“I don’t get desserts in Lent!” he fired back with an earthy groan.

No, we didn’t make our then-three-year-old sacrifice sweets last year. He probably had some fallout because his father and I didn’t eat desserts, but I clearly remember him making good use of the candy stash for himself. It’s intriguing to me that “no desserts” erroneously made such an impact on him.

It can be difficult to figure out how to involve young children in a penitential season like Lent without turning them off. A friend shared a list of great ideas to do just that last year. They are taken from the book Guiding Your Catholic Preschooler by Kathy Pierce and Lori Rowland. I utilized a few when my son was three-almost-four and was pleased with the outcome, and I’m just as pleased to share some ideas with you.

Participating in Lent with Young Children

These are a few of my favorites from the list:

1. Work with kids to create Stations of the Cross and post around the house; visit the Stations each Friday as a family

2. Rice Bowl Pennies:
- Go around the house each day and count how many of one item is in the house that you are grateful for (ie: lights, books, beds, shoes, children)
- For each item on that day, the child may put that many pennies into the Rice Bowl

3. Bury the Alleluia:
- Create and decorate signs with “Gloria” and “Alleluia”
- Bury outside or hide inside
- Dig up or find on Easter morning

4. Sacrifice Cross
- Cut out a large purple cross and hang up in the house
- Each time a good deed or sacrifice is performed by the child during Lent, they may put a sticker, or pasta painted purple, or some item on the cross
- Try to fill up the cross by Easter!

You can download a FREE one-page printable version of the full list.

My dear friend Sarah also has a great list of 10 Ideas to Journey through Lent for Families.

Our Family’s Lent: Praying for Souls in Purgatory

This year, we’re going to do a decade of the Rosary each night for family prayers, and we have a Noah’s Ark that’s like an Advent calendar from Liturgical Training Publications that will give us a Scripture, story and prayer for each day. I looked, but cannot find it for sale anywhere to recommend to you this year.

I’m also committed to praying for the souls in Purgatory. A holy mama at my Bible study reminded us this week that the souls in Purgatory cannot pray for themselves. Every one of them depends on the prayers of the community of saints – including us, the Church Militant on Earth! – to help purify them and get them to Heaven. That may not have been the most theologically correct sentence, but it’s striking. We have a great responsibility to our brothers and sisters who have fallen asleep in Christ.

Even greater is our responsibility to teach our children about praying for those in Purgatory. Just think: who will be praying for you when, most likely, you are awaiting purification there? More importantly and less selfishly, who will pass the tradition on to your grandchildren, so that someone is praying for your children’s souls on their journey, as well as the rest of the Body of Christ? Start the habit young, and your children will accept this doctrine of the Church without having to reason through it.

What About Older Children?

Honestly, I would love some suggestions from more seasoned moms about the transitions in Lenten practices from preschool to high school. Here are my thoughts at this stage of my parenting:

• Transitions is the key word. You make changes in how you explain Lent and what you expect of your children between three and fourteen, when they are supposed to practice their faith like an adult.
• Focus on the penitence, the prayers, and not so much the sacrifices, unless you can explain how to sacrifice well, really well.
• When I taught third grade, I absolutely expected them to do something for Lent. I called them “Lenten Promises” and explained the three options: sacrifice, prayer or good works. If Lent in middle elementary is a time simply to focus on improving one’s behavior or being more kind to siblings, so be it! It is a season set apart, for every age.

How are you sharing the season of Lent with your children?

Copyright 2010 Katie Kimball

Many in the “Real Food” world speak of the difficulties of convincing the husbands, and I’m beginning to think it’s a major issue. We’re called to be partners in marriage, so it’s vital that we work hand in hand. The way the man of the house reacts to the food being served can impact not only the peace of the marriage, but also the way the children accept the food and respect the mother.

It is not this way in every situation, but so many of us wives are the ones doing the reading about nutrition and/or following our gut to determine our family’s nutritional goals. What’s a husband to do? When we put something a bit off the grid on the table, do they just have to eat it?

My apologies to the men out there; this post is not exactly for you. Ladies, read on for inspiration to get on the same page with your husband in the kitchen, no matter what it takes.

Beyond womanly wiles and bulldozing your ideas through, what’s a real foodie mama to do to keep peace in the marriage? Sometimes there are a lot of changes to make to transform a standard household to a whole foods diet. It really goes against the paradigm of seducing our men through their stomachs. A good meal is traditionally (and truly!) like a love letter to a man, whether during courtship or marriage.

If you’ve read part of my story, you know part of the craziness that happened within my own head and in my home as I learned more and began to make changes in our diets. When the dust settled, my husband was tentatively on board.

I probably did some bulldozing. I may have used some womanly wiles (here is one example). Ultimately, I do have a few tactics that I can share with the masses.

Real Food and Husbands: It’s About Teaching, Trust and Trickery

Teaching:

My husband is a computer guy, an engineer who truly appreciates cold, hard facts. I try to be as up on the science behind the nutrition as I can, and I lay it out for him as plainly as possible. He doesn’t have to know everything I know about what we’re eating, but he wants to know enough to understand why our food budget is expanding slightly and some of his favorite treats are disappearing. I explain to him how certain foods will keep us healthy and the rationale behind purchasing decisions, whether for the environment or our health. He knows enough to stay afloat about raw milk, coconut oil, and his own triglycerides.

