The Domestic Adventures of Sarah

Cancellation of giveaway and farewell

2010-02-26T05:24:00.000-08:00

Well, Hippie and I sure appreciate the few of you who read our entries in Table Tuesday and Food Journey Friday. However, if we're being honest, there are very few of you! :)

In emailing with sweet Natalie, we have both decided that the contest (see two previous entries) will be called off, and we will say farewell to our fun series. There just aren't enough consistent readers to warrant the time and effort it takes to establish a very successful blog or series. We apologize to those of you who were interested in the giveaway. In the blogs I will soon recommend, there are always great giveaways going on!

Part of what has motivated my stepping back is that I'm not a great or very successful blogger. I don't say that to be falsely humble, so don't say sweet things like "oh yes you are", etc. I love writing. I'm sure I could develop further if the Lord wanted me to at this stage. But at this point, there simply are far more well-written, well-thought-out, and consistent blogs out there. Check out Passionate Homemaking, for instance. Or Naturally Knocked Up. Or Simple Mom. Or Keeper of the Home. Catching my drift here? :) These ladies work really hard to bless us through their thoughts, research, giveaways, exhortations, and challenges. And I just can't bring myself to take the time to emulate them right now in the writing realm.

The other part of my motivation for stepping back from this and other media (such as my current limitation of facebook) is Ephesians 5:15-16, which says,

¹⁵Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, ¹⁶making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

I was studying this verse recently as we have been making our way through Ephesians. I wondered, is facebook a wise use of time? Is blogging wise for me? I'm not saying these things are bad, evil, useless. They can all be used for His kingdom (and I believe all the blogs I have mentioned ARE being used for His kingdom). However, I'm unconvinced of my own effectiveness in this realm.

My brother-in-law gave my hubby a funny "demotivational poster" for Christmas. It reads: BLOGGING. Never before have so many people with so little to say said so much to so few.

HA! It ironically sits on the desk from which I am currently blogging. I don't believe all blogs are fruitless. The ones I've mentioned are of great encouragement to me- I reference them frequently. However, I have wondered as of late how truly effective this blog is. Most of what I want to say is already being said quite well on these other blogs. Again, this is not to fish for compliments. I'm just being honest!

So allow me to thank you readers who did join us for the Food Journey. I pray that you will be able to continue on your own food journey successfully, and that Hippie and I may be of encouragement to you. Feel free to email us if you so desire! But for now, we will say good-bye to this fun series.

This is not goodbye to blogging forever. I just need to figure out the most fruitful use of my time for the Lord's glory. Well, really, it's His time. I just want to seek to honor Him fully and walk wisely.

Blessings in Christ,
Sarah

Why are we doing a giveaway?

2010-02-09T15:03:00.001-08:00

It's simple. We get a little weirded out by hearing ourselves talk all the time about healthy food. We love to teach and share all of our knowledge about a healthy lifestyle, but we can never learn enough from others. We need to keep learning from others.

That's just one reason we'd really like to get your favorite wholesome recipes. Who knows what exciting things we'll learn about ingredients, or what you may share that will inspire us!

Please see the blog entry before for detailed rules of entry.

We can't promise you fame and fortune for sending in the prize-winning recipe, but we can promise you a little taste of heaven (if you've never had a Hawaiian pineapple, you're in for a treat...if you're our winner!) and a food-lifestyle changing book by an incredible research-oriented writer.

So please enter our fun little contest. Just send your favorite wholesome, unprocessed, super duper recipe to: happy.hungry.hippie@gmail.com and in just over a week, we'll pick the top three for testing!

Peace, love and produce --- Hippie

Start your own Food Journey... and WIN! :)

2010-02-04T13:06:00.000-08:00

Greetings on this fine Friday!

We are so excited to announce the blog's very first giveaway. In order to promote this blog and healthy eating, we want to give you a little bit of incentive. So without further ado, here goes:

What you can win:

A fresh Hawaiian pineapple, shipped directly from our happy Hawaiian Hippie!
A copy of the helpful book, In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan

How you win it:

1. Submit a great recipe to happy.hungry.hippie@gmail.com. The recipe stipulations are as follows.

Must be original to you or your family- no Food Network :)
Must use whole, unprocessed ingredients.
Must be affordable to make.
Must be DELICIOUS.
One recipe per person.

2. Share the competition with all of your friends. One of the top three winners will be chosen according to the comments on this Food Journey Friday entry! You are eligible for up to five entries:

one freebie (just leave a comment)
one facebook announcement (announce the contest on facebook and leave a comment here telling us you did so)
one twitter announcement (tweet about the contest and leave a comment here telling us you did so)
one email (email some friends and leave a comment here)
and one blog announcement (blog about us on your own blog and leave a comment here)

So here's how it'll all go down:

-Recipe submissions will be accepted at happy.hungry.hippie@gmail.com until February 19th at 11:00 PM Central Time.

-The top three recipes will be chosen. ONE will be chosen at random, depending on your entries on THIS contest announcement ( Food Journey Friday on February 5th). The other two will be selected by Natalie and Sarah.

-The top three recipes will be tested and reviewed!

-The winner will be announced on March 9th and will receive:

a fresh Hawaiian Pineapple, straight from the source.
the book, In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan

Happy eating and recipe concocting!

Blessings,
Sarah

Blessings on your grub

2010-02-02T15:08:00.000-08:00

What bad manners I have, setting my table all of these Tuesdays without even talking about blessings first!

I work in a farmer's market. I love the atmosphere. There is much I could disclose about it, nutritionally or environmentally; but for now I'd like to say that the market I worked in today is run by a few very friendly men who bring someone in each morning to say a prayer, and give a blessing on all the workers and food that is about to be sold. The minister said a few words, and they inspired me.

I was reminded of what a blessing and a gift our food is.* Without food, without sustenance, we would cease to exist. Every seed-bearing fruit, every fish of the sea, fowl of the air, and beast of the earth is a part of our Divine food chain. When we abuse it, the result is that we often find ourselves, as an entire species, having that chain disturbed and sometimes having those gifts taken away from us.

When God sent manna to come from the sky into the desert to feed His people, He instructed them very specifically to take only and exactly what they needed for the day and no more.** Were those words and that story recorded historically, or do you think they were recorded in hopes that future generations would be reminded of consuming only what we need to sustain ourselves?

Do we do that? Do we take and consume only what we need?

In a society and generation of people that seems to have a vast addiction to surplus, it's hard to remind ourselves to use only what we need, to not abuse the natural balance. Gluttony is a sin, but do we think of it that way? Do we think of over-indulgence as pleasure? Just how much spirituality has been lost from our eating habits over generations? Even our food suppliers over-stock because it "looks better" than being understocked, but (and I have seen for myself now) so much of that excess goes to waste. I have a hard time believing that God is happy about that, when so many of His children are starving and it is our duty to do unto our brethren as we'd do unto Him. Would we let our own God starve for the benefit of ourselves? (Matthew 25:34-35, 40).

*Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be your food." Genesis 1: 28-30

**Then the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not. Exodus 16:4

**So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. Deuteronomy 8:3

Table Tuesday Swap :)

2010-02-02T13:23:00.000-08:00

Our sweet and happy hippie was a bit tied up today. I thought I would share my latest kitchen creation... Homemade Ketchup.

Has it ever frustrated you that ketchup has high fructose corn syrup, and yet it tastes so incredibly good? I mean, ya can't eat chicken nuggets without it. Well, I decided to make my own.

I used the recipe from the Jessica Seinfeld's "Deceptively Delicious" cookbook, and it is just that! Healthy, tasty, different, and perfect for our meatloaf last night. It is thick and spicy, and so satisfying. I don't know if I'll go back to the old! My husband even liked it!

I dare you. Give it a try.

Spicy Ketchup

2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
1 Cup cooked carrot puree
2 T agave syrup (or other sweetener, this was my change instead of brown sugar)
.5 Cup water
4 T apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t dry mustard
.5 t salt
.5 t ground allspice
.5 t chili powder

Stir all ingredients together in large saucepan and bring to boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until the mixture has reduced by about half, 15-20 minutes. Cool and serve. Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze in serving size snack bags for up to three months.

Your chicken nuggets will be so happy you tried it.

Happy and healthy eating to glorify God,
Sarah

My amazing Turkey Soup adventure!!! :)

2010-01-29T13:22:00.000-08:00

I enjoyed and was challenged by Hippie's post this week. I don't have any hard and fast "food rules" in my house... yet. I think one really strong place to start is 1 Corinthians 10:31:

"Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

Wow. Think with me for a moment. Let's say that the average American lives to be 78. And from the time we're 3, let's just say we eat roughly 3 meals a day (though we all know it is usually much more than that!). By my very rough calculations (and not counting our baby sustenance): 76 years * 365 days per year * 3 meals per day = roughly 85,410 opportunities to glorify God through eating. As His child, what great joy do I have than to seize each and every opportunity to bring Him glory!

But I digress. Sort of. The point is this: I pray that this will be a year when I really start praying, focusing, and bringing God glory through the countless meals I prepare and consume. What about you?

Sorry for the long post today, but I had a triumph in the kitchen today which I just had to share. A homemade turkey soup, very low in oxalates, and perfect for a snowy/sleety day here in Memphis. And a triumph for me mainly because I didn't use a recipe! So it's all my own. It makes me smile.

Smiling with my pot of soup, the snowy scene behind me!

Here is a rough idea of my what I did and why. Skip it if you want-- At the bottom I will post a more concise recipe.

I cooked 1.5 cups of white rice in a large pot using chicken broth and water, according to package directions. White rice is not optimal, so if you do not have to consider oxalates, use brown! In the future I will most likely opt for barley which is one of the only whole grains that is also low in oxalates.

