We've Moved!

Ahhh, Spring! A Week in Pictures...

To me, this is the best time of year.  The weather starts warming up but not too much.  The humidity isn't high and it's the perfect time to enjoy the outdoors; taking strolls, planting seeds and playing with the furbabies.  In Alabama, it doesn't take long before going outside makes you feel as if you're trekking through a tropical rain forest...or at least, in my neck of the woods.

So, this week can be documented in pictures.

I've finally figured who has been knocking my bird feeder down in the mornings.  Little rascal.  

I'd been waiting and waiting for the perfect shot of the little cardinals that make their home in my yard.  He's so handsome, isn't he?

This is my little chipmunk that has started coming to eat.  He's so dang cute but he BOLTS at the first sound or sight of me.  Getting this picture was slightly difficult - I had to open the kitchen window and hang out of it without making a sound.  Difficult, yes!  But, not impossible.  :)

I was actually creating a new canvas when I looked up and noticed the afternoon sunlight coming through my herbs on the back porch.  I had to have a picture.

This was the first time I'd ever seen a little bird like this one.  I still am not sure what he is.  

This is Katy, my youngest furbaby.  She is pure joy.

This is Jesi, my oldest furbaby, enjoying her favorite pastime.  She is not as joyful.  On this particular day, she wore.me.out.  lol

On Thursday, my husband went fishing and made us one happy family.  :)

Looks good, huh?  

So, what about you?  What did your week look like?

Abundant Love

“ You've captured my heart, dear friend. You looked at me, and I fell in love. One look my way and I was hopelessly in love! How beautiful your love, dear, dear friend— far more pleasing than a fine, rare wine, your fragrance more exotic than select spices.” – Song of Songs 4:9-10

Oh, how He loves us! He loves us with a pure, selfless love – one that cradles and comforts, not hinders and punishes.

We don’t have to spend even a moment searching for Him under every nook and cranny. We don’t have to call Sister Sue to see if she can get a ‘word’ for us. We can reach out to Him, knowing that He’s right there because of His unfathomable love for us.

When we cry out for Him and say things like, ‘Oh God, please invade my life!’ or, ‘Please, God, please!’, it goes against what He’s already told us (Hebrews 13:5, Romans 8:38-39). He makes His home IN us (2 Cor. 5:17). There is nothing, not one thing that we can do to separate us from the Love of God.

We have to come to the conclusion that we don’t have to seek God but rather, He has already found us. We are not removed from Him. He has captured us, and taken us into His palace of Love.

He has given us food for life – the food that keeps us stuffed and never hungry. Through Jesus, He has quenched our thirst. We are storing up His love within us to be released unto others or back to Him in worship.
The love that He has for us is a love unlike anything you’re ever known. It’s deeper than the love you feel for your spouse, and more pure than the love you have for your children. It’s greater than our minds can grasp.

1 Corinthians 13 tells us of this love. I encourage you to read it, let it sink into your heart and reflect on what it means for you. Understand that He’s talking to you. When He looks at you, He goes weak in the knees. He is accessible to your love.

Next time you feel unloved or far away from God, ask yourself a simple question. “Would you give your own child for another person to live?” I’m sure your answer is the same as mine. Emphatically no.

But God did. My friend, He loves you. He thinks you are altogether beautiful and He can find no flaw in you. (Song of Songs 4:7)

Children of Light

“…giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.”  - Colossians 1:12

This verse comes directly after the one we talked about here.  We’re still talking about who we are in Christ and the powers that reside in us through Him. 

Paul tells us in this scripture that he is giving thanks to the Father who has qualified them to receive this inheritance of the saints.  Did you know that you are also qualified to receive the same thing?  You are!

Not only does God give us His very own strength in our time on this earth, He also has qualified us to participate in a complete portion of the inheritance of the saints of light.  The light of the Gospel reveals what God accomplished to transform the sinner (what you were before Jesus died on the cross) into a saint (what you are since Jesus was sacrificed on the cross of Calvary.).

God has turned us lowly, pathetic sinners into blossoming rays of light.  And, He didn’t even need our help to do it. 

When Jesus was sacrificed on the Cross of Calvary for our sins, our whole countenance changed.  We were filled with light coming down from heaven; it enveloped our spirits and souls, and brought us back home, because we had surely lost our way.  The dirty was taken away, covered up by a brilliant red cloth of blood, hidden away, never to be seen again.  It was in this, in this sacrifice of God’s own Son that we were given new life.  It is in this, that we are now saints of light.

