we're probably not going to starve

Wednesday morning we woke up in a panic. Crap, what are we going to eat?
I did lots of research about what foods we could and could not eat before Ash Wednesday arrived.
I just didn't buy them.
I was a little busy. You know, writing sermons, preparing for Ash Wednesday, being trapped in the house while hell froze over and oozed it's nastiness on Atlanta.

So, Ash Wednesday mornings rolls around and we don't know what we are going to eat for breakfast.
Start singing "Panic" by The Smiths right now.
sing alone here

I made scrambled eggs. Jim made homemade bread. We lived. I went to Whole Foods.
I planned all of the dinners beforehand, but the other meals were a slight oversight.
It happens.

A couple of trips to Whole Foods and we are okay. No we don't need to only eat food only from Whole Foods, but it is far easier to find food without sugar there. And when you ask the staff questions about foods without added sugar, they don't look at you like you have a second head growing out of your shoulder... like this dude.

We ate out last night and since it was a place we eat at every week,  they already knew we were kind of special and didn't mind our questions about the ingredients. I didn't just have to eat salad. All good news.

It has quickly become part of our lives. Hannah seems to struggle the most (but she can speak to that herself). Carter and Jim just eat what you put in front of them, thankful they didn't have to prepare it. I keep cooking. They keep eating.

So, in case you were worried... we are not starving.

Ash Wednesday and Doing Hard Things

It has been so long since I blogged that I honestly couldn't remember which website hosted my blog. My mind is catching up with my saggy face, apparently. Or I just need more coffee.

Anyway, Ash Wednesday is upon us again and once again I have decided to use these 46 days to prove that we do hard things. Last year, I gave up making trash. This year, I am giving up eating foods with added sugar. Insert health warnings here.

look at all the tasty stuff with sugar!
No more pickled, yogurt sandwiches :( 

The thing about last year's Lenten sacrifice was that I had never given up something that caused me to
talk about it so much. Bringing your dishes and tupperware to a restaurant and your own food containers to Whole Foods does make you stand out. It also makes people wonder what kind of a nut you are...and they would ask... So, last year, I talked to people on the street about my Lenten Journey all the time. And by street I mean grocery store aisles and restaurant chairs. It changed how I shop. It changed how we eat (processed food contains lots of packaging). Many of those changes are still in effect in our lives.

So, why added sugar?

It's not just about eating better. It's not just about making a theological argument about stripping away the unhealthy in order to honor your body as a temple. Nor is it about stop sugar-coating the Gospel.

But I am doing this because I do hard things. Hard things are like shaving your legs. You do it whether you want to or not, but you do it because it is the least that you can do.
And sure, I may loose a few pounds.
But that's just a bonus.

We have already started to make the shift anticipating Wednesday. Jim made two loaves of bread with  honey yesterday. Yes, honey is allowed. It's completely natural and someone probably got stung getting it for me. So, they did hard things.

Stay tuned... I will share any freak outs or panics!