Hear My Heart

I want to preface this post with this: When Dave & I were in our early 20s, we did not make much money at all, and we had Medicaid for Shane and received SSI (social security disability) for Shane for about 3 years. This post does not in any way mean that I am against anyone (who is truly in need) using the Government resources - this is what the "system" is designed to do. Yet, it is not  a "parking lot" for people to live in indefinitely. I will be the first one to help some one navigate through the system to receive resources as they are truly needed.


You know, I get really frustrated when I hear people say "don't judge" when they are referring to people who are living on the system. I know and understand that there are honest people out there who are struggling to make ends meet and they need extra help for a season. I have no problem with that. What I DO have a problem with is the fact that our society has built a population of individuals who believe they are "entitled" to receiving government assistance and refuse to work or keep a job so that they can "settle" living off Government handouts. What I DO have a problem with is the ones who sell their food stamps on Craigslist or other sites for cash. What I DO have a problem with is the ones who come out and tell me its "wrong" for me to judge others for their mishandling of Government funds - (which, by the way, is money that I am forced to pay into a broken system through higher taxes - this is not free or new money). What I DO have a problem with is the ones who ask for assistance and then turn their noses up at what you can provide for them as if you are supposed to be their personal store or cash register.

Yes, as Christians we are to help those (WHO ARE TRULY IN NEED) out: Prov 19:17, Matt 25,

However, scripture is also clear that if you CHOOSE to not work, then you do not eat -- 1 Timothy 5:8 and 2 Thes. 3:10-12 -- Laziness is not an excuse.

I have heard mention that Christians should never judge people - however, that is not scripturally sound. We do not have the right to pass judgment over a person's soul nor can we truly discern people's heart motives or intentions - that is God's alone. However, we (you, I, and everyone else) pass judgment over actions every day of our lives. I have the right to decide if I want to help someone pay a bill - I can inspect their history - if they continually come to ask me for assistance each month for a bill - yet they are out partying or spending their resources frivolously, then I have the right to tell them NO - it would be wrong of me to continue enabling someone to mis-manage their funds. Yes God tells us to provide for the poor - yet, He never tells us to enable harmful behavior - we should not be just giving people fish to eat - we should teach them to fish - if they don't want to learn, then that is their problem and I will not be threatened by people's words of 'don't judge me.'

Heaping Hot Coals

Anyone who knows me well enough knows one of my favorite sayings is for God to help me forgive someone who has hurt me and to react to the particular person(s) in kindness because its like heaping hot coals on their heads. :)  

Walking in Love

Ephesians 4:32-5:2 "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma."

Choices. We make them every day. We choose what to eat, wear, and how to act. It is so easy to respond to someone who has been ugly to you with like action. But, God calls us to be different. He wants us to respond to others as He responds to us! Think about how choosing to act like God in difficult situations may affect your walk with God and also your relationships with others.

Unite & Fight! Part 1

Breathe - for women....

Unite and Fight! Part 1 --
by Cindi Dailey

We are in a battle for our lives! Our church, our families, and our marriages are all being attacked. We can either choose to wallow in the depths of despair, be part of the problem, or rise up—say enough’s enough, and fight! God has called us to be warriors, not wimps.

Reflections

So, I want to blog more in 2012. I did break my record in 2011 with 20 blog posts!!! I am gearing up again for school this spring (Research Eval & Statistics [Jan-Mar] and Cultural Counseling [Mar-May]) and will also be starting a 20-day kitchen coaching session with Sheri Rose Shepherd on 17 January that I got free when I ordered some books from her website. I am not sure what her eating plan is, but it probably has to do with cutting out bad stuff and eating whole foods...which is what I need to do anyway. :)

Highways and Byways

Oh how the time has flown by! I can not believe its been since July that I last posted. So much has happened in the last 3 months.

August 2011 - I took a diabetes education class (4 weeks) that was phenomenal. I learned so much throughout these few weeks and I am getting better blood sugar readings at home. Still need to work on diet and exercise, but I finally feel like I'm in control of the disease instead of the disease being in control of me.  During August, I also started back to school to finish my Masters Degree in Professional (Biblical) Counseling through Liberty University.

Budgeting and Menu Planning (9-15 July 2011)

So the goal this week is to eat whats in the freezer and minimize what I have to buy at the store. And to use coupons when I can.

Breakfasts: omlets, scrambled eggs, coffee
Lunches: salads, leftovers, roastbeef or ham roll ups, veges
Snacks: cheese, protein, full fat greek yogurt, berries, apples, peanut butter
Dinners:
Saturday - not sure, since we have a birthday party at 4 and have to be at Lifeblood at 7 to set up and music practice
Sunday - taco salad w/homemade taco meat/seasoning, pepperjack, salsa
Monday - chicken breast sauteed with broccoli & cheese (freezer, need cheese)
Tuesday - CI Group - crockpot-pot roast w/celery, onions, beef broth, carrots, salad (freezer, need-celery & salad stuff)
Wednesday -sauteed snapper with green beans or broccoli (freezer)
Thursday - CI Group-  Leftovers
Friday - Out!

Fighting Diabetes Type II

I can't believe it is July already! Where has the time gone? I want to journal to keep a history of how I am doing with fighing/controlling this disease. I need to lose some weight and this will help with controlling diabetes, but since this runs in my family (strongly rides my paternal line) I may not be able to reverse it completely.

Current diabetes meds: metformin 1000mg x2, glipizide 10mg

Goal: lose weight and get off meds (or at least reduce them) by 31 December 2011.

