Wordless Wednesday: Favorite Food

For more great Wordless Wednesday photos head over to 5 Minutes for Mom.

March 2011

It's been so long since I've linked up to What's On Your Nightstand? that I feel a little like "coming home"!  My favorite part of this meme is it gives me a chance to evaluate and prioritize my book reviews and joy reading (which hopefully overlap!)  Some of these have been on my nightstand for a few months, so I'm hoping this will give me a little accountability to see some different items on my "nightstand" next month!

Family Life Marriage Bible by Dennis and Barbara Rainey

The Five Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman & Ross Campbell

Judgment Day by Wanda L. Dyson

Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst

Same Life, New Story by Jan Silvious

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

Hebrews 4:15 NIV

Made To Crave by Lisa TerKeurst

In January, my friend Stephanie of Stephanie's Mommy Brain blogged about her experience reading Made to Crave.  You can read her amazing testimonial here.  I was privileged enough to win one of two copies of the book from her, and have been on my own Made to Crave journey ever since.  Can I just say this isn't easy?  It's fulfilling and meaningful and life changing, but I want it to be fun and exciting.  It's not. 

For any readers not familiar with the book, a quick summary would be that we are meant to have our needs met by God and not food.  And when food (OR ANYTHING) else besides food meets our needs everything gets out of whack (sp?)  This is not just a passing idea for me...this is a lifelong struggle.  It's a battle that I am facing meal by meal and minute by minute. 

I have been making small steps since I received the book (starting to work out semi-regularly, cutting out sodas, etc), but on Monday of this week I finally started eating well.  By eating well, I mean getting some fruit and vegetables into my daily plan and not eating ice cream.  This is day 3, and it's just hard.  I walk around the house with the book close by saying to myself, "Alicia, you were made for more".   So, I'm doing it, but not exactly happily.

After hoping to start blogging regularly again in February, I haven't.  Ever since Monday I haven't written any new Facebook status updates.  Why?  Because all my energy is being taken up by redirecting my cravings from food to God.  I don't mean for this blog to turn into just a food blog, but it is supposed to be about "experiencing each moment".  These are my moments right now. 

I know Lisa's book has spoken to a lot of people, and yet I don't hear anyone sharing the struggle I feel.  If you know of someone blogging their battles to crave God instead of food, please write it in the comments!  I've spent 37 years using food to address all my different emotions.  I have a lot of re-learning to do.  And it isn't fun.

My "Siesta" verse for March 1st is Hebrews 4:14...

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.

I haven't decided when I'm memorizing each verse, but in the end I'll have Hebrews 4:12-16 memorized.  I love this!

Kick Off to Great Strides 2011

This is Alicia speaking on behalf of Team Sam for Great Strides 2011:

I am 37 years old.

In most families, other milestones like “sweet 16” and “over the hill 50” are important markers. But in our family, the number 37 never leaves the forefront of our mind. Why?

The median predicted age of survival for those with Cystic Fibrosis is 37.

Samantha’s median age life expectancy is the age I am right now.

My cousin died of Cystic Fibrosis at 2 months old. In the span of one generation, research has come so far that the life expectancy is now 37. As wonderful as that is, I know what 37 years feels like and I do not feel like I am at the end of my life. In many ways, it is just beginning.

When Samantha reaches age 37, I want her to feel the same way!

From now on, when you hear the number 37, I want you to remember Samantha who spends hours a day taking medicines and doing treatments so that she can extend her life little by little. You can help her and the 30,000 other Americans with this disease by giving to our Great Strides fundraiser!

In a little twist to our Great Strides fundraising and in honor of the age 37, I am asking that you donate $37. Obviously, we will accept any dollar amount, but as a reminder of this age and what it means to Samantha’s life, I am asking for a specific number this year! This money will go towards finding new medicines and new treatments that improve each CFer’s daily life and extend this median life expectancy. Do you have $37? It will not be wasted!

To donate right now, click on the following link:

LIVING BEYOND AGE 37

Any donation will be appreciated!

