It takes a village to be gluten free

"For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."~~Matthew 11:30

I was going to title this post "My Butcher, My Baker, My Candlestick Maker." When it is order time, I get emails from a butcher that sells chemical free meat (one of my other allergies). It is really tasty and not as expensive as you would think.

I am on a first name basis with my Baker and his wife . In fact, I spent 2 hours chatting at the Bakery on Saturday and all I bought was 3 gluten free pizza shells. (Someone had just come in and scooped all the GF cookies!). They have an unlimited refill coffee cup and before you know it...they were closing the shop and I was still there. Mrs Baker is GF too after years of providing for others. Symptoms she had for ages are gone. So all I can say is: does gluten do anything good for anyone? (I really wanted to say kill the gluten or gluten is dead to me or gluten is the devil).

My Baker is thinking of starting a blog and I know it would be GOOD. Do they have stories! And they are very caring people who listen and do their best to help people with special needs eat great food and feel normal. The place if full of interesting people...and lots of cookbooks. If it's packed the Baker will tell someone to move over and make room for you. Once I was thinking of buying extra cookies, I was taking some for work and thought I might freeze some. He told me I had enough and why freeze them he was making more next week. Mrs Baker said to "sell up not down!" You might get called beautiful (no extra charge for flattery) or asked to runaway together...Mrs Baker doesn't even blink at the mention...they are an awesome team and it's all a laugh.

I thought it would be funny to say the position of Candlestick Maker is available but there are many candle sellers at work and even someone who makes them out of soy. And I don't actually burn candles anyway.

I want to thank my friend Toronto Barb a.k.a. Vacation Barb for sending me quinoa in the mail. Zehrs had been out of stock for months. And in a Murphy's Law kind of way as soon as I got mine in the mail the shelves were full of it. We got quinoa in abundance which makes me very happy. Liz and I have been discussing a possible turkey stuffing with quinoa, that Peruvian grain that I love so much. It would include dark wild rice. Liz(aka my gluten free angel) also has a great post called It's just food!. She made me GF Butter Tarts today!! Giant ones. I almost cried even before tasting them! Then I was just too happy to cry. They are amazing.

These are some of the people who have helped me be gluten free.

I said I would not be anxious about food. Now I know when I have an incident of glutenation it won't be long till I'm back to normal. Not like the prospect of increasing illness I felt before. So this is really relaxed food discussion. And it feels really good to talk. Thanks for listening.

Gluten is (just) a word.

Here's what one of my favorite blogs had to say about My Baker.

Random Thoughts on Saturday

I said I was going to post once a week and I've posted 3...4? times....I think I just wanted an "out" if I didn't have time. But this week I did.

I said I wasn't going to be anxious about food problems but I was glutenated this week. I made it to work everyday but I missed appointments for rehab and lunch with some of my favorite people. I was calling it a corn coma...kind of like a hangover, weird... but in talking to Liz it could be the wheat flour they use in processing. They don't have to tell you about that on labels. It gets to the point that you only want to eat it if it says "gluten free". BUT that brings me to the rice crackers from the dollar store that SAY gluten free but I had a reaction to them. Was it the coating? We don't like processed food. Pass me that banana.

I did make it back to the gym last night and am up to 20 minutes on the cycle!! I tried to do more but it started to hurt so I stopped.

Should I put random thoughts on this blog or should it just be my writing on transformed by words? Those are the posts with a quote and about 600 words (check out the archive). Some people have different blogs for different things. I've read you should maintain a consistent "voice" on your blog but I don't know who said it and why "they" want to critique a blog anyway....

I always liked watching the parade on the US Thanksgiving, but when I turned it on it annoyed me so after 5 minutes...off it went. This is giant progress with my previous TV addiction. And the blog addiction is under control...REALLY...it IS....

Have a great Saturday...or whatever day you read this.

And THANKS for reading my random thoughts. What are YOUR random thoughts?

Anxiety

"... do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
... do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.
~~Matthew 6:25,34

When I read this scripture I looked up at God and said "You gotta be kidding me??" Anxious about food?? I can't remember when I was NOT anxious about food. Food has hurt me and hurt me bad. One of the things I discovered was that about 30% of Celiacs are overweight, experiencing INTENSE food cravings due to malabsorption of nutrients. So you are overeating and starving at the same time. I won't even go into all the places I hurt and the painkillers I've taken in the last 5 years. Sometimes I felt like every meal is a round in the ring with...whoever is the best boxer right now....

