I Don't Have a Fear of Flying, It's More About the Crashing

We have a wedding in May. It's the wedding of a close friend and by "close" I mean: only people who share my bloodline have been in my life longer.

In the first grade she and I got off to a rocky start. I was wary of her "spots" (remnants of her recent chicken pox) and told my mom as much. I don't remember exactly, but my mom must have given me some good advice because several bad perms, dozens of slumber parties, and a gazillion hours on the phone later we are still friends.

Alas, her wedding is many, many miles away and the thought of traveling all those miles by car with two small children is a bit daunting. Actually Kyle is a car trip champion and I wouldn't worry about him, but in Cade's first twelve months he has yet to prove himself as a pleasant road trip companion (bless his heart) and I think it is not realistic to expect much improvement by May.

Last night Mike said, "I don't suppose you would consider flying?"

Oh my.

Immediately the Alanis Morrisette song "Isn't It Ironic" popped into my head. You know the one?

Mr. Play It Safe was afraid to fly
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids goodbye
He waited his whole (bleep) life to take that flight
And as the plane crashed down he thought
"Well isn't this nice..."
And isn't it ironic... don't you think?

I used to fly with virtually no problem. I first flew by myself when I was probably 10 or 11 years old and really considered myself quite sophisticated for it. On my first unaccompanied flight I got the brilliant idea to order coffee and the stewardess gave me coffee. Seriously? Try as I might, I couldn't choke the stuff down so I did what any rational person would do and stuffed my napkins in my cup to absorb as much of the liquid as possible then went without a drink for the remainder of the flight. (Shaking head in disbelief. Oh I am such a dork.) Incidentally to this day I don't drink coffee. Coincidence?

Then 9/11 happened and I have not stepped on a plane or even considered it since. Mock me if you will.

When Mike posed the question about flying, with only a little hesitation I said, "Sure. If it's our time to go to Heaven then I'm ready." I think I may be more serious than joking. I really, really, really don't want to get on a plane. On the other hand, I really don't want to drive eleventy hundred hours with Cade in the span of 3 or 4 days.

and isn't it ironic...don't ya think?...

Did I mention I am claustrophobic?

Success and Failure

I tried two more Deceptively Delicious recipes - tacos and grilled cheese sandwiches. I tweaked the taco recipe and it was a hit with the whole family! Woohoo! Of course I consider tacos to be pretty healthy anyway because of the lettuce, tomato, avocado and fat free refried beans, but hey, add in squash that we would never otherwise eat and a little carrot and it's all the healthier.

Today at lunch I was feeling pretty confident about trying the grilled cheese with butternut squash puree. Until I saw that it called for 1/2 cup of squash puree and 1/2 cup of cheese. Whoa, that's a lot of squash relative to cheese. I was even more leery when I actually started mixing it up. See what I mean?

Pretty much just looks like a bowl of squash. Hmm, if I'm reluctant about it, I'm pretty sure Kyle is going to question it. I added a little bit more cheese than it called for; still it was pretty squashy looking.
I didn't use whole wheat bread because I have these dollar rolls which are yummier and Kyle usually eats up anything I put on them.

Kyle took his first bite. I held my breath. Then he asked, "Do we have lots of these left?"

Score! Nonchalantly I said, "The sandwiches? Yes, we have a couple more."

"No, the rolls. I don't like the cheese."

Bummer. I thought they were good though and Cade ate his up too. I'll make them again and add more cheese/less squash or try it with sweet potato instead of squash (I wonder if this is the record for most use of the word "squash" in one post? squash squash squash).

Can't win 'em all, but I'm encouraged so far!
I'll put my version of the recipes to be sure I'm not breaking any copyright laws.

Tacos
1 lb. ground turkey
1 TBSP olive oil
1/4 c. butternut squash puree
1/4 c. carrot puree
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 can diced or crushed tomatoes (14.5 oz.)
minced onion, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, chili powder, crushed red pepper (I have no idea the amounts on these, you can just use a package and it would be easier)
1 cup water

Add olive oil and turkey to skillet. Fully cook turkey then add vegetable purees, garlic, taco seasonings (or packet), canned tomatoes, and water. Simmer 15 minutes or until you're ready to eat.

While the meat is cooking grate cheese (cheddar, monterrey jack, colby, whatever you have), cut up tomatoes, lettuce and avocado.

My personal favorite is the taco burger, but we usually a combination of shells, tortillas, and/or buns.

