Because Random is Best

I got nothing but random today.  Or any day.

• Blogger is not letting me put my instagram pictures in a post today and that is annoying.
• We have another Winter Weather Advisory.  Lame. Winter is wretched.
• Yesterday I signed up for a local race thing called the Triple Crown.  Which means I will be running a 5k in April, a 10k in July, and a half-marathon in September.  It makes me have that excited/nervous gut feeling.  
• I am in awe of what God is doing in our church right now.  And that is cool.  
• I mentioned Made to Crave the other day.  I'm down 5 pounds in 2 weeks, mostly because I realized how much I was going to poor-food-choices for wrong reasons.  I realized I have a few entitlement issues when it comes to sugar. The "I Want + I Can = I Should"  Bigfatlie. I'm learning to battle that with God's truth, which is so much different than battling them with self control.  It's that 1 Corinthians 10:23 idea that even though it may be permissible, it doesn't mean it's beneficial.  Changing my way of thinking and doing is going to take much longer that losing a few more pounds, I guarantee that.  
• Lucy just dug through all the cupboards because she didn't believe me that we were out of Nutella.  I wonder who she inherited that from? 
• The new way of blogging is still weird to me.  I'm not a fan.  I'm really uncomfortable with all the self promotion it takes.  It's totally fine for other bloggers...it's just not me.  I really don't care about page views.  I just want to write uninteresting stuff, with unprofessional pictures and offer very little "How-To's."  And that's what I'm gonna do. The rest of the internet calls it "How to Kill Your Blog."    So be it. 
• I love blogging. Old School.  
• You have a lovely day!

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Day 10 - Happy Tracking

Day 10 of 31 Days of Happy

Happy Tracking.


Back in April, I was introduced to My Fitness Pal.  It's a FREE website that you can use to track your food intake for the day, exercise, and set weight loss goals.  You also set up a profile, so you can sort of social network with friends (or strangers) along the journey.  It's SUPER easy to use.  It even lets you know when they haven't logged on for awhile because they need "encouragement" which is code for "they've fallen off the wagon"  I know this, personally.  


It does not show them what you weigh.  I know you're all thinking it.   Only how much you want to lose (if you choose to share.)  It's been completely eye opening for me.  I've lost 15 pounds since April, and have four more to go...how on earth it can be SO HARD to lose four pounds, I will never understand.   


Also, just so you know some more useless information about me, I was eating more than twice the recommended calories for myself every. single. day.  And the sugar...about 4-5 times the amount I needed.  Yep, that bad.


I love myfitnesspal.  


And, if you decide to join it, and want a friend, I'd be happy to stalk have you.  Just email me and I'll give you my profile name.  


lifeintheparsonage@gmail.com  It's my blog name, all smashed together with  gmail at the end...in case you didn't notice.

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Riveting Stuff

I bit the side of my cheek with my molars.  It happened about a week ago, and now I have the biggest baddest canker sore evah.  I think it may actually just eat a hole entirely through my face. Can they do that?  Wait...don't tell me if it can. I don't wanna know.


I've tried gargling warm salt water (because this is what my Grandma has made me do since I was a toddler) but it's not helping all that much.  I've also been spraying it with sore throat numbing spray, and that helps for about 1.5 seconds.


Any tips for me?


On a totally other topic about me I am on day 4(of 10) of my low sugar/carb detox. I'm less cranky, for sure.  But I'd still love me a bowl of cookie dough...and by bowl, I mean mixing bowl.  I will admit, the food I am eating now is keeping my belly full much longer than the usual junk I eat, but at the end of the day, I'm just not eating all that much because, lets face it,  if I can't have sugar, I'd rather not eat.    


Also, yesterday on my morning run, my body was like, "What the heck?!?  Where's the sugar? Where's the carbs? I quit."  It felt terrible.  So tomorrow I'm gonna give my body what it's used to having before a run: peanut butter toast and coffee.  


Wow...aren't you glad I'm blogging again...riveting stuff here folks.  Riveting.

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Telling Myself No...

I've been thinking lately.

Deep thinking.  The kind of thinking that requires just too much effort to put into words.

The Bible has me thinking.

Books I'm reading have me thinking.

People around me have me thinking.

Ministry has me thinking.

See, lots of thinking going on.  Lot's of reflecting.  Evaluating.  Observing.  Analyzing.  Changing.

I just finished the book Made to Crave.  It deals with the food issue, yes, but it deals with other stuff on a different level as well.  I may or may not have copied down half the book in quotes because it just spoke to me.

A couple things in particular just won't let go.

She says, "It's not the "how to" I'm missing.  It's the "want to"...really wanting to make changes and deciding that the results of those changes are worth the sacrifice."

