Kudzo Plant

Travelling through Kentucky and Tennessee I saw this beautiful lush green plant. Majestically growing up the side of trees, houses and barns. It was everywhere. While in Tennessee we were in the midst of the Smoky mountains, and there again we saw this beautiful vine. 


We were with some friends and had decided to go zip-lining. After we were all decked out in our stylish zip-lining gear we headed outside. To the left of us in the field were three goats. The goats were there to eat the Kudzu. It was in that moment that I learned about the dangers of this lush green plant. 


Kudzu is a climbing, semi-woody, perennial. This plant was originally imported from Asia in the early 1900s. It was planted with the good intentions of erosion control and food for livestock. Some even used it for ornamental purposes.

Some interesting facts

• Kudzu grows well in most conditions and soil types except for saturated soils.
• It prefers sunny, abandoned fields, roadsides and undisturbed areas. 
• This beautiful green leafy plant has fragrant purple flowers that form on the vines.
• After it has grown and matured the kudzu plants will grow quickly, a single root can produce 30 vines. Kudzu rampantly spreads to form dense mats over the ground, shrubs, mature trees and buildings, reaching more than 60 feet high.  
• It can grow a foot a day!
•  Unfortunately, killing this plant is difficult and may take up to 10 years.

What I thought originally was a beautiful plant is actually a deadly killer! Kudzu kills plants by smothering them under their dense leaves. By not allowing light to penetrate through it's leaves, it slowly destroys it's victims. 


What I learned


It is easy to think that something is harmless. Most things are fine until that very thing takes over your life. Sin is like that. But like the Kudzu, once it takes root it will spread. 

As it spreads it will begin to kill the good things that God has planned for you, leaving nothing but regrets and vines in its wake. 

Do you have something in your life that has begun to take over? 
What has gotten in the way of your relationship with God?
Where have you abandoned your commitment to grow?
Are you feeling smothered by a decision that you have made?
What is blocking out the light of Christ in your thoughts?


There is only one gardener who can remove this from your life.
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. John 15:1

Like the Kudzu, sin cannot grow when our lives are saturated with with Jesus. He is the only protection and cure for this! John 15:5-6

Eternal Embrace

Eternal Embrace Archaeology.org 

I stumbled across this picture.  What do you think of when you see it?

• Husband and wife
• Mother and child
• Sisters

In 2007, archaeologists unearthed theses two skeletons about 25 miles south of Verona in the city of Mantua, Italy. (FYI the city where the star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet lived was Verona). 

The only thing that they know about these skeletons is that they were young, since all of their teeth were found to be intact.

We all need reassurance that when we die we will not be alone. 

When I see this picture I think about Jesus.  He has promised that he will Never leave us or forsake us! He has shown us the way to be with Him forever! Talk about an eternal embrace! John 10:28

Father, thank you for holding us close, calling us by name, giving us a hope and a future. 

Not Abandoned

Isn't this little guy the cutest thing?  His name is Juanito and we met him in Colombia. He eagerly greeted us and then accompanied us through the village of La Playita. Most of the homes in the village are simple, made with cement blocks and are able to withstand the cyclic flooding, if they can quickly move their belongings to a higher place. Juanito's home was of the poorest that we had seen, made of wood scraps, tin roof and a dirt floor. His mother Jennifer, standing in the doorway welcomed us in to meet her baby. Inside were two rooms separated by a sheet and a lone plastic chair. My heart was heavy when we entered, yet I knew that we had gifts to share with her and her family.

We had heard about Juanito's story from the Pastors. Martha and Jose spoke with his mother and encouraged her to allow Juanito to attend their school. She openly shared that she did not want him  and was not concerned about his schooling. After convincing her, Juanito began school. On his first day of school, they realized that this child had more hurdles than most students. He was lacking in the following skills;

A recognizable language

Hygiene

Wearing clothing

Where to go the bathroom

Social skills 

Day after day, the teachers at the school bathed, clothed and patiently taught him. The child that stood in front of us seemed so different from the child we had heard about. I was saddened to hear that a child could so easily be discarded, left to care for himself, abandoned to the streets. My sadness turned to anger when I first met this beautiful, cheerful child of God. How could a mother cast aside her child?, I contemplated as we rode through La Playita.

Now as we stood face to face with his mother and looked into his bright eyes, it was difficult to reconcile all of the emotions.

 All I wanted to do was pick him up and tell him that he was not forgotten, not abandoned, and that there was a love that would never leave him! 

