Everything is Permissible, Not Everything is Beneficial

I was chatting with a friend the other day and discussing the Biblical issues related to diet that I talked about here. She reminded me of a very important verse that had slipped my mind and melted into the unknown of my subconscious: 1 Corinthians 10:23 (thanks, Lori!). I looked it up in a few different versions, and I love the various translations:

NIV: "Everything is permissible--but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible--but not everything is constructive."

NASB: "All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify."

Basic English Bible: "We are free to do all things, but there are things which are not wise to do. We are free to do all things, but not all things are for the common good."

They all say the same thing, but in different ways. Of course we are permitted to eat what we want--Jesus' death on the cross is what released us from the old law. But does that mean everything is beneficial? Of course not. Profitable? Nope. Wise? Uh-uh. When Adam and Eve decided to blow it for all mankind (ok, ok, they're human...), it changed things. We are not perfect. Thus, when we are in charge of things, they don't go perfectly. Crops get messed with, animals are treated inhumanely, and we no longer follow basic healthy guidelines for living that were once common sense. 

So what does this mean for our no-grain lifestyle? Well, Superman is not part of the equation...his body attacks itself when he eats gluten or pretty much any other grain. I can't change his diet at this point, because it eats up his insides. Unless my fervent prayer miraculously heals him, which is more than possible! As for the rest of us...I think I've come to the conclusion that we will still avoid all grains and dairy and sugar in our house, but I'm ok with the occasional treat, especially if it is whole, organic, and I know its source. I really want our kids to understand about moderation and treating our bodies the way the Lord intended (or as close to it as we can). If we are at someone's house, they are welcome to eat what is being served (with the exception of J-Man and dairy...it's better for him to avoid). The hope is that they will listen to their bodies, and realize what affects them in a negative way, so they can make better choices as they get older...not because I tell them to, but because they know what's best for them.

By the way, Romans 14 is an excellent passage as well, and really sums up how I feel we should be living in regards to what we eat. You can read it here.

Enjoy your weekend, and enjoy some good food! 

What the Bible Says About My Diet

Most of you know about Superman's food allergies. His auto-immune response to gluten (and seemingly never-ending list of food sensitivities) thrust us into a new realm of eating. I've read book after book after book about food allergies and ways to deal with them. A friend recommended "The Paleo Solution," which I discuss here. It changed our way of life. We went from eating like everyone else (pre-diagnosis) to eating gluten-free, but still many processed foods, to eating no grains, dairy, sugar or legumes. I had never felt so good as I did after taking those foods out of my diet. It was amazing. Our kids were healthier, more focused in school, and I could just see the difference the diet change had made in their lives. J-Man, for the first time in his life, has not had to take any asthma or allergy medication this season. His eczema? Gone. His labored wheezing? Gone. His constant sneezing, itchy eyes? Gone. It's truly been a miracle. Superman improved dramatically, although not entirely. My morning joint pain disappeared...and so did my afternoon slump.

But something kept eating at me {no pun intended}. Why is it that the Bible not only mentions eating grains, but actually encourages it? Why is it that God told our ancestors that every "plant bearing seed" was theirs and why is it that "One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grain fields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels" (Luke 6:1)? Why in Ezekiel 4:9 did He say, "Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself"? If grains are so bad for us, why would He advise us to eat them? 

I started researching the topic, and came across a book titled, "What the Bible Says About Healthy Living." I'm only about halfway through it right now, but it's giving me a lot of things to think about. I think, unfortunately, that we have messed too much with something God had already made perfect. We genetically modify wheat and corn and soy and expect them to be just as good as the way God made them. But what about organic, whole, unprocessed grains? Are those better for us?

I would rather my kids eat healthfully based on Biblical reasoning than just do it "because mom and dad say so." I want them to own their eating habits, and when someone asks why they eat a certain way, be able to respond with good, sound Biblical reasons that they understand and agree with. 

So, are we going to ditch the no-grain diet? I'm not sure. This issue is near the top of my prayer list right now as I see it as something valuable and important. Obviously, I can't go feeding Superman a bunch of grains. Well, unless I want him to keel over...which I don't. But there are six other people in our family, and I only want to be doing what the Lord would want us to do. 

So, what are your feelings on this? 

New Foods, New Things, New Year!

So I just went back and looked at my blog post from last year at this time, and here are what my 2010 goals were: 

Spiritual: Family devotionals every week night. Superman usually does a "quiet time" with the kids every couple days, but I'd like to see that more consistent. Right now the kids are assigned days to pray at meals (Monday is Mr. C, Tuesday is J-Man, etc), so on their days they'll also pick what Bible story we are going to focus on in the evening.

Physical: Finish running a 5K in under 27 minutes, and finish a 10K in under 55 minutes.

Life in general: Start writing letters again. I mean, e-mail is great and all, but there's something exhilarating about getting an unexpected note in the mail. My goal is to send out 2 letters per month.

I'm happy to say that I actually {pretty much} met my goals! Although we didn't do devotions every night, we have done them pretty much every weekday morning during the school year.  I didn't run an actual 5K race in under 27 minutes, but I did do 5K on the treadmill in that time! And, I didn't quite meet the 2 letters per month quota, but I would say I averaged about one per month. Pretty good, I think. 

