Thankful Thursdays

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

- James 1:27

One character trait that I've prayed for many times is compassion. I admit I'm not a compassionate person. If you tell me your sad story with tears streaming down your cheeks, I probably won't cry with you. I will most likely just listen, hold your hand if you'd like, and give sound advise if requested. For some people that's more than enough; for others I come across as cold and a bit heartless. It isn't my intention. I'm like my mom - a very matter-of-fact type of person who's always looking at things on the practical side rather than the emotional side. I know God made me that way, but I also ask Him to teach me ways that I can show compassion to others. Once again, He delivered.

My oldest son has a friend from high school that's going through a rough period in his life (as many are these days). He's 23 years old, his parents died when he was young, and his adoptive parents moved some years ago to Peru, leaving him with no family here. He lost his job some time ago and has been trying to find work like over 10% of Floridians. Thankfully it looks like he'll start working tomorrow. In the meantime, however, due to circumstances out of his control, he was kicked out of the place where he was living, and had no place to stay till the weekend. In desperation he called my son and asked if we would let him stay with us till his new place was ready.

Now, my husband is currently out of town, and bringing a young man into my home when my husband isn't here makes me a bit uncomfortable. Not that this young man has ever behaved in any way that troubles me; he's a quiet, respectful young man who looks very sad most of the time. Still, it was a concern that I needed to pray about. I left it in God's hands: I told my son if his friend found no other place to stay he could come to our house. My son told me he'd tried to find another place and was considering a homeless shelter. Our home was his last resort. I was pained in my heart to think this young man, an orphan with no family, would have to stay in a place with alcoholics, drug addicts, and who knows what else because no one would extend a helping hand. God impressed upon me that this was my opportunity to show compassion, and to speak to someone about His mercy and grace. So I agreed to let him stay with us. He was so grateful, and he thanked me with tears in his eyes. Nope, I didn't cry. I told him that strength comes from difficult situations, that living through this would teach him to have compassion for others, and that God is trying to get his attention. It gave him something to think about. Now I have someone to lift up in prayer each day and night as I learn to help others in need.

So, that's what I'm thankful for today. I'm thankful for the opportunity to help someone, to share Christ with someone, especially someone who is an orphan. There really is more joy in giving than in receiving.

Wanna join in? Click on over to Grace Alone. God bless.

Health-Wise Wednesday

Topic: Sodium Intake

As I mentioned last week, my goal with watching what I eat has to do with getting healthy, not losing weight. Still, I am happy to report I've lost 1.8 lbs. this week. Not bad, for someone who's not really trying! There are several factors in this number, which I'll be going over in the next few weeks. Changes that appear slight, but are having a major impact.

I'm using the website My Fitness Pal to help me monitor what I'm putting into my body and in what quantities. I like the fact that I can adjust it to fit those areas I'm concentrating on. At first, I wasn't going to keep track of my sodium intake because I didn't think I needed to. Still, I decided to keep it and see what my numbers were like. Boy, was I ever surprised!

My mom taught us to cook the "old fashioned way". As a young girl she grew up on the island of Puerto Rico. Many people there, including my grandparents, grew alot of what was eaten in the home. They didn't have much money, and during WWII food was limited. Mom learned to make do with what was available, and to cook from scratch, since processed foods were either non-existant or too expensive. We learned to cook Mom's way, with fresh ingredients and very little salt. There was never a salt shaker on the table; whatever salt was used in the food was considered more than enough.

As the years have gone by, I admit I've turned to processed and packaged foods for convenience. Mom never worked outside the home after I was born, so cooking from scratch wasn't an issue; she had plenty of time to do it, in my opinion. I was a working mom, and therefore had much less time to spend in the kitchen. I felt justified in using packaged foods for some of our meals as long as there was always something fresh on the table alongside it. The items I prepared had little salt, and just like at Mom's house there was no salt shaker on the table, so I felt sure I was doing OK in that department.

