For Such a Time as This

Very Frustrating Week With Weight Loss

2012-02-22T13:54:10Z

This week has been a very aggravating week for me. I am just not understanding what else I am going to have to do in order to lose these last 30 pounds I need to drop. I am eating better, exercising, praying, and yet. . . it’s still not enough. Since the last time I wrote about my weight loss of 2.4 pounds, it has fluctuated back on.

I seriously do not want to have to give up anything I eat.

But it looks like that might be what my next steps are. Many people when they get to this point, they go on an Elimination Diet to figure out what the problem is. I am not looking forward to that.

I don’t eat sweets that often.

I cut back on all the fatty and fried foods I was eating.

Eating more vegetables.

So what gives?

If anyone has any advice for me, I would LOVE to hear it. I am just at a loss.

Last week’s weigh in: 159

This week’s weigh in: 161.4

Guess I should try another way, huh?

How have you been doing with your own journey? I would love to hear.

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By: Betsy by Betsy http://www.betsylife.com
By: Kari by Kari

Healthy and Scrumptious Baked Avocado Fries

2012-02-18T21:08:37Z

I am a lover of avocados! I used to hate them, but somewhere along the lines I grew to love their taste and texture in my food.

I recently discovered baked avocado fries and all I can to you is that they are SO scrumptious!

Healthy and Scrumptious Baked Avocado Fries

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

If you are looking for a healthy alternative snack, you will want to try these delicious baked avocado slices.

Ingredients

1/4 cup flour
1 tsp kosher salt
2 large eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
2 firm-ripe medium avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced into 1/2-in. wedges
Grated parmesan for serving

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450.
Coat all the avocado slices in the flour, then egg, then panko. Spread on a cooling rack that has been sprayed with non-stick spray, then place on a cookie sheet. Spray the top of the wedges with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, then bake for about 20 minutes at 450, or until they are golden brown. You may need to flip them during the cooking time.

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http://jennifersikora.com/2012/02/healthy-and-scrumptious-baked-avocado-fries/

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Realizing That You Are Part of the Problem

2012-02-18T20:51:30Z

I haven’t written a lot about marriage lately. Honestly, I did not want to come off as a hypocrite. My husband and I have been struggling in our marriage and it had come to the point that I was drowning in blame. Each day my fingers were pointed and sharing about what I thought was the problem.

You are the reason we are having problems.

Every time you get upset that makes it worse.

If you would just. . .

Have you ever been there? You think you have all the answers to what is going on and that you are not at fault. But then. . . .God shows up and says to you–

You are just as much at fault as he is. You need to take some of the blame.

Last night as I sat on the couch, I realized that I had done it again. I had pointed out all I thought he needed to see instead of listening. I went to bed earlier than he did and while I lay there I cried out to God — Why can’t I stop doing this? God spoke to my heart and showed me that I was trying to play God to my husband.

What is my role as a wife?

I don’t know if my story will help you, but I just want you to know that you are not alone. As a wife, I struggle with what my role is, how much I am supposed to share, and how to make my husband feel like a king. We all struggle with that.

After doing some studying, I have realized the following about my role as wife.

My #1 priority is my husband and our marriage. Many women struggle with this because we are geared to nurture and love and we spread ourselves thin doing that. It’s not a problem until the nurture and love that is meant for your husband gets taken over by others. He is your number 1 priority. My hubby shared with me that recently he did not feel like he was a priority at all. I pride myself on making sure he is my priority and to have him tell me that — I knew there was a problem.

When you are wrong, admit it to him. It takes a big woman to admit that she is part of the problem — and maybe even all of the problem. I know I am the world’s worst about keeping it to myself when I know that I am the one in the wrong. If we would realize that when we are wrong and admit it as soon as we know, then both husband and wife could get over arguments and disagreements so much faster !

Stop trying to mother your man. This is something I am learning more and more every day and I fail miserably at it. However, today something changed in me. I can feel it and I want to honor God by allowing my man to succeed without my help and to also make mistakes and fail without my input. Something happens to a man when all we do is smother and mother. Men are geared to lead and instruct and when we take that from them and try to do that as well as what God intended for us as women to do, then many things happen. Our husbands get passive, we become burdened and overworked, and both husband and wife start hardening their hearts towards one another.

I share all of this with you today, because I am hoping that I can help you to not make some of the same mistakes I have made recently. If you and your husband are having issues, instead of pointing the finger at your husband saying “It’s all you”, take a step back and ask yourself, what is my part in all of this?

