tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78723749358803045722024-02-24T18:59:41.894-06:00Blogging With Goodly IntentionsImage created with a digital tablet by my 14 year-old (aspiring artist) daughter, ICV.Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.comBlogger332125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872374935880304572.post-41171313744250734842012-06-27T09:53:00.000-05:002012-06-27T09:53:52.788-05:00Our Outdoor Sink On Cinder Blocks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgercAHrhyTnuIxBjTnzQhRY1iW0ihhb2lAc-x0I7qKh8avbjKFQqB7-fPOmtKJ2RCCcjKYo-ajtTFSPoMlVAyGzmlXJ8FOMU-fln8isFcJDB-HxBAuaTTb9Ns18O_JItfezm4h4Nf8QfA/s1600/IMG_3726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgercAHrhyTnuIxBjTnzQhRY1iW0ihhb2lAc-x0I7qKh8avbjKFQqB7-fPOmtKJ2RCCcjKYo-ajtTFSPoMlVAyGzmlXJ8FOMU-fln8isFcJDB-HxBAuaTTb9Ns18O_JItfezm4h4Nf8QfA/s320/IMG_3726.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>This is my outdoor sink.</b></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>First off, I must apologize for not blogging any time sooner.</b> I have not wanted to keep repeating myself, especially about my diet and weight loss efforts, which, by the way, have stalled; however, I think I've got a cool subject to cover.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">As you can see, I now have<b> <span style="font-size: large;">an outdoor sink</span></b>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I've been wanting this set up for quite a while, and my hubby did it this past weekend. I should give some background about this project, though. My hubby's friend was updating a house rental, and my hubby stopped at a yard sale and bought a used, stainless steel double sink that the friend could use. We had lived in that rental for a few months, and I remembered the old, white single sink with the built-in counter on both sides. I knew how I could incorporate it into my outdoor area so...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">my hubby and his friend did an exchange. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Yes!</span></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3mxLKNssMA0-3la93s9Kd7uWgEnhEBiGeKivRKpSYFBl821hSQCaFxG2jTa-BJ7eYCkiSZdGKcCn8HtvpzuSHSvLZSrlcj3xo2rwLP4Z4GEnWl0YQyGiGnOEuPj2Ma9ghunI5ZehF8A/s1600/IMG_3728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3mxLKNssMA0-3la93s9Kd7uWgEnhEBiGeKivRKpSYFBl821hSQCaFxG2jTa-BJ7eYCkiSZdGKcCn8HtvpzuSHSvLZSrlcj3xo2rwLP4Z4GEnWl0YQyGiGnOEuPj2Ma9ghunI5ZehF8A/s320/IMG_3728.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>This is a side view of the sink standing on 8 upright cinder blocks.</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Hfm1dvWR0_xcX296Ey33r8a1LihI5zh98KpQaceucHV015quqFVg1fxifjWL_aP0_YRrL1lBV_vgUL9gxNoVEfwZac7J_N4TzbSNJW0s9sriRSUCQ4YAxtSO6jtUiC1_eoukGgcf1qs/s1600/IMG_3733.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Hfm1dvWR0_xcX296Ey33r8a1LihI5zh98KpQaceucHV015quqFVg1fxifjWL_aP0_YRrL1lBV_vgUL9gxNoVEfwZac7J_N4TzbSNJW0s9sriRSUCQ4YAxtSO6jtUiC1_eoukGgcf1qs/s320/IMG_3733.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>With this sink, wash up will be easier after gardening.</b></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">I asked my hubby to install a shelf underneath the sink. If you look carefully, you will notice that there are two horizontal, parallel 2 X 4's holding up a piece of plywood. I wanted to have a space to hold watering cans, pots, and soil. It's still a work in progress to move things out of my sauna-like metal storage, but the sink setup has very promising storage of its own. </div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFdGSHeDOyZmaSu426J7rc713YF0jn1-qx_gf6E3gt0r7iyJoi64oftV6d75W4S2GHukqrca3NVImdrWQCLgmA9vRzSnR1BY9rGZseo4vib4ilz0N7hiMfVg-GOJRWd-DXbOOQx7ewJzg/s1600/IMG_3758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFdGSHeDOyZmaSu426J7rc713YF0jn1-qx_gf6E3gt0r7iyJoi64oftV6d75W4S2GHukqrca3NVImdrWQCLgmA9vRzSnR1BY9rGZseo4vib4ilz0N7hiMfVg-GOJRWd-DXbOOQx7ewJzg/s320/IMG_3758.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>This is the underside of my outdoor sink.</b></td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I wanted to show the underside of the sink. My hubby found old, plastic pipes, including elbows to direct the dirty water into a container, which is located to the left.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzPFFVTMhV8zULq-mclb9dPbRPuHO8_zY9DcovUefCZW8y7tlsdcSggxREAtoGzmFOhLIef1MfJtBob4X0TG1jq34L5LoK9LeeqrPEY-b3gou3221-BT8ewG6vxrCTA8doKIn4HcgN3xk/s1600/IMG_3759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzPFFVTMhV8zULq-mclb9dPbRPuHO8_zY9DcovUefCZW8y7tlsdcSggxREAtoGzmFOhLIef1MfJtBob4X0TG1jq34L5LoK9LeeqrPEY-b3gou3221-BT8ewG6vxrCTA8doKIn4HcgN3xk/s320/IMG_3759.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>This is a closeup of the left side of my outdoor sink.</b></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">The dirty water drains out into a 5 gallon Home Depot bucket. I will reuse the dirty water to hydrate my parched plants.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd7-yxyhRu7Mp8sEXbIwH7niR8UnB2Ts4fg_GIot4bajFTtU0ASxFkuBX_fEwkA9Z4YpPf05VF1_7ZIhBC5IlaanO2kzIvmfoxExiMC1L7VvvOVyh9WgrJXFCVY5QUlXWVsFkirEItMoQ/s1600/IMG_3760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd7-yxyhRu7Mp8sEXbIwH7niR8UnB2Ts4fg_GIot4bajFTtU0ASxFkuBX_fEwkA9Z4YpPf05VF1_7ZIhBC5IlaanO2kzIvmfoxExiMC1L7VvvOVyh9WgrJXFCVY5QUlXWVsFkirEItMoQ/s320/IMG_3760.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My outdoor sink faucet was hooked up to the outdoor faucet.</b></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">The special feature to the sink is that my hubby installed a metal, flexible hose so that water can come out of the faucet above the sink.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I knew that it was possible to have a sink outdoors! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I had faith that my hubby could put it together. All it took was some imagination to dream the <i><b>possible</b></i>. This idea was inspired by a picture I saw on Facebook about a couch made out of cinder blocks. I believe it was from an article in the <b><a href="http://www.bhg.com/decorating/makeovers/furniture/outdoor-space-salvaged-finds/" target="_blank">Better Homes and Gardens</a></b> website. I think someone had pinned it on a board at <b><a href="http://pinterest.com/">Pinterest.com</a></b>.</div><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">Well, thanks for reading about our <b>outdoor sink</b>. I hope it has inspired you to create your own cinder block projects. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">How about you, my readers? Have you created anything special with cinder blocks or other such sturdy material for your oudoor areas?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This blog entry will be placed under <i><b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/family-fun-fridays.html" target="_blank">Family Fun Fridays</a></b></i>. </div><br />
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</div>Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872374935880304572.post-27001766884568862752012-04-16T23:55:00.000-05:002012-04-16T23:55:15.402-05:00Healthy Choices: Update on Health Habits for April 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Veggies and fruits are healthy choices.</b></td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Choices, choices--what is healthy to eat?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">What meat can I eat? Grass fed beef, without hormones and antibiotics is a good option. Salmon is good for the heart. It has Omega 3 oils. Chicken, free range, and while you're at it, the eggs are great, too.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">What about the type of oil to cook with? </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Canola oil is out. Wait, what is vegetable oil? Olive oil has been my option. I've heard coconut oil is best. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Can I eat tortillas?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">What about grains? Well, am I gluten intolerant? Then, I should stay away from wheat. Barley is delicious. What about couscous...they are a bunch of mini-balls, a funny texture to the mouth.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Of course, there are other considerations. </span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">One should stay away from processed foods. One should stay away from Genetically Modified foods. One should stay away from high fructose corn syrup. One shouldn't eat so much takeout. Given all of this, the food choices are very limited.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">What <i>am</i> I supposed to eat?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Well, there are fruits and vegetables and nuts. I've heard chickpeas are a good source of protein. I think I can still eat my pinto beans, but I don't think I should eat white rice. Brown rice is a better choice. The vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, and lemons are wonderful choices to consume as are fruits, like apples, bananas, and pears. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">You may be asking, what brought on all this compilation of information?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have been keeping a good food diary of what I've eaten. It has lead me to consider what I should be eating versus what I am actually eating. Also, my husband and I finally saw <u>Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead</u>, a documentary about Joe Cross, a very sick man, who went on a quest to get healthy by juicing. By the way, my husband finally understands my desire to eat healthier. We've even discussed buying a juicer.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I pray that my journey to making healthier choices for foods drastically improves. I pray that the cravings for junk foods and takeout decreases. I pray that my family joins me at every step. I pray that I have the energy to make positive changes to my health. I pray that I can institute the changes, as well. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>How about you, my readers? Are you keeping up with any health goals for the month of April, related to your New Year's resolutions? How do you plan to improve your health at this point? Have you seen <u>Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead</u>? </i>I encourage you all to consider seeing the movie, which can be viewed through Netflix. It's a great opportunity to have some tangible proof of how one man lost weight and got healthier through consuming fruits and vegetables. <i> </i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.<i><br />
</i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
This is an entry for <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">Medical Mondays</a></b>. For past entries, click <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">here</a></b>.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><b>Disclaimer</b></i></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions. Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health. I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health. Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate. You know best how your body is doing.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div>Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872374935880304572.post-15027098705634205352012-04-09T22:36:00.000-05:002012-04-09T22:36:39.655-05:00Food Journaling: Update on Health Habits for April 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I plan to eat more of this healthier foods.</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I have a confession to make.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">I haven't been eating right. Are you surprised? You shouldn't be surprised because I haven't really lost any substantial weight. Sure, I've lost perhaps up to 5 lbs., but I haven't been serious about weight loss. I've been more concerned with changing some of my habits, like drinking no soda and drinking more water, which I am still practicing, by the way.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I am wanting to ratchet up my eating plan.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I am serious about eliminating more foods out of my diet. When I speak of diet, I don't mean that I am going on a special eating plan, like the South Beach Diet. By diet, I mean what I want to put into my body, or rather, what I don't want in my body. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">It's time to jump to the next phase.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I knew that if I wanted to change my lifestyle of health, I would have to do it piecemeal. That's how I did it to lose 30 lbs. a few years ago. I had to go radical on what I eliminated. Like Dr. Phil says, "How's that working for you?" If you don't change certain behaviors in favor of others, you won't see any progress in life.</div><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">...So what exactly will I be eliminating?</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">I plan to exclude from my intake potato chips, cookies, cake (except on a birthday), sweets from the bakery, and candies. I will continue to eat my meats and proteins and drink my 1% milk. I have decided to drink 1% as whole milk does not agree with me. Also, I will stay away from most breads, to reduce my chances of a yeast infection. Of course, it won't be easy, but I will try my best. </div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">I had already spoken to my husband about my plan to eliminate certain foods. Do you think that's made a difference? No. He still bought candies yesterday. That means I have to do what I can to stare down all those bad foods in the face and say NO to them.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">How will I be held accountable for my actions?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Besides having the consequences of what I eat showing up on my body, I will be journaling for the next few weeks. I will write down what I consume from today until the end of this month. I am not planning on showing you all my food diary. No. I will be holding myself accountable to me. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Food journaling will keep me honest.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was suggested in the healthy moms group on Facebook (of which I'm a member) that it would be a wonderful idea to jot down what we eat for a few weeks. I loved that idea. I felt that would keep me honest about my efforts. I readily admit that I've been floundering at my health quest. I have an opportunity to see what foods will and/or will not help me lose weight and get healthy.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">I sincerely hope that food journaling will yield good results. I want to see if I lose more weight with the elimination of certain junk foods. I want to see what will happen when I eat more fruits and vegetables. I encourage you, my readers, to join me in this journey as I fill out my food diary. You don't have to share your diary with anyone. It would be for your benefit.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<i>How about you, my readers? Are you keeping up with any health goals for the month of April, related to your New Year's resolutions? How do you plan to improve your health at this point? Have any of you ever kept a food diary? </i>I encourage you all to consider it. It's a great opportunity to have some tangible evidence of what foods can be beneficial or harmful to your health and efforts to lose weight. <i> </i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.<i><br />
</i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
