Is This Really Happening?

Is this really happening? Do I actually have a minute to write? Yes, in the midst of laundry, cooking (that needs to happen at some point today), eating something without being distracted every 5 minutes, and...there is the baby! He's crying...well here's to mommies who write! Until next time...

It's Only A Season

This is a repost from my previous blog, "Seasons of Life" and it was written in July of 2011:

In times of transition, we can lose our footing. It's almost like God lets us lose ourselves that we would find ourselves all over again. Some seasons you can become comfortable and there is an ease and a familiarity in it all.

Those seasons are almost like a sense of home where you can come and just rest. You know where all the bathrooms are located. You know where all the dishes are in the kitchen, including the cleaning supplies and trash bags. You know the junk drawers well and even exactly how long the junk has been in there!

Yet, in transition, your identity can be tested. The questions can rummage through your mind of: "Who am I really?" You don't know where anything is. You've never even seen this place before.

It's uncomfortable and, at times, your heart can't even comprehend what is actually happening. You feel like you're going crazy or, better yet, you think it's the devil. However, most of the time, it's God shaking what can be shaken in your heart so only He can remain. He shakes the things we are trying to identify ourselves with that are not of Him.

He will tear us down to build us back up. He has been known to do this all throughout the Bible and He's really good at it. I love the quote that Kristine Mueller sings: "Redemption is so much better than perfection." These words have riveted straight through my heart because God is not about us being perfect in our own strife, but redeeming us from ourselves! 

He wants to break us down that He can remake us. He wants to take away everything we have relied upon to make ourselves perfect in our own strength. He desires for only His fingerprints to remain that we would see His power.

Yes, we know the truth is that we have been made new in Christ. Yet, it didn't stop at salvation. No. He continues to make us new more and more everyday! He continues to strip off the old man making us more like Him!

So, as I speak to myself and you, take heart! If you are in a transitional season, this means there is movement. Movement means there is LIFE happening and it's happening all around you! It's time to rejoice for joy comes in the morning. Change is challenging but being made more into His image? Why not? Though it be painful at the time, it truly is worth it. Be encouraged, it's just a season.

My Only Hope

From the moment I awake at the break of dawn and morning dew, the snares are set for my entrapment. 

My only option is to run into You.

My only hope is the washing of Your Word over my mind and my heart. 

I cannot pretend to be free from your Presence and secure in my own flesh.

I cannot attempt to live this life on my own.

You have been my refuge even when I didn't know I needed a haven.

You have been my Light when I couldn't see that I was in the dark.

There is no other choice.

There is no other response but to choose You.

In my weakness, I see my need for You.

But oh Lord, let me see my need before my fault lays before me.

Let me see my need for You when I feel strong.

May I abide in Your love all the days of my life.

May I never escape Your truth over my heart.

May I always seek to find my salvation in You.

My only hope is in You.

We Were Made To Simply Live

I was having a discussion with my friend today. We had the privilege of connecting over coffee and tea, chatting about our lives. It was a face to face discussion and eye to eye. We didn't connect through social media, texting, or email where it was impersonal but we had a very personal connection. How are we missing this as a culture today? We have quick access to any kind of information and knowledge at the swipe of a finger on a phone. Who would have thought this over thirty years ago? It's all so amazing really and who knows where technology will be in five years from now. However, I feel we are losing simplicity and, in fact, feeling closer to people than we really are. To me, it seems like a false sense of intimacy.

I am not telling you to delete every single one of your social network accounts or anything like that, but I am saying that we need to learn how to slow our minds down and simplify our lives regarding relationships. Jesus invested in twelve men. He didn't have one thousand close friends knowing about everything in His life. I love posting pictures. I love letting people know what is going on and I believe that the Lord is powerfully using social media to draw people unto Himself through many different articles, pictures, and testimonies. However, what is made less and less sacred about our lives and relationships? When are our brains becoming overstimulated?

