31 Day March- Day 5

Day-5


What's new today?
Dried fruit
Wild goose chase for carob chips

How is this new?
Well I like food, found out today I don't like dried fruit. Not to say that I can't ever Luke it, but it just didnt taste great.
Until today I had no idea what carob chips, powder, chunks, etc. were. Google it!

Why this?
After a conversation with a friend I had almost resolved to go try a few new vegetables. I found myself standing in front of several vegetables asking myself if I really wanted to try them right them. The answer was no. I stood there for probably 5 minutes before deciding to go find something else new to try. When I couldn't find carob things I decided on dried fruit. My thought was, "it is fruit, only dried ... It has to be good." Well I go the kind with no additives, no preservatives, and no sugar just plain old dried fruit. So I ended up with pineapple and banana. Let's just say I know a few people who will be happy with me tomorrow since it will wind up in their offices. Just didn't like the taste or texture. Having a hard time overcoming the texture thing.
I went to a couple of places this evening to find carob chips, it is the raw food version of chocolate. It is only day 2 of raw food eating and I am practically desperate for chocolate. This is a problem because it sadly proves to me my self proclaimed addiction. Not proud of this addiction, or any addiction (not that I have many addictions- hole digging just getting deeper). Anyway I couldn't find carob chips and am now going to put out a city wide search on them.

Is this something that will be continued?
Yes, I mean I am going to keep trying new things (including dried fruits- craisins are fantastic!)
I am definitely going to continue my search for carob chips. I mean come on, really, why wouldn't I?

Are there any negatives to this?
Yes, I am realizing my sad addiction to food. Which is funny because before I started this whole March thing I was noticing food no longer was satisfying. Nothing sounded good to eat anymore and yet I kept shoving it in my face. It reminded me that we are all creatures of habit and sometimes when we don't know what else to do we do what is habitual for us. Like food, we may not know what we want to eat because we are "kind of hungry" or in the "I could eat" mood. So in these cases we choose something primarily out of habit. We aren't literally starving like some African children, we aren't in a major famine where it is hard to get fresh produce and eat in a manner that will benefit our bodies, we aren't so poor that we don't know where our next meal is coming from. God has blessed so many of us to have the things we have and yet we find ourselves addicted to them, including food. It is so easy for us to be distracted by what we have and ignore what others do not have when we can easily provide that for them.
The main draw back to forcing myself to eat fresh raw foods is the little voice in the back of my head that reminds me this is how God intended it on being. It wasnt until after the flood that God granted permission to people to eat meat. Have you ever thought about that? Adam and Eve and Seth and Enoch and all of the others at this time were actually vegitarians until the flood. Trust me, I am not going to become a vegitarian after this, God gave us free reign on meant and meant is good! What I am saying is not everything we put in our bodies is healthy and we should do a better job of taking care of the temple God has given us to be stewards of for the time we have here.

PS Didn't mean to be on a soap box on the end there, oops!

31 Day March - Day 4

Day-4 Yes, I know .... this is late


What's new today?
Raw food diet ...
Only purchasing said raw food grown in the US.

How is this new?
I usually eat anything I can put my hands on, mainly because I LOVE food.
I pretty much just grab whatever is close and don't think twice.

Why this?
Well, it gives my body a break from harsh chemicals, processed foods, and whatever else is in our food. It also is teaching me self-control. I love food, and with that love comes me eating anything I can get my hands on. Yes, I am a foodie. It will also help me appreciate the things I eat.
Buying fresh foods grown in America supports our farmers and our agriculture. Also, fruits and vegetables from other countries may or may not meet the standards of the FDA ... Also, it is just an experiment for 7 days.


Is this something that will be continued?
Yes. I could see myself making a habit raw food diets. This one is for 7 days and I am excited to see how it goes. In doing this I began researching why raw food diets. There are so many things that show how much better for you it is to eat raw foods than processed and packaged foods. I think we all know this somewhere in the back of our minds but it is nice to be reminded.
Buying things only made/grown in the US is really difficult but it is good to support ourselves, so yes.

