A Simple Life - Part One

We are bombarded each day with thousands of advertisements for products we probably don't need.  Our culture is characterized by consumerism on the grandest of scales.  I personally know many people who are overwhelmed by the clutter and busyness of their lives.  Our closets, basements and storage units are packed.  And there's no end in sight.  Ads, stuff, pressures, expectations, junk mail ...they just keep coming at us.

What can we do??  I'm going to make some simple suggestions for the next few weeks.  I hope these help you as they have helped me to navigate our busy, consumer-driven, cluttered lives.

1 - Be content with what you have.
I often think about the millions and millions of people on this earth who don't have the simple conveniences I count on every day.  Clean water coming out of a faucet, a safe and clean home, food easily available...you get the idea.  When I start being thankful for those things, it's hard to be discontent about anything trivial.

When was the last time you truly gave thanks for a good meal, a hot bath, or a good friend?  I try to make a habit of it. Blessings are all around us if we will just take notice!

A.A. Milne wrote that Piglet noticed Winnie the Poo's heart could hold "a rather large amount of gratitude." Doesn't that inspire you?  Is your heart like Winnie's?

Hebrews 13:5  says, Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'  Money isn't evil, but the love of money will lead to all kinds of evil.

Ann Voskamp made a journal of a thousand gifts that she could be thankful for.  I was so inspired by her example that I tried to do the same thing.  I'm up to number 247 in My Gratitude Journal.  I need to keep going!

So instead of piling more stuff into your already full life, be content with what you have, give thanks, and...

2 - Give generously.
I firmly believe that with prosperity comes great responsibility.  I started out my married life with a few nickels and a bunch of dreams. For many years we were never really sure we could make ends meet and were overwhelmed by the generosity of those who gave to us, sometimes out of their need.  It's humbling to receive, but it's good for our hearts.

We've always tried to give what we could to good causes, to those in need, and to our church.  Putting treasure in heaven is by far the best and safest investment we will ever make.

I am so thankful that now I actually have some money to be generous with.  I support a young boy in Haiti through Compassion International. They do wonderful work in many countries working with children and families trapped in poverty.

Here's a photo of my boy, Jovadson.  Please pray for him.  I can't wait to meet him someday, for sure in heaven, maybe here on Earth.  I try to write to him at least 2 times per month.  I send him photos of flowers, trees and pretty skies. I encourage him to work hard at school and obey his parents.  I remind him that he is very, very special to God and to me. One of the most damaging by-products of poverty is that children feel forgotten, completely meaningless.  This young man is made in the image of God and was made for a purpose.

There are so many reputable organizations to donate to that do good for those in need.  World Vision, Samaritan's Purse, Wounded Warriors...just to name a few.  If you've never considered anything like this, I strongly recommend it.  You probably won't even notice the money spent, and the benefits of becoming involved with supporting someone in a daily battle against wicked reality are amazing.

Robert Murray M'Cheyne once told his congregation "I fear there are many hearing me who may know well that they are not Christians, because they do not love to give.  To give largely and liberally, not grudgingly at all, requires a new heart; an old heart would rather part with its life-blood than its money."

You can be generous with more than just your money. There's your time, your talents, your attention, your help...If you don't think you have much to give, you're wrong.  Every person has some gift from God that can be used for good.  

Part 2 next week:)

Cauliflower Rice

When I visited my son and daughter-in-law in Tucson, Abba made a lovely dinner one night of cauliflower rice and pan-seared salmon  Here's how she did the "rice."

It's quite ingenious!  This is a paleo recipe for those of you who like to eat low carb.

Start with a head of cauliflower, an onion and a couple cloves of garlic.

Chop up the onion and garlic.

Rinse the cauliflower and break into pieces.

Saute the onions and garlic in some oil in a large saucepan.

While the onions and garlic are cooking slowly, place the cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until it resembles coarse grains of rice.  Don't over-process it!

Once the onion and garlic is softened and cooked down, add the cauliflower.  Stir well, cover and cook on low for 5 minutes

Add 1/2 cup or more of coconut milk to the pan.

Cover and cook for 5-10 more minutes until the cauliflower is cooked through but not mushy.

Add chopped cilantro, salt and pepper before serving.  You could also add some jalapeno or crushed red pepper at the beginning to add heat.

A Surprise Guest

At the end of June I noticed lots of dead leaves and strands of grass on my front porch.  I had no idea why the sudden appearance of so much debris was there.

I moved closer to my climbing rose trellis...

And what did I find??  A robin's nest.  This photo was taken on July 3.  It took the mother 3 days to lay 3 eggs.

On July 17 the first one hatched.  He is so feeble and frail, utterly dependent on his mother for survival.

