Discerning Defeat: Saturday

Two thousand years ago there was a tomb with a giant boulder rolled in front of the opening.  It was heavily guarded, unmistakably obvious.  It seemed to those who stared at it to be a symbol of defeat.  It was sealed tight, but it cracked open the hearts of those who never believed it could be.  For truly, if He was the Messiah, why would He be buried?  Why would He have acted like a senseless lamb in the hands of a butcher?  It made no sense.  At this place of death, their hopes, dreams, beliefs were struggling to live.  But the walls of their breaking hearts had a hard time containing the truth and it seeped out, leaving them weak and wary and worried.

I feel that way sometimes.  In my human heart and mind I get a picture of what a victory should look like.  And then, when it turns out differently, I struggle to find my faith and peace and hope.  I mourn the loss of my ideal as though there has been a death.

When will I learn?  God does not move like I think He should; I see in a limited way and His ways are limitless.  I see in a narrow slice of time and He is the Lamb slain before the foundations of the world.  I see through my feelings and filter my knowledge through an immature heart and mind; He is all powerful, all knowing, and determined to give me a hope and a future in spite of myself.

That's what this Saturday is about to me.  Learning to discern defeat.  For truly, the place of the most sorrowful death is the scene of the most awesome victory.  It is not defeat when my dreams die or my ideas crumble; it simply means that God was too big to be contained by them and they had to die so He could break out.

Living Life

I have been so busy lately.  Just living life.  And that has been crazy!  But I've been gathering some gems along the way and learning a lot about myself, my family, and our calling as a family to serve God.

Some things I've learned along the way these past few weeks:

• Faith isn't always easy, but you have to push on through anyhow
• You don't always get an instant blessing when you obey, but obey anyway
• Love can change any situation into a beautiful thing
• It's more important to read a book to my kids than to clean my kitchen
• Photography is a gift, a talent, a joy ... but not when it eclipses my family time {moderation!}
• I am happiest in my home, puttering around, doing things that bring my family joy
• My heart is greatly burdened for orphans - not just because I am adopting, but because the heart of the Father is for the fatherless -- and there are so many who just don't know
• If I am not His hands and feet extended, then who will be?  
• I am called because I am His; there are no more excuses

Pursuit (A Radical Faith, Pt 1)

Have you ever watched a TV show and noticed that all of the characters seem to have the same type of issue going on in the same episode?  Everyone has a crisis, everyone gets a new significant other, everyone takes a vacation together.  Each episode tends to have a theme built around it.

Sometimes I think my life plays out the same way.  Every area of my life ends up being themed.  Do you know what I'm talking about?

Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet & a Light unto my path

Two years ago it was about shaking off religion; God called our family to get to know Him without the trappings of religious cereomony.  He challenged us to find Him for ourselves ... to press in, just us, and to find Him.  It was an amazing experience, one I am well aware is not for everyone.  During that year, He called us out of a church we enjoyed and into the vast unknown.  We thought He was leading us to a new body, and He did - in His time. 

There were many weeks that we sat on our patio, eating brunch on a Sunday morning, and just talking about where we were spiritually and what we were learning about God.  Faith took on a whole new perspective without someone spoon feeding us a couple times a week.  If we didn't feed ourselves, we starved.  And it showed.  Spiritual nutrition became an elemental part of each day; it was critical that we dive into the Word and prayer.  In the eight months of living that way, we grew exponentially.  We heard His voice so much more clearly than we had in ages; we had to because no one else was there prompting us.  We began to build relationships with believers in several different churches instead of just the one we attended.  We began to value the Word, not as a precious addition to a part of a day, but rather as important as oxygen for survival. 

God taught us during this season to pursue Him.  Just as the prophet shared, we found God when we sought Him with all of our hearts (Jeremiah 29:13).  God has told me that a mediocre faith is not acceptable.  He has told me that a comfortable faith is not to be mine.  Instead, He has demanded of me a radical faith. 

Over the next several weeks, I'm going to be posting about what this journey is looking like.  It might not be for you at all.  But if you've been hearing whispers in the hidden corners of your mind, a beckoning in your heart, simply for more -- it just might be something you are can relate to.  If you have been hearing the voice of the Beloved say, "Come closer, come higher" - it just might be we are sojourners together in this season. 

I encourage you today to love Him, without restraint.  To follow Him, without condition.  To serve Him, without remorse.  To throw your identity into Him so wholly you lose yourself.  To stop worrying about the doing, and simply to exist in Him.

Menu Planning 101 - Building on the Foundation

There is a lot to be said for successfully meal planning.  I started the Meal Planning 101 series last week with the foundation of meal planning and this week we're going to continue on and talk about how to start.  There are hundreds of bloggerss out there that have covered the way they meal plan, but none of the systems really worked for me.  So I'm going to share with you what did.

If you're anything like me, you got a wee bit overwhelmed by the time it took to clip coupons and haul all the children from store to store.  You wondered if it was even worth it.  I reached the conclusion that it rarely we is.  We consistently spend about $75 a week on our family of 5.  I think that's pretty good, considering that we eat intentionally with an eye toward nutrition - eating well is not cheap!  So, in our home, the first step to building on the meal planning foundation is to check your pantry, fridge, and freezer.  Simple, right?

