AGENDA Pray it Off February 18, 2010
Total Lbs Off 1st Session-644 2nd Session-571 Combined-1215
3rd Session-235 Combined-1450 4th Session -261 4th Session Combined 1711 5th Session- -175
1. Packets
Log Sheet/Matthew 21
Matthew 20
What is Lent
Regulations for Penance, Fasting and Abstinence During Lent
Is It a Sin to be Fat?
In Times of Difficulty Say, “Jesus I Trust in You.”
Divine Mercy Chaplet
Meditations for Pro-Life Stations of the Cross
Hypothyroidism and Weight Gain
Sweet Potato Nutrition
Creamy Low-Fat Sweet Potato Soup
Tilapia Twist
Taco Soup
Lyrics: It Is Well Gaither
PIO Group Prayer Time
2. Opening Prayer
3. Awards:
4. Review Bible Verse
5. Review Packet Materials
6. Listen to: It Is Well
7. St. Pio Intercession
8. PIO Group Prayer Time
9. Dismissal 7:00
Matthew Chapter 20
1
"The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard.
3
Going out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and he said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.' 5 So they went off. (And) he went out again around noon, and around three o'clock, and did likewise.
6
Going out about five o'clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, 'Why do you stand here idle all day?' 7 They answered, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard.'
8
3 When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.' 9 When those who had started about five o'clock came, each received the usual daily wage.
10
So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner,
12
saying, 'These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day's burden and the heat.' 13 He said to one of them in reply, 'My friend, I am not cheating you. 4 Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?
14
5 Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? 15 (Or) am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?' 16 6 Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last."
17
7 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve (disciples) aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, 18 "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death,
19
and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day." 20 8 Then the mother 9 of the sons of Zebedee approached him with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.
21
He said to her, "What do you wish?" She answered him, "Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom." 22 Jesus said in reply, "You do not know what you are asking. 10 Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?" They said to him, "We can."
23
He replied, "My cup you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left (, this) is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." 24 When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers.
25
But Jesus summoned them and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. 26 But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
27
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. 28
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom 11 for many." 29 12 As they left Jericho, a great crowd followed him.
30
Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, "[Lord,] 13 Son of David, have pity on us!"
31
The crowd warned them to be silent, but they called out all the more, "Lord, Son of David, have pity on us!"
32
Jesus stopped and called them and said, "What do you want me to do for you?"
33
They answered him, "Lord, let our eyes be opened."
34
Moved with pity, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight, and followed him.
NEW SCHEDULE CHANGES
March 17 Wednesday
April 16 Friday
Already Planned for Schedule Changes
April 28 Wednesday
May 5 Wednesday
June 16 Wednesday
What is Lent
http://healthyweightloss4babyboomers.com/
Lent, in Christian tradition, is the period of the liturgical year leading up to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer — through prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self-denial — for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the events linked to the Passion of Christ and culminates in Easter, the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Lent was also traditionally the term used to describe the period leading up to Christmas before the term of advent was officially recognized.
Conventionally it is described as being forty days long, though different denominations calculate the forty days differently. The forty days represent the time that, according to the Bible, Jesus spent in the wilderness before the beginning of his public ministry, where he endured temptation by Satan..
What is The Purpose of Lent. As a Christian committed to building, strengthening and renewing our relationship with God and developing our faith, Lent serves as an opportunity to deny ourselves, repent of our sins and focus our lives to living according to the will of God. Through prayer, meditation on God’s Word and self denial we change the focus from self satisfaction to serving God and his people. Lent is an opportunity to cleanse ourselves of the old and start anew. It comes at the end of winter and leads into the beginning of spring. It represents new life in and through Jesus Christ.
Lent culminates in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. The death to our old sinful ways, burial of our selfish desires, and resurrection of new life and new relationship in a savior who washed away our sins by his sacrifice. More than just remembrance, this is a time of dedication to God as we seek his will and we seek a closer relationship with God.
The Practice of Lent.
If you practice lent by giving up some type of food and / or some habit or thing you are missing the point. Lent is not about fish on Fridays but self denial as you seek the face of God. Self denial to conquer the flesh and let the Spirit of God take control. We must learn to follow the Spirit of God and not our fleshly desires. So in your Lenten walk seek God and submit your will to his. Know that through prayer and fasting you can achieve new levels of faith and power In Christ Jesus.
