Spaghetti and Slurpees – Day 3 of Cooking Class

Today we took our field trip to Publix so we could buy our ingredients for tomorrow’s meal. We voted to have grilled sandwiches of various kinds, homemade purple potato chips, and oatmeal raisin cranberry chocolate chips cookies.

When we returned home, we enjoyed whole wheat spaghetti with meat sauce, and we had an assortment of salad toppings so each girl was able to create a beautiful layered salad. Our dessert was my homemade slurpees which we decided to rename Italian ice since we had an Italian theme for the day. 🙂

I am looking forward to seeing their sandwich creations tomorrow. This could get interesting!

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Diagnosis: Undiagnosed

Last September, while training for my first marathon, I begin to experience redness and blurred vision in my left eye. After seeing three doctors and receiving the proper treatment, my eye healed. However, the right eye soon began to experience the same thing- but worse. Since March, I have been under the care of a specialist from Bascom Palmer Eye Institute (always ranking 1 or 2 in the entire country for eye care).  Unfortunately, the right eye has not healed despite more aggressive treatments. Although I have had numerous lab tests, there is no diagnosis for what I am experiencing, and we may never know the root cause of it. So yesterday I took my third trip down south, and my doctor had to do a “sure fire” injection into my eye and also have me continue on the meds that I have been taking. Because I understand the importance of nutrition and prefer to treat my body with natural means, this process has been difficult.  I know that I have done all possible to heal my body naturally- eating the right foods, seeing a nutritionist, and more-  but I know there is a time for traditional medicine as well. And I know that my body is able to tolerate the meds and fight off infection because I have taken steps to ensure that it is strong and healthy.

Throughout these months,  I have been  on a journey with Jesus that I wouldn’t trade for the world. Having your vision affected is definitely a reminder to stay in constant prayer with the Savior,  I am not sure why He has chosen not to heal me physically, but He has taught me and reminded me of truths that would have otherwise gone unnoticed or neglected:

  • My friends and family have been faithful in prayer for me, and I am humbled by their faithfulness to lift me up, and am reminded to do the same for others.
  • His strength is made perfect in my weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). I have had to rely on His strength to help me to mentally, emotionally, and physically get through this.
  • I am fearfully and wonderfully made. (Ps 139:14) No matter what physical flaws I have, God created me and designed me for His purpose.
  • God’s beauty is not seen with human eyes. It is the Holy Spirit that resides within me that reveals His splendor and glory to me. His peace, His plan, and His faithfulness are the most beautiful aspects of His character that He has shown me through this.
  • This is not my home. One day I will have a glorified body and live with my God. Every time I hear Building 429’s “Where I Belong”, I am reminded of this truth.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
    we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Romans 8:35-37

Satan’s Greatest “Victory” Was His Greatest Defeat

Satan, the great deceiver and liar, is our ultimate and biggest enemy. The battles we fight here on this earth are spiritual battles fought in the heavenly realms. (Eph. 6) As Satan looked to defeat God, he found Judas, one of the 12 disciples, and sadly “won over” this supposed follower of Jesus, and used him to have Jesus arrested.

Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. Luke 22:3-4

As Satan plotted to defeat Jesus, and ultimately God, the prince of this world never saw that he was ultimately part of God’s redemptive plan for all men. Jesus’ crucifixion appeared to everyone to be the end. However, on Easter morning, the empty tomb proved to be Satan’s greatest defeat and our greatest victory!

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-36

It’s Friday,,, But Sunday’s A’Comin’!

And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. Matthew 27:51

Happy Valentine’s Day!

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

1 Corinthians 13:1

A Conversation Heart From Me to Jesus

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

John 1:12

Thankful that my heart belongs to Jesus!

A Conversation Heart From Jesus to You

A Conversation Heart From God to You

A Conversation Heart From Jesus to You

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As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.   John 15:9

See “A Conversation Heart From God to You”

A Conversation Heart From God to You

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

1 Route, 2 Views – A Look at the Year Ahead

While training for the marathon, my sister-in-law and I sometimes met at a park where we were able to vary our route in order to complete the scheduled long run for that week. For our 14-milers, we ran a 7-mile circle twice.  We would start at 5:30 or so in the morning, and the first part of our runs were done in the dark. You never knew if the dark spot you were stepping into was a pile of leaves, just some dirt, a muddy puddle, or something a little more messy! During the beginning of our second trip around one day, she commented on how it was like a whole new route since the sun had appeared and had begun to light our way.

This observation triggered a thought in my mind: We are all on this journey of life, but which route are you racing down- the Lighted path or the dark one? You are either running it with or without God. With purpose, or aimlessly. Knowing where you are heading, or wondering where you’ll wind up.

As 2012 begins, my prayer is that the steps of your life are illuminated by God’s Word (Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Ps. 119:105). While God does not reveal to us all that lay ahead in our path, we can trust that He will make our paths straight (Prov. 3:5-6) when we keep our focus on Him- the immovable focal point! May God’s love compel you in all that you do in this upcoming year, and may He receive all the glory for what will be accomplished in and through you! Happy New Year to you and your family!

This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. 1 John 1:5-10

Christmas Day – The Christ Candle

Today we celebrate God’s gift to us- Jesus Christ. May you and your family have a blessed Christmas Day, and may the love of Jesus fill your heart throughout the new year!

John 1:1-14
The Word Became Flesh

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.