I began plugging in my numbers on MyFitnessPal, and my daily goal totals came up. I was allowed 2500 mg of sodium per day. I laughed; I knew I wasn't even going to get close to that number. Imagine the look on my face when, at the end of the day, I had consumed 2,152 mg of sodium! Wow, that was much more than I'd expected. The next day was an even bigger shocker: 3,243 mg! What was going on here?! Suddenly the one thing I was unconcerned about took first place on my priority list. I started going over the foods I'd eaten and what the sodium content of each of them was.

I could see immediately what had brought me down on Thursday. It was my husband's birthday, and he'd been wanting to eat ham steaks with pineapple. They were on sale at Winn-Dixie, so I prepared a couple of Smithfield's Hardwood Smoked Center Slice Ham. I ate a small piece, 4 oz. worth, which totalled 190 calories. Not bad, but the sodium content was 1,180 mg! That alone was almost half my allowance for the entire day! I also had some green beans from a can. Should be healthy, right? How's this: 20 calories, 380 mg sodium. Not so healthy after all! It was a big wake-up call. Typically I don't look for the "no salt added" variety of canned foods because I know I add little to no salt when I'm cooking, so I thought the salt that was already in these wouldn't make much of a difference. I was very wrong, indeed.

As the days past I looked at my sodium intake more than anything else. I realized I need to change not only my eating habits, but my shopping habits as well. I have plenty of packaged foods in the pantry that need to get used up before I can replace them, but when I do it will be with items that are no salt or at the very least reduced salt. In the meantime I'm being much more cautious with my foods and and the amount of sodium they contain. I know I can't completely eliminate salt from my diet, and I don't want to. Salt is God's natural preservative, used for centuries to keep foods from spoiling. It's a better preservative than many of the chemicals used in foods today. But everything must be done in moderation, and it's clear to me my salt intake is way above moderate, which means my family's salt intake is also too high. My hubby has had issues with high blood pressure, so this is a concern for him as well. The message to me is clear: it's time to go back to that "old fashioned" method of cooking. It's time to do it Mom's way.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today, April 26, 2010...

Outside my window...it's hot, muggy, and dark. Storms are approaching. Menacing storms and tornado watches. A good day to stay indoors.

I am thinking...about my son who is on his way to work. May the Lord protect him.

I am thankful for...a roof over my head during stormy weather.

I am going...to stay home and clean.

I am wearing...the same navy blue polka dotted blouse and jeans I was wearing last week, but this time I'm wearing a pair of sandals I got at Walmart for $10. Very comfortable and cute!

I am remembering...my 10 yr old son's word's during Bible time last night. He said, "We're like a machine, and God is the electric socket. Jesus is the cord that connects us to the power. Without Jesus we can't get power from God." I was amazed at his understanding.

I am currently...in my son's bedroom hearing the lightning alarm in the park. Oh yeah, that storm is really close.

I am reading...Esther for morning devotions, still working through Having a Mary Spirit, and I found another Sherlock Holmes book at the library.

I am hoping...we stay safe and have no actual tornadoes or hail during the storm.

On my mind...my fitness journal.

From the learning rooms...E finished a diorama of a hurricane. It has a picture of Hurricane Katrina, a little house with a tree on the roof (weed from the front yard), some upside down Matchbox cars, and a lot of debris (dried leaves). Came out pretty well.

I am pondering these words..."You are stronger than the storm. You are reigning over all. Faithful God You’re always in control. You’re the anchor of peace for our souls." - Stronger than the Storm, by Vicky Beeching.

From the kitchen today...sloppy joes. E asked for them specifically.

Around the house...gonna be cleaning floors today, and finishing up the laundry.

One of my favorite things...is being a mom.

A few plans for the rest of the week...maybe I'll be able to get some scrapbooking in? I'd really like to get a page or two done.

Wanna join in the fun? Visit Peggy at the Simple Woman's Daybook. God bless.

Observing My Senses

For Today, April 24, 2010...

I am seeing...sunshine and blue skies with puffy white clouds. It's a beautiful day.

I am hearing...my two boys chatter.

I am feeling...some concern at the way I've been eating. I thought I had a healthier diet. I need a food make-over.

I am tasting...Tony's pepperoni pizza, because it had the least calories and sodium of all the pizzas in the store. And it's the cheapest. Go figure.