My advice for others? Know how your husband likes to think. Talk about food. In manageable bites. He deserves to know.

Trust:

My husband knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that I have our family’s best interests in mind when I work in the kitchen. He sees how much I care, how hard I work, and he honors that in how he reacts to the food I serve. This is not something I can make a bulleted list about for you.

Building trust is simply part of our marriage, based on open communication, prayer together, and a foundation of faith and love. Just as we discuss our family size and our goals for the future, we can discuss our health concerns and desires openly. He hears me pray for our family’s health and for guidance on what to buy and what to eat. He knows I’m doing my very best, and that is of the utmost importance. If you don’t have a foundation of trust in your marriage, stop working on changing your diet and start with your relationship with your husband with God as the guide.

Trickery:

This may sound mutually exclusive with the previous point, but it’s not. It’s about allowing yourself to be in control of the kitchen. The trust you’ve built means he doesn’t feel he has to micro-manage.

• It’s okay *not* to tell your husband when you’re trying something new, at least until after he’s tasted the meal. I don’t lie; that would be detrimental to the health of my marriage, even if he never finds out…but I do put organ meats in his spaghetti. He’s kind of learned not to ask!
• I serve tasty alternatives so often that he doesn’t notice his habits have been broken. I soak oatmeal or pancakes more than half of the time, so breakfast is determined before we wake up. The rest of the time, I prepare scrambled eggs and toast or try to persuade him to have yogurt or sourdough toast. Luckily, my husband loves oatmeal, so it’s a great alternative to cereal. He hardly notices the dwindling supply until he’s confronted with the lack of boxes in the basement.
• I tentatively upgrade certain meals, hoping the end result will be as tasty as the original (or better, in a perfect world). We’ve had great success with Homemade Hamburger Helper, Pepper Steak, and Skillet Lasagna. If I make a failure, I’m generally careful to wait at least a few days before trying something new!
• I make sure we still have good treats around, but they’re all upgraded nutrition. I bake cookies, but I use whole wheat flour, less sugar, and healthy fats. We have delectable hamburgers with grassfed beef and homemade buns. One meal like that is enough to keep him happy for a week!
• What’s the theme here? Serve food that tastes good most of the time so the husband doesn’t pay as much attention to (a) the food that is not so good and (b) the food he’s not getting anymore that he used to eat. Between knowing what he should eat and having so many good choices to fill him up before he gets distracted by what he shouldn’t eat, he hardly has time to eat poorly. (It’s a little like feeding a toddler in a non-condescending way.)

Partners in Life, Partners in Food

The bottom line in feeding a family, as in everything that has to do with running a household and growing children of God, is that you and your husband must be on the same page, or at least close. When I wanted to start getting raw milk, he said, “I’m never going to be more in favor of this than I am now. I’m still skeptical…but if you think it’s important, then let’s do it.” I love my husband. In my opinion, it’s good that he’s more skeptical than me, because it keeps me grounded.

It helps me remember that we cannot add a day to our lives by worrying, and that the Lord counts every hair on our heads and will feed us well, just as He cares for the birds of the sky and the flowers of the field. He keeps me balanced, and this is vital in a field where I am constantly coming across conflicting information and research. Who’s to say what the perfect diet is? Be a team with your husband; peace in the household is more important than the most perfect meal on the table. Giving up (for a time, with more prayer) may be the answer, if that’s what it takes.

How about you? What are the biggest challenges in helping the men buy into the whole foods changes? What have been your greatest successes? We cookin’ wives need all the help we can get!



Copyright 2010 Katie Kimball

I first watched the movie as a single person, and I could feel the palpable terror in the mother’s heart as she digested the information…she suddenly screams at her children to get out of the pool immediately and nearly has a breakdown. Nothing had changed about her world except the information she had just been given. The water had always been harmful, even though it looked crystal clear and good for drinking. This mother can do nothing about the water her children had played in for the past hour, nor about the water they’d consumed in all their years in that home.

When I watched the movie after becoming a mother, this scene became wholly terrifying in the depths of my soul. My mouth went dry, my heart palpitated, my hands were chilled, and I emphasized with that mother to the nth degree.

It’s easy for me to become a bit overwhelmed when confronted with a wealth of new information about hazards in our world. This scene depicts exactly how I felt as I gazed around my house when I first started reading about the traditional foods movement and eco-friendly living (and still do sometimes).

What toxins are in my water? What pesticides might be on that lettuce? If I push the “start” button on my microwave, how does it affect my food? My children’s brains? It takes all my willpower not to run outside screaming, “Get out of the pool, NOW!!!!”

If I did that in my situation, we’d have nothing to eat, so it wouldn’t be very practical. You can’t just “get out of the pool” of the world of food: purchasing, preparation and storage. You can’t just quit taking showers and drinking the water.

