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Juice Detox…

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 8 March, 2014 No comment

The juice detox began and ended. I had mentioned a couple of days ago about our date night cheating episode. I must say Michael did okay but I killed the detox, I placed a knife directly in the middle of it and said “forget this!” :)

We went to Mexican food and I order a wet chimichanga. There is absolutely no positive health factor in this dish. (basically a wet chimichanga is a deep fried burrito but with delicious cream sauce lathered on top) I stuffed myself on chips and salsa as I always do because I am starved by the time I reach the restaurant that it’s almost pointless to order a meal. Michael on the other hand ordered fajitas but ate it without the tortillas. Pretty much no carbohydrates in this meal but he joined me pretty heavily on the chips and salsa.

By the end of the meal Michael thought he was going to throw up. I say this not to gross you out but because he realized how the 20 minutes of pleasure leads to 24 hours of pain. The exciting reality of going out to eat is all roses until after the meal when your tummy begins to hurt. The fruit and vegetables has been a huge eye opener for us. He honestly looks healthier and hasn’t craved the sweets he used to crave; the fruit fulfills that craving. He also mentioned that his energy has sustained him throughout the day instead of hitting the afternoon slump.

We decided we would stick pretty much to fruits, vegetables and healthy eating throughout the week and then come the weekend we will eat in moderation what we desire. :)

Moment of Truth: If you do a detox do NOT go out to eat when you decide to cheat. Ease yourself into the garbage you are craving. :)

He’s not finished with me yet

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 7 March, 2014 No comment

There’s a song that says “He’s not finished with me yet” but I find that hard to believe that Christ is ever finished with us until we go home to heaven. We are imperfect beings and will always fail no matter how many times we learn a lesson. But the great news in that still resides: “Christ isn’t finished with me yet!”

No matter how many times those around you fail and let you down or how many times you fail and let others down, you don’t have to earn back trust and forgiveness from God as we do from our loved ones. He meets us where we are, not where we need to be!

Don’t abuse your right of forgiveness by continuing to live in sin but live a life worthy of your calling. How many of you out there truly feel you know where God is calling you in life? This is a tough question. My husband and I have been battling this question for a couple of years. We know where we are is not where we want to be, but what road, path, steps laid before us are extremely blurry at this moment in time. We long to understand, we long to see and to walk confidently. Sometimes we say “if we just knew what lays ahead than we would avoid the problems along the way.” Unfortunately I completely disagree with that statement as if I knew what lays ahead of me, often I would avoid the road all together to avoid pain, hurt, and failure which in turn would keep me from going anywhere. Be careful what you wish for, often the blind roads are the roads worth traveling and ultimately bring the most glory. If you are in the midst of the beaten path in utter darkness and can’t even see the hand in front of your face, I can promise if you seek God, you will look back and say “I wouldn’t have changed it for the world.” Many times God uses the beaten, broken path to force dependence upon Him utilizing us for His glory, not our own.

Thanks to dubiousdub.blogspot.com for the picture

I know that my husband and I want to take steps to change our current circumstances, but many questions often remain. Sometimes we try and light our own path forgetting that we are lost in the forest with no compass but the Lord. Lately, I’ve been trying to remember that our circumstances are petty compared to who our God truly is. He created the heavens and the earth. He tells the sun when to rise. He taught the rooster when to crow. (Job 38) Do we understand these concepts? He is beyond anything we can comprehend. We must not doubt our God as He knows what is best for us!

Read these verses and lift up your concerns and doubts to our Heavenly Father who spoke us into being.

38 Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:

²“Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? ³Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.⁴“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. ⁵Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? ⁶On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone— ⁷while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?⁸“Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, ⁹when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, ¹⁰when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, ¹¹when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt’?¹²“Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place, ¹³that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it? ¹⁴The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features stand out like those of a garment. ¹⁵The wicked are denied their light, and their upraised arm is broken.¹⁶“Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep? ¹⁷Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness? ¹⁸Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth? Tell me, if you know all this.¹⁹“What is the way to the abode of light? And where does darkness reside? ²⁰Can you take them to their places? Do you know the paths to their dwellings? ²¹Surely you know, for you were already born! You have lived so many years!²²“Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail, ²³which I reserve for times of trouble, for days of war and battle? ²⁴What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed, or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth? ²⁵Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain, and a path for the thunderstorm, ²⁶to water a land where no one lives, an uninhabited desert, ²⁷to satisfy a desolate wasteland and make it sprout with grass? ²⁸Does the rain have a father? Who fathers the drops of dew? ²⁹From whose womb comes the ice? Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens ³⁰when the waters become hard as stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen?³¹“Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades? Can you loosen Orion’s belt? ³²Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons or lead out the Bear with its cubs? ³³Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set up God’s dominion over the earth?³⁴“Can you raise your voice to the clouds and cover yourself with a flood of water? ³⁵Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’? ³⁶Who gives the ibis wisdom or gives the rooster understanding? ³⁷Who has the wisdom to count the clouds? Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens ³⁸when the dust becomes hard and the clods of earth stick together?³⁹“Do you hunt the prey for the lioness and satisfy the hunger of the lions ⁴⁰when they crouch in their dens or lie in wait in a thicket? ⁴¹Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food

