Oh Momma…When you REALLY Blow It!

So it was an afternoon at the Salon, pick up pizza because mom and I would be late getting home and life would be good right? Oh so not ‘right’.

At home was a stewing guy who collided with a girl who hates conflict. I won’t divulge the situation in detail but what I do want to share is that I responded in a most extremely unChrist-like manner. I blew, completely and totally blew it!

Seems like the enemy of my soul reared his ugly head in my heart and I reacted in a crazy fashion of yelling at the top of my lungs in response to what I thought was inappropriate charges. Okay, we all have fought and disagreed at some point in our marriage, but it seems more likely during the early years. Well, we will be in it 30 years in October and frankly, I shocked myself (which will give you an inclination of just how out of control I was!)

I have written before about blocked goals and know firsthand the frustrations that come from having your best laid plans interupted! And I have also written extensively on the topic of unforgiveness because it has been a key to my ‘growth’ and spiritual maturity. Is it is possible that maybe you can even identify with an unfortunate situation like mine.

Well, we didn’t speak the rest of the night. However on my three mile walk I allowed the Lord to speak to me about what had just happened. I am so glad I live in the rural part of our community because a sobbing woman walking swiftly might give cause for concern.

Line Break

You see, I am a leader, a woman who loves to mentor and lead other women in the Christ-like manner we should all be walking in when we are His girls. I was so ashamed of myself for the way I behaved. I was ready to put in my resignation at my Christian ministry job, cancel all speaking engagements, keep walking and never come back (I have a natural inclination to run!) and surely never face the one I tangled with.

However…our loving Father, who is so gracious and kind began to speak to my heart and hear the story that I spilled out, and yes, even though I knew He was there in the midst! However, He so gently reminded me that I am not responsible for the “but he did…” in this showdown. Nope, I had to face my pathetic response, face my wrongs and ask the Lord to search my heart and show me the wickedness of my own heart. Grief, what was in this heart of mine that would make me lash out in response the way I did?

Mist rising Psalm 139.23-24

Oh friend, this was such a humbling experience. I hadn’t been in this place for a long time and I was shocked at both of our responses. I continued to allow the Lord to show me my fears, insecurities, doubts and asked to see just where was this coming from. I didn’t raise my fist to heaven and try to blame God or my guy. That’s because I knew I had to look into my heart alone and trust that God would take care of the rest.

Line Break

When I returned home the guy was in bed, as he is an early to bed, early to rise type, which meant that it was just me and my mom (who was the unfortunate witness to the entire event) left to converse. I told her I was so ashamed of how I responded and asked her to forgive my outbursts. She wanted to justify my response and I just gently said I wouldn’t discuss it any further, and that I was terribly wrong. You see so often we want to rally our troops and justify our actions. Share on X I knew I couldn’t do that! I had to respond correctly as the Lord had lead me to do.

The guy had worked so hard that day that I knew he needed his sleep or I would have awakened and we could have talked then. And I had prayed for boldness to end this thing before the “sun would go down on our anger.” However I slept and surprisingly well at that. He is most often awake before I am so when I got up his first response was “Good morning.” Hmmm…I have to admit that I wasn’t expecting that and I grunted somewhat and proceeded to get busy making my muffins in hopes that we were all done and finished never to revisit last evenings main event ever again.

I was thankful that when he came into the kitchen he did apologize for his outburst the night before. To that, I was able to then reply back that I was so ashamed of my behavior. I had made up my mind that I wasn’t going to focus on him and what he did to get me riled up. No, this was about me. I had crossed the line and I wanted him to know that I knew how inappropriate it was and that I was so sorry and hoped that he would forgive me. I also told him that I loved him. And that is why this situation cut so deeply. People who love each other aren’t supposed to hurt each other like that, or at all (although it too frequently happens.)

You see, I have a small prayer group that meets weekly, and we care enough about one another’s spiritual well-being to be able to look each other in the eye and say,

It's not about them, it's about what God wants to work in you! Share on X I admit, that sometimes bites! But I know it’s true.

So have you and your spouse every tangled?

How did you respond after the scenario played out?

