Jesus called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”
John 21, 5
Dear family in Jesus Christ!
I used to tease my husband in attempts to justify serving a fish dish that Jesus didn't conquer death and said "Haven't you any cheese burgers?". But actually he might have, if his disciples had worked on a farm or at a restaurant. But they happened to be fishers. A physically and mentally extremely demanding occupation.
First conclusion: There is something fishy with the idea that fish is not a power food for hard working men!
Since fish is loaded with protein it is a must in a balanced protein diet. Protein is needed by our cells to maintain and repair themselves. After physical exertion a serving of protein is simply a must. (How do you keep a fish from smelling? Cut off his nose!)
Second conclusion: It is very SMART to eat fish at least 2-3x per week!
Fish comes with the essential fatty acid Omega-3, needed to aid in, for instance, brain function. The amounts vary, but the important point is that the most qualitative Omega-3s are found in fish. Omega-3s support our health and are even thought to prevent Alzheimer's and Dementia! (Why are fish so smart? Because they spent their lives in schools!)
Third conclusion: It is an all together happy occasion to eat fish!
Studies have proven that cultures that are higher in fish and fish oil consumption have lower levels of depression. In our culture it is believed that we consume Omega-3s and Omega-6s, as found in Oils or meat, in an unhealthy balance. Guess what we ingest more often? Omega-6s are also necessary to a healthy diet, but the dose makes the poison. Adding various fish to our diet and taking a quality fish oil can be a great idea (ask your nutrition specialist). Mercury toxicity is a real threat in our time. I'd stay away from canned tuna and stick to the "wild-caught" version. If you are hooked: Here a guide to making good fish choices:
http://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/Food/Fish/HealthyFishGuide.aspx
What does all that have to do with the Tropical Schnitzel Fish? That is my new recipe creation for fish.
You will need:
- Organic Coconut Oil
- Organic Coconut Flour (found in the natural section of Coborns)
- Fish (Really, I believe this is great with all kinds of fish (salmon, tilapia, pollock, cod, etc.), though maybe not canned tuna)
Put some coconut flour in a bigger bowl and toss your wet fish in there. Heat up coconut oil in a pan (with a lid preferably, due to fat splashing). Fry fish in pan until brown and crispy. I make it sound so easy, but you will have to experiment with heat to avoid burning little fishy. Serve with steamed veggies and/or sprouted quinoa and Voila!
As always I release you back into your day, praying that you got inspired to continuously walk towards becoming a better stewart of your body!
Be blessed eFISHiently!
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Sunday, September 8, 2013
The Language of Love: A Home Cooked Meal
Like cold water to a thirsty soul,
so is good news coming from a far country.
Proverbs 25, 25
Dear family in Jesus!
Coming home last night I found a parcel addressed to me waiting in front of our door!
The feeling of waiting to open parcels from Germany is maybe best compared to a child waking on Christmas morning. Not sure what's inside the box, but it will be great!
The feeling of waiting to open parcels from Germany is maybe best compared to a child waking on Christmas morning. Not sure what's inside the box, but it will be great!
My Mom sent me, enveloped in 2 pounds of German chocolate, a binder of recipes of her mother, my Grandmother, she had long been meaning to put together. Filled with photographs of her and Grandpa, of us and the cousins, uncles and aunts. I am very grateful for the loving and encouraging influence my Grandparents had on my life. I can only desire to gain the ability to see someone in the best light at all times, open my house, heart, and kitchen to extend hospitality and comfort like they were able to.
This collection of Grandma's recipes reminds the remaining family of the God-given gift that she so willingly embraced to share with us. She would spent hours and days in the kitchen, preparing the most pleasing and taste buds exciting meals only to see her family be connected by the enjoyment and appreciation of her work. And it did work. She was the glue that held a family together. Her birthday celebration in July and Christmas gathering in December were given dates on all of our calendars. Without her we find ourselves in the process of developing a new family culture to keep the extended family connected, which proves to be challenging with members moving to all sorts of the world's continents or corners of the home country.
Since I picked up working in schools I got painfully aware that one thing I always took for granted is not a given in this country; Leaving school at 1:30pm to go home and have a home cooked meal with your mother. In a country where school ends around 4pm or later a child might even go through weeks at a time without ever having seen its parents bustle about in the kitchen or being asked to help with chopping vegetables or washing dishes.
Why do I think that there is something wrong with that?
1) I wish everybody got to experience the joy of someone cooking for THEM daily. Not trying to please the taste of the masses, but with them in mind while preparing the food. That truly is a language of love spoken in unmistakable words.
2) I honestly don't see a redemptive value in a fast food culture. Food is everything but fast. It takes time to grow. It takes effort to harvest. It takes patience to prepare. Once consumed it either supports the body's needs and functions or it causes damage. To prepare it in minutes and chomp it down in seconds is out of sync with the nature of food and the creator of it.
3) Thinking "I don't have time to cook a healthy meal" is like thinking you don't have time to go to work. If working provides you with the means to live a good life, then cooking a healthy meal provides you with the nutrients to sustain you to live that good life.
