I can dig it

Can you dig it? I can!

I spent all day on Friday digging a garden. I don't know what happened to all our garden gear, all I could find was a shovel that Corey had altered when the handle broke, and a rake. There was no Hoe, spade, pick axe or anything that would have made it a little easier. I almost wanted to just go get a tiller, but I figured I could forgo the gym and work out outside. I started with a little patch a few feet from where I actually wanted to plant the garden. The reason the location was changed had to do with the spring buttercups. Lily would not let me dig them up to plant my garden. So we went 4 feet left and Corey can just cut down the scrub tree that is causing shade over the tomatoes.

WC2011

Are you ready?!
This is for all my Victory Outreach Folks: are you making a way to conference or are you letting little things get in the way and saying "I'll make it next time?".
You need to get your bags packed, get a plane ticket, or find a car to get you there- no matter what.
World Conference will IMPACT your life.
You will be impacted, excited, encouraged, recharged, and so many other adverbs that I am too excited to work out on "paper" right now.
The first thing when you go to conference is that you will realize that God has hand picked you for this ministry. He has called you out of the world, into his light. You will see that you have a hope and a plan for the future here. God will give you a word for your life, maybe even your calling. Things will be revealed to you through the speakers, the music, the messages that you may have never thought of before. You will see that God has a plan for your life an wants to use you in a higher capacity.
The second thing that will be revealed to you is that you are not the ONLY one! When you are there in the sea of people from all over the world worshiping in different languages and dialects, you will truly see the brevity of reaching the world. You will want your family there with you, your brothers and sisters and mom and dad. You will want to share the message of Jesus with them because you will not only want them saved, but you want them to do more than they are doing now.
You will see just how far into the corners of the world our ministry goes, in to the almost literal depths of hell, to take back what the enemy has stolen and to bring the peace of the Lord into the highways, the byways, the lost the desolate cities.

So if you have been making excuses and reasons not to go, you need to flip the script and start making plans and arrangements to get yourself and your family there. Don't wait until "next time" God has a diving appointment with you THIS TIME.

Hair do

I am going back to my roots.
Well, a lighter, spunkier version anyway. I am a blonde, I swear. (A dirty, faded dishwater, straw blonde now)
I am going to highlight (Well, Sam is) my hair a little at a time to go back to blonde with character.

BEFORE: (Faded auburn)

AFTER: (woven highlights)

Sam did a great job! I was going to just do a full color and go back to blonde all at once, but I decided to have a little fun with it and let her play with color!
I feel like Spring- now to get some gardening in!

National Atheists Day

Yep- today is the day given to all Atheists so they don't have to complain about not having a holiday. Why today?

14:1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

The scripture goes on to say:

They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds,
there is none who does good.

Are all atheists bad people? No, but the definition of bad/evil is purely the absence of good/purity. Therefore by that definition, they are bad by the absence of God, who is holy. I have heard atheists say that humanity is inherantly good and therefore they should not have to rely on a 'being' to tell them they can go into a heaven for eternity.

Well...what is school for? You don't just expect to get a good paying job one day because you held an old lady's hand while she crossed the street, or gave money to the poor do you? NO! You are instructed in the way of the career path you seek. The word of God is our instruction manual (the lamp unto our feet) that allows us to make sure we are doing the right things. Couple that with the Holy Spirit (the teacher who steers us in the right direction while we are in lifelong training) and you will see that humanity needs direction. We are all born with the desire to know the creator, but some fill that with a self-gratifying sense of "me". They are not willing to give anything in their life to anyone higher than themselves.

Oh and humanity in all is not inherently good. Have you ever noticed that even when not taught, a child still disobeys, gets into trouble, lies and even steals? So how are we supposed to be good when by nature, our flesh wants to sin? We have to learn NOT to do wrong.

It is not by good deeds that you have eternal life. I am amazed at all the atheist websites condemning and arguing (full of rage and hatred) against Christians, even using scripture and saying we are misquoting the Bible! To that I say:

1 Corinthians 1:18-31 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (19) For it is written, "I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE." (20) Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

How can you say we as believers are misquoting the word of GOD (whom you so blatantly believe does not exist) Why not use your own references?

