Leave a woman alone in her kitchen...

Leave a woman alone in her kitchen….

                                                                   and she’ll get creative with her food!

This afternoon my husband headed off to work a bit and that meant Eva and I were alone in the house.  I lit a few candles, poured some hot tea and watched the snow fall outside our windows.  As I stood in our kitchen and rambled through drawers and cabinets looking for some fantastic junk food to devour, I found myself stranded.  Here I was, snowed in with only healthy food to eat… no ice cream, no chocolate, no potato chips! 

It was just before I had a cravings pity party that I remembered I had two zucchini in the fridge.  I had bought them hoping to make “noodles” with them in accordance with a recipe I found on Pinterest.  You see.. my husband and I have been trying to cut back on gluten.. for no other reason than we would like to eat a bit healthier and pay more attention to exactly what we’re eating.  We have a couple of friends that eat completely gluten free and have seen tremendous results but I realize that living “gluten free” is extremely difficult and practically impossible at times, so we’re trying to start with small changes and get creative with other options.

After searching through my Pinterest boards, I finally found the zucchini noodles recipe.  It was really very simple and seems like it would be fun to play around with and add your own touch.

                 

I took a zucchini, shaved off the exterior coat(not required), then (using the guard) sliced the zucchini with our julienne slicer.  After letting the “noodles” sit for a few minutes, I warmed a skillet with the “noodles”, some marinara sauce, basil, garlic and black pepper.  It’s amazing how well the zucchini held it’s texture and I promise there was hardly any difference between my zucchini spaghetti and regular pasta spaghetti.  It will definitely be a new staple in our house. 

                      

I was reminded that this was the exact reason we try not to stock “junk food” in our house… so that when you find yourself ransacking cabinets looking for chocolate or salty chips and find nothing, you’ll turn to the healthy stuff and that helps keep me on my path to a healthier lifestyle! 

Sticks & Stones

Sticks and Stones is the current series at our church and this week’s message revolved around our approach in difficult situations.  Pastor Steven’s message was amazing and had several tips on working through conflict but it was a quote that has caught my attention all day.  “What others think of me is none of my business” by Eleanor Roosevelt hit me like a fire ball this morning and I have been trying to recover ever since.  I am a people pleaser.  Sometimes I feel that I would do better if I walked around with a t shirt on letting others know that up front.  I sincerely struggle with telling people “no” and it affects me deeply when I feel that others aren’t pleased with me. 

So when I heard this quote by Eleanor Roosevelt my immediate response wasn’t towards gossip or teasing but the thoughts that others have about me as a person, a wife, a sister or co-worker.  There have been many nights that I’ve laid awake, upset that someone may not have approved of my choice or agree with my statement.  Living my life with what others think as the guidelines has to stop.  I am a good person and I am a hard worker.  I try to do my best daily and when I fail I am quick to stand back up and try again but it’s the debilitating thoughts of “what if” that have held me back or redirected my path.  How sad to think of the decisions made because of others opinions or the missed opportunities because of what others may say. 

Pastor Steven went on to teach about how we can be our hardest critics.  Can I get an amen?  I believe women are some of the worst at this.  We spend so much time beating ourselves up daily.  Pastor Steven spoke of two statements that we tell ourselves; “you are not able” and “you are only...”  I can’t begin to count all the times those slogans have circled in my head.  I am not able to achieve that goal.  I am not able to take that position.  I am not able to speak with that authority.  I am not able to associate with that person.  I am only 25. I am only a woman.  I am only a CNA.  I am only a wife.  I am only….and on and on it goes.  Again, with putting others thoughts about myself above my own and cycling with the “I am not able” and “I am only” can not only be debilitating but forever crippling until something is done to fix it. 

What if I woke up tomorrow and made the day’s decisions and actions based solely on what God would have me do and how God would have me act in those situations?  What if I solely spoke and acted to please Him?  What if in addition to putting his desires for my life first, I also took away the limitations of “I am not able” and “I am only”?  With God I can do all things through Him, so with Him standing with me, my limits are gone and my sights are set on a life lived through His desires for me.  How freeing it sounds to take away limitations or fear of other’s disapproval, but how do I do that?  People pleasing and the “self doubt” talk have become normal after years of practice, so how do I turn around now?  I’d say the first step is to immerse myself in worship.  By reading the Word, listening to worship music, surrounding myself with encouraging, wise people I can retrain my brain to think about God’s plan first?   Everything begins with small steps so it’s by making small but repeated decisions based on God’s plan for my life that I can change my people pleasing, self-doubting habit into a limitless walk with God that will birth a happier, healthier life.  I pray that we all spend a little less time in the worry of what others think or say and more time in God’s awesome plan for our life.  May we refrain from debilitating speech and thoughts and embrace our new life with Christ.