I'm not sure I've heard a more truer statement uttered.  It used to be that admitting you had a problem was the first step to overcoming.  From my experience in my own life and in ministry, admitting there's a problem is not difficult at all!  We're fully aware we've got issues, it's the willingness to do whatever it takes, for however long it takes, in whatever way God says that we find the issue with.

And...

1 Corinthians 10:23  Everything is permissible - but not everything is beneficial.

Seriously, read that again.

We live in a culture that doesn't like to tell ourselves "no."  And, from my own observations of myself, and those around me, it is no different in the Christian culture than it is in the world's.  Oh, we like to deceive ourselves into thinking it is.  We've made lists of all the really bad things one can do, and we try our best to stay away from them.  We give ourselves an invisible pat on the back for being such self-sacrificing people...but are we?

Who do we live for?  Who do we live to please?  Do we live as though we understand the truth of God's word when it says, Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial?  Do we seek out His wisdom on this?   Do we tell ourselves no?  Or do we justify?  Do we tell ourselves we deserve to indulge in whatever it is we choose?

I'm good at justification.  Really good.  Unfortunately, justification is really just a nice word for lying-to-myself.

I'm pretty good with excuses too.  And very good with lacking the "want to" in some areas, which I cleverly turn into "I just can't"  but really, "I'm just lazy."

And the past few weeks, I've become disgusted.  I'm not even sure disgusted is a strong enough word for it.  It's as if, through God's Word, the Holy Spirit has shown me the ways in which I've been deceiving myself...living as a slave to the whims of my flesh.

And I've had enough.  Enough justifying.  Enough laziness.  Enough excuses.  Enough of telling myself yes, when I should be telling myself no.  I'm tired  of it in myself, and honestly...I'm tired of it in people around me too.  Because it's enslaves each of us.  I can't make people "want to."  I can't.

But I can live as an example of one who surrenders my own will, and puts it in submission to my Heavenly Father's will for me.   I can tell you, that there is such joy and FREEDOM in saying no to myself.

Your issues are likely going to look different than mine.  Or maybe you have no issues at all *this is where I cough out the word denial under my breath*  But, because I haven't already disclosed enough to you...I'll give you the truth I'm now speaking to myself.  The little bit I like to call..

No Sarah...

You do not need so much sugar.
You are not  too tired to get your butt up and run.
You do not need a snack...or ten snacks.
You are not too busy to spend time with God.

You get the idea.

And if you have issues with food, or issues with telling yourself "no" when you need to, I whole heartedly recommend Made to Crave...and this is most definitely not a paid for recommendation ;)

Anyone else out there in desperate need of telling themselves NO?

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Pan of Deliciousness

I posted the recipe for this beautiful pan of deliciousness last year. (they really do taste delicious...it's my poor photography skills that do it injustice.)

I've actually had requests from bloggers for the recipe again. I think it may be the only thing anyone has ever asked me to repeat. Yep, they are that good. For the record, it's not really my recipe, I got it from my Aunt Dawn. On behalf of everyone, Thank You Aunt Dawn!

You can click HERE for the recipe.

Welcome.

And so it is....the added winter poundage begins....now.

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True Story

*Picture Julie, Ben, and myself sitting at Bubba Gumps trying to find something on the menu (for Julie) that is not spicy*

Turns out, Norwegians do not eat much spicy food. Even our "mild" tastes spicy to Julie. Note to self: Americans are spicy.

Ben: Points (discretely) to the man sitting in the booth behind Julie and tells her that maybe she would like something like the shrimp meal that the man is eating.

Julie: Turns around to see, and is a little uncertain because it looks so different than Norwegian shrimp. Asks me if she could ask if they think it's good.

Me: Assumes she means ask the waitress and gives a hearty head nod that of course she can ask.

Julie: Turns around and taps the man's shoulder in the booth behind her.

Me: Realizes Julie meant "ask the man" not "the waitress" Oops.

The man in the booth sitting with his 3 kids and wife: Answers yes, then asks her if she wants TO TRY ONE!

Ben & me: Sit with mouths open because there is no stopping the scenario now...

Waitress: Comes by and mouth drops open because she's never seen someone share their food with a total stranger. I mean really...Ben and I barely share our shrimp with one another, it's a high commodity around these parts.

Julie: Tries it, but then finds out it's the Cajun shrimp. Yeah...spicy.

Moral of the story: Americans are nice and might even share their food....and we are spicy.

The End.

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Good Stuff...

I know you've all been on the edge of your seats since yesterdays post. *cough*

And I've gotta say...Sonic is a hit. A BIG hit.

Yep, I was the total loser taking pictures of us while eating. At least I'm sure that's what the people in the car next to us thought...until I showed them my t-shirt that reads Just Ignore Me, I'm a Blogger and I Have Readers That Want Pictures, So There. Or at least I would have done that had I actually had the t-shirt.

What constitutes a good burger? Grease running down your hand, of course. Oh, no need to thank me for that gem of a pic.

