With Christmas right around the corner I've been spending time studying Mary and Joseph, their relationship and the way that God cared for them leading up to the time Jesus was born.
It's so hard to imagine what is was like for Mary. She was engaged to the man of her dreams, the excitement and gittiness about the future filled her heart and mind everyday. She and Joseph must have dreamed together, planned a future together and imagined their new life as husband and wife.
Mary was a virgin and for Joseph to be the two of them to share that very intimate night together for the first time was something they had been dreaming about and anticipating with innocent anxiety. Joseph loved Mary and could not wait to express that love in a completely different way with her. He was ready to be her man, her white knight, protector and providor.
Just the same, Mary respected Joseph. She honored his decisions and was ready to show him her respect by sharing something only a husband could receive. She couldn't wait to make a home with him and was ready to take on the role as the akaret habayit, or mainstay of the home. Joseph, a carpenter, was going to build them a home together and Mary was ready to fill and nurture that home.
But before any of that was supposed to happen, there was going to be a wedding! A glorious wedding to show the world how much they loved each other and to begin building their family with a solid foundation of marriage built first.
God had other plans....
Right in the middle of the planning and gittiness and anticipation comes an angel with news that changes everything!
“Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
"Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” Luke 1: 28-33
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Fab Food Friday (on Sunday)
I made this dish on Friday as an experiment when Chris' family came over for a post-thanksgiving meal.
I wasn't really sure how it would turn out so I didn't take any pictures. MISTAKE....it was delicious and so simple to make.
White Bean Soup: 2 Ways
From Gwyneth Paltrow's My Father's Daughter
Ingredients
3 tbs EVOO
1 fennel bulb, stems and fonds removed, use bulb thinly sliced
1 lg yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 lg cloves of garlic
pinch red chile flakes
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 14oz cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 pints veggie stock
Procedures
1. Heat EVOO in soup pot over medium heat. Add the fennel and cook for 10min, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the onion and garlic, let soften for 30min as low as can go. Stir once in a while.
3. Add the chile flake, oregano, and peppe.
4. Add the beans and vegetable stock, bring to a boil, then let simmer for 1 hr.
Add S&P to taste
With Kale
Stir in one bunch of kale leaves torn into bite sized pieces and let cook for 7min. Ladle into bowls and drizzle with the very best olive oil.
French Onion Soup Style
Ladle the soup into ovenproof bowls. Float thick slices of toast on each bowl and pile on the Parmesan cheese. Put the bowl sin the broiler until cheese is bubbly. (About a minute)
P.S. Shout out to Gwyneth's hubby...the new coldplay album Mylo Xyloto is AMAZING
I wasn't really sure how it would turn out so I didn't take any pictures. MISTAKE....it was delicious and so simple to make.
White Bean Soup: 2 Ways
From Gwyneth Paltrow's My Father's Daughter
Ingredients
3 tbs EVOO
1 fennel bulb, stems and fonds removed, use bulb thinly sliced
1 lg yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 lg cloves of garlic
pinch red chile flakes
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 14oz cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 pints veggie stock
Procedures
1. Heat EVOO in soup pot over medium heat. Add the fennel and cook for 10min, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the onion and garlic, let soften for 30min as low as can go. Stir once in a while.
3. Add the chile flake, oregano, and peppe.
4. Add the beans and vegetable stock, bring to a boil, then let simmer for 1 hr.
Add S&P to taste
With Kale
Stir in one bunch of kale leaves torn into bite sized pieces and let cook for 7min. Ladle into bowls and drizzle with the very best olive oil.
French Onion Soup Style
Ladle the soup into ovenproof bowls. Float thick slices of toast on each bowl and pile on the Parmesan cheese. Put the bowl sin the broiler until cheese is bubbly. (About a minute)
P.S. Shout out to Gwyneth's hubby...the new coldplay album Mylo Xyloto is AMAZING
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Thanksgiving Contribution
Here's what I'm contributing to the Thanksgiving table this year from Cooking Light Mag. Totally easy, affordable with just 5 ingredients, and a really great source of nutrients!
Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Chipotles
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon finely chopped chipotle chiles, canned in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon adobo sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 green onions
2. Pierce potatoes with a fork; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until done. Cool slightly. Cut each potato in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick shell. Combine potato pulp, butter, chiles, adobo, and salt in a food processor. Finely chop white bottom part of onions; add to pulp mixture. (Reserve green onion tops.) Pulse mixture 5 times to combine.
