How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to passiveincomepro23 who is now Following.

Only a few years after Issac Watts was born on July 17, 1674, his parents realized that he was a prodigy. He was reading at age 3, learned latin at age 4. Young Isaac delighted in rhyme and his first poem was penned when he was 7 years old. By the time he was 13, he had learned French and two classical languages. Family friends suggested an early admission to Oxford University, to the end of an occupation as an Anglican clergyman. But Isaac spurned the suggestion, since he had been raised as a ‘dissenter.’ His family were Calvinists, followers of the French style of Protestantism, and these views were at odds with those of the English Anglican Church. Isaac’s formal education ended at age 20 and he moved back home. When hymns were sung at their church, Watts noted the lack-luster engagement of the congregation. Hearing his frequent complaints, his father challenged him to write something better. The enthusiastic reception of of Isaac’s new song inspired him to write one new hymn every week for the next 2 years. [Watts did not write the music. The church music director saw to matching music to the words.] The followers of Luther had been singing new songs for 150 years, but Calvin had insisted that the words of hymns be from the Psalms of the Old Testament, which can be rather dreary. Watts re-wrote the psalms, turning out new wordings which could be sung with enthusiasm. Below, note the way Watts reinterpreted the words to be ‘catchier,’ more singable — putting New Testament optimism over Old Testament angst.

Psalm 90 verses 1-8

“O God, Our Help in Ages Past”

Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men. For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday  when it is past, and as a watch in the night. Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up. In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth. For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.

O God, our help in ages past,   Our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast,   And our eternal home. Under the shadow of Thy throne   Thy saints have dwelt secure; Sufficient is Thine arm alone,   And our defence is sure. Before the hills in order stood,   Or earth received her frame, From everlasting Thou art God,   To endless years the same. A thousand ages in Thy sight   Are like an evening gone; Short as the watch that ends the night Before the rising sun. Time, like an ever-rolling stream,   Bears all its sons away; They fly forgotten, as a dream   Dies at the opening day. O God, our help in ages past,   Our hope for years to come, Be Thou our guard while life shall last,   And our eternal home.

Not every worshipper was fond of these new songs, but in time Watts’ hymns became embedded in the musical traditions of protestant churches. Can you imagine Christmas without “Joy to the World”? Thank you, Isaac Watts! For the last 30 years of his life, marked by bouts of fever and weakness, Isaac was the pastor of a Dissenter congregation near London. In addition to his pastoral duties, he was a prolific writer: four books of lyrics; essays on theological topics; education texts; and his 1000s of sermons were collected into books. Watts’ words of faith and Christian virtue sing on in churches across the world, a testament to his talent.

Watts wrote simple, comforting words in his songs. Our meals will be simple, comforting foods from England.

Poached Egg on Toast: 156 calories 5.6 g fat 2.4 g fiber 10.5 g protein 14.6 g carbs 52.6 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the plated foods only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF — if using GF bread I never used to like poached eggs, but on a Fast Day, they taste good.

one slice of 70-cal bread [Dave’s Killer Thin-Sliced Bread is great]   one 2-oz egg 1 oz of apple or 1.5 oz melon  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water  Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

If using an egg poacher, lightly spray the egg cup and heat the water to a simmer. Toast the bread. Poach the egg for 3-4 minutes, according to your taste. Slide egg onto the toast; season to taste; enjoy with your beverage of choice.

Vegetable Pie: prepared with LATTICE + cheese: 1 Serving = 236 calories 9.4 g fat 4.6 g fiber 7 g protein 44 g carbs 115.6 mg Calcium  PB GF – if using GF puff pastry. This excellent recipe is from allrecipes.com. I removed most of the oil and half of the puff pastry, and it still tastes wonderful. The grated cheese is my addition. HINT: This recipe makes enough for 3 servings.  For 2 servings, I used an 8” casserole dish.

Sv 3: 1 Sv= 1¼ cup	Preheat oven to 425 F /220 C
1 tsp oil+ 1 tsp water ½ c onion 4 oz mushroom 1 clove garlic	Heat oil+water in a large skillet/ saucepan. Chop the vegetables and cook in oil 3-5 mins, stirring often.
1 lg carrot, peeled ¼# potato, peeled 7” stalk celery 1 c. cauliflower ½ c green beans 1½ c veg broth 1 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper	Dice carrots and potato. Slice celery and beans into 1” pieces. Cut cauliflower into florets. Add all vegetables to pan, then add broth. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to a simmer. Cover and cook until vegetables are barely tender, ~5 mins. Season with salt and pepper.
1 Tbsp cornstarch 1 Tbsp soy sauce 2 Tbsp water rosemary + thyme	Mix until cornstarch is completely dissolved. Stir into vegetables with herbs, and cook until sauce thickens, ~3 minutes. TIP: can do day before. For 2 servings, remove 1¼ c and freeze for another use.
1 oz Gouda, grated ½ sheet puff paste OR  ¼ sheet, cut for lattice	Pour filling into a baking dish. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Roll out dough and arrange over filling. If not using lattice, cut slits to vent steam.
	Bake until crust is brown and filling is bubbly, ~25 mins