Day 367: 1/2/12- Start "Fit Book"/ Top 3 Food Posts from 2011

Day 367: 1/2/12
New Thing: Start "Fit Book"/ Top 3 Food Posts from 2011                      
Inspiration: 365 Alive, New Year's Resolution           
Cost: $0 (Christmas Gift)   
Time: A few minuets              
Bottom Line: Time to get fit!

Cute little fitness tool.

Reflection: So, I figured that if I decide to go ahead with this project for another year, I had better get started on those new things now. Have to be legitimate after all. Today, I started using a new fitness aid called "fit book" which is a cute little workout log. I normally use an online tool for this kind of thing, but this one has all that you could want in one handy little book. Since I am one of those people who always has exercise and fitness new year's resolutions, this will come in handy during the following weeks.

Now, back to the countdown. I have had some amazing meals this year. Honestly, I don't think I have ever eaten so well. Part of that was being willing to try new items that would not normally be on my plate, which is a good metaphor for life.  So, here are my top 3 food moments of this year:

1. Day 365 12/31/11 A Sweet End to a Sweet Year- On the last day of 2011, the three of us stopped off at Hershey, PA and had our picture put on a chocolate bar. This sweet memento was a perfect way to commemorate a year dedicated to love and heartiness in all forms. 
2. Day 327 11/24/11 Organic Thanksgiving at New House- As always, Thanksgiving was a wonderful celebration this year with Doug and Ali. But we had even more to be thankful for this year since it was the first holiday celebrated in our new house in Wayne, PA. To top it all off, almost the whole feast was organic which blended in deliciousness with the commitment made to Eco-stewardship for this endeavor.  I can still taste that turkey. 
3. Day 251: 9/9/11 New Thing: Make Ice-cream, Re-Learn How to Knit, and Split an Apple with my Bare Hands!  - Not only did I feel like a superhero by being able to split an apple with my bare hands (thanks to Ellyn), and not only was the ice cream (made with extract from organic mint from my garden) supper tasty (thanks to Andrew), I remember this day as being one of the most pleasant afternoons spent over at my friend's house all summer. I really miss you guys, and this kind of home-spun fun shows why. 
4. Day Forty Nine: 2/18/11- Watch My Father Prepare Dinner - ok- I had to add this one for the sheer magnitude of it. It still blows my mind.   

Special Sub Category: Food and Spirtultiy
As I was looking over all the "food" post from the last year, I really felt like I had to add this sub-category since I was very suprised by the many ways food entered into my prayer life this year. Yet, since my theology is so centered around the incarnation (God dwelling with us), this may not be that surprising at all. After all, many of Jesus' ministerial moments are centered around food and the impact that our bodies have on our lives. Anyway, there were so many of these kinds of entries that it definitely garnered it's own mention:

• (#3) Day 127: 5/8/11- CREDO Day 7: Early Morning Lake Logan Canoe Ride, Massage & Finale CREDO Plan- This was the celebration meal from the most important day of my Clergy CREDO Retreat Conference. The whole day was filled with reflection and sabbath rest. Since we were in North Carolina, we were treated to true Southern BBQ. I am pretty sure that this was the best meal I have ever had in my whole life. 
• (#2) Day Ninety-Six: 4/7/11- Mindful Eating Meditation - When I started this meditation, I thought I knew what to expect--but actually wound up in tears instead. 
• (#1) Day Sixty: 3/1/11- Celebrate The Feast of St. David of Wales with Soup, Song, and Going Sans-Meat- Fasting was a very big part of my year in 2011 which is a definitely change for me. I will have more to say about that in a later post about Spirituality. However, I felt the need to highlight this post as it is a true Holy Spirit moment. I have never spent any time at all thinking about St. David of Wales until I decided to go on a meat and sugar fast to commemorate his dedication to ascetic living. Since it was a clergy day, I also had the opportunity to celebrate his feast with Eucharistic and Welsh hymns. Flash forward five months when I hear, out of the blue, about a church in Wayne that is quietly look for a new priest and that said church just happens to have St. David of Wales as it's patron saint. How's that for an awesome food moment?!