Good Morning, God!

Let’s see, it’s been over three days since my last sugar fix. I’m almost clean! And, I’m visiting Suz who is a great “role model” and a bite of a “monitor.” That helps, God! And I NEED the help.

Both Kit and Suz have no problem with “going without” food. Kit even LIKES weight loss “games.” But, my Body PANICS! Now, yesterday, Suz and I had a light breakfast around 9ish and agreed we’d have a late lunch. We got so into shopping we didn’t eat “lunch” at all — but had an early dinner at 5. My Body didn’t seem to even notice, let alone mind.

How could that be, God? Hmm. One difference is the Variety of Food that my Body is getting. So far I’ve had exquisite (mostly vegetables) Japanese food, Korean food with 32 different tiny side dishes, and Lebanese food. My Body seems delighted! And I do remember that our pre-agricultural ancestors ate 800 different foods over the course of a year. So, maybe God, the variety is giving my Body the nutrients it needs? Enough nutrients so my Body isn’t anxious?

Looking up at the photo I took of our Lebanese dinner I can see that the tabouli is almost entirely parsley — while American versions are mostly bulgar wheat. The waiter told us that parsley has 14 vitamins in it. No wonder I wasn’t hungry later!

Hmmm. That’s sort of a foreground background shift on thinking about obesity, isn’t it, God? Seeing obesity as caused by the ABSENCE of nutrients — not the EXCESS of calories? That FEELS, God, like a VERY USEFUL THOUGHT. Please help me –help all of us in “Industrial Societies” — eat more nutrient rich foods. Alas, the best nutrients don’t “live” in boxes sitting on shelves.

Good Morning, God!

Yesterday, Suz said “I have a food for you that you’ve NEVER had.” I admit I was dubious — after all I’ve eaten quite a few foods. But as soon as I saw it, I knew Suz was right!

“TASTE IT!” she said, “and GUESS what it is!” — so, I did. At my first bite I said “Avocado!” But I knew that wasn’t right. So, I had another bite — with a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of sea salt. I still had NO idea, God, what it was! Fortunately, SUZ gave me a “hint” by pointing to the shape inside. The shape was familiar. A baby ALMOND! I was eating fresh almonds!

Suz said she had tried one years earlier, and didn’t like it. But then a couple of weeks ago, Suz saw a Persian man buying a pound at the Farmers’ Market and she asked him, “How do you eat them?” He said, “You scrub off the fuzz and eat them with lemon juice and salt. That’s all. They’re GOOD for you!”

They really did taste as if they were good for me — in a very positive way — refreshing and satisfying. But, it was IMPORTANT to know that the thick grey fuzz had to come off and that lemon juice and salt helped!

For some reason, God, I’m thinking not of food now, but of communication. There are pieces of “information” that would be “good for us” to know — but they are wrapped in the “grey fuzz” of judgment — which is hard to scrub off! And, if we don’t know about ADDING the “lemon juice of humor” or the “salt of affirmation” then the information is not going to be “consumed.”

Funny — or sad — God, how much energy we put into preparing a meal, but, how little real attention we put into our conversational interactions. Please, God, help me pay more attention to both what I eat and what I say!

Good Morning, God

Just now, looking out the plane’s window at the air flowing over the wing, I thought about how it is the plane pushing forward the creates the LIFT on the wings — enough “lift” to raise the whole plane and all its contents skyward. The wings just don’t look BIG ENOUGH to do that. However did they discover that? (And, if I knew how to add one of my photos I would HAVE a photo of my plane’s wing.)

Learning involves effort –I am used to living without much frustration — so I have forgotten that it is part of pushing through to new connections. Amy Chua understands that. Understands that PART of parenting or teaching is to push or pull the “child” into to experiencing that.

I remember when I learned that work could be satisfying. I was mopping the floor at the Girl Scout camp at Emerald Bay, Catalina. I was doing it “under duress” but midway through it came to me that I was enjoying seeing the floor become clean.

Ah, but I did not learn it well enough to teach it! Hmmm. I didn’t learn it well enough to use it in my own life — let alone, pass it on. So, HERE is another chance. Another series of chances.

Thank You, God, for new days, new opportunities, new chances. Life isn’t, perhaps, so much about “getting it Right” as it is about pressing forward with the choosing. Not so much in the EFFORT as in the SENSING? Discerning?

Now off into a Day of being in Your Compassionate — and quietly encouraging — presence.