You are now and will forever be a saint of light.  No matter what you've done, or the secret thoughts you have in your head about who you think you are, you are a saint of light.  You are a mighty child of the living God and in you resides a bright, clear, and spot free heart.  Because of the Grace of God, you can now declare your righteousness!!

Go on.  Declare it. 

The Strength of God

“…strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy”.  Colossians 1:11 (NKJV)

It’s only right that we should begin with this scripture.  Why?  Well, because it is only through the God of all Majesty that we have anything, especially our strength.  Some of us may feel as if we don’t have enough strength, or we desire more to get through whatever situation we may be facing, never realizing that God has already equipped us.

In 1999, my mother was diagnosed with Chiari, a disease that affects the nerves in her brain stem.  The surgeries she underwent taxed our family in more ways that I can count and there were very real moments that we weren't sure if she’d be with us the next day.  Though she tried to hide it, I knew she suffered.  Her eyes portrayed a tiredness I’d never seen before, her body had betrayed her and was slowly and methodically giving up hope.  The woman I thought could handle anything was clinging to life, never letting up in her faith.  Yet, there was a strength hovering about her in such a way that seemed to carry her through this season of her life.  I so longed to be that strong, or to display that kind of strength in my own life.  I would find myself crying out to God to send it to me.

I knew enough about the Word of God to know that in it, He tells us that He has already given us the strength we need to face any battle or circumstance that finds its way into our lives.  Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”  In Isaiah 41:10, we see, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  

There are countless more reminders of God’s strength in our lives but a funny thing happens when the battle comes.  I always seemed to forget what God had said.  I would find myself faced with a tremendous worry and automatically declare, ‘I can’t do this.’ Or ‘I’m not strong enough, God.’ 

I’m sure you've heard the saying, ‘God won’t give you more than you can bear.’  This is what well-meaning people tell others when it comes to situations like this.  But, did you also know that this saying is not from the bible?

There is a scripture that is similar to this in 1 Corinthians 10:13 which says, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

Paul is reminding his readers in this scripture that God will not allow his children to be tempted beyond their abilities.  In other words, there is no temptation that you should feel you are powerless against.  In Paul’s mind, there is no temptation on earth that you are not strong enough to withstand.     

Why do I mention this?  Well, because this ‘bumper sticker Christianity’ has to stop. 

So often, we find our bodies riddled with cancerous diseases, or a mother find that her children have been brutally shot at school.  When we approach these situations with a quip about God giving us these tragedies in our lives because He knows we can handle it, well, it makes God seem a little psychotic. 

Things happen.  Tragedies occur.  We see details of this all through scripture.

 

“Brothers and sisters, we don’t want you to be unaware of the troubles that we went through in Asia. We were weighed down with a load of suffering that was so far beyond our strength that we were afraid we might not survive.” (2 Corinthians 1:8 CEB)

“We were weighed down with a load of sufferings that was so far beyond our strength that we were afraid we might not survive.”  That is quite different from saying “God didn't give us any burdens we couldn't bear.”

And elsewhere in scripture we find similar sentiments.  

In the Psalms:

“I’m worn out, completely crushed; I groan because of my miserable heart.” (Psalms 38:8 CEB)

“My wrongdoings are stacked higher than my head; they are a weight that’s way too heavy for me.” (Psalms 38:4 CEB)

Throughout scripture, we encounter people overwhelmed by what befalls them.  And lest we forget, this applies to Jesus, too, who dies in agony on the cross, crying out “My God, My God, why have you left me?”

I want you to see and realize that what we face today is no different than what the pillars of the Bible faced.  Life is hard. 

But God…

He’s our answer.  Since God in all His loving majesty freed us from the bondage of sin, we can now grab a hold of the answer – it’s waiting to manifest itself in our lives.

Maybe you already know this.  That’s great!  But there’s so many of us who are well-intentioned and really have a heart to know more of God that simply hasn't realized this point.  If you’re one of those, then you’re normal, and it’s okay.  Just know that now the choice is in your hands.  Now that you know the truth, will you learn to grasp this God given power of strength to be made manifest in your own life? 

This verse says it clearly.  You are strengthened with all might.  In other words, you have been empowered in the activating dynamic of God’s strength.  God’s strength!  Not your mom’s strength or your sister’s, but God’s!  It’s already been done, you've already been given it and there’s nothing you can do about it.  The only thing you need to do is tap into it.

