My New Life. Living Healthy in an Unhealthly World - Part 2

 

Proverbs 3:6
In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

   

 

 

 

 

 

Is it easy? No! Anything that is worth doing is going to take some work.

 

The pictures above were taken in October 2012.

 

As you can see I need a new wardrobe. I was a size 30/32, and I am now an 18/20.

I just went through my closet and I have 6 BIG bags of clothes to give away.

 

I now own 2 pair of jeans, 1 pair of dress pants, 1 jacket, 4 shirts, and 4 pair of shoes that fit and 1 dress I bought for church two months ago is now to big. Praise God!

 

I still have a long way to go, but with God's help, I know that I will continue in my journery of becoming healthly.

 

I would like to lose 100 more pounds, and be able to keep the weight off.  But to do this, I know I will have to change my lifestyle. I must educate myself by praying, reading God's Word, and doing research, to keep myself motivated.

 

And, I know that I have the support of my family. Praise God!

 

The word DIET is not in my vocabulary, and it will never be. I will always say I am learning to live and eat in a healthy lifestyle.

 

Understand, I had a gastric stapling in 1989, and a repair in 1996, but I lost then gained more back.

 

So, now, God and I want to take a different route so I can live a long life to grow old and happy and enjoy my family and someday my grandchildren.

 

I know you are wondering what I eat? Well, I eat about what I want, except I cook it healthy.

 

I love chicken, fish and all kinds of seafood, so I eat a lot of it. NO Tuna! I just do not care for Tuna. I do eat chicken salad sandwiches.  I love chicken salad. but, no more then 2 pieces of sandwich bread a day.

 

Remember, the key is keeping food in your fridge and cabinets that you can fix fast when you are hungry. Try to set a time to eat everyday.  Yes, I know that it's hard, but just make sure you eat. Your body needs to start your metabolism. If you starve your body, your body will store everything you eat.

 

Also, take the time to make your meal look pleasing.

 

Here are a couple of pictures I have taken of the food I prepared to eat.

 

1. A spring salad with crab meat, shrimp, oranges, and granola. If I want I can eat two plates of salad, but it is better to settle for one plate. Remember, you should eat 6 small meals a day. 3 meals and 3 snacks.

 

I buy the spring salad in the container, (not the bags of lettuce), and you do not wash the spring salad, and it stays fresh in your fridge for two weeks or more. I purchase immitation crab meat in a package ready to eat for $2.50 at a local super market/retail store. I also buy the shrimp in a bag frozen. It is ready to eat. There are about 40-60 shrimp in a bag for $5.00. I get however many shrimp out of the bag and put in hot running water. Then I prepare the other parts of the salad. When I finish, the shrimp  are thawed, and are ready to put on my salad. I keep the seedless fruit ready in my refrigerator. You can add a boiled egg, seedless grapes, pineapple, a few nuts, or just about anything you want to your salad.

 

Just try to keep your fat grams down to less then 9 for a full meal. I usually stay around 5 grams of fat.

Lower your carbohydrates. Yes, you can have about 6 crackers, (whole wheat) if necessary.

If you have a problem with gluten, you can get gluten free crackers.

 

 

 

2, Fish and steamed veggies.

 

I use the bagged steam veggies, but fresh veggies are better for you. But, if you are in a hurry, the steamed bag veggies are fine.

 

 

Question, do I ever want a candy bar, or something I know I should not eat? Well, YES!

And I may treat myself to a treat every once in a while, but, I do not let it make me feel bad or guilty. I enjoy it, then go right back to my routine.

 

Listen, if you crave something, you will eat yourself out of house and home, until you get a taste of whatever it is you want, so go ahead and get it over with and then smile and not let it get you down.

 

A free day is okay, every once in a while.

 

As Paula Deen says, " Sometimes you just need that good ole comfort food."

 

Just do not let a free day be everyday. Just once a week or every two weeks.

 

Well, this is all for today.  Just remember, you have to start somewhere at sometime.

 

Let today be your day.

 

TO BE CONTINUED...........

 





Blessings, Love and Prayers,
Pastor Pat Aman

 

 

 

 

 

 



A Journey of Faith

 

As I began my journey, I topped off at 321 pounds. I am five feet four and one half inches tall. So, I was short and fat. I knew if I wanted to live a happy and healthy life. I had to make some changes.