Meanwhile I chopped whichever aromatic veggies I wanted to use/happened to have. I used parsnips, onions, and carrots. The onion I basically diced, the carrots were baby carrots I just cut in half lengthwise, and the parsnips I cut in in little rings. If you don't already know, Parsnips look like fat white carrots. I chose them for a few reasons: 1) I had them leftover from another recipe. 2) They resemble carrots in shape and texture but add a different flavor. 3) As celery is not permitted on a low-oxalate diet, parsnips added a nice different flavor that is lacking without the celery.

While the rice was still cooking, I melted some butter with olive oil in a pan and started the veggies just to soften them a bit and give them flavor. I added about 2 cloves of minced garlic and a bit of salt and pepper. When the rice was almost done cooking, I added the veggies and filled the pot with more chicken broth. I had to use store-bough broth this time but definitely intend to use homemade as much as possible in the future.

For seasoning I added: rosemary, 1 bay leaf, some pepper, and I think that was it! No salt was really necessary as the broth and other stuff was already salted.

Finally, I added the package of turkey that I had frozen from the Thanksgiving leftovers. It was still pretty frozen in a block, but I just turned up the soup and let it defrost in the broth. I let it simmer while we played outside in the snow (!!!) and it was ready when we came in from the cold!

AHHH! What joy this little child brings us! And Daddy was home for a snow day, per his boss's suggestion. We enjoyed the snow.

Okay, back to the recipe. Things I love about this recipe:
1. I made it up.
2. I didn't have to buy anything extra: this was literally all leftover stuff or pantry staples.
3. It was delicious and perfect for snowy weather.
4. It was perfectly low in oxalates.

Things I would alter about this recipe:
1. Homemade broth instead of store bought.
2. Barley instead of white rice.
3. Organic items as available/affordable.

I have to say that I felt very nourished after this meal, and very accomplished for throwing it all together. The nice thing is that it is so simple, not at all overwhelming, and so incredibly satisfying!

So here is a more concise recipe (what I can come up with from what I did):

1-2 lbs of leftover turkey or chicken
1.5 cups rice, barley, or other grain cooked with broth and chicken
Carrots, baby, cut in half lengthwise
Parsnips, chopped
1 Onion, diced
1 Tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Chicken or turkey broth, enough to fill your biggest pot
Rosemary to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Bay leaf

Cook the rice or grain according to package directions using broth and water. Use your soup pot to save dishes! Meanwhile, prepare veggies (wash and cut). Saute veggies in frying pan with butter and olive oil on medium-high for a couple of minutes while the rice finishes up. When rice is cooked, add all the veggies directly to your soup pot. Add your meat and enough broth to fill up the pot. Sprinkle some rosemary (about a teaspoon of dried?), add bay leaf, and pepper to taste. Cook on medium-high until veggies are soft, then turn on low to simmer until you are ready to eat it!

Lastly, ENJOY!!!! And may it all be for the Lord's Great Glory!

Warm blessings,
Sarah

If there were ten

2010-01-27T01:12:00.001-08:00

So, I was thinking about what to write this week. It's been tough. I love to write---probably too much---and decided I needed to work on being more concise. I was inspired by this somewhat humorous post on a website for Hawaiian locals (that, ok ok ok, has nothing at all to do with healthy living), and thought...if I had ten commandments for healthy living, what would they be?

So, here are ten commandments for living healthily that I believe in, in no particular order. What ten things do you think your lifestyle and health could benefit from? Write it here, let us know!

1. Your body is a gift from God. Treat it as such. Do not take it for granted.

2. Your are expected to present your body to others in a holy and righteous manner. This means being as healthy as you are able to be; it is not limited to modest and attractive dress.

3. Exercise is essential to our health.

4. The media is a false messenger; do not believe its lies about your body.

5. What God has given us to nourish our bodies cannot be held inferior to the inventions of man.

6. A healthy lifestyle is contagious, share it with others.

7. The greatest satisfaction is never a result of the easiest method.

8. Eat and live in moderation.

9. Respect where your food came from, from Whom it was given, and the journey it underwent before making it to your plate.

10. Relish the satisfaction that comes from doing what is right for the body you were given.

Sarah, are you developing any new rules in your home? If so, what are they, and how is your food journey progressing?

Sharing some great recipes from elsewhere!

2010-01-22T14:40:00.000-08:00

The only problem I'm finding is that my low oxalate diet doesn't necessarily mean super-healthy. For instance, many processed foods and most sugar are all fine on my diet. But are they really fine for me? Ultimately, there are many low-oxalate foods that I know I really should steer clear from.

On this Food Journey Friday, I wanted to share some exciting recipes I've found from another site that love: The Nourishing Gourmet. Since low oxalate often coincides with gluten free cooking, I am having some success with gluten free recipes.

These are just a few that caught my eye:

Spiced Apple Muffins and these Cupcakes really interest me because I MISS BAKED GOODS. :) I will probably order some Coconut Flour in early February and give these a shot. (On a side note, I was also overjoyed to find this recipe for coconut flour pizza crust-- you know how much I would love a pizza right now??). Who's with me? It would be so fun to try it out with someone and have stories to compare! I'm going to order February 1. Let me know who is interested!

Additionally, these butternut fries and this grilled vegetable salad look delicious! These carrots looked yummy too. I am sometimes hard-pressed to find really healthy options that are still delicious, and kid-and-picky-hubby-friendly. :) Okay, hubby is actually really good about eating and enjoying whatever I fix. But still, I always want to make him happy when he comes home!

Now, if you're feeling REALLY adventurous, how about trying this recipe? It honestly looks disgusting, but she says her kids even love it. It can't be that bad, and it's super cheap. Worth a try maybe?

So what do you say, Hippie and friends? Anyone wanna try out these recipes with me? Like I said, I'll be ordering or buying (if I can find at Whole Foods) the coconut flour on February 1st. And the others I intend to try at least by the end of February (hopefully MUCH sooner!). Anyone interested in these recipes or others on the Nourishing Gourmet site? Share any that spark your interest!

Great eating to you and yours,
The beginner

These are a few...

2010-01-19T20:05:00.001-08:00

In line with this weeks theme, I'd like to share two of my favorite things. Most of my very favorite foods tend to be healthy, though I do have my weaknesses, as you will see.

My favorite Fast-n-Easy Breakfast: Parfait of a Domestic Goddess

I love this breakfast so much that, with the exception of a weekly special brunch I try to do in my household, I eat it every day. It's just that good. Here's what goes into it:

-A few (or several, depending on you, the eater) tablespoons of honey*-flavored Greek yogurt. Yes, it has to be Greek.
-A few tablespoons (or several) of BRM Meusli**
-Diced fruit, or fresh berries (optional)

Why Greek yogurt? Because Greek yogurt has a deeply satisfying, creamy texture and amazing flavor. It's higher in protein per serving than regular yogurt, too. It takes fewer tablespoons of Greek yogurt to make me feel full. Its consistency is closer to sour cream or creme fraiche. This is because Greek yogurt has much of the extra liquid drained out of it, unlike regular American yogurt which can become runny after just a few days in the fridge. Look for Greek yogurts that are probiotic and contain live cultures.

**Meusli could be substituted for granola if you want something with more crunch to it. If you'd like a gluten-free option, try nuts, sunflower seeds, and/or flax seeds.

*Fig-flavored Greek yogurt is also delicious, but sometimes harder to find. If you don't like sweet yogurt at all, plain may be more your style.

Best perk: It takes about 20 seconds to throw this breakfast together and about 20 seconds to clean it up when I'm done!

My favorite brownies, a few notches healthier: a few pointers!

The key to brownies that make every woman in the neighborhood jealous of your baking prowess is, hands-down, using a from-scratch recipe. You can find oodles of them at foodtv.com, or just google them. You'll know which one is right for you.

First, be sure that the recipe requires unsweetened baking chocolate. Real chocolate makes it worth it (unbeatable flavor, and antioxidants!). It should also call for real eggs, butter, flour, and sugar.

How I upgrade it so it's not quite as unhealthy:

1. I go for unsalted butter. Yes, all that extra fat is still there, but if it's all natural sweet-cream butter with non-processed fats, it's not quite as bad for you as the boxed stuff. You can add a pinch of salt if needed.

2. Use less sugar. In the stages where you're mixing the butter, eggs and sugar, start with half of what the recipe calls for, and just add a little at a time from there. Do a lick-the-spoon test until you're pleased.

3. Use whole-wheat pastry flour instead of your run-of-the-mill (ooh, pun!) bleached and enriched white flour that you usually would. Gluten-free and oxalate-adversaries may be able to find a good GF alternative at bobsredmill.com

4. There is a trick to baking with whole wheat flour! It has a much heartier texture, and absorbs moisture more efficiently. Because of this, you will need to use much less than the recipe calls for. Probably about 3/4 of what the recipe calls for. Again, start with half of what is called for, and go from there. The batter should be spreadable, and still moist.

5. Bake at a temperature about 10-15 degrees cooler than called for, as whole wheat browns faster.

6. Try to find an unrefined cane sugar if you can. If not, no worries, just don't eat these brownies all the time (tempted though you may be to do so!)

I know you may be hesitant, but trust me: These brownies are amazing. I made them once for my neighbors and I had all the men in the neighborhood begging me to make them several times a week. No lie.

A tip for our reader, Sara, who commented last week that one of her favorite things is fried chicken!

-Try to use pasture-fed or free-range chicken. Chickens that get to graze have healthier meat than grain-fed, rich in Omega-3's
-Why not try coating your chicken in 1/2 melted (but not browned) butter, 1/2 olive oil. You'll cut down on the amount of fat you're used to when frying without compromising taste.
-Experiment with peppers or flavors in breading.
-Try non-fried cooking alternatives. My favorite for bready chicken is baking it on a pizza stone. Perfect crispiness for my taste.
-Dry the outside of the meat with paper towels before doing anything else. Sounds weird, but it'll keep the juiciness inside the chicken while it bakes.

All this talk about food is making me hungry. Until next week!