Ask and you will Receive. Be Blessed. Be a Blessing.
Regulations for penance, fasting and abstinence during Lent
(thecatholicspirit.com)
The penitential days for the universal church are each Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 14, and concludes with the celebration of the Paschal Triduum, April 1-3. During this time, the whole church is invited to do penance in order to purify their hearts in preparation to celebrate the renewal of our baptismal promises on Easter Sunday, April 4. In 2010, the one exception to this should be the solemnity of St. Joseph on Friday, March 19.
The following regulations should be observed by Catholics during Lent:
Abstinence — Catholics 14 years of age and older must abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all the Fridays of Lent. It is only on other Fridays of the year, outside of Lent, that a Catholic may substitute another form of penance instead of abstinence. The church does not enjoin fasting or penance on this day of the solemn celebration of her universal patron.
Fasting — Catholics between the age of 18 and 59, inclusive, are required to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. On these days, one full meal is allowed if necessary. Food may be taken at two other times, two smaller meals, in order to maintain strength according to each one’s needs, but together they should not equal another full meal. Eating between meals is not permitted, but liquids, including milk and fruit juices are allowed.
Sacrament of penance — All the faithful who have reached the age of reason (second grade) are bound faithfully to confess their grave sins at least once a year. Lent is a good time to fulfill this precept of the church. Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive holy Communion without previously having been to sacramental confession (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1457). Of course, frequent confession, even of venial sins, is highly recommended to grow in God’s grace (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1458).
Other Lenten observances — Each weekday of Lent is also an obligatory day of penance. Some recommendations include the participation in daily Mass, increased prayer or spiritual study, self-imposed fasting or abstinence, works of charity, generosity to programs that benefit others, especially the poor, and participation in traditional Lenten devotions (Stations of the Cross, rosary, retreats, parish missions, etc.).
The goal of all our Lenten disciplines is the conversion of our hearts. As the catechism states, however, “interior conversion urges expression in visible signs, gestures and works of penance” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1430). These penances help us to “repent” as the Lord asks, by redirecting our whole life toward God and away from the sin and evil which wounds our nature (CCC 1430-1439).
'Is It a Sin To Be Fat?' Ask a Priest vol. 6
Posted by Fr. John Bartunek, LC in Faith on Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Q: Is it a sin to be fat? I have been overweight almost my entire life. I’ve tried all kinds of diets but there does not seem to be any permanent solution that works for me. I feel bad when I eat poorly and don’t exercise, but when I think about trying to lose weight again, I feel desperate and hopeless.
A: The easy answer to this question is that, certainly, being fat is not a sin. Being overweight is a state, a condition. Sins are actions. So, no, being fat is not a sin.
Healthy and Unhealthy Guilt
But there seems to be more going on in your question. You are asking the question because you have some feelings of guilt (“I feel bad”). Guilt can be healthy or unhealthy. Healthy guilt is the qualm of conscience we feel when we do wrong, when we do evil, when we freely and consciously violate God’s commandments in some way. This guilt is like a spiritual nervous system telling us that we are in danger, just as our physical nervous system warns us when we touch something hot: “Get away from that! You’re gonna get burned!”
Unhealthy guilt is a similar feeling brought on by a different cause. For example, we can feel ashamed by a stupid thing we did or said, because it made us look like a fool. This isn’t moral guilt. This is emotional discomfort caused when our natural desire to be accepted and praised is frustrated.
Getting to the Root Cause
Which type of guilt are you feeling as regards your ongoing struggle with weight? If you are only overweight in your own eyes, and you simply wish you looked more like the models in the magazines, your feelings of frustration could be linked to a lack of awareness of God’s love for you. You think you will be more loveable if you look more like the movie stars. This is a deep and dangerous false ideal that is rampant in our society, especially because of how few women grow up with healthy father figures.
If this is your situation, the key is to forget about your looks and start working systematically and responsibly on your spiritual life, your friendship with Christ. Through prayer, retreats, and spiritual guidance, you will lay a stronger foundation for a balanced lifestyle, and your weight situation will, gradually, take care of itself.
