Our Lenten Repentance Box

I read this post from Anne at Holy Experience, about their family Lent activity of repentance, and knew I wanted to do the same.  

-----------------------

A box to come to,

 throughout the Lenten season, 

confess to to our Creator, 

who promises to take our sins and

remember them no more.

Come Easter,

 we will bury our sins, 

just as He died and was buried, 

and then we will celebrate that He Is Risen, Indeed!!

----------------------------

The timing of this is perfect for me.

If you read my Caring Bridge journal, you will know there has been much for me to repent of.

I will share one of my journals below.

I have been so thankful for a tangible way to show my girls that we can come to Him when we have messed up.  Repent, and release.  

--------------------------

“I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake,

And I will not remember your sins.”

~Isa. 43:25

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My Caring Bridge Confession Post:

Yesterday was NOT a good day.  One of my hardest since diagnosis.  For sure the most humbling.

It went like this:
Husband leaves for work~ I'm feeling weak and tired, not myself~ daughter wants to wear summer clothes on a 50 degree day~I say no~she refuses to get dressed~ I have a major meltdown and act more childish than she~ the intensity of my meltdown- words and actions- cause older daughter to fear and call Dad~ he leaves work ministry meeting to come rescue the situation~ he takes kids to school (I thought)~ I drive to nowhere trying to make sense of my meltdown/emotions~a text from Kathy, my mother-in-law, telling me she is praying causes me to find a destination and calm~school calls and says 2 daughters are marked absent~ I call Husband and melt when he tells me he has them, his love for them and me overwhelms~ I feel extreme shame that they were so upset they did not go back to school~ I spend 4 hours in Village Inn with my Bible and journal, trying to work through static and shame~ I shop for clothes, "maybe clothes meltdowns won't happen if she had some decent ones"...a bandaid.~I grocery shop at Trader Joes and bump into a divine appointment named Anna, who is there only to buy me flowers and my girls some penguin gummies~ why? the interrupted meeting was at her house that morning, the one my husband brought two sad girls back to ~ we scoot to the corner in Trader Joes, she sheds tears for me-what love~ I find out later she had already showered love on my girls by providing a movie and snacks so the meeting could go on~when home, I start to meltdown a second time, I want to crawl in a hole, when I realize so many know of my shame~husband reminds me it is three women who know me, love me and care~he also reminds me I already tell the world my junk online:)~I sit online and I am overwhelmed by your guestbook comment love~I am overwhelmed even more when I see what is in my inbox, confessions of meltdowns from some of YOU~I read your confession words, I am in awe. I feel in very good company, those I admire most have been refined in the fire, found their way out of shame~I go to bed, ready for new mercies
------------------------------

From Jesus Calling, P. 100
Your weakness is not a deterrent to being filled with My Spirit; on the contrary, it provides an opportunity for My Power to shine forth more brightly.

----------------------------
Oh, I pray this is true.  
This is all so humbling... embarrassing. 
I have said 3 times today I just want to get over myself so I can LIVE!  Then I remember that I AM living, that this IS life, and I am in the process of figuring out how to "live fully, where planted."

I've got to figure out how to stop wishing for a different pot:) and see that the one I am growing roots into is the perfect one, handmade by HIM for me.

Thank you for having such compassionate eyes for me and my potting mess.
 

2 Minute Steal Cut Oatmeal

I have received mixed reviews on my Overnight No Cook Breakfast Chia Oatmeal Pudding, people either love 'em or hate them. 

 I thought I would give you another favorite oatmeal recipe, that is much more "normal":)

I LOVE this method of making oatmeal, because it takes 2 minutes to throw together, and it makes enough for the family to eat all week!  My girls just take an ice cream scoop, scoop out a serving in the morning, and heat it up in the microwave.  A cheap, healthy and easy breakfast!

All you have to do is dump in 1 cup of oats for every 4 cups of milk and water into a dutch oven or casserole dish, add a little salt and then leave it in the oven for an hour.

That's it!!

I got this idea from Giver's Log, she has the cutest story of her husband and his longing for the perfect, creamy, dreamy oats.  She finally was able to satisfy his longings with this recipe.

