Taco Soup

First time for every thing -- including taco soup. And it was goooooood. Throw in some of my man's homemade guacamole and some good chips... delicious.

Ingredients

• 1 lb hamburger or turkey burger


• 1-2 TB McCormick taco seasoning (more or less to taste)


• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped finely


• 1 green bell pepper, chopped


• 1 red bell pepper, chopped


• 1 15 oz can black beans, drained


• 1 15 oz can kindey beans, drained


• 1 15 oz can pinto or white beans, drained and rinsed (optional)


• 1 15 oz can corn


• 1 can Rotel tomato's


• 1 15 oz can diced tomato's


• 1/4 cup salsa (fresh is best)


• 1 15oz can tomato sauce

Instructions

1. Brown hamburger in a large pan over medium heat. Add in the onions, bell peppers and saute for a few minutes.


2. Add in the remaining ingredients and stir until combined. Let simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can add a little water if it starts getting too thick.


3. Top with sour cream and cheese, extra guacamole or salsa. Serve with tortilla chips. Enjoy!

"The Fabulous Five"

Allow me to introduce everyone (from left to right)...

Hannah, the sensitive, sweet, determined one.

Me, the ... (I should ask them what they'd say... maybe after they read this).

Ashton, the organized, helpful leader.

Sarah, the independent, rebel comedian.

Mary Beth, the sassy, out-going, risk-taker.

We've been friends since our early high school days and for any and everything it was always us five. This five-some withstood guys that came and went, guys that stayed, classes that were difficult, college applications + acceptances + rejections. It withstood family drama, school events, all that was stressful and all that was wonderful.

All of my high school memories had either one or all of these women in it. And I would never trade that, because I think it's a rare thing.

As we went to separate colleges we stayed in touch, always getting together for a Cracker Barrel breakfast or tacky sweater Christmas party.

Today we're adventurers into all sorts of life -- similar and different -- but there is still a thread between us all. This beautiful, steady thread of trust, love, listening, and presence.

We may not all talk to each other super frequently, because we're all different and want different things. Each of us desire different things for our particular lives, and it's great. So rich.

But I bet you 500 cookies that if we all knew we'd be in the same town on the same weekend, we'd plan a way to get together.

This makes me thankful to the Lord for such a gift of relationship. And I appreciate these four women for how they've lived life with me -- whether we were sitting next to each other in class, or chatting every other week on the phone.

No matter where each of our lives lead us, we'll always be the "fabulous five" in my heart. And I encourage anyone who reads this to never underestimate the value of investing in friends who are near you.

Cookie In A Pan

Chocolate chip cookies -- thick, crumbly, home baked -- are my favorite dessert. And I have a great friend whose dad used to make the best cookie bar I'd ever had (he even made some especially for me to munch on as I got ready for my wedding!). I've been wanting to make my own and figured an office Thanksgiving lunch was a great opportunity to try it.

It was an eventful night.

Used the wrong flour (unknowingly, in my defense) and my fantastic, loving, sweet, gracious husband went out and got more butter so we could make another batch. 

There were tears. There was laughter. There was a good bit of hugging it out.

All of that to say:

1. My husband rocks.

2. Cookie bars, when made with the right ingredients, are delicious.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter or margarine


• 1 cup brown sugar


• 3/4 cup white sugar


• 2 tsp. vanilla


• 2 eggs


• 3 cups flour


• 3/4 tsp. salt


• 3/4 tsp. baking soda


• 1 cup chocolate chips (or more if desired)

Instructions

1. Cream butter, sugars, and vanilla together. Add in eggs.


2. Stir in flour, salt and baking soda until combined.


3. Gently fold in chocolate chips and nuts if desired.


4. Spread on greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, or until lightly golden brown on top.

Enjoy, and remember sometimes all it takes in the face of a bummed out situation is a hug and some laughter.

Bearing With & Forgiving

"The grace of God is patient and works both instantaneously and over time. A mistake we sometimes make is thinking too idealistically, as though if we blow our first apology, there is no chance for a second." John Piper

Something I'm learning about marriage is that it is key to keep the proper perspective -- the bigger picture. It is an effort to see Colossians 3:13 fleshed out in real life: "Bear with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgive each other." Bearing with and forgiving are both present.

Real life example (cheat sheet, simplified version):

Man is on the phone during dinner and an hour afterwards. Woman is disappointed, feelings a little hurt, bummed that there wasn't any of the normal "highs and lows of the day" talk during dinner. 

Woman doesn't ice over, but isn't super perky either.

Man apologizes, asks forgiveness. Woman forgives. 

They sit in an awkward middle ground of small talk. In mercy, called out by Grace, Woman erases previous moments and finds fun, flirty, loving normalcy. They have a great rest of the night. 

