Thanksgiving 2012

It's been awhile since I posted last.  I've been trying new things and staying busy.  It seems like on the days I don't plan to have anything to do, I have plenty and on the days I have plans, everything falls through.  So I've decided to just take it a day at a time. 

One of the new things I've been trying for the past 6 weeks is eating a Paleo diet.  I've read a lot about people with Celiac Disease and some studying.  One of the things that I've learned is that even though a person with CD may go off gluten for years, they still don't heal their guts.  So in an attempt to begin the healing, due to some of the research and reading, I decided to go off all dairy, all grain, all sugar that isn't natural, and all oils that aren't natural.  And during the past weeks I have begun to feel better.  My head is much clearer.  I can tell when I get something that I shouldn't.  One day I got some sugar and let me tell you - it wasn't pretty.  I was in tears all the next day.  I haven't had mood swings like this since I had my first child and went through post partum.  It is crazy.  There are days that I still go out with my husband and enjoy a normal gluten-free meal, but I am trying really hard to eat so much healthier.  A typical gluten-free diet, and this I know from experience, is filled with more sugar and starches than a normal healthy person's diet.  It's because of the flours and also companies trying to make things taste better.  And don't we all know that sugar makes everything taste better.  So I've been going through withdrawals.  I have lost 12 pounds and plan on continuing to eat better, but I will also add in exercise to get even healthier.  This is a new lifestyle for me.  And my sweet husband is willing to eat what I cook to support me.  I am one lucky girl!

My children all came up for Thanksgiving and they were all great sports about it.  My daughter brought rolls so I didn't have to have gluten around.  Each daughter brough pies, and I made some Paleo pies (which I must admit the crust I didn't like), the filling was wonderful.  Everything else was pretty much healthy.  I did eat potatoes, but I figure once a year is ok.  It was so wonderful to have everyone hear together.  I just wanted to sit and absorb each and every moment with them. 

I will probably have to do a detox in a month, but it won't be nearly as bad as the first few weeks were, because I plan on not partaking  of sugary sweets.  It was funny I even made it through Halloween without eating any sugar.  It was crazy, but I didn't have any cravings for it.  So if I continue to do this I feel like I should be ok and the first of the year should be a lot easier. 

I will continue to post, though I promise that it won't all be about Paleo, but I might mention it now and then.  I hope all of those who read this had a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving.

Family Home Evening Sunday at Our House

Today is my turn to have Family Home Evening at our home.  Our family and extended family on my side do this once a month.  Once in a while we miss it, but we try to get together to continue to be close to one another.  As I've been thinking on what subject I should teach, because we have a short lesson at these gatherings, I keep coming back to the subject of Service to Others. 

I've had some great opportunities this past week that will continue this week for service in our area.  It has been a blessing in my life.  I have become closer to people that I never had the chance of getting to know before this. 

A week or so ago, I was giving the announcements in our Relief Society meeting at church and I felt like I needed to encourage each sister to seek out and find service opportunities to do over the next few months.  Strangly enough that weeks lesson in Relief Society was on Service and how our Heavenly Father wants us to serve one another and that by doing this we can have His Spirit dwell closer with us.  I can say that I've had this blessing this week and I really want it to continue because it has been such a wonderful feeling.

I think at this time of year when we focus on Gratitude and all that we are given, we also need to focus more diligently on how we can bless the lives of those we come in to contact with.  I feel so blessed, that it seems I would truly be selfish and ungrateful not to help those that don't have as much or relieve the suffering of those that are in need.  I think it's wonderful to count our blessings, but I also feel there is so much more to Gratitude that just stating what we are grateful for.  I hope and pray that I can become an instrument in Heavenly Father's hands to do his work and serve my fellowman while I have the chance and the abillity. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving Season this year and that we will all take the opportunity to bless the life of someone we know, or don't know so that we can feel more fully of our Heavenly Father's blessings in our lives.