Elimination Diet Diary, Day 8

Treasure in Jars of Clay 2 Corinthians 4

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you.

13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

This passage has been on my mind...with all of life's pressures and stresses...when I keep my eyes on Him then I am encouraged and I do not lose heart. God is good and He is faithful.

The elimination diet is going well. I have had some very busy days and God has been faithful to see us through those and keep us on track! :) I didn't get a chance to blog for several days so let me catch you up to speed.

Day 5, Friday night Care Group. We had company for dinner and enjoyed green salad, leftover kitcheree and baked sweet potato fries. At Care Group later in the evening there was a dessert buffet. I took Cinnamon-Sunflower Truffles and enjoyed a couple of those. They are really yummy. :) It was not hard to leave the fudge brownies, chocolate chip cookies and cupcakes alone. That was definitely an act of God because usually I would have had several things with gluten and sugar. I did not even feel bad that I couldn't eat them. I did miss the coffee though..I drink coffee socially but not daily.

Day 6, Saturday, Just some fruit for breakfast. I made some more Healing Quinoa Soup before I left for the ladies Connect mtg at church. (So Jeremiah would have something to eat while I was gone...he asked for more. ) I didn't have time to eat any and wished I had. They had a potato bar at the gathering and I had brought sweet potatoes, toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds and Cinnamon Sunflower Truffles. I had a sweet potato with the seeds on top and some steamed broccoli. They had salads there as well but they were already mixed with cesaer or cheese type things so I skipped that. They also had cheese cakes, fruit tarts, beautiful cakes, cookies, fudge, brownies, etc etc. Again I felt God's sustaining grace. I had no trouble not eating those foods that would normally have been so tempting. I did think the tart with lovely strawberries and other fruits on top looked good though. :) When I got home I had some lentils, rice and broccoli.

Day 7, Sunday. We had some sweet brown rice cereal for breakfast. I added a bit of coconut oil (buy one get one free sale right now! Check it out!) and a bit of coconut cream concentrate (just coconut), some sea salt and cinnamon and sprinkle of toasted seeds...yum! Sometimes we would go to Sweet Tomatoes or Baja Fresh after church on Sundays. Not this week...we took snacks with us...toasted pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds, dried fruit, carrot sticks, apples. We had to do a lot of grocery shopping and when we got home we were starving...we had salads and then some broccoli and kitcheree or brown rice/lentils with steamed broccoli and wrapped in tapioca wraps. It was good and hit the spot. For snack we had rice cake and sunflower butter.

Day 8, that's today. So far we have had our berry green smoothie with about 5 slices of ginger added. YUM!! We also enjoyed a brown rice cake w/sunflower seed butter again. For lunch we had Healing Quinoa Soup and a variation of this delicious pizza crust made from the quinoa grain...we had it plain like flat bread and ate it with our soup and salad. I can. not. wait. to try it as pizza once we add tomato back into our diets! :) Something to look forward to.

Quinoa Pizza Crust

My variation was that I used only 2 T of oil and used cast iron pans. I put 1 T in each pan and heated them as directed. Then I poured in the batter and baked about 12 min. (not 20) and flipped them over and baked the other 10 min. or so. Watch carefully so as not to burn but you do want them brown and crispy...yum!! The kids loved them and I enjoyed too with slices of avocado on top.

We plan to have carrots/celery sticks, lentils and roasted broccoli/cauliflower (minus the lemon) over brown rice tonight.

I have lost 6 pounds and Jeremiah has lost 9 pounds this week. :)

God is good and it's Only by His grace, Linda