Where have I been?

     Today is March 12, 2013. I am shocked when I see that date because I am still back in January...After a wonderful Christmas and a very happy New Year, the sickness began. We got hit hard...twice...each and every one of us! Totally wore me out....it seemed that no matter what we took it didn't help relieve our symptoms or help any of us get well faster. It was just going to take time....but me and my impatient self, uhhhmmm, we don't like to wait! I wanted it all to be gone..how' bout yesterday?
     Waiting, time and being patient seems to be the major theme in my life lately.From saving money to paying off bills to investing in the lives of my children...all of these things take time!
     Waiting was also a theme that King David knew as he wrote in Psalm 130:5-6
                 "I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in His Word do I hope.
                  My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning:
                  I say, more than they that watch for the morning."
     So my prayer for myself and for you is that if God has you waiting for something, whatever it is, know that His timing is perfect! And that while we wait, we experience the 'teachable' moments, when we are alert and aware of God's presence.The real key here as we wait is that we must put our hope in HIS WORD.Not hoping to win the lottery(yes, that would be nice), not wishing that the bills would go away(that would be even nicer :) but sincerely desiring what God wants for each of our lives!

     Opening up my Bible and reading, meditating(pausing to think and consider what He is saying),and jotting down a Scripture verse that touches my heart keeps my focus on God. Resting and waiting on the Lord will ensure that my heart is right before Him, that my ears are open to hearing whatever it is He wants to say and that my will is aligned with His will for my life!

I'm Walkin' On Sunshine....

This particular day we were walking at the Riverside Citrus Heritage Park. It was absolutely gorgeous as you can see from these pictures. Makes me start humming that old 80's tune by Katrina and the Waves--I'm Walkin' On Sunshine, Whoa! and Don't It Feel GOOD, Hey! Ba Pa Da Da Di Dup Dup Di Dudda Di Duh! Well, you get the idea....

My oldest and youngest

Love the way these rows of orange groves are soooo straight!

Take note of the frozen water in the middle of this pic :)

Happy New Year 2013 in pictures

Matthew, great-nephew Jacob held by Derrick(niece Megan's beau) and  nephew Jaryd

The 2012 bingo prize table

  a surprise visit from my special sis-in- law Robin

silly cousins......

Niece Megan, Nephew Jaryd, bro-in-law Barry and my beautiful sista JoAnne

Me and my peeps after church on Christmas Eve 

Coffee anyone?

Bro-in-law Dan, his Mom Sharon, my beautiful  sista Beth, niece Lauren, niece Jennifer and great nephew Jacob

Spectacular smoked steak by chef Jeff

handsome husband, son and myself

 

A Little Christmas 2012

All photos courtesy of Rachel Ann, my personal photographer...thank you lovely daughter!

A Corgi Christmas

Jesus---Our reason for the Season

Christmas Tree 2012

Cute elf!

Grumpy Easter kitty...ooops, wrong season!

the scent of Pine filling the air...purty, too!

Music

Snowflakes

For the first time in 8 years, we have pretty lights on the house!

A New Perspective!

     "This job has been given to me to do.Therefore, it is a gift.
    Therefore, it is a privilege. Therefore, it is an offering
     I may make to God. Therefore, it is to be done gladly,
     if it is done for HIM.
     Here, not somewhere else, I may learn God's way. In this
      job, not in some other, God looks for faithfulness."
                                                 

                                                                  Elisabeth Elliot

Sumthin' Healthy

     As the celebration of the birth of our Lord approaches, the New Year follows along quite nicely and quickly!!!Thinking about adding sumthin" a little healthy and different? This one will suit ya just fine :)   In going through some recipes the other day or rather frantically searching through my incredibly messy pile of recipes trying to find what I was looking for (ha ha), I stumbled across this one.
      Apparently my sister gave it to me after a very health conscious Asian pharmacist gave it to her. By the way Beth, did you ever try this? Thanks to M. Iwai for sharing!
     It is simply called....Chia. And the recipe is as follows:

                                                                        Chia
1 Tablespoon Chia seeds                                              
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon                                                
1/2 teaspoon bulgar wheat                                            
1 teaspoon quinoa                                                        
1 Tablespoon Flax seed powder                                                    
8 almonds                                                                    
8 walnuts
handful of raisins
1 teaspoon coconut
1/4 teaspoon Teff
bananas, blueberries, pineapple or grapefruit, oranges, apples

     Combine the first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Add 150 cc (5 ounces) of heated water. After a minute add the nuts, fruits and raisins and coconut. The mixture will thicken as it cools.

     When I made this I omitted the flaxseed(it seems to give me a strange rash on my arm? yeah, weird, huh?) and Teff because I 'm not even sure what Teff is....have to check that out? Or if you know, leave me a comment and fill me in please :)  Let me know if you try it!

Thinking....

     "It is no use to pray for the old days:

       Stand square where you are

                                                 and make the present better 

        than any past has ever been.

        Base all on your relationship to God and go forward,

        And presently you will find that what is emerging

                                                   is infinitely better than the past ever was."                                                              A quote from Oswald Chambers