But now that I have said that....at Thanksgiving (the Canadian one in October, not the US one this week) I told myself life is not all about my food problems. Holidays are about people. So that is when I spoke to Mrs Twist and found out she is 99 years old. I have been seeing her for at least 10 years and had never made an effort to speak to her. I could explain by saying these are large gatherings and she is a quiet lady. But it's no excuse.

So now that I know how to eat I can actually think about it less and concentrate on life. OK God...I finally get it...

Thanksgiving Meme

Since I was never ever good at real tag, I am quite enjoying playing blog tag! It's inspiration for a post. Ginger Carter Miller (isn't that a great name!!) who is Gluten Free in Georgia and Florida has tagged me to list 10 things I am thankful for...so appropriate for this week since our US neighbours are celebrating Thanksgiving.

1. Faith. It keeps me getting out of bed every day and always hoping for the best.

2. Family. My daughter Frances. The family still on earth and those who have left this earth. I love 'em more than I can describe.

3. Friends. They make me laugh, they share, they like me for who I am. I am so blessed. You know who you are!!

4. My blog. Imagine. A few months ago I didn't have one and now I do. I am amazed and so thankful.

5. The blogs I read. Liz, Ginger,Vera, Carrie, Tracy....plus a few others...it's a very supportive community. I learn, I laugh and I feel like we are all moving forward with this interactive media.

6. Freedom. We are so fortunate to live where we do. We worship in freedom, we live in freedom, we go about our lives and we should never forget how blessed we are to be here.

7. Work. In my community there has been too many layoffs and businesses closing. And I have a great job. Wow.

8. Freedom again. Gluten Freedom. It's almost a miracle in my life....ok, it IS a miracle. And it's only going to get better. And I have Liz to thank...

9. My humble home. I sit in the backyard under my tree and I say thank you.

10. Love. I am loved. What else is there?

If you have a blog...you are TAGGED!! Let's see your list, then link back here.

If you don't have a blog, send me an email or leave a comment and tell me what you are thankful for...gratitude is a powerful force.

Adoration and Christening Words

At about 2:15 am I listened to this...

Father's Love Letter

The Father's Love Letter contains the best words for a christening or baptism I have ever seen. The words are available on a card which can be downloaded for giving right here.

Every week I see people coming to this blog from all over the world looking for: christening words, a good word for a christening, a father's words for a christening. These are definitely wonderful words.

For words that I wrote for a christening click here.

Please leave a comment if you found these words useful or if you find other good words. Click on words from you to leave a comment below.

Ordinary Miracles

I can't hear the music from my desk at work. I do hear the music when I go in the washroom. A few times I've heard this song and kept trying to remember the words but would always forget. I loved it and wanted to know who sang it. Finally I found it!

I feel like my life is FILLED with ordinary miracles.
I feel SURROUNDED by ordinary miracles.
I am so GRATEFUL.

☼

[via FoxyTunes / Sarah McLachlan]

Happy Hobby Bloggers

Thank you for reading my blog. I don't think I have expressed enough gratitude to those who come here to visit and read my words. Joining the blog community has been so much fun and opened up new friendships and inspiration all around. Thank you kindly for every click that brought you to my humble blog home.

A few people that I talk to in the "real" world have expressed interest in blogging, but feel there would be too much pressure to post everyday. I have decided that if we are to be Happy Hobby Bloggers we shall feel NO pressure regarding our blogs. We may post every day or we may skip a week or a month.

I've noticed that there is blog etiquette regarding this. If you're busy it is fair warning to mention the frequency of posts. That way the readers won't be checking feverishly or calling 911 wondering what happened. So to follow blog etiquette...I will be blogging a little less for the next while, perhaps weekly. Just a few other projects to do. And thinking about the holiday season and upcoming social stuff. That Christmas tree in the window must have made a big impression!

The best way to keep your "checking the blog" to a minimum, is to subscribe (way down at the bottom). This gives you a "live" bookmark which will show all the current posts. You see in a second if you've read what is on the blog by running your cursor (mousing) over the bookmark rather than going to the actual blog to check.

Calling all you potential hobby bloggers. It's time to get happy.

(In the meantime, try some of the archived entries you may have missed....)

I saw a Christmas Tree.

