Day 50 - Reaching the Midpoint

When I came to the spring today, I said, 'O LORD, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success to the journey on which I have come.' Genesis 40: 22

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

It was DAY 50!

I've made it to the HALFWAY point of my 100-Day Journey to health and healing. The scale was my friend this morning, showing I've lost another two pounds, so my spirits were soaring. Of course, a friendly wake-up call helped too.

And a busy day it was, with no time to really celebrate, starting with my appointment with Dr. Ford. I'd scheduled it an hour earlier than usual, because I needed to get on the road for my trip.

He chose to check my neurological responses, so I stook with my eyes closed. And I wobbled. This showed that my right frontal lobe was underfiring, and my left cerebellum -- which controls balance and position -- is impaired.

Then I stood with feet together, focusing on Dr. Ford's nose, as he held a pen out to his side. Using only my peripheral vision, I was to touch the pen with my finger. He observed that whenever I tried to touch the pen, my jaw would move, because my brain was trying to get as much sensory input as it could.

Needless to say, I needed another therapy added to the routine. This time, we tried tone therapy, with different tones designed to stimulate different areas of the brain. So he hooked me up to the headphones, I attached the pulse monitor to my earlobe, and accessorized with the red-lensed glasses.

Ten minutes later Dr. Ford tested me again, and my responses were much better. In fact, I was very relaxed from the soothing tones and the breathing exercises. So I picked up my vitamins, filled up the gas tank, checked that my driving directions were at hand, handled a few last-minute errands, and got on the road.

I checked my cell phone one last time, making sure it was charged. (And that I hadn't missed any calls.)

At the LORD's command Moses recorded the stages in their journey. Numbers 33: 2

I tried not to text and drive. I really tried. Really? Well, kinda sorta. I had good intentions, anyway. And sometimes I actually pulled over, when I had something long and wordy to share. But I kept the conversation as simple as I could on my end, slowly, letter by letter, making sure I kept my eyes on the road, not worrying about typos for once in my life. And keeping my eyes open for the Highway Patrol.

It was kind of a guilty pleasure, I must admit. But it sure made the journey go more quickly, knowing I was sharing it with someone at the other end.

It sure made snacking in the car on almonds and peaches more pleasant, knowing I would get to my destination more quickly and be able to end the day with a real-life male-female conversation from the terrace as I took in the view overlooking the lake.

And enjoyed a long-awaited cup of decaffeinated coffee.

Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." The Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be still, for this is a sacred day. Do not grieve." Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.Nehemiah 8: 10-12

 

Day 49 - Stepping Out in Big and Small Ways

When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. Proverbs 4: 12

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Nuts are good. They passed the test with flying colors and no flying pulse rate! So I headed to out this morning to purchase snack items for my trip. The options are limited still, but I need to know I have food available that I CAN eat, in case I'm faced with unsuitable options.

This is a conference I was going to. That means pre-planned menus. That means asking for special plates, special service, special unwanted attention. That means explaining to my friends and tablemates why I am doing this.

So my grocery list included canned roasted almonds, single serving bowls of diced peaches (in juice or water packed), a box of precooked bacon, and a bag of pork rinds. I would take some bottled water, too.

I ran errands all day, and meals were rather hit and miss. Until dinnertime. Because I had a date.

We had been talking and texting off and on during the day. I found I was smiling to myself a lot, and looking forward to each beep on the cell phone. Then it happened. He asked me out. We wanted to meet face-to-face before I headed out of town.

Was I really ready for this? Sure, teasing and flirting from a distance was one thing. Making it up close and personal was an entirely different story.

Was I really ready for this? It had been a quarter of a century since I'd been on a first date. Oh, why not! Get it over with. I needed to take this step someday, and so I took the plunge. I took a deep breath. I said 'Yes.'

You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Luke 12: 40

 

We chose to meet in the park for a nature walk, although it was threatening to rain. Even after all the exchanges we'd engaged in before, it was a little awkward at first. But he put me at ease with friendly chat, and after a while we set out on the nature trail.

Thunder boomed. Lightning streaked across the darkening sky. He suggested we head back for the shelter, and we made it just in time, before the clouds released their pent-up torrents.

That's how we spent the rest of our date, sitting and talking and watching the rain, getting to know each other a little better. It was a relaxing, non-threatening, friendly time which I really enjoyed. It was a refreshing way to relax before tomorrow's long trip.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11: 29

Day 48 - Going NUTS, and with Good Reason

The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron's staff, which represented the house of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds. Numbers 17: 8

Monday, April 25, 2011

I had an appointment with Dr. Ford this morning, and I was in a great mood. I had opened the lines of communication with a man. In fact, he had started my day with a cheerful "good morning" text message. And if that wasn't special enough, I was down a jean size! Woohoo!

Dr. Ford had me put on my "rose colored glasses" again, and started me on my relaxation exercise. I tried to channel my inner leprechaun in the effort to create a rainbow which was supposed to drop gold coins into the waiting pot. I tried to think happy thoughts, as I reflected on the night before's phone call.

