America the Fat and Beautiful...Oh and God Bless our Troops.

I am always pumped for holiday weekends. Who isn't? People wear absurd patriotic clothing, stuff their faces, and hang out. I think a lot of people, maybe just my age, tend to forget the many men and women who have served and are currently serving this country to keep us safe and this day is really about them. Freedom isn't free. This day can be about great cook outs and spending time with family, but say a prayer for those who are missing their loved ones because they are out there sacrificing their time to protect us. God bless our troops!

I was looking forward to this weekend for weeks. Along side of one of my coupons for Velvet ice cream  I saw an advertisement for their yearly ice cream festival. Ice cream happens to be my husbands favorite food, however if you asked him he'd assure you it was a food group due the vast amount of amazing flavors you can choose from. I told my brother and sister-in-law about this event and we decided we would drive the two hours to Utica, Ohio to attend.

 True to  it's word, the fair didn't let us down. There were vendors full of little homemade crafts, foods, games etc. and best of all really delicious ice cream. We visited the factory where it was made and made an afternoon of it. We headed off to Columbus to visit my good friend from grade/high school, Michelle and her boyfriend Luke, for mexican dinner. The day had no rain, it was filled with friends, and I couldn't have been happier. Also, side note: Utica had amazing garage sales. I'm going to have to go back there this summer just for those. We were unable to stop   at any of them due to our dinner date but I couldn't believe how many there were!











Today after church my in-laws had a bbq filled with great burgers, cheesy potatoes, watermelon, popcicles, cookies, summer shandy, brats, you name it...it was there. We laughed, talked, and got the pool ready for summer. I could feel the food baby set in and myself want to take a nap. We napped for about an hour and got up to go to a movie my mom had been telling about for a few days called Forks Over Knives. I recommend it to anyone. I knew what I was going to see. I knew that I would walk out of there wanting to change the way I eat. I was truly hoping this would give be the edge to eat the way my body needs it to. I know that this idea of a plant based diet (the essence of the movie) can cure and prevent over 85% of America's health problems. My father is a walking poster child. He was diagnosed easter of 2010 with  stage 4 cancer in his colon that had spread to a half dozen other locations in his body. He quit chemo treatments to take on a plant based diet and he is walking, running, working today. You can't tell at all that he had or has cancer. We can't tell and it doesn't matter because the Lord healed him and his plant based diet keeps him going pain free. I know this works.

I don't have any conditions like high blood pressure, heart issues, etc. but I hate waking up...I'm tired all the time..I don't feel energized. The odd thing about it is that I don't eat like crap. To the majority of Americans I eat great! I avoid fast food and don't consume soda other than my once a week jack daniels. I try and shop organically and am food conscious. I think my problem is that I survive off bread and grains and dairy. I need to implement more fruits and vegetables instead of bread grains and meats. Instead of having a chicken and vegetables on the side, I need to have vegetables with a little card deck sized chicken on the side. People say, "oh but you're not living!" After watching that movie...I won't be living.

So... What I am going to do is do a 25 day plant based diet. I'm going to journal it, blog about it, whatever to help me be disciplined. At the end of the day I'm hoping to lose my last little bit of weight, feel better, be more of a morning person, and have the energy of a 5 year old. I'm sad, yet excited. I had last supper WEEKEND I suppose. I now feel like purging but, the new diet starts soon and I am going to keep you posted! Oh and go see that movie... its playing at Cedar Lee only here, but maybe its more local other places.



forksoverknives.com

Blogging and Who I Want to Be This Week

I've been told I should blog...I often thought if I had more time I would. After having so many inner monologues in my head (this is due to too much Dexter) and really procrastinating about everything else I do, I ran out of excuses not to. I truly enjoy reading other people's blogs, maybe perhaps... people would enjoy reading mine too?

What has been on my mind lately is school, and what kind of job I am going to have when I'm finished this July. This last stretch of summer six week courses is a) a ridiculous work load and b) centered around urban sociology and global sociology. Surprisingly interesting classes. I initially started college with zero guidance nor personal interest in my life when college was over. Now, after six years, I wish I could do it over. There are so many cool jobs that could stem from other majors I didn't even know about. I will be graduating with a blah art degree, which I am unsure if the word liberal will be in front of it or not. (That in itself shows you how uninterested I was.) These current classes have nothing to do with art, yet I've saved them for the very last. So I'm in these classes learning about third world countries, urban planning, how communities work together etc. and I'm thinking "Man, America the downright spoiled". How often do I go through life taking for granted literally everything. A lot of people that go to other countries, including myself, use that phrase "we take everything for granted here in the U.S.". You hear it so often that you almost put up a wall so you don't try and understand how that might actually feel. I know America is the wealthiest nation. I was just caught off guard by the arrogance of it. As I'm sitting through these classes learning about the sickness of consumerism, I can feel myself yearn to have a job in some sort of humanitarian field. Maybe out of guilt? Maybe that I'm the most happy when I am helping others.

I have a class, taught by a wonderful British man, dedicated solely to the lives of New York homeless men who make their living selling books and magazines. I've always treated homeless people in a positive way. I've always given into whatever story they were telling to score $2. I maintain the stance that though it might be a lie, so what if it is. Either way they're worse of then me who always has $2 in the bottom of her purse. But, "Oh you're contributing to their drug habit or alcohol consumption...tisk tisk." Maybe, maybe not though. Maybe that day they were looking for bus money or to get a warmer shirt. I don't know, but I don't think that it is my place to judge. Anyway, this class has opened a whole new light on homeless people. I wanna love on them all. The book I'm reading by the end of this week is called Sidewalk  by Mitch Duneier if anyone is interested. I've been thinking so much about it even when I'm not reading that I even dreamed about homeless guys last night.

So today I spent the time I was supposed to be doing my online African-American art class googling humanitarian jobs and volunteer work. Trying to establish a plan that I could convince my husband to follow along with. It was a dead end today, but maybe tomorrow. I definitely need to volunteer more after I finish college. I love it. I always have. I love it because I actually want nothing in return. That feeling feels so good, like my soul smiles. I want to make a difference.

 I have hit a limit with material things. Everything in that sense is so insignificant in the grand scheme of things if what we do here is really just for furthering His kingdom. The awesome neon sports bra at Target for $16.00 doesn't beat sending $20.00 to Joplin victims anymore. I wish we all made that quick decision more often. No, you don't need the newest Ipad or an $120 pair of sunglasses or jeans. I don't know if it is a point of growing up, but the need to acknowledge the needy is there, or at least with all the disasters happening daily it should be. Its funny how what we think our needs are luxuries.With so many of the things we buy for ourselves, what if we  decided... "Hey, I'm not gonna go to starbucks this month, and every time I do feel like it I'm gonna put my grande $4.00 in a cup and send it to Doctors Without Borders so someone can get better from a disease that is easily cured with something out of Giant Eagle's pharmacy." If you need help sticking that $4.00 away, know that 1.75 billion people live on less that $1.25 a day. I think we'd be surprised on how little effort could help so much in your own city, country, state, internationally, what have you. We have the resources, it just takes one action of love to keep it going.

This photo was taken by an amazing photographer, probably my favorite, Jeremy Cowart. He did a 'Voices of Haiti' series. Their sign says, " we will never give up."

"Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another." 1 Peter:4:9-10

www.jeremycowart.com
www.doctorswithoutborders.org