"Coincidence", or "Jesus Pie"

Isn't it amazing how one little innocuous move can change everything?
Leaving a minute sooner, or later can change the world.

A recent example of this in my life is what happened on Ash Wednesday.

After work I decided to go to the big, huge, enormous, intimidating Methodist church that is about a mile from my apartment. After making a few wrong turns (This city is full of one-way streets that make absolutely no sense), I parked on the perimeter of the church campus and hesitantly began walking toward one of the dramatic stone buildings in front of me.

Along the path to the church, I asked two older women for assistance. "I just moved into town, and I've never been here before, will you please point me to the sanctuary?" I told them. It's amazing how this one act, this one call for help has shaped the events of the last week.

Through my acquaintance with these ladies, I not only met the judge who knows my mother, which I mentioned in this post, I also was introduced to the church's young adult minister, Jay.

The next day Jay invited me to become a part of a young adult devotion group that was beginning a Lenten study. I attended on Friday, and both the people I met there, and the material we are studying have already been a huge blessing in my life. It has made me feel slightly more at home in this city.

Monday I came home to find this on my front porch

Mmmm... Jesus Pie

Too bad it has about seventeen of the things I gave up for Lent in it... I grudgingly took it to work the next day for my coworkers' enjoyment. It took a lot of prayer and self-control.

So much self-control

I almost died.

I love Apple Pie.

This whole experience reminded me of a lesson I think we're taught over and over again; what we do has an affect on people. Every smile we give a passing stranger, every subtle action we commit, every word we speak, is absorbed by those around us. Whether we intend to or not, we influence those with whom we come into contact.

This last week has reminded me to always act with love, grace, and patience; both with those I know, and those who I have yet to meet.

One of Those Days

Today has been.... Interesting

As I was getting ready this morning I became alerted by an out-of-place sound coming from somewhere in my apartment.

drip

dripdrip

dripdripdrip

dripdripdripdrip

Mascara wand still in my hand I opened the door into the kitchen, to see a rapidly growing pool of deep yellow water gathering on my tile floor. Looking up, I see it is coming in a steady stream from around the fluorescent light bulb in my ceiling... The upstairs neighbor flooded something, and now it's in my kitchen.

I quickly called my landlord, grabbed some old towels and bowls, and tried to stop any further damage. I ended up having to go into work about an hour late.

So the whole ceiling in my kitchen is going to be replaced in the next few days, that will be fun. Fuchie is going to love having strangers in the house while I'm at work.

Then Boyfran informed me that, in trying to warm up cookies in a toaster oven, he caused a small fire in his own kitchen.

I (half)jokingly told him we should watch out for locusts for the rest of the day.

My first day of Paleo went well. Because of the aforementioned disaster in my kitchen I wasn't able to make a real breakfast, so I was really hungry for the first part of the day; but I had some wonderful leftover veggie soup for lunch. Cravings for starch grainy things have hit me a couple times, already. Here's to hoping I get past that soon.

I went to the Big, Huge, Ginormous Methodist church here in Montgomery for Ash Wednesday service. Wouldn't you know, I somehow happened to sit by a judge who knows my mom... Famous Thamous, indeed.

Ashes, ashes

Afterward I went to the swankiest Walmart around. It's 10 miles up the interstate, but is well worth the drive. On the way back I ended up in standstill traffic, less than a mile from my exit for 30 minutes. But it's ok, puppy and I are safe home, and today is over. Thank.The.Lord.

Peace and Blessings, Y'all

Lent 2012- Let's get Primal!

Tomorrow marks the beginning of the Lenten season, a time repentance and reflection as we prepare our hearts for the celebration of Jesus' Resurrection. It has become traditional to "give up" something during Lent as a sign of penitence and preparation.

In the past I've given up soda, sweets, chocolate, junky foods, etc.

This year I'm going to go Paleo.

What is Paleo? It's a diet/lifestyle that cuts out pretty much everything that wasn't available to the hunter-gatherer peoples of the past. So you don't eat grains, processed anything, refined sugars, etc. But you eat lots and lots of meat, veggies, fruits, nuts, and roots like potatoes. It's also known as "Primal", and it's been catching attention and devoted adherents in the last several years. There seem to be an above average number of Paleo and Primal eaters in the Libertarian community, in particular.

