Week 8 Update

Up a pound this week. Historically that sets me up for a pretty good week 9.

Week 8 was a difficult struggle by its end. I’m entering a time when I really need prayers for strength and perseverance, so please add me to your prayer lists.

Meantime, we’re also up to $2,800 in total pledged donations. Thanks again to everyone for your support!

Lenten Challenge
Be sure to check out the Lenten Challenge page if you haven’t yet.  I’m looking forward to hearing from the first participants.

Remember, not only are you helping a great cause and enriching your own personal Lenten offering, but also the donations you raise are 100% tax deductible, and you have an opportunity to win a fine wine and a pair of movie tickets!

If you are interested in joining the cause with a per-pound donation OR participating in the Lenten Challenge, please send an email to tipthescales2012@gmail.com.

Slipping beneath My Cross

Week 8 was hard in many ways.

Friday night I baked a thick, two-layer, ocean-themed “Father-Son cake” with my Tiger Cub for the Blue & Gold banquet on yesterday.  The cake was half chocolate, half yellow, and all wonderful – or looked it, at least.

I didn’t have any.  Not the beaters. Not the “crown scraps”. Not the icing.

For effect, before I showed my wife the finished product, I smeared frosting all over my cheeks and chin to look like I’d swum in it.  I’m not sure if she was more amused or attracted (she loves sweets like I do), but sometimes humor pays a cruel toll: it was heart-breaking to wash it all off my face with nary a taste.

Nevertheless, even when the winning bidder approached me with a slice of it yesterday and stuffed in into my longing mitts, I resisted.

As an attempted encore last night, my daughter and I went to the Girl Scout “Daddy-Daughter Dance” and ate at Red Lobster beforehand.

If you’re familiar with Red Lobster, then you know their Cheddar Bay biscuits. I left them all to my daughter.

The seafood stuffed flounder with broccoli I chose was wonderful but probably had some bread crumbs in the crab stuffing. Oh well. It was good!

Unfortunately, because I’d allowed my daughter a biscuit monopoly, she wasn’t able to eat many of her popcorn shrimp. Now, I love popcorn shrimp (or almost any shrimp, for that matter), so that’s when I caved and finished them for her.  A small, kid’s portion slip but a slip nonetheless – probably my first since I started TS2012.

By the time we reached the dance, I’d regained my traction and successfully ignored the bowls of mixed snack-sized candies and the table of motley Girl Scout-baked desserts. A handful of popcorn was the extent of my dietary infidelity for the remainder of the evening.

As for today’s official weekly weigh-in? I was up a pound.

I’ve been tracking my weight on a daily basis, and I’d been roughly flat – give or take – all week, so I’m not going to blame the 1-lb gain on a few popcorn shrimp. Slips are going to happen, and some would argue that they need to happen. Nevertheless, that proverbial slippery slope only takes a little slip to give way to the plunge.

After my slip last night, I texted my wife asking her prayers, given my fragile perch before the dance. She texted back, “Praying now. You pray, too.”  Good reminder from a good partner.

Friday Fish Suggestions: Salmon

My wife got me to like salmon, but it took learning how to cook it to make me love it.  Here, in my opinion, are the only two ways you need to know – and both are low-carb!

Cedar Planked Salmon

1) Soak a cedar plank in water for 45-min to 1 hour.
Note: removing the skin is not necessary, as the meat will fall off it after cooking.
2) Brush salmon fillet (just the skinless portion) with olive oil
3) Sprinkle with Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Seafood Magic seasoning blend (pictured at right).*
4) When plank is ready, place it on high-heat grill for 1-minute, then flip it.
5) Place the prepared salmon fillet (skin-side down) on the plank and cover grill.
6) Cook to ~160° at thickest part (approximately 18 minutes for 1.25″  thick fillet), and remove from grill.
7) Pat with butter, sprinkle with lemon, and enjoy!

*Note: If you enjoy cooking seafood, you owe it to yourself to try this seasoning. Don’t be shy: even the most conservative Ron Paul Republican can be pretty liberal with this stuff!

Nut-Crusted Salmon

1) Preheat oven to 375°
2) Using a food processor, thoroughly grind up a mix of pecans, almonds.  You probably need 1/4-1/2 cup of crumbs for each serving.
3) Mix in some of Chef Paul Prudomme’s Seafood Magic seasoning blend.
4) Remove skin from salmon fillet, if necessary, and cut into individual serving-size pieces (4-8oz)
5) Brush salmon with mixture of butter and olive oil
6) Cover salmon thoroughly in crumb mixture, pressing the crumbs gently into the fillets
7) Bake on baking sheet approximately 15-18 minutes, or until ~160° at thickest part.
8) Sprinkle with lemon, and enjoy!

Either of these go great with a side of steamed broccoli or sauteed asparagus!

TS2012! LENTEN CHALLENGE is Officially Underway!

Hi All, take a look at the Lenten Challenge page.

