What Lies Behind

[(Article Preface) The pictures below are of my "6-month-ago-PRESENT". It went unfinished due to an unforeseen life event that occurred only days after beginning the article that change EVERYTHING I thought my life was about! I have decided to finish up this article today and then I will be outlining that event and how my present today looks so much different. Keep reading to learn more about my "six-month ago present" and about my new blog on how life has changed and the lessons I have learned along the way.]

And life gets in the way...

I'm hoping you will relate to this and I am not the only one. Too often, I am so busy preparing for the next big thing, that I forget to enjoy what I currently have.  When I was single, I wanted to be married. When I was married without children, I wanted kids.  When I had one kid, I wanted another (then had twins, be careful what you wish for). When I had one house, I wanted a bigger one. When I had one job, I wanted a new one. When I was one dress size, I wanted a smaller one. When the kids were small, I wanted older ones. When they were older, I wished they were small again. When I had one thing, I was always looking for the next, probably better, thing. 

An author of a great book once talked about this. The idea that if we are always looking behind us, say when we are driving, we get off course. He suggests to look ahead. This is true. Your vehicle goes in the direction of your eyes. So if you look over your right shoulder, you begin to head to the right completely unintentionally. He suggests that you should always look ahead of you to stay on course, keeping your eyes on your own path. I agree completely and lived my life not focusing on the past, so much so that I lost sight of the present.

However, I submit, that while having a future focus is key to joy, I think also looking at where you are is equally important. Still, not focusing on the past, but not entirely the same thing. As I applied this principle to an extreme, I missed the present. I always perceived the next future thing as being better than the current thing, and I missed so much happiness along the journey. I missed enjoying single-hood, married life without kids, raising young children, a smaller house to clean, my smallest body size, etc. 

I say it is both, and! Yes...don't focus on your past. If it was good, then enjoy the memories. If it was bad, let it go. Yes...focus on your future. It is the only thing you can control and create. But ALSO...embrace your PRESENT, for two main reasons.  The main one, you don't know how many PRESENT moments you will have. We are not promised a tomorrow. The future you think you want, might be worse than what you have, so enjoy the one you got! 

In the moments you feel overwhelmed, take a moment to intentionally and mindfully look at the positives instead. Those negatives, when you hang on to them, become the baggage that we carry to our future. This extra weight can get exhausting! Accept things as they are, even if they are not ideal in your mind, then let them go, not carry them to next stage in life. Next, focus on creating a new truth for your life so that you can make adjustments. Just don't live constantly in what you don't enjoy about your present situation or you will always strive for something you perceive as better and maybe miss out on the best part of your life. Am I making sense? Am I the only one? 

This advice is born out of decades of a life spent chasing the next better thing. It is my intention to not be "preachy" or harsh, but to encourage even only one younger person to see that your present moment is really the only real thing you have. Don't let your life get in the way of missing what you have. Down the road, you may see that it was actually your best life and you wouldn't want to miss that!

This blog should also serve as an introduction to a ***NEW BLOG*** I am starting. So many new beginnings have happened to me recently and I am changing my writing focus just a bit to adjust the new truths. Please head over to my new "Creating a Scene" blog (. ....). Thank you for your support!

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Moist Stove-top Chicken Process

Step 1: Put oil in the bottom of stainless steel pot/pan. Turn heat to medium high.

Step 2: Pound chicken to a uniform thickness using a plastic bag and a jar.

 Step 3: Place chicken in hot oil in single layer.

Step 4: Sprinkle with favorite seasoning.  I use Tony's, cajun spices.

Step 5: Cook on medium high for two minutes.

 Step 6: Flip chicken, sprinkle with seasoning, and cook for two minutes.

 Step 7: Put lid on pan, turn heat to LOW, and set a ten minute timer.

Step 8: Turn the heat OFF, DO NOT LIFT LID, and set a ten minute timer, once again.

 Step 9: Enjoy TENDER, MOIST, PERFECT stove top chicken every time! Never dry.  Never a straw-like texture. Just delicious chicken, perfect for salads or any recipe where pre-cooked chicken is necessary. 

The Garden

I recently attended a Garden Party offered by our Women's Ministry team.  I went with the expectation of escaping mommy-hood for a moment and having some grown-up conversation with sisters in my church family.  What I did not expect, but what in fact happened, was a worship experience.  When we walk into a worship experience unexpectedly, and we come face to face with the almighty God, the experience is just so much sweeter. Don't ya think?

I limited God in what He could do with that moment in time.  I put my own expectations in place of His much greater blessings.  He drew me closer to Him when I was in a mindset of escape.  Has anyone else noticed the many paradoxes in God's ways?  They never cease to rightfully put me in a state of awe. 

Not the actual party, but quite similar. I will get a picture of our party.

At first, I assumed that the reason for the theme of the event was a garden party because it was convenient to decorate for that kind of party especially when the ministry already had so many of the that type of decor in their store room.  Some flowers, some pots, a watering can and voila, garden party done. Let me clarify that I don't think, by any means, that the leaders of our women's ministry team look for the easiest way out of anything.  They are super hard working laborers for the Lord.  This was evidenced by the beauty they were able to display with gorgeous detail in a very plain room with black rubber floors.  When they shared why they chose the theme, it immediately became clear that this was not a convenience thing at all, instead it was nothing short of a blessing.

At that party, God reminded me through our church's women's ministry leaders, the speaker, a small book, and the music leader of the beautiful, albeit perfect (of course), metaphor of the garden.  Jesus Himself uses the Parable of the Sower to describe the type of soil needed for a seed to take proper root. Everyone is a plot of land, a meaningless spot of dirt until we accept Him.  He cultivates us and prepares us for His use and plan, a plan to prosper us for His kingdom.  For the purpose of us to then share the Seed of His Word with others. When He has prepared their soil then those seeds can take root, and so on as it is meant to be by the Creator of all Life. We are not called to work the soil of hearts of others, that is His labor, we were only called to spread the Seed of His Gospel, Jesus' last command to His people.

