Monday's Musings

Friendships.  That's what I've been thinking about these last couple of days.  It's an area that for me has often been up and down. Early on in our marriage, my husband and I had some fairly close friends, but never did we have lots of close friends.  But for us it was the quality of friends that we had in our lives that was more important.  Having moved into this community, we did not have friends that were from our "growing up years" and so coming into a close knit community, we found it difficult to connect with those around us because they all had family/life long friends that they would get together with.  It is unreal though, how so many of those incredibly close friendships that we did end up making, ended with those friends moving away. Time after time, we would finally connect with another couple, and after a few years, God called them somewhere else. It was difficult.  We would finally find a couple we could really connect with and who made us a priority and they would end up moving away.  So many times this would happen, and each time it did, it made us pull back from people just a little more. And over the years, I know that we had built a wall around us.  As the years have passed, we've realized how much we have pulled away from those around us and how lonely life was becoming at times.  I've also realized that there were many people out there who were just as lonely as I was.

Over the past couple of years, thankfully God has brought several people into our lives who we now consider our dear friends.  I know in the past, I was waiting for others to connect with me.  I wanted THEM to make the first move.  I kind of felt like this was THEIR town so why should I have to make the first move. But that mentality left me empty and alone.  Over the years, God has prompted me and reminded me that to have a friend you have to be a friend.  That regardless of whether or not other people have closer friends, God has just called me to show His love.  He calls me to love others, and that includes those around me. God calls me to look at the interest of others rather than that of my own.  (HEY!  I think those were the verses I memorized a couple of weeks ago.  Tuesdays memorizing passage )

I am so thankful for the friends that God has brought into my life.  I am thankful for the friendships that our children have forged with other solid Christian children.  I am thankful for the friendship that even though they have moved away, that despite time and distance, our friendships still stand.  I am thankful for the friends that have stood beside us through difficult times and prayed for us through those times.  I am thankful for the guidance our friends have given us.  I'm thankful for the times when our friends have said the difficult things that we needed to hear despite what we might feel.  I am thankful for renewed friendships that God has allowed us to reconnect with.  I am thankful for new friends.

More than ever, I am realizing that when I open up my heart to share God's love to others, and when I open up my heart to be loved by others, that's when friendships are grown.  That's when God's love can flow.  That is when I am blessed by others, and I can begin to see all the blessings that God has placed right in front of me.

Truly, friendships are a gift from God - one I am incredibly thankful for!!!

So to those who I am proud to call my friends, just know I am blessed by you and honored to call you my friend!!!

Praise you in this Storm

This afternoon, I was sitting in my kitchen watching the snow fly all around and listening to the winds howl. The forecast had been for a balmy -1C, which it had been earlier on in the afternoon, but now the temperatures were falling and with the wind, I was pretty sure the it was feeling much colder than that.  As I sat and looked out the window, I watched as a squirrel sat carefully perched on a branch eating the seeds that my husband so faithfully puts out.  I watched as a bird feeder blew around in the wind, and watched as to my surprise, several birds flew up to it and perched themselves at it.  They proceeded to eat from the feeder as if the fact that the feeder was at quite an angle due to the wind it didn't even make them take notice.  They sat and fed there for quite some time, moving around so others could join them.  It was as if they weren't even aware of the storm raging all around them.  Amazingly, at that same moment Casting Crowns song "I Will Praise you in this Storm" came onto my iPod.  (see the link below).

I sat and listened to the words that I have in the past heard over and over and watched with fascination as the birds and squirrel continued on doing what they were doing despite the storm raging all around them.  I was reminded of a song that as I child I loved to listen to.  In our church, we always had a variety of speakers coming for Sunday mornings.  I don't recall this gentleman's name, but what I do remember is him singing the song "His Eye is On the Sparrow".  He had a had a distinct accent that whenever I hear this song, I am reminded of him singing it.  The chorus goes as follows "I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I'm free.  For His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me."

As I sat and watched the sparrows and chickadees at the feeder it brought me back to the wonder of how God cares for us, and watches over us. In every situation, God is there. In every moment of fear, in every moment of betrayal, in every moment of grief, God is there.  Over the years, K & I have gone through many valleys, yet each time God has proved Himself faithful.  He has given us the strength, the patience, the confidence that He is still in control.  The storms may have raged around us, yet He was there.  I will be honest, as we journeyed through them, at times I did wonder where He was.  I wondered WHY ME? WHY US?  But once I've come through the storm, and even so many times as I gone through those storms, God has shown Himself to me.  

When K had his accident and lay in a hospital bed unable to move (I'll share his story another day) I made the comment that being a Christian was the best and worst thing.  It was difficult because I couldn't understand why God had allowed him to break his neck & his back when we were doing His ministry.  And yet, I was so thankful that I had a God that was in control.  A God that I could go to with my fears, worries and agony.  I couldn't have begun to imagine walking through those months without the knowledge and confidence that God was still in control of things.  Last year, when I was wading through the dark days of depression and anxiety, I didn't understand God, but I KNEW beyond a shadow of a doubt that He was there, guiding me through that journey.  What a confidence we have knowing God is there.  Knowing that He has gone before us.  That He knows the very feelings we are dealing with.  

Having weathered several storms, I can honestly say that I am thankful that God has taken me through each and every one.  I have been drawn closer to God.  I have seen His amazing miracles.  I have seen the power that He has displayed when all hope was lost.  Had I not gone through those waters? I would never have been able to experience all of God's goodness and miracles.  I can truly say I will praise Him in this storm. . . and after the storm. . . I will thank Him as I sit and bask in the the calm after the storm.  What a confidence we have knowing we are God's children and He is taking care of us.  