Yes, in 1989, I had a gastric stapling and lost some weight, but within two years I gained it back, plus more.

Why? I had not learned to eat healthy, and I did not change my lifestyle.

Then in 1996, I had a hernia repair and gastric repair, lost weight again, but I did not learn to eat and live a healthy life, so once more I gained weight back.

In the winter of 2011 I started feeling ready bad. I prayed for God to help me.
I prayed for Him to help me to find a doctor who could show me what I was doing wrong. A doctor who knew about weight lost surgery, but a general surgeon also, because I knew there would be a lot to do to fix what was wrong with me.

God lead me to a great doctor, who found out that everything I was eating was digesting through my system, then re-entering back into my stomach.
I also had adhesions that were causing me so much pain.

Extra note: Since 1989, I have been in and out of the hospital, with intestinal blockages, I developed severe anemia, and my body stopped producing vitamin B-12. I also had a colostomy and a reversal. I had hernia repair, in which I ended up with living with surgical MRSA for a year, then had surgery to clean the MRSA infection out of my abdominal area. When this surgery was completed, I soon found out that I had surgical E-Coli in which I fought for a year.

As you can now see, I was not happy about seeing a doctor, or at the thought of having more surgery.
But on March 21st, 2012, I went into seven plus hour exploratory surgery. In this surgery the doctor had to repair my colon from letting food go back into my stomach. He had to bypass a large amount of my small intestines, and while the exploratory surgery was taking place, he found my liver had adhered to my stomach. He also was looking at the dead stomach, and staples from previous surgeries. So, he repaired what he could to save my life.

I stayed in the hospital for ten days. When I came home, I could do nothing for myself. My husband and daughter took all their days off, then a dear friend came and stayed with me for three weeks, doing everything for me.

What kept me alive of course was God, but my doctor had me to drink three 2-1/2oz bottles of Sunkist Protein everyday. Each bottle had 26 grams of protein. My friend Sam would fix me cream of chicken soup in chicken broth and force it down me a little at a time.

But, I will tell you that I truly believe God and those three bottles of proteins was a life saver.

Now, eight months later, it is God and will-power. But, during this time, I have learned to eat healthy and and keep healthy foods in my cabinets and refrigerator.

My husband and daughters have been very supportive. My youngest daughter said, "Mom, if your grandmother would not recognize it in the grocery store, then do not buy it."

I will get into more details about eating habits in a few days.

But, right now let's look at what God says about your temple.

Being a Christian, I decided that God loved me just as I was, and anyway, I am now 59 years old, and you just gain more weight and it is hard to lose, so I am just supposed to be this way. My dress size went all the way to size 32. At a size 32, I had to shop in expensive stores to find large women's clothes.

WOW! That is the first lie the devil was throwing at me.

Well, now I was letting the devil steal money from me. My suits were costing me over two hundred dollars and higher, because I was a minister, so I had to dress and look nice, right?

My husband would tape all the messages I preached, and when I looked at them I wanted to cry. Yes, I looked nice, but I was not showing the world that I was keeping God's Temple healthy.
Preaching one way and living another. "Keep your temple clean, and I was filling mine with junk foods."

I would even laugh and say to people, "hey, the Bible says in Malachi chapter four that the righteous of the Lord will be made fat, like a stall fed calf. And that is my story and I am sticking to it!"

I was watching TV awhile back, and there was a news report on showing the celebration of the oldest women in America. They asked her how she lived so long. Her answer was, "I do not eat junk food, and I stay out of other peoples' business." Now that is another sermon for sure.

Psalm 37:4

(KJV)

⁴ Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

I knew that to do the work God has called me to do, I needed to be healthy mind, body and soul. And if I delighted myself in the Lord that He would help me achieve the goals and desires of my heart.

So, for the first time in my life, I totally gave God my total mind, body, soul, and my eating habits. This was mean a drastic change to my life. No more diets, and to take the word diet out of my vocabulary, and replace it with healthy eating. Not just watching calories, but fat grams, carbohydrates, and sugars. Yes, reading labels.

I could hear the voice of the devil again, "eating healthy is costly." Well, friends, that is just another lie, because the only costly thing about not eating healthy is the loss of health and the enjoyment of life.

So, tonight I will end the first section of this blog by saying, "make your mind up that you want to live, and do not look at the five pounds to maybe the two hundred plus pounds you need to lose. Just take one step at a time and one day at a time, and God will guide and help you through your journery.