SO HAPPY FOOLS DAY!

I'm so glad Jesus Set me Free!

the indomitable inkwell: pieces to a puzzle...

the indomitable inkwell: pieces to a puzzle...: "Ever read Revelation? Ever think about how it will all go down? Watching one crisis after another unfold in every part of the wo..."

Fast Friendly "Alfredo"

Don't tell my husband what is in this, he'll never let me make it again!

We are on the Daniel Fast and I can only take so many rice and beans before I feel I will turn into a burrito. Money was a bit tight this week, being the tail end of the paycheck week, so I needed something to make that would stretch. Lily can not have tomatoes because of her nightshade sensitivity so we try to make unique pasta dishes anyway.
I found this online and made my own variation to stay true to the Daniel Fast. The original calls for cream, but I trade that out for veggie broth, or soymilk (unsweet)

VEGAN ALFREDO

1 sm head califlower, chopped
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 sm shallot, diced
2 Tbs EVOO
1 pound whole wheat linguine (or noodle of choice)
1/4 C veggie broth or soymilk

Cook pasta according to directions. In a skillet heat the EVOO and saute the garlic and shallot until transluscent. Add salt and pepper. Steam Cauliflower until very soft, drain and add to garlicky oil mix. Mash with potato masher or use a mixer until it is creamy, add the broth or soymilk until the consistency of sauce (it does separate a little) S and P to taste. I added red pepper flakes to mine after the kids were served.

Everyone ate it up and no one knew what it was!

Deny the Flesh and celebrate new life

We are in day 9 of our 40 day Daniel Fast and thus far, it has been going well.

This is not, I repeat, this is NOT a diet. Yes, we are denying ourselves of grease, sugar, simple carbs, coffee, cheese, meats, butter, soda, cakes, pies, cookies, brownies, ice cream etc. But this is more than what we are not allowed to have. We are denying our flesh the satisfaction of eating what feels good in that moment, what satisfies our cravings so God can satisfy our Spirit.

We eat pretty well anyway so adjusting to the Daniel Fast has never been hard for us, with the exception of CHEESE. Rich, creamy, salty, melty cheese...I digress, this is where I honor my Lord by denying myself from cheese (even a Vegan substitute).

However, my birthday was on the 22nd; we are most always fasting around March and April which means I fast for my birthday.

Corey surprised me with dinner at an all vegetarian place: Mother's Garden Cafe.

http://www.motherscafeaustin.com/

The place on the outside looks reminiscent of a 50's diner with the blue and black decor. When you walk in, the front cashier is seated right inside the door, almost like a chinese restaurant. Then you walk to the back room. There are plants and colorful lights adorning most surfaces of the walls, tastefully though- not like they are creating the tropics in Austin. In the middle of the room is a pond with Koi. You can hear the waterfall and there is a quiet serenity that would be lost in the world of surf and turf. I could not bear eating meat with a knife and a fork there in the peace of the garden.

Corey had their "Bueno Burger" Which has been voted the best veggie burger in Austin for 10 years running. This was huge and tasty, with flavor and freshness. The pickles were the thick, crunchy homemade type, the bun was whole grain and toasted with sesame seeds, the patty was a thick veggie mix and it was topped with lettuce, guac and tofu dijon.

I choose the "Mole Enchiladas" Vegan cheese (I substituted this time!) vegan mole, guac, served with rice and beans. I will say the brown rice was a bit chewy for my taste, but everything else was wonderful and I ate more than I have in a long bit.

Lily had quesadillas and a fruit platter. Chloe ate most of the quesadilla and my beans while Lily devoured the fruit and her cup of rich soymilk.

This is a new favorite, fasting or not. We spent $40 with tip, but for the amount of food we got, that was a fair price and we left full, but not heavy and sleepy like if we would have dropped $40 on Jack Daniels Steak and Shrimp or Sizzling Chicken.