Friday Fast & Easy Meals-Asian

I love a meal that I can literally throw together with very minimal ingredients and very little effort on a weeknight. Not only is this whole meal beyond easy to put together it is cost effective for even a super large family. It is filling AND it offers variety because you can literally sub in any veggies that sound good to you, are on super sale at one of the local stores or come straight from your own garden which saves you even more!

Quick & Easy Stir Fry

2-3 chicken breasts 

•  Make adjustments depending on how many you need to feed and how large the chicken breasts are. This is for about 4. Two meals that evening and we both have lunch for the next day)

1 1/2 cups of soy sauce

• I use a good bit of the low sodium soy sauce and I think this is one thing you would benefit from buying in bulk. It's super to have on hand and really versatile. 

2 Tablespoons Minced Garlic

2 shakes of ground ginger 

• I do not use fresh. I just use the powder kind.

Take the soy sauce, garlic and ground ginger and mix in a gallon Ziploc baggie. Reserve a few tablespoons of marinade for cooking. Add the chicken and marinate for at least 30 minutes in the fridge but you could marinate longer for even more taste. Once you are ready to cook remove from the bag and cut into bite size pieces and throw into a pan to cook until done. I like to add a splash of olive oil and a little of the juice I reserved from when I mixed the marinade. 

Serve the chicken over brown rice, broccoli florets and steamed carrots. I like to buy frozen veggies. They are so easy to dump in a bowl with 2-3 tablespoons of water and steam. I also cook my rice in the microwave. I just use the wal mart brand brown rice. It could not get easier or quicker to throw it together. When buying broccoli I will throw in to look for a brand or bag that says broccoli FLORETS. If it does not specify you get half florets and half stems. You may like them but we do not love the stems so that is just a side note. 

To top off this dish once I get everything all mixed in the bowl ready to serve I put a few splashes of soy sauce over the top to get some extra flavor on the veggies and rice.

Open Your Bible- Week 5- Part 2

Abiding means resting in truth. This week we will talk about this topic and idea that rest is actually a good thing. I know you just did a double take and are already thinking of things you have to do and just got nervous that I even said the word rest. It is ok. You will be ok.

Have you ever thought about how truly busy we as a culture are? As my kids get older I realize that more and more things keep creeping in and those moments when I thought the days would never end and sometimes did laundry because I was bored while the kids were napping are long behind us and it is a fight to keep some time set aside to stop for a moment. Oddly enough sometimes I even feel guilty for carving out some sacred moments for us just to have nothing to do. How about you? Do you ever have that guilt over declining an invite or skipping out on being somewhere just so you can have some peace? 

I would argue that for some of us especially in the younger generations we do not even really know what it means to truly rest. That is a scary but very true thought. We think of resting as having all the amenities of tv, phone, computers. ipods etc. You name it and as long as we have that we can "rest". The thing is Jesus had an idea of what rest was to look like and I think our picture of it is way off base. We don't like to think of rest as just being quiet and being alone and stripped down to the basics. That is scary. What happens in your mind when things are quiet and still? Do you have a hard time quieting those thoughts of you being lazy and unproductive? 

This portion of the devotional brought up the idea that maybe we have a hard time resting in God's truth because it would mean in large part forfeiting OUR plans. We do not want to be so stilled that we hear what God is speaking into our hearts that would derail where we are headed. That we are too busy and too overworked and striving too hard. Resting means handing the reins over and losing my control. That is what a a lot of it boils down to. We think that we have the ultimate control over our schedules and lose sight of the fact that we have a creator that has a plan and a really good one at that if we will just listen. It's just hard to listen if we can't be still. 

Open your bible to Luke 10:38-42 and read. Do you see some resemblances to your life? Which one are you....Mary or Martha?

See what Jesus has to say to Martha in verses 41-42. That verse puts me straight in my place and makes me pay attention. 

It isn't that Martha was doing anything bad. In fact the things she did were good and fine but that doesn't change that there was something better that she could have been doing. Sitting and listening to Jesus should have taken priority. It is what was BEST at the moment. We all have those spaces in our lives where we could stand to lay down something that is good for something better or best. 

An excerpt from the book:

Andrew Murray, a prolific  minister in South Africa in the 19th century, wrote an entire book about abiding. In it he says this: "Ye are the branches-You need be nothing more. You need not for one single moment of the day take on the responsibility of the vine. You need not leave the place of entire dependence and unbounded confidence."