Matthew 6:25-34

25 “So my counsel is: Don’t worry about things—food, drink, and clothes. For you already have life and a body—and they are far more important than what to eat and wear. 26 Look at the birds! They don’t worry about what to eat—they don’t need to sow or reap or store up food—for your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are. 27 Will all your worries add a single moment to your life?

28 “And why worry about your clothes? Look at the field lilies! They don’t worry about theirs. 29 Yet King Solomon in all his glory was not clothed as beautifully as they. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t he more surely care for you, O men of little faith?

31-32 “So don’t worry at all about having enough food and clothing. Why be like the heathen? For they take pride in all these things and are deeply concerned about them. But your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well that you need them, 33 and he will give them to you if you give him first place in your life and live as he wants you to.

34 “So don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. 

Live one day at a time"

Just tryin': Chicken & Potato Casserole

Well, this afternoon was yet another piano lesson day.  So what to have ready for the troops for supper was the question on my mind.  As I've mentioned in the past, I've been trying to go gluten free, so pasta has been a bit of a distant memory in our house.  So far it has been pretty easy to take out any of the things that contain grains.  So with that in mind, I came up with this recipe today.  I'm sure you could make it with any meat you have on hand, including ground beef!  Hope you enjoy it.  Our family said it was 10/10 and both kids want the left overs for school tomorrow!  I just kind of came up with this recipe off the top of my head, so hopefully I haven't omitted and of the ingredients I used today!  ENJOY!!!

Chicken & Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts

6 medium sized red potatoes

4 cups of frozen oriental mix veggies (could also use just frozen broccoli florets) 

1 1/2 C grated cheddar cheese

3 +/- Tbsp corn starch mixed with a little water  (or 3 Tbsp butter and 3 Tbsp flour if not going gluten free)

2 1/2 Cups milk

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

4 packets chicken bouillon

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

*  Preheat oven to 400F

*  Cut chicken breasts into one inch cubes and fry until cooked through.  Remove from heat and set aside.

*  Wash and cut potatoes into one inch cubes.  Combine with cooked chicken.

*  Pour milk into saucepan and add corn starch mixture, garlic and onion powder, chicken bouillon and salt and pepper.  Cook until milk thickens into a sauce.  (If using butter and flour, melt butter and add flour until mixed.  Add milk, powders, bouillon and salt and pepper.)

*  In a greased 9 x 13 pan, pour in 1/2 of the chicken and potatoes. Layer 2 cups of veggies on top.  Pour half of the milk mixture over top.  Layer the rest of the chicken and Potatoes, and then the veggies.  Pour remaining sauce over top.  

*  Cover and bake for 1/2 an hour.  Remove cover and bake for another hour.  Remove from oven. Sprinkle grated cheese over top and bake for an additional 15 minutes.  

(Consider baking this on a cookie sheet to avoid bubbling into the oven.)

Cheesy Deliciousness! 

Delicious chunks of chicken, potatoes and veggies in every scoop!

Part Time Server: Days and Evenings

A few weeks ago, I was noticing the recent ads that had been placed on our city's local online advertising site.  One of the most recent was a posting for a part time server.  Now I have never worked in the restaurant business, nor have I had any desire to do so.  It terrifies me even thinking about it. I could just imagine messing up orders, dropping food off of serving platters, or worse yet, pouring hot coffee on someone.  So an ad like "Part time Server" sends fear through my bones!

As I trembled at the thought of being a part time server, it caused me to think of what kind of server am I. In John 12:26 Jesus says this:  Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.  

I started to think about what kind of a servant I am for God.  Am I a part time servant, or a full time one?  I will admit, there are many days I don't even feel like being a servant at all!  Other days, I start out planning on being a full time servant, and something or other causes me to fall flat on my face.  But it's Satan's trap that I so easily fall into - focusing on me rather than others.  

God didn't call me to be a part time server.  God called me to be a fully committed, every day, every moment, no matter how I feel FULL TIME SERVER! And when I think, really stop and think about all that Christ did for me, I can only shake my head at myself and think REALLY????  Jesus Christ WILLINGLY came down to earth as a BABY, a helpless tiny baby, all the while knowing that His sole purpose was to grow up and die on the cross, betrayed by the very ones who called Him Jesus!  I shake my head at Judas and think "what a betrayal!"  And yet, is that not what I am doing when I choose to focus on me and only be a part time server?  Jesus said "My Father will honor the one who serves me."  He didn't say His Father will honor the one who sometimes serves me.  It is a full time position.  Not a "whenever I want to" thing.  It's going all in and being 100% committed.  Jesus came to earth and was 100% committed.  He knew that the end He was wholly committed to our salvation by giving up His life.  THAT was 100% commitment!  There's no part way about that.  That's going all in.

So what am I going to do?  Am I going to serve and be "all in" or am I going to sit on the fence and do what I want?  Am I going to serve my Lord part time, or am I going to commit FULL TIME!

God, help me to focus my eyes on you and to give my service to you full time.  Help me to put my selfish desires away and give of myself to you 100%. Help me to be a Full time server, and not just a part time server.

Tuesday's Choice

WOW!  Last week's memorizing was a difficult one.  I'm definitely going to have to keep going over that one to keep it drilled into my brain.  Actually something I've decided to do is try to keep going over all the verses from that month and then add each new week to it.  Hopefully that will cement them in there a little more.

