Friday, July 11, 2008

On the lowcarb front:
My stats for today:
Type: walk/jog
Route: Deadend/back/far edge of the woods/back
Time: 30 minutes
Average heart rate: 126
Maximum heart rate: 153
Calories burned: 239
Yesterday's Carb count: 41
I’m down 1.2 from last Friday
I got out on the road at about 8:10 or so. I can tell it's going to be a warm one. Saw a couple of rabbits and lots of deer hoof prints, but no deer.

On the business/home front:
I occasionally check out the competition's soap to see what's new on the market. I came across an ebay listing where a gal is claiming all kinds of things. Now I have no beef with claiming certain properties for skin, but when someone starts attributing soap properties to relief of muscle aches, arthritis, and high blood pressure, then I get a little annoyed. It gives the rest of us soapers a bad name. For instance, this lady is using chamomile in her soap and she says that chamomile is good for aches and pains, moodiness, cramping etc. That may be true if chamomile is taken internally - as in tea. The same with some of the other claims she is making about herbs. I don't think this person is intentionally being dishonest, but it is this kind of irresponsibility that hurts the rest of us. She does put a disclaimer on it saying that she is not a doctor, but that is laughable because in the next sentence she says that what we use on our bodies ends up in our bodies. So she is implying that her soap will do things that it won't do - unless, of course, you eat it. There are enough legitimate benefits to handmade soap without pulling some out of thin air. Okay, rant over.

I made my candles last night and changed the wicks. I think I have found my wick combo now. I'm not sure I'm happy with the scent throw so I will have Kelli and Anna test for me. I am around these scents so much that sometimes I am immune to them.

Today I am going to concentrate on cleaning and stockings. Hopefully I will be able to catch up in both areas. Tonight there will be a "Moeggenborg Girls' night Out" at my sister-in-law's house. We try to do these monthly and they are a lot of fun. They are quilting all day today and if I had planned better, I could have joined them. I have a wedding rehearsal tonight so I will be getting there a little late.

Word of the day:
Matthew 10:16-20
Jesus said to his disciples, "See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you."

Reflections from the cornfield:
If ever there was a "let go and let God" moment, this is it. Or maybe "trust, but verify." How often do we turn things over to God only to slowly take back our issues thinking we can do it better. It's easy for us, in hindsight, to think that the disciples should have just trusted, but they were still growing in their understanding of Jesus. Indeed, Jesus himself, was evolving his mission from the lost sheep of the house of Israel to the lost sheep of the world.

God bless the troops!

Thursday, July 10, 2008

On the lowcarb front:
My stats for today:
Type: walk/jog
Route: Deadend/back/far edge of the woods/back
Time: 30 minutes
Average heart rate: 126
Maximum heart rate: 139
Calories burned: 239
Yesterday's Carb count: 30
I’m down 1 pound from last Thursday
Got out on the road at about 8:05. It is still very hard work. I have done well on the food front - sometimes it is so easy. Other times, not. I am trying for an average heart rate of 126. That's a decent workout. So far I am having to walk more than jog, but as I get in better shape, I will have to do more running to keep my heart rate up.

On the home/business front:
I made Raspberry Jasmine Spice soap last night. I am pouring at a thinner trace and it is making for a smoother topped soap. The house is filled with the fragrance right now. Soon it will be moved downstairs to the curing rack. We got our confirmation letter for the Zonta Club show. I bought some canning jars today and I will be making my Apple Pie candles tonight.
I had a funeral to play for this morning. The family was very quiet. It's hard to read people when they are so quiet. Most of the mourners have not attended church in a long while. It's sad to see the traditions of the parents go by the wayside.

Word of the day:
Matthew 10:7-15
Jesus said, 'As you go, proclaim the good news, "The kingdom of heaven has come near." Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for labourers deserve their food. Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. As you enter the house, greet it. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgement than for that town.

Reflections from the cornfield:
This scripture passage deals with the commissioning of the twelve to spread the the good news. What they do, they are to do without thought of payment or reward. They are to rely on the faithful for their physical sustenance. This is quite a challenge. Especially in this day and age. We are hesitant to trust God to take care of our needs, much less other people. However, I firmly believe that what you seek, you find. If you seek ill will and malice in others, you will find it. But if you seek the good, you will find that too. Material goods can often get in the way of what we are supposed to be doing as Christians. When the maintenance and pursuit of our stuff takes up more time than we spend giving thanks and sharing our bounty, we are sorely out of balance.

There was a study done recently that I heard about on the radio. It said that giving can release the same endorphins as receiving. But that is probably only true if the giving is done for the right reasons. I would bet that a gift given out of obligation would be less likely to bless the donor than one given out of love. When love is the motive, there is no sacrifice so to speak. The older I get, the more I find this to be true.

