Chaos…BUT God

I woke up early this morning. My mind was busy processing the events of an insanely crazy shift at work yesterday. Anyone else relate? As a nurse, frequently shifts are chaotic and busy, but yesterday was different. As the shift started with a stressful and emotional crisis, we then moved from crisis to crisis, it was a day that seemed to move in fast-forward while being paused all at the same time. Our minds raced as we attempted to keep up with the needs put in our laps. BUT…(there’s always a big but) God was there.

I woke up this morning overwhelmed and humbled by the circumstances I participated in yesterday. Tears flowed as the emotion was finally able to come to the surface and be felt. The time for intense focus has passed and today, on this day off, the time for reflection is here. Reflection today inspires humility and gratitude. My God is big! His promises are for real. It is o.k. to trust Him, He is trustworthy.

As you may be wondering what transpired, I can’t really say due to patient confidentiality and the like, but please continue reading as I take a few moments to focus you in on the important details. #1 Be grateful. As you go through your day today, know that there are people who have studied and persevered through trials and difficulties to become experienced to serve you should you have a medical crisis. As I assembled with a team preparing for a critical arrival yesterday, I looked around the room and was humbled and in awe. Dedicated people, a wide range of knowledge bases, different ages, cultures, races, religious beliefs with one goal…service. Later as I dressed to attend an emergent c-section delivery, again I looked around the room in awe…same scenario, different floor. I am in awe and humbled to be a part of the medical field. Not perfect by any means, but devoted to compassionate care? yes.

#2 God is trustworthy. For years I tried desperately to get out of nursing. I spent the first decade of my career terrified that I would miss something and someone would be injured or worse. As my faith was wobbly I did not understand where the peace could come from when I knew that tragic events happened to Godly people. It seemed that God was wild and unpredictable, how could I rest and accept his word that he would protect my patients and me? Over time God has shown me that my perspective was misdirected. While I was focused on my performance, anxiety and worry overwhelmed my daily life. Yesterday was confirmation to me in so many ways that God is faithful and trustworthy. As circumstances were intense, I had the ability to see God’s hand moving and going before me because I was focused on Him. The emergencies still happened…BUT God was there. The loss was still real…BUT God was there. I still had to work and endure a draining day emotionally, physically, and mentally…BUT God was there. He provided the people who needed to be there. He provided extra hands that were a bonus. He provided opportunities to laugh amidst the seriousness. He provided opportunities for me to love, touch, and minister to hurting people. He went before me, with me, and continues to be involved in each scenario even though I have moved on to this day. He is amazing and you can trust him.

#3 Jump In. Over the past couple months a transformation has been happening in my mind and heart. I finally kicked fear to the curb and told God, “alright, I’m 100% in. I surrender and give you my whole life…now what?” It has been amazing! Idols are getting obliterated as I have eliminated my addiction to Diet Coke and also food. Addictions that have ruled for at least 30 years (wow I’m old). The weight has dropped off as I’ve accepted his plan for me which encompasses taking care of the blessings he has given me, including a body that can work and move. I have learned that I must still work hard physically, emotionally, and mentally, but his help and strength are real things when I stay close to him. And my biggest take away from yesterday is the blessing of being in at 100% when the rubber hits the road and circumstances and challenging…being a vessel for God’s love and mercy to others is amazing. Being able to serve others and focus on them instead of me and my weaknesses allows me to enjoy God working in the situation because I am freed up to see Him. It allows me to lay down my pride and need for approval and just be a piece of His glorious plan being fulfilled. He offers abundant living and it happens when I jump head first and remain focused on my role…which is surrender to Him. He has all the heavy lifting in this relationship!

Over the past couple years I have been growing in my trust in God. He has been faithful to show up and speak to me through his word, during my quiet times with him, and through other people too. As I’ve sought help with anxiety and fear, He has shown me the steps needed to overcome these very common obstacles. Surrender. Accept. Trust. Receive. These are the steps and they work every time. This year as I have a goal to stop striving for anything else before Him, I am living in freedom in a new way that is exhilarating. I share with you today because my heart is full and I am so thankful to see His powerful hand at work in the my small piece of the puzzle. The God who knows the number of
grains of sand on every beach just because he can and designs the sunrise and sunset every day in a glorious display no matter who is paying attention because He is worthy of glory and praise…this is the God that was present with little, insignificant me yesterday, all day, moving and working as I bumped into people who needed help. Amazing.

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is” (Romans 12:2, New Living Translation). 

Healthy food…You can do it

 Healthy food is a part of a healthy lifestyle for more reasons than just weight management. Just as a car runs best with the appropriate fuel combined with care and attention to maintenance, our bodies function best with a balanced diet, stress management, and regular exercise. As healthcare costs skyrocket and stress is in abundance, one of the easiest ways to promote wellness is to eat the foods that support health and prevent illness. Feeling better, having more energy, lower #’s on the scale, & radiant skin…just perks.

