life after death || my ultimate Hope

i woke up feeling under the weather this morning and was informed by my daughter that a sweet, sweet girl, Phoebe Fair, had been taken home to Heaven last night. she fought a long and hard battle with cancer, but last night God said, "it's time to come home, my love", and i imagine the mysterious and glorious transition from earth to Heaven.

 tears. 

you see, like all of us, she had an appointed time to be born, and she had an appointed time to die. Jesus always keeps good on His timing and promises, and it was Phoebe's time.  our family was only made aware of this sweet girl and her family a few months back, but as fellow members of the family of God, we were privileged to hold them up in prayer, bearing their burdens from across the country, because of that One bond we share in Christ. that will never cease to amaze me! 

so, today we weep not for Phoebe, because she is more alive than ever and stands in the presence of her Creator. she is perfectly whole. healed. made new. what HOPE! what we must not forget, is that she left behind a family. we must, must, MUST lift them up in prayer. we must hold their feeble knees and pray healing for their broken hearts. death is swallowed up in victory, but our humanness feels the sting of loss. Phoebe's life was not in vain and neither is her death. i have witnessed miracles in and through the Rock solid faith of her parents. i have been forever changed because of sweet Phoebe's life. 

praying friends, please join me in praying for Phoebe's family.

to read more of her story, you can go to the family blog:::

http://atypicalmiracle.com/

(jack's bulletin board)

xo

mary

Break the diet cycle

Diet is a four-letter word that often spells failure. In the November issue of Healthy Food Guide, our experts explain how you can lose weight for good by breaking free of the vicious cycle of deprivation and disappointment caused by fad diets.

Successful weight loss is all about creating healthy relationships with food and your body. We asked nutritionist Zoe Wilson for her top tips for healthy eating…

1 It’s OK to have an ‘imperfect’ meal or snack

You eat three meals a day, seven days a week – so if one or two of these meals aren’t great, it’s no big deal!

2 Before you eat ask yourself, ‘Am I actually hungry?’

That’s the grumbling, empty tummy hungry — not the ‘I don’t want to sit at my desk anymore’ hungry. If you’re not really hungry, is there something else you could do? Maybe you could step outside for some fresh air or make that phone call you’ve been putting off for a while.

3 Turn off the TV, computer or phone to enjoy food
By eating with distractions such as these you won’t register you’ve had your meal or snack, leaving you wanting more when you don’t need it. Take time out and sit at a table so you can concentrate on what you’re eating.

4 Have what you really want

There’s no point in choosing a yogurt or piece of fruit if you really want a piece of chocolate — you’ll feel cheated! Have that piece of chocolate (but not the whole bar) and savour every moment of it.

5 Take note of the ‘sigh moment’
There comes a point, when eating a meal, when our stomach says it’s full – we will often pause and take a deep breath. But many of us miss this cue because there’s still food on our plate. Be mindful of this cue, then put down your knife and fork.

6 Eat slowly!

Try to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal. This gives your stomach enough time to tell your brain it’s full. Put your knife and fork down between mouthfuls, cut your food into smaller pieces and focus on tasting your food.

7 Don’t deprive yourself in social settings

Food is at the centre of many social occasions, and it’s fine to join in. But if you’re not hungry, don’t feel pressured to go to the buffet table or to take that canapé. And in restaurants, order a starter instead of a main or share something with a friend.

8 Leave the table satisfied but not full

There’s a difference between not feeling hungry anymore and feeling stuffed to the brim. Listen to your stomach as you eat and try to finish on a hunger scale of about 7/10 — with 0/10 being starving and 10/10 being full-to-bursting.

9 Pretend you’re a critic

Think about the flavour and texture of each mouthful, and assess how appealing the meal is to your eye. By appreciating the elements of your food you will feel more satisfied.

10 Use smaller crockery and glassware

This makes a smaller portion look bigger, helping you eat less but still feel satisfied. Replace dinner plates with starter-sized plates, and swap 500ml wine glasses with 250ml glasses. 

For more advice on breaking the diet cycle, check out the November issue of Healthy Food Guide magazine.