FAT & HOW WE GET THERE

 Gaining weight is like a never ending spiral from which I can never escape.

FAT & HOW WE GET THERE

By Lillian Carol Russell

I’ve spent my entire life it seems battling my weight. I've been wondering why I find myself hungry more lately. I hit the internet for some in depth study today, so for those of you who may be having a fight on your hands here is what I found:

Culprit #1; I just did some research & found that it is lack of proper sleep. So I am going to start going to bed earlier, no more late night Fish World gaming. High levels of the appetite hormone ghrelin make high-calorie foods look more appealing, and ghrelin increases with lack of sleep.

Culprit #2; Not getting enough of the hormone, adiponectin. This one burns your fat, you can take a magnesium supplement to increase it and they are cheap. Also eat your dark leafy green vegetables and snack on sunflower seeds. (Easier for me to swollow the pills.)

Culprit #3; Insulin imbalance causes you to store carbs as fats. Insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome describes a combination of health problems that have a common link, an increased risk of diabetes and early heart disease. I already have both, should have made this study years ago, but in youth I thought I was bullet proof. (2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water before your a meal with high carbs should help with this.) Hey, I like it, but then I haven't drank a coke or any carbonated beverage in almost 2 years, water is my favorite drink. Amazing how delicious it taste when you get all that other mess out of your system.

Culprit #4; Cortisol overload from stress, increases our desire for the comfort foods; carbs and they are stored right out there in front as abdominal fat for all the world to see. The more you eat the more you want. Next time you see a large person just think boy are they ever stressed! We live in a world filled with stress, we see it on the news, some are married to it. Some are in the process of getting a divorce from it, some are getting a daily dose at work, it is everywhere and can not be avoided.

It can lead to:

Impaired cognitive performance: Suppressed thyroid function: Blood sugar imbalances such as hyperglycemia: Decreased bone density: Decrease in muscle tissue: Higher blood pressure: Lowered immunity and inflammatory responses in the body, slowed wound healing, and other health consequences. Increased abdominal fat, which is associated with a greater amount of health problems than fat deposited in other areas of the body. Some of the health problems associated with increased stomach fat are heart attacks, strokes, the development of metabolic syndrome , higher levels of “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and lower levels of “good” cholesterol (HDL), which can lead to other health problems! To keep cortisol levels healthy and under control, the body’s relaxation response should be activated after the fight or flight response occurs. You can learn to relax your body with various stress management techniques, and you can make lifestyle changes in order to keep your body from reacting to stress in the first place.

If you feel you are depressed, you should make an appointment to see your family physian for a check up. I hope this has been helpful. I have no medical degree, but I was a patient in a hospital, (just being funny.) I have spent years fighting the battle of the buldge and studying the why am I fat and my sister is skinny syndrome. Thanks to the internet I have a world of information at my fingertips and I am not in this for profit, I just want everyone to be healthy & happy.  

Turtle on the Freeway of Life

Turtle on the Freeway of Life

I can not believe that it is Saturday again, my life is flashing before my eyes, it is amazing how it speeds up as the years go by. I used to say, “Is it Saturday yet?”, and now I',m saying, “Oh my, it can't be Saturday already again?” I feel like a turtle caught up in the traffic on a freeway, it is all moving way too fast to suit me, but I have no hope of controling it.

Forever young & beautiful, the soul remains the same!

Young people if you think your days are dragging by, believe me it will not always be that way, we are living in exponential times it is speeding up faster than ever. Life has a way of passing you by. Mirrors turn into cruel tellers of the truth as they reviel new sags and wrinkles in the package wherein you dwell. You have the same thoughts, feel the same feelings, but your package isn't wrapped as nicely as it once was. Some of us adjust to this without a problem, others pay big money to try to fix the problems, but what is on the out side does not matter. Only the soul that dwells within the package matters, it is as beautiful in it's old age as it was the day God created it. I intend to keep my same old package and do the best I can with it. I'll keep watching the Saturdays fly by until my soul flies away home to glory where time will not matter any more. 

Have a great Saturday everyone, 

there's another one waiting right around the corner.

