God has called us to be women, not men.

When I heard that statement I marveled. How many of us have seen women trying to be like men…most of us can think of at least one instance…ok…a little closer to home…how many of US have acted like men instead of women??? Now that one stings a little. In today’s world we are taught that in order to succeed in a “man’s” world, we have to be as good as they are, to even beat them at their own game so to speak. We have to be in control. The thing is, God made us women, God made us to be who we are, on purpose FOR a purpose. He didn’t call us to dominate our husbands or each other. He called us to LOVE Him, to LOVE our husbands, to LOVE our children, to LOVE one another. Think about it for a minute. Imagine what your life would be like if you woke up in the morning and you had no agenda other than to love and please God, to love and serve your husband and to love and train your children. Can you imagine the peace that would be in your home? Did you know that if you please God you will please those whom it is necessary that you please? You absolutely cannot please everybody all of the time. It is impossible. You cannot serve yourself and please God, but if you are pleasing to God, there is where you will find peace and happiness. Let this be a challenge to all of us. If we all strive to please God, to love and to serve, think about where we will go as a church, we will actually begin to make a difference!

Let’s talk about food combining today. It isn’t something you need to pay too much attention to at first…your main focus is to eat raw and STAY raw. Once you have been eating raw for awhile and are ready to take this to the next level, proper food combining is the next step.

Basically, different foods digest at different rates of speed. If we eat a food that digests quickly with a food that digests more slowly it can result in gas or bloating and maybe heartburn. To avoid these problems, use proper food combining…

• Fruit digests most quickly…takes an hour or two….it’s best to eat alone because it doesn’t combine well with other foods (different digestion rates) and it’s best to eat it on an empty stomach.
• Melons should always be eaten alone. They digest very quickly.
• Fresh juices and smoothies should be taken on an empty stomach and at least 30 min before any other food. They also digest very quickly.
• It’s best not to eat fruit and veggies together…fruit digests fast and veggies much more slowly.
• Any greens and veggies go well together.
• Avocados combine well with fruit and veggies.

These are basic guidelines. Use it as a basic rule, but you don’t have to go boogie over it :)

I have been asked on a few occasions for some kind of an outline on what to eat on a daily basis. I came across this in one of my cookbooks and wanted to share it with you. I was planning to log what I have been doing on a daily basis, but I believe God is calling me to fast and pray concerning what He is doing in my own heart. The things that I share with you in the teaching section are new to me as well. I am learning and healing right along with you. So, I’ll write what I found in my book to hopefully help you to eat raw and stay raw :)

The first thing she talks about is eating MORE…not less to reduce weight. A lot of us want to lose weight to be fit, some of us need to gain…remember the section on what to add to your diet to gain necessary weight…So, today we will concentrate on losing. So far I have lost about 20 pounds…I have about 20 to go I think.

Side note for a second…youngest son just popped his head in the office where I am typing and said… “Hey Mom…you know what?” I stopped typing and asked him “What”…he went on… “80% of boys have girl friends, the other 20% have brains!” I love that kid!

So…eating more to lose weight…a new concept for me…She says to add a piece of fruit or a serving of vegetables rather than a full entrée.

Second tip is to start exercising. Walk, get on that treadmill you begged your husband for and never use anymore, if your husband has weights, start lifting a little bit. Don’t go and work out for an hour the first day! Just a few min a few times a day…till you reach muscle exhaustion….means your legs are so tired you can’t take another step… For me that’s all of 2 min as fast as I can on my stair stepper. It says I burned 20 calories…not a whole lot, but if I manage to do it 5 times in a day it adds up. I also put it right in the middle of my foyer so I have to walk by it all day…I am more apt to actually USE it! I have to admit that I do hang my coat on it sometimes…it’s handy :)

This is a basic outline. If you don’t have oranges, but you do have bananas (which I have a ton of :) ) eat bananas! Or whatever else you like. This is to give you an idea of what to do. I personally don’t want to eat too many nuts or use too much oil in my salad dressing because I still want to reduce. Nuts are what comes to mind when I’m hungry…it helps to have something like this handy so you can remember the bananas in those times instead of another handful of nuts.

Breakfast…some kind of smoothie…remember to put the handful of greens in it!
Snack…3 or 4 pieces of any fruit
Lunch…large salad…mix it up each day…different dressing, different ingredients, add some avocado one day and a handful of nuts the next then skip the fat all together the third day…make it interesting.
Snack…2 or 3 pieces of fruit
Dinner…make a raw entrée if you’d like or have a different kind of salad like a Kale Salad.
Snack…have fun with this one and have a raw dessert, but only 1 or 2 pieces so as not to overload your system in the evening. Just enough to satisfy that sweet tooth.

