final week

so here i am settling in for my final week of 10 foods.  now, i need to confess that i spent 5 days last week in southern california:)  i gave myself a bit of freedom since i'd be eating every meal out!  i wasn't sure what to expect emotionally and physically with this "freedom!"  

the friend i traveled with had brought a couple of homemade muffins - whole wheat, cranberry and walnut.  pretty close to my 10! since we had left at a rather ungodly hour i was appreciative of her thoughtfulness and was also thrilled to see how close to my 10 those little tasty muffins were.  i snacked on almonds on our flight.  we landed and i was starved....heading to a trader joe's i enjoyed a salad with chicken on it -again, a few extras but pretty darn close to my 10.  dinner?  well, seafood was on the agenda.  i enjoyed every bit of my shrimp wrapped in bacon, and then i felt sick and bloated for a few hours.  bummer!

we had free breakfast - fully expecting processed things i was thrilled to see cook to order eggs, whole wheat toast, and hash browns!  can i get an amen??  then i had sweet potato fries and some chicken enchilada soup.  dinner, blackberries and a green naked smoothie.  i was so thrilled how God was honoring my hope to be somewhat faithful by providing choices.  thursday we had lunch with the conference we were at.  guess what it was - GRILLED CHEESE!! not only is that my favorite sandwich ever - it is so close to my 10 i did a happy dance and savored every bit of that delectable sandwich.  

for the remainder of the trip, i wasn't quite so true to my 10, but found little surprises waiting for me.  i love how God used this time to remind me it wasn't about the legalism.  it was about the journey of cutting out my "rights" and "entitlements."  it is so easy to think we deserve so much in our world.  you know those grilled cheese sandwiches?  they came from a food truck called grilled tease.  the lady started it with her young kids because her husband lost his job and then suffered from depression.  she could make grilled cheese.  she noticed a homeless man by her truck one day - he just happened to be an unemployed chef.  he is now her chef and on wednesday's they serve free sandwiches and give out a children's book on God's Big Story.  that story alone reminded me of the gifts of grace in our life.  a simple (well, they were rather gourmet) grilled cheese sandwich can change someones life!  i think it was simple reminder that God gives us food to sustain us, not everyone has enough to sustain them and well, i see food so abundantly that i no longer think about it's sustenance, only it's pleasure.

i pray that as i wind this week down i continue to seek God and honor Him in this.  He has blessed beyond measure.  and you know what, if you ask my friend, she will tell you my favorite meal was on our last night at a cool place called wahoo fish tacos.  i ordered brown rice with plain grilled chicken and savored each and every bite!!!!!!!