When You See God's Hand Clearly

This week, I am thankful that God allowed us to see His hand so clearly.

He showed us a clear Divine Appointment.

On Sunday, we arrived home from the morning services a lot later than normal.

There was little time before turning around for evening church for our typical stroll around town

or even for walking around the house.

As we left for church,

I asked hubby if we could go for a walk after church.

I had a feeling I needed the fresh air and the exercise to be able to sleep at night.

This is a rarity.

It would mean walking at 8 at night or later,

but Hubby said "ok"

We started our walk and did one neighborhood.

I said we could turn back.

I knew hubby had work in the morning.

He picked another neighborhood.

Then on the way home, we were stopped by a man driving.

He was looking for an address - his address.

In the process of the conversation, 

we realized that he probably had dementia and we needed to help him home.

We walked quickly home (we could see home from where he stopped us).

We got the car and had him follow us to his home.

As he started following us,

his family found him.

They said that they had been searching for an hour.

We never walk on Sunday night.

We walked a little bit extra.

God clearly planned to use us to minister to a family we did not know 

and gave us an opportunity to leave them with the gospel message.

Just A Little Tweak

A homemaker, a keeper at home, a home manager ...

I gladly take those titles.

Last week my "job" required making some adjustments to the schedule.

For years, hubby's schedule started at 4:30 every day with a workout.

Off to work between 7 and 7:15.

Dinner on the table at 5:30.

Bed at 9.

I didn't mind.

I work well with a schedule.

Just let me know the schedule and I will work with it.

But often hubby was frustrated because entertaining or late church responsibilities made the 4:30 appointment very difficult and easy to skip.

Seasonal allergies made breathing (a necessity for workouts) in the morning difficult.

The house is always cold at 4:30 in the morning.

Fast forward to Oregon and we try it again but with earlier work hours and less of a commute.

4:30 workout

7:00 leave for work

4:45 dinner on the table

9:00 bedtime

Should be doable ... EXCEPT

the workout room is cold (VERY cold) that early in the morning.

Our devotion time was being SQUEEZED short and felt rushed because the workouts weren't always a perfect 30 minutes.

The early dinner left us very hungry before bed.

So let's work on managing this.

I wanted to be on the couch for devotions at 5:45.

I wanted breakfast at 6:30.

Hubby wanted a more consistent workout schedule.

So just a little (and what should have been obvious) tweak.

The workout is now AFTER work.

(The new job just requires 8 hours with no required amount of time for lunch

and is only 10 minutes from home).

5:00 rise and shine

5:30 start devotions 

6:30 breakfast

7:00-7:15 leave for work

4:15-4:30 home

4:30 workout

5:00 dinner

9:00 bed

We are just loving the schedule.

Hubby is getting a workout every day, but Sunday.

I have more time in the afternoon to get dinner on the table.

We are not pressured to leave church too quickly because of an early wake-up call.

The workouts are a lot more effective when we are AWAKE!

And we can allow the garage to heat up a little with the warmth of the day.

A Peek Into My Devotions

Psalm 108:1

O God, my heart is fixed;
I will sing and give praise,
even with my glory.

I was challenged by this verse the other day.

Am I steadfast?

Am I double-minded or unstable?

It is easy for me to be swept with emotions, with difficulties.

That is not the woman that I want to be.

I want my gaze and my heart to be solely fixed on my Savior.

How do I praise with "my glory?"

I believe that "my glory" is everything available to me ...

strength, resources, being ...

Everything that I do should bring glory to God,

should point others to Him,

should be done to exalt and praise Him.

And the rest of the chapter gives me so many reasons to praise!

His mercy

His truth

His holiness

His strength

His victory

Soup Weather

While we are not facing snow (yet) as many of you are,

the weather is decidedly cooler.

It is the perfect weather for soup,

and I have been taking advantage of that.

I think that I have planned 1 or 2 soups each week.

We like them because most of them are light enough

to warrant a baked good on the side - tonights was biscuits!

This soup is great to add to your allergy-friendly arsenal.

The only "weird" ingredient is some dairy-free milk and not necessary if you don't have to avoid dairy.

White Bean Potato Soup with Lemon and Dill

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion chopped

4 cups vegetable broth

3 Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cubed

2 garlic cloves minced

2 teaspoons dried dill

15 ounces navy beans rinsed and drained

3/4 cup non-dairy milk or regular milk if you are not vegan

Juice of a half of a lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large saucepan, cook onion in olive oil until tender.
Stir in the broth, potatoes, garlic, and dill.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Stir in the beans.
Blend soup with a hand blender, but not too well, there should still be chunks of potato. 

(I actually just used my potato masher just a little bit).

Add lemon juice and stir, then add non-dairy milk.
Cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until heated through (do not boil).

Grace

I mentioned yesterday that hubby and I will be singing in church again soon.

Singing for the start of Mission's emphasis month.

We are singing a song about God's grace.

The chorus of the song is similar to this quote.

I have thought much about missionaries and their sacrifices in the last few months.

