Pre-DETOX

Okay SO i'm writing this the night before I start my 7-day detox. Part of this transitions lifestyle "diet" program is to detox your body from all the chemicals that consume through processed foods, coffee, etc...so for the next 7 days I will be drinking only water, eating 3 servings of fruit/day and eating as many vegetables that I want. No coffee, no meat, no bread, no milk/dairy products, nothing but fruits and vegetables. THIS is the HARD part for me. I rely on food to give me energy throughout my day and for the next 7 days all I have to rely on is vegetables...yikes.

I'm also going to add things to my water that are supposed to help with the detox, one is i'll be drinking hot lemon water first thing every morning (this is supposed to kick-start your metabolism), then then i'll be drinking "aloe-vera water which is supposed to help with the bloating that we all have, finally i'll be drinking "sassy water" which is lemons and cucumbers sliced up in water...not sure how all of these taste, but I'm up for an adventure especially if i'll feel better in the end.

SO here is a BEFORE picture...stay tuned for an AFTER picture...





i'm ready to be healthier for Nate, for Me, for my fruitfulness as a minister, all in the Name of Jesus my Savior.

BIG momma

OKAY so those of you that have recently started reading my blog, I'm guessing that you are wondering why it is titled 'big momma' well...it is simple...I am a BIG momma, I have tried several diets, I have tried working out, I have started using sugar free and fat free substitutes in everything I can. I still have not been successful in any major weight loss.

SO I started writing this blog to keep myself accountable and to kind of just write my struggles and triumphs on attempting to be a healthier individual, not just healthier by loosing weight but healthier spiritually, emotionally, and physically...this will be a life long goal, with short term goals in between...(the blog has also just kind of turned into a personal blog, with different stories in my journey of being a single mom).

SO I've got a small support group a couple of close friends who are supporting me in my weight loss journey and I've decided to do this program called Transitions Life Style. It is a 12 week program that starts with a 7-day detox, and then teaches one how to cook and eat healthier and teaches one what happens to your body as you consume certain kinds of food. I have always looked for the easy way out in my weight loss journey, and this is not an easy way out, this will probably be one of the hardest things I will do because I LOVE food SO much!

SO here goes all my weight, all my poor self esteem, all my fatigue and indigestion...HERE is to NEW me, I'm doing this for me, I'm doing this for Nate and I'm doing it all in Jesus' Holy and Awesome Name!

Despair and Sacrifice in the Lenten Season

So as I continue down my Lenten journey, I feel like I have connected with God, and I continue to seek yet a deeper connection. God has shown me 2 instances of despair and sacrifice that normally I wouldn't of thought much of, but sense I have been trying to be more receptive to what God has for me, I believe He has revealed these stories to me...

The first one was a few days ago, I went to a restaraunt for breakfast and to get some studying done. I asked the waitress to sit me back where it was fairly quiet, that didn't last long, as a large family piled in right next to my table. As I was slightly distracted by the family setteling into their table I overheard a little old man telling the waitress that they were all gathering to honor his grandson with a meal because he was returning over seas to fulfill his duty to the marine corps today. The first thought that came into my mind, was wow, what a sacrifice, what a great sacrifice for lent, how brave of that man, how scary for that family, how scary for me, this man, younger than me was sacrificing the possibility of his life for not only me but for possibly all of our lives and for his country, how humbling is that?! and I sit here and reflect on my piddly sacrifices...




This picture is not very clear, but it begings my second story of Lenten despair. It was taken from my car while I was sitting at a stoplight, I was in between Kansas City and Independence. This man was dressed well, ironed clothes, decent shoes, a coat and a hat, he obviously spent some money on creating a sturdy sign that said that he was seeking employment and it gave his phone number. I am not sure how he lost his old job, or what lead him to standing on the street corner begging for employment. I have been in that spot, I was laid off shortly before Christmas 2008 and spent a while with out a job, but I never was so desperate as to stand on the street corner to ask for a job, I was blessed with a job, in fact I have had 4 jobs since I lost my job, and am what I consider myself extraordinarily blessed... I cannot imagine the despair this man is going through, how close he and or his family is to being homeless, food-less, electricity-less, etc... How brave, how scary, how humbling...

so as I wrap up these sacrifice and despair stories, my question is, What does God have planned for them? Why did God bring me these two instances? I find myself still asking...what does God has for me?, do I need to make a larger sacrifice?, do I need to humble myself into despair?? what oh God do you have for me?