unlike previous fasts I am going to ease into it.

As much as I like food I seem to have an easy time fasting, and while I fast I love to cook beautiful meals for my family. This might be a little harder as I will be taking in more than hot or cold lemon water, I'm not sure how I will handle preparing beautiful food and partial fasting.

The second phase I hope to begin Monday afternoon or so and that will be my usual fasting routine. I am able to take a few supplements when I fast but certainly not B vitamins, they are bad enough taken with a meal but I'm not sure I can handle it on essential an empty stomach.

The remainder of the plan is to also "fast" from social interaction for at least a week - phone, visits, tv, radio, etc. Not including gathering for prayer, guidance and spiritual encouragement. Essentially an exercise in solitude and simplicity.

The point? At the root of it to draw closer to God, understand clearer my identity with Christ, and hear the teaching of the Holy Spirit.

Thanks be to Thee, my Lord Jesus Christ

For all the benefits Thou hast given me,

For all the pains and insults Thou hast borne for me.

O most merciful Redeemer, friend and brother,

May I know Thee more clearly,

Love Thee more dearly,

Follow Thee more nearly,

Day by day.

St. Richard of Chichester

There are people very dear to me who are struggling in their race. As we all do to a certain degree for sure but some more than others and for various reasons. Lately I have felt frustrated, perplexed and at times I feel overwhelmed and defeated. None of which are of God. I need to deepen my prayer for them, pray in utmost purity for them. Regain the pure sense of bearing other's burdens.

When I began bearing burdens I did so with a clearer conviction of purpose and hope. Over the years I did not always witness the outcome nor hear of the relief felt but I always knew it was not in vain. The hope was not the hope the world has, hope that the stock market will go up, hope that we get nice neighbors moving in. The hope was the hope that comes from God, a trusting in Him and His word, knowing that, for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. But things have changed. And even though it appears that I am not really in control of whether I feel the burdens of others or not, what worth am I if I am impurely bearing other's burdens? I might as well not than sully the spiritual realm with my doubt, uncertainty, faithlessness.

Where or how did I loose my faith and trust? I don't know. I am not sure it is important for me to know, perhaps if only to avoid the foothold to the enemy again. I know that after getting up from a burden-bearing meditation or prayer I used to feel drained perhaps but certainly joy-filled. Now it is to feel drained and pessimistic. So not born of God. I need what is often on my lips, that we live in hope, and what is in my head, scripture is true and to be trusted, to return to my heart.

There are things to write. I need to clearly convey the compassion that I feel and the truth I see. Gentleness and honesty. Odd bedfellows indeed. On the surface we are quick to say that these two things can and should go together. "Why not?" we say. Come on really? The last time your spouse was honest with you about something, were you feeling the gentleness? Boy I wasn't and I had even asked for his honest opinion. But that certainly doesn't mean it wasn't there. In fact I know it was. It is just that we think things that are said and done with compassion shouldn't ever sting. So because of that I feel paralyzed to write.

So there you have it, my earnest prayer for the practical and for the spiritual. I am looking forward to next week. So be warned friend, if you were planning on stopping in this coming week I will greet you with open arms, perhaps a glass or cup of lemon water and ask you to pray with me or read me some scripture that is on your mind.

Give me the wings of faith to rise within the veil, and see the saints above, how great their joys,

how bright their glories be.

Once they were mourning here below, their couch was wet with tears; they wrestled hard, as we do now, with sins and doubts and fears.

We ask them whence their victory came: they, with united breath, ascribe their conquest to the Lamb, their triumph to his death.

They marked the footsteps that he trod, his zeal inspired their breast, and, following their incarnate God, possess the promised rest.

Our glorious Leader claims our praise for his own pattern given; while the long cloud of witnesses show the same path to heaven.

Isaac Watts

Consistency

2008-07-24T10:39:00.000-07:00

Gee golly, do you think I have a problem with consistency?

Went for my EMG test (see Electric Day for a description of test) and found out I have peripheral neuropathy, slightly. But now I have to go through tests to see what is causing it.

