Always

"It is ALWAYS safe to trust the Lord

in times of famine and feasting,

blessing and bondage."

I recently started reading through Genesis again in preparation for my new Sunday School class.

The editors of this Bible had written this quote in the introduction.

They linked it to the generations in Genesis.

Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.

They all went through hard times.

They all saw good times and bad.

Sometimes they met the times before them in faith.

Other times they met with self-sufficiency or doubt and fear.

Typically at the end of the trial, they had learned that reliance on God is really the best and only option.

We live in troublous times, don't we?

There is so much around us that in the flesh I want to take care of on my own.

But the right answer is always to trust God,

to be in His Word,

to be following that Word.

Even yesterday on our long walk,

we were mentioning all that God had done for us in the last year.

As we walked by apartment after apartment that was full or that wasn't open as hubby searched,

we recognized that God was in control to put us in a HOUSE that was right for us.
God knew that the apartment fitness center that we were ready to use would be closed for Covid.

He gave us a garage for plenty of workout space!

He knew better than we did the parts of town that were less than desirable because of drug activity.

He put us in a perfect location for work and shopping and walking.

As I mentioned, my flesh wants to take control,

to put everything in its place,

to know the next steps months ahead of time,

but where would the trust be in that?

Perhaps some of our struggles right now

as individuals, as families, as churches, as a nation

are a little reminder to us to just trust and obey.

Just do right.

As Elizabeth Eliot would say,

"Just do the next right thing."

Happy Labor Day!

 To each laborer who is contributing to the wellbeing of our country,

I wish you a very Happy Labor Day!

The laborer in our home had the day off

and we enjoyed a time of "rest."

Well, maybe it wasn't too restful.

We did get some extra rest (of about 2 hours) this morning.

We started with a couples workout or two - 

one for him and one for me.

We enjoyed brunch.

A fried potato and sausage hash, over-easy eggs, and some avocado.

After our Bible study,

we hit the road for a walk - one that lasted about 3 hours.

Our devices told us that we walked for about 140 minutes.

We did stop for a cold drink,

and did wander around a cool Hobby Lobby for a bit.

Then we picnicked for supper.

We grilled some burgers and shared a personal watermelon to celebrate the day and the unofficial end of summer.

We finished all that by about 5:00 and now the restful night begins.

I am enjoying blogging beside hubby tonight.

If you haven't checked out his blog,

check the sidebar for a link.

The Comfort of a Schedule

 Are you a regimented person?
Love it?
Hate it?

I suppose we are all wired differently in this area.

Hubby and I are definitely creatures of habit.
It has come to our attention as we interact with others
that our schedule is not only a framework for us,
but a framework for them as they relate with us.

"Let's get together ... just not Monday or Friday, right?"
"Did you make it on your run yesterday?"
"How was Burgerville last night?  You went, right?"
"You didn't walk yesterday, you run on Saturday mornings"

My mom knows what days I am cleaning and shopping.
The church people know when we interval run mostly because they see me huffing and puffing down the street.
By now many have figured out that USUALLY on Friday night we will be headed to Burgerville
(we will make an exception this week so that we can grill our own burgers on Labor Day).

There is comfort in the structure.
There is an ease of scheduling because I know that everything has a time.
It is fairly easy to make plans because I know when hubby has to study and what nights are free.
I know when I can work on "wife" projects after dinner and when we will have moments as a couple.

1 Corinthians 14:40
Let all things be done decently and in order.

Maybe our schedule is ordered to a fault,

but I do hope you have some type of a frame to hang your days on ...
Not a plan that pushes out spontaneity or ministry opportunities,

but a plan that gives you comfort knowing that you have a plan to accomplish the tasks before you
and maybe a plan that helps other people hold you accountable.

Change of Plans

 So I posted last week's menu plan ...
and it flew out the window.

The men at work decided to share and share some more
and hubby came home sick on Wednesday morning.
So for about 4 days,
it was more nothing or very simple meals that would settle well.
Jello - mashed potatoes and gravy - simple sandwiches - eggs - toast

So this week's menu has quite a few repeats from last week
(though they are not really repeated).

And hubby did bounce back rather quickly.
He was back to work on Friday 
and though we skipped our Saturday interval run, he did join me for a long walk around town.

