Mindful Monday: On Monday's I'm going to share what's been on my mind. I by no means have any of this figured out, I'm just thinking out loud here.
I'm finding it rather interesting to look up all the places a word is used in the Bible. A few weeks ago I did this with hope and shared some of them with you. Bible Gateway is a great online tool that allows you to search the Bible in various ways and compare different versions. Below are are few of the verses that stood out to me on peace. I know it looks like a lot, but it really won't take you long to read it. I encourage you to take a few minutes to pause and reflect before you start the busy week.
A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. -Proverbs 14:30
Turn form evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. -Psalm 34:14
Better a dry crust with peace and quite than a house full of feasting, with strife. -Proverbs 17:1
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. -Isaiah 26:3
Lord, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us. -Isaiah 26:12
'Though the mountains be shaken and the hills removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace removed,' says the Lord, who has compassion on you. -Isaiah 54:10
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. -John 14:27
'I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.' -John 16:33
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lour Jesus Christ. -Romans 5:1
The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace -Romans 8:6
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. -Romans 12:18
Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. -Romans 14:19
For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. -1 Corinthians 14:33
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:6-7
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving. considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. James 3:17
Food for Thought: No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. -Hebrews 12:11
Monday, November 12, 2012
Friday, November 9, 2012
Fermented Friday: Citrus Pomegranate Spirals with Candied Ginger
Fermented Friday: recipes featuring yeast, wine, beer or some form of fermentation.
Pomegranates were only 69 cents again, time to play. I also had a lime in my fridge that needed to be put to good use. Hmmm, something pomegranate-lime....pomegranate, lime and....how about pomegranate, lime and ginger....or maybe orange-pomegranate. Meh, let's just go with all four flavors, but what to put them in? Salad, salsa, muffins, cookies, bread? Ahh yes, bread. Baking bread just needs to happen. I need to knead...something....something bright and sunny, something the opposite of my mood...and the weather. Dreary, overcast days call for baking. I need to unwind, loosen up a little, peel off the outer layer and get to the soft center. Let's go with rolls.
Orange juice and lime are kneaded into soft, sweet dough. Golden orange marmalade adds an extra layer of sweetness before a sprinkle of candied ginger and juicy, red pomegranate seeds are wrapped and tucked inside.
Pomegranates were only 69 cents again, time to play. I also had a lime in my fridge that needed to be put to good use. Hmmm, something pomegranate-lime....pomegranate, lime and....how about pomegranate, lime and ginger....or maybe orange-pomegranate. Meh, let's just go with all four flavors, but what to put them in? Salad, salsa, muffins, cookies, bread? Ahh yes, bread. Baking bread just needs to happen. I need to knead...something....something bright and sunny, something the opposite of my mood...and the weather. Dreary, overcast days call for baking. I need to unwind, loosen up a little, peel off the outer layer and get to the soft center. Let's go with rolls.
Orange juice and lime are kneaded into soft, sweet dough. Golden orange marmalade adds an extra layer of sweetness before a sprinkle of candied ginger and juicy, red pomegranate seeds are wrapped and tucked inside.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Thursday's Thoughts: The Push and Pull of Progress
Thursday's Thoughts: a taste of what I'm thinking
I find myself going through stages, or rather cycles. The same theme repeats in a slightly different context or application. Sometimes I wonder if I will ever learn. Life has its ups and downs, highs and lows. There is a natural flow and rhythm that progresses from a balance of extremes. I've been thinking about times where I've pushed myself to grow and learn, to step out of my comfort zone, to become a better person. It takes a lot of work and conscious effort, but it's always worth it. These times of progress are often followed by times of complacency. When things are going smoothly I let down my guard, thinking I'll continue to glide on through without pedaling. But when I stop paying attention things easily go askew. Old habits and patterns can creep back in and make you feel like you've lost what you worked so hard to change. Certain accomplishments can not be thought of as end goals, but continual processes.
Sorry, I should have warned you that this is really vague and scattered, but I'm just starting to unravel this thought. It's always easier to see things in hindsight. Sometimes I look back and think, man I really had a good thing going there, what happened? Where did I get off course, what happened that changed my pattern? I don't always have the answer, and the circumstances may be beyond my control. One thing I can control is my attitude and perspective. It's always helpful to approach life with curiosity, a hunger for more, a desire to learn and become, a thirst to stretch my mind to the next limit. Being complacent, or worse yet, focusing on the negative, doesn't lead to progress. I must look ahead with wonder to push beyond what I think or feel possible.
If one year from now I were to look back at my life right now, would I see a time of growth or complacency? Progress or pitfall? What can I be doing right now to make sure I look back on this time as a time well spent, time full of meaning and purpose? I'm not sure I know the answer to that at this exact second, but I have an idea to start with. I've been meaning to start this for a week or so, but still haven't moved from idea to action. My plan is to ask myself two questions each at the end of each day; What did you learn today?, and What is one thing from today that you are thankful for? Each night I'm going to physically write down one thing I learned that day and (at least) one thing I'm thankful for. Will this help in relation to my thoughts in the above paragraphs? Maybe, maybe not. I can only give it a shot and see what happens. It certainly can't hurt.
Food for Thought: "In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And, the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility." -Eleanor Roosevelt
I find myself going through stages, or rather cycles. The same theme repeats in a slightly different context or application. Sometimes I wonder if I will ever learn. Life has its ups and downs, highs and lows. There is a natural flow and rhythm that progresses from a balance of extremes. I've been thinking about times where I've pushed myself to grow and learn, to step out of my comfort zone, to become a better person. It takes a lot of work and conscious effort, but it's always worth it. These times of progress are often followed by times of complacency. When things are going smoothly I let down my guard, thinking I'll continue to glide on through without pedaling. But when I stop paying attention things easily go askew. Old habits and patterns can creep back in and make you feel like you've lost what you worked so hard to change. Certain accomplishments can not be thought of as end goals, but continual processes.
