Feingold Week

So, my husband left home last Thursday for a hunting trip with "the boys." I'm very happy for him that he has gotten a whole week with no cell phone, no laptop, no children, and no grumpy wife. And actually, the week hasn't been that bad.

But to make things more exciting, I decided on the spur of the moment (this is the normal way in which I decide things) to try the Feingold Diet out on my family. This is a no artificial flavor, no artificial color diet, also no apples, oranges, and tomatoes (and other things we don't eat much of.)

Things I learned:
There is food coloring in butter, syrup, deodorant, and even canned tomatoes!
Lots of canned things have preservatives
My favorite canned mushroom soup has MSG, which my hubby is allergic to, and I never knew it!

Things I've noticed:
My kids eat ALOT of candy. This diet totally cuts out candy because all of it has coloring. And even though I don't ever buy candy (except for one insane moment when I bought a bag and kept it in my car for "rewards"), the kids are having candy almost every day. My first grader gets candy for finishing her DAILY reading. My 3rd grader gets candy for being a helper at school. There are birthday parties, holidays, candy during art class, candy from the bus driver....
It's AMAZING! Then there's church. For the preschooler they are better about serving gold fish and graham crackers, but once you reach Kindergarten you graduate to CANDY.

Note: I am not really a health nut. I love to bake. I adore chocolate. And I often feed my kids sweets so that they'll let ME eat sweets. But at least then I am in charge of the amount of sweets they are getting, not their educators.

What has changed:
I was hoping for a great awakening of kindness, gentleness, and wisdom sprouting from these newly detoxified children. On exactly Day 3. Didn't happen. Instead, at random intervals I noticed my 6 year old being...kind. Twice she asked a brother if she could help him. This is unusual for her. I think there has been a few less tantrums in the 4 year old, but not a huge change. A blogging friend of mine who has walked this path before suggested that

1)I have not found all of the triggers: I know I am still using vanillin in my baking. I know we are still using colored toothpaste. There have probably been a few more lapses that I didn't notice.

2)It might take longer to detox if they have had high dosages of....CANDY.

So, tonight or in the wee hours of the morning when my husband arrives home from "huntin" (cue the music) I will let him know about our trail run, and see what he thinks. If he decides to join us I will be absolutely FLABBERGASTED, because he would lose his Mountain Dew (Yellow #5!) and the privilege of eating out for lunch. We will see!

Obey all the way

Scripture: Exodus 10 "And Moses said, 'We will go with our young and old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we will go, for we must hold a feast to the Lord." Then Pharoah said to them..."Not so! Go now with your men, and serve the Lord."

Observation: Pharoah thought partial obedience would satifisfy this God, and he tried to remain in control.

Application: Partial obedience is not really obedience. Recently a friend of mine brought over 22 loaves of bread - for free. This was a huge answer to prayer, because our grocery budget this month is very tight. Then Lord laid it on my heart to give some of the bread away to another family that could clearly use it. I was happy to do so - until the Lord said "10 loaves." Are you serious Lord - 10? But I resolved to give 10, even though I didn't really see the need. Then when I got home, I began loading up the 10 loaves of bread, and I realized how empty our freezer was. It would only leave us with about 4 loaves left. I began to justify just giving them 5...but out of obedience I loaded up all 10 loaves. Not but two days later, the same friend came by with another 15 loaves! God didn't give me back my 10 - he gave 15!! Isn't He good! And what might have been the consequences to me and my family if I had obeyed just part of the way?

Prayer: Dearest Lord, Please help me to obey all the way every time you ask. And please make my spirit sensitive to Your direction and moldable to Your Word, that I would repent quickly of my justification, reasoning, and sheer disobedience.

God is not efficient

I am reading through the Exodus and I have begun the long series of plagues that are about to come upon Egypt. The first time Moses and Aaron encounter Pharoah it is with this instruction:"you shall say to Aaron " Take your rod and cast it before Pharoah and before his servants, and let it become a serpent." I can just imagine Moses, already shy and fumbling, stoking up his courage to walk into Pharoah's presence feeling like he has a magic bullet. ..."I can't wait to see the look on his face! I wonder if he might bow down to ME! I hope it is a nice snake, because my insurance isn't paid up..." And so Aaron throws down his rod, but then "Pharoah also called his wise men and sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents."

