summer low down

So a lot has happened recently. Here is the low down on our summer:

- I went to JourneyLand Camp with our 3rd-6th graders. ~ It was fun. It was also very hot. But really, I was really happy to get to know some of the kids more. Knowing the children of my church is one of the ways that makes church feel like home to me. It's nice to have a kid wave hello to me on Sunday mornings. And I love being able to wave hello to them back! :)

- I've got to hold my friends' babies! Amanda had Genevieve and Kayla had Juliana! So happy that I get to see both of my good friends from time to time and that I get to hold and see their precious daughters.

- Blake's sister got married. We went to Bartlesville and saw a bunch of Blake's family whom we hadn't seen in years. Always fun to have a reunion over a joyful event. Nick and Heather are now happily living in Tennessee and they are being their smart medical selves!

- Blake's been working and learning all about this new industry he is in. Definitely different from AFB stuff!

- I've been working too! I got to work as the children's ministry intern for 4 weeks at church. It kept me busy and it's been so much fun! VBS was awesome!

- Family. Family. Family. We are spending lots of time with my family. And it's fun! I'm so thankful to get to see them more that a couple times a year.

- I went to Camp Bandina. And wow did it make me feel old for SO many reasons. About a million things have changes since I last was there in 2008. But the important thing was that the kids had an awesome time. And once again... I got to interact more with some of the kids from church. Always a good thing.

- My friend Yamileth came home from China!!! She has been teaching English there for the past 2 years and I have not seen here for over 3 years!!! She is in the US for good now and it's been amazing catching up with her... though there is still so much more to do!

-And lastly, I got a job!! Very excited to be the new PreK teacher at my church's Friendship School. It's 3 days a week and just perfect. I'm doing some professional development training this week and I'm starting to get excited. It's definitely a new type of  job for me, but I have a gut feeling that I'm going to LOVE it! I'm already brushing up on my Raffi songs!

So far this summer has been wonderful and full of the Lord's blessings. It's had is moments of uncertainty and stress- but the Lord has helped me every step of the way. I'm working really hard to do the Lord's will. And I think HE knows that, and because of that desire I have... he is clearly making his presence known in my life.

And I'm telling you... that is THE best part of being a follower of Christ. It's that feeling that He is always there. No matter what happens... you know it'll be OK... because you know you'll be able to find Christ in your life always.

I hope your summer is going fabulous and is rich with blessing just as mine is. Even if it isn't... don't give up God... don't wonder where He's hiding. Look for Him.... He never leaves us. Trust He is there and you'll be able to find Him!

Wishing you many many blessings~
K. Marie

letting Him put the pieces together

I'm one week and one day into my short term job at Memorial... and I'm loving every second of it. I love being in the church office and the conversation that takes place between all of the staff. I love that the stuff we are talking about is considered work... because it's the stuff that I love to talk about! Love ordering supplies and shopping and making phone calls. Love planning. Love thinking about the Lord within my tasks. I'm in my element. 

And I'm SO thankful for the opportunity to be in my element again, even if it is for a short few weeks. 

The other day I was going through one of my older prayer journals and came across this particular entry from Friday, May 16, 2008:

"...Also Lord, please let me get an internship at Blueberry Lane Church of Christ next summer. If that's where you want me. I would love to get to work there with "my friend". If you could just put your power into making that happen... please." 

OK the church was not called Blueberry Lane and I actually did write the name of my friend instead of "my friend"...  but those details do not matter. 

What matters is that I did NOT get that job I asked the Lord for. In fact.... before I could really even be interested in it, the job was filled. And I couldn't understand. I couldn't understand why if something seemed so right.... that it wouldn't work out. Especially since it involved serving the Lord! 

Because I didn't get that job... I suddenly became available for other opportunities and by that next January I was offered a summer internship with Memorial COC in Houston. 

Which... hey... isn't that where I go now? Where I temporarily work now??! 

I had an amazing summer with Memorial that year and I was living at home planning my wedding at the same time. Funny how things end up working out huh? And the thing is... because of my internship at Memorial a few years ago, Blake and I had some good connections there and were able to feel at home there when we moved to Houston a couple of months ago. 

