play in the dirt with bare feet and hands~ journal #18 3/22/2010

Outlook...excited for a new day...excited for the future...excited for the possibilities.

On My Mind...the power of the natural laws of God...

Delish Kitch...baked apples for Sweet Monday...

Core enough apples for each person to have one, but leave the bottom complete to hold the filling. Coursely chop 1 T. walnuts or pecans and 1T. raisins. Mix in 1/2 t. cinnamon. Multiply this by your number of apples. Stuff each apple. Bake at 350F for 45-60 min. Serve hot or cold.

Homemaking...windows and kitchen overhaul...I've been very good at making green drinks for our breakfast and enough for Joseph to take to work. However, I've been a bit lax in making more later in the day for me. So starting this week, I'm going to make 6 quarts of green drinks, 1 quart carrot juice, a large green salad, and a fruit salad each morning for our fun, raw grazing throughout the day. . Then I'll make a dish modified from Kate's Kitchen to match Eat to Live guidelines for dinner. This will give us a 70-80% raw food diet. I'm having a lot of fun modifying our old favorites to our new healthier standards. When we get back to Cedar, I'll start growing and juicing wheat grass at home. Now I pay big bucks at Jamba Juice for a double shot each day on my way to work, but it's curing my anemia lightning fast.

Praying for...help in overcoming my worst enemy~myself. I tend to rebel; old habits gained in youth die hard. The problem is that now I rebel against anything I set as goals for myself. I know it's like my father always said, "Ginger, you're cutting off your nose to spite your face."

Appearance...straight ankle length navy skirt (thrift store last year), sky blue plain blouse, plum wool sweater (probably the last week for this old favorite this year), black mary janes (ordered some new ones from Birkenstock)...I'd really like to take a pattern of this skirt to make several more, because it fits so well and is so comfortable. Of course I would replace the back slit with a walking/kick pleat.

Movement...considered running instead of walking...after investigating it, I found one of the most common injuries is hip bursitis. Hmmm...I've already got that. Nix that idea. I'll stick with 60 min. Firm at 6:00 AM, 60 min walk at noon, and stretching at 8:30 PM.

Bibliophile Fix…Reading Skousen's First Two Thousand Years along with my study of the Old Testament. It is highly fascinating, as he takes research from biblical scholars of many religions to weave the history and culture of the time. It's wonderful. Silly me, I started with the middle book of the series, but it doesn't matter that much. I'll read them all again before the year's through anyway.

Blessings...I'm so grateful to have a nice place to camp out up here in Seattle. God has always blessed me with safe, comfortable surroundings.

Scripture Meditations..."Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate."

Psalm 127:3-5 I feel so blessed to have such a lovely bunch of children. They taught me a lot about patience, perseverance, and pure fun. They taught me to love with charity.

Something New...I've begun Transformation Challenge 2010. While I should have actually started this last summer, when I began losing weight, I didn't know about it then. Now that I'm well again, again, I've lost 2 more lbs. Hurray me! But of course, I'm doing it my way. How else would I do something? My diet is basically Eat to Live, which feels just right to me. And I'm exercising for long lean muscles instead of bulky cut muscles.

My week is looking...wonderfully inspiring. It's not that I'm doing anything special--I just feel so grateful that God has seen fit for me to be well.

God has been teaching me..."Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made." I must be ever on my guard. If living a spiritually honorable life is my highest value, then I can't put off conversing and being taught by God. If my family, home, education, and health are important, then I can't let procrastination and let time interfere with these.

Simple Pleasure...warmth of spring.

Commitment to Loveliness...1) play in the dirt with bare feet and hands 2) remember "touch it once" 3) attitude of gratitude 4) smile 5) sing

Poetry I'm Enjoying...
Afternoon on a Hill

Edna St. Vincent Millay

I will be the gladdest thing
Under the sun!
I will touch a hundred flowers
And not pick one.

I will look at cliffs and clouds
With quiet eyes,
Watch the wind bow down the grass,
And the grass rise.

And when lights begin to show
Up from the town,
I will mark which must be mine,
And then start down!