Gluten Free Krums

Gluten Free Friday ~ Magical Edition

2012-03-09T20:58:00.000-05:00

We arrived in Orlando and Disney World on Wednesday evening, which is a stop "on our way" back home to Massachusetts after a wonderful three-month sabbatical there. And we've had so much fun here in this sunny, magical place, but I think we may need another three-month sabbatical to recover from the grueling task it is to visit the Disney World parks. Oh my! I am totally exhausted, and planning an early bedtime ~ which means we were too tired to stay for fireworks and the parade in Magic Kingdom tonight. (It was raining, too.)

I'm even too tired to even post the follow-up to the 7 day meal plans with the dinners and snacks, (will resume ASAP, though!) but I thought I would just post a few photos from our trip, especially the ones that include some of the wonderful food we've been able to enjoy!

Just an hour after we checked in to our hotel room, we got to have dinner with our dear friend from Switzerland, Romy! (It's a small world after all...) She was in town for a conference, and so we met her for dinner at an Irish Pub in Downtown Disney called Raglan Road. It was quite loud (true to form, I suppose), and had a very lively atmosphere ~ music, dancing, the works.

It was the gluten free fish and chips that sold me, though, and they did not disappoint! Raglan Road makes their GF batter out of garbanzo bean flour and club soda. It was very crispy and had a great taste. Can't remember the last time I had fish and chips at a restaurant, so this was a fun treat.

After dinner, we all walked through some of the shops, but were really on the lookout for the NYC bakery called Babycakes, which now has a location in Downtown Disney. It's a bit difficult to find if you don't know your way around, and it isn't on the Downtown Directory, but one trip to the info desk solved the mystery, and soon we were all sitting at an outdoor table eating GF cupcakes and drinking coffee and tea.

We even decided to take these back to our hotel for breakfast...

I wish I could share another picture with you of Cooper and Kory enjoying a hamburger WITH the BUN at Epcot Center, but I had left my camera memory card at the hotel that day, and so all of the Epcot pictures are stored in the camera's limited memory storage and I don't have the cord that would transfer them to my computer! Anyway, picture two very happy teenage boys holding up their cheeseburgers and smiling. It was in "America" at a restaurant called Liberty Inn which offers gluten free buns for hamburgers and cheeseburgers. They, along with all of the other restaurants/food stands that offer GF buns, will also cook the french fries in a dedicated fryer, avoiding any cross-contamination. Happy Mouseketeers all around, I tell ya!

Oh! And did you know that Disney World will allow you to bring outside food into their parks? I assumed they would be strict about this as are other parks like Sea World and Six Flags, but they aren't. So, that means I didn't have to try and smuggle in my trail mix today (I get panicky when I'm hungry, fearing there will be no GF options), or go into a long explanation about gluten intolerances and ask for an exception to the rule.

OK ~ my eyes are getting droopy and my feet and legs are crying out to be propped UP. This theme park stuff is a quite a test of strength and stamina, which I thought I had, but evidently not. Even running two half-marathons in two weeks is not sufficient training for this kind of a work out!

So, if I haven't scared you off from visiting the World of Disney with my complaints of fatigue, then please rest assured that if you have Celiac Disease, or any other food allergy for that matter, this will be a very food-friendly place for you! We are basking in a magical world of those who know exactly what we're talking about when we say "gluten free, please!"

Gluten Free Friday ~ A 7 Day Lunch Plan

2012-03-02T17:32:00.000-05:00

Wow! Turns out that many of you are like me, in that you are in need of new meal ideas for yourself or your family. Last week I posted a meal plan for breakfast that was created by Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD. I thought I would post the snacks she suggests this week, but I think I'll go right to the lunches, since we all seem to be at a loss for new and healthy meal options.

Remember, these are 300-400 calorie meals, so if you are not trying to lose weight, then you don't need to adhere to the portion size. I just happen to love all of the different foods she includes ~ beans, avocados, goat cheese, hummus, granola, yogurt, tomatoes ~ so, these meals are particularly appealing to me. I hope they will be to you also. Remember also, that these are low sodium, so low water retention, and bloat banishing as well!

I'll try and post the snacks and dinners next Friday, but if I don't get to it, it will be because I'm in the Magic Kingdom or traveling the world via Epcot. That's right, our sabbatical is ending with a trip to Disney World, which may call for a Friday food post all by itself! It's been such a relief to discover that so many places in all of the parks cater to a gluten free diet.

OK ~ on to the lunches!

7 Day Lunch Plan

Day 1: Yogurt Parfait with Granola & Fruit (yes, for lunch!)
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup granola with nuts and dried fruit

Top yogurt with granola or vice versa and eat!

Day 2: Mediterranean Plate
1/2 cup hummus
1 GF brown rice wrap/tortilla
1/2 cup cucumbers, sliced
1/2 cup red bell peppers, sliced
1/2 cup fresh, raw sugar snap peas (or fresh, raw green beans)

I cut the GF brown rice wrap/tortilla into wedges and bake them until they are crispy to resemble pita bread wedges. Dip the "pitas" and veggies into the hummus.

Day 3: Spinach & Avocado Salad with Almonds
4 cups baby spinach
1/2 avocado (save other half for tomorrow!)
3-4 Tbsp slivered almonds (I like them lightly toasted)
olive oil & balsamic vinegar for dressing

Day 4: Avocado, Bean & Tomato Sandwich
1/2 avocado
1/4 cup white beans (cannelini or great northern)
lemon juice
salt and pepper
4 slices tomato
1/4 cup arugula (or spinach)
2 slices GF sandwich bread, toasted

Mash together beans, avocado, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Spread onto toasted GF bread slice. Top with arugula, tomato, and 2nd slice of bread to form a sandwich.

Day 5: Honey Dijon Turkey Wrap & Grapes
1 GF brown rice wrap/tortilla
1.5 oz turkey breast
1/2 cup spinach
2 tsp honey Dijon dressing or spread
1/2 cup grapes

Spread honey Dijon on GF wrap. Place turkey and spinach on wrap and roll it up. Enjoy 1/2 cup grapes as a side to the wrap sandwich.

Day 6: Carrot Ginger Soup with Walnuts
Either: 2 cups of store bought ginger carrot cashew soup ~ Pacific makes a GF version.

OR make it yourself:
1 lb carrots, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp ginger, grated
2 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp walnuts
1 Tbsp parsley

Saute carrots, onion, garlic, ginger in olive oil for about 8 minutes. Add water and salt and boil for 15 minutes. Puree this mixture in a blender along with walnuts and parsley.

Day 7: Quinoa Salad
1/4 cup quinoa
1/2 cup water
1 cup parsley
1 cup chopped tomato
1 cup chopped cucumber (with seeds and skin)
2 Tbsp pine nuts
1 tsp olive oil
juice from 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Cook quinoa in water for 12 minutes. Toss with veggies, pine nuts, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Shopping list for the 7 day lunch plan:
(many of these items overlap to the dinners as well!)

Greek yogurt arugula
granola (with fruit and nuts) parsley
hummus quinoa
cucumber GF sandwich bread
red bell pepper GF brown rice wraps/tortillas
sugar snap peas (or green beans) turkey breast
baby spinach honey dijon spread
avocado grapes
slivered almonds Pacific brand carrot ginger cashew soup
olive oil (or carrots, ginger, garlic, walnuts, onion)
lemon tomato
can of cannelini/great northern beans pine nuts

Needless to say, I will probably not be eating anything like this next week when I'll have the option of GF fish and chips made with a champagne and chickpea batter at Raglan Road Irish Pub in Downtown Disney! YUM! ☺

Counting One Thousand Gifts ~ February

2012-03-01T18:57:00.000-05:00

It was in Stillwater, OK, while working on one of my first Beth Moore Bible studies, that I first came across this verse from 2 Corinthians 1:20:

"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ."

Or in my re-wording and mulling over:

Christ is the fulfillment of every single promise that God has ever made.

Jesus is the means and the end of all promises made by God.

Not finding hope, peace, forgiveness, freedom, joy, security, worth, provision?

Well, then I'm overlooking Jesus, because He is the ultimate fulfillment of every one of these promises.

And then I think of this verse that I memorized last year:

"And all these having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us, they would not be made perfect."

Hebrews 11:39-40

Those who lived and died before Jesus came did not receive what was promised, this Person who was the fulfillment of all promises, and yet some still walked by faith, trusting in this promised promise for all of their days.
(You can read about some of them in Hebrews 11.)

I, on the other hand, HAVE received the Promise who is the "Yes" to all divine promises, and yet I still choose to doubt and complain and despair on some days.

One time someone dear to me walked away from a belief in God, because He did not do something for her that she thought He ought to have. She said she believed God would and should "wow" her by coming through on one specific and anticipated opportunity, but He didn't, and so she concluded that He must not be good.

I couldn't help but think that God didn't have anything more to "wow" her with than Jesus, and what He had accomplished at the Cross on her behalf. How much more good could He possibly do? (And then I reminded myself of the same!)

Yep, Jesus is the "Yes" to all promises, and God intended us to be "wowed", blown away, astonished, amazed, and forever fulfilled by this ultimate gift of mercy and grace ~ come what may.

And even when we choose to overlook this truth, He still gives more gifts...

1. the smell and feel of clean sheets
2. new, delicious smoothie recipes
3. joyful anticipation of a husband's return home
4. "The fruit is because of your good example."
5. "How can we teach the correct value of femininity to our daughters?"
6. "You are beautiful."
7. "...the kind intention of His will..."
8. "...sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit..."
9. "...raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him..."
10. a praying couple in a restaurant
11. over-sized tea mugs
12. gluten free sandwich bread at unsuspecting restaurants
13. homemade quilted lunch bags
14. the Cross
15. a knitted cowl from Sara E.
16. entertainment by toddlers
17. good conversation
18. scenic drives
19. a crisp apple at lunchtime
20. new, red Fossil purse
21. pretty platform pumps
22. coffee with a Titus 2 saint
23. Kory's going away dinner; Robert's words of exhortation
24. Toll House Pie and vanilla ice cream
25. setting half-marathon PRs
26. tea-steeping "flowers"
27. calmness, but excitement over Kory's trip
28. siblings making chicken salad together in the kitchen
29. waving, smiling CC friends at Sonic
30. laundry done, fresh clean clothes
31. health for an active life
32. opportunities to worship
33. the life of Melissa Cheliras
34. relational detours that grow faith
35. parenting challenges that do the same
36. a new and worshiping congregation
37. a Colt McCoy video at church
38. sickness that compels compassion
39. the love of Robert
40. the Word ~ His love letter
41. a life overflowing with incredible people
42. roasted, salted almonds and iced coffee at Starbucks
43. Jack's humor at dinner
44. white lights around the patio for a cookout with friends ~ Grandad and the Grafs!
45. Jackie and Jonathan's ministry and life testimonies
46. "Mom, you are such a pro wrapper-of-Saran!"
47. pretty, printed craft papers
48. homemade Valentine's
49. knowing my place
50. a morning spent with a friend ~ Yvette!
51. Truth and fellowship at the crack of dawn
52. parking lot talks and prayer
53. Ugandans at rodeos
54. new friends
55. joy in setting self aside
56. half-marathon race bibs
57. gluten free menus
58. running magazines
59. provision for Disney World
60. refinance complete
61. bathroom remodel underway
62. Taco Express and corn tortillas
63. healthy meal plans
64. fajitas with friends
65. popcorn!
66. half and half in iced coffee
67. whipped cream on frappes after gymnastics
68. gift of a food and wine guide and journal
69. patio furniture
70. summer weather in February ~ 80 degrees!
71. John Adams mini-series
72. memory master work with Kayla
73. visitors from home ~ Jes-c and Jimmy!
74. lettuce wraps for dinner
75. watching Kayla's know-how in the kitchen
76. playing tour guide
77. the Gutenburg Bible
78. new bracelets ~ I love bracelets!
79. Skype session of Quest reports
80. pride in a 16 year old who lets God work on his pride
81. laughter and games at family reunions
82. a sermon on Acts 16 ~ a woman, a slave, and a Gentile whom God used
83. grandmas carrying sleeping toddlers
84. burgers with family and friends
85. worlds colliding in the Body of Christ (=Jules @ The Fellowship)
86. a son becoming a man
87. the refuge of His Word
88. circumstances that prod trust and a casting of cares
89. raindrops on my face while running ~ sweet surrender
90. a small town steak nite with live music
91. watching my teens shop with Grandad

Gluten Free Friday ~ A 7-Day Breakfast Plan

2012-02-24T20:22:00.000-05:00

Do you ever get in food ruts? Seems like it's so easy to just keep eating the same things for the same meals every day. Eight years ago, when our family began to discover and be diagnosed with a gluten intolerance (everyone except for hubby), I was forced, in a way I am now very thankful for, to find new foods to eat, and new ways to cook. We discovered hummus, lentils, nuts and nut butters, fresh and dried fruits, goat cheeses, almond and coconut milks, Indian food, pureed vegetable soups, yogurt, kefir, and kombucha. (Living in a quirky, hippie, farm co-op, college town also pushed us in this direction. Celiac Disease + Crunchy Town has been a good combination for our overall health in general.) But even with all of these new eating options, I can tend to buy, cook, and eat the same things over and over.

Three years ago, I purchased a Health Magazine because it had a 7-day meal plan, created by registered dietitian, Dawn Jackson Blatner, that promised foods that were nutritious, low sodium, and bloat-banishing. (P.S. I just checked out her website, and it appears that there are MANY more creative meal ideas and fun recipes there ~ like this one ~ Wow!) It was also a weight loss plan, as the meals only added up to 1200 calories a day. I wasn't in need of losing weight, but the low sodium, low bloat appealed to me as well as the variety of foods it suggested. So, without really following the portion sizes (i.e. SMALL!) I have gone back to this meal plan over and over over the last few years, and thought I would share it with you ~ starting with breakfast. I've also altered it a bit to be gluten free and contain a few more calories, and fresh items than it originally suggested. I'll post the snacks, lunches, and dinners in the weeks to come.

Hope it gives you some fresh ideas for feeding yourself and your peeps!

7 Day Gluten Free Breakfast Plan

Day 1: Walnut & Maple Oatmeal
1-11/2 cups cooked GF oats
3 Tbsp chopped walnuts
2 tsp maple syrup, honey, or agave

Day 2: Yogurt with Berries and Almonds
1 cup Greek yogurt, unsweetened
1 Tbsp honey
1 cup frozen or fresh raspberries and blackberries
2 Tbsp toasted slivered almonds

Unfortunately, the above breakfast has caused me to go into a yogurt, berry, and NUT RUT or should I say CRAZE. Oh well, I guess there are worse addictions.

Day 3: Mango & Pineapple Green Tea Smoothie (SO GOOD ~ and Good for you!)
1 cup brewed, cooled green tea
1 cup almond or coconut milk
1/2 cup frozen or fresh mango
1/2 cup fresh or frozen pineapple
1 Tbsp nut butter (almond or peanut are my favorites)

Day 4: GF Waffle with Peanut Butter, Yogurt & Banana
1 GF frozen waffle, toasted
1 Tbsp natural peanut butter
1 Tbsp Greek yogurt
1/2 banana, sliced
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 tsp honey
dash of cinnamon

Spread waffle with peanut butter and yogurt. Top with sliced banana, sesame seeds, and cinnamon. Drizzle with honey.

Day 5: Spinach and Egg Scramble & GF Toast
1 piece GF bread, toasted
2 eggs scrambled with 2 cups fresh spinach, placed on toast
2 Tbsp crumbled goat cheese, sprinkled on top

Day 6: Rice Cake with Peanut Butter and Honey & an Orange
1 brown rice cake (Lundberg is my favorite brand)
2 Tbsp natural peanut butter
1 tsp honey

Eat this as well as a whole orange.

