Saturday, December 08, 2012

Names and Memories


Michael spent the day at work, Arielle spent the day in bed, the others raced around in the snow. I spent the day putzing around.

BUT this evening!

We all gathered to discuss a Name of Jesus - one we don't often consider in connection with Jesus...

It's right there in Isaiah 9:6. 

Clue # 8 "Who is the fairest of them all?" Yes, the gift was hidden behind a mirror. 


Years ago the only gift we purchased the four older kids for Christmas one year was the fishing game....and they loved it. We thought it would be fun to reintroduce the game...but  the boards are much smaller now, no strings for fishing line and no little magnets....wind up instead of battery....
Ham of the camera....then play
It was still fun....we thought it funny than the one Nolan and Arielle were playing didn't even have fish - it had TIRES - redneck fishing? 

Tomorrow will be a long day as Michael preaches 3x....then one more day of work and 2 weeks off.  ::grin:: I seriously think this will be the most laid back Christmas we've had in years. Things are not done...but with Michael have surgery and me not driving they just aren't going to get done...and I'm o.k. with that. LOL

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Unauthorized Version



Via Google Images

Stacia is the lead angel in this year's Christmas Play. This means she needs to say a LONGISH passage of verses....quite frankly, the words are getting tangled. 

Tonight with great gusto she said, "Don't be Afraid...I bring you good news....born this day in the city of David XAVIER (a savior)....you will find the child  lying in a manger, SWALLOWING PAPER!"

We've got one more week to nail this! 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

More Thoughts on that Food Thang!


I have no plans to turn Choosing Joy into a dieting blog.  My current journey away from food addiction to freedom in Christ IS, however, currently a big part of life.  I don't desire to be overly candid here about the reasons for my struggles with food...frankly, some folks aren't very nice with the vulnerability of others (a big lesson I'm learning). I've deliberately kept this battle fairly close, sharing parts of it with a few. 

More and more women are asking me HOW I'm breaking free of food addictions, what I'm eating,  what I'm doing.... As a whole I'm a fairly open individual in real life, on this blog, in workshops, while facilitating Bible studies...I'm considering how to balance what may be helpful to others  with  my need to protect myself as I journey to strength.

I have not discovered a magic weight loss formula. I have not come up with a new program to break food addictions or cure eating disorders. I shared HERE that I was desperate for answers and God clearly impressed on me He was the WAY out of food addiction if I would choose to Follow Him to Freedom....It began with a 3 month chocolate fast...followed by a six week Daniel Fast. This went a long way to breaking strongholds in my life. It also gave my body time to detox while I continued to pray and consider the next step.

I determined not to fall into a fad diet, but to follow HIM....not Dr. Russell, Dr. Mercola, Dr. Furhman, Rip Esselstyn, Dr. whoseit or Sally Q Famous! I read The Daniel Fast, A Woman's Guide to Fasting, the Word, and I prayed about each and every eating situation. I then followed what I felt was the right thing to do in that situation....I know it sounds fruity...but that's how I lost 28 lbs in 6 weeks.  When my PA said, "Keep doing it, but consider adding fish once a week and chicken once a month," I realized I had an eating plan. ::snort::

I began to read other authors,  research online,  watch documentaries while I worked out and have found all  helpful in confirming what was laid out to me during my fast. Along the way, I'm learning some amazing things about myself, about others, about food, about God. I believe some things are shared as confidences between friends - and I don't look to share everything discovered on this journey.

One thing I'm learning, in a deeper way, is things done in secret, things hidden, are easily manipulated by satan. He can't KNOW my thoughts, he can't be everywhere at once. Things I  hide, or do in secret, clue him in to my weak areas. He mercilessly attacks. He was able to keep me in bondage, at times nearly crippled by shame, because I worked for decades to keep my brokenness hidden, most of the time denying it even to myself. I didn't want to bring shame on Christ, my family, a mission organization....he exploited . When I bring my brokenness to the LIGHT (Jesus), God's truth is able to heal, His life floods in and precious healing occurs.

Many of you have talked to me over the years about being "too open."   I'm praying about where God's line falls between protecting myself and keeping things hidden which should be brought to light.  Don't look for unending posts digging up the past sins done to me, my past sins done to myself and others etc. but from time to time I may share a key part of the journey if I suspect it will help others.

Bottom Line: I will begin to share book reviews, thoughts, documentaries as I continue on this journey and I wanted you to know you are totally FREE to simply delete them. I don't plan on the whole blog becoming a food addiction blog....so if you read because you like photos of Japan, family stories, or homeschooling stories...they'll still be here....and I wanted you to be at ease that I'm not changing the entire direction of the blog when I start posting book reviews etc.  Deal? 


Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...