Then Jennifer and her new baby caught my eye and I was reminded that we were there on a mission of love, of hope and to bring the good news to everyone. Gently I embraced her and prayed that God would fill her with His hope, His joy and His provision, that she would come to understand fully God's promise to be with us.

Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. Hebrews 13:5

Pray for Juanito, his mother Jennifer and her baby that they would all come to a loving relationship with Jesus! Pray also for the ministry of Martha and Jose at the Rose of Sharon school in Colombia. 

The Perfect Fit

Shopping with my two daughters is one of my favorite things to do. Whether we are browsing and admiring, shopping with a purpose or leisurely strolling through racks, we always have fun! Recently we had the perfect girl day! It began with shopping, then a haircut, more shopping, lunch at Chipotle, more shopping, pedicures and then frozen yogurt! What a great day! Yes it was indulgent but oh so fun! This is what happens when distance prevents a mother from seeing her daughters only twice a year!


During one of our shopping times my daughter turned to me and declared, "Mom you need a new bra, that lifts those up!" Apparently my sagging was bothering her! 

For the next hour at Kohl's, my dressing room was filled with all types and styles of bras. My daughters took great joy in selecting what they thought was the perfect one. I felt like Cinderella, would the bra fit? In all of this silliness, the goal was to find the perfect fit that would lift these old girls into a new perkiness! 

What happened next shocked and embarrassed me! After I put on yet another bra, my daughter reached her hands into the bra and re-arranged the sagging culprits! I felt like a person on "What Not to Wear"! After laughing, laughing and more laughing, I realized that she was right! The perfect fit did make a difference. 


God created a perfect fit for us!


I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.  If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.  This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:5-8

Our lives were meant to be connected to our maker, He is our perfect fit. 

I Peter 5

Summer is is just speeding by and I am feeling the dizzying effects of travel, too much fun and unmet house cleaning expectations! When I feel this way, nothing gets my head right like a hot cup of coffee and God's word.

This morning I read in I Peter 5, I was amazed at how much I was impacted by 2 small verses!

 " Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers- not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

Immediately my mind focused on these words,
Shepherds
Overseers
Willing
Eager to serve
Examples

This passage is speaking to leaders in the church, but I think it applies to All Christians in the way that we can see our lives as a life of ministry. Think about how having these attitudes would change the way we relate with others. 

• How would having a shepherd's heart change how you respond to your spouse, or children or friends?

• What would it do to your tone of voice if you remembered that you were an overseer and not the one in charge? (This one hits home!)

• What would it do to the community of believers that you are a part of if you were eager to serve and willing to help?

• Who would be influenced by your example of a serving lifestyle?

The Backstreet Boys are back!

Have you heard the news? The Backstreet boys have reunited and are making an album. This earth shattering news was announced on Good Morning America. It is hard to believe that their first album came out in 1996. My daughters were big fans. Often they could be found singing and dancing with their plastic microphones. I can picture them with their sweet, serious faces belting out, "I want it that way".

The Backstreet boys have sold over 130 million albums garnering them the title of best selling boys band of all time. With that type of fame, why would they want to reunite? Often when these bands who come back together they are a sad replica of their glory days. 

Maybe they have run out of money? 

Maybe they miss all of the adoring fans, screaming their names? 

Maybe they are feeling old and want to relive their glory days?

Maybe they miss each other?

Maybe they will be the ones who sound better than before?

We have a tendency to reflect on the past as the best times ever.  we all have our own glory days! These could be in our jobs, families, ministries etc. For some it is the memory of

A winning team

An amazing vacation

A most productive time

God working a blessing

Fun as a family

We hold onto those memories and make them a type of idol. Comparing everything to that event or feeling. Unfortunately we often over indulge the memory, making it better than it really was.  I was reminded of this one time as we visited an  old school that I had attended as a child.  My memory of the school was that it was this big, magnificent brick building that was easy to get lost in.  The reality was that it was a two story red brick school house. I had attached my feelings of being little and feeling lost in it to the actual size of the building. 

We do that with our glory days! We attach feelings to them and then wish things could be as they once were. There is a danger in doing this.

We can become ungrateful for what we currently have

We can get stuck in the I wish things were like they used to be syndrome

We can miss the daily blessings that God gives us

We can stop moving forward because we keep looking back.