These past few months have been exciting around our house. Superman has been working his little tail off to get things done on the farm--cutting up downed trees and brush, clearing MUCH unwanted shrubbery, putting up fences and building a pig pen for our 2 new pigs, Tasty and Yummy: 

I have 30 chickens coming at the end of January (sooooo needed since we go through more than 75 eggs a week in our house!), and as part of my Christmas gift, Superman is going to get my coop up-and-running for all my little sweet chicks. We're hoping to get a few cows, pygmy goats and sheep in 2011.

We had a great Thanksgiving and Christmas, and really enjoyed the family time over the breaks. I have to say, it's pretty much the best having a teacher as a husband. He's home with us 1/2 the year! The kids don't yet realize just how blessed they are. 

So after my discouraged post awhile back about Superman's dietary restrictions, I was referred by a friend to the book "The Paleo Solution" by Robb Wolf. It talks all about the decline in health of our nation and promotes eating a "Pre-agrarian" diet (I really don't like using that word...I prefer "lifestyle" or something similar) of meats, fruits, nuts, seeds, and veggies. I decided since Superman already pretty much had to eat that way, I would attempt it and see how I felt. I had already cut out dairy for a month and was feeling quite a big improvement in my joint pain in the mornings, and figured I had nothing to lose. So, I completely re-vamped our eating habits, and I cannot believe what a huge change it has made in my life! It's been two months now, and my joint pain is virtually gone. I am much more even-keeled, rarely getting the dreaded "afternoon slump." I feel more energetic, clear-headed and just physically younger than I have in, well, frankly, as far back as I can remember. And on a side note for the ladies (if you're of the male sex, you may want to skip to the next paragraph...), my cycles are regular for the first time in at least 12 years! 

So, I have no desire to go back to my "old way" of eating. I decided to splurge on Christmas and went ahead and indulged in a few rolls and some pasta. Boy oh boy did I feel it the next morning! I woke up as stiff as I had been just a few months back. That in itself was encouragement enough for me to continue on. I rarely miss the old foods, as I've come across so many great blogs with yummy recipes. Our kids are all healthier, Superman is feeling great, and I feel better than I have since pre-adolescence. I highly recommend trying this if you have physical ailments you can't seem to shake! I truly don't feel it's a "diet," more of a way of life. I just don't have the desire to put my body through that physical stress if I don't need to. 

Well, this post is getting a bit long. I suppose I should break for now. I hope to update in the next few days with my goals for 2011...but don't hold your breath. I think I said I was going to try to update regularly on my last post, and that was over two months ago. Sorry!

Food Allergies and Discouragement

Some of you may remember my post awhile back about Superman's diagnosis of Celiac Disease. His life has improved dramatically since he cut gluten out of his diet...he's gained 20 pounds (which was very needed!) and feels so much better. But still not better. He continues to have issues that plague him. And it's discouraging. I know how discouraging it is to me, and I have to multiply that multiple times to get to the angst he feels. 

He recently went to a doctor, well, actually, a chiropractor who came highly recommended by a colleague. This colleague's son was plagued by many symptoms like Superman, and after exhausting all the conventional medical avenues, decided to try the "naturalistic" path. We have, I'm somewhat ashamed to admit, always turned our nose at the "natural" remedies found in unconventional medicine. Maybe because neither of us have really been exposed to it before...I don't know. At any rate, to make a long story short, this doctor says Superman is sensitive to corn, dairy and soy as well as incapable of processing wheat. Wow. If it's true, it'll explain why he just hasn't felt healed yet...but I must admit, I'm a bit skeptical.

With this news comes new responsibility for me...I'm the one who has to feed Superman; it's in my job description. And as much as I'd like to just say, "Well, you're on your own..." I have to find meals that the kids and I can enjoy that will also be edible for him.

To be quite honest, I feel overwhelmed. I have a hard enough time thinking of something to make for each meal when there are no diet restrictions. Coming up with new ides that don't have any of those ingredients is going to be, well, a challenge. I think I said before I like a good challenge every now and then. Well, I don't think I'm really on board with this one yet.

I feel bad complaining. I mean, it could be so so so much worse. And it's not. But still, this is my reality, and it is hard for me not to be a bit discouraged by it. This coupled with the fact that our kids have been pushing me to the edge of sanity this past week...I've completely fallen off the "no sugar" wagon and resorted to replacing almost all my meals with sugar. I'm not exaggerating, either. This past week, I have barely eaten anything of substance. I've eaten plenty of chocolate, cookies, tootsie rolls, and any other sweets I can get my hands on, though. I feel stressed.

I think my mood could be the dictionary definition of the word "slump." It irritates me that I feel that way. Here I am, living in my dream world on property...our kids are healthy...our roof didn't leak when it rained over the weekend...there's a fire crackling in the stove...I'm making a pumpkin pie from scratch (whoops! More sugar...). What in the world do I have to complain about? Sigh.

I suppose we're all allowed a few "off" days every now and then. I think I'm just ready to be back "on."