It’s Friday, time to look back over the blessings of the week with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story and other friends.
Funny how this week seems to have gone fast in some ways, slow in others. Here are my favorite parts.
1. Sunday lunch out with the family. Somehow we were all out of church and in the same vicinity at the same time, so we texted and met for lunch.
2. Lunch with my friend Melanie. We hadn’t been able to get together for a while. so it was nice to catch up. Plus we ate at Cracker Barrel, one of my favorite places. Plus I took home a slice of their Chocolate Coca-Cola cake, which is always scrumptious. Plus Melanie gifted me with a pretty teacup, as she is downsizing her collection.
3. A not so bad week. That might sound odd. 🙂 Jim was gone from Monday through Thursday this week, longer than he usually travels. He tries to keep it to a day or two, but it couldn’t be helped. I sometimes get a little down or depressed in regard to having all of his mom’s care on my shoulders for even a night, so I was afraid I was going to be a basket case before the week was over. But I prayed about it at the beginning of the week, tried to just take it a day at a time, and here we are nearly at the end. As I write this on Thursday, he is on his way after being delayed due to storms. (Update: he got home a few hours later than planned, but safely.) Jason and Mittu brought dinner over one night and then cleaned up the kitchen while I fed Jim’s mom, and that was a big help.
4. Cutting back sweet treats. I have been telling myself that I needed to cut back on sweets to at least once a day, but I keep not doing it. Then this week I was reading a book about someone changing their lifestyle and routine to a healthier version, and she mentioned she only had sweets a couple of times a week. I thought, “I should probably do that.” And, only by God’s grace, I have! I’m astounded, especially after struggling so long with the idea of cutting back at all. And though I occasionally crave my Hershey’s miniatures or other treats, once I ignore the craving and go on to do other things, I am not bothered by it any more. I still drink my glass of decaf sweet tea with lunch, but everything else I drink is sugarless. It’s only been a few days, but I’ve lost five pounds already! Though there are other measures I need to take in addition, this was a big one. To God be the Glory!
5. Two anniversaries. My son and daughter-in-law celebrated their anniversary this week! And it was eight years ago today we moved to TN. That was a year of many big changes, but God was good and faithful through them all.
Happy Friday!
Stray Thoughts 
Good for you on the sweets ~ I LOVE ice cream, hence no ice cream in our home…..just an occasional visit to the ice cream shop for two scoops of butter pecan in a cup during the summer. :0) God is so wonderful isn’t He ~ giving you the mind set of “one day at a time” while Jim was gone….simply “doing the next thing” as EE would say. Thank you for sharing His blessing to you this week.
God bless you, Barbara, for being able to change your eating when it comes to sweets. Praying really does make a difference. Good for you!
Glad you were able to have lunch with your friend Melanie. That dear lady would give you the shirt off her back if she thought you needed it. I know you will enjoy the teacup she gave you.
I’m glad that everything went well for you while Jim was away this week. You have such a sweet family…Jason and Mittu coming over with dinner and cleaning up the kitchen afterward is such a thoughtful gesture on their part.
I am glad Jim made it home safely. There have been some crazy storms around us here, and I remember coming home from church Wednesday night, looking at the sky and the dark clouds and thinking how glad I was that I was on the ground and not in an airplane.
Have a wonderful weekend, my friend!
I’m glad the week turned out ok for you. I hate it when my hubby is away but I’ve got used to coping with being in the house on my own. Well done on the eating habits and weight loss. I’m sure that’s a good incentive to keep doing it.
What a lovely list of faves and AWESOME on the cutting down of sugar!!!! I no longer use refined sugar for cooking or baking and only allow myself a baked good or dark chocolate a couple times a week as well. You feel more energized and healthy when you cut back! Yay on the weight loss too! I need to share your success story with my husband. He really needs to drop weight, and i worry about him having another heart issue.
So glad the week went well and that you got to meet your friend and hubby had safe travels
Ha — these are all good things, but what jumped out at me was the sweets, and I see I’m not alone. I too LOVE sweets. Recently I was talking to my college-age daughter. She does a lot of cooking/baking with friends at college. I asked her about what desserts she had made and she said, “Mom, we’re kind of weird — most people don’t eat dessert every day.” Sadly, I’d like it with every meal, not just every day. I’m so glad you’re having success here!
It is helpful to read of your struggles and then to read how God has met you in them. Thanks for sharing. And how wonderful that God empowered you in caring for your mother-in-law and with your food choices. I need that empowering with my food choices, too.
I love Sunday lunch with people I love (and like). That practice sure starts my week out well. So happy you all had that opportunity last Sunday.
Have a refreshing week, Barb.
Cutting back sweets is so hard! Good for you for accomplishing that for this week! I once watched a program where scientists measured that the area in the brain that gets all fired up after eating a sweet is the same area that addiction to cocaine fires up. In me and my husbands case I truly think we were addicted to sugar. He has quit all sweets except fruit and truly feels better for it. How nice that Jason and Mittu gave you a hand this week. It really must be overwhelming when you feel like you are alone. Yay for Sunday lunch out. That is one of my favorite things.