This summer one of my pledges is also to the well being of my body. The older I get, the more south my body tends to go. I don't necessarily mind aging, its inevitable, but I would like to cling to my youthfulness a little, ok a lot, longer! You see, after a decade of working in fitness facilites in my late teens and early 20's, I KNOW what you have to do to keep your body healthy as possible, I just don't implement it as much as I should. Call me lazy, or just an individual who take pleasure in culinary delacacies. And when it is that time of the month, ANYTHING in the form of chocolate is a delicacy! So you can imagine how elated I must feel when come across a healthy snack, especially one that tastes good. You may have even prepared this for yourself, but humor me, I felt like a professional chef creating something tasty when I put this together. So, without rambling on and on,...drum roll please.....


Berry topped Citrus Infused Cottage Cheese, yeah, I could use a better name. I promise if you have not ever tried anything like this you will never look at cottage cheese the same again. This is a refreshing way to liven up boring old cottage cheese. Here is the recipe:

1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 tbsp. juice of a lemon
1 tsp. juice of orange
1/2 tsp each, grated lemon and orange rind
1 tsp. honey
strawberries and blueberrie for topping.

*Mix lemon, orange, grated rinds and honey into cottage cheese. Top with berries. Eat. Enjoy. Thank me later. I just livened up your mundane cottage cheese :)

Peace in Waiting

Waiting. Yep, that is what I am doing right now. Not waiting on any one, or special event, just on an endeavor I have longed to do for over a decade. This endeavor, we will call it "M.D." for (My Dream), is something that I have realized I am not capable of doing without the help from God. So, you would think that by realizing this I would be able to trudge forward and get to work, right? WRONG! I am as stuck as a bug to glue. Nope, not moving anywhere. M.D. has looked really promising at times and has even managed to wrench out a little progress from me. Then out of no where I slam into a wall and everthing I have worked on crumbles and I once again am starting from scratch. Do you ever feel like this? Like you work at something and think you have finally got it right only to have it blown up and your left back at ground zero? Well, this has been me lately. You might be saying, "Don't you think you should find another M.D.?" No, I do not! Tenacity and determination are what seperate the doers from the failures.

It was my birthday this year that really put things in perspective. I believe everyday is a gift from God, no less each birthday. But this year was different. Let me explain about this gift a little more in detail. I receive a couple of daily devotions to my e-mail account each day. I usually only read one specific one and ignore the others. But on my birthday, I decided I would read this one which I usually don't. I felt it was as if God was speaking directly to me. It was like this devotion was about me, just my unfinished story. God was giving me a very personal gift. His blessing and reassurance that He knows of M.D. and I have His backing. Ha, I have God's backing! But there was one underlying message to it, I must wait on Him. What?! I've been waiting over a decade! I have had all sorts on stumbling blocks to derail me! Babies, a disease, and all the other choatic mess life throws at you! And I am STILL supposed to wait?! It was in this moment that I realized God's true Glory. Psalm 37:7 says, " Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; .. There it is again, the word "wait". There was also another word accompanying my evil nemis, it is the word, "patient". Now here is something I have yet to master. Patience may be a virtue, but I am truly lacking in this department. I am not one for patience, my husband I am sure will be the first to second this. So how does one achieve "patience" so they can "wait"? The answer lies in Philippians 4:11-13, " I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." Wow, does this scripture speak to me. It is all about finding peace and security in the One above. To me,this is one of the most beautiful scriptures in the bible. Life's uncertainties can leave us all feeling hollow and inadequete. It is about truly turning it all over to Him and letting go and letting God. Peace in the quietness. Peace in the darkness. Peace in the waiting.

M.D. will come. I know His timing is the right timing. Will I strugge with waiting? Yes, I am sure, but there is always His words, scriptures to reassure me and stregthen my faith. So if any of you out there are stuck in a "waiting period", I incourage you to turn it over to the God above who loves you and cares about you and your dreams. Then you will find peace.

