You're Not Alone!!!

Okay, somebody tell me I'm not the only one who has ever done this. You see this brand new commercial...a NEW pill that simply MELTS the POUNDS AWAY!!! I pick up the phone ready to dial in and buy 100 bottles. If it's that easy, surely even I can lose weight...then they show the price. It's way too high. The cost of dieting is always too high....isn't it??? That always seems to be the excuse. I can't afford to go on a diet. That was my excuse until January of this year. I made myself afford it, and you know what happened? I got a raise at work, I've actually lost weight, and I feel a lot better. I believe that when we're in it (dieting) for the RIGHT reason, God will bless what we're doing. I know that I seem to be repetitive about this, but it just doesn't change the truth that God cares about our attitude when we're dieting. If we only want to lose weight for selfish reasons, why should he bless us? Make sure to tell God what you need because He does care for you. (that was our lesson in honey bees last night). When nobody else seems to care about you, God Does. 1 Peter 3:13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? I hope this was a blessing to someone today. Keep Looking UP for your inspiration...and God Bless!!!

"Suffering" for a Cause

Hi All, I hope that your day has found you well. The verse for today is 2 Timothy 2:12 - If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us. A lot of times we tend to view dieting as if we are suffering for nothing. Then, when you lose that 1/2 a pound, (or whatever it might be), it all seems worth it. I want you, however, to consider this, When you think that you are suffering in the remodeling of God's Temple, think about what Christ suffered on the cross. Much in life requires pain and suffering before we can attain it. Much like Christ. He left His home in Heaven, submitted Himself to be a baby and a human in general. Allowed Himself to go through human things (temptations, hunger, anger, etc) and then ultimately gave everything. Most people will tell you that there is very little that is pleasant about dieting...and most people would be right. I don't know anyone who "wants" to be on a diet. I wish I could just think thinner and therefore I am :) But most people will also tell you that the end result is more than worth it, and I would have to agree on certain terms. If you look better, but your attitude has not changed, then the end result was not worth it. If you look better, and that's exactly what you wanted (for those reasons only), then I would say the end result was not worth it. BUT, if you look better, and you are thankful to God because of it, and you focus on the things you can do for Christ because of your weight loss (encourage those around you, start a Christian weight loss team, etc), then I would say that the end result was Well Worth It!!! Just because dieting is hard at times, doesn't mean that God doesn't care about our end result. I can talk easy today because I lost weight this week, but what will next week be like? It's all about what you eat and how you exercise from week to week. Just remember though, Jesus Christ knows what it means to sacrifice far better than we could ever imagine. As I already said, He gave the utimate sacrifice...His life. A big reason for my dieting was because I was not ready to give my lifeto obesity. I wanted to kick obesity in the pants before it made me kick the bucket. (Not to be crass, but its true). So many health problems are due to being over weight and I didn't want to be 30 years old and needing to have a triple or quadruple heart bypass because of clogged arteries or what not. So the next time you wonder why you're dieting/"suffering" think of your end result. Will it be worth it or not?

Okay, I'll get off my soap box for today. I just wanted to remind all of you that we have our first meeting on Sunday night, April 9. Mrs. Joyce Hampton will be helping us understand the WW methods a little better (for those of us who are doing it on the internet and don't quite understand all the ins and outs). I am expecting around 15 people...possibly 20 to be there, so whoever signs up to bring food, please make sure you bring enough. If you will also bring the recipe, we will make copies of it at the church. I know I keep saying this, but there will be a sign up sheet on Wednesday night...(I'm working on it as we speak). I have decided we'll have 3 people bring main dishes and 2 people bring dessert (I couldn't remember if we decided that the families would be eating with us or not, so this might change). Thank you for reading this blog. I hope it blesses someone each day. Keep Looking UP for your inspiration and God Bless!!

Short and Sweet

Hi All, This will be short and sweet today due to lack of time, but I hope all of you are doing well. The verse for today is Psalm 84:11 - For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. Remember that when your stomach starts to attack you and you believe that you are starving to death, the Lord will always defend you if you will let Him. I have to apologize real quickly, the sign up sheet was not in the back of the church as I had promised, I was sick this weekend and forgot all about it, but seeing as how the meeting is 1 week from this coming Sunday, I will have it there on Wednesday night. Please don't forget about our meeting on Sunday night April 9, and the Susan G. Comen "race for the cure" on April 15, hope to see everyone there. Have a great day...and keep looking UP for your inspiration and God Bless!!!

Caught With Your Hand in the Cookie Jar???