Took TSH blood test yesterday (TSH- thyroid stimulating hormone, high numbers of which indicate a poor working thyroid) and just got the numbers back and they have dropped back into the "normal" range albeit the high end of normal.

Stayed up way too late last night because I started a project that I couldn't put down till I finished. (Oh btw, that is hogwash and I recognized it this morning and really, I knew it last night too) Got up at a good time (or it would have been a "good" time if I had gone to bed at a good time) this morning, took my amino acids and exercised.

Hard to get to breakfast, just a difficult thing for me to do, here it is eleven and I have just now had a banana and cashew/macadamia butter on rice cake.

Last week, long before the EMG, I thought I should look into rutin and a little detox of poisons in the old system. The Dr. that did EMG sited diabetes as the top cause (my fasting blood sugar was perfectly normal, not even high normal) and then he sited heavy metal or other toxicity as the next possible cause. Detoxing sure wouldn't hurt and if it came to mind it just might be what I am supposed to do.

So that is one of my goals today, figure out a good detox program, using primarily the things I have on hand, and getting to it. Be consistent! That is my real bugaboo. I'm a great organizer and system devisor but I absolutely suck at maintenance.

I also need to keep at what ever feeble attempts I have been doing on my thyroid issue - that would be tyrosine and the other aminos I am taking, the kelp and the weekly eating of oysters along with other seafood. And because I just moved it down into the high end of the normal range and there is thinking out there even in medical land that the high end of normal is indicitive of a problem then maybe just maybe actually being consistent would get me snuggled into the really normal range. Do ya think?

I am having success, but not the success I need to have and know that I can have because I am not having success in building the foundation:

Be listening 100% of the time.

Be listening 100% of the time. (It bears repeating)

Be listening 100% of the time.

Planning, setting out a schedule for meals and activity.
Not succumbing to feeling defeated when derailed.
Re-prioritizing quickly when plans get thwarted.

Those last three are really just other ways of saying, "Listen to the Holy Spirit 100% of the time".

Refreshing Day

2008-07-19T22:07:00.000-07:00

Letting things come easy. Not trying too hard, not overworking things, just being and letting things come and go. Taking time, listening carefully and just following the lead. And it all works out.

Hanging In There

2008-07-18T18:46:00.000-07:00

Missing my girls

Missing Terry

Missing formal exercise

Missing but not falling apart

Yum

2008-07-16T07:33:00.000-07:00

Elisabet made strawberry jam yesterday evening with Pomona pectin, and agave syrup. So we had some this morning on our almond buttered rice cake. We had really desired toast but Bet said it was just to hot yesterday to bake, jamming was enough extra heat.

My fingers are tore up, I've always had a hard time with my cuticles and right now in spite of garden gloves they are ripped from one side to the other on both hands. My nice nails I had two months ago, are gone, all have snagged and ripped to the nail bed. They are reminiscent of when I used to chew them.

I'm going to pick up some vitamin A today at TJ's along with canned Salmon and Mackerel feeling very dry and my beta carotene is past its expiration a little and I wonder if I just need some straight A.

Kelp, kelp, kelp. When you only have straight cranberry juice kelp doesn't taste so great. Thought I wanted to fore go the cayenne pepper this morning in light of my hideous stomach attack yesterday while shopping, cut that trip right short it did but I think the cayenne covers up the kelp a bit. Oh well it is down now and I have a full day. A full day of good decisions because I am listening and not fretting. Fretting is a SIN.

Ugh, Tuesdays

2008-07-15T23:19:00.001-07:00

As much as I love Mondays I have difficulty with Tuesdays because they have a hard time living up to Mondays.

Yesterday had its difficult points, for some reason I was extremely tired. At two o'clock I was so ready for a nap, I tried to lie down and rest but I was called away. Then at five and again at six when I sat down to do some paper work I struggled to keep my eyes open and even when walking around to wake up I felt as if I could crawl up into a ball anywhere and go to sleep.

