Next month: Clothing

Since this month is winding down, I thought I'd better start looking ahead to next month. So I read chapter 2 in 7 this morning over coffee, and started thinking about what 7 articles of clothing I might choose to wear in May. This is what I have so far: 

two t-shirts

one work shirt

one pair of shorts (thank you, casual dress code!) 

 bathing suit (I know--it's super cute, right?)

one pair of workout pants 

flip flops

tennies 

Now, before you ask, I get unlimited underwear (woo hoo!) and my two pairs of shoes count as one article (don't ask me why, but that's how Jen Hatmaker did it, so that's that). 

I had a strong urge this morning to buy a couple of new shirts for the experiment, so I could at least feel extra cute for a few days, but since that's the total antithesis of what we're trying to do here, I won't. :) 

And we don't get accessories, but here's my question: Are sunglasses accessories or necessities? Because I personally think we should get to wear them. 

Glow Dance, Holla!

I chaperoned my first dance today. I use the word "chaperone" loosely, as all I did was stand around and chat up other parents while pretending not to see our children (hyped up on ice cream) going wild. I also use the word "dance" loosely, as there was very little dancing going on. Glowing, running, chasing, sword fighting, and twirling, maybe, but no dancing. I loved it. Thanks, Jackson, for still being the kind of kid who lets his mother come to his middle school dance.

Food Diary: Day 14

Foods I almost ate today:

1. Jack's homemade tortilla chips (saturated in oil and drenched in yumminess)
2. Grilled cheese crusts (buttery and crunchy)
3. Tater tots (self-explanatory)

This craving for something GREASY really chipped at my resolve today. Am thankful I made it through the weekend, but am thinking the second half of this month is definitely going to be tougher than the first.

Food Diary: Day 9

5:00 a.m. Wake up from dream about restaurants refusing to serve me food. Get angry that I can't even DREAM about eating fun food anymore. 

5:10 a.m. Coffee & Bible time. Come across this passage in 2 Corinthians on giving: "You show your gratitude through your generous offerings to your needy brothers and sisters, and really toward everyone." 

5:30 a.m. Start thinking about how we could really use some chairs in our living room and immediately surf Ikea website. 

5:40 a.m. Realize the irony of the situation and force myself to reread Bible passage. 

6:50 a.m. Fried egg for breakfast. Yum. 

11:20 a.m. Red beans & rice for lunch, plus a bag of carrots. Double yum. 

4:00 p.m. Finish off red beans & rice for dinner. 

4:30 p.m. Hit balls with Jack. Have new energy on these 7 foods and am excited about maybe FINALLY taking up golf as a hobby (I've only had my unused clubs in the garage for 11 YEARS!!). 

6:00 p.m. Yoga. Namaste. 

7:30 p.m. Giant Honey Crisp apple. 

8:30 p.m. Looking forward to a good sleep and (if I'm lucky) food-filled dreams. 

Food Diary: Day 7

If I make it through today, I will have made it through a week on my 7 foods! All I can think about right now is...why have I not lost more weight? This is the healthiest I have EVER eaten, and I expected to have dropped about 10 lbs. by now. 

Vanity aside, I feel good. Am clear-headed, have lots of energy, and I just feel cleaner with fewer processed foods in me. 

Current craving: cheese. And a glass of wine wouldn't be half bad, either. 

Guilty

Today I found myself in line at the municipal courthouse. I was there to contest a ticket I received while talking on my phone in a school zone. Wait, you say. Aren't you a teacher? Why yes, I am. Then how, you might ask, did you get a ticket in your very own school zone? Well, I'm an idiot. Now that we cleared that up, may I continue? 

When you're waiting in line to see the municipal clerk, and  again in a courtroom to see the judge (where they won't even let you read your KINDLE), and again in another line to pay your fines, you have a lot of time to think. And that's what I did. I thought about how scared I was to see the judge, and I wondered what he would be like. How vindictive would he be? What sort of mood was he in? How could I convince him to dismiss my ticket? 

Then I thought about what the line to see God will be like. And how I'll be with all sorts of different people. Some will have no criminal record (like moi) and some will have violations a mile long (like the polite gang member boy sitting next to me), but each of us is guilty. I'm thankful that I don't have to stand before God alone and try to convince him I should be forgiven. Jesus will be there acting as my defense attorney, declaring me innocent because I'm his. 

I pled guilty today, but the kind judge deferred my ticket and will dismiss it as long as I don't commit any other violations for 90 days. Start prayin' for me, y'all. You know how I am behind the wheel!  

Food Diary: Day 1

6:30 a.m. Look in my pantry and find only 2 foods I can eat: rice and beans. Choose to skip breakfast and pack them for my lunch. 

11:20 a.m. Heat up my rice and beans. They're pretty bland, but I'm still on a high from doing this experiment, so it's okay. 

1:06 p.m. Dave texts me an angry apple picture. These Honey Crisp apples (the only kind ALWAYS crunchy enough for me) cost him $25 and he's not happy. Am thinking maybe I should do my own shopping next time. 

1:30 p.m. Am off my high, HUNGRY, and begging Dave to bring me some apples and carrots. He refuses to bring the precious apples (out of principle) but promises some carrots in about an hour.  

2:45 p.m. CARROTS!!! 

4:15 p.m. APPLE!!! Yes, I ate the whole monstrous thing, so it wasn't a waste of money. Okay, honey? :) 

5:45 p.m. Find my new mantra while reading Wisdom Meets Passion: Live Simply so others can Simply Live. Love, love, love this. 

8:00 p.m. Whip up a delightful meal of sautéed chicken and avocados. I even say a prayer of thanks before eating it, which I think might be the point of this little experiment.