God bless the troops!

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

On the lowcarb front:
My stats for today:
Type: walk/jog
Route: Deadend/back/far edge of the woods/back
Time: 30 minutes
Average heart rate: 126
Maximum heart rate: 139
Calories burned: 239
Yesterday's Carb count: 44
I’m up .6 pounds from last Tuesday

Got out on the road at 9:45. As I was passing one field, I smelled something I couldn’t quite place. Then I realized it was the same as the Hunter’s Green soap that I made for the guys for hunting season. A little further up the road, I got the oppressive odors of Courter’s feed lot. I could smell that rotten silage in the house all night last night. I don’t know how those people can stand to live right next to it. Anyway, the walk/jog was a good one. I can’t believe that I used to run that whole way. I have really let things slide. I get really out of breath.

On the home/business front:
Yesterday was pretty productive. I got most of the things done that were on my list. Filled an order for stockings which I will get ready to ship today. I have a little laundry to finish up. I made Country Roads soap. This time I swirled the 2 colors in the pot at thin trace. The soap turned out really pretty. Today I will be making candles, stockings, and working on an Anniversary gift, filling an online order, working in my zone, and doing general straightening . I have sent in most of the booth fees for our craft shows and as soon as I get confirmation I will list them on the site. Tonight Anna and Melisa are coming to learn how to sew up our Christmas stockings. I am going to need help if we get as many orders as I am hoping. Nina wants to help sew up stockings too, so I will show her the next time she comes up. Maybe she and Anna can find a mutual place to meet and swap them out. We'll need a family meeting on that one. Or I can send an extra large batch with Nina and she can just bring them when she visits.

Word of the day:
Matthew 9:35-38
Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest."

Reflections from the cornfield:
When Jesus spoke to the people, he used images from their lives to illustrate his teachings. Being part of the farming community, this passage has special meaning to me. Every year at spring planting, or fall harvest, or winter maple syrup time, the guys are looking for help. They are the farmers - the ones with the agricultural knowledge. The rest of us just do what we're told. We may not know the reason we are doing what we do, but we trust that the guys know what they are doing.

One of the things in life that I don't understand is snobbery. I do not know how anyone can look at nature and think that one job is more important than another. Take a look at how we panic when even the tiniest element of nature is threatened. And yet there are people who think that working with their brains is superior to working with their hands. Yes, we need our thinkers, but we also need our doers and we can't do without either one. We need our doctors, but we also need our trash collectors. We need the combines and the tractors, but we also need the family members who help pull velvet leaf weeds out of the soybean field.

My point in all of this is that there is work for everyone in the vineyard. No job is too small. And no one should think that he is better or lesser than anyone else because of his station in life - because the only thing you take with you when you leave this world is the love you shared along the way - and we can all do that.





God bless the troops!

Monday, July 7, 2008

On the lowcarb front:
Route: Deadend/back/loop
Time: 30 minutes
Type: Walk/jog
Average heart rate: 126
Maximum heart rate: 140
Calories burned: 236
I’m up 3 pounds from last Monday
Got out on the road at 10:06 this morning. I headed down to the deadend. To the right were round hay bales. To the left was a soybean field. It was slightly overcast this morning, a little muggy. On my way back I saw something I never, ever see out on the road. Another walker. As I came over the small rise heading west, there was a lady ahead of me. I was jogging, she was walking - and she was making better time than me. LOL! But I’m out there doing it. For me, the hardest part of working out is the transition. It's the getting started. So, part of my morning routine now is to make the bed the minute my feet hit the floor (thanks, Flylady) and then immediately get into my exercise gear. Once I have that done, the workout is pretty much guaranteed.

On the home front:
We had a cookout at Melisa and Justin’s last night.
Today is Melisa’s 30th birthday. I can't believe how the years have flown.
I have set out a schedule for myself for today. On the agenda are bills, laundry, soap, stockings, inventory at the school, and a few other things I need to get done. I have to set a schedule for myself or I lose focus.

Word of the day:
Matthew 9:18-26
While Jesus was speaking, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, "My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live." And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well." Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." And instantly the woman was made well. When Jesus came to the leader's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, "Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. And the report of this spread throughout that district.

Reflections from the cornfield:
The story of the hemorrhagic woman has always fascinated me. In the same account in Luke and Mark, Jesus remarks that he feels power going out of him. It is an intriguing thought that faith can summon power. We know from numerous accounts that all of Jesus' healing required faith from someone. It is mind-boggling to think about how faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. What could we accomplish with an increase in faith? Take a look at those who achieve monumental things in life. Somewhere along the line, faith had a part.

