My mom sent this picture of Judah at her house this morning. It was taken week before last when we went to visit her.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Beautiful, War-torn Uganda
Tonight we spent nearly three hours at a FUNdraiser. A team of young people from Grace Center are raising money for their upcoming trip to UGANDA! I'm so jealous.
After spending some time in Uganda last year, Rebecca Sorensen is leading the group. We met her tonight for the first time. I'm so impressed with her. She's young and single and petite. She barely looks old enough to drive, but her heart is HUGE and full of love for the people of Africa. She's a little powerhouse. She sang some songs tonight that she wrote about the country and the people. Her poetic writing and her lovely voice make a powerful combination. Here's a quote from her newsletter:
"I was so surprised upon my arrival [to Uganda last year] to learn that I was allowed to go to the region of Northern Uganda that the Lord had given me a burden of prayer for. Nights of weeping intercession for children who have been abducted, raped, maimed, forced to kill, robbed of every ounce of childhood, and brainwashed into a satanic army were still vivid in my mind as I was able to set foot in Gulu, Northern Uganda!
"I was able to see, touch, and tangibly love those the Lord had broken my heart for. I witnessed children chained by a spirit of fear in horrible living conditions in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, cower and hide upon our arrival uncertain if we were there to bless or harm them. I watched, as this spirit of fear was gradually broken. Light and sweet smiles began to fill their eyes as the spirit of worship and joy filled the camps while we sang songs and danced with our sweet savior, Jesus."
Oh, how I'd love to see them raise all the money they need for this trip. The cost for just one team member is $3,000. For everyone to be able to go, they need to raise another $8,000. Each team member will be taking a extra suitcase filled with backpacks, shoes, and other donations.
Here are the details from the GC website:
Team Leader
Rebecca Sorensen
Dates
April 30th-May 15th (Optional 3rd week: May 15-20)
Trip Mission
Travel from Nashville to Entebbe, Uganda, via Miami and London for the adventure of a lifetime! We will be staying in the ministry compound of Family Gospel Ministries Int’l (FGM) located in Kampala, the beautiful and lush capital city of Uganda. FGM will host us as we travel through Kampala journeying into villages to minister the gospel in dirt floor churches, slum schools to bless hundreds of children, and children’s homes to minister the love of the Father with the spirit of adoption!
We will then travel to Gulu, Northern Uganda, to partner with Ugandan-born Pastor Alex Mitala, who was been a Grace Center missions partner the past 15 years! We will be serving in Pastor Mitala’s vocational center and children’s home in a region that is being healed by the power of the gospel from 21 years of civil war wounds. This is also the region of the famously documented Invisible Children! You will experience the amazing culture of Africa, signs and wonders, and the heart of God as you witness desperate need and watch as Holy Spirit ministers His love! A true adventure and journey of a lifetime!
You can send tax-deductible donations to:
Grace Center
2420 Bethlehem Loop Rd.
Franklin, TN 37069
Please include a note saying that the money is being donated to the "May Uganda Trip," or write it in the memo line of your check.
More from Rebecca:
"A REVOLUTION has begun . . .
Nations are being shaken for the great awakening, a global harvest without precedent. An army has risen up out of the ashes and dust of religion and into a mandate to make disciples of entire nations. A bride in army boots walks the earth being the hands and feet of her Bridegroom King. As she speaks his name, demons scurry, chains are busted, diseases vanish, limbs grow, dead bodies awake, orphans become royals, poverty turns to gold, lost souls find Heaven, nations tremble and bow in worship, and impossibilities cease to exist. Who is this King of Glory? His name is . . . JESUS!
"God is crying out for His people to rise up, to take the gospel out of the four walls of the church. There is a lost and dying world blind to the truth of love and salvation of a King who loved to the point of death. My heart continues to burn for the nation of Uganda and the people of Africa. Precious jewels have been ravaged by the enemy, and God is calling on His people, His church, His body, His hands, His feet, to rise up and war in love."
After spending some time in Uganda last year, Rebecca Sorensen is leading the group. We met her tonight for the first time. I'm so impressed with her. She's young and single and petite. She barely looks old enough to drive, but her heart is HUGE and full of love for the people of Africa. She's a little powerhouse. She sang some songs tonight that she wrote about the country and the people. Her poetic writing and her lovely voice make a powerful combination. Here's a quote from her newsletter:
"I was so surprised upon my arrival [to Uganda last year] to learn that I was allowed to go to the region of Northern Uganda that the Lord had given me a burden of prayer for. Nights of weeping intercession for children who have been abducted, raped, maimed, forced to kill, robbed of every ounce of childhood, and brainwashed into a satanic army were still vivid in my mind as I was able to set foot in Gulu, Northern Uganda!
"I was able to see, touch, and tangibly love those the Lord had broken my heart for. I witnessed children chained by a spirit of fear in horrible living conditions in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, cower and hide upon our arrival uncertain if we were there to bless or harm them. I watched, as this spirit of fear was gradually broken. Light and sweet smiles began to fill their eyes as the spirit of worship and joy filled the camps while we sang songs and danced with our sweet savior, Jesus."
Oh, how I'd love to see them raise all the money they need for this trip. The cost for just one team member is $3,000. For everyone to be able to go, they need to raise another $8,000. Each team member will be taking a extra suitcase filled with backpacks, shoes, and other donations.
Here are the details from the GC website:
Team Leader
Rebecca Sorensen
Dates
April 30th-May 15th (Optional 3rd week: May 15-20)
Trip Mission
Travel from Nashville to Entebbe, Uganda, via Miami and London for the adventure of a lifetime! We will be staying in the ministry compound of Family Gospel Ministries Int’l (FGM) located in Kampala, the beautiful and lush capital city of Uganda. FGM will host us as we travel through Kampala journeying into villages to minister the gospel in dirt floor churches, slum schools to bless hundreds of children, and children’s homes to minister the love of the Father with the spirit of adoption!
We will then travel to Gulu, Northern Uganda, to partner with Ugandan-born Pastor Alex Mitala, who was been a Grace Center missions partner the past 15 years! We will be serving in Pastor Mitala’s vocational center and children’s home in a region that is being healed by the power of the gospel from 21 years of civil war wounds. This is also the region of the famously documented Invisible Children! You will experience the amazing culture of Africa, signs and wonders, and the heart of God as you witness desperate need and watch as Holy Spirit ministers His love! A true adventure and journey of a lifetime!
You can send tax-deductible donations to:
Grace Center
2420 Bethlehem Loop Rd.
Franklin, TN 37069
Please include a note saying that the money is being donated to the "May Uganda Trip," or write it in the memo line of your check.
More from Rebecca:
"A REVOLUTION has begun . . .
Nations are being shaken for the great awakening, a global harvest without precedent. An army has risen up out of the ashes and dust of religion and into a mandate to make disciples of entire nations. A bride in army boots walks the earth being the hands and feet of her Bridegroom King. As she speaks his name, demons scurry, chains are busted, diseases vanish, limbs grow, dead bodies awake, orphans become royals, poverty turns to gold, lost souls find Heaven, nations tremble and bow in worship, and impossibilities cease to exist. Who is this King of Glory? His name is . . . JESUS!
"God is crying out for His people to rise up, to take the gospel out of the four walls of the church. There is a lost and dying world blind to the truth of love and salvation of a King who loved to the point of death. My heart continues to burn for the nation of Uganda and the people of Africa. Precious jewels have been ravaged by the enemy, and God is calling on His people, His church, His body, His hands, His feet, to rise up and war in love."
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Thinking of little Mira again
We just returned from a lovely afternoon wedding and a romantic evening at an expensive restaurant. Our babysitter extraordinaire GLORIA (we love Gloria) said that Miriam fell over asleep about 15 minutes ago. They were sitting on the couch reading, and Miriam just fell over. Asleep. Too cute.
Gloria said she eventually tucked her arms and legs underneath her so she looked like a little ball. Gloria continued to read to Judah. Thinking Miriam looked uncomfortable, Gloria took her upstairs to her crib. We still haven't heard a peep out of her.
I couldn't believe she just fell over asleep. I just had to write it down.
I have to admit that even though it's nice to have a break from the bedtime routine, I kind of missed seeing her sweet face light up with the biggest smile as she sees me walk through the door. She gets so excited when she sees me. I LOVE it. Judah never really did that. He usually just acknowleged my presence and continued doing whatever he was doing. Miriam drops everything and comes running. Oh, it's the sweetest thing ever.
Speaking of the sweetest thing ever, she also has the cutest ferocious face in the world. If you ask her to show you her ferocious face, she'll scrunch up her nose and breathe through it using short breaths. It cracks me up every time.
She's been blowing kisses lately. She also gives perfect little Eskimo kisses. She makes kiss sounds and plants big kisses on Judah's cheek. He eats it up. Her kisses and hugs are the most precious things on earth.
I can't wait to get some recent pictures on here. I have a few that are so expressive that I laugh every time I see them.
Oh, I love that little girl so much!
Gloria said she eventually tucked her arms and legs underneath her so she looked like a little ball. Gloria continued to read to Judah. Thinking Miriam looked uncomfortable, Gloria took her upstairs to her crib. We still haven't heard a peep out of her.
I couldn't believe she just fell over asleep. I just had to write it down.
I have to admit that even though it's nice to have a break from the bedtime routine, I kind of missed seeing her sweet face light up with the biggest smile as she sees me walk through the door. She gets so excited when she sees me. I LOVE it. Judah never really did that. He usually just acknowleged my presence and continued doing whatever he was doing. Miriam drops everything and comes running. Oh, it's the sweetest thing ever.
Speaking of the sweetest thing ever, she also has the cutest ferocious face in the world. If you ask her to show you her ferocious face, she'll scrunch up her nose and breathe through it using short breaths. It cracks me up every time.
