The Road Less Traveled

Our Family is away... on a road less traveled.

A Spiritual battle has been raging around us.. and we will not retreat so far as the enemy will have victory.

We took a little trip away.. to get away from it all..

While we are away.. it occurred to me.. this is the Road Less Traveled.

Others walk away... but, The Road of Faithfulness is... less traveled.. even under attack.

Lord, we ask for much strength and grace .. as we travel this road.

A look into our time away.

Another blessed day  - May we administer grace to all.

Homemade Freezer Pops -Yummm!

My brother owns an Ice Cream Store!  So, you can imagine the "temptation" to frequent there.. But, alas,,,
Our budget, our waistline and our health can only permit the fun trip there to once a week.

So.. we came up with this healthy alternative to a frozen and yummy treat... for the days we aren't at the Ice Cream Shop!

Here is how you can make these at home:

1 Large container of Stonyfield Banilla Yogurt  ( This, of course has a banana flavor to it - hence, banilla!)
Fresh Strawberries
Freezer Pop Holders  OR you can use Wax lined Dixie cups...with a Popsicle stick

Cut/Hull Stem off Strawberries
Cut into pieces
Puree them in your blender ( no chunks)

Fill Pop holders 1/4 full of Banilla Yogurt
Next drizzle in a little of the pureed strawberries
Fill more Banilla Yogurt on top of this layer...

We only used three layers.. but you can judge by the size of your containers.
Also... we have some NON-strawberry lovers, and so we made some ALL Banilla Yogurt pops.

Freeze for 24 hours.  Plan ahead!  Fruit and Yogurt takes a little longer to freeze.

Enjoy!

Update: Now.. for the "Rest of the chicken Story.." And more!

Ladies and Gentlemen... I am laughing so hard and now realizing that you ALL think my home is a crazy place to be!
Your comments on my blog, facebook, and email, have kept me rolling in laughter..
So.. I will set the story straight.. right here and now!

Yesterdays Post on...

"There is a chicken in my bed!".. (click and  read here if you missed it)..
Miss Shirley Temple was TRULY dreaming... but, it was ohhhhh.. so convincing!  I did NOT look - just so ya' know...
There was NOT a chicken in her bed... Just a dream!

BUT!... I did wonder.. just like each of you.
She was so sleepy, and totally in nightmare - dream state.  She laughs about it now.. also, telling me that in addition to the chicken in her bed..
There was a PANDA too!  Silly Girl.

Laughing?
 I am now, but most certainly didn't think it was worth laughing about at 3:30 in the morning.  heehee..

What makes me really laugh is that you are all probably right.. we do have some very crazy happenings in our home...
BUT... if there was truly a chicken in her bed.. I don't think that I would have told a soul! 

Moving on...
( Are we all breathing a sigh of relief over the ending of that story!)

......  Here are some pics of some great Frozen Pops that we all made yesterday.
I will include the recipe tomorrow.
Stop back and jot it down.

They were super-fun...

Super-easy..

and,,,

Super-healthy!

WHALA- Frozen Pops!

Stop in tomorrow for the recipe...

 they were a "hit!"

There is a chicken in my bed!!!

3:30 a.m....I hear a little whimper next to my ear, and open my eyes to find my Shirley Temple standing there.. fearful.  Shaking and whimpering.

I ask her what is wrong.. and she says, ( crying and pointing).."There is a chicken in my bed!"

I tell her that there is NOT a chicken in her bed, and it is OK to lay back down...( her room is attached to ours, and so I can send her right back to bed.)

Nope.  She is 100% sure there is a chicken in her bed.
Still whimpering, and shaking, I am now trying to get her to truly wake up.
The baby shares a room with Miss Curly-Q, and I know it is only minutes now before she awake also...
maybe afraid herself of the chicken in the bed next to hers.

Being a parent is not convenient, and definitely does not have set hours.
It is a position of commitment and unconditional love.
I love my sleep.  I am one who truly needs her sleep, and this chicken was royally "messing" up my night!

