Let's Chat...

Hi, everyone! I have missed our interactions over the last few months, but truthfully, I've not had the time to do any quality writing or live videos. To say that life is full is an understatement. BUT, I've been convicted of the fact that it doesn't have to be that way, nor should it be.

We've all at one time or another bought into the lie that we should have a full or overflowing schedule. "How are you?", we might be asked. "So busy!", is often my response! We proclaim it as if it were the crucible we are forced to wear or some badge of honor that all moms are expected to wear. We are too tired to cook dinner; too frustrated to read a bedtime story; to exhausted to give our husbands any attention in the evening once babies are in bed; and we are certainly too spent for any meaningful time with God.

Ladies, we've got to stop the madness. Our kids will live if we tell them no football for one season. They won't fail in life if they don't learn how to do a cartwheel. But, they will struggle emotionally if we are always frazzled and frenzied from an overflowing planner. Our house won't crumble to the ground if we leave the dishes alone for some time in the Bible. And our kids will never understand what a real, living relationship with Christ is like if we aren't showing them ourselves. Nothing will benefit your child more than seeing mom (and hopefully dad) in a thriving, authentic, head-over-heels relationship with Jesus.

Don't be guilted into saying "yes" to every opportunity that presents itself. You've got to first give God, your husband, and your kids your BEST. A good rule to follow is of course to always pray about the situation first, then ask a couple of questions (in no particular order):

1. Will this fit into our schedule? (Do I already have something else in this time slot?)
2. Will this be detrimental to our spiritual life as a family? (Does it squeeze out church or church activities? Will it make us too tired to have our family devotion time?)
3. Is this something that can wait another year or two? Sports, dance, music lessons- we are all too eager to put our three-year-olds in tumbling class, but too busy to take them to Sunday School! (And this is a tumbling teacher writing!)

Two books that I recommend on this subject of family scheduling are "Your Best Yes" by Lysa TerKeurst, and "Instructing a Child's Heart" by Ted and Margy Tripp.

But the best advice that you can receive comes of course from God's Word, the Bible. Here are a few scriptures that help me in my decision making:

1 Corinthians 10:23 (KJV) says,
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.


I love the KJV of this verse. The word "edifying" is very poignant: if this activity doesn't edify you or your loved ones, then most likely it needs to be a "no."

And then one of my life-verses from 2 Timothy 2:22:
"So flee youthful passions (or useless activities), and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace along with those who call on the LORD from a pure heart."

We are instructed here to run away from ("flee") our fleshly passions. This isn't just referencing our sexual desires as this verse is often only used for. This is any desire or choice that is not edifying.

If your initial reaction to a new opportunity or activity is "I just don't know how I will make time for this," then you should probably say no. Run away from anything that will not benefit your family's spiritual/relational or mental health.

And just so know you, this is all just a sermon that I'm writing to myself. ;) 

This would also be a really good segue into the story of how we have decided to for-sure homeschool our kids once this school year ends. But... I'll save that for another day. :)

Pursuit of "Perfect"

I read a book with this title about two years ago. It meant a lot to me then, but it's starting to mean even more to me now. 

I don't know about you, but I feel that the pressure for perfection is greater now than ever. Maybe it's just the phase of life that I'm in- or maybe it's the over-exposure to other people's lives via social media. 

It's such a conundrum. I love social media; I hate social media. I get to see my friends and their families most fun and cute moments on Facebook and Instagram; I get great decorating ideas from crafty friends and bloggers; I see beautiful scripture art that reminds me of my Great God & Father; I save tons of yummy and healthy recipes on Pinterest. On the flip-side I see families who seem perfectly happy and look as if Mommy never yells, and the kids are always perfectly dressed with clean faces and hair and trimmed fingernails; I see homes that are staged for "Fixer Upper" with no piles of misplaced items on the stairs and no dirty dishes or toilets- ever! I see cutesy scripture journals and snapshots of other more Godly women's journaling Bibles with their "doodles" that prove they've just had a perfectly silent and meaningful quiet time with the Lord and that it happens for them every. day. With coffee. 

Do you feel this way ever???

Like I said, I really enjoy all of these things... So why, sometimes, does my mind turn to comparisons and discontentment with my own circumstances when I see it? Obviously, the main reason is because I desire for my family to be happy, healthy, and fulfilled- and if I'm being honest, I desire this for myself as well. But where I am deceiving myself in all this is in the concern for what others perceive about me and my family. And I am also hugely mistaken in believing the lie that I will be content and fulfilled if all of these things are "perfect" in my life. I AM A CHILD OF GOD! I ONLY NEED A PASSIONATE PURSUIT OF HIM TO FEEL "PERFECT!" This has been a struggle for me my entire life! That's probably why my favorite Bible verse is 2 Timothy 2:22 which says, "So flee youthful passions and PURSUE RIGHTEOUSNESS, FAITH, LOVE, AND PEACE along with those who call on the Lord with a pure heart."

