Pssst... Don't tell Anyone

So I've been reading through Mark the last few days and something struck me as interesting. At the end of Mark 7, specifically verse 36, it says: "Jesus told the crowd not to tell anyone, but the more he told them not to, the more they spread the news."

There are several verses throughout the Gospels that are like this: Jesus instructs people not to tell others about the miracles he did for them, and they go out proclaiming to everyone what happened.

I've always found it somewhat odd that Jesus told people not to tell anyone, but today I got a different perspective. Did Jesus tell them not to tell because he knows that we as humans cannot resist doing something we are told not to do??? Like when there was a sign that says "Do not touch," we just ache to touch. When we're told not to do something, we are on the verge of exploding if we don't do it. It is because Jesus knew human nature so well that he told people not to tell, knowing full well that they wouldn't be able to resist? Add that to the list of things to ask when I meet God:o)

Judging

Matthew 7:1-2
"Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged."

Ummm.. ouch! Could I withstand the scrutiny that I put others through in my head??? I mean I can really mess up too. Another great reminder for me to love using God's love when I can't do it on my own!

The Tests

As I was cleaning the kitchen (again) today, I started thinking about all of the little tests and miracles that God puts in our lives. It reminds me of the Verizon commercial where the spokesman is going to several locations and keeps repeating "Can you hear me now?" It's like God keeps repeating "Do you trust Me now?"

Reaching an Unbeliever

Yet again it's been way too long since I've posted... not that I've got many interested readers anyway... but I need to commit to getting on here at least once a week to share what God has been doing in my life.

I'm doing this incredible Bible study right now by Priscilla Shirer called "One in a Million; journey to your promised land." If you ever have the opportunity to do this study, DO IT. It is absolutely amazing. Well, anyhoo, I was looking up some scripture for my study and of course I stumbled upon some other scripture that really spoke to me.

But the people's minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only be believing in Christ. Yes, even today when they read Moses' writings, their hears are covered with that veil, and they do not understand. But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. For the Lord is the spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord - who is the Spirit- makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

2 Corinthians 14-18

Can I tell you that I know EXACTLY what this is like???? As a reformed Atheist, it's unbelievable how accurate this passage is. When I became a believer, it was like I instantly understood what those Christians were always trying to tell me. But when you don't believe, you are blind to the Truth. Before, I always thought that religious people were just brainwashed; but now I know that it's the other way around. An unbeliever can not see the truth; their minds and hearts are covered in a veil. 

God's Word is so incredible; it speaks the truth, not only in the spiritual world but in the physical world as well. Thank you Heavenly Father for bringing me out of the darkness.

Dinner 8/2-8/6

Monday: Chinese Take-out for D's birthday
Tuesday: fajitas (thank you Treasure Box treasurebox.org)
Wednesday: BBQ chicken with mac & cheese and a salad
Thursday: Beef roast (really this time) with cous cous and broccoli
Friday: Leftovers!!!!

Dinner 7/26 - 7/30

Monday: Left over tacos
Tuesday: Calzones and garlic bread
Wednesday: Asian beef stir fry
Thursday: Beef roast (crock pot)
Friday: Salsa chicken with cous cous

Freedom and the Soul

This is a wonderful quote from Whittaker Chambers (1901-1961) who was an American editor and writer:

Freedom is a need of the soul, and nothing else. It is in striving toward God that the soul strives continually after a condition of freedom. God alone is the inciter and guarantor of freedom. He is the only guarantor.

External freedom is only an aspect of interior freedom. Political freedom, as the Western world has known it, is only a political reading of the Bible. Religion and freedom are indivisible. Without freedom the soul dies. Without the soul, there is no justification for freedom. 

"for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever." 1 Chronicles 9

Hobby

Well because I've got sooooooo much extra time (note the sarcasm), I've decided to start making Ronni's bows. I got the idea at one of the many festivals around here where there was a woman selling bows for $12! Unbelievable! So I decided to just make my own. I found a website that shows you how to make them, and slowly I've been learning how to make them cute. Here are some pictures of a few of my favorites:o)

I also made her birthday bow:o) AND I've ordered some Dallas Cowboys ribbon to make bows for football season! LOVE it:o)

It's been too long

I can't believe how long it's been since I've posted anything. C'mon Patti get your life together!

We had the kids' birthday party last weekend and it was a blast! We couldn't have wished for a better day. We had so many friends and family over! What a blessing! Here are some pictures from the party!

I just love the picture of Ronni with the blue balloon! It's hard to believe that Matthew is 3 and my baby girl will be 1 tomorrow! Can time slow down for a minute?

