The Trinity

I shared a story the other night at our couples Bible study.  We are going through a book on the Holy Spirit, and while we were in deep discussion, I was reminded of something God showed me when I was approximately 8 years old.  I had only come to know about Him at the age of 6, so I was all ears when it came to learning about my new father--my father in Heaven.  I shared a little of my story that evening and feel compelled to share it in a little more detail.

I was sitting in the kitchen of my maternal grandmother's house.  We were there for a weekend visit and my mom and grandmother were talking.  Knowing me, I was probably sitting at her kitchen table coloring and singing--2 of my favorite 8-year-old things to do.  Since learning a lot of new songs in Sunday School over the past couple of years--you couldn't keep me from singing them.  I'm still like that--I love to sing worship songs, and really I don't have an interest in other types of music.

However, I digress.  As I was saying, I was sitting there minding my own business when I had an epiphany.  It was simple, pure, basic and easy to understand.  I must have been thinking or singing about Jesus.  That's what I remember anyway.  I looked up at my mom and it hit me.  She's my mom, she's my grandmother's daughter, and she's my dad's wife.  3 people all in one.  Just like God.  He's God the father (my father) and God the son (my brother) and God the Holy Spirit (my comforter and best friend)--easy peasy.  At least for an 8-year-old.

From that moment in time to this day I have not had a problem with understanding the concept of the Trinity.  The Godhead 3 in 1.  I wonder sometimes why it is so easy for me to accept these simple truths from the Bible while others struggle with theology, while here I am accepting it on blind faith.  And then I realized--that's exactly what it is--it's faith, blind faith.  A faith that says, if it's in the Bible, it's true.  I don't need to spend valuable time asking questions about it's authenticity, I do, however, ask God to expound on certain topics for me.  I sometimes need understanding, but I also realize that my ways are not his ways, and I am not to lean on my own understanding.  I am to take what God says by faith and I am just simple minded enough to do that.  Is it because I came to know Christ at such a young age?  Or is it because I have seen him do so many miraculous things in my life?  I'm honestly not sure, I just know that I believe what the Bible teaches.  And while the word Trinity does not appear in the Bible, we are taught about the Godhead.  That the father, son and holy spirit are one.  Easy for an 8-year-old to believe.  Easy for me 50 years later to believe.  For I have no doubt, not a single one.

A few months ago I wrote a blog on faith.  I am going to quote myself (can I do that?) and repost a portion of that blog.  Maybe then you will understand why the concept of the Trinity is so very easy for me to grasp.

"Faith--it's free-falling while hanging on, all at the same time.  It's holding tightly with utter abandon.  It's a hard concept to convey but a very easy (yes, I just said easy) one to live out.  Maybe it comes from being so young when I met Him--that faith of a child, who curled up on her dad's lap, snuggled in for the duration, sitting in complete and total peace, and safely resting for the first time.  For me, that peace, that faith, that feeling of comfort and assurance--I know that He knows what's best for me, and He has never ever left me nor forsaken me.  That is faith.

I call out, He answers.  I listen for His voice, He speaks.  I trust Him completely, He takes care of me.  Always.  Do I ever doubt Him?  No.  Really?  No, I never do.  Do I always like what He wants me to do or say or go or whatever, no, I do not.  However, I do it anyway.  Sometimes tearfully, sometimes joyfully, sometimes slowly, while stomping my feet and pouting but always, always obediently and in faith.  Believing.  Knowing.  Trusting.  He is after all the great I AM.  And by faith I will serve Him.  He is my God.  He is the same today, yesterday and forever.   Do I trust Him?  Yes, yes I do.  That is faith."

Low Carb Lasagna--Cauliflower Noodles

I am always looking for that one in a million recipe for my low carbing lifestyle.  And while consistently perusing the internet, every once in awhile I stumble upon one that intrigues me.  Such was the case of the cauliflower noodle concept.  You see, one of my favorite ethnic foods is Italian.  And what has more carbs than almost another other foods?  Italian.  So, it stands to reason that I've been more than a little depressed over my lack of Italian goodness.  Until I discovered cauliflower and all of its many uses.  Noodles being one of them.

This is my own rendition of Lasagna using cauliflower, we loved it and hopefully, you will too!

