Bread is it worth it?

We have had a glorious time on vacation in Punta Banda, Mexico just outside of Ensenada Mexico. Long walks on the beach, strolling through shops in La Bufadora, fish tacos, watching dolphins meander by, kayaking in the bay and did I mention rest? What's not to love?  One afternoon we visited Walmart, yes even in Mexico Walmart has made It's presence known! There right in front of us was a glorious sight! "pan dulce"! Mexican sweet breads!   I wish for the sake of understanding that you could smell what we smelled! 

Holding onto the grocery cart, almost whining, okay really whining, "I have to get out of here! This will be the death of me!"

In a flash, all of the knowledge that I have about what gluten does to my digestion went out of my mind and instead it was filled with fantasies about how good the pastries would taste. Sweet concoctions of pineapple, apple, creme, chocolate, cinnamon and on and on. The sweet breads seemed to beckon me, "Come closer, come closer and take a bite, just a little one, it won't hurt you!" 

This article explains the dangers of gluten. I know about the impact of gluten on my digestive system and have felt the discomfort of eating bread, so why am I tempted when I am surrounded by it? 

In case you are wondering, I didn't have any pan dulce. I smelled it, enjoyed looking at it and then, even though my family bought some, I walked away! It was difficult but there was victory for me in making this choice. It seems that each time I make a choice to eat only those things that are happy for my body the decisions become easier! 

True confession time! Smores called out to me and I answered, "Yes please!" I gave in to the ooey, gooey tastiness of the marshmallows. Plural, since I consumed 1 smore and 7 roasted marshmallows.  I made the decision to enjoy these with my family and although I wouldn't recommend that I do it every day, this vacation treat was worth it.

What I learned, 

Making a conscious decision to abstain from things that are unhealthy for you strengthens you to continue to make wise decisions.  If something cause you to sin, remove it!  Matthew 5:30

This is different for every person.

 It can be people, 

food, 

alcohol, 

television,

 music, 

shopping. 

What is it for you?

Planning ahead would have kept me from partaking, and partaking and partaking of the marshmallows. If I had made this Paleo Smores recipe I would have had the best of both worlds! I just must plan ahead and be wise in my decisions. This is true in so many areas of my life. 

Solomon asked the Lord to give him discernment, It is my prayer today as well.

So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. I Kings 3:9

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Strolling along the 6 miles of beach in Punta Banda is one of my favorite vacation things to do. The brilliant blue sky above and the glistening sun on the waves take my breath away. As I walk, I notice that there are millions of broken pieces of shells littering the beach. These once full size shells have become mere fragments of what they once were. The constant pounding of the waves have chipped away, diminished and fractured the shells. Then I see it, a perfect sand dollar. After viewing multiple broken ones, a perfectly round sand dollar peeks up at me from beneath the sand. Picking it up I am amazed that this fragile sea creature could survive the treacherous voyage unto the shoreline.

Did you know that the sand dollars we see on the beach are actually the skeletons of these marvelous creatures? 

The reason that many of them survive the journey is that they were once alive!  When they crawled along the bottom of the sandy ocean these velvety purplish marine animal had no fear of being crushed by the waves. It was only when they had died that they became susceptible to the damaging effects of the oceans waves.

This is true for us as Christians as well. We have been made alive in Christ!  Like a tree planted by a river we will not wither as long as we remain in the life-giving source, Jesus.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.Whatever he does prospers. Psalm 1:3

However if we disconnect from the source of life and try to do it by ourselves, we can like the sand dollar, become brittle, dry, and eventually become broken in our fragile state.

When was the last time you dipped yourself into the refreshing water of the Word?  Do you need a time of refreshing of regeneration?

I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint. Jeremah 31:25

 Father, help me to remember to drink your living water, to be refreshed and to dwell in you. I need your life giving power to stay alive and not become brittle.  Jann