Works of God Monday

I am praising the Lord for His provision today! Without sharing too many details, God has allowed our resources to stretch beyond what I thought possible - and I am praising Him for providing for our needs! I am also very thankful that Michael has a job - and that God continues to provide work for the company. In Michigan's economy, Bright Construction has continued to have an abundance of work. What a blessing!

I'm also thankful that my sweet husband was able to take our kids to church yesterday while I tried to sleep off a headache. He then made sure the boys were fed so I wouldn't have to worry about it and also worked on my neck to help ease the pain. What a guy!

Oh, and do you need this reminder?? I certainly did, as this day has not started out quite the way I expected. Or wanted. Let's choose to praise Him together!!

So, what is God doing in your life this week?

"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up..." 1 Thess. 5:11

In the Linky Tools widget below, simply type your name in the title box, or a short description of the work that God has done, and then in the second box, paste the specific link from your "Works of God Monday" post. If you don't have a blog, use the comment section! Feel free to use the image from the top of this post if you like!

random

SO a couple weeks ago, I was sitting in the mall at a Pampered Chef booth, and business was sloooooow, so I began doing the only thing available to me to do - watch people. This can be very fun, and I wrote down a few observations. I found that paper today.

1. Some people are so skinny that it is literally hard to imagine all of their organs actually fitting into their bodies.

2. I hope electric scooters have seat belts. There was one guy I saw several times, cruising at breakneck speed.

3. I don't like skinny jeans, but they are worse on boys. Even worse than skinny jeans on a boy is when he decides to sag them, pants-on-the-ground style. EW, ew, ew.

yes, it's Wednesday.

I'm hoping the beginning of June will signal the beginning of a wonderful break. We shall see. It's BUSY around here!! gotta go! I hope this tides you over until I can post again. Aaron has discovered, like the generations before him, how entertaining you can be when accompanied by a mirror and your imagination. Enjoy!

kids.

Our kiddos are a constant source of laughter. Aaron's been saying some pretty cute things lately - I needed to write them down. Here is one I can remember - "I don't want my hair made" (I can't bear to correct that one - he is saying he doesn't want me to do his hair, it's so stinkin' cute.)

Today, while cleaning, I found a bowl of almond milk in the pantry next to an open box of almond milk. I asked Aaron to come talk to me about it, and he was immediately remorseful. I need to figure out how to help him understand that his actions and words cause problems. A simple "Sorry for doing that" just doesn't cut it - it's not as big of a deal today with the almond milk as it was yesterday when he tipped Evan's high chair over - with Evan in it!

Evan is teething. Again. I feel so bad for his poor little self. SO thankful for store brand ibuprofen that is not included in the recall.

And one more thing - I am so grossed out by the rubber ducky bath toy that, after almost 3 years in our bath toy basket, decided to suddenly grow disgusting mold on the inside. He's now a resident of the trash can, and probably will not be replaced. EW. Not worth bleaching, in my opinion. You can never get all the water out of him anyway. Why do they make those with holes in the bottom???

All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. Teach me your way, O LORD,that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. (Ps 86:9-12, esv)

Works of God

ACK! It's Tuesday already - and still no post!! It's been almost an entire month since we had Works of God Monday. Rest assured, God is WORKING - and I am busy this week, but rest assured I am praising Him for who He is and what He is doing! Here are some quickly written blessings this week - maybe you can join in on this! :-)

1. Good health, for all of us and for my dad, especially - he's been sick with some strange virus and is about fully recovered!

2. Great opportunities! I was able to sign up for Bible Study Fellowship last night and am excited for next fall's Isaiah study - and for my kids' opportunity to also study the same thing at the same time! I'm also looking forward to meeting some other ladies from the community who want to study God's Word.

3. God's provision! I found some checks yesterday while I was decluttering and sorting the mail and I thought I'd already deposited them. Hallelujah! About $50 - and this month we are going to need it! Also, praising God for a particular blessing in my Pampered Chef business!!

God is always at work - would you share what He is doing in your heart, in your family this week?

"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up..." 1 Thess. 5:11

In the Linky Tools widget below, simply type your name in the title box, or a short description of the work that God has done, and then in the second box, paste the specific link from your "Works of God Monday" post. If you don't have a blog, use the comment section! Feel free to use the image from the top of this post if you like!

Quick Health Update

Well, some of you may know that I've been to a nutritionist, and along with affirming my decision to cut wheat and gluten out of my diet, she also asked me to remove all non-raw dairy (I can have aged cheeses and raw milk products) and put me on some nutritional supplements for low thyroid function (among other things).