This is an entry for <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">Medical Mondays</a></b>. For past entries, click <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">here</a></b>.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><b>Disclaimer</b></i></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions. Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health. I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health. Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate. You know best how your body is doing.</i></span></div></div>Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872374935880304572.post-24388434741492547492012-04-02T20:35:00.001-05:002012-04-02T20:36:52.978-05:00Spring Gardening: Update on Health Habits for April 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvHgoOdla8A9TsKdgjL_bcnPoiBq6eB61wMPfuZpP9NIalw2gDittkwEFIKw8AWKp1BG8SREoGNxaCMgicJ_Bxc57aljhPkV7slPZ5-rv7aF0Br7XHs6oYvhAByAT9HrCmfhpgdVItf4/s1600/IMG_3618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvHgoOdla8A9TsKdgjL_bcnPoiBq6eB61wMPfuZpP9NIalw2gDittkwEFIKw8AWKp1BG8SREoGNxaCMgicJ_Bxc57aljhPkV7slPZ5-rv7aF0Br7XHs6oYvhAByAT9HrCmfhpgdVItf4/s320/IMG_3618.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>These are plants that were started indoors.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Been wanting to let you all know about our gardening.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Indoors, I started some seeds for various plants including tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and herbs. I love springtime. We get to grow what we eat. Best of all is that we shop right in our backyard. After all, who can afford the gasoline to get to the local farmer's market?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg949v-VM4W_080vjSA0pByA4FFKnPJFJQomceewqZ779dfu8oCw5Q_0uqND-ON-d_ZY4A7_xnbFz_4FzKqtUE6MVRULKpug0dbp8pQgO6G3fYgq8ThdcIMLAIT-vBI6urwwhGHsAWnIcc/s1600/IMG_3606.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg949v-VM4W_080vjSA0pByA4FFKnPJFJQomceewqZ779dfu8oCw5Q_0uqND-ON-d_ZY4A7_xnbFz_4FzKqtUE6MVRULKpug0dbp8pQgO6G3fYgq8ThdcIMLAIT-vBI6urwwhGHsAWnIcc/s320/IMG_3606.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My hubby tore apart old flooring from a storage shed.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">My husband salvaged some wood.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">My husband's workplace had a storage shed that deteriorated with time. It was to be torn down. My husband and some of his co-workers took whatever they could. For example, some took old wiring. My husband took some of the walls and floor.</div><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtlkkqGL8OLciXsNWpg6H4nWN5DJgLeL-ivob1P1VuWCW9KPFR-UJvZxqqm4ajS5z0st5Qz4Vxi28zIuw_o-5cRLbisenrkvfGN5H_J1RxcJITj-nON7x6Xpbfgniw6fxbtwy32E4rN6E/s1600/IMG_3617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtlkkqGL8OLciXsNWpg6H4nWN5DJgLeL-ivob1P1VuWCW9KPFR-UJvZxqqm4ajS5z0st5Qz4Vxi28zIuw_o-5cRLbisenrkvfGN5H_J1RxcJITj-nON7x6Xpbfgniw6fxbtwy32E4rN6E/s320/IMG_3617.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>We made these garden beds this past weekend.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">By now, you must be asking yourselves, how does this all relate to health habits?</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Well, the work related to gardening is intensive. It tests one's patience. It takes planting seeds and waiting for them to grow. It takes putting hammers to nails to remove them so that we can have boards to create the bed frames. It takes shoveling soil into the frames for new garden beds. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I had immense movement of my body. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Saturday, the whole family was involved in using hammers and crow bars to take apart sections of an old storage shed. My husband rented a large trailer and hauled the wood to our house. My three older children and I hammered out the nails. Mind you, this all happened in 90 degree weather. Even the youngest one collected the old nails and stored them in a white bin.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then, on Sunday, my husband bought nutrient-rich soil from Fertile Garden (here in San Antonio). While my husband nailed some beds together, the children and I shoveled as much as we could of the 1 cubic yard of soil into the new beds. Just like Saturday, it was extremely hot. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">We took precautions due to the heat.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">My husband brought out some heavy duty fans on Saturday. We made sure to drink lots of water both days. On Sunday, my husband set up our canopy over the empty beds. That way, we would have shade while we shoveled the soil from the trailer onto the beds. We even had ice cream as a treat. In all, we basked in a lot of Vitamin D, while constructing our garden beds.</div><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Now, I have a dilemma. </span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Should we place the plants in the garden beds or wait? We have been having heavy rains, and I am afraid my smallish plants might get drowned. Also, we might be going on vacation soon and don't want to neglect watering the plants properly.</div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">I do hope you liked this different take on <b>spring gardening relating to my health habits.</b> I could have related the same information about how much weight I've lost (or not) or how much water I have consumed. I thought this blog entry merited a different format from enumeration of accomplished goals. God bless you for reading about our garden. I'll post updates about our garden throughout the year.</div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><i>How about you, my readers? Are you keeping up with any health goals for the month of April, related to your New Year's resolutions? How do you plan to improve your health at this point? Are any of you gardening? </i>I encourage you all to consider gardening. It's a great opportunity to get some exercise and to grow some organic vegetables. <i> </i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.<i><br />
</i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
This is an entry for <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">Medical Mondays</a></b>. For past entries, click <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">here</a></b>.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><b>Disclaimer</b></i></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions. Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health. I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health. Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate. You know best how your body is doing.</i></span></div></div>Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872374935880304572.post-46792652336265428692012-03-26T23:29:00.000-05:002012-03-26T23:29:42.051-05:00Listening to My Body: Update on Health Habits for March 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3JdHPUkp2nV5fEFPgSB5NSUJ0JgcWqcA6ydY5hqCMoT1eeRs4mF3MU58fGjta-HskIGvBJMKDmDR-VHwdk8bIL_HKPtDKozamg8iQ4DNSNY_KMaFucghbl6T2q1RSuuVHjYY_Hk_4a4/s320/IMG_3516.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My trusty pedometer is helping me listen to my body.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'm at the same weight.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
I did not do much by way of exercising last week. I thought that I should avoid doing any sudden movements so that my gums would not throb in pain. I wanted to avoid the accompanying pain in different parts of my head. Instead, I took some supplements to aid the healing of my gums, which won't be 100% better without a dentist's help. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I took a proactive approach to my dental problems of last week. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
I used tea tree oil directly on the abscesses. I downed some probiotics. I also used some echinacea (antibiotic) in my smoothie. I'm sure that together with prayer, I feel a lot better now. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Here is an update on my health habits:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
1. The pain in my mouth has dissipated.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
2. I've continued to use my pedometer.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
3. I've been drinking lots of water.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
4. I haven't drank any soda.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
5. Set up an appointment with a dentist. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Goals for the upcoming week:</b> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
1. Continue with my supplements to aid the curing of my gums.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
2. Try to exercise a few days in the week.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
3. Drink lots of water to flush out toxins.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. Stay away from whole cow's milk and bread.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Been trying to listen to my body.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">There are some big myths out in the media that have persisted for years. The nutritionists tell people to eat a balanced diet of dairy, vegetables, fruit, and meat. However, what if you feel sick after eating bread or whole milk? That's what is happening to me. That's why I am going to limit myself from those two things. </div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
Well, thanks for letting me update y'all about<b> listening to my body to aid my health</b>. I ask you all, my beloved readers, to please continue to pray for me, as I wait for my dental appointments to resume. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
<i>How about you, my readers? Are you keeping up with any health goals for the month of March, related to your New Year's resolutions? How do you plan to improve your health at this point? </i>I encourage you to assess your current health. It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life. <i> </i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.<i><br />
</i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
This is an entry for <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">Medical Mondays</a></b>. For past entries, click <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">here</a></b>.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><b>Disclaimer</b></i></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions. Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health. I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health. Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate. You know best how your body is doing.</i></span></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</div><br />
</div>Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872374935880304572.post-79490256198516677192012-03-19T22:34:00.000-05:002012-03-19T22:34:13.285-05:00Dental Problems Are Affecting My Health: Update on Health Habits for March 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3JdHPUkp2nV5fEFPgSB5NSUJ0JgcWqcA6ydY5hqCMoT1eeRs4mF3MU58fGjta-HskIGvBJMKDmDR-VHwdk8bIL_HKPtDKozamg8iQ4DNSNY_KMaFucghbl6T2q1RSuuVHjYY_Hk_4a4/s320/IMG_3516.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I am continuing to wear my pedometer and tennis shoes.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">What can I say that hasn't been said already? </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have set up goals for my health. I have made some major accomplishments. I have been drinking water. I have given up soda during the Lenten season. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'm not losing too much weight.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have also noticed my skin condition dramatically improve. I now have looser clothing. That's okay for now. My main concern has always been to get healthier. Fortunately, I do feel more knowledgeable about the information of real healthy foods than even a year ago.</div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Here is an update on my health habits:</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. Tried my best to stay away from breads, but I needed to eat a peanut butter sandwich yesterday (Sunday). I was able to sleep afterwards. Been noticing that milk causes me some bloating, too.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. Been suffering with tooth abscesses. Haven't been able to eat hard foods. Can't exercise because rapid movements and heavy chewing causes me headaches.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. Drank some smoothies and V8 vegetable juice.</div><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: small;">Goals for the upcoming week:</span></b><br />
<br />
1. Will try my best to eat what I can. I will opt for several smoothies and more V8. <br />
<br />
2. Call a dentist and set up an appointment. Thankfully, we now have dental insurance.<br />
<br />
3. Try not to sink into depression after my setback of all this tooth pain and sense of hopelessness.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Here's a special point of honesty.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">My dental problems have greatly affected my life for these last few years. It is a source of deep sadness and humility. I am very limited in what I can eat. While others take for granted that they can bite into an apple, I sincerely wish I could do it. Hopefully, a good dentist can help improve my life.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Well, thanks for letting me vent about<b> dental problems affecting my health</b>. I ask you all, my beloved readers, to please pray for me, as I resume my dental appointments. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
<i>How about you, my readers? Are you keeping up with any health goals for the month of March, related to your New Year's resolutions? How do you plan to improve your health at this point? </i>I encourage you to assess your current health. It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life. <i> </i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.<i><br />
</i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
This is an entry for <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">Medical Mondays</a></b>. For past entries, click <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">here</a></b>.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><b>Disclaimer</b></i></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions. Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health. I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health. Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate. You know best how your body is doing.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</div><br />
</div>Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872374935880304572.post-53181277744921359622012-03-13T00:22:00.000-05:002012-03-13T00:22:27.776-05:00Spring Is Upon Us: Update on Health Habits for March 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3JdHPUkp2nV5fEFPgSB5NSUJ0JgcWqcA6ydY5hqCMoT1eeRs4mF3MU58fGjta-HskIGvBJMKDmDR-VHwdk8bIL_HKPtDKozamg8iQ4DNSNY_KMaFucghbl6T2q1RSuuVHjYY_Hk_4a4/s320/IMG_3516.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I wear my pedometer at all times to track my activity levels.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Spring is upon us.</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I had a long, dreary week with the rains. I started out fine with activity and then, I couldn't keep the momentum. I had to rest. It's as if my body needed it. By the way, my weight stayed the same. <span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Here is an update on my health habits:</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">1. I'm still soda free.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">2. Have been reading my Bible.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">3. My back is better.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">4. Decluttered at the beginning of the week.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">5. Drank lots of water.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><b><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Goals for the upcoming week:</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">1. Limit sweets.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">2. Limit bread.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">3. Exercise more.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">4. Continue to be soda free.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">5. Go to sleep early.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">6. Drink more smoothies.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I had a wonderful weekend. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I learned about what causes back pain. I also learned what I could do to alleviate it. One of the causes is sugar. That means that I have to avoid it like the plague to keep my sciatica away. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I look forward to the new week. The birds are already singing. The trees are bearing bright, green leaves. The bluebonnets are gracing San Antonio's grassy lands. That means it's gardening time--which should provide plenty of exercise and wonderful vegetables.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
Well, thanks for reading about <b>my spring fever</b>. I hope this blog entry encourages someone to develop your own health goals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><i>How about you, my readers? Are you keeping up with any health goals for the month of March, related to your New Year's resolutions? How do you plan to improve your health at this point? </i>I encourage you to assess your current health. It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life. <i> </i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.<i><br />
</i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