There you have what would be a typical day of food…it’s a lot to be sure and some days you’ll probably want all of it, some days you won’t want so much. Learn to listen to your body. Once all the junk is purged out you’ll be able to “hear” what your body needs…not what your cravings want. Your body will “tell” you what nutrients it needs.

For those chocolate cravings?? (you are more than likely needing potassium, magnesium and zinc…supplements are ok, but chocolate is way better!!!) If you don’t want to make the coconut macaroon cookies (my favorite) then I made a really good hot chocolate, by accident really. Take about 2 heaping tbs of regular cocoa powder (raw cocoa powder tastes more like coffee…cool…I REALLY miss my café lattes!!!) So, back to the hot cocoa…2 heaping tbs of cocoa, about 4 tbs of agave syrup, a tsp of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. You should have enough agave in the mix to make a syrup…add warm water and enjoy…this will make one of my huge coffee cups…most of you have seen them…they are the biggest coffee cups they sell I think :)

I hope this helps….

Part of coming to a place where you can have a positive impact on those around you involves forgiveness…receiving and giving forgiveness. The only way you are going to be truly free is when you forgive those who have hurt you. The only way you will be forgiven is when you forgive those who have hurt you…

The Word of God is VERY clear on this subject. Mat 6:15, Mk 11:26, Luke 6:37. Most of you know what these Scriptures say. Take the time to read them again and then start thinking…ask God to help you, to bring to light those you need to forgive. By forgiving them you will not only bring a release in your own life, but also theirs!! What a powerful thing to be able to do! You hold in your hand the ability to lighten someone else’s load! Read John 20:23….

Cheesecake…this is really good!

Crust:
2 c pecans
½ c raisins
2 tbs cocoa butter…this needs to be ordered by mail..it is a bit pricey, but the flavor is unsurpassable!

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend till crumbly…press into the bottom of a springform pan

Filling:
3 c cashews
1 tsp vanilla
½ c raw cocoa butter
¾ c freshly squeezed lemon juice
¾ c agave syrup
¼ c coconut oil
½ tsp sea salt

Soak cashews for 3 hours or so, drain and rinse. Process all ingredients until completely smooth.

Topping:
½ c cocoa powder
¼ c cocoa butter
2 tsp agave syrup

Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix well (till it’s a sauce) then drizzle over your cake.

You can make this days in advance if you’d like, simply store in the freezer. Take it out and let it thaw for a few hours before serving.

These really don’t taste like the real thing, especially when you have been spoiled by Caruso’s, but they aren’t bad :)

Wrappers
4 c soaked or sprouted wheat
2 c pitted dates
¾ or so c of water

Blend till smooth and spread on a dehydrator sheet. Dehydrate till pliable but holds together. Cut into 2x4 inch rectangles.

Filling
2 c cashews
1 large lemon juiced (use fresh)
4 tsp agave syrup
2 tsp braggs aminos
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp water

Blend until very smooth and spoon onto the wrapper. Roll the wrapper like a cannoli.

Have you ever wished that someone would have come along and taken you under her wing? Have you read in the Scripture where the Bible tells older women to teach the younger women and longed for some one to teach you…you know…things like HOW to actually care for this baby?? HOW are you supposed to love this man you have pledged your life to when he is driving you NUTS?? HOW to be a Godly woman??

If you are like me you have longed for, cried for a woman to be a true mother to you. One who will love you without criticism and see past the outside into your heart and take the time to listen to you and teach you, one you can truly call a friend. Well, ladies, if you are like me, that never came. I was ridiculed and criticized for what I did not know. They would say things like “That’s common sense” when I would ask a question. Well, it wasn’t common to me! I needed help and acceptance, not what they were handing me. I have learned that there is no such thing as common sense…sense is only common to the one who has had the experience and has learned the lesson. So, what is the answer to the cry of our heart?

The answer is this…You need to BE the woman you always needed! You need to be the mother to love, explain to and accept the hurting woman beside you. You need to remember from whence you came, remember the hurt you felt when no one was there for you…remember what it felt like to be rejected and criticized when what you really needed was for somebody to just tell you what you were supposed to do! You be the one to show that lady how much God loves her. Show her how to wrap her baby, show her how to change that diaper so the baby doesn’t get a rash and how to rock the baby so she stops crying…take the baby for a few minutes and give her a break! Take the two year old for a walk in the yard so she can use the bathroom! Do the things for her that you wished someone would do for you. The possibilities are endless for how you can show her the love of her Father, show her she is not alone and that she is WORTH something! YOU can be the hand of God, reaching out. It can and it will change people’s lives and it takes so little effort. Be kind, be gentle and remember that whatever you give shall be given unto you.