What *seven* looked like:

We completed our seven month of food! It was stinkin' hard, but oh so good! Please, take a look at what seven looked like:

Lots & lots of bread dipped in olive oil and strawberries. Yummo:

So much dry toast and strawberry smoothies
(Praise the Lord we switched to yogurt!!):

Dallas actually loved his breakfasts. They got old, don't get me wrong, but he ate much more wholesome and hearty than normal days:

Yummy pita pockets with shredded chicken and chopped apples.
Will do this even post seven:

And....the finale!! T&L's pizza, pop, & bunny tracks ice cream!
Well earned, and much appreciated!!

What did we learn?

1. Discipline! Self control! Commitment! Holy smokes was this the challenge. I was in many situations with lots of scrumptious food all around me, and had to say no. There wasn't much fun about that.

2. I don't eat for fuel or nutrition (not entirely, I should say). Rather, we eat because it's fun, we like to, it tastes yummy, it's a reward, and the list goes on. We eat because we want to, not because we should. The entire month we felt incredibly satisfied, as far as feeling full goes. But satisfied as in having what we desired? Absolutely not. We had everything we needed. We just simply wanted more. We desire so much more than necessary.

3. Our society is twisted. We went to Texas Roadhouse twice. Both time we got steak and baked potato with not a single thing on it. They looked at us like aliens. But I guarantee they don't think twice about people supersizing their McDonald's meal.

4. It felt good, in some strange way, to be under discipline. It felt safe to have rules. We knew just what to expect every day. And, those things reminded me just how important it is to have structure/discipline/consequences for my children.

5. We are sinners always going back to the same hole; a dog returning to our vomit. After seven was over, we wanted to incorporate it into our lives. Something about it really was nice, and we wanted to continue, just at a more reasonable pace. But did we? Absolutely not. We are back to eating what we desire when we desire it, eating because we deserve it, and the word excess is a part of our life again. It is a constant battle and struggle.

6. Food is just food. We went away for the weekend to celebrate seven. It was so lovely! We ate a scrumptious restaurant and thought the food would be just out of this world. And it was! It was delicious! But, when all was said and done, it was just food. It was a great realization, and we were all so pleased to see how our attitudes had changed.

7. It was so inconvenient. And, boy howdy do we love convenience! We are a generation of convenience, there is no doubt about that.

Thank you for following alongside us, for asking us how it's going, and for supporting our weirdness in this journey to become less of ourselves so God can be more! Our month of seven was a fast; a spiritual discipline. It was so hard, and so many times we just would whisper, "Jesus, you are all we need." It was an eye opening month. We are thankful to be done with it!! Yet, in some strange way, it was liberating too. Less can certainly allow you so much more!