Menu Monday

This week's theme: Turkey and Chicken

Monday: Turkey Meatloaf (One of Jon's favorite dishes so I hope this one turns out ok!) with garlic mashed potatoes and corn.

Tuesday: Crock Pot Chicken a la Criolla with rice

Wednesday: Turkey and Black Bean Enciladas with chips and salsa

Thursday: Baked Chicken Parmesan with sauteed zucchini and salad

But What About God?

I've been in a mode where I start to think about something, like "I'd like to move in to a bigger house where the kids each have their own room, I could have my own sewing room, and there's a place for Jon to brew his beer." And then I think, "but what about God?"

"I'd like to spend more time quilting and sewing." Then comes the voice, "But what about God? Doesn't He deserve more time?"

"I'd like to take the kids to________ when they get older.....but what about God? Shouldn't we be spending more money and time toward serving those in need?"

I spend time reading over blogs about organizing all our JUNK or spend time looking for new recipes and this voice inside me starts screaming, "BUT WHAT ABOUT GOD?"

I see people on Facebook and hear other Christians spout off the same ideals and desires. It's not that I think the two can't coexist. We need a change of scenery, a change of pace, so it's all about balance.

Ding! There's that catch phrase....we need balance in life. Yes, we need balance in life when it comes to a diet or we need balance in life when it comes to exercising or working or......since when do we need balance in life when it comes to God? Isn't He able to work through us at our weakest moments? Can't we find our rest in Him?

It's not like we need God half the time and then the other half we don't. While God gave us the sabbath and commands us to rest (thus taking a break from anything and everything) it seems to be a cultural thing that we take week long, even month long sabbaticals. I'm not saying we do away with those. What do I know? I've never been in ministry full time or on the mission field full time. Doesn't it seem like perhaps we've become too sensitive and easily overwhelmed when doing the work Christ has commanded us? Are we not relying on the Holy Spirit to be strong when we are weak?

Most of what I'm writing here are things I need to think through and examine but I do know that when we take our kids on vacation, we need to include God (as corny as that may sound). IF we move in to a bigger house, we need to use it to glorify God. God should not be put on the shelf when I'm not involved in a planned ministry event or at church.

Duh, Cara. I'm sure most readers are saying, but we certainly don't LIVE that way!

I've read the book of Ecclesiastes. I know there's a season for everything, but boy, how I love to use that as an excuse and throw around the idea of balance.

I'm not afraid to credit satan for his role in making me feel guilty, that's not what God is about. I know that. Perhaps it's God's way of getting my attention to spend more time with Him as I know I'm not.

What takes away from your time with God? How are you going to fix it?

Menu Monday....On Wednesday

I was inspired to share our menu for the week by another fellow blogger. I'm hoping if I do this I'll be more disciplined at actually creating a weekly menu. Although I'm a little late.

I discovered this blog, Skinny Taste, through Pinterest and have made several meals that the family loves. I then recently discovered she has a setup where you can save recipes to your recipe box and THEN you can print out a grocery list!!! I love it! So here it is, I've linked all the recipes.

Monday -- My brother came over and cooked us steak!
Tuesday -- Chicken Nuggets with mac n' cheese with broccoli
Wednesday -- Chicken Rollatini with Spinach Alla Parmigiana bread and salad
Thursday -- Loaded Turkey Nachos
Friday -- Slow Cooked Sweet Barbacoa Pork with tortillas

Our Friday night meal usually gets pushed to the weekend or the following Monday since we go out but I always plan for it and then plan in case we decide to have friends over.

Baby Emma's Birth Day

Emma Lynn was born on May 21, 2012 at 8:31pm, weighing 6lbs 15oz and 19 inches long.