Woman later confesses to acting out of that disappointment, apologizes. Man forgives, and reminds that it is okay to show when she's hurt or disappointed, but thankful she doesn't want to sit in it. 

I've only been married about three months, in relationship with this guy for two years -- it's a slow learning process. But it's movement, always movement. Growing, learning. Small steps. And the Holy Spirit, ever patient, thankfully doesn't let us sit in selfish places, places of pride or offense. He works against pride and anger, stirring up Gospel truths (Ephesians 4:32), softening the heart.

There is a kind of tenderness in apology, in forgiving, AND in being vulnerable to your spouse when something does hurt.

As these interactions keep happening, because they will -- we're marvelously human -- these habits of bearing with and forgiving will become more quickly acted on, thanks to God's gracious refining.

Hallelujah! Right? I love my man so much. Life is better with him in it.

crushing on.

Lately... So many inspiring and lovely and cool things out there. 

This cookie recipe.

Apple Fritter Waffles, be still my hungry stomach.

If I could decorate my walls with this, I would.

The King of grilled cheese sandwiches.

An inspiring reminder to embrace the art of going on a walk.

Trying to wait until December to make these but it's tough.

Reese's Krispies popcorn. Enough said.

An impactful word we probably all need to hear.

Trying Softer

As general rule, the harder you work to control things, the more you usually lose control. The harder you try to impress someone, the more you force the conversation and come across pushy or awkward. The harder you cling to a person, the more likely they are to pull away.

Sometimes trying harder helps. But what about:

Try harder to relax. Try harder to fall asleep. Try harder to not worry. Try harder to choose joy.

There are limits to trying harder. JOHN ORTBERG writes that

“often the people in the Gospels who got in the most trouble with Jesus were the ones who thought they were working hardest on their spiritual life. They were trying so hard to be good that they could not stop thinking about how hard they were trying. It got in the way of them loving people.”

The problem with always trying harder is that I get fixated on my own efforts. Often I grow judgmental. I capitalize on perfectionism, and find myself spending too many moments in comparison.

Maybe instead of making grand gestures to God, I should surrender my will to the Spirit for just today. Softer.

Trying softer means focusing more on God’s goodness than our efforts.  It means being more relaxed and less self-concious. Less pressured. When I try softer, it leaves more room for humility and grace. It means asking God for help.

If trying harder is producing growth in your spiritual life, keep it up, friend. But if it isn't, meditate with me on this.

A little softer.

List of Ten #2

"But it seemed to me that this was the way we all lived: full to the brim with gratitude and joy one day, wrecked on the rocks the next. Finding the balance between the two was the art and the salvation.” -- Elizabeth Berg

Life is unpredictable. It can be fickle, it can seem empty, it can feel full. No two days are the same. This life is temporal, and we're passing through. I like the above quote, touching on both joy and trial. Because in this world are both, and we can't live believing otherwise.

Enter the hope of Christ. In the gratitude and in the rocks, whether we feel it or not, there is hope to be had. And we can have it TODAY.

10 things that help me hope today:

1. The special love of my husband, when I'm perky or when I'm down.

2. Stomach hurting laughter at silly things

3. Driving into the sunrise to get to work

4. A boss who genuinely wishes you better when you feel sick

5. Being asked to draw for a project at work

6. A touching handwritten response from a wise elderly mentor

7. New, lovely friendships blooming

8. Brainstorming gifts to give family for birthdays

9. Sprinkling extra cinnamon on already apple cinnamon-y muffins

10. Throwback tunes via Pandora to perk up any mood

{see List of Ten #1 here}

Survival to Revival

My mom and I went to a local church to hear this year's Women of Faith event simulcasted. So much truth, so much inspiration. Surrounded by women who can relate on pretty much any level, worshipping God together, listening to His Word being taught together. There's nothing like concentrated time like that to refresh your soul. And it was fun to go with my mom, because we got have a sleepover Friday night. :)

I'd like to share my takeaways from each speaker... maybe they can ignite your heart toward God like they did mine.

SHEILA WALSH

I am not the good news, Jesus is. She touched on the amount of baggage we, as women, carry around all day every day, and she said "If the weight you carry could be made visible in this room, you probably wouldn't want to claim it, would you? And you certainly wouldn't want to take it home with you." We would enjoy this journey a whole lot more if our bags weren't so heavy -- Jesus tells me to hand all that over to Him (Matthew 11:28), that He can carry it, and lighten my load. Why hold onto it when He's asking me for it? He wants to carry it for me. I'm saying to myself, GIRL, take Him at His word! Trust Him!

PATSY CLAIRMONT

One of the spunkiest women I have ever met (via video). She was hilarious, gracious, bold, with a confidence that can only come from years of living life in relationship with Jesus. She talked a lot about God's new mercies He gives every day, and how when God gives us something He expects us to do something with it -- in her words "splash some of your mercy onto other people."