When confronted with conflicting information, there’s nothing to do but make a choice, even when all you want to do is…nothing. Ignorance isn’t bliss, unfortunately, and once you have the knowledge you can only pray and do what you can.  I find myself praying in front of the apples sometimes.  “Lord, should I get the local apples a’la pesticides or the organic apples from across the country a’la transportation pollution?”

I’ve learned to trust Him to give the best to my family, even when I don’t know for certain what “the best” is at any given moment.

Do you ever feel like crying, “Get out of the pool!”?

Copyright 2010 Katie Kimball

• Jesus is truly present. When we serve Jesus to our parish, we say, “The Body of Christ.  The Blood of Christ.”  Far from being a repetitive phrase, I am reminded with every word that I am holding Jesus’s Body.  I am sharing my Lord with another person.
• Jesus knows everyone’s name. He loves everyone equally.  That is why, although it seems kind and personal to say someone’s name when serving them Eucharist, extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist are not supposed to.
• We are what we eat. We say it when we’re talking table food, and it is as true if not more so when it comes to the Eucharist.  When we consume our Lord’s Body, we become members of the Body of Christ.  When we carry Jesus within us, we are expected to act as Jesus would on the outside.  This is the reason, not exclusivity or pride, that non-Catholics are not invited to receive the Eucharist.  How can you become part of the Body of Christ when you aren’t a member of His Church?  How can you receive when you don’t believe?  It is not to keep people out that we do this, but to make it mean something for those who are “in”.
• We are called to carry Jesus to the world.  When we walk away from the communion line, we carry Jesus within us.  We are His hands in the world, His feet, His mouth to minister to a godless culture.  We become the Body of Christ when we consume the Body of Christ.  We must – must! – remember this and live it as we leave our parishes and go out into the world. We carry Jesus.  Let us behave as if we are worthy of His presence.

The following are some habits I have when I serve Eucharist.  They’re not anything I’ve been taught, not Church teachings by any means, but they show how important I think the Eucharist is and how I try to share that with others:

• I value touch. I make sure that my hand touches the other person as I lay Jesus’s Body in their hand.  When I was a server in a restaurant, I tried not to touch anyone’s food but often utilized a quick touch on the arm to connect as humans with my customers.  How much more so does touch make a difference when serving the Body of our Lord?
• I use eye contact. I make it a point to look every person in the eye, deeply.  I see so many different emotions there, from joy to sorrow to indifference.  I try to communicate the magnitude of what we’re doing with my eyes.  I’m serious to match my tone of voice saying, “The Body of Christ,” yet I often purposely put a smile in my eyes to communicate the joy we ought to feel, that we are chosen to receive Christ in the Eucharist.  Since I don’t say the names of people I know personally, I can tell them, “Hello!” with my eyes.
• I pray for the communicants. Not so much in words, even in-the-head words, but more in a groaning of the spirit as St. Paul teaches in Romans, I pray for the people receiving Jesus in my line.  I ask God to change their lives by this Eucharist.  I ask Him to enter into them and make them holy.  I beg Him that they would believe they are truly receiving a miracle, the Body and Blood of Christ.
• In my weakness, sometimes I judge. I notice the low-cut shirts or the funny-shaped nose, or I silently condemn the jeans-clad teenager or the screaming toddler before I can even censor my thoughts.  My mind drifts to how cute those earrings are or how many kids that family has.  *sigh*  I thank the Lord that He forgives me in my weakness, and I yank my thoughts back to the task at hand:  serving Jesus, literally.

Copyright 2010 Katie Kimball

]]> http://new.catholicmom.com/2010/01/13/serving-eucharist-by-katie-kimball/feed/ 0 http://new.catholicmom.com/2009/12/23/an-advent-christmas-season-reflection-based-on-away-in-a-manger-by-katie-kimball/ http://new.catholicmom.com/2009/12/23/an-advent-christmas-season-reflection-based-on-away-in-a-manger-by-katie-kimball/#comments Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:00:51 +0000 Katie Kimball http://new.catholicmom.com/?p=7443 Away in a Manger

Jesus Christ was born in solitude, away from the crowds, just as He sought time alone during his public ministry as an adult.  Granted, He was always found, whether by shepherds and kings or a crowd hungry for more miracles, but Jesus certainly showed us the value of time away.

Let us take time alone this day, or this week, to find a place to be away.  Away from the hustle and bustle of the Christmas to-do lists, away from the stress of navigating human relationships, away from the temptations of the world.  Most importantly, find a time to be away with Jesus.  Find Him alone as the shepherds did and honor Him, show Him the clean place you have created in your heart where you want Him to reside forevermore.  Nestle together in the stable, warm with the satisfaction that your God will always be with you, no matter how far away you may feel.

No Crib for a Bed

One of the first things that new parents worry about is where the baby will sleep (and how the baby will sleep).  How many books are there on the market about babies’ sleep habits and parents’ struggles with them?  It is compelling that the Son of God was born with no crib, no proper nursery room, no white noise machine…

God could have sent His Son in any way one could imagine:  in a blaze of fire, attended by legions of angels, simultaneously in all times in all homes throughout history, if He chose.  How incredible it is and worthy of meditation that He chose to come to us not only as a human, but as a helpless, infant human, and on top of all that, a poor, homeless one.