God is not finished with you yet. He is longing to show His power to you in the best possible way, but you have to allow Him to do this and accept it. Do not fear the Lord and His will over your life. You can have an extraordinary life if you seek for it! When you are walking in blindness you must constantly seek the Lord for your very next step. Stay on the narrow path! Don’t lose sight and look too far ahead as you may miss what comes next.

Moment of Truth: Ask God to reveal the things you do not have the capacity to know without His divine revelation.

Hot Dog Hash

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 7 March, 2014 No comment

Hot Dog Hash is delightful to any age and any mouth that is a picky eater. This is great for breakfast/brunch or dinner. It also makes for a great camping meal, simply wrap in foil and cook over the fire.

Ingredients:

8 hot dogs
4 large potatoes
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 apple, diced
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic salt
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
Dijon mustard

Cook hot dogs to your preference. Once cooked, slice hot dogs open and place in a glass dish. Broil for 3 minutes or until crispy.

Meanwhile, add diced potatoes to a skillet and sauté for 4 minutes and add mushrooms, apple and onions along with seasoning and continue cooking until done, reaching desired crispness for the potatoes.

Once cooked, top with mozzarella cheese.

Spoon into a serving bowl and top with open faced hot dog and Dijon mustard.

As you have seen by previous hot dog dishes, I attempt to do something extraordinary for my hot dogs rather then always eating them with a bun. So delicious and puts the right spin on a hot dog meal.

Check out my other recipes here:

Bacon-Wrapped-Hot-Dogs

Tasty-Dogs

Buttermilk

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 6 March, 2014 No comment

Making your own buttermilk is entirely too easy to not share. I honestly don’t see a point in purchasing buttermilk when you can easily make your own.

Here’s how:

Buttermilk is something I never have on hand. An easy trick to make your own buttermilk is to place the milk in the proper measuring cup leaving a tiny bit of room at the top. Add 1 tbsp. of white vinegar and let sit for 2-3 minutes. (If making more than 2 cups add 1 tbsp. per cup of vinegar) A layer will separate on the top of the milk beginning the process of turning the milk into buttermilk.

So easy!

Bad mom moment

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 6 March, 2014 No comment

Attention! Attention! Calling all bad moms, yes calling all bad moms.

I had a moment last night where my son fell and hit his head numerous times and kept crying and crying. It was so sad, his little feet would whip out below him and he would fall so hard on his little back. Rushing to his aid I would cradle him and hold him tightly and say “it’s going to be okay, mommy’s here!” Where is the bad mom moment, well here it comes…

Here’s a little back-end of the story, earlier in the day I had polished our floors. Not only did I polish them but I swept, vacuumed, mopped and then I proceeded to polish our wood floors. Our entire house is wood floor except for the bedrooms. Our floors were desperately needing a good solid hands and knee scrub. It was a lot of work and I felt a huge sense of accomplishment….. until now. I placed my son in his little jammies getting him ready for bed with plenty of play time still ahead in the evening but I wanted him all ready for bed when Daddy arrived home from work.

This little man and his little jammies were in such a battle with our freshly polished wood floors. The bottom of his feet would whip out from below him. Causing him to fall on his back and ultimately his head. His little feet could not grab on, he had absolutely no control. He wiped out probably 6 to 7 times, yes I am a bad mom for even allowing that many falls. Finally I began to hold him but that didn’t work he wanted down, he wanted to run, he wanted to play, he wanted to get all of his little wiggles out before he laid his head down for the night. The very last time he slipped, he looked like Bambi on ice trying to walk for the first time. It was slow motion, his legs bouncing back and forth, back and forth and finally he falls, feet so high in the air he hit his head first. I ran to his side swooped him up in my arms, began to cuddle and hold him dear…. okay hold it… I wish that’s what happened! Although it did happen the previous 7 times unfortunately this time I swooped him up with a belly roar of laughter.