What speaks to you from this quote? Does it reinforce the idea that REST is important and crucial to abiding? As we wrap up this week I want to throw some challenges out there that we all have places and spaces to improve in this area. Take one area where you just really have a hard time letting go and instead of doing that each day take 5-10 minutes of that time and just sit on your couch or on your porch or wherever you feel at peace and just pray. Ask God to show you his will for your life. To direct you and to give you peace and guidance for decisions you have made or ones that need to be made soon. 

I love this song Breathe by Jonny Diaz . Take a listen to the words. It nails what we are talking about and really resonates with me. I think if you just click the link it will take you to the you tube video. 

https://youtu.be/hnjeMwxFuBA

Step Outside...Your Comfort Zone

It is a beautiful day and I want to encourage you to go outside and enjoy this day in some way or another. While you are at it I also encourage you to step outside that comfort zone you have created for yourself physically and mentally. It's ok! We all do this and I think it is great to establish boundaries and know where we best flourish and function on a daily basis but I also know that sometimes it is good to step outside those boundaries. You may discover a whole new world of something you are good at or have a passion for. The point is that if you never try you will never know!

It can be scary and intimidating and if we can choose comfortable and familiar it is just easier right? But is it the best? Sometimes we have to step outside of something we know is good to find something that may be better for us! The thing with stepping out is that sometimes we will fail and sometimes it just won't be our thing but at least we know. Then next time we go in a different direction and try again. Pick yourself up and dust off and keep moving forward.

If we let fear rule we stay where we are and if we stay where we are we may miss out on some of the biggest blessings. For me I am putting this into practice in a big way and I am just waiting. Waiting to see how it all pans out. Is it scary?? You bet!! Do I want to fail?? No! If I do not try though I will always wonder what if I had done that. Life is too short for that kind of thinking.

Next Saturday I will be spending the day with a few hundred other women getting certified to teach REFIT! Seriously, me standing in front of a room full of people leading and encouraging them to reach new goals. That scares the pants off of me but I am doing it. I feel that nudge and that calling to share this with others. I have a message that needs to be sent out and this is one way to do it. God is leading and I am following HIM right out of my comfortable spot. Who knows if I will be any good. Who knows how far or big this will get. I just don't know what plans he has for this little dream of mine but I know he has plans so I go.

Where are you going to go today, this week or this year? What ways do you plan to step outside your comfort zone. Whether it's something big or as small as just taking a hike in the woods when you hate all things nature or go on a walk and you haven't worked out in a year. Do something that challenges you today. Whatever that looks like. Start somewhere and take a friend along. Share the journey. Have a blessed Saturday!

Friday Fast & Easy Meals-Italian

I try really hard to make sure the recipes I post are ones that I have made myself. That they are lightened up, easy AND still taste good. I just want to reiterate I do not follow the eliminating food groups or just counting fat or carbs or anything like that. I try and eat cleaner and follow probably as of right now a 60/40 split with the goal to eventually get to about a 80/20 split between balancing clean eating and enjoying life a little too. The majority of my not clean eating now comes from snacks that I still buy pre made and could really be making at home but just haven't worked up to it yet and gotten on a weekly routine of making snacks for the week. I said that to say for me I eat pasta from time to time but everyone is different so do what works for you. However, if pasta is on your ok to eat list then you will want to add this recipe to your list.

Most recipes I find are so overcomplicated with so I end up omitting a lot of things and specialty ingredients because nobody has time for that on a weeknight. This one is simple from the get go and I loved it just as it was. I love Alfredo every once in a while and this a great way to have a lighter version but still feel like you are indulging. If you know what Ricatoni's is then you know another great way to up the ante with this recipe would be to copycat their version and add sauteed mushrooms and peas tossed with a tiny bit of olive oil and if you need some meat added into the dish like my husband does add a little grilled chicken chopped over the top. I also substitute whole wheat fettuccine.

It does not happen often but I actually have made this recipe more than once and have not changed any of the ingredients. It is a solid choice for Alfredo stand in and I hope that you enjoy it as well. Any time I just use a recipe exactly as it is I will just add the link for it at the bottom so proper credit is given where it is due!

