Joy--I will take it!

This week has been an interesting week with lots of contemplation, prayer, and discussion! Let me explain... as most of you know I have endometriosis and have been on medication that have been less than fun to say the VERY least! This past Tuesday Hubs and I went to my 3 month check up to see how the meds were working...well no change! This is the confusing part. Is the medicine working and causing the tumors not to grow or is it not, because they are not shrinking. HMMM???? What do we do? This the question Hubs and I have been and will continue to pray about over the next few days...

Well this is what I know... I have been medicine free for about 12 days and the past 4 days have been awesome! I feel joy again! I am smiling! I woke up this morning happy to get out of bed, happy to get dressed, happy to drive to work and overwhelmed with joy that drove me to tears as I listened to this song.

RISE By: Shawn McDonald

I will rise! I know that no matter what, if we decide to continue on the meds for awhile or we decide to go off and wait and see what happens, God is in Control! I will rise and I will enjoy these sweet days for TODAY IS THE DAY THE LORD HAD MADE!

Who Are You?

Who are you? Not what is your name, but really who are you? This can be a difficult question to answer but it is something I am trying to reflect on and something that I am discussing with  many of my clients who feel lost and discontent. The answer to this question we all need to know... not for others but for ourselves.

What excites you?
What do you Love?
Who do you Love?
How do you rejuvenate?
What drains you?
Where do you want to be in 5 years?
What makes you anxious?

There are millions of questions we can ask ourselves to find out the answer who are you! A few tools I am discovering to help in the process...

R12 by Chip Ingram
Living your Strengths by Winseman, Clifton & Liesveld
Pinterest
Friends and Family
Research
Prayer
Magazines
Blogs

Research and Discover what excites you and what desires God put in you! Find who He created you to be!

I know that I LOVE my husband, I LOVE baking, I LOVE looking at beautiful design, I LOVE helping others, I LOVE relationships....I am discovering more and more!

I leave you with Yummy Banana Nut Mini Muffins I made last night! I enjoy them at dessert with almond butter and SF jelly on them... then again this morning one two crumbled on top of my oats! DELISH!!!!!

Dont Hide!

So often we are fear stricken, causing us to hide our flaws, hide our hurts, hide our insecurities, really hide anything that we don't see as acceptable in ourselves and fear others wont accept. Why do we hide?

I believe we hide because we don't want to be found imperfect or unlovable. The crazy thing is... we are all imperfect and we are all loved by the Lord. So why then is this so very hard to believe?

In my own life I find myself trying to hide my emotions, my struggles, and my hurts for fear that no one will want to deal with them. I try to deal with it myself and with out failure every time it ends up a bigger deal than if I would have just been honest with others about my emotions, struggles, and hurts.

I am learning daily not to hide but to be honest and allow God to work in your life. Allow others to comfort you, support you, encourage you, and even challenge you. Do not be self sufficient because none of us are perfect and we all need each other and God to guide us! It takes a lot of Faith not to Hide and a lot of Courage! God is Faithful! He seeks after us! Its just easier when we avoid the game of Hide and Seek!

La Mie

Its 10am and I have already had a wonderful, full day! Hubs and I went for a 5:30 run! We like to do a little sprint/ jog/ walk pattern. We sprint a block, jog a block, walk a block. It is great interval training! Then I headed to work for an early morning session. Then to my favorite breakfast spot with some of my favorite people! My sister, her kiddos, my mom and I went to La Mie... its one of those restaurants I think I could eat at every day and never get tired of it! They have a super healthy menu, with tables and tables of fresh not so super healthy pastries! I just try not to look at them! Then order my egg whites, spinach, avocado, and multi grain toast! YUMMY!



On a scale of 1-10 I would give La Mie a 10 in food presentation and taste! Atmosphere is defiantly a breakfast joint... maybe a 5 but sitting outside ups it to a 7! Either way, I am always pleased!

In English La Mie means "the soft part of bread" interesting! The more interesting part is...

I often get on Biblegateway to look up verses and to do some research. Well, today when I happened on the website the verse of the day is...

“Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”” Matthew 4:4 NIV

My morning was great at my favorite soft bread breakfast spot, but my day will never be complete or full of life, without the word of God!

Enjoy your day!

Fast Forward Week!

This week has flown by! It is a perfect get back to work week after the 4th. Hubs and I are headed to the lake for the weekend for some R&R! We have been going going going for so long, I am excited to sleep in! Long walks, lots of grilling, reading, and sun bathing! I hope the weather holds! If not, I have already looked up movies at the theatre.

