Want to overcome an ugly confrontation?

Hey folks!

If you're anything like me, human that is, you come across difficult situations with other humans. Maybe it's at school? Maybe it's on your job? Maybe it's at your church? perhaps a relative, neighbor or spouse keeeeps pushing your button.. This is completely natural, however there are vital Spiritual components that are overlooked and therefore, keep us feeling natural about those situations. What the heck am I talking about? Well, keep reading. In this post, I would like to share 6 key postures (spiritual positions) that I oft rely on.  No! Absolutely not! This is NOT a step by step method or even a methodical approach. I am solely expounding on 6 key figures the Holy Spirit wants etched into your spirit for times like these. Am I saying there's only these six? No, in no wise. But I am saying, these are what I work on and toward, DAILY. So, instead waiting to explode from button pushing overload, try seeking God on why you have that button to begin with.

Here are some key actions to allow God to do IN YOU when stressful disagreements take place, so that He can get you on the road to healing, restoration and growth.

1. Don't allow it to linger! 
2 Corinthians 10:3-6
When unfavorable situations take place, cast down those imaginations that begin to rise up and add more to the situation than what it is. Those imaginations being, rehearsing the incident over and over, recalling past situations that were similar or not, thoughts of revenge or even taking note of it to bring up or remember later. This thought process easily enables you to harbor destructive emotions that disguise things like unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment and grudges, all of which are sin and will stick with you much longer than those emotions. How is this so? As mentioned in the scripture above, though we are in our flesh suits, we don't war against other flesh suits. Everything is spiritual and there are spiritual exchanges, breakthroughs and battles that are taking place all the time, completely unnoticed to the natural eye. So, when sticky situations arise, be quick ready and steady to relinquish those thoughts, emotions, the person or people to God, as well as your own self will and the situation itself. Remaining in that readiness to relinquish is a prostration unto God. Think of a football player, the receiver. He is at all times with his focus on being ready to catch that ball and with all his might, speed and agility, run that ball to score. We have to be spiritually and mentally prostrated that same way to run that ball to God - regardless of what tries to stop us. After you've passed him that ball, leave it there and let God be God. That's right, hands off (but heart on). Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good. You want to test me today? Well I'll  show you how mighty my God is by a WILLFUL act of kindness.

2. Get understanding!
"..in all thy getting, get understanding" -Proverbs 4:7
Many times the "problems" we encounter or go through with other people are escalated due to a lack of understanding. Getting understanding takes a made up mind that's geared toward peace and Love. Getting understanding requires patience and selflessness. Romans 15:2,3 says - "Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me." It's easy to let bygones be bygones if the matter benefits you, but according to that scripture, we should also seek to lift up one another for THAT person, solely - not even seeking our own gain. Let's be honest, it's easy to say someone else is wrong and walk away from a situation than it is to take time and evaluate things starting with ourselves or even apologizing FIRST when we've done "nothing" wrong. If we constantly approach and operate in every situation as the victim or always pointing the finger, how are we letting patience have her perfect work? When are we ever looking at ourselves? Furthermore, what understanding can be had when we feel justified with "I'm right, you're wrong?" This train of thought and behavior is immature, self righteous, stubborn pride and is a complete work of the enemy in us because we are not prostrating ourselves to Christ for our well being or that of others. Without understanding, we become fools. Yes, even that entire argument you saved up that you can't wait to let them have it! ...foolish without understanding. When we become fixated on any opinion, we have neglected acknowledging Him in all our ways and therefore we are without direction and without truth. There is no such thing as a right opinion, as an opinion is drawn from an individual frame of reference. For this reason scripture tells us not to be wise in our own conceits. It's not of the Greater Good. God.  "He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding" -Proverbs 15:32 "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God" -James 1:19,20  Want understanding? Gotta be able and willing to first, listen.

