Sunday Scripture {sufficient grace}

 

"Each time he said, 'My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.' So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me."

2 Corinthians 12:9

 

(Another photo taken in Northern Michigan on a Fall camping trip with my husband - I have lots!)

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Linking up with Diedra's Sunday Community today:



Food, Faith & (in)Fertility....and Friday!!!

{food}

This week I made a ginormous pot of soup with an extremely large zucchini that a co-worker gave me (using a lot more than the recipe calls for). And I made 4 loaves of zucchini bread (again using more than called for)...and still have a huge chunk of zucchini left over!!

Here is the soup recipe. I am not sure what cookbook my MIL got it out of. I tweak it to my own liking a little (ex: I didn't have enough beef broth on hand, so I added water instead - lots of it due to adding extra veggies; I also used refrigerated tortellini so I don't simmer nearly as long; 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes instead of cut up tomatoes and tomato paste.)

{faith}

Love this article by Deidra at Jumping Tandem :   Rebranded

{(in)Fertility}

The past couple weeks there have been a barrage of pregnancy announcements. In the moments of questioning yet again, "Why can't we have just one?" "Why does it have to be this way?" "Why does everything have to be so difficult?", I received this devotion from Joni Eareckson Tada:

Living Under the Curse

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 It is true that disease flows from the curse God pronounced on us after Adam's rebellion. It is also true that Jesus came to reverse this curse. But does this mean Christians shouldn't have to put up with cancer, Down syndrome, Lyme disease or Alzheimer's? We'd like to think that since Jesus came to take up our diseases, there should be healing for everything from migraines to menopausal sweats. But that's akin to saying: "There's an oak in every acorn - so take this acorn and start sawing planks for picnic tables." Or it's like saying, "Congress just passed a Clean Water Act, so tomorrow morning Manhattan residents can start drinking from the East River." Forty years will pass before that oak is ready for lumbering. Purging industrial ooze out of a river will take decades. And so it is with Jesus' reversal of sin's curse (and the suffering that goes with it). What Jesus began doing to sin and its results won't be complete until the Second Coming. The purchase of salvation was complete and the outcome was settled with certainty. But the application of salvation to God's people was anything but finished. God "has saved" us, yet we are still "being saved" (I Corinthians 1:18). We are still on earth... this means we're still going to feel the influence of that old curse. At least until heaven! First Corinthians 15:45 calls Jesus "the last Adam" who came to undo the curse triggered in the Garden of Eden - but this summer you'll still be wrestling with weeds in your backyard, as well as a backache from all that hoeing. Only in Paradise will it be said, "No longer will there be any curse." (Revelation 22:3). Jesus, thank you that you saved me... and that I am still being saved. I look to that day in heaven when there will be no more sorrow, sickness, disease or death!   Taken from Pearls of Great Price. Copyright © 2006 by Joni Eareckson Tada. Used by permission. Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530        I hope everyone has a great weekend! Happy Friday!!

Politics and the Childless Woman

 

I know who I'm voting for and nothing said by the man's wife last night will change my mind, but it just goes to show how uneducated people still are about childless/child-free women and it's upsetting to me. The idea that if a woman is not a mom she is second rate. She doesn't love as "deeply", or struggle with things in life. Somehow life is easier because she doesn't have kids! I couldn't even finish watching and had to leave the room. So I was happy this morning when I had an email with a blog post update that spelled out exactly how I felt (so I didn't have to) while watching what I did of the speech.

Link --->  Enough With the Mom Pandering...

Sunday Scripture {never wasted...}

 

*So embarrassed by my misspelling on the link up! If you are visiting from there, thank you for checking into what a "waster" is, lol!

