Some of what I believe...

I want to share with you all a few of my beliefs, I have developed my beliefs over time and have come a long way with things like religion, politics and even food (which believe me, people have a lot of beliefs built up about their food).

Perceptions change, and I find that I learn more about the world every day. I have undergone a series of changes over the past couple of years and it actually started with food. I had a crises with what I believed to be good for me because I found that I was allergic to gluten. Found in Wheat, Barley and Rye, and almost every processed food out there.

I was extremely scared a lot of times, because I had to give up certain ways of thinking, of eating, and I became the sore thumb in every situation involving food, every party that I went to.

But it ended up being a good thing, I learned that a lot of our previous assumptions may be wrong and that it is OK to examine our beliefs. It used to be hard for me to do that because of immaturity, I felt threatened by the examination of ideas which I hadn't fully formed yet.

I still feel vulnerable sometimes, but I have found that a better way of dealing with that vulnerability is to admit that I don't know, and to be open to hearing peoples sincere thoughts and beliefs as well as sharing my own.

So here are a couple of my impressions, or beliefs...

First of all I believe that God has a plan for us all, and that plan is happiness.

I believe that when we do things that hurt our bodies, our spirits and others then God is not happy and we won't be either.

I believe that God is a creative being, that nature and life. The vibrancy of the universe, the pulsating of my heart, the way that I feel when I connect with another human being and even animals and the earth. All of this tells me that I will not end with death. I have had moments even that I looked in the mirror or thought of my ancestors, their stories and lives, when I felt a connection with them. To me they are not gone.

I absolutely believe in God, I believe in Jesus Christ and I believe in the Holy Ghost. I believe they are separate people. I have felt Gods healing mercy in my life, mercy for my stupidity and childish follies. In fact I think that God gives us so much, that we choose to accept it or not. If we don't accept the good things that he gives us then he is probably sad that we won't accept it, but I know that God is not going to shove his gifts down our throat so it's our fault if we don't use them.

I don't judge myself as harshly as I used to, I try also to not judge others harshly as well. I make mistakes now and then and I sometimes cringe when I see someone do something that I have done before that I now know to be harmful.

That's the hard thing right? It is not my place to step in to try and force someone, that is a bad way to be, people don't like to be forced. I think that God's way is to love, to listen, and to speak with kindness. I believe that God is Love.

I believe that God has given us many healing and wonderful foods and herbs and that we should celebrate them and use them to heal our bodies and our minds. I think that the harsh way that people treat food is not good for us.

It should be appreciated, embraced and created with passion. If not then it will be dead to us and will not fill us with the strength and energy that we need. (Though tell that to me when I am in a hormonal uprising, I am definitely in the mood for simple, no hassle food. Still, I think that the less abused your food is, the better it will be for you.) ;}

I think an irreverence and disregard for the things that we have is deadening to us. It has been a great privilege to have learned how to cook with whole, beautiful food and how to create nourishing meals. I am so grateful for it.

I believe that men and women should be respectful to each other. This is one area of my life that has been harmed in some ways because I have not respected myself and I have let others disrespect me.

But really, if food has so much beauty and healing power to it, why not the relationship between men and women? I think that the key to feeling this beautiful part of Gods plan for us is respect, reverence and being grateful for it.

I guess that is also when I have found myself to feel the most beautiful. When I respect myself and wear clothing that I feel beautiful in. Clothing that I can wear with confidence. I am picky about my clothes, I try to find things that are timeless, as much as possible. That are classy and womanly, not prudish, but feminine. Really, classy, that's the key. My ideal for this is my Grandmother who was always beautiful, because she paid attention to little details, yet she was not overly made up either.

Kind of funny that I started talking about clothes...

I also believe that we all have some power to touch other lives, to lift and heal. That if we care we can do so much good in this world. I have found so much of that through all of you. I have felt so much love from people that I have never met in person, but who have taken the time to bless my life through their small acts of kindness to me. I am grateful to you all, I respect you and I love all of the truth and beauty that is out there to find.