"I don't think you're enjoying the journey..."

A friend's simple admonition about "enjoying the journey" began a life-changing course correction.

Here's the whole story (posted on the blog MomLife Today).

hugs and love :)

Lis

ps:  I'm really honored to now be a regular blogger for MomLife Today!  There is a smörgåsbord of wonderful blogs from moms in all stages of life.

A Summer of Significance

When we look back at the summer of 2012, what if we remembered it for something significant and wonderful?  Like...

The summer of '86.  I graduated from high school, went to Mexico to build a church and plant trees, went to Glorietta, New Mexico and heard God's voice on top of a mountain (true story), and then went to college and met my husband.

That was a significant summer.

Or the summer of '90, when we moved from Germany to Missouri and I walked into a radio station on a Monday, and then was hosting the afternoon show on Thursday.

That was a pretty significant summer.

Or how about this past summer, when I said good-bye to a national radio show, we packed up everything we own, said good-bye to Indiana, and moved our family to Colorado to serve at a church in Denver.

Yep, '11 was a significant summer.

Can you look back over your life and remember the summers that had big, old watershed moments?  The summers that were game changers.  The summers where you heard from Him, saw His hand, served His people.

Here comes the Summer of 2012.

Wouldn't it be great if on Labor Day, we could say - now THAT was a remarkable summer that I'll always remember.

I'm dreaming tonight.  I want to outlive my life.

The Jon David and Jesse Show (with producer Mommy)

It takes a village...

With the help of no less than 5 people, I've finally figured out how to record, save, edit, convert to MP3, email, dowload, and upload audio at my house!  (Insert crowd-going-wild-SFX here.)

I beckoned the boys to our little make-shift studio and requested some improv jokes for you.  Jon David is 5 and Jesse is 3 (for a few more days).  Keep in mind, these jokes don't have to make sense.  It's all in the delivery, baby!

Their faces lit up with giant smiles as they listened to their own little voices.  I may have just officially awakened the sleeping-giants-of-radio-stardom inside their performance-DNA-laden hearts.  :)

So, for your listening enjoyment, our first attempt to upload audio, podcast style.

Enjoy! 

The Jon David and Jesse Show #1 - Jokes

25 years

On Thursday night, May 14th, 1987, we got married in the same little chapel where we had met 9 months earlier.  It was a wild adventure from the very beginning:)  We were very young and very in love. 

Since then, no one has loved Darin or hurt Darin more than me.  And no one has loved or hurt me more than him.  We have had high highs and low lows.  In these 25 years, we have come to deeply love each other more than we could have understood on that warm Arkansas night when we sang to each other and made a covenant with God in front of our family and friends.

Darin is my living proof of God's love.  When I thought there was no way our marriage could survive, God did a miracle in both of us.  My God who does exceedingly, abundantly above all I can ask (or even think) stunned us with what He did in our hearts and lives. 

He is. 

We are certainly living proof of that.

When you think of us, please think of God's faithfulness.  And remember what the angel told Mary - nothing is impossible with God.

I should be sleeping, but it's time to wake up

It was a long but uber-productive day!

It's late. Sleep is needed. But as I was brushing my teeth and leaning towards bed, this blog started in my mind, so here I am, writing for you - and me.

I should be sleeping because tomorrow morning at 6:45, I'm meeting a friend for prayer before my family wakes up. At 9:30, the boys have a playdate with some of their favorite little friends. At noon, Jon David has pre-K. And at 12:30, my friend Sarah is coming to our house to discuss what we need to do next to create a safe, loving, spiritually-impacting place for children with special needs who come - and will someday come - to our church.

Which reminds me - If your church has a thriving special needs children's ministry, could you send me a name or a website link? I'm looking for some heroes who have forged a beautiful path and can show us the way.

I had a long talk with my BFF Marie Kuck on Friday. We talked about VIP Kids and the amazing things she and Tim have created to educate people, to celebrate life, to help churches minister to families with kids who have special needs, and to offer respite for the tired, the discouraged, the over-looked.