This is an entry for <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">Medical Mondays</a></b>. For past entries, click <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">here</a></b>.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><b>Disclaimer</b></i></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions. Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health. I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health. Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate. You know best how your body is doing.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div>Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872374935880304572.post-62107817214568463952012-03-05T18:51:00.000-06:002012-03-05T18:51:26.619-06:00We Have Weight Loss: Update on Health Habits for March 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3JdHPUkp2nV5fEFPgSB5NSUJ0JgcWqcA6ydY5hqCMoT1eeRs4mF3MU58fGjta-HskIGvBJMKDmDR-VHwdk8bIL_HKPtDKozamg8iQ4DNSNY_KMaFucghbl6T2q1RSuuVHjYY_Hk_4a4/s1600/IMG_3516.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3JdHPUkp2nV5fEFPgSB5NSUJ0JgcWqcA6ydY5hqCMoT1eeRs4mF3MU58fGjta-HskIGvBJMKDmDR-VHwdk8bIL_HKPtDKozamg8iQ4DNSNY_KMaFucghbl6T2q1RSuuVHjYY_Hk_4a4/s320/IMG_3516.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My weight loss aids are my pedometer and tennis shoes.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Oh, I experienced a tough week. I was eating lots of beans and veggies. My stomach was churning uncontrollably. I knew that eating the healthier foods would not be easy. Trying to eat better foods like cauliflower and edamame would be a great challenge. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Something wonderful happened--I had weight loss.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">All that suffering produced a welcome result. <b>I lost two pounds.</b> The pain of bloating was horrible, but I feel better now. I felt helpless and even bought some medicine, but I didn't need it after all.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here is an update on my health habits:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. <b>I've been soda free.</b> Hasn't been easy. My hubby is still buying soda for himself.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. <b>Caught up with my Bible reading plan</b> a bit. I am about two-thirds caught up. Hope to catch up with the rest eventually.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. <b>My sciatica is still bothering me.</b> We need a new mattress set, but we need to save up to buy it. Until then, I will have to bear up with stretching.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Goals for the upcoming week:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. <b>Continue to be soda free.</b> Giving it up for Lent has helped. That's not to say that there aren't temptations. Seeing hubby drinking it makes me want to take a sip. The pain on my left side will remind me to stay away from it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. <b>Pray about my cravings.</b> No amount of supplements or talks or advice will help me. I will put my trust in the Lord for this one. I will keep knocking on God's door about this, until the cravings subside. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. <b>Declutter and deep clean my house.</b> This will provide exercise. I am not able to do any organized or rigorous programs. I think just getting active has helped me this past week so I will keep at it, and my house will get cleaner.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">4. <b>Plan to lose 7 pounds within the next few months. </b> That is 5% of my current weight. I haven't focused on numbers lately, but I need a solid goal to approach. This will propel me to rev up my methods to lose weight and get healthier. </div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I now have momentum in my health quest.</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Knowing that I have lost weight is motivating me to keep going. Of course, I am out of the first two months of the year 2012. In those months, I ate lots of cake. From this point onward, I will concentrate on eating more healthy foods. </div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Well, thanks for reading about <b>my weight loss</b>. I hope this blog entry encourages you, my beloved readers, to develop your own health goals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><i>How about you, my readers? Are you keeping up with any health goals for the month of March, related to your New Year's resolutions? How do you plan to improve your health at this point? </i>I encourage you to assess your current health. It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life. <i> </i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.<i><br />
</i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
This is an entry for <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">Medical Mondays</a></b>. For past entries, click <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">here</a></b>.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><b>Disclaimer</b></i></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions. Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health. I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health. Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate. You know best how your body is doing.</i></span></div><br />
<br />
</div>Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872374935880304572.post-15006663397654764452012-02-27T22:41:00.001-06:002012-03-05T16:22:46.344-06:00From Cravings to Contagious Behavior: Update on Health Habits for February 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv7DVo79_nJTjgAC_4VnSRQVKEJ7ffpdKVABW_etF7dyvpDMBNZcyTTcur78UlGuiUgiD1I2icuchKoCN8luEecXz3ChuyU2U7V7IrmFUjaY3G-z-RD7LP12VwyLD0f-BEz-InJ3nVyxI/s1600/IMG_3515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv7DVo79_nJTjgAC_4VnSRQVKEJ7ffpdKVABW_etF7dyvpDMBNZcyTTcur78UlGuiUgiD1I2icuchKoCN8luEecXz3ChuyU2U7V7IrmFUjaY3G-z-RD7LP12VwyLD0f-BEz-InJ3nVyxI/s320/IMG_3515.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>We bought new bottles to fill with water for the kids.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">My hubby was on a semi-vacation last week.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">This past week was a tough one. My hubby was home for part of the week. He took off work so he could fix our Ford Taurus and do some home repairs. I gotta say that whenever he is around, I get lazy so that affected what we ate.</div><br />
<br />
<b>Here is an update on my health habits:</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">1. Had too much takeout and junk food. We are definitely out of the No Takeout Challenge.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. Suffered with sciatica and feeling of bloating. Stretching has helped my lower back.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. Didn't meet my goal of walking 3,000 steps per day, but I still jotted down how much I walked.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. Never did catch up on my Bible reading plan, but I still read my Bible everyday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">5. Here's one positive thing--I've been soda free for at least a week!</div><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3JdHPUkp2nV5fEFPgSB5NSUJ0JgcWqcA6ydY5hqCMoT1eeRs4mF3MU58fGjta-HskIGvBJMKDmDR-VHwdk8bIL_HKPtDKozamg8iQ4DNSNY_KMaFucghbl6T2q1RSuuVHjYY_Hk_4a4/s1600/IMG_3516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3JdHPUkp2nV5fEFPgSB5NSUJ0JgcWqcA6ydY5hqCMoT1eeRs4mF3MU58fGjta-HskIGvBJMKDmDR-VHwdk8bIL_HKPtDKozamg8iQ4DNSNY_KMaFucghbl6T2q1RSuuVHjYY_Hk_4a4/s320/IMG_3516.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>These are my new tennis shoes and pedometer.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I am concerned about my children's water intake. </span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Trying to get healthy is not just for me. It's for all of us. I want my children to develop positive habits. This means that I have to devise methods for them to change negative behavior. I've noticed that my oldest son drinks (craves) too much apple juice.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I bought each child a jug. They now have a water challenge. They must drink at least 2 cups or 16 ounces of water per day. My youngest ones exceeded the challenge by at least 4 cups. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><br />
<b>Goals for the upcoming week:</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">1. Continue to be soda free.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. Try to walk 2,500 steps per day. This might be more doable.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. Continue reading my Bible and try to keep up with the plan starting in March.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. Continue to do my stretching. This should keep injuries at bay.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">5. Continue to make dinners with veggies and smoothies with fruit. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">6. I'm hoping to take supplements to stave off cravings for junk food.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">7. Try to eat a few spinach salads with balsamic vinegar. I've been craving something sour, but I have to be careful with my salt intake.</div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sciatica reared its ugly head last week.</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I tried to move around last week, but I felt stuck. I researched and found <b><a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?Home-Treatment-For-Sciatica---Five-Simple-Ways-to-Ease-Your-Pain&id=1917357">a great article on sciatica</a></b> that helped me immensely. I hope it can help someone who suffers with it. I also read on Facebook about the idea of taking Vitamin D3; I have some so I will try that out, as well. Keeping hydrated should help.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I pray that my health habits become contagious behavior for my children.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now that I have my tennis shoes, I feel more confident. I hope these shoes help steady my feet while I walk. My pedometer came with a nifty booklet. In it, there was a worksheet to fill in how many steps I did for any given day. It also came with tips to walk efficiently, and I hope to institute some of those ideas so my kids can watch and be encouraged to take part.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<br />
Well, thanks for reading about <b>our cravings turning to new, contagious behaviors as part of my health goals for 2012</b>. I hope this blog entry encourages you, my beloved readers, to develop your own health goals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><i>How about you, my readers? Are you keeping up with any health goals for February going into March, related to your New Year's resolutions? How do you plan to improve your health at this point? </i>I encourage you to assess your current health. It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life. <i> </i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.<i><br />
</i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
This is an entry for <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">Medical Mondays</a></b>. For past entries, click <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">here</a></b>.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><b>Disclaimer</b></i></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions. Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health. I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health. Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate. You know best how your body is doing.</i></span></div></div>Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872374935880304572.post-42509850071921780482012-02-20T23:21:00.002-06:002012-02-20T23:46:28.641-06:00New Pedometer, New Shoes to New Beginnings: Update on Health Habits for February 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKtbbXszJVv87VBQgE3wNVsjtgKcVl5OllrHx0k5zV23uVG7Vac7Bzn6tvwkfogqk5-92JmcLOD5qS7K5-JPLGl21LCjYBlxQyPFDjiQI2kgiarf5LlhPBkpgyvirpfk7ySNMC6fcZ9lk/s1600/IMG_0945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKtbbXszJVv87VBQgE3wNVsjtgKcVl5OllrHx0k5zV23uVG7Vac7Bzn6tvwkfogqk5-92JmcLOD5qS7K5-JPLGl21LCjYBlxQyPFDjiQI2kgiarf5LlhPBkpgyvirpfk7ySNMC6fcZ9lk/s320/IMG_0945.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My new beginnings include giving up soda and putting on new shoes and a new pedometer.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">An inaccurate pedometer was a disappointment. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I think last week was not a productive one towards my health goals. I didn't really exercise. I did drink water everyday really well. I did continue to consume some of the wrong foods. I have been working at not eating too much breads and eating more proteins.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b>Here is an update:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">1. I continued to drink water...but I still drank soda. Hubby has continued to bring soda into the house.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">2. I didn't walk much; was disappointed that my pedometer was not accurate. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">3. Slept in a lot. Been very tired lately. Went without breakfast a few times.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">4. Made dinner more often, but we had some takeout. I think I'm out of the no takeout challenge. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">5. I've continued to read the Bible, but I've fallen behind in the reading plan.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b>Goals for the upcoming week:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">1. Give up soda for Lent.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">2. Try to walk at least 3,000 steps.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">3. Hope to eat breakfast in the mornings.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">4. Continue to make nutritious dinners with veggies.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">5. Catch up on my reading of the Bible.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">With the new Lenten season coming up, I hope to get off this nasty habit of drinking <b>soda</b>. I have soda in the refrigerator right now. I don't want to drink it. <b> I've been experiencing terrible pains</b> again on my left side. I'm tired of feeling this way. It makes me think that I have something seriously wrong with me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I</b><b> now own new, better fitting tennis shoes.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I'm hoping that the new tennis shoes I have will be more comfortable. I am very fortunate that my hubby bought me a new pair of shoes. It was a grand impediment to use the old tennis shoes because anytime I walked, my feet slipped back and forth inside those big shoes. I still have to get used to these new ones, but they seem more snug fitting. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">I now own an accurate pedometer.</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">As for the pedometer, we bought two. The first one seemed to have an old battery. The current one was cheaper and has less of the bells and whistles. It also has less of a chance of resetting the steps already walked. I was having trouble with the green one resetting accidentally with simply bumping into it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Well, thanks for reading about <b>my new pedometer and tennis shoes for a new beginning at my health goals for 2012</b>. I hope this blog entry encourages you, my beloved readers, to develop your own health goals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><i>How about you, my readers? Are you keeping up with any health goals for February, related to your New Year's resolutions? How do you plan to improve your health this month? </i>I encourage you to assess your current health. It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life. <i> </i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.<i><br />
</i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
This is an entry for <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">Medical Mondays</a></b>. For past entries, click <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">here</a></b>.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><b>Disclaimer</b></i></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions. Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health. I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health. Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate. You know best how your body is doing.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div>Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872374935880304572.post-20006306417681695692012-02-13T23:48:00.001-06:002012-02-14T01:06:41.900-06:00From Hormones to Hopefulness: Update on Health Habits for February 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBPVIp8BMd-SeFzUBilJxLSr11SNgwiaqX475bfrqdLcHiIL7ajmEThkMOoNjubrvGVqyWuLaUFU65Hk7tufMoGP4iK3cqZgKPCYdGglzR6A6ExQRNsVh_-fJOosaqHr6nW3b_-ysBOGA/s1600/IMG_3485.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBPVIp8BMd-SeFzUBilJxLSr11SNgwiaqX475bfrqdLcHiIL7ajmEThkMOoNjubrvGVqyWuLaUFU65Hk7tufMoGP4iK3cqZgKPCYdGglzR6A6ExQRNsVh_-fJOosaqHr6nW3b_-ysBOGA/s320/IMG_3485.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Enjoying my freezer full of veggies and fruit.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hormones have struck again.</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I've been suffering terrible migraines. I'm hoping that they'll be going away soon. Feeling debilitated has caused me to get sidetracked from my health goals. I am looking forward to jumping on the good bandwagon once again this new week.<b><br />
