Who is God? [Part 5]

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It's been 35 days since I started seeking to understand God's character.

It's been really neat to see the themes that have come up so far.

If you've missed any of the previous posts, I think they'll

be linked at the bottom. 

He is my help. [Heb. 13]

He is the Lord of peace. [2 Thess. 3]

He is my shield. [Psalm 18]

He is my refuge & strength. [Psalm 46]

He is patient. [2 Peter 3]

He is love. [1 John 4]

This past week was spent in

a bit of self reflection; that's probably the coolest part of this

quest so far: the more I learn about God, the more I learn about myself.

Whole 30 update:

The first 2 or 3 days of this diet were hard. Hard enough that I dreamed the first night that I stuffed my face with tiramisu & felt incredibly guilty afterward. That was just the start. I've never had the biggest sweet tooth, but there were a handful of times when I envisioned myself face-first in a pool of vanilla frosting-it was bad. Slowly, my cravings for all things sugary and grainy started to fade. Another side affect of this diet was my elevated hunger.The first 3 days I was starving. I ate probably twice as much as I do on a normal day & still felt hungry when I went to bed. By day 5, I somewhat regulated my intake, but I still feel like I'm eating more than usual. On this diet, that is  fairly normal. The best thing to happen so far is the fact that it's been 7 days and I

have not had a single stomach ache. So far, so good.

Whole 30

Starting today, I am on a 30 day, 

or possibly longer, metabolism-

restart diet called Whole30.

Here's a little bit about it: 

Who: This is for anyone who wants to experience cleaner eating. It is particularly good for people who have experienced chronic digestional problems & want to heal from whatever their current diet may be provoking.

What: Cut out all the inflammatory, insulin-spiking, calorie-dense but nutritionally sparse food groups from your diet. Certain foods, even those deemed "healthy," can have a negative impact on your body. Instead, eat foods with few ingredients, which naturally balance your digestion & leave you feeling healthier. There are several things that cannot be eaten at this time, which can be found here.

When: This diet is designed for 30 days, but the benefits have been said to influence how one views food, eating, and long-term health. 

Why: I personally have dealt with food allergies, chronic stomach pain, and all-around digestional problems as long as I can remember. I have done elimination diets, taken supplements, and made tums & pepto bismol part of my daily regimen. I love good food, and have always been nutritionally minded, but I hate the idea of mindless eating. There are thousands of people who have taken this diet seriously & experienced extremely effective results. People have found relief from a range of problems like: acne to weight loss, Crohn's disease to skin disorders. I am a firm believer in holistic healing, and I cannot deny the impact that the foods we eat has on our whole lives. For more testimonials, check this out. 

So there you have it. I'll be sure to track my progress & do an update at the end of the month. 

Recipe: homemade almond milk

As I stated in yesterday's post, 

I have been on somewhat of a health 

kick recently.

I am lactose intolerant, & have

taken a liking for milk

alternatives like coconut & almond milk.

The problems with store-bought kinds

are they run a bit expensively, and they

are often too sweet to cook with

and too flavorless to drink straight. 

My mom sent me an email
 from this blog & the results were delicious! 

I was worried that it would be labor-intensive

but it was  extremely easy. 

I found it still too sweet for my liking, so

I altered the recipe a little:

Almond Milk: 

Yields approx. 5 cups

1.5 cups whole, raw almonds

5 Cups water

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbs maple syrup

dash of cinnamon

[also need: blender, metal strainer, cheesecloth]

This recipe is simple: 

1. Soak the almonds completely covered by water for 12 hours.

The next morning, drain them and add to blender with 2.5 cups 

of fresh water. 

2. Blend the almond & water mixture for 1-2 minutes

until it forms a very smooth paste.

[This is when I resorted to the magic bullet. If you don't have one,

be patient with your blender.]

3. Add vanilla, maple syrup [or honey], and cinnamon. 

Pour in another 2.5 cups of water & blend for another minute, until frothy. 

Adjust sweetness.

[the key here is to blend until you could drink

the mixture now-still gritty, but mostly smooth.]

4. Strain mixture into a bowl through 

2-3 layers of cheesecloth in the strainer, 

gathering the cheesecloth and squeezing all the milk out.

5. Place into jars, bottles, or jugs and refrigerate.

6. You're left with a very fine almond meal in

the cheesecloth. You can dry this out

in a low-heat oven and use for baking. Or you can

throw it away. 

Thoughts on running

I have been on somewhat of a fitness 

kick for the past couple of weeks.

Maybe it's my extra free time, 

the Beautiful weather we've been having, 

or the fact that I'm noticing that my joints

and muscles just aren't moving like they once did. 

[what the heck? I'm only 23.]

Regardless, I had taken way 

too long of a hiatus from something that I actually 

really enjoy: running.

It's one of those things that

gets easier and easier if 

you can just commit to heading out the front door, but

despite knowing this, I still find it so easy

to quit-even after I've pushed past the 

agony & start actually enjoying it. 

All this extra time has provided me with the opportunity 

to explore this town even more. 

Today's run: a few miles north&west

up the Cache La Poudre River. 

There is beautiful open space,

green horse pastures, and the calming

sound of the moving water. 

One day at a time.