How, you say?  Well, I thought you’d never ask. 

The other part of that scripture reads, ‘for all patience and longsuffering with joy.”  There are going to be times that these are going to seem like just words to you.  You’re going to see and remember that God gives you His strength but a circumstance may arise that proves too much to bear.  Who really enjoys ‘longsuffering’ and who really endures it with joy?

Knowing that God has already made His mind up about us is being constantly aware that He will enable us to be strong when the time or need arises.  We will be able to supernaturally show courage in the face of turmoil and we can be steadfast in joy.  The peace that passes all understanding (Phil. 4:7), will prominently display itself in our lives. 

It may not be easy.  There may be some things you need to change about yourself; your thought life plays a huge role in your success in any endeavor. 

Realize today who you are.  You are God’s beloved.  You have been given strength to endure any circumstance or foe that may appear in your life.  You do not rely on you to provide your own strength; instead you are being empowered continually by the Creator of All, the God on High, and the Mighty Abba Father.  

In His strength, you will sail through troubles with your heart at peace in the outrageous love of Christ, knowing that no enemy can take away the joy He floods into your spirit.

Let the supernatural, all-encompassing strength of God be your background music today.   Rock on. 

Food Fact - High Fructose Corn Syrup is Bad. Very, very bad.

Fact:  Added sugars, specifically fructose from table sugar and the high-fructose corn syrup found in most processed foods, block the hormonal signal that tells your brain it's time to stop eating, according to obesity research by Robert Lustig, MD, a pediatric neuroendocrinologist at the University of California - San Francisco. The result? Never-ending hunger that leaves you fatter yet feeling unsatisfied.

This is why refined sugar can be considered a drug.  It is highly addictive.  The more you eat, the more you want to eat...

I'm sure you've all seen the ads like this one here that tells us that sugar is sugar and that our bodies can't tell the difference.  But, science refutes that claim in every.single.report I've read.

Here's the skinny...

1.  HFCS and cane sugar are NOT biochemically identical or processed the same way by the body.  High fructose corn syrup is an industrial food product and far from "natural" or a naturally occurring substance. It is extracted from corn stalks through a process so secret that Archer Daniels Midland and Carghill would reportedly not allow the investigative journalist Michael Pollan to observe it for his book, "The Omnivore's Dilemma."   The sugars are extracted through a chemical enzymatic process resulting in a chemically and biologically novel compound called HFCS.

2.  Many independent medical and nutrition experts DO NOT support the use of HFCS in our diet, despite what the corn industry would like you to think.  Barry M. Popkin, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill says that HFCS is absorbed more rapidly than regular sugar, and that it doesn't stimulate insulin or leptin production. This prevents you from triggering the body's signals for being full and may lead to over consumption of total calories.

3.  HCFS is almost always a marker of poor-quality, nutrient-poor disease creating industrial food products or "food-like substances."  The last reason to avoid products that contain HFCS is that they are a marker for poor-quality, nutritionally depleted, processed industrial food full of empty calories and artificial ingredients. If you find "high fructose corn syrup" on the label, you can be sure it is not a whole, real, fresh food full of fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants. Stay away if you want to stay healthy. We still must reduce our overall consumption of sugar, but with this one simple dietary change you can radically reduce your health risks and improve your health.

It matters to me what we're told by manufacturers.  We do not have to be lied to.  Know what your feeding your family and if after learning the truth, you want to continue feeding your family convenience foods, then by all means, go for it.  I am not here to 'convince' you to follow what I do but rather, to give you the truth that manufacturers are not telling you.

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Brioche Buns

Yes, I know.  I have been a brioche making fool around here lately.  But, can you blame me?  That stuff is so good - and for everything!  This recipe uses a small portion of the already made up dough you should have in your fridge.  Oh, you don't have brioche dough in your fridge?  Well, click here and you can.  Don't be scared, it's super easy.  I promise.  :)

For this super simple recipe, I grabbed a handful of dough and rolled it out into a rectangle (approx. 9x13).

Sprinkle a generous amount of brown sugar and cinnamon on top and roll up longways.  Be careful to leave the edges of the dough as clean as you can.  Pinch the ends closed after rolling.  

After rolling, slice into pieces.  Mine were about 1 1/2 thick.  Place in a buttered round baking pan and cover with a dishcloth for about 45 minutes to let rise.  Then, pop in the over for about 15-20 minutes on 350 degrees.