My Daughter's Divorce

Please pray for my beautiful daughter Mary as she faces the biggest heart break of her life. She has to learn how to fall out of love and it will not be easy after 21 years of marriage but she has finally realized that it takes two willing partners to make a marriage work. Hopes and dreams don't always work out the way we plan, but I pray they remain friends after the divorce. My heart has been breaking watching her fall apart at the seams, watching her see the end of all her dreams. 

Sergio, Mary & his parents 

At the wedding December 29,1990

Watching love die is like having a death in the family, it is the very same thing, I think of his sweet mother who has gone on to heaven, she would be as broken hearted as I am over this if she were still here. We can't live our lives for our children though, we can't take the pain from them even though we wish we could spare them the suffering. Each must walk their own mile of misery, I pray that on the other side of it all, that both of them come out of it happy some day, and that my grandchildren do not suffer from it. Sometimes love is a broken winged bird that can not fly.

I DON'T THINK WERE IMPROVING SOME THINGS

SO THIS IS A FORMAL

Prom time is approaching, I saw this advertised as a formal dress, it looks more like a slip to me. Formal has changed a lot since my day. Formal used to mean a beautiful flowing full length dress with yards and yards of gorgeous gossamer material or lace. I miss the grand old days of charm and romance. Ladies were wrapped up like a beautiful package to be presented before everyone for admiration, when something was left to the imagination.

Once upon a time in America life moved at a slower pace,

 it was a lot more fun running in life's race,

When there was a bit more elegance on America's face.

TIME LIKE A SOLDIER MARCHES ON

BE IT BLUE SKIES, SUNSETS, OR SNOWFLAKES
By: Lillian Carol Russell

Time like a soldier marches on,

I’ve seen so many changes in the days that have flown.

I am the prisoner it has taken along the way,

Scars of the battle show more clearly everyday.

In youth I knew no fear,
I marched right into life and never even wondered if danger might be near.

Today I will not even climb upon a chair,
I could really be hurt if I fell from there.

I remember long lazy walks in the woods when I was no more than a child of ten,

Everything of God’s creation filled me with so much wonder then.

I sat by a babbling brook and watched a tiny waterfall,
I wasn’t in a hurry and took time to enjoy it all.

The years rushed by and oh so busy I became,
The world was out there waiting, I thought for me to tame.

Somewhere along the way I forgot to smell the roses,
And lost touch with all the beauty that is just beyond our noses.

Now battle scared with age I am as before, 

Amazed by the wonders of God even more.

Whether it be a falling snowflake or the wind in the trees, 

I’ll take the time to listen to the music in the breeze.

God never changes, it is we who do,
We rush through life and never stop to think it through.

He is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow,
And He will see us to the other side of all our pain and sorrow.

So trusting in Jesus, like an old soldier I march on,
And when life’s battle is finally over all my aches and pains and all my sorrows will be gone.

Although the road we travel may be filled with pain and woe,
These things although they hurt us are the things that make us grow.

Praise God for whatever, sun or rain or snow flakes,
For whatever in life happens, He makes no mistakes.

IF WE KNEW HOW MANY TEARS WE'D CRY

IF WE KNEW HOW MANY TEARS WE'D CRY

When we are children we think that time is something that will last. We never think about the changes that wait around the bends in the road of life. It would scare us to death if we realized all the loved ones we would lose along the way, if we knew how many tears we'd cry.

Thank goodness it is knowledge that we learn as we go. Along the way with all the heartache, there is love and laughter, there is hope, and there are dreams that keep us going. When we stop dreaming, we stop living, we stop trying, some folks will just sit in a chair and read and start dying, having given up on life in the real world.

As we age we have to stay connected, it is so easy to drop out of activity and stay home. When the get up and go has got up and gone it is hard to make yourself follow through. When I go to the nursing home to sing, I see my future and I know I must rage against the inevitable as long as I can. “A body in motion tends to stay in motion.” They keep showing this on TV and it got me to thinking, it has helped me regain a lot of flexibility. I don't sit as much as I used to, I make myself move more. I haven't had to use my wheel chair in a while now, though I still can't shop at Wal-Mart wihout one. You Know what they say, “Inch by inch, life is a cinch.”