Healthy Summer Treats

It has been awhile, I know. I wish I could say I have been on some fabulous exotic vacation, but I haven't. I have just been taking some time off from blogging as well as other trivialties in my life. Sometimes I think we need to disconnect to reconnect. As usual I allowed too many commitments to overrule my life and sadly it affected not just me but my family as well. I often think of women who are wives, moms, caregives, etc....who go non-stop from one project to another and then are able to go home and assume a whole other role! Seriously, I don't know how they do it!
So, I have pledged this summer to relax, find peace, patience and rest during the lazy days of Summer. I will keep my commitments at a minimum if so, none at all and enjoy my boys and husband. I will soak up God's blessed sunshine and appreciate all the bountiful offerings He has provided me within this world. I will start my day with His word, seeking solitude and guidance within scriptual verses. And most importantly, I will kiss my husband and children each and everyday and tell them how much I love them, trying not to take them for granted.
I think it is good to spritually cleanse the body and mind, and I would like to believe that I will emerge a more rested and more Christ-like individual, appreciating my life from a whole new perspective. We will see...

I have been getting my fingers a little sticky in the kitchen lately. I recently have had a craving for homemade ice creams, yogurts and sorbets. My childhood is flooded with memories of anxiously awaiting the churning ice cream on the back porch of my grandmother's during the blistering heat of Summer. She had the crank kind and would often venture out bak , craqnk it a few times and the return inside. This action was repeated til the ice cream was ready. So while I wait for the replacement mixing arm of my more advanced ice cream maker to be delivered, I have made some healthy sorbets in our food processor. I thought I would share a couple of the recipes with you all. They are simple and since produce is at it's best, you should take advantage of your local farmer's market, or grocer, and use fresh fruits; frozen ones work just as well and I did use some that would be more costly if purchased fresh.

A Better-for-You Chunky Monkey:

1-2 medium bananas, peeled and sliced
1 1/2 tbsp. Honey
2 tbsp. Water
2 tbsp. Walnuts
3 tbsp. coarsley chopped semi-sweet chocolate

* Place bananas on a freezer paper lined cookie sheet and freeze for 1-
1 1/2 hours. After bananas have frozen, in a food processor, combine all other ingredients. Blend in processor til mixture becomes creamy. You may have to add extra water. There will be lumps from the walnuts and chocolate. Eat and enjoy!
* Can be froze in refrigerator for up to three four days.

Peach-Raspberry Sorbet

3-4 peaches, washed and sliced
1/2-1 cup raspberries
2 tabsp. Honey
1/2 squeezed lemon
Grated rind from lemon, a microplane works wonders
1/4 c. water

*Freeze peach slices on a freezer lined baking sheet for 30-45 minutes. In a food processor, combine all ingredients and mix til creamy and smooth. Freeze any leftovers up to one week. This treat is less than 100 calories and SO refreshing on a hot summer day!

There are many different variations you could institute. Have fun making your own concoctions!

Growing

I do apologize for my lengthy absence as of late. I feel as if I have successfully cut myself off from most of the world. This time of year seems to have a knack for being out to get me. I always know well ahead of schedule the many events I have coming up, but somehow, never seem quite enough prepared for them. We just wrapped up our 3rd annual school dinner and auction. It was a success and true revelation of God's miraculous capabilities. We raised a rather large amount in one night. A small Classical Christian with a little over 100 students. God's grace... Growth, in more ways than one.

I think of the many seeds we plant in our lives. How we nourish them, or neglect them. I feel as if I am constantly growing. Ever learning. God is tending my garden and nourishing the soil, strengthening the roots. Sometimes I try to trample over my on garden and weaken what He has tended to so carefully. Why do I do that? If I held the answer, it wouldn't ever happen. I have come to realize that in order for my own spiritual garden to grow, I must allow the Master Gardener to do His work. I am sure to have a few undeveloped and even rotten fruits, but I know that eventually my bounty will be plentiful. May your garden ever grow and be fruitful.

I thought I might like to share a few pictures of the decorations I put together for the school auction. I hope you enjoy.

I wish my camera would have caught the illumination in these centerpieces. They all "glowed" when the lights were dimmed.