Author: Deborah

Happy thanksgiving friends,

I have made some wonderful friends in blog land and wanted to introduce them to you. I will be sharing three blogs of my favorites. So watch for them and feel free to subscribe to their blogs as well. It will encourage them in their weight struggles and it will bless you to encourage others.

My friend, Rachel (22 years old) has lost 28 pounds with the help and support of Weight Watchers. She started her journey at 318. I choose to share her post because of her good advice about the Thanksgiving meal. It helped me, so I thought you could benefit as well. She also shared about some of her family issues. We all have them, don’t we?  Pray for her to have a successful Thanksgiving. I have become emotionally attached to her story Please feel free to subscribe to her blog. It will encourage her as well as you. Pray for her too. You’ll have to check it out to get her recipes for a Weight Watchers Pumpkin Pie that’s 5 PointsPlus per piece and a Weight Watchers Strawberry Banana Pie that’s 4 PointsPlus per piece. ( http://wwwmyjourneyonedayatatime.wordpress.com)

I hope you enjoy reading my guest blogs as much as I do. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!  Deborah  Continue reading SHARING A BLOG: MY JOURNEY–ONE DAY AT A TIME by Rachel

Goodbye old friends. I’m going to miss you. For the last several years we’ve been together  for the Christmas holidays. You went with me Christmas shopping, to Christmas parties, and to family gatherings. I have enjoyed you so much. You hung around me during my favorite time of the year. We have  eaten together, opened presents together, and enjoyed our Christmas’ together.

But it is time to say goodbye. You have outgrown me, or rather I have undergrown you, and you no longer fit in my life. You’re bigger than I am. Continue reading Goodbye Old Friends

(Editor’s note: This is a  story I wrote for a writing contest. In the contest I could only use 250 words, but here I can write as I feel led by God. I pray it ministers to you, it did to me.

I’m not the girl in the story, but the emotions were mine.  My highest weight was 241 pounds, not 300. The words God spoke to her were the same words He spoke to me when I cried out in desperation.

This story begins in fiction and ends with truth. As they say in the movies, “This is a fiction story based on some facts of truth.”) Continue reading SUCH A PRETTY FACE, WHAT A SHAME

Since cold is coming, I’ll share the recipe for my husband’s favorite homemade soup. I usually make this soup and can it in quart jars for later, but it freezes well too.

I have made it for a large crowd. It serves 20-30 people depending on the size of your soup bowls. It’s also good to serve those friends coming to watch football.

Chicken Mexican Soup (for canning) Continue reading CHICKEN MEXICAN SOUP

Lord, I praise you for all these clothes that are now too big for me, 41 pieces total. Wow!  Now I have the joy of giving them away or trading them for new ones at the consignment shop. I do enjoy shopping for new clothes. You give me all that I need and for  a price I can afford too.  Thank you. Continue reading HALLOWEEN CANDY and VICTORY

 

Lord, I don’t like water. It’s so boring. I love drinks with fizz, coffee with cream, and southern ice tea. Now I have a bladder infection, the doctor says I’m dehydrated and need more water.

I asked her opinion about a skin test. (If you pinch up the skin on your hand and it stays pinched up then you’re dehydrated.)  She confirmed the test was correct.

I thought maybe this was  just extra skin due to my weight loss. (64 lbs.)  “Could my skin just be loose like that of an old hound dog?” Continue reading WATER FOR LIFE

(Note: Please accept my apologies if you are receiving a duplicate of this post. When I posted this the first time, only half of the article  went through. I don’t know why this happened. I did have a virus and carried the computer to the repairman. I thought he had fixed it. I do appreciate your patience and understanding.)

Today Lord, I decided to go for a walk. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, birds were singing, and there was  a light breeze. The sunshine felt warm and wonderful. I enjoyed visiting with a couple as they decorated their yard. Further down, I talked with a  young mother as she supervised her daughter.  Instead of it being the drudgery of exercise, this walk was a pleasure.  At one point I was singing praise songs to You and I felt Your Presence with Me. Continue reading SHOULD I EXERCISE? (Trying again)

 Today Lord, I decided to go for a walk. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, birds were singing, and there was  a light breeze. The sunshine felt warm and wonderful. I enjoyed visiting with a couple as they decorated their yard. Further down, I talked with a  young mother as she supervised her daughter.  Instead of it being the drudgery of exercise, this walk was a pleasure.  At one point I was singing praise songs to You and I felt Your Presence with Me.

I have been reading about all the exercise programs that others are doing to lose weight. Do You think I should be exercising? With Your help I have already lost 63 pounds, but all these others are working so hard with their plans.  After yoga, aerobics, and running, one lady said she dances while she cooks supper. I think I’d die if I tried to keep up with her. I get tired just reading about her exercise.

Although, I am beginning to wonder if I need to do some type of exercise. A sister in law used to talk about taking belly dancing lessons. After looking at this outfit I decided that belly dancing is not for me. Lord, You have seen my belly and it’s not a pretty sight. Sometimes, it even dances by itself. No, I don’t think belly dancing is for me.

I downloaded an app to measure my steps as I walk and was able to walk a mile today. That was quite an accomplishment for me since I was considering a nap instead. Everything in me screams in rebellion at the idea of a structured exercise program. Everywhere I look people are working hard to work off their excess weight. I rather curl up with a good book. Lord, what do You think I should do?

I designed your body for flexibility and strength. You have heard that if you don’t use it, you will lose it. That’s true. Exercise for the joy of moving is good. When the exercise program becomes the focus of your life, that’s not good. Your focus should be to help those struggling with life, rather than the number of repetitions in your workout. But, you do need to move those body parts to keep them loose and moving freely. Otherwise early stiffness will set in just as rust will set in metal that has been sitting in place.

      My child, you get to choose to exercise or not. Your decision to or not does not affect My purpose or My plans.  Did you see My daughter that chooses to work out and run 10 miles everyday? She is 77 years old with a body any 20 year would love. The difference is that she shares about My love and the strength that is found in My Presence. She reads My Word every day and that is her greatest exercise.

I have given you free will to chose and  I have made a provision for you in case you choose not to exercise.