Lenten Dietary Adventure: Final Follow-up
Monday Apr 13, 2009 Posted by:Tim
Well, Easter never tasted so sweet- and boy do I mean literally!!
I must say in the midst of some of the most profound services this week, our Maundy Thursday annual dinner liturgy with actual foot-washing, and our Good Friday alternative experiential stations of the cross, it was extra excruciating not to be able to fully partake with of the community. And compounding it, out of state family happen to be in town and I had made especially sure that I was pouring my new brother-in-law’s favorite type of wine- but I could not raise a glass of the same contents with him; sure I had the sparkling water going, and could clink a “cheers,” but it really did feel different at a most ancestral level- like medieval folk needing to drink from the same bottle to forge better trust and of course ensure neither would poison the other- OK so I get a little ridiculous.
But what a difference this day makes. To toast together, to break the same pita bread – my brother and sister-in-law hosted a most scrumptious Greek-themed Easter supper- it really was splendiforously delightful- the full blanket of foods laid before us, before me, feeling like I was living again Peter’s dream.
In the end, this month-and-a-half dietary adventure free of sugar, dairy, wheat, caffeine and alcohol has expanded my culinary horizons. I discovered foods I truly enjoy that I would never have considered before. I wound up losing some 7 or 8 pounds of pudge padding. The act of chewing slowly and chewing more, sensing and grateful for the fully flavor of things, this is a way of being that I hope oozes out to more and more parts of my life. I also got a glimpse at the power I let certain foods have on my emotional health- the reward, or the “need,” in order to get through the long haul; and guess what, it so happens I had plenty of long hours this season and made it through probably better than I might have...
Tom & I wrote a song for this morning’s service, with the chorus, “This day... Is the day... That the stone rolls away...” I couldn’t help but share with a buddy after sound check, a parody that just came to me, “This day... Is the day... That the scone rolls my way!” My wife, the ever asker of timely questions, blurts this one out, “Would you do it again?” Well, maybe, but this day the scone rolls my way!
I must say in the midst of some of the most profound services this week, our Maundy Thursday annual dinner liturgy with actual foot-washing, and our Good Friday alternative experiential stations of the cross, it was extra excruciating not to be able to fully partake with of the community. And compounding it, out of state family happen to be in town and I had made especially sure that I was pouring my new brother-in-law’s favorite type of wine- but I could not raise a glass of the same contents with him; sure I had the sparkling water going, and could clink a “cheers,” but it really did feel different at a most ancestral level- like medieval folk needing to drink from the same bottle to forge better trust and of course ensure neither would poison the other- OK so I get a little ridiculous.
But what a difference this day makes. To toast together, to break the same pita bread – my brother and sister-in-law hosted a most scrumptious Greek-themed Easter supper- it really was splendiforously delightful- the full blanket of foods laid before us, before me, feeling like I was living again Peter’s dream.
In the end, this month-and-a-half dietary adventure free of sugar, dairy, wheat, caffeine and alcohol has expanded my culinary horizons. I discovered foods I truly enjoy that I would never have considered before. I wound up losing some 7 or 8 pounds of pudge padding. The act of chewing slowly and chewing more, sensing and grateful for the fully flavor of things, this is a way of being that I hope oozes out to more and more parts of my life. I also got a glimpse at the power I let certain foods have on my emotional health- the reward, or the “need,” in order to get through the long haul; and guess what, it so happens I had plenty of long hours this season and made it through probably better than I might have...
Tom & I wrote a song for this morning’s service, with the chorus, “This day... Is the day... That the stone rolls away...” I couldn’t help but share with a buddy after sound check, a parody that just came to me, “This day... Is the day... That the scone rolls my way!” My wife, the ever asker of timely questions, blurts this one out, “Would you do it again?” Well, maybe, but this day the scone rolls my way!
Lenten Dietary Adventure: Entry 04
Monday Apr 06, 2009 Posted by:Tim
So, Holy Week has begun now... which means this my dietary adventure is coming to a close. I can honestly say I am feeling a heightened sense of anticipation for Easter. As cheesy as it sounds (or maybe not so cheesy in my case), the idea of "longing for something so much I can taste it" has now found a new place in my body. Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday & Good Friday have always been powerful chances to remember with my faith community what LIFE is all about- so this year I'm even more eager to discover what it looks like to walk that way through the cross, to the tomb, and then to let that stone roll away...
Lenten Diatary Adventure: Evil Twin Entry 03
Friday Mar 27, 2009 Posted by:Tom
It's amazing how far one can stoop with a little encouragement 
but DUDE! your face is looking thinner - be careful - fragile is the ego of the Dark Horse....
but DUDE! your face is looking thinner - be careful - fragile is the ego of the Dark Horse....Lenten Dietary Adventure: Entry 03
Thursday Mar 26, 2009 Posted by:Tim
OK, so lesson learned: don't ever doubt the mystique of Dark Horse! We were enjoying a dinner break with family this past studio night, and my "evil twin" took absolutely every opportunity to point out what he was relishing- relishing the things I have chosen to relinquish this Lent; of course, hats off to my dear sister-in-law who engaged in some yummy culinary creativity in order to have before us a feast that I could mostly partake of. But leave it to the DH to lay the BUTTER on the BREAD thick, pour and swig a tall glass of amber ALE, then scoop copious amounts of gourmet ICECREAM onto warm homemade BROWNIES next to his hot cup of JOE- not that I noticed or anything!
Lenten Dietary Adventure: Evil Twin Entry 02
Wednesday Mar 18, 2009 Posted by:Tom
Au contraire, mon frere! Don't EVER dis the mystique - what are thinkin' man, I rather enjoyed my amber ale while you sipped your lime bubble water the other night you were over. AND - I did gobble up at least three of the home made cookies Elizabeth made. OK so, true, I didn't indulge in a second beer - and no, I haven't really been rubbing it in your face and I really haven't been gorging extra portions of sweets or alcohol...ahhhhhhh, maybe I'm NOT EVIL! I even started a work out routine (thanks Trace for buying the Wii Fit) My Wii Fit age is 30! and my Wii Fit trainer says "you're really strong" in between saying "you're a little shaky."