And the rainbow started to appear on the side of the screen.

The screen flashed, "Good effort. No coins yet." At least my effort was being recognized, if not rewarded.

I made definite progress, but still wasn't able to fully relax. It's actually harder than the diet. But a half a rainbow is better than none. And happy thoughts are better than bittersweet memories. It shows I'm looking forward instead of backward.

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 2 Peter 3:14

 

I was also looking forward to a five-day trip out of town, so Dr. Ford and I discussed snack options, settling on nuts as a good protein-rich choice. Tree nuts, that is. Almonds. Walnuts. Pecans. No peanuts or cashews, which are really legumes.

But almonds are great!

I learned that I can now use Truvia or Stevia as sweetener. Aspartame is hard on the nervous system, so it's a no-no. And I've been away from any form of processed sugar since my journey began. That makes this exciting news. A little sweetener can go a long way, to take the edge off the savory and add a flavor that isn't reliant upon fresh fruits.

After my appointment, I headed to the store to buy almonds and pecans. I knew that the sooner I tried them, the sooner I'd know if I could continue having them. And I was eager to find out.

I'll next introduce decaffeinated coffee, then bell peppers, followed by brown rice.

Hey, I just realized that my next appointment on Wednesday marks the half-way point on my 100-Day Journey to health and healing. I should be starting Vitamin B12 and D supplements at that time.

Today's menu: Breakfast - omelet with ham, onion, tomatoes, avocado and sharp cheddar cheese. Lunch - sandwich of ham, tomato, sharp cheddar on flaxseed meal bread (which is OK to eat because flaxseed is not a grain). Dinner - panfried chicken tenders, green beans with toasted sliced almonds, lemon, and caramelized onions.

Oh, so you want to know how it's going with HIM? Well, we've texted back and forth all day. I'm enjoying the attention, I'm learning how to flirt again. We talked for an hour before bedtime. Sweet dreams!

I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me. Psalm 3: 5

Day 47 - A Day of Resurrection, a Day of New Life

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!" So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) John 20: 1-9

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Today was EASTER SUNDAY! Today was a day of true resurrection and new beginnings.

After church services, celebrating the Lord Jesus' emergence from the tomb, his freedom from the chains of death, I came home to a brunch of scrambled eggs with onions, tomatoes and cheese, sided with sliced peaches.

The afternoon was peaceful and joyful, as I prepared my share of a family meal, joyful that I could once again bring something to the table, that I now had enough choices in my diet that I could venture past my own private mealtime.

So I made devilled eggs, using the last of my homemade mayonnaise, a splash of red wine vinegar, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. They weren't as tangy as I used to make, but I could actually make something, take something, and enjoy something.

I also tossed a large salad, including everything I could now eat -- greens, celery, red onion, plum, hard boiled egg, crumbled bacon, and diced tomatoes. I left the dressing off, and brought my own on the side, so my family could add their own choice of dressing.

Out of the bountiful meal, I was able to eat my fill of eggs and salad, plus baked ham, steamed snow peas, and celery sticks. It was nice to gather at table with family and friends. It was a blessing to share such a celebratory meal.

Although I could not enjoy any dessert, I had something sweet on my plate to look forward to at home -- a phone call from a nice single man.

Yes, I was stepping into a new life, facing down an old fear. I was willing to open myself up to friendship, flirtation, laughter, and the possibility of loving someone again. Maybe not him, but someone, somewhere. This was the first step. I was nervous, but I was ready.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy. 1 Peter 1: 3-8

Day 46 - You Say TOMATO, I Say DELICIOUS!

Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds. Isaiah 3:10

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Today I added tomatoes to my diet. I love tomatoes. Especially fresh from the garden, bright red and dripping with sun-ripened juiciness.

So I have been inspired and motivated to plant a garden. That would help with all the vegetables I'm now eating, and will likely be eating from now on.

Especially tomatoes! (Which really are technically a fruit.)

The LORD will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing. Isaiah 51: 3

 

It's been a long time since I've planted a garden. I used to plant tomato sets each year, choosing big beefsteaks for sandwich toppers and small pop-in-your-mouth cherry and grape varieties for juicy little bites of summertime.

Then life turned upside down with my husband's death and I had no desire to plant anything. There was no room for the care such new life would need. I was consumed with grief. The following  year, as I started to emerge from mourning, I considered planting tomatoes again, but was too tired, too broken still.

For the following two years, I chose to purchase my tomatoes instead of grow them. My house was on the market, and I did not want to spend the time and energy in growing tomatoes, only to have the house sell and leave them behind.

Ah yes, I know it was only an excuse. But I've set aside excuses and reclaimed my home. I've chosen to reclaim my life, and my health. I've made new choices, forward-moving decisions. I've become growth-focused. And what could be more growth-focused than to garden? To nurture something tiny and hidden, and trust that new life, abundance, and blessings will follow?

Right now I've only made the decision. I will share my gardening experiences when they actually come about.

I had a simple meal of bacon and eggs for breakfast. Oh yes, with chopped TOMATOES!

