Good Intentions

Here's a small bit of how lunch went

for me and my toddler shadow the other day.

We were out and about, running an errand or two for "Mummy" when hunger rumbles began from the backseat in the form of whimpers and crabby growls. I had been trying to ignore similar groanings from my own tummy and found relief in the company of a little boy having the need for edible substance. While our stomach's made their request known to all within a reasonable distance from the open car windows my taste buds were searching their vast memories for a remedy. I could tell from the way the discussion was going that fresh veggies, cold-cuts and cheese were going to win the vote so I made hast for the nearest sub shop.

I thank God that this toddler really has no qualms when it comes to choosing food. He has eaten nearly anything that I've placed before him from the beginning of our relationship and I like it that way. So my choice was for a Roast Beef sub with cheddar and a wide selection of veggies. As I waited for the careful wrapping of our lunch and the choco-chip cookie that was so eloquently suggested by my small companion he found a table just right for two with a view out the window and an equally pleasing view of the other diners who were enjoying the establishment (we're both people watchers).

All went smoothly for the first few minutes. I unwrapped our provisonary sub and began to tear pieces just his size and place them on a bit of the wrapping while he sampled the soda a couple of times. Soon the eating began. We were both quite satisfied with what was provided for just a few dollars and could not have asked for anything more. Then it happened, that thing which always happens while dining with an almost two-year-old. The food is no longer seen as necessary for life but rather a distraction from other more important endeavors like smiling at the random construction worker and wandering to the lap of the most familiar adult.

Even though this was not what I had in mind for our little outing, I was not disturbed or frustrated with his distractions but rather sought to deal with it in the most suitable manner. I willing held the young boy and according to my experience had a firm grip on his waist ensuring that he could not depart from his new found seat. Then I skillfully moved his meal to the same side of the table and commenced to suggest each bite in the most alluring manner. My meal was finished and this alone remained on our to do list for this stop and I was confident that it could be accomplished. But that was before, before the manager tried to help.

It must be a lovely thing to be the manager of a restaurant which offers toys to small children with their meals because should the need arise you can opt to offer said toy to a less advantaged child who is distracting his/her parents from the task they actually arrived for, eating. However this was not the case for myself and my young companion. Therefore the presentation, although met with a smile from both the child and myself was not helpful to the task at hand but rather a further distraction.

Soon after the suggestion of a high chair was made and the manager mad her way back to managing, my toddler and I made ready to leave. I recognized that the furtherance of this endeavor would indeed be pointless as the toy, which I couldn't take away at this point, was infinitely more important that dietary needs.

The Daily Grind

Okay, so what am I doing today?

#1 Dealing with the effects of yesterday's grape and raisin breakfast combo.

#2 Tickling a very cute 18 month old into submission and tiredness for his noon-ish snooze.

#3 Making Italian Stuffed Meatloaf during said snooze. (kudos to the Food Network - now I too can cook like my lovely and most dear friend on earth)
The Mom of the family I work for is out of the country so I thought I'd put something together for Daddy and one of the boys. (the other's a pretty picky eater, more on that another day.)

#4 Starting a SHORT story.
Now some of you know that I've been working on a "story." Well, that story is quickly becoming a novela. I don't know...maybe I'm afraid of commitment...but I've set it aside for the time being. I want to prove to myself that I am capable of writing a SHORT story. You know, one that you could read before bed...over...say...two nights instead of three weeks. So that is the big project challenge for this week and maybe next. I'll keep you posted. (ha...ha...get it? "posted")

#5 Blogging
This little exercise has proven a bit difficult as the connection here at work is a little stingy at times and therefore limits productivity in this area. I have made a slight commitment to post a little more often and as a result am very driven to finish this post.

#6 Preparing to be a Youth Leader this evening.
This one is quite tricky as well. It's not that I'm nervous or anything. I've been on the youth staff for something like nine years this coming January. It's just that I don't feel very in tune with God today and KNOW that I will mess up if I rely on myself for what needs to be provided to the kids tonight. I fall short and am pretty sure that they know it too but I don't want to disappoint. So today I'm relying on the faithfulness of God. Faithfulness to me and faithfulness to those kids. I am going take a few moments to read the Scripture that will be taught tonight and pray for strength to strive to be reliable and ready for whatever those teens throw my way and pray that He meets their needs regardless of my "self" and my flesh.

#6 Going to Bed
This will not come too soon as I rose early this morning, yes before the sun, and have a full day ahead of me. I also have to rise before the sun tomorrow. (So, I'd better go finish that meatloaf.)

Happy Day!
- NL White ;>}

Just One More Funny Thing

Preservatives

They’re used to keep food "safe" and "healthy" but you know what, they’re not really good for you in and of themselves. God made natural preservatives like citrus juices, various types of oil, and who can forget salt, but they only last so long before you have to start adding things that only three people in the universe can pronounce. (Although these three people are on different continents and never go over the pronunciations together so that the can decide who’s doing it correctly.)

