Living a Fasted Life

Hey, it’s been a while….where’ve ya been?  : )  I’ve been having a blast without much extra time.  Alexis is home.  We joined a new church…..one that we seem to fit so well with it’s amazing……it’s the one where we went to do the fast…..that’s how God got us there, now we don’t want to leave : )  I did end up doing another one in April as well, (fast).  Monday, (and this is only Tuesday), I decided to juice and do smoothies for the week, I wanted to ask God for help with some things and use it to control my weight as well.  Last night I was reading a book, (part of a homework assignment for a class I’m taking at church on the Holy Spirit….it’s way cool), and read, “Fasting does not change God, it changes me”.  The man who wrote it was talking about going on a hay day with his eating then going down to 1 meal a day when he was really busy and being, “spiritual”, but that made him weak and tired.  God told him, “fasting doesn’t change me….I’m the same no matter what….it changes you….so why not just live a fasted life”?  “Keep your flesh under all the time”.   That really stuck out to me and I wrote it down.  Even though I know this, I seem to forget.  I use fasting as a bargaining chip……Dear Santa, (God), I would like……and I am going to fast in exchange for it….ha ha.  He does give me most of what I want though….but it’s because fasting brings me back in alignment with Him…..and I think that what I want is really his nudge to me to get back on track.

This morning I went out to run a 5K….I did it several days ago….holy moly…..thanks to Alexis.  A couple of weeks ago, I couldn’t/wouldn’t run 1/2 a block, but she got me to keep going for 2 miles with out stopping and I did it the next day and the next and thought I would just see how far I could go on Saturday morning….and wow….I actually made it the entire way!  Soooooooo…….I went out to do that again this morning…..it’s a really good thinking time too…..although, I ended up walking quite a bit of it……I did that because it seemed as though God were having a real good talking to with me…..and I wanted to listen.  Being the obsessive/compulsive person that I am….I keep trying new things….of course with the goal of just being able to get away with as much as I possibly can…..but I keep going around the same mountain, (regarding food).  There are things that I know are good for my kids….that they would save them selves so much struggle if they would just listen to me….and they do for the most part….they are amazing kids…..but there’s always that one thing that we all need to just “make” work on our own that we really don’t have the control over that we think we do……watching someone else struggle with something that you just know the easier way is really to just let go of it can be as big of a struggle as the person struggling…..especially someone that you love…..but we all have free will.  I felt like God was being the parent and reminding me that the easier way really is to let go…..relinquishing control is not something that I do well…..but God has always….every single time…..proven to be right…..and I’m so much better off when I listen….yet, I always think that I can come up with a better plan.  Living a fasted life is safe, freeing, enjoyable and takes me to heights that I’m only able to obtain through obedience….it’s really quite a good deal.

I’m still on this journey with you….are you still with me?

End of Daniel Fast

Yesterday was day 40 of the Daniel Fast. This has been another amazing experience. With each year and each fast I move closer and closer to living like that on a daily basis rather than just for a time period….but there is something very special about committing that time with God. I love to dwell in His presence….but I feel like I can never get close enough. We had a chihuahua….Jack….he was such a good snuggler…..but he could never seem to get close enough….he would be right next to me…..smashed up as close as possible but he would still wiggle and push to get even closer…..that’s how I feel with God….there are moments of comfort….then I start to wiggle and push to get even closer….and that feels good.

I’m having some really wonderful experiences…..spirit led experiences. Eric and I are taking a class on “the blood covenant”….it sounds pretty mystical and magical….and it is! It’s really powerful….really exciting…..really enlightening. My spiritual life has seemed to be all over the place….and it has…..like a puzzle….there are pieces that you don’t think could possibly be a part of the same picture….and seem as if they are even on opposing ends….yet the more the picture comes together, the more clear and amazing it is how it all works together….it’s all a part of the same picture….even when it seemed as though I was going in the opposite direction….and the picture is so vast and more beautiful than I thought it could be….and it’s still just coming into light….”I ain’t seen nothin’ yet”. I have also been reminded that some good things are in my life permanently and some aren’t….or I just need to take my focus on the next right thing….the right thing for me to progress….for me to become who I was created to be….and it is all okay if I follow God….God’s direction for my life….if I don’t, things just get uncomfortable until I do…but as soon as I do they are comfortable and exciting again.