I often get a chuckle out of the people who ridicule Jesus. One wonders if their eyes are ever opened, and if they are - what are they thinking? How many times are we deterred in our efforts because of the laughter or ridicule of others? And what does the laughter and ridicule reveal about others? And what does our reaction to it reveal about us? The older I get, the less I am affected by that kind of thing. If anything, laughter and ridicule just makes me that much more determined to succeed.

Both of these healings were witnessed by others. Word spread. It's still spreading. Spread the Word.

God bless the troops!

Sunday, July 6, 2008

On the lowcarb front:
As I predicted yesterday, today's weigh-in is a disaster. I am up 5.2 pounds from last Sunday. Now I know that some of that is water weight, but I can't blame it all on that. I don't know what it is with me that I can do so well for a while and then completely land in the mud. I was tempted to not even post the results for today, but I think every struggle and stumble needs to be recorded so that I can see what the patterns are in this journey.

Yesterday I did well. We went to a wedding reception - I stuck with veggies and chicken. Drank 1 diet coke and then water the rest of the evening. So that is a non-scale victory - I focused just on yesterday. Today I will do the same. Hopefully, the news next week will be better. I am trying not to be discouraged, but I keep sabatoging myself and I can't seem to get a handle on this food thing.

But I'm going to keep plugging along anyway.

Here are my stats for today:
Workout: Treadmill
Time: 30 minutes
Ave. Hrt rate: 119
Max. Hrt rate: 150
Calories burned: 210
comparison from last Sunday: up 5.2

Word of the day:
Matthew 11:25-30
Jesus said, 'I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.'

Reflections from the cornfield:
We are called to enter the Kingdom of God as little children. Children trust - they don't analyze, they take things at face value. A visiting missionary once put it this way. "Little children trust because they have more recently been in the company of God." It's true, you know. As we journey on this earth, we accumulate things - not just material things, but spiritual baggage. A child does not know how to discriminate. He will notice differences, but not in a judgemental way. Bigotry is a learned trait - not something we are born with.

A child trusts that his needs will be taken care of. He doesn't sit around worrying about where his next meal is coming from. He just trusts that when he cries out, he will be given food, or warmth, or clothing, or shelter. But as we grow older, we see things differently. We see that there are people who don't have enough shelter, or enough to eat, or clothes to wear. We grow cynical. Often, we blame God for allowing such things to happen. But who is the body of Christ? We are given that charge to take care of our brothers and sisters. This is not a heavy burden - this yoke is easy - if we act out of love. I never hear this passage from Matthew without thinking of the air from "Messiah" entitled "He Shall Feed His Flock." And he does - at Eucharist through his body and blood and in the world through us. At the end of the Mass the words in latin used to be "Ita Missa Est. " "It is the mission." In English the words now are "Go in peace to love and serve the Lord and each other." First comes the love - that is what makes the yoke easy and the burden light. No?




God bless the troops!

Saturday, July 5, 2008

On the lowcarb front:
I have a feeling that tomorrow's weigh-in is not going to be pretty. It's been a bad week eating wise. I seem to have lost focus. I am a person who really has to work hard at focusing. The bigger picture is always overwhelming to me. This is the reason that freeways scare me. My brain just can't process that much information at once. So this morning I have re-grouped. I have my menu planned for the week. I am going to focus on sticking solely to that menu with no deviations - no grabbing a handful of this or that and not accounting for it. No eating other that planned meals or snacks. Just for today. Tomorrow will take care of itself.

Word of the day:
Matthew 9:14-17
The disciples of John came to Jesus, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?" And Jesus said to them, "The wedding guests cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak, for the patch pulls away from the cloak, and a worse tear is made. Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; otherwise, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved."

Reflections from the cornfield:
The Bible is divided into 2 parts - the Old Testament (or Hebrew Scriptures) and the New Testament(or Christian Scriptures). The first points to the coming of Christ and the second is the fulfillment of the first.

I used to teach religion class to 7th graders. I loved this age because this is where they begin to question. I had one boy in the class named Joey. He was the brave one who always asked the questions that the others were afraid to ask. One question stands out in my mind. Why do we need the Old Testament? I couldn't give him an answer just then so I told him I would think about it. What came to mind was the parellel Jesus often made between marriage and our relationship with God. The Old Testament could be seen as the courtship and the New Testament, the marriage. When a couple marries, they bring their courtship experience to the marriage and yet they are beginning life anew. They move from the homes in which they grew up and move to a new home. They bring their new relationship as husband and wife (new wine) to a new dwelling place (new wineskins).

Sometimes, when I am at a wedding, as the bide and groom take their vows, I can hear another voice speaking gentle words.

The Bridegroom

I, (Source of all Love) take you,

(whom I have called by name)

to be my own.

I promise to be true to you:

In good times

(even when you forget me)

and in bad

(even when you curse me)

In sickness,

(even when you blame me)

and in health,

(even when you think you don't need me)

for richer

(even when you lose sight of me)

and for poorer

(especially then)

I will love you

(though you crucify me)

and honor you

(who are made in my image)

All the days of my life.