She's been blowing kisses lately. She also gives perfect little Eskimo kisses. She makes kiss sounds and plants big kisses on Judah's cheek. He eats it up. Her kisses and hugs are the most precious things on earth.
I can't wait to get some recent pictures on here. I have a few that are so expressive that I laugh every time I see them.
Oh, I love that little girl so much!
"Mommy Songbird"
My friend Gaynell wrote an article that was recently published in a Nashville parenting magazine. She gave me permission to post it on my blog.
"Mommy Songbird" by Gaynell Payne
I’m one of those people who hates the sound of her own voice. The one who spends a whole weekend and resorts to gimmicks to record a simple 5 second message on her answering machine. So when I read, shortly after my son was born, that my newborn preferred his mother’s voice more than anyone else’s, I was skeptical. Surely this isn’t always the case. Perhaps it’s true of say, Celine Dion’s lucky baby.
But I took it to heart and began to babble in earnest to my baby. Because whatever made him happier, I was ready to give. And in spite of my misgivings, he seemed to like it.
I was later told that not only did he like it when I talked to him, but he’d love it if I sang to him! Now that was going too far. No one liked to hear me sing. The only time I sang was in my car driving down the interstate, windows rolled up and stereo so loud I couldn’t even hear myself. Surely my sweet angel couldn’t be so tone deaf.
But I tried it. Softly at first, as not to frighten him with my banshee wails. Then I witnessed something strange. His eyes would light up – I swear they did. He’d calm if he’d been fussy. Sometimes he’d smile. He – liked – it!
Babies not only prefer the sound of their mother’s voice above all else (eat your heart out, Bing Crosby), but they learn from listening to mommy better than anyone else. That means that you can plop them in front of Sesame Street all day long, but they’ll learn the alphabet much faster if they hear it from you. Mommy’s even more fascinating than Snuffleupagus.
When parents take the time to “chatter” – talking about your day, describing what you’re doing as you do it, explaining what will happen next – your child’s world is expanding with every sentence.
Music especially holds a fascination for all ages. As you sing songs to your child he’s learning about language, communication, and the world around him. Using hand movements gives him an opportunity to “communicate” in song before he can speak and helps promote motor skills.
Now I sing all the time. I even imagine that I’ve learned how to (mostly) stay in key. My efforts have already been richly rewarded. When I sing, my 16 month old loudly “sings” with me. Even more off-key and out of tune than I do. It is absolutely the most beautiful sound in the world. When I sing the ABC’s he sings “bee beee beee deeee!” with gusto. He’s fascinated with all things musical, even making me stop on the arts channel to hear the orchestra. When I play the stereo we both sing and dance along to Bing Crosby.
It is likely that I will always only have a fan base of one. Record labels won’t be knocking on my door, music halls won’t be sold out in my name. But in my son’s eyes I am a songbird just for him. And that is reason enough to sing.
"Mommy Songbird" by Gaynell Payne
I’m one of those people who hates the sound of her own voice. The one who spends a whole weekend and resorts to gimmicks to record a simple 5 second message on her answering machine. So when I read, shortly after my son was born, that my newborn preferred his mother’s voice more than anyone else’s, I was skeptical. Surely this isn’t always the case. Perhaps it’s true of say, Celine Dion’s lucky baby.
But I took it to heart and began to babble in earnest to my baby. Because whatever made him happier, I was ready to give. And in spite of my misgivings, he seemed to like it.
I was later told that not only did he like it when I talked to him, but he’d love it if I sang to him! Now that was going too far. No one liked to hear me sing. The only time I sang was in my car driving down the interstate, windows rolled up and stereo so loud I couldn’t even hear myself. Surely my sweet angel couldn’t be so tone deaf.
But I tried it. Softly at first, as not to frighten him with my banshee wails. Then I witnessed something strange. His eyes would light up – I swear they did. He’d calm if he’d been fussy. Sometimes he’d smile. He – liked – it!
Babies not only prefer the sound of their mother’s voice above all else (eat your heart out, Bing Crosby), but they learn from listening to mommy better than anyone else. That means that you can plop them in front of Sesame Street all day long, but they’ll learn the alphabet much faster if they hear it from you. Mommy’s even more fascinating than Snuffleupagus.
When parents take the time to “chatter” – talking about your day, describing what you’re doing as you do it, explaining what will happen next – your child’s world is expanding with every sentence.
Music especially holds a fascination for all ages. As you sing songs to your child he’s learning about language, communication, and the world around him. Using hand movements gives him an opportunity to “communicate” in song before he can speak and helps promote motor skills.
Now I sing all the time. I even imagine that I’ve learned how to (mostly) stay in key. My efforts have already been richly rewarded. When I sing, my 16 month old loudly “sings” with me. Even more off-key and out of tune than I do. It is absolutely the most beautiful sound in the world. When I sing the ABC’s he sings “bee beee beee deeee!” with gusto. He’s fascinated with all things musical, even making me stop on the arts channel to hear the orchestra. When I play the stereo we both sing and dance along to Bing Crosby.
It is likely that I will always only have a fan base of one. Record labels won’t be knocking on my door, music halls won’t be sold out in my name. But in my son’s eyes I am a songbird just for him. And that is reason enough to sing.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Filtering out spam
I recently discovered that once I set a filter in my Yahoo account to put all incoming e-mails that begin with ".info" directly into the trash, then I never have to see the vast majority of spam e-mail that gets sent my way. (Most of the spammers' e-mail addresses end in .info). That way, I never have to see it, wade through it, or lose e-mails that shouldn't have been labeled spam. Most days, I'll have 25 messages in my trash and two in my spam box. One of the two is usually not spam. I used to lose all of them by having Yahoo simply delete anything that looked like spam. Then, I started wading through all the muck to get to a few necessary ones. Now, I don't lose my necessary e-mails and don't have to wade through muck. Thought I'd pass on the filter tip so you could share in the joy . . .
Thursday, March 27, 2008
More about Miriam
When I posted pictures last night, I realized that I don't have any recent ones on this computer. I have a new computer that I can't get to work right, so with the advent of teaching in the fall, James has been figuring out ways to help me. Woo Hoo!
Mira woke up around 7:30 this morning (after a little moaning around 6:00 or so), saying "Eh! Eh! Eh! and bouncing up and down in her crib. When I go in there, she always has both arms over the side of the crib, ready for me to pick her up. I get the sweetest smile, and then she points to downstairs. If we don't get to the couch right away, she pats my chest to let me know what's next (we're still nursing).
This morning we came downstairs and stepped outside to see what the weather was like when I smelled the awful stench that was beginning to seep from her diaper. Time to go back up! We grabbed a little piece of bread and butter and got her cleaned up. I went ahead and changed her clothes since there was a little spot on her onesie from the seepage.
I actually think she likes getting dressed. She makes the cutest motions after she gets clothes on (she does cutie things when the clothes come off, too, like rubbing her belly and smiling--she loves to show off her belly button--in fact, one of her favorite books is The Belly Button Book by Sandra Boynton). She raises her shoulder, tucks her arm in, and turns her hand out. She also tilts her head and looks up as if to say, "See what a cutie pie I am?"
Oh, I completely forgot to mention that Miriam swordfights with Judah! They each take their swords, go into the hallway, and Judah says, "Have you ever seen a baby with a sword?" He gently taps his sword against hers while she flicks her wrist around. She's quite a sport.
She plays with Judah's cars more than he does. She'll move them around and occasionally make noise to go with it. I don't think he has ever done that. His cars get lined up to go on trips. They also have conversations.
Sometimes when Judah is on the floor, Miriam will come and lie on him. He thinks it's so sweet. He says, "Does Miriam love me so much?"
They play so well together that I just can't imagine one without the other.
Mira woke up around 7:30 this morning (after a little moaning around 6:00 or so), saying "Eh! Eh! Eh! and bouncing up and down in her crib. When I go in there, she always has both arms over the side of the crib, ready for me to pick her up. I get the sweetest smile, and then she points to downstairs. If we don't get to the couch right away, she pats my chest to let me know what's next (we're still nursing).
This morning we came downstairs and stepped outside to see what the weather was like when I smelled the awful stench that was beginning to seep from her diaper. Time to go back up! We grabbed a little piece of bread and butter and got her cleaned up. I went ahead and changed her clothes since there was a little spot on her onesie from the seepage.
I actually think she likes getting dressed. She makes the cutest motions after she gets clothes on (she does cutie things when the clothes come off, too, like rubbing her belly and smiling--she loves to show off her belly button--in fact, one of her favorite books is The Belly Button Book by Sandra Boynton). She raises her shoulder, tucks her arm in, and turns her hand out. She also tilts her head and looks up as if to say, "See what a cutie pie I am?"
Oh, I completely forgot to mention that Miriam swordfights with Judah! They each take their swords, go into the hallway, and Judah says, "Have you ever seen a baby with a sword?" He gently taps his sword against hers while she flicks her wrist around. She's quite a sport.
She plays with Judah's cars more than he does. She'll move them around and occasionally make noise to go with it. I don't think he has ever done that. His cars get lined up to go on trips. They also have conversations.
Sometimes when Judah is on the floor, Miriam will come and lie on him. He thinks it's so sweet. He says, "Does Miriam love me so much?"
They play so well together that I just can't imagine one without the other.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Mira, my Mira
I've been thinking a lot about my precious little Mira and how much I love her and want to eat her up. I'm not sure exactly what to write, though. I guess I'll just start rambling and see where I end up.
Today she was walking around the kitchen saying, "Oooooooo. Oooooo. Ooooooo." At first, I thought it was Judah. I'm used to almost all of her sounds ending in "ah."
She has several recognizable syllables now.
"DEE-yah-da!" means "Daddy's home!"
"BAA-baa" means "brother"
"Muh-muh" means "Mommy, come get me."
"KEE-kee" means "kitty cat"
"Bo!" means "puppy doggy"
"Eh. Eh. Eh." means "I need that."
