Nothing to EAT!!!!

I can never find anything to eat in my house.  I'll look in the fridge, NOTHING! In the cabinets, NOTHING! On the counter, in the drawers....again, NOTHING!  My husband comes along, looks in the same places and the next thing you know dinner is served.  I'm not talking about a peanut butter and jelly sandwich either, I'm talking a full, hearty, delicious meal.

I am a foodie.  In the sense that I love food, not that I like making it myself.  I would be a great tasting judge, because I'll try most anything (NOT everything....there are some funky things out there that don't look or smell appealing at all).  Up until last summer if I was hungry (and hubby wasn't around to whip something up) I would just drive through a fast food place, order Chinese food, or pizza, or make anything microwavable....OR I would wait for him to get home from work or where ever he's at to make something.  He sometimes would even cook a large meal so I would have enough left over for the next day.

Don't get me wrong I can cook, its just not as good as his cooking and I really, really don't enjoy cooking.  I don't like any part of it.  The prepping, the stirring, seasoning, waiting....UGH!  I cook well enough to survive and my daughter's are still alive, LOL!  They're not starving.  I really wish I did like cooking, but I don't.  My daughter's told me I should sign up for "Worst Cooks in America" on the Food Network (I'm not mad, it is what it is).  They tell me I'm bad enough to go on the show but teachable enough to possibly win the whole thing, LOL!

Here's another problem (on top of me not cooking), I don't want to go to fast food places anymore because they're TOXIC!  It was bad enough knowing they are bad and fatty for you but goodness they're TOXIC also!?!?  The pink stuff in chicken nuggets, the chemical foam in breads, the non-rotting burgers & buns, the added fillers....etc. etc.
The more I learn about what I should be putting in my body & what I shouldn't, the more disgusted I am about all the toxic stuff that's in fast food.  OMG! at this rate I should have lost major weight, lol! I'm not saying I'm fat, but I can afford to lose a few pounds (like 15-20).   I've learned that fast foods in other countries aren't as bad as the fast food here in the USA.  WTH???  Even French Fries!!!Something as basic as french fries! Really?

Wake up America! Why are we killing ourselves slowly by allowing this to continue happening.  Why is it OK for our fast food places to allow these kinds of toxins to get into our food?  We need to take a stance and demand healthier food.  I don't mean buying organic and digging deeper into our pockets to eat healthier...I mean making it right.  It shouldn't be either/or.  It should just be.  If they can do it in other countries why can it be done here in the USA?

Let's add to my (not being a great cook) problem....the stuff that's microwavable and/or easy to make is killing us also.  The number of toxic ingredients in our food is ridiculous. So I now can't buy frozen chicken nuggets, hot pockets, burritos, mac & cheese...etc. etc. This is a great struggle for me because I now really have NOTHING TO EAT!!!! Remember, I don't cook...or rather I'm not a great cook.  UGH!!!!!

Some dangerous ingredients to avoid when shopping for products:

1) High-Fructose Corn Syrup: possible side effects are obesity, insulin resistance, belly fat, heart disease
2) Trans Fats: possible side effects are heart disease, cancer, diabetes
3) Artificial Flavors: possible side effects are allergic and behavioral reactions.  Its also a general term referring to over 100 possible chemical additives.
4) Artificial Colors: possible side effects are allergies, sinus congestion, hyperactivity in children, heighten symptoms of ADD and ADHD
5) Monosodium Glutamate (MSG): possible side effects are chest pain, heart palpitations, headaches
6) Bisphenol-A (BPA): possible side effects are reproductive problems, cancer risk, diabetes, heart disease
7) Benzoate Preservatives (BHT, BHA, TBHQ): used to keep fats in food from going bad.  possible side effects are cancer risk, asthma, hyperactivity

This list doesn't even scratch the surface.  The list of toxic chemicals that are in our foods is astronomical.
I really have to learn to cook so my family can eat healthy.  I need help fast!  Pray for me people.  :

How are you doing?

Know someone who you were cautious about asking the question "How are you doing?".....