(forever)

Amen

(from The Tarantella Dancers copyright, Mary A. Moeggenborg, 2000)

God bless the troops!

Friday, July 4, 2008

Happy 4th of July all! Sorry about there being no blog entry yesterday. We are still in the process of switching our ISP. I think we have it solved now.

On the lowcarb front:
I am having some serious struggles with staying on plan. I'm not sure exactly what the problem is. There isn't really anything off plan that I really want to eat, but for some reason I am struggling. I don't know if this is a cyclical issue or not. There are times that you just have to keep on keepin' on, and dismantle the critical mind which is trying to sabatog the plan.

On the home front:
No big plans today. Just kickin' back - no routines. I've been puttering. We have a wedding to go to on Saturday and DH asked for a special basket for the couple. So I've been finishing up some personalized Christmas stockings for Dan and Tina, made a farm grubby, and added some odds and ends of special items. I love putting together our primitive gift baskets and the recipients are always thrilled with the unique gifts.




Word of the day:
Matthew 9:9-13
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" But when he heard this, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners."

Reflections from the cornfield:
One has to wonder exactly who the "sick" are in this passage. The tax collectors and the sinners recognize their need for Jesus, while the Pharisees do not. It seems to me that all of the judgementalism is coming from people whose eyes are blinded by logs, if you get my drift. If ever there were people in need of being told to "get a life" it would be the Pharisees. I find it interesting that the "righteous" Pharisees address the disciples rather than going straight to the source. But, let's be sure, before we criticize that Pharisees, that our own behavior is in order. I would think that little task would keep us fairly busy - too busy to be judging other people.

God bless America!
God bless the troops!

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

On the lowcarb front:
No workout today. I am such a slacker.
I'm also up a pound from last Wednesday. I've gotten rather sloppy. I need to tighten up the ship here.

On the home front:
I'm late getting the blog up today because we are waiting for our phone/modem to arrive and I didn't have one to connect with this morning. I made some candles yesterday with the new apple pie fragrance oil. One of the duties each time I make candles and change the fragrance or the jars, is that I have to test. I tried making a pint sized candle and switched up some wicks with the smaller jars. I need to change the size of the wick, but the scent throw is amazing. I'm always a season ahead with this stuff so my house smells like fall right now.

Word of the Day:
Matthew 8:28-34
When Jesus came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs coming out of the tombs met him. They were so fierce that no one could pass that way. Suddenly they shouted, 'What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?' Now a large herd of swine was feeding at some distance from them. The demons begged him, 'If you cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.' And he said to them, 'Go!' So they came out and entered the swine; and suddenly, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and perished in the water. The swineherds ran off, and on going into the town, they told the whole story about what had happened to the demoniacs. Then the whole town came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their neighbourhood.

Reflections from the cornfield:
I'm not sure what I think about this passage. I am assuming that it takes place in Gentile territory because of the presence of the pigs. What is interesting, though, is that while the disciples are still trying to figure out who Jesus is, the demons know exactly who he is and that there is a time in which Jesus will deal with them. After the demons enter the pigs and the pigs rushed down the bank and into the sea, the swineherds run of to town and spread the news on the way. The town comes out to meet, but apparently not greet, Jesus. Instead of thanking him, they beg him to leave. What a welcome. If only the people had seen in Jesus what the demons saw, perhaps they would have begged him to stay, but out of fear they reject him. We know who Jesus is. What's our excuse?

God bless the troops!

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

From the lowcarb front:
No workout today. I am going to try and get a walk in later tonight.
I am the same as last Tuesday. I will update this section later.

On the home front:
Yesterday I went to Sam's club to stock up on the necessities of life - Mrs. Freshley's Creme Filled Chocolate Cupcakes for Harold's lunch. (The fact that the word is creme and not cream ought to be a clue as to how wholesome these things are.) With gas prices being what they are, I try to organzize all of my errands and make that trip every other week. Sam's Club was my last stop. After loading the car and heading out, I got out on the freeway. (Anyone who knows me knows that this is huge because I do not like to drive on the freeway.) I made myself do it because facing a fear is the only way to get past it. Anyway, as I turned onto our road, I reached for my purse to check my cell phone. No purse! I pulled onto the dirt lot at the start of our road and checked the back seat and the trunk. No purse. There was nothing to do but turn around and go back.

