blind obedience: part I

we all suffer from blind obedience in some form or another at some point in our lives. we do what we are told. we blindly follow the masses, go with the grain. we see something in a magazine or on oprah and it becomes gospel. or we jump on the big friend bandwagon of "everyone else is doing it". i have caught myself on so many occasions quoting "facts" that i "know to be true" simply because i heard my neighbour quote them. these "facts" become ingrained in our personal "truths," and we pass them out as if they were our own without ever questioning their legitimacy or source. i think we can all agree that questioning just to question makes you cynical. but there is nothing wrong with sharpening your critical thinking skills from time to time.

i recently was researching cows' milk. my parents, teachers, doctors - everyone has told me that milk is an absolute necessity for both myself & my growing kids. so it never occurred to me question it until a friend made an offside comment about cows' milk. i thought i should check it out for myself. and here is what i found out... despite what i had previously believed to be "true", that without milk we won't grow big & strong and without milk, our bones & teeth will crumble, there is no reason for pregnant women or children to drink cows' milk.

• through various studies, milk was not shown to have a protective effect on bones but actually the contrary. dairy products were associated with an increased risk of fractures.
• cows' milk has one of the lowest absorption rates of all calcium sources. milk is high in calcium but it is not an efficient source for it as it creates an acidic environment in the body just like sugar does (which just means you pee the majority of the calcium out).
• between the ages 18 months and four years, we lose 90-95% of the enzyme lactase (needed to digest lactose, the sugar found in dairy), i guess all of us lactose intolerant for the most part. just take a 2 week break from dairy & then try to reintroduce it and see the effects.
• according to the China Study (the most comprehensive study of diet and nutrition ever conducted in history - spanning twenty years time; citing more than 750 references) dairy products can cause heart disease; diabetes; obesity; osteoporosis; kidney stones; crohn's disease; cataracts; macular degeneration; multiple sclerosis; alzheimer's; and breast, postate, colon, and rectal cancer.
• the effects extend even further in children, as the dairy related illnesses that most commonly frequent the pediatricians office are colic, ear infections, respiratory problems, allergies and skin conditions. children & adolescence are more prone to acne, attention deficit disorder & attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, irritable bowel syndrome & anxiety... and this is by no means an exhaustive list... it goes on and on and on.
• pus & radioactive particles aren't the only dangers associated with bovine growth hormone but also carcinogens & PCBs... at levels which can be traced all the way to a woman's placenta & cord blood while pregnant.

i found all of this information difficult to swallow just because it seems outlandish. but the China Study is no joke and i encourage everyone to read it if you get the chance. it's difficult to digest these shocking facts after what my doctors and teachers taught me because i trusted them. but in reality, doctors receive less than 3 hours of nutritional training in medical school. and school teachers are told what to teach from an educational hierarchy(highly influenced by the billion dollar dairy industry). imagine if we allowed pepsi or mcdonald's to provide educational materials regarding nutrition. saying "milk is necessary for a growing kid" is like saying "pepsi has water in it, and it is vital to drink 8 glasses of water a day" or "big macs are high in protein and protein is an important component of any diet". we would never stand for that and yet we allow milk to be sold in practically every school in the country.

having said all of this, i am not saying don't ever drink cows' milk. i am still trying to gradually wean myself off milk and drink it as a treat. i'm just saying don't drink it under false pretenses, thinking you are doing something good for your body. but everything in good measure. and perhaps look into these facts for yourself... don't take my word for it!

i don't have the mental/time resources or capabilities to reasearch and investigate everything i come across. that would be impossible. i know i must make informed opinions but they need to be my opinions & my conviction. i am not going to go to the other extreme which is to be cynical about everything and pushed all over the place with every documentary i watch or every book i read. i need to be grounded. that's why vision is so crucial. being intentional has been one of my greatest insights. i want to be intentional about where i am going and what i want for my family or any relationship or lifestyle. i want to keep that end picture in focus. but in order to do that i have to decide what is important to me and what i value most. otherwise, what someone else thinks is good for my family, can easily become what i think is good for my family just because they said so or gave a convincing case. even the best intentioned people, like my lovely doctor with his fuzzy white eyebrows, can lead you astray. but the one person i trust implicitly, is the holy spirit. he has never lead me astray. an ongoing, vibrant relationship with the holy spirit is SO crucial. he keeps me from being washed away into mainstream practice & perspective. i don't want to become so routinely religious in my everyday thought processes & practices that i cease to pursue the limitless, inexhaustible, unfathomable, living god. he just simply cannot be contained in routine religiosity. i refuse to settle for the norm. there is so much more god has in store for us.