For more info about Samantha's Cystic Fibrosis, visit our CF Blog, Great Strides for Team Sam!

Winter Weight Off

Over at 5 Minutes for Moms, Janice has started a series called Winter Weight Off.  For me, this would best be described as "WinterS Weight Off" since my weight has accumulated over many years!  I need to lose more pounds than I would ever want to admit, but I know that the weight I have now is from poor food and exercise choices of my past.  I can't undo those decisions, but I can make healthy choices today, meal by meal. With that in mind, I have joined up with the Winter Weight Off and look forward to everything Janice is going to share! I can't wait to learn.  In addition to this, you can expect to see posts very soon that will share the various tools I am using to make this weight come off!

Favorite Super Bowl Commercials

Was it just me or were most of the commercials a bust this year?  Hello, marketing group at Doritos, what were you thinking? Even though I found myself saying, "that wasn't funny" over and over, I did see a few I truly enjoyed...

Everyone passed this one around before Super Bowl Sunday, but it's still really good, so I'll post it too! Notice only Volkswagen and Bridgestone got my vote this year!

Super Bowl XLV: I've Picked a Team!!

Yesterday I wrote what a challenge I have picking a team for the Big Game.  Today, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, posted the "Steelers Use Super Bowl Stardom to Help Support CF Foundation", and VOILA my team is picked.  Evidently, the Steelers are long time supporters of the CF foundation.  That's one thing the Steelers and I have in common! 

Super Bowl XLV

Sunday is Super Bowl 45.  And while I'll always be happy to watch pro-football, there are a few things about this Super Bowl that disappoint...

1. The Cowboys are hosting it, and I STILL haven't been to a game inside the new stadium
2. The Cowboys are hosting it, but they aren't in it!
3. The Cowboys are hosting it, and the NFC team is the Packers!
4. The Cowboys are hosting it, and the AFC team is the Steelers!

Give me a break!!!  I don't even know who I want to lose more! 

There better be some good commercials!

Blizzard 2011

Newscasters have been calling it the Blizzard of Twenty-Eleven!  This storm has ravaged much of the U.S., but Northern Illinois was hit with the "blizzard warning", and it didn't disappoint.  We received at least 18 inches in the span of about 12 hours.  Thankfully, everyone I know is safe and sound.  We didn't even lose power, and we have an experience of a lifetime.  We're enjoying the final hours of a "Snow Day" for Dad, the kids, and almost everyone!!!  As I type this, I'm listening to Michael W. Smith & Amy Grant being interviewed on K-LOVE, watching my kids play in the snow (yes, it's 23 degrees) and feeling sorry for my husband as he shovels a very long driveway.  I have over 100 hundred pictures from this snow event, but let me summarize it with this one taken from my front door...

2011 Siesta Scripture Memory Team

I've always enjoyed a good siesta, and now I've become one! This is the scripture memory team brought together by Beth Moore's Living Proof Ministries. After reading about it at Stephanie's Mommy Brain this system sounded like a great fit for me!  Two verses per month seems like a very tangible goal and I like that I get to pick which verses I want to memorize.  At the end of 2011, I'll be able to know what God was teaching me based on these 24 verses! 

We post our verses as a comment on Beth Moore's blog every 1st and 15th. My January verses were Hebrews 4:12-13...

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

My verses for February will be 1 John 2:15-16...

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 

Click here if you want to find out how to join in!

Book Review: Plain Promise by Beth Wiseman

This is a great Christian fiction book, set in Amish country.  I give it my recommendation!  It is light enough to enjoy as a "lazy day" reading, but the characters have depth which makes the reader want to know about them and care what happens to them.   Each main character, and several "supporting" characters have been through some deep personal pain that has them at a crossroads in life.  They are in need of real community and love.  It is thrilling to watch these unlikely lives intertwine beautifully!  And a couple of well developed love stories is always fun, too!

Includes a reading group guide and Amish recipes.  A group of friends would have a great time reading and cooking together!