Sunday Share: A Bit of a Stretch

Good morning friends! Whether you are going through the Made to Crave journey with me or just working through some things in your own life (and lets get real...who isn't working through something?) this is a great little video for you. I can't really complain about this week. I did well with my eating, maintained my loss, and felt closer to God this week. He is so good to me!

Sunday Share: This Is The Stuff

Good Sunday morning friends! I have a fun little song for you to listen to this week. I love it because it talks about all "the stuff" that drives us all crazy and then reminds us that God uses it all in some way to draw us closer to him. Wonderful, isn't it?

Quick update on my week with Made To Crave. This was a good week. I saw a decreased amount of cravings. While I can't say that I'm craving every health food that is out there I can say that I'm not craving chocolate nearly as much as I used to which is a wonderful feeling. I keep reminding myself that "you crave what you eat" and since I was eating not healthy foods for a long time it is going to take a long time to stop craving it.

I lost 1.5 pounds this week. I'm now into the area of trying to figure out exactly how much I should loose as, though I'm still in my healthy weight range, I know if I go to much lower I will have a hard time maintaining it. So, we'll see how this week goes. How was your week? You don't have to leave specifics. Just let me know how your eating is going. If you are doing the MTC study where are you at? What did you learn this week?

Well, enjoy the song! I'll see you tomorrow with another Paper Pretties card but if you just can't wait 'til then they are having another birthday party hop today that you can join in on right HERE.

Sunday Share: Made to Crave Check In

Good morning my bloggy friends! Welcome to the first in a series of posts about my journey with the Made to Crave Bible study. I have linked up the introductory video for MTC below. Go ahead and watch it if you'd like but I think I may have it on my blog some where else. Sorry if you've already seen it. What I'm going to do is just chronicle my week with you and you are more than welcome to leave comments about what I say, how you feel this week, or if you are doing the study how your week was. Here goes...

Well, this coming Tuesday is the first meeting of our MTC Bible study and I'm so excited! I have already read the book but I am looking forward to getting into the study guide to read more about what Lysa has for me in this journey. This week was a frustrating week...okay, wait...I need to tell you something. I am an everyday weigh-er. This means I get on the scale every single day (most of the times at least twice a day). The "experts" say that you should only weigh yourself once a day but this has always worked for me...'til this week. You see, I weigh in on Sunday and from Monday until Saturday I had lost NO weight for the week. I had not deviated from my healthy eating plan, I exercised six times this week, I was frustrated. I was, however, not going to be too upset due to a little check list that is in the MTC book. Basically it asks...did you stay on plan, both physically and spiritually? I had so I knew my body was just being stubborn. Well, this morning I got on the scale and I was down 2.5 pounds. Yep, I'm thrilled. I'm also apprehensive as I am at the goal weight that I have set for myself. When you read the book or go through the study you will find out why I would be apprehensive (or from previous experience you may know). Being in this place is the most dangerous place to be so I'm pleased I'll be starting the actual study this week!

So, I know that was a lot of kind of non-sense from me but that is how I felt this week. Excited to start the study, frustrated to not have seen the results consistently (but was I looking at the wrong results?). Next week I think this post will look different. I will have had almost of week of the study guide to think about and hopefully I can make a little more sense to you guys!

So, I hope you have a great week. If you are working through MTC (or even if you are not) as well please feel free to e-mail me (link is on the left) if you want to chat or have any questions!

Made to Crave Giveaway!!!

Well, here you are on blog post #2 for today. (Scroll down for my Paper Pretties Whatnots post) This is something I rarely do, huh? Well, I have something very special for you guys today. Today I'm giving away a copy of the Made to Crave book courtesy of Proverbs 31 Ministries. (See the bottom of this post for details!) Also, make sure you check out the Made to Crave webcasts. They will be HERE each Monday.

As a part of the "deal" behind giving away one of these books (and getting one for myself) is that I would share with you either one of the videos (done that) or an excerpt from the Made to Crave website, or maybe tell about my own experience with the book. I have chosen the later, which is very difficult for me so hold on.