 I've come a long way this past year for the shape I'm in medically. It is sad when we get old and our family outgrows us. I spend a lot of time on the computer but I have to walk away from this box and have a social interaction with real people as well. My computer pals are a life line though, you keep me smiling, like that old song, your are my sunshine.  I look forward to our daily visits and fishing with my friends in Fish World, the only game I play.

CHILDREN FOREVER AND A DAY

By: Lillian Carol Russell

(Since writing this so many years ago, I have discovered that being a grandmother is one of the greatest joys I’ve known, but alas even my grandchildren are now full grown and grandma spends most of her days alone.)

It seems so long ago and far away,
That I watched my little children play.

Our son with hair so blonde and eyes of blue,
The image of his dad, ‘twas true.

The most precious daughter of any,
With hair the color of a new copper penny.

With boundless energy they grew so fast;
The mold was made, the die was cast.

If only I could only go back in time,
To the days of diaper and nursery rhyme.

Each moment I’d savor more precious than gold,
In my arms once more those babies to hold.

Perhaps a better parent I would be,
As I bounced each one upon my knee?

But only God can see through time and space
And know the end before the beginning takes place.

And so with youthful abandon I let moments slip away,
Thinking they’d be children forever and a day.

Young parent listen and hear me well,
These words of wisdom that I tell:

Savor each moment and hold it fast,
For quickly is the childhood past.

And once your children are all grown,
Your heart will ache for them when they’ve gone.

You will miss the giggles, the hugs, and wiping little tears,
And be amazed how they grew up in such a few short years.



Ephesians Chapter 6:
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

2 Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;

3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

6 Not with eye service, as men pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:

8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

GOODBYE MODEL A, HELLO MODERN DAY

GOODBYE MODEL A, HELLO MODERN DAY

By Lillian Carol Russell

I remember as a child we had an old black Model A. Everyone we knew had a black car or black truck. Well daddy took us to the dealership to see this dream car. It had a white top over the most beautiful sky blue bottom. We were spell-bound, we wanted it so bad, and every day when daddy got home from work for a week we loaded up and went to the dealership to look at the car, it was sheer ecstasy. We begged daddy to buy it, then one day he came home and said, “Today we are going to buy the new car.” There was a lot of jumping up and down and shouts of glee until he said; “Get everything out of the car, so we can trade it in.”

Wait just a minute, nobody told me we had to give up the old car, I loved that old car, and it was part of the family. I sobbed and cried all the way to the dealership, I begged to keep the old heap, how could we just leave it in a strange place all alone. Daddy assured me that the old car had served its purpose and we no longer needed it. My joy over the new car was dampened by the lump in my throat as I watched our old black car fade into the distance. There were a lot of tears shed over that old heap of metal but it represented the beginning of change and a lesson that nothing stays the same. Sometimes in order to progress, we have to leave some old baggage behind and move forward. If we spend today worrying about yesterday, then we have no hope of a happy tomorrow. Times change, people change and places change, that is just the way it is. We have to leave some of our old baggage behind and move forward to a brighter new future sometimes. The river of life is constantly flowing & changing, the only thing we can hold on to are memories, so make them sweet and be willing to keep your heart open to make new friendships, for friends & loved ones will be lost as you travel through life. If you don't replenish, you'll find yourself all alone someday.

“Time is but the stream I go a-fishin in. I drink at it, but while I drink I see the sandy bottom and detect how shallow it is. It's thin current slides away, but eternity remains.” ~Henry David Thoreau~

