Fasting for Compassion

It doesn't take long to figure out that the world is seemingly spinning out of control; natural disasters, gas prices, a weak U.S. dollar, the political arena, etc. One of the problems is the global food crisis that is greatly affecting all of the third-world nations.

If living off of $2 a day seems unthinkable, try $1 (which is what most of our global brothers and sisters live off of now). You may have noticed that the price of rice, beans, and other grains has surprisingly increased at your local supermarket. This affects millions of people at the most basic level: survival.

I am so grateful for organizations such as Compassion International and World Vision and their donors who are able to help offset the deficit of need for children all over the planet. Unfortunately, many Compassion children are able to receive their only meal nowadays at the centers they attend (sponsored by Compassion).

On Wednesday, June 25th, join with me in prayer and fasting for Compassion and the global food crisis. While Christ is our ultimate need, I pray that God will bring relief to suffering families and provide unexpected blessings along the way.

Another great video to truly see what millions are facing....

"Locavore"

The past few weeks of late spring have been filled with reading. I've been reading "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life" by Barbara Kingsolver and it's inspiring. I highly recommend this book. It's inspiring me to "think globally, act locally" especially as it relates to food in my life. How is this coming about? In very small steps, until before you know it, your entire surroundings have been changed.

Our surroundings have changed recently by growing herbs (basil, cilantro, garlic chives, and oregano) and just a few days ago a tomato plant. Not having any dedicated green space of our own to grow things bothers me, but it's forcing us to get creative in the process. Our balcony is where we're growing everything and its space is limited. We've decided to grow our tomatoes upside-down. I really hope it works! There are kits available or you can create your own (what we did). Anyways, with rising gas prices that affect every little thing, vegetable gardens are making a big comeback. It's one way to help lower your overall cost of food by growing it yourself. I think my husband's heard me say one too many times, "When we have land, I can't wait to grow _______."

Since it's painfully obvious that we won't be yielding much to feast upon, we're now setting our sights on local farmers and producers. In Kingsolver's book, she makes some great observations about the importance of where our food comes from and how it affects the global economy as a whole. I have to confess my ignorance about my foods' origins. Some of my produce needs a passport to get to my kitchen. The ramifications of that reflect in various ways: petrol use to cart the produce, human labor, freshness, flavor, and overall quality. That's why buying local matters. It allows farmers to continue their livelihood, keeps money in your county or state, saves overall petrol use, and better yet the food tastes more flavorful! You may have not realized this, but any type of produce is more nutritionally sound the fresher it is. According to the FDA, fresh produce will lose half or more of some of its vitamins within one to two weeks. In this case, time is health. Let's not waste it.

Like most people, money and budgeting for food is a priority in our household. Thankfully, I have not noticed a major difference in comparing what we would have paid for produce from our grocer versus from our local farmers market. And to be honest, a few extra quarters from my changepurse in exchange for supporting a local neighbor doesn't bother me in the least.

I could really go on and on about this topic, but I'll spare you the details and give you some links to peruse instead (as if I hadn't already given enough). I strongly encourage you to dig in and see what becoming a locavore is all about!

http://www.localharvest.org/
http://www.slowfoodusa.org/
http://www.sustainabletable.org/
http://www.foodroutes.org/

Confessions of a Food Junkie, Part 3

Okay, as my quirky English professor joked, "The Father is in."


A couple of weeks ago I revealed my new fitness plan of going to Bootcamp at 5:30 am every M, W, F. Well, here's the confession: I went. Two whole times. wince. Here's my story and I'm sticking to it: it was the pace of bootcamp, not the actual physical activity that did me in.


Here's the upside though: my husband and I have been running after work together on those days instead. It equals out to about 2 miles round trip per run. I feel for drivers and passengers who have the bad fortune of watching me run alongside the road. I don't have a pretty running face...it's usually flushed and sweaty with furrowed brows. And I'm sure my legs look like how I feel, full of lead. Anyways, in addition to that we've started playing tennis and swimming too. I've never really been a fan of summer before, especially now being a part of the nation's workforce (bye bye beloved summer break), but summer's growing on me. It gets darn hot and humid where we live, and it's going to reach 100 today I hear.