Peace, love and produce---Hippie

FJF My happy meals

2010-01-15T13:35:00.000-08:00

It's a lovely day outside, somewhere around 58 degrees. It's the kind of day that makes you really want to eat healthfully, I think.

This week I will just jump into Hippie's mission and share a few of my ideas and tips.

I do have some healthy favorites which unfortunately are no longer an option for me (because of low-oxalate eating). I still want to share one of them for any of you who might find it useful: a very healthy take on PIZZA. This stuff is the best pizza I've ever eaten, and it is also the most filling. The lovely whole wheat fills you up with just a piece or two (whereas I can put down half a pizza of white flour dough and still not be full). I use this recipe at passionate homemaking, one of my favorite blogs. Please try it. It's worth the work! Your tummy will thank you.

Some of my current go-to "happy meals" (who needs McDonalds?):

Garlic rosemary chicken

How-to: put olive oil (I used garlic flavored), a little butter, and garlic in a skillet. Cut chicken into strips or however you like it. Turn on stove to medium-high, place chicken into skillet, and sprinkle rosemary, salt, pepper, and whatever seasonings you might like onto chicken. Turn chicken once when you can see that it is almost cooked.
Serve with: steamed veggies of choice, sweet potato, white or wild rice (I would choose brown to make it healthier, but I can't have it).
Why I like it: SO tasty! Affordable. Quick. And good for you- I like to go heavy on the garlic which has many health benefits.

Garlic (noticing a theme here?) Tilapia

How-to: I first browned the tilapia a little bit in a pan with butter, olive oil, and garlic. Sprinkled a little basil and parsley over it. I carefully transferred it to a greased baking dish and poured the oil and butter over the top. Cook in 375 degree oven until it is white and flakes easily.
Serve with: rice, veggies, whatever you fancy!
Why I like it: Pretty affordable. Adding that very beneficial fish into the diet for NON-FISH eaters! Tilapia just tastes like whatever you season it with, so use whatever you like!

Grilled chicken a la Paul

How-To: My dad grills the most delicious chicken breasts. I asked him how and it was so simple. Roll in olive oil to make the seasoning stick. Season with salt, pepper, basil, and maybe some seasoned salt. Grill as you normally would.
Serve with: He stir fries some veggies: red pepper, carrot, red onion, squash in simple olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Why I like it: This makes a delicious and speedy and healthy meal!

Those are just the first few that came to mind. I hope someone finds them helpful and healthy!

One last tip:

Check the produce section of the grocery for "manager's specials". I found Arugula today for $.99 when it is normally about $3.50! I also found Romaine lettuce for about half or more off the normal price! Usually the produce is still definitely good and usable. I was happy to save the money and still get fresh produce.

That's about it for now. Can't wait to hear about all of your "happy meals"!

Blessings and healthy eating,
Sarah

Hurrah! Table Tuesday just got Tuesday-ier!

2010-01-11T12:00:00.000-08:00

I am still confused about when exactly to post on this blog. I'm 5 hours behind East-coasters, so I know that if I wait until this time on Tuesday it wouldn't be punctual. But I'm planning on being really exhausted tonight so it won't be up by East-coast morning, either.

I got a job working with an organic farm! YES! It's true. I start tomorrow. I'll be wearing a lot of hats. Mostly, I will be marketing for the farm to get the word out and meet the farm family's goal: to make healthy, fresh food as desirable and available to the public as McDonald's.

The idea, to the woman who started this, is that fresh, organic produce is expensive these days, and unnecessarily. She said that she priced the total cost of items to make a decent healthy salad at the supermarket and it was $44. She has managed to work out a very affordable way to shop for fresh stuff.

Her rate, if you sign up for a weekly delivery, is either one full bag (grocery bag sized) full of fruit for $18, the same bag full of veggies for $18, or both for only $25. And she still makes a profit.

So I get the delightful duty of making sure everyone on the island, including tourists, knows this and purposely skips that next turn into McD's to get fresh goodies, instead.

Mission this week for ALL readers, including Sarah: tell me what your favorite (food) things are, especially the ones you consider healthy. If your very favorite things are not healthy, let us know anyway and perhaps we could suggest a healthier alternative for you! (My big weakness is brownies. Imagine how long it took to figure out how to make that "less" unhealthy!). Next week I'll be setting my Table Tuesday with a few favorites.

Peace, Love and Produce---Hippie

Food Journey Friday returns!

2010-01-08T07:05:00.000-08:00

What a slacker I have been! What with the holidays and traveling, I haven't just fallen off the wagon... the wagon is nowhere in sight!

But alas, a new year brings a new start. So if you, too, have fallen off the wagon (or have lost sight of it), join me as we continue on this journey towards better care for our bodies.

Hippie has been blowing me away with her posts lately. I am so inspired by her love for God's creations in the realm of food. I can tell that I have muuuch to learn, but I am confident that this year will mark a great improvement in my food world.

************

Now, I think Hippie is right that we need to have a Scriptural foundation for our journey. Otherwise, when it gets difficult or inconvenient to eat healthfully, we will have no reason to keep with it. When I think about the Bible's stand on healthy living, this verse always springs to mind:

"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?" 1 Corinthians 6:19

This verse easily applies to any aspect of caring for our bodies. It is specifically addressing immorality, but surely it is helpful for our food journey. I must embrace the truth of the Holy Spirit living in me, and I must act accordingly!

Another passage I came accross when looking into healthy eating was the beginning of the book of Daniel. Take a look if you are interested! Basically, Daniel and his friends prove that the Hebrew diet ("God's way") is more beneficial and more strengthening than the diet offered by the Babylonian king.

Another verse that came to mind: "Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Come to me and eat what is good and delight yourself in abundance." Isaiah 55:2

And this will likely be sufficient for today's food for thought. This brings much conviction to both physical and spiritual matters. How often do I seek satisfaction in things that simply WILL NOT SATISFY? Junk food holds no true nourishment, nor does it ultimately satisfy. Hence why when I start eating it, I can't ever stop. Sin is the same way. I often seek such fulfillment in sin, stupidly believing it will bring joy that God can not supply. Foolishness.

God's way is best in all matters. I say I believe this. But am I willing to submit to his ways in the world of food?

*****

I return home next week after my long and wonderful winter vacation. I return to my daily activities: to cooking, cleaning, and being a keeper-at-home. I am excited about the food journey that stands before me. Intimidated? Definitely. But I believe that God's way is best, and I'm determined to submit to His way and see what happens. I believe 2010 is going to be a great year for change. A great year to put God's ways to the test and watch eagerly for what He'll do. Yes, even in the realm of healthy eating!

Rich and fulfilling blessings of Christ be yours,
Sarah

Lovely Food and Beautiful Budgets

2010-01-04T20:43:00.000-08:00

This Tuesday, let's set our tables affordably. I believe that being a good steward of one's money is a very important part of following the footsteps of Christ. I don't believe he would have spent money just because he may have had it. He would have saved. (Pun intended). And how can you save if your grocery bill eats up all of your extra cash?

So, this week, I went to a farmer's market at the local community college. I've been on a constant hunt for the best-priced healthy foods on the island. It hasn't been easy.

I got a Costco membership; it has actually been helping a lot and I've been able to pick up food items that are very wholesome. I can't buy everything there, though.

The Farmer's market was wonderful. I got all this for under $20.00! (Minus the oils, knife block, and season pots, of course).

That produce should get me through the week, or at least most of it. Check out the size of the local avocados (which I got for 50 cents each!):

I hope this encourages any of you who have ever been hesitant to try your local farmer's market when it operates in your area. You'll not only have fun perusing the different fruit, veggie, and homemade-item stands the way people used to in the old days, you'll make your dollar go very far. Don't forget, small farms like the ones who sell at farmer's markets typically grow their foods organically, even if they don't go through the process of getting the USDA organic sticker.

I don't want to add much more to the list of Sarah's missions for Food Journey Fridays, since we're just winding down after the holidays, but wanted to share my thoughts this week about farmer's markets. I'm excited to hear how the no HFCS challenge went in the Smith household!

Peace, love and produce---Hippie

Table Tuesdays are getting sweaty!

2009-12-28T23:36:00.000-08:00

Hey, Hippie! I've been eating really well, but I still don't feel as fit as I was hoping to...

Exercise is equally as important as eating well. Unfortunately, some people have a hard time figuring out where to start, or feel intimidated about getting started.

God gave us amazing bodies. He loves it when we take care of them. They are capable of so much! Yes, it does take some hard work to keep them operating well, but that work is also very rewarding.

I want to encourage you all to exercise! There is a type of fitness out there for everyone. Once you start, you'll feel better on a daily basis.

Some of the simplest and most economic forms of exercise are good old fashioned walking or running. Walk fast and hard enough to get your heart rate up, but don't over-exert yourself. Keeping your heart rate up is what makes exercise worthwhile.

Hiking is a great way to move around and walk because you get to take in the scenery available in your area. Search for hikes of all levels in your area here.

Want to get into running but feeling intimidated? Check out this guy. Make goals for yourself. Start small, and don't feel like you're not doing it right by starting small. Can't or won't try running? If you have a bike, bust it out, get it tuned up, and start riding. If you have access to a pool, suit up and start swimming!

Yoga can be convenient and inexpensive, too! It's great for strength, balance, posture, and flexibility. There are free instructional videos and websites that you can watch and workout with in your own home. Check out a personal favorite of mine: Yoga Today.

Exercise for me is usually outdoors and dirty. I am an outdoor enthusiast. I love adventure. There are dozens of exciting outdoor activities that are exercise in disguise. If there's something you've been curious to try, go for it. You may find an activity you like. When you do, enjoy it and reap the benefits of being active!

MSN has a fun interactive video quiz that will help you find the kind of fitness that is the best for you. Check it out!

If you still need some convincing, here are just a few benefits to regular exercise: Increased metabolism, increased energy, increased strength, stronger heart, healthier skin, increased bone density, more balanced hormones, better balance, improved reflexes, improved mood, and less illness.

