BUNLESS BURGERS & BEST BUY BATTLES

365 Days of Thanksliving – Day 179

Howdy-ho there, blog fans. Can you believe we’re just a few days away from being halfway through this yearlong endeavor? As we’re nearing the mid-mark, I began another journey this week. Of course, we know that, Jason, because ya wrote about it last night! (Was that thought just running through your head? Hahaha!)

The wifey and I just finished snarfing down our supper. Tonight we experimented with a different cut of beef: beef bottom round steaks. Honestly, I wasn’t a huge fan. But hey, at least it was meat and a healthy choice. I paired that with a simple bowl of Romaine greens, homemade keto-ranch dressing, and a side of radishes and celery. Sounds boring, I know.

But wait, there was more. For dessert, yup, you heard right, I had two tiny scoops of homemade, healthy, keto vanilla ice cream. Five simple ingredients: farm-fresh egg yolks, organic heavy whipping cream with no additives (as in, carrageenan-free—red seaweed, by the way), a pinch of Redmond Real Salt, vanilla bean paste, and a smidge of raw honey. Simple. Clean. Tasty. After dinner, my tummy was thoroughly satisfied. Thanksgiving-level full? No. But satisfied all the same.

I hinted at lunch a second ago. I was actually a bit hesitant about it today, because I had plans to meet with my pastoral peers for our monthly luncheon. Today’s destination was 6East in Springfield, and thank goodness everything they make is scratch-made. That said, their menu is a bit limited, and having been there numerous times, I knew that going in. That’s what was causing the hesitation. What on earth am I gonna eat to keep the carb count low?

Today’s special was this yummy-sounding burger, a variation of a Carolina Burger all the way. It’s a homemade burger patty cooked on their ginormous smoker, topped with a few ounces of pulled pork, homemade creamy slaw, and a dash of homespun BBQ sauce. I ordered that sans bun, and for a side, I asked for an order of their smoked chicken salad to share with my friend. Carb count? I have no idea, but being mostly meat and a few veggies, it couldn't have been much.

The point is, I was able to make good choices, and I didn’t cheat. And while this might sound strange, for me that was a massive step. Every single time we went out to eat in the past, I caved and said to myself, "Ah, I can make it up tomorrow. Tomorrow is a new day." Not today. This afternoon, I stuck to the plan and made good choices, and for that stick-to-it-ness, I have only the Lord to thank.

I think He gave me the willpower, because if left to my own devices, I would’ve absolutely ordered their brisket nachos with bombastic corn salsa and queso. Here’s the lesson I learned: if I could make good choices today, I can do it again some other place.

Anyway, that was my day... that, and dealing with Best Buy customer service halfway around the world, along with all the "fun stuff" that entails.

So, what do y’all think? What are YOU thankful for today? Anybody learn a lesson that you can repeat?