</b></div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Here is an update on my progress:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. Drank at least 64 oz. of water.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. I put on my shoes for most of the week. Unfortunately, the pedometer I used was not accurate at counting my steps. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. Cooked everyday. Incorporated more vegetables. Got takeout only once in the weekend.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. Made a Greek yogurt smoothie with whey protein. Drank it throughout the weekend.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">5. Weight is still about the same. Can't tell of any change due to the hormones causing bloating.<b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
6. Most importantly, I've read the Bible everyday.<br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Plans for the upcoming week:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. Hope to buy a new pair of tennis and a pedometer.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. Hope to schedule and plot down my supplement intake.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. Hope to sleep more.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. Hope to drink my current berry smoothie in the mornings.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">5. Hope to incorporate more veggies to the morning meals and snacks, possibly in a frittata and/or salads.<b><br />
</b></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Well, thanks for reading about<b> my being affected by hormones but feeling hopeful about my health for 2012</b>. I hope this blog entry encourages you, my beloved readers, to develop your own health goals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><i>How about you, my readers? Are you keeping up with any health goals for February, related to your New Year's resolutions? How do you plan to improve your health this month? </i>I encourage you to assess your current health. It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life. <i> </i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.<i><br />
</i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
This is an entry for <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">Medical Mondays</a></b>. For past entries, click <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">here</a></b>.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><b>Disclaimer</b></i></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions. Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health. I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health. Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate. You know best how your body is doing.</i></span></div></div>Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872374935880304572.post-31270892249632379002012-02-06T15:17:00.001-06:002012-02-06T15:19:10.855-06:00From Intentions to Improvements: Update on Health Habits for February 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBPVIp8BMd-SeFzUBilJxLSr11SNgwiaqX475bfrqdLcHiIL7ajmEThkMOoNjubrvGVqyWuLaUFU65Hk7tufMoGP4iK3cqZgKPCYdGglzR6A6ExQRNsVh_-fJOosaqHr6nW3b_-ysBOGA/s1600/IMG_3485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBPVIp8BMd-SeFzUBilJxLSr11SNgwiaqX475bfrqdLcHiIL7ajmEThkMOoNjubrvGVqyWuLaUFU65Hk7tufMoGP4iK3cqZgKPCYdGglzR6A6ExQRNsVh_-fJOosaqHr6nW3b_-ysBOGA/s320/IMG_3485.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My "new" refrigerator's freezer holds more fruits and veggies.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I am sensing a change inside of me.</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">My skin is clearing up, even shiny on the face. My tummy is getting more flabby so I know I'll have to be toning up soon. I'm feeling a pull on the lower calves. I am also enjoying spending more time in the kitchen, preparing more foods. I have lots more energy, too.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">My intentions to get healthier are paying off.</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is definite improvement. I am feeling more hungry, but I am able to get up and get going. I might not see a noticeable change in the mirror, but my insides are changing. I am encouraged!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Here is an update on my progress:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. I've continued to read the Bible. This is truly setting the tone for this year. I feel more well-rounded and ready to face the world after having dug into God's word.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. Haven't lost anymore weight, but I haven't gained any, either.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. I'm still drinking water. I was drinking three bottles of water with lots of ice everyday. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. Still ate some junk food and drank some soda. It's hard with the hubby still buying it, but yesterday (Sunday), I managed to not drink any.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">5. Made a concoction of strawberry whey protein, Greek yogurt, bananas, and ground flaxseed. I stretched it to drink it about 3 times last week.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">6. Last Friday, I used the Wii Fit. Spent 27 minutes, 10 minutes of which I briskly walked a mile. Yes, I'm slow to do one mile. I improved a few of my other scores from the past. Not bad; I had not used it for about 300 days.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">7. I managed to walk more than 4,000 steps for 6/7 days. Yesterday, I went to the stores with hubby and lost my pedometer...so I'm not sure how much I walked. Fortunately, I have another pedometer.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">8. I've been getting up early to eat breakfast. My younger son has often joined us. I've had more energy and gotten more done like dusting books and bookshelves and decluttering magazines and pots and pans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Plans for the upcoming week:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. Continue to drink lots of water.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
2. Continue to walk at least 4,000 steps per day.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. Make more drinks in the blender with more berries.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. Stretch in the mornings. Been feeling better afterwards.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">5. Cook more because our family has entered a new challenge for no takeout for 22 out of 25 days of February.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">6. Try to use the Wii Fit more. It is fun and helps pass the minutes quickly to exercise.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Well, thanks for reading about<b> my intentions leading to improvements in my health for 2012</b>. I hope this blog entry encourages you all to develop your own health goals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><i>How about you, my readers? Are you keeping up with any health goals for February, related to your New Year's resolutions? How do you plan to improve your health this month? </i>I encourage you to assess your current health. It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life. <i> </i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.<i><br />
</i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
This is an entry for <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">Medical Mondays</a></b>. For past entries, click <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">here</a></b>.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><b>Disclaimer</b></i></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions. Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health. I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health. Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate. You know best how your body is doing.</i></span></div><br />
</div>Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872374935880304572.post-10957734927664328842012-01-30T15:54:00.002-06:002012-01-30T16:06:17.192-06:00From the Pedometer to the Progress: Update on Health Habits for January 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXOhjncZo2ThGKe3NSNRgLu4FXTGKBpAzDJp4Dg3pdtHRoZuTBZ8lBOxqB1KnxatD30PTFbG40FmR5fAjJl5GaB5hGTrFgXBBCiOBvJMgna4U8JQEwHXVUg4y8EYK3XWdja-bAyH0s4M/s1600/IMG_3475.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXOhjncZo2ThGKe3NSNRgLu4FXTGKBpAzDJp4Dg3pdtHRoZuTBZ8lBOxqB1KnxatD30PTFbG40FmR5fAjJl5GaB5hGTrFgXBBCiOBvJMgna4U8JQEwHXVUg4y8EYK3XWdja-bAyH0s4M/s320/IMG_3475.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>My water and a pedometer motivate me to move.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
I went through an interesting week. We struggled financially. Then, my side started to hurt again. I think it was the caffeine that started affecting my kidneys. It slowed me down from seeing any progress on the pedometer.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
Fortunately, I did have some good news. <b>Here is an update on my progress:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
1. I'm still reading my Bible.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
2. I walked 6 out of 7 days. The day I didn't, my left side was hurting me.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
3. I stopped taking my supplements. Instead, I am taking a liver tonic because the last time I had the pain, I felt better afterwards.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
4. I drank my allotted water 6 out of 7 days. I'm okay because I started two days earlier. Yes, Saturday was the first time I only drank 2 out of at least 4 bottles of water. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
5. Still ate junk food and drank soda. I can't believe that my resolve is not strong enough about this. I can't say NO to hubby when he offers to buy me soda. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
6. We bought a larger refrigerator. Yes! Now, I can buy grassfed beef and fruits and veggies in bulk.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">7. I think I've lost 2 lbs. My blue jeans fit differently. Yes!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<b>Plans for the upcoming week:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. I hope to cook more meals, instead of getting takeout.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
2. I hope to make more smoothies.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. I hope to eat more fruits and veggies. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
4. I hope to walk 4,000 steps per day.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I'm very excited because of the bigger refrigerator.</b> It will allow us to buy more of the good stuff and be able to see it. In the past, we had the fruits and veggies hidden inside a white drawer. Now, the drawers are see through. Also, we were needing a bigger refrigerator because the one we were using was too small to hold enough food for just one week for a family of six. I thank God that we finally found this refrigerator.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
Well, thanks for reading about<b> my pedometer helping me progress towards my health habits for January 2012</b>. I hope this blog entry encourages y'all to develop your own health goals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><i>How about you, my readers? Do you have any new health goals for January, in keeping with New Year's resolutions? How do you plan to improve your health this month or this year? </i>I encourage you to assess your current health. It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life. <i> </i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.<i><br />
</i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
This is an entry for <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">Medical Mondays</a></b>. For past entries, click <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">here</a></b>.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><b>Disclaimer</b></i></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions. Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health. I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health. Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate. You know best how your body is doing.</i></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div></div>Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872374935880304572.post-83675862993812143612012-01-23T20:50:00.000-06:002012-01-23T20:50:39.046-06:00From Motivation to Movement: Update on Health Habits for January 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXOhjncZo2ThGKe3NSNRgLu4FXTGKBpAzDJp4Dg3pdtHRoZuTBZ8lBOxqB1KnxatD30PTFbG40FmR5fAjJl5GaB5hGTrFgXBBCiOBvJMgna4U8JQEwHXVUg4y8EYK3XWdja-bAyH0s4M/s1600/IMG_3475.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXOhjncZo2ThGKe3NSNRgLu4FXTGKBpAzDJp4Dg3pdtHRoZuTBZ8lBOxqB1KnxatD30PTFbG40FmR5fAjJl5GaB5hGTrFgXBBCiOBvJMgna4U8JQEwHXVUg4y8EYK3XWdja-bAyH0s4M/s320/IMG_3475.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>My water and a pedometer motivate me to move.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It has been a struggle for me to <b>gain new, positive habits</b>. It should be easy to match my brain's thoughts with my body's movements. After all, I can control what I do. No. It's not that easy, without <b>concrete motivations to getting me moving on my health</b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I want to give a list of my motivations for wanting to get healthier. First, though, I want to recap what happened last week. <b>I managed to do the following:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. I read the Bible with the help of <b><a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/">http://www.biblestudytools.com/</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. I put on my shoes and pedometer and walked 6 out of 7 days. On Sunday, I decluttered for a few hours.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. I noted my progress on my calendar. This has helped to show me all that I have done towards my goal.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. I have been taking my various supplements.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">5. I am still crocheting and have decided to accumulate them to give to a homeless shelter or some such organization.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">6. I have been drinking at least 4 bottles of water every day.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">7. I still drank some soda and ate junk food. For this coming week, I'll be consuming less of that.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now, I want to share some<b> specific motivation for wanting to get healthy:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. I want to feel healthier. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. I want to optimize my immunity.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. I want to move around faster.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. I want more energy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">5. I want my clothes to fit better.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">6. I would like to work to help my family financially.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">7. I want to play with my kids, without getting tired quickly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">8. I want to enjoy my life with my hubby.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">9. I want to live longer to see my potential grandbabies.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">10. I want to be a witness to what God can do for me and others.<b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's not easy to get fit. My energy is very low. I have terrible cravings. We have bought healthier foods like nuts and fruits. I'm hoping that with exercise and better eating habits, I can get healthier. <b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thanks for reading about<b> my motivations to get moving towards my health habits for January 2012</b>. I hope this blog entry encourages y'all to develop your own health goals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><i>How about you, my readers? Do you have any new health goals for January, in keeping with New Year's resolutions? How do you plan to improve your health this month or this year? </i>I encourage you to assess your current health. It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life. <i> </i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.<i><br />
</i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