4) I expect my meals to keep me feeling good and nourished in the long run. Sure I'll have desert or a serving of junk food on very rare occasions. But my mindset dictates my day to day choices and with that created a lifestyle that I am not easily willing to see compromised. If that means I'm preparing a meal to take to school the next day at midnight, I'll do that.
Are you content with the status quo when it comes to the food culture in the Western World? How do we raise the bar?
We can't expect that the school/work cafeteria can provide the quality of food we need. If putting together a "to go care package" is not going to happen, let's find the time to prepare a home cooked meal for dinner, rather than warming up processed freezer food. We have virtually endless resources of healthy meal ideas and how to cook within our reach online. It might take some time to getting our recipients taste buds and the way we cook a healthy meal in sync (I've been there, it's a journey worth taking!), but like every relationship takes work and time so it is with the chef and the eater.
Dear family in Jesus, I pray that you are inspired to rearrange your priorities if necessary so you rediscover the joy of choosing ingredients, preparing and enjoying your own home cooked meal and reap the blessings that come from that!
Be blessed abundantly!
This collection of Grandma's recipes reminds the remaining family of the God-given gift that she so willingly embraced to share with us. She would spent hours and days in the kitchen, preparing the most pleasing and taste buds exciting meals only to see her family be connected by the enjoyment and appreciation of her work. And it did work. She was the glue that held a family together. Her birthday celebration in July and Christmas gathering in December were given dates on all of our calendars. Without her we find ourselves in the process of developing a new family culture to keep the extended family connected, which proves to be challenging with members moving to all sorts of the world's continents or corners of the home country.
Since I picked up working in schools I got painfully aware that one thing I always took for granted is not a given in this country; Leaving school at 1:30pm to go home and have a home cooked meal with your mother. In a country where school ends around 4pm or later a child might even go through weeks at a time without ever having seen its parents bustle about in the kitchen or being asked to help with chopping vegetables or washing dishes.
Why do I think that there is something wrong with that?
1) I wish everybody got to experience the joy of someone cooking for THEM daily. Not trying to please the taste of the masses, but with them in mind while preparing the food. That truly is a language of love spoken in unmistakable words.
2) I honestly don't see a redemptive value in a fast food culture. Food is everything but fast. It takes time to grow. It takes effort to harvest. It takes patience to prepare. Once consumed it either supports the body's needs and functions or it causes damage. To prepare it in minutes and chomp it down in seconds is out of sync with the nature of food and the creator of it.
3) Thinking "I don't have time to cook a healthy meal" is like thinking you don't have time to go to work. If working provides you with the means to live a good life, then cooking a healthy meal provides you with the nutrients to sustain you to live that good life.
4) I expect my meals to keep me feeling good and nourished in the long run. Sure I'll have desert or a serving of junk food on very rare occasions. But my mindset dictates my day to day choices and with that created a lifestyle that I am not easily willing to see compromised. If that means I'm preparing a meal to take to school the next day at midnight, I'll do that.
Are you content with the status quo when it comes to the food culture in the Western World? How do we raise the bar?
We can't expect that the school/work cafeteria can provide the quality of food we need. If putting together a "to go care package" is not going to happen, let's find the time to prepare a home cooked meal for dinner, rather than warming up processed freezer food. We have virtually endless resources of healthy meal ideas and how to cook within our reach online. It might take some time to getting our recipients taste buds and the way we cook a healthy meal in sync (I've been there, it's a journey worth taking!), but like every relationship takes work and time so it is with the chef and the eater.
Dear family in Jesus, I pray that you are inspired to rearrange your priorities if necessary so you rediscover the joy of choosing ingredients, preparing and enjoying your own home cooked meal and reap the blessings that come from that!
Be blessed abundantly!
Monday, August 26, 2013
Wholly Holy!
"The opposite of holy is not dirty. It is common."
Dear family in the Lord!
Today I welcome you with a quote someone shared with me. As children of God we are called to be holy, but what does holy mean in a practical sense? Let's look at it together!
Last weekend our team went to a suburb of Chicago to have a conference with other Christians. The conference itself exceeded all expectations by far, but the day after turned out less desirable.
A friend that had a major part in the day of the conference, was supposed to do the same at a different event next day. Unfortunately she had been having symptoms during the weeks prior to our trip, so that she decided to see the a medical doctor twice, in order to get healed. After her second visit she was prescribed antibiotics that she started taking the day of our important conference. During the night after the amazing conference, she started to throw up and ran a very high fewer. We were all sure that it was a reaction to the antibiotics. We decided to make sure she drank water and kept her in bed with cold wraps on her head.
However, the people we stayed with made it clear to us that they thought it was irresponsible to not have her brought to a hospital with a temp of 102.5. So we left it up to our friend to choose to go to the ER or not. Needless to say that we had a lot of prayer support during the whole time. She, exhausted and in terrible pain, desired relief and chose to go to the ER. By the time we got her to the ER her fever had dropped by 2 degrees.