Here I am in a country that speaks my language,

in a home that is not primitive at all and very similar to homes I grew up in,

in a town where I can get familiar foods and drinks, ...

and yet many times, I have felt so alone.

It makes me think of those who are in foreign countries:

strange language,

different housing,

different foods and ways of shopping,

separated from the familiar, ...

but they are doing what God has called them to do.

God has called each of us to something.

Maybe it is the work-a-day world.

Maybe it is a home full of children.

Maybe it is a foreign mission field.

Maybe it is a large ministry in a big city.

Maybe it is a small ministry in a big city.

The task may seem daunting, scary, impossible ...

but His grace is there to help us when we falter, struggle, or just feel weak.

Draw on that grace today!

Simple Asian

Yes, I have been gone for a bit,

not for lack of thinking about writing ...

One week hubby had a bought with the flu 

that left plenty of laundry.

The following week, I decided to food poison myself ...

long story, and one I do not choose to advertise in the blogosphere.

Needless to say, I was out for a little bit,

and had MORE laundry, because at first, we weren't sure if it was food poisoning or flu.

In between that, there are just those days when the new setting and schedule

still leave me a little out of sorts and off of my rhythm.

We have been enjoying the fall temps here.

Trying to gear up for more grey than sun.

And finding a place in our new home church.

Hubby was able to teach on Sunday,

and we will sing together in a few weeks.

Tonight we enjoyed a very simple Asian dish, 

but oh, so good.

 I found it in a Southern Living magazine,

and it is also available online.

Speedy Skillet Beef and Broccoli

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil (I used Olive)

1 pound ground chuck (I used Ground Turkey)

2 large heads broccoli, cut into florets, stems peeled and sliced (about 6 cups) 

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 1 Tbsp.) 

3 cups cold, cooked long-grain rice (I used hot and just served mixture on top)

1 large red bell pepper, sliced 

3 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce (I used Bragg's Liquid Aminos)

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil 

2 teaspoon light brown sugar 

4 scallions, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup) (oops, forgot to add these at the end)

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Instructions

Heat oil in a large skillet over high.
Add beef, and press into a thin layer covering bottom of skillet.
Cook, stirring once, until browned, about 6 minutes.
Add broccoli and garlic.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until broccoli begins to soften, about 6 minutes.
Add rice and bell pepper.
Cook, stirring often, until heated through and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes.

Stir together soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and brown sugar in a small bowl.
Pour soy mixture over rice mixture, stirring to combine.

Remove from heat; sprinkle with scallions, salt, and crushed red pepper.

Yummy and quick.

Would be a great use of cold, leftover rice - if that ever happens at your house.

Things That Are Different Are Not the Same 4

While not different from my years in NY,

this is a difference from FL, WA, and NC.

We are back in a state where we have to pay for our bottles and cans.

 - 10 cents for each bottle or can -

We have to save them and return them to a Bottle Drop location.

I have returned one load already for $5.10

and need to make another run soon.

Things That Are Different Are Not the Same 3

I had forgotten this fun difference from our days in WA,

but butter sticks are different in the West.

They are shorter - squattier.

Same amount of butter per stick,

just different!

Safe Arrival

Another easy Thankful Thursday post.

As of 6:30 this evening,

our reason for being in Oregon arrived.

She survived the trek from Montana to Oregon

and will be getting settled again tomorrow.

God is good.

Safety on busy highways is nothing to take for granted.

We are also thankful to be part of a local church again.

We joined a body of believers in neighboring Corvallis

and will seek to be a blessing there.

The night we joined, I was playing the piano again,

and the song leader was out of town,

so I got to play with my favorite director leading.

The decision of a church to join was not easy,

but God is always faithful and provides for His children.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

 With all my refinishing, 

I never mentioned the products that I used.

Chalk Paint:

Annie Sloane is the key name in chalk paint, but you pay for it.

Rustoleum also had high ratings.

I did read that if you choose to use their white colors,

you need to use a different coating (because it yellows)

I have used this one quart of wiping stain for years and just love it.

It is so easy to use.

No drips,

no funny pooling.

You just wipe on.

Let sit.

Wipe off.

How perfect!

This dark roast is our favorite.

The pre-stain makes any stain go on better.

I go between two products for finishing.

I originally bought the dark paste wax for coating angle iron on our metal furniture.

It keeps it from rusting or getting my clothes rusty.

But I also put it on the grey chalk paint for a more aged look and liked it.

The wipe-on poly is just buffed into the stained wood and is so easy to use as well.

One of my most recent favorites ... more plants.

These were recommended for odor control.

And the "snake plant" is one of those plants that requires very little care (light or water) - 

perfect for the garage.

I repurposed shelves from our NC home for the back,

the holder is a hose clamp,

and I found the eye hooks in a drawer.

The shelves were originally stained with the dark roast,

I covered them with leftover grey chalk paint,

distressed with sandpaper,

and then sealed with the dark finishing wax.

Yes, it is probably odd to decorate a garage,

but it makes me happy -

Who doesn't want to be happy?

Especially while doing a workout!