God may have had the striking simplicity of the manger scene in mind, whether Precious Moments or Fontanini, but I doubt it.  We can be fairly certain He was telling us something about the nature of God and the nature of humanity in His not-so-grand entrance.

The lesson for us from Jesus’ entrance into the cold world is humility.  Christ allowed Himself to be cared for by Mary as we must learn to allow Him to care for us.  We are called to be little children, trusting, obedient, and relying not on our own lofty knowledge but on the faith that God will always take care of us.  Let us pray today for an increase in humility, both in our own lives and in our culture, for politicians, entertainers, students.  Let us pray that we may appreciate the simplicity of a baby without a crib, who must be carried or cuddled, who relies completely on His parents, even though He created them in the first place. May we be content with what we have.

The Little Lord Jesus Laid Down His Sweet Head

St. Therese of the Child Jesus, a saint of just over 100 years ago, wrote often of her “Little Way”.  She believed that doing simple, everyday tasks for love of Christ and love of souls is the way for most of us to worship Jesus, the King.  She had a special heart for the Infant Jesus, who came to us so little, yet is such a BIG God.

When we sing of the Infant Jesus laying down His sweet head, I can’t help but think of another time His head was laid low, when the crown of thorns was placed upon it as punishment for the sins of us all.  He redeemed the sinfulness of our minds, where so much evil takes place, by allowing his head to be pierced.  The sweet Blood of Jesus ran down His face, pouring out salvation for the world.  Do you think Mary, His Mother, pictured His head surrounded by manger hay when she saw it encircled by thorns?

Let us today pray for the intentions of the Holy Father, the head of the Church instituted by the hands of Christ, whose sweet head we honor at Christmastime and always.

The Stars in the Heavens Look Down Where He Lay

We’re rather used to reading personification in our fiction, where animals and objects take on human qualities like talking, seeing, and even feeling emotions.  It probably doesn’t give you pause to read about the stars “seeing” the Christ Child laying in a manger filled with hay.  If you take a moment to ponder what looking stars might mean, what do you think?

I think of the Community of Saints, which includes the faithful here on Earth, the faithful who have passed into Eternal Life and those who are on their way.  They are called the Church Militant, for those fighting the good fight in the world, the Church Suffering for those being purified in Purgatory, and the Church Triumphant, for those who have realized the Joy of Heaven and eternity with God.

Imagine the hope and delight of those “stars” waiting for the doors of Heaven to be opened again, those saints looking down to see the Savior of the world born in a manger.

We are blessed to be able to ask for the prayers of the saints while we pray for those in Purgatory to be able to complete their journey.  Just as we pray for friends around us, we can count on our friends in Heaven to look down where we play and bring our intentions to the Lord.

All you holy saints and angels, pray for us!

The Little Lord Jesus, Asleep on the Hay

I’ve been teaching my four-year-old son this Advent about sacrifice and acts of kindness, and he’s been laying hay in a manger as a birthday gift for Baby Jesus.  Every time he does something out of love for God, he signifies it by building a soft bed for the Baby to be born on.

Any time is a good time to be reminded of the value of sacrifice and recommit to making little acts of sacrifice, kindness and generosity each day of Advent, or the Christmas season, or ordinary time.  I want to become better at giving gifts to the Infant Jesus out of pure love for Him and His Children (three of which live in my home and deserve my utmost every day).  Let us concentrate on the sweet face of the Infant Jesus, sleeping contentendly with the knowledge of our love for Him.



Copyright 2009 Katie Kimball

I wanted to Tweet about it right away, but I couldn’t.  (*breathe, breathe*)  I couldn’t check my email either.  Couldn’t touch my to-do list.  And good thing I was making a meal for dinner for which I had the recipes on hard copy!  I started composing Tweets in my head immediately.

Yup.  It’s official.  I’ve suspected the addiction for a while, but today I felt the withdrawal.  At least admitting I have a problem is the first step toward recovery.

Here I sit, in a bar, using their Wi-fi, with the racket of a nondescript football game in the background.  Right over my head, actually.  I’m going to eat their French fries, too.  They’re cooked in peanut oil (I asked).  I think I would have ordered them anyway, but I was kind of hoping for beef tallow. Do you think I’m addressing my addiction appropriately?

I’m actually thankful for this opportunity.  It’s going to force me to prioritize (not a skill I possess, unfortunately, except on paper), and I’m looking at it as a blessing to get some good writing time.  I really should take an evening a week away from the Internet to write my posts.  I would get more done without Twitter yakking at me and the temptation to peek at email, giveaway posts, comments, ETC.

From what do you need to take a Sabbath?  Perhaps Advent is the time to give Jesus that Birthday Gift.

Copyright 2009 Katie Kimball

Sometimes it feels like filling my kitchen with real food is the primary goal of my life, but physical food can only nourish and sustain my body on this earth.  We need food for the journey, something to sustain and nourish our souls in this life and beyond.  Long before I discovered Nourishing Traditions, I embraced a nourishing, traditional food that’s been around about 2,000 years.  I believe it’s the ultimate REAL food.