After her first examination she was declared "not in immediate need of attention" so we sat with the suffering little impersonation of her for over two hours in the waiting room. When she was designated a room her fever had dropped another degree. She was still in excruciating pain. The assigned doctor, (here is some comic relief) was a German, who didn't think that our diagnosis was accurate, so she had her take a different antibiotic and put her on an IV with water and pain medicine. Our friend didn't feel better at all and the tests they did to pinpoint the problem came back negative. So they ended up giving her morphine which made her dizzy, but didn't deliver the much desired relief of pain. She did feel a little appetite however and rather than something nourishing, such as a broth, she was given "Jello", which, no surprise, made her more nauseous.
When she was released, a total of 10 hours later, she was in the same terrible state and still throwing up just now with a naturally lowered temp. My faith in the medical world by that time had dropped from a low number to a negative value. All I could think of was getting her away from the hospital and the people that would put their sole trust in it and to get her home. So we did decide to make the seven hour trip home that night. I never appreciated the effects of sugar like I did on that long road trip!
She ended up seeing our trusted Nutrition-Response-Therapy Doctor who was able to help her and now she is fine once again.
We prayed and discerned throughout that whole day, "How could this happen?" Where was the open door for the enemy to touch us? For me it was clear that this horrible distraction was able to get to us because she had made a choice. The choice was to go back to something we already knew doesn't work anymore. She was like the Israelites in the desert, freed from slavery, desiring to go back to Egypt because they were hungry, rather than trusting that God is not forsaking them in the place He had led them to. Maybe she thought it was too expensive to see our NRT Doc in the first place when symptoms started occurring. Anyway, it turned out "not affordable" to not go the unusual route, as we have seen in this latest experience.
Dear family in the Lord, I know hospitals can save lives and doctors can be tools of health. I am not stating that everybody has to draw the same conclusions that I have. My life's experience, though, has been that
1) My mother was advised to abort me for "medical concerns" (we both turned out alright)
2) I have been misdiagnosed and/or mistreated with various meds ....
3) ....which led to side effects that I needed treatment for and even more longterm problems for not having been healed of the original issue.
4) Now, after going the uncommon route, I am totally wrecked, rendered useless and out of order to function in the regular world: I can't go back to wearing or smelling perfume without getting migraines, I can't use most lotions without getting rashes, I can't eat what most people eat without getting sick, I can't be sedentary without having insomnia, body aches and anxiety, I can't even take a vacation from my lifestyle during a week of vacation: I'll get sick. It is like coming down from a mountain and realizing that you are one of the very few that have been changed forever.
You see that based on my experience of what doesn't work for me and what does work for me I am making choices. Some sneer at me for that, others, on the same path to seeking lasting health, ask me to share what I have found. It turns out that our call for being holy can be extended to not going the common medical route, but to seek for uncommon ways; and the fruit that follows will serve as proof.
Dear family in the Lord, I know there are Quacks and Charlatans out there. That is why we need to ask people we trust for recommendations and see for ourselves.
Being holy means being uncommon. Not uncommon to be different at all cost, but after having discerned truth, daring to go new ways, which can turn out to be rather old, but forgotten, ways.
I pray that we would be refreshed and joyful during our live's journey to Wholesome Holiness!
Be blessed abundantly!
Dear family in the Lord!
Today I welcome you with a quote someone shared with me. As children of God we are called to be holy, but what does holy mean in a practical sense? Let's look at it together!
Last weekend our team went to a suburb of Chicago to have a conference with other Christians. The conference itself exceeded all expectations by far, but the day after turned out less desirable.
A friend that had a major part in the day of the conference, was supposed to do the same at a different event next day. Unfortunately she had been having symptoms during the weeks prior to our trip, so that she decided to see the a medical doctor twice, in order to get healed. After her second visit she was prescribed antibiotics that she started taking the day of our important conference. During the night after the amazing conference, she started to throw up and ran a very high fewer. We were all sure that it was a reaction to the antibiotics. We decided to make sure she drank water and kept her in bed with cold wraps on her head.
However, the people we stayed with made it clear to us that they thought it was irresponsible to not have her brought to a hospital with a temp of 102.5. So we left it up to our friend to choose to go to the ER or not. Needless to say that we had a lot of prayer support during the whole time. She, exhausted and in terrible pain, desired relief and chose to go to the ER. By the time we got her to the ER her fever had dropped by 2 degrees.
After her first examination she was declared "not in immediate need of attention" so we sat with the suffering little impersonation of her for over two hours in the waiting room. When she was designated a room her fever had dropped another degree. She was still in excruciating pain. The assigned doctor, (here is some comic relief) was a German, who didn't think that our diagnosis was accurate, so she had her take a different antibiotic and put her on an IV with water and pain medicine. Our friend didn't feel better at all and the tests they did to pinpoint the problem came back negative. So they ended up giving her morphine which made her dizzy, but didn't deliver the much desired relief of pain. She did feel a little appetite however and rather than something nourishing, such as a broth, she was given "Jello", which, no surprise, made her more nauseous.
When she was released, a total of 10 hours later, she was in the same terrible state and still throwing up just now with a naturally lowered temp. My faith in the medical world by that time had dropped from a low number to a negative value. All I could think of was getting her away from the hospital and the people that would put their sole trust in it and to get her home. So we did decide to make the seven hour trip home that night. I never appreciated the effects of sugar like I did on that long road trip!