I am smelling...pepperonis. Love 'em!

It just takes a moment to see what's going on around you. Won't you join me?

A Day In The Life

Yesterday, as part of Take Your Child to Work day, my son E had to write about what his parent (in this case, me) does on a daily basis. So I went ahead and drafted a timeline for him as we went. He only wrote about the things that he did with me, but it gave him (and me!) an idea of what a typical day is like. Of course this isn't a stereo-typical day - we don't have birthdays at our house every single day. Still, it's a photograph into a busy wife-mom-homemakers life that I wanted to share. Especially for those who think that staying at home equals a life of leisure - think again!

My day, April 22, 2010...

7:00am Got up, ironed shirt for hubby
7:15am Washed up, got dressed
7:30am Emptied out dishwasher
7:40am Started breakfast
8:00am Breakfast, Bible time
8:20am Fixed bed
8:30am Baked cake with E for Dad's birthday, from scratch
9:15am Cleaned up kitchen while E Swiffered kitchen and family room floors
9:30am Sorted clothes for laundry while E shredded old papers
9:35am Put one load in wash, folded one load
9:45am Took out trash, swept floors
9:55am Transferred clothes to dryer
10:00am Snack time
10:15am Removed cheesecake from oven
10:20am Yard work
11:15am Began preparing lunch
12:25pm Lunch (yellow rice w/pigeon peas, ham, salad, green beans)
1:00pm Cleaned up kitchen
1:10pm Folded laundry
1:30pm Paid bills, organized receipts
2:15pm Dad came home for lunch - spent birthday time with Dad
3:00pm Cleaned up kitchen
3:20pm Company - oldest son's friends came over
4:00pm Reading time
4:45pm Started dinner
5:20pm Dinner
5:35pm Posted blog entry
6:00pm Showered and dressed for cub scouts
6:20pm Rushed E into shower for cub scouts
6:35pm Helped E with homework
7:05pm Cleaned up kitchen
7:20pm Left to cub scout meeting
8:40pm Came back home
8:45pm Bible time with E
9:00pm Bed time for E
9:20pm Good night!

I think the last sentence of my son's report says it all: "I learned that even though my mom stays home, she works a lot." That made my day worthwhile.

Thankful Thursdays

Okay, this may sound weird to some, but I'm thankful that I grew up poor. Yep, that's right, poor. We lived in the Bronx, also known as the ghetto, in rat and roach infested apartments, with lots of hand-me-downs and second hand furniture. We actually were glad when we finally moved into the projects; it was an upgrade from where we'd lived. But I'm thankful because it taught me to appreciate. Every little thing I have now I'm thankful for, and everything I can give my children that I didn't have myself as a child brings me joy. It taught me to work hard for the things I wanted, and not to expect things to just fall in my lap because I demanded them. It taught me to be content with less, that possessions aren't what brings happiness, and that playing with my siblings was more fun than playing all alone, even with the fanciest toys.

Sure, there were times when I wished we had more money. I wished we didn't have to always pinch pennies. I will say, though, that while I didn't have the fanciest clothes, the ones I had were always clean and pressed. We didn't eat out very often, nor did we eat lobster and steak everyday, but we never went hungry, not one single day. The most important thing I learned, was to have faith. I couldn't depend on money, 'cause there wasn't a whole lot of it. I couldn't depend on myself, 'cause there was only so much I could do for myself, and then I was back to square one. I couldn't depend on anyone else, 'cause they couldn't do more for me than I was doing for myself. So who could I depend on? The One who can do it all. Jesus showed me that I could experience joy without a lot of worldly possessions. He showed me that I'm a richer person when I give to others. And most of all, He gave me the most precious and priceless gift: life. I may have grown up poor, and I'm not wealthy by men's standards, but I know that I'm the richest I've ever been, and I'm so very thankful for that.

Wanna join in? Click on over to Grace Alone. God bless.

Health-Wise Wednesdays

I know lots of bloggers use Wednesdays as the weigh-in day for their diets. It's a way to stay accountable and be encouraged as they lose weight, which I think is just great. I'm going to use Wednesdays for another reason. I want to be sure I'm staying fit.