So here are this week's new verses.  Took a few shorter than last week, so hopefully it works for you. These were the verses that I did one of my very first sermons on in Bible College.  I had titled it Living in the Lord.

Psalm 37:3-7

³ Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

⁴ Take delight in the Lord,    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵ Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this:
⁶ He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.

⁷ Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Blue Monday?????

As I struggle with anxiety and fear and depression, one of the things that has fallen to the wayside over the months/years is my contact with others.  The easiest thing for me is to "hide".  Hide from what scares me.  Hide from what intimidates me.  Hide from the unknown.  Hide from showing myself to others.  It's a crazy cycle.  Feeling like I can't go out, yet feeling like I'm lonely and never get out.  From one day to the next it can be different, and when I make plans to have someone over, or go somewhere, when that day arrives, I may not feel up to it, panic and back out.

Today is known as Blue Monday. Blue Monday The one day out of the year that is categorized as the most difficult day for those of us struggling with depression/anxiety/stress.  I can't say today was my worst day, but I can say that today reminded me of those awful days.  And as I thought about those awful days, it also brought to mind some of the amazing times I have had recently.  As God has brought us through some dark times these past few months, He has also brought some precious people into our lives and home.

On New Years day we celebrated the beginning of the new year with a couple that is near and dear to our heart.  They have walked similar paths to us - infertility, adoption, tweens, past work issues, etc.  We were able to bring in the new year with a family that we loved.  Then, last night, we were able to reconnect with a family that has walked similar paths as we - being uprooted from what you thought your path was, questioning God's processing, trying to be thankful for where God has put us at right now, as well as the infertility, adoption etc.

I am so blessed.  God has brought amazing people into my life.  And so today as I looked back, it also forced me to look forward.  It reminded me of the wonderful group of women I work with at the Preschool. On days when I don't feel like heading into work, they give me joy and happiness I can't explain.  Working for my boss/friend is a blessing I cannot even begin to explain.  Working in a Christian environment is such an incredible blessing. Our Bible Study group has been an incredible source of strength and encouragement. They have lifted us up in prayer and carried us through some difficult times.  Friends who have been like family (who we've watched their children grow up and they watch our children grow up!) since the days we first moved to Steinbach have been a constant source of support and encouragement.  Having friends who have walked the same or similar paths as we have is extraordinary.  I just really am so blessed.  My kids have amazing friends.  Friends who are raised in Godly homes.  Friends who challenge each of them to grow in their relationship with God.

Philippians 1:3   I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.

Truly we are so blessed.  Truly I AM BLESSED!!!  God has blessed me with so many friends that love us and care for us and pray for us. 

Blue Monday???? I'd say 

BLESSED MONDAY!!!!!

The Journey

Here in Manitoba, it's the middle of winter.  DEEP winter.  And last night we got even more snow.  I have to say I feel like saying "ENOUGH ALREADY!!!" but at least it's not cold.  And at least it's nice enough that I can send the kids outside and they can work off their energy outside sledding or playing with the dog!

Dog pile anyone????

Can't swing any more - the snow's too deep, so might as well climb up the slide.

Buddy time - a great day to climb the snow drifts!

But along with winter, comes my ever increasing desire to head somewhere warm.  To escape the frigid temperatures.  Get away from it all.  I've been hoping to get to the Dominican Republic this spring (don't think it's going to work since I want all four of us to go and $$ is always an issue). So resigning myself to not being able to do that, I've been thinking about where we might go for a family vacation.  Having family to the far east of us, and family to the far west of us, while our children children were young, we opted to visit family for our vacations.  But now that at least one is heading into her teen years, the request has been to "see more".  Two years ago we headed to South Dakota for a very memorable vacation, so this year, I was trying to think of where we could go.  I love the mountains, but have been to the Canadian Rockies, so the thought about going to Colorado has been on my mind.  (If any of you have been there, I'd love to hear some thoughts as to where we should go!)

For us we have always traveled.  Our kids were young travelers jetting across Canada as early as four months.  They soon learned to be content in their car seats as we journeyed 20+ hours to my home in southern Ontario or the 9+ hours to my husband's home in Saskatchewan.  Both our kids soon learned that the trips could be as interesting or boring as they made it.  If they brought things to entertain them, the journey went much better.  If they drank too much juice at one time, the journey was not a pleasant one when the service stations were far and few between.

Each journey we took was never the same.  We saw different things, encountered different road blocks, admired different scenes, stopped at different waysides, went up incredibly steep hills, and made the descents trusting our brakes to hold, etc.  In the end, our destination was always worth the journey. We would arrive at Opa and Oma's or Grandma and Grandpa's homes where we were greeted with outstretched arms and hugs and kisses.

As I focused on finding out information for a potential journey to Colorado, I was reminded how our lives here on earth are a journey.  No one's journey is the same.  Some might be on a road that seems to be pretty smooth, with very few hills or valleys.  Some of us might be on a journey with many twists and turns and lots of road blocks.  Some of us might be on a journey that gets us lost at times.  But each of us has our own journey that we are on - with eternity as the final destination.