At that moment last night of snuggling and cuddling the 7 times he fell, it was so sad yet there was nothing I could do….I couldn’t make it stop. But the last time, I hysterically started laughing, laughing so uncontrollably hard I was crying myself. The very thought of trying not to laugh only made me laugh harder! It was that deep belly roar of a laugh, the tears were flowing and poor little Cooper being held in my arms crying big crocodile tears couldn’t understand, he would stop in the middle of a deep cry and look at me utterly confused and broken. This poor boy needed compassion and sensitivity as this was not the first fall of the evening. I handed him to his father who was in the other room and had no clue what had just happened; his son crying and wife hysterically laughing her head off.

thanks to someecards.com

Have you ever had a particular moment such as this? A moment where you have no control but something is so funny at that particular time that all you can do is deep belly roar? Do you ever have those moments looking back feeling like a failure of a mother? Where was that compassion and sensitivity that you always have?

HA! Been there, done that! But I must say it still gives me a good chuckle thinking back on it. There was no rhyme or reason as to why this was funny to me, it just was at the moment in time.

Lesson Learned:

Problem after Problem

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 5 March, 2014 No comment

I can’t seem to grasp that life simply just happens…. You literally have no control over what takes place and the reality is why try? It’s going to happen anyways. I guess this is what I am resorting to. You have heard of all our house drama with the clogged pipe, desperate need of a French drain, flooded laundry room, rotten pipe leaking waste, and now this. This morning on my way to Church I smelt gas filling our driveway. It was almost as I walked into a gas chamber with myself, Cooper and the car. I strapped Cooper in his car seat and head out not feeling too concerned as the smell only resided outside at that particular time. When I reached church the smell was incredibly pungent when I stepped outside. A gal who parked behind me even commented on it.

“but why mommy, I don’t understand”

As I was leaving church I received the strong scent killing my brain cells as I stepped towards the car. This time as I was driving down the road, the smell began to fill the entire inside of my car. Who passed out first, Cooper or me? Well thank the good Lord above no one passed out but I must say I had to pull over and call the dealership as I was extremely frightened that my car was going to ignite and scatter us into a million pieces. And to be quite frank, I was extremely light-headed!

Knowing that our car would need to be fixed we didn’t want to make any drastic decisions that our pocketbook would later say “this is no good.” So I put our lives on the line and drove 25 miles to my husbands work to exchange cars while he did some research. Good thing I did because this has been a common problem with thousands out there. We also have a friend who lives in California who works for the same dealership and solidified our concerns. He said we wont blow up into a million pieces but it needs to be fixed very quickly.

It’s extremely weird but the problem only exists when the gas tank is full. Once the fuel level drops, the leak desists. Needless to say, I was thankful to rotate cars as I was concerned for my son but it doesn’t help that my husband now has the problem.

Pray he doesn’t pass out on his drive home tonight. ;)

Moment of Truth: We are alive and didn’t pass out and I live to see my husband and son another day. :) Rejoice in the little things.

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 5 March, 2014 No comment

I made these muffins this past weekend and was very fond of how quickly they went through the mouths in our house. We all loved them. They have the proper amount of flavor mixed with crunch from the nuts and seeds. They are healthy and without all the added preservatives from boxed or store bought muffins. They make for a great breakfast or snack throughout the day and you don’t have to feel guilty if your son eats three in one sitting as mine did. :)

Ingredients:

1 ¾ cup rolled oats
½ cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup flax seed flour
¾ cup honey
¼ cup chia seeds
1 tbsp flax seeds
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt

1 ½ cups buttermilk
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
2 cups blueberries
2 tbsp flour
½ cup pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl combine first ten ingredients: oats, flour, honey, seeds, cinnamon, powder, soda and salt. Mix well.

First 10 ingredients

I grease the measuring cup with oil before adding the honey. This will help the honey come out 100% leaving the measuring cup 100% clean from the stickiness.

Slowly stir in buttermilk*, oil, vanilla and eggs. Mix really well.

In a small bowl toss blueberries with flour and coat well. (This helps the juices not soak into the muffins and dye them all blue-black)

Add blueberries and pecans.

In a greased muffin tin or with muffin cups use a ¼ cup measuring cup to easily pour into the muffins.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

*Buttermilk is something I never have on hand. An easy trick to make your own buttermilk is to place the milk in the proper measuring cup leaving a tiny bit of room at the top. Add 1 tbsp. of white vinegar and let sit for 2-3 minutes. (If making more than 2 cups add more vinegar) A layer will separate on the top of the milk beginning the process of turning the milk into buttermilk.

Enjoy!

