9 May 2010

Whole Month – Day 8

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Started off well. Really well. Then dinner on – it wasn’t a good sight.

Breakfast: 1/3 orange, OIAJ (pb, agave nectar, 1 tsp frozen banana, cinnamon chips, ground flax), unsweet rooibos tea from Bux.

Lunch: Half Sonny’s Lunch: 2 oz pulled chicken, 1 piece garlic bread, 1/2 sweet potato, 1 T baked beans on top, salad (spinach, tomatoes, red onion, cuks), grapes, melon

Snack: Ikea ff fro yo (so yummy since it was so hot)

Dinner: 1/2 falafel sandwich from Neomonde’s, celery, carrots, pita and hummus

Snack during movie: Whole Foods Ice cream bar, TR Kettle Corn.

I wasn’t going to write this out. This is what I wanted to write: When will I ever stop struggling with this? Will I have one day when it is not a struggle and I can live like this isn’t a SIN area for me – a place and area of transition? I can’t stop eating? I can’t not live life with other people? Lord…
Rom 6-8 is my only hope. Rom 6 and 7 because it tells me of the hopelessness (mainly) of this indwelling sin in my life. Rom 8 because I know the answer. God is my HOPE. Not how perfectly I live this out.

8 May 2010

Whole Month – Day 7

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Well, today was not as good as some, but better than yesterday. Here we go:

Breakfast: oats, banana, agave nectar, flax. It was again – good and filling.

Snack: peanut butter caramel brownie Angie made. perfect for an after meeting treat!

Lunch: 1 mixed meat kabob (2 chicken, 2 beef chunks), tahani sauce, hummus, 1 whole wheat pita, 3 falafel. All very yummy!

Afternoon: 15 m&ms, 2 york peppermint patties, 15 york pieces later (ok, too much chocolate)

Dinner: cuban salad, 15 small sweet potato fries, 1 med piece of bread. Mango vinaigrette.

I was thinking the whole time that I was going to have a cuban sandwich, but I sat there and knew I would feel horrible after eating it. I knew I needed to make a better choice – so I did. And I felt great afterwards.
And I know I’ve gained weight and I feel horrible and think I look horrible in pictures – so it is back on it with a vengeance!
Did a whole segment 2 of Jillian tonight – it was tough and warm in the apt – but I did the whole thing and didn’t stop at the second section. Here we go.

6 May 2010

Whole Month – Day 6

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Better today – much, and my tummy thanks me! There are mercies new every day! Just for all you food blog readers: it is Sarah’s birthday today. She is such an inspiration to me. Go over to her blog and wish her a happy birthday!
Ok – on to today:

Breakfast: oats, maranatha pb, apple, agave nectar, ground flax

Snack: 2 crisps with bean dip on sample at TJ while I was shopping

Lunch: Greek salad from Hot Point Cafe. I also had two bites of the sun dried tomato focaccia – but that was for blog purposes. All whole foods on that!

Snack: celery and pb, 2 bites of cake I made (and about 6 chocolate chips)

Dinner: 1/2 cup lentil soup over small organic sweet potato, roasted asparagus with lemon zest

Much better. Water and unsweet tea to drink. Going for a run now.

6 May 2010

Siggi's Yogurt Giveaway

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I have always heard much about Siggi’s Yogurt on food blogs and I wanted to try it. It is a little ore expensive than regular yogurts, so I emailed the good people at Siggi’s and they listened and graciously sent me 8 coupons!
I used one of them to buy some regular plain yogurt to use in a recipe – as a dressing. It was thick and yogurt-y. The good thing about it is that it doesn’t contain many sugars. Even the vanilla and fruit kinds, don’t have many excess sugars in it.
So…I am passing the wealth on to you, my readers. I have 4 coupons and want to give the chance to try it, too. Two winners will get 2 coupons each!
So, in order to enter – tell me your favorite flavor or yogurt. I’ll pick 2 winners on Sunday night.
6 May 2010

Lentil, Swiss Chard, and Chicken Soup

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Most people know that I love soup. It was probably in the 90s today and I made soup. I had my first bowl of this over a small organic sweet potato (Sarah Frankel bday girl style, just for you babe)! It was very yummy. Quality of pictures is poor because my batteries were going dear – and I think this directly effects the quality of zoom, lighting timing, and macro shooting.
Here you go: (and it is part of whole food month)
1 cup lentils, rinsed
4 cups water
4 cups homemade chicken broth (I cooked a whole chicken and used this)
pinch of sea salt
1 onion, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
evoo
1 bunch of swiss chard, stems removed, chopped
large pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 lemon (juice)
pepper
3 cups chopped chicken (from a whole raw chicken)