All the way there I thought about what was in that purse - credit cards, cell phone, cash, keys to the school, keys to the church, etc. I tried to tell myself that people are, for the most part, honest. But there are some who aren't. I prayed a little prayer all the way back to Sam's Club. I got to the spot where I had left my cart. No purse. As I entered the store, there was a lady and a young man who nodded before I even had the words out. The young man, an employee of the store, had noticed the purse and brought it in. Since my cart was where I had left it, he wasn't out rounding up carts. He just happened to see the purse and did the right thing. From now on I keep my car keys in my purse and not in my pocket. Sheesh, getting old is tough! And I think next time I go to Sam's Club I will take along some of our fudge for that wonderful young man.

Made lemongrass soap last night. I love that fragrance, but I spilled a little of the fragrance oil and today lemongrass is a bit overpowering.

Word of the Day:
Matthew 8:23-27
And when Jesus got into the boat, his disciples followed him. A windstorm arose on the sea, so great that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him up, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, you of little faith?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a dead calm. They were amazed, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?"

Reflections from the Cornfield:
I have often wrestled with this passage because it has always seemed to me that fear would be a normal human reaction to a situation such as the one in which the disciples find themselves. I think perhaps it is the way the disciples approached Jesus in this instance; not with confidence and faith, but with fear. Fear is the biggest challenge we face as Christians. Throughout the scriptures there is the admonition "Do not be afraid" "fear not". In most instances, when there is a divine revelation the messenger begins by telling the recipient to fear not. Fear is what we need to overcome. It is what keeps us from being all that we are meant to be.

In the Mass we recite the "Lord's Prayer." After the words "but deliver us from evil" there is an embolism spoken by the priest. "Deliver us, Lord, from every evil and grant us peace in our day. In your mercy keep us free from sin and protect us from all anxiety." In our diocese, this embolism was suspended for a number of years, the reasoning being that it was considered redundant. I don't know about that, I am a lay person so I wouldn't presume to question people who have much more scriptural education than I. However, a visiting priest told me that it was important because there is something that is explicit in the embolism which is implicit in the prayer. And that is anxiety. And what is anxiety except the by-product of fear?

Jesus knew that fear would be the greatest stumbling block the disciples would face. It was fear that caused Peter to take his eyes off Jesus when Jesus called him to walk out on the sea. It was fear that drove the disciples from the garden the night Jesus was arrested. It was fear that caused Peter to deny him. It is fear that fuels the fires of racism, and the winds of war.

In an earlier passage, Jesus tells us, "do not fear those who can kill the body, but not the soul. Rather, fear the one who can destroy both body and soul in Gehenna." I suspect that in the original there are two different words used for "fear." There is the fear that is incapacitating, causing us to run and then there is fear of God which I take to mean a respect and awe for God's all encompassing power. Faith suffers when fear gains a foothold.

"Be not afraid." Easier said than done. My prayer for the day? "Oh, Lord, increase my faith."


God bless the troops!

Monday, June 30, 2008

On the lowcarb front:
Here are my stats for this morning:
Did treadmill intervals with weights
Time: 37 minutes
Average heart rate: 113 (hmmmmm, that's not very impressive)
Maximum heat rate: 161
Calories burned: 226
I am down .4 pounds from last Monday

During the slower intervals on the treadmill, I read DANDR. In the exercise section, I found something very interesting. Under the benefits of exercise listing I found the usual good stuff. But there was one thing listed there that I had missed in earlier readings of the book. Exercise decreases the output of insulin. And what does insulin do? It helps the body to store fat; not something I want to encourage my body to do. I think I am going to make a big sign and put it on the wall behind my treadmill. Regular exercise decreases the output of insulin.

On the home front:
Today is Monday, so that means I make soap, do laundry, and pay bills. The Fly zone this week is the living room. I think I am going to tackle weeding out videos and cds that no longer make me smile.

The UPS man dropped off some new fragrance oils so tomorrow I will be making some Hot Apple Pie jar candles. I mixed up some with the fixitive for simmering potpourri. I've been testing the spiced orange clove mixture. Simmering potpourri is a much gentler scent than candles or tarts. There are some days I just don't want a heavy scent.

I need labels . . . . and Anna is gone for the week with her cousins who have a Christian drama ministry. They also have three little punkins so Aunt Anna is Nanny Annie this week. (Oooooh, I hope she doesn't read this. LOL!)

The new soap dishes came today, also. I am really excited about these. Wednesday is photo day for the website so I will be doing the photography then.

Word of the Day
Matthew 8:18-22
Now when Jesus saw great crowds around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. A scribe then approached and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." Another of his disciples said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

Reflections from the cornfield:
It's easy to give lip service to following Jesus. Jesus doesn't let these two get away with it. He spells out exactly what is required to truly follow him.

This is from today's psalm: PS 50:16,17

“Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth,
Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?”

Pretty apt, wouldn't you say?
You can't fool mother nature and you can't fool God . . . . . . but of the two, only God is merciful.


God bless the troops!