She has pictures of the different ways they enjoy their oats, so click on through if you are curious.

We like ours with fruit and honey, dried cranberries and brown sugar, or just plain cinnamon and sugar. I do like to throw some chia seed in for extra fiber and protein.

Here is the recipe from Givers Log

Two-Minute Weekday Steel Cut Oatmeal

1 cup steel-cut oats
3 cups water
1 cup milk

1/4-1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 300.

Dump oats, water, and milk into a large, oven-safe pan with extra depth for oatmeal to expand. Add salt. All of this will take you a grand total of two minutes, hence the recipe name. Cover if you want. Or don’t. I’ve done both.

Bake for an hour or two. Seriously, can you believe how easy this is? If you bake a little longer, the oatmeal will be more custardy when you refrigerate. Bake a little shorter if you like your oatmeal saucy.

Store in the fridge. Oatmeal will keep for five days or so. When you’re ready to enjoy, scoop out a bowlful and warm in the microwave. Once it is warmed, drizzle with soy milk (my favorite) or cream. Add something sweet and enjoy.

A little bit about:

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds and I are becoming fast friends.  Why?

~the are jammed packed with protein and minerals and healthy fats and fiber

~they provide more plant based Omega 3's than any other food, even FLAX

~they have 5 GRAMS of fiber PER TABLESPOON!

~they are flavorless and dissolve in juice, soups, stews, shakes etc..

~they are FILLING!

Homemaking In The Balance {3 Steps You Can Do Today!}

**This is a guest post from Laurie @ Scene Of The Grime

The calm and balanced mind is the strong and great mind; the hurried and agitated

mind is the weak one. Wallace D. Wattles

Years ago, I derived self-worth from how busy I was, how many people needed me, what my life

looked like from the outside in. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

Guess what? Life happened. Tragic and traumatic events occurred. Chronic illnesses began. All

these challenges were a BLESSING in my life, though! Because they changed my perspective.

They cleared my mind and vision as to what matters most.

My goals became less about quantity and busy-ness and more about BALANCE!

Is BALANCE present and accounted for in your life? Today, let’s talk about three basic steps

we can take to encourage and emphasize BALANCE every day.

1-What’s Important to You?

Time to soul search a bit and really dig down to what’s more important to you in the “big

picture” sense of your life. Pray about it. Meditate on it. You may find that too much of your

time is going toward activities that don’t further the most significant elements of your life

journey.

2-When No Means Yes

The word “no” is in our language for a reason! When you say “no,” you are also saying “yes!”

YES to having more time to devote to priorities. YES to having more energy to contribute

to the world in your own unique way. YES to being in charge of how you spend your own

precious time! So, NO is a very important word to use regularly (and politely, of course) in order

to simplify and balance your days. By the way, saying no may also include reducing and/or

curtailing activities in which you/your family are already involved.

3-Make a Personal Plan

Now, there are bazillions of planning strategies out there, whether you work inside or outside the

home, or both! I’ve tried different methods at different times. Nothing has really stuck except a

very simple plan I’ve crafted for myself.

I’ll briefly describe my method for you (and feel free to use it!), but it may be best for you to

sit down, brainstorm a bit, and design your own. Remember, BASIC, SIMPLE, EASY are the

watchwords here. If it’s not, you won’t remember/follow it!

Laurie’s BALANCED DAYS include: 

Everyday chores, Weekly cleaning and Errands/activities outside the home.

Everyday: I try to do devotion, laundry, dishes, exercise, water, meds, blog maintenance, and cleaning concentration (see below) daily.

Weekly Cleaning: Each day, I focus on a certain room/area of my home and I deep-clean it. Whatever I don’t get done that day, I pick it back up a week

later when that room rotates around again. I also meal plan for the week’s dinners every Sunday afternoon.

Errands/Activities: I plan errands around the activities I have scheduled each week so I’m not running around needlessly every day. Just takes a few

minutes on Sunday afternoon to outline a basic plan.

And, that’s it.

 My strategies are very basic, but I have found it to be an effective framework

around which I can structure my time.

I hope these three steps to achieving balance in homemaking are helpful for you. And I wish you

many blessings and much success in all you do!

Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance and order and rhythm and

harmony. Thomas Merton

 Laurie, the wife and mom who's always busy tidying up the Scene of the Grime (my blog and my home!).

Anti-Procrastination Tuesday #50!

***Please, please, please read before linking.

There are 2 areas to link up, with 2 different themes.  Read more below and please link up in the right area.  Thanks!***

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

I think it is about time to write a new Spring "TO DO" list!

I have not posted an official "TO DO" list for a very long time, but now that my big treatments are over, I have some time to get something done!  Maybe by next AP Tuesday I will have a list for you.

My Anti-Procrastination goal for today is to take the 6 bags of "stuff" that are sitting in my sunroom and drop them off at our local Goodwill.  I have been getting rid of all kinds of stuff, my shelves are actually looking pretty empty!  Love it.

??????What are YOU procrastinating on??????

<a href="http://www.amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p32/Amysb1975/3032373667_7c7e803b43-3.jpg" border="0" alt="New Nostalgia" /></a>

Most Clicked On Anti-Procrastination Post Last Week:

Spring Cleaning The Kitchen @ The Cutting Back Kitchen

Fluff On Your Laundry? @ Ask Anna

My Book @ Shorties Funny Farm

$1.50 Well Spent @ Little Brick Ranch

Most Clicked On Flexible Type Post Last Week:

Elegant Hydrangea Eggs @ Sweet Little Smoothie

Beachy Bath Tray @ The Speckled Dog

Living Room Makeover @ Stillwater Story

 

<center><a href="http://amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p32/Amysb1975/7393129504_TCNCj.jpg" /></a></center>

***Stop and read below before linking***

I have 2 different themes for you to link up to.  

Please choose the correct theme or I will have to delete your link. 

 Thank you!

***Anti-Procrastination Themed Posts

~things you want to accomplish {lists, goals, projects}

~goals you did accomplish

~thoughts on procrastination/ways you beat procrastination

***Flexible Themed Posts

~crafts

~recipes

~anything else that does not fit under the Anti-Procrastination Themed

Recipes I Plan To Make This Week

Refrigerator Bran Muffins

Homemade Cheese Its

{why make them myself?  Click through, she explains it beautifully}

Easy Fruit & Yogurt Salad

Lemon Chicken Breasts

Salt & Vinegar Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Cincinnati Style Chili W/ Chocolate

{did not get to make this last week, looking forward to it THIS week}

Hamburger Buns In The Bread Machine 

{another one I didn't get to make yet, going to use up my eggs and make egg salad to serve on these. This will be our meatless meal for the week}

Pumpkin, Bean and Quinoa Soup @ One Sweet Vegan

Oatmeal Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Candy bars

Chewy No Bake Granola Bars

Green Smoothies

One Thousand Gifts #14

One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are

{354 through 369}

~retreating with the women at my church Women's Retreat

~sharing my story with these women and keeping composed while doing so

~same women, whom I am joined to by His body.  Their hearts open and beautiful--they hear, receive and hold my heart.

~my pastor's wife. Her eyes & face--so pretty. Eyes flooding and full of compassion, care & concern.  In them, I see a pure love for me.

~waking to the scent of coffee & waffles made by loving hands

~Gina.  Her song and her guitar.

~late night word exchanges while lying under top bunks. Life's hardships discussed and reflected upon.

~fresh fruit salad...its bright and brilliant colors and shapes.  God's art.

~revelation of pride, selfishness, unbelief and worry--Yes, Lord.  I agree.  Please take it from me.

~church bells on a sunny Sunday

~being fully known and fully loved by God

~a hurting heart and hope. I know He will heal.

~green tea with hints of citrus

~physical fatigue and emotional pain forcing me to cancel plans and be still.

~a sound of a lawnmower, reminding me of spring growth and how far He has brought me.  Church bells mix with its sound, playing "Great Is Thy Faithfulness"

~that I can place him & her & them & that & this --all safely in His hands.

~a new week, with nothing cancer related on my calender! (oh.. except to go get my port flushed...that is easy}

~a retreat walk, my camera captures cross kisses.