Add a big garden salad and you can eliminate the need for bread as a side. I know it is tempting but that is a slippery slope for me. I love bread so if I make it I will end up eating ten times more than I need to. If you are like me just skip it and make the big salad and enjoy!!

http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/skinny-fettuccine-alfredo-recipe/

Open Your Bible- Week 5-Part 1

Last week I wrote a devotional to follow up to a sermon I was trying to make more applicable to myself and help me put words into action. The word that came to my heart was abide. It is not a word I use on a regular basis but it seemed to fit so well so I used it and centered the devotional around it last week.

Fast forward to this Sunday morning in class. One of the first questions that was asked was what does it mean to abide in Christ. I thought ok well that is weird but we will roll with it. I spoke up with a few comments on the word and class went on. Our text in class was John 15. If you have not read John 15 you should. One guess on the most frequently used word.........

I get home yesterday afternoon and I open to Week 5 of Open Your Bible and the topic is ABIDE in Truth. And the first text referenced was none other than John 15 which is what we talked about all through class. 

If ever there was a message from God that I needed to listen up it would certainly be now. There is no coincidence that I had this word on my heart for a week straight. It just isn't and you will not convince me otherwise. I think that God has plans for this word in my life and I happen to think maybe it is a word for someone else out there tonight too. Maybe you don't even know it but here it is. With that out of the way we will dive in. This is a subject that God has entrusted to me and made apparent that it is super important so we will break this one week of study into 4 weeks and look at 4 ways to abide and let each one sink in individually. This week is introduction.

Week 5- Abide in Truth

When we abide in Jesus there is a deep and intimate knowledge. We have an actual relationship with HIM. We learn to lean in and trust him, walk with him daily and lean on his ways and wisdom and not our own. In the middle of trusting, leaning and walking we are transformed. There is this connection that you can feel deep down. One of my favorite lines straight from the study book is this..."When we abide in Jesus, we become more like him." Talk about goals....that is one I would like to aim for. 

Tonight we are just talking about abiding in general and there is no better place to start than John. So open your bible to John 15:1-8 and read the verses. Make notes and make some observations. Some observations they asked you to look at in the study guide are below:

What two verbs does Jesus use repeatedly? Compare the two words in multiple translations?

Read verse 4 and copy down the exact command.

Read verse 5 and write down the promise Jesus spoke if we obey his command?

I know you may be thinking that if you are a long time Christian especially that you have heard this lesson over and over. Let me tell you that I have NEVER read it and let it soak in the way these ladies presented it. I beg you to take another look at it and travel this road with us because there are some words in store for us all. 

If the verbs you picked above (or some version of them) were producing and abiding then you would be correct. Which comes first? Good question except that we know the answer.....have you ever tried to reverse the process? Has it ever been more important to you to produce fruit than to abide in the vine? The answer to me for these few questions is a resounding YES. I have tried to reverse the process and sometimes I do want to just have something produced without the time and effort that is required to put into the process. I get so wrapped up in the have to have it now mentality that we are all surrounded by all day every day. I forget that sometimes the very best things are ones that I have to wait for. I want so badly to slow down and trust God enough to let him handle all my circumstances and not just the ones I see fit to turn over to him. 

What does it mean to you to abide and what does it look like? The words that came to the minds of the authors of this study were rest, remain, renew and return. 

Abiding means Rest- means we need to actually be still long enough in this crazy jam packed schedule filled world we have created to just let everything fall silent and know that God knows best for us and we do not. Maybe if we quiet our agenda and put it on hold long enough for God to get a foothold we wouldn't feel so fretful over schedules and plans because we know we paused long enough to feel like God had a say or a hand in what direction we are headed.

Abiding means Remaining-the best way to have a relationship with Jesus is to stay close. No matter what we are going through whether it be a good time or a bad time. We need to remain close to the heart of Jesus in all seasons of our lives. 

Abiding means Renewing-every time we come back we are refreshed. His word is made new within us each and every time we allow time for it in our lives.

Abiding means Returning-Sometimes we have experiences or seasons that we don't think make us very flattering or a good candidate for what God has to offer. Guess what? It makes us even more desirable when we choose to return time and time again and lay our good and our bad at the feet of Jesus and thank him for it all because it is shaping us into the person he wants us to be. 

This week the goal is to just pray about this word. Pray that God will show you what he wants it to look like in your life and pray that a desire is sparked to walk through these next 4 weeks learning to abide in HIM.