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Philippians 3:13-15

Paleo Coconut Quinoa Recipe

My recipe for coconut quinoa was featured on Fast Paleo. They have amazing recipes that I use all the time!

This summer, I visited the country of Colombia, there I partook of coconut rice. Wow, was it delicious. I immediately thought of how I could make this somewhat Paleo. I know some do not like quinoa for Paleo, but it is a seed. 

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
1 can coconut milk
1 tsp salt
2 tsp honey (to taste)
1 tbsp unsweetened coconut

Directions

First rinse the quinoa and drain. In the pan add coconut milk, honey and salt bring to a boil. Next add the quinoa, stir, reduce heat and cook until milk is absorbed. (about 20 minutes) Remove from heat and let rest for a few moments. Sprinkle the coconut on top and enjoy this succulent sweet treat!

I paired the coconut quinoa with blackened salmon and asparagus. The sweetness of the quinoa balanced the spiciness of the salmon.

Who knew that quinoa was so controversial? I was intrigued by some of the responses to the recipe. If you were not privy to the hullabaloo, there are 2 opinions about using quinoa for Paleolians. Some in the Paleo world say that it should not be included in a regular Paleo lifestyle and others fully endorse it, provided that it is organic and rinsed. Personally, I think that it is one of those grey areas I believe. If your body is able to digest it and it is used in moderation, then enjoy.

For more in depth reading about quinoa, I loved how Andrew dug into this issue at The Spunky Coconut. 


What I learned
Arguing over things seems to be human nature  We like to take sides! I do it all the time. My husband asks me often why I must make things a competition. I think I just like being right! 


Similarly with the quinoa issue, the bible contains grey areas. It is also very clear on what God expects of us. There are however, many things in life that we must make decisions about. I love that the bible contains references to these choices. Think about the whole food argument that Paul talked about in Romans.


Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way. As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.  Romans 14:13-14


The question is not about what we can do or not do, but how can we live a life pleasing to God? When we focus on this then everything else is simple.

Paleo Apple Blueberry Crisp

Apples and Blueberries are paired up in this delicious treat! Who says Paleo is boring? 


Paleo- Apple Blueberry Crisp

Ingredients:
- 3 granny smith apples (peeled, cored and sliced)
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt to taste
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons raw agave nectar

Preparation:
Preheat oven 350F degrees
- In a bowl, mix together apples and berries
- Add in 2 Tbsp agave, arrowroot powder and 1 tsp cinnamon
- Spoon mixture into ramekins
- In a different bowl, add almond flour, salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2Tbsp agave, Mix well.
- Sprinkle batter on top of apple mixture
- Bake for approximately 30 minutes.
- Crust should be golden and fruit bubbling.
- Remove and cool 

- Enjoy!

Serves 6-8

The lesson

I was reminded that God has paired each of us with people in our lives. It may be a co-worker that lifts our spirits at the right time, a brother or sister that always is there for us, or a friend that helps us stop feeling sorry for ourselves or a spouse that encourages us to keep going!. At other times it is a group of people that holds us up when we are weak, or challenges us to be who God created us to be. 

Proverbs 17:17

Why not take some time today to say thank you to the people God has placed in your life?

Thank you Goose sisters, God has richly blessed me with your friendships!
Thank you Kevin for always cheering me on!
Thank you Jeni for teaching me to laugh and not be so uptight
Thank you Lissa for helping me get over myself!

In love with Frozen Yogurt

I had the pleasure of visiting with my daughters in Southern California this month. We had loads of fun shopping, laughing, eating, and enjoying frozen yogurt. You may be wondering what the big deal about this tasty treat is. California has no shortage of frozen yogurt locations. Pink Berry, Golden Spoon, Yogurtland and a zillion others. 


Most of these stores are similar, 

• Sample the flavor
• Choose 1 or more flavors for your bowl
• Decide how much Yogurt you want
• Add your toppings (fresh fruit, nuts, candy, etc)
• Pay for your creation
• Enjoy

After returning to Michigan, I was happily surprised to learn that we had recently been given a great frozen yogurt gift!  Right here in West Michigan, we now have Spoonlickers frozen yogurt. I couldn't wait to try it.












My husband and I headed off to give it a try.  Nervously, we entered into 
the store. 

