WW PLATEAU

Well... it happened. I gained a pound at Weight Watchers last week. SO...now I have only lost 21.5 lbs. Before that, I had plateaued in my weight loss...but at least I wasn't gaining.

When I left WW on Friday...after I had gained... what did I do? I took Brianna and my niece and nephew to the Apple Orchard where we went through the Corn Maze, picked apples, AND THEN CELEBRATED my fall off the weight watcher wagon with Cider and a cinnamon and sugar pumpkin doughnut!
Today I continued my festivities with two bite size Almond Joys at church, Qdoba's for lunch, and Marilynn's delicious apple crisp when I went to see baby Robert...and I can feel myself slipping into the mode of...
"I JUST WANT TO EAT EVERYTHING! Chocolate...ice cream... french fries...non-baked potato chips......peach cobbler...you name it... I want to eat it."

I am entertaining those evil thoughts from the Weight Watcher Devil...who, by the way, looks like a devils food cake with whipped cream horns and licorice tail... "JUST GIVE UP...WHO CARES...IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU GAIN BACK ALL YOU HAVE LOST AND MORE...YOU DON'T NEED TO BE HEALTHY...OREOS ARE HEALTHY...There is milk and calcium in the cream in the middle (a Ken Martin philosophy)...yada yada yada...You really can't do it anyway! SO JUST FORGET IT!"

I KNOW what I have to do to get back on track... to push through the plateau... to take off the rest of the weight...

I have to work harder, watch what I put in my mouth....exercise more....press in... be faithful to my WW meetings to be encouraged to stay on track...and Get my MIND SET to do it..tell the DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE TEMPTER to GET BEHIND ME...and...........DON'T GIVE UP!

So many times that is like our walk with the Lord. We plateau...we start putting back on those things we thought we had overcome "for the cause of Christ"...

Those are the times we have to press in...work harder...watch what we are feeding our minds and hearts....get our daily exercise and work out by reading the WORD and praying MORE......being faithful to the House of the LORD where you will be nourished, refreshed, and encouraged to keep on track...fasting....saying NO to the junk food in your life...whatever that is for you...

(I have decided I am going to try a technology fast once a week...no computers or email...no TV...etc. It can be a time waster for me. Since my work is on the computer this will be a challenge.)

...AND we have to get our MIND SET on things above...and NOT GIVE UP!"

My tendency when I feel like I have reverted backwards in an area of my life is to say, "FORGET IT! What's the use of trying again. I have wandered so far off the trail... I haven't read the WORD...I haven't spent time praying..."...AND the enemy of our souls is tempting us with thoughts of..."God doesn't really want you NOW. If you can't do the right things every day...then you may as well GIVE UP. REMEMBER you have struggled with this your WHOLE LIFE! You will NEVER overcome. You are a LOSER!"

To that, you KNOW what you have to do....put on the HELMET OF SALVATION, take up the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT...and Say to that father of lies...GET BEHIND ME!"

We are encouraged in Philippians 3:12-14...
"I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But CHRIST has taken hold of me. So I KEEP ON RUNNING and STRUGGLING to take hold of the PRIZE. My friends, I don't feel that I have already arrived. But I FORGET what is behind, and I struggle for what is AHEAD. I RUN toward the goal, so that I can WIN THE PRIZE of being called to heaven. This is the prize that God offers because of what CHRIST JESUS has done."

Press on and on and on my friend. HIS MERCIES are new every morning. NO ONE is perfect except JESUS!

RUN THE RACE...DON'T GIVE UP...WIN THE PRIZE!

THE OFFICE

Brianna and I had to go into Steve's Office one day this week to do some work. There was a large meeting going on and the girls in the office were getting lunch together for the group. Four of the Admin. Assts. were out for the day...BETSY WAS HAVING HER BABY! A BOY...Robert William...18 days early. Marilynn...aka. Grandma to Robert...was at the hospital with Betsy...and two more were out on vacation days. SO they were a little short handed.

Being the 'servants' that we are, Brianna and I jumped to task. As we were setting the food out and getting it ready the phone rang. All the 'adult women' (didn't think "older women' would be appreciated) had their hands tied up so Lisa, the office manager, said, "Brianna, get the phone and say.."Good Afternoon. Assemblies of God." She did...and was great.

A little while later it rang again. Feeling like a pro...Brianna picked up the phone, pushed the line, and answered, "Hello...this is THE OFFICE!"