I'm thankful I know that my final destination will be with my Lord Jesus.  I'm also thankful that He knows every path and curve on my journey.  He knows when I have a "breakdown".  He knows when I've missed a major turn and gotten lost in the woods somewhere.  He knows when I am just coasting downhill not watching for what might be at the end of the hill.  He knows when I am diligently searching the map to make sure I stay on course. He knows when I have been in constant conversation with Him, to ensure that I am still staying the course.  He knows when the journey gets too much and He just needs to pick me up and carry me for awhile.  My Navigator knows all things about my journey.  He knows what my path will be and is just waiting for me to contact Him with questions or requests for help.  AND, He is waiting for me at my final destination, waiting with open arms to welcome me.

But it makes me wonder. . .  what am I doing with my journey?  Am I continually seeking guidance from my Navigator or am I trying to figure it out on my own?  When I take my eyes off the road or the map, do I try to find my way back on my own, or am I crying out to God for forgiveness and direction?  When I decide to take a detour, do I beat myself up and stay put in the pit that I've ended up in, or trust that He will guide me back to the road I should be on to continue with my journey?

Yesterday, I took a detour.  In fact, I flew completely off the tracks.  Didn't listen to my Navigator and went off on my own detour again.  Why is that so easy?  Why is it so easy to blow my stack instead of being calm?  Why is it so easy to point the finger instead of being humble and gentle?  Why is it so easy to spew angry and hurtful words?  I know. . . it's because I wasn't listening to my Guide.  I wasn't focusing on my destination but was rather looking in the rear view mirror at my own life.  At myself.  When I should have been looking forward toward my Guide.  To the one who is showing me where I should be going.

But I remind myself that today is a new day.  And I'm trying to take One Day at a Time.  My journey isn't over, it just had a minor set back.  So today, I resolve to get back on the tracks and keep my focus on God. To keep my thoughts, my words, my everything - tuned into my Navigator.  And any road blocks that come up today, I will connect with Him to get the energy and strength from Him to do the right thing.  To head in the right direction.  He's there, just waiting for me to follow.

God, help me to listen with COMPASSION and speak with GRACE!!!!  Help me to focus on YOU instead of ME!  Help me to complete a journey that brings honor and glory to YOU!!!!

Adoption: Blessings in the form of my daughter

One of my favorite pictures of my daughter and I when she was only 5 years old.  PRECIOUS MEMORIES!

Over thirteen years ago, my husband and I decided to start on the journey of adoption.  We had been married for about 12 years at that point, and over the years had been told that we would not be able to conceive a child through natural means.  This did not come as a shock to us as we had never used birth control.  So after receiving that information from our fertility doctor, we decided that we would go ahead and look into adoption.  Neither of us new much about this journey, although I grew up with a younger friend who was adopted and through my Bible School years my best friend was also adopted, so heard a lot from her.

We decided to explore the avenue of Adoption Options here in Manitoba.  (Adoption Options Manitoba).  What a wonderful organization.  They are an open adoption agency which means that the birth mother/father and the adoptive family maintain contact through out the child's growing up years.  The way it works is this. Once a birthmother decides to place her child for adoption, a file is started sharing all her information as well as stating what sort of family she would like her child placed with.  Information such as the amount of contact, spiritual preferences, home situation, family size etc. is all included.  Then, when a prospective adoptive family comes in, we also start a file sharing all our information.  We shared what our thoughts of adoption were, what type of child we were interested in (race, scenario of conception, drug abuse, etc.), our desires for the amount of contact, our history both medically (infertility) as well as a family (children vs no children) etc.  Once the birthmom finishes her file, she is matched up with several perspective adoptive families and she is able to choose, and ultimately meet with a couple.  If she doesn't feel comfortable with that family, she is able to choose a different family with whom in the end she would be comfortable to place her child.

Wait times for adoptive parents can vary from a few months to several years, to never at all.  In our case, we truly believe God had His hand in this entire process.  From the time our file became active, to the time we got a call that we had been matched with a birth mother, it was only 8 months!!!  We were shocked!  The day that we met our birth couple was an emotional day.  We knew it was only a meeting.  A meet and greet if you will.  In the end, that day turned out to be the very day our birth parents choose us to parent their baby!!!  To make a long story short, three short weeks later, they were placing our beautiful baby girl in our arms.  I can truly say that that day was one of the most agonizing moments in my life.  I could hardly feel joy for the sadness and ache I felt for our birth mother.  The incredible gift she was giving to her daughter must have been the most agonizing decision for her.  How could I ever repay her???

Our amazing and beautiful birth mom with her/our daughter!  Like mother like daughter - just look at those smiles!!!

That was 12 and a half years ago, and there is no way that I ever could have imagined how beautiful our story would turn out.  As it turns out we have an amazing relationship with our birthmom.  We get to see her 2 or 3 times a year, and more if we decide to.  She comes over for our daughters birthday and for Christmas and we love her like she is part of our family because to us she is.  She is so much more than our daughter's birth mom.  She is our gift giver.  And the question of how to ever repay her?  All I can do is bless her back by encouraging the relationship between her and my daughter.  We are all a team.  We love our daughter, and simply want the best for her.  God has blessed us not only with a daughter, but with a birth mom and an added blessing is that when we get to see her, we also get to see her son as well - a half brother for our daughter.

In the middle of this story is the fact that once our daughter was 2 years old, we found out that not only did we have an adopted miracle daughter, but I found out I was pregnant, something the doctors had said would never happen.  We were always thankful for our relationship with our birth mother, but now, having a biological son, we were able to share biological information with our daughter as well about her families.  We have been so blessed to be a part of our birth mother's life and family. We have enjoyed the opportunities to meet her extended family and feel like God has brought our two families together.  What amazing blessings to know that our daughter's birth grandparents have been praying for her and us as we grow together. What blessings to be able to have our daughter meet them and get to know them a little bit.  WHAT BLESSINGS!!!