I took a page in my study guide and a page in my prayer journal this week and wrote in big letters what is below. I look at it a few times a day and am just spending the week meditating on that. I hope you will get a spot set aside and do the same. 

Abide

Rest

Remain

Renew

Return

Friday Fast & Easy Meals-Asian

This one is a favorite of mine! I love the flavors and it seems like a fancier meal but it really is not so don't get scared away by lettuce wraps.

Asian Lettuce Wraps

1 lb ground turkey
1/2 onion chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp ground ginger
lettuce

****The rice wine vinegar and sesame oil is found near the asian/chinese section at wall mart. These will last long time and you will use them for more dishes than you realize once you have them on hand.

Brown the turkey and onion together in the olive oil. Once browned add all the other ingredients and mix well. When ready scoop into the lettuce leaves that you have washed and add a dash of siracha sauce on top for some kick if you want. Sirachca is a another item that comes in really handy and it does not take much at all to add just a little bit of a kick.

This is great as an appetizer if alone but if you plan to use as a main meal then my suggestion is to serve it with brown rice and add a dash of soy sauce in the rice. Then think about this super side listed below! Simple and cheap addition to round of the meal.

Asian Roasted Carrots and Broccoli

1 bag frozen broccoli
1/2 small bag of baby carrots
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp olive oil

In a pan add broccoli, carrots, olive oil and garlic along with a few splashes of water and steam the veggies on low. Once they are soft enough to your liking mix in soy sauce and rice wine vinegar and toss around. Let simmer for a few minutes on low to soak up the flavor. You would also sub in zucchini which everyone has a ton of when garden time rolls around. And again if you want a dash of Siracha to bring a kick then add that in as well but remember less is more. It can be potent.

Trust God

The words that Frank used in his lesson Sunday have just rolled around in my head and my heart over the past few days. I know his words made an impact on many because I have seen many others post on this subject. His lesson was based around an intention he set for himself this year and really challenged us as a congregation to set for ourselves as well.

Trust God No Matter What, No Matter What Trust God

These words kind of flow off the tongue and sound so beautiful but as most of us know we live in the real world and the real world is messy and tough and just downright painful sometimes and for some of us most of the time if we are being totally honest. He made it clear that he understood that and he wasn't saying this as a person who hasn't seen and been privy to many of those moments where trust gets tested and the times get real. He gets it and we as humans get it don't we? Those hard moments that you get a lump in your throat and think....THIS is what I am trusting God for? THIS moment right here? How, why, what? Even as I type this I can think of those moments in my life and they all to quickly come rushing back as I get tears in my eyes. I bet you have some that come to the surface as well. Through the tears though I know that those times I chose to trust God in he never failed me. He gave me what I needed daily to get through them and to help me grow. He is so good and if we want a sure bet to place our trust in God is it. He will never fail us.

I guess the intent of this post is not to dwell on those times that the trust part came into play so much as to see what it would look like or take for us to live every day with that mantra. This looks at it from a slightly different angle that he took Sunday.

So from there we are left with what next? What is it going to look like to TRUST GOD in a no matter what kind of way? What is it that he is asking you and me to TRUST him for today? In the past? We have plenty of scriptures that tell us where we need to place our trust and why. We know them and for most of us those are written on our hearts but when times get tough we still have a tough time relating the scripture to the real life question we have, decision that needs to be made or turmoil that we are going through at the time.

Today I came across a word that I felt like summed up what he is asking us to do in one word and kind of connected the dots for me. That word is ABIDE. If I had done that thing at the beginning of the year where I picked a word I think this would have been my word. Even just saying it gives me a peace. Abide basically means to remain. So when we abide in Christ we remain in him. I mean that sounds easy enough but what does that require from us? It requires an authentic relationship with Christ. This looks like someone who is constantly placing his or her trust in God by talking daily to him through prayer and just casual talking to God like you do your friends. I know that it may seem weird or odd (especially) if you are in the car but just talk to him. Sometimes I talk out loud with my kids in the car and they get so confused asking who I am talking to. I just say mommy is praying and talking to God. They don't get it now really but one day they will appreciate those moments....hopefully. God is our ultimate advisor and although you won't get an audible answer I guarantee if you look around you will get answers to what you are looking for. Through a person who says exactly what you need to hear to just a little God-wink is what I call them. God has so many ways of communicating things to us if our hearts are open and we are abiding in him.

