Here I Stand--Christmas Message from Glen Beck

Today, on Christmas Day, I received an email from Glen Beck, as I subscribe to his daily newsletter. While he may be a very polarizing figure, if you actually listen to his radio show and read his books, you would find he's a very sincere, smart and interesting person. Whether you love him or hate him, I think you'll appreciate what he had to say today on Christmas. Very well said....

I think a lot of people today can sympathize with Charlie Brown in the opening scene of the American TV classic A Charlie Brown Christmas when he admitted that, although the Christmas season had arrived, he was depressed. One look at the news and that state of mind is quite understandable: riots broke out at a mall & a man was shot over the release of new Michael Jordan retro sneakers; police armed with riot gear were needed to break up a fight at a youth football game in California; free condom dispensers are being placed at Philadelphia high schools for the holidays; and of course none of us can shake the unimaginable tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary. It's tough to digest six-year-old children being so violently robbed of their chance to live a full life, and the scars the survivors will carry with them for the rest of their life.  These stories and infinite others like them pummel our sense of "merriment" into submission, leaving us dazed & confused about the world surrounding us. Why did this happen? How could it happen? Where's God in all of this? Shouldn't He be doing some serious smiting or something?  I wish I had the answer to the how's and the why's, but I am not going to pretend to have all the answers. I know we have free will & I know evil exists - but why does something like the Sandy Hook tragedy happen? Simply stated: I do not know. But let me share with you what I do know: while we live in a fallen world, there is hope. Not a hollow 'things will get better' promise based on nothing in particular; but real, true hope. The ultimate proof is the very reason we celebrate Christmas: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." That is the real meaning of Christmas. The message many Christians complain is lost in an onslaught of the winter solstice, holiday trees, stuff, Santa and yet more stuff. And that's true, but I'll take it a step further - and this is where non-Christians, atheists, Muslims, Jews, Wiccans and everyone in between can come together: the real meaning of Christmas isn't just about the baby Jesus. It's also about what we do with the knowledge of the Christmas story. Making sure our National Nativity Defense Force is vigorously patrolling manger scenes all across America and bickering with atheists shouldn't be the extent of our Christianity. We should instead be on the lookout for those in need: the poor, the needy, widows, orphans, loners, the rejected, the suffering, the lost, the angry, the depressed, neighbors, strangers, brothers, sisters, co-workers, friends, and yes even enemies. And we should help and love them because God first loved us. Just doing that alone will shine a giant spotlight of hope into a dark world. When Charlie Brown's cast for his Christmas play had lost sight of the real meaning of Christmas, Linus stepped up to the stage and recited this from Luke: "'And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill towards men.'" The message of hope caused the gang to have a change of heart and start loving instead of complaining. My prayer this Christmas is for more people everywhere, believers and non-believers, to be inspired by the Christmas story and the love God showed His people, and for them to pass that love on to others.

Eating Clean and Saving Green--Swapping

One of the hardest things about eating clean will be doing away with many of the convenience foods I've come to rely on for meals. Not only do they make my life easier when it comes to meal time, they are also one of the best ways to save money at the grocery. But, alas, Rice-a-Roni, Betty Crocker Augratin Potatoes, Kraft Mac-and-Cheese and Knorr Mexican Rice don't make the grade when it comes to clean eating. 

Rather than buy the natural or organic versions of those products, which at times cost two to three times more, I am going to make my own from scratch, swapping out homemade for store bought. As this will take away from the convenience factor of those items, I plan on trying to make up large batches of each of favorites and freezing them. 

I'll be posting all my homemade recipes and what I am swapping them for.  


To be continued... :) 

Eating Clean and Saving Green--Step-by-Step

A livestrong.com article published in 2010 listed 5 steps to clean eating. I found them overall helpful, with a few minor adjustments. 

Step 1
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Choose fresh, unprocessed foods over canned or processed products. Clean eating enthusiasts believe that we were meant to survive on fresh fruits and vegetables and that processing them reduces their nutritional value and fiber content and adds salt, fat, sugar and chemicals. Choose fruit instead of fruit juice and if you must pick a processed vegetable, frozen is always better than canned.

Ugh...I hate fruit. I only like two types of fruit, bananas and strawberries. I guess I will have to work on liking more types of fruits. Luckily, I do like all different types of veggies, so that won't be too hard. As for processed veggies, we've already eliminated canned for frozen. Luckily, I can still find great sales on frozen veggies; Kroger runs their frozen veggies 10 for $10 every few weeks. 
 
Step 2
Balance protein and complex carbohydrates. Incorporate whole grains like brown rice or millet over processed grains. Eat lean meats, and choose organic or grass fed meats when possible as these foods are usually clean of pesticides, hormones and additives. Grill, broil or steam your meats rather than frying.

