Zucchini Sweet Potato bake with Meatballs

That looks so good! The recipe on Paleo OMG looked unbelievably good. Today I decided to give it a try. 

Of course I changed the recipe. Taking something and putting my own spin to it is one of my favorite things to do.

Ingredients 
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 small zucchinis, shredded
1 small y sweet potato shredded
1 red onion, shredded
1 tablespoon Mrs. Dash
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 pound grass fed ground beef
1 (14 ounce) can of diced tomatoes
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup Spinach, roughly chopped

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Use a grater or shredding attachment on a food processor to shred the zucchini, sweet potato and red onion.
• Place a large skillet over medium heat, add coconut oil and minced garlic, then add the zucchini, sweet potato and onion.
• Let vegetables cook down until soft, then add ½ tablespoon Mrs. Dash and Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika and cayenne pepper and a bit of salt and pepper to the vegetables and mix around to coat.
• Then add the diced tomatoes.
• Transfer vegetable mixture into a glass Pyrex dish.
• Place ground beef in a bowl along with the rest of the spices and some salt and pepper. Add in spinach and form into meatballs.  
• I made 12 meatballs with the pound of meat.
• Press each meatball into the vegetable mixture.

Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through.
It was unbelievably good!!

What I Learned

Many times we are introduced to things that seem unbelievably good, yet we can be skeptical as to their validity. "Could this really be as good as it claims to be? "

How many times have we seen infomercials and thought, "I'd like to try it but it probably won't work?  Other times we put our trust into something and we end up being disappointed because it wasn't as good as the product or recipe claimed to be. 

Time after time of being let down begins to wear us down and pretty soon we begin to trust less and less. 

There is one person who has always been and always will be reliable! He is unbelievably good! 

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

his love endures forever.  Psalm 118  

Have you seen my Keys?

This is a Repost. An Oldy but a Goody!

"These keys don't work!", I grumbled as I tried and tried to get them to turn the lock in the door.  I knew it then, but didn't want to admit it, these were not the right keys. They looked similar but they were not the ones that would open the door! 

Don't you hate it when you misplace something? Usually if I retrace my steps I can find what I have lost. This time things were very different! 

My experience was like the song by Francesca Battistelli

Lost my keys in the great unknown, And call me please 'Cuz I can't find my phone. This is the stuff that drives me crazy,This is the stuff that's getting to me lately. ,In the middle of my little mess,I forget how big I'm blessed.This is the stuff that gets under my skin, But I gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing. It might not be what I would choose, But this is the stuff You use
Searching continued;

• In the pockets of my jackets, vests and sweatshirts.
• Under the bedroom dressers and even under the bed.
• In both cars, in the glove compartments, under the seats and in the cup holders.
• In the drawers of the kitchen, office and living room.
• In all of my purses.
• In my school classroom.

I Looked Everywhere and still have not found them! 

These lost keys remind me that Jesus is the only way to the father.

He is the key

He is the Only one who can open the door

Through Him we may walk through

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

What have you been searching for?

Father, thank you for reminding me that you hold the keys to life, forgiveness, joy and eternity.

May I come in?

Bread is it worth it?

We have had a glorious time on vacation in Punta Banda, Mexico just outside of Ensenada Mexico. Long walks on the beach, strolling through shops in La Bufadora, fish tacos, watching dolphins meander by, kayaking in the bay and did I mention rest? What's not to love?  One afternoon we visited Walmart, yes even in Mexico Walmart has made It's presence known! There right in front of us was a glorious sight! "pan dulce"! Mexican sweet breads!   I wish for the sake of understanding that you could smell what we smelled! 

Holding onto the grocery cart, almost whining, okay really whining, "I have to get out of here! This will be the death of me!"

In a flash, all of the knowledge that I have about what gluten does to my digestion went out of my mind and instead it was filled with fantasies about how good the pastries would taste. Sweet concoctions of pineapple, apple, creme, chocolate, cinnamon and on and on. The sweet breads seemed to beckon me, "Come closer, come closer and take a bite, just a little one, it won't hurt you!" 