Hi All. I love Crosswalk.com It is a very encouraging website for me. I get the dieters devotional email every morning and honestly, it is where I get a lot of my inspiration for the subjects on this website. This morning was very wonderful. They give a thought for the day in each devotional, and this was today's thought for the day: "If you cheat, you lose everything but weight!" This is so true, but we can't let this discourage us when we do fall into temptation. It happens, we're only human, so we know that the temptations will be there and we know that sometimes, we just will not be strong enough to fight them. The verse for today is James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Next time you get caught with your hand in the cookie jar, just remember that we are supposed to cleanse our hands (keep our hands clean) and purify our hearts (keep your eyes on God). If we will remember to draw nigh to God instead of focusing on the diet we're on, or the food we eat, we will be a lot better off. God is better than any diet we could ever put ourselves on. I've said this once before, but I will say it again, If you focus on the diet, you will never succeed. You have to set your mind on the future. What is going to become of you being on this diet. It's not about how you look in your dress, it's not about what people are going to think of you. None of that matters, What matters is the fact that we glorify God in everything we do, Everything we eat...EVERYTHING!!! I Corinthians 10:31 - Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God! It doesn't say, "do all to the glory of God as long as you look good" No it says "whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God" PERIOD!!! We should strive to be more like Christ whether we're 90 pounds or 390. However, we are also told that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost and we are not our own. I Corinthians 6:19 - What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (I'm preaching at myself today...can you tell??? :) I got on my soap box today and talked your "eyes" off just to say this. It is VITALLY IMPORTANT, that WE encourage EACH OTHER on our pathway to remodeling the temple of God. We need to take care of this temple that God has trusted us with, and in order to do that, I believe HE has left the church family here to encourage one another to stay healthy and positive.

Well, I'm just about done on my soap box for today, just a few other things. I wanted to inform all of you that the Susan G. Comen's "Race/Walk for the Cure" is coming up on April 15. I know, I know...tax day, but it is so refreshing to get up early in the morning, and take a leisure walk with friends and family and know that you are walking FOR something or Someone. We have so many survivors in our church and I'm sure some of you even in your families. The Turners and Weidels/Monroes go every year and we Truly have a BLAST. I want to invite all of you this year. You really don't have to do anything but show up, but if you want to support the Walk, you can pay the $25 registration fee. You get a shirt and a numbered bib to walk. The babies (Samantha, Kiley and perhaps Gracey) will all be there in their Pink Ribbon outfits. I can't wait to see them. Anyways, this is a great opportunity to get in some wonderful exercise outside. We usually walk come rain or come shine. Please join us...it's awesome to see how many people show up every year. AND FINALLY!!! (yes we're almost done) don't forget about our first EVER meeting on April 9. Sunday night after the evening service. There will be a sign up sheet for 4-5 people to bring their favorite dish and recipe cards for all who come. This list will be there this coming Sunday. So please sign up. ONLY 4-5 people, so it's first come first serve. Have a Great day and Keep Looking UP for your inspiration and God Bless!!!

God Morning!

Good Morning, and No, the title is not a misprint. Every morning will be a good morning if it is a God morning. When you go to be with Jesus at night, and you wake up with Him in the morning, how can it not be a good day. It's those days when we just don't feel like saying our nightly prayer or our morning prayer to God that we tend to have crummy days and "cheater" days. Or at least that's the way it is for me. I don't really have a whole lot of time this morning, but I just wanted to remind you that when you wake up with God, it's a God morning and you'll have a Great Day!!! Hope this was encouraging to all. Don't forget our first meeting is coming up. 2 weeks from this coming Sunday...April 9. Hope you all have a God Day and Good luck!!! Keep Looking UP for your inspiration and God Bless!!!

Sorry

Hi All, sorry about the lack of updatage yesterday. I got up early enough to update, but I spent my "update" time trying to get Jana out of the bathroom. For whatever reason, door knobs don't like her, and she tends to get locked into rooms and yesterday it was the bathroom. We finally had to call preacher to come and rescue her. So all is well and I'm updating again. You know, the older we get the more we learn. The more certain things happen to us, the better we learn to deal with it. The first time Jana got locked in a room, she panicked, she screamed and thought she would never make it out alive. The next time, she was just a little worried maybe, but yesterday, she was as calm as she could be and we laughed about it. Sometimes dieting is just like that. The first time things don't go your way, you panic, maybe scream a little and thing you'll never succeed...you'll never make it out alive. The next time you cry a little and maybe worry that everyone was right about you. Soon, you'll get to the point where you will realize that if you have God on your side, it's going to be okay. Nothing can stop you. Things might slow you down, like splurging, or getting a little off track (as we tend to do in dieting), but as long as the Lord is with you, you can't lose. He told us that He would never leave us or forsake us...do you really think He meant it in dieting??? I just don't know....HELLOOOOO!!!!! YES, He meant that in dieting...He meant that in every area of our lives. Even when the people around you seem to be dropping weight like it was extra clothing and you're at a stand still, Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, 'I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.' God wants us to be content in what we have, he wants us to know that He will never leave us or forsake us. Well, this is all I have for today, I hope that helped. Keep Looking UP for your inspiration, and God Bless!!!