Sunday
Eggs, Toast, Avocado, Breakfast Sausage
One-Pot Tuscan Chicken Skillet (a McCormick seasoning packet)
Grilled Cheese

Monday
Eggs, Toast, Avocado, Breakfast Sausage
Leftover Tuscan Chicken with a side salad
Southwest Sweet Potato Hash

Tuesday
Yogurt Parfaits
Chef Salad
Crunchy Thai Peanut Quinoa

Wednesday
Smoothie
Leftover Crunchy Thai Peanut Quinoa
Almond flour Pancakes and Fruit

Thursday
Yogurt Parfait
Veggie Egg Salad
Kung Pao Chickpeas

Friday
Quiche
Chicken Burritos
Sweet and Sour Shrimp Rice Bowl

Saturday
BLTs
Panera Salads

Not Now, Maybe Later

I have quite a few of those jobs.

"MAYBE LATER" jobs!

You probably do to.

I accomplished two of those jobs last week.

The first was the linoleum in the kitchen and bathrooms.
While they do get cleaned weekly,
I realized that I had not really scrubbed / scoured them since we moved in.
It is one of those jobs that doesn't yield a dramatic result,
but it needed to be done.
So out came the vinegar and the baking soda.
Out came the rubbing alcohol to shine it all up.
Was it a huge transformation?
No!
But it needed to be done.

The second was the shower curtain liner.
It was brand new when we moved in and then was scrubbed in February,
but it needed to be done again.
Not my favorite job.
Again, only semi-satisfying results.
But it needed to be done.

I have a few more "maybe later" jobs hanging out.

The entry way that gets covered with spider webs and bugs.
Discouraging because within 2 days it will need doing again.
But it needs to be done.

Curtains need to be washed and pressed again.

Pillows need to be washed and dried.

The refrigerator is in need of a good cleaning.

So what are you putting off?

Why not check one of those items off this week?

And as a little side note:
If you are one of my nieces and nephews reading the blog,
why not grab one of those undesirable jobs this week.
I know you can do it.

What's on Your Plate?

 It has been a long time since I posted some ideas of what we are eating this week.

Our Breakfast meals are the same every day except Friday and Saturday.

Lunch is typically leftovers, sandwich, or salad.

Dinner is the variable (unless you are looking at Sunday night, Wednesday night, or Friday night).
Sunday night is a grilled cheese.
Wednesday night is Breakfast for dinner night because it is usually a little easier to digest while sitting in church.
Friday is our night to have burgers at Burgerville (though it is open for Panera or Jimmy Johns as well)

What's going on this week?

Sunday
Eggs, Avocado Toast, Breakfast Sausage, Fruit
Sausage and Pasta
Grilled Cheese

Monday
Eggs, Avocado Toast, Breakfast Sausage, Fruit
Sausage and Pasta (leftover)
Chicken Taquitos and Smoothies

Tuesday
Yogurt Parfaits
Sausage and Pasta (leftover)
Thai Chicken Pizza

Wednesday
Smoothie
Chef Salad
Sweet Potato Hash

Thursday
Yogurt Parfait
Veggie Egg Salad
Burrito Bowls

Friday
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Chicken Burritos
Burgerville

Saturday
Brunch - BLT
Tilapia, Roasted Broccoli, French fries or mac and cheez

Time for a Reset

 While not totally ignorant in the realm of electronics,
there is always a fair amount of frustration that comes when a device does not work as expected.
My beloved Fitbit is often the prime culprit.
It won't sync.
It won't scroll through the screens.
It is just acting peculiar.
And then it is time for the reset button.
Just the simple act gets the device working as designed.
Something had gotten in the way and need to be cleared.

I feel like life recently has put me in the need of a reset.
It is easy to fill "dead" time with amusements (literally without thoughts).
The "shutdown" gave an "excuse"
but there really is no excuse for not using every moment wisely.

God keeps putting his finger on my heart.
Lessons in Colossians about the new "clothes" or traits that I should be wearing.
Lessons from Philippians on forgetting the past and pressing toward things before me.
Communication with a young woman who was conscientiously curbing her screen time.
The desire to be the best example to those around me while watching some bad habits creep in.

I just need to hit reset.
Clear the clutter.
Choose the best.
Focus on things that are eternal, things that will last.
Practice godly disciplines in time, in thoughts, in Bible Study, Bible Memory, and Prayer.

