Turning Over a New Leaf

Actually it's more like getting rid of the unnecessary leaves.

We're trying to simplify our life and one of the measures we're taking is consolidating our blogs. I will no longer be posting on this blog. I'll keep it around so you can see old photos or search for a recipe but if you'd like to keep up with our family please visit our Family Blog.

Wrapping up the Week

I'm glad it's Friday. The kids and I all have a little runny nose cold and we're ready for more time with Chuck. We're also going to try to be more disciplined with our rest this weekend. Last night at our Home Group (bible study) we talked about the Sabbath. If you haven't gone through Tim Keller's "Gospel in Life" study you should. It's the best Bible study I've ever worked through.

The last few weeks I've been trying to work on my dreads a little everyday or two so they stay tight and don't get out of hand. When I don't give them any attention they get loose, hairs work their way out and my roots don't lock up on their own yet so my whole head looks droopy and frizzy. Blah.

It's a lot of work (and therefore expensive if someone other than Chuck does it) to fix my whole head all at once so Chuck and I really have to give it an hour or so of attention every week to avoid that. It's not the most exciting date ever but it really shows me that Chuck is devoted to me when he works on my hair.

No Added Sweetener

Ruby has been doing much better tolerating wheat lately so I haven't had to be as careful with it. I still make mostly gluten free muffins and limit her cracker intake, etc. so that I don't have to limit so much when we eat out and so she can eat goldfish crackers at church.

I have been working more at limiting her (and my) sugar intake. For more than a year now I've been realizing that there's too much sugar in too many things. I no longer feed the kids regular breakfast cereals or even baby and toddler marketed products because they contain too much sugar. I've found, however, that the kids don't mind eating rice puffs with no sugar or corn flakes sweetened with fruit juice! It's been relatively easy because they're still little and don't really know any different which is all the more reason to limit their sugar - it does their bodies no good so why give it to them!?

The easiest way to limit sugar is to make things from scratch. At first I began cutting the sugar in recipes or replacing it with sweet fruits like applesauce or bananas. Then, several months ago, I was introduced to coconut oil and it's become so much easier. I have found that when I use coconut oil in a recipe (in place of veggie oil or butter for example) I don't need to add any sugar (or alternative sweetener) and you don't miss the sugar at all!
Here's a website about coconut oil - there are lots out there but this one is pretty measured and basic.

Even Chuck agrees that the best pancake recipe of all time is the one that contains coconut oil and no sugar!
I've been so excited about this because not only is it important to limit white sugar but all added sweeteners. That means honey, brown rice syrup, maple syrup or whatever! Your body treats them nearly the same - it has to work harder to break them down because they don't have anything good for your body to use.

I've found that the less sugar I eat, the less I need to make something sweet and the better I feel. I can really feel my body react if I drink a soda or eat a piece of cake because I don't do it often.
Here's a quick article about recommended sugar intake.


Here are a few of our favorite no added sweetener recipes:

Best Pancakes Ever:
1 cup flour (any kind really, we've used white whole wheat, regular and oat flour)
1 cup yogurt
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
cinnamon if desired (we've been adding cinnamon and nutmeg lately - I love fall!)

Mix everything together adding milk if it's too thick. Enjoy!


Apple Banana Muffins (the kids current favorite)
This recipe was adapted from one my sister posted recently - it was her brilliant idea to add apple pieces instead of applesauce.
1 1/2 cups chopped apples (really small!)
1/4 cup almond butter
1 3/4 cups flour
2 eggs
3 bananas
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup coconut oil
Mix all and bake for 20 min. at 350 degrees. These turn out really soft so make sure you cook them until the tops are nice and brown but don't worry when they're soft in the middle because the apple pieces are in there.

And because it's fall - Peanut Butter Pumpkin Bread (revisited)

I made this last year but have tweaked the recipe again this year and it's even better

If you're making this for a party or dessert add 1 or 1 1/2 cups sugar but the kids and I can eat it without or with just 1/2 cup (which means there's only 1/4 cup in each loaf) which is way better than the 3 cups the original recipe called for. Yikes!

1 can pumpkin (15 oz)

4 eggs

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup applesauce (or pear-sauce - that's even better)

1 cup peanut butter

3 1/2 cups flour (making 1 cup or so oat flour adds to the sweetness and depth of flavor)

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

Mix all together and bake for 60 minutes (or so) at 350 degrees. This recipe makes 2 loaves or try baking it in wide mouth, quart mason jars. I did that for some neighbors and it was really cute! Be careful to only add 1 cup of batter, though or it will rise over the top. :)

And here's my new fall ornament tree.

Ruby helped me paint fall colors and then I drew and cut out the leaf shapes.

Hiya

We played at the mall a few days ago and even Enzo got to play a little. He's growing fast. He's started pulling up on things, although not very often since we don't have a coffee table (we did when Ruby was in that stage).