Sunday, June 29, 2008

On the lowcarb front:
All week I have had pretty good averages except for today. But still, I am down a pound from last Sunday, Sunday being the day that I post my official loss for the week. If I were to go down a pound every Sunday, that's 52 pounds in a year - for doing nothing more than eating cheesecake, omelettes, macadamia nuts, yogurt, chocolate (homemade), and the like.

I didn't get a workout in this morning because for some reason, I didn't wake up until 9:45. I rushed around a bit and prayed that the font water was warm. It was - yay!!!!! No frozen baptizees today.

We on the lowcarb friends board are working hard to convince Cleochatra that she needs to publish a book of her lowcarb recipes. I say we bombard her blog and nag her until she agrees. LOL! I'm only half kidding. It was reading Cleo's blog that got me back on track. Whether you go there to nag her about a cookbook or not, her blog is definitely worth reading. It's called "The Lighter Side of Lowcarb" and there is a link on my blogroll. Let's show her the love!!!

Word of the Day:
Matthew 16:13-19
Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi. He asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter,and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Reflections from the Cornfield:
"Who do people say that I am?" Of course "people" got it wrong. In this passage, it would appear that Simon Peter has come of age. But his recognition of Jesus as the Christ comes to him not as a human being, but as a revelation from God. Jesus proclaims him as the rock on which He will build his church - not because of what Peter is, but because of what he will later become by the grace of God. In subsequent verses, Peter rebukes Jesus for His prediction of His passion, death, and resurrection. In his humanness, Peter fails to see the bigger picture. It's not hard to imagine that being made the rock on which Jesus will build his church might have gone to Peter's head just a wee bit; he was only human, after all. At that point he was a work in progress. Isn't it comforting to know that God wants us with all of our inperfections? Not because of the imperfections, but in spite of them. Because God sees in us what we and others fail to see in ourselves?


God bless the troops!

Saturday, June 28, 2008

On the lowcarb front:
The little ones stayed over last night so no workout this morning.
I am down 2.8 from last Saturday.
Not much to report so far today. Will update later.

On the home front:
Made a batch of honey, oats, and milk soap last night. Smells wonderful. I also finished curing a batch of simmering potpourri for the simmer pot Anna found for me at a garage sale. It's scented with orange clove. Mmmmmmmm. Today I will finish the grubby tags with what is left of the solution from the other day. These are also orange clove.

I made Cleochatra's Mozzarella sticks. Well, no, I didn't actually. I cheated. I melted a pile of cheese on a plate and scooped it up with pork rinds. My mouth didn't know the difference. LOL

We have baptisms at Mass tomorrow. I have to remember to turn on the pump and heater for the font tonight and to make sure that I override the timer. At the last baptism there were some pretty startled babies. We didn't realized that we had to override the timer on the pump so it kicked off during the night and the water was cold.

Word of the day:
Matthew 8:5-17
When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, appealing to him and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible distress." And he said to him, "I will come and cure him." The centurion answered, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this,' and the slave does it." When Jesus heard him, he was amazed and said to those who followed him, "Truly I tell you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and will eat with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the heirs of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; let it be done for you according to your faith." And the servant was healed in that hour. When Jesus entered Peter's house, he saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever; he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she got up and began to serve him. That evening they brought to him many who were possessed with demons; and he cast out the spirits with a word, and cured all who were sick. This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah, "He took our infirmities and bore our diseases."

Reflections from the cornfield:
Catholics will recognize the words of the centurian as the words we use before receiving the Eucharist. "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed." And Jesus answers him, "Go; let it be done according to your faith." Again, the healing and the miracle depend on the faith of someone involved. I think of the ongoing debate about faith and works. I don't really see the argument. Sometimes I think people argue just to have something to argue about. Faith and works are so intertwined that I don't see how one could exist without the other. Kind of like the Holy Trinity. It would be like asking, which is more necessary? God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit.

I wonder if we really think about these words of reconcilliation that we speak before the communion procession begins - this miracle of being able to receive Jesus, to take part in the ancient action of the Last Supper - not a new sacrifice, but the same sacrifice. Not an action that took place long ago, but a timeless action in which we participate today - an eternal banquet which we share with the communion of saints. If it be done according to our faith, we would do well to pray for an increase in that faith. "but only say the word and I shall be healed."



God bless the troops!

Friday, June 27, 2008

From the lowcarb front:

Here are my stats for this morning:

Time: 31 minutes
Average heart rate: 114
Maximum heat rate: 134
Calories burned: 202
I am down 2.4 pounds from last Friday

I got lots done yesterday, not the stuff I had planned to do, but still a lot. I had planned to make candles. I ended up making grungy tags. I had planned to work in my zone (master bedroom) but ended up doing 15 minutes stints in several rooms. The bedroom looks pretty good, but the drawers, closets, and nightstand need a good weeding. I can better concentrate on that if the surfaces are clean so I don't feel like I am drowning in chaos.

