No Preeminence

I have a goal to read the entire Old Testament--something I have never done before. I started last spring and now that very season is approaching again!  It's been a long journey but I'm not giving up!

Tonight I read some beautiful passages in Ecclesiastes 3:18-21:

I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

A MAN HATH NO PREEMINENCE ABOVE A BEAST??

[WE] HAVE ALL ONE BREATH?!

Wow, this is profound... 

Me and Penny at Ching Farm Animal Rescue and Sanctuary, Riverton Utah - Novemeber 3, 2012

I am so grateful to Father in Heaven for the scriptures--for the insight and clarification they impart!  The souls of our animal friends are just as precious as our own--we are all connected to each other!  We ought to give their precious lives the same consideration that we give ourselves.

The wisdom of Solomon--the wisdom of God--lives on.

Evolution

I haven’t blogged in years so it’s high time I post an update!  First of all, I am still vegan!  Actually, it will be my husband’s and my 9^th Vegan-versary this April—YAY!  But I have changed…

Evolved. 

Over the past few years, as I continued to study the many materials of animal-friendly organizations and doctors, I decided to further widen my circle of compassion to include… me!  Somewhere along the way I began focusing on animal rights and environmental issues more and more, becoming less and less concerned with exactly what I was taking into my own miraculous body.  Of course, everything I put in my mouth was vegan—that was good enough, right?  Not exactly.  While my meals were certainly free of scrambled eggs, chicken wings, and cheese-laden pizzas, the foods I was replacing them with were not much better nutritionally: a lot of added oil, sugar, refined foods, processed junk and, in short, food-like substances.  Chips, soy cheese, and mock-meats are yummy but just as calorically-dense and/or artificial as anything. 

So there I was, successfully eating to save life on earth and, at the same time, failing to save my own!  I wished long and healthy lives on all my farm and furry friends—didn’t I deserve at least the same consideration??  Of course!  We all do!  Besides, it was my quest for health and fitness that led me to “vegan” in the first place—it was time to get back to my roots!  After another two or three years of personal research and experience I have found that a starch-based, plant-based, whole-foods (WFPB) diet is right on par: potatoes, rice, beans, pasta, squash, and every conceivable variety of grain, legume, vegetable, and fruit!  Who knew delicious could be so nutritious?!  And I can keep all my compassionate tenets while still properly nourishing my body—a win-win!  

My NINE YEAR vegan journey has been amazing!  I have grown so much in confidence and in truth.  I know that God has guided my feet aright and led me to good resources and good people.  Line upon line, precept upon precept, I know I am becoming the woman He wants me to be.  For these many blessings, and others, I am truly grateful.  Now I feel a strong desire to share all that I have learned—be a “food” missionary!  I’m not very good at it yet, but with my Heavenly Father’s help I know I can do anything! 

In closing, I want to direct you to some of the best resources I have found for compassionate, starchy, WFBP eating.  Each of these men have written books (which include recipes!)  And you can conveniently review their programs and lectures on the web and on Facebook.   

Love and success and continued learning to you!  Enjoy YOUR journey…

·         Dr. Neal Barnard, MD and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (www.PCRM.org)

·         Dr. John McDougall, MD of the Dr. McDougall’s Health and Medical Center (www.drmcdougall.com)

·         Dr. T. Colin Campbell and the Center for Nutrition Studies (www.nutritionstudies.org)

·         Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr., MD of the Dr. Esselstyn’s Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Program (www.dresselstyn.com)

·         Rip Esselstyn and the Engine 2 Diet (www.engine2diet.com)

·         Michael Greger, MD of Nutrition Facts (www.NutritionFacts.org)

·         Forks Over Knives documentary – a classic! (www.forksoverknives.com)

(Update 6/2017) What The Health documentary (WhatTheHealthFilm.com)
(Update 6/2017) Eating You Alive documentary (EatingYouAlive.com)
(Update 6/2017) TrueNorth Health Center (HealthPromoting.com)