The phrase “Healthy food” can be a bit vague. Healthy food, as I see it, is food that contributes nutritionally to the body. It is easy in this day and age to get caught up in a type of healthy food (we are so blessed!) such as organic, free-range, or non-GMO and those things are good. However, for the purposes of this discussion, let’s just take it back to the basics and talk about the types of foods that will help you create your healthy lifestyle, however you choose to purchase them is up to you. I point that out because it can all be overwhelming. If walking into Whole Foods promotes panic due to the immense number of options, then just go buy an apple, wash it, and eat it…start there. Creating a healthy diet is a process and a journey. You get started and learn and as you learn more you change more and so forth. Give yourself some grace, start with small steps, and smile…you’re gonna be alright.

The Process

My husband and I began to really change our diet about 12-13 years ago. Over the years we have adjusted and then made more changes, adjusted and changed, and then we adjusted and changed. It is a process, a journey. Each time we felt like we were really making a big change, but as we got used to it, we realized we could do more. Gone were the days of living on macaroni and cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches (what??…we like cheese!) and in came the days of seeing the stove as more than a shiny object to look at. This was the beginning of my new obsession…modifying my favorite recipes to make them healthier and trying new things. I can laugh now at the whole wheat pancake batter that could have been used to patch a hole in the wall and the spinach frittatas that the dog even spit out…remember, it is a process, laugh often!

So, start somewhere. We got started by changing from white flour to whole wheat and looking for whole grain alternatives. I stopped buying unhealthy snacks that were quick grabs (read chips, cookies, crackers) under the guise of “it’s for the kids”. (Ummm…so the kids need trans fats and a bunch of sugar?) I switched from ground beef as the go-to protein to using chicken, pork, or beans. Nothing too crazy, right? Then I started adding in vegetables anywhere I could. I made zucchini muffins that we ate for breakfast. I added beans into the taco meat and peppers and carrots into spaghetti sauce. We also bought a high-speed blender for protein shakes and smoothies so we could incorporate spinach and other greens more easily into our diet. Here are some things that have helped us continue on this journey:

Start with small, manageable steps and be realistic. If you are short on time, then don’t buy 5 types of vegetables that all need to be prepped and think that you are going to eat them. We are fortunate to live in a time where you can walk into the store and buy a relish tray already prepared. Look at that, veggies that are ready to eat! Buy fruit that can be eaten as is or with minimal prep, like cuties, apples, grapes, blueberries. All of these fruits are awesome alone or on top of yogurt for snacks.

Decide what your goals are. If you don’t know what your goals are how will you get there? If you want to lose weight, then log what you eat. I guarantee you will be surprised at the number of calories you ingest if you honestly document everything you eat for a week. My Fitness Pal is an app I use most days. At first it is cumbersome, but it gets easier as you get used to it and build your own meals, etc. I’m more than happy to help you if you’d like! If you want to just generally eat a healthier diet, then pick a target and set goals to hit it. Less sugar? More vegetables? More home-cooking? All great goals and you can start working on them today.

80/20. This is my survival and longevity plan. I try to make the healthiest choice 80% of the time. The other 20% is for holidays, weekend dates, birthday parties, and just that time when I need an ice cream cone. This is being realistic, having a no-deprivation plan, and committing for the long haul. Healthy eating has so many benefits but you don’t usually see the impact after just one meal. It takes time for our bodies to repair the damage we have done.

So, love yourself and your family by upping the ante…healthy lifestyles rock!

 

As you shop:

Look for fresh fruits and vegetables, however frozen has been shown to be just as nutritional usually and offers wider variety not limited by the season. If canned veggies are used, it helps to drain and rinse them. You eliminate a lot of the added salt with that simple maneuver. Bumping up your fruit and veggie intake increases your nutrients and fiber helping you to feel full and easing portion control struggles.

Look for protein sources that are lower in fat, you’ll save dramatically on calories by just switching from beef tacos to chicken tacos. Still yummy! And pile on the veggies and your tacos become a serving of vegetables too. When you make scrambled eggs, use a combination of whole eggs and egg whites, the majority of the fat and calories is in the yolk. And again, add those veggies…peppers, onions, spinach, mushrooms…all easily added in and delish! Beans and rice together make a complete protein as well…get creative and enjoy, just watch your portion control.

No added sugar. Yep, the enemy is sugar. Too much sugar ramps us up and then dumps us on the curb feeling blah. It also sky-rockets our risk for diabetes and a host of health concerns. Limiting sugar is difficult at first because most of us seriously are addicted to the stuff. Give yourself time and start small, but do it, start to limit it and your body and  mind will thank you.

Variety and Balance are the most-valuable players in this game. Feeling deprived will lead to unhealthy choices and limited success; so give yourself grace and remember that perfection is not the goal. 80/20 my friends, 80/20!