Oh that I may look at social media posts with a pure heart! And may my pursuit in life be ONLY that of righteousness, faith, love, and peace. Then will my life be picture perfect when I reach the end. 

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful for coffee. I wonder if I could function without my morning cup? Isn't that canvas cute?! My sister made it!

I'm thankful for sisters, biological and in-Christ. I had such a great time at our exercise class at church last night. It is always so uplifting to be there no matter what kind of day I have been having.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks. For this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

What are you thankful for today?

A Hug From God

As a stay-at-home-mom, I am sometimes prone to feeling isolated, lonely, separated from the "real world." When Ben and I decided that I would not work full-time once children came along, I had no idea how emotionally exhausting it would be hanging out with little ones all day. There are so many moments when I could just use a hug, and hear "It's going to be okay."

If you are a parent, you know what I'm talking about. So many different situations arise at every level of your child's development that affect the parents emotionally. I won't even try to make a list of scenarios that I've experienced  personally that have left me feeling helpless, alone, and like I'm the only one going through it. But what I do want to share with you is how God has made himself even more real to me as a result of being a parent and stay-at-home-mom, and how over and over again He wraps His arms around me in a great big hug!

The Bible,which I believe is 100% true and without error, promises us that we can give all of our cares to God because he cares for us. (1 Peter 5:7) Before I became a mom, I was aware of this truth in scripture, but it has come to mean so much more to me. When my children are testing me with their behavior, and not showing progress; when my son is struggling emotionally; when the two of them seem like they will never get along, and I just want someone to talk to, God is there. He cares. He loves me. Some translations call cares "anxieties." And I don't care who you are or what your lot in life is, I'm sure you have anxieties.  

I can pause anywhere at any time, and tell Him about my worries and troubles. Isn't that just like a big hug from God?!

Do you have any favorite verses that bring you comfort? (There are so many throughout the Bible!)

A Different Kind of Resolution

A new year; a fresh start; a clean slate. Such hope and potential in these phrases. 

Most new year's resolutions are for keeping up appearances: healthy eating, exercise more, lose "x" pounds, clear the clutter. Those are all good, and I would never tell someone not to set such a goal. But in 2015, I want something that goes deeper.

I feel a longing in my soul to be transformed on the inside. To truly let the joy of The Lord be my strength in every circumstance (Nehemiah 8:10). To fend off the temptation to conform to this world's standards (Romans 12:2), and to strive for contentment (1Timothy 6:6) knowing that in all things, God will be working for my good (Romans 8:28). 

What makes these changes different from the typical New Year's resolution is 1. It is something that I hope to strive for every day for the rest of my life. I don't want to just be content in my current and near-future status; I pray that I will always be able to give thanks in all circumstances! (1 Thessalonians 5:-17) And 2. It's not only in my control. I have a helper, The Holy Spirit, to guide my heart and mind. If I am going to be able to resist the temptations of materialism, discontentment, etc., I need to arm myself with supernatural strength. I can exercise and build my spiritual muscles by studying and memorizing God's Word (The Bible), and by repenting of my sins daily and resting and trusting in The Lord (Isaiah 30:15). 

I hope that you take advantage of the opportunity that a new year brings. Whether your goals are physical, spiritual, organizational, financial- whatever- I pray that you will allow the joy of The Lord to be your source of strength, and that you will be content with what you do have and strive to honor God in it.

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I can't wait to see what happens in 2015!

Happy New Year!!!

First "Message Monday" (and Meals)

Hey y'all! You're probably wondering if I forgot that today is actually Tuesday. I didn't forget, but I mentioned in my last post that I had some ideas for the blog to help me be more regular in posting. One idea is to re-cap what I learned on Sunday in a Monday morning post. Since I was without Internet all afternoon Sunday through yesterday, I decided to just go ahead with it today. I plan to also include some of last week's meals with the Message Monday posts.

On a side note, I am so relieved to finally have a planner again! I feel so much better putting my dates and tasks in writing. I had an Amy Knapp Family Organizer before, and I tried just using my phone after that. I don't know about you, but I tend to remember things much better if I write them down. I highly recommend these planners!

On to Sunday!

In small group Bible study, Ben read a passage from Leviticus where God gave instructions to His people to take a year Sabbath from working their land every seventh year. We talked about why God would give such instructions: it symbolized how he rested on the seventh day when he created the whole earth, and we also discussed how even today, wise farmers will let sections of their land rest every seven years to prevent using up all the nutrients in the soil. We looked back at the verses in Genesis where God gave his command for man to care for and rule over the earth. Ben shared that he learned from a Bible commentary that the original word used implied not just using up the earth, but actually making use of what we're given. In other words, man is not supposed to simply consume the fruits of the earth, but to make all our resources useful and try to preserve them. We had some discussion on environmental activism, and why Christians are sometimes accused of not caring about conservation. We concluded that generally (of course there are exceptions), that stigma is a false perception; that Christians do care, but Christ and His Gospel are our main cause. So... God taught me through that reading of scripture and class discussion that he really does desire for us to see the earth as a gift to be cared for, not taken advantage of. (So what if I cloth diapered my two kids and I recycle?) I was convicted that I can do much more to care for my God's green earth, and that He wants me to. 

