THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

We all are called to carry the cross as an act of compassion for others.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

May our pain of life lead us to be compassionate for and with others

BOWLS FOR VEGGIES

When we began this new vegan journey, I had no idea how much I would be learning and considering as I planned out our menu for the week. Not that I stick to it exactly, however, it helps me think through how much I am preparing and what I need and am I making sure we are getting enough of all the nutrients we need. There are so many processed vegan products and we have been trying where possible to avoid those. However, making our own seitan to make “chicken” patties and other faux meat products can be a bit more time consuming then our schedule allows.

The other challenge can be that Zoe and I have different palettes and love different kinds of food. Zoe loves foods that are crunchy, salty, sweet, and fried. As a friend of ours says about her husband, you can be an unhealthy vegan, especially when you are filling your diet with deep fried everything, ice cream, and foods that are loaded in pasta, pizza dough, etc. I tend to like more vegetables, especially the ones Zoe does not like, such as eggplant.

When we find something we both like we get uber excited, as that rarely happens.

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YUCKY OR YUMMY

They were five, six and seven,
Yet they knew how to cuss, gossip, slander,
And speak words of hate.

They were young,
But they had learned how to
Hurt others with their words
It was time to let them taste
What their words felt like

So they had to sip on listerine
Try eating a snail
A variety of things that tasted
What they called yucky
What they had to spit out
What made them want to throw up
This is what God tastes when you
Speak words of hurt and hate
Is this what you want to feed God

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

May our pain assist us in being compassionate for others

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Are you working at peace?

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Which is victorious in your life?

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

May we choose to live in peace

TRUST ME

I say I trust God,
But do i.
I say I am listening,
But am i.
I say I feel God’s presence,
But do i.
I say I can smell God around,
But do i.
I say I can taste God in everything,
But do i
I say I can see God,
But can i.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Love is just that -- love

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Pain and healing are felt worldwide

SPIRITUAL APPLES

Growing up I was taught
An apple a day keeps the doctor away
But staying healthy
Requires more than A piece of fruit.

I still eat an apple a day,
but the following keeps me growing spiritually
A good heart a day
Keeps the enemy away
Paying attention each day,
Reduces the stress in daily life
Seeing the beauty in the simplicity of life,
Keeps the clutter away.
Being present,
Keeps me out of the danger zones of the past and future.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

We are connected

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

The answer will find you

FINDING OUR VOICE

One of the reasons Zoe and I decided to give up animal products was that we decided to get serious about our health and working to reverse some of our health issues. Better late than never. What we have quickly learned, however, is that we fell into the trap of eating the same type of foods, just vegan style. Our quickie lunches became “chicken” patties with sweet potato fries and salad. We became quickly aware that our menu choices were become increasingly dependent on faux meats and cheeses. Yes, they were vegan but they were allowing us to be on a plant based diet with minimal eating of plants. I think there is something wrong with that

Even the recipes in the cookbook I had said I was going to cook my way through were  vegan, but had minimal use of plants. Now I realize that nuts and grains and beans can be classified as plants. However, for us, we were thinking more about fruits and vegetables. So this week, we made the decision to focus on meals that were 50% fruits and vegetables and the balance could be grains and other proteins. While I may still prepare a dish or two from that cookbook, we have decided we need to make and eat things that are more plant, as we defined it, centered.

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SONG OF THE WEEK

Have the courage to admit you are scared. That is where bravery comes from. May we all find the courage to love https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTvJvFWe7hc

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

May we focus on being at one with the Ultimate

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Wisdom and happiness are dance partners

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Which are you focused on?

LIKE FRED ASTAIRE AND GINGER ROGERS

They glide
They slide
They look so graceful
They always make each other
Look good.
They skate
They jump
They leap
They make it look so effortless
They always make each other
Look good

As a dancer in life
I hold my wife
We glide
We slide
We jump
We leap
We make it look so easy
And we focus on making each other
Look good

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Allowing myself to grieve is a sign of strength and purification

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

If you want to hear the message, sit in silence in this moment and listen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

To all those who have gone before me, thank you for watching over me.

FOCUS

Words are so powerful
They tell me about you
How you see the world
What you see in me

 When you speak
Ill of others
Justified or not,
Gossip or libel
The focus is on
Their inadequacies

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

What others see radiating from you is a reflection of your relationship with your Higher Power

SONG OF THE WEEK

this week's Song of the Week reminds me to hold on to the Ultimate because there are blessings for me I cannot envision. https://youtu.be/mUAKjRTVE_g

HOPE & SESAME & THE ZENFUL KITCHEN

This week I was going to reflect on what I learned about freezing from the book I am cooking my way through, The Make Ahead Vegan, but then life happened. Three people of varying importance in my life passed over and I, once again, found myself in this state of grief. I once again found myself wondering if meditations of my heart and my work in this world was making a difference. So I did what I normally do and then the signs began to pop up as they tend to do when I need them the most. Yet despite those signs I did not feel motivated to write about food. I wasn’t really feeling motivated to even cook food this week. It was just one of those weeks where I wondered how I could make eating plant based food feel junky and comforting. I haven’t been successful at that either. The the universe heard and answered my prayers in the form of the following random Facebook message from a woman and an organization I had never heard of.

Hi, Sharon--I found your blog when I was seeking inspirational words about how food is a global language. I am one of two founders of a non-profit in Austin, Texas, that is dedicated to help refugee women use their amazing cooking skills and heritage to earn money and integrate into our community. One of the things we do is host dinners--people buy tickets to come and eat food from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc., and meet these women, etc. We're about to do one with Chefugees from Syria and Iraq, and I would love to include the passage below on the inside of our printed menus (there will be one at each guest's place).

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Own your tears and the path to them

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Who are you?

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Just be who you are in this very moment.

Words

New Poem! Words https://www.inspiritual.biz/inspiritual-reflections/2018/9/10/words

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Create yourself

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

There are powerful lessons to be learned by living.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Accept yourself just as you are, you are perfectly you right in this moment

Hold on to the Mystery

“You see God so clearly,” he said
He was wrong.
There are glimpses,
moments, and
experiences, but
they are surrounded by Mystery.

They transcend description.
They are Yugen.
They are those moments too deep
And too mysterious for words.
They are Yugen

Yugen is dim,
Deep
Mysterious.
The experiences which transcend
Know we have experienced something holy.
Profound grace.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

During times of darkness and grief, may our beauty shine through

SONG OF THE WEEK

Thanks to Carolyn Galvan for this week's song of the week by Laura Daigle, You Say. i LOVE this song because it reminds me to listen to what my Higher Power says I am, not other people. On the days you do not believe in yourself, believe in what your Higher Power says about you https://youtu.be/sIaT8Jl2zpI

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Acceptance brings happiness. Some things are harder to accept then others, but when we do the joy follows.