Are there any negatives to this?
Not unless I eat a bad piece of fruit or veggie...
This is really difficult. Mainly because when I decided to do this I said I would only buy things grown in the US. Do you know how hard it is to only buy fruits and vegetables grown in the US? You should try to do it...that proved more difficult than I thought.

31 Day March - Day 3

Day 3

What's new?
I bought my first piece of luggage today. Also went on a long drive alone.

How is this new?
Well other than the luggage I bought today I only own a large duffle bag that was given to me as a birthday gift last year because I owned no other luggage. So yeah that's new. It also signifies my trip to Italy is soon! Yay!!
The long drive... Well I enjoy long drives and stars. So I decided to drive with no destination in mind.

Why this?
I am going to Italy for spring break and planning to make traveling a habit (if God will let me).
Drives are good for many things: thinking, clearing the mind, absent minded activity, etc. It was really relaxing and enjoyable.

Is this something that will be continued?
Heck yes! If God will let me travel more, I will continue this. My heart is in a country I have not yet visited but there is something about it that He has drawn me to. Just like when you meet someone and you KNOW you are going to marry them, it is like that. It is something you just can't explain but know you love it because you are supposed to. No idea how to put that into words. I tried though.
Long drives will be continued either alone or with a friend. Long drives are lovely.

Are there any negatives?
Yes, traveling can be like a drug, it is addictive. Not only is it addictive but it can make a person discontent in everyday life.
Drives cost money and with gas being so expensive I should just invest in good walking shoes and go for long walks as opposed to long drives.

Well I am writing this on my phone which is proving to be an annoyance so I going to stop here...

31 Day March - Day 2

Day-2
What's new today?
Trying new food. Today for lunch I went to my favorite Mexican restaurant, Don Jose, with a couple of girl friends/co-workers. Dinner was with a colleague at a local Thai restaurant, Sai Thai.

How is this new?
Usually when I go to any restaurant I choose the same thing every time. This time I had to order something I haven't ever ordered before. This is easily done since I have a usual at both places. At Don Jose I ordered a chicken taco. This sounds lame but if you know me at all, I hate tacos. Lately I have come to realize it is because of past work experience at Taco Bell (just hated the food there). It was really good, I was impressed.
At Sai Thai I ordered the Massamun Curry, it had chicken and pineapple with red curry paste. Oh my gosh it was goodness in my mouth! I have a new favorite. There are pictures below. I also ordered egg rolls, this too is also not normal for me because I used to despise egg rolls. Oh and did I mention I ate white rice with this and not fried? Yes I did... fan-friggin-tastic.

Why this?
Well, I knew I would be going out to eat for dinner so I figured it would be the easiest way to do something new (yes, I went with convenience on this one and yesterdays...). Also, I really like food a lot. If good food were a man I would not be single.

Is this something that will be continued?
Yes. Something that I have been learning lately is that I cannot fear change or new things. If I fear them and avoid them then I am potentially missing out on something great. I would have never known that Massamun Curry would taste so fantastic if I wouldn't have tried it tonight.

Are there any negatives to this?
I could easily become really obese. God made food taste good and I love God and also food... Problems could come from this

Change is some times a good thing ... in this case it was a very good thing

31 day March - Day 1

So I am determined to do something new ... something new every day for 31 days and blog about it. Yes, everyday a new post. This will be a challenge for me but it will be a fun challenge.

Today's was kind of lame and I hate to admit that but it is true. So they will get better I promise :)

Day-1
What's new today?
Dressed up for no good reason. I got up on time-ish and took care of myself.

How is this new?
Well, I usually get up and throw clothes on and run out the door.


Why this?
This is not what I originally choose, hence the lameness. My first choice was to get up at 5am, get ready, go see the sun rise and get caught up with homework. When you look at what I wanted to do compared to what I did it explains why it is lame.

Is this something that will be continued?
Yes, I want to continue taking better care of myself and plan on doing more of this. Over the past 6-7 months I have started trying to take better care of myself and look a little better put together on the outside. It started with a funny conversation with a co-worker and has turned into me painting my nails, wearing make-up more regularly, and dressing more feminine. So this will definitely be continued.

