Food Month Conclusion

Food month was so hard for me y’all! I learned things about me that I maybe didn’t want to know, but that I need for them to be brought to light. That’s the dread and beauty of this fasting journey aim on. I know there are things the Lord wants to teach me that aren’t always the easiest to comes to grips with... what the call “the ugly truth”.

So what is a hard truth I learned? I’m lazy. I may not always act lazy in every area of my life, but my natural tendency is to be LA-ZY! I noticed signs of it throughout this month, but by the time I got to week 4, and the thing I am dreading most about “living off the land” is not eating the same foods over and over or having to go purchase things every two or three days, but the absolute dread (and sometimes willingness to go hungry) over having to prepare and cook EVERY. SINGLE. MEAL! Once I realized this was a problem, I started noticing it it in many areas of my life (sadly, most of my domestic responsibilities).

But what I hate and  really made me sad/disappointed was how lazy I have become in committing daily quiet time with the Lord. It’s a hard truth. I think sometimes I try to justify it by “I don’t have time with all my worldly responsibilities” but y’all... bologna! I don’t make the time, or use my time wisely. It’s a really hard smack in the face... and I plan to fix it!

My wonderful friend (and council member) Missy sent me a great post about stubbornness being my great spiritual discipline. Quite honestly I KNOW I am incredibly stubborn (my husband can attest to this truth is there is anyone in denial of it), but I had never really thought of it as a spiritual discipline until now. I pick these things each month that are things I struggle with, and I commit them to the Lord. I know some people think I’m crazy, lots of people don’t understand, lots of people just think it is dumb... but I pray and seek what it is the Lord wants to teach me, I commit to following through for 28 days at a time, and fervently pray that the Lord opens my eyes in a way that has not been done before.

Y’all... most months, my stubbornness is the only thing that gets me through the month without cheating or giving up! These things I choose, they are hard for me (not for everyone, but definitely for me). I choose things that I know will stretch me and grow me because I want to be faithful to the Lord and not just get caught in the vicious cycle of survival until the next stage. For me, being stubborn, in some ways, looks like being faithful. Keep on doing what may seem ridiculous to those around me, but is a commitment to the Lord... even if it is hard and sometimes feels pointless. Sometimes it is just a matter of not quitting. So I’m going to keep on not quitting, because that is sometimes the only thing I have to give.

The next month is waste... and is a full family involvement month!

Thanks for joining me on the journey!

Food Month: Week 4

It is over! But, as usual, I'm running behind on posts... so here it is- the last week of food month!!! It’s been an interesting and eye opening month. My pants fit a little better, I feel healthier, I’ve had my eyes opened to some scary truths about my food choices, but more than that, I have learned some hard truths about myself and my commitments to the Lord.

Here is a quick overview of the day to day of the last week:

Day 21- Sunday

Eric took the big kids biking today. They did some off road biking until they got caught in the rain. They headed back to the house, but the rain let up so they got some more miles in on the paved trail, 13+ miles for the big kids today.

Jax and I however stayed home and tried to get some things done. It was our first attempt at zoodles and sauce. It was a win for both of us! Add zoodles to the list of zucchini item we can make with the abundance of zucchini and squash coming in!

Day 22- Monday
I had a moment today. I want to use this moment to point out some things that may be a misconception about this process for me.

I sat in my garden and cried over a very large bowl of green beans. Not because they were bad, or too many, or anything like that. I cried because I have never canned green beans... but my mom has canned a LOT of green beans. I like my mom's green beans. I really wanted to call my mom and ask her how she cans her green beans, and I can't. So I cried.

Here is the thing y'all… this is not a diet or a lifestyle change I am trying to embrace. Did I hope I would learn some things about my eating habits during these 28 days? sure... but that was not the point. The point was the discipline. I don't think eating foods that are not grown in my garden or in season is bad. I don't think enjoying a delicious meal with friends or family is bad. Jesus did it all the time! Some of the most important things Jesus did/said happened over a meal.

Luke 22:14-21

¹⁴ When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. ¹⁵ And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. ¹⁶ For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”

¹⁷ After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. ¹⁸ For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

¹⁹ And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

²⁰ In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you."