The theory is that our bodies aren't biologically designed to eat the loads and loads of processed grains and sugars that now make up a huge part of our diets. I've read about, and talked to several people who stand by Paleo as an amazing way to get healthy. I've read accounts of people feeling more healthy over-all: they sleep better, have more energy during the day, and have had chronic health problems disappear after transitioning to the Paleo lifestyle.

In particular, I talked to the fabulous fellow KSFP alumna Gina, who lost 50 pounds last year going paleo. She recommended about a billion websites for me, rife with recipes, tips, and advice for transitioning into a more primal lifestyle.

After drastically cutting back the amount of sweets and sodas I consume over the past 7 months or so, I'm not terribly worried about that part of it. I don't crave sweets like I used to, and I don't snack nearly as much as I did before, either. My main concern right now is the cost. Pasta, rice, and processed foods are very cheap (Hey, thanks government subsidies that are distorting our economy and waistlines), and as I've mentioned at least a dozen times, I'm on a pretty tight budget for the next few years. Gina assures me that it's not as bad as it seems... I really hope she's right.

How is this a valid Lenten devotion?
Well, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says this:
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."


I believe one of the ways we can show God honor is to be good stewards of our bodies, including eating healthfully. I think jumping into Paleo in this season of reflection, repentance, and devotion will help provide me with an extra dose of will power and purpose. 


So tomorrow starts a new chapter. I'm committed to this lifestyle change for at least the next 40 days, hopefully I'll receive such a blessing of improved health that I'll want to commit to it longer-term; but until then, please be praying for me!

Genesis

So, one of my resolutions for this year was to read the entire Bible, cover to cover. Between my leather-bound-beauty of a Bible I keep on my bedside table, and the App I downloaded on my iPhone, I've been pretty faithful so far in keeping up with it.

The App I'm using to help me keep on plan is absolutely wonderful. It's the YouVersion Bible App, and it's available for both the iPhone and Droid. It's absolutely free, with minimal advertising, you can pick from a large selection of reading plans and devotionals. It even has a social media component, allowing you to share with friends your progress and thoughts. It contains more than 100 different translations of the Bible, including several different languages. If you get behind on the plan you select, it sends you an email as a gentle reminder to help you keep up.

I'm such a novice when it comes to the Bible, and I've really had it impressed on my heart lately to learn more about my God, so I may be a better witness and have a deeper relationship with Christ. The plan I'm using this year to help me read the entire thing is the "Come Drink Live 365" plan, which usually has 3 OT chapters and 1 NT chapter a day.


One thing I'd like to start doing is documenting my thoughts on each book as I read through, so I can keep track of important verses, how certain passages strike me when I read them, and express my questions, concerns, and frustrations with different parts.

I'm already almost through Exodus, but I wanted to go back and express some of my thoughts on Genesis. I have so many questions, and I hope some of you will be able to give me thoughtful advice and insight.

Also, pardon me if I ever sound blasphemous or irreverent, it's my nature to pick apart everything, and I don't see the point of pretending I don't have questions or problems with certain parts of the bible.

Thoughts on Genesis

1) Is it just me, or does the creation story sound a lot like a Native American tale? I know there are two huge factions within the Judeo-Christian tradition, those who believe we should take the bible at face-value, believing every word literally, and those who believe it's allegorical. I am still unable to decide with which party I agree, but I think I'm leaning toward the latter. However, I don't think how you view the OT in particular should define your Christianity. Whether or not God literally created the Universe in seven days has little to nothing to do with my whole-hearted belief that he did, in his infinite Grace, send Jesus to die for our sins.

2) Less than a book into the OT, I already start to feel a lot of frustration with God. Nothing seems consistent to me, and as an omnipotent and omniscient God, isn't he supposed to be consistent? I can't help but wonder if the Hebrews got the nature and intentions of God all wrong when they were writing their history, and one of the reasons Jesus was sent was to set 'em straight.

3) The Hebrews wrote in a very repetitive way, and I find myself thinking I've reread something. Well, I have, just a page later. I understand translators wanting to keep the integrity of the content, but it seems to me (and I'm not even a little bit of an expert) that some abridgment wouldn't be wholly uncalled for.

