Kelly's Day 40: Victory.

I never want to do this fast again. It's hard...really hard. It totally drains me every time. I should say, it totally drains my BODY every time, but my spirit? OH, it SOARS! My God proves His faithfulness every time I obey. This time around, He led me to people...He broke my heart for them.

My God is a God who pursues. He romances. He draws me in. He calls me His "beloved." He laid down His life for me. There is no greater love. He is central to who I am.

Entering into "Passion Week," I have been thinking about Jesus riding a donkey into Jerusalem:

"The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, 

'Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!' 'Hosanna in the highest!' 

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, 'Who is this?' The crowds answered, 'This is Jesus'..." ~Matthew 21: 6-11

When Jesus entered into the town a few days before His crucifixion, "a very large crowd" was ushering Him in...giving Him their highest praise...laying down their clothes and palm branches so the donkey underneath Him wouldn't even get dirty! So great an event was this that the "whole city was stirred"! I've been to Jerusalem! It's a fantastic city! The maze of "half streets" lined with small booths selling anything and everything leaves you wanting to explore every nook and cranny! The buildings are still side by side, leaving no "open spaces. There are people everywhere...carts...noise...hustle bustle! This city "stirs" itself! But, when this JESUS entered the town, the WHOLE CITY WAS STIRRED! Leave it to Jesus to "stir the pot," right?! !) Hear this, the whole city was stirred...and asked..."WHO IS THIS?" You mean to tell me that the whole city wondered who this guy on the donkey was? Answer: Yes. People! When we enter onto the scene as followers of Jesus, there should also be a "stirring of the crowds" because we have the Holy Spirit with us. When we enter the scene, people should ask, "Who is this? What's so different about this person?" And, our answer? "JESUS."

I could go on and on, but please know this: This week, I bow down. I "throw my cloak" on the floor. I lay down palm branches for the One who volunteered. He took my place, covering over every single bit of "ugly" that comes from me. He entered in to Jerusalem, knowing what fate laid before Him. The very best I have to offer is to come before Him and "enter in" as well. He loves so abundantly, so faithfully. It is my hope that you would experience that love and sacrifice this Easter. Because, this Friday, "The God-Man," Jesus, died. The world went dark. The Temple veil was torn. The separation between God and man became a thing of the past. But, on Sunday, Jesus arose victorious...SO THAT...WE MAY ALSO RISE VICTORIOUS!!

"'Death has been swallowed up in victory.' 'Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?'" ~1 Corinthians 15: 54-55

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Grace and Peace until next year~

Kelly

Kristin's Day 40 - This is IT! I have decided...

Please listen to this as you read my last post for this year.





Well friends, we've arrived. Day 40.

I feel like that saying is so true, 'third times a charm.' This is the third full time Kelly and I have done this fast and honestly, by far, I've grown the most spiritually during this year.

The first year/time was all about FOOD. I learned so much lol!

The second year we tried to fast, but I was pregnant and Kelly just moved so...

The third year/ 2nd time was focused on bringing two precious boys home AND IT HAPPENED!!

This time, the third time - I went in with no agenda, no pressing outside need. I went in with open hands, heart, and mind. God met me over and over again, lovingly guiding me back to life - abundant life that is only found in him.

As I break fast this year, I am thankful for you taking time to read and journey with me, I am thankful for Kelly, who is a friend I can do this with, and I am thankful for the opportunity to experience life with Christ.

No turning back...No turning back.

'I will forsake EVERYTHING for the JOY of knowing you'

Indeed. This journey has been hard, but I will continue to give him my ALL.

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Kelly's Day 39: You're on your own

Yall, I practiced my first led Primary Series of Ashtanga Yoga today, and by that, I mean I sweated more today than I have ever seen anyone sweat before. I realized that I was breathing three breaths for everyone ONE breath that Kino was counting. That's bad news...especially when you're in Marichyasana D, and she pauses the count entirely to help someone. I think I held that bad boy for 30 of my breaths, which probably is only about 6-12 of her counts...but whatev. I made it to the end, although I wasn't sure I was actually going to die during corpse pose. After practice, I drank EIGHTY-EIGHT ounces of water, ran to the organic market for some bean salad and juice, came back to my room and passed out for 20 minutes, got more yoga clothes on and booked it back to the studio for a two hour handstand clinic. Let's just say that I wasn't exactly feeling strong at this point in the day, but I learned some good stuff! After the handstand clinic, two of the girls and I went to an Israeli restaurant for dinner. I ate a LOT and had three more glasses of water. People! My pee is still yellow! I cannot comprehend! I'm practically drowning myself!

A couple of things stuck out today:
1~I was looking around at the cute yoga clothes they sell at Asheville Yoga Center when I overheard a schoolteacher talking about her students asking if she believed in Jesus. She said that her reply was, "I'll keep my faith to myself, and you can keep yours to yourself." I looked at her and asked, "Well, do you believe in Jesus?" Her eyes met mine, examining my expression closely as if she were trying to figure out if I was mocking...seconds passed, and she said, "No." She turned around and walked off.

2~Kino was explaining that in Ashtanga Yoga, there are some poses that there will just be no help with. "You're on your own." That's not exactly what an Ashtanga student wants to hear...trust me, I get frustrated with MY teacher when he doesn't explain to me exactly How to do something and why, but then I think that it's just part of the journey...figuring out how your body makes a particular pose work. She also explained that there is a lesson to be learned during the mastery of each pose. I would even stretch that further to say that each time you come to your mat for practice, there is a lesson to be learned. Some days, poses that are no big deal for me seem to be my demise. And, that's just life! We have to meet those challenges with perseverance and grace. I tend to get all fired up if things don't  go according to plan...MY plan, but what if God is just trying to get my attention in that situation? What if I stopped getting all riled up....stopped throwing myself a pity party, and silenced myself before my God? I promise you that I would hear from Him in those silent moments of frustration. I would hear Him from within those liminal spaces. In the breath between the breaths.

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble."

~Psalm 46:1

Grace and Peace

~Kelly

Kristin's Day 38/39 - Seasons of Life.

We all go through seasons of life.

Andy and Kristin's current season of life you may wonder? EXHAUSTED.