I’ve been working pretty diligently to drum up interest on this; hopefully now that Lent is officially here I’ll start getting some participation.

About the Picture
I have a few ideas for some Easter Egg-themed visuals that will hopefully draw some eyes back to the site.  The images will change periodically; the one displayed now is intended to mark Ash Wednesday as the beginning of our Lenten reflection.

If you’re interested in participating, please let me know ASAP. Best way is to jump right in!

Peace,

Steve

Week 7 – a New Chapter!

Folks, this was a great week! A lot of news packed into this week’s update.

Three More Milestones Achieved!
1) I broke the 20-lb mark by dropping over six pounds!
2) We exceeded the $2,500 mark in pledged donations!
3) Our number of pledged donors hit 20!

Thank you for all who continue to pledge and pray for TS2012!

A New Chapter: TS2012! LENTEN CHALLENGE
This week kicks off our Lenten Challenge on Ash Wednesday.  I am particularly excited about this new phase because it widens the circle of ways for people to get involved.

If you’re one of countless faithful who plan to give up sweets or bread or alcohol . . . whatever, for the next 40 days, I challenge you to challenge yourself to make the most possible good from it!

Seek sponsors for every pound you lose and raise funds for the TS2012 donation to Missionaries of the Poor.

Prizes!!! 
1st Place – A bottle of 2002 Chateau Haut-Brion Pessac-Leognan wine valued at over $400!
2nd Place – A pair of movie tickets for AMC Theatres!

Click HERE for all the info

Info on upcoming MOP Concerts in Atlanta
4-Tenors
March 17 at St. Benedict Catholic Church, Alpharetta, GA – 7PM

Praise Him! with Father Ho Lung & Friends
March 23 at All Saints Catholic Church, Dunwoody, GA – 7:30PM
March 24 at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, Lilburn, GA – 2PM & 7:30PM
March 25 at All Saints Catholic Church, Dunwoody, GA – 7PM

Click HERE to buy tickets online!

New FAQ Page Added
Please click HERE or on the “FAQ” header in the top menu if you have any questions!

Phew! With all that out of the way, here are the “brass tacks” of the past week!

If you are interested in joining the cause with a per-pound donation OR participating in the Lenten Challenge, please send an email to tipthescales2012@gmail.com.

MOP Atlanta Concerts Info

The Missionaries of the Poor are bringing their beautiful and entertainingly original performances to the Atlanta area in March to raise funds for their mission.  Bring the whole family for a different way to spend a little time together!

Dates and times are as follows:

4-Tenors
March 17 at St. Benedict Catholic Church, Alpharetta, GA – 7PM

Praise Him! with Father Ho Lung and Friends
March 23 at All Saints Catholic Church, Dunwoody, GA – 7:30PM
March 24 at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, Lilburn, GA – 2PM & 7:30PM
March 25 at All Saints Catholic Church, Dunwoody, GA – 7PM

Click HERE to buy tickets online!

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New FAQ Page for Questions

Hi All, I’ve added a page to answer Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

Please take a look HERE or click on the “FAQ” header in the top menu if you have any questions!

Peace,
Steve

A Recent Missionary’s Reflection

A group of my fellow parishioners just returned from a week-long mission trip to serve with the brothers at the Missionaries of the Poor’s mission in Kingston, Jamaica. It was the first such trip for one of the missionaries, and she was kind enough to send me a reflection on her experience.

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Reflection on MOP Jamaica Mission Trip
Aida Galarza

On February 1, I left with 5 other parishioners from SJN to visit the Missionaries of the Poor mission in Jamaica. I had often seen the ad in the church bulletin and always had the desire to go on the trip but work obligations prevented me from going. However, I retired from my job in May and when the call went out in the fall, I didn’t hesitate on signing up to go.

The first day we were greeted, settled into our accommodations and received a schedule. We had to rise and be ready for prayers and Mass by 5:45 am. This was followed by a light breakfast and transportation to the work area assigned to us. We prayed before beginning our work and at noon before lunch. We had work after lunch until about 3:30pm when we were transported back to our accommodations. We had Rosary and Evening Prayers around 6 and supper was at 7:00. We usually went to bed early between 9 -10 pm.  Most days followed this schedule except Sunday when we attended Mass with the brothers and the community.

It’s hard to say what was special to me about the trip because there are so many things that impressed me during my stay. The brothers are just wonderful. They constantly spoke of their appreciation for our presence and help. They said we inspired them but really it was they who inspired us. Their commitment to a rigorous monastic life and their joy in their praying and service to the poor brought Christ to life for me. It showed me the way to be a true “Christ follower”, a Christian. The work of serving the poor in Jamaica helped me to better understand the works of mercy that we are all called to perform. The work was hard but the people at the shelters gave us so much joy in their humble acceptance of our efforts. Each one became a special person to us. Even now, a few days after my return, I can see their faces and I feel a longing to be there to help them. The brothers sing so beautifully that every prayer time was like being in the presence of angels.

