God's Goodness to Me

The first words are always the hardest, don't you agree? I want to share this awesome, extremely tough journey The Lord has me on, but trying to find the opening sentence is always the toughest for me. Anyway......

It has been almost a year and a half since I started the Made to Crave journey. It all started when I sensed the call to avoid all sweets for a year, a choice I thought would be impossible, but was actually empowering.

The year has come and gone. I am 30 lbs. lighter and I still eat very little sweets. I am not 30 lbs. lighter just for that reason alone. It is a spiritual journey I have walked and I learned I was overweight physically because I was underweight spiritually. For months it was truly hard to wrap my mind around many of the concepts from the book, Made to Crave, but one by one, I opened myself to the Lord, listening to His tender leading and I followed. 

I learned that I desired food, more than Him. That food was an idol in my life, because I turned to it for everything rather than Him. A bad day, a pity party I was having, a self -righteous deserving attitude, just to name a few.  Food was my comfort, my best friend and even though I loved God with ALL my heart, food was my first resort to make me feel better about anything. I believed lies for years. Lies such as, "I deserve this!" "I work hard!" and "who is ANYONE, to tell ME what I can or cannot eat!?".

Month by month, I submitted to my Heavenly Father, along with many mistakes and little by little the excess weight came off. 

Don't misunderstand, this was not just a spiritual journey of surrender, but a physical application one as well. I eliminated junk and sweets and stopped eating after 8pm. I also began to exercise and ignore any excuses that the enemy fed me. 

Each day was tough, moments at night were torture. Yielding to God in this area of my life, was and still is, the toughest place I have ever walked! It has been painful. Not fun and HARD! But my God is so good, faithful and HIS strength alone has carried, sustained me minute by minute.

Since January of this year, I have stayed at a certain weight and try as I might can't seem to loose past my 30lbs loss. I have struggled, fought and gotten mad! "I'm doing everything by the book, Lord!" 

Once again, I hear and feel the gentle wind of His spirit desiring growth out of me again. "It's not about the number on the scale."  AHHHHH, not what I want to hear! 

This is a lesson of surrender and freedom. A practical application of treating my temple the best way I possibly can. Asking myself with EACH food choice, "Is this beneficial to my body?". With the surrender of the scale, after a lifetime of hating my size AND my body, I feel FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Freedom in Christ, all the while, listening to  His leading on how to take care of this temple. 

THIS is my testimony of God's awesome goodness to me and the journey I have been on. 

Coffee Shop Travels Part 1

It is established that I love coffee, so much so that I consider it a hobby of mine.

The boys and I are out here in Dayton, Ohio this week with my hubby while he has some job training and I have taken this opportunity to sample all of the local coffee haunts, to my delight!

The first place was Boston Stoker.

The sign made the place look interesting and once I walked through the front door, the "interesting" ensued. It was dark, almost "bar" dark. Not that I would know this personally having ever been to a bar, but using the movies I've seen as an reference. It was very spacious and I walked around with curiosity. I ventured towards the back and to my surprise I noticed a cigar bar and display. Unique. I have never seen this before, or thought that cigars and coffee made a good couple, but then again, I've never smoked a cigar, so who knows. 

I ordered my usual, a straight cappuccino. The gentleman was dressed more like a cigar connoisseur than a coffee barista, but he made my cappuccino with care, so it didn't much matter to me. As I put to my lips for the first sip,it was strong and very smokey. I know, the irony of it being in a coffee/cigar shop, but it was good. I just have to wonder if some cigar tobacco was mixed into this cappuccino of mine. One last note. This is a local company with just nine locations. 

My second stop, Tim Hortons.