We often spend our days following Micah around, saying no - do not get in the drawer, cabinet, room, closet, drawer and drawer over and over. We pick up shoes he gets out, wears like clown feet, and dumps in random places (you should see the older kids trying to find said shoes in a rush to the bus some mornings!). I do not get dressed, unless I'm working, and I usually have food and or snot somewhere on my clothing.

The days often seem to go by so slowly, but then at the end of the day, when I'm kissing cute cheeks, and singing sweet songs I wonder...WHAT THE HELL DID I DO TODAY?

All four kids are loved, well fed, and in bed. If that is all I accomplish? That's more than enough.

Andy and I planned to spend some time together after the kids went to bed last night. We sat down on the couch and after one look at each other...we decided it was time for BED! Hopefully we'll be awake for each other tonight lol.

One of my favorite authors, Jen Hatmaker described it so well in her blog- 'The baby years are short, kind of like five minutes…underwater.' 

EXACTLY

He is so cute. I completely agree.

I think he may become an incredible defensive football player. At 18mos, he can tackle Nate (age four) TO THE GROUND. Nate then SCREAMS at the top of his lungs until we come to his aid.

See that? Dominating the 7 year old big bro. Nice.

If you are parenting littles right now? You are NOT alone. We are all feeling like we're drowning most days, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. Each one of my children is an incredible blessing from God. A blessing that I get to nurture and kiss, discipline and hug daily. What a sweet exhausting special season indeed!

Kelly's Day 38:fellowship and Transvestites

Y'all, I'm in Asheville, NC for the weekend. Dallas bought me the Kino McGregor Ashtanga Yoga workshop for Christmas, and it happened to be the weekend closest to my birthday. It was really one of those "two-fer" gifts. 😉 So, here I am in Asheville....this beautiful mountain town is known to be entirely eclectic. The fashion? Your latest thrift store find! The foods? Local and organic. The latest hairstyle? Dreads. And, the car of choice for the locals seems to be the Subaru Outback. It's the kind of town that you feel guilty for not bringing your own shopping bag, which (arguably) is how it should be. 

When my Holy Yoga Sister, Amy, found out that I'd be in Asheville, she immediately messaged me to see if she could come out and meet up with me. She lives just an hour away in Tennessee. That was a no brainier! YES, PLEASE! We met up at the Asheville Yoga Center for a "Warm Flow and Yin" class. We got there early, rolled out our mats and just began chatting up a storm. Everyone else just disappeared...until the teacher came up to introduce herself. We had sunk into so intense a discussion that we thought she had come to tell us to hush! The class was beautiful. We flowed through some Moon Salutations, which I feel are known in the yoga world to be the Sun Salutations' "Red Headed Step Sister." They are totally underestimated. 

Last night, a Transvestite practiced with us. I examined my heart. Was there judgement? No. I don't believe there was. However, I found myself not knowing how to interact with her. It was in a yoga class. No interaction necessary, right? But, after class, Amy walked right up to her and commented on how much she loved her fuzzy, electric blue balero jacket. The transvestite looked at me with a questioning look: "Am I safe with you, too?" She looked up at me (she was sitting down pulling on her knee high socks and boots). As our eyes met, my heart cracked wide open. I saw her JUST as Jesus sees her at that moment. This beautiful creation had been so judged by Christians and non Christians alike that she had to quickly survey whether we were filled with hate, but when met with love and non judgement, she opened right up. I wish I'd asked her for her name. I wish I'd blessed her. I don't feel like I was equipped for that interaction. What Christian goes to that people group with the Message of hope, redemption and love? WHO will go? If we are a people who are to "Make Disciples of all the nations," we are FAILING if we are going in the spirit of judgement. We are failing if we chose to "weed out" those who are being saved because we are afraid or uncomfortable.  If we are going with the intent that there are some people who are just "too far gone," we put OURSELVES in on God's throne. Lord, forgive me. I repent. Please, take your scepter back. Thank you, Amy, for showing me HOW TO LOVE. You love just like Jesus, sweet friend.

Amy and I went to a vegan restaurant for dinner. Again, loving like Jesus, she googled restaurants that would work into my fast...putting me first. We talked for hours. I was completely humbled by this lady, who works out her faith. It's clear! She is ACTUALLY THE Good Samaritan. She took in a homeless lady who had a drug and alcohol addiction, fed her, clothed her, gave her housing....she gave dry bones LIFE...leading her to the foot of the cross. I don't know ANYONE else like her. She is true and real. She messes up, too...we all do, but she keeps short accounts, and even in her "mess ups," she points to Jesus, the One and Only, who redeems our "mess ups." Our night together was TRUE fellowship. It's how life SHOULD be. I miss her already. It's what we have to look forward to in Heaven! 

"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news." ~Romans 10:15

Who

Will

Go?

Grace and Peace~

Kelly

Kristin's Days 35-37 - In our weakness...

I am undone. I am forgetting things that people reminded me about. I wake up in the middle of the night...HUNGRY. I feel like, physically, I'm at the end of myself. What I'm feeling on the inside? 

Yes. I feel tired on the outside, but completely content on the inside. I am looking forward to ending this fast on Sunday, but there is a part of me that is longing to continue pieces of it for the rest of my life. I feel like I set my intentions this way every year and yet every year, I stumble and fall and find myself needing to hit the reset button once again - in new ways perhaps, but just as needed each time.

The apostle Paul talked about a 'thorn in his flesh' that kept him from becoming conceited. As I read these verses today, I felt deeply identified with him. I know that the hardships, insults, and difficulties I face are VASTLY different than his, the truth revealed here applies to me and to you just as much as it did to him.

I Corinthians 12:7b - Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

This journey has caused me to reveal many weaknesses I face in my walk with Christ, my tribulations during yoga (lol), and the woes in my life as a Mom to young children. These verses make me so happy because if Paul was glad to boast about his weaknesses so that Christ's power will rest on him? ME TOO, Paul. ME TOO!

When I am weak - HE is STRONG. My physical is weak, but my spirit is soaring.

Kelly's Day 37: Come, Lord Jesus.

The mysteries of God FAR outweigh my ability to remotely compute Him. Sometimes, these mysteries leave you trying to quantify His absoluteness. Sometimes, these mysteries leave you on your face, humbled. They leave you standing there, arms wide open, speechless. They crack your heart wide open...deeply trenched. Today is one of those days.

