Peace

This is one of my all time favorite Christmas songs.  It makes my heart just soar when I listen to it, I especially love the words "Peace On The Earth Tidings Of Good Cheer."  I love the beginning of the song, I think the choir and violins sound angelic, and the piano at the end is so calming and soothing. The song makes me think of these verses:

"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!'" (Luke 2:13, 14).

"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).

Jesus as "the one who brings peace" has taken on a whole new meaning for me this year as I battle cancer.  As we unpacked our Christmas decorations, I found a glittery, silver sign that spells the word "Peace."  I usually keep it in the living room during the holiday season, but this year I decided to be selfish with it, and put it in my bedroom.  

It has been a beautiful reminder to me, especially when fear rears its ugly head.  More than once, as my thoughts have started to spiraled down into the fearful unknown, that sparkly sign has caught my eye and  stilled the spinning.  

 "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).

These were some of the last words Jesus spoke to his disciples before his crucifixion.  He knew they would soon be experiencing such pain and turmoil as they watched him die.  

BUT...the grave did not keep Him, as three days later he appeared to them and greeted them saying

"Peace be with you" (John 20)

Lately, I have been noticing in my reading, reminders to be obedient.  Little reminders to me that I need to pay attention to what God has for me, that His word has all I need, that I need to take "take heed" to what it says.  When Jesus says to...

 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6, 7).

 ...do I take that seriously?  Am I making sure my anxious thoughts are stopped when I realize that I am thinking them, and instead choose to give thanks and ask Him for help?  Do I believe that His peace will guard my mind as I choose to do this?  

"Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: 'I am the LORD your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go. Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea' " (Isaiah 48:17, 18).

This verse reminds me that I need to take heed to His commandments, and follow His way, then my peace will be like a river! This is a beautiful promise.

"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord, is everlasting strength" (Isaiah 26:3, 4)

"My peace I give to you;-- Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world (John 16:33).

I am so thankful for my Prince of Peace, who has left so many wonderful promises and verses that contain the word "peace"

Websters definition:

Peace

peace is a state of tranquillity, quiet, calm, freedom from civil disturbance, A state of security - being secure within a community, freedom from oppression, strife and disorder. In harmony in personal relations. Untroubled by conflict, agitation or commotion.  Freedom from anxiety.

I'll take it!!

Anti-Procrastination Tuesday #36

***Please read before linking.

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To learn more of what this is all about, read this post.

To read my original "Doozy List," read this post.

To read my "Summer Doozy List" read this post.

Hi Everyone! Welcome to AP Tuesday!

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Most Clicked On "Anti-Procrastination" Post:

The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide @ Thrift Core

I really like her ideas!  Such a thoughtful gift list idea.

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Christmas Decor Only $4! @ Vintage Wanna Bee

So simple, cheap and festive!

 

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All right, let's get to linking!

Looking forward to seeing what you all have been up to!!

Be encouraged, Be Inspired, And Get Something Done!

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***"Anti-Procrastination" Themed:***

~things you want to accomplish (lists, goals)
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Flexible Themed

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Trader Joes=Thumbs Up!

{click on the picture for a larger view}

We finally got a local Trader Joe's.  I went today and I'm pretty excited about what I found, and I loved their great prices, the amount of organic produce available, and the surprise of some not-so-typical items--like chocolate covered pomegranate seeds!   Mmmm.  Another huge plus for me?  No high fructose corn syrup in their foods!

Here is what I bought today.  I have a pretty full freezer, and meals are still coming for dinner, so I mostly needed produce and some snacks.

1.Bananas
We eat them sliced on cereal, spread with peanut or almond butter, or just plain.  19 cents a pound!

2. Organic Cheese Sticks
Great for getting some protein into my kids.  Good for snacks or in a lunchbox.

3.  Organic Spring Salad Mix
I have a salad every day with my lunch and most evenings with our dinner.  I should have bought 2 bags!

4. Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
This was only 99 cents!  It was in their refrigerator section.  I had a friend bring a bunch of homemade tomato sauce that she froze in muffin tins and then threw the discs in a freezer Ziploc.  I will use a couple of those for the sauce.

5. Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
I will slice this into rounds and use it on our pizza.

6. Asparagus
I love to use these in our breakfast omelets or just sauteed' in some olive oil, or even as a pizza topping.  Leftovers are great chopped and thrown cold on top of a salad.  I keep reading about how important it is for breast cancer patients to eat asparagus, so I am!

7. Brussel Spouts
Another veggie that is great for cancer.  I am trying to become friends with Brussel Sprouts.  As of now, I only like them when paired with way too much butter!  At Trader Joes, they come in a bag that you can throw into the microwave to steam them.  Easy!