No, the Tuesday Transformation is not a picture from my house.
It is not a change in my physique.
It is prayerfully a change of mind that leads to a change in action
(yeah, that's the definition of repentance and the basis of a true reset).

This Day in History

 Most of my readers (family and friends) were in the same place on this day in history 2002.

It was a warm, humid day in NY - Latham, NY to be exact.

It is the day that I married my sweetheart.

18 YEARS!

It is hard to believe it.

And yet, so much has happened.

So much has changed.
We have changed as individuals and as a couple.
Hubby laughs when I say something bold or act with confidence.
I don't know if it is age or his influence on me, but I am more outspoken then I was back then.
Our first year (ok, our first 5 years of marriage) was spent on the go.
If hubby was not working, we were exploring.
Today, the perfect weekend is a "wog" together, brunch, and peace and quiet.
We are happily "homebodies."
We have made cross country moves 3 times,
lived in 4 states,
lived in apartments, trailers, and duplexes.

And some things haven't changed.
Our home is typically still quiet, just the two of us.
Despite our ideas, the Lord never opened the door for "full-time" ministry.
And we still enjoy being a couple and spending time together.

We celebrated on Saturday.
Yes, there was a "wog."
There was a brunch.
We mini golfed for the first time in years (we think since NY 2003).
We enjoyed cold brew coffee lattes at home.
And I made shrimp scampi and blackberry lemon bars for our celebratory dinner.

The lemon bars are perfect for a summer evening and the blackberries are plentiful right now.

Ingredients

CRUST:

1 cup Gluten-free rolled oats 

½ cup almonds

1 tablespoon coconut sugar

pinch of salt

2 tablespoons melted coconut oil or butter

2-4 tablespoons cold water (start with LESS, add more if needed)

FILLING:

4 eggs

½ cup maple syrup

½  cup lemon juice (fresh is best_

3 tablespoons coconut flour 

1.5 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel

pinch of salt

1½ cup fresh blackberries (blueberries or raspberries can be used instead)

Instructions

CRUST:

Preheat oven to 350F.
To make the crust, combine oats, almonds, sugar, and salt in a food processor.
Blend until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add oil and then add water one tablespoon at a time, blend just until mixture comes together.
It should easily press together, but not be overly wet.
Sometimes it may only take 2-3 tablespoons, so it's important not to add all of the water at once.

Press mixture into the bottom of a well-greased 8x8-inch pan.
Bake in the 350F oven for 10 minutes.
Remove and let cool while you make the lemon filling.

LEMON FILLING:

In a blender or processor, add eggs, honey/maple syrup, lemon juice, coconut flour, lemon peel, and salt.
Blend until smooth.
 Carefully pour mixture over the oat crust and sprinkle berries evenly over the filling.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until edges are golden brown and the filling in the middle has set.
Remove and let cool before placing in the refrigerator.
Refrigerate for several hours before serving.
Cut into squares and serve chilled.
Store remaining bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Things That are Different are Not the Same 6

 Legal Drugs.

It's not the only state that has voted in recreational drugs, 
but it is the first one that we have lived in.

It is common to see the dispensary symbol (a green cross) around the area.

There are at least 5 dispensaries in our little town.

Time Away

 I know,
I returned only to disappear ...
but I had good reason.

Last Friday,
we pulled one of those silly road trips ...
you know, the one where you drive 8 hours
to spend 36 hours
to drive another 8 hours.

That leads me to a "Thankful Thursday" post.
I am thankful for a change of scenery, time away, and time with family.

We spent last weekend in Boise, ID.
We went to see family
including meeting a new nephew-in-law and 2 great-nephews.

We were primarily visiting a hubby's sister who is more like a second mom.
And yes, we were spoiled over the weekend.
She is also gluten and dairy-free, so no real traps to avoid in the food department,
they introduced us to a great flatbread restaurant
and treated us with time on the water.
We hit the water early to avoid a busy waterway (and less than half-dressed people).
It was chilly and the water choppy when we started,
but it calmed down and warmed up before too long.
(The highs in Boise while we were there were 105-110)

All in all - a good trip.

But it did take a bit to catch up from the weekend
plus we are in the process of updating some technology around the house
which also takes so extra time
thus my extended absence.