This is an entry for <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">Medical Mondays</a></b>. For past entries, click <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">here</a></b>.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><b>Disclaimer</b></i></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions. Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health. I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health. Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate. You know best how your body is doing.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div>Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872374935880304572.post-11759961202435726932012-01-16T14:29:00.001-06:002012-01-23T16:48:39.646-06:00From Documenting to Seeing Results: Update on Health Habits for January 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyldTzxN-ymJaeFTVH_3a5ZiZYWPKQy1XIYz4vkFK-hXyM79Iu2D3EHDsE03qwnNf8-F1CiRh74TEtFMA0XcRJuhchynfVpdPx9vsNL84yW7Ob_T33L7rjy1xMlEQ8_go94YbsaMab7PU/s1600/IMG_3478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyldTzxN-ymJaeFTVH_3a5ZiZYWPKQy1XIYz4vkFK-hXyM79Iu2D3EHDsE03qwnNf8-F1CiRh74TEtFMA0XcRJuhchynfVpdPx9vsNL84yW7Ob_T33L7rjy1xMlEQ8_go94YbsaMab7PU/s320/IMG_3478.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A calendar can help document fitness progress.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I've been taking this month to reset a few habits.</b> It's been wonderful to see that drinking water is of great benefit to me (a wonderful result). It is also eye opening to me how much junk I've been eating. It's disappointing to see how much of what is considered as food is actually bad for me. It is said that it takes a few weeks for habits to form, and I am aiming to gain good ones.</div><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1wBHzwFht2DgHdCtKC-1snT6_Ax-VdbxO9Vo14BZDMdLQGsGb4ClqD04dfi4rrVkMnTKUUpJ2IQsmnzrq9vTHUihjF7rBD0p8W4YHYF5-9GMgsUWO1Xsp2LN14-bDkjX7YySJyfjjoY/s1600/IMG_3476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1wBHzwFht2DgHdCtKC-1snT6_Ax-VdbxO9Vo14BZDMdLQGsGb4ClqD04dfi4rrVkMnTKUUpJ2IQsmnzrq9vTHUihjF7rBD0p8W4YHYF5-9GMgsUWO1Xsp2LN14-bDkjX7YySJyfjjoY/s320/IMG_3476.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My creativity includes these latest scarves.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXOhjncZo2ThGKe3NSNRgLu4FXTGKBpAzDJp4Dg3pdtHRoZuTBZ8lBOxqB1KnxatD30PTFbG40FmR5fAjJl5GaB5hGTrFgXBBCiOBvJMgna4U8JQEwHXVUg4y8EYK3XWdja-bAyH0s4M/s1600/IMG_3475.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXOhjncZo2ThGKe3NSNRgLu4FXTGKBpAzDJp4Dg3pdtHRoZuTBZ8lBOxqB1KnxatD30PTFbG40FmR5fAjJl5GaB5hGTrFgXBBCiOBvJMgna4U8JQEwHXVUg4y8EYK3XWdja-bAyH0s4M/s320/IMG_3475.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My water and a pedometer are ready for me in the morning.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">Here is my update (documentation):</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>1. On the spiritual front, I have printed a checklist for Bible-reading.</b> I did this just last week. I felt badly for not having started this on the first of this month. Then, I just let that guilt go. I'm done feeling the stress of disappointing myself.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>2. I have put on my shoes and walked most days.</b> I found a working pedometer and am keep it close to me so I can remember to use it. On days when I put my shoes on, I get more done. My sandals slow me down, but when I put my tennis shoes on, I get up and get moving--moving my furniture, that is. Seriously, though, I love the signal my shoes give me to move.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>3. I have been documenting my fitness progress on my calendar.</b> At first, I only intended to post how many bottles of water I've been drinking. Now, I have added how many steps I have walked. I am also blogging here, and that is helping me to document my health progress. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>4. I have been continuing to take my supplements.</b> I'm taking: garlic; a probiotic; a B vitamin (for energy); Vitamin D-3; and detoxing and inflammation formulas. I'm working on detoxing which will allow me to lose weight. I'm hoping to bring inflammation down to reduce the pain I suffer on a daily basis so I can exercise.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>5. For the creative arena, I have crocheted several scarves.</b> I am making different schemes this time. I am enjoying the outcomes. I am not about selling them necessarily. It's more about how crocheting relaxes me. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>6. I have been drinking at least 4 bottles of water everyday. </b> On some days, I have consumed more, especially when I have been super thirsty (probably due to mountain cedar allergy). Perhaps when I document my foods, I will figure out if it is due to some diuretic or food. My skin condition is improving somewhat, too. I feel very confident in this area of my fitness.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>7. I haven't stopped consuming junk food, including drinking soda.</b> This is still my biggest challenge. It is extremely difficult if family members living in the same household still want to eat the wrong foods. I am reaching the decision that if I want to get healthier, I have to be firm and say NO to the junk food. I know I can do this because I had stayed away from soda for a few months last year.</div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I'm thinking that I need to address the issue of motivation.</b> I need specific reasons. I need to write them down. I also want to journal about the foods and drinks I am consuming. I want to document how certain foods (like carbohydrates and junk foods) affect me. I am excited to think about this next step. I want concrete answers to my fitness questions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I also want to encourage those of you, my dear readers, who are working on fitness goals.</b> Please pray about what needs improvement. God is willing to give us wisdom if we seek it. We can boldly ask God for wisdom. I have learned a lot about my health as a result of asking God for the right websites, resources, and people to come into my life. </div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Well, thanks for reading about<b> documenting to see results to my health habits for January 2012</b>. I hope this blog entry encourages someone to develop their own health goals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><i>How about you, my readers? Do you have any new health goals for January, in keeping with New Year's resolutions? How do you plan to improve your health this month or this year? </i>I encourage you to assess your current health. It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life. <i> </i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.<i><br />
</i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
This is an entry for <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">Medical Mondays</a></b>. For past entries, click <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">here</a></b>.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><b>Disclaimer</b></i></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions. Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health. I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health. Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate. You know best how your body is doing.</i></span></div></div>Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872374935880304572.post-285791087924950762012-01-09T09:09:00.001-06:002012-01-16T12:56:33.970-06:00From Water to Walking: Update on Health Habits for January 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhskW4KVWILOCO4GfnsLQFKkiP7oKbXlBFljGuNas8M6wVMevG58enYJbpWfwzF-0cqQaW-Fs4Nts5Cz83GEKEAQVVXI4FeTwj6lOwYV7DJu3mAZIE9HMzbRxgu6YinKyj8bpjPO-iVgIo/s1600/Exercise+Goals.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhskW4KVWILOCO4GfnsLQFKkiP7oKbXlBFljGuNas8M6wVMevG58enYJbpWfwzF-0cqQaW-Fs4Nts5Cz83GEKEAQVVXI4FeTwj6lOwYV7DJu3mAZIE9HMzbRxgu6YinKyj8bpjPO-iVgIo/s320/Exercise+Goals.jpg" width="222" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>New Year's resolutions often involve health.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Getting healthy takes time and patience.</span></div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="post-labels"></span> After I wrote up my list of healthy habits last week, I began to think of many others I could have listed. Isn't it funny how one can think of all the things they aren't doing? It's hard to start off small when attempting to improve life. We are often impatient and want to do everything at once. <b>I must not overwhelm myself or I will quit</b> like last year, and I don't want that.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here is the update on my health habits:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="post-labels"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<b>1. I have slowed down on my blogging.</b> I have needed a break from it. My wrists have needed a break. Unfortunately, my brain feels guilty about not writing everyday. Rest assured that I have ideas for new blog entries. I just needed to break from doing it everyday due to burnout.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>2. I have taken a few supplements.</b> Mostly, I have taken my probiotics. I have also drunk detoxing tea. After the long holiday season, I was left feeling sluggish. I felt I needed to get some toxins out of my body. The tea contains lots of beneficial ingredients for inflammation, too.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>3. I have been eating breakfast. </b> This is very important to me. It has set the tone of my day. On days when I've eaten breakfast, I have had better days. It didn't matter whether it was oatmeal and an omelet or potato/egg/corn tortilla tacos. We also switched to a stronger coffee; I'm hoping that it will be strong enough to keep me awake while I wean away from soda.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>4. I haven't gone to sleep early.</b> This ties in with caffeine. I just stopped drinking soda this Sunday. Caffeine keeps me awake at night so I have stay away from even chocolate late at night. I have asked that my husband not keep any soda inside the house; if he must have some, it needs to stay in the van.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>5. I started crocheting last night.</b> This always helps to clear my mind. It is creative work, too. I have to do this in moderation, though, because my arms, neck, and wrists start to hurt. Still, it is fun to see something forming in my hands. Hoping to make some Christmas-looking scarves and small blankets.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>6. I am suffering with terrible headaches.</b> This could be due to several reasons, like: stress over home schooling; wanting to blog, thinking over the new year goals; concerning myself over bills; and getting off of soda. The biggest thing is a seasonal allergy to mountain cedar. I had a migraine last year in January so I am thinking it might be that I suffer with hay fever in a big way. I had blogged about it last year so it's great that I documented it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>7. I am drinking water.</b> I started drinking at least four bottles of water last Wednesday. A few days, I have drank <i>five </i>bottles of water. I can already feel a big difference in my skin condition, and my face doesn't look so haggard. I know it has to be helping my allergies, too, because it is keeping my nose hydrated. I am currently charting my progress by marking the number of bottles on a calendar because I joined a water drinking challenge on Facebook. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>8. Haven't chucked the junk food. </b>January is a challenging month for me. I am coming off of the holiday season, but my birthday is this month. I love to celebrate my birthday with cake. My hubby is spoiling me by baking me chocolate cakeS...oh, and don't get me started on potato chips. Stress eating has me over-eating, which is bound to keep me from losing weight.<br />
<br />
<b>9. Last, I want to start walking. </b> It doesn't matter that I it's raining outside. I will be donning the tennis shoes and pedometer. I will walk around the dining room table and/or in place in front of the television. I plan to start with 3,000 steps and work up to 10,000 eventually.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="post-labels"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<br />
Friends, as I've said before, my quest to get healthier isn't just about weighing a certain amount. of pounds That's why I don't like to deal in numbers. I'm not saying that I wouldn't like to lose weight. Who wouldn't? My real aim is to feel and be healthier.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">My kids love to join and cheer me on in my health quests. </span><br />
<br />
I see that drinking water is helping me feel a lot better. I've had to take baby steps to improve my health. I want to rev it up to include the walking. I feel this will get me pumped up to move more. I also look forward to having my kids watch me and imitate me. <br />
<br />
<br />
Well, thanks for reading about<b> my update on my health habits for January 2012</b>. I hope this blog entry encourages someone to develop their own health goals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><i>How about you, my readers? Do you have any new health goals for January, in keeping with New Year's resolutions? How do you plan to improve your health this month or this year? </i>I encourage you to assess your current health. It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life. <i> </i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; he will, if you pray for His guidance.<i><br />
</i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
This is an entry for <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">Medical Mondays</a></b>. For past entries, click <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">here</a></b>.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><b>Disclaimer</b></i></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions. Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health. I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health. Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate. You know best how your body is doing.</i></span></div></div>Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872374935880304572.post-6157366644871106852012-01-02T12:17:00.000-06:002012-01-02T12:17:56.724-06:00Health Habits for January 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhskW4KVWILOCO4GfnsLQFKkiP7oKbXlBFljGuNas8M6wVMevG58enYJbpWfwzF-0cqQaW-Fs4Nts5Cz83GEKEAQVVXI4FeTwj6lOwYV7DJu3mAZIE9HMzbRxgu6YinKyj8bpjPO-iVgIo/s1600/Exercise+Goals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhskW4KVWILOCO4GfnsLQFKkiP7oKbXlBFljGuNas8M6wVMevG58enYJbpWfwzF-0cqQaW-Fs4Nts5Cz83GEKEAQVVXI4FeTwj6lOwYV7DJu3mAZIE9HMzbRxgu6YinKyj8bpjPO-iVgIo/s320/Exercise+Goals.jpg" width="222" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>New Year's resolutions often involve health.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Another new year has come upon us. <b>It's time to dust out the health habits and see what needs tweaking.</b> What do we need to add or remove from our diets? What do we need to start doing this year? What has worked for us in the past? What do we want to try this year?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I often heard Dr. Phil say that <b>in order to do away with one habit</b>, like smoking cigarettes, <b>one needs to replace it with a beneficial habit.</b> That's why I am willing to attack unhealthy habits with positive ones. There are several that have been with me for quite a while. There are others that have fallen by the wayside. I'm hoping to institute these before getting physical.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have a list of <b>health habits</b> I would like to continue or start up, in no particular order of importance:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>1. Keep writing.</b> This has helped me tremendously. I have kept sane. I have collected my thoughts many times to sort through my emotions. This habit is definitely a keeper. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>2. Take my supplements.</b> I want to continue taking the probiotics to balance the good bacteria in my body. I want to detox, too, with my Swanson-bought formulas. I also want to take something to suppress my cravings for simple carbohydrates and junk foods.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>3. Eat breakfast.</b> I want to continue this. It is said that having breakfast helps you have a better start to the day. I definitely need my protein at this time of day. To have a good complex carbohydrate will keep me fuller.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>4. Sleep early.</b> Definitely need to do this one. This is one of the most challenging. I've heard that sleep helps one to lose weight. I must make sure to not drink any caffeine after 6 p.m. or I will have difficulty going to sleep.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>5. Pray about my health. </b> Prayer works miracles. Prayer is communication with God. I want a deeper relationship with my Abba Father. I want to get deeper in His word. Asking God for help for my health, I am sure, will yield a wonderful outcome and witness.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>6. Drink more water. </b>I love water. I just need to amp this up some more. When I am thirsty, I need to continue to reach out for the water, instead of other liquids. This means saying no to soda.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>7. Chuck the junk food. </b> It was hard this past holiday season. It won't be easy during this month. My birthday is coming up. I love cake. I also can't live without my chocolate. </div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Well, thanks for reading about<b> my new health habits for January 2012</b>. I hope this blog entry encourages someone to develop their own health goals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><i>How about you, my readers? Do you have any new health goals for January, in keeping with New Year's resolutions? How do you plan to improve your health this month or this year? </i>I encourage you to assess your current health. It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life. <i> </i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; he will, if you pray for His guidance.<i><br />