During the phone conversation, I silently cried many times as she poured out her knowledge and passion for VIP Kids' ministry. I've been her cheerleader for years, but I haven't been in the trenches nearly enough. "There are no disabled souls" she said at one point in our conversation. That sentence has lingered. "You need to understand their lives and know their stories, because you want to minister to them, Lisa." That made me weep because I've been...

Fearful? Lazy? Uncomfortable? Uncertain? Unconcerned? Oblivious?

I'm not sure what has kept me from diving in earlier. But I am diving in now. She's right. I want to be a part of a children's ministry that ministers to all children.

Time to wake up.

I covet your prayers.

Lis

"I'll never see that poo-poo again"

My oldest little man Jon David has trouble saying good-bye to things. 

So when MomLife Today asked if I would write a blog for them, the story of Jon David not wanting to flush is what they got.  And they actually posted it!

Here's the whole story:  Just flush. 

After reading it, you may need to flush something yourself;)

much love,

Lis

Prayers for KXOJ listeners on Tuesday, March 13th

Hey friends:

I need your prayers!  I'm on the radio in Oklahoma this week!!  On Tuesday, March 13th, the listeners of KXOJ in Tulsa, OK, will have a chance to adopt a village in the South Sudan for three years through World Concern. 

The South Sudan gained independence in the summer of 2011.  But after decades of Civil War, poverty is extreme.  The average income in the village of Lietnhom is just $5... per month.  Most of the residents eat less than one time per day.  75% of children cannot read or write.  Nearly one out of every five children die before their 5th birthday from a preventable disease - such as parasites and malaria - typically from bad drinking water.

KXOJ has teamed up with World Concern for a campaign called "One Village Transformed."  The goal is to come alongside the people of Lietnhom over the next three years.

A monthly gift of $33 for three years will help fund a three stage plan to transform Leitnhom:

-In the first year, the money will address basic human survival, making sure the people have enough food to eat and clean water to drink.

-In the second year, gifts will help provide for the children to have a way to get an education.

-In the third year, the $33 a month will help develop small businesses, provide job training, and continue to teach improved farming methods.

World Concern wants to help, train, and empower the people of the South Sudan, transforming their village from the inside out.

Thank you for reading this far:)  Please pray for the people who'll be listening to us on Tuesday, that God would move on hearts to give into this work.

Your prayers are so important to me.  God answers prayers.  Lives depend on the success of this campaign.

If you have time to listen on Tuesday, here's the link.

With love,

Lis

Don't try then.

In November, I was in Orlando helping Z88.3 with their fall fund-raiser.  While there, I went to church with my precious friend Melony McKaye Olson.  A guest pastor from Chicago was speaking and he had a chin-up bar on the stage. 

It was funny as he asked the pastor of the church to come on stage and do chin-ups, then he asked a muscle-bound dude to come up and do chin-ups.  Public exercise humiliation - just a typical worship service:)

As I recall, the pastor eked out 5 chin-ups.  And then the muscle-bound dude easily did 27.

When the whole sermon was over, I walked away with this:  Start training.  Start training because sooner or later, you're going to need to be ready.

The message impacted my thoughts so much that I've spent hours mulling it over.

Do I often just try to make it through tough times that could have been so much easier if only I had been in shape spiritually, emotionally, or physically?

What if I had to run 10 miles today?  Well, I could try.  But it's HIGHLY unlikely that I could do it. 

What mountain waits in my future path?  Will I climb gracefully or will I lean against a tree, desperately panting?

I've thought deeper and deeper on this idea of training - so much so, that "train" is my one word for 2012.

Heart's desire confession:  I've always wanted to do a triathlon.  But, alas, I don't really run, bike, or swim. lol

Today - this very day - I swam farther than I ever have in my life.  I free-styled 50 meters without stopping!  Now granted, I'll need to be able to swim 750 meters without stopping, but I'm embracing with great joy the moment of today - I'm training!  :)  The sprint triathlon I hope to complete isn't until August 5th.

Over 5 months of training.

All this begs the pondering:  Are we ready for what's next? 

For the literal or figurative mountain that will fill your future path...

Don't try then. 

Train now. 

