1st Vegan Gluten-free Thanksgiving

Yesterday, I enjoyed my first

Vegan Gluten-free Thanksgiving Feast! 

And it was delicious.

My menu consisted of the following:

Baked Sweet Potato

Vegan Gluten-free Stuffing (which I made! See picture to the left.)

Vegan Gluten-free Gravy (which I made!)

Salad (lettuce, carrots, celery, cucumbers, peppers, broccoli) w/ lemon juice & fresh ground pepper

Steamed Broccoli

Baked Apples w/Roasted Pecans

Did I miss the Turkey? Actually, no! I thought it would be the hardest part of the day. It sure smelled great, but with all the yummy stuff on my plate, I didn't miss it at all. This was the first real test of my Vegan diet. Since I don't buy meat anymore, I don't have it in the house. But even though the turkey sure smelled great, I wasn't even tempted to have some.  

Some have asked, why not just "cheat" a little on a special day like Thanksgiving? Because, if I make excuses one day and cheat, that can begin a pattern of cheating. The goal of eating Vegan and gluten-free is to reduce my pain level. If I start cheating, that just hinders me from reaching my goal. 

Will the Vegan Gluten-free diet really lower my pain? It's a wait and see. I've been on the diet for about 15 weeks. I feel better overall, but my pain level remains high. I figure I was on pain medications for 9.5 years, I should give this diet longer than 15 weeks.

So, my first Vegan Gluten-free

Thanksgiving was delicious!

And the fellowship and laughter

with friends made the day EXTRA special!

Creating a positive day isn't about the food—Vegan, Gluten-free or Turkey and all the trimmings—it's about spending time with those who are special to you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

"That I may make the voice of thanksgiving heard
and may tell of all Your wondrous works."
Psalm 26:7 (Amplified)

"Singing God-songs at the top of my lungs,

telling God-stories." 

Psalm 26:7 (The Message)

Thanksgiving is a day we set aside to enjoy LOTS of food, watch some football, and then eat more food. We each have much for which we can be thankful. Friends and family are on the top of all our lists. However, God should be the one to whom we are most grateful. 

What 'God songs and stories' will I sing at the top of my lungs today? What wondrous works of God will I share? As I take a moment to read through my past blog posts, I find example after example of God's handiwork in my life. I have many God stories about which I can sing. 

Creating a positive day is natural if I am letting my voice of thanksgiving be heard, first to God Himself, then to those around me. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

May your day be filled

with singing "God-songs"!

God continues to supply

I'm continuing the Bible Study based on Damaris Carbaugh's Not Ashamed CD. This week the study is based on the song, "At the Name of Jesus". One of the questions asks, "What is the most precious name of Jesus to you?"

As I was thinking of which name is most precious to me, I decided to expand the question to include: "Which name of God is most precious to me?" As I was studying the names of God, I received a devotional from In Touch Ministries.

"God is called by a variety of names in the Bible, and each one sheds light on an aspect of His nature. Jesus’ favorite title for Him was Father. Many of God’s names speak of His majestic and lofty attributes that separate Him from mankind, but Father conveys intimacy. Jesus used this name not only because He was God’s Son, but also to help people realize that Jehovah isn’t some unapproachable Deity gazing down on them from a distance. Rather, He is their loving heavenly Father, who cares about them and wants to be involved in their everyday lives."(http://www.intouch.org/magazine/daily-devotional)

"He is their loving heavenly Father,

who cares about them and

wants to be involved

in their everyday lives." 

That statement was demonstrated to me this week. 

I lost my laundry card. Have no idea where. I've searched everywhere. Yet, the card was not to be found. I was mad at myself, because not only did I have money on the card, it was going to cost me more money to replace it. I looked for the card for 5 days, and couldn't wait any longer—the laundry was piling up. 

Today, I went to buy a new card and put money on it. On the way to the office I checked my mail. In the mail was a note with a gift from a friend. The gift would help me fill the new card. When I arrived at the office, to buy the new laundry card, the manager greeted me. I explained the situation and she promptly handed me a new card—no charge. 

Wow! Even though I did something "dumb"—losing my laundry card—God demonstrated His Fatherly love and took care of the details of supplying a new card. He didn't yell at me for losing the card. He didn't punish me for misplacing the card. He simply, in His kind and loving way, helped me get a new one so that I could do laundry.

God, my Father. 

I like the sound of that.

I also like the meaning of that!

God is MY Father who cares about me and WANTS to be involved in my everyday life. That includes the little details such as a laundry card. (God used the laundry card a few months ago to show me He's concerned with the tiniest details of my life. You can read about that here: Relax, I'm taking care of it...Rather YOU!)

Even when things seem to be going wrong, creating a positive day is possible, when I realize that God, my Father, is involved in each and every detail of my day and life.

There is NOTHING happening in my life

which God isn't aware.

God, my Father, loves me!