Our pastor has been planning a "prayer experiment" that started yesterday. His sermon was on prayer, and revolved around Luke 11:9-10 which says, "Ask and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find. Knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." 

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Our church is going to be praying individually and collectively over the next 40 days intensely, without considering any "loopholes" and waiting to see what God's going to do. I am so excited! The thing that spoke to my heart the most in the sermon was the original word that was used for the "asking" and "knocking." It meant shameless asking and shameless knocking! I never thought that I could ask God for something in that way! So we're praying, waiting, and expecting great things from God! I got to share a new song along with our choir yesterday too; it went right along with the prayer theme. It's called "Standing," and it quotes the old hymn "Standing on the Promises" in the bridge. The chorus says "We're gonna see what we're praying for. We believe every single word. Stronger than we've ever been, standing on the promises. We're gonna see the impossible. We release the supernatural. Stronger than we've ever been. We are standing on the promises."

Ben and I relaxed for the remainder of the Sabbath by backpacking in to the backcountry of the National Park, and camping for the night. We had the whole campsite to ourselves, and we had a great time. It is such a privilege to get to enjoy God's creation right in my back yard!

Here are some recipes for last week's meals:

Ham and broccoli calzones

Fish tacos with chipotle cilantro broccoli slaw (recipe coming soon for slaw)

Lemon chicken and asparagus

Morning glory muffins

Friday Favorites

Hey y'all! I have not done a Friday favorites post in a while. I thought I would catch you up on what's been going on lately. 

Last Friday, Ben took me out for our anniversary to a really nice local restaurant called Foothills Milling Company, then we went to the drive-in for a double feature. We saw How to Train Your Dragon II and The Fault in Our Stars. I do not know how we stayed awake, but somehow we managed to. I have not stayed up that late in years… It was nearly 3 AM by the time we got home and got to bed! It was definitely one of my most favorite dates ever! We tried to take a picture in the back of our minivan while we were watching the movie, but it was just too dark. But we did get some pictures of our awesome food! We shared the fried green tomatoes appetizer, and for entrées I had a smoked trout stuffed ravioli which was actually an appetizer, and Ben had the pulled pork and grits, which was a version of shrimp and grits served over polenta. For dessert, we had the buttermilk pie, and oh my goodness, it was so so good!

Our small group Bible study on Sunday mornings has been going really well. Ben has been teaching about the fruit that we produce in our lives when we are living in daily repentance. There is only one more week left of this particular study, and then we are going to move onto a marriage enrichment study. I am really looking forward to that!

Ben shared his testimony with the college students on Thursday night. He did such a great job telling about how God called him to salvation at college night at our church 12 years ago. Then he shared about how God has been working in his life more recently, teaching him about daily relying on Christ to shape and grow his heart and faith. He shared two passages: Psalm 139 which says "search my heart oh God…"; and in Matthew 22:37 Jesus says that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. Ben's main point was that being saved is not the end of loving Jesus. We are incapable of loving the Lord with all our heart with all our soul and with all our strength all the time. We are supposed to ask God to reveal to us when we are not obeying that great command. But we have to ask Him often to reveal it. When we are just going through the motions of Christianity, e.g., going to church "most of the time," randomly reading the Bible and praying, without doing it out of a true and pure heart for spiritual growth, God knows. By His grace, he convicts us, but it is up to confess and repent (Psalm 139); then He will lead us in the way everlasting. 

It's Vacation Bible School week at our church. I've been on the worship team and have been teaching music to the Pre-K class. It has been a blast! We are having our celebration on Sunday afternoon when the kids will get to sing for the parents/families. We've had about 500 kids in attendance!

We don't have any firm plans for the weekend other than church activities on Sunday, and I'm glad. I am looking forward to resting up when the kids will let me. ;) That is, after my 10-mile run on Saturday morning.

Do you have VBS at your church? Do you volunteer for anything?

What are your plans for July 4th???

Trading in My Mama Bear Claws for...

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Well... it finally happened. 

I watched my child being mistreated by other kids, and I let my emotions get the better of me. It was certainly not the first time that we had been in a situation like this, but for some reason this time, I became so upset with the other children. I never did anything too regretful in the situation, but inside I was so enraged. I was thinking about all the faults of the other kids, and never took the opportunity to teach all of the kids involved. 