I could not possibly feel more led to Memorial than I do right now. And I just feel SO thankful to the Lord for working things out like he has. 

So as I bite my nails in anticipation for what lies ahead after my 4 weeks of work are up, I can reflect on that journal entry. I can reflect on God's awesome presence in my life and know that He has always been there for me and always will be. Even when I can't put the pieces together... God can. 

And He is. 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  ~ Romans 8:28

My Latest Opportunity

I'm going to get a little personal in this post and talk about something that I don't usually talk about.

Jobs.

My job in particular. Or my lack-there-of.

As you probably know, I studied Children's Ministry in college. I absolutely loved it. It was such an interesting subject to study. After years and years of really struggling in school I finally found an area where I wasn't always the worst in the class. It was like I finally found and accepted my area of success.

As a college student I found the love of my life. My amazing husband. The one, who through all of our differences has helped me grow and develop in ways I might never have otherwise done. One who helped me to come down out of my narcissistic phase and realize that my way is not the only way. (Even when my way clearly seems more sensible to me!) He is ever so important to me and we faced the task that many couples who get married young and in college have to face- forming our ideals for life together. You see unlike young professionals who get married, where they already have a job and a "real life"... we had to work to mesh those things together. And quite honestly it's been pretty difficult.

How do I go after that children's ministry job in the small town in Texas when my husband needs a job in the city? Or how do I even go into a children's ministry job when my husband and I haven't had the opportunity to go to church together and grow spiritually. And then of course, there is the voice of the Lord- who we must all be listening for. These are huge factors for me.

Over the past few years I've had several opportunities but none of them were right due to factors that I listed above... and sometimes more that haven't been mentioned. It's not always easy to pass those things up. Not when I have a yearn in my heart to not only use my degree but to serve families in the church with the skills I've been working on. But those factors that I listed are so important to me. So important. I'm very thankful that Blake and I have been able to focus more on our spiritual life together and have had a phase of life where we could be in class and worship together.

God led us to Houston and I thought I knew why but I turned out to be very wrong. There were still good things in store though. He led us to a wonderful congregation that is already helping us both to grow in so many ways. But now... He has given me such a blessing of an opportunity.

Their children's ministry intern for the summer has taken an opportunity to serve a church in Brazil for the remainder of her summer which leaves behind a few weeks of intern pay in the budget. And now I have an opportunity to serve the congregation for 4 weeks as they get prepared for VBS.

My heart swells with joy about this opportuinty. Though it is only a short 4 weeks... I am so thankful. Thankful for the 4 weeks I will have to completely immerse myself in ministry work once again. And when it is all over I'm sure I will be a little sad, but the joy I receive from the sheer opportunity of it all will give me the gladness I need to make it through to the next thing the Lord has in store for me. Whatever it might be.

Praise be to God for his wonderful hand! His hand that guides me and comforts me throughout my life. My God is awesome and I love Him! And most importantly I'm so grateful for his everlasting presence in my life.

Life Without Cable

We've been without cable for about 8 months. We've gone on and off of cable before, but this is definitely the longest either of us has gone without cable in the last 10 years.

I'll never forget how cool it seemed when we got cable when I was a middle schooler. I was fascinated with "Clean Sweep", "Trading Spaces", "While You Were Out", and the Disney Channel. Also the Weather Channel! And the Food Channel! It was awesome. On a sick day, my time would consist of the TLC wonders...

"A Make Over Story"
"A Dating Story"
"A Wedding Story"
"A Baby Story"

Oh, it was so intriguing. And truth be told, a lot of TV shows are still intriguing to me! I definitely have my shows that I miss.

TLC:
The Duggers
The Little Couple

HGTV:
House Hunters
House Hunters International
Property Virgins

The Food Network:
The Pioneer Woman
Giada
The BareFoot Contessa
Paula Deen
Bobby Flay
The Big Food Truck Race
And an array of other cooking "teaching style" shows

Life Time:
Army Wives (Which thankfully I can watch online.)
Cheesy but addicting movies!

