Eat Less Sugar Challenge

At our home, there are still lots of holiday treats and gifts of candies and goodies yet to be eaten; It may be the same for you. I'm constantly having to remind myself, although the delicious sweet treats have not all disappeared, the holiday feasting officially ended days ago. It is time to re-focus.

I'm challenging you (and myself): Let's reduce our sugar intake to less than 24 grams for at least 4 days this week.

So, for four days this week, and the next, be intentional to reduce your sugar intake. 

My first step, after I move the chocolate Hugs from the coffee bar, is to NOT add honey or sugar in my cups of coffee, just my fav creamer! (That step alone adds up to a lot of teaspoons of sweet in a week. Have you ever counted how many spoonfuls of sugar you actually consume in week? x's 4 that's way too much in a month for just one person.) I have to keep the creamer and the scoops of hidden sugar in it. My imagination of having to drink coffee black would like drinking Casteroil, yuk! Drinking coffee black is for grown ups; I'm just not there yet. From my Daddy's famous quotes, "I don't wanna like it." Next, remove all the sugary gifts located next to the fruit bowl from the snack bar to out of sight; including hiding the batches of homemade brittle, and lock down the candy jars. 

Now, Let's Plan Ahead. Intentionally planning our food intake and menus ahead, living by the plan for at least 4 days, and intentionally reminding ourselves of the consequences will help encourage us to eat small healthy portions, and "Say No to Sugar" throughout the day.

(Don't panic. Chocolate rewards are ahead... Valentines Day is just around the bend.)

DID YOU KNOW? the average American consumes 22 teaspoons, or 355 calories’ worth, of added sugar every single day, according to the American Heart Association (AHA) research.

AHA guidelines state that most women should consume no more than 100 calories or 6 teaspoons (24 grams) of added sugar each day and most men should consume no more than 150 calories or 9 teaspoons (36 grams).

Drink Water. Just one 12-ounce can of regular soda has about 130 calories and 8 teaspoons (32 grams) of sugar. It's just four days, we can do this.

For every 4 grams of sugar listed on the Nutrition Facts Label, that is equal to 1 teaspoon of sugar.

Remember, consume no more than 100 calories or 6 teaspoons (24 grams) of added sugar each day. Grab a piece of piece of paper, place it on your refrigerator and count with tally marks your spoonfuls of sugar for each day. Yes, write it down. Yes, put it on the refrigerator. 

Give me 4 days. We can do this!

ps  I'm glad we are starting Sunday. As I'm writing you, my daughter just surprised me with a warm buttery slice of cinnamon toast. :) Really.

Pamela Lisemby

GOOD to be Reminded 

Pray for a Tough Hide and Tender Heart

Thank Him for every answered and unanswered prayer.

1. 

During Corrie’s presentations to audiences, she would often hold the back side of a piece of embroidery (pictured), with hundreds of tangled threads hanging from it. Many wondered if she was holding up the wrong side by mistake. As she held up the messy side of the embroidery she would ask...

“Does God always grant us what we ask for in prayer? Not always. Sometimes He says, ‘No.’ That is because God knows what we do not know. God knows all. Look at this piece of embroidery. The wrong side is chaos. But look at the beautiful picture on the other side – the right side.”

Triumphantly she flipped the cloth over and revealed an elaborately embroidered crown – symbolizing our crown of eternal life. The crown was intricately stitched, and had threads of many colors, including gold, silver and pearls.

“We see now the wrong side, God sees His side all the time. One day we shall see the embroidery from His side, and thank Him for every answered and unanswered prayer.”

Cornelia "Corrie" ten Boom was a Dutch Christian who, along with her other family members, helped many Jews escape the Nazi Holocaust during World War II and was imprisoned for it.

1. Born: April 15, 1892, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2. Died: April 15, 1983, Placentia, CA

Visit the Corrie ten Boom Museum virtual tour, tenboom.com

Watch Movie: THE HIDING PLACE

Forgiven sinners Forgive sin

If you forgive others for their transgressions, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. Matthew 6:14

Galatians 6 (NKJV)

Bear and Share the Burdens

6 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For each one shall bear his own load.

Be Generous and Do Good

6 Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.

7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Glory Only in the Cross

11 See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand! 12 As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. 13 For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom[a] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.

Blessing and a Plea

16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

17 From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

GOOD to be Reminded!

Bare Necessities

WELCOME to another day's adventure with the Lisembys!

The day started early yesterday with the kids serving students from Louisiana breakfast at a place called PSALMS CAMP in Arkansas. 