Today I will be working on my daughter's house. She just moved into it and everything is just kind of there and in boxes. It looks very overwhelming. She is going on a trip for a week so my other daughter and I are going to tackle some of the boxes. Then I need to come home and get a batch of soap made before the two cuties come over to spend the night.

Word of the day:
Matthew 8:1-4
When Jesus had come down from the mountain, great crowds followed him; and there was a leper who came to him and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean." He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I do choose. Be made clean!" Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Then Jesus said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

Reflections from the cornfield:
Okay, this leper would be one of those people who make us cringe. I would reckon that the great crowds that followed Jesus after he came down from the mountain probably dispersed pretty quickly when this leper showed up. Jesus tended to hang out with lots of people who would make us cringe - tax collectors, demon possessed women, Samaritans, and the like. And he worked miracles - but those miracles always involved faith on someone's part - either the recipient or someone acting on the recipient's behalf. This is how closely faith and works are intertwined.

When the movie "The Passion of the Christ" came out, I fully expected much criticism from the non-Catholic Christians due to it's fairly obvious Catholic perspective. Surprisingly enough, the only criticism I heard was from Catholic priests. One said, "I didn't like the movie because the resurrection scene was too short." Since the movie was called "The Passion of the Christ," I really wanted to ask him how long the resurrection scene is in the Passion readings for Holy Week. This same pastor never spoke out on "The DaVinci Code." That one had no resurrection scene at all, but I digress.

Another criticism from a different priest was, "no one could carry that cross after being beaten so badly." Ummm, okay. I can't help but think about what Jesus said about faith the size of mustard seed and what we could move if we possessed it. And that makes everything so much more remarkable because if Jesus was able to carry that cross in his condition, how much more acute was his suffering? The average person would have passed out from the pain. And not only that, it was suffering he could have chosen to avoid.

In today's passage, Jesus could have healed the leper without ever laying a hand on him - but he didn't, he touched him - he got his hands dirty, so to speak. One can only wonder how long it had been since anyone had touched that man. This is a perfect example of how when we ask Jesus to help us, he gives us so much more than we are asking for.


God bless the troops!

Thursday, June 26, 2008

On the lowcarb front
No workout today. I was angry and upset about something this morning - doesn't matter what and it isn't an excuse for skipping the workout, but there it is. I did not, however, let that run over and affect my menu for the day.

I am down 3.6 lbs. from last Thursday. I think I may be getting the hang of this lowcarb thing.

I had no internet this morning so I didn't get some of my work done, including my blog. That totally throws off my day. Ever read the book "Who Moved My Cheese?" I laughed when I first read it. Not anymore. I don't cotton well to having my cheese moved.

Word of the day:
Matthew 7:21-27
'Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord", will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?" Then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers."

'Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell-and great was its fall!'

Reflections from the cornfield:
"Talk is cheap." "Actions speak louder than words." Axioms become axioms because on some level there is a universal truth being spoken. We were not put on this earth to merely prophesy in Jesus' name. Jesus spelled out very clearly what our mission on earth is;

Feed the hungry
Give drink to the thirsty
Clothe the naked
Shelter the homeless
Visit the sick
Visit those in prison
Bury the dead

All the words in the world will not accomplish these acts. It takes getting our hands dirty. Now I have heard some people (some people being preachers) say that taking care of our kids would fulfill the hungry, naked, homeless, and thirsty part. They were serious. I don't really think that's what Jesus meant. I think he meant for us to step out of our comfort zones and care for people who may make us cringe when we are around them, who aren't like us in any way except that they are fellow children of God.

And shouldn't it go beyond filling the need? In some cases compassion requires teaching others how to fill some of their own needs so that they in turn can teach someone else.
But what do I know?
I'm just minding my own business here in the cornfield. :)

God bless the troops!

Sat June 21, 2008

On the lowcarb front:
I woke up today in a less than good mood. I don't know why. It's just one of those days that I tolerate every now and then. I try to stay out of people's way so I don't snap at them and make everything worse. There is a song called "Voice of Truth" by the group Casting Crowns. It pretty much sums up how things are with me some days.

I guess you could call this my crisis song. Those of us who are fighting the weight loss war know very well those days when the waves call out to us, mock us, remind us of every failure. Sometimes the voice of the waves is our own when we put ourselves down. Other days it may be the voice of someone else who, for whatever reason, feels the need to make us feel bad. This song always puts things into perspective for me.

I am down 2 pounds since last Saturday so that is good news. I really should have worked out this morning - I sorely need those endorphins. There is a lot going on with graduation parties, family reunions, weddings, funerals. I always tell myself that I will get things in gear when life settles down. What I fail to see is that getting my exercise and taking care of business is what gets things in gear.