Weekend Rain!!!

Hello All!!! Let me apologize for the weekend hiatus. It was a busy weekend with my new job hours and such. And then Jana and I cleaned the whole house on Saturday. If you were at the Missions banquet last night, I know you probably cheated...as I did. I had to eat some baklava, but I looked it up online, and it said that homemade baklava was only 4 points, so Carol, Bring it on :) Anyways, Bro. Russell Brinklee brought a great message last night, that's for sure. He used a verse that I'm going to use today because it is just dynamic. Jeremiah 1:19 - And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee. That verse is such a blessing because it really does remind me of fighting the battle of the bulge. There are temptations at every corner, and sometimes we slip and fall, but that doesn't mean we have to stay down. We need to get back up because according to this verse, they won't prevail against us. God is with us and He will deliver us from this battle. He will deliver us out of their hands. So please don't give up like I have wanted to do everytime I have a set back. Keep going, because as long as you keep God in charge of your life and your weight loss, THEY will NEVER prevail against GOD!!!


I'm sure if you are anything like me, the rain kind of put a damper on your weekend. It seemed to come down in sheets at some points, but even when we think it's annoying and gets in the way, we should be thankful for the rain. We need it so very much. It reminded me a lot of cleansing out bodies. Sometimes we wait so long to do it, that by the time we actually do, we have to have the rain come down in sheets. We need to make sure that as a family of people, remodeling their temples, we need to encourage each other on this path. We need to make sure that we have our noses in God's Word, because He is our only source of encouragement at times. I hope you all have a good day today. Keep Looking UP for your inspiration...and God Bless!!!

Here's some Freebies!!

Hi all, don't have much time, but here's some freebies for today. Have a great day!!!

Crockpot Veggie Soup

Recipe By :JaneStarr

0 Points Per Serving

I made this recipe up today; I guess that I'm in a lazy, creative mood :). It's now cooking in my crockpot. I snuck a taste, and it's good. I can only imagine how much better it'll be when the veggies actually get warm and have time to cook! Jane

1 14.5-oz can canned cut tomatoes with onion and garlic

1 14.5-oz can 99% Fat Free Vegetable Broth

2 1/2 cups fatfree chicken broth

5 cups V-8 vegetable juice -- high calcium kind preferred

1 pound frozen carrot slices

1 10-oz package sliced mushrooms

1 medium yellow squash -- sliced

1/4 cup peppers -- frozen, assorted

black pepper -- to taste (1/2 tsp?)

kosher salt -- to taste (1/2 tsp?)

2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves

1 teaspoon dried basil -- to taste (or 1T fresh)

Put all ingredients into crockpot and set on high. (I use a 4 1/2 quart Rival Oval Crockpot). Cook as long as desired (until veggies are as soft as you like). You can cook this on "low" power all day. I like to start it on "high" to get it up to temp.

*faster Puree half of veggies in small batches in the blender or use a hand-blender right in the turned off crock pot.

Freeze in plastic containers in desired quantities. Thaw and reheat in microwave or stove top.

Since this recipe filled my 4 1/2 qt crockpot, I estimate that this will make about 12 (1 1/2 cup) servings

Yield: "4 1/2 quarts"

Per serving: 62 Calories (kcal); trace Total Fat; (6% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 12g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 781mg Sodium

Garden Vegetable Soup Vegan

Shared by: momoftwoiam

0 points per serving

2/3 cup sliced carrot

1/2 cup diced onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups broth (beef, chicken, or vegetable)

1 1/2 cups diced green cabbage

1/2 cup green beans

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup diced zucchini

1. In large saucepan, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, saute the carrot, onion, and garlic over low heat until softened, about 5 minutes. 2. Add broth, cabbage, beans, tomato paste, basil, oregano, and salt; bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until beans are tender. 3. Stir in zucchini and heat 3 - 4 minutes. Serve hot

Makes 4 servings

(about 1 cup each)

Life Saver Soup Vegan

Shared by: Louise

0 Points Per Serving

1 Large can and 1 small can Tomato Juice

2 Cups water

1 can mushrooms and juice

3 or 4 stalks of celery

1 tsp. horseradish

1 med. head of cabbage

2 cubes of beef bouillon

1 onion

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper

cook until Vegetable's are tender.