3. ...Seek peace and ensue it! 1 Peter 3:11
Much like understanding, the effort of seeking peace is something that literally  has to be sought after. Though understanding may seem as if it can go hand in hand with acquiring peace, sometimes we may have understanding but not be settled in ourselves about what happened. However, understanding may open the door for peace to be had. Remember, with every type of situation that comes about, peace is there just sitting back and waiting to be found and welcomed in. (Chances are we never have peace because we never search for it). If Jesus is the Prince of Peace, (which He most certainly is) then His Peace is ever reigning in us. His Peace is sobering and sustaining. Finding peace in things or other people will always, only be temporal and conditional - but if you're reading this post, you know that already. Jesus has a Peace that can utterly overpower the chaos and strife we go through with our peers or even individually in our own minds. His Peace is beautiful and it is amazing. Once you have obtained it, you realize it's value and that there is absolutely NOTHING that could take place in your life that could rattle it. But again, this is that prostration word again.

4. Resolve! Romans 15:5
In Genesis 1:3, God commanded darkness, "Let there be light and there was light". In that same concept, we must ALLOW there to be light in the midst of our darkness. We too must command for the darkness to move aside so the light can shine through. Unlike our Mighty Creator, it may not always be a verbal command  from us, but rather an action or non-action that exemplifies our position of the command. For instance, you're in a hurry, driving in traffic and someone is trying to cut you off. Don't continue in that dark by driving more aggressively,  let the light shine by easily letting them pass and waving them on with a smile without riding their bumper afterwards. (This was a very light example but I live in the Houston area, so you catch my drift). Light wants to shine! But we shun it and keep it shut out with actions and thoughts that perpetuate carnality. Constant bickering and spats are a bit carnal. At some point, someone has to acknowledge that Greater is He who is inside me (than he who is in the world), and therefore I seek His way of handling this matter. Light though it's Spiritual, can be seen and perceived naturally. If Light is present, there is Life and all things that yield to Life. When there is an absence of Light (darkness) there is the opposite, corruption and all things that yield to evil works -death. Obtaining resolve can be immediate or a process which will sometimes be contingent on your own will and desire to deny self and allow God. It's a choice. Remember that. Also, remember, resolve starts on an individual basis that should NOT be contingent on the other person or people involved. Regardless of the occasional or frequent actions of others, your soul still needs Salvation. You can come to resolve and find peace within yourself, even if the people or circumstances never cease or change. Therefore, choose Life!

5. Love! 1 John 4:7-11
"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." It's really that black and white. We're either loving or we're not. Love doesn't require an apology from the other person or people, nor does it take their change. All love requires is your own submission. Want to know what to submit to in Love? 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 -"
Love suffers long, and is kind; love envies not; love vaunts not itself, is not puffed up, Does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil; Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails... NEVER.

6. Forgiveness Luke 7:41,42
There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. 
What I would like to focus on here is when the creditor realized the debtors had nothing to pay, he THEN forgave them. Looking at this scripture and lining it up with our own actions, it's easily and rather quickly understood how we fall so very short. When we've experienced some sort of altercation with someone, we tend to wait for an apology or wait for them to confess or make it right in some way and THEN we forgive them. But that's not what the scripture says to do. As we see here, they didn't pay him and then he forgave, no, instead, while the debt was still owed is when he forgave. So, even while that person is wrong, even while they continue in their wrongness, it's key to forgive. Understand, it is vital that we experience negative confrontations with others because these are necessary for forgiveness to be wrought in our hearts. If no one ever mistreated us, how would we ever learn to forgive? Furthermore, how could we begin to understand Jesus giving His life for us, purchasing us with His blood and forgiving our sin while we yet, sin? What could we offer God to gain His forgiveness? Absolutely NOTHING. Yet His Grace is sufficient to forgive and cleanse us of all unrighteousness if we confess it to Him.

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. Romans 12:8

I pray this post has blessed and helped you.

Update on revision and blogs underway!

Welcome:

To all that have read my post titled 'Hairitage-...', I would like you to know that it has been revised. After re-reading it, I noticed I came off way to brash for such a sensitive topic and for that I apologize. I would much rather write in a way that conveys positive emotion than write from a place of a negative emotion.  My blogs are never written to offend, but rather to edify the reader, encourage the reader, offer insight on topics no one else is addressing and just flat out help somebody!

My post titled 'No more topical ointment' was written about my YouTube channel. Well, that channel ceases to exist right now. Short story short, that just wasn't what God wanted me doing at that time. I'm not sure if it will revive in the future, could be cool if it did. But please read that post about it anyway. 

Lastly, I know it's been some time since I posted, but there will be some good stuff posted today! Thank you for your patience and stopping by :)

Hairitage- Black women, our identity is not in our hair...

