I’ve lost a total of 7 pounds.

I plan to gain all 7 pounds in the form of Pioneer Woman Cinnamon Rolls this evening. And eggs. Bacon. Pancakes. Sausage.

The food I’ve missed the most is certainly breakfast.

After tonight I begin OPERATION: USE EVERYTHING UP. I have a decent amount of potatoes and onions left over so my menu this week is as follows…

• Sunday: Potato Soup (I will not hold back on the cheese and cream in this batch)
• Monday: We’ll be eating dinner out with a college friend who will be in town for a job interview
• Tuesday: Chicken kabobs (uses up my onions & peppers)
• Wednesday: Meatloaf muffins (only uses 1 onion but it’s meat – and that sounds so fabulous right now)
• Thursday: potato skins and chicken sausage (again, no skimping on the butter & cheese on these skins)
• Friday: *Life Group* Italian – Chicken/Spinach Florentine lasagna
• Saturday: Pan Fried Pork chops & scalloped potatoes

And when there’s extra time, I’ll be making a gluten free apple crisp to use up the extra granny smiths I have.

NOW – because I’m starving and craving anything I can get my hands on – I know someone is wondering….Why even bother? or What’s the point?

And my answer is simple: When I sacrifice things I easily take for granted on a daily basis (food) it’s a prominent thought in my mind all day long. I crave to be satisfied by good food. My body has the nutrients I need, but my flesh desires more because it knows it can have it.

It’s that sacrifice of the flesh that helps draw me closer to God. Because the thought is with me all day long (as I watch people eat Chik-fil-a and chocolate) – God is with me all day long.

And when God is with you all day long, powerful things happen.

Take X for example. Saturday, on a fasting food day, she voluntarily cleaned the house with us…doing things we didn’t ask her to do and asking if she could do more.

Also, during this Fast, she has spent hours and hours writing letters to raise money for the Philippines mission trip. She has voluntarily gave up ALL PRESENTS that would be bought for her throughout 2012 in exchange for that money so she (and the rest of the team) can spread the Gospel and serve those less fortunate.

She gets it.

Not because I’ve forced her to get it, but because she willing sacrificed something everyday. She drew closer to God and God moved in her life in a powerful way.

POTD = Picture of the Day

This is what they call Project 365. I started this back in 2008 and absolutely love it. I used to have the self-imposed rule that I had to take the picture myself but I thrown that out the window. As long as it documents the day – I’m good. Some days I take so many pictures that capture everyday life that I use some for other days of the month when nothing exciting happened or I forgot to take a picture.

Because that happens. Sometimes you just forget. Other days, you just don’t feel like picking up the camera.

In the end, my goal is simply to document our everyday LIFE.

These pictures will then be used to create my PROJECT LIFE Scrapbook. Which I hope to begin this weekend. Hope – operative word.

I forgot I had this post written and saved…but never actually published it. I was reminded when I read Angela’s Daily Word post yesterday – it’s good, check it out.

There are 24 chapters in the book of Joshua. In the first chapter, the Lord commands Joshua, “Do not let his Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so you may be careful to do everything written in it.” When I read that first chapter on January 1st, I knew immediately I was to read a chapter every day – and night.

And so for the first 24 days of the year I have read each chapter twice, once in the morning, once at night. After my second time through each chapter, I journaled the most outstanding thought or concept I took away after the second reading.

Here are a few:

Joshua 1: Be strong & courageous. I am the Lord your God and WILL NEVER leave or forsake you.

Joshua 2: God can cause the hearts and courage of our enemies to MELT.

Joshua 3: The Lord of all the earth goes before us, piling up in a heap all of the things that could carry us away or destroy us.

Joshua 4: HE did this so that all the people of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful.

Joshua 5: After we see a move a God we are much more likely to accept with radical obedience, God’s instructions.

Joshua 7: Joshua was confident, fearless, and courageous when God was doing the work…when God steps back, fear and discouragement  take over.

Joshua 10: When you are OBEDIENT to what God is telling you do do – specifically – you can ask for help and He will help you achieve it!

Joshua 11: Our enemies/obstacles can be as numerous as the sands on a seashore….God promised to deliver us from each and every one.

Joshua 13: There are somethings you can do and other things that GOD HIMSELF will take care of.

Joshua 14: Follow the Lord and obey wholeheartedly – it make take years but God will sustain you and give you strength until you reap your inheritance.

Joshua 15: How long will you wait to take possession of the land your God has promised you?

Joshua 24: It is HE, the Lord, who has gone before me. He has watched over me, fought for me, protected me, and carved a path for me.  If I obey (irrationally) he will work out the details so that I can conquer it.

When I look at the book as a whole, I am overwhelmed with Joshua’s lifelong obedience to God’s commands. He did crazy stuff and succeeded constantly. God revealed himself to Joshua in amazing ways. He showed up and did the impossible while Joshua did the possible.

The conclusion of this journey gave me SO MUCH PEACE. Peace knowing He is constantly fighting for me (and has been all my life), and peace knowing that when I obey he will go before me and work it out.

Every night at dinner for the past 31 days the 4 of us Newcoms have recited Psalm 16:11 after giving thanks for our food.

X had it memorized after only a few days. E recited it to me today (with confidence) for the first time (which brought tears to my eyes).

Now, we will move on to a new memory verse. My goal is a new verse every month. Recited out loud and all together every night at dinner. It’s awesome to have our 4 voices reciting the word of God together.

February’s verse will be JAMES 1:2

X & I have been working on making more Scripture canvases.  We’re going to be “selling” these canvases soon to help raise money for our Philippines Mission trip in March. More on that very soon!

The crafty supplies have been out on the kitchen table for the past month. The partially finished canvases have been just sitting there awaiting my return.

X & Kyla (next door) have been spending a lot of time together lately – which is good. For both of them. I was super impressed with their creativity when they called me into the dining room Friday afternoon to perform their “song” for me. I loved it so much I had to record it.

You can’t really see what exactly is painted on their but know that basically the words of the songs are the words on the canvases.

I hope this brings a smile to your face.