Happy Gotcha Day!!!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, 

"plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

 plans to give you a hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11

Ellie's life began abandoned on the street.

Then God gave her us.

Stephanie and Natalie. Ellie and me.
Gotcha Day, March 28, 2005

And God gave us her.

We are truly blessed!

Ellie today. Seven years as a Dawkins!
March 28, 2012

We love you, Ellie!

Always and forever!

Expectancy

Daisy watches Ben pull his sweatshirt over his head. Her tail swishes in anticipation. She follows, intently, as he opens the pantry door to get her leash. Her ears perk up. She sits, expectantly, ready to go the moment he hooks the leash to her collar.

May I live as expectantly as she does. Watching for God's hand to guide me. Eager to follow wherever He leads. Expectant, trusting the journey He has planned.

Think this not that

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,

whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable

--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--

think about such things.

Philippians 4:8

Such a cool verse! Do we dwell on the bad things: less than stellar service at a store or restaurant, our kids' wrong choices, or the teams we picked in the NCAA tournament losing (that last one is for my sports-minded son whose bracket is done!)? OR, do we focus on the good things: those things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, or admirable?

Certainly, surfer Bethany Hamilton chooses to focus on the good, not the bad. I can only assume that her parents think the same way. After all, their fifteen year old daughter is still out on the water, despite losing her arm in a shark attack. Bethany stands out because she didn't let a major setback keep her from pursuing her passion -- surfing. She inspires children and adults around the world with her determination to live life fully and not let a "little thing" like a shark bite stop her.

We consider other people, like the heroes of 9/11, Tim Tebow, and those who volunteer their time in Haiti and other devastated regions, as special. Really, though, are they special? Or do they just choose to do what God asks all of us to do?

Instead of focusing on the negative, they focus on whatever is right, true and praiseworthy. The heroes of 9/11, firemen, police and "regular joes," chose to do the right thing. They laid their lives on the line for the benefit of others. Tim Tebow chooses to put faith first, not fame. Yes, the fame has come, but it doesn't define his character. Missionaries, likewise, give time, money and energy to serve "the least of these." They don't weigh the economic value of a region or the "worth" of a life. They understand that everyone is precious to God and give. Selflessly.

But there are those who look the other way, focusing on the negative. (I am -- or often have been -- one of those.) Poor me... look at how tough life is. Look at my suffering. Hear my pain.

Why do we choose not to focus on what is right and good?

It's not a condition of circumstances. Bethany, Tebow and the NYFD aren't "special." Fame does NOT make a person special! A family friend, age eight, battles cancer -- with a smile on her face and a spring in her step. Weary, yes. In pain, yes. Afraid, yes. But still smiling, confidently placing her life in God's hands. Another family faces the all-too-common economic reality of losing their home, but they continue to live and serve and love. Life hasn't stopped. And more friends are facing joblessness as yet another business folds under the pressure of our economic struggles. They move on. They live. They serve. They love. They give. Normal, everyday people.

My friends in crisis know one thing to be true. God is God. All the time! They trust in Him to lead them, comfort them, provide for them, and carry them through the storms of this life. They understand what Paul wrote to the Philippians: focus on the truth of God's love for you and all that He does on your behalf. Trust in God's provision for you and know that He will never leave you or forsake you. They know. God is love. And love never fails.

My friends do not know how everything will work out, but they do not doubt that God will see them through.

If you feel like life is beating you down, please reach out to someone who can help you understand how much God loves you. If you're not sure where to turn, come to church. If you're not ready to step through the doors of a church, consider reaching out to Focus on the Family's crisis line at (800) A FAMILY (800-232-6459). In my deepest pit, I didn't know how to break free -- Focus on the Family helped me take that first step.

God knows we face problems. He wants you to know you don't face them alone. He wants to carry your burdens and help you see the world differently.

When I sat down to write this post, I was headed in one direction. The post went entirely a different way. If you need to hear these words today, I am praying for you. GOD is waiting to meet you right where you are. He wants to show you how to climb out of your pit and live in peace and hope. I pray you will reach out to Him today. God bless!

Stop the Madness!

March Madness!!! Not spring pollen, rain showers, or snowstorms in weird places (Arizona? Really???).

Photo credit

Basketball. Brackets. Balls. Squeaky shoes. Sweat. Upsets. Cinderella stories.

I used to hate it. I did. Really. The squeaky shoes on the court especially. But, I have discovered how to beat the insanity. Join it!

Yes, friends. Jump in. Have fun. Embrace the madness. Create a bracket!