(This post may be touchy for most readers, perhaps even a bit controversial, read at your own discretion)

The context:
In today's world, a large percentage of the look, the trend and the culture of black women across America is, as it has been throughout time, about our hair. In the Black community, hair has been one of the most prominent topics of conversation and culture. Hair has been a powerful yet versatile weapon, as it has brought unity, been used as a stereotype, caused division, made others proud, caused insecurities, made some feel empowered - and this is just among the Black community. I'd like to take a brief look at a few key issues I have with hair in our community.

The not so incognito truth:
From flat ironing hair in the 50's, wigs in the 60's, to Afros loud and proud in the 70's, society has been able to cleverly label, classify and divide black women according to their style and texture of hair. The worst part about it, is that from childhood to adulthood, we Black women bought into it as well.  Example: Not many of us in conservative America or in a predominantly Caucasian setting would ever ADMIT that we believe our hair is nappy and distasteful. However, we SHOW we believe it by never showing its natural state, but instead keeping it straightened to resemble and fit in with our straight haired peers... We have been convinced that our hair is ugly, usually comparatively speaking among other races of people, but it's crazy how we can feel the same way among other Black women!

Comparisons:

"My hair is nappy." "She's got good hair." "Does my hair look better than hers, or does her hair look better than mine?"  "Is my hair longer than hers?" "How long is her hair or is that weave?".. These are all statements and questions that most of us have said or thought at the sight of another Black woman's hair. Why do we take so much thought about such foolishness? Chances are, if you have found yourself in this stream of comparative thought, you have fallen victim to hating your hair and most unfortunately, pay too much attention to hair. It's quite absurd that we have actually believed there is a such thing as good and bad hair, or better and worse hair - how ridiculous! The good hair/bad hair saga has been a great divider among us, instead of a varying quality to embrace and appreciate. Everything about our physical make up is fearfully (with reverence of significance and ease) and wonderfully (with excellence) made by God. And because God created our hair, its quite safe to say that your hair is without flaw or failure. There is however a good and bad paradigm about hair and those are the connotations that we (or others) put on hair texture and we believe it. Obviously, to prefer one hair type over another rears from an inner conflict of insecurity, jealousy, emptiness, and a lack of understanding.

The inevitable competition:
The invisible point behind all this is that everyone, regardless of hair type, loses BECAUSE they are competing. Deep down, most of us want to look better than every other woman we come across. For some of you, much time and effort in the mirror goes into that competition.  But why are we competing?! All that hard work and countless hours is misappropriated confidence. All women in general, have so much more worth, value, importance and significance that is beyond our hair, that we could be using to come together and do something meaningful and full of impact. The most impact we can make in this world would be shifting the focus from the vanity of ourselves and other women and aiming it at God. Learning who we are and abiding in the awesomeness of what HE created us to be, would take us further than our concern with hair. This reminds me of the overall body of Christ (the Church, which are the Believers, not the church building). There is MUCH more that we could be doing to help one another, but instead, all over this nation Christians have been led into the folly of being more focused on their Sunday swag and who's got the bigger and better church building. And because competing is the forefront of our mentality, we dismiss our work of Salvation and spend our lives trying to exalt our name and not His! In both scenarios, be it individual or corporate,  we are still distracted with something that enables us to miss our purpose. How POWERFUL we could be coming together for the RIGHT reasons and not the vanity of hair and huge churches (just to name a few, obviously).

A scriptural look:
I brought to the table a few scriptures for prospective and to show how we have misappropriated what God has given us..

[1Corinthians 11:15- But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.]

Here we see the context for what our hair is for, it is A glory TO us and is a covering FOR us. Hair by itself does not make us glorious, nor beautiful, but rather an added feature or compound mixed together with all the other compounds God has given us, that are a beauty TO us. Much like an accessory. We may wear certain accessories to accentuate or bring out something else that's already there (this is what our hair is for!). That something beautiful that's already there is the God fearing wan you are (if you so be). The accessory is to accent US, never should we accent an accessory. But this tends to be the case when we esteem so highly our hair instead of He who created all things, including our hair. We diminish ourselves (which is easily done when we don't know who we are) and empower our lifeless hair - what a rip off!

