Outside my window...it is sunny, the snow has melted and it's supposed to reach 57 degrees today! In January. In Indiana.
I am thinking...that I did miss blogging but enjoyed the break. I'll continue but without any pressure as to how often.
I am thankful for...the fact that no one in our house has come down with the flu or any of the nasty viruses going around.
From the kitchen...the fridge looks kind of bare but that's because a lot of the food is in the freezer which reminds me that I need to thaw something for dinner.
I am creating...printed photo cards for my Etsy shop. Instead of mounting photos on cards (although I still like those), I had cards professionally printed with my photos and am pleased with how they look.
I am reading...The Hole in our Holiness by Kevin DeYoung for the second time. If I could afford to do so, I'd buy copies of this book for everyone I know. I read a lot of books that are good but now and then I come across one that is downright life changing and this is one of those for me.
Around the house...all signs of the holidays are gone and I'm enjoying the simpler decor. Christmas decorations are nice but they also add clutter.
On my MP3 player this week...Jars of Clay, Adele.
One of my favorite things...My Fitness Pal food journal (see my grace note below). I'm able to plan my food for the day and see where I need to make changes to stay within my goals.
One of my least favorite things...the behavior of our leaders in Washington and not just the President. I want to respect the offices they hold but they aren't making it easy.
My simple devotion: "That's essentially what spiritual warfare is: believing the truth from God instead of the lies from the devil. Satan is the father of lies, and his basic weapon is deception. He lies about God. He lies about the Bible. He lies about your forgiveness. Resisting the devil has nothing to do with haunted houses or spinning heads. It has to do with faith, trusting in truth instead of lies. ...In spiritual warfare you stand fast against the schemes of the devil by standing fast on the Word of God." - From The Hole in our Holiness by Kevin DeYoung
A Simple Grace Note: I'm not technically on a "diet" as in counting calories and didn't make any New Year's resolutions that way except to change one thing and that is to monitor my daily intake of sugar grams. I've lost 4 pounds so far this month just by doing that. It's hard to avoid sugar and refined carbs to keep the total grams low, but the results are worth the effort. Sugar is hidden in so many foods so this has been an eye-opener. Red Velvet Cake is a grace note, which my husband and son bought for my birthday last Sunday, so I allowed myself a day off from food tracking knowing there was no denying that just one piece had more sugar grams than my whole day's allowance.
A Picture to Share: Some of my new printed cards
Glad to see you back, Cindy. Your note cards are beautiful. I'm enjoying the ones I won from you awhile back. The book sounds great and I plan to get it since you are recommending it so highly.
ReplyDeleteIt's supposed to hit 70 here over the weekend! That's downright strange for this time of year in N.C.!
Happy Birthday!! Love your new cards. ITA about all the hidden sugar. I just picked up some wheat rolls and the 3rd ingredient was sugar. That was a surprise. Shreaded Wheat n Bran has no sugar - or at least that's what I saw on the box today when I was grocery shopping.
ReplyDeleteGlad your back!!!Need to get the book you are writing about.
ReplyDeleteWow! The new cards are beautiful. So glad to see you back. I have not officially taken a ''blogging break'' but have gotten woefully slow in posting. I want to write more but seems like I just don't have the attention span anymore to sit and let me mind tell my fingers what to write! ha
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the 4 lbs you lost! I'm curious as to how many grams of sugar you allow yourself each day. That is my worst culprit...sugar! I am addicted to it I guess! And I realize that is not good!
I just finished going to Amazon and was able to read a few select pages from The Hole in our Holiness by Kevin DeYoung that you were telling us about. It was very interesting! He talks about some of the things that my husband and I have been discussing the past several days. I just may have to get me a copy.
DeleteMarilyn, I shoot for 15 total grams of sugar a day. This is different than the carb grams on the label. Usually a label will list carb grams then beneath that will break that down to how many of those are sugar grams. That's the number I pay attention to. 15 grams isn't much and it takes some planning to keep my food choices in that range, but being pre-diabetic, it's something I need to do. Just one cup of milk has 11 grams of sugar!
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ReplyDeleteWelcome back! I enjoyed this as always. I too have been REALLY REALLY watching my sugar and carbs. Soo not easy. But definitely worth it.
Welcome back Cindy! I love your cards and these flowers are simply beautiful. Thanks for your book recommendation. I never heard of it so I will check it out. I agree with you about our political leaders. :( I am using My Fitness Pal too but find I sometimes forget to log in all I'm eating. I signed up with a group on Facebook and we are all trying to be accountable with our eating and exercise.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
Blessings and love,
Debbie
Glad you are back..your cards are wonderful, have fun! Love devotional...believing what God says over the devil
ReplyDeleteOh I need accountability with my eating...somehow right now with weddings, showers, adoption, I not doing too good.
Glad you're back! Of course, love your cards. I need to start counting sugar grams. Have mercy; I might have packed away the Christmas decorations, but the Christmas pounds have remained.
ReplyDeletepeace~elaine
I WILL be ordering the book, Cindy, and look forward to reading it. Sounds like you've discovered a good system for you to keep track of "sugar" and take some great steps toward better health in 2013.
ReplyDeleteYour cards ARE beautiful. I need to be responsible with the notecards I have currently.....then (perhaps) I'll order some of yours.
I enjoyed the sunshine today and celebrated with my husband at Cracker Barrel with a grilled trout dinner :)
the daybook brought me here. nice blog!
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