"Could it be as good as the ones in California?" I asked myself. They had numerous flavors, Tahitian vanilla, blueberry, mango, chocolate, cotton candy, sweet bacon, strawberry and more.  In front of the yogurt machines were little tasting cups that beckoned me to try them. Mango was first, let's just say I was in love at first taste!  The yogurt was fresh and infused with an amazing flavor, this was not a powder mix! Just to say I tried it, I hesitantly filled a taster of the bacon. "Yep, just as I thought, disgusting!"


Mixing my cup with mango and vanilla then adding almonds and a drizzle of honey, I was excited to dig in. My husband had chocolate and strawberries.

We didn't speak much while enjoying the yogurt. Every now and then we would smile mumbling, "wow this is good". Consuming it all, we left content knowing we will return often.

God spoke to me during this yogurt experience. "You have tasted how good it is to be in relationship with me, yet I am wondering if you hunger after me?

What will you do to seek after me?

How are you satisfying your spiritual cravings?"

Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Isaiah 55:2

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him . Psalm 34:8

I was humbled by His frankness, and honored to know that He wants to spend time with me. Thank you Father for reminding me that only what you give will last and satisfy.

A bit of a mess, Doggy DNA

Prominently displayed outside of a Southern California home was this cardboard sign. Tired of finding dog feces in their yard and on their sidewalk, this disgruntled owner took reminding dog owners of their responsibility into his own hands. 

Apartment complexes are also attacking this unsightly problem with the help of DNA testing.  Many are turning to Science to pinpoint the poochy suspects and connect them to their owners. According to the DNA firm PooPrints, it is a simple task to identify the messy suspects.

Swab the mouth of the dogs

 PooPrints keeps a registry of the DNA

Send in a small amount of the (evidence) to be tested. 

The suspect is identified

Tenants are notified and fined. 

The 20 management companies for the apartments who are using the service have argued that the mere thought of testing has reduced the number of doggy messes on their properties.  

This started me thinking about the messes that we make in our lives.  It is easy to think that our daily sins are of no consequence, that they haven't made that much of a mess. Much like the dog owners who do not clean up after their pets, we can fool ourselves into thinking that it doesn't matter if we sin or not.

James has identified what actually happens

Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. James 1:15  

God has already swabbed our mouths and knows our DNA. He has identified the sins that belong to us,and has notified us of our sin and the consequences of it. Here is the good news, Jesus has paid the fine and removed the stench of our mess.

as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12

Father, thank you for knowing us, loving us, forgiving us and sending Jesus for us. 

Say yes

Jesus wants followers who will say yes to him before they even know the request."My answer is yes, where did you want me to go? -- Jann Cobb (@cobbjann)

Teaching in Colombia

The plan was to provide professional development of teaching strategies and English instruction to a group of teachers for 3 days. The team was prepared, eager and ready to go. What we learned about ourselves and others was the true gift of this journey. 

Day 1
Our time together began with the basics;
the alphabet
vowel sounds
colors
songs
etc. 

On the wall was a list of strategies that we added to as they were introduced. Many countries use a lecture format during class instruction, we wanted to acquaint them with some SIOP strategies to help students retain information!

We were pleasantly surprised at how "into it" the 20 plus teachers were. 


While teaching there were many times that I wondered if they thought that we were just plain crazy!


Day 2

All of the teachers came back! After a review the focus was on body parts, vowel sounds, family words, sequencing and sorting. Today was a little different than the first day, about 1/2 hour into the instruction the heavens opened, and the rain fell and fell and fell! The electricity went out, did I mention the hot temperature in Colombia and the humidity? The students scrambled to open windows and as they did the water began to pour into the building, onto the floor and quickly flowing towards all of our supplies, that were so nicely laid out! Now our team was scrambling! Someone turned to me and asked if we should cancel the day and send everyone home. "No way"! 


The class simply took a break and moved outside under the covered patio. One of our team members brought a set of Bal-a-Vis-X balls with her. Everyone had a great time using these balls.  I am not sure which was cooler, the rhythmic sound of the balls or the amazing rain storm splashing all around us! 

After the rain finished we returned to the inside instruction and continued to teach without electricity. Praise God that there was a breeze! Our last strategy of the day was rotating centers. The groups of students rotated through four centers learning and practicing English.


 Loved this day! I kept thinking that the people of Barranquilla must live with this torrential rain system all of the time. Recently I saw this video of what happens here, terrifying and eye opening.


Day 3, 
On this day the students came to us. The Lord had provided a comfortable, beautiful home for us to stay in.  The teachers would come for instruction and then stay for lunch. Many arrived a half an hour early! This was to be our final day of teaching with them and we wanted it to be spectacular! 
The focus today was on the use of pronouns, this, that, these and those, foods, Rosetta Stone and conversational practice. 