[Proverbs 18:16- A man's gift makes room for him and brings him before great men.]

In the same way your hair spotlights you, so should your gift(s). We are to exalt the gift giver and only in Him is where we find our true identity. Look to Jesus Christ (Christ is not His last name, but the context of Jesus the Messiah - the Savior), find out who you are and what you were created for. Its okay if you don't know, no one knows until we go to Him and ask Him to reveal it to us. Find out how very precious you are to Him and the purpose you were created  for. Trust Him, there is purpose in everything He does and in everything about you that He has created. To highlight certain features and exalt them instead of allowing those things to Glorify Him, is unprofitable for you. He wants to highlight all of you, yep, even that stuff too. The more of you He uses, the more He can be revealed :)

The mention of these scriptures is not to condemn anyone for talking about hair or interests in hair care. Just in case it wasn't clear earlier in this post, its not hair or interest in hair that's bad, but much like many things, what is done with it and the overindulgence of it, gives it negative connotations. Among Black women, hair is our primary focus, be it with ours or someone else. For that very reason, we miss the significant things about us which get regarded as obscelet. If I could attach a megaphone to this post, I would say, "Black women, WE ARE MORE THAN OUR HAIR! All women, WE ARE MORE THAN OUR HAIR! Regardless of what societal norms exist, they can't gage what God has created. You are beautiful the way God made you (only when you realize lasting beauty comes from within)!

"No more topical ointment!" (YouTube)

***Disclaimer: YouTube channel no longer exists, but please, do read this blog***

The title for this blog is in acknowledgement of my new YouTube channel that launched yesterday actually.

'No more topical ointment!' is dedicated to those that may have a pseudo-relationship with God, or lack thereof and perhaps don't know it or know it but have no clue about how to go about making it better.

The terminology, "topical ointment" derives from a revelation I was given about Christians who keep God and the things of God external. People that do such, also tend to (whether they realize it or not) live their life/spiritual career working for their salvation... EEK! Big mistake. God takes us as we are and unconditionally loves us to the place of where He wants us to be. Sure enough, it is a work that goes forth in us; changing us from old to new, however, it is a work that only He can do. If there was ANYTHING you could do to save yourself, then you would have no need of a Savior making Christ dead in vain.

Topical ointment is a matter or rather issue of the heart. Topical ointment wants the perks and blessings of God without the commitment, submission or relationship with God. Topical ointment outwardly looks like a great person who is loving and living a Christlike lifestyle but inwardly is full of all manner of hypocrisy and ill regard to what God Loves. Topical ointment goes to church every time the doors are open and does everything the church says to do, but has absolutely no relationship with God upon leaving church and therefore experiences no change. Topical ointment appears to have a thriving relationship with God because their works and disciplines look great, but the Love of God is absent from their heart... Are you catching my drift?

Topical ointment is dangerous and detrimental. It could also be grouped with Pharisaic and Saducee-ism. "No more topical ointment!" is to help us stir away from all things topical when relating to God and to engage in a further, deeper authentic relationship with Jesus!

If something within you was pricked, compelled or even excited while reading this post, I invite you to tune in and subscribe to my channel. There will be so much good stuff going on over there. I'll be sharing and discussing the Word of God, expounding on scriptures and also taking questions and comments via email that will be answered in the broadcasts.

Hope to see you there!

Link to my channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfrXXu2FQ_AValPkHWGLOuA
For questions and comments:
withhistripes@gmail.com
(The spelling is a little weird so be sure to type two h's and one 's', unlike the way its spelled in the name of the blog.

To want or not to want... Lust is the question.