At my age (46) and height (5'4") my ideal weight is anywhere from 111 lbs to 146 lbs, and my body mass index (BMI) should be between 19-25. I currently weigh 141 lbs and my BMI is 24.2, which means that I'm within range, though at the higher end of the spectrum. That doesn't bother me, unless I start gaining weight of course. I typically stay between 141 and 143 lbs. My concern, however, is my health.

My father died at age 66 and his mother (my grandmother) died at age 65, both from complications brought on by diabetes. I had never bothered worrying about that, until a few years ago. As a young girl, I had that metabolism so many envy: I ate my weight in food but never gained a pound. At my high school graduation I weighed a whopping 103 lbs. The heaviest I'd been was during pregnancy, and losing the weight had never been an issue, even after my last child when I was 36 years old and quickly got down to 130 lbs. But as the years rolled on I put on a few pounds here and there. I shrugged it off, comparing myself to other women my age who struggled much more with their weight and believing myself to be "just fine". Then one day a magazine came in the mail that talked about diabetes and how a person could avoid it completely through diet and maintaining a proper weight. So I weighed myself out of curiosity, since I was sure I wasn't that overweight. I was shocked to find myself weighing 152 lbs! How had I allowed that to happen? I decided right then and there that I wasn't taking good care of the body God had given me, and I needed to do something right away!

I began eating more sensibly, and watched the pounds disappear. One pound, two, then four, then six. I was thrilled! I cut down on the small amount of food I was eating, and lost 6 more. Yes! Then I stalled, as most dieters do. I stayed at 140 lbs. I looked and felt much better than I had in a long time. I wasn't the only one to notice, either. My family, friends, co-workers, all complimented my new slimmer and trimmer look. I won't deny that their words went straight to my head. If I could just lose a few more pounds, I'd really be a knock-out! So I reduced my food intake even more. I was eating toast and coffee for breakfast, a granola bar mid-morning, a regular size lunch, and either a small salad or Slim-Fast for dinner. If I got hungry during the day I would eat ice to trick my body into thinking I was eating and filling up on water instead. It worked; I was able to get down to 134 lbs and into a size 4. Wow! What an accomplishment! Or so I thought.

Not long afterwards, I became very sick. I had bronquitis so bad I could hardly walk without having to stop every 3 steps to catch my breath. I went to see my doctor and explained my symptoms, especially the fact that I was so weak. I figured it was because I wasn't breathing normally, but Dr. K decided to check something else. She took a blood sample and found I had severe anemia. Instead of hemoglobin levels 12 and above, mine was down to less than 8. That was a serious wake up call. My focus had gone from getting healthy to looking good, a huge mistake. My doctor put me on iron fortified vitamins right away.

This led to me gaining some of the weight back. I got to 145 lbs in no time, because the vitamins made me hungry. So brilliant me stopped taking them and decided to just try to eat better. My weight got back down to 140 lbs, and I thought I had it all under control. Nope. Once again the anemia returned, and I had to face the fact that my body doesn't absorb enough iron just from food. So for the last year I've struggled to keep healthy while not putting on extra weight.

Enter MyFitnessPal.com. My sister introduced me to this FREE website that helps count calories through a simple to use, simple to follow daily food diary. It helps me to see what I'm eating, how many calories I'm taking in, and it helps me to track weight loss if I want to do that. More importantly, I can adjust the settings so I can see not only my calorie intake, but also carbohydrates, protein, sodium, fiber, vitamins, you name it. It's just what I need to educate myself about eating what is right so that I can be healthy. It even has an exercise tracker that lists cleaning as exercise. Thank God! After I've been cleaning all morning long, I'm too tired to get on a treadmill or exercise machine. I'm glad someone recognizes housework and cleaning as calorie burners!

So that's my goal: healthy eating. Because I'm already beautiful ;-), I want my insides to match my outsides. I'll be monitoring my eating habits and looking for ways to improve and become a healthier me. Just another way to honor God for all He's given me.