I went to her originally because I was at the end of my rope with strange gastrointestinal symptoms and (despite a careful diet and 3-5x/wk exercise) slow and steady weight gain. I knew if I went to see my doctor, at best he'd send me for blood work (which I'm not doing without first trying other things) and at worst he'd prescribe something to mask the symptoms rather than coming to a conclusion about the cause. I made an appointment to see an acupuncturist who purportedly can remove food sensitivities, but she couldn't see me until September (still waiting on that one!) So nutrition was my next non-invasive choice.

I've been gluten-free for about a month and a half, processed-dairy free for almost a month, and on the supplements as long as I've been off dairy.

I NEVER expected things to be righting themselves so well - my symptoms have all but disappeared, and while I really miss things like whole wheat bread, I have to say the way I feel - and the TEN POUNDS I've lost more than make up for it. I am SO grateful that God is allowing a more natural, less invasive solution for me! Thanks to those who prayed!!

keeping busy

Here's Evan, noshing on black beans, his fave. I think he looks a little bit vigilante here, with is bandanna bib and his "5 o'clock shadow" of bean juice.

Of course, the smile makes him totally disarming.

He would make one horribly happy vigilante.













My newest way to keep Aaron busy.

Construction paper.

Water.

Paintbrush.

Voila! "Painting"

That is his FAVORITE outfit. It's one serious task to get it off and into the washing machine.

there are no more leftovers.

And thus, there are no more photos.

So, yesterday was Cinco de Mayo, a big holiday at our house - bigger by far than, say, Valentine's Day, just as an example. *grin* And it is really only big because I cook a big Meican-ish meal.

Here was our menu:
Home Canned Pinto Beans
Cilantro Lime Rice
Pico de Gallo
(3lbs roma tomatoes, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1 largeish seeded minced jalapeno (from which I should not have removed all the seeds, but one never can be sure with jalapenos!), 1/2 cup cilantro, sea salt)
Guacamole
(quick and mild version - 2 smushed avocados sprinkled with Lawry's seasoned salt)
Slow Roasted shredded beef
(1 smallish chuck roast plus 1 14-oz jar of mild banana pepper rings and 1 cup of medium-hot salsa, roasted all day in the crock pot, separated from fat, bones, gristle, and shredded. I cannot even begin to tell you how yummy this is. I also warmed up a few tamales that, as it turned out, should have been tastier. Or spicier, maybe. I didn't make them, so I didn't sweat it. Ha, ha.

I ate a big stack of rice, beans, beef, pico de gallo, and guac. And Michael just ate and ate. We definitely should have had friends over to share. I packed up the few leftovers in his lunch for today, and now all that remains is some of the beef and a bunch of pico de gallo, which we will not have trouble eating. It was one of those meals that we kept taking a bite and saying, "oh, this is SO GOOD!" I'm still remembering with fondness those bites of bliss.

Almost enough to re-create it for tonight. Almost. But then I'd have to re-wash all those dishes. But truly, you have got to try these items all together, with some tortilla chips. So delightful. And not hard at all!

Yay for delicious, nutritious, home-cooked gluten- and dairy- free food!

Never too young

Look at that happy kid,

"helping"

Priceless.

Right, so it's Wednesday now...

And I still haven't posted for Works of God Monday! God has definitely been working on me this week - my attitude has needed some serious adjusting! The stomach bug hit me hard in the wee hours of Monday and I was pretty much down for the count all day - sleeping almost an entire day. Yesterday was challenging for other reasons, but I think I have emerged from the fog and now I'm trying to catch up and do our normal, crazy, Wednesday stuff. We'll skip this week, officially, but feel free to leave a comment on this post if you have a blessing you would like to share from last week!!

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

Garlic Quinoa Pilaf with Toasted Pinenuts

1 cup rinsed quinoa
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock or broth
3T finely chopped onion (I used green this time)
1-2 minced garlic cloves
1 T olive oil
2-3T pine nuts
salt to taste

Thoroughly rinse the quinoa, then add to medium saucepan with the stock/broth. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook 10-15 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Meanwhile, toast the pinenuts in a dry skillet until golden and fragrant. Remove from pan (carefully!) and set aside. Heat the oil, add onions and saute until lightly brown and/or transparent, adding garlic midway. Remove from heat.

When quinoa is cooked, fluff and stir in onions/garlic and pinenuts. Taste. Add more salt, if necessary (it was for me, but I was using homemade stock).

Caution: this might not be the best dish for you to make if you have toddlers or messy preschoolers in your family and want to keep the surfaces clean. But it is delicious.