 I have heard of this coffee company because about six months ago, they came out with discs for the Tassimo coffee machine. I was not a hug fan of the Tim Horton coffee at home, but was curious how it tasted from the actual location. Upon walking in, it had a "Dunkin Doughnuts" feel. They served breakfast, doughnuts and paninis and oddly enough, coffee seemed to be an after thought. Everything else they sold was pushed to the forefront, leaving the coffee as an add on sale. The coffee was weak, for me. But, I would imagine it rates high with a normal coffee consumer, milder in taste, but it did have its own distinct taste and about halfway through my cappuccino. I found myself enjoying it.

Part 2 to follow soon!

Too Long Too Little

The first words are always the toughest, don't you think?

It has been literally months, since I have posted. In fact for many of you, you probably are unaware that I have a blog.

Life got me busy, two wonderful little blessings in my life. There doesn't seem to be much time in between those little blessings of  mine always running thru the house needing  mommy most every few minutes and I enjoy it immensely! I don't want to rush them through this precious age where I am their world, for I know that it will end all too quickly.

So, why now?

Because I have missed writing, sharing my heart to whoever will hear and maybe, just maybe, this journey I'm on will inspire or encourage you. This is my hope. Here is this place, I am real and raw.

Crystal

The Color Orange

Okay, so if you know me AT ALL, you know I have a passion for interior design and decor! I was so excited when moving into a brand new home because of all that I could do! Living here almost a year now and the choices have seemed actually quite daunting to me and I have been trying out furniture placement, wall colors and decor schemes to find just the right one. 

My love for blue is constant, but I wanted to add some "happy" into the blue scheme and so I took a stab at orange. I was scared to death! I started by purchasing some clearance orange accessories at TjMaxx and pulling out some orange items from my fall decor box. I slowly added them and have waited to see what I thought, feeling them out for a week or two. 

Yesterday I got the courage to post a few picture on the Houzz website. This website is full of professional designers and ordinary people all sharing decor ideas with each other, I love the app!!! While I received some not so nice criticism, design is so subjective, so I waited. I received some great advice for professional designers and some BIG TIME compliments! It looks like I am on the right path. Some might say, "It's my house, who cares what others say!" For me, having a passion for design, enjoy the feedback, for the most part, lol. 

So I am excited about this orange and navy journey and now to find the "perfect" gray for my walls.

Crystal

"You have an eye for appeal and balance. The orange accents punch the blue , I think a few unexpected touches of orange bring out what you have done so far. . What about orange placemats in the dining room, or runner with orange bowl, or an orange framed piece of art. You have a spacious wall that could be the place to frame out textured orange toned art work or an orange and blue toned material. Purchase a large frame and mount the material inside to give a personal touch to the room, add family photo's mounted on the material for interest and warmth."

My inspiration pictures........

The Beginning

After months of praying for the right time to open this door, I have finally become an official Tupperware Consultant and I am so enjoying every minute! Each week I give it back to The Lord as I endeavor to pay off debt and build savings with the profits. 

My actually Tupperware story begins before I was born. When I was still in my mother's womb, I was attending Tupperware events as she sold Tupperware! It is in my blood, lol!!! I have had many parties, catalog and online parties. I have saved so much money, by not throwing our produce that was saved by the "fridge smart" line and made my life easier as a mom. I can't wait to share this with others! 

So will you pray and stand with me for Gods blessing on my business? That support will do more for me than any order you would place and if you want to hold a demonstration to see what is new, that would help too! 

Thanks, to each of you who will stand and pray with me EVERYDAY!!!!!

Crystal

"Epic Tupperware Lady"

Sweet Mornings

For years I was a "night" person. I'm not sure if that was due to my age, or because it runs in my family, but I loved nighttime and was able to get so much accomplished at night.

Today, I find my self a lover of the morning for just one reason, solitude and peaceful moments with my Savior. I enjoy waking up knowing the house will be perfectly quiet and my thoughts uncluttered. I sit and read my devotional and Bible uninterrupted and there is something so lovely and necessary about that.

I love my boys and their noise, but to have my day start with solitude and moments with my Father is what I have learned to cherish.