 

 

 

(on the shore of Whitefish Bay, Lake Superior)

 

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Linking up with Diedra's Sunday Community today:

Changes

My living room is beginning to fill up with boxes, representative of the "what ifs" finding their way into my mind. In just a couple weeks we are leaving our home of the past almost 8 years. Not because we sold it and have to move. Not because we are being forced out or can't afford it. No, we don't fit the norm in this area either. We are leaving with an unpaid mortgage. And we hate that. We have struggled with it, and talked to many "advisers", but we both feel in our hearts that it is time to surrender, and move on. To step out in faith and take the next step.

It is our first home. I am definitely fine with moving out of our neighborhood, which is why we are leaving. It has become more and more unsafe over the years, to the point that dh doesn't even walk the dog anymore. We are prisoners in our own home.

This house, this city, our "imprisonment" (due to such an upside down mortgage) have been very big tools that God has used in my life (and dh's) to teach so many lessons, which make for future blog posts. And for that I am so thankful. But it's also the home that we now know, for certain, we will never have little feet walking around in. It was not meant to happen here. Something we didn't know 8 years ago when we moved in. So with moving, there are some twinges of sadness that accompany it.

We have seen the comfort of God's hand in this new chapter as it begins unfolding. From a "random" phone call dh received one morning from someone we go to church with wondering if we, out of all people, wanted to rent his family's house because he thought we rented ours (which dh originally turned down even investigating the offer due to the fact that we own ours), to the timing of this possibility even coming about (a home invasion had just happened on our block where the homeowner was robbed and seriously injured - just one of the regular occurrences of crime around here anymore). I had just prayed that morning that God would provide an opportunity for us to be able to move.

So, are we excited? Yes. Nervous? Yes. Wanting to get the paperwork and legal "stuff" out of the way super fast? Most definitely! So please pray for us if you think of it. This "move" doesn't end when the last box is unloaded. It will likely be months, but we are praying that it's not and that this process is over quickly.

(A double rainbow over our house this Spring.)

Sunday Scripture {but if not...}

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Linking up with Diedra's Sunday Community today:

Food, Faith & (in)Fertility....and Friday!!

{food}

I haven't made any new recipes this week, but when I was looking through some pictures this evening, I remembered that I forgot to post about the Girl's Lunch I recently was a part of :) Grandma treated us to lunch a few Saturday's back, at an Italian restaurant she loves and we had a great time laughing and eating good food:

Mom and Me

 Grandma and My Sister

 My awesome Chicken Penne Gorgonzola Pasta and Smoked Turkey & Bacon Panini (turkey, applewood smoked bacon, gorgonzola, mozzarella and roma tomatoes)!

Baked Potato Soup

Hungary anyone??? :-)-

{faith}

An awesome article I read this week about the "caves" of our lives and how they prepare us to fulfill God's purposes for our lives....click to read "Caves".

{(in)Fertility}

I am very excited to read this book this summer. I will post a review of it when I finish the current book that I am reading for a book review program I'm in. This book is motivation for finishing my current one.

But in just skimming through this book, I am very much looking forward to it.

"Falling for Eli: How I Lost Heart, Then Gained Hope Through the Love of a Singular Horse"

A true story (categorized as "memoir/pets") written by Nancy Shulins about her healing journey that began with a special horse named Eli.

 

Happy Friday!!! Have a blessed weekend!

Eagles

Today as I was sitting in my Jeep after I got out of work, I was enjoying the sunshine and comfortable temperatures, eating some cool watermelon that was leftover from my lunch, and just generally basking in my freedom. It's the simple things that I find myself gravitating towards and appreciating so much more in the past few years as I alluded to when I began my Joy Journal page (I know, I know, it needs to be updated).

Anyways, where I park my vehicle in the lot most days (my unofficial parking spot as we all seem to have), I have a surprisingly good view for birdwatching, even though I don't work in the middle of a forest, there are many younger trees planted in our newish business park and birds that have decided to make their homes there. So, I love watching them when I am sitting outside on my break or after work when I'm not rushing off somewhere. They peck at the ground or chase bugs. They swoop low to the ground and back up in the air, or just hop along. I have found lately that it's amazing when you take a moment to slow down and observe the world around you, what you'll see.