And of course.... I miss DVR!!!

Most of these shows are going on all of the time. And I liked to watch them all of the time. Nothing was more relaxing to me than a Saturday morning filled with my favorite Food Network cooking shows! And I still have my days where I really miss these shows.

But here is what has happened in the last 8 months that would not have happened had we still been cable subscribers:

- Blake and I have had to compromise to find shows on Netflix that we both will watch together.
- Blake and I have invested in a bunch of new games and we play them nearly every evening.
- I've taken up cross stitching again, which keeps me entertained when Blake is watching a game, where as before I'd go into the other room to watch my own show. Now we stay in the room together.
- I've enjoyed a few more books that have inspired me to live a better life.
- My Saturdays tend to be a little bit more productive- though not always much!
- We go to bed earlier and get 8-9 hours of sleep most nights.

And the biggest advantage.... we save over $80 a month. (Giving up DVR and cable.)

We are both sacrificing. I'm sacrificing my little shows I like, and Blake is sacrificing most of his sports games and talk shows that he likes. But we are spending a whole lot more time together than we did when we had cable. We do invest in Netflix Instant Play and Amazon Prime Instant Play but TV doesn't take up as much of our time as it used to. Some nights we don't even watch TV!

I don't say all of this to say I think everyone should do it, but I do strongly feel like it was one of the best decisions we've made. We were looking for ways to save money and that was an easy way that has really payed off by opening up time for us to develop new interests together.

I say all of this to say.... it is possible to get by without cable! We get so comfortable with certain luxuries that they become essentials to us. But they don't have to be! It's amazing how our perspectives can change!

Anyways, if you have cable or not... be sure to shut off the TV now and then. It's good for you! Have one night a week that you don't turn it on! See what new habits start to form! I dare you! :-)

Easy All-Natural Strawberry Jam

Strawberries are everywhere right now... cheap and delicious. I've been making this succulent strawberry jam on a weekly basis since moving to Houston. I thought it would be fun to share the recipe I use with anyone interested. It would be a super fun activity to do with the kids in your life! I bet they would love to decorate some labels for the jars too!

I'm particularly in love with this recipe because of it's simplicity. It doesn't call for artificial pectin, but instead uses the natural pectin found in apples to jell the fruit. I think the apple adds a yummy twist to the jam as well.

Also, it uses a very basic method of "processing" the jars which means you don't need to invest in a large canner or many other canning supplies to make this recipe. This recipe comes from a Williams-Sonoma cookbook, so I trust it to be safe. (Note: It is not safe to make changes to canning recipes. Professionals out there test them to make sure they are safe. Always use canning recipes from a trusted source.)

Here are the only "tools" you'll need to make this jam: 

- Kitchen Scale- Weighing ingredients will ensure the success of yours jam.

- Grater 

- 4-5 half-pint canning jars with self-sealing lids that have never been used and metal bands 

 * Make sure to use clean jars. Hand wash them in warm soapy water, or run them through the dish- washer. Do not put lids in the dish-washer. 

- Canning Jar Funnel- This is optional, but makes the job much easier. Find them at Wal-Mart. 

Ingredients: 

two pounds of strawberries 

Weigh berries after they have been washed, hulled, and sliced. 

one and one half  pound of sugar 

1 green apple - Skin and Flesh grated, but no core

One forth cup fresh lemon juice -  free of seeds

Let your kids help you prepare your ingredients! They can pull the leafy parts off the berries and slice them with butter knifes. Let them help you measure. Teach them about cooking, math, and opposite flavors! (Strawberries are sweet, green apples are sour) 

Let them be amazed as they watch the mixture transform! 

Combine all ingredients in a nonreactive 5 qt. heavy bottom sauce pan or pot. 

(I like to use my dutch oven.) Use a wooden spoon as you go on with your jam.

    

Bring it to a heavy boil over medium heat. (A simmer doesn't count!) Stir often and remove pink foam that rises to the top. It takes about 25 minutes for mine to get to a heavy boil. Depends on how fast your stove it! 