</i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
This is an entry for <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">Medical Mondays</a></b>. For past entries, click <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">here</a></b>.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><b>Disclaimer</b></i></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions. Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health. I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health. Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate. You know best how your body is doing.</i></span></div><br />
</div>Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872374935880304572.post-28032528636228455392011-12-30T07:54:00.000-06:002011-12-30T07:54:53.415-06:00New Year's Resolutions for My Blog<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hZVBzmeo1ewY6ITrye-MGOGYigYj8OB1E_7OwA7DhtHOSLEQJ5zAMSnCa83naqC3YCH52JGRu6Pej2x8a6bpVXL82nI92P-aiJjKdqpNNabTdCqwgDvWldgp1LogOg2fMvA6LG_3BeY/s1600/Blog+pic+color+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hZVBzmeo1ewY6ITrye-MGOGYigYj8OB1E_7OwA7DhtHOSLEQJ5zAMSnCa83naqC3YCH52JGRu6Pej2x8a6bpVXL82nI92P-aiJjKdqpNNabTdCqwgDvWldgp1LogOg2fMvA6LG_3BeY/s200/Blog+pic+color+01.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I've enjoyed blogging.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">What is in the future for my blog?</span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Every time a year is ending, I start pondering certain things. I <b>reflect back</b> on the year that is fast expiring. I think about what I've been through, and what I can learn from it. I also <b>look forward</b> to the future and what it holds. I usually write out my thoughts, and I've been doing this since I was a teenager.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This year, <b>I blogged almost everyday.</b> Yes, I skipped a few days in November and this month of December 2011. Still, I know that I blogged for more than 300 days. I am very proud of what I have accomplished. I am proudest that, with God's blessing, I attempted to create quality-filled entries.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I thank all of my loyal readers. Without you, I wouldn't have kept at it. I know that many of you would have liked to respond to my blog entries, and I tried to provide different ways for that to be possible. Since<b> I</b> have<b> taught myself how to set up my free blog </b>(through templates and online tutorials), my knowledge has been limited as to what I could actually do with responses. Still, I am glad that I was able to do what I did do.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>It has been a fun challenge to try to blog everyday</b>, but alas, my energy has petered out. I feel, though, that my objective to create the best entries has been accomplished. For the new year, I will continue to create quality blog entries. I could not write something if I didn't think it was polished enough. I couldn't just write a few lines this year on any given topic; I had to flesh it out. I hope you, my readers, will agree with me, that I did that to the best of my ability.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I cannot say that I will blog everyday in the coming year. </b> I have yet to figure out what my new plan will be. I don't plan to neglect my blog, but I do know that I will step down the amount that I write. I would like to work on the novel I created back in November for NaNoWriMo. I would also like to write a few children's stories for my six year-old.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I also need to spend some time monitoring my children's learning in their home schooling. I have some reorganization to do within my household, too. These will shape <b>future blog entries</b>, which I look forward to creating. In addition, I want to write more about my spiritual walk.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">One thing that<b> I don't want</b> to<b> </b>do is<b> to use this blog site for financial gain</b>. If I want to make any money at blogging, I will likely create a new blog. I am still debating that. I also want to visit other blogs more in the new year. I have some of my favorite blogs that I have followed throughout the year, and I hope to highlight them in a future blog entry.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This coming February will be the one year anniversary of this blog.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Again, thanks to you, my loyal readers, for keeping up with me. Please forgive me for not blogging for these past few days. I hope you appreciate the varied blogs that I have provided this year. <b> I look forward to being a blessing to you all in the new year.</b> God bless us all in the new year as we seek out to accomplish new goals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thanks so much for reading this entry about <b>my new year's resolutions for my blog</b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></b>.</span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">If you enjoyed this entry, please share it with others. <br />
I would appreciate that very much. </div><i> </i><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="font-weight: normal;"><i>How about you, my readers? Are you a blogger or a writer? If so, what are your resolutions or plans for your writing/blogging for the new year?</i> <i>What would you like to see for the new year as far as blog entries? </i> I would encourage you to evaluate your writing to see what you can tweak for the new year. It's important for our readers to get the best of our writing. </div></div><div style="font-weight: normal; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;">May God bless you all with His wisdom and peace.</div><div style="font-weight: normal; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-weight: normal; text-align: justify;">This entry is part of the <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/family-fun-fridays.html">Family Fun Fridays</a></b> series.</div><br />
</div>Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872374935880304572.post-79874991909575196612011-12-25T16:38:00.000-06:002011-12-25T16:38:25.164-06:00Happy Anniversary to My Hubby<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUO0Ki0UWmGtY9nyGDtDvZuWHpWwQ6q6gKRP_84lqOHR83_MszL-k_ple1NJwOO1jEU7tvG4yYxYHW7NhZC2UaQAkmUGPTnTMuf-KcGUs89Cf98G13MYDJ2h1FKHKUHffsvZWJBZVsHYY/s1600/IMG_3370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUO0Ki0UWmGtY9nyGDtDvZuWHpWwQ6q6gKRP_84lqOHR83_MszL-k_ple1NJwOO1jEU7tvG4yYxYHW7NhZC2UaQAkmUGPTnTMuf-KcGUs89Cf98G13MYDJ2h1FKHKUHffsvZWJBZVsHYY/s320/IMG_3370.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lights installed onto grill of van.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>My husband went and did it!</b> He actually put lights on the grill of our van. It's so hilarious. I wondered where our giant wreath went. Well, he let me know after the fact. I just shook my head.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I love my hubby. He's a funny guy. He has a wonderful sense of humor as you can see. I feel very blessed to have my hubby in my life. He has brought me lots of jolly moments like this one.</div><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZGRGWw9W2ZIo_UXlRBDZuGTulpYZX4-5yIg4xT44GNW-vXayeC6p8Xdst9PfyeXXaQLWb1lwgq-pncCrYcZW1xWwmnpBahQLqvshQZrxYLBxNgLpXRtr6YCcX3vgIL24mtyHIxu8crJ0/s1600/IMG_3371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZGRGWw9W2ZIo_UXlRBDZuGTulpYZX4-5yIg4xT44GNW-vXayeC6p8Xdst9PfyeXXaQLWb1lwgq-pncCrYcZW1xWwmnpBahQLqvshQZrxYLBxNgLpXRtr6YCcX3vgIL24mtyHIxu8crJ0/s320/IMG_3371.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>This is the doohickey job for the outer lights of the van.</b></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">My hubby loves to create things like trailers and storage sheds. He also loves to create a wonder-filled atmosphere. I guess in that respect we are alike. <b> Where we have differed, I firmly believe it is to complement each other.</b> He is very energetic and out-going, while I am a homebody, who is more comfortable with writing about our latest adventures. </div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">I am very grateful that God has placed my hubby in my life. We have spent 17 years married to each other. There have been challenging times, yes. There have also been lots of fun times. I pray that we get to enjoy a lot more years together.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Happy anniversary to my hubby, Frank Villanueva. My life is richer because you are in it. May God bless you with more patience with me. You are like a saint in my eyes. You've been through a lot with me, and I thank you for bearing with me through all these years.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Enjoy the following pictures of the <b>Christmas lights</b> that my hubby used to decorate our home:</div><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhguetwMn7DyzyAr1K0k6t-MbWLvDQPR5AthR13uzjv4RoabICES6mAqZFOk_l7-nXtLnrOpgkBujQtsinSsCaZqCtAn3uAVujFYPeBBbRdy0Hbq0FvN2zduLGkBqYRehL60ReuBRbYw/s1600/IMG_3373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhguetwMn7DyzyAr1K0k6t-MbWLvDQPR5AthR13uzjv4RoabICES6mAqZFOk_l7-nXtLnrOpgkBujQtsinSsCaZqCtAn3uAVujFYPeBBbRdy0Hbq0FvN2zduLGkBqYRehL60ReuBRbYw/s320/IMG_3373.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My hubby used more than ten strings of lights.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifY01bDT4B33KRkNfNy3uVqurKTJK3ROwVPpLD7fO5XGmE5cbo0MT7-C6lCapZbR9S47MfmmhgfvKNFrV-RKn-JEep0peXEZJvML8lpfAZlcFMBsNA4ZCbq95oNoDE4WHfzGNBcCQSONs/s1600/IMG_3376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifY01bDT4B33KRkNfNy3uVqurKTJK3ROwVPpLD7fO5XGmE5cbo0MT7-C6lCapZbR9S47MfmmhgfvKNFrV-RKn-JEep0peXEZJvML8lpfAZlcFMBsNA4ZCbq95oNoDE4WHfzGNBcCQSONs/s320/IMG_3376.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Hubby even decorated the gates.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYlUs0qPTvmXAXhBOhjhdj7Ct07aZrvFYKDO4ehCx7_xLPIVewc0Qh9Cr_t1mNe02VDpZWwSPME0TN-W7mKHQZRefwGsAOs87c93Ey_1-pRMEE2IfGsHstbsLlPQmBdXeMrhXApWtqAU4/s1600/IMG_3383.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYlUs0qPTvmXAXhBOhjhdj7Ct07aZrvFYKDO4ehCx7_xLPIVewc0Qh9Cr_t1mNe02VDpZWwSPME0TN-W7mKHQZRefwGsAOs87c93Ey_1-pRMEE2IfGsHstbsLlPQmBdXeMrhXApWtqAU4/s320/IMG_3383.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Hubby usually makes a runway out of the sidewalk.</b></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">Thanks so much for reading this entry about <b>my jolly anniversary with my hubby</b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></b>.</span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">If you enjoyed this entry, please share it with others. <br />
I would appreciate that very much. </div><i> </i><b><b></b></b><br />
<b><b><br />
</b></b><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="font-weight: normal;"><i>How about you, my readers? Are you married? If so, is your anniversary close to or on a holiday?</i> <i>How do you celebrate?</i> I would encourage you to praise your spouse for helping you enjoy life. It's important for our spouse to know how proud we are of them. It's a great way to boost their self-esteem.</div></div><div style="font-weight: normal; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;">May God bless you all with His wisdom and peace.</div><div style="font-weight: normal; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-weight: normal; text-align: justify;">This entry is part of the <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/family-fun-fridays.html">Family Fun Fridays</a></b> series.</div></div>Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872374935880304572.post-52583269486653772862011-12-25T13:30:00.000-06:002011-12-25T13:30:44.009-06:00A Teachable Moment: Forum Etiquette<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF1KFa90EQkKDGD3xyP8l7OsD86vg22mI9A86XB7pbHljrGnPphspO6Y5Mrtf4nfACPxIlAG5r1QASRaTu14bY8pPQGxq4Y_Smc0gjx__c3QEQvyQDxylFbe4aFA_S6UDZyxJR7ZTrepM/s1600/Homeschooling+Using+a+Netbook+to+Write.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF1KFa90EQkKDGD3xyP8l7OsD86vg22mI9A86XB7pbHljrGnPphspO6Y5Mrtf4nfACPxIlAG5r1QASRaTu14bY8pPQGxq4Y_Smc0gjx__c3QEQvyQDxylFbe4aFA_S6UDZyxJR7ZTrepM/s320/Homeschooling+Using+a+Netbook+to+Write.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My teenage daughter loves to visit online forums.</b></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">Let's face it: We, as parents, would love to shield our children from every hurt and boo boo that they come across. Unfortunately, that is impossible. Yes, we can pray for their safety, and we can equip them to deal with others. <b>What happens when our children want to join forums at websites?</b></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">My daughter and I were recently<b> discussing</b> her visits at an online forum. I won't mention the website because she asked me not to. Anyway, she was telling me that there was an individual who jumped into one of her conversations. The person was downright rude to all of them.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We discussed the need for <b>mercy</b> in the face of such rude individuals. Perhaps the person was having a bad day. Maybe the person was mistreated in some manner. My daughter then realized that the individual could be an eight year-old. It was a<b> teachable moment</b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The important thing to remember is that <b>we cannot control what others say or do to us</b>. It's up to us to figure out how to treat others, even in the face of adversity. How should we respond to such persons. Should we be rude right back at the person or remain calm? I think the latter is the better course. Why do we need to add fuel to the fire, when we have the power to diffuse the situation?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was glad that my daughter let me know of the situation. She admitted that she was so mad that her body started shaking. Do I feel badly that she went through that? Yes...but I feel that she needed to go through that to learn from it. She also, in her young years, has realized that what the rude person provided was <b>"unnecessary drama."</b></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">Thanks for viewing this entry about <b>using a teachable moment, when discussing etiquette for participating in forums</b>. I hope I've given an idea of what can be used in the home school to teach strategy. <i> </i></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><br />
<i>How about you, my readers? For those of you who visit forums, do you read the rules before jumping into conversations? How do you deal with rude participants? </i>I would recommend reading the rules and regulations before joining any conversations. Also, if your children will be visiting forums, discuss with them that there are difficult people in all sorts of chatting formats. That way, they are not stunned when they meet with online bullies.</div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><br />
I pray that God helps us all, whether we are homeschooling or are thinking of home schooling. May God bless us all with His wisdom and peace, as we teach our children.</div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="color: black;">This has been an entry for </span><b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/thorough-thursdays.html" style="color: blue;">Thorough Thursdays</a></b><span style="color: black;">. If you liked it, please consider sharing it with your friends and family.</span></div>Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872374935880304572.post-29448832287812950402011-12-21T16:58:00.000-06:002011-12-21T16:58:38.559-06:00Spreading the Wealth: My Contemplation of Verse 53 of the Tao Te Ching<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq1g6MxsFz9bw9-JxZAw4_xX4VzQEsQm3tA5cijEpbHbDRnjXexosd6xhAVnZigQtde-munbuHqLrIx8vQ5J17FnKQ7GvsXiUeyHPTiaJuXTA_c32eQ6l1iUiBrM1IADY_LZieb6tapvo/s1600/IMG_0939%255B1%255D.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq1g6MxsFz9bw9-JxZAw4_xX4VzQEsQm3tA5cijEpbHbDRnjXexosd6xhAVnZigQtde-munbuHqLrIx8vQ5J17FnKQ7GvsXiUeyHPTiaJuXTA_c32eQ6l1iUiBrM1IADY_LZieb6tapvo/s320/IMG_0939%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><b>Dr. Dyer's book is <u>Change your Thoughts--Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao</u>.</b><br />
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<b> </b>Today, I am focusing on verse 53 of the Tao Te Ching:<br />