** I also add vegetables that have 0 point

I know they're all kinda the same recipe, but there are different spices and such. I hope you enjoy these freebies for the day. Until next time...Keep Looking UP for your inspiration and God Bless!!!

Dessert Day!!!

I just wanted to let you know that Kroger still has their sale on the Smart Ones Entrees and Dinners. It goes from today until next Tuesday. Go stock up!!! Okay, I'm updating again. Kroger has a massive sale going on. They have their lean pockets (and subs) for 2 for $5, their pillsbury dough products 10 for $10, Healthy Choice dinners 2 for $4, their oscar meyer beef hot dogs buy one get one free (for those that like 'em), Kashi Heart to Heart is 2 for $5, and a lot more. You just need to go and look for yourself. There's the sales update for today!!!

Well, if you have guessed anything from the title, you know today's recipes will be good (or at least I hope so), but first thing's first. The verse of the day is 2 Corinthians 5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. We need to remember that as long as we are home in these bodies, we will not be happy unless we are honoring God. If we are honoring God with our whole lives, (including our bodies), Then Christ makes us complete and we should be whole in our earthly bodies.

Okay, Here is some great stuff for today. I have deemed today as "DESSERT DAY!!!" So take a look at these desserts that you can have for 1 point.


CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES --Points: 1
From: WW Boards --Wholam's Cookie Thread
Yield: (Serving Size: 1 cookie)

1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 light margarine
1 egg white
1/2 cup white flour
1/2 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. baking soda
Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Mix ingredients until well combined and drop by teaspoons full on cookie sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes. (Note: they are best if you don't let them get to brown.)

CHEWY CHOCOLATE COOKIES --Points: 1
From: WW Boards --Wholam's Cookie Thread
Yield: 5 dozen (Serving size: 1 cookie -- 50 Calories 1g Fat 0g Fiber)

1 (18.25-ounce) devil's food cake mix
2 Tbsp stick margarine or butter, softened
2 Tbsp water
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350F. Coat cookie sheets with cooking spray. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer 2 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoons, 2 inches apart, onto cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

EASY PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES --Points: 1
From: WW Boards --Wholam's Cookie Thread
Serves: 18 (59 Calories 2g Fat 0g Fiber)

1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
1-3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1-1/2 Tbsp light-colored corn syrup
2-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
Preheat oven to 375F. Combine all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl; stir well, and set mixture aside. Combine brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, vegetable oil, and peanut butter in a large bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until mixture is well blended. Add corn syrup, vanilla, and egg; beat well. Stir in flour mixture.
Coat hands lightly with cooking spray, and shape dough into 48 (1-inch) balls. Roll balls in 3 Tbsp
granulated sugar, and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Flatten balls with the bottom of glass. Bake for 7 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Remove from pans, and let cookies cool on wire racks.

PEANUT BUTTER BALLS --Points: 1
From: WW Boards --Wholam's Cookie Thread
Yield: 44 candies (Serving size: 1 candy -- 53 Calories 2g Fat 0g Fiber)
1-1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp light-colored corn syrup
6 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
2 Tbsp sifted powdered sugar
Combine first 3 ingredients; stir well. Combine corn syrup and peanut butter; stir well. Add peanut butter mixture to crumb mixture; stir well. Shape into 1-inch balls. Sprinkle 2 Tbsps powdered sugar evenly over balls. Store in an airtight container.

Almond Fudge Truffles
Makes 24 servings

Ingredients
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup sifted confectioners sugar
1/2 cup light cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 tsp almond extract
Reserve 2 tablespoons of the cocoa powder on a sheet of waxed paper. In a food processor or in a medium bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed, blendthe remaining 1/2 cup cocoa powder, the confectioners sugar, cream cheeseand almond extract. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto the reserved cocoapowder, making 24 truffles; roll into balls and refrigerate until firm, 1-2 hours.
POINTS: 1
PER SERVING: 45 Calories, 1 g Protein, 1 g Total Fiber, 1 g Total Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat,6 g Carbohydrate, 27 mg Sodium, 2 mg Cholesterol, 10 mg Calcium

More 1 Pointers

Hi All, This is the 2nd day of 1 point recipes week. I hope all of you enjoyed the information and recipes given yesterday. The Chili was compliments of Vicky Brinlee (Thanks Vicky). Before, we get to the "treats" for today, we have to do a little business first. Encouragement is the best way to be successful on a diet. Our verse for today comes from the book of Isaiah, chapter 41 verse 10. It says, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. " This is an awesome verse because in all the turmoil and temptation around us, we know that our God is there for us, to strengthen us and uphold us with His hand of righteousness. We need to remember to thank God for each small step we take in our push to "remodel the temple of God". Hope this was helpful to all and encouraging to some.....NOW for some recipes!!!