For the cauliflower noodle, yes I noodle not noodles.

I head cauliflower--finely chopped
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
2 eggs
1 T oregano
2 cloves of chopped garlic

Steam cauliflower in a big bowl in the microwave for about 10 min.  If need be use a potato masher to maker the pieces really small.  I use a food processor prior to cooking so that I don't need to do this.  Mix in the remaining ingredients, I just use my hands.  Lay a sheet of parchment paper over a jelly roll pan. Press down the cauliflower dough to make a big giant rectangle.  Don't worry about it being perfect, just press it all out into a big thin looking crust.  Bake in a 350 oven for 45 minutes.  When done, take it out and let it cool for a few minutes.  Then remove it from pan and cut it in half.

For the layers--

1 large jar low carb meat spaghetti sauce
16 oz ricotta cheese
2 to 3 cups mozzarella cheese
3 cups fresh baby spinach

Take a 9 x 13-inch baking pan, and pour about 1/4 of the sauce over the bottom of the pan, smooth it all out.  Then take that great big cauliflower noodle, that has been cut it in half and gently left it into the 9 x 13-inch pan.  Layer with the cheeses, spinach and another 1/4 of the sauce.  Put the other half of the noodle on top and layer again with the remaining ingredients.  Easy peasy.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes.  Enjoy.  Trust me, it's so good.

Put Down The Glass

I've been praying about this for a while now.  Asking God for direction.  Do I or don't I?  Confront or not to confront.  It was so much more than a prayer for me.  My heart was heavy.  I thought about my situation for days on end.  I even found myself dreaming about it.  Nightmares almost.  That's how much this has been weighing on my heart.

My feelings have been hurt.  Words have a way of doing that to me.  They hurt me.  Especially when they tend to be the attacking type of words.  Hurting, biting, mean, coming out of nowhere and ending up cutting me deep down in my heart.

And so, I prayed and prayed and this morning I got my answer.  I really do love how God works.  He has a way of talking to me at my level.  Easy, plain, basic.  I don't need much more than that.  Just tell me God--what do I do?  And when I hear Him, His voice, so pure and true--I know.  I know it's Him.

I read a little story on Facebook this morning and through that simple little illustration, God spoke to my heart.

A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience.  As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they'd be asked the "half empty or half full" question.  Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: "How heavy is this glass of water?"  Answers called out ranged from 8oz to 20oz.  She replied, "the absolute weight doesn't matter.  It depends on how long I hold it.  If I hold it for a minute, it's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'l have an ache in my arm.  If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed.  In each case, the weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."
She continued, "The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water.  Think about them for a while and nothing happens.  Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt.  And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed--incapable of doing anything."  
Remember to put the glass down. 

After reading that story I knew that there was something I had to do.  I had to pray and ask God to forgive me and to teach me how to put the glass down.  And so I did.  I prayed He forgave, and hopefully, I've learned (once again) a valuable lesson in life.

I wonder sometimes--how heavy do I make life for myself, just by holding onto something and not setting it down, how heavy?

Desperate

Praying
Seeking
Hurting
Needy
Humble
Afraid
Sacred
Calling
Hearing
Speak
Listen
Search me
Heal me
Love me
Protect me
Teach me
Mold me

And always know that I am so very desperate for you--always.

Just A Thread

I've been crocheting like a crazy lady lately.  From throws and baby blankets to scarves and hats--yep, I've been crocheting my little heart out.  Mostly just to keep busy in the evenings while watching TV with my husband.  I also tend to eat a little less when my hands are busy--at least I'd like to think so.  I've also been experimenting with some new yarns and patterns, I even took a private lesson the other day.  I've been having fun with yarn.  I've been making things.  I've had a feeling of contentment, crocheting while it's cold and snowy.  It's been nice.

