Day 2 - Energy

Day 2......zzzz  Oh wait, ok, I'm up again.  Seriously don't know how I'm going to get through this post without falling asleep.  We have zero energy.  It's not like a dirty low energy like you get at 3pm everyday kind of crash, it's a slow moving, don't want to talk or do anything kind of thing.

Yesterday we juiced 4 carrots, 2 fuji apples and a handful of parsley.  YUMMY!!!  Bella and Jackson loved it too and they were excited to have another this morning.  Today we did the carrots, but I added 2 oranges instead of the apples.  The kids didn't like it as much.  I love that they are so excited about it and want to participate.  This truly is going to change our family.  Now, just need to get Gavin trying it.

Here's some honesty, Gavin and I have the same horrible eating habits.  I don't eat salad or any cold salad type food.  The only fruit I like are bananas.  Nope, don't like strawberries, nope, not pears....only bananas.  Now, I will have all those fruits blended in a smoothie.  Love them all blended.  And I like most veggies cooked - very cooked.  So juicing...juicing seems like the perfect fit for someone like me right?  Actually it is.  It has been difficult to take the first sips but then I suck them down and overall there is a somewhat nice flavor.  Greg however, likes the taste of carrots and apples so he savors and drinks his slow.  

Day 1 - Resurrection

Oh here we are again, little blog of mine!  It seems the last time I posted I was strong into going gluten free.  And yes that has continued; however, the slipping and sliding was pretty much back to normal.  I cut out those foods back in April because of an intolerance and after going two months completely gluten free I was still at the same weight.  I always said that I wasn't doing it for weight loss, but to be healthy, and that was true; however, after two months I was a little discouraged having not lost any weight.  What I DID learn is that you can be gluten free and still eat high calories.  And anyone that knows me well, knows, that I will try and work any system and plan to my rebellious benefit.

So here we are today, and Greg and I have started our juice fast.  Three weeks of planning and praying went into this very moment.  And the morning came and I was completely overwhelmed.  I was excited, for sure!  But I was a little overwhelemed because I am not a very organized person.  I was so excited to get to the actual juicing that I didn't bring all the food out at ounce.  Thank goodness I cleaned it all last night.

We started with 3 red apples and 1 lemon.  This was to get the kids introduced to it.  Jackson really liked it, Bella did not and Gavin didn't try it.  So then we did 3 apples and Bella was good to go.  She really enjoyed it.

For Greg we made the Mean Green Juice from the documentary "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead".

4 celery stalks
1 cucumber
3 green apples
ginger
lemon
kale

Guess what?  I forgot the kale in his juice this morning.  So add kale to that, about 6-7 leaves or a few handfuls if it's cut up.

Here is Greg's reaction to his first sip.  He was pretending to be Bear Grylls from Man vs. Wild.

I took a sip.  I didn't like it at first.  But I don't normally like one single thing that was in the juice.  On second sip it was better.  I didn't make myself one because I decided to finish what Bella and Jackson didn't finish of their apple juices.  Greg thinks I was just trying to get out of having that mean green juice, but really, I didn't want to waste theirs....no, really, it's true!  ha!

I titled this post Day 1 - Resurrection -  because what came to mind first thing today was "we are alive in Christ".  Because of Christ and the Resurrection, I can do all things and all things are NOT impossible.

"I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me"  Philippians 4:13.

I will post here each day and evening.  Pray for us and send us your encouragement, this is a huge opportunity for growth with our Lord and growth in our health.  We MUST take control of our health, so the "health" care system doesn't have to!

Change - nobody likes it

The family has not adjusted too well to going natural and clean in the kitchen.  They had a fit when I dumped the pantry of pretty much everything in a box or if I couldn't pronounce the ingredients.

I know Greg wants me healthy and feeling better and losing weight but his attitude about the type of food we have to eat isn't very excited about it.  I know it's an adjustment for all of us and it's hard, really hard.

I put some crappy food in my body yesterday.  Due to very poor planning on my part I was at a birthday party with processed food galore.  There was no way out.  I gave in to hotdogs (no bun), chips, canned chili and baked beans.  None of it tasted good and I immediately was in the bathroom.  I did not have any cupcakes or sugar - thank God.

Today my tummy has been churning a lot and I've been trying to figure out what I had that wasn't good.  Probably the cream of mushroom soup I used in the chicken.  I want that out of the house too and I know it's not a good choice, but I did it anyways.  Paying the price now.

How many times have I asked Greg or someone with me to remind me how I'm feeling at this moment so I never eat X again?  I've said that more times than I can count.  This little blog needs to be my reminder too.