Lake weekends can turn into a 24/7 snack fest on junk food and ice cream! Not what I need right now after all I am in recovery week! So this is my game plan...

Drink lots of H2O...fizzy water is more fun so don't drink flat all day
Like I said earlier... grill grill grill... lean meats and fun veggies! Spice up your life and your food!
Work out every day! Working out at the lake is fun! Walk to town, Run a new path! Ride bikes, Play Tennis! Best part of it... Hubs and I work out together (well I guess we do almost every morning, but its more fun at the lake, no rush!)
Don't buy junk food!

I am vowing to eat Clean till my great friend Brooke gets married in August! WOO HOO! I have to fit into a bridesmaids dress! What doest eat clean mean... if it didn't come from God... don't eat it... Food shouldn't be made in a lab! Also, NO SUGAR!!!!! YIKES! I will be creative with my ice cream addiction! Hello Yogurt or Almond/Stevia Ice Cream like mixture!

I have lots of excitement so hopefully it will last... but I know the Hump will come! What helps you stick to a plan?

My Plan is to rely on the Lord to fill my heart and my belly! We don't need to turn to the world to fill us up! Oreos are fleeting but the Joy of the Lord is everlasting! The nutrients of God made food will benefit me for years to come!

Enjoy your weekend!

Scripture Cake

I love Baking... I really really love it. For me baking is a release and a great way to unwind when I am stressed. Before I got married and changed my work schedules from working Sundays to Fridays. I would bake every Friday morning. From Oatmeal cookies to banana bread. My favorite thing to make was Starbucks Oatmeal Cookies (REMIX Jenise Style) I subbed lots of bad stuff for whole healthy ingredients.

So because of my intense love for baking, I was super excited today when I ran across this recipe on IowaGirlEats blog. It was from her husbands, grandmas cookbook. So fun!

I cant wait to make this! So fun and strait from the Bible!

Gluten Free...

Went to the grocery store on a hunt for all things I can eat... which meant hunting a little more and reading labels a little more than I typically do. I used to read them all the time and then got into habit of buying the same things, so didn't really need to any more. That all changed yesterday... I cant tell you how many items in the grocery store say "This Item Contains: Wheat, Soy, Gluten, Peanuts" Oh my!

What to do... I went to the Gluten Free section of the store. Let me tell you everything is about double the price! My grocery bill would have nearly tripled easily! I left with fruits and veggies and lots of frustration!

Then when I arrived home lugging in my four bags (condo living is hard on grocery shopping) Everything turned around!!!!! It was like bells and whistles, shots of joy, loads of encouragement! Sitting there on my island was this...

Picture Source

The Lord seriously used my Husband to bless me! Hubs co-workers wife (got it) works for Kellogg's and brought sample cereal to the office! This stuff is not on shelves yet, but seriously its AMAZING!!!! I had a bowl last night for dessert with almond milk and truvia! Heaven in my mouth! Thanks KELLOGGS

Broken---But with a Warranty!

Today is a TRAGIC day! I BROKE the VITAMIX! If you know me and hubs we LOVE LOVE LOVE our Vitamix! I use it every  morning to make Hubs a Smoothie! (its my favorite part of my day, PS) Well this morning it cracked, banana and milk spraying everywhere! I couldn't believe it! My heart sunk!

Luckily it comes with a 7 year warranty! Even better the nice Manager Kathryn and William Sonoma is replacing it for free tomorrow! I just have to bring in the broken one!

It made me think about yesterday and when I am broken... I just have to bring myself to the Lord and he will fix me! He gives me an eternal warranty! He says he forgives 7x70! Beat that Vitamix!

It is a great day!

Fact vs. Feeling

I feel fat... I feel tired....I feel sad....I feel ___________

feeling is a word that we use a lot and place high value on the word. We use the word feel in many statements, lending the statement to imply Truth.

For example... we say I feel fat or I feel like I am gaining weight. Well the fact of gaining weight is proven by a scale. It is not a feeling.

Example: I feel useless the fact might be you are very useful, but the reward is not proving your use to you.

Fact and Feeling is something us as women need to strive to tell the difference between. It means we need to stop and evaluate our feelings... are they valid or are they just that a feeling with nothing to back it up.

Yes, often times our feelings are valid. the feeling of sadness because you were hurt by a friend or you lost your job, or maybe you are gaining weight. All of those can cause sadness. That is when we can cry out and pray!

But don't allow your feelings to control you or falsify judgement about yourself. When in question ask someone you trust to help you distinguish the difference.