Day 7: Blueberry Smoothie
2 cups unsweetened almond or coconut milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp peanut or almond butter

Shopping list for this Breakfast Meal Plan:

Greek yogurt eggs
raspberries baby spinach
blueberries goat cheese
mango almond or coconut milk
pineapple rice cakes
orange GF frozen waffles
banana green tea bags
bluberries peanut or almond butter
GF oats slivered almonds
GF sliced bread honey
maple syrup or agave

Half Marathon #5 & Running Therapy

2012-02-23T19:26:00.003-05:00

The alarm went off at 4am. We were out of bed a few minutes later and eating breakfast ~ ugh. A rice cake with peanut butter and honey, a banana, some regular H20 and a few swigs of Vitamin Water. I'd rather eat nothing until the race is over, but I know the fuel and electrolytes will cause me to feel better as I run. It will be the last thing I put in my body before the finish line at the end of 13.1 miles, and I may get scolded for not drinking anything along the course ~ no water/Gatorade stops for me ~ but if you knew what it was like to live in my body, I don't think you would stop either. As soon as anything goes in, everything starts working and moving, and you really don't want to much "movement" on the race course!

We leave for downtown Austin at 5am, because all of the race info we've read says to be there and parked by 5:30. There are 20,000 people running which makes this the largest race we've ever participated in. The state capitol is the starting point, so we park nearby, and I snap a photo of ~~Rocky~~ Robert and the rotunda. The capital is near the campus of The University of Texas where we both attended college, and we're both excited to be a part of a race that takes us to many parts of the beloved city where we met, dated, and were engaged!

We walk around a bit in the chilly morning air, and snap a few more photos for ourselves and others. We can't decide if we'll check our bag at the designated location or just walk it back to the parked van, because we'll need to to shed our jackets and my not-very-small camera.

As we walk, I'm even thinking that I really don't feel like running all that way, but that's how it usually goes for me. I think a lot of people have a sort of love/hate relationship with running, or any exercise for that matter! We just ran another half-marathon in Galveston two weeks prior ~ a training run for the Austin Half, Robert kept calling it. And I guess it was, but Galveston was FLAT (as in sea level flat, along the sea wall even!), and Austin was NOT. Have I even recovered from Galveston yet??? I guess I have, and even ran a 10 miler in between to stay trained up for this race.

Then, we meet up with cousin Zach, who lives in Austin, and was running in his first ever road race! At the start he tells us he'll follow behind us, since we've done this before, but it doesn't take him long at all to lock into a faster pace and cruise on ahead. In the end, he'll finish 10 minutes faster than us, and might have been even faster, but there were some killer hills AT. THE. END. Don't know who planned that race course, but miles 11-13 were just cruel! (Actually, miles 1-6 were sort of evil also, but the hills are difficult to avoid in this beginning-of-the-Texas-Hill-country-town, I guess.)

Even though I was hesitant to start, I felt great by mile 4, and this is why I will get up when the alarm blares at crazy hours of the morning to do a crazy thing like run 13.1 miles. (Only "half" as crazy as the 26.2 mile runners as one of the creative spectator's posters read!) It makes me feel good. It lifts my mood, and lightens my heart. Thoughts of gratitude fill my mind ~ for health, for strength, for my marriage, and running partner husband, for my kids, my church, for sabbatical, for friends. I'm not bogged down by worry or fear, but rather freed to have a godly perspective, free to trust the Lord with all sorts of anxieties. Free to recall God's Word and think on it. Free to remember both His Truth and His faithfulness to me

And I know there are physiological reasons for this, but even those are created by God!

I cracked up over this t-shirt that I discovered at the race expo the day before the race. Yes, I suppose running is my therapy and my drugs in this overly-psychoanalyzed and medicated culture, but really the positive effects are all accomplished by my Lord, and I'll keep racking up the races for as long as He allows.

Yankees and Ugandans at the Rodeo

2012-02-21T22:55:00.000-05:00

I'm pretty sure it wan't on my top ten list of favorite things to do when I was 12, and I know for certain that I absolutely refused to wear the hat and boots that my cowboy-hat-salesman father encouraged me to, but now going to the rodeo is something I look forward to when we're in Texas, and also something I couldn't wait to introduce my kids to this year.

A few months ago, I was thinking about the different things we could do in Texas while here on sabbatical and the rodeo immediately came to mind, since it is held in February of each year. I looked up dates and performers online and decided that Lady Antebellum was the concert everyone would enjoy the most. I was about to call my dad to see if he wanted to get a group of tickets together when my youngest sister called to say that she and my dad had just purchased rodeo tickets for everyone. And just guess which concert night he bought tickets for? That's right ~ HE READ MY MIND! And I believe it was a sold out crowd. Wow!

My other sister and her kids weren't able to go, so we had extra tickets. My dad asked if we would try and find some friends to take. Well, I immediately thought of our new friends from Uganda ~ Jackie and Jonathan. They happened to be free that evening, and what fun it was to experience the rodeo through their eyes as well as the eyes of my never-been-to-a-rodeo-kiddos!

Circling around the horse arena over and over raking the dirt to prepare for a cutting horse demonstration, we decided this was the rodeo version of the "Zamboni." Don't know what a Zamboni is? Think ice skating and hockey.

Finding gluten free food and food that was palatable to our Ugandan friends was a bit difficult, but Jonathan enjoyed a traditional BBQ plate of sausage, brisket, beans, and white bread, and Jackie, who doesn't eat red meat, enjoyed a surprisingly healthy dish of soba noodles with chicken and veggies. Rodeo food really can't be expected to be healthy at all, unless you have convinced yourself that funnel cakes, chicken-fried bacon, and deep fried Snickers bars are a balanced diet.

As Jackie studied the various food vendors, she asked:

"Why does Bubba's say their BBQ is 'bad'?"

"Hmmmmm...... Well, because sometimes in America 'bad' means "really good' ?" I replied. Really, I don't know how anyone ever learns the English language at all, not to mention the slang that is forever evolving. Evidently, "sick" means "really good" now, too. At least that's what my kids tell me. Who can be expected to keep up with this opposite-meaning thing?

They were intrigued by the whole Cowboy Church thing, which is a really big thing here in the Great State, as well as the many farm implements (log splitters?! welders?!), and the display of Texas indigenous wildlife ~ more than any other state evidently, but I'm definitely not missing the rattlers, tarantulas, and scorpions.

Our tickets, unfortunately, were not all together, but with my super-zoom lens I could spy on Cooper, my dad, and my sister, Melinda, in their far off section of the arena! Let's see...which of these three does not belong at the rodeo? Yeah, Cooper was secretly hoping the dirt and manure would disappear and the Spurs home basketball court would emerge with Derrick Rose attempting to shoot 3-pointers.

Jonathan was shocked by the steepness and height of our seats, and could not believe parents would allow their children to sit up that high.

"Has anyone ever fallen from their seat?" he asked, and declared that he would probably never bring his children to such a dangerous place. ☺

We all cracked up at the Mutton Bustin' event in which VERY small children try and ~~hold on for dear life~~ ride a sheep for as long as they can. Gateway to buckin' broncos and bull-riding, really. A darling little red-headed, freckled, four year old won this event and went home with a prize belt buckle which was literally as big as she was.

I think the Yankee kids and the Ugandans were rooting for the poor calves in the team roping and in the steer wrestling. And as always, the bull-riding was exciting and intense, but not as much as I remember as a child. Seems like the rodeo clowns did a lot of taunting of the bulls in order to create more thrill back then ~ scurrying up the arena fences or diving into their protective barrels. If I'm remembering correctly, they also used to attach their barrel to a hook that would pull them high into the air to get away from the angry bulls. It was quite a sight, and sort of stressful, but very exciting to watch back then.

And Lady Antebellum did not disappoint, of course, with their post-Grammy awards performance that night. The concert did not start until after 10pm (the rodeo events began at 7:30 and we got in our seats at 6:30), so I thought it might be difficult for our guests to sit through more of this Texas cultural experience, but I was wrong! They loved every bit of the evening, and kept perfect time with the loud music by clapping and swaying throughout the entire concert, which did not end until around 11:30pm.

It was SUCH a fun evening ~ even more than I anticipated because of the friends we got to share it with. They were great sports, and except for passing on wearing the cowboy hat, definitely followed the "when in Rome" mindset.

Then we took everyone home in a torrential downpour and thunderstorm, and finally made it back to Austin and our beds at 2:30am. Then it was 40th birthday parties and half-marathons and homeschool work and fajita fellowships with old college friends, and...

Whew ~ this sabbatical is exhausting. In a good and rich way, of course. ☺

Hope Received & Hope Given in Uganda

2012-02-20T14:07:00.002-05:00

I'm very excited to introduce you to some new friends today. You may already have been introduced to Jack and Kelly, the very American looking couple in these photos. Kelly was my middle school Spanish teacher turned dear friend, and Jack is her husband. You may also already know that Jack and Kelly got engaged in Uganda a few years ago while on a mission to build water wells and visit sponsored Compassion International children there.

Jonathan and Jackie, the other couple in these photos, are from Uganda, and grew up there as sponsored children through Compassion International. They have been married four years, and already have two sets of twins! That's right, four children under the age of four!

The Lord brought Jonathan and Jackie into a friendship with Jack and Kelly through their visits to Uganda. Now, the four of them are working together to give back the hope they have received from the ministry of Compassion, and through their friendship.

Here is Jackie's story of hope received as a sponsored child:

Isn't she beautiful, and don't you love the joy with which she shares her gratitude for the hope she received through sponsorship?

We felt so privileged to spend an evening with these two couples eating dinner and hearing about a new ministry they have created together.

Kayla felt privileged to bask in puppy love of Cleo and Sasha all evening!

(Pretty sure the doggies were basking in Kayla love as well!)

Kayla, Cooper, and I each picked out a Ugandan treasure from the coffee table overflowing with necklaces, bracelets, sewn and stuffed animals, and beautiful banners while we heard about what this foursome is up to these days as they try and extend hope to even more children in Africa.

Together they've created African Hope Children's Ministry. It is a child sponsorship program much like Compassion International, but because Jackie and Jonathan have inroads into some very rural villages, they are able to reach older children and teenagers in Uganda who may not be reached by one of the child sponsorship ministries, and have already been able to support and provide safety for some who needed immediate help because of crisis situations. "Mercy", their first sponsored teenager was in just this sort of immediate need. Today Mercy lives with Jackie and Jonathan in safety, and is attending school as you can see from the informational material below.

This ministry allows for children to be "double sponsored", in that each child has two sponsors who commit to $35.00 per month. As you can see, this provides for school expenses (school is never free in Uganda), health and well-being, as well as further life-training through camps and conferences.

I've blacked out their address and phone number for now, but will be more than happy to pass them along via email for any of you who may be interested in supporting this much-needed ministry. Also, they are in the process of developing a website with more information and avenues of giving.

Again, I'm so thankful for this new friendship and the privilege of introducing them to you! Please let me know if you would like to connect with them in any way. Jackie and Jonathan are here in the states (based in TX) through March. They have a fairly full schedule of speaking engagements, but would love to consider sharing their story of hope with you, those you know, or your church, etc. and giving others the opportunity to help them extend that same hope to others in their native country.

And stay tuned, because not only did we get to spend an evening having dinner with this lovely couple, but a week or so later we also got to take them to the biggest and best rodeo in the state of Texas! ☺

Valentine Fun & Flair

2012-02-16T00:16:00.000-05:00

After Classical Conversations was over on Monday, Kayla and I made our usual stop at Starbucks (i.e. reward for enduring another week of CC without her friends from home), and then we headed to Michaels to pick up some Valentine supplies.

Oh ~ the endless possibilities found on the scrapbook paper and sticker aisles!

We had lots of fun and came home with as much creative potential as $20 can buy. I made cards for Robert, Cooper, and Kayla (Kory is overseas!), and Kayla made cards for some of her friends back in MA. We had to be creative in shifts, though, because I wanted my cards to be a surprise for the next morning.

I love making surprises for them to wake up to on special holidays, and it was really fun making them these cards ~ which is another gift of sabbatical ~ a bit of time and space to do things you might not otherwise.

After Kayla woke up, she helped me make heart-shaped pancakes. We happened to have a GF pancake mix in the pantry, but we wanted them to be pink. Since there was no food coloring in the house, Kayla had the idea of adding red sprinkles (left over from Christmas cookies!) to the batter. They quickly dissolved and gave us our desired pink batter! Add eggs, fruit, and syrup = fun Valentine breakfast!

And now for the flair...

For some reason, this pastor's wife and homeschool mama has been obsessed with owning a pair of platform pumps, which really don't fit with my current ministry and homemaking lifestyle, but still...they are so pretty on, and so feminine, and so yes ~ I've been a little consumed with getting some. Maybe since I saw Natalie Morales wearing a pair on the Today Show? I don't know. Kory once told me I looked like her, and I took that compliment, and have been riding high on it ever since.

I do happen to attend more than your average number of weddings in a given year, so surely I deserve owning a pair!? ("What you deserve.... is hell," I hear my beloved teacher of the book of Romans, Cas Monaco, saying in the back of my mind.)

Well, finding a pair that is not totally and completely outrageous is more difficult than you might think. Where in the world does Natalie shop? I mean all I have been able to find are Jessica Simpson and Jennifer Lopez versions that are hideous colors and scandalous heights.

See what I mean?

Well...I had about given up on this "vain things that charm me most" pursuit, when I decided to click on the Zappos link that appeared in my Facebook sidebar one day, and THERE THEY WERE ~ a seemingly modest, reputable, brand named, pair of black, leather platform pumps, for a decent price. I really didn't even hesitate in entering my debit card number, and taking advantage of this obvious answer to prayer.

Just kidding. I really didn't pray about shoes, but I don't necessarily think there's anything wrong with it, and I do believe it may have been a little grace upon grace to me ~ a fulfilling of even a silly, girlish desire of my heart.

When they arrived, the heel was a tad higher than I anticipated, so I put them on and wore them while preparing dinner to see if I could walk somewhat gracefully in them. I guess my husband found the sight of me peeling potatoes in heels amusing and started snapping photos.

And then I decided to pose for a few more...

...and finally decided that I would keep them.

Their arrival was just about a week before Valentine's Day, and though you can't see them in this pic, I did wear them on our super-fun Valentine date last night. They also make me about as tall as Robert, but I'm sinking in the mud by the tree here, so it's hard to tell.

Robert did all of the research required to find an amazing downtown restaurant complete with a four-course Valentine-themed meal and lively, yet romantic atmosphere. The weather could not have been more perfect either. It was still warm enough to seat people on the patio and leave the large glass doors open to the hip Austin avenue outside.

After the delicious meal, and even a bit of wine sampling, we walked around downtown a while ~ i.e. more opportunity to see of I could really pull off those pumps, and then got coffee at a local cafe before heading back home.

I'm happy to report that I did not fall flat on my face, or stumble at all for that matter.

And what did we find to talk about on our 20-something-th Valentine's day together? Well...the fourth chapter of Ephesians, what we'll do differently when we return home from sabbatical, King Saul and Doeg the Edomite killing the priests of Nob, the importance of and Scriptural exhortation to love and be committed to the church, what this sabbatical has done for our individual souls, our marriage, and family, if and when seminary is in my future, and more.

Proving that wearing platform pumps is not necessarily inconsistent with being the pastor's wife. ☺

Stature, Strength, Steadfastness, Service

2012-02-11T15:10:00.001-05:00

She said he was growing in wisdom and stature, and I knew that, but to hear it from another observer was encouraging. Moms love, but they see everything, and can even lean anxious and be blind to what is good, what is growth.

"Bring your clothes down, and I will wash them for packing," I shout up the stairs.

"I did it yesterday, mom. I'm already packed." He replies.

And then I go through the checklist to find out what he's missing. Nothing but a pair of gloves, which are really optional.

He's got this. Am I really even surprised? Stature. Strength. It's been displayed since he walked at 9 months and told ME what a "good helper" I was at 24 months. He doesn't meticulously tuck in his shirts and wear a belt, wristwatch, and knife anymore. Those things are replaced by cell phone, iPad, and a bit more savvy regarding style.

I open my email. There's one from him that contains his essay on Macbeth. He's heeded my corrections, integrated my suggestions for a stronger argument, rewritten, and delivered it to me, albeit electronically, before he leaves.

Responsibility. Strength. Steadfastness.

Why am I hard on him sometimes? Why do I fear?

We celebrate him with the choice of a special send-off dinner. He chooses a home-cooked meal over a restaurant outing ~ beef tips and gravy over rice. We add candles, sparkling juice, Toll House pie, a laying on of hands and a prayer.