So why a blog about crocheting?  Well, something a little weird happened in the wee hours of the morning.  And I feel strongly that God wants me to share it.  I woke up at 2:30 am with tears streaming from my eyes.   I laid there praying and asking God--what are you saying to me, Lord?  I didn't hear anything from Him for awhile, so I just prayed.  I prayed for my friend who was just diagnosed with cancer, I prayed for my family, I prayed for my friends.  I prayed and asked God to use me, to purify my heart before Him, I asked Him to continue to teach me, to always remind me that I serve Him and not the other way around.  I must have prayed for about half an hour when He then began to speak to my heart.  I sure hope that I can convey in this short piece what I saw and felt and learned from Him this morning.  It made sense to me, so I'll share it here.  Maybe it'll resonate with you too, maybe not.  But I'll let God sort that out.

This is what I saw--He showed me a single thread of yarn.  And told me that it was me.  Just a thread.  I was just a thread.  A simple single thread.  There I was just laying there doing a whole lot of nothing--until--until a crochet hook came along.   Once that hook took hold of that thread big things began to change, began to happen, began to take shape.  With that hook, that little simple piece of thread came to life.

As God began to crochet with my simple piece of thread I began to see a pattern.  He took that yarn (that was my life) and He made something from it.  Each time He wove a piece of my yarn over His hook things happened.  Life took shape.  Growth, change, life, everything began to fall into place--as long as I let him do the work.  As long as I let Him do the weaving--in and out He went, using the thread of my life, and things worked smoothly.  He made things with me.  He used me.  However, the minute I tried to take hold of that hook, things began to unravel.  Quickly.

There I was in the middle of the night laying in my bed, with tears rolling down my face asking God to please help me--help me not to try and take that hook and make it do what I want it to do.  Help me to relax and realize that I'm just the thread.  Help me to step back and look at the intricate pattern of my life that He and He alone has created.  Help me to surrender, to trust, to accept each time that hook wraps my yarn around it--help me to let go.

I fell asleep with that prayer in my heart--thanking God for everything I could think of.  Worshipping Him and praising Him for each and every circumstance in my life.  And asking Him to give me strength and for His Holy Spirit to comfort me.  I fell asleep in the arms of my God.

When I woke up this morning I was surprised at how vivid and fresh last night's experience was.  I had my morning coffee, and my prayer time and then heard Him gently tell me to share it.  So, whoever is reading this now or in the future, whoever this is for--know this--God has a reason for every single thing He does.  Nothing is out of His control.  He is the master weaver.  And us?  Well, we are just a thread.

Chili--Low Carb Style

I have never been a lover of chili.  Mainly because I don't particularly care for the 2 chief ingredients.
Neither hamburger nor beans are on my list of favorites.  However, living here in Chicagoland it gets quite cold.  So, I've been cooking a lot this winter and experimenting with recipes--low carb of course.  One day I happened upon a low carb chili recipe and after some tweaking came up with my own version.  I can't tell you how many carbs are in each bowl.  I can tell you, however, how many bowls I want to eat!  I truly walk away from the dinner table rubbing my stomach.  It's that good.  I am now a chili lover--of my own chili that is.  I hope you like it too!

This recipe makes a big dutch oven full, eat it for 2 nights (you will want to) or freeze some for another night.  Or, halve the recipe or in my case--double it if you'd like.  It's really up to you.

2 lbs of lean ground beef
4 to 5 cups water
1 onion--chopped
2 cloves garlic--chopped
2 cups fresh mushrooms--chopped
1 cup red bell pepper--chopped
1 t cinnamon
1 t cumin
1 t Worcestershire sauce
2 t salt
1 t pepper
1 t chili powder (or to taste)
dash or 2 of red pepper flakes
1/2 t allspice
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 can (16 oz) chopped tomatoes
2 bay leaves

Brown the ground beef in the dutch oven, drain off the fat.  Add everything to the pot and simmer for about 3 hours or so.  The smell is awesome!  You can top off your bowl with sour cream and cheddar cheese if you'd like--we do!

-16

Reportedly Chicagoland hit an all-time low yesterday at -16.  Yes, that is not a typo, I just said -16. And let me tell you--baby, it was cold outside.  There were warnings issued, schools closed, flights canceled, and accidents galore.  Pretty much everyone stayed in.  Garbage collection was suspended, some stores stayed closed and others opened later than usual.  Here's the kicker though--even I stayed home.  I took the dog out for her morning potty time and could not believe how incredibly cold it was.  The word bitter, not even close to describing the cold that hit me full force.  So, I stayed home yesterday.  Even though I needed to make a run to the post office and grocery store, I elected to stay home.  And to keep warm--I cleaned.  Boring.  I know.  But now my house is clean.  I feel better.