Needless to say, we all laughed. The lady on the phone laughed. Brianna said she was thankful it wasn't an 'uptight old lady' who was on the other end.

I am sure there are days when EVERY office feels like "THE OFFICE" or WORSE... and could write episodes of their own.

What are the keys to our SANITY????

1. Keep everything in perspective.
Col. 3:1 states: " ...See things from His perspective."

2. Keep Laughing.
Psalm 100:1 tells us this...
"On your feet now—applaud God! Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourselves into his presence"
Proverbs 17:22...
"A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-tired."
Proverbs 15:15...
"A miserable heart means a miserable life; a cheerful heart fills the day with song."

And remember...3. Tomorrow is another day.
Ecc. 1:2 "...It's business as usual for the old planet earth. The sun comes UP and the sun goes DOWN, then does it AGAIN, and AGAIN..."

Break into Song..."The sun'll come out tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow...there'll be sun..."

Hide these WORDS from the LORD in your heart...and YOU be the one to make "THE OFFICE" a GREAT PLACE to be!

(The Message was the version of choice for above scriptures.)

"OLD FASHIONED" Worship

Weston called me the other night from North Central University, where he attends college.

Our conversation went something like this...

"MOM...were you in bed?"

"Uh...YES...it IS 10:45 here in Michigan and I AM getting older, ya know."

"Sorry....but anyway....I am sitting here with some guys and we want to have an old fashioned worship night on our floor. We were wondering if you could help us think of some songs...like...from the early 90's."

"EARLY 90's?!?!?!?!?...OLD FASHIONED!?!?!?!", I responded with much unbelief and laughter!

Jonathan Palmer, son of the new General Secretary of the Assemblies of God, friend of my son, is yelling into the phone,"THINK GAITHER! THINK GAITHER!"

"Jonathan...GAITHER is like the 60's and 70's! And if you want that, call your Gram Clay. She is the Gaither Groupie."

"Well...she'd already be in bed." (HELLO....SO WAS I!)

The 'old fashioned' worship desiring boys of Phillips 2E had already come up with songs such as: 'Look What the Lord Has Done", "I Went to the Enemy's Camp", and "The Happy Song".

I suggested, "We Bring the Sacrifice of Praise"...Weston put me on speaker phone so I could sing it to the guys to see if they remembered it...Before I sang, I told them they had to do the motions to this one...I sang and Weston was laughing saying 'They're doing the motions, Mom!" (try and picture that one in your head!)

Then we went through, "In Him We Live", Alive, Alive, Alive Forevermore, What a Mighty God We Serve, This is the Day That the Lord Has Made (old ON BEAT CLAPPING version and 'old fashioned early 90's OFF BEAT clapping version...with the chorus..."Rejoice...in the Lord.")

Weston asked, "Mom, what was that song we used to sing in Mt. Pleasant...Stand Up?"

I replied, "That is an OLD FASHIONED hymn remixed....STAND UP, STAND UP FOR JESUS! with a new chorus thrown in."

One time I suggested, "This is My Commandment that ye Love One Another" and NONE of them had ever heard of that one.

I said, "Sorry, that must have been the 80's."

Weston yelled:..."GUYS....SHE"S GOING BACK INTO THE 80'S!!!!!!!" (background noises of moans and groans immediately followed.)

I so LOVED the fact that those boys wanted to 'bridge the generation gap' and include me in their worship planning. AND if I was in Minneapolis, I could attend because they were only inviting people that have been in the Assemblies of God 16 years or MORE! (so they would know the songs!)

Needless to say, Steve and I didn't go to sleep for a while because of all the chuckling that kept surfacing as we thought about that phone call.

And THEN we were lying there thinking of all the "old songs" we remembered from the 80's and 90's. It was fun...and FUNNY!

Worship has definitely come into a new era...but there are some "old fashioned worship songs' that are timeless and still speak to my heart. Isn't it reassuring to know that though our methods, style, rhythm, beat, etc. change over the decades that the ONE we worship and adore stays the SAME! "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."

I emailed Weston a list of about 50 songs the next day. Maybe YOU can think of some, that I didn't remember...or some that just resonate in your heart of hearts...or some that just make you LAUGH and say, "We used to sing that!?!" (Like the verse of the Joy of the Lord is my Strength...HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!) If you don't know the Ha Ha verse...you are either TOO YOUNG or too young in Jesus.

