No Chickening Out

Remember when I wrote about my 11 Dreams for 2011? Remember that one of my dreams was to be vegan for one month? Remember how everyone thought I was crazy? Okay, the last one didn't happen. Or maybe it did, and all you readers just weren't being honest with me. Whichever it is, I am choosing the month of April to be my "vegan month." Why vegan? There are actually many moments in the last few years that have contributed to this choice. Let me take you on a recap of the journey :)

• I took a class on Eschatology at the Christian College I attended (and am currently employed at). Eschatology is the study of what will happen at the end of the world. Sort of like Independence Day or I Am Legend. Okay, it's actually nothing like that, but I am a big Will Smith fan (who isn't?). Anyway, the theme of the class was to study eschatology within the Christian faith. The professor had us to journey through the material, allowing our studies to begin to shape our belief. Throughout the semester, I realized a few things. If I believe that God created this world (Genesis 1), I receive the truth that the first task Adam was given was to take care of the earth (Genesis 2:15), and I believe that all of creation is waiting for God's ultimate restoration (Romans 8:18-25), then I need to live out that belief everyday of my life. I need to anticipate restoration, and to act in the first task given to humanity. This led Johnny and I to a more "earth-friendly" lifestyle, including practices like recycling, using reusable tote bags, being a one-car-family, and walking when we can.
• I watched Food Inc. Whoa. The tag-line for this documentary is "You'll never look at dinner the same way." Believe them. I would strongly encourage everyone to watch this documentary. It made me realize the impact of the food industry on animals, farmers, and my own health. I desired to become more aware of the consequences of what I put in my body, as well as what practices I support by the use of my money. Because of this, Johnny and I buy all organic products, and we to try and support local farmers with our purchases.
• Johnny and I attend an amazing church (have we already noted this about a million times?). Our church does a fast during the month of January for 21 days. Fasting is a time where you put aside food in order to pray about something very specific. I have participated in this fast two times, eating only fruits, vegetables, and water. Not only has the experience impacted me spiritually (grab a cup of coffee with me to hear more about that), but there was a unique result that I did not anticipate. I felt amazing. For 21 days, I put only fruits, vegetables, and water in my body, and nothing else. Not any milk, butter, oil, seasoning, coffee (gasp)...nothing. I have never felt more healthy in my life. I had ample amounts of energy. I slept through the night, every night. My skin was clear. My mind was focused. I felt amazing.

All of these factors have led me to be very curious about veganism. I'm still not sure if this is a life choice, or a temporary experiment, but I guess I don't need to know yet. These 11 Dreams were supposed to be about me trying something new, something I had been itching to do, and not worrying about the consequences. They're dreams...they're supposed to be a little "out there." They're supposed to stretch me. But they're also supposed to leave me with no "what-if's" down the road. 

So, if you think I'm crazy, that's okay. I think I'm a little crazy too :) I am going to commit to this choice for 30 days. April 1-30. No chickening out (pun intended). I am going to report every so often on joys and frustrations of this journey, along with some recipes and new products I come across. All in all, it will be a month full of learning, adventure, and pursuing another Dream for 2011. Thanks for coming along for the ride!