Tuesday, June 15, 2010.....Day 150

Day 150 of the Fruit Feast. Today is exactly 5 months of 100% Raw. Last year i did 7 months but the difference this year at this point is the focus is not so much on the salt, but to stay away from the grains. i was thinking i needed to overcome salt as the next step in my journey (now i still think i will have to eventually), but the next item in my progression was the grains. Being raw without them and with the salt seems very easy. i am feeling really good and strong. My mind is very clear. i want to say this though, NOT EVERYBODY SHOULD GIVE UP GRAINS. i don't believe in a one size fits all health program. Everybody is different. i know people that eat grains and have no problems. But for me, they cause mucous and clog my system. So i need to avoid them. The deal for me was that all my life i was raised on them. Stuff like bread, pancakes, muffins, popcorn, rice, pizza dough and so forth are things i ate from as long as i can remember. Even as a vegan i ate those things. When i began my raw journey in 2004, i still used Ezekiel bread and Bulgar wheat because i thought they were raw at the time. It was last year, when, after i failed in my quest to get rid of salt and got a little discouraged that i really noticed it. i began to eat the Bulgar wheat with the avocado and/or boiled plantain. Now, i was focused on the salt but the wheat caused mucous to come up in my nose less than 24 hours after i ate it. Then i ate the popcorn, rice and home made pizza dough figuring to start raw fruitarian again in January (which i was blessed to do).

Of course i could feel my system getting clogged up and i definitely noticed it in my bowels. This year, after i fell off the salt wagon at my wife's surprise party, i didn't eat any grains. i stayed raw. No mucous, no clogging of my system. Yes, i did feel some water retention, but it was not the same thing. Now, i am still believing that eventually the salt will go, but i am not as worried about it right now. i am very glad that the grains are gone. i loved them, but they did not like me. The nuts help me as an excellent substitute. As long as i don't eat them whole (i tend to overdo that) and just use them in recipes (like the Fruit Fusion). i would like to soak them from time to time, but i never think about it in advance. If a person was interested in going raw from eating dairy and flesh foods, i would begin with just vegan. That is no flesh or dairy but i would use the grains along with fruits, vegetables and nuts. Then progress over time to raw vegan. There are those that jump into raw vegan ism almost from day one, but i find these people are rare. Particularly if they are going to do it for several years.  Most people are not like that but instead progress over time. Some take more time than others. This is my seventh year at this and i am just getting to the point of dumping grains (hopefully for good). In some ways, i believe people want to rush into it because either they are that type of personality and/or they desperately want to lose weight. But honestly if we are talking about making permanent changes for the rest of our lives, perhaps some deliberation, patience and thought are appropriate. i seek to avoid comparing myself to others who have gone to raw vegan because, while i can get some tips from others, everyone is not the same.

2 Corinthians 10:12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

 i find most of the people (some would say "gurus") seem to imply that everyone is exactly like them and so every one's path must be like theirs. While there are many things similar to all humans, there are just as many things different. Anyways, that is my soapbox for the day.

i am fasting today so i will post what i ate yesterday.

Breakfast: 36oz of fresh OJ. 1/2 a large watermelon.

Lunch: 8 raw cabbage wraps.

Dinner: 48oz watermelon-cantaloupe juice.

Spiritual bread: Job 25-28, Jude

Exercise: 500 push ups, 120 chins...50 minutes. 6 games of full court ball with my son (4 games to 2, hey maybe next time kid).

Grace and peace be multiplied to all.

todd

Friday, June 11, 2010......Day 146

Day 146 of the Fruit Feast. i am fasting today. i have a brother in Christ that needs some deliverance. i fast and pray for him and i also fast and pray for me. That i may be more partaker of the Divine Nature.

2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

i really do not want to be a fake, hypocritical Christian. i want to be real. i want my experience to be real. i have found that any other way is just a waste of time. i was thinking about this verse recently:

Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

This is deep to me. There will be many who have lived thinking they were fine for eternity and they will be disappointed to find out they were not. i wondered why and i came to certain conclusions. Many times we lie to ourselves. Now that is bad enough, but what is worse is, eventually we begin to believe our own lie. Self-deception is a miserable thing. Many have made an art form and a science out of living a lie. Carrying on a facade for so long that one believes the facade is real. i have done this in my past. i am so thankful to the Father and the Lord Christ that thru the Eternal Spirit and well-deserved chastening, i was awakened to my true condition and sent the gift of repentance. Then i thought, "what is the Father's will?" The scriptures provided my answer (as always):

1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
1 Thessalonians 4:4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
1 Thessalonians 4:5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
1 Thessalonians 4:7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

To be made Holy. To be reverent to the Lord Christ. To be consecrated to be His Disciple....forever. i want this. But i found more......