As someone who spends a lot of time at the beach and in the water, and sees almost-naked people from all over the world on a daily basis, let me tell you: none of them have magazine-cover bodies. So please, aspire to a personal best for your own health and lifestyle, and don't get discouraged by vanity.

Sarah, your mission this week: seek Scripture and see what it says about caring for our bodies, and the rewards of working hard. I'm excited to hear what is spoken to you!

Peace, love, and produce -- Hippie

Fact vs. Fiction

2009-12-22T01:27:00.000-08:00

I read an interesting article in this month's Runner's World that got me thinking a lot about food. Ok, ok, I'm always thinking about food. But it got me thinking about peoples' perceptions of food based on gossip and wives' tales. So I thought I'd write this week's Table Tuesday about my thoughts that came from reading that article.

You've probably heard things like "red meat will cause heart and blood pressure problems, stay away!" or "carbs will make you fat," or, "egg yolks will raise your cholesterol."

All of these ideas are problematic. And they tend to cause people to eat less healthy, not more healthy.

Most natural foods are good for you in moderation. Unless you're at high risk for heart disease and your doctor says "do not eat red meat," you can probably have some. The line between healthy consumption and unhealthy consumption gets crossed when people don't respect portion control. Too much red meat, too often (say, several times a week, or on a regular basis) really isn't good for you. But that doesn't mean you should cut it out completely.

Carbs will not make you fat, but a certain Dr. A sure made a good fortune by making everyone believe they will. Gorging yourself on carbs (or really any element of any food) probably will. Cutting carbs out of your diet all-together to get a quick slim-down is bad for you. All crash-diets are bad for you. In fact, from here on out, let's consider the word "diet" a four-letter no-no. You need the sugars that carbs turn into for energy. You'll find yourself feeling great at first, but in the long run becoming less healthy and probably a little lethargic. A better alternative: instead of eating refined, enriched flours, go for the whole stuff: Bob's Red Mill puts out some great products (including great gluten-free flours that I've had excellent luck with).

As for eggs: a few eggs a few times a week are good for most people, unless a doctor says otherwise. For most people, the cholesterol in eggs isn't a threat unless you're already genetically predisposed to having cholesterol problems. People think that the yellow part is practically poisonous. True, the yolk does contain the most of the cholesterol, but it's also where all the vitamins, minerals, and the bulk of the protein in the egg are. And, um, yolks are delicious.

People today seem to think that the key to healthy eating is an all-or-nothing approach. But that's not true for most people. The key to healthy eating is whole, real foods, in moderation. Too much of a good thing can hurt you, but an appropriate amount of a good thing will usually benefit you.

Now, there are exceptions for some people. If your doctor, a certified, highly-educated medical professional who knows your medical history, tells you that there is a specific food that you need to stay away from for the sake of your health and longevity, talk about it with them.

Although I will say that I think all foods, when whole and unprocessed, are good for us and should be eaten, I'm not overlooking people with specific dietary needs. For instance, someone with Celiac Disease is going to have a very unique set of challenges to face when getting healthy carb intake, since someone with Celiac can put their health in danger simply by eating any product that has gluten (a wheat protein).

But, barring all special dietary needs, we need not worry so much about cutting one thing or another out, as we do need to be concerned with eating well in moderation.

On the flip-side, some people take the "Food X is good for me" to an extreme and have too much. Some vitamins, for instance, are really good for you, but too many can be bad for your liver or other organs if they are fat soluble. Someone who hears that a glass of red wine a few nights a week is good for the heart (which is true, just ask my dad's cardiologist!) should not take that to mean that they have an excuse to drink as much wine as they want, as often as they please. Too much alcohol is bad for all of our organs, no matter what form it comes in.

So, let's take a fun little True/False Food Folklore quiz!

1. True or False: Nuts will cause weight gain quickly.

Answer: False. The fat in nuts is a type that is actually good for your heart. Nuts are packed with vitamins and minerals, and are a good snack throughout the day to stave off an over-active appetite.

2. True or False: Dairy products are fattening.

Answer: Mostly false. Too much dairy is not good for anyone. But lots of dairy products (like yogurt or milk, yum!) have a great balance of calcium and vitamins that can actually help you maintain a weight you're happy with.

3. True or False: Smoothies are really good for me, especially in the morning.

Answer: False. A smoothie you pick up from a smoothie place will have way more sugar in it than vitamins, minerals, or...fresh fruit. Try making your own. Honey is a good sweetener that has plenty of flavor so you don't have to use loads of sugar. Or just try keeping your homemade smoothie sweet with natural sugars in foods right off the produce aisle.

As for our mission this week: It's Christmas this week! I feel bad giving an assignment during an already busy week. Enjoy the bounty and blessings the Lord is sharing with you and your family. Enjoy the birthday of our Savior! I am, however, intrigued to hear more about what you're learning about food, nutrition, healthy living, and oxalates. Should the writing mood strike you, indulge us!

Mele Kelikimaka! Aloha!

Food Journey Friday... low oxalate is working!

2009-12-18T13:56:00.000-08:00

Howdy all,

I hate to venture off track today, but I simply must.

As I mentioned when we started this journey, I have been trying a new diet for pain management. It is called a low oxalate diet. Don't ask me what an oxalate is; I don't know. I just eat what they tell me. I started the diet as a last ditch effort to try and curb a pain problem that I've had for THREE YEARS. The doctor didn't think that this diet would help, but he offered it when I pressed him enough on the issue.

Lo and behold:

It is working.

We are baffled at the progress I am making with the pain problem- all because of this diet. I'm sorry, but this just blows my mind. It is about like a night and day difference. I am going to have to write more in depth about this strange diet and the benefits I am seeing, but that is for another day.

This has gotten me thinking more about the healing power/hurting power of food. I'm not talking about new age stuff. I'm talking about the principle sowing and reaping-- reaping the benefits of eating healthfully. I'll grant you, it has gotten me thinking, but not necessarily doing. But it's a step.

Here's the thing. If this particular group of foods was having such an adverse affect (I mean- severe pain) on my body, then what else might I be missing? Could it be that when I feel sluggish sometimes, it's just because I haven't been giving my body the nutrients it needs to really thrive?

I think that as Americans, when it comes to our health, we are used to just getting by. As long as there isn't anything majorly wrong with us, we are happy. But perhaps we ought to think more clearly about the benefits we would reap by putting better fuel into these amazing bodies God has given us. That is not to say that eating healthfully will cure all ailments. The hard truth is that sin ruined everything, so even our best attempts at healthy living will not always be enough. I am also not talking about being an extremist. But I do think we could both honor God more, and have healthier bodies if we ate differently.

So, as for the challenge this week, I am going to start planning a no HFCS week for January. This will take more planning than I can currently handle with the holidays coming up. I was surprised to find online a list of foods with no HFCS. That's a start. And then of course it mostly means I need to go less processed and more fresh. I hope to slowly start weeding out HFCS altogether in our home.

So that's where I am this week on my journey. The next few weeks will probably be crazy in the food journey, but I am sure that I will still have thoughts to share.

What do you think? Are there particular ailments you face which you think might be related to the food that you eat?

Whoops!

2009-12-15T23:21:00.001-08:00

The Happy Hippie here. I meant to come home early this evening and write up an amazing Table Tuesday blog that tied in my own current adventures with figuring out how to live local and healthy in Hawaii.

Instead, I got suckered into going on a hike (can I ever say no to a good hike? we'll probably never find out...) with some locals. It involved eating some fruits and goodies right off the branches! Guava? Mmmm yum. And this thing called a Moya...tastes like pineapple, passionfruit, orange, mango, strawberry and a whole bunch of other things all wrapped up in a funky green little package.

But, I digress. I will have to edit this entry for an add-on or do a nice brief follow-up entry tomorrow. The ole' eyelids are getting heavy as lead as I type this. My apologies for not being faithful to the task offered to me by my great friend, Sarah. I feel that dropping the ball is not exactly showing my gratefulness to a task that I truly do feel blessed for.

Peace, Love and Produce --- Hippie Dec 15, 09

The Real Table Tuesday

Ok, well, it seemed a little greedy of me to put in a second entry since this isn't my blog. So allow me to follow up from last night!

I dropped the ball this week, big time.

That's because I moved to Hawaii last week. Which is putting me in the position of having to take all of my own advice from scratch! There are so many foods I've never cooked with before (dandelion greens, for instance), even more foods that I've never heard of---like atemoya, breadfruit, cherimoya, daikon, jicama, liliko'i, lychee, moya, negi, soursop, won bok, and that's just to name a few. And yeah, they're in alphabetical order because I listed them straight out of a great new farmer's market cookbook I picked up to help me get started.

I'm really being challenged by things I've written to readers recently. The two that are the newest and most challenging to me are: eating locally and staying under budget.

The first is especially challenging because, well, I grew up on the mainland where the climate provided different types of food all together. To me, those foods are normal; they're what I'm used to. Foods down here tend to grow sweeter because they get so much sunlight that the plants produce more natural sugar.

The second one---staying under budget---seemed impossible at first. I got a Costco membership right away (and was pleasantly surprised to see that they're carrying more natural and organic products than they did when I was a kid). I stocked up on a few things, like pasta, eggs, butter, olive oil and the like. I need to go back and get some quinoa. So far, they're the best deal around for a big bag of quinoa.

Now, to paint a picture for you of the cost of food here: I went down the road a few miles to a place called "Sack n' Save"...sounds thrifty, right? Well, it's supposedly one of the most affordable big chains here in the islands. Hah. I was planning on getting a few staples and stocking up on spices. Well, milk was about $7.00 for half a gallon...on sale!!! One small jar (like the kind you keep in your spice cabinet) of cayenne pepper was $11.00 and cinnamon was about $9.00.

Those are not exactly the kinds of prices that make your money spread thin. It really makes it feel impossible to be a good steward of money and makes me feel like I'm spending the good fortune I've been blessed with poorly. I had to take my own advice about shopping around!