Genesis 14:14
When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan.
Genesis 14:13-15 (in Context) Genesis 14 (Whole Chapter)

 2 Samuel 22:35
He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
2 Samuel 22:34-36 (in Context) 2 Samuel 22 (Whole Chapter)

1 Chronicles 5:18
The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men ready for military service—able-bodied men who could handle shield and sword, who could use a bow, and who were trained for battle.
1 Chronicles 5:17-19 (in Context) 1 Chronicles 5 (Whole Chapter)

1 Chronicles 25:7
Along with their relatives—all of them trained and skilled in music for the LORD—they numbered 288.
1 Chronicles 25:6-8 (in Context) 1 Chronicles 25 (Whole Chapter)

2 Chronicles 2:14
...whose mother was from Dan and whose father was from Tyre. He is trained to work in gold and silver, bronze and iron, stone and wood, and with purple and blue and crimson yarn and fine linen. He is experienced in all kinds of engraving and can execute any design given to him. He will work with your skilled workers and with those of my lord, David your father.
2 Chronicles 2:13-15 (in Context) 2 Chronicles 2 (Whole Chapter)

2 Chronicles 26:11
Uzziah had a well-trained army, ready to go out by divisions according to their numbers as mustered by Jeiel the secretary and Maaseiah the officer under the direction of Hananiah, one of the royal officials.
2 Chronicles 26:10-12 (in Context) 2 Chronicles 26 (Whole Chapter)

2 Chronicles 26:13
Under their command was an army of 307,500 men trained for war, a powerful force to support the king against his enemies.
2 Chronicles 26:12-14 (in Context) 2 Chronicles 26 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 18:34
He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
Psalm 18:33-35 (in Context) Psalm 18 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 144:1
Of David. Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.
Psalm 144:1-3 (in Context) Psalm 144 (Whole Chapter)

Daniel 1:5
The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service.
Daniel 1:4-6 (in Context) Daniel 1 (Whole Chapter) 

Luke 6:40
The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.
Luke 6:39-41 (in Context) Luke 6 (Whole Chapter)

1 Corinthians 9:25
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
1 Corinthians 9:24-26 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 9 (Whole Chapter)

Ephesians 6:4
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Ephesians 6:3-5 (in Context) Ephesians 6 (Whole Chapter)

1 Timothy 4:7
Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.
1 Timothy 4:6-8 (in Context) 1 Timothy 4 (Whole Chapter)

1 Timothy 4:8
For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
1 Timothy 4:7-9 (in Context) 1 Timothy 4 (Whole Chapter)

2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
2 Timothy 3:15-17 (in Context) 2 Timothy 3 (Whole Chapter)

Hebrews 5:14
But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
Hebrews 5:13-14 (in Context) Hebrews 5 (Whole Chapter)

Hebrews 12:11
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.

blah blah blah blah blog

So, I’ve been meaning to write… 

Writing has been tough because of so much on my mind these past 2 weeks – mainly, my Momma.  My feelings are very close to the surface when I pause and think about my family in Louisiana.  Momma has been in and out of the hospital.  Last week, it seemed that she had taken the turn for the worse. 

But she's a tough Louisiana cookie and she rebounded.

She left me a message two days ago saying she was my Grandma calling and that she loved me.  The sound of her voice, the confusion – I was standing in front of the washing machine when I listened to the message and I just laid over the machine and cried for a while. 

But then I wiped my tears and got back into the business of being the Momma myself to the cutie-pies who live in our house and needed some grilled cheese sandwiches.

So…

I can’t locate my focus to write a blog that would be cohesive.  

Do I write about my Momma and how I live 1,073 miles away? 

Do I pour out my thankful heart for the magnanimous heavenly gifts that our sons are, healing and warming my soul in a spectrum of ways, seemingly every moment of every day? 

Do I hash out my itch to do something more in radio - something from home – but I don’t know yet exactly what that looks like?

Do I write about the open ministry doors in front of me that could put me in different cities for a day or 2 each month, raising money for the poor, the helpless, the oppressed, the forgotten? 

Do I give you a snapshot of today?  (I'm in Portland at a legendary radio station watching radio pros weave together shows as a friend works with them to raise money for a village in Africa.)