Are there any negatives to this?
Well yes, there are. My fear with this one is becoming materialistic. God has made it very clear to me that He wants me to be in the foreign mission field. There is really no room for materialism there and here it becomes a way to distract us from the bigger issues of life. This is something I really want to avoid, but I also want to be presentable.

More to come tomorrow.

Islamophobia?

This week Arkansas State University had Zahra Billoo, J.D. speak two nights in their Lecture-Concert series. She gave two talks; the first was titled "Know Your Rights," and the second "Islamophobia." I was only able to attend the second lecture, however, I walked away feeling more knowledgeable. So I want to share some of that with you, whoever you may be. I wish I would have been able to attend Zahra's first lecture, however, I am only able to report on what I have heard and the research I have done. 


So what is Islamophobia? Islamophobia is the closed minded hatred toward Muslims/Islam. Pre-9/11 Muslims did not scare most Americans the way there mere presence seemed to frighten us post-9/11. I have come to realize, after having worked with students from over 70 countries and various backgrounds, that just because someone's skin color or religion or birth place is different from my own I should not fear them. Many of my friends are from different parts of the world. Some of my friends are from different parts of the U.S, yet I am not afraid of them because they are like me ... they have had similar experiences with religion and education and family dynamics. For some reason when it comes to people from other countries we tense up and begin to worry. They are different from us, yes this is true; they are not to be feared, just like they should not fear us either. 


Think back, way back. Think about the treatment of immigrants when they started coming to the U.S. Think about the treatment of blacks. They were treated differently by whites based on the color of their skin. There is so much to be learned from people of different backgrounds and they have so much they can learn from us as well. The U.S. is a cultural melting pot, we have people from every country, background, and religion you can think of (and some you probably didn't know existed). We discriminate because of a difference that internationals, immigrants, blacks (and anyone else I have forgotten) cannot control. They cannot control their skin color or heritage or culture just like you are not able to control those things. This is how they were born and what they were born into. You were born the same way, yet somehow we have come to the conclusion that one race is better than another. 


Zahra reminded us, "Muslims have been in the U.S. since the slave trade." When we go back and look at the history of slavery and the history of the slaves in the U.S. it is easy to see that Muslims were brought over just like everyone else. Islam is very common in Africa, so having slaves from Africa we were bound to have Muslims in the mix. This should come as no shock to me, but for some reason I had to sit and soak this in and remind myself of the truth behind her words. Islam is not a new concept, however "the most talked about religion in the U.S. media is Islam" (Zahra Billoo, J.D.). Islam is seen in a very negative light in the U.S. As a Christian I have read about and have been taught Jesus' ministry. Jesus loved people and had compassion on them. One of the worst things we can do as Christians is treat people as though they are not worth existing. For example: children were walking to the Mosque one Sunday, people lined the sidewalk and stood across the street (some brought their dogs to bark at the children) shouting "Jesus hates you." Zahra said from her studies she has not seen where Christ said he hated anyone. I, too, agree with her statement. Christ had compassion on the crowds. He saw their sin and He knew they were lost. He did not shout obscenities at them as they walked to the Mosque. 


Zahra made a very powerful statement, "No matter your religious belief or skin color, we have to get to know each other." Christ has commissioned those who follow Him to "go into all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that He has commanded us," (Matthew 28:16-19). The nations have come to us, yet we are afraid of them and telling others to fear them. This does not show them love or respect in anyway shape or form. There are several things going on in our government right now that do attack religion, Zahra commented on this saying "An attack on anyone's religion and rights to practice that religion is an attack on all of us." She is right, if an American Muslim has their religious freedoms threatened it means a tighter reign on all religions. We may be praying to different gods but they still deserve to be treated with respect. 


We are only doing ourselves a disservice by choosing to be ignorant and push such people away. They have so much to teach us about the world and we have so much to teach them. Make friends with internationals, ask them questions, find out about their background ... I dare you. This is something I have been doing for 3 1/2 years and it is nothing less than rewarding. If you never step out and take the chance you will miss out on something truly great, knowledge. 


So I dare you to change your ignorance into intelligence. Learn something new today, tomorrow, and everyday after. What do you have to lose?