The bible teaches us to "mourn with those who mourn" (Romans 12:15), but this is FAR greater a mourning. This goes to the very depths of the marrow. No tears. No words. True, real, deep.

Adoption is very near and dear to our hearts (obviously). It's also near and dear to God's heart. So near, in fact, that He defines Himself as "Father to the Fatherless" (Psalm 68:5). That's why we leap for joy when our friends decide to adopt. That's why we race to help them bring their children home! It's why we joyfully give to the missionary who has devoted their very lives to caring for orphans! Orphans hold a most tender place in our Father's heart. They should hold a most tender place in our hearts.

My friend began her adoption from China about a year ago. I believe they were in the special needs program, as they were referred a beautiful China Doll with a heart defect. She and her husband were pursuing every available option to bring their sweet girl home quickly.

Time was against them, and baby.
Baby went home to be with Jesus.

My heart cries out. I'm furious. I'm devastated. I'm astonished. I'm enraged...outraged! I'm screaming on the inside. Why, Jesus? Why? You know what? This is beyond "mourning with those who mourn." Much farther beyond. Yes. I'm so very sad for my friend. I cannot comprehend what her heart must be feeling right now. All the questions: Why did they wait SO long to refer her? Why didn't they (China) DO anything? Why wouldn't they speed anything up? Why couldn't they just let us come GET her?! We could have HELPED her HERE! And, maybe my friend is thinking what I'm thinking, but Why, Jesus? If she was going to die, why not die in her mother's arms? Loved. Cherished. Beloved daughter? Why did she have to die...orphaned?

And, then I think this sweet, sweet baby China doll was a TRUE daughter of the King. She was truly orphaned. He was/is her ONLY Father, who loves her and gave Himself for her. She was ushered into her Father's arms.  Children are gifted to us. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. We must be able to cling to the Promise that His plans are to PROSPER US and NOT HARM US.

I have no answers. But I know that God HAS BEEN...HE IS...HE WILL BE. His purposes will come to fruition. What God does is COMPLETELY done. So, I can only say, "Come, Lord Jesus. Maranatha."

Grace and Peace to my sweet Sister tonight~
Kelly

Kelly's Day 35/36: Happy Birthday to ME!

Happy Birthday to ME!

Normally, for your birthday, you at very least, get cake. That won't be happening this year, either. It's been four years since I had birthday cake on my birthday. Birthday cake is my very favorite thing. Buttercream frosting is the bomb. I love it. 

I got a starfish necklace for my birthday! I got a little nervous when my husband pulled out a jewelry box. My taste in jewelry is hard to pin down. I peeked inside and found a starfish necklace. I was a little disappointed to begin with because I knew he was trying to remind me of my starfish experience, and I thought, 'This starfish is perfect. There's no way he found a 'less-than-perfect' starfish. There's no way anyone makes them.' Then, I realized that it WAS a 'less-than-perfect' starfish necklace. Dallas then explained that he had it custom made based off of this picture of a starfish that I caught on a recent trip to visit my friend, Kyla, in Key West.

My Original Starfish post:

"I went out hunting for manatees today. They are elusive. Special. Rare. The other day, when I went to a paddle yoga class, I saw probably 100 starfish. They are a dime a dozen, or they were two days ago. As I was paddling today, my hopes of seeing a wild manatee dwindling, I thought to myself, 'Well, I'll just go catch one of those hundreds of starfish, a huge one without defect.' When I arrived to the same place I saw literally hundreds of starfish yesterday, I found ONE, and thinking to myself, 'Please be HUGE! BEAUTIFUL! UNDAMAGED!' I pulled it up out of the water only to realize that it HAD been damaged. It had lost an arm and had been growing a new one. God flooded me with truth in that shallow, Key West water: My God is the Creator! He makes all things new! He HAS BEEN making all things new! This little starfish had his arm severed off, but in time, God is knitting him back together...as good as new...better...stronger...more beautiful than before. And, the promise is that He is ALSO making YOU and ME into something NEW! My breath was taken away. My focus shifted. My heart soared. All of the sudden, my hunt for a manatee had been completed with the catch of a 'less-than-perfect' starfish. God's glory in the palm of my hand."

I can hardly believe that I can now wear that story around my neck! It's the perfect reminder to me that God IS STILL making all things new in my life! I am that starfish...broken, ruined, helpless. I am being made new. He is in the process of growing new things in my life. He is in the process of making beauty from ashes in my life.

A big thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes! You are also loved!

Grace and Peace~

Kelly

Kelly's Day 34 or something: ICHTHUS lessons from the Mysore Room

The past two days, I have found much encouragement in this verse:

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20

The reason? It was tattooed on a guy's arm in our Ashtanga Mysore room. This guy was visiting from out of town. I was just encouraged to know that I had a Brother-In-Christ who was practicing nearby. I didn't even have the opportunity to talk with him, but he practices into the fourth series of Ashtanga, and I've never seen that in real life before...it was ridiculous. Back to the verse. I was so "at home" knowing I wasn't the only one living out my faith in the room, or at least he was speaking out his faith through permanent ink...on his skin. I could be wrong, but I don't think "lukewarm" people tattoo bible verses on one arm and crosses on the other. Even though I didn't carry on a conversation with this guy, God taught me some things through his tattoo:

1~It's important to have fellowship among Believers. Hebrews 10: 25 says, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another..." That's why Kristin came down to visit, and it's why I will try to travel up there this summer. We haven't given up on our friendship...despite the miles. But, when you're the "lone ranger" in a people group, or in ministry, it can get you down. The burden is too much for one person to bear alone. Jesus sent the disciples out two by two, not on their own (Mark 6: 6-13). We are meant to be "in it" together.

2~I was reminded of the persecution in the early Church. Early Christians were often murdered for professing their faith in Jesus Christ. Back then, knowing who your Brothers and Sisters in Christ were was so important...the fellowship among believers had to have been so sweet. The persecution was so fierce that they came up with a symbol so they would be able to know when they were talking to another Christian. Walking up to each other, one would draw an arch in the sand with his/her foot. If the other person was a Christian, he/she would meet that arch with a matching arch, creating the shape of a fish, or Ichthus. This guy in the Mysore room also had an Ichthus tattooed on his arm...right next to Galatians 2:20.

