My spiritual life. My thinking. My training. My sleep patterns. My time management.

You name it and I need to work on it, if not completely overhaul it. God’s been trying to get my attention on a lot of issues and I seem to keep ignoring Him. So in His Wisdom and Love, He is allowing me to get to a point where I can no longer ignore Him without severe consequences.

Without boring you with the details, one area He has been trying to get me to improve is what I allow into my body–food, Internet, TV shows, movies, reading material….you get the idea.

What’s that old adage? Garbage in, garbage out. That scarily depicts my cycle of consuming and producing. I’m allowing an overwhelming influx of garbage in various forms, so naturally what comes out of my mouth, what dwells in my heart, and what stubbornly is clinging to the cellulite in my ever-so-wide lap?

Garbage. Shocker.

God did not create me, save me, and give me new life to be a perpetually tired and miserable garbage disposal yet I feel like that is what I’ve been doing with my life up until now.

He created me to be  a temple of the Holy Spirit and that my body is not my own, but it was bought with a price–the price of His Son, Jesus, dying on the Cross for my sins and for me.

And what do I decide to do with my new body? This ::motioning to my extremely unhealthy state of being:: is what Christ suffered and died for? The Holy Spirit is supposed to live where now?

Ouch.

No more. This has to stop.

Thank You, Patient and Wise Father, for not giving up on Me and doing whatever it takes to make me into the woman You want me to be.

So to not get completely overwhelmed with the revolution changes He needs to make in me, I thought I’d start with something manageable, physical, and simple. My hope is that if I can learn to obey Him in the small things like what I eat, this will translate well to the bigger things of more eternal consequence.

Plus, I have been so selfish and me-focused that it’s about high time I exercised my ridiculously flabby no muscle. No to self and Yes to Him.

Enter the Whole30. This 30 day “reset” to clean eating and living is designed by Whole9 founders, Dallas and Melissa Hartwig. The challenge is to eat clean for 30 days to allow my body time to detox from all the unhealthy choices I’ve made and to begin healing into a better, healthier, and stronger person.

No cheating. No whining. No rationalizing. No quitting.

And I’ll be the first to admit, this is my second attempt at completing a Whole30. But, I’m doggedly determined to finish this one and possibly keep going with it until He says the word. It’s not just to lose weight or for bragging rights or any of the other selfish reasons I had when I failed my first attempt miserably.

Now it’s about obedience to Him.

It’s about making Him proud and working on the inner beauty that is so precious to Him. It’s about being healthy and strong for Him and for those He kindly sends on my path.

It’s about not taking lightly the blessings of health, resources, and opportunities He’s so graciously given me and abusing them for my own selfishness.

It’s about living clean inside and out, so I can begin to be the kind of temple the Holy Spirit wants to make a home in.

I have a long way to go and my journey certainly won’t end at the 30 days, but I want to start somewhere. I NEED to start anywhere. So, here I go.

Thanks to any and all who care to travel with me. This journey is so much lovelier with you in it

NOTE: I’m going to post what I ate today. However, I realized that there was cane sugar in the seasoning packet I used and thus my official first day starts tomorrow. I’m also going to list my training activity only because I need to do a better job of keeping track of it.

Breakfast: Organic turkey and grass-fed beef burger mix atop a pre-made Trader Joe’s salad blend of onion, jicama, red and green cabbage, carrots, celery plus two handfuls of raw kale. Water-a LOT of it.

Lunch: Same as breakfast. Iced black coffee and water.

Snack: Trader Joe’s taco seasoning mix (with the blasted cane sugar which I didn’t realize–READ YOUR LABELS, friends) mixed with grass-fed ground beef, minced garlic, and onion powder, Trader Joe’s salad blend plus two handfuls of raw kale. Cup of mandarin oranges. Water.

Dinner: Same as snack minus the mandarin oranges. Water.