This article explains the dangers of gluten. I know about the impact of gluten on my digestive system and have felt the discomfort of eating bread, so why am I tempted when I am surrounded by it? 

In case you are wondering, I didn't have any pan dulce. I smelled it, enjoyed looking at it and then, even though my family bought some, I walked away! It was difficult but there was victory for me in making this choice. It seems that each time I make a choice to eat only those things that are happy for my body the decisions become easier! 

True confession time! Smores called out to me and I answered, "Yes please!" I gave in to the ooey, gooey tastiness of the marshmallows. Plural, since I consumed 1 smore and 7 roasted marshmallows.  I made the decision to enjoy these with my family and although I wouldn't recommend that I do it every day, this vacation treat was worth it.

What I learned, 

Making a conscious decision to abstain from things that are unhealthy for you strengthens you to continue to make wise decisions.  If something cause you to sin, remove it!  Matthew 5:30

This is different for every person.

 It can be people, 

food, 

alcohol, 

television,

 music, 

shopping. 

What is it for you?

Planning ahead would have kept me from partaking, and partaking and partaking of the marshmallows. If I had made this Paleo Smores recipe I would have had the best of both worlds! I just must plan ahead and be wise in my decisions. This is true in so many areas of my life. 

Solomon asked the Lord to give him discernment, It is my prayer today as well.

So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. I Kings 3:9

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Praying Mantis

This is a re-post. An Oldy but a goody!

Ewww! What is that green thing flying through the air? Wings rotating, it looks almost clumsy. I wonder if there two of them? Is it a dragonfly or two insects mating? I had no idea until it landed on the side of Qdoba. Upon closer look I could see clearly that it was a praying mantis.

They are very cool looking. Not as cool as the one in Kung Fu Panda, but cool. Perched there on the side of the wall, It appeared so elegant, graceful, and yet most definitely insecty.

Did you know?

• That the praying mantis was named after the way it stands. It has a "prayer like" stance.

• The word mantis comes from a Greek word that means prophet or fortune teller.

• They can turn their head 180 degrees!

They have a large field of vision. On top of their triangular head are large eyes. This helps them detect any movement that their prey may have. Having a large field of vision increases their hearing and sense of smell which increases their ability to hunt successfully.

What is your field of vision like? Do you see the large field ready for harvest?

The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Matthew 9:37

Jesus reminded us of His purpose. 

I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” Luke 4:43

This purpose was not just for Him, but for us also! We also must be sharing His good news! 

Do you see with human eyes, or with a Kingdom perspective?
What is impeding your Kingdom vision today?

Father, may we be more like the preying mantis, looking around us to see the harvest, to be fruitful to be ready with a kingdom perspective. Remove from us anything that is impeding our vision.

The Roller Coaster of Emotions

This week has been an emotional roller coaster for me. While on vacation in California, my Mom who has Alzheimer's is in Michigan.  What a blessing it has been that my Aunt Phyllis has been staying with her while I am gone. However, each time the phone rings, I take a deep breath and pray before answering. 

I am never sure if it will be good news, bad news, confusion or anger coming to me. Like a roller coaster the events come in waves of highs and lows.  

This is hard to admit- but sometimes, I just don't want to answer. It's as if the roller coaster has begun the long climb upwards, (clickity clack, clickity clack) and I know that the downhill is coming so I close my eyes.  As if closing my eyes and hiding myself form the reality of the situation will protect me!  At that moment, rational or not, "Not knowing feels better than knowing".

I know that I am not alone that many have and are going through this with their loved ones.  But for the record, I just want to say, "I don't like Alzheimer's" !

Alzheimer's Facts

What I learned

A little song came rushing into my head as I wrote this blog. You are my Hiding Place

You are my hiding place.

You always fill my heart,

With songs of deliverance.

Whenever I am afraid,

I will trust in You.

I will trust in You.

Let the weak say,

I am strong,

In the strength of the Lord.