She ended up seeing our trusted Nutrition-Response-Therapy Doctor who was able to help her and now she is fine once again.
We prayed and discerned throughout that whole day, "How could this happen?" Where was the open door for the enemy to touch us? For me it was clear that this horrible distraction was able to get to us because she had made a choice. The choice was to go back to something we already knew doesn't work anymore. She was like the Israelites in the desert, freed from slavery, desiring to go back to Egypt because they were hungry, rather than trusting that God is not forsaking them in the place He had led them to. Maybe she thought it was too expensive to see our NRT Doc in the first place when symptoms started occurring. Anyway, it turned out "not affordable" to not go the unusual route, as we have seen in this latest experience.
Dear family in the Lord, I know hospitals can save lives and doctors can be tools of health. I am not stating that everybody has to draw the same conclusions that I have. My life's experience, though, has been that
1) My mother was advised to abort me for "medical concerns" (we both turned out alright)
2) I have been misdiagnosed and/or mistreated with various meds ....
3) ....which led to side effects that I needed treatment for and even more longterm problems for not having been healed of the original issue.
4) Now, after going the uncommon route, I am totally wrecked, rendered useless and out of order to function in the regular world: I can't go back to wearing or smelling perfume without getting migraines, I can't use most lotions without getting rashes, I can't eat what most people eat without getting sick, I can't be sedentary without having insomnia, body aches and anxiety, I can't even take a vacation from my lifestyle during a week of vacation: I'll get sick. It is like coming down from a mountain and realizing that you are one of the very few that have been changed forever.
You see that based on my experience of what doesn't work for me and what does work for me I am making choices. Some sneer at me for that, others, on the same path to seeking lasting health, ask me to share what I have found. It turns out that our call for being holy can be extended to not going the common medical route, but to seek for uncommon ways; and the fruit that follows will serve as proof.
Dear family in the Lord, I know there are Quacks and Charlatans out there. That is why we need to ask people we trust for recommendations and see for ourselves.
Being holy means being uncommon. Not uncommon to be different at all cost, but after having discerned truth, daring to go new ways, which can turn out to be rather old, but forgotten, ways.
I pray that we would be refreshed and joyful during our live's journey to Wholesome Holiness!
Be blessed abundantly!
Sunday, July 28, 2013
No Spain- No Gain
When the woman (Eve) saw that the fruit of the tree (of the knowledge of Good and Evil) was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband (Adam), who was with her, and he ate it. Genesis 3, 6
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Luke 23. 34a
Dear family in the Lord!
At the beach in Spain, observing myself relaxing my regiment of strenuous exercise and disciplined meal sizes, it dawned on me: No Spain - no gain. Spain is my personal paradise on earth. And you can't exist in paradise without gaining something. Be it body fat pounds or the revelation that God is Good and man is not. Let's talk about two people who had everything they needed and experienced the pain of desiring to gain more.
The creation story in Genesis teaches us that God is a God of grandeur and simplicity. He created a marvelous world for His children to fruitfully live in with the need for just ONE RULE. Where in the Western World can you go (or travel) to today and find that you only need to abide by ONE RULE?
This one rule, to not eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil, could be paraphrased by God saying, "You get to trust me completely." If Eve had trusted God completely she and Adam would have cast the snake out of the Garden before it could plant the seed of distrust in their hearts. "Did God really say...? Does God really mean it well with you...? Can't you see that God withholds the ability to be like him from you...?" But they chose to argue with the father of lies.
We know how the story unfolds. Eve believed the snake and desired to be like God, so they ate from the forbidden fruit. With that they gained the ability to know Good and and to know Evil. But God didn't want them to know Good and Evil. At least not at that time. He wanted them to grow up in a peaceful world full of providence where they could get to know Him better every day, experience His goodness and be grounded in a deep and unshakeable trust in Him. How could the history of the world have unfolded if they would have listened? How could our personal history unfold if we would abide by this one rule?
Within seconds of exposing their uncorrupted DNA to the fruit of the knowledge of Good and Evil, man was infested by the consequence of listening to a liar rather than trusting in their maker's one rule. Consequently man knew he was judged to death and hid from his creator, for he now knew first hand that they had chosen evil over good, separating them from their maker. I wonder: What would have happened if Adam and Eve had eaten from the tree and, rather than hiding from God's presence, had directed their remorse towards scandalous hope for mercy and shouted into God's face "FATHER, FORGIVE US! WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING!"
Jesus shouted on our behalf. While he hung and endured the death penalty for man, who, overcome by the terror of sin, ran away from God. Jesus, in unimaginable physical and spiritual agony because of being burdened with the sin of the world, directed his pain of being separated from God towards God and interceded for the ones that were killing him. He did what Adam and Eve failed to do, he directed the hope for mercy towards God. He could have hid, he had the authority to burn the whole place to ashes. No, Jesus did not back down. He died knowing that mankind was not capable to overcome their own corruption- but God was and He did. The terrible gap that man caused by choosing to distrust God was fixed by God Himself in Jesus.
The transition of man choosing evil to the topic of nutrition will not surprise you; as it is not new.
