Foooood

Two years into this change and I'm still constantly asked, "What exactly do you eat??" Honestly, people just don't pay much attention when they think you're a weirdo, so I just get to answer the question over and over. Even my family members can't keep clear on what I do and don't eat. :-) I think it's rather simple, but it's so strange to the average person to cook everything from scratch and cut processed foods, sugars, dairy, and grains from your diet. And they're right- it is a wee bit strange. There are compelling reasons for it, though, particularly if you have allergies, or are sensitive to certain foods. So I continue to really embrace this "wacky" lifestyle(which isn't wacky at all, but rather, super healthy). Yes, I do make exceptions: I've added a bit of dairy back into my diet. I've found that I can handle small amounts of hard cheeses and whole milk yoghurt, so I eat a small amount daily now. I steer clear of grains still, with the exceptions of my two weekly treats(Mexican with my family after church, and a sweet of my choice on Friday). Your palate and tastebuds change considerably when you cut out processed foods and sugars. You don't crave the sweet and salty foods anymore, or rarely, anyway. Here's a visual idea of some of the things I've enjoyed this week:

This is a very common meal for me: 3 oz. of meat(in this case a curry chicken dish with apples, dates, carrots & broccoli), and a bunch of raw veggies with 1/2 c. yoghurt/avocado dip. I probably eat some version of that meal 10 times a wk).

Sun. morning I usually make Banana Pancakes(2 eggs, 1 mashed banana, cinnamon & vanilla, cooked in coconut oil). This week I went Mulberry picking, so I loaded my Banana Pancakes with these yummy, free berries.

Pre-workout snack. This is what I eat most mornings before heading to the Y to swim and run, or before cyling. These are homemade Larabars: dried fruit and nut bars. They're very simple and give great energy: You can make all kinds of varieties, but these were made with raw almonds, dried peaches, medjool dates, and vanilla

I eat far fewer eggs now than I used to, but still love eggs for their versatility. I made this today for lunch: carrot and spinach pancakes cooked in coconut oil: 2 eggs, 3 cups spinach, one grated carrot, 2 slices roast turkey,  1/4 bellpepper, cajun seasoning, and cumin. They were fantastic, quite filling, and came in at around 350 calories.

And then I try things I find online, just for the fun of it. :-) These are carrot and coconut "truffles." They're really not truffles, or truffle like, at all. But they're very tasty, and very good for you! They're about 25 calories each, and contain raw carrots, dates, unsweetened coconut, vanilla, cinnamon, and a splash of lemon juice. Yum! Like I said, your taste buds change, and it's not just that I've forced myself to like these things- I genuinely enjoy eating everything I eat! But I've also learned which things a non-"wacko" person will really like(like the Larabars), and which ones not to waste on them. :-)

**Next up: Tapley was in town! And, I'm working on summer trip planning. Oh boy.

Mother's Day

Today was Mother's Day, and my mother wasn't here. Mom is in CO right now, so she got to enjoy Mother's Day with Abby this year. This Mother's Day, I spent the day with Dad and Gram(his mom). And it was bittersweet. She's pretty far along the path of dementia, and most days, isn't entirely sure who I am. She knows that she recognizes and knows me, but can't always decide which one of her relatives I am. Her clear moments are very few and far between these days, and her brain is also shutting down its communication to the rest of her body.

And I'm sure there are people out there who get annoyed with my photo taking, commemorating all holidays and events. But you know what? We have no guarantee of when we'll see those people again. And so I take pictures of those who are dear to me. And today I especially wanted a photo of my sweet little grandmother, because I'm just not sure that she'll still be with us for Mother's Day next year. Isn't this one sweet?

One second we were taking a selfie, and the next second she was taking a nap. :-)

A 73 mile day

This past Sunday, May 4th, was the 2 yr. mark of my adventure to being a healthier me. I wanted to do something big to celebrate, so I decided that on Sat. I was going to ride a mile for every pound that I'd lost over the last two years, which was 73 pounds as of last Friday. I decided to break the ride into two parts, a 40 miler in the morning by myself, and a 33 miler in the afternoon with a couple of friends joining in. The longest ride I've done has been 38 miles, so I wasn't entirely sure how I'd feel at the end of the day, but I was pretty sure that I was in good enough shape to do it. The 40 miler was pure loveliness: a perfect day, a great, hilly route out into the countryside and past horse farms. I had a fantastic time talking with God and just enjoying the pleasure of cycling. The ride later in the day was also fine physically, but at a slower pace due to those who accompanied. But I was super thankful for their desire to come out and encourage and support me, and enjoyed that time with them.