Come, O Lord, and set us free. Bring your people peace.
~~Advent hymn

Last night I saw a Christmas tree all lit up in someone's living room. The family was sitting watching TV and the tree was in the corner, all lights and decorations glowing. That was the first one I saw in a house, but I had seen the 3 or 4 in the window of the Home Hardware the week before. My celebration of Christmas is starting to feel very different from the world that surrounds me.

I remember as a child making sure the drapes were closed because our Christmas tree was up at the end of November. My mom indulged my brother and let him put it up early and I was embarrassed that someone might see it. We were one of the only ones I knew with an artificial tree. Most people put up their real trees just before Christmas Day. Who knew he was a trend setter?

Over the last few years my holiday traditions have been pared down and simplified for a few reasons. When my husband and my mom passed away within 9 months of each other, my extended grieving overshadowed any enthusiasm for the holidays. I feel some guilt about this for my daughter's sake. One year I literally threw a garland over the willow branch that was part of my modest decor and said that was all I was doing for Christmas. We were thankfully invited out for many Christmas dinners. Maybe you've read about my friends in my other posts: they do all the holidays with gusto. I did the requisite shopping, mostly at the last minute. I actually did cook a turkey...once...and my daughter said "Who are you and what have you done with my mother??"

In recent years the traditions of my daughter's boyfriend's family have become part of our holidays. Some years my days off were few, since I have changed jobs and had low seniority. The last year or two I have struggled with food reactions and health issues so I have simplified even further. I usually bring my simple food with me. I love gift cards. We drove around town and had everyone crossed off the list in an hour and a half. I bought a small, predecorated, prelit tree. I pull it out of the bag and plug it in. I love it!

But what I love most of all is the peace and tranquility and sense of anticipation while I am at Church. The music is full of hope "O Come O Come Emmanual....Rejoice, Rejoice Emmanual shall comfort thee O Israel." There are no trees, no Christmas carols, no lights....until Christmas Eve. That is when we celebrate the Saviour's birth and the Church is transformed with lights and carols of joy.

Those peaceful weeks of Advent leading up to Christmas are my favorite time. The comparison to the world is so vivid. The stores are full, people are cranky, the radio blares the same music over and over until we hate the songs. By the time Christmas arrives people can't wait for it to be over. They are in debt, the tree is dusty and the decorations and excess of gifts are cluttering up the house. In comparison, we continue to celebrate till the Epiphany. By that time everyone else has packed all evidence of Christmas away. Afterall, everything's been out for 4 to 8 weeks for some folks.

I don't consider myself a Scrooge. I love spending the holidays with loved ones and being as generous as I can to celebrate. But I like to keep it simple and stay focused on the origin of this "Holy Day". This week I breezed through the sensory experience of the stores decorated with all the new displays. Yes I got excited and marveled at the beautiful newest ornaments, wraps and gift packs. And I had a few sweet memories of Christmases past when I did it ALL. They were good memories. But I won't be buying much of what I saw. I don't have to own it to enjoy it...it's going to be there for almost 2 months. And keep your drapes open so I can enjoy your tree too.

My daughter Frances

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them
~~Romans 12:6

I remember vividly when my daughter was five years old. Sometimes I wish I could go back and visit with her again. She was remarkable then, and her 23 year old self is still remarkable. It was just something special to see all of her packaged in a five year old. All her attributes were there: determination, strength, kindness, artistic ability, creativity, stubbornness, and a unique sense of salesmanship. I’m not kidding about this. She was selling Avon in kindergarten.

She took the American Avon book for show and tell and came home with orders. My boss who worked for an Avon district manager in Michigan let her pick anything as her commission. Every campaign she made sure the teachers got the Avon book in their lunchroom. And she collected in American money. When she lost a tooth she asked me to help her write a letter to the tooth fairy. She wanted US dollars instead of Canadian.

She noticed the white tented garden centre at the local lumber store and told me that’s where she wanted to get married because it was filled with flowers. When I mentioned that maybe she would like to get married in a church, she promptly corrected me and said it was the bride’s choice.

She could sit forever doing crafts. Her legs would fall asleep because she would just sit drawing and creating for hours, forgetting to get up and move around. One day she devised an easy craft that she wanted to share with her class. She gathered enough supplies for everyone and asked the teacher if she could teach how to do it. So she set up an art table that day rather than play house or blocks or at the sand table with the other 5 year olds.