Please, Please, Please, if you have any insights, let me know your thoughts. This is quite a journey for me, and I need all the help and fellowship I can get.

Happy Valentine's Day

I'm a very blessed girly, Boyfran knows me oh-so-well...

The first present he gave me as a friend was an immersion mixer.

The first present he gave me as a couple was a Lodge Logic cast iron skillet

Our first Christmas as a couple he gave me a crimson Soda Stream water carbonator 

And the first Valentine's present he's ever given me is a crimson microwave for my new apartment :D

It matches my crimson Kitchen Aid mixer, the aforementioned crimson water carbonator, the crimson tea kettle his lovely mom gave me, and many of the other things I have in my squatchy kitchen. (You'd never guess I'm an alumna of the University of Alabama and an ardent Crimson Tide fan, would you?)

I love it. He gets me.

Roll Tide, Kitchen stuff!

Happy Valentine's Day, errbody. I love each and every one of you so very much.

My Life-Long Battle

I have an affliction.

It's something I've struggled with as long as I can remember.

It has caused me ridicule; people have called me a freak, an abomination.

It's caused me to miss out on many opportunities. I used to make up stories to cover the truth about my problem. I'd concoct elaborate lies about it, weaving a deceptive web to get around the truth:

I HATE Peanut Butter.

The taste. The texture. The way it sticks to every surface in my mouth. Invades my nostrils and wont let go.

I used to tell people I was allergic to peanuts, just so they wouldn't make what they thought was just a picky little brat eat a revolting PB&J.

In reality I'm decidedly not a picky eater. I love most foods, and will try just about anything. I just do not like peanut butter even a little bit.

It's a pity, really. PB is cheap, pretty nutritious, and very filling. Being able to tolerate it every once in a while would make my life significantly easier. No more avoiding boyfran after he's eaten a PB&J, no more telling people I'm allergic to peanuts so they wont bring me PB flavored anything.....

The summer after my senior year of high school, one of my best friends forced me to try a small spoonful of the stuff. He was convinced that my aversion stemmed from a childhood experience. He was wrong, I barely choked down that stinking, sickening, spoonful of scum.

But this year I've vowed to try again; but I'm going to start out slowly. When I go to the grocery store later this week I'm going to buy some almond butter to eat with my apples. I think that will be a good step on the road to easing my way into tolerating the stuff. From there I'm going to work my way to things that taste like peanut butter, but don't have the consistency; like cookies. With God as my witness, by the end of this venture I'm going to eat one entire Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

I don't know if I'll ever truly enjoy peanut butter, but I'm going to give it my best effort. Please give me all the support you can in my battle to overcome this debilitating condition.

New Job, Old Problems

So I started my very first big-girl job today. The job itself is cake, everyone is really nice, and I get to help people on occasion.

It's going to be the waiting for three weeks to get paid that's the difficult part.

But three weeks is better than five weeks, which is how long I thought I was going to go before my first paycheck between approximately 8:30 this morning and 1:00 this afternoon. I was in full blown panic mode. But I'm getting used to being broke, after almost 7 years of being a full time student away from home.

This panic was even worse than the meltdown I had last night when I couldn't find my Social Security card, and threw everything in my apartment into piles trying to find it... I called my mommy last night, close to tears because it was about to be my first day of work and I couldn't find a stupid piece of paper that would allow me to be put on payroll.

She found it in a wallet I accidentally left behind, my dad scanned it and emailed it to me this morning. Crisis averted.

I pseudo-made up a recipe tonight. It was a lentil soup, so I don't know if that counts; but it was pretty tasty.

Here's what I did... And there are no pictures because hey, it's lentil soup, it ain't pretty. Also, I haven't really figured out the settings on my new camera.

Ingredients
-1/3 package Conecuh sausage (It's an Alabama thang, a smoky, delicious, juicy Alabama thang...but I think any smoked sausage would also work)
- 1 cup dried lentils
- 3 cups water
- 1 Tablespoon Lawry's seasoned salt
- Pepper to taste

Bring water and lentils to a simmer, add in a three inch piece of Conecuh and the seasoned salt. While beans are simmering, warm remaining sausage in a skillet until it is completely heated through and the casing is browned. Cut into bite sized pieces

When you think the lentils are just about tender enough, add the rest of the sausage, and simmer for another 5 minutes or so. Make sure to check your spices, add more salt and pepper if you so desire.