Do I share about “my one word” for 2012 and what vision I’m casting for this year? 

Do I blog from my little, fragile heart about the Wednesday morning Bible study that is laying me bare before the Lord.  Broken. Silent. Exposed. And deeply, deeply, deeply loved.

Hmmmm...

I dunno.

I’m just honestly thankful that you read this far in my little blah blah blah blah blog.

:)

"Jesus-time"

While watching the Broncos get soundly beaten by the Patriots last night, my heart skipped a beat as I looked at the muted-for-commercials TV and saw "John 3:16" and a bunch of kids.  I yelled, "Turn up the volume!!" and this is what we saw:

National TV.

Millions of people watching.

Precious children.

Absolute truth.

It was more riviting than any Tebow-time over-time play I've seen all year:)

Father God, let those living words of truth from the mouths of babes take deep root in hearts across our country.  Amen.

wowGod used a truck to deliver a kiss from heaven

My husband's truck is his favorite ever.  He traded a man for it.  For real.  Like a long ago "I'll give you 3 chickens for a new wagon wheel" kind of trade.  From a craisgslist.com ad, he went to see it years ago.  The guy selling it said what he really needed was an old junker truck to use on the farm.  The farmer looked at Darin's old junker truck, looked at his truck, they looked at each other - and it was a trade (plus a couple thousand dollars from us since the truck Darin was getting was worth more, fo shizzle.)

So it's been a really great truck for our family.  There are four doors (helpful since we have the boys getting in and out of the back seat) and there's a nice short bed (which has been a huge help for moving and for children's ministry and just for life).  Pick-up trucks are nice to have around.

About 4 months ago, the driver's side back door started to stick.  So our son Jesse had to crawl in through the backseat passenger door and Darin had to unroll the window from the front seat to buckle Jesse in his carseat. 

We kept saying - we need to get that fixed! 

Months passed.

Then in early December, the driver's door started to malfunction.  If Darin locked it, it wouldn't open unless he forced it from the inside.  A few times Darin AND Jesse were both crawling in from the passenger side. 

At this rate, everyone would be jumping through the moon-roof soon.

So we went to the Ford dealer a few weeks before Christmas to get an estimate.  After a full Saturday of Christmas errands, we went back to get the bottom line.  Darin said in an uncharacteristically optimistic moment (I'm usually the optimist in this union and he's normally the realist), "Maybe it will be under $200.  We have that much in our car repair envelope."

We found out it would be well over $1000, plus they were recommending several other things, as they often do :)

I left Darin at the dealership while they finished up an oil change.  We decided to live with the messed up doors for a few more months while we saved up.  AGAIN, uncharacteristically, Darin was not bummed out.  He said with a smile something like, "God will take care of it."  I drove off thinking - wowGod is moving in Darin's life big-time. 

Okay, so now starts the big wowGod story for my little heart.

While sitting in the lobby waiting for them to finish, a little girl from our church recognized Darin.  So she and her father came over to introduce themselves and chat.  In the course of conversation, they discussed why they were there.  Darin explaind that we got an estimate on a repair, but we were going to wait until we could save up.  The guy asked for details and Darin explained about the doors.

This friendly conversation wasn't relayed to me.

The next morning, I was serving in children's ministry and at the end of the small groups time, there was one little girl who hadn't been picked up yet.  She helped me clean some things up, then we started talking.  I love any moment I get to go deeper with an individual child because there are so many children at our church - and my goal for 2012 is to know all their names.

I learned her name.  I learned that her dad was serving in youth ministry that morning.  AND I learned that it was her birthday!  So we walked around for a while and I had everyone sing happy birthday to her:)  It was fun and sweet because this little girl was so fun and sweet.  These kind of moments are my favorites in life.

Then we decided to walk together over to the youth building and find her dad.

When we met up with her dad, we introduced ourselves and chatted for a while.  We talked about her birthday party the day before and laughed a lot.

Then he asked, "Are you Darin's wife?"

"Yes, I am."

"Oh, I'm going to fix your truck."

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I'm going to fix the doors on your truck."