She would always offer a seat to another child and welcome the ones who were a little shy or didn’t have a friend. She told me that she thought about the kids that don’t have any parents and maybe she could help them find homes when she grew up. Years later, it was no surprise when she told me about buying food for homeless teens in downtown Toronto. And after babysitting for a family that fosters children, the mom told me she has the skills to run a group home.

It is also no surprise that she still makes a Halloween costume every year, always has a creative project on the go, and chose a creative profession. She creates beauty and transforms people as a hair stylist. And she’ll make sure you buy product.

Nowadays we see each other for short snippets of time since we are on opposite shifts. We have intense 10 minute catch up conversations where we talk fast and loud, laugh, cry and sometimes pray together. Life is moving fast. I dearly love the adult she has become. But I’ll never forget the little five year old who would say to me, paraphrasing Robert Munsch:

“I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always,
as long as I’m living my Mumsy you’ll be.”

KT Tunstall - Suddenly I See

[via FoxyTunes / KT Tunstall]

The first time I heard this song, I instantly thought of Frances.

Alex's Cake

Attention Gluten Free Bloggers, there's a new kid in town and she's good, real gluten free good. She is my GF angel, the one who told my to try eliminating gluten. She is witty, kind, a great writer and she is a GF genius in the kitchen. Her blog is just starting but already I am excited. The first post is a cake named after ME! No one has ever named a cake after me!!!

Since giving up gluten I am finally experiencing relief from arthritis and I am walking a little better every day. She keeps saying we're going to be playing tag soon! No one ever wanted to play tag with me because I was so slow...a sad little memory from childhood. But now, until we can play REAL tag, and you know one day WE WILL, we're going to play blog tag. Liz at Barren Wheat Field is IT!!!!

Alex's cake was AMAZING!! Visit the Winky Cafe where she makes it all happen (that's her kitchen but I hope one day she opens a real cafe because gluten free is the best!)

For the Widows in Paradise, For the Fatherless in Ypsilanti

For The Widows In Paradise, For The Fatherless In Ypsilanti

[via FoxyTunes / Sufjan Stevens]

I have called you children, I have called you son.
What is there to answer if I'm the only one?
Morning comes in Paradise, morning comes in light.
Still I must obey, still I must invite.
If there's anything to say, if there's anything to do,
If there's any other way, I'll do anything for you.

I was dressed embarrassment.
I was dressed in wine.
If you had a part of me, will you take your time?
Even if I come back, even if I die
Is there some idea to replace my life?
Like a father to impress;
Like a mother's morning dress,
If you ever make a mess, I'll do anything for you

I have called you preacher; I have called you son.
If you have a father or if you haven't one,
I'll do anything for you. I did everything for you

Serious words for a Christening

Yes, it happened again. Today someone from the United Kingdom was looking for christening words. The search was more detailed: a good word to do with a christening. I have been a little light hearted about this...but I now see this wonderful opportunity.

People are searching for words and ideas for a christening and I have been letting them down by not providing. I have a few ideas and have been given an idea or two from friends. So this post will just be a start. If you are looking for words for a christening we want to help you. If you have ideas please leave a comment or two.

There is something wonderful about a christening. A new beginning. In some denominations it is done as an infant and in some as an adult. Some call it Baptism. Whatever your tradition may be I hope you will find the words that inspire you to describe all that you feel and hope for the new member of the Body of Christ. I am using the word child since that is appropriate for my tradition, but an adult name can be substituted:

We christen this child today,
placing him in the loving arms of the one who has cleansed our sin,
who loves us more than we can even imagine.
May this child always be loved,
always be guided,
always be protected.
May he grow to know the One who cares,
deeply within his heart.
May we always be part of his journey,
good guides in this world to show the way,
lights in the storm of life.
This child today is christened, united with Christ
and we are grateful to welcome him into our faith.

-A friend has suggested a tradition from her church where adults are baptized but it could easily be used for a child: chose a scripture verse as a guide or inspiration for their life. I am reminded of a verse that I found for my daughter whose name is Frances, meaning free:

Galatians 5:1 “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free…”

-My own favorite and the inspiration for my blog title is.... Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind... Romans 12:2


-Share your own favorite verse on a card, in a letter or written inside a bible or other book.

-Here is another post about inspirational words for a christening or baptism

Please post any suggestions or words that you would like to share with someone who is searching for words for a christening. Just click below on... COMMENTS.