Planning doesn't make Perfect

   I struggle because I am a planner.  I am an A type personality with a need for perfection.  I love calendars, organizational charts and countless "to do" lists.  I have plans for today, this week, next month, one year from now, five years from now and so on and so forth.  The problem isn't that I plan, per say, but that I plan with little to no room for change.  I realize that this is not how it works and that in cases like mine, plans hardly ever work out according to plan!
    I am currently reading Confessions of a raging perfectionist, written by Amanda Jenkins.  Her work is amazing but making my way through her book has been a mixture of torture and therapy.  Just like Amanda, I know where my heart is suppose to be and that with faith I am to trust in the Father and His plans for my life but sometimes it's hard not to get upset when plans go haywire.  Amanda's words hit really close to home in this excerpt, "I have come to realize I'm not a planner; I'm a hoper.  I hoped I'd be married at twenty-six; hoped I'd live in New York City; I hoped I'd work as a screenwriter; I hoped I'd have my first child at twenty-eight.  I can't say I had a well-thought-out plan for any of these things-- I sort of aspired to them.  Some of them have happened; some have not.  But whether I refer to the stuff I want to happen in my life as plans, hopes, dreams or whatever, at some point or another, plans fail, hopes defer and dreams die.  So then what? I'm face to face with God, my brow furrowed, saying, "What were you thinking?"  And then I realize the real question is, What was I thinking?  Thank God I didn't marry that guy at twenty-six, and thank God I had no children at twenty-eight, and the list goes on."
    Whew!  Amanda's words remind me that as I plan for the future and hope for what I would like to see happen, it's not guaranteed and just as I look forward at what may be, I need to look back at what could have been and luckily, didn't!   I get so wrapped up in the moment and the right now that I forget to look past what's right in front of me and my current plans and desires.  I forget to thank God for allowing me to make mistakes but picking me back up and loving me through the process.  I need to remember the plans I had in my past that didn't go according to plan; that because of God's Greatness, He didn't give me control over everything.
    I pray that as I continue through life and plan for tomorrow; I remember my Heavenly Father and His promises for life and plans to prosper.  He has a life for me that I cannot fathom and one day as I stand in front of Him, I don't want to apologize for fighting against Him but rejoice for following Him.

Leading Ladies

   I have been blessed with amazing women in my life at the most critical times.  In my hardest moments and my highest peaks, I have been blessed to have a strong, encouraging group of women around me.  These women certainly don't fall out of the sky but with a little courage, I have been able to take the first step and join a life group/e group that has brought them into my life.
   There are so many important reasons to become part of a life group/e group at your church.  I always get concerned expressions when people are informed that our church doesn't have "Sunday school."  The reason for that is, that our "Sunday school" environment happens in "small group" settings during other times of the week.  Casey and I have always been in a small group and it has continually fed us spiritually, emotionally and mentally.  I look back over the years and would hate to know how I would have handled some of the experiences life has given me without my small group.
   Shortly after Casey and I married, we joined an e group through Elevation.  Our particular e group was a "young married group" that meets on Tuesday nights.  We've been a part of this group for a couple years now and I continue to thank God for the men and women that have walked through our path and joined us in the first years of marriage.  As the time goes by, our group grows and develops further.  When we started, it was small group of newly married couples and now we have 2 newborns and one arriving in a couple of months.  As we walk through life together, we are able to help one another in whatever struggles and praises come along.
    Take today for example; I started my day conquering everything on my task list and felt like it was going to be a fantastic afternoon.  Just as my sails were flying high, darkness came and struggles appeared and without warning, I was stressed over life complications.  Of course, I prayed and took a walk to speak with God.  That certainly helped, but I admit, sometimes I struggle emotionally when I speak to God and I feel His Presence but the hurt remains and I just need to talk to a girl!  Can I get an Amen?  Within minutes I was able to contact a few of my friends from our e group and we were able to meet for a walk.  I can't tell you the difference it made to be able to vent, regroup and get honest, genuine advice on how to handle my situation.  Hours after my struggle appeared, I felt rejuvenated and better equipped to deal with the problem.     I am so thankful for the women that God has placed in my life.  Each one is different and pure in their own way.  We all have different walks of life and ways of the world, but together we come and love on one another.  Being able to talk and share moments together allows us to become better women, wives and mothers.  I am so blessed!

Permission Slip Series

   Last weekend at our church, Elevation in Charlotte, NC; our pastor began a series titled "This is your Permission Slip."  Pastor Steven is breaking down the reality that many people look at Christianity as a program with restrictions and regulations.  Fortunately, that is not the heart of Jesus.  He came to earth to liberate and rescue.  This morning, Pastor Steven dove further into scripture, pulling from the Ten Commandments(Exodus 20).  Pastor Steven used parenting to describe how sometimes we say no when we should say yes, simply because it is more convenient; following with the reality that God is never a convenience God.  