But you also mention that you tend to eat poorly and not exercise. If we were talking over a cup of coffee, I would ask you why. Eating healthily (common-sense healthy, not self-help-guru healthy) and getting exercise (normal, reasonable exercise, not training-for-the-Olympics exercise) are basic moral responsibilities. We have a duty to care for our bodies, because they are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19). Laziness and gluttony are tendencies felt more strongly by some than others, but when we allow them to lead us to consistently unhealthy behavior, that can be sinful.
If something is inhibiting you from eating well and getting decent exercise, you need to find out what that is. Diet programs won’t help, because they will only treat the symptom. There may be other fears or anxieties, self-esteem or spiritual issues, at play here. Laziness and gluttony may be escape mechanisms for you, symptoms of an entirely different interior conflict. (Here is where spiritual guidance can overlap with emotional or psychological counseling.)
In this case too, the key is to turn the focus of your life to your friendship with Christ. Let his passionate love for you touch the core of your soul. Then you will feel a stronger desire to respond to his love with love, you will be energized to eat and exercise more in harmony with your Christian dignity, because you will have a burning desire to be all that he created you to be, a desire that he will actively help you to fulfill.
In Times of Difficulty Say,
"Jesus, I Trust in You," Pope Counsels
________________________________________
VATICAN CITY, MARCH 3, 2003 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II offered personal counsel when facing times of difficulty: the invocation "Jesus, I trust in you."
"It is a simple but profound act of trust and abandonment to the love of God," the Pope said. "It is a fundamental point of strength for every man, as it is capable of transforming life."
"In the inevitable trials and difficulties of life, in moments of joy and enthusiasm, entrusting oneself to the Lord infuses the soul with peace, induces us to recognize the primacy of the divine initiative and opens the spirit to humility and trust," he added.
John Paul II made this recommendation Saturday in Paul VI Hall when he met with students of the major seminary of the Rome Diocese.
"Jesus, I trust in you" is the invocation taught by the Polish mystic Saint Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938), messenger of Divine Mercy.
John Paul II entrusted the world to Divine Mercy last Aug. 17, when he dedicated the new shrine in Lagiewniki, a suburb of Krakow, Poland, next to the convent where St. Faustina lived and died.
"In the heart of Jesus, those anguished by life's sorrows find peace; those afflicted by suffering and illness find relief; those who feel constricted by uncertainty and anguish feel joy, because Christ's heart is filled to overflowing with consolation and love for those who turn to it with trust," he said.
Divine Mercy Chaplet
Begin with the Sign of the Cross, 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary and The Apostles Creed. “I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.”
On the “Our Father” Beads say the following:“Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.”
On the 10 Hail Mary Beads say the following: “For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”
Repeat for all five decades the Eternal Father and the Sorrowful Passion.
Repeat three times: Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
“Oh blood and water which gushes forth from the heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You.”
Repeat three times: Jesus I Trust in You!
We finish with “Mary, Mother of Mercy, pray for us, Saint Joseph, pray for us, Saint Faustina, pray for us, Blessed Father Sopočko, pray for us.“
Meditations for Pro-Life Stations of the Cross
(priestsforlife.org)
The First Station: Jesus is Condemned to Death Though innocent, Jesus is condemned by the power of the State. In like manner, our innocent brothers and sisters in the womb have been condemned. Their rights and dignity are not recognized. In this, they bear a special likeness to Jesus.
The Second Station: Jesus is Made to Bear His Cross The salvation of the world carried a heavy price for our Lord, the agony of the cross. As He accepts His cross, let us also resolve to endure suffering that others may live. Let us pay the price for standing up for our preborn brothers and sisters.
The Third Station: Jesus Falls the First Time Almighty God was weak because He chose to be like us. He had power and glory from all eternity, yet He chose to be immersed in the world of suffering. We pray that the benefits and advantages we have in life may not cause us to forget our pre-born brothers and sisters.
The Fourth Station: Jesus Meets His Afflicted Mother There is no deeper relationship than that of mother and child. They belong together. When one suffers, the other suffers. To love and defend one means to love and defend the other. To be pro-life means to serve both the child and the mother. It means to ask our society, "Why can't we love them both?"
The Fifth Station: The Cyrenian Helps Jesus to Carry His Cross Many watched the Lord suffer. Simon the Cyrenian helped alleviate that suffering. Many lament abortion. Some actually get involved to help to stop it. We pray that all people may take their active place in the pro-life movement.
