HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM! POPCORN & BREATH MINTS...

Popcorn is my most favorite "feel good" food of all time. I can have a wonderful dinner and come to the movie theater with a full tummy and I will still have to get a large tub of popcorn to watch the show ~ it's just too tempting for me to resist!

My love for popcorn started when I was growing up. Each year I would look forward to watching the Miss America pageant on television, and to start the yearly tradition off right, it was mandatory to have a big bowl of popcorn and a delicious Coca-Cola! Everything was right in the world with my little girl eyes glued to the television dreaming of the day that I would have a figure like Miss Texas, a smile that covered my face with the biggest pearly white teeth, my big Texas-size hair which adorned the coveted Miss America crown. Sweet dreams were guaranteed as I drifted off to sleep with the smell of roses in the air and a tummy full of my delicious popcorn!

My love for watching Miss America has faded (although not gone completely!) but I have slowly worked popcorn into my daily life! Dim the lights, load a good movie into the DVD player and let me slowly nibble on each delicious, hot and buttery morsel. Every trip to Oklahoma to visit my sister is made memorable by our traditional bowl of popcorn shared together each night!

I have surrendered my popcorn to my weight loss efforts... but, it was the last thing to go. I have tried all 100 calorie popcorn varieties, and have finally settled on an organic popcorn that is popped in an organic olive oil with a dash of sea salt. It's so delicious...

SO WHAT'S THE PROBLEM??? I just read an article by Dr. Don Colbert and he was writing about high glycemic foods. I'm absorbing the information that he's sharing when I came to a heading that made my heart skip a beat: A POPCORN PROBLEM. Whaaaaaaat? I think, "Dr. Colbert, you have just gone from informing to meddling!"

Here's the story (taken from BIBLE CURE for Weight Loss & Muscle Gain by Don Colbert, MD)

A POPCORN PROBLEM

One patient arrive at my office weighing three hundred pounds. He claimed to have been on a low-fat diet for years, but continued to gain weight. When I questioned him about his dietary history, I learned that he ate a large bowl of popcorn each night before he went to bed. This man just loved popcorn. He once even joined "Popcorn Anonymous." Each evening he would sit in front of the TV happily munching on popcorn for hours, while his blood sugar level silently rose higher and higher.

The popcorn's high glycemic index caused surges of unsulin to be released in his body. And the insulin told his body to store fat and keep it stored. He felt that he just couldn't lose weight, and he was right. His sugar levels were causing his fat to be locked into his body like a steel vault. Without knowing it, this man was signaling his body to store fat for hours every night.

Read on...

Little Mints with a Large Effect

Another woman came to my office who weighed two hundred thirty pounds. When I questioned her regarding dietary history, her diet actually seemed very healthy. She was not eating a lot of fat, starches or sugars. She was not drinking soft drinks or any other sugary beverages. She was eating plenty of fruits and vegetables.

However, after questioning her further, I found out that she sucked on breath mints all day long. (I chew gum all day long... I would assume it's the same effect.) The sugary mints were enough to keep her blood sugar levels elevated and signal her body to store fat. Even though she was on a low-starch, low-fat diet that had plenty of fruits of vegetables, she continued to gain weight. When she eliminated her sugary breath mints and started on a walking program, she was able to lose eighty pounds in a little over a year with no other dietary changes!

Dr. Colbert then goes on to tell how detrimental it is to your body when you keep your glycemic levels high.

For me, this is an "Ah-Ha" moment. Who would have thought that what I considered to be two of my "innocent" daily behaviors could have such damaging effects on my body and health! To some, this may seem like an easy life-change; but, for me, it's going to take some work! I thank God that He continues to bring information into my life that will equip me to be successful in this area of weight loss. God has work for me to do... and He needs me healthy in order to do it!

"Lord, each day I'm learning anew what the word surrender means. As I pray for MORE OF YOU, I find that means LESS OF ME. You have become my life's quest, for without you, I would have no life! I pray Lord that you renew my mind and give me NEW TRADITIONS, NEW MEMORIES... all of which encompass YOU!! I have been a slave to food, but now I am a slave of Your righteousness. Romans 6:11 says, 'Even so, think of yourself dead to sin.' Lord, I want to die to the obsession that I have to food. Renew my mind... I surrender all."