PS....The bloody truth part 2 will come soon!

How do you know?

When making a decision... how do you know what is right? Sometimes, I wish that God would give me a crystal ball or a lighted sign! While I was dating hubs and would fret over if we would marry or not, my mom would always say... I dont have a crystal ball! HA! This I know!

I worry a lot sometimes... and in those times wish I did have that Crystal ball, but then I ask myself... why would we need faith or trust? How would we grow? So in these times, I am trusting that I will have an answer and it will be of God and from God!

On another note... Did you know Cabbage is so HEALTHY and so CHEAP! I am obssessed with it!

1 Cup of chopped Cabbage has 35 calories and is packed I mean packed with goodness!

It is good source of Protein, Thiamin, Calcium, Phosphorus and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Folate, Magnesium, Potassium and Manganese.

Read More

My favorite way of preparing cabbage is just sauted, but there are great soup recipes and I thing cabbage rolls are yummy too!

Go buy some!!!

What fills your Cup?

If our cup is not full how can we give? Pretty simple question, but most of us are running on empty! My mom told me today that we need to schedule time at the filling station so we are not running on empty. SO TRUE! Your car wont get very far on E! So why do we make ourselves run on E!

What fills your CUP? Here is what fills mine...

1. Prayer and Worship Times
2. Baking
3. Going out to eat with Hubs
4. Working out
5. Pampering (Pedicure, Massage, Facial)
6. Girls Night

Now that you know what fills your cup, schedule it in  your calendar! NOW!!! Do it! you will thank yourself for the time later!

Confidence!

What do you put your confidence in? Great question and I am not sure I know what my answer is...

I know putting my confidence in the Lord is the most valuable and we are called to Fear Not and have confidence! Annie does a great job explaining Godly Confidence in Loving God The Most Her last comment explains the importance of having Godly confidence and Self-Confidence. She says "they go hand in hand"

I know when my confidence isn't going hand in hand with Godly confidence... it is when I begin to believe that God did not create me perfectly. It is when I begin to believe lies that I need to fit a mold or be just like someone else. It is when I begin to listen to media and get too wrapped up in it.

I know I have Godly confidence when my focus is on the Lord. When my focus is on a eternal perspective and when I know I am loved for who I am inside. For who I am and for who God created me to be!

PS... BBQ meatball sammy was a hit... I roasted some Brusselsprouts to go a long with them! I LOVE LOVE LOVE Brusselsprouts!

Hubs and I are planning a House Warming Party and we met with our caterer last night... Food is going to be ROCKIN!!!! We are splitting duties and I cant wait to start our cooking week... Next week!

Whats for Dinner?

I think this is my favorite question to answer! Coming up with healthy food options bring be so much joy! I believe it is a God given passion that I can use to glorify HIM daily! What is a passion of yours? Do you use it to glorify the Lord?

So what is for dinner?

Last night I made Turkey Meat Balls and Black Bean Falafal Balls! Yummy (BB for me, I'm trying to go VEG as much as possible for health reasons)

Basically just added sauteed mushrooms, onion, spinach, and rosemary to each, plus one egg. Formed into balls and baked at 400 for 30 min!

We have a crazy busy week so I plan is to incorporate them into dinner tonight and tomorrow for a fast Yummy meal!

Here are my 3 ways...

Sunday Night: Super Bowl Style... Plain with several dips (mustard, cranberry, tomato, hot sauce)
Monday Night: BBQ open face sandwich on Great Harvest Bread
Tuesday Night: Tomato Rague and quick cooking Polenta

Enjoy your Passion today!

Goals Goals Goals...

The most common new years resolution/goal is to lose weight. I understand the desire. I find myself with that desire several times a month clustering around my lovely time of month! God Bless Hormones... Thanks EVE! Ha! With that said... seriously... God Bless Hormones and Thanks Eve! Because of Hormones and Eve I believe God has a major teaching tool here.

We as women put a lot of stock in our weight! Society has put a lot of stock in weight and appearance. It has become a defining tool for many. I read a great blog post today about not being defined by a number. Each day we have a choice to not be defined by the number on the scale or even the number in our checking account. Instead let us strive to be defined by who God has created us to be. Let us be defined by love joy and relationships.

Just as I struggle with the frequent desire to lose weight and I fall into the trap of being defined by a number. The number does not make me successful. Being fixated on the number is not living a life of balance.

What is Balance when it comes to Health and losing weight.... There is a Healthy Balance and it is not a Bad Goal to have...

Tomorrow- Balance in Losing weight!