Before we knew how any of this was going to turn out, God had laid a plan.  God had provided a birth mother for us and a family for her to parent her child.  God designed it that way and I truly believe He has big plans for her.  She was given to God the day she was laid in my husband's arms, and I know He will use her mightily.

And now as I watch my 12 year old daughter turn into a woman, I am blessed!  Her love for Jesus, her desire to grow and be like Him is so evident.  She came home from a retreat at a camp this past weekend and rewrote her message notes so that she would be able to read them clearer in the future and be reminded of what lessons God had taught her.  I am blessed by a Bible study that she and I are doing together every Thursday - something she initiated.  (We are both reading a version of the book made to crave and trying to strive to put our desires solely in Christ, rather than on things).  And so it was with my precious daughter in mind that I read Lysa TerKeurst's blog this morning, and wanted to share a part of it with you.  She lists 10 prayers we can pray for our daughters.  To read the whole blog, feel free to click here 10 Prayers for your daughter

I am so grateful for God blessing me with my daughter.  I am amazed and humbled that He chose me to be her momma and that He has also allowed me to have that relationship with her birth mother as well.   OH HOW I AM BLESSED!!!!

I trust you will find your blessings today as well!

~Sharon

10 Powerful Prayers to Help You Fight for the Heart of Your Daughter:

1. Give my daughter a deep desire to listen to You, Lord, and pray often, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?” (Joshua 5:14b).

2. Let her learn early in life that to obey You, God, is the best way to the life her heart truly desires, (1 Samuel 15:22).

3. May she find comfort in Your ability, God, to reach her, hold her, and rescue her, (2 Samuel 22:17-18).

4. May she please You, Lord, by desiring, asking for, and utilizing a discerning heart full of wisdom, (1 Kings 3:9-12).

5. Let her find confidence in You, God, even when hard times come and she doesn’t know what to do, by keeping her eyes fixed on You, (2 Chronicles 20:12).

6. Give her a great desire to accept Your word, God, and store up Your commands within her so her ears will turn to Your wisdom, (Proverbs 2:1-2).

7. May she keep herself under control and not give full vent to people and situations that anger her, (Proverbs 29:11).

8. Give her the ability to rise above the traps of people pleasing so she can be kept safe by trusting You, Lord, (Proverbs 29:25).

9. Let her walk in the security of Your assigned worth to her. Give her a strong work ethic and health to accomplish all her tasks. Give her a heart that desires to extend her hand to those in need. Protect her for the right husband, a man of respect and godly honor. And let her be a woman of joy and laughter whose Christ-centered character is what makes her most beautiful, (Proverbs chapter 31).

10. And every time you, Jesus, whisper, “Follow me” she does so with great grace, (Matthew 4:19).

Going Gluten Free

Recently, I decided to try going gluten free.This was not for health reasons in that I can't tolerate gluten, but rather for health reasons (removing gluten and sugars) to see how it would affect my depression/anxiety since I was going to try to get off my medication.  For a girl who loves toast, cereals, sandwiches, buns, pasta and anything sweet, this was a major undertaking.  My brother in law had introduced me to almond and rice flour and other gluten free products so I knew it was doable.  So my first chore was to cut out my pastas and any breads or cereals I ate.  Lunches and suppers weren't that difficult since for suppers I was still able to eat potatoes and rice.

BUT, the killer for me was breakfast and snacking.  So I decided to search out some recipes that I could make for breakfast.  And I found one that is just amazing that I would like to share with you. I would eat this even if I wasn't going gluten free.  It is the most moist muffin I've ever eaten and probably the most delicious I've ever made.  They were so easy to make and ready to eat in about 1/2 an hour!!!  I store them in the fridge since I won't be eating them all within the next few days.  I'm trying desperately not to eat them all within a few days because my hope is that I will have some for the rest of the week!!!  

Let me know what you think if you do make them!  THEY ARE YUMMY!!!!

Don't these look yummy??????

Apple Cinnamon Almond Flour Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups almond flour

2 eggs

1/4 cup margarine

1/4 cup honey

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 small apples, peeled and chopped into small pieces (I used gala)

12 muffin liners

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F and line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners.

Mix all ingredients together except Almond Flour and Apples. Then add almond flour and mix well. Then gently fold Apples into the batter.

Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, spoon out batter into 12 cups

Bake for 15-20-25 min (depends on oven)

Blessings

A couple of years ago, I read Ann Voskamp's book 1000 Gifts.  If you have not read it, run to the nearest bookstore and buy it.  (For a little peek into what it's about check her site out here:  One Thousand Gifts ) I had picked up the book initially because I recognized the author's last name from when I had gone to high school, and had heard that this book was a life changer.  As I read through this book I was stunned to realize that the church the author was talking about in the pages of her book, was the church that I had attended as a teen!  The people that were mentioned in her book were people I had grown up with, including my piano teacher and my best friends parents!!!  After the first few chapters, I realized that this was indeed someone who was related to a guy I had gone to school with and the in-laws that she spoke about were in fact the same people that I had gone and had clubs at as a young child.  Talk about a small world.