Cook lentils in broth, water, and salt until done but not mushy.
Saute onion in evoo for about 5 minutes, then add garlic and red pepper flakes. Add chard and cook for about 3 minutes. Add to lentils and cook for about 10 minutes. Add chicken, lemon, and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
6 May 2010

Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake (2010.18)

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Semi-homemade dessert/brunch/breakfast. This is good – but to me it tastes just like a normal cake – in a different shape. It should be good with the amount of eggs in it. The chocolate isn’t overwhelming (I didn’t put the glaze on it – it probably would be too sweet). Even though it didn’t come out the best, I’m still taking it to the office tomorrow because I can’t see throwing money completely down the drain. I hope some of it gets eaten at least.
It does annoy me when magazines don’t put their name on the top or bottom of pages. I don’t know where this came from, but here you go:

1 butter cake mix
1 8oz container (light) sour cream
3/4 c canola oil
2/3 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Mix all but the last two. Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan – half the batter. Combine brown sugar and chips – sprinkle in (see picture). Top with remaining batter. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until done. Let cool, remove, cut.
The sugar and the chocolate helps the chocolate chips from sinking. I would maybe even put a little more – but I doubt this will make it into a rotation. Although good for a quick yummy eating because most of the stuff will be handy or cheap.
6 May 2010

Taste of Raleigh: Hot Point Cafe

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If you want a nice change from Panera – go here. (Picture taken with my phone – sorry for the quality.)
I really wasn’t planning on eating out today for lunch, but I wanted a quiet(er) place for lunch and didn’t want to sit in my apt by myself. So, I had looked at this place online and went hunting in North Hills. Found it.
This is a trendier Panera. Same price (about) for what you get. I actually think you get more on the salads. The soups were smaller and not a wide variety. Sandwiches looked good, but Panera’s are bigger. They also had meals for dinner – but they were definitely higher (to fit the North Hills market) and they also served a wknd brunch.
I enjoyed the quiet – slightly busy and I was there from 1130-145. Not bad at all. I just enjoyed the warmth and breeze as I sat outside.
I had the small Greek salad and a refillable unsweet tea for $7.22. As you can see from the picture, they don’t skimp on the small. There was TONS of feta, black olives, artichokes, greens, roasted red peppers, cuks, and raw mashrooms. It also came with a triangle of their sun dried tomato focaccia bread (good flavor, but a little dry). I asked for the balsamic vinegar on the side – so good. It was sweeter than most.
So – if you are looking for a place that isn’t as busy (maybe a place to meet with a girlfriend and sit for hours) – there you go…
6 May 2010

Day and Night

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Something new…being obedient to all the Psalms that command us to meditate both day and night on the Word.
Psalm 1 is a good place to start.
Well, I am finally obeying it. In his strength, for His glory in my life, mind, heart, and then eventually hopefully in the lives of others, in my writing, and in the world…the Word takes root.
Here is the plan: simple. I read a Psalm before going to bed – helping me rejoice in the day and worship the One who made it. A proverb before going about my day – wanting wisdom, practical ways I can live in obedience today.
Random ways this has been good: day 1 I was able to text a verse to a friend who is praying through many different options for her life right now. It was a good verse for her – Prov 1.33. Psalm 1 helped me remember why I needed to do this in the first place. Ps 3 – last night I fell asleep on the couch and I dreamed about people being able to break into my screen door from my porch. I woke up, went to bed, reading Ps 3 about dwelling in safety and Him providing sound sleep. God is wonderful.
This morning: feeling horrible from my Italian dinner last night both in mind and in body – I read Prov 3. I thanked God for his mercies, grace, forgiveness, and a new day. Here are some wys that is evident to me in that proverb:
1. Do not forget teaching (mind, I know what I need to eat, not eat to live my body in a way glorifying to God), but heart keep commands (but I crave in my heart things that aren’t good for me). But I need to remember that the heart is deceitful and above all desparately wicked.
2. Steadfast love and faithfulness need to be how I relate to everyone I come in contact with: to find favor and good success with men.
3. If I turn away from my own wisdom (and worthless rationale) and seek the wisdom that comes from God (which is found in this Book), then it will bring healing to my flesh and refreshment to my bones. Do you take the Word literally. Most people claim that the Word has nothing really to say about health and our bodies and what we do we them or how we treat them by what we intake. We live this out in most of our churches actually. In most of our homes. But, this passage: Prov 3.7-8 speaks to just that. If we turn away from seeking our own wisdom and evil things (over eating, indulgent and seeking our worth in food) then it will bring healing to our bones, refreshment to our bodies. I love that promise!
4. Honor the Lord with your wealth…here is a recapture of Mal 3. God is blessing me in many ways and I’ve seen the truth of this played out in my life. Neat how God says He will reward obedience – and He really does. When He tells us to “test him in this” (Mal 3) He actually will come through. That is the amazing God we serve.
5. Do not grow tired of His reproof: I even was so glad He gave me an upset stomach this morning and wiggly vision last night (after eating so much white pasta and white bread). This is part of his reproof in my life for overeating and not heading my body and how He has made it. I want to be obedient in this way. I desire the Lord’s correction in that.
6. He blesses the dwelling of the righteous. This last proverb in chapter 3 brought to mind two others. Often times we’ll see signs that “Bless This House” – sorta the welcome sign on most southern doors. But, do we think about this verse. He blesses the home of the righgteous. I think in light of Proverbs and preceeding verses he is talking about those who make righteous choices and seek wisdom and understanding. But, also and most importantly…our righteousness is found in Christ – we must abide there. If we abide there, part A will come.