I pray that God will help you to see how you can pray for your man and make changes that need to be made in your marriage.

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Lemon Pasta

2012-02-17T14:55:17Z

A couple of weeks ago, Kayla and I had a girls night in while the guys were out doing guy things. We love when we have these nights to ourselves because it gives us the opportunity to create new foods and spend some quality mommy daughter time together.

We both were in a pasta mood so I decided to do some browsing and find a delicious new pasta recipe. I came upon a Baked Lemon Pasta recipe from the Pioneer Woman that I knew I could twist and adapt to fit our style.

I loved the flavors of this creamy and delicious Lemon Pasta. I did not bake mine as the Pioneer Woman did and it still turned out fabulous. This one is quickly becoming a favorite among my daughter and I.

Lemon Pasta

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

A delicious and yummy pasta dish that will make your spaghetti noodles love you forever!

Ingredients

1 box of Spaghetti
4 Tablespoons Salted Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 whole Lemon, Juiced And Zested
2 cups Sour Cream
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt, Or More To Taste
Plenty Of Grated Parmesan Cheese
Flat-leaf Parsley, Chopped
Extra Lemon Juice

Instructions

Cook spaghetti. If you like it al dente, then cook it like that. Be sure and salt your water before putting your spaghetti in so that it absorbs the salty water flavor. Drain your pasta and reserve a cup of the cooking liquid. Set everything aside.
In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over medium low heat. When butter is melted, add minced garlic. Squeeze lemon juice into the pan. Turn off heat.
Add your sour cream to the butter mixture. Add lemon zest and salt. Stir everything together and then taste. You might want to add some more salt if it needs it. Pour sour cream mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together. If the sauce seems to thick, use some of the pasta water to loosen it up a bit.
Move it to a beautiful serving bowl and then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley.
Sprinkle lemon juice over the pasta one more time.

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http://jennifersikora.com/2012/02/lemon-pasta/

I served this pasta dish with some bread that I got on sale and a delicious Spinach and Strawberry salad (recipe coming soon).

This entire meal costs me around $6 to make for the entire family (enough to feed a family of 6-8)! It was filling, delicious and so inexpensive that I will be making this again real soon!

What have you made lately?

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By: michele bergman by michele bergman

Four Letter Words

2012-02-16T14:44:22Z

Thou shalt tolerate every opinion… except the Christian’s. Today’s postmodern “prime directive” leaves many followers of Jesus tongue-tied. In the global village, isn’t it unreasonable, and even dangerous, to suggest that the Bible has a monopoly on truth?

The church needs a new breed of Christ-follower. We need Christ-followers who are alert to today’s touchy ideas, the truths that fire up more heat than light. We need Christ-followers who can make a clear case for the Bible’s worldview; who are ready to help our friends think through their beliefs; who can recognize inconsistencies and challenge them; and who can do all of this with humility, confidence, humor, and love. For more information visit the book’s website.

My Thoughts

This book is a good book to help teens learn about how to deal with people. Talking points in the back of each chapter, a discussion guide available for download, and scannable “QR Enabled” codes throughout make this an interactive book which will appeal to Christian teens. While I didn’t agree with everything exactly as he presented it, this will be a great tool for students to use to answer those deeper questions that may arise in their walk with Christ.

This book would make a wonderful group study for both adults and teens. It’s a great way for the two worlds to combine –youth and adults.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dr. Bill Giovannetti is a professor at A.W. Tozer Theological Seminary and the senior pastor of Neighborhood Church of Redding. An experienced speaker and author, Bill informs the mind in ways that touch the heart. He enjoys life with his wife and two kids in northern California. For more information about Bill and his other books, visit http://maxgrace.wordpress.com and http://fourletterwords.org.

Bill is celebrating the new Kindle edition of Four Letter Words (only $4.99)! He’ll be traveling coast to coast over the next few weeks on this virtual book tour and he’s celebrating by hosting a great giveaway!

Click here to find out how you can win two gift certificates to Amazon (in the amount of $50 and $25) and free downloads of his yet-to-be-released title, Recession-Proof: Living a God-Blessed Life in a Messed Up World.

You can read more reviews like this one from the other blogs on the tour.

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of Four Letter Words in order to write my review. All opinions are my own.