The night before Jesus died, He took bread in His Sacred hands, blessed it, and said, “This is my body.  Do this in memory of me.”  And likewise, He took the cup, gave thanks and said, “This is my blood, given for you.  Do this in memory of me.”  Jesus redefined “food” that night.  He changed simple bread and wine into a gift of self.

Some people call this scene communion.  Some people call it myth.  Catholics call it Eucharist, the ultimate sacrifice of the God-man for all humanity. He gave His life for us.  And then He humbled Himself even further, beyond the supreme humiliation of a crook’s death on a Cross, and became our food.

The Ultimate.  Nourishing.  Traditional.  Real.  Food.

Copyright 2009 Katie Kimball

Often we feel tension when trying to make good decisions in the kitchen.  Organic food vs. budget, avoiding processed foods vs. time spent in the kitchen…That tension is the motivation for creating Kitchen Stewardship.  I hate that feeling, and I want to help you break free of the worries and do your personal best to give your family and God the best you can, one baby step at a time.

I offer you one tiny step in the process of releasing worry and integrating prayer into your kitchen.  Today’s tip is for everyone who feels crunched by their food budget but wishes they could spend more on “clean” food.

The Tug of the Budget

We are not all able to give our families the very best, perhaps, because of financial limitations.  Many single-income families struggle with food purchases, especially when trying to eat nutritious, safe food.  Organic food is expensive. Stainless steel water bottles cost a lot more than plastic.  Avoiding pesticides may mean you have to avoid eating out or taking a vacation.  Healthy fats cost waaaaaay more than shortening. Fruits and vegetables – even the standard ones – make a bigger dent in the food budget than potato chips and processed bread.  Organic food is expensive.  (Have I said that one already?)  Buying grass-fed meat and healthy eggs can make you feel like you ought to get insurance for your frozen food in case of power outage.  Natural supplements and dishwasher detergents get into double digits pretty quickly.  And have I mentioned organic (and well-raised) food is expensive?

I don’t want you to think “eating healthy” means “eating organic”.  It’s far from that.  But purchasing foods that have LESS added to them – fewer preservatives, fewer pesticides, fewer chemical fertilizers, less processing, less sugar, less high fructose corn syrup – always ends up costing you MORE in the end.  It’s an unfortunate irony.

There’s no way around balancing a budget and buying healthy food.  Either you find places to cut and buy the expensive stuff, or you do what you can and purchase less than your idea in many categories.  What are those of us to do who have already made budget cuts, who desire organic spinach but must grab the 10/$10 bag of pesticide-laden stuff anyway?

How to Make Up for Less than Perfect?

My friend has a way to compensate.  She knows she can’t afford organic, pastured chicken, for example.  When she serves run-of-the-mill storebought chicken that ate God-knows-what under miserable conditions, she begs our Lord to fill the gap. She prays the meal blessing with her family and adds a codicil in her head: “Lord, I know this isn’t the ideal meal.  Please bless this food.  I trust you to make up the difference in nutrition for my family.  Protect us from anything in this chicken that might harm us. May we be healthy anyway.” It’s about doing your best, and then trusting God to fill the space that lies between the resources you have and what you’d like to serve.  God saved Daniel from hungry lions, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from fire, and Peter from shackles in a prison.  Don’t you think He can protect your family from a few pesticides if only you ask?  “Bless US, O Lord…” Ask, seek, knock.  “And these Thy GIFTS…” God knows how to give His children good things!  “From Thy bounty…” All our food is from our God.  “Through Christ, Our Lord…” Jesus will provide.

Important to Remember…

One reminder:  please don’t look at this as an excuse to buy whatever you want and hope that God won’t allow the consequences of your choices to harm you. We are instructed not to tempt or Father.  We all know we shouldn’t go jump off a tall building and expect God to catch us so we aren’t at all injured.  We can’t be irresponsible with our choices.  Our purchases still affect the world at large.  We must be sure to do what we can to reduce our negative impact on the environment and give our families the best with the resources God has given us.  Someday we’ll be in Heaven, God willing, and we won’t have to think about what to buy, how to prepare it, and if it’s going to hurt us.

But in the meantime, since we live out of Eden, pray a meal blessing at every meal, and super-charge it with supplication for holy supplementation!



Copyright 2009 Katie Kimball

The Hero is Down

I loved detective and mystery books as a kid, and it seemed like the hero was constantly getting knocked on the head and lying unconscious on the floor. I want you to keep that image in mind – of a person lying on the floor, oblivious to the world around them – as you read this post. I feel it adequately describes the unfortunate state of too many people in our culture. How many in this country allow others – the media, the government, the grocery store ads, their own mothers – to make their decisions for them, either because they don’t care to be informed or because they opt out of their own lives? We cannot lie around with our brains turned off, unconsciously moving through our days.