I care about how people are doing, how they're feeling, what's new in their life and their plans for their future.  I actually enjoy having long conversations about this and that; about good times and bad times; about mistakes that have been made and the aspirations, dreams & goals to be conquered. I even enjoy talking about a favorite show on TV or a movie that's out.  Let's face it I'm a people person & I love interacting with...guess what? People!

Every now and then we all run into a person (I'm thankful that it's not very often) that no matter the season, month, week, day or hour they're just BLAH! You know what BLAH means right? They just can't seem to shake off the "ho-hum", woe-ways me attitude/mentality.  PEOPLE!!!! Shake it off...it's not cute! lol! Seriously, it really is NOT cute! Don't get me wrong we all get in our moods from time to time and need to vent; and we all should have that awesome friend that is there to lend an ear and kick the ho-hums out of us and lift our spirits! THANK GOD I have more than a handful of great awesome friends....and I'd like to think that I too am that awesome friend right back to them.

Anyway, I found myself having one of those ho-hum people in my life.  One of those, lets call it a TOXIC person.  At first I really liked her, we would chit chat and laugh; a real friendship.  Then during each conversation little by little she would bring up how unlucky she is, or how bad things are and I would do my best to cheer her up and turn her mood around.  Then I found myself talking to her in a way to make her feel that she's not alone by sharing how things aren't so great with me either......BAD!!!! That's not good! Talk about misery loves company.  She totally dragged me into her ho-hum world...and I did it because I didn't want her to feel as if I was throwing my awesome life in her face.  What the HECK is that about????  I mean my life wasn't/isn't grandiose and I do want more out of life but I am thankful and I do love and appreciate my life.

Please tell me I'm not the only one who has ever done this? Please!!!! LOL! 

Any-whoooo! I shook that crazy Toxicity off!! I stopped the negativity match.  You know she'd say "my husband/kids/life......." & I would say "you think that's bad, well my ......." CRAZY talk is what that was.  I would try and try to talk positive talk to her.  I would try to have her see the bright side of things and she would say "you don't understand".  Or I would suggest making changes in her life and she would say "I can't because of XYZ........blah, blah, blah".  There was no winning with her.  All I know is that she was draining my joy...she was TOXIC to my life.  I started avoiding her calls (thank goodness for caller ID).  She got hip to the caller ID thingy so she would call and block her number, GRRRR! Obviously she must have been aware that she was being avoided.  I didn't want to cut her out completely because I felt bad for her.  I felt she needed somebody. She would tell me she didn't have any friends (which I now know why), and how everyone left her or did her wrong. Nobody did her wrong, they just got tired....they went into hiding, ran for the hills.  Sorry, I'm sounding like a mean girl.  Trust me I'm not a mean girl, at all.  I couldn't just drop her, my conscious wouldn't let me; I just knew I could DETOXIFY her, shine some light on her, wake her up from her nightmare.  I would hear the phone ring, see "unknown" on the caller ID and contemplate on picking up the phone or not.  I had to be in a really, really, really good mood in to pick up the phone and I had to have time to kill (because it was going to be a long call, a long exhausting call).  The better the mood the stronger I felt going into the call, like "OK, she cannot drag me down today....I will encourage and lift her spirits".  After some time of seeing & hearing this TOXIC person I realized she was just not going to change.  She enjoyed being the victim.  I FAILED, I couldn't turn her frown upside down.  But I sure as heck was not going to stay on that toxic path.  I had to remove the TOXICITY from my life.  I distanced myself and she eventually stopped calling, after of course telling me I wasn't a good friend and a whole lot of other non-sense.  Boo-Hoo! (tear)....Sorry, that wasn't very nice.  I do pray she is well and finds happiness (seriously I do, but from a distance).

So, I said all that to say that its OK to vent just don't lose HOPE; don't lose the cheer in your voice, the pep in your step, the JOY in your life....because when you lose those things, you lose friends (and even family); and worse yet you lose yourself.  

Feeling BLAH! and want to feel more like this?  Lose the TOXIC in YOU

The next time someone ask you "How are you doing?" remember its OK to really say how you're doing but don't drag it on, don't live in it, don't lose HOPE, don't lose your JOY!  Be HAPPY!!!! End your call, your visits, your days with a smile and a feeling of gratitude because we have soooo much to be thankful for.  I know I do!