The only thing I'll do differently the next time...I want a Diet Coke in the absolute largest size possible...maybe two of them. De-lish.

God Bless America.

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I Might Move for Food...

Yesterday was so much fun with Rebecca here.

This was her first time at Guitar Hero...I love playing with beginners, it's the only time I feel like I have any skill.

Things I learned about her:

• She never wants to get married or have children. (She decided this before ever leaving Taiwan...I swear it wasn't made after spending a day at our house ;)


• I told her I won't be surprised when I get a wedding invitation and then baby announcement someday.


• She loves to talk.


• I listened to some teenage Taiwanese music, and it was good, even though I couldn't understand any of it.


• She wishes my feet were smaller so she could borrow my shoes.


• Taiwanese children are all naughty. HA! Her words, not mine.


• She is beautiful, inside and out...and today I'm praying that God gives her a glimpse of that today.


• She can cook like none other.

Rebecca preparing, it's a process...I should have paid better attention...

The finished product. Pepper steak with green peppers, cabbage fried with bacon (my kids ate a TON of this...CABBAGE?!?, rice with pork sausage in soy sauce (this was one of my favs), fried eggs with green onion (again, my picky kids couldn't get enough of it) and then the chicken...oh the chicken. She marinated it with garlic and ginger root, green onions and soy sauce and then fried it in oil. Delish.

My kids tried everything, and I seriously could not believe how much they ate and the fact that they liked all of it!

I'm no idiot, I'm pretty sure the fact that Rebecca made it and not me helped them think it could be nothing but delicious.

Having Rebecca here was SO much fun! Thank you Rebecca!

Julie (our exchange student who will be coming August 1st) let me know that she should probably be kept out of the kitchen. She's so sweet, I think she thought I'd be disappointed...but really, it makes me happy because then she's likely to be pleased with my one-dish wonders ;)

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Hungry Eyes...

Dear Ande's Mint Pie that I bought from the Schwan's man,

I can't help but dedicate a classic 80's song to you. I apologize in advance for the boring video, but it's the only one that didn't have a PG13 rating to go along with it.

Even at 510 calories a slice...you are still the best pie...ever.

Much love,

Sarah

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There is No Title...

Big exciting stuff in the parsonage today.

I made fruit smoothies for breakfast for the 2nd day in a row...yummy and nutritious all at the same time. It's genius really...and I did not think it up.

As I look at this picture I'm thinking, "Sheeesh Sarah, the least you could do is take a picture of it in the glass and make it look all pretty, the blender, seriously?!?"

But at the time, it seemed like a good idea.

Anyways, the news you've all been anxiously awaiting since yesterday: The mouse is dead.

Can I get a WOO HOO!!!

It appeared dead in between smoothies and getting dressed. Eli found it between the wall and the fridge.

Praise God there were still boys in my house because they pulled together a little teamwork and swept it up into the dust pan and into the garbage in the garage.

I took a picture. Yes I did. And then as I viewed in on my camera and felt bad for killing the little mouse...and then promptly reminded myself that

1. I had given him fair warning yesterday and
2. they are filthy creatures that do not belong in our home...it is for the safety and protection of my family. *wink*
3. Justified.

I will spare you the picture.

You are welcome. *grin*

And lastly, it is supposed to be SIXTY degrees here tomorrow. 60. 60!

Good bye snow flurries. Amen.

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I Could...

I can't come up with anything interesting today.

I tried.

I could tell you:

• that the upstairs of my home (where the bedrooms are) is a total disaster, and that even if I do laundry from this moment until midnight tonight it still would not be done.
• that I plan on staying in my jammies all day...after all, I'm cleaning, and running tonight...why get ready. Seriously.
• That I am so bursting at the seams with joy at what God is doing in our tiny church that I can't even blog about it...because the words I come up with don't convey it right. But I can say that we're starting to burst at the seams of our little church building, and have more than run out of classroom space, and I see people loving each other, ministering to one another and desiring to let God change them...it brings me to tears whenever I think about it...and humbles me that God has allowed us to be a part of it.
• I have a cold and a headache that makes me want to crawl back in bed for the day.
• I'm a wimp and a whiner when I have a cold ;)
• I may be more popular through this tiny little blog than I'm am in real life...My hubby (who's also "The FedEx Man") runs into people all the time that inform him they read his wife's blog...which totally makes me smile, and then immediately think about all the hodge-podge of stuff they now know about me ;)
• I wish I knew these people in real life...and I wish I knew how each person found out about the blog...because that there is GOOD stuff that Sitemeter can't quite help me with.
• tell you that I'm drinking this right now...