Take Charge of Your Food

Think about it: We wouldn’t want to be unconscious to the taste of good food…we wouldn’t want to be unconscious on our wedding day or during a date with our significant other…we wouldn’t want to be unconscious at an important event in our child’s life. Why do we feel that it’s okay to be UNconscious as we prepare the food that will nourish all these precious people? It’s time to wake up. Get off the floor, good heroes and heroines of the kitchen! Be conscious. Be cognizant. Don’t allow the government or the popular culture to tell you what is healthy for your family without doing your own research. (Don’t worry – I can help!)

Women Have all the Dresser Drawers Open

My husband is sometimes in awe that my brain is always turned on, that I’m always thinking and so fully and completely invested in so many areas of life. It’s annoying sometimes, like when I’m trying to sleep, but I believe cognizance is one of my most important attributes. I am cognizant of what I buy, what I throw away, what I cook and how I cook it. There are, quite literally, a million different decisions that I make every day, and it is my fervent prayer that I am conscious for all of them, and that God is leading me to the right decision every time.

Action is Everything

For most people, there are many actions in life that are just that – an unthinking, habitual, action. Brains aren’t involved. For me, life is a little different. I don’t just flip a lightswitch. I don’t just turn on the water faucet. I don’t just grab a box of my husband’s favorite cereal at the store. Every action is a thought process, a conscious decision and movement that takes into account budget, environment, nutrition, and all the possible repercussions of my action.

In reality, no one JUST turns on a lightswitch. When you flip that switch, you add to your carbon footprint, you run up a certain amount on your electric bill, you use a certain amount of the lightbulb’s lifespan, and you cause electricity to be produced, consuming whatever sort of fossil fuel it takes your community to make power. Every action is part of a sequence of events affecting other people in this time and the future. Let us begin to treat life as such.

Conscious-Altering Life Changes

My consciousness changed a great deal when I became a parent. Those of you who are blessed with children can relate – suddenly every electrical outlet, every strange chemical smell, every dog running down the sidewalk gives you pause: could this harm my child? That precious, helpless life entrusted to you truly changes the way you see the world. You look at everything through the lens of a parent. The decisions you make suddenly, very clearly, affect someone other than yourself - someone you love with all your heart.

The Great Analogy

Let’s look at consciousness from the perspective of a peanut on the floor. No, I’m not going nuts myself – just bear with me and watch the progression:

A Peanut on the Floor

* I am a two-year-old boy. I see a peanut on the floor. I see a snack. I eat the peanut.
* I am an eight-year-old boy. I see a peanut on the floor. I see a reason I might get in trouble with Mom. I nudge the peanut under the couch.
* I am a teenage boy. I do not notice the peanut on the floor. What peanut? What floor?
* I am a newly married man. I see a peanut on the floor. I see a mess I ought to pick up and throw away the next time I walk that direction.
* I am a father of a new crawler. I see a peanut on the floor. I see a choking hazard. I rush over and throw the peanut away.
* I am the parent of a child with a peanut allergy. I see a peanut on the floor. I see potential death or hospitalization for my child. I rush to throw away the peanut, then conduct a thorough examination of the house for more peanut product and an inquiry of all those members of the household to determine WHO let the peanut get into the house. !!

Perspective changes consciousness. Our perspective must be that of Christian stewards, aware that every action we make has a reaction in the natural world, and every food we feed our family has a reaction in their bodies. As people who wish the best for our families and our communities, now and in the future, we must polish our lenses and begin to wake up to the reality of the peanut on the floor.

The Challenge

I would like to challenge you to begin tapping into your consciousness. Now don’t misinterpret me here – I’m not a New Age chickie telling you that I want you to listen to your inner such-and-such. I just want you to turn your brains on as you work in the kitchen.

I want you to practice the fine art of questioning, like, “How much energy did that use?” and “Why is X my habit?”

And I want you to refine your skills of observation: How many items do you use that are disposable, for example? Are you creating unnecessary waste by cooking your favorite meal?

I don’t even want you to challenge any habits (yet) or change your actions (yet). You don’t have to do research or learn about the issues (yet). If you’re interested in being thoughtful about your kitchen actions and trying to balance good nutrition, stewardship of the earth, your time and your budget, join me at Kitchen Stewardship and that will come. First we must practice being conscious, being aware of our decisions and their possible ramifications. We must begin to think of the world as a great spider web, where every move I make quivers the line and affects a multitude of other people and systems, more than I can see with my eight little spider eyes. Or maybe I’m the fly…we’ll decide that later!

Do it NOW!

Here’s what I do want you to try:

When you are in your kitchen this week or shopping for food, give your best attempt to dig deeply into each action and decision. When you find yourself doing something out of habit or losing your consciousness, picture yourself lying unconscious on the floor. Then bust out the smelling salts, take a sniff, and get up, dear hero! Increase your awareness of the peanut on the floor. Maintain consciousness in the kitchen.

Copyright 2009 Katie Kimball




Copyright 2009 Katie Kimball

When illness strikes, when thinking about nutrition, when trying to care for one’s family in good times and bad, keep the priorities straight.  Prayer must be paramount.  Teach about God before good food.  Train habits of faith before frugality.  If someone is sick, don’t ask, “What can I do to make them well?”  Ask first, “Do they know and love God?  Do they have an active prayer life?  Is there anything I can/need to do to share the love of Christ with them today?”  Soul first, body second.  Let us look heavenward before we even let worry about bodily concerns take a foothold in our minds.