Check...we already choose a lot of whole grains over processed grains anyway. And thankfully, whole wheat pasta has gotten better lately. Lean meats will be a challenge budget-wise, since they tend to be more expensive. I am going to investigate local butchers to see if they may be cheaper. The only meat I fry is fish, and that is very occasionally, so we're good there too. 

Step 3
Avoid sodas and high calorie, sugary drinks. Follow the tenant of clean eating that aims to remove added sugars from the diet. Choose water or tea for your beverages, or juice your own fruits and vegetables and enjoy them without added sugars or preservatives.

This will be one of the exceptions to the rules...I cannot give up my diet Pepsi and Coke Zero!! :)
 
Step 4
Trade bad fats for good fats. One of the most important aspects of clean eating is removing saturated fats from the diet. Lower your saturated fat intake by avoiding fast food, choosing lean cuts of meat and getting your fat calories from foods like nuts and fatty fish.

I never pay attention to fats, good or bad, so it will be interesting to see how I do in this category. 
 
Step 5
Eat several small meals to keep blood sugar stable and to avoid overeating. Choose snacks like nuts, low-fat or fat free dairy and fruits and vegetables. Note that some people who live a clean eating lifestyle don't eat dairy products while others adapt clean eating to a vegetarian lifestyle.

I've tried eating five or six small meals before and it didn't work for me. I'll probably do more of three regular meals and one afternoon snack. 

Eating Clean and Saving Green--What is Clean Eating?

Great question! 

According to the Gracious Pantry, there are three methods of eating clean:

METHOD 1
There are many people simply looking to remove the chemicals from their diets and bodies, and therefore  eat clean. Their focus is NOT on losing weight, but on general health.They avoid processed foods of all kinds, yet eat only when the need arises or three times per day.
 
METHOD 2

1. Eat  Lots Of Plants – Eat food that is straight from nature. (Some people say “as close to the way nature made it as possible”. But I think that leaves too much wiggle room – in my humble opinion) Eat mostly foods that are off a tree, bush, plant or vine, and you’ve pretty much got it covered. The idea is to stay away from anything that humans (food corporations) have altered in any way.
2. Include Meats - Eat meats that are whole and straight from the butcher. Don’t buy pre-packaged meat products because you never know what’s in them. When possible, buy whole meats and grind them yourself. You’d be surprised what’s in ground turkey meat! You can also select a few turkey breasts and ask that the butcher grind them for you. Many butchers are more than willing to accommodate.
3. Enjoy Grains - Eat grains that are still complete and haven’t been broken down into “glue”. Stick to brown rice, whole wheat and other whole grains.
4. Read Labels I don’t know how many breads I’ve picked up at the store that say they are whole grain. But when I take a look at the ingredient list, white flour is the second ingredient after whole wheat flour!
5. Eat Fewer Ingredients. Try not to purchase foods that have more than 3-6 ingredients in the ingredient list. And be sure you recognize each and every ingredient. If you find a “mystery ingredient” such as “spices”, contact the company! Ask them what they consider to be spices. If it’s anything other than honest-to-goodness herbs and spices, avoid it! And remember, if you can’t pronounce it, it probably shouldn’t go into your body.
6. Eat 5-6 small meals per day. This may seem like a lot at first. But remember, you are eating smaller portions. If you really have a hard time with this, prepare your regular three meals and a snack for the day, and divide lunch and dinner in half. You’ve instantly got 6 small meals!

METHOD 3
There is also another method of eating 3 regular meals and squeezing in 1 snack for a total of 4 meals. You eat every four hours instead of every 2-3. This concept is from Jillian Michaels and the theory behind it is that if you eat every 2-3 hours, your insulin stays continuously spiked and you end up with a higher chance of diabetes. 

I like the concept in Method 3 of eating three regular meals and one snack. I have attempted the 5-6 small meals before and didn't find it worked well for me. The other points seem pretty straightforward...eat more more fruits and veggies, we can still eat meats, choose whole grans, read labels, eat fewer ingredients. 

Here I Stand--Do Your Homework

I feel like part of the problem today is that people have forgotten how to or simply refuse to thing for themselves. They let the media or politicians or friends or parents tell them what to think and just follow blindly. 

I want to do my own homework, not take the word of the media, a politician or anyone else. If something doesn’t seem right or line up with my values, then I will check it out. As a monk, Martin Luther was uncomfortable with the Catholic church and their emphasis on works, purgatory, etc. So, he did his homework, spent extensive time in prayer and felt God leading him to make his stand.