    In order for us to properly live in Christ and share the Gospel with others, we need a new understanding of the Word.  "It must be horrible to be as good as God is and be twisted to look so bad through humanity."  I loved this quote by Pastor Steven, "If Christianity is boring to you, you're not doing it right.  If your burden is breaking your back, you're not carrying it right."(Pastor Steven Furtick)  God gives us the Ten Commandments and many other laws throughout the Bible; some that expired many years ago and some that last for eternity but He never intended for these laws that were created to liberate us and empower us through a walk with Him to be twisted and turned to portray a Christian life of misery and limitation.  Pastor Steven explained how when Moses was given the Ten Commandments, God wanted to speak with His people and began with "come to me", not "thou shalt not."  God is the God of yes.  

    As Pastor Steven was wrapping up his sermon today, he spoke about chains and how through life events or even prior experiences in the church; people can become enslaved and misunderstand God's Word completely.  "When you've been in chains long enough, you don't know what freedom feels like.  People are enslaved in their minds.  We wear out under heavy loads that God didn't want us to carry."(Pastor Steven Furtick)  

    As Pastor Steven was speaking today, my heart was burdened and my mind taken back to a day not so long ago that I was reminded of God's true love.  A cool, autumn evening drive back to my college campus, as I listened to music on the radio while my mind pondered immediate actions that would need to take place in the coming days.  I found myself a college freshman, with too much on my plate that I hadn't planned for.  Bad decisions had gotten me into bad situations and now I was without hope, that is without Jesus.  I had grown up in church but as schedules became hectic, slowly I faded away through high school.  I knew who Jesus was but frankly, didn't want anything to do with Him.  Christianity and religion was full of do's and dont's or so I thought.  I figured after I was done living it up in high school and college, I would return to church once I had gotten my life back together.  Thankfully, that night was when I became a "saved" Christian.  I knew I couldn't fix my problems and as I drove down the road, tears began streaming down my face and my heart broke into pieces.  The music played and a warmth came over my body.  I literally, felt God there with me, holding my brokenness, telling me that with Him, I could find happiness again and genuine hope for a better tomorrow.  Can I tell you that I was a different person when I exited that car compared to when I entered it?  Not everyone is "broken" when they turn to Christ but everyone has a story.  I knew right then and there that I had met my God and that He was going to walk beside me from that day forward.  

    It wasn't long after that night that I meet my husband and together we built a relationship, attending church and seeking counsel in small group settings.  My life didn't suddenly become perfect and my worries flee, but day by day as I put God first and tried to walk a bit closer to Him; my life did change and morph along with my desires.  I am very thankful for my brokenness on that night and that God visited with me.  The list of rules that had kept me from Christ all along were now, leading me into a path of greater happiness and strength than I had ever known.  

   I pray that people out there with questions and concerns about Christianity or a relationship with Christ would seek honest, genuine counsel from bible based churches.  There are so many resources now for new believers but it takes stepping out and speaking up to change your path.  God is a yes God and He wants to give you all that He has in store.  

www.elevationchurch.org

www.elevationnetwork.com

www.youversion.com

God's Creation

    There were many moments in Barbados that reminded Casey and I of how blessed we are.  We were constantly shown the beauty of Christ through creation.  The Friday before we returned home, our family took us on a tour of the island.  One of our stops was at a historic lighthouse that is now boarded up and quickly aging as the salty air erodes its exterior.  As we climbed out of the cars, Casey and I walked down a slight hill in front of the lighthouse.  We knew we were on the water but we had no idea what waited at the bottom of that hill.  As we approached the edge of a cliff, we were overwhelmed with the sight that laid before us.

   Standing on top of the cliffs, looking down and out across the water left us without words.  I literally had my breath taken from me and could only stand with tears filling my eyes, thinking just how powerful and mighty our God is.  I was thankful for the opportunity to get to view such a sight.  It was one of those moments when your faith can be reaffirmed because standing, looking at God's masterpiece, we knew that science's explanation for how our world became what it is, was not through a large explosion or process of evolution.  To be in the Presence of God and to feel Him there with us as we stood in awe; we could have stayed there all day just trying to soak in every minute.  Casey and I both took some time to talk to God and thank Him for bringing us to this place.

   Weeks later, we are reminded of our experience that day.  Unfortunately, our pictures do not begin to do this sight justice but we can look back and remember the moment when our eyes were opened and hearts poured out to God.  It's when you find yourself in a situation that could swallow you that you are reminded of how small we are and how big He is.  Suddenly, your stresses and worries become small with you and your faith in Him becomes larger than ever.  As we lean on Him, He will show us true peace and comfort.