Although I was apprehensive at the beginning of the trip, I felt confident and joyful by the end of the trip. It was hard following the rigorous schedule of the brothers but it made me feel so good to be able to help and pray as Jesus wants us to do. In our daily routine, we do not see the dire poverty that is present in countries like Jamaica. We take for granted so many things and we don’t appreciate the simple things in life. This mission trip helped me to refocus on what really matters. It helped me to be even more thankful for all that God provides to me daily. The powerful witness of the brothers helped to strengthen my faith and the need for daily prayer. Their true humility showed me how humble I need to be to serve the Lord.

I am so thankful that we have the Missionaries of the Poor. I pray that God will increase their numbers and continue to provide for them. We are truly blessed to be able to share in their missionary work.  A special thanks to Jack Marder who watched over us throughout the trip.

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If you are interested in joining the cause with a per-pound donation, please send an email to tipthescales2012@gmail.com.

40 Days: a Challenge for You!

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Do you have a few extra pounds you’d like to shed? 
Here are 40 days for you to do so . . . for an added cause!
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Ash Wednesday is just a week away (Feb 22), kicking off the 40-day season of Lent.

Many Christians, including Catholics like myself, use Lent as a heightened period of spiritual reflection and renewal.

There are several ways of going about this, but the most meaningful ways involve some form of self-sacrifice.  We might try to increase our spiritual reading during this time, or perhaps our devotion to prayer or even involve ourselves more in community outreach, etc..

Another common course is to sacrifice something we take for granted, something we enjoy but don’t need, say . . . chocolate, for example.  It’s quite common for Christian faithful to use Lent as a springboard for a lifestyle change, to eat healthier or exercise more, etc..  After all, “your body is a temple” (1 Corinthians 6:19).

Often as not, Lent proves a humbling time for us. Either we fail to make it four days, much less 40, and we feel guilty for the balance of the season, or we become so irritated by the habit’s hiatus that we become the hypocrites Jesus cautioned us about in Matthew 6:16-18.

By now, we all know my goal here with TS2012: I want to improve myself and, along the way, raise money for the Missionaries of the Poor.

For this Lenten season, I challenge you to join me.

LENTEN CHALLENGE
So, if you have a few extra pounds you’d like to shed, here are 40 days for you to do so.

But instead of just tidying up your bodily “temple” during this time, I challenge you to join this TS2012! cause and raise donations for the Missionaries of the Poor by actively seeking your own sponsors.

It sounds like an awkward proposition, I know, but it’s really not.  Ask your family, your friends, your coworkers, your doctors . . . anyone with a vested interest in helping you live longer!

IT’S A WIN/WIN/WIN/WIN SCENARIO!
– You receive better health and added incentive to follow through on your Lenten offering.
– Some of the poorest people in the world receive much needed food and shelter and care through you.
– People who sponsor you receive seeds of ministry sown in their hearts.
– People who encounter you receive inspiration to better their own lives.
– When people know what you’re up to, you also receive another layer of “insurance” against the temptation to slip.

Oops . . . that’s a fifth “WIN”.  See?  None but good fruits here!

SPEAKING OF GOOD FRUITS . . . 
The participant who raises the most donations for the TS2012 Lenten Challenge will win a bottle of 2002 Chateau Haut-Brion Pessac-Leognan valued at over $400!

2nd Place will receive a pair of AMC Theatres Gold Experience Tickets.

THE “FINE PRINT”
– Participants shall notify me ASAP of their plans to participate (no deadline, I just want to be able to track participation).

– Participants shall confirm total donations pledged to me via email at  tipthescales2012@gmail.com no later than END OF DAY April 8, 2012 (Easter).

– All donations are due to me no later than END OF DAY Friday, April 13, 2012. Only at that time will final winners be selected, based on actual donations deposited.

– No, participants will not be expected to submit pictures of their feet on the scales as proof of progress; it’s up to them to satisfy the trust of their own donors.

– Since the interest here is raising donations for MOP, the participants who deposit the most total donations to me – NOT the ones who lose the most weight – will claim the prizes.  Example: If a participant loses 1 lb but raises $1,000 for that 1 lb, he wins over one who loses 50 lbs but raises only $50 in donations.

– Donors (not participants) shall make checks payable to “Missionaries of the Poor”.  

– Participants (not donors) shall deposit the donations to me.

– Grand prize winner must be able to pick up wine in metro-Atlanta area.

LAST WORD
I am excited about the possibilities of this Challenge, and I hope you are, too. Don’t be shy. If you need to jumpstart the next, healthier chapter of your life, it might as well be now, and if now, you might as well use it for the greatest possible good.

Meanwhile, you might have noticed the new “LENTEN CHALLENGE” tab at the top of the page. Stay tuned on that.  🙂

Peace.

The Girl Scout cookie is a total diet killer. It shall not do me in this year! “It must be cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came!”

Falcone's Crossroads

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