Check Yes or No (Prayer devotional for the week of Jan. 22)

/ faithsweatandtears / 1 Comment

The year was 1986. His name was Danny. He was funny, cute, never once called me “four eyes” like some other mean boys who shall remain nameless, and I had it bad. I mustered up the courage to write Danny a “check yes or no” note to see if he LIKED me liked me, or if he just, you know, plain ol’ liked me. Days and eons passed with no reply, and my self-esteem plummeted. Finally, one day on the way to P.E., he passed me in the hallway, smiled and handed me a folded note. He’d drawn a heart on the front of it.

This story isn’t about a sappy, romantic outcome, because Danny moved away shortly thereafter, and we lost touch. (Back then, there was a per-minute, long-distance fee to phone another town, and we had to use these things called stamps to correspond in writing.) What it boils down to is a question that we all need to know the answer to: Do you LIKE me like me, or do you just like me? The question goes beyond tweenage crushes and cuts to the core of our hearts, because it’s something that Christ asks each of us.

Jesus once put Peter on the spot and asked him a similar question in John 21. You may remember Peter from the crucifixion story—he’s the one who denied knowing Jesus three times over the course of one night. Our story picks up after Jesus was raised from the dead, and he appeared on the shore where Peter and others were [unsuccessfully] fishing. They realized who he was and had a meal together—after Jesus helped them haul in a miraculous catch. During the course of their conversation, Jesus posed the question three times to Peter: “Do you love me?” It was his way of reinstating Peter for denying him.

Jesus isn’t going to force us to love him or drag us along as mindless followers, without a will of our own. He offers us a choice to love him passionately and to follow him wholeheartedly. The Bible is his love letter to us, filled with grace, mercy and an eternal promise. Will you check yes or no?

Foodie Friday: Omelets

/ faithsweatandtears / 3 Comments

I was too lax on my low-carb efforts during the fall/winter; consequently, I have gained weight. 😦  I didn’t have an all-out binge, but I was lenient on breaded foods (fried okra is a gift from God), a few pieces of not-sugar-free chocolate and pastries here and there, etc. However, I refuse to buy new clothes in a bigger size, so I’m returning to Square One and doing the “induction” phase of my low-carb plan, which is high-protein with non-starchy veggies. I also need to drink more water!

More often than not, my breakfast includes eggs in some shape, form or fashion. I love making omelets, but if I’m in a rush or it doesn’t fold well, then I like scrambled eggs, too. I also like over-medium eggs, where the yolk is a little runny. Eggs get a bad rap because of cholesterol, but it is an unfair accusation–they are actually quite healthy. However, since I’m going through induction and trying to be mindful of how many calories I’m consuming vs. burning, I’m switching back to Egg Beaters (or the store brand).

A standard egg has about 1 g carbs, which is nominal, but an equivalent amount (1/4 c) of Egg Beaters is even less. For this yummy breakfast omelet, I used 1/2 c of Egg Beaters (~2 eggs’ worth), 2 slices of deli roast beef cut into slivers (0 carbs), about 1/2 c fresh baby spinach leaves (coarsely chopped, net 0 carbs) and 1 wedge of Laughing Cow Blue Cheese (2 g carbs). (I love Laughing Cow cheese; my only complaint is that it doesn’t melt well.)

I’ve discovered that the trick to making omelets is not to turn the heat up too high and be patient. I turned my electric stove to a setting of 6 (medium heat). It worked out beautifully. Avacados are a “fatty” vegetable, but I absolutely love guacamole, so I had a scoop with my omelet. Guac has about 1 g carbs per ounce, and I estimated that I had about 2 oz.

So, all in all, my breakfast was only about 5 g carbs. I’m aiming for less than 30 a day, so that’s a good start. I’m trying to be diligent about planning my meals ahead of time so that I’m not tempted to forage in the kitchen. I’m pretty good about planning the boys’ meals, usually a week-at-a-glance with wiggle room for unexpected changes in the schedule. For myself, though, I’ve fallen down on the job and have paid for it on the scale (and in my clothes).

Here’s to a fresh start!

Wednesday Words: Catching up

/ faithsweatandtears / Leave a comment

Once again, the holiday weekend threw off my schedule. I totally missed Monday Musings, but I trust that you didn’t lose sleep over it. Last weekend was also Residency Weekend at Valdosta, which I had permission to skip this go-round. (I will go in August, instead, which will be my last official time to have to attend.)

Consequently, I missed a few announcements that some classmates have been gracious enough to try to update me. I am playing catch-up this week and making sure that I understand the assignments that are coming down the pike. So, I don’t have anything current to share, writing wise, but the semester is definitely going full speed ahead!