But today there was a very large bird, probably just a big hawk, but it was so beautiful as it had outstretched wings and glided high above the buildings, the dark blue sky and sunshine as a picture perfect backdrop. I watched the large bird for several minutes as it flew in a circle, once in a while flapping its wings and then gliding again. Sometimes I think it would be so cool to be a bird and just fly away (Psalm 55:6), high above the cares and worries of this world. To just glide though the air enjoying the breeze, what a thrill that would be! The beauty of the moment brought a few tears to my eyes and I was reminded of how God used the Eagle as a metaphor in Isaiah 40:31:

"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

source

So, until I can truly fly through the heavens, I will cling to that verse and thank God for the beautiful reminders of his love that he places in my path daily.

Sunday Scripture {Never Forget}

I came across a tidbit this week that references the above verse and it really spoke to me, and continues to speak to me, the more I meditate on it.

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Linking up with Diedra's Sunday Community today:

Food, Faith & (in)Fertility.....and Friday!

{food}

Thanks to my sister (who does this on the grill though), dh and I are now in love with Spinach, Basil, & Mozzarella Pizza...mmmmm! And it is super fast!

All you need per pizza is:

Olive Oil

One can of refrigerated pizza dough

Mozzarella (she used fresh, I used shredded)

1/2 bag(?) of spinach, chopped

Small bunch of basil, chopped

A sprinkling of Sea Salt

A sprinkling of Garlic Powder

(she used Garlic Salt in place of this and the Sea Salt)

Just roll the dough out slightly then get some olive oil on both sides. I stretched mine out and worked with it a bit then folded it over and stretched it a little more. I got it to not quite fill up a cookie sheet. Then spread some sauce and the cheese and the rest of the ingredients. Popped it in the oven at 375 degrees F for I think around 9 or 10 minutes(?). It was wonderful!

I would love to cook it again soon but with the sweltering heat, a non-working outdoor grill, and no air conditioning, it's going to be a little while.


{faith} &/or {(in)Fertility}

I absolutely loved this blog post that I read on the 4th. And how "ironic" that I had just looked out the window at some fireflies flickering with fireworks in the distance:

You Light Up This World




source

Happy Friday! I hope everyone has a relaxing (and cool!) weekend :-)

Food, Faith & (in)Fertility....and Friday!

I just realized that I haven't blogged in over 2 weeks! It's been busy with various family gatherings on the weekends, getting a small garden planted late (I'll have a report soon!), and work during the week, plus all the other things that life entails.


{food}

I haven't cooked with it yet but I bought some of this (tofu) at the store this past week:


source


Any recipe suggestions are greatly appreciated! Please leave a comment or email me (food faith and infertility at yahoo dot com). It is something I have seen for years in cooking magazines but never been brave enough to buy! Well I have a chunk and I am ready to try it!


{faith} & {(in)Fertility}

I am currently doing this book in a summer small group and have really enjoyed it so far. The first week was on extraordinary hope and the examples given were of Hannah and the woman at the well. I was sort of dreading going to group this week because I knew we would be discussing it and I was tired and just didn't feel like going over our IF story, but I knew if I went I couldn't sit there silent because I have learned so much. So I went. And I wasn't silent. I felt blessed for going and sharing how God has worked in our lives while dealing with IF.

So anyways, if you are looking for a study to do over the summer months, even on your own, so far, so good:


                          source




Happy Friday! I hope everyone has a restful weekend :)

Food, Faith & (in)Fertility....and Friday!

