A very difficult week...

On November 10th, I started experiencing the worst pain in my abdomen I had felt since having kids.  I started going back and forth on what it could be.  I stayed home from church on that night with a heating pad on my stomach.  I continued having pain for over a week when I finally decided it was time to go get it taken care of. 

My doctor is very thorough so she sent me for blood work and an ultrasound.  A few of the possible things I had were appendicitis, ovarian cysts (which I knew I had), and possibly cancer.  I had an ultrasound that showed spots on my kidney, something "abnormal" on my liver.  They could not get me in for another ultrasound until the end of the week.  I was still in a lot of pain during this time, but they didn't want to give me anything until they knew what was wrong with me.  I tried not to worry and rest in the fact that God is the best physician I know!   Well Friday finally came, I did not sleep the night before.  The ultrasound went well, of course she could not tell me much.  Well by 3:00 pm my doctor had called me with the results.  Diverticulitis!  I had heard this term before.  Our pastor's wife has it as well.  Funny thing is that our Pastor had told us it sounded a lot like what his wife has and I should go on a liquid died.  He told us that at my first onset of pain.  Lesson learned....listen to your Pastor!!

My white blood count was very high so they put me on an antibiotic as well.

Ok so now what.  I spent the whole evening Friday researching what diverticulitis was exactly.  Not pretty, in any form.  It's basically little pockets that have formed in the large intestine that traps stuff.  It's caused from years of eating junk!  So we purged the cupboards this weekend.  We are trusting in God to provide the extra funds needed to eat the things I have to. 

I started searching Scripture to see what God had to say about our bodies.  He really has a lot to say!!  I started with 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body."  Ouch!  This got me to thinking, have I been honoring God with my body?  I mean I quit smoking, I do not drink...so I was taking care of it.  Right?!  Not really!  I was putting "foreign" things into my body in the form of food.  I'm talking about processed, boxed, and full of extra "stuff" so it can sit on the shelf for a year foods.  A diet of these kinds of foods has literally started eating away at my digestive system.

Making our food from scratch is not that hard!  I've posted on this very blog how easy it is to make your own Cream of...Soup.  But my laziness got the best of me!  It was easier to just go to the store and purchase a can of it to use.  Homemade macaroni and cheese is not that hard to make.  It does not take that long either. 

2 Corinthians 7:1 says, "Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."  I know this verse is talking about doing away with the actions and attitudes that were leading them astray.  But if I'm feeding my body junk I am not going to be able to serve God in the way He wants me to.  Life is full of choices, not only the choice to follow God and accept Christ, but the daily choices we make in life.  Food has become my comfort.  When I'm happy, sad, stressed, or upset I turn to food.  When in reality I need to turn to God!! 

I am re-reading "Made to Crave" by Lysa TerKeurst.  In chapter 17 she is talking about choices.  "We were created to be God's representatives as we live out loud the message of God in our daily lives.  But I'll be honest, the last thing I feel like doing when I'm living in a defeated state with my food issues is to reach out to other people."

I struggle with food!  But I love it!  I will attempt to document my transformation with my new food lifestyle.  It will not be easy.  I've been on a liquid diet since Friday.  My body is not happy!  Yes Praise God! the pains are gone.  But I have a headache that is fierce.  I tend to get grumpy when I don't get what I want when it comes to food.  I'm being real honest here!  I would appreciate prayers for me and my family.

Healthy Home~~Weekly Weigh In

From now on I'll be linking up to Healthy Home.  This was known as Fit Mommy Friday, but the hostess of this meme could no longer do this.  This is where I will document our journey as a family to shed the extra pounds.  We are also changing our lifestyle at the same time.  I've often thought about my Great Grandparents....mainly my Great Grandmother who lived until the age of 99!  She never once went into the hospital until the week she died.  I don't even think she went to the doctor.  I thought about what she use to cook for us while visiting.  Yes these were often high fat foods, but always natural ingredients.  We are living in a society of the grab and go!  High salt prepackaged foods.  Have you ever looked at what is in those packages?  No wonder we are not living as long as our ancestors did.  Food now a days is fake!  We are also a very LAZY society!!  I can't remember a time when I ever saw my grand parents sitting around!  Still my grandmother is in her 90's and still runs around.  There is no getting around that...We are getting back to the way of our ancestors.  Growing and preparing our own foods.   Eating healthy isn't just about a lot of fruits and veggies and cutting out the fat.  It's about wholesome food AND getting off the couch. 

I want my children to learn how to grow their own foods, prepare the food, and preserve the food.  It's not that hard at all.  No matter what you think.  Even if you live in an apartment, or have little land.  It does not take that much space to grow veggies.  IF you just plain do not want to grow veggies go support the local farmers at the farmers markets.  Buy a large amount of them and freeze them.  You might surprise yourself and really like putting up your own foods.  

Now to my weekly weigh in....I have not been to a Weight Watchers meeting in 2 weeks.  In that 2 weeks we had 3 birthdays.  Which means cake and other goodies.  I faced the music this morning and I gained 4.8 pounds!  At first I was very angry with myself, but my son said to me in that little cute way..."You came here to weigh in today mommy, that is the first step!"  I asked him if he had been talking with my friend Jen M??!!  That's exactly what she tells me all the time.   I am going to get back on track and shed this weight!

Go on over and link up with the Healthy Home.