As I read through the book I was challenged to take up an attitude of gratitude!  For me, it is way too easy to focus on the negative things in my life, and so I took up her challenge of starting my own 1000 gift list.  This is a list of things that I am thankful for.  It can be as simple as a beautiful sunny day (which when you think of that is actually awe inspiring!) or as complex as answered prayer and seeing God's hand working in your life.  I do have to admit as I look back on my journal of praise, I have not been very faithful.  Ann's challenge is to every day write down three things for which you are thankful.  There are times that I am diligent in my thankfulness journey, but as I look back, there are months where I haven't written anything.  And ironically, its the times when life "is good" that I haven't entered anything into my journal, and yet the times that are most difficult I have tried desperately to be thankful and enter those into the journal.  I found it a little curious that it was those "good times" that I had no entries.  But I also realized that so often it is in the good times that I become complacent.  I forget that I need God.  I go about my daily duties and forget to thank Him for the very things that He has blessed me with day after day.  

Years ago, a friend of mine had made this quote "Every time you breathe in, you suck in mercy."  Isn't that so true?  Every time we take a breath in, it's one more moment that God has given to us.  What am I doing with that moment?  Am I thankful for that moment that God has given to me?  Am I using it to draw others into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ?  Am I focusing that moment on myself, or directing it in praise to God?  When I actually stop to think about all that God has blessed me with, I am overwhelmed.  I can't help but praise God.  It's when I look inward to myself, and focus on me, that I forget the blessings.  I am focused on the negative.  Satan gets a hold of me and forces my thoughts into some of the deepest, darkest places.  

However, it is also true that when I enter those dark places, it is at those times that I try to force myself to focus on the blessings that God has given to me.  To forge ahead in my praise journal and remind myself of how blessed I am by all the things/people/situations God has granted to me.  I will admit. It is not always an easy abyss to come out of.  But I can say that as I try to focus on the blessings, I am able to remind myself of what God has brought me through.  And I can say that some of those dark days of depression have been some of my most meaningful days of focusing on God's blessings.

On the good days, I am too focused on everything else.  I forget the One who has made all those good things possible.  I forget the joys that He provides for me day to day.  I forget that the very fact that I am breathing, is a sign that I am still sucking in breaths of God's mercy!!!!

So today my question to you is this:  What are you thankful for today?  What blessings has God showered on you that maybe you haven't thanked Him for?  When we turn our minds to focus on God's blessings and all the amazing benefits He gives to us, it sends Satan packing.  And I like that image.  I like that image of kicking him to the curb so that I can walk up my driveway and praise God, thank God, worship God.

One of my all time favorite hymns is To God Be the Glory.  I can still hear my Dad and so many of the GBF congregation singing it out at the top of their lungs. What precious memories! (think I'll have to add that one to my joy journal!)

Be blessed my friends, and hopefully this little blog reminds you to focus on God's blessings and to give Him such praise today!

Enjoy these words!!!!

To God Be the Glory

1. To God be the glory, great things he hath done!  

So loved he the world that he gave us his Son, 

who yielded his life an atonement for sin, 

and opened the lifegate that all may go in.

Refrain:

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, 

let the earth hear his voice!  

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, 

let the people rejoice!

O come to the Father thru Jesus the Son, 

and give him the glory, great things he hath done!

2. O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood, 

to every believer the promise of God; 

the vilest offender who truly believes, 

that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

(Refrain)

3. Great things he hath taught us, great things he hath done, 

and great our rejoicing thru Jesus the Son; 

but purer, and higher, and greater will be 

our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.

Tuesday's Choice

So last week Tuesday, I decided I was going to start memorizing verses.  Putting God's word in my mind and mulling it over and over as I tried to memorize it.  IT WORKED!  I haven't memorized anything in ages, but this week I was able to get Philippians 2:1-4 memorized.  I know, it's not much, but it's stuck in there.

So this week, I have another passage I'm throwing out there for us to memorize.

Colossians 3:12-17.  Again another one of my favorite passages.  Join me won't you?  And let me know how it's going.  Where do you like to memorize?  How do you memorize?  For me, a couple times a week, I pick my kids up from school and unless you are there half an hour early, it is nearly impossible to find a parking spot.  So I go early and that is where I do my quiet memorizing.  I type it out several times which helps me.  I find when I write/type stuff out, I really have to think about it, and I also can visualize it.

So here are the verses for the week.  They are in the NIV but feel free to try them in whatever version you are comfortable with!  And let's remember to review our Philippians passage as well.  (See Thinking ahead: Tuesdays-challenge)  Wouldn't it be fun to be able to recite an entire month's worth of verses???  Let's see what we can do.  Blessings on you as you put God's word into our hearts and into our actions!!!!

Colossians 3:12-17

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 

13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 

14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.And be thankful. 

16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 

17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

40

Yesterday, a friend of mine turned 40.  Now for her, and for many of you out there, 40 is a difficult year to celebrate.  In some respects it was for me, but not too bad.  Of course I didn't FEEL like I was 40 so it really didn't bother me too much.  My kids were still young, I was teaching young children, so feeling old wasn't really there for me.  (Don't ask me how I feel at 46 though!!!!  :-) )

These past 4 months, 40 has become a very important number for me.  A positive number.  As I shared in my post entitled Prayer Room (http://sharon2kids.blogspot.ca/2014/01/prayer-room.html) my husband and I had separated for awhile this past fall.  As we started to heal and rediscover our communication, I started to wonder when it would be that he would come home.  I was well aware that we were far from done dealing with all our issues, but I was also well aware that, as two different individuals, we would always have issues. The major one that resulted in our separation was being dealt with, the hurts and emotions were being healed, but there were so many other issues, that I knew if I waited for them ALL to be dealt with, K more than likely would never move home. I also didn't want us to jump back into something too soon that would result in more hurt, anger and frustration.  And I also wanted to be mindful of the kids, and a long separation I knew would not be in their best interest.  So after many days of praying and asking God for wisdom, 40 days was brought to my mind.  I started to do a little research on the number 40 and this is what I found.