Jesus wanted everyone gathered the table for one of the most important conversations with his apostles (even if they were totally unaware).

In Isaiah he tells us to feed the poor and hungry. In Matthew, Jesus performed a miracle using food to feed 5,000 with only 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread (gasp! bread... the frowned upon food in this day and age).

My point is this... a lot of great things happen involving food. From Jesus performing miracles and preparing us for His ultimate sacrifice, to making chocolate chip cookies in a big yellow mixing bowl or having all matching dishes and everything in a beautiful serving dish at every meal... or even remembering canned green beans... there are great things that happen around the table. This month was about a commitment to the Lord and stretching myself. I don't have any problem with food and using it to gather together and enjoy each other and make memories. Just wanted to make that clear.

Day 23, 24, 25
We did a few more little purchases this week. We bought some Honeyloupe, which was a new one for me. Apparently a cross between honeydew and cantaloupe… it was sweet and tasty!

Jax also enjoyed rolling in all over the kitchen floor while I was cleaning in the kitchen. It kept him busy for a solid 40 minutes. Double win for the honeyloupe.

I made refrigerator pickles... it will be 4 days before I can tell you if they are any good. :)

Still eating the same few things over and over, though I feel as if there are more and more things coming season everyday .

And we got our weekly box from cheasepeake farmery… and was pleased as always.

Day 26- Friday
I've decided that after I got over eating the same few things over and over, the hardest part is the time and energy it takes to prepare and cook every single thing I want to eat. There is no convenience of grabbing something on the go. There is no "easy" solution to dinner... it is wash, chop, prepare, cook, and clean up... no tossing a frozen pizza in the oven and doing something else while we wait. It is a lot for this mama, and has given me a new respect for mama's from the beginning of time. Taking care of your family's food needs would have been an all day, every day job. Respect y'all… respect!

Day 27- Saturday
Today did not go as planned. My husband is not home and I had a kid that woke up needing to go to the doctor. Seeing as it was Saturday, urgent care was our only option. With baby in tow, we spent 5 HOURS!!!! waiting to been seen. Absolutely ridiculous and exhausting. And I am sad to report that my first reaction when I (finally) left the doctor's office was, "man a giant lemonade sounds amazing right now." so here we are at he end of the fast and still my knee jerk reaction to comfort for a hard situation is food... sigh. I didn't act upon it, so I guess that says something, but man I wish I didn't have that as my initial thought.

Day 28- Sunday

We made it to the end! The kids and I decided to break bread (the yummy kind with sauce and cheese) together tonight since I will have to leave super early tomorrow for Missouri. So we ordered their favorite pizza and enjoyed spending time together! I opted to not eat the pizza (thinking I would get sick) but I did eat salad dressing on my salad and had wings that had flavor! not simply salt and pepper.

It has been a hard month! I'm glad it is over!

Thanks for joining me on the journey!

Food Month: Week 3

First of all... Thank you so much for the out pouring of help! For all you local friends that have sent me suggestions of where to find things, farmers and markets all over this county and the next, friends and neighbors offering up produce and meat that they have harvested. Just goes to show, if I'd keep up with this blog... I have an awesome group of people the Lord has placed in my life to help me through!

I know I touched a bit last post about praying for the Lord to present me with tasty/flavorful options, or to take the desire for them away. This has been a daily (if not hourly) prayer since about day 10..boy oh boy did he answer in a big way! Two of the biggest ways... bacon and jalapeño pepper cheddar cheese. :) It is going on pretty much everything these days. It doesn't mean that I'm not craving the stuff I can't have, it just means the Lord has opened my eyes and given me a better perspective on the beauty of things grown/made right here in Southern Maryland, making this fast much more bearable (dare I say, enjoyable at times).

So here are some of the highlights (and a ton of pictures) from week three!

Day 15- Monday
After a long day of hiking, drive back home, and unpacking of all the camping gear... the last thing I wanted to do was cook dinner. I think that is one of the biggest things I have learned in the process. The effort of having to prepare every single meal... no convenience of grabbing something on the go/allowing it to be fixed for me... that has been a challenge for me. I'm not sure exactly what that means. I'm lazy? I'm overextended? My priorities aren't straight?  I will be praying about this. I have a strong uneasy feeling it means that I am going to learn something about myself that isn't pretty... but that is the point and the ugly, yet beautiful part of this fasting journey.