Sorry, I should have warned you that this is really vague and scattered, but I'm just starting to unravel this thought. It's always easier to see things in hindsight. Sometimes I look back and think, man I really had a good thing going there, what happened? Where did I get off course, what happened that changed my pattern? I don't always have the answer, and the circumstances may be beyond my control. One thing I can control is my attitude and perspective. It's always helpful to approach life with curiosity, a hunger for more, a desire to learn and become, a thirst to stretch my mind to the next limit. Being complacent, or worse yet, focusing on the negative, doesn't lead to progress. I must look ahead with wonder to push beyond what I think or feel possible.
If one year from now I were to look back at my life right now, would I see a time of growth or complacency? Progress or pitfall? What can I be doing right now to make sure I look back on this time as a time well spent, time full of meaning and purpose? I'm not sure I know the answer to that at this exact second, but I have an idea to start with. I've been meaning to start this for a week or so, but still haven't moved from idea to action. My plan is to ask myself two questions each at the end of each day; What did you learn today?, and What is one thing from today that you are thankful for? Each night I'm going to physically write down one thing I learned that day and (at least) one thing I'm thankful for. Will this help in relation to my thoughts in the above paragraphs? Maybe, maybe not. I can only give it a shot and see what happens. It certainly can't hurt.
Food for Thought: "In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And, the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility." -Eleanor Roosevelt
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Weird Recipe Wednesday: Apple Ring Pancakes
Weird Recipe Wednesday: Because some recipes are so weird I just HAVE to try them. My curiosity always gets the better of me.
I've been chowing down an insane amount of apples this fall. We've made 3 trips to the orchard and each time we come home with a 1/2 bushel of seconds plus a smaller bag of another variety. A bushel of apples weighs between 42 and 48 pounds so I'm guessing we've hit the 70-80 lb range in total. Yikes, that looks like so much more when you add it all up. Crisp and tart are my favorite, but my last trip to the orchard left me with a bag of soft and mildly sweet apples. They're great for sauce or apple butter, but they're not my favorite for munching. Since this is the 3rd 1/2 bushel bag of the season, I've had more than my fair share of pie and apple crisp. I was up for a change of pace and thought I'd give these pancakes a whirl.
I'm not a big breakfast eater. A bowl of cereal, an apple, just give me something that requires zero thought. Every once in a while I'll put a little more effort into breakfast and make something like muffins or pancakes. Don't get me wrong, I like breakfast food, I just don't eat it at breakfast time. More often than not I'll eat the muffins as a snack or make pancakes, waffles or French toast for Sunday lunch. So yeah, these pancakes hit the griddle around 3 in the afternoon but we can pretend I made them for breakfast.
I've been chowing down an insane amount of apples this fall. We've made 3 trips to the orchard and each time we come home with a 1/2 bushel of seconds plus a smaller bag of another variety. A bushel of apples weighs between 42 and 48 pounds so I'm guessing we've hit the 70-80 lb range in total. Yikes, that looks like so much more when you add it all up. Crisp and tart are my favorite, but my last trip to the orchard left me with a bag of soft and mildly sweet apples. They're great for sauce or apple butter, but they're not my favorite for munching. Since this is the 3rd 1/2 bushel bag of the season, I've had more than my fair share of pie and apple crisp. I was up for a change of pace and thought I'd give these pancakes a whirl.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Tuesday's Twist: Pumpkin-Biscoff Pull-Apart Loaf
Tuesday's Twist: A basic recipe with a fun twist. In other words, just another excuse for me to play around with weird recipes I've been dying to try.
I've been waiting to make something with pumpkin and Biscoff for what seems like forever. According to my Pinterest boards I first discovered this flavor combination only 9 weeks ago... so just a tad shorter than forever. For those of you non-foodies, Biscoff is known as the European version of peanut butter. While the texture resembles peanut butter, it has a flavor all its own. Think of it as a spreadable gingersnap cookie. Biscoff is now available in quite a few grocery stores across the US. It's also sold as Cookie Butter at Trader Joe's. (Rumor has it they'll be stocking a crunchy variety in time for Christmas.) I bought a jar this past summer, but it went straight from spoon to mouth. After seeing this this Pumpkin Biscoff Bread, I knew the second jar wouldn't go entirely from spoon to mouth, or at least not directly.
Another thing I've been itching to make is a pull-apart loaf. I mean, who wouldn't want to pull ribbons of bread off a loaf? It looks like too much fun. This was my first attempt and, as always, I learned a few things along the way.
I've been waiting to make something with pumpkin and Biscoff for what seems like forever. According to my Pinterest boards I first discovered this flavor combination only 9 weeks ago... so just a tad shorter than forever. For those of you non-foodies, Biscoff is known as the European version of peanut butter. While the texture resembles peanut butter, it has a flavor all its own. Think of it as a spreadable gingersnap cookie. Biscoff is now available in quite a few grocery stores across the US. It's also sold as Cookie Butter at Trader Joe's. (Rumor has it they'll be stocking a crunchy variety in time for Christmas.) I bought a jar this past summer, but it went straight from spoon to mouth. After seeing this this Pumpkin Biscoff Bread, I knew the second jar wouldn't go entirely from spoon to mouth, or at least not directly.
Another thing I've been itching to make is a pull-apart loaf. I mean, who wouldn't want to pull ribbons of bread off a loaf? It looks like too much fun. This was my first attempt and, as always, I learned a few things along the way.
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