Maybe I should have shared this secret with you a couple weeks ago, but it's not too late. Make a sweet sixteen bracket for each member of your family and have them fill it out. Know nothing about basketball, then you can pick by mascot, by team ranking, or by how much you like the name. It doesn't really matter if you pick winners, just pick somebody!

Hang each bracket where everyone in the family can check on it, even little kids can create a bracket and participate. Just ask them to pick one name or the other.

Each win the first round (sweet sixteen) is worth one point.
Each win the second round (elite eight) is worth two points.
Each win the third round (final four) is worth four points.
Selecting the overall champion is worth eight points.

Photo credit

Tally the points and you will have a winner. Concerned about a tie? Everyone can also guess the point spread (or total points of both teams) for the final game. Whoever comes closest wins!

Then, sit back with a bowl of popcorn. Cheer for the teams in your bracket. When you win, gloat! Okay, not really.

I have to say, with two teen boys, our family bracket is loads of fun. I lost big-time last year. This year, I'm leading the way! Odds are I will win -- and have bragging rights for a WHOLE YEAR!

I hope this helps! And for now, I have to say, "Go Sparty!" (I've picked Michigan State to win it all!) Though, if the Buckeyes win, I won't complain.

The 30-10 Method

Chores. Dinner. Grocery shopping. Writing. The dog. Kids. Taxes.

Image credit

So many things clamor for my time. Sometimes, I'm paralyzed by it all. Where do I begin? How will I ever get it all done? I've tried lots of methods to manage my day. The list doesn't work; marking items off doesn't get my blood pumping. The slip method, writing all the tasks on individual pieces of paper to pull from a jar, doesn't work either. The schedule -- write from 8-9, clean the kitchen on Monday, the bathrooms on Tuesday, etc. -- just reminds me how far behind I always am. Unexpected additions to any of these methods derails me.

Then I discovered a new method, ironically, something I've used with my son to manage his schooling for years. It's the 30-10 method. Not a great name, perhaps, but a great tool for time management.

To begin, I pick a task, any task, I must complete. Then, I set the oven timer for 30 minutes and work hard at that task. When the timer dings, I reset it for 10 minutes and indulge myself in whatever I want. Sometimes, I savor a quiet cup of coffee on the porch. Other times I read. Rarely, I work on another task.

Break over, I reset the timer and return to my work for another 30 minutes. Then I set the timer for ten minutes. At lunch, I take an hour break to eat and walk the dog.

Working in thirty minute increments gives me plenty of time to focus on a thought. Taking ten minutes to rest gives my neck and shoulder muscles a healthy break from the computer. Semi-finished thoughts get time to percolate. Refreshed by my mini-breaks, I get more done than if I just try to push through.

A surprising side benefit to this method, my headaches have substantially diminished. I had no idea how seriously I had strained my neck and head muscles by bending over a computer all day. Fewer headaches means I have even more time than I used to since I'm not sidelined by them anymore.

If you struggle for organization as I do, I hope this method will help you! Please let me know how it works at your house!

Blessings,

Emotions!!!

Caught! Sent to his room to think about things. Stomp. Stomp. Stomp. SLAM!

Sometimes they get along!

He obeys. Technically.

But his emotions disagree. Loudly!

She is no different. Sent to the corner, she stomps her foot. Balls her hands into rigid fists by her side. She bangs her forehead on the wall. "I'm here," she seems to say, "but my heart won't give in."

Raising kids is hard work. Teaching them to obey, honor, and respect is a 24/7 obligation. Slack, even for a moment, and the opportunistic, selfish child seizes the moment.

Why do I bother? They'll just do it again when I'm not looking. Why not quit?

It's tempting.

Some days.

Then I remember, those emotions are no different than mine. God says, "do this" and I fight him. Fists balled, teeth clenched I stubbornly stand my ground. Or, I give in -- sort of -- doing what God asks, but with the same bad attitude. Caught between my own desires and God's plan, I cry. I whine. I pout. I... I... I...

"For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." (James 3:16-17)

Why do I keep going?

For my kids to understand how to submit to God, they must learn how to submit to earthly parents. For my kids to appreciate that God wants the best for them, they must learn that I want the best for them. I am their first model of Him.

Why fight?

Because I want to give my kids every opportunity to learn how to respect and honor authority -- mine, but moreso, God's. When they learn to obey me and trust that I want the best for them, they will understand that God wants that same thing. Humble, respectful obedience of parents sets the foundation for a lifetime of humble, respectful obedience of God.

As for me? I'm still working on that humble obedience myself. I pray my kids are quicker learners than I am!

Do you still fight with God?

Some days...

I wish I was my dog!