Our minds were not made to be constantly bombarded with information. The Lord actually calls us to rest in Him. In Him, we can have peace in our minds, bodies, and spirits. I have been meditating on the idea of wholeness in body, soul, and spirit. How many diseases are people facing due to stress and the "on the go" lifestyles? What would happen if we could just sit down for awhile and let our minds and bodies rest? I believe that we would be more awake, would have less sicknesses, and would be able to live in the way were are called to.

A healthy lifestyle is about putting good things into your bodies, getting your spirits in tune with the Holy Spirit, exercising, and eliminating stress in your life. Sometimes, there are stressors we are not even aware of. These can be things such as text messaging, reading any kind of media on our phone, watching videos, twitter, email, instagram, etc. We are basically on call all the time and available to anyone at any time. No wonder we are stressed out! What is the solution? Where are the boundaries? Are the boundaries important and necessary for a healthy life?

This is my quest. This is my journey. It's not just enough that I don't watch TV and I'm off of Facebook. Although, let me just tell you, I do not miss either of them. I don't need to know what over a thousand people are doing today. Yet, what else is taking my time and distracting me from just sitting down to rest my mind? I believe if we sat, rested, and let the Lord minister to us instead of doing all the talking, we could actually start to feel like a whole person. This is what God has called us to. So join me in de-stressing the lifestyle. What are the things you don't need in your life or toxic relationships you are involved in? We are called to greater things and to be whole and healthy! We were made to simply live.

What You Need To Know About A GMO...

You may have heard this term: "GMO" and wondered what it meant. To a passer by, one may not take interest, but like I said, this journey we are on is teaching us how to do our research. It's teaching us how to stop, think, and look at the back of the package we are about to purchase. It's teaching us to ask the question: "Where did this come from?" This is also what I want to bring an awareness to the world, especially the Church.

I wrote in a previous post called, "Taste Test" that, when it comes to food, we usually ingest whatever we have access to. Yet, when we shop for a new TV or the best kind of car, we do our research to find the best. Why isn't it this way with the products we put into our bodies which then go into our bloodstream? Okay, so what is a GMO?

Allow me to clarify, I am not a scientist, nor a doctor, nor am I a nutritionist. I am merely a consumer who is doing a little research and discovering things that could change my life for the better. The letters in GMO stand for: "Genetically Modified Organism."

In other words, it is an organism whose genetic material has been altered by genetic engineering. These techniques are also called Recombinant DNA Technology and they use DNA molecules from different sources. They are later combined into one molecule to create a new set of genes. You are probably thinking, "Uh, that doesn't sound good," and you are right. It doesn't sound like I want that inside of my body!

Here's a good question: which would you prefer, real food or fake food? Easy, I want the real thing!!!! Of course, we all want the real thing. Yet, all across America today, we will be walking into grocery stores and picking out foods that we think are even good foods and instead will be ingesting quite a few genetically modified organisms without even knowing it. Ewww.

Wanna know what some of them are? Here are just a few that I found. There are different categories of GMOs and here is a list of "high-risk crops" and "low-risk crops":  What is a GMO?

Now the next question you are probably asking yourself is: "What can I eat?" or "What is a non GMO product?" This is my next quest because there is a ton of information. Here is a link and a list of non GMO products but remember, it's best that YOU do your own research on what to put into your body: The Non GMO Project

I will be writing more in the days to come on projects that you can find in your local community or Farmers Markets and am currently also on a search to find Non-GMO Farmers Markets and farmers who, not only grow organically, but their seeds have not been modified. In the mean time, here's what YOU can do. Keep doing the research. It also may be a good time to start growing your own garden. You can start small like a tomato plant or maybe some cucumbers. Anyone can do it!

The most important thing that is that you feel empowered. It's time for us to be stop being at the mercy of our grocery stores. It can appear that we have many choices when there really isn't. However, there is a choice that you, the CONSUMER, can make and that is to do something about it!! It's time to rise up and have a VOICE in this land. The more grocery stores hear that you want real, whole foods, the more they will succumb to selling better products. We want the real thing! Shout it from the top of the mountain!

