Food

Food. Sometimes, it’s just that. Food. Nothing special. Just our regular old lunch. On the other hand, food can be so much more. There are some meals we return to every time there’s something to celebrate. These dishes hold hands with memories. The people with whom we share our meals, also share our lives.

73-03 Cake BatterIt’s not just a burger. It’s a reminder of a backyard cookout and the laughter of children playing on the lawn. It’s not just a cookie. It’s one of the ways my aunt expressed her Christmas love for us. The smell of a Chai Tea Latte makes me think of our friend Shana who introduced my bride to what she called “Christmas in a Cup.” If I make a cake today, the taste of batter on my fingers transports me to a 1973 counter top in Del City, Oklahoma where my brother and I licked mixer blades. Food is not just food. It is so much more.

An old man once said, “I don’t remember every meal my wife made for me, but each one of them kept me alive and provided the fuel I needed to live.” Our time with God is the same. We may not have a memorable experience with Him every day, but His Word keeps us alive and fuels our days.

Prayer:
LORD, as we enjoy our meals, sustain and fuel us for life. When we eat, remind us that You (Jesus) are our true provider and that your Word fuels us spiritually. Every once in a while allow us to experience a meal that is more than food – one that reminds us of your incredible love – the love that would send Jesus to die in our place in order to rescue us from ourselves. Give us opportunities to return to this meal every time we need to be reminded of your sacrifice and grant us favor that it will sustain not only our bodies, but our heart and soul as well. AMEN.

Mt 4:4 – “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

PS – This post was adapted from an article I wrote for a cookbook that our community group gave away in February 2013.

20%

Well, I’ve lost 10 of what now has become a 50lb goal. That’s 20%!! Pretty good for just 4 weeks of effort. At this rate, (I know the rate will slow down) I will reach my goal by the beginning of October! Of course the real goal is health and that means I’ll never reach the end of these efforts. This is a lifestyle change, not just a diet or exercise program.

All in all, I must say, it really hasn’t been as hard as I thought it would be. I’m sure there will be more ups and downs, but . . . the whole thing really seems like something I can do. I’m sure that when I stop losing weight, some of the motivation will be gone, but. . . well, who knows.

This week during our small group I got a call from my doctor. He had just received the results from my blood test. He prescribed a cholesterol lowering medication that I’m gonna have to take once a day. That’s no fun, but if that’s what it takes for me to be healthy and live so that I can do God’s work, then it’s certainly worth it. Maybe I’ll be able to get off the medication once I get into shape?!?!?!

Here’s the pics for this week:

Week 1 - 240lbs
Week 1 - 240lbs - Yuck!
Week 4 - 230lbs
Week 4 – 230lbs

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Big Day

First_outingKasen had a big day yesterday!!

1 – He slept through the night!!!! 10:30pm ’til 7am!!
2 – His umbilical cord fell off.
3 – He had his 2 week birthday.
4 – He went on his first non-doctor outing. After youth that night, Miranda wanted mexican food so we went to La Casona. Kasen slept through the whole event, but we’re still pretty sure that he’s gonna really enjoy mexican food, like his mama.

(Thanks to Gigi for reminding us – We actually took him to “The Local” for lunch the other day, but had forgotten and so when we went to La Casona, we were braggingCar_seat_sleeping about how much of a big boy he was and how he could go out to eat – how this was his first big restaurant and we got pictures and everything and. . . . duh, it was actually his second big outing – I hope this isn’t a sign of what’s to come with the stupidity of his parents – Of course I guess it’s not so bad to be the kind of parents who celebrate every moment – even second outings.)