Since Sat., I've lost 3 more pounds and finally entered into the "Normal" weight category for my height. I'm super excited after all of this hard work to be in the healthy weight category. I'm not at my final goal, but am thoroughly enjoying the process of getting there. When I started this, I had no idea where I needed to end up. I didn't know what I looked like underneath the weight. I had been heavy almost my entire life and told that I was just a bigger, large-boned girl. So, I set my number at 150. But as I was approaching 150, I realized something: I'm not a bigger, large-boned girl. I'm a little person, and 150 couldn't be my final number. My final number, honestly, is going to be wherever my body settles, which I'm pretty sure will happen naturally as I continue to work hard and eat great. My final number will most likely be around 125 or 130. But let me say this: it's not actually about a number, regardless of where I end up. Right now, I weigh 144, and I'm super healthy and in fantastic shape. And that's what it's about for me. I believe that my body was created by God and is the temple of the Holy Spirit. I believe that it is my responsibility to take care of that temple and in so doing, be able to serve Him longer with a healthy body. So wherever I end up,  it's about being the healthiest me and the me that He has created me to be.

I'm super thankful for God's mercies and for His healing hand over my body. I'm thankful that I didn't do major damage to my body while carrying that extra weight. I'm so thankful for this redeemed body that loves to run, and swim, and cycle, and is preparing for another triathlon next month! I'm so thankful for this second chance and feel so blessed to be a child of the great Physician. Also, many thanks to all of you who've cheered me on in this journey!!

Before starting out on the 40 mile ride

April 2012 & April 2014

Staff Conference

Ah, I'm finally getting to it...a month later. Well, Staff Conference. What to say about Staff Conference?? For those who were there(or following via facebook my terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad adventures of getting there) you know that it took me five days to get to Staff Conference, and I missed most of it. And I was going to write about that awful series of events, but then I decided not to, because it's not about that. It's about this:

God's provision and protection, His mercy and presence, His patience and forgiveness(when I was questioning Him), and His incredible family that I'm so utterly blessed to be a part of. It's about smiles, and hugs, and excitement in seeing friends, and rejoicing with others, and praying together, and speaking words of encouragement. It's about sharing meals, and worshiping together; it's about speaking heart to heart. It's about coming alongside of those who are hurting, reaching out a hand, loving, and sharing in their lives. It's about playing games together, going on walks together, sitting together, eating together, staying up talking together, catching up on life and ministry and joys and struggles. It's about being a ministry family and so much more than that. It's about being a part of the family of God. So even though I only got a little over 24 hours with that family, I rejoice in the time that I was given, and in the innumerable ways that I've been blessed through them.

With Elizabeth, an intern in Romania

  

Kimberly is an intern in Odessa

Teniece and David are in their first year in Odessa

Monika and Amadeusz serve in Poland

I taught some of the MKs(and a couple of moms) how to play Blink. Lots of fun!

I had the pleasure of getting to host a bridal shower for Elizabeth. I was so thankful that everyone waited for me to get there so I could be a part of it!

Sta-choo?

Most people know I love a good statue. So imagine my delight in discovering that Kaposvar's Old Town is full of them! ps, this is a break from our regular programming, so as to indulge me in my love of statues. I'll continue with the trip update, I promise!

I loved this one!

A one-horned Hungarian reindeer?

Barb was awesome to indulge my childishness of running from one statue to the other. :-D

Look, I found a bike!

Pps. Just to warn you of more statues to come, I also went to Statue Park in Budapest- an awesome park dedicated to mementos of the communist era. Loved it!