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Psalm 32:7

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. Psalm 56:3

When I am afraid, I need to trust, to hide away in Jesus. He alone can calm the nervousness and anxiety that I feel. Trusting Him means that I will let go and open my eyes to watch Him work, watch Him direct and comfort, watch Him and follow His lead. 

Help me Jesus to ride with you! 

Second Helpings

Whew! Did we eat good last night! I am visiting with my daughters and we had a feast last night that included healthy choices for dinner. My brother and his family were joining us and I wasn't sure if they would enjoy are paleo approved selections.  The menu; blackened salmon, chili lime shrimp, zucchini tots, coconut quinoa and brownies with fresh strawberries! Makes you mouth water a little doesn't it?

Choice #1

Blackened Salmon 

4 -6 salmon fillets
2 tablespoons olive oil

Blackening Spice
1 tablespoon tajin seasoning (or Mrs Dash fiesta lime)
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon onion salt

1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
3/4 tablespoon black pepper
1/2 tablespoon oregano

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:

Mix together spices in a bowl
Sprinkle blackening spice over salmon fillets on both sides.
Drizzle olive oil large pan over medium high heat until sizzling hot
Place salmon fillets in pan and cook each side 4-8 minutes, depending on the size of the fillet. Be sure to cook one whole side before flipping to blacken properly. 

My 8 year old nephew ate 3 pieces!

Choice #2

Chili Lime Shrimp    

My daughter Lissa created this dish from the recipe that Mrs Paleo posted on her site. Chili Lime Shrimp Recipe. 

Was it good? There was absolutely none left over! Just the right amount of sweet and spicy!

















Choice #3 

Zucchini Tots

 

The recipe is from wellness mama.

This one surprised me.  My brother looked at them and I thought he won't like this but he ate more of these than anybody!

Ingredients

2 medium zucchini
2 eggs
1 onion
½ cup Parmesan cheese (optional, can replace with almond flour or 3 tablespoons of coconut flour)
¼ cup almond flour
1 teaspoon each of garlic powder, salt, pepper and basil leaf

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grate the zucchini with a cheese grater or food processor. Add the salt and squeeze very tightly with a towel or some paper towels to get the excess liquid out. Put in a medium sized bowl.
Grate the onion and add to the bowl. Add the eggs, Parmesan cheese and almond flour. Sprinkle the spices on top of the mixture and mix until evenly incorporated. To bake: well grease a baking sheet or muffin tins and put tablespoon size amounts of the mixture onto the baking sheet or fill the muffin tins ½ full.

Bake for approximately 18-20 minutes or until tops and sides are starting to brown. Serve alone or with homemade ketchup. Can also pan fry in coconut oil for a crispier outer coating.

Choice #4

Coconut Quinoa  

Recipe is found here

Creamy, and a little sweet help balance out the spicy food.

Brownies with Strawberries

Ingredients

½ cup coconut oil
½ cup cocoa powder½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ cup coconut milk
3 tbs honey
1 egg
1 cup almond meal
2 squares of dark chocolate broken up

Instructions
Makes 8

Preheat oven 325

Combine coconut oil, cocoa powder and cinnamon in a bowl. Add in the coconut milk, honey, egg and almond meal and mix until combined. Fold in the broken pieces of chocolate. 

Place muffin liners in a muffin tin and then spoon in the mixture till 3/4 full.

Bake for 20 minutes. 

Serve with fresh strawberries. The combination of the two is delightful!

What I learned

I was nervous to share my Paleo recipes with family who may not like them.  I was pleasantly surprised when they had second and third helpings. The choices were a hit with everyone. 

Often we are nervous to share with others the things in our lives that are important to us because we care about what they think. I love the healthy benefits of Paleo and want everyone to experience it. 

As a Christian I also want everyone to experience the love, peace and joy that I have in Jesus. I just need to invite everyone to have second helpings of what He has to offer too!