So LEAVE A COMMENT with your favorite...or most memorable "old fashioned" worship song...even if you are seconding one that is already listed.

I will leave the definition of "old fashioned' up to you!

"SALSA Anyone???"

So... thanks to the mass 3 of you who emailed for this recipe! :-D

I take no claim to fame at being a domestic diva...except I DO make yummy salsa!

LINDA’S SALSA

* 4 C. finely chopped tomatoes

* 1 C. finely chopped onion

* 1 green Bell pepper finely chopped (around 1 cup)

Place chopped veges in a LARGE saucepan.

Combine the following ingredients in food processor or blender.

* 4 – 8 Fresh Jalapenos ( ok… I use 35… count ‘em… 35 for Steve’s Salsa. It is fire hot! You just have to taste it and go by trial and error for your likes.)

* 4 cloves of Garlic

* 1 sm. Can Tomato Paste

* ½ C sugar

* 1 C. White vinegar

* ¼ t. Alum

* ½ t. Cumin

* ½ t. pepper

* 1 TB. Salt

Process until smooth.

Combine with chopped veges in large sauce pan. Bring to a boil and reduce heat.

Simmer for 45 minutes.

Pour into HOT sterilized jars. ( pint jars) leaving ½ inch head space.

Seal. And process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

Makes appx. 3 pints.

IT IS GREAT FRESH AS WELL!

HINTS:

**You can double recipe. One time I tripled it but it easily scorched.

**Jalapeño hints… I do not de seed them because it takes away the HEAT

IF You deseed them wear gloves. I have had two friends rub their faces while deseeding and their faces get red and on fire. If this happens, bathe face and hands in milk.

** If you have never canned before, be sure to use new seal lids and read the directions.

THE FOLLOWING IS AN ODE TO LINDA... THE SALSA QUEEN...

and a few other fun things and TIPS FOR SALSA MAKING!

When we pastored in Mt. Pleasant, our dear friend, LINDA POHL, would give us some of her homemade salsa every year for Christmas. OF COURSE, with my husbands strong LOVE and DESIRE for HOT THINGS (including ME!) 12 jars didn't last very long. So he asked if I could learn how to can Salsa. I had only done freezer things and never had to CAN.

SO LINDA so PATIENTLY and graciously walked me through the process.

Last summer, at the end of August Steve was gone for about 10 days, so Brianna and I decided to go and spend time with my mom and dad. I figured it was a GREAT time to make my Salsa...especially because Mom had such a great kitchen to work in. (SHE is a domestic diva!)

There were a couple of GREAT things about that decision.

#1: My grandma's niece had a garden full of tomatoes...so we went and picked out tomatoes, some jalapenos, and green peppers...plus used some Mom and Dad picked up at the Farmer's Market.

#2: Mom, Grandma (MO) and my Aunt Darlene AND Brianna all helped me...And they are all VERY GIFTED in the kitchen.

#3. I found the 2nd Best Time Saver EVER! (what is the 1st? Mom, Mo, Darlene, and Brianna!) The VIDALIA CHOP WIZARD. I saw it in Real Simple listed as a great product. It chops the vegetables so quickly and perfectly. No watery onions or peppers. And even the ripe tomatoes chopped into little perfect squares without being mushed! It usually takes me a day and half JUST to chop all my vegetables. We did all the onions and peppers in 45 MINUTES!!!!!! NOW... my mom, father- in- love, sister-in-love, aunt...have one. Whoever tries it loves it. You can get it at Walgreens, CVS for $20... or with a $5 coupon at Bed, Bath, and Beyond... it's just $15.

When you take the jars out of the water after their water bath...and set them on the counter... and you hear the lids start popping.... LINDA taught me to say "PRAISE THE LORD" every time you hear that wonderful little noise, because you KNOW it is sealed and processed correctly.

SOOOO...I said "praise the LORD" 99 TIMES! I would have said it 100 times but my parents and I ate a jar full when it was warm...right after cooking. It was SOOOO yummy. THAT is why I didn't make any for me this year. Still have some left. Made Steve's mom and dad 40 jars.

I do this for my hubby...and make his SOOOO HOT...my lips and tongue burn and my lips swell up...when I taste his. He can just pour it down. I believe his lips, tongue and gut are made of iron. I use 30-35 jalapenos and pablanos for a recipe for him. I use 3-4 for MINE!

So...that is the extent of the Domestic Diva in me! If you come to my house for dinner...GUESS WHAT YOU ARE HAVING?????