"Bah?" means "Will you read this book to me?" This one is followed by her turning around and backing into your lap. It's especially cute when she does it to Judah. Even cuter when he "reads" her the book.
Judah hasn't had much exposure to negative attitudes toward siblings (or any family member, for that matter), so he actually thinks it's cool when she wants everything that he has. I tell him that she learns almost everything she knows from him, that he's a wonderful teacher, and that she wants to do everything that he does. He'll often ask me, "Does Miriam want to do everything that I do?"
Today I was downstairs with Miriam when Judah went upstairs to his room to sit down and look at books. When I came up, I asked if it was OK to bring Miriam. He said yes. I told him I wanted to be sure he was all right with her being in there because she would want whatever he was playing with, and sometimes it's nice to have a little privacy. He said, "I picked up this book so Miriam could look at it." Then, he graciously gave it to her and looked for something else to play with. It doesn't always go this smoothly. Sometimes we have a little tug-of-war first, but for the most part, Judah is happy to let Miriam have whatever he has. He knows she'll only play with it for a second, drop it, and then it's all his again. I love that he's actually getting concepts like that! Oh, and he loves to remind me to praise him. He'll say, "Are you happy that I let her have that?"
Of course, I set out to write about Miriam here, and now I'm writing about Judah.
I wish I could take an all-day video of Miriam to try to capture the essence of who she is right now. She's so expressive. She doesn't laugh often, but when she does, her giggle is the sweetest. Judah is almost always the one who gets her to laugh.
She enjoyed sitting on Judah's tricycle today and being pushed around. She loves to climb up on chairs and just sit up high. I watched her for several minutes last week, taking books off the bookshelf, putting them on the chair, climbing up (this took a little time since the chair was made for an adult), taking the book in hand, and flipping through it. After a few minutes, she'd put the book down, climb back down, and do it all over again.
She likes to sit on the kitchen counters and bathroom sink. Being up high is the next best thing to being held. Fortunately, she still doesn't quite weigh 20 lbs, so I don't mind carting her around too much. I love to watch her walk. She's such a little peanut that it doesn't seem like she should be walking.
Whenever I tell her no, take something from her, or say, "That's not for the Baby Girl," she makes the saddest face and starts to cry. Judah did almost exactly the same thing. I guess I have really sensitive kids.
She's responding to commands now. Last week, both kids had taken a bath together. I took Miriam upstairs to get her dressed, but I still needed to bring Judah a towel. Miriam started to follow me downstairs, so I said, "Mira, why don't you play with your (I forget which toy) while I help Judah?" She turned around and started playing. I couldn't believe it.
Judah and I were singing, "If you're happy and you know it," and Miriam was doing all the motions with us. Because of her, we add "pat your head" and "twirl around." Whenever we put music on or simply start singing, Miriam starts dancing. It's so precious. She walks around in circles and sways her head back and forth. Sometimes she raises her hands. I really could just eat her up.
She's smells so sweet, and her cheeks are so soft, and her little curls just make me happy.
Anytime the door opens, she's right there to escape. Anytime the fridge or freezer opens, she's right there to drag something out of it.
She doesn't like to step on things that hurt her feet. Judah never paid much attention to what was stuck to his hands or feet, but Miriam will actually offer me her hand to wipe it off. She'll stand still and whimper if she needs help with her feet. Reminds me a little of my cousin Chelsea who had to stop every now and then to take rocks or dirt out of her shoes when she was two and hiking through the woods. It drove everybody crazy except me because I would take my shoes off and fix my socks several times before they felt right. I'd often turn my sock inside out so I wouldn't feel the seam against my toes.
I think it helps me to remember all my quirks to be able to have grace for my children. For example, I can remember Judah trying desperately to put puzzles together and getting terribly frustrated. I'd just sit back and watch, and if he seemed to wear down a bit, I'd say, "Do you want some help?" Then, I'd wait. I wouldn't do a thing until he asked for help. I remember wanting to do things myself and having someone else come along and do them for me. It was so frustrating! (I used to dump out my sock drawer and re-fold everything and organize it all by color--this never happens anymore!) I like to give my kids the space I would have wanted--to a degree. We do choices all day, but they're choices within limits (for example, Judah's going to get clothes on: Do you want to put your pants on yourself or would you like me to help you? The clothes are going on--he just gets to decide how they get on.)
I feel like the constant choices and shared control make him much more agreeable all the way around. He's become so quick to offer help recently or to say, "I'm sorry, Mommy. Mommy, I'm sorry." Sometimes he'll take my face in his hands or he'll gently touch my arm while he says it. It makes it so much easier to forgive him.
Today, he was standing on the stepstool in the kitchen waiting for me to return from the bathroom, and I walked up behind him and kissed him on the neck. He said, "I love you, too." I said, "How did you know that meant 'I love you?'" And he said, "Because you tell me 'I love you' a lot of times."
Here I am again, talking about my Judah.
He asked me today, "Mommy, what's a demon?" I said, "It's a spirit that bothers people." And he said, "It's somebody that's sent from Satan to kill people and bother." Later tonight, he asked me, "What does bother mean?" He's very interested in words and what they mean.
Miriam is interested in tigers and cats. She gets more excited about them than any other animal. Dogs take a close second. She's not afraid of them, either. She has no problem petting big dogs. Neither did Judah.
Tonight, I took her upstairs to change her diaper, get her into her pajamas, hold her in the dark and sing our good-night song, pray, and put her to bed when I realized I wanted to brush her teeth. She went along with it as if we had been doing it every night. I took her in the bathroom, held up the toothbrush, and she said, "Ah." I brushed her little teeth (all 9 or so of them), and we went back to our routine. She lays her head on my chest while I'm singing and praying. Sometimes she'll reach for the crib. I'll lay her down, she'll just stare at the ceiling looking sleepy, then as soon as I shut the door, she'll usually whimper for a second. Most of the time, I don't hear from her again until 6:50 a.m. Yesterday she didn't wake up until 7:20. I felt like I slept in. It was wonderful--except that I had to be somewhere at 9:00.
That reminds me--I'm going to be teaching writing in the fall. It's the first teaching gig I've agreed to since right after Judah was born. I taught one more year at New Song (part-time) before I realized that I just didn't have it to give anymore. I'm in a new season and really looking forward to having one day a week with 7th and 8th graders while Miriam hangs out in the nursery and Judah goes to preschool for an hour.
He shocked me on Tuesday, the day that I went to observe a class at the tutorial where I'm planning to teach. He finished up his craft, and the teacher asked him how he spells his name. I was fully expecting him to offer a random mix of letters, but he spelled Judah! All the way home, he sang J-U-D-A-H to the tune of B-I-N-G-O. It's amazing what they pick up.
I haven't done much "formal" pre-K training. I just look for the things he shows an interest in and enterprise on the moment. Right now, he's really into reading the Narnia books. So that's what we do. Miriam goes down for her morning nap, and we sit on the couch and manage to get through a couple of chapters. Today he asked me, "What's a scimitar?" and "What's a Tarkheena?" (Both are from The Horse and His Boy).
Oh, Miriam, Miriam, Miriam. I think that I feel more than I observe with Miriam. I love holding her and squeezing her and watching her interact with Judah (who LOVES picking her up and taking her places). She is so resilient. I'm amazed at how much she'll allow him to do before getting upset.
I took them to The Monkey's Treehouse on Tuesday afternoon, and we spent approx. five hours at this fabulous new indoor playground. Miriam even took a nap. I was so thankful that she was able to sleep in the midst of a lot of noise and activity. She's been a much lighter sleeper than Judah. She also sleeps a lot less. She takes a 2.5 to 3 hour nap from approx. 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and that's usually enough to last her until bedtime, which is roughly around 8 p.m. Tonight, she had a late, short second nap and went to bed at 8:45. While I was feeding her in the kitchen, Judah fell asleep on the couch. He can still take a 3 hour nap during the day and sleep from about 9:00 at night until 7:00 a.m. He definitely has a much higher need for sleep.
I have a feeling I'm not going to be able to revise and edit this post before I publish it. My battery is wearing down on my computer, and it's starting to get pretty late. I hope I was able to get a little bit of a picture of my sweet Miriam on here. So much of who she is and what she does revolves around her interactions with Judah, so I end up needing to write about both of them.
Oh, this week, she finished eating some fruit, picked up the plate, took it in the kitchen, and raised it up toward the counter. I helped her put it up, and she clapped. She LOVES to help. If I say, "Good job, Miriam," she claps. She helps put toys away (she loves to drag them out, too), she helps put books back on the bookshelf, she helps me brush her teeth . . .
She's only 15 months old, and she already likes to do everything herself. She drinks from a cup (not a sippy cup either!), she holds her own cup and drinks from a straw, she self-feeds as often as possible . . . she's already little miss independent. I have no idea where she gets it. :0)
Links to Share
A couple of quick food links:
Marion Nestle, the author of Food Politics, wrote recently on her "What to Eat" food blog that Monsanto is settling with the Canadian farmer they sued in 2002. She likens it to the McLibel trial, an interesting case of McDonald's going after two young activists in London for distributing anti-McD's pamphlets. To fully understand both, you'd need to watch The Future of Food and read Food Politics, but if you'd heard me talk about Monsanto and the poor Canadian farmer (referred to as the classic case of David and Goliath), then you know I'm celebrating GOOD news!
My friend Jill Boehme (well, we've never actually seen each other in person except once, but she's friendly) wrote a little rant about pasteurized food that cracked me up. At the grocery store last week, she discovered pasteurized EGGS! You can read her post "Leave The Eggs Alone!" by clicking on the title (in case you didn't know that already).