My lack of posting is directly related to my lack of free time. I don't have enough time each day to get what I need done so I hardly do anything unnecessary (let alone get all my needed stuff done). I can't even really articulate it without complaining so I'll just leave you with a cute photo.

1 Corinthians 15:19

^{1 Corinthians 15:19}

If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

If Jesus wasn't who he said he was, and didn't overcome death than my faith in him to save me from my sins and death is futile and naive.

If, however, Jesus is who he claimed to be, the son of God who died to pay for our sins and rose from the dead, than he's not only the God I should be putting my faith and hope in but the only God worthy of my worship.

Jesus said a lot more than "love thy neighbor" and I'm trying to fill my heart with all his teachings and promises.

Today's "Slice" also really spoke to my heart this morning. (Oct. 11th)

http://www.rzim.org/resources/read/asliceofinfinity/todaysslice.aspx

Fall Colors

Philippians 2:14-16

I didn't make time to read until this afternoon but was immediately convicted by what I read.

"Do all things without grumbling..."

How often do I complain each day?

I'm not a really negative person but if I really pay attention I'm quite to find fault or inconvenience.

It's so hard to dress during this weather, the kids were really fussy today, and my dreads are looking like they need some attention were just three of many complaints I made today about things that have clear bright sides!

This weather is beautiful! I really enjoy drinking a hot cup of coffee on cool mornings.

My children love me and want my attention. I have to opportunity (and calling) to teach them about God's love through my own. 

My hair is symbolic of my freedom in Christ. I can choose to find my identity in Him or struggle to create and maintain it apart from Him. I'm glad I have dreads and although they take a little work in the beginning it's nothing compared to the time and energy I disliked putting into previous hairstyles.

Rather than comment about the less than perfect weather, irritating moments of childrearing or vain frustrations I'm going to try to praise God for... Well, for being who He is. Regardless of circumstance He's praiseworthy and any complaint I have fades quickly when I consider Him.

 ¹⁴Do all things without grumbling or questioning, ¹⁵that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, ¹⁶holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 

Philippians 2:12-13

Ruby got a new sweat suit yesterday and she was very interested in the hood. Here she is informing us of that.

I continued reading in Philippians and while I've read verses 12 and 13 before and even heard a sermon or two on them I still feel like there's some mystery in them I still don't understand.

I know that God is the author and perfectly of my faith but what part do I work out? However, the thought of getting to heaven and having Jesus say "I never knew you" is frightening and does cause me to take my faith and relationship with Christ more seriously.

It also blows my mind to think about what it mean that God is working in me for His good pleasure.

I'm encouraged today to ask God about these mysteries and also to rest in His peace because even if I don't understand them He does and He's said that I just have to ask.

Fall Morning Snuggles

It's a chilly fall morning (finally!) and my sweet family is all snuggling in our warm bed. Have a wonderful weekend!

Philippians 2:3-4

 3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 

Jeremiah 29:4-14

We started a Tim Keller study titled "The Gospel: Grace Changes Everything" in our home group last night and I've already learned new things. We discussed Jeremiah 29:4-14 and talked about how we can love out city.

I would like to expand on all that I learned but I need to get some rest. I encourage you to read those verses and think about how you can love your neighbors as yourself.

Morning Glory's

These add to the gloriousness of this fall morning. Thank you God for this change in seasons!

Philippians 1:27-30

The weather is wonderful this morning. It's cool and crisp and such a welcome change from the stuffy, hot days of late summer. I'm still not used to summer days lasting until nearly October and I miss the color changes in MN, but Texas is growing on me. I love Denton and am grateful that God brought us there.

I am really being encouraged by studying Philippians. I'm left feeling empty and even jilted when I get the "it's ok, you deserve better" kind of encouragement. I know deep in my heart that life is not that easy and also that there's something more important than my comfort and desires.

When I feel weighted down by my troubles and frustrated with my relationships it's often because there's something that needs to be addressed. Often it's that I'm not trusting God and not loving someone like I should (more than myself).

These verses stood out to me because it says that our salvation is from God and that our belief in Him isn't a guarantee that our troubles will end, we might even suffer for the sake of the gospel. So we might even get more trouble but how we react to those situations will show others that we believe that we're ultimately saved from them.

I'm realizing more and more as I blog about my study that there's so much to talk about but a lot of what I'm reading and the holy spirit is stirring in me is that I want to live and listen. I'm learning too that it's easier to do both of those when I'm thinking about Christ and love all day.

Philippians 1: 27-30 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. 29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Dreadlock Update

My dreads are about 20 weeks old (5 months!).

They're still really fuzzy but they're coming along. I'm enjoying not having to do so much to my hair everyday but it is tough to find a time each week to tighten them because I can't do it all myself. I'm still glad I have them, though!