Fortunately, I found a great health food market here called Mana Foods a few miles west in a place called Paia. I was hesitant at first, knowing that most super "granola" all-organic health food places are spendy, but was surprised to find that they had the overall best prices on the entire island! I learned (by asking) that on most given days, at least 45% of their produce is entirely local. Even better: all the local stuff is way more affordable than the imported stuff. Suh-weet.

I've also discovered, by word of mouth, that there's a swap meet at the local community college every Saturday, and many a farmer show up for that with their goods. There are also lots of farmer's markets on the south side and west side of the island. They're not listed in a phone book or on the internet. It took some driving around almost aimlessly to find these produce stands, but I'm glad I did.

To answer Sarah's question about eating fresh during non-growing seasons: it's a hard one to answer! In the winter, if you want to eat produce, it seems that your best options are to forego non-local foods for imported ones that are still in season, or you can buy extra throughout the year for canning and freezing. Canned foods do have the sodium factor, and lose quite a bit of their nutritional value, but are better than no produce at all. In the winter, try looking for root veggies: turnips, potatoes, etc. Also, see if your local grocery store puts the place that foods came from on the labels in the produce section. Some do. You may be surprised! If you have a weekly swap meet, farmer's market, or similar event in your town, you may find local farmers selling things they've canned themselves. Those will have a noticably lower sodium content and no preservatives. I say go for it!

For this week's mission, I decided that I need to choose something that I need to do as part of this whole new food learning process.

Dear Sarah and mission-enthused readers: Try to do a NO High Fructose Corn Syrup week in your home. It's going to be much harder than it sounds. I've even had a really hard time with it here, because at first the only "affordable" foods I could find had it. I'm back on track, though.

The thing about HFCS is that it's just concentrated sugar. We're so used to seeing it that we forget that by putting so many products containing it in our bodies, we're consuming a LOT of sugar. Sugar isn't good for you. It weakens your immune system, and when sick, it's the thing you put in your body that viruses and bacteria eat the most of (which can keep you sicker, longer. Good thing to keep in mind this flu season, especially with things like H1N1 out there). It's no surprise that when HFCS went on the market through packaged foods that our nation's obesity and diabetes rates (especially in children) sky rocketed. If you're craving something sweet, some doctors suggest that your body may actually be demanding minerals. When we eat sugar, we sometimes trick our bodies temporarily into thinking we've met their mineral demand. So try some leafy greens or a mineral supplement instead!

Peace, Love and Produce --- Hippie, Dec 16 '09

Food Journey Friday: CSA

2009-12-11T14:33:00.000-08:00

Nope, CSA is not the newest crime detection show on television. Thankfully.

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. In a nutshell, it's like a subscription with a local farmer. I pay a certain amount of money and get a box/basket of fresh seasonal veggies each week for the growing season (usually spring through the end of summer). I was curious what my options might be for next summer.

In my search, I ended up on a great website called Local Harvest which is all about eating locally. I was blown away when I typed in my zip code and found 22 results for CSA in my area. 22! Granted, not all of them are really helpful or applicable. But I did find about 6 promising CSA programs in my area. I was thrilled to find so many!

So, why a CSA, you ask?

Well, the biggest draw for me is just that fresh food is just better for you.

I do love fresh food. As some of you know, I attempted my own garden this year. It was a great learning experience, and it yielded a few veggies. But I'm still mulling over my possibilities for next year's growing season. I have a great opportunity to do a garden with two gardening friends and think that would be very successful- more successful than mine this year. However, part of me wonders if it might be better to leave the gardening to people who actually know what they're doing. And who are really committed with their time. What do you think?

The prices for the CSA are really reasonable in most cases. I saw prices from $15 per week to $30 per week. Some you had to commit to 12 weeks, and some were only 4. I am definitely going to look into this more for next year. If any of you are interested, visit that link and type in your zip! I'm curious to see what you find!

This search also made me wonder: how do we eat healthfully/locally during these winter months? CSAs and farmer's markets are only open during the summer here (obviously-- that is when the produce is fresh!). Natalie? :)

That's it for now. We hope you'll take the challenge too... happy hunting!

Until next week... eat well!

How to stay under budget and use the best resources to set your table

2009-12-08T09:52:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! I'm excited to be posting for Table Tuesdays yet again! I've really been enjoying this journey with Sarah and I think about it all week! We have gotten a few comments via e-mail and directly in conversation. I know that I love carrying on conversations with other people any time. We'd like to encourage you to leave comments here with your questions and ideas. Perhaps other readers will gain something from those too!

Last week I started talking about eating locally, and finding the right foods for your table. But I wasn't very specific, was I? Sure we'd all love to have the right foods on our table, but we don't always know where to find them. On the other hand, sometimes we're left thinking that the only place to find healthy food is at the most expensive place in town. So, without further ado, please take a seat at my table!

I like being rewarded by eating well, but not if it's going to break the bank. All those health-food places like Whole Foods are spendy!

Whole Foods can be a great place, but it is also a place that sees the world of healthy eating as a profitable market, which isn't always great for us consumers. Sure, there are things I get there that I can't get anywhere else, but not everything on their shelves is actually beneficial to you. My future sister-in-law calls the place Whole Paycheck with good reason.

Please believe me when I say that I have a strict food budget for my household, and I still manage to eat wholesome, healthy foods.

A healthy lifestyle on a budget can be done! Here are a few tips on making your way into the community of healthy eaters without going broke:

The Golden Rule of Affordable Fooding: Never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach!

A. When you find a new fruit or veggie to experiment with, you don't have to try a really elaborate recipe the first time you use it. Sometimes something as simple and flavorful as garlic and olive oil is all you need! The longer an ingredients list on a recipe, the spendier your new fruit or veggie will seem. There are hundreds of recipes for everything; don't convince yourself there's only one way to eat something!

B. Don't feel pressured to go into those huge organic supermarkets. If you do, just go in for the one or two items you can't get anywhere else in town, but do the rest of your shopping elsewhere. Do some research, find a local farmer's market. Depending on where you live, your local farmer's market may be seasonal or year-round. It's really nice to get onto a first-name basis with the people who grow the things you eat.

C. Add some variety to your shopping if you can. You might be able to find the best grains at one place, the best fruits at another, and the best veggies at a local farm. I lived in a tiny town on an Indian reservation (before moving to Hawaii) where the nearest supermarket was 190 miles away, and I still found a few shopping options by doing some research!

D. Don't worry about making everyone in your family a member of the "clean plate club"...leftovers are always yummy, in my opinion, and can sometimes even be creatively turned into something else for lunch the next day.

E. Three letters: CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). I plan to go into greater detail about what a CSA is in the future. I have to stop myself short right now because I will otherwise write an entry of novel length about CSAs. I love them. For information about what they are, and where to find one in your area, I beg you to check out this website! Most CSAs operate by their own rules and prices, so do some reading!

That brings us to the weekly mission for Sarah!

Start doing some research! Simply bust out the phone book, use the internet, and see how many farmer's markets, CSAs (community supported agriculture programs), and local agricultural communities are within driving distance from where you live. Remember, driving distance is somewhat relative, as it depends on how far you are willing to drive a few times a month for healthy fixins' for your table. If you find one you like, let us know how far you were (hypothetically) willing to drive for it! Report your findings on the blog.

P.S. Remember, for various reasons, some people choose to split the cost of a CSA membership with friends or another household. Sometimes it's just too much food for one family, so take that into consideration while you do your research!

Food Journey Friday... finally begun!

2009-12-04T15:26:00.000-08:00

It has been quite a day. Ryan's family has our little man, so I have been all-by-myself-ALL-DAY-LONG.

It was crazy at first. I had no idea what to do with myself. But I managed to take a nap and do quite a bit of work around the house. I also cooked a scrumptious dinner... which brings us back to the topic at hand: FOOD JOURNEY FRIDAY!! (echo echo, cheers from the crowd, etc.)

Today I took on mission 1 from my happy hippie: NO high fructose corn syrup, olive oil preferable to butter, limit off the shelf products, and use what you have.

I am happy to report about my delicious cauliflower soup. It contains:

1. NO high fructose corn syrup- yay! I don't miss it.
2. Butter... olive oil just wasn't cutting it (taste wise) for this meal. However, there are no other icky hydrogenated oils. Ultimately I would like to have raw butter, but I will explore that later.
3. Some shelf v. fresh ingredients. Fresh: cauliflower, carrots, turnip, onion. Packaged: butter, milk, half and half, sour cream, broth, and spices. Next time I would change: I would try to make my own broth with chicken or turkey bones.
4. ALL ingredients I already had!!! Big check-plus on this one. I literally used only items I already had. I was very proud of this fact. It was extremely frugal!

I am very pleased with the outcome! It is so cold here today, so a soup (with a sandwich for my hubby) will be just perfect for a date-night in. I am slowly but surely trying to make small changed for a healthier lifestyle. I think this is a step in the right direction!

As for mission number 2, I am in the process. I haven't done much shopping this week, due to traveling and such with Ryan, but the opportunities I have had to check the ingredients, I have taken. It has been very good for me to have to actually pay attention to what is in my food! I realize that so many of the packaged items we pick up are just full of JUNK that in no way benefits our bodies. Even if I am only able to change slowly and over time, checking the ingredient list will be helpful since it will deter me from certain products (HFCS, hydrogenated oils, and the like). I am grateful for this mission and plan on using it every week as I shop. It will help me to make wise choices. Thanks, hippie!!

So, that's Food Journey Friday for now. It's a marathon for me... not a sprint. But I am grateful for food, for a healthy body, for a God who created all of it, and for a sweet friend who is going to help me make lifestyle changes for the better. We have much ground to cover. I hope you'll stay tuned!

Table Tuesday on Wednesday

2009-12-02T09:50:00.000-08:00

Hello all!

