The food we eat

Murielle and I started our seedlings this past week - tomatoes, strawberries and zucchini. The rest can be planted directly into the garden after the last frost (spinach, snow peas). This will be our first year of vegetables in this particular garden. I have no idea where I'm going to plant them yet! I'm contemplating a raised bed garden somewhere in the yard. This year will also be our first harvest of raspberries! So exciting! I love fresh food!


And that brings me to a topic I thought would interest you...
A friend and I were having a discussion the other day about how my family eats healthy and is conscious of the foods we put into our bodies. She seems to think we're fanatics...but I view it all very differently. I know she didn't mean it as an insult, but I would never consider myself to be a fanatic. Just because I care about what goes into my body for fuel doesn't make me a fanatic. I never judge others by what they eat (and I'm not afraid to eat "what's set before me")...although I do, at times, judge our culture as a whole for being so ignorant of food. I think that is all changing though. This next generation will understand much more about food than we have in the past. I don't dispute the fact that our family is probably different - but the eating habits our family has, have developed out of little bits of information dispersed over the course of 8 years. We love to learn. But you might be surprised at how little we have to "think" through our food choices.

Maybe we're different because we understand that there's a direct relation from the food we eat to the way we function and feel. But don't you think that school of thought should be normal? Shouldn't everyone know exactly what's going into their bodies and how that affects them? - especially in our culture that is saturated with "non-foods" and additives. Maybe it wouldn't matter as much if we were living 120 years ago when everyone grew their own food and nothing had a nutrition/ingredient label on it.

It's actually kind of weird that people know so little about food and then wonder why they feel so awful all the time.

All that being said, I have never claimed to know everything about nutrition, and even if I did, there's no way that could ever be the "saving grace" for my body.

Mark and I are constantly learning and adjusting our habits. Not because of fear, but because we know God loves us...and our bodies. He has given us these bodies to last a long time on this earth and to greatly affect our world. Therefore, we should all have a healthy respect for our complex functions and have the desire to take care of ourselves. I also believe God has given us the Key to be able to operate efficiently within this generation and culture. And that will mean going "against the grain" sometimes.

I think motivation is very important as well. Information is good, but will do you no good if your motive is wrong. If you start reading a book and it makes you fearful or obsessive, put the book down (maybe for good) and remind yourself of where true spiritual, mental and physical health comes from: Jesus. It does NOT come by me doing everything right. The same goes for every other area of life: parenting, money, health, love, wisdom, etc.

So, if I am passionate about anything concerning health and wellness, it is that I don't want my body (or mind) holding me back from fulfilling my God-given purpose and potential in this life.

If I can encourage (or inspire) you to do anything, I would say, be informed, but more importantly, look at your body and health the way God sees you. You are beautiful and radiant and He does want the best for you!!

Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are healthy in body as you are strong in spirit. 3 John 2