A Peculiar People...

Well one thing's for sure, we are a peculiar people. I mean, thinking about it, someone tells you something good about food and a good way to eat, and what works for some may not work for you. Yesterday, I have to admit was a very hard day. I had zero energy and felt like I was going to faint all morning. No, I am not pregnant. My conclusion? I am deficient in something and my body is trying to let me know that it needs something. The "whole" (no pun intended) idea behind this blog is that we would learn a better way of living regarding our diet.

Please hear what I am NOT saying, "that everyone should do exactly what we are doing." We are a peculiar people in the sense that each of our body chemistries are different. We each have different DNA. This is what makes us individuals and God has made each of us with unique design. Amazing revelation. Here is also one of the main ideas of this blog: that food, not pills, but FOOD, which God made to nourish us, can help to HEAL our bodies. I don't have every piece of knowledge on it, but I know this is true.

So, here is where it begins! I am doing the research from many resources. In addition, the internet is full of  amazing discoveries about this topic as it is a growing trend among American consumers. It should be because our country has made some poor choices regarding food. What you can do as our friends: encourage us or join us by doing your research too! It's fun doing life the Kingdom way.

Below you will see the trailer to a documentary we saw a few days ago that, well, it changed our lives for the better! If you have not seen this documentary, "Forks Over Knives," please do yourself a favor and watch it today. By the way, I am feeling better and after a Vitamin B12 supplement taken yesterday, I am getting back on track. Eating a plant based diet sometimes requires an extra dose of Vitamin B12, especially if you are a beginner.  Another lesson learned. Now it's time to make a mixed berry smoothie this morning. Here's to good health and long life in Jesus' name!

I've Seen The Light...

Okay, NOW we are getting somewhere. Last night, I wasn't too sure of this whole thing. I even found myself questioning, "What the heck am I doing?" I felt pain in places I didn't know you could feel. However, in the morning, after making home made apple sauce/juice in the Vitamix using 2 whole apples and drinking a tablespoon of Apple cider vinegar, I began feeling much better! I am starting to feel a little better each day! Like I wrote yesterday, "things get worse before they get better," I know that sounds terrible, but if you can make it through the detox, there is a light at the end of the tunnel! It's true!

Therefore, we got a great start with a smoothie my friend found called "Kalelicious." It is tasty and has a bright flavor. It requires the curly kind of kale, baby spinach, 1 or 2 lemons depending on how many people, fresh apple juice (made from a vitamix or juicer is better), one frozen banana, and we modified it by adding a little Simply Limeade, and Maca powder. After blending, you have yourself a tasty, nutritious smoothie!

Maca Powder: The Great Discovery!

Some interesting facts about Maca powder: Research reveals that, Lepidium meyenii, known commonly as maca, is an herbaceous biennial plant or annual plant from the high Andes of Peru and Bolivia. It's also grown in some parts of Brazil. It is grown for its fleshy hypocotyl (actually a fused hypocotyl and taproot), which is used as a root vegetable and a medicinal herb. One bag pictured below contains 100% pure raw maca powder that is certified organic, kosher, vegan and raw. Four alkaloids are present in maca that are known to nourish the endocrine system.

Maca root has been used as a stress-fighting adaptogen to increase stamina, boost libido (great for married couples) calm inflammations, clear skin conditions, and fight fatigue. It is also a nutrient-dense whole food full of vitamins, plant sterols as well as many good minerals, fatty and amino acids.  You can find it at Whole Foods and a big bag will last you about 6 months or more.

You start by only using no more than just a tablespoon a day for beginners. As your body adjusts, if is not sensitive to it, then you can increase it to more tablespoons a day for each person. However, too much Maca is not good for the body and a person can have negative side effects such as insomnia. A little bit a day will help give you energy and I am seeing these positive effects! Bon appetite everyone! Here's to a long and healthy life in Jesus' name!