But how can people call for help if they don’t know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven’t heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them? And how is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to do it? Romans 10:14 The message

Look at all the Lovely people

Sunny, a slight breeze, amazing lake front view and miles of bike trails before us, what a perfect day for a bike ride!

The trail runs alongside of Lake Michigan in Chicago and is enjoyed by locals visitors alike! As we treked along the lake I was struck by the vast array of people we saw. 

Big ones little ones, out of shape ones, well endoed ones, pants sagging, bratops showing, shirtless, and so on!

People rode bikes, jogged, ran faster than we were going on our bikes, rollerbladed, strolled slowly, walked their dogs and one guy rode a skateboard with a long stick that he used to help propel him along! 

What I Learned

When I go on a long bike ride, my mind is free to think and process. On this day as all of the people paraded by us I began to think about how creative God is. Tall, short, blonde, brown, black,red, curly, straight, muscular, thin, round, square, men and women he made them all. Wow, look at all the lovely people! They all are lovely because He made them! Do they know that He numbered the hairs on their head, that He calls them by name?

Do you know that He calls you His beloved, that He made you with a purpose? 

This maybe difficult for you to believe, but it is so true! The creator of the universe put you together, piece by piece.

Paleo Blueberry Pancakes

Ingredients

1 1/2 Cups Almond Flour       

1/4 Cup Coconut Milk
4 Eggs
1/4 Cup Coconut Oil
1/2 Tbs Vanilla
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt
6 oz Blueberries 

Directions

Mix together all ingredients except blueberries, then gently fold them in. 

Cook in a prepared pan, (I use coconut oil) till bubbly on one side then flip and within minutes you are ready for some Paleo approved syrup, or ghee.

My favorite way to have a pancake is with an egg on top!  

The first pancake is always the tester. Sometimes they are too runny, and require more almond flour, other times they are too dry and may need more coconut oil or other liquid. Then there's they times that we are too eager to flip them and like in my instance I created what I like to call a pancake scramble. That's when it looks like scrambled eggs with blueberries mixed in.  Don't think I let this tasty dish go to waste! Nope I gobbled it right up! Adjust recipes until they work!

What I learned

We need to do a many testers in our faith. As in this recipe we can try different approaches to following Jesus.  For some it may require adding in some spiritual disciplines (prayer, fasting, confession), for others it may be time for more service, worship, education. 

Your faith in Jesus is exactly that - your faith. 

It should resemble what the Bible calls us to but there is freedom to express it and live it out. 

What is your faith recipe?

Kettlebells

My daughters have joined the ranks of those who love Kettlebells. While visiting them I decided to give it a try. We have all seen the images of the bulked up men and women who weight lift and it brings a little bit of fear to me that I would even be in the same gym as them.  These crossfit people are serious about working out! Entering the gym we are greeted by Autumn Martinez, a long time friend and the instructor of the Kettlebell class. "She looks amazing", I think to myself. After the class was finished I knew why she looked so good!

A little Kettlebell history for you.  

• Originally these odd shaped cast-iron orbs were developed by Russian strongmen in the early 1700s to rapidly develop endurance, strength, flexibility and balance. 

• Researchers have found that using the Kettlebells in a 20-minute workout burns around 300 calories and the muscle sculpting impact of calories burned after exercise can increase the effectiveness of the workout by up to 50 percent.

• Using Kettlebells researchers found is as effective as running a six-minute mile or cross-country skiing uphill rapidly.

• According to Shape magazine, the Kettlebell forces your bodies stabilizer muscles to work harder because the weight isn't evenly distributed,as a result, you'll carve your core, sculpt your shoulders and back, and tone your butt and arms, as well as build power and boost endurance.