Think about it for just a moment. What you put in your mouth is meant to be digested. Digestion involves the breaking down of the foods molecular structure; which is the very thing that preservatives are meant to hinder. So doesn’t it stand to reason that the digestion process would be equally hindered as a result. Your body is trying to gather the good stuff and dispose of the bad and yet there are these chemicals that are getting in the way.

In general, if you can’t pronounce it or figure out what it is, you probably shouldn’t be forcing your digestive tract to try and figure it out either. I’m not saying that we should all spend way too much on organic foods and never eat anything out of a box. It's just that there should be a little more thought as to what we’re really throwing into the old pie hole.

There’s a show on food network that I really enjoy, Alton Brown’s “Good Eats.” The guy is a food scientist and he really gets into the structure of food and why it responds to heat or cold in just the way that it does and so on. He's fun and sometimes funny. But it’s rarely seen that he uses any type of preservatives apart form those I mentioned already (oh yeah, vinegar). And the book “French Women Don’t Get Fat” supports a diet built on this very premise. Think about what can you eat on the “South Beach Diet.” Fresh veggies, some fruits, fresh meats, eventually whole grains.

Eating things that your body is designed to digest: makes sense doesn’t it. Funny that we didn’t think of it before.

Dinner Bell

I am a sensual eater. What does that mean? Much of what I love and appreciate is in some way associated with food. The way it smells, the texture, the flavor it has and leaves behind in my mouth, all of these things are important to my opinion of a dish and therefore my overall experience. I tend to form memories based upon what's on the table. The draw back is that I'm always looking out for new memories. As a way to get around the immense amount of calories that can go unused by this behaviour I have sometimes substituted the longing for more of the flavor of a particular food by focusing on it's smell or making sure to drink water after the meal to cleanse the palate of that which yearns to be joined by more of its kind.

So when you ask me "how was your trip?" or "what did you do while you were out there?", and your expecting a rundown of things seen or done; don't be put out if all you get is a diverse menu.

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Some people that I've talked to over the past couple of weeks have asked about the food I've had while here in the Bay Area. The first week we were sure to visit "In-N-Out Burger" as well as cold stone ice cream parlor and this week we went to California Pizza Kitchen. The first weekend we went to lunch at a great restaurant with a view of the raging Pacific and had dinner at Calzone's in North Beach (little Italy). Every place we've been from the little Chinese Restaurant (Ha's) here in Danville to the grand Cliff House of San Francisco has been a little bit of an experience to take home however the best food I've had has been in the homes I've been graciously greeted into. There's something great about having a meal with people who are kind beyond your deserving as well as fellow lovers of food.

Around the beginning of this summer the family I work with took a trip to Silver Dollar City and I as a veteran tripster was invited to help with the kids and show them around the city. On the way home as the children had gone to sleep their mom and I began to talk a little and as always the conversation ended up on food. She and I have a common love for both the preparing and eating of food (although my love is a little more apparent from the outside). The great thing about sharing meals prepared by or simply with someone who loves food is that you can enjoy what's on the table without caring what someone else might say about your fifth piece of pizza.


I do look forward to joining those I have fellowship with back home for meals once again but in the mean-time I have been blessed.

the Great Land and Jamba Juice

One of the more interesting things that I've seen here in California is the small shops, cafes, and resturants that are everywhere.

Today we stopped at the nearest Target to grab a few essentials for the home and while we knew that they would carry most of the groceries and household items that were needed, we wern't sure that another stop would not be necessary. So that you won't hold your breath too long I'll tell you now that our list was accomplished in yes, one stop. However, it was no Wal-Mart. The labels of off-brand products did't say "equate" and "great value" but a trained and frugle shopper can always spot them. And on of the more time consuming aspects was that the price per ounce (the little orange box on the price labels at "Wally World") weren't available, therefore we had to do a little math on the spot to figure out the best options. I must admit that although I don't like the fact that Wal-Mart has a bit of a monopoly when it comes to one-stop shopping in NW Arkansas, when it comes to having what the population requires for clean and healthy living, it is a great convience to get both your toilet paper and apple juice in the same stop.

On the flip-side of trying to meet everyone's needs in one fail swoop, we also went to "Jamba Juice" for mid-morning snack after our shopping venture. This has been one of my favorite stops in the past couple of days. "Jamba Juice" is a place where you can order perhaps any combination of smoothie ingredients imaginable. But the fact remains that they are still smoothies and you can't build a turkey sandwich on top of it. You can't pick up a loaf of bread while you wait for you B vitamians to be injected into your "mango-a-go-go". (very tasty, I might add)

Always looking for the spiritual application of the seemingly little things, I wanted to say here that God is good. He is faithful to meet our every need, the ones that we know about and even those that escape our attention. If only we would seek to be like the Holy One who called us in this regard instead of looking out for our own intrests.

I Corinthians 9:19-23

Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.