i walked with God this morning

This morning was a great walk. I managed 4 miles. I say managed because old mr. shin pain creeped back in and wouldn't go away for the entire first mile. Ugh. But by mile 2 I was 90% pain free and in my stride. I was tired though. But I didn't want to stop at 2, I wanted to keep going so I pushed. What happened at the start of mile 3 was awesome. The sun peered out from behind a cloud and shone with a bright vigor only God could have poured down and my ipod began the tune of He Is Lord. Oh my soul. Right there at ACU, right in front of the track, my hand flew up and it and my soul did some praising. I don't know what I looked like. I really don't care. That moment was a God moment. I knew I could finish because God was with me and cheering me on. When I had about 5 minutes left, God reminded me that He was with me by playing This Is Our God. It was a great closing to a great walk with God!

I do have to tell you that after I got home and the soreness of the walk began to set in, my mood went sour. It's crazy that I was on such a high moment with God and then one small thing snowballed and the day went south quickly. I didn't understand much of my schoolwork today, the boys picked up my mood and the grumpies set in. It was a rough afternoon that I finished off with an "ugly-cry". Yuck. I hate feeling that way. So, I put the books down and did some house cleaning. 5 loads of laundry later and I began to perk up. Then came the dinner of comforts and everyone's mood is picking up. It's slow, and we're all pretty worn out from the emotional roller coaster of a day, but at least we're not grumpy anymore. It's kind of funny, God took me through the journey of my walk today, and they had to take me through another journey of emotions. I think I went from high to low to okay. And right now I'm okay with okay :)

the right shoes do indeed make all the difference

Hello blog land! I've been gone for a while I know. Life got BUSY for a whole minute there. Walking got pushed to the side because I didn't have time for it :( That made me very sad. The changes I could feel taking place in my body slipped right back to their norms and I've just felt BLAH the past two weeks. It's been yuck. So today I was able to get back out and walk again! 2 miles around ACU and it was fantastic! I did notice that my legs weren't hurting on the first half mile like they usually do. I then realized it's because I wasn't wearing my knock-off-shape-ups. Don't get me wrong, I love how they make my legs feel, but the fact that I didn't have to spend the first half mile in pain was great! And I still felt just as good at the end in my new shoes as I did in my "shape-ups". So what new shoe you ask? Well, I went to Academy and found me some women's running shoes by New Balance. I really like them! And not just cause they have some pink on them. Though - the pink was the deciding factor in buying them, just sayin. My feet don't sweat nearly as much because they have some kind of air-flow-mesh-stuff (I do believe that IS the technical term, lol), and they don't hurt as much after the walk. I feel pretty good right now! I wish my body had felt like going another two miles. Maybe tomorrow. I'd been told better shoes would produce better results by our half coach (Ruthie is probably smiling at this point :) ) but it didn't really sink in until after my walk this morning that, wow! The right shoes really do make all the difference in how I feel during and after the walk! As does the tying technique! My feet didn't slip in the shoe once! The only time I felt a bit self-conscious during the walk was my wardrobe, lol. But that also is new and not changing so people are just going to have to get used to it. I found a bunch of walking/running clothes on clearance at WM a few weeks back and this morning tested out my jogging crops with walking shorts, and two (yeah two, lol) tops. I gotta tell ya - I did not feel the sweat as much! The clothes are supposed to wick the sweat away and I think they did! I knew I was sweating but didn't feel it as much. Works for me. The only downside is that they are a bit "clingy", not tight, but they do show all my "curves", lol. So when the teeny-bopper blondes come running by I feel a bit elephantile, but oh well. I'm here, I'm big, get used to me, :). I just turned my music up and walked on anyway! And if felt great :) So, please pray that I can continue to work out some walking time. Scott's schedule has been changed a little bit which is good for us, but it takes away my regular walking times. Plus, school has begun - both home and college, and those take priority as well. I'm still in this though. I feel better than I have in a very long time and it's a direct result of walking. I'm doing this half marathon and I'm not going to let Satan block me! Help me fight him off with some powerful prayers will ya? :)

i jiggle when i walk

** men, be forewarned, this may not be a post you want to read **

Yes, that's an issue for me. I confess it. But my question is... WHAT do you do about it?? Are big girls just bound to jiggle? Ugh. Walking has managed to bring out a whole new list of worries for me, lol. However, I did find that my "shape-up" knock offs do manage to keep the back parts in place, but my goodness. Sometimes it feels like Santa gave ME his bowl-full-of-jelly-belly in my stocking. Take it BACK, Santa!! Despite the wobbles, walking is making a big impact on me! I feel like I have more energy, I'm staying up with the housework, schoolwork, churchwork, kidswork, much better than I had before I started walking. It's been two weeks and already I can feel a difference in my body. Already two things that were health issues before are rectifying themselves, praise the Lord! I think the combination of me time and exercise time is a great thing! I love it :) I also love that this is not just for me. It's for a much greater cause! All children deserve a good education. After what Haiti has been through over the past several months, at least two more children deserve the priviledge of going to school! I see their faces when I walk and I pray for them. There are some days, those thoughts are the ones that keep me pushing through the tired muscles. Please keep the kids and the missionaries at RHFH lifted up in your prayers.