I'm going to try and write out what happened inside of me at that split second.  First off, how did he know our car was broken?  Darin and I don't share stuff like that openly (for lots of reasons, but mainly because we never want to manipulate people into helping us).

Secondly, in that split-second I thought, "Who are you?  I don't even know you and you're saying you're going to fix our truck."

Thirdly, my mind reeled because I remembered Darin's faith - "God will take care of it".

Fourthly, it was less that 24 hours later and someone was saying they would fix it.

Fifthly (is that a word?), for the past 15 minutes, I had had a remarkably pleasant experience laughing and singing with his daughter, a precious God's girl.

Sixthly, I was - in a moment - overwhelmed.

So my eyes spontaneously filled with tears and I said, "I'm sorry, I don't understand."  Even as I write this, my eyes have filled with tears.  I feel it again.  How did this virtual stranger have knowledge about my family and how did this "chance" meeting happen with his precious birthday girl, standing out in the sun on a beautiful Sunday morning outside the youth building?!?

He smiled and said he and his daughter had met Darin at the Ford dealership the day before.  He said he is skilled in fixing such problems and that he would be taking care of it for us.

I just have to express to you that, for me personally, it felt like a kiss from heaven.

So...

a few days ago, Darin came home from work and told me that his truck doors were all fixed.  :)

It's a sweet wowGod moment I hope I never forget.

FYI, God WILL take care of it. 

Lisa’s “I’ve been watching Chopped too much” Jambalaya

In the kitchen, I’ve always played by the rules.  Give me a recipe, and I can make anything.  Undoubtedly I inherited my Momma’s great instincts in the kitchen, but I never have “free-styled”, mostly out of fear that I’d waste time and money, make something gross, and because of a basic lack of knowledge of how things work together.  So although my husband has always said I’m his favorite cook ever, I’ve always known it was just my ability to follow a recipe.

So some time before I quit working, I caught an episode of Chopped on the Food Network.  If you haven’t seen it, it’s four chefs competing with four ingredients from a mystery basket.  They have 20 or 30 minutes and they have to make an appetizer, then a main course, and finally a dessert.  After each round, one chef gets “chopped” by a panel of famous chefs.

This show meets the criteria for what lights my fire:  creativity, skill, and competition under pressure!

So now that I’m a stay-at-home mom, I’ve been recording Chopped and I think I’ve seen every episode, some of them twice.  These competing chefs run around the kitchen and grab stuff to use with their mystery items all the while everyone is explaining the complexities of the ingredients and the way everything works together. 

It has been freeing me up.

The other day, I just used stuff I found in the kitchen and made something for dinner (I can’t remember what right now!) and Darin’s comment was “Wow, I’d eat this again and again.”

Really? 

Unleash the creative cooking monster!!

Instead of planning recipes this payday, I just bought lots of healthy, interesting ingredients that made sense.  Tonight, I was going to make a chicken and vegetable soup that morphed into jambalaya, something I’ve made in the past several times, but only by strictly following a recipe I got from my brother.

So for fun and by request of a few Facebook friends, I’m going to try to write down my improv jambalaya recipe, just for you!  And if you end up making it, please let me know.  It will make me feel like Alex Guarnaschelli or Amanda Freitag or some other famous cooking diva:)

<<Side-note: I stopped typing here and went to the store.  I seriously just wandered around the produce section.  Here's the video to prove it.>> 

I crack me up.

First off, if you will allow me a brief rant.  I’m on a search for humanely treated food – which will be a topic in another blog.  I want to be more responsible in knowing where my food comes from.  In a few months, I think we’re going to have a mountain, grass-fed Colorado cow butchered.  (This sentence spoken to my former co-host Eric Allen earlier this week made him laugh for a long time:)

So, the base for this soup/jambalaya was some chicken legs I found at Costco from Harvestland, which states on the packaging that the chicken is "humanely raised, cage free”.  I bought several packages of this chicken and threw it in the freezer, knowing the legs would be a base for soup.