So I begrudgingly prepared dinner. Bacon wrapped asparagus, squash and zucchini, and sliced tomatoes. Once again, I was not disappointed in the taste, it was simply the effort I put forth to prepare after a long exhausting day.

Day 16- Tuesday

Today was adventurous in the food department. I got another Chesapeake Farmery box. It came with jalapeños in it! So I made jalapeños stuffed with jalapeno cheddar cheese and wrapped in bacon. It was amazing and totally worth the effort.

There was another attempt at a chip today... zucchini this time. They were not good. They crisped up much better than the sweet potato chips, but were WAY too thing and tasted like crispy tissue paper.  Thicker cuts next time.

I also located a sweet gem I had forgotten about. Applesauce I canned in the fall! There were two quarts hidden behind the remain salsa... it was divine!

The kids and I decided that even though I couldn't partake, I should definitely make double chocolate zucchini bread. It smelled amazing! And the kids enjoyed zucchini in a way I could not this month. 

I also located a seasoning that is made right here in the Chesapeake Bay area! Old Bay, what all the locals rave about. We had rockfish for dinner. Everyone else enjoyed breaded fried fish, I had baked fish with Old Bay. To be honest, it wasn't my favorite... but it was a nice change up from simple salt and pepper... and the fish was very good.

 Day 17- Wednesday

So I am melting cheese and putting bacon on everything. Bacon wrapped jalapeños again for the win! I melted jalapeño cheese and put it in my corn from the Amish market. Very filling and yummy! 

Landen had a pizza party for football tonight. He decided to go to see his friends and be part of the team, but did not partake in the pizza (and Bert's has super yummy pizza). Did we get pizza or ice cream... NOPE!

I had talked with all the kids earlier in the day about what they were learning (if anything) about fasting the pizza and ice cream. 

Here were some answers:

Brayden: There are a lot of other things to eat other than pizza and ice cream. 

Landen: I don't miss it too much. Just kind of hard when everyone else is doing it.

Eleni: It is only really hard when there is a celebration or reward that is pizza or ice cream and we don't get to do it.

Addi: At least we didn't have to give a donuts too.:)

I have noticed that it is unbelievable how often I used food as a reward for something!

 "Y'all have been good, lets grab ice cream."

"I appreciate your help, let's eat out."

"You have worked hard, let's get a special treat."

Even special dates usually revolve around food of some sort. It really is an unhealthy practice that I am becoming increasingly aware of how often I really do it. I could use some ideas on non-food related rewards that don't break the bank.

Day 18- Thursday

Today I went to a couple of local shops I hadn't ventured to yet, and some of my regulars. I finally found a new fruit! Peaches!!! They are just starting to become available around here... and boy is my sweet tooth thankful!

I also found a couple of local beverage options to try. A non-alcoholic, no sugar added sparkling cider and local teas. Anxious to give it a try.  I also found canned jalapeños to add to things, pepper relish, and a homemade BBQ sauce.  It almost killed me, but I also bought a homemade pasta sauce to try with some zoodles this week. Even after the crazy amount of pasta sauce I canned last year, we still ran out before tomatoes arrived this year. 

While on my food hunting adventures I found a picnic basket that reminded me of my mom, so I bought it. She would have loved "Keepin' it Local"... definitely her kind of store. 

I took the boys on a date to the movie. The yummy smell of movie theater popcorn smacked me in the face before I ever even walked through the doors. I managed to enjoy my time with them without participating in the food part (this part is surprisingly getting easier the more I have to do it).

Day 19- Friday

Still lots of yummy flavors... and trying really, really hard to just appreciate them and not be frustrated in the constant preparing and cooking.

Peaches, eggs and bacon for late breakfast.

 Cheddar filled meatballs wrapped in bacon with BBQ, squash and cheesy corn for a late lunch.

I would like to note at this point that I am eating a LOT of food. Way more than I normally would in a sitting. But I eat less often. Not sure if it because I only want to have to prepare food a minimum amount during the day? Or if it really is just because I am so much fuller from the larger meals? But I would say I eat more food, but less often so far this month.