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from Him. (Psalm 103:11-12)

Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

EXERCISE OBSTACLES / CHALLENGES

As I near the end of my first cleanse day, I’ve been thinking about EXERCISE. You know, I really don’t like exercising. I don’t like getting sweaty, and I don’t like the time it takes to get a good workout ~ because that means that I’m giving up something else that I would enjoy doing much more!

“Lord, help me find an exercise I LOVE doing… or one that I would ENJOY doing… ok, one that I can TOLERATE!”

You’ve heard me say it before… but, I must say it again. God is so GOOD! He has the perfect way of bringing you the exact scripture from His Word… the inspiration… or maybe just a good ‘ol “kick in the behind” that you need at just the right time!

Tonight, I received an email from a friend and in it he included a link about a young man named Nick Vujicic. He is 25 years old and was born without arms or legs and given no medical reason for his condition. Faced with countless challenges and obstacles, God has given Nick the strength to surmount what others might call impossible. God has taken Nick’s life, one that others might disregard as having any significance and filled him with His purpose and plans to move hearts and lives toward Him ~ which Nick has been used to turn millions of hearts toward God all across the globe!

The YouTube movie shows how he gets through his day doing everyday tasks such as turning on the light to his room, brushing his hair, brushing his teeth, getting a drink of water… even fixing breakfast WITHOUT ARMS AND LEGS!!

It’s not that he has NEVER had a complaint or a tearful conversation with God… he has… but, through the PROCESS he has built an amazing character. You can see the love of God just oozing from his beautiful smile!

I sat watching the clip(s) – I watched everyone that I could find – completely mesmerized by his story.

“Lord, please forgive me for complaining!”

Here’s the link for you to watch one of the clips:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9jbkZufH9k&feature=related

Get your tissues ready. Ask God to speak to your heart about what you are about to watch. God has given you a dream… He has plans and a purpose for your life… what are the obstacles/challenges that you face that’s holding you back from moving forward? Watch the clip… you’ll be embarrassed that you ever called it an obstacle!

I know I did.

Moving forward… Sharon

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

WORD FOR THE DAY: WATER

Peter Greenlaw is a nationally recognized nutritional cleansing coach that speaks all over the United States, and he just spent an hour with me sharing some of the best secrets he's learned as he's helped hundreds of people reach their weight loss goals.

The first thing he wanted to share was that I must drink WATER!! He said that the root cause of EVERY disease is long-term unintentional dehydration! In addition, he said that most people who struggle with obesity are SEVERELY DEHYDRATED!

Peter went on to say that it is ESSENTIAL that I drink 1/2 of my body weight in ounces of water! Now, let me just say... that's a whole lot more than the typical 8 - 8 oz. glasses of water!! THAT'S ASSUMING THAT YOU DRINK NO OTHER LIQUID! If you drink ONE CUP of coffee, you must add an additional 64 ounces of water to your daily intake! (I'm saying goodbye to Starbucks!) ALSO, if you drink ONE CUP of tea, you must add an additional 32 ounces of water to your daily intake! I'm feeling water-logged just typing this! :)

For those of us who feel sluggish and wish you had extra PEP... Peter said that food is not what gives you energy - water gives us energy! If I continue to drink that much water, I will be ABOUNDING with energy... which is what I'll need for all the trips I'll be making to the Ladies Room!

So, my FIRST STEP towards my weight loss goals is to drink water... and more water... and more water! :)

"Lord God, You alone are my stength! I thank You that you are equipping me to stay committed to getting healthy. I thank you that You are bringing people and information to me to give me the knowledge I need to learn how to eat healthy. Lord, I thank you that you are making my body have a THIRST FOR WATER... and not sugary softdrinks with empty calories! Father, give me the FOCUS that I need to implement all that I am learning.