PETE WILSON

He challenged everyone to ask themselves "what would you do if you were confident that God would be with you?" In other words, do you put your faith in circumstances that you see, or in God's identity that never changes, that's always good and faithful? He also made a cool statement about faith, after sharing that some people think because they have some level of unbelief that must mean they can't have faith... in response he said: Faith is having belief AND disbelief, but choosing to act on the belief. 

CHRISTINE CAINE

The sassy Australian founder of one of the organizations I'm most passionate about, the A21 Campaign. She always recharges my soul, reaching deep down into any kind of doubt and throwing God's truth on it, dispelling all room for doubt. "Greater is what Jesus has done for you than what has been done to you." What our souls are continually searching for is what we were created for: God's purpose and pleasure, an active relationship with Him. She also reminded us what I feel I continually forget: It is for FREEDOM that we have been set free. That is our inheritance, that is our destiny. She related us to the Israelites after they were delivered from Egypt... in the wilderness they were delivered, but they were not yet entirely free. How often do we circle the same mountains, the same struggles and challenges and problems, because we do not believe and embrace that Jesus died for us that we may live in freedom? How often do we put ourself in our own shackles, walking around like we're sucking lemons, instead of having a resurrected Savior gleam in our eye? Joy, freedom, bravery... life abundant. 

LYSA TERKEURST

I had never heard Lysa speak before, but I've read a couple of her books, and admire her. She taught out of 2 Samuel, charging us to be wise women. One of her statements was this: "Go where wisdom gathers, not where it scatters." She also challenged our faith, saying that oftentimes God just wants us to bring as much willingness as we can muster, and He'll meet us where we are.

The conference theme thread was "survival to revival." Not merely surviving as women of God but claiming His promises for our own, reviving our own hearts and those around us for His purposes.

My soul feels light.

How great Thou art. 

Fresh Start: Over Two Hurdles

Comparison. If you're a woman you have encountered this animal in some form.

Comparison is competition. It's a desire for identity, but it's a false identity. Putting forth a veneer of yourself that isn't true. A disordered desire for approval. And it always leads to discontentment and insecurity and jealousy. I can vouch for that.

I’ll be honest. I compare myself and have on countless occasions allowed my soul to fall prey to all that comparison brings. But I’m fighting against it. Nothing good comes from it.

"Whatever I deem to be most important about myself is what I check out in others." That caused some movement in my gut -- conviction -- because when I looked at what I envy, or places I find myself insecure, it was shallow. Not at all cultivating the depth and richness that a relationship with God can hold. Not at all helping me be a woman who genuinely loves people and championships the achievements of others, or a wife who glorifies God and serves her husband well by being an active and present helpmate. Man... Grace beckons.

Then there is comparison's buddy: perfectionism. Of this I am a poster child. I like to disguise this in my mind as "hard worker," or "passionate." But it's not.

Perfectionism. The disordered desire for righteousness apart from Christ. Becoming fixated on performance, steadily comparing and measuring yourself up against those around you, or an expectation you've created in your own mind.

But when that perfectionism is not reached, we're left paralyzed! I know I've felt this way, but what kind of life is that? Not the one I believe God desires for me -- or you.

So I fight it.

I fight it because this question hits me square in the eyes, an arrow of truth to the heart: "How could you ever be happy, if everything has to be perfect? How could you rest? How would you have peace? How could you ever see yourself as lovely?" via

So where's the line to walk? Confession. Repentance. Constantly.

A breathed prayer for Truth to reign entirely.

And in moments when I blow it, or when I feel discouraged because the battle to believe God is tiring, I have a beautiful opportunity to marvel at the Gospel. To marvel that I didn't surprise God. I have a chance to slow down and rest in, "He calls me holy. He calls me blameless. Even in this he delights in me."

Praise God.

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Love & Grace

Feeling grateful this November morning. He is my best friend and the sweetest man I know. Still amazed that I can love someone so much and still find new reasons to love him every day. The head of our household and the protector of our family. I'm blessed to be married to him.

Marriage, I find, is seemingly a constant revealer of self. How I react and respond to a moment is a quick indicator of my heart. My sinful, by nature, heart.

That can be difficult, when my husband gets hurt by my sinful nature -- it causes my stomach to churn. The other day it dawned on me how quick I become offended, and it wasn't a pleasant feeling. But, His Spirit graciously breathed a reminder, Love is not easily offended. And because I hope in and am covered by Christ's perfection and not my own, I didn't get bogged down. I was convicted. I was charged, I was challenged. And because of grace I confess, repent, seek forgiveness, and grow in Christ's way of love as best as my handicapped human heart can grow. 

