white plates

This may be the dumbest post ever, but it is neat to me…so here goes. : )

Since I’ve been making so many “lifestyle changes” since my diagnosis, one of the things I wondered about were my plates. They were stoneware and made in China. Um yeah. I’ve read horror stories about how they can leach chemicals etc and we end up eating it. Not cool.

And even though my plates were much beloved…they were a wedding gift after all…they were also very worn. And even a bit outdated.

So I thought I would get some new plates. And for some reason, I was always drawn to white plates.  But I began to wonder if getting new plates was going to be any better for me than my old ones. And then several places I read brought me back to something so simple that it hadn’t really occurred to me.

Corelle.

Yes, that stuff my mom had. Super thin and almost always with some sort of kitchy pattern on it. But then I went to Corelle’s web site…and looked at Walmart…and found some really pretty plates. Corelle Ware.

And I love them.  

They are white and fresh and healthy food looks so delicious on them. I love that.

But the other thing I love about them has been more subtle in presenting itself. But a little background first…I’ve struggled with loading my dishwasher since I got it. And the biggest headache for me were the plates. My stoneware plates were so thick that they would only fit in one spot and if we used more than ‘the usual’ in a day, it was a big headache for me when it came time to load the dishes. (I guess you can see how I feel about hand washing dishes…anyhoo…)

As I’ve been using these new dishes, I’ve noticed that since they are thinner, I have many more options for getting them loaded…they offer much more flexibility and I can configure the rack with the plates many more ways than I could in the past. And since I do so much more cooking…and different kinds of cooking..than I did in the past, this is such a wonderful discovery!

On the surface, this could seem like a happy coincidence. But I can see it as more than that. I knew I needed new plates for one reason. But God knew He could lead me to the proper dishes to help me out in another way…and I way that I never even gave much thought.

Every time I load the dishes, I smile at my beautiful white plates and am so mindful of God’s unique provision

magnify

Growing up there were many ‘church words’ that I didn’t understand.

To be honest, a lot of church words are still sometimes a mystery.

O Magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together. Ps 34:3

I have heard the word magnify and read it and sung it and thought it but never really got what it means. Maybe I still don’t…but God is opening me up to see glimpses of what it means.

When I look at the moon, it is small. If I looked it with a telescope, it would be big. It hasn’t changed in size, but I see it differently because that’s what I am focusing on. My perspective has changed.

When I look at problems or my health or anything else, it can seem so BIG sometimes. A weight too big to carry. And then I look at God and He seems small compared to everything around me that I am focusing on.

Maybe I need to use my ‘telescope’ (prayer) and focus on God instead of the things around me. And then I can see Him better and the things that weigh on me would be smaller in comparison.

Perspective is a tricky thing and I am determined to keep my eyes focused on the One that matters most.

health vs taste

Back in the day when I made soup. it had chicken, carrots and potato. Along with canned tomato and flavorings etc.

Now, when I make chicken and veggie soup, it has chicken, carrots, zucchini squash, cabbage (and anything else I can think of at the time that’s not nutritionally vacant),  tomato,  tomato sauce and chicken broth. *And as many of these in organic form as possible.* But notice that the potato made an exit from the list. Really, it doesn’t offer much nutrition wise and it’s high in carbs. So bu-bye! Instead I add penne pasta from Barilla plus with omegas.

I cook the noodles at mealtime, put them in the bottom of the bowl and ladle on the soup on top. It works very well and the noodles don’t get all mushy. And a much better choice than a potato, which I can rarely find organic anyway.

It fills my crock pot. Enough for us and a couple more meals.

Last week I had left overs and took them to eat with a friend. We both enjoyed the soup, which as always, tasted better the second day. But then my friend confided to me that she doesn’t really care for cabbage.

Shhh…here is a little secret…I’m not a huge fan of cabbage either.

But I’m not eating solely to please my taste buds these days. Nutrition trumps taste EVERY time. And cabbage is crazy healthy. Oh yes…I also put chopped parsley on top after I ladle up my bowl. And here’s another secret…I don’t like parsley that much either.

But it’s super healthy for me, so I eat it.

I have JOKINGLY been labeled the food police. But really, I just feel like a bit of a weirdo because I eat for the health benefit of it, rather than solely for flavor.

If I weren’t sitting where I am now with my health, I would have been in the chorus of people making cute little remarks about healthy eating habits and having a good laugh about it. But to me, right now, it isn’t a laughing matter. And from here on out, it never will be. I HAVE TO eat healthy from now on. Period. My risk does not diminish after five years…it is stretched out over a lifetime. So my ‘new’ eating habits must be a permanent part of my life. Not just for a little while, or on certain days.

I just wish I could go back and talk to my pre-illness self about all of this. It might have made some sort of difference. I might be eating better only because I want to.

Not because I have to.

And that’s sobering food for thought.