the art of roughhousing

" i don't think it is too much to say that play can save your life. it certainly has salvaged mine. life without play is a grinding, mechanical existence organized around doing the things necessary for survival. play is the stick that stirs the drink. it is the basis of all art, games, books, sports, movies, fashion, fun, and wonder - in short, the basis of what we think as civilization. play is the essence of life. it is what makes life lively." - stuart brown in play

roughhousing: wrestling, pillow fights, jumping off beds, sliding down stairs, you know it when you see it. but what is roughhousing all about, and what does it mean for us & our kids? i may be spoiling the surprise but, i got steve a book for father's day called 'the art of roughhousing: good old-fashioned horseplay and why every kid needs it' by: DeBenedet & Cohen. i took a little flip through last night and got drawn in. the authors bolding claim that play - especially active physical play, like roughhousing - makes kids smart, emotionally intelligent, lovable and likable, ethical, physically fit, and joyful. roughhousing exercises both the body & the brain, from the amygdalae, which processes emotions, and the cerebellum, which handles complex motor skills, to the prefrontal cortex, which makes high level judgements. roughhousing is not only beneficial for the body and brain but also the loftiest levels of the human spirit: honor, integrity, morality, kindness, and cooperation. roughhousing has a host of benefits for adults too! getting off the couch & roughhousing has been linked to preventing Alzheimer's & promoting overall emotional and physical health by reducing stress & providing a healthy outlet. active physical play is the best way for parents and children to build a strong, close, lasting bond... especially dads as roughhousing may start as a primarily physical activity but stretches into less familiar territory like feelings, closeness & intimacy. being silly without being self-conscience is good for just about anybody and a great cure for the grumpies. it awakens the imagination and implores wild creativity. it pushes us out of our inhibitions & inflexibilities, releases tension, spontaneity, improvisation, and joy. it's just down right fun.

sadly, the motto of safety first has evolved into safety only (which i think is just a misunderstanding of safety). many parents let the fear of skinned knees & bruised feelings overtake the real dangers of stifled creativity & listless apathy. cuts & bruises are just a part of a healthy childhood. you limit hurts as much as possible but when they happen take them on an opportunity to teach or learn. some parents worry roughhousing gives kids ADHD. not so! it is now being used as a treatment for attention deficit. the fear that roughhousing makes kids wild, aggressive, and impulsive - and always escalates to chaos and anarchy is not so. boundaries & limits are imperative! t.v. & video games are partly to blame to. kids spend much more time in front of a screen then they do outside. and when kids aren't staring at a screen, they are being overscheduled, overprotected, and underadventured. after working as a teacher in the school system, the no touch rule brings more problems than benefits in my experience. there are even schools that have as so far as to not have playgrounds. and that is the sad state of roughhousing... or is it a challenge? what could be more exciting than setting the record straight and giving the art of play a shot of adrenaline?

so if you're up for it, check out this incredible resource and find out what vaquero, pilobolus, alaric the barbarian, sasuke & fataleufu matress rafting all have in common... a whole lotta fun!

(*the art of roughhousing by: anthony t. debenedet & lawrence j. cohen)

peanut butter playdoh

when you play with playdoh as much as we do, it can get expensive. i have been able to find playdoh at dollarama and other places for around a dollar but when i saw this recipe i just couldn't resist! i called it cookie-doh just so davith wasn't confused on why he was allowed to eat this playdoh & not the other kind.

peanut butter "cookie-doh"

2 cups peanut butter

6 tbsp honey

nonfat dry milk or milk plus flour

cocoa or carob for chocolate flavour (optional)

edible treats for decoration

combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix, adding enough dry milk or milk plus flour to reach the consistency of bread dough. add cocoa or carob, if desired. shape, decorate & eat!

