Kim,

I am taking you and your beloved to the throne of God.     Whatever you face, He will be with you and willl carry you through it.   I am praying for healing and comfort and a sense of God's presence with your family.

Joy

My daughter is home for a visit - a difficult one - but she shared something with me last night that might help, my dear, dear friend.  She said when she feels overwhelmed, she sits quietly for a few minutes in a place where she knows she won't be disturbed. And she closes her eyes and puts her left hand over her heart; and she extends her right arm, with her palm facing forward, out in front of her - and the gesture provides a sense of personal energy, the message being: with my left hand over my heart, I am embracing self-care and telling myself that I will get through this; with my right hand extended in front of me, I am telling the negative forces that are trying to take over - that they have no place here - I am strong and will defeat you.  Jillian says this helps her. Kim, you have my heart and my strength today in my strongest prayers for your husband, for you, and for your family. Love to you, Maureen

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS!!! First, I am so happy to see your beautiful face again. But mostly, that you have sounded the rally call for those of us who suffer - I mean SUFFER, not struggle but SUFFER alongside you. Like Connie, I was able to quit smoking 20 years ago with barely a hitch. I know what resolve and determination and success feels like - but living with food healthily has never been able to be a permanent facet of my life. I feel terrible about the weight gain and I need, MUST find a way to put the brakes on and reverse this deadly cycle. I'm in with you and Connie. Today my goal is to simply NOT EAT CHOCOLATE. I have become so addicted to it that it rules my life. A life that is so incredibly fraught with emotional and psychological pain because of what my family is going through - but eating through that pain will not solve our problems. TODAY I WILL TAKE CARE OF MYSELF. No matter what. I love you, Joy, and I am so grateful to you for coming back and posting this. PLEASE DON'T GO AWAY AGAIN. I need you. Maureen

Oh, Joy -- joy, joy, joy!

Boy did you come t the right place, Sistah.  Food is absolutely my drug of choice.  It's a tough addiction because we can't quit cold turkey.  I quit smoking, cold turkey, over 25 years ago and have never looked back.  I smoked 3 packs a day for 10 years and quitting cigarettes was a breeze compared to quitting chips. 

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm just so darned tired of fighting the Battle of the Bulge.  I stayed away or a while, partly because I was just so dang busy, but also because I was just plain tired of food being the be all end all of my life.  I was tired of thinking about every last bite of food that went in my mouth, tired of counting carbs and protein and tired of worrying about how much I weigh.  I'm starting to ramp back up again, but dang it's hard.

OK Joy, we can do this.  Back in the saddle. 

Hugs,
Connie