Orbottyan

Staff Conf. was over Sunday night, April 6th,  and most everyone headed out after breakfast Mon. morning. I stayed for a meeting and then headed to Orbottyan, Hungary, with Bence and Abby. They're one of our youngest couples on staff and you might remember me spending a night with them this past summer. It was so fantastic to make this second, longer trip to them. The first time to a staff member is always a guessing game. How long do you stay so that you can leave with it being a blessing, and not a huge imposition? What if you only know one spouse? What if one spouse isn't completely comfortable speaking in English? What if one spouse does the ministry and the other works or studies? And, of course, if I go to a couple(which I don't very often), is the spouse that doesn't know me as well comfortable with having me there? So back in the summer, I only stayed one night with them, which enabled me to spend time with Abby, as well as get to know Bence. This time around felt totally different; very relaxed. We all knew each other, and just enjoyed the time that we had together. Bence had work and classes my second day, so I got to spend the whole day with Abby and go to two of her craft classes in a school in the next village over. That in itself was a really neat experience. It's a public school but she's got complete freedom to share her faith with the kids there. The topic of Easter came up and also what  the word "missionary" means. So I was able to tie those two together and explain how Christ had come to die for all of us, to pay the debt we can't possibly pay, and to give us eternal life if we believe in Him alone- and how the Bible says that people are supposed to take that great news into all the world, so that's what missionaries do. Kids are so matter of fact. One girl looked up and said, "Oh, now I know. I always wondered what that meant." It really was a fantastic time of encouragement and fellowship, and I'm hoping to get some more time with these two(and little one due in June) when they're here in the States in the Fall.

Bence & Abby with delicious Hungarian ice-cream. This is the 2nd time we've gone to this place in their town, and I've decided this is a fabulous tradition to have. :-D

The younger Craft Class. There are lots of Roma Gypsies in this area.

Good times. I have no idea what we were laughing at, but I like this one

Saying goodbyes

Kaposvar

One of my visits was to our oldest staff member, Barb, who serves in Kaposvar, Hungary. Barb is an incredible woman, full of energy and enthusiasm, and a real pleasure to be around. She was widowed thirty- some years ago, and at the age of 62, moved by herself to Hungary. Like I said, an incredible woman. I spent four days with Barb, and a day before I got there, found out that she was leaving for the States just two days after I would depart. When I asked why she hadn't told me, her reply was, "Because I wanted you to come, and I figured if I told you, you wouldn't!" :-)

My time with Barb really was delightful. It was good for me to get to see some of her ministry, to hear her passion for the people she serves, and to hear her heart for a ministry partner to come alongside of her to continue the ministry when she retires. She serves alone in Kaposvar and knows that due to her age and health, her time there is limited. She longs for someone to join her, so that the ministries that she has planted will continue on after her departure. As I keep saying, she's an amazing woman. Her primary ministries are: English lessons, serving international students that come in to volunteer with a humanitarian group called, "Compass," and bi-weekly English classes serving 30-50 men at the......men's jail. Yeah, amazing woman. Even cooler, b/c of her age and how elders are respected in that culture, she has an amazing opportunity to share Christ with these men, and they actually listen. A cool and crazy thing that happened: after Barb wrote about the jail ministry in one of our big IM newsletters, one of those newsletters somehow found its way into Alcatraz and into the hands of a man convicted of murder, but saved in prison years ago. He then began writing to Barb in Hungary and continues to do so, encouraging her to keep on persevering in serving the men in the prisons there. Amazing, right??

My heart really went out to Barb during my time there, as I observed her serving so faithfully, but all by herself. Please pray for her for the following:

-for her health
-for her encouragement
-for more friends or other English speaking missionaries to come serve there
-for someone to come alongside of her to serve with her and eventually continue her ministries

Gorgeous Hungarian countryside covered in these amazing fields of rape seed.

Holy Moly, I loved this tasty treat. Chimey Cake, or 

Kürtőskalács.

 

 

 

Check out this link telling more about this delicious pastry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%BCrt%C5%91skal%C3%A1cs

English Class with one of her students. This boy was just delightful, and beat both of us at Scrabble. :-) Barb has been teaching him and his sister for years now, and it was fun to see their relationship.

Why can't we have signs like this in America??

The Compass students hosted a poetry event for all of the middle and high schools on Hungarian National Poetry day, and we went to offer support. I understood nothing, but it was fun to meet more of the Compass students she serves.

Barb and I spent an evening walking, talking, and enjoying tea with one of the German Compass students. This girl seems to be extremely open to the gospel, and we had a really nice evening together.

One of the beautiful streets in Old Town. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to run through Kaposvar in the mornings.