The Sixth Station: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus The compassion Veronica shows reflects the compassion of so many medical doctors and nurses, who treat their patients with dignity. We pray for repentance and renewal in the medical profession. May the tools and skills meant for healing nevermore be used for killing.
The Seventh Station: Jesus Falls the Second Time In working to defend life, there are many setbacks and obstacles. Yet we know the meaning of the cross. In weakness, power reaches perfection. We do not look to our own strengths and talents alone, but to Christ. His own strength will sustain us.
The Eighth Station: Jesus Speaks to the Women of Jerusalem Christ told these women to weep for themselves and for their children. He does not want false worship, but repentance. He does not want followers who cry out to Him but then ignore injustice and bloodshed. May all who believe in Christ likewise stand up for the defenseless children.
The Ninth Station: Jesus Falls the Third Time Despite the falls, nothing can stop our Lord, because He is on a mission of love. If the pro-life movement is not a movement of love, it is nothing at all, but if it is a movement of love, then nothing will stop it. Love is stronger than death, more powerful than hell.
The Tenth Station: Jesus is Stripped of His Garments Nobody can stop us form loving our preborn brothers and sisters. Those stronger than we may strip us of popularity, possessions, or power, but they cannot strip us of love. We love others with the same love that Christ showed for us.
The Eleventh Station: Jesus is Nailed to the Cross The powers of this world crucified the God who made this world. All power and authority come from God. All who exercise power have to account for it before the throne of God. We pray that those in government may use their powers to protect the innocent babies in the womb.
The Twelfth Station: Jesus Dies on the Cross Our Lord died. So many of His children have died with Him. His passion is re-lived with every abortion, one every twenty seconds in our country. We only know a fraction of the horror of this act in the sight of God. We only know a fraction of the horror of Christ's crucifixion. May all our brothers and sisters killed by abortion rest in Christ's peace and be saved by His cross.
The Thirteenth Station: Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross Mary experienced the pain of holding her dead Son. So many mothers grieve after their abortions. We ask that Mary may comfort them, help them face the truth about abortion, and lead them to forgiveness and healing.
The Fourteenth Station: Jesus is Laid in the Tomb A tomb is a memorial. It helps us remember the one who can no longer speak. May we and our society remember the babies who cannot speak. May we also remember Our Lord's Resurrection, and His promise of eternal life. He has conquered abortion because He has conquered death. May we bring His victory to every part of our world!
Hypothyroidism and weight gain
by Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP
Ever since Oprah announced that her sluggish thyroid was contributing to her weight gain, I've had many patients with weight issues ask me, “Is it my thyroid?”
The answer for many of these women is yes, but the solution isn’t quite so simple. Thyroid function is intimately connected with your metabolism — thyroid hormones basically regulate calorie consumption. But a healthy thyroid also depends on the proper functioning of other body mechanisms, including your neurotransmitters, your reproductive hormones and your adrenal glands.
The thyroid and weight gain
Because patients with an underactive thyroid tend to have a very low basal metabolic rate, one of the most noticeable symptoms of hypothyroidism is weight gain and difficulty losing extra weight. (Sometimes an overactive thyroid can mimic an underactive thyroid by causing weight gain, although this is less common.) A minority of women with hypothyroidism don’t gain weight. The difference arises from their individual biochemistry, the quality of the calories they consume, and how they use those calories.
Often the “metabolic burn” continues to fall as calories are reduced when dieting. That’s why some women with low thyroid can have weight gain even when they severely restrict calories. In order to fix your metabolism, you have to understand your entire health picture, not just your thyroid.
The thyroid in women
More women than men suffer from hypothyroidism, and many more women than men with thyroid issues have problems with weight gain. Most thyroid problems occur within the gland itself and often don’t reveal themselves until a broader pattern of hormonal imbalance develops. That’s why thyroid issues, menopause and weight gain often appear together (which is exactly what happened to Oprah).
Why do women experience low thyroid and weight gain with such frequency? The reasons are manifold, but primarily:
• Women spend much of their lives dieting, usually in a yo-yo cycle of feasting and then fasting. This undermines your metabolism and decreases your metabolic rate, a compounding factor for the thyroid, especially during perimenopause.
• Women tend to internalize stress, which affects their adrenal function. Overactive adrenal glands produce excess cortisol, which interferes directly with thyroid hormones. In addition, fatigue caused by adrenal dysfunction increases cravings for sweets and simple carbs to provide instant energy and feel-good hormones.