For lunch out with a friend, I chose a chef salad. After picking out the carrots, croutons and cheese (remember, I backed off on that for a bit), I was left with a huge bowl full of greens, turkey, bacon, ham, onions, and TOMATOES!

Dinner had been cooking in the crock pot all afternoon -- roast beef with onions and celery, sided with green beans and TOMATOES!

I had to take my pulse test with each meal, with this new food, checking for negative responses. And I didn't mind the inconvenience at all. Yes, I love tomatoes that much.

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18: 21

 

Day 45 - What's so GOOD about Good Friday?

Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, reached a decision. They bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate. "Are you the king of the Jews?" asked Pilate. "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. The chief priests accused him of many things. So again Pilate asked him, "Aren't you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of." But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed. Now it was the custom at the Feast to release a prisoner whom the people requested. A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did. "Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?" asked Pilate, knowing it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead. "What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?" Pilate asked them. "Crucify him!" they shouted. "Why? What crime has he committed?" asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!" Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. Mark 15

Friday, April 22, 2011

Today is Good Friday, the day of Christ's death on the cross.

I've wondered through the years why such a sad day, such a time of devastation and tragedy, of humiliation and cruel death, would be called good.

What's so good about it?

Is it good because we know the outcome is wonderful -- His Easter resurrection? Is it good because, like castor oil and liver, it's something unpleasant that is actually beneficial to us? Is it good because putting a "happy face" on it makes it more palatable, easier to push through to the better time ahead?

Maybe part of these, perhaps all of these. But I think there's more to it than that.

As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, 'Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' Then " 'they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" ' For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?" Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals--one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One." The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself." There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. " Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." Luke 23: 26-43

As I've pondered and wondered, I've meditated on this, off an on through the years. I am not a biblical scholar, I have no training in theology. So I go with what I do know, the meaning of words. So for me, Good Friday's name goes back to the beginning -- that first word -- GOOD. And the context of that one word, as found in the Word itself.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. Genesis 1: 1-4

What does "good" mean in this particular context? Sure, it means something nice, beneficial, pleasant. But look at who's saying it's good. God himself. So in this context, which I also apply to Good Friday, "good" means "pleasing to God."

Now, you wonder, what can be pleasing to God, when His own son is humiliated, shamed, beaten, and put to death? How can He be pleased by that?

And the answer is found in another application of the word "good." The concept of "obedience."

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! Philippians 2: 5-8

Think about it for a moment. Think about it from a parent's perspective, who is teaching his child obedience. The father leaves his child in the care of a babysitter, or a family member, and tells the child, "Behave. Do what you're told. Be good." In other words, follow through on expectations. Be obedient.

Jesus did just that. Obedient to death -- death on a cross -- knowing it was expected of him, and pleasing to his Father.

Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate's permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus' body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. John 19: 38-42

I, too, have been following a path of obedience. I hope that my obedience -- to the needs of my body, as dictated by Dr. Ford, as led by God -- is pleasing to my heavenly Father. I pray that He looks upon this journey, and says, "It is good."

Su

Day 44 - No Need to Hold the Mayo

" 'Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine. " 'I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you. I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put leather sandals on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments. I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck, and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was fine flour, honey and olive oil. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen.'" Exekiel 16: 8-13

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Tonight I tried something different. I've been getting tired of the same-old same-old salad dressing routine of red wine vinegar and olive oil. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but my senses were ready for a difference in flavor and texture.

I knew I could now eat eggs, and olive oil has never been a problem.

So I headed to the computer to look up recipes for home-made MAYONNAISE! There were several, but this is the one I chose...

Home-Made Olive Oil Mayonnaise

2 egg yolks (save the whites to scramble with a whole egg for breakfast)
1 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar (red wine vinegar for me, thanks)
Pinch of white or black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredient except the oil in a medium bowl, and stir well. Next, whisk in the oil -- a few drops at a time -- making sure it is well-integrated into the egg yolk mixture. Once you've whisked a third of the oil in, you can start adding it in a steady stream, as long as you are whisking steadily and quickly. (You may want to stabilize the bowl by placing a towel beneath it, and a friend to trade off whisking duties with is also helpful.)

Voila! Mayonnaise! Add additional seasoning at this point if you want. The mayonnaise should be light and fluffy, but if it doesn't fluff up enough, it's still tasty and a great salad dressing on its own. It will be yellower than commercial mayonnaise.

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

This mayonnaise can also be made in a blender, which is helpful to keep your arm from getting tired. I whisked it this time, but will probably try the food processor when I next make it.

For dinner, I fixed pork chops braised in red onions and celery. I added chopped nectarines and a can of cherries packed in water. I even threw in the water for extra flavor, and cooked it down to a demiglaze. The side dish? Steamed broccoli topped with my freshly made mayonnaise, of course! It was quite a tasty dinner, if I do say so myself.

 'Bring me some game and prepare me some tasty food to eat, so that I may give you my blessing in the presence of the LORD before I die.' Genesis 27: 7