3. Arrange potato shells on baking sheet. Spoon potato mixture into shells. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until hot. Thinly slice green top part of onions, and sprinkle over potatoes
Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Chipotles
Ingredients
6 medium sweet potatoes, unpeeled (about 3 1/2 pounds)1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon finely chopped chipotle chiles, canned in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon adobo sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 green onions
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°.2. Pierce potatoes with a fork; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until done. Cool slightly. Cut each potato in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick shell. Combine potato pulp, butter, chiles, adobo, and salt in a food processor. Finely chop white bottom part of onions; add to pulp mixture. (Reserve green onion tops.) Pulse mixture 5 times to combine.
3. Arrange potato shells on baking sheet. Spoon potato mixture into shells. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until hot. Thinly slice green top part of onions, and sprinkle over potatoes
Monday, November 21, 2011
a place to call home
Finally able to share some photos of our new place. My dad came down yesterday and totally helped us re-arrange and I love the new set up. He has such an eye for that kind of stuff.
Still struggling to unpack everything. It's hard to fully commit while in the back of my head I know we'll be packing it all up again. But I'm trying to live in the moment and I certainly feel more settled when things have a place.
WELCOME GUESTS!
Still struggling to unpack everything. It's hard to fully commit while in the back of my head I know we'll be packing it all up again. But I'm trying to live in the moment and I certainly feel more settled when things have a place.
WELCOME GUESTS!
Dining/Living Room
Living Room (Rachael Ray on TV of course!)
A fun chalkboard and photo display in the cafe/kitchen
Cafe
Kitchen
One of my favorite rooms- the office
Master Bedroom
We also have a guest bedroom but I got a little distracted with this.... :)
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Bubbling Over
Let me just paint the scene for you...
Chris and I have just come back from a morning work out. Cooked a delicious BBQ pizza lunch and now are sitting down at the kitchen table together for some afternoon work time. The sun is streaming through the windows so strong and sweet Harvey is snuggled up at my feet. The smell of sugar cookies fills the air (from a yankee candle) and I am just boiling over with joy.
A feeling of contentment and peace that has been absent from my heart for many months. I have tasted it in small pieces but the feeling here is lingering and I know that he Holy Spirit is near.
I have so many unanswered questions about what next in my life but feel so confident of God's provisions now more than I have ever before.
I know it's wrong to put such value on material possessions, but there is something about moving into this house that has changed so much for me. The walls are feel warm and the rooms feel welcoming and hopeful of new beginnings.
Praise the Lord for his faithfulness!
Chris and I have just come back from a morning work out. Cooked a delicious BBQ pizza lunch and now are sitting down at the kitchen table together for some afternoon work time. The sun is streaming through the windows so strong and sweet Harvey is snuggled up at my feet. The smell of sugar cookies fills the air (from a yankee candle) and I am just boiling over with joy.
A feeling of contentment and peace that has been absent from my heart for many months. I have tasted it in small pieces but the feeling here is lingering and I know that he Holy Spirit is near.
I have so many unanswered questions about what next in my life but feel so confident of God's provisions now more than I have ever before.
I know it's wrong to put such value on material possessions, but there is something about moving into this house that has changed so much for me. The walls are feel warm and the rooms feel welcoming and hopeful of new beginnings.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Fab Food Friday!
This week's recipe comes from my sweet friend Mary Beth. She used to make these delicious pumpkin chocolate chip muffins every year around this time.
I remember coming over to her apartment and seeing what looked like hundreds of mini muffins filling the counter. I made a huge batch this year and added a few tweaks...they were a huge hit!
Start by these ingredients in a mixer:
3 cups Splenda
4 egg beaters
1 cup veggie oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
Then add these ingredients one at a time mixing as you go:
2 cup canned pumpkin
3 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup water
1 tsp baking soda
Fill muffin tin about 3/4 of the way full and top with mini chocolate chips.
Bake 350 for 15-20min. This recipe makes about 2 batches of full size muffins and 4+ of mini muffins.
I remember coming over to her apartment and seeing what looked like hundreds of mini muffins filling the counter. I made a huge batch this year and added a few tweaks...they were a huge hit!
Start by these ingredients in a mixer:
3 cups Splenda
4 egg beaters
1 cup veggie oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
Then add these ingredients one at a time mixing as you go:
2 cup canned pumpkin
3 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup water
1 tsp baking soda
Fill muffin tin about 3/4 of the way full and top with mini chocolate chips.
Bake 350 for 15-20min. This recipe makes about 2 batches of full size muffins and 4+ of mini muffins.
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