    

        

This is a nice heavy boil. It's what your looking for! Listen as the bubbles change from boiling bubbles to plopping bubbles. Let it boil for about 15 minutes. It smells so wonderful! Embrace the strawberry sauna and stir constantly. 

This is looking wonderful. The color is dark and rich and the jam is very thick. 

Test your jam on a chilled plate. If juices run from the jam when the plate is tilted, as shown below... then you need to wait another 5 minutes to test it. 

This is how your jam should be. It will go down when tilted, but it all stays together. It's ready now! 

Ladle the jam into the jars one at a time, leaving about a half inch of space. As soon as you get the jam in the jar, wipe the rim with a damp cloth if needed, top it with the lid, and screw on the band. Turn the jar upside down. The scalding hot jam will seal the lid. 

Repeat until your jars are full. 

 Let your jars sit upside down until they are completely cool. Then turn the jars right side up and press each lid in the middle. If the lid stays depressed (firm and doesn't pop when pressed), then you successfully made a jar of jam! If your lid does pop when pressed, then you need to store it in the fridge and use within two weeks. (This method has never failed me yet.) 

Keep your sealed jars in a dark cook place for up to one year! 

This jam is good for so many things, but my favorite way to eat it is 

on a warm, fresh biscuit! 

From start to finish, it takes me about an hour and a half to make this jam. It's simple and fun, and a great way to use those delicious strawberries we see at the grocery store!

 Enjoy it some time, I think you're gonna love it! 

*Recipe from Maria Helm Sinskey 

Williams-Sonoma Family Meals 

Simple and Comforting Ghoulash

I haven't done a post like this in a while and it's partly because there are so many people out there doing posts such as these and they put a lot more time into it and produce a much better product. But it's just fun... and today as I was cooking I thought to myself, "Why not?!" So anyways... I hope you enjoy!!

It's not very fancy or frilly, but I love ground beef. (Good quality beef I should add... have you seen how some of that stuff is produced?! Watch "Food INC" on Netflix!)  It's so economically friendly and let's face it... it can make a pretty cozy meal. A lot of times 1 pound of ground beef doesn't go very far. Let me re-phrase that. If you like to have a good portion of meat, it seems that 1 pound of ground beef doesn't go very far. Somehow this dish defies all odds and it magically turns into the massive meal that is so incredibly meaty. I don't get it. All I know... is that when we are a few days away from the next pay check and I'm trying to stick to the budget, this is what I turn to. American Ghoulash. 

Here are the basics: 1 lb good quality ground beef, half pound of elbow noodles, onion, garlic, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, parmesan, and red chili flakes (optional)

First get a large pot of boiling water. Add the salt and noodles. Cook al dente because nobody likes soggy noodles! It should only take about 5 minutes. (Be sure to salt the water, because this is how this dish gets it's flavor!) 

Meanwhile, chop up your onion and a couple cloves of garlic. Try not to cry. 

Oh, look! The pasta is cooked! Drain and reserve some of the pasta water. (About one third cup.)

Brown the meat and onion in a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. I add salt and pepper to the meat, but that's optional. Sometimes I'm lazy and I don't.  It's important to wait until the pan is hot before adding the meat, other wise the meat doesn't brown good and it'll be gray. You can also brush some olive oil on the bottom of the pan to add some flavor and help it brown well.

Now... don't go waisting a colander. Angle the pan so all the juice runs to one side and dab it up with a couple of paper towels. So much easier that way. 

You could just leave it in there too... that never hurt anyone. 

Add the garlic and tomato paste. It's important when using tomato paste to add it before your liquids. When you stir it around in the hot pan, you release the flavors a lot better. So mix it all up and wait for it to be really fragrant. 

In come the diced tomatoes. 

 And some red chili flakes. I add just shy of a tablespoon because we really like the heat. But you certainly don't have to put it in there if you don't like spice. Or you could put less. Or more if you really want to clear your sinuses. If the onion didn't do it earlier. 