I look forward to sharing more with you in tomorrows night's blog. Please let me hear from you.

God bless you,

Patricia Aman, Phd

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Faith is simpler than it seems. It is a choice rather than an ability. Many of God's promises are so astounding that we are not able to comprehend them, let alone fully "believe" them. But we can always choose to believe, or to commit to His Word, regardless of the magnitude of the challenge. Micah 2:7 7. Should it be said, O house of Jacob: "Is the Spirit of the LORD angry? Does he do such things?" "Do not my words do good to him whose ways are upright? Remember that God's Word always accomplishes the good for which it is intended Micah 4:13 13. "Rise and thresh, O Daughter of Zion, for I will give you horns of iron; I will give you hoofs of bronze and you will break to pieces many nations." You will devote their ill-gotten gains to the LORD, their wealth to the Lord of all the earth Believe that God will eventually funnel the world's wealth to those who will serve His kingdom's concerns and interests Micah 7: 8 - 9 8. Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light. 9. Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the LORD's wrath, until he pleads my case and establishes my right. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness. Understand that only God can judge His people. Trust that He will also restore them. Wisdom teaches us to accept God's assessment of man, as difficult as it may be due to our humanistic milieu. Micah 2: 11 11. If a liar and deceiver comes and says, 'I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,' he would be just the prophet for this people Be warned that only listening to what we want to hear will breed disobedience and ungodliness.

Friends in High Places

Friends in High Places Written By: Pat Aman, Phd You know, my daddy and mama raised my brothers and sisters, and me, not to hate anything. Well, I will say then that I dislike junk e-mail very much . I am receiving everyday things like start your own business, win big money and whatever you can think of that they are trying to sale. My pointer finger stays on the delete button. I do not even give these items time to go to my spirit, because what goes into your spirit is what comes out of your spirit. Today I received a e-mail that began, Good News Pat Aman, you must have friends in high places. Well that statement caught my eye. It went on to say call today for your free reading. WOW, right fast I said Satan, you and all your demons of hell are bound by the blood of Jesus, and by the way Satan, let me introduce you to my friends in high places. They are God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, and yes, they do have GOOD NEWS for me. God told me that He loved me enough to let His son Jesus die for my sins. Then Jesus told me that He died on the cross for me that I may have eternal life. Then the Holy Spirit lives within me daily, every moment of my life directing me in the paths I need to walk. So yes, Satan, I do have friends in high places. Satan will come in the back door if you do not keep your armor up. Praise God I had my armor on. (II Corinthians 10: 3-4 says, " For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds. Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." Walk in the flesh: Paul admits he is a mortal, living in the realities of the present world, but he does not war (fight) with mere human weapons. Our warfare: is not against flesh and blood, therefore, carnal (weak, worldly) weapons will not do. We need weapons that are God-empowered (mighty in God). Their purpose is for pulling down (demolishing) strongholds (anything opposing God's will.) Here Paul refers specifically to warfare in the mind, against arrogant rebellious ideas and attitudes (which he terms as imaginations and arguments), and against everything (pride) opposed to the true knowledge of God. The aim is to bring every disobedient thought into obedience to Christ. We must be determined to grow spiritually. Such growth is painful because one undergoes stretching, molding, and refining by the Holy Spirit. Spiritual people deal ruthlessly with any carnal thoughts in their own minds. We must be shaped by the Holy Spirit so that people can come to know Jesus through what they see. We must spend time in "God's presence." Expect the Spirit to transform you into the image of His glorious Son. Then we must recognize the spiritual war in our mind. Take captive every thought that is hostile to God, memorize scripture and meditate as a "military discipline" You need to ask yourself the question, What am I allowing to enter my mind that is not of God? It is important to realized that if you go to ungodly places, read ungodly books, watch ungodly T.V., listen to ungodly music that soon you spirit will be not only receiving these things, but you will soon be opening your mouth and these things will flow from you. (Proverbs 13:3) says, " He who guards his mouth preserves his life. But he who opens his lips shall have destruction." In others words, there is life and death in the tongue, what you speak shall be. Father God, I praise your Holy Name. I thank you that you have covered me and my family with the blood of Jesus. I thank you that you live with me daily. And thank you for being my friend in high places. In Jesus Name I Pray. Amen and Amen Blessings, Love and Prayers, Pastor Pat Aman Also, please know that: I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with Joy. Philippians 1: 3-4 I end each message with "My Blessings, Love & Prayers," I truly mean that, and I pray for each of you every morning and evening. (Nehemiah 8:10) "The Joy Of The Lord, Is Your Strength." (Proverbs 17:22) "A Merry Heart Does Good, Like Medicine, But A Broken Spirit Dries The Bones."