In Greek, the letters that spell ICHTHUS are the first letters that stand for the meaning

"JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD, SAVIOR"

The Greek Letters can be overlayed to make a wheel:

Overlaying these Greek letters provided another way to proclaim Jesus as the Son of God and Savior while maintaining secrecy. 

In yoga, WHEEL pose is a very difficult heart opener. In Ashtanga yoga, we work hard to walk our hands toward our feet, eventually grabbing our own ankles. Some days, my back feels open. I feel like I have a lot of space and flexibility in my back. I walk my hands toward my feet. Other days, my back feels stiff, like it's not going anywhere. When you're in wheel, your heart is exposed, open, vulnerable. Are you following me? Some days, our hearts are WIDE OPEN to what God has in store for us! Our hearts cry out for Jesus, the Son of God, Savior...ICHTHUS! Other days, our hearts are inwardly focused, heavy.

I can in NO WAY relate to the persecution the early Christians faced at the hand of the Romans. However, as a Christian in today's society, I find great comfort in knowing there are people "on my team" out there blazing trails before me and beside me. And, from now on, when I'm working on wheel, I will do it with heart wide open because I'll ACTUALLY BE ICHTHUS in a pose that represents to me:

JESUS

SON OF GOD

SAVIOR

Come, Lord Jesus~

Kelly

Kristin's Days 33/34 - It's time

Hey!!!

I am officially back home from sunny South Carolina. My nose will not stop running - I think it's crying because we are back in 40 degree temps!

It's time.

It's time to wind this fast down. Over the last 33 days, I've added restrictions on myself knowing that I needed to release things like TV, candy crush, french fries, and tortilla chips. During our past fasts, I've relied on these things more than I should to 'get me through.' The time without them proves that I do have enough self discipline not to give into some of my temptations. I hope that I continue growth in this area!

Now that God has officially messed up the plan I had to end this with Kelly on April 3rd, I sought him on when I should end. I feel I need to continue until day 40 - this Sunday. Over the next few days, I will be adding TV, candy crush - kinda like a 're-entry' back into reality lol.

I'm almost finished reading 'Pursuit of God' by A.W. Tozer. The chapter I finished last night was called - Meekness and Rest.

Get this...(man, he, himself, and etc are changed)

'The meek Kristin is not a human mouse afflicted with a sense of my own inferiority. Rather I may be in my moral life as bold as a lion and as strong as Samson; but I have stopped being fooled about myself. I have accepted God's estimate of my own life. I know I am as weak and helpless as God has declared me to be, but paradoxically, I know at the same time that I am in the sight of God of more importance than angels. In myself, nothing; in God, everything. That is my motto. I know well that the world will never see me as God sees me and I have stopped caring.'

How FREEING is that?? I feel like this chapter sums up much of what I've been traveling through during this fast. I am learning a lot about myself and I am not afraid to be real and authentic about where I am. God is revealing himself to me in new ways during this journey and I am honored to be able to participate in such a practice as fasting.

On another note, I had a DELICIOUS breakfast this morning! You know that bread I was talking about a couple weeks ago? I decided to make it sweet. I topped it with PB, all fruit preserves, and maple syrup.

This 'bread' works both ways - savory and sweet!!
Recipe:
Equal parts Blanched Almond Flour OR Almond Meal
                                   Tapioca Flour
                                    Water
Then have fun!!
Savory - Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder or whatever you'd like
Sweet - Cinnamon, vanilla extract, a touch of maple syrup, and a dash of salt or whatever you'd like

Have a great rest of your Monday!

Kelly's Day 33: Birthday dinner.

Kristin and I woke up and ate our chia pudding for breakfast before we hit Ashtanga. I have to say, Kristin is one tough cookie! She was in so much pain Thursday that she could only walk down our stairs backwards on Friday. Today, she woke up and practiced Ashtanga~a yoga practice that is not for the faint of heart!

Check out our Chia Pudding!

This is what I've been ordering at Luna's Living Kitchen...

But this serving didn't run me Eight bucks!

Now that I'm looking at that picture, it doesn't look that appetizing inside my green bowl. Huh.

After Ashtanga, we grabbed some juice and fruit and went straight to Tate's final game of the soccer tournament, and even though it was a consolation game, it was a big victory for the team because we finally beat a team that has beat us twice before.

We stopped for french fries on the way home. When we got home, I had an avocado and made all the kids meatball sandwiches. Kristin left after lunch to get home. I have to say, it was a really busy weekend. Normally, we would have stayed up to "pow-wow" a lot later, but we are both obviously just BEAT. We stayed up one night until 10:30. I know, PAR-TAY! It's a testament to the fact that we are TOTALLY...DRAINED.

My husband put together a little surprise birthday dinner (My birthday is WEDNESDAY! You still have time to shop!) with several of my friends at my one of my Charlotte favs, Cowfish. I gave myself a little break. It was my birthday dinner. I ordered sushi, and I ate a LOT of it. I hope my body doesn't revolt. For my birthday dessert, Dallas had them bring me a cup of fruit. It had a candle, which I almost forgot to blow out, and they also brought honey! YUM! Dipping raspberries in honey might be my new favorite past time.

Can you guess which drink is mine?

Hint: It's not a Mimosa.

Overall, this weekend was awesome. I got to spend time with my family, my old friend, our soccer club family, and "new" friends!

Blessed.
Blessed!
Blessed!!!

Grace and Peace~
Kelly

Kelly's Day 32: I'm a soccer mom.

I'm a soccer mom.

It's what I do.

We have soccer practice five nights a week. Most weekends, we have at least four games. Some weekends, we have 8 games. I love soccer. It's the "Beautiful Game." I love watching my boys learn from their mistakes, and grow in strength, agility and in their leadership skills on the pitch. My battle cry as a soccer mom comes from Luke 2:52, "And Jesus grew in wisdom, and stature, and in favor with God and men." 

Tate was on the losing team last year. I'm telling you, his team won TWO GAMES...the ENTIRE YEAR last year. First win? A consolation game at a tournament. I'm pretty sure they beat a rec team. The second win? It was a shootout to determine the winner of the game because their tournament game was rained out. Two wins out of, say, 45 games? Ouch. But, you know what? We learned how to lose. You might snicker at that, but that lesson is BEYOND valuable. Losing is HARD. It keeps you humble. It forces humble pie down your throat. It's like swallowing a sock. Fortunately, Tate never lost heart. He loves the game, and he is a gracious winner because he KNOWS what losing game after game is like. If he starts to get a little pompous, I remind him of that year of nothing but loss.