From Colossians Kayla prays for "a knowledge of His will...spiritual wisdom and understanding." Cooper follows, requesting "(the) bearing (of) fruit in every good work." My prayer is for protection, freedom from harm and danger (motherly additions to Colossians), as well as the grace and strength to "walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects," in thought, speech, and behavior. Robert asks that Kory be "strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience..."

...a power from Christ to choose CHRIST over anything else ~ including Kory's own life ~ if, by some chance, that is what the trip, the situation requires.

And I know it probably won't, but I startle at these words, and yet I'm glad they are spoken by a man who has chosen Christ in life, and would also choose Him in death.

Steadfastness. Service.

The alarm goes off at 3:45am. I thought I would have to wake him. Haven't I learned anything? I find him on the couch updating his Facebook status ~ showered, dressed, bags ready to go. He's even leaving five days early, by his own arranging, (and definitely not mine, since 5 + 12 = 17 days. 17 days!) because he doesn't want to miss fellowship, doesn't want to forgo the teaching, or the encouragement he knows his heart will receive at a men's retreat back home in MA.

He'll be in the company of others with Stature, Strength, Steadfastness, and hearts to Serve.

We pull out of the garage at 4:11am ~ the three of us, and I know it doesn't take two to drive one to the airport, but I want to be a part of this milestone, want to be with him until the last possible moment, want to observe the strength, the stature, want to be a part of this sending off for service ~ even at 4am.

He knows the drill, and it's not his first solo flight. Touch the screen, weigh the bag (48lbs ~ whew!), show the passport, receive the boarding passes, and head for the security check. On the way, we pull aside to pray again, but I can hardly focus, because he's really leaving now...

and he's achieved it himself...

and who am I now?

And who is he? Who will he be? What will this journey transform in him?

I keep receiving sweet text messages. "How are you today? Are you doing okay? I'm praying for you and for Kory."

How am I? Not anxious, really. Not fearful, except for slight twinges. Mostly excited for his opportunity ~ serving in central Asia at age 16. And even confident because of the gifts of grace I see in him...

Stature

Strength

Steadfastness

Seeking to Serve

Thanks be to the "Father who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light."

Gluten Free Friday ~ Nutty Fruit Smoothie

2012-02-10T15:35:00.000-05:00

Another thing I was able to do last week, while I had a few days to myself, was explore the "cook" book that came with my Vita Mix blender. The sad thing is, I've had the blender for about a year now and can never find time to sit down and learn how to make better use of it through the book's wonderful recipes. Unfortunately, the same goes for my camera. I've had it two years now and just can't seem to take the time to load the instruction manual in CD-Rom form and learn how to really use it. Both of these pieces of equipment will do many amazing things, but my becoming educated is required to make those things happen! Maybe one day...

I did, at least, learn a few things that my blender can do, like make soup. That's right, just add the ingredients, blend for 5 or more minutes, and the heat generated by the high-powered blending will actually cook the soup. It also has some delicious looking recipes for dips and sauces, and ice cream as well.

But it's just so easy to resort to the smoothie, especially when you love smoothies, and want a quick, easy, and highly nutritious breakfast ~ or lunch, which is usually the case for me. The cookbook has lots of great smoothie recipes from super-fruity and dessert-like, to full-of-veggies ones that are sweetened with some fruit. Here's one I've had twice since last week. So good, and I think it would work just fine in any old blender.

Nutty Fruity Smoothie

1/2 cup water
1/4 cup plain yogurt or coconut milk
1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1 banana
2 Tbsp walnuts
1 Tbsp almonds, raw or blanched
1 Tbsp honey or 2 dates
1/2 - 1 cup ice

Place all ingredients in blender in order listed. Blend on high for 1 minute or until desired consistency is reached.

And yes, I could sit outside on the back porch and enjoy my smoothies in the sunshine ~ in February, which is just icing on the cake ~ or fruit on the smoothie, in this case.

Restin' and Fishin' and Runnin' and Eatin'

2012-02-08T23:34:00.000-05:00

While I was sitting on the porch last week, reading, soaking up the sunshine, and enjoying the golden silence, the kids were having a great time in Hondo, TX with Grammie and Paw-Paw. The highlight of their week away was a guided fishing trip that Paw Paw arranged for them.

They caught 25 catfish, and had such a great time. Kayla was a bit horrified by the fact that the fish are cleaned while still alive, (I did not know this either!) and as hard as I try NOT to pass on any food hang-ups of mine, she somehow remembered that catfish are "bottom-dwellers." So, she was not exactly eager to eat those dead-but-still-flopping-bottom-dwellers that Grammie fried up the next evening! Fortunately, Grammie provided countless gluten free meals that more than made up for the catfish that Kayla reluctantly ate.

Robert and I enjoyed our weekend in Galveston. We had not been back to the Gulf coast city since our honeymoon 20 years previously. We drove past the condo-hotel where we had stayed and found it looking just like we left it way back then ~ seemingly untouched by Hurricane Ike that destroyed much of the city in 2008. Our weekend weather did not include any hurricanes, but it was rainy, windy, and cold. "Texas cold", that is. (Cold is a relative term, I've learned.) We prayed that it would clear up for the half-marathon, but it really didn't.

It was pouring down rain when we left our hotel at 6:45am on Sunday morning for the 7:30a.m. race. Robert made fun of me for using my umbrella, but I wanted to at least start the race dry. The rain did let up a bit after we started running, but the WIND ~ oh my! We ran a four mile stretch with the north wind directly in our faces. I never wear a cap while running, but decided to wear the race freebie cap this time to keep the rain off my face. It was a good decision, but keeping it on in that wind proved to be a bit difficult. It blew off three times!

Amazingly enough, we completed the race in these adverse conditions, and still met our goal to finish in under two hours! Sea level = no hills to climb, so at least that was working in our favor. It even allowed me to finish in the top ten for my age group, which is a fun honor, but is not really saying much, since there were women in their 50's, 60's, and 70's who finished with a much better time than me. Ha! I guess the 40-something women were just a slow bunch!

After taking long, hot showers to thaw out, we enjoyed a scrumptious breakfast at Mosquito Cafe. I had the Breakfast Bowl which was roasted potatoes, topped with sauteed spinach, topped with bacon pieces, topped with smoked mozzarella, topped with two fried eggs. Yum. We were also tickled with way the cafe steeped our hot tea! Do you see the cute flowers with tea leaves in the middle sitting atop our mugs? There was a "leaf" receptacle on which to rest it after steeping. So funny.

No trip down I-10 between Houston and San Antonio is quite complete without a stop at Buc-ees, and we needed to fill up our gas tank and use their immaculate restrooms anyway. If we weren't certain we were in Texas before, it was confirmed by these "hunters" carrying their off-road-ATV-drive-around-the-hunting- lease-vehicles. There were four of them standing out in the parking lot examining the sagging end of the trailer which seemed to be pushed to its extreme limits. Must have been some serious hunting, a.k.a staying away for the weekend, and getting home just in time for the Superbowl.

Speaking of the Superbowl, we arrived at my dad's house just in time to grill burgers and watch the big game. Robert's parents had transported the kids to my dad in San Antonio after church and they all enjoyed a meal together at the Alamo Cafe. When Robert and I arrived at his house in San Marcos, my dad wasn't even there. He had taken Cooper to the gym to shoot some hoops. Have I mentioned that my dad is 73 years old? So very thankful he's still able to practice his jump shot and even give Cooper a bit of competition. Cooper did say that he "schooled" Grandad, though, and Grandad did not refute this claim.

And whoever said the gluten free lifetstyle is restrictive? Just take a look at our Superbowl snacks ~ queso, guacamole, black bean dip, chips, and not pictured are our cheeseburgers, sweet potato fries, and baked beans. It was quite a feast.

A feast of delicious food (even the bottom-dwellers were delicious, I heard!) and a feast of rest (even if it included running a brutal race!) ~ that's what last week held for our family, and we feel extremely blessed by it.

Big thanks to Grammie and Paw-Paw and Grandad for helping to make it happen!

Gluten Free Friday ~ Running Recovery Smoothie

2012-02-03T11:22:00.000-05:00

The two days of silence were wonderful! I started each day with a morning run and fruit and veggie smoothie of my choosing out of a cookbook that I haven't had time to experiment with much. Fun! And then I sat. Sat on the couch and read my Bible, prayed in my journal. Sat and read books and magazines. Sat in the bright sunshine and soaked up lots of vitamin D. Sat on the porch and listened to the south Texas doves cooing. See? It was glorious!

Now Robert is back home, and we are about to pack our bags and drive to Galveston, TX. We haven't been there since our honeymoon almost 20 years ago. Sunday morning we'll get up early in order to run their half-marathon. Galveston is on the Gulf Coast, so we figured it would be nice and flat ~ an easy training run for the upcoming Austin half-marathon which will NOT be flat! (We drove part of it the other day, and discovered that places in miles 11-13 are scarily inclined. Yikes!)

Yes, Galveston should be nice and flat, but I'm not sure about how "easy" it will be considering the current weather forecast ~ 100% humidity, rain, 50 degrees, and 30 mph wind gusts. Oh my. It sounds much worse than the first half-marathon we ever did in Lowell, MA where the rain turned into snow by the end of the race!

Our last long run was at Town Lake last week. After strategically parking the car near one of our favorite breakfast restaurants, we ran 10 miles around the lake, and then enjoyed a big yummy breakfast. An added treat was turning around to see one of my oldest friends sitting with his mom in the booth behind us! Mike was my arch enemy in 5th grade, and then my prom date my senior year of high school. It was so nice to see his mom, too! We've all kept in touch through the years, but this unexpected sighting was so much fun.

Later that afternoon, I made this "recovery smoothie." It's sort of a combination of all of the running recovery foods suggested in various running magazines and websites. Nothing green about this one ~ it's pure comfort and deliciousness, but also a good way to replenish the body after a good long run.

Running Recovery Smoothie

1 frozen banana
1 cup plain yogurt (I used coconut milk)
1 1/2 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 Tbsp peanut butter
1/2 cup brewed coffee, cooled (optional)
1 Tbsp flax meal (or 1 tsp flaxseed oil)

granola and sliced bananas

Place first 6 ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape sides of blender if needed. Top with a few tablespoons of granola and some sliced bananas.

OK ~ pray for strength and endurance if you think of it! And prayers for a reversal of the weather forecast would be greatly appreciated, too! ☺

Counting One Thousand Gifts ~ January

2012-01-31T19:48:00.000-05:00

"The counting of all blessings is ultimately summed up in One.
All gratitude is ultimately gratitude for Christ, all remembering a remembering of Him. For in Him all things were created, are sustained, have their being. Thus, Christ is all there is to give thanks for; Christ is all there is to remember. To know how we can count on God, we count graces, but ultimately there is really only One.
And the radical wonder of it stuns me happy, hushes me still: it's all Christ. Every moment, every event, every happening."
~ Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts

I already mentioned receiving this book in the mail from the Lord, via His daughter, Michelle. And I also mentioned that I knew it was to confirm the Spirit's previous revelation to me that gratitude is the key to joy ~ to knowing Christ truly, which is joy complete.

Hoping to know and worship Him in more joy and intimacy this year by participating in the challenge to record at least 1000 gifts, graces, remembrances, over the course of a year.

Here's January:

1. black-eyed-peas
2. laughter with the Graf family
3. a real two hour nap
4. a run, then a walk in sunshine
5. a deep cleaned sabbatical house
6. Taco Cabana ~ breakfast tacos on corn tortillas
7. homeschool basketball league for Cooper
8. sunshine and 65 degrees ~ a Texas winter
9. the community and nostalgia of small town Texas sports
10. a birthday dinner planned and prepared by my kids
11. flan ~ the scrumptious Mexican custard
12. browsing a new art museum
13. We Bought a Zoo with Kayla
14. self-serve frozen yogurt with countless toppings
15. 20 years and counting of faithful church family @ Manchaca BC
16. the homeschool community of Classical Conversations
17. catching up on 3 years of life with Tamyra
18. wind chimes and lunch on the porch
19. Cooper's invitation to pray through a dream
20. sisters who serve and love my kids and me
21. a gathering in Tulsa with encouragement and inspiration abounding
22. the heartfelt and individual tears of Todd and Deborah
23. a cup of blonde roast on a rainy day
24. a joyful, jumping girl in her new gymnastics class
25. airport trips and visitors from "home"
26. antique shops & coffee shops with Karla
27. tender tilapia on the grill
28. Scripture loving sisters in Christ
29. a healthy, generous, loving grandmother
30. "Here Comes the Bride" memories over lunch
31. Starbucks dates with the Lord
32. watching the Today Show in bed ~ till 9am
33. stars and conversation on an evening stroll with Robert
34. a daddy's delight in his daughter ~ and Olive Garden & Frozen yogurt
35. Holy Spirit groanings, intercessions for my kids on a solo run
36. finding dear old friends in the next booth over
37. Biblical Womanhood with Cindy Hawks in the flesh, not via CD (or cassette!!)
38. sharp cheddar dipped in blackberry jam
39. Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz
40. Friday Night Lights finale ~ and a sorta happy ending
41. Hannah's song of praise
42. plans being thwarted because of a better blessing in store
43. Spirit-led surprise packages in my mailbox (a bracelet & gift card for healthiness)
44. repeated reunions with old friends
45. gluten free cupcakes with LOTS of icing at The Bee's Knees
46. Gristmill salsa and warm chips
47. white lights on trees and sips of wine around the fire with family
48. always finding "good" in "giving attention to the Word"
49. sunlight streaming through windows on cleaning day
50. opportunities for healthy independence for Kory
51. his Kindle, my softcover ~ reading Sacred Marriage together
52. new iced coffee "toddy" ~ brewed 24 hours
53. country music's entertaining, raw, and real life lyrics
54. secrets brought to the light, freedom and intimacy restored
55. a Sabbath of silence

Want to join? I'll need a total of 93 for January to really participate ~ didn't realize that Ann has made daily, monthly prompts ~ for three gifts a day. Click over to Ann's blog and take a peek at February's challenge. (You'll have to scroll down to the bottom. The February challenge and the calendar in my photo above is also available there as a free download.)

A Homeschool Mom's Fantasy?

2012-01-31T06:00:00.000-05:00

TO BE ALL ALONE IN HER OWN HOME!

Now, don't get me wrong. A big part of the choice to homeschool was so that our kids would be HOME, and with Robert and me a majority of the time. Ironically, though, I consider this to be the most difficult part of homeschooling ~ that everyone is ALWAYS at home, and consequently, I am never ALONE. I don't think I even knew how much I valued silence and and being by myself until I found fairly early in our homeschooling years that my ears were ringing at dinnertime each evening after a full day of teaching and mothering. They actually ached and seemed to be craving silence themselves!

Oh, I have had some time alone over the years, mostly because I have a husband who prioritizes and enables it, but this week he's gone all out for me to have a sabbatical in the midst of sabbatical ~ 48 hours of silence in my own (well, temporarily) home, and then 72 more hours with just him. He promised not to talk when he returns.

Just kidding.

After Classical Conversations today, (Monday) Robert met us and took the kids to San Antonio for a birthday dinner for cousin Anna who is turning 14. Then they headed to Hondo, TX to stay with Robert's parents. (He'll come back mid-week, but the kids will stay with Grammie and Paw-Paw)

Meanwhile, I came home to a very QUIET house and discovered verses about REST placed in strategic places.

This is what he chose to do with his day in a quiet house. Have I mentioned that I am very blessed (and spoiled) by him?

So, for the next several days I will not be doing any of this:

But I will be doing a lot of this:

The fantasy is being realized ~ sooooooo ready to bask in it....

...but will probably be more than ready for some kid and family noise and togetherness come Sunday. The best of both worlds are a gift to me this week!

A Delightful Daughter & A Date With Daddy

2012-01-28T19:20:00.001-05:00

Another sweet sabbatical gift has been a bit more time to focus on our kids and spend some one-on-one time with them ~ especially for Robert. He has gotten to play some basketball with Cooper at our neighborhood recreation center and been on a couple of lunch and breakfast dates with Kory. Last night he planned a special dinner date with Kayla. When he insisted on "dressing up", she expressed some concern. She kept pleading for a casual outing to Jamba Juice or Barnes and Noble, but he insisted on a fancier dinner date.