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<div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b> If I have even just a little sense,</b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b>I should walk in the Great Way,</b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b>and my only fear would be straying.</b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b>The Great Way is very smooth and straight,</b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b>and yet the people prefer devious paths.</b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b>that is why the court is corrupt,</b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b>the fields lie in waste,</b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b>the granaries are empty.</b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b>Dressing magnificently,</b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b>wearing a sharp sword,</b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b>stuffing oneself with food and drink,</b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b>amassing wealth to the extent of not knowing</b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b>what to do with it,</b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b>is being like a robber.</b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b>I say this pomp at the expense of others</b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b>is like the boasting of thieves after a looting.</b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b>This is not the Tao.</b></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">The straight and narrow path is one I should follow. What does that mean? <b>What is my responsibility to others?</b> Can I bury my head in the sand when there is need on this earth? Or should I share of my wealth?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>This verse challenges me to look past my own wants and needs.</b> How can I eat my own meals in peace, when there are others who are starving? How can I spend oodles of money on expensive clothes, purses, and shoes, when my own children have outgrown their pajamas? How can I ignore the fact that there are homeless people in my own city?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>My responsibility is to spread the wealth. </b> How many people are actually thinking in these terms? I believe a lot of people down others who want to spread the wealth. Guess what they are being called? Socialists, radicals...individuals who want to tax the rich.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Bible asks us to reach out to our fellow man who is less fortunate than us.</b> People like to dress that up as un-American, even though our Founding Fathers shaped our nation's laws on biblical principles. This country has long been known to be a place where you can realize the American dream. Unfortunately, that dream has become a nightmare to countless individuals who have lost homes, cars, and jobs. What are we as citizens of the United States to do for each other?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Are we to hog up all the wealth we amass?</b> Or should we share it with others? Can we really be that greedy? Do we dare allow others to call us un-American when we push the idea of everyone deserving healthcare? Doesn't everyone deserve the dignity to be cared for when in poor health? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">During this holiday season, and as we walk into the new year, may we strive to be more Christ-like.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>May we emulate Jesus</b>, when He healed the sick. May we strive to feed the starving like He did. May we be merciful when we meet with those who are less fortunate. Let us not turn them away but instead help them. After all, aren't we really celebrating the birth of a loving God (clothed in human form), when we deck the halls with boughs of holly, don our gay apparel, decorate the Christmas tree, and exchange presents?</div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Thanks for reading this entry <b>about the need to spread the wealth</b>. </div><div style="text-align: center;">I appreciate you taking the time to read it. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">My beloved readers, I'd like for you all to answer the above questions and these:<i> Are you willing to spread the wealth? Or are you going to hog up your wealth? Are you willing to help the less fortunate? Or are you going to insist that you don't need to help others? Are you going through the motions of celebrating Christmas, without acknowledging why the holiday exists? </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
I pray that we all would seek wisdom from the Source of everything--Our Heavenly Father, God. I pray that we would ask God for His help to experience a deep, loving relationship with Him.<i> </i></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">May God bless us all with His wisdom and peace, in Jesus' name. Amen!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
This has been an entry for <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/wisdom-wednesdays.html">Wisdom Wednesdays</a></b>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>I am currently drawing inspiration from Dr. Wayne W. Dyer's book and the 81 verses of the Chinese wisdom book the Tao Te Ching.</i></span></div></div>Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872374935880304572.post-87988885221042798172011-12-21T09:28:00.001-06:002011-12-21T09:32:45.374-06:00A Family Favorite Movie, Iron Giant<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPVo0WX5hnRI9NhmogNHxozup0oUsrdh13_yDP4SdsFjBS5lBz5wnqjpToivkYJBDXk8P8ROKKoFzHVonq-krMpkFy0O2Tdy3kBEaKWtqHPusimz1Zycy06wt5fjk2e-wqjfqEHmXkbZM/s1600/IMG_3369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPVo0WX5hnRI9NhmogNHxozup0oUsrdh13_yDP4SdsFjBS5lBz5wnqjpToivkYJBDXk8P8ROKKoFzHVonq-krMpkFy0O2Tdy3kBEaKWtqHPusimz1Zycy06wt5fjk2e-wqjfqEHmXkbZM/s320/IMG_3369.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Iron Giant is a family favorite movie.</b></td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Iron-Giant-Jennifer-Aniston/dp/B000028U3R">Iron Giant</a></b> is now available to view through <b><a href="http://www.netflix.com/">Netflix</a></b>.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Many years ago, we bought the movie, Iron Giant, (an animation of a story by Ted Hughes) in VHS format. Over the years, we have watched it countless times. Yes, it has been a family favorite. It is a movie that tugs at the heart strings. Our copy is now so old that some of the scenes are distorted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In fact, we have often discussed Iron Giant. We love that the metal giant sacrifices his life. We have often wondered if a <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/WE-WANT-THE-IRON-GIANT-2-x/348212008722?sk=wall">sequel</a></b> would ever be created. It doesn't seem like it, which is disappointing. My children have researched the movie online and have hit brick walls with regard to finding out if that could ever happen. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We have deduced that perhaps it has not been cost effective to have created a sequel. <b> The movie did not receive enough media attention when it came out. </b> That is our opinion. We have wanted for the Iron Giant to come back to the boy, who befriended the giant. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It could be that according to past standards, the movie may have been <b>violent</b>. Yes, <b>it could be considered as such because it deals with weapons</b>. I believe that ten year-olds would be better equipped to understand the movie's theme which covers the need for caring for all of creation. Younger children would need their parents to explain the concept of what weapons can do to people.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The movie ends with a cliff hanger</b> in that there is a possibility of the giant coming back to the boy. Who knows? That's why we have often discussed what could happen later in the boy's life. Will Hogarth meet the giant when he is a father? That's how wonderful the movie is; it provokes questions and discussion.</div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Well, thanks for reading this entry about<b> our family favorite movie, Iron Giant.</b> </div><div style="text-align: center;">I appreciate it.<br />
<i> </i></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><br />
<i>How about you, my readers? Have you ever seen Iron Giant? If so, did your children enjoy watching it? Does your family have any particular favorite movies? </i>I think movie nights are a wonderful way to bond and discuss a movie together.</div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="versetext 1ti-1-16" id="1ti-1-16-niv" name="1ti-1-16-niv" style="color: black; display: inline; padding: 2px 0pt 2px 2px;"><span class="versecontent">I pray that God gives us all His wisdom and peace. </span></span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;">This has been an entry for the <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/technology-tuesdays.html">Technology Tuesdays</a></b> </span>series. Please visit my Technology Tuesdays webpage for a list of my previous entries.</div></div>Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872374935880304572.post-35928172778454264382011-12-20T13:24:00.000-06:002011-12-20T13:24:15.480-06:00One New Year's Resolution: Ask God to Renew My Mind<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirloOsc95I1jYGLLtcCmW8CR37owBXnnIlaa-6GXn5owmTOme4Uo8dA_fVZzfu8sTuALCfFwsBB4oDSfiuKSxgEiQTRR8BuxA8-GQDiIubRniPSdGvy_1WoBfbIrwnafup3H9ZY3ukjTo/s1600/IMG_3366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirloOsc95I1jYGLLtcCmW8CR37owBXnnIlaa-6GXn5owmTOme4Uo8dA_fVZzfu8sTuALCfFwsBB4oDSfiuKSxgEiQTRR8BuxA8-GQDiIubRniPSdGvy_1WoBfbIrwnafup3H9ZY3ukjTo/s320/IMG_3366.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My 6 yr.-old's Christmas note.</b></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Yesterday, I had my cryfest.</b> I was feeling very sad. I was reeling from an insult I had received. I felt trapped because I didn't understand why the person felt compelled to compound the insult again and again during a conversation. I was shocked and paralyzed. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I have tried to be a good person, but it hasn't been easy.</b> Being a Christian, whether around Christians and/or non-Christians, has been difficult. Because I am kind, I am considered a doormat; I grew up with certain values, and among them is to respect others. Still, how should I respond to such insults? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>It is difficult to stick to my values when I have people questioning them.</b> There are those who love to test my patience. Yes, it's been a challenging year for me. It has been a balancing act to remain a loving person in the face of rudeness.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Should I return evil for evil?</b> No. In the Bible, particularly Proverbs 25:22 says that I should heap coals of shame on those person's heads, and I will receive my reward from the Lord. It's just hard when all I want to do is pounce with my feet on their heads. I'd like to knock some sense into their heads and yell at them, "Look, I don't have to be nice to you, but I'm not gonna stoop to your level of behavior."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">The best I can do is to ask God to bring positive people in my life. </span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Perhaps I've been around people who have been too negative.</b> I'm the type of person who enjoys being a positive influence to those around me. I love to encourage others when they are going through hard times. I love to congratulate people when good things happen to them, too. I have just felt so drained because I also need the same encouragement, which hasn't been coming my way.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the midst of my sadness, my daughter wrote me a beautiful note (pictured above).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Lately, I have felt the blahs. It's been hard to shake that off. That's why I'm turning to God like I did last night. <b>I prayed to God because I felt like I was at the end of my rope.</b> I thank God that He stepped in when he did.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>It was lovely to receive something in my stocking.</b> My youngest child had placed a note in there. It really lifted my spirits that she, my six year-old, would get what I have been about as a mother. It read: </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>"to mama. By Kaelyn I love you Because you cook For us. ind Because you turn on the lights." </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I think she has a wonderful head on her shoulders to notice my efforts to make Christmas a happy time for the family. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I plan to dig more deeply into the Word (Bible) next year.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">With all this in mind, <b>one of my New Year's resolutions is to ask God to<a href="http://www.christinyou.net/pages/renewmind.html"> renew my mind</a></b>. I want to look at people and circumstances through God's eyes, even if those people have wronged me. In fact, I especially pray that God will help me with those difficult people in my life. I also pray that He will give me resolve to be assertive when dealing with them.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thanks for reading about <b>my decision to ask God to renew my mind</b>. I hope this blog encourages someone to improve their own mind.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><i>How about you, my readers? Are you thinking of any New Year's resolutions? Do you have any new mental health goals for next year? How have you handled difficulties this year? How do you plan to handle difficult people next year? </i>I encourage you to assess your attitude towards others. It's a great opportunity to adjust your attitude to improve your lives. <i> </i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.<i><br />
</i></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
This is an entry for <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">Medical Mondays</a></b>. For past entries, click <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html">here</a></b>.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><b>Disclaimer</b></i></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions. Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health. I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health. Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate. You know best how your body is doing.</i></span></div></div>Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872374935880304572.post-9641453609283729782011-12-19T17:29:00.000-06:002011-12-19T17:29:18.299-06:00Our Limited Wisdom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW7bBpAKwXZkIKDI2Qa6jlsXH8EzKdmEOkqbAitH2KUzYLMNYt3xb89NUYdOGPmx1VGgJPLu4ojhsDATU9lasHXCn0obupZXRAwBim3PWcUycygWrURx7y2koA-9Prd6mWeUZmYYCrea0/s1600/IMG_0940.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW7bBpAKwXZkIKDI2Qa6jlsXH8EzKdmEOkqbAitH2KUzYLMNYt3xb89NUYdOGPmx1VGgJPLu4ojhsDATU9lasHXCn0obupZXRAwBim3PWcUycygWrURx7y2koA-9Prd6mWeUZmYYCrea0/s320/IMG_0940.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Bible says that our wisdom is limited.</b></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-16" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum">16</span> Know <span class="strongs">ye</span> <span class="strongs">not</span> <span class="strongs">that</span> ye <span class="strongs">are</span> the <span class="strongs">temple</span> of <span class="strongs">God,</span> <span class="strongs">and</span> that the <span class="strongs">Spirit</span> of <span class="strongs">God</span> <span class="strongs">dwelleth</span> <span class="strongs">in</span> <span class="strongs">you?</span> </span><span style="color: blue;"> </span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-17" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-17" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum">17</span> If any <span class="strongs">man</span> <span class="strongs">defile</span><a href="" name="c"></a> the <span class="strongs">temple</span> of <span class="strongs">God,</span> <span class="strongs">him</span> <span class="strongs">shall</span> <span class="strongs">God</span> <span class="strongs">destroy</span>; <span class="strongs">for</span> the <span class="strongs">temple</span> of <span class="strongs">God</span> <span class="strongs">is</span> <span class="strongs">holy,</span> <span class="strongs">which</span> temple <span class="strongs">ye</span> <span class="strongs">are</span>. </span><span style="color: blue;"> </span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-18" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-18" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum">18</span> <span class="strongs">Let</span> no <span class="strongs">man</span> <span class="strongs">deceive</span> <span class="strongs">himself.</span> If any <span class="strongs">man</span> <span class="strongs">among</span> <span class="strongs">you</span> <span class="strongs">seemeth</span> to <span class="strongs">be</span> <span class="strongs">wise</span> <span class="strongs">in</span> <span class="strongs">this</span> <span class="strongs">world,</span> let him <span class="strongs">become</span> a <span class="strongs">fool,</span> <span class="strongs">that</span> he may <span class="strongs">be</span> <span class="strongs">wise.</span> </span><span style="color: blue;"> </span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-19" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-19" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum">19</span> <span class="strongs">For</span> the <span class="strongs">wisdom</span> of <span class="strongs">this</span> <span class="strongs">world</span> <span class="strongs">is</span> <span class="strongs">foolishness</span> <span class="strongs">with</span> <span class="strongs">God.