Later (after I had time to cool off), I did have several good conversations with Rush about not returning evil for evil (Romans 12:17), turning the other cheek (Matthew 5:38-39)= saying "I have other toys that I can play with, you can have it", and doing to others as we would have them do to us (Luke 6:31). 

I recounted the whole situation to Ben (my husband) that night. He had some great words of wisdom, as always. [Ben's spiritual gift is wisdom!]  He reminded me that I don't have to let my emotions get the better of me. God gave us emotions, but Christ living in me is what should be controlling my reactions to life. During our conversation, I realized that I have fears about how our son will mesh socially as he grows. It is one of those weird tactics that Satan uses on me sometimes; it comes and goes, but when it creeps in, it's very strong. My fear (aka lack of faith) is what caused my poor reaction. How many times have you reacted sinfully as a result of suppressed fears? 

All I could think was "Those kids are so unfriendly and have no manners whatsoever! They are just provoking my son to the point that his social "quirks" come out.  All they can think about is themselves!"

Deep down in my spirit, I know that there is no reason to worry about my son. If I am living the kind of life in Christ that I should be living, those worries won't even seem valid; I will be able to dismiss them the moment they pop into my head. And my response to conflict will be peace-making, life-giving, Godly instruction. 

"We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on God's grace; not on our own human wisdom. That is how we have conducted ourselves before the world, and especially toward you." 2 Corinthians 1:12

If I can keep this verse and others like it stored in my heart, then my mama bear claws will not come out at the wrong time. My main weapon of defense should always be the full armor of God, because really I am not just protecting my child from other people; I am defending his heart (and mine) from invisible evil powers. 

"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;

and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication." Ephesians 6:11-18a ESV

Lord, please give me the strength and wisdom to show my children how to respond to conflict. Help me to be sincere, gracious; to control my tongue and my feelings; and to use Your Word as my main line of defense and instruction. I cannot do it on my own. Only you can help me trade in my mama bear claws for Your Armor.

Meal Plan Monday (6/9) and Scripture Memory

Happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend!

Last week was fun in the kitchen. I tried one new recipe, and did some freezer meals to have on-hand for friends and family.

This was our line-up for the week:

Grilled honey lime chicken sandwiches with sweet potato fries (new for us)

slider bun topped with avocado, tomato, and salsa verde

Broccoli cheese soup (no photo of the soup, but I got a pic of the HUGE bowl of fresh shredded Gouda!!!) I doubled the recipe and froze half. 

Fish tacos on Trader Joe's whole wheat tortilla topped with avocado, spinach, and salsa verde

Smoked finger ribs with baked sweet potatoes, and green beans

Homemade fruit bar popsicles 

Homemade cinnamon rolls

These were AMAZING and simple to make!

Sneak peak into this week's meals:

Grilled chicken and veggie kabobs with blue cheese stuffed red potatoes

Grilled peach and prosciutto pizza 

Veggie enchiladas with Mexican brown rice

Goat cheese pasta with farmer's market inspired salad

It's a busy second half of this week, but I'm really looking forward to it! I want to do my very best for the Lord in every task and appointment. I want to devote myself to refreshing my memory verses this week, specifically Ephesians 6:11-18 and Romans 1:16-23. I encourage you to get in God's Word and memorize it. It will change your life! 

Bible Study Update and (last week's) Meal Plan

I'm about 20 years behind, but I just starting reading Francine Rivers' Mark of the Lion series. Oh my! It is such a great story! I have a hard time putting it down sometimes. I'm on book two, and I can't wait to find out what happens. It's such a beautiful story of faith and unwavering devotion to God.

Have you read any Francine Rivers stuff?

Speaking of unwavering devotion to God, Ben taught an amazing lesson yesterday morning about self-examination. He talked about how we all want to know why we do the things we do in reaction to our circumstances, especially the sinful ones that we regret. There are many excuses that we can come up with for why we respond negatively to life, but if we are believers, then we should be able to look internally (not externally) for a solution. And that solution is always the process of self-examination led by the Holy Spirit, which leads to confession of the particular sinful response, which should prompt repentance (turning away from), which should bring us back into worship and closer fellowship with God. Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to "Love The Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength." If we say that we want to obey this command, then we must own-up to our sins, big and small, seen and unseen. 

It was a very convicting lesson, and I am proud of Ben for teaching so obediently.

Last week's meal plan was extremely random. I made several things that I do not make very often, and there were not any repeat ingredients between any two recipes. It's rare that that happens. Here's what we had:

Brittany's sweet potato and black bean chili

Pulled pork BBQ sandwiches with broccoli slaw and baked beans

Eggplant zucchini bake (Rachael Ray)

Homemade pizza

Some lunches were:

Leftover chicken tortellini soup from last week

Veggie sliders

I feel like I get in a lunch "slump" a lot. Do you have any lunches that you are enjoying lately?