This year, Tate's team is a winning team. I think we've lost a total of about six or seven games. Our regular season play went undefeated last fall. Today, Tate's team played in a tournament and got creamed. I hate losing. Winning every game after ALL...THOSE...LOSSES...felt REALLY GOOD, friends! It's beautiful to watch soccer...but it's GLORIOUS to watch when you're winning! Tate's team didn't really "show up to play" today. The ref in our first game was HORRIBLE. I'm not sure the sideline judge knows what "Offsides" IS. It was so bad that after he missed THREE offsides calls, he FINALLY called it on number four, and our sideline all started cheering for the JUDGE. We lost both games today. It's hard to lose after you're only used to winning. It's humbling. It's teeth gritting, gut wrenching, eyebrow furling, fury building disappointment...the kind where you want a scapegoat. 

We write 2 Timothy 4:7 on our soccer water jugs~

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

So, our soccer "battle cry" is: 

FIGHT THE FIGHT!

WIN THE GAME!

KEEP THE FAITH!

If our faith is supposed to trickle down into our very lives, then our faith should act out on the soccer field as well. Our coaches should know we are followers of Jesus because we show up and get the job done with a positive attitude and hard work ethic! Our teammates should know we are followers of Jesus because we give 100% to the VERY end of the game without giving up and without exception. Our God did NOT quit on the Cross. If He HAD, it would not have been finished. But, as Jesus gave up his spirit, he called out, "It is finished" ~John 19: 30. When the final whistle blows at the end of the game, my sons need to come off of the field being able to say, "It is finished," meaning that the work that was done on the field is ALL they have to offer. 

Faith works itself out on the soccer field...AND...in life. We have to fight the fight in our daily battles. We fight them in confidence that our Lord is with us and for us. We fight humbly. We finish the race. We can't give up in the middle of the task that the Lord has set us to complete. We have to fight to the very end. The final and most important? To keep the faith. If we can fight the fight and finish the race WHILE keeping the faith? Victory.

So, while we may have lost the games today, we claim victory because we fought a good fight, we finished the games, and we kept the faith. 

Grace and Peace~

Kelly

Kristin's Day 32 - Pain

This weekend has taught me a lot already.
My plans for visiting over Easter? BLOWN
My plans for practicing Ashtanga with Kelly's teacher? BLOWN
My plans for when we're ending this fast? Again, BLOWN.

On Thursday night, I pushed my body too far. I did a full split during Kelly's yoga class on my right leg so hey, I tried a full split on the left. POP POP POP. I pulled/strained my hamstring muscles. The pain was so intense, but I didn't want to ugly cry in front of the ladies I didn't know in the class, so I waited until they left and completely lost in front of Kelly.

It hurt to stand, it hurt to walk, stairs completely intimidated me, and driving the Saturn (stick shift) left me crying again.

While I was driving/crying, I prayed. I felt so selfish asking for God to touch me, to heal me. I wanted him to, but it felt wrong.

I realized that I rarely pray for myself. I am always praying for God to grant us favor in ministry, I plead with him to reveal himself to my hurting teenage friends, I thank him for who he is and providing for us, I ask him to guide my children and give them wisdom, I pray for my husband, and much more.

All of the things I pray for are good. I should continue praying for those things, but when I'm hurting? God wants me reach out to him. When I'm in pain, God wants me to reach out to him. When I'm happy, God wants me to reach out to him.

It's like I forgot. It's like I put myself way down on the list of living life - which isn't necessarily bad, but praying for myself is something I need to start doing again.

I asked God to heal my leg so that I could walk, drive, and live life. I asked God to be my healer. Friday was painful, but I stretched and walked. I did not give in to my injury. By last night, I was feeling pretty good and had an AWESOME night's sleep.

I woke up this morning and my leg felt like I did an intense squat work out. That kind of pain I can handle. Tonight, my pain is almost gone. I don't know the normal timetable for muscle strain, but to me? God is my healer and I am thanking him for this quick and awesome healing.

Dallas, Kelly, and the kids left for a soccer tournament and left me to a quiet morning alone. It was just what I needed. I took my time, stretched, got ready, and I'm coming to realize a few things...

1. I cannot continue to push myself like I do. I am learning my limits like never before. At 36 I am just now starting to really hone in on what I can and cannot do.
2. God wants me to pray about myself and seek him for my own personal needs.
3. I need to pray for myself in addition to the other things I pray for.

Picture of my tea and yoga mat this morning. 

The 70 degree weather here today was INCREDIBLE!!

Have you learned your limits yet? Please try cause I would never want to wish the pain of a pull/strained hamstring on ANYONE lol <3

KELLY and KRISTIN: DAY 30/31 reporting to you from Lake Wylie

Kelly and Kristin comin' ATCHA from LKW!
People.
She's in town.
LKW is Lake Wylie.
Now that we've sucked all the fun outta that...

Kristin was supposed to come down for Easter weekend, but she called yesterday to ask if she could come this weekend instead. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! YES! So, she flew South for the winter storm. And, I do NOT use the term "flew" loosely here. She is the only one I know who can make the drive from Waynesboro to Lake Wylie in 6 hours. To put it in context, I've never made it in less than 7.5 hours...even when I haven't stopped during the trip for anything.

I haven't had time to clear anything off of my schedule, so I'm just going to proceed as planned. I taught Holy Yoga last night, and she came. Her practice was beautiful! I was so impressed that she's basically self taught! I went to a "yoga" class with her last time I was in town. They need more teachers in our little Waynesboro! Heather?! !) So, Kristin has a lot of natural flexibility from her dancing days. "Half splits" wasn't cutting it for her. She looked at me in half splits and asked me if something was supposed to be stretching. I gave her full splits, which she easily sank down into. Then, we made our way to the other side, where we heard a loud pop. Loud pops are GREAT...when you're eating Rice Krispies...or when it's the Fourth of July...not so much when it's coming from your friend's hip. I carried her up the stairs last night...joke. But, I should have.