From my perspective, here’s what not to do:

  • Don’t rally the troupes to gain support for your wound licking party. If this is about you then allow God to search your heart and be willing to take a look at the unpleasantness in your own heart. Both parties can turn ugly during a heated argument!
  • Ask the Father to show you if there is something in your heart that you have refused to give over to Him. Remember, diamonds are made from raw coal and pressure. Over time we hand Him every little bit so that He can make us more and more like Jesus.
  • Don’t focus on all that the other person did wrong in the situation. He did..she did this that and the other. This is where you admit that you are not responsible for changing the other one. That is not your job! There is no degree on wrong…it is just plain old wrong!
  • Ask the Father to show you how to humble your heart. Pride is a tool of the devil and he will certainly get you into trouble if you continue to entertain it.

Humility1

What can you do when reeling from a situation like this? Here is where you acknowledge your responsibility, humbling yourself and looking inward instead of over at the one who hurt you! Walking in humility isn’t easy but when you lay down your pride it can be done. And remember that these trials will only make you more and more like Christ, and you will be more inclined to offer grace to another when you see that they have blown it big time!

Make up your mind that the devil won’t win this battle!

 

2 Comments

Making the Shift

KN with tagWelcome, I am so glad you are here!

Sometimes we get to a place in our lives when there comes a tweaking, a nudge, or a reconfiguration if you will. That is what is happening on this site you have visited, just a smidge of a shift to embrace the fullness of not just the Spiritual and Emotional part of our lives but to include as importantly our body.

A few years ago I got seriously involved in making a difference in my health. Deciding to put to test a product that I had been introduce to by a dear friend. You can read more about my Zeal testimony.

Just so happens I began to really like what was happening with my health as my immune system was being boosted. I found that I wasn’t getting sick like I typically did. Because of that I ended up becoming a consultant for Zurvita.

I am thankful that I have made this move because what has happened is a better awareness of the importance of building into our earthly tent or body, as well as the other two elements that comprise who we are. And the Bible has a lot to say about taking care of our “temples.” Why? Because we house the Holy Spirit when Christ redeemed our lives!

Line Break

In the past I dabbled with health fads and eating various nutritious foods. I have always gardened and love fresh foods. But in this age of super farming (which has annihilated what was once good for us, by genetically modifying our base foods,) we are basically putting a gun to our heads by the food choices we make when they aren’t healthy. Or we may be completely ignorant going along with the societal trend of the super-size, fast food eating.

This new area includes issues like dairy and grain allergies. Don’t you wonder why people are struggling, trying to maintain their health even when it seems like they are eating well?

Well, here is a place where we will embrace all three elements of health and wellness from top to bottom if you will.

Line Break

I hope you will join me on the journey of healing so we can be the effective instruments God has designed us to be…as we confront the spiritual, emotional and physical aspects of this pathway called life. Let’s be an encouragement to one another and lift each other up because when the ‘body’ is hurting then we all are hurting!

John16.33

Knowing that God has called to live a life full and abundant should tell us something. And when we are dragging around we aren’t much help to ourselves and others!

In here you will find information about how we can guard, improve, address those stumbling blocks, and grow into healthier human beings. I will even include recipes and features from friend who are on the journey with me.

So if your with me lets give it our very best! Join me on the journey to wholeness so we can finish strong and take many with us!

This Scripture will remain a standard closing for us when we finish our time together…

“May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together—spirit, soul, and body—and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he’ll do it!” 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 Message Paraphrase

2 Comments

It’s Truly Amazing!

The grace of God is pretty amazing and although words can try to describe what it is all about, it is still hard to get the full capacity of it’s meaning.

All About Grace

I many times in my Christ-following journey I have ‘fallen’, turned away or neglected to put my trust in Him, not to mention that I probably sin every day. But truly, I stand in awe at the reality that God only sees me through the blood of Jesus, not my sin. Whoo, how can it be? Share on X

We don’t have to think that grace is just a New Testament thing either…look what is written in Jeremiah 31:2-3…

“Thus says the LORD: “The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness; when Israel sought for rest,
the LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.”

Secrets of the VineMiss Leah, a friend from a retreat I spoke at last fall,  reminded me of a lovely little book from Bruce Wilkinson, “Secrets of the Vine”. I have a copy but hadn’t looked at it for a very long time. So while on the treadmill it has become the riveting read that is making my 30 minute workout zippity-do-dah along.

I was taken aback at the insight from the Vine-dresser (he who tends the vineyard,) who doesn’t discard the unproductive vine that has not produced. Bruce Wilkinson, at one point asks the dresser if he just cuts off those muddied vines and throws them away. In the vine-dressers words he says “oh no, they are much too valuable to do that.”