One of my amazing things….well this has been coming into view for many years….but it seems as though there is extra light and extra energy when I’m doing this fast….and the addict in me wants it 24/7….and of course, more, more, more….actually I think that the wanting of more, more, more is really the void that only God can fill and I will continue to want more until it is filled by Him. Oh dear, I do believe that I’m becoming fanatical….oh well : ) Back to my amazing thing….Reiki. I have been working with this energy since 1997 and it has been quite the experience. I can’t even begin to compute the amount of hours I have spent working with this, receiving information…from God…then applying it…then receiving more and applying that as well. Over the past 7 years I seem to have been in an intensive training with this learning how to attune places, people, times, chakra’s, clearing emotions, energy blocks….some really cool stuff. During this fast a woman was sent to me by a mutual friend, someone that I have never met….(I still haven’t met her, this was all done as distance healing….but we talked on the phone), she was sent to me to heal one thing….which we did….but by applying the lessons that God has taught me….it went deeper and wider than was apparent…it has been such a beautiful experience……and I believe a validating experience….I will just keep going forward and will know by the results….I will know by the fruit : )

I have so much more that I have learned or have been enlightened about….like faith….what it is….I thought I had it…and I did/do….but my understanding of it is so much more clear and it’s clear in a way that is powerful, active and profound. Actually so much has been coming to me over the past few months that I haven’t written about that I hope to. I’ll admit, I’ve been a little bit shy about putting things on here….I think too much about who will read it and what they will think….but that creates a block….when I’m real….cool things happen : )

Happy New Year!!!

Wow, I cant believe that this is my first post of the year. I am happy though that January is almost over….now just a couple of months until spring : ) Eric and I did the fast starting 1/1…he’s done, I just started a cleansing class so I’m doing it with them too….and was planning on going through to the 9th anyway. Today is day 3 of my juicing…I did feel a little run down yesterday but my day 2’s are usually the worst….and it wasn’t that bad. Once I remembered, I just took it easy. Today I feel a lift….still a little on the quiet side, but definitely a lift….and I have been feeling kind of stuck in a few area’s. Spiritually, I’m just amazed at what is happening….it seems to be so much more powerful when Eric does this with me and we are taking a class together that is just…wow! It’s like someone turned up the light….thank you to whoever did that : ) I will share more with you later….until then….have a super blessed, totally awesome, wonderful 2013 full of love and joy!!!

Ready for the New Year?

I am! You know I just love the New Years resolutions : ) I am convinced now more than ever….that at least for me….I need to follow the “rules”. I need to write down my food for the next day, commit that to someone who will hold me accountable…follow that plan and not try to manipulate it. I have been successfully eating this way since 2/2005, no calorie counting, sometimes some obsession with food…because I am obsessive/compulsive : )….and a freedom and security that only comes with this kind of surrender. I have been wrestling with that surrender for several months….doing “research” I have heard it called….research is good. I have a program that allows me to see all of the nutritional value of every thing I eat along with how much more I can have if I do certain exercises. Although it is pretty cool, I have been focusing on that more than just following the same successful guidelines that worked so well for me before….I want total control….and of course, I want more….and it has made me a little crazy along with being in bondage to this system. My weight is actually up 5 lbs from this total control. I read this morning that, “We have found through much experience that no matter how long we abstain from eating compulsively, and no matter how adept we become at facing life’s problems, we will always have these abnormal tendencies with food”. I can see that. I am a nutrition consultant, I believe that that somehow gives me a special insight as to not following the rules of having an eating disorder that it won’t impact me any more, especially eating as healthy as I do….but that is part of the thinking that goes with the disorder….I need to remember that I have this tendency and that it can take over if I stop doing what I know I need to do….I am not exempt for any reason. It’s funny, I was asking God what to do next, the raw food diet, the food combining diet….the answer I got was that He showed me what was right for me 8 years ago….it hasn’t changed….I can do raw or food combining within those guidelines….but those are still very much the same…..and they work as well today as they did 8 years ago….and even though it’s just for today…which I have a tendency to forget….it is highly likely that these will still be my guidelines tomorrow as well….but I will worry about that tomorrow….no, not worry, surrender.

I’m starting January 1 with the Daniel Fast. Eric and I are doing it together with the church that we went to 8 years ago, I feel very excited about it and ready for an amazing 2013.