Charro Soup
4 Tbsp of Hormel Bacon Bits
2 cans of pinto beans
about 1/2 tsp of Oregano
pinch of cumin
1 can of diced tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped onions
minced garlic to taste
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 can of fat free chicken broth

Saute the onions and garlic in a Pam sprayed skillet then combine all the other ingredients and simmer about 20 minutes. 1 Point for a 1 cup serving. (This is another recipe courtesy of Vicky Brinlee).

For you chinese food lovers (like myself) who miss chinese, here is a 1 point eggroll recipe.

VEGETABLE EGG ROLLS --Points: 1
From: http://www.weightwatchers.com
Serves: 8
1 head Chinese cabbage, outer leaves removed, shredded
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
1 Tbsp ginger, fresh, minced or 1/2 tsp dried
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp sesame oil
8 average egg roll wrappers, about 1/2 oz each

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Place cabbage in a microwavable dish and cover. Microwave on high until wilted, 4 minutes. Drainand transfer to a large bowl. Add carrots, garlic, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, cornstarch and oil. Mix well. Arrange egg roll wrappers on a clean, dry surface. Spoon cabbage mixture diagonally onto each wrapper. Fold over one corner to cover filling. Fold up both corners. Moisten edges of remaining flap with water and roll up wrapper jellyroll style until sealed. Transfer egg rolls to prepared baking sheet and spray with olive oil-flavored cooking spray. Bake until golden brown, 25 minutes. Serve hot.

And this one is the last one for today, but this is for you pancake lovers. You can have 1 pancake for 1 point. Here's the recipe


APPLESAUCE PANCAKES ( --Points: 1)
From: Secrets of Fat-Free Cooking Cookbook
Yield: 12 pancakes (Per Pancake: 69 Calories 0.4g Fat 2g Fiber)

1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup nonfat or low-fat buttermilk
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
Combine the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl and stir to mix well. Stir in the applesauce, buttermilk and egg whites. Coat a griddle or large skillet with nonstick cooking spray, and preheat over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles. For each pancake, pour 1/4 cup of batter onto the griddle and spread in to a 4-inch circle. Cook for 1 minute and 30 seconds or until the tops are bubbly and the edges are dry. Turn and cook for an additional minute, or until the second side is golden brown. As the pancakes are done, transfer them to a serving plate and keep warm in preheated oven.

Alright ladies (and gentlemen...don't want to exclude anyone), this is all you're getting today :) so enjoy and eat up. Until Next Time...Keep Looking UP for your inspiration and God Bless!!!!

The Moment of Truth!!

Alright Ladies (and Gentlemen...if there are any), This week ought to be fun!!! We have a bunch of 1 point recipes to put on here, but as I said in last night's meeting, please do not eat only 1 point meals. It is very important for you to eat your allotted points for the day. We have some business to attend to before I start the 1 points section for the week, so I'll start by saying that we had a meeting last night at the church. We decided that our first actual meeting would be on April the 9 (2nd Sunday in April). There will be a sign-up sheet in the back of the church with limited availability to bring some food for this meeting (don't want to allow anyone to go over their points). Mrs. Joyce Hampton is going to go over the pointers of the diet for those of us who have never been to a meeting (some of us are doing it online). We plan to have a great time of fellowship with each other and a wonderful time of encouragement for those who are trying to remodel the temple of God. With that being said, So starts the "1 Point Week".

I'm excited to try this recipe out because I love broccoli/cauliflower salad. Here it is for 1 point:
Makes 6 Servings
Ingredients:
3 cups fresh broccoli florets
3 cups fresh cauliflower florets
1 medium onion, chopped (you can use red onion for color)
3 tbsp Hormel Real Bacon Bits
3/4 cup (3 oz) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1/2 cup Kraft Fat-Free Mayonnaise
1/4 cup spoonable Sugar Twin, Sprinkle Sweet or Splenda sweetener
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
In large bowl combine broccoli, cauliflower, onion, bacon bit and cheddarcheese. In small bowl combine mayonnaise, sweetener and vinegar. Pour mayonnaise mixture over vegetable mixture. Mix well to combine. Cover and refrigerate at least 1/2 hour. Gently stir again just before serving.
SERVING SIZE: 1 cup
POINTS: 1

I did taste this and it's wonderful...great for a quick lunch at work
Robert's Chili
2 large onions - chopped
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 large can chili beans
1 pkg of boca beef
1 pkg fajita seasoning
Chop onions and put in large pan covered with water and add fajita sasoning. Bring to a boil and let boil until onions are tender. Then add rest of ingredients and season to taste. You can add cumin, chili powder or more fajita seasoning and add garlic salt/or powder. You can also add mushrooms or water chestnuts or anything else of no point value.