No, those vines aren’t just discarded. Instead, the vine-dresser carefully lifts them up (for they have fallen down, gotten covered in mud and started to mildew), and rinses them off in the bucket of water (carried along just for this purpose.) In the lifting up, the dresser gently ties the rinsed off vines, twining them into the trellis. Before long they are once again beginning to be productive.

Hey there friend, I don’t know about you but I have been a wayward girl, and I know wayward people. People who once loved God but then sin began its deteriorating process and they too fell, got muddy and began to mildew. I/they are given up for ‘lost’ or ‘back-slidden’. Thankfully there is that Christianese saying that says “God loves us too much to leave us the way we are” or something like that.

The Lord has given us the ability to make choices, which means the freedom to make mistakes, to slip and fall. However, like any good parent, He disciplines us. We either respond to His loving rebuke and turn from our sin and poor choices or we will keep reaping the consequences. Bruce Wilkinson says it this way: “The discipline doesn’t have to continue! It’s all up to me. I will only experience pain as long as I hang on to my sin.” Or I will only reap those consequences if I continue along my sinful way!

Wow, these words from Hebrews 4:14-16 are so awesome…

“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are,yet without sin.
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.“

When I think of prodigals, I think that they might just believe that they are too far gone. Maybe caught in the trap of working for their salvation. That’s when it is easy to say, ‘well I blew it so there’s no hope for me.’ Isn’t that just one of the enemy’s great lies!

So how can I/we help those beloved prodigals believe that God loves them too much to give up on them?

That they can quit wallowing in their sin and come home even if they are really stinky from the miry cesspool they have been dwelling in?

How do they come to realize that Christ died for them even while they are steeped in their sin?

…grace, God’s grace…lived out by us…extended toward them, me, you, my son, your daughter…

Will you remind me when I begin to let that sly dog, judgement come creeping in, to tell him right where to go?

Will you remind me that I am a product of God’s never-ending love?

Will you remind me that my son may only see a glimpse of God’s grace because I have extended it to him without payment?

Yup…freely given and Lord I pray freely received…

2 Comments

I Told You I Love Quinoa!

Red Quinoa-Kale Salad

20160514_122216-1-1

Cook as per directions…

2 Cups Water or Broth

1 Cup Red Quinoa

20160514_121919-1

While cooking:

Dice 1/4 Sweet Onion

1/4 Red Bell Pepper Chopped to your desire but I prefer smaller pieces

1 – 1/2 Cups Chopped Kale (I used the curly leaf)

1/4 Shredded Carrot

1/2 Cup Frozen Corn

After the Quinoa is cooled, fluff it up adding it to a large bowl and add the vegetables above.

Add 1/3 to 1/2 cup of Balsamic vinegar and Olive Oil dressing

or make your own…

1/3 to 1/2 Olive Oil with 1-2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

I also like to add 1-2 oz of Hemp Hearts.

Mix well and chill.

20160514_122216-1

Before serving sprinkle with finely shredded Parmesan Cheese giving a final mix.

Garnish with Sesame Seeds

Serve with crackers and I really like the nut thins as a nice complement! Enjoy!

 

 

Comment

When the Scoffers Come!

1Pet 2.1Ever have those conversations that leave you thinking or screaming “What in the world was that all about?” I have and the hardest part of it all is that it was someone I love who railed against me and left me feeling worthless!

Some of you know what I’m talking about here! But when it comes from those we love, ouch, it sure does bite. I was left devastated, giving in to negative thinking for a brief period of time.

I am so grateful that I know the Lord, and that I know His Word. Because of this knowledge, I can combat the lies of the enemy when he comes pointing fingers and scoffing at me. You see I know it isn’t that loved one that I am battling, it is the enemy of my soul who wants to see me rendered ineffective.

Line Break

God’s Word really is a healing balm…

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12 NASB

I am so thankful that the Lord reminded me of this because I let myself get angry! I was devastated and hurt. Not only that but my ministry was also attacked. How could that be?

You see the devil loves when he can pit us against one another and cause us to back-bite and curse one another with that poisonous venom that threatens to kill us emotionally and render us completely useless. He is the ruler of this earth and for a season he longs to make us hate one another.

If Jesus came to show us love so that we could love one another then the devil does just the opposite! He stirs us up with negative thoughts of one another and we kinda get paranoid which is described as causing you to falsely believe that people are trying to harm you. But the verse above is what we have to remember more than anything. And that hurting people hurt people.

Line Break

So what will you do the next time the accusations come to taunt you and put you on the defense?