Marion Nestle, the author of Food Politics, wrote recently on her "What to Eat" food blog that Monsanto is settling with the Canadian farmer they sued in 2002. She likens it to the McLibel trial, an interesting case of McDonald's going after two young activists in London for distributing anti-McD's pamphlets. To fully understand both, you'd need to watch The Future of Food and read Food Politics, but if you'd heard me talk about Monsanto and the poor Canadian farmer (referred to as the classic case of David and Goliath), then you know I'm celebrating GOOD news!
My friend Jill Boehme (well, we've never actually seen each other in person except once, but she's friendly) wrote a little rant about pasteurized food that cracked me up. At the grocery store last week, she discovered pasteurized EGGS! You can read her post "Leave The Eggs Alone!" by clicking on the title (in case you didn't know that already).
Thursday, March 20, 2008
A Celebration of Deliverance
We returned tonight from an evening spent celebrating Purim, the Jewish holiday calling to remembrance the story of Esther (and, as one of the readers pointed out toward the end, Mordecai, who becomes a great and famous leader after his cousin Esther helps to deliver the Jewish people from being completely annihilated).
Oh, how I wish we had Christian traditions like the one we experienced tonight! Several families came dressed in costumes resembling what Esther or Mordecai might have worn. Children were at every table. Jewish blessings were prayed, Jewish songs were sung, the story of Esther was read aloud (several people took turns reading while the crowd made all kinds of racket when the names "Haman" or "Mordecai" were mentioned--booing for Haman and cheering for Mordecai; they "ahhhhh'ed" for Esther), more Jewish blessings were prayed, and we finished by eating dessert and enjoying the company of one another.
This is a portion of the e-mail that was forwarded to us by some Messianic Jewish friends (we attended the celebration with them):
***We will gather to read the megillah (scroll) of Esther for the holiday of PURIM this coming Thursday evening. We'll be joining with families from Belmont Church and DR. DON (Finto). Bring the yeladim (children), costume dress optional, and bring some nosh -- Hamantoshan (triangular pastry w/ fruit filling), if possible; if not, something else. Bring your groggers (noisemakers) to shake when Haman's name is mentioned!***
I'm so jealous for more history-filled traditions for my family--celebrations and feasts and the reading aloud of scripture. . . . I think we're going to have to steal them from our Jewish friends.
As a 14-year-old, I would get into arguments with my Sunday School teachers at my little Baptist church about the teachings of the man who dons the red suit at Christmas or the animal that parades around with eggs at Easter. They would say, "Well, you have to give children something to believe in." And I'd say, "Right, so give them something to believe in that you don't have to take away from them when they're old enough to know the difference." (I found my "tooth fairy" teeth in the garage when I was six or so, and went to my mom with "You lied to me! There's no Tooth Fairy. There's no Santa Claus. There's no Easter Bunny. Is there no God, too? And what about Jesus? I can't trust you anymore!") I know. Very dramatic. But who I was at six is still who I am at 33. Need I remind you that I am Her Royal Excitedness?
I just can't embrace the traditions of my youth with any sort of clear conscience. I can't justify putting presents under a tree and saying they're from a strange man who mysteriously entered our house in the middle of the night because my children were "nice" instead of "naughty" all year. I can't imagine taking my children to an egg hunt or giving them "Easter baskets" from an imaginary bunny who lays eggs.
I just don't get it. And if I don't get it, I don't do it. I know that there are other people who don't get these traditions, but I often feel as though I'm the only one longing for more. I also know that some people will read this and think that they can't tell me about their kids' egg hunts for fear that I'll be mad at them or judge them. Whatever. Do what you feel the Holy Spirit leading you to do. Don't worry about what we do. This is my online journal. This is where I vent and work out my feelings, ideas, passions . . .
I'm not out to take away all the imaginary traditions people celebrate. I'm out to find meaningful traditions for my family to enjoy--traditions that help me and my children remember the ways in which God has come through for His people throughout the ages. For this, I'm turning to my Jewish brothers and sisters. What they have to offer is rich beyond measure.
Oh, how I wish we had Christian traditions like the one we experienced tonight! Several families came dressed in costumes resembling what Esther or Mordecai might have worn. Children were at every table. Jewish blessings were prayed, Jewish songs were sung, the story of Esther was read aloud (several people took turns reading while the crowd made all kinds of racket when the names "Haman" or "Mordecai" were mentioned--booing for Haman and cheering for Mordecai; they "ahhhhh'ed" for Esther), more Jewish blessings were prayed, and we finished by eating dessert and enjoying the company of one another.
This is a portion of the e-mail that was forwarded to us by some Messianic Jewish friends (we attended the celebration with them):
***We will gather to read the megillah (scroll) of Esther for the holiday of PURIM this coming Thursday evening. We'll be joining with families from Belmont Church and DR. DON (Finto). Bring the yeladim (children), costume dress optional, and bring some nosh -- Hamantoshan (triangular pastry w/ fruit filling), if possible; if not, something else. Bring your groggers (noisemakers) to shake when Haman's name is mentioned!***
I'm so jealous for more history-filled traditions for my family--celebrations and feasts and the reading aloud of scripture. . . . I think we're going to have to steal them from our Jewish friends.
As a 14-year-old, I would get into arguments with my Sunday School teachers at my little Baptist church about the teachings of the man who dons the red suit at Christmas or the animal that parades around with eggs at Easter. They would say, "Well, you have to give children something to believe in." And I'd say, "Right, so give them something to believe in that you don't have to take away from them when they're old enough to know the difference." (I found my "tooth fairy" teeth in the garage when I was six or so, and went to my mom with "You lied to me! There's no Tooth Fairy. There's no Santa Claus. There's no Easter Bunny. Is there no God, too? And what about Jesus? I can't trust you anymore!") I know. Very dramatic. But who I was at six is still who I am at 33. Need I remind you that I am Her Royal Excitedness?
I just can't embrace the traditions of my youth with any sort of clear conscience. I can't justify putting presents under a tree and saying they're from a strange man who mysteriously entered our house in the middle of the night because my children were "nice" instead of "naughty" all year. I can't imagine taking my children to an egg hunt or giving them "Easter baskets" from an imaginary bunny who lays eggs.
I just don't get it. And if I don't get it, I don't do it. I know that there are other people who don't get these traditions, but I often feel as though I'm the only one longing for more. I also know that some people will read this and think that they can't tell me about their kids' egg hunts for fear that I'll be mad at them or judge them. Whatever. Do what you feel the Holy Spirit leading you to do. Don't worry about what we do. This is my online journal. This is where I vent and work out my feelings, ideas, passions . . .
I'm not out to take away all the imaginary traditions people celebrate. I'm out to find meaningful traditions for my family to enjoy--traditions that help me and my children remember the ways in which God has come through for His people throughout the ages. For this, I'm turning to my Jewish brothers and sisters. What they have to offer is rich beyond measure.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
St. Patrick's Day Challenge (yes, it's green)
Have you ever tried green beer or green eggs and ham on St. Patrick's Day? Why not try a green smoothie this year? That's my little challenge to you: a green smoothie in honor of St. Paddy's Day. If you never drink another, at least you'll be able to say that you tried one!
Simple Recipe:
two ripe bananas
two big handfuls of frozen strawberries
a cup of orange juice
a handful of spinach or kale
Mmmmmmmmmm. Delicious.
This morning's smoothie was made with a fresh mango, frozen strawberries, some OJ (not-from-concentrate but pasteurized--it's been a juicy kind of day--I had two cups of fruit tea for lunch!), and finally some butter lettuce. It was a little bitter. I prefer spinach or kale because I usually can't taste them. If our blender hadn't kicked the bucket, I would have added a banana (organic bananas at The Turnip Truck are 50 cents a pound right now and SOOOOOO delicious--reminded me a little of Uganda). It's time to go back to Williams Sonoma for a new Kitchen-Aid blender. They have a wonderful return policy!
Oh, since I've talked to two friends about feast nights this week, and they were relieved to know that we don't eat healthy fare every night of the week, I thought it would be worth sharing here.
After reading Healthy Habits by David and Anne Frahm, we started incorporating "feast nights." It's the one night (or day) of the week we really blow it nutritionally. We'll order a greasy pizza or pig out on fried chicken and French fries. We'll eat ice cream with chocolate chip cookie dough. We'll regret it, of course, and pay for it the next day.
Our feast nights have grown increasingly healthier because we hate the way we feel afterward; however, I have to admit that I get a craving for Monell's at least once or twice a year, which is a great place to have a feast meal.
The Frahms say that it's not what you eat 15% of the time that kills you. It's what you eat 85% of the time.
Enjoy your green smoothie today!
Simple Recipe:
two ripe bananas
two big handfuls of frozen strawberries
a cup of orange juice
a handful of spinach or kale
Mmmmmmmmmm. Delicious.
This morning's smoothie was made with a fresh mango, frozen strawberries, some OJ (not-from-concentrate but pasteurized--it's been a juicy kind of day--I had two cups of fruit tea for lunch!), and finally some butter lettuce. It was a little bitter. I prefer spinach or kale because I usually can't taste them. If our blender hadn't kicked the bucket, I would have added a banana (organic bananas at The Turnip Truck are 50 cents a pound right now and SOOOOOO delicious--reminded me a little of Uganda). It's time to go back to Williams Sonoma for a new Kitchen-Aid blender. They have a wonderful return policy!
Oh, since I've talked to two friends about feast nights this week, and they were relieved to know that we don't eat healthy fare every night of the week, I thought it would be worth sharing here.
After reading Healthy Habits by David and Anne Frahm, we started incorporating "feast nights." It's the one night (or day) of the week we really blow it nutritionally. We'll order a greasy pizza or pig out on fried chicken and French fries. We'll eat ice cream with chocolate chip cookie dough. We'll regret it, of course, and pay for it the next day.
Our feast nights have grown increasingly healthier because we hate the way we feel afterward; however, I have to admit that I get a craving for Monell's at least once or twice a year, which is a great place to have a feast meal.