I wonder if it is depression slipping in again. Sleeping has always been a sign. Tired is one thing, working hard, having a lot going on makes me tired and wanting to sit down for a break, wanting to actually sleep is another. Wanting to just sleep is usually a sign that I am overloaded, depressed and just want to escape. Things that are beyond my control have always been a bugaboo for me and it is worse when I see people I love struggle and suffer and I can really do nothing to help them. I know that God often works in slow time, not according to my time line, so when prayer appears to not be effective it makes the whole out of control thing worse. The demon of hopelessness begins to rear his ugly head.

My timeline is not God's timeline, he doesn't ask us to pray just so we can pray, he doesn't ask us to bear an other's burdens for kicks, I can not lose my faith and trust in God. For then I would be truly lost, wandering in the dark, depressed. I cannot give the demon of hopelessness and mistrust a foot hold. I cannot allow him up or give him a boost onto my back and into my head. That would be stupid and just plain ignorant of the ability of Christ, the strength of Christ, the love of Christ, the confidence of Christ that is mine to draw from, it is in Him that I live and move and have my being.

Mondays

2008-07-14T06:53:00.000-07:00

What is it about Mondays, New Year's Day, and September? They are great for a new start, a clean slate. I love Mondays. Up on time, amino acids taken (4 different ones right now) tidied the house and dressed, ate nice breakfast followed by bulk of todays supplements. Now I am out the door to do battle in the garden. Hopefully I will remember to take my morning break and hear when Terry calls for our new schedule to exercise at 9:30

Weight - Fat Pounds Coming Off

2008-07-13T19:40:00.000-07:00

Not as fast as I would like. (Don't you wish that when you decide to change your life and correct some stuff you have been doing wrong that the correction would take hold and the problem would completely disappear over night?!) But definitely a success. I am now under the one hundred-ninety mark, one-eighty-eight to be exact. Which for a person who continually hung around two hundred to two hundred-four for the last three years this is good. My fat percentage is at 38 right now and has usually been at 40 to 42. I know, holy moley!

Well this next week I hope will be a better one for sticking to schedules and being more mindful and obedient to the Holy Spirit's promptings. Which means I need to be in bed in two and a half hours.

Restrictive Diets

2008-07-13T10:27:00.000-07:00

God has given us everything to eat. We are no longer under the Law of Moses. We have freedom, yet that freedom is not to be used for wrong doing. And clearly there has been some wrong doing going on around here or I would not be looking to lose a sack of feed so as not to break out in an asthma attack or come down with another weight related dis-ease. But just because I have abused the gift of food in the past does not call for me to shun certain foods in God's gift of abundance.

If I had a true food allergy I should certainly cross it off of my list of foods to eat, however, it is then a personal issue and not an across the board declaration to be made to everyone. I've heard the following argument often from those who have developed a milk allergy that; "we are the only animal that drinks milk after it is weaned". Their use of this argument I have always presumed is to shame others into forgoing their milk, after all we are the only animal that clings to our baby-ness. But I would like to point out that first off I'm not still consuming my mother's milk, kinda hard since she is dead, kinda weird either way. But even if you wish to add in that American babies consume non human milk and therefore on that basis all milk is throw into the category of "we are the only animal that consumes milk post weaning" then golly I'd have to say ya and we are the only animal that grinds our meat and stuffs it into casings, we're the only animal that squishes berries, adds sugar and pectin, puts it in a jar, gives it as a gift, where upon the recipient spreads it on their toast. We do a lot that other animals don't do. If milk bothers you, I am more than happy to adjust my menu when you come to visit. If milk bothers you, I will even help you find stuff that you might enjoy that doesn't have milk product in it. If milk bothers you, I will commiserate with you on how a lot of processed foods have whey in them.