(adapted from Cooking Light first foods)

Wickedness

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 4 March, 2014 No comment

This morning I headed to Bible study and it seemed as though everything kept me from being on time as usual:

Cooper woke up soaked from head to toe. Quick bath. Quick breakfast. Coffee spilt. Beat traffic. Drop Cooper off in toddler room. Head back to the car for his pacifier and diapers. Rush into study 20 minutes late.

This is how my morning proceeded but I kept plugging along. It did get better. Although many times I kept asking myself why I was trying. Surprised I didn’t give up on the morning, I took a sigh of relief as I sat there for the remainder of the devotion taking place. Hearing the last few sentences before heading to my personal class on Deeper Still by Beth Moore, Kay Arthur and Pricilla Shirer unsure why every time I try to proceed with something positive and healthy for me, everything is against me trying to keep it from happening or simply causing many distractions to take place before I even step foot in the building. Unfortunately the many questions of why should I keep trying to plug through, my tiny brain telling me I am there for a purpose and a great purpose that is; to grow deeper in my faith with Christ. Standing to break as we head to our individual classes I head immediately to get a refill on my coffee that was well needed this morning; taking a break to chat along the way.

I sit in class for a second trying to compose my self, focus my thoughts and prepare to listen and learn.

(Sigh)

Awe the thoughts that rushed through my head all through study continued to fill my mind even on the drive home:

I’m realizing as each day passes, God is doing a mighty work. Friends, we must choose to believe this. This is same God that gave us the power to move mountains if we simply believe. We don’t understand that power. We just don’t! We would live a radical life if we truly believed this one fact Christ has given us. We hold such weight on our immediate circumstances that our vision becomes cloudy before we even realize it. Our perspective gets lost on the trivial situations we face rather then the purpose God is trying to fulfill through these situations. Every day brings about hundreds if not thousands of distractions. Are you one full of distractions as I am, or are you simply pushing God away feeling He serves no purpose in your life? Or do would you rather not be involved with the hypocrisy of “Christians,” you get along just fine without Him or them?

Here’s some food for thought…

Our pastor spoke on the simple distractions that cause our belief to become angry towards God and keep asking for more signs as if we haven’t already been given enough.

The cornerstone of wickedness is what you do with it for Christ.

People can see Jesus if they want to, yet many people simply push it aside because they don’t want to hear about it. They think they are better than that and have life under control; their control. (I’m speaking more towards those who make excuses for committing their life to Christ) I used to be there, I thought I had life all figured out, I was a responsible adult and didn’t need any advice unless it was my own. I was blind, blind to truth and things that ultimately mattered for eternity. My simple pleasures in life would quickly blow away in the wind, no weight holding them down; materialism and popularity was all I believed in. Being on both sides I can relate, but I still find utter foolishness for blaming the hypocrites of the church as we will search to find anything wrong with a “Christian.” We avoid looking into the mirror realizing we have too many of our own problems that it has become easier to convince yourself that Christians are hypocrites and that’s your final answer. Rather than turning towards Christ, you turn towards people to convince you of this truth or rather steer you away. Your hope is in the wrong thing, people will always let you down.

When people start to question the Lord, it’s easier for them to begin blaming others out of fear that their deeds well be exposed (John 3:20-21). Their heart will show their true colors and that can be very scary for most people who want to push God away. People who want ‘signs’ that God is real and wasn’t simply a historical figure begin demanding that Christ performs that miracle He said He could do. These people are out to “test” God for who He says He is rather then acknowledge the signs already given to them; they’ve chosen simply not to see it.

Thanks to asburyandasbury.typepad.com for the photo

John 7:17 states “Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teachings come from God or whether I speak on my own.” He is stating the truth that penetrate the hearts of those who believe in Him. Truth will be shown to those who seek; they will find. The problem is the disposition of the heart; is your heart teachable or do you have a defensive heart shoving truth to the farthest corner possible? This verse also explains why unbelievers simply don’t get it; their hearts are unteachable and they don’t want to see the real truth. And until their hearts begin to change, no one can ever convince someone of Christ’s promises. I’ve been there, my heart was beyond unteachable for years! I had every excuse under the sun as to why I didn’t need God and why my life was so much easier on my own. Unfortunately, God took my words and found me in the pit of despair; I had nothing left to offer. It was ugly. Sometimes it takes our stubborn attitudes to be completely humiliated before we finally surrender, this was me, I had to come to a humbling point in my life to realize the deep need for Christ. I learned the hard way, I know unfortunately too many others who have or are going through their humbling experience as well; pride is the root of all evil.