Be Still and Know That I am God

Be still and know that I am God, Psalm 46:10 was a strong message to me yesterday and today. We are now on our final cleanse of the year and honestly, I was feeling a little less motivated for this one than I did earlier in the year….wondering if I did too many to really reap the spiritual “rewards” because I wasn’t keeping it as sacred. When I got out of the shower yesterday morning, the list of my “prayers” from the summer fast were on the counter. I’m not quite sure how they got out there….it isn’t huge crazy thing because I keep prayer papers behind my clock there and it didn’t have far to slip out….but it did somehow. I read over the list….which was kind of like a list of chores really…..and felt a little indigent because none of them happened. I thought, “what’s up God, I did what I was supposed to….why didn’t you fulfill this list of demands here?” ha ha. Then I started to realize that I had it a little off….although I do pray for what ever I pray for “or better in the highest good of all concerned”….I was missing the mark a bit. The way that I have been doing this since 2005 is to list what I want help with then do the fasting and prayer….so many times what I have asked for or better comes either during or after….and it just clicks into place. So that led me to believe that my “works” of fasting, (Daniel fasting), while praying was “earning” me my desires….not so…although God does….and quite often….thanks God!….fulfill my needs and many desires. What I believe that I had mixed up was the process and the actual intent of that process. As I learned in “Experiencing God”, God will place a desire in our hearts, then we need his direction, guidance and grace to fulfill that desire. By fasting and praying I am removing the obstacles that are in my control….so that I can hear God, surrender to God and let Him show me what I need and what I want. It really does work so much better that way because He can see what I can’t even dream about because I’m not aware of it….I’ve been shown that so many times…..but I needed to be shown that again : )

This morning has been a beautiful, wonderful, magical awakening. I’ve been shown obstacles, misunderstandings and blockages that have impacted my beliefs…they are things that I haven’t been able to change on my own….and can’t change on my own….I need God to do it….I need(ed) to ask Him to do it….and I did. I said the prayers with Eric, it was quite powerful. I am also very aware of the things that He has already done in my life that I could never have done on my own. The safety, love and trust I feel right now is….I don’t want to say intoxicating because that is a negative word….but it’s an all encompassing, blissful pleasure that I don’t have a word to describe.

Be still and know that I am God reminds me that I just need to relax and spend time with Him so that I can hear Him….that is where I get my direction, I don’t have to work on it, I have to allow it, trust it, follow it…..that is swimming with the current rather than against it. Also, “Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven and all these things will be added unto you“. Can it really be that easy? Yes! But it’s not easy to trust that and fall into the flow….that is the hard part….that is the part of surrender….that is what I was reminded to do. Life is so much better than I ever imagined that it could be….and that’s God’s doing….not mine. I know that I can gratefully trust Him with the rest.

Total Recall

Alexis works at a movie theater and treated the family to a movie the other night.  I don’t like violent or loud movies but wanted to spend some family time with them and thought that this may be alright….the description sounded interesting….well, it is violent and loud….and dreary….I did find it interesting though.  Don’t read any more if you want to watch it and haven’t yet….wait until you see it : )  He started out by having nightmares and visions of someone he was losing, then he woke up with his “loving wife”.  He worked on an assembly line and was passed up for a promotion and made the comment that he would never get off the line.  Out of his boredom, but against the advise of someone close to him, (who later turned out to be a hidden enemy)….but prompted by someone he worked with, he went to this “total recall” place where he could buy memories….a thrilling escape from reality….where you could be anyone you want, do anything you want….you get the picture….the only catch was that it couldn’t have any connection or reality to the person receiving the “memory”.  When the character went under it was discovered that he did identify with being a spy….his fantasy….but unknown to him….his reality.  It continues to unfold as he discovers talents and abilities he possesses that he wasn’t aware of….he has allies that he wasn’t aware of…..and enemy’s that were in the form of a close friend and his wife….both placed in his life to defeat him…..or perhaps to bring out his strengths.  I think that sometimes we are thrown into situations that strengthen us, show us what we are made of…..without the conflict we wouldn’t know what was in us to bring about a new harmony.  What if that is what life really is?  An uncovering, a treasure hunt of what is within.  I have heard for years that we are spiritual beings having a human experience, that we have lessons set up in our lifetime to evolve our souls….to balance karmic debt….to grow.  How fascinating that we may be here to uncover the truth, that we are so much more than we realize….just step out into your fantasy and watch it evolve….see who you are, what you are capable of.  Who would you be if you let go of the insecurities?  Of the unconscious bondage’s of what you think that you can’t do, have, be?  Maybe you don’t have to let go of them first….maybe they come off as you move forward…..weather you choose to or not.