Most of all, precious Father, I DO BELIEVE IN YOU!! I am no longer looking at the mountain of obesity in my life as something to be feared! I say to that mountain, (finger pointed and shouting with passion!) MOVE OVER and let me tell you how BIG MY GOD IS!!"

I'm feeling like that Lioness today! :)

DO YOU BELIEVE ME NOW?

It's one of my favorite songs by Steven Curtis Chapman. It's a song that I've sung many times at the TOP OF MY LUNGS, (are you hearing passionately LOUD?) It's on my MP3 player, so I can play it as often as I like.

One morning, I was in the shower joyfully singing praises to my Lord when the song came on. I begin belting out the words...

"I watch you looking out across the raging water
So sure your only hope lies on the other side
You hear the enemy that's closing in around you
And I know that you don't have the strength to fight
But do you have the faith to stand?

Believe me now? Believe me here?
Remember all the times I told you loud and clear?
I am with you and I am for you ~
So believe me now!"

Before I realized it, I was on the floor of the shower sobbing. Yes, Lord, I believe You! Of course I do! I believe You, Lord... I believe You!

At the time, I didn't realize that my world was about to turn upside down. I didn't realize that my sweet Savior was preparing my heart for what was to come.

The following weeks quickly turned into months and has painfully stretched into the remainder of the year - each day calling me to walk in a new level of FAITH.

FAITH?? I am a girl that has BIG FAITH in My God! I've been the recipient of many of God's beautiful miracles... my daughter being one of them! Praying for a baby and enduring 7 years of infertility treatments surely wins you some kind of reward for being a faith-filled woman!

And yet, I hear Him asking me the question...

"I am the one who waved my hand and split the ocean
I am the One who spoke the words and raised the dead
And I've loved you long before I set the world in motion
I know all the fears you're feeling now ~
But do you remember who I am?

Will you believe me now? Believe me here?
Remember all the times I told you loud and clear?
I am with you and I am for you ~
So believe me now... believe it's true
I never have, I never will abandon you!

And the God that I have always been ~ I will forever be!!
I am God who never wastes a single hurt that you endure
My words are true ~ and all My promises are sure!"

God has shown me that faith has many levels. If you have accepted the Lord as your Savior, then you definitely have faith.

Soon after my "melt down" in the shower, I received a call that my 25 year old nephew had been hurt after diving into the lake one day. He was star flighted to the hospital and put on life support. I had many precious prayer warrior friends praying that Kevin's young life would be spared. After 2 weeks, he passed away.

"God, I prayed and had FAITH that you would heal my nephew!" And yet, God is calling me to have FAITH in HIM. I must have FAITH in God's faithfulness! I must have FAITH in God's perfect will. I must have faith that God loves my nephew more than my sister loved her son, more than I loved my nephew! I have FAITH in His ways, not my own.

He has told me many times... I don't have to understand, I don't have to know why, I just have to have FAITH.

On the day that I received the news of my nephew's passing, I received the news that my best friend of 20 years had been diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer.

Yes, Lord... I believe YOU. I'm feeling like I've lost my strength to stand, but I know You are here with me, and you've sent armor bearers to hold my arms up to praise You! Thank you, God, You have not abandoned me...

I have prayed and fasted and believe and stand firm in FAITH that my precious friend, Diane, will be healed. She has made remarkable strides in her treatments! THANK YOU GOD!! I have FAITH in You.

But, the most difficult journey I've been walking through are issues concerning my son. Although I don't feel led to share the specifics of what his illness (the world has labeled him Bipolar) has wreaked on my family, I can share that I now realize that I have never known what the true meaning of FAITH is until now. Where the world sees no hope, I know that my God is a BIG God of hope! I know that my God loves to perform miracles today. I know that my God is FAITHFUL... in ALL THINGS... in ALL WAYS... at ALL TIMES.

And you want to know what the BIGGEST SECRET I've learned as my FAITH continues to grow? PRAISE. Ipraise God before the storms, I praise God during the storms, I praise God when the lightening bolts strike! Then... I praise God when the torrential downpours subside to a sprinkling rain... and if you watch long enough... you may even see this big girl dancing!!

