Days 234 - 243 - Rebound!

Diet rebound – aren’t we always? Many have tried various fad diets – you know – the cabbage soup diet, the eat all the protein and no carb diet, anything raw for 10 days, and on and on. While eating a grapefruit or an apple before every meal does help to fill one up, it isn’t realistic to do so before every meal for the rest of our lives.

Choose instead a plan you can live with for life. Little steps of choosing things that will only improve our physical life, (Acts 27:34- Please eat something now for your own good) with the foundation of first going to The Lord’s Table for the satisfaction no food can bring.

Attitude rebound – these I’ve found as required material whether relating to diet, marriage, friendships, work, or… well, life. Chuck Swindoll said, “ I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it.” That helps to keep things in focus. As my hubby said this morning, “As long as we keep laughing…” [referring to signs of our aging being kept in perspective].

Hope rebounds – this of course comes from getting in the Word. No matter the day’s course, hope can be renewed by being reminded of God’s sovereignty, power and unchanging character.

His thoughts are ever toward me…“Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts towards us cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.”

His thoughts toward me are for a good plan… Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

When we choose life in our diet plan, choose life in our attitude (focus on whatever is honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, any excellence, and anything worthy of praise- Phillipians 4:8 – we also experience a bonus – a Health rebound

Food: Unfortunately, I also experienced a recommendation rebound this week. Returning to the site of one's ultimate dining experience is not recommended - just park it in your good memories box, and move on was how I felt after returning to a restaurant in Iron Mountain.  The salad above was challenging in that cutting the "baked pear" was like trying to carve a marble... just as hard and the pear went flying across the plate and onto the outdoor table (where we'd preferred not to eat, but the indoor area was blocked).  The spinach, dressing and candied nuts were tasty but not worth $9.  The entree - 2nd picture was mostly left behind. Despite the great description of the Tilapia and coating with almonds, there was no flavor, and it took almost 10 minutes to get the attention of a waitress for salt but the Tilapia was cold by then.   Ah well. It sounded good.

A better choice was this sandwich from Holiday Kitchen - Ham, tomato and lettuce on homemade Flat bread.  I'm still learning that simpler IS better.
I'm not sure what happened to the photo of the soup that came with the half-sandwich. It was an unusual Beef-Roast creamy stroganoff-like taste. Awesome flavor.







Then home again, I'm cooking up a few specialties In the lovely blue bowl is Coconut Rice pudding (brown rice cooked in equal amounts of coconut milk and half and half) topped with chunks of Asian Apple and toasted unsweetened coconut.   Warm it was decadent, yet healthy.

The next dish is CaseNifla Casserole - using Ricotta cheese, pizza cheese, a dozen eggs, leeks, onion and pasta spices.  Sides are brocolli, and mixed fruit (no sugar added) topped with Trader Joe's Vanilla-Almond granola.  Ken enjoys 2-3 pieces at a time, sometimes with a meat or sandwich side, so the casserole will last us both several days.

Who needs restaurants!  Going without also brings on a budget rebound!  I might start paying myself at least what I save by not going out... hmmm wonder what I could save for!