Before I begin to describe the pictures below, I'd like to first talk about the title of this post. (My intentions are not to single out the men from this post, buuut I'm thinking that what I have to say applies more to the women).  To want or not to want, lust is the question. If there is ONE thing, the majority of all women have in common, its the rigors of dieting, eating healthy or adapting to a healthier lifestyle. Let's be honest ladies, any time we begin a new eating regimen, before we have established the details of it, we've already established our "cheat day(s)", right? I know, I know, it's a humbling truth but that's a good thing and the purpose for this post.
The Battle
The question on the table is WHY? Why do we have cheat days? Why do we feel we NEED a cheat day (or days for some of us)? Lastly, why do we have such a hard time sticking to what we know is better for us to do? In this post, I will address these questions with the answers I've been shown and I pray they will help you, encourage you and if nothing else, prompt you to taking an honest look at yourself.
Lust vs. Covet
Most of the time when we hear the word 'lust', our minds tend to place upon it at least 3 sexual connotations. When we hear the word 'lust' in reference to a person, well then we just put those 3 sexual connotations upon that person, huh? Lust is so much more than sexual immorality and desire. Lust can be very similar to coveting, but not similar enough to use them interchangeably as some do. To covet, one may just have vain wants, "I want this, I want that, I want, I want, I want"!! To have that persistent want, can be traced to a heart issue. There's a void/emptiness of some sort that a person is looking to fill, but doesn't quite know what the void is or even what it is they need to fill it.  Of course it's okay to want things, but it's the on-going want of vain desires that brings one to covet. Lust however, is similar in the persistent want, but with lust, one tends to have a concentrated focus of what they always want and never reaches a place of sufficient satisfaction in it, just temporal satisfaction, therefore the want continues. Lust, much like coveting, can also stem from a void, but more so, selfish, sensual desire.  With coveting, you can want something, get it, then want something else. With lust, you have a bottomless pit of non-stop want of that particular thing or things. There's hardly ever too much of that thing. Most importantly, lust is thoroughly damaging and corruptive to your mind and spirit because it is so self satisfying. When driven of lust, you will arrange your entire lifestyle and the people in it around you getting what you want. If something gets in the way of that, you either force it to succumb to your lust or do away with it so that you can still have your lust.
The Correlation
I'm sure you're thinking, "what in the world does this have to do with eating healthy"? Well, I'll tell you. A lust for food is something that I (and most women) personally struggle with. Food for us or anyone for that matter that perhaps struggles with healthy eating, weight or low self esteem due to weight, is such a comfort for us. (When I say comfort, I'm not referring to what's cliché. Society demonstrates food comfort as one who eats their emotions, which makes absolutely no sense to me at all. How can I eat what derives from me? I digress). It's comforting in that we're getting exactly what we want how we want to suit how we feel. We're often moody, hormonal and overall carrying many things in our spiritual womb (these are NOT excuses, but it is the way God made us). In a nutshell, a women tends to have 100 things her mind is on, 100 things her heart is set on and another 100 things her spirit is picking up on (and that's not "women's intuition", again, it's the spiritual womb God gave us). So with all this going on, it makes a lot of sense why we would lean to food to bring forth some sort of relief, alleviation of what burdens us or even a degree of happiness and temporary contentment. It's as if the palette of our tongue is ever changing and has a taste bud for each of those categories, so when we eat our food of choice, it caters to that palette.
The Proposed Questions and Answers
Earlier I presented 3 questions:
1. Why do we have cheat days?
2. Why do we feel we NEED a cheat day (or days for some of us)?
3. Lastly, why do we have such a hard time sticking to what we know is better for us to do?
(Please keep in mind, the answers I'm giving are what was shown to me about me. If they apply to you and help you, awesome. If they do not apply, again, I pray they will prompt you to have an honest glance at yourself and seek your own).

For the first question I found that much like my walk in Christ, I tend to slip and fall in the same areas. Those areas being weaknesses that I harbor. Instead of subjecting them to Him, I tend to lean toward what satisfies my body, my feelings, my emotions, my attitude and even my own nonsensical logic and rationale. When my mind was made up (though I was spiritually led) that I would switch to an all raw lifestyle, MY body, feelings, emotions, attitude, logic and rationale said, "I'll do that for 6 days a week, but for one day a week, I have my meats and cooked foods, a.k.a a cheat day. Even in doing the right thing that I know to be better for me and beneficial, I just couldn't get over my carnality which needs its sensual desires met. Sure a better way of eating is great, we all know, buuut a fruit medley doesn't seem anywhere near as satisfying as three scoops of Oreo cookies and cream icecream, or whatever your edible vice may be. What I discovered is that my "cheat day" (or some times cheat days) were nothing more than me STILL giving over to the foods I lusted.