“The sting of death is sin,” writes St. Paul (1 Cor 15:56).  Notice the sting of death isn’t death. It’s not leaving this world and everyone we love, it’s not missing out on the life we could have lived.  It is sin.  At the end of our lives, only our relationship with God matters, whether or not we have accepted His salvation by grace or fractured our union with Him by our sin.  When worry sets in about our mortal beings, remind yourself that the only thing that will matter in the end, whether you’re taken by cancer, old age or an accident, is the state of your soul.  If you’re a spouse or a parent, your job is to get your spouse and kids to Heaven.  If they’re bodily healthy when they get there, so be it.  If not, God will provide newness in their resurrected body.  Live not according to this age, but the age to come.

Believe me, I’m writing this as one who needs to read it slowly and take it to heart, to learn to put into practice in reality what she knows theoretically. It’s difficult for me to share a joyful spirit with my family with as much passion and success as I give bodily care to them.  I need to remember that my cooking is not just to feed mortal bodies, but immortal souls as well.  If not served with the light of Christ, is it really serving any good? Paul says in 1 Corinthians 8:8, “Food will not bring us closer to God.  We are no worse off if we do not eat, nor are we better off if we do.”  Food can’t bring anyone salvation.  It has to be second priority (or lower) when I think about my day and what I’m going to spend my time and energy on.

Make it your goal to concentrate on the soul, on prayer, on making your time spent with kids and spouse count for eternity this week.  Choose a way to fast from something, connect with Jesus’ sacrifice and remind yourself, as your hunger pangs strike:  Soul first, Body Second.

Copyright 2009 Katie Kimball

I thought about my personal email inbox, full of requests for me to sign this or that petition or email my legislators to take action on life issues, emails I don’t have time to open.

I thought about how little I know of the political climate and the dangers to my family or my faith from current legislation at this time.  Why is that?

Because I’m writing letters about soap.  I’m researching antiperspirants.  I’m teaching folks how to feed their kids healthy foods.  But other kids are being killed, every day, around our great nation, by their own mothers and the doctors who help them.

I’m convicted.  I need to make sure I’m spending time saving lives and not just feeding the living.

I always say at election time that I can’t get into issues that make our lives better while one third of my generation and my children’s generation haven’t even been allowed to survive to take advantage of a great education or a cleaner earth.  What good is top-notch healthcare when the smallest and weakest don’t live to see the inside of a hospital?

It’s time to take advantage of the power of the Internet and pass on some of those life-preserving emails.  If you can send letters about soap, please join me in contacting your legislators and our president to demand a respect for life at all stages.

Today I’m going to direct you to two initiatives by Americans United for Life (AUL).

1. First, please sign a simple petition at Real Health Care Respects Life asking President Obama to leave abortion out of the health care plan.  It begins, “Abortion is not health care and does not belong in health care reform.”  Even if you are not a person of faith, even if you are pro-choice to the hilt, you can logically see that abortion is an issue for an arena outside of health care.  Please visit and sign.  It’s quite painless and takes about 30 seconds.  You can take 60 seconds more and contact your legislators when you’re finished.
2. AUL also is behind the “Fight FOCA” campaign and has a petition against the Freedom of Choice Act.  I really don’t know if this is a pertinent issue any more, but if you aren’t one of the 700,000+ folks who have signed the petition, go ahead and add your name.  It doesn’t hurt.  The website explains: “The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) would eliminate every restriction on abortion nationwide.”  That includes parental notification for minors, again something that even pro-choice folks must admit is only fair.

Thanks for letting me have the soapbox for a minute.  I’ll step down now and go back to my research on fats.



Copyright 2009 Katie Kimball

Hand Sanitizer:  Safe for Schools?

Is hand sanitizer or antibacterial handsoap on your child’s back-to-school list?

I know a lot of schools, especially parochial ones, are asking parents to bring basic supplies like paper towel, tissue, and soap these days to cut costs.  I also know a lot of schools use alcohol-based hand sanitizer like it’s…well…water.  It’s not water, folks.

I would encourage you to read my post about the pros and cons of hand sanitizer before you go shopping.  You may want to try Cleanwell’s tea tree oil-based sanitizer instead.

Should You Buy Anti-Bacterial Soaps?

An even more important topic, in my mind, is the overuse of antibacterial soaps.  They are not needed, not ever, unless you’re sick in the hospital. Lots of kids get sick at school, I realize that. But isn’t the fact that lots of kids get sick at school, in spite of the rampant use of sanitizers and antibac products, proof enough that the antibacterial soaps aren’t going to protect you?  They are most likely doing more harm than good, in fact.  I encourage you to read Antibacterial Soap: How it Works and Why you Should Avoid Triclosan to arm yourself with information, life’s greatest weapon.

What Can We do About It?