1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

i thank the Lord for my wife of more than 25 years. i thank the Lord for my 4 children. i thank the Lord for my 2 grandchildren. i thank the Lord for the wonderful health He has given me. But if He were to allow all this to be taken from me (it can all go in a moment), i want to be able to whole-heartedly, honestly, sincerely, give thanks still. Regardless of the situation, circumstance. Whether it tastes sweet or bitter. All praise, honor and glory to the Father of Light and our Lord Christ the Lamb.

i have been eating extremely well this week. i say extremely because i have been enjoying every meal. i was inspired to make up this thing i called the Fruit Fusion. Its a Raw Remnant original. Its a raw fruit crisp with crushed almonds, dates and raisins at the crust (note: i do add salt to my crust and sprinkle alittle on the fruit but some may not do that depending on their diet). Then i make a sauce with blueberries, dates and orange juice. i mix the sauce with sliced strawberries and ripe bananas and pour the whole thing over the crust. Sometimes i make a sweet cashew creme with it. Really good. Since its the warm season here i have really be only wanting melons and/or fresh fruit juice in the morning. i also have been having that in the evening. i am feeling very, very strong. This week i have done 1535 push ups and 372 chins. That's not including some crunches, running a lot of basketball and working in the garden. i feel wonderful. Since i am fasting today, i will report yesterday's meals.

Breakfast: 55oz of watermelon-cantaloupe juice. Ate half a cantaloupe with some watermelon while making it.

Lunch: 2 bananas. half a watermelon. Raw Fruit Fusion.

Dinner: 64oz of watermelon-cantaloupe-orange juice.

Spiritual bread: 1 John 3-5, Job 18-21

Exercise: 205 push ups, 60 chins. 2 hours  basketball. Today i did all the specialty type movements. Clapping push ups, diamond push ups, incline and decline.....etc. i also was doing sets of 5 chins and holding the movement at the top for isometric affect. Nice way to finish a week.

Sabbath rest and peace to all in Christ.

Have a wonderful and safe weekend!

Grace and Peace be multiplied.

todd

Friday, June 4, 2010....day 139.

Day 139 of the Fruit Feast. i have been very active this past 7 days or so. i was especially active getting the final touches of our garden together. i put up an electric fence because around here, the deer will totally clean out a garden. We have so many of them that hang out in our yard, i tell my family we might as well name them like pets. i love animals and i am aware that its man intruding on their habitat that is causing them to be more public than they would like. But at the same time, i didn't put in all the effort and expense of a garden to feed the deer and rabbits. So i put up the fence and planted the garden. i pray all the effort pays off in a nice bounty of food. We planted watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, bell peppers, cucumbers, zucchini,  tomatoes and sweet potatoes (my wife's idea). i was so busy, that i only had time to work out 3 days this week (i usually do four workouts per week). So i had to do some extra push ups today to meet my weekly goal of  1400. Thank the Lord, i was able to do it in a timely manner. i will tell you that gardening with the shoveling, the pulling, the bending and all the movements, is very good exercise. i shoveled out rows and did raised beds. My legs definitely felt it afterwards and its a small garden (20x12). If i did a larger garden it would really be a workout!

This past week i spoke to my dad, my brother and my mom all on the same day. That is a rarity. Even more rare is all were actually pleasant conversations. Its sad that there is so much dysfunctionality in the world. Where so many families have so much anger and frustration. Its the result of the entrance of sin. But one day, i believe, there will be no more of that.

Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Revelation 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Revelation 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
Isaiah 65:25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.

i am thankful that the signs all show, that day is coming sooner than many think. May we be found in Christ at that time. Amen.

Breakfast: 36oz watermelon-orange-cantaloupe juice. Few pieces of watermelon & cantaloupe while i cut it up.

Dinner: 36oz OJ. One medium size durian (about 6lbs).

Spiritual bread: Esther 3-9

Exercise: 600 push ups, 120 chins. 55 minutes.

Sabbath rest and peace to all in Christ.

Grace and Peace be multiplied.