The Happy Hippie here! Apologies for my tardiness. On Monday I was driving through 4 states and over the Rocky Mountains, and on Tuesday I got so caught up in packing (I'm in the process of moving to an island, which is harder than you may think!) that I overlooked my duties.

Last week I was just getting into the fact that natural living and healthy living are practically the same thing. Let's pick up from there!

Natural, ok. I think I get that. How do you apply that to your own life?

The first thing I did was try my best to choose organic over conventional. There are many, many reasons I did this, but I will save that for another post with a more organic-specific focus.

The second thing I did (and this turned out to be a much bigger deal than I expected): I tried to set my table with as much locally-grown and raised food as possible. Initially, this move was more environmental than health-based. But the health benefits were amazing, and what was more: it opened my eyes to so much that I never knew about before!

For one, there are probably dozens of fruits and veggies grown by local farmers that you didn't even know could grow so well in your area! Second, you may have never heard of or eaten some of those things. Talk about having to get creative! In my experience with going local, I found that so much research went into reading up on these new things and finding recipes, that I realized how much I neglected to learn about other things I've eaten my entire life.

Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. Gen 1:29

What's more: all of these new and exciting foods all possess their own nutritional benefits. And by opening up my dinner table to new things, I was putting a beautiful variety of body-nourishing foods on my table, and my body was reaping the benefits. For more truly interesting, research-based information about this, I cannot recommend this book highly enough!

In short, I feel that by respecting the earth as a gift and my home; and by becoming more interested in trying and learning all about the foods---which I now see as beautiful, unique gifts---I have access to, I am being rewarded. I'm not going to lie, I love being rewarded!

Now, for our weekly mission!

This week's mission for Sarah: to read the ingredients label of every food item you buy or eat this week. Not nutritional info, but ingredients. You'd be shocked by how many ingredients you could never identify in a line-up. Seeing what goes into your food can really affect your appetite and the way you think about what you eat. Report back about what this made you realize about your food, and how you feel about that.

Food Journey Friday... delayed till next week!

2009-11-27T20:57:00.000-08:00

Hey all,

I am sorry (especially to Natalie, the amazing Hippie!) for the delay. Food journey Friday will start next Friday, when I will take on TWO missions in one week!!

The reason for the delay is because I've had amazing company this week, and they don't leave until tomorrow. We are trying to enjoy every last moment (including a big early Christmas celebration today), and in so doing, my blog has to wait!

Again, sorry especially to Natalie who is working hard to help me transform my eating habits. I hope you'll stay tuned for Tuesday and Friday of next week!

Blessings,
Sarah

Welcome to Table Tuesday!

2009-11-23T21:18:00.001-08:00

Welcome to our first official Table Tuesday! I'm Natalie, the host of Table Tuesdays and the weekly natural-living, healthy-eating mission giver! From now on I will be known as "The Happy Hippie." You can call me Hippie for short, if you like.

If you missed Sarah's previous post, in which she explains what Table Tuesdays are, catch up here! I'm really honored that Sarah asked me to be a part of this project with her! I shall now pick up where the last post left off! (Drum roll, please!)

Wow, Hippie, you seem a little nuts about this healthy living thing. I'm a little confused about your definition of "healthy living." I get that it's not junk food, but what is it?

Natural.

If it grows fresh from the earth, if it comes directly from an animal and can nourish you, it is good.

There is so much bounty available to us! And yeah, you guessed it, all of that bounty is a gift to us.

The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. Gen 1:12

I've noticed that so many people turn their noses up at so many vegetables and fruits. There are a number of reasons for this: one is a fear of change from their normal food routine. Another is having tried that food before, but in a bad recipe.

If you pair one or two natural foods a person loves with something they think they hate, they end up loving it. Research that food, and go on a hunt for the most mouth-watering recipe you can find! You may surprise yourself.

Please, I beg of you: unleash your creative side! Don't choose something that's been hydrogenated, freeze-dried and boxed over something God has given you in its purest form!

Now, to address my beloved friend, Sarah and any of our readers who are up for a good challenge: behold, your weekly mission! (Did you read that last part in a booming, echoing, Wizard-of-Oz voice? If not, go back and do it again. Nice effect, huh?)

Dear Agent Homestuff,

Your Mission, if you choose to accept it, is to make one meal this week with all-natural ingredients. Your guidelines are as follows:
1. None of the ingredients may contain high fructose corn syrup.
2. If you must buy an off-the-shelf food product to construct your meal with, read the ingredients list: do not use any products with ingredients that you cannot pronounce, or would not recognize as food that you could cook with yourself. We want to keep chemicals and processed toxins out of our bodies!
3. If a recipe calls for oil or butter, olive oil, or an equal alternative, is preferred over butter. No processed or hydrogenated oils allowed.
4. Find your inspiration for your meal from something that you already have in your kitchen. Budget-friendly meals always start with what you already have. (Thanksgiving leftovers, perhaps? I'm a sly dog, I know).

Extra Bonus: See if you can limit any off-the-shelf "food products" to only those with five ingredients or less.

A word of encouragement: This is slowly how my own home cooking has evolved. I promise to never ask you to do anything I am not willing to do myself!

P.S. It doesn't have to be dinner, it can be any meal you choose!

The beginning of our Food Journey

2009-11-20T09:11:00.000-08:00

Today begins a new era in home stuff here blog history. We are going to tackle the issue of healthy eating head on. I don't mean eating a granola bar. I mean a radical change in my eating habits.

You may be thinking that I've lost my mind, gone a little crazy, or started something I can't really finish. But here's the thing: I have come to a place where healthy eating actually matters to me. I've tried to find medical answers for my pain issue (mentioned in Worship Wednesday), but there are none. I left the doctor the other day frustrated and determined to see if the food that I eat might be able to change the pain that I've been experiencing for three years. Three years, people. You can imagine that I'm ready and willing to try anything (even "crazy, health nut eating") if it has a chance of helping my pain.

So allow me to introduce my sweet friend, Natalie Giguere, who will be helping us along this food journey. I invite you to join us as we seek to make small, doable changes which will honor our Lord with the bodies he has given us. Each Tuesday, Natalie will inspire, challenge, and encourage us with different facets of healthy eating. She will also give us a mission each week. We will call that "Table Tuesday." And each Friday, I will respond with my thoughts, challenges, and personal experiences, as well as my success or failure in that week's mission. We will call that "Food Journey Friday."

Let me share with you a few preliminary thoughts from Natalie on the issue of healthy eating:

Why cant "godly" and "green" by synonymous? (from Natalie):

Ok, so that is the question that got me started on a healthier lifestyle. Several years ago, I was wondering why fellow Christians referred to anyone with a passion for the environment and healthy, natural living as a "dirty liberal hippie."

Doesn't it seem that if we truly believe that the earth was created by an all-loving God, we should... well, love it back? Stick with me for a minute. Why is it that those who don't even believe that thoughtfulness and love were put into the earth from the get-go have more respect than we do for what they believe is an accident? Whereas, so many of our fellow believers, for political-sidedness sake, seem to think that attitude is something to poke fun at?

So that's where I stand: being environmentally conscious is, at least the very least, a way to show our respect to God and appreciation for this beautiful place He has given us (and past and future generations) to live on.

What does being environmentally conscious have to do with healthy eating?

The more I thought about it, the more I realized for God's creation doesn't just stop at being tidy, respectful, and aware of my surroundings. It goes further than that! I was created, too. He gave me this body! I mean, this body isn't really mine, but a gift given to me for a life span. Whoa. Whoa. Excuse me for a minute while my head explodes. Why would I want to trash this very personal gift with the creations of man? Let me be more specific:

Junk food, fast food, processed, hydrogenated, saturated, artificially flavored "treats" are not good for me. There's no argument there. They don't "sooth the soul" and, if you ask me, are just one more way Satan uses the creativity (another gift!) of man for bad. I know that might sound a little extreme, but again, stick with me:

"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

All of our "food products" which are made of extremely processed ingredients, artificial flavors, packed with sugar and sodium for more flavor, do not in any way compare with the bounty God has given me to nourish my body. It seems that having too much junk food in your life is a good way to set yourself up for bad health, bad shape, and insecurity, which distract you from the fact that your body is a gift, not an enemy.

Let me tell you something: if God doesn't satisfy you, nothing else will. And I've discovered healthy, natural living (that yes, does include some labor in the kitchen) is quite literally one way God makes Himself present in our lives for soul-filling satisfaction.

Amen, especially to that last statement! Are you intrigued? I hope so. Join us on this journey. It may seem daunting, but we must be willing to seek the Lord in this area if we really want Him to be Lord over everything in our lives! Let's let Him take us on this journey. Let's see what bounty He has in store for us.

Worship Wednesday

2009-11-18T07:33:00.000-08:00

Today I was having a hard time in prayer. I've been praying about a specific area for quite some time, and I'm not getting the results I would like. It's a physical pain thing. In fact, I go back to the doctor today. The details aren't really important. It's just something that God has ordained in my life for His glorious purposes, and my flesh is having a hard time being okay with that. It's not like my pain is much of anything, compared to what others experience. It's really not. It's just my pain. It's what He is using to teach me.

I haven't felt very worshipful this week. I've felt sulky. I've felt frustrated. I've felt tired.

It's one of those times when I have to choose faith over feelings. Today during my prayer time, I just had to stop and think about God's nature. His beauty, His compassion, His love, His wisdom. These are my comfort right now.

He is beautiful. Nothing in this life, even the alleviation of physical pain, is more desirable than Him. Oh that I would live the reality of this!

He is compassionate. I think of Aslan's shining tears in C.S. Lewis's The Magician's Nephew when he looked upon the protagonist's grief. I imagine how beautiful the tears of Jesus are as He looks with compassion on my pain.

He is Love. He LOVES me. This pain is ordained by Him in love, and it is meant as a messenger of His love. There is no malice in His choosing this pain for me; only love- a love that is jealous for my heart. He wants me to love Him more and more in and through and even because of this pain.

