A Smoothie Like None Other

Behold the greenest smoothie you will ever find. Mom enthusiastically demonstrated the recipe she had learned at the local Sam's Club.

1/2 Can White grape 100% juice concentrate
1/2 Banana

1/8 Lime Wedge
1 -2 Mint Leaves
(now for the unusual part)
Handful of Spinach
Add Ice until thick

There you have it.
This smoothie/ice-cream/sorbet is not for the faint of heart. But I think those who dare to try it will be pleasantly surprised.

I did a cheezy commercial for this amazing recipe but I can't figure out how to post the video. You were spared ; )

Love that "seeketh not her own"

"It will be seen that the glory shining in the face of Jesus is the glory of self-sacrificing love. In the light from calvary it will be seen that the law of self-renouncing love is the law of life for earth and heaven; that the love which "seeketh not her own" has its source in the heart of God: and that in the meek and lowly One is manifested the character of Him who dwelleth in the light which no man can approach unto."

Desire of Ages pg 20

When I think about the birth Christ I am blown away, astonished, amazed - but not as I should be. The self-sacrificing love that shines down from that one event of history is just as dazzling bright today as it was then. Blindingly bright even. Those that contemplate this love's brightness are blinded to their own petty wants, desires and dreams. I want this self-sacrificing love -this love that gives not to receive, loves the unlovable, and dies that others may live.

Voice of God

5:30 am: Cell phone buzzes in the depths of my pillowcase.
My first thoughts --"Nooooo...it can't already be 5:30. O Lord I'm so tired I can hardly move, somehow You've got to get me through this day."

Silence

"I'm so tired...maybe I can afford to get up at 6...maybe..." I quickly set another alarm and drift off.


6:00 am: Phone buzzes in my hand. "Ok, this is it. You've got to get up Heather!" I propped myself up on my elbow in bed and began a sleep muddled, foggy minded prayer...."Oh God please help me..."

Silence

"...Lord, clinicals were so exhausting last night - I didn't get to bed til nearly 1 am. I've got so much to do today. I've pushed it as it is. I don't even feel like I have time for quiet time with You...but I'm going to put You first because You're my everything. I'm so weak dear God - I feel like I've reached the end of my energy..."

Silence

"...Heavenly Father there is no way I can make it through today without you. I've got nothing left in me. You've promise to perfect Your strength in us when we're weak...well I'm weak Lord and I'm choosing to trust. Help me to just get out of bed and live today for Your glory."

Silence


With great effort I throw back the covers, maneuver down my ladder, stubble over to my desk and start looking for my Bible. "Where is it? I must have stuck it in my backpack or purse or bag or...oh I'm just too tired to rummage through every bag." Impulsively I grab a book off the shelf: Desire of Ages.

I Shuffle out the door, around the corner to the hall lobby and collapse by a chair in the corner.
" Lord, here I am again. I'm here to connect with You but my thoughts are hardly coherent. I need Your Spirit to teach me something...somehow...if possible please somehow keep me awake..."

Silence

"Lord I want to hear You...please speak through Your prophets writings..." *pause* I jerk myself awake enough to manage some sort of "amen". I crawl into the chair, blink my eyes a few times to clear the sleepy haze, opened the book randomly in the middle and read:


Chapter 34 -- The Invitation

"Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavey-laden, and I will give you rest. ...
In these words Christ is speaking to every human being. Whether they know it or not, all are weary and heavy-laden. All are weighed down with burdens that only Christ can remove... He has borne the burden of our guilt. He will take the load from our weary shoulders. He will give us rest. The burden of care and sorrow also He will bear. He invites us to cast all our care upon Him; for He carries us upon His heart.

He is watching aver you, trembling child of God. Are ou tempted? He will deliver. Are you weak? He will strengthen. Are you ignorant? He will enlighten. Are you wounded? He will heal. ...
Come unto Me is His invitation. Whatever your anxieties and trials, spread out your case before the Lord. Your spirit will be braced for endurance....
The weaker and more helpless you know yourself to be, the stronger will you become in His strength. The heavier your burdens, the more blessed the rest in casting them upon the Burden Bearer."


And in the midst of silence, I heard the voice of God.

Giving Thanks

Some of the festivities of Thanksgiving. Beautiful mountains, smell of baking pumpkin, fun in the kitchen, family and friends...I have so much to be thankful for!

Cereal in a Laundry Basket

I walked into my dark dorm room and felt around for the light. It had been a long day and I was looking forward to finishing my supper that had been interrupted a hour earlier. I set my books down on the desk and looked for the box of Wild Blueberry Cluster Kashi I had left sitting out. There was no box to be seen. While I was still trying to formulate a vague hypothesis of where the box might have walked off to I heard a faint crunching sound that caused my gaze to shift downward. Ah! There it was! Sitting in my laundry basket. Impulsively I grabbed the box out of the laundry, thinking only of having a delicious evening snack. The cascade of Blueberry Clusters that followed alerted me right away that this decision was not a wise one. My cereal box, having not been properly closed, had landed upside down in the basket...a mess waiting to happen.

The sight of 1/4 of the cereal boxes contents in my laundry basket elicited a groaned "ohhh noooo" from me. For the next few moments I further proved my intelligence by simply starring at the unexpected sight. After some consideration I decided this was either an unfortunate mess or a amusing opportunity. Which would it be.....

Having decided on my plan of action I proceeded to put my coat in the closet, put away the unruly cereal box and kick off my shoes. Equipped with spoon and peach silk yogurt I made myself comfortable on the floor and enjoyed Blueberry Clusters in a laundry basket. Not only did I have a delicious supper, but a good laugh as well. If given a choice, choose laughter and thanksgiving. It makes all the difference

Is This a Day of New Beginnings?

Is this a day of new beginnings,
Time to remember and move on,
Time to believe what love is bringing,
Laying to rest the pain that's gone?

How can the seasons of a planet
Mindlessly spinning round its sun
With just a human name and number
Say that some new thing has begun?

Yet thro' the life and death of Jesus
Love's mighty Spirit, now as then,
Can make for us a world of difference
As faith and hope are born again.

Then let us, with the Spirit's daring,
Step from the past and leave behind
Its disappointment, guilt, and grieving
Seeking new paths, and sure to find.

Christ is alive, and goes before us
To show and share what love can do.
This is a day of new beginnings;
Our God is making all things new.

~ Hymn # 342 - words and melody by Brian Wren

Who knew this was in the Hymnal? Its not sung often. The words are powerful and I feel stirred in my inner most soul after reading them. We cannot, by mere human will power, give ourselves a new beginning and start a new life. Human promises and intentions are as "ropes of sand". But when we surrender and allow God to be a work in us to will and do His good pleasure we are truly given a new beginning! We are restored and we can move forward boldly, excited to see what God has in store!

Learning to be a Handygirl

During this summer my skills in the area of home renovation have been vastly expanded to include hanging sheetrock, installing L brackets, painting cabinets and filling holds... correctly. It has been an education, no question. I have new found respect for Handymen who do all these things professionally on a daily basis. Mudding sheetrock is nothing to be sneezed at!

So despite the constant paint speckles on my arms and the frustration of dust getting in my eyes as I sand, I am enjoying this "handy- business".
.