For two weeks I had been dilating and getting strong, although not painful, frequent contractions. Emma was really low so it was apparent when she was ready it would go really fast. I had a Dr.'s appointment on a Monday and she said since I was getting closer to the due date that if I had 6 or more contractions (no matter the intensity) to call her. Well that afternoon I had 10 in one hour so I called. She wanted me to time them for one more hour and she'd call back afterward. Well as things would go they were just as frequent but because they had not increased in intensity she said to wait it out. That night I started vomiting along with other things and continued through out the night. I had no fever but decided in the morning I'd call the Dr just in case she wanted me to get checked out. She said just to treat it like any flu with lots of rest and liquids. However she asked about the contractions and I said they were just as frequent but still not painful. She asked me to come in again that Wednesday because the contractions were obviously doing something. Wednesday at my appointment I had dilated from 3 to 4. The Dr. just said to continue with the same plan as before otherwise she'd see me at my regularly scheduled appointment the following Monday.

Monday the 21st rolls around. I had had a few strong contractions but the frequency had dropped quite a bit. I was expecting to be at about 6cm and was only at 5. The Dr. was worried the labor would go so fast I'd deliver at home so she said I could come in that Wednesday and she'd strip my membranes. If that didn't work to start labor she'd break my water that Friday. However, when it came to contractions she said anything goes now. With about 8 strong contractions in two hours that afternoon I called her and she said to head on in to the hospital. Jon came home from work about 3:30 and my mom came over to watch Hadley, who was still sleeping. We left Hadley a note of where we were and headed out. Luckily, we made it to the hospital in time to take advantage of the valet service!

I felt silly walking up to labor and delivery without soaked pants from my water being broken or not being doubled over in pain from contractions, but alas, we proceeded. We checked in within about 30 minutes and the nurse began sticking me with all kinds of needles. My Dr. showed up at 6pm to break my water and I have never felt something so painful. Actually I'm not sure it was the act of breaking my water that hurt. I think it was her stripping my membranes followed by putting an internal monitor in to monitor the contractions better. Holy Cow! I was halfway up the bed and about to hyper-ventilate.

After my water was broken and the pitocin had kicked in I was feeling those contractions. The Anesthesiologist came in to just assess things and I told her I'd wait until I was about 6 or 7 (knowing things could progress quickly) to get the epidural. That took about a whole 20 minutes after my water was broken so we had her come back in. I could tell she was having a difficult time getting it in the right place but eventually we were done and I started feeling tingly. All my lower half that is except for a small window on the right side. within about 15 minutes I was in a lot of pain and asked for the anesthesiologist to come back and check. She mentioned she'd move it but there was a risk of the epidural slipping out completely. I wasn't quite sure which was worse but she went ahead and fixed things. Within about 15 minutes the pain subsided and it was glorious. About 15 minutes later my Dr. said it was time to push....the epidural worked just in time! The Dr. kept saying she was so close but then realized her head was a little cock-eyed so they had to get a vacuum to help straighten her out. Later the Dr. mentioned that was probably the only reason she stayed in as long as she did and I hadn't gone in to labor a week earlier.

I pushed for 20 minutes and two and a half hours after my water was broken Emma was born. Emma was all twisted up in her cord, even though her heart monitor never showed signs of distress, so yet another reason I'm glad we didn't have her at home. :) So when she was born everything seemed fine. She seemed alert and her cry was decent. One of the nurses checking her out later remarked that her breathing didn't sound right. They had a NICU nurse in the room for delivery just because I was at 37 weeks so she came back and checked her out saying she looked ok. After some visitors we tried nursing and she had absolutely no interest and was making a grunting sound. The sound seemed like normal baby noises to us but she was doing it constantly.

We were wheeled to our post-delivery room by my nurse and the same infant nurse who was concerned about her breathing. As soon as we got to our room they decided to take her to the nursery to evaluate her breathing and oxygen levels. Jon went with her thank goodness and I was left in my room for about an hour wondering what was going on.

When Jon came back (it was now about 1:30am) he was with my nurse and both informed me that her oxygen levels were too low and she was going to the NICU to have an xray done and be monitored. After lots of crying Jon wheeled me to the NICU so I could see her. With tears streaming I watched as they hooked my baby up to lots of tubes and tried to make her comfortable. We finally tried to sleep at about 3:30 that morning only to wake at 6 to go visit her again. Thus began our journey of having a NICU baby.