Note: These photos have not been edited. That is the REAL color of her hair, and she gets stopped by complete strangers who marvel at its beauty on a regular basis. (Mostly women who say they pay BIG money to have hair that color!) Recently, while we were out and about it happened twice in the course of less than an hour! It's just a given now when we go out in public. Oh my!

Before they left, I wanted to capture her cuteness by taking a few photos. She's going to change so much in the next few years, but right now she is still a tree climbing, tree swinging, tree hugging little girl. (She would be a vegetarian with a houseful of animals if I let her!) So glad I got a several sweet shots of her before the special night out!

The plan was Olive Garden (they have a gluten free menu now!) and The Yogurt Experience ~ you know, her favorite type of dessert ~ "healthy."

And we even got her handsome Daddy in on the photo shoot! I had to give him a little bit of smile and posture coaching...

...but then they just decided to be their usual selves:

Yes, this is one of their favorite things to do ~ make weird faces and take pictures of each other. Can't tell you how many of these I have on my phone and computer!

After they left last night and then again this morning, I prayed...

Thank you, Lord, for Kayla's date with Robert. I pray that you would please use the time to speak deeply to her soul your love for her and her complete loveliness and acceptance in Your eyes and those of her Daddy's. Fill her with joy and confidence because of Your love being demonstrated by Robert. Give her a godly view of herself ~ a healthy and positive one based on Truth, and let no lie that enters her heart or mind remain there to bring about doubt or despair. May she thrive and become the woman You've designed and called her to be. May she be filled with a feminine strength and be free to know and love You more deeply with each passing day. Guard her heart and protect her from all harm. Deepen her faith in You and may she know Your nearness each day of her life. Free her from fear and anxiety and grow her in peace, wisdom, and trust ~ all in abundance from You. Knit her heart tightly to her Daddy's and even more to Yours. Amen.

Then, I thought of this verse:

Let our sons in their youth be as grown-up plants,

and our daughters as corner pillars fashioned as for a palace.

Psalm 144:12

And found this commentary:

"When we see our daughters well established, and stayed with wisdom and discretion, as cornerstones are fashioned in the building; when we see them by faith united to Christ as the chief cornerstone, adorned with the graces of God's Spirit, which are the polishing of that which is naturally rough, and become 'women professing godliness'; when we see them purified and consecrated to God as living temples, we think ourselves happy in them."

~Matthew Henry

Yes Lord, may she be adorned with Your Spirit's graces, and purified and consecrated to You. May she be stayed with wisdom and discretion. May she be well-established in the grace of the gospel. Thank you for my delightful daughter. Thank you for her humble and sacrificial Daddy. Amen.

Gluten Free Friday ~ Ginger Orange Chicken

2012-01-27T15:26:00.001-05:00

We've been enjoying our local Pei Wei restaurant here in Austin. (Sort of the fast food version of P.F. Chang's) They have a limited gluten free menu, but there are several very tasty items on it. My kids usually go for the Sweet and Sour Chicken, and I typically get their Vietnamese Rolls, which are good, but so much better with the forbidden peanut dipping sauce. I may have to start bringing my own! Eating out can get a little old, though, so last night we decided to made our own Asian-ish dinner. ("-ish" because I'm not convinced true Asian food ever involves orange juice!?!)

Breaded chicken, a sweet sauce, and white rice are almost always a perfect combination for happy teenagers at mealtimes here, so this dish was a definite score, and we even had leftover gluten free chocolate chip cookies that Kayla had made the day before to look forward to for dessert. Yep, everyone was fat and happy with these comfort foods before bed last night. We were missing Kory, though, who we had just put on a plane back to Massachusetts for a weekend conference, so we weren't completely content, especially when we found that his flight from Orlando to Hartford had been delayed three hours! He did not arrive in Hartford until after midnight, but he is safe and sound now and doing just fine.

Ginger Orange Chicken

4 chicken breasts (or 3-4 lbs)
2/3 cup GF flour mixture (I used 1/3 cornstarch, 1/3 rice flour, and 1/3 tapioca starch)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 Tbsp olive oil
4 tsp ginger, peeled and minced
4 cloves garlic, pressed
3 Tbsp agave nectar (or brown sugar)
1 Tbsp prepared mustard
3 cups orange juice
3 tsp orange peel, grated
1 bunch green onions
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 cup water
*2 Tbsp GF soy sauce

Cut chicken up into 1/2 to 1 inch cubes and place in large bowl. Sprinkle the chicken with flours, salt, and pepper and toss until chicken is thoroughly coated. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and add chicken. Cook the chicken, stirring and turning, for 20 minutes or more and until golden brown. (I like cooking it longer than the usual recommended time of a few minutes per side. It gets more tender the longer it cooks.) Grate the orange peel, mince the ginger, and chop the green onions while chicken is cooking. When chicken is done, remove it by slotted spoon to a separate dish, leaving the drippings/oil in skillet. Add minced ginger, and green onions to the drippings, and press the garlic into skillet. Sauté for just a minute or two on medium heat. Next, add agave nectar (or brown sugar), soy sauce, and mustard and stir. Then, add the orange juice and peel. Stir over medium heat. Add water to 1tsp of cornstarch and stir briskly. Pour this mixture into the orange juice mixture and stir until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Return chicken to the skillet and cook 5-10 more minutes. Serve over rice.

*I did not use the soy sauce in our meal last night, but I think it would add something nice to this dish. The sauce would then look darker than my photos, of course!

W.A.L.K.I.N.G. with Beth

2012-01-25T13:36:00.000-05:00

A much anticipated and worked-for weekend finally arrived last Friday. A year ago, my sweet friend, Karla, invited me to join her in participating in Beth Moore's Scripture Memory Challenge. The goal was to hide the Word in our hearts by memorizing 24 Bible verses over the course of the year. The accountability was having to enter your verse in the comments of Beth's blog post on the 1st and 15th of each month. Anyone who did this 20 out of 24 times was eligible for this very special conference at no charge. All you had to do was get yourself to Houston, show your memory spiral upon entry to First Baptist Church, and be prepared to say at least 10 of your verses to another woman at some point during the conference

Friday evening and Saturday morning were filled with the wonderful worship music of Travis Cottrell and Beth's passionate teaching, not to mention a free tote bag, a notebook and pen, cookies and hot chocolate, and the opportunity to be around a lot of beautiful women who love the Lord and His Word, who came from 48 of 50 states, Canada. and the UK! As you can see, Beth is quite animated and NEVER without great excitement about her Lord and Savior. Her enthusiasm might be off-putting to those who don't realize that she has great integrity. Really. She is never NOT animated and excited. She is also never without a humble, yet vitally fresh teaching from God's Word. This time she spoke on 2 John. She had memorized its 13 verses, and "spoke" the book to us twice. She then exhorted us through its words with this acrostic:

W ~ We're all starved for some "face-to-face."

(We need each other in real time and real community)

A ~ All we've worked for can be lost.

(Not our salvation, though, because that's not "worked for")

L ~ Listen with the ears of a chosen lady.

(Eklekte Kuria = "The Chosen Lady" = the Church and me!)

K ~ Keep the pace of true abiding.

(Not running ahead with "innovation", and not sitting still either)

I ~ Invest your whole life into love.

(The whole Law summed up. Not a new commandment!)

N ~ Never forget the ploy to infiltrate.

("Many deceivers will go forth...")

G ~ Go out into the world walking in what you know.

(Walking, abiding in Truth, loving God and others)

Go read 2 John if you want to find out what all of this means! I found her personal testimony of losing and then choosing to "take back ground" she felt she had lost in recent years especially meaningful. She encouraged us to take some dirt home from Houston, TX to remind ourselves that we're taking back ground the enemy may have stolen or deceived us into letting go of.

On Saturday during a break, we were to get with a partner and recite our 24 verses ~ special prizes for those who could do all 24. Grace was abounding in all of this, of course. It was a beautiful sight to see pairs of women all over the sanctuary and in the hallways speaking their Scriptures from memory, and oh what a privilege to be with women who treasure His Word so deeply ~ kindred spirits all around!

(I memorized Hebrews 11:24 - 12:3 & Psalm 71:5-6 & 17-19. Karla memorized all of Romans 6)

Kindred fashion spirits, too, evidently...

Yes, imagine my surprise to see this top that I ordered from Ruche, an online catalog company, last year for my birthday, come walking down the hall toward me on another sweet, Scripture-loving sister. What else could we do but laugh and take a photo together?!? So funny...

As we entered First Baptist Church each day, we walked through a really amazing missions display. It was like a missions museum with creative presentations of the many missions the church is involved with ranging from building water wells in third world countries, to volunteer work with Crisis Pregnancy Centers, to human trafficking rescue missions across the globe as well as right there in Houston, which, unfortunately, is a major hub for human trafficking in the U.S.A.

I was also so excited to see their involvement in reaching the "unreached people group" of New England through the North American Mission Board's church planting efforts. The North American Mission Board is the organization we were sent by to New England 13 years ago, and who continues to support our newer church plants in Massachusetts.

I'm just kicking myself for not getting a picture of the three of us ladies who were sitting at this vantage point on Saturday night after the conference! Laura W., who was my first Bible study leader through Campus Crusade at the University of Texas hosted Karla and me for the weekend. She took us out to City Centre for some delicious gluten free and gourmet pizza, and we all enjoyed sitting outside listening to music, watching the fires and lights and the kids playing. We didn't come to any earth shattering conclusions, but discussed the future of Israel, replacement theology, dispensationalism, and other weighty topics like our hopes and goals for the new year as well as our love for butternut squash. Then we took in the new movie, Iron Lady, about Margaret Thatcher, which was excellently performed, but a bit unsettling. I have lots of questions now!

Before I left Robert was reminding me of Henri Nouwen's writing about guests and hospitality ~ that guests have a gift to give, and that we as hosts do also. He challenged me to look for the gifts from the weekend, and I'm so thankful for his reminder. The gift that stood out to me the most was that I have a life FULL of people ~ and really special people at that. Not only is Karla's friendship a gift, but I kept being amazed over and over again at the people I was able to share with her from my own family, to Laura, to a dear college friend, Yvette, to "Miss Riggs" my middle school Spanish teacher, to my 87 year-old grandmother, to my 73 year old dad. So, there were many gifts from a weekend of conferencing and hosting, as you can see, but the realization (again) that the Lord has filled my life to the brim ~ overflowing, really ~ with loving people, encouraging people, joyful people, faithful people, people who've surrendered their whole lives to Him was the best gift of all.

Truly, I am blessed.

Gluten Free Friday ~ Totally Awesome Tilapia

2012-01-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

Getting to shop for groceries at H.E.B. again here in Texas has been an interesting adventure. I enjoyed grocery shopping, in general, much more about 20 years ago when it was only for two people, didn't require regular weekly trips, multiple stores, a very extensive list, and a $250+ bill, but even today I still love to check out the local stores wherever we are. H.E.B. is a great store, has decent prices, and usually a really nice selection of gluten free breads, crackers, flours, and prepared mixes and other items.

Last week, I walked into our local H.E.B. and immediately saw a display offering a deal on a package of frozen tilapia fillets. For buying one package of about 20 fillets for $13, you were then able to get four more items for "free" ~ a package of fresh baby spinach, a package of brown rice, a bottle of canola oil, and a box of rice crackers ~ gluten free rice crackers! I couldn't pass it up, especially after coming to really like tilapia after eating it on my birthday a couple of years ago at a famous Texas landmark and restaurant ~ yum!

On Monday, we decided to try and grill it. Robert did a little research on how to season it and we came up with this recipe. I couldn't believe how tender and tasty it turned out. Really, it was the best fish I've ever eaten and kept praising the "Recipe Researcher and Grill-master" for a meal I would not stop thinking about for days. Yes, that good!

Totally Awesome Tilapia

4 tilapia fillets

4 cloves garlic, pressed

6-8 cherry or grape tomatoes, diced

4 Tbsp butter

1/3-1/2 cup Chardonnay

salt and pepper

You'll also need heavy duty foil.

Tear off large piece of heavy duty foil and arrange tilapia fillets in a row in the middle of the foil. Sprinkle salt and pepper on each fillet, and place one tablespoon of butter on top of each fillet. Press one clove of garlic onto each fillet, and sprinkle diced cherry or grape tomatoes on top of each fillet. Lastly, pour the Chardonnay over the fillets, and then loosely gather and seal the foil making a "packet." (I know some of you may not want to use the wine, but I think it really does add to the smooth and delicious taste.) Place on the grill for 15-20 minutes, let rest 5-10 minutes, and then serve.

We served ours with brown rice and green beans.

My kids did not really appreciate this meal as much as Robert and I did, but they managed to eat most of what was on their plate. Tonight, though, we planned to have salmon, so I bought some chicken tenderloins to throw on the grill as well, so my poor children wouldn't have to suffer through TWO fish meals this week! The grown-ups (my friend, Karla, from Massachusetts is here visiting!) didn't complain at all.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

A Party, Party Weekend = Flan, Fine Art, and Fish Tacos

2012-01-17T22:26:00.000-05:00

What is NOT unusual is that I celebrated my birthday in Texas. I've done that every year since we moved to Massachusetts, except for one. The one I didn't celebrate here in the Great State was my 30th, and that was because it took place right after Y2K. We had booked our tickets for later that year, since we weren't sure if we'd be able to travel ~ or drink fresh water, or have electricity, or phone service.

What IS unusual is that, since my birthday (and Elvis's, of course) took place on a Sunday (and a very busy Sunday at that), Robert made sure that we celebrated almost all weekend starting with a wonderful meal on Friday night that was planned and prepared by the kids. (and I'm talking Friday the 6th ~ I'm behind with my blogging!) We had grilled chicken (marinade made a day ahead by Kory), red potatoes (Cooper and Dad), and salad (by Kayla). There was even champagne and special gluten free bread sticks! But the most amazing part of it all was the birthday dessert that Cooper made for me ~ Mexican flan! It is one of my all time favorite desserts, and he truly sacrificed to do a GREAT job ~ has the burn blisters from the caramel sauce to prove it!

Saturday the 7th, we visited a museum on the campus of the University of Texas. It's located right next to the dorm in which Robert lived his freshman year there. We love being on the campus of our alma mater and revisiting all of the memories we made individually and together there. The museum was beautiful, too. Loved the painting of Eliezer and finding Rebekah at the well, and there was another interesting one of David holding up the giant head of Goliath after he'd been killed. Kayla sketched her way through each new room, and even the boys "appreciated" the art for Mom's special day. (It probably helped that they knew they would be walking up the hill to the Frank Erwin Center in a few short hours to watch UT play OSU in basketball!)

Sunday the 8th was spent at Manchaca Baptist church where Robert preached in the morning service, and then we took turns giving reports on our ministries in the evening service. We love visiting our old church ~ the one where Robert served his first 4 years in ministry. We were married and had Kory during those years, and so many of those who loved and supported us way back then are still there ~ very special. There was Mexican food for lunch and a visit to my dad's house in between. Dear friends Jack and Kelly (a.k.a. Miss Riggs) came up for the evening service, and then treated us all to dinner at Jason's Deli = gluten free bread and menu! We got to see photos of Jack's beautiful hand crafted kayak on its maiden voyage and hear about Kelly's birthday gift ~ a Porsche Boxster! That's right, she likes to cruise 410 and take it to Blossom Athletic Center for her early morning lap swims. Just kidding ~ Jack doesn't let it out of the garage much, I don't think! (And anyone who really knows her will know who the "gift" was really for ~ although she does think they're very "cute" which is the comment that got her the gift in the first place!) Can't wait to take a spin! ☺

And the fun continued with a trip to San Antonio on Monday to meet up with Robert's family for MORE Mexican food. (I had to declare a Mexican food fast after this meal ~ for a few days anyway.) The cousins all sat at one end of the table and there was no lull in the laughter and lively conversation. My fish tacos were absolutely amazing ~ best I've had so far, I think! I received handmade birthday cards on the backs of kids' menus, and was even treated to a bowl of ice cream delivered by waiters singing "Feliz Cumpleanos."

Flan, Fine Art, Fish Tacos, and FAMILY (both biological and spiritual) ~ WHAT could be a better birthday combination than THAT???

Does Anyone Remember Punky?

2012-01-12T15:28:00.000-05:00

Punky Brewster? The cute and spunky little orphan from the 80's sitcom? Well, sometimes I look at my daughter and think I'm currently living with my own little Spunky Punky!