You may find yourself wanting to write your child’s teacher or principal a note about antibacterial soap and why you don’t think it’s necessary in their classrooms.  You may even get your undies in a bunch about this country’s marketing strategies, companies that sell us things we don’t need while tricking us into thinking we’re protecting our kiddos’ health…all the while creating products that actually harm our kids and our earth.  Grrr…

Here is a form letter to Bath and Body Works, my least favorite store, asking them to reconsider their seeming undying commitment to antibacterials and triclosan.  You can cut and paste the informative part and draft a quick letter to your child’s school, too.

For now, don’t let yourself be tricked by back-to-school sales on alcohol-based hand sanitizer and antibacterial soap. Be sure to temper your frugality with your common sense, and do your research before committing to a 64 oz. bottle of something!

Copyright 2009 Katie Kimball

Ask not what you can take out of your food, but what your food can put into you.

Eating “Healthy”

The way I see it, there are basically two philosophies on how to eat “healthy”. The first involves eating less: low-cal, low-fat, low-carb, low cholesterol, low salt…the list goes on and on. The second is about getting more out of what you eat: Nourishing Traditions, Super Foods, locavores, Slow Food, and I’m sure there are other terms and non-termed eating styles.

I’ve been a party member of both in my time, so you understand I’m only pointing fingers at someone I can entirely identify with. The cultural trend is certainly the former: we are told around every medical corner what we need to avoid and take OUT of our diets. I had a conversation with a dinner guest recently that epitomized the avoidance paradigm perfectly. The topic was canned spinach (Blech. Seriously.) which the guests all actually liked. (Blech. Can I say that again?) I’ve tried it, and it was a primary player in the only meal I’ve ever thrown out lock, stock and barrel before it hit the dinner plates. Beyond my personal distaste for canned spinach, I pointed out that canned veggies have no nutrients left, so why bother eating something “healthy” if you’re not going to get anything out of it. My guest argued, “But it’s tasty AND low-cal!” I let the topic fall by the wayside, but I was thinking, “Yes, but fewer calories of what?”

My Philosophy on Eating

I’ve recently been seeing the beauty of simply making sure the food you eat (and enjoy!) counts nutritionally for your body and is as efficient as possible in giving good health, as food should. If I’m going to eat something that’s not delicious (like canned spinach!), it had better be nourishing to my system and providing well-being to my family. If not, why bother? Fresh spinach is incredibly healthy, and lightly cooked is even better. Knocking all the nutrients out of a super food like spinach (in the canning process) possibly even knocks it right off the food pyramid into the realm of diet sodas and other non-foods that you pay money for and put into your mouth. I, for one, am not going to eat a vegetable if I can’t count it for my 5-a-day.

I can remember being just the opposite though. I would tell people my banana trifle dessert was “healthy” just because it was fat free and had bananas in it. But what else? Lots of high fructose corn syrup and fillers, I can guarantee that! I was all about cutting the fat and reducing the calories in anything. Now I worry much more about what IS in my food than what isn’t.

I still talk about things to avoid sometimes at Kitchen Stewardship – mainly: don’t eat stuff that’s not food, like margarine, for example. But instead of just AVOIDing trans fats, I want to learn about what kind of fats we should be eating. We’ll die without fat in our diet, so we can’t just avoid. Capitalize on the fact that you’re putting something in your mouth that’s going to be incorporated in your system. It will affect the way you feel, your energy level, and your immune system function for the next day or so…maybe longer…so make it count.

Sorting it all Out

There’s a lot of controversy out there about what is healthy and what is not. You can find people who say coconut oil is just about the best thing you could possibly consume, and just as easily folks who will say the same thing is going to give you a heart attack. Seven servings of grains/pasta a day, or low-carb/no-carb? More meat or less meat? Or just meat that is eating the proper food itself?? There’s a tangle of nutritional information, and it’s difficult to sort out the fad from the food, the information from the commerce, and the truth from the paid-for-by-the-company-that-will-make-a-profit-from-it. I land on the conservative side most of the time, but through prayer and conviction I’ve also come to believe that some of the more revolutionary anti-food-pyramid info is what God is calling my family to.

But some choices are easy: no one has anything bad to say about vegetables, for example. Everyone is acknowledging that trans fats will kill you. I feel confident in echoing those sentiments and teaching folks how to eat more vegetables and avoid trans fats. Certain foods, like salmon and spinach, are exempt from the “don’t eat it” mentality…unless of course it’s farmed salmon or E. coli contaminated spinach. Yes, even some black and white subjects aren’t so cut and dry anymore. What’s a wanna-be nutritious chef to do?

Do your best. Pray that God takes your best effort and makes it whole, that He provides good health for your family both because of AND in spite of what you may end up doing in the kitchen. Eat your spinach (but lightly cook it first). Eat your salmon (but find out where it came from).

Super Foods Series

If you’re interested in more, check out the Super Foods series at Kitchen Stewardship: 15 weeks of recipes, nutritional information, and practical usage tips for 20 of the healthiest foods out there, those that really pack a nutritional punch in more than one area of health (plus a handful of honorable mentions).

Ask not what you can take out of your food, but what your food can put into you.

Copyright 2009 Katie Kimball