Vegan Journey

With February coming to a close, this marks the two month mile stone of our family's transition to a meatless, non-dairy, more plant based life style. Yes, we modify what we eat when we are outside of our home.  Is it cheating?  I say "no".  It's just impossible to maintain a vegan lifestyle in the broader community.  Even with the exceptions we are reaping numerous benefits to this life style change. 

• Weight Loss: Kong and I together have lost a total weight of 45 pounds. Ayden weighs 45 pounds. We have, in essence, lost a small child.
• Energy: Our family has more energy and we are more active.
• Emotions:  Advocates say cutting out gluten, sugars, processed foods, etc...is good for autism.  I say it's good for everyone.  It almost feels like our minds are more clear and we make decisions that are less driven by emotions.  This is especially true for me.
• Addiction:  Food is such an addiction.  Our bodies no longer have overwhelming cravings.  (More to come on this topic in the future).

The most important change as been to see how we have reset our bodies.  When we do come upon the occasion where we do consume processed food, dairy or eggs, our bodies reacts immediately.  We feel sick, have headaches or become very lathargic.  Our bodies normal survival mechanism that tells us something is not good kicks into high gear.  Kong looks at this as a curse instead of a blessing : )

Many people have asked us why the change.  Truth is, we had been slowly changing our eating habits over the course of six years.  We had already cut out red meats, white bread/rice, and cut down on eating out and fast foods.  Watching Forks over Knives is what really gave us the push to make the full change.  That and the food miracles we witnessed first hand (More to come on this topic also).

I would encourage everyone to watch Forks over Knives.  It will change your life.  Attached is the trailer.  Enjoy and healthy living!

Magical Age for Wisdom

If we could all believe in magic and see only the good in everything - Taylor and Ayden with Cinderella at Disney World '08

When everything seems to be humming along and life does not seem like it could not get any better that is the moment you have to watch out for. That moment is prime time for that thing, whatever that thing is, to rear its ugly head and bring all of that happy goodness to an abrupt end.

When I was young I thought that adults had it all together. I truly believed that there was some magical age when your adult wisdom would set in. You would have all the right answers, you would know exactly what to do at all times and there was no problem you could not solve.

Boy was my perception of adulthood misguided. The majority of adults are a mess, lost and sad. Adults are the source of their own problems but they lack the courage, optimism, hope and faith it takes to make their situations better. Since wisdom will not be imparted on us magically we need to take life by the horns, empower ourselves to find solutions and believe that we have the power to be the maker of our own destiny.

No matter how disappointing reality becomes it is critical that we remember the words of Romans 5:3-4, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.”

Reflection

2011 was an amazing year! So amazing that I found little time to post regularly. I don't know if anyone reads my blog or if what I write matters to anyone else but me. What I do know is that writing brings me peace. It keeps me honest about my goals and who I really am. It holds me accountable for the things I say and do. So...I'll keep writing.

As 2011 came to a close I found myself wishing very different things than those around me. Through FB and other social media outlets I heard friends, family and acquaintances relieved the year was finally over, that 2012 was going to bring a new and fresh start. People were ready to leave 2011 behind.

For the first time in my life I found myself feeling sad the year was coming to a close. I was not looking forward to 2012. Maybe it was because that meant I was going to be a year older. Maybe I was afraid of what the new year would bring.

2011 had been a year filled with so many wonderful experiences, love and growth. The girls started the year closing out Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat with an amazing cast at the Ordway Theater. We traveled Europe and saw Munich, Bavaria, Hamburg, Prague, Budapest, Paris, Rome, and Salzburg. We skied the German and Austrian Alps. Ayden competed in her first season of gymnastics and finished strong. Taylor received all of her stripes laying the ground work for her black belt promotion. Kong got an amazing gig working overseas, and I finished my MBA.

I learned to appreciate what an amazing spouse Kong is. How tremendously gifted and talented my girls are (academically and physically) and learned that when you give freely and without worry, you truly do receive back ten fold. Most importantly, I learned the true meaning of trusting in God. My faith that he is always guiding me and caring for me was reinforced. Who could have asked for a better year. Who would want a year like this to end?

I need only remember that there is an abundance of love, opportunity and goodness in the universe and when you are ready to receive its abundance, you get so much more than you expect. If 2011 brought me this much richness, I trust in God that 2012 will bring even more.

May your 2012 be over following with everything your heart desires. Verbalize what you want to the universe and remember, "All things, whatever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive" Matthew 21:22.