These are the only 2 for today. I don't want to overload you guys, but look tomorrow and there will be a few more 1 point recipes. Also, if you weren't at the meeting, or you didn't write down the email address, email me at jocelyn_weidel@sbcglobal.net and I will be sure to add you to the mailing list so you get a notice as to when the site has been updated everyday. Until next time...Keep looking UP for your inspiration and God Bless!!!

Chonda Tonight!!!

I don't know about you, but I am so excited that it's Friday and I'm going to see Chonda Pierce tonight. This woman has been through it all. I am telling you, I've been to 2 of her concerts up in Springfield. You'll be laughing one minute and crying the next, and then laughing again. Chonda's life story has touched my life. When you think that things have gone wrong in your life, you need to sit down and listen to Chonda. She's been there, she's done that and now she's helping millions of woman (and men) get through it to. The best way to get through anything is to laugh it off and Chonda will tell you that. Chonda has gotten my family through many a rough time (not personally, but by listening to her CD's). So...I'm very excited. Those of you that are going to see her tonight, you're going to get a special treat if you've never seen her live before. She's awesome.

Okay, this site is not about Chonda, so I guess I should talk about dieting huh? LOL. Just in case you missed it on yesterday's blog, there will be a VERY BRIEF meeting after the evening service this coming Sunday Night. Please be thinking about how often you would like to fellowship at the church and the best days and times. I want this to go as smoothly as possible and as quickly. I don't want it to drag out because I know that everyone wants to finish their weekend with family time, so we'll make it quick.

I have been emailing a few people everyday once the blog is updated, so they know when they can go on and see something new. If you would like to be added to this email group, please email me at jocelyn_weidel@sbcglobal.net I will add you to the list and you will receive the daily email. There will be some changes come next week. I don't know that I will be able to keep up with the blog everyday (at least not get it updated as early). But, I'm going to try my best to keep it updated with fun things everyday. Until Next Time...Keep Looking UP for your inspiration and God Bless!!!

A Sale to Invest In

Okay Ladies, Brenda said it in last night's comments, I confirmed it this morning...the Weight Watcher's Smart One's Entrees are on sale at Kroger. They are $1.00 for 10 (but you HAVE to purchase 10 or it doesn't work) and their dinners are $1.50 each when you purchase 10 (but again, you HAVE to purchase 10 or it doesn't work). They do have a sale on the dinners though, that are 2 for $4...so if you don't choose to purchase 10, you can still get them for cheap. Same with the entrees, they are 2 for $3 if you choose not to purchase 10, but if you have a deep freezer, my suggestion is to buy as many as you can when they're on sale and keep them in the freezer. The only thing, there is a limit. 10 entrees and 10 dinners per purchase. They also have their Lean Pockets on sale 3 for $5.00 for those of you who like those. That's the SALES update for the week! Have fun ladies.

The verse for today is Psalm 138:7 - Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. Sometimes in the hum-drum life of dieting, we tend to think that we're starving when in all reality, it's our mind playing tricks on us. We are so used to eating so much, that when we cut back on our food intake, our mind tells us we're hungry when we're really not. This is the reason why it is important to drink water. It is a filling substance that will make you less hungry all the time. Also, It is very important to remember to take a multi-vitamin when dieting. So many times, we focus more on our diet, that we forget that we need nutrients as well. If you are not taking a multi-vitamin, let me encourage you to start. Your body will be a lot healthier for it not to mention your mind and everything else. Well, I hope that this was somewhat encouraging today.

I wanted to get your attention for this part!!! We will be having a VERY BRIEF meeting after church on Sunday night after the service. We will meet at the front of the auditorium. Please think about how often you would like to have meetings (once a month, twice, etc) and what day(s) and time(s) will be the best for you to be able to come and fellowship with us.

Until Next time...Keep Looking UP for your inspiration and God Bless!!

Tremendous Feedback!

