You know….
I used to be pretty good at putting a meal plan together for a whole month and staying within our grocery budget. It was to the point where I prided myself on how good I did….
Then God said, “Let Nicole experience some humility in this area.” And I did – My oldest was put on an elimination diet and could no longer have gluten, dairy, or sugar. God saw that it was good.
And it is good. No, I don’t have our meals planned out for the next month. No, we’re not sticking to our grocery budget. And No, we aren’t sticking strictly to the gluten free, dairy free, and sugar free diet.
However, we are moving in that direction. Not only does this allow me to grow in humility, it also allows me to grow in knowledge about this culinary domain.
To be completely honest, bringing a gluten free meal to a friend used to terrify me. It took me forever to figure out what to make because I was so scared that I might mistakenly give them something that contained gluten.
Now I’m finding some pretty great recipes like this one, that our whole family can enjoy!
Now, not only am I learning how to make these dishes, I am also learning about why proper diet and nutrition is so important. I’m experiencing and seeing the effects that diet has on my son. His tummy is happier and he is more joyful when he sticks to his diet.
I also get to see a side of my son that I may not have seen otherwise. Although, he cannot have certain things, his siblings still can. What’s really amazing is that Daniel will cheerfully tell you that he “can’t have that”. He is teaching me how to have a cheerful attitude when I can’t have what I want right now.
Daniel trusts me when I tell him that a specific food isn’t good for him even when he sees me give that same food to his siblings. I know that it is only for a time, but he doesn’t. He doesn’t know exactly why he can’t have something, or when, if ever, he will be able to have it. Instead, he has a cheerful attitude and is thankful for what he can have.
He’s also teaching me how to trust God more in daily things. How many times do I hear God say, “not now,” and complain when I see so many other people having what I want? Instead, how often do I thank God for everything that He has given me? Hmmm….. Probably not as much as I should.
This week is Thanksgiving and then we jump right into Advent. Yes, I’m going to focus on being more thankful for what I have been given. However, I don’t want to stop once the Holidays are over. It is my goal to be more thankful during this season and well into the next year.
Can you help me? How do you remember to be thankful when you’re in the “thick of it”? Or maybe you could help me in the recipe department… Do you know of any good gluten free, dairy free, and sugar free recipes that are easy on the budget?
♥ Nicole
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