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Mornings With Jesus Devotional

2012-02-16T14:31:06Z

About the book:

“Be still and know that I am God.” is one of the most beautiful verses from the Bible, but it’s not easy to practice in this busy world. Mornings with Jesus will help you do just that—“be still” in Jesus’ beautiful and powerful presence. For those who are seeking a deeper experience in their relationship with Christ, Mornings with Jesus offers a fresh perspective of who Jesus is (the Healer, the Son of God, the Comforter, the Good Shepherd) and what that means for day-to-day life. With a warm and friendly voice, 365 short devotional writings on the character and teachings of Jesus encourage readers to greet each day by drawing near to Him and inviting His presence into their day. Spend time with Jesus at the beginning of each day and experience His nearness and peace in a new way throughout the year. Each day’s selection includes: • a Bible verse • an entry based on Jesus: His words, miracles, and parables; His wisdom, compassion, and comfort; His mystery, power, divinity, and humanity • a “faith step” that will inspire and challenge readers to apply the day’s message to their lives.

My Thoughts

I’m really enjoying reading this devotional. They are not long and drawn out like some and they are written with the reader in mind. It’s not a bunch of facts or hype, but real stories shared. One of my favorites is one that I read last week –

Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, critisize their faults — unless, of course, you want the same treatment. The critical spirit has a way of boomeranging (The MSG Matthew 7:1-2)

This day’s devotion was learning to treat others with respect and love. That is something that we have been dealing with in our home so I was so pleased to read this and I just devoured it.

You can read more about Mornings With Jesus from others on the Litfuse Tour as well. Check them out here.

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of Mornings With Jesus 2012 in order to write my review. All opinions are my own.

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By: Toni by Toni http://atasteofalaska.blogspot.com/

The Sound of Red Returning

2012-02-16T14:19:16Z

About the book:

After losing everyone she loves, concert pianist Liesl Bower has nowhere to go but to escape into her music. Searching for the peace she usually finds in her concertos and sonatas, Liesl can’t shake the feeling that she is being haunted by her past . . . and by someone following her. When she spots a familiar and eerie face in the audience of a concert she’s giving for the president in Washington, DC, the scariest day of her life comes back to her with a flash. It has been fifteen years since Liesl watched her beloved Harvard music mentor assaulted on a dark night in Moscow and just as long since the CIA disclosed to her that he’d been spying for Russia. She had seen that man–that eerie face–the night Professor Devoe was attacked. And now he’s back–and coming for her.

On the run and struggling to rely on the protection of CIA agent Ava Mullins and handsome newspaper reporter Cade O’Brien, Liesl learns she is the prey of an underground cell of Russian KGB agents determined to restore their country to its former Soviet might. But what she doesn’t know is that she is in possession of something–a piece of sheet music–that Russian intelligence is now frantic to find. Inside that music is a secret code, the hidden transcriptions of her deceased mentor, that clearly identify a Russian mole operating inside Israel’s Department of Defense, a mole with enough power and access to execute a daring assassination that no one would see coming.

Caught in a deadly conflict between American and Russian undercover agents, this innocent young pianist is just trying to survive her own personal trauma. Through it all, Liesl must learn that no matter how dark her world grows or how fiercely her enemies pursue her, God is still in control–if only she can yield herself to His grace. Read an excerpt here: http://www.sueduffybooks.com/#!vstc1=books

My Thoughts

I love stories that make romance a big deal. This book involves politics, religion, faith, and love all in the pages! Having a couple realize later on in life that they love each other and they always have and they find that love is just one of my favorite kind of reads. You want to scream at them through the entire book — Don’t you see he loves you? Can’t you see she’s crazy about you?”

When I first got this book I was not sure I would like it, but by the end I was eating up every single page! You will too!

About the author

Sue Duffy is an award-winning writer whose work has appeared in Moody Magazine, The Presbyterian Journal, Sunday Digest, and The Christian Reader. She is the author of Mortal Wounds (Barbour, 2001) and Fatal Loyalty (Kregel, 2010). Sue has also contributed to Stories for a Woman’s Heart (Multnomah). She and her husband, Mike, have three grown children.

To read more thoughts and opinions on The Sound of Red, be sure and visit all the other blogs during the tour.

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of The Sound of Red Returning in order to write my review. All opinions are my own.

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Wholly Guacamole Check Your Choice Contest

2012-02-14T13:26:43Z

Small choices make a big difference when you are losing weight and trying to eat better. Wholly Guacamole wants to help you make those small choices in the Check Your Choice Contest.