• The American Council on Exercise (ACE) Research study of Kettlebells can be found here.Kettlebell study

It was a typical cross fit gym, weights, ropes, rowing machines, weight balls, Kettlebells, heavy things and a lot of very sweaty people high fiving each other. Soon I would understand why it was called boot camp. Written on a whiteboard was today's workout. Honestly it might as well been written in Chinese because I didn't have a clue what it meant!. The instructor Autumn was extremely helpful as she demonstrated what we were going to do. It began as a workout on the rowing machine, which at least I could figure out, then push ups, (not my best form, my daughters told me later!), then we took a wall ball and had to throw it up a wall from a squatted 
position. I've seen this on the Biggest Loser so it shouldn't be that difficult, right? I almost fell over and clearly my muscles were not ready for this one. 

After 3 circuits of this our warm up was over!  Determined not to wimp out or let my daughters be disappointed in their Momzo as they call me, I proceeded to the real workout phase. Kettlebells and running! 

My arms felt like jelly, my quads were burning, drenched with sweat and my reputation was on the line so of course I was going to finish. "I may not be able to get out of bed tomorrow, but for today I am going to fake it till I make it!", said this 51 year old. One of the positive aspects to working out with others is the encouragement and motivation that they give to you.  Time and time again I heard, "Good job Jann, keep it up".  When my form was good or bad, our instructor was there to coach and encourage.

Would I do it again? Yes! In fact 2 more times while I am visiting and then I plan on purchasing my own Kettlebells!

What I learned

The difficult things in our life are the things that produce long lasting results. Trials have a purpose even though they are not pleasant at the time. We will gain not only a new perspective on life but also a deeper faith in the Lord if we look to him as our instructor during pleasant times and in the middle of our difficult and painful situations. This has never been more true than it is now as I walk down the road of Alzheimer's with my mom. 

Walking through the Door

Doors often represent new beginnings, travel, a pathway. But they can also connect to an obstacle, an end of a dream and being shut out. There is a new thing in my life that is beckoning me to a door.  Up to now I have been unwilling and afraid to enter through it. 

My mom who is 72 has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.  For the past several years I have been aware of memory loss and some confusion in her yet I seemed to be able to overlook it or make excuses for it.  I have been afraid to walk through the door of understanding.  Somehow I felt that if I ignored it it would just go away!  Yeah that didn't work so good! 

Realizing that I need help with understanding this disease I am beginning to read more about the ugly effects that it has in it's victims and their families. Regardless of how difficult this door has been to go through my desire is to find joy in the midst of it. 

Galatians 4:5-6 tells us to make the most out of every opportunity. In this season that is exactly what I am choosing to do. It's going to be a bumpy ride but I know that I do not go into it alone. 

Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.Isaiah 58:8

What door is God asking you to walk through today?

I Believe

This is a re-post Oldy but a Goody!

At school this week I had a remarkable conversation with a first grade student. "I'm not afraid of that!", John declared proudly as he pointed to a tiger on the worksheet. Then as he continued to color, he quietly confided in me, 

"You know what I am afraid of?  I am afraid of those people, they eat bugs!"  

I could hardly contain my laughter. This First grader was completely serious as he shared his fear with me.  Clearly he had some misconceptions about a certain people group, but nonetheless he was adamant about his beliefs.

How often have you held to a false belief? 

Growing up our parents told us many things, some were true and some mere misconceptions. I remember my mom telling me to NEVER run the hot water when the garbage disposal was on. "It will burn out the motor", she would remind me. For 45 years I never ran hot water when the disposal was on! 

One night, after a meal with friends, during the clean up, my friend ran the hot water, while the garbage disposal was on!!! I became very anxious and ran over to turn the water to cold.  I reiterated what I had been told by my mother.  Everyone began to laugh! Come to find out, I had clung to a false belief for 45 years!!!!!

God's word tell us the things that we can truly put our trust in.

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. John 14:1 

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Romans 12:9 

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 

Father reveal to us those things that are not true! Focus us on your truth, your word!

30 years and 30 to go!

Thirty years ago, I married my best friend. We celebrate these years of mission trips, daughters, ministry, the Angels and love. Lots and lots of love. We have spent hours together in church vans, leading students in small groups, watching our daughters play soccer, cheering on our Angels, praying, worshipping, and laughing. Today I celebrate the fact that we have always done it together. God created us to be a team, to be better together than apart and I agree with that statement!