I remember 7th grade... and why it scares me.

Do you remember those awkward middle school years?

Most of what I remember is embarrassing moments, confusing moments, and wishing I were older... 

When I was asked to talk to the 7th grade girls at our church it took me back to that time. Back to my little classroom at my little K-8 school; back to cheer camp, basketball games, sleepovers, long phone conversations about nothing, huge sibling spats, learning how to put on make-up, and "liking" boys. 

I have to admit something here. When Ben and I were expecting a baby the first time around, I was fearful of having a girl. My fear stemmed from all the bad memories surrounding those middle school (and high school) years that were mainly a result of my being a girl. Those fears still crept up when we were expecting the second time. But around 18 weeks, we found out that God was giving us a daughter. I am not at all saying that I was happy; I was elated! But Satan has a sly way of turning our joy into fear sometimes. I expressed my fears to Ben and a couple of wise friends, and they all had wonderful words of Godly wisdom for me. This is still something I sometimes struggle with. {More on this in a bit.}

The 7th grade Sunday school teacher asked me and two others ladies (all in different stages of life) to talk to the girls about a female from the Bible that we relate to. I really struggled at first on who to parallel my life with. And I also really struggled with feeling confident that the girls would "get" what I wanted to say. 

So, I decided on Mary, mother of Jesus. Funny decision for many reasons, but hopefully you'll see where I was going with it (and hopefully the girls did too). Here's what I shared with them:

I talked about how Mary was asked to do some heavy stuff: become pregnant (by the Holy Spirit) while un-married yet engaged, and then raise the Child as the Son of God. Luke 1 tells us that Mary was initially "confused and disturbed" by what the angel said. But it did not take her long to accept the calling that God had placed on her. 

A few years ago, God asked me to do something that initially disturbed and confused and intimidated me. He brought before me the opportunity to be director of our moms ministry, PEP Moms. Obviously, the task does not compare to the one that Mary was confronted with, but nonetheless, God was asking me to do something that was out of my comfort zone. Luke doesn't tell us exactly how long it took Mary to tell the angel that she was willing to take on the task, but it appears it wasn't very long. I admitted to the 7th grade girls that it took me several days to finally say yes, but I truly believed what the angel told Mary: that with God, all things are possible. 

Less than a year ago, Ben and I were asked to do something that was out of our comfort zone: lead the newlyweds Bible study at our church. In a similar fashion, we were "confused and disturbed" and initially resistant to the prospect. As we prayed and sought advice, again, we came to the conclusion that with God's guidance, we could do it, and that He was asking us to say yes. 

We have learned so much about what it means to be obedient to God through both of these situations. He has entrusted us with these tasks in order to bring Himself glory and to grow us closer to Him. Thinking about how He has guided us thus far and blessed our efforts, ideas, and attempts of new things makes me feel so joyful. It is not always easy or even fun, but I know that God is pleased with my willingness as long as I am doing it for Him. 

Mary's cousin, Elizabeth, praised her for her willingness to be the mother of the Savior of the world. I believe that Elizabeth's encouragement and recognition of God's blessing on Mary's life lifted Mary's spirit and affirmed her. When people give me encouragement and positive feedback, it furthers my belief that I am right where God wants me. Mary responded with a beautiful "song" of praise to God. She said, 

"My soul magnifies the Lord, 

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 

for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 

for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name..."

God has been so faithful to me in these tasks that He has put before me. Mary mentions the "generations" calling her blessed. For me, those "generations" are my children, grandchildren, and so on. I pray that as a result of my faithful willingness to say yes when led to do so, they will call me blessed, Godly, wise, obedient, faithful, and loving. 

I think the girls understood most of what I was saying and they seemed to pay attention for the most part. 

Back to my fear that I shared earlier...

Raising a daughter in a world so full of perversion really does scare me. The task ahead makes me feel "confused and disturbed." Ben and I are  incapable of raising our daughter (and our son) in a way that pleases God. But just as Mary never questioned her own abilities and fully relied on God to give her the wisdom and guidance necessary to perform her task well, I pray for that kind of faith. A faith that never even considers my own abilities to be an asset. My only tools come from my relationship with my Savior and Lord. He will guide me; he will protect my daughter. I only need to believe that nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37)

How do you handle fears?

What are your memories of middle school like- good or bad?

New River Marathon Recap

This was my second marathon, and I registered for this race knowing that is was extremely hilly compared to my first marathon (Seven Bridges in Chattanooga, TN). What appealed to me about this race was it's location: fairly close to home and rural scenery. (It was a little over three hours driving to get to Boone, NC.) We have visited the area before, so we already had a couple of restaurants and shops in mind to visit before packet pick-up Friday evening. We got in to downtown Boone around 12:30, and went immediately to Our Daily Bread, a place I describe as Panera Bread on steroids. If you are ever in the area, you must go here for lunch! I had a black bean burger with pumpkin curry corn chowder, and Ben had a roast beef and blue cheese sandwich with roasted tomato and Gorgonzola soup. Both were incredible!

