FFTF (Food For Thought Friday) – Spirit: Neediness and the infusion of peace, Body: Healthy Raw Chocolate Balls
As you may know by now, I absolutely love the daily devotional book, “Jesus Calling”, by Sarah Young. Some days the words from that book just jump out of the book and into my spirit. Today’s was like that and the following are my thoughts provoked by it.
We live in an age where independence is highly valued and neediness is despised. However, I believe that we will only find true peace in our spirits when we surrender to the maker of all things. I have found the key to true inner peace. My recognition of how dependent I am on Him and how needy I am of Him is the key to entering into a deeper intimacy with my creator and lover of my soul. As I come away to that secret place where only He and I sit together, He infuses His peace into my innermost being and allows me to find rest and tranquility of mind and of heart.
I am not my own. I cannot live a life of independence – and I wouldn’t want to. I am totally and completely needy of Him. And I am found in Him, nestled in the palm of his hand as He shelters me and sustains me ‘whole-istically’. And when I start to fall away from Him – when I try to do things on my own – that’s when stress enters into my life again and peace fades away. But He love me so much. And He remembers that I am made of dust. And soon enough he nudges me and leads me back into His keeping again.
How about you? Do you value being independent? What do you think about this topic? Leave a comment below and let me know.
Now…. for the yummy stuff. Who wants healthy chocolate balls. Oh, I do I do!
Raw Energy Balls
- 1/3 cup whole oats
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup protein powder (all whey or brown rice in vegetarian)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 Tbsp all natural peanut or almond butter
- 1 Tbsp flax seeds
- 2 Tbsp raisins
- First grind the oats and then place mix all of the ingredients in a bowl.
- Put in the fridge for about 30 minutes to chill.
- Take out of the fridge and then form balls with your hands.
Makes about 12 balls, depending on how big you make them.
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There is every bit a connection between spirit and body, and it’s a most curious phenomenon that we have divorced our consciousness from what we put in our mouth. The treat looks delish. I personally would soak the oats (which hardly anyone does), and drain the phytic water with a fine mesh or cheesecloth after the 8-12 yrs. And in the States, peanut that is not organic is among the most widely sprayed legume. Peanut butter also slows liver metabolism so I’d use it very sparingly. Please feel free to delete any part of this comment, Staci. Just meaning to help. I love your conscious creativity with food.
Hey there Diana. Thanks for the comment. It’s funny how one can grow up not thinking too much about the food they eat; at least that’s how it was for me. And then after becoming more conscious of nutrition and the way it effects our bodies – when crap food is offered, or is all that is available (in any given situation) – it really does make a difference, not just physically, but psychologically. Unfortunately, the culture I live in(north-east Brazil) and the people that I’m surrounded by daily don’t think as I do and aren’t even conscious at all about the food they’re eating and how it effects them. My mother-in-law thinks cake is healthy. Imagine what I have to go through when my kids stay with her. Another unfortunate thing for me is the lack of good food at a decent price. There are so many things that I’d like to make, but the resources are limited. Being a vegetarian is out of the question because the vegetarians that are here generally get a good part of their protein through gluten. And sugar is in everything. I make all of my kids snacks for school so that I can control what goes in them.
About peanuts, I’m really not sure how they are treated here. One thing I know though is that, while peanut allergies are all over the place in North America, it’s a very foreign thing here. Nobody here has peanut allergies for some reason. Do you understand why this is?
Thanks again for the comment Diana. Blessings. =)
We are soul sisters. =) So it is not just in the States that people eat blissfully mindlessly. Grandma….cake…I CRiNGe. All the parents in Sunday School quickly got accustomed to how I packed my son’s snacks (the Sunday School snacks are atrocious) and meals wherever we go – even social functions. It’s funny. I never hoped for or imagined such a thing, but found a string of parents respect me for it (rather than treat me like a pariah or feel insecure/defensive around me). So there’s a whole social element to this, too – for both my son and me. But I never cared what anyone thought. I refuse nonfoods and poison for my little guy. And he’s among the healthiest of the kids. S, did you get to my food blog and the Prologue and How to Eat pages? Good ques on the peanut. If something hits me I’ll get back to you a shadow of an answer remains on the cusp of my brain….but given all that the brain’s juggling this month, not sure it’ll step into the light).
Believe me, it is definitely not just the States. Actually, I think the problem here is more a cultural thing and the way people have been brought up. Breakfast is almost always white french breads and coffee (not in my household thought). My daughter’s pre-school teacher is totally in love with the homemade goodies I send with her to school. She always wants the recipes. I made a little recipe book for her and I’m going to leave one with the school as well if anyone is interested (the school is Adventist so many of them are vegetarians and very in to treating the body well and being healthy). Now if I could only get my mother-in-law to see things my way (I do love her though. We just think very differently=). Yes, I did read a bit of your food blog. I want to go back to it though and go deeper. I actually already started to be more conscious of how many times I chew my food. I’m already a hyper individual and it’s always been a struggle of mine to eat slow enough for proper digestion. But your article on how to eat has inspired and encouraged me. I haven’t read the prologue one yet though, but will do so soon. Thanks a ton Helen.=) I think I’m also going google the peanut things. Maybe I can virtually get some light on the matter. blessings.
It’s Diana, not Helen. =) No worries. I know — we talk to a lot of folks out here. So glad you got that recipe book going. PRECIOUS.
Oh, I’m so sorry Diana. Blessings.