The Frahms say that it's not what you eat 15% of the time that kills you. It's what you eat 85% of the time.
Enjoy your green smoothie today!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
My Personal Mini-manifesto
My husband just sent me this article about food: Michael Pollan: Don't Eat Anything That Doesn't Rot. Even if you just read the first page, you'll be more educated about food and food products than the average American. If you're more of a watcher than a reader, check out this Peter Jennings mini-documentary (if you haven't seen it already): YouTube--How to Get Fat Without Really Trying!
Right after I wrote this (and my neighbor stopped by trying to raise money for the American Heart Association through her daughter's participation in Jump Rope for Heart) I got an anonymous comment on my blog. Since this isn't a public blog (meaning you can't Google it and find it--you have to be a family member, friend, or friend of a friend to access it), I have to admit that I'm a little disappointed that he or she didn't leave a name. However, I'm so delighted that someone has asked some questions that instead of posting it (I have this thing about posting truly anonymous comments), I'm going to reply to it in this post.
First, let me quote Michael Pollan from the interview by Amy Goodman (Michael Pollan: Don't Eat Anything That Doesn't Rot):
Goodman: Let's talk about the diseases of Western civilization.
Pollan: The Western diseases, which -- they were named that about a hundred years ago by a medical doctor named Denis Burkitt, an Englishman, who noted that there -- after the Western diet comes to these countries where he had spent a lot of time in Africa and Asia, a series of Western diseases followed, very predictably: obesity, diabetes, heart disease and a specific set of cancers. And he said, well, they must have this common origin, because we keep seeing this pattern.
And we've known this for a hundred years, that if you eat this Western diet, which is defined basically as -- I mean, we all know what the Western diet is, but to reiterate it, it's lots of processed food, lots of refined grain and pure sugar, lots of red meat and processed meats, very little whole grains, very little fresh fruits and vegetables. That's the Western diet -- it's the fast-food diet -- that we know it leads to those diseases. About 80 percent of heart disease, at least as much Type II diabetes, 33 to 40 percent cancers all come out of eating that way, and we know this. And the odd thing is that it doesn't seem to discomfort us that much.
***
And now for the comment:
"There are real conditions that eating or drinking won't have an impact on. Do you have friends or family that have chronic conditions who you tell to drink more juice? Has eating healthy ever really stopped cancer from progressing?"
First, "There are real conditions that eating or drinking won't have an impact on."
True. The first condition that comes to mind is Down's Syndrome. While it's true that a child with Down's Syndrome will always have Down's unless divinely healed through prayer (I know of a case of this actually happening--the man was healed, but his features remained the same. He's a worship leader named Davi in Brazil. Several people from my fellowship have met and interacted with him.)
However, my friends Lindsay and Lisa have both seen the benefits of feeding whole foods to their children with Down's. Lindsay's dad actually reversed his Type 2 diabetes by radically changing his diet. Her step-brother has Celiac disease (which is believed to be inherited), so between her father's lifestyle changes and her brother's food sensitivities, her whole family has seen dramatic examples of what can happen when you pay attention to what you eat.
I'm sure there are many more cases of conditions that are not treatable through diet; however, I also believe that there are far more conditions that are treatable, but conventional medicine has yet to make the connection (remember when conventional medicine would "bleed" people?).
For example, most people with asthma might not make the connection between asthmatic symptoms and dairy consumption. I encourage you to read Robyn's story (Green Smoothie Girl). She writes, "As our four children came along in less than seven years, each one had health problems: all four had asthma from the time they were babies, and two of them were in and out of doctors’ offices and even the hospital. I was often up all night with my oldest son, watching him turn blue and struggling for breath. I began to have panic attacks and insomnia and didn’t dare leave him alone sleeping . . . In effect, diet DID cure athsma. It’s still there as an inherent weakness, but we are essentially symptom free except for a mild, day-long cough accompanying a cold, approximately once a year. No more children turning blue, no more sleepless nights, no more panic attacks and racing to the hospital. I’ve shared my experience with a number of others who have seen equally miraculous results from simple changes."
Victoria Boutenko "embarked on a diet of entirely raw foods in 1994, when we became seriously ill. Victoria had arrhythmia and edema and was obese and depressed. Igor [her husband] suffered from painful rheumatoid arthritis and had severe hyperthyroid. Sergei [her son] was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes and was supposed to go on insulin. Valya [her daughter] had asthma. You can read their miraculous and compelling story HERE. (I really, really encourage you to read it.)
Sara at Happy Foody--who, by the way, is on a raw food kick--I don't believe healthy people need to go all raw or completely eliminate meat or dairy, but I do believe that Americans could greatly benefit from adding a lot more raw foods into their diet and eating a lot less meat and pasteurized dairy--has these two very appropriate quotes on her website:
"It is easier to change a man's religion than to change his diet." --Margaret Mead
"I don't understand why asking people to eat a well-balanced vegetarian diet is considered drastic, while it is medically conservative to cut people open and put them on cholesterol lowering drugs for the rest of their lives." -- Dean Ornish, MD
OK, on to the first question:
Do you have friends or family that have chronic conditions who you tell to drink more juice?
Not that I know of. I actually don't recommend drinking juice at all. For me, juice is dessert. And I only have dessert a couple times a week.
I have friends and acquaintances who have benefited from juicing whole, raw vegetables and fruits, and I definitely recommend getting several of your fruit and vegetable servings in the form of a green smoothie in the morning. Our dear friend Todd was bed-ridden for months with no confirmed clinical diagnosis. He suspects he picked up a parasite while overseas. After his wife did some voracious reading and began pumping him full of whole, raw foods and raw, homemade juices, he is now 100% healed, healthy, and hilarious.
Which brings me to the third question:
Has eating healthy ever really stopped cancer from progressing?
YES! Have you ever heard of Anne Frahm? Cancer and cancer treatments had literally eaten her body alive. This is a quote from the back of her book A Cancer Battle Plan:
By the time Anne Frahm found out she had cancer, it had already spread from her breast to her shoulder, ribs, skull, and pelvic bone, and had eaten a stress fracture into her spine. Like most victims of the disease, her first response was to pursue all the traditional treatments--surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. But the end result turned out to be just another hopeless prognosis: The disease was still present in her bone marrow. It seemed a matter of time before her 35 year old body would succumb. That's when Anne discovered the connection between cancer and nutrition. Carefully researching the medical basis of her discovery, she formulated a comprehensive nutritional battle plan. Within five weeks of implementing her plan, a balanced program of detoxification and diet, her cancer disappeared without a trace. She has been cancer-free ever since.
Anne had been given weeks to live, but she managed to add 10 full years to her life by radically changing her diet and pursuing alternative treatments. Their story can be found HERE in an excerpt of a book they co-wrote called Reclaim Your Health: Nutritional Strategies for Conquering Ailments (50 Success Stories from people who are fighting Allergies, Cardiovascular Disease, Depression, Yeast Infections, Multiple Sclerosis, AIDS, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Lupus, Cancer, Arthritis, Diabetes, and more). For awesome testimonies from people that have been helped through their ministry Health Quarters, click HERE.
If you'd like to read an interview with Anne, click HERE. If you're interested in the letter her husband wrote after her death, you can check it out HERE. We own their book Healthy Habits: 20 Simple Ways to Improve Your Health. I highly recommend it. You can even read an excerpt on Amazon.
There are many, many cancer survivors with stories similar to Anne's. We have friends who have either been completely healed of cancer or who have added years to their lives after eliminating processed foods and dramatically increasing their vegetables and fruits, usually in the form of juicing and smoothies. I'm reminded of June, the mother of a former student, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. We prayed and prayed, and she juiced every vegetable known to mankind. I've tried (to no avail) to find the last update her husband sent on her progress. Suffice it to say, she was CANCER-FREE at her last check-up. Completely miraculous, given her prognosis.
In her book Let's Get Well (copyright 1965), Adelle Davis writes, "Unfortunately, our national diet becomes progressively worse each year; and the number of cancer-producing substances in our foods and environment steadily increases. It seems to me, therefore, that every form of malignancy can be expected to become more numerous, though the incidence of this disease in the United States is now greater than in any nation throughout all history" (p. 385) At the same time, Davis also states, " . . . anyone who keeps his resistance consistently high can be relatively sure of not contracting cancer" (p. 385).
David Frahm is of the same opinion. He says that we all have cancer cells in our bodies. That's not the problem. The problem is that we ignorantly supress our immune systems when we need to build them so that we're able to stave off cancer and other preventable diseases. (Side note: Did you know that much of your immune system is found in your digestive tract? Did you also know that sugar depresses the immune system? Just search for "sugar immune system" and you'll get all kinds of great info.)
So, yes, nutrition plays a critical role in our health and well-being. Obviously, there is more to good health than good nutrition (water, fresh air, sunshine, exercise, physical touch, friends, healing emotional wounds, forgiveness, prayer, rest, and as my midwife says "trust in God.") Since some friends of mine and I recently had a little discussion about it, I'll also add that I stay away from chemical cleaners, which includes disinfectants and antibacterial products. As Ruth Yaron of Super Baby Food writes "their purpose is to kill living things."
Whew. That was quite a manifesto.
I received an e-mail today from an old friend (the one who dubbed me Her Royal Excitedness) and I was thinking as I headed to the compost bin with a million clementine peels (James and Judah ate 5 lbs of clementines in 4 days!) that I have always been Her Royal Excitedness. Always full of enthusiasm, passion, and zeal. Always eager to research, write, speak, teach . . . share. So, I don't expect that much will change in the next 33 years. I'll still be reading, writing, speaking, teaching, sharing . . . will all the fervor and energy that I have now.