Each week, you get a new challenge to help you make that small change. You just have to check your choice!

To find out more about the contest, simply visit Wholly Guacamole on Facebook, and you can find the challenges here. You can also follow them on Twitter @eatwholly.

How will you make small changes? Let Wholly Guacamole help!

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Secret Recipe Club-Creamy Chicken and Biscuits

2012-02-13T13:51:41Z

This month has been absolutely crazy for me. Normally by now I have my recipe picked out, cooked, and the link sent in to our fabulous host, Amanda. However, with Internet problems, catering a Valentine’s dinner and work — I have fallen way behind.

I didn’t get to cook my meal until just yesterday! YIKES! I was pushing it. I sat down Saturday and browsed the pages of Mostly Food and Crafts - the blog I was assigned this month. She has so many delicious recipes that I drooled over but the one that caught my eye was this one for Creamy Slow Cooker Chicken and Biscuits. I knew that this would be the perfect recipe to try for a Sunday dinner! I had a very full day yesterday and was wondering how in the world I was going to fit dinner in there somewhere. Thanks to Danielle, my dilemma was solved!

This recipe was absolutely fabulous! The chicken was moist and the flavors just went together so perfectly. It’s like a chicken pot pie, but cooked in the slow cooker.

I did change a few of the components because I don’t like celery or peas, so I added green beans instead. Next time, I think I might add potato chunks!

Here is the recipe. Hope you enjoy!

SRC Post

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 hours

Total Time: 5 hours, 10 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

This is a great meal to fix for Sunday dinner! You will come home to a delicious smelling meal that will be ready to eat in minutes.

Ingredients

4 carrots, cut into 1-inch lengths
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup AP flour
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 8)
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
kosher salt and black pepper
1 cup of chicken broth
6 biscuits, split
1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions

In a Slow cooker,combine the carrots, onion, and flour. Place the chicken on top and season with the poultry seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the broth to the pot. Cover the slow cooker and cook until the chicken and vegetables are tender, on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for 2 1⁄2 to 3 hours.
About thirty minutes before serving, prepare the biscuits.
Ten minutes before serving, remove the chicken and shred into bite sized pieces and then add it back to the slow cooker you will also add the cream, and ½ teaspoon salt and stir to combine. Cover and cook until heated through, 5 to 10 minutes more.
To serve, place the bottom halves of the biscuits in shallow bowls, then top with the chicken mixture and the remaining biscuit halves.

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http://jennifersikora.com/2012/02/secret-recipe-club-creamy-chicken-and-biscuits/

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By: ButterYum by ButterYum http://butteryum.blogspot.com/
By: ButterYum by ButterYum http://butteryum.blogspot.com/
By: Betsy by Betsy http://www.betsylife.com
By: Dan by Dan http://www.haggisandherring.com/
By: danielle by danielle http://mostlyfoodandcrafts.blogspot.com
Plus 3 more...

When the Smoke Clears by Lynette Eason

2012-02-12T14:23:44Z

I love, love, love Lynette Eason books. I read every single one in the Justice series, so as soon as I got this book in the mail, I devoured it.

As always, Lynette knows how to bring the suspense and drama. It was like watching one of my favorite crime scene shows on tv!

Her character choices are always easy to relate to and I love the romantic tension that is always present between the two main characters.

If you have never read any of her books, you definitely want to pick up one. Why not start with this one?

About the book:

As a member of the North Cascades Smokejumpers, Alexia Allen always takes care of the equipment that keeps her safe. So when she nearly dies in a fire due to equipment failure, she knows something is up. Ordered to take time off while the investigation continues, Alexia makes a last-minute decision to recuperate at her mother’s home and attend her high school reunion. Yet trouble seems to be following her, and within hours of arriving home she’s involved with murder, arson—and a handsome detective. But the conflicts ahead are nothing compared to the ghosts of her past. As she strives to remember and forgive her family history, she must also decide if the secret she’s been guarding for the last ten years must finally come to light. Chock-full of the suspense and romantic tension readers have come to expect from Lynette Eason, When the Smoke Clears is the explosive first book in the DeaDly reunions series.

About the author:

Lynette Eason is the author of several romantic suspense novels, including Too Close to Home, Don’t Look Back, and A Killer Among Us. She is a member of American Fiction Christian Writers and Romance Writers of America. A homeschooling mother of two, she has a master’s degree in education from Converse College. She lives in South Carolina.

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