Until next time - I walk on :)

my playlist

It makes me laugh. You see, I like songs with a good beat. I can't walk to slow music. But I like any type of music with a good beat. I set my ipod to shuffle and go. It's not rare for me to hear Boom Boom Pow and then Live Life Loud :) It makes me laugh, it keeps me walking, and it takes my mind off of any aches I might be feeling. Music keeps me walking at a good pace. What do you walk to? Any good songs you might recommend?

Onto other news, I'm doing pretty well sticking to the training schedule. I'm really beginning to enjoy the walks. During the week I get a good half hour to myself. I listen to my crazy playlist, walk my tooshie off, sweat out all the bad vibes, and come home feeling great about myself and feeling more healthy than I've felt in a long time! There have been a few times when I've come home feeling very tired and yuck, but for the most part walking is making a difference already! As for the shoes, the knock-off "shape-ups" are a revelation. I've not gotten sore and I can tell a big difference between when I walk in them and when I don't. My booty "bounces" when I don't use them, definitely going to use them! Lol :) Big girls don't bounce needs to be my new motto. Anyway, yeah, the walking is going great. I'm sort of at a loss for the cross-training days but I've been utilizing our Wii Fit Plus for that. The obstacle course, boxing, step, and balance games are my favorite. I feel the burn on the "marching band" step game, that thing is LONG!

I've also been trying to watch what I eat. We got a lot of fresh fruit at Sams the other day and that has been my snack throughout the day. Feels good to have some more healthy options in the house :) Scott has been incredible throughout this change. He is very encouraging and supportive. I love that.

Other than that, our summer has been fairly quiet. I'm still working on school stuff, haven't had a break since December so I'm ready for this December, lol :) We haven't started our homeschool back up yet, that will come after VBS this year. We are planning a day trip to Six Flags soon, but we're going to surprise the boys with that :) They will love it. Last time we went they were not really sure about it, but now that they've been they are ready to go back. So, we've had a nice quiet summer, how has your summer been??

Healing Begins - Tenth Avenue North - w/lyrics

This is one of my favorite songs right now. God has taken this heart through much healing over the past year and it is beautiful. Healing begins right where you are. Drop the pretense, and let God restore your heart. He's here now. And He's ready for healing to begin.

let's run

Well friends. It's been a while. But I am *hopefully* back to blog land with a purpose :) For a while now (longer than I care to admit) God has been convicting me of my lack-o-exercise. It's been an inner struggle of, mostly, my own whining. Finally even I have had enough. I need to get up, I need to get out, and I need to move my tushie! But I knew I wouldn't stick with it unless I had some accountability. (sad isn't it!) So I am joining with a group of ladies, and one VERY energetic Coach, and I am going to participate in a half-marathon. Yep, 13.1 miles of sheer craziness! Nah, it won't be that bad, but at this point I do feel a bit crazy. :) BUT, this group has an awesome purpose and is something I am more than happy to be a part of. It's called Marathoning for Missions, you can check it out here. Each runner/walker picks a charitable organization to raise awareness, funds, or both for. I think that is a great way to take the focus off of ME and put it onto someone else. Love this idea. For those that know me, I am all about Children's Ministry. I love working with kids and I have great respect for others that share that passion. It is not easy. There are days I want to come home and cry. But the joy that comes from this job are immeasurable. It is because of my passion for Children's Ministry that I have chosen to walk for an organization that I love - the Real Hope For Haiti Rescue Center. You can check them out here. Several years ago God placed this organization on my heart. It is my hope to one day visit the Center in person as part of a mission team. You can read about how the Center got started here. Currently they are preparing to raise scholarship funds for children to attend school in Haiti. To send a child to school for a year it cost $250. I would like to raise enough money to send at least two children to school for a year. Anything raised above that will go towards the RHFH Center and their needs. 100% of the money you donate will go towards this goal. I've added a "Donate Here" Paypal button to my blog page. All donations made there will be sent straight to RHFH. You can also make donations in person if you wish, or you can go straight to the RHFH page and click on the "Donate" button on the right side of their page. Above all, please pray for RHFH and the children they serve. What they do is not easy. Together I know we can give at least two children an incredible chance that not all children in Haiti have. We can send them to school! Will you help?

catching you up on recipes I've tried

Whew, it's been really difficult to catch the blog up lately! I've been keeping up with my goal of trying 5 new recipes a week, just have had no time to post them! So, I'm catching you up from this past week of recipes. I've tried some great new recipes, and one that was kind of a flop. I'd say those are good numbers! :) So far everyone's liked what I've made which is a great encouragement to me! I'm so sick of the same old menu that it's really exciting me to try all these new things! So read on my readers! And hopefully you will be inspired to try something new too!