If I'd had my immersion blender here I would have pulsed it a few times before serving to make it a little creamy... But it's in Tuscaloosa with several of my other cooking gadgets.

I have two favorite things about this meal:
1) It provided me with 20g of protein, and 90% of my daily fiber... and that's just from the beans
2) It costs a grand total of about $1.75 between the beans and sausage.

Even better than that, I only ate half of it, and have an entire bowl's worth in the fridge, ready for lunch tomorrow! So in all actuality, dinner cost less than a dollar. It was delicious, too!

Puppy Love

This is my puppy, Fuchie, also known as: Fuch-a-Luke, The Fuchmeister, Fuch I am your father, Fluffer Nut, Fuchs, or some days, just Puppy.

Fuchie, about a week after I got him

I adopted Fuchie (pronounced Foo-key) a year and a half ago from another girl in Tuscaloosa who could no longer take care of him. He was a 6 month old mess of a puppy at the time. I named him Fuchie because the German word for Fox is fuchs (fooks). And when we was a pup, before he got his glorious coat, he looked just like a small fox.

He just loves his momma

He's, hands down, the most loving dog I've ever come across. He isn't a huge fan of strangers, but as soon as he's sniffed you enough to trust you, and made the judgement that you aren't going to try to hurt me, he's a six pound fluffy ball of love. He's a snuggler, always looking for someone to pet and cuddle him.

This is the Fuchs with Bacon, my best friend/college roommate's pup... He's much much bigger now

He thinks the two big dogs at my parents' house are the best. He tries to be a Lab and swim in the pond on the property with them during our summer visits. It kinda scares me because he'd be just a snack for one of the catfish or snapping turtles out there.

Us with the big pups, Dixie and Belle, last Christmas

I really think he and I communicate better than most married couples do with one another. He and I read each other very very well, I talk to him a lot, full conversations. We understand each other's facial expressions perfectly. He tells me he loves me "I Ruhhh Rooooo", he's always happy to see me, he knows the words "outside, "treat", "home", "James", "momma", and many other commands. 

Surveying his kingdom at my parents' house

He's the original Ginger Gentleman in my life (sorry boyfran, it's just true). He lies on the ground and watches me cook every day. Somehow when I was packing up my car to move down to Montgomery the other day, he knew he was coming with me this time.  It's gonna be me, the Fuchmeister, and my shotgun in our little apartment in The Gump. I couldn't have a sweeter pup to come home to every night :)

Strength Rejoices in the Challenge

My first step in reaching my goal of living more frugally (read: paying off student loans more quickly) is to drastically change the way I eat. Not only by eating more healthfully, but also by severely limiting my food budget. I think this will not only force me to spend even more time in the kitchen, it will also make me more creative in the way I cook.

Ready for the goal?

Are you sure?

Here it is.......

$50 a week for groceries.

That's just over $7 a day

That means: no eating out, no over-processed food, learning to make nutritious and filling meals with inexpensive ingredients, and yes.... coupons


The challenge is actually really exciting to me. I think it will really prove something to myself, and that extra $100 or so each month toward my debt will make a huge difference.

I begin the process of moving in this weekend, and start work Tuesday, so it may be a minute but once I get settled I'm going to be posting everything I cook here. I can't wait to get started!


Lizzy

Paring Down

I have too much STUFF

STUFF that crowds me, and has been making me feel more and more claustrophobic the last few months. STUFF that's accumulated during my NINE moves over the past six and a half years. STUFF that's bringing me only anxiety and clutter. Not to mention all this STUFF is going to be a pain to move.

In November I gave away four huge bags of clothes I no longer wear, and it felt great! Some things were hard to part with, but it was also really rewarding to clear out so much space and also know I might be helping someone.

I don't move into my apartment until this weekend, so until then I'm going to be going through all my STUFF, paring down, throwing away, and donating. I'm going to keep things I use and things to which I'm emotionally attached; but everything else is getting the boot.

In a few days I'll post a picture of the mounds of STUFF I'm getting out of my life!

Peace and Blessings,

Lizzy