Will you retaliate and think of all the bad things that person has done and caused?

Will you get on the band wagon and rally the troupes in hopes of getting others to take your side?

Will you get into a shouting match with that one and tell them just what’s on your mind?

When conflict comes our way, we actually have an opportunity to put that ole devil in his place…by not giving in to our emotional reactions, instead, acknowledging the situation for what it is, applying the truth instead of succumbing to the deception.

All these things can help us to see that the person who seems to be against us is actually the enemy who is out to get us. We may just be a target for their pain and frustration. Certainly that doesn’t make it right!

2 Corinth 10-5So to take every thought captive means that all the negative thrown at us must be weighed and measured with the Word of God. We may see a few things that could be true about ourselves but seriously, we are not going to drink the poison of our taunters.
Here’s what I must remember to do when I fall into a situation like this…pray!

Then, I must forgive.

“From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;” 2 Corinthians 5:16-18

It does take time to move beyond circumstances like these. But I know when we extend forgiveness and let go of the pain we have given over to the Lord, He will heal our broken hearts and hopefully restore and reconcile the situation. You may or may not have the relationship you once had but then again maybe you will have a better relationship than ever before?

What do you have to lose?

The pain and recollection every time you run into them, especially if it is a family member.

What do you have to gain?

Peace, peace knowing that God is working even if for right now it doesn’t look quite like it!

Comment

Hearty Whole Grain Oatmeal Bread

I have always enjoyed hearty, grainy breads and this one is just delightful with a slab of butter and your favorite jam, honey or your favorite nut butter! You will enjoy with a morning beverage.

 

Oatmeal Bread 4

 

I found a very nice organic six-grain flour at our local ‘Country Pantry’ that is comprised of Wheat, Rye, Barley, Corn, Millet and Buckwheat. It is a lovely fine grind as well.

Line Break

I love to use my KitchenAid electric mixer only to mix my bread dough. Maybe yours is handily accessible and even on a portable stand. Mine is not, packed away in its box waiting to be used!

First Step…

4 Cups Warm Water (no more than 105 degrees)

2 Cups Almond Milk (I use plain unsweetened but any milk will do)

2 Tbsp Yeast (2 packages)

1/2 – 3/4 Molasses (you could use honey if you don’t care for the flavor molasses gives)

8 Cups Flour

Add warm water and yeast then gently mix  for several minutes. (I use my wire whip attachment for this step.) Let rest for about 5 minutes and then add your almond milk and blend well.

Here is where you will add your sweetener which the yeast loves as it begins to make it grow! You can now add in your 8 cups of flour and whip until it is well mixed and the consistency of a thick batter.

You will then let this rise for an hour.

Line Break

Second Step…

2 Tbsp Salt

3/4 C Butter or Coconut Oil (I mixed mine)

5 Cups Rolled Oats

5 Cups flour (you may need a little less or more and flour for kneading)

Add the oatmeal and then sprinkle the salt around on the top and very thoroughly mix the oats into the batter.

Begin to add your flour until the mixture is of a good kneading consistency. Not too sticky. You can now empty your bowl content onto a floured counter or board and start kneading in the rest of flour. The consistency will be somewhat stiff! Remember, kneading is good therapy!

Oil your bowl and add the ball of dough swiping the dough through the oil and flipping it over so the top is well oiled. Cover the bowl of dough with a light, dampened cloth and let rise for about an hour.

Step Three…

Punch down the dough once again and let rise another 40 minutes.

It is now time to shape the dough into 4 loaves. With a large knife you can slice the dough in half and then in half again.

Grab one of the 1/4’s and pat it out on the floured board or counter to press out the air bubbles. Then fold over the dough pressing it as you go and fold the other side over and press together. Fold your ends down and under and place in your lightly greased bread pan.

 

Oatmeal Bread 1

 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. While oven is heating you can let your loaves rise for about 25 minutes. Pop in the oven (not too close together) and bake approximately 50 minutes. The loaves will be golden brown and when tapped will sound sort of hollow.

Oatmeal Bread2

 

Tip your loaves out on racks to cool Completely. (Remember, if you put them in bags to store before they are cool they will sweat and make too much moisture.) But be sure that you don’t put them away until you have yourself a nice warm slice with some butter and honey drizzled on top with a cup of tea or coffee!

Line Break

 

Oatmeal Bread 3

Comment

A Cold Winter’s night and Fresh Stir-Fry

By the time winter starts to draw to a close, one gets craving fresh anything! So be it with some fresh sauted veggies on a bed of quinoa that made a very satisfying supper.