Some of the common examples that I knew about "40" were these:
- it rained 40 days and 40 nights and then it stopped and God provided His promise with a rainbow.
- Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness for 40 days
- The Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years before they were allowed into the Promised Land
- Goliath had taunted the Israelites for 40 days before David defeated him.
- Moses was on the mountain for 40 days and nights before delivering the Ten Commandments to the Israelites
- Lent lasts for 40 days

In fact, I found out that 40 is mentioned in the Bible 146 times where it refers to trial and testing or probation.  As I thought about the separation that we as a family were going through, I though how ironic it would be if the time of trials and testings in our marriage also lasted 40 days, with the deliverance  or renewal of our family.

When I was at Bible School at Millar College of the Bible, we had a wonderful professor who taught The Pentateuch and Old Testament classes and who had also studied the numbers of the Bible extensively.  It intrigued me.  As I thought back to those classes, I recalled that 5 was the number of grace and 8 was the number of renewal or revival - AND 8 times 5 is 40.  Now, I'm not sure if this is all truth or not, but I was intrigued that after 40 days, and by God's grace, our marriage/family was renewed and we were able to move forward out of the dark days of separation.  It was a date I had specifically chosen and by God's grace, we are moving forward.  So what a joyful day November 27 was, that after 40 days of our family being broken, we were once again restored.

Believe me, that does not mean that all our issues were resolved.  But what it did do, was give us each some space.  K & I have grown through this time apart and I truly believe that the time apart allowed us to focus on areas of our own lives that needed changing.  It allowed us time to focus on our relationship with Jesus and to see where we needed to change.  It allowed us to remember those things that had drawn us to each other in the first place. Even the kids have grown through this.  Their spiritual and emotional strength grew by leaps and bounds.  Prayer became a huge part of their and our lives.  Believe me, I am not recommending that every family take a 40 hiatus from each other, but I do know that we as a family, endured the trials and testing for 40 days, and after that, came renewal.  We have established a better communication for it.  We have established better relationships with God because of it.  We have grown together as a family.  Truthfully, we are way better off for having taken this time.  (On a side note, I DO have to emphasis that the separation was never intended to be permanent so the time apart was always done with the intent of working to get back together.)

I praise God for our forty days that He blessed us with. I thank God that after our 40 days, came our renewal, our revival.  So today, I am thankful to God for "my 40"  !!!!

Sunday's Songs

Just thought I'd share a few of my favorite songs with you today.  Some you may have heard, and some perhaps not.  

Sit back and listen . . . on this Sunday of songs.  (Sam Robson, Laura Story, & Mercy Me)

Blessings!!!!

Fridays funnies. . .

~ so we have finally warmed up here in Manitoba to -10C so it feels like it's almost spring!  Here are a few thoughts to make you smile as you head into the weekend.

Have a great weekend everyone!!!!

Prayer Room

~ as I have mentioned in previous posts, 2013 was a bumpy year for me, for a variety of reasons.  one of those bumps along the way, happened in my marriage.  2014 is going to be our 25th anniversary, but at one point it seemed like we might not make it.  after much prayer and frustration, this past october, my husband and i separated.  we never intended for it to be permanent, but hoped it would be a time where we could work on our issues personally, and also as a couple.  in the end, we were separated for 40 days in october/november (that in itself is another post yet to come) but they were the best and some of the most difficult days of my life.  it was a time where we both grew, and our children grew.  it's not that we didn't see each other, because in reality, we did see each other most days, but it was a time to be separate and look through each of our own lives and reassess where we were at. . . what changes needed to be made. . . what changes we wanted to see in our own life, but also in our marriage.  it was a time that, as difficult as it was, i wouldn't trade for anything
~ while K was gone, he stayed with a couple of angels.  i say angels because i truly believe they were god sent!  he was my husband's boss and long before we were even separated, god had started working in their lives.  his boss was being challenged to carry out his faith deeper into the workplace and had even felt god calling him to give up their own comforts at home to minister to others.  they didn't know at that time that that meant taking my husband in for a month, but god had set their hearts in motion so that when K needed a place to stay, they were prepared.
~ they were truly god sent.  they ministered to my husband like i don't think anyone else could have.  god had prepared their hearts to meet the need of K's heart.  one of the biggest impacts that their home had on K was the focus on prayer.  the moment K walked into their home, he was prayed over by them.  they also had a prayer room that they allowed K to use as well.  that was a life changer.  K spent hours and hours in the prayer room reading, praying and just being still and spending time with god.  when he would come home to visit, i could see the power that spending that time closed off alone with god was having on K.  it was incredible. it was as though he would walk into the holy of holies when he walked into that room.  it just felt that god was right there. as he shared with me how valuable that space was to him, we started to talk about how we could incorporate this concept into our home.
~ i will admit, at first i was skeptical about the value of it.  but, it was something that i could easily provide for him, and if that grew him to become more of a godly father and husband, it was an easy fix.  the only spare space we had was our spare room, which also doubled as my office and scrap booking room.  we had a single bed in there, which was generally used for one of our kids since my daughter had a double bed in her room, and so guests stayed there.  we decided that we could do without the single bed, so we brought up two rockers, purchased a wonderful bookcase from Ikea and took all our books out of storage and put them on the shelves - ready to be read.  one of the things that impacted K was that in his boss's prayer room, they had soft praise music playing continually.  so i took one of our old iPods and downloaded several soft praise & worship albums and keep it playing day and night.  i also purchased a vinyl wall decal with a scripture verse on it. it (or others) can be purchased here.  http://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/152302618/custom-order-for-sallieu-psalm-4610-be?ref=shop_home_active     i still had to keep part of it as my office, but for the most part, it is our new prayer room.  what a blessing it has been.  i have even woken up in the morning to find my 9 year old in it reading his bible.  talk about blessing a mother's heart!!! WOW!
~ it is amazing to be able to walk into this room and hear hymns and worship songs playing continuously.  even when i am working on piano stuff the music fills my thoughts and directs my thoughts to worship.  it is such an amazing space.  i never thought that a simple room could help me focus on god and what he is teaching/telling me, as what this room has done.  and we all know that if the door is closed it means do not disturb because someone is spending their time with god.  it has also been a wonderful space to become quiet and read the many books we have accumulated over the years with the intention of reading, but never did.
~ so i thought i would share my space with you and encourage you to see if this is something that might benefit you.  in this day of age, where we all are so busy hurrying to everything and everywhere, this room has become a place of quiet and solace.  a place to come before god and be still.  you might not have a room to devote to this.  maybe it's a corner in your living room or bedroom.  i really encourage you to carve out a space that allows you to meet god there.  i know we can meet god wherever we are, but it has really felt like this room allows me to shut out all the busyness of life and make time to meet with god.  it has truly been a blessing to me.
~ enjoy a peek into our prayer room.