Gone Fishin

(Deuteronomy 33:27)
"The Eternal God is your Refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms."

Hi Everyone,
I have a question for you. Have you ever felt just like goin fishin? Yes, I spelled it correct. Goin Fishin not Going Fishing.

There is a different. When you Going Fishing, you are serious about what you are doing. You plan to catch a big string of fish to bring home and fry. As for myself I take this type of Fishing very seriously. When I go to fish, I plan on doing some serious fishing.

But when you are Goin Fishin, well that is just another word for saying, "hey I need a break."

A couple of years ago, my youngest daughter sent me a song called "Gone Fishin"
Written and Song By "Chairman of the Board"

It main subject is I had enough so I goin fishin.

She knows that I love to fish. She also knows when I need to be by my self, that I will grab a pole and go sit by the nearest lake. Not really to catch anything, but just relax and pray.

I am going to share a few of the words to the song with you. And when you read them, you better not say, "I have never felt that way." If you do, I will pray for you. Ha Ha Ha Ha

I cannot quote all the words at this time, but it goes something like,

"Everybody wants me to be what they want me to be,
But I can't be no body else but me.
I am sick in tired of trying to please everyone else.
I gonna take me some time and steal away and please myself.
I gonna walk away and want look back.
If anyone asked where I'm at. I'm gone fishin, wasting some time,
gone fishin, leaving my troubles behind, gone fishin, I'm resting my mind.
If I don't get away I'm goin to loss my mind.

Prices to high, my money is low,
My friend who ask me for a loan
ain't my friend no more,
What the use in worrying about the things you can't do
nothing about.
Be happy go lucky, time will work it out.
I am going to lock my door,and close my blinds,
In my window I gonna leave a sign,
Gone Fishin, wasting some time, gone fishin, leaving my troubles behind
gone fishin, resting my mind, gone fishin.

Sing a Happy Song
LA, LA, LA, LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA"



Yes, there are times that we feel we need to go fishin. That is the times we need to sit in the Presence of the Lord. That is the times we need to seek His wisdom.

You know, I am glad that the Lord, does not shut His blinds and close the door, and put a sign out that says, "Gone Fishin."

For I am sure at times He may feel like it, but He is always there for us. With arms wide open for us to run into. We can always find refuge in the Shelter of His Mighty Wings.

Oh, and if I were to talk to some of your friends and family, they might tell me, Yes, Pastor Pat, __________________,(put your name in the blank) needs to take your advise and chill, take a break and go fishin...

So, grab a pole and met me at the nearest lake. Oh, if something happens that I cannot be there, God told me to tell you that He would be there for sure. You could count on Him. He said to tell you He is excited about the fishin trip, and He has a lot in store for you. He is expecting good conversation and said to tell you that He is ready to just lay back and relax with you, down at the fishin hole.

Also, He said to tell you that you will not need to bring anything to drink, because He is the only living water that you will need. And, He will supply the fish, so don't worry about bringing anything to eat. He is going to furnish everything you will need for this fishin trip.

Oh, If I do not make it, you and God have a good time.



Devotion Written By: Pastor Pat Aman Book © 1996/2011 "Coffee With Pat Daily Devotionals"
Study Notes: The New King James Bible
Unless otherwise stated, all content in this mail is © 1996 through 2009 by Coffee With Pat, and the Respected Authors.

God and Playing Sports

Playing Sports With God
Playing Sports With God
By: Pastor Pat Aman

John 13: 14

And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

John 15:7
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

Matthew 10: 28 31

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny ? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.


When I lay in bed after several surgeries, I had a chance for God to speak to me, and for me to listen. One of the things that God spoke to me about was on prayer. The way He did it was funny. Why? He used sports to do it.

Maybe it was because my daughter was Volleyball Coach and Assistant Basketball Coach during this time, and I had been to several games. Even the State Play-offs where their team had won. So, sports was really on my mine, in this season of time of my life.