• Women's bodies have a delicate balance of hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, which can be upset when your body is under stress and not receiving enough support. This resulting hormonal imbalance acts as a trigger for thyroid problems.
What you can do about hypothyroidism and weight gain. The first thing to do if you are experiencing stubborn weight gain is to talk to your practitioner. She or he may ask for a thyroid test or measure TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone). I have found in my practice that many women who test within the “normal” range of traditional medical standards still need thyroid support. Their TSH may be only slightly elevated, but enough so that it influences their metabolism and causes weight gain.
For these women, supplemental nutrients such as selenium and iodine, combined with a meal plan that balances a proper ratio of protein to carbohydrates increases their metabolic functioning and they begin to lose weight. We also recommend a pharmaceutical-grade multivitamin/mineral to give your body ample nutritional support. In some cases, a low-dose thyroid replacement hormone is also needed.
There is a lot of controversy in the endocrinology world regarding hypothyroidism treatment. There are those that believe that patients who test within the normal range but have very low basal metabolic rates and very low basal temperatures need thyroid supplementation. There are others that argue that only patients with significant abnormalities should be supported with thyroid hormones.
Weight gain is not sufficient evidence to conclude that someone has a thyroid abnormality, but it is one part of the picture we try to bring into focus. Efforts to lose weight without addressing related thyroid issues are doomed to fail. Likewise, thyroid treatments are usually not as effective without addressing the underlying hormonal imbalance. The greatest success is found through a holistic approach that considers thyroid function as an integral part of your overall hormonal balance.
SWEET POTATO NUTRITION
http://www.foodreference.com/html/sweet-pot-nutrition.html
Sweet Potato Ranks Number One In Nutrition
According to nutritionists at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), the single most important dietary change for most people, including children, would be to replace fatty foods with foods rich in complex carbohydrates, such as sweet potatoes.
CSPI ranked the sweet potato number one in nutrition of all vegetables. With a score of 184, the sweet potato outscored the next highest vegetable by more than 100 points. Points were given for content of dietary fiber, naturally occurring sugars and complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron and calcium. Points were deducted for fat content (especially saturated fat), sodium, cholesterol, added refined sugars and caffeine. The higher the score, the more nutritious the food.
Sweet potato baked 184
Potato, baked 83
Spinach 76
Kale 55
Mixed Vegetables 52
Broccoli 52
Winter Squash, Baked 44
Brussels Sprouts 37
Cabbage, Raw 34
Green Peas 33
Carrot 30
Okra 30
Corn on the Cob 27
Tomato 27
Green Pepper 26
Cauliflower 25
Artichoke 24
Romaine Lettuce 24
The reasons the sweet potato took first place? Dietary fiber, naturally occurring sugars, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron and calcium. The sweet potato received a score of 184; the vegetable ranked in second place was more than 100 points behind with a score of 83.
The numbers for the nutritional sweet potato speak for themselves: almost twice the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A, 42 percent of the recommendation for vitamin C, four times the RDA for beta carotene, and, when eaten with the skin, sweet potatoes have more fiber than oatmeal. All these benefits with only about 130 to 160 calories!
Sweet Potato Nutrition Facts
(for one medium size sweet potato)
Calories 130
Fat 0.39 g
Protein 2.15 g
Net Carbs 31.56 g
Dietary Fiber 3.9 g
Calcium 28.6 mg
Sodium 16.9 mg
Potassium 265.2 mg
Folate 18.2 mcg
Vitamin C 29.51 mg
Vitamin A 26081.9 IU
Among root vegetables, sweet potatoes offer the lowest glycemic index rating. That’s because the sweet potato digests slowly, causing a gradual rise in blood sugar so you feel satisfied longer. It’s time to move sweet potatoes to the "good" carb list. Many of the most popular diets these days have already.
SWEET POTATO NUTRITIONAL ASPECTS AND POPULAR DIETS
South Beach Diet
For the nearly 12 million Americans counting carbohydrates as part of the Atkins or South Beach plans, the glycemic index plays a critical part in determining acceptable foods. The index ranks how quickly the body converts carbohydrates into sugar; the lower the glycemic index in a food, the less it will cause weight gain. Sweet potatoes rank significantly lower than white potatoes in the glycemic index, which explains why both carb-counting diets encourage substituting yams for Idaho potatoes. Sweet potatoes are introduced in the later phases of these diets as an acceptable food because they are nutrient-rich.