Pounds lost since 17 June 2011 - 7lbs

So, my doc put me on metformin and glipizide and I have to test my blood sugar twice a day (since 15 June 2011). I also am eating low carb (for the most part) and my doc gave me a referral for diabetes education classes (which, hopefully my insurance will cover because its $450 for four classes). Will find out next week what insurance will cover (supposedly should cover the cost since my insurance is BCBS out of Maryland and Maryland law requires insurance companies to pay for such classes).

So I have definitely noticed a drop in my fasting blood sugar, as it was 200-232 and has dropped to around 150-165. This is still rather high, as my doc wants it under 140. But since I can't quite control that "Dawn Phenomenon" I am not too concerned. From what I have read, it is the hardest to control and will probably work itself out once my non-fasting blood sugar comes down to normal range. Which was actually really good yesterday before dinner @ 126.  I always thought it would really be awful to have to stick myself every day to check blood sugar, but actually its not all that bad. Its also kind of cool to see how food affects my blood sugar - like a lab experiment, which is how I am working this thing. I created a spreadsheet so I can log blood sugar, meals eaten, and exercise for each day. I can then take the numbers and find the average, which I can loosely associate with the A1C chart to see how my A1C is doing. Its dropped from a 9.5 to approx 7.5 in a month.  My doc wants it under 7, and i want to try to get it in the 5-5.5 range (which is considered normal).

Whatnot Wednesday - Summertime!

OMGoodness! Its Wednesday again already! I can't believe it! It only seems like Tuesday because of the holiday weekend last weekend.

Whatnot Wednesday - Mid-May Edition

• In all the busi-ness thisweek, I totally forgot about Whatnot Wednesday until I saw my friend Emily's post on Facebook! Gotta love FB!
• Too much going on this week at work with FY12 budget planning...yuck! But, if we want jobs next year, its a necessary evil.  Don't know about you, but I kinda like getting paid. :)
  

Whatnot Wednesday

WHAT!!! Is it Wednesday again already???? Where has the time gone?

--Hope everyone had a great Mother's Day.  I did. I came home from church and our son had put a card for me in the door window (so I'd see it). He had to work Sunday morning (long story) and so, we left before he did. He drew me a sweet card and wrote the most sweetest message in it. The funny part, though, was he put "I got you a Starbucks Card and I was going to give it to you when you woke up - but I couldn't find it. I looked in my truck, and in my room. And then found it in my pocket." HAHAHAHAHAHA! Love it! And the Starbucks card. :)

Whatnot Wednesday

--We had a great time in Orlando last week at Exponential Conference (church planter conference). There were approximately 4,000 fellow church planters. Funny thing, it seems every where we go, my husband knows someone. This time, we met up with a good friend & fellow church planter from Jacksonville. Our son is always amazed or amused (not sure which) and teases Dave when this happens. So, yes, Shane, your dad knew someone there too. :)

Whatnot Wednesday

I've been waiting all week for Whatnot Wednesday!


**Saturday we had a great time at Kidfest. We ran a booth for our church, and I have to say that I think my Pastor Husband is more of a kid than the kids were! He made balloon hats and animals nonstop for 6 hours. We also found out that we have incredible talent in our church...I've never seen such beautiful facepainting that one of our ladies did! Maybe she'll come help me decorate my house! :)

Whatnot Wednesday

Wow...I've looked forward all week to Whatnot Wednesday and now I almost missed it!


** Ever watched the show "Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files?" Its one of my favorites really interesting. This team of former FBI agents, computer graphics experts, cinamaphotograhers and other experts travel to different locations to debunk various claims such as UFOs, ghosts, etc.

Saving Money :)

So, I love reading blogs on how people save money at the grocery store and how they find all these great coupons on the internet. One really cool blog I read is couponing & budgeting. This blog has links to some other really good webpages, too. This woman went through some really awful times at an old church - serious spiritual abuse stuff - but that is another blog.

Whatnot Wednesday

OK, so I totally stole borrowed this idea from Emily...but this seems like a cool idea. Whatnot Wednesday...gotta be better than a
Melancholy Monday :). From my understanding, this is the place where you just put out whatever is on your brain at the moment...like a purging session. Uh, yeah, that could be scary. Well, let's see...

Bittersweet Memories

Throughout the last few years, I often wondered how I would feel when our time serving at Carlisle would end. I can't express how much Carlisle has blessed our family over the years. For sure, we have had our ups and downs and have suffered through some severe trials and heartache. But, we have also experienced some of the hugest blessings and greatest joy imaginable.

How Big I'm Blessed

I find myself sitting at my desk getting irritated with my officemate's teleconference - the phone is turned up so loud and their voices are like fingernails on a chalk board - ear piercing! I am bored and ready to go home. In my line of work, its pretty much feast or famine...and right now we are in a famine period. All this means is there is not a lot of work right now and the monotnous watching the clock each day is driving me crazy.

Birthday Cake with Icing & Sprinkles on Top

This post has been written on my heart for days, yet I am just now finding the time to write.  We had such an awesome day in the Lord last Sunday, and I can only describe it as your favorite cake with your favorite icing and LOTS of sprinkes on top!

The "P" Word

Perfect. Perfection. Perfectionism. Perfectionist. That describes me to a "P"! Not that I am perfect in any way, mind you, but that I (in my mind) think that I should be...All -or- nothing. No middle ground. Pass/Fail. What do I put that kind of pressure on myself? I do know that I am not alone in this mindset. Ever Read Proverbs 31 and think "there is NO WAY I can live up to this!!!"  I have.  Ever hear list of "DOs and DON'Ts" for Christians" and think there is NO WAY I can live up to this! I have. Read a list of "DOs and DONTs" Especially for Pastor's Wives Edition" and think there is NO WAY I can live up to this!!! Yep, me again.