Have a wonderful weekend!

todd

Wednesday, June 3, 2010....Day 137

Day 137 of the Fruit Feast. With this past weekend being Memorial Day in the USA (thanks to all Veterans for their service), i have been quite busy. Doing bible studies, preaching and teaching, working out, gardening and exercising have taken up alot of my time. The Raw diet is still going very well inspite of the salt. i am still 100% raw and still enjoying it. i have not had cravings for the last few weeks at all. i get the slightest of tastes for the grain foods once in awhile but its not any real temptation. The Autumn season is usually when those cravings are the strongest so we will see what happens. i am behind on my weekly push up/chin up schedule because of the various other activities. So far this week i am at 800/180 (after having done 500/120 today). i am planning on about 300/60 per day for the next 2 days to reach 1400/300 for the week. The goal for this month is 5000/1200. i do feel alot stronger now. One of the reasons for my having to play catch up is on Monday i played ball with my son. 8 grueling games of one-on-one full court. i got him this time 5 games to 3. i am really loving these times as we are not only bonding but building memories that will last the rest of our lives. i never really ever had that with my father, as i recall more pain than love. But i am so very thankful that i can have it with my own son. The Love of Christ is a wonderful, life-changing thing.

Romans 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

i have been sticking, pretty consistently, to a diet routine that has me either eating melons or drinking juices in the morning (usually at least 36oz but usually more than 40oz). Then eating something more substantial in the afternoon (large non-sweet salads with nut sauces or things like the fruit crisp). Then more juices or melon for dinner. This morning i changed that a bit (and i felt it negatively). My wife is doing a 30 day juice fast for the month of June. She juiced some carrots yesterday and i used the residue mixed with some soaked flax seeds to make some dehydrated crackers. They were so so really but i ate them this morning prior to my melon and juice. My stomach felt it in a negative way. While i was able to recover i really don't want to alter the routine again if i can help it as i knew i sent confused signals to my system.

Breakfast: 6 carrot-flax crackers, 54oz of watermelon-cantaloupe juice, half a cantaloupe.

Lunch: Non-sweet fruit salad with dulse, wakame and guac.

Dinner: 36oz of watermelon-cantaloupe juice, 3 bananas.

Spiritual bread: James 3-5

Exercise: 500 push ups, 120 chins, 2 hours in the garden.

Grace and Peace be multiplied.

todd

Tuesday, May 25, 2010........Day 129

Day 129 of the Fruit Feast. Had a very fattening and delicious dessert today. Not something i would do all the time but it was a good treat. i cut up some strawberries and cantalope put that in a bowl. Then i made some topping with crushed almonds, dates and raisins. Then i topped that with a cashew creme. Really delicious, but definitely not guilt free. It was a nice change of pace though. It was a rainy day today, showers on and off, but it flew by (don't all days?). i have noticed that, in the mornings i really only want juices and/or melons. They seem more gentle on my system after breaking the night fast. My push up regiment is going quite well. For the last two weeks i have had a couple of sessions where i was blessed to knock out 500 along with 120 chins and do it under an hour. The goal for the month of May was 4500 and i have 4800 now with a couple of workouts to go yet. i will break 5300 for this month. The goal for June is 5000 (i am increasing by 500 each month). i want to do 8000 for the month of December but at the rate i am going now, i may get 10,000 for December. We'll see.

i am struggling alittle bit in the chins but i will meet my goal of 1000 for the month (i am on pace for 1200). If i can do another 1200 for June i will be happy. i would like to increase them by 100 per month with the goal of doing 1800 chins in December. Again, we will see. i want to eventually have goals for the squat and pistol as well, but i am still working on the rudiments of the exercises. Seems like i cannot do legs more than twice per week and still be able to walk so my legs need more work. All glory, honor, blessing and power to the Father in Heaven and to the Lamb!

Breakfast: Half a 20lb watermelon.

Lunch: Quarter of the above watermelon, 36oz of cantalope-mango-orange juice.

Dinner: Fruit crisp with cashew creme topping.

Spiritual bread: Hebrews 12-13

Exercise: 500 push ups, 120 chins, 48 minutes.

Grace and Peace be multiplied.

todd

Thursday, May 20, 2010.......Day 124

Day 124 of the Fruit feast. i have been praying for a deeper knowledge of God's Love. i continue to pray not just for more knowledge of His Love but also for His Love to be more fully manifested in me. In this way i can be used as a consecrated vessel to bring my Heavenly Father and my Lord Christ more glory and honor with the life i live in the flesh.

Matthew 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Matthew 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

 Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

i thought on the part about the Lord sending blessings upon both "evil and good" and "just and unjust". i saw the sun mentioned. i realized that if the earth was to move off of its appointed path just a small amount towards the sun, we would all be burned to death. That if the firmament that the Creator placed to surround the earth did not shield it from the full power of the sun's rays, we would be all burned to death. i thought about how the Creator prepared these things and filled the earth with clean air and keeps the hearts of all wherein is the breath of life beating. Yet, the vast majority of the planet not only give Him no honor or glory, but either literally or figuratively shake their fist at Him. Yet He still keeps their hearts beating. He still provides the fresh air, He still keeps the earth on its appointed path. He is so very patient with the earth, His Love is strong even when the earth has chosen His eternal enemy to rule over them rather than the Creator. i want to live that Love.