Oh, and I also remembered that when I was diagnosed with the colitis problem that I wasn't willing to change my diet. I checked out books from the library trying to diagnose myself (I knew I was battling endometriosis and requested the laparoscopic surgery), when I came across The Yeast Connection. All of my symptoms matched, but again, I was absolutely unwilling to change how I ate. It wasn't until Judah started showing interest in what I was eating that things changed. That was only a little over three years ago. It all started with eliminating partially hydrogenated oils, which by the way, according to a scientist friend, "confuse the body." He suggested avoiding them at all costs. He also recommended eating more greens. So there you go.
If you want to start out small (like we did), read labels and get rid of everything that's partially hydrogenated. Then, increase your salad and/or green smoothie intake. Those two changes alone will make a world of difference.
If you've read this far, the Lord bless you. Good night.
Right after I wrote this (and my neighbor stopped by trying to raise money for the American Heart Association through her daughter's participation in Jump Rope for Heart) I got an anonymous comment on my blog. Since this isn't a public blog (meaning you can't Google it and find it--you have to be a family member, friend, or friend of a friend to access it), I have to admit that I'm a little disappointed that he or she didn't leave a name. However, I'm so delighted that someone has asked some questions that instead of posting it (I have this thing about posting truly anonymous comments), I'm going to reply to it in this post.
First, let me quote Michael Pollan from the interview by Amy Goodman (Michael Pollan: Don't Eat Anything That Doesn't Rot):
Goodman: Let's talk about the diseases of Western civilization.
Pollan: The Western diseases, which -- they were named that about a hundred years ago by a medical doctor named Denis Burkitt, an Englishman, who noted that there -- after the Western diet comes to these countries where he had spent a lot of time in Africa and Asia, a series of Western diseases followed, very predictably: obesity, diabetes, heart disease and a specific set of cancers. And he said, well, they must have this common origin, because we keep seeing this pattern.
And we've known this for a hundred years, that if you eat this Western diet, which is defined basically as -- I mean, we all know what the Western diet is, but to reiterate it, it's lots of processed food, lots of refined grain and pure sugar, lots of red meat and processed meats, very little whole grains, very little fresh fruits and vegetables. That's the Western diet -- it's the fast-food diet -- that we know it leads to those diseases. About 80 percent of heart disease, at least as much Type II diabetes, 33 to 40 percent cancers all come out of eating that way, and we know this. And the odd thing is that it doesn't seem to discomfort us that much.
***
And now for the comment:
"There are real conditions that eating or drinking won't have an impact on. Do you have friends or family that have chronic conditions who you tell to drink more juice? Has eating healthy ever really stopped cancer from progressing?"
First, "There are real conditions that eating or drinking won't have an impact on."
True. The first condition that comes to mind is Down's Syndrome. While it's true that a child with Down's Syndrome will always have Down's unless divinely healed through prayer (I know of a case of this actually happening--the man was healed, but his features remained the same. He's a worship leader named Davi in Brazil. Several people from my fellowship have met and interacted with him.)
However, my friends Lindsay and Lisa have both seen the benefits of feeding whole foods to their children with Down's. Lindsay's dad actually reversed his Type 2 diabetes by radically changing his diet. Her step-brother has Celiac disease (which is believed to be inherited), so between her father's lifestyle changes and her brother's food sensitivities, her whole family has seen dramatic examples of what can happen when you pay attention to what you eat.
I'm sure there are many more cases of conditions that are not treatable through diet; however, I also believe that there are far more conditions that are treatable, but conventional medicine has yet to make the connection (remember when conventional medicine would "bleed" people?).
For example, most people with asthma might not make the connection between asthmatic symptoms and dairy consumption. I encourage you to read Robyn's story (Green Smoothie Girl). She writes, "As our four children came along in less than seven years, each one had health problems: all four had asthma from the time they were babies, and two of them were in and out of doctors’ offices and even the hospital. I was often up all night with my oldest son, watching him turn blue and struggling for breath. I began to have panic attacks and insomnia and didn’t dare leave him alone sleeping . . . In effect, diet DID cure athsma. It’s still there as an inherent weakness, but we are essentially symptom free except for a mild, day-long cough accompanying a cold, approximately once a year. No more children turning blue, no more sleepless nights, no more panic attacks and racing to the hospital. I’ve shared my experience with a number of others who have seen equally miraculous results from simple changes."
Victoria Boutenko "embarked on a diet of entirely raw foods in 1994, when we became seriously ill. Victoria had arrhythmia and edema and was obese and depressed. Igor [her husband] suffered from painful rheumatoid arthritis and had severe hyperthyroid. Sergei [her son] was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes and was supposed to go on insulin. Valya [her daughter] had asthma. You can read their miraculous and compelling story HERE. (I really, really encourage you to read it.)
Sara at Happy Foody--who, by the way, is on a raw food kick--I don't believe healthy people need to go all raw or completely eliminate meat or dairy, but I do believe that Americans could greatly benefit from adding a lot more raw foods into their diet and eating a lot less meat and pasteurized dairy--has these two very appropriate quotes on her website:
"It is easier to change a man's religion than to change his diet." --Margaret Mead
"I don't understand why asking people to eat a well-balanced vegetarian diet is considered drastic, while it is medically conservative to cut people open and put them on cholesterol lowering drugs for the rest of their lives." -- Dean Ornish, MD
OK, on to the first question:
Do you have friends or family that have chronic conditions who you tell to drink more juice?
Not that I know of. I actually don't recommend drinking juice at all. For me, juice is dessert. And I only have dessert a couple times a week.
I have friends and acquaintances who have benefited from juicing whole, raw vegetables and fruits, and I definitely recommend getting several of your fruit and vegetable servings in the form of a green smoothie in the morning. Our dear friend Todd was bed-ridden for months with no confirmed clinical diagnosis. He suspects he picked up a parasite while overseas. After his wife did some voracious reading and began pumping him full of whole, raw foods and raw, homemade juices, he is now 100% healed, healthy, and hilarious.
Which brings me to the third question:
Has eating healthy ever really stopped cancer from progressing?
YES! Have you ever heard of Anne Frahm? Cancer and cancer treatments had literally eaten her body alive. This is a quote from the back of her book A Cancer Battle Plan:
By the time Anne Frahm found out she had cancer, it had already spread from her breast to her shoulder, ribs, skull, and pelvic bone, and had eaten a stress fracture into her spine. Like most victims of the disease, her first response was to pursue all the traditional treatments--surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. But the end result turned out to be just another hopeless prognosis: The disease was still present in her bone marrow. It seemed a matter of time before her 35 year old body would succumb. That's when Anne discovered the connection between cancer and nutrition. Carefully researching the medical basis of her discovery, she formulated a comprehensive nutritional battle plan. Within five weeks of implementing her plan, a balanced program of detoxification and diet, her cancer disappeared without a trace. She has been cancer-free ever since.
Anne had been given weeks to live, but she managed to add 10 full years to her life by radically changing her diet and pursuing alternative treatments. Their story can be found HERE in an excerpt of a book they co-wrote called Reclaim Your Health: Nutritional Strategies for Conquering Ailments (50 Success Stories from people who are fighting Allergies, Cardiovascular Disease, Depression, Yeast Infections, Multiple Sclerosis, AIDS, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Lupus, Cancer, Arthritis, Diabetes, and more). For awesome testimonies from people that have been helped through their ministry Health Quarters, click HERE.
If you'd like to read an interview with Anne, click HERE. If you're interested in the letter her husband wrote after her death, you can check it out HERE. We own their book Healthy Habits: 20 Simple Ways to Improve Your Health. I highly recommend it. You can even read an excerpt on Amazon.
There are many, many cancer survivors with stories similar to Anne's. We have friends who have either been completely healed of cancer or who have added years to their lives after eliminating processed foods and dramatically increasing their vegetables and fruits, usually in the form of juicing and smoothies. I'm reminded of June, the mother of a former student, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. We prayed and prayed, and she juiced every vegetable known to mankind. I've tried (to no avail) to find the last update her husband sent on her progress. Suffice it to say, she was CANCER-FREE at her last check-up. Completely miraculous, given her prognosis.
In her book Let's Get Well (copyright 1965), Adelle Davis writes, "Unfortunately, our national diet becomes progressively worse each year; and the number of cancer-producing substances in our foods and environment steadily increases. It seems to me, therefore, that every form of malignancy can be expected to become more numerous, though the incidence of this disease in the United States is now greater than in any nation throughout all history" (p. 385) At the same time, Davis also states, " . . . anyone who keeps his resistance consistently high can be relatively sure of not contracting cancer" (p. 385).
David Frahm is of the same opinion. He says that we all have cancer cells in our bodies. That's not the problem. The problem is that we ignorantly supress our immune systems when we need to build them so that we're able to stave off cancer and other preventable diseases. (Side note: Did you know that much of your immune system is found in your digestive tract? Did you also know that sugar depresses the immune system? Just search for "sugar immune system" and you'll get all kinds of great info.)
So, yes, nutrition plays a critical role in our health and well-being. Obviously, there is more to good health than good nutrition (water, fresh air, sunshine, exercise, physical touch, friends, healing emotional wounds, forgiveness, prayer, rest, and as my midwife says "trust in God.") Since some friends of mine and I recently had a little discussion about it, I'll also add that I stay away from chemical cleaners, which includes disinfectants and antibacterial products. As Ruth Yaron of Super Baby Food writes "their purpose is to kill living things."
Whew. That was quite a manifesto.
I received an e-mail today from an old friend (the one who dubbed me Her Royal Excitedness) and I was thinking as I headed to the compost bin with a million clementine peels (James and Judah ate 5 lbs of clementines in 4 days!) that I have always been Her Royal Excitedness. Always full of enthusiasm, passion, and zeal. Always eager to research, write, speak, teach . . . share. So, I don't expect that much will change in the next 33 years. I'll still be reading, writing, speaking, teaching, sharing . . . will all the fervor and energy that I have now.
