So we gave it a go and have not succeeded in going completely meatless,  although we have definitely cut back!  It's all about trying new things, right?  Stepping out of our comfort zone is good for us.  Recognizing that we deserve to be present in our lives is important.  I have too many clients that have gotten stuck in a rut.  And that rut is usually not something that feeds them - physically, spiritually or mentally.

"Life gets in the way" is what I hear from others and I have been guilty of thinking the same way.  We get busy, caught up, over-burdened, over-stressed.  We forget that life is to be enjoyed, in the moment, savoring every minute.  Kind of like when we were kids.  Our "joie to vivre" got sucked out somewhere between the first time an art teacher tells you "that's not what a tree looks like" to "Happy Graduation and good luck kid."  Responsibilities pile up and next thing you know it,  you're married with kids and working 9-5 (Thank God in this economy).

When's the last time you threw caution to the wind?  And for some of us that can be as minor as taking the stairs instead of the elevator or as major as quitting your dead-end job and pursuing your dream to become a photographer.  We had an incident here in Korea that albeit minor in the grand scheme of things (world peace, radiation, etc.), was huge for me and my family.  It goes as follows...

This past summer we decided to stay in Korea for the summer instead of heading back to the States to visit family and friends.  No summer is complete without hitting the beach,  so we booked a hotel on the east coast, pretty much directly on the beach with one street separating us (thank God my husband is a Korean linguist or we never would have found the place!).  So as the first day's sun began to dip,  we heard some hooves clomping on the street and a far off "neigh" - okay,  it was a recording of a neigh - still haven't figured that one out.  Along came this pink and white horse-drawn carriage with these amazing pink lights and pink flowers.  Cheesy and over-the-top,  but my daughter was mesmerized - to her, it was a Cinderella carriage!  We all agreed that on the last night (three nights from then), we would take that carriage around the small town as a send off.  Each night we saw and heard the carriage come by our balcony and we saw it as we strolled through town after dinner.  Our final night had come and we all got cleaned up after a wonderful day in the water and a hike to a Buddhist temple.  At the temple we had joined dozens of others for a free noodle lunch - quite an experience!  But as we were getting dressed,  my beautiful 8 year old daughter began complaining of a stomach ache.  Turned out she had a full blown episode of food poisoning.  It was horrible!  She was the sickest I had ever seen her.   Luckily we made it through the night (thanks to our wonderful Korean hostess that brought us several different Korean remedies to keep her hydrated).  The next morning we were out the door immediately to get her home.  The whole time,  all I could think was - she never got to ride in her Cinderella carriage... still pains me to this day...

Then and there, the Fab Ferg Four made a pact - if there is ever something we want to do, we do it!  No "maybe later".  No "let's wait and see".  We will do it!  You just never know.  Don't let life get in the way - be in it.  Take chances.  Start with little changes - candles at dinner, a new recipe, a massage to treat yourself - you deserve it you know!  Trust me,  it's not easy for me to let go and just be,  but I will always remember how sad I felt that my daughter missed out of something she would have loved because I had to have it all planned "just so".  Don't let the days fly by without recognizing, appreciating and then enjoying your own Cinderella carriage.

It's the Lenten Season in the Ferguson house and fasting and abstaining is one of the traditional challenges during this time of reflection.  So on Ash Wednesday I got to thinking - if we can go without meat on Fridays and Holy Days,  could we also implement more meatless meals throughout our day to day lives?

Now, I live with a big ole boy who loves his steak.  And I have to admit,  I do too.  But so many of my lectures at IIN focus on the health benefits of not eating meat (no saturated fat, more energy, better for your heart, etc.) that I keep thinking - how could we go wrong?  So I'm committing to cook more plant-based meals - considering this is a time to be open-minded and make changes in your life.  Will this make a positive impact?  Only time will tell.

The trick is going to be, well, tricky.  You see - Blake is the main cook in our house.  It truly is his passion and I've always been the one throwing out the ideas and he does the follow through.  No complaining here!  But he may get a little suspicious when he's not searing quite as often.   My challenge will be to find recipes that will satisfy my meat loving man.  Prayers are welcome!  :)

I'm starting off with a lentil soup that I'm sure will do the trick:
                                                                           

                                                                              Lentil Soup


Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped 1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

¼ cup olive oil 2 cups dry lentils

2 carrots, diced 8 cups water

2 stalk celery, chopped ½ cup spinach, rinsed and thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons vinegar

1 teaspoon dried oregano salt and pepper to taste

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon dried basil



Directions:

1. In a large soup pot, heat oli over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and celery; cook and stir until onion is tender. Stir in garlic, bay leaf, oregano and basil; cook for 2 minutes.


2. Stir in lentils and add water and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for at least 1 hour. When ready to serve, stir in spinach and cook until it wilts. Stir in vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper, add more vinegar if desired.


And so we will see where the next 40 days takes us.  I'm up for the challenge and look forward to sharing our experiences that could possibly inspire others to look at areas of their lives they would like to improve on.  We're all a work in progress and if we don't challenge ourselves sometimes, what's the point - right?