We (I) browsed one of my favorite antique shops for about an hour and found a Hollie Hobby doll to add to Lottie's collection, plus a super-cute set of retro plates and saucers. I also bought a few gifts for upcoming birthdays, graduations, and babies. 

We found an Earthfare to grab some last minute things to complete our pre-planned dinner at the cabin, then headed over to the race site where we met up with Chris and Buck for packet pick-up. 

Since it's such a small race, there was no "expo" like big races. You just grabbed your packet and left! My kind of pre-race! They did offer a vegan spaghetti dinner with a guest speaker, but since we had an awesome cabin and friends to hang out with, we chose not to go. 

We immediately started dinner when we got to the cabin. Chris made whole wheat penne with meat marinara, and I made whole wheat angel hair with artichokes and sun dried tomatoes. We also had salad and french bread, plus some blueberry lemon bars that I had made ahead and packed in a cooler.

I ate a HUGE amount of the angel hair that I had made. I usually try to not over-eat before a long run, but for some reason, I wasn't too concerned.

We got in the hot tub for a few minutes after dinner, talked about our plans for what time to get up, what time to leave for our 20 minute drive to the race site, etc., then headed off to bed. I realized that I was so concerned about having the right clothes for the race and dinner out after the race that I forgot to pack any pajamas!

I slept fine anyway... even though it did take me a little while to settle down... I had to get up and pee three times thanks to all the water I had been drinking all day! 

My alarm went off at 5:30, and I had set the coffee maker to brew around 5:15 so we could wake up to coffee ready-made! [If you are in the Boone/Blowing Rock area, look for Bald Guy Brew. It's a great local coffee spot that we discovered on our previous visit a couple of years ago. We had gone in on Friday afternoon and bought a bag of their Colombia roast to have at the cabin. It was great!] My go-to breakfast before a long run is almost always a mini cinnamon raisin bagel with just a little bit of peanut butter. BUT, Chris had gotten an assortment of Panera bagels for us to all share for breakfast. I couldn't resist, so I ate one of the amazingly delicious (and dangerously sweet) cinnamon sugar ones with honey walnut cream cheese. I ate the whole thing! The. Whole. Thing! Before a marathon! Again, I don't know why I was making these off-color decisions, but at the time, I didn't really think much of it. I never felt overly full. [Keep reading to see how all those calories worked out for me.] ;)

We headed out about 6:45, which was about 10 minutes later than we wanted to. We did get stuck in some "traffic" when we got close to the race site because the parking area is literally right off the road where the race begins. No biggie, though... Chris and I jumped out of our cars near the portables to take one last bathroom break before the start. There was a line, but it was not much of one. We even got to hear the pre-race prayer after our pit-stop. I was pumped from that moment on! I felt an excitement in my soul that gave me more confidence that God was going with me. They started making announcements that the start time would be delayed a few minutes so that they could get all the cars parked. (The road had to be closed eventually because the starting line is in the road where people drive in.) 

Full and half marathon starting lines

Ben snapped some pics at the start line. It was not a big group of full-marathoners. 

My ponytail is doing a happy dance here!

The first mile was pretty and flat. Between miles 1 and 2 there was a section of some steep rolling hills that quickly had us shedding our long sleeves. Once we got over the last big hill in that section, there was a race photographer waiting on the generous downhill. We were running along the river (I assume it is the New River) a lot of the time, and we had a nice long flat section for quite some time after that zinger. There were aid stations approximately every two miles with water and gatorade and portables (and encouragement). All of the volunteers seemed happy to be there. There was another hill that wasn't as steep around mile 5, and that's when I knew it was going to be a good run for me. I started feeling really good, not just physically, but mentally and spiritually. Early in the race, we were behind a man that had Isaiah 40:31 on the back of his shirt. Ben and I memorized verses 29-31 a while back, and I quoted it our loud when I saw it. I've never felt so energized as I did when I was speaking God's Word while running. It was awesome! 

"He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.  Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

We went back by the race site around mile 11, and the next aid station had Hammer gels. I grabbed several esspresso flavored ones, and was disappointed when I saw them. I love coffee, but I wasn't sure how I would like that flavor as an energy gel. It turned out to not be so bad! I made sure and drank plenty of water with the gel, and it sat fine on my tummy (whew!). 

Ben and Buck were able to drive around the course, and the first place they waited for us was at mile 12. They refilled my sport drink bottle with Advocare Rehydrate. (Chris and Buck are Advocare distributors.) Ben gave me a kiss and asked how I was feeling; I told him I was feeling great, and I went on my merry way...