Just 9 days later, July 26, here's that bird!  I think the momma is doing a great job feeding him.

This makes me think about when Jesus told us to "look at the birds" and how they are taken care of by our Heavenly Father in Matthew 6.  I'm very much like this baby bird.  Although I like to think that I'm independent and totally in control of my life, the fact is, I'm desperately in need of God to take care of me.  He keeps my heart beating and my body functioning in so many ways I can't even fathom.  It's very humbling to realize just how vulnerable and frail I am.  It makes me more thankful for all the little things in life.  

I hope this does your soul good as it has mine!

Some Desert Beauty

I just visited my son and his lovely wife in Tucson, Arizona.  I was struck by the majestic beauty of the desert with the Santa Catalina Mountains in the background.  Here are some shots:

Lovely Red Flowers

Tree Canopy on Univ. of Arizona Campus

Majestic Palms

Look at those mountains!!

Nice Succulents

More Mountains!!

Lovely Pink Flowers

Pride of Barbados

Saguaro

Beautiful Yellow Flowers

Crown of Thorns

Cheesecake Stuffed Peaches

Now that peach season is upon us, I couldn't wait to try this recipe I stumbled upon.  It was a hit with some friends of mine.  It's not too complicated either!

Start with fresh peaches, halved and pitted.  I cut a little more out of the centers to hold more cheesecake:)  If they don't lie flat, trim a small slice from the bottoms.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, dip the peaces in some melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Make a simple cheesecake batter with:

1/2 pkg. cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg yolk, 1 tbs. sour cream, 1-2 tsp. vanilla. Mix all ingredients until fluffy.  I used a small scoop to fill the centers.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes until the tops are lightly browned and the peaches are softened.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Brighten the Corner

I think it's always a good idea to make the best of whatever situation you find yourself in.  I've applied this idea to every "corner" of our home, one space at a time.

No matter how humble your home may be, why not try to make it nice?  You live there so it should be a place that gives you some measure of satisfaction.  Here's an example of how I worked through one area.

I have a small patio with 2 Adirondack chairs where I spend a lot of time reading and enjoying nice weather.  The space has a basement window that is unsightly.

You can't see too well from this photo, but the view through the window is boxes and our Christmas storage items - not pretty!

I found a lovely embroidered linen runner at a yard sale and sewed it into a curtain to hang on this window.

Then I decided to use the grillwork from our old screen door to spruce it up a little more.  Now I get to view this beautiful needlework every time I'm outside.  

Here's another example from my backyard:  There was a bare hill just off our back patio that was annoying to mow and had no aesthetic value whatsoever.  This photo is the back of our house before we added a patio and roof.

Here's the end result with landscaping covering that slope:

I decided to extend the landscaping bed and kill two birds with one stone.  Now I don't have to mow this hill and it's pretty on the eyes!

It takes just a little ingenuity to "brighten a corner" in your home.  Why don't you try to take one trouble spot and beautify it?

Become a "Chopped" Champion!

Have you ever watched the cooking competition called "Chopped?"  Chefs must use all ingredients in a mystery basket to create a gourmet meal.  It's impressive to see how some of these talented chefs find ways to incorporate fruity cereal and licorice into an entree, or a bitter herb into a dessert.

In my never-ending quest to not waste food and use everything in my refrigerator, I've realized that I challenge myself regularly with my own version of "Chopped."  If you don't want to throw your money into the garbage, learn to cook with what you have on hand before you buy new groceries!

Here's an example of my daily routine.  We had lots of raw vegetables and a few hunks of cheese leftover from a big dinner we hosted. Then my son and daughter-in-law brought over some chicken tenders they wanted to cook.

If these were my "Mystery Basket Ingredients" I would make this Southwestern Chicken Casserole.

I sauteed a panful of the vegetables, starting with some onion, scallions and garlic, then adding chopped zucchini, red and yellow peppers, carrots, cauliflower, red cabbage, and an ear of fresh corn cut off the cobb.  It was great to clear out the vegetable drawer in the fridge!  Once everything was in the pan I let them cook for about 10 minutes, just enough to take the raw edge off, but not enough to make them mushy.

I found a can of refried beans in my cupboard and spread them on the bottom of a 9 x 13 glass pan.  Then I put all those sauteed vegetables on top.

I cut the chicken tenders into 1-2 inch chunks and browned them lightly in an oiled pan for 3 minutes on each side.  They weren't completely cooked through because they would finish in the oven.  They went on top of the veggies.

I opened a jar of black bean and corn salsa and poured it over everything, covered it with foil and put it into  a 350 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes.  You could take off the foil and grate some cheese on the top for the last 10 minutes.

We ate this with some taco chips.  It was fantastic!

Become your own Chopped Champion and create with what's  in the fridge!