I have learned  many things in these 30 years. Here are a list of my top 10

1. Kevin can be right, I don't always have to be!
2. Listening is always a good idea, except when I first wake up!
3. Coffee with my husband makes me happy.
4. Holding hands puts a smile on my face. :)
5. It's ok to say I need your help.
6. Secrets are not healthy for us.
7. If you want things in the recycle can, I can put them there!
8. The dishwasher can be loaded in many ways.
9. Your kisses melt my heart!
10. God knew that I needed you in my life.

I am never satisfied with what has been, so honey here is to 30 more. It's an opportunity to serve God better, to do more, experience more and love more. Imagine the mission trips when we are 80! 

Paleo Spanish Rice

On the menu tonight is Mexican rice using quinoa and pulled pork with tomatillo sauce. You can find the recipe here.

In the crockpot this morning I placed a pork shoulder that I sprinkled with a little garlic, salt and pepper. 3 hours later it was finished! All I needed to do was shred it and mix it with the tomatillo sauce. 

Paleo Spanish Rice   
1 cup quinoa
1/2 onion diced
1 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 cup water
1 Tb tomato paste
2 Tsp Cumin
Salt and Pepper
1 Tb Olive oil

Directions
In frying pan brown quinoa, remove from pan. Brown onions in the olive oil, add chicken stock, water, tomato paste, cumin and salt  and pepper. When mixed add in quinoa and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes.

What I learned

Why is it called Spanish Rice?

There are two thoughts regarding this. FYI, This dish isn't made in Spain!

1. Rice is not native to Mexico, it was brought over in the 1500's when Spanards began to import cattle, pigs, goats and chickens. They also brought back to Mexico from their travels to Asia, wheat and rice. Because the Spanish people originally introduced rice to Mexico, it has been dubbed "Spanish Rice." 

2. Another theory is that because Spanish is spoken in Mexico and this rice is made there, it is thus called Spanish rice. hmmm.

Personally, I think it should be called Mexican rice!

I see an interesting comparison to those who are called Christians. We are called Christians if we have an association with Jesus. This could mean that we have attended a church, know the Christian bible stories, been brought up in a Christian home, have Christian friends etc. The bible presents a different viewpoint.

If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

The fact is that unless we have a personal relationship with Jesus then we are NOT Christians. If we do Christian things but are not followers of Jesus we really are just religious or spiritual people.

If you want to find out more information about having a personal relationship with Jesus this link offers a many answers to your questions. 

You were created to know God in a personal way—to have a relationship with Him, through His Son, Jesus Christ. How do you start a relationship with God?

1. Realize that you are a sinner.

   No matter how good a life we try to live, we still fall miserably short of being a good person. That is because we are all sinners. The Bible says, "No one is good—not even one." We cannot become who we are supposed to be without Jesus Christ.

2. Recognize that Jesus Christ died on the cross for you.

   The Bible tells us that "God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while were still sinners." This is the Good News, that God loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die in our place when we least deserved it.

3. Repent of your sin.

   The Bible tells us, "Repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away." The word repent means to change our direction in life. Instead of running from God, we can run toward Him.

4. Receive Jesus Christ into your life.

   Becoming a Christian is not merely believing some creed or going to church. It is having Christ Himself take residence in your life and heart. Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in . . ." If you would like to have a relationship with Christ, simply pray this prayer and mean it in your heart.
   "Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe You died for my sins. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life. I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank You for saving me. Amen."

Mayonnaise I'm a Believer

Have you ever heard of the use of mayonnaise in cleaning watermarks off of wood? I've seen it several times on Pinterest and wondered, Can it be true?"

This week I had a personal experience with one humongous watermark!

The rather large and scary culprit was about 10 inches in diameter! Remembering what I had seen about the amazing benefits of mayo I went right to work!

The directions are to take a little mayo rub it into the watermark, leave it for about 15 minutes then buff it out.  "Could this really work?", I muttered as I applied the magic white stuff! In less than 5 minutes I found out the truth for myself. Look at my results!