Maybe I've just gotten used to rods turning into serpents from my Sunday School days, but the fact that wise men and magicians, apart from the power of God, are able to do this creeps me out. And imagine poor Moses, the fear coursing through his veins, the humiliation of being matched test for test.

But this is the Lord's way.

He knew what the magicians could do, and he knew they would feel great superiority, and he was not at all concerned about his servant's public image or ego. God has all the time in the world (er...you know what I mean). He isn't on a schedule and he isn't trying to make efficient use of His resources. He is God. He is apart from all of man's trappings and guidelines. He does not care about profit or convenience, for His own sake.

All this to say, the things in my life that make me bow down in awe and wonder, as Aaron's rod must have inspired Moses - I'm thinking of my baby's first prayer, and the woman who delivered loaves of bread to my home as we were down to our last slice, and the $10,000 check that just happened to drop into my boss' hands the day before payroll, and the way God always helps me find my cell phone and debit card - these things just aren't that awe-inspiring to my heathen neighbors. They are totally explainable, and totally possible apart from God.

And secondly, it is not unlike God to keep me a bit off balance and treat me like a slave...when I just want to be a Servant of God...with faith like Moses!

The whole truch and nothing but the truth!!!

I'm feeling very distant from God. I talk about God all the time with the kids, I quote Bible verses probably once an hour. I spend time praying for others either in Sunday School, church, small group, or as I'm falling asleep at night, but I'm not feeling that amazing intimacy and the fullness that comes when I'm close to God. So, last Sunday I said something to Brian about fasting for the purpose of seeking God's will about Annie, but I didn't do it. And then last Friday (or whatever day Ramadan began) I heard a program about it, and it was talking about the health benefits and also that most religions use fasting as a way of purifying our relationship with God. So, on Saturday night something clicked and I said "yep, I'm gonna do that for a week." And I thought about finding several specific things to pray for or fast about, but really it mostly comes down to a deeper, truer walk with God.

And here's the fun part! I fasted for the full day Sunday and on Monday Brian and I were laying on our bed talking during nap time and he said "I want you to go ahead and make the appt at the doctor to get "that thing" taken out." Just out of the blue!!! I was in shock. And then he said he's not sure what we'll do (after the next baby) for birth control, but he isn't at peace with the Mirena, and he's not sure he can really justify birth control at all. (Okay, so, I've been praying about this for about 11 years, and specifically for Brian's heart about it for about 6, and still I was SHOCKED.) I hadn't begged, or whined, or connived, or done anything other than finally say "I trust you with this. Can you just make sure you are fully educated?" Wow.

Okay, so the last time I had to call and make an appointment for this kind of thing there was a four month waiting list. Today I made the appointment...for next week. Yeah. I could (will) be pregnant before the end of September. Yikes. So, I was composing an email in my head to an online friend of mine, just asking for her prayers and asking her where the faith is supposed to come from to do this - because I'm not feeling it. And the Lord said, "WHY DON'T YOU E-MAIL ME?" And I thought That's brilliant! So I did. I sat on the couch and prayed as if I was just sending an email to a friend who has more experience than me. And then I said "Okay, Jesus. Now it is your turn to talk." And He said "You'll have to pick up your Bible." Figures. But the chapter that popped into my head was John 14, so I went to that, being comforted by "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God." and went on reading..."You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." Oh wow. Is that in the Bible? I tried to read it "in context" to make sure I wasn't imposing my own wishes....nope that's what it said. And furthermore, that wasn't even what Thomas was asking about - it's like Jesus just wanted to throw it in (for Lindsey). So, I'm actually having trouble deciding exactly what I'd like to ask in His name, if I know it will be done. But I'm thinking medical bills. Brian has been paying dental bills for the last three years on his crown work, and now just add another $7000 for his toe. If the Lord could please take care of our medical bills, I think my husband can support our family. So, that's how I am. Just one measly day of fasting and the Lord answered my biggest and most prayed about prayer. But I think I'll need 6 more days of fasting to give me the faith to enjoy it!

And since then....some friends of our gave us a huge ziploc bag of macaroni dinner that tasted AWESOME! And then other friends dropped by with 22 loaves of bread, and bagels, and croissants, and doughnuts! And then another friend of ours, who is a regular blessing in our lives, has had some hard times of late, and today he received a $10,000 check - just a day before rent and payroll was due. God is able- do we trust him?

I'm back, did you miss me?

No, probably not. I never TOLD anyone about this blog. But now I will, and I'll tell you why in the next post.