My little dog - a heartbeat at my feet.  ~Edith Wharton

When God Says No

When my kids were little and played in the driveway, I'd yell "no" or "stop" to keep them from running into the road. Sometimes, they'd turn around and keep playing. Other times, they'd pitch a fit, mad that I had interrupted. Shouldn't they understand that I was protecting them from the hidden dangers of passing cars? I never second-guessed my decisions or felt bad if they got mad at me. After all, I was just doing my job, protecting my kids.

Yet when God says no to me, my heart hurts. Perhaps I'm a little like a frustrated three year old, fists clenched, foot stomping. Why?

This weekend, our family got two answers to prayer. One was a yes -- YEA!!! The other, you guessed it. NO! I'm not talking a "not right now, sweetie." I'm talking a big fat NO -- rejection! And my heart hurt. I grieved God's answer.

And I wondered, does God grieve when He says no?

I don't think so. You see, God has a plan. In Jeremiah 29:11, God explains it:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

In John 10:10, Jesus explains why He even came to earth to die for us, saying:

"...I have come that they might have life and have it to the full."

Verses like these remind me that God's plan is filled with his love and hope. I can have peace, even when God says no, because He wants my life to be filled with purpose and fullness. His plan is the best one for my life. While I may not understand His "no," He does.

In the relationship between us and God, we're like my kids playing in the driveway. God is like us, providing safety and protection from danger we don't see or can't understand.

God's no this weekend means something else will be our "yes." His plan will offer hope and a future beyond what we can imagine.

Does God grieve when He says no?

I don't think so. I'm glad about that. I wouldn't want God to be some big wimp who can't decide what's best for me. I believe in a BIG God who never changes and always wants to give me the very best.

Don't you?

Spring Planting

Whoever is not with me is against me,
and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

Matthew 12:30

Spring. 

Flowers bloom. 

Gardens come alive with color. 

Simple beauty makes our hearts smile. 

Jesus. 

Hope blooms. 

Sinners come alive with love. 

Simple truth makes our hearts smile.

He came to give us life. 

Not just you. Or me. 

Everyone. 

Yet...

We push them away. 

Deemed unworthy. 

Judged inferior. 

They fight alone.

Isolation. 

Careless words. 

Indifference. 

Breaking hearts. Wounding souls.

Let's be love. 

To those we don't like. 

To those we ignore. 

To those we don't understand.

That's all Jesus asks.

Will you?

Italian Chicken Soup

Leftovers are good too.
Tried mozzarella. YUM!

This would be my grandma's birthday. She's the one who gave Nathan his piano talent (sadly, it skipped a couple generations). Whenever we went to her house, we'd find a pot of soup on the stove. Her house was always filled with the aroma of old-fashioned good cooking! As I prepared this soup, I thought of her sunny kitchen.

This Italian Chicken Soup recipe uses the leftover poached chicken from the chicken stock recipe and some of that yummy, rich stock. To prepare the chicken, remove the skin and bones and chop the chicken into bite size pieces.

Step One:

In a stock pot, combine the following ingredients:

• 2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil -- heat over medium heat before adding the next three ingredients
• 1 medium onion, chopped 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbs. red pepper flakes (surprised?)

Cook until the onions are clear. Then add:

• 1/4 cup of tomato paste (I use the squeeze tube tomato paste. Flavorful and stores well in the fridge.)

Mix well and let it cook for just a couple minutes. Then add:

• 1 cup white wine. 

Simmer for 5 minutes. Then add:

• All the cooked chicken that you chopped into chunks
• 1 large can diced tomato
• 3 cups of chicken stock
• 3 bay leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste (NOTE: The soup will continue to reduce, don't oversalt too early. You can add more later if you need it.)
• 1 tsp. rosemary
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 1 tsp basil
• 3 bay leaves (remove before you serve)

Stir it all together and bring to a boil. Then, reduce to a simmer and let it simmer for 30 minutes. (I poured mine into a crock pot to keep warm at this point, just because of time of day. OR you could make it the day before and heat it about 1/2 hour before dinner.)

Serve with salad, hearty bread, and parmesan cheese grated on the soup.

YUM!

Let me know what you think!!!

Blessings,

Home Cookin'!

I'm taking a break from my usual responsibilities this week... Savoring the last week of being 45. Yeah... that's it! ;-)

Yesterday, I got in touch with my inner Pioneer Woman (someone once compared my writing style to hers. WOW!!! Thanks!) and made homemade -- from scratch -- chicken stock! Yes, I did! You know what? It's EASY!!! It's cheap. Way cheaper than the box stock at the store! When the chicken stock was done, I moved on to dinner -- using the poached chicken from the stock to make a lovely Italian soup.