Grade cards came today and we had all As for every kid! We usually celebrate this by going out for ice cream, but since that wasn't an option, Movie and Popcorn Bar was something on the kid's summer bucket list, so we went that route. Nice family evening together. (Though seriously people... I need some help with non-food rewards!!!)

Day 20- Saturday

Today I toted this cute little one around to several different places to gather the final food supplies for the last week! (Woo-Hoo!!!)

The girls were up and out the door early-ish with me also... so we grabbed a donut while we were out. Any by we I mean I smelled the amazing donuts while they watched them being made and making their selection.

Shagel Farm had whole chickens on sale for $10 each, which has been the best price for chickens I have found locally so far. So I grabbed 3 and also some spicy cheddar brats.  They also had cheeries, blueberries, hot wax peppers, and a patty pan squash that I've never tried, but Eleni wanted to give it a try, so we got one!

I finished our running around this morning at the local Amish market where I got a loaf of fast approved bread (only place I have been able to find it), granola, basil, cherry tomatoes, a new cheese, and granola bars.

Full confession... I looked at the granola bars labeled homemade granola bars. They were full of nuts and raisins and thought they would be super yummy, so I grabbed a bag (4 bars). When I got home I realized there was a nice layer of dark chocolate holding it all together. I gave some to my kids, but totally enjoyed one myself. It was amazing and tasty! I enjoyed it and didn't feel too bad knowing that a nice Amish woman made it from scratch and it didn't come mass produced from somewhere in a factory... but definitely not fasting approved (unless I have somehow missed the coco bean and sugar can farms here in Southern Maryland).

I stuffed 2 hot wax peppers full of cheese and wrapped them with bacon and added some sweet cherries and enjoyed it for lunch. 

Only 8 days to go! The end is in sight!

I'm all caught up, so hopefully this week's blog posts won't be so painfully long!

Thanks for joining me on the journey!

Food Month: Week Two

So, today is actually day 17. Food is so hard. There have been tears. I have learned a lot and my day to day conversations with the Lord have both increased and changed in the last 17 days. I'm still a bit behind on the blog, so I will catch up on week two today and hopefully be all caught up by the end of this week.

Here are the highlights of week two...

Day 8- Monday
Eric is still gone. I miss the convenience of grabbing something quick. I am super craving a hamburger, fries and a giant lemonade. I stopped at Forest Hall Farm today to grab some more meat. So far, all the meat I have purchased has been super reasonable in price. Very comparable, if not cheaper in some cuts, to the grocery store.

Side note: I am having extreme difficulty locating anything other than pork and beef. Don't get me wrong, I like steak, hamburger and bacon... but I miss chicken and fish. Still on the hunt for a place to purchase these things.

While at the farm I got the kids flavored honey sticks. They all tried them, no one was a fan. I also lucked out and my friend (and school nurse) Dawn brought me some herbs. This gives me more than onions and garlic to season with! So tonight for dinner the kids all had burgers, chips and watermelon. I had a bun-less burger. I chopped up cilantro and onions added salt and pepper and mixed it in with my hamburger. I hallowed out the center and filled it full of the cheddar I bought from Forrest Hall and topped it with salsa that I canned from our garden last year. It was super yummy!

Day 9- Tuesday
The garden is producing zucchini and squash like crazy. I have a love/hate relationship with these veggies. They are supplying me with my main source of nutrients at this point in the game... but I am tired of it. It is mushy and tasteless without seasonings. Jax, on the other hand, LOVES zucchini and squash... which is a positive! He is eating everything I eat.

The blackberry bushes are LOADED with green berries! I really need those berries to turn!

My Chesapeake Farmery Box came today. Everything in it was something I will eat, except the one unidentified object that I will have to google and figure out how to cook.

My craving for something crunch is crazy high, so I attempted to make sweet potato chips. Ultimate fail. I was so disappointed. Every chip was burnt or soggy. I will need to research and try this again.

Day 10- Wednesday
Today was just a normal day filled with eggs, squash and zucchini. Until the evening... I had the amazing opportunity to go see Hamilton at the Kennedy Center. Nothing revolved around food, just went and saw a show with some sweet friends (and council member Pamela) I haven't been able to see in several months. It was so nice to get out of the house, spend time with friends, enjoy the theater, and not have to worry about what food to eat or not eat!