Additionally, He reminded me that this metaphor must be introspective, too. He desires for me to grow in His garden and be fruitful for His purposes, not my own. Realizing that it is His love, mercy, and grace that waters my soul to make me fruitful.  And by that fruit, others will see Him and seeds can be planted for them to become fruitful, as well.

It is all beautiful, perfect, and ALWAYS good in God's garden.  

My "Poo-Free" Experiment

Ooo! Gross!
Yeah, I know, but I'm not speaking of that "poo"!  I'm talking shampoo here.  In my attempt to continue moving toward being a good steward of all that God has provided by making most of the cost effectiveness of the cleaning items I use in my home, I began to look at my beauty products, as well.  I tried toothpaste for a while.  It worked great!  However, I developed some tooth sensitivities and had to begin using store bought toothpaste made specifically for sensitive teeth to get some relief.  I still use (and have my children use) a homemade whitening toothpaste occasionally to brighten our smiles.

Moving to a poo-free life was not difficult at all.  I began about six months ago. I simply began using baking soda to wash my hair.  I use it two different ways.  When I have it mixed, my preferred method is half baking soda and half water.  After a quick shake in the shower to mix it up (water and baking soda separate when left to sit for a period of time), the mixture squirts easily from a bottle and I can get it down to my scalp better.  When I don't have this mixed up, I also keep a bottle of just baking soda.  I put a small amount in my palm, let the shower stream spray on the pile, rub my hands together until it is a shampoo-consistency and apply to my hair.

Either way, I have found that the SECRET to using baking soda for shampoo is scrubbing all the way down to the scalp.  And making sure every hair comes in contact with the soda.  It really is just that simple!

My hair did not respond well at first.  It felt super oily, sticky and heavy for the couple of weeks.  Of course, my hair has never been accused of being dry.  Just one missed day of shampooing, prior to this experiment, and my hair was a greasy mess!

THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT: I believe the oily, sticky, heavy feeling is due to your hair being used to overproducing oils when the chemical cleaning/stripping agents in store bought shampoos are applied to it daily.  So when you quit, it takes a few weeks for your hair to regulate oil production to the mild cleaning action of baking soda.  I have even heard of people whose hair has regulated to only being rinse by water each day.  Bless their hearts!  Maybe someday, but I am not there yet.

For whatever reason, at first I had to wash it everyday to get it even close to styleable.  Everyday got a little better and soon I found myself washing less often, so that now I can sometimes even go 3-4 days between washings!  This is amazing for a girl who, when using shampoo, had to wash at least every other day.  I could never go three days, and even the second day was iffy at best! I am impressed with how clean my hair feels, how well it styles, and the money I have saved.

***If I feel I need to condition, a half of a pea-sized amount of extra virgin coconut oil, tames the frizz and makes my hair feel soft as a cloud.

****Another fact I should point out is that I do not color my hair. I am not sure how this method works on colored hair.

I have not gotten my family on board yet, but my husband is getting close to trying it, so we will see how that works out!

No White Space

It has been TOO long since I have written.  It is not for lack of desire.  I have just felt a tad bit overwhelmed with life.  In a nutshell, my calendar has no (zero, zilch, nada) white space.  It is full to capacity.  Please know that I am far from proud of this fact.  I promise, I am not bragging here at all by any means whatsoever.  I am usually quite opposed to filling my calendar to capacity for one simple reason, it leave no room for God.  You know, the One for whom we were created to praise?  Yep, that one.

My Calender

*It leaves no room for me to spend the time with Him.  (The daily quiet time that I desperately want to spend with Him.)  *It also leaves little room for Him to work through my life.  (If I am rushing to and fro, I may not hear the Holy Spirit tell me to do something for someone else.) *It leaves little quiet space in my life for me to hear from Him as I desire.  (It is too loud in my life to hear the quiet, still voice of God.) Yes, filling the calender as I have is not a point of bragging rights for me at all!  Even if the things on my calendar are pretty great events.

Events that include mission trips, camps, kids activities, bible studies, volunteering, foster care, church events, appointments, etc.  All good things.  Still, none of which I can take any credit for.  Jesus is the only thing good in me.

I must do all things with Him and I can do nothing without Him.  

He is the source of my strength and life.  I would not have a life to fill it if not for Him.  So, no, I take no pride in my calendar looking as it does.  It is just proof of the abundant provisions and blessings He has given.

And just as He gave 1 day's worth of manna to the Isrealites each morning in the desert, He will, today, give just what we need to get through the day.  Not a gram more or less that we need or can handle.  And whenever it feels like it might not be the right amount, He wants us to turn to Him for strength.

We can proclaim His name for strength by saying, "Praise the Lord! Praise theLord! Praise the Lord!", "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!" or "Blessed be the name of the Lord!".  In this way we are proclaiming His name with our voice and heart to invite Him into our lives.  God gave the name of Jesus power and distinction so Christians may call upon that name at any time.

Praise and worship invites God into our immediate circumstances.

There is no one I want to experience life's circumstances with than the Life-Giver Himself!  I will proclaim His name in this good and bad times.  In the overwhelmed and white-space times.  In the fulfilled and broken times.  In the busy and lonely times.  Any time, really.

Take some time today and look up "the name of Jesus" in your study Bible or a Bible web site and see what God's Word has to say about His name.  Big Daddy Weave lyrics to The Only Name say it well, too:

There will be one name that I proclaim!
Jesus! Jesus! Jesus, just that name!