Do you see the resemblance? And I think they even have a shared love for colorful socks and Converse sneakers. Kayla now owns three pair of very bright colored sneakers and countless crazy socks that she usually wears mismatched ~ more color that way. And did you know that you can even BUY them that way? Yes, we now own a package of 12 socks which are all a different pattern, and whose package states how many possible combinations there are within. I could never do that. I must be symmetrical at all times, but I'm so happy my girl is able to pull it off!

We visited a new art museum on the campus of my alma mater, and Kayla was quick to take the offered sketch kit for our tour. She loves drawing, and produces WAY more pieces of art than our refrigerator or magnets can sustain. We have no magnets at our sabbatical "home" here in Texas, so the artwork is piling up in various locations around the house ~ including my purse!

Sweet little thing. It dawned on her only after she had sketched Saint Agatha, just exactly what that "bread" on the platter was. We had to do a close reading of the semi-cryptic description of the painting to discover that St. Agatha was a Christian martyr and that this painting depicted only one of the tortures she endured. (And now I can only imagine who will land on this blog post that mentions both Punky Brewster AND St. Agatha, and I would be willing to bet they've never been mentioned in the same posting before now.)

Even two different colored ponytail holders! (Again, such a thing would never even dawn on me.) Bright. Colorful. Joyful. Spunky. Persistent. Creative. Thoughtful. That's my girl, and I'm so thankful she's mine!

Sweet Sabbatical Gifts: Sewing!

2012-01-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

Preparing to make the 2000 mile journey...

Oh sewing machine, how we've missed you! Surely you were so cold and lonely (and dusty!) sitting there on our basement floor, oftentimes covered with dirty laundry. Oh, how we enjoyed the trips to the fabric store you required and completing the beautiful and original projects you made possible! You are such a delight with your patterns and threads and possibilities! But alas, you also require so much time and space, and those things have simply not fit into our crazy weeks at home in Massachusetts with their potlucks and coffee dates and Bible studies and schoolwork and piano practice and guitar lessons and houseguests and....well, you know...life!

We thought Texas might be more kind to you, though, so we packed you up and hauled you 2000 miles south. Did you notice the sunshine? The warmer weather? The little lull in our usual flurry of activity? Maybe you even heard Kayla pleading to take you out of your case, so that she could start creating something?

Did you get excited when you heard us leave for our shopping trip and return with bright fabrics, pink thread, velcro, a rotary cutter, a mat, and LEFT HANDED SCISSORS? Kayla thought she had died and gone to heaven when she was able to glide through paper and cotton like NEVER before! You know, it really is a right-handed world, Little Miss Sewing Machine, and you are just another contribution to the discrimination of our left-handed friends. Kayla was undeterred by your challenges, though, especially after having been equipped with those very special scissors.

That's right. She cut and she ironed, she threaded your bobbins and needles, she pinned and she stitched, and she only had to rip out a couple of seams. (Which is really a good thing, seeing as we did NOT haul our seam-ripper 2000 miles south, nor did we remember to buy one at the fabric store. Sigh.)

She fused interfacing, basted polyester batting, and even cut out squares for two nine-block quilt squares that served as side pockets for the very cute lunch tote project she chose.

Oh wonderful sewing machine, how you helped her make linings and leave openings, but the challenging foresight you sometimes required....oh my! There was also the fragile and tedious turning inside-out of inner and outer, wrong and right, sides and pieces, but oh how much we remembered and learned!

And how thrilled we were today with our finished project ~ just in time for packing a lunch for our first day of the Texas version of Classical Conversations we'll start on Monday! It will surely boost our spirits and confidence, as well as give us something to talk about with our new classmates.

So thank you to our lovely and lonely-no-more sewing machine, for the blessing of mommy-daughter time and for delightful accomplishments! We hope there will be at least a few more. And thank you, church, for the time, freedom, and gifts you've so generously provided for moments like this!

Not Resolutions, But Requests: Part 3

2012-01-04T15:32:00.001-05:00

A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but when the heart is sad the spirit is broken.

Psalm 15:13

All the days of the afflicted are bad, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.

Psalm 15:15

Lord, why do I always see the problems, dwell on the disappointments, get bogged down in the details? Why is it easier to complain and be blind to the "bright side" or the many ways you are at work? Why do I overlook the hundreds of little (and big!) graces you are bestowing day by day? Why is it a struggle to surrender and just have fun?

I know I've prayed about this so often ~ been praying about this for at least 20 years when I first discovered the tendency of my heart toward discouragement and sadness. You have answered and are so actively teaching me how to have joy ~ daily joy in my salvation ~ which is joy in all things, really. It's an encouragement that verses like this are sprinkled all throughout your Word, and that I am not alone in my struggle to rise above the despair of a fallen world. I do desire the "continual feast" of a cheerful heart still, Lord, and pray that You would not cease to transform me and complete me in this work of joy. Thank you for the book One Thousand Gifts that I can relate to so well, and for Ann Voskamp's honesty regarding her own struggle to choose joy and the little glimpses into her heart and mind that gets enraged by sibling rivalry and bogged down with getting dinner on the table, and yet wants to run after the beauty of You in the low hanging harvest moon. It is also the case with me ~ that I can be moved to joy and gratitude in worship of you so easily in one moment, and then in the next be crushed to despair by criticism, the attitude of a child, or the perceived slight of a friend. Please keep moving my heart, and the thoughts of my mind to Your graces, Your mercies, Your goodness all around me, and let holy hope prevail in my heart over despair. Amen.

Those are my requests for the new year ~ continued passion for building up my HOME, a wise and soothing TONGUE, apt and encouraging WORDS, and the continual feast of a JOYFUL HEART. I can only resolve to cooperate with the Holy Spirit's work in me in these areas, and trust Him for the transformation.

Not Resolutions, But Requests: Part 2

2012-01-03T10:26:00.001-05:00

A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but perversion in it crushes the spirit.

Proverbs 15:4

Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in right circumstances.

Proverbs 25:11

Righteous lips are the delight of kings, and he who speaks right is loved.

Proverbs 16: 13

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Proverbs 16:24

Please continue to transform me in the area of my mouth and tongue. This is also a part of either building or tearing down my house, and I desire to have a tongue that soothes and heals ~ even when it needs to speak hard truth. Give me WORDS, Lord ~ words that show interest in others, words of joyful, meaningful conversation, and the ability to articulate needs and desires in a loving way. I know that I have hurt Robert, my kids, and probably others ~ even with few words, because I withhold words and store up frustrations, unable to think of how to positively communicate them, and then they come often come out wrong or totally unexpected by the receiver. Also, I desire to converse effectively, joyfully, and meaningfully with friends, family, and even strangers, but often find it difficult to find words, questions, and topics. Please make me a wise "talker" and a blessing to others in that.

I have always admired those who have a way with words, have stood in awe of those who so naturally set others at ease even while teaching and correcting, have studied those who seem to easily draw others out by conversation with genuine interest and warmth. Truthfully, Texas if FULL of folks with this gift, ☺ so maybe the Lord will use their grace-filled examples in the next couple of months to continue to mold me in this area! I also hope to make time to read a book on the subject, and not because I want to "win friends and influence people" (unless it is for Christ!) but because I want to lovingly relate to and enjoy them, to bless them with both truth and grace.

Tomorrow...requests for a melancholy heart. ♥

Not Resolutions, But Requests: Part 1

2012-01-02T23:24:00.000-05:00

Today felt like the REAL first day of our sabbatical. Christmas festivities are over, family have all returned home, gifts have been exchanged, money burning holes in pockets has been spent, and there are no more meals of complete indulgence in sight ~ to prepare OR to eat. I even took a nap today, which if you know me at all, is a rare and not-too-easy feat for this gal. Before I took a nap, I took a walk and thought about the new year. I prayed about what the Lord would have me work on, focus on, resolve to do...but nothing really came to me. Then I came home, opened my Bible, and just read the next chapters of the books I'm currently reading, which today were Judges 11 and 12 (Jephthah's victories and tragic vows ~ wow!) and then Proverbs 14 and 15. It was shortly after this that I fell asleep, and then two hours later that I wrote these things in my prayer journal...

It's a new year, Lord, and I'm not sure it matters all that much to you as you are so high above and outside of time, and yet I know that you at least consider it, as your children live in it ~ in time. I haven't really felt you leading me to make resolutions or even goals for this new year, but I do desire transformation and renewed strength for the ongoing, the not-yet-accomplished journey of being a mom ~ and a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom at that. Also, I pray that you will transform me and strengthen me to be a more loving, affectionate, and understanding wife, which is an even more ongoing, never-ending journey! I read these verses today, Lord, and they really seemed to apply to these desires and my current struggles within my current callings:

"The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands."

Proverbs 14:1

I know it is within me to "tear down" my house with negativity, discouragement, discontentedness, and a demanding of my own way. Also, refusing to trust you and a refusal to see all of your grace and mercy around me leads to "tearing my house down." But I also refuse to see how I've built my house up and loved and served my family well. And so, give me perspective and encouragement in this as well and yes ~ strength, passion, vision, and endurance to continue in this "housebuilding" area.

This was the first of three things that I prayed and hoped for the coming year. I think it stemmed from a realization that there are SO MANY things I'd like to try, like to pursue, like to spend my time doing ~ starting new Bible studies, taking seminary courses, traveling to see friends, decorating my home, sewing, reading new books, educating myself more on nutrition and exercise, sitting in a quiet house, writing, teaching, earning money for college tuition, and more, but....BUT, the call to homeschool, the call to be available to my kids and my husband on a very consistent basis, the call to create a nurturing home and learning environment there, the call to nourish them with healthy, gluten free food, and even more healthy spiritual food is not over yet. (It's a LONG-term call, y'all.) I need His provision of strength and renewed passion to keep faithful to this mothering-teaching-training-feeding call when the desire that keeps creeping up is to serve my own needs and pursue my own interests and desires. I mean, isn't 16+ years long enough? Well, no. No, it's not. It requires much more than that. And marriage? It IS more a blessing than a challenge, but a challenge still ~ and an even longer call than motherhood (in a way) that requires lots of effort, failure, strained communication, and temptations to be selfish. These callings require a strength that even I ~ the stubborn, tireless perfectionist, hopeless idealist am NOT capable of, and so this was the first of three requests for the new year.

The other two prayers involve my tongue and my heart. I'll share those soon...

Gluten Free Friday ~ White Bean & Pesto Dip with "Pitas"

2011-12-30T19:34:00.000-05:00

I miss pita bread. Right about the time the four of us were being diagnosed with Celiac disease, I had been buying pita bread for sandwiches and snacks for my crew. And what a perfect accompaniment for my beloved hummus! Nowadays, if I order the hummus plate at a restaurant it requires a substitution of tortilla chips, which is fine, but recently I "made" my own "pitas" out of gluten free brown rice wraps or "tortillas." They turned out fine; even better once I discovered that the wraps should be cut into triangles FIRST and then baked. The first round I tried it, I just stuck the whole wrap on a rack in the oven and then tried to cut it into triangles once it was crispy. Needless to say, they just broke into pieces, and did not resemble triangle pita bread at all!

The dip is just a version of hummus I wanted to try. This recipe uses white beans and pesto, and is really delicious. I used a basil-arugula pesto that I had made a frozen this summer from our farm share. Ready made jarred pesto will work just as well.

White Bean & Pesto Dip

2 small cans of white beans, partly drained ~ I used cannelini (save the liquid)
1/2 cup pesto
2 tsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp tahini (this can be omitted, but I think it smoothes the taste a bit)
salt and pepper to taste

Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend thoroughly. Add liquid from the beans if the dip needs to be thinned. Serve with raw veggies, GF crackers, or homemade "pitas."

Easy Gluten Free Pita Bread

1 package of GF brown rice wraps
olive oil or cook spray, optional

Cut brown rice wraps into 8 triangles or however many you'd like depending on the size you want. Brush with a very thin layer of olive oil or spray with cook spray if you like. (Neither of these options are necessary. I don't use any oil at all, but just bake them "dry.") Bake at 375° for about 10 minutes until slightly brown and crispy. Serve with your favorite dip!

CupFUL of Christmas!

2011-12-29T00:15:00.000-05:00

Cute and crazy cousins that my kiddos look forward to being with,

healthy parents and grandparents to enjoy ~ shopping, basketball, you name it,

siblings gathered from the corners of the country,

a sweet, new, Christ-loving fianceé for a brother, son, and uncle,

Kerbey Lane Cafe gluten free gingerbread pancakes...

picking up with old friends right where we left off,

games that bring tears from laughter,

Christmas light displays in nostalgic neighborhoods,

Texas tamales, fajitas, and way too much queso,

provision for blessing kids with gifts that will thrill them...

Color-coordinated (without trying!) family photos,

lots of new Nike gear to sport,

gift cards for coffee and books,

Joyfully gathered together around the tree,

Upscale wrapping paper and Grandad's immaculate bows and tape...

hysterical, contagious laughter over old photos of adults who were kids in the 70's,

Roast beef, green beans, garlic mashed potatoes and gravy, salad, and rolls,

Cut-out Christmas cookies, pecan, pumpkin, and chocolate pies with coffee,

Grandad and teen boys vs. Uncle, future Aunt, and cute girl basketball game,

Lots 'o longhorn paraphernalia and visits to campus...

Searching for the missing baby in the manger,

Reading the Christmas story while wearing new Christmas pjs,

Visiting old stomping grounds,

Sunshine and trust falls ~ forward and back with strong men,

Courtship stories, and wedding plans,

Mariachis, margaritas, and more Mexican food,

Billions of lights lining trees, reflecting on the city river,

shared sarapes for evening shivers,

tourists and townies taking it all in,

joyful, gentle togetherness for days on end,

new dresses, new books, and stockings stuffed with chocolate,

hot tea, late nights, refreshing morning runs in new neighborhoods,

movies and read alouds while snuggled on couch or in car,

growing kids, maturing styles, and emerging personalities,

cards filled with photos and news from far and wide,

high fives, hugs, and family prayers to know the

God Veiled In Flesh,

carols, candlelight Silent Night, "snow" falling on worshipers,

fireplaces burning in 50 degree weather,

date nights, sleepovers, girl talk on phone and porch,

new friends, new adventures, refreshment, rejoicing, and rest.

"But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.' "

Luke 2:10

Good news and great joy, indeed!

Hope your cup has been overflowing this week as well!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T13:42:00.000-05:00

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see

Hail! The Incarnate Deity!

Pleased as man with men to dwell

Jesus ~ our Emmanuel!

Here's hoping that you know and experience Emmanuel, the God Who is with us, this day and in the coming year.

Gluten Free Friday ~ Butter Cookies and Bevo (& Beiber?)

2011-12-23T18:52:00.000-05:00

Before driving to Hondo, TX and after a morning run with Robert, Kayla and I made a quick batch of Christmas sugar cookies. Robert's parents live in Hondo and his sister and family were also headed there for us all to celebrate an early Christmas together by eating lots of fajitas, which is a Texas Christmas tradition second only to tamales. The tamales will happen tomorrow night on Christmas Eve, of course. Tomorrow night, I will also have a houseful of gluten free family members, so I wanted to get these made. Cookies for Christmas Eve and pies for Christmas Day ~ that is the plan.

I used to make these all of the time with regular flour, and I have to admit they are a bit more difficult to achieve without the gluten, but this time I added some xanthan gum in hopes of them holding together a bit better. I also used more rice flour than tapioca and potato, thinking that would also prevent them from spreading out and losing shape. They worked pretty well, and this year we made some plain round ones along with the cut ones. We plan to dip the round ones in chocolate and then sprinkle the chocolate with crushed candy canes.

The recipe is adapted from a recipe out of one of my favorite Susan Branch cookbooks: Christmas From the Heart of the Home.

Sugar & Butter Cookies

2 cups butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

5 egg yolks

4 cups GF flour (rice, potato, tapioca)

1/2 tsp salt

3 tsp xanthan gum

2 tsp vanilla

Cream butter and sugar together. Add egg yolks and vanilla and mix well. Beat in flour, xanthan gum, and salt until well blended. Add more flour if dough is too sticky. Letting dough chill in the refrigerator for a while will also help.