Huge shoutout to my friend Rachel who stayed with my kiddos so I could go! Normally this would have been a "order pizza and not worry about dinner" night... but since that wasn't an option, rock star Rachel fixed them all dinner too!

Day 11- Thursday
I miss pasta. I miss any sort of seasoning that is not salt and pepper. I miss donuts. I miss chocolate. I miss fruit... all fruit that is not a blueberry or strawberry. I miss bread. I miss muffins. I miss lemonade. I miss fish. I miss chicken- fried chicken especially. I miss Chic-fil-a. I miss ice cream. I miss olives. I miss banana peppers. I miss lemon and lime. I miss avocado. I miss mustard... all condiments really. Condiments are what make a lot of food bearable... I'm waiting for you condiments... soon enough we will reunite.

Day 12- Friday
The unidentified object from my farm box was a chayote squash. I looked up how to prepare it. Turns out you can eat it raw (supposed to taste like a cross between cucumber and pear) or you can sauté it. I went with raw (so done with sautéed veggies). I felt it tasted more like a raw potato. I would never choose it... but it was a nice crunchy texture, like and apple, that I had been missing... so I powered through.

We had a ceremony and reception for Landen's promotion into middle school. There was cake. I'm going to be honest here... I started praying last night that the Lord please help me to take away the desire for all these things I can't have, or to show me some amazing, tasty things I'm missing, instead of being so caught up in what I can NOT have. Today, I didn't even miss the cake. I was 100% involved in the moment and didn't even think about the food I was missing out on.

Day 13- Saturday
Today was the day. Tears were shed. It's the grocery store y'all… I am still doing a good bit of shopping for the family at the grocery store. It is just loads of food I can't have. And I'm not even talking about all the junk, I'm talking about healthy options that are from somewhere other than Maryland. I went shopping for our camping trip, picking up things for hotdogs and smores... none of which I could consume. I walked out of the store and got in the car. Eric said, "What's wrong? You look like your puppy died." I said, "I just really miss food. Why is this so hard?" and started to cry.

I got over it pretty quick. Just needed to let it out I guess.

I also had a cheat, I think, today. We were running errands and I got a salad from Panera. I got the strawberry poppy seed salad. I did not read ingredients, just looked at the pic on the wall. Strawberries, blueberries, chicken, lettuce, walnuts... all things in season. I was good. Except- there is pineapple and mandarin oranges... not in pic. I picked around them and tried not to consume any, put the dressing on the salad what a for sure cheat... an unbelievable burst of flavor cheat.  There... I fessed up.

I also went to a couple of markets today and the seafood store we have right here in town (who knew? not me!) I found a small bad of homemade granola at the Amish market (that I consumed lickety split). I also bought a chicken! Chicken... not so reasonably priced. I paid almost double what I pay at the grocery store. I baked it and seasoned only with salt and pepper to have for our camping trip. I found local butter and jalapeno cheddar cheese at the Amish market. I also bought the kids some AMAZING smelling cinnamon rolls.

And I bought a fish. Like a whole one that was caught that morning. This for some reason seemed very funny to me... but now I have fish and chicken. Yeah!

Super thankful the Lord is giving me some opportunities to enjoy the process.

Day 14- Sunday
I have never wanted a burnt hotdog and campfire smores so much in my entire life! We are camping, something I am not a big fan of, but for some reason everyone else (even Jax) loves it. So, I put on my girl pants and tried to have a good attitude. The only thing for me that makes camping bearable is the junk you get to eat... roasted hotdogs and smores... I had chicken that was re-heated over a fire and cucumbers and strawberries.

For breakfast everyone else at delicious yet horrible for you junk cereal (because we are camping- its a special occasion). I had a boiled egg.

I got over it and enjoyed the beautiful hike. These people are my whole world. And even though I'm not a fan of camping and hiking... I sure am a fan of the people I get to do it with!

If you stuck through this crazy long post... your a champ!
Thanks for joining me on the journey!

After having my own little pitty party about the food