So, Kristin had these big plans for her trip...you know, 'cause she's a PLANNER. Check out her post if you don't believe me. She was going to yoga, and Ashtanga with my teacher, and shop and...maybe more yoga...but...POP. She cried all night. She was so disappointed. If I were a crier, I would have cried, too. It was a sad, sad night. But, I'm no crier, and one of us had to be strong. She cried after my yoga class. She cried as she used the clutch in her car on the way to my house. She cried when she told her husband. She cried when she walked down the stairs backwards because it was the only direction that didn't hurt. We spent the evening scouring my yoga anatomy book trying to self diagnose...while she cried. After crying herself to sleep, she woke up 17 times crying. Joke. She woke up 17 times in pain and popped enough Ibuprofen to put a large elephant out of pain...and then she cried. Folks. She hasn't cried that much, and that will teach her (and y'all) to think twice before crying in front of ME again! !)

Kristin: "God is wrecking my plans."
Me: "Good."

So, we went to Ashtanga this morning, and my teacher just couldn't stand seeing her sitting in the corner, so he pulled her out and did what all amazing Ashtanga teachers do...he stood on her back, and pushed on her, pulled on her and bullied her around a bit. I think she sorta blew his mind, because he kept saying, "Huh." As in, "that should have hurt." However, having a full grown man standing on  your shoulders apparently does not compare to tearing your hamstring in half, which is probably why she felt no pain. Either that, or it temporarily got her mind off of her hip.

After Ashtanga, we went to Lunas and then the mall.
Now we're here at my house, and I officially know how to take a picture with my computer.
Like my new shirt?
Yes, that's my Christmas mug...but Kristin's tea is amazing!
(Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice)

GRACE AND PEACE~
Kelly and Kristin

Kelly's Day 29: Mush, but I NAILED IT!

My brain is fried. I have no idea why, since I ate that chicken. Actually, my theory is that all the energy my body received from that chicken went to my actual BODY, which felt great today. And, NONE of it went to my brain, which is struggling to put two sentences together these days. I really want to speak to what Kristin wrote today about when this thing is over, but I cannot do it.
Brain.
Is.
Mush.

My victory of the day?
I got Tittibhasana to Bakasana, and it wasn't entirely ugly! If you don't speak Sanskrit, check the video below (I work on the second way she shows the transition). !) NAILED IT! Don't get me wrong. Kino Macgregor has roughly 14 and 3/4 years' experience on me! I'm SURE mine doesn't look this perfect, but one day, it will!

Chicken!
It does a body good!
(Something is telling me that's not how the saying goes...but I can't put my finger on it)
I need some vitamins or something.
I've got nothing else to report.
Goodnight!
Grace and Peace~
Kelly

Kristin's Day 29 - When will this end?

I've been relentlessly bugging Kelly about when we'll end this fast. Since about day 3. We started on Ash Wednesday this year instead of waiting until 40 days before Easter. Lent is 47 days. I needed to know if we were gonna do Lent or 40 days. We decided to think about it, but I got itchy on the inside needing to know what we were gonna do!

I'm the kind of person that needs a deadline. A goal. A plan. Order. A known end. You?

It is VERY hard for me to take on just about anything in life without knowing details, the plan, dates, timelines and etc.

Let me explain, starting with the big stuff...
College? A prescribed program gave me what I needed to know to earn two degrees
Marriage? Andy and I met, dated, got engaged, and married within 1.5 yrs! The rest is for life.
Job? Andy and I decided that when I got pregnant, I would stop teaching full-time
Kids? They grow one year older every year and with each year comes a bunch of milestones
Ministry? (this one is a bit more flexible) - For awhile we thought we were going out of the country to do missions, but God made it clear that we were to stay here indefinitely for WASHS Young Life last summer.

Each area has structure to some extent - we build plans based off of that structure. It's awesome.

Day to Day...
Poor Andy. I need him to tell me when he's gonna be home from work, games, working out, and etc. Please understand. I have no trust issues WHATSOEVER. However, I need to know when reinforcements will arrive to help with the kids. I need that in order to survive the day.

Subbing at the high school is easy - the whole day is on a schedule that I receive as soon as I walk in. I know when breaks will be. I can pace myself mentally with this in mind.

This fast. No end goal was firmly decided until Monday. This completely messed with my head while we were undecided. I kept texting Kelly about it. She was probably annoyed that I couldn't let it go.

What Kelly wanted to say...I'm sure.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME???? Why can't I just be ok with uncertainty in life?

Believe me. I am getting better since my college days. I remember pulling a double shift at McDonald's and having a panic attack (full on, fainted, had trouble breathing) because things were not going as planned. Stress immediately took over and I crumbled.

Now, if things do not go according to plan, I get edgy - snippety - emotional - on the verge of a mental breakdown until order is resumed. Micah is pushing on this boundary and I'm responding by putting up gates and locking drawers to keep him confined!! Thankfully, panic attacks have subsided, but I still need growth in this area of my life. God is not done this work in me.

How about you? Are you a happy go lucky kinda person or do you need structure and order like me?

At first we decided to end at 40 days and Kelly put in that if she didn't feel released she would continue without me. I was fine with that, but I'm going to visit Kelly on April 2nd or 3rd. I just kept getting this notion that we should end this fast together with a time of prayer when I got down there.

So friends, this fast will end April 2nd or 3rd (depending on Andy's work schedule). An end is set. I am excited to end it with Kelly. Hand in hand, praying and sealing this holy discipline together.

Kelly's Day 28: Why did the chicken cross the road?

I ate chicken.
gasp!
I told y'all at the beginning that I would FEED my body chicken or fish if I felt that I needed to.
I needed to.

I debated a little bit about my decision. "Was I fully relying on God? What would this do to my fast? What if I had a piece of bread instead?" Ultimately, my reason for eating chicken is twofold:

1~My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16-17; 1 Cor 6:19-20). My body is my responsibility. Just like I take my car in for an oil change, I have to fuel my body and make sure it is capable of functioning when God says "Go." I struggled with this decision because I've done the whole fast in the past...even when I've gotten weak and felt the "brain fog" coming on. I thought to myself, "Jesus fasted for forty days and nights...as in...NO FOOD. NO DRINK...in the DESERT!" Then, I came to my senses. Again, I'm not Jesus. I have five kids to mother. I have a husband. I have breakfasts, lunches, dinners to make. I can't do those things without energy and with a foggy brain. And, I don't think Jesus had five kids to chase around in the desert...not that He couldn't have done that, but I just don't think he did. I'm human. He is God. It boils down to that. So, I ate chicken.