Do you meditate on Scripture day and night – do you see it impacting your day?

Colossians 3.16 – Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly.”
6 May 2010

B90x Update

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Some of you may recall that back in January I started B90x – a reading plan from Elevate Church in Charlotte for reading through the entire Bible in 90 days. Started off well, like most New Year’s Resolutions and Bible reading plans.
March is where I really slacked off – as I was preparing to move, pack, late nights, working much – it was tough – I was sinful and lazy in forgetting this daily need.
Well – here is my update. I finished the OT the end of April. I start the NT. Hopefully the NT won’t take me as long as the OT took. I doubt it.
Here are good things about the B90x reading plan:
1. It makes you prioritize the Word. It takes about 50 minutes each day to read the allotted segment. I’m not a fast reader.
2. It helps to give a bigger picture to the Word. One thing I dislike about most reading plans is that you get 2 chapters here and there in 4 different places. I like seeing complete pictures. It helps me follow story lines better. One day I think I read the whole story of Abraham from Ur to death. Joseph followed a day later. It helps when all of Genesis is done in 4 days. You see the connectedness of Scripture.
3. Themes. It also helps because you can draw out themes or words that help in preparing Bible studies or seeing the Big Picture of the Word of God. This was probably my fave part.

I will keep going. His Word is important.

Colossians 3.16 – Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly.”
6 May 2010

Community, Trinity, Love and DeYoung

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Ever read one of those paragraphs…that you want to read aloud to whoever is in the room and it expresses a new way of thinking or a new way of understanding a complex thought? Sorta an “aha” moment.
Here is one:
I am reading Kevin DeYoung’s book The Good News We Almost Forgot – Rediscovering the Gospel in a 16th Century Catechism. Basically, Kevin takes the Heidelberg Catechism and applies the gospel found in it to modern day. Putting this hard to read or understand or even say in a fluid pattern – something in paragraph form and explaining it. Quite good. More of that later though.

“The Trinity matters for relationships. We worship a God who is in a constant and eternal relationship with Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Community is a buzz word in American culture, but it is only in a Christian framework that communion and interpersonal community are seen as expressions of the eternal nature of God. Likewise, it is only with a Trinitarian God that love can be an eternal attribute of God. Without a plurality of persons in the Godhead, we would be forced to think taht God created humands so that He might show love and know love, thereby making love a created thing (and God a needy deity). But with a biblical understanding of the Trinity, we can say that God did not create in order to be loved, but rather, created out of the overflow of the perfect love that had always existed among Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who ever live in perfect and mutual relationship and delight.” (p 52)

Love this. God didn’t create us because He needed us. My friend, Sean Cordell, preached on this topic as well a few weeks ago at Treasuring Christ here in Raleigh: Pursuing Community. You can not know true community without the knowledge of the true Creator of Community.
We must know love and community only through an intimate relationship with the one who desires to be in community and sent Jesus to die to make that possible.

Colossians 3.16 – Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly.”