John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

i am really feeling pretty wonderful these days. This being the end of the third week of May, i will have done over 4000 push ups and 900 chins. Not to mention the squats, pistols and such for the legs. The push up/chin goal for this month was 4500/1000. But it appears i will surpass 5000/1200. i want to stay on my original schedule and add 500 push ups per month each month. i have not set a chin goal, but i will just allow that to flow on the coattails of the push ups.  The Lord is really energizing me thru the Fruit. While salt is back in my life (again), i am still 100% Raw. i really want to stay that way. i realize its the grains that have really been hindering my growth for a long time. They were friends for a long time, but i know now what they have been doing to me. The mucous, the clogged digestive tract, the lethargy, all due to my great love for grain foods. For some, the grains are still friends and i never want to condemn those who still employ them, but i feel its time for me to move on. Most of all i am reaching higher heights in the Spirit. Growing in Love for Christ and becoming more determined to be His fully consecrated vessel in every area of Life.

Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Breakfast:
24oz of cantalope-oj, half a large watermelon (very sweet and delicious)

Snack: 1 banana

Dinner: Large non-sweet fruit salad with cashew cheese sauce. i made some guac and spread a little on sheets of seaweed then wrapped some of the salad in it. Very good.

Spiritual bread: Ezra 1-4, Hebrews 7-8

Exercise: 500 push ups, 120 chins.......44 minutes. 1 hour of full court one-on-one with my son (beat him 4 games to 3, hey maybe next time kid..........lol). i have 1250 push ups and 290 chins this week. i expect to do a small workout and top 1400/300 for the week on Friday. 

Have a wonderful Weekend!

Grace and Peace be multiplied.

todd

Monday, May 17, 2010.....Day 121

Day 121 of the Fruit Feast. i have to say, i had a tremendous weekend. Sabbath was so very sweet with the fellowship of all our brothers and sisters in Christ in addition to some guests. We had a picnic in a very nice park and it was a beautiful day for it. We got into the Word of God and the Spirit was among us as witnessed by all present. Then on Sunday we had a surprise 50th birthday party for my wife. It took about a month of planning and we did it about a week and a half after her actual birthday so she would really be surprised. She had no idea and it was worth it all just to see the look on her face when she walked into the kitchen and saw many family and friends yelling "Suprise!". It was totally a wonderful experience. But with all the festivity i fell off the salt wagon.

There was so much delicious vegan and raw gourmet vegan food there. i could not eat of my wife's birthday cake so i ate some of the raw cheesecake a sister was kind enough to make for her and i ate some of the raw cabbage rolls. The cabbage rolls had braggs liquid aminos in them. Of course they were delicious and while i was still 100% raw i still feel like i slipped since i didn't want to use the salt at all. i am not sure how i will proceed at this point but i do know i want to stay 100% raw. That should not be too difficult (well it hasn't been to this point), but i will probably use some salt in salad seasonings and may partake in some raw food called "raw gourmet" by those in the raw food movement. As i was contemplating what happened and its affects, i realized that another thing i had cravings for which also caused me to leave off 100% raw was grains.

All my favorite foods that are not cooked are grain foods. Bulgar wheat, rice, ezekiel bread, unleavened bread for pizza, popcorn....etc. These i still want to forsake in order to stay 100% Raw. i came to the realization last year that whenever i eat the grains, within 24 hours i feel mucous forming in my system. Even though i love them they do not like me. That is the last line of defense for me staying 100% raw and i really want to stay raw. So now that i have fallen off the salt wagon, i am determined to hang on and not fall off the raw wagon completely.

Today, i had my wife's raw italian dressing on my non-sweet salad (which contains salt). i may just be in trouble here but i hope not. Time will certainly tell.

As far as my body, i still feel tremendous with very high energy. Had a great workout today.

Breakfast: 4 mangoes, 32oz Watermelon-mango-cantalope juice.

Lunch: non-sweet fruit salad with raw italian sauce. 36oz cantalope-orange juice.



Dinner: 40oz Watermelon-mango-cantalope juice.

Spiritual bread: 2Chronicles 28-32, Hebrews 1&2

Exercise: 500 push-ups, 120 chins....53 minutes.

Grace and Peace be multiplied.

todd