2~Yoga has taught me a lot about my body. In yoga, having compassion on your body is a very good and important thing! Especially in the kind of yoga I practice~Ashtanga. Bobbing and weaving and tangling and untangling your body requires a very clear presence as to the subtleties and goings-on within your body. One false move, and there goes your knee! You have to know when to back off and when to push through. Compassion in the context of my fast means that I KNOW my body is needing meat protein. I know this through my experiences in the past. I've had to give up running during my fasts before. I know it is because my muscles need MEAT protein specifically because I GIVE IT protein from soy, beans and nuts, and that is simply not cutting it. If I do not show my body compassion, and I claim it's in the name of Jesus, how am I treating my body like the temple mentioned in #1? Compassion is knowing when to withdraw and when to push forward. I chose to step back, reset if possible, and continue on. Why don't I give up my Ashtanga practice? The reason is twofold: Firstly, because I am not fasting from yoga, but food. And, secondly, because I'd still be exhausted and foggy, which means I would still not be able to manage my family. I ate chicken.

Judge if you will. I know my God is the God of Grace, and because He lavishes it upon me daily, I'm SURE that He will also cover over my chicken eating.

And that leads me to the joke my 5-year-old, Darby, told me the other day: "Why did the chicken cross the road? ...because he's a moron." I do not know where she comes up with this stuff, but there ya have it. The REAL reason the chicken crossed the road. We've been wrong all along.

Grace and Peace~
Kelly

Kristin's Day 27/28 - I was made for this.

Tonight is Young Life Club. Over the last five years, Andy and I have been volunteer leaders for Young Life at Waynesboro Area Senior High School in PA. 

It all started when Kelly Hills started making posts on Facebook about needing help with this thing called Young Life. She sounded kinda desperate. I never even heard of Young Life before, so I called her. We talked for almost an hour. We decided to meet for dinner. Dallas and Kelly came to dinner, explained the ministry in detail and well, the rest is history.

From replying to a status on Facebook, I now have a best friend (Kelly) and the privilege of serving in YL. Today, I took some time to look back on what's happened. What God has done. Tears come to my eyes as I look at pictures. 

Saranac 2010

Saranac was my first YL camp trip. I was seven months pregnant with Nate! Kelly tried to prepare me for what was to come, but nothing can really get you ready for YL camp. I was so incredibly nervous. I knew two of eleven girls in my cabin before camp. After one week, I had eleven teenage friends that I still keep in contact with to this day.

Lake Champion 2011

This was my first week of camp without Kelly Hills. It was a bit rough to say the least. Girl drama happens when you have 24 girls to keep track of! In the end, it was a fantastic week. The highlight was making one girl in particular eat pickles. Blake, you know what I'm talking about (;

Rockbridge 2012

I was so discouraged going into this week of camp. No one would sign up to go! I remember BEGGING girls to come to camp that year. However, God knew that this small group of girls was exactly who needed to go. The strongest relationships I've ever had with YL girls happened from this group. 

Saranac 2013

I went into this week of camp worried about the drama, fights, and ridiculousness that could happen from putting this group of girls together. I knew their back stories. Remarkably, this cabin of girls became BEST FRIENDS. I look at this picture and I'm still amazed thinking about how they bonded and came together over the week. At 7 1/2 months pregnant with Micah, my ankles grew sizes I never saw before!!! Good times.

Lake Champion 2014

Last year was a great year. Girls came that I'd been praying for for years. We had an amazing week! A few girls still post pictures from camp as their #tbt or #fbf, so I know that camp was something they will never forget. Each one took time to process what the camp speaker was saying and what they were feeling. 

During YL season, I often feel stretched beyond my limits and worn out ALL THE TIME. I feel like there has to be someone else who could do better than me. I feel like no one is hearing the good news. I feel like girls reject me and Christ's love frequently. I get discouraged, feel worthless, and want to quit.

Then I take the time to look at pictures. I let the tears flow. I remember that God is not done his work in me, in this ministry, or in my teenage friends. Young Life says it so well in their slogan, 

Yes, I am.

Kelly's Day 27: The right kind of HUNGER.

I think I've lost it. I've made it all about me...finally. The first two times we did this, it was all about me. I can say that now. This time has been different. I've been focused on God and what He wants to teach me. I've been praising Him through this experience because I've been growing in my faith, but if I'm being real here, it's been easy up until this point.

I just talked to Kristin right before "lunch." I use that term loosely these days because I'm not really hungry for anything. I no longer crave anything. I'm simply looking at food as fuel. It's almost like a chore...one that I don't like to do...like putting laundry away. Kristin said she hit her wall a few days ago. I hit mine today. But, we both realized that in years past, we hit our walls MUCH earlier. I don't know what that says about us or fasting or God, but it was easy...until today.

I made my fruit smoothie, drank an energy drink...okay, I had two...and a LOT of water this morning. I went to practice Ashtanga, and I felt dizzy...weak...which is weird because I ACCIDENTALLY pulled myself into a handstand from down dog. Do weak people do that? Apparently. My point is that I FELT weak, shaky, dizzy. After my practice, I hit up Luna's Living Kitchen. I know everyone there by name at this point. They know what I order. We're BFF's. Anyhow, I ordered a couple "Volcano Juices" to go. They really do make me feel better and more energetic. I ran down to volunteer in Darby's art class and stayed for "lunch." Then, I ran to Walmart to get stuff to make burgers tonight for everyone else. It's a full-blown GORGEOUS CAROLINA DAY...the kind you grill out and sit on the screened in porch drinking sweet tea or wine or both...that kind of day. I ate a few spoonfuls of Peanut Butter and honey, and then pan fried some tofu. By "pan fried," I mean I burned it...and then I ate it. "Tofu chips." Yum.

In the process of cleaning up after my tofu disaster, I came face-to-face with my own pride. I actually thought, "Man, I'm really relating to Jesus right now when He was on the cross and said, 'I am thirsty', but...obviously I would have said, 'I'm hungry.'" (She shakes her head at herself.) As if my hunger could, in any way, relate to Jesus's experience on the cross. However, after wanting to punch myself in the face for thinking that, I was reminded of a verse:

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." ~Matthew 5: 6

PHEW!