8. Organic Broccoli
I usually buy and cut up myself, but the price was great on the bag of pre-cut broccoli.  We eat it raw as a snack, chop it up over a salad, or I steam as a side dish.

9. Sweet Peppers
I  love these.  They are small, sweet and so colorful.  Love the red, yellow and orange.  Full of antioxidants.  Great chopped over salads or in an omelet, thrown in rice pilaf or a stir fry.

10. Clementines
As I wrote about here, these are the best little snack.  Great for the girls lunch box.  Easy to peel, full of vitamin C.

11. Sweet Potatoes
I have the best recipe for Spiced Sweet Potatoes that I will post soon.  I love to cut into wedges, drizzle in olive oil and roast them at 350 degrees along with a wedged onion and a few whole cloves of garlic.  It makes the house smell great.  The whole family loves them roasted this way.

12. Organic Apples
Gala for snacking.  Granny Smith for juicing.

13. Sunflower Seeds
I use these to give my salads some crunch.

14. Sea Salt

15. Romano and Parmesean Shavings
I love that these are fresh.  Great with crackers or sprinkled on pasta or salads.

16. French Cut Frozen Green Beans
Yum.  A vegetable that all 3 of my girls will eat without grumbling!

17.  Organic Carrots
We eat them cut into sticks, steamed as a side with dinner, grated onto salads.  I uses them for juicing every morning.

18. Organic Whole Milk
We are not big milk drinkers so I only buy 1/2 gallon per week.  We use it over cereal, in recipes or in creamed soups.

19. Multi grain Crackers
We eat them with cheese slices as a snack.  I use them in my girls lunches in place of chips.

20. Olive Oil
This huge bottle of cold pressed extra virgin olive oil was only $7.00.  It comes with a spout, which I love.

21. Organic Whole Wheat Bread
I hope it is good, because the price sure is!

22. Avocado
I'm not a big fan of Avocados, but I know they are really healthy.  I found a recipe for Avocado Salad Dressing that I am going to try.

23. Butter Sticks
I wish they had organic, but they didn't :(

24. Black Peppercorns
Comes in a pepper mill.  Cool.

25. Organic Beans-black, kidney and pinto
They were only 99 cents a can!  We just open the can, drain and rinse.  I put them out in a bowl cold and the girls will snack on them if they are just sitting there.  I use them in wraps and sprinkled on salad, and in chili, of course!

26. Baking Soda
Needed some, ran out.

I was pretty impressed with the selection of frozen berries, but I didn't need any as my freezer is full of them right now.  I also really loved their nut selection and the variety of frozen vegetables.

Another thing I noticed-- the workers were not in typical uniform black polyester pants-lol!  They were wearing cool Trader Joe's t-shirts and jeans.  I found myself happy for them...:)

Do you have a Trader Joe's in your area?  What are your favorite things to buy from there?

Wanna know more about Trader Joe's?  Here is an interesting article about them from Fortune.

My Continued Journey With Cancer

**This post is an update from my Caring Bridge journal.  If you would like detailed updates on my health, please visit my Caring Bridge site by clicking here.

Your comments caused tears to stream down, but head, heart and smile to be lifted up!  Thank you!!

I am doing MUCH better emotionally right now.  Up. Down. Up...Down>:) LOL 

Our meeting with the surgeon went REALLY well.  I'm canceling my appointment with the second surgeon I was going to meet with. He is in the same office as the surgeon who misdiagnosed me, so I was not looking forward to going to that building!  Now I don't have to.

Dr Norris really was wonderful.  He is the surgeon who did my port surgery, which went well-- my scar looks really good!  He has a gentle confidence about him.  The only reason why I considered someone else is because a friend of mine who is a nurse said she didn't think he did many breast surgeries, but she was not sure.  I asked how many he has done, and he said he sees at least 2 breast cancer patients a week!  He is an older gentleman so that is a lot of experience!!  I feel really good about it and at peace, so God answered prayer, for sure!

My official surgery date is  Wednesday, December 29.  

Procedure-- bi-lateral mastectomies.  Left-modified, right simple. 

 He will do an sentinel node dissection, which is what I wanted to hear.  There are more long term side affects with a full axillary dissection, this was good news. 

I will have ONE step reconstruction! I was so pleased to know that they do that here in the Midwest.  I was lead to believe it was only a procedure that was done in bigger cities. 