I’m extremely boring when it comes to what I eat and I love leftovers, so be prepared to see a lot of repeats as it’s just plain easier for me. I’m going to try my best to eat a variety as this is better for my sanity and nutrition, but since it’s still early yet…bear with me, please

I.M.P.A.C.T Athletes training: 1 1/2 hour of Filipino Martial Arts,  20 minutes of Judo

Please let me know how you’re doing as I’d love to cheer you on your road to clean living

Atraversiamo! (Italian for let’s cross to the other side!)

If there were ever a country whose people whom really and truly love You, have ever humbled themselves, it’d be the Sudan. Granted not all the Sudanese bow their hearts and spirits low to You, LORD, but you know the ones who do and who honestly want the unity, restoration, and holistic healing of their country and more importantly its inhabitants.

I pray for the Sudanese President, Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir. He is charged with the grave responsibility and mountainous task of leading a country ravaged by war, instability, and dissent and whose people grow weary of the constant and ever-present struggles of power, religion, poverty, and diseases of all kind.

Please allow Mr. al-Bashir to see all things, especially the state of his country and his people, through Your perfect perspective, loving spirit, and perfect holiness. Transform his heart to conform to Yours through Jesus Christ and allow Mr. al-Bashir to love and lead the Sudan and his people on the road You have already fashioned and paved the way to travel.

Surround Mr. al-Bashir with wise counsel, trusted friends, a loving family, and a solid support system as he continues to serve in a difficult yet necessary leadership role.

Speak to him and through him in order to love and transform the Sudan into a country won over by Your Love, ruled by Your Truth, and marked by Your Grace. Give him Your loving Father’s heart for his people..your people. Give him a heart that wants nothing but the absolute best for every single Sudanese brother and sister.

Please be with Mr. Salva Kiir Mayardit the President of Southern Sudan as he too serves in a difficult capacity in a very tenuous relationship with Mr. al-Bashir and the rest of his Sudanese brethren.

The Sudan has been divided for too long along so many lines. Please work within Mr. al-Bashir and Mr. Mayardit to work through any and all differences through Your Power, Your Truth, and Your Provision that they and more importantly the entire country of Sudan would be united under Your Banner through belief and obedience to the LORD, Jesus Christ.

Be with Mr. Mayardit as he seeks to lead southern Sudan through many struggles and battles. Though the country has seen so much, the south perhaps even more so.

You know what lies ahead for the south and for Mr. Mayardit; generously give them what they need to follow Your direction for their lives, for the country, and for what You have specifically for them to be, to do, and to speak to their families and to the rest of the world.

I pray for a peaceful election in January; I pray you would protect the democratic process for all Sudanese so they may freely, safely, and willingly exercise their God-given right to choose the destiny of their country and their people.

I pray that You would combat against and ultimately triumph over any and all types of corruption especially when it comes to the voting and election process. I pray that your people’s voices would be heard and that they would choose according to Your clear and perfect guidance.

I pray that this election would bring true and lasting peace to the political and spiritual turmoil that plagues the Sudan.

I pray that Your peace which passes all understanding that will come from this election would wonderfully demonstrate who You are and how much You love the Sudanese people and their country. I pray it will draw millions of Sudanese closer to You as they witness and experience Your Power, Truth, and Love at work in and through the election process that is starting now and will be finalized in January 2010.

I thank You that even now You are already carefully and wisely orchestrating the vote on independence for Southern Sudan in 2011. You know what is best for the country for its people, and for Africa.
If it is best for the country to be unifed as the one nation, speak this clearly to the entire nation from the President down to its last Sudanese citizen and veto the vote for the independence of the South Sudan if that be Your Plan and Purpose.

If however Your Plan and Purpose lies within the South’s independence, then allow all Sudanese to be of the same mind and spirit so they will be in accord regarding the southern’s Sudan independence. If Your Desire is for southern independence, then I know that nothing will avail against Your Plan and that the vote for independence in 2011 will pass in accordance to You and not man.
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I pray for revival and prayer in local churches especially during this critical time in the life of the Sudanese church and country and in the entire Kingdom. I pray that You would burden the hearts of all Sudanese believers with Your desperate desire for the healing of this country and of its people–hearts, minds, spirits, and bodies.

