My Best Days Are Ahead of Me!

When Danny Gokey was on American Idol last season, I actually called in and voted for him for the first time I'd voted for anyone.  I liked his voice, his persona.  So when I heard him on country music radio (yes, I listen to all music - including country!), I was excited to hear him and realize he'd finally come out with his own album.  The first song released is "My Best Days Are Ahead of Me" and really is great... but when I watched the video (I've posted the link here) and looked at the post-it notes and what is written on the posters throughtout the video, I liked Danny Gokey and this song all the more!  I hope you'll find it as inspirational as I do.   Remember, "Life is too short to be anything but happy!" :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qqus079lUz8





My Best Days are Ahead of Me Lyrics

Blowing out the candles
On another birthday cake
Old enough to look back and laugh at my mistakes
Young enough to look at the future and like what I see
My best days are ahead of me

Life hasn't always been a party
But mostly it's been good
There's only one or two things that I'd change if I could
I dont get lost in the past or get stuck in some sad memory yah
My best days are ahead of me

Age is nothing but a number
Sometimes I have to wonder
What does it really mean
But hey im still putting it together
I keep getting better
if I keep getting better
I can be whatever I want to be
My best days are ahead of me

Age is nothing but a number
Sometimes I have to wonder
What does it really mean
But hey im still putting it together
I keep getting better
if I keep getting better
I can be whatever I want to be
My best days are ahead of me

I've got sunsets to witness
dreams to dance with
beaches to walk on
and lovers to kiss
there's a whole lot of world out there
that I can't wait to see
My best days are ahead of me
My best days are ahead of me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy Easter! Spring Strawberry Salad Recipe

I first had this salad in Nashville, Tennessee when I lived there in the early 1980s (I know, some of you weren't born then!! lol) and worked with the Grand Ole Opry.  This is a recipe that was made with all sugar and lots of fat but - over the years - I've pared it down to make it very healthy and low calories with hardly a trace of fat.  The wonderful thing is, it is just as delicious!  This congealed salad goes great with the traditional Easter ham, too! :)

Strawberry Spring Salad

 Ingredients:

•  2 large packages of sugar free mixed berry Jell-o  
• 1 quart of hulled fresh strawberries or one large package of frozen strawberries (set aside four or five great looking strawberries for decoration)
• 3 firm (not green) bananas, peeled
• 1 small can/tin of water packed crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 large container of fat free sour cream

Directions:

• Prepare Jell-o per directions and set aside on counter.
• Wash and chop strawberries and bananas together into small pieces and mix with pineapple into gelatin.
• Pour ½ of the mixture into glass oblong dish and refrigerate until firm, leaving other ½ on counter covered.
• Once firm, remove from refrigerator and carefully spread the sour cream over top of the mixture making certain to evenly spread along corners and side.
• Gently pour the remaining mixture of Jell-o and fruit atop the sour cream layer and refrigerate 3-4 hours. When firm, decorate with fresh strawberries in center.
• Cut into squares to serve, using spatula to remove from dish.
• Can be made a day ahead and covered with cling wrap to seal.

Low cal, low fat & delicious spring festive dish!

Happy Easter, friends!

What Are You Waiting For?

I heard this song for the first time during The Biggest Loser show last week. I looked up the lyrics online and found a link on YouTube to the music by a young Christian artist, Britt Nicole.


The lyrics so speak to where I am in my life and where many of us are... taking those first steps to becoming a new and better version of ourselves. We step out in faith... knowing we've failed before and going ahead anyways... putting that fear behind us and jumping out... trusting in ourselves... because we know - deep down - that we CAN do this!

So what are you waiting for?

WALK ON WATER LYRICS:

You look around
It's staring back at you
Another wave of doubt
Will it pull you under
You wonder

What if I'm overtaken
What if I never make it
What if no one's there?
Will you hear my prayer?

When you take that first step
Into the unknown
You know that He won't let you go

 So what are you waiting for?
What do you have to lose?
Your insecurities try to halt you
 You know you're made for more
So don't be afraid to move
Your faith is all
It takes and you can
Walk on the water too

 So get out
And let
Your fear fall to the ground
No time to waste
Don't wait
Don't you turn around and miss out
Everything you were made for
I know you're not sure
So you play it safe
Try to run away

 If you take that first step
Into the unknown
He won't let you go

 (chorus)


Bridge:
(step out)
Even when a storm hits
(step out)
Even when you're broken
(step out)
Even when your heart is telling you telling you to give up
(step out)
When your hope is stolen
(step out)
You can't see where you're going
You don't have to be afraid

 So what are you waiting,
What are you waiting for?

 So what are you waiting for?
What do you have to lose?
Your insecurities try to halt you

 You know you're made for more
So don't be afraid to move
Your faith is all
It takes and you can
Walk on the water...
Walk on the water too.

All the news that's pit to frint...

I have a couple of updates to let you all know about… first of all, the Healthy Loser Gal blog has received a few neat awards recently! I’m always grinning ear-to-ear when I see someone has thought enough of the blog to bestow a blog award. Thank you!! I’m like a little kid when it comes to winning things or being give presents, I nearly burst with glee!

Thanks to my Canadian friend at Finding My Weigh who awarded me with not one, but two blog awards.  She’s a great writer and looking to lose weight before going back to work after her maternity leave! (Boy, do I remember THAT feeling!)


For the "One Lovely Blog Award" you need to:
* Thank & link to the person that gave you the award.
* Pass this award on to 15 fantastic bloggers you’ve recently discovered.
* Contact said Blogs and let them know they’ve won

For the "Beautiful Blogger" award you need to:

* Thank & link to the person that gave you the award.

* Pass this award on to 15 fantastic bloggers you’ve recently discovered.
* Contact said Blogs and let them know they’ve won.
* State 7 things about yourself.

I am taking the easy way out on the stating seven things about myself and linking back to TEN THINGS about me from a previous post! :)


I'm also the happy recipient of the "Creative Writer" Blogger Award, thanks to Michelle at A Healthier Me.

The rules of the "Creative Writer" Blogger Award are:

1. Thank the person who gave this to you.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you.
4. Tell up to six outrageous lies about yourself, and at least one outrageous truth.
5. Nominate seven "Creative Writers" who might have fun coming up with outrageous lies.
6. Post links to the seven blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know you nominated them.

Six Outrageous Lies & One Outrageous Truth about Me:

1. I had breast implants when I was a freshman in college.

2. President Jimmy Carter and my father went deep sea fishing together.

3. While visiting Finland, I met the then-President of Russia, Mikhail Gorbachev.

4. I once swam the width of an Adirondack mountain lake.

5. My teeth were knocked out in a field hockey accident & I have worn dentures since.

6. I raised chinchillas to earn extra money to help support my son & myself.

7. I am a sharp shooter at the local pistol range & own three small caliber hand guns.

Seven nominated bloggers for the "Creative Writing" Blogger Award:

1. Shannon at Superwoman Spirit : http://www.superwomanspiritblog.com/
2. Fiona at Becoming the Best Me: http://fiona-becomingthebestme.blogspot.com/
3. My pal, Kyra, at A Foodie Gets Fit:  http://kyratx-afoodiegetsfit.blogspot.com/
4. Lil Miss D at 105 in 365:  http://105in365.blogspot.com/
5. Kat at Kat's Adventures in Dietland: http://katdoesdiets.blogspot.com/
6. Patty at A Work in Progress: http://awip.blogspot.com/
7. Bubbly & Fun Diz at Death By Calories: http://mybattlewithbulge.blogspot.com/