Philippians 1:9-11

9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

I'm reading through Philippians 1 again this morning and am going to try to keep in mind today that the reason I do and the reason that I should increase my knowledge is to give God glory. 

That's hard for me to keep in mind and/or strive for sometimes because I'm sick of being in school. I really enjoy reading about and learning about topics that interest me (or are at least interesting) but when I get a dull class or less than engaging professor it's hard to give it my all.

And then my tendency is to become prematurely stressed out. For example, I have two papers to write. I'm getting pretty anxious... But one is not due for two weeks and another isn't due for a month. Besides, even if I only had a day, worrying isn't going to help.

Sometimes I hear people say that worry is ok and even good because it means you're taking it seriously. I think if you don't know God or you're not trusting Him then you can only hope in yourself or the situation and that is pretty serious. Worry, however, still doesn't help you, it just shows others that you don't have your hope in God.

If I know I have a paper due in two weeks and I know that it's serious, I want to do well on it, I have to start working on it so I don't run out of time. I trust that God knows about my paper but I also know that my relationship with Him and my witness to others is more important than my paper. Am I making sense?

Here's a few verses to help:

Phil. 1:27-28 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.

Matthew 6:27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

Proverbs 12:25

Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.

Matthew 6:25-34

25 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Philippians 4:4-7

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

No longer sure why I'm counting...

I missed my blogging the last few days. It really helps me process my Bible studying. I finished reading 2 Peter and moved on to Philippians. I really like verses 9-11 (ch. 1) because it reminded me that we can always love more but it's not the love that the world talks about that's flighty, impulsive and often selfish but a godly love that's knowledgable, discerning and abounding.

I'm going to read chapter one again tomorrow.

My dreads are doing well. I just need to keep palm rolling them and be patient!

40

I've been tired lately. Today more so than a few days ago, but here's my post! I didn't forget it! I thought about the verses I read today but am still working on them. They made me think of several other verses and I haven't taken time to look all of those up yet.

I read 2 Peter chapter 2 today. It spoke about false teachers and people that know and believe the gospel but turn away from it. Pretty heavy.

My first thought was about a verse that says nothing can take us from God's hand after we've put our faith in Him but maybe we can jump out? There are lots of verses that talk about the fruit that we'll show when are faith is in Christ and that we should work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Also that some people will get to heaven and God will tell them He doesn't know them. Those thoughts furthered my thinking that we can't just say a few words or do any special action, we need to truly believe in Christ and spend the rest of our lives loving Him and serving Him.

If I really believe that Christ is the only way to heaven and I put my hope and faith in him then my actions will reflect that. Whenever they don't it's because I'm hoping or trusting in something else (like myself, or Chuck, or money or whatever).

I'm not going to copy all of 2 Peter 2 so I'll leave you with James 2:14-18. 

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 

39

I finished reading chapter one of 2nd Peter. Verses 16-20 caught my attention because Peter says he witnessed Christ's majesty first hand and heard God say "This is my son." He also says he believes the prophesies concerning Jesus to be God's voice heard by others.

The teaching pastor of our church did a sermon about the authority and inerrancy of the Bible this past Sunday. He talked about the men who penned the Bible using the phrase "God said" over 300 times. If you're interested you can listen to the sermon at www.thevillagechurch.net

I don't have a hard time believing that Jesus was God and did all that He claimed to do, including rise from the dead, but I've always thought that if someone can believe God created everything from nothing anything else is easy.

I struggle with understanding in other areas but believe that the Bible is true.

I had some other thoughts about seeing, believing and following movements but I'm a bit tired today and currently have a little boy draining me of nutrients so I'm finding it hard to form complex thoughts.

I love you and hope you have a peaceful day.

38

I starter knitting again today after a long break. I've got two Snuggler orders to make in the next few weeks. I'd much rather be knitting than doing many others things but I am going to try to balance it.

Knitting this afternoon got me thinking about fall, Thanksgiving and cooler weather. I don't think I'll bring my fall decorations out quite yet, however, as it's still green and 90 degrees outside.

Today I read more of 2 Peter 1, verse 9 specifically . I'm still praying and thinking about it but my initial thoughts were about how I so quickly forget how amazing a gift Jesus sacrifice is. I am very easily forget that all people are made in God's image and the only reason He accepts me as his child is Jesus. I too quickly measure myself up to (or against) others instead of finding my identity in Christ.

If I kept the gospel in the front, rather than the back, of my mind and made effort to supplement my faith with the attributes listed in 2 Peter 1:5, I think I would be better able to love others first rather than judge them.

Apron

I have had this apron in my head for a long time and after wearing my old one all morning I decided that during nap time today I would make it. It only took about 45 minutes because the bottom is a dish towel!