I have to be honest (and that is what this is about) I have never been "over weight." I know you are now thinking than what the heck is my deal with this right? Well, while I've not been overweight I have struggled, mightily, with berating myself for when I wouldn't make a good choice or when I gain 10 pounds as I wasn't happy 10 pounds heavier. I obsessed about food. I'd eat something and then be mad at myself. I was constantly thinking what I could, should, or would be eating next. It is a horrible mindset to be in. It is in that way that I was craving food over God. I believe I was thinking of food when I should have been devoting a lot of that time to other things that are more important...work, kids, and most importantly God.

There is a place in the book where Lysa writes we have to "get to a place where our lack of strength disgusts us. This place is found at the bottom of our excuses and rationalizations. It's found when our efforts fail time and time again. It's found in the humility of this admission: "I need God to unsettle me." Girls, I was with Lysa all along in this book and when I read that I was SOLD that she had hit on the head what I know a lot of us girls go through. I was sick and tired of thinking about food all the time, thinking about good and bad, thinking about how I would be happier if I were just thinner. I praise God that he allowed Lysa to be strong enough to write this book so that we can all live in freedom from the everyday frustration that is our struggle with food and help us understand that our struggle is about something so much bigger than food!

In a couple of weeks I will walk through this study with some wonderful women that I know. Now, I understand that not every one of them will have the same revelation that I have had about my relationship with God (and food) but I believe we will all be changed in some way for having to think about and assess our relationships. It will be good and it will be hard all at the same time. And, I am excited to get started!

Since you can't all be with me I decided that in addition to giving away the book I would give away a notebook that I altered to the winner of the book. The little tag says...Joy for the journey. That is what I wish for each of you...joy for your journey though this book and through your life. The winner can use the notebook in anyway that she pleases...a food journal, a journal for the study or even, maybe, a prayer journal it is up to you but I hope that you will enjoy it! True to my crafty posting nature I must tell you a little about what I used to alter the notebook. The image is the super sweet Rose Marci from La-La Land Crafts and those flowers? From McMahon 5 Designs. And the paper is from my favorite Basic Grey pack, Bittersweet.

Now, I'm sure you want to know how to win, right? Well, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post (with a way to let you know you won if you do...email address please, you can't win if I can't get a hold of you). I'm not even going to tell you what to comment about...just tell me what is on your heart after reading this post and you'll be entered in to win! I will choose a winner on Wednesday night, Jan 19th, at 7 pm pacific time (so comment before then!) and will post the winner on Thursday morning in a separate post from my McMahon 5 Designs post.

Have a wonderful day friends!

Sunday Share: You Eat What You Crave

Hello friends! I'm back this week with another little video from Lysa TerKeurst. You saw the title of this post...You Eat What You Crave. I absolutely agree with this and while I didn't go with a no sugar guidelines I have decided to resist candy, cookies and the like within the Weight Watchers guidelines...for now. In this video she talks about it taking about a month to get to the point where you don't crave sugar anymore. I'm about 3 weeks in and I'm actually have the worst cravings for sugar right now. It is hard to say "no, honey...I don't want any of those Sugar Babies". Ugh! But, as I was reminded in this video...everything is permissable but not beneficial. I hope you enjoy today's video and that you'll come back here tomorrow as in addition to my Paper Pretties post I'll have a post where you can comment to win a copy of the Made to Crave book!

Sunday Share And A Heads Up

Good morning friends! I don't suppose you guys have noticed but I've been undergoing some changes. Nope, not behind the scenes on my blog, but in my heart. When Made To Crave came out I knew that I needed to read this book, then I knew I needed to share the study with some friends and acquaintances, then I knew I needed to share my struggle with you guys.

This week, I just want you to watch this video and head to the Made To Crave website if you'd like. Next week, on January 17th (not for the Sunday Share but on Monday) I will be telling you more about the struggle that I've had in my life with food in the past and also how Made To Crave has totally changed the way I look at food AND God. It feels good to be going in the right direction for my health. It can for you too!

Here is the really exciting part...next week on Monday January 17th, in addition to sharing my struggle and success so far, I will be giving away a copy of the book Made To Crave...yep! A copy of this book will be going to one of my blog readers! I'm so excited about this! The book is sitting right next to me just waiting to come to one of your houses! So, check back here on the 17th for the giveaway!