One article that I read on this subject said its like being inseparable when you are abiding in Christ and that you are a visible extension of HIM. Think of your best friend in the world and how you can't wait to text that person when something good happens and likewise when something bad happens. They are almost an extension of you in a way. If someone wants to know something and they know you are that good of friends they may ask you something about the other person and usually you can answer that question. Because you know each other so well! That is the kind of relationship I believe it takes to TRUST GOD the way that we were challenged to trust. God has to be our default in all times and all situations not just the tough ones. When we are happy, when we are sad and all the times in between. So when those moments come that are tough to swallow and tough to bear we literally have Christ shining through us because we are so strong in the spirit and we have no doubt that we are trusting him wholeheartedly and that trust will bring us closer to him and his will for our lives.

That is powerful stuff to me and I pray to you too. I wax and wane like anyone else but this week has inspired me to go back to my prayer journal. Every so often I take a break from it thinking I have this whole relationship with God thing nailed which is absolutely the most absurd but I am human and sometimes we think we have just "got this down". The truth is I don't and we don't. We have to choose to abide in Him every day of our lives. When he is in us (really in us) those decisions we pray over, those answers we so desperately seek and those quiet moments that hurt so much will all be satisfied. Our needs will be met and we will so clearly hear in our hearts that it is going to be ok and all we have to do is

Trust God No Matter What, No Matter What Trust God

Today as I think about all my friends who are going through hard things I just challenge you like I challenged myself this week to find what way works for you to help you ABIDE in HIM. For you it may not be a prayer journal but seek out what speaks to you and engages you. It may be post it notes of scriptures all around your house that when you see them it prompts a conversation. It may be a physical prayer partner. Someone you spend real time in prayer with every week. Whatever it is....I urge you to seek out what will bring you to this abiding type relationship with Christ and ultimately lead to the trust we want to have and Christ so lovingly wants for us. 

Next Best Step

I woke up this morning with this phrase on my mind. It pertains to your fitness and your every day life in general. I think so many times we get bogged down when trying to decide where to start and when to start and looking for the perfect moment. The best advice that I can give you is to just take the next BEST step. Notice I did not say the absolute perfect step but the best possible step for you in whatever situation. No day is going to be ideal for starting something new or fitting in your fitness time but you just asses the day and what you have available and see what your next move is keeping your ultimate goals in the back of your mind.

The journey looks different for all of us and I think we just tend to think that we need to know every step and what is coming next. You know what.....we have to just have a little more faith (I am talking to all of us myself included). To know that all we have to do is just take the next step and then once we take that one look around and see where the next one should be takes some pressure off of us. We are just going to baby step our way through the process and before we know it we look around and there is a whole lot of good things happening.

It makes the changes seem more manageable when you are just taking them bit by bit and piece by piece. If you just think about the next best move or next best thing to work on or the next goal you have for yourself you will be less likely to get discouraged and you will be more likely to start and try something new!

For example if you do not do any physical activity currently the next best step for you may be walking to the mailbox 2 times today. Out and back that many times would be more than you did yesterday. It may also be that you are not going to have that 2nd or 3rd coke you usually have each day. If you have been walking it may be that you pass 3 more mailboxes before you turn around instead of saying I plan to add another whole mile. Just take the next reasonable smallish leap and just do something for yourself and your health. Small decisions made with some intention will lead to big results that will stick around and be with you for the long run. Seize the day today and decide what next step you plan to take on your journey to wellness.

Friday Fast & Easy Meals-Fish

As promised here are some great tips for incorporating fish into your meal plans and making it pretty affordable and super easy! The first thing you have to remember when you are going to use fish is that to use it on a consistent basis you are not going to be going to the seafood counter and buying fresh every time. There is nothing wrong with that it will just get expensive really fast and will not be something that is attainable or sustainable for everyone's budget. I used to think naively that was the only way you could buy fish.

The first tip is to buy FROZEN. Do your research on what brands are best but also just use your best judgment. If you read and believe everything out there you would never put anything in your mouth so just use a filter with what you read. I like to buy at publix when they have a BOGO on their frozen fish. You just have to look at the ad each week to check and see. Another option and probably the most reasonable instead of sale watching is to go to Costco or Sams once a month and buy in bulk. We like to keep salmon and usually a white fish on hand like Mahi or something like that. It will usually be packaged individual so you would only pull out what you need for each meal. For us we will typically pull out 3 because our kids do not eat it and it gives us each a piece for dinner and then one left over for Trey's lunch the next day. Stretch it out by only having once piece each and filling in with nutritious sides.