Soooo happy it's Friday! And in just a few short hours I get to see a special young girl I haven't seen in 5 years. My niece who is 11 and lives out of state is here visiting for a couple weeks :) So I have my bag packed with board games that have been sitting on the shelf not getting played because dh and I haven't gotten our "Who's Smarter Than a Fifth Grader" (Jeff Foxworthy) on in a while ;-)


{food}

 photo from kraftfoods.com

Anyways, for food, that's going to be easy since I just got done making it (yes, I'm going out on a limb with chosing it, but you can't go wrong with Strawberrys incorporated onto a moist white cake with a litely sweet frosting!):    Strawberry Yogurt Cake




{faith}

I sat through a sermon last Sunday that really blessed me. It was based on 1 Kings 17:4-9. It was a good reminder that just because things look impossible to us, God is the God of impossible! On the IF front, not that I think God is going to bless us with a child, in our hearts we just don't feel that it is going to happen, but He could. Just because A+B doesn't = C in our book with anything in life, it doesn't mean God can't make it happen! His resources are UNLIMITED!

Even if things get hard, doesn't mean we misheard God. It means we probably heard Him just fine and He wants us to lean on Him to supply all our needs (Philippians 4:19).



{(in)Fertility}

For those of us who struggle with not having received "the reward":

for when a negative pregnancy test feels like a negative God’s favor test

(I just want to throw in as a reminder for those going through IF-or not going through it but still reading this blog- that the blog author is an individual who is dealing with this journey in her own way. Although we all may have many similarities on this road, again we are individuals and may not embrace the same things or embrace them in the same ways as others all the time. Neither is bad. Just different. And that's ok.)     




Happy Friday!!!!!

Leadership

Leadership is something that has been on my heart for the last week or so.

A couple weeks ago I sat in a group of women at a Prayer & Dessert Fellowship at church as the only non-mom. The majority were around my age and had anywhere from 1-4 children. Then we had a few older moms who had already been at the stage my peers were going through.

As the women talked, I fought back tears. I couldn't have been more self-conscious or felt that I stood out more. When it came time to go around the circle and introduce ourselves I felt such dread. They are all in the threshold of child rearing full-time and I am in my new phase of life, back to working in an office full-time with no plans on the table for growing our family right now- "just living life" as I always say to people while I feel my heart get pricked.

So I shared about my current phase of life and how long my husband and I have been married (because I feel like that is an accomplishment!), and felt like a total odd-ball. Prayer request time was much the same. But I thought it was time to throw in, as if it wasn't obvious by that point in the evening (although the talk was so entrenched in motherhood and child rearing that they may not have even noticed?), that dh and I are Infertile. I hate that word. When it rolls off my tongue it feels foreign although it is the life we now know. The word that crushed our dreams. But I shared how I am currently on a "joy journey" and seeking God's will for my life as an individual, as dh is as well. And some things I am getting involved with in church, when one of the older women there prompted me to share.

What I didn't tell you yet is that I organized this evening and the ones that will follow once a month this summer. And to be honest, I am still not sure I am going to attend the next one. I am currently praying about that and working through how I feel. But I couldn't have been more encouraged when I shared this experience with my friend and women's ministry leader over lunch a few days later, and she told me with certainty that, "That is God preparing you for leadership." Wait. What?!  It seemed odd at first, but then it makes more sense as I talk to dh about it and read articles on leadership in the Church and throughout the bible. It's scary, but yet refreshing to think that God often times takes those individuals who are "different" than the rest, to refine them and set them apart in order to rise to a position of leadership.

Throughout the evening and as I left, I felt God's presence with me. In spite of my pain, I felt blessed that as a result of God laying such an event on my heart to organize, He was moving. Not exactly how I had planned, but how He did. I know that many of the women (a.k.a. moms) were blessed by this evening out and receiving encouragement from others through the openness and sharing that took place. I am thankful for that. I just am not sure that these gatherings are going to be a "healthy" place for me personally.

I am still figuring this concept of "leadership" out and most certainly will be, one step at a time for the rest of my life, but I just wanted to share a different perspective that maybe one of you haven't considered in your journey through struggles and pain. Something that was shared with me that shed some new light on my path.

....Another Butterfly Day

Last Sunday I took my camera to my parent's house and went for a walk around their property, capturing some of the beautiful images that can be found within their 2 acres (where I grew up). I was lucky to get to add to my butterfly photo collection with a couple shots...