Thinking of the food industry in the Western World today I can't help but desire that mankind would be convicted of their evil. Just like Adam and Eve our society fell for the lies of the devil and built an empire upon it. "Paradise" in my analogy would be our ability to govern and have dominion over the creation. But somewhere between the distrust that the earth will naturally continue to produce sufficient food for us, and the greed of gaining riches by exploiting what is exploitable, we have been terribly corrupted. We ate the forbidden fruit of wanting to be like God.
Produce is genetically modified so it turns out bigger and more profitable. Livestock is exposed to growth hormones and treated like a mere profit production machine. The consumer lost touch with the reality of what it takes to produce the food and drink they have gotten used to. To find relief for our consequent aches and illnesses we turn to synthetic pills and put our hope for mercy into doctors.
We are stuck in a vicious circle. As long as we, the consumer, continue to literally pay homage to this industry, it will not stop. As long as we profit from this cycle by finding the price tags on our food to be to our liking, we say that we stand in agreement with it.
We can't change the way the whole world turns. But we can face God, if we are convicted, and ask Him to forgive us for we don't know what we are doing to His creation, including ourselves. Neither humanism, nor environmentalism, nor emancipation of the organic farmers, nor ethicists can take our guilt away or put an end to our problem. Our only hope is to direct our scandalous need for mercy towards God the Father rather than hiding in our evil system. Let's individually and corporately stand in front of Him and seek the way to live in this world and yet not be of this world. One practical way, is to continuously make small and improving changes in the foods we buy. Here is a new product for your consideration:
(....drumroll....)
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Luke 23. 34a
Dear family in the Lord!
At the beach in Spain, observing myself relaxing my regiment of strenuous exercise and disciplined meal sizes, it dawned on me: No Spain - no gain. Spain is my personal paradise on earth. And you can't exist in paradise without gaining something. Be it body fat pounds or the revelation that God is Good and man is not. Let's talk about two people who had everything they needed and experienced the pain of desiring to gain more.
The creation story in Genesis teaches us that God is a God of grandeur and simplicity. He created a marvelous world for His children to fruitfully live in with the need for just ONE RULE. Where in the Western World can you go (or travel) to today and find that you only need to abide by ONE RULE?
This one rule, to not eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil, could be paraphrased by God saying, "You get to trust me completely." If Eve had trusted God completely she and Adam would have cast the snake out of the Garden before it could plant the seed of distrust in their hearts. "Did God really say...? Does God really mean it well with you...? Can't you see that God withholds the ability to be like him from you...?" But they chose to argue with the father of lies.
We know how the story unfolds. Eve believed the snake and desired to be like God, so they ate from the forbidden fruit. With that they gained the ability to know Good and and to know Evil. But God didn't want them to know Good and Evil. At least not at that time. He wanted them to grow up in a peaceful world full of providence where they could get to know Him better every day, experience His goodness and be grounded in a deep and unshakeable trust in Him. How could the history of the world have unfolded if they would have listened? How could our personal history unfold if we would abide by this one rule?
Within seconds of exposing their uncorrupted DNA to the fruit of the knowledge of Good and Evil, man was infested by the consequence of listening to a liar rather than trusting in their maker's one rule. Consequently man knew he was judged to death and hid from his creator, for he now knew first hand that they had chosen evil over good, separating them from their maker. I wonder: What would have happened if Adam and Eve had eaten from the tree and, rather than hiding from God's presence, had directed their remorse towards scandalous hope for mercy and shouted into God's face "FATHER, FORGIVE US! WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING!"
Jesus shouted on our behalf. While he hung and endured the death penalty for man, who, overcome by the terror of sin, ran away from God. Jesus, in unimaginable physical and spiritual agony because of being burdened with the sin of the world, directed his pain of being separated from God towards God and interceded for the ones that were killing him. He did what Adam and Eve failed to do, he directed the hope for mercy towards God. He could have hid, he had the authority to burn the whole place to ashes. No, Jesus did not back down. He died knowing that mankind was not capable to overcome their own corruption- but God was and He did. The terrible gap that man caused by choosing to distrust God was fixed by God Himself in Jesus.
The transition of man choosing evil to the topic of nutrition will not surprise you; as it is not new.
Thinking of the food industry in the Western World today I can't help but desire that mankind would be convicted of their evil. Just like Adam and Eve our society fell for the lies of the devil and built an empire upon it. "Paradise" in my analogy would be our ability to govern and have dominion over the creation. But somewhere between the distrust that the earth will naturally continue to produce sufficient food for us, and the greed of gaining riches by exploiting what is exploitable, we have been terribly corrupted. We ate the forbidden fruit of wanting to be like God.
Produce is genetically modified so it turns out bigger and more profitable. Livestock is exposed to growth hormones and treated like a mere profit production machine. The consumer lost touch with the reality of what it takes to produce the food and drink they have gotten used to. To find relief for our consequent aches and illnesses we turn to synthetic pills and put our hope for mercy into doctors.
We are stuck in a vicious circle. As long as we, the consumer, continue to literally pay homage to this industry, it will not stop. As long as we profit from this cycle by finding the price tags on our food to be to our liking, we say that we stand in agreement with it.