I had to pee pretty badly at this point, and I had tried to stop a couple of other times, but I wanted to be able to run right in, and they had all been occupied. Finally, right before mile 13, I was running up to a portable, and someone came out! YAY! I think I might have lost 15 seconds at the most! I was really glad that I had been able to go because right at mile 13, there was a big hill. People were walking all over the place. I was temped to walk too, but I knew that mile 16 was going to be brutal, so I was saving my walking for then. I told myself I was just gonna try to have fun up the steep hill... so I made friends. As I was passing a group of guys who were walking, I asked them "Didn't you guys hear the rules? No walking on the hills!" Thankfully, they were friendly, and they laughed; then said, "Oh, we thought the rule was you HAVE to walk on the hills." I said something (don't remember what), then they said "Sorry, we don't have an entourage following us around and cheering for us! You're lucky!" I said, "Yes, I am. They are awesome!" And then I was at the top of the hill! It was about here that I started noticing that my Garmin was .3 miles ahead of the race markers. (I had doubled back early in the race to talk to Chris, but it was only a few feet, I thought.)

The "entourage" passed me as they drove on to mile 20 as I was approaching mile 14 on a steep downhill. I told them that had been my slowest mile, asked how Chris was doing, Ben blew me a kiss, and then I was alone on the course for quite a while. It was really pretty. It looked a lot like home: country, backwoods, mountain roads. I was thinking a lot about how blessed I am to be able to run; I was praying prayers of thanks and praise several times in this section. Toward the end of mile 15, we started a gradual uphill; the higher up the hill I got, I started seeing people ahead make a 90 degree turn to the right. Little did I know that not only was mile 16 a very long and steep hill, but it was dirt and rock!

Photo Credit to Chris here

When I made the turn to head up the hill, I knew that now was the time to walk, and everyone in front of me was walking too. So, I channeled my inner speed-walker, leaned slightly forward, and started swinging my arms and walking as hard as I could. I came up with my own breathing rhythm that I kept focusing on the whole way up, and I managed to pass a lot of people with my "power-walk!" I caught up to a younger girl at the top of the hill where we were greeted by some not-very-friendly dogs in a not-so-nice neighborhood. We came to another steep hill at mile 17, where I walked again and so did my new friend. It was a little shorter, and there was a nice downhill when it was over. We also got back on pavement somewhere around there too. There were some beautiful views in the next section as well, and it was nice to be having conversation again. The girl I was running with was 24 years old, and it was her first marathon. Her goal time was pretty much the same as mine, and we were both very happy with our current pace. It was hard, but we were making it easier for each other by staying together. 

My cheering section was waiting for me at mile 20, and again replenished my drinks this time with a Rehydrate/Spark (energy) mixture, and Ben gave me his hat: the sun had become really strong and it was in our faces. My friend stopped for a drink at an aid station, then we started running together again. We were talking about how it was getting harder, and I could tell she was slowing down. Somewhere between miles 21 and 22 she said "See you at the finish line," and started walking. I kept going, but very slowly. My feet and hips were tired. But I couldn't believe that I didn't feel like I needed more fuel. Even on 16 mile training runs, I sometimes need two energy gels. It was awesome! AND, I didn't need to go to the bathroom either! Praise the Lord! (Really!) I ALWAYS have to "go" during a long run. 

The course got monotonous. It was getting hot. I was by myself. People ahead of me were walking. There were no spectators. At least the scenery was pretty. I kept saying in my head over and over, "Even if you walk, it's still going to hurt. Even if you walk, it's still going to hurt." So I tried my hardest to not walk. (I was so proud for not walking during the last six miles of my other marathon, and for some reason, I wanted to be able to say that again. But, I can't say that.) I did walk. But not much. And never for very long. I knew going into the race that the last six miles were very flat; so I was kind-of hoping for some speed. But it never came. I realized around mile 24 that a PR was not really possible, but that I was going to finish close. It was frustrating that my Garmin was measuring so far ahead too. Despite all that, though. I am even more proud of this race than my first because of the level of difficulty. My time was just less than 6 minutes slower than my first marathon--- with all those big hills! And I enjoyed it more. 

My overall experience of the New River Marathon was very good. God blessed me with a great run that day. I think all of those extra calories from my bigger-than-usual dinner and breakfast kept me from relying so much on energy gels, which my tummy appreciated (I think). I was well rested, well hydrated (and well-staffed!). The race was organized, small, and super friendly! I would definitely run it again. And they have the most unique medals: reclaimed wood, pressed to look like the race logo, which is a historic farm symbol that you've probably seen on old barns before. Very pretty! Oh, and the t-shirts are great too!

Praise God for a healthy body and His beautiful creation that we can enjoy!