Thinking ahead: Tuesday's Challenge

~ as you may or may not know, i am a piano teacher.  i also have 2 kids and a hubby that would love to have suppers each evening. . . yes. . . prepared by me!  ;-)  i teach piano three days a week, so each of those days, i try to have supper ready for them to either eat while i am teaching, or to be ready to eat so we can all sit together and have supper.

~ today as i sat looking through my recipes trying to come up with a "new" exciting recipe, i started to think about how much time i devote to getting meals ready.  before i could get supper started, i had also gone out and purchased some new piano books for some students.  as my mind wandered from making supper to the amount of prep time i do for my piano lessons, i started thinking about how much time i spent with my poet.  (See my post on January 3rd http://sharon2kids.blogspot.ca/2014/01/valuable.html about God calling us his poem.)

~ i started to think about how little time i spend actually reading God's word.  sure i read lots of great books, and devotionals - other people's writings about His word.  but how much time do i actually spend reading HIS words?  when i think of all god did for me, what he all gave up for me, i am humbled by it all.  and i am humiliated by how little time i spend with him.  how little time i talk to him and how little time i listen for him .

~ in Anne Voskamp's blog http://www.aholyexperience.com/ she writes about scripture memorization.  what an incredible way of getting into god's word.  i did this as a child, and have on occasion memorized scripture through out my adult years, but what an incredible way of getting into god's word.  not only are we reading it, but we are mulling over it.  over and over. . . and what better way to defeat the devil than by reciting god's word.

~ as i sat and thought about this and about what i was going to try to memorize, i thought about my favorite book - philippians.

So here are the verses, i purpose to memorize this week:

Philippians 2: 1 - 4    1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

join me on my journey to memorize more of god's word so we can turn it over and over in our minds to be able to have it on the tips of our tongues.  so that when we rise up and when we lay down, we will have his words in our hearts and in our minds.

Monday musings

~ and so it dawned.  the very first monday of 2014.  it brought with it one of the coldest mornings of the year.  ~school divisions were closed, buses didn't run, children stayed home for one extra day - except in OUR school division where everyone was supposed to show up cheerful and ready to meet the day.  REALLY?????

~well those were my thoughts this morning.  i dragged myself out of bed, impatiently waited for my daughter to finish her never ending shower, growled at myself in the mirror, grudgingly made my kids lunches, and finally limped into work.  not wanting to be there, and wishing i was buried back in bed.

~ i firmly believe that god knew i needed my job at the preschool just to get me up out of bed and start my day.  my battle with depression and anxiety is constant.  and so this morning, if i could have had my own way, i would have stayed buried under the covers for the rest of the day.  but before i even knew how much i needed this job, god provided it for me.  i had to get out of bed.  i had a classroom full of 3 year olds waiting for me - not to mention my peers who needed my help as much as i needed theirs.

~ as i drove to work, grumbling about the cold, and the fact that i had to go to work at all, i was struck by the beauty in the southeast.  the sky was pink and purple and orange as the sun was beginning to rise. steam rose from homes and cars.  god had painted a beautiful picture for me to see.  in my grumpy state, he knew what it would take to get me going.  he knew i needed my job to get me going. he knew i needed a sunrise to remind me of the fact that he is still in control.  he knows me - inside and out.  he knows that i could barely utter a prayer this morning.  he knows and he provides.

~ and so i remind myself that not every day will be a mountain top day.  and not every day will be a valley day.  but every day god is there for me.  knowing what i need.  knowing what i am feeling.  knowing the struggle that is in my mind.  i don't even have to voice it to him. . . he knows.  . .

and then there was this. . .

Matthew 6:8 Remember, your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!

~ god knows. . . and i am so thankful for that. . .