Taking a Chance and Making Some Changes

For some reason, my whole life I have wanted to just uproot my life and travel the world. There is so much to be seen and so much to do outside of tiny city (compared to the rest of the world). This week I read an article or blog post or what-not titled Stop Delaying That Big Trip. Stop it. (click here to read it). Reading it made me really thankful for some recent changes in my life and  has encouraged me to look at some things in a different perspective. 

After I graduated high school in 2006 I went on a 1 week mission trip to Venezuela. Since then I have been dying to go back outside the country and never seemed to be able to go. The next two summers (2007 and 2008) I went on a Christian training project called Orlando Project with Campus Outreach. It was great but just fueled my desire to travel even more. We worked at Universal Studios our first summer and then we worked at Sea World (that summer we worked at a resort and it was AMAZING). I continued to meet people from all over the world everyday both summers. In 2008 I started working with international students. Once again, it just fueled the fire in my heart to drop everything I know and move thousands of miles away where I could see cultures, religions, and people for what they really are. So in November (2011) I started talking to a friend of mine who lives in Italy and decided in March I would go visit her. So in about 3 1/2 weeks I will be getting on a plane headed to Rome. There will be a few stops in other countries as I change planes (Canada, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland are all the airports I will be visiting). It is almost a thrill to know I am about to travel half way around the world with no plan. When I say no plan, I mean I have nothing scheduled; no meetings, no deadlines, nothing is required of me except to go and enjoy myself. I get a real vacation, I get to do what I have been waiting for my entire life. 

Most people are what is holding them back from their dreams. My friends know me as the safe one, the man with the plan. They know me as Business Bailey or Fanny Pack Mom. I am the one who doesn't take big risks or chances because there are so many things to be cautious of, but if we caution ourselves to the very point that we get in the way of ourselves we have lead very boring lives. Think about the craziest thing you have ever done. What was it? What did you do to get there? At this point of my life I have traveled outside the country without family and swam (and surfed) in shark infested waters (New Smyrna Beach, Florida is in the top 10 list for most shark attacks in the world), in 3 1/2 weeks I will be traveling out of the country completely alone for holiday. Reading the article I mentioned earlier, it brought up things I have heard others say and things I have said or thought to myself.

"If I don't do it now, I probably never will. - I couldn't live with that."

I too could not live with the fact that I have not done what I have always wanted to do, travel. So travel I will. My goal for 2012 is to travel outside the US twice. In March I will be going to Italy. Hopefully in May I will be going to India, if this trip does not work out I am all but begging my boss to let me go with the other recruiters to China. There are also some other trips I am looking into, but that is for another post another time. 

"To act as though traveling- especially when you're young - is some kind of insane luxury that is utterly unattainable unless the stars align perfectly and God hands you a couple hundred dollar bills while no one is looking is ludicrous."

With each new year comes new friends and new places and new-ness in general. I didn't make any new years resolutions or anything, however I did decide I am going to be myself and live more. These are two things I often forget to do because I have become so cautious of everything around me that taking chances pretty much went out the window. I viewed traveling as an "insane luxury that (was) utterly unattainable" until it suddenly hit me ... I am not married, have no kids, and nothing truly holding me back but myself. The adventurous spirit I once had was somehow gone. God did make it possible for me to go on this trip and continues to open doors for future travel. But I started making changes in my life to make this possible. If you want something you typically do something to make it work. Well, I decided to get certified to teach EFL (English as a Foreign Language) and finish my degree. This will allow me to eventually move outside of the country and travel to where the next job takes me. Told you, the adventurer in me is back :). 

“You’re so young. Go see the world, then come back and build your life."

So go, figure out who you are and what you want to do with your life. You only get one, so choose to live it well and with purpose. 

For the most part, jumping out and taking the chance to do this has reminded me of what I want to do with life. God has made it very clear to me that my current city will not be my home forever. The US is not my home, and ultimately the Earth is not my home (not that I am going to live on Mars or anything). My heart is to move overseas to share the gospel and fulfill the purpose God has given me. 

Oh and don't you worry, I will be posting about my trip(s). :)