A week in Paradise

Last week Casey and I spent time with family friends in Barbados.  Casey and his sister hadn’t been in over 14 years so it was neat to watch both of them reminisce throughout the week.  Long story short, Casey’s step dad had a foreign exchange student that came to North Carolina and stayed with his family years ago.  Skip and Angela kept in touch over the years so now it’s like having family living in paradise.  I’ve had the honor of meeting and “liming” with several of the “Bajan’s” before now but it was nice to see Barbados up close and get to experience the culture first hand. 

Our week long trip was non-stop and there were many luxuries to our stay since we were close with the “locals!”  We spent an afternoon on a “speed” boat, snorkeling and swimming with sea turtles; we visited a local yacht club and snorkeled around ship wrecks.  Casey and I were able to visit some local bajan eateries with fresh fish and hot bajan pepper sauce.  Our family was able to tour a cave over 160 feet below ground, try out our expertise on paddle boards and even eat dinner fixed from a 5 star chef, Nick King, after a day of touring the island.  Talk about having the royal treatment for a week.  Not only are the beaches some of the most dramatically, gorgeous that we’ve ever seen but the people that we were able to spend our vacation with are true, genuine and loving in every way.  

On top of experiencing a new culture, fantastic food, unforgettable time and memories shared with family and friends, we were able to experience some life altering moments on our trip that I never want to take for granted.  I found myself several times standing or sitting, wanting to soak up every second, wanting to absorb every minuscule detail because I just knew that the beauty that I was experiencing in that moment was a gift from God. 

There were many mornings, I would just sit on a sandy step at the edge of the beach with a bible in one hand and a cup of tea in the other, reading the gospel and feeling the beauty of creation around me.  I’d look down the beach one way and see an older gentleman fishing with a net and was reminded of Peter.  A fisherman by trade but a fisher of men, walking with Jesus.  A few minutes later, I would stare out at the blue water, changing hues and shades every second, glimmering in the sunlight as if it were coated in diamonds.  Down by my right foot, I would see trails left by a sea turtle the night before; as she had moved down the beach looking for a place to lay eggs.   I have always felt a strong connection to Christ when I am surrounded by nature, but this trip was taking that connection to another level. 

It’s when you find yourself watching a sunset over Caribbean water, thinking about a broken world that can portray colors only seen in that moment in the sky; that you are reminded of how close God is.  He is a big God and a powerful God and He can handle everything that we give to Him on our best days and on our worst.  I was reminded of our big God watching the sunsets. 

It’s when you find yourself two feet deep in water, floating across reefs watching tiny fish, thousands of them swimming in and out of rocks.  Fish with stripes and spots, some with bright yellow and some with a deep shade of blue.  It was in those moments, that I was reminded of how much our God cares.  He cares about the little moments, those times when we’re overwhelmed and we can’t feel His presence but He is there, holding our shoulder, grieving with us but encouraging us all the same.  Watching the fish reminded me of just how much our God cares.

Throughout the week our family would watch sea turtles come and go on the beach, looking for places to lay eggs.  They came out of the water like mythical creatures; one minute it’s a simple wave pattern and the next, this creature from under the water, creeps up the beach with a mission.  We’d watch them for hours, move from spot to spot and eventually lay a nest and then with such great detail, cover all the evidence, slowly returning to the water.  One day, we had the opportunity to return new hatchlings to the surf; watching these tiny turtles slowly maneuver over sand and then quickly be washed away was something I thought I would never experience.  During an afternoon swim, a few of us were able to gear up and snorkel with a small group of turtles.  Watching them glide under the water, much more gracefully than they move on land was breath taking.  All I could think during those moments with the sea turtles was “thank you Lord, thank you for this moment, this treasure, and this opportunity to witness your creation.”  To be able to hold a turtle the size of your palm and then touch the shell of another as she swam in open water was a true blessing.  As funny as it may sound to some, those turtles reminded me that even though we may not experience certain things outside of the pages of a book or the images of a photograph; it doesn’t mean that they’re not there.  We trust the articles we read and the images that we see on programs to portray reality of events and we have to trust and believe that it’s the same with scripture.  I won’t ever experience the events that took place thousands of years ago, captured in the Bible but I can trust that they did occur and that just as miracles happened then, He is the same God now as He was then and miracles can happen today.

As you can tell, it was an amazing trip.  Casey and I are so thankful for the moments we shared and the memories we made.  We left content with the agenda we held while we were there but with heavy hearts, leaving behind people that we had grown to love and were accustom to visiting daily.  Simply put, we left a small part of us there in paradise and we cannot wait to return. 

I was able to share some moments with you tonight, without pictures but the highlight of our trip came towards the end of the week and took our breath away completely.  Casey and I found ourselves standing in a spot where I can only imagine God was standing there with us.  I just cannot share that experience with you until I have a picture to share with you also…. So keep checking back.  I hope to sit down tomorrow and write out the words on my heart from that encounter. 

With love and God’s blessings, Good night.