Thankful

Last week I mentioned that I was starting a detox. My first venture into the world of detoxing. The mindset going in was that this was all one big experiment.

My goals for the experiment were:

1. An increased dependence on and awareness of God

2. A decreased dependence on food

3. An increase in self control

In the first week I saw progress in each of these goals. The process was challenging, very challenging, but well worth it.

One unintended realization I had happened on the third day of the detox. In this particular program I fasted from Sunday night after dinner (6pm) until Wednesday morning at lunch (10:30am). A 64 and a half hour fast with 4, 50 calorie detox shakes each day.

My aha happened Wednesday at lunch. Famished, I took my first bite of my lunch, which by the way was greens, carrots, celery, olive oil, beans, and hemp hearts.

As the flavors registered, I was struck by the gratitude I felt and experienced for this food.

Now I know many people would choose to continue right along on their fast rather than eat my salad, but for me, it was like biting into a filet at a pricey steakhouse.

I was grateful to God for creating the food. I was grateful to each person who had contributed to bringing that food to my table.

I was grateful for the taste of the food and how it nourished me after a long fast.

And I believe this is how it was meant to be. Food as a gift. Something to be celebrated, savored, appreciated.

Not just after a fast, but every day, every meal, every bite.

Of course, along with this gratitude comes slower eating, more awareness of fullness, better digestion, and improved food choices. But we’ll save those for another day.

Today, let’s appreciate our food...appreciate where it came from...one-minute at a time.