And He is wise. I have to tell myself this truth often, because I am tempted to think that perhaps I have a better idea of how things should go. How ridiculous am I? Seeking to counsel the Lord on the best plans for my life... it probably makes Him giggle. If it is okay to speak of God Most High giggling. I realize it is crazy for me to think, even for a second, that my plans are better than His. I trust Him, and I do not want to be in charge! If I trust Him with my eternal salvation, can I not trust Him with my temporal situation? I want the Eternal One, the One who knows the plans He has for me, to continue His sovereign reign in my life without me trying to interfere. (Oh how grateful I am for so many of the prayers that He has said NO to over the years...)

"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things To Him be the glory forever. Amen." Romans 11:33-36

She's crafty, take 2

2009-10-13T15:04:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm afraid I've started a new addiction of sorts... I am LOVING these FREE beautiful fabric boxes. You know, like the ones you see in the store, that are all pretty, and you think... "that would be a nice way to store all those baby toys... but I'm not paying $35 for one..." Yes, like those. Well. It was Ryan, my brilliant husband, who came up with the idea of me covering some of the cardboard boxes we have. We have so many from moving, etc. And these two lovelies were the results of my efforts so far.

I am working with my hands in delight people. Gotta love that Proverbs 31 woman.

Behold: I am crafty again

2009-10-13T13:05:00.000-07:00

I love my husband for many reasons...

2009-09-08T08:14:00.000-07:00

This was worthy to be posted on both blogs. My hubby ran 26.2 miles on Sunday. I am blown away by this accomplishment; it reminds me what a dedicated, hard-working man he is. How blessed I am to be married to a man who shows such commitment! I can't imagine running that far (or even wanting to), but he did it. I was going crazy at the finish line because that was MY man, my husband, triumphantly finishing the longest race I can even conceive of. It was a great experience.

Thanks to everyone for the prayers and encouragement. He did a great job!

Worship Wednesday: the importance of morning

2009-09-02T06:21:00.000-07:00

Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning;For I trust in You; Teach me the way in which I should walk; For to You I lift up my soul. Psalm 143:8

There is something about the morning and getting in tune with God. For me, it is crucial to do so. Typically, I need to do it before I do anything else in the day, though lately I have found it quite difficult to get up that early. Today I just couldn't.

Regardless, the morning is such a special time with the Lord. Scripture reaffirms this principle time and time again-- that his mercies are new every morning, that we are to seek Him in the morning, and so on. It's not that He changes as the day goes on. No, He stays the same- Praise Him! But we change, and not for the better.

If I don't start out seeking Him, the likelihood that I will seek Him later in the day is just not very great. I think it goes back to understanding our own tendency to sin... Though we have been made alive in Christ, we are still in our old bodies which are still sin factories, just ready to produce sin at any opportunity. The only way to keep that from happening? Dying to self first and constantly, and living to Christ alone.

So Lord, let me hear Your lovingkindness this morning. I trust in You. Teach me the way in which to walk. I lift up my soul to You.

That's how I worship today.

Mommy Mondays: what you have to do.

2009-08-31T09:12:00.001-07:00

I may have shared this story about my mom before. She got up early and was packing me a lunch of my favorites-- chicken salad and such-- when I was headed back to Memphis from Lake J last summer. I was pregnant, but not even showing yet. Life was feeling very full.

As I stumbled into the kitchen at the Allgood House, I said, "Oh mom, you don't have to do that!"

Her reply comes back to me a lot these days. "Sarah, it's never about what you have to do."

She is so right, isn't she? Being a mommy isn't about what you "have to do." Granted, there are many things which frequently must be done. It is a part of it from day one. Baby has to be fed, baby needs time with mom and dad, baby needs diaper changes. There are many, many things that must be done.

But it is also about going the extra mile, isn't it? I can feed my baby, change his diapers, and play with him. But I can also intentionally sing the scriptures to him, play with him lovingly, and devote my time to him. And it is impossible to underestimate the importance of a mommy's attitude.

So last night, when my baby was up wailing at 3:30 in the morning, I was on the verge of a pity party. Now that he regularly sleeps through the night, I hate it when he wakes up in the middle of it. Selfishly, I figure we are beyond that stage, or at least, we should be. Nevertheless, I had to do something. I stumbled my way into the kitchen and fixed that sweet baby a bottle. I decided that if he was waking up he really must need something, since he so rarely wakes up anymore.

All mommies have to do these things sometimes, yes. But it isn't about what you have to do. I am so grateful for a mom and dad who taught me that.

I am blessed, beyond measure, to be the mother of this little boy named Holman. I am thrilled to be the one who changes his diapers, who plays with him, who sings to him, to holds him when he needs me. I am abundantly blessed to have a husband who allows me to stay home and enjoy these early moments of Holman's life. And yes, I am blessed to be the one who gets to go the extra mile for my baby.

That doesn't make me special or praiseworthy. All mommies go the extra mile. There isn't a trophy for going the extra mile. Sometimes, motherhood will feel like one big long extra mile. But it is so worth it.

Sometimes it will be enough just to pause, look at my darling boy, and sigh because I am the one who gets to be called his mother.

But even on the toughest days, I am encouraged by the Word:

"Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men." Colossians 3:23

If my mothering makes Jesus smile, then I know without a doubt, it will be worth it.

Worship Wednesday

2009-08-26T10:34:00.000-07:00

Titus 2 instructs us, among other things, to be "pure."

I read in book once that CS Lewis once said, "The good man is sorry for the sins which have increased his need. He is not entirely sorry for the fresh need they have produced."

Today I will praise the Lord for His everlasting kindness and forgiveness. I need Him more today. Or at least, I am more aware of my need. While I'm not really sure about the truth of this quote, or even how Biblical it may be, I have to admit that true repentance and subsequent forgiveness are unmatched in their ability to keep me humbly seeking Him.

As Paul said, it's not like we're supposed to sin so that grace may abound (may it never be!). But instead of wallowing in the ways I frequently fail my God, I can look to Him and be awed by His glorious grace. The grace that washes away all sin- every unrighteousness- as He is making me more like Jesus. I can look to Him and trust that His forgiveness is complete and sufficient. I can cry out to Him, "change me!" and know that He is already in the process of doing just that.

That's why I worship Him today. He is worthy, beyond worthy, to be praised every moment of every day. That's just why I happen to be praising Him today.

Hallelujah to the God of abundant grace!

"He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us." Ephesians 1: 4-8a

Why are you worshiping today?

Mommy Mondays: Motivated Me

2009-08-24T12:19:00.000-07:00

Just another installment of Mommy Mondays. Okay, so it's only the second one. Still.

I just wanted to share a few things I have gotten motivated to do lately. Sort of all at once. And since I'm a mommy, it counts as "Mommy Monday."

1. I am training for a 5k and getting closer to that goal. I am running the Pumpkin Run in October. I am now able to run 30 minutes straight, with dog and baby along for the run/ride. It is very invigorating, and I feel so accomplished every day I do it.

2. I am now motivated to clean my floors. I used to sweep pretty regularly, but now that Holman scooches EVERYWHERE, it is apparent that sweeping is not quite adequate. When all of his shirts are covered in dog hair, dirt, and who knows what else, it screams out to mom "PLEASE CLEAN THE FLOORS!" I guess it is gross that I used to not clean them. I kind of wish I could spray some kid-safe cleaner onto Holman's belly and let him do it for me. Unfortunately, he tends not to cover the entirety of one area, as he is easily distracted by interesting noises coming from faraway rooms.

3. I am dieting. I did well with baby weight, and actually, I got it all off. But when I stopped nursing, it all mysteriously reappeared on my waistline. I've been dieting for three weeks, and I am feeling fabulous. And I'm not starving. It is a much better system than any diet I've ever tried.

4. I am motivated by what is going on at Highpoint Church lately. God is lighting a fire in our people. I am motivated to "get out of the boat" like Peter did-- to give everything I have to God and see what He does all around me. I am motivated to pray, to seek, to know Him more. This is my life's purpose: to know Him and love Him more every single day.

And right now, I'm not very motivated to go do laundry. But alas, the baby is sleeping, and it must be done. That is it for now. Stay tuned.

Mommy Mondays

2009-08-17T07:31:00.000-07:00

Something I'm thinking of starting- Mommy Mondays. A post about something pertaining either to me being a mommy, something about my mommy, an exceptional mommy in my life... you get the picture.

Today? My mommy.

A picture of my mommy and me when I was little... and yes, I had a bit of a mullet.

My mommy made lists.

Lots of lists. All the time. She still does.

I used to dislike some of her lists: especially when found on the kitchen counter on a Saturday morning. Even though she signed them with all the love in the world (and the cute little flower that is her trademark), those lists still meant one thing: CHORES.

And the chores had to be done before the playing could commence. Hence the predicament.

Much to my chagrin, I discovered recently that I, too, am a list-maker. I make lists. Lots of lists. All the time.

And alas, that is what I am doing this Monday morning: making a list of all the to-dos for the week. Clean the house, work on Usborne Books (for which I am now a consultant!!), do laundry. These things really must be done before all the playing can commence. But these days I don't mind the lists so much because they keep me sane. They also help me accomplish things which otherwise would be left undone (and a sock-less husband and disgusting floors with a very mobile baby baby are typically not desirable things).

So today, I'd like to thank my mom for one of the many, many invaluable things she has taught me: list-making.

Unfortunately, blogging really isn't at the top of the list, so I must go for now. But stay tuned for another installment of Mommy Monday!

Love and blessings,
Sarah

Keeping busy with my hands

2009-08-08T11:17:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all! Long time no blog.

Summer seems to be winding down (or do kids just go back to school way earlier these days??), but I'm just kicking into high gear. I decided to start a little shop on Etsy to sell my handmade items.

"She looks for wool and flax, and works with her hands in delight... She considers a field a buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard."

Proverbs 31:13, 16

Okay, so I'm not using wool or flax, and there's no vineyard in my future that I know of. But I do work with my hands in delight. And I'm hoping that some other people like what I make well enough to maybe purchase something.