“I tell of hearts and souls and dances...
Butterflies and second chances;
Desperate ones and dreamers bound,
Seeking life from barren ground,
Who suffer on in earthly fate
The bitter pain of agony hate,
Might but they stop and here forgive
Would break the bonds to breathe and live
And find that God in goodness brings
A chance for change, the hope of wings
To rest in Him, and self to die
And so become a butterfly.”

Karen Kingsbury

(from Ocean's Apart)

Food, Faith & (in)Fertility......and Friday!

It's been a busy week with lots going on, but I did come across some things for this weeks installment ;-)

{food}


 photo from kraftfoods.com

I have been making this pie for a long time now and took it to our family BBQ at my parent's house Sunday:

Key Lime Margarita Pie (for the crust....up the pretzels to 1 3/4 cup, only add 1T of sugar, up butter/marg. to 8T). You will want to cut small slices of both this and also the following pie.

And....


I also made this recipe into a "Peanut Butter Cup Pie" by just tweaking it slightly:

Ingredients:
(2) 3.4 oz. packages of Vanilla Pudding & Pie Filling Mix
2 1/2 C Milk (I used 2%)
1/2 C Lite Whipped Topping
~1 C Natural Peanut Butter- Smooth (Natural is also better for this because it isn't very sweet.)
1 Pre-made Chocolate Cookie (or Graham) Crust
12 mini-Reece's Peanut Butter Cups

Directions:
1. Mix together both boxes of Vanilla Pudding Mix and Milk with an electric mixer on low, then med. speed. It will turn pretty thick. At this point you can stop mixing.
2. Add Peanut Butter and mix until smooth.
3. Add Whipped Topping and mix for approximately 1-2 minutes.
4. Gently stir in 9 of the PB cups (after you cut them in 4).
5. Pour filling into the crust.
6. Cover with lid and place pie in the freezer for a few hours. (It probably wouldn't even need to be in there an hour.) You could also set it the fridge if you didn't want it to be as hard. When it is time to serve, let it sit out for 10 minutes before cutting.



{faith}

I am so thankful for this verse this week:

"Do not gloat over me, my enemies! For though I fall, I will rise again.

Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light."

Micah 7:8

{(in)fertility}

This is a short and sweet post, from a great blog. A list of things that we need from others, as well as need to be for others, during the tough times of life:

What We Need to Help Us Through Trials (click on title for article)


Happy Friday!

With Love on Mother's Day

"To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory."

Isaiah 61:3

Food, Faith & (in)Fertility....and Friday

TGIF! I am back to working full-time again after being part-time with some full-time weeks mixed in over the past few years. I am working for a "temp" agency or "employment" agency, and still under contract at the same place I've been for almost a year! I guess they keep people for years under contract before hiring them permanently. But I feel like I've started a new job because I am learning a ton more stuff, getting a little overwhelmed, and definitely tired out. So, definitely thankful for the weekend!

As for this weeks installment of my new Friday series:

{food}

I made this for a church potluck on Sunday and really liked it. Also super easy:
Beef and Black Bean Taco Bake (I used 8-Whole Wheat Tortillas, 16 oz. jar of reg. Medium Salsa, & added approx. 3/4 c. of reduced fat Sour Cream because it needed more "liquid"). Super yummy and easy!

Made for Girl's Nite:
Homemade Guacamole
(no link since it was a recipe I got a looong time ago from someone)

3-4 ripe avocados chopped (ripe avocados give a little when you press against them).
2-3 small diced fresh tomatoes
3 cloves minced garlic
1 small diced red onion
1 handful of freshly chopped cilantro
2-3 diced jalapenos (depending on how spicy you like it)
2 T Sour cream (optional, it makes it more creamy)...I just did this for the 1st time and loved it.1 lime (squeezed for juice)...I used lime juice in a bottle and just add and taste until it's good :)1 T Salt...I don't add this much.
Mix together (you can "smash" it or just gently mix- whatever your preference). Refrigerate. If making ahead, put plastic wrap over the guacamole (press it down until it touches the guac.), if not it will turn brown.

