2.18.2013

Whole 30

So....on the cusp of a weekend of saltines and chicken noodle soup, I'm embarking on a new Whole 30 challenge today with some of my favorite people.

I finished my first one a few weeks ago, and I really did learn a few things about myself.

For starters, I have an unhealthy addition to Coca-Cola. We don't drink coffee, so this is my wake-up drug. It was so nice to finally reach the point of wanting one, but not needing one.

I am emotional eater. I think many of us are. When we began fostering two years ago, we had ended a year of significant grief in our lives, and I just continued turning to food for comfort. When Big Sis moved in, it was difficult to ignore my need to work through this. Her greatest battle was/is emotional eating, and it is crippling for her. In order to help her heal in this area, I had to begin looking at it in my own life. Just because you may be a smaller frame, doesn't mean food cannot still be an idol in your life.

It's amazing how much of our thinking and time food actually consumes, especially as moms. I feel like we're asking about lunch at breakfast, and dinner at lunch. And when you have a remotely larger than average family, this can impact your time, energy and finances. We really began seeing a need to simplify, so we did. We're definitely not there yet, and we're not all quite on board, but the focused 30 days went a long way on how we viewed this. I want the energy to meditate on His law and love day and night and the ways they satisfy me, not the ways I can satisfy myself through what I can eat, drink, buy, etc.

I would have said I was doing the best I could on behalf of Benjamin's health, but I have not been. What I've learned over the past month has rocked my world. Can't believe I'm the one writing this. If you don't know, our middle son has a digestive disease that does have a major impact on his health and emotions. He is allergic to just about everything but whole foods, which is kind of ironic. He craves healthy things, and chooses processed foods only when the first option is not available (aside from candy). It's been hard for me to admit this last month that apart from the season of our life-threatening scares, I have not sought ways to promote his health with excellence.

The children who enter my home represent families who live off processed foods. When I sign on as a foster parent, I'm committing to promoting their emotional, spiritual and physical health. I've been realizing that introducing them to the roles real food can play in their lives can go a very long way to breaking a cycle of obesity and poor health as well as encouraging their families in this (with humility).

I'm not sure what I'll learn this month. I do know everything is with grace, but I've been so grateful for the journey as it has exposed my unhealthy views of the role foods plays in my own life and in the role I've promoted for it to have in the life of our family.

And I have some pretty rock start gals I'm doing this with :)

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Don't forget to check out my Blog Birthday Party! You're invited! 
I'll be posting our specific needs for items, time and efforts this week!

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Because of Jesus,

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