The feedback yesterday was great. It helped me greatly and I hope it helped some of you who might be going through the same thing. This has not been confirmed yet, so I'm speaking out of the side of my mouth when I say this, but I think we are wanting to have a very short (and I mean short) meeting after church on Sunday night. This meeting is simply to find out who all is interested in doing a meeting (like a monthly or bi-weekly) at the church and then to discuss a time when we can have our first actual meeting. I'm very excited about this and I can't wait until everything falls into place so we can talk in person about our successes instead of only online. Don't get me wrong, online is not a horrible thing...I love the interaction that the few of us are having, but I'm hoping that through meeting once or twice a month, our little group will grow into a big group. We might even be able to convince other people (outside of our church) to come in and fellowship with us.

We had a question on yesterday's comments and now I'm going to answer it with a recipe that is to die for. What is Ham Stromboli??? You take the pillsbury dough pizza crust and roll it out into a rectangle. You then put italian seasoning all over the pizza crust and then add mozzerella cheese (the low point kind). After that, you put ham on it (I don't remember how much...I think my mom put 3.5 slices on it. But you just spread it out over the dough. Then you add any vegetables that you like on your pizza into the stromboli. We put green bell pepper, onion, black and green olives and mushrooms. Then you fold one end over and then the other over that and place it seam side down and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. It's the easiest dinner and the best. You cut it into 4 pieces and it's 4.5 points per serving. It's good stuff.

Our verse for today comes out of the book of Jude and it talks about the only one who is able to keep us from falling deserves all the glory and majesty. I hope this encourages you.
Jude 1:24-25 - Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25. To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Just Being Honest!

Okay, Just being honest, I was a little down today when I stepped on the scale. I was hoping that I made my first goal this week only to find that I'm set back by almost 2 pounds. I don't know what I did wrong this week. I stayed as close to the diet as I could, but to no avail. 2 weeks ago, I started using my 5 flex points everyday (I took my 35 and used it throughout the week instead of saving them up). I saw a great change in my weight loss. Well, I didn't do so well this week. My points started over today and I still had 20.5 flex points left for the week. So I'm going to set a personal goal today (for all to see). I'm going to try extra hard this week to get all of my points in everyday (including my flex points). Anyway, so I was a little bummed until I read the devotion on http://www.crosswalk.com today. It brought a whole new light about my dieting. The verse for today is Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. In the devotion today, it simply states, "The things He overcame cause our dieting efforts to pale in comparison". I might be a little upset because I didn't do so well this week, but Christ gave a lot more than I could ever give on a diet. When I very first weighed this morning, like I said, I was bummed, but you know what my first thought was? "I looked really good in my dress this past Sunday and it fit great for the first time since I bought it". I'm not trying to be vain, but we all have to give ourselves some encouragement somehow. So, remember that verse on the day you step on the scale.

On to more interesting topics (I'm sure you don't care to come on here and read all about my set backs :) Anyway, I would like to do a 1 point day, probably next week, so for those of you who read this, I would appreciate it if you could either in the comments section or at church on Wednesday and Sunday, bring me your favorite 1 point recipes. I want to put them on the blog for all to see. Thanks for the support you give me in doing this, I hope that it is of encouragement to all who read. Until next time, Keep looking UP for your inspiration and God Bless!

The Weekend Off!

I hope you guys don't mind, but I took the weekend off from the blog. I think I will do that from now on. I will update during the week and not do anything on the weekend...unless there is something special going on. I hope that everyone had a great weekend. Mine was busy packed full of celebrations and family time. I'm proud of myself though, with everything that went on this weekend, I still stuck to my diet. I feel like I ate way too much and might have even gained a pound or two, but everything we had this weekend was low in points. We tried the 1 point chili that Vicky recommended earlier, and it was a winner. Everyone liked it. We ate it two days in a row. We added mushrooms to ours. I hope that everyone will try it and put something of their own in it...when you do, comment on the blog and let us know what you tried in your chili.

Our verse today is from Psalms. It's Psalm 50:15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. This verse has 2 great reminders in it. First of all, the fact that God will always be there for us in the time that we need Him the most. (I know that I need His strength a lot in dieting). Second of all, is the fact that He deserves the glory. We are supposed to do everything to glory of God and if your glory is going somewhere else, you need to re-examine your priorities. It's so easy to take compliments sometimes, but do you ever really remember who those compliments belong to? Just a reminder that we need to praise God for the small glories in our own lives. I hope this was an encouragement to others and I hope you have a great day. Until next time...Keep looking UP for your inspiration and God Bless!