(Insert Important Note: If your church family needs a Home-Mission project, Psalms Camp is a great idea! These students spend their spring break freshening up the camp - racking, painting, cleaning, repairing, building and having a lot of fun, too - to prep for incoming campers in the days ahead.) 

After serving, it was time to head to our annual trip to the dentist to just polish our smiles - just routine visit - with the exception that it was a first visit to a new-to-my-kids-dentist located in the city they were born, and the exception we don't usually make a trip to the dentist a family & friends outing... Two of the cousins asked to tag along to giggle with the kids awhile longer and I asked, "You do know we are going to the dentist, right? And we will probably be awhile?" I'm personally thinking BORING. Just sitting in a lobby trying to be quite would not be my plan for a fun trip. The response, "Yes, we want to go and besides we love to visit Dr. Durmon," they said with great enthusiasm. 

The 25 minute trip to town was filled with lots of giggles and belly laughs while from oldest to youngest they each selected one of their favorite songs from Classic Disney movies for everyone onboard to sing. Songs like "I Won't Say I'm in love," "So this is Love," "Can You Feel the Love Tonight," "Reflection," "I Can Go the Distance," "Part of Your World," "Hakuna Matata," "Let it GO!," "A Whole New World",  "Love is an Open Door", "I'm Wishing", "In the Jungle", "When Will My Life Begin", "Strong", etc, etc. - Talk about a joyful noise!

Do you remember this one?

The Bare Necessities
From "The Jungle Book"
Composed by Terry Gilkyson

Look for the bare necessities

The simple bare necessities

Forget about your worries and your strife

I mean the bare necessities

Old mother nature's recipes

That bring the bare necessities of life

Wherever I wander

Wherever I roam

I couldn't be fonder of my big home

The bees are buzzin' in the tree

To make some honey just for me

When you look under the rocks and plants

And take a glance at the fancy ants

Then maybe try a few

The bare necessities of life

Will come to you

They'll come to you!

Look for the bare necessities

The simple bare necessities

Forget about your worries and your strife

I mean the bare necessities

That's why a bear can rest at ease

With just the bare necessities of life

Now when you pick a pawpaw

Or a prickly pear

And you prick a raw paw

Next time beware

Don't pick the prickly pear by the paw

When you pick a pear

Try to use the claw

But you don't need to use the claw

When you pick a pear of the big pawpaw

Have I given you a clue

The bare necessities of life will come to you

They'll come to you! 

Just picture me driving a bunch of giggly girls singing (loud) and one silly boy who provides the sound effects and goofy inserts. It was a trip filled with lots of love and laughter that spilled over in song. Even when moments before leaving the camp they were praying hard together for momma/Aunt Joy just before she climbed into another vehicle headed to Little Rock to a world unknown to us for a full body scan and meeting with the oncologist about her recently diagnosed rare cancer. 

As I listened, I was encouraged. I had to smile. These joyful spirits were singing their hearts out despite the recent diagnosis of cancer that is very real to each of us now and really has rocked our world, but not our foundation which is built upon Jesus Christ. We know NOTHING catches Him by surprise. Living out our faith is not an easy task when we don't understand what God is up to, nor if His plan is our plan... Sure, we each have moments of tons of tears and questions. Surrendering to God's will in all things each day is a must in order to not become bitter and angry. We are not hopeless because Jesus is our hope. We are clinging to Him. And, yes, keeping the PRAISE music cranked up, too! 

Each breath of Life is a gift. Each day has a special ride of its own kinda similar to an amusement park. Some fun. Some scary. We know He is working all things out for our good and His glory. The Bible tells us so. 

So, this time my sister-in-love, Joy, is assigned the front seat but we are all buckled up and hanging on tight for this roller coaster ride called cancer. (Please add Joy and the entire family to your prayers.)

- Oh, we did make it to the dentist. Life is too short to be boring...Dr Durmon loves to hear about the Lisembys latest adventures of sharing Jesus and their life adventures so he lined up five (5!) chairs to listen while polishing up their smiles. When it was my turn to climb in the dentist chair, I felt like It was my turn at school for Show & Tell with such an audience. It was another trip the family will still be talking about in the years to come. 

Bare Necessities music video: 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9ogQ0uge06o

I love memory making moments like these.

GOOD to be Reminded!

"How many of MY words today will bring encouragement and make someone's heart glad?"

Proverbs 12:25 (NKJV)

25 Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression,
But a good word makes it glad.

Proverbs 12:25(KJV) Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.

May every word we speak be intentional. 

GOOD to be Reminded!

Over and Over God is Faithful