Atkins Diet
The Atkins Diet recommends introducing 10 grams of carbs in Phase 3 of the diet plan. Sweet potatoes have 10 grams of carbohydrates for every 1/4 cup. Sweet potatoes are on the safe list as a great substitute for other starches such as rice, potatoes and corn.
Sugarbusters Diet
The popular "Sugarbusters" diet that swept the nation is also a strong advocate of including sweet potatoes in a healthy diet. The Sugarbusters diet recommends sweet potatoes as a great substitute for other foods high in sugar and carbohydrates such as rice, pasta and corn.
One of the Sugarbusters book's authors reports that the part of a carrot that's healthy is the beta carotene necessary for visual activity and needed for the retina that's found in the pigment, not the fleshy part of the carrot that's full of sugar. You can also get the beta carotene from sweet potatoes, which are not full of sugar.
Creamy Low-Fat Sweet Potato Soup Recipe
http://www.recipezaar.com/creamy-low-fat-sweet-potato-soup-407054
45 min | 30 min prep
SERVES 6 ,- 6 servings
• 3 large sweet potatoes
• 3 cups chicken broth, fat-free
• 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, with Italian seasonings
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• black pepper
• salt
1. Boil the sweet potatoes until tender and let cool. Remove skins. Puree in food processor until smooth. Add a bit of orange juice to make it even more smooth and creamy.
2. Combine sweet potato puree, chicken broth and tomatoes in a medium soup pot over medium high heat. Add brown sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Serve with a spoonful of peanuts as a garnish. Delicious!
Serving Size 1 (265g)
Recipe makes 6 servings
Calories 128
Calories from Fat 7 (5%)
Amount Per Serving %DV
Total Fat 0.8g 1%
Saturated Fat 0.2g 1%
Monounsaturated Fat 0.3g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 574mg 23%
Potassium 531mg 15%
Total Carbohydrate 26.9g 8%
Dietary Fiber 2.9g 11%
Sugars 14.5g
Protein 4.0g 8%
Vitamin A 9341mcg 186%
Vitamin B6 0.2mg 11%
Vitamin B12 0.1mcg 2%
Vitamin C 12mg 20%
Vitamin E 0mcg 0%
Calcium 50mg 5%
Tilapia Twist
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=214235
Nutritional Info
• Fat: 1.6g
• Carbohydrates: 31.4g
• Calories: 224.2
• Protein: 23.3g
Ingredients
4 - tilapia filets
1 - jar of a fruit based salsa
2 - large apples, cored and sliced into 4 sections
1 - can of pineapple rings
1/4 - cup of banana pepper rings
Directions
Makes 4 filets or 4 servings
Heat oven to 350 degrees
~Place the 4 tiapia filets in a deep cassarole dish
~Arrange the apple sections around the filets
~Place 1 or 2 pinapple rings on each fillet
~Pour the jar of fruit salsa over the tilapia filets, and apples
~Place the 1/4 cup of banna pepper rings randomly over the filets and apples
Place cassarole dish in oven and bake for 45 min
After 45 min, broil for a golden top for about 3-5 minutes
Number of Servings: 4
Weight Watchers Lowfat Taco Soup (weightwatchers.com)
Ingredients
• 1 lb extra lean ground turkey or beef
• 1 large onion chopped/diced
• 1(15 ounce) can pinto beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can hot chili beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans drained (optional)
• 1 (15 ounce) can corn
• 1 (15 ounce) can stewed or diced tomatoes any flavor
• 1 (15 ounce) can stewed or diced Mexican or Italian flavor
• 1 1/2 cups water if desired
• 1 (4 1/2 ounce) can chopped green chilies (optional)
• 1 (1 ¼ ounce) Package taco seasoning mix (I like to put two packages for more zip)
• 1 (1 ¼ ounce)Envelope ranch dressing mix
Directions
Brown meat and onion, drain and add remaining ingredients without draining (except for the black beans). Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for an hour. 3 points per cup!