* davith doesn't just like playing with 'cookie-doh', he loves helping me make it too! add a little food colouring for some variation if you like.

busy box #1: the baker's box

getting dinner ready at the end of the day can be a tall order when combinedwith keeping an eye on three energetic toddlers. at times they are happy to just sit at the kitchen table with a few toys or snack to keep them occupied while i work. at other times, they bring a whole new meaning to "ankle biter". and so i got this terrific idea from one of my favourite books called "the toddler's busy book" by trish kuffner (a fabulous resource for keeping those toddler's occupied & happy - there are also more incredible books in this series that i highly recommend). it's called the baker's box 9just one of the amazing busy boxes trish suggests). i put together a collection of unbreakable kitchen tools in a little box that i keep stashed in a drawer in our

kitchen. i actually bought a little cooking set from ikea and then filled in the rest of the box with random things like empty kinder surprise capsules (as pretend eggs) and other random pieces to inspire their imaginations. davith loves to bring this little box to "help"me cook or bake. i occasionally give him a little container of granola or raisins to stir into his little creations. playdoh also works. davith has recently claimed the top of our garbage & recycling can as his imaginary stove. here are some pictures of the fun they get up to.

rest your head

before having kids, both steve and i really wanted to be intentional about our parenting. now that we have three soon to be four kids, i find the hardest time to be intentional during the day is during our bedtime routine. i had always dreamt of singing sweet songs, declare God's promises, having a cuddle while reading stories & bringing the word of God alive for our kids. it often has the potential to be a chaotic, rush to the end of the day where all of us are exhausted & just want to pack it in for the night. i recently decided to take the bull by the horns and be a little more intentional during this time. and so while looking for songs to sing other than skinimeriky-dinky-doo, i stumbled across this beautiful lullaby.

Sleep & Dreams - Charlie Hall

Close your eyes, it's time to sleepThe day is done and it's the time to breathe and dream

I pray that bands of angels fill your room
And the songs of God would come consume you

Rest your head on hallelujahs
Rest your head on all God is
Rest your head the day is done
And now it's time to sleep

Put your mind on things above
Let your heart be filled with faith and hope and love

i feel like i need to sing this to myself every night, never mind the kids! what a fantastic way to end the day... full of peace, perspective & expectation!

this one is a keeper for sure!

chickpea power

i have never been a fan of chickpeas... until recently. i haven't introduced either of the twins to meat yet and so when looking for extra ways to get protein into their diets i have been on the hunt for new ways to present them bean, lentils & of course, chickpeas. chickpeas are an excellent dose of both fibre & protein.

here is one of our family's favourite finds... i think i'm addicted!

Parmesan Roasted Chickpeas

2 (15 ounce) cans of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons olive oil

juice from 1/2 a lemon (~ 1 1/2 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup grated parmesan

After you have rinsed and drained your chickpeas, spread them out on a paper towel to dry. Allow to dry about 15 minutes. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix together olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, rosemary, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and parmesan until everything is well mixed. Add the chickpeas and gently stir to coat. You will probably have a few loose skins, just pick them off and discard.

Spread the chickpeas on a baking sheet. Make sure they aren’t too crowded; you don’t want any to overlap. Roast in the preheated oven until the chickpeas and dry and crisp, about 50-60 minutes. A few times during the roasting, open the oven and mix the ‘peas up a bit. The key is to roast them long enough so they get crispy, but not so long that they burn. Watch them closely once you hit the 50 minute mark so you can find your magic minute and have a nice, crispy, but not burnt result!

You can also try mixing it up by changing the dressing to something a little more sweet than savoury like Maple Syrup & Spice Chickpeas ( use 1/8 cup pure maple syrup, 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger instead and only cook for 20-30 minutes).

thank-you LORD!

after a long period of testing, we got our final results yesterday from both the cardiologist, geneticist, & obstetrician... we have a happy, healthy, beautiful little girl! praise God!

our God is a good God! after testing positive twice for downs syndrome, our little baby girl was totally & miraculously healed! they gave her a 95% chance of not being born healthy or alive. some people may say we narrowly escaped in that last 5%. but throughout the process, after a few encounters with the supernatural, we know she was divinely healed.

thank-you Lord for the life & health of our beautiful baby girl who will serve you all of the days of her long life! hallelujah!

(this is a very short account of one long miraculous story... i'm in the process of writing it all down but if you would like to hear more just let me know)