When cooking fish I have learned that really less is more as far as flavor and prep work. Pull it out the morning of that you plan to use it and let it defrost in the fridge and then in the sink in cool water after you get home. When you take it out of the package just gently pat it dry and then think about what flavors you like and go from there. A dab of olive oil is always a start and then you can just go super simple with salt and pepper. You can do olive oil with a few shakes of lemon pepper seasoning. You can do olive oil & just lemon juice or olive oil and italian seasoning. The possibilities are endless but whatever you do just don't go overboard with doctoring it. For salmon I also like to add a fresh green pesto mix that is in the cold section over near the hummus at Wal Mart. Garlic and olive oil work well. Olive oil and Lawry's seasoning also works well. Really I promise that you can do this. Just think about what flavors you like as far as herbs and spices and start with a base of the olive oil and then add one to two things max to flavor it and just experiment.

It is best to start in a hot oven around 400 and then once it cooks for 10 minutes or so to turn the oven off and about the time it cools off it will be cooked to perfection. You are really looking for the fish to be flaky and opaque. I have learned again with the actual oven time that less is more. It needs to be done but not overdone. Take into consideration if your oven cooks fast or slow and add 5 minutes or so if its slow and also take into consideration how thick the piece of meat is. It is a good idea to put down a piece of foil and then spray with cooking oil and put the fish on that to make clean up easy and ensure that it does not stick and become a jumbled up mess.

I know that there is not one specific recipe in here but I wanted to introduce the idea that fish can be more than just an occasional item on the menu. It is great for you and it is SO SO easy and you can serve up with a baked sweet potato and steamed broccoli (that you pull out of the freezer) or ANY veggie that you have in the freezer and you have literally the easiest dinner EVER. Just some food for thought!

Equipment Top Picks

Getting started with working out does not mean that you need a ton of fancy workout equipment. Having said that there are a few things that I think are beneficial if you want to get into doing some easy on your body toning. If you are going to spend money my top three suggestions are:

stability ball
1 set ot 3 lb weights (for total beginner) and 1 set of 5 lb weights (for someone who is beginning again)
yoga mat

Stability Ball
These are great for getting in work without putting a ton of stress on your body with getting up and down off the floor. You can do all exercises just as you would on the floor for abs, arms, back and you can even do modified push ups on the ball that are a bit easier on your wrists. If you search youtube there are plenty of videos that are all about stability ball workouts.

Weights
A small set of weights is perfect for getting in some toning and getting used to having weights in your hands. You can do high number of reps and get good with your form with light weights. There are so many beginner videos for hand weights that you will have plenty to choose from. If you have never used weights take this time to watch yourself in the mirror as you do the exercises to see your form. As you progress to heavier the form is going to become KEY! Not only so you work the correct muscle groups but so you do not injure yourself.

Yoga Mat
Do not get scared! I do not love yoga although it would probably be beneficial for me. My uses for a yoga mat are more simple. If you are doing a stability ball workout they help anchor the ball so you do not slip around as much. If you are doing exercise on the floor instead of a ball it stays in place better than just using a towel.


I am sure you are wondering how much you are going to have to spend and I am happy to say it won't be much! We were in 5 below last weekend and I noticed that they have weights! Anywhere from 115 lbs and they have smaller kettle bells as well. The prices are perfect for the beginner just needing something basic. The smaller weights were only a few dollars a piece compared to Target or Wal Mart where even smaller ones are $5-$8 each. As you move into heavier weights places like a Sports Re Sell store is the way to go. You typically pay a flat rate per pound. Still better than purchasing brand new.

I also highly recommend places like TJ Maxx. You can get stability balls and yoga mats for around $9.99 typically. Just keep it watched and they will usually have them in stock.

Monday Devotional-Open Your Bible Week 4

We have come to the more practical application of the study and this is where the rubber really meets the road. We are applying what we know to be true in our heads and our hearts. Connecting the dots here and putting all of this goodness into action is going to require me and you to put into this process maybe a little more than you have up to this point but I promise that it will be worth it!

What do you think of when you are asked to “apply” something?  What does it look like to take the scriptures and put them into practice? These are a few things to think on as you go through the steps listed below for applying scripture.