2012 Halloween Theme

Several people have asked about our next Halloween Party theme and I better figure something out soon before Miss Emma gets here otherwise I may forget. Besides, people are actually putting thought and effort into these costumes so we have to keep the momentum going. Below I've listed a few ideas I have and while I enjoy a good joke or two myself, if you have a serious suggestion please comment below. You can also cast a vote if you want by commenting. PLEASE REMEMBER: This is a kid friendly party so any suggestions that include violent or "scary" costumes will not be considered.

For those who are new to the scene here are ones we've already done: Nintendo, Dress up from the head up, A play on words.


Cartoons -- Come dressed as your favorite cartoon character

Celebrities -- Come dressed as a celebrity (we could be more specific and do a time period like the 50's, or only actors/actresses, only singers, etc.)

A Night at the Oscars -- You can either dress up really fancy or come as a fancily dressed celebrity

Blast from the Past -- Pick a time period and dress up to match (Not too keen on the 80's...it's too easy)

Heroes & Villains -- This is not just from comic books it can be taken from movies as well (Disney movies are one good place to look for these ideas)

Ok that's about all I can think of for now.

I'm Not Called

As Christians we often use the excuse, "I'm not called to go overseas." Clearly in Matthew 28 we are ALL called to go somewhere. Yes, we have different gifts but that doesn't mean we all have different missions. We say we can witness right here in our city but few of us really do. We use it as a cop- out.

Please, your thoughts on this. I don't think it's realistic for ALL of us to go overseas, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't have a willing spirit and trust fully. How do we reconcile God's command on all of us to go with the idea of "not being called?"

Abraham was audibly "called" by God to sacrifice his son. He didn't want to. Who would want to do that? But he was willing and he fully trusted God in His crazy plan. So what if we haven't been so clearly called as Abraham was? Is it ok to definitively say God doesn't want us to go there? Should we step out in faith saying God has commanded us to do this and if He wants us to honor in him in a different way he will close doors? Or do we sit and wait for that clear calling?

How much can you spare? vs. How much is it going to take?

To continue some thoughts of serving the poor with our resources. I liked what the author said, "What would happen, I thought, if we stopped asking how much we could spare and started asking how much it was going to take?" (Pg130, Radical)


What a great approach. I know for myself I need to use the same approach with my time. We continually look for limits (as our group discussed in regards to missions also). We want to know how much we can do to get by and be in good with God. Yet we should be asking, "How much God? How much will it take for your will to be done? All I have is yours, take it as you see fit." As one person in our group shared, Abraham was a great example of this, willing to give up his son (not to mention God). Job lost all his family and yet did not curse God (Question, yes. Curse, no). 


Why do we hoard our money and our time? It is not ours to hoard! There are people who need what God has given us and we sit on it like we're waiting for that one special event. I often find myself saying, "God when you bring someone in to my day to serve I will do it." But I'm often not paying attention nor am I taking the time to seek these people out. What are we waiting for???!?! I believe God calls us to look for the people who need his blessings, monetary and otherwise. 


Luke 12:22-34 is a great reminder of how God takes care of the birds and how he loves us so much more so he will take care of us that much more. First of all I think people have to believe that God actually does care for them more than the fields of flowers or birds of the air and then there's that whole trust issue that he'll follow through with this promise.


I have to be honest, as I've already mentioned, I am very stingy with my time. It's been a roadblock recently for me in certain areas of serving. It's something I'm continually praying about and working on. I will also admit I don't have a problem, as of yet, with giving monetarily so it breaks my heart to see disciples of Christ who cling so tightly to their money. If we can't depend on God to provide our basic needs what can we depend on him for? Watching people like this is like looking in a mirror. If God wants me to serve he'll make it so I can do it. The funny thing is, he's already made it so I can serve where needed, I have just lost track of priorities. The same goes with money. For most Americans God has already provided what we need we've just lost track of priorities in how we use those resources. 


"Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’

   “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

   “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

   “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:13-21)

What are you clinging to?