When Michelangelo finished sculpting the David, many people asked him how he created this masterful work of art. His response: “It’s simple. I took away everything that wasn’t the David.”

Our lives can be our masterpieces if we can learn to chisel away at the thoughts and choices that don’t contribute to our sense of authenticity and balance.

What is in your life that isn’t you?  Let it go.  You are a magnificent, beautiful masterpiece, period.

I’m Sandee and I’m a raw foodist : )

It’s not just the way you eat, it’s a way of life.  I’m not 100%, although I was for the first 42 days of the year, but I am following it pretty well, I would say at least 90%…probably more.  I’m not all vegan at this point either, although we are going to do 4 cleanses this year and I will be then.  Eric still hasn’t had coffee!  That is so amazing….just as amazing as it was for me.  He too is drinking Teechino and it has really done the trick for him.  We are both having a Vitamin C drink that has some caffeine and ginseng in it…so we aren’t totally there…but  so much better.  We have had more strongholds released….that was VERY interesting….as a couple it’s interesting how we have issues that cross, things we knew were sore spots, but not the real reason why….and that have now been released.

Kid wise, this is an exciting time….a bit frightening….just the letting go part, I so love to be in control you know….I am really needing to trust God again….and He has proven to be quite trustworthy…and awesome : )  Alexis is flying out to Nicaragua tomorrow for the 10 day mission trip, I’m crossing every T and dotting every I, a little nervous, but I do have a sense of peace about it….I admit though that I can’t wait until they get back!  Brett is flying from coast to coast going to interviews for grad school, right now he’s at Cal Tech in sunny 80 degree weather, next week Boston, then back out to California….he is “living the life”.  Eric and I were talking this morning about one kid staying in a posh hotel getting shuttled around, fed, seeing exciting people in a beautiful atmosphere.   The other will be sleeping on  an air bed…also meeting exciting people, being fed and in a beautiful atmosphere….but completely different ends of the spectrum….and they are both extremely excited to be doing what they are doing.

I was watching a television sermon this week that is talking about if you had 30 days left to live, what would you do?  We played with that idea at our small group earlier this week…..aside from emptying our bank accounts and living it up…what would you do with that money, who would you do it with?  I also pondered the question of, “if I were to die today, what would I regret”…..the truth is, nothing.  When my Aunt Carole died….about 11 years ago….I did ponder that question….and I took it seriously.  My regrets at that point would have been that I missed anything with my kids…..I didn’t need to work, yet I had a good job, it was hard for my ego to let go of it….I pondered leaving it for a year before my aunt died but when she did after just turning 57, I decided not to ponder but to take action…I have no doubt in my mind that that wasn’t part of her plan…no one saw it coming, it was a real blow…and only the beginning unfortunately for more.  As tragic as that was, I am grateful for the gift of awareness and that I have done what I really wanted to do up to this point….I have so much more left to do….and I have received so many more gifts as a result of following my heart.   That helps me now that it is time for Brett and Alexis to begin their paths of who they are….and I want them to be everything God created them to be, I want them to follow their passion and live life to the fullest….and I can  trust God that He will be there for them everywhere and in everything….I have to.