Grilled Cheese
3/4 c. grated cheddar cheese
1/2 c. butternut squash puree
1 TBSP Promise spread
Dash of salt
Enough bread or buns for 2 to 3 sandwiches

Mix your cheese, squash, trans-fat free spread, and salt in a bowl, then spread on your bread of choice. Spray a skillet with no-stick spray and heat over low/medium heat. Add a teaspoon of olive oil (not sure if this is really necessary). Heat until warmed through.

We are fasting from TV this week! More on that later.

Deceptively Nutritious

After we put the kids to bed Sunday night, I asked Mike, "Do you want to do what Jerry Seinfeld is doing tonight?" He looked at me a little suspiciously so I told him that on Sunday nights after his kids are in bed, Jerry is in the kitchen keeping his wife company as she purees veggies to put in their unsuspecting kids' food.

Mike did not jump at the opportunity so I went ahead with the process on my own. But he came in to the kitchen part-way through, started washing his hands, and asked what he could do. After my polite, "Oh, that's okay, honey, don't worry about it," was rebuked and a second offer extended, I quickly accepted and delegated some duties!

I have had Deceptively Delicious, the cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld, for going on two years. I've looked through it on several occasions, but the puree-ing process seemed too daunting to me. Something got into me recently though, whether it was frustration over Kyle not eating, or the Halls eating so healthfully, or something else, I'm not sure, but I decided to give it a try. So I bought vegetables I never buy, including some I don't even like (beets, gag!), then roasted and steamed my little heart out and this was the result:


Look at those bright colors! It just screams "Healthy!" Doesn't it?


I started out following Jessica's (we're on a first name basis) advice of putting the purees in storage baggies, but I found that to be very messy so I got out my muffin tins and discovered that they hold approximately 1/4 cup, which was just the amount I needed, woohoo! I poured my purees in the tins and put them in the freezer. Once frozen, I put the muffin tins into a casserole dish of very shallow warm water, just for a few seconds, so the purees would pop out easily. Then I put the little portions directly into gallon-sized freezer bags like this:

Now I have several 1/4 cup portions of the following: cauliflower, butternut squash, carrots, beets, broccoli, and yellow squash. (I did need to do it in stages due to freezer space and muffin tin availability, but I just refrigerated the purees until needed).

I did it all in two batches. The first batch took me about an hour and that was with Mike helping. The second batch took me over two hours and that was by myself. So a helper is definitely great!

Speaking of getting on random food kicks...does anyone remember I was going to do the Aldi Queen's menu/shopping plan? Umm, yeah, never happened. However, I am still shopping Aldi/Aldis and loving it!

For breakfast this morning we had scrambled eggs using the cauliflower puree. I could taste the cauliflower a little bit, but Kyle ate them up. If I didn't know the cauliflower was in there I don't think I would have realized what the taste was, just that it was a little different. I will definitely make them again. They also had a little Parmesan and sour cream which probably helped disguise the cauliflower.

Since I had a substantial time investment, I did feel some added pressure that Kyle needed to eat all of his eggs. Thankfully, he ate them without prodding, but obviously I need to work through that and get over it because I'm sure it's not always going to happen!

Tonight I made another recipe from the same cookbook. I made spaghetti pie in which the meatballs had broccoli and the sauce had carrots. The carrot part was not new to me because I almost always add carrots when I make Italian food; the broccoli part was new to me and when I saw what they looked like I was especially leery. See the picture below? Not too appetizing, although great for St. Patrick's Day. The recipe also called for me to put the meatballs in raw, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I partially cooked them in a skillet with olive oil before adding them to the sauce and pasta mixture, then baking.
I have only made spaghetti pie two or three times, including this and I have never gotten it to turn out like it is supposed to, I don't know what I'm doing wrong. The noodles did not crisp at all on top like the recipe said they should. However, it received rave reviews from my family! Seconds were requested and granted all around the table! Next time I can make it even healthier by adding less cheese, Mike thought it was so good he didn't even need the mozzarella on top (it has minimal Parmesan in the meatballs and also low-fat cottage cheese in the sauce).

I have not so fond memories of my mom making beets when I was a child and the smell filled the house and nauseated me (sorry Mom, no offense to you, really!), so I am anxious to try a recipe with them and see if indeed the taste is disguised and makes my dish deceptively nutritious, which makes more sense to me than the book's title Deceptively Delicious. Anyone else? Maybe I'm thinking about it wrong. Anywho.

