Seventeen Candles
I will be blowing 17 candles soon which has made me reflect a lot about my life; although it isn’t awful, I’ve lost much at my young age and experienced a lot of let downs.
Sometimes, I fall short and feel inadequate and yet, I rarely let those things get to me. I always wear a smile on my face. I find the strength to make it through and I’ve learned that life isn’t supposed to be all rainbows and sunshine.
I have found that the greatest thing we can do isn’t to strive for perfection but to thrive despite all the imperfections. So, I encourage you next time your day seems absolutely terrible like everything is going wrong; play your favorite song and laugh it off because at the end of the day, nothing is worth stressing over.
God allows us to have troubles so we would seek Him. His word reminds us in Philippians, “I can do all things though Christ who strengthens me.â€
In honor of all mothers, let me say Happy Mother’s Day! I love my mom but don’t always find nice things to say since she is my disciplinary.
However, I’m sure that when I get older and look back I will be grateful for all she has done and the sacrifices that I so take for granted now.
When the Wheels Come Off
by Donna VanLiere, Author of Finding Grace: A True Story About Losing Your Way in Life . . . And Finding It Again
I grew up in the 70′s and 80′s when parents still told their kids to go outside and play. My friends and I would spend all day in the yard and when we got hot and sweaty enough we’d run to the back patio, open the water spigot on the side of the house and get down on our hands and knees so we could get low enough to turn our mouths up for a drink of water that splashed all over our faces and down our necks. In the evenings I remember seeing my parents shaking their heads as they watched the oil crises in the 1970′s unfold on the nightly news. Gas prices skyrocketed to 73 cents a gallon! “Turn it off,” my mother would say to my dad. “Good grief! The wheel’s are coming off but they make it sound like the world’s ending.” Read more
Water is Key to Faster Fat Loss
Water seems to be the single most important catalyst in weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight – and it’s definitely a “Penny Pinching†favorite!
Decreasing water intake actually causes fat deposits to increase, while increasing water intake can reduce fat deposits. Why? The kidneys need water to function properly. When they are not receiving sufficient water, they’re not operating at full capacity and some of the load is managed by the liver. One of the liver’s many functions is to metabolize stored fat into energy, but if it’s doing some of the work of the kidneys it’s not able to function at maximum capacity. Read more
Become The Peacemaker
Being at Peace with Your Ex-husband
One of the most challenging aspects of being a single mom is maintaining a good relationship with the father of your children. When a relationship ends between two people there is a period of adjustment, which can be a difficult and painful transition for the whole family. Through the grace of God and prayer eventually both the parents and children will become comfortable with their newly structured family situation. Inevitably you will hit a snag. That snag can be mended or it can unravel and make everything fall apart. The choice is yours. When disagreements occur, I urge you to refer back to Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.â€
Finding Grace: A True Story About Losing Your Way In Life…And Finding It Again
By Donna VanLiere
Finding Grace is the powerful, often humorous, and deeply moving story of one woman’s journey of broken dreams. It is the story of how a painful legacy of the past is confronted and met with peace. This book is for anyone who has struggled to understand why our desires— even the simplest ones—are sometimes denied or who has questioned where God is when we need him most. This story is about one woman’s unlikely road to motherhood. Finally, it’s a book about the “undeserved gift which is life itself.†It’s the story of “Finding Grace.â€
Donna VanLiere has entertained millions with her inspirational stories. In her new book, she gives us a candid look into her own life, a life filled with suffering and pain, but one that ultimately finds peace with itself.
Vegetarian Risotto
Ingredients
about 3 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 1/2 tablespoons diced onion
1 clove garlic minced
3/4 cup Arborio rice
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 small zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch; disks
chopped broccoli (steamed)
shredded carrots (steamed)
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
Cooking Instructions
1. Heat the stock in a saucepan and keep hot over low heat.
2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a separate medium-sized pot. Add the onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until it turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and oregano and cook until it becomes golden brown, about 10 minutes, place in medium bowl; set aside.
3. Add the rice to the onion mixture, stir and turn the heat to low. Add about 1/2 cup of the hot stock to the rice mixture, and stir slowly until the stock is absorbed.
4. Continue to add the stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring slowly, letting the rice absorb the stock before adding more.
5. The risotto is cooked when it is creamy on the outside and slightly firm (al dente) in the center, about 20 to 25 minutes in all. Stir in reserved vegetables and peas; cook until heated through. Stir in half of the Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If the risotto is too thick, add a little more stock until it becomes creamy.
6. Divide the risotto into serving dishes and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
National Day of Prayer 2009
The 58th Annual National Day of Prayer will take place Thursday, May 7, 2009. Millions will unite in prayer as thousands of events will take place from coast to coast. The theme for this year is “Prayer… America’s Hope” and is based on the verse from Psalm 33:22 which states: “May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.”
For more information visit: http://www.ndptf.org/
The Five Minute Face
Follow the tips below to create a beautiful everyday makeup look that’s works well with all complexions, is not heavy and takes no more than five minutes! Read more
A Marriage Crisis: Out the Valley into True Victory!
“I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.†Philippians 3:12-14
TUS HIJOS, MIS HIJOS: NUESTROS HIJOS
La nueva familia planeó el viaje. SerÃa la gran ocasión para conocerse, aceptarse y entrar en confianza. La idea es lograr amor instantáneo para la convivencia que les esperaba los próximos años. Con el portaequipaje en el techo del vehÃculo, las bicicletas en los soportes y los cuatro niños embutidos como sardinas enlatadas, comienza la aventura del viaje. Read more
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