 I WAS gearing up for a filler implant that is rock hard, that would be filled every week for about 3 months to stretch the muscle, then another surgery to place the implant. NOT GONNA HAPPEN!!  Yay.  I am so excited.  They will put normal implants in the day of the surgery.  They use a material called Alloderm, a regenerative tissue "processed using LifeCell’s proprietary technique to remove the epidermis and cells that can lead to tissue rejection and graft failure."  --from their website.
They make a bra like structure under the implant, which allows one to skip the whole "stretch out the area with gradual fills" process.  I don't know much about all this, I have an appointment with my plastic surgeon on the 7th, and will get more info.

Another piece of good news is he didn't not think that I will need radiation.  He said if the cancer was attached or went into the chest wall, then I would.  It would be every day for 5-6 weeks, so needless to say, I was not looking forward to that.  My oncologist may have a different opinion, and really, you never know what is happening inside until surgery, so there is still a small possibility.

Honestly, I feel excited but apprehensive.  

IF they don't find cancer in the lymph nodes, then it is surgery, healing, and ON WITH LIFE!!  

That sounds amazing because I was preparing myself for months of fills and radiation!!

I'm a bit apprehensive because that just feels too "best case scenario" to  me.  I guess I'm just pretty nervous about that darn swollen lymph node.  We will get the results of the dissection 3-4 days after surgery.  I don't know what they would do if it was positive for cancer, I'm guessing more chemo?  more surgery?  I will  have to look that up...

Signing off with an apprehensive excitement...

Easy Christmas Ladies Luncheon

**This is a repost from last year.  I sure miss entertaining, makes me very ready to be healthy again!

  

I have some very special women in my life.  We used to get together for a Bible study at my house every Wednesday morning.  We did this for 4 years, and it was always a highlight of my week.  We had to stop meeting, due to schedule changes and life taking us in different directions.  I thought it would be great to have them all over for a ladies luncheon, and thought "What better time to do it than Christmastime?"

I set the table, made sure the candles were lit, and the Christmas music was playing.  I left a Christmas treat by each of their plates (Lindt Lindor Truffles), which added a little touch of Christmas color to my black and white table.

 Menu:

Soup-Chicken Tortilla Soup

Salad-Cranberry Spinach Salad

Bread-Honey Whole Wheat Bread

Dessert-Andes Mint Cookies

Something Fun To Drink-Cranberry Spritzer

Something Warm To Drink-Coffee & Hot Tea

Soup:

It was a very cold and snowy week here in Nebraska, so soup was an obvious choice.  My cousin, Keeli, passed on a Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe that I have been wanting to try, so I did---and boy, am I glad I did! Yum!  I set out chips, salsa, shredded cheese; tortilla strips and brown rice, and let them help themselves to whatever toppings they wanted.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 pound shredded, cooked chicken
1(15oz) can whole peeled tomatoes,mashed
1(10oz) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1(4oz) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1(14.5 oz) can chicken broth
1t cumin
1t chili powder
1t salt
1/4t black pepper
1 bay leaf
1(10oz) frozen corn

Flour Tortillas, cut into strips, optional

Shredded Cheese, optional

Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn. Cover, and cook on low setting for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.  Serve in bowl topped with tortilla strips and shredded cheese, if desired

I had shredded chicken on hand b/c I had made this recipe.  I put it together the night before and then just plugged it in and set it on high and it was ready in time for lunch. 

Buffet Style=Easy!

Salad:

This is my go-to easy salad recipe.  Whenever I am asked to bring a dish, this is one I often choose to bring.  I can just buy the ingredients, bring a bowl and tongs, dump it all a bowl and toss once I am there.  This is a no-recipe, recipe.

Cranberry Spinach Salad

Bag of Spinach

Bag of Dried Cranberries

Slivered Almonds

Feta Cheese

Newman's Own Lighten Up Raspberry Walnut dressing

Croutons

Dump Spinach into large bowl.  Add the rest of ingredients, amounts according to taste.  Toss and Serve.

Bread:

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

I like this recipe because I can just put it in my bread maker and choose the dough option.  Once it beeps, I put it into a loaf pan and let it rise another 1/2 hour or until about double, then bake.  I could just leave it in my bread maker and choose loaf setting, but I like the shape of a regular loaf pan.

Click here for the recipe.

Dessert:

Andes Mint Cookies

Click here for the recipe.

Drink:

Cranberry Spritzer

You can make your own (equal parts of cranberry juice and sprite) or buy a bottle like I did.  

 This luncheon really was easy.  Every recipe I chose was super simple and I already had the shredded chicken and cookie dough on hand in my freezer. 

We had a great time.  I have to admit, seeing each of them walk through the door made me REALLY miss our Wednesday Bible Study time together! :(

 I am so very thankful for the friendships I have, God has blessed me big time!!