Oh, and I also remembered that when I was diagnosed with the colitis problem that I wasn't willing to change my diet. I checked out books from the library trying to diagnose myself (I knew I was battling endometriosis and requested the laparoscopic surgery), when I came across The Yeast Connection. All of my symptoms matched, but again, I was absolutely unwilling to change how I ate. It wasn't until Judah started showing interest in what I was eating that things changed. That was only a little over three years ago. It all started with eliminating partially hydrogenated oils, which by the way, according to a scientist friend, "confuse the body." He suggested avoiding them at all costs. He also recommended eating more greens. So there you go.
If you want to start out small (like we did), read labels and get rid of everything that's partially hydrogenated. Then, increase your salad and/or green smoothie intake. Those two changes alone will make a world of difference.
If you've read this far, the Lord bless you. Good night.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
A letter from a former student
Friday night I braved the snow and attended the New Song Christian Academy talent showcase. You're probably wondering why on earth I would drive for 30 minutes in the year's worst weather to watch K-8th grade acts perform for nearly two hours. If this is what you're wondering, then you've obviously never been to a NSCA talent show.
Teaching at New Song blew me away in a lot of ways. For one, it gave me a much broader perspective on junior high kids. The experience completely sold me on homeschooling. I used to think that public school kids were normal and the homeschool kids must be socially inept. However, in my years at NSCA, I met student after student who shattered my paradigm. Never had I met more bright, creative, honoring, well-spoken, or well-behaved students--and junior high kids at that. They weren't mouthy or disrespectful or violent or mean. They were a dream to teach.
Then, I went to my first talent show. I was speechless. I cried. I laughed. I stood on my seat and cheered. Granted, I live in Nashville, so there are artists who send their kids to the academy (for example, Miley Cyrus a.k.a. Hannah Montana attended NSCA as did the daughter of Lee Ann Womak. The student I ran into is the son of Cheri Keaggy and the nephew of Phil Keaggy). One of my former students, Chase Benz, is in the movie Step Up 2 the Streets, which is currently still in the top ten at the box office. The last time I checked, it was #4. If you'd like to see a sample of Chase dancing, you can watch here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=9CYIOkXuUBE. I still remember his performance at NSCA. Oh.My.Gosh.
So on Friday, I ran into a former student who tried to convince me to take swing dancing lessons from him. I told him to e-mail me the details, and this is what I received in my inbox the next morning:
SUBJECT LINE: From Sir Cameron, Lord of Keaggy
E-MAIL MESSAGE:
Greetings Dearest Mrs. Todd,
First, let me begin by saying, "I quite enjoyed seeing you again at the talent show." (I apologize in advance for any grammatical or rhetorical errors in this message due to the hour at which I am composing this letter) I trust that the rest of the show was as superb as the little bit that I had the honor of watching. So many talent shows; so many memories; so much hair.
To follow through what we talked about, the following bit is all the info you will need in order to have the greatest dancing experience of all time:
What: Jump, Jive, and Swing are the grooviest things. There are dancing cats in fedora hats.
Where: Otter Creek Church off Franklin Road (yes it is a church of Christ, but they let us dance there anyway.
When: 1st and 3rd Saturday of every month.
Scheduled times: 7:00-7:45 (basic ballroom lessons)
7:45-8:30 (basic or intermediate swing dance lessons) 8:30-11:00 (open swing dance) - kinda like a buffet; all you can eat (or dance)
Cost: 6 dollars (all the money goes towards Youth With A Mission Ministries)
Why: because all the cool people do it. And did I mention its basically the best thing ever. You do know that swing dancing is what the angels are doing right now. We have to be ready.
So come on down to the grooviest place around. (Warning: I will not be there the next time due to a concert I am doing with my mother) But I'll let you know when the next one is. And if you are wondering, you can dress up if you want, or you can come in jeans if you want. I dress up because I love it. (Suit with suspenders with fedora hat) The coolest. Anyway, you guys need to come and I promise you both that you will have the time of your lives. Take it from anyone that I have invited. (Which does not really help you, cause you dont know any of those people) well, except the Hoertners. And they had a ball. So ya....please come.
Side Note: you can see a sample video I made of some swing stuff by going to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cDRxBAK5JU (Jump, Jive, & Wail or 1st Dance of 2008)
To give you a brief update, I will be graduating in three months and I CAN'T WAIT. Our spring musical is "My Fair Lady" and I have the part of Alfred P. Doolittle. (we dont have a date set for that yet, but I will let you know when I find out) I will be going to London the day after graduation for 10 days and then Scotland for 3 days. (that is our Senior trip) Both Colby and I will be attending Belmont University in the fall (I could not be more excited) Oh...and....I really Love to dance. This is a more recent thing. I have been Swing Dancing for a little over a year now, but I was a dance recital at TPAC in front of hundres, and I will be in a dance recital for my sister's school coming up. (May 9th) I'm still writing a lot (as you can obviously tell by my letter) I never know when to stop. If you could only know the Thesis Papers I have written in High School. I owe it all to you. You were the one that sparked my interest of writing. (Thank you so much)
As I close, I am reminded of what time it is and realize that I really should retire for the night....er...um....early early morning. (hee hee) Again, it was so glad to see you. Give my regards (wait....scratch those regards.......more like super duper craziness of happiest hugs and dancing fairytales) Fare Thee Well & Keep Watching.
Your old student and soon to be swing dance instructor,
Sir Cameron, Lord of Keaggy
http://www.youtube.com/user/NarrowGateStudios
************
If you're impressed with the e-mail, you should check out a few of his 69 videos on You Tube. I especially enjoyed "Jump, Jive, and Wail" and "Funniest Musical." I love the idea of high school boys not only writing well, but also loving to write, loving to dance, loving to create short films . . . loving to CREATE, period.
I look at these videos and think how amazing these kids are and how much time I wasted on being boy-crazy and dating and stupid, meaningless crap. I have some really great memories with friends, but most of my junior high and high school years were wasted on worrying about boys liking me or who I liked that week or who was breaking up with whom . . . as if any of it mattered.
I'm hoping my kids will follow in the footsteps of kids like Cameron who have FUN doing all sorts of crazy, hilarious, action-packed things with groups of friends. And here's the kicker--they're all Believers. Not just "I go to church" Believers, but "I know God" Believers. Believers who Believe. Believers who talk with God and walk with Jesus and respond to Holy Spirit and aren't tossed all over the place by the latest fads and trends and philosophies. They're solid. They're amazing.
I do have to admit that his comment about my sparking his interest in writing made me cry. It's one thing to help a student become a better craftsman and quite another to spark something they didn't even know existed. I remember well Cameron's first few essays.
This is what his thought process looked like: A paragraph generally consists of three sentences? You want a three paragraph essay? So I only have to write nine sentences? Score!
Yep. That was Cameron. Yet, what he wrote was always well-organized and succinct enough to convey the message. I loved it. I encouraged him (when I wasn't throwing markers at him--yes, I threw a marker at a student--and he won't let me forget it). He drove me absolutely nuts. Then, he made me unbelievably proud. Cameron, you're one of my heroes. You and Colby are going to be wildly successful. In my eyes, you already are.
Cameron's movie recommendations:
Dan in Real Life
No Country for Old Men
I told him I had only seen a few movies in the past year or so, and we both agreed that Amazing Grace was excellent, even if there were a few historical inaccuracies (that I didn't catch but he did).
A few movie recommendations from me:
The Princess Bride
Dead Poets Society
Good Will Hunting
Life is Beautiful
To End All Wars
Teaching at New Song blew me away in a lot of ways. For one, it gave me a much broader perspective on junior high kids. The experience completely sold me on homeschooling. I used to think that public school kids were normal and the homeschool kids must be socially inept. However, in my years at NSCA, I met student after student who shattered my paradigm. Never had I met more bright, creative, honoring, well-spoken, or well-behaved students--and junior high kids at that. They weren't mouthy or disrespectful or violent or mean. They were a dream to teach.
Then, I went to my first talent show. I was speechless. I cried. I laughed. I stood on my seat and cheered. Granted, I live in Nashville, so there are artists who send their kids to the academy (for example, Miley Cyrus a.k.a. Hannah Montana attended NSCA as did the daughter of Lee Ann Womak. The student I ran into is the son of Cheri Keaggy and the nephew of Phil Keaggy). One of my former students, Chase Benz, is in the movie Step Up 2 the Streets, which is currently still in the top ten at the box office. The last time I checked, it was #4. If you'd like to see a sample of Chase dancing, you can watch here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=9CYIOkXuUBE. I still remember his performance at NSCA. Oh.My.Gosh.
So on Friday, I ran into a former student who tried to convince me to take swing dancing lessons from him. I told him to e-mail me the details, and this is what I received in my inbox the next morning:
SUBJECT LINE: From Sir Cameron, Lord of Keaggy
E-MAIL MESSAGE:
Greetings Dearest Mrs. Todd,
First, let me begin by saying, "I quite enjoyed seeing you again at the talent show." (I apologize in advance for any grammatical or rhetorical errors in this message due to the hour at which I am composing this letter) I trust that the rest of the show was as superb as the little bit that I had the honor of watching. So many talent shows; so many memories; so much hair.
To follow through what we talked about, the following bit is all the info you will need in order to have the greatest dancing experience of all time:
What: Jump, Jive, and Swing are the grooviest things. There are dancing cats in fedora hats.
Where: Otter Creek Church off Franklin Road (yes it is a church of Christ, but they let us dance there anyway.
When: 1st and 3rd Saturday of every month.
Scheduled times: 7:00-7:45 (basic ballroom lessons)
7:45-8:30 (basic or intermediate swing dance lessons) 8:30-11:00 (open swing dance) - kinda like a buffet; all you can eat (or dance)
Cost: 6 dollars (all the money goes towards Youth With A Mission Ministries)
Why: because all the cool people do it. And did I mention its basically the best thing ever. You do know that swing dancing is what the angels are doing right now. We have to be ready.
