My sweet friend decided to do a fast. A non-spiritual one. I thought I'd join her. It was a moment of sheer madness, but what the heck? Maybe I'd lose these last 100 pounds left over from Zane and feel better in the process.
Do you want to know how many times I've wanted to inflict bodily pain on my friend since the start of this fast? Several.
It's not her fault, really. It's my fault for doing it. It's pretty rough-no wheat, no meat and no dairy. I did cheat and sneak off to Whole Foods for some rice cheese and almond milk, plus some super yummy veggie protein links. (Think vegetarian sausage.) And it honestly hasn't been all bad. The tree hugger in me kind of likes not eating animals. Oh, well, you can have fish, so I haven't been a complete vegetarian. I had salmon once.
Anyway, as my week progressed from it's difficult start, it really didn't get any easier, but Christ did such a work in me through the difficulty, and my attitude just got more focused on HIM. Thank you, Lord, again. And I've realized how much I do use food as a comfort. And let me tell you, using broccoli as a comfort food just doesn't work the same way as chocolate does. It was nice to see that as I removed temporal comforts from my world, I replaced Christ with them. I think you call that a win/win situation.
And I have cheated a time or two, which I'm totally okay with. I've not cheated in some really tempting situations, so I felt it all evened out.
Until last night. As I was digging through the freezer, looking for my sweet potato fries (which probably aren't technically legal, but I really didn't care) I saw IT, snuggled in between some organic strawberries and some frozen northern beans, both of which I am allowed to have. There IT was - one lonely Haggen Daas chocolate - covered - vanilla - ice cream - rolled in chopped almonds - pure bliss. I accidentally bought an enormous box of them at Costco not too long ago, and although the kids and I shared them, I ate way too many of them. (And I wonder where these 100 pounds have come from?) Anyway, I learned my lesson about buying frozen ice cream treats in bulk.
But, one single, solitary ice cream bar got left behind, some how, some way. Had I known that it was there, I would have eaten it long ago. I spotted it as I was warming up my quinoa pasta with rice cheese bake, (don't drool on your keyboard, please...) and it was all I could do not to rip that paper off and devour it right then and there. I will admit, now that I can't eat junk, part of me doesn't miss it and part of me would kill to have an enormous load of Krystal Chicks. I did pause, in the middle of my kitchen, and ponder whether or not I should eat it. I do get points for actually debating it, right?
I'm not gonna lie. I fed the kids, (normal non quinoa pasta food) threw them in the bath, tossed them in pj's, hurriedly brushed their teeth and not so tenderly tucked them into bed. I then fairly flew down the stairs, ripped open that freezer door and dove into the ice cream bar like a monkey on a cup cake.
And it was the best thing I've ever eaten.
*sigh*
SO worth it.
And I'm good today, going back to the other way of eating. Except tonight is Secret Church, and the same friend and I, at the last Secret Church, ate M&M's during the breaks to stay awake. I mean not that the subject matter wasn't engaging enough or enthralling enough for us to stay awake or anything *ahem* but after sitting in one place for 4 hours, and it sneaking up on my bed time, you do need some extra help to stay focused. And heaven forbid you drink coffee, because if you can make it to the bathroom break, picture approximately 1,500 ladies all trying to use the same restrooms. My friend and I found the two year old rest rooms, and giggled every time we used those cute facilities that are about 6 inches off the ground.
Good grief. I have digressed a bit. Actually I have now forgotten the whole purpose of this post. Maybe it was to point out that animal protein is what keeps me sane.
Do you want to know how many times I've wanted to inflict bodily pain on my friend since the start of this fast? Several.
It's not her fault, really. It's my fault for doing it. It's pretty rough-no wheat, no meat and no dairy. I did cheat and sneak off to Whole Foods for some rice cheese and almond milk, plus some super yummy veggie protein links. (Think vegetarian sausage.) And it honestly hasn't been all bad. The tree hugger in me kind of likes not eating animals. Oh, well, you can have fish, so I haven't been a complete vegetarian. I had salmon once.
Anyway, as my week progressed from it's difficult start, it really didn't get any easier, but Christ did such a work in me through the difficulty, and my attitude just got more focused on HIM. Thank you, Lord, again. And I've realized how much I do use food as a comfort. And let me tell you, using broccoli as a comfort food just doesn't work the same way as chocolate does. It was nice to see that as I removed temporal comforts from my world, I replaced Christ with them. I think you call that a win/win situation.
And I have cheated a time or two, which I'm totally okay with. I've not cheated in some really tempting situations, so I felt it all evened out.
Until last night. As I was digging through the freezer, looking for my sweet potato fries (which probably aren't technically legal, but I really didn't care) I saw IT, snuggled in between some organic strawberries and some frozen northern beans, both of which I am allowed to have. There IT was - one lonely Haggen Daas chocolate - covered - vanilla - ice cream - rolled in chopped almonds - pure bliss. I accidentally bought an enormous box of them at Costco not too long ago, and although the kids and I shared them, I ate way too many of them. (And I wonder where these 100 pounds have come from?) Anyway, I learned my lesson about buying frozen ice cream treats in bulk.
But, one single, solitary ice cream bar got left behind, some how, some way. Had I known that it was there, I would have eaten it long ago. I spotted it as I was warming up my quinoa pasta with rice cheese bake, (don't drool on your keyboard, please...) and it was all I could do not to rip that paper off and devour it right then and there. I will admit, now that I can't eat junk, part of me doesn't miss it and part of me would kill to have an enormous load of Krystal Chicks. I did pause, in the middle of my kitchen, and ponder whether or not I should eat it. I do get points for actually debating it, right?
I'm not gonna lie. I fed the kids, (normal non quinoa pasta food) threw them in the bath, tossed them in pj's, hurriedly brushed their teeth and not so tenderly tucked them into bed. I then fairly flew down the stairs, ripped open that freezer door and dove into the ice cream bar like a monkey on a cup cake.
And it was the best thing I've ever eaten.
*sigh*
SO worth it.
And I'm good today, going back to the other way of eating. Except tonight is Secret Church, and the same friend and I, at the last Secret Church, ate M&M's during the breaks to stay awake. I mean not that the subject matter wasn't engaging enough or enthralling enough for us to stay awake or anything *ahem* but after sitting in one place for 4 hours, and it sneaking up on my bed time, you do need some extra help to stay focused. And heaven forbid you drink coffee, because if you can make it to the bathroom break, picture approximately 1,500 ladies all trying to use the same restrooms. My friend and I found the two year old rest rooms, and giggled every time we used those cute facilities that are about 6 inches off the ground.
Good grief. I have digressed a bit. Actually I have now forgotten the whole purpose of this post. Maybe it was to point out that animal protein is what keeps me sane.
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