Then again everything that we modern types call food may not really be a food. If it was made in a laboratory to "substitute" for some item we think we should never eat again chances are it was not a food that God put on that sheet, and really we ought not to call everything that goes into the human mouth food. Something can even start as a good food but then it goes through major processing to drastically change the original state of the food in order for it to survive the trip to the store shelves or to be considered palatable by our spoiled tongue. Perhaps it is not food either. But I am not calling all foods messed with by human hands as non-food. We are not animals, we are designed by God to be different, cooking is a God given ability to humans, we should enjoy it and use it, sorry chimps.

I do not have a food allergy therefore I tend to avoid many of the restrictive diet books on the shelves. Even the ones that claim to be God's very own restrictive diet. My Maker has released his people from prohibition to certain foods. Ultimately I believe that the scripture quoted on the header of this blog along with others such as 1 Timothy 4:4 "For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer" tells us that it is not the individual food that is the problem. The practices of food abuse, gluttony or monotony, is the problem. He has not released me from prohibition to "get me" by having me eat a food that has serious detrimental health issues. He did not lower that blanket and have everything but pork on it. God has even released the Christian from avoiding foods sacrificed to idols as long as it doesn't cause issues for the people watching you eat. 1Corinthians 8. And I gotta say that strikes me as even a more severe stop-and-think-about-it than putting pigs on Peter's blanket.

But hey, if you really don't like pork or if you notice that it doesn't agree with you when you eat it, then by all means avoid it but don't think it is because God is telling everyone not to eat it. Oh and by the way, when you think a food doesn't agree with you, make sure it is the real food that doesn't agree with you not the additives and changes that we put it through to tantalize taste buds or make the preserving process cheap.

Staying Up Late

2008-07-11T16:19:00.000-07:00

It's killing me. There are times, when caring for others, Phil and I are called to do a late night, it is unavoidable. That is not the problem. The problem arises when just because of laziness or stubbornness or poor planning I am up way later than I should be, that means either lost sleep or another poor day because there are some schedules I must keep and to constantly move them around for a whim would cause me to loose friends and a good support system.

Not unlike feast days with friends being the times I reserve to veer off of an eating plan and only those special times gaining license to that, so then there should be leeway in my sleep schedule, but only for occasions such as a celebration or a crisis, but not as an everyday or nearly everyday occurrence.

Oh My, It Has Been Too Long

2008-07-09T17:50:00.000-07:00

It is good to report that things have been going well for me even though I have not posted daily as I ought. Took last week off from formal exercise with Terry, she and her family were off remote camping at Alder Lake in the lightening storm. But we are back on track this week and last week I made sure that I kept physically busy and sweating most days. Terry and I are now swapping back and forth between the elliptic trainer and the treadmill each day, we spend 30 minutes at a pretty good clip. I was surprised yesterday when I went on the treadmill for the first time in a long time due to Terry's injury that kept her off the elliptic trainer. I went quickly up to a greater speed than I have been at for a long long time and a good incline too. I save my strength training for ripping out weeds, lifting washing machines, wheelbarrows and miscellaneous farm objects. But I know I should be careful so that when the farm work slacks off I do not neglect that aspect out of habit of not formally doing strength training.

Fourth of July went well as far as food. I am not restricting myself so much that I can not enjoy feasting with family and friends on feast days. I just have to remember that while everyday is a celebration not every day needs to be a feast.

Learning a lot about the difference between eating well and gluttony. Not a pretty realization that your sin of choice is visible to everyone daily. And one of the natural consequences of this chosen sin is that even when you are repentant and diligently looking for the Holy Spirit's guidance to get it turned around completely, it still can look to others that you are in the thick of the sin. Yum, humble pie, my favorite. Another lesson in letting God defend me and not jumping to my own defense, which always looks a little defensive and excusy no matter how I put it.

The other lesson I have been getting this week, and I might add here that the Holy Spirit has been quite gentle and lets me see things slowly and absorb the lesson deep down, this week's other lesson has been on slowing down. Same family, same friends sharing a meal, same amount of time around the table just less food going down LeeAnn's gullet. Now I need to slow down and not bolt my food down as if I've been starving in a cave somewhere.

