daniel fast - week three

day 15

Eggplant tomato sauce with roasted spaghetti squash

This was a hit with everyone and will definitely make it again!

day 16

Creamy rice and spinach casserole

served with leftover squash/potato mash; almost tasted like spinach artichoke dip!

and for dessert (finally got around to baking)...

Oatmeal raisin cookies - not quite like the real thing, but they'll have to do for now.

day 17

Hearty Vegan Crockpot Stew

I think I need a bigger crockpot for this one! It finally tasted good after nearly 8 hours slow cooking - I thought 6 hours would be enough. It was even tastier the next day, so that's what we ate!

Cauliflower and chickpea stew with couscous

fast lessons

"But once we are earnestly seeking God and get beyond the need to have big things happening to reassure us that somehow we are all right - and possibly that others are not - then we begin to understand and rejoice that, as Jesus so clearly lived and taught, the life of the kingdom is "righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." Then we begin to understand that God's whole purpose is to bring us to the point where he can walk with us quietly, calmly and constantly, leaving us space to grow to be his (often fumbling) co-laborers - to have some distance from him and yet to be united with him because we are being conformed to the image of His Son, bearing the family resemblance." - Dallas Willard

I love the imagery of "bearing the family resemblance." With the birth of our daughter, I've gained a whole new understanding of what it means to be a daughter, and even more importantly, a daughter of the King. Mei Mei definitely bears the family resemblance (a girl version of the boys, matsuda kid 3.0)! As we walk closely with our Father, spend time in His presence allowing our character and our spirit to be conformed to His, then we will be able to look more like Jesus every day. That is encouraging and something I really long to strive for. This journey doesn't have to be about doing the right thing, as long as we're cultivating "the quiet inward space of a constant listening."

last quote..."our concern for discerning God's voice must be overwhelmed by and lost in our worship and adoration of him and in our delight with his creation and his provision for our whole life. Our aim in such a life is to identify all that we are and all that we do with God's purposes in creating us and our world. Thus we learn how to do all things to the glory of God." (Colossians 3:17)

amen!