</span> <span class="strongs">For</span> it is <span class="strongs">written</span> , He <span class="strongs">taketh</span> the <span class="strongs">wise</span> <span class="strongs">in</span> their <span class="strongs">own</span> <span class="strongs">craftiness.</span> </span><span style="color: blue;"> </span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-20" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-20" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum">20</span> <span class="strongs">And</span> <span class="strongs">again,</span> The <span class="strongs">Lord</span> <span class="strongs">knoweth</span> the <span class="strongs">thoughts</span> of the <span class="strongs">wise,</span> <span class="strongs">that</span> they <span class="strongs">are</span> <span class="strongs">vain.</span> </span><span style="color: blue;"> </span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-21" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-21" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum">21</span> <span class="strongs">Therefore</span> <span class="strongs">let</span> no <span class="strongs">man</span> <span class="strongs">glory</span> <span class="strongs">in</span> <span class="strongs">men.</span> <span class="strongs">For</span> all <span class="strongs">things</span> <span class="strongs">are</span> <span class="strongs">yours;</span> </span><span style="color: blue;"> </span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-22" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-22" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum">22</span> <span class="strongs">Whether</span> <span class="strongs">Paul,</span> <span class="strongs">or</span> <span class="strongs">Apollos,</span> <span class="strongs">or</span> <span class="strongs">Cephas,</span> <span class="strongs">or</span> the <span class="strongs">world,</span> <span class="strongs">or</span> <span class="strongs">life,</span> <span class="strongs">or</span> <span class="strongs">death,</span> <span class="strongs">or</span> things <span class="strongs">present</span> , <span class="strongs">or</span> things to <span class="strongs">come</span>; <span class="strongs">all</span> <span class="strongs">are</span> <span class="strongs">yours;</span> </span><span style="color: blue;"> </span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum">23</span> <span class="strongs">And</span> <span class="strongs">ye</span> are <span class="strongs">Christ's;</span> <span class="strongs">and</span> <span class="strongs">Christ</span> is <span class="strongs">God's.</span></span></b><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="strongs"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="strongs"> </span></span><i style="color: blue;"><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs">--1 Corinthians 3: 16-23 KJV</span></span></i><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"> </span></span><b><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-16" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum">16</span> Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in <a href="" name="d"></a> you? </span><span style="color: blue;"> </span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-17" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-17" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum">17</span> God will bring ruin upon anyone who ruins this temple. For God's temple is holy, and you Christians are that temple. </span><span style="color: blue;"> </span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-18" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-18" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum">18</span> Stop fooling yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world's standards, you will have to become a fool so you can become wise by God's standards. </span><span style="color: blue;"> </span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-19" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-19" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum">19</span> For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, "God catches those who think they are wise in their own cleverness." <a href="" name="e"></a> </span><span style="color: blue;"> </span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-20" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-20" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum">20</span> And again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are worthless." <a href="" name="f"></a> </span><span style="color: blue;"> </span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-21" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-21" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum">21</span> So don't take pride in following a particular leader. Everything belongs to you: </span><span style="color: blue;"> </span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-22" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-22" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum">22</span> Paul and Apollos and Peter; the whole world and life and death; the present and the future. Everything belongs to you, </span><span style="color: blue;"> </span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="versenum"> </span></span></b><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="color: blue; display: block;"><b><span class="versenum">23</span> and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. </b> </span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="strongs"> </span></span><i><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="color: blue; display: block;"><span class="strongs">--1 Corinthians 3:16-23 New Living Translation</span></span></i><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs">What should my conduct be in this life? What do I bring to this world? How do I process what has happened to me throughout my life? <b>How should I react to others around me?</b> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"><b>How do we deal with those who propose that they are wiser than us?</b> Do we respect them and their differences? Or do we claim that we are right? Do we give <b><i>grace</i></b> to others who might not know all the details about a topic of conversation?</span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs">Condemnation, through judgment, is detrimental to a Christian's mental health.</span></span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"></span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs">A judgmental attitude against me from fellow Christians has perplexed me. <b>To understand this situation, I consulted my Bible. </b>I have long looked at the above verses in one light, but I have learned something new. I used to look at these verses as referring to my <i>body</i> being a<i> temple </i>of God, in terms of the <i>physical</i> health of my body. This second look is helping me to understand that it could also refer to the <i>mental</i> health aspect, too.</span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"></span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"><span style="font-size: large;">My mama said that if I knew everything I had to know, I wouldn't need to learn anything new (in college).</span> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"></span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs">I have said it before--<b>I am not perfect.</b> I have never claimed to be the smartest, even within my own family. In fact, even during my university days, I was regarded as a know-it-all by several individuals. In many ways, I have merely challenged myself in many areas of my life. I am always on the lookout to improve myself; that's why I read my Bible. <b>I humbly say that I, in no way, see myself as the wisest person on this planet.</b></span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs">According to the Bible, King Solomon was the wisest man, and even he claimed that to know everything was not enough. In verse 18 above the apostle Paul says that if anyone of us humans claims to be the wisest, he/she should realize that it is foolishness. <b> The thing about being human is that we don't see all of the different viewpoints in a given situation. Only God can claim that. </b></span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"><b>I liken this situation to a person being inside a box. </b> This person can only see whatever is inside the box. Now, imagine a giant looking from outside of that box. The giant can see so much more. I truly believe that we should try to be like the giant, who can see all the angles of any given situation (or inside the box).</span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs">We, who are Christians, belong to Christ, even though we have limited wisdom.</span></span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs">The next time I am<b> judged</b> for something I say or do, I will try to remember that my persecuters are basing their opinions about me with their limited wisdom. I should give them the same <a href="http://www.ccesonline.com/dev/hisgraceissufficient.htm"><b><i>grace</i></b></a> that I want from God. I will aim to, in other words, <b>"cut them some slack."</b> After all, we are, as Christians, constantly striving to become more Christ-like.</span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="versetext singleline" id="2co12-9" style="color: black; display: block;">I think God's word below sums up my situation (my limited wisdom is my weakness):</span><b><span class="versetext singleline" id="2co12-9" style="color: blue; display: block;"> </span><span class="versetext singleline" id="2co12-9" style="color: blue; display: block;"> </span><span class="versetext singleline" id="2co12-9" style="color: blue; display: block;">Each time he [God] said, <span class="WordsOfChrist">"My [grace] gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness."</span> So now I [Paul] am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me. </span></b><span class="versetext singleline" id="2co12-9" style="color: blue; display: block;"> </span><i><span class="versetext singleline" id="2co12-9" style="color: blue; display: block;">--2 Corinthians 12:9 New Living Translation </span></i> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="versetext singleline" id="jas1-4" style="display: block;">Thanks for reading this blog entry about <b>our limited wisdom</b>. I appreciate you taking the time to read it.</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="versetext singleline" id="jas1-4" style="display: block;"><i> </i></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="jas1-4" style="display: block;"><i>How about you, my beloved readers? As Christians, do you understand the idea of our limited wisdom? Are you willing to give grace to someone who isn't as smart as you? Or are you willing to be uncharitable by withholding grace? </i>Remember this: If you want God, the Father, to forgive you of yours sins (or shortcomings), you should also forgive your fellow human beings, too.</span><span class="versetext singleline" id="jas1-4" style="display: block;"> </span><span class="versetext singleline" id="jas1-4" style="display: block;">I encourage you all to read different versions of 1 Corinthians 3:16-23 to understand what the Bible says about our limited wisdom affecting another person's mental health, which is part of a Christian's body (temple of God).<i> </i></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="jas1-4" style="display: block;"> </span><span class="versetext singleline" id="jas1-4" style="display: block;">May the only true God of all gods bless us, my dear friends, with His wisdom and peace. In Jesus' name. Amen!</span><span class="versetext singleline" id="jas1-4" style="display: block;"> </span><span class="versetext 1ti-1-16" id="1ti-1-16-niv" name="1ti-1-16-niv" style="display: inline; padding: 2px 0pt 2px 2px;"><span class="versecontent"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="versetext 1ti-1-16" id="1ti-1-16-niv" name="1ti-1-16-niv" style="display: inline; padding: 2px 0pt 2px 2px;"><span class="versecontent"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">This has been an entry for the <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/spiritual-sundays.html">Spiritual Sundays</a></b> series. </span></span></span></span></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><i>To compile this mini- bible study, I visited: <b><a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/">http://www.biblestudytools.com/</a></b></i></div><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"> </span></span><span class="versetext singleline" id="1co3-23" style="display: block;"><span class="strongs"> </span> </span></div>Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872374935880304572.post-73237159133493311252011-12-17T20:08:00.000-06:002011-12-17T20:08:21.993-06:00How to Make a Gingerbread House<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Gingerbread House Kit--ingredients visible</b></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">Years ago, we had bought a gingerbread house kit. The kids enjoyed it so much. I wanted to give my kids an opportunity to put one together again. I even asked my eldest to join in the fun. He gladly joined in. </div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Backside of gingerbread house--the instructions</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQakOv0nCZeIgLwF0-T_n83uSHXSq2FThFExEGp_uqYvzqT8rpaKnBDOdjqo-7jaTBseaXiW21JdqI84aP2orjKPynIhDFhG7qQre2HHKVWN13GjsUbRvyjx1Wor95rPFIWAEHyuywmI4/s1600/IMG_3339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQakOv0nCZeIgLwF0-T_n83uSHXSq2FThFExEGp_uqYvzqT8rpaKnBDOdjqo-7jaTBseaXiW21JdqI84aP2orjKPynIhDFhG7qQre2HHKVWN13GjsUbRvyjx1Wor95rPFIWAEHyuywmI4/s200/IMG_3339.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Decorations for gingerbread house</b></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">There were gumdrops and peppermint candies in the kit. <b>I added other ingredients like the colorful M&M's, chocolate chips, and candy canes as an option.</b> I wanted the kids to pick and choose whatever they wanted to use. I put each ingredient in different <b>cupcake holders</b> so the kids could slide the ingredients around on the table. That took away a lot of the fussing.</div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Assembly of gingerbread house</b></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">My husband poured the glue, while my oldest put the walls and roof together. The glue was some super gooey cream.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Hubby adding glue to gingerbread house</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhRAgx2kVrDR4xi7QuyIwsdZMS_Pj74ZmgFPUmx7Cjwu-oaJbQzYTspdwvwrpDESY00bKgBtXOJ1dkqm2L8ahQiYwISKIrJgkX_LRBi4Tod2e6c3TF3xh7lRPZSTVw5qjqFuqBZ6ghqJM/s1600/IMG_3348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhRAgx2kVrDR4xi7QuyIwsdZMS_Pj74ZmgFPUmx7Cjwu-oaJbQzYTspdwvwrpDESY00bKgBtXOJ1dkqm2L8ahQiYwISKIrJgkX_LRBi4Tod2e6c3TF3xh7lRPZSTVw5qjqFuqBZ6ghqJM/s200/IMG_3348.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Kids decorating gingerbread house</b></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">It was finally time to decorate the gingerbread house. A lot of the glue had been set on the roof, windows and doors. </div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHfd579JEed-lC7R5ZDdpRAkQbUs4uG207E6tShzHP52yPwToHCqYJlPg7eVgb25YjjscLySZLWRWEmpGWW2k8Rjv7XU3NXCXAb98KI6i3uivxB_mLfZZyc05S0ZccHis4PsnPtuPLBOI/s1600/IMG_3355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHfd579JEed-lC7R5ZDdpRAkQbUs4uG207E6tShzHP52yPwToHCqYJlPg7eVgb25YjjscLySZLWRWEmpGWW2k8Rjv7XU3NXCXAb98KI6i3uivxB_mLfZZyc05S0ZccHis4PsnPtuPLBOI/s320/IMG_3355.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Finished product--one awesome gingerbread house</b></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>There was no right or wrong way to decorate the house.</b> I didn't criticize the kids for where they put each candy piece. I gave a few suggestions, but they did a wonderful job. They even made a path from the house. I love what they came up with. More important, I love that all four kids worked on it together because they need to know how to work within a group setting.</div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Well, thanks for reading this entry about <b>how to make a gingerbread house</b>. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I hope you liked it.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>How about you, my readers? Has your family ever made a gingerbread house? If so, did you make it from scratch or did you buy a kit? What would you add or subtract from this gingerbread house?</i> I would encourage buying a kit and letting the kids work on it. It's a wonderful project for the kids to use their creativity. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This has been a <b><a href="http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/p/saturday-spreads.html">Saturday Spreads</a></b> entry. I hope you liked it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div>Rebagvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116739845699579524noreply@blogger.com0