The most frightening this about this middle of the night rendezvous, was that I was becoming convinced that there REALLY WAS a CHICKEN in her bed!
What is happening to me?
I told her once more that there was not a chicken there, and she pointed her little hand in the direction of her bed, and crying, proclaimed.." YES there is!!  It is right there!"

Did I look?
I am not going to tell you.. you will have to guess!!

( In case you don't remember,, we DO have chickens in a pen here on our property!)

10 minutes later,.. she is sleeping soundly in the recliner in our room, and I am almost asleep, when I think that I hear a "SQUAWK!!"

Go to sleep September!  It is only a dream... isn't it?

Absence makes the heart...

.. grow fonder?

Or Absence makes... the heart grow stronger!?

Today marks the day that we greet our daughter home after only one week of her being away at a basketball camp.
OK.. I am SURE that all of the parents reading this that have had children move on... go to college, marriage.. move away.. etc. are rolling their eyes at this post.

Honestly,, this post is not about missing my child.. or her absence.. it is about my honesty.
I have mentioned before.. and I will mention again... I am a transparent person, and as genuine as I can be...
so, when I write about the praises of my children, I also write about the weaknesses of mine.

So, back to basketball camp.
One week away - she sent one text, and called and left a "Happy Anniversary" song on the machine for us this week.
Other than that... she was experiencing a big week, and I was reflecting.

Reflecting on that whole ..
"Absence makes the heart ..."

Sarah was born with a tender heart.  Would you know that from talking to her?  Nope.  You have to really KNOW her.  She is one that will make you laugh.
Sarah was born  to lead... Would you know that from meeting her?... probably.
Sarah was born to show little emotion.  Humanly speaking.. when it comes to the Lords plan for her life.. the emotion is there.
Sarah was born 2nd- but oldest girl.... and she takes that pretty seriously.
Sarah and I always agree.  Not really.
Sarah loves domestication and shares my interests.  Not really.
Sarah is anxious to be out and serving the Lord.  I can see it happening fast.

Sarah went away for a week, and I expected my heart to grow "fonder",,,,
But, rather..
"Absence made my heart grow stronger.."

The Lord is preparing me to let her be what HE has always wanted for her.
It was just my job to guide and raise her for this time in her life.
My heart is stronger now...
That I have reflected on all of the things God gave Sarah from the time she was born...

Sarah is His.  Would you know that from meeting her - 100%  yes!
So, I will not stand, weeping for sadness when my girl goes off to basketball camp, or when she graduates next year...
I will weep ( and she won't - no emotion - remember?  heehee,)... for JOY..
that our hearts can grow STRONGER with absence!
Another week of great lessons from the Lord to me.

I am so glad you are home again, my dearest daughter.

A Tall Order

I am just so thankful that the Lord only requires so much of me,, and that He lays that out quite clearly in Scripture.
It is a Tall Order to obey God's Word, and one I take pretty seriously.

What I am learning that I cannot take too seriously... is the weight I use to put on myself to understand why some choose to live the Christian walk ( actions, words, convenience) some days, some moments, and then other times, perhaps it is too Tall of an Order.
( I myself, am found guilty as well... for the negative commenting lurkers.)

This week, I am thanking God that His plan is not for me to worry about the "whys,"  or confusion in the world around me...
He just wants me to know that HE is all that I need.

I am sad to say, that, we all will discover that a Christians walk can definetely be a stumbling block to another..
What we do with that is our responsibility.

Moving on beyond human understanding and comprehension over selfishness... well.. thats my Tall Order for this week.
Hint to those that are trying to follow God's Tall Order for their life...
Don't serve one another with the thinking that your actions, words,  or kindess will be remembered.
Serve ALL for Jesus... and Only Him.
The Tall Order here:
Put aside expectations of return in respect and kindness...
If it was for Jesus.. then that is all that matters.

Growing, growing...every day..
I want to be like Him.
A Tall Order.