An Attitude of Gratitude and Thanksgiving!

The first time I ever payed attention to the word "Gratitude" it came from the lips of a sweet 4 year old little girl during a sacrament talk in church. Her name was Rebecca--Becca was her nickname. Her mama stood at her side as she gave a very thought provoking talk beyond her years. I was a newer convert to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The words she said that day, and the way she pronounced gra-TI-tude, inspired me to have gratitude in my heart for many years to come.

I often revisit that moment in my minds eye. It was a turning point for me as a young mother. Isn't it amazing how that happens to each of us as gospel truth resonate in our own individual souls at differing times in our lives?

I'm grateful today, knowing that I'm healthy again. Moving to the farm has strengthened me so much--in body and in spirit! I have hard earned muscles now that I've not felt in years. I have a new-found inner peace that is so comforting. I've turned my resolve as endured chronic pain-- into action many times over. I'm able to help my neighbor do hard things that I thought never possible in my lifetime. I still have many weaknesses that I'm striving to overcome as a child of God is meant to do. I'm by no means perfect, but I'm reaching further and trying harder to attain personal and spiritual goals.

Two years ago I was sick and over a hundred pounds overweight. My liver was sick, my heart enlarged and failing with the edema I had. I could feel myself slowly dyeing once again. An all too familiar feeling. Then a dear friend told me about a weight loss plan that worked and the action of just doing it and praying hard, saved my life. Now I have a job from home, helping others do exactly what I did for myself! I talk to people who feel what I have felt during my struggle with obesity. My life now is now a huge contrast to that struggle I once had in simply trying to exist and to care for my family. 

 My life is forever changed! As I walk a couple miles a day around our beautiful alfalfa field with my dog friend Koda, I revel in the freedom from bondage I do feel. I even run from time to time as I wish. I enjoy hearing an occasional crow of a pheasant, my rooster crowing behind me as I walk. My mind is clear as I hear a cow bellowing for her calf next door. The wind in the blue spruce and the leaves tumbling beneath them catches my eye. All simple things I missed, or forgotten during my struggle to hang on. It's almost as if I'd been given a new pair of glasses! Instead of seeing a fuzzy green carpet, I can see each individual blade of grass! There is so much we miss when we are in pain or struggling.

One thing has never changed through my fight to regain what I'd lost, I still live each and every day as if it were my last. I never take being able to stay here on earth for granted. I always keep in mind, that I can do more than I think I can as well. I forgive those who say hurtful things or have no idea what is really in my heart. I try very hard to be kind every day. I ask Father for people to serve and to be able to alleviate suffering whenever I can. These are  only a few things that are important to me and deeply healing. 

I hope you pray hard for the righteous desires of your heart daily. Know that every prayer IS heard by our loving Father in Heaven! If you don't believe this to be true, pray for the knowledge that it IS true! It will get you through some really hard things in life. 

This morning, as I realized, that if I was needed, I too could dawn a yellow jersey on that says Mormon Helping Hands-- is the realization that I have truly arrived and am really healthy! I can help now where there is a need. I can't tell you how my heart has swelled today as I watched the video I posted from New York. It inspires us to do more for our neighbors, our friends and our families and our nations. I'm pleased that our four sons decided to go out into the world as missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was a blessing to be a mom of four missionary sons. They are my example and I love them dearly.

Here's the link I mentioned! Enjoy! http://vimeo.com/53357089

I challenge you to pray for service today in your part of the world. Then act on those promptings. Lets see what unfolds. It matters not if you are wheel chair bound, bed bound or healthy! You can do hard things and you can help others with your words, your actions and your deeds! The more you help others, the less your burdens will feel. I promise that as time goes by and you help others more and more, your burdens will be lightened, your spirit will soar and your heart will be filled to overflowing.

I'm grateful for my friend here, who didn't give up on me. It took six months for her to get through to me about the Docs Stimulus Drops plan that saved my life. How she must have prayed for me and how grateful I am today...  I'm alive today, and a testament of what service can do for one person. 

May we all be a blessing in someones life today. Now, go pray for service opportunities! I know you're gonna love your life even more for your sacrifice. (((HUGS)))

I feel like running! Running?

Here I am again! Those pants I had to lie down and zip up are now falling off of me! Yes, I'm heading into a size 14 now. That may not seem like a huge deal to a lot of you, but hey, I haven't seen the other side of a 14 since I was 30! ha ha! So, it's time to celebrate! I'm doing the happy dance for sure!