I think it's time

I think it's time to update and write regularly. I want to tell EVERYONE how incredible I am feeling. For 8 days now I haven't had any high fructose corn syrup, wheat, corn, sesame, peanut and basically anything that is processed. WOW! My head is clearing up, my energy level is strong and I am not in the bathroom 6-8 times a day. I haven't heard my kids yelling for me to get out of the bathroom. I haven't woken up with cramps and pain in my gut for days.

Yes, I have a tremendous amount of body fat and weight to lose; however, that is just the bonus to how I am feeling right now. Food has been killing me from the inside out. I've always known that this was an inside job - to finally get healthy from the inside first, but I didn't know that it was going to be like this.

It all happens in HIS time.

For a few months now I have been diving into the Word more and working with two leaders at my Church. And I know now in my heart that Jesus loves me no matter what. Head knowledge doesn't matter, it's what we know in our heart.  How I "feel" doesn't matter, but the Truth is what matters.

People close to me are probably thinking, "well, Jen, it's only been 8 days". People that know me well know that I'm a great starter but I suck at finishing. What am I going to be doing in 18 days, 28 days, 108 days? I know in my flesh I cannot continue this another day. I do not have the strength in my own mind and body to do this, BUT GOD. In Christ I can do all things and in Christ I am more than a conqueror.

Day 8...wow day 8.

New Beginnings

It's a new year and with a new year comes new surprises and meanings and memories and adventures and I could go on and on. This year will bring a lot of change to our family. This is the year we hope and pray to make a move out of Florida. Although our immediate families are both here, Greg is feeling very much lead to move us to Virginia. God has given Greg another family full of mamas, papas, sisters, brothers, aunts and more. That is how good God is. We also would love to live where we can enjoy seasons and mountains and maybe even some snow. The kids are very excited about it. I have days where I am full of so much anticipation and excitement then there are days that I am full of questions and nerves.

"Will our kids fit in at a new school"

"What if they cannot go to a Christian school"

"What if we can't find a good Church home"

"What if I miss my mom so much and I am consumed with so much guilt for leaving her and taken her three grandchildren with me".

Well, Truth tells me that "what ifs" will kill me and I cannot live in that. I also know to run to God when I am full of questions and nervousness about moving. And the last question is full of so much that I will probably have to spend a lot of time with the Lord journaling and praying for guidance. Today I will not walk in the guilt and shame because I know that I am free and whoever the Son sets FREE is FREE indeed!

Thank you Lord for today and all our Blessings. Each and every one of them are directly from you.

Dare

Do I even dare to start this up again? What do I really have to say? I feel like I say everything I need to in my head, then I immediately say, "wow, that's a great blog entry", but then never do it. I don't want to be a writer, I just want to write from my heart and get this stuff out of my head. It doesn't usually make any sense. Does my blog have to have a direction if I'm only doing it for an audience of ONE? I'm not looking for followers or traffic, hits, sponsors - none of that. I just want to write from my heart and be completely real with what is going on. I don't know if it will be all about the family. Maybe just about me. Well, let's see if I even come back tomorrow to write. Until then...

Hello??? Anyone home?

haha, sometimes I crack myself up.

Gosh, I haven't written here in so long and I'm not really sure why. I'm hoping maybe anyone that was coming here regularly has forgotten about my little place here. Really? Why would I hope that? Isn't a blog where you can let everything out and not worry about being judged? I don't know. I knew that some family were reading regularly and it kind of freaked me out and I could feel myself holding back. Can you even believe that though? Me, holding back? Ha!

So much has happened since my last post that I don't even know where to begin. And right now at this moment I can feel myself starting to shut down. Like I don't want to do this and let things out on this little page of mine. You know, maybe this just isn't for me. Maybe I'm not a "blogger" of any sorts. Maybe I'm not one to "journal" my feelings. What am I really? Who am I? Gosh, so broad. I know I am a child of the most High God and I know that HE loves me more than my own mama loves me. I know that I am perfect in HIS eyes, but only in HIS eyes. I don't ever feel perfect or loved the way I know my God loves me. I have this incredible feeling of defeat lately and why should I when I have God on my side. I know I was made for so much more than this self defeating attitude that I constantly have. I am pretty miserable most days and I have lost the JOY that I used to have. Actually, did I really ever feel much JOY. Is it all just a front? How can I be this miserable as a Christian? As the daughter of the King? How can this be? UGH... It just is and I have to find my way out of this pit. This pit of despair and defeat. I was made for more than this. Lord help me.

Gosh, I guess I did have some things to say.