We can't change the way the whole world turns. But we can face God, if we are convicted, and ask Him to forgive us for we don't know what we are doing to His creation, including ourselves. Neither humanism, nor environmentalism, nor emancipation of the organic farmers, nor ethicists can take our guilt away or put an end to our problem. Our only hope is to direct our scandalous need for mercy towards God the Father rather than hiding in our evil system. Let's individually and corporately stand in front of Him and seek the way to live in this world and yet not be of this world. One practical way, is to continuously make small and improving changes in the foods we buy. Here is a new product for your consideration:
(....drumroll....)
The POWER FOOD "Sprouted Quinoa"!
(You'll find it in the Natural Section of Coborns and can use it instead of rice, cereal, pasta, etc.)
Sprouted Quinoa is the best option when it comes to grain products! You'll get a great serving of complete protein, B2 Vitamins for your brain and muscles, antioxidants to protect you from sickness, magnesium and iron to improve your blood health, and fiber which has been proven to bring your cholesterol levels in a stout balance.
With this I release you back into your day, praying that you wouldn't buy into the Devil' s accusation but desire to have God use you as part of His solution for breaking His one rule, to trust Him.
Be blessed abundantly!
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Spiritual Spa# 22: Organic Growth
To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3,1
Dear family in the Lord!
At times my life has been like the life of a conventional tomato.
Tomatoes in all their different kinds are to be considered an absolute everyday must-have food! Lycopene and antioxidant activity make these little mysteries (is it a fruit? does it belong on veggie tales??) your good friend when it comes to fighting free radicals in your body. The health benefits are more available and digestible if you cook with them. So start every veggie pan or pasta sauce with tomatoes and onions. Sauce away with tomatoes!
In Spiritual Spa#9 What would Jesus eat? I mentioned an important part of my personal history. I was part of a toxic christian fellowship for three years and that is now over three years ago. I was treated like a conventional tomato as described by Jillian Michaels in the much quoted book "Master your Metabolism".
A conventional tomato grows in overexploited, and with that nutrient scarce, soil to meet the needs of parsimonious consumers. What was the soil in my group? The members. Any relationship where the stronger party uses the weaker to meet their needs is abusive. Instead of leading our gaze to Jesus and nurture a personal relationship with Him the leaders led us to look at and obey them. A soil void of nutrients.
A conventional tomato is not being trusted to deal with natural problems like weed or insect infestation. The risk that during the process of fighting opposing elements it could be killed overrides the benefit that in this process of struggle it can grow more attached to the ground and absorb more nutrients, becoming a tomato with higher nutrient levels. How does that translate into my cult situation? The leaders established an atmosphere where the person that pointed out a problem with the leadership became the problem. To undermine a persons ability to discern or at least give feedback on felt dynamics weakens/injures their trust in their personal sense of reality. If we shared problems that occurred with friends or family, usually having to do with them expressing concern, often resulted in having to give up all contact with them. A plantation sprayed with toxic pesticides against any potential problem.
A conventional tomato gets plucked and shipped before it is ripe to not turn moldy at the grocery store. Because it was harvested before its time it gets sprayed with argon gas to make it turn red prematurely. We really need to get this. I am not the only one that has been forced to "pretend like everything is great". We do it to ourselves and maybe even our families. We think we need to portray like we have it all together when in reality we don't. My life in this cult was ruled by charade. The leadership gained the trust of the vulnerable "sheep" and combined with complete confusion managed to produce followers that didn't know right from wrong because those words were up to the leadership's definition. We had to pay for leaderships plans and expenses. We had to give our time and the lack thereof. Cut off relationships including family. Be obedient to the point of insanity. We did terribly unloving deeds in the name of righteousness and "God". We looked down on other Christians, because we were shining examples of obedience, dying to the flesh, speaking in tongues, prophesying and doing what needed to be done to further a kingdom. We pretended we had it all figured out and professed trust and testimonies and defended the leadership when attacked- even though or maybe because they convinced or coerced us to play a part in their aspirations of grandeur. And all that with a smirk. Sprayed with toxic gas to appear ripe.
Guess what, when it comes to buying tomatoes I go organic!! :)
My life after leaving the dangerous influence of that leadership has been much more compared to the life of an organic tomato. The new soil the Father in heaven planted me into was filled with generous and loving people that did everything they could to nourish my broken soul. I was entrusted with having a unique personality and design. In the manner of the play "The king's speech" I learned that God gave me a voice and it is a great adventure to figure out what He wants to say through me. One outcome of that journey is this blog. People covenanted with me rather than seeking to rule over me and that laid a healthy foundation for life-giving relationships including struggles. I have been given permission to grow organically, meaning there is no force or demand on how I am to turn out. That is freedom.
So, dear family in the Lord, let's go vote every time we go into the grocery store as we pay $1 more and invest into organic tomatoes. No one should be treated like a conventional tomato, not even a tomato.
Be blessed abundantly!
A time for every purpose under heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3,1
Dear family in the Lord!
At times my life has been like the life of a conventional tomato.