Roll dough out on a floured surface and cut into shapes. Sprinkle with colored sugars before baking if desired or coat them with icing after baking and add sprinkles on top of the icing. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. They do not need to brown, and will be fragile when done. Let cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Yesterday, we had the privilege of meeting my brother's fiance. Stu and Rachel (she's so great!) flew to Austin from California and we met them at Kerbey Lane Cafe on Guadelupe. Kerbey Lane Cafe is famous for being open 24 hours and having amazing pancakes. I may have eaten a few of them as a college student in need of a study break at 2am! Now, they even have gluten free pancakes, and we sampled both kinds ~ apple cinnamon and gingerbread. They were sooooooo good!

Guadelupe street is also known as "The Drag" on the University of Texas campus, and so we also made a pilgrimage to the co-op, which is a bookstore, but also a souvenir shop for ALL things Longhorn and Burnt Orange. We HAD to stop and get a Christmas photo with Bevo. (And Beiber, it seems)

And Kory enjoyed posing by the poster of the UT baseball stadium.

Christmas Cookies, fajitas and tamales, pancakes, new fiances, and LOTS of burnt orange. Could it get any better?

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas weekend!

A Merry Theological & Doctrinal Christmas to YOU, too!

2011-12-20T14:23:00.000-05:00

(Just sharing an email that I sent to my Doctrine Bible study ladies with you here today. Been enjoying thinking on these lyrics this season!)

Hi Ladies ~

I hope you all are well, and that this email finds you finished with papers, exams, etc.

I heard this familiar Christmas carol playing recently and thought of you all. It is full of references to the theological and doctrinal truths that we studied this semester. The lyrics I've included for you here are the original ones written by Charles Wesley ~ founder of the Methodist Church along with his brother, John. The ones we have today are the ones that George Whitfield altered a few years later ~ ones Wesley was not happy about. It's kind of funny to me that Whitfield was much more of a Calvinist than Wesley, who was an Arminian (unlimited atonement ~ remember the chart on page 267??), but Wesley seems to have the more accurate interpretation of Scripture here.

Here's an old article from Christianity Today that gives a few more details about this song:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/decemberweb-only/150-52.0.html

This is Charles. ☺

And this is George. ☺

And here are the original lyrics...

Hark! how all the welkin rings

"Glory to the King of Kings;

Peace on Earth and mercy mild;

God and sinners reconciled!"

(Reference to peace and reconciliation ~ the justification that comes only through Jesus!)

Joyful, all ye nations rise,

Join the triumph of the skies

Universal nature say,

"Christ the Lord is born to-day!"

(Reference to the joy of finally receiving the long awaited and prophesied Messiah.)

Christ, by highest heaven ador'd;

Christ, the everlasting Lord:

Late in time behold Him come

Offspring of the Virgin's womb!

(Reference to the truth that Jesus is God, because He is eternal ~ He has no beginning and no end. He is "The Ancient of Days." Also, reference to the all-important virgin birth!)

Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see

Hail! The incarnate deity!

Pleased as man with men to appear

Jesus! Our Immanuel here!

(Woo Hoo! Accurate reference to the Trinity ~ the "God who is Three." Jesus is the deity. He is divine. He is fully God, and now fully man!)

Hail, the heavenly Prince of Peace!

Hail, the Sun of Righteousness!

Light and life to all He brings,

Risen with healing in His wings.

(Reference to the prophecy in Isaiah about His coming. Reference to the Resurrection and the true healing that ONLY it can bring!)

Mild He lays His glory by,

Born that man no more may die;

Born to raise the son's of earth;

Born to give them second birth.

( "Jesus in any way cease to be fully God, but rather He chose not to continually avail Himself of His divine rights and attributes while on Earth." p. 231 Doctrine. Also, reference to the truth that Jesus came for the purpose of dying, and that His death was necessary for our salvation ~ or second birth.)

Come, desire of nations, come

Fix in us Thy humble home;

Rise, the woman's conquering seed;

Bruise in us the serpent's head.

(Hurray! This is the protoevangelium! Remember?? The first mention of the gospel in all of Scripture? It's in Genesis 3 ~ the chapter on the fall and the curse.

Now display Thy saving power,

Ruined nature now restore;

Now in mystic union join

Thine to ours and ours to Thine.

( "...By His glory and excellence...you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world." 2 Peter 1: 3-4 Also, Romans 6: 5 ~ "For we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection..." )

Adam's likeness, Lord, efface;

Stamp Thy image in its place.

Second Adam from above,

Reinstate us in Thy love.

(Sin entered the world through one man. Salvation comes through One Man ~ Jesus, the second Adam; the last Adam. 1 Corinthians 15 says, "For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. Yes ~ conform us to Your image, Lord ~ stamp it upon us!)

Let us, Thee, though lost, regain,

Thee, the life, the inner man:

O! To all Thyself impart,

Formed in each believing heart.

(Yes! The WHOLE POINT of studying doctrine and theology ~ to understand what we have lost, but regained through Christ ~ to have Him formed in our hearts!)

Isn't that a great reminder of so many of the things we learned this semester??? I miss studying and learning alongside each of you ladies each week. I pray that this old hymn is only among many treasures that lift your eyes and your heart to Him in worship in this Christmas season.

Much love,
Melanie

P.S. Suzanne ~ thank you for treating us ALL out to breakfast! So fun. And Amherst ladies ~ I made it to Goberry once before we came to Texas, and plan on many returns in the spring! Thank you!

Second Half of the 2000 Mile Journey

2011-12-17T16:48:00.001-05:00

Well, we've been in Texas almost a week now, but I promised to share the second half of our journey, so here goes... (I'm sure you're dying to know the details!)

The first half was to Altoona, PA, and Loisville, KY. Well, soon after we left our friends' home in Louisville, we stopped at a Starbucks for drinks. When we got back into our vehicles, Robert's truck wouldn't start. The jumper cables we borrowed from the AT&T store guy did not do the job, so we called AAA. (Had purchased a membership JUST before leaving MA!) The AAA guy's cables DID work, but he suggested getting a new battery, so we did. It put us back a couple of hours, and so we drove to Memphis, TN that day instead of all the way to Little Rock, AR.

Even though two of us were interested in visiting Graceland, we refrained. I do share a birthday with The King, so I thought it would be appropriate to make the pilgrimage. Maybe on the way back north?! Skipping Graceland did allow us to reach the home of dear friends, Matt and Allyson and kids, by lunchtime. We've known Allyson since she was about 16 years old and in the youth group at the church we served at in Austin, TX 20 years ago! (WE are OLD!) Allyson had visited a new and local bakery specializing in all things gluten free. She had loaves of GF sandwich bread and GF corn chowder for lunch, and even sweet breads for breakfast the next day. All of it was such a treat and very delicious.

After lunch, we all went downtown and visited the Bill Clinton Presidential library. Presidential libraries are ALWAYS fascinating, and this makes the third one we've been privileged to go to ~ LBJ's (Austin) and JFK's (Boston) being the other two. (Maybe we'll make the George Bush one while we're here in Texas!) They also tend to have other interesting exhibits going on, and Mr. Clinton's had "The Art of the Brick" exhibit there at the time. It was an incredible display of artwork done solely with Lego bricks ~ both one and three dimensional pieces.

Guess who took this one?

Kory enjoyed looking up what President Clinton did on the day he was born ~ June 29, 1995, as there were binders of agendas for every day of his presidency.

And then he decided to hold a family cabinet meeting.

Anyone surprised?

The next morning, after an amazing breakfast, we had the pleasure of attending church with Matt and Allyson and their kids. Matt is the pastor of Second Baptist Church in downtown Little Rock, and so it was fun to see him in action ~and fun to just visit a church!

Don't be fooled by this smile. The kids were NOT very enthusiastic about doing their schoolwork in the car each day of the long journey, but they did it, and have kept up with all assignments for Classical Conversations, etc. Actually, Cooper really did enjoy The Phantom Tollbooth very much, as well as the assignment to write one more chapter of the book. He LOVES creative writing, and is quite good at it.

We got keys to our temporary rent house on Monday, and got to work with as much Christmas decorating as we could. I only packed our stockings, the tree skirt, the Nativity set, and Kayla chose only three of our MANY Christmas books to bring to Texas. (Painful.) Oh ~ and we packed the Advent bags that the kids are used to opening each day of December in anticipation of Christmas day ~ filled them, and put them on the stairs, since I forgot the twine and clothespins we usually use. They've been opening two per day to catch up!

Not quite as sturdy and well built as our 1947 home in Massachusetts, but perfect for what we need for now. They just don't make 'em like they used to...

Tuesday called for Coop's first basketball practice with a homeschool league. At practice, they told us there was also a game that night, so we split up and the guys went to Coop's game....

...while the girls went to see cousin Madeline's orchestra concert. Maddie did a GREAT job, and we all enjoyed some frozen yogurt to celebrate after the concert.

Thursday, we dropped the kids off at Grandad's (my dad) house (for FOUR days) and Robert and I headed back to Austin for a little getaway ~ the first of two we have planned for the sabbatical. We've been enjoying our time in a lovely downtown hotel. Our room is technically in the attic of this old building and is called "The Hideaway." We've bumped our heads on the ceiling walls (rafters?) that angle down above our bed several times, and our private bathroom is located next door, because there is no room for anything but our bed in the actual room! It is really beautiful, though, and in a great location for getting to the countless restaurants and shops here. The Snack Bar, with its adorable vintage atmosphere is only one of the MANY fantastic restaurants offering a gluten free menu in this fun city. Just take a look at this sandwich...

Toasted homemade millet sandwich bread (they make their French toast on this, too!), fried eggs, melted cheddar, avocado slices, lettuce, tomato, and onion ~ and we shared a side of the fries perfectly packaged in their greasy, retro paper sack. Sooooooo good!

We shopped till we dropped yesterday and last night, getting much of our Christmas list accomplished, so today we're taking it a bit slower ~ sipping tea and coffee at Starbucks, reading our Bibles, journaling, and reading other books. Well, and blogging about it all...

Again, we're so thankful for this gift of rest, unplugging, and being present with each other ~ thankful to the Lord and our church for providing for all of it. Blessed....

Leaving Whole Foods Richer Than You Were Before: Only In Texas!

2011-12-14T13:49:00.001-05:00

When I saw her standing in front of the frozen gluten free breads' case, I assumed she was buying for her grandchildren. As I stood next to her trying to decide what to buy, she spoke...

Sandy: So, you do gluten free, too?

Me: Oh. Yes. Actually, my three children and I all eat gluten free because of Celiac disease.

Sandy: (in a very animated 70 year old Texas lady sort of way) Well, good for you. My husband was recently in the hospital 8 times in 9 months, and the doctors could not figure out what was wrong with him. He lost 55 pounds and was just so sick. They were about to open him up for surgery when I decided to take him home and figure out what was wrong with him myself. I got on the internet and looked up his symptoms. I took him to get tested for Celiac, and that's exactly what it was!

Me: Wow. That's great.

Robert and kids are standing nearby watching this exchange in a very congested lane intersection of the store. Sandy and I kept having to re-adjust our positions in order to continue our conversation.

Sandy: He's been back in the hospital twice because of cross-contamination. He's very sensitive to gluten, and we have to be so careful. It's difficult. You know this gluten and Celiac thing is so prevalent and the doctors just don't want to believe it. And it can cause so many different problems, and so many people just don't want to hear it.

Me: Well, at least it's an issue that can be resolved without surgery and drugs. I think of that as a blessing. And isn't it great that you were finally able to figure out what was wrong with him!

Sandy: Oh yes, so glad he doesn't need surgery and medication. And honey, it wasn't me that discovered it. It was all GRACE. Those who have eyes to see will see, and those who have ears to hear will hear.

Me: YES ~ grace! I know. That's how I discovered it in my son, too. The Lord showed me and led me to the answer. I was so thankful.

Mid-stream in this response, Sandy reached up with her right hand and pulled my face close to her as if she needed to tell me a secret. Then ~ she kissed me on the cheek! I was shocked, but so blessed. All at the same time, I giggled at her gregariousness, and fought tears over her kindness, her friendliness. I hoped she didn't think I was mocking her, because I wasn't. I was just SO tickled over this spontaneous friendship with a complete stranger that was happening in this birthplace of Whole Foods ~ Austin, TX, that I couldn't control the giggles.

She chatted a while longer, and then said a quick goodbye before heading off to do more shopping. I made my way to the checkout line with Robert, Kory, and Kayla. (Cooper was at his first basketball practice.) We all marveled together at what had just happened, and it was during those moments in the checkout line that I felt a strong nudge to go and find her again and ask her if I could send her a book. While my family checked out and waited in the store's cafe, I went to find Sandy. (I didn't even know her name at the time.) I found her easily...

Me: Hi again. I just wanted to find you and tell you thank you. Thank you for talking to me and for being so kind. I am from Texas, but I live in Massachusetts, and people just don't usually do that there.

Sandy: WHY????? Oh honey, why would you want to live THERE????

Me: (laughing) Well, my husband is a pastor there. We moved there about 13 years ago to plant the church.

Sandy: Well, then it ought to be planted by now and you can come HOME! You are coming back home now aren't you?

Me: No, we're just on a 3 month sabbatical. The Lord is doing great things at our church in Massachusetts. The church is full of college students and twenty/thirty-somethings, and He is really at work among them. It was just time for us to take a little break.

Sandy: Oh, I know. I understand. Obedience is better than sacrifice. You've got to obey.

Then she kissed me on the cheek again! I told her that I had written a book for children about Celiac disease, and asked if she would mind giving a complete stranger her home address, so that I could send her a copy. She gladly wrote it down for me, and asked to have my address as well. It was at this point that we finally exchanged names. It was also at that point that she asked me to pray for her son, who had been in ministry at a large church in Tennessee, but was now living back at home and feeling a bit lost and disillusioned.

Sandy: I want you to know that this is the first time in two years that I have asked anyone to pray for him, but I'm asking you. OK?

Me: OK. Yes, I will pray for him. And thank you again for your kindness. I will send you a book soon.

In parting, she reminded me about a gluten free store nearby who's owner is also a mom who wrote about her son's struggle with and then healing from ADHD/Autism Spectrum through a gluten free diet. She encouraged me to take my book by there also. Sandy said a sweet goodbye, and then I caught up with Robert and kids in the cafe. A few seconds later, Sandy walked through the cafe on the way to the bathroom and waved to all of us.

Kayla wanted to take a quick look in the Old Navy store nearby, so we headed in that direction while Kory and Robert took our grocery bags to the van. At one point, I glanced behind me and saw Robert not too far behind us on the sidewalk on the way to Old Navy. I didn't see him in the store right away, but simply assumed he was looking in the men's section and out of our sight. A while later, he found me in the store...

Robert: The woman you were talking to in Whole Foods tracked me down on the way over here and gave me this.

He passed some folded money into my hand. I slowly unfolded it to discover a $100 bill.

Me: What???? What did she say??? This is crazy.

Robert: She said she wanted to give me something....for Christmas. Then she changed her mind and said that she and her husband had recently felt there was too much paganism in our Christmas celebrations, so she adjusted her wording to say she just wanted to give me something.....for me, for us.

Me: Oh. My. Goodness. That is just crazy. Did she say anything else?

Robert: No. She just grabbed my arm and said goodbye and walked away.

Me: Wow.

"The natives (hee hee) showed us extraordinary kindness; for because of the rain that had set in, and because of the cold, they kindled a fire, and received us all."

Acts 28: 2

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

Galations 5: 22-23

"Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!"

Romans 11:33

It was Sandy's kindness that made me richer than I was before. Her generosity of spirit superseded her generosity of resources. What a Christlike generosity ~ kindness and abundant provision all wrapped up in one person. Feeling very rich to have had this encounter ~ even after spending a small fortune at Whole Foods. Only in Texas?!?!

You Know You're In Texas When...

2011-12-13T14:25:00.000-05:00

The sunset is visible every evening...

...the Christmas tree farm looks suspiciously like a big box store...

...and your next door neighbor brings you a gift just hours after you've moved in!

We're here, and we're somewhat settled. So nice to wake up slowly this morning, read my Bible, journal, and have an Advent devotion with the kids ~ things that haven't been happening in the last crazy week or two! Robert and I are also looking forward to a three night getaway starting Thursday. Looking forward to time together, a little silence, and probably some Christmas shopping, which I've not even begun. Now I'm off to take Cooper to his first basketball practice. I'll post again soon with some other adventures from our 2000 mile journey which include Legos, Bill Clinton, old friends, very friendly strangers, and teenage drivers!

