Day 13 began with more peanut butter (I need to hit the grocery store again). My friend, Lauren, is in town, and I didn't even have coffee to offer her for breakfast. She was gracious about it, and we hit up Starbucks after we dropped Darby off at school. She even paid for my Grande Mint Tea...and she's in college. That's humbling. Just a little example of grace for ya this fine, Friday morning.
I've also been snacking on grapes that are, shall we say, "past their prime"? They are halfway between grape and raisin, and I'm okay with that. They don't have anything growing on them yet.
For lunch, I took Lauren to this restaurant in Belmont, NC that everyone has been talking about, "The Green Bean." However, when we got there, I realized that I had it all wrong. The name of the restaurant is "The STRING Bean." I figured that with a name like THAT, I would easily be able to find something on the menu that is Beyond Vegan approved. Anyway, we stepped one foot in the place, and I fell in love. They had craft beer from floor to ceiling...every kind imaginable from every single place I've ever lived! ...FAT TIRE, from Colorado...if you look at the picture below, there is a shining beacon of hope in the top left corner...SHINER...from TEXAS! And, although I'm not a huge beer drinker these days, I will definitely pop one open to remind me of the days of old...back when life was simpler.
"The Pixie" was with us, and Lauren mentioned that we were a LITERAL "bull in a china shop." Yep. That's how I roll, Lauren... I have no idea where Pixie came up with the face. She's impossible sometimes.
You know you are engulfed in soccer when your four-year-old walks up to a six pack and says, "LOOK! We should get Coach Tom this beer!" Umm..."Pixie, can you READ? What the heck?" Folks, Coach Tom isn't even OUR coach! Coach STEVE is our coach! I was tempted to buy this for Coach Tom, but I did not.
The String Bean also had a good selection of wine, meats you can buy and prepare at home, and sandwiches that look to die for! I will be hitting this place up frequently when this fast is over! Great, local date night location!
I had a plate of Edamame. Normally, I think Edamame is "too much work," but it was one of two options. I also ordered "Duck Fat Fries." I thought that maybe they were fried in Duck Fat. I never asked. But, after thinking back over that, I think that the fry itself was made of duck fat and then fried in whatever oil they have on hand. Now I am grossed out, and I think I cheated on TOTAL accident. However, this is not the first time in history someone "cheated on accident."
The "short" of it is this. Back in Old Testament times, God's presence existed with His people in a box called the "Ark of the Covenant." God's people, the Israelites, were instructed never to even touch the ark upon penalty of death. We find ourselves in 1 Chronicles 13:1-11. The Israelites were moving the Ark back to Jerusalem~a wonderful celebration had ensued. The Ark was returning to it's rightful place of glory! The Ark was sitting in a brand new wagon with some oxen pulling it while everyone sang songs and played their instruments. Get this. The OXEN STUMBLED (vs. 9), and...PARTY'S OVER. A man named Uzzah "reached out his hand to steady the ark." You would think that God wouldn't want to "FALL OUT" of the Ark, right?! I think Uzzah's response was honest. As his human mind could comprehend, he wouldn't want this "bad thing" to happen all because some oxen stumbled! That would be HORRIBLE, right?! But this is God's response: "The LORD'S anger burned against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God." ~1Chronicles 13: 10. I think Uzzah's intentions were pure, however, even in his reaction, he disobeyed God. Consequence? Death. Thank God for GRACE! I accidentally ate duck fat...First of all, that is GROSS. Who invented "DUCK FAT FRIES," anyway? MY consequence? Nada. My accidental "breaking of this fast" was covered over in grace. I think another lesson we can learn from this Scripture is that when we see people stumbling, we think that WE have the power to prevent their fall. We go and try to steady them, but WHAT IF GOD'S plan is BETTER...BIGGER?! What if their stumbling is something God is going to use for His glory? What if it is part of His plan to perfect them? What would have happened if the Ark HAD fallen to the ground and burst open?! The story would have played out MUCH differently! A GOOD kind of different!
My dinner was a can of Amy's Organic Black Bean and Vegetable Soup. My friend, Lauren, is an Exercise and Nutrition major (you know, I've asked her no less than four times the exact title of her major since she's been here, and THIS is what I come up with?). She sort of shook her head when I popped that bad boy open. I asked her what her problem with Amy is. She said the sodium content in those soups is WAY HIGH. I looked on the can. 650mg. "Is that high?" She laughed. "The daily allowance is 1200mg." Then, she reminded me of the veggie chips I'd had...the duck fat fries...the edamame...the peanut butter. DANG. I'm surprised I'm still alive after that salty day! And, I find myself shaking my head. I hate it when this happens. James 4:17 popped up, "If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them."
Really?
...Salt?
...really?
I'm going to have to chew on that one for a bit.
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