The students were excited to use the words that they had learned and often called one of the team over to help with pronunciations. It felt good to see the planning and prayer fulfilling the purposes that we had hoped for!

As our time was winding down, My husband, the team leader approached me and asked if we wanted to teach a 4th day. Originally this was what I wanted to do. Now in the moment, I was stressed out thinking about all of the logistics.  I know that I gave him the "What?" freak out stare! The team quickly agreed and we planned on regrouping and preparing that evening. Immediately, my mind went into planning and controlling mode. Within 10 minutes everything changed. Instead of tomorrow, we were asked to teach the 4th session right after lunch! 

Gulp, breathe, don't freak out, I told myself

This required a few moments with the team. As I broke the news to them, they were amazing. Let's do it! they all rallied together.  This would require the good old teacher stretch and pull it out method that all teachers understand! So much for planning time! Within 3 minutes we had the whole session planned out! Praise God!


 In that moment, my daughter also a teacher turned to me, looked me straight in the eyes and admonished me, "You're not going to like this, but remember how you wanted to teach 4 sessions and you were not happy that we only had 3? Well Maybe God is saying, Here is your 4th session. It's on my terms not yours." She was so right!  As usual God was teaching me to let Him be in control.


Teaching session 4
After a fabulous lunch of chicken, coconut rice and vegetables we returned to the classroom. I was excited to see how God was going to pull us through this time together!


So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10


Who knew that playing memory would be so much fun? Our culminating activity was conversational centers. Using, scrabble, comprehension  questions, fluency practice, sentence construction and answering questions to solidify the English language acquisition.  Session 4 was by far the best one! The students were so enthusiastic. As a teacher it is extremely rewarding to teach those who desire to learn. 


During our session reflection, our team was showered with compliments, hugs of appreciation and hearts that had become knit together. We are already planning a return trip. 





 

Joy Thief

This is a re-post. Oldy but goody!

Have you been here? Comparing yourself to others.  

You think if only you had ______ then you too would be content, joyful, fulfilled. 

Growing up we did not have a lot of material things. I remember wondering what it was like to have new clothes, not hand me downs. Often, I felt left out, because we couldn't go to certain places, we didn't have the money. As I grew it only seemed to become more intense of a feeling. 

My family moved many times, renting homes and apartments. One of my deepest desires was to stay in one place, one home, one school, one community. Looking at children who knew each other from preschool, who had long lasting friendships, whose families had always lived in the community seemed like an unattainable goal for me. I coveted the thought of this life.  

Could I ever have that? Could I know the joy of staying in one place? What did it feel like to start the school year with friends in the classroom who would call out your name as you entered the class?  My life was completely opposite of this dream. 

In the midst of this comparison I was missing a gift, Joy!  Let me explain. As I was comparing my life to what others had, I missed all of the things that were good about my life. Sure, they had stability and history, but I had adventure, new opportunities and excitement!  If I didn't like someone in my class, I probably wouldn't see them the next year! I learned how to make friends quickly and was able to see many different types of schools! I was exposed to a variety of cultures and communities! All of these components have played a role in my development.  Today as I look back, I am grateful that I had those experiences.

Because of my past, I am able to be more effective as a teacher. It has prepared me to reach out to many people, cultures and communities.  I am not afraid to be in new situations, talk to people I do not know or try new things! 

Comparison is a dangerous thing! It makes us think that what we have or are going through is not valuable. It robs us of the joy of the journey! It takes our eyes off of what God is doing in our midst and puts it on envy and discontentment! 

Choose Joy, Choose to live what Paul learned.

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. Philippians 4:12

. 

Colombia

Barranquilla, Colombia
Similar, yet different than the Colombia I envisioned. Perhaps I have seen one too many movies with drug Lords, ancient air strips, gun fights and tropical locations. Barranquilla was filled with colorful buildings reminiscent of it's Spanish roots. There is a definite class system here. Classes are separated by occupation, life-style, income, family background, education, and power. Here it is referred to at your stratus, increasing in your status from 1-5. This level effects employment, education, and relationships.

Our team had several goals on this trip; Instructing teachers, visiting homes and building relationships.  All of these goals were with the purpose of sharing the gospel with those we met. I am grateful that the gospel is for every stratus. 

Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Colossians 3:11