Still trying to get my time scheduled and making menus and such. It has just been crazy around here and lots of work to do, having a hard time justifying sitting with paper work (or lap top work). But even without a menu and schedule I feel as if, at least in the food department, I have been doing pretty well with the food choices and only a few times have I missed a meal by accident, a very detrimental and well ingrained habit that I intend to over come once and for all. My supplements are 50/50 which is better than zero I suppose. Hoping to quiet the riot around here this month so that things that really need to get done can.

Reading and contemplating the discipline of solitude and simplicity. Gluttony can come in many forms.

Help! I Have to Drink Kelp!

2008-07-02T11:02:00.001-07:00

Okay, I'm ready. Here comes the Lanny Clamato Cocktail. Half a tumbler of Clamato Juice, one teaspoon of kelp, one tablespoon of psyllium husk and three quarter teaspoon of Cayenne pepper. Hot diggity dog!

Now that my mouth has stopped burning, my eye is on fire, because I just had to rub it!

Began the day with L-Tyrosine, one thousand milligrams of C, and one hundred milligrams of B6 (which I need to cut in half for just fifty mg., luckily they come with a slit) on an empty stomach. To which I need to add fifteen milligrams of B12 and DHEA

An hour later I had a glass of Super Food and started working till eleven when I noticed I was too hungry (the thought of putting food in my mouth made me gag) but I ate my new potato-egg salad followed by my Clamato Cocktail. And Now I am ready to sit down and plan out my supplement regime and daily schedule.

Vitamins

2008-07-01T11:17:00.000-07:00

I'm going out to do some weeding and think about vitamins and minerals. I already know from a lesson this week that I am to be taking nutritional supplements. I am wondering what that is supposed to look like, a planned course of supplements or what? Well I need to go weed and not work it out here on the key board. See you in a few hours.

Back. While I was meditating today, listening, I was reminded that my husband is concerned about me not fasting, as I sometimes do, until the thyroid thing is cleared up. The Daniel fast was brought to mind as an alternative for me as some of us were desiring to fast together for a concern we share deeply. Quite frankly that may be a more difficult fast for me as a regular fast comes fairly easy for me as long as I have lemon water and a hungry family to cook extravagantly for, I know, that's weird. I know, I know, what does this have to do with vitamins? Just wanted to make some quick notes about some side line things that popped up.

Another thing, besides supplements, that "came up" today is schedule. I am to be on a schedule. I need to think of it as more than a "guideline" I'm out of whack because I am too free wheeling.

A schedule in my life is important in the whole supplement scheme because for them to really work to their best most of them work in an accumulated manor and I won't remember them unless I am on a ridged schedule for at least a month.

So I am at peace with the supplement thing and what I will need to do in the next three days to get that all going. I will be working out of two books essentially, see my reference list.

Off to celebrate Elisabeth birthday, till tomorrow then.

How Hard Is It?

2008-07-01T08:01:00.000-07:00

No proof, nothing more than many anecdotal evidences over the years that when the Holy Spirit speaks to a believer about an issue in their life and the believer acknowledges the correction this is all just the very beginning of the road.

Is this just a habit and if so what unhooks habits?

This is interesting and enlightening: Habits "A recurrent, often unconscious pattern of behavior that is acquired through frequent repetition. An established disposition of the mind or character."

These two definitions come from the American Heritage dictionary in this order. The former definition is obviously the more common one, according to the editors of American Heritage. I would certainly agree, it is the one that makes us think that habits are merely physiological and behavioral. It is the one that causes us to see a habit and believe that we can just put a road block in front of said habit long enough and the habit is broken. And for some habits this is most certainly true, I no longer bite my finger nails as I did all through childhood, adolescence and early marriage. Years ago I found and employed the necessary road block to correct that habit that I had hated all my post pubescent life. I had a habit of milking goats every morning and evening, I no longer have that habit because I no longer have goats.