Wow! We've been soooooo busy!

Life has been super crazy lately. It's like we're always doing something! Here's what we've been up to:

Donny and Matthew had a day together at the Oakland zoo; just the two of them:o)

We spent a tourist day and drove around The Bay. We went to a windy Pier 39, ate lunch, and saw the Sea Lions.

We crossed the Bay Bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Richmond Bridge. Look there's Alcatraz!

The kids and I went to the Contra Costa County Fair. We saw sheep, goats, pigs, cows, and so much more. Matthew wanted to ride all of the rides, and he especially loved the roller coasters! He rode the dragon coaster four times in a row. And he got to pet that huge snake... oh yeah it's real!

We've also gone to festivals, parks, Chaddy-poo's Birthday, and just played around the house:o) We're really enjoying life up here!

Life is definitely never boring with our two kiddos. I can't believe that next month Matthew will be 3 and Ronni will be 1! Come visit us; there's always something to do!

God Bless America

For my birthday, Donny got me The American Patriot's Bible, which is so cool in so many ways! Today I ready an excerpt about Irving Berlin, the writer of the song "God Bless America". He was born in a poor Jewish ghetto in Russia, and his parents moved to New York when he was five. He wrote the song in 1918, and revised it in 1938 in response to WWII when the Nazis were threatening Europe. The song is a prayer for God's blessings and peace in his new home: America!

While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,

Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free,

Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,

As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer.

God bless America, land that I love

Stand beside her and guide her

Through the night with the light from above

From the mountains, to the prairies,

to the ocean white with foam

God bless America, my home sweet home.

Sibling Rivalry

With all the thoughts on homeschooling the children, I got a book called "Preschool at Home: What do I do with my Child before Kindergarten?" by Debbie Feely. Well I read it today (it's less than 50 pages and a super easy read), and the paragraph on sibling rivalry was really interesting, so I thought I'd share!

"Sibling rivalry is a concern for many families. My mother's tried and true method for dealing with five fussing children was to require us to sit together on the sofa until we were ready to be friends. I had Jeffrey and Robby (her two sons) sit on the entryway step. It rarely took more than three minutes for them to be laughing together. Timeout together is far more effective than separation. A child may fuss and squabble because he is hungry, tired, or just because he needs some loving attention. A snuggle on the sofa with a story, or a quiet time for him to share his heart are ways to restore your child to good humor."

What a different approach! Something for me to keep in mind as little Ronni is growing up and testing her brother:o)

Already Thinking about School...

Lately schooling for our kiddos has really been on my mind. The public schools in the bay area are TERRIBLE; I mean they are really really bad. Of the students at the local high school, less than a third scored "proficient" on the state wide test. How sad is that? Furthermore, this week on the news there was a story of a kid who got in trouble at school because he drew a picture of an American flag that said "God bless America" on it. You're kidding me right??? How can I tell my kids that they need to go to school, and that it's important if they are so terrible?

Then there are two other options: private school or home school. Private school is really really expensive; I would be working just to pay for school. And if we were to send them to a private school, we are not really in control of what they are learning. I also think that kids who go to private school are too sheltered; that they do not get a real picture of the real world.

So that leaves homeschooling, which I have always been against. I think that kids who are homeschooled are super sheltered and come out socially retarded because they don't learn how to interact with other kids. Also I don't think that it's good for all kids. On the other hand, we would have complete control of what they are learning, and can teach them the truth! Donny assures me that our kids would not be sheltered because we are not those parents, and we would have them in other activities.

But would they feel left out? What about that social interaction that you get in a classroom, and the other activities in school? What about Prom?

I'm so torn. It's a good thing that we've got a few years to make a decision!

Quint-o-mom

Just in time for Mother's Day, Liberty had her puppies today! I spent the morning delivering five pups while taking care of my own kiddos. You could say it was pretty hectic! There are three girls and two boys, three yellows and one black. They are totally cute and will be ready to take home in July... hint hint:o) Liberty did great, although she refuses to let Lateegra anywhere near them.

 As a side note, I decided to be done with the cleanse today! I'm not going all the way to Sunday, which is fine:o) I only lost four pounds, which is disappointing.  I need a treadmill...

Think Envelope

There is an older SNL making fun of Calista Flockhart where the actress playing Calista says, "I want to fit inside of an envelope." Does anyone know it? I've been trying to find the episode with no luck...

To (jokingly) encourage each other on our cleanse, Donny and I tell each other to "think envelope".

