Tuesday, January 21, 2014

"7" Food Week, Day 5

It has definitely been a challenging week trying to only eat these seven foods!  The first two days went great as far as staying with the seven chosen foods.  But then Tim's sisters came to town to start sorting through Dorothy and Ivan's belongings and make important decisions about who should get what and what we could try and sell.  The biggest challenge has been staying on task with "7" and eating in a restaurant at least once a day.

Sunday:  We ate at Milagros a fresh Mexican local restaurant.  We chose Chicken Taco Soup ( had a few forbidden veges), salad of greens, chicken, guacamole (won't try and figure out what else but avocados was in it) and flour tortilla (not whole grain).

Monday:  Lunch at Oak Tree with the family.  This was a hard one!  Settled on Chicken Mediterranean Salad (a forbidden olives and Feta Cheese and who knows what was in the vinaigrette) and sweet potato fries.  We had Bekki for dinner and I made Winter Squash Soup with a side of greens.

Tuesday:  Tim's aunt wants to take us out to Chinese food.  Oh my, what will we do.  Chicken something for sure!

Love this verse from Jeff Manion's website: A Holy Experience: http://www.aholyexperience.com/2014/01/how-to-enjoy-the-weekend/
“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth,
which is so uncertain,
but to put their hope in God,
who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” (I Timothy 6:17)

I am here on this earth, not to place my hope and security in wealth and riches, but in God who really wants us to enjoy Him and this beautiful world of people , experiences and nature.

Thanks for drawing me to you this week, Lord!  Not only through "7" but through my daily reading in "The Voice" and your sweet presence.

Friday, January 17, 2014

Beginning The "7" Experiment, a study by Jen Hatmaker.

Our Bible study leadership team made the decision to study Jen Hatmaker's "The 7 Experiment, staging your own mutiny against excess"  It is different and going to test me and my comfy life here in the USA!

We began January 9th just studying some scriptures about what Jesus had to say about the wealthy.  Oh my!  Nothing very good.  The rich have the hardest time making it into the Kingdom of God.  How do I get past my wealth and all the stuff I have and really make God #1 in my life? Isaiah 58 really tells us how God wants us to fast.  What he doesn't want is rote obedience, what he does want is obedience from the heart that show up in our actions.  I need to be concerned about my spiritual transformation in a spirit of humility.

Food
So today, Tim and I (Yes, I talked him into this!) began the week of a partial fast of food.  We decided to eat only these seven items or groups of items for the next 7 days:

Chicken
Eggs
Sweet Potatoes/Winter Squash (Since I get vege's from a local organic farm, I wanted to include the squash)
Flat breads (Whole Grains only)-so we could eat more like those in developing nations
Leafy greens
Avocado
Apple/Banana (banana because Tim wanted to have his Potassium)

We decided to drink only water, but allowing ourselves tea and coffee because it is part of our time with God each morning and it just wouldn't be the same.
We also allowed ourselves the right to eat up fresh produce so it wouldn't go to waste.

Here is our first breakfast.  We made Chapati from India.  It was OK, but not great.  I need to work on my technique I guess.  Using up our fresh grapes..so that was only not on the list food.  I really missed my orange juice.  Also missed my piece of chocolate after lunch!


A couple of challenges:

  1. Movie night at Mea's school tonight.  Can't eat the hot dogs and popcorn.  So we will make sweet potato fries (really bakes) and wraps of chicken, avocado and greens.  And we might as well have an apple!
  2. 65th birthday party for our friend, Rick on Saturday evening.  I think we will just make and exception…don't want to have to ruin the party with our refusal to eat their food.  Plus I am making the bread.