I pray that Sudanese pastors will help nurture and embolden their flock to seek You as they never have before, to follow You unto roads they never dreamed, to love You bravely and faithfully to a watching world and a needy country, to pray to You with humble and honest hearts, open minds, and spirits submitted and trusting to You, all the way through the excruciating times and the joyous ones.

I pray that You would fiercely guard each Sudanese believer’s time with You in prayer, in communion, in service, in study, and in worship as they seek to love You and follow You during this momentous time in the life of their country. They so desperately want to to live for You and to help their country be one that is sold out and in love with You. You gave them this burden to be a nation under the Lord God and I know You are literally and spiritually moving Heaven and earth to draw them closer to You and to heal their country in Your Righteousness and Truth.

I pray that You would burden all believers to be in battle with our Sudanese brothers and sisters through prayer and any and all other means necessary as You see fit to call us to community and to battle.
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Your Word promises that “Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one can come to the Father except through Christ.” You are the Way to peace. Your Son Himself is the Prince of Peace. “Unto us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the (Sudanese) government will be upon His shoulders. He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace.”-Isaiah 9:6 I pray that the lasting peace through Jesus Christ would reign throughout Sudan and that the world would see and experience the miracle of peace and healing in the Sudan and know You are God Almighty, You are the Savior, You are the One and Only True God, and that You love the Sudan like no other.

Father no one knows better than You do the horrific loss of life, freedom, unity, and peace that the Sudan has suffered due to the bloody civil way that has ravaged the country for two decades.

You have allowed a peace agreement in 2005 to help work towards the goal of true peace and unity within the Sudan. Please continue to protect this peace and provide the country, its leadership, and its people all the resources they need to work towards, maintain, and solidify peace as they move forward towards decisive elections and bold yet necessary changes in their government and in their country overall.

Please protect the next two years with Your careful diligence, Your Loving care, and Your unyielding Truth as these years hold so much promise yet potentially hold more devastation to a country whose is yearning for peace, restoration, and for a better future. Please give Your discernment, wisdom, and boldness to all those in leadership and for those who will choose the destiny of the Sudan to make wise decisions based on Your Truth, to fight the causes You deem worthy and vital, to put an end to all in-fighting, and to come together in sincere unity to work in the best interest of the people and the country short-term and long-term.

There is so much in store for the Sudan, for its people, and for their role in Your Kingdom. Allow nothing to get in their way of achieving Your desires for them, so they may be free in peace, truth, and love and they would glorify You every step of the way.

The Sudan is Your country and its people are Your heart. Continue to draw them close to You especially now for such a time as this.

I pray for tonight and the days ahead for the youth for God to continue to speak to them and remind them of what they have seen and heard; I pray that their amazing experience of His presence during this time would only fueling their desire to know Him better and serve Him sincerely. I pray that He would continue to give them the faith, the heart, and the passion to have a consistent and dynamic love for Him every day–during the mundane and the mountain top experiences as well.

I pray for them to be curious of the Lord and want to seek Him; I pray that every day would provide another terrific opportunity for them to seek Him and that God would continue to pique their curiosity for Him through any means necessary. I pray that they would have the spiritual eyes and pure heart to recognize His voice and have the desire to truly listen and follow wherever He may lead.

I pray for Steve and Cindy tonight to be able to glorify the Lord and tomorrow as they head home.

I pray for Tracy, her husband their congregation to nurture the youth and pour out everything God has blessed them with unto the youth to encourage and equip them to be and become the faithful warriors in the Kingdom that He’s destined them to be.

Snack 11:30am: Handful of Goldfish crackers–can you tell I sub-ed at pre-school today?

Lunch 1ish: Whole wheat pasta that literally looks like a snail’s shell with parmesan cheese and homemade basil walnut almond pesto, heaping cup of organic cinnamon cereal, and water

Dinner 5:30pm: Chick-Fil-A combo #1 value-sized with a sweet tea with lemon. Truthfully, I was very hungry and wanted the caffeine to stay awake to get stuff done. Not the greatest choice, I know.