Here are the lyrics for those of you who can't load the video.

Oh,what I would do to have
the kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I'm in
Onto the crashing waves
To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown
Where Jesus is,
And he's holding out his hand

But the waves are calling out my name
and they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
time and time again
"Boy, you'll never win,
you'll never win."

But the voice of truth tells me a different story
the voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
and the voice of truth says "this is for my glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

Oh, what I would do
to have the kind of strength it takes
To stand before a giant
with just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound
of a thousand warriors
shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand

But the giant's calling out
my name and he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
time and time again
"Boy you'll never win,
you'll never win."

But the voice of truth tells me a different story
the voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
and the voice of truth says "this is for my glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

But the stone was just the right size
to put the giant on the ground
and the waves they don't seem so high
from on top of them looking down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
when I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
singing over me

But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says do not be afraid
And the voice of truth says this is for my glory
Out of all the voices calling out to me (calling out to me)
I will choose to listen and believe (I will choose to listen and believe)
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

I will listen and believe
I will listen and believe the voice of truth
I will listen and believe
'Cause Jesus you are the voice of truth
And I will listen to you.. oh you are

Word of the day:

Matthew 6: 24-34
Jesus said, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you--you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today."

Reflections from the cornfield:

Worry - ah yes. Let's talk about worrying. Is there a parent on earth who has not worried about his or her children? It seems to be part of the job description. I can't tell you the how many nights I worried my kids home safely. We worry about the future, we worry about the past and what we could have done differently. So much wasted energy. I remember well the day our youngest daughter, Nicola, moved out for good. As we drove down to her new apartment - an hour south of here, I remember telling her how worried I was about her. Since the rest of the kids live fairly close, I worried that she would be lonely, or that she wouldn't ask for help if she needed it, or that she wouldn't eat right etc. etc. She said to me, "Mom, you can worry about me or you can pray for me. Which one do you think will do more good?" I remember that talk often and when I find myself worrying, I now address it to God and turn it into a prayer. It's taken me a long time to realize that disaster is not lying in wait for me to quit worrying so it can swoop in and wreak havoc. Things work out in spite of the worrying, not because of it. Pray or worry. They both take the same amount of energy, but which is time better spent?

I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth

Words to live by, those are

God bless the troops!

Wed. June 18, 2008

On the lowcarb front:

The scale is up .6 pounds from last Wednesday.

Did treadmill intervals with weights this morning. This consists of 5 minutes of warm-up. 1 minute increased speed on treadmill, 2 minutes of weights, 1 minute running etc until the last 5 minute cool down.

Planned most of my menu for the day. Made oopsie rolls yesterday so I had an oopsie pizza this morning. I brushed 2 oopsies with tomato sauce, topped that with mozzarella and pepperoni. Not bad.

I saw a wonderful dessert on Cleochatra’s blog today - ooopsie layered with whipped cream and topped with blackberries. Too, too decadent.

I have a staff meeting followed by a cookout tomorrow, so, tonight I made an almond encrusted raspberry cheesecake - sugar free of course. I used Emerald Cocoa Roasted almonds. I can't wait to try this. I also made a beautiful salad with romaine, grape tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, and avocado. The pastor is grilling. I have no reason to stray off track tomorrow!

Word of the day:
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Jesus said, 'Beware of practising your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

'So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

'And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

'And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Reflections from the cornfield:
It is a fine line, 'twould seem, between being an example and being an exhibitionist. I think the distinction lies in the motivation of the heart. Is the motivation to do good for the sake of doing good? Or is the motivation doing good so as to be thought of as a good person? And what is the blessing of the recipient in either case?

Jesus continually reprimanded the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. He described them as "white washed tombs filled with rotting bones." Matt. 23:27-28 Yes, the Pharisees prayed a lot - publicly. They also heaped burdens on the poor while never lifting a finger to help them. Jesus could see into their hearts and for all their prayers and public piety, it seems that the objective was to be seen as holy men. They blinded themselves to the fact that what they did was not for the glorification of God, but to serve their standing in the eyes of man. (John 9:41)

This past week journalist Tim Russert passed away. Among the many remembrances of his life that were recounted, one stands out in my mind. Sean Hannity tells of a $10,000 donation that Mr. Russert made to Hannity's annual Freedom concerts. This, at Mr Russert's request, was never made public - until after his passing.

Authenticity - that's what it's all about. It's making sure that what's happening on the outside, is a true reflection of what's happening on the inside. "From the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks." Matt. 12:34 Take care of the inside and the outside will take care of itself.

In the OA community there is a favorite saying. "What others think of me is none of my business." Words to live by, those are.

God bless the troops