Be HAPPY like that! (FYI: that's me in the pink bloomers) 

<---------------- ;-)

To My Friends: I want to apologize for staying away at times; its because I don't want to be TOXIC to you and sometimes I just want to get past whatever grey cloud is lingering over me.  I know you're there for me and I appreciate & LOVE you all; but sometimes...well, sometimes I feel like I just don't want to bring you down.  When I'm down 'my misery doesn't love company'....I give it to God and pray it away.  

Don't be toxic to others & definitely don't be toxic to yourself. 

_____________________________________________________________

Psalm 71:14

English Standard Version (ESV)

But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more.

This Year I WILL......

Toxic Free YOU (Mind, Body, Soul)...starts from within

Yesterday (Feb. 17th) was my birthday; I was happy and sad at the same time. Happy for all the love I got from friends, family and "friends" from all the social networks.  But sad because I didn't get to spend it with MY family.....I truly do appreciate the people in my life old and new & I WILL continue to count my blessings for having them in my life.

Today I would like to address "WILL" the will to do things, the "WILL" to want and go out and get it. I want certain things in life but my problem is accepting help.  I need to "get out of my own way" and realize that just "Willing" something does NOT make it just happen.  I need to realize that doing things by myself isn't the way to go.  I do it to myself so often, I don't accept help and end up hitting obstacles that I just can't do solo but instead of reaching out for help I turn around and give up or tire myself out trying to do something that obviously is impossible to do alone.  I need to learn to receive blessings, accept, enjoy and embrace those blessings.

Ever feel like giving is just so much easier? 

I don't believe I'm alone on this (at least I hope I'm not alone).

I like helping and giving to others.  I really love the feeling of making someone else happy.  I don't have much to offer but when I can & I see that my contribution helped bring joy, comfort, a moment of ease to someone it makes me so happy! I'm content with a simple Thank you or a hug...that's all (I'm a hugger).  Or sometimes if its done anonymously, a smile & thanking God, is awesome!  I don't expect anything in return, I would actually feel funny taking something afterward.  So I'm trying to train myself to accept help from others believing that they too do it because they can & it feels right; with no strings attached.  I don't normally accept help because I always have, in the back of my mind, the thought "how am I going to repay them".  So I walk around life not accepting help, not accepting blessings that God is throwing my way.  I pray for answers and ways to get certain things done and when it shows up I say "I'm good, thank you".  I really need to realize that just as God uses me to help others, God uses others to help me.

I'm like the man in this joke (not my joke, I personally don't know who's joke it is):

There was a flood coming and a car came and asked this man if he needed a ride to a safe place. He said, " No, God will send my help." It rained some more 'till it was up to his porch, a small boat came by and they asked, "would you like a ride to a safer place?" The man answered, "No, my God will send help." The rain kept coming by this time the man was up on his roof. A helicopter came by and asked do you need some help? The man answered again, "No, my God will send my help." 

The rain kept coming, the man drowned, died and went to heaven, when he got there he asked God, "Father, why didn't you send me help?" God replied, "I sent you a car, a boat and a helicopter!

Goodness, such a shame....this is me, once again being toxic to myself.  LOL! No More! I WILL open my eyes, put my pride aside and accept help from others.  How dare I not allow people to feel joy for helping me out (lol)...the nerve of me.

This morning as I read my Bible App (YouVersion); Bible Plan "The Legacy Journey"....it said:

1) *Dr. Billy Graham once said, "God gives us two hands: one to receive with and one to give with." On The Legacy Journey, both hands need to stay open.

2) "We are blessed to bless others, too."

It's a beautiful cycle.  Paying it forward so to speak.  

So with that said 

I WILL embrace the blessings that come my way.  

I WILL continue to help those around me

I WILL continue to Thank God for all I am & all I have

I WILL open the door when opportunity knocks

I WILL blow the dust off my dreams & breath new life into them
I WILL have hope
I WILL not be toxic to myself or others

AND I WILL keep you all posted along my journey

I WILL, I WILL

I WILL .....

What WILL you do?

*****
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,"
declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future."