So come on down to the grooviest place around. (Warning: I will not be there the next time due to a concert I am doing with my mother) But I'll let you know when the next one is. And if you are wondering, you can dress up if you want, or you can come in jeans if you want. I dress up because I love it. (Suit with suspenders with fedora hat) The coolest. Anyway, you guys need to come and I promise you both that you will have the time of your lives. Take it from anyone that I have invited. (Which does not really help you, cause you dont know any of those people) well, except the Hoertners. And they had a ball. So ya....please come.
Side Note: you can see a sample video I made of some swing stuff by going to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cDRxBAK5JU (Jump, Jive, & Wail or 1st Dance of 2008)
To give you a brief update, I will be graduating in three months and I CAN'T WAIT. Our spring musical is "My Fair Lady" and I have the part of Alfred P. Doolittle. (we dont have a date set for that yet, but I will let you know when I find out) I will be going to London the day after graduation for 10 days and then Scotland for 3 days. (that is our Senior trip) Both Colby and I will be attending Belmont University in the fall (I could not be more excited) Oh...and....I really Love to dance. This is a more recent thing. I have been Swing Dancing for a little over a year now, but I was a dance recital at TPAC in front of hundres, and I will be in a dance recital for my sister's school coming up. (May 9th) I'm still writing a lot (as you can obviously tell by my letter) I never know when to stop. If you could only know the Thesis Papers I have written in High School. I owe it all to you. You were the one that sparked my interest of writing. (Thank you so much)
As I close, I am reminded of what time it is and realize that I really should retire for the night....er...um....early early morning. (hee hee) Again, it was so glad to see you. Give my regards (wait....scratch those regards.......more like super duper craziness of happiest hugs and dancing fairytales) Fare Thee Well & Keep Watching.
Your old student and soon to be swing dance instructor,
Sir Cameron, Lord of Keaggy
http://www.youtube.com/user/NarrowGateStudios
************
If you're impressed with the e-mail, you should check out a few of his 69 videos on You Tube. I especially enjoyed "Jump, Jive, and Wail" and "Funniest Musical." I love the idea of high school boys not only writing well, but also loving to write, loving to dance, loving to create short films . . . loving to CREATE, period.
I look at these videos and think how amazing these kids are and how much time I wasted on being boy-crazy and dating and stupid, meaningless crap. I have some really great memories with friends, but most of my junior high and high school years were wasted on worrying about boys liking me or who I liked that week or who was breaking up with whom . . . as if any of it mattered.
I'm hoping my kids will follow in the footsteps of kids like Cameron who have FUN doing all sorts of crazy, hilarious, action-packed things with groups of friends. And here's the kicker--they're all Believers. Not just "I go to church" Believers, but "I know God" Believers. Believers who Believe. Believers who talk with God and walk with Jesus and respond to Holy Spirit and aren't tossed all over the place by the latest fads and trends and philosophies. They're solid. They're amazing.
I do have to admit that his comment about my sparking his interest in writing made me cry. It's one thing to help a student become a better craftsman and quite another to spark something they didn't even know existed. I remember well Cameron's first few essays.
This is what his thought process looked like: A paragraph generally consists of three sentences? You want a three paragraph essay? So I only have to write nine sentences? Score!
Yep. That was Cameron. Yet, what he wrote was always well-organized and succinct enough to convey the message. I loved it. I encouraged him (when I wasn't throwing markers at him--yes, I threw a marker at a student--and he won't let me forget it). He drove me absolutely nuts. Then, he made me unbelievably proud. Cameron, you're one of my heroes. You and Colby are going to be wildly successful. In my eyes, you already are.
Cameron's movie recommendations:
Dan in Real Life
No Country for Old Men
I told him I had only seen a few movies in the past year or so, and we both agreed that Amazing Grace was excellent, even if there were a few historical inaccuracies (that I didn't catch but he did).
A few movie recommendations from me:
The Princess Bride
Dead Poets Society
Good Will Hunting
Life is Beautiful
To End All Wars
More Food Talk
Since joining the Green Smoothie Challenge, I've really slacked off in drinking my green smoothies (James and Judah didn't go shopping last Saturday--something about a boy turning four). However, I guzzled down two this morning and I always wonder why on earth I haven't been drinking them every day. I guess it's a little difficult to make them without the ingredients!
Miriam loves them as much as I do, and I love that she's drinking "juice" with all the nutrients and fiber and enzymes in tact (unlike pasteurized juices that kill all the good stuff and leave you with little more than flavored sugar water).
Through the Green Smoothie Challenge, I've discovered a website that I spent some time checking out this morning: http://www.greensmoothiegirl.com/index.html. I think Green Smoothie Girl does a great job of compiling research from various sources about nutrition. She gives some excellent suggestions for helping people move toward eating "whole foods" and avoiding all the processed, refined, denatured, nutrionally-void, high fructose corn syrup-laden, partially hydrogenated oil-filled, chemically-charged, MSG-added, artificially flavored and sweetened and colored food imposters.
If you're at all interested in how we could be so blindly addicted to food products during the information age, check out this great little interview by Peter Jennings: http://happyfoody.com/?s=peter+jennings
Reading blogs and websites and books written by people who are passionate about food and health always helps to inspire and challenge me. I tend to focus on all the stuff I'd like to change about our eating habits (and all the processed stuff I'd like to eliminate) rather than celebrate the huge changes we've made gradually that have reaped dramatic benefits.
Benefit number one: The kids have never been on antibiotics, nor have they ever been to the doctor because they've been sick.
Benefit number two: I haven't taken any prescription medicine in over eight years.
Benefit number three: We haven't been to a hospital except to visit other people (aside from when I gave birth to Judah) in over eight years.
By 1999, the year I got married, I was diagnosed with clinical depression (and prescribed anti-depressants), underwent laporoscopic surgery for endometriosis (and prescribed pain medication), underwent a colonoscopy for colitis (and prescribed anti-diarrheal medicine).
The fact that we are healthy--that my children are healthy--is HUGE to me. I know what it's like to spend countless hours in hospitals or lying in bed writing in pain. I remember not having the energy to make it up a flight of stairs or the brainpower to hold a part-time job. I'm not willing to go back down that road.
I know from experience that the keys to health have everything to do with lifestyle choices that either lead us down paths of destruction or paths of rejuvenation. Our bodies are amazing. And we only get one. Every day, I try to make concious choices regarding what I put in and on and around mine. I also think a lot about how much I move, how much rest I'm getting, how stressed I am . . . all things that contribute to my overall health and well-being.
A few hours after I wrote this, I thought, "Man, people probably think I'm the juice Nazi." If I lived out everything I believe 100%, I don't think I'd drink pasteurized juice. However, I LOVE a good fruit tea (so much that I have to limit myself to having it no more than once or twice a week) and my kids drink juice if we're out. Mostly we drink hot herbal tea in the mornings, followed by my favorite green smoothie, then it's usually water for the rest of the day. So there's my little disclaimer. :0)
Ultimately, I want to be as those who " . . . wait upon the LORD [and] shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint" Isaiah 40:31.
Miriam loves them as much as I do, and I love that she's drinking "juice" with all the nutrients and fiber and enzymes in tact (unlike pasteurized juices that kill all the good stuff and leave you with little more than flavored sugar water).
Through the Green Smoothie Challenge, I've discovered a website that I spent some time checking out this morning: http://www.greensmoothiegirl.com/index.html. I think Green Smoothie Girl does a great job of compiling research from various sources about nutrition. She gives some excellent suggestions for helping people move toward eating "whole foods" and avoiding all the processed, refined, denatured, nutrionally-void, high fructose corn syrup-laden, partially hydrogenated oil-filled, chemically-charged, MSG-added, artificially flavored and sweetened and colored food imposters.
If you're at all interested in how we could be so blindly addicted to food products during the information age, check out this great little interview by Peter Jennings: http://happyfoody.com/?s=peter+jennings
Reading blogs and websites and books written by people who are passionate about food and health always helps to inspire and challenge me. I tend to focus on all the stuff I'd like to change about our eating habits (and all the processed stuff I'd like to eliminate) rather than celebrate the huge changes we've made gradually that have reaped dramatic benefits.
Benefit number one: The kids have never been on antibiotics, nor have they ever been to the doctor because they've been sick.
Benefit number two: I haven't taken any prescription medicine in over eight years.
Benefit number three: We haven't been to a hospital except to visit other people (aside from when I gave birth to Judah) in over eight years.
By 1999, the year I got married, I was diagnosed with clinical depression (and prescribed anti-depressants), underwent laporoscopic surgery for endometriosis (and prescribed pain medication), underwent a colonoscopy for colitis (and prescribed anti-diarrheal medicine).
The fact that we are healthy--that my children are healthy--is HUGE to me. I know what it's like to spend countless hours in hospitals or lying in bed writing in pain. I remember not having the energy to make it up a flight of stairs or the brainpower to hold a part-time job. I'm not willing to go back down that road.
I know from experience that the keys to health have everything to do with lifestyle choices that either lead us down paths of destruction or paths of rejuvenation. Our bodies are amazing. And we only get one. Every day, I try to make concious choices regarding what I put in and on and around mine. I also think a lot about how much I move, how much rest I'm getting, how stressed I am . . . all things that contribute to my overall health and well-being.
A few hours after I wrote this, I thought, "Man, people probably think I'm the juice Nazi." If I lived out everything I believe 100%, I don't think I'd drink pasteurized juice. However, I LOVE a good fruit tea (so much that I have to limit myself to having it no more than once or twice a week) and my kids drink juice if we're out. Mostly we drink hot herbal tea in the mornings, followed by my favorite green smoothie, then it's usually water for the rest of the day. So there's my little disclaimer. :0)
Ultimately, I want to be as those who " . . . wait upon the LORD [and] shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint" Isaiah 40:31.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
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