Yes, Lord, I believe. Help me believe more!!

Be blessed today, and thank you for reading a little expression from my heart! :)

TRUE CONFESSION, I'VE FALLEN OFF THE WAGON...

The weight loss wagon that is.

Although it has been apparent to those who see me everyday, I have been in denial. I have slowly packed on 40 (or so) pounds. (Who wants to get on that scale, afterall?) During the holidays though, reality persistently showed me the truth as my clothes kept getting tighter and tighter and tighter. Finally, I just decided to take my belt off because I was fearful of the upper part of my body turning blue from loss of blood flow!

Now you must know that I have not (hardly) bought any new clothes for the past 2 years!! I was refusing to do so until I could fit into a SMALLER size! Now, I'm frustrated that I need to lose weight just to fit BACK INTO MY OLD CLOTHES!

Food has been my struggle... my stronghold... my bondage. I've prayed about it, read books about it, exercised for it, I've sought deliverance over it... I've surrendered it... I've repented over it! Then, I accepted it. I mean, Paul had the thorn in his side that the Lord chose to never take away from him. Maybe this was my thorn?!

But then, I always come back to the vision God gave me. You know, I'm not one prone to having visions - God-given or otherwise! I can honestly say that I've only had 3 in my life. But, when you have a vision from the Lord, it doesn't leave you... it's planted deep in your heart and it's carried with you each day and the Holy Spirit has a gentle and beautiful (yet persistent) way of reminding you of the vision! That vision was me standing on a stage with a skirt falling off of me... and behind the skirt was a healthy, beautiful, me... as a size 12.

Then came the phone calls. Not from the Lord silly... but from my friends. "Sharon, I have to tell you about this dream I had! I saw you, and you were skinny!" Now, those are the dreams you like to hear! Three different friends, three different dreams... all bringing confirmation to what the Lord was going to do in my life.

Believe me, the Lord and I have had some talks about this vision. He has made it clear to me that he could care less if I'm a size 12 or a size 20!! But, He does want me healthy! He wants me mobile! He wants me to be able to move forward with all that He has planned for me to do WITHOUT the extra baggage that I've become so accustomed to carrying along with me! He wants me to drop the food "friend" that has not contributed positively to our relationship for a very long time.

So, this past year, I've been WAITING for God to miraculously make me a size 12! I know that He could do it. I've watched videos of women in conferences that have instantaneously lost weight! Lord... this is going to be FUN!! But alas, that has not been the miracle that God has planned for me...

... He reminds me of the time this summer when I was trying to make sense of why some people receive instantaneous healing, and others don't. He spoke so clearly to me that day in my kitchen... "Sharon, sometimes the miracle is in the process."

I think back to my 7-year cry for my daughter... believing, praying, pleading and (ashamedly at times) throwing a tantrum! "Lord, if you could just give me a baby... and if you could make it a girl... that would be so awesome!" Of course, God's plan was always to give me my daughter, but in His perfect timing, in His perfect love, what I received was so much more that a daughter. The PROCESS that I went through was necessary so that I could be reunited with my birthmom and my 9 brothers and sisters! I could only dream of having a little girl... God's dreams were so much bigger and better than what I dared to dream.

SO... THE MIRACLE IS IN THE PROCESS...

The way I see it, I have two choices. I can wallow in the guilt, frustration and anger I feel for letting myself fall off the wagon; or, I can CHOOSE to embrace the PROCESS. I can believe that the tactics that the enemy has used to keep me shackled to this weight issue is too big for my God; or, I can tell the enemy... MOVE OVER MOUNTAIN BECAUSE I'M GOING TO TELL YOU HOW BIG MY GOD IS!!

"Lord, it's a new day, a new beginning. I want to move forward. I want to continue to grow into all that You have for me! I don't want to miss a thing! YOU are more important than food! Thank you, Father, for giving me the perfect nutritious plan to follow. It's time for action. Stay close to me today, Lord. It's hard to say goodbye to old friends..."