P.S. To be fair, our next door neighbor is also our realtor for our sabbatical rent home, but I'm telling you ~ the FRIENDLINESS abounds around here. Actually, it began abounding somewhere between Maryland and West Virginia, and kept getting more excessive through Kentucky and Tennessee. Wow.

Halfway There...

2011-12-09T08:06:00.001-05:00

Greetings from Louisville, Kentucky! We are about halfway through our journey to Austin, TX. It, of course, took us longer to leave our house than we thought, but finally, around 11am we said goodbye to our little red brick house and hit the road.

Our first night was spent in Altoona, PA rather than in Niagra Falls, since we had accidentally booked a hotel on the Canadian side of Niagra. Not only do we not all have passports, but we weren't sure how kindly the border crossing would look upon all of the Rubbermaid containers and suitcases with which we are loaded down! Anyway, we changed our route, and it may or may not have been a good choice since ALL of the journey to and through Pennsylvania was through pouring rain and driving snow. It was quite brutal, and much of the trip had to be at about 45 miles per hour. But we made it safely to our hotel by about 11pm.

Yesterday's drive was much easier ~ clear and sunny, and really beautiful country through West Virginia and Kentucky. Kory even drove for about 2.5 hours of the 8 hour trip. The vehicle arrangement has been ~ Mom and boys in the van, and Kayla and her dad in the truck. Kayla and Robert listened to all of Island of the Blue Dolphins on CD, and the boys and I have started To Kill a Mockingbird. The kids are also doing some schoolwork in the car which they are convinced in pure torture! Below is a small sample of my view from the van. Robert has the GPS in the truck, and I follow closely behind in the van!

We spent the night with sweet friends Keith and Carole Inman last night, and really enjoyed wonderful conversation and fellowship before bed last night. Right now, Keith is in the kitchen scrambling eggs for my whole family and talking "ministry" with Robert ~ perfect.

Robert and I have even gotten in our regular morning runs this week. We ran around the UMass campus on Wednesday before packing up and closing down the house, and this morning we ran together in Keith and Carole's beautiful neighborhood. On our Wednesday run, we kept talking about what a special GIFT this sabbatical is to us. We are looking forward to the time and to being more PRESENT with each other and more PRESENT with our kids. And what a crucial time it is for those things with two teens and a tween. So, we are extremely blessed by this gift of time, of finances, and of rest. Thanks again, Mercyhouse, for making this possible for us.

Now, off to Little Rock, Arkansas!

Submerged Saints, Sabbatical Send-Off & Starbucks

2011-12-04T21:43:00.001-05:00

It was the PERFECT way to spend our last Sunday at church before heading off to Texas for a while ~ Baptisms! I know I've told you this before, but it is such a privilege to have a front row seat in the lives of so many people. Hearing their testimonies, and watching their surrender to Christ, and their obedience in baptism is nothing but a faith builder in my own life! Jesus is ABLE. He is able to pierce hearts with His grace. He is able to conquer sin, darkness, and death. He is able to strengthen individuals to forsake destructive life patterns. These are always the stories. It would be enough that He has accomplished (is accomplishing) this in my life, but He also allows me to watch it OVER and OVER in the lives of countless others. What a privilege. What an honor.

So, yes ~ it was our last Sunday at church until the end of March, and what a beautiful way to spend it ~ hearing the stories of Erica, Mike, and Chelsea and watching them make their faith known, to their friends, families, and church body. It was so wonderful.

There was also a special prayer time for the Krum family ~ a sabbatical send-off prayer by Dan, Lois, and Steve ~ and complete with a gift for the road ~ Starbucks gift cards for mom and dad, Target gift cards for the kids. All this on top of the generous funds they had already raised to cover all expenses while we are gone. Did I already mention that we are privileged and blessed? Yes. Very. A couple of the sermons from Leviticus in the last few weeks have been about the "partying" and "resting" we are able to indulge in, all because of the payment by Jesus on the Cross. He purchases true rest for us ~ real sabbatical rest, but we have also been humbled by the lavish way our church is demonstrating to us what Jesus has already done on our behalf. They have truly "paid" for us to have 3 months of rest by their giving of money, and by their leading of the church while we are away, and by their "relay-prayer" that will happen every single day that we are gone. What a gift.

Last week was a mixture of sadness and sweetness for me. Sadness over some things out of my control, but balanced by such sweetness of fellowship with friends and sisters in Christ. The Lord gave my the idea that it would be fun to wrap up my two women's Bible studies on Doctrine by discussing our chapter on the Resurrection over a meal together. The Amherst College girls and I discussed the Resurrection over "Asian Fusion" at one of my favorite restaurants in town...

Such a fun evening with a group of amazing ladies! Thanks Paula, Cecilia, Akosua, Sophie and Nifemi!

And then today, my Sunday morning class met early for breakfast at The Lone Wolf (yum!) before church.

Erica's mom was in town for her baptism, and so she joined us for more discussion on the Resurrection over eggs, and crepes, bacon, home fries, and coffee!

Love these ladies and their hearts and minds for Christ. I will miss my double-dose-of-doctrine every week with these women who sharpen me and challenge me to know and love my Lord and his Word more and more intimately.

Would you believe that a Starbucks iced-coffee was delivered to me DURING the church service? Talk about spoiled. Robert happened to be giving an announcement about the internship program at our church when one of our current interns (who also works at Starbucks!) came in with my usual ~ Venti iced coffee, 2 pumps classic, light cream. It was not planned, but turned out to be a funny advertisement about what the interns actually DO in the ministry.

You know...like, bring the pastor's wife iced coffee, of course! Thanks, Josh ~ such a treat!

We're off on Wednesday, and I can't tell you just how loved and supported we feel in going. Thank you Mercyhouse ~ we'll see you in the spring! May Jesus show you, as Robert suggested, that HE is the Lord of our church, and means this time of sabbatical to grow ALL of us in that knowledge. You are loved and will be missed.

Gluten Free Friday ~ Creamy Chicken Stew & Popovers

2011-12-02T18:22:00.001-05:00

Popovers and apple butter. That is the specialty at Judie's, my favorite restaurant in town, but I haven't been able to eat one there for 8 years now. Popovers are also the specialty at Jordan Pond in Acadia National Park in Maine, where Robert and I ate to celebrate our 19th anniversary this summer. I had to sit and watch him eat his warm, crusty popover that night, but he kept assuring me that it tasted terrible. This is the little game we play every time the hot, yeasty rolls arrive at our table. He devours them while saying things like, "You're not missing a thing. These are really awful!"

Mmmm Hmmm..... I know better. My memory is not that bad. ☺

Well, this week I decided to try and replicate the elusive popover. They turned out.....okay, and I think I learned some things that will help make the next batch more successful. I served them alongside a creamy chicken stew for lunch after church last Sunday. The popovers were both buttered and dipped in the soup, which helped this less-than-airy-and-crusty first batch!

Here are the improved recipes:

Popovers

1 cup GF flour blend (I would use lighter flours. Maybe 1/3 brown rice, 1/3 tapioca, 1/3 potato)

1/4 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 tsp salt

4 eggs (room temp)

2 Tbsp butter, melted

1 1/2 cup milk (room temp)

Set out milk and eggs in order to bring them to room temperature. Preheat oven to 425°. (<----- I FINALLY learned how to make the ° sign ~ hurray!) When the milk and eggs are no longer cold, place them in a blender along with the melted butter and blend well. Add the GF flour, xanthan gum and salt to the blender and liquid ingredients. Blend for 1-2 minutes. (If you don't have a blender, try to use a hand mixer, at least. Grease muffin tin or popover pan and set in the oven for 1-2 minutes to warm. Be sure you don't leave it in too long, or you'll have a kitchen full of smoke because of the grease and heat. The grease in the pan will also brown and color the bottom of your popovers. (Guess how I know this?) When pan is warmed, remove it from oven and fill each cup 2/3 full with the popover batter. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes at 425°. Try to resist to desire to open the oven door and "check" on the popovers. Reduce the oven temperature to 350° and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the popovers are "popped" (hopefully!) and slightly browned. Serve warm. Set out some butter, apple butter, and honey with them, too, if you want to make everyone especially happy. ☺(<----Might as well learn to make a happy face, too!)

Creamy Chicken Stew

2 lbs chicken breasts, cooked and chopped

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp butter

1 large onion, chopped

3 potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 package baby carrots, sliced in half diagonally

3 celery stalks, chopped

4 garlic cloves, diced

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1/3 cup GF flour or 1/4 cup cornstarch

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups water (or 1 cup water and 1 cup white cooking wine)

1 small package frozen peas

1/2 cup heavy cream or half & half

salt and pepper to taste

Melt olive oil and butter together in large skillet. Add onion, garlic, celery, and carrots. Sauté 3 minutes. Add potato and sauté 3 more minutes until everything crisp-tender. Sprinkle flour over veggies in the pan and stir to coat. Scrape all skillet ingredients as well as the thyme into a stock pot and add chicken broth. Bring to a strong simmer and then add water. The soup should thicken a bit as you stir. Reduce heat. Add cream, salt, and pepper. Remove thyme stalks before serving.

I also like to press fresh garlic in just before serving. Mainly because it tastes wonderful, but also because fresh garlic is a great way to fend off the cold virus!

More Love To Thee, O Christ

2011-12-01T12:50:00.001-05:00

A first time visitor to our church approached my husband after the service this past Sunday. Having already been introduced before the service began, the man felt free to come and make a comment on Robert's sermon after the service was over.

"The way I've come to judge a good sermon recently is to ask myself if the sermon caused me to love Jesus more than I did before. Your sermon today did just that. I love Jesus more now because of what you taught today, man. Thank you."

Later that evening, Robert told me about this interaction with tears in his eyes. Giving all credit to Christ for the sermon, he was overwhelmed by the honor of being used by Him in that way. I was in tears as well. The sermon made me love Jesus more, too, but it wasn't the only thing this week that served to bring about about more love for my Savior.

The other thing wasn't powerful, expositional teaching. It wasn't a beautiful worship song, or faith exhorting book. Honestly, it wasn't even the written Word of God which always lifts my eyes and soul to Him. It was sorrow. It is grief. A pained and breaking heart. Rejection and loss.

"It hurts so much," I say to my pastor husband. "Like, my heart literally hurts. I sat in church listening to your sermon that, like the man said, truly was making me love Jesus more, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. Couldn't fight the tears. I don't think I've ever truly suffered a broken heart until now."

A couple of days pass. Surely, I'll feel better after some sleep, some daily distractions, some food, I think to myself. But I don't.

"How are you doing," the husband asks me during our usual 6.7 mile run along the secluded bike trail early one morning.

"It's not better. It is so painful. The sadness is so present. All that was invested. All that I believed. The tears come unexpectedly. When will I feel better? How will I move forward?" I cry.

"I don't know, but I think you know and love Jesus more now because of the sorrow, don't you," he gently suggests.

"But I feel foolish for believing and giving so much," I say.

"You did those things unto Christ. Nothing has been lost. Much has been gained. You love Christ more now," the prophet husband speaks.

And he's right. And I do.

It made me think of Mrs. Campbell from my favorite book...

"I was bound to my God and Savior before I knew a sorrow, it is true. But it was by a chain of many links; and every link that dropped away brought me to Him till at last, having nothing left, I was shut up to Him and learned fully what I had only learned partially, how soul-satisfying He is."

Mrs. Campbell is a fictional character dreamed up by the same godly woman who wrote this hymn:

More love to Thee, O Christ, more love to Thee

Hear now the prayer I make, on bended knee

This is my earnest plea: More love, O Christ, to Thee

More love to Thee, more love to Thee

Once earthly joy I craved, sought peace and rest

Now Thee alone I seek, give what is best

This all my prayer shall be: More love to Christ, to Thee

More love to Thee, more love to Thee

Let sorrow do its work, come grief and pain

Sweet are Thy messengers, sweet Their refrain

When they can sing with me, More love, O Christ, to Thee

More love to Thee, more love to Thee

Then shall my latest breath whisper Thy praise

This be the parting cry my heart shall raise

This still its prayer shall be: More love, O Christ, to Thee

More love to Thee, more love to Thee

by Elizabeth Prentiss 1818-1878

And then I came home and opened up His Word, and this is what it said:

"Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. For the sake of Your name, O Lord, revive me. In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble."

Psalm 143: 10-11

"For the Lord takes pleasure in His people. He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation."

Psalm 149:4

For His sake He beautifies me with salvation ~ with a depth of understanding regarding exactly what my salvation is. Freedom from sin. Freedom to love Him more. (And He will even bring my soul out of its troubled state, as well.)

I think Mrs. Campbell says it perfectly:

"Love to Christ becomes the abiding, inmost principle of his (the mature Christian's) life; he loves Him rather for what He is than for what He has done or will do for him individually, and God's honor becomes so dear to him that he feels personally wounded when that is called in question. And the will of God becomes so dear to him that he loves it best when it 'triumphs at his cost.' "

So yes, let sorrow do its work: More Love to Thee, O Christ.

Running On Empty ~ Filling Station Ahead

2011-11-28T08:43:00.000-05:00

"Hey, Babe ~ the gas light is on," I casually mention from the passenger seat.

"What? OK, well, I think there's an exit coming up," he replies.

He NEVER lets the gas light come on. That's more my style. ;-)

I push the mode button on the digital screen that will give us our DTE ~ Distance-To-Empty.

8 miles.

We are hurrying home from an annual denominational meeting, in order to see our friend and fellow church member, Lynda, who has just tragically lost her son, Josh ~ another friend and sister-church member. She called us the day before to let us know he was gone. It was a bitter shock, but not totally unexpected. It had been hoped against, prayed against, but now was painful reality. The church had already rallied in our absence, but we wanted to be there, needed to lend a hand in the details.

"I think there is an exit just around this bend," Robert spoke confidently.

DTE ~ 6 miles.

We are on the Massachusetts Turnpike, and it is not known for its frequent exits. In fact, you are hard pressed to see anything that resembles civilization on this turnpike, because of the trees and mountains. Twice I've had to drive almost all the way to the New York border, because I missed the Westfield exit and all the warning signs that there would not be another exit for 30 miles. It's not like driving on I-35 in Texas where you can SEE the gas station signs and billboards shooting up from their locations, where you can just glance to the left or the right and easily observe all of your restaurant options and count the number of Starbucks'. No, no visual reassurance that we are anywhere near fuel, just trees with the rusty fall colors that occur right before they are gone for the winter. And no exit around this bend, just a big hill to climb looming in front of us.

DTE ~ 4 miles.

"Lord, please have mercy on us. Don't let us run out of gas on the Masspike," Robert prays as he begins to experience more anxiety, because at this point we can SEE nearly 4 miles straight ahead of us on the highway lined with its hedge and barrier trees. (Not that I'm complaining. I'd rather have fall rusty colored trees and evergreens than billboards any day. Well, except for today.)

DTE ~ 2 miles

Our hearts begin skipping beats, and Robert laments aloud, "Why didn't I sign up for AAA last week when their invitation came in the mail? What do you do when you run out of gas on the turnpike? Is there an emergency number to call or something? We are NOT going to make it."

DTE ~ 0 miles

The approaching green exit sign says that the next exit is 2 miles away. We hold our breath and brace for the sensation of a sputtering engine, as we climb yet another hill. This is looking ominous, but at least 2 miles is a walk-able distance.

DTE ~ 0 miles

The monitor continues to read 0 miles for at least 2 more miles as we approach the exit. We swirl around the exit loop and coast effortlessly into the Shell station and right up to the pump, our bundled nerves beginning to unwind.

"This is just like our life," I breathe out in frustrated relief, and almost in tears now that relief has been provided. "We live like this ALL of the time ~ from one drama or trial or burden to another ~ never having time to refuel ~ fearing that we're 'not going to make it' because we're out of time, money, energy, compassion...."

"I know," he replies, "but this is going to be a wonderful illustration for the Leviticus sermon tomorrow."

Ugh.