"The man and the woman were created unique by God, both in the image of God, equal in dignity, value, and worth, but they have been meant to complement one another, not compete against one another. The weaknesses of the one are strengthened by the strengths of the other, and the strengths of the other one are made even stronger by the strengths of the other." Matt Chandler

Wrap It or Frame It

Loving to draw and letter, I always find myself slightly drooling at anything with a hand-drawn aesthetic. My newest discovery? This charming wrapping paper.

Kelly Thompson, a Texan designer/illustrator based in Seattle, has combined her southern spice and northwestern quirkiness into a wide range of noteworthy work -- and I think it's quite fabulous.

Seeing God This November

Happy November! One of the most wonderful months on the entire calendar. I'm so glad this month is here. It is certainly not the only time we should be thankful. Through Jesus, God made a way for us to know Him, spend eternity with Him, experience His grace and unconditional love, His hope and guidance and provision. Because of that we live life out of a grateful heart.

But there's something about November -- this season of every year, that causes my frail, human heart to overflow with thanksgiving.

I have read Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts twice - both times in college. Her words have continually challenged me and my perspective on daily life.

"Faith is always a way of seeing, a seeking for God in everything. And if the eyes gaze long enough to see God lifted in a thing, how can the lips not offer eucharisteo? The truly saved have eyes of faith and lips of thanks. Faith is in the gaze of the soul."

Faith is an acknowledge that God means what He says. Faith is a way of life. Real faith, not saying I trust and then live in doubt and insecurity. Real faith is life-changing, heart-changing. Being thankful is lifting God to a place of honor and glory and goodness. Lips that praise a God who deserves it every second of every day.

"Living in His presence is fullness of joy--and seeing shows the way in. The art of deep seeing makes gratitude possible. And it is the art of gratitude that makes joy possible. Isn't joy the art of God?"

My prayer for this month is that I develop a soul that truly sees God. Because when I see Him for who He truly is, not through glasses colored with pride or self-doubt or confusion, all my life will want to do is sing with gratitude. And I want that for my every day. I want that everyone's everyday!

Fresh Start: A Quest For Margin

When margin is talked about, the conversation tends to stay on what/how to get rid of particular things in your life, but rarely is there talk on how to decide what stays.  I think that is one of the main parts of determining whether we keep margin once we have it. It’s so easy to keep adding when things seem calm or less chaotic.

With the holiday season about to begin, and 2014 coming to a close, I thought it would be a great time to talk about a few questions that might be helpful to ask ourself before we make any commitments for ourself, family, friends, etc. 

1. Is this something I am passionate about? Is it part of my core mission or purpose? (If you've never thought about your purpose or mission, maybe it's something to ask God to help you discover or decide.) I am passionate about reading, writing and lettering, which I didn't do much of in October, or September! I miss it. And those are things that I gain life, joy, and healthy pleasure from.

Or a different kind of example: I've become very fond of baking breads. And it's something I think I'd like to implement into my weeks during the holiday season - something to share with friends and neighbors.

2. What obstacles will make this a challenge each week/month/year? Weekly activity overload, over-planning so that events even overlap. That kind of lifestyle rarely leaves room for an unhurried hour for reading or lettering.

It takes time and money to bake bread. Time spent in the grocery store, time prepping and baking. How will I utilize and plan out that time, making sure it doesn't compromise other more important things?

3. What things can I do to be efficient with this new commitment? I'm the queen of putting on a movie or tv show while I'm cleaning or piddling around the house, but that often slows down the process; instead, I could clean without the tv on, with the hope of leaving space for a little writing.

Or maybe I can plan out recipes and ingredient lists in advance, and know when I'd like to bake them (Saturday mornings, or Sunday afternoons, when not much is going on).

4. Is there a chance that the size of the commitment will change or am I underestimating the commitment?

5. Is this something God wants me to be a part of? The reading, writing, and lettering I think He does want me to be a part of. Those are places I find rest, peace, joy; they give life. And they are places I discover and see and experience Him. The baking can be a way to serve my neighbors, to be generous and kind and thoughtful.

Praying about even little decisions is always important. J and I spent some time in prayer this morning, "God, we invite you into our moments, our decisions, our conversations." We can ask God for wisdom, discernment... in the small choices as well as the big ones. We can pray for peace when we walk in His way, or pray He would stir our hearts if we have made the wrong decision.

Answering these things immediately before we even commit will help give us an accurate gauge for how something will alter our daily life balance. Asking these questions give us an opportunity to be intentional with our time, our energy, our resources without feeling exhausted or stretched too thin.

I underestimate the value of asking questions like this before I commit to something, but I'm learning how important it can be -- to my life as well as my husband's life.

Have you ever been in a season like this?

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