Mother of Seven + 2

There once was a land where tall tales were oft told the more outrageous the news the better it sold From virus and vaccines To elections and fraud Who knew what to believe Of truth they'd been robbed The mad rush was on Empty shelves glaring bold Frantic runs on the market Toilet paper the new gold They lived frantic They lived stressed Isolated at home their lives were a mess Amidst all the chaos A voice strong and bold was being suppressed as fear took ahold The peace in the storm was offered with love The light in the darkness still shone from above The question remained if man would see If light would be found and people set free Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

    In the early morning dark I sit with coffee cradled warm within my hands.  My gratitude journal lays open beside me.  I've been on a journey.  A journey to a life more filled with joy and gratitude.  Each day I start by trying to give thanks...especially for the little things, the overlooked things.  Some days I do better then others.  Lists long.  Lists short fill the entries.  I realize how much easier it has become to count, to praise, to thank.  God is opening my eyes to his ever present presence.  Gratefulness for His goodness just this past weekend overwhelms me.    All the gifts...     Children eager in the backseat asking every 10 minutes, "How much longer?"  Looking forward to an overnight stay with big sister, Kayt, and her husband, Sam.  Staying up past bedtime, playing games, cooking, and visiting the pumpkin patch all the things they look forward to.  Anticipation builds durin...

I want to be sought after. Pursue me I want to be loved.  Spend time with me I want to be heard. Listen to me RELATIONSHIP I want relationship, fellowship, communion. It is the craving of my soul. It was there.  In the Garden long ago. God loved his creation. He desired to spend time with them. He sought them out. He talked with them in the cool of the day. It was a time of holy communion. It was sweet fellowship. It was the relationship that God desired. RELATIONSHIP It was the intent of their God. It was the reason man was created. But it was broken. The relationship. The fellowship. The sweet communion. SIN It severed. It destroyed. It killed. And this is the struggle of life.   A craving for relationship. And sin that separates. Sin that tells me lies. Sin that whispers, "You will not surely die." Instead of chasing my Maker. Instead of filling up on Him. I fill my belly with forbidden fruit... Relationships Possessions Entertainment Mon...

3 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained 1 can of corn, drained 1 orange, red, or yellow pepper, chopped 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes 1 cup chopped red onion 1/2 c. finally chopped fresh cilantro 1 medium jalapeno, finally chopped 1/2 t. lime zest juice from one lime or 2 T. 1/4 c. olive oil 1/4 c. white wine vinegar 1/2 t. chili powder 1/2 t. Cumin 1/2 t. salt Garnish:  1 avocado sliced In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and toss to combine.  Place sliced avocado on top right before serving.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Ingredients 1 2/3 c steel cut oats 4 c water 1/4 t salt Additional ingredients (your choice) milk (I use almond) cinnamon nutmeg cardamom raisins apples (chopped) other dried fruit nuts or seeds unsweetened applesauce honey 5 pint sized jars 1.  Place the oats, water, and salt in a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat and simmer for about 3 minutes, stirring a few times to prevent sticking.  Turn off the heat. 2.  Using a ladle, evenly distribute oats and water mixture into pint jars.  Cover jars tightly with caps and rings, and leave on the counter overnight. 3.  The next morning the oats will be soft and ready to eat.  You can add spices, nuts, and dried fruit to each of your jars according to your taste.  Replace the lids and put the jars in the refrigerator. 4.  When you're ready to eat your oatmeal, remove the lid and ring and microwave right in the jar for 2-3 minutes...

I have struggled the past six years.  The struggle has been with forgiveness.   I want to think I have forgiven, but it comes back to haunt me over and over. Deep hurt and pain do not go away overnight.  Betrayal changed me.  The "open armed" love that I had embraced life with was replaced with fear of being hurt again.  Depression and anxiety became my companions. How to forgive became the question?  Or was it how to keep forgiving when new wounds were exposed?  How to keep forgiving when the old wounds festered and broke open?  How to forgive when the one who has wronged me does not seek forgiveness? Loving broken children is never easy.  However, I still truly believe every child deserves love and a chance at a better life. Our on-going struggle with Troy who was nearly eight when he came to us was no secret.  He was severely wounded.  We prayed.  We enlisted many to pray with us.  We loved with all we had....

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."  Ephesians 4:32 One of the first verses I memorized as a child was Ephesians 4:32.  I remember my dad telling me how he often had to quote the same verse when he fought with his brother.  Following the family tradition, my children all knew this verse as the "B verse" in our alphabet memory verses.  A fight would break out, and I was ask them to quote the "B verse."  When the fighting didn't stop, they earned the privilege of writing it on paper ten times. One particular child wrote Ephesians 4:32 so many times that at the age of 6, he proudly proclaimed to his grandparents that he could spell the word "compassionate."  Yes.  Yes, he could.  He had much practice.  Being kind was hard for this child, but I often found it much harder as a parent to teach the second portion of this verse. We had many a "face off."  Two angry chil...