Ready?

Homemade Chicken Stock Recipe (sorry, no pictures. I wasn't thinking.)

Clean and toss the following into a stock pot:

• 4 ribs of celery, cut to four inch lengths
• 4 carrots, cut to four inch lengths
• 1 medium onion, chunked (I cut mine into eighths and separated the pieces
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 10 peppercorns
• Thyme (I used one tablespoon of dried thyme, though I would have preferred sprigs of fresh thyme)
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 large (or 4 small) chicken breasts with skin and bones 
• 4 chicken thighs, with skin and bones

Cover the whole mess with cold water. Place it on stove and bring to a boil. Allow it to boil about 20 minutes. I didn't let it come to a rolling boil, but made sure it bubbled well. Then, reduce it to a simmer and allow it to cook another 40 minutes.

Remove chicken to a bowl and let it cool. 

Pour the liquid from the pot, through a strainer into a smaller pot. Add salt to taste -- I used sea salt, only about 1/2 tsp. (You can always add more salt to individual recipes. You can't remove it once it's there though.) Toss all the veggies and stuff into the garbage. They're all used up. (I tasted. Yuck.) Put the smaller pot of chicken broth on the stove and bring it to a boil. Allow it to simmer hard -- a little boil, but not quite rolling boil -- for at least 30 minutes. Then lower it to a simmer. The water will simmer off and the chicken stock will continue to reduce as long as you want. I simmered mine for about 2 hours.

That's it!!!!

Store the stock in sealed containers in the fridge for up to five days. You can freeze it for three months. (HINT: Put a piece of scotch tape on the lid and write the date you made it with a sharpie. You'll never wonder how old something is ever again.) Also, once it gets cold, you can skim the fat off the top to make it healthier! YAY!!! (After all, it's almost swim season :D)

Tomorrow, I will post the soup recipe. YUM! If you plan to make it, you will need three cups of the chicken stock and all that chicken, deboned, skin removed, cut into bite size chunks. Easy!

The Proverbs 31 woman expands her husband's empire. She is frugal and wise. My husband doesn't have an empire, but I still like to maximize his income. It's my honor to serve my husband this way! 

WHEN you make your own stock (I didn't say IF, I said when), please let me know how it turns out!

Blessings,

My husband's complaint

Happy Monday everyone!

I went shopping last week and my husband complained. Sounds familiar, right? We shop and spend. They get the bills. Groan!

Except he complained that I found a bargain... well, lots of bargains. I paid $12 for blouses that were originally $70. I bought cute -- super, super, super cute -- shoes on clearance, of course. And he complained! That I find bargains!

What????

So I wonder what to do... shop full price? Or keep shopping for bargains? Hmmm....

What do you think?

(Rob, I love you! I'll keep maximizing your paycheck by shopping wisely -- unless you send me out with strict orders otherwise!!! tee hee)

Stretch those muscles

Since December I've been working out "semi-regularly" at the local gym. My sons have been coaching and encouraging me to push through, even on tough days. Traveling last week, the hotel "gyms" didn't offer the same machines I use. I was a fish out of water and, honestly, I gave up.

Monday, my younger son and I went back to our gym. Funny thing! Those machines welcomed me back warmly. Okay -- not so warmly. I went through my routine but quickly realized that just one week away left me a bit weaker than I had been before the trip. Sigh! All that hard work gone in a week. Really?

Not quite.

Sure, Monday was tough. The muscles groaned and complained. I couldn't lift, push, or pull as much as I had before the trip. But, I sure could do more than my very first trip to the gym. Honestly, I was able to do a lot more than I did the whole month of December. YAY!!! I slipped a bit, but I didn't fall back all the way.

Stretching our spiritual muscles is a lot like working out at the gym. If we don't attend church regularly, open the Bible at home, or pray, we won't grow spiritually. As Paul wrote in Hebrews, though we should be teachers, we need to be taught the elementary truths of God's word over and over again. We need milk, not solid food. (Hebrews 5:12)

Is that really what we want to be? Of course not.

To grow our spiritual muscles, we should be in church, read God's word -- prayerfully, asking Him to show us what we need to learn to grow, and pray. And those days when we just can't find the time -- or for some reason we just aren't comfortable? Don't give up.

Like my son pushed me back into the gym, get back to church. Dust off that Bible. Wear out those knees in prayer. Whatever it takes! You'll surprise yourself -- the lessons you learned will come back. Your spiritual muscles might hurt a bit, but not as much as you think.

Bottom line: Jesus loves you. Even if you haven't talked to him in years, He loves you!

Happy stretching!!!