I slow-rolling boiled six legs for about 45 minutes, wanting it to be ready to fall off the bone.  We normally don’t eat much dark meat, but I (in my new Chopped mentality) knew it would be an inexpensive and yummy meat in a soup, all that dark meat marrow making things somehow magically richer.  For whatever reason, I grabbed my bottle of white wine vinegar and poured about a 1/3 cup into the water.  And I was liberal with the sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

<<Side note – I’m not going to be able to write this out like a real recipe.  It’s got to be from my first person point of view.  Maybe if I write out more recipes, I’ll get more skilled.>>

Once I was sure the meat was done, I removed it to a bowl and skimmed all the disgusting stuff out of the broth.  WHAT IS ALL THAT STUFF that boils out of chicken?  Blech.

Then I planned to add some frozen organic veggies I got at Costco - a mixture of corn, green beans, and carrots.  I also planned to throw in some organic spinach and the chopped chicken leg meat.  But something stopped me and changed my direction.

I took the frozen veggies out of the freezer, then put them back.  I stood in the kitchen and stared at the simmering pot of chicken stock.  My mind was thumbing through ideas.  What could I make that was different, yummy, and with what I had in my kitchen?

<<Side note – I pray a lot.  If He lives in me by the power of the Holy Spirit, then I want a symphonic harmony of “us” to rule the day, not just me, me, me.  So I’ve sought Him over the years to (radio girl talking here) tune my channel to His frequency so I can be led daily, hourly, by the minute to wherever He wants to go.  On the radio, in the kitchen, wherever – whatever.>>

Jambalaya...

Yep, jambalaya!

Jambalaya is basically rice cooked in a wonderfully prepared broth.  So I looked in the fridge and remembered that I had a few Saag's Chicken Apple Sausages (no MSG, no preservatives, no nitrates).  I threw some cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil into an iron skillet and then (using my handy-dandy kitchen shears which I use for everything) cut the sausage into small pieces.  I threw the sausage into the hot oil to brown it a bit, then started focusing on my soup. 

Before seasoning, I removed 4.5 cups of the broth and set it aside.  Then I took the rest of the broth, put it in a container, and put in in the ‘fridge for soup later this week.  Then I returned the 4.5 cups of broth back in my stock pot. 

Into the broth, about 5 shakes of Tabasco, more sea salt, more pepper.  I then called Tony Chachere’s toll free customer service number to ask if “other spices” meant MSG.  I LOVE Tony’s but haven’t used it since moving here because of a commitment I have to clean(er) eating.  Customer service was closed until normal business hours.  Oh what the heck.  A liberal shaking down of Tony’s.   I let that simmer for a while.

I continued sautéing the sausage while removing the meat from 4 of the chicken legs (saving the other two for soup later this week).  The chicken got cut into small pieces with my handy-dandy shears.

<<Side note – the whole time I’m making this, I’m also whipping up Annie’s Shells and Cheese for the boys and slicing apples, making their plates, getting them served.  Multi-tasking: a mommy must!>>

I tasted the broth.  It needed something.  So I added about a tablespoon of raw sugar and a little more Tony’s.  Although it didn’t taste quite right, I knew it would be good with the strong flavor of the sausage and the richness of the chicken.  But still, something didn’t seem quite right.  No veggies.

Jambalaya is a dish that usually starts with the Louisiana triolgy: onion, green bell peppers, and celery, but there was none of that in my kitchen tonight.  So I threw in a big handful of organic spinach and brought the broth to a rolling boil.

Then I measured out 2 cups of Rice Select Organic Brown Rice and added it to the boiling broth.  A quick stir and then tightly covered, reducing heat to low to simmer for 45 minutes.  One important rule of great rice – never lift the lid while it’s cooking.  Releasing the steam messes up the perfect rice process.  But tonight I broke the rule.

About 25 minutes later, I was standing in the middle of the kitchen thinking.  Something was missing.  And it hit me: ROTEL!  Everyone from Louisiana knows everything is better with Rotel:)  My brother’s jambalaya recipe always included Rotel tomatoes (canned tomatoes and green chilies) and I always have a few cans on my shelf.

So breaking the cardinal rice rule, but knowing this was THE missing ingredient, I lifted the lid and poured in one can of Rotel, brought it back to a rolling boil, covered it and lowered the temp.