I was "off the hook" for putting myself up on that cross with Jesus.

...until I asked myself...

"Is that really what I'm doing here? Am I hungering and thirsting for righteousness? What is this fast really about? What work am I really trying to accomplish in this?"

It's hard going face-to-face with yourself in the boxing ring.

Answer: "I don't know."

Year 1, I felt like God called me into this fast. I did it to obey. 

Year 2, I did it because I wanted to challenge myself during Lent, and after Year 1, I thought, "What else could possibly challenge me the way that fast did? Anything else would seem a small feat. My God is BIG. I should fast...BIG." 

Year 3, I was angry with God. I obeyed in my anger, but got MORE angry and quit my fast. It was not drawing me into Communion with God. My Year 3 fast was not an offering. I was in it, but I was kicking and screaming in it. I needed to work through some things first. I pulled out of the fast after two weeks. 

This year, I felt like I was slowly becoming one of those "lukewarm Christians"...the kind that Revelation warns us about. I needed to draw in, to come closer, to focus, and that's exactly what I've done. But, have I been hungering for righteousness...thirsting for it? Gulp. No. Romans 1: 17 says, "The righteous will live by faith." Am I hungering to live by faith? NO! Living by faith is scary! Living by faith requires a fearless "pressing in," a knowledge that God WILL come through when push comes to shove! Am I living like THAT? Am I living hoping to PROVE to the world how BIG my God is? Am I asking Him to lead me out into the deep waters where faith is born? NO! Do I WANT righteousness? YES. Am I hungry to go through what those we call righteous have BEEN through in order to become righteous? HUNGRY...for it? 

Gut check. 

I. 

am.

not.

Brutal honesty here:

I'm afraid to hunger for righteousness. 

I'm afraid to thirst for it.

I afraid to ask for faith.

Grace and Peace~

Kelly

Kelly's Day 25/26: Tired.

We had an old friend in from out of town for the weekend.
I know you've been on pins and needles waiting for an update...joke.
So, here goes:

I'm tired. I'm talking, my body is fatigued. So, what does someone with a tired body do? They go practice Ashtanga Yoga for an hour and a half, get ready, go to church, drive an hour and a half, hike two miles to a waterfall, drive an hour and a half back, make five lunches, shower two girls, read bedtime stories, store the trundle bed where it goes, does a load of laundry, pours a glass of OJ into a wine glass for a "nightcap," snuggles up to the computer to catch up on her blog posts and then realizes her sixth grader has a science project due tomorrow that is about a third of the way complete.

TWO WEEKS, man.
The kid has had this project for TWO WEEKS.
Help me, Jesus.

I think one thing was confirmed today. We had a guest pastor, who said something along the lines of "Talk and write about things that are burning a hole in you to get out." I've been working on my Holy Yoga Masters. We have a project we have to do to complete our Masters. And, yes. You're welcome to call me "Master Kelly" upon completion. !) Joke. Please, PLEASE don't. Anyhow, I THOUGHT I was going to organize this awesome weekend retreat. After talking with two different people, I believe God made it clear that I'm not supposed to do that for this project. I know what my giftings are, and organizing events...not my gifting. I'm not a paperwork/number cruncher kinda girl. So, I was thinking about writing a Bible Study. I don't know what would come of that, but I had at least narrowed down my project idea. Then, I was wondering "What topic? What person (I LOVE Peter. I could write about him all the day long)? How? What does it look like? Do I try to publish it?...etc." After hearing this "write about things that are burning a hold in your to get out" idea, it was clear.

My passion?
The lost.
The brokenhearted.
The wrecked.
The weary.

My personal "battle cry" is:
Beauty from Ashes!
Freedom!
Complete restoration!
Redemption!

THAT is what is burning a hole in me to get out! I almost feel like my "regular" Holy Yoga students think I'm a broken record sometimes! I wonder if they think "Another message about this topic?!" I could HEAR it all day! I could SHOUT IT from the rooftops all day!

So, there I have it!
My topic.
Now, don't start "pestering" me about "when my book is coming out." I have no plan to try to publish a darn thing. Right now, I ONLY plan to write out a bible study and see what God wants to come out of it upon completion.

Grace and Peace~
Kelly

Kristin's Day 26: On the food front

I haven't been talking much about food here of late, so let me fill you in on what I've been filling up on.

Over the last 25 days 

-1.5 jars of organic peanut butter

- cartons of almond milk/coconut milk for smoothies/sauces

- numerous containers of strawberries

- several bags of carrots

- onions

- mushrooms

- black beans

- chick peas - canned/roasted

- salsa

- guacamole

- apples

- frozen mango chunks

- containers of baby spinach

- kale - softened in recipes/baked into chips

- plantain chips

- cans of diced tomatoes

- organic salsa

- boxes of mushrooms

- cans of non-lard refried beans

- almond meal/tapioca flour mixed into bread

- hummus

- 100% juice of various varieties

- sweet tri color peppers

- potatoes

- lentils

- green beans

- broccoli

- peas

- clementines

- cashews - raw/soaked

- chia seeds

- pumpkin

- cauliflower 

- fake vegan gluten free cheese (FAIL) - I made a pretty tasty sauce from this once, but the smell. I just can't anymore.

- bean noodles (FAIL)

Have all been consumed by me. I mix them up into recipes, eat them raw, dip them, or sauté them into meals. Listing all of that out actually makes me feel better. Somedays I feel like I can't eat anything, but this list proves that I'm eating quite a bit!

Spices, olive oil, and coconut oil are the one-way trip to flavor town for me. Curry, cinnamon, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper are staples.

TONIGHT, my sister Janelle, let me borrow a tool that's gonna change it up a little!! I've already made two dishes from it.

Dish #1

Dinner: Zucchini Spaghetti with mushrooms, spinach, salsa, and broiled curried tofu

Side note: I used to stay away tofu, but I found non-GMO and I'm giving it a go!

Dish #2

Dessert - Apple noodles seasoned with cinnamon and vanilla extract drizzled with peanut butter

Side note: This may look like, ahem gross, but it was DELICIOUS!!!

In case you haven't guessed, she brought me a spiral vegetable slicer that makes thick/thin noddles and ribbon noodles. It's AWESOME!! I may need to watch out for one on sale here soon!