Thursday, October 29, 2009

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for my body.

It is far from perfect.

Sometimes our life is so busy that our body is the last thing that we take care of. Do you ever intend to exercise and eat more whole foods but you find yourself saying tomorrow I will .....?

This morning while exercising on the treadmill I started thinking about the 'burden' of taking care of my body.

The truth is, my body is a gift from God.

Even though it doesn't look or act the way that I want it to, it is a gift and I have a daily choice to either serve it well or serve it poorly.

I believe that you cannot separate the body from the spirit. They work hand in hand - the physical side affects the spiritual and mental sides also.

I think that if I learn how to love the body that God gave me that I will be more diligent in taking care of it.

I'm not going to lie, it is hard work. But I'm hoping someday the 'burden' will transform in to a 'blessing'.

Today I am grateful for the gift of my body.

I am thankful that I am alive and well.

I am grateful that I can choose differently.


"I'm happy from the inside out, and from the outside in, I'm firmly formed."
Psalm 16:9

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

it's Wicked out there

Our first Colorado winter snow storm is showing its face. Earlier than some years the snow has been falling steadily for hours and its wicked out there.

The roads are worse in the Denver area than they are here...which we had the pleasure of finding out first hand during our long road trip south this morning.

Even though the roads were icky our trip to the capital city was well worth it. Jeff and I, along with his entire church staff and their spouses met for dinner and a show - the musical production of Wicked.

Wicked is celebrating its 6th year on Broadway this month.

The story is a tongue-in-cheek back story about what was happening in the Land of Oz before Dorothy and Toto were dropped in by a Kansas tornado.

It underscores the social message: don't jump too quickly to judge by what you see happening on the surface - "Things are not what they seem"

I loved the inventive story.

I loved the cast.

In my opinion the stand out was the smart green-skinned "wicked witch of the west" Elphaba played by Donna Vivino. She is a dynamic all-around performer.
Glinda, played by newcomer Chandra Lee Schwartz was also enjoyable as the "good witch". I appreciated her silky soprano voice and her adorable yet ditsy character.

So, even though the roads are wicked, seeing Wicked was worth it!

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Whatever Happened to Thankful Thursday?

If you've been a reader on this blog for awhile then you may have wondered whatever happened to the 'Thankful Thursday' posts.


The hiatus wasn't intentional but as the temperatures rose this past summer and we were having too much fun in the sun I wasn't taking the extra time to share my thankful musings.


As we approach Thanksgiving I desire to share my reflections about grateful living on a more regular basis.


There is no doubt that I continue to have a stirring in my spirit to grow in the area of gratitude. I feel this past year has prompted a greater awareness of how much I have to be grateful for.

And, as a good friend of mine says, "awareness brings change".


As my awareness sharpens I continue to desire a deeper sense of gratitude.

Having gratitude is a powerful choice. Through gratitude we open up a space to see God in each detail of our life. When we choose gratitude, we see the activity of God all around us and in turn recognize the good things that God has for us.


Today I am thankful for today. For the candle lit in the kitchen, the laughter of little people that filled the house, enjoying friends over a Thai dinner at home, horsey rides, snuggling our children, and a long nap.

I loved today.

I rejoice and thank God for what today was - a normal day - a day to embrace and receive God's little gifts that matter.

"O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endures for ever." Psalms 107:1

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Ratatouille

I heart Ratatouille.

Lately I've been eating more vegetables and this past weekend I made this delicious dish.

It is so yummy, its like a party in my mouth!

Ratatouille

1/4 cup olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 bell peppers (any color), chopped
1-2 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 yellow summer squash, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
(or substitute fresh tomatoes)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. basil
add other herbs as desired

In a stock pot, saute onion and garlic in 1 tbsp. oil for 5 minutes.
Add 1 tbsp. oil and eggplant and stir-fry for 5 minutes.
Add another tbsp. oil and the peppers and cook 5 minutes.
Add the last tbsp. oil and the zucchini; cook for 5 more minutes.
Then add seasonings and drained tomatoes;
Cover and simmer for 30 minutes stirring occasionally.

Use ratatouille to top spaghetti squash or as a vegetable side dish.

(the left-overs warm up great)
Enjoy!

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Helmet & Tutu

Meet Caleb, lover of all things boy.

Recently Caleb was given this red bicycle helmet by an older friend. It's as good as new and he is infatuated with it. He wanted me to take his picture wearing it. He's so proud!Meet Carissa, lover of all things girly.

Carissa doesn't have a bicycle helmet (yet) but she does have a Tutu! And when Caleb wanted his picture taken with his helmet she insisted that I click her in her fluffy Tutu.

This pic (completely unprompted) is so them.
Boy and Girl.
Helmet and Tutu.