TGIF

2 Corinthians 12:9 - And he said unto me, 'My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.' Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

In case you haven't noticed a recurring theme this week, it's making sure that you realize that God's grace is sufficient in our weakness. With my blood sugar being all over the place (always low), I get the munchies and just want to snack all day. I'm struggling to eat the protein that my Doctor wants me to eat, because let's face it...I like crackers and stuff other than meat and cheese. :) But the Lord has provided me the strength to make it through. I can't guarantee that I lost any weight...but I'm just praying I didn't gain any. I'm just being honest, because I don't ever want to sit here and say "I'm doing so great on my diet...oh you cheated??? You bad person!" That's not what this site is here for. I want to talk about my struggles and in turn, I would hope that you would talk about yours. The reason why I am so excited about Vicky's 1 point recipes, is because they are healthy, and only 1 point. So when I get the munchies, I can eat a little bit of chili and it's good, full of protein and only 1 point.

If there is anything I have learned from everybody else, (not from personal experience because it's never happened to me), but that is to quick drinking soda and start drinking water. I have always been a water drinker (for the most part), so I've never dropped that "initial" weight that everyone says you would lose if you would quick drinking soda. But that's something that I thought I would remind you of. To end today's blog, I want to leave you with a devotional that crosswalk did back in January. I hope this encourages you today. Keep Looking UP for your inspiration and God Bless!!!

The little boy lagged farther and farther behind his parents. As his father turned to tell him to hurry up, the little boy sobbed, 'I can't hurry. I'm too tired. Carry me.' He stopped where he was and lifted his weary little arms. During our diets, we often feel just like that little boy. We just cannot go on anymore; we just don't have the strength. That's when we need to turn to God. In our weakness He brings us strength. You will be amazed at what great endurance the Lord gives to those who stretch out their arms to Him.

Today's thought: The Lord lifts us up from temptation when we reach out to Him.

With Permission

For those of you guys who actually do get on and read this blog everyday...Thank you!!! You are awesome, but I want to remind you to read the comments section. Vicky has been making tons of great comments as well as Jana and Brenda. I love those 1 point recipes...they're great. I haven't had a chance to try any of them just yet, but I do intend to. With Vicky's permission, I think one day next week, I'm going to have a full blog of (her) 1 point recipes. She has been so faithful to help all of us out with that, and I personally appreciate it. Like I've said in so many comments, I can't wait to try those recipes out because they really sound good. Also, for those of you who are Starbucks fans (or just coffee fans) I will have a recipe for an Iced Mocha on here before too long. I want to try it out for myself before I put it on the website.

If you didn't get a chance, I hope that you will look at yesterday's blog. There is a verse on there, that would be a great motto for dieters. The end of a thing in so much better than the beginning and that is incredibly true with dieting. Here is the verse for today:
Deuteronomy 31:8 - And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed. I know that dieting can get very discouraging at times, but remember this verse when it gets to be a struggle. Also, remember us, we're here for you and we want to help you through the same struggles that we are all facing. I hope that you will use the encouragement from this blog and from our group, to stay strong and remember to focus on God instead of your diet. I just want to give you a little insight...something that helps me and I don't know why I didn't think of it before, but there is a devotional for dieters. Go to www.crosswalk.com to the devotionals, there are tons of devotionals there, but there is a specific one for dieters. This can be a great encouragement...let it encourage you today. Until next time...Keep looking UP for your inspiration and God Bless!

Encouragement Today!

Ecclesiastes 7:8 - Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. I thought this might be a helpful verse to those who might be having a down day today. For those who hate dieting (like me...I've been on a diet almost everyday of my life it feels like), this verse speaks volumes. Once you've reached your goal in weight loss, it is so much better than the struggles that you fight everyday in order to get there. You must be faithful to God and He will be faithful to you. So many people don't want to "bother" God with prayers about losing weight, but He cares for you and He wants to know that you trust Him to provide the strength you need in weak times. Just remember that "Too much doubt rules weight loss out!" When you have a negative mind, it will constantly fight against you. I know that it is so easy to get negative about dieting, especially when the needle seems to go up instead of down, but God understands and He cares. Talk to Him about your frustrations. Talk to us about your frustrations...that's what we're here for. We want to offer you support. Make comments in the comments section. If you have questions, such as "is anyone else having problems with such and such?" write it, so other people can have a chance to respond to you. It is very important to think positively. If you're not losing weight, maybe God isn't ready for you to lose weight...or maybe you're not wanting to lose it for the right reason, so until you search God's will, He may be holding you up a little bit. I don't know. "With each little loss of weight, I make a greater gain!" Even if it is only 1/2 pound, it is still that much closer to your goal.

You need to have confidence because confidence is an important part of dieting. When we stand firm on what we have decided to do, then and only then, we will succeed. Nothing can sway you from your diet if you don't want it to! Stand firm and lean on God because He will keep you strong. I hope this was encouraging for all who read today. Until next time...Keep looking UP and God Bless!