Spread the word for me, will ya?

http://nestingmama.etsy.com

Blessings,

Sarah

Yearn

2009-06-09T20:58:00.000-07:00

Last week, our small group went to a Shane and Shane concert. If you haven't heard of them, get some of their music. Really. They are amazing.

holy design

this place in time

that i might seek and find my God

my God

Lord i want to yearn for You

i want to burn with passion

over You and only You

Lord i want to yearn

Your joy is mine

yet why am i fine

with all my singing and bringing grain

in light of Him

oh You give life and breath

through Him You give all things

in Him we live and move

that's why i sing

or this one... Vision of You:

Come meet us, King Jesus
Oh wind of change blow through this temple
Sweet Spirit of God, come and mend our hearts
For all we have are songs
Unless You come

Awaken what’s inside of me
Tune my heart to all You are in me
Even though You’re here God come
And may the vision of You
Be the death of me
And even though you’ve given everything
Jesus come

Come free us, King Jesus
It’s the only way that freedom’s given
From You and You alone
In the work You’ve already done
For all we have are songs,
Unless You come

Here we are, Lord
In this place
Crying out for
Your embrace
To hear Your voice
More than songs
Please come
Jesus come

Anyway, I'm up late tonight. Pondering. My heart is burning (and not from the mexican food we had for dinner). I am longing. I long for the church of Christ to rise up and be what He has called her to be. It's dangerous to think these thoughts, I know.

After the concert last week, I was praying this song. I WANT to yearn for Him. I want to burn with passion for Him- only Him! And uh oh, I think He is answering me. Those are dangerous prayers to pray. But they're true.

"May the vision of You be the death of me."

Oh man. Deep thoughts for a Tuesday night.

Quilting

2009-05-22T14:12:00.000-07:00

Do I ever love this little guy!!!!!!!!!!

Some ladies from our church made this quilt for Holman at the Memphis baby shower. They all used fabric markers to draw/write on the squares, and the amazing Amber Fournier put it all together. Holman LOVES it. I intend to learn how to make a quilt. Soon. Another one of my domestic goals.

To love their husbands...

2009-05-20T09:40:00.000-07:00

I do love mine! We have been married 3 years today, and I am enjoying looking back at all of the fun memories we've already made. I am so blessed to be married to this wonderful man.

Our wedding day was perfect in every way. Some things I loved about him on our wedding day... He got me a special gift and flowers. He teared up when I walked down the aisle. He was a great dancer (still is!). He thought I was beautiful. He treated me like a princess.

Year one, some things I loved about Ryan were... moving to Memphis with him. Watching him start his first "real" job at Schneider, and how everyone loved and respected him there. His new beard. Finding a church with him. Going on random trips with him, to Georgia mostly. How he encouraged me with my schoolwork. How he was proud of me when I graduated. How we fit so nicely together in our little one-bedroom apartment.

Year two, some things I loved about Ryan... How he took me on outdoorsy trips. Snuggling. Going to New Orleans with him. Doing fun things together, like the Grizzlies game. How he stood strong for me when we miscarried our first pregnancy. How he thought I was pretty even when I chopped my hair off. :)

Year three, some things I loved about Ryan... Going through the pregnancy with him. How outdoorsy he is- he accomplished quite the feat at Long's Peak. Doing fun things with him. How he became a runner! How he grew in the Lord. What a great leader he is of our small group, at work, and at home. How he humors me with tons of pictures. Watching him become a daddy! Watching him fall more in love with our little boy as the days go by. How he loves me and how patient he is with me.

These are just a few reasons I love my husband. He is wonderful! Happy Anniversary to us!

My to-do list...

2009-05-19T19:23:00.000-07:00

A quick run-down of my to-do list from today...

1. Priority time- check! A great one about intercessory prayer!
2. Run/walk with Holman and Bailey (I am training for a 5k!)- check! A great one, definitely improving!
3. Prepare the house for Small Group- check! We had an awesome time!
4. Trellis my peas- nope! gotta push this one back.
5. Ironing- check! I even tried to enjoy it more by thinking about how God "irons" our character, making us like the Ephesians 5 bride, without spot or blemish.
6. Cook "killer beans" and corn on the cob to go with our cheeseburgers for small group. I got the recipe from my grandma! I will share it sometime soon.- check! yummmmm...
7. Work on invitations for Sara Gentry's baby shower. They're expecting baby #2! - still a lot of work to do, but I got some stuff at the store for it...
8. One load of laundry, start to finish- partial check! just gotta go fold the clothes and put them away!

Motherhood is hilarious

2009-05-19T10:11:00.000-07:00

I laughed out loud today at my baby.

He's been a bit "irregular" for a couple of days. He really needed to go potty this morning but couldn't....

When he woke up from a nap to eat lunch, I got his bottle and sat at the computer to feed him. Pretty soon I could tell that he was having some luck in the diaper department.

Then I picked him up.

He had wiggled so much that he had accidentally unloaded onto my dress.

l.o.l.

I got us cleaned up and really couldn't do anything but laugh. Man do I love this little boy.

Only a mom could find this as funny as I did. Motherhood is hilarious.

Hyper-Productivity

2009-05-18T15:21:00.000-07:00

Last week was an amazingly productive week. My hubby said that I was scarily productive- intimidating to him, actually. Ha! All I have to say is that it was the Lord!

The biggest change in my week last week was that I got up each morning to be with Jesus before my day started. Since Holman usually wakes up around 6:15-6:30 for the day, my day had to begin earlier. My sweet husband took over getting the baby out of bed and visiting while I finished up... So I started my priority time around 5:45.

Let me just say that it wasn't easy... and it wasn't by my own strength. It was the Lord, faithfully sustaining me and giving me energy for each morning devotional. The time with Jesus made a marked difference in my attitude, time management, and productivity. Just ask Ryan!

The Lord blessed me in such a special way because of the time I spent with Him. I noticed such a huge difference in myself. The other huge difference in our week was that we intentionally spent much less time watching the television. You simply do not realize the hours that are sucked away by that t.v. until you intentionally do not watch it. We purposed not to watch TV except if we were really sitting down to watch one thing. We had so much more time!

This week is off to a pretty good start, but I am hoping tomorrow will be even better and more productive. On my to-do list:

1. Priority time
2. Run/walk with Holman and Bailey (I am training for a 5k!)
3. Prepare the house for Small Group
4. Trellis my peas
5. Ironing
6. Cook "killer beans" and corn on the cob to go with our cheeseburgers for small group. I got the recipe from my grandma! I will share it sometime soon.
7. Work on invitations for Sara Gentry's baby shower. They're expecting baby #2!
8. One load of laundry, start to finish

I figure if I write it out, maybe it will keep me on track tomorrow! I will report in on how I did.

Thanks for reading! I am so excited about what God is doing in my life, especially in energizing me for my home. I praise Him how He is able to refresh our spirits and remind us of our callings. My calling is here at home, and boy do I love it!

Adventure in Homemade Pizza Crust

2009-05-16T13:44:00.000-07:00

I did it! I made my very own whole-wheat, homemade pizza. And do you know what? It was TASTY! I got the recipe from one of my favorite Titus 2-type blogs: www.passionatehomemaking.com. Check out the recipe here.

Here are a few photos of the pizza extravaganza:

Baby sleeping, got the monitor, got the ingredients, got the recipe... here goes nothin...

The batch made four crusts. I made 1.5 batches because I found out I was having more friends come for dinner! What a joy!

Mushing the crust onto the cookie sheets. 6 in all.

This one was actually pretty yummy: peppers, mushrooms, ham, pepperoni, and spices. And I don't even like mushrooms.

We had all different kinds. This is going to become a weekly tradition for us, I think. It was delicious and healthy (as pizza goes). The fun part is that you can put literally anything you want on top.

This week has been wonderfully productive. I am feeling energized in my passion for the home, and new adventures like the pizza make it all the more fun! Oh, and by the way, the pizza was a BIG HIT! You should try it!

"...To love their children..."

2009-05-15T12:52:00.000-07:00

Especially when they are sick. We need to love ON them.

Bless his little heart, Holman got shots yesterday. Today he feels about like this:

Yesterday wasn't so bad, since he just spent most of the day in a vegetative state or sleeping. Today, however, has been a different story. He woke up with a pretty high fever (102) and obviously felt horrible. He is such a trooper, he was even trying to smile, but one could tell things weren't quite right.

I think about how God the Father loves us so tenderly. I think about times when I've been sick, or spiritually sick, and how He has nursed me lovingly back to health. And in all truth, I rather enjoy the opportunity (as bad as that might sound) to pay extra special attention and love to my little guy. He is a lot more snuggly today than usual, and I'm not complaining about that. (My mom confessed to me some time ago that she used to relish times when my brother got sick, because it was the only time he would let her snuggle and rock him. Now I know what she means.)

I am certain that he will be back to his smiley self in no time. For now, I will spoil him, rock him to sleep, check on him constantly, and do whatever I can to make him feel better. Because that's what mommies do.

Reasons for new adventures in blogging

2009-05-14T18:24:00.001-07:00

I decided to start a new blog (crazy, I know, since I have trouble updating my other one). I still intend to update the other one with stuff on our life, our adventures together, and our SWEET baby boy Holman. That blog is such a fun way to tell others what is going on in my life.

I wanted to start a new blog as an outlet for all of my domestic/creative/homemaking ventures.

Here is why:

There are several blogs that I follow which pertain mostly to keeping the home, serving in the home, supporting and loving our husbands, training our children, becoming godly women... Titus 2 blogs, if you will. I love these blogs.

And part of what I love about these blogs is their narrow focus. I know that I can go to these blogs for inspiration on a number of topics, but all of them relate back to the main subject of being the kind of women God wants us to be.

So this is my Titus 2 blog. Welcome.

"...train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God."

Titus 2:4-5