The latter order of habits, "an established disposition of the mind or character," these seem to to be what I was referring to earlier when I spoke of being directed by the Holy Spirit to acknowledging issues. The difficulty comes when we naively expect the acknowledgement of our need to change and the Holy Spirit's desire to change us will in fact just change us. Most certainly there are times when God performs a miracle in our lives and a destructive ingrained habit leaves us at the very moment of repentance, those are for His glory and our wonder. Which is not to say that this slower process is not also for His glory and our wonder, these most certainly are but one must not expect either to always be the case.

In regards to my journey in the Sheet diet and fitness, I found myself to be given favors yesterday to relearn the lesson I thought was learned, through favors, over the weekend and still I remained ignorant in spite of the favor. I had, once again, an incredible Holy Spirit moment, a lesson about myself and food, and another lesson about how quickly the Holy Spirit will be at my side with guidance that I can understand. He will not leave me hanging for hours while he slowly leads me to know what I am to do. How many times and in how many ways will the Holy Spirit take me through this before I manage to change, to not only listen to the Holy Spirit when he speaks to me but to ask for him to speak to me.

The radio, sometime yesterday, spoke of a scientific discovery using e.e.g. equipment. Our brains have already decided an action before we think it out. How can they see that! But I do not doubt it, this is where habits come in. That is a habit, the brain on a habit, manifest on an e.e.g. machine. But now I am not dealing with a habit of putting my fingers in my mouth and not recognizing I have done so until the pain and blood come. I believe it goes much further and this issue is more a disposition of my mind and character. This issue that has come out in me in my weight is deeper than a few bad patterns of behavior like not eating at an appropriate time, or eating unconsciously or eating at overly emotional times, or having only unhealthy foods in the house. If it were, I could just strap on a shock collar, hand the remote to whom ever is with me, and zap myself out of such habits.

My mind is in the habit of being in a certain disposition. And even though the Holy Spirit has managed to give this family enough favors in some areas that we have learned to listen to Him to be guided in certain things and even though we say that He is willing to tell us what to do for everything, I don't. My brain fires off a command for an action before the deciding portion has even begun to work through an answer.

I have had the blood transfusion, my heart is Christ's and I mistakenly thought that that was enough. For I understand things of scripture and things of the Spirit, sorta. I certainly desire to live by God's rule and take opportunity to study and change. But now I need a brain transplant, I need the mind of Christ. So that when faced with a decision, when before I have even thought about it and my brain fires off a command, it is a command of Christ's. A command to stop and hear from the Holy Spirit. And in reality we are faced each moment with decisions not just when "big things" present themselves. I just wonder what a brain transplant involves.

Lessons From the Last Couple of Weeks

2008-06-29T12:20:00.000-07:00

This last week was a very hard one for me, the Holy Spirit revealed things to me about me, conversation with good friends revealed things to me about me, my husband spoke sternly to me about my garbage. Yet all in all, in every single one of these things I heard at once an encouragement and a discipline, glad that what was said was said but the corrections still stung.

It seems to have begun two weeks prior to this last one, I told God that I no longer desired a gift he had given to me as it appeared that people thought me foolish for it, that it just made me look silly and emotional. He obliged me and my gift was taken from me. And I was glad. Then I began to miss it, I became sad that I was no longer going to operate in it, so I asked for it back. I got what I first asked for, release from the gift. I was sorry, but I would just learn to be different with things, and maybe after all it was for the best, maybe I was no longer to be appearing immature and emotional for Christ, needing favors from God. I could finally get on with being 50, be like the other nice mature Christian women with grey hair and no ruffled feathers, just taking things in stride as they come and when they come, cause what ever will be will be.

Two weeks later, weekend last, we spent a relaxing, restoring weekend with new friends, a new me.

But things happened even there. I thought about thinking and contemplating what all it could mean as we drove home, but then maybe I was trying to gain something back that was no longer mine. So I tried hard not to think of thinking about any of it, let alone feel burdened or pray earnestly after all I was a new person no more of that silliness, thank goodness. What will be, will be. I read a diet book instead.

