Recipes for Healthier Living

Hello.
One of my friends is having open heart surgery on Thursday. That prompted me to remember 2 years ago when my Mom went thru the same thing. I had to find sodium free recipes and we learned to healthen up stuff we already made.
It was enlightening to say the least. Look at the amount of sodium in items next time you go to the grocery store......it will scare the mess out of ya.

I have discovered a homemade taco seasoning. Yum. I have made homemade broccoli soup, potato soup, chicken noodle soup...and tomorrow will make tomato. Oh, also, tomorrow I am making homemade pimento cheese. I'll let you know how it tastes.....

Sad News...

Well, a friend of mine told me her and her hubby were seperating. Wow, I was heart  broken. Still am. For both of them.

Coming from a divorced home and growing up like that, I am NOT an advocate of divorce. If you need to seperate and start dating again while you counsel with your church pastor..that I am an advocate of.
So, I told her that behind her back I would be praying for reconciliation. Which, technically is NOT behind her back, since I told her to her face I would do it. LOL..funny.

I notice that nowadays (sounds old, huh?) more people spend more time on a WEDDING than a MARRIAGE. The wedding lasts a few hours, a marriage is the rest of your life. If Hollywood would understand this, they would be much happier.

This is NOT a bash of my friend. Her news just got my wheels turning. I got to thinking of the good times in my marriage of 16 years and the bad times. No one ever said...not even God....that marriage would always be fun.Never did He say it would ever be easy Nor did He say I would be walking in bliss every moment and never want to smack my beloved. LOLOLOL....or that I would not drive my hubby crazy.

So, my advice is many fold. One, do not let the devil win. Cast him out of your marriage and start speaking the Word over it. Second , in the immortal words of Jim Valvano: never, never, ever give up.
Now. go think about that....

I't's not my fault.....

If I hear one more person say "It wasn't my fault," I just may take off my shoe and pummel them.
Newsflash people: no one controls you but YOU. No one makes you get angry or overreact. No one makes you sit on your bedonkadonk and do nothing either. Everything you do or do not do in life, is your own choice.....yes, it is!
Don't tell me how bad your childhood was, or how mean someone has been to you...and don't tell me all the things wrong in your life. No, you cannot control what someone else does to you, but you can control how you react to it, and what YOU do next.
When you meet someone on the street, you have no idea what kind of life they have had. You are not the only one with problems. But, you may be the only one that can't get over it.
(OK, I warned you that the faint hearted need not read this. This is tough love here, and if you get upset or cry easily, then move along quickly)
When Jesus met people who had awful pasts, what did He do? I'll tell you...He forgave them, then told them to "go and sin so more." ......translation: I have forgiven you. Now, go forgive yourself, forget about all of your past, don't repeat the stupid stuff....and have a good life.
I know, it is too simple. I picture Jesus giving people  the Gibbs head slap, and telling em to go on and stop being stupid.
Which means do not drag all your baggage around. Leave it at the feet of Jesus and WALK AWAY. How many times when you meet a stranger in line or something, do they tell you all about how much medicine they take, and all their ailments, and what's wrong with their family? That person wears their junk around like a badge of honor. Puh-leeze!!!

But, this is not the real reason for my rant. Everyone needs to be more considerate of others...stop being so needy that you are a drain on your friends and push them away. If someone does something nice for you, do something nice back. Don't always NEED something. Be a giver too.
If you go to a group like a Bible Study, and take your kids, offer to help watch them once a month. Do not make the same people have to miss the discussion cause you are too selfish to help out. Be a blessing to others. If you go to an event where you know there will be food, then take some to help out. And help clean up too. Do what you can when you can. Eventually it will be your turn.
If we are all takers, then eventually the givers will stop giving. Who will you abuse then?
There are times when you don't call a sitter, you do it yourself. There are times when you miss the bible study cause it is your turn to watch the little kids. If you don't, pretty soon there won't be a bible study....and you will have the nerve to wonder why? Duh.
In this great country where everyone wants to come and live...we have freedom. Freedom to go to school and get an education. Freedom to work more than one job to make more money. Freedom to start our own business and banks who will lend us money to do it. Heck, the government gives out money to help poor people while they look for a job.
So, you may not control that you grew up poor and on welfare, but you can control whether or not you get a job, and go to Wake Tech at night to get a degree so YOU don't live on welfare.
Think about all that....

Summer

Okay, only bright colors will do for a summer post. My children will be out of school soon. Friday is their last day. I soooo need a break. I will say for a  "stay at home mom", I have  never been so busy. When I worked full time I was never this busy. My hat is off to mom's who work full time out of the home, and then still take care of their family at night. Kudos!!


As you know, God is always telling me stuff, and I try to do it. Pretty simple. Well, how many of us just do what God says, when He says to do it, with no complaining, balking, or questions? Do you wonder why things may not be going just how you think they should? Could it be you have an obedience issue? God is our Father, and we are His children. When He speaks, He expects us to trust Him, listen, and obey. NOT HARD!
It is like God is at the top of a large hill. We can only see so far up it, and He can see far beyond it due to His vantage point. We have to trust that since He knows what is over the hill, He will only help us to stay safe. He won't tell us anything that will hurt us, or be bad for us. So why do we constantly question Him?
Just a heads up.....my next post will be on personal responsibility and using others because you are lazy or selfish. Be forewarned...the weak hearted need not read it. It's gonna sting.  Now, back to my point....listen to God, say "okay Lord", then (like NIke) just do it. See how amazing God can make your life when you obey. Now, go think about that.....