So... at the finish line area, while I was resting in the grass, Ben overheard some guys talking about this perky girl wearing purple pants who had a car full of people following her around, and he knew they were talking about me. He didn't hear exactly what they were saying, but they found me later. It was the guys that I had been joking with on mile 13! They told me that they had nicknamed me Peppy Purple Pants! So now when I'm acting feisty, that's what Ben calls me. ;) 

Friday Favorites and Why I Love April

It's officially spring, y'all! The signs are everywhere.

A momma bird laid her eggs this week in our Nicaraguan lantern. (This is the best photo I could get because of the location of the lantern. Can you see the eggs?)

Daffodils are everywhere!

We're playing outside and sweating! We even have some tan lines. :)

I am craving salads! {A true scientific sign of spring; don't ya know!}

An even truer sign of spring is the fact that the weather has been sunny with temps in the high 70's all week, and today it is stormy. I'm not complaining, though. I feel so blessed to live in a place where I get to experience four seasons. East Tennessee is such a great place!

You know, I always love the changing of seasons, and fall is definitely my favorite. But spring is a close second. My name is closely related to spring. April's meaning is "new life." Wow! Such power in those two words; only something supernatural can bring forth new life. I am filled with awe when I think about all the things that happen in nature during this time of year. But I am utterly overwhelmed when I think about the new life that I was given by Jesus when he died for me. He paid the price for my sins, and that price was death {but He didn't stay dead!} - I deserve death. But my Savior bore all the pain and suffering for me, so that I can have NEW LIFE. Not only does that mean spiritual freedom here on earth, but forever freedom and joy in heaven when this life is over! Wahoo! How awesome is that?! You can have a new life, too; and I would be thrilled to help you understand more about it. You can comment here at the bottom of this post. Or you can go to this website and find answers to lots of spiritual questions. 

It's very appropriate that we celebrate Jesus's death and resurrection (aka Easter) in springtime. Everything points to freshness, beauty, new life. 

I feel like I have quoted this song a lot, but it's one of my favorites, and it says perfectly what I feel about the spring season and Easter:

And everything that’s new has bravely surfaced Teaching us to breathe What was frozen through is newly purposed Turning all things green So it is with You And how You make me new With every season’s change And so it will be As You are re-creating me Summer, autumn, winter, spring ---Nicole Nordeman, "Every Season"

I'm so glad that I have new life in Christ Jesus, and that his work in my heart is ongoing, like the changing seasons. 

Happy spring, and happy weekend!

What's your favorite season?
What do you like about spring?

Weekend Re-cap and Meal Plan Monday (3/31)

It's Monday! I hope you had a great weekend! Ours was a little nuts-o, but still a fun one. 

We ended up going on a last-minute double date night with my sister and her husband on Friday night. Thanks to my mom and dad for babysitting on short-notice. 

I got up early on Saturday for my 18-mile marathon training run. The forecast was calling for a chance of rain all day, but it held off for the entire run! I was really grateful, but also annoyed, because I had to run with my rain jacket tied around my waist. Overall, the run went really well. I did a short yoga stretching session later in the afternoon, and I think that helped with soreness tremendously! Ben went to the dodgeball tournament fundraiser in the afternoon, and he had a great time. We went to his dad's birthday celebration that evening. 

Sunday morning, Ben did a great job teaching about suffering, trials, and temptations in the lives of Christians, and how they are really the only way for us to mature and increase our faith. The thing that stuck out the most to me is the point that even in blessings, trials and temptations can be produced; because when we are cruising along all jolly and fine, we can be tempted to become lazy in our faith, complacent, and even fulfilled by our state of "good". So often, this has happened to me, and when I fall into one of these states, I am so shocked when I realize that a bad attitude has crept in, whether it be self-destructive thinking, being critical of others, being jealous of others, being obsessed with my own happiness and contentment, etc., etc. I drift just far enough away from my dependency on Christ that I freak out. (The old song "Throw Out the Lifeline" comes to mind.) But the Holy Spirit helps me (us); he gently reminds me of my need for full reliance and intentional pursuit of God in all situations: good or bad, happy or sad, peaceful or crazy, smooth or unorganized. I cannot let the blessings of life blind me to my need for Him all day, every day. I bet you can relate to this too. 

We went to Dollywood all afternoon before evening church service. Needless to say,, the kids were exhausted last night when we finally came home! :)

Well, on to the meal plan. I haven't posted one of these in quite a while, but I'm doing it a bit differently. This is actually our meal plan from last week with some pictures and some recipes. Maybe it will give you some idea for a new meal for your family. 

Spinach tortellini with broccoli and marinara (recipe coming Thursday in my Munchkin Meals post)

Spinach quiche

Pulled pork sandwiches with slaw, roasted potatoes and mushrooms, and cornbread muffins

Homemade pizza

Brittany's Sweet potato and black bean chili

Check back in later this week for Munchkin Meals hosted by Brittany.

Have a happy Monday!!!