It fascinates me that we are the one nation that has everything figured out; wealth, fame, materialism at our fingertips, job security, suburban lifestyles, 2.5 kids, and so on and so forth. But do we really have it all figured out? We are also the one nation that has Christ at our fingertips yet we are the one nation who takes Christ for granted because we have everything else to make us happy. There are countries burning people at the stake for their faith. People choosing God and living a radical life is causing them to die, people care so much to keep faith uncovered, ignored and controlled, that they would rather kill one another to attempt to disprove God. Many countries have underground churches and we have every opportunity to believe in Christ and have His very Word in our homes but we still need more signs, more miracles to convince us. Many homes in America have the Bible, even homes that don’t believe in God. Hotels even have a Bible in the nightstand while most of America still chooses to not believe. We hear all too often that it’s just another book, yet for some reason it brings about controversy and is important enough to have millions of rooms throughout thousands of hotels filled with the Bible. But it’s just another book right? Lets keep killing people for something that is ordinary and has no power. Friends, if this was true, other countries wouldn’t fight to stay alive and fight for God and fight for that freedom or religion that we have.

The love for the world is so deep. Stop asking for signs, you have it readily before you. The spirit convicts and you choose to listen or willfully be blind.

Moment of Truth: God does not call you to put your trust in a church or its people, only Jesus Christ who is no hypocrite. Seek and you WILL find.

Juice Detox day 5

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 3 March, 2014 No comment

And… we are on day 5 of our fruit and veggie detox. My husband called this morning telling me he snuck some sugar into his coffee as he treated himself to his “birthday drink” at Starbucks. :) The cheating has officially begun. :)

Tonight we got a babysitter and my husband decided to tell me he is going to cheat on our date as he really wants steak and sautéed vegetables. So, we are cheating but he doesn’t want carbs. I had a feeling this would come at some point and though I don’t blame him as it can get very tiring to eat the same things meal in and meal out. I am still watching him closely. :)

Zucchini, Carrots and Tofu

Keeping you up to date and on your toes while we embark the remaining 5 days of “juicing” or shall I say cheating? Will he remain strong the next few days or will tonight begin the sinkhole of eating “real” food again?

Stay tuned for the remainder of the 5 days!

Forgiveness Breeds Bitterness

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 3 March, 2014 No comment

F-O-R-G-I-V-E-N-E-S-S

The weight of this word is immensely draining, powerful and liberating. Each of us are in one of these categories. Forgiving to some people may force you to believe that what that person has done to you has now been excused and justified because you took the step to forgive. It seems almost impossible to forgive when they have destroyed you to the core. Unforgiving hearts hold rage and bitterness that grabs ahold of your heartstrings convincing you that they deserve to be treated poorly now that they have wronged you. Ask yourself this: what power does this hold over your life by not forgiving them? Maybe pride, arrogance, control, or selfishness? Really you’ve gained nothing but a bitter heart.

For others, maybe forgiving comes really easy to you. You understand we all make mistakes, we let others down from time to time and we all need forgiveness to help move ahead in life

And for the remainder of you, you may be somewhere in between. Feeling you are a forgiving person only to realize days, months and years later you never really dealt with it and truly forgave them. Now you find it comes up in ways you never expected, leaving you angry that years have passed by and you really haven’t moved ahead.

I’ve seen bitterness take root in a few people and the depths of the anger has been extremely astonishing to me how deep the bitterness resides within them. It’s scary to me how much blame is poured on those around them unwilling to accept responsibility for ones own actions truly believing that they are entirely innocent. Unforgiving hearts lead to immense anger and blame and at that point it gets scary!

Forgiveness is very challenging and can vary depending on the depth in which you’ve been wronged. You know, Christ was the ultimate sacrifice; forgiving the very men who spat on Him, beat Him, tantalized Him, and even crucified Him. After reminding yourself of this, how than can you justify not forgiving your enemy? Forgiving does NOT mean they haven’t sinned against you or that they are right in their actions and are free to continue to treat you poorly. Forgiveness must come from Christ allowing him to heal your heart of the pain that comes with it and without expecting something in return. You are NOT responsible for them or for their actions, you must forgive to continue to grow your own heart and walk with Christ free of guilt and shame, free of bitterness and anger.

Thanks to thiskalidescopeheartofmine.com

Thanks to thiskaleidescopeheartofmine.com

Moment of Truth: Who have you not forgiven that you know needs your forgiveness? If you are struggling with the pain from this person, seek the Lord and ask for help to forgive them without holding expectations that they will become someone different; someone who treats you properly. Ask for guidance to become the person God has created you to be without holding a grudge on your loving enemies.