I really LOVE Bragg Organic Sprinkle 24 Herbs and Spices Seasoning. I like to put some of this in when I've got it. Or sometimes I add rosemary. The beauty of this recipe is that you really don't need any of it. But if you want to... go for it... it'll be good! 

At this point it's almost done. I usually just let it simmer as I fix whatever sides we are having. But sometimes we don't have sides. And then I just move on. 

OK. Sides are done. Add the noodles and reserved pasta water. Stir it around. Be amazed at how much food it is for one pound of meat. 

Add some parmesan. Shredded or grated it doesn't matter. Stir it all in. 

Heaven is what this is. 

 

Serve it up with something green and some bread. 

There is just two of us so we never ever finish a loaf of sandwich bread. I usually brush olive oil on leftover sandwich bread and sprinkle it with seasonings and parm cheese and toast it at 400 degrees for 10- 15 min. 

One of our favorite ways to eat this is as leftovers. We put it in a big bowl... top with cheddar cheese.... on the couch... with a good movie. We seriously get like 4 huge meals out of this. This is what we had leftover... it filled a 2.5 qt corning ware dish. 

(And I should add that we were starving because we didn't have lunch today.)

It's so delicious. So easy. So affordable. I always keep the ingredients on hand for a quick solution to being at the end of the grocery budget or being short on time. I've made this in 15 minutes many times.  And it's one of Blake's favorite meals, so that's a huge comfort to know I can make something so simple and please him. 

Make it sometime. I think you're gonna love it. 

Ghoulash

Half pound of elbow noodles

Drizzle of Olive Oil (optional) 

1 lb ground beef

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 TB tomato paste

1, 28 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 tsp red chili flakes (I use a tablespoon)

3 TB Parmesan Cheese

1. Cook pasta according to directions, reserving about 1/3 cup of the pasta water. 

2. Heat a large pot or dutch oven and add oil if using. Brown beef and onion together. (Add Salt and Pepper to taste.) Dab fat out with paper towels if desired. 

3. Add tomato paste and garlic. Stir around until well mixed and fragrant. 

4. Add chili flakes and any other spices you wish. 

5. Add noodles and cheese and mix well. 

Serve with something green and crusty bread or toast. Or serve as a one dish meal in a big bowl and hearty appetite. 

What's next?

I suppose it was last fall when my dear friend Doris introduced me to Karen Kingsbury's Redemption Series. I'm not exactly an avid reader so it took me some time to actually get started, but once I did I had those 5 books read within no time. (I've yet to start the next part of that series! But I WILL read them!)

Anyways, there is pretty common verse shared throughout those books.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~ Jeremiah 29:11

If you've read the Redemption Series then you were thinking about that verse in your sleep when you were reading those books, because I'm pretty sure it's on every other page! But I love it. I loved reading about the whispers from God to the sweet Baxter family.

I've said this many times, but this is such an interesting time of life. All parts of life are interesting, of course, but this phase just feels so new. When you're in those first fews years after college, and you're watching how life if turning out for you and your friends. There are people who changed paths completely, others faced some bumps in the road that caused things to be pushed back, some are exactly where you'd always expected them to be. (Most) Everyone has grown and matured and have a different air to them than when you first met them.

The thing that I think almost all of us are facing is, "What's next?" Some have a career but have yet to find a soul to spend the rest of their life with. Some have found that soul but have yet to find a career that fills them with joy. (That would be ME!) Some have found neither. Some might be thinking about where they want to move, who and when they want to marry, when they want to buy a house, when they want to have kids, where they want to travel before they do any of that.

If these people I know are anything like me... they think, "What am I going to accomplish?"

Amidst all of these questions I find it so comforting when (thanks to the Baxter family) my mind is often silenced with the words of Jeremiah 29:11. I know I've blogged about this verse at other times, but it's just been such a comfort to me, as it's been for many others.

So we're here in Houston. Blake's got going on his new job, things are all unpacked, and it feels like home. What's next?

I've got no clue.  And that's OK, because someone has that all figured out for me. And that someone has plans that can only be good.

Wishing you many blessings ~