However, I did venture out today.  You see it warmed up to -2 by noon, so I thought--what the heck.  I'll go run my errands today and get them over with.  And along the way, I learned a few things.  I thought I'd share them with you, as I discovered them.

1.  Snow tires are God's gift to the Midwest.
2.  -2 doesn't feel all the much different from -16.
3.  However, 0 feels warmer--go figure.
4.  Black ice isn't always black.
5.  Nose hairs do freeze, so does dog pee.
6.  The people who came up with snow boots and down everything are geniuses.
7.  Don't leave coke cans in the garage, they will freeze and burst.  Trust me on this.
8.  I crochet to keep my hands warm.
9.  There are lots of crafters in the Midwest--I didn't say we were good, I just said we craft.
10.  It kind of fun to watch other cars slide--just don't laugh at them.
11.  It's not fun to be in a sliding car, especially with a truck coming at you.
12.  Target is full of a lot of junk.  And I want it.
13.  If you start to fall on the ice--try to roll on your back without putting your hands out.
14.  Don't worry about how you look, everyone is doing it.
15.  Give in to hibernation, it's Gods way for Midwesterners.
16.  Buy some gym equipment, even if you don't use it.
17.  Tell people that you use it.
18.  Listen to music and dance.  Close your blinds if you need to.
19.  Read.  You'll appear to be smarter than you really are.
20.  While out shopping take pictures of books you'd like to read and then download them on to your Kindle when you get home.
21.  Internet shopping--it's almost as fun as the mall.
22.  Buy lots of scarves and gloves--don't worry, you'll use them.
23.  Dust off your recipes--cook and bake.  It's cold outside and it'll heat up your house.
24.  Forget about your hair during the winter.  It's called hat hair and we all have it.  Get over it.
25.  Don't let others ruin your winter.  If you love it, own it.  If not, shut up about it.  Stop your whining!  Spring will be here shortly.  Enjoy the snow, the beauty, and your fireplace.  Wear warm clothing, eat a lot and sing out loud.

The End.

Again--A Word

It's that time of year again.  The new year has begun, and our pastor has brought up the "word for the year" concept.  I'll admit something, I'm a little tired and worn out after these past few weeks.  With Thanksgiving and Christmas, New Years and family--I'm kind of pooped.  So thinking about a new word for this next year wasn't in the forefront of my mind.  I actually didn't even want to pray about it.  After all, I was still too tired from last year's word.  Why would I want a new word?  Seriously, that's exactly what I thought.

However, as our pastor was teaching yesterday morning, I felt God stirring my heart.  I tried for a bit to just ignore those stirrings, but I couldn't.  How can one ignore the voice of God?  I can't.  As I sat there I began to pray and ask Him--OK Lord, what is my word for this year?  Just what word do you have for me that is going to "motivate" me in the year 2014?  I wasn't very enthusiastic, but I was curious.  And as the morning wore on, I became more and more intrigued.

The minute He whispered the word into my heart, I knew it was mine.  I knew that it was my "word for the year".  When I heard it I chuckled.  It's was a funny word to me, one that didn't seem to make a lot of sense in those first few seconds.  I immediately got my iPhone out and looked it up.  I needed a correct definition, I mean, what if I hadn't heard it correctly.  I needed to know what this word meant, or what it could mean to me before I claimed it as mine, right?

Even the definition spoke to my heart.  Yes, this was my word alright.  My word for the year.  The word is--exude.  Yes, exude.  It means to discharge slowly and steadily.  That's going to prove interesting this year.  And I'm wondering--how is God going to use this particular word in my life?  I'm going to enjoy watching this play out.  I don't think I'll be bored, that's for sure.  I'm not sure how exciting it will be, but I do think that God is going to be teaching me a lot of things.  Maybe about being slow and steady.  It sort of sounds that way to me, however, I've been wrong before.

So as this year plays out I'm sure I'll be posting blogs concerning this word and how God is using it in my life--teaching me, guiding me, using me.  And I'm ready.  I'm ready to exude--especially my love for Him.