the bottom line.

happy humpday friends!

today was seriously an awesome day. i ordered a new running band for my ipod,

got my tattoo (!!!),

bad picture... it's a bit hard to take one on the back of your dominant arm!

talked on the phone with the beautiful christie,

and got birthday presents in the mail!

can i just say how exciting today was!?!?

sometimes i just have to stand back and take it all in... i am so blessed, you guys. so much more than i deserve!

i can't wait to dive headfirst into those books... i've been wanting them forever, but wouldn't buy them for myself! college is expensive, you know?

for those of you who have the books, what recipes do you love?

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i feel like i should have mentioned this yesterday, but better late than never, right? i want to share what i consider the most important facet of our diets: putting them in perspective.

from yesterday's comments, it seems the general consensus is that there are distinct kinds of eaters: vegans/vegetarians, and meat-eaters. while this might be technically true, i want to propose a different outlook.

eating isn't meant to be meat versus veggies. i see it as eaters pursuing information we deserve to know!

i don't think veganism is perfection, and i certainly don't see meat as sinful! i think sometimes we get caught up in technicalities of our diets (do you eat eggs? milk? raw? organic?) and totally miss the big picture: really, we're all just people trying to be healthy!

i cast no judgement on anyone, no matter what they eat. instead, i see them as almost a "comrade" in this fight to live as best we can. i see us as one body of people trying to do the best we can with what we know to be true.

it's absolutely shameful how much the food industry keeps from us: details about slaughtering, chemical additives, and processing of our foods that can be detrimental, or at least impact our health. that's where our fight is.

if you feel guilty for still not being "perfect" in your diet, take heart! i'm certainly no better than anyone else, and there's no such thing as eating perfectly. life is about progress, not perfection. we're all in the same boat! 

when i post on things i've learned or my point of view, it doesn't mean i'm criticizing someone who doesn't eat that way - it's the only way i know how to get the word out on things we all deserve to know.

up tomorrow?

how to decode food marketing, such as free-range, organic, natural, humane, etc.

thoughts? let's talk this out in the comments, y'all!

-rebekah

100th post!

source.

heck yeah!

thank you all so, so much for joining me for 100 posts of joy, struggles, body blues, and food porn.

i can't even begin to express how much each and every one of you mean to me!

the support i find here blows me away, and your sweet comments made my day more often than not. the friends i have found here are some of my most treasured relationships... i thank God for you daily, my dears.

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on a completely unrelated note... my ink update:

for those of you that asked, i did go for my tattoo consult today. it went amazing!

Katie from Salvation Tattoo Gallery was an answer to my prayers. she was professional, polite, and really funny!

after chatting, prodding, and drawing for about 30 minutes, we finally settled on a design and location that was both doable on her end, and made me totally happy on mine!

i decided to put the compass rose on my right arm, just above my elbow... workin' towards that half-sleeve! if you are in Richmond and are looking for a clean, professional parlor, i highly recommend Salvation.

and thank you guys for your suggestions on placement, by the way. my roommie from freshman year and i are planning on going the 13th or 14th of August, so i can't wait!

my tattoos do/will mean something: they tell my story. my first (the latin word invictus) is from a poem i read in high school. it is my daily reminder that although life's circumstances may be out of my control, my reaction is not. my next one (the compass rose) stands for this new chapter in my life... i have no idea where i am headed, but i do know that God is directing my steps according to His plan. He is my guide!

i'll be back tomorrow with some thoughts on how to adjust when your body changes... night loves!

do you have a tattoo? do you want one?

-rebekah

let's get real, folks.

you know how sometimes you love reading a blog, but you realize you don't really know anything about the person behind the food?

(or maybe that blogger is you...?)

i hate that! i want to get to know the heart and soul behind the posts. i can find recipes anywhere, but personality? that's a rare gift.

because of that, i aim to be as transparent as possible here at Clarity in Creation... even if it's not a pretty sight!

so in the spirit of full disclosure, here are a few honest statements that have been floating around in my heart and brain here recently...

thank you all so much for your sweet comments on my fibro diet post! i'm definitely not an expert by any means, but if someone else can learn from my mistakes and hard-earned lessons, i'm all for that!

if anyone ever has any tips for me (concerning anything!), i'd be honored if you'd share them. i love new experiences, recipes, and any tidbits of information that could help others. or if there's something i should know, fill me in!

when i remember, i've been trying to post Operation Beautiful notes at the gym, grocery store, etc.

i haven't been taking pictures of them because i'm not concerned about sending the pictures in... i just want the ladies i cross paths with to feel special, for only for one minute of their day.

have you written any Operation Beautiful notes? or have you found any?

since my orientation on monday, i've been working on my class schedule, and i think i finally got it organized! it's not exactly how i could have chosen it, but i think it's going to work out :)

as of right now, i have one class on mondays, and three classes on wednesdays and thursdays. i'll also be lifeguarding for my college pool, so it's nice to be able to work a few hours in between classes.

i've been designing my next tattoo! it's a compass rose (similar to the picture) - my daily reminder that Christ is my guide for life, so i never need to worry about where i'm headed next.... i go to a consult at a local parlor today!

i can't decide if i should add on to my first tattoo (on the inside of my right arm, working towards a half-sleeve), or get the compass on the inside of my left wrist (my original idea).

thoughts??? i'll let you know what i decide! i'm getting inked the second week in august with my freshman roommate who will have just gotten home from her honeymoon!!! eek!

i went to the library... can you tell? i love books (especially free ones!). 

i also put a bunch on transfer, including Thrive, Eat Pray Love, Food Rules, and Veganomicon!

do you use your library? have any book suggestions for me?

finally, a recipe!

i got off my lazy rear and made a chickpea/quinoa salad, looking to Jess and Ashley for inspiration.

i just used what sounded good, but you can adapt it however you want! i'm broke, so i scrounged around until i was satisfied :)

chickpea salad - basic recipe:

cook:

- 1 cup quinoa, cooked according to directions (subbing veggie broth for water)

- 1/2 cup dried beans, or open, drain, and rinse 1 can of choice (i used chickpeas)

let cool slightly, then stir in:

- chopped veggies: i grated 3 cloves of garlic, chopped 1/2 a small red onion, and grated a carrot, but cucumber, strawberries, and/or avocado would make an awesome salad, too!

now, the fun stuff... add:

- 1 cup dried fruit (i used craisins)

- 1/4 cup toasted nuts (walnuts for me!)

- salt and pepper, to taste

- a few tablespoons of your favorite salad dressing, or EVOO + basalmic vinegar (i used a new find, Trader Joe's Raspberry Viniagrette)

and what would wrap up this ridiculously random post better than a picture of my scraggley dawg?

- rebekah

p.s. - check out Mama Pea's cookbook giveaway, y'all!