Why do we feel we NEED a cheat day? For most women, being told we shouldn't eat certain of our favorite foods is like telling us shouldn't have a mind to think for ourselves. YES, men, it gets that serious some times. We know what is better for us, but when lust pokes it's ugly head out, we give over to its demand and this is why I felt I NEEDED that cheat day. It's that part of me/us that even when doing better, that one particular area is still very much so, lust driven. I've seen many times in women that are on strict diets and even in myself, we'll say "oooh, that one little bite of that won't hurt, I've done really good for 4 consecutive days"... my response here, a little leaven, leavens the whole lump. In other words, doesn't matter if you have a barrel of dough, one pinch of yeast will still cause it to rise. One bad apple spoils the rest, etc, etc. We think it's harmless, but after we fully give in (because it never stops at one bite), our first response is, "I shouldn't have ate that" and we feel defeated, yet again, by food.

The last question was, why do we have such a hard time sticking to what we know is better for us to do? This may sound a bit confusing, but I'll explain. Sometimes, our heart may know what's best, but our head clouds our will to do it due to logic and rationale. If our heart is where the issue lies, then it may send a thought to our head that again, may not line up with the logic and rationale. However, if our head and our heart could be on one accord, we could successfully stick to that better thing for us. This process is also called CHANGE. If you apply a temporary fix to a temporary problem, you'll have a temporary streak in combatting that issue. Instead, we MUST take on a permanent fix for that temporary problem (and yes, it is temporary) to reap the results of a permanent outcome, no more streaks, actual change. If we never go to the source of a problem, we will never accurately and effectively diagnose what the problem is. If our car doesn't start, we don't rush to the store to replace a headlight. Instead, we take it to a mechanic, or one who is expert in auto mechanics because they will take a deeper look and tell us what's going on. Get it?  Instead of continuously cloaking your mental, spiritual, heart and even emotional problems with diet regimens, attack them head  on! Seek the underlining root or cause of the problem and then seek what needs to be done to effectively rectify it, without the streaks. (I say "no more streaks" and "without the streaks" because a streak is an indicator that it has or will come to an end, change does not. If I add blue to my red paint, the color is changed. If I want it red, then guess what? I must CHANGE it again).
The Key
In conclusion, I discovered that I'm not a "food head" or a big "foodie" as popular trending culture likes to disguise things. No, I discovered I have a lust issue, my weapon of choice just happened to be food due to all the things that are apart of me (nostalgia, hormones, personality, self will, emotion, etc) are satisfied when I eat what I want. There is hope and His name is Jesus. He's willing and waiting to intervene, but only if you let him.   


BAKED Eggplant Burgers! (A healthier alternative to hamburgers)
*One eggplant will render five standard sized patties*
What you will need:
1 Eggplant
2 or more Garlic cloves or to taste, I used 41/3 of an Onion or to taste
2 1/2 cups of Italian Breadcrumbs
Garlic
Salt
Powdered Sage
Chili Powder
Lemon Pepper seasoning.

Step 1. Preheat oven to 350. Lay the eggplant on its side and cut into thirds. Skin the eggplant and thinly slice much like the size of French fries.

 
Step 2. Dice the slices into small cubes, can be bigger or smaller but the smaller the better.   
 Step 3. Add two eggs and stir till yolk is thoroughly mixed in the eggplant. Add 2 1/2 cup of Italian bread crumbs, diced garlic and onion, and your seasoning of choice. I used powdered sage, garlic salt, chili powder and lemon pepper. Next, stir all together until mixture begins to clump and stick together as I circled here in the picture. If it's not clumping, add more breadcrumbs. (Don't be discouraged if you think you've added too much breadcrumbs. Like all vegetables, when cooked they secrete water, that water with the breadcrumbs and egg will act as your binding agent to hold your patties together).
  
Step 4. Spoon onto oiled (coconut, olive or grape seed) baking pan, then press and shape into patty formation. In a separate pan I thinly sliced the eggplant skin and sprinkled on some garlic salt. They will crisp after 25 minutes of baking. If you desire them softer, bake for 15 minutes.

Step 5. Be sure to space patties in the baking pan, if not they will stick when you bake them. (They will resemble meat patties if adequate breadcrumbs are added.

Step 6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until they look to have your desired outer crisp. Then remove, flip and bake for another 15-20 minutes. (Notice the textural difference).
 
 Step 7. Dress your bun as you would your favorite burger. I added mayo, lettuce and tomato with crisp skins as fries. Enjoy!