More (good) confessions: I've been eating so well guys! I told my husband I've become a fruit addict, though not a fruitatarian (and yes they do exist!). My lunches have a ziploc baggie full of strawberries, grapes, or a banana most days. And I've even gotten into the habit of eating some crunchy carrots for a snack. Consequently, my diet has gotten a major boost of fiber because of this. I can't believe that my diet was so severely lacking before! Now, I can't imagine not eating a couple of servings of fruit or vegetables every day. I've also had fun concocting fruit smoothies as desserts.


My encouragement to anyone struggling in fitness or nutrition areas as I do is to take it in small steps. At first the running was a chore and I had to force myself to eat some fruit, simply because I knew I needed to. But now, I practically can't get enough of either. And while I do ultimately want to thin down just a couple of pounds, I already have a more positive self-image knowing that I'm eating healthily and exercising on a regular basis. I feel better and lighter somehow too.


I have a rabid sweet tooth, but surprisingly the fruit really satisfies any cravings I have. And yes, I still eat ice cream occasionally and other goodies, but definitely not like I used to. My habit of eating dessert every night has also faded. Since chocolate is my absolute favorite thing, I enjoy it now via chocolate soymilk. It really tastes decadent when you've desensitized your tastebuds to the real thing. That theory also holds true for me regarding other desserts.


Okay, so here's my little list of yummy snacks that have helped me stay on target:
Kashi GoLean Crunch cereal
100 calorie pudding cups (chocolate!)
carrot sticks
bananas
strawberries (I go through a quart a week)
grapes
bottled water with those flavored to-go mixes
sweet & salty nut bars like Nature's Valley
chocolate soymilk
trail mix (make sure you measure the serving size before gobbling down)


On a fitness note, if you're geeky and visually-minded, I use a very simple (and free) activity tracker just to show me what I've accomplished. I'm working on the "Active Lifestyle" program in which the goal is at least 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week. Still not perfect, but 3 days is better than nothing.

Have a great weekend!

Psalm 84:6

This morning while reading through Psalms, I came across a beautiful verse:

“When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs, where pools of blessing collect after the rains!” Psalm 84:6 (NLT)

It's an easy verse to casually glimpse over and on to the next. But the Spirit encouraged me to take pause and let it steep.

The Valley of Weeping is actually called Baca in Hebrew. I looked up Baca in Holman's Illustrated Bible Dictionary (highly recommended) and here is its entry:

• Baca: (bay' cuh) Place name meaning, “Balsam tree” or “weeping.” A valley in Psalm 84:6 which reflects a poetic play on words describing a person forced to go through a time of weeping who found God turned tears into a well, providing water.

What beauty is in that! God's sovereignty over our lives can take our mangled pieces of sorrow and tragedy and use them to provide blessings for us afterwards! It is hard to imagine how the death of a child or spouse, or even a dream could eventually provide us with a blessing somehow. But God is in the business of turning junk into treasure. Think about it, the entire theme of the Bible could be described as redemption.

I hope that if you're going through something unbearable right now, you'll be able to cling to this verse and have hope in the blessings ahead. God is with you!

D.C. or bust

On Friday, my husband and I will be travelling to the D.C. area for a wedding and the holiday weekend. Both of us have been a couple of times, but I'm curious to hear about any places you especially enjoyed while there....

Touristy things are fine and so are offbeat ones.

The cheaper the better.

I am looking forward to being in our nation's capital on Memorial Day! Hopefully I'll post some pictures.

Just trust me, okay?

I receive calls from pharmacies, home health agencies, etc. to obtain additional information on physicians that they're lacking in their system. This is a typical conversation I have on the phone about twice a day at work. Some people really grate on my nerves....

::phone rings::

Me: "Adult Medicine, this is Megan."

Caller: "This is Bob from Kerr Drugs. I need the DEA number on Dr. Hill."

Me: "We do not have a doctor by that name here."

Caller: The doctor's name is (full name) Hill."

Me: "We do not have a doctor by that name here." (How many times must you ask??? Would I lie to you?)

Caller: ::agitated sigh:: "Well, the prescription came from DHP Pediatrics signed by Dr. Hill."

Me: "This is Adult Medicine, let me transfer you to Pediatrics."

Caller: ::silence::


Word to the wise: please listen before you speak and get an attitude with someone who is attempting to help you. You look like a monkey and smell like one too.

exhausted

I survived Day 1 of Boot Camp. Barely.