Recipe – Best Ever Lasagna (5 stars)
From - Goose Berry Patch, Harvest Kitchen

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
1t. Italian Seasoning
8-12 lasagna noodles, uncooked and broken into thirds
28 oz jar spaghetti sauce
1/3 c. water
15 oz container ricotta cheese
8 oz package of shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:
Combine ground beef and Italian seasoning. Arrange half the lasagna noodles in a greased slow cooker. Spread half the ground beef mixture over noodles. Top with half each of remaining ingredients. Repeat layering process. Cover and cook for 5 hours on low setting. Serves 10.

My Notes – I also added about ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese, ¼ cup per layer, and then sprinkled some on top as well. This is fantastic! Word of caution, don’t forget to spray. I did and my noodles tried to stick to my crock pot. Add a salad and some garlic bread and wah-lah! You have a great meal that didn’t take much effort!
 
Recipe – Chicken and Dressing Casserole (3 stars)
From – Goose Berry Patch, Harvest Kitchen

Ingredients:
½ c. margarine
1 c. celery, chopped
1 c. onion, chopped
2 c. cornbread crumbs
2 c. bread crumbs
Dried sage to taste
10 ¾ oz. can cream of chicken soup
5 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
10 ½ oz. jar chicken gravy

Instructions:
Heat margarine in a large skillet over medium heat. Add celery and onion; cook until tender. Combine celery mixture, cornbread crumbs, bread crumbs, sage, and soup. If desires, add water to reach desired consistency. Transfer to a lightly greased 13x9 baking pan. Arrange chicken over top; spread gravy over chicken. Bake, covered, at 375 for one hour. Serves 12.

My Notes – This was okay, but not something we’ll try again. The flavor was a bit “off” for us. You can substitute chicken broth for the water if you want. Also, this took longer than an hour for me.

 
Recipe – Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cake
From – Goose Berry Patch, Church Suppers

Ingredients:
6 T. butter, melted
1c. sugar
2 eggs
1 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1 ½ t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
8 oz container sour cream
6 oz pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:
Blend together butter and sugar in a medium bowl; add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition and set aside. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon in a separate bowl. Add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream; mix well. Pour into a greased and floured 13x9 baking pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until golden and toothpick tests clean. Serves 12.

My Notes – This is terrific!!! I used mini chocolate chips and a Bundt pan and it still came out fabulous. You have to add about 5-7 min to the cooking time if you use a Bundt, but it still turns out the same.

 
Recipe – Shredded Baby Back Ribs Sandwiches
From – Jen Rector

Ingredients:
1 rack Baby Back Ribs
1 bottle Cattleman’s Original BBQ Sauce
8 hamburger buns

Instructions:
Place the ribs in a 13x9 baking dish and lather on ¾ of the bottle of BBQ sauce. Bake uncovered at 350 for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until done. Remove the rib meat from the bones and place in food processor. Add remaining BBQ sauce and pan drippings, and shred meat on low. Serve on buns; serves 8.

My Notes – You may want to use a larger size bottle of BBQ sauce. I found that reserving only ¼ of the bottle didn’t leave much sauce to shred the meat with. This is a fantastic recipe that I will be using again for sure! It is super easy!

 
Recipe – Cashew Beef Stir-fry
From – Best of Taste of Home

Ingredients:
2 T. Cornstarch
2 c. cold water
4 T. soy sauce, divided
1 bunch broccoli, chopped
2 T. canola oil
3 medium carrots, julienned
1 lb. beef top sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ t. pepper
2 medium green peppers, cut into strips
2 medium sweet red peppers, cut into strips
2 medium onions, halved and sliced
1 yellow summer squash, sliced
1 ½ c. salted cashews
Hot cooked rice

Instructions:
In a small bowl, combine cornstarch, water, and 2 tablespoons soy sauce until smooth; set aside. In a very large skillet or wok, stir-fry broccoli and carrots in 1 tablespoon oil until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Add the beef, garlic, pepper, and remaining soy sauce; stir-fry until meat is no longer pink. Remove and keep warm.

In the same pan, stir-fry the green and red peppers, onions, and squash with the remaining oil until crisp-tender. Return beef to the pan.

Stir cornstarch mixture and gradually add to pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cashews. Serve with rice.

My Notes – This is great! I didn’t add in the cashews but it was still wonderful.

 
Recipe – Blueberry Almond Coffee Cake
From – Best of Taste of Home

Ingredients:
1 c. all purpose flour
½ c. sugar
¾ t. baking powder
½ t. salt
¼ t. baking soda
1 egg
2/3 c. buttermilk
2 T. butter, melted
1 t. vanilla extract
¼ t. almond extract
1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries, divided
½ c. sliced almonds
1 T. brown sugar
¼ t. ground cinnamon

Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In another bowl, whisk the egg, buttermilk, butter, and extracts until blended. Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Stir in 2/3 cup of blueberries.

Pour into a greased 8 inch square baking dish. Top with remaining blueberries. Combine the almonds, brown sugar, and cinnamon; sprinkle over the top. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

My Notes – This is very tasty! I used frozen blueberries and it came out just fine. If you used stoneware to bake this be sure to add about 10 baking time.