And in spite of my not wanting to have stress for the sake of sermons, it was indeed a perfect illustration. The sermon was about having an abundance mentality and not a scarcity mentality. And we're not talking about the "name it-claim it ~ my-God-wants-me-to-drive-a-Lexus" mentality, but rather an outlook that doesn't fear being generous with what you may view as very limited resources. "God doesn't give us a big pile of money, and a big pile of time, and a big pile of energy, and then ask us to go and serve and give generously," Robert explained to the congregation the next day, "He asks us to be generous by trusting in His abundance."

"Now when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the needy and for the stranger. I am the Lord Your God."

Leviticus 19: 9-10

We were obviously out of gas, but we were still able to drive the amount of miles it took to get to the Shell station and fill up again. It was a picture of His provision for us when, by all appearances, it seemed like we had nothing left.

It is a fact that we have, indeed, been living this way for quite some time now, and we have come, several times, to the point where we did not think we were going to make it ~ emotionally, financially, physically. I have thought often of the words of Paul...

"For even when we came to Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within..."

2 Corinthians 7:5

Oh, it has not been so terrible! There have been SO many joys, but it has also been constant and intense, and we've felt the effects of this rather acutely in the last 3 years ~ no rest for our flesh, conflicts, fears, and afflictions.

So.....we're going take some time for intentional rest and refueling soon. Our church has really come together on our behalf, and is sending us off on a 3 month sabbatical. We are so overwhelmed with gratitude, and SO ready to "unplug" for a time. And it seems to have come at just in time, as the last 2 months have been fraught with griefs and burdens we did not see coming and wondered how we would have the stamina to walk through, especially in our anticipation of rest. I hope I don't sound too whiny when I tell you that we are just plain weary.

We leave in 10 days ~ hurray!

So eager, so grateful for yet another abundant provision by a generous God.

Eucharisteo ~ He Gave Thanks

2011-11-27T17:08:00.001-05:00

Gregory and Kory share a laugh over a Trivial Pursuit question.

I've been following Ann Voskamp's blog for a little while now ~ beautiful photos, kind and gracious tone, homeschool mom of six, farmer's wife, Compassion International blogger and traveler. When I learned she was writing a book about gratitude I was so intrigued, as I have been on my own gratitude-is-the-key-to-joy-in-Jesus journey. I put the book on my Amazon wishlist several months ago, and then two weeks ago it appeared in my mailbox, and not because I ordered it, but because a friend in Pennsylvania was compelled to send it to me. She had no idea it was on my wishlist. We aren't even in regular contact. Hmmmmm....

The GIRLS' table!

I had already been reading verses like this, and taking heart in the wording. Thanksgiving is being offered as a sacrifice. It is a choice. It is not usually easy ~ sacrifices are typically painful ~ to give thanks in all things, but it is a good thing to do.

Willingly I will sacrifice to You; I will give thanks to Your name, O Lord, for it is good.

Psalm 54:6

It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High.

Psalm 92:1

To You I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and call upon the name of the Lord.

Psalm 116:17

The dining room crew.

I was also praying things like this in my journal:

June 2, 2011

Lord, forgive my grumblings ~ all of which your Word says are against You and You only. As I pray and ask You to speak to me in my times with You and and in Your Word, this is the theme I see lately: Be thankful. Even if it must be offered as a painful sacrifice. Food and water seem like very legitimate things for the Israelites to be grumbling about when they once lived in plenty and then lived in the desert. Still you called what they did grumbling ~ and not against Moses, but against You....Sometimes it feels like meaningless restrictions You've placed on me, and yet I know You are good and I take heart in the fact that Your Word calls the giving of thanks a sacrifice. You acknowledge that it is not always easy or natural, but that it is good for me and it honors You. Strengthen me to be obedient and let my giving of thanks not always feel like a painful sacrifice, but rather a natural response.

Time to feast!

The living room crew.

And this:

June 3, 2011

"I will render thank offerings to You. For You have delivered my soul from death, indeed my feet from stumbling, so that I may walk before God in the light of the living." Psalm 56: 12-13

Lord, the above is more teaching from you on being thankful. Help me to do this, to be this. Open my eyes to your many gifts and blessings. Move my heart to gratitude. Help me move quickly to having this perspective: the fact that you have "delivered my soul from death" is ALWAYS something to be thankful for when I can't seem to see anything else, and really, that fact alone should always suffice. It should overwhelm me, actually.

Coffee, pie, and games.

So, I open Ann's book, One Thousand Gifts, which begins with the story of the tragic, childhood death of her little sister, and the adult musings of whether or not her heart will ever have full joy...

"And my life knew how elusive that that slippery three-letter word, joy, can be....I longed for more life, for more holy joy." p. 32

So do I, Ann. Tell me how to have this holy joy, my kindred sister. And I turn the pages as fast as I can, but still slow enough to follow her story.

Some special ladies and sweet friends ~ Kristina & Christie.

Then, just four pages later, I read this:

" 'On the night when Jesus was betrayed, the Lord took some bread and gave thanks (eucharisteo) to God for it. Then He broke it in pieces...' (1 Corinthians 11: 23-24) Jesus, on the night before the driving hammer and iron piercing through ligament and sinew, receives what God offers as grace (charis), the germ of His thanksgiving (eucharistia)? Oh. Facing the abandonment of God Himself (does it get any worse than this?), Jesus offers thanksgiving for even that which will break Him and crush Him and wound him and yield a bounty of joy (chara). The mystery always contains more mysteries. Do I really want this way?" p. 36

Letting the food digest.

Do I really want this way? This choosing to offer thanks in ALL circumstances? Even in betrayal? Even in physical pain? In weary despair?

Yes, because there is really no other path to joy. The Lord has been faithful to teach me the exact same things He taught Ann. There is no other avenue to intimacy with and joy in Christ than this offering of thanks.

"Eucharisteo, the Greek word with the hard meaning and the harder meaning to live ~ this is the only way from empty to full." p. 41

So yes, Lord, I will strive to quiet my grumblings and instead offer sacrifices of thanksgiving to You. I want to know you in the fullness of your joy.

Gluten Free Friday ~ Super Easy Sausage Stew

2011-11-25T20:56:00.001-05:00

It's not exactly Thanksgiving leftovers, but I suppose you could substitute turkey for the sausage! And it's not original, but just another naturally gluten free dish I discovered in Real Simple magazine. (Have I mentioned that I like that magazine a little bit?) Anyway, this is a really easy recipe ~ very little prep, and a slow cooker dish at that. I threw all of the ingredients in the crock pot last Sunday morning before church, and the house smelled wonderful once we got back home. I made some corn bread in a hot, buttered cast-iron skillet to go with it, and everyone loved it.

It's actually called....

White Bean and Kielbasa Stew

1 pound dry white dry beans (I used navy beans)
1lb kielbasa, halved lengthwise & sliced (or any favorite sausage OR turkey!)
4 cups GF chicken broth
1 cup water
1 can diced tomatoes
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp dried rosemary
5 oz baby spinach (I used frozen)

In your crockpot (4-6qt sized) add all ingredients. Stir to combine, and cook on high for 5-6 hours or low 7 to 8 hours.

That's it! Super easy, super scrumptious!

My Thanksgiving Elves & Menu

2011-11-23T12:42:00.001-05:00

One thing I'm thankful for these days is having BIG kids who can do BIG chores around here! I really don't know what I would have done without them the last couple of weeks. Last week we hosted a reception here after the burial of a dear one, Josh. I don't think there have EVER been that many people in my tiny house. Robert was out of town, and so I depended on my kiddos to do a lot of the cleaning and preparing. They were SO helpful. Katie and Taylor, two sweet friends, also came over for the morning and helped me pull off all of the food.
Could. Not. Have. Done. It. Without. Them. Whew!

Well, my helpers are back at it today in preparation for another houseful of guests tomorrow for Thanksgiving. They don't even really mind working, because Thanksgiving is one of their favorite holidays. When, in a moment of weariness, I suggested that we go to someone else's house for Thanksgiving this year, they all but staged a revolt!

So, they've been working all morning. Cooper cleaned 2 bathrooms, vacuumed the stairway, and cleaned the windows on our mudroom doors. Kayla made 2 pumpkin pies all by herself, peeled several bags of carrots, made the cider glaze for the turkey, cornbread for dressing, and ran loads of laundry in between! (Oh ~ and she also had a piano lesson somewhere in there!) Kayla invited Cooper to join her in peeling bags of carrots, and a few moments into the job he declared, "This is so satisfying!" And no, he wasn't joking, so guess what his new all-time kitchen chore will be? Kory set up our second dining room table in the living room, arranged chairs, and brought extras up from the basement. He also dusted some of the wood blinds, and helped Robert get the window unit air conditioners back up to the attic for the winter.

And Robert's annual Thanksgiving chore is to iron all of the tablecloths and cloth napkins. (We get out the white tablecloths and use the real china on this special day.) He actually likes to iron, so this gives him a little bliss for a good hour or more ~ in the basement with his iTunes cranked up.

I'm sure I've mentioned my love for Real Simple magazine before. Well, the November issue had a full Thanksgiving menu, recipes, shopping list, and timeline for preparation. It looked like things we typically serve with a few new things that looked delicious, and nothing that seemed too complicated, so I basically did almost everything that they suggested. Here's our almost exclusively Real Simple inspired menu, and it's all gluten free, of course:

Appetizers:

Crudités & Roasted Onion Dip

Cheese & Apple Platter ~ Brie, Goat, and Gouda

Rice & Lentil Crackers

Olive Plate

Main Course:

Cider Glazed Turkey & Gravy

Scalloped Potatoes

Buttery Garlic & Parmesan Brussels' Sprouts

Carrots with Rosemary & Brown Sugar

Cornbread Stuffing

(Don't tell my dad, but I'm trying a new cornbread dressing recipe from Eating Well magazine!)

Praline Sweet Potatoes

Popovers

My dear friend Christie is also bringing:

Brisket

Ham

Mashed Potatoes

Green Beans

Cornbread Dressing

Drinks:

Sparkling Cider ~ Apple, Blueberry, Cranberry

Iced Tea

Apple Cider

Mineral Water & Assorted Juices

Champagne

(for the grownups!)

Desserts:

Pecan Pie
(Ruth Rowland's famous!)

Pumpkin Pie

Chocolate Fudge Pie

Cherry Pie

Popsicles

(Requested by Christie's daughter, 6 year old Mikiah)

Coffee & Tea

Well, there you have it! What about you? What are you making this year?

OK ~ Time to go help Kayla finish peeling potatoes! Hope you and your have a wonderful time celebrating all of your good gifts and blessings together tomorrow...

What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me?
I shall lift up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord...

To You I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving...

Psalm 116: 12-17

Celebrations & Sadnesses

2011-11-13T21:27:00.001-05:00

Been lots of ups and downs here lately. One of the "ups" was the chance to celebrate not only Robert's birthday at the end of October, but also the end of his 20th year in ministry. In September of 1991, he took a youth minister position at Manchaca Baptist Church near Austin, TX, began seminary, and was ordained shortly afterward. We spent 4 years at that church, were married during that time, and had our first child ~ a very special time with lots of milestones and memories. Now lots of those teenagers we ~~were driven crazy by~~ worked with have been married for nearly 10 years and have multiple children! A couple of them have even joined us in Massachusetts at one point or another. (Lois! Austin! Chad! Steve! Josh!) Love keeping up with them via Facebook and through yearly visits to the church.

In 1995 he was asked to take a University minister position at University Heights Baptist Church in Stillwater, OK. There, Robert was able to work alongside his former college minister, Tom Westbrook, who had become the pastor of that church after his ministry to college students at the University of Texas. We spent another 4 years there, bought our first home, made special, lifelong friends, and had baby #2. Some of those students and friends are also now with us here in Massachusetts or have come to serve at various times over the years. (Ryan, Christie, Curtis, Brandy!) It was a trip to Student Week in Glorietta, NM in those Oklahoma years during which Robert heard a church planter speak, and was moved to tears. He knew that the Lord was showing him in that moment that church planting was a possibility for the future.

Well, that possibility came WAY sooner than either of us expected it would (thanks to Curtis C. and John R.), and so in 1999 we loaded up our little white Stanza with a four year old Kory, and a 2 year old Cooper and headed to New England. (The blue truck and our other worldly belongings followed 2 weeks behind.)

We've been here twelve and a half years now.

Baby #3 was born in that first year here, (that makes one Texan, one Okie, and one Yankee!) and she is a definite highlight of those years, but the other highlight for me has been the twice-a-year baptism services we've had every year since we arrived to start our church here. What a privilege and honor to hear so many stories, see so many lives changed by the gospel of Christ ~ "the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes."

And so it was time to celebrate this honor and privilege ~ and this man whom I have watched passionately serve, teach, preach, pastor, and lead with humility and with the Spirit-enabled pure motive of seeing people come to know Christ and churches planted in a part of our country where The Great Awakenings happened, but have have long since been put to sleep.

So we had a BIG party in my LITTLE house! Thankfully, it was a lovely fall day and not too cold. The house was full and so was the yard. There were lots of faces, pulled pork sandwiches by Bill C. topping the day's menu, notes of encouragement written to the pastor, hugs, and laughter ~ ALL of the exact things I prayed for. I also LOVED having everyone at my house. That was a big part of how we started the church, and it was so wonderful to have old and new faces all together here again.

The down side, though, of having a front row seat in the individual and personal lives of so many, of being so intimately involved with countless people is watching them suffer, and saying goodbyes ~ goodbyes that are temporary (summers, graduations, moves...) and goodbyes that are forever.

Forever in the here and now, anyway.

We were devastated to hear about Josh's (with the knit cap) death last week. He's been a dear one almost ever since we arrived in Massachusetts. An incredibly gifted musician, a chef extraordinaire, and a faithful servant in and outside of the church, Josh was loved by all. My favorite personal memories of Josh are watching him teach my boys to cook a delicious salmon dinner in my kitchen (aprons and fingers curled away from the knife!) and the amazing gourmet meals he used to cook for our spring church banquets. (Butter, anyone?) I'll also miss passing his smiling face walking to work on my early morning runs through town.

Josh left our church to be a part of the first church our church planted. He ministered there for the last three years and was also ministered to in his struggles. If you skip to the 9 minute mark in this video made by fellow church member, Tommy, you can hear it in Josh's own words...

Oh, it is the end we sometimes feared, but not the end any of us were hoping and praying for, and so we look forward to our reunion with Josh in the not yet. He was buried yesterday. We will celebrate his life in a special service tomorrow morning. It will be a celebration amidst the sadness.

Praising the Lord for 20 years of the joys and even the heartaches of walking with and serving Him and His church ~ an honor and a privilege. Thanking the Lord for a husband who never wavers in his devotion to this call.

Gluten Free Friday ~ Cross Country, Coconut & Red Lentil Curry

2011-11-11T09:53:00.001-05:00

Cooper completed his final cross country race by earning himself a new personal record. He ran his 5K in 22:46 which is great for him! His team swept the championship by taking 1st place in JV girls and boys, as well as Varsity boys and girls. Coop had sort of a love-hate relationship with cross country, but he did it. He completed the season and persevered through the daily practices, which were anything from a 2 mile run and track work to a 6-mile run all over town.

Way to go, COOPER!

He never went to practice without his basketball in his backpack, though. Before and after cross country practice, he could be found in the high school gym or on the outdoor court shooting hoops ~ his true passion. He can hardly wait for basketball season, which we will be in Texas for. He's been allowed a spot on the Austin, TX homeschool team which we hope will work out well for him.

In other news, have I mentioned that I really love coconut milk? And lentils? And Indian food? Well, I do, and here's a really easy vegetarian, gluten free, and dairy free recipe that encompasses all of those loves. It reminds me of something they serve on the hot prepared food bar at Whole Foods ~ so delicious.

Coconut & Red Lentil Curry

1 onion
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp ginger root, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp salt
1 jalepeno or serrano pepper, finely chopped
2 cups water
1 1/2 cup dried red lentils
1 can coconut milk
1 zucchini
cilantro

Saute onion in olive oil about 6 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and saute 2 or 3 more minutes. Add the cumin, coriander, tumeric, salt, jalepeno, and saute 2 more minutes.

Stir in the water, lentils, and coconut milk. Simmer about 5 minutes. Stir in zucchini and simmer until just tender.

Serve over rice.