God though the Holy Spirit told me that He would like for us to stop playing basketball with Him. He said a lot of people will give him the ball (problem) and just as He is about to score a three pointer for us, we foul Him out. We try to take the ball (problem) back, when we think the time is running down on the scoreboard clock.

Why? We are thinking He is taking to long are maybe He is not doing it as we would want Him too. Then because we fouled Him, the ball (problem) went out of bounds. As He runs to get the ball (problem) back, it is to late so He has to go to the free throw line. He can not handle it the way He was going to, because we either added to the situation are caused more trouble for ourselves. Then just as He is about to throw the ball (problem) from the free throw line, we get in front of Him and are trying to rebound the ball (problem) into our hands. Why? Because again, we are not letting Him handle the situation for us. Then we are questioning God.

Then He told me that when we give him the ball (problem), that we need to just leave it in His hands to handle , because He promises to score a three pointer for us.

He said remember I do not play volleyball with you either. When you give me the ball (problem) I am not going to volley it back to you. I am going to do what is best for you, because I am your Father and a Father is not going to let his children be hurt, depressed, lonely and sad. He is going to take care of all of our wants and needs.

He told me just to do as a baseball player does. When Satan throws a ball (problem) at you. Just pick up the bat and hit the ball (problem) to God. In other words hit a homerun and then run around the bases praising God for the answer while the angels in heaven are cheering you on.

Now I told you this was different, but my God has a sense of humor and sometimes He use the strange things of this world.

Hope that you have enjoyed this as much as I did.
Love Pastor Pat

Don't Back Down

I was drinking my coffee, yes decaf, and thinking about a vacation the family had taken a few years ago.

Now I do not know about you, but Joe and I have two small dogs, Sara and Katy, that we take with us. They behave better than many children do.

A couple of years ago, we went to my mother's, in Louisiana. There are cows in the pasture around the house. One cow in particular liked to jump the fence. Well, the cow was out of the pasture and our dog, Sara, had never seen a cow. Boy, was she ready to find out what that funny looking thing was. We let her out of the car, and away she ran, chasing the cow until it jumped the fence and went back into the pasture. Now let me tell you, Sara thought she was the big dog. If there had been a prideful look, she had it. "Just look what I have done. I chased that thing right back where it belongs!"

Anyway, the next day, the cow was again out of the pasture, so we thought we would let Sara chase her again. And Sara was more than ready. This time we got the movie camera out. We wanted this on tape. You know, funniest home videos. Well, we let Sara out and away she ran, chasing that cow right back into the pasture. Well, that was supposed to be what happened. Instead, the cow stopped, turned around, and started back toward Sara. When this happened, she lost all her bravery. She immediately laid down on her back and put her legs up in the air. Total submission to the cow. Or maybe she thought if I act dead, that thing will just go away. We all had a good laugh and Sara did not care for chasing cows any longer.

Now you know that there is a devotion somewhere in this story. I got to thinking about the situation. When everything is going good, we are brave hearted. We laugh and tell the devil where to go. But when the devil attacks us, we, like Sara, turn and act defeated, just hoping that if we play dead, and do not do anything, he will just go away. In other words, we give total submission to the devil. He can take our lives and destroy us.

But that is not the case. (Ephesians 6:12) says, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Yes, satan and his demons do try to attack us daily. This is the reason we need to read our Bibles and stay in prayer daily. Remember, Jesus defeated satan in the wilderness by saying, "It is written, satan, you shall not temp the Lord your God." See, we have to use the word of God on Satan.

(Ephesians 4:27) says, "Neither give place to the devil." If we stay in fellowship with God, then the devil does not have a place in our lives to attack us. When you are filled with the word of God, there is no room for satan or his demons. But when we get out of fellowship with God, then we open ourselves up to every attack that satan can throw at us.

See, if Sara had been raised on a farm, then she would have known what to do. She would have had control over that cow. So instead of her ruling the cow, the cow had rule over her.

Some of us have been raised in the church, and we know what is right. We know how to defeat satan, but we back down. Why? We have gotten out of fellowship with God. We are not reading out Bibles daily and praying. Right now, you need to make a decision that you are going to set things straight. Right now, put satan back where he belongs, out of your life. Then fill your spirit daily with fellowship with God. Read your bible and pray. Then, when the cow comes after you, you will be able to send him back to the pasture.