Cleanse update: I've lost over 2.5 libbies (or lbs for those of you who don't watch Glee, the best show on TV).

The Cleanse!!!

Donny and I started our cleanse yesterday and will last until May 9. My starting weight as of yesterday was 116.4, and I'm hoping to lose 10 pounds, which is realistic because I lose an average of a pound per day on it.

For all those who don't know, the cleanse consists of:
no carbs
no sugar (even natural sugar found in fruit)
low salt b/c you can't possibly eliminate all salt content)
no booze.

The toughest part is not being able to have a glass of wine after a rough day! The second toughest part is not sampling whatever yummyness Matthew is eating!

So what the heck do I eat???
Veggies, veggies, veggies
Meats, especially chicken and turkey
low/no fat cheeses and milk
almonds and seeds (unsalted)
natural peanut butter (very limited though)
low carb (blue can) Monster Energy Drink (or black coffee if that's your choice, but creamers are off limits)
>>>I also watch salt content in seasoning, cooking, and dressing! Mrs. Dash seasoning is great because there is no salt added. Remember that anything in a can will have a ton of sodium in it.

Additionally, we drink whey protein drinks and take a few supplements:
A Super Cleanse dietary supplement
Thermo CLA
A good multivitamin

Donny lost six pounds yesterday, and I lost almost a pound.

Wish me luck:o)

Greatest Chicken Tortilla Soup Ever

I made this great Chicken Tortilla soup last night and thought I'd share:o)


Ingredients

* 2 teaspoons olive oil
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 4 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 medium jalapeno pepper, chopped
* 1/2 medium green pepper
* 4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
* 2 cups frozen corn
* 1/2 cup dry white wine or water
* 2 teaspoons cumin
* 1 teaspoon chili powder
* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 4 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth
* 2 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes

* 2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce

Topping

* 1 cup non-fat tortilla chips (optional)

Directions

1. Sauté onion, garlic, jalapeño and green pepper with olive oil in a large pot until soft.
2. Add all the rest of the ingredients to the large pot and bring to a boil.
3. After about 15 minutes, remove the chicken breasts and shred.
4. (Two forks work well to pull the chicken apart!).
5. Return shredded chicken to the pot and simmer an additional 45 minutes.
6. Serve, topped with crushed tortilla chips if desired.

http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Amazing-Chicken-Tortilla-Soup-108231

Check it out. It's pretty easy and we loved it!

This one's a Stinger!

Proverbs 24:17-18: "Don't rejoice when your enemies fall; don't be happy when they stumble. For the LORD will be displeased with you and will turn his anger away from them."

Ouch! How often do we get pleasure from hearing that someone we don't like isn't doing well? Like they finally got what was coming to them. HA! In their faces! I'm so guilty here! I rationalize it by convincing myself that I didn't hurt them so it's okay for me to take a little pleasure from someone else's misfortune.

But it's wrong. It's not okay to be happy over another's hardship, even if we don't like them.

Ooooooooo that's a tough one. Guilty, guilty, guilty. Currently working on this one:o)

If you don't have something nice to say...

Proverbs 16:24: Kind words are like honey -- sweet to the soul and healthy to the body.

Say something nice to someone today, it's good for them:o)

Proverbs

Wow! I really haven't gotten back to my blog in a long, LONG time. I could lay out a million excuses like having two young children, or moving again, but the truth is I just haven't wanted to; I haven't been inspired.

I'm currently doing an independent study (man I need to get into a new Bible study:o) in Proverbs, and I'm feeling lead to start blogging about it. My only hope is that God directs my words, and that I'm not misleading in any way. So here we go...

Today I read Proverbs 14, and the verse that caught me today was 30, which says "A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealously is like a cancer in the bones." Isn't it just amazing that the Bible tells us that our mental states clearly affect the health of our physical bodies? And modern science has shown this to be true; people who are more stressed than others tend to be more susceptible to sickness and disease. When we are calm and peaceful, we are more healthy; it's a fact.

The line that really got me is about jealously. I catch myself being jealous; jealous of our friends that get to go on vacation, jealous of people who can spend willy-nilly, jealous of beautiful, fit women. You know, just jealous. I have to continually remind myself that we really DO have it all. We've got two awesome, healthy kids, and a wonderful marriage. So what if we can't go on vacation... one day we will. It doesn't take long to find people who could afford anything in the world, and are still not happy. Why then should I waste my time being jealous of people like that? It's a cancer to my body, and a waste of feelings. I need to be happy with what God has given me because it is priceless. Lord, give me a peaceful heart, and a mind free from unhealthy things.