{faith}

I have had this desktop wallpaper on my computer at work this week. It is one of my favorite verses and very fitting for Mother's Day weekend:

You can click on the picture to go to the source and choose what size fits your screen.

{(in)Fertility}

I read this post this week, and wow. I have been following this blog for some time, and really enjoy reading her posts and her perspective (as a fellow IF'er) on a variety of topics. This post is another one for both the Infertile and those who love us. I don't know if I have ever heard the feeling of what it's like to have an empty womb, and empty arms, put so perfectly.

The Parable of the Silver Locket {A Mother's Day Post}


Happy Friday :)

Food, Faith & (in)Fertility.....and Friday

photo courtesy of Chris Campbell

 

I am going to start a new series on Fridays (as best I can) to post some things I have found or learned throughout the week related to the title of my blog. I hope you like it.


{Food}

Even someone who likes to cook gets bored in the kitchen once in a while (at least I do!). So in an effort to start incorporating some of the meat in our freezer already with only having to buy a little extra, I dug around for some new recipes and new ways to cook things. So far we have tried a few of the things and they were really yummy (and easy, healthy, not too time consuming, and budget friendly!) with enough for leftovers:

Orange-Chicken Rice Bowl (added extra juice and dressing)
Spaghetti Pie
Asian Skillet Supper (I quadrupled it since it is a single serving recipe)

For the sweet tooth (and BBQ at work last week):

Chocolate Cookie Pudding (omitted the nuts and added some gummy worms to the top)

{Faith}

While at work today a thought popped into my head about waiting. It was the famous quote, "Good things come to those who wait." Immediately the thought got turned around and it was a light bulb moment: 
Good things come through the waiting.

Just wanted to share.


{(in)Fertility}

I read this piece, "The New 'It Girls'....Give it Up for Non-Moms," the other day and it was really worth the read. I could relate to so many things...Even if you are not Infertile, it will help you understand the feelings of one who is. It is an interview between the blog author and a woman who did a study on women living without children after Infertility and the recovery from this traumatic loss. There is a link in this article for a 200 page dissertation which I downloaded but have not read yet, but this article gives some very good insight.


Happy Friday :)

New Blog Pages Added!

I just wanted to point out that I have added a few new pages to my blog (you will see the tabs across the top, under the blog title):

• The "Story of Us" - a page to give those who read my blog a glimpse of who I am.
• Joy Journal - a new page that I will add pictures to periodically of things that bring me joy.
• Recipes - a new page where I will put the links to the recipes I post, which I plan to start doing more of again.

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend!

The End of NIAW...

Like anything else that is chronic, it doesn't go away at the end of an "awareness" campaign for those of us living it. Our lives continue to be touched, and will continue to be touched forever. The scars that IF leaves on an individual and couple don't ever go away no matter how their IF is resolved. And sometimes they are even re-opened from time to time.

We get told that our insurance won't cover a certain test or procedure because it's Infertility related (for another post!)...but we have to pay into the same pool that covers a co-worker's Maternity Care and Well Baby visits to the doctor.

We have paid hundreds of dollars in property taxes for education (not to mention they are just going down the drain in our city), just because we own a home, but we have no children.

We will have to pay out hundreds of dollars for medication over our lifetime related to a very real medical condition that has impacted our IF, but yet insurance will cover Viagra.

We turn on the news only to hear of someone who just threw their baby in a dumpster like a piece of trash. While it makes us sick to think how someone could do that.

It hurts. The wound is reopened.

But I am so thankful that God has promised that "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up (our) wounds" (Psalm 147:3).

I am thankful that my desire to be a mother to children in my home, whether ever realized or not, is not the end of the road. It is only a microscopic speck in the span of eternity...

For that I am so thankful.