This weeks study opens by looking at 2 Peter 1:3-8 and I feel like it sets the stage for the fact that although we have all we need and that God is already at work within us that we should still make efforts to supplement our faith is the wording the NASB used.

When applying truth you need to look at 4 ways to do so:

1.     Appropriately

2.     Responsibly

3.     Permanently

4.     Prayerfully (all roads lead to prayer and drive this point home in this study)

What does it look like to apply truth Appropriately?

Appropriately means that when we open our bibles to read scriptures or a book of the bible that we go into the reading asking what does this mean. Not what does this mean for me or to me but what does this passage say about God. Sometimes we approach reading as a one stop shop. We walk up to the bible and open it and then decide what encouragement we need for the day and let that be our take away. We do not want to get too bogged down in details and we do not want to read too much into it. We will never be able to really “see” where God is in the scriptures if we don’t ever consider him. Just let that sink in for a moment.

Some tips to make sure you are appropriately applying scripture are to always read the few verses before and the few verses after. Don’t just take 1 verse and pull it out and say aha I found what I needed today.

To keep it all in context you should investigate and this is where that digging deeper comes into the scenario. See who is speaking. Who are they speaking to? What is happening in this text? Any major events or main people? You can also look at different translations of the bible on your phone or pick up a couple of different translations to study from. You can pick a more literal translation and a more thought for thought translation that puts it into more simplified terms and words.

What does it look like to apply truth Responsibly?

This section gets a little tricky and even a little tough at the beginning because we all KNOW how the scripture is intended to be used but I would be willing to bet many of us myself included at some point have used it wrongly and wielded its power to tear someone down over a poor choice of words they used, a bad decision they made or feelings they hurt that we feel we need to make restitution for. We are humans and we do make mistakes so we have to acknowledge that icky part of it. The good news is the scriptures are so much bigger than our mistakes and misuse if we are willing to open our bible and look for God instead of a way to win an argument for ourselves or someone else.

If you remember the last week we touched on treating the bible and the scriptures with reverence. The words hold a lot of power and we have to make sure we are using them for good and for what they are intended instead of personal use.

Open your bible to Ephesians 4:1-6 and read about what Paul valued and count how many times he uses the word ONE. Do you see what he was getting at? We are not to be in a community of believers and be of the attitude that it is every man for himself. It is actually the exact opposite. It is very much EVERY man for EACH other yesterday, today and tomorrow. That will always be our goal is take others along with us.

Open your bible to Romans 14:19 and see what followers of Jesus are called to pursue? If you walked away with a PEACE written in big letters with circles around it then you would be correct!! We are to pursue peace and we are to build one another up. Our one goal is to share the gospel and its not a very good story to share if all people see is fighting to keep one another down.

Open your bible to 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and see that it is specifically laid out for us when it comes to how we are to be using scripture and just a hint it is probably not how you and I use it the most so take note and let this sink in so tomorrow can be a new day for us both. We are to use the scriptures for teaching, training and reproof (not injuring but building). When we focus on these uses we all become a little kinder and a little less US focused and a little more Jesus focused since after all he is the life, the way and the truth….not myself.  

What does it look like to apply truth Permanently?

This section shed some light on a story that I have heard a million times and it just never hit me the same as it hit me today as I was preparing to do the write up. 

Open Your Bible and read (really read like you do not know it) Matthew 4:1-11

Jesus in the wilderness open and vulnerable without much defense or so you think. What did he have to defeat Satan? Nailed it! He had scripture after scripture as a defense to block every temptation that was hurled his way. He straight up scriptured Satan right out of there. Do you like how I made that word up? Seriously, this should be so encouraging right now that you jump up and down because the words that Jesus used are words we have access to as well. We too can memorize these scriptures. Commit them to heart and commit them to memory and when we need them and come up against whatever the adversary looks like that day we just need to close our eyes and start letting the words speak for us. We need no other defense.  These words have the same power for us as for Jesus!

Open Your Bible and Read and make notes on the following scriptures dealing with God’s word on our hearts

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Deuteronomy 11:18

Joshua 1:8-9

Psalm 119:9-11

Proverbs 2:1-5

Memorizing scripture is a great way to know God’s word permanently.  Below are some ways to start committing scriptures to memory.

·      Write it over and over until you have it memorized.

