Seven: A Resolution

Taste and see that the LORD is good;

blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

~Psalm 34:8

Several months ago, I picked up a book that a friend thought I might like to read. I had read several by the same author, so it wasn't much of a struggle to start to read it. The more I read, the more I got sucked into the storyline, and I couldn't put it down. I'm not going to say it is a favorite book, because, as a book, it bugged me. It started out like a conversation with the author ranting over little things like not getting her morning coffee. By the end of the book, she had changed her own paradigm -- as well as mine -- and it was much more preaching than conversation. What I did like about the book was that it seemed do-able -- as in *I* could do it. There was something appealing about simplifying life willingly, but also knowing that it would not be easy. ... or maybe the appealing part was how much closer to God she seemed to feel. Before I finished the book, I had purchased three more to give to my three closest friends... I HAD to have someone to talk to about this book, and they were my three best bets.

I gave Ema, Jennifer, and Simone copies of Jen Hatmaker's 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess. According to Hatmaker's blog, "7 is the true story of how Jen took seven months, identified seven areas of excess, and made seven simple choices to fight back against the modern-day diseases of greed, materialism, and overindulgence." I was surprised that all three of my buddies read it fairly quickly, and all were an anxious as I was to discuss it. We four spent hours talking about the book and different aspects of our own spiritual journeys and challenges. Today, all four of us begin our own experimental mutinies following Hatmaker's examples.

For January, we are all beginning a food mutiny, though all of us for different reasons and different plans. The great thing is that we are all going to be uncomfortable together and can call on each other for support and prayer. I have unhealthy food addictions, for lack of a better word. When I get stressed, I turn to food. When I'm cold, I turn to food -- as if I'm a hibernating bear needing another coat of fat to keep warm. When I'm celebrating, it is usually with a nice dinner out or a sweet treat. When I'm bored, I sometimes turn to food (that's one I've been working on busting for awhile, and I'm happy to say it isn't as bad as it used to be.) When it is morning, I "need" my coffee to get going. Not because of the caffeine, but because of the habit. All of these indicate to me that I don't have a healthy relationship with food. My goal this month is to change all the times I turn to food into times I turn to God.

This month, I won't be enjoying coffee... at all. I have chosed seven foods that will be my diet for the month. I have chosen turkey, eggs, oatmeal, apples, sweet potatoes, spinach, and avocado. I might spice things up a bit with salt and pepper, but that's it until February 1st. I don't expect it to be easy and I'm sure I'll get bored having the same foods over and over, but I'm hoping that I can turn my thoughts and prayers to many in the world who only eat rice and beans daily... the ones who don't have the luxuries of choice, the ones who are thankful and joyful if they get to eat at all.

I am not making my family do this experiment along with me (but some of the other experiments will involve them). The kids will likely eat the same things they always do for breakfast and lunch. Dinners will sometimes include my seven foods for them, but with some easy things added to their meals so they will be happy, but I won't be stressing myself out over cooking two separate dinners each night. The menu for this week isn't all that different from a normal week for us since some of the meals incorporate leftovers. Today, we are eating smoked turkey (a gift from Allen's company), sweet potatoes, and spinach salad (which we have almost daily, but with dressing). I'll be happy eating those, and I'll make some stuffing and cranberry sauce (from a can) for the other five. Another night, I'll make grilled cheese sandwiches for the family to have with soup, and I'll have a spinach salad with apples and avocado with deli turkey. I think spaghetti is on the menu for the family, and that is the only meal I won't eat any of. The night I'm making tacos, I will be using ground turkey, so I'll take my turkey portion out before adding the seasoning. My breakfasts can be eggs or egg whites or oatmeal, but I'm already looking forward to a spinach and turkey omelet for the night we do breakfast as our dinner. My fruit basket is already overflowing with a variety of organic apples I've never tried: Black Arkansas, green dragon, pinata, and my favorite honeycrisps. Though my food choices will be limited, I recognize I'm still spoiled since I can afford to get organic and I have stores nearby that will still give me never-ending options.

I am welcoming this new life-style as a temporary change that may or may not lead to long term changes in my diet. What I am hoping for is a change of heart -- that my eyes and prayers will be opened to those people who struggle with finding food daily, that I will learn to always trust God to fill the holes I sometimes feel. I am thankful to be experimenting with healthy foods, good friends, a completely supportive husband. Though he might have rolled his eyes at my crazy idea, I never saw it :)