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Healthy Healing Digest
Volume 1, Issue 5
December 5, 2017
THIS​ ​ WEEK’S
THOUGHTS​ ​ AND​ ​ THINKINGS
trucking
Hi again, :)
Recently got back from a week away in the desert. We went to visit friends in Phoenix, Arizona and celebrate a special wedding there. It was such a blessing to be with wonderful friends we'd not seen in a couple years and some others even longer than that.

The desert is very different than I expected. A source of contrasts. High and low. Hot and cold. Barren, yet fruit-filled. Lonely and empty, yet quite full. Dull, yet colorful. Dirty and dusty, but quite beautiful in its own right.
Physically, I wasn't at all certain how I'd do on the 16+ hour (one-way) drive, but I did much better than I thought I would. My lame leg was my greatest concern, but the isometric exercises I did while riding helped much. I do these same exercises at home. Squeeze and flex the glute (butt) muscles while seated. And do the same with hamstrings, calf and foot muscles. It tricked my leg into thinking it wasn't sitting for many hours straight. ;)

I didn't do as well at keeping up my daily stretches, and boy, did I miss that. Stretching just makes everything feel better. Either way, as always, vacation is nice, but it's also nice to be back home. Being away makes home that much nicer.

Hoping you're finding Joy in your home this holiday season. <3>
hill
babycheat
Hit 170 this week which is good considering how much I cheated while on our road trip. Dairy Queen was calling my name at one pit stop. (I was good and only got the baby-sized blizzard). And then there was wedding goodies that I felt obligated to sample... so that no one was offended, of course. ;) There were a few other times too.

I generally only try to give myself permission to cheat every couple of weeks, but my body has apparently healed enough that I can afford the cheats more often. I even had a new blood sugar low while in AZ the day after eating some very sugar-laden cookies.

It's good to know that. But I don't want to get into the habit of cheating or craving sugar again. Yes, it's nice to cheat, and know I can. THM is about food freedom, after all. Yet, I'm learning for maybe the first time in my life to enjoy just having little tastes and being satisfied with that instead of pigging out and losing control when it comes to sugar and junk food. I
feel moody and gross and out of sorts when I overdo any sweets too much, thm or not.


Weight Loss Journey: TRIM HEALTHY MAMA

Now, don't read me wrong. I'm not some super human who never gets tempted. But I've been through some pretty rough stuff with this stroke business, and I know what I want as far as my health. Not in my own strength, but through Jesus' grace and for his glory. So, I'm really not full of great amounts of willpower, but I am determined and all things are possible with God.

To have seen the scale at 170 was a bit of a milestone. It means over these last 4 years I've lost 100 lbs. Seems totally amazing to me that I had that much to lose. Even more amazing that I have only 20 left to go to be where I want to be.

If I can do it, you can do it. Yes. You can. :) Really.


If you'd like to discuss Trim Healthy Mama and losing weight, I'm here. You can email me at:

Jordanscrossingherbs@gmail.com



minusonehundred

Holiday Recipe:

MUDDY BUDDIES

muddybuddy
I wanted to share the link this time to a THM recipe that I took with me on our trip. It would be an awesome low-carb holiday treat to munch on and help avoid much of the bad stuff.

https://joyfilledeats.com/muddy-buddy-trail-mix/

If you like muddy buddies, you'll love these. I used baker's chocolate cuz that's what I had, and just added a little extra sweetener. It calls for THM Gentle Sweet
which would be comparable to Truvia or if you want it extra sweet, then you could use Pyure. (Don't get the powdered stuff in the bigger bag, but the smaller bag with erythritol that's more like sugar and very sweet). I didn't have near enough coconut, so I added a few extra sliced almonds to make up the difference.

Be warned tho'.... this stuff is as addictive as regular muddy buddies, and since it's made with nuts, if you eat more than a couple-three tablespoons worth at one sitting it'll stop up your plumbing on the back end. (Don't ask me how I know that :P). Also, if you're trying to lose pounds, then eating more than a few could stall your weight loss. But hey, it might get your sweet tooth through the worst of the holidays, and that might be more important than concentrating on losing weight during this oh-so-sweet holiday month.

Be sure to stop by our Pinterest page for more recipes.

Spiritual Ponderings:Emotions, Who's Ruling?

cactus
When I had my stroke, I kept telling the physical therapy people that I felt like I was tipping over. I wasn’t really. But it felt like it.

The muscles in my leg were weakened from the stroke, but I didn't lose muscle tone, and it came back quickly. Still I’ve struggled consistently since then with the sense of tipping over.

It’s in my brain. I've never actually tipped over, and probably won't. I’ve had grandchildren run in to me and didn’t fall. I’ve been eagerly greeted by large puppies and didn’t fall. In both cases, my muscles compensated and reacted rightly to keep me upright. I think it’s just the perception my brain was left with after the stroke.

I need and want to learn to trust more that I won’t tip over regardless of how it feels.
You know, a lot of things feel a certain way. They may not be that way really, but it feels like it. We give so much place to how we feel. Our emotions are pretty much everything to us. Our perceptions are based so much on how things feel.

But, how we feel might not be Reality. And we must leave place for that possibility (probability), and not let our emotions become God to us. They do not rule our wills. We don't have to let them be in charge and define our reality. So often emotions are false friends and outright liars.

There's a time to get a grip and tell myself that this feeling, good or bad, isn't in charge, and walk away. Easier said than done?

Of course. It always is.

I'm determined that the feeling of tipping over will not keep me from walking without a cane again one day, even in public crowds. And more than that, to not let my angry feelings about this or that define my moments; to not let discouragement rule my day, to not let assumptions of what others might or might not be thinking keep me from loving. And the list goes on.

Jesus must rule the kingdom of my emotions. It might take me a while in whatever situation to get there, but he promises if I seek him, and lean Into him, he will get me there. <3>

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Healthy Healing Digest is published from Barnsdall, Oklahoma 74002

Copyright © Jordan's Crossing 2017

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