Tomatoes in all their different kinds are to be considered an absolute everyday must-have food! Lycopene and antioxidant activity make these little mysteries (is it a fruit? does it belong on veggie tales??) your good friend when it comes to fighting free radicals in your body. The health benefits are more available and digestible if you cook with them. So start every veggie pan or pasta sauce with tomatoes and onions. Sauce away with tomatoes!
In Spiritual Spa#9 What would Jesus eat? I mentioned an important part of my personal history. I was part of a toxic christian fellowship for three years and that is now over three years ago. I was treated like a conventional tomato as described by Jillian Michaels in the much quoted book "Master your Metabolism".
A conventional tomato grows in overexploited, and with that nutrient scarce, soil to meet the needs of parsimonious consumers. What was the soil in my group? The members. Any relationship where the stronger party uses the weaker to meet their needs is abusive. Instead of leading our gaze to Jesus and nurture a personal relationship with Him the leaders led us to look at and obey them. A soil void of nutrients.
A conventional tomato is not being trusted to deal with natural problems like weed or insect infestation. The risk that during the process of fighting opposing elements it could be killed overrides the benefit that in this process of struggle it can grow more attached to the ground and absorb more nutrients, becoming a tomato with higher nutrient levels. How does that translate into my cult situation? The leaders established an atmosphere where the person that pointed out a problem with the leadership became the problem. To undermine a persons ability to discern or at least give feedback on felt dynamics weakens/injures their trust in their personal sense of reality. If we shared problems that occurred with friends or family, usually having to do with them expressing concern, often resulted in having to give up all contact with them. A plantation sprayed with toxic pesticides against any potential problem.
A conventional tomato gets plucked and shipped before it is ripe to not turn moldy at the grocery store. Because it was harvested before its time it gets sprayed with argon gas to make it turn red prematurely. We really need to get this. I am not the only one that has been forced to "pretend like everything is great". We do it to ourselves and maybe even our families. We think we need to portray like we have it all together when in reality we don't. My life in this cult was ruled by charade. The leadership gained the trust of the vulnerable "sheep" and combined with complete confusion managed to produce followers that didn't know right from wrong because those words were up to the leadership's definition. We had to pay for leaderships plans and expenses. We had to give our time and the lack thereof. Cut off relationships including family. Be obedient to the point of insanity. We did terribly unloving deeds in the name of righteousness and "God". We looked down on other Christians, because we were shining examples of obedience, dying to the flesh, speaking in tongues, prophesying and doing what needed to be done to further a kingdom. We pretended we had it all figured out and professed trust and testimonies and defended the leadership when attacked- even though or maybe because they convinced or coerced us to play a part in their aspirations of grandeur. And all that with a smirk. Sprayed with toxic gas to appear ripe.
Guess what, when it comes to buying tomatoes I go organic!! :)
My life after leaving the dangerous influence of that leadership has been much more compared to the life of an organic tomato. The new soil the Father in heaven planted me into was filled with generous and loving people that did everything they could to nourish my broken soul. I was entrusted with having a unique personality and design. In the manner of the play "The king's speech" I learned that God gave me a voice and it is a great adventure to figure out what He wants to say through me. One outcome of that journey is this blog. People covenanted with me rather than seeking to rule over me and that laid a healthy foundation for life-giving relationships including struggles. I have been given permission to grow organically, meaning there is no force or demand on how I am to turn out. That is freedom.
So, dear family in the Lord, let's go vote every time we go into the grocery store as we pay $1 more and invest into organic tomatoes. No one should be treated like a conventional tomato, not even a tomato.
Be blessed abundantly!
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Spiritual Spa # 21 The Lie with the "I"
If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
1. Corinthians 12, 26
Dear family in the Lord!
I have had a hard time finding the words to this post. Since the beginning of February to be quite honest. I am now applying an expert's advice: If you have a writer's block- write about writer's block. So, what I basically want to tell you since over a month is "I hurt because people I care about hurt." It's not only sickness related, but that is definitely a good chunk of it. I am also grieving over choices people close to me make to isolate themselves or choose deception over going on a journey to seek truth. I am saddened by stories of families, including my own, being affected by sin of others. There. I find it quite a stumbling block being affected by the problems brought onto you through other people.
One of the saddest attitudes I have run into, whether it be training or counseling related, goes like this: at the end of the day my actions only hurt myself. Like the gambler that thinks his addiction doesn't affect his family. Or the alcoholic that is convinced he has it all under control. Or the person that can't close the fridge when the tummy is filled. Or the feud started by one convincing but bitter person. Nobody lives in a vacuum. We all affect one another. Your choices affect more than just you.
Items we pay for in the store are overpriced because people steal. Food quality is a thing from the past because people are greedy. Poor kids in poor countries make our clothes for little wage because we want to be fashionable.
Paul describes the followers of Jesus Christ in his letter to the Corinthians as ONE person. One body. One head. One heart. We get the picture. Just like when you get a compliment for your hair your toes aren't like: "Would someone notice my purple shine- I keep this boat floating?!"
To be one means to stick together through good and bad and care about one another gently. So hands down, can we say if we see another part of the body at fault "Well, that is their own problem! Too bad they don't come to our church building!"?