Day 11

Well, I did it.  I felt like going further and I did.  The first 8 days were just juice and smoothies made with Sun Warrior Protein powder and Hemp protein powder…so it has also been all raw….except for some dry spices, miso paste and tea.  Last Thursday, which was day 4, a pimple popped out on my knee….a very painful pimple that I kept bumping.  Throughout that day, the bottom of my foot progressively got more and more painful , (the right foot, the corn is always on the left).  On Friday, I drank an extra green drink and thought that it had eased the pain a bit but it didn’t.  On Saturday the pain was so bad that I was limping, it went from the top of my hip to the bottom of my heel.  Thursday through Saturday…and Sunday morning, I did lots of yoga, drank water and did Reiki.  Finally on Sunday, I was back to normal as if nothing had ever been wrong.  I’ve read quite a bit that old wounds and illnesses will surface during a cleanse, especially if you weren’t eating right when it healed the first time.  In that leg, I had broken the ankle….and that was a spot that really hurt, and I had topical skin cancer….but I was eating healthy when  that was discovered.  All toxins pool in the lower body, especially the hip area….I feel that I went through a nice detox.  Just like always, when it got to the height of discomfort, I was ready to stop the fast….and just like always….I’m so glad that I didn’t.  The past 3 days have been blended drinks instead of juice.  Tomorrow I will start bringing solid foods back in….but raw.

The group I am leading is amazing, I couldn’t ask for better people!  We have only had 2 meetings, but it just feels like such a good flow….I feel privileged to be with them.

Juice Fast, day 3

I’ve had the same juices all 3 days so I didn’t re-post it.   So far, so good.  Yesterday was the most detoxifying….the second day usually is, I took another shower before I went to bed and felt so much better.  I know I seem to say this every time I go on a cleanse…..but….that corn that shows up on my foot all the time was there again, and painful, it’s been painful for at least a month and I’ve been aware of it for longer….it’s gone!  I feel like continuing the juicing for a while longer, the next couple of days are pretty busy and it feels easier to do that than to figure out what to eat, I feel like more will be released if I continue too….and I really don’t feel like eating yet….which is very strange for me so I want to honor what my body is telling me.  Alexis has been doing this with me, I’m so impressed!  She is going on a medical mission trip to Nicaragua with our church in February and also needs to pick her college, so praying and fasting are a really good thing for her right now.  I’m also praying for her, I feel that God is leading her to the trip, and leading me to let her go….this is her 3rd one….but the first out of the country.  There are 3 adults that we know well going and the leader has taken this trip over 20 times, she’s my baby and sometimes I can’t believe that I’m letting her do this, but then a calm will come over me…I’m really hoping that it’s God saying that everything will be okay….of course that is on the top of my prayer list too….along with both kids getting into the right colleges for them and other things.  Eric started today.  I have a group starting Friday and Monday….this is a great start to the year I must say : )

It’s New Years Resolution Time!

I LOVE New Years.  Not for the parties or the dresses….and certainly not for the drinks or the food…..I love New Years resolutions.  This year will mark 19 years of no alcohol, 12 years of no cigarettes, with a few exceptions, about 8 without the gum, 7 years of no sugar/no flour, coffee is out of the picture….and so much more.  They didn’t all go right at New Years…alcohol did and the other things on many occasions, but may not have stuck until later in the year…but so what?  I love to improve, I love to be free of addictions, I love to make lists of goals and check them at the end of the year and now it’s that time again : )  We have a group doing a 21 day cleanse that will begin on the 9th.  I’m going to start on the 1sth though since I’m the leader and want to be at my best for the other people….a good leader : )  This year I’m going to crank it up a notch.  I’m going totally raw for the 21 days, maybe for more, but definitely the 3 weeks, and I’m jazzed.  What I really enjoy about the New Years cleanse, or Daniel fast is the clarity I get, the surrender and  closeness to God.  I’m not sure why what I eat or don’t eat has such an impact on my emotions, mental state and spiritual state, but it really does.  Earlier today I realized that I don’t think that I could have stuck to the no sugar/no flour eating without a guide….that way of living was foreign to me and would have been temporary….just like raw food has been, I get to my goal, then go back to the way I was eating before, so does that mean that I need to stay raw?  I don’t know, but I’m going to ask for clarity during this cleanse.  I have gotten to a higher level of trust with God  and if I feel that He is guiding me to do it, then He will show me the way and I will.  It seems so radical….but so did living without sugar and flour.  I always feel so good when I do the cleanses, a heightened awareness, more energy, a calmness and security that is deeper than normal….so it does make me wonder.  For now, I’m committing to 3 weeks…and looking forward to it….of course I will let you know how it’s going : )  What are your goals for the year?  Are you as excited as I am?  Oh, I almost forgot!  Last year, I was so hooked on Pepsi Max that I didn’t let go of it for the cleanse/fast, but I put it on my list asking God to remove it from me…..Thank you God, I haven’t had any in several months : )