Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Something that's been on my heart....


There are many benefits to following a whole food plant based diet, and yes it has the ability to prevent and reverse some of our biggest killers- heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. But it doesn't matter whether we die at 40 from a heart attack or live to a ripe old age of 101 and die peacefully in our sleep, our eternal destination is secured by Jesus sacrifice - not by our food choices.


Food is NOT our Saviour, Jesus is!

 


And with that in mind, sometimes I wonder why I blog. Its not of eternal value.
But here's my dilemna --> I do actually ENJOY blogging. It becomes a record of the recipes that my own family enjoy and an easy way to refer to them without having scraps of paper all over the kitchen! You see, I really do cook my own recipes and refer to them frequently!

I also think it is wonderful to be able to share healthy recipes with people in a way that is simple and easy to prepare, that fits in with current lifestyles. Many people are searching for healthier ways of living.  
Why is it that eating has become such a confusing issue for modern day society?
I do believe that people need to shift their eating habits to more whole-foods and away from the processed garbage that floods us these days.

When God created humans he gave us the ultimate plan for wholesome, nourishing food.
Genesis 1:29
I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.

How did we lose our way?
Do we really need to be reminded by constant posts and recipes and new research findings?
Yet is that the worlds REAL issue???
Our world would see more transformation from hearts being won for Jesus than by dietary change.
But yet surely part of living for Jesus is looking after ourselves, as well as caring for his creation too!

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV)  Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
Numbers 35:33-34 (NIV)
Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it. Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell, I, the Lord. 

So surely if we ignor our health then that is not honouring God either! And surely the farming practises that animals endure these days is not the way God intended members of his creation to be treated.
But at the same time we aren't honouring God if we are so focused on what we eat, aiming to be ultra healthy and insanely environmentally conscience, that we forget that God is the sustainer of all life and that our aim in life should be His purposes and His kingdom!

Acts 17:24-25
The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 
 
The bible makes it very clear what our primary concern should be -->
Matthew 6:31-33  So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 


Our culture seems to be obsessed with finding health and being concerned with what we look like.
We are taught to love and accept ourselves by the way we look and what we achieve.

And yet at the end of the day - do any of those things really matter???
Don't get me wrong.... I will be vegan til the day I die. But it makes me wonder if the time & energy I invest in my blog is worth it. 
Is there something better I could be doing with my time?.......

Perhaps we should be thanking God for the good foods he has given us to eat! Just like this church did: http://www.earthsave.org/mfh_gift_2013.htm 


I'm not one who sits here writing lengthy posts about all the benefits of a plant based diet. I leave that up to the experts.  It's not more information that society needs. Its how to apply the information that we already have access to! I just provide a few easy recipes for those who are looking for meal options! So I guess for now I'll keep posting..... but without over committing myself to the point where I feel exhausted by it!
Ecclesiastes 12:11-12 (NLT)
The words of the wise are like cattle prods—painful but helpful. Their collected sayings are like a nail-studded stick with which a shepherd drives the sheep. But, my child, let me give you some further advice: Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out.

12 comments:

  1. What a great, uplifting post! Thanks for writing it - it's what we all need to keep in mind! : )

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  2. Yes, I have a dehydrator and need new ideas of things to make it in. Usually use it for jerky or bananas. Am going to do this this week, they good and healthy. Great post today, by the way, encouraging!

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  3. Great post Sandy! Faith is the underlying driver for my blog too. I promote whole food plant-based eating out of compassion for living beings - human and animal. Similar to what you've found in the bible, whole foods are mentioned a lot in the Buddhist scriptures. Sadly many of us seem to have lost our way with food in recent decades. I don't blame people. The food industry is a minefield, and sends out so many conflicting messages :/

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    1. Thanks so much for your encouraging words - I appreciate it :-) I'm so pleased to hear of another friend who lives the compassion that their faith teaches.
      The food industry sure does send out very confusing messages!

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  4. I'm very glad to see you followed your heart gorgeous :) xxx

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  5. these look like something i want to try on my picky grandson. could you cut them before dehydrating and can i maybe dehydrate them in the oven on the lowest setting for less time (i don't have a dehydrator).

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    1. Yes, the carrot cookies should work on a slow oven, or else a regular one will produce lovely cookies, but not quite crackers :-)

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  6. Just found your blog. Loved, loved, loved you stepping away from the plant-based food we eat to make us healthier and remind us all Who our strength and healing really comes from. As my daddy told me many years ago, "One day, all these things that seem so important to us now won't matter at all. It's only what we do with Jesus that counts." God bless you and thanks for a wonderful post.

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    1. You're very welcome - glad it encouraged you so much :-) Be blessed!

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