I've Rushed Right Into The Golden Years

Golden Years By: Lillian "Carol" Russell I suppose that as children, time seems to move slowly, I know it did for me. I was in a hurry to be grown, to conquer the world. I had dreams to fulfill, I was anxious to grow up, ready to run the race of life. As we get older, the miles we've trod on the road of life fade into vague memories. We find ourselves looking back through the gossamer veil of time, thinking a lot about yesterday, amazed and wondering where the years went. We still feel young at heart, but our bodies tell a different story. Someone aptly said that life is like a roll of toilet paper, the closer to the end it gets the faster it goes. We marvel at the brevity and often the foolishness of our youth. A wise old saying so often comes to mind now days as I watch young people speeding about with no direction to their lives: “Youth is wasted on the young.” How wise the person who coined that phrase. Youth is spent in the fast lane, for the most part in a state of unawareness of the world around. We all start out self-centered; our need is all that matters to us. Maturity begins when you think more of others than of yourself, when you realize that the world does not revolve around you. Only with age do we become wise enough to treasure each moment in life. That is why we grandparents love our grandchildren so much, we know about the ticking of the clock. We spoil them a bit because we were not wise enough to spend the extra time with our own children. We were just too busy working, running to school events and just trying to keep them fed and clothed. I am so thankful that God in His wisdom slows us down and allows us golden years of reflection. How sad it would be if we rushed headlong to the end, never fully appreciating our Lord and savior and the wonders He has created for us. AFTER LIFE'S BRIEF FLING By: Lillian Carol Russell Not a sign of a cloud in the sky today, The breeze is cool that blows my way. The trees look so sad I could almost cry, As they reach their bare arms to the bright blue sky. Around my feet the leaves lie dead, No lovely colors of green, gold or red. Soon the air will lose it's chill, Once more to spring our hearts will thrill. The flowers will bloom, the grass will grow, Once more earth will begin the greatest show. Winter like death is a cold lonely thing,  It would be unbearable without the promise of spring. My life would be the same if I didn't know, That my Savior has prepared a place for me to go. More beautiful is heaven than the rarest bloom is spring, And heaven shall be mine after life's brief fling. Because Jesus, shed His Blood and bore my pain, After the winter of my life, heaven shall be my gain . No death, no sickness, no tears will I shed there, To the beauty of heaven, not even spring can compare.

Happy New Year 2012

May we all be blessed, both you and I, as we watch this new year pass us by. ...May it not be filled as they predict with doom and fear; but hold for us abundance, good health, and good cheer. Lillian "Carol" Russell

Those of you who know me, know that I love to write poetry & short stories, it began when I got my first Tom Thumb typewriter as a child. I am enjoying the new Face Book because itallows me to record my life on a time line If you click on a year, it will give you a highlight of what went on in that year of my life. I've only just begun so there are lots of stories yet to be written. I hope to do this in 2012. I have met so many fascinating friends through Facebook. My how the world has speeded up, amazing the things I have seen come to pass since I was born and who knows what is yet to be?

It's a new year and time for a fresh new out look on life. If you keep thinking the same thoughts and acting the same way, nothing will ever change. You are the only person who can reach down inside your soul and ask God to give you the strength to make it happen. If you truly have faith and if you don't look back and you keep looking up, your life can change, I challenge you to be happy, don't let the clouds hang around your door. The Lord has told us to think on good things and I have found in my life that this works wonders. When you find yourself thinking thoughts that make you sad, change your pattern of thinking. Call a friend, get out of the house, watch a movie, read a book, what ever it takes to sideline the bad thoughts, best of all read your Bible. May God Bless us all in 2012. 

Roses & Thorns

Roses & Thorns

By; Lillian Carol Russell

So sad to watch good love go bad, these words from an old song spring forth so often lately as I watch a friend in pain.. Stay away from the thorns I keep saying. I listened to Charles Stanley when I drove the mail route every day and he was a great teacher & the Bible was his lesson book. It tell us, things that are good, things that are pure, things that are of good report, think on these things. Good things are the roses, when we let ourselves dwell on bad thoughts, those are the thorns. When we dwell on what we have lost, what is no longer ours, those thoughts will prick us and hurt us and bring us to tears.
Without storms there would never be rainbows, we are given a time of pain in our lives to toughen us up and only those we love are able to inflict the worst of pain. Sometimes they die, sometimes they just change and choose to go in another direction. If life cuts a new channel like a river changing course during a flood, it will be hard to adjust, it will be strange, but remember God does all things well and He makes no mistakes. All things are done for a reason, we may not see it now, we may not see it in the near future, we may never know why He takes someone from us. When someone dies, it might be that they were saved from facing a great pain or illness, taken on to enjoy the glory of heaven. We weep not for them but for our own selfish reasons. When someone we love decides they no longer want to be with us, that too is death, death of a relationship and the pain is perhaps just as unbearable because it is so hard to understand.
All I can say is that time truly does heal all wounds. Stay away from the thorns, look for roses, the thorns will always be there ready to prick you, but you must be careful not to dwell on them.