Home occupied my mind, odd occurrences would be just that, odd occurrences. Moved hoses, began watering things, nothing but home and "didn't we have a nice trip" on my mind. "We had a nice trip," plays in my mind as I walked out to the pumpkin patch with my husband, tears come and wistfulness overwhelms me, a feeling of loneliness and detachment, I feel I am burdened, for whom I do not understand, for what I do not know, but the burdening is back. And then came assurances that the "odd coincidences" and "speakings" that lead me are also working again.

Terry, a very good friend and exercise buddy, challenged me to find the Holy Spirit as motivation and not rely on competition or responsibility for a group as I have done in the past. How odd that she had that for me Wednesday morning after my Holy Spirit lesson late Tuesday afternoon. Not only to look to the Holy Spirit as my guidance for what my goals should be and what I should do to get there but to look to him, depend on him, for my motivation and drive. And then there were other things in that morning's conversation more of those familiar twilight occurrences that I thought I foolishly had sent away from me. I went home in tears that God is so good, and welcomed the new feelings of certainty, confounding and wonder at what God will bring about.

My husband had smarted my feelings with what I already know, I am to quick to peevish anger and irritation, still. Have I come a long way? Most certainly, but I still get in the way of proceeding, he taught me this week that I can most certainly feel passionate about something but that I can also be patient and kind as well. I had hoped that it wasn't anger, as soon as my ugliness came out I wanted it to be called something else, but Phil was right, there was no need to play with what it might or might not have been, it was anger that I had carelessly nurtured and foolishly released.

Confused and confused some more as the new week goes on. The Sheet diet revelation closes the diet books for now, fresh from the tub the Holy Spirit immediately shows how he can guide my hand in the refrigerator and how something can heal a persons soul and mind' instantly and that comfort food can be a gift and doesn't need to be harmful . A breakthrough, not small at all, huge.

So much change, going forward with the Holy Spirit in so many areas, boom, a poor move, showing me I can go forward and backward all at the same time. Knocked by the rest of the week, revelations and odd coincidences, TMI, tossed schedules and busy-ness. Stress is never always bad but it is always draining which foolishly turned into poor choices with food again. Because I erroneous think I can wrestle with only one thing and I want to return to using wild, busy and exciting times as an excuse to eat or not eat without any direction.

Finally set back on my keester yesterday by the Holy Spirit, sick enough, headachey enough, fatigued and muscle cramping enough to give in, again. The lesson for the day: He doesn't fumble with his words, it doesn't take him all day to make plain my direction, I just need to pause a second and listen, and He will speak swiftly. And when I obeyed I was swiftly, noticeably healed. A restful nights sleep, headache gone, fatigue gone, muscle cramps of unknown origin gone.

Lesson number one and two registered.

Getting Started

2008-06-29T08:55:00.000-07:00

All of this started with a wager between myself and a good friend. I challenged him with a competition, the hook was well baited with "how competitive are you?", and "can your sustain a competition for more than a few minutes or days?". He swallowed the hook and after some fussing around with details, that really never got ironed out, we are into a year long competition ending nesx June with "someone going home with a thousand dollars" or both people going home with the other person's thousand dollars.

The real winners here are our spouses, we have decided that the thousand dollars will be spent on a vacation for the four of us. So if one of us reaches their goal and the other does not then the looser takes the four of us on vacation and foots the bill. If we both reach our goal, the vacation will be a two thousand dollar one and I pay for them and he pays for Phil and I. Mmm we must be an optimistic group because I just now realized that no one mentioned what would happen if neither of us met our goal!

This thing has morphed quite a bit, for me anyway. But I will reach my goal, the goal just looks a little different and the method of getting their is considerably different.

My intro to this new adventure can be found on my other blog at http://itsthedirt.blogspot.com/2008/06/eureka.html and the continuation of it on http://itsthedirt.blogspot.com/2008/06/next-morning-continuation-of-last-post.html