·      Get a post it and jot down a few verses and stick it in front of the sink in the bathroom or kitchen sink and keep it there till its memorized and then replace it with new ones.

·      Save it as a lock screen on your phone because we all know we look at our phones a thousand times a day.

What does it look like to apply truth Prayerfully?

This is something that we touch on every week as we close out the session and if it has not become clear to you yet then it will. I think the authors added this in because they know our nature to forget.

This week and every week in this section we are really just talking about the fact that we need to be praying in a way that we are saying we want God’s will to be done.  We want his words to be in us and we want them to be lived out through us. We are asking the Holy Spirit to help us in this and come along side us in this study and to guide us and give us wisdom.

I hope you enjoy this week because I sure did! Good stuff in there. As always if you have any questions or want to get the actual study book I can get you the info. If you have any prayer requests I would love to pray with you so feel free to message me. 

Friday Fast Easy Meals-Soup

I have been on a little bit of a hiatus this past week as I have spent every minute of spring break with the kids and we traveled a ton and just had fun!! It is time to get back to reality and back into the swing of things with cooking and blogging! I have so many old tried and true recipes to share that I have worked on and so many new ones I cannot wait to start working on.

I love soups for a lot of reasons but mainly they are easy and typically lower mess because I try and keep everything to one pot. They are also perfect for sneaking in some flavors or veggies that you normally wouldn't normally eat but in the recipe mixed in you don't even notice it! You can also make most soups ahead of time and they are still just as good as the day you made them so you could make the night before instead of day of if you have a crazy one coming up. Win Win Win!!

One soup that I really love is the Zuppa Toscana Soup from Olive Garden. What you may or may not realize is that soup has a cream base which makes it a no go for around here. I try and make it a general rule to find a substitute for anything that requires cream so I thought I would give it a whirl in this recipe. I have made this 3 times now and although you do notice if you have had the original that the thickness is not necessarily there the overall taste IS the same and it is chock full of kale which is a super food AND as a bonus I promise that the kale is not the center of your attention as you are eating this dish. It is tasty and you are sneaking in some healthy greens.

Lightened Up Zuppa Toscana

1 1b lean turkey sausage

• I use the kind in the breakfast section

1 Medium white onion

•  chopped however you like but I prefer finely in this recipe

2 cloves of garlic-minced

•  we use garlic alot so I buy the kind in the jars in the produce section already minced

4 Cups Chicken Broth

• For Chicken and Beef Broth I buy the Orrington Farms brand Chicken and Beef Broth BASE. It is the section with the bullion cubes and mixes. You mix it with water and make your own. To me it tastes better and more fresh that what comes in the cans. Not to mention there is no opening and can and storing half in the fridge if you happen to not need it all or keeping 15 cans on hand because you never know when you will need broth. Be sure to pay attention to the water to teaspoon proportions because if not it will be too salty so you do need to measure.

2 medium to large russet potatoes

• chop these into slices and then I quarter the slices

3 Cups of baby spinach or Kale 

• Some people just absolutely cannot do kale and if not that is OK. Spinach makes a great substitute. I like to keep a bag of baby spinach and kale in the freezer. It is so easy to chop and work with that way. Make sure on baby spinach to pull off or cut of the little stems and for Kale make sure you don't get any spines in there. Take those out and toss them. 

1 TO 1/2 Cups Milk 

• We drink 1% so that is what I used and it tasted just fine! I do not always add the full amount of milk. The milk cuts the saltiness of the broth so you may want to try a cup and see how the taste is and go from there. That is kind of a personal decision. There is some leeway in there. 

It always looks like more ingredients than it is because I try and add in tips and tricks as I go and share things that make it easier to keep certain items on hand like the frozen greens and the broths. That way you have these items but don't feel pressure to eat spinach or kale in everything for a week so it doesn't go bad. 

Directions:

Brown the sausage and get broken into crumbles and add in onion and the garlic until the sausage is done and onion tender. Add chicken broth you prepared and the potato and bring to a boil. Maybe takes about 10-15 minutes. You just need the potato to be fork tender. Once that is done reduce the heat to medium and add in the milk to heat thru and then add in the green of choice. I serve with a small sliver of grated Parmesan IF I have it on hand. If not the taste is just as good. It is really filling with the mix of ingredients you have so it can be a main meal and that is generally how I use it.