I've been combing thrift shops for good name brand clothing that I can shrink down into. I've found amazing things! I think I have jeans in every size I need to get down into a size 9 again. I figure I can take in a lot of my tops and skirts until then. I just don't want to pay good money for something I'll shrink out of so quickly. Yeah, I tend to be a frugal one:)

I'm so proud of all my clients! They are doing so great! I have one amazing lady who runs half marathons and has lost so much and is sticking to her protocol. Her husband is not going to recognize her when he gets of the ship! Can you even imagine how much easier it will be for her to run a marathon without the extra pounds? She is my hero for having done it at all before her HCG weight loss. Perhaps she'll find herself in the winners circle or what ever they call the top runners group these days....I'll be cheering her on for sure!

For those ladies who want to lose the weight so they can conceive. This is possible now with HCG. I know so many women who are told to lose a few pounds and perhaps it will help them. Then only to be disappointed when they can't lose the weight due to thyroid issues. I'm here to tell you that I am seeing that success now in two of my clients. They are winning this battle with their thyroid. Despite thyroidism, they are losing weight successfully! You are amazing women and I'm so proud of you! I pray a baby will bless your lives soon!

For the people out there who were like myself. There is always hope. Never give up! I'm living proof that you can regain your health through weight loss. Gone are the excuses for my ill health as I've shed the pounds. It was truly all about what I put in my mouth over the years. I admit it. Now that's a milestone eh? As a religious woman, I accept my part in my own illness. Circumstances caused injury, but in the end it was about food and not fully understanding about nutrition.

I am stronger and healthier and happier than I have been in years. I had no idea how good this would feel! To be able to sing, to walk...fast, to sleep 8 hours without hurting and to have the energy to walk the dog is wonderful. The list goes on including dancing with my sweetheart. I dearly love to dance.

I'm thankful for simple things, but oh, so important things in my life. For instance, the seat belt in the car doesn't hurt me anymore. My husband can wrap his arms around me fully and with room to spare! ha! The energy I feel bubbles over sometimes and I actually feel like running! Running? Did I actually say that? Perhaps I should try that soon? Just one second, I wonder if I can? What a concept? Wow! Take note of that one for the future, readers!

I DID IT!

Hi Everyone! I'm here to tell you today how much I love my job and how filled with gratitude I am that my health has returned!

Yesterday I decided to try my oldest Goodwill find on....When I purchased these jeans, I'd noticed they had no give, no stretch fabric in them. Just good old fashioned denim. I remember thinking, "when you get into these pants, it will be the real size, it will take a while to get there Val."

Well, yesterday I got them over my hips! I thought, "NO WAY!" When I was a size 24+ I never thought I could lose this much weight. Now at nearly 70 lbs lost, I lay on my bed, buttoned those jeans and swiftly zipped them up! WOW! I did it! In about a week they will fit just perfect! Holy Cow! Is this even possible?

The best part of losing the weight is that I'm not in pain anymore. My joints aren't screaming for relief! I can take stairs two at a time. The most significant thing is, my edema is all but gone and my liver doesn't pain me in the middle of the night when I roll over any more. Just the memory of that pain keeps me moving forward. I pray each time I eat that I can continue to lose and get to my goal and be healthy. I ask for Fathers help in this, because I know I can't do this without his help.

I also pray that I can continue to help others do the same thing I"m doing. I'm sincere in my efforts to help them and I can't tell you what a blessing it is to be there for them.

Life is such a blessing these days. I used to do my best to help others. Now, I can physically help myself and my family. No more being an invalid. I've gotten a second chance at life and I"m embracing it with all my heart and spirit.

How am I doing this? Well, I'm a practitioner for Doc Stimulus Drops--homeopathic HCG drops! I help others do what I am doing. I help men and women lose weight every day with the aid of the drops and a low calorie diet. I know how it's done first hand. I feel what you're feeling each day. I love cheering others onto their personal goals. Send me a note if this is something you're ready for and I'll help you too! Invest in your health and in your future. The main thing is to be kind to yourself and continue to have hope and belief in that silver lining! I'll be there every stop of the way helping whenever I"m needed.

Look for my new website. It's being built and I'll post here when the grand unveiling will be. I'm so excited! Have a fantastic day everyone!

PS....Earn a free bottle of HCG by coming up with a new website name for me! here are some insight: It will be a place of healing, natural medicine and supplements, recipe's , inspirational creative writing , nutrition information, tips for staying on and being successful on a HCG diet, Tools for success and wellness, organic gardening and more.

Hope you all have a wonderful day. Never give up on your dreams and your goals--there is always a way. You can do hard things too. We all can!

I'm Five Days In--and I'm going to WIN!