Go, Go Gadget Arm Skin

I was picking a shirt out when Kyle walked in to my closet the other day. He doesn't normally see my bare tummy so he kind of studied it, reached out gently, and said, "You've got some marks there, don't ya?" I said, "I do, don't I?"

I then explained that when he was growing inside of me my tummy got so big, bigger than it had ever been before, and when it did, it made those marks. He didn't immediately respond, so I asked him what he thought about it. "I think that's not very nice," he said.

I assured him I don't mind them at all and that he was well worth the marks.

That's true, really they don't bother me. I wouldn't pay money to have them removed. If a highly-trained doctor offered to laser them off for free I don't even know for sure if I would do it. Okay, I probably would, but I don't see that happening anywhere other than hypothetically, so I guess the marks are here to stay and that's fine by me. What about you? Do you have them? Would you pay to have them removed? Or are they badges of honor?

Praise in the Storm

Praise the LORD! Brandon's results came back this evening. He has stage 4 cancer, BUT it is a type that is very responsive to chemo. He starts in the morning with his first round and the best news is that this cancer has a 90% cure-rate!

These precious friends are so firmly rooted in the LORD, it is a blessing and an honor to walk beside them in this life.

Kyle and I are reading Little Pilgrim's Progress (so good, highly recommend, it's our second time through it) and today we read how the character Mercy received a little golden anchor as a gift from the character Piety, who explained the meaning of the anchor like this:

"You know what is the use of an anchor. If it is firmly fixed the sailors do not mind how rough the sea may be. The anchor holds their vessel safely, though the waters may be tossing and the wind roaring all around them. So if you love the King, the hope that He will help you will keep your heart from failing. And, though you may be in the greatest danger or difficulty, you will never be really afraid."

Little Pilgrim's Progress is an allegory of (for? to?) the Bible and the above quote reminds me of this verse in Scripture:

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:1b-2

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

God doesn't say "if" we have trouble, but "when" we have trouble. Believers aren't immune to troubles, but the deeper the anchor the more brightly God's glory is reflected and from my vantage I see God's goodness and glory shining radiantly in the Hall family. Pray for them, check their blog for updates, and encourage them as they pass through the waters and walk through the fire, God is surely with them.

Pray

Please join us on our knees for Brandon, Windy, Reed and Dossett.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him. Romans 15:13

Healed and Revealed

Don’t you just love showing off your scars? No? Me either. I recently heard a sermon which reminded me that is precisely what we should be doing though.

The pastor pointed out that it was the scars of Jesus which prompted Thomas to believe and stop doubting.

By definition a scar is a wound that has been healed. In the case of Jesus the wounds were caused by sin, not His, but the sins of others – the Roman soldiers’, the religious leaders’, mine, yours.

Our wounds may be from our own sin or they may be from hurts others have inflicted on us.

Some people are great at showing their scars and telling of the Father’s healing touch. I am not one of them. I know I have been healed; I know I have been forgiven. It is one of the most powerful sources of witness I can think of. Yet it is for that very reason our enemy wants desperately to convince us to keep our scars covered. What would people think if you tell them of the sin and hurt that caused those wounds? Good Christians shouldn’t have wounds like that. You’re supposed to be an example, that sin couldn’t possibly glorify God anyway. Hide it. Cover it up.

Just like Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his own brothers, I know that our enemy meant those sins and wounds for my destruction, but God used them for good.

God is good. God heals and He makes new. God didn’t forgive me because of anything good or special about me. He forgave me because of the perfect sacrifice of His Son. My righteous deeds are filthy rags, but He looks at me and sees the Spotless Lamb. He looks at me and sees His beautiful child, bought at a great price.

My past is ugly. My present is full of stumbling, but it is all part of the journey to the foot of the throne of grace – beautiful, wholly unmerited, but fully received – grace.

I want to show my scars, I want to proclaim in humility the touch of God in my life, how he picked me up out of the mire and set my feet on a firm foundation. I don’t have to enter each room and confess my sins to everyone in earshot, but I do need to be obedient and share them when God nudges me.

I want to be the light I am called to be and let others see it is within their reach to come out of the darkness. We can’t pull ourselves out of the mire though. God lifts us out when we stop striving and let His mighty and tender hand redeem our ashes.

One of my favorite passages in the Bible is Psalm 103, here are a few verses:

2 Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-
3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;