Quinoa Dinner1

This is kind of a no brainer stir -fry dinner but here you go:

2 carrots sliced fairly thin
3/4 cup of thinly sliced brussel sprouts (I slice top down)
2 Tbsp Olive or Coconut oil

Start this sauteing in the oil and a large skillet on a med heat. Here is where I added a shake or two of sea salt and a shake or two of Emeril’s Bayou Blast Essence.

As veggies begin to cook you can get your quinoa cooking:

2 cups of water
1 cup of rinsed quinoa

Bring to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the rest of the vegetables to the skillet and cook until tender but not mushy. A bit of a crispiness is nice as it makes yummy texture.
Here’s what I added:

5 large mushrooms sliced top down
1 cup of pea pods
1/3 of a sweet onion sliced
1/3 of a sliced pepper (I used an orange one)

You will want to stir this every now and again while it cooks.

Your quinoa should sit for a few minutes before you put a serving on a warmed plate and then add the sauted vegetables. Then enjoy!

This will make 4 generous servings.

Comment

Grace Goals

I want to introduce you to a blogger friend of mine whom I have shared with you before and who has offered her wonderful devotional “Trust Without Borders” which I believe has been for ‘such a time as this’ (at least in my world), Arabah Joy.

Arabah has just released her latest project for us “Grace Goals” and it is going to bring an excellent start to your new year!

If you would be interested in checking this out for yourself, you just need to click on the image above and discover what in the world Goals is all about.

Arabah is a woman of the word yet struggles just like the rest of us to walk in the Spirit day by day. I personally love her transparent style and I believe you will too.

Let’s join the journey together and be blessed by this new release from Arabah Joy!

Comment

It’s the Most Wonderful Time…

Ah yes, the lyrics are in my head, “It’s the most wonderful time, it’s the hap…happiest time of the year”.  Is that really true?  Is it really the most wonderful time of the year for you? Personally, I waver back and forth between good and sad!  I have had some good Christmases and some very sad ones.  Most of the difficult ones have come as a result of poor choices I have made in my life.  At those places when I was either a little girl in an unhappy family setting, a lonely runaway when I didn’t even know it was Christmas and then in a marriage that was very difficult where my family suffered from the results of alcoholism. These were times when I had no hope because Christ was not in my life.

Is Christmastime a Difficult Time for You?

At times–even as a believer–Christmas has been sad or difficult.  I just wanted that perfect picture to fit my family! You know, the Currier & Ives depiction of the perfect family? Having prodigals in your family somehow throws the curveball into the ‘perfect’ picture.  And it’s just as if one took a black marker and stroked through that beautiful picturesque scene. These are times when all the sentiment and family time just doesn’t take away the pain of watching a loved ones flail through life.

Prince of Peace

 

However, deep inside the recesses of my heart, I really do have peace and joy.  But it sure isn’t because my family looks and acts perfectly! It is because of the Christmas story.  An incredible expression of love that was lavished upon mankind as the Creator of ALL. He humbled Himself to come as a little baby, being birthed in a lowly manger just so that we could once again be in fellowship. He restored what was broken in the Garden of Eden.

 

 

You Are Loved…

This extravagant love, poured out in the form of a baby, child, then man, the Christ, was God’s greatest work from a desire to once again have fellowship with us.  As it tells us in Genesis 1:26,27,

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 

We have been created in God’s very own image!  That is sometimes too big for my comprehension but…I have accepted this truth and accepted the Christ who came yet was crucified, died, and buried (defeating death) when He rose on the third day! All for those who will receive the loving offer of redemption through His shed blood.

John 1.14 Christmas

Christ Our Hope!

So in the midst of your Christmas, I pray you will know the peace that surpasses even the difficulties (and there are so many things that try to rob this peace from us), whether death of a loved one, divorce, prodigals, sickness, financial loss, hunger…remember, Christ is the one who fills us completely with His peace and purpose in spite of the former mentioned.  It’s the Most Wonderful Time… Share on X

With love and a blessed Christmas to you all!

 

Comment

Guest Posting Tomorrow…

Worship

I have the privilege of guest posting every once in a while. And tomorrow I will be sharing on the topic of Worship over at my friend Arabah Joy’s blog.

Please plan to join me and would love your input on this often controversial topic!

Worship…it is a very big topic with a lot of varying opinions about what, why, where and when we do this thing called worship… 

Comment