It is Well
HYMN HISTORY
http://www.biblestudycharts.com/A_Daily_Hymn.html
This hymn was written by a Chicago lawyer, Horatio G. Spafford. You might think to write a worship song titled,
'It is well with my soul', you would indeed have to be a rich, successful Chicago lawyer. But the words,
"When sorrows like sea billows roll ... It is well with my soul”, were not written during the happiest period of
Spafford's life. On the contrary, they came from a man who had suffered almost unimaginable personal tragedy.
Horatio G. Spafford and his wife, Anna, were pretty well-known in 1860’s Chicago. And this was not just because
of Horatio's legal career and business endeavors. The Spaffords were also prominent supporters and close
friends of D.L. Moody, the famous preacher. In 1870, however, things started to go wrong. The Spaffords' only
son was killed by scarlet fever at the age of four. A year later, it was fire rather than fever that struck. Horatio
had invested heavily in real estate on the shores of Lake Michigan. In 1871, every one of these holdings was
wiped out by the great Chicago Fire.
Aware of the toll that these disasters had taken on the family, Horatio decided to take his wife and four
daughters on a holiday to England. And, not only did they need the rest -- DL Moody needed the help. He was
traveling around Britain on one of his great evangelistic campaigns. Horatio and Anna planned to join Moody in
late 1873. And so, the Spaffords traveled to New York in November, from where they were to catch the French
steamer 'Ville de Havre' across the Atlantic. Yet just before they set sail, a last-minute business development
forced Horatio to delay. Not wanting to ruin the family holiday, Spafford persuaded his family to go as planned.
He would follow on later. With this decided, Anna and her four daughters sailed East to Europe while Spafford
returned West to Chicago. Just nine days later, Spafford received a telegram from his wife in Wales. It read:
"Saved alone."
On November 2nd 1873, the 'Ville de Havre' had collided with 'The Lochearn', an English vessel. It sank in only
12 minutes, claiming the lives of 226 people. Anna Spafford had stood bravely on the deck, with her daughters
Annie, Maggie, Bessie and Tanetta clinging desperately to her. Her last memory had been of her baby being
torn violently from her arms by the force of the waters. Anna was only saved from the fate of her daughters by a
plank which floated beneath her unconscious body and propped her up. When the survivors of the wreck had
been rescued, Mrs. Spafford's first reaction was one of complete despair. Then she heard a voice speak to her,
"You were spared for a purpose." And she immediately recalled the words of a friend, "It's easy to be grateful
and good when you have so much, but take care that you are not a fair-weather friend to God."
Upon hearing the terrible news, Horatio Spafford boarded the next ship out of New York to join his bereaved
wife. Bertha Spafford (the fifth daughter of Horatio and Anna born later) explained that during her father's
voyage, the captain of the ship had called him to the bridge. "A careful reckoning has been made", he said, "and
I believe we are now passing the place where the de Havre was wrecked. The water is three miles deep." Horatio
then returned to his cabin and penned the lyrics of his great hymn.
The words which Spafford wrote that day come from 2 Kings 4:26. They echo the response of the Shunammite
woman to the sudden death of her only child. Though we are told "her soul is vexed within her", she still
maintains that 'It is well." And Spafford's song reveals a man whose trust in the Lord is as unwavering as hers
was.
It would be very difficult for any of us to predict how we would react under circumstances similar to those
experienced by the Spaffords. But we do know that the God who sustained them would also be with us.
It Is Well
Bill & Gloria Gaither featuring Wesley Pritchard and David Phelps
When peace like a river attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot thou has taught me to say
It is well it is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
My sin oh the bliss of this glorious thought
My sin not in part but the whole
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul
It is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
And Lord haste the day when my faith shall be sight
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll
The trumpet shall sound and the Lord shall descend
Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord Oh My Soul
It is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
PIO GROUP PRAYER TIME
February 18, 2010
• Discuss Lent and what you can do, specifically, to cleanse yourself of the old eating habits and start anew.
• Discuss following the Spirit of God vs our fleshy desires.
• Do you think you have truly gotten to the root cause of your struggle with weight? How can the group and God help you?
• Do you trust Jesus? How can you rely on Him more?
• Can you commit to at least one Stations of the Cross this Lent?
• Is your head into a healthy lifestyle or are you still making excuses? How can you get your HEAD into it for the rest of your life?
• Say the Hail Mary to Close the Group.
If we fail, we start again. It is the effort that creates greatness.
Leo Booth
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