Your choices affect every body including your own. That's incredible power. And here starts my problem with this peppy piece. What if you are sick and hurt? Am I blaming you? Are we to judge you, the ones that suffer because you do? No, no, and no. In the book of Job we learn that Job's friends got into a lot of trouble for thinking Job did something to deserve any of his misery. But he didn't- that wasn't the point and they missed it.
Switch from Pop, Diet Pop or sweetened drinks to "La Croix" water. You find it in the same isle as those catastrophic cans. Maybe you have been looking for a truly guilt free alternative. I believe "La Croix" water does the magic. It's bubbly and comes in fabulous flavors such as Coconut or Peach-Pear. They are completely sugar/sweetener and sodium free, flavored with natural flavors only and have 0 calories. It's not sweet, but in my humble opinion a refreshing treat.
With that said I release you back into march, hoping that you are inspired to look for these little (or maybe big) things that are up to you, but then again - not just you. There, it is said. Thanks to the expert!
Be blessed abundantly!
1. Corinthians 12, 26
Dear family in the Lord!
I have had a hard time finding the words to this post. Since the beginning of February to be quite honest. I am now applying an expert's advice: If you have a writer's block- write about writer's block. So, what I basically want to tell you since over a month is "I hurt because people I care about hurt." It's not only sickness related, but that is definitely a good chunk of it. I am also grieving over choices people close to me make to isolate themselves or choose deception over going on a journey to seek truth. I am saddened by stories of families, including my own, being affected by sin of others. There. I find it quite a stumbling block being affected by the problems brought onto you through other people.
One of the saddest attitudes I have run into, whether it be training or counseling related, goes like this: at the end of the day my actions only hurt myself. Like the gambler that thinks his addiction doesn't affect his family. Or the alcoholic that is convinced he has it all under control. Or the person that can't close the fridge when the tummy is filled. Or the feud started by one convincing but bitter person. Nobody lives in a vacuum. We all affect one another. Your choices affect more than just you.
Items we pay for in the store are overpriced because people steal. Food quality is a thing from the past because people are greedy. Poor kids in poor countries make our clothes for little wage because we want to be fashionable.
Paul describes the followers of Jesus Christ in his letter to the Corinthians as ONE person. One body. One head. One heart. We get the picture. Just like when you get a compliment for your hair your toes aren't like: "Would someone notice my purple shine- I keep this boat floating?!"
To be one means to stick together through good and bad and care about one another gently. So hands down, can we say if we see another part of the body at fault "Well, that is their own problem! Too bad they don't come to our church building!"?
Your choices affect every body including your own. That's incredible power. And here starts my problem with this peppy piece. What if you are sick and hurt? Am I blaming you? Are we to judge you, the ones that suffer because you do? No, no, and no. In the book of Job we learn that Job's friends got into a lot of trouble for thinking Job did something to deserve any of his misery. But he didn't- that wasn't the point and they missed it.
We can get callous though and omit to do our part, I'm referring to our own lives now. Especially amongst Christians I have come across the 'tude that "the kingdom is not eating and drinking" and we therefore need not worry about what we eat- but the negative effects of this ignorance are still showing and growing. We think it important to share the Gospel with a bumper sticker on our cars, but fail to realize that the only community to which our terrible eating habits are Good News is: the pharmaceutical industry.
Yes, there is grace. But there is also responsibility.
Since I believe that the physical and the spiritual world are not separate, I am convinced that our invisible actions matter just as much as our visible. We reap what we sow, in the seen as in the unseen. That includes keeping our hearts transparent to our Father in heaven and having him clean up, letting him into every room of our "house" and fill it with his furniture, pictures and lamps. Do you need to forgive someone? Do you need to ask for forgiveness? Do you need to break unhealthy soul ties? Are you refusing to listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit in an aspect? And it includes treating this physical temple we have been given with similar dedication.
Do you want to hear how I was freed of this heavy heart I carried around for a while? Jesus. I found myself worn down over weeks of waiting for some kind of relief, realizing that in this time of distress more than anything I need a savior. Jesus is enough. He is the King of kings. I can leave looking at the mere situations behind and put all my hope and trust in Him. Man, it is so simple to get distracted from this core of our faith.
From here I want to offer you a slight switch in your lifestyle that you could consider as "doing your part", as far as you can control it in the natural. (By the way, I am NOT sponsored by La Croix)
Switch from Pop, Diet Pop or sweetened drinks to "La Croix" water. You find it in the same isle as those catastrophic cans. Maybe you have been looking for a truly guilt free alternative. I believe "La Croix" water does the magic. It's bubbly and comes in fabulous flavors such as Coconut or Peach-Pear. They are completely sugar/sweetener and sodium free, flavored with natural flavors only and have 0 calories. It's not sweet, but in my humble opinion a refreshing treat.
With that said I release you back into march, hoping that you are inspired to look for these little (or maybe big) things that are up to you, but then again - not just you. There, it is said. Thanks to the expert!
Be blessed abundantly!
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Spiritual Spa Video #1 "Chicken Spa"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Let me show you how simple it is to make your own baked chicken at home!
Let me show you how simple it is to make your own baked chicken at home!
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