At 45 minutes, I tested the rice.  Not done.  I increased the heat again momentarily, stirred, re-covered, then lowered the heat again.  Five minutes later, same process.  Opening it during cooking messed up the perfection of perfectly done rice on time.

At 55 minutes, I stopped because I didn’t want my rice to turn to mush.  All the liquid had not cooked off, so I drained it quickly, returned it to the pot and…

Tasted it.

Oh my.  Yum, yum, yum...

It makes me want to write something Cajun here.  How ‘bout…

Laissez les bon temps rouler, mon chere!!

So that's the creative process that was unleashed in my kitchen tonight as I said "yes" to my instincts, ingredients, and inside inspiration. 

wowGod stories of 2011

A "wowGod" story is when something happens and you know in your heart of hearts: God did this for me.  Sometimes they are sweet, intimate, little moments - like God winks at you - and you know He sees you, He loves you, and His plans for you are for good.

Other times, it is a watershed moment of your life...

when His Word and His Spirit powerfully coincide over your circumstances.

And afterwards, you think...

"wow God, You did that for us."

So if there is something that has happened in 2011 that needs to be shared, told, re-told, or shouted from the figurative mountains of your life, then please use the comment space below to give Him glory and tell your story.

PS:  I don't have time to write a lot tonight, but tomorrow I will try to communicate to you my wowGod story of 2011.

Merry Christmas!

We pray your is Christmas filled with love and His presence...

and we pray every step of your 2012 is ordered by the Lord!

Be inspired by a Christian man doing his job

(NOTE: The video at the end of this blog is what inspiried me to write today.  Even if you don't want to read what I wrote, scroll down and hear the live mic inside Tim Tebow's football helmet.)

So here's the deal - I'm going to try to blog for you once a week.  I'm blogging for you, I'm blogging for me (because I neeeeeeeeeed to dig deep and locate my heart on a regular basis), and I'm blogging as an offering to God.

I'm sitting in a coffee shop.  It's Friday so my hubby is off from work and he and the boys are having "ManDay" so Mommy can regroup and have some time to just be Lisa.  Let me take this moment - with my favorite Christmas mug to my left and only moments before I jump back into the long list of things to be done before December 25th...

Let me take this moment to share a video that the Denver Post posted, from the NFLRedzoneTube.  I could write much about what is churning in me regarding Denver's quarterback Tim Tebow.  But my main thought is this: His fame and talent are causing people to talk about Jesus.  And THAT is my favorite thing about Tim.

On the Denver local Fox station before and after the game last weekend, they talked so much about spiritual things!  It delighted and fascinated me.  (I'm shouting this next sentence in my mind) Spiritual things are real!  More real than this coffee mug, more real than this computer, more real than this black chair I'm sitting on.  Spiritual things are REAL and IMPORTANT and Tim gets people talking.  And MAN do I love that aspect of his life right now.  I celebrate it.  Open up, world around me, open up and talk about the things that matter!  I celebrate catalysts to spiritual discussions.

Secondly, and for you, please watch this video of a precious behind-the-scene glimpse into a Christian man doing his job.  Tim just happens to have a talent and platform that puts him in front of millions.  But his example (that you'll see if you watch this ten minute video) is for...

Me, a stay-at-home mom.  It's for the Christian guy who just served me coffee.  It's for the Christian woman working at the bank, the Christian man who may take my packages at the post office later today, the kids we love and teach at church each Sunday.  Tim is living an open, humble, God-praising, kind-hearted Christian life. 

Hello, I know he's not perfect.  Just like me, he's won't always reflect God or take the high road.  But hopefully just like you and me, he will continue to press toward Christ.  That he is doing this on a very large and often critical platform is admirable and captivating. 

Pray for Tim.  Use his life to venture into spiritual conversations.  And follow His lead to put Jesus first in spite of your talent, looks, personality, fame, accomplishments, intelligence, or whatever you posses that would love to exalt itself in front of Jesus. 

I'm looking for people who are following Christ so that I can grab inspiration for my life.  This video will hopefully inspire you as it did me!

 

You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:14-16 The Message Bible