Seriously, It works! Wow, Wow Wow!!!!  I'm a believer!

What I learned

Some things seem so incredible that we are left wondering if they could possibly be true. We are often left asking question after question. 

Questions like

Is God real?

Can I trust God?

Does God really love me?

Is there a heaven?

What difference does it make if I believe?

How can I experience joy and peace?

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

All I know is that I tried all that God has to offer and He is trustworthy.  Seriously, He works! Wow, Wow, Wow!

Wild Black Raspberries

Normally I love plants. Cute little ones with pretty flowers, Grand exotic ones with flowers that belong in Hawaii, odd looking ones with irregular shaped leaves. I can be found wandering for hours in the rows of plants in greenhouses.  Plants are cool, except when they invade my carefully thought out space! 

Last year out of no where this plant started growing. At first I thought it was one of my flowers so I left it alone until it started to choke some of my plants. That's when I grabbed the clippers and started whacking away!  Then just to be sure, I poured weed killer all over it!  "That will get rid of it, try and take over my garden!", I proudly proclaimed and walked away. A week later the plant is still alive and some of my shrubs have turned brown! Frustrated that this thorny bush keeps coming back, I resigned myself to just cutting it back, and getting scratched every time I was near it. 

That was last year. In the spring my plants began to push through the soil and once again, up shot this prickly thorn in my side! I decided to let it grow and see what would happen. After it took over one of the plants it began to blossom and then a tiny fruit developed. I had a wild black raspberry bush! I decided to embrace this plant as one of my own and enjoy it's delicious fruit. 

Things may not be as pretty and beautifully planned in the garden as I had wanted but they are definitely tasty! I found this recipe for Paleo Wild Black Raspberry muffins  It may be a great way to use some of my berries!

• What did I learn?

I don't like it when trials come! I often will try to take them out just like the raspberry bush, clipping away and often getting scratched up! These verses have helped me see that trials can have a positive outcome in my life.

• Trials are a normal part of our lives

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. I Peter 4:12

• Trials won't break you

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. I Corinthians 10:13

• Trials have a purpose

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

Father, focus us on your will in the midst of trials. Show us your loving hand as we walk through difficult times. Thank you for the fruit that can come from unexpected places.

Paleo Meatloaf

Growing up meatloaf was one of my favorite dinners.  Eagerly awaiting for it to be done I would peek through the oven window to glimpse the bubbling goodness! The meatloaf reminds me of being home with family.

For many years I stopped eating beef because it was so difficult to digest.  That was until I found out about grass fed beef! Praise the Lord I can eat it again!  This recipe is guaranteed to fulfill your meatloaf craving!

Paleo Meat Loaf

Ingredients

2Lbs Grass fed hamburger
1 Onion chopped
1 cup Kale chopped
1 Carrot diced
2 Eggs
1 Tb Minced garlic
1/2 Red Bell Pepper chopped
1 can Tomato paste 6oz
1 can Water
1 Tb Mrs. Dash
Salt and Pepper

Directions

Mix together all ingredients together except the tomato paste and water. In another bowl mix the tomato paste and water together, then add to the meatloaf mixture.

Place in a meatloaf or bread baking dish and bake for 45 minutes at 350.

I like to serve it with a mild salsa on top! Enjoy!

* I place a cookie sheet under it so it doesn't bubble onto the bottom of my oven! :)

What I learned
It is so much better to have a first hand experience rather than admiring it from afar. This meatloaf has reminded me that we are included in God's family.

• He has included us

That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus you who sometimes were far off are made near by the blood of Christ. …Ephesians 2:12-13

• He has made us family!

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, Ephesians 2:19

• He is our Father!

Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." Galatians 4:6

Father thank you that we do not need to look through the window admiring you and your kingdom. We are grateful that we have full access to you because you have called us your children. Thank you for making your home with us. May we always think of meatloaf as a reminder that we are at home with you!