Physical activity: Worked with 2 years olds this morning and yes, I”m counting it. Ran some errands, tutored for half-an-hour, and was fortunate enough to finally buy long-awaited presents for a friend. Not too bad although it was such a pretty day I hated I wasn’t able to hit the pavement today. Perhaps tomorrow!

Assessment: No vegetables. No fruit. Too much refined sugar and fried foods–I think I could eliminate a lot of belly and extra fat if I’d nix the refined sugar altogether and curb my fried food addiction. One positive though-I did turn down a chocolate yellow cake cupcake and I was veeery tempted. Though later I did succumb to the sweet tea–perhaps they zeroed each other out.

Z-Ro is listening to: Knocks Me Off My Feet by Stevie Wonder–the man, the legend.

Breakfast 9:30am: 1/2 cup of cheese and sausage grits–it sounds so disgusting, but surpisingly delicious, small danish square, 1/2 cup of fruit salad (yummy yummy), mini spinach quiche, regular coffee with artificial creamer (yes, yes, I know, but there was no milk) and real sugar, and water

Lunch 11:45am: 6in philly cheesesteak sub–guess where I ate lunch?–with spinach, green pepper, pickles, black olives, salt and pepper, and provolone–dreadfully yummy–and water

Snack 4:30ish: 1 cup of organic cinnamon cereal and water

Dinner 6ish: 2 cups of organic blue corn tortilla chips with 1/4 cup of local cheddar melted on top, 2 tbsp of organic mild salsa mixed with 2 tbsp of low-fat sour cream, glass of organic chocolate milk, and water

Physical activity: None–attemted to clean out my car, but my vacuum crapped out on me, so that was a no go. I reeeeeally need to jog tomorrow!!

Assessment: I need to get back into a more normal sleep pattern. I didn’t eat any fruit today. I need to drink more water. I could and should’ve pushed more physical activity today.

Z-Ro is listening to: Say No More to Astropop3. For those in the VB area, they will be playing this Saturday night at good ole Winston’s Cafe. Come out-it shall be grand.

Lunch 11:45am: 1/2 cup of wagon wheel basil walnut pesto pasta (say that three times fast!), one slice of basil walnut spelt-wheat toast with extra parmesan cheese (totally weird cravings lately and unless it’s by immaculate conception no, I’m not pregnant), and water

Snacks mid-afternoon: 1/4 of funnel cake ::a la Mike Myers circa mid 90s:: you’re the Devvuhhl!, 1 cup of organic cinnamon cereal, 1/2 organic peanut butter and grape jelly sandwich on spelt-wheat bread, and water

Dinner: Fried chicken caesar salad–I think I”m finally getting burned out on fast-food (not too soon, right?)–the restaurant we visited–yeah, their idea of a salad is (I kid you not) 1/2 cup of white bread croutons, 1/4 cup of real bacon pieces, 1/2 pound (or it seemed like it anyways!) of friend chicken, tons o’ parmesan cheese, and a good amount of Romaine lettuce (that was the one redeeming quality). I was so hungry that it tasted good initially, but the more I ate, the more I realize how much and what exactly I was eating….yikes!

Physical activity: Spent virtually all day with the kid at the park–what a great way to spend a Saturday-and I’m totally going to count that as my activity.

Z-Ro is listening to: Mint Car by the Cure. Classic genius.

Breakfast 7:45am: Homemade whole wheat and flax seed waffle with local butter and real maple syrup and water

Lunch 12:30ish: 2 tbsp of spinach artichoke dip, handful of homemade pita chips, half of ham sandwich on buttered white bread (ahhh bread contraband!), 2 tbsp of lebane (I’m totally butchering the spelling of this Jordanian cream cheese spread–apologies to my Arab brothers and sisters), a banana, handful of walnut/pecan mix, and triple chocolate Klondike bar (and yes, I ate at my Gran’s today….can’t you tell?)

Dinner 5:30ish: 2 heaping cups of Veggie Booty, 1/4 of an organic chocolate toaster pastry, small fries, 2 apple slices with peanut butter, wagon wheel pasta with homemade basil walnut pesto, and water–I know–completely random assortment of food. It’s called I was ravenous and yet didn’t feel like cooking a proper meal

Physical activity: Ran slightly over half a mile today–sounds weak, but it’s progress for me, folks–10 slow-and-control (SC) push-ups, 20 SC sit-ups, 10 SC military presses, and some yoga/Pilates/dynamic stretching thrown in for good measure.