Well, I've joined the ranks of the starving dieters....yep, I'm trying to lose weight! I had no idea how tough the first few days would be. So from here on out you are going to need to cheer me on. I'm five days in and I'm going to win!

A few months ago I was told that if I didn't lose the weight and cut back my fat intake drastically, I would end up with cirrhosis of the liver! I had been ill for over a year and had finally gone to a kidney specialist to rule out kidney disease. He was the one that finally diagnosed the problem. He was horrified to find in my chart that my family practitioner had known about this condition six month previous and had not given me any instruction. Insert more horror here!

I quickly changed family docs and found an internal medicine doctor/sleep doc. She had a long waiting list in years past, and I had not been able to get in with her. Now she had openings! She was amazing! We got started on a low fat diet right away. I found out that I had been striving for this for quite some time, but had kept going back to the cream soups and hot dishes I loved. Bad girl!

I had done one thing very right, I'd been organic gardening for years. Probably saved my life too! I had to eliminate all chemicals and additives and preservatives from my daily diet.

I got rid of the nasty habit of drinking diet mountain dew! Yes, my name is Valora and I'm a Dew Head! Ha! Years ago a doctor had told me to drink something with caffeine in it to combat migraine headaches. Great doc eh? That had to be the hardest hurdle for me to get past. I did it! Check that off my list!

In the midst of all of this enlightening news and information, I thought I was having a heart attack...well the doctor did. She had talked me into taking blood pressure medicine. An Ace inhibitor and chased that with a flu shot! I reacted badly to both! I was hospitalized and stuck and probed for the next 24 hours! All because I was scared and went against all the spirit told me to do and took that shot and med! Never again! Now 500 dollars poorer from co-pays, I was back on track!

A few days later my new doc told me that I'd be a good candidate for natural medicine. Oh really? They won't be giving me either meds ever again. Whew!

On the advice of a herbal medicine doctor, that I now admire greatly, he suggested I move from Dew to Sobe energy drinks and then off of them all completely. It worked! The ingredients in Sobe are less harsh and more natural. No one with a heart condition or other health conditions should go off of caffeine cold turkey. Or off of artificial sweeteners either. Wean yourself off slowly--but do it asap! If you are healthy, go for it and take Tylenol for that awful headache you'll get. But do get off of the horrid stuff!

The human body doesn't need caffeine. It's really bad for your health. Your liver can't take it over time! Boy did I find out the hard way.

Hey! I don't drink alcohol and they said that If I didn't eliminate the trans fats from my diet and get rid of the caffeine, I was going to develop cirrhosis of the liver--like a bad alcoholic! Why don't nutritionists tell you these things? I'd seen a few over the years. Not one that I'd ever paid good money to see, had brought up the possibility!

I realized quickly that weight was the main issue causing all my health problems. My sleep apnea had brought it on slowly over time. Now that I was sleeping, my mind was alerted to the fact that I was not going to live long with the fatty liver or enlarged heart and I felt like I was sinking into fat quicksand!

"Oh help!" I cried out loud as I thought of all the things in life I would miss! I lost a lot of sleep over this whole thing and prayed day and night for answers. How was I going to do this?

The answer was simple. Find a way to lose the weight quickly and safely. The faster I lost weight, the quicker I could regain my health and do all those things in life I was meant to do.

After much prayer, I found Laurence, the master herbalist. He's a deeply spiritual man and a member of our church in Idaho. I found him through a missionary mom friend that I trusted and I wasn't disappointed. He told me like it is. Straight talk with a punch. He hit me up on the whole caffeine thing. Oh boy! Satan didn't want me to give it up. Satan kept telling me I couldn't live without it. Now, that made me hopping mad! I hadn't thought of it that way. Now that I did, I couldn't go back.

Moving forward and fighting this fight to lose weight and live became all consuming. I'm a believer in Jesus Christ after all. He is supposed to be the center of my life. The one thing I've never been in all my life is a hypocrite! So I had to re-evaluate where I was at in my life. I turned it around quickly!

So, now I"m on this journey with the HCG diet and later the zone diet to maintain that which I've lost. I pray hourly sometimes. I am struggling, but writing all of this down has given me renewed strength. Today is a new day and I'm praying for strength. I have a healthy sense of humor as I try to enjoy my new found sense of self. I have a very strong testimony in the fact that God does know us and He wants me to live.

Cheer me on as I get healthy and re-claim my life. I am filled with gratitude in the knowledge that it is not too late and that our beloved Heavenly Father will be here for me in my hour of need! How I love Him! I can win this battle.