One of the ways we save money on our groceries is simple: we never let anything go to waste.  I don't want to throw out leftovers, condiments, or anything else.  Once every few months I'll actually do a detailed inventory list and see if I can get away with a week of buying only milk and fresh produce, literally cleaning out the corners of our pantry and freezer.  Those weeks always look a little odd on paper, but they allow us to steward well over what we have and ensure we are not wasteful.

After you come up with that inventory, begin to shape your week around it.  For instance, in my freezer right now I have a lot of beef (we recently purchased a 1/4 of a cow -- very economical and I encourage it if you are able!) but no chicken.  I have chicken stock I've frozen, though.  I also have a ton of dried beans (my kids are on a refried bean kick and we found we can make it for pennies from scratch!), a few cans of pineapple, several cans of tomatoes, oatmeal, a jug of BBQ sauce, cheeses, about a dozen eggs, tortillas, lots of potatoes, and brown rice.  I bake muffins and bread every single week from fresh ground flour, so I always have those basic ingredients stocked,too.

Next week we'll go further with this idea, but start simply.  Don't overwhelm yourself.  Make your inventory and shape some meals.  Below, you'll find what we're doing this week, largely utilizing what's on hand.

~Our Plan for the Week~

• Breakfasts: muffins, farm fresh eggs, granola with fruit, oatmeal
• Lunches: pasta, PB&J, cottage picnic (sliced bread with honey, fruit, cheese)
• Dinners:
• Monday:  Taco Soup and Oven Baked Parmesan-crusted Fries
• Tuesday:  Rice and Beans and Shredded Lettuce in a Burrito with chips & salsa on the side
• Wednesday: Chef Salad (greens, cukes, tomatoes, ham and cheese rolls) & Garlic Knots
• Thursday:  Nachos (tortilla chips topped with meat, cheese, refried beans) & Fruit Smoothies (made with kefir, bananas, frozen mixed fruit) (side note: we are planning a game night as a family -- instead of doing it after dinner now, I make food we can during it.  We try to do at least one a week, but usually end up doing two or three.  I highly recommend it!)
• Friday:  Crock Pot Roast -- tonight we'll shred the meat and eat on potatoes with cheese and BBQ sauce ... YUM
• Saturday:  Leftovers ... also family movie night, so popcorn might as well be listed as dinner (wink, wink -- and we do air pop it and then put melted coconut oil and salt on it ... so  much healthier, and significantly more economical as well!)
• Sunday:  Teriyaki Beef Sandwiches with pineapple rice pilaf on the side

Also linking up with:  Make Your Home Sing Monday, Homemaker Monday, Scraps of Life,

Menu Planning 101 - Laying a Foundation

Each week I share my menu plan.  What you don't see is HOW and I do it ... nor have I ever really gone into WHY I do it.  So for the next few Mondays I'll be sharing some menu planning basics.  This week I'm sharing why it's important.  Next week I'll share how I get started. 

The most important thing to know about any schedule is that it is a guideline to make your life more simple.  It's not meant to make you feel condemned or guilty or burdened or stressed.  Sometimes we plan something that just can't become a reality for one reason or another; that's totally okay!  This is just a guideline to help take the stress out of busy nights.

The other really important thing to know is why planning dinners is so important.  Dinner (or breakfast or lunch if you have a non-traditional work schedule!) is an opportunity for the family to gather around the table.  Statistics prove that one of the most beneficial and influential things you can do as a family is to eat meals together at the table.  Planning your meals enables you to enjoy that time and to nurture their spirits as well as their bodies.  You can talk about your day, your dreams, current events, lessons learned, or just about anything at all ... just talk!  Build relationships and strengthen bonds as you eat together.

And if you have any specific questions pertaining to menu planning or nurturing family via the table, be sure to ask and I'll add them into my weekly Menu Planning 101 posts ... I want to bless you and help you bless those you love.  So pipe up and ask!

Also ... pop on over and visit me on Facebook if you haven't before!  And if you do, leave me a note and share where you're visiting from -- it's a great way to interact with other bloggers and learn from each other while offer encouragement.

~Our Plan for the Week~

• Breakfasts: Oatmeal with chopped fruit, Granola with fruit and milk, or Eggs & Honey Toast
• Lunches: Hard boiled eggs with carrots and celery and tortilla chips, PB&J, or Pasta with sauce
• Dinners:
• Monday: 5 Bean/5 Grain Soup with Homemade Parmesan Potato Wedges on the side
• Tuesday: Burritos made with Beans, Rice, & Cheese with Tortilla Chips
• Wednesday: Salad topped with Nuts, Raisins, & Feta Cheese with Dinner Rolls; Bananas for an after church snack later on 
• Thursday: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Chips, Veggies & Hummus
• Friday: Pizza Night (great with family games!)
• Saturday: Leftovers (we mostly eat popped corn and watch movies; I'll also make "milkshakes" - aka fruit smoothies)
• Sunday Brunch: French Toast, Whipped Cream, Strawberries & Blueberries, Eggs
• Sunday Dinner: Loaded Baked Potatoes (Cheese, Sour Cream, BBQ Beef), Salad

For more great menu plans, be sure to click on the icon below

Linked up with: Make Your Home Sing Monday, Homemaker Monday, Scraps of Life,