Assessment: Refined sugar is the devil–chocolate can be great in small doses of the organic and non-refined sugar persuasion–and unless I work it off, it sends me straight into a sugar crash coma–as what happened today On a strangely positive note, my nap did help me feel better as I’m fighting a slight cold. I need to just say no to refined sugar!

Z-Ro is listening to: I Can’t Win by the Strokes

Breakfast 8ish: Organic chocolate toaster pastry, slice and half of buttered wheat toast, and water

Lunch 10:45am: Homemade basil walnut pesto and natural turkey on buttered sprouted-grain wheat bread, handful of Veggie Booty, and water

Snack 3ish: Banana, flax, and nut organic energy bar and water

Snack 4ish: Handful of fries and four fast-food nuggets—I know, terrible snack–but since I’ve taken up jogging (notice I wrote jogging, not running) and aerobics again, I’ve been ravenous. But you’re right–I should’ve eaten something…anything..healthier than that!!

Dinner 6:30pm: We had a delightful busy day and yes, I caved and did fast-food again and my favorite no less–good old Chick-Fil-A number #1 combo, but at least I got water. Of course after I ate my second! batch of fries, remorse, regret, and some expanding fat cells soon kicked in. Addictions are something, aren’t they?

Solid Rock Café fare–yeah Celebrate Recovery!–half of a cinnamon sugar biscuit and diet sweet tea.

Physical activity: Jogged almost half a mile–yeah, that’s sad, but at least I was moving–and 10 slow-and-controlled push-ups (as suggested by my lovely aerobic instructor). In retrospect, I could have and should ran for longer. I’m bad about not healthily challenging myself. Wimp.

Assessment: I have a bunch of lovely organic apples sitting in my fruit bowl…yet did I ate any today? Heavens no. Did I eat any vegetables today? Of course not. Although Solid Rock Café fellowship is wonderful, I don’t have to stuff my face with a bunch of refined sugar in order to enjoy said fellowship–and yet…..eat it I did and not going to lie, it was good going down. It won’t be good coming off though in sweat and exercise thought will it? Consequences of my actions, right?

Z-Ro is listening to: Extraordinary Machine by Fiona Apple–one of my lyrical heroines and soul mates. Do ya thang, sister!

Lunch 10:45am: Natural turkey and colby jack cheese sandwich on buttered grain-sweetened bread, organic chocolate milk, and water

Afternoon snacks: Organic chocolate toaster pastry, homemade cafe mocha, and water

Dinner 5:30ish: Whole wheat penne pasta with parmesan cheese, basil walnut pesto, and wheat germ/bread crumb mixture–an experiment and water

Physical activity: 1 hour of aerobics/strength training/Pilates mix–my favorite–and suffice it to say my upper body and core need some serious work.

Assessment: No veggies and no fruit–though truthfully I am in between paychecks, this is not a good pattern.

Z-Ro is listening to: The wonderful silence of peaceful and quiet house–hallelujah, praise Jesus.

Lunch 12:30pm: Natural turkey and colby jack cheese on buttered grain-sweetened wheat bread, whole wheat penne pasta tossed in parmesan cheese and wheat germ/bread crumb mixture~new recipe and it didn’t turn out as expected–not bad though, and water

Snack 4:30pm: Tall glass of local 2% milk with organic non-dairy chocolate syrup–Ah!laska, I adore you.

Dinner 7ish: Same food as lunch only add 1/4 of an organic crunchy peanut butter and grape jelly sandwich, small glass of organic chocolate milk mix, and water

Dessert:None—shocking, isn’t it?!?

Physical activity: Mowing the lawn and you’re darn right it counts. 20 non-consecutive push-ups and 5 minutes of stretching.

Assessment: No vegetables and no fruit=not good.

Z-Ro is listening to: her leaky faucet dripping in her wonderfully quiet home