Yep...I live in Iowa and I drink generic pop called Hee Haw. HEE HAW. This completely and utterly amuses me...could I BE more of a hick?!? Don't answer that. This is one of those cases where I can make fun of it...because I'm from here, born, raised, and came back to live here...because it really truly is who I am :) It's like when you're a kid, and you can be as mean to your siblings as you want to...but no one else better think they can be mean to them ;)

• that I'm also eating this right now:Fully cooked bacon: best invention ever. No amount of running can possibly keep up with the effects of the amount of bacon I consume. I love you bacon.
• There you have it: The true diet of an Iowan. Hee Haw and bacon for breakfast.
• Oh I kid...I won't inflict my weirdness on the entire state...
• wrap this post up...

Happy Thursday...which means tomorrow is Friday...WOO HOO! I heart Fridays. (Also, I caught myself saying "I heart something" the other day, and let me just tell you...it sounds weird when you say it...WEIRD.

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It's My Duty...

Had these for the FIRST time yesterday.




Have you had these?!?



Seriously...changed my life. They are delicious.



My jeans are now tight. And it's probably gonna get worse because I'm thinking I may need some more for my Olympic marathon watching. Nothing like watching track and field while stuffing my face with chocolaty bread. Precious.



Go get some. Maybe if we all eat them ALL the time, Pizza Hut will never take them away. Ever.



I love you sweet chocolaty Hershey bread stick thingys.



Happy Saturday!


*picture from google images*

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Reunited and it Feels So Good...

Dear Mini-Doughnuts Kiosk,

It has been a long time since our last visit. You have do idea how I've missed you and longed for warm weather to bring you back to me. I wouldn't want to share the celebration of the birth of our nation with anyone else but you. (well, ok, there are others, but you're very very close to the top)

If by chance, over the next 24 hours, we end up spending too much time together, I may say things that I do not really mean. Things like "I can't eat any more or I will barf." Do not worry, it will pass. I will always have room for you...eventually.

All my love,

Sarah


*Jamie over at Purposeful Pursuit interviewed me and it's posted TODAY. I know, what you're all thinking ...WHY?!? I thought that too...because I am certainly not famous, and my blog is...what shall we say....tiny? Yep, tiny. Jamie is fantastic...that's why she interviewed me. Her sweetness overpowers my boringness...so go give this wonderful gal some huge blog love...(and I will pay you in mini doughnuts later :)

Happy 4th of July!

images from google images

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There Are Reasons...

I may have mentioned (a few hundred times) that I do not really enjoy cooking. Granted, there have been times when I sort of get on a cooking "kick"...but it is seldom and short lived. I think I've narrowed it down to why...

1. It makes a mess. All I do is clean up messes...why would I want to create another one?


2. I do not enjoy buying groceries. The lists, the kids in the store, forgetting stuff, menus, unloading groceries etc. If I cook...I use up the groceries...thus having to return to the store. :)


3. My kids pretty much never like anything good that I make.


4. My children turn into wild animals when I try to cook. Trying to kill each other, or constantly getting into things they shouldn't.


5. I am convinced that one can live on cheese quesadillas, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and pizza...along with a Flintstones Vitamin. :)

So...they're not very good reasons...but nonetheless, they are my reasons.

However...the other night I was hungry for these:

Kabobs :) ...Marinated. I know, I know, you're now way impressed that I marinated (for 8 hours) and cut up all that stuff AND put it on skewers. I myself, was quite impressed. Impressed enough to take a picture, HA! They were delicious and healthy...my kids of course only ate a little bit and then proceeded to stab each other with the skewers....but that is another post.

Here is the marinade recipe if you're interested: 1/3 C olive oil, 1/4 C lemon juice, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, 1/2 tsp lemon pepper. YUM :)

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It Doesn't Get Any Better...

Seriously...does it get any better than this for supper!?!

Coco-Puffs with a little Fruit Loops thrown in...only Eli.

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Breaking Up is Hard To Do...

It's official...Coke Zero and I are no longer an item. I had to break it off. Our relationship trouble has been brewing awhile...we've been spending way too much time together. Then last week, as I opened my 2nd 24 oz bottle of the day, I saw the words Contains Phenylalanine in bold print, like it was some kind of warning or something. So, I of course Googled it...and couldn't get any info about what it really was!! WEIRD. I'm figuring it's probably not the best thing for me to be ingesting in such large quantities on a daily basis. What's that!?! Cut back, you say!?!? Nope...can't. I think it's all part of my "undiagnosed professionally/self diagnosed" slight problem with OCD. Coke Zero and I can't "just be friends"...we can't occasionally hang out...not for awhile anyways...the temptation is Just. Too. Much! A few years ago I had to break up with Pepsi...too many